CREDITS
Adventure design. by Taylor Seely-Wright
Monsters Built Using gyffglyph's amazing monster creator. Check him out on https://giffyglyph.com/darkerdungeons/
Icon art. provided by game-icons.net
Monster Art. provided by DM's Guild
Ziggurat art by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The little Tower of Babel (1563)
Bensen's Perch Art by Edwin Lord Weeks. Arrival of a Caravan Outside The City of Morocco (1882)
Kit-bashed sliding block puzzle by me.
Cover Art
The battle of Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer (1529)
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, 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.
All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
Synopsis
The goatfolk of Capra are an ancient civilization banished out of time. Something's happened to awakened the goatfolk once more. They now raid the lands for slaves, working in black rituals to awaken their armies and flatten the world under their iron hooves. Only the players can save the realms and banish the Caprans beyond time once more.
Balanced for five 12th level characters.
Adventure Hook
Three options for parties to get involved:
Appeal to Heroism
Fates Intertwined. Perhaps your players recently performed some action in the world: destroying an ancient evil that held the goatfolk out of time, unlocking some hidden vault or reading the latin in the book.
Appeal to Reward
Solemn Ring. Founded by the archmage Azal, the solemn ring is an order of wizards dedicated to protecting the world from cosmic threats. There are only two members that remain, and they have gold, magic items or spellcasting services to offer to anyone who assists with driving the goatfolk back.
Appeal to Discovery
The Storm from Beyond. Seen from hundred of miles around, a storm rages in the heart of the wastes. Lances of thunder split the cloud like wildfire, sometimes revealing it to be shaped like a ram's head.
Adventure Background
Distant Past. Long ago, the goatfolk of Capra sough to tread the world under their iron hooves. To that end, they made a dread pact: they sold the soul of their whole race to the devil Mammon. In return, he would imbue them with strength, cunning and power.
Soul Sacrifice. At first, this proved to be a boon for the goatfolk. Their armies were undefeated in battle and their empire brought the nearby realms of goodly folk under heel. But as their victories mounted, the value of a soul became apparent: the goatfolk had become greedy, self-serving and vain. Losses mounted as the armies would only do battle if it benefited their generals personally. Rank and file avoided skirmishes and conflict unless there was something to personally be gained. Soon the Caprans were routed on every front and being pushed back to their capital.
One Soul. The Capran wizard who had arranged the deal with the devil realized the goatfolk needed their souls. He has reserved his own soul in a phylactery, out of reach of devils. From his iron throne, he laboured on a ritual for months. As the united forces closed in on the capital, the ritual was complete: his one soul would be split amongst all Caprans, uniting them once more.
Twist of Fate. Luckily for the forces of the united races, a clever wizard named Azal was amongst them that day. Before the united races were overrun, he twisted the Capran's spell to his own ends: the newely unified Caprans became locked out of time, frozen forever.
Now. Something has changed. The sentience of the Capran wizard has awoken, inhabiting his staff. The soul of capra, as he's now called, works to awaken his brethren by undoing the spell cast by Azal. Life for life, he sacrifices slaves to free Caprans from their time-locked slumber. His goal is to restore Capra to his former glory, and finish what his people began ages ago.
ACT 1
Things begin in Bensen's Perch. It's a slaver hub, where men and women are held until the goatfolk can emerge from the desert to purchase them.
The players are going to choose how they deal with the town and find the goatfolk's lair.
Setup
Read the following:
You've been trudging for days over rugged landscape, dry and arid hills. During those hot days you cross groups of travelers coming from Bensen's Perch: caravans of traders, smiling and waving as they depart the area laden with bags of coin. The other types of travellers you meet are less than savoury: packs of hard eyed cutthroats hauling cages, chains and mancatchers. They eye your weapons and armor and move on without word. There are easier targets for slaving.
Finally you spot it at the top of the next rise: smoke from cookfires and the din of humanity. Bensen's Perch, a village on the edge of nowhere.
Bensen's Perch
Bensen's Perch. Two dozen structures make up Bensen's Perch. Mud, people sleeping in alleys, cookfires and piles of garbage make up the disgusting streets. There is no law to speak off other than that enforced by the town's largest slaving guild, the Brotherhood. Living in the town are all kinds of outcasts, outlaws and desperate souls. Most work servicing the slavers or merchants that come to town. .
Free Man's Rest
The local bar.
People. Run by a elven werebear named Vie. She keeps coterie of dancers to part wealthy merchants from their coin and 4 strong-armed cutthroats (stats as thugs) to get rid of the riff-raff. She pays protection money to the brotherhood.
Wants & Fears. Vi wants the brotherhood gone but fears standing against them.
Goat Market
Near the entrance of the perch is the trade square. Rugs and stalls contain the basics the town needs to survive: meats, vegetables, leathers and iron. Great pits are dug were slaves can be kept until the goatfolk arrive again. A collection of bones forming a ram's skull are lashed to a 30ft pole that stands in the center of the market.
People. The warlock Grimshade (stats as warlock of the fiend) lives in a hovel in the market, trying to tempt slaves and cuththroats into selling their soul to Mammon.
Wants & Fears. Grimshade desires that the goatfolk stop coming to Bensen's, so that his dark master has better access to souls. He fears that the brotherhood will discover he serves a devil and will drive him out of town, so he remains discreet.
Brotherhood Headquarters
Part barracks, part town hall.
People. Big Brother is a cambion who runs the slaving organization. The Brotherhood takes a piece of the silver for each slave sold to the goats. His chief tracker is known as Little Brother (disguised orthon) and is feared throughout town for his cruelty. At any given time, there are six badits hanging around the brotherhood headquarters, along with half-dozen wannabe members, and haggard looking dancers.
Wants & Fears. Big Brother desires to expand Bensen's Perch into a thriving city under his control, but fears that someday the goatfolk might come to take away everything he's built. For now, he warily continues to allow slaves to be trafficked into the desert. Little Brother is a force of destruction that heeds Big Brother but otherwise only cares to do violence.
Wayfinder's Guild
A camp just outside town where group of adventurers live. The wayfinders make their living searching the surrounding countryside for ruins to raid, and in a pinch escort wealthy merchants back to civilized lands. Occasionally they can be found sneaking into the city to have a drink at the Free Man's Rest or buying basic supplies.
People. The guild composes of the following: their undead leader Bitumel (stats as sword wraith commander), his ex-lover Kiki (stats as elven shadowdancer), the halfling Wyn (stats as halfing master thief), Wyn's prized possession Trench (stats as shield guardian).
Wants and Fears. They desire to be able to freely enter Bensen's Perch and fear Little Brother, who has sworn to hunt them down. Individually, Bitumel wishes to return to life, seeing his nature as a barrier to Kiki and his love. Kiki has grown tired of adventuring and wants to find a way to settle down. Wyn feels he is the butt of the groups jokes and wishes to be taken more seriously. Trench holds no desires other than serving the man who holds his amulet.
Developemnts
Sandbox. Bensen's Perch is a playground. Have the players interact with the various forces of Bensen's. Ultimately the players need to find a way to the home of the goatfolk.
Moving things along. When you feel its appropriate, use the Goats Approach encounter. Use this if the players seem to be aimless in the town.
Encounter: Goats Approach
Read the following:
You hear cries go about the town: the goat's are coming!
Coming to the pallisades and looking into the desert you see a column of black shapes approaching. They slowly resolve themselves as massive creatures: some as large as a wagon, some no bigger than a man. They are hairy head to foot, with long goat snouts. They walk on hoofed feet, bearing steel polearms and axes. Some are covered in iron armor.
Once the goats arrive at the gates, read the following:
The goatfolk enter the town like a slow wave, bleating and rattling their iron tools. You can see now their red eyes and strange square pupils on the sides of their heads. Their horns are in various shapes and sizes. Some have pierced eyebrows, or great beards. Some wear full face masks, so that only red eyes can be seen.
Borne on a steel litter by 20 exhausted looking human slaves is the goat leader. You can see he's adorned in red silk robes. Now and again, bolts of lightning lance off his chair and strike the dirt with a zzzt noise. He bears a steel staff adorned with a ram's head. Each eye of the ram is set with a great twinkling ruby.
Terrified looking traders move forward with bows and scrapes to offer silks, spices or other goods as offerings to the goats.
Enemies. The goatmen war party consists of the possessed leader, 2 iron goats and 12 thousand young. It would be ill advised for the party to engage them here. The brotherhood won't interfere in a fight, but word will quickly get back to Big Brother, who will not be pleased the players are potentially ruining their only source of income.
.
As dealings progress, read the following:
The goatfolk speak amongst each other in their bleating language, and some members of the goat group move forward to open the slave pits. Anyone in their path quickly moves aside. The massive goatmen tear open the pit covers and begin hauling forth the slaves who tremble and cry for mercy. There doesn't seem to be a count going on as far as you can tell but nonetheless the goats bring forth iron chests, which are tossed at the merchants.
Copper coins spill everywhere. Merchants, cut throats, beggars and thieves throw themselves into the dirt, scrambling to get their share of the coin, fairly earned or not. Soon brotherhood members move forward with cudgels and cruel hooks, beating back any would be thieves and claiming the lions share of the silver for themselves.
All in all, this is one of the most disgusting sights of human misery you've ever witnessed.
Encounter: Goats Denied
If for any reason the goatfolk are refused slaves, they return the next day in the following fashion:
You hear the drums, low and distant at first but growing thunderous as they approach. Black banners crest the hill first. Then rows of goatmen, bleating battle cries and shouts of challenge. A horde of black fur and bristling spears approaches the town, bringing death.
The waraparty contains 35 thousand young, 5 iron goats, 9 mancatchers and the possessed. Unless the town is rallied, most people will flee into the hills, leaving the town woefully undefended and easily overwhelmed.
Battle. We can abstract most of the battle, having the players face off against 1 iron goat, 8 thousand young, 1 mancatcher and 1 possessed. If the players rallied the defenders, after this group is defeated the Goats retreat into the desert.
Development. If the defenders are not rallied, have them face an equal number of foes again. Afterwards, the remaining goatfolk retreat.
Resolution of Act 1
The players must one way or another discover the location of Capra, and head into the desert to end the goatfolk threat.
Brotherhood. The players could convince Big Brother to stop trading with the goatfolk, or they could eliminate him. Amongst his belongings are written accounts and crude maps that can lead the players to Capra.
If Little Brother survives, he will pursue the players into the desert and strike at a later date when it is most advantageous for him.
Free Man's. The brotherhood is no friend of Vie's, and she would reward the players who kill Big Brother. In the event of a power vacuum, she would assume control of Bensen's, but would not put a stop to the slave trade.
Wayfinder. They could convince the Wayfinder's guild to lead them to Capra, if the players will slay Little Brother. If both Big Brother and Vie are slain, the wayfinders would move in to take over the town.
Other Options. They could sell themselves as slaves to the goatfolk in the Goat Market, or try and follow the goatfolk back to the lair. As high level character's, they may also have access to magic that can lead them to Capra.
ACT 2
The players find Capra, the capital city of the goatfolk out in the desert. They will have to delve to the heart of the city to destroy the Seat of the Soul, the source of the goatfolks power.
1. Capra Fields
Description. The landscape around Capra is the site of a battlefield semi frozen in time. Thousands of warriors from the united races charge into hordes of goatfolk, as siege weapons along the hillside fling flaming death and cannons on Capra's wall return the favor.
Time Loop. Explosions blossom, forces clash, and men and beasts are slaughtered in slow motion. Then, everything rewinds: trebuchets un-fling their loads, lightning retracts and blood returns itself to veins as the armies un-clash and run in reverse only to repeat this process endlessly.
Crossing the Field. Crossing this field rapidly or heedlessly is dangerous, requiring a DC20 Perception check to manage safely. Otherwise the player is caught in some unseen danger. An intelligent character could take ten minutes and study the battlefield, making a DC15 Intelligence check to plot a safe course. By the time they do this, of course, a sortie will be leaving Capra to patrol the area.
Experimenting. From the perspective of those locked in time, the players are moving at super-speed. Any mild force the players exert on objects or people has the equivalent effect of a bullet train striking the object, likely shattering the object or completely destroying the creature in a gory spray before it all resets once more.
Monster. Every ten minutes they remain in this area, the players have a chance of encountering 2 mancatchers and a dominated young brass dragon. One of the mancatchers is chained to the dragon, who bears a thick adamantine collar covered in blood runes.
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Threat. Every other round, parts of the battlefield become dangerous. A hail of arrows lands, a cannon shell explodes, a group of warriors meet in a thunderous crash or a bolt of lightning arcs from the walls of Capra into enemy forces. Any creature caught in such a situation needs to make a Dexterity saving throw DC15 or face an attack roll of +7, depending on the danger, taking 22 (4d10) damage. Mark these zones so players are aware, as time constantly resets and repeats these actions.
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Treat. The environmental threats do not discriminate, and can affect the goatfolk sorties too. The brass dragon is under a dominate monster effect, which can be removed via dispel magic. The dragon is highly unlikely to join the players, unwilling to risk capture again. If the players convince the dragon to assist going forward, simply add another iron goat to each encounter to compensate. It will also request 90% of the treasure found, as most of the copper in the city is from its hoard.
Treasure. Nothing can be gained from this battlefield as everything taken simply resets itself.
1b. Goatfolk Command Tent
Description. Goatfolk Command. As the characters approach the walls they can encounter the Goatfolk command tent. It's mostly empty, with the key figures having been revived already through the goatfolk's blood magic. The players can find documents here written in Capran.
Documents. Decoding these documents reveals that the 'Soul of Capra' has almost completed its ritual, and the goatfolk's orders are to hold the united forces off for a little longer. It commends the 'soul brothers and sisters' for their sacrifice, and reminds them that they will return to the great oneness to be born again soon. It also reminds them that there is nowhere to run and if Capra falls, they are doomed to be hunted down by the united races.
Treasure. Nothing can be gained from the command tent as everything simply resets itself.
1c. Gates of Capra
Description. Gate of Capra. The iron doors stand closed and are adorned with a carved rams head, with two gargantuan rubies for eyes.
Opening the Door. The gates of Capra can be opened magically by any goatfolk speaking the Capran word for Open, which merely sounds like some bleating. The door can be fooled by illusions or magic. Alternatively, a DC15 Dispel magic can banish the enchantment for 10 minutes. From there, the doors can be pushed open by a suitably strong character. If the gates are forced, a magical trap triggers, electrifying the doors and forcing anyone touching the doors to make a DC15 Constitution save, taking 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a failure and half as much on a success. Alternatively, the walls can be scaled or flown over.
Treasure. The huge gems in the eyes of the ram weight 50lb each and are the source of the lightning trap. If removed, they will discharge once more in 10 minutes, and after that remain inert. They are worth 500 gp each.
2. Streets of Capra
Read the following:
You enter a city of wide, paved streets and massive stone structures, seemingly carved from one solid block of stone. Everything here is orderly, the houses stand tall and the streets are straight and evenly spaced out. You can see a ziggurat in the center of the city that rises above all. It's eerily quiet here in the city, as though the battle outside didn't exist.
Here and there along the street are goatfolk, completely frozen in time. Some appear to be civilians, wearing silk clothes. One goatfolk mother carries a child in her arms. Other frozen figures appear to be soldiers, rushing to the battle or away from it.
Towards the ziggarat, you can see movement in the square up ahead. You only catch a glimpse of goatfolk marching before they disappear behind some buildings.
To the east, echoing down the streets, you can hear faintly cries of pain and fear. You make out the sound of creatures speaking in the common tongue.
To the west, you see a square. There are strange purple tents erected in that square, and a banner floats on the edge of the square, suspended by nothing.
The Sky. Now that the players are in Capra and can see into the storm clouds, at the heart of the maelstrom is what looks like a tear in the sky. The edges of the tear scintillate in a rainbow hue, and beyond the tear is a endless starry void. Occasionally, white lightning races out of the tear and into the storm clouds.
2a. North: Square of the Old and New Gods
Description. The square of the old and new gods is open ground with a great fountain in the center. The fountain is carved with the busts of all the old and new gods of the Caprans. When they sold their souls, all the faces transformed to that of Mammon. Since the goats have re-awakened, they have taken chisel to the busts, and a dozen stony faces of Mammon lie at the bottom of the crystal clear pool.
Slaves. A group of slaves overseen by a thousand young are transporting a time-frozen goatfolk through the square. Thick iron chains that end in an iron collar adorn the time-locked goatfolk. The collar is covered in runes painted in blood that seem to suck in the light and dim the air around them. The slaves drag the goatfolk through the streets as though he were a statue, but it seems the magic of the collar stops the goatfolk from resetting his position.
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Threat. A group of slaves watch over by a thousand young.
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Treat. The slaves will be endlessly grateful if freed. Their leader is a young dwarf woman named Unita. She begs the players to save the other slaves being kept in the ritual site. She's seen the goatfolk ritual. It involves cutting open slaves like cattle and draining their blood, which seems to awaken goatfolk that were previously stuck in time.
2c. West: Slave Camp
This square is used to hold the bulk of the slaves destined for the sacrificial circles. Bensen's has proved to be too effective at providing slaves, and the goatfolk don't want anymore slaves in the city less they escape or overpower their capturers.
Monster. 16 thousand young
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Timer. A great bell sits in the center of the slave camp on a wooden palissade. If rung, in 1d4 rounds the possessed arrives along with 2 iron goats. If continued to be rung until the end of this period, in 1d4 rounds 4 mancatchers will arrive from Mancatcher Headquarters.
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Threat. This fight could quickly become very dangerous if the players do not disable the bell.
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Treat. 50 slaves are being held here in 5 cages. Freeing a pack of slaves will completely immobilize 2 thousand young as they are forced to wrestle with a pack of angry slaves.
Treasure. A stockpile of the slaves belongings are kept in one of the houses adjacent to the square. It's mostly valueless, but there is a crate that contains 20 gold bars worth 1,000 gp (which belongs to one of the slaves, of course.)
2b. East: Drow Diplomats
Description. Dark purple banners bearing the spider of Lolth hover in midair around the square. The square has 3 silk tents erected in it, each one made of a purple cloth and having faint spiderweb patterns covering them as you approach.
Drow's Objective. A coterie of dark elves from the underdark are staying the city, having come to negotiate with the Caprans. The dark elves objective is ultimately to manipulate the Caprans into their bidding. They've met with little success so far and are growing frustrated with the seemingly simple and stubborn folk.
Monster. The force consists of a drow priestess of lolth, her four drow handmaidens and 2 drow elite warriors.
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Timer. The drow won't immediately attack, as the priestess is interested in seeing how she can use the players. She grows tired of trying to negotiate with the goatfolk, seeing it a lost cause. At bare minimum, she cannot return to her people empty handed. If the players are set on stopping the goats, she won't interfere as long as they bring her the ram-headed staff the leader carries. She is willing to offer them her 'treasure' if she can do as she asks.
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Threat. If the players do not fight and do not agree to her deal, she will send an elite warrior on ahead to warn the goatfolk of the players arrival, hoping to curry favor.
Treasure. The priestess carries a potion of supreme healing. This was brewed by drow and loses its effectiveness if exposed to sunlight for a minute, turning milky and useless. They also carry 900pp worth of spider-silk cloths, obsidian bead jewelery and platinum coins stamped with Lolths symbol which she'll offer as payment if the players will retrieve the ram-head staff and deliver it to her.
2d. Anywhere: Mancatcher Headquarters
Connected to any of the locations the players travel too can be the Mancatcher Headquarters. Make it clear this encounter is optional: there are ways to circumvent the square where the mancatcher's are located.
Feature. The mancatcher headquarters are in the center of a square. It consists of a large, three pole tent. The edges of the square are littered with stockades, torture implements, and hanging ropes that dangle in the wind.
Monster. 4 mancatchers, two of which are shoed with Horseshoes of the Zephyr which doubles their speed and their movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
- Timer. After 1d4 rounds the Mancatchers with the magical horseshoes are likely to escape and warn the Ritual site.
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Threat. The grounds around the mancatcher HQ are littered with booby traps. Place 15 hunting traps on the map that are hidden except to passive perception 15. A creature that steps on the trap must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 piercing damage and stop moving. Thereafter, until the creature breaks free of the trap, it cannot move. A creature can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Each failed check deals 1 piercing damage to the trapped creature.
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Treat. There are spare mancatchers in the tent that can be used to capture any mancatcher. Similarly, tripping one of the horseshoed mancatchers would likely cause them to careen into a trap and suffering its effects, or running into a wall taking 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage.
Treasure. In the Mancatcher headquarters inside a locked iron chest is Potion of Flying and 150,000 cp, meant as a payment to the humanoids in Bensen's reach for slaves.
3. Ritual Sites
The ritual sites are outside of the ziggaraut in a large open grounds.
Description. The grounds before the temple of the soul are a place of suffering. Great bonfires burn, sending smoke into the air. Players looking closely can spy the charred remains of bodies amongst these inferno's. Charms, fetishes and bones tied into the shapes of runes dangle from every building, every pole and banner.
Cages & Circles. Six cages made of steel dot the area. Near each cage is a five pointed start surrounded by a circle, drawn on the stone in chalk or white paint. The cages themselves are rusted and stained by lots of blood. The ground around the cages are soggy with the stuff.
Frozen Goatfolk. There are also dozens of goatfolk here, bound in runed covered iron collars. These folk are frozen in time, shifting and blurring slightly but otherwise remaining unmoving.
Possessed. A goatfolk bearing that odd staff chants and cries, gesturing to the rip in the sky. Two massive goatfolk dressed head to toe stand guard nearby.
Monster. One possessed, 2 iron goats reside in the square, performing the awakening ritual. Any mancatcher's that retreated from Mancatcher headquarters are also here. The Possessed will start battle inside one of the ritual circles.
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Threat. There are six ritual circles here. Using its action, the possessed can do one of the following while inside a ritual circle. After a ritual circle is used, it cannot be used again for the rest of the battle.
- Produce a wall of force.
- Double its damage and increase the DC of its effects by 5 for 1d4 rounds and immediately use either wild lightning or eye of the ram.
- Revive 4 thousand young.
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Treat. The players can enter a ritual circle and with a DC15 Arcana check do one of the following:
- Produce a wall of force.
- Double its damage/healing and increase the DC of its effects by 5 for 1d4 rounds and immediately make an attack or cast a spell with casting time of one action.
4 Temple of the Soul
Description. Climbing the blood-stained steps of the temple, players see statues of great goats roaring. Carved on every inch of the walls are scenes of goatfolk triumph, goatfolk overseeing slaves who farm fields, goatfolk society experiencing a blissful existence.
Directions. Inside, the temple layout is simple. There is an antechamber with one locked door leading to the Treasury and one long hallway that ascends upwards to the Seat of the Soul.
4a. Treasury
Description. The door to the treasury contains a complex mechanical lock. Only when the ruby-red block reaches the open spot in the puzzle will the door unlock.
Trap. If the door is attempted to be forced, the walls are bypassed, anyone attempts to teleport into the vault or if the creatures attempting to solve the puzzle cannot do so in a minute with a flash the door becomes as a prismatic wall for 24 hours, completely encircling the vault itself. An antimagic field will negate this effect, and a dispel magic of DC19 will disable the effect for 10 minutes.
Treasure. Inside the vault are ten iron chests each containing 160,000 cp weighing 32,000lb total. As well, a small lockbox made of tough, woodlike mushroom emblazoned with Lolth's spider symbol contains 900 pp and a potion of supreme healing. This potion becomes milky and useless if exposed to sunlight for 1 minute.
4b. Seat of the Soul
Read the following:
Crystals. Five crystals, forming the points of a five pointed start, are positioned at the very edges of the room. They are quite durable, each possessing 50hp.
Monster. The seat of the soul resides here.
Back in Time. If any player is sent back in time, they arrive during the siege of the city. A wizened goatfolk sits on the throne, bearing his staff. He will taunt the players in common that they have arrived too late, and the ritual is already complete.
Transition. When the seat reaches half health, with a flash the tear in the sky widens and engulfs the ziggaraut. Instead of walls at the edge of the arena, the ziggaraut center is now suspended in a starry ocean. The throne gains a new lair action:
- Astral crystals. On initative count 20, any 2 crystals in the room can move 30 feet. Any creature struck by a crystal must make a DC15 Athletics or Dexterity saving throw or be pinned by the crystal. Any creature that falls off the platform falls 2,000 feet before falling into the Astral plane, with no obvious recourse on how to return to Capra.
5. Loop is Closed
Read the following:
With a crack your final blow shatters the throne, causing a bright explosion as the energy is released. You hear faintly a goatlike scream. As the smoke clears, you see the ram-headed staff snapped in half, the lights of the crystals now dim.
Throughout the city, all the living goatfolk are frozen in place, stuck forever once more in time. The battle outside the city is now completely still, all the unfortunate souls trapped once more.
Overhead, the storm clouds are dispersing and the tear in the sky no longer exists.
Back in Time?
Decide what's most interesting for the characters in the past when the throne was defeated. Did they get trapped along with the goatfolk by Azal's spell? Are they forced to live out the ages in between then and now? A sphinx could potentally assist characters finding their time-lost friends, which is an interesting adventure in itself. Alternatively, perhaps the characters lost in time simply re-appear no worse for wear.
Appendix: Monsters
Thousand Young
Medium humanoid (goatfolk), lawful evil
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 29
- Speed 30 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Str +6, Con/Cha +2, Int/Wis/Dex -2
- Skills Athletics +10
- Senses passive Perception 11
- Languages Capran
- Challenge 2 (525 XP)
Bloodfury. When you are bloodied, you become enraged; -2 AC and +2 to hit.
Actions
Multiattack. You can make two savage attacks.
Savage Attack. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 13 slashing damage.
The Possessed
Large humanoid (goatfolk), lawful evil
- Armor Class 14
- Hit Points 87
- Speed 30 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws Cha +9, Str/Con +5, Int/Wis/Dex +1
- Skills Arcana +8
- Damage Resistances slashing, piercing and bludgeoning from nonmagical weapons
- Damage Immunities lightning
- Condition Immunities charmed
- Senses passive Perception 11
- Languages Capran
- Challenge 5 (2100 XP)
One Body. When the Possessed is slain, the staff of the ram magically teleports to the closest goatfolk, preferring Thousand Young in ties. That creature is immediately stunned. At the end of its next turn it transforms into The Possessed.
One Soul. When you take damage, all other goatfolk within 100 ft are aware of your pain and take 5 psychic damage.
One Purpose. Allies within 10ft of you have advantage on their attacks rolls.
Actions
Multiattack. You can make two attacks with either Staff of the Ram or Eye of the Ram.
Wild Lightning. You fire a bolt of cosmic lightning in a 5ft wide, 30ft line. Any creature caught in this area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Staff of the Ram. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 5 bludgeoning damage and 5 lightning damage.
Eye of the Ram. One target you can see must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
Iron Goat
Large humanoid (goatfolk), lawful evil
- Armor Class 20
- Hit Points 115
- Speed 30 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Str +11, Con/Cha +7, Int/Wis/Dex +3
- Skills Athletics +10
- Senses passive Perception 11
- Languages Capran
- Challenge 5 (2100 XP)
Shield of Aeons. When standing next to an ally or attacking target, you can spend your reaction to redirect the attack onto yourself.
Juggernaut. When you enter any enemy's space for the first time on a turn, the enemy must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Actions
Multiattack. You can make two Iron Pike attacks.
Iron Pike. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft, one target. Hit: 14 bludgeoning damage.
Mancatcher
Medium humanoid (goatfolk), lawful evil
- Armor Class 16
- Hit Points 115
- Speed 40 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
- Saving Throws Str +9, Dex/Con +5, Int/Wis/Cha +1
- Skills Athletics +4, Survival +7, Stealth +10
- Senses passive Perception 18
- Languages Capran
- Challenge 5 (2100 XP)
Mark The Prey. You have advantage when trying to detect hidden enemies. Any enemy that you can see is also visible to your allies.
Actions
Multiattack. You can make two attacks: one with your mancatcher staff and one with your headbutt.
Mancatcher Staff. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 15ft, one target. Hit: 16 piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the mancatcher can't use its staff on another target.
Headbutt. Melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft, one target. Hit: 16 bludgeoning damage.
Seat of the Soul
Gargantuan construct, neutral
- Armor Class 20
- Hit Points 173
- Speed 0 feet
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 22 (+6) 18 (+4)
- Saving Throws Wis +12, Cha/Int +8, Con/Dex/Str +4
- Skills Arcana +7
- Damage Resistances slashing, piercing and bludgeoning from nonmagical weapons
- Damage Immunities lightning
- Senses blindsight 120, passive Perception 16
- Languages —
- Challenge 8 (4200 XP)
Stray Bolts. Any enemy that touches you or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 ft of you takes 12 lightning damage.
Immutable Mind and Form. You are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form, mind or will.
Actions
Cosmic Storm [Present]. You emit a blast of lightning, drawing a line from yourself to a crystal, and from that crystal to another crystal. Creatures in the way must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 19 lightning damage on a failure and half on a success.
Doom of the Past [Past]. Each creature you can see must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 29 psychic damage and become frightened until the end of their next turn.
Disrupt the Weave. The area is affected by an antimagic field until the beginning of the your next turn.
Paragon Actions
You can take 1 paragon action(s), choosing to perform one action. Only one paragon action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. You regain spent paragon actions at the start of your turn.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), you may take a lair action to cause one of the following effects. You can't use the same effect two rounds in a row.
Time is Subjective. On initiative count 20, creatures you can see must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, they are flung back in time, appearing adjacent to the nearest crystal. If they are already in the past, they instead return to the present adjacent to a crystal.