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Venture into the wastes in this desert survival adventure 

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supplement for the world's greatest roleplaying game
TEMPLATE BY NATHANAËL ROUX
 Introduction
Introduction
Ambushed and stranded amidst one of the most hostile
realms in the known world, the party must struggle to
survive and rescue their fellow travellers. Surrounded
on all sides by oceans of shifting sand, their fight is not
only against the creatures of the desert and their shadowy
attackers, but the looming threats of starvation and heat
exhaustion. All the while, they are unaware of the true
nature of their journey, the true value of their cargo, and
why they have invoked the Wrath of the Ekrothari.
Plug-in Adventure
This module is a 5e adventure designed for a party of
5 level 7-8th characters, built to be plugged easily into
an existing campaign or as a stand-alone adventure. The
module sees the characters set out on a perilous journey
over a vast desert known as the Everdune.
Background
Sixty years ago, Zharon Hardhelm was a brash young
dwarf with everything to prove and nothing to lose. He
and his fellow prospectors went out into the Everdune to
become the first men and women to settle its treacherous
reaches. Zharon returned alone, his companions dead and
his heart full of shame, telling stories to any that would
listen of vicious desert elves that had dashed his dreams.
Nearly a full human lifespan later, Zharon is a respected
cleric, having put his past behind him - until now.
Duke Edgar Wralthorne is old, and feels death
scraping at his heels with every step. Through his
impressive means, the
decrepit foreign noble has come across a miraculous
discovery - the eggs laid by the elusive Rekari sand drakes
of the Everdune are full of a nutritious yoke that, when
eaten raw, reverses a whole decade of aging. Desperate
to turn back the wheel of time, he has poured a small
fortune into establishing a township called Ardent on the
far side of the Everdune, its edges protected by powerful
runic wards that stave off the shifting sands. Officially, the
settlement’s business is sifting the sands for artifacts from
INRODUCTION |
2
its past, but in truth, the entire operation exists solely to
track down and hunt Rekari and their eggs. There is one
problem, however: Rekari lay eggs only once every decade,
and this constant poaching threatens to drive the ancient
beasts to extinction. As if in response, the Ekrothari, the
ruthless elves of the desert, have taken to ‘poaching’ the
poachers, attacking atop the immense sandworms of the
Everdune. Through his fabulous wealth, Edgar has come
by Earthshaker, an enchanted horn that can combat the
sandworms, but he needs someone to deliver it in secret.
Zharon, contracted by Edgar, has assembled a band of
priests under the pretense of helping to reinforce Ardent’s
runic wards, and promised to pay any adventuring bands
that will help guard the expedition a sack heaving with five
hundred gold coins.
Enter the characters.
Adventure Overview
This adventure is divided into three distinct parts:
Part I: The Tail End of Civilization [Ambush]
Recruited by Zharon as muscle, the characters enter
the sweeping sea of sand known as the Everdune.
Part way through their journey, they are ambushed by
the Ekrothari.
Part II: Alone in the Wastes [Modular, Survival, Navigation]
The characters are stranded in the vast desert with no
help in sight. They must quickly learn to survive in this
inhospitable environment, and search for a way to navigate
across the dunes.
Part III: Mekhathra [Infiltration, Decisions, Boss Fight]
One way or another, the characters have found their
way to the hidden fortress of the Ekrothari, where
the elves of the desert are preparing to sacrifice their
traveling companions.
Part I : The tail end of civilization
The Everdune is a far-flung region surrounded by vast
tracts of dried-out borderland. The only settlements
that persist here are small and mobile, home to nomadic
peoples too stubborn to flee to gentler climates, or
to motley bands made up of grizzled adventurers,
outdoorsmen, and treasure-seekers. As the characters ride
through these lands and enter the Everdune, read out the
following text:
" As the caravan approaches the Everdune, the
remote farmlands and rolling savannahs begin to
give way to harsh, dry land.
Roving beasts of burden and solitary predators
become a rarer sight, and any hint of rain is left
far behind you. Skeletonized ruins, the tattered
remnants of past attempts to colonize these
borderlands, dot the landscape, their bones a silent
testament to the unforgiving nature of the region.
As the hours go by, you find yourself passing into a
sea of towering dunes that stretch on well beyond
the horizon, and all traces of civilization seem to
fade far out of reach.”
Into the Everdune
To a weary traveller, the sands can seem endless, stretching
out as far as the eye can see and seeming to shimmer with
heat on the horizon. Sprawling six weeks from east to
west, the Everdune is a rolling sea of sun-baked dunes,
interrupted only sparsely by small stretches of rocky
terrain. Rain is but a memory here, the clouds thin and
dry, and the only water to be found lies deep beneath the
ground, hidden away in rare underground caverns, where
opportunistic predators wait to ambush their prey. The
desert washes away all attempts by the civilized realms
to permanently settle it, leaving only bleached bones and
dashed hopes in its wake.
The Caravan. The convoy headed for Ardent is well
equipped and well guarded. They move as a line of
almost thirty assorted camels and horses, each of them
loaded down with supplies such as water and dried meat.
The band of priests is made up of Zharon, Lira, and
ten initiates. They have hired a guide called Kalim, and
another band of six grizzled sellswords whose job is the
same as that of the characters. Zharon is the only member
of the procession aware of the mission’s true nature,
motivated not by the considerable donation made by
Ardent’s elderly benefactor, but by an old grudge.
Stories of the Everdune. Many of the characters’ fellow
travellers are valuable sources of information, even the
lowly initiates, who swap all manner of stories about the
Everdune as a way of passing the time. Should the players
talk with them during the journey, they can glean the
following morsels of information:
- NPC Stories -
Kalim (Desert guide): There is a well-known sanctuary near
the centre of the Everdune known as Vernion’s Point.
Zharon (Lead Cleric): Murderous desert elves live deep
within the Everdune, in an immense stone fortress.
Lira : (Cleric) At night, entire swathes of the desert shift and
churn. They say immense sandworms are responsible.
The Initiates (Students): The sand drakes that stalk the
dunes are immortal monsters that can cook a man alive
with their breath, and eating their hearts can grant humans
extended lifespans.
! See pg.13 for NPC descriptions, goals, etc...
What’s in the Box? The enchanted horn Earthshaker
is kept in a sealed container of sturdy oak, shut tight
by a lock that only one key can open. For much of the
journey, Zharon will keep it near himself, but in order to
ensure that the horn reaches Ardent safely, he will entrust
both container and key to one of the characters a week
into the trek.
The Journey. The trek is mostly uneventful, with
the caravan travelling at day and stopping to rest at
night, always at rare outcroppings of rock among
the dunes. Kalim is an expert adventurer, and guides
the group well, but should the GM wish to add some
tension or excitement to the journey, they can consult
the later Random Encounter chart in Part II (pg.6) for
fitting encounters.
3

The Ekrothari
The Ekrothari are a people of elves that settled in
the Everdune long ago, diverging from the wider
multitudes of elvenkind at a point so distant from
now that their beliefs and social mores would be
barely recognizable to most other elves. Their
existence is a secret known to a very few, and they
guard that secret with ruthless efficiency. Travelers
that encounter the Ekrothari rarely survive,
and those that do escape rarely avoid death by
exhaustion or exposure. It is in this way that the
Ekrothari have remained little more than a ghost
story to most.
Crafted from Sand. Ekrothari themselves are
lean, solidly-built elves with washed-out, greyish
skin and eyes of a nearly opaque black. Some of the
few scholars that know of them speculate that their
ancestors were dark elves, banished from below
by some terrible feud, but if this is the case, they
have long since lost many of their distant cousins’
subterranean adaptations. Their hair is generally
black, and the unforgiving environment of the
Everdune has made them somewhat heavier-set
than most elves, lending their features a harder,
rougher quality and a propensity for thicker facial
hair. A casual observer could even be forgiven for,
in the right light, mistaking an Ekrothari for some
manner of half-elf.
Born Survivors. The Ekrothari have no patience
for weakness. Their young learn quickly to thrive
in the deadliest of environments - to fail in this test
is to die. Before they are considered an Ekrothari,
each young elf must demonstrate the ability to
survive alone for weeks in the desert, equipped only
with the clothes on their back and a ceremonial
dagger that they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Deadly Dancers. Mimicking the way sand flows
as ribbons around the Daru, the Ekrothari have
an uncanny ability to move in harmony with
the dunes under their feet, the sand shifting and
flowing so as to support their weight and whisk
them out of danger. Many of the most talented
Ekrothari warriors take up the chain-blade as their
weapon of choice. These adroit fighters are known
as chaindancers, and can often be found at the fore
of an Ekrothari war-party, their sinuous weapon
lashing to and fro as a deadly blur of steel.
4
Ambush - N arrative Encounter -
Two weeks into the journey, as it passes by a cluster of
boulders, the convoy is ambushed by a band of Ekrothari
and their Daru sandworms, as Ekrothari seers have sensed
Earthshaker and have been tracking the caravan.
“ An explosion of sand rises high into the air,
knocking you off your steeds and sending cries
of panic through the caravan. All of a sudden, the
air is thick with whirling sand, as though you’ve
been caught in the middle of a desert storm. Huge,
coiling shapes erupt from the sand nearby, and
you hear the sounds of your allies being picked off
by shadowy attackers. Outnumbered and almost
blind, you are quickly separated by the chaos of
the storm.”
! ! It should be made clear to the characters that they
are hopelessly outnumbered, and that fighting will
mean certain death.
Each character should be prompted to give the GM one
general course of action as an ability check to determine
the state in which they make their escape. The encounter
ends with the characters becoming separated from the rest
of the caravan, but their specific fortunes are determined
by the result of their individual ability checks. Consult the
table below to determine their fate:
- Ambush Aftermath -
d20 Equipment & HP
They lose all their equipment excluding their armour
Nat 1
and weapons, and they take 4d6 slashing damage.
2-15
They lose any water and food rations, and they take
4d6 slashing damage.
They lose any food rations and take 2d6
16-19
slashing damage.
20-24 They have a full waterskin and a day’s rations.
They have a full waterskin, a day’s rations,
25+
and a horse.
All Outgoing Flights are Canceled. Attempting to fly out
of the disturbance is a fool’s errand, as the swirling sand
quickly knocks characters that attempt this off course.
Part II :
Alone in the wastes
“ A sea of sand stretches out around you on all
sides, the sky overhead featureless and bright,
devoid of all but the thinnest of clouds. The desert
heat bears down upon you, bringing sweat to your
brow, and the air shimmers in the distance. No
matter which way you look, the view is nearly the
same: sand, sand, and more sand.”
Left for dead, the characters find themselves stranded
amidst the dunes. The remains of the convoy smoulder
nearby, strewn with the corpses of those killed in the
battle. Should the characters investigate, they can easily
determine that there are no survivors, but some bodies are
left unaccounted for - it seems that Zharon, Lira, Kalim,
and most of the initiates are missing.
Signs of Hope. Surveying the area reveals nearby
signs that the missing travelers have been carried away,
potentially alive, but any tracks substantial enough to
follow quickly fade into the sand. For now, the characters
must figure out how to survive the desert.
A Day in the Everdune
A day in the Everdune is split into 3 four-hour
segments, or six four-hour segments if the characters
are foolhardy enough to travel at night (see: The Shifting
Sands). In an environment as harsh as the Everdune, nearly
anything worth doing takes time, and most Survival-based
actions - such as hunting or navigating - should take up an
entire four-hour segment of daytime.
Navigating. Should the characters be moving through
the Everdune, they must make a Wisdom (Survival) check.
Consult the following table to determine the result:
- Navigating the Everdune -
d20 Findings
Nat 1 A Daru Sandworm attacks from below! (pg.17)
2-15 Monsters! See Random Encounters. (pg.6)
16-19 No luck! The characters find nothing.
20-24 The characters find Vernion’s Point. (pg.8)
25+ The characters find The Domain of Idhesalee. (pg.7)
Using Earthshaker. Sounding Earthshaker can
lead the characters either to Vernion’s point or to
Mehkathra. (See pg.9).
! If the characters have spoken to Kalim about the
location of Vernion’s Point, they will always reach it
after at most two days of travel.
Heat Exhaustion. The Everdune is a punishingly hot
land. After every four hours of travel, the characters must
each succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
gain a level of heat exhaustion, each of which have the
same effects as regular exhaustion. If a character uses
up half a waterskin’s worth of water during this time,
they have advantage on this saving throw. After an hour
under significant shade, characters lose any levels of heat
exhaustion gained through this effect. If the characters
are riding horses, they also have advantage on this saving
throw - but horses require a full waterskin’s worth of
water every four hours, as well double the food intake
of a medium humanoid. Heat exhaustion and normal
exhaustion stack. Remember to keep track of how many
levels of both the characters have.
Hunting. Should the characters wish to forage or hunt
for food, they find that this is an exacting task, as plantlife
is near-nonexistent and there are few creatures native to
the Everdune that are not a deadly threat. Hunting
necessitates a Wisdom (Survival) check, the results of
which are determined by the table below:
- Hunting in the Everdune -
d20 Findings
Nat 1
A Daru Sandworm attacks from
below! (pg.17)
2-14 Monsters! See Random Encounters. (pg.6)
15-19 The characters find The Desert Rose. (pg.6)
The characters find 1d4+2 food rations in
20-24
assorted snake and small mammal meat.
The characters find The Domain of
25+
Idhesalee. (pg.7)
5
 Beasts of the wastes
The Everdune is crawling with ambush predators. Should
the players encounter any of the creatures below, the
monsters will attempt to sneak up on the characters,
making a Dexterity (Stealth) check against the characters’
passive Perception. Should the monsters succeed.
- Everdune Random Encounters -
they are reduced to 0 hit points and knocked unconscious
before being rescued.
The Ghosts of the Dunes. Travellers in the Everdune
are known to, when the fever of the sun is upon them,
perceive strange, illusory sights out in the distance.
Whenever a character rolls a 1 on a Constitution saving
throw against heat exhaustion, they see a mirage conjured
up from their own fevered brain (GM’s discretion).

d20 Monster Special Traits

! Unnatural Spoiling. Magic can be unreliable in the
1d4
Everdune. Any attempt to magically produce food or
Daru
1 None. water fails, producing only sand instead.
Sandworm
(pg.17)

Grasp of Air. As a bonus action, the Dust

2-6
1d4+2
Dust Devils
Devil may pull each creature within 10 ft. of it The Desert Rose - H azardous Terrain -
that fails a DC 14 Strength saving throw 10 ft.
(Basic Rules)
directly toward it.
“ At the crest of a nearby dune, something sprouts
Venom Sacs. Whenever the Gricks hits awkwardly from the sand - a cluster of plump,
with a melee weapon attack, the target takes healthy cacti, no doubt full of life-giving water, and
1d6+6
7-12 an additional 2d6 poison damage and must
Gricks (Basic covered with colourful fruit.”
succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw
or be poisoned for 1 hour.
These cacti are known to experts as the Desert Rose - an
Lightning Reflexes. The Giant Scorpion has alluring sight for thirsty travelers, but they are far deadlier
13-16 1d4+3 advantage on Dexterity saving throws and
than they seem. The cacti appear entirely normal at first,
opportunity attacks.
but a successful Intelligence (Nature) check against a DC of
1d4+3 Giant Chitinous Plates. The Giant Constrictor 18 will reveal odd striations along their sides, almost like
17-20 Constrictor Snake has +1 AC and resistance to muscle, and determine that their needles house a uniquely
Snakes slashing damage.
potent venom.

Tooth and Nail. With little vegetation to subsist on
that is not poisonous or carnivorous, the Everdune is a
near exclusively predatory ecosystem. Everything eats
everything else, and even the smallest of animals are whip-
thin killing machines, often equipped with venomous
fangs or internal redundancies that help them evade
certain death.
Waves of Sand
At night, the sandworms that nest deep below the
Everdune coil and writhe, migrating in convoluted
patterns beneath the sand. This produces an effect both
wondrous and terrifying: a heaving storm of dunes that
seem to shift and flow like waves in the ocean. Though
the entire Everdune is not wracked by these tides at once,
traveling at night presents the constant danger of finding
oneself stranded in the midst of such an event. Travellers
in the Everdune tend to camp for the night at sparse rocky
outcroppings where they are safe from the effect.
Night Travel. Should the characters attempt to travel
at night, there is a 30% chance of them encountering this
effect on the horizon, rapidly approaching them. They
must succeed on a DC 13 Athletics check to reach a point
of safety in time. Should any one of the characters fail,
the group is considered to have reached safety just in time
to avoid being utterly swept away, but any character that
failed is hurled around by the sands before being rescued,
and must make an additional DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw. On a success, they suffer half their total hit points
in bludgeoning damage, rounded down. On a failure,
Every Rose Has Its Thorn. In truth, the cacti are merely
the sun-facing upper part of a voracious, immobile
carnivore called a Sandmaw. Should the characters attempt
to harvest its fruit (5 minutes) it begins to release a sweet,
colourless vapour that gradually saps the energy from
nearby creatures. Every minute that a living creature
remains within a thirty foot radius of the plant, that
creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or fall fall unconcious for 1 hour. Over the hour, the
sandmaw drags its victims into its root structure with a set
of slow-moving but strong vine-like appendages.
Every 10 minuets they take 6d6 acid damage and repeat
the saving throw, awakening restained and gaining a level
of exhaustion.
Solution - Firefright. The sandmaw reacts violently to
fire, and if it takes fire damage, it releases its entire supply
of hypnotic vapour at once. Any living creature within
thirty feet of the sandmaw must succeed on a DC 18
Constitution saving throw or fall asleep. After a minute,
the poison disperses and the area becomes entirely safe for
the next twenty-four hours.

6
 Harvesting. Though not truly a cactus, a sandmaw’s
cacti-like upper stem is just as nutritious and waterlogged
as one. The characters may attempt to harvest as
much water and edible flesh as they can from the plant
making a Wisdom (Survival) check and consulting the
following table:
- Harvesting the Rose -
d20 Antivenom Fruit Water
1-12 1d4+2 food rations 1d4+1 Waterskins
13-17 1d6+2 food rations 1d6+1 Waterskins
18-20 1d8+2 food rations 1d8+1 Waterskins
Fragile Fruit. If the plant is attacked at range by the
characters, all of its water is spilled and they can harvest
only half of it's food content.
Kiss from a Rose. Eating the fruit of the Desert Rose
requires a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, causing
living creatures to vomit on a failure. Within an hour
of successfully consuming the fruit, a character is cured
of the poisoned condition. Additionally, they become
telepathically linked with any other creatures that have also
eaten the fruit within 100 feet - whether they like it or not.
Should a character critically succeed their Constitution
saving throw, they find themselves connected to Idhesalee,
who will be friendly and curious toward the character.
The Domain of Idhesalee
“ Hidden between the shadows of two immense
dunes, you set your eyes on an impossibility: a
verdant oasis in the middle of the Everdune, its
clear waters and tall trees seemingly untouched
by the destructive ever-shifting dunes. The ground
appears solid and fertile enough to support heavy,
fruit-laden bushes and trees, nourished by a large
pool of glittering water, and even from a distance
you can smell the sweetness of apples and pears
upon the breeze.”
The creator and guardian of this idyllic oasis is Idhesalee,
a djinn that has lived here in isolation since ages past.
Mercurial and good-humoured, she controls nearly every
aspect of the region, and though she seems delighted to
have guests, she does not give up anything for free. Fruit
and water leaps away from the characters’ mouths unless
they can adequately amuse the djinn. Idhesalee will appear
immediately after the characters attempt to eat or drink
from the oasis, scolding them playfully for attempting to
take what is not theirs, and launching into a barrage of
questions about the outside world.
Entertaining Idhesalee. In order to reap the benefits of
the oasis, the party must provide a detailed and gripping
story (GM’s discretion):
Idhesalee is MORE Idhesalee is LESS
favourable if: favourable if:
It is a parable with a
Its is about responsibility.
clear lesson.
It involves at least It is about the fall of a
three characters. civilization.
It involves love, especially It portrays efreeti as
doomed love. sympathetic.
If Idhesalee finds the party’s tale amusing, she will allow
them to eat and drink from the oasis, and keep company
with them while they rest. She will tell her own stories,
but if the party interacts much with her it becomes clear
that her memories are not fully intact. If pressed about
why she maintains her oasis in the desert, or why she does
not leave, she becomes confused and melancholic. After a
moment of seemingly fumbling about with her memories,
she poses the characters a question in the form of a story:
“Once, a man wished to prove to his wife that he
loved her more than any other could. He climbed to
the peak of the highest mountain for her, he swam
to the bottom of the sea for her, and he trekked the
harshest desert for her. What did she say to him,
when he returned to tell her all he had done?”
The answer, of course, is that she said nothing at all -
she had left because he was never at home with her. If
Idhesalee receives this answer, or a some approximation
of it, she seems struck by a realization, letting out a shrill
laugh and thanking the characters. She grants them the
Cloak of Idhesalee, conjuring it seemingly from thin air,
and if they have told her of their situation, reveals that to
find their captured companions they have only to sound
Earthshaker. With that, she hurls herself into the sky with
a triumphant cackle, riding the wind to some unknown
destination. Without her power to sustain it, the oasis
begins to deteriorate after twelve hours, within twenty-
four hours there is nothing left of it at all.
7
 Vernion’s Point
Something of a north star to caravans passing through the
Everdune, Vernion’s Point is one of its most recognizable
landmarks, rising high enough to escape being buried
under the ever-shifting sands and visible for miles around.
The Point is a vast outcropping of reddish-brown rock,
jutting from the sand in a way that provides a vast shadow
to shelter under. Dark, tumbled ruins cluster around its
base, the remnants of some ancient civilization that once
ruled the Everdune. A few veteran travellers speculate
that these glistening black obelisks keep Vernion’s point
a viable resting place for travellers, somehow warding off
the sand worms.
Watering Hole. Vernion’s Point is also well-known
to travelers for its water stores. A few sparse bushes are
sustained around its base by an aquifer deep beneath its
surface. From one side, this water source can be reached
through a small niche in the rock, a tight enough squeeze
that a grown human must force themselves sidelong into
the opening.
Ekrothari chaindancers, and two Ekrothari warriors riding
a Rekari Sand Drake each.
Running the Ekrothari. With time and numbers on their
side, the Ekrothari are using hit-and-run tactics to whittle
down the travelers’ ranks. They will fight viciously, but
should the tide of the battle shift, the remaining elves
will withdraw.
Running Tarlen. Tarlen fights defensively. If saved, he is
appreciative, but is most concerned with burning his dead
companions. If the characters offer to assist him, Tarlen
can be convinced to help the party on their quest.
Zharon’s Condition. Zharon is slumped nearby, having
escaped the ambush and been rescued by Tarlen’s group.
He is terribly injured, with three levels of exhaustion, and
his throat is so parched that he has lost his voice. He’s had
some time to stew in his guilt for involving the initiates
in his unfinished business and is set on rescuing them - at
any cost. He will be far more open with the party about
Earthshaker and his motivations (pg.2).

Blood on the sand

“ A massive jutting rock, crowned with sparse
desert plant life and surrounded by ruined
structures of smooth black stone, casts a long
shadow over the dunes. At its base, you spot
a group of distant figures locked in combat,
immediately recognizing one party as a band of
the vicious warriors that attacked your caravan. It
seems that they’ve cornered a group of travellers
in the shadow of the rock, and are circling for the
kill. Dead camels, the bodies of their riders strewn
around them, litter the dunes.”

The travelers are what remains of Tarlen’s convoy, now

whittled down to him and Zharon by the Ekrothari
attacking them. There are two Ekrothari warriors, two

8
Worms All the Way Down
A traveler lost in the Everdune could easily spend the rest
of their life wandering the sands with no escape in sight
- and many have. Luckily for the characters, a way to find
their lost companions is within reach. Below the Everdune
is a great mass of Daru sandworms. Should the characters
sound Earthshaker, it sends every sandworm within 100 ft.
(1d4+2) into a panic, forcing them up to the surface. After
a minute of struggling with the stunned effect imposed by
Earthshaker, they will immediately flee toward Mekhathra,
producing a faint trail that can be followed for miles and
remains visible until nightfall. On a successful DC 15
Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Nature) check, the
characters can determine that the Daru are all headed in
the same direction.
All Worms Lead to Mekhathra. There are four ways that
the characters might discover this.
• Finding Zharon at Vernion’s Point, tending to his
injuries, and convincing him to be more talkative about
the true nature of his mission.
• Idhesalee, who possesses a wealth of arcane knowledge
and immediately understands what the characters have
in their possession.
• (Optional) Investigating the worms' movement. If the
characters encounter a Daru Sandworm, on a successful
DC 20 Wisdom (Survival) check, they can follow its
faint pattern in the dunes to Vernions point.
• Using Earthshaker.
! If the characters use Earthshaker too early in the
adventure, the Daru can instead lead them to Vernion’s
Point on the way to Mekhathra.
Earthshaker
A relic from a past age, Earthshaker is an ornate
warhorn that thrums with magical energy. In
the distant past, an entire chorus of such horns
existed, and were used in tandem to drive back the
ruinous advance of the Everdune, manipulating
the immense sandworms that cause its sands to
shift and flow.
Earthshaker has 2 charges.
• As an action you can spend a charge and sound
Earthshaker to send a ripple of force through the
earth.
• Daru sandworms within 100 ft. are forced to
immediately surface, and are stunned for 1
minute.
• When a sandworm stunned this way takes
damage, it must make a DC 12 Charisma saving
throw. On a successful save, it is no longer
stunned, and must move its full speed away from
Earthshaker for 1 minute.
• As a bonus action, you may issue a command
to any one creature stunned this way. That
creature must follow your command to the best
of its ability, and is not stunned while acting
on it. Once a Daru sandworm is released from
Earthshaker’s effect, it immediately flees toward
Mekhathra.
• Earthshaker regains any expended charges at
dawn.
9
 Part III : Mekhathra

“ An immense dune rises in the distance, far Should any of these Ekrothari escape an encounter with
greater than any you have seen. As you trek closer, the characters, they will alert the full force of Mekhathra,
you can pick out rocky crags around its base, and it potentially leading to a pitched battle upon the dunes.
becomes apparent that this is no dune at all, but a The Devouring Sands. Cave openings dot the sides of
mass of rock so smoothly worn that at a distance it Mekhathra, but none are unguarded. These cave mouths
appears to be formed entirely from sand.” are trapped with 20 ft. stretches of deadly quicksand, which
can be detected on a successful Wisdom (Perception)
Mekhathra is the name given to the vast bank of rock check against a DC of 16. Should a character step into the
that the Ekrothari use as a hideout and a home. Formed quicksand, they must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving
into its unique shape by the shifting of the sand worms, throw or sink up to their knees, at which point their speed
this massive structure is almost perfectly camouflaged at a is reduced to 0. Every six seconds, they must succeed on a
distance, and dwarfs even the greatest of stone fortresses. DC 16 Strength saving throw to extricate themselves, or
Inside, Mekhathra is a warren of twisting, smoothly-cut they will be drawn deeper into the sand and are considered
tunnels and spacious caverns, entire bands of Ekrothari restrained. After their first failed save, they are submerged
making their homes in the larger edifices. up to their midsection. After the second, they are fully
submerged, and begin to suffocate.
Perilous Reaches. Though a close observer can pick
out openings atop Mekhathra, reaching them is another This movement among the quicksand alerts three hidden
matter. Beyond the crags that nestle around its base, Ekrothari warriors, who rise from the pit, unaffected
Mekhathra’s surface is incredibly sleek and difficult to by it. Two will attempt to flee immediately - one away
climb, requiring a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to from Alraqir, to alert the nearby patrol, and one into its
make any headway at all. The surface of the immense winding depths, to warn their fellows. They will attack
structure is also dotted with camouflaged tents adhered immediately, but the last to die always attempts to flee
to its breadth by deeply-set iron spikes - these tents serve into Mekhathra.
as lookout points, at each house a band of four Ekrothari
warriors. A character can pick them out with a successful
Wisdom (Perception) check against a DC of 13. Hiding
from them necessitates a DC 18 Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Ekrothari lookouts that notice the characters will pepper
them with arrows from afar while sending a runner to
alert Mekhathra to their presence.
No-Fly-Zone. Without the benefit of invisibility, it is
impossible to go unnoticed when attempting to approach
Mekhathra by air. Characters that attempt to do so quickly
attract the attention of nearly every lookout across the
entire structure. The moment they move within 600 feet
of Mekhathra, they must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity
saving throw as they are peppered with arrows from every
angle, taking 40 piercing damage on a failed save, or half
that on a successful one.
Patrols. Travelers approaching Mekhathra must be
wary - there is a patrol of two Ekrothari warriors and
their Rekari mounts circling the perimeter. A successful
Wisdom (Survival or Perception) check against a DC of 14
will allow the characters to pick out signs of their passing.

10
The Warrens
“ The caverns twist and turn in all directions,
seemingly threaded like spiderweb through the
immense structure. The rock is smooth and almost
reflective, marked only by odd, wavelike striations
along its surface. Occasionally, you pass between
arches of bristling, expertly shaped glass. Strange,
flowing script is carved periodically across
the walls, often at turnings or the entrances to
larger chambers.”
The interior of Mekhathra is a dizzying labyrinth, many of
its tunnels difficult to tell apart from any other. Navigating
the structure is a feat requiring a Wisdom (Survival) check.
The results of this check are determined based on the
following table:
- Navigating Mekhathra -
d20 Findings
1-10
Ambush! 6 Ekrothari warriors attack from
the shadows.
11-15
The characters wander aimlessly for half an hour.
(Discovering Ancient Speech)
16-19 The characters discover the Nesting Chamber.
20 + The characters discover the Fane of Eshroah.
Ancient Speech. The script on the walls is an ancient
derivative of the elvish language. Given an hour, any
character that reads elvish can attempt to decipher it with
a successful Intelligence (History) check against a DC of 16.
Doing so grants the characters advantage on their Survival
check to navigate Mekhathra.
The Nesting Chamber
“You come to a sharp turn in the tunnel ahead,
sunlight flickering down from an opening high
above. Ahead is a broad chamber with curved,
undulating walls, a mass of dark, sticky matter
coating the floor, providing a bed for the clusters of
eggs that dot the cave, some of them larger than a
grown man. A pair of sand drakes linger on the far
side of the room, while near the centre, a lone, frail
desert elf runs his hand along the nearby eggs, his
posture stooped with age.”
The Nest. The Nesting Chamber is one of several larger
caves that the Ekrothari have set aside for the Rekari.. The
massive reptiles come to these chambers when their eggs
are ready to disgorge, and the Ekrothari protect them until
they hatch, setting aside a limited number to be consumed
by the Daybringer. The aged elf tending to the eggs is
Mhedi, an elder of his clan and warden to this chamber. He
has lived among the Rekari for centuries, and understands
them like none other.
The Other Side. Mhedi’s primary concern is for the
eggs under his charge. He can be reasoned with, and
will not attack the characters on sight, even preventing
the nearby Rekari from attacking if the characters are
not immediately hostile. He will attempt to explain to
the characters that the inhabitants of Ardent have been
stealing away Rekari eggs, and that a species that so rarely
spawns young cannot survive such excessive poaching. If
Zharon is present, he will object, asserting that this is a
trick, and in a sense he is right - though Mhedi speaks the
truth, he is stalling until a patrol of two Ekrothari warriors
and two Ekrothari chaindancers arrive. They will come
across the cavern within three minutes of the characters
revealing themselves.
Despite this, should they consider his argument, Mhedi
can be convinced that the characters mean no harm. If
he is not, he will personally fight to defend the Nesting
Chamber, and should be treated in combat as an Ekrothari
warrior with double the normal number of hit points,
and the ability to cast the Healing Word and Shield spells
twice each day.
The Fane of Eshroah
“The smooth-carved walls of the tunnel open out
into an immense, circular cavern, criss-crossing
shafts of light cutting along the sand floor from
openings in the ceiling. Mantles of solid rock line
the sides of the chamber, and the walls are pitted
with cave mouths leading off into the rest of the
structure. At the far end of the cavern lies a huge
shard of carved glass, the bound forms of your
fellow travelers secured around its sides. The
light of the sun scintillates through it in dizzying
patterns, and a voice booms out through the
chamber in a harsh variant of elvish.
The Ekrothari are assembled in force, several
hooded figures watching as a tall, musclebound elf
with broad shoulders and a glowing sceptre in one
hand addresses them from one side of the glass
crystal, his voice hard with spite. Up in the gallery
of caves above, more elves - young, old, and all
between - watch from afar.”
A Feast for Eshroah. The Fane of Eshroah is the centre
of Ekrothari religion, the place where they feel closest
to their unforgiving solar deity. It is here that the
Ekrothari perform their most sacred of rites. The large
glass formation to one side is used rarely, but the figures
currently bound to it - Kalim, Lira, and the captured
initiates - will soon discover its purpose. The formation
is designed so that, for one hour each day, it catches and
magnifies the sun’s light so as to cook alive those bound
around it - and that hour is rapidly approaching.
The Unforgiving Sun. Eshroah is a solar deity, embodying
the terrible power of the sun. Imagined by the Ekrothari
as the destroyer of all things and an uncaring, inescapable
sovereign over all he surveys, Eshroah is to be respected
and placated rather than loved.
The elf speaking is Sezan, the Daybringer, declaring to
all ears in attendance that Eshroah will soon feast upon
the flesh of their captives. He and the other Ekrothari are
focused entirely on the ceremony, and if they are quiet
enough, the characters can move around the edges of the
room without attracting their attention. In addition to
11
 Sezan himself, there are six Ekrothari chaindancers, and Appendix A - Npcs
one Ekrothari Wormlord present.

The moment the characters are detected, Sezan and the

Wormlord will summon their Daru, which burst forth Zharon Hardhelm
from the sand, and command the Ekrothari to attack the —
intruders. Both Sezan and the Wormlord will use their AC 13 | HP 49 | Speed 25 ft. | Proficiency Bonus +3
Skills Athletics +6 , Perception +7, Religion +5
first movements in combat to mount their sandworms.
—
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1)
—
Maul. +6 to hit, Hit: 9 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage.

Spellcasting. To Hit +7, Save DC 15

At will: Light, Sacred Flame
2/Day each: Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Lesser Restoration

Lira Erron
—
AC 12 | HP 20 | Speed 30 ft. | Proficiency Bonus +3
Skills Insight+6 , Perception +6, Religion +5
—
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
—
Unarmed Strike. +4 to hit, Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage.

Spellcasting.
At will: Light
1/Day: Lesser Restoration
From the moment the characters arrive, they have two 2/Day each: Healing Word, Cure Wounds
minutes before the glass crystal has absorbed enough light
to begin cooking its occupants. Once the process begins,
it will deal any creature adjacent to it 2d6 radiant damage
each round - which will kill Lira, Kalim, and the initiates Kalim
in three rounds.
—
AC 16 | HP 24 | Speed 30 ft. | Proficiency Bonus +3
Skills Perception +6, Nature +5, Survival +6

Conclusion —
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Should the characters defeat Sezan and the Ekrothari, 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
they will have little trouble escaping Mekhathra, as the —
Unarmed Strike. +5 to hit, Hit: 2 bludgeoning damage.
Daybringer’s loss throws the sand elves into momentary
disarray. If Kalim has survived, the remaining trek to
Ardent should be difficult but relatively direct - Kalim is an
expert traveler that has made the journey over and over,
and even with diminished supplies he can get a small party
Tarlen
across the Everdune. —
AC 17 | HP 54 | Speed 30 ft. | Proficiency Bonus +3
The characters may very well have unanswered questions, Skills Athletics +7 , Perception +5, Survival +5
however, or unresolved issues with the true nature of
—
their mission. It seems unlikely that Ardent’s fabulously STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
wealthy patron will be satisfied anytime soon, and while 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
Earthshaker is a powerful weapon against the Ekrothari, —
Greatsword. +7 to hit, Hit: 10 (2d6+4) slashing damage.
the events of the adventure may only lead to an escalation
of the conflict between them. Should the characters or the Traits.
GM find either of these loose ends worth tugging on, they Multiattack (2).
could easily lead on into further adventures. Action Surge.

12
Npc Lore
Zharon Hardhelm (Cleric)
Appearance. A dwarf in the middle of his life, his
weathered skin tanned and his deep black beard bunched
together into a set of tidy braids. His head is shorn, and he
carries himself with a burdensome, travelled manner.
Goal. Getting Earthshaker to Ardent and exacting
revenge on the Ekrothari.
Background. A respected cleric, Zharon has convinced
higher-ranking members of his order that the people
of Ardent need their help, and heads the caravan
that will take the characters into the adventure. His
motives, however, are not entirely benign. Zharon has
been contracted by Duke Edgar Wralthorne to deliver
Earthshaker to Ardent in secret. As a young man, he
attempted to settle the Everdune, and was the sole survivor
when the Ekrothari descended upon him and his comrades.
He was at first hesitant when Duke Edgar’s agents first
came to him, his better judgement telling him that it was
best not to repeat past mistakes, but the long-held desire
for closure eventually won out, the duke’s proposition
reopening old wounds and reigniting in Zharon a desire
to see Ardent’s inhabitants succeed where he had failed.
Zharon is naturally brusque and easily irritated, but has
taught himself to be patient over the years, and is seen by
many of the initiates as a fatherly figure.
Items. Maul, Holy Symbol, Half-Plate Armour, 30gp
Lira Erron (Cleric)
Appearance. A young human woman in the middle of
her twenties, Lira wears her brown hair long and her small
smile is a near constant.
Goal. Providing aid to the people of Ardent.
Background. Lira is a junior priest in the same order
as Zharon and wears her robes proudly, believing
wholeheartedly in the righteousness of their mission. Lira
is positive, well-liked by the initiates under her, and trusts
Zharon completely - learning of his ulterior motives would
almost certainly be a devastating blow to her worldview.
Kalim (Desert Guide)
Appearance. A young man with sharp, gleaming dark
eyes and scraggly hair, made lean and quick by the harsh
lifestyle he lives.
Goal. Guiding Zharon’s expedition through
the Everdune.
Background. Hailing from one of the nomadic bands
that eke out a sparse existence in the dry lands surrounding
the Everdune, he is a superlative outdoorsman and
survivalist, and has guided many groups through the
Everdune. He speaks quickly and confidently, and enjoys
demonstrating the perils of the Everdune and how
to evade them.
Tarlen (Adventurer)
Appearance. A gruff, broadly-built man with stringy dark
hair and hard blue eyes.
Goal. Surviving the Everdune.
Background. Tarlen has a disaffected, sharp manner of
speaking, and his many years as an adventurer have made
him cautious. He is devoted to his profession, however,
and does not give up on folk that have placed themselves
in his charge, or leave a debt unpaid. Tarlen has been paid
to take a convoy of merchants across the Everdune, to the
far north, leading them to Vernion’s Point in preparation
for the rest of the journey.
Items. Greatsword, Splint Mail Armour,
adventurer's Pack, 25 gp
Appendix B - Magic Items
Cloak of Idhesalee
Wondrous Item, Very Rare, Requires Attunement
The semi-transparent fabric of this greyish blue cloak
seems to flow and flutter as though always under a
slight breeze.
While attuned to the Cloak of Idhesalee, you gain +1 to
Charisma (Deception) checks. Additionally, the Cloak of
Idhesalee has 5 charges. You may spend 1 charge to cast
the Feather Fall or Zephyr Strike spells, 2 charges to cast
Warding Wind or 3 charges to cast Invisibilty. Charges
spent this way are regained at dawn.
Parhelion
Rod, Legendary, Requires Attunement
Parhelion is a finely-crafted sceptre of black iron, a
gleaming opalescent gem set into its tip.
Parhelion is a +1 rod. While attuned to it, you can use
Parhelion to cast the Sunbeam spell, using Wisdom as your
spellcasting ability. As long as you are holding Parhelion,
you have advantage on concentration checks to maintain
the spell. Parhelion can be used this way once, and regains
any spent uses of this power after spending 8 hours
exposed to direct or indirect sunlight.
Dawnblade
Weapon (longsword), Very Rare, Requires Attunement
Dawnblade is a glimmering, white-bladed longsword that
seems to flash with the light of the sun when drawn.
Dawnblade is a +1 longsword. In addition, after eight
hours under direct sunlight, it gains 2 charges (to a
maximum of 2). As long as it has 1 charge remaining,
Dawnblade’s blade is ringed by a halo of rending light,
and deals an additional 1d6 radiant damage. Dawnblade’s
charges can be spent to cast Guiding Bolt at 2nd level,
using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability.
13
 Appendix C - Monsters Ekrothari Chaindancer
Medium humanoid (elf), typically chaotic neutral
—
Ekrothari Warrior Armor Class 17 (Studded Leather)
Medium humanoid (elf), typically chaotic neutral Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 35 ft.
—
Armor Class 17 (Studded Leather) —
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Speed 35 ft. 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

— —
Saving Throws DEX +7, CON +4
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
14 (+2) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
Damage Resistances Fire
—
Saving Throws DEX +7, CON +4 Damage Immunities Poison
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6 Condition Immunities Poisoned
Damage Resistances Fire Senses Darkvision 60, Passive Perception 14
Damage Immunities Poison Languages Elvish
Condition Immunities Poisoned Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Senses Darkvision 60, Passive Perception 14 —
Languages Elvish Fey Ancestry. The ekrothari has advantage on saving
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the
ekrothari to sleep.
—
Fey Ancestry. The ekrothari has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the Actions
ekrothari to sleep. Multiattack. The ekrothari makes two attacks: one with its
chain-blade and one attack with its dagger.
Actions
Multiattack. The ekrothari makes two attacks: one with its Chain-Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
scimitar and one with its dagger or two with its shortbow. target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage.

Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be
poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
One with the Dunes. While on sand the ekrothari can take
a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Additionally, they have advantage on dexterity saving throws
and stealth checks while on sand.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage,
and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
One with the Dunes. While on sand the ekrothari can take
a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Additionally, they have advantage on dexterity saving throws
and stealth checks while on sand.
Sand Fling. The ekrothari flings a handful of sand at a target
within 5 ft., forcing it to make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or
be blinded until the start of its next turn.

14
Ekrothari Wormspeaker melee attack. When making a range attack, on a hit or a miss,
the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within
Medium humanoid (elf), typically Chaotic Neutral 5 ft. of it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or
— take 3d6 piercing damage.
Armor Class 17 (Leather Armor)
Hit Points 74 (10d8 + 30) Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.
Speed 35 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage,
— and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
12 (+3) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
Spellcasting. The ekrothari casts one of the following spells,
—
Saving Throws DEX +8, CON +6 using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +8
Damage Resistances Fire 1/day each: dispel magic, earthbind, wall of sand
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned Bonus Actions
Senses Darkvision 60, Passive Perception 16
One with the Dunes. While on sand the ekrothari can take
Languages Elvish
a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Additionally, they have advantage on dexterity saving throws
— and stealth checks while on sand.
Fey Ancestry. The ekrothari has advantage on saving
throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the
Fist of Sand. The ekrothari summons a Large hand made of
ekrothari to sleep.
shifting sand in an unoccupied space within 60 feet. When
the ekrothari uses this ability, it can make a melee spell attack
Magic Resistance. The ekrothari has advantage on saving
against a creature (+6 to hit) within 5 feet of the hand. On a hit,
throws against spells and other magical effects.
the target takes 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and is grappled
Worm Rider. As long as the ekrothari is mounted on a Daru if it is Medium or smaller. On subsequent turns, the ekrothari
Sandworm, the sandworm follows the ekrothari's commands can use its bonus action to move the hand up to 20 feet and
and acts as an independent mount, retaining full access to all repeat the attack against a creature within 5 feet of the hand.
its actions but taking its turn on the ekrothari's initiative count. If a creature is grappled by the hand's spell attack at the start
In addition, the ekrothari may remain mounted while the of the ekrothari's turn, it can instead use its bonus action to
sandworm uses its burrow speed. automatically deal that creature 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage.
The hand dissipates after 1 minute.
Actions
Multiattack. The ekrothari makes two attacks: one with its
Reactions
shardspear and one attack with its dagger. Spellcasting. The ekrothari casts one of the following spells,
using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
Shardspear. Melee or Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage, or 1/day: counterspell
14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a
2/day: shield

15
 Sezan, the Daybringer
Sezan is the Daybringer, the ultimate religious and
temporal authority among the Ekrothari clans, ruling over
all of them as an unquestioned priest-king. Believed by
the Ekrothari to be the living embodiment of Eshroah,
their scornful solar deity, Sezan has conquered
uncounted trials of piety, ferocity, and martial
prowess to claim his position. He believes wholly
in his divinely-appointed right to rule as his god’s
herald, and to question the tenets of his people is
a wholly alien notion to him. Sezan strives to be as
much like Eshroah as possible - pitiless, imposing, and
powerful. He is determined to maintain the ancient
customs of the Ekrothari, and to keep them hidden from
the outside world.

Master of the Daru. As the symbol of his office, Sezan

carries the magical sceptre Parhelion. When carried by
him, this magical artifact has the power to bend even the
greatest of sandworms to his will.

Sun’s Champion. In emulation of his pitiless god, Sezan

does not negotiate, and does not relent once his fury is
roused. Ekrothari who fight alongside him do not fear
death, as they believe that Eshroah’s own eye is upon them.

Sezan, the Daybringer Actions

Medium humanoid (elf), typically Chaotic Neutral Multiattack. Sezan makes two attacks with his dawnblade.

— Dawnblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 5) radiant damage, and the target must
Hit Points 123 (17d8 + 51)
succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until
Speed 35 ft.
the start of its next turn.
—
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Shardspear. Melee or Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
20 (+5) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage, or
— 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a
Saving Throws DEX +7, CON +6
melee attack. When making a range attack, on a hit or a miss,
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within
Damage Resistances Fire
5 ft. of it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or
Damage Immunities Poison
take 3d6 piercing damage.
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60, Passive Perception 16
Light of Eshroah (Recharge 5-6). Sezan raises Parhelion
Languages Elvish
aloft and emits a 10-foot-wide, 40-foot-long line of coruscating
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
light. Each creature in the line must make a DC 14 Constitution
— saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 27 (6d8)
Fey Ancestry. Sezan has advantage on saving throws against
radiant damage and is blinded until the end of its next turn. On
being charmed, and magic can’t put Sezan to sleep.
a successful save, it takes half as much damage.
Special Equipment. Sezan carries Parhelion, a magical
scepter. While holding the scepter, Sezan has full control of his Bonus Actions
Daru, rendering it immune to any effect that would cause it to One with the Dunes. While on sand Sezan can take a bonus
become, stunned, frightened or charmed. action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Additionally,
he has advantage on dexterity saving throws and stealth
Magic Resistance. Sezan has advantage on saving throws checks while on sand.
against spells and other magical effects.
Sand Grasp. While on sand Sezan can take a bonus action
Worm Rider. As long as Sezan is mounted on a Daru to make an unarmed strike. On a hit the creature takes no
sandworm, the sandworm follows Sezan's commands and acts damage but instead sinks torso-deep into the sand and is
as an independent mount, retaining full access to all its actions considered restrained. They may use their full movement to
but taking its turn on the Sezan's initiative count. In addition, escape at the beginning of their turn.
Sezan may remain mounted while the sandworm uses its
burrow speed.
Reactions
Blinding Burst. When Sezan is attacked by a creature within
5 feet of him that he can see, he can use his reaction to
produce a burst of blinding light, imposing disadvantage on
the attack roll.

16
Daru Sandworm Daru Sandworm
Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Apex predators of the desert, the Daru are monsters of
legend. In part, this reputation stems from the sheer rarity
— of their sightings - Daru are subterranean beasts, spending
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 125 (10d12 + 60) much of their lives deep beneath the sand. Though barely
Speed 20 ft., burrow 50 ft. more intelligent than a simple insect and motivated solely
— by hunger, their eyeless senses stretch far through the
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
24 (+7) 7 (-2) 22 (+6) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 4 (-3)
sand, and they tunnel through earth with shocking speed.
Daru hibernate through most of the day, entering a near-
—
Saving Throws STR +10, CON +9 death slumber until the sun goes down and the earth cools.
Damage Resistances Fire, Poison During the night, they sift the sands for prey, devouring
Condition Immunities Blinded, Prone
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive
a motley of desert fauna. A sandworm stirred from its
Perception 9 slumber ascends to the surface in a blind fury, lashing out
Languages -- indiscriminately at anything or anyone nearby.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Bringers of the Storm. The name Daru is derived from
— an ancient elvish term for ‘wave’, and any creature that
Lacerating Eruption. When the sandworm burrows into spends the night in sandworm territory quickly comes to
sand, deadly ribbons of sand slice through the air around it.
Creatures within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity
understand why. Daru nest in clusters, and upon nightfall,
saving throw or take 13 (4d6) slashing damage and be knocked their coiling motions thunder through the surrounding
prone, or half that much damage on a successful save. desert, rearranging dunes and sending immense waves of
sand high into the air.
Actions Lords of the Dunes. The strange, pulsing movements
Multiattack. The sandworm makes two attacks: one with its of the Daru cause surrounding sand to quiver and
bite and one with its tail lash. twist through the air, surrounding them in a constant
particulate wreath. Clans of reclusive desert elves have
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a
even learned to replicate these motions, using them
Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 to dash swiftly over sand and exert their
Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the sandworm. A will over it
swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover
against attacks and other effects outside the sandworm,
and takes 13 (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the
sandworm's turns.

If the sandworm takes 25 damage or more on a single turn

from a creature inside it, the sandworm must succeed on
a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn
or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in
a space within 10 feet of the sandworm. If the sandworm
dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and
can escape from the corpse by using 10 feet of movement,
exiting prone.

Tail Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,

one creature. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and
the target must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be
knocked prone.

Sand Blast (Recharge 6). The sandworm exhales flaying

sand in a 40-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in
that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking
28 (8d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.

17
 Rekari Sand Drake Rekari Sand Drake
The dragons of the dunes, Rekari are a mystery to most. Large dragon, unaligned
These creatures inhabit only the most inhospitable of
climates, capable of surviving temperatures that would —
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
cripple most animals and able to subsist for weeks without Hit Points 115 (11d10 + 55)
sustenance. Capable ambush predators, Rekari hunt by Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
burying themselves in sand, where they can wait for days if —
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
necessary. For more than a few overconfident adventurers, 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
the sight of a Rekari’s reflective hide emerging from
the sand has meant a swift end, either by the wave of —
Saving Throws DEX +5, CON +8
scorching heat the beast exhales or under the crushing Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances Fire, Piercing, Radiant, Slashing
weight of its tail. Swords and spears clatter off their Condition Immunities Blinded
armoured flanks, and spells aimed at a Rekari will more Senses Tremorsense 120 ft., Passive Perception 14
often than not be reflected straight back at the caster. Languages --
Rekari are a rare sight, and rarer still in numbers, generally Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
wandering as solitary predators. Left to their own devices, —
they mingle only briefly to mate or to lay their eggs in Dune Stalker. The drake is an expert ambush predator. When
on sand, it can use its movement to cover itself with sand,
communal clutches, drawn together in these times through granting it advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide.
some unknown force of instinct.
Undying Flesh. Rekari sire children infrequently, and for Actions
good reason - they are immortal, dying only when slain or Multiattack. The drake makes two attacks: one with its bite
in the rare instances where one starves to death. A Rekari and one with its tail.
with child gradually forms a large, plated egg at the end of
their tail, bundled in such an excess of armoured scale that Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
the beast can use it as a weapon with minimal risk to the Hit: 15 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must make a
DC 14 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the drake.
life growing inside. After a decade, the egg disgorges, at
which point it softens over the course of a week until it is Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
ready to hatch. In the foetal stage, a Rekari is bursting with Hit: 11 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must
vital energy, and consuming the contents of one of these make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 ft.
eggs can reverse the aging process by ten years. directly away from the drake and knocked prone.
Ensouled Ones. In the vast desert of the Everdune, the Heat Breath (Recharge 5-6). The drake exhales blistering
Rekari are symbiotically linked to the elves that call the heat in a 30-­foot cone. Each creature in that cone must make
land home, who admire the drakes for their incredible a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (5d8) fire damage,
hardiness. Rekari often serve the elves as mounts, and the or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature
elves protect their hatcheries. The ‘ari’ in Rekari originates wearing metal armor has disadvantage on this saving throw.
from this relationship, indicating in the sand elves’
tongue that a being is considered to possess a soul similar Reactions
to their own. Reflective Scales. Whenever a spell attack misses the drake,
it can use its reaction to choose another creature within 10
feet of it. The spell targets the chosen creature instead of
the drake.

18
Notice of Open Game Content: This book contains Open
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System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the
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Everdune: Wrath of the Ekrothari Copyright 2021 Mammoth
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19