Introduction

If the characters played Dragon of Icespire Peak, they have already saved the area around Phandalin from many threats, large and small, and they are likely 7th level, ready for their next challenge. The Sword Coast is a region of the Forgotten Realms teeming with danger and intrigue. Just a short ride west of Phandalin on the Triboar Trail, where it meets the High Road, more nefarious schemes and terrible monsters await.

Storm Lord’s Wrath is a D&D adventure designed for 7th-level characters. You can run this adventure for as few as one or as many as six players. By the time the characters complete the challenges presented, they will be 9th level and ready to take on the challenges of the next adventures in this series: Sleeping Dragon’s Wake and Divine Contention.

Map of the Sword Coast

The DM’s Sword Coast map shows a region of the Forgotten Realms called the Sword Coast. This map is for the DM’s eyes only, as it indicates the locations of places described later in this adventure or the two adventures that follow.

A player-friendly version of the map is also included with this adventure (see Appendix C). It can be shared freely with the players as their characters explore the region.

Geographical locations marked on both the DM’s map and the players’ map are described below in alphabetical order. This information is not secret and can be shared with players if they request details about a location.

Some locations marked on the map are not detailed in this adventure but are indicated for reference only. See appendix E and the adventures Lost Mine of Phandelver in the D&D Starter Set and Dragon of Icespire Peak in the D&D Essential Kit for more information.

The Sword Coast

The Adventure Begins

The adventure begins as the characters travel toward the town of Leilon. The settlement has been destroyed and rebuilt many times in its long history, and it is currently in an early stage of a rebuilding period.

The settlers tasked with rebuilding Leilon are funded by the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, Dagult Neverember. Lord Neverember hopes the town can act as a safe waypoint between the cities of Neverwinter and Waterdeep, as well as protect travelers from threats originating in the swampy Mere of Dead Men.

As the adventure progresses, the characters become embroiled not only in the rebuilding of Leilon, but also in the power struggle that unfolds between the settlers of Leilon and terrible forces that seek their destruction.

Adventure Hooks

Welcome to Leilon

Leilon was once a mining town that sold copper, nickel, and silver to Waterdeep. It was also a port where merchants sometimes offloaded goods on barges (since most ships cannot pass the town’s shallow mud flats) to be transferred to cities along the Sword Coast.

Two hundred years ago, the wizard Thalivar made his home here and raised a tower at the town center to conduct his mystical studies. The House of Thalivar was topped with a planar beacon that lured creatures from other planes into the structure, trapping them there. After Thalivar mysteriously disappeared, the people of Leilon were content to leave his tower and the monsters within alone.

The Spellplague, a divine phenomenon that twisted Faerûn’s magic, corrupted the tower’s defenses. The creatures sealed within were freed to attack Leilon, and the magic of the planar beacon was redirected back into the Material Plane, causing humanoids who looked upon it to become paralyzed. Leilon was quickly overrun and subsequently abandoned and has remained that way for more than a century.

The first action the soldiery of Neverwinter took in Leilon was to destroy the planar beacon inside the House of Thalivar. Gallio Elibro, a mage, has rebuilt it to perform his own studies into the Ethereal Plane. See “House of Thalivar” for more information.

Before its fall, Leilon was defended by a loosely organized group of adventurers called the Swords of Leilon. When the House of Thalivar released its monsters, the Swords fought to cover the escape of the townsfolk. They died, becoming ghosts bound to Leilon’s ruins. They now watch the rebuilding of the town with caution, hoping that the reconstructed tower does not bring similar disaster.

When the characters first arrive at the town (after securing it during the quest “A Normal Day in Leilon”), show the Leilon map to the players and use the following read-aloud text:

A character who spends the night on the island has vague, prophetic dreams of adventures to come. For instance, the character might view storm clouds swirling over Leilon, a galleon made from bones, or a glowing statue of a dwarf standing in a canyon. At the end of the night, the character must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the character is bolstered by the strange dreams and gains inspiration. On a failure, the character gains a level of exhaustion.

