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Prepared! 2 - A Dozen Adventures For Fifth Edition
Prepared! 2 - A Dozen Adventures For Fifth Edition
PREPARED2
A DOZEN ONE
O NE-SHO
-SHOTT ADVENTU
ADVE NTURES
RES FOR
F OR 5TH EDI
E DITI
TION
ON
BY
JON SAW
SAWATSKY
PREPARED 2!
A Dozen 5th Edition One-Shot Adventures
Adventures
CREDITS
D: Jon Sawatsky
C A: Simul
I A: Justin Mayhew, Jason Rainville, Bryan Syme
C: Meshon Cantrill
: Sco Gable
D: Marc Radle
A D
L G D: Marc Radle
P : Wolfgang Baur
"We had to walk quite quickly to escape it. I'm nearly out of breath. the party until it is stopped. Your party may devise any number
Well, last I saw, it was sort of chuing along down Topaz Way. It tried of ways to stop the wagon from moving and gain access to the
to climb the hill up to the silks market, but I think whoever is inside got troublemakers inside. Reducing the wagon to 0 hp, seing it
tired? Goblins, no doubt. No, I wouldn't say it was careening through aflame, or destroying one wall are all viable strategies. Refer to
the city on a path of destruction; definitely not—still quite a nuisance."
nuisance." "Breached!" if the party gains access to the interior of the wagon.
e war wagon is designed to offer a CR 2 challenge. It has the
following statistics and actions:
SUMMARY
e nefarious master wrestler Dib, the goblin, is "terrorizing" WAR WAGON
the streets of the town (or city). Since his defeat in his roadside
fortress, the would-be chieain has ploed his revenge. AC 13
Gathering to him a new batch of dim minions, Dib has Speed 0
transformed a stolen merchant wagon into a machine of war. HP 65
e wagon is powered by several goblins inside who, while Damage Vulnerabi
Vulnerabilities
lities
devoted to Dib, lack the strength to pedal the thing quickly or CR 2
2 (450 XP)
consistently. Dib's plan to wreak a path of havoc through the
TRAITS
streets has resulted in something a bit more disappointing.
In this light-hearted and quirky adventure for four first- or We're Pretty Tired
We're T ired Boss
Boss
second-level PCs, the party must confront the war wagon, gain
entry to it, and defeat its defenders—the lives of several poed
plants and a few market stalls depend on it!
Rolling Death
Death
FACING THE WAGON
A wagon that otherwise
otherwise might haul crates
crates of food to
to market has
been capped with a crude wooden turret. e carpentry evident here
is suspect. e turret is comprised of old boards and rusted
r usted shields.
erever gaps exist between the wagon and the turret, more wood Wood Strong, More Wood Stronger
was hastily nailed on. Multiple slits in the walls of the wagon and its
cap allow the passengers to see out into the street. Small dead animals Hiding
Hiding
have been nailed to the wheels. e sad corpses turn slowly as the wagon
ACTIONS
lurches forward.
Excited
e body of the wagon is a lile over 12 . long and nearly 7 .
wide. e
e turret sits on
on the back half
half and extends
extends the height
height
Blade Storm! Melee weapon attack
of the vehicle to 10 . ere is a reinforced door on the le Hit:
side. It can be forced open with a DC 18 Strength (Athletics)
check. ere is an emergency door on the turret that can be
similarly forced open. e wagon will lurch around aacking
2
Fire the Cannons! Ranged weapon attack WRESTLING MOVES
Hit:
Dib and his crew were once ejected from their clan's stronghold
for indiscriminate wrestling. ey have since continued the
sport and enjoy wrestling more than most things (looting and
BREACHED! murdering are still top of the list). Two goblins who are next
to the same opponent can coordinate and use their action to
If the wagon is reduced to zero hp, if the door is forced open, aempt a clothesline maneuver.
or if other conditions expose the goblins or force them to flee,
With surprising coordination,
coordination, two goblins clasp forearms and with
the wagon is considered slain and takes no further actions. e
gleeful enthusiasm aempt
aempt to clothesline
clothesline you. ile
ile their motions are
interior of the wagon is very cramped and not suitable for toe
practiced, their balance is suspect.
suspect.
to toe fighting. In general, the goblins then clamber out of the
wagon and aack
aack the party on
on the streets.
streets. ey
ey are cunning Clothesline (requires two goblin actions). Melee weapon attack :
fighters and make use of cover, flanking, and combat tactics. Hit:
ere are between four (CR 1) and six (CR 2) goblins
goblins inside
inside
the wagon, including Dib. ey are loyal to their boss but are not
above fleeing if the fight goes badly. ey came to town in the
wagon in hopes
hopes of finding loot
loot and murdering
murdering citizens with
with their
amazing machine. ey are equally happy killing heroes and
taking their things. e goblins carry their normal equipment.
3
ON THE STREET e crates at the back are marked in the goblin tongue with the
word loot . e crates are entirely empty. e "cannon" is a heavy
e wagon is puering around a small monument and greenspace. crossbow in excellent repair and a stack of thirty bolts sits next
People have fled the area,
area, though a few hesitant
hesitant guards watch on om a to it. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check made while searching
safe distance. the wagon reveals a loose floorboard and hidden compartment
Monument: Pick an appropriate statue for the town. It provides
Monument: which contains
contains a fat sack of silver coins (203
(203 sp) and a few boles
boles
partial cover. of cheap spirits (7 gp value).
Guards: Will not join the combat until the threat is clearly gone,
Guards:
at which point they arrive and deliver a few blows or try and REWARDS
look helpful. e residents are relieved Dib's wagon has been stopped. Aside
from the treasure found inside the wagon, the PCs are rewarded
WAGON INTERIOR with free food and drink for
for several nights. A reasonable
reasonable bounty
e interior is cramped and hot. Scraps of food lier the floor, and a (25–50 gp) might be paid by the local guard or leader.
haze of goblin sweat fills your nose. A ladder at the back of the wagon
leads to the crossbow turret. A simple pedal drive is assembled toward WHAT’S NEXT
the ont with a mostly ineffective stick for steering
steering.. A few crates sit on e primary concern of the town is determining if this is an
the floor. Something has been wrien on one side of the crates. isolated act of chaos by one goblin or an opening salvo in a larger
offensive. Perhaps a goblin boss egged Dib on in an aempt to
ere is nothing obvious of value inside the wagon. Some
assess the town's defenses. at other strange assaults lurch
of the goblins made crude seat cushions from fur and moss.
down the old merchant road toward the peaceful community?
A STARRY BREACH
FOUR 2ND- TO 3RD-LEVEL PCS
"Out past the spires, in the tyrannical rays of the midnight sun, there Physical Traits:
Traits: Quil is a thin human male. He is only 30 years
are cracks in the surface of the ice. ose cold and lonely breaches—what old, but his relentless pursuit of the breaches, poor diet, and
stirs in their depths? at constellations twinkle on their rimy walls? relative isolation have taken a toll on his body. He is pale, frail,
e nomads knew. eir stories passed om om mouth to ear. Imagine and limps slightly from an injury travelling to the north. His
what is lost in the transcription. ese dead pages full of ink—so much bloodshot eyes dart from place to place and sometimes linger—
earnest work, and to what end? As though this scribbling could capture glassy with thought. A wet cough has seled in permanently,
all the facets of a voice telling a story. I aim to visit one myself. e and his fingernails and hair show signs of malnutrition.
breaches in the ice. To have before me that which I have loved as I would Personality/Roleplaying: Quil is an obsessive. He first
Personality/Roleplaying:
a child. Bah, save your judgment—what stirs your heart to wander this learned of the breaches in his work as a scholar while studying
far om comfort . . ." cosmology in a library back home. Recent visions have
inspired him to travel north, where he hopes to find one. He is
single-minded in his determination to discover and witness one
SUMMARY
e party arrives at an abandoned outpost in a frozen landscape.
these breaches. He believes they are key to understanding the
outer realms. He is prone to ranting about the constellations
e outpost appears to have suffered some strange aack. A half-
but is not insane—yet. Conversations with Quil are centered on
mad scholar from a distant city hides in the outpost; he is drawn
his studies of the stars. He is uninterested in small talk and only
to the region by his visions of a breach in the ice nearby—a
occasionally responds to queries about his past. He prefers to
breach he believes leads to the realms beyond the stars. Heading
talk about his research. Quil sees the party as a means to an end
east, the party finds that the breach is no simple chasm in the
and offers them everything he can to secure their assistance. He
ice, and its scaled guardian does not appreciate its work being
offers no credible threat to adventurers and can be killed with
interrupted. In this frozen and otherworldly adventure for
lile effort.
second- and third-level PCs, the party must overcome rimy
insects, a void dragon wyrmling, and the pull of the breach itself. at He Knows:
Knows:
• Spires matching those in his visions rise half a day to the east
QUIL, SCHOLAR (MADMAN) of the ruined outpost.
