GFG22_GH_FB002_E2

But Skip’s dream has also turned Gildreath into Extra Suspicion
an impossible labyrinth of evergreen hedges and
topiaries, a reflection of Skip’s utter confusion at You can add or remove suspicion from the characters’ count
not just the layout but the customs and culture of for reasons not outlined in this section. A particularly low roll,
Gildreath. In order to get to the Reservoir and grab such as a natural 1, might draw more attention and garner
a sample of Aquanos, Skip and her crew must move more suspicion. Conversely, a fantastic scene of roleplay might
through this maze without being outed as residents of remove a significant amount of suspicion. Work with your table
the Shade by the aristocrats here. to make the suspicion meter a tense but engaging aspect of
this encounter.
Gildreath, a decadent wonderland, is alive with
the buzz of leisure. Couples stroll down charming Lighting. Gildreath is much brighter than the Shade
cobblestone walkways lined with meticulously-trimmed on account of the natural sunlight. However, the
evergreen hedges, parasols between them to shield higher the characters’ suspicion, the hotter the sun
them from the light snow dusting the plants. Families burns, making them feel sluggish and exposed.
sit in wrought-iron lawn furniture, sipping tea and
exchanging pleasantries. Children play near topiaries Guards. Each numbered area of the maze has one
clipped into animal shapes, taking care not to dirty guard stationed there. Guards appear as clean-cut,
their clothes where their parents can see them. uniformed humans but use living dream statistics
(see appendix A).
Navigating the Maze
The Signal. If characters get separated and use their
Use the following rules to determine how to navigate pre-determined signal to find each other, it takes
the labyrinthine hedges of Gildreath. about 5 minutes and accrues 2 suspicion to reunite.

Suspicion Threshold H1. Lost Parents

As characters move through the maze, they accrue Two human fathers call out for their missing children
suspicion, which measures how out-of-place they look in this room. They ask the characters if they’ve seen
among the wealthy Gildreath folk around them. them: two daughters, who answer to Elise and Lydia.
Spending too much time in the maze can arouse Elise and Lydia are lost in the maze (area H6). If
suspicion, as looking lost makes one seem like they do characters reunite the children with their fathers, their
not belong. In this section, suspicion is a point value suspicion is reduced by 3, and Elise and Lydia tell
shared by the whole party. For each room of the maze the characters about the “secret passageway” they
the characters enter, they gain one point of suspicion. discovered in the dead end passage (area H2). The
Depending on how they solve individual girls tell the characters where, specifically, to go, and
encounters in the labyrinth, characters can accrue or how to move so as to avoid garnering suspicion.
even remove suspicion.
When the party accrues 10 suspicion, Gildreath H2. Dead End?
takes notice. A group of 1d6 + 1 Gildreath guards
(use living dream statistics; see appendix A) arrive This area looks like a dead end, and to most adults,
and attempt to knock them out the intruders. Were it is. But children in Gildreath know all of the tiny
this reality, the characters would surely be thrown in passageways in the hedges and can navigate them
prison and fined an immense sum. Instead, they are without being caught.
forcibly removed from Skip's dream. Characters who touch the dead end wall can
make a DC 22 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Maze Features On a success, they find the secret passageway.
Without Elise and Lydia’s advice, characters using
The following are features of the hedge maze unless this passageway searching the wall attract the
otherwise specified. attention of passersby and must succeed on a DC 18
Walls. The walls are made of 10-foot-tall and 5-foot- Charisma (Deception) check or accrue 5 suspicion.
The passageway leads to the hallway just west of area
thick evergreen plants. Characters can hack H8, meaning characters can take this passageway and
through them in an attempt to get to the Reservoir avoid the ballroom dance entirely.
faster, but they immediately amass 5 suspicion. There are no guards at this dead end.

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2.3: Heist on the Gräffendam

H3. Gardener’s Home Making a Steal. Characters who attempt to steal
an item must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of
A humble brick cottage sits against the hedge wall, Hand) check or accrue 6 suspicion. The DC increases
surrounded by white and purple flowering cabbages. A by 5 for particularly large or unwieldy items.
woman in loose-fitting clothing and a large sunhat sits
on the porch, puzzling over a lump of topiary with no H5. Water Mirage
discernible shape.
As the sun beats down on Gildreath, the hedges give
The gardener’s name is Artemisia, though she prefers
going by Art. She appears human and uses living way to a large, beautiful fountain. Stone dolphins in the
dream statistics (see appendix A). Art’s hedge
clippers have gone missing, and she suspects some of fountain’s center spew cool water from the blowholes
the children may have stolen them. Artemisia knows
about the hideout in H6, but she is far too busy to at the top of their stony heads and into the shallow
check herself. If the characters speak with her, she
asks them to look instead. pool below. Pathways out of this clearing sit at the
If characters return Art’s clippers, she rewards them
with two vials of antitope, a poison that specifically north, west, and south ends.
damages plants. One vial of antitope can be used to
coat a piercing or slashing weapon or three pieces of Skip, who has been traveling for some time in this
ammunition. Applying the poison takes an action. maze, sees the fountain and realizes exactly how
A plant hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition thirsty and overheated she is in this sun. She rushes
takes 10 (4d4) poison damage. Once applied, antitope toward the fountain to grab a drink of clean water.
retains potency for 1 minute before drying. Characters have exactly one round to prevent her
If characters ask why Art would have plant-killing from reaching the fountain.
poisons, she merely shrugs and claims, “You never If any creature touches the fountain, the guard on
know with plants.” duty in this room turns into a living nightmare (see
appendix A) and attacks the offender. The characters
H4. Flea Market accrue 1 suspicion at the end of each round of combat
while in this fight.
Rows and rows of blankets and towels lie on the dirt
ground, with beautiful possessions placed lovingly H6. Children’s Hideout
upon them. Aristocrats walk up and down the aisles,
surveying the knickknacks and making selections. There Hidden among the hedges in this seemingly-dead
are exits at the west and north sides of this room. end is an exclusive clubhouse that the children of
Gildreath have built for themselves. Children have
The aristocrats are putting on a flea market, in which painstakingly cut a small den out of the shrubbery
they gather the items they no longer want and sell here and filled it with candies and toys from
them to one another for pocket change. The items at their homes.
this sale range from large and ornate furniture to small, At any given moment, there are 1d4 children inside
personal items such as fountain pens and jewelry. the den, hiding from their parents, digging in the dirt,
Making a Purchase. Characters can find just and looking at bugs—in other words, kid stuff.
about anything here that they would find at an Lost Girls. When characters first find this area,
average market. The items are all secondhand, and the they notice two children—Elise and Lydia, two
aristocrats selling them only accept coins minted by human girls—on the ground outside of the entrance
the Bürach Empire. to the den. Lydia, age 4, has scraped her knee, and
Making a Sale. Characters are welcome to sell Elise, being 7 years old, does not know how to help
their own items here. Because people in Gildreath are her sister. They are lost, afraid, and don’t know where
rich, they can get 10 percent more for an item here their fathers are. They are willing to follow characters
than they would typically. Aristocrats in Gildreath who can treat Lydia’s scratch, which can be done with
pay in coins minted by the Bürach Empire, which a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Medicine) check or
work the same way in Dream-Town as they do here. with any spell or ability that restores hit points.
Malva’s Treasures. Malva, age 9, is the de facto
leader of the children in the den, because she is the
oldest and also because she has the largest collection
of treasures from the adult world. Malva trades one
of her treasures for an item the characters value, so
long as they can make a convincing enough argument
about its worth.

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Characters can do this with a successful DC 10 Malva
Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check, or by
giving her something that sparkles or shines. Malva Pathways leading out of this room sit at the west
has in her treasure chest: and east ends. The song ends to cheers and squeals of
delight from the crowd. As the band strikes up the next
• Artemisia’s hedge clippers song, dancers on the ballroom turn their attention to
• A beautiful blue fascinator that, when equipped, the newest dancers in the room—the adventurers.

reduces the group’s suspicion by 1 The two exits in this room are on opposite sides,
• A rainbow feather which means that characters must traverse the
• A bag of 15 multicolored marbles that could pass for ballroom in order to do so. As soon as they enter, each
character is accosted by a living dream (see appendix
gold pieces in Dream-Town A) dressed elegantly for the dance.
• The delicately-painted floral handle of a They don’t want to fight (for now—see “Rising
Suspicion,” below), but instead want to dance!
collapsible dagger; Malva can’t figure out its As the song begins, the dancers step in time to
locking mechanism and therefore doesn’t know the music with their partners, pressing their hands
it’s a weapon together. At certain cues in the music, they swap
• A wooden ocarina that Malva claims tames partners and twirl about the dance floor.
earthworms (it can’t) Dancing to Impress. Each character must make
a DC 16 Charisma (Performance) check to join
H7. Rich Conversation the group dance correctly, or a DC 18 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check to otherwise wow the crowd with
Two aristocrats stand amid a garden of crocuses their moves. For each successful check, the characters
shouting and wildly gesticulating at each other. The reduce their suspicion by 1, and for each failed check,
aristocrats look like humans, but they are in actuality they accrue 2 suspicion.
living dreams (see appendix A). When they notice
the characters, the two turn and ask them for their
input. This is a trap.
Any character who responds to the aristocrats must
succeed on a DC 21 Charisma saving throw or become
charmed by the aristocrats for 1 minute. A charmed
character is compelled to join in on the argument, no
matter the cost.
For each minute the characters spend in this room
arguing, they accrue 1 point of suspicion. If the
characters make a persuasive enough argument to settle
the debate or get the aristocrats to quiet some other way
(such as with the silence spell), they lose 3 suspicion.
Conversation Topics. These aristocrats, as
manifestations of Skip’s subconscious, feed off the
ability to derail the entire mission. They argue about
petty, irrelevant nonsense and often jump from
one topic of conversation to another. Consider the
following as potential starting points of the argument:

• Which fork do you eat soup with, the one on the
outside or the one on the inside?

• Which came first: the chicken, or the dread?
• If a winter wolf wore pants, would they be made of

cotton or silk?

H8. Ballroom Dance

Gleeful string music reverberates through this room

of the hedge maze, accompanied by the swirls and

twirls of skirts along a dance floor. It is an outdoor

ballroom set to the soothing sounds of a six-piece

string ensemble.