Town Square

The Leilon town square has become a place where local vendors and those passing through town can set up stalls to sell their wares. One vendor, a female human blacksmith named Zana Taylish, is a resident of Leilon who sells armor and weapons. More exotic items (such as spell scrolls or other consumable magic items) could be available from a traveling merchant in the square at the DMs discretion. The cost for such items should be high (and perhaps require a favor of the adventurers in addition to an exchange of gold).

The Quest Board

Unlike Dragon of Icespire Peak and the two adventures that follow this one, this adventure does not use a “quest board.” (See “A Note on the Quest Board” sidebar below.) Below are a list of the quests and how they can be pursued.

Leveling Up

Characters advance in level by completing quests. Regardless of the number of characters in the party, they gain a level when they complete three quests. The initial encounter, “Attack on the Wayside Inn,” does not count as a quest.

Attack on the Wayside Inn

As the adventurers travel toward Leilon, they pass the Wayside Inn, which is being attacked by undead creatures. The adventurers can thwart the attack and meet the residents of the inn, learning a bit about Leilon in the process.

“Attack on the Wayside Inn” and “A Normal Day in Leilon” are balanced for characters of 7th level, though characters of 8th level should be challenged as well.

The Long Con

Some of the workers at the Wayside Inn are members of the Cult of Talos. This information should be hidden from the characters until it is ready to be revealed later in the adventure. Placing bad guys in the party’s path before it is ready to be revealed is always a risk, but it is a great shock when it pays off.

The best way to allay suspicion is to have the characters become friends with them early, especially during this opening encounter. The secret cultists can heap praise, rewards, free drinks, and information upon the adventurers, gaining their trust and friendship.

Details Make the Con. This long con works best when you provide details that might later prove to be portents of the truth, if not actual clues. For example, the necklace worn by Backes is noteworthy early in the adventure, and it becomes clear later what it represents.

Play the Shell Game. On the off chance that your players figure things out too quickly (or if someone is already familiar with the adventure), details can be changed. Backes is the leader of the Talos cultists at the inn, but he doesn’t have to be. Maybe Cooragh the cook is really the leader, and Backes is just a patsy she is using to throw suspicion off herself. With just a few adjustments, you can keep your players guessing even after they think they know what’s happening.

A Normal Day in Leilon

After their time at the Wayside Inn, the characters have less than twenty miles of travel along the High Road to reach Leilon. Silla asks if she can travel with the party. If they say no, she simply follows behind them at a short and indiscrete distance, forlornly playing a sad tune on her harmonica at the thought of being shunned by the party.

Storm’s Moving In

After the drama (or comedy) of the town meeting has played out, and the party has decided on a course of action, the first threat comes to them in the form of riders and a wagon full of anchorites of the Cult of Talos.

The forces of the cult include one archer and one dark tide knight (see appendix A) for every two characters, including sidekicks, rounded down. If there is an odd number of characters, add one dark tide knight.

As the enemy approaches, use the following read-aloud text to describe the situation:

Aftermath

After defeating the forces of Talos on land, the party can find a spell scroll of mass cure wounds on Nixoxious. They don’t have long to recover, however, because the water creatures summoned by the ritual are about to arrive.

Marsh, Unmellow

On the marsh islands with the pagan ruins, fishers and soldiers captured by the cultists are unconscious, meant to be used as sacrifices for the water creatures that the tiefling summoned.

Monsters. Based on the number of rounds that the kraken priest chanted before being defeated, there is at least one water elemental, and a maximum of one water weird for every two characters, including sidekicks.

When the creatures arrive, set the scene using the following read-aloud text:

Aid from Phandalin

The “Aid from Phandalin” quest is balanced for characters of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should be able to survive the encounters.

Arrival

When the characters arrive in Phandalin, Pinchwit scurries off to Barthen’s Provisions to finalize the deal. The characters are free to go to the merchant’s establishment with her, or they can explore the town, picking up a wagon and the supplies needed by the town of Leilon.

If the characters are heroes of the town, they are greeted as such wherever they go. Townsfolk who know them offer free food and drink, with plenty of handshakes, pats on the back, and requests for autographs.

Shrine of Luck

The characters were asked by the Leilon town council to pick up ten vials of holy water at the shrine. When the characters arrive, the place is empty, and the shrine has been ransacked. There is no sign of anyone who worked here, but with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the characters find a silver pin displaying three parallel lightning bolts. This should indicate to them that worshippers of Talos are in town.

