“As long as people believe in absurdities

they will continue to commit atrocities.”

 CREDITS Contents
Alhazred
Doomed Forgotten Realms
Lead
Playtesters
Br’rell
Interior Art
Bralves
Flaming Skull Foreword 4 Chapter 9
Jimmy Nijs
No Longer Eye to Eye 92
Scott McClintock Captain Virran Silvershadow Irina Radanavich
Xanathar and Sylgar
Introduction 6 Xanathar's Guide to Saving the World........................... 93
Lead Developer Irini Azalin Rex
Graxigon Doomed Forgotten Realms ................................................. 7
Nori Dean Spencer Amber Sarcophagus Encounters on the Road.................................................... 93
Scott McClintock Mummy’s Sarcophagus A History of Doom ................................................................ 7
Concept Beta Readers Kobold
Voaraghamanthar the Black Dragon Citadel Cavitius Adventure Summary .............................................................. 7 Chapter 10
Scott McClintock Adam Dahlheim Small Red Dragon Sylgar
Lord Haroln Adventure Flowchart ...........................................................9 Dropping the Battlehammer 97
John Bryant dleoblack Vadataj Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye ....................................... 98
Writer Matthew Charles Dramatis Personae .............................................................. 10
Lady Syth
Scott McClintock Raluca Marinescu An Audience with Ogrémoch ............................................ 98
Marc Altfuldisch
Ryan Sargent Harley Dela Cruz Vecna Chapter 1 The Dismal Delve ..................................................................99
Billy Middleton Cartography Werewolf
Rising Phoenix Games Trial Run 11 A Time for Planning .......................................................... 100
Willow
Editor Buck Wev Blackstar Knight Grandma Fennel Beginning the Adventure.................................................... 11 March for Freedom ............................................................101
Secret Eater Vol’kra the Empyrean
Billy Middleton Hosttower of the Arcane
Richten Haus Spirit of Rage
Abandoned Tower .................................................................13 The Return ...........................................................................103
Castle Avernus Undead Horse Sandara Luskan .....................................................................................14
Developer Har’akir Tombs Bleakborn Phoenix
Chapter 11
Marc Altfuldisch Devil’s Tea Party Haseid Hosttower of the Arcane ...................................................18
Ahghairon’s Tower Tomb Ophidian Vlad Ogorodnyk The Mists of Ravenloft ...................................................... 29 Worse Things Happen at Sea 104
Producer Kas
Castle Waterdeep Port Llast.............................................................................104
Scott McClintock Vecna’s Throneroom Chapter 2 Voyage Under the Sea ........................................................105

FOREWORD
Marc Altfuldisch Christian Zeuch A Haus Divided 30
Sword Coast
The Hunt is Afoot.............................................................. 106
Project Manager Endless Road Traversing the Mists ........................................................... 30 A Liar's Word ...................................................................... 106
Scott McClintock Ahghairon’s Hellscape A Doomed Domain ................................................................31
Layout, Graphic Design, and
Neverwinter Wood
Darkon ................................................................................... 32 Chapter 12
Product Engineering Elven Tower Cartography Rivalis ..................................................................................... 32 Here Be Dragons 108
Luskan
Marc Altfuldisch Waterdeep The Hidden Trail .................................................................. 36 Leilon ................................................................................... 108
Art Director John Gilliam Richten Haus ........................................................................ 36 Castle Naerytar ................................................................. 108
Marc Altfuldisch Skullport Nana's Concoction ............................................................. 45 Neverwinter Wood ............................................................ 109
Cover Illustrator all of Vecna concludes our The Great Escape ..................................................................111
Raluca Marinescu (Vecna) Doomed Forgotten Realms
adventure
Chapter 3 Draconian Accolades ........................................................ 112
Marc Altfuldisch (Backdrop) Float like a Castle, Sting like an Imp 46
path. Just like any endeavor, this Castle Avernus ..................................................................... 46 Chapter 13
project required a well rounded An Impish Guide .................................................................... 51 Fatal Attraction 113
group of high level comrades. I Phandalin............................................................................. 113
Chapter 4 A Bloody Apprenticeship ................................................... 119
am grateful to the amazing Matthew Whitby who has With Friends Like These 52
been with the project since day one, and single-hand- Tovag ...................................................................................... 52 Chapter 14
edly put together the Gazetteer to end all gazetteers The Shepherd and His Flock .............................................. 53 The War for Waterdeep 121
Tor Gorak .............................................................................. 54 The War Council ................................................................. 121
(If you haven’t checked it out already, please do). I am
The Clash............................................................................... 54 Waterdeep .............................................................................122
grateful to the fantastic Kathleen Harrington who Skullport .............................................................................122
Meeting the Darklord ........................................................ 59
went well above and beyond her role as an editor Battle Against the Skulls .................................................130
to contribute some brilliant content to our earlier Chapter 5 Departing Skullport ..........................................................130
Carnage at the Carnival 60 Tower of Ahghairon .......................................................... 131
volumes. I am most grateful for getting to work on
The Carnival..........................................................................60 A Cataclysmic Promise ........................................................142
this with my real life best friends Buck Wev and Thoroughfare ......................................................................60
Billy Middleton – as well as the supremely talented Big Top ................................................................................... 61 Chapter 15
Marc Altfuldisch, a new friend in the making. And, of Egress ..................................................................................... 63 The Rise or Fall of Vecna 143
course, I am monumentally grateful to you for giving Castle Waterdeep ................................................................143
Chapter 6 Dungeons of Castle Waterdeep .......................................144
this adventure a chance. Hit the Road and Hit the Head 64 Divine Release ...................................................................... 147
For anyone out there thinking of trying to bring A Horse of a Different Color ........................................... 64 Denouement ......................................................................... 147
their own ideas to life on the DMsGuild I would Bring it all to a Head ......................................................... 64 The Fall of Vecna ................................................................148
strongly encourage you to take the plunge! It is hard Shadowfell Encounters on the Misty Road ..................66 Concluding the Adventure ..............................................148
work, but also worth it. If you have questions along Chapter 7
the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. And, Plow the Cursed Sands 68 Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 150
once you complete and publish your first product let Mummy Wing ......................................................................... 70
ON THE COVER me know – I’d love to return the favor and provide Scarab Wing .......................................................................... 73 Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 159
In this illustration by Raluca Marinescu & Marc
Serpent Wing ........................................................................ 77
Altfuldisch, Vecna’s apotheosis is almost complete.
some support! Temple Wing ..........................................................................80 Appendix C Handouts 215
— Scott McClintock Black Obelisk ........................................................................ 85
Appendix D Magic Items 229
Chapter 8
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, the dragon ampersand, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective
logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. A Skeleton in the Closet 87 Appendix E Vehicles 235
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Palace of Vecna ....................................................................88
Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by Quill & Cauldron and is published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
The artwork contained herein may not be used for any other works without the owner’s express written permission. Cut and Run .......................................................................... 91 Appendix F Bridging from other Adventures 240

5
 INTRODUCTION
ord Vecna has been known by many
names—The Maimed Lord, The
Whispered One, The Maker of
All That is Secret. He was a great
wizard, perhaps the greatest of all
time, tutored by the serpentine embodiment of magic
itself. He was a supreme archlich of inestimable
power, rumored to have stolen the secret of undeath
from the demon lord Orcus. He was an emperor,
worshiped as a god. Then, through force of will, he
became a god.
He was betrayed and slain by his closest lieutenant.
He was imprisoned in the distant domains of
Ravenloft. None of this stopped him.
Nothing can stop Vecna.
Vecna is more than power. He is knowledge incar-
nate. He hoards secrets like Tiamat hoards treasure.
Vecna’s core belief is that for every person, for every
city, for every world, there exists a secret so powerful
that it can bring about their downfall. He gathers
such secrets to further his divine ascendency.
As part of his quest for greater godhood, Vecna
besieged the planar hub of the multiverse. Although
his plans were ultimately thwarted, he nonetheless
managed to plunder the hub’s many secrets. One of
these secrets was the existence of worlds beyond
that of his birth. Of all these worlds, Vecna was most
fascinated by the magic-rich realms of Toril. He was
particularly obsessed by the eldritch ingenuity of
fallen Netheril.
Vecna set his eye to conquest.
With the patience and restraint of an expert strate-
gist, Vecna spent generations preparing Toril for his
arrival. In the planar hub, Vecna learned of the exis-
tence of portals that allowed travel between worlds
and communicated this information to his most
devoted followers. They, in turn, slowly infiltrated
every corner of the Sword Coast from Candlekeep to
Silverymoon. Year after year, Vecna’s cultists gathered
and obscured knowledge, subverted governments,
and patiently corrupted the good-hearted champions
of Faerûn, all in the name of their Maimed Lord.
At the same time, the archlich Acererak, one of
Vecna’s oldest and most loyal servants, traveled to
the jungles of Chult to build a hidden, deathtrap
dungeon. In the heart of this dungeon, he secreted
6 INTRODUCTION
a device called the Soulmonger, designed to devour
the soul of any humanoid that dies anywhere on Toril.
Few knew that the Soulmonger’s purpose was to feed
a gestating atropal, the ghastly, unfinished creation
of a long-forgotten evil god. Fewer still knew that this
atropal was to serve as a corporeal vessel for the
godly essence of Vecna.
It was agents of Vecna who corrupted the transla-
tion of Sammaster’s holy prophecies. This, in turn,
inspired the Cult of the Dragon’s Red Wyrmspeaker,
Severin, to summon forth Tiamat from her lair upon
the Nine Hells. The Thayan illusionist and secret
Vecnan disciple, Rath Modar, worked with Severin to
bring this mad plan to fruition.
And so the Soulmonger fed.
To one such as Vecna, even the grandest plan is but
the seed of an even grander plan. As part of Tiamat’s
summoning, a great treasure trove, one fit for the
Queen of Dragons, was gathered in tribute. Vecnan
agents, posing as cultists of the dragon, stole relics of
incredible power, including some of Netherese origin,
in service of their lord. Four such artifacts were later
found in the Dessarin Valley by cultists of Elemental
Evil. This cult went on to raze and destroy much of
the Valley.
And so the Soulmonger fed.
Soon thereafter, Vecna tricked Gromph Baenre, the
archmage of Menzoberranzan, into summoning the
many demon lords of the Abyss into the Underdark.
Madness and decimation on a catastrophic scale
soon followed.
And so the Soulmonger fed.
The breaking and reshuffling of Annam’s Ordning.
Elturel and Baldur’s Gate’s descent into Avernus.
Auril’s self-imposed exile and the subsequent eternal
winter. In one way or another Vecna, the cosmic
mastermind, had his hand in it all.
And Finally the Soulmonger was full.
Vecna was reborn. He gathered to his banner all that
was evil. Not just his cultists, but orcs from Dark
Arrow Keep, yuan-ti from Najara, giants from all
across the Sword Coast, and liches from Warlock’s
Crypt, all fought at his bidding. The Realms, devas-
tated by repeated calamity, fell quickly. In less than
a year’s time, Vecna ensconced himself within
Waterdeep, declaring himself the Lord of Toril.
Evil has ruled the lands ever since.
Doomed Forgotten Realms
Welcome to a dark chapter in the history of the
Forgotten Realms. A chapter in which your players
are destined to play a starring role. Through their
actions, the Realms will find salvation. Or doom.
The Doomed Forgotten Realms imagines a world where
all the various catastrophes threatened in a Wizards
of the Coast hardcover adventure have come to pass.
It is an acknowledgment that for every successfully
completed campaign, likely a dozen more have fizzled
out or failed. This adventure serves as a tribute
to these failed campaigns. As described in Rise of
Tiamat, “Nations and kingdoms shatter, civilization
collapses into bloody war, and chaos reigns
supreme... Such dark times need not mean the
end of your campaign, however... The new goal is
to bring peace to the world once more.”
The Archlich Himself
In the Doomed Forgotten Realms, the never-ending is the grand architect of
parade of apocalypses that have wracked the Sword the Doomed Forgotten Realms
Coast are not an improbable coincidence. They
have, instead, been purposefully masterminded or
exploited by the archlich Vecna so that he might
conquer the Forgotten Realms. For those not familiar
with Vecna, he is an iconic villain that has haunted
Dungeons & Dragons since its earliest days. His rele-
vant background has been briefly summarized, but
for those interested in a deeper exploration of Vecna’s
Adventure Summary
history, it can be easily found online. The adventure begins when the characters are
Fall Of Vecna is the third volume of the Doomed
summoned to an audience with the beholder,
Forgotten Realm adventure path. Although the experi-
Xanathar, former crime lord of Waterdeep. Xanathar
ence will be optimized if your players have completed has been driven from Waterdeep by Vecna and
Rise Of Vecna, it is not required. Fall Of Vecna is an
now hides beneath the ruins of Thornhold Keep,
epic, self-contained story for three to five characters scheming how to unseat the lich lord. Xanathar’s
that will take your players from 10th to as high as intelligence network has learned that Vecna orig-
20th level. inates from the dismal land of Ravenloft. Sharing
this information with the characters, the eye tyrant
A History of Doom tasks them with traveling to Ravenloft in hopes of
learning more about Vecna. Xanathar also informs
the characters that there is a portal to Ravenloft in
Faerûn has changed dramatically in the years since
Vecna’s conquest. Tiamat holds court over the the Hosttower of Arcane, the Luskan headquarters of
dragons of the Realms from atop her Soaring Citadel. the Arcane Brotherhood, a cabal of evil wizards loyal
Zariel wages war over the cratered ruin that was to Vecna.
once Baldur’s Gate. The drow elf Jarlaxle, one of the Chapter 1. In chapter 1 the characters are tele-
last hopes for a dying realm, rules over the sailing ported to Luskan. Once there they must gain
city of Qu’madosfan Delmah. And the Frostmaiden entrance to the Hosttower by overcoming a series
Auril’s arctic grasp expands ever outwards. For a of trials. After gaining entrance the characters must
more detailed exploration of this brave new world see sneak their way into the heart of the tower. Then,
our supplemental product the Doomed Forgotten Realms: using an enchanted skull provided by Xanathar, the
SwOrd COast Gazetteer. characters must find the hidden portal to Ravenloft.
INTRODUCTION 7
 Chapter 2. In chapter 2 the characters emerge
near the halfling village of Rivalis, within the realm
Chapter 9. The characters return to Thornhold
in chapter 9. However, while they were away Adventure Flowchart
of Darkon. Exploring the village leads the characters Vecna tracked down and slew Xanathar, raising
to Grandma Fennel, who suggests that they visit the beholder as a death tyrant, loyal to Vecna. The
the nearby ruins of Castle Avernus to learn more characters are ambushed by this undead version of CHAPTER 2
about Vecna. Before doing so, however, they need Xanathar upon their return. Emerging victorious, CHAPTER 1
to visit Richten Haus, former home of the legendary they find Xanathar’s notes detailing the beholder’s Trial run a Haus
Rudolph Van Richten. There the characters harvest plan to recruit allies and assault Vecna, who is
DiviDeD
Luskan
Darkon in Ravenloft
some herbs necessary to survive the poisonous ener- currently laired within Ahghairon’s Tower, which can
LEVEL 10
gies surrounding Castle Avernus. be found inside the city of Waterdeep. LEVEL 11
Chapter 3. During chapter 3 the characters explore Chapter 10-13. Chapters 10 through 13 are dedi-
the floating ruins of Castle Avernus, former home to cated to traveling across the Sword Coast, recruiting CHAPTER 3
the infamous Darklord Azalin Rex. Within the ruins allies for the inevitable battle against Vecna. The FloaT like a CasTle,
the characters will encounter the dwarf vampire, characters can choose which of these chapters they sTing like an imp
Axrock, fight the shadow dragon Ebbasheyth, and wish to complete, as well as the order in which they Darkon in Ravenloft
befriend Azalin’s familiar, Skeever. Skeever willingly wish to complete them. In chapter 10 the characters
LEVEL 11
provides information about Vecna’s former domain, travel to the Elemental Plane of Earth to free the
Cavitius. The imp suggests that the players search for legendary Bruenor Battlehammer from the slave pits
lesser Vecnan relics, scattered throughout Ravenloft, of the dao. Chapter 11 sees the characters winning CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7
and use these as keys for accessing Vecna’s aban- the assistance of Jarlaxle Baenre, after venturing
doned domain. into an undersea trench to slay a vengeful kraken. WiTH FrienDs Carnage aT THe HiT THe roaD ploW THe
Chapter 4-7. Chapters 4 through 7 are dedicated In chapter 12 the characters must steal the recently like THese Carnival anD HiT THe HeaD CurseD sanDs
forged Vonindod from the fire giants, to earn assis- Tovag in Ravenloft The Carnival in Ravenloft Any abandoned road Har’Akir in Ravenloft
to recovering these Vecnan relics, each of which
is a part of Vecna’s original body. The characters tance from the Dragon Queen Tiamat. Finally, in LEVEL 12 - 14 LEVEL 12 - 14 LEVEL 12 - 14 LEVEL 12 - 14
can recover as many of these relics as they like, chapter 13 the characters help Halaster Blackcloak
in any order. In chapter 4 the characters travel gain revenge against his former apprentices, who
to the domain of Tovag, where they meet Vecna’s betrayed the Mad Mage in the early days of Vecna’s CHAPTER 8
archenemy, Kas the Betrayer. From Kas they have conquest. a skeleTon
the opportunity to recover the incisors of Vecna. In Chapter 14. In chapter 14 the characters finally in THe CloseT
chapter 5 the characters visit a traveling Carnival take the fight to Vecna. Jarlaxle uses his submarine, Citadel Cavitius in Ravenloft
besieged by malevolent fey. After helping Isolde, the the Scarlet Marpenoth, to smuggle the characters LEVEL 13-15
Carnival’s leader, they are rewarded with the first into Skullport, an underworld city located beneath
digit of Vecna. In chapter 6 the characters summon Mount Waterdeep. Once in Skullport the characters CHAPTER 9
the Headless Horseman in hopes of recovering the must recruit various factions to help defeat the thir-
Head of Vecna. In truth the Head of Vecna is not a teen enigmatic Skulls who rule over Skullport. With no longer
true relic, although it does hold the molar of Vecna, the Skulls vanquished, the characters can teleport eye To eye
which is. Finally, the characters have an opportunity into Waterdeep, and break into Ahghairon’s Tower. At Back to Thornhold
to travel the cursed tombs and underground desert of the top of the tower the characters manage to fight LEVEL 13-15
Har’akir in search of the scalp of Vecna. and best Vecna. However, the characters learn that
Chapter 8. After recovering at least one Vecnan Vecna has turned the Soulmonger, a hideous device
that feeds on the souls of the dead, into his phylac- CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13
relic, the characters can travel to the abandoned
domain of Cavitius in hopes of learning more about tery. Using recent knowledge obtained from ancient Dropping THe Worse THings Here Be FaTal
Vecna. While there they unexpectedly encounter the Nether Scrolls, Vecna plans to feed upon the souls in BaTTleHammer Happen aT sea Dragons aTTraCTion
powerful lich Azalin, and learn that he has been using the Soulmonger to fuel his divine ascendancy. The Elemental Plane of Earth The Scarlet Marpenoth Leilon and Neverwinter Wood Undermountain
Skeever to manipulate the characters into bringing Chapter 15. Chapter 15 is the concluding chapter. LEVEL 14-19 LEVEL 14-19 LEVEL 14-19 LEVEL 14-19
him the Vecnan relics. Azalin willingly shares infor- The characters race against time to destroy the
mation regarding Vecna. In particular Azalin shares Soulmonger before Vecna transcends to godhood.
incriminating evidence that might be used to turn They discover that the Soulmonger is hidden within CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 15
one of Vecna’s greatest allies, the archlich Acererak, Castle Waterdeep, which the archlich Acererak has
against the Maimed Lord. From there the characters turned into a deathtrap dungeon. The characters gain
THe War For THe rise or Fall
can use their Vecnan relics to open a portal to the access to the sealed castle by possessing the bodies
WaTerDeep oF veCna
Skullport and Waterdeep Castle Waterdeep
Forgotten Realms, although they will need to make of nine trickster gods imprisoned within the castle’s
a difficult decision as to whether or not they allow dungeons. After gaining access to the castle the char- LEVEL 19 LEVEL 20
Azalin to use the portal as well. acters engage in one last battle, with the fate of the
Realms hanging in the balance.
8 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 9
 CHAPTER 1
Trial Run
The beholder Xanathar recruits the characters to travel to the Xanathar, having received word of their previous
the plane of Ravenloft in search of information that might exploits, has invited them to the following conclave.
be used to defeat the archlich Vecna. To access Ravenloft the
Adjust the following narrative as necessary:
Dramatis Personae
characters must teleport to Luskan and infiltrate the Host-
tower of the Arcane.
Hidden beneath the seemingly abandoned Thornhold
Keep you find Xanathar’s underground headquarters,
The main members of the adventure’s cast of a bustling, grandiose hub of activity. Informants come
characters are found in the Dramatis Personae table and go, using the Underdark to ferry information and
below, listed in alphabetical order for easy reference. contraband throughout the Realms. Xanathar’s throne
rom Van Richten’s Guide to Raven- room is strikingly opulent, decorated with tapestries,
loft, “In hidden corners of the paintings, and the petrified statues of those who have
Dramatis Personae Shadowfell are nightmare recently aroused its prickly ire. Its beloved goldfish,
Major NPC Description Main Description domains that hunger for the Sylgar, swims happily by Xanathar’s side in a mansion-
brave and the innocent, the ambi- sized fish bowl.
Abatha Lea Dwarven veteran Chapter 10, Dismal Delve
tious and the wicked. “You were wise to answer my call, henchpeople. As
Acererak Archlich and Vecna’s most trusted ally Chapter 15, Denouement you know, it has been five years since that one-eyed

Beginning the Adventure

Ahghairon Archmage and first Open Lord of Waterdeep Chapter 14, area M16 bag of bones took over this heap of dirt we call home.
Azalin Rex Lich and Darklord of Darkon Chapter 8, area H6 No matter what we throw at him – spies, assassins,
armies, Elminsters – none of it works. We’re going to
Bruenor King of the dwarves Chapter 10, Dismal Delve How best to begin this adventure depends upon have to fight smarter, not harder. This guy’s gimmick
Battlehammer is that everyone has a secret that can bring about
whether or not your players have played Rise Of Vecna.
Grandma Fennel Druid from Rivalis Chapter 2, area C4 their downfall, but that’s nothing new. Here in Faerûn,
Grimnir Dwarven priest Chapter 10, Dismal Delve Without Having Played RISE OF VECNA we call it blackmail, and I’ve been doing it my whole
life. So, how about we turn things around and use
Halaster Blackcloak Archmage and creator of Undermountain Chapter 13, area K8 If your players have not played the previous adven-
his secrets against him. It took me a while to put the
ture, then begin by reading or paraphrasing the pieces together, but I’ve already figured out a whopper
Hellenrae Monk and cultist of the Elder Elemental Eye Chapter 10, Triboar
earlier Rise Of Vecna section. Have your players of a secret. It turns out that Vecna isn’t even from the
Irik Zal’honan Ghost of the son of Azalin Rex Chapter 3, area E5 describe how their characters have spent the last Realms, but rather some other dimension -- some
Isolde Cambion leader of the Carnival Chapter 5, The Character’s Arrival five years. If your characters have played a previous dreary place referred to as Ravenloft.
Jarlaxle Baenre Drow elf leader of Bregan D’aerthe Chapter 11, The Hunt is Afoot Wizards of the Coast hardcover adventure, then see If we want to find out more about Vecna, then we
Vampire warrior and Darklord of Tovag who betrayed appendix F for suggestions on how to customize this are going to need to journey to his alleged home-
Kas Vecna Chapter 4, The Clash land. It turns out that it is somehow possible to
adventure.
access Ravenloft from inside the Hosttower of the
Kolathid Deep gnome wizard Chapter 10, Dismal Delve While there is considerable lore to be found in the Arcane. Normally this place is inhabited by scores of
Lady Syth Death knight loyal to Kas Chapter 4, Tovag, Land of the Great SwOrd COast Gazetteer and Rise Of Vecna, none of it archmages; however, thanks to my agents, they are
Betrayer currently elsewhere. So, it is time for us to break into
is necessary for this adventure. As such, consider
Madame Radanavich Darklord of Richten Haus Chapter 2, area D19 their tower, hop into Ravenloft, find out Vecna’s weak-
working with your players to build your own dysto- ness, and save the Realms.
Ogrémoch Elemental Prince of Earth Chapter 10, An Audience with Ogrémoch pian version of the Forgotten Realms. In this
How hard can it be?”
Rezmir Dragonborn Black Wyrmspeaker Chapter 12, Castle Naerytar dystopian world your players might play legendary
Shradin Mulophor Former lord of Skullport Chapter 14, The Skull-faced Beggar characters from pre-existing Forgotten Realms lore.
Skeever Azalin’s imp familiar Chapter 3, area E7
Alternatively, they might prefer to make their own With Having Played RISE OF VECNA
unique character. With the defeat of the Krakolich and the destruction
Sylgar Xanathar’s beloved pet goldfish Chapter 1, Beginning the Adventure
The adventure begins with the characters meeting of the shroudstones, the veil separating Toril from
Vecna Lich mastermind who has conquered the Sword Coast Chapter 15, Denouement the gods is weakened. Across the Realms, townsfolk
the beholder, Xanathar. Once the former crime lord
Xanathar Beholder and sworn enemy of Vecna Chapter 1, Beginning the Adventure of Waterdeep, it was driven into exile when Vecna and citizens have inexplicably hopeful dreams that
conquered the city. Now headquartered beneath they have not experienced in years. Whispers and
the ruins of Thornhold, the beholder is the unlikely rumors begin to circulate that a rebirth of the gods is
leader of one of the last remaining credible resis- imminent. Within weeks there are stories of divinely
tance movements. Have your characters decide inspired clerics rallying the masses and newly
whether they already have an established relation- anointed paladins inspiring rebellion. Although such
ship with Xanathar, or whether they are meeting it insurrections are quickly crushed by the iron grasp of
for the first time. If meeting it for the first time, then Vecna, their existence is nonetheless worrying to the
Maimed Lord and his closest servants.

10 INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN 11

 Allow the characters time to enjoy their hard-
earned victory. This downtime can extend for days or
months, depending on their preference, but it eventu-
ally comes to an end when they are summoned to an
audience with Xanathar. Read or paraphrase:
By now Xanathar’s lonely underground labyrinth has
been transformed into a bustling, grandiose hub of
activity. Informants stream in and out of his chamber,
using the Underdark to ferry information and contra-
band throughout the Realms. Xanathar’s throne
room is as opulent as ever, decorated with tapestries,
paintings, and the petrified statues of those who have
recently aroused its prickly ire. Its beloved goldfish,
Sylgar, swims happily by Xanathar’s side in a mansion-
sized fish bowl.
“Great job henchpeople. You managed to rile up that
one-eyed bag of bones and it has sent out its liches
and wizards to put out the fires. Doing so has left key
locations, such as the Hosttower of the Arcane, unpro-
tected, and we are going to take advantage.”
“I recently sent one of my gith spies to the illithid-in-
fested halls of Silverymoon, where they uncovered
a juicy secret. This Vecna thing comes from another
dimension – some dreary place referred to as
Ravenloft.
If we want to find out more about Vecna, then we are
going to need to journey to his alleged homeland.
It turns out that it is somehow possible to access
Ravenloft from inside the Hosttower of the Arcane.
Normally this place is inhabited by scores of arch-
mages; however, thanks to you, they are currently else-
where. So, it is time for us to break into their tower,
hop into Ravenloft, and find out more about Vecna.
How hard can it be?”
In either Case
The Domains of Dread, Ravenloft, are summarized in
chapter 2 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. They are
further expanded upon in Curse of Strahd and Van
Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The Hosttower of the
Arcane is located within the coastal city of Luskan
and described in greater detail below. Xanathar
knows a little bit about Ravenloft, mostly thanks to
Biffan the Skull (see below). In particular, Xanathar
can provide the following information:
J Ravenloft can be found within the Shadowfell. It
consists of a number of domains, each of which is
ruled by a Darklord.
J The Darklords are generally quite evil and are
cursed so that they can never leave their domain.
However, these lords are intimately connected
to the land, allowing them to prevent or allow
passage into their domain.
J It is rumored that mysterious Dark Powers use
mists to draw the unwary into Ravenloft, which
they oversee. These mists can also be used to
facilitate travel from one domain to another.
12 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Xanathar can provide details regarding Luskan and
the Hosttower. In particular, it knows:
J The Hosttower of the Arcane is home to a group
of wizards known as the Arcane Brotherhood.
The Brotherhood is run by five powerful arch-
mages, three of which are former apprentices of
the Mad Mage Halaster.
J The Hosttower plays a critical role in the construc-
tion of artificially accelerated organisms (for more
details see the Artificially Accelerated Organisms
section in appendix A).
J The Hosttower used to have a spiral staircase
in the center that could access the entire tower.
Over the years the “lazy wizards” sealed up the
stairwell and replaced it with a teleportation
system. Xanathar supplies the characters with
three blocks of a black, sticky putty. A character
can use an action to flatten the putty and apply it
to a door or wall built from any material. Doing
so expends the putty and casts the passwall spell
upon that surface. Xanathar suggests that by
using the putty, the character might access the
stairwell and infiltrate the tower.
J Xanathar is not sure how to access Ravenloft.
According to legends, the Dark Powers of
Ravenloft use mists to drag unwitting victims
into the domains of dread. To help, the beholder
supplies an ancient skull that was provided by its
contacts. According to these contacts, the skull
will alert its holder whenever they are near a
portal to the Shadowfell. For more on the skull
see the sidebar.
J The Hosttower still trains fledgling wizards.
Such wizards gain entry to the tower only after
completing a series of tests. To help with these
tests, Xanathar provides the characters with a
copy of Xanathar’s Cheat Sheet.
Biffan the Skull
Biffan was a halfling adventurer who traveled the lands
of Ravenloft years ago. Long since dead, his spirit is
now bound to his skull. Biffan can talk through the skull,
although having been partially deaf in life, the halfling has a
tendency to talk louder than he should. He snores loudly as
well, and suffers from narcolepsy. Although he remembers
little of his previous life, he has been enchanted to detect
portals to Ravenloft. While in Ravenloft you can continue to
use Biffan as a resource for the characters whenever they
need some extra guidance.
If role-playing Biffan seems too burdensome, you can have
this be an inanimate skull. The skull’s teeth chatter loudly
when near a portal to Ravenloft.
The paranoid Xanathar
guarding Sylgar
Xanathar’s Cheat Sheet is a huge, leather-bound
compendium that contains the answers to hundreds
of tests, exams, and trials. The majority of these
exams relate to advancing through the ranks of
various guilds in Waterdeep. However, towards the
back of the book can be found the following informa-
tion regarding the Trials of the Hosttower.
J The first test is the Test of the Neophyte. It can be
conquered with a common cantrip.
J The second test is the Test of the Apprentice.
This test requires that the applicant demonstrate
mastery of the eight schools of magic. Passing
this test is required for entrance to the tower and
consideration as an apprentice.
J The third test is the Test of the Mage. This trial
tests the applicant’s versatility in battle, requiring
them to deal a variety of damage types.
J The final test is the Test of the Archmage. This
test requires that the applicant demonstrate their
mastery of magic by stopping time itself.
While trying to convince the characters to help,
Xanathar appeals to their sense of altruism. In the
absence of such altruism Xanathar is willing to pay
as much as 10,000 gp for a successful mission, 500
of which the beholder will pay up front.
Luskan is roughly 250 miles north of Thornhold
and easily accessible via the High Road (see the
included map of the Doomed Sword Coast in chapter
9). To speed up the journey, Nar’l Xibrandas (drow
elf mage), one of Xanathar’s advisors, offers to use
a teleportation circle to transport the party to an
abandoned tower three miles north of Luskan. From
there, Xanathar promises, it is an easy, uneventful
trek to the City of Sails.
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Abandoned Tower
As promised, the characters appear within a gutted,
roofless ruins of a collapsed tower. The mounds of
rubble provide little relief from the piercing, bitterly
cold wind that howls across the two feet of snow
that the characters find themselves standing in. Even
though it was daytime when the characters visited
Xanathar, they find that it is now pitch black outside,
the faint stars flickering as if shivering from the cold.
Years ago, Auril the Frostmaiden, the divine embod-
iment of winter’s dark fury, cursed the north with an
eternal winter and never-ending night. With no one
to stop her, the Frostmaiden’s curse has continued
to spread southwards and now encroaches upon the
city of Luskan. Whereas Luskan was always cold,
snow and frost are now a constant menace. To make
matters worse Luskan’s daylight has been steadily
receding and now the sun shines upon the city for
just three to four erratic hours each day.
A Freezing Trek. The twinkling lights of the city
are dimly visible to the south. Trudging through the
snow is hard, tiring work and unless the characters
have snowshoes or a sled, it takes an hour to travel
half a mile. A character must succeed on a DC 10
Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or
gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resis-
tance or immunity to cold damage automatically
succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures wearing
cold weather gear (thick coats, gloves, and the like)
and creatures naturally adapted to cold climates.
After a potentially taxing journey through the snow,
the characters eventually arrive at Luskan.
13
 Luskan
Before Vecna’s invasion, Luskan was described as
“...a dirty dive with filthy streets, squat buildings,
ramshackle docks, creaky old longships, and crass
pirates thinly disguised as sea traders.” Some things
never change. The city is jointly governed by the
Zhentarim, three High Captains, and the Arcane
Brotherhood. The Zhentarim see to the protection
of the city and supervise overland trade. The High
Captains consist of Misker the Pirate Tyrant, Sea
King Tentrix, and Captain Hartouchen Rethnor.
Jointly the three captains regulate oversea trade and
naval warfare. The Arcane Brotherhood works as an
independent power, beyond the dictates of either the
Zhentarim or the High Captains.
Notable locales include:
A1. North Gate
The North Gate is an ironclad door between two
guard towers that stands at the edge of the Mirar
River. The gate is heavily guarded by at least ten
guards and two veterans, all of which are heavily
bundled in cold weather clothing. This garrison
is typically reinforced by a mage from the Arcane
Brotherhood. Despite the heavy armed presence,
security is lax, and unless something about them is
extremely conspicuous, the characters can come and
go without drawing any attention to themselves.
Beyond the gate can be found the Upstream Span,
the largest bridge in Luskan. It leads across the River
Mirar to the city’s southern half.
Optional Encounter
If any of the characters are not wearing cold weather
clothing, they arouse the interest of a nearby spy.
The spy decides to shadow the characters as they
move throughout Luskan. The spy is well trained and
knows the streets of Luskan well. Because of this
she has a +6 Stealth and advantage on any Stealth
checks. If the spy notes the characters doing anything
suspicious, she immediately reports their actions
to the High Captains. Any character with a passive
Perception of 21 or higher notices the spy half an
hour after she begins shadowing them.
A2. North Bank
The North Bank refers to the portion of Luskan
that is built north of the River Mirar. This district is
primarily filled with fortified warehouses used by
the High Captains and the Zhentarim. Amidst these
warehouses, next to a massive water tower, can
be found the Red Dragon Trading Lodge. The Red
Dragon Trading Lodge is run by the Zhentarim and is
home to Luskan’s largest and most successful over-
land trading company.
14 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
A3. River Mirar
The River Mirar rushes through an icy canyon that is,
at most locations, twenty feet deep. Its frigid, turbu-
lent waters are filled with hidden rocks and knuck-
lebone trout. Despite the dangers of the river, it is
not uncommon to see townsfolk perched atop these
rocks, fishing for something that they might be able
to sell at the town’s marketplace (area A8).
A4. Blood Island
The Zhentarim’s military garrisons upon Blood
Island. There are several barracks, watch towers,
and catapults built upon the isle. These catapults
are positioned in such a way that they can be used to
attack both within and without the city. The garrison
is captained by Naerth Maxildanarr (LE human
spy) who commands more by his mastery of politics
than military prowess. Passage along the bridges
connecting Blood Island to the North and South
Bank is restricted to Zhentarim and a small handful
of other approved travelers.
A5. Closeguard Island
This rocky isle holds the fortress of the High Captain
Hartouchen Rethnor. The fortress is large and
imposing, overlooking the River Mirar as well as the
South Bank. High ranking members of Ship Rethnor
have small apartments along the base of the fortress.
A6. Cutlass Island
Cutlass Island consists of two rocky hills connected
by a pebble-strewn beach. The northern hill is
crowned by the impressive Hosttower of the Arcane
(for more details see the next section), home to the
Arcane Brotherhood. The southern hill houses a
small community of fledgling wizards known as Sea
Town. The wizards of Sea Town are an unaffiliated,
lawless bunch who ruthlessly undercut one another
in hopes of gaining membership to the Arcane
Brotherhood. The volume of apprentice wizards on
the island, each attempting to hone their craft, has
created a surplus of spell scrolls. Because of this one
can easily purchase such a scroll in Sea Town for
half its usual cost. These scrolls are generally reli-
able but do fail 20% of the time. The spell scrolls are
consumed upon failure.
One of the few public establishments in Sea Town
is Mordy’s Splendiferous Speakeasy. This spacious
tavern is much larger on the inside than it is on the
outside. It is run and maintained by a staff of unseen
servants and mage hands. All food and drink are
magically created. They are delicious, but not filling,
making Mordy’s a popular place for gluttons as well
as aspiring wizards.
Optional Encounter
If the characters have drawn attention to themselves
during their time in Luskan, when they head towards
the Hosttower of the Arcane, they are intercepted by
a band of brigands loyal to Sea King Tentrix,. The
brigands consist of five thugs, an ogre who has had
her arm replaced with an enormous ship’s anchor,
a kraken priest (appendix B), and the notorious
Captain Callous (from Call from the Deep and
reprinted in appendix B). Captain Callous demands
to know what business the characters have at the
Hosttower. The pirate captain’s interrogations can
be defused with a successful DC 20 Charisma
(Persuasion or Deception) check or a bribe of at least
1,000 gp. Otherwise, Captain Callous orders his crew
to attack the characters.
A7. Ruins of Illusk
The remnants of the ancient city of Illusk are found
along River Mirar’s southern shore. These swamp-
strewn ruins are reputed to hold tombs of unfound
treasure but are also rumored to be haunted as well.
Permanent portals to Ravenloft, the Demiplane of
Dread, exist within the Hosttower of the Arcane. The
energy from these portals is used to help manufac-
ture artificial organisms. Occasionally, dark, terrible
things escape through the portals. These creatures
tend to find a home within these ruins. As such, the
ruins currently serve as a home to vampires, were-
wolves, and other horrors.
Test of the Mage: Damage Types
The Test of the Mage will require the characters to fight
constructs that can only be harmed by two randomly deter-
mined damage types. These damage types are randomized
each time the construct takes damage. To help the char-
acter prepare for this you might want to remind them of the
thirteen possible damage types (acid, bludgeoning, cold,
fire, force, lightning, necrotic, piercing, poison, psychic,
radiant, slashing, and thunder). While visiting Luskan,
proactive characters will have an opportunity to purchase
scrolls or magical items to compensate for any missing
damage types.
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Optional Encounter
A pack of three werewolves has recently escaped
from the Mists of Ravenloft and currently hides
within the ruins of Illusk. As the characters walk near
the ruins, they hear a scream. If the characters inves-
tigate, they find the werewolves with two recently
abducted commoners. If the characters attack, one
of the werewolves attempts to grab a commoner and
run further into the ruins. Another werewolf attempts
to immediately kill and eat the second commoner.
The remaining werewolf attacks the characters.
A8. Marketplace
This is the central market hub for Luskan commerce.
For the most part the market sells food, durable
goods such as furniture, as well as winter clothing,
crampons, and domesticated axe beaks, now that
Auril’s winter has settled over Luskan. Anyone
looking for more exotic merchandise is referred to
Misker’s Mercanitle (area A11).
One of the more unusual vendors is Belz, a shiv-
ering warlock who detests the cold. Belz sells rings
of protection (and other magical jewelry at the DM’s
discretion) for half their usual cost. The rings are
made from chardalyn, a nonmagical dark-colored
crystalline substance as strong as metal, though
considerably easier to work with. Belz uses a form
of demon-tainted chardalyn that is considered to be
desecrated if subjected to a detect evil and good spell.
Anytime someone wearing chardalyn jewelry fails a
death saving throw they must make a successful DC
13 Wisdom check or become afflicted by a curse. The
character receives a new flaw based upon one of the
three Great Sins: apathy, envy, and lust (DM’s choice
or select randomly). This curse can be countered by a
remove curse spell or similar magic.
Optional Encounter
A band of four cold, starving duergar have wandered
from Icewind Dale in search of food. The gray
dwarves are currently invisible and have forty
minutes left before their invisibility expires. Although
they were originally planning on just stealing some
Cold Weather Gear
Cold weather clothing (10 gp) consists of a heavy fur coat
or cloak over layers of wool clothing, as well as a fur-lined
hat or hood, googles, and fur-lined leather boots and
gloves. As long as cold weather clothing remains dry, its
wearer automatically succeeds on saving throws against
the effects of extreme cold.
Crampons (2 gp) are metal plates with spikes that are
strapped to the sole of boots. A creature wearing crampons
can’t fall prone while moving across slippery ice.
A domesticated axe beak (50 gp) has splayed toes that
allow it to run across snow and carry as much as a mule.
15