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2.3: Heist on the Gräffendam

Rising Suspicion. If the suspicion threshold is met The hedges surround Skip, but they do not attack her.
or exceeded in this room, it is the dancers themselves Instead, they attack any creature attempting to get
who attack. There is one dancer for each character in between them and Skip.
the party. As combat ensues, the maze itself closes in around
Elegant Escape. Once a character has made three the characters. Each round, on initiative count 20,
checks (successful or otherwise), they are able to 1d4 5-foot square segments of the hedge maze walls
cross to the opposite side of the room and escape. becoming walking hedges and enter the fray. These
Characters that made mostly successful checks escape walking hedges enter initiative and move to surround
with elegance and grace; those who mostly failed Skip as well.
manage to stagger away from their disappointed Skip’s Turn. On her turn, Skip can only move
dance partner. 5 feet. The direction is determined by whether or
not she is motivated that round (see “Motivating
H9. Reservoir Entrance Skip,” below).
If Skip is motivated on her turn, and there are no
A small wooden booth, painted a fresh white, sits at walking hedges blocking her path, she moves 5 feet
the eastern exit of this room. A man in pristine white north, toward the Reservoir. If not motivated, she
uniform sits in front of a painted sign reading, “TICKETS moves 5 feet south, back toward the Shade. Skip’s
HERE: 1 gp.” Several aristocrats mill about, searching path must be clear of walking hedges for her to move.
their pockets for loose change and waiting for friends. At the end of her turn, Skip loses motivation and
There is a second exit at the western side of this room. must be motivated again.
Motivating Skip. On their turn, a character
Characters must purchase tickets to the Reservoir can speak to Skip and make a DC 13 Charisma
from the living dream (see appendix A) attending (Persuasion) check. On a success, skip is motivated
this booth. He only accepts gold coins from the until the end of her next turn. Spells such as heroism
Bürach Empire, which the characters likely do not or calm emotions motivate her without the need for an
have, having traveled from Soma. Skip’s pockets are ability check.
similarly empty. If characters wish to pay, they must Skip must move on her own. If the characters
find a way to make 1 gold piece for each ticket. drag Skip or force her to move against her will, the
Earning Money. If the characters have some of the final hall of the hedge maze extends indefinitely
wine from Melaina’s shipment, they can sell it here for before and behind the group.
1 gold per glass. If not, characters may have to busk or Development. Once Skip has moved a total of
sell their possessions at the flea market in Area H4. 20 feet northward of her own volition, her resolve is
Refusing to Pay. Characters can attempt to sneak solidified. The hedges stop animating. The dreamlike
past the attendant. They must cause a distraction to road ahead grows shorter, and the Reservoir
do so, as the attendant does not take his eyes from the comes into view, with just one final obstacle in the
eastern exit for any reason. group’s way.
Moving On. When characters pass through the
east side of this room, they are on their way to the Skip’s Emotions
Reservoir. But one more challenge awaits Skip and her
crew in this stretch of hedge: Skip’s subconscious and A vocal person, Skips communicates her feelings to the
its desire to protect her from the harsh truth of her fate. characters every step of the way. While demotivated, Skip
might voice her fears of discovery or even capture at the
Hallway of Infinite Hedges Reservoir. Even if she gets to the water, who’s to say it will
ever find its way back to the Shade? Is there a point to this, or
Although Skip and the characters are in the final should she turn back now? Similarly, a motivated Skip might
hallway of the maze, the hedges grow taller and reaffirm her ideals. The only way she can succeed is to try.
thicker around them with each step. Skip stops, The people of the Shade are counting on her. She might even
hopeless, and sulks as the hedges move toward her repeat back the words of the characters used to motivate her.
with the intent to overtake her. Since this is a dream, Skip’s emotions affects her perception
of the world around her. A native of the Shade, Skip is at her
Hedge Fight best in cool, dark environments. The more frightened she is,
the hotter the sun beats down. The bright sun washes out the
At the start of combat, the two 5-foot segments of the colors of Skip’s dream and lends an anxious or agitated feel.
hedge hallway sitting directly on either side of Skip
animate, becoming walking hedges (see appendix A).

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Hateful Sleepwalker The Reservoir is a lively, beautiful sight. The sun casts
its golden light on a brilliant, sparkling, clear lake.
Before the characters reach the end of this once- Though the water temperature is just above freezing,
endless row of hedges, a somnambulating mound it does not bother the vacationing aristocrats, who laze
(see appendix A) tears its way out of the hedge. This about the place in their leisure swimwear, digging their
creature is a frightening mess of overgrown shrubbery, feet into the perfectly white sand beneath them.
a grotesque amalgam of the novelty animal topiaries Aristocrats roam everywhere: playing in the water,
covering previous areas of the hedge maze. The swimming, splashing one other, even spilling it with no
characters must defeat this foe and any remaining mind for just how valuable the water is.
walking hedges to proceed.
If at the start of her turn, Skip is 15 feet south, While it is nearly freezing up by the Reservoir, Skip’s
toward the Shade, her survival instincts solidify. She dream stopped making sense a long time ago. The
makes her retreat back to the Shade. The hedges, folks in their swimwear are living it up at the lake,
manifestations of Skip’s subconscious, close their treating their precious Aquanos like an infinite
ranks, barring further entry into the maze. Characters resource. When Skip sees this, her rage reaches its
can no longer advance; they have no choice but to breaking point.
follow Skip’s retreat. Skip discards whatever plan the group hatched for
covertly securing the water from the Reservoir. The
Reservoir only thing on her mind now is anger and resentment
for the people living like this.
Read or paraphrase the following when the characters
escape the hedge maze and reach the Reservoir atop
the Gräffendam:

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2.3: Heist on the Gräffendam

Skip hands the jar off to the nearest character remove masks or disrobe with a flourish to reveal
and makes her way through the crowd. She berates themselves as enemies.
everyone at the lake for their carelessness with a This escape encounter utilizes initiative, as the spies
resource that means the difference between life and treat this as combat. The spies use their crossbows to
death for residents of the Shade. Skip’s impassioned shoot at characters running by. Characters can Dash
speech makes a perfect distraction for a character to to reach the entrance quickly or attempt to neutralize
sneak water from the lake with a DC 15 Dexterity spies on their way out.
(Stealth) check (with advantage, thanks to Skip’s aid). If the characters make it to the lifts and alert Skip
Skip has done such a good job of attracting using the signal, she succumbs to the onslaught of
attention, however, that she has alerted the thieves’ spies, and the dream ends.
guild to her presence. In nonsensical and nightmarish
fashion, each of the lake-goers rips off their skin to Conclusion
reveal themselves as thieves’ guild spies. They all
draw their crossbows, train them on Skip, and fire— Depending on the choices the characters made, Skip’s
killing her in a heartbeat. dream can end differently.

Run! Flee From the Hedges

As long as the jar of Aquanos makes it to the Shade, If Skip ran away during the battle in the infinite hedge
Skip will have done her job. And with the spies all row, the way forward permanently closes for them.
trained on her, Skip realizes the Aquanos’ best chance The dream begins to swim and they find themselves
is with her crew. She tells them to grab the water (if back in the lift down to the Shade, with Skip.
they haven’t already) and run. “Use the signal when Skip realizes she has left with something incredibly
you’re clear,” she says. precious to her: her life. It isn’t fair that the wealthy
Each creature the characters met inside the hedge folk in Gildreath get to keep Aquanos for themselves,
maze is now a thieves’ guild spy: the dancers, the but Skip thinks that becoming like them would be
quarrelers, even the lost fathers and their daughters. a terrible fate. The possibility is certainly not worth
As the characters encounter each of them, they risking her life over.

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Something is different about the Shade now that situation. She has no love for Octavian and what he’s
Skip and the characters have returned, however. It done to her—and concludes she’d like to help the
seems nicer, cleaner, and full of life. Passersby smile characters take him down.
at the characters, there are stands full of fresh fruit
and vegetables on every corner. Just enough sunlight Rewards
filters in to keep everyone happy and smiling.
Skip’s subconscious is creating a safe environment If the characters grabbed Skip’s jar at the Reservoir
for her to live out the rest of her dream, but Skip sees encounter, they have it when they wake in Dream-
it as her never having appreciated the Shade for what Town. Inside the jar is a swirling liquid that looks like
it was before this moment. the rumored Aquanos of Gildreath.
She thanks the characters for saving her life and A character can take a minute to carefully pour
changing her perspective, and the dream ends; she some of the liquid from the jar into a potion or poison
returns to Dream-Town, pacified. to magnify the effects of that liquid. They can choose
one of the following effects to add to the liquid:
Rewards
• The poison now deals one extra damage die of the
Skip doesn’t have much she can give to thank the same type as the original effect
characters for keeping her alive, but she does have a
few things she nicked off the aristocrats in Gildreath: • The potion now heals one extra die of the same type
a leather wallet worth 5 gp, a beautiful mink stole as the original effect
worth 10 gp, and a sapphire ring worth 30 gp.
• The potion or poison’s duration is doubled
Keep Moving Forward
The Jar of Dream Aquanos has five uses. A
When the characters wake after having safely carried character can expend multiple uses to strengthen the
the Aquanos out of the hedge maze, Skip wakes up same potion.
alongside them, lucid. Skip’s natural distaste for This liquid isn’t the real Aquanos, just a recreation
authority shines through in her assessment of the of it based on the rumors Skip has heard. If this liquid
somehow finds itself back in the land of the living, it
retains its magical properties. However, an expert in
magical substances can immediately tell the difference
between this false Aquanos and the real thing.

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2.3: Heist on the Gräffendam



Chapter 4:

The Ballad of Ser Tristram

For characters of 3rd or 4th level

This chapter concerns the tale of Tristram, knight of Charneault, a tragic
character who killed, maimed, and tortured in the name of protecting
the forest they loved. Their actions were the result of the corrupting
influence of an evil Spirit of Nature. In their grief, Tristram tried to take
on the evil Spirit and lost everything, including their life.

Vetra Background

In the beautiful kingdom of Charneault was once a
breathtaking and natural place known as the Dark
Oak Grove. For years it was lovingly maintained
by a passionate caretaker and her followers. Life
of all kinds thrived in the Dark Oak Grove, most
notably the majestic oak trees that gave the place
its name. But that caretaker and her companions
are long dead or disappeared, and the Dark Oak
Grove has become something much more sinister in
recent years.
Perhaps it was the growing influence of
Thaelkinei, the Lich Princess who rules over the
neighboring undead city of Tol Kerdywel, that
corrupted the Grove. Or maybe some act of terrible
violence committed deep in the woods corrupted the
place forever. Whatever the reason, the Dark Oak
Grove is all but uninhabitable to most living beings.
Its once-proud oak trees have rotted from the inside
out. Its streams have all dried up. It is a wretched
and vile place that forever alters those who dare
step inside.