Townmaster’s Hall

This stone building has a wooden roof, a bell tower in the back, and an empty job board in the front. Harbin Wester, the townmaster and a wealthy banker, is polite if the characters see him, although he seems to be worried and fretful — more so than usual.

If the characters ask, he confides in them that the weather has been particularly fierce recently. Winds have come out of nowhere and damaged buildings, and three people have been struck by lightning.

Also, a few people seem to have gone missing over the last couple of tendays. No one can say for sure, because the people who may be missing are visitors or travelers with no ties to Phandalin. It’s possible that they simply left town, but some of them seemed to indicate that they were going to be around longer.

The Attack

When the characters are packing up to take the supplies back to Leilon at the end of their visit, the spies from both the Cult of Talos and the followers of Myrkul independently decide they are too big a threat to let live. (If the characters have already dealt with both spies, this encounter doesn’t happen.)

Use the Backlot Map (aee appendix C) to run this encounter. As the characters load the wagons, storm clouds descend and block the sun. Argus Skeel (male vampire spawn) and two ghouls, plus one ghoul per character, including sidekicks, approach. If it is daylight, Argus wears heavy clothes to protect himself.

At the same time, Velleen Firecrow and two kobold dragonshields (see appendix A), plus one dragonshield per character, including sidekicks, approach from the other direction. Velleen is a female Damaran master thief (see appendix A).

As the combat begins, the two evil groups recognize each other, and also attack one another when appropriate. (See “Running a Three-sided Battle” sidebar for advice.)

Foul Weather at Wayside

The “Foul Weather at Wayside” quest is balanced for characters of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should be able to survive the encounters.

The Creeping Storm. The combat takes place at the edge of where the stormy weather rages. The air elemental myrmidons are bolstered by the storm but are weaker when

outside it. The edge of the storm expands outward at a rate of 5 feet per round, on initiative count 20.

If the myrmidons are within the storm, their melee attacks are made with advantage. If they can be tempted outside the storm’s area, they attack with disadvantage and have disadvantage on saving throws. They move out of the storm only if they have no targets to attack in melee within the storm.

Aftermath. If the characters defeat the myrmidons and Emmalou is still alive, the salty and experienced survivor of many battles can relay the following additional information:

• The stormy area is slowly growing larger. Emmalou had to retreat several hundred yards to remain outside the zone. She has no idea what is causing it, but such blatant and powerful forces of magic are nothing she wants to be involved with if she has a choice in the matter.
• When she was in the stormy area, the lightning was everywhere, but it never struck the suits of armor even though they were made of metal.
• She was almost struck a few times, but she kept repeating prayers to Talos, and she thinks that is the only thing that saved her.
• She does not want to enter the stormy area and does not do so unless a character convinces her with a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check.

Arrival

When the characters arrive at the inn, use the following read-aloud text to describe the situation outside the inn:

    The buffeting winds and violent precipitation grow more intense the closer you get to the inn. Your vision is hampered to the point you can only see clearly within thirty feet.
    Lights coming from the inn reveal a strange scene. Six humanoid creatures stand at the main doors, the same doors that the undead creatures were attacking the first time you encountered this place. The figures seem to be pounding on the doors, although they are hampered by the weather.

The Victims

The creatures clawing at the doors are not monsters at all. The cultists have used small tridents to impale six humanoids victims to the doors, leaving them to die as offerings to power their terrible ritual.

Once characters are within 30 feet of the poor souls, they can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, with disadvantage due to the pouring rain, to realize that these people (commoners) are staked to the doors by small tridents and trying to pull themselves off. They each only have 1 hit point and are restrained.

Unless the tridents can be pulled out with a soft touch, requiring a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Wisdom (Medicine) check, the removal does 4 (1d8) points of damage, and easily kills the victim.

Inside the Inn

The cultists of Talos are performing a ritual inside the Wayside Inn. The doors and windows to the building are locked but can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Also, the doors and windows have an AC of 12 and break with 25 points of damage.

Magical runes, as per the glyph of warding spell, protect the cloak room and barn doors. If the party opens the doors without first removing or disabling the runes, they take thunder damage as per the spell.