food from the marketplace, they became enam-
ored by the chardalyn. As the characters enter the
marketplace one of the duergar releases twelve axe
beaks before whipping them into a stampede. The
remaining three dwarves use the confusion to steal
the chardalyn jewelry. Belz notices this at the last
second and cries out for help. Should the characters
stop the duergar and return the jewelry, Belz offers
them a chardalyn brooch of shielding in thanks. If the
characters make a public display of excessive force,
they garner the attention of the local authorities (see
area A6 for consequences).
16 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
A9. New Ten Towns
New Ten Towns is a district within the South Bank
that is predominantly occupied by refugees from
Icewind Dales and overseen by Speaker Trovus (NG
silver dragonborn veteran). Years ago, these hardy
folk were forced to abandon their settlements in
Ten Towns and move south to Luskan. The area is
referred to derisively by natives of Luskan as ‘One
Tenth Town’. DMs or groups that have played Icewind
Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden are encouraged to
populate this district with favorite NPCs or locales
from their previous game.
Optional Encounter
Ten days ago a gnoll vampire (appendix B) known
as Tekeli-li, and his clutch of five vampire spawn,
wandered into Luskan, attracted by the ample supply
of prey. The vampire currently lives in a series of
catacombs hidden beneath a slaughterhouse in
New Ten Towns. Because of its location the cata-
combs endlessly drip blood, which has soaked
into the surrounding earth. Tekeli-li hunts at night,
leaving behind gory, unrecognizable carcasses in his
wake. Currently New Ten Towns is being blamed
for the murders, and tensions between Luskan
and the refuges is high. Interested characters who
investigate the murders and interrogate witnesses
can track down Tekeli-li with a successful DC 16
Intelligence (Investigation) check. The only entrance
to the vampire’s lair is a tiny crevice that can be
squeezed into by Small characters, or widened with a
successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check.
A10. The Cutlass
The Cutlass is a rowdy, underground bar frequented
by the dark-hearted scum of Luskan. It can be
accessed through an abandoned mausoleum that
is guarded by a pirate-garbed stone golem known
to the locals as Captain Reaper. The golem blocks
entrance to the mausoleum, but if a character places
a gold coin into the golem’s outstretched hand, it
briefly steps aside to allow passage.
Within, the characters find a raucous, smoky den
of iniquity. Fights break out regularly, often ending
in considerable bloodshed. Smugglers, assassins,
fences, and information brokers populate a row of
curtained booths where they peddle their nefarious
wares.
A11. Misker’s Mercantile
This massive warehouse contains a well-organized
assortment of supplies ranging from wagons to
spyglasses. The entrance lobby is tended by an
archmage guarded by three spectators wearing
tricorn hats. Characters can purchase any item from
the Player’s Handbook here. They can also arrange
to purchase any common, uncommon or rare magic
item, although such items may require time to be
procured. Items are typically sold at 120 percent of
market value, although a successful DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check can haggle them down to their
normal value. The archmage is also willing to
purchase items for 60 percent of their market value,
though a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
check can raise this to 80 percent of their normal
value.
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
A12. Potent Potables
This small bar is run by Bernard, an eclectic alche-
mist renowned for his volatile concoctions. The tall,
gangly brewmaster has light blue skin, an elongated
tongue, perpetually singed hair, and reeks of sulfur
(side effects from alchemical experiments). Bernard
has a rotating inventory of highly alcoholic potions.
Any time a character consumes one of these potions
they must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw
or gain one level of exhaustion. Examples of potions
include Fire River Firewater (potion of fire breath) for
100 gp, Halagard Hurricane (potion of heroism) for
200 gp, and Serpent Bay Salty Dog (potion of animal
friendship) for 200 gp.
A13. Docks
Luskan’s bay is partially frozen over. Fisherfolk
in cold weather clothing gather around holes in
the ice trying to catch knucklebone trout to sell in
the marketplace. Numerous pathways have been
cut through the ice to allow sea vessels to pass as
needed. These vessels, a mix of galleys, rowboats,
and warships are tied up along these docks.
Optional Encounter
As the characters walk along the docks, they see
some dark smoke unfurling from a distant vessel.
Before long the characters can see a small fire
burning alongside the sails of a warship. Because
of the damp climate, the fire spreads slowly, and if
the characters act quickly, they can prevent it from
spreading to nearby ships. If the characters do not
intervene, then the fire consumes four ships before
the local sailors rally and douse the flames.
Either way if a character examines the area of
the fire and makes a successful DC 13 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, they can discern that the fire
was started deliberately. A second DC 13 Wisdom
(Survival) check is enough to track the arsonist
(drow) to a nearby alleyway. The arsonist is just
about to be arrested by three Zhentarim guards
(veterans) when the characters arrive.
The arsonist is a member of a splinter cell of the
Bregan D’aerthe, a band of drow elves led by Jarlaxle
Baenre (see the Doomed Forgotten Realms: SwOrd COast
Gazetteer for more details on Bregan D’aerthe). The
splinter cell is currently functioning as an under-
ground resistance, doing what it can to harry the
occupying Zhent forces. If the characters assist the
drow and help him escape, he leads them back to the
splinter cell’s safehouse (eluding the spy from area
A1 if she is still following the characters). The charac-
ters are welcome to use this safehouse for as long as
they stay in Luskan.
17
 Hosttower of the Arcane
From Lords of Darkness, “A sight that makes even
the bravest hearts uneasy, the Hosttower rises
above the gray waters of the Luskan harbor like the
gigantic specter of a long-dead tree, its barren limbs
stretching upward toward the overcast sky like the
grasping fingers of a drowning crone… The structure
rises into a central spire surmounted by four more
slender spires of equal height, situated at the cardinal
points of the compass. These four towers bristle with
lesser spires, balconies, and branching turrets.”
The tower is the headquarters of the Arcane
Brotherhood, a powerful faction of evil wizards sworn
to Vecna. They are led by the Archmage Arcane
and four Overwizards, who each oversee one of the
spires. These positions are currently filled by:
J Arcturia, Archmage Arcane
J Muiral the Misshapen, Overwizard of the West
J Trobriand the Metal Mage, Overwizard of the
South
J Roth Modar, Overwizard of the East
J Avarice, Overwizard of the North
Trials of the Hosttower
A pebbled path leads to the tower. The structure’s
only visible entrance is a set of double doors
bordered by arcane runes. Lying before the doors is
a strange creature. It has a perfectly spherical body,
a single eye, and spindly mechanical limbs. Large
patches of flesh have been scoured from the creature,
and it is bleeding what looks to be blood-tinged oil.
The creature is a dying modron (monodrone) that
has managed to escape the tower. If it is touched by a
character, then the character experiences a vision of
a hulking, shadowy creature flaying the skin from the
modron. As the modron re-experiences the memory,
it gasps the word “Graxigon” before emanating
a wave of pure psychic terror. All characters within
thirty feet of the modron must make a successful DC
15 Wisdom saving throw or become afflicted by the
frightened condition for one minute. The modron
dies immediately after this, disintegrating into a pile
of powdered silicon.
Entering the Tower. The unlocked doors do not
actually lead anywhere, and behind them is the solid
stone of the tower. The arcane runes are an eldritch,
multidimensional puzzle that is part sudoku and part
tangram. Any character who has a passive Arcana
(10 + Intelligence modifier + proficiency bonus if
proficient in Arcana) of 15 or higher can automat-
ically solve the puzzle. Any other character can
18 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Maddgoth
hole is 4 inches wide, large enough to fit a hand into.
The hole is 10 feet long. At the end of the hole is a
The cauldron weighs 10 pounds and contains ten
doses of a transparent magic liquid that smells and
If there are any wizards in the party, tales of their exploits battered, iron key. The key can be obtained by mage tastes like vinegar. Any creature that drinks a dose of
may have drawn the attention of the archmage Maddgoth. hand, fetched by a suitable familiar, or retrieved in the liquid regains one expended spell slot of any level.
Maddgoth is a serial killer who murders wizards and keeps
other comparable ways. On dawn of the next day the If the cauldron or its vinegar is removed from this
their arcane focuses and spellbooks as trophies. Through
key disappears from the owner’s possession, reap- chamber, the magic liquid turns into ordinary vinegar.
a combination of divination and investigation, Maddgoth
has inferred that the characters are seeking entry into the pearing within the hole. An empty cauldron automatically fills with ten doses
Hosttower of the Arcane. He attempts to befriend the char- If the key is placed into the doors’ keyhole, there is of the magic liquid at the next dawn.
acters in hopes of gaining entry to the tower as well. Once a flash of blue radiance and the character, along with Any wizard, or any character proficient in Arcana,
there, he plans on killing as many members of the Arcane
Brotherhood as possible before turning, at the last minute,
any willing creatures within 60 feet of it, are trans- can determine that the pedestals’ runes indicate each
upon the wizard character. ported to area B1. of the eight schools of magic: abjuration, conjuration,
divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necro-
Should the characters allow Maddgoth to accompany them, B1. Test of the Apprentice mancy, and transmutation. If a spell or cantrip from
have them make periodic DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) checks.
With each success the characters notice things such as: The characters appear in the middle of a plain, a particular school is cast near a pedestal, then the
octagonal chamber. A pedestal rests near each of the
• Maddgoth seems unnaturally interested in the wizard magic of the spell is absorbed, lighting up the pedes-
character. eight walls. Each pedestal is engraved with a rune. In tal’s rune. This spell need not be a wizard’s spell.
the middle of the room is a covered, lead cauldron. A
• Although outwardly friendly, Maddgoth can occasion- Once the eighth rune is empowered, a magical blue
ally be caught glancing murderously towards the wizard stained wooden spoon hangs from a hook above the portal appears in the wall nearest that pedestal. The
character. cauldron. There is a glowing red portal in the room’s portal begins to fade after one minute and disappears
• Maddgoth seems particularly overzealous when killing, southern wall. Looking through the portal, the char- completely after two minutes. Once this happens the
or discussing killing, wizards within the tower. acters can faintly see the pebbled path that led them runes lose their glow and the pedestals need to be
• The characters catch a glimpse of Maddgoth’s collec- to the tower. reactivated to continue further. A character who steps
tion of arcane foci, some of which are blood-stained. through the blue portal is transported to area B2.
Maddgoth carries with him a miniaturized castle. If a
character obtains the castle and attunes to it, they can
use an action to transport themselves and up to six other
willing creatures into and out of the castle once per day. A
description of the castle’s interior is provided in Dungeon of
the Mad Mage. In the absence of this resource, describe the
castle as a dark, foreboding place full of hidden chambers
connected by secret tunnels. Twelve homunculi live within
the castle. Relative to any miniaturized characters they have
the statistics of gargoyles. The homunculi hide within the
walls of the castle, attempting to murder any characters
who spend the night. If the characters search the castle,
allow them to make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)
check. If successful, they discover a randomly determined
treasure from Magic Item Table F in chapter 7 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide. This check can be repeated once
every week; however, the DC increases by 5 upon each
success.
attempt to solve the puzzle by succeeding on a DC 15
Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the character fails this
check, they take 22 (4d10) psychic damage.
If the characters prove unable to solve the puzzle,
they will have to recruit assistance. Luskan is
crowded with aspiring mages hoping to join the
Arcane Brotherhood. The characters can recruit one
of these mages with a successful DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check or a payment equivalent to 250
gp. Such a mage is willing to help the characters gain
access to the tower but will likely turn on them once
the mage realizes the characters’ ulterior motives.
One way or another, once the puzzle has been
solved the characters notice that a small stone near
the base of the tower has slid aside. The revealed
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN 19
 Any character who steps through the red portal is
transported back to the tower’s entrance. Placing the
key in the keyhole once more allows a character to
re-enter the tower as before.
B2. Test of the Mage
The characters reappear along the southern edge
of an 80 foot by 60 foot stone chamber (see the Test
of the Mage battle map). The walls and floor of the
chamber are charred, scoured, and cratered. When
the characters appear, they are greeted by a disem-
bodied mouth that announces,
“A true mage of the Arcane Brotherhood is prepared to merci-
lessly find and exploit an opponent’s weakness. This test will
measure your capacity to do so. At any time, you can surrender
by shouting forth, ‘I yield.’ Otherwise, you should assume that
this is a fight to the DEEEAAAAATTTTH!”
As the mouth fades from existence, three arcane
adaptoids (appendix B) appear near the northern
wall of the arena. The adaptoids each attack a sepa-
rate character, changing targets only if damaged. If
the characters manage to defeat the adaptoids, the
disembodied mouth returns briefly to loudly congrat-
ulate the characters before transporting them to area
B3. If the characters yield, then they are stabilized
and transported to area B4.
B3. Test of the Archmage
The characters appear in a small 20-foot square
chamber. In the center of the chamber is a two-foot-
tall hourglass filled with blue sand. As the characters
appear in the room, the disembodied mouth reap-
pears, proclaiming,
“A true archmage has the power to stop time itself. Do you
have the power to stop the very flow of time?”
At this point the sand in the hourglass begins to
fall. If you have one, consider using a real hourglass
to provide an extra layer of immersion. Give your
characters one minute of real time to take action
before the last grain of sand falls to the bottom half of
the hourglass. At this point the characters are trans-
ported to area B4.
The hourglass is fixed to the floor. However, any
strike that does 10 or more damage topples the
hourglass, effectively “stopping time.” Similar actions,
such as a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
check, are equally effective. Should the characters
manage to do this, the disembodied mouth reap-
pears, “Congratulations. A true archmage does not follow
the rules of others but dictates their own terms of success. You
will go far with the Arcane Brotherhood.” A wand of magic
missiles materializes, floating before the characters.
Once taken, there is a flash of blue light, and the char-
acters are transported to area B4.
20 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
B4. Tower Lobby opened. Within the drawer can be glimpsed a rod five or more, then the golem immediately attacks the
made of the same stone as the golem. If a character character. The golem crumbles into rubble if it ever
Bookshelves line the northern wall of this chamber.
makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of leaves the tower.
Piles of gears and tangled spools of cable are inter-
Hand) check, they can grab the rod without the golem
spersed between the bookshelves. Bright light shines
noticing. The drawers of the desk are otherwise filled
B5. Stairwell
from bulbs affixed to the walls, illuminating the room
with mundane paperwork as well as a spell scroll of The air within the stairwell is thin and stale from
harshly. In the center of the room is a large column of having been sealed off for years. The stairs are
telekinesis.
green-tinted crystal. Next to the column is an unoc- covered in dust. This sealed stairwell goes up for
cupied desk. A staircase in the southern end of the The rod is a control rod for the stone golem. A
nine floors before ending abruptly. Each of these nine
room exits the tower. Standing beside the staircase is character can attempt to use the rod by making a
floors are identical living spaces (see area B6) for
a large statue carved into the likeness of an armored DC 23 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the character
the mages that are training at the tower. To access
knight wielding a sword. succeeds, then the golem will follow their orders for
these floors characters will need to use their putty or
the next 24 hours. If the character fails their check by
The statue is a stone golem. The golem has been something similar.
enchanted so that it can speak. As the characters
appear the statue’s head swivels to peer at them
before intoning in a deep, gravelly voice, “The
masters are currently indisposed.
Please await their return.” Due to either
the characters’ actions in Rise Of Vecna or the mach-
inations of Xanathar, the archmages of the tower
have been dispatched elsewhere and it will be at
least a week until anyone thinks to check this lobby.
Regardless, the golem repeats its instructions at the
end of every hour.
Column. There are four gemstones (an emerald,
a sapphire, a topaz, and a ruby) embedded into the
column. These gemstones, if touched by an autho-
rized arcane focus, allow for transportation between
the lower levels of the tower. If a character makes a
successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check, they
discern the silhouette of a stairwell (see area B5)
within the opaque crystal column. The enchanted
crystal is impervious to damage; however, it can be
bypassed by Xanathar’s passwall putty or similar
magic. If any character touches either the column
or its gemstones, the golem issues a stern warning,
“Please step away from the column.”
The golem attacks after issuing a third warning, or if
the characters manage to breach the crystal.
Shelves. The bookshelves are filled with books on
introductory magic and histories of the North. There
is also a book on the creation of artificially acceler-
ated organisms. If any character skims the book, read
or paraphrase the Artificially Accelerated Organisms
section of appendix A. The gears and cables stacked
near the bookshelves are recently delivered spare
parts waiting to be moved to area B7. The lightbulbs
throughout the room are delicate and easily broken,
although doing so earns a stern warning from the
golem.
Desk. If the desk is disturbed in any way, the golem
issues a warning, asking the characters to step away
from the desk. The golem attacks if this is the third
time it has issued a warning. It is easy to observe that
one of the drawers of the desk has been left partially
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN 21
 B6. Living Quarters
Each of these nine identical floors has four separate
bedchambers. The entrances to each of the four
bedchambers are sealed with an arcane lock spell
and warded with an alarm spell. A mage resides
within each bedchamber. The mages immediately
attack any characters who obviously do not belong
within the tower. The mages on any given floor
have been told that only one of them will move on
to train under an overwizard. Because of this, they
are extremely competitive with one another and see
combat as an opportunity to “accidentally” dispose of
rivals with a poorly placed fireball spell. If the char-
22 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
acters are accompanied by the stone golem, there
is a 50% chance that any given mage has their own
control rod. In this case, the mage uses their action
to attempt an opposed Intelligence (Arcana) check
to wrest control of the golem from the characters (or
potentially from one another).
Warded Bedchambers. There is a 25 percent
chance that a bedchamber is protected by explo-
sive runes from the glyph of warding spell. The
triggering glyph is at the bottom right corner of
the door and can be found with a successful DC
21 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Within each
bedchamber can be found a spellbook that contains
all the mages’ prepared spells as well as an addi-
tional 1d6 random spells. There is also a 20 percent
chance that a bedchamber contains one item from
Magic Item Table C. The first bed chamber that is
explored contains a strange, silver-tinged potted
plant. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check
discerns that the plant originates from Mechanus.
The check also reveals that cube roots, a rare crafting
component, can be harvested from the plant. Such
roots are worth as much as 1,000 gp to an alchemist.
Thinking With Portals. The green crystal column
of the stairwell contains the same gemstones as level
B4. Each mage carries an arcane focus crafted from
the same green crystal as the stairwell. If the focus is
touched to a gemstone by a character, that character,
along with up to twenty willing creatures that can be
seen within 60 feet, are transported to the following
locations:
J Emerald: B6 (whichever floor the mage lived on)
J Sapphire: B7
J Topaz: B8
J Ruby: B9
B7. Rendering Lab
This circular chamber is a jumbled mess of
mechanical equipment, bookshelves, and surgical
instruments. There are four operating tables with
restraining straps, as well as tables and cupboards
full of metal-working tools. Bins are full of small cogs
and gears that are stained with blood-tinged oil. A
small vortex of swirling green energy can be seen
near the southern wall of the room.
A modronoid mage protected by two modronoid
veterans is in the process of cleaning up the room
when the characters arrive. Modronoids are human-
oids that have modron parts grafted onto their
bodies. They have the following changed statistics:
J Modronoids have an Armor Class of 18.
J Due to gears grafted to their legs, modronoids
have a Speed of 40 ft.
J Modronoids have their weapons grafted to their
bodies. As such, they cannot be disarmed.
The modronoid mage carries a small orb filled with
swirling green energy. This orb is used to activate the
room’s stasis portal (described below). The modro-
noids attack any characters that obviously do not
belong in the tower.
The Overwizard Trobriand, has recently devel-
oped an obsession with modrons. In particular, he
has become obsessed with harvesting their parts.
Trobriand and his many apprentices then use these
parts for their own arcane experiments, particularly
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
grafting them as enhancements upon already living
creatures. The modronoids are one of the many
byproducts of these experiments.
Throughout the lab can be found detailed notes
on harvesting modron body parts and grafting them
onto other creatures. The majority of the books are
tomes on anatomy that cover not just humanoids
but also more unusual creatures such as gricks and
mindflayers. The most recent blueprints refer to
Experiment 665: Graxigon. Next to these blueprints
is a note that reads, “As of now, the monstrosity
known as Experiment 665 has killed an archmage,
four mages, and more than a dozen apprentices.
Although it does display a talent for subjugation,
making it useful in maximizing the exploitation of
our modron chattel, I still recommend its immediate
destruction. In my opinion its unstable and sadistic
nature outweighs its usefulness.”
The Man in the Floor. Any characters who have a
passive Perception of 15 or higher notice what seems
to be the ghostly silhouette of an aged human within
the grain of the room’s wooden floor. The silhouette
belongs to an elderly alchemist named Phricter.
Phricter occupied the Hosttower before it was taken
over by Vecna’s apprentices. During one of his many
bewildering experiments Phricter managed to acci-
dentally fuse himself into the room’s floor. Phricter
has the following statistics:
J He occupies a five-foot square of floor.
J He can move about the room with a speed of 30.
J He can communicate telepathically with anyone
who touches his image.
J As an action, Phricter can cause the space he
occupies to undulate. Any creatures standing in
this area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw or be knocked prone.
Phricter resents the Vecnan mages that now occupy
the tower, in part because they ridicule and taunt
him, but also because they have “blasphemously”
converted his alchemy lab into a horrific slaughter-
house. As such he is willing to assist characters who
are fighting the modronoids. He is also willing to
share information with the characters. Phricter was
senile before his accident and the intervening years
trapped within a floor have not been kind. He loses
his train of thought often and it can take a good ten
minutes for him to effectively communicate a basic
idea. However, he is desperate for conversation, and
draws obvious pleasure from even the most mundane
conversation. Phricter can provide the following
information:
J Any information on modrons that is contained in
the Monster Manual.
23
 J Basic details regarding areas B8 and B9, partic-
ularly regarding the modrons residing in these
areas.
J The details of the stasis dimension (described
below).
If allowed to, Phricter will talk the entire day away.
If the characters are compassionate enough to spend
at least two hours talking with him, Phricter decides
to repay the kindness by instructing the characters
on how to use the mechanical equipment within the
room to produce 1d4 random magical potions.
Stasis Dimension. The small vortex of swirling
green energy is a portal to a stasis dimension. Any
creature that walks into the portal is teleported into
this pocket dimension and immediately subjected to
the effects of a time stop spell. If the orb of swirling
green energy carried by the modronoid mage is
touched to the portal (or if a person carrying the orb
attempts to enter the portal), the most recent occu-
pant is released from the dimension. This process
can be repeated indefinitely until all occupants have
been released from stasis. The stasis dimension can
hold, at most, two hundred creatures.
Trobriand realized that due to the Disintegration B8. Power Grid
trait of modrons, any surgically attached grafts
This room holds six massive machines and an assort-
disappeared with the death of the modron donor.
ment of control panels. The machines are a bewil-
Because of this, Trobriand created the statis dimen-
dering assortment of levers, gears and pistons that
sion to indefinitely prolong the life of the wounded
are connected to the control panels by a tangle of
modrons. The stasis dimension currently holds four
colored wires. These machines, in addition to those
monodrones, three duodrones, two tridrones, and
from area B9, help generate the energy needed for
one quadron. These modrones are badly injured.
Trobriand’s various experiments. The power grid is
They bear festering, oil-scabbed wounds where their
tended by the metal-coated skull of a half-elf. The
mechanical organs have been surgically removed.
skull is engraved with arcane symbols, surrounded by
Because of this, the modrons all have 1 hit point and
green flames, and has emeralds (worth 500 gp each)
three levels of exhaustion. The modrons stand in the
in its eye sockets. It floats about the room, giving off
chamber, weakened and confused, unless physically
crackling sounds as it electrifies the machines with
led elsewhere by the characters.
rays of lightning.

24 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN 25


Trenzia
Lumbering beside the skull is a hideous amalgamation
of squirming creatures, surgically stitched together.
These creatures are geometrically shaped and made
from a mixture of bruised flesh and broken gears. With
each step the monstrosity takes, you can hear painful
whimpers and the crunch of breaking bones.
This modronoid monstrosity has the statistics of
a flesh golem. It is stitched together from dozens
of modrons. After its defeat a character can attempt
a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check to save 1d6
modrons, although any modron saved has only 1 hp
remaining.
The fiery, metal-coated skull is Trenzia, a former
apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak. She now serves
Trobriand, using her electrical powers to keep the
power grid functional. Trenzia has the statistics of a
flame skull, with the following changes:
J Trenzia has resistance to fire damage and immu-
nity to lightning damage.
J She has the lightning bolt spell prepared instead
of fireball.
J Her Fire Ray action deals lightning damage.
Trenzia cannot distinguish between non-skeletons,
or “fleshlings,” as she calls them. Because of this
she is initially indifferent. She can be convinced to
26 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
B9. The Machines of Modron Machines. Years ago, Vecna unearthed a mechan-
ical relic called the Orderer. The relic was created
This massive forty-foot tall cavern is carved out from
within Mechanus, the home plane of the modrons.
stone deep beneath the tower. The eastern end of the
Over time the Orderer has been slowly dismantled
room is filled with gears, lights, hollow glass vats,
into a variety of components which individually
and massive machines, all of which are connected
power this cavern’s mechanical infrastructure. These
with a system of pipes and cables. The entire room
machines serve a variety of purposes but primarily
hums (or sputters if the power grid from area B8 has
they empower the birthing vats used to create
been disabled) with electricity. The machines are
artificially accelerated organisms (see appendix A
tended by a host of twenty-four monodrones, twelve
for additional details). The entire mechanical grid
duodrones, six tridrones, and three quadrones.
consists of the following distinct machines.
These modrons are supervised by a monstrous,
flying overseer who goes by the name of Graxigon
(appendix B).
temporarily turn off the power (see area B9 for the
consequences) with a successful DC 18 Charisma
(Persuasion check). If the characters act suspiciously
or fiddle with her machines, Trenzia orders her
modronoid monstrosity to attack them. Trenzia then
positions herself behind the monstrosity, attacking
with ranged attacks. She sees the monstrosity as
expendable and is willing to hit the abomination with
area of effect spells, if that is the best way to inflict
damage to the characters.
Each of the machines has AC 15, 50 hit points, and
immunity to lightning, poison, and psychic damage. If
reduced to 0 hit points, a machine explodes, inflicting
21 (6d8) fire damage to all creatures within 20 feet
of it. Destroying two machines is sufficient to render
the power grid inoperable (see area B9 for additional
details). Alternatively, characters can use the control
panels to disable the machines with a successful
DC 18 Intelligence check. Finally, the characters
can disable the power grid by disassembling the
machines with a successful DC 15 Intelligence
check made with tinker’s tools. Any character who
successfully disables the machine using tinker’s tools
manages to extract a long, cylindrical power core that
is functionally equivalent to a staff of thunder and
lightning.
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN 27