Tristram’s Story

Tristram and their companion Elynn ventured into
the woods intending to discover the source of its
corruption. While there, Tristram met a nature spirit
named Vetra who offered them a deal: help “rid” the
Grove of corruption in exchange for ultimate knightly,
chivalrous power.
Tristram did not seek ultimate power, but simply
wishing to help was enough to sow the seeds of their
downfall. Tristram accepted the deal. Vetra was not
the benevolent nature spirit it led Tristram to believe,
however. Vetra had also been corrupted by whatever
spoiled the Grove, and it manipulated Tristram into
becoming a conduit of that corruption instead.
Tristram abandoned their companion, leaving her
to die in the woods, while they continued to brutally
cut down any creature that Vetra perceived as a
threat. When Tristram finally gained a moment of
clarity, they looked back on the harm they had done
and broke free of Vetra’s grasp.
Tristram challenged Vetra to a duel, hoping to
defeat the nature spirit and end its foul influence
once and for all. But Vetra had grown too powerful,
having fed off the death and destruction Tristram
caused. Vetra unceremoniously killed Tristram,
and to this day, the Grove grows ever worse due to
Tristram’s actions.

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Vetra Dark Oak Grove

Vetra is a Spirit of Nature (see page 114 of Grim Once Tristram is unconscious or sleeping (see
Hollow: The Campaign Guide), a physical manifestation “Bringing Sleep to the Dreamers” in chapter 1 of this
of the world’s natural forces. These spirits are the episode), the characters can use the eye mask given
energy inhabiting everything from plant life to the to them by Octavian to enter their dreams. If Tristram
air and soil. When a Spirit of Nature meets a knight is ever killed in this dream by any means other than
from Charneault they deem worthy, the Spirit grants being slain by thieves’ guilt agents by the Reservoir
the knight untold power in exchange for a pledge of (see “Reservoir,” later in this chapter).
service. Serving a Spirit of Nature is one of the highest The Dark Oak Grove of Tristram’s dreams is
honors granted to a Charneaultean knight. nothing like the corrupted, rotting tumor it is in real
Vetra, however, is a corrupted Spirit, a physical life. Instead, it is the verdant paradise Tristram sought
manifestation of the undead energy of Dark Oak to create, teeming with active wildlife, vibrant flora,
Grove. Its goal is to perpetuate the cycle of rot and and natural wonder. As characters explore Tristram’s
decay inside the Grove and beyond. Vetra revels in version of the Grove, they must peel back the layers of
this environment, enjoying every bit of it as though perfection to reveal the putrid reality underneath.
the Grove were its own personal playground. A
Spirit like Vetra cannot exist in a clean, natural Exploring the Grove
environment, and so it perceives heroes who would
come to purify the Grove as a threat to its existence. As adventurers delve deeper into the Grove, the
Through a combination of illusion and persuasion, world around them shifts into something sinister
Vetra was able to force Tristram to see the Grove before their very eyes.
through its perspective. The empathetic Tristram
pledged themself to Vetra, vowing to preserve the Grove Features
Grove and keep the Spirit safe. In exchange, Vetra
granted its knight devastating powers of corruption. The following features are true for areas in the Dark
Dream-Vetra. Vetra is manipulative and Oak Grove unless otherwise specified:
conniving, but it possesses a playful side that makes it
alluring to wandering knights and other do-gooders. Time. It is eternally nighttime in Tristram’s dream.
Vetra believes only in itself, trusts only itself, and Though the moon is out and full, the forest is so
values only itself. It views Tristram as a replaceable dense that its light never reaches the ground.
tool. Once they fail to prove their usefulness, Vetra
will discard them for the next useful thing. Light. Dreamlike areas are dimly lit by wandering
Vetra resembles the Grove’s corruption incarnate, communities of fireflies.
a festering amalgam of rot and ooze. In fact, it is
difficult to tell whether the Grove has influenced Navigating the Grove
Vetra or vice versa. Vetra is amorphous, capable of
taking on a humanoid shape when the need arises. In order to find Tristram, characters must follow an
overgrown path that winds through a particular series
The Goal of clearings. At each clearing, characters choose a
direction in which to travel.
Characters entering this dream have the opportunity Which Direction? The map of the Grove is for the
to learn more about Tristram through their memories GM’s eyes, and only shows the correct routes. Though
of the Grove and their time as a knight of Charneault. there is one correct path, there are no clear roads.
Tristram’s Dark Oak Grove presents itself as Whenever they reach a new clearing in the grove,
a shifting maze, a connection of clearings in an they must figure out which direction to travel; one
otherwise impossible-to-navigate forest. Characters of the cardinal directions (north, east, south, west),
who do not travel in the correct direction find or one of the ordinal directions (northeast, southeast,
themselves right back where they started. southwest, northwest).
At the end of the maze, characters fight Tristram to Consequences of Choice. If they choose correctly,
bring them back to their senses. The characters then they advance to the next clearing in the order. If they
have the opportunity to witness Tristram’s losing choose incorrectly, they end up back at the beginning
duel with Vetra or jump in and fight the nature spirit of the map (area G1) and must traverse the clearings
alongside the knight. all over again. It takes approximately five minutes to
travel between clearings.

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Path of the Sword. In area G1, characters are
invited to “follow the Path of the Sword,” a clue that
hints they must follow sword-like indicators in each
room that give away the direction in which they
should head. Each clearing is a dreamlike mix of
Tristram’s memories from both their Grove and their
time as a knight, meant to juxtapose their chivalrous
values with the awful things they’ve done under the
control of Vetra.
Each area under “Clearings in the Grove” includes
rules and descriptions for the area’s swordlike puzzle.
Knight Stalkers. The forest is full of many
creatures that, as manifestations of Tristram’s dream,
want to force the adventurers out by any means
necessary. These creatures stalk the characters as
they journey through the Grove, getting closer with
every clearing.
The stalkers take notice of the characters as soon
as they arrive in the Grove but attack only after the
characters have traversed 1d4 + 1 clearings. The
stalkers fight to the death and disintegrate once
defeated. The Grove’s supply of stalkers is unlimited,
however. Once the characters defeat a pack of them,
another pack materializes somewhere in the Grove
to take their place and will strike in 1d4 + 1 clearing
traversals.
The stalkers use wolf statistics and look like
nightmarish wolves. They grow in power and
terrifying presence as corruption overtakes the Grove.
See “Corruption,” below, for more information. The
number of stalkers in a pack is equal to the number of
characters in the adventuring party, including NPCs.

Creating Tension Corruption

The stalkers are meant to put pressure on characters to As characters discover more clearings, the Grove
solve the forest traversal puzzle faster. This works best if around them succumbs to the corruption, and
they know that the stalkers are coming after them, and that Tristram’s illusion of a perfect world crumbles. Each
they only have a limited number of rooms before the stalkers new clearing the characters discover introduces
catch up. Consider explaining the rules of the stalkers to your a new layer of corruption permeating the forest,
players directly or even having them roll the d4 themselves, including areas the characters have already covered.
so they know how many clearings they have left before their This is relevant if the characters have to re-traverse
inevitable encounter. old ground.
If you prefer not to reveal this information to your players, Rank 1. The characters begin their adventure
consider using sensory indicators to show that the stalkers through the Grove at this level in area G1. The forest
are close. “You hear howling in the distance.” “You can smell teems with peaceful and curious wildlife, and green
the stench of rotting flesh close by.” “You see rustling in the leaves shroud the majestic oak trees. Small collectives
underbrush just beyond this clearing.” Using language like this of fireflies keep areas dimly lit.
when characters first enter a clearing can help your players
understand their time is limited.

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Rank 2. Upon reaching area G3, the leaves on the The sword in the stump once belonged to Tristram
oak trees begin to yellow and wither. Wildlife shies before they cast it aside to follow Vetra. A character
away from the characters, including the fireflies. who inspects the sword finds an inscription upon
Though the fireflies still provide dim light to the area, it, written in Common: “The way of the Knight is to
it is always darkest around the characters. follow the path of the sword.”
Stalkers’ attacks deal an additional 2 (1d4) necrotic Characters who investigate the sword also notice
damage at this rank. that no matter which way the fireflies’ lights point,
Rank 3. Upon reaching area G5, the leaves on the Tristram’s sword always casts a shadow pointing
trees turn brown and start to fade away. Wildlife due north.
becomes hostile. The full moon and fireflies combined Path of the Sword. Characters should follow the
provide bright light to all areas, but there is a 10 sword’s shadow north to progress to area G2.
percent chance that a swarm of stinging fireflies
attacks the characters while traveling between G2. Knighting Ceremony
clearings (use swarm of wasps statistics).
Stalkers’ attacks deal an additional 5 (2d4) necrotic Trumpets blare and Charneaultean banners hang from
damage at this rank. the branches of the oak trees. Spirits and specters of
Rank 4. Upon reaching area G6, there are no lives past fill the clearing, eager to get a sight of the
longer leaves in the trees. Most other flora is withered day’s proceedings. In the center of the scene, past the
or rotted. There is no longer wildlife in these woods, bustle of the spectral crowd, are three ghostly figures
only stalkers and other monsters. The full moon in gleaming armor. The one in the middle, a young,
shines down on the Grove, providing dim light. hopeful squire, kneels expectantly.
At this rank, whenever a stalker succeeds on an
attack, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom This is a memory of Tristram’s knighting ceremony.
saving throw or be frightened until the end of its Characters recognize them as the hopeful figure
next turn. kneeling in the center, waiting for someone to arrive
Rank 5. The Grove’s corruption reaches rank 5 and knight them.
upon reaching area G7. By this level, the Grove looks Path of the Sword. A character wielding a sword
exactly as it does in real life. The oak trees are rotted or sword-like object must approach the kneeling
down to their roots, oozing a pus-like sap, and the vision of Tristram and tap it to their shoulders. A
only plants thriving are accursed mushrooms and character can add any flair they like to this (such as
other macabre fungi. delivering a line like, “Arise, Ser Tristram”). Once
At this level, whenever a stalker succeeds on the knighting is complete, Ser Tristram stands and,
an attack, the target must succeed on a DC 13 with a smile, turns to the north. Spirit and oak alike
Constitution saving throw or contract the curse of part for Tristram, and they disappear down the path.
werewolf lycanthropy. Characters who follow the spectral Tristram advance
to area G3.
Clearings in the Grove Finding a Sword. If no character in the party
possesses a sword, a quick inspection of the clearing
This section details the clearings in the Dark Oak reveals a number of branches about the appropriate
Grove, presented in the order they are discovered. The width and length for a knightly longsword. For this
boxed text is written to represent what the characters dream, that’s good enough.
see the first time they encounter a clearing. Should
the characters retrace their steps after the forest has G3. Fetid Feast
corrupted past a certain point, describe what has
changed about the area since characters last visited it. In this clearing, two long tables intersect, hosting a
merry group of creatures. While some of them look
G1. The Entrance human, others are decidedly not human, sporting fangs,
wings, cloven feet, and bark for skin. The partiers
A small clearing is hidden among the oak and talk and laugh and drink and eat. In one section of the
clearing, a bard enthralls a small group of pixies with
underbrush, bathed in the gentle light of fireflies. her lively playing.