Teega (female Illuskan berserker) stands proudly before the statue. The statue of Talos (see appendix A) moves toward the characters, its face twisted in rage.

Help. Martisha Vinetalker, owner of the Wayside Inn, is bound in the corner, watching the proceedings with a mix of anger and terror. If the adventurers free her, she joins the battle to help the party defeat the threat. Although she’s now a respectable innkeeper, Martisha is a former bandit captain whose weapons are close at hand.

House of Thalivar

The “House of Thalivar” quest is balanced for characters of 7th level, though characters of 8th level will still find parts of the quest challenging.

Dealing with Gallio Elibro

Gallio Elibro is a short-tempered male Rashemi mage (with the legend lore spell prepared instead of cone of cold). His relentless studies have pushed him to the brink of exhaustion and his sleep is troubled (since he doesn’t know that the ghost of Thalivar possesses him each night when he sleeps). Gallio wears an ink-stained robe and his curly black hair is tousled. His fingertips are stained with purple ink.

Gallio is furious that his workers have abandoned their duties. He beseeches the group to rid the tower of any spectral presences so his people can return and finish the job. Gallio has not seen any spirits, but he doesn’t doubt the word of his underlings. He remains in his study (area H3) while the characters explore. Gallio can recount the history of the tower to anyone who enquires.

Ghostly Events

Thalivar’s ghost tries to scare away anyone who enters his tower. As the characters explore, roll on the Ghostly Events table to introduce creepy phenomena, or invent your own!

House of Thalivar Locations

The following locations are keyed to the map of the House of Thalivar.

H5. Servant’s Quarters

Thalivar was tended by his loyal faerie servant, Soapwort, who died when his master accidentally released a menagerie of extraplanar monsters into the tower. Soapwort’s chamber has long since caved in, and his bed is buried underneath a pile of rubble. Characters who spend at least 30 minutes clearing the wreckage discover humanoid bones crushed underneath. Those who succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence (Medicine) check while examining the bones identify that they are fey in origin.

H6. Library

These ruined chambers contain high shelves stacked with Thalivar’s moldering research notes. Each chamber houses a large statue of a peasant girl with her forefinger pressed to her lips in a hushing gesture. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion or Arcana) check recognize her as Mystra, goddess of magic.

Thalivar’s notes are written in pictographic code. Using magic, nothing short of a wish spell can decipher them. Without such magic, Gallio must decrypt them himself using laborious trial and error. The task is highly taxing but Gallio is committed to seeing it through. At short notice, characters who examine the notes are unlikely to have any epiphanies.

Trapped Statues. These magical traps were disarmed by adventurers long ago. Close examination reveals that each statue has a vandalized magical symbol carved into its back. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check identify these as sigils of transmutation magic. If a symbol is mended or reworked, the statue comes to life and attacks intruders. The statues are stone golems, except that their size is Medium. They only attack creatures they can hear, always targeting the creature making the most noise. If this is unclear, they target the creature with the lowest passive Dexterity (Stealth). The statues never leave the library.

H7. Scaffolds

The soldiers have shored up one side of the tower with scaffolds. Ladders link the rickety scaffold platforms and a winch at the top is used to hoist timber and masonry between floors.

H8. Collapsed Rooms

These rooms have collapsed entirely, choking this floor of the tower from floor to ceiling. The soldiers were in the process of clearing this rubble when they fled the tower and their picks and shovels still lie where they fell. Clearing the rubble would take one person a week of hard labor.

H9. Thalivar’s Bedroom

This chamber is sealed behind rubble. A broken window is the only entrance, but an enchantment woven into the window frame prevents most creatures from entering. Any time a creature attempts to pass through the window it must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature forgets what it’s doing and moves off to do something else. If it tries to enter the window again within the next hour, it automatically fails its saving throw. When Gallio is possessed, he can crawl freely through the window without being affected.

The ruined bedchamber belonged to Thalivar and still contains his bed and writing desk. A journal lies open on the desk next to a recently uncapped ink pot.

Characters who examine the journal discover that it is at least a hundred years old and written in the same hand throughout — yet there is a hundred-year gap between the older entries and the newest ones, which resumed just a few days previously. The journal is written in purple ink. Give the players the “Thalivar’s Journal” as a handout, the content of which is reproduced in appendix C.