You can cover your eyes, but the light finds your skin and troubles your • e breaches in the ice are connected to the outer realms
somehow.
sleep.
betweenTomorrow I search east. In my dreams, I saw the spires there and
them a breach. • Long dead nomads had stories of the breaches, talking about
starry magic.
at He Wants MostMost:: To witness a fabled breach in the ice and
• e outpost was abandoned a few years ago aer some kind of
learn the truth about them.
aack or catastrophe; he arrived less than a week ago.
4
5
explorer's packs. A search of the outpost reveals the former reveals subtle claw marks
trace otherworldly on the
sigils. PCs whosurface ofend
start or the spires; thewithin
their turn marks
occupants le without taking their valuables. A total of 230 sp
and 75 gp is collected from pouches, sacks, and footlockers. 10 . of a spire must make a DC 12 Wisdom save or use their
reaction to move their speed toward the breach (or fall prone if
Quil: Quil is living in one of the buildings but will hide (Stealth
Quil:
no reaction available). A successful save negates further saves
14) under some furs when the party enter the outpost. He against this effect.
shows himself once he sees the party are explorers. With the
party's appearance, Quil sees an opportunity to be escorted e Breach:
Breach: e breach represents a voida void dragon wyrmling's
wyrmling's
to the breach. He offers them his scroll cases (three first-level aempts at opening a portal to the space beyond the stars.
e wyrmling gains +1 AC and regenerates 7 hp at the start of
its turn as long as it is within 10 . of the breach. Once each
round, the dragon can call on the power of the breach to give it
IN YOUR CAMPAIGN advantage against a saving throw.
e breach is 15 . deep. In the decades it has been here, the
dragon has managed to open a 1-.-by-1-. ri at the boom of
the breach. e breach calls to mortals who get close, inviting
them to leap in. PCs who start or end their turn within 5 . of
the breach's edge must make a DC 12 Wisdom save or fall (15 .)
rime worm grubs
grubs void dragon wyrmling into the breach. A PC who starts their turn in the breach must
Tome of Beasts
Tome Beasts succeed a DC 15 Wisdom save, or they lose the ability to move
swarms of insects
insects or take any actions except to dig into the icy floor.
white dragon wyrmling. e Void Dragon:
Dragon: Aacks anything approaching the breach.
At the end
end of its turn, as a lair action, the dragon
dragon may cause
cause
any spire to speak a dark uerance in the language of the stars.
All PCs within 100
100 . of the spire
spire must make a concentrat
concentration
ion
check as though they had received damage.
IN MIDGARD
Quil: Unless physically subdued, the scholar is drawn into the
Quil:
breach in the first round, where he begins to dig. Void energy
from the breach kills him at the beginning of the second round,
and he is transformed into a dread specter
specter and
and ally of the
dragon. Quil is lost and aacks the party.
6
"We have drunk om the lake for a generation—its waters have CENTAURS' PLIGHT
quenched the thirst of chieains! Poison,
Poison, it is all
al l poison now . . ." e party discovers the centaurs' plight while visiting a town
in the region. A travelling merchant brings the news as she and
her caravan have recently passed through the affected area.
SUMMARY e merchant can meet the party in an inn where they are both
A small band of centaurs
centaurs have
have seen their
their water source fouled by staying or as the heroes purchase supplies in the local markets.
unknown magic. en word of their plight reaches the party, She reveals the following information:
they embark on a day's travel to the centaur camp. Along the
way,, they encounter
way encounter injured wildlife
wildlife and panicked
panicked bugbears.
bugbears.
• A clan of centaurs
centaurs living nearby
nearby are plagued by strange
strange storms.
storms.
Terrifying storms beset the region, raining down acid and • e centaurs report their water source, a small lake, has been
oozes. Agreeing to investigate the small corrupted lake, the fouled.
adventurers discover a long buried evil has awakened—bringing • e storms bring black rain that smell of death.
with it oozing undead.
undead. In
In this strange
strange and gruesome
gruesome adventure
adventure • To make maers worse, bugbear warbands have been aacking
for third- and fourth-level PCs, the party must navigate the the centaurs lately; they can spare no scouts to investigate the
wilds, face the
the ooze storms,
storms, and confront
confront a reanimated
reanimated warrior befoulment of their lake.
who betrayed
betrayed her god.
god. • She traded with them before arriving here, and they seemed
desperate.
e merchant also provides instructions to find the centaur camp.
7
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LAKE? down before dealing with the rest of the heroes. e tiger's
bodies show strange burn marks and scars. A DC 10 Intelligence
e entryway to the tomb of a long forgoen evil has surfaced (Investigation) check reveals the burns are fresh and acidic in
in the center of the lake. e tomb contains the buried remains nature. Each pair of teeth from the tigers fetches 50 gp.
of a hero who broke a sworn oath to her god. She and her
accomplices were buried alive by the god's followers many years Panicked Bugbears:
Bugbears: ree (CR 4) to five (CR 5) bugbears
bugbears are
are
ago. ough her bones and flesh turned to dust long ago, her fleeing from the site of a recent ooze storm. eir trajectory
black heart persisted—growing in power and malevolence intercepts the heroes as they navigate a shallow ravine. e
through the years. Eventually the heart coalesced a new oozing bugbears aack recklessly, and heroes with a high Wisdom
body to inhabit, and in the process conjured strange storms and modifier, or those trained in Insight, recognize the creatures
are spooked. One of them is badly burned on its legs and
corrupted the small lake. struggles to keep pace with its brethren. e brutes carry a
e tomb is now open, and dead things crawl from it. e
variety of pillaged
pillaged coins and jewelry
jewelry worth 200 gp
gp in total.
magical storms herald her re-emergence. You must choose a god
in the pantheon of your campaign and complete the story of the
betrayal in a manner true to your world. A few questions to help OOZE STORMS
complete the narrative quickly: e dark sky crackles menacingly. ough
ough no wind stirs the grass of the
• o is the god
god that was betrayed?
betrayed? plains, the clouds
clouds move rapidly toward
toward you. A few drops
drops of blackened
water fall onto your shoulders, and a strong scent of decay rises om
• at was the nature
nature of the broken
broken oath?
oath?
the viscous precipitation. And then they begin to fall—masses of
• o was the betraying
betraying hero?
hero?
coal-colored ooze.
• at does the
the re-animated oathbreaker
oathbreaker want
want now?
You may choose
You choose when the party encounters
encounters the ooze
ooze storms.
TRAVELLING TO THE CENTAUR CAMP ey might be added to a combat to increase its challenge.
ey appear suddenly and with lile warning. Shelter is hard to
e camp is 20 miles from the town. e road toward the camp
find on the plains, but reward the party for ingenious plans to
is good and travelled oen. e party may use the road to travel
15 miles, at which point they will have to walk across the open mitigate and defeat
of ooze storms the
in the ooze storms. ere are two distinct types
region.
plain. e party should encounter a rancid rainstorm on the way
to the centaurs. Additionally, crossing the wilds is inherently Rancid Rains:
Rains: e sky crackles with lightning and clouds
risky, and challenging the heroes with a medium/hard difficulty gather. A viscous black rain falls on the region. Creatures
encounter or two is appropriate. caught in the rain are pelted with stinking droplets. e rain
visibly affects the
the surrounding
surrounding flora, causing
causing it to wither,
wither,
Tigers in the Grass:
Grass: Two (CR 4) or three (CR 5) saber-tooth
blacken, and die. Exposure to the rain triggers a DC 12
tigers aempt to ambush the party as they ascend a small hill. Constitution save, taking 6 (1d10) acid damage on a failed
e tigers strike at one target initially, aempting to bring it save or half as much on a successful one. e saving throw is
repeated each minute the creature remains in the rain. A typical
rancid rain lasts 5 minutes.
IN YOUR CAMPAIGN Oozers: e oozer storm clouds are much darker than the
Oozers:
rancid rain. A few oily drops fall but are quickly replaced by
more menacing goopy tendrils that reach from the clouds to the
ground.
the partye
andoozer storm
then one initially
(CR drops
4) or two (CRthree gray jellies at
5) ochre oozes at
oozes near
jellies near
the
gray thirsters
thirsters Tome of Beasts
Beasts beginning of the second round.
ghasts .