The sounds of crickets and the feet of small wildlife

running along oak branches fills the area, breathing

fresh life into the forest. In the center of the clearing,

stuck inside of the stump of a long-dead oak tree, is an

ornate Charneaultean longsword.

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The creatures feasting here are fey who are Ellyn the Bard
themselves lost inside the Dark Oak Grove. They
don’t know anything about the “Path of the Sword,” notice this and eat it all the same. With each level of
and don’t care to, as they’re having a swell time corruption, fewer and fewer creatures sit at the table
feasting and drinking in this clearing. until, at corruption rank 5, there are none left.
While normally fey creatures like hags, dryads, If the characters have not taken Elynn along before
satyrs, and the like would delight in playing tricks this point, she sits alone at the table, a skeleton
on unsuspecting adventurers lost in the woods, playing her lute for no one in particular.
these partiers don’t seem to be up for it, save
the occasional jab or jest. If characters pass G4. The Dripping Wound
this room multiple times, for example, the
creatures loudly make fun of them. A small pond once rested in this clearing, but it has now
The fey would much rather increase the dried up into a shallow ditch. Streaming out from the
number of revelers at the table. They invite ditch are several similarly dried-out brooks which point
any character who engages with them to join in toward the north, southwest, and southeast.
their feast.
Eating the food or drinking the nectar here Elynn, or any fey from area G3, can tell the party this
causes the characters to become taken in by the pond is called the Dripping Wound, as when it was
party. They are distracted for an hour. The hour does full of water it used to resemble a puncture, with
count as a short rest, but at the conclusion of it, the the “blood” dripping outward from the brooks. One
current pack of stalkers tailing the characters arrives brook used to be the source of the wound, its water
and attacks. The feasting fey scatter until the stalkers flowing from the Grove into the pond. Characters can
are dealt with, at which point they return to their also learn this about the Grove with a successful DC
party as though nothing has happened. 18 Intelligence (History) check.
Elynn the Bard. The performer in the corner is
Elynn (chaotic good female elf; see appendix A),
a songstress who sings a haunting refrain about
the “Path of the Sword” while playing on her lute.
Though she does not know what the lyrics mean, the
fey all agree: it is a nice song.
In life, Elynn traveled with Tristram on many
adventures. Path of the Sword was a refrain she wrote
about them. She sang the knight’s praises to anyone
who would listen (and even those who would not).
The dutiful Tristram politely tolerated her up until
they arrived in the Dark Oak Grove. When Elynn
questioned Tristram’s relationship with Vetra, they
abandoned her in the woods. Unable to find her way
out, Elynn wasted away and died, though Tristram’s
dream still preserves her memory, at least at first.
In death, Elynn remembers little, save her own
songs. She is lost in the forest, just as the characters
are, and offers to team up with them to find her way
out. Elynn appears as an elven woman up until the
Grove reaches rank 5 corruption, at which point she
withers away into a skeleton. She remains animate
and even quite cordial in this form, though her voice
becomes raspy and sepulchral.
Path of the Sword. The intersection of the tables
looks like the hilt, cross-guard, and blade of a sword.
Characters who follow the long end of the “blade”
table to the west progress to area G4.
At Higher Corruption. The more corrupted the
forest becomes, the more disgusting and rotten the
food on the table becomes. The fey don’t seem to

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2.4: The Ballad of Ser Tristram

Characters who succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence Separated from the memory of the Lady, the sword no
(Nature or Investigation) check determine which one longer looks like Tristram’s, but instead is a gleaming
is the source by looking closely. However, getting blade with a sun sigil of the ancient Necropolis set
close to the brooks or the pond causes a swarm of in the hilt.
insects to burrow up from the dirt and attack. Path of the Sword. If the characters follow the
Characters who are able to create water, such Lady’s sword pointing southeast, back the way they
as with the create or destroy water spell, can use this came, they advance to area G6.
method to determine which way the water flows.
Placing water in the Dripping Wound also prevents G6. Shadow Ruins
the insects from attacking.
Path of the Sword. The river flows like blood Most of the leaves on the oaks have wilted, giving the
from a wound. Characters that follow the flow of the
river to its mouth find a tall reed pointing toward full moon a chance to peek out from between bare
the northwest. Following the river upstream leads
to area G5. branches. Its light falls on broken stone structures,

G5. The Lake and the Lady once part of a society that lived here, but now

The tiny stream leads directly into an actual lake, a reclaimed by sinister-looking fungi. The shadows cast

perfectly still body of blue water. Something shines and by the stones and trees stretch long across the clearing.

glints at the bottom of the lake. Characters with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score
of 14 or higher notice that in this place, their shadows
Characters who investigate the lake find that the seem to move a little differently, as though they
bottom, about 30 feet down, is carpeted with coin, are almost mocking the characters. The characters’
small trinkets, and other offerings. Taking these shadows have come to life, taking on the personas of
offerings causes the thief to be cursed as though with dead Spirits of Nature that once lived in this forest.
the bestow curse spell. While cursed, the target has These Spirits are playful, not malevolent, and are
disadvantage on Dexterity ability checks and saving eager to share what they know.
throws. The curse lasts for an hour, or until someone Characters can only communicate with these beings
casts remove curse or similar magic to remove it. through exaggerated body language, like shadow
Characters who make an offering to the lake instead puppetry, as the shadows cannot speak a language or
attract the attention of the Lady who lives within: hear the characters. They can simply move to fill in
a water spirit who loves to collect things. The Lady the shadow of a creature they are occupying.
appears to the characters as a resplendent woman Shadowcast. If three or more characters move
made of water. She holds a sword, which looks exactly toward the ruins, their shadows climb up onto a
like Tristram’s sword from area G1. Using it, she stage-like shadow cast by the weathered stones. They
points south, from where the characters entered. proceed to act out the scene of Vetra manipulating
If the characters make a substantial offering worth Tristram to further corrupt the woods. One shadow
10 gp or more, the Lady blesses them, putting them plays the part of Vetra, an imposing, sinister-looking
under the effects of the bless spell for one hour. spirit with horns. Another shadow plays the part of
The Lady does not speak, nor does she relinquish Tristram, a heavily-armored knight wearing a helm
the sword, as it is not meant for the characters. If adorned with elk's antlers. The remaining shadows
characters try to take it from her, she attacks (use play a rotating cast of forest creatures, plants, and
water elemental statistics). The Lady fights off the people begging for their lives as the knight ruthlessly
characters while counting down each turn, starting cuts them all down with their sword. One of the
at three. On the turn in which she counts to zero, the victims, who attempts to take the sword from
Lady summons a massive tidal wave from the lake to Tristram, holds a lute, a clear allusion to Elynn. If she
wash the characters back to Area G1. The characters witnesses this, Elynn is shocked at the implication
are welcome to keep challenging her. If the characters that she is dead.
take more than 1 hour to reach her, she completes a Path of the Sword. If a character draws a sword
short rest and is able to recover all her hit points by or wields a sword-like object in this clearing, their
spending Hit Dice. shadow draws their sword as well. They point it in
If the Lady is reduced to 0 hit points, she returns to the correct direction: east. Characters who travel east
the water and relinquishes the sword (a +1 longsword). advance to area G7.
At Higher Corruption. The shadows disappear at
rank 5 corruption, as the forest is no longer habitable
for Spirits of Nature.

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G7. Which Way? If the characters attempt to intervene, Valentin,
who carries the sword, yells for them to stay out of
This clearing, surrounded by the rotting corpses of long- it. “This is about honor among men,” he declares.
dead oak trees, is itself nearly empty. Even the grass If characters continue to intervene and sway the
has withered to nothing, leaving in its place a layer of match, the victor angrily reprimands them. “I do not
wet, rotting mush of dead plant life and fallen leaves. know how you do it in Soma,” one declares, “but
Dead center in the clearing sits a run-down wooden in Charneault, a duel is sacred. It is more than who
post. The post has four smaller signs branching off of wins and who loses. Interrupting a duel has grave
it in the four cardinal directions. A piercing howl splits consequences, not just for you but for the duelists
the night—something has changed about this forest. themselves. You can’t un-do a duel. Unless, of course,
you’re ghosts.”
When characters reach this clearing of the Grove, the Uninterrupted, Alain is always the victor.
forest has hit its final level of corruption. Fortunately, after about a minute or so, the loser
If Elynn is present, she does not notice she has reforms, and their duel continues anew. Characters
become a skeleton until someone points it out to her. must use that minute-long window as their
Once she does, she becomes frightened of herself. She opportunity to get the duelists to stop fighting.
hesitates to continue, not wanting to learn the truth or
face the person who apparently killed her.
Path of the Sword. The signs on the post are
aptly labeled “North,” “South,” “West,” and “East.”
Scribbled in the mud beneath the signpost is a cryptic
message that says, “Follow the S-word.” Characters
should choose the direction with the “S-word,” or
“South,” to advance to area G8.

G8. A Ghostly Duel

The sound of metal clanging against metal splits the
desolate quiet of the forest. Two spectral figures duel,
flying about the barren clearing in a flurry of strikes and
parries. One figure wields an axe, the other a sword.

The figures in this memory are two Charneaultean
gentlemen who have quarrel with each other over
something seemingly dire. The two of them appear as
spectral beings (use specter statistics), but their desire
to harm each other is very real.
The duelists are named Alain and Valentin, arguing
over a poem they were working on together. Alain
declares the line as they approach:

“Have you no sense? The line is, ‘stained with the
grapes of desire: my affection, his lips and his hands.’ A
comma belongs after ‘his lips,’ blackguard!”

Alain believes there should be a serial comma placed
after “his lips” to indicate that all three items are
stained with the grapes of desire (whatever that
means). Valentin believes that omitting the comma
adds ambiguity to the piece and therefore makes it
more dramatic. Both men are willing to die over this.