H10. Broken Beacon

This chamber once housed the planar beacon, but it is now in ruins and open to the sky. Prisoner cells line the walls, with bars broken and bent open as though whatever creatures were trapped within somehow broke out.

Characters who search through the rubble unearth Thalivar’s shattered skeleton. If these remains are buried using the ceremony spell, Thalivar’s haunt is put to rest.

Ghostly Farewell

If the characters succeed in laying Thalivar’s ghost to rest, they notice the same Turmish woman they saw earlier when they descend the hill back to town. This time, she raises her sword in a silent salute before disappearing.

Missing Patrol

The “Missing Patrol” quest is balanced for characters of 7th level, although characters of 8th level should also find the quest challenging.

This quest is suitable to play after the characters have rescued Leilon in “A Normal Day in Leilon,” but before they find all the clues that lead them to the final quest: “Thunder Cliffs.”

Quicksand and Alligators

As the party loses the trail for a moment, they stumble into a dangerous part of the marsh with a 10-foot square, 20-foot deep pit of quicksand. Unless the character doing the tracking succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Nature) check, they lead the party into it. When a creature enters the area, it sinks 1d4 + 1 feet into the quicksand and becomes restrained. At the start of each of the creature’s turns, it sinks another 1d4 feet.

If the creature isn’t completely submerged in quicksand, it can escape by using its action and succeeding on a Strength check, DC 10 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk already. A creature that is completely submerged in quicksand can’t breathe (see the suffocation rules in the Player’s Handbook).

A creature not sunk in the quicksand can pull another creature within its reach out of a quicksand pit by using its action and succeeding on a Strength check, DC 5 plus the number of feet the target creature has sunk into the quicksand.

While the party deals with the quicksand, a giant crocodile and its young (one crocodile per 2 characters) emerge from the swamp and attack.

Troll Brawl

While following the trail of the lizardfolk, the party comes across three trolls fighting over the remains of a lizardfolk who died at the hands of one of the rot trolls. The trolls claw and bite each other, trying to take possession of the tasty lizardfolk remains.

When the characters find the trolls, they are each at half their starting hit points. If the characters can remain quiet, the trolls beat each other up even more, until they are all down to a quarter of their starting hit points.

The first troll to die carries a sack, and in it there are three vials of acid (see the Player’s Handbook for details).

Hydra Wranglers

After hearing rumors of a hydra lairing in the Mere of Dead Men, a Waterdhavian circus owner hired a band of mercenaries to go into the swamp, locate the hydra, capture it, and bring it back to Waterdeep to be the main attraction in the circus. Little did the mercenaries realize that one does not simply capture a hydra.

The adventurers lose the correct trail and pick up on the trail of the mercenaries. When they arrive on the scene, several mercenaries are dead, and the remaining three are preparing to flee.

The hydra has a number of active heads equal to the number of characters and 30 hit points per character, excluding sidekicks. The mercenaries are of little use in the battle.

They do, however, carry five vials of alchemist’s fire (see the Player’s Handbook for details) in order to deal with any extra heads that might spring up. At the end of the battle, the mercenaries offer the characters any vials left over, along with 50 gp for saving their lives.

Tracking the Lizards

When the party arrives at the area where the map shows the start of the patrol route, they come upon a worrisome scene. Use the read-aloud text below to describe the area:

Adventurers who understand Draconic learn that the tall lizardfolk is the leader. He is ordering his followers to feed the prisoners and see to the needs of the rest of the group. He also orders the large lizardfolk next to him to go off into the swamp, scout for enemies, and bring back something to cook.

The eight humans inside the two cages include the four soldiers from Leilon, one of whom is Private Vesper, as well as four humans who were part of a merchant caravan that foolishly attacked the lizardfolk when they saw the creatures moving through the swamp.

Thunder Cliffs

The “Thunder Cliffs” quest is balanced for characters of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should be able to survive the encounters.

A Decision

At some point, the characters must decide which vessel and captain they prefer. The town covers the cost of passage there and back for the characters, and both captains ask the same fare, so that should not enter into the decision.