CENTAUR CAMP
e centaur camp consists of six massive tents built around a central fire
pit. Everywhere are large sacks strung
strung together with
with leather strips. e
exterior walls of the hide tents feature eshly painted symbols in white
paint. Several
Several of the massive creatures
creatures greet you at the camp's periphery.
periphery.
eir spears appear fashioned om whole slender trees.
e leader of this small centaur band is named Yarnak.
IN MIDGARD He joins his guards in greeting the party as they arrive at the
camp. Yarnak is caught in a difficult position: he must keep his
band together in the event the bugbears aack, so he cannot
investigate the situation at the lake. e centaur camp is running
out of water, however. ey are loathe to abandon the camp as it
has history and meaning to them. He offers the party a tidy chest
of gold (500 gp) and a pair of centaur wrist-wraps (see "Appendix")
8
as a reward for dealing with the befoulment of the lake. He edge of the lake eventually results in an aack by the undead
provides the following information: drawn to the evil site.
• e lake is 2 miles from the centaur camp. Foul Waters:
Waters: A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check allows the
• e last visit made to the lake revealed the water had turned party to notice streams of viscous looking material pouring
brackish and foul smelling. from the tomb on the island into the lake. Divine casters
• A strange stone structure
structure had risen from
from the ground
ground on a and heroes trained in Religion recognize the befoulment is
small island near the middle of the lake. necromantic
necromant ic in origin.
• e ooze storms are frequent near the lake. e ra can be used to transport the party onto the
island. e ra is visibly degraded. Unless repaired, the ra
DEAD LAKE disassembles and dumps the party into the water just off the
island. A DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows the
e small lake stretches out before you. Its water is the color of smoke party to repair the ra for use to and from the island.
and covered in sickly yellow
yel low foam. An old ra has been pulled ashore e water here is poison. Creatures who drink the water
nearby, its condition suspect.
suspect. In the center of the lake is a speck with a must succeed a DC 20 Constitution save or take 21 (6d6)
single tree. From a distance, you can see a half-sunken structure of some poison damage and be poisoned for an hour; a successful
kind; the dirt beside the grimy stone walls looks recently churned. save results in half damage. Creatures partially submerged or
e centaurs' watering hole is fouled by the evil risen in the exposed to the water in a substantial way must succeed a DC 12
middle of the lake. Animals avoid this area. Plant life along the Constitution save or be poisoned for an hour.
banks of the lake has blackened and died. Milling around the
9
OATHBREAKE
OATHBREAKER'S
R'S TOMB
A shadowed entrance
entrance into a small tomb
tomb has broken the surface
surface of the
ground. ick black ooze flows om the tomb, across
across the island, and
into the lake. As you approach, a bony hand covered in oily black slime
grasps the side
side of the entrance.
entrance. "o comes to welcome me?"
e tomb is small (10 . by 10 .) and half submerged in mud
and dark lake water. e walls inside the tomb are marred with
scratch marks made decades ago.
e Oathbreaker
Oathbreaker:
aempts : She
to engage thedoes
PCs not aack immediately.
in conversation—her She
aim is instead
to
determine if they might help her achieve her goal. Depending
on what she wants (revenge, salvation?), the party may agree
to help or may refuse and kill her. In combat she (mummy) is
joined by one (CR 4) or two (CR 5) gray oozes, which slough
off her repulsive form with a sickening wet sound. Slaying the
oathbreaker ends the fouling magic and ooze storms. e water
in the lake returns to normal within a month. Alternatively, the
oathbreaker may end her necromancy if the party aids her to
achieve her goal.
REWARDS
As agreed, and provided the
the oathbreaker's
oathbreaker's magic has ended,
ended, the
"Surrender
"Surrender won't stop an arrow already loosed." WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE GRAVEYARD
A war machine hashas dug its way up into the graveyard
graveyard of the
the
town. Its passengers are soldiers in a war that ended a very long
SUMMARY time ago. ile most of the burrowing machines reached their
e earth churns in a city graveyard, revealing not the undead destination and met their fate, this one strayed off course. Its
but an ancient war machine. A great iron transport bores its way pilot and commander of the soldiers, was possessed by an evil
up from depths below, disrupting funeral rites and sending the spirit when the digger passed too close to the spirit's lair. e
citizens into a panic. With an opportunity to investigate and reap possessed commander has steered the transport in an erratic
the rewards of bravery, the party closes on the graveyard. ere course over many years, finally surfacing in the graveyard. e
they discover that the pilots of the strange vehicle are soulless soldiers are acting according to their protocols—they are at war
automatons who have spent an eternity burrowing toward the and, aer some delay, have arrived at the bale. e commander
balefront of a long-forgoen war. In this action-packed and lurks in the bowels of the war machine, ploing its next move.
griy adventure for fourth- and fih-level PCs, the party must
bale automatons, breach the iron transport, and put down its Unchecked, the the
citizens around soldiers and their
graveyard. leader
Killing begin people
as many aacking the
and
mad and malfunctioning commander.
causing as much destruction as possible. Built for war and
nothing else, the automatons play out their roles as soldiers in a
war, regardless
regardless of their
their circumstances.
circumstances.
10
graveyard
commander.while
esix remainappear
soldiers behindastoblack-iron-clad
protect the vehicle and the
humanoids
THE WAR MACHINE
that march in unison and use every advantage the balefield
is massive iron and steel machine is divided into two discrete offers. e soldiers come in four varieties.
sections. e forward 30 . are dedicated to a rotating drill whose teeth Shield Bearer:
Bearer: In addition to its regular actions and traits, the
are noticeably worn. e back portion consists of a 50-. tube with three shield bearer's AC is increased by 2, owing to the massive grimy
large aached treads spread equidistan
equidistantt around the tube. Two outlines metal shield it carries. ese shield-bearing soldiers resist non-
suesting doors are set into the body of the machine. e very back of magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
the vehicle is a smoldering engine—what
engine—what magic fuels this impressive Hammerer: In addition to its regular actions and traits, the
Hammerer:
wonder of metal?
hammerer's slam aack is replaced with . . .
e machine consists of a 30-.-long, mechanical drill made Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack
of magically durable steel mounted to the front of a 50-.-long Hit:
crew and passenger section. A great magical engine comprises Its multiaack action is modified to . . .
the back 10 ., which sheds bright light for 25 . around the Multiattack
machine and dim light for another 50 .
e machine has a base AC of 18 and 175 hp. Its hardened
Gunner: In addition to its regular actions and traits, the
Gunner:
metal exterior grants it a damage threshold of 15. It resists all cannoneer soldiers lose their multiaack action. It gains . . .
nonmagical damage and is immune to force damage. It has no
Hand Crossbow
Crossbow
actions and cannot move. Hit:
e Doors:
Doors: ere are two doors in the midsection which can Its multiaack action is modified to . . .
only be opened from the interior. e doors have no visible
Multiattack
hinges or handles. Forcing a door open requires a DC 20
Strength check. e doors open forcefully, and creatures caught
Scout: In addition to its regular actions and traits, the scout
Scout:
underneath them must make a DC 13 Dexterity save, taking
gains +7 to Stealth and its base move speed is 40 . It also
12 bludgeoning damage on a failed save or half as much on a
receives the following trait . . .
successful one.
Cloaked (3/day)
(3/day)
e Drill:
Drill: Powered up and running, the drill allows the machine
to pass through natural elements including dirt, clay, sand,
rock, and ice. e drill leaves a 15-.-diameter passage behind
it, which normally caves in within a few moments. Creatures APPROACHING THE GRAVEYARD
who come into
into contact with
with the drill while
while it is operating e party encounters the soldiers before they reach the
(shoved, falling, and so on) must make a DC 13 Dexterity save, graveyard. ere are two units of six soldiers out wreaking
taking 40 slashing damage on a failed save or half as much on a havoc in the streets. A unit consists of two shield bearers, two
successful one. hammerers, one scout, and one gunner. You may assemble
fellforged
fellforged
Tome of Beasts
Beasts
wraith.
11
the units however you wish, but be mindful of the increased ASSAULTING THE WAR MACHINE
challenge created by adding foes to the encounter. Additionally, e machine sits in the center of the graveyard. Two
Two soldiers with heavy
the modifications to the animated armor stat block increases
the challenge offered by these foes; a single unit should provide shields patrol the vehicle's entrance. A few crypts offer hiding places on
a medium to hard encounter (CR 7) for the party. Here are two the way to the machine, but the area immediately around it is clear.
possible encounter scenarios involving the soldiers: e graveyard has been trapped. Large explosive traps are sunk
Fortified Position:
Position: A unit of soldiers has taken over a two-story into the ground and are triggered by creatures moving overtop of
building. e gunner fires at anything on the street from the them. Spoing the traps requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
second floor and is in three-quarters cover. e building's two check. Dismantling a device requires an action and a DC 14
entrances are barred (AC 15, 30 hp) and guarded by a shield Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. ere are at least ten such
bearer and one or two hammerers. devices forming a perimeter around the war machine. Creatures
within a 10-. radius
radius of a device when
when it is explodes
explodes must
Breaking In:
In: A unit of soldiers is on the street, aempting to
succeed a DC 14 Dexterity save or take 14 (4d6) fire damage; a
force their way into a home where a dozen innocents have taken
successful save results in half damage.
refuge. Uncontested, the soldiers break into the home within 2
rounds. A fight on the streets awaits the party as they intervene A unit (see "Perfect
"Perfect Soldiers"
Soldiers" above) of
of soldiers protect
protect the
vehicle and
and the commander
commander inside it (B).
(B). ey will rush to
with the soldiers
soldiers using the
the environment
environment to their
their advantage as engage enemies—avoiding their own traps. A scout class soldier
much as possible.
patrols the perimeter of the graveyard in stealth. It waits for the
right moment to strike, preferring to aack once the party has
confidently engaged the rest of its unit.
12
Baling past the soldiers, the PCs may enter the vehicle.
REWARDS
is dark and cramped metal hall smells of oil and earth. A grating e soldiers carry no valuables, and the war machine contains
sound rises. ere, at the threshold between the forward cockpit and only the essentials for keeping the crew running. Two red
the main chamber, a hulking metal monster. Its head is bathed in corundum elemental gems serve as part of the power source for
enscorcelling crimson light. the machine. ey may be removed from their housing in the
(fellforged)) starts combat at the doorway
e commander (fellforged cockpit and used as normal.
(A). It seals the doors to the war machine in the first round
before hissing and charging any party members inside. It is WHAT’S NEXT
happy to fight in close quarters. e door can be opened by PC e story may continue in a number of ways. at was the
who reaches
reaches the cockpit
cockpit (interacting
(interacting with the object).
object). (See "e outcome of the war these soldiers were supposed to be a part
War Machine"
Machine" above
above for rules on forcing the
the door open.)
open.) e
e of? Local powers may wish the source of the war machine
wraith inside the
the fellforged
fellforged armor has no
no intentions beyond investigated, starting a longer adventure that reveals the origin
murdering its enemies; it cannot be reasoned with or convinced of the automatons—and how many more such machines strayed
to surrender. off course?
A DC 15 Intelligenc
Intelligencee (Investigation)
(Investigation) check
check made while
while
examining the cockpit reveals the decades-long course the war
machine took.
"I watched it lope across the horizon of the wastes at dusk; that is the THE WALKER
shape of the end."
e walker is a prop for the action of this adventure. It is
simplest to make it a non-combatan
non-combatantt that is impervious to
SUMMARY aacks and spells. Ignore this instruction if you have the time to
A great threat
threat lopes toward
toward a small city at the
the edge of a invent a fantastic way to incorporate the walker into a fight.
wasteland. One
One of the leviathans
leviathans of the wasteland,
wasteland, a gigantic
gigantic ile the walker
walker is the ultimate
ultimate threat, the
the villains in this
malevolent creature known locally as a “walker,” appears to adventure are the darakhul pilot and his minions. Without the
be on a course directly through the city. e PCs are called to darakhul commanding the walker, it recedes into its wasteland
heroism by the city’s council, who have learned that the walker and stops its destruction.
is being directed by a foul darakhul who has gained control ough it is a non-combatant, the walker’s presence should
of the creature and directs it from atop its shoulders! Scouts still be felt during the combat. Here are several tools for you to
have discovered a portal used by the ghoul to teleport atop the use during the fight to remind the party that they are riding a
walker.. With a hastily
walker hastily scrawled
scrawled map, the
the party must navigate
navigate leviathan nightmare.
the wild hills to locate the magical doorway. In this epic and
deadly adventure, the party must navigate wild hills, locate a THE WALKER’S CLAW
teleportation portal, and slay the darakhul and his minions on e platform leans suddenly. e walker raises one of its loathsome
teetering platforms built atop the shoulders of the walker. limbs, brandishing
brandishing its black talons, the claw sweeps downward.
13
14
area. ey are not eager to die at the hands of a well-equipped e dust cloud hanging over the walker prevents sunlight from
adventuring party, but le alive, they will aempt to ambush reaching the platforms. A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check
the party later in the day. A locked chest (DC 10) in the camp made on the dust cloud reveals it could be dispelled (DC 14
contains their spoils: 400 gp, 200 gp in uncut gems, and two to dispel). If the dust cloud is dispelled, the darakhul may be
potions of healing. forced to fight in direct sunlight. (Review "e Walker" at the
Great Hall of the Burrfoot:
Burrfoot: A wyvern has nested in the ruined beginning of the adventure to add the walker’s actions into the
remains of a halfling feasting hall dug into the side of a hill. combat.) e goat-men carry jade carvings of their foul god
Approaching
Approac hing the hall's entrance,
entrance, the party smells
smells carrion, and worth 50 gpgp each. e darakhul
darakhul wears a silver
silver and gold pendant
pendant
a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check discovers fresh, dragon-like worth 200 gp. He bears
bears a cloak of the empire (see "Appendix") on
tracks. e wyvern also uses a collapsed portion of the roof to his back, which can be taken and worn by brave PCs.
enter and exit its lair. e wyvern happily aempts to eat the e Staff : Only the ghoul may use the staff. If he dies or the staff
party as they wander by or through its nest. Inside the hall are a is lost over the edge, the walker stops its advance and retreats
few intact pieces of furniture and a +1 sling with
with 10 bullets. into the wastes where it originated.
THE PORT
PORTAL
AL REWARDS
e map has taken you to the far end of Shallow Valley in the hills. Near e city council rewards the party as promised. Alternatively,
the center of the valley, nestled between two trees, is a crackling yellow the party might accept an estate to form a home base for further
field of magic. Several
Several humanoid shapes
shapes wander around
around the portal. An An adventures in the region.
empty wagon sits nearby.
is is the portal allowing access to the shoulder of the walker. WHAT’S NEXT
A DC 12 Intelligence
Intelligence (Arcana) check
check reveals the
the portal is not
not e next step is determining what the ghoul intended. e city
permanent and will likely last only a few more days. ere are may be a target for the ghoul empire, who plot various ways to
three (CR 6) or four (CR 7) ogres
ogres guarding
guarding the portal. e last overthrow or destroy the council. Additionally, what foul magic
ogre alive aempts to put its head through the portal to warn did the darakhul employ to manufacture the staff and dust
the passengers on the walker than intruders are coming. If the cloud? Something with strong magic must lie behind this lone
ogre manages to do this, the forces beyond the portal will not be ghoul’s efforts . . .
surprised when the party arrives
Travelling through the portal has no effect, though it is
unpleasant. It is reasonable for the party to cast spells in
preparation for a fight – using the portal does not dispel effects.
e party can arrive on the platform ready for combat.
IN YOUR CAMPAIGN
THE TEETERING PLATFORMS
ree tiers of hastily built wooden platforms are installed on the
shoulder of a leviathan walker.
walker. Several figures hold on to the sparse
railing as the leviathan's steps make the ground teeter precariously. A
pale humanoid in dark robes holds
holds a blackened staff over
over its head—as it
15
16
17
e PCsthem.
aacks have She’s
a moment
happyortotwo
selltoout
interact withdevil
the gilded Jelfi before
lairingshe
in the basement if she’s allowed to go free. DC 20 Charisma
(Persuasion/Intimidation) checks might diffuse the conflict,
otherwise—faced with imprisonment or worse, Jelfi aacks. She
has been given a guardian by the gilded devil: Jelfi carries a large
emerald that is in fact a crystalline devil in
devil in its gemstone form.
e two aack the party. Jelfi does have Anni’s stolen lapidary
guide which can be returned for a 200 gp value gem as reward.
e Devil in the Basement: Dwelling amongst the sacks of
raw stones in the gemcuer’s workshop is a gilded devil.
devil. He
has eaten the most valuable items; the six kyanite hearts of
Jelfi’s victims
victims sit prominently
prominently on a small table.
table. e
e devil, having
heard the fight upstairs, has taken a relaxed position on the
main worktable. He welcomes the party to his abode and
apologizes for the smell. He explains the bargain he
made with Jelfi and expresses disappointment in
her. He flatly offers the PCs the remaining 5,000 gp
worth of finished
finished precious stones to walk
walk away and
18
"It sailed up through the fog, a black ship that le no wake. It’s come for Personality/Roleplaying: Captain Sara would have made a
Personality/Roleplaying:
the statue; it’s come for us all." good adventurer. She is brave, cunning, and a natural leader. A
look from her silences most complaints from her crew. She is
SUMMARY loud, boisterous, and friendly. Her success at sea is owed to her
e party arrange for passage on a fast ship called the Silver professionalism, and she does not suffer fools aboard her ship,
Slipper . e good Captain Sara agrees to take them aboard for a the Silver Slipper .
reasonable fee. e voyage, however, is marred by strange events, Chaing with the Captain:
Captain: e players may engage the captain
and the crew begin whispering about a dark statue taken aboard in conversation during the voyage. She is friendly and willing
as cargo. e statue is to be delivered to a port beyond the PCs' to trade stories. Asked directly about the statue, she reveals the
destination. en a fog rolls in one night, the ship is aacked by following:
evil agents of a dark god come to claim the statue. In this nautical • She’s been paid to take it to a port beyond where the party is
nightmare, the PCs must travel aboard the ship, interact with the destined.
crew, and save themselves from a boarding party of eldritch evil. • She was paid twice what she demanded.
• She agrees the statue is ugly but is convinced it’s harmless.
STRANGE CARGO
A crude humanoid figure squats
squats atop a roughly
roughly carved pedestal.
pedestal. e THE VOY
VOYAGE
AGE
figure and its base are made om one one piece of dark gray stone.
stone. e face
e voyage may be whatever length you choose. Ideally, the party
is brutish and scowling; its ears rise to a point
point,, and its teeth are jaed
engages in some downtime activity as they travel aboard the
and broken.
Evil agents of a dark god have arranged for a cursed statue to be Silver Slipper . e
and reinforce the following events
dark influence ofcan
the be usedupon
statue to pass
thethe time
crew.
transported aboard the Silver Slipper . e statue is not intended
to make it to its destination but rather be picked up by an DRINKING WITH THE CREW
interceptingg ship filled with cultists. e statue is of great value
interceptin e crew of the Silver Slipper oen pass the time by playing
to the cultists. It rradiates both evil and magic, and weighs about various drinking
drinking games. e games are simple
simple as rum does not
a 150 lb. e PCs are assumed to be immune to the statue’s more favor complication. e PCs might join the crew one night for
nefarious effects—the product of being seasoned adventurers. such revelry.
e crew, however, are not spared from its influence.
Pearl in the Deep:
Deep: is simple game requires two players.
CAPTAIN SARA One is a salty crew member, the other a brave PC. Each player
places 3 gp on the table. A soup bowl of rum is poured and set
Welcome aboard. Mind your step. e wind blows hard in our favor between the two players. Players alternate trying to flip their
today, iends! coins into the soup bowl. e player with the most coins in the
at She Wants
Wants Most:
Most: To retire in her home town, rich and bowl must drink but also keeps the gold. Ties are decided by a
19
FOREBODING SIGNS face is a mask of uncertainty and fear as he drives himself into
e following strange events occur while the party is aboard the exhaustion. e crew have no luck convincing him to cease his
Silver Slipper . dancing, and he eventually collapses.
Algae Bloom:
Bloom: e deck of the ship is covered in thick ropy e Staring Sailor:
Sailor: One of the sailors goes missing. e crew
algae one morning. e PCs arrive from below to find the enlist the aid of the party to find him; they fear he has fallen
crew aempting to scrub it clean. Nobody
Nobody knows how it grew overboard. Aer a brief search, he is found in the cargo hold,
so quickly. e algae radiates weak magic. A DC 10 Wisdom siing before the statue. He stares at it—transfixed. A DC
(Nature) check confirms it is natural, but its rate of growth 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check releases him from its hold.
suggests something is not quite right. Otherwise he stands up and returns to his bunk aer an hour.
He has no memory of the event.
e Sullen Captain:
Captain: Captain Sara retreats into her cabin. She
does not come out except to bark orders at the increasingly Swarm of Seabirds:
Seabirds: Six swarms of seabirds (swarm
( swarm of ravens)
ravens)
aack the deck of the ship early one evening. ough the
ornery crew. e dark magic of the statue in the hold has begun
to affect her mood and mind. She is stubbornly resistant to encounter is trivial for the PCs, it rales the crew, and many
begin murmuring about turning back to port.
conversing with anyone. She appears increasingly unwell as the
voyage continues;
continues; her
her skin pales, and
and she looks
looks withdrawn.
withdrawn.
Jigging at Midnight
Midnight:: One of the sailors awakens the whole ship MIDNIGHT FOG
with furious jigging
jigging in the middle
middle of the night.
night. He too is being Near midnight on the eve when the black ship is to arrive and
driven slowly mad by the statue, and its effect is to force him assault the Silver Slipper , a patchy fog rolls in around Captain
into a maniacal dance. He takes no joy in the dancing, and his Sara’s ship. e fog masks the arrival of the dark forces come
20
FOUR 7TH- TO
TO 8TH-LEVEL PCS
to collect the statue. For the duration of the coming encounter initiative 20, there is a 50% chance that a crew member (bandit)
and as long as the ship remains in the fog, the deck is considered aacks a member of the party randomly. e crew member
lightly obscured. does not stay active as a combatant. ere
ere are a total of six crew
members running amok. A DC 17 Charisma (Intimidation)
NEITHER BY SAIL, NOR BY OAR check sends them below deck, ending their random aacks.
Bursting up onto
onto the deck, you see a great black ship
ship has sidled next to
the Silver Slipper. Neither
Neither sail nor oar can be seen propelling this dark EVIL GOES OVERBOARD
cra. Spiked,
Spiked, wooden planks have descended, and loping humanoid Successfully defending the Silver Slipper ends
ends the maddening
shapes have made their way across. e deck is filled
fille d with panicking effect on the crew. Captain Sara wants to toss the statue
crew, and the captain’s door remains shut. “We’ve come for it,” one of
the figures hisses. e ship is being boarded. overboard anditlet
not transport anyit sink quietly
farther. in to the her
Convincing darkotherwise
waves. She will
requires
e dark agents have come to collect the statue. e party’s rest magic or a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
is interrupted by cries from above deck. ey arrive on deck
(B) to find a boarding party intent on slaughtering the crew. REWARDS
( fext)) a second mate
e boarding party consists of a captain (fext For saving her ship, the captain offers the PCs free passage to
(noctiny ) and two (CR 9) to four (CR 10) crew
cre w (cultists). Combat their original destination and a free ride to another port if they
begins with the noctiny and the cultists forming a loose defensive so desire. Captain Sara believes herself to be indebted to the PCs
formation around their fext captain, having already made it onto and should prove a useful ally for sailing to various destinations
the deck (A). e black ship sinks into the water and disappears as when your campaign
campaign requires it.
it.
soon as the fext is slain. e noctiny wears a gilded pearl necklace
worth 750 gp.
gp. e
e fext captain bears
bears the shark-tooth crown (see
WHAT’S NEXT
"Appendix"), which can be taken and used by the PCs.
e PCs may have made an enemy. e agents of the dark god
Wild Eyes and Dark oughts:
oughts: e crew of the Silver Slipper are slain, and its prized artifact likely cast to the boom of the
are temporarily mad. e appearance of the black ship and sea. at other black ships sail in the god’s name? at evil
the statue’s evil aura have turned them feral. Each round on comes seeking revenge once the party makes it back onto land?
21
FOUR 7TH- TO
TO 8TH-LEVEL PCS
stand and dance along with the performers. e PCs must ACT 2: PORTENTS
succeed a DC 16 Wisdom save or be compelled to dance as well. Winter came, and shadows grew; a new star rose in the night sky.
e dancing ends quickly, and there are no other effects. Be sure
to keep the mood light in the first act; feel free to bring your In the second act, two crones arrive onstage and deliver somber
own limericks to the table. monologues. e crones philosophize and praise entropy. e
theme of their performance is dark portents—the arrival of
unwanted gis, the grotesque faces of those in despair. Toward
herald of darkness
darkness Tome of Beasts
Beasts
medusa
medusa
22
FOUR 7TH- TO
TO 8TH-LEVEL PCS
the end of the act, the crones begin talking with the audience uncontrollably, their bodies wracked by sobs. In their coherent
members. ey begin revealing information about the audience moments, they can be heard complaining about the cold. PCs
that they should not know. Have
Have the crones announce facts about within 10 . of a wailer must succeed
succeed a DC 16 Charisma
Charisma save or
the PCs that the performers would not know nor be capable become inconsolably sad. Affected PCs receive disadvantage on
of guessing. e tone of the second act is serious and slightly saving throws until the end of their next turn.
ominous. Bring your own grim verses to add tension to the act. rasher: rashers' limbs extend unnaturally, and their
rasher:
movements become unpredictable. eir twisting forms are
ACT 3: DARKNESS ARRIVES a danger to any who step too close. PCs who start or end their
“And now, to close our humble show—the lady of loneliness, the turn within 5 . of a thrasher, or whose movement passes
mistress of melancholy—our true master of ceremonies.
ceremonies.”” A performer beside a thrasher, must succeed a DC 16 Dexterity save or be
draws back the curtain and reveals an impossibly tall elf.
e lf. She smiles, pushed 15 . in a random direction and be knocked prone.
and it is dreadful and beautiful at once. “I bring you such gis . . .” Dreamer: On initiative 15 of the first round, all dreamers project
Dreamer:
e woman is a herald of darkness,
darkness, and she begins to sing a low their waking dreams into the world via a burst of psychic
and frightening song. e fey audience clasp their ears or begin energy. e projections vary—some are clouds of buerflies,
to writhe ecstatically. Combat begins with the herald onstage (A) others are waves of blood, and still others are sail boats
and her two (CR 11) or three (CR 12) priests
priests spread
spread out near the navigating stormy seas. ese projections have no mechanical
front of the stage. e herald uses her majesty of the abyss at the effect but provide an opportunity to fill the theatre bale with
beginning of the combat and shadow form to position herself strange objects and visions. ey remain manifested in the
best for embrace the darkness. e priests heal and assist the world until
until the herald is slain.
herald in bringing down the PCs, whose presence has frustrated Devourer: e audience member’s mouth and teeth grow
Devourer:
the herald’s corrupting plans. Slaying the herald ends the large—its jaw unhinges, and it gropes blindly for something to
corrupting influence on the audience. satiate its sudden hunger. PCs who start or end their turn next
to a devourer are subject to . . .
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Bite
e audience begins to tremble, wail, and thrash. e song sung by . Meleepiercing
(1d6+4) weapon damage.
aack: +6 hit, reach 5 ., 1 target. Hit: 8
aack
the creature onstage has a strong effect on the fey around you. Limbs
elongate,, jaws unhinge—what shadows burst om their heart cages?
elongate REWARDS
e orations and singing of the herald of darkness have a Provided the party didn’t slay any of the audience, the fey
profound effect on the fey audience members siing beside the community reward the party with a ring of shooting stars. An
PCs. ile some are able to reject the corrupting gis offered escort to the limits of the fey’s domain is earned for slaying the
by the herald, many cannot. e audience members do not herald, and the party earn the favor of a fey community.
move and should be treated like hazards—though the party
can slay them automatically with any aack. e herald and her WHAT’S NEXT
minions are unaffected by the audience. Distribute corrupted fey
e herald’s ploy has brought her success in the past. Perhaps
throughout the theatre as you wish, and use the following effects
she and her priests have le a trail of corrupted fey, human,
to add flavor and danger to the encounter.
and goblin communities behind her. at might save these
Wailer:: On initiative 20 of the first round, all wailers cry
Wailer communities from the corruption?
“Tell your secrets to the jungle.” secrets. In this moss-covered and dark adventure for eighth-
and ninth-level PCs, the party explores an old temple, faces its
SUMMARY verdant guardians,
guardians, and finds
finds the source
source of the strange
strange disease.
disease.
ile travelling
travelling through
through a jungle expanse,
expanse, the party meet a
SMERA’S TALE
trader named Smera with a strange tale. Turned away from a
nearby outpost, the trader is now heading back to civilization. A local trader meets the PCs as they travel or camp near the road.
Curiosity leads the party to the outpost, which has been ( thugs)) are returning to
She and her entourage of ten guards (thugs
destroyed.
who A strange
built the place indisease
place supporthas
of taken
of the outpost’s
a scholarly inhabitants,
excavation of a civilization
living in theaer selling
jungle. She their goods to the
is a charismatic remote
woman communities
with a keen
nearby temple ruin. Following the path carved through the wit and a penchant
penchant for drinking.
drinking. Smera
Smera was supposed
supposed to make
jungle by the excavation team, the PCs find the temple and its a stop at an outpost but was turned back a few days ago byb y its
inhabitants due to some sort of illness taking hold there.
23
expedition team. e
together, forming twomineral
sentientrot hasof
piles fused the
limbs remains
and mossy crust. the stages
disease andoftriggers
the disease.
a DCOpening an urn risks
14 Constitution save contracting the
to avoid doing
e piles are shambling mounds (CR 9), and aack the party so. Each urn contains 200 gp worth of gold and silver jewelry.
once they arrive into the entry. e mounds aempt to grapple e valuables in the open urn have spilled out onto the floor.
the PCs and drag them down the stairs into the chamber below.
25
e Tangle:
Tangle: e roots from above hide a malevolent guardian
( vine
vine troll skeleton
skeleton).
). Awakened by the excavators, the
REWARDS
In addition to the jewelry in the urns, a staff of the python claers
creature descends and aacks the PCs, aempting to surprise
to the ground from the tangle once the guardian is defeated. It
them from its hiding spot (Stealth 19). e guardian remains
is very old and covered in glyphs similar to the ones found in the
aached to the tangle as it fights. On initiative 1 of each round,
entrance.
the guardian may take one of the following lair actions:
• Vine Escape.
Escape. e guardian ascends into the tangle
and reappears in any unoccupied space in the chamber. WHAT’S NEXT
Opportunity aacks made against the guardian as it escaped e disease may have spread beyond the temple and outpost.
this way are made with disadvantage. One of Smera’s guards could easily have contracted the mineral
• ip
ip.. Two vines lash out from the tangle and aempt to trip rot, bringing it to nearby civilization. Alternatively, the temple’s
any creature standing in the chamber. Targeted creatures urn-filled chamber may provide access to a larger structure
must make a DC 15 Dexterity save or be knocked prone. where the nature
nature of the disease becomes
becomes clear . . .
"at dwells at the top of that spire? Bad memories and scaled malice— SPIRE EXTERIOR
stay away om there."
e rocky spire rises om the sand, a great stone finger pointing at the
sky. A few gulls circle lazily above its peak, and the sound of the ocean
SUMMARY mixes with their cries. A few sculing things break into panic before
e spire has existed for as long as locals can remember. Rising your steps, their pearlescent shells gleaming in
in the sun.
above the sand near the ocean, the spire is topped by a natural
e spire is roughly 500 . in diameter and rises 60 . into
cave system. Stories about the place circulate
ci rculate around the docks
the air. e rocky face of the spire provides many hand- and
and taverns of the nearby towns—dark tales of ritual sacrifice
footholds for those endeavoring to climb. e dragon has
and the worship of long dead gods of lightning and storm. Many
pushed the bones of the creatures it has eaten out of its lair, and
claim the victims of the old cult still crawl through the tunnels
they have formed a pile at the boom. All manner of sea-creature
accessible at the peak of the spire. Others say a new scaly threat
and humanoid remains are found in the large pile. A careful
now lairs there, and the storms of late have been most violent
search of the bones and a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check
near that place. In this explorative and perilous adventure
a dventure for
uncovers a few very long strands of black hair mingled in with
eighth- and ninth-level PCs, the party ascends a great rocky
the bones. e hair belongs to the drowned maidens who dwell
spire to face the place’s past and the blue dragon that presently
in the chamber outside the dragon’s lair. PCs who touch the hairs
resides there.
find them clinging and difficult to remove.
the spire into your unique campaign. disadvantage on Stealth checks for an hour.
• 5–6 Buzzed.
Buzzed. e PC feels intoxicated by the electrical fields.
ey have advantage on saves against spells and effects that
cause fear, and they receive disadvantage on Intelligence
checks for an hour.
26
neutral about the dragon’s decision to occupy the upper chamber • Spells that deal lightning damage have a 50% chance of
of the spire. e few explorers who have come before have been dealing maximum damage automatically.
trapped and eaten in these grim and watery caves long before • e dragon’s breath weapon is altered when used inside its
reaching the dragon’s lair. lair, increasing its recharge rate by one (recharge 4–6), though
Bier Cries, Spectral Sighs:
Sighs: e caves sound with the angry the damage of the ability remains the same.
and mournful cries of the dead. Each PC who hears the sounds e altar is powered by a massive pearl embedded in its top. e
must succeed a DC 14 Wisdom save or feel a deep sense of pearl is worth at least 3,000 gp. Removing it requires a set of
dread. On a failed save, PCs begin their next round of combat thieves' tools and a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
frightened by the nearest enemy. e effect lasts until the end of
VALLEY OF BLACK
BLACK TEARS
FOUR 10TH- TO 11TH-LEVEL PCS
"In this lost place, even the stones weep." Dark Heart:
Heart: e PCs' thoughts become troubled the deeper
into the wood they go. eir fears and troubles begin to
manifest amongst the dead trees around them. Each PC must
SUMMARY name their fear and describe how they might overcome it.
An evil oracular being
being has taken up
up residence in a lonely valley.
valley. Encourage the PCs to assist one another in overcoming their
e only access to the valley is through a thick, dead wood whose fear. You may summon an appropriate monster for them
shadows draw out foul memories from those who travel there. to fight or keep it strictly a roleplaying experience. If this
e oracle, Lurinax, has recently divined the season in which the roleplaying does not suit your table, you may instead ask the
world will end.
end. is knowledge
knowledge is greatly prized by many,
many, so the PCs to succeed a DC 15 Wisdom save or be shaken by their time
evil fortune teller hides in his lair, protected by maddening winds in the woods, losing inspiration, and receiving disadvantage on
and the souls of those he slew to obtain his knowledge. In this their next ability check or aack roll.
grim and dark adventure for tenth- and eleventh-level PCs, the
party must travel the trail of shadows, face the manifestations of
THE VALLEY
Lurinax’s victims, and finally the evil oracle himself.
himself.
e woods open into a long and grim valley. e stone walls rise
LURINAX, MASTER OF VISIONS upward into a shiing grey sky. No evidence of the world beyond the
valley can be seen. It bends ahead and opens further.
further. A terrible wind
( spirit naga)
Lurinax is a powerful magical being (spirit naga) who has spent
blows through this place. Nothing grows om the blasted, slate ground.
centuries studying calendars and prophecies related to the end
of the world. He appears as a great spectral serpent with an old e valley stretches
stretches on for a lile over a mile. Lurinax’s lair is
man’s bearded
unhinged head. Twisting,
and disconnected shadowy
from arms
his scaly float
body. beside
Some say him,
he near the end ofbelow),
and Madness" the valley.
andTravelling hereliving
the air causes is dangerous
things to(see "Dust
become
was once an elf wizard who wentwent mad aer discovering
discovering some extremely thirsty. Aer each half hour of travel, each PC must
uncommunicable mathematical truth. Others say he is a traveller make a DC 15 Constitution save or be compelled to drink half
from beyond the stars who has studied cataclysms on multiple their carried supply of water. If they fail this save and have no
worlds. ough his origins
origins are unknown,
unknown, his nature is obvious. water to drink,
drink, they suffer one level of exhaustion.
exhaustion. Other
Other PCs
Lurinax is a deeply evil creature—so evil that his very presence may offer their water to stave off this effect. Lingering in the
in the valley has transformed the nearby region. e dead woods valley is dangerous;
dangerous; the threat
threat of the unnatural thirst
thirst may lead
and valley itself have been drawn partly into a demi-plane: a the party to move more quickly than is prudent.
place caught between the material world and a dark magical As the party travels
travels through
through the valley
valley,, they are witness
witness to a
realm. Lurinax is not interested in bargains or convers
conversation.
ation. strange phenomenon. e walls of the valley begin sweating—
rough magical rituals involving the destruction of mortal the condensation collecting and eventually running down the
souls, Lurinax has recently discovered a shocking truth: the stony face. As it goes, the water collects the black dust that swirls
season in which the end of the world will occur. through the valley, creating a tear-streaked effect. e walls
Wizards,, bards, madwomen,
Wizards madwomen, colleges,
colleges, and scholars
scholars might be appear to weep these blackened tears. Touching the tears triggers
keenly interested in obtaining this knowledge. e party may be a DC 15 Constitution save to avoid being poisoned for an hour.
hired by some agent to explore the valley, and recover his tomes
in hopes of learning the truth. How the agent came to learn of DUST AND MADNESS
Lurinax’s discovery is unknown. A howling wind blows
blows eternally through the
the valley.
valley. It shapes
shapes
Alternatively
Alternatively,, the PCs may find
find themselves
themselves on the trail
trail of small cyclones of dust and grit from the floor of this forlorn
shadows by accident as they travel the wilds pursuing their own place, blowing it here and there. e dust is made from the
ends. sundered souls of the unfortunate visitors who came before.
Lurinax has means to tear the spirit from the flesh, render it
THE TRAIL OF SHADOWS into something tangible, and crush it—destroying the creature
permanently. e dust in the valley contains traces of all the
rough the dead wood, a path uncoils. e lifeless branches above form
creatures Lurinax has annihilated in his search for knowledge.
a dense canopy, bloing out all but tiny specks of sky, which appear like
Use the dust and maddening wind described below to add
stars in the darkness. Shadows grow long here, and the dry air leaves a
tension and danger as the party traverses the valley.
bier taste in your mouth and a burning in your lungs.
Annihilum:: e swirling dust can form a humanoid shape
Annihilum
e path the
reaching through
valley.the
PCsdead
whowood is the
aempt toonly reliable
fly, scry, means of find
or otherwise with a twisted visage
visage caught in eternal open
open mouth scream.
scream.
ese eyeless beings are evil and want to draw the life from any
an alternate route find themselves unable to pierce the obscuring ( air elementals)
creature entering the valley. e annihilum (air elementals)
magic of Lurinax. e trail of shadows leads the PCs from the protect the valley and appear in groups of two (CR 9) or
mortal world to the demi-plane of the evil master oracle. three (CR 13). A DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check made
29
piles
on theoffloors
candles
andreveal hundreds of scaered
strange glyphs andthere;
sigilsskulls
painted
walls. Bones are here and
leer silently. A massive painted eye dominates the floor of the main
chamber. A trick of the light gives it the illusion of moving—watching
you as you arrive.
30
(spirit naga)
Lurinax (spirit naga) meditates near the back of the lair on a a foul mix of dried blood and powered bone. is alchemical
pile of splintered bone. He does not appreciate interruption and implement radiates magic and evil; it weighs 50 lb. and would
sees the PCs as lile more than fuel for his continued research. surely fetch a tidy sum to a collector of such things. A DC
A large mortar and
and pestle sits
sits near Lurinax and is surrounded by 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check allows a creature to activate
various arcane tomes. A pile
pile of armor and equipment taken
taken from the mortar and pestle—Lurin
pestle—Lurinax’s
ax’s remains could be slowly
his victims sits near his meditation mound. destroyed this way, ensuring the beast’s permanent death.
Ocular Sigil:
Sigil: e great eye painted on the floor of the room is
infused with protective magic. On initiative 20 of each round of REWARDS
combat in which Lurinax still has hp remaining, the eye stares e oracle has many tomes stacked up in his lair. Among his
at onearandomly
make chosensave
DC 17 Wisdom enemy of Lurinax.
or feel a sense ofat creaturedoom,
impending must research is a thin booklet bound in humanoid flesh. In it is a
simple statement wrien in the infernal tongue that details
suffering disadvantage on its aacks against Lurinax until the the season in which the world will end. Also in the stacks is an
end of its next turn. ancient text filled with elven prophecies. e book is actually a
Eyes of Lurinax:
Lurinax: Two gibbering
Two gibbering mouthers patrol
mouthers patrol the lair tome of understanding .
and join Lurinax in combat (CR 14). eir gibbering trait is
empowered by Lurinax, increasing the save DC to 12. e WHAT’S NEXT
mouthers uer a constant stream of nonsense prophecies,
Knowledge such as this is a dangerous thing. at might the
likely involving the PCs or their loved ones.
PCs do or be forced to do with the knowledge? o might work
Soulgrinder: Lurinax’s mortar and pestle is designed to grind
Soulgrinder: against them to take possession of Lurinax’s thin booklet?
the essence from a living creature. Its interior is coated with
"e shroud was a gi, brought by a traveller om the East. She said Provided the party assisted in the fight, the dwarves invite the
it had fooled the gods themselves in the past—thoug
past—thoughh who it was that PCs to receive thanks from Aganatha in the Hall of the Unmoved.
craed it, she could not say."
HALL OF THE UNMOVED
SUMMARY Powerful columns
columns rise om the stone
stone floor into the darkness
darkness above.
A bargain struck between a dwarf chieain and a great divine Great metal braziers have been lit, casting light and smoke into the
power forms the heart of this adventure. e chieain, impressive hall. Tall
Tall banners depicting
d epicting an axe, a hammer, and an ornate
unwilling to step down from her position as ruler, seeks a way to chalice hang om the columns. Here and there, dwarves mill about; they
hide from the god. en the party rescues some of her kin, they regard you as they pass, nodding at the warriors with whom you walk
are offered riches for recovering a long lost magical shroud with this sturdy place.
the power to obscure mortals from the eyes of the gods. But e dwarves of the Unmoved happily trade with the PCs, who
recovering the shroud draws the aention of the god’s agents, may also rent a humble but clean room from the clan’s single
and the party must choose a side. In this storied and fate-filled inn: the Yellow Stone.
adventure for eleventh-level and up PCs, the party must bale e principal experience in the hall should be an audience
their way through a ruined dwarven armory before deciding the with the chieain,
chieain, Aganatha
Aganatha the Ageless,
Ageless, who thanks
thanks the PCs
PCs
fate of the chieain. for assisting her scout with the giants and suggests they dine
with her at the
the next reasonable
reasonable occasion.
occasion. If they refuse
refuse her
SOUNDS OF BATTLE invitation, the chieain likely aempts to speak with them about
e party hears the unmistakable sounds of a bale raging over her dilemma immediately, having recognized the PCs as possible
the next ridge. Investigating, they discover a small unit of dwarf allies in her personal plight.
losing a bale to five hill giants.
warriors losing giants. Two of the giants have Feast with Aganatha:
Aganatha: e party is well fed and toasted by the
engaged the dwarves in melee while three more are positioned chieain and a dozen or so dwarves of import. Aer the meal is
on a nearby ridge, taking pleasure in throwing rocks down on over, Aganatha bids her brethren goodbye, ushering them out,
the baered defenders. Once the dwarves are aware of the party, so she might speak with the party alone. During this meeting,
the leader, a grim faced dwarf with a badly broken arm, signals she explains her situation and aempts to enlist the party's aid.
the rock throwers as the real threat. Her story can be improvised using the following information:
If the party assist the dwarves, the leader asks them outright • A 100 years ago,
ago, her health
health was failing.
failing.
to take on the giants on the ridge. If they leave the dwarves to
their fate, ensure they encounter the five hill giants shortly aer
• Her people were fighting a war against orc tribes and
needed a strong leader.
leaving the scene.
31
• She summoned a medium from afar with the ability to hammer, and the chalice. Out of bale, she wears simple
speak with divine powers. clothing and a wide, leather belt with a dragon’s tooth on the
• For days, Aganatha and the medium aempted to contact buckle. In combat, she wears a suit of magical adamantine
the gods in hopes of granting Aganatha more life—enough armor with milky quartz adornments on the breastplate and
to lead her people through the wars. gauntlets.. e chieain is incredibly strong and, as her bargain
gauntlets
• Eventually, a divine being of unknown origins agreed to dictated, has lost none of her vitality to time.
grant Aganatha a whole century of vigor, and in exchange, Personality/Roleplaying: Aganatha is a warrior at heart.
Personality/Roleplaying:
Aganatha would
would die and serve the
the being eternally
eternally.. Having survived numerous bales, she is extremely confident
• Her time is coming to an end, and the dwarf wishes to and unshakable. In her younger years, the bright fire in her
2—THE EMPTY HALLS swirling around its body. e skein witch (CR 13) does not
aack. Instead it aempts to explain that Aganatha cannot be
e air is stale here, and all is in ruins. ese rooms and passages might allowed to break the bargain. It demands that the shroud be
have once served as living quarters for those who worked the armory. A taken far away and that the PCs must not concern themselves
few skiering things
things flee om your footsteps.
footsteps. with the fate of the Unmoved.
Unmoved. ItIt offers to use its sealed destiny
destiny
e halls and chambers beyond the ogre lair are mostly empty. ability to entice the PCs to agree and explains the consequences
ey can serve as a place for the party to hunt down fleeing of this gi. Aer making its case, it awaits for the PCs'
ogres. A few dwarf-sized skeletons are found as the party moves response. It will aack if the PCs refuse its request.
through the place. A DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check suggests
they died of injuries caused by weapons of some kind. Before the RETURNING THE SHROUD
party reaches the collapsed chamber, they hear agonized screams Aganatha is true to
to her word.
word. She rewards the
the party with two
two
and ghostly bale sounds that come from no specific direction. rare magic items (GM’s choice) and provides them and honorary
estate within the walls of her hall. e PCs make a powerful
3—THE COLLAPSED CHAMBER ally who might assist them in a variety of ways in their future
is chamber once served as a storeroom for weapons and armor.
adventures. Aganatha uses the shroud to obscure herself from
Dwarf-sized suits of
of plate and scale mail lie corroding
corroding in piles on the
the
the divine being.
floor.. Empty weapon racks
floor racks line the wall. e back quarter of the room
has collapsed and stony rubble prevents further access. REWARDS
e PCs are free to keep the Shroud of Oth for themselves.
dwarf-shaped wraiths haunt
ree (CR 13) or four (CR 15) dwarf-shaped wraiths haunt this
ough the great witch who made it will undoubtedly come to
chamber. Having freshly killed any fleeing ogres, the wraiths
reclaim it.
spend the first round of combat raising the fallen beasts as
specters.. e wraiths guard the Shroud of Oth (see "Appendix"),
specters
which is kept
kept in a secret room
room (DC 14 to spot
spot the entrance)
entrance) WHAT’S NEXT
connecting to the chamber. e shroud is rolled around a Keeping theReturning
its creator. shroud leads to a confrontation
the shroud to the greatwith
witchthe minions
might of
result
platinum cylinder (worth 500 gp) stored inside a large silk bag.
Fate’s Enforcer:
Enforcer: Should the party recover the shroud, as they in further adventures as the witch has lost many such items.
Returning the shroud to the dwarf likely makes the divine power
leave the armory, they will be met by a divine agent. Sent by the
angry; the party may have to contend with its servants or make
power with whom Aganatha has made her bargain, the agent
amends by performing some other task.
appears as a floating faceless humanoid with magical strands
APPENDIX
CENTAUR WRIST-WRAPS
Wondrous
Wondrous Item,
Item, uncommon
uncommon (requires aunement)
aunement)
ese leather and fur wraps are imbued with centaur
shamanic magic. e wraps are stained a deep orange
color, and intricate motifs painted in blue seem to float
above the surface of the leather. e bearer of these
wraps may call on
on their magic to
to reroll any aack
aack
made with a short- or longbow; the resulting
roll must be used instead. Once used this way,
the wraps must be held in wood smoke for 15
minutes before their magic can be used again.
34
VOID-TOUCHED BUCKLER
Wondrous
Wondrous Item
Item (buckler),
(buckler), very rare (requires
(requires aunement)
aunement)
is simple wood and metal buckler belonged to an adventurer
slain by a void dragon wyrmling. It sat for decades next to a
small tear in the fabric of reality which lead to the outer plains.
It has become tainted by the void and has acquired magical traits
that reflect the cold chaos of the beyond. e buckler is a +1
shield. As an action, its bearer may invoke the power of the void.
For 1 minute, a swirling magical aura envelops the buckler: any
creature that misses the bearer with an aack must make a DC
14 Wisdom save or be frightened of the bearer until the end of
their next turn; conversely, any creature that hits the bearer with
an aack receives advantage on aacks
against the bearer until the end
of its next turn. is
ability cannot be
activated again
for 24 hours.
SHROUD OF OTH
Wondrous
Wondrous Item,
Item, unique (requires
(requires aunement)
aunement)
e strands of this shimmering silk shroud swirl like wisps
of clouds. A plain golden band runs around the edge of the
shroud. Creatures auned to this shroud receive resistance to
radiant damage as long as the shroud is on or carried on their
person. e bearer may cast the shroud over its head to render
itself invisible to celestial creatures. Additionally, the bearer
cannot be targeted by scrying magic or abilities used by celestial
creatures. ile hidden by the shroud, the bearer sees the faint
35
PREPARED 2 !
PLAYER MAPS
CREDITS
C: Meshon Cantrill
C:
A D:
D: Marc Radle
P : Wolfgang Baur
© 2017 Open Design
Kobold Press, Open Design, and their associated logos are trademarks of Open Design.
e 5E logo is used by kind permission of Sasquatch Game Studio.
ISBN is 978-1-936781-75-1
KOBOLD PRESS
P.O. Box 2811
Kirkland, WA 98083
www.KoboldPress.com
AN ADVENTURE
ON EVERY PAGE Tome of Beasts brings
Beasts brings more than
400 new foes to 5th Edition,from
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earth‑shaking personications of evil!
Flip to any page in the Tome of Beasts,
Beasts,
and you’ll nd an encounter that
players won’t soon forget...
Available now from
www.KoboldPress.com and
www.KoboldPress.com and
better game stores everywhere!
©2016 Open Design. Kobold Press logo is a trademark of Open Design.
5E bullet is used by kind permission of Sasquatch Game Studio.
SO,
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