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2.4: The Ballad of Ser Tristram

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Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Characters can convince the duelists to choose to A natural-born soliloquist, Vetra indulges any
keep or drop the comma with a successful DC 18 questions or indignant exclamations the characters
Charisma (Persuasion) check, or to find a suitable may direct at it. Vetra explains everything: the
compromise with a successful DC 15 Charisma deception, the corruption, and the slew of atrocities
(Persuasion) check. Once the problem has been Tristram has committed by its command.
solved, Valentin claims all of this is familiar to him Vetra proudly claims that Tristram is now totally
somehow, as though it has happened before, and that under its control. It then pronounces the characters
a knight named Tristram was the one who intervened enemies of the forest, spurring Tristram to break free
the first time. from the dead branches and roots and attack.
If the characters ask about Tristram, Valentin
gestures northward with his sword, claiming he saw Phase 1: Knight-Puppet Tristram
the knight go off that way.
Path of the Sword. Characters who travel east, as In this phase, Tristram’s body is controlled by the
Valentin points with his sword, advance to area G7 to ichor covering their armor and wraps around their
have their confrontation with Tristram and Vetra. limbs and head. Tristram and the ichor both have
their own initiative.
The Inner Grove

The ground is thick with pitch-black mud, slowing the
march forward. Eventually, the woods open up once
more to reveal someone in a brilliant suit of armor
that gleams in the light of the full moon. An imposing
antlered helm conceals their face. The armor is held
in place by the branches and roots of dead oaks, and
covered in blood, mud, and a viscous ooze. The ooze
drips from the plate armor to the ground, sizzling
where it lands.
“Visitors! How wonderful.” A deep, sinister laugh
fills the Grove. “You’re just in time to see it, you know.
The delicious corruption of the perfect knight.”

The one inside the suit of armor is Tristram, whose
subconscious is projecting a literal version of Vetra’s
influence onto their body at the moment. The deep
voice filling the woods is Vetra, who delights in
what it’s accomplished and is eager to unleash that
accomplishment on the characters.

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2.4: The Ballad of Ser Tristram

Vetra’s ichor uses black pudding statistics, with Tristram. Tristram uses knight statistics with the
a movement speed of 0. Although it covers parts of following changes:
Tristram’s body, it does not corrode Tristram or their
armor. The ichor elects not to move from Tristram’s • Instead of a greatsword, Tristram attacks with a
body, instead controlling Tristram’s legs to move longsword that deals 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage.
about and attacking characters in range with its
pseudopod. • Tristram can use their Parry reaction to add 2 to the
Split Ichor. The first time the ichor takes lightning ichor’s AC instead of their own.
or slashing damage, it must use its Split reaction, it
splits into five along the lines of Tristram’s body— • Tristram’s access to their abilities changes
their head, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right depending on who is controlling their body parts.
leg. The character who deals the damage can choose
which limb of the ichor they wish to split from the rest • Movement. If the ichor controls only one leg,
of the body. Reducing the ichor covering a body part Tristram’s speed is halved. If the ichor controls no
to 0 hit points frees that body part. This split causes legs, Tristram can control their own movement to
the black pudding’s hit points to be split five ways. cooperate with the characters.
Once an ichor has been split from the main piece, it
cannot split again. • Longsword. If the ichor only has control of one
arm, the damage the longsword deals becomes 7
(1d8 + 3). If the ichor controls no arms, it cannot
force Tristram to attack.

• Heavy Crossbow. The ichor can only use this action
if it has access to both arms.

• Leadership. If the ichor controls Tristram’s head,
it can use this action to its own benefit. If Tristram’s
head is freed, they can use this action to benefit the
characters, their true allies.

Win Condition. Combat ends when all of the
ichor pieces have been reduced to 0 hit points, freeing
Tristram, or when Tristram is reduced to 10 or fewer
hit points. If the latter happens, Vetra loses patience
with the fight. The corrupted Spirit of Nature deems
Tristram useless, casting them aside like a forgotten
toy. The ichor drips from Tristram’s armor, freeing
them, and reforms as part of Vetra.

Phase 2: Vetra Coalescent

Droplets of the corrupting ooze drip from branches

and roots, trickling across the glade to coagulate into

a single figure: the viscous, villainous form of Vetra.

The Spirit of Nature throws back its head and roars in

frustration.

Once Tristram breaks free of Vetra’s influence, they
tearfully come to terms with what the Spirit of Nature
has led them to do. Tristram casts off their antlered
helmet and declares they would rather die than be
controlled by such a malicious entity. They challenge
Vetra (see appendix A) to a duel, one-on-one.
Tristram takes duels as seriously as Alain and
Valentin; interfering here would be more than just a
great insult to them. It would mean robbing Tristram
of the chance to put things right.
But Tristram is already battered and bruised from
their brush with the characters. (Their hit points are
reduced to half their maximum, or lower, if they took
more damage in the previous phase of this encounter.)

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Their chances against the Spirit of Nature look grim. If Tristram is lucid, they leave their helm with the
Characters proficient in Medicine or Insight can tell characters, claiming that it is much safer with them
immediately that Tristram would not survive a one-on- than in their possession.
one duel with a powerful, corrupted Spirit of Nature. If Tristram is not lucid, characters notice that there
Fight with Tristram. If asked, Tristram is a tiny bit of ichor still on their armor. If they can
reluctantly accepts help from characters who give it, contain the ichor, such as inside a glass container, they
and combat begins again with Vetra. can use it later. When placed on something metal,
Characters who defeat Vetra while keeping such as armor or a weapon, it corrodes that item. The
Tristram alive during this combat cause Tristram to AC diminished by corroded armor decreases by 2.
enter a placid slumber—they do not become lucid (see The attack bonus of a corroded weapon decreases by
“Fight Along Tristram,” below). 2. The ichor has one use.
Honor the Duel. Characters can make the choice
to let Tristram play out their duel with Vetra the way Tristram’s Helm
it happened in real life. The fight is one-sided and
swift; Tristram never stood a chance (see “Accept Wondrous item, rare
Tristram’s Fate,” below).
A gorgeous, antlered helmet whose enchantment has
Conclusion been forged by the pact between a mortal and a Spirit
of Nature. This helm has a particularly unnatural bent
Depending on the choices the characters made, to it, and it grants the wearer the following properties:
Tristram’s dream can end differently.
• You can cast the eldritch blast cantrip at will.
Fight alongside Tristram Charisma is your spellcasting ability modifier for
this spell.
If the characters defeat Vetra alongside Tristram, the
forest returns to its beautiful, dreamlike state, devoid • You can speak and understand Sylvan.
of all corruption. Tristram marks the characters as • While attuned to this helmet, you hear the whispers
heroes and thanks them for their service. If Elynn is
with them, she takes up her song once more, though of Vetra, a Spirit of Nature who lives in the Dark
this time she has replaced the names and weapons in Oak Grove in the kingdom of Charneault. You gain
Path of the Sword with those of the characters. The a new flaw: “I act on my destructive impulses and
protagonist of this story has changed, after all. temptations without guilt or concern for the future.”
The dream ends, everyone involved wakes, and
Tristram continues their journey along Dreamwalker’s
pre-approved track for them.

Accept Tristram’s Fate

If the characters allow Vetra to defeat Tristram,
the dream ends abruptly, and the characters find
themselves in Dream-Town, where they were when
they entered Tristram’s dream.
Tristram, now lucid, thanks the characters for
rescuing them from an unimaginable nightmare.
They pledge themself to the characters’ service, now
desiring to free the others from the slumberous spell
that held them for so long.

Rewards

No matter which course of action the characters take,
Tristram offers them fresh herbs and plants from their
garden. A character can harvest enough plants for
1d10 uses of a single type of kit (such as a healer’s kit
or poisoner’s kit).

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2.4: The Ballad of Ser Tristram



Chapter 5:

Escape from Dream-Town

For characters of 3rd or 4th level

Once the characters have visited and influenced the dreams of
all three restless Dreamers, they are ready to confront Octavian
Dreamwalker. They can either ask him to uphold his end of the
bargain or battle him for the future of Dream-Town.

Cooperation Give Up Your Dreams

Characters who have chosen to cooperate with When a character gives up a hope, dream, or aspiration, they
Octavian can approach him at their leisure as soon lose it forever. This can look like never feeling the want of a
as they have pacified all three dreams to their particular hope or aspiration, or never seeing that dream in
conclusion. Octavian leads them to his home, a small their sleep. The passion and energy for that particular thing
cottage sitting at the edge of the large brick fence that disappears from that character’s life forever. It can only be
borders the town on the eastern side. restored through divine intervention or the use of a wish spell.
If the characters have kept all three Dreamers in Octavian Dreamwalker has a natural talent for converting
their dream states, Octavian commends the characters dreams into energy, which he uses to fuel all kinds of dream
on a job well done. If they have only kept two manipulation.
Dreamers in their dream states, Octavian laments
that they could not get all three. Whichever soul they While the characters awaken the restless Dreamers,
let free is causing him trouble, taking away much of the lucid folks in Dream-Town work together to
his precious time and energy. He demands a formal wake one another up, a chain reaction that spans the
apology and compensation in the form of what he entire small town. While they work, they pretend to
values most: dreams. Each character must give up a play at the roles Octavian assigned them. No number
hope, dream, or aspiration of their own to proceed. of covert operations can disguise Octavian’s loss of
Upon receiving his payment (if requested), control, however.
Octavian thanks the characters for their service and Dream-Town does not look as it once did. The
snaps his fingers. The characters fall unconscious and illusion malfunctions constantly, and Octavian is
wake up in the Deep Rivers, inside of their physical near-powerless to stop it. He can no longer sway the
bodies, with their previous possessions intact. They minds of his subjects. It is clear to him that something
float down the channel like driftwood, exposed to the is wrong, and there can only be one explanation for it:
elements and to scavengers, but they are free from the the characters have betrayed him.
nightmares of Dream-Town.
This easy ending allows Dream-Town to continue Dreamwalker’s Last Resort
into eternity—even if the characters eventually
destroy Kasimir Sundrinker in episode 6 of this Fearing mutiny, Octavian Dreamwalker has decided
Fable. These souls will forever remain in the thrall of to escape from Dream-Town. While none of the
Octavian Dreamwalker. bodies in his possession are necessarily perfect, he
From here, the Fable continues in Episode 3: A intends to use one to flee and destroy the rest so
Masque of Life. that the characters cannot inhabit them and chase
him down. When Dream-Town implodes due to his
The Hard Way escape, the souls will have nowhere to go, and so
they, too, will be destroyed.
Characters who have awakened at least two of the After traversing their third dream, the characters
three restless Dreamers have likely realized that see the following the next time they approach
Dream-Town is not the quaint, unassuming place town square:
Octavian wants them to see. It is a beautiful lie told to
keep souls complacent until the time Kasimir arrives Octavian Dreamwalker stands before Kasimir’s Gate,
to feast on them. Heroic adventurers may want to his body glowing like a star. Dreamers hurry through
destroy the mastermind behind such a place. the square along their designated tracks, eager to
not draw suspicion to themselves. But Octavian pays
Dreamers Awaken them no mind.
Dream-Town shifts and fractures around him.
Without the Dreamwalker, Dream-Town cannot exist. Through the gate, you catch a glimpse of the Material
And without Dream-Town to contain them, the souls Plane beyond. Out there on the weathered cobblestone
of the Dreamers will have nowhere to go. There is a lies a single body. Sensing movement in the square,
chance they’ll disappear forever. The lucid souls all Octavian stops what he’s doing and grimaces.
agree, however: it’s better to disappear forever than
live in a lich’s icebox.

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“Disloyal slugs. If you had merely cooperated, 73
things would have been different,” he growls. “I didn’t
want to use any of your disgusting bodies, but you’ve
left me no choice. You will die, as Dream-Town burns
around you.”
The ground rumbles and shakes, and in an instant
the main square collapses inward. Octavian, the body,
and Kasimir’s Gate are all gone. In their place gapes a
gigantic hole in the center of town. The hole is so deep
that there is nothing visible within but complete and
total darkness.

The body belongs to one of the adventurers. Octavian
picked the one he liked the best and destroyed the
rest. When he saw the characters approach, he went
on the defensive, moving the town square as far away
as possible to buy him more time to transfer himself
into the body.

Following Octavian

The massive hole in the center of town isn’t exactly a
sinkhole. It’s a portal that delves deep into Octavian’s
private quarters, although he didn’t have time
to seal it.
There is no way to scale it, as there are no walls to
scale. Characters have only one choice: jump in. When
they do so, they find themselves in freefall.

Eventually, the darkness of this place gives way to
the bright light of circular discs burning far, far away,
like distant galaxies adrift in space. These discs travel
closer and closer until they pass by, and more appear
on the horizon to take their place.

The characters are in Octavian’s innermost
thoughts. Even as Dream-Town burns around him,
he maintains better control over the areas closest to
his own subconscious. This void is reminiscent of
Octavian’s existence before he ate his first dream. The
discs are portals— characters must find their way to
hop into one in order to escape the void.
Raw Entropy. Roll initiative when the characters
enter the void. On initiative count 20 of each turn, the
characters take 3 (1d6) necrotic damage as the endless
void sucks the life from their spirits.
Escaping the Void. A creature can twist their
bodies to control their fall with a DC 15 Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check. Characters can keep trying until
they succeed; they’ll fall forever unless they escape.

2.5: Escape from Dream-Town

Rough Drafts. Myriad loose papers scattered
about this place all contain Octavian’s notes on the
residents of Dream-Town, gathered from reading
their minds. Characters can even find Octavian’s
reflection on them:

A small group of travelers found themselves trapped
inside my tangled web of dreams. I cannot hold them
like I can the others, but I believe we can come to a
mutually beneficial arrangement. I must maintain this
place for the sun-struck fool, and they must leave.
I know I should ask the Sundrinker for help, but
he’ll see it as more evidence against me that I do not
deserve the responsibilities of a physical being. If these
travelers can help me maintain the peace of Dream-
Town, I’ll look much better. And if for some reason
their bodies aren’t enough of a motivator, I can always
abscond with one of them myself.

Characters can also find Octavian’s reflection on his
own abilities:

Characters can also attempt some creative solutions The sweeter the dream, the sweeter the taste. Dreams
for this problem, such as casting using magic to
teleport a short distance toward a portal or tossing from creatures who can speak language—humans, elves,
one another through with a successful DC 16 Strength
(Athletics) check. dwarves, and the like—taste the best, but they are the
Octavian’s Sanctum. Once the characters escape
the void, they enter a vaguely physical space that creatures who are least often happy. It is much easier
appears to be a cozy study. Streams of nebula-like
color streak through this area, showing that this to trick them into believing they are happy than to
sanctum is just as illusory as Dream-Town was. They
arrive first in the Room of Drafts, described below. actually make them happy.
Each room has only one exit and entrance, leading to
the next area in the sequence. Conversely, bad dreams are inadvisable. Ate one

Room of Drafts several nights ago and retched nightmare up until

Papers and parchments swirl about as you drop from this morning.
the ceiling into this room full of writing desks and
bookshelves, every surface covered in a thick layer of Skull. The skull on the desk is more than a mere
dust and paperwork. A small fire dances safely in the paperweight—it talks! Yorick might also tell a joke
fireplace, never tempted by all the paper material or two, provided the characters are nice to him.
around it. The papers and dust settle, leaving the Yorick is a companion of Octavian’s, something he
windowless room still and quiet. On one of the desks pulled from a dream he once ate. Octavian refuses to
sits an inkwell, a feather quill, and a skull paperweight. give Yorick the rest of his body; he enjoys the skull’s
company too much.
This is Octavian’s writing room, where he goes to Yorick makes a deal with the characters: he’ll help
draft his plans for the souls in Dream-Town. the characters take down Octavian if they promise to
reunite him with the rest of his skeleton. It is located,
he believes, in the Hall of Memories.
If Gustav is with the party (see episode 1 of this
Fable), she is delighted for the opportunity to yak it
up with another talking skull. Gustav, however, is
intrigued by the opportunity of acquiring a body, and
asks the characters to string Yorick along, then renege
on their deal at the last moment to give Gustav the
body instead.

74

Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Fireplace. Just behind the fireplace is a tunnel that for their troubles. Complete and satisfied, Yorick stays
leads to the Hall of Memories. Inside the fireplace behind when characters leave.
burns a fire elemental. It guards the fireplace Green with Envy. Characters can hear the sound
passageway from intruders, which the characters of a steady heartbeat. If characters jump into this
definitely are. The fireplace passageway is large dream, they see a humanoid figure standing on a low
enough for a Medium creature to get through so long stool, admiring themself in the mirror while a tailor
as they crawl. fixes their clothing. The figure resembles Octavian but
is clearly human.
Hall of Memories When the figures see the characters, they run and
hide, leaving the characters alone in the unremarkable
The fireplace passage opens up into a long, dark room. This makes a nice place for a short rest if the
hallway of black marble. Tiny skylights slotted into the characters need one.
ceiling allow precious little light to filter down, barely White with Terror. Characters hear the frustrated
illuminating the pillars lining the sides. In between mutterings of Octavian in this dream. Characters
pillars float four differently-colored masses of swirling, who enter this dream advance to the next room
dimly-glowing light: Gold, Pink, Green, and White. (“Octavian’s Home”).

Octavian’s Hall of Memories is where he keeps Yorick's
some of the dreams he’s eaten, which make up Wayward Body
his experiences and parts of his personality. Each
swirling mass of light is a moment in time preserved
by Octavian, who is rather sentimental about
these things.
The way forward is through one of these preserved
dreams. Yorick can tell the characters this, but he
doesn’t know which one, exactly, leads to Octavian.
He also believes one of these dreams leads to the rest
of his body, which he would like to be reunited with.
Characters can listen to echoes from the preserved
dream if they get close enough. They can enter the
dream by using their sleep masks, just like they did in
Dream-Town. Four motes drift through this room: one
gold, one pink, one green, and one white.
Golden Greed. Characters can hear the sounds of
metal clinking, as coins are piled atop one another.
When characters enter the dream, they find a massive
pile of gold pieces in a cavern. A young green
dragon sits atop the pile, roaring in pain. There is a
mimic stuck between its toes. If characters help the
dragon get read of the pest, it rewards them with two
potions of healing from its hoard. Provoking the dragon
in any way, or trying to steal from it, causes it to use
its poison breath ability on the characters.
Tickled Pink. Characters can hear a chorus of
laughter and the distant sounds of a lyre. If characters
jump into this dream, they see a headless skeleton
doing handstands for a large crowd of wealthy-
looking aristocrats. Kasimir Sundrinker, bored and
seemingly made of flesh and blood, stands close
by, waving his scepter and forcing the skeleton to
dance. The headless skeleton is the rest of Yorick. If
characters return Yorick’s head to his body, the room
fills with raucous applause. A confused Kasimir
awards the characters one potion of hill giant strength

75

2.5: Escape from Dream-Town

Octavian’s Home The energy from the meal causes his body to grow
in size, limbs stretching and bending in ways they
The double doors are thrown wide, exposing the shouldn’t until Octavian is nothing but a malevolent,
disastrous Dream-Town behind. There are two closed formless mass of raw dream energy. The explosion of
doors to the east and west. energy consumed the body on the ground before him;
as far as you can tell, your bodies are gone.
Characters who jump through the “White with
Terror” dream find their way inside Octavian’s home, Using the power of the Dreamer he absorbed,
which is just on the outskirts of Dream-Town. They Octavian transforms into a katoche (see appendix A).
are in his foyer. The doors have swung wide open, One living nightmare (see appendix A) oozes out
and characters can see that outside, Dream-Town is of Octavian’s new form. Distraught, the two dream
still in a state of chaos. Octavian is there at the Town beings attack.
Square, which has reformed.
Western Door: Treasure. Behind the western Combat Environmental Effects
door is Octavian’s trophy room. The parasite has been
keeping for himself any physical possessions dropped On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the
by creatures trapped by Dream-Town. Characters can frenetic shifting of Dream-Town affects the ongoing
find a +1 flail, 150 gp, a diadem worth 80 gp, a small battle between Dreamwalker and the characters.
golden dog statue worth 10 gp, and two pouches of Roll on the Environmental Effects table to determine
jade dust worth 10 gp each. Characters cannot actually which effect to use.
pick this treasure up until they are safely back in their
bodies; they can grab it on their return trip. Environmental Effects
Eastern Door: Escape. Past this door lies a long
hallway. Characters hear running water when they d6 Effect
enter the hallway, but they run into one of Dream-
Town’s walls when they step more than 10 feet in. 1 Color Change. All creatures in the town square must
Down this hall is Octavian’s passageway to the Deep succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be
Rivers, but characters cannot come here until after covered in a rainbow light, as if under the effects of a
they have their bodies back. If Yorick is with them, he faerie fire spell. This lasts until initiative count 20 of
chatters that Octavian’s got to have their bodies in his the next round.
possession; after all, he should know!
2 Soarin’. All creatures in the town square make a
Confronting Octavian Dexterity check. The creature with the highest result
sprouts wings, gaining a fly speed of 50 ft. for 1 minute.
The characters find Octavian in the Town Square.
He is trying to possess the last of the bodies, but a 3 Kasimir Lives. The creature closest to Kasimir’s
collection of Dreamers restrains him. Gate (aside from Octavian) must succeed on a DC 16
Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the statue of
Octavian stands in the center of town, surrounded by Kasimir. A creature can attempt to escape this grapple
Dreamers who hold him back from the body in front of as an action on its turn (DC 16). Once the creature
him. With an exasperated snarl, Octavian cries, “You’ve breaks free, Kasimir cannot attempt to grapple another
lied to me! You’ve ALL lied to me!” creature until this environmental effect is used again.
Two new arms shoot out from his torso and snatch
a nearby Dreamer. While the rest of the souls scatter 4 Callback. The statue of Kasimir casts phantasmal killer
in a flurry of panic, Octavian bends at the torso, a on the closest creature who is not Octavian (save DC
gigantic mouth opening where his stomach should be. 15). The vision the creature sees is a person from their
He shoves the Dreamer inside and swings back into an past, someone they have harmed or disappointed,
upright position. come to confront them.