Whomever the party chooses is pleased, and the other captain simply accepts the decision and walks away. They are both ready to go as soon as the characters are.

If for any reason the characters attack Kristoffen because they learn of his affiliation with the Cult of Talos, he defends himself. Kristoffen (use half-red dragon veteran statistics but replace fire with cold in attacks and resistances) can summon a pair of air elementals that serve him on behalf of Talos, which appear at the end of the first round of combat.

Encounters on the Way

The characters have the following encounters as they travel to the Thunder Cliffs. The encounters may play slightly differently depending on the vessel and captain that the party chose.

2. Unhappy Cultists

If the characters are able to approach without tripping the alarm, they might hear some disgruntled cultists talking while they work. If the alarm was tripped, the cultists wait with weapons drawn and cannot be surprised.

If the adventurers get a chance to hear the cultists talking, use the following read-aloud text to portray that conversation:

Accessing the Cave

In order to access this cave, a creature must swim through a submerged tunnel teeming with scary-looking fish. The fish have strange glowing eyes and large teeth, but they are just normal fish that have been mutated through the magic of the hags, and they do not attack swimmers.

The Coven Cave

In the cave, three sea hags chew on the hands and feet of sailors who drowned after being shipwrecked on the magical reefs. The cultists supply the bodies in return for help from the coven when dealing with special problems, and the two forces have an easy mutual-protection pact.

Piles of slimy seaweed act as beds for the three sisters: Nana Pocktuss, Auntie Unk, and Granny Muyuk. The trio is using the inedible parts of the bodies to create assistants that look like flying skulls with long stingers. There is one skull flier per character, excluding sidekicks. You can find the statistics for these creatures in Appendix A.

A Nice Chat

The coven does not attack immediately. They don’t get many visitors who aren’t boring anchorites or screaming victims, so they invite intruders in for a nice seaweed and squid ink cookie.

Auntie Unk is the newest member of the coven, and she spent her previous years kidnapping people off the High Road and dragging them into the Mere of Dead Men to eat. She misses news of the city and favors anyone who can provide gossip about Waterdeep or Neverwinter.

Nana Pocktuss likes to dance. If any of the characters can play music or dance themselves, Nana Pocktuss appreciates a grand old hoedown to shake the rust (and maggots) out of her old joints.

Granny Muyuk never could turn down a good (or even putrid) drop of grog. If any of the adventurers carry alcohol with them, regardless of its vintage or provenance, Granny Muyuk can smell it and asks for a taste. Those sharing generously earn her favor.

If all three of the hags can be placated by catering to their particular vices and interests, they are willing to spare the characters a fight, and they might even look the other way as the characters attempt to end the dominance of the Cult of Talos at this location. And if not, they always enjoy a good fight as well.

4. The Dying Second

While the incredibly devout Gadrille the Reef-Reaver leads the group of cultists at the caves, Fheralai Stormsworn assigned a second-in-command to assist her — with special instructions to keep an eye on Gadrille to ensure she doesn’t kill all her followers in a fit of mad devotion to Talos. That second-in-command is Sovendahl Erkinze, a drow elite warrior.

Sovendahl’s bodyguards (thugs), numbering one per character, including sidekicks, stay with the drow no matter where he goes. And right now, he isn’t going very far, because he is suffering from a curse.

Sovendahl’s duties involve overseeing the sorting, transportation, and sales of the stolen goods that the rest of the operation steals from wrecked ships. This frees Gadrille do what she loves most: killing others in the name of Talos.

The Sick Room

When the characters encounter Sovendahl, he is resting in his quarters. His bodyguards sort through the latest haul of stolen and salvaged treasure. Occasionally the drow erupts in a coughing spasm that brings up blood from his lungs. He is worried but tries not to show it.

If combat breaks out here, Sovendahl fights bravely and expertly, but the exertion leads to more coughing. As the fight progresses, describe the drow’s spasms of coughing, and blood spraying over the adventurers who face him. (That’s something that can scare even the bravest barbarian!) The disease is not communicable, but no one has to know that.

If at any point the characters speak with the drow about his affliction, pointing out that he is sick and in need of assistance, the drow might stop fighting and ask the characters if they can help him. He is willing to walk away from the cult to obtain a cure.

A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that the ailment is not a disease, but a curse. A character who casts remove curse on Sovendahl earns the drow’s thanks. As a reward, the he gives the characters a magic item has been storing away: a dagger of venom.

Treasure. If the characters kill Sovendahl and his bodyguards, they do not find the magical dagger, which is hidden carefully in a secret location outside the caves. They do, however, get 250 gp in various coins, 3 potions of greater healing, and a jade brooch worth 500 gp.

5. The Cultist’s Quarters

The cultists of Talos working under Gadrille the Reef-Reaver don’t get a lot of time for relaxation and socializing. They spend most of their time out on the sea, luring unsuspecting ships into the reef, then salvaging the wreckages. Gadrille’s motto is “if you’re not reavin’ in service to Talos, you’re sleepin’ in service to Talos.”

This area is where the cultists of the lowest standing sleep and eat. At any time, there are eight scouts here, sleeping in four bunk beds that line the walls, or eating their fish broth at the table in the center of the room before heading out to perform their tasks. The cultists here when the characters arrive are dedicated to their god and will not surrender or negotiate.

6. Loot

This central chamber is where the loot to be sold or transported is packaged and stored. When ready, it’s carried down to the shore, loaded onto ships operated by the Cult of Talos, and taken to its final destination.

When the characters arrive, there is no one here, but there are several closed crates awaiting transport. Most of the crates contain commercial goods like cloth, crafted goods, spices, and other trade items. Each of the crates is marked with chalk describing the contents. One of the crates, with a chalk marking that says “Gold,” is trapped.

7. Gadrille the Reef-Reaver

Gadrille the Reef-Reaver is a female half-elf evoker. She spends most of her time out with her followers, preying on those too weak to withstand the ravaging power of
Talos. When in the caves, however, she is in her
chambers praying.

Talos has rewarded Gadrille for her devotion with a pet, whom she calls “Tooth-N-Claw.” This beast uses hell hound statistics but replace fire with cold in attacks and immunities. Tooth-N-Claw is ferociously protective of Gadrille. If there are more than four characters, excluding sidekicks, add a second pet called “Frost-N-Fang.”

Aftermath

If the characters can defeat Gadrille and her cultists’ salvage operation, they have struck a great blow to the plans of the Cult of Talos in the immediate area. Plans to create shrines along the High Road are scrapped for the near future, and
the heroes of Leilon can return to their new home for a
well-deserved rest. And they’ll need it, because evil,
unlike them, never rests.

Ending the Adventure

After the characters have dealt with the threat of the Cult of Talos on the Thunder Cliffs, they can return to Leilon with the information they obtained. If they have not yet completed one or more of the other quests in this adventure, they can undertake those after resting from the assault on the caves.

Some plot threads from this adventure could also be expanded upon if the adventurers are not quite ready to move to 9th level and start the next adventure in the series, Sleeping Dragon’s Wake. This is a good opportunity to create your own encounters or short adventures to tell other pieces of your own story. Below are just a few examples of what you could do:

• After the cleansing of the influence of the Cult of Talos from the Wayside Inn, Martisha needs to reassess her situation, repair the damage, and find new staff. She might hire the party to travel to one of the larger cities to recruit talent. This could be an interesting side quest with lots of roleplaying potential.
• If the party made peace with the lizardfolk tribe during the “Missing Patrol” quest, the leaders of the tribe may ask the characters to join them to celebrate a holy night in the lizardfolk culture, the blessing of the eggs. This occasion could be meaningful to a character attuned to nature, who could even become the “godparent” to a brood of lizardfolk hatchlings. Of course, a threat from the swamp might threaten to interrupt the blessing ceremony.
• Further odd happenings might resume at the Thalivar’s Tower, forcing the characters to investigate again. More supernatural hauntings may occur, or a conniving illusionist might be hiding there, hoping to scare the settlers away so that he can claim the area as his own.

Continuing the Story

The threats to Leilon were merely introduced in Storm Lord’s Wrath. While the work on the building of the town continues, so too do the plans of Fheralai Stormsworn and Ularan Mortus unfold and blossom.

When the characters are prepared to face off against these growing threats, they should become 9th level, sharpen their weapons, gather their spell components, and prepare for an even greater challenge.