Graxigon
B9a. Control Hubs
Each of these six machines has AC 15, 20 hit points
(10 hit points if the power grid from area B8 has
been deactivated), and immunity to lightning, poison
and psychic damage. As a collective action any four
modrons can work in tandem to shoot a beam of
heated energy at a character. This beam of energy
has +10 to hit and inflicts 21 (6d6) fire damage. If the
power grid from area B8 has been deactivated, this
beam inflicts half damage.
B9b. Electricity Tube
This delicate glass tube has AC 10, 10 hit points, and
vulnerability to bludgeoning and thunder damage. It
shatters when reduced to 0 hit points, electrifying the
entire chamber. Any character standing within fifteen
feet of a machine while wearing metal armor takes 5
(1d10) lightning damage at the start of each of their
turns.
B9c. Toxic Tube
This delicate glass tube has AC 10, 10 hit points, and
vulnerability to bludgeoning and thunder damage.
It shatters when reduced to 0 hit points, releasing a
cloud of poisoned gas. This cloud of gas is function-
ally equivalent to a non-mobile cloudkill spell.
28 CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Modrons. The modrons are all focused on their
work and do not immediately notice any charac-
ters who enter the cavern. However, a minute after
entering the room Biffan yells loudly that he can
detect a portal to Ravenloft (see below for more
details), alerting the modrons to the characters’ pres-
ence. Graxigon also detects the characters, thanks to
its Telepathic Vigilance trait, if they approach within
one hundred feet of the monstrosity.
Once Graxigon has noticed the characters it
confronts them telepathically, its disordered thoughts
defiling their minds.
“More skin puppets for
the obedience factory.”
Graxigon orders the monodrones and duodrones to
utilize the control hubs and then orders the tridrones
and quadrones to overwhelm the characters.
Graxigon attempts to cast dominate monster on the
nearest character, before flying to the ceiling to attack
with its blunderbusses. As a bonus action, Graxigon
can noticeably extract energy from the mechanical
grid, healing ten hit points for every intact control
hub. If the power grid from area B8 has been deacti-
vated, this healing is reduced by half. During combat
Graxigon speaks through the mouths of the modrons
in a jumbled, confused combination of multiple
languages, demanding repeatedly that the characters
submit and obey.
Victory. Once Graxigon has been defeated the
mechanical grid, strained by the battle, begins to
spark and fizzle. One by one, the machines explode
in a shower of energy that coalesces into a glowing
portal. Any character who makes a successful DC 15
Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns that the portal
connects to the Plane of Mechanus. Any surviving
modrons are drawn to the portal, using it to return
to their home plane. If the modrons from area B7
are led to the portal, then they are made whole by
the portal’s divine radiance. A collective sense of
gratitude washes over the players. Each character
receives the following one-time blessing:
Blessing of Primus. You have divine insight into
the inner workings of the cosmos, allowing you to
anticipate the immediate future. When you use an
action to perform any activity, including making
an attack or casting a spell, and you don’t like the
outcome, you can choose to never have taken that
action, instead using your action to perform a
different activity. Once you do so, the blessing fades
and you can’t use it again.
Anyone who loots Graxigon’s body finds a strange
shaped tool roughly the size of a wrench.
The Mists of Ravenloft
While in the chamber Biffan can detect the presence
of a portal to Ravenloft. He directs the characters to
walk to the southern edge of the room, near a pile of
glass vats. These partially finished Vecnan birthing
vats are filled with a thick mist that writhes and
undulates as if alive. Muffled thuds come from within
the vats, like the sounds of a creature prematurely
interred.
Biffan recognizes this as the “Mists of Ravenloft”
and speculates that if the mists are released from the
vats, they will transport the characters to the dread
domains. The vats are hermetically sealed and imper-
vious to damage. However, there is an indentation
for a tool. If the strange-shaped tool from Graxigon is
placed into the indentation, it can be used to open the
vats. Once the vats are open, the mist explodes forth,
impossibly filling the entirety of the room in a matter
of seconds.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe To 11TH level
as THey are pulleD inTo
THe Dark realm oF ravenloFT.
The trapped vestige is all
that remains of the once mighty
Buer the Grandmother Huntress
CHAPTER 1 TRIAL RUN
Optional Encounter
One of the mist-filled vats behaves differently that
the rest. Once a character gets near to it, the mists
subside to reveal a large block of solid amber within,
8 feet tall, 5 feet wide, and 5 feet thick. Trapped
inside the block is a wisp of inky darkness the size
of a child’s fist. The darkness is the vestige of Buer,
the Grandmother Huntress—now imprisoned with
but a sliver of her former sentience and awareness.
The vestige can’t be harmed or controlled, and it is
immune to all conditions.
The block of amber has AC 16, 80 hit points, and
immunity to poison and psychic damage. Destroying
one causes the vestige trapped within it to disappear,
leaving no trace. You choose whether it is banished
or destroyed.
A creature that touches the block of amber forms
a telepathic link with Buer whose voice immediately
begins to echo in their mind.
“I am the kindly grandmother and the wrathful hunt-
ress, but you, my sweet child, may call me Buer. Reach
out with your mind and accept my gift, so you may
wield my might and never again be the hunted. Do you
accept this gift I have offered you, child?”
The creature must willingly, without being coerced
or manipulated, accept the gift to gain its benefits
(and detriments). A character doesn’t learn the gift’s
precise game effect until the dark gift is accepted.
Benefit of Accepting. If accepted, Buer’s dark gift
grants the beneficiary immunity to disease and the
poisoned condition, as well as the ability to cast the
healing word spell without expending a spell slot.
When casting the spell in this manner and targeting
a Construct or an Undead, the spell deals radiant
damage equal to the amount it would normally
heal. The spell is cast at a level equal to the number
of times it has been cast in this manner. The first
time the spell is cast, for example, it is cast at 1st
level, while it is cast at 5th level the fifth time it is
cast. Once it has been cast nine times, the dark gift
vanishes.
Detriment of Accepting. The beneficiary of this
dark gift also undergoes a transformation upon
accepting. Their feet turn into hooves while their
legs become digitigrade and furry, similar to those
of a goat. This transformation can’t be removed by
anything short of a wish spell or divine intervention.
29
 CHAPTER 2
A Haus Divided
The characters emerge from the mists within the realm of
Darkon, near the halfling village of Rivalis. Exploring the
village leads the characters to Grandma Fennel, who sug-
gests they visit the nearby ruins of Castle Avernus to learn
more about Vecna. Before doing so, however, they need to
visit Richten Haus, former home of the legendary Rudolph
Van Richten. There the characters harvest herbs necessary to
survive the poisonous energies surrounding Castle Avernus.
rom Van Richten’s Guide to Raven-
loft, “In hidden corners of the
Shadowfell are nightmare
domains that hunger for the
brave and the innocent, the
ambitious and the wicked. Some call the collection
of eerie realms the Land of the Mists, but monster
hunters know it as Ravenloft. Terror, magic, mystery,
and suspense fill these fractured domains, an infinite
galley of unfolding evils, age-old plots, cursed blood-
lines, legendary monsters, and immortal villains.
Evildoers from countless worlds regard Ravenloft
as their prison – infamous figures such as the lich-
king Azalin Rex, the unscrupulous scientist Viktra
Mordenheim, and the diabolical first vampire Strahd
Von Zarovich. These Darklords wield incredible
power within their isolated domains, yet they’re held
captive in eternal torment as victims of malign forces
known as the Dark Powers.”
Vecna was one of these prisoners, trapped within
his personal realm, Cavitius. But even the Dark
Powers cannot hold one as powerful as Vecna indef-
initely. Over the span of decades, the Maimed Lord
hatched a plan that resulted in his escape from the
Domains of Dread (For more details on this escape
see Die Vecna Die!).
With Vecna’s escape the domain of Cavitius became
an abandoned, ghostly version of its former self. As
the years passed the Dark Powers began dissolving
the kingdom, brick by brick and bone by bone.
Following the dissolution of Cavitius, fragments of
the domain scattered throughout the far corners of
Ravenloft. Some of these fragments include lesser
body parts of Vecna (see Lesser Known Vecnan
Relics in appendix D).
The lich-king Azalin Rex, whose magical aptitude
might rival that of Vecna, discerned the Whispered
One’s escape. As a Darklord, Azalin was imprisoned
within his own domain of Darkon, so that he was
30 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
unable to travel to Vecna’s former domain. Instead,
Azalin wove a potent spell that absorbed the lordless
Cavitius into Darkon. The ritual was successful but
had catastrophic side effects. Castle Avernus, Azalin’s
brooding fortress, was destroyed in a torrent of other-
worldly flame, an explosion that was frozen partway
through its blast. The castle now hangs in midair,
its chambers, laboratories, and crypts suspended in
disjointed sections, all illuminated by a glowing radi-
ance that hangs above the castle. This event, followed
by Azalin’s disappearance, is known to the people of
Darkon as the Hour of Ascension.
With the two realms merged, Azalin was able to
travel to Citadel Cavitius, the former seat of Vecna’s
power. Once there, he began obsessively studying the
Maimed Lord’s books, growing increasingly oblivious
to the world around him, even as the dissolution
of Cavitius began infecting Azalin’s own kingdom.
Through his studies Azalin discovered a rip in the
fabric of Ravenloft, left by Vecna’s escape. However,
Azalin realized that for anyone to travel through the
portal they must be attuned to a part of Vecna, whose
old body parts are scattered about other domains,
just beyond the lich-king’s grasp. Thankfully, a group
of hardened adventurers has just entered the mists...
Traversing the Mists
Read or paraphrase the following:
The mist is impossibly thick, almost clinging to you as
you move through it. All you see is an endless, roiling
whiteness—a foggy limbo that appears to stretch into
infinity. The mists dull your other senses, increasingly
cutting you off from any sort of sensory world.
As the characters walk through the mist, the Dark
Powers of Ravenloft subtly intervene, first disori-
enting and then separating the characters unless
they have taken special precautions such as tying
themselves together. Randomly select two characters.
Then read or paraphrase the following to each of
them:
A towering beast materializes within the mist just ten
feet before you. The creature looks vaguely like a mino-
taur, but it has a chitinous carapace and multi-faceted
eyes that glimmer sinisterly. Its wet, glistening body
smells like fresh vomit. Upon seeing you the monster
rears back, ready to attack!
In truth, the randomly selected characters are
confronting one another. The mists have cloaked
each character in illusion, making them appear to be
a vile abomination. Have each character roll initiative.
Pretend to control each monster. Roll dice where the
players cannot see the results, using whatever results
were rolled by the other player. A character can use
an action to examine the monster they are fighting. A
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check
reveals the illusion. This check is made with advan-
tage if the character already suspects that they are
fighting a fellow character. If one of the characters is
reduced to 0 hit points, then the illusion fades. The
character who struck the final blow finds themselves
potentially horrified by their actions. They must
make a successful DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
be afflicted by the Curse of the Betrayer until it is
removed by a remove curse spell, or similar magic.
Curse of the Betrayer
Your actions have brought about the downfall of an ally.
The stain of this misdeed is perceptible to others. As a
result, you have disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion)
checks and you can’t benefit from the Help action.
As the two characters battle one another, the
remaining characters reunite before they are
confronted by two hazy, insubstantial creatures made
from dark, swirling mist known as mist stalkers
(appendix B).
If the characters survive, they emerge from the
Mists in the domain of Darkon on the north bank of
Redleaf Lake, just outside the halfling town of Rivalis.
A Doomed Domain
Darkon is a land in collapse. With the departure of
its Darklord, Azalin Rex, for Citadel Cavitius during
an event called the Hour of Ascension, the Mists of
Ravenloft have begun to devour the landscape. Each
night the Shroud (the name given to the Mists by
the people of Darkon) swallows more of the domain,
sometimes expanding by unnoticeable inches, some-
times by miles.
A golden star referred to by Darkonites as the
King’s Tear hangs in the sky, watching indifferently
over the death of the land and its people. Rumors
abound as to the nature of this new visitor in the
heavens. Some believe it to be the eye of a god
observing and silently judging the domain for its
evils. Perhaps one day it will devour the entire
realm. Others believe it is a vessel from the heavens,
carrying some unknown and unknowable race of
starfaring travelers. Still others believe its presence
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
is somehow connected to the disappearance of their
former king. Perhaps he sleeps inside, cocooned,
waiting to take on a new form.
As for the people of Darkon, while some might
express curiosity about the King’s Tear or the
Shroud, they seem relatively indifferent to the
dangers they face. One explanation for this indiffer-
ence may be that there is simply no time to worry
about what might happen in the future when they
have to toil and labor just to make it day by day.
Another explanation may be that many of them are
soulless constructs birthed by the Dark Powers of
Ravenloft to populate the kingdom, though none of
the inhabitants, including the constructs themselves,
would have any way of knowing this. Certainly, all
the inhabitants of Darkon believe themselves to be
possessed of a mortal soul. Regardless of the reason,
most Darkonites have convinced themselves – and
will try to convince others – that all these stories of
towns and regions being swallowed by the Shroud
are nothing more than alarmist rumors.
For more information on Darkon see chapter 3 of
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, “The Domains of
Ravenloft.”
Death in Darkon
The forces that have corrupted Darkon have even
influenced the veil between life and death. Death in
Darkon is not permanent. During the first night after
any Humanoid’s death in Darkon, their body rises
in a state of unlife. Though the body returns to life,
it functions as nothing more than a shell for some
dark lifeforce propelling it forward. No vestiges of the
victim’s prior identity, or any identity, remains.
Fearful of this eventual fate and what it implies for
them and their loved ones, the inhabitants of Darkon
have established funerary rites that may vary by
region, but all culminate in the burning of the corpse
before night falls on the day of death. This unexplain-
able compulsion of the dead to rise is one of the few
supernatural aspects of Darkon’s fate that has had a
noticeable effect on the people of the domain, making
them paranoid and nosy. Inhabitants tend to keep a
close eye on their neighbors, particularly those who
are elderly or sick, in case they die unexpectedly. In
the larger cities of Darkon, the Kargat, the remnants
of Azalin Rex’s secret police force, frequently control
those districts rife with crime for the same reason.
The risen corpses shamble mindlessly toward the
nearest banks of the Shroud. If their journey is not
interrupted, they will wander into the mists, never to
be seen again. As long as they remain unobstructed,
the corpses show no hostility toward the living, nor
any recognition of those they knew in life.
31
 Memory Anomalies
The dread domain of Darkon has an altering effect
on the memories of non-natives. For each day non-na-
tives of the realm are present within its borders,
there is a cumulative 10 percent chance that they
will form a false memory of a life lived within the
realm. Once a character forms such a false memory,
the daily check resets to 0 percent and starts again.
Once a character has formed three such memories,
they become firmly convinced that they have lived
their entire life in Darkon. A remove curse spell will
remove one false memory. If this reduces the char-
acter below three false memories, they will be able
to recall glimpses of another life in another realm.
Otherwise, the only way to reverse the effects of the
memory anomalies is by leaving the realm altogether,
at which point, all false memories rapidly fade.
A character whose memory is lost entirely to this
effect will firmly deny any claim that they have not
always lived here and will resist – violently, if neces-
sary – any attempt to leave the realm, as it is their
beloved homeland.
Darkon
As the characters stumble from the mists into
an unfamiliar landscape, read or paraphrase the
following:
After an immeasurable amount of time pushing
forward through the Mists, you think you see a strange
light ahead of you. The tendrils of Mist slink away from
your skin and you stumble forward onto a grassy field
near a serene lake. The light of two suns, one much
larger than the other, casts a molten shimmer on the
water. Fishing boats dot the lake’s calm surface.
Straight ahead of you, maybe a mile distant, is a quaint
village. From this distance, you can make out a cluster
of cottages with thatched roofs. Smoke rises from
stone chimneys. Outside the walls of the village are
fields of green crops, though from this distance you
can’t make out what kind. Small humanoids walk the
rows tending to the greenery.
Looking over your shoulder, you see that the Mists that
brought you here are nowhere to be found. Instead, a
wide dirt road winds between grassy meadows before
disappearing into a tranquil forest.
Thanks to the second “sun”, Biffan is able to recog-
nize this as the domain of Darkon. The halfling skull
can provide the following information:
J Darkon is one of the largest domains of Ravenloft.
Its Darklord is the immortal wizard-king Azalin
Rex. Azalin is an iron-fisted tyrant who rules
distantly from Castle Avernus. The wizard-king
32 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
prefers to focus on his experiments and studies,
delegating much of his authority to a secret police
force known as the Kargat. (Note: Azalin’s immor-
tality is due to the fact that he is a lich. However,
this is not a well-known fact and something of
which Biffan is unaware.)
J Roughly a year ago there was a strange explosion
that destroyed Castle Avernus. In the wake of the
explosion, a glowing star referred to as the King’s
Tear rose into the sky. Azalin has not been seen
since the explosion. Some assume the wizard-
king is dead and others assume that he found a
way to escape Darkon.
J Darkon was once home to Rudolph Van Richten,
a legendary hunter of undead who now resides in
the domain of Mordent.
At this point, characters may travel in any direction
they like, though having arrived in an unfamiliar land,
they are likely to seek more information in Rivalis.
DMs should steer, but not railroad, them in this
direction.
Rivalis
Rivalis is, on most days, a happy and peaceful town,
standing in contrast to most locales in Darkon, or
anywhere in any of the domains of Ravenloft. Like
most of the inhabitants of Darkon, the townspeople
of Rivalis – mostly halflings – respond to the horrors
of their dying domain with willful indifference.
Brigands who live in the nameless forest north of
town or in the Shrouded Hills even farther north (the
scattered survivors of the Radanavich clan) occa-
sionally threaten these peaceful folk. The Kargat,
Darkon’s secret police, occasionally intrudes on
the town’s serenity as well, seeking information on
some enemy of the state or simply checking in with
contacts. Rumors of a lake monster, Wolf-Head Wylie,
also abound as an explanation for the periodic disap-
pearances of fishing boats on Redleaf Lake or the
more distant Lake Placid. Finally, on rare nights, a
townsperson will wake up with bite marks on their
neck, complaining about feeling weak and anemic.
So far, whatever is causing this has not claimed any
lives, but it seems to grow more voracious as time
goes on, feeding more and more often. The towns-
people may mention these things, but if asked for
more information, they quickly clarify that it’s just a
rumor and move to change the topic of conversation,
fearful that discussing an evil will earn its attention.
Key locations in Rivalis include:
C1. Old Nuck’s
Old Nuck’s is one of two large public houses in
Rivalis. The mood inside is as festive and cheerful
as the rest of the village. In the evenings, about two
dozen halflings carouse here, drinking tankards of
honeyed mead or barleywine (5sp) and eating from
big wooden bowls of fish stew (1 gp).
The halfling bard Buckleberry Tanglenote
(commoner) regularly plays songs about heroes of
local legend, such as the brave halfling pirate crew of
the Honeysuckle Goddess, which roamed the Jagged
Coast hundreds of years ago, and perhaps still does.
He will happily tell the characters what he knows of
the folklore of the Jagged Coast, though much of what
he knows is colored by myth.
Buckleberry also enjoys telling stories regarding
Azalin Rex, the missing Darklord of Darkon. He can
tell the characters in no uncertain terms that Azalin
cannot be found in his castle. The castle was ripped
apart by a vast explosion at its heart during the Hour
of Ascension. The flow of time around the castle
was frozen at the moment of the explosion and the
castle’s fragments hang in midair, its magical fabric
forever trying to pull itself back together. The ever-
burning fireball at the castle’s heart is poisonous to
the living, and no one could hope to survive there.
Buckleberry has never heard of Vecna, referring
the characters to Granny Fennel, who is “the most
knowledgeable person in Rivalis”. For more details
on Granny Fennel see area C4.
In the afternoon or early morning, which is when
the characters are likely to arrive if this is one of the
first locations they visit upon their arrival in Rivalis,
the tavern is less bustling, but still relatively cheerful.
Buckleberry may still be found here, sipping a break-
fast stout and plucking lazily at the strings of his
lute, practicing new songs. Two elderly halfling men,
Gordy and Old Prim (commoners), can be found
playing halfling games of strategy at one of the tables.
They are dismissive of the characters if approached,
eager to get back to their games.
At any time of day, the establishment’s current
owner and operator, Lady Nebba Halfhearth
(commoner), can be found behind the bar. She is the
great granddaughter of Old Nuck himself, and she
will gladly share the history of the establishment if
asked. She will also give a little background on any
of the townspeople of Rivalis if the characters ask.
Like most townspeople, she will quickly change the
subject if asked about Azalin Rex, the Shroud, the
Kargat, the lake monster, or any other topic viewed as
inappropriate for polite conversation.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
C2. The Lost Goat Knight
In contrast to the town’s other large public house,
The Lost Goat Knight is a subdued place. At any
given time of day, only a handful of miserable looking
halflings bury their sorrows in tankards of ale here.
The bartender, Sir Humphrey (a title he has given
himself) will sell the characters tankards of watery
ale for 2 sp.
Sir Humphrey has never heard of Vecna, referring
the characters to Granny Fennel, who is “the most
knowledgeable person in Rivalis”. For more details
on Granny Fennel see area C4.
Most of the patrons will ignore the characters,
eager to bury themselves in their drinks, but one
patron at the bar, Brady Furfingers, will tell the char-
acters that his brother, Barney Furfingers, was lost
when his fishing boat was destroyed by Wolf-head
Wylie on Redleaf Lake.
During the evening, but never during the day, there
is a 50 percent chance burgomaster Arian Windfoot
(vampire) can be found here (otherwise, he can be
found wandering the streets). This is his preferred
public house because it is much quieter. If present
here, he’ll be accompanied by his “town council,” the
name he has given to his regular drinking buddies.
Notably, Arian himself does not imbibe, and if asked
about this, he will say that he once had an unhealthy
relationship with alcohol and had to give it up. For
more details on burgomaster Arian see area C5 and
the Madame Radanavich section of appendix A.
If asked about any unusual information (such
as Vecna), Arian rubs his chin thoughtfully and
mentions that the lost manor of Richten Haus once
held a great number of books. If asked about Richten
Haus, read or paraphrase the following:
“Ah, yes, Richten Haus. It was swallowed by the
Shroud months ago. Not sure why you’d want to risk
your life to go there. Sit, join my town council and me
for a drink instead. Or not. Your choice. All I can tell
you for certain is that no one who has gone into the
Shroud has ever returned . Hmm, except for Granny
Fennel. She might be willing to share her secrets with
you.”
C3. Bait and Tackle
This is a general store operated by an enterprising
halfling named Taz McGinty. He will sell the charac-
ters any common item normally sold on the general
equipment lists from the Player’s Handbook. He also
sells fishing equipment and has a few used fishing
boats that he can sell to the characters.
33
 C4. Crystal Garden
The Crystal Garden is the greenhouse at the center
of Rivalis. It gets its name from the paneled glass
dome that houses plants from every region of Darkon
and some other demiplanes. The garden is overseen
by the gnomish archdruid Fennel Fernhand, known
as Grandma Fennel, or Granny Fennel. She has been
welcomed as one of their own by the halflings of
Rivalis and is viewed by the townspeople as a wise
and beloved leader. Townsfolk will direct the charac-
ters to speak to either her or the burgomaster, Arian
Windfoot, for more information about the region.
Any character who is proficient with an herbalism
kit can find sufficient herbs to brew 1d4 potions of
healing. If the character makes a successful DC 15
Intelligence check they also find enough grave weed
to make either 1d4 doses of a concoction similar to
carrion crawler mucus or 2 doses of torpor (See the
Dungeon Master’s Guide for information on these
poisons). If the characters harvest these plants they
are accosted by a shambling mound and 1d6 needle
blights.
Grandma Fennel tends her garden
34 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
Grandma Fennel. If the characters elect to speak
to Grandma Fennel, they can find her in a small
wooden annex filled with books and potted plants
attached to the main dome. As one of the oldest
inhabitants of Rivalis, Grandma Fennel has consider-
able information. In particular:
J Grandma Fennel has not heard the name Vecna.
She recommends that the characters visit the
ruins of Castle Avernus to find out more. Castle
Avernus was once home to Azalin Rex, the
Darklord of Darkon. Azalin hoarded knowledge
and his library is rumored to contain information
on the entirety of Ravenloft.
J Months ago there was a strange explosion from
Castle Avernus. Even stranger, the fortress’s
rubble, rather than tumbling to the ground,
remains suspended in mid air. Azalin has not
been seen since this explosion and there are
competing theories that he is either dead or
found a way to escape Darkon.
J The ruins of Castle Avernus are bathed in a sickly
green radiance that can kill even the hardiest
adventurer. Granny Fennel believes that she can
brew a protective potion, but she needs some rare
herbs known as bog knuckle that only grow in the
gardens of Richten Haus, the abandoned home
of her old friend Rudolph van Richten. Richten
Haus was once north of Rivalis, but has since
been swallowed by the Shroud.
J Rudolph van Richten was once a medical doctor
of great promise who, pursuing fame and renown,
engaged in battle with the Radanavich clan.
The Radanavich clan was a band of brigands
masquerading as Vistani, led by a warlock of
considerable power, Irina Radanavich.
J During this battle the Radanavich’s killed
Rudolph’s son, Erasmus, and his wife, Ingrid.
Haunted by their painful memories, the monster
hunter has abandoned his ancestral home and
now lives a humbler life in the distant land of
Mordentshire.
J Grandma Fennel can give directions to Castle
Avernus (see chapter 3) as well as Richten Haus.
If the characters indicate a willingness to travel to
Richten Haus, read or paraphrase the following:
Oh, be careful there, younglings. Yes, yes! First know
that to reach Richten Haus, you must travel through
the Shroud. And the Shroud is only present at night.
Darkon nights are dangerous in the best of cases,
and if you go a-bumbling into the Shroud it’s even
worse! The dead go there. The walking dead! Have you
seen them? The dead here in Darkon, they rise and
wander into the night if you don’t destroy the bodies
right away! Frightening sight, but they are harmless.
That is, until they enter the Mists. Something there
inhabits their minds. Some force. Maybe the Dark
Ones themselves, yes, yes. Or maybe something
worse. Something from the spaces between the
planes. Indeed, there are worse things to be found
in the Shroud than just the walking dead, young-
ling. If you are careless, or unlucky, or both, you may
stumble upon those things. I’ve seen one once. While
harvesting my planties! Slithery things. Slimy. All hooks
and tentacles and suckers and eyes and mouths. Good
for eating careless adventurers. Be careful, younglings.
Careful! But, yes, there are herbs Granny Fennel needs
which can only be found near the house. I can show
you on the map where you would have to enter the
Mists. I cannot tell you what you will have to do to get
out again, but I can provide magic that may help keep
you safe once you are inside…
Potions. For 200 gp each, Grandma Fennel can
provide potions that will keep the undead and
the lurkers in the Shroud at bay. If the characters
purchase and consume such a potion, they are invis-
ible to any Undead or Aberration, so long as they are
within the Shroud. This effect lasts for twenty four
hours.
Grandma Fennel is not herself a native of Darkon,
so she is fully aware of the memory anomalies that
affect visitors. Through her alchemical abilities, she
was able to brew a concoction that allows her to
resist these effects, though it is mildly toxic. She will
sell these potions to the characters for 200 gp each.
A single potion is enough to prevent memory loss for
a month. One unfortunate side effect is that it tempo-
rarily reduces the character’s maximum hit points by
1d8. This side effect lasts for one day.
The Burgomaster. Finally, Grandma Fennel also
knows that the town’s burgomaster, Arian Windfoot,
is secretly a halfling vampire. She has agreed to keep
his secret in exchange for the freedom to run the
Crystal Garden as she sees fit. If the characters find
evidence of his secret nature and confront Grandma
Fennel about it, she will feign ignorance. If pressed
on the matter, she will tell the characters that Arian is
a good man and a good leader. She will chastise the
characters for their ignorant prejudices, admonishing
them that being a vampire doesn’t inherently make
one a bad person.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
C5. Burgomaster’s House
The burgomaster’s house can be found near the
north end of town. It looks similar in style to the
other cottages – simple and rustic, thatch-roofed –
except larger. The house is quiet and empty most
of the time, and there is little of interest that can be
found here.
However, if they explore the house’s basement and
make a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation)
check, the characters find a secret entrance leading
to Arian’s hidden crypt below the basement, which
will no doubt reveal his true nature to them. Along
one wall of this crypt are rows of cages containing
rabbits, squirrels, and pigeons, sources of easy blood
for Arian to slake his hunger without having to feed
on his townspeople, which he tries to do only in
emergency situations, though his hunger for blood
has, of late, been less slaked by the blood of animals.
On a raised stone dais in the middle of the dirt floor
rests a halfling-sized wooden coffin. During the day,
Arian Windfoot can be found sleeping inside. The
inside of the coffin lid is marked with a glyph that
will magically awaken Arian if his resting place is
disturbed. During the evening, the crypt is empty. If
the characters examine the dais, they can discover
a hidden compartment with a successful DC 18
Wisdom (Perception) check. Inside the hidden
compartment is a small treasure trove consisting of
three blood diamonds worth 500 gp each and a pipe
of smoke monsters (appendix D).
If disturbed during the day, Arian Windfoot will
admonish the characters for trespassing. He may try
to talk his way out of trouble but will soon realize that
if he lets the characters go free, they may share his
secret. At this point, he will feel forced to attack.
Should the characters slay Arian and share his
secret with the townspeople, most of them will be
relieved to have been delivered from such an evil.
They will thank the characters and set about the
process of choosing a new burgomaster. The leading
candidates would be Sir Humphrey and Lady Nebba
Halfhearth.
One townsperson who will not react favorably to
the news of Arian Windfoot’s destruction is Granny
Fennel. She and Arian have developed a close friend-
ship over the years, and if she hears that the char-
acters have destroyed him, she will be loath to help
them find the location of Richten Haus. Instead, she
will lock herself within the Crystal Garden and go
into a period of mourning. Should this be the case,
the halfling bard, Buckleberry Tanglenote, or any
other townsperson the DM prefers, can become an
alternative source of important information.
35
 The Hidden Trail
The hidden trail to Richten Haus can be found about
a mile north of Rivalis, alongside the road leading
to the distant city of Martira Bay. A character that
makes a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) check
can find the trail on their own, or they may have
the location marked for them by Grandma Fennel.
Traveling the trail is safe during the day. There are
wisps of fog, but little more. However, when the char-
acters arrive at Richten Haus they find only a bare
stone foundation and the crumbling remnants of the
wall that once surrounded it.
Searching by Night. If the characters travel at
night, then the hidden trail is engulfed by the Shroud.
While traveling through the Shroud, there is a 50
percent chance that the characters will encounter a
random horror from the table below:
d4 Encounter
1 2d10 zombies
2 1d4 mist walkers
3 2d4 gibbering mouthers
An insectoid, multi-segmented Aberration (use
4 check may be reduced in difficulty.
the statistics of a behir)
There is also a possibility of becoming lost or
disoriented in the Mists. Whichever character is
guiding the party must make a successful DC 15
Wisdom (Survival) check or become lost. It takes 1d4
hours for lost characters to regain their bearings.
During this time they have a 50 percent chance of
encountering a random horror. Either way, when they
eventually reach their destination they find Richten
Haus intact (see areas D1 and D2).
Searching by Day. If the characters manage to find
the stone foundation of the manor house during the
day and wait for night to fall, they will witness the
Mists billow over the rolling hills and through the
tree line to their north, swallowing the trees before
rolling quickly across the landscape toward them.
Witnessing this firsthand is a terrifying sight for any
living thing, and each character must make a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw in order to avoid fleeing from
the encroaching Mists. While they cannot outrun
them – at least not through natural means – they will
become disoriented and lost within the Mists should
they be affected by this fear effect. As before it takes
1d4 hours for a lost character to regain their bearing.
During this time they are attacked by 1d4 mist
walkers.
If the characters manage to hold their ground as
the Mists billow over the stone foundation, they will
witness the house appear. A blanket of mist swirls
aside and, suddenly, Richten Haus stands before
36 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
them. The wall surrounding the manor house will
also be restored, though if the characters are near
the foundation, they will be inside the wall, which will
not be immediately visible to them through the Mists.
Other parts of the manor house, such as the stables
and an outdoors larder, will be restored as well,
though the characters will have to find these through
exploration as they also are not visible from near the
stone foundation itself.
Richten Haus
Richten Haus and its grounds constitute a pocket
domain ruled over by Madame Radanavich
(appendix A for her backstory and appendix B for her
stat block), the leader of a gang of brigands that once
inhabited the forests north of Rivalis pretending to be
Vistani. Though this domain is linked with Darkon,
they are separate domains, and special rules that
apply to Darkon, such as the memory anomalies, do
not apply here.
It is eternally night within Richten Haus. Because
of this, once characters have entered this pocket
domain, they are trapped. Anytime the characters
enter the mists surrounding Richten Haus they
inevitably return to the manor. While travel through
the Mists of Ravenloft are always dangerous, this is
no more or less true for Richten Haus than any other
domain. The normal rules for passage through the
mist apply (see Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft).
The Radanavich ghouls encountered within
Richten house comprise just a small portion of
Madame Radanavich’s forces. Others prowl the
mists, coming and going as they please. If characters
take a long rest within Richten Haus a hunting party
of 2d4 Radanavich ghouls (appendix B). returns
home, likely discovering the characters unless they
have taken steps to hide their passage.
D1. Wall
The wall surrounding Richten Haus is just shy of ten
feet tall. It is made of brick and topped with wrought
iron spikes. If the characters place a hand upon the
wall, they will find that it is cold, clammy, and damp
with a viscous slime that makes climbing by natural
means exceedingly difficult. Scaling the wall without
assistance requires a successful DC 15 Strength
(Athletics) check or DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check. Both sides of the wall are covered with this
same substance. If not washed from the hands and
feet after scaling, it has detrimental effects. For the
next hour, any time a character uses an item, weapon,
or shield they must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
throw or drop the object. Similarly, whenever they
move during adverse conditions (such as combat)
they must make a successful DC 13 Dexterity saving
throw or fall prone. Water alone will not remove
the slime. Characters can use a mixture of lamp oil
followed by water, magical means of cleaning, or any
other process the DM deems suitable.
Growing along the inner edges of the wall are the
remnants of the garden. Within the garden can be
found the herbs that Granny Fennel requires.
D2. Gate
The Richten Haus gate is a wrought iron arch topped
with spikes. In the curve of the arch, written in an
ornate font, is the family name. The gate is secured
with a massive locking mechanism. Any character
who makes a successful DC 20 Dexterity check
with thieves’ tools can unlock the mechanism. The
structure itself is quite heavy and sturdy, despite age
and rust and requires a successful DC 22 Strength
(Athletics) check to force open. Magical means of
unlocking the gate will work normally.
Beyond the gate, a cobblestone path leads north
to the manor (area D6). A smaller cobblestone path
leads west to the gardens (area D5) and a muddy trail
leads east to the stables and outdoor larder (areas D3
and D4).
D3. Stables
Within the stables the characters will find a macabre
sight. The ground is muddy and mostly covered with
piles of rotting hay. The smell of horses and manure
still faintly lingers, but the only sign of the stable’s
previous inhabitants are their moldering bones.
Some of the skeletons remain largely intact while
others have been scattered over time by predators.
If the bones are disturbed or if the characters linger
for more than one minute, they will begin to stir and
reassemble. If the characters do not leave at this
point, they will be attacked by six skeletal steeds. A
skeletal steed has the same statistics as a nightmare,
except it lacks the Ethereal Stride action. The charac-
ters can flee at any point while the bones are stirring
and knitting themselves back together. If they do not
close the door to the stables, the horses will pursue
them outside. However, if the characters depart and
close the gate behind them, the bones will return to
their inert state. Other than the skeletal horses, the
stable contains only rotting saddles and tack.
Above the stable is a loft containing bales of rotting
hay. If the characters search further, they will find
a set of human bones behind the bales. The bones
are lifeless and do not animate. They are clad in the
remains of a rotting gown that was once probably
quite nice. They wear jewelry worth 250 gp.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
D4. Outdoor Larder
This room is lined with shelves filled with rotting
foodstuffs and jars containing black tar that were
once preserves. There is nothing of value here.
D5. Ingrid’s Garden
A small garden is at the end of the cobblestone path.
The garden is now little more than briars and weeds,
although if the characters check they can find more
than enough bog knuckle for Granny Fennel to brew
her potions.
In the center of the garden is a small well. The well
once supplied drinking water for the Van Richten
family and their servants and remains intact, though
the rope and bucket have long since rotted away.
The characters can hear the faint sound of a woman
crying at the bottom of the well.
If a character attempts to climb down to the bottom
of the well, they face a difficult task, as the walls of
the well are covered with the same slick substance
as every other surface within the Mists. Climbing
the walls requires a successful DC 20 Strength
(Athletics) check but with proper climbing gear, this
Almost a hundred feet down, characters will
encounter black water with a few rotting leaves
floating on the surface. They will still hear the
crying of the woman here, though it sounds just as
distant as it did outside the well. The water is foul
and undrinkable, and if characters descend into it,
they will find themselves in a reservoir about eighty
feet wide and forty feet deep. The water is pitch
black, and only magical forms of light can pierce it.
Darkvision will not work, and other forms of super-
natural sight are hindered by the inky darkness of the
water.
Lurking within the water is a malevolent water
spirit (use the statistics for a banshee). She will
initially appear to the characters as a beautiful
woman who appears to be drowning or in distress. If
the characters manage to defeat this spirit, she will
dissipate into a watery mist that will reconstitute into
her doomed form twenty-four hours later.
At the bottom of the well, the characters may find
her bones mostly submerged in the silt. All of her
belongings have long since decayed with the excep-
tion of a periapt of wound closure near her skull.
D6. Entryway
Unlocked double doors with decorative silver
knockers lead into the manor. Inside is a hallway
tiled in black and white marble. Six sconces affixed
to the walls are made of silver (10 gp each) that have
become tarnished with age hinting at the lavish life-
37
 style Richten Haus’s inhabitants once enjoyed. The
furnishings have been reduced to mahogany splinters
shrouded in cobwebs. Nothing else of value can be
found here.
A Radanavich ghoul prowls the entryway. It
immediately attacks any characters that it sees, but
attempts to flee if reduced to half of its hit points.
D7. Parlor
A fire appears to have gutted the parlor at some
point. The furniture has mostly been reduced to ash,
with nothing remaining save a stray charred table leg
or other scraps of wood. Even the mahogany panels
on the walls have been blackened by soot. A fireplace
contains cold ashes.
The walls of the downstairs parlor are lined with
towering bookshelves. Most of the books on the
lower shelves have been reduced to dust. On some
of the higher shelves, some tomes have survived
and may still be readable. These books are more
for show and cover only basic topics such as the
history and geography of Darkon. By expending half
an hour and making a successful DC 10 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, characters may stumble upon
one of the pieces of lore presented in the Darkon
Lore table. Although most are not directly relevant to
this adventure, they can help bring Darkon to life, as
well as provide side quests for interested DMs.
Darkon Lore
5d4 Lore
Il Aluk is the largest city in Darkon and the home of
5 most of the nobility. For generations, the Eris family
has ruled over the city via machinations, public
sway, and, when necessary, assassination.
The biography of the wandering scholar Firan
Zal’honan claims that he once had the opportunity
6 to serve as a wizard-king but chose a “stranger
path” instead. During his travels, he departed the
realm of Darkon never to return.
Grave keepers have told rumors of eerie grave
7 lights that hover above the graves of the recently
interred at night or in the quiet gloom before a
rainstorm.
The ever-shifting magical ley lines of Darkon often
birth phenomena known as scatebrae. These are
literal pools of magic that roil and bubble in the
8 earth for several hours before evaporating into
a greenish mist. Impossible feats are said to be
possible near their presence.
The Shadow Dragon Ebbasheyth hails from
9 somewhere near the twin mounts of Nirka and
Nyid. Legend states that she has formed an alliance
with Azalin Rex and lairs within Castle Avernus.
The area around Stagnus Lake is inhabited by
10 twisted, impossible creatures. Some whisper that
these are failed experiments by the sages at the
Brautslava Institute.
38 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
A sentient bell tower wanders the Forest of It connects to the master bedroom, location D18. If D10. Staircase and Storage
11 Shadows on giant chicken legs, toppling trees as characters return to this room while the elevator is
it moves. These trees are mysteriously replenished A set of wooden stairs lead down to the cellar
the following day. at that location, they will find that the dumbwaiter
(area D11) as well as up to the second floor (areas
shaft descends into darkness. If characters have a
12 A colony of weresnakes lives somewhere within the D14 to D19). There are two chambers filled with
Great Salt Swamp. way of gauging the distance of the drop, they will find
rotted crates and splintering barrels. Most of these
Damon Skragg captains the Bountiful. He and his that solid ground is twenty feet below. Descending
containers are empty, serving as little more than
13 undead pirate crew inhabit the waters off the coast the dumbwaiter shaft will take characters to location
of Martira Bay. nests to vermin, however any character that thor-
D11, the cellar. There is nothing else of value here.
oughly searches them finds three vials of holy water.
14 Bathing in the Lake of Lost Dreams will cause one Three Radanavich ghouls are using cleavers to
to lose the ability to sleep. Four Radanavich ghouls prowl the hallway on all
dismember a dead body. They immediately attack any
The spas of Nevuchar Springs are said to have fours, attacking any intruders that they see. Unless
miraculous properties of healing and rejuvenation. characters that they see. Unless the characters take
15 the characters take precautions not to make noise,
Visitors should be certain to visit Cascana precautions not to make noise, there is a 50 percent
Sanitarium. there is a 50 percent chance each round that the
chance each round that the ghouls from areas D8 or
The Night Hag Styrix has taken up residence in an Radanavich ghouls from area D9 hear the battle and
D10 hear the battle and join the fight.
16 abandoned keep on one of the islands off the coast join the fight.
of Martira Bay.
Darkon has had a long line of kings before Azalin
Rex. One of the most infamous was Darcalus Rex,
17 who waged bitter and fruitless wars against the
neighboring kingdoms until he was assassinated by
his own royal guard.
Though Brautslava Institute is revered as an
academy of mystical, alchemical, and scholarly
18 learning, some whisper that it is home to a secret
society of evil wizards called the Fraternity of
Shadows.
A colony of weresharks lives on Wrecker’s Island.
19 They have a longstanding feud with Damon Skragg
and the crew of the Bountiful.
20 Azalin Rex slew his brother Ranald and his son Irik
for perceived treachery to the crown.
D8. Dining Hall
This room is dominated by a long table surrounded
by chairs occupying the center of the room. The furni-
ture was once probably quite nice, but now is covered
in cobwebs. The china cabinets contain dinnerware
that has become brittle with age, much of it already
reduced to shards. The silverware is tarnished, but
with proper cleaning, about 75 gp worth can be
salvaged.
Five Radanavich ghouls are seated around the
table, feasting on a gutted, naked corpse that has
been bound to the table. They immediately attack any
characters that they see. Unless the characters take
precautions not to make noise, there is a 50 percent
chance each round that the ghouls from area D9 hear
the battle and join the fight.
D9. Kitchen
As with the rest of the house, the kitchen has been
reduced to ruin. Cobwebs cover the pots and pans
hanging from hooks on the walls and fill the inte-
riors of the cold iron cooking stove. The cupboards
are barren, having apparently been picked over by
previous explorers. A dumbwaiter occupies one
wall. Small characters may enter the dumbwaiter.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED 39
 D11. Cellar
A set of rickety wooden stairs leads down into the
damp, dark, cold cellar. Rats skitter across the floor,
fleeing from the characters’ light sources. Shelves
lining the walls contain common spell components,
some preserved, some seemingly fresh. Scuff marks
in the dust lead down a narrow crevice roughly hewn
into the far wall of the cellar.
D12. Dungeon
This narrow passage is lined on both sides with
prison cells. Characters who make a successful DC
10 Wisdom (Perception) check will notice that the
construction here is newer than the rest of the manor
house. The cells are empty save for scraps of moldy
hay and a few tiny, scattered bones, with the excep-
tion of D12b, which contains the skeleton of a small
humanoid, and D12f.
40 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
As the characters approach D12f, they see furtive
movement at the back of the cell and hear the sound
of claws scrabbling on stone. Eventually, a scrawny
creature of about four feet tall – though his height
is hard to tell as he is hunched over – will emerge
into the light. Tufts of matted reddish fur cover much
of his body, though where he is not covered by hair,
patches of sickly grayish skin speckled with festering
sores are visible. His eyes are glazed over as if he has
cataracts, and long talons tip the ends of his fingers
and toes.
This is Salizarr (appendix B), a meazel ghoul
who, due to the influence of the Darklord Madame
Radanavich, cannot use his Shadow Teleport action
while trapped in his cell. He has been imprisoned
by Madame Radanavich here in her dungeon for
further study. She is interested in two odd conditions
affecting Salizarr. The first is his multiple personal-
ities, all of which seem to be aware of each other. It
is almost as if multiple beings exist simultaneously
within him, all of them murderous. The second, and
more interesting to her, is the fact that he periodically
disappears from his cell, only to reappear within the
cell at some random interval later. Every five minutes
the characters spend talking to Salizarr, there is a
cumulative 5 percent chance that he will disappear,
sending up a small puff of dust from the cell floor
as he does so. If this happens, he will reappear
ten to thirty minutes later. Madame Radanavich is
convinced that if she can study this strange effect,
she may also be able to harness this power herself,
and even discover how to make these teleportations
permanent, thus effecting her escape from Richten
Haus.
Salizarr desperately wants to be released, and he
will answer the characters’ questions if they agree to
let him loose afterwards.
When the characters first approach Salizarr,
the active personality at that moment is Vargetta
the Snake. She is a serial murderer with a knack
for crafting and using poisons to kill her victims.
When Salizarr teleports while under the sway of
this personality, he finds himself in Martira Bay. As
Vargetta, she will first procure in whatever way she
can the ingredients needed to craft her poisons, then
she will search the inns for a suitable victim, prefer-
ring the heavily inebriated, as they will not wake up
from their slumber as she plies her trade. The towns-
people of Martira Bay refer to this mystery poisoner
as the Spider.
Other personalities belonging to Salizarr include
the Closet Man, Old Scurvy Jake, Them, and He Who
Bends Men. Each personality teleports to a different
location of the DM’s choosing. If the characters
can determine through conversation the nature of
these personalities and disappearances, they can
push Salizarr for limited information on the places
he goes. Note that these personalities hate and
mistrust each other, and he will switch between them
frequently to convince the characters that they cannot
trust what the others are saying. The DM should have
fun deciding which (if any) of the personalities are
trustworthy, and to what extent. They may also invent
any additional personalities they see fit.
Speaking with Salizarr. If the characters ask about
Richten Haus, Madame Radanavich, or the Vistani,
read or paraphrase the following. This is written in
the voice of Vargetta the Snake, but you may modify
this to fit any other personality you choose:
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
“Ah, do you not realize that you sssstand in the former
home of the idiot Rudolph Van Richten. He thinksss
he understandssss the nature of the Misssts, but he
knows nothing of their true nature. They are not a
punishment for those who commit atrocitiessss, but
a reward! If only he and the ressst of these foolssss
could underssstand and appreciate! Thisss house
belongs now to Madame Radanavich, she resss-
sponsible for the death of Van Richten’s son. Her
Vistani curse transssformed him into a creature of the
Missssts. Again, a reward! But Van Richten wassss
driven mad by his son’s evolution. He thought he
ssslew her, but no. No! She lives on, here in hisss
house, twisssting it into a mockery of the peaceful life
Van Richten once knew.“
The characters can ask for more information on
Van Richten, though Salizarr knows very little about
him other than that he once lived here peacefully
for many years until he earned Irina Radanavich
and her clan’s ire by discovering that they were no
true Vistani, but rather a gang of brigands living
in the woods north of Rivalis. The characters can
also discover through questioning that Madame
Radanavich’s gang practiced Vistani sorcery they
had acquired through nefarious means as a way to
frighten the halflings of Rivalis and provide cover for
the Radanavich’s crimes.
Finally, Salizarr will tell the characters that there is
no safe passage back through the Mists to Darkon or
any other domain. This is true, though as mentioned
earlier, passage through the Mists is no more or less
dangerous here than elsewhere, and the normal rules
for passage through the mist apply. Nonetheless,
he tells the characters that if they slay Madame
Radanavich, he will regain full control of his tele-
portation powers, and he can use them to return the
characters (and himself) to Darkon. This is a lie. He
has been cursed with these teleportation abilities by
the Dark Powers, transforming him into numerous
bogeymen of local legends and there is no way for
him to control these powers.
The door can be opened with a successful DC 15
Dexterity check made by a character proficient with
thieves’ tools, a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics)
check, or by finding the keys, which are in area D13.
If the characters release Salizarr at any point, he will
attack them, though the cumulative chance of tele-
portation continues, rising by 5 percent per round
of combat. If they open his cell door while he has
teleported, he will later enter Van Richten’s Study
and attack Madame Radanavich at some point during
the characters’ encounter with her. Again, during
that encounter, there will be a cumulative 5 percent
chance per round of combat that he will teleport
away.
41
 D13. Ritual Room
Here, a pentagram has been marked onto the floor in
chalk. The stone floor at the center of the pentagram
has been stained with dried blood. Dark candles rest
at the tips of each point of the star, though they are
unlit. More black candles stand on shelves around
the room, also unlit. There are various implements
of torture here, both large and small, and hanging on
a hook on the wall are the keys to the cells found in
location D12, including the key to Salizarr’s cell.
There are also several chests and storage cabinets.
If the characters take the time to search, between this
room and location D11, they can find any mundane
spell components they require. With a successful DC
15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, a character can
discover that one of the chests has a false bottom.
Searching it, they will find a finely crafted scourge
worth 200 gp.
D14. Closet
Dozens of dark cloaks hang from this closet. The
cloaks are covered in dust which seems unnaturally
thick. The dust covering the cloaks is actually dust
of sneezing and choking and it billows into a 30
foot cloud if disturbed. A character who makes a
successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
can bottle the dust without disturbing it, although a
failure sends the dust billowing into the air.
A cloaker lairs amidst the cloaks, attacking if
disturbed. Because of its prolonged exposure to the
dust of sneezing and smoking, the cloaker is immune
to its effect.
D15. Guest Bedroom
This bedroom is supernaturally cold and any char-
acter who is not protected from the cold finds their
breath fogging as they shiver involuntarily. There is
an empty table, an overturned bed, and a dresser. A
large mirror hangs on the southern wall.
If a character steps into the room, then the mirror
ripples and hundreds of tiny ephemeral ghosts fly
forth from it. These ghosts cry plaintively, inflicting
3d6 necrotic damage to any character that enters
the room or starts their turn in the room. The
ghosts cannot be damaged, although the mirror can.
The mirror has AC 10, 50 hit points, and immu-
nity to poison, and psychic damage. If the mirror
is destroyed the ghosts disappear from the room.
Alternatively the ghosts can be banished by a remove
curse spell or by a paladin brandishing their holy
symbol and expending a use of Channel Divinity.
Any character who looks underneath the over-
turned bed finds an iron box, the size of a shoe
box, engraved with abjuration runes. The box is a
42 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
ghost box. Opening the box requires an action. If a
banshee, ghost, specter, wraith or other incorporeal
Undead is within 30 feet of the box when it is opened,
then a yellow light blazes forth from the container. All
such Undead must make a successful DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw or get sucked into the box, after which
the spirits are sent to the afterlife. A ghost box
becomes inert after a single use.
D16. Erasmus’ Bedroom
This room once belonged to Rudolph Van Richten’s
son Erasmus. The furnishings have been reduced
to rubble, and the room has been looted of anything
of value. The walls have been smeared with arcane
symbols in dried blood and feces. A successful DC
15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that these
are symbols of warding. They prevent Erasmus’ soul
from returning to Richten Haus. If the characters
cast dispel magic upon them and wipe them away
(they are unremovable prior to a dispel magic spell),
Erasmus (ghost) will sense their erasure. He will
appear before the characters. If this occurs, read or
paraphrase the following:
“Brave ones! Thank you for allowing me to return to
the home of my youth. Truly, this is the only place
where I ever knew peace. It is a blessing to see these
four walls once again. I wish there was some way I
could reward you for your efforts. Please, if there is any
way I can assist you in your quest, please let me know.“
At this point, Erasmus will answer the characters’
questions concerning the history of the feud between
the van Richten family and the Radanavach clan (see
the Madame Irina Radanavich section of appendix A)
as well as Richten Haus (though he knows nothing
about the current layout). As far as Erasmus knows,
the Radanaviches are truly Vistani.
If Madame Radanavich still lives, Erasmus takes D17. Ingrid’s Parlor D18. Master Bedroom
on a look of great distress. Read or paraphrase the This upstairs parlor and dressing room once This was once the room of Rudolph and Ingrid. The
following: belonged to Van Richten’s wife, Ingrid. Much like furnishings have been looted or destroyed. If the
the rest of the house, this room has been looted and characters search and make a successful DC 15
“I sense Irina in this house. The witch! She must be destroyed. Little of value remains here, though if the Intelligence (Investigation) check, behind a loose
slain! This “is the only way my father and I will ever characters search the rubble and make a successful baseboard they will find Ingrid’s diary, which will
know peace. Please, tell me you will assist me in DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, the characters provide additional background information on the
restoring honor to the Van Richten name by avenging
my death.” find a locket buried within the rubble. The locket lives of the Van Richtens. They can read about her
contains a portrait of Rudolph Van Richten and husband’s unhealthy obsession with fame during
their son Erasmus in happier days. Ingrid’s love has his youth. She did not approve of this obsession and
If the characters agree, or if they ask Erasmus at
been imbued into this otherwise mundane item, and predicted that it would someday bring ruin upon the
any point to assist them, he will aid them in combat
the strength of that love can assist the characters family. At one point, she considered taking a young
against Madame Radanavich (Although she is
should they find themselves in combat with Madame Erasmus and fleeing but was afraid that they would
immune to his Possession action). If the characters
Radanavich or the Radanavich ghouls. It will provide not survive long in the countryside alone. She also
refuse to help, Erasmus will take on a look of grim
a +2 bonus to any saves, combat rolls, or skill checks writes about her husband’s crusade against the
resolve. He will tell the characters he will take care of
to the wearer in combat against Madame Radanavich Radanaviches, again disapprovingly. She admired her
his unfinished business himself and disappear.
or her ghouls, and a +1 bonus to any character husband’s righteousness but never understood why
standing within 10 feet of the wearer. he put these pursuits ahead of the safety of his family.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED 43
 D19. Van Richten’s Study of them (if both have been freed, the DM can decide
which they find her fighting). At this point, the charac-
This room is lined with bookshelves containing
ters can choose to assist either Madame Radanavich
tomes of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Near the far wall
or her opponent. If they stand idly by, she will even-
of the chamber is Van Richten’s desk, still strewn
tually dispatch her foe. If defeated, Erasmus is not
with papers. Upon closer examination, the charac-
destroyed, only temporarily banished from this realm.
ters will find that these are not the scrawlings of Van
If she is fighting Salizarr, the DM may end the fight
Richten, but of Madame Radanavich, who has spent
at any time by having him randomly teleport away.
many years now poring over Van Richten’s old tomes
Alternatively, Madame Radanavich will eventually
and papers, looking for any way she might escape
slay him. If the characters did not assist her, she will
this dread domain that has become her home and
sense their complicity in what has just happened and
prison. She longs to return to the forests of Darkon
immediately attack.
and has come to regret her past evils, which have led
to the destruction of her clan. She laments the fact If neither Erasmus nor Salizarr has been freed,
or if the characters assist Madame Radanavich in
that her family, friends, and loved ones have been
reduced by her actions to the mindless slavering defeating them, read on with this encounter.
ghouls that now wander the grounds of Richten As the characters enter, they find Irina Radanavich
Haus. standing at Van Richten’s desk, squinting at her own
If the characters have freed either Erasmus’ scribblings on a sheet of parchment. She is an elderly
spirit or the meazel Salizarr from their respective woman dressed in the traditional garb of the Vistani,
imprisonments, they will find Madame Radanavich though all the color has faded from it, leaving her
(appendix B) locked in combat with one or the other clad in drab grays, whites, and blacks. Her hair is
stark white, and her eyes are cloudy with age.
Madame Radanavich
confronting interlopers
in her cursed home
44 CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
She will look up suspiciously at the characters as
they enter and come around the desk to face them.
She will then ask how the characters have managed
to enter her domain. Whether they tell the truth or
not, read or paraphrase the following:
“Well now, how you got here is of no matter, ultimately.
Know simply that you are trapped. You can leave only
through my consent. . . or over my dead body. But why
should you leave, when I cannot? Can you imagine the
pain of eternal imprisonment? What I would give to
see the forests of my homeland once more. Oh, the
cruelty of this eternity!”
She will continue to rant and mumble for a while,
seemingly having forgotten about the characters. At
some point, she will snap back to the present and
address the characters once more, asking them why
they have come. If the characters mention Azalin Rex
or Castle Avernus, read or paraphrase the following:
“Azalin Rex? Azalin Rex. The lich-king of Darkon? Firan
Zal’Honan. For many, many years, he was trapped in
his Domain as I am in mine. I hear the whisperings of
the Dark Ones inside my head. They are angry. Angry
that he has tried to escape his fate somehow. Oh, if
only I could know how he has accomplished such a
feat! Tell me, why do you seek to know about him?”
Whether the characters are honest with her or not,
if they reply to her question, she will wave away their
answer and say the following:
“Posh, your mortal pursuits are your own. I will release
you from my domain if you swear to bring me what-
ever information you find within his Castle. Otherwise,
you can join me in eternity.”
If the characters swear to bring Madame
Radanavich any information they find within Castle
Avernus, then she allows them to escape her domain.
The next time they enter the mists surrounding the
manor, they emerge along the outskirts of Rivalis.
However, the characters are now under the effect of a
geas spell, and are compelled to stay true to however
they worded their oath.
If the characters choose to provide Madame
Radanavich with this information, she will also seek
to recover the body parts of Vecna, sending her
agents forth in pursuit. They will interfere with the
characters’ own plans in any way possible. These
agents include Salizarr (if he is still alive), who she
will compel to do her bidding with the promise of
permanent freedom from the dungeon cell to which
he is bound, and her Radanavich ghoul agents.
CHAPTER 2 A HAUS DIVIDED
Alternatively, the characters may elect to fight
Madame Radanavich to escape Richten Haus.
After her death, the characters may safely leave the
grounds of Richten Haus.
Treasure. Should the characters search the room
they find a cloak of lesser invisibility (appendix D)
folded within one of the desk’s drawers. Beyond
this item, the desk also contains what information
Madame Radanavich has managed to uncover in
her own research. Although not directly relevant to
this adventure, they add an air of mystery and poten-
tial side quests for DMs seeking to expand their
campaign. These notes include:
J Partial blueprints for a Rift Spanner of similar
design and function to the one devised by the
night hag Styrix.
J An outline of Salizarr’s personalities and the loca-
tions to which he travels when possessed by each
differing personality.
J A map of the Mists surrounding Richten Haus;
though the Mists are evershifting, the map
suggests that a few locations appear to be perma-
nently fixed. One is labeled “Cosmic Portal.”
Another is labeled “The Clockmaker’s Eye.” A
third is labeled “The City of Impossible Angles.”
J A crudely sketched map labeled “Lamordia,” with
an X drawn on an island on the map’s western
edge. The X is labeled “Haifisch.”
Among Van Richten’s own papers are numerous
studies on the anatomy and behavior of vampires,
liches, ghosts, lycanthropes, and other supernatural
creatures. From these papers, the characters may
learn any and all information from their entries in the
Monster Manual.
Nana's Concoction
Once the characters return to Grandma Fennel,
she quickly processes the herbs into a nauseating
concoction of clotted, green liquid. She can make
eight such potions. Drinking a potion makes a char-
acter immune to the poisonous energy radiating
throughout Castle Avernus for one month.
After making the concoction Granny Fennel
provides the characters with directions to Castle
Avernus. To reach the castle they need to travel
fifteen miles south, along Hook Road. Then, they
must head east, along a pathway known as the
Ascent, for twenty miles. Granny Fennel advises the
characters to avoid the Ascent during the evening, to
avoid the Shroud. See the section on Richten Haus
as to what happens if they ignore her advice.
45
 CHAPTER 3
Float like a Castle, Sting like an Imp
Following the directions of Granny Fennel, the characters
travel to the floating ruins of Castle Avernus, former home
to the Darklord Azalin Rex. Within the ruins they find Skeev-
er, Azalin’s imp familiar. With Skeever’s help the characters
learn of the existence of lesser Vecnan relics, organs from
Vecna’s former body. According to Skeever these relics can be
used to access Cavitius, Vecna’s former Ravenloft domain.
treacherous path winds its way up
a steep mountain. Atop the moun-
tain is a strange, awe-inspiring
sight. A blasted castle, long since
shattered into pieces, hangs
suspended in midair. Floating above the castle’s
wreckage is a radiant sphere of green energy that
pulses slowly.
Castle Avernus
Floating bits of stone can be used as a makeshift
stairwell, allowing the characters to climb up roughly
one hundred feet. At this point the characters can
access the lower end of a spiral staircase that leads
up another thirty feet to area E1.
These effects persists in areas E1 through E7:
J A pulsing sphere of spectral green energy can
be seen about three hundred feet above area
E2. Unless a character has consumed Grandma
Fennel’s concoction, its radiance makes them feel
nauseated and sick at their stomach, inflicting
1d6 poison damage for every minute of exposure.
J Despite the spectral radiance, persistent shadows
cling everywhere, resulting in, at best, dim
illumination.
J The mournful wails of a female elf can be heard
from area E7.
J Smaller bits of debris drift about. This debris
includes crumbled bits of masonry, broken furni-
ture, shattered shards of china, and a grandfather
clock that still chimes ominously on the hour.
E1. Entrance
This hovering island of stone is roughly 50 feet long
and 30 feet wide. The edges are crumbling, but even
the smaller pieces of crumbling stones are frozen in
midair. During the day, shadows clings to the stone
with unnatural persistence, shrouding the area in
46 CHAPTER 3 FLOAT
dim light. So long as the characters are cautious, they
can easily jump to neighboring isles. Nonetheless,
it may be worth reviewing the rules on jumping in
chapter 7 of the Player’s Handbook.
E2. Blacksmith
This island bears a ruined smithy complete with
an anvil, forge, and crafting table. Along an intact
wall, on the southern end of the isle, is a rack that
displays an array of armor and weapons of exquisite
craftsmanship. The smithy is occupied by a dwarven
vampire known as Axrock. Axrock is attended by two
helmed horrors.
Axrock is friendly to intruders, so long as they
respect his workshop. He is obsessed with his forging
and keeps to himself. As such he is largely ignorant of
the surrounding areas. Axrock is frustrated because,
with the destruction of Castle Avernus, the eldritch
flames of his ever-burning forge have been snuffed
out. If the characters find a suitable replacement, he
asks them to bring it to him, going so far as providing
them with a specially enchanted lantern that can be
used to hold such a flame. The continual flame spell
will not work, since it does not cast heat. Beyond this,
allow the characters to be creative when it comes
to relighting the forge. One possibility is to fill the
lantern with flame from the ever-burning brazier in
area G26.
If the characters successfully restore Axrock’s
forge, the dwarf offers to forge them two items of
their choice. These newly forged items have a +1
enchantment. If the characters bring Axrock the
adamantine ingots from area G23, the vampire offers
to forge them a suit of adamantine armor in thanks.
The weapons rack is filled with a variety of expertly
crafted weapons and armor. Although most are
nonmagical in nature, they are each worth ten times
their usual value due to their craftsmanship.
Rise of Vecna
If the characters have played Rise of Vecna and one of them
wields Zespara’s perfect blade, then Zespara is fascinated by
Axrock’s handiwork. She implores the characters to spend
a day with the dwarf, so that she can study his techniques.
Axrock, in turn, is curious about Zespara and seeks to learn
from her. If the characters indulge this exchange, and have
relit the forge, then Axrock agrees to apply his forging tech-
niques to Zespara’s perfect blade, granting it the properties
of a sword of sharpness.
LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP
E3. Isle of Shadow
The shadows are thickest amongst these collection
of isles, dark and nearly palpable. Any illumination
appears to be smothered, providing dim light at best.
The central isle is covered in coins, all minted with
the stamp of a grim-faced human male. The face
turns into a frightening, skeletal visage on a coin
removed from the castle. In total there are 10,000 cp,
10,000 sp, 5,000 ep, 3,000 gp, and 1,000 pp.
If the characters set foot upon the central isle, they
are set upon by a gloom of five shadows. As soon as
the shadows are defeated read or paraphrase:
The shadows all around you begin to squirm and
twitch with life. They congeal together, forming into
something vast and unnatural. A serpentine body
takes form. Umbral wings unfurl. And two pits of
impenetrable darkness stare down upon you with cold,
impassive malevolence. The air grows colder as the
shadow dragon speaks, “Such pathetic worms, hardly
worth the effort of eating. But unfortunate for you,
Ebbasheyth. . . hungers.”
At this point Ebbasheyth (appendix B) attacks the
characters. The shadow dragon begins by hovering
over the closest character, attacking them furiously.
Ebbasheyth conserves her breath weapon, saving it
for when it can target multiple injured characters in
hopes of raising at least one of them as a shadow.
If any characters stand on the edge of an island,
Ebbasheyth uses the shove action to attempt to push
that character off the island. If knocked off the island,
a character falls 1d10 x 10 feet before landing on a
piece of floating debris.
E3a. Isle of Abjuration
Arcane runes decorate this smaller, floating isle. A
DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check is sufficient to
determine that the runes augment abjuration magic.
If any caster casts an abjuration spell while standing
on this island, they can attempt to draw upon the
power of the runes by making a DC 15 Intelligence
(Arcana) check. If successful, the caster can augment
the spell in one of the following ways:
Careful Spell. If the spell forces other creatures to
make a saving throw, the caster can protect some
of those creatures from the spell’s full force. The
caster can choose up to 1d4 creatures. Any chosen
creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw.
Distant Spell. If the spell has a range of 5 feet or
greater, the caster can spend double the range
of the spell. If the spell has a range of touch, the
caster can make the range of the spell 30 feet.
Empower Spell. When the caster rolls damage for
their spell, they can reroll any number of damage
dice. They must use these new rolls.
CHAPTER 3 FLOAT
Extended Spell. When the caster casts a spell that
has a duration of 1 minute or longer, they can
double its duration.
Heightened Spell. If the spell forces a creature to
make a saving throw to resist its effect, you can
give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first
saving throw made against the spell.
E3b. Isle of Conjuration
This floating island of rock is functionally equivalent
to area E3a, only for conjuration spells.
E3c. Isle of Divination
This floating island of rock is functionally equivalent
to area E3a, only for divination spells.
E3d. Isle of Evocation
This floating island of rock is functionally equivalent
to area E3a, only for evocation spells.
E3e. Isle of Illusion
This floating island of rock is functionally equivalent
to area E3a, only for illusion spells.
E3f. Isle of Wild Magic
Any time a creature casts a spell upon this isle of
stone, they must roll twice on the Wild Magic Surge
table from chapter 3 in the Player’s Handbook. The
caster can use either result.
E4. Hall of Records
A maze of bookshelves winds its way along this
expanse of floating rock. Just like the castle itself, the
bookshelves are cracked and broken, held intact only
through magic. A large table is balanced precariously
along the northern edge of the island, overlooking a
steep plummet into roiling mists. Dozens of books
are scattered atop the table and a glowing, iridescent
quill scrawls within one of them, seemingly of its own
accord. Next to this table is a gigantic glowing book,
as tall as a grown human. The ghostly figure of an
elderly, headless man wanders through the library, a
bobbing spectral head following in his wake.
The floating book is known as the Book of Names
and is filled with thousands of names and dates. The
bobbing quill appears to be writing the biography
of Alana Cantemir, a young merchant from Il Aluk.
Whenever a sentient creature dies in the domain of
Darkon, its name and date of death are recorded, by
the iridescent quill, in the Book of Names. Their life
story is then recorded in one of the smaller books,
located on the table, and then placed amidst the
bookshelves. The books are moved and sorted by a
headless ghost named Elzarath. Elzarath is peaceful,
although a bit befuddled. He is happy to explain how
the books work, speaking all the while through his
floating, severed head. Elzarath is willing to retrieve
the book for any given name.
LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP
47
 If asked to retrieve the history of Dany Werthy (see
area E5), Elzarath happily obliges. The book recounts
the exciting exploits of a master thief. After learning
the secret password to Azalin’s personal treasure
chest from some Vistani, Dany planned the ultimate
heist. Sadly, his theft was cut short by the shadow
dragon Ebbasheyth. Those reading the history closely
note that the password was ‘Quantarius’.
E5. Crypt
This island is tipped at a forty-five-degree angle,
with the north edge of the isle pointing downwards.
Moving about it requires a successful DC 12 Strength
(Athletics) or DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
If a character fails this check, they slide 10 feet to
the north, possibly falling off the island. In this case
they fall 1d10 x 10 feet before landing on a piece of
floating debris.
Three sarcophagi remain within this shattered
crypt, wedged amidst shattered debris. Two of the
sarcophagi are plain and unlabeled, containing the
non-descript remains of what appears to be humans.
The third is covered with elaborate carvings and
engraved with the name, ‘IRIK ZAL’HONAN’. Any
character who peers over the edge of the island and
makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception)
notices a floating, mist-shrouded sarcophagus
floating thirty feet below them.
Living within the third sarcophagus is the ghost of
Irik Zal’honan, the son of Azalin. Long ago, before
Azalin was drawn into Ravenloft, he was an iron-
fisted tyrant who ruled a distant kingdom mercilessly.
Irik was the antithesis of his father – kind and gentle;
guided by forgiveness rather than the rule of law.
Azalin saw such virtues as blemishes, weaknesses
that would destroy his kingdom should his son ever
take the throne. Putting loyalty to his kingdom above
that of his kin, Azalin went on to execute his only son.
This sarcophagus was placed within Castle Avernus
by the Dark Powers, presumably to torment Azalin.
Irik manifests if his sarcophagus is opened.
Once he has appeared, he can supply the following
information:
J The treasure piled about the center isle is
guarded by the shadow dragon, Ebbasheyth.
Surrounding that isle are arcane runes that can
augment a caster’s powers.
J The wailing from the tower comes from an evil
and tormented spirit called Willow, who will
kill any living beings that come near her. In the
highest floor of the tower is Azalin’s bedroom.
J The last living person that Irik saw was a male
half-elf thief called Dany Werthy. Dany claimed
to know a special password that would allow
him access to Azalin’s treasures; however, he
was killed by Ebbasheyth before he could gain
entrance to the tower.
J Azalin is a committed, albeit tight-fisted, leader to
his people. So much so that he put his kingdom
over family by executing his only son to, at least in
his own mind, save his kingdom.
Irik can also supply any additional details regarding
Azalin’s long and storied history (appendix A) to inter-
ested characters. However, the ghost knows nothing
of Azalin’s more recent machinations, including the
origins of the green star that glows above the castle.
Irik regrets the evils that his father has perpetuated
over the years and, because of their connection, feels
a sense of personal responsibility. If the characters
indicate a willingness to seek and destroy his father,
then Irik bestows upon them a divine benediction.
For the next 48 hours, any good-aligned characters
gain the benefits of the bless spell.
The floating sarcophagus is unlocked and contains
a mummified corpse wearing an amulet of health
while clasping a mace of disruption.
E6. Tower
Although the exterior of this tower is torn and
cracked, the interior is surprisingly preserved. Inside
the four-story tower are a series of richly furnished
common rooms and living quarters.
Willow’s Room. On the third floor is a vengeful,
bitter nemhain named Willow (appendix B; marked
as W on the map). The characters enter the room
via the northern spiral staircase marked A on the
map and can progress on to the fourth floor using
the southern spiral staircase marked E on the map.
During the ensuing battle, you can have a pleading
but whiny voice yell nervously to the characters:
“Destroy the urn hidden in the middle cupboard.”
The voice is that of Skeever (see area E7 and the
“Skeever” sidebar).
Finding the urn in the middle cupboard (marked
U on the map) requires a character to search it with
a successful DC 8 Intelligence (Investigation) check
made as an action. The urn has 5 hit points, AC 18,
resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and
immunity to poison and psychic damage. The urn is
Willow’s ritual object; if it is destroyed, Willow loses
the Profane Regeneration trait and can’t benefit
from her Rejuvenation trait as the ashes spill out.
If a character sees the ashes and succeeds on a
DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check, they learn that
emptying a vial of holy water on the ashes will cause
the spirits bound to Willow to be released and find
rest, in turn causing Willow to lose the Bound Spirits
trait, as well as the Spirit Barrage, Spirit Scout, and
Spectral Rebuke actions.

Skeever
Skeever has the same statistics as an imp. However, as the
familiar of one of Ravenloft’s most legendary Darklords, the
imp has a number of additional traits:
Deathless Servant. While in Ravenloft, anytime that Skeever
is killed, he bursts into a cloud of brimstone. He then
reforms one minute later with all his hit points restored, at
the location of his death.
Mistwalker. By walking into the mists of Ravenloft, Skeever
can freely travel from one domain to another and does not
need any special talismans or keys to do so. Skeever can
bring with him up to ten creatures of his choosing that are
not otherwise bound to a domain. Willow and her tormented fate now
Home Sweet Home. Using an action, Skeever can teleport stands as a dark warning to all:
Never betray Azalin Rex
himself and up to ten willing creatures within 60 feet of
him to area E8 in Castle Avernus. He does so without error
and regardless of planar barriers.

48 CHAPTER 3 FLOAT LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP CHAPTER 3 FLOAT LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP
49
 Before her current predicament, Willow was a ruth-
less, bloodthirsty wizard who apprenticed for Azalin
before her ambition got the better of her and she
attempted to betray her master. Azalin in turn manip-
ulated Willow into sacrificing both her own life and
the lives of those closest to her in an effort to obtain
what she believed to be the source of Azalin’s power:
an ornamented, silver urn. The same urn that now
holds the ashes of all those who paid for Willow’s
hubris and has become her ritual object.
Top Floor. On the fourth floor of the tower can
be found Azalin’s bedroom, which contains a large
canopy bed and twin wardrobe closets. Within the
50 CHAPTER 3 FLOAT
closets can be found a variety of expensive, albeit E7. Wizard’s Lab
outdated outfits, a fist-sized platinum dragon’s head
This area is divided into several sections and filled
with ruby eyes (worth 25,000 gp), and a small rose-
with shelves and long tables. The shelves contain
wood chest. The dragon’s head is Azalin’s phylactery,
obscure magical treatises, rare spell components,
but this fact is protected by enchantments and can
such as ground tooth of fairy, and four skeletal
only be learned through legend lore or comparably
heads sealed inside jars that have become obscured
powerful magic. The rosewood chest is unlocked and
with condensation. The lab is home to Azalin’s imp
appears empty. However, if a character speaks the
familiar, Skeever, as well as a spirit naga. The spirit
word “Quantarius,” the following contents magically
naga is aggressive, attacking the characters as soon
appear: an Ioun stone of absorption, a robe of stars,
as it notices them. Skeever hovers in the air during
and a ring of shooting stars. If Skeever is with the
battle, yelling insults at the naga while cheering on
characters, he plays dumb regarding the chest but
the characters.
encourages the characters to take the dragon’s head.
Once the characters vanquish the spirit naga,
Skeever swoops down towards the most wizardly
looking character and pleads in a whining voice,
“Poor Skeever lose his master, the most powerful
and terrifying lich-king Azalin. You be Skeever’s
new master?” If asked about Azalin, Skeever sniffs
melodramatically before saying that his master was
destroyed by the Dark Powers while attempting to
cast a spell to escape Ravenloft. This is a lie. Azalin
is currently in Citadel Cavitius (see Chapter 8).
Moreover, Azalin is watching the characters through
Skeever’s eyes and communicating with his imp tele-
pathically, providing orders as needed.
An Impish Guide
If the characters inquire about Vecna, Skeever
bounces up and down in midair before exclaiming,
“Yes! Skeever is a good servant! Skeever know that
name! Skeever show you!” before leading the charac-
ters to a thin journal hidden amidst the laboratory’s
equipment. Opening the book reveals a message
that, although it appears to have been written at least
months ago, has just been hastily scrawled into the
book by Azalin via magic:
“Curse the infernal Dark Powers, whatever they might
be. If only they could be made flesh. Such pain I would
delight in inflicting upon them. They would beg for
release but, as is their due, none would be found.
My servants continue to bring me news from across
the various domains. Most of it is predictably dreary
– some lesser invention from Lamordia, a new cantrip
from Hazlan, or another one of Von Zarovich’s tedious
dinner parties. However, there was one intriguing
tidbit. The archlich Vecna has found a way to break
these misty chains and win his freedom from the
cursed powers that be. His old domain, Cavitius, lies
undefended. Perhaps there I can find the secret to
escaping Ravenloft. . .”
LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP CHAPTER 3 FLOAT
Another passage reads:
“It is possible that my endeavors might bring me
into direct conflict with Vecna. As such I should be
prepared. According to my divinations he once held
portions of his former body within a sacred reliquary.
With the archlich’s escape, these minor relics have
scattered themselves across the Domains of Dread.
Possessing such artifacts might be critical to accessing
Cavitius. As such I will begin cataloging their locations:
The incisors of Vecna are within the domain of Tovag.
They are in the possession of the vampire lord Kas. It
is reputed that Kas and Vecna are great enemies.
The scalp of Vecna is hidden deep beneath the dunes
of Har’akir. It can be found within a dark obelisk,
guarded by an undead necrosphinx.
The head of Vecna is said to be part of the ghastly
entourage of the Headless Horseman. Vistani legend
says that the horseman can be summoned by standing
on a lonely road, beneath a sickle moon, while holding
a severed head.
The first digit of Vecna is carried by a traveling carnival
that is hunted by dark fey. According to my agents it is
part of Professor Pacali’s Hall of Horrors.”
As the characters read about these relics Skeever
the imp instantly perks up, “Skeever can take you to
these relics! Skeever has the power to walk the mists!
And can bring his new masters!”
Skeever is true to his word and can lead the char-
acters through the mists to each of the listed Vecnan
body parts. The adventures associated with each
body part are listed in chapters 4 through 7. Skeever
suggests that the characters gather at least one of
these body parts. Once they have done so, the organs
can be used as keys to travel to the otherwise inac-
cessible domain of Cavitius. The characters can
choose how many of the body parts they wish to
obtain.
During their travels Skeever is a relentless
sycophant. He attaches himself to one character,
repeatedly referring to that character as master. If
the character has another familiar or pet, Skeever
expresses jealousy and tries to arrange for an acci-
dent to befall the character’s companion. At Azalin’s
behest Skeever periodically interrogates the party, so
that the lich-king can learn as much about them as
possible before their inevitable encounter.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe To 12TH level aFTer
azalin’s journal anD ally WiTH skeever.
THey DisCover
LIKE A CASTLE, STING LIKE AN IMP
51
 CHAPTER 4
With Friends Like These
The characters visit the domain of Tovag in search of the in-
cisors of Vecna. To gain an audience with the Darklord Kas,
the characters must compete in a gladiatorial event known
as the Clash. After winning the clash the characters gain an
opportunity to petition the Darklord for his Vecnan relic.
uided by Skeever, the characters
emerge from the mists into a
battlefield situated along Tovag’s
southern border (see appendix
A for relevant information on Tovag). Read or para-
phrase the following:
As the mists recede, you find yourselves in what looks
to have once been a battlefield. Dead bodies in various
stages of decay are strewn everywhere. Vultures and
jackals pick at the remains. The air is hot and filled
with the stinging, acrid smell of smoke and blood.
Lady Syth,
General of the Vras Ro
52 CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
Tovag
This portion of the border is a common entry point
for those transported by the Mists into Tovag. As
such, it is watched over by a band of twenty wights.
These wights belong to the Vras Ro, an elite military
platoon led by the death knight Lady Syth. Given
the watchful nature of the wights, the characters are
quickly spotted unless they have taken extraordinary
precautions such as turning invisible. Once spotted,
the characters are ordered to stand down and then
asked, menacingly, if they are soldiers of Vecna. So
long as the characters do not openly affiliate them-
selves with Vecna, the wights deal with them diplo-
matically. The wights proudly identify themselves as
legionnaires of Vras Ro, requesting that the charac-
ters accompany them to their base camp to meet with
their general, Lady Syth.
The base camp is along the northern edge of
the battlefield. Getting there requires a mile long
trek, during which the characters witness corpses
endlessly piled atop one another, each one more
gruesomely mutilated than the last. Amidst these
corpses can be found trenches filled with stag-
nant, mosquito-ridden water and shattered siege
machinery. As the players and the wights press
forward the number of these atrocities dwindle away,
and the characters arrive at a precisely arranged
collection of tents that houses fifty wights, the bulk of
Vras Ro. Within the center of the camp, inside a large
tent made from brightly colored silks, can be found
Lady Syth.
Meeting Lady Syth. Lady Syth is a fearful sight,
appearing as a skeletal warrior clad in plate armor.
Beneath her helmet can be seen the knight’s skull
with malevolent pinpoints of light burning in her eye
sockets. Lady Syth is cold but polite. It is obvious
that she is unaccustomed to dealing with living
beings. As an example, during their initial parlay she
innocently offers the characters a “feast” of stale food
and spoiled wine, unaware that the refreshments are
utterly inedible.
Syth’s Quest. Lady Syth and her battalion have
been assigned to stand guard along the domain’s
southern border. Three days ago, a group of refugees
led by a powerful priest stumbled through the mists.
The refugees managed to successfully flee the wights
and are now holed up in a nearby abandoned church.
Alternative Paths
The characters might understandably balk at this bleak
moral quandary. Ideally this reluctance will lead to some
meaningful roleplaying opportunities. However, if you
feel that being potentially strong-armed into a morally
compromising action is too much for either yourself or
your players, you are welcome to modify the encounter.
Alternatively, given its optional nature, you can skip Tovag
entirely.
The priest has managed to create wards about the
church that prevent the entry of any undead. It is
for this reason that the death knight is treating the
characters so cordially. After exchanging formalities,
Lady Syth explains the situation to the characters.
The death knight asks the characters to convince
the refugees to leave the church so that they can be
escorted back to Tor Gorak where they will either
be conscripted into Kas’s armies or assigned some
other support role. The characters may balk at this;
however, Lady Syth politely points out that the other
alternative is to call in a battalion of living warriors or
blackstar knights from Tor Gorak to raze the church
and kill the refugees. She does not like this plan, as
formally admitting that she needs assistance will
diminish her own military standing. However, she will
execute it in the absence of alternatives.
Lady Syth has ulterior motives. If the characters
complete their task, then the death knight plans to
invite them to join the ranks of Vras Ro. Her battalion
has been selected to fight in the Clash, Kas’s yearly
gladiatorial combat. The champions that were
supposed to represent Vras Ro were slain by the
wayward priest, and Lady Syth is desperate to recruit
new champions. Should the characters prove them-
selves, she extends this invitation to them. Lady Syth
cares only for the glory that comes with winning. As
such, she says that, should the characters win the
Clash, she will allow them to ask a boon from Kas.
The Shepherd and His Flock
The abandoned church can be found five miles
east of Lady Syth’s encampment. The death knight
personally escorts the characters to the church. It
is a rotting, ramshackle affair with crows roosting
within gaps in the roof. The church is surrounded by
a shimmering bubble of translucent, golden energy.
Surrounding the bubble are ten wights that stand at
attention and salute as Lady Syth approaches.
Any undead creature that steps through the bubble
is afflicted by a disintegrate spell. Living creatures
who step through the bubble feel a strange tingle as
CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
their hair stands on end but are otherwise unaffected.
A few piles of ash can be seen immediately within
the bubble. Beyond that, a faint trail winds through
a weed-strewn garden before reaching a doorless
entrance.
The gutted interior of the church is a charred ruin
that smells strongly of smoke. Shards of stained-glass
glint amidst dunes of ash. The handful of pews that
have escaped the flames appear indelibly stained
with blood. The floorboards creak and groan with
every footstep.
Within the church can be found Father Grigor (LG
male human war priest (appendix B)) and his flock of
twenty commoners. This band of refugees hails from
a distant, foreign world. After their own church was
pillaged by an invading army, Father Grigor fled with
his remaining congregation along with a golden angel
figure (worth 1,000 gp). Although nonmagical, the
angel is a relic sacred to Father Grigor’s faith. The
high priest and his flock marched for days, with little
food or rest. Many perished along the way until, when
all seemed lost, the Mists of Ravenloft enveloped the
refuges, transporting them to Tovag. Immediately set
upon by Lady Syth’s wights, the refugees fled until
they found this dilapidated church. Upon entering,
the relic, sparked by vestigial holy energy within the
church, flared to life, surrounding the church in a
bubble of protective energy.
A New Hope. Father Grigor is old but pragmatic.
He knows that the relic’s magic cannot be sustained
indefinitely and, because of this, is willing to hear the
characters out. He is amenable to any solution that
does not involve death, believing that so long as there
is life there is hope. The priest asks the characters
to keep the relic from falling into the hands of the
undead. He also attempts to convince the charac-
ters to take one or two of the refugees under wing,
perhaps as squires or apprentices, until they can
relocate elsewhere. He is willing to sacrifice himself
to preserve the life of his congregation and to prevent
his faith’s relic from falling into undead hands.
Lady Syth can be convinced to accommodate
these demands with a successful DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check, so long as the characters agree
to fight in the gladiatorial pit on behalf of Vras Ro.
Alternatively, the characters can hide the relic with a
successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Forward March. Once the situation has been
resolved, Lady Syth orders her troops to pack up and
begins the march back to Tor Gorak. She invites the
characters to come along, imploring them to fight in
the gladiatorial pits on behalf of her battalion.
53
 Tor Gorak The Clash The Arena: First Battle
The characters enter the arena from the west via the Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6)
Tor Gorak is the only large city within the domain Within the basement of Castle Xiphos, carved into spaces marked E1 on the map. Their first battle is necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must also
of Tovag. The wall surrounding Tor Gorak varies in the bedrock of its mountainous foundation, is a against a squadron of ten wights from the Legion of succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have
width and height. A ten-foot-deep trench filled with circular arena. The arena is 100 feet in diameter and Dread Devastation who fight in two lines, entering its hit point maximum reduced by an amount equal to
stagnant water encircles the wall. The city’s buildings has a floor made from dark, five-foot square stones. the arena from the east. The five wights in the front the necrotic damage dealt until it next finishes a long
are simple and utilitarian, built from dark, cold stone. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check wield massive tower shields that give them AC 18 rest. A creature dies if its hit point maximum is reduced
and provide half cover to both them and the wight to 0 hit points.
An armed militia watches every major road and inter- determines that each stone is a cunningly concealed
section, questioning and potentially arresting any trapdoor (Dwarves automatically succeed at this behind them (marked SW on the map). The five If they prevail, the characters are escorted to a
obvious, foreigners. check). The walls of the arena are twenty feet tall and wights in the back (marked PW on the map) wield waiting room beneath the bleachers. They are told
beyond them are stone bleachers. long pikes. They have the following action which they that they have one hour until their next battle. At the
Tor Gorak is a well-oiled machine devoted entirely
can use twice with their Multiattack action: end of the hour, they are escorted back to the arena.
to war. Commercially, the city works like a commune, The event is attended by Kas the Destroyer
with all goods owned and distributed by the Darklord (appendix B), who presides from a throne within
Kas. At all times citizens are expected to be either his private box. The bleachers are filled with the
training, working, or resting. As such there are few Darkord’s highest ranking military personnel. This
signs of recreation. personnel includes a mixture of death knights,
In the center of Tor Gorak is Castle Xiphos, the vampires, veterans, and wights. The audience is
home of Lord Kas when he resides within the city. It reserved during combat, quietly analyzing the strate-
is built upon a rocky peak, with just a single narrow gies employed by each combatant.
path leading from the city up to the castle. The castle
has dark, tinted windows, gothic ornamentation, and
brooding statuary. A blackstar knight (appendix B)
stands guard at each door. Within can be found Kas’s
servants as well as his most trusted advisors.
If accompanied by Lady Syth, the characters have
little trouble entering the city. They are quartered in
a plain barracks along the base of Castle of Xiphos
for three days before entering the castle to participate
in the yearly gladiatorial event. If unaccompanied by
the death knight, then the characters will need to find
another way to enter the castle and either speak with
Lord Kas or steal the incisors of Vecna. One such
way is to be arrested by the militia and thrown into
the gladiatorial event as an intended sacrifice.
Optional Encounter
If the characters are not accompanied by Lady Syth,
they are eventually confronted by a blackstar knight
who signals for the characters to follow it. If they do
so, it leads them to separate prison cells where they
remain for three days, chained and gagged between
minimal meals, before being forced to compete in the
yearly gladiatorial event. A blackstar knights stands
guard at each cell.
If the characters instead fight and defeat the black-
star knight, two more show up one round later. If
those too are defeated, three more appear one round
later. More and more keep coming in this manner,
until the characters are defeated or surrender. If they
do so, any wounded characters are tended to, but
dead ones are cartwheeled away never to be seen
again. Blackstar Knights are
mighty warrior-golems
designed by Kas himself

54 CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE 55
 The Arena: Second Battle
The characters enter the arena from the north via the
spaces marked E2 on the map. The second battle is
against the Esteemed Corp of Necrotic Engineers.
They are represented by a mage (Undead instead of
Humanoid) atop a hideous war machine composed
of undead bodies and spirits thrust and mangled
together in unholy ways (the mage is marked by an
M on the map and is surrounded by a Huge square
that represents the war machine). Along the front of
the war machine are rows of skulls that scream evil
chants. While atop this horrific engine of destruction,
the mage has three quarters cover. The mage can use
56 CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
a bonus action to move the machine 50 feet, as well
as start or stop the machine’s evil shrieks. So long as
the machine is shrieking, any living creature within
fifty feet of it takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. The
war machine has AC 15; 100 hit points; immunity
to poison and psychic damage; and vulnerability to
radiant damage.
The machine is accompanied by thirteen explosive
zombies (marked Z on the map). They are regular
zombies that have had iron plates riveted to their
bodies and a bomb sewn into them. They have the
statistics of a zombie with the following changes:
J An explosive zombie has an Armor Class of 20.
J It does not have the Undead Fortitude trait.
J If reduced to 0 hit points, the explosive zombie
explodes, inflicting 21 (6d6) fire damage to all
creatures within 5 feet of it.
Should the characters win the second battle, they
are rewarded with slow, measured applause. If the
characters conducted themselves well, the attendants
stand while applauding. As the applause diminishes
Kas finally stands up from his throne. The vampire
grimly intones, “Well done. Should you
survive this one last challenge, your regi-
ment will be duly honored, and you shall
be granted a single boon.” At this point the
vampire pulls a lever, opening the hidden trapdoors
beneath the characters. Beneath the trapdoors are a
winding tangle of slides that deposit the characters
within a twisting labyrinth.
Optional Encounter
A NPC named Zurika tries to embed herself with
the characters. In truth, Zurika is long dead and her
skull has been replaced by a secret eater (appendix
B) which now puppeteers her body to gather informa-
tion for its dark master, Vecna. How the secret eater
attempts to complete its mission is up to you; here
are a couple of ways you can let it play out.
Wight Walker. Zurika is a wight from the Vras Ro.
If you like, you can use Zurika as a captain in the
Vras Ro, commanding the group of wights that first
encounter the characters and lead them to Lady
Syth. You can also have her slowly befriend the char-
acters during the chapter. Regardless, when the char-
acters are to enter the arena, they have a squad of
A Secret Eater
is a mighty and devoted
servant of Vecna
CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
five wights with them, one of whom is Zurika. During
the battle, have her bark commands at the other
wights and yell words of awe and encouragement
at the characters. Sneak in a few questions, such as
“so, what boon do you seek from the Destroyer?” or
similar. Zurika has the statistics of a wight. Once
reduced to 0 hit points, the secret eater floats up
from Zurika’s broken remains to attack.
Vampiric Guard. Zurika is a vampire who stands
guard while the characters await their turn in the
arena. She is kinder to them than most others, but
not enough to be obviously suspicious. She offers
them food and drink while they wait and offers to
trade information. If they tell her about any of their
plans, about their hideout in Thornhold, or about any
of the allies they have made, “Zurika” will tell them
about the upcoming battles. For each piece of infor-
mation the characters divulge, she tells them of one
battle. She argues they can use the information to
prepare their magic and strategy. In order to facilitate
trust, she casts a zone of truth spell to guarantee both
parties tell the truth. If the characters can somehow
convince Zurika to free them or step into their cell,
they can fight her. Zurika has the statistics of a
vampire spellcaster. Once reduced to 0 hit points,
the secret eater floats up from Zurika’s broken
remains to attack.
Discovering Zurika. If a character has a passive
Perception of 20 or higher, they notice Zurika’s right
eye is slightly gray and moves just a tad slower than
her left eye (something that doesn’t make sense in
a creature with the regenerative capabilities of a
vampire or wight). You might decide there are other
ways to discover the ruse, such as having Zurika acci-
dentally refer to Kas as “the Betrayer.”
Zurika Succeds. Even if Zurika is destroyed,
she might learn plenty of the characters plans and
activities. You decide if she successfully sends any
information to Vecna or not. You can create a conse-
quence further down the line or tie existing events to
Zurika. If the characters, for example, were to divulge
information on Thornhold, there might be a bloody
message awaiting them when they return there
in chapter 9. The same chapter also lists several
encounters in the section “Encounters on the Road,”
many of which can also reference Zurika and the
information she stole.
Destroying Zurika. If the characters discover
and slay the secret eater, and later present the
skull’s remains to Kas, he will reward them in kind,
bestowing a blessing of wound closure on each of the
characters; see “Other Rewards” in chapter 7 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information on
blessings.
57
 The Labyrinth: Third Battle
The labyrinth is an ancient maze built deep beneath
Castle Xiphos. The walls and floor are made of
crumbling stone. The ceiling is 10 feet high. Each
character is deposited in one of the four corners
of the maze (each marked with an X on the map).
In the event of more than four characters, have the
remaining characters deposited in a random space
marked with a Y on the map. The ceiling locks shut
after the characters are deposited into the labyrinth
and can only be opened with a successful DC 25
Strength (Athletics) check. However, it is impossible
to scale the frictionless slides without some sort
of magical aid. Should this be accomplished, the
characters are met with a final locked trapdoor that
requires a DC 30 Strength (Athletics) check to open.
If the characters break through into the arena, they
are greeted by cold glares. Such an exit is considered
dishonorable, and, as such, Kas refuses to grant his
boon. In this case, the characters will need to find an
alternate way to retrieve the incisors of Vecna.
The Final Battle. After landing in the labyrinth
the characters are each immediately set upon by the
closest minotaur skeleton (each marked with an M
on the map). The labyrinth is also inhabited by a terri-
fying creature known as the Thing that Lives Within
the Maze (marked by a T on the map). The Thing
that Lives Within the Maze is initially found within
the center of the maze. It has the same statistics of a
roper with the following modifications:
J It has 195 hit points.
J It has a speed of 20 ft.
J It has an Intelligence of 15.
J It understands Common but cannot speak it.
J It can have up to twelve tendrils at a time.
J It has advantage on saving throws against spells
and other magical effects.
J It makes six attacks with its tendrils, uses Reel
twice, and makes four attacks with its bite.
The Thing that Lives Within the Maze senses
the characters’ arrival and immediately begins to
approach one of the characters at random. Should it
find its path blocked by a minotaur skeleton, it kills
the skeleton before then attacking the character.
In the center of the maze is an iron ladder (marked
by an L on the map) that leads hundreds of feet up a
wide, stone shaft. Eventually this shaft intersects with
a passageway that leads to an iron door. Opening the
Vampiric servants don unlocked door leads to a waiting room in which the
their darklord and master, characters find Lord Kas.
Kas, in his armor
58 CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE CHAPTER 4 WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE
Meeting the Darklord
The waiting room is paneled in mahogany and smells
of oiled wood. Banners and shields of previous cham-
pions line the walls. A long banquet table, also made
from mahogany, extends the length of the room.
Seated at one end of the tables is Kas. With thinly
veiled disinterest he congratulates the characters
upon their victory and asks them what they wish as
their boon.
Lord Kas has lived through hundreds of these cere-
monies and, as such, finds them to be tedious. Each
year he hopes that the gladiatorial games will provide
an otherwise missing jolt of excitement, and each
year he finds himself disappointed all over again.
This bored demeanor instantly dissolves at the
slightest mention of Vecna, throwing the Destroyer
into a near hysteric rage. He becomes instantly
suspicious of the characters, accusing them of being
agents of the Maimed Lord. In time, however, the
vampire regains his composure and begins to see
the characters as potential pawns in his endless war
with Vecna. Kas’s manic obsession prevents him
from believing that Vecna has escaped Ravenloft.
Instead, he believes that Vecna is still trapped within
Ravenloft and has created an illusion or clone to
plague the Forgotten Realms. Regardless, Kas even-
tually realizes that it is within his best interest to stop
Vecna’s plans, whatever they may be, and agrees to
give the incisors of Vecna to the characters.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe one level
veCna.
aFTer THey Have oBTaineD THe inCisors oF
Optional Development
Lord Kas also offers to allow Lady Syth to accom-
pany the characters and fight by their side. He is
forever cursed as a betrayer, even when such a
betrayal runs counter to his best interests. In this
case, the Betrayer secretly commands Lady Syth to
turn upon the characters at a fortuitous moment of
her choosing. Most likely Lady Syth does so when-
ever she realizes that Skeever can traverse the mists
or teleport to Castle Avernus. Upon such a realiza-
tion, the death knight attacks the characters in hopes
of killing them and bringing both the incisors and
Skeever back to Kas.
59
 CHAPTER 5
Carnage at the Carnival
The characters visit a traveling carnival in search of the first
digit of Vecna. After helping the leader of the carnival, Isol-
de, deal with malevolent fey, they are gifted the Vecnan relic.
ccording to Van Richten’s Guide
to Ravenloft, “Resplendent with
bright banners, calliope music,
and the smells of rich food, the
Carnival promises visitors a
surreal wonderland where any dream is possible.
The Carnival doesn’t exist to entertain visitors.
Rather, it’s a traveling domain, capable of visiting
other domains and lands beyond the Mists. Visibly
marked as outsiders by birth, circumstance, inten-
tion, or talent, the Carnival’s troupers trade their
unique performances for coin and whatever else they
need to survive. Although these entertainers are well
intentioned, sinister forces travel in their wake. . .”
As the Carnival travels through the Mists, it is
hounded by malevolent fey creatures. Just as the
characters arrive, these fey creatures have finally
caught up with the circus and are holding many of its
troupers hostage.
For more details on this unique, traveling domain
see Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.
The Carnival
The characters emerge from the Mists onto hard-
packed litter-strewn earth. The air smells of heavily
buttered popcorn, and loud circus music blares
endlessly. A few hundred feet to the north stands a
thoroughfare of games, food, and sideshow stalls
leading to the Big Top, the carnival’s largest tent.
Standing within the thoroughfare is a dark-skinned
female elf wielding a longsword that glows brightly
red. The elf seems to be screaming in anguish,
although the screams are largely drowned out by the
ceaselessly festive circus music.
The elf is Isolde, the Carnival’s leader. She is an
eladrin (an elf native to the Feywild) that uses the
cambion stat block. Her holy avenger longsword,
Nepenthe, is the actual lord of the Carnival’s domain.
If the characters approach Isolde, they find her
surrounded by piles of dead leaves and crouched over
the mangled body of a carnival hand. Her screams
waver between unbearable sadness and unbridled
60 CHAPTER 5 CARNAGE AT THE CARNIVAL
anger. If she is startled, she lashes out at the charac-
ters but stops as soon as she realizes that they are
not fey. Read or paraphrase the following:
Isolde’s feature contort between grief and rage as she
speaks: “Those blasted fairies! They will pay for this!
I will paint my wagons with their blood before this is
done. They managed to lure me out of the carnival,
into the woods. I. . . I got turned around. . . and
couldn’t find my way back. . . until it was too late. They
had already attacked the carnival and captured my
people. MY people. It was up to me to keep them safe.
. .”
Her head hangs in sorrow. “. . . And I failed them”.
Then, just as suddenly, her head jerks up in rage, “and
now I will make them pay!”
She then strides, either with or without the charac-
ters, deeper into the thoroughfare.
Thoroughfare
Most of the stalls lining the thoroughfare have been
vandalized and abandoned. However, a few stalls are
manned by dark fey, each of which holds a hostage.
The fey demand that the characters play a deadly
game for the life of the hostage. These games enrage
Isolde; however, directly attacking the fey risks the
death of her workers, who she sees as family. This
tense war between Isolde’s desire for bloody revenge
and fear over the death of her people plays out
repeatedly during each interaction.
Shell Game
This booth is run by a twitchy, grinning quickling
(appendix B) that speaks so fast that its words run
together. At the back of the booth are three cocoons
swarming with thousands of tiny spiders. Muffled
screams can be heard from within each cocoon.
Isolde recognizes the screams as coming from
Tindal (mage), the Carnival’s cynical, fast-talking lead
barker.
The cackling, hyperactive quickling indicates that
only one of the cocoons actually contains Tindal.
If the characters guess which one correctly then
Tindal lives, but if they guess incorrectly then he will
be eaten alive by spiders. At this point the quickling
snatches a buzzing fly from out of the air and crushes
it between its fingers. It then pulls out three shells
before placing the fly under one of the shells. Without
warning it shuffles up the shells with dizzying speed.
Secretly make a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check
for each character. If a character is successful, then
tell them that the fly is under the middle shell. If a
character is unsuccessful then tell them that the fly is
under a randomly determined shell. The characters
must then make a collective decision. If they do so
correctly, the webs from the middle cocoon dissolve,
freeing Tindal. Otherwise, the characters hear a
tragic death scream from the middle cocoon. The
webs dissolve as the revealed corpse of Tindal vomits
forth a torrent of tiny spiders. In either case Isolde
howls in anger, striking the quickling down. The
quickling, once slain, dissipates into a pile of dead
leaves. Tindal, should he live, thanks the characters
but is too traumatized to do much more than that.
Strength Game
This booth is run by a burly, chaotic evil satyr. At the
back of the booth is a glass coffin. Within the coffin
can be seen a red-haired woman, who pounds on
the glass noiselessly. Isolde recognizes the woman
as Charlotte the Fire Eater (veteran), the circus’s
juggling daredevil. Next to the coffin is a tall, slender
tower with a chime of opening attached to the top. At
the base of the tower is a padded lever.
The satyr flexes its muscles casually before handing
a mallet to the strongest looking character and
gesturing wordlessly to the lever. If a character makes
a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) while hitting
the lever with the mallet, then a rubber puck flies up
the tower and hits the chime. This, in turn, opens the
coffin.
The coffin is sealed shut and can only be opened
with the chime of opening or a knock spell.
Alternatively, the coffin can be broken open. It has AC
15, 200 hit points, and vulnerability to bludgeoning
and thunder damage. Charlotte is already asphyx-
iating as the characters arrive, and only has two
rounds left until she dies.
Once Charlotte is either freed or dies, Isolde howls
in anger, striking the satyr down. The satyr, once
slain, dissipates into a pile of dead leaves. Charlotte,
should she live, thanks the characters but is too trau-
matized to do much more than that.
Knife Throwing
This booth is run by a dozen Chaotic Evil sprites
who delight in saying mean things and ridiculing
others. At the back of the booth is a spinning, wooden
wheel. Tethered to the wheel with frayed rope is a
dark-haired woman with leathery wings. Isolde recog-
nizes the woman as Amelia (scout with a flying speed
of 30 feet) the circus’s cheery acrobat.
CHAPTER 5 CARNAGE AT
The sprites hurl a torrent of insults at the charac-
ters while gesturing to ten daggers arranged across
the booth’s counter. The sprites say that Amelia can
live if the characters can use the throwing knives to
cut her free. The rope has AC 25 and 4 hit points. If
a character misses the rope by 5 or more, they hit
Amelia instead. If the characters approach the wheel
or attack the sprites, the sprites use a reaction to
animate the rope so that it begins to choke Amelia.
If the characters persist in their actions, the rope
tightens its grip further, breaking the acrobat’s neck.
Once Amelia is either freed or slain, Isolde howls
in anger, her longsword glowing a hot, angry red. She
cleaves through the sprites, four at a time. Once slain,
the sprites dissipate into piles of dead leaves. Amelia,
should she live, thanks the characters but is too trau-
matized to do much more than that.
Big Top
The characters enter the big top via the only opening,
located towards the north (marked E on the map). On
the east and west side of the arena are two 50-foot-
tall vertical poles that are connected by a tightrope.
A sobbing clown dangles from the tightrope by a
second, fraying rope. Isolde can identify the clown as
The Organ Grinder (scout), the circus’s mute buffoon
(marked O on the map). A tiny creature, in clown’s
garb, rides a unicycle back and forth along the tight-
rope (marked C on the map). The creature’s face
is dominated by a gaping maw of needle-like teeth
painted over with the pantomime of a clown’s smile.
The tiny creature is a feedling (appendix B). Twenty
more of these clownish creatures run about the big
top’s stadium and bleachers (marked F on the map).
Underneath the Organ Grinder is a raised, 10-foot-
high pool of water. A shark’s fin can be seen circling
within the 20-foot-diameter pool. The shark’s fin
belongs to a feral wereshark (marked W on the map;
appendix B).
Next to the pool of water is a male human covered
in tumorous layers of undulating muscles. The
hideously deformed man is hunched over, overbur-
dened by the weight of his own muscles. This sad
figure is the circus’ strongman, Hermos the Half-
Giant (marked H on the map). He has been cursed by
fey magic; his muscles distended to the point where
they threaten to crush his skeleton. An invisible
sprite floats over his head, controlling his actions like
a puppeteer. Any character who makes a successful
DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check notices that his jerky
movements are reminiscent of a puppet pulled on
strings. His condition can be removed by killing the
sprite, or with a remove curse spell.
THE CARNIVAL 61
 Despite being her right-hand man, Hermos is
unrecognizable to Isolde in his current pitiful state
due to her rage. In his mutated state Hermos has AC
14, 100 hit points, and the following properties:
J He has 0 feet of movement.
J As a reaction he can flex his abdominal muscles
to cast the shield spell.
J As a bonus action he can flex his biceps to cast a
3rd-level thunderwave spell (Save DC 16).
J As an action he can flex his forearms to replicate
one of the effects of the Bigby’s hand spell (+8
attack modifier, save DC 16).
If Hermos is slain, he lets out a death cry that is
recognizable to Isolde. At the death of her best friend,
she plunges into an even darker rage.
Finally, a coven of hags (green hag, night hag,
and sea hag; respectively marked G, N, and S on
the map) sits within the bleachers, cackling at the
ensuing chaos. As the characters enter, the hags
harness Isolde’s uncontrollable anger to summon a
spirit of rage (marked R on the map, use the statistics
of a balgura). The rage spirit is banished if Isolde
ever calms down. This can be accomplished through
spells like calm emotions or an appropriate DC
15 social check. Such a check is made with
disadvantage if Hermos has been slain.
Upon entering the big top, Isolde
screams in rage and charges the
nearest feedling. In return, the
feedlings, hags, and the sprite-controlled
Hermos attack Isolde and the characters.
The Organ Grinder sobs uncontrollably
during battle. The unicycle-riding feedling
rides the unicycle over the Grinder’s fraying rope
each round. Each time the feedling does so, there
is a cumulative 20% chance that the rope breaks,
plunging the Organ Grinder into the pool, where he
is torn into by the wereshark. At this point the were-
shark, with a feral, blood-stained grin, wades out of
the pool and joins combat.

Egress Assuming all goes well, Isolde thanks the charac-

With the battle completed, Isolde wastes little time
with self-pity. She does not know why the fairies have
marked her and her circus for torment (although
the reasons are detailed in Van Richten’s Guide to
A Spirit of Rage
summoned by a Ravenloft), but she knows that the longer the circus
coven of hags
stays in one place, the greater the risk. With this
in mind, she orders the surviving circus hands to
pack up. In less than an hour her convoy of brightly
painted wagons is ready to, yet again, plunge into the
mists.
ters for their assistance, promising to never forget
their kind actions. If the characters ask Isolde about
the first digit of Vecna, she calls out to Professor
Pacali, a short, bespectacled man. After a brief
conversation Pacali begrudgingly fetches a pickled
thumb and hands it to the characters.
At this point Skeever offers to transport the charac-
ters back to Castle Avernus.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe one level
aFTer oBTaining THe FirsT DigiT oF veCna
iF THey Have alreaDy oBTaineD THe molar oF veCna.

62 CHAPTER 5 CARNAGE AT THE CARNIVAL CHAPTER 5 CARNAGE AT THE CARNIVAL 63

 CHAPTER 6
Hit the Road and Hit the Head
The characters summon the Headless Horseman in hopes of
obtaining the Head of Vecna. Despite the characters’ assump-
tion, the head is not a Vecnan relic. The true relic, the molar
of Vecna, is hidden within the head.
ecide ahead of time how long it
will be until the night of the sickle
moon and inform the characters.
It is suggested that you give them
one or two weeks so that they find one of the other
organs first and, while in the process of doing so,
procure a severed head.
After all the heads have been defeated an eerie
silence settles over the road. This silence lasts for
one minute before the following occurs:
A faint rumbling can be heard down the road, like the
approach of a distant storm. Quickly this rumbling
increases its furious pace until all you can hear are
the thunderous crash of what sounds like a hundred
hooves. A lone rider appears and then disappears as it
surges through the mist. The rider is mounted atop a
great black horse. The horse’s flaring nostrils puff out
dark smoke and its lips are pulled back, revealing what
looks like a demented grin. The man riding the horse
is dressed in silver and black finery. His left arm holds
the reins, and his right arm holds a massive sickle that
gleams in the moonlight.
The Head of Vecna has the same statistics as a
severed head with the following changes:
J The Head of Vecna has AC 18 and 100 hit points.
J The Head of Vecna can cast magic missile and
shield, as well as any spells that the characters
cast upon the first wave of severed heads or the
Headless Horseman.
After battle the characters can examine the Head
of Vecna. Although the head is not magical, it radi-
ates very strong necromancy magic. This is because
it is infused with magic from the molar of Vecna
(appendix D) that is embedded within the head’s
otherwise toothless mouth. This fact can be deter-
mined by an identify spell or similar magic. The head
does not actually belong to Vecna but, instead, to an
adventurer who became deluded into thinking he was
Vecna after implanting the molar.
Upon obtaining the head, Skeever bounces up and
down excitedly, suggesting that the characters return
to Castle Avernus to celebrate their success with
some maggot ale.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe one level
aFTer oBTaining THe molar oF veCna
iF THey Have alreaDy oBTaineD THe FirsT DigiT oF veCna.

A Horse of a Different Color

The rider has no head.

The Headless Horseman (appendix B) rushes

If the characters stand upon any abandoned road
during the night of the sickle moon while carrying
at least one severed head, they will attract the atten-
tion of the Headless Horseman. As it approaches
midnight and the sickle moon grows higher and
higher, a heavy mist settles over the land. The sky
begins to rumble ominously. Soon a faint giggle
can be heard from down the road. This, in turn, is
followed by a shrill cackle from the other end
of the road. Shortly thereafter, numerous
round silhouettes can be seen bounding
through the mists.
Before long it becomes evident that
the silhouettes are severed heads
with jeering grins, bloody necks, and
matted hair. These severed heads
(appendix B) bounce, float and roll
their way along the road, laughing
hysterically as they do so. Twelve heads
approach from each end of the road,
attempting to overwhelm the charac-
ters. In the middle of the fight, any
severed heads carried
by the characters, as
well as Biffan the Skull,
unexpectedly animate as
severed heads and join
the fray.
back and forth across the road, attacking the char-
acters until either they are dead or the horseman is
defeated. If any character attempts to flee the road,
the road stretches after them, extending in whatever
direction the character flees. The Horseman makes it
a point to purposefully pursue any such character.
Bring it all to a Head
When the horseman is defeated, he and his horse
dissolve into mist, leaving behind a set of reins and
a +2 sickle of sharpness (see sword of sharpness).
Yet again, the night goes quiet. Then there is the
sound of soft hissing, as if hundreds of snakes were
crawling forth from the ground. This hissing inten-
sifies until the silhouettes of a dozen heads can be
seen following in the wake of the horseman. At this
point eight severed medusa heads and the Head of
Vecna emerge from the mist to attack the characters.
The Head of Vecna has withered flesh stretched tight
about its skull. A pinpoint of red light burns within its
rightmost eye socket, but the left socket is curiously
empty.
A severed medusa head has the same statistics as a
severed head with the following changes:
J The severed medusa head can use an action to
cast the slow spell (DC 15). This ability recharges
on a 6.
J On a successful hit the severed medusa head
inflicts 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6)
poison damage.

64 CHAPTER 6 HIT THE ROAD AND HIT THE HEAD CHAPTER 6 HIT THE ROAD AND HIT THE HEAD 65
 Shadowfell Encounters
on the Misty Road
Should the characters explore the road while
searching for the headless horseman, consider some
of the following optional encounters:
A Dog with a Bone
While traversing the road, the characters come
across a trail of small, shallow holes that leads off the
road. Should the character follow the trail, they come
across a skeletal dog digging frantically in the dirt.
The skeletal dog wears a collar and its metallic name
tag tinkles loudly as it digs. The grime-encrusted tag
reads, “HOOCH”.
If a character gives a bone to the skeletal dog, it
imprints upon that character, following them around
and defending them to the best of its ability. The dog
has the statistics of a mastiff but its creature type is
Undead.
Bleakborn are cursed creatures
that shamble about, hungering
for the warmth of the living
66 CHAPTER 6 HIT THE ROAD AND HIT THE HEAD
Blood Runs Cold
While traversing the road, the temperature begins to
plummet unexpectedly to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The
air grows thick and the characters find their breath
coming out in foggy, gasping spurts that quickly
mingle with the surrounding mist. A low tormented
moan, coming steadily closer, can be heard from
down the road.
The characters are being approached by a
wandering patrol of 2d4 bleakborn (appendix B).
These shambling undead are attracted to the relative
warmth of the characters and attack upon sight.
Interested characters can follow the tracks left
by the bleakborn with a successful DC 18 Wisdom
(Survival) check. Doing so leads them to a strange
black, ovoid stone that is painfully cold to the touch.
This stone was created long ago by a coven of night
hags and a character holding it can use an action
to cast the plane shift spell (Shadowfell only). For
DMs that have access to Ulraunt’s Guide to the
Planes: The Shadowfell, this might provide an alter-
native way to escape Ravenloft. While exploring
the greater Shadowfell the characters might come
across the trapped city of Neverwinter which, in turn,
might allow them to gain access to Evernight which
currently exists in Toril (see Doomed Forgotten Realms:
SwOrd COast Gazetteer).
Make a Spoon or Spoil a Horn
While traversing the road, the characters come
across a dead unicorn. Its horn has been sawed off.
If a character casts ceremony (using the Funeral Rite
option) or gentle repose on the unicorn, they sense a
spiritual sigh of relief. The remaining color seems to
drain from the corpse as the character momentarily
gleams with divine radiance. That character now has
the following blessing:
Blessing of the Unicorn. You know the druidcraft
cantrip. You can also cast the dispel evil and good
spell without expending a spell slot or material
components. Once you do so, you can’t do so again.
Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma is your spell-
casting ability for these spells (choose which when
you gain this blessing).
Ol’ Moneybags
While traversing the road, the characters come
across a plane-hopping mercane merchant named
Igor. Igor is accompanied by a wide-eyed, mute
imp named Yix, a dragonborn blackguard named
Kraampesh, and a halfling assassin named Gratrix.
Kraampesh and Gratrix are under the effects of a
geas spell and resentfully serve Igor. All four of these
creatures are currently invisible, while traveling atop
the back of a servile, invisible hill giant.
If the characters do not appear overtly threatening
then Igor will hail them, offering to sell them some
wares. It is possible that the characters have previ-
ously met Igor in Rise Of Vecna, in which case you
should modify their interactions accordingly. Igor
sells anything from the Adventuring Gear table in
the Player’s Handbook as well as anything from the
Magic Item Tables A, B, C and D in the Dungeon
Master’s Guide. He keeps all of his valuables in a
pocket dimension and can’t be coerced or forced into
handing them over, even if it costs him his life. See
the table below for an overview of Igor’s prices.
Item Rarity Consumable Cost Item Cost
Common 50 gp 100 gp
Uncommon 250 gp 500 gp
Rare 2,500 gp 5,000 gp
Very rare 25,000 gp 50,000 gp
Legendary 100,000 gp 200,000+ gp
Reflected Existentialism
A destitute man in tattered robes stands at a cross-
roads. He wears a mirror shard on a leather neck-
lace. If prompted, the man introduces himself as
Alter Odim, a simple merchant of mirrors. His voice
is soft and smooth, and his demeanor is inviting and
warm. It is possible that the characters met Alter
Odim in Rise Of Vecna. If so, he greets them as if they
were old friends.
Underneath his robes, he has multiple handheld
mirrors, either with wooden handles (worth 5 gp),
steel handles (worth 10 gp), alabaster handles (worth
15 gp), gilded handles (worth 20 gp), or ivory handles
(worth 50). He also has a special, dark mirror that is
“full of dark secrets.” This mirror is not for sale but
he will allow one character to look into it, if asked.
A character that looks into the dark mirror is
afflicted with an Indefinite Madness (chapter 8 in
the Dungeon Master’s Guide) and must make a DC
20 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, that
character gains a deep insight that lingers in the
back of their mind. The character can draw upon this
insight by spending 10 minutes in deep concentration
(as if concentrating on a spell). At the end of their
concentration, the character is invigorated by a deep
existential truth, causing them to gain the benefit of a
long rest. This insight is lost upon contemplation.
Alter Odim is in truth a mysterious entity from the
Far Realm, unbound by the regular rules of reality.
He refuses to disclose any information of worth
and repels queries with “I don’t know anything, I’m
just a humble mirror merchant.” If attacked, he
simply evaporates into a dark mist and disappears.
Otherwise, he disappears once the characters leave.
CHAPTER 6 HIT THE ROAD AND HIT THE HEAD
The Undertaker
The characters hear periodic hammering sounds
coming forth from the surrounding woods. Should
they investigate they find a clearing that has six
mounds of freshly churned dirt and a recently exca-
vated hole. Next to the hole a zombie caretaker is
futilely attempting to hammer itself shut within a
rickety casket. The zombie is harmless, but is single
minded in its determination to bury the dead (which
it has done all of its life). Having no more dead to
bury it is now attempting to bury itself.
If the characters help the zombie seal itself within a
casket and then completely bury the casket they each
receive the following blessing:
Blessing of the Caretaker. You have a +1 modifier
to death saving throws while in Ravenloft and the
Shadowfell.
If the characters dig through the mounds of freshly
churned dirt they find coffins that contain the corpses
of recently slain commoners. Each corpse has a
randomly determined trinket from the Trinkets table
in the Player’s Handbook as well as a thirty percent
chance of having a randomly determined magic item
from the Magic Item Table A in the Dungeon Master’s
Guide. Should the characters loot one of these graves
or leave it disturbed they lose any blessings and,
instead, gain the following curse:
Curse of the Caretaker. You have a -1 modifier to
death saving throws while in Ravenloft and the
Shadowfell.
Xoltar Speaks!
The characters come across a covered wagon
dragged by two tired looking horses. The driver
looks to be a colorfully garbed Vistani although any
character that makes a successful DC 18 Wisdom
(Perception) check discerns that he is an animated
wooden construct. It introduces itself as Xoltar the
Magnificent and claims that it has the power to read
the future.
If a character asks to have their future read, then
Xoltar holds out its open palm, in which can be seen
a small slot. The first character to place a gold piece
into the slot gains the benefit of an augury spell that
can be used to discern the results of a specific course
of action that the character plans to take within the
next tenday. The first character to place a platinum
piece in the slot gains the benefit of a divination spell.
If a character puts any other coin in the slot then
Xoltar merely frowns while muttering, “Tsk, tsk”.
If the characters look in the back of the wagon they
find only empty crates and cobwebs.
67
 CHAPTER 7
Plow the Cursed Sands
The characters explore the cursed tombs and underground
desert of Har’akir in search of the scalp of Vecna. To success-
fully retrieve the scalp they will need to either outsmart or
vanquish a powerful necrosphinx.
an Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
says this about the domain of
Har’akir: “The sands of time
bury the desert realm of Har’akir.
Here, the wonders of fallen
empires and pyramids of forgotten pharaohs crumble
beneath a merciless sun. Untold generations of
tombs and secrets lie beneath the sands . . . built one
atop the other. Elaborated upon by the Dark Powers,
these endless, entangled crypts are known as the
Labyrinth – a vast, dungeon-underwold that connects
every tomb and monument in Har’akir.”
It is here, within this Labyrinth, that the characters
must search for the scalp of Vecna.
G1. Chamber of Heavens and Hells
As Skeever’s mists begin to clear, the characters
find themselves within the central chamber of a vast
tomb. The air is exceptionally dry and hot, like that
of a kiln. The room is almost a hundred-foot square.
The floor is made from cracked checkerboard tiles
of white and black, whereas the walls and ceiling are
made from hardened plaster. The plaster is covered
with paintings of a band of angels fighting against a
collection of devils. Each faction boasts a small army
of hundreds of creatures such as dragons, giants,
and radiant multi-trunked elephants, separated by a
massive sun that has been painted onto the ceiling.
An archway is set into each of the four walls, and
square stone pillars are interspersed throughout the
room. Finally, there is a stone chest in the center of
the floor.
Each of the four archways leads to a different wing
of the tomb. Any character who makes a successful
DC 13 Intelligence (History) check discerns that the
four wings are mismatched, constructed from not
only a different type of stone but also using a different
architectural style. Inscribed within each archway,
in differing dialects of Common, is the phrase, “LET
THEY WHO PLUNDER THESE TOMBS SUFFER
THE THOUSAND AND ONE DEADLY CURSES OF
RA’SEP RA’TEP”
68 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
The stone chest is part of the floor and cannot be The correct combination can be discerned by
moved. It is impervious to damage and cannot be counting creatures from the room’s painted walls.
opened by anything other than a wish spell. There Hints as to why this is the case can be found scat-
are five dials along the front of the chest, each of
which can be set to a single number ranging from
tered throughout the tombs. If any character makes
a point to count them, there are seven angels, nine
zero to nine. A stone lever can be found to the right devils, ninety-three birds, and five dragons. Because
of the dials. If the dials are set to 7 – 9 – 9 – 3 – 5 there are so many birds, many of which are hidden
Deadly Curses and the lever is pulled then the chest opens with throughout the painted walls, it requires a successful
Some actions taken in the tombs of Har’Akir can trigger a
curse. In this case all characters must make a successful a loud CLICK, revealing 11 large topazes (500 gp DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check to count
DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become afflicted by a curse each), a belt of stone giant strength, and a wand of them correctly. DMs are encouraged to make this
from the table below. While in Har’akir a curse can’t be
removed by any means, including a wish spell. polymorph. If the dials are set to any other number check secretly for any characters that attempt to
and the lever is pulled, then the sun painted onto the count the birds, giving an answer that is within 1d4 of
d20 Curse
ceiling blazes to life, instantly killing any creature the correct answer in the event of a failed check.
1 Curse of Rotting Flesh. You do not regain hit points
when you take a short or long rest. that has vulnerability to radiant damage and inflicting
3d6 radiant damage to all other creatures standing in
2 Curse of Desecration. You cannot regain hit points
from spells. the room, increasing by 1d6 with each failed attempt.
3 Accursed Tongue. You can no longer speak or
understand your dominant language.
4 Accursed Sight. You see in darkness as if it was
bright light and bright light as if it was darkness.
5 Curse of Strength. You have disadvantage on all
Strength checks and saving throws
6 Feeble Minded. You have disadvantage on all
Intelligence checks and saving throws.
7 Curse of the Fool. You have disadvantage on all
Wisdom checks and saving throws.
Accursed Health. You have disadvantage on all
8 Constitution checks and saving throws.
9 Slow Footed. You have disadvantage on all Dexterity
checks and saving throws.
Repugnant. You have disadvantage on all Charisma
10 checks and saving throws.
Sugar Curse. You taste and smell irresistibly
11 delicious to Beasts.
12 Curse of Character. You gain a new flaw (See
chapter 4 in the Player’s Handbook).
13 Pacifist’s Curse. You have disadvantage on all
attack rolls.
14 Curse of the Grave. You have disadvantage on all
death saving throws.
15 Curse of Attunement. You can attune to one less
magic item than normal.
16 Aberrant. You take 1d12 acid damage every hour
unless moisture is applied to your skin.
Light-headed. Unless weighted down by at least
17 two hundred pounds, you float up five feet every
round
Drunkard’s Curse. You must drink a mouthful of
alcohol at the end of every hour or become drunk.
18 If you don’t, you must succeed on a successful
DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
exhaustion.
Accursed Thoughts. You are afflicted by an
19 indefinite madness (chapter 8 Dungeon Master’s
Guide).
Chaotic Words. Whenever you inadvertently speak a
20 certain word or take a certain action (DM’s choice),
roll on the Wild Magic Surge table in the Player’s
Handbook.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS 69
 Mummy Wing
Also known as the Rotted Tomb, this wing serves as
the stunted kingdom of fallen mummy lord Anopet.
G2. The Great Darkness
This entire chamber is covered by the effects of a 4th
level darkness spell. The spell emanates from a torch,
ensconced within the room’s eastern wall, that burns
with a dark, magical flame. The flame’s heat can be
detected by any character with a passive Perception
of 16 or higher. It can be doused by water, or any
equivalent method, and doing so dispels the room’s
magical gloom.
An obsidian sarcophagus lies near the room’s
southern wall. An inscription on the lid of the
sarcophagus reads:
HEREIN LIES CERTAIN DOOM
AS IMPLACABLE AS THE GREAT DARKNESS
SLAIN ONLY BY THE RISEN SUN
70 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
Opening the sarcophagus releases a shadow
assassin (appendix B). The shadow assassin exclu-
sively hunts and attacks the creature that opened its
sarcophagus. If it kills this creature, then the shadow
assassin takes on their form and is sealed, once
again, in its sarcophagus. If the assassin is slain,
it reforms one hour later and unerringly tracks its
prey. It can be permanently slain if reduced to 0 hit
points by radiant damage. Once permanently slain
it coalesces into a fist-sized lump of obsidian that
appears to absorb any surrounding light. This lump
of obsidian is known as the darkstar and allows any
creature that holds it to cast spells that produce
magical darkness as if they were one level higher. It
also allows the bearer to, once per short or long rest,
replace the damage type of one of their spells with
necrotic damage.
G3. The Three Ancestors
This room is dominated by three sarcophagi. The
lid of each is carved to represent a human. The first
appears to be a mighty warrior wielding a curved ax.
The second is a beggar with an outstretched hand.
The third is a scholar reading an open book. Shallow
shelves along the western wall hold hundreds of
clay urns, each of which is marked with a rune. Any
character that makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Religion) discerns that the urns are canopic jars,
used to hold the innards of a humanoid when it is
mummified. Moreover, the character knows that an
animated mummy can be destroyed by destroying its
canopic jar.
A mummy warrior dwells in the warrior’s sarcoph-
agus. A mummy warrior has the statistics of a
mummy lord with the following changes:
J It lacks have the Spellcasting trait.
J It lacks legendary actions.
The other two sarcophagi each contain a mummy.
All three mummies attack if even one of the
sarcophagi is opened. Alternatively, they attack three
rounds after the characters have entered the room;
their fists smashing through the stone lid of their
coffins. Any creature with a passive Perception of 16
or higher notes a rune inscribed along the inside of
each sarcophagus lid. A character can use an action
to attempt a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) to
find a canopic jar with a matching rune. A jar can be
destroyed with either an action or a bonus action,
although the mummy warrior’s jar is immune to
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
nonmagical weapons. A mummy is immediately
reduced to ash upon the destruction of its canopic jar.
The interior of the warrior’s sarcophagus is caked
with flaking blood and holds dozens of aged, ceramic
vials that contain desiccated blood dust. The beggar’s
sarcophagus is filled with 100 strangely minted gp.
The scholar’s sarcophagus is filled with books and
scrolls, worn and aged to the extent that their writing
is now illegible. Taking any of these items from their
respective sarcophagi triggers a curse (roll on the
table in the Deadly Curses sidebar earlier in this
chapter).
Any character that spends more than five minutes
examining the jars notices that one of the jars seems
a bit larger than the others. Within this jar are a set of
petrified organs (lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach)
decorated with jade and turquoise. These organs are
worth 1,000 gp but trigger a curse if taken.
G4. Trek of a Thousand Pains
This hallway looks particularly disused. Its floor is
covered in dust and its ceiling is entirely obscured
with thick clusters of cobwebs. A bronze plaque,
affixed to the eastern wall reads, “THEY WHO
FOLLOW THE PATH WILL BE SPARED A
THOUSAND PAINS.” There is no sign of a path
upon the floor’s many stones – whatever paint or
pigment that might have once stained them has long
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
since faded. However, if the characters burn away
the cobwebs, they see a pathway of green tiles on the
ceiling that winds its way east.
Any time a character steps upon a square marked
with an X, they trigger a trap. The floor explodes with
a shower of one hundred tiny stone shards that inflict
3d6 nonmagical piercing damage to whichever char-
acter triggered the trap. The trigger is hidden deep
beneath the floor and cannot be discerned with the
naked eye. Each trap can only be detonated one time.
G5. Tomb of the False Gods
Seven sarcophagi are arranged within this room’s
interior. Each sarcophagus has a name inscribed
upon its lid – Anu, Ese, Neb, Our, Ousa, Sek, and
Sute. This room looks older, or at least more worn,
than the others, and its wall, floor and ceiling are
riddled with thousands of cracks. Any character that
makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception)
check notices the faint outline of a stone door
recessed into the ceiling near the entrance to the
room.
A bronze plaque, affixed to the southern wall reads:
NEB COMES AFTER OUSA
OUSA IS THE FOURTH AFTER ORU
ESE IS BETWEEN SUTE AND SEK
THE GOD WHO COMES THREE
BEFORE SUTE OPENS FIRST
The lids to the sarcophagi are heavy but can be
opened by any creature with an action. They must be
opened in the following order – Oru, Sek, Ese, Sute,
Ousa, Neb and Anu. This sequence can be deduced
by the clues above. Alternatively, any character who
makes a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Religion)
check remembers a pantheon of obscure gods that
went by these names. During holy days the gods were
worshiped in the sequence given above.
If any sarcophagus is opened out of sequence, then
all sarcophagi slam shut. A stone door falls from
the ceiling, sealing the chamber, and sand begins to
pour from the cracks in the walls and ceiling, filling
the chamber. After five rounds the sand has filled the
room enough that opening a sarcophagus requires
a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. After
ten rounds the sand has reached the point where
opening a sarcophagus requires a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check. After fifteen rounds the
sand fills the room and characters risk suffocation
(see the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
The door to the chamber can be lifted back into
place with a successful DC 26 Strength (Athletics)
check. It has AC 17, 50 hit points, and immunity to
71
 fire, piercing, poison, psychic, slashing, and thunder
damage. The sarcophagi are magically protected and
impervious to damage.
Once the sarcophagi have been opened in the
proper sequence, the sand begins to drain from the
room through the cracks in the floor. The stone door
retracts into the ceiling. Finally, a secret compart-
ment in the bottom of Anu’s sarcophagus opens,
revealing six platinum ceremonial masks in the
shape of animals (crocodile, donkey, falcon, jackal,
lion, and snake). The masks are worth 500 gp each,
although removing them triggers a curse (roll on
the Deadly Curses table in the sidebar earlier in this
chapter).
G6. Hall of the Ancestors
This hallway is lined with statues, five along each of
the walls. The statues along the hallway’s northern
wall are of a scholar, scholar, beggar, warrior, and
warrior. The statues along the hallway’s southern
wall are of a scholar, beggar, warrior, warrior, and
beggar. These statues look the same as the lids of
the sarcophagi from area G3. A bronze plaque at
the beginning of the hallway reads, “APPEASE THE
ANCESTORS WITH WHAT THEY LIKE MOST
BEFORE PASSING.” Next to the plaque is a tiny
keyhole.
The scholar statue can be appeased by laying
a book or scroll at its feet or writing some sort of
knowledge into the blank pages of its opened book.
The beggar statue can be appeased by placing a coin
into its hand. The warrior statue can be appeased by
presenting it with freshly spilt blood. In all cases, the
characters hear a faint click once a statue has been
appeased. Once a single statue of a given type has
been appeased, all similar statues have also been
appeased.
If a character passes a statue of a scholar without
appeasing it, then bolts of black energy from the
eyes of the farthest scholar statue shoot at the char-
acter. The character must make a successful DC 16
Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 necrotic damage.
If a character passes a statue of a warrior without
appeasing it, then the statue swings its curved
greataxe at the character. The statue’s melee attack
has +10 to hit and inflicts 2d12 slashing damage.
If a character passes a statue of a beggar without
appeasing it, then a ghostly hand manifests and
attempts to pilfer 1d100 coins or a valuable nonmag-
ical item from the character. If the character makes a
successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check, then
they notice the hand and prevent the theft. Anything
stolen by the hand is transported to the beggar’s
72 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
sarcophagus in area G3. Any retrieved items taken
from the sarcophagus trigger a curse. Once a statue’s
trap has been triggered, it does’t trigger again.
The keyhole next to the plaque is a failsafe intended
to deactivate the traps. Unfortunately, the key has
been lost to time. However, any character who makes
a successful DC 25 Dexterity check with thieves’
tools can use the keyhole to disable the statues.
G7. Seat of Fallen Glory
This room smells heavily of perfume and incense,
although the scents are not heavy enough to mask
the odor of underlying rot that pervades the chamber.
Moldering tapestries hang from the walls. Worn
stone steps lead to a platform with a rotting, tattered
carpet. A large throne leans crookedly, one of its legs
beginning to sag, and next to the throne is a shelf
filled with canopic jars.. Seated upon the throne is
an imposing creature wrapped in stiff, putrescent
bandages. The creature wears decomposing robes
and a tarnished crown, and wields a ceremonial
scepter.
Its words are warbly as it speaks, as if strained
forth from decomposing lungs, “If Haseid sent you,
then I will kill you as I have killed the others. . .
Unless, that is, you can see the error of your ways
and help me squash that murderer like the bug that
he is.”
The speaking creature is a mummy lord who goes
by the name Anopet. Anopet was once a pharaoh
of some now-forgotten kingdom. He schemed to
defy the gods and achieve immortality and was
cursed with a painful, leprous unlife that he would
do anything to cast aside. Anopet spends his days
scheming against his ancient rival the scarab lord
Haseid (area G15). If asked about Haseid, Anopet
shares the following information:
J Haseid is “a cockroach” who hides within a tomb
to the west.
J Haseid was a rival pharaoh “many centuries ago,”
and their lands were eternally at war. However,
Anopet fell in love with Haseid’s twin sister,
Zaheida.
J Anopet and Zaheida decided to wed, wearing
matching heart-shaped lockets as a token of their
pledge. Before Zaheida could flee her kingdom,
however, her brother discovered the locket and
had her killed as a traitor. Since then, Anopet and
Hasein have been locked in an endless war that
persists even beyond the grave.
J Anopet will give his crown and scepter to the char-
acters if they kill Haseid.
If the characters convince Anopet that they have
killed Haseid (attempts to lie require a successful DC
18 Charisma (Deception) check), then the mummy
lord awards them with a clay tablet, his scepter (rod
of absorption), and his tarnished crown (worthless).
The clay tablet has the phrase ‘1st’ followed by the
picture of an angel.
The canopic jars are filled with desiccated organs,
none of which have any connection to Anopet. If the
characters kill Anopet, then he deteriorates into a
pile of dust. Within this pile of dust can be found the
clay tablet, tarnished crown, and rod of absorption
described above.
If the characters give Anopet the locket from area
G9, the mummy lord begins to sob pitifully, wailing
over the death of his beloved Zaheida. If the char-
acters manage to animate Zeheida as a mummy (or
equivalent), the reunited lovers spend a moment
looking at one another with shocked disbelief before
(awkwardly) running to one another for an embrace.
They engage in a long (potentially gruesome) kiss as
they whisper tearful endearments. Both are bathed in
a glow of radiant energy before turning into a single,
intermixed pile of dust. The characters feel a warm
glow of benediction in the wake of this reunion. Their
actions no longer trigger curses, and they are freed of
any curses from which they were previously suffering.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
Scarab Wing
In the Skittering Halls, even the walls and ceilings
writhe with verminous life.
G8. The Skittering Tomb
This entire hallway (as well as areas G9a and G9b) is
covered in swarms of scarabs (appendix B). These
swarms crawl along the walls and cling to the ceiling,
dropping on any characters foolish enough to pass
underneath. A single swarm covers a five-foot square.
If a swarm is killed, then its square remains clear for
two rounds, until enough beetles crawl forth from
cracks and crevices to form a new swarm.
A massive gong hangs from rotted ropes twenty
feet into the hallway. The gong is engraved with a
picture of dung beetles rolling balls of dung. Tiny
suns sparkle within the center of each dung ball. If
the gong is hit with a blunt instrument, it sends a
reverberating boom throughout the tomb, clearing all
swarms within twenty feet of it for five rounds. The
swarms similarly disperse for any unnaturally loud
sound, such as a thunderwave spell or if a character
proficient in a musical instrument succeeds on a DC
20 Charisma (Performance) check.
If the ropes holding it are severed, the gong can be
carefully rolled along the hallway with a successful
20 Strength (Athletics) check. In the event of a failed
check, the gong falls flat. Once flat, it requires a
combined Strength of 60 or higher to lift it up again.
G9. Scarab Nests
These two warrens are where the scarabs retreat to
consume whatever food is unlucky enough to wander
into their lair. If the floors are cleared of swarms,
then the characters can see a pile of bones and
debris interspersed with wisps of stiff, gangrenous
bandages. The bones are primarily from rats and
snakes, although humanoid bones are also evident. A
search of the bones and debris turns up the following:
Area G9a. The surprisingly intact corpse of a
human female wearing a nonmagical heart-shaped
locket and clutching an ivory-handled hand mirror
(worth 100 gp). The corpse belongs to Zaheida (see
area G7 for details). Zeheida’s corpse is too ancient
to benefit from raise dead or resurrection but can be
raised as a mummy in area G23. Taking her locket
and mirror triggers a curse.
Area G9b. Dozens of dung balls, some as large as
a small boulder. Any character enterprising enough
to dissect the dung balls finds a stone within their
center. Mostly these are ordinary stones but seven
shards of malachite (20 gp each) and a brilliant fist-
sized blood diamond (3,000 gp) can also be found
73
 within the dung. Taking the diamond triggers a curse
(roll on the Deadly Curses table in the sidebar earlier
in this chapter).
G10. Trophy Room
The everpresent scarabs are conspicuously absent
in this room, as it is warded by enchantments that
repel vermin. There are nine trophy cases arranged
throughout the room. A bronze plaque above the
cases reads:
PLUNDERED TREASURES OF THE
GREAT UNDERGROUND EMPIRE
Three of these cases have been reduced to heaps
of charred kindling, as if blasted by some kind of
fireball. The doors to another two cases hang open.
There is nothing to be found within these open cases.
The four remaining cases, however, contain consider-
able treasure. These treasures include:
Case 1. A jewel-encrusted egg (500 gp), a clock-
work canary (250 gp), a painting of unparalleled
beauty (1000 gp), a brass bauble (10 gp), a pot filled
with gold (300 gp), a platinum bar (200 gp), and an
ivory torch (50 gp).
Case 2. This case is unlocked and untrapped.
Within can be found a fairy-sized gold coffin (500 gp),
the jeweled scepter of Ankhtepot (1000 gp), and a
trunk of jewels (2000 gp). Any character that makes a
successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check notices
the imprint of a three-pronged spear in the dust on
one of the shelves. If the crystal trident from area
G14 is placed within the case, then each character
removes 2 randomly determined curses. If the trident
is removed after it is returned, then the characters
regain these curses (no saving throw), and trigger a
third curse.
Case 3. A jade figurine (100 gp), a sapphire
bracelet (500 gp), a huge diamond (1000 gp), a bag
of unusual mithril coins (750 gp), and a crystal skull
(250 gp).
Case 4. A jeweled scarab (100 gp), a large emerald
(300 gp), and a silver chalice filled with fresh blood
(200 gp).
Cases one, three, and four are locked. The locks
can be opened with a knock spell. Alternatively,
they can be picked by a character who makes a
successful DC 25 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools.
If a character attempts to force the doors open or
fails a check to pick the locks, then the case explodes
dealing 8d6 fire damage to all creatures within five
feet of it. All treasure within the case is destroyed
once it explodes.
74 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
G11. Lesser Iounic Node J When active the galeb duhrs are animated by Jasmal was once a noted sage and vizier. She
a small whirling iounic insect that orbits their voraciously consumed all knowledge and by the age
Beetles can be seen scuttling about this chamber,
heads. A creature can use an action to grasp the of thirteen had read every book within her kingdom.
although nowhere near as many as before. A large
beetle, either by making a successful attack roll By the age of sixteen she knew more than even her
node of otherworldly crystal takes up the majority
against AC 24 or a successful DC 24 Dexterity wisest elders. She wanted to continue her learning
of this small cavern. The crystal shines and scintil-
(Acrobatics) check. If successful both the orbiting but had no one to learn from. Frustrated, she turned
lates under even the slightest bit of light, sparkling
insect and the galeb duhr crumble to dust. to a cursed relic that was reputed to grant its owner
like a fossilized rainbow. This node is made from a
The otherwise inert galeb duhrs animate and attack three wishes. Jasmal knew that the cursed relic
rare crystal that can be used to create ioun stones.
if the characters disturb them or the node. Any char- would transform her into some sort of animal (in her
If a character has a set of mining tools and makes a
acter with a mining kit can make up to two attempts case a beetle) but reasoned that she could use one
successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check they
to harvest an ioun stone from this node. See area of her wishes to reverse the process. In her greedy
manage to safely extract a single ioun stone (Roll
G11 for additional details. haste, however, Jasmal overlooked the fact that the
upon the Ioun Stone table to determine the type).
bearer could not use the wishes themselves, but only
The relatively immature nature of this node allows G12. Beetle University on behalf of someone else. Jasmal has spent years
for only one such mining attempt. Such an attempt
The scuttling, ever-present beetles are more prev- searching the tombs of Har’akir for a way to reverse
triggers a curse.
alent in this damp, fungi-filled cavern. Four scarab her transformation. Recently she has lost hope and
swarms can be found here, resting within puddles of glumly resides here, feeling an instinctual comfort
Ioun Stone
water or eating fungi from the ceiling. The swarms amongst her lesser kin.
d100 Ioun Stone
are peaceful unless disturbed. Also living within the Jasmal is desperate for conversation and excited
1-15 Awareness chamber is a giant rhinoceros beetle (use the statis- to see the characters. She is initially pleasant, but
16-30 Protection tics of a rhinoceros but with an Intelligence of 22 before long her haughty, arrogant nature becomes
31-45 Reserve (+6)) who goes by the name of Jasmal. evident as she attempts to correct and belittle the
46-60 Sustenance
61-65 Absorption
66-70 Agility
71-75 Fortitude
76-80 Insight
81-85 Intellect
86-90 Leadership
91-95 Strength
96-97 Greater Absorption
98-99 Mastery
100 Regeneration
G12. Iounic Conclave
A large node of iounic stone (see area G11 for
details) fills up the center of this chamber. The node
is surrounded by six crystalline boulders that appear
to be made from the same multi-colored crystal as
the node. Hundreds of iridescent-shelled beetles
hide within the boulder’s nooks and crannies. These
beetles have been irradiated by prolonged exposure
to the iounic stone. Each boulder has a dominant
beetle that can animate the boulder into a special
type of crystalline galeb duhr. They have the same
statistics as the galeb duhr with the following
changes:
J The crystalline galeb duhr has 20 AC.
J Its slam attack is +12 to hit and does an additional
2d6 slashing damage.
J It does not have the Animate Boulders action.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS 75
 characters as her intellectual inferiors. If any char-
acter attempts to return her banter, she challenges
them to a philosophical debate. Jasmal has one wish
remaining and offers to use it on their behalf if they
win the debate. Her wish works similar to the wish
spell except it can only duplicate a spell of 7th level or
lower, create a nonmagical object of up to 10,000 gp
in value, and effect only a single target.
If Jasmal wins the debate, she demands that the
characters give her any books, scrolls and food they
have in their possession.
The philosophical debate can be over any topic of
the DMs choosing. Possible topics include the nature
of reality, or who came first, mankind or the gods? To
see who wins the debate, Jasmal and the character
make opposed Intelligence checks, awarding the
win to Jasmal in the case of a tie. Give the character
advantage or bonuses, as appropriate, in the face of
spirited role playing.
If a winning character uses their wish to return
Jasmal to her original form, she transforms into a
grateful mage, willing to accompany the characters
throughout their journeys in Har’akir. Each character
loses 1d4 randomly determined curses.
G13. Cavern of Sonorous Death
Dozens of needle-like stalactites hang from the
ceiling here. Four chasmes roost amongst them,
attacking any characters that enter their lair. These
chasmes are smaller than usual (size Medium) and
have the following additional action:
Summon Demon (1/Day). The chasme has a 30
percent chance of summoning one chasme. A
summoned chasme appears in an unoccupied
space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an
ally of its summoner, and can’t summon other
chasmes.
There are sixty-foot-deep pits in the northwest
and southwest corner of the room. At the bottom
of the southwest pit can be found a pile of broken
bones and a crystal trident (500 gp). If any character
succumbs to the chasmes’ Drone trait, then one of
the chasmes attempts to grapple the unconscious
character and drop them into the nearest pit.
A search of the cavern reveals the skeleton of an elf
near the northern wall. The skeleton has a broken
flute and a leather pouch. Inside the pouch is a
scroll that contains sheet music. The sheet music
is for a mournful song known as Senmet’s Lament.
Unfortunately, half of the scroll has rotted away,
leaving the song incomplete. Near the skeleton is a
slender column of stone that has tiny holes carved
76 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
into its hollowed interior. Blowing into the holes
makes music, similar to playing a flute (or compa-
rable instrument).
If a character plays Senmet’s Lament in its entirety
while in this room, using the flute (or similar instru-
ment) a compartment in the bottom portion of the
column opens up. Playing this song can be accom-
plished by a character who knows the entire tune and
has proficiency in any musical instrument. Within
the opened column can be found an instrument of
the bards (cli lyre), and sheet music for an unpub-
lished song written by the master composer Seipora
Dumein (worth 1,000 to an interested buyer). Taking
these items triggers a curse (roll on the Deadly
Curses table in the sidebar earlier in this chapter).
G15. Skittering Throne
Scarab beetles swarm throughout this chamber
in abundance, to the point that it is almost impos-
sible to walk without crunching them underfoot.
As the characters enter the room, the beetles surge
together into one gigantic swarm that then takes on a
vaguely humanoid form. The scarab lord (appendix
HAS
B) speaks with a thousand chittering voices, “
THAT VILE SORCERER ANOPET SENT YOU
TO DO HIS DIRTY WORK? IF SO THEN I
WILL PICK YOUR BONES CLEAN AND FEED
THEM TO MY CHILDREN.”
Haseid is forever cursed
to this horrible existence
The scarab lord goes by the name of Haseid, and
details of his feud with Anopet are provided in area
G7. Haseid is vicious and hungry and inclined to
attack the characters, although he is open to attempts
to parlay. If the characters offer to kill Anopet, Haseid
promises them “a treasure” as well as the use of
“his pets” upon proof of their success. Haseid is less
forthcoming than Anopet if questioned about the
details of their feud. The scarab lord did, in fact, kill
his sister when he learned that she was betrothed to
Anopet, although he only did so because he mistak-
enly believed that she was irrevocably bewitched.
If the characters convince Haseid that they have
killed Anopet (attempts to lie require a successful DC
18 Charisma (Deception) check), then the scarab lord
awards them with a clay tablet and a scarab of animal
influence (a beetle-shaped medallion that is function-
ally equivalent to a ring of animal influence). The clay
tablet has the phrase ‘2nd’ followed by the picture of
a devil. Haseid also orders a scarab swarm to follow
and protect the characters while they are in Har’akir.
If the characters kill Haseid, his form dissipates.
Within his corpse of splattered bugs can be found the
clay tablet and scarab of animal influence described
above.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
Serpent Wing
Within these poisoned caverns, yuan-ti work with
dark patience to summon forth a terrible demon.
G16. Poisonous Hall
This hallway slopes steadily downwards. The walls
of the hallway are covered in blasphemous scenes of
strange creatures, half-snake and half-human, canni-
balizing their human kin. Rivulets of polluted water
run through small furrows that have worn their way
into the stone floor. The water smells wretched, like a
combination of rotted food and decomposing flesh.
Any character who studies the walls and makes a
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion or History)
check recognizes them as chronicling the rise of
the yuan-ti. The character also discerns that these
carvings are extremely old, likely dating back to the
earliest days of the snake people. Summarize for
that character the information provided in the yuan-ti
entry of the Monster Manual. Regardless of the
check’s outcome, studying the carvings fills a crea-
ture with primal, atavistic horror, forcing it to make
a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it
gains one level of terror.
77
 G17. Poisonous Hall
The walls of this room are also covered in carvings.
Here the carved serpent-people are undulating
in some kind of perverse worship before a great,
shadowy serpent. The poisoned water has pooled
within the room, bubbling now with caustic potency.
Within the room, inhaling the water’s fumes as if it
were a drug, is a yuan-ti abomination (marked A
on the map), a giant constrictor snake (marked C
on the map), and three yuan-ti purebloods (marked
P on the map). The creatures attack the characters
immediately, although the yuan-ti have disadvantage
on all attack rolls, saving throws and ability checks
because they are intoxicated.
Anytime a character moves into the poisoned water
(marked on the map) or starts their turn there, they
take 2d4 poison damage.
The abomination has a noticeable lump within its
torso. If the yuan-ti is cut open, the characters find
a partially digested humanoid that has the face of a
jackal. This creature is a recently eaten jackalwere
slave that accompanied the yuan-ti on their recent
pilgrimage to this forgotten temple.
G18. Snake Pit
The floor of this room is filled with a seemingly
bottomless mass of writhing snakes. Their hisses
fill the entirety of the chamber like a sibilant cold-
blooded chorus. A wooden pole rises from the middle
of the room, and lashed to it, just above the snakes,
is a humanoid jackal. Dozens of snakes crawl up and
down the creature’s straining body. The southern wall
of the room has collapsed, and high atop the rubble
can be seen a cave entrance.
Moving Through the Pit. A creature takes 1d6
piercing damage from snake bites whenever it moves
into a 5-foot space in this room or starts its turn in
one. Yuan-ti are immune to this damage. If it takes 4
or more piercing damage from a single roll, a crea-
ture must also make a DC 10 Constitution saving
throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed
save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The snakes are effectively infinite, replenished as
needed by the dark powers of Ravenloft. If a space
takes any cold damage or is exposed to ever-ice
(see area G22), then it goes into a lethargic torpor,
allowing characters to pass through it safely for 1
minute.
What Lies Bound. The restrained creature is
Tz’graz, a jackalwere prisoner of the yuan-ti. She
is tied up with ropes that can be removed by taking
an action to do so. Tz’graz is part of a large tribe
of itinerant jackalweres that live within the Great
Underground Desert (area G29). She, as well as
78 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
Frightful Consequences
While the yuan-ti ritual is being performed, a character
can gain escalating levels of terror. While a character has
any levels of terror, it must spend 2 feet of movement for
every 1 foot it moves, and it takes 1d4 necrotic damage at
the start of each of its turns for every level of terror it has.
If a spell or effect would end the frightened condition, it
removes one level of terror. Otherwise, all levels of terror
fade one hour after last gaining a level of terror.
By divine decree Tz’graz does not take necrotic damage. It
is imperative to the yuan-ti that she lives, as it is her fear
that is powering their ritual.
some of her tribe members, were recently enslaved
by the yuan-ti. The yuan-ti forced the jackalweres
to lead them to the location of this ancient yuan-ti
temple. The yuan-ti hope to use relics from within the
temple to summon forth a totem creature known as
the Serpent-that-is-Night.
Tz’graz, like all of her kind, is a compulsive liar. In
fact, she will deceive people even when it is not in
her best interest to do so. She winces whenever she
tells the truth, something that can be discerned with
a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. She
carries with her a small knapsack that contains a
stone tablet. The tablet has the phrase ‘3rd’ followed
by the picture of a bird. Tz’graz suspects that there
are similar tablets and that they can be used to open
the chest in area G1. Because of this, if freed, she
attempts to travel with the characters so that she
might learn if they have any of the tablets. If she
discovers the information on all four tablets she
attempts to separate herself from the characters and
open the chest on her own.
A loud, rhythmic booming sound, like ceremonial
drums, can be heard to the south whenever Tz’graz
is released. The jackalwere’s eyes widen in panic
as she exclaims, “You are late! Too late! It comes!
The Serpent-that-is-Night comes! Doom take us all!”
Tz’graz is afflicted by the frightened condition, and
this cannot be removed from her until the end of the
ritual. In fact, it is her fear that fuels the ritual, a fact
that can be discerned by a successful DC 20 Wisdom
(Insight) check. So long as Tz’graz, or any other crea-
ture within a mile, has the frightened condition the
ritual can proceed. From this point on the characters
have 20 rounds to stop the ritual, or else the yuan-ti
successfully summon the Serpent-that-is-Night
(appendix B) which then begins to hunt the charac-
ters for sustenance. For more details on the ritual see
area G19.
The southern half of this room appears to be caved
in. The rubble can be scaled with a successful DC 10
Strength (Athletics) check, which leads the charac-
ters to a cramped, excavated cavern (area G19).
G19. Excavated Ruins G19d. Totems of Terror
Here the remains of a former yuan-ti temple have When the characters descend into this cavern,
been excavated, mostly by jackalwere slaves that have they are bombarded by a palpable wave of dread,
knowing with irrefutable certainty that whatever is
since been consumed, in search of a powerful relic
capable of summoning the Serpent-that-is-Night, coming spells their doom. This terror comes from
a mythic totem creature. In general the tunnels are two serpentine idols that are functionally equivalent
cramped, with crumbling ceilings that droop as low to those from area G19c except that the save DC is
as five feet. The tunnel slopes downwards to the 15. This cavern is guarded by a yuan-ti nightmare
speaker (appendix B; marked S on the map) that is
east and west. Periodically there are 20 foot drops
that require a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) protected by a yuan-ti abomination (marked A on
the map). The abomination is currently in its snake
check to navigate without falling. The entire area
is shrouded in a preternatural gloom. Visibility is form and spends its first action, horrifically molting
reduced to 20 feet, beyond which is 3rd-level magical its skin to transform into its yuan-ti form, after which
it casts its fear spell on the characters.
darkness.
G19e. Totems of Despair
G19a. Overlook
When the characters climb into this cavern, they are When the characters descend into this final cavern,
they are bombarded by a palpable wave of dread,
bombarded by a palpable wave of dread, knowing
with irrefutable certainty that whatever is coming knowing with irrefutable certainty that whatever is
coming spells their doom. This terror comes from
spells their doom. Each character must make a
successful DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or gain one two serpentine idols that are functionally equivalent
to those from area G19c except that the save DC is
level of terror. Fourteen yuan-ti pureblood (marked
P on the map) guard this cavern, overseen by a bone 17. A tomb ophidian (appendix B; marked O on the
map) stands over the recent sacrifices of a dozen
naga (Cleric version; marked N on the map).
jackalweres. Next to the ophidian is a medusa,
G19b. New Excavation
This area appears recently unearthed. There
(marked R on the map) beating a set of primitively
constructed drums, her serpentine hair waving
are partial slabs of broken walls, cracked urns,
hypnotically to and fro.
and other excavated relics. Amidst them can be
The medusa is currently concentrating on the
found a mining kit, a music box, and an articu-
ritual. Breaking her concentration disrupts the ritual.
lated snake made from polished stones of
If she manages to perform the ritual to its comple-
obsidian (worth 200 gp). Taking any of these
tion, tiny wisps of dark-
items triggers a curse (roll on the table in the
ness and shadow begin
Deadly Curses sidebar earlier in this chapter).
to squirm together into a
When the music box is opened it plays a full
writhing, serpentine mass.
rendition of Senmet’s Lament. After hearing
the music, any character who is proficient in a The Serpent-that-is-
musical instrument can play this song without Night (appendix B) is
making any checks. If that character has seen the born. Its first task
sheet music from area G14 they recognize that the is to hunt and kill
songs are the same. the characters.
G19c. Totems of Fear
When the characters descend into this cavern, they
are bombarded with by a palpable wave of dread
(similar to what they felt in area G19a), knowing with
irrefutable certainty that whatever is coming spells
their doom. The same feeling that was first felt in
area G19a. This terror emanates from two primitive
serpentine idols, carved from a strange, green wood.
The Tomb Ophidian is a
These idols have AC 15, 10 hit points, and immu- serpentine undead horror
nity to poison and psychic damage. A creature that
starts its turn within 30 feet of an idol must make a
successful DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or gain one
level of terror. This platform is guarded by six yuan-ti
malisons (Type I; marked M on the map) that fight to
the death.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS 79
 Temple Wing
Beyond the crumbling halls of this sacred temple can
be found the Great Underground Desert where a vile
necrosphinx guards the scalp of Vecna.
G20. Reception Area for
the Heavenly Hosts
This opulent chamber has the grandiose design of a
temple. Marble benches large enough to accommo-
date a giant line the walls. Golden torches lit with
radiant flame are set within tiled columns. Three
large statues of armored titans are arrayed against
the northern wall. Huge double doors of solid plat-
inum lead to the east and west. Engraved upon the
doors are the words, “Ask to enter, and you shall be
received”.
There are twelve torches in total, and they are
enchanted with the continual flame spell. Each
torch is worth 100 gp, although removing one
from a pillar triggers a curse (roll on the Deadly
Curses table in the sidebar earlier in this chapter).
The doors are not locked, but ponderously heavy.
Opening them requires a successful DC 26 Strength
80 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
(Athletics) check. The statues are stone golems. If
a character knocks on one of the double doors, then
the nearest golem moves to open it. Otherwise the
golems are inert, acting only to defend themselves
from attack. Any character who makes a successful
DC 18 Intelligence (Religion) check recalls that it is
customary in some temples to knock on doors before
presenting oneself to the gods.
G21. Halls of Harpocrates
The double doors to area G16 swing shut silently if
not held open. The characters can knock from this
side to have one of the golems open the door. This
otherwise featureless hallway has three bronze
doors and three human-sized statues. The two
statues along the southern wall are of robed humans
covering their ears. The statue along the northern
wall is of a robed human with their index finger held
before their pursed lips.
If any sound is made within 15 feet of a statue, a
plague of locusts spews forth in a 15 foot radius from
the statues’ mouths. Any creature standing within
the locusts must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw, taking 4d10 slashing damage and 4d10 poison
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage
on a successful one. One round later the plague of
locusts retreats into the statues’ interior.
Assuming that they are trying to be quiet, a char-
acter must make a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check
everytime they take an action, including move
actions, near one of the statues. Upon failure, they
make enough inadvertent noise to trigger the trap.
G22. Font of Wondrous Draughts
This alchemical laboratory is dusty but otherwise
well preserved. Tables hold beakers and alembics
filled with the coagulated remnants of abandoned
experiments. Shelves hold treatises on potion
brewing and alchemical reactions. A brazier of
ever-burning coal is in the center of the room, near
a handful of other bizarre contraptions related to
brewsmithing such as a transmutation kiln.
There are ten sets of alchemist’s supplies, four
sets of brewer’s supplies, a set of tinker’s tools, and
five herbalism kits spread throughout the lab. Using
these supplies, as well as the treatises and the trans-
mutation kiln, a character who is proficient in alche-
mist’s supplies can attempt to brew a potion. A char-
acter can attempt to brew any potion (subject to the
DM’s approval) and doing so takes one hour. There
are enough supplies for five such attempts. Brewing
a potion requires an Intelligence check and the DC
depends on whether the potion is common (DC 10),
uncommon (DC 15), rare (DC 20), very rare (DC 25),
or legendary (DC 30).
If the characters search the room thoroughly, they
also find a small, palm-sized box of adamantine.
Opening the box reveals a small chunk of magical ice
known as ever-ice. Whenever the ice is exposed, the
air within twenty feet of it counts as extreme cold.
Water freezes, small cold-blooded creatures fall into
a torpor, and any creature exposed to the cold for
more than an hour must make a successful DC 10
Constitution saving throw or suffer a level of exhaus-
tion. Despite its name, ever-ice is not eternal and
melts after an accumulated five hours of exposure.
If the person carrying the ice ever takes 20 or more
hit points of fire damage, then the ice is destroyed,
regardless of whether or not it is exposed.
G23. Workshop for the Greater Good
There are five bloodstained tables in the center
of this alchemical workshop. There are manacles
set into the table that seem sized to hold a Small
creature. Next to the manacles are a dozen empty
syringes and a pile of giant rat bones. A locked cage
along the northern wall has the skeletons of five giant
rats. Next to it is a locked cabinet which contains
ten one-pound ingots of adamantine (worth 100
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
gp each). The locked cabinet can be forced open
with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check.
Alternatively, the lock can be picked by any character
proficient in thieves’ tools who makes a successful
DC 20 Dexterity check. Taking the adamantine ingots
triggers a curse (roll on the Deadly Curses table in
the sidebar earlier in this chapter).
Early residents of this temple routinely injected the
fountain waters from area G21 into rats to discern
their ever-changing properties. A family of giant lab
rats still lives within the workshop. The entrance
to their warren is hidden underneath a table and
can be discerned with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. The rats can be coaxed forth
from their warren by a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Animal Handling) check or comparable magic. If
a rat is injected with a potion or magical liquid that
has a positive effect, the rat appears invigorated. If
a rat is injected with a potion or magical liquid that
has a negative effect, the rat atrophies and falls into a
coma.
A magical summoning circle has been burned into
the corner of the room. This magical circle allows a
character to treat any spell they know that summons
or creates a creature as if it was a ritual. This prop-
erty can be discerned by any character that makes a
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
G24. The Disobedient Manservant
This small room has the statue of a human wearing
servants’ garb standing against the northern wall.
The statue can be heard muttering to itself about how
no one appreciates it or its hard work. Another giant-
sized door of platinum leads to the west. As before
the door is not locked but requires a successful DC
26 Strength (Athletics) check to open, due to its
sheer size and weight.
The statue is actually the petrified form of Ebu, a
real-life servant that over time has learned to talk.
Ebu was a servant of this temple, many centuries ago,
but was stubborn and disobedient, often ignoring
the orders of the priests. He was eventually turned
to stone as punishment for his stubbornness and left
as a warning for the other servants. Ebu knows a
magical phrase that can be used to open any of the
temple’s giant-sized doors but is reluctant to share
it with anyone who asks, accusing them of trying
to get him to do their work. Ebu can be persuaded
into revealing the phrase with a successful DC 13
Charisma (Persuasion) check. The magical phrase is
“Heron.”
If the characters cure Ebu’s petrification, he is
delighted and gives them a happy, ecstatic hug. The
manservant dutifully trails them throughout the
81
 temple, offering to assist with the most minor of tasks
and providing information regarding each room.
Ebu refuses to leave the temple, however, fearful that
doing so will anger the gods.
G25. Chamber of Sacred Fountains
There are five grandiose fountains in the southern
half of this room. Two of the fountains have clear light
blue water, whereas two of them spout opaque violet
liquid. A fifth fountain, situated between the other
four, spews forth liquid flame. The walls of the room
are covered with intricate carvings that sparkle with
gold and platinum accents. A massive rug of exquisite
artsmanship covers the northern half of the room.
These sacred fountains bubble with magical liquid.
The properties of each fountain changes periodi-
cally. Drinking the liquid from a fountain currently
produces the following effect:
First Blue Fountain. The character must make a
successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw or have
their hit points reduced to zero and all of their spell
slots expended.
Second Blue fountain. The character gains the
benefit of a long rest. If the character is at full hit
points, then they also gain 3d6 temporary hit points.
First Violet Fountain. The character triggers 1d4
curses (See area G1).
Second Violet Fountain. The character gains the
benefit of the bless spell until they next finish a short
or long rest.
Fountain of Flame. Any creature that enters or
ends its turn in the fountain of flames takes 2d6 fire
damage. The fountain has no other mystical prop-
erties. It was erected as a tribute to Firaz Azar, the
Flame that Flies (see area G26) as well as to provide
elemental balance within the temple.
Other than divination magic or experimentation
(see area G20) there is no way to determine the
properties of a particular fountain, short of drinking
its waters. If a creature drinking the waters receives a
beneficial effect, they can’t do so again for a tenday.
The rug is beautifully made, meticulously woven by
seven generations of master artisans. It is an unmis-
takable work of art worth 5,000 gp. However, it is ten
feet by fifteen feet and weighs three hundred pounds,
making it extremely difficult to transport. Taking it
triggers a curse (roll on the Deadly Curses table in
the sidebar earlier in this chapter). The carvings
depict the citizens of Har’akir worshiping various,
animal-headed gods. The gold and platinum accents
are worth 200 gp if removed from the wall, although
doing so triggers a curse.
82 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
G26. Sacred Shrine of
the Flame that Flies
This room is painted in vibrant reds and oranges
that twist and twine like wisps of dancing fire. Raised
steps lead to a gargantuan brazier filled with roaring,
crackling flames. There are four small platforms
of raised marble in the room. Tribute has been laid
upon each of these platforms. The tribute includes:
First Platform. A helm of brilliance.
Second Platform. A staff of fire.
Third Platform. A sunblade. Firaz Azar is a proud
and ancient phoenix,
Fourth Platform. An eversmoking bottle, a lantern immovable in its convictions
of revealing, and 1000 gp.
Fiery Wrath of the Phoenix
If any item is taken from a platform, the characters
must make a successful DC 18 Wisdom saving throw
or be cursed to fail their next three death saving
throws. Immediately thereafter, all items from the
remaining platforms are consumed by fire. Walls of
fire, as per the wall of fire spell, rise to block the exits
from the room. A gargantuan bird with burning red
plumage rises from the room’s brazier. Firaz Azar, the
Flame that Flies, roars in outrage, “PUNY THIEVES,
VERMINOUS BEGGARS, YOUR FLESH WILL
MELT FOR THIS SACRILEGE” before attacking.
Firaz Azar has the statistics of a roc with the
following changes:
J It is immune to fire damage.
J It has the following additional trait:
Heated Body. A creature that touches Firaz Azar or hits
it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 9
(2d8) fire damage.
J It has the following additional action: this the character must make a successful DC 18
tribute has great religious or sentimental value, or Intelligence (Religion) check as well as a successful
Sirocco. Firaz Azar beats its wings to create a seething
hot wind in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area a monetary value of more than 1,000 gp, then Firaz DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check. There are enough
Azar is pleased. Assuming that she has not been supplies in the chamber for two such attempts. Any
must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63
(18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much slain, each character loses 1d4 randomly determined successfully created mummy follows the commands
damage on a successful one. curses. They also receive the Blessing of the Phoenix. of its creator and lasts for 1d4 days before eventually
Blessing of the Phoenix. If you fail a death saving decomposing into uselessness.
Unquenchable Charity of the Phoenix throw, you can choose to succeed instead (no
If a character examines the brazier, they find the action required). When you do so you are briefly G28. Barge
following inscription: surrounded by benign flames. Once used, this This large room is well constructed and architec-
GAZE IN AWE UPON THE RELICS AND blessing fades. turally grand, with a vaulted ceiling and decorative
WEALTH OF FIRAZ AZAR, THE FLAME THAT arches, although the interior walls of the chamber
FLIES. PLACE YOUR TRIBUTE WITHIN THE G27. Preparations for a seem more plain in construction. Any character that
FLAMES, IF YOU WOULD SEEK HER BLESSING. Rich and Bountiful Afterlife examines the interior walls notice that the mortared,
Any tribute placed within the brazier is instantly This is a mummy preparation chamber. There is a marble blocks look newer than those elsewhere, as if
incinerated. If the tribute is meaningless or holds cabinet filled with surgical hooks, bandages, canopic the walls were added somewhat recently. Any char-
no value, then the flames explode in a great confla- jars, ointments, wines, and spices. There are three acter with a mining kit can spend an hour to carve
gration, inflicting 8d8 fire damage to all characters slabs and two workstations. If a character has access a hole through the interior walls. Alternatively, a five
standing within twenty feet of the brazier. If the to the intact corpse of a humanoid, they can attempt foot square of wall has AC 15, 25 hit points, and
to transform that humanoid into a mummy. To do immunity to poison and psychic damage.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS 83
 Behind the interior walls is a well preserved funeral
barge, sitting atop a raised granite platform. The boat
is made from sycamore. Its deck is unadorned other
than a bronze plaque which reads:
THE TALE OF THE PRIESTESS NEPHRITI
A CAUTIONARY PARABLE
Once there was a priestess, common in all ways except
for her unsurpassing beauty, gifted unto her by the
gods she served. As her beauty blossomed, she began
to increasingly shirk her duties. Instead, she would
spend her days gazing into the temple’s many foun-
tains so that she might see her reflection. Offended by
her self-idolatry, the gods turned her into a fish so that
she might spend her years beneath the waves, unable
to gaze ever again upon her reflection.
If the characters enter the hull of the barge they
find that its floor is made entirely from glass. Looking
through the glass the characters see a strange,
undersea kingdom populated by schools of small,
phosphorescent fish. A minute after entering the
hull, a large fish with iridescent scales and unsur-
passing beauty swims up to gaze at the characters.
The fish bats her fishy eyelashes as she watches the
characters with undisguised interest. The fish is the
transformed priestess Nephriti. Anytime a character
looks upon her they must make a successful DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or spend their turn incapaci-
tated as they gaze lovingly upon Nephriti. The char-
acter can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
of their turns, ending the effect upon a success.
No sound can pass through the glass floor. Even if
sound could pass through the glass, Nephriti nowa-
days has the intellect of a common fish. Because of
this she can only communicate using magic such as
the speak with animals spell. If the characters use
a mirror or reflective surface to show Nephriti her
reflection, she gazes at it for a long moment before
turning away. She gives the characters a slight, fishy
smile before then swimming off contentedly. Each
character can remove 1d4 randomly determined
curses.
The glass floor has AC 5, a damage threshold of 15,
10 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic
damage. If broken, the characters can access a water-
filled shaft that descends for five hundred feet. At the
bottom of the shaft is a crude idol of what appears to
be a giant-sized version of Nephriti. Scattered about
the idol are a pile of pearls worth a total of 2,000 gp
in total. Taking these pearls triggers a curse (roll on
the table in the Deadly Curses sidebar).
84 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
G29. Great Underground Desert
The dry heat of the temple is at its most prominent
J The sand kraken has the following action:
Submerge. One Medium or smaller creature grap-
Black Obelisk
pled by the sand kraken is pulled beneath the sand.
within this room. Its walls have collapsed, giving If the creature has had its breath crushed from its A fifteen-foot black obelisk of cracked, glowing stone
access to the Great Underground Desert. The Great lungs, it begins to suffocate. It can survive for a rises from the sands of the desert. Within the obelisk
Underground Desert is a sea of sand that stretches number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier can be seen the beginning of a staircase that leads
for hundreds of miles connecting the many tombs (minimum of 1 round) before being reduced to 0 hit down into the sands of the desert.
and temples of Har’akir. The desert’s ceiling is thou- points. Submerged creatures have disadvantage on
sands of feet overhead, far out of sight of the charac-
any checks to escape their grappled condition. G30. Lair of the Necrosphinx
ters. There is not a single speck of naturally occur- The sand kraken initially splits its attacks between The staircase leads down for hundreds of feet. Any
ring light, although a glowing purple obelisk can be the characters and the jackalweres, although the careless footsteps echo ominously as the characters
seen roughly a mile into the desert. jackalweres flee as soon as possible. Should the char- finish their descent. Once they reach the bottom of
the stairs (marked E on the map) read or paraphrase
After the characters have traveled half a mile, a acters flee as well, the sand kraken chooses to pursue
strange wind begins to blow across the dunes. If whichever group is the largest. the following:
Tz’graz is with the characters, she crouches in antic-
ipation of danger. The sand begins to dance beneath
the ever-building wind. Finally the wind turns into
a hurricane, blowing sand everywhere. Growls and
hoots echo from the sand storm, as more than a
dozen humanoid creatures charge the characters.
The assault force is a tribe of twenty jackalweres
(unaligned with Tz’graz’s tribe). The jackalweres
wear layers of heavy clothing that protect them from
the sand storm. But any characters who do not wear
similar clothing take 1d8 slashing damage at the start
of their turn from the sand storm. The sand storm
will last for five rounds and while it persists the area
is heavily obscured. At the end of the second round of
combat read or paraphrase the following:
A vast tentacle thrusts up from the sand, coiling about
one of the jackalweres. There is the sound of bone
pulverizing, as blood spurts everywhere. There is then
a second tentacle that begins lashing about just inches
from where you are standing.
The tentacles belong to a submerged sand kraken.
A sand kraken has the same statistics as a juvenile
kraken (appendix B) with the following changes:
J It has three-quarters cover.
J It has a walking speed of 20 ft. and a burrow
speed of 50 ft.
J Whenever a creature begins their turn grappled
by a tentacle, they take 2d6 bludgeoning damage
and must make a successful DC 20 Constitution
saving throw or have the breath crushed from
their lungs.
J The sand kraken does not have the Lightning
Strike action or Legendary Actions.
J Its Multiattack is replaced by the following:
Multiattack. The sand kraken makes three tentacle
attacks, each of which it can replace with a use of
Submerge.
CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS 85

The staircase opens into a small tomb made from
blocks of crumbling obsidian. Mounds of ceramic
coins fill the chamber. Amidst the coins can be seen
small chests brimming with sparkling gemstones. It
is unbearably cold within the tomb. It is eerily quiet
as well and, for the moment, all you can hear is the
sound of your own breathing and the beating of your
own heart. Slowly in the dark you make out something.
A leering, feral grin. The grin is attached to a bleached
skull that has strips of dried flesh hanging from it. The
humanoid skull is attached to the rotting body of a
lion. Decomposing wings, made from putrid molting
feathers, flap lazily as the skull’s grin widens. “It’s been
so long since I’ve had the pleasure of company. Would
you like to play a game?”
The creature is Alhazred, a necrosphinx (appendix
B; marked by an N on the map). The necrosphinx
challenges the characters to a riddling contest, prom-
ising the characters that they can each pick a trea-
sure of their choice and leave safely if they correctly
solve three riddles. What the characters do not know
is that it has been centuries since Alhazred has
feasted and he is currently a shell of his former self.
Currently he has only 150 hit points and disadvan-
tage on all attack rolls and saving throws. However,
the necrosphinx rejuvenates every time a creature
answers one of his riddles.
If the characters agree to the riddle contest,
then Alhazred begins with the following riddle,
“I am hot and red. I can be used to cook
food but also can burn down a forest.”
The necrosphinx begrudgingly
congratulates the characters if
they answer with fire. Any
character who makes a
86 CHAPTER 7 PLOW THE CURSED SANDS
successful DC 15 Insight (Wisdom) check (made
with disadvantage due to Alhazred’s Inscrutable trait)
discerns the faintest hint of a smile. Alhazred no
longer has disadvantage on all attack rolls and saving
throws.
The second riddle is, “I am what happens when
water freezes and becomes solid. I am what icicles
are made from.” If the characters answer with the
word ice, then the necrosphinx again dourly congrat-
ulates them. Any character who makes a successful
DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check (made with disad-
vantage due to Alhazred’s Inscrutable trait) notices
that the necrosphinx seems invigorated with the
answered question, gaining in substance and form.
Alhazred now has full hit points.
After a brief pause to collect itself Alhazred
pounces, hoping to feed upon the characters. By
not asking them a third riddle, he reasons that he
cannot be bound by their agreement. As he attacks
he roars, “Foolish mortals, what can stand in the
face of death?” Although this taunt is not intended
as a riddle, if the characters answer it as if it was
with an earnest answer such as history, or love, then
the necrosphinx stops short, bound by its bargain.
Otherwise, the necrosphinx fights to the death.
There are more than 100,000 ceramic coins
scattered throughout the tomb. This is a king’s
fortune within the domain of Har’akir, but worth-
less elsewhere. There is an additional 30,000 gp in
gemstones, although a curse is triggered for every
10,000 gp worth of gemstones that is plundered.
The scalp of Vecna can be
found preserved within a
ceramic urn. A stone
tablet is visible within
the mounds of coins,
although its writing
is face down. If
turned over the tablet
has the phrase ‘4th’
followed by the picture of a
dragon.
Once the scalp has
been recovered Skeever
bounces about excitedly,
encouraging the characters to
leave this “hot, nasty place” and
return to Castle Avernus.
With a soul darker than the shadows
gripping Moil, Alhazred’s
cruelty truly knows no bounds
CHAPTER 8
A Skeleton in the Closet
After obtaining at least one Vecnan relic, Skeever offers to few minutes of wandering, the characters notice
take the characters to the domain of Cavitius. Unknown to two prominent locales: the Temple of Vecna and the
the players, the Darklord Azalin has absorbed Cavitius into
Palace of Vecna.
his own domain of Darkon. Through his imp Skeever Azalin
has manipulated the characters into gathering and bringing The Temple of Vecna is located within the inner
him Vecnan relics so that the Darklord might use them to wall of the skull, between the eyes. Stairs within the
open a portal that leads out of Ravenloft. After dealing with interior of the skull lead up to the temple, which has
Azalin, one way or another, the characters escape Ravenloft
and return home.
been built into the wall of the skull. Like the rest of
the city, the vaulted temple is empty of both furnish-
ings and creatures. From this vantage point, however,
the characters may attempt a DC 15 Intelligence
(Arcana) check to discern that the eyes of the skull
nce the characters have obtained are filled with swirling pools of necrotic energy. Any
at least one Vecnan body part, character who comes in contact with this energy is
they can decide that it is time affected by a disintegrate spell.
to visit Citadel Cavitius, Vecna’s The Palace of Vecna is described below.
former domain. Skeever is happy
to use his mistwalking powers to accommodate this. For more details on Citadel Cavitius, including
As the characters plunge one last time into the mist, its surrounding domain, see Ulraunt’s Guide to the
read or paraphrase the following: Planes: The Shadowfell.
You trudge through the mists long enough that all
sense of time dissolves. Moments, or perhaps years,
roll away until you finally see the silhouette of a large
mound in the distance. It grows closer and closer still
until it appears as an impossibly huge skull, ready
to eat you whole. The mists thin out, although they
never quite dissipate until you find yourself staring at
a giant, bleached skull towering over you like a small
mountain.
A winding road leads its way through the skull’s gaping
maw. . .
As the characters get closer to the skull, they may
attempt a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to
discern that the skull is in fact built from billions
of bones, seamlessly fused together. Those bold
enough to enter the maw of the skull find themselves
emerging into a city built within the skull’s interior.
Crystalline, skull-shaped lights cast strange
shadows amidst the swirling ever-present
mists. Everything within the city, including the
roads, seem to also be made from billions of
fused bones.
An occasional zombie, dressed in the
fashion of Darkon, can be seen shambling
noiselessly through the streets. At the
DM’s discretion creatures made from dark,
swirling mist known as mist stalkers (use
Citadel Cavitius is an eerie
the statistics for wraiths) might be found within and imposing sight to behold
abandoned buildings. Otherwise, the city appears
eerily abandoned and deathly silent. After just a
CHAPTER 8 A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET 87
 Palace of Vecna
Within the center of the city is a fearsome structure
that bears a striking resemblance to a hand, with
five towers jutting from its top like the fingers of an
upraised palm. Whereas most of the fortress appears
to be built from the same bone as the rest of Cavitius,
the central tower is a deep black spire that rises as
high as the eye can see. Dark stone doors lead into
the palace’s interior.
H1. Throne Room
Mists continue to swirl within this grand circular
chamber. Dark impenetrable clouds writhe thirty
feet overhead, obscuring the ceiling from sight. At
the far end of the room, raised steps lead to a great
throne that juts forward from a carving of a gigantic
spider web. Everything, from the throne to the walls,
is bleached white, as if the coiling mists have leached
away every last bit of color.
Any character who flies into the dark clouds finds
themselves quickly disoriented. Within minutes they
emerge back into the throne room.
The throne is an exact replica of the Spider Throne
used by Vecna in his mortal days. If a character sits
within the chair they feel their awareness dispersed
throughout the palace. They now know the layout of
the first floor, including the location of the stairwell
in area H5. However, they also feel a cold sense of
oblivion, knowing instinctively that the mists are
slowly dissolving Cavitius. The character must make
a successful DC 18 Charisma saving throw or gain
one level of dissolution (see sidebar).
After a character sits on the throne, four vaguely
humanoid creatures coalesce within the mist. These
creatures moan plaintively, “you do not belong here”
before attacking. These creatures are mist walkers
(appendix B). Anytime a mist walker from the Palace
of Vecna hits a creature with its Life Drain attack,
the target must make a successful DC 14 Charisma
saving throw or gain one level of dissolution (see the
Dissolution sidebar).
H2. Throne Room
Three rooms line this entry hall. The rooms are
scoured clean, filled with sterile white mist that coils
about benches, tables, and chairs. In the past these
rooms were used by the citizens of the domain to
make petitions. Once the characters are halfway
through the entry hall, each room spawns 1d4 mist
walkers (appendix B) that pursue the characters. At
this point it is suggested that characters roll initiative
and that this initiative order remain in use until the
characters exit the first floor.
88 CHAPTER 8 A SKELETON IN
H4. Inner Hall
This inner hallway is flanked by three barracks.
with hooks and depressions where bodies and skulls
are mounted. Any character who fought the war
machine in Tovag notes obvious similarities.
These barracks are filled with empty, sheetless beds
Dissolution and wooden chests. If a character spends a round A staircase leads up to the citadel’s second level.
The Dark Powers are working to dissolve Cavitius. The searching a room, they find a chest with 1,000 gp and The mist is at its thickest in this room, as if trying
characters, during their time within the realm, might a +2 mace, although all subsequent rooms are empty. to prevent the characters’ escape. Within the mist
find themselves caught up in this process, gaining levels lurks twelve mist walkers, all of which attack the
of dissolution. The greater restoration spell can be used As soon as the characters enter the inner hall, 1d6
to remove one level of dissolution. The levels have the mist walkers spawn within each barracks and begin characters. A character can seek refuge within one of
following effects: to march towards the characters in tight, military the war machines, although it takes 10 feet of move-
1. Color and vibrancy begins to fade from the character. formation. These mist walkers look like armored ment to do so. The unfinished war machines lack
Their thoughts drift and their personality weakens. There guards, and they yell ominously at the characters, locomotion; however, inside of them can be found a
are no associated mechanical disadvantages. lever. A character can pull the lever as a free action.
threatening to execute them for their trespasses.
2. All color bleeds from the character and their posses- If they do so, the skulls and bodies surrounding the
sions, and they begin to become insubstantial. All While in the inner hall, on initiative count 20, the
machine emit a terrible shriek, heard more with the
weapon attacks inflict half damage. The character’s hungry mists turn unnaturally cold, draining life from
movement speed is halved, although they gain a fly
soul than the ears. All creatures within fifty feet of
the characters. Each character must make a DC 14
speed of 20 ft. (hover). the war machine must make a DC 15 Constitution
Constitution saving throw. The character takes 6d6
3. The character now has a misty translucence, making saving throw. On a failure, a creature drops to 0 hit
cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a
them difficult to see and giving them advantage on points (or dissipates into mist, in the case of the mist
successful one.
Stealth checks. The character cannot inflict damage walkers). On a success, a creature takes 6d6 psychic
with weapon attacks. Their movement is reduced to 0, H5. Infernal Garage damage. Each wagon can use this effect once.
although they retain a fly speed of 20 ft. (hover).
This huge workshop was where Vecnan engineers The fog within this room is tinged red, as if
4. The character dissipates completely, dissolving into a once worked on the construction of fearsome war angry. Characters feel a slight burn as they move
thin mist that disperses throughout Cavitius. They can
only regain their form through the use of a wish spell.
machines. These machines, powered by tortured through the mists’ wet, caustic caress. On initiative
bodies and captured souls, were then used in Vecna’s count 1, each character must make a successful
war with the forces of Tovag. Five such war machines DC 10 Charisma saving throw or gain one level of
are currently lined up within the garage. They are dissolution.
The mist walkers take the form of petitioners and juggernauts shaped from slabs of stone, and covered
beg the characters to stop and listen to their griev-
ances. Despite these pleas, the mist walkers attack if
given the opportunity.
H3. Dining Hall
This long dining hall is bereft of not only color but
sound as well. Even more eerie is the complete and
total absence of the smells one would expect within
such a cafeteria. Three lecture halls adjoin the dining
hall. Each of these lecture halls has a podium and
benches, but little else. If a character spends a round
searching one of these rooms, there is a 50 percent
chance that they find a magic item (Roll on Magic
Item Table G in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s
Guide).
As soon as the characters enter the dining hall, 1d4
mist walkers spawn within each lecture hall and
begin to immediately pursue the characters. These
mist walkers look like robed humanoids. In a slow,
haunting voice, they demand that the characters
submit and sacrifice themselves to Vecna.
While in the dining hall, on initiative count 20,
tentacles of mist rise from the floor and attempt to
grab the characters. Each character must succeed on
a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 blud-
geoning damage and be restrained until the end of
their next turn.
THE CLOSET CHAPTER 8 A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET 89
 The mist walkers do not pursue the characters up
the staircase. Azalin has mystically warded the upper You pass through an archway carved to resemble a
levels of the fortress, making it safe for the characters pair of striking serpents. Beyond the archway is a large
room filled with a swirling vortex of magical energy, a
should they make it this far. brilliant and nightmarish sea of color and lightning. As
H6. Upper Stories your eyes adjust to its intensity, you hear a low gravelly
voice from behind you.
The echoing upper halls of the palace are filled with “Do not let the colors fool you. The portal is sealed
the same mist that pervades throughout Cavitius. shut. For now.”
Room after room is utterly empty until the characters Turning around you see a lone, robed figure silhou-
reach the top of the Black Tower (For more details on
etted in the hallway behind you. Skeever shrieks
the upper levels of the palace see Die Vecna Die!) At aloud, “Master! Master!”, flying on batlike wings to
the top of the Black Tower can be found two rooms
containing murals that provide additional details to
the silhouette. The silhouette speaks again, “Yes, my
impish familiar. You have done well, bringing these
guests to our doorstep.” Skever smiles with true joy in
Vecna’s back story (appendix A). Also atop the Black response.
Tower can be found Vecna’s abandoned throne room.
The figure floats forward with an otherworldly determi-
Once the characters enter the throne room, read, or nation, as if nothing could hold it back, filling you with
paraphrase the following: an eerie sensation. The figure’s red robes are obviously
crafted from the finest fabrics, but what is certain to be
centuries has long since turned them into a torn and
tattered shadow of their former selves, now unfit to
provide any sort of protection against temperature or
weather. A withered torso is visible beneath the robes
and a gaunt arm clutches a scepter, while a jeweled
crown rests atop the figure’s head.
The sinister figure is Azalin Rex (appendix B). He
is currently protected by a globe of invulnerability. If
attacked, he defends himself with his Negate Spell
and Petrified Retribution reactions but does not
attack in return. Instead, he attempts to parlay with
the characters, introducing himself while assuring
them that they are united against a common enemy.
Azalin is always thoughtful and slow to talk. He is a
strategic genius who has likely been observing the
characters for days. He acts and speaks accordingly.
Skeever sits near Azalin looking at the characters,
nodding as his master speaks. If the characters ask
Skeever, he explains Azalin to be the wisest in all
Azalin Rex, Wizard-King
and Darklord of Darkon
90 CHAPTER 8 A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
existence and that the characters would do well to
hear him out. If pressed, he will also divulge that even
with how powerful they are, the characters can’t with-
stand Azalin’s wrath; they should instead consider
themselves fortunate his master has use of them.
Azalin is willing to share the following information
regarding Vecna:
“Long ago the so-called lich lord was betrayed by his
closest lieutenant, Kas the Destroyer. Once imprisoned
within Ravenloft Vecna thought that his curse was to
wage an eternal war against Kas, but I conjecture that
he was wrong. He is arrogant, but rightly so. In terms
of power and intellect, he has no equal. But predict-
ably, the one-eyed fool has a blind spot. I believe that,
despite escaping Ravenloft, he still bears his curse,
and that curse is to always be betrayed by those that
are closest to him.”
At this point Azalin gives the characters an aged
scroll (see the handout in appendix C), encouraging
them to read it at a later time. The scroll is in fact
a page magically removed from the first tome of
the stilled tongue, which Vecna kept as a personal
journal for a time.
Azalin is also willing to divulge the following
information:
J Cavitius has gone dormant since Vecna’s escape,
slowly deteriorating over time. Through powerful
magic Azalin has been able to absorb Cavitius
into Darkon. Azalin does not know it, but as a
byproduct of this absorption, Darkon is dete-
riorating as well. Azalin is visibly shocked and
dismayed if this is brought to his attention.
J The vortex of energy is a permanent tear in the
fabric of Ravenloft, created when Vecna made
his escape years ago. It can serve as a portal to
whatever world Vecna currently resides upon, in
this case Toril.
J The portal is currently sealed shut. However,
Azalin knows of a ritual that can open the portal.
Completion of the ritual requires a Vecnan body
part.
J Azalin has a written copy of the ritual that he
willingly provides the characters, encouraging
them to perform it. If any of the characters are
spellcasters, they recognize that the ritual is a
complex spell that will push them to the limits of
their mastery. In the absence of any spellcasters,
the ritual is simply a set of instructions that can
be precisely followed by any character.
If the characters ask why Azalin is unwilling to
complete the ritual himself, he willingly reveals that
his curse prevents him from learning or casting new
CHAPTER 8 A SKELETON IN THE CLOSET
magic, including this ritual. As such, he must rely on
the characters to perform the ceremony. He prefers
not to discuss his own ulterior motive, which is to use
the activated portal to escape Ravenloft. However,
if pressed, he reveals this information honestly. He
suggests that the characters have little choice in the
matter, since he possesses the only copy of the ritual
needed to activate the portal. If any characters were
dissolved into mist, then Azalin offers to use a wish
spell to bring them back as added leverage.
Cut and Run
If a character willingly completes the grueling, hour-
long ceremony, then they are immediately afflicted
by two levels of exhaustion. Read or paraphrase the
following:
With the completion of the ritual, a portal opens within
the swirling maelstrom of energy. The portal takes the
shape of a glowing eye. Azalin’s face, illuminated by
the wild kaleidoscope of color, beams in triumph. “At
last! At last, I am free of this dismal prison.” At these
words, the lich begins to step towards the portal.
If the characters do not stop Azalin, he steps
through the portal. It is left to the DM’s discretion
whether the lich escapes to plague Toril, or whether
his efforts are thwarted by the Dark Powers. The
characters can attempt to persuade Azalin to stay
behind, reminding him of his duty as ruler of Darkon
and pointing out how his actions have brought about
the domain’s destruction. Such attempts require a
successful DC 25 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If
this fails, then the characters will have to physically
stop him, and combat ensues. Azalin attempts to
put on a convincing show but allows the characters
to destroy him. He is uncertain of whether killing
the characters will close the portal and prefers not
to take his chances. Assuming the characters are
carrying his phylactery (see area E6), he hopes that
he might be unknowingly carried through the portal
after his apparent defeat.
One way or another, after stepping through the
portal, the characters are transported back to Toril.
The portal attempts to transport the characters
directly to Vecna’s seat of power in Waterdeep.
However, Vecna has warded Waterdeep against such
magics and so the characters emerge a hundred
miles north of Waterdeep, along the edge of the High
Road. Escaping Cavitius, the characters lose all levels
of dissolution.
From here it is an uneventful three-day journey
north along the High Road to return to Thornhold.
91
 CHAPTER 9
No Longer Eye to Eye
The characters find a trap waiting for them when they return
to Thornhold. Their former employer, Xanathar, has been
transformed into a death tyrant loyal to Vecna. After de-
feating Xanathar, the characters find the beholder’s notes.
These notes detail Xanathar’s plans to recruit allies and de-
feat Vecna.
ecna was not idle while the char-
acters ventured throughout
Ravenloft. Given time, the Lord of
Secrets was able to ascertain that
Xanathar has been the source of
recent turmoil. After doing so, he dispatched a group
of liches to eradicate the eye tyrant. As a warning to
others who might consider resisting Vecna’s reign,
the liches razed Thornhold, capturing Xanathar in
the process. The liches then performed hideous
rituals upon the beholder, turning them into a death
tyrant loyal to Vecna.
When the characters return to Thornhold read or
paraphrase the following:
The last few miles of your journey have been miser-
able. Brackish mud pulls at your every footstep.
Buzzing swarms of insects hound you relentlessly and
damp, drizzly mist has soaked you to the bone. It is
because of this mist that you didn’t notice, until just
now, that the crumbling fortress of Thornhold has
fallen into a sprawling pile of slime-caked rubble.
Allow the characters a minute or two before
reading or paraphrasing:
You see a silhouette drifting towards you through the
mist. A large floating orb, with waving eyestalks, it is
unmistakably Xanathar. Except. . . something about
it seems off. The floating body scrapes carelessly
against the ground, and the eyestalks hang like limp,
dead weeds. The dead voice that issues forth from the
eye tyrant lacks any semblance of humor or life and
is, instead, moaning and monotonous, “There is no
hope. . . There is no resistance. . . There is only Vecna.”
If you have access to Rise Of Vecna, then consider
using the provided map of Xanathar’s lair. Otherwise,
the eye tyrant awaits the characters within the ruins
of Thornhold, guarded by ten zombies and two
zombie driders. A zombie drider uses the statistics
for a drider with the following changes:
92 CHAPTER 9 NO LONGER EYE TO EYE
Sylgar
J It is Undead.
J It is immune to poison damage and the poisoned
condition.
J It can’t cast spells.
J It has the following additional trait:
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie
drider to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution
saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken,
unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit.
On a success, the zombie drider drops to 1 hit point
instead.
During combat Xanathar repeatedly praises Vecna,
condemning those foolish enough to resist the arch-
lich’s dominion.
Should the characters defeat Xanathar, they soon
notice a bit of furtive movement amidst the wreckage
of Thornhold. Ott Steeltoes (CE male dwarf cultist)
emerges from the rubble. Ott tended to Sylgar,
Xanathar’s beloved pet goldfish. The dwarf proved
inconsequential enough to escape the notice of
Vecna’s liches. He has been hiding ever since, scared
to move lest he arouse the ire of his former master.
Through it all Ott managed to keep Sylgar alive.
He also managed to salvage a ledger containing
Xanathar’s notes. At this point Ott hopes to travel
to Leilon and settle there. He is scared that keeping
Sylgar will make him an eventual target for Vecna, so
he attempts to persuade the characters into taking
care of the fish. Ott also gives the characters the
pilfered ledger. The ledger is labeled, “XANATHAR’S
GUIDE TO SAVING THE WORLD”.
Xanathar's Guide to
Saving the World
With Xanathar slain the characters are now in
control of their own destiny. Equipped with Vecnan
body parts from Ravenloft, it is now time for them
to consider bringing the fight to Vecna’s doorstep.
Before doing so, however, they would be wise to seek
outside aid and allies. Such attempts are limited only
by the scope of their imagination; however, four possi-
bilities are described in chapters 10 through 13.
Notes from the Ledger. The ledger is filled with
notes scribbled telekinetically by the eye tyrant over
the last month. The notes are written in Common.
They are largely a product of the beholder’s rampant
paranoia and, as such, are inscrutable. However,
there is a section labeled “ASSETS” which contains
the following information:
J Dwarves!! Need more dwarves! Sloopidoop tells
me they are trapped in the Elemental Plane of
Earth. Send minions to Triboar to speak with
Hellenrae and find out more.
J Vecna is in Waterdeep but how to get in? Can
One-Eyed Jax get into Waterdeep? Port Llast on
the next new moon. Note to self: Have minions
pick up spices.
J Need more bribery money. Alliance with
Tiamat???? Send henchpersons just in case it
doesn’t work out. Seek Rezmir in Leilon.
J How to get into Vecna’s magic tower?? Lots of
magic death traps. Maybe Halaster will help??
Have tracked down Durnan to the Stone Hill Inn
in Phandalin.
J Will need distraction to get into the magic
tower. Gather a war council and make an army?
Promote myself to General?
Each bullet point is more fully described in chap-
ters 10 through 13. Your characters can complete as
many or as few of these quests as they like, and in
any order; however, if you are going to have the char-
acters search for the dwarves, it is suggested that you
do that chapter first, as it sets up a base of operations
for the characters. You can guide characters towards
(or away from) certain options by having them labeled
as “High Priority” or “Low Priority”. Of course, you
can also supplement or replace any of these quests
with quests of your own choosing. For example, if
you own Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, you
might consider having the characters explore the
Necropolis of Ythryn in hopes of securing a magical
spindle that can be used to suppress Vecna’s magic
(area Y19N in Rime of the Frostmaiden).
CHAPTER 9 NO LONGER EYE TO EYE
After your group has completed as many side
missions as desired proceed to chapter 14 where
they will begin the process of sneaking into
Waterdeep and finally confronting the archlich Vecna.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To aDvanCe one level aFTer
reCoveringXanaTHar’s guiDe To saving THe WorlD.
Encounters on the Road
At this level the characters are not likely to be both-
ered by the mundane hazards of travel such as
fording rivers, food management, or pesky bands
of goblins. Because of this you may consider fast
tracking such travel. Regardless of whether you do
this, here are some encounters that add context and
color to the apocalyptic world in which the characters
now live. Generic battle maps are included with all
the other battle maps in a zipped folder.
An Elemental Quandary
During their travels the characters pass through a
small collection of farms. Smoke still rises from the
recently burned crops. This destruction was inflicted
by an adult red dragon, at the behest of the Cult
of the Dragon, after the farmers proved unable to
provide “sufficient tribute” for Tiamat.
When the characters arrive there are two cultists
of the Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye, accompanied
by a water elemental and an earth elemental. The
cultists are offering to restore the decimated fields,
but only if the farmers give them four children (one
for each of the elements) to foster as wards and
raise in the ways of the Elemental Eye. The farmers
are aghast at the deal, but desperate enough to
follow through. If the characters offer, the cultists
are willing to restore the lands for a tribute of 500
gp or greater. Alternatively they can be persuaded to
accept only two children as wards, if the characters
make a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion or
Intimidation) check.
Deadly Foes
As the characters’ power has grown, so too has their
notoriety, gaining them the notice of Vecna. Consider
using any of the following encounters during over-
land travel to reinforce the idea that it is only a matter
of time until they are found and overwhelmed by
Vecna and his many minions:
An Officer but not a Gentleman. A death knight
leading a small Zhentarim troop of twenty veterans
accosts the characters as they travel a main road,
trying to extort them for money. Unless the charac-
ters take precautions to disguise themselves, the
death knight recognizes them and attacks.
93
 A Thickheaded Forerunner. One of the enigmatic
Skulls from Skullport (see area K2 in chapter 14 for
statistics) is dispatched by Vecna to track down and
eliminate the characters. It finds them just as they
are setting up camp and attacks. If the characters
vanquish the skull but remain in that spot, they are
attacked five hours later by a lich and four wraiths.
Dangerous Game. The Grim Hunter (appendix B)
is dispatched to track down and kill the characters.
He shadows them for a week, trying to learn as much
about them as possible before picking a strategic
opportunity to pick them off one at a time.
Lord of Fangs. Lord Haroln, a warrior vampire,
and one of Vecna’s most loyal servants, tracks the
characters down to whatever town they are passing
through. He is accompanied by four vampire spawn.
Lord Haroln confronts the characters publicly, having
his vampire spawn kill innocent bystanders if it
appears the characters are about to flee. If defeated
but not slain, the vampire lord continues to relent-
lessly hunt the characters.
Lord Haroln is just one
of the many menaces
the characters might face
94 CHAPTER 9 NO LONGER EYE TO EYE
Walking Cataclysm. If the characters have a
town or city that they frequent, such as Triboar, then
Vecna sends a zombie tarrasque to destroy the city
as punishment for harboring the characters. This
mutilated undead monstrosity is missing its left hand
and left eye. The characters receive urgent word
from one of their contacts within the city that the
slow-moving tarrasque will reach the city within five
days. A zombie tarrasque has the same statistics as
a tarrasque except that it is Undead, can make only
a single Claw attack with its Multiattack action, and
has the following additional trait:
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie
tarrasque to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution
saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken,
unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On
a success, the zombie tarrasque drops to 1 hit point
instead.
Young Outside, Dead Inside. The characters
attract the attention of Innova, a lich that has adopted
the form of a six-year-old girl. Innova arranges to be
discovered in the wilderness, pretending to be lost.
She then ambushes the characters at the most oppor-
tune time. Innova’s phylactery is hidden thousands
of miles away, allowing her to serve as a recurring
threat.
Obligatory Oozes
The ground beneath the characters begins to tremble
unexpectedly. Underneath them the earth has been
rotted by the demon taint of Juiblex, the demon lord
of oozes, and soon erupts like a noisome boil, show-
ering putrid slime everywhere. Green slime (see the
Dungeon Master’s Guide) now covers the ground and
hangs from the trees within a one-mile radius. Other
creatures, such as gelatinous cubes, gibbering
mouthers, and black pudding bubble up from the
ground periodically. Just as the characters are about
to escape the area, a gargantuan slime-tainted worm
bursts forth from the ground and attacks them. Use
the statistics of a purple worm, except it does an
additional 1d8 acid damage with its attacks and has
the Acid Breath action of an adult black dragon.
Powerful Allies
Thankfully the characters’ deeds have also earned
them the notice of powerful forces of good. Arrange
for these allies to have a meaningful debut, perhaps
arriving just as the characters are overwhelmed
by some of the nefarious forces mentioned above.
Possible encounters include:
The Archmage. At any point where the charac-
ters find themselves potentially overwhelmed, there
is a loud, thunderous burst of blinding energy that
coalesces into a portal. The plane-hopping, chaotic
neutral archmage Mordenkainen emerges from the
portal. Depending on circumstances, Mordenkainen
either helps the characters or encourages them to
flee through his portal. Either way, once the conflict
has been resolved, he introduces himself as a long
time rival of Vecna’s, while offering his services.
Mordenkainen is a stern, bald man with a neatly
trimmed black goatee beard and a penetrating stare.
Because of his history with Vecna, he is an excel-
lent resource for characters that wish to learn more
about the archlich. Mordenkainen is willing to cast
any wizard spell that might assist the characters,
especially teleport. Although he will not journey
with them, the archmage does offer the characters
a diamond that has been carved into the shape of a
house. Any character holding the diamond can use
an action to cast the Mordenkainen’s magnificent
mansion spell. The diamond crumbles to dust after it
is used.
The Doom Raider. While traveling along a road
the characters run across the shield dwarf priestess,
Istrid Horn (NE female shield dwarf war cleric).
Istrid is part of the Doom Raiders, a group of unscru-
pulous adventurers who liked to plunder lich lairs
(called “dooms” by some). The Doom Raiders were
once part of the Zhentarim but left the faction after it
allied itself with Vecna. Like all of the Doom Raiders,
Istrid hates liches and wants to see the Maimed
Lord deposed. However, she is still an opportunist.
Istrid is one of the few clerics in the Realms that
has managed to maintain contact with her deity
(Vergadain, the dwarven god of wealth and luck).
She can cast cleric spells up to 9th level and offers
to do so for the characters, charging as much as she
thinks she can get away with. Given her background
Istrid is also an excellent resource for hunting down
and killing liches, something she is glad to do. . . for a
discounted price.
The Hellriders. As the characters travel along a
road, they hear a loud, churning metallic sound in the
distance. This grinding noise grows closer and closer
at an alarming rate before the characters finally
see, in the distance, two bulky armored coaches
that appear miraculously self-propelled. Dozens of
smaller, two-wheeled machines mounted by soldiers
in devil-bone armor surround the coaches. These
unusual contraptions are modified infernal vehicles
(appendix E for additional details).
The men and women in devil bone armor (good-
aligned knights) are members of the Hellriders, an
elite order of knights dedicated to protecting the
CHAPTER 9 NO LONGER EYE TO EYE
Realms from Zariel’s infernal excursions (see Doomed
Forgotten Realms: SwOrd COast Gazetteer for additional
details regarding Zariel). If your characters have
played Rise Of Vecna, then this is an excellent opportu-
nity for them to reunite with Maximus. The Hellriders
are tracking down an infernal battalion of devils, and
it is a coincidence that they have crossed paths with
the characters. However, if the characters can demon-
strate that they are committed to virtue and justice,
then the Hellriders bestow each character with one of
the two-wheeled infernal war machines (see Archon’s
Ride in appendix E).
The Grim. The characters notice that they
are being followed by a fluffy white cloud, atop
which rests a single tower whose roof is painted
to resemble a floppy, blue wizard’s hat. When the
tower eventually catches them a staircase of clouds
descends to the ground. Should the characters
climb the staircase, they find Harshnag the Grim,
a legendary good-aligned frost giant (for more on
Harshnag see appendix A). The floors of the two-sto-
ried stone tower are made of solidified cloud and
are filled with giant-sized furniture. The top floor
holds an orb of navigation (appendix D). Harshnag
commends the characters for their accomplishments
and encourages them to continue fighting against the
forces of Vecna. To help with this Harshnag offers the
characters ownership of the tower before departing
on foot to return to the frozen North. If any of the
characters are barbarians, Harshnag offers them
Gurt’s greataxe (appendix D) as a token of respect.
This legendary weapon has the potential to unbal-
ance the game, so consider requiring the character
to complete a personalized quest before successfully
attuning to it.
If the characters are reckless with their cloud castle
(flying it near a village or city, for example) then
Vecna’s forces learn of its existence. Shortly there-
after a dracolich is dispatched to destroy it.
The Loremaster. At some point, as the characters
are debating over a particular course of action, their
deliberations are politely interrupted by the ghost of
renowned scribe Volothamp Geddarm. The ghost still
sports his trademark floppy hat and scarf. He strokes
his ghostly mustache thoughtfully as he introduces
himself as, “Volothump Geddarm, spectral celebrity
who has crossed over because none other could be
trusted to chronicle the redemption of the Realms.”
After helping the characters resolve any unsettled
debates, Volo begins to earnestly interview them.
At the DM’s discretion, the ghost might accompany
the characters on their journeys, although he avoids
combat if he does so. Despite being prone to embel-
lishment, Volo is still a font of information and can
answer most questions regarding recent events
95
 throughout the Sword Coast. If Volo is asked how
he died, he says that he was murdered by a wizard
named Ybtihw, although refuses to go into greater
detail regarding it.
The Tyrant. Frighteningly, when beholders dream,
their dreams become reality. If the characters have
agreed to watch over Sylgar, then consider having the
goldfish, due to prolonged exposure and imprinting to
Xanathar, develop this characteristic as well. Initially
this manifests as the characters discovering strange
puddles or ornamental fish bowls when they wake up
from a long rest. Consider having it culminate with
Sylgar, at a dramatic moment, dreaming Xanathar
back into existence.
Pillaging Giants
The characters encounter a roving band of three
mountain giants (appendix B), five ogres, ten
bugbears, and thirty goblins. The creatures hail
from the mountain giant capital, Grudd Haug, and
are gathering tribute for their liege, the monstrous
Chief Guh. If the giants see the characters, then their
leader, Glumglum, demands that they hand over all
food, as well as any edible looking pets or mounts. To
complicate matters the giants have a covered wagon
filled with ten prisoners (commoners) taken from
whatever community is nearest (If the characters
have played Academy Of Adventure, consider having
the Marauders captive as well). The characters are
celebrated as liberators and heroes if they slay the
Watch out for the Fine Print
While traveling the characters are accosted by
Flibbertiggibet, an imp who seeks their help. Flibber,
as it prefers to be called, is the only survivor of a
larger infernal legion that was tasked by Zariel to
seek out and destroy nearby demons. It does not
Ogremoch is an unlikely but
want to return without finishing its task, knowing important ally in the search
that it will be punished for failure. Because of this it for Bruenor Battlehammer
approaches the characters with a bargain.
The crafty imp suggests that if the characters kill
the demons, it will give them 1,000 gp and award
one of them a devilish boon on behalf of Zariel. If the
characters agree, then Flibber produces a vellum
scroll (appendix C) with the deal written in blood. He
asks each character to sign this contract using their
own blood before then signing it with his own.
If the characters ask about why there is an asterisk
next to the word kill, then Flibber just waves it off as
referencing the standard legal definition of killing as,
“being obliterated from existence”. If the characters
ask about the portion written in Infernal, Flibber
dismissively refers to it as “standard boilerplate stuff”
that indicates the characters forfeit their souls should
they fail to hold up their end of the contract. If a
character can read Infernal, they can confirm that all
of this is true. Any character who makes a successful
DC 20 Arcana check realizes that demons are not
truly destroyed when killed on the Material Plane,
instead reforming within the Abyss. If confronted

giants and rescue the imprisoned townsfolk.
Saving a Dragon
A hunting horn can be heard blasting repeatedly
in the distance. If the characters investigate, they
discover a black dragon wyrmling running franti-
cally, its injured wing hanging limp at its side. Two
fire titans (appendix B) then rise over a small hill
and begin running towards the wyrmling. If the
characters don’t intervene, the titans quickly dispatch
the dragon, cutting off its head and throwing it into
a sack. If the characters aid the wyrmling, it hisses
its gratitude in Draconic. If left alone it will inev-
itably die. However, if the characters either fix its
wing through magic or spend 1 hour and make a
successful DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check, the
wyrmling manages to safely return to its distant lair.
Word of the characters’ actions spread through the
area and the characters find themselves received
favorably should they later encounter Rezmir
(see chapter 12). For their service, the Black
Wyrmspeaker gifts the characters with a randomly
selected magic item from Magic Item Table F in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide.
with this information Flibber can be convinced to
change the terms of the contract with a successful
DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check or a successful
DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check. In this case
Flibber allows the characters to renegotiate the defi-
nition of the word “kill” but also no longer offers an
infernal boon.
The demons are currently holed up in a nearby cave
that connects to the Underdark. There is a marilith
and two vrocks. If the characters kill the demons
without successfully renegotiating the contract, then
Flibber laughs at them, gleefully declaring that they
have breached the contract and forfeit their souls
before turning invisible and fleeing (In this case the
characters, upon death, are reborn in the Nine Hells
as lemures). If the characters successfully renego-
tiated the contract then Flibber begrudgingly gives
them any agreed upon rewards. If Flibber agreed to a
devilish boon then it awards one character with:
Charm of Many Tongues. You can speak and under-
stand all languages, you gain proficiency in the
Deception and Persuasion skills, and you can add
your proficiency bonus twice, rather than once,
when using those skills. This charm vanishes from
you when you die.
CHAPTER 10
Dropping the Battlehammer
The characters recruit the assistance of the Cult of the Elder
Elemental Eye to track down Bruenor Battlehammer, the miss-
ing dwarven king. After finding out that Bruenor has been
trapped by dao within the Elemental Plane of Earth, the char-
acters must travel to the City of Jewels. After fomenting an
uprising, the characters must lead Bruenor’s people, as well
as the petrified king, to safety.
riboar is the natural starting point
for those looking for Hellenrae. The
large town stands at the intersection
of the Long Road and Evermoor Way.
Its flat, fertile ground makes it ideal
for farming and ranching. Because of this, Triboar is
a sprawling, decentralized town.
Through a diplomatic combination of strength
and appeasement, Triboar has managed to retain its
independence from the various factions governing
the Realms. If anything, Triboar has grown in pros-
perity since Vecna’s conquest. Triboar provides an
ideal place for the characters to rest, spend coin, and
engage in other non-adventurous pursuits. As such
it is recommended that DMs encourage the charac-
ters to finish this quest first. Details on Triboar can
be found in Rise Of Vecna as well as Storm King’s
Thunder. In the absence of these books populate the
town with a handful of colorful, high-level NPCs as
well as some shops where the characters might be
able to spend their hard-earned coin.
Before beginning this chapter, read the Dwarfholds
of the North section of appendix A to familiarize your-
self with what has befallen the dwarves since Vecna’s
conquest.

96 CHAPTER 9 NO LONGER EYE TO EYE CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER 97

 Cult of the
Elder Elemental Eye
Hellenrae (appendix B), also known as the Abbess
of Stone, is a high-ranking member of the Cult of the
Elder Elemental Eye (for information on this cult
see Doomed Forgotten Realms: SwOrd COast Gazetteer).
In these difficult times many of the townsfolk have
turned to her for reassurance and security. When the
characters arrive, Hellenrae can be found within a
small church, delivering a sermon on the importance
of patience and fortitude. She is a dour, unsmiling
woman who habitually wears drab robes and a
golden gargoyle mask with no eye holes. Beneath her
mask can be seen the scarred sockets of her missing
eyes, although thanks to her blindsight, this does not
hold her back.
The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye currently
views Vecna as an enemy and is eager to see his
downfall. Because of this Hellenrae is receptive to
the characters, so long as they patiently wait out her
sermon. She informs the characters that while she
does not know what has befallen the dwarves, she
is confident that her lord and liege, Ogrémoch, the
Mountain of Doom, does and offers to take the char-
acters to visit him.
Should the characters accept her invitation, she
steps out of the small stone building that she was
using as a church, beckoning for them to follow. She
stands with her legs arched, bracing herself in a
martial arts posture, before slowly moving her arms
and upper torso in a graceful dance. After a minute
of this the ground begins to tremble, and then three
bulettes burst from the ground. Hellenrae mounts
one of these subdued beasts while gesturing for the
characters to mount the other two. Regardless of the
characters’ actions Hellenrae and her bulettes wait
only a minute before racing off. The abbess sets a
relentless pace, traveling roughly 20 miles southeast,
into the Dessarain Hills, before finally arriving at the
Temple of Elemental Unity.
The Temple of Elemental Unity is a hemisphere of
raw, jagged stone raised straight from the earth. It is
a savage-looking building obviously not built to satisfy
any sense of civilized aesthetics. The interior of the
hemispherical building is spacious and houses four
portals to the elemental planes. A doorway of flame
burns along the southern wall and a doorway of raw
earth, scarcely distinguishable from its neighboring
stone, is set into the northern wall. In the center of
the temple is a pool of water, and a shaft is carved
into the ceiling above it.
98 CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
Upon entering the temple Hellenrae spends five
minutes slowly tracing the surface of the earthen
doorway as if searching for something. She sourly
silences anyone who disrupts her concentration
during this process, snarling, “Now I have to start
over” every time someone does so. After an unin-
terrupted five minutes she stops her tracing, coils
back her arm, and then jabs at the wall with a single
finger. There is a harmless explosion of shrapnel as
a passageway is exposed. Hellenrae beckons for the
characters to enter the passage if they would seek
audience with Ogrémoch. The abbess, however,
refuses to accompany the characters.
An Audience with Ogrémoch
For those brave enough to enter the passage, it slopes
down steeply. This, combined with the floor’s loose
rock, makes for precarious footing. The passage
appears to only descend for thirty feet, although
as soon as the characters get within ten feet of the
passage’s end, there is a loud churning sound and the
tunnel extends itself, as if it were being burrowed by
some invisible beast. At the same time, the ceiling
begins to groan and the tunnel behind the characters
collapses, leaving them trapped within a thirty-foot
pocket of earth.
This ever-extending pocket of earth continues to
descend deeper and deeper. Unless the characters
have taken precautions, the air within their bubble
exhausts itself within twenty minutes. At this point
a character can hold their breath for a number of
minutes equal to 1 + their Constitution modifier
(minimum of 30 seconds). Once a character runs out
of breath, they can survive for a number of rounds
equal to their Constitution modifier (minimum 1
round). At the start of their next turn, they drop to
0 hit points and are dying, and they can’t regain hit
points or be stabilized until they can breathe again.
Just after the first character runs out of breath (or
after ten minutes if the characters do not run out of
breath) the tunnel finally opens into a large cavern. At
this point stale air rushes into the chamber, allowing
any dying character to breathe again.
This colossal cavern is an alien landscape filled
with soaring stone buttresses, weirdly twisting
columns, and gargantuan shards of glowing crystal.
A long path of steps is cut into the uneven floor and
wends its way between the mighty stone pillars to the
cavern’s core. There, the steps climb to the base of
a stone platform. Atop this platform is a shambling,
50-foot-tall colossus of rock, with crystal growths
embedded throughout its body. This colossus is
Ogrémoch (appendix B), the Prince of Elemental
Earth. Ogrémoch’s voice sounds like grinding stones
as he queries, “STRANGE. WORMS. WHY?”
The Prince of Evil Earth. Interacting with
Ogrémoch is a test of patience. The Mountain that
Walks is slow and ponderous not only in form but
also in words and thought. He takes a long pause
between every spoken word and when holding a
conversation, he often takes ten or fifteen minutes to
respond. Although he is a poor communicator, he is
an excellent listener and can often infer much from
what is given to him.
If asked about the dwarves or Bruenor, Ogrémoch
responds, “DWARVES. SLAVES. BRUENOR. STONE.”
Unless they take pains to prevent this, Ogrémoch
can infer that the characters seek the defeat of Vecna.
Because of this the Elemental Prince is willing to
help them. He offers to teleport the characters to
Bruenor with the following words, “PORTAL? DWARVES.
ONE. PURPLE. STONES. EXIT.” (This is short for, “Would
you like a portal? It can take you to the dwarves,
although it will be one-way. To return follow the
purple stones.”) Ogrémoch is willing to offer more
information, particularly that contained in appendix
A, although he may take hours, or even days, to do so
effectively.
Whenever he thinks the characters are ready,
Ogrémoch opens a portal to the Elemental Plane of
Earth. The portal is a stone monolith that constantly
changes its shape, filling the great cavern with a thun-
derous grinding noise. Once the characters step into
it, they find themselves in the Dismal Delve.
The Dismal Delve
The Dismal Delve is a vast cavern, spanning
hundreds of miles in all directions, that surrounds
the City of Jewels, the capital city of the dao. The
dao are a race of earth-based genies who take great
pride in their wealth and use armies of slaves to mine
the Dismal Delve in search of new veins of ore and
gemstones.
The characters arrive loudly atop a flattened spire
near the delve’s edge (in the spaces marked E on the
map). Atop the spire is the statue of a dwarf carved
with a fierce and proud demeanor (marked B on the
map). The dwarf wears full plate armor and wields
an axe and a shield. Standing near the statue is a
twenty-foot-tall gargoyle made of stone (marked T on
the map). Below the spire can be seen hundreds of
dwarves (guard) and deep gnomes wearing collars
made from rose-colored quartz. There are two
hundred dwarves in total, as well as one hundred
CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
deep gnomes. These miners are excavating the
cavern walls. Scores of gargoyles wielding vicious
whips flit about, flogging the miners sadistically.
The statue is Bruenor Battlehammer, petrified by
the Great Khan of the dao as a trophy. The statue is
often displayed within the Dismal Delve to demor-
alize and deter any rebellious dwarves. The statue
has AC 15 and 150 hit points. This petrification is
divine in origin and can only be removed through a
wish spell or by taking Bruenor far enough from the
City of Jewels (see below for when this happens).
The stone gargoyle is an exceptionally powerful
margoyle known as Terrathraxus, the Earthen
Scourge (appendix B). It has four arms and wields
greatswords studded with jagged deposits of acidic
salt. One of its arms wields a scepter made from pink
crystal. This scepter is connected to the collars worn
by the dwarves and gnomes and, if one is attuned to
the scepter, it can be used to either remove a collar
or issue a command to any creature wearing a collar.
A creature wearing a collar need not comply with
a command but experiences 1d4 psychic damage
for every round they do not. Whenever a collar is
removed it is rendered inert and cannot be reused.
Upon the characters’ sudden appearance
Terrathraxus roars and immediately attacks. The
dwarves and gnomes cheer loudly and begin to attack
their gargoyle captors using picks and thrown rocks.
Such actions contradict their standing commands,
however, so the miners experience 1d4 psychic
damage every round that they do so. For simplicity
assume that 10 miners are reduced to 0 hit points
each round. When Terrathraxus is reduced to 70 hit
points, it yells loudly, “If I am going to be sent to oblivion, then
I am going to bring your pathetic king with me!” The margoyle
then uses a reaction, if possible, to attack the statue
of Bruenor. From this point on Terrathraxus dedi-
cates all its actions to destroying Bruenor.
Once the margoyle has been defeated any
remaining gargoyle guards flee. The remaining
dwarves and gnomes swarm the characters, hefting
them into the air while hailing them as heroes. Any
character with a passive perception of 16 or higher
notices that dozens of protruding geodes, scattered
throughout the delve, begin to glow a bright purple.
Death of the King
If the statue of Bruenor is destroyed by Terrathraxus,
dwarven morale is dealt a grievous blow. In this case
allow one of the three advisors, or perhaps a gnomish or
dwarven PC, to step into the role of Bruenor Battlehammer.
In the face of low morale, all three advisors push for an
immediate escape from the Dismal Delve.
99

A Time for Planning
After a brief celebration a shocked uncertainty settles
over the former prisoners. From the group of liber-
ated prisoners, three potential advisors emerge:
J Lieutenant Abatha Lea (LG female dwarf veteran)
is the highest-ranking dwarf. She is old, even by
dwarf standards, but her strength and vitality
remains undiminished and the only sign of her
age is her braided silver hair.
J Grimnir (CG male dwarf priest) is the spiritual
backbone of the former prisoners. His eyes have
been gouged out, but he refuses to let this hold
him back.
100 CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
return at any moment to quell the uprising. Grimnir
suggests that the miners are exhausted and need to
rest. After such a rest Grimnir suggests that he lead a
group of dwarves and gnomes to some nearby subter-
ranean gardens to salvage food for what might be a
lengthy journey. Kolathid takes a more militaristic
stance, suggesting that they press their advantage
and attempt to liberate more of their brethren before
continuing.
For every twelve hours spent within the delve
there is a cumulative twenty percent chance that an
assault party attacks the characters. This assault
party consists of a dao, two earth elementals and
fifty gargoyles. Have the characters fight the dao and
the elementals, and assume the dwarves and gnomes
fight the gargoyles. When the characters prevail, any
remaining gargoyles flee; however, 3d6 followers
are slain for every round of combat. The chance
of a future assault party resets to twenty percent;
however, the next assault party will be twice as large
as the first. This pattern continues indefinitely until
the characters are either slain or flee the delve.
Grimnir’s Advice. Grimnir insists that everyone
spend twelve hours resting. After this he is willing
to lead a squad of fifty dwarves to nearby gardens
to forage for food. If allowed to do so he returns
with ample provisions twelve hours later. He then
insists that it would be wise to visit a nearby well
and gather some water. If allowed to do so he takes
another squad of fifty dwarves and returns, twelve
hours later, successfully. Finally, Grimnir mentions
that the dwarves noticed some abandoned barracks
while gathering water and suggests he lead a party of
a hundred dwarves to gather weapons and armor for
their journey. If allowed to do so, he and the dwarves
are intercepted and killed.
Kolathid’s Advice. Kolathid initially insists on
taking a group of fifty dwarves and fifty deep gnomes
to go looking for others that might be saved. If
J Kolathid (NG female deep gnome) is a wizened
allowed to do so she returns, after twelve hours, with
mystic who speaks on behalf of the svirfneblin.
an extra one hundred dwarves and one hundred
She is initially suspicious of the characters, wary
deep gnomes. Afterwards she asks to go again with a
that they might not have the best interests of her
new group of fifty dwarves and fifty deep gnomes. If
people at heart.
allowed to do so she returns twenty-four hours later
These three advisors attempt to confer privately
with an extra one hundred and fifty dwarves and two
with the characters. If the purple geodes have not
hundred deep gnomes. She then asks to make one
been noticed, then Kolathid brings them to the
last trip to liberate more prisoners. If allowed to do
character’s attention. The deep gnome speaks of
so she leaves with one hundred dwarves and one
old legends in which Ogrémoch has used glowing
hundred deep gnomes, all of whom are slain before
purple stones to guide supplicants from danger. Both
they can return.
Abatha and Grimnir agree with this interpretation.
At some point the characters will decide that it is
Beyond this, however, the advisors disagree. Abatha
time to flee the Dismal Delve. Before leaving, the
suggests the characters rally the current prisoners
dwarves create a makeshift platform of stone that
and leave immediately, noting that the dao might
they use to carry the statue of their king.
CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
March for Freedom
Following the purple geodes leads the characters into
a capacious tunnel, easily large enough to accommo-
date their followers (see the Elemental Earth map
for a generic stretch of tunnel). After a few hours of
travel, passing dozens of branching side tunnels, the
characters come across three domesticated bulettes
grazing upon a pile of rubble. These docile creatures
will not attack, even in self-defense. However, they
can be convinced to follow the characters with a
successful DC 21 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
The Mud Hills
Roughly ten hours after encountering the bulettes,
the tunnel begins to pass near an area of the
Elemental Plane of Earth known as the Mud Hills.
The ground grows soft and spongy before eventually
turning into a viscous mud that grasps greedily at the
boots of those walking through it. After another hour
of travel the ground turns watery, resembling quick-
sand rather than mud.
If the characters allowed their allies time to rest,
the dwarves and gnomes push through undaunted.
However, if they were unable to rest, then ten percent
of the army perishes within the mud unless the char-
acters take action to prevent this. Such actions might
range from the use of powerful magic to an inspiring
speech. Regardless, halfway through the trek the
dwarves carrying Bruenor stumble, and their liege
falls into the grasping muck. The characters have
two rounds to secure Bruenor before the six-hun-
dred-pound statue sinks into the mud, after which it
is sucked into the Paraelemental Plane of Ooze.
After another few hours the ground begins to
solidify, and the characters pass into an area known
as the Tunnels of Madness.
Tunnels of Madness
Over the next ten hours the tunnel becomes smaller
and is honeycombed with hundreds of strangely
shaped holes. An eerie wind blows through the
tunnel, creating an alien melody as it passes through
the various holes. The wind blows from a nearby
portal to the Plane of Pandemonium. After two hours
of travel, the characters must make a DC 20 Wisdom
saving throw (The saving throw can be made with
advantage if the characters have plugged their ears or
taken similar precautions). If the characters fail the
saving throw, then they are afflicted with a short-term
madness (Dungeon Master’s Guide, chapter 8). If the
characters fail the saving throw by five or more, then
they are also afflicted with a long-term madness. If
the characters fail the saving throw by ten or more,
then they are also afflicted by an indefinite madness.
101
 Shortly after this check a death slaad, accompa-
nied by a green slaad and a hundred troglodytes,
emerges from the tunnels to attack the characters.
Have the characters battle the death slaad and green
slaad, while assuming the followers deal with the
troglodytes (see the Tunnels of Madness map). If
there are more than three hundred followers, then
they manage to overwhelm the troglodytes without
suffering any casualties. Otherwise, 1d10 followers
are killed for each round that the characters spend
fighting the slaadi.
Rise of Vecna
If the characters have played Rise Of Vecna and one of
them bears the blessing of Ssendam, the slaadi refuse to
attack the characters. Instead, the green slaad offers to
accompany and protect the characters during their trek.
The Home Stretch
After another four hours of travel the purple-lit
pathway ends abruptly in a smooth stone wall. This
barrier was recently erected by the divine decree of
the dao’s Great Khan. It Is fifty feet thick and cannot
be broken through by conventional tactics. If the char-
acters brought the bulettes with them, they can be
coaxed into burrowing through the wall. Otherwise,
the characters and their companions will have to use
side tunnels to circumvent the barrier. If the char-
acters allowed Kolathid to gather allies, then one
of the rescued deep gnomes, a ranger by the name
of Svirtblx, approaches the characters, indicating
that he can lead the group around the barrier. He is
true to his word and can find an alternative path that
requires just eight hours of additional travel. Without
Svirtblx the characters must make a successful DC
21 Survival check or get lost for 1d4 days before
102 CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
finally emerging on the other side of the stone wall.
While lost the characters are set upon by a search
party consisting of two dao, three earth elementals
and a hundred gargoyles. Have the characters fight
the dao and the elementals, and assume the dwarves
and gnomes fight the gargoyles. When the characters
prevail, any remaining gargoyles flee; however, 3d6
followers are slain for every round of combat.
The purple geodes lead a twisting route for another
five hours before ending, yet again, in a dead end. At
this point the characters have fled far enough from
the City of Jewels that the magic petrifying Bruenor
begins to fade. There is a great shattering sound from
him as he flexes his muscles, cracking through his
stony cocoon. At the same time a whirling portal, like
the one the characters used to access the Elemental
Plane, opens at the end of the tunnel. The portal is
two hundred feet from the characters.
As soon as someone steps towards the portal, the
very planes themselves begin to shake with unbri-
dled, elemental fury. A corpulent dao, dressed in
layers of bright silk and wearing an array of glittering
jewelry, rises from the ground between the characters
and the portal. The dao is Koh Nur, the Great Khan
(marked K on the map; appendix B). Accompanying
the dao is his stone giant seneschal, Rockribs
(marked R on the map). Rockribs holds a series of
adamantine chains, at the end of which are leashed
a pack of eight slavering umber hulks (marked U on
the map).
The Great Khan’s voice washes over the characters
like an avalanche, each thunderous word sending
cracks throughout the ceiling,
“INSIGNIFICANT WORMS. YOU
WILL EXPERIENCE A THOUSAND
UNPARALLELED PAINS FOR YOUR
PRESUMPTIONS!”
At this the Khan explodes in uncontrolled fury,
triggering a cave-in within the tunnel. In response
Bruenor yells to his people, “Quick lads and lasses!
Run to the portal!” The dwarven monarch then
turns to the characters, “Ye will have to keep that
blowhard occupied, lest he use his powers to
close the portal!”
If the Khan is left unattacked for a round, he spends
his turn concentrating and closing the portal. At this
point the portal can only be reopened by breaking
the Khan’s concentration. Rockribs releases his
umber hulks to harry the characters while fighting by
his master’s side. While this is happening, Bruenor
begins to lead his army through the portal. Unless the
characters intervene in some way, it takes five rounds
for everyone to fully evacuate. During the second
round of combat, a falling boulder pins a dwarf and
two deep gnomes. Removing the boulder requires a
successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check. During
the fourth round of combat, one of the umber hulks
breaks from combat and begins trying to kill the
fleeing dwarves.
At the end of the fifth round of combat, once all
the dwarves and gnomes have been evacuated,
Bruenor rushes into the fray, hobbling the Khan with
a thunderous blow to his kneecap. Bruenor yells to
the characters, “I’ve got him now! Rush for the
portal before it’s too late. My people need ye!” It
is up to the characters how to proceed at this point.
If they listen to Bruenor, then they emerge from the
portal within the Temple of Elemental Unity. A long
minute later, just as the portal is about to close, they
see Bruenor dramatically dive headfirst through, his
helm tumbling to the floor as he lands with a loud
OOMPH! Should the characters insist that Bruenor
flee first, then they will all need to be able to reach
the portal, which is 100 feet from the Khan, before
the Khan can close it.
CHAPTER 10 DROPPING THE BATTLEHAMMER
The Return
Upon their return the characters are glumly
welcomed by the golden-masked Hellenrae. After
cursing them for dirtying up her temple, she begrudg-
ingly informs the characters that Ogrémoch was
pleased by their success. She gives the characters
six pairs of smooth, matched stones. She refers to
these stones as Ears of Ogrémoch. They are func-
tionally equivalent to sending stones, although any
message sent through them can also be heard by the
Elemental Prince of Earth. Hellenrae then sourly
kicks the characters out of her temple, suggesting
that they retreat to nearby Triboar.
At Triboar the characters are heralded as heroes
for their role in the return of the dwarves. The Lord
Protector of Triboar, Daratha Shendrel, bestows
upon the characters an abandoned stone mansion
known as Boar’s Rest, once owned by a wizard who
ran afoul of Vecna. Bruenor thanks the characters
profusely, declaring them honorary dwarves and
pledging his assistance should they ever need it. Over
the course of the next month the deep gnomes move
south, settling within the Throne of Primordial Unity.
Half of the dwarves settle in Triboar. The remainder
of the dwarves travel north with Bruenor, seeking
Ironmaster, where Bruenor believes the rest of his
kin can be found.
alloW THe CHaraCTers To gain one level
aFTer suCCessFully reTurning From
THe elemenTal plane oF earTH.
103