5 Ultimate Nightmare. Each creature in the town square
must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure,
a creature finds themselves in nothing but their
underwear. For the duration of this effect, they don't
gain the effects of worn armor, and must succeed on
a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or be paralyzed with
embarrassment until the end of their next turn. This
effect lasts until initiative count 20 of the next round.

6 Body Swap. The dream cannot keep all of its
characters straight. Each creature in the town square
must make a Charisma saving throw. The two creatures
with the lowest rolls swap physical representations.
They acquire the current hit points, statistics, abilities,
and equipment of the other creature but retain their
own mind and personality. This effect lasts until
initiative count 20 of the next round.

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Combat Boons Rebuilding Bodies

The Dreamers in town understandably stay clear of With Octavian defeated and so many lucid souls
the battle after watching Octavian devour one of their adding to the place’s chaos, Dream-Town begins to
own. But the spirits of the restless Dreamers do what implode. The souls know they do not have much
they can. If the characters woke up a restless Dreamer, time, and they know that without a body to return to,
they can use a bonus action to call upon that Dreamer the characters’ souls will likely disappear.
once in this battle. Symone, however, has discovered a means of
Anatol. Anatol calls upon a vampiric mist to roll redirecting Dream-Town’s energy into creating new
through the town square. For one turn, characters are bodies for the characters’ souls. Symone knows it’s
released from any conditions or effects that restrict illegal to cast such powerful necromancy magic (by
their movement. As a reaction when the mist arrives, order of the dead empire), but she’ll do so for the
characters can move up to their speed and take the characters.
Hide action to cloak themselves in the mist. Much like Octavian, Symone has learned how to
Skip. Skip sends up a flare that distracts Octavian repurpose souls into raw magical energy. With it,
and other enemies in the square. Each of the she can cast an enormously powerful version of true
characters can use their reaction to make an attack resurrection. The only thing she needs are the material
against a creature within 5 feet of them. components: diamonds, and lots of them.
Tristram. Tristram lends their proverbial sword
to the fight. The next weapon or spell attack targeting
Octavian has advantage, and if it hits, the attack is a
critical hit.

77

2.5: Escape from Dream-Town

Hunt for Diamonds The sun circles Dream-Town faster and faster, inventing
new colors in the sky with each pass. Morning, noon,
While few diamonds exist in town, characters may and night battle for control of the sky as the last
remember that they can pull items from incepted vestiges that keep Dream-Town together spin out of
dreams into Dream-Town with them. Characters must control as they expand, collide, and repel each other.
find one diamond for each body they must recreate. There is an explosion, a blast of white light, and
The characters can incept the souls’ dreams in the then—nothing.
same way they could before: by putting them to sleep You open your eyes. You lie on the ground, staring
and using the eye mask. The following are places up at the outstretched arm of Kasimir's statue above
characters can look for diamonds. you, now fractured at the wrist. All is still. All is quiet,
Cat Alley. Inside a lone picnic basket placed except for the lone purring of a long-haired cat with
among the feral cats lies a large diamond with a piece piercing yellow eyes.
of paper wrapped around it. Scrawled on the paper
are the words, “You owe me.” Getting Out of Here
Silver’s Dream. Silver has traded many diamonds
in his day. Characters who put him to sleep and The characters can spend some time wandering
incept his dream can find him making a sale to around the physical space that once hosted Dream-
a living dream (see appendix A) who has two Town, but eventually they should find their way back
diamonds in his collection worth more than the to Octavian’s home.
characters could pay in a year. Characters can goad Through the eastern door is a long passageway that
him out of them with a successful DC 15 Charisma leads to the river they’ve been looking for: the Soul
(Persuasion or Intimidation) check or attempt to Flow, the only way forward. Octavian’s rowboat is
steal them. tied to a wooden post beside the river.
Peotr’s Dream. Peotr dreams of the time he Hierophant. Possibly at the insistence of the
played a fancy gala at Altenheim. So many nobles Nightseer Sage, the feline messenger Hierophant has
were walking around with opulent statement pieces. returned to Dream-Town to check on the characters.
One wears a large diamond, but it must be stolen with He leads them to the river if they can’t get to it
a DC 17 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. themselves.
Idara’s Dream. Idara proposed to Bronson
with a sword that can cut through diamond. They Conclusion
also brought a large diamond to the proposal for
demonstration purposes. One way or another, the characters escape Dream-
Bronson’s Dream. Technically, Bronson was at Town and find their way to the Soul Flow.
the proposal, too. He was being proposed to. The
characters could invade his dream and steal the same Dream-Town Destroyed
diamond from a different perspective.
If the characters destroyed Dream-Town and used the
The Ritual power of the lucid Dreamers to recreate their bodies,
they take the late Octavian’s boat down the Soul Flow
After the characters have secured the diamonds, and head toward the Deep Rivers.
they must say their final goodbyes. Dream-Town can
barely hold on. The sun travels across the sky at a Mind, Body, and Spirit
breakneck pace. The Dreamers themselves are shifting
and transforming now, growing multiple limbs and The Dreamers used their own souls to power the
becoming less defined in their shape as the logic that creation of the characters’ new bodies. Though
binds them to Dream-Town deteriorates. they are gone, pieces of them now live anew in the
Despite the distraction, Symone gathers the characters.
Dreamers to the town square for the final ritual. The
characters have a chance to exchange their goodbyes,
and then it begins. As Symone casts the spells, the
Dreamers dissolve into magical energy and coalesce
on the ground into the bodies of the characters. The
last one to dissolve is Symone herself. The characters
are left to witness the collapse of Dream-Town alone.

78

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Feature Creep 79

It’s up to your table how many features to add to the player
characters. Every character whose body was rebuilt should
get at least one, but if players feel as though taking on more
fits the story and style of the game, play with as many new
features as you see fit.

This manifests as brand-new dreams and
inclinations for each character. Use the tables below to
determine what new feature each character acquires,
or choose your own.
The features are pieces of the lives of Dreamers,
and some of them are incredibly personal. Some
may seem obvious to the players, and others may
come as complete surprises, given that Octavian was
suppressing their personalities for so long.

Dreamer Feature

d4 Outcome

1 New Ideal
2 New Bond
3 New Flaw
4 New Dream

New Ideal

d6 Outcome

1 Piotr’s Entertainment. I’ll do anything once if it
makes for a good story afterward. (Chaotic)

2 Symone’s Curiosity. If I don’t know how
something works, I must do everything I can to
find out, no matter what rules I break. (Chaotic)

3 Idara’s Persistence. If at first you don’t
succeed, try, try again. Brute force it if you have
to. (Neutral)

4 Anatol’s Love. The greatest force in the world
is love, but sometimes you need action behind
it. (Good)

5 Tristram’s Chivalry. I live my life by the
chivalric code of Charneault. I am bound by
honor and duty to those I have sworn to protect.
(Lawful)

6 Skip’s Defiance. If a system only benefits the
powerful, it deserves to be broken. (Chaotic)

2.5: Escape from Dream-Town

New Bond Rumormongers of the Locks know of the
characters’ exploits, and they whisper behind their
d6 Outcome backs with equal measures of fear and interest.

1 Piotr’s Heart. Give me two ales and an hour, and I Dream-Town Survives
can make a friend out of anyone.
If the characters aided Octavian and left Dream-Town
2 Symone’s Mentor. I learned so much from Kasimir. I intact, Octavian’s power can continue to grow. While
respect and admire him, no matter what. he may not become a force strong enough to challenge
the characters in this story, an Octavian left to feast on
3 Bronson and Idara’s Connection. I tell the people these dreams long enough can sustain himself long
I love early and often how I feel; I might never get after Kasimir has been destroyed.
the chance again.
Octavian as an Ally
4 Anatol’s Duty. As a member of the Order of Dawn, I
have a moral obligation to destroy undead. Fortunately for the characters, Octavian makes a
decent, albeit fair-weather, ally. While he may have
5 Tristram’s Chivalry. The beauty and divinity of the sold their bodies’ location to a few scavengers in the
natural world must be protected. Locks, he’s open to working with them in the future.
Characters can contact Octavian through the
6 Skip’s Coterie. I give everyone I work with a sending spell or similar magic. Or they can attempt to
codename. contact him during a long rest through their dreams
by thinking about him before they fall asleep.
New Flaw Having feasted upon Kasimir’s dreams, Octavian
knows quite a bit about the lich and can offer insights
d6 Outcome into his motivations and abilities. Kasimir has not
dreamed for some time, however, so Octavian knows
1 Piotr’s Imprudence. I have to spend money as soon little about his current plans or activities.
as I get it. That’s what it’s for, after all!
Soul Weapons
2 Symone’s Ethics. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to
further my magical study. The souls in Dream-Town can’t stay placated forever.
Octavian finds that without the characters to calm the
3 Idara’s Collection. I can’t throw things away. They souls, he doesn’t have a sustainable way of preserving
might be useful! them. His best bet is to excise a restless Dreamer from
his world like a tumor and convert it into something
4 Anatol’s Fear. It’s better for me to suffer alone more useful, like a weapon.
than to burden others with my problems. Octavian sells these weapons to people who
are looking to buy, mostly tourists from the Locks
5 Tristram’s Innocence. I want to believe everyone searching for a souvenir to commemorate their visit.
who claims they are changing the world for the Each weapon is magical and has a +1 bonus to
better. attack and damage rolls. The weapon contains the
lucid soul of a Dreamer, trapped until the weapon is
6 Skip’s Overconfidence. It is better to act first and destroyed. The soul can be one of the three restless
think later. Dreamers, or any NPC the characters met in Dream-
Town. Characters can find these weapons in shops or
New Dream collections in the Locks and possibly even beyond.
The soul inside the weapon recognizes the
d6 Outcome characters and views them as responsible for their
fate. While bearing a soul-infused weapon, a creature
1 Piotr’s Immortality. I want to live forever through has terrible nightmares of Dreamers tormenting
my stories. them. Whenever they complete a long rest, they
must succeed on a DC 5 Wisdom saving throw. On a
2 Symone’s Ambition. I want to publish a book that failure, they do not gain the benefits of a long rest.
sits in over half the libraries in the continent.