Appendix A: Creatures

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ALLIP

Medium undead, neutral evil

---

• Armor Class 13
• Hit Points 40 (9d8)
• Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
6 (-2)	17 (+3)	10 (0)	17 (+3)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)

---

• Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5
• Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6
• Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
• Damage Immunities cold; necrotic, poison
• Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages the languages it knew in life
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

---

Incorporeal Movement. The allip can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Actions

Maddening Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) psychic damage.

Whispers of Madness. The allip chooses up to three creatures it can see within 60 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, or it takes 7 (1d8 + 3) psychic damage and must use its reaction to make a melee weapon attack against one creature of the allip’s choice that the allip can see. Constructs and undead are immune to this effect.

Howling Babble (Recharge 6). Each creature within 30 feet of the allip that can hear it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 12 (2d8 + 3) psychic damage, and it is stunned until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t stunned. Constructs and undead are immune to this effect.

FLAIL SNAIL

Large elemental, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 52 (5d10 + 25)
• Speed 10 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	5 (-3)	20 (+5)	3 (-4)	10 (+0)	5 (-3)

---

• Damage Immunities fire, poison
• Condition Immunities poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
• Languages -
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

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Antimagic Shell. The snail has advantage on saving throws against spells, and any creature making a spell attack against the snail has disadvantage on the attack roll. If the snail succeeds on its saving throw against a spell or a spell attack misses it, an additional effect might occur, as determined by rolling a d6:

1–2. If the spell affects an area or has multiple targets, it fails and has no effect. If the spell targets only the snail, it has no effect on the snail and is reflected back at the caster, using the spell slot level, spell save DC, attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the caster.

3–4. No additional effect.

5–6. The snail’s shell converts some of the spell’s energy into a burst of destructive force. Each creature within 30 feet of the snail must make a DC 15

Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 force damage per level of the spell on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Flail Tentacles. The flail snail has five flail tentacles. Whenever the snail takes 10 damage or more on a single turn, one of its tentacles dies. If even one tentacle remains, the snail regrows all dead ones within 1d4 days. If all its tentacles die, the snail retracts into its shell, gaining total cover, and it begins wailing, a sound that can be heard for 600 feet, stopping only when it dies 5d6 minutes later. Healing magic that restores limbs, such as the regenerate spell, can halt this dying process.

Actions

Multiattack. The flail snail makes as many Flail Tentacle attacks as it has flail tentacles, all against the same target.

Flail Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

Scintillating Shell (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The snail’s shell emits dazzling, colored light until the end of the snail’s next turn. During this time, the shell sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet, and creatures that can see the snail have disadvantage on attack rolls against it. In addition, any creature within the bright light and able to see the snail when this power is activated must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the light ends.

Shell Defense. The flail snail withdraws into its shell, gaining a +4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can emerge from its shell as a bonus action on its turn.

HUGE GIANT CRAB

Huge beast, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
• Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	15 (+2)	20 (+5)	1 (-5)	9 (-1)	3 (-4)

---

• Skills Stealth +4
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed
• Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9
• Languages -
• Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

---

Amphibious. The crab can breathe air and water.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The crab has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target.

KOBOLD DRAGONSHIELD

Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil

---

• Armor Class 15 (leather, shield)
• Hit Points 44 (8d6 + 16)
• Speed 20 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)	8 (-1)	9 (-1)	10 (+0)

---

• Skills Perception +1
• Damage Vulnerabilities see Dragon's Resistance below
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
• Languages Common, Draconic
• Challenge 1 (200 XP)

---

Dragon’s Resistance. The kobold has resistance to a type of damage based on the color of dragon that invested it with power (choose or roll a d10): 1–2, acid (black); 3–4, cold (white); 5–6, fire (red); 7–8, lightning (blue); 9–10, poison (green).

Heart of the Dragon. If the kobold is frightened or paralyzed by an effect that allows a saving throw, it can repeat the save at the start of its turn to end the effect on itself and all kobolds within 30 feet of it. Any kobold that benefits from this trait (including the dragonshield) has advantage on its next attack roll.

Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Multiattack. The kobold makes two melee attacks.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

KRAKEN PRIEST

Medium humanoid (any race), