adventure overview
Introduction
This is an adventure for 5th edition designed for 4 1st level characters and should bring them to 2nd level. This document sets out the broad strokes of a larger setting, though this can easily be modified to fit most fantasy realms.
Troubles in Galcaster
The Galcaster Greenhouse provides the surrounding area with produce and security during the cold winters, however there is a new threat stirring that threatens this safety. An ancient creature is awakening from a long hibernation and its next target is the power source of the greenhouse.
Background
Centuries ago Rutald Brightsoul constructed the metal and glass structure of the Greenhouse to provide food year round to his people, the Progenitors. Brightsoul is known to have built many great works though most were lost, when the Progenitor Empire fell to a nomadic horde of conquerors who left only scraps and rubble of the grand structures. The Greenhouse in Galcaster was saved thanks to the work of a coven of wizards and witches employed by the nomads, who would later return under a new banner to study the buildings enchantments. Their main draw was the pair of small burning suns installed inside to power the building, though they could never replicate the design precisely. The suns are built of stone, metal, and glass and sit upon pedestals, emitting light and heat year round, without fail.
Since the Progenitors were crushed, their ruins and magical constructions fell into disrepair, waiting for adventurers to find them. These old chambers hold more than just artifacts, magic trinkets draw all manner of creatures and people to them over time, willing themselves to be found. A creature unaffected by time, the Lethargic Gorger crept into chambers beneath Galcaster years ago. The Gorger consumes magic, its last meal came from the relics below allowing it to fall into a deep hibernation. Hibernations don't last forever, and the largest source of magical energy is the Greenhouse itself.
Overview
This adventure is broken into three main parts. Each part corresponds with a day of the adventure, though events might move between days. Day one has the characters meet with the Ram, a sentient statue that keeps watch over the greenhouse, who is worried about odd shadows he has seen on the greenhouse. He asks the players to check out the shadows, specifically at night when he has seen them, and suggests they keep watch that night. During the night watch suggested by the Ram the players witness one of the enchantments on the greenhouse break, the enchantments that hardens the glass and helps keep animals out of the greenhouse. A species of giant moth that inhabits the area breaks the glass during the night and groups of them begin to feast on the fruits within.
Day two has the players dealing with the Bright Lions and the Lodge of Mystics having differing opinions on how to deal with the issue of the greenhouse, and allows them to gain more information about the factions, their motivations, and perhaps allows them to choose who to help or hurt in town. In addition to the social aspects on day two, the characters are also confronted by odd magical abominations from below the city, which of course try to consume everything they come in contact with. The players also witness another enchantment within the greenhouse begin to break down, the suns themselves flicker and die momentarily, causing an even greater stir from the factions.
Day three has the characters gain more information about what could be causing the issues with the magic in the greenhouse and delve into the chambers below the city to find the source of the problem. In addition the faction's plotting comes to a head, perhaps with the players in the middle.
Adventure Hooks
The reasons the adventurers are traveling through Galcaster are their own. They could be members of the community already, traveling with a trade caravan, or visiting the wondrous greenhouse. Whatever their reason for being in town, once they are in town here are two options to get them involved with the troubles in town.
A Ram Needs Adventurers: As the characters enter the town, crossing beneath the archway, a voice calls out to them. Its the Ram, a sentient statue on the walls of the arches overlooking the Greenhouse. He needs their help as no one from town will do as he wishes and check the shadows he has seen on the greenhouse at night. He offers to give the characters his knowledge of the location of an old unmarked tomb known to contain weapons and riches.
Moths in the Night: During their night’s stay in The Leaning Moon, the Galcaster inn, the characters hear loud crashing sounds and a local rushes in the tavern to ask for assistance with dealing with the giant moth species that are feasting on their harvest. After the moths are dealt with, Veth, a member of the Lodge of Mystics, speaks with the adventurers about what they know of the events, and introduces them to the Ram. The Ram offers the knowledge of the location of an old unmarked tomb known to contain weapons and riches, while Veth, if pressed, will offer his services as an alchemist for free.
The Georir Domain
This adventure takes place in The Georir Domain, a realm full of ancient dangers and organizations looking to exploit them for their own gain. There are a few important details to remember when running this adventure.
A Cycle of Rebirth
Within the current known lands of Georir, the cultures agree that there is a cycle of reincarnation that occurs for all living things. Living beings have souls that on death are taken and reused to make new life. This cycle of rebirth has been studied at length by wizards and mechanists alike, and while evidence supports its existence, little can be gleaned about the specifics of the process.
The Tisian Monarchy
The city of Galcaster falls within the kingdom of the Tisian’s. A human dynasty that controls a large swath of territory, the Tisian’s have built influence over the years through war and diplomacy. The last several years have been peaceful, with the current Tisian monarch, Senela Tisian, using positions in her court to form important allies and enemies.
The most recent stir in court was the change over of a member of the Lodge of Mystics as Court Magician, to a member of the Bright Lions. The Lodge of Mystics is an enduring organization of wizards, mystics, sourcerors, and clerics, that has advised the monarchs for a hundred years. The Bright Lions are a younger group of religious military men that have been on crusades in recent years to reclaim holy sites for The Shining Pride, the sun god. The change in Court Magician is thought to be a ploy to prevent aggression against the Tisian Monarchy, though the Lodge of Mystics does not feel it was necessary.
Within the Tisian Monarchy, and surrounding lands, most people are members of the Celestial Church, worshiping the various planetary gods as well as the god that made them all, The Eternal Soul. While the other gods have continued their usual contact and miracles for their followers, The Eternal Soul has been distant and silent for several years, with several priests and theologians questioning where he has gone.
Galcaster
This adventure takes place entirely within the city of Galcaster. It was built on the bones of an ancient progenitor city, around the greenhouse. The greenhouse has allowed the town to prosper and grow over the years, and attracted several factions and businesses. The town map offers an overview of what is available in town, and can be given to the players so they know what resources they could call on.
The Bridge Arches
The first feature seen of Galcaster from the North entrance is the set of arches leading off the bridge into town. One side of the arch has collapsed into a pile of loose stones and rubble. On the tower that has not fallen there is a large Ram’s head mounted on the wall. The whole arch is coated in ornate stone carvings of leaves and foliage.
The Ram
Covered in small etchings and carvings, the ram statue is mounted above head height, and overlooks the main town plaza. At night the carvings glow slighting with a faint blue light. These carvings and etchings power enchantments on the statue that give it an unequal semblance of sentience and intelligence. Built by Rutald Brightsoul the statue has been studied for years by the Lodge of Mystics, though their recreations pale in comparison to the Ram.
The Ram is a boisterous and loud presence in the square, often using songs he’s learned to serenade the plaza. He has watched over the greenhouse since before it’s construction was finished, and as he and the greenhouse are all that is left of his master’s creations here, he dotes on it’s wellbeing. The Ram knows a great deal about the town and its inhabitants as well as the greenhouse and the progenitors. He is easily distracted however and loses the train of conversations quickly. The Ram is the main driver behind the character’s involvement in the events of this adventure, that information can be found in the following section, "Day One".
The Greenhouse
A massive structure of glass and wrought iron the greenhouse sits off the main plaza of town. Fine runic engravings in the metal glow faintly with magical energy. Light shines out of the glass panes of the building and reveals the power source, a pair of bright suns at either end of the building. The suns are mounted atop stone pillars, though the light source itself seems to float above the top. Within the greenhouse the air is humid and warm, even if the dead of winter howls outside. It smells of upturned earth and plant life. A pair of warehouse doors on the wing are open allowing workers to push carts loaded with vegetables towards a waiting warehouse across the square. The small door leads into the center of the warehouse where the two wings meet, deep opposing shadows are cast within the tall fruit tree grove there.
Pathways are cut on the outer edges of the greenhouses, with piping running overhead that could slowly drip water onto the plants below. Small trails in the leaves can be seen on the central rows, with workers making tunnels through the leaves of the plants.
The Suns have a set of controls on the floor of the outer edge of the building. These controls allow the workers to power off the suns when needed. Usually this is used when the plants are being changed out to avoid unneeded strain and during the summer months when the suns are not needed as much.
The head of the farmer’s union that maintains the plants in the greenhouse is Kelur a middle aged human with a worn, but sturdy appearance. The union is full of different ages and races of farmers, though it is predominantly younger people. At any time during the day they are busy working with the plants and moving harvest from the greenhouse to the warehouse.
Atale’s Blacksmithing
Run by a sturdy red haired human woman named Atale, this blacksmithery primarily caters to farmers and often acts as a farrier and repairwoman for wagons. While she forged weapons for the last war, with the dwarven states, she has since focused on more domestic concerns. Her workshop is a cluttered place with half finished projects and bits of scrap metal around the forge and work tables. She is currently working on making several wagon treads to sell. Atale can offer blacksmithing services to shoe horses, fix carts, or perhaps make something new.
The General’s Goods
Just off the main square near the archway, sits a small two story building of light stone. Above the doorway hangs a matching pair of sabers, mounted behind a kite shield with weathered blue paint. A small light wood plank sign is carved and painted with the name, “The General’s Goods”
The proprietor is Tirlor, an elderly human gentleman who sits on a tall stool behind the counter of the store. He has several deep scars running down the side of his face and neck, disappearing beneath his shirt. Tirlor was previously an officer in the Tisian army, who loves to tell the story of how he technically held the rank of general for approximately three hours during a particularly bloody battle with the dwarven state to the north.
The General’s Goods provides general provisions and supplies, but also has a limited collection of non-magical weapons for sale.
The Radiant Hold
This keep is an older structure of light stone that has been retrofitted in the last year to meet the Bright Lion’s requirements. Sitting atop a small hill at the north east of town, near the Temple of the Earthen. The modern retrofittings include a wooden extension to the main keep that acts as a main hall and temple.
The Radiant Hold is the Bright Lion’s headquarters in Galcaster. The Lions worship the Shining Pride, the sun god of the Celestial Church. Their presence in Galcaster is primarily because of the greenhouse, and it’s sun, as they have linked them with their own worship of a sun god.
The head of the Bright Lions in Galcaster is Lorvor, a darkly tanned human male usually found in his engraved plate armor that marks his status. Somewhat of a smarmy fellow, in general he is not well liked in town, though he and his organization are charged with keeping the peace and making the cities secure for their residents, the Bright Lion’s crusades elsewhere don’t help warm the locals to their presence.
The Leaning Moon
This inn boasts two floors and 7 guest rooms. The bottom floor made of stone is filled with a tavern and kitchen while the second floor of wooden walls is reserved for the guest rooms. The tavern is frequented by the townsfolk and travelers alike, though the majority of business from the locals. The proprietor is Skelina, a tall tiefling with dark red skin. Skelina only has one bartender at the inn, preferring to do most of the work herself, including the cooking. If asked locals will warn the characters off the mushroom pie and point them to the beef tips stew. The tavern and guest rooms are kept modestly clean, though far from spotless, and the ale is cheap.
Temple of the Earthen
The primary deity and temples of the Celestial Church, the Temples of the Earthen are erected in the honor of the earth goddess, the Earthen. These temples serve the general religious needs of the populace, marriages, funerals, and sermons on holy days. The temple in Galcaster is in the southeast of the town. It has a large fenced grounds and several small sets of graves for those members of town who are opposed to cremation.
There are a handful of people who live and work at the temple, however Nysbel, a shrewd elderly human woman with graying hair, works as the matron of the Temple and is in charge within the walls.
The temple can offer the characters healing services and holds the town records of births, deaths, and general historical documentation.
The building itself is one of the few buildings rebuilt from the original progenitor ruins. Several walls and pieces of the fencing are different styles and colors of stone, denoting changes and repairs to the building over the years. It is a large structure featuring several stained glass windows within a rotunda as the primary fellowship hall within the temple.
The Lodge of Mystics
Looming on the southern edge of Galcaster is the Lodge of Mystics. This three story building of wood and dark stone acts as the guild branch within town. The Lodge of Mystics is a loose collection of spellcasters of all types. The Lodge itself holds quarters for the permanent members along with a few guest rooms for visiting members. The library is also in the main house, containing shelves upon shelves of tomes and scrolls of arcane knowledge. The fenced grounds also hold a small alchemy workshop, and an amphitheater for guild meetings and ceremonies.
Risbel, a young human female, is the primary customer facing member of the Lodge of Mystics. She is the guild’s newest member in Galcaster and in addition to assisting others with their research, is in charge of helping anyone with what they need from the guild. The Lodge offers the public services in alchemy, salves, spell scrolls, and enchanting. The Lodge usually reserves use of it’s library and teleportation circles for members only, though exemptions have been made.
The elder member of the Lodge in Galcaster is Dynton a middle aged, muddy red skinned tiefling. He has spent the last several years attempting to recreate the enchantments that built the suns within the greenhouses. His study has only gotten as far as getting the gem used to power the suns mounted into its casing.
A new relic recently made it’s way into the Galcaster lodge, thanks to Risbel, is an ancient chalice recently discovered within a progenitor digsite outside of Galcaster. Its exact use is unknown currently, but Risbel is excited to have a project of her own.
| Important NPCS | |
|---|---|
| The Ram | Animated ram's statue |
| Veth | Mystic studying the Ram |
| Risbel | Young Mystic |
| Dynton | Head of the Lodge of Mystics |
| Kelur | President of the Farmers Union |
| Atale | Blacksmith |
| Tirlor | Merchant |
| Lorvor | Leader of the Bright Lions |
| Honray | Young Bright Lion |
| Cersam | Bright Lion Sergeant |
| Skelina | Innkeeper |
| Nysbel | Priestest of the Earthen |
Day One
The adventure begins with the hook, and primarily with the players speaking with the Ram at the archways in town. If you are using the Moths in the Night hook, jump to the section below “Shattering Windows” and return here if the players decide to speak with the Ram or head to the Lodge or the Radiant Hold
Talking with the Ram
If you are using the Ram Needs Adventurers hook, the Ram calls out to the characters as they enter town.
Ho travelers! I have need of thy services for I have been neglected by those Mystics that would normally listen to my plight. I require an inquiry into the greenhouses as I have seen peculiar shadows being cast on its brilliance at night.
The Shadows that the Ram refers to are being cast by the Lethargic Gorger as it slowly consumes the outer enchantments on the greenhouse. These enchantments usually strengthen the glass and metal that make up the building as well as act as a pest barrier. The barrier is keeping it out for now, but that will not last forever. The Ram offers the following information to the characters. There are shadows at night just on the edges of the greenhouse on the eastern end. It has not seen the shadows before, and the shadows are mostly shapeless. As far as the Ram could see, no one was inside or approached the greenhouse while the shadows were there.
- There was no movement after the shadow left.
- The Ram is normally attended by a member of the Lodge of Mystics, Veth.
- If the characters assist the Ram with this issue, he promises to give them the location of the Tomb of Ervor Sharpscar.
- The tomb is unmarked due to Ervor’s time in an opposing, though not at the time, army.
- Ervor was buried with his favorite weapons and many of his earthly possessions.
The Ram also knows that the tomb is guarded with another of Rutald Brightsoul’s constructs, see the section below “The Tomb of Ervor Sharpscar”, but attempts to mislead the characters out of fear they will not assist if they know.
The Ram suggests they take a night to watch the greenhouse, from the inside or outside, to see if they can find what is casting the shadow.
As a creation of Rutald, the Ram also knows the location of his old chambers, beneath the tower to the east, however the location is not relevant to this problem, at least until later, and thus will likely not be mentioned during this first meeting.
Once the characters have spoken with the Ram, its likely they will want to investigate the greenhouse or look into the Lodge of Mystics.
Investigating the Greenhouse
The glass of the greenhouse reflects the sunlight outside, revealing a layer of condensation on the inside of the glass. As the door opens you are greeted with the smell of upturned earth and the feeling of the sticky air swirling out to meet you. Workers pick and carry fruit to overloaded carts on the eastern wing of the greenhouse. Over the worker's heads at the end of either wing are two bright glowing orbs, the air around them slowly rippling in heat. The small suns sit atop stone pillars, hidden amongst the plant rows.
The mornings at the greenhouse are used to water the plants, using a pumped irrigation system, and weeding the rows. Midday is usually used as a break period during the summer, however during the winter, any picking to be done is often done around midday. The workers don’t know anything about what would be happening at night, as they all leave before dark and the greenhouse is locked at night. Kelur and Dynton are the only two with keys. Kelur is also on sight during the day and wasn’t on sight during the night, he was at home with his wife and children.
Looking around the greenhouse itself the characters don’t see anything unusual within the building. Outside the greenhouse, on the wall where the Ram reported seeing the shadows there is a thin film of colorless slime coating the glass and ground. The film on the glass and metal has been preserved however the rest of it, if there was any, has been made impossible to find thanks to the morning frost. This trail is the result of the monster emerging from its lair below, through a small bore hole nearby, and coming to consume the outer enchantments.
Optional Encounter: A Lion’s Offering
While the characters are investigating the greenhouse, a young man in shiny chainmail enters the greenhouse. He walks towards the end of a wing of the building, towards where the sun is mounted on its pedestal. He carries with him a palm sized makeshift basket made of pine needles and twigs. Within the basket you can see a single egg. He kneels at the base of the pedestal, mostly obscured by the plantlife of the crops rows. After a few moments he raises the basket, hooked onto a metal implement, towards the sun, eventually the basket ignites and burns within the heat of the sun, the entirety of the offering evaporating into smoke. This man is a member of the Bright Lions, Cersam, who came to bring an offering to protect his wife in childbirth.
Visiting the Lodge
The gates into the grounds of the Lodge of Mystics are surrounded by trimmed flowering shrubs. The gate is imposing and made of iron, but is held open during the day using ropes and stays mounted into the stone walls. The Lodge can be seen beyond, its covered entrance darkend ahead.
The characters trigger an alert within the Lodge when they enter the grounds, letting Risbel know to head to the front of the house, knocks are answered quickly here or prevented entirely. Dynton is found in his chambers beneath the Lodge proper, carving away at a stone casing and ruby mountings within. Neither Dynton or Risbel were in the greenhouse the previous night, or know who might have been, and Dynton still has his key.
Veth, the Ram’s keeper and the researcher looking into his enchantments, is found asleep in his chambers. After being awoken he claims to be sleeping because the Ram had him up at dawn to inspect the greenhouse. He found the film on the glass, but doesn’t know what it could mean.
Shattering Windows
If you are using the Moths in the Night adventure hook, skip straight to the moths breaking in, otherwise continue as written.
Dusk in Galcaster brings the characters to their nighttime duties of keeping an eye on the greenhouse for the shadows the Ram saw. If they did not arrange with Kelur or Dynton to have interior access at night, the doors are locked, though the lock isn’t difficult to break open. As the night gets darker and the sounds of the town get quieter, several large moths appear over and around the greenhouse. They buzz close to the glass panes closest to the suns, bumping into the building trying to reach the light source.
The Lethargic Gorger slowly digs its way from its home below again, finding its way to the outer walls of the greenhouse once again. The characters may find it in its new location, however if they do it simply retreats back into its lair below as quickly as possible, burrowing through the ground. If they see it, it looks as though it is resting on the glass of the greenhouse, slowly chewing on something. The keenest of eyes might spot the slightest tinge of something ethereal being eaten.
Whatever the characters see or don’t see, the Gorger makes it through the pest barriers on the greenhouse walls. The moths that were previously striking ineffectually against the glass begin to do actual damage to the structure, every now and then one hits hard enough to cause cracks in the glass. Soon one will cause one of the glass panes to break and shatter inward, allowing the giant creatures to enter.
As you watch, giant moths, nocvelue, flutter around the suns light, loudly thumping against the exterior glass. Eventually you hear one hit particularly hard, and you hear a sharp snap. Looking up you can see a spider web of cracks forming on the glass. The nocvelue smashed into the pane again, causing a fountain of glass shards to fall. A rush of cold dry air enters the greenhouse, as the nocvelue fly in, landing on their new feast.
The Giant Nocvelue is a species of moth native to the area. They are the size of small dogs and are nocturnal acting much as a normal sized moth would. They survive by eating plants and other bugs, often feasting near light sources where other insects gather at night. Though not aggressive, they will attack if threatened with no way to run from the conflict.
4 Nocvelues enter the greenhouse through the now shattered glass above. The characters can see that they are feasting on the town’s food inside the greenhouse, resting on the plants and continuously consuming the fruits and vegetables.
The greenhouse has the following effects if the characters fight inside the building.
Plantlife: Within the growing area of the greenhouse, plants grow quickly and wildly, causing the ground to be difficult terrain.
Bright Light: The suns at either end make it easy to spot enemies in the light of the greenhouse, however it makes hiding more difficult.
Giant Nocvelue
Medium, Unaligned
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 12 (2d8+3)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
- Skills Perception +5
- Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages -
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Flyby. The nocvelue doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Keen Hearing. The nocvelue has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) slashing damage.
The nocvelue can easily avoid being hit by melee characters thanks to their fly-by ability. Their main tactic will be to attack the closest target and retreat away again out of melee range. The townsfolk urge the characters, and the Lodge, and the Bright Lions, to deal with the Nocvelues. The townsfolk, perhaps Kelur as he has the keys, will also try to fix the problem themselves if needed, likely resulting in injury.
Members of the Lodge and the Bright Lions arrive eventually to help deal with the issue. Risbel, Dynton, and Veth all arrive from the Lodge of Mystics, and Cersam and Honray from the Bright Lions will all arrive to answer the local’s call for help. Cersam and Honray will ask the characters a few questions about what happened, if the characters assisted, and then leave quickly. Risbel and Veth both stick around briefly after the problem is solved, but leave pretty quickly after as well. Dynton asks the characters as many questions as he can think of and stays to try and fix what has broken in the greenhouse. Kelur and a handful of the farmers also stay to figure out the extent of the losses, if needed.
Day Two
After the late events of the night before, the characters are the buzz of the town. Either the locals appreciate their help, or don’t like that they didn’t assist. Skelina may give the characters a free meal, or free drinks, and they might be able to convince Tirlor for a discount on supplies. The following events are occurring in town during the day.
Announcement in the Town Plaza
The Bright Lions are out and about early, collecting people they can find for an announcement in the square. The characters should receive an invite as well. In the plaza, Lorvor stands on top of a cleared market stall, waiting for the crowd to be gathered. Once he is satisfied that enough people have arrived, he launches into his announcement.
Last Night as many of you know there were pests that broke into the greenhouse and ravaged the crops inside. We have conducted a thorough investigation this morning and found that this was due to the neglect of the Lodge of Mystics. They have allowed the magical energies that power the enchantments of the glass to wane for too long, opening the door for the Nocvelue to enter. We expect a suitable punishment to be announced for their organization in the coming days. That is all.
If the characters do not interfere, Lorvor and the other Bright Lions leave in the direction of the hold. Lorvor pushes his story even if the characters do dispute it, doing his best to keep the blame on the Lodge of Mystics and their neglect. If the characters really push it, Lorvor will try and convince them to speak with him at the Radiant Hold. If they agree, jump to the section “Meeting at the Hold”.
Fixing the Greenhouse
Dynton and Kelur are putting their heads together inside the greenhouse trying to figure out a way to repair the broken glass. They are trying to place wooden planks over the smashed glass panes With Dynton trying to work out how to rig up the enchantments to operate again.
Kelur and the other workers are carefully climbing on the outer walls of the greenhouse to mount wood to keep the cold and insects out. Dynton has brought over his carving tools and several different gemstones and is working on the interior.
If the characters go looking for any slime residue they find a trail leading back to a hole leading into the ground, about 3 inches across.
Meeting at the Hold
Honray from the Bright Lion’s is sent to fetch the characters for a meeting with Lorvor at the hold, unless something else brought the characters here.
Within the tall walls of the Radiant Hold the characters are invited into the meeting hall, a grand room with a large round table in the center surrounded by a mural of a daytime sky and sun on the rounded tower walls.
Lorvor sits at the table with a box next to him. He proposes an arrangement to the characters, they fix the problems with the greenhouse, and keep their methods and the real cause to themselves, and he will pay them handsomely for their silence. He offers them 50 Tisian Stars (gp) and a driftglobe (dmg pg. 166).
He threatens if the characters try to pull a fast one on him, he will have them drawn and quartered in the capital for treason. They are welcome to decline though, he is not sure what will happen if they get in the way of his men. Lorvor doesn’t want to give the characters any more information than that. He will, if pushed, say that he needs the Lodge out of Galcaster, but will not say anything more.
Emerging from Below
Dusk again brings new developments into the greenhouse. The Lethargic Gorger once again feels safe enough to venture into the greenhouse thanks to the quiet of the night. It begins to feast on the pillar farthest from the characters (if present) and manages to consume enough of the magic to cause the sun to spark and die. Dropping a portion of the greenhouse into darkness.
The darkness allows creatures from below to enter the previously bright area. The creatures' slight scratching noises hint at them first, then looming shapes and slurping sounds as they eat the plant life in the greenhouse. The sun sputters to life for a moment revealing the creatures to be amorphous blobs of fungus curling through the rows of green. They are covered in orange-red lichen like fungus and spread a trail of similar looking plants behind them.
These trundling fungus are the results of forgotten potions and scrolls in the dark and damp within Rutald’s workshop. Fungus grew over his experiments in his alchemy laboratory and over time gained life of its own from the brews, coalescing and combining into several large mounds of fungus, earth, and detritus.
3 oozes emerge from below, through the hole that the Lethargic Gorger.
Fungi Trails: Any tile that the trundling fungus travel’s through becomes coated in aggressive fungus that eats at anything that enters the tile. When traveling through these squares take 2d4 poison damage for every 5 ft. traveled.
Unpredictable Lighting: At the tope of each initiative round the GM should roll a d6, the suns spark and die on a 5-6 the suns change status, from off to on or on to off, on a 1-4 nothing changes.
As darkness once again covers the town, the greenhouse a beacon in the night. The shadows inside the greenhouse grow deeper as the Shining Pride dips beneath the horizon. The building has been quiet for a while, though now you hear a gentle hum coming from the sun in the north wing. Over time the humming gets louder and more irregular. Suddenly sputters and the light goes out, casting this area of the greenhouse in dark shadows. You can hear swishing noises, and the grasses moving. Soon you can see shapes moving in the plant rows, moving towards you.
There is very little thought behind what the trundlers do, however in general they move towards vibration sources and search in circular patterns for food.
Similar to the previous day, the Lodge and Bright Lions are called for assistance, along with the characters if they’ve given help previously. Risbel, Veth, and Dynton arrive from the Lodge relatively quickly after the issues are discovered. Honray and Cersam also arrive, however much more slowly than the mystics.
Trundling Fungus
Medium Plant, Unaligned
- Armor Class 8
- Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
- Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 6 (-2) 2 (-4)
- Skills Stealth +2
- Damage Resistances acid, poison
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone
- Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
- Languages -
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Amorphous. The fungus can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the fungus has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. The fungus dies if it spends more than 1 hour in direct sunlight.
False Appearance. While the ooze remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a bundle of normal fungus.
Actions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Pacifying Spores (3/Day). The fungus ejects spores at one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
The trundler’s trails lead back to the enlarged, rough looking borrowed holes that the Lethargic Gorger left in its wake. The gorger would have left as soon as fighting began, quickly retreating away below.
Now is a good time to begin directing the characters towards something being beneath the greenhouse, if they aren’t already suspecting it. The Lodge of Mystics have access to the original town plans and are willing to gather enough information to understand that the gorger is traveling from below. The Ram also knows that Rutald’s chambers are below, and where the entrance could be uncovered, and he also knows that they are guarded. The Bright Lions don’t have access personally, but can direct the characters towards other options like the Ram.
Day Three
The chambers where the Lethargic Gorger has been hibernating all these years is Rutald Brightsoul’s workshop, lost after the bombardment of the city. These rooms used to have an entrance connecting with the ruined stone tower to the east of the greenhouses, which still stands. This information is known by the Ram and can be found on building plans of the city held by the Lodge of Mystics.. The entrance beneath the tower is covered in rocks, however they can be moved within a few hours, or less if the characters get help. The characters can also make their way below by digging through the ground near the greenhouse, though this will take significantly longer. If the characters opt to enter beneath the tower, they begin at the section “The Stone Guardian”, if the characters go for the digging route they enter into the section, “The Alchemy Laboratory”.
The characters are entering Rutald Brightsoul’s workshops. These were once grand chambers thought to be collapsed beneath the city. Their walls are covered in ornate stone carving and paintings by Rutald himself, often depicting his ideas for various creations. In their current state the walls are grime covered and the ceilings crumble in the floors.
The Stone Guardian
As you clamber down the rocks you find yourself in a large rectangular chamber with magical diagrams and schematics painted on the walls. On the far side of the room you see that the tile floor gives way to bare rock, the change denoted by a thick trim piece, carved and engraved with runic symbols. That same trim piece travels up the wall, about halfway up and then ends. Within the smooth stone flooring there stands a statue of a knight, seeming to take a swing at something in front of a stone door, inset into the wall opposite your entry.
The first chamber from the entrance beneath the tower is a large rectangular room. The hallway is partially collapsed and the characters must scramble over loose rock to enter. The walls are covered in stonework and paintings of magical diagrams. The majority of the floor is stone tile, however at the far end of the room the tile ends in an ornately carved trim piece covered in runes. One side of this trim travels up the wall to about eye level, however the other side does not. The floor from the trim to the far wall, about 15 ft away from the wall, is smooth stone. Within the smooth stone area there stands a stone statue of a knight with a sword, he stands seeming to be striking at something standing in the door on the far wall.
This chamber has the partially collapsed hallway entrance, that leads the characters in from the tower above, and the door on the far wall. When the characters attempt to open the door on the far wall, the statue is activated and comes to life. This chamber was constructed to prevent outsiders from entering into the workshop beyond, so the door locks while the statue is active. The lock is undone with the statute dies or is deactivated.
Anti-Magic Field: The statue can be deactivated with a lever hidden behind a false stone facade in the wall of the chamber, where the floor trim travels upwards. This lever activates an anti-magic field within the area noted by the carved trim on the floor.
Animated Stone Knight
Medium construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, poisoned, blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened
- Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
- Languages -
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
False Appearance. While the knight remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.
Actions
Multiattack. The knight makes two attacks, one with it's shield, one with its sword.
Bash Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Slash Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
The guardian will attack whoever is closest to the door way when it is activated, and continue to chase and attack this creature until the creature is incapacitated or the guardian is deactivated. The guardian’s decision making isn’t affected by the knowledge of the magic field, only chasing its target wherever it goes.
The Alchemy Laboratory
You open the doors and a small wave of water flows out, bringing with it a layer of algae and slime. Stale air wafts out, bringing with it the stench of stagnant water and something else acrid. As you enter you see a laboratory, with shelves and glassware along each wall of the rectangular room. The ceiling has partially collapsed, allowing a mound of dirt and water to pool in the room. Coating the floor, ceiling, and the furniture is a thick layer of reddish brown fungus. As you watch, several clumps detach and begin moving towards you.
The guardian’s door opens into this ancient laboratory. The space has partially filled with water, desks and shelves sit half sunken and rotting in pools of stagnant water. There are several workbenches and walls of cabinetry that would have once held alchemical ingredients. One wall holds shelves with rotting tomes and scrolls that are peeling apart. Coating the walls and furniture is a layer of the same fungus that the trundling fungus was made of. The room has two entrances, one from the guardian’s room, and one leading further into the structure, to the workshop. The guardian’s entrance is a large stone door whereas the workshop entrance is an open archway.
If the characters choose to dig outside the greenhouse, this is where they enter into. As the characters enter, 2 trundling fungi detach themselves from the walls and move towards the characters.
Fungi Trails: Any tile that the trundling fungus travel’s through becomes coated in aggressive fungus that eats at anything that enters the tile. When traveling through these squares take 2d4 poison damage for every 5 ft. traveled.
Laboratory Treasure
| d6 | Shinies |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2d4 (5) 10 gp alchemical ingredients |
| 2 | 2d4 (5) 10 gp gems |
| 3 | 1d4 (2) 25 gp scrolls and diagrams, scroll of Sanctuary |
| 4 | 2d4 (5) 10 gp gems, potion of healing |
| 5 | 2d4 (5) 25 gp alchemical ingredients, potion of greater healing |
| 6 | 2d4 (5) 25 gp gems, potion of healing, scroll of Alter Self |
Rutald’s Workshop
The chamber beyond the laboratory is Rutald’s workshop, where he constructed prototypes of his works and kept his schematics for his inventions. The room is circular 40 ft in diameter, with a cracked faded circle inscribed in the center with a small dias within the engravings. Within the center is a hastily carved stone pillar. At the base of the pillar is a broken hewn stone orb, with holes drilled to the center, where a ruby has been mounted. The ruby is hazy and cracked from its impact with the floor, a prototype sun for the greenhouses. On the edge of the raised dias where the prototype rests, is a large mass of withered, dried organic material. A vaguely oblong shape with a hole burst from one side. Its a cocoon that the Lethargic Gorger was hibernating in until recently. The outer walls of the chambers hold shelves of notebooks and journals and work tables with carving tools and magical diagrams. In a thick layer across the whole room is slime and mucus that the Lethargic Gorger left behind as it came and went.
The next room is a circular space, with a large raised platform in the center. Around the walls are tables and shelves and cabinets. The platform has a rough cut stone pillar, like the ones in the greenhouse. At the base of the pillar is a carved stone sphere, cracked open to reveal a hazy ruby. Attached to the pillar and platform is a large oblong organic structure. One side of it has been ruptured from the inside revealing a sticky, slimy interior. As you watch, slime drips from the ceiling, drawing your eye towards a huge, slug creature, hanging on the ceiling.
The Lethargic Gorger sits, unmoving on the ceiling, hoping to be unnoticed. Though dripping from its body gives it away, as well as it’s size. The ceilings here have several holes leading upwards towards the surface, clearly what the Gorger used to head into the warehouse.
Slick Floors: The floors are coated in a thick layer of slime. The floor in this chamber is considered difficult terrain, however a creature can choose to move at a normal rate. If it chooses to move at a normal rate, it must make a DC 10 Dexterity Save to stay upright, if it fails it falls prone.
The Lethargic Gorger
Large monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 8
- Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12)
- Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 2 (-4) 6 (-2) 1 (-5)
- Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened prone
- Senses blindsigt 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
- Languages -
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Pliable Form The Gorger can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Slug Climb. The Gorger can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Actions
Body Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Reactions
Magic Consumption. When the Gorger is targeted by a spell, or included in a spell effect, the Gorger consumes the magic. The spell effects are stopped, as if successfully counterspelled, and the Gorger regenerates 5 hit points.
Workshop Treasure
| d4 | Shinies |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1d4 (2) 100 gp gems |
| 2 | 2d6 (7) 10 gp gems, oil of slipperiness |
| 3 | 2d6 (7) 10 gp scrolls and diagrams, dust of disappearance, potion of greater healing |
| 4 | 2d6 (7) 25 gp gems, potion of resistance, immovable rod |
The Tomb of Ervor Sharpscar
The Ram, once having been convinced the problem has been handled, offers the characters the location of the tomb he promised them as payment. Ervor Sharpscar was buried about a mile upstream, around 100 yards off the south bank of the river, the marker was removed, however the doors remain, though probably overgrown and hidden, as well as an old dogwood tree that was planted to mark the grave. The site is relatively easy to find with the directions, though there is no path leading to the doors.
The doors are covered by small hardy bushes and the remnants of ivy that had grown around the rocky face of the ridge the tomb was built into. A tall old dogwood tree stands next to the entrance, holding part of the embankment in place, its branches barren in the cold, but its white bark still notable in the otherwise dark forest.
Guardian Statues
The outer stone doors open into a large rectangular room made with stone tile on the floor and murals along the walls depicting battle scenes. The tile floor ends about 20 ft from the far wall, stopping with an ornately carved trim piece that runs up one wall to about eye height. The floor on the other side of the trim is smooth stone, that is home to two small statues of lithe dogs. The far wall is home to another, bulky stone door with a locking mechanism in the center.
The door opens into a familiar looking room. A rectangular space with murals of a warrior in various battles painted around the walls. The far wall holds a stone door, with a pair of dog statues sitting on either side. The stone tile floor gives way to smooth stone about 20 ft from the far wall, marked by an ornate trim piece. The trim goes up part of the wall, ending around eye height.
Attempting to open the door on the far wall again activates the statues, who attack whoever is in the room. Again, there is an anti-magic field to be activated at the end of the trim on the wall. The door to exit locks while the statues are active, and unlock when they deactivate either by the anti-magic field or by destruction.
Anti-Magic Field: The statue can be deactivated with a lever hidden behind a false stone facade in the wall of the chamber, where the floor trim travels upwards. This lever activates an anti-magic field within the area noted by the carved trim on the floor.
The Crypt
The door beyond the statues leads into the crypt proper with a set of platforms in the center of a rectangular room leading upwards to a sarcophagus with a carving of a knight in plate on its top. The walls are adorned with fine paintings and small statuettes of warriors with swords. Behind the sarcophagus is a wall of weapons, with a sword and sheath prominently displayed at the center.
Animated Dog Statue
Medium construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) 1 (-4) 1 (-5)
- Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine.
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, poisoned
- Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond that radius)
- Languages -
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Actions
Bite Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Tomb Treasure
| d8 | Shinies |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2d4 (5) 25 gp art objects |
| 2 | 2d6 (7) 50 gp gems |
| 3 | 2d6 (7) 10 gp gems, potion of clairvoyance |
| 4 | 2d4 (5) 25 gp art objects, 1d4 Beads of force |
| 5 | 2d4 (5) 25 gp art objects, chime of opening |
| 6 | 2d6 (7) 10 gp gems, potion of invulnerability |
| 7 | 2d4 (5) 50 gp art objects, scroll of Arcane Eye |
| 8 | 2d6 (7) 50 gp gems, potion of flying |
Sharpscar's Red Edged Blade
Weapon (longsword), uncommon (requires attunement)
Once per combat, choose a creature, once this blade has damaged that creature, treat the blade as a +1 weapon against that creature, and deals and additional d6 damage on hit.
Thanks
For
Reading
I appreciate that you've read this far in this incredibly bad document. I hope you maybe enjoyed it slightly, or at least get something to talk and make jokes about.
Thanks To
- Logan
- BrutalJ
- JP
- Aura
- Dan
- Tom
- James
- Andrew
- Yao