3 Bronson’s Wish. I want to settle down and have ten
cats.

4 Anatol’s Family. I must know if Mirche and the
others are okay.

5 Tristram’s Shame. I must hunt down the real Vetra
and destroy it.

6 Skip’s Legacy. I must find the real Aquanos and
bring it to the Shade.

Sending a Message

When Dream-Town is destroyed, it causes a marked
shift in Necropolis. While Kasimir himself might not
be aware of the characters just yet, he hears about the
loss of Dream-Town, and he is not pleased.

80

Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Appendix A: New Monsters

This appendix details the new creatures that appear in
this adventure.

Dream Parasite

A dream parasite is a pesky creature that exists inside
of the dreams on which it feeds. Dream parasites are
not born—they are thought up by a subconscious
suffering a particularly terrifying nightmare.

Lesser Dream Parasite From that moment, they take on the form of the
visions inside the dreams they feed upon. They travel
Tiny aberration, chaotic neutral between dreams, growing in size and power with
every dream they feed upon.
Armor Class 12 A dream parasite exists in dreams, but it is possible
Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3) to travel with one while awake. The parasite can hide
Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover) inside the subconscious of a wakeful creature for
up to 48 hours, projecting an illusion of itself onto
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA the Material Plane. However, it sacrifices some of its
energy and becomes less powerful when it does so.
6 (−2) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 8 (−1) 16 (+3) For this reason, dream parasites are popular choices
for familiars. Wizards rarely get enough sleep to fuel a
Skills Deception +5, Stealth +4 parasite’s growth past their Tiny infancy stage.
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic, poison When a younger dream parasite feeds, its power
Senses passive Perception 8 is not great enough to actually cause negative effects
Languages any 3 languages in the mind of the Dreamer. The Dreamer might
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 experience mild to severe nightmares, but nothing
too gruesome. When a dream parasite grows in
Shapechanger. The parasite can use its action to size and strength, it can actually begin to affect and
polymorph into a beast form that resembles any Tiny even control the dreams of its target. But a lesser
animal it has seen, including a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 dream parasite has a long, long way to go before
ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., that happens.
swim 40 ft.), or back into its true form. Its statistics are
the same in each form, except for the speed changes
noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t
transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Innate Spellcasting. The parasite’s spellcasting ability
is Charisma (spall save DC 13). It can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: friends
1/day each: sleep

Actions

Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) necrotic damage. The damage is
doubled if the target is asleep or incapacitated.

81

Appendix A: New Monsters

Octavian Dreamwalker

Medium aberration, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 54 (10d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10 (+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)

Skills Deception +7, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic, poison
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and

slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Shapechanger. The parasite can use its action to
polymorph into a beast form that resembles any Tiny
animal it has seen, including a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40
ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft.,
swim 40 ft.), or back into its true form. I
ts statistics are the same in each form, except for the
speed changes noted. Any equipment it is wearing or
carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if
it dies.

Innate Spellcasting. The parasite’s spellcasting ability
is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights, friends
2/day each: charm person, sleep
1/day: suggestion

Actions

Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) necrotic damage. The damage is
doubled if the target is asleep or incapacitated.

Influence Dream. The parasite touches a dreaming
creature and whispers a word or short commanding
phrase. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw or use its next available action to fulfill
that command. The dreaming creature does not
realize it has been influenced and operates under the
assumption that the command it received came from its
own thought process.

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Dream Spirits Living Dream

Dream spirits are manifestations of memories released Medium undead, neutral
when a sapient creature dies thinking of a specific
moment in their life. Powerful arcane magic can also Armor Class 12
pull these spirits from a creature. Living dreams are Hit Points 36 (8d8)
positive or emotionally neutral memories. Conversely, Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
a living nightmare is malevolent, so it harms those
around it. Wicked mages or other hateful, potent STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
beings transform living dreams into living nightmares 7 (–2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
through rituals.
Psychic Feeding. Living dreams are warm, blue Damage Immunities poison
motes of swirling light that attract the curious and Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning,
naïve. They charm creatures into a stupor, feeding
off the creatures’ psychic energy as the charmed necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
beings experience parts of the dream. Within Dream- from nonmagical attacks
Town, these livings dreams are sustained by the Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled,
same magic which protects the town; that of Octavian paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Dreamwalker. Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Living nightmares are hot, red motes that act Languages All
aggressively. They create fear to maximize their brutal Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
psychic assaults. These attacks and powers give the
victims glimpses of the nightmare as the evil dream Incorporeal Movement. The living dream can move
spirit feeds on their fear. through other creatures and objects as if they were
Gathering Chaos. When several dream spirits difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it
come together in an area, they fuse into jumbled ends its turn inside an object.
memories and terrifying projections. This enormous
amalgam, called a katoche, is a roiling cloud of Nimble Escape. The living dream can use a bonus
coruscating colors, flickering with psychic lightning. action to take the Disengage or Hide action.
The confusion of their unnatural joining drives the
melded spirits to destructive ends. Innate Spellcasting. The living dream’s innate
Undead Nature. A dream spirit doesn’t require spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). It
air, food, drink, or sleep. can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
components:

At will: minor illusion, silent image
3/day each: charm person, major image, phantasmal

force
1/day: hypnotic pattern

Actions

Dream Strike. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 +
3) psychic damage, and the target has disadvantage on
the next attack roll or ability check it makes before the
end of its next turn.

83

Appendix A: New Monsters

Living Nightmare Incorporeal Movement. The living nightmare can move
through other creatures and objects as if they were
Medium undead, neutral evil difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends
its turn inside an object.
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10) Nimble Escape. The living nightmare can use a bonus
Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover) action to take the Disengage or Hide action.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Innate Spellcasting. The living nightmare’s innate
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). It
8 (–1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) can innately cast the following spells, requiring no
components:
Damage Immunities poison
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, At will: minor illusion, silent image
3/day each: major image, phantasmal force
necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 1/day each: confusion, phantasmal killer
from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, Actions
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone,
restrained Multiattack. The living nightmare makes two nightmare
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 strikes.
Languages All
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Nightmare Strike. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 12
(2d8 + 3) psychic damage, and the target is frightened
of the living nightmare until the end of the living
nightmare’s next turn.

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Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Katoche Incorporeal Movement. The katoche can move through
other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
Huge undead, chaotic neutral terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn
inside an object.
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 127 (15d12 + 30) Actions
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Multiattack. The katoche makes three bewildering
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA strikes.

10 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) Bewildering Strike. Melee or Ranged Spell Attack: +7
to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 17
Saving Throws Wis +5 (3d8 + 4) psychic damage, and the target is affected as
Damage Immunities poison if by a confusion spell during its next turn.
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning,
Reactions
necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
from nonmagical attacks Separate. When a katoche falls to 60 or fewer hit
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, points, it splits into one living dream and one living
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, nightmare. Each new creature has hit points equal to
restrained half the katoche’s, rounded down.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands all languages but can’t speak
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

85

Appendix A: New Monsters

Skip

Skip is a churlish miscreant with a noble mission. She
possesses a deep love for her friends, and trusts them
to support her when she needs it most. After all, she’d
do the same for them.

Skip

Medium humanoid, chaotic good
Armor Class 15 (leather armor)
Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

11 (+0) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)

Skills Acrobatics +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +8
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Cunning Action. On each of her turns, Skip can use
a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide
action.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Skip deals an extra 10 (3d6)
damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack
and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the
target is within 5 feet of an ally of Skip that isn’t
incapacitated and Skip doesn’t have disadvantage on
the attack roll.

Actions

Multiattack. Skip makes two attacks with her
shortsword.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.

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Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Somnabulating Mound

A somnabulating mound, sometimes known
as a sleepwalker hedge, is a mass of
vegetation possessed with a vague
consciousness. It takes the form of an
overgrown tangle of dreamlike flora,
topped with unusual decorations like
animal topiaries.

Somnambulating Mound Sleepwalker. The somnambulating mound cannot be put
to sleep.
Large plant, unaligned
Actions
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48) Multiattack. The somnambulating mound makes two
Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft. slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller
target, the target falls unconscious as if affected by
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA the sleep spell, and the somnambulating mound uses its
Nightmare on it.
18 (+4) 8 (−1) 16 (+3) 5 (−3) 10 (+0) 5 (−3)
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Skills Stealth +2 target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Damage Resistances cold
Damage Immunities psychic Nightmare. The somnambulating mound affects the
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion mind of a Medium or smaller creature charmed by it.
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), The target is frightened, and it must succeed on a DC
14 Wisdom saving throw at the start of each of the
passive Perception 10 mound’s turns or take 13 (2d8 + 4) psychic damage. The
Languages — character may make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 to recognize the nightmare, waking up on a success.
The somnambulating mound can have only one creature
Psychic Absorption. Whenever the somnambulating under its Nightmare at a time.
mound is subjected to psychic damage, it takes no
damage and regains a number of hit points equal to the
psychic damage dealt.

87

Appendix A: New Monsters

Vetra

Though it was once a benevolent Spirit of Nature,
a dark power that flourished within Vetra’s grove
transformed it into a harbinger of corruption and
doom. It relishes the degradation of moral virtue, and
thrives on despair.

Vetra

Medium ooze, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 60 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10 (+0) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 12 (+2) 18 (+4)

Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, necrotic,
slashing

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, prone

Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
passive Perception 12

Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Amorphous. Vetra can enter a hostile creature’s space
and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow
as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Corrosive Form. A creature that touches Vetra or hits
it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4
(1d8) acid damage.

Actions

Draining Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d6) acid damage plus
18 (4d8) necrotic damage. The target must succeed
on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point
maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage
taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a
long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit
point maximum to 0.

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Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun

Walking Hedge 89

In lands where topiaries are prized as navigational
impediments, some magic-users decide to take their
labyrinthine ambitions a step further: they turn
the hedges themselves into loyal guardians. They
follow a single command with perfect accuracy: repel
interlopers.

Walking Hedge

Medium plant, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 8 (−1) 13 (+1) 5 (−3) 10 (+0) 5 (−3)

Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Thorned Body. When a creature hits a
walking hedge with a melee attack, it
takes 3 (1d6) piercing damage.
False Appearance. While the hedge
remains motionless, it is indistinguishable
from a normal hedge.

Actions

Scratch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14
(3d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Hurl Barbs. Ranged Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, range 60
ft., one target. Hit: 16 (5d6−1) piercing damage and
the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
throw or be restrained until it frees itself as an action.

Appendix A: New Monsters

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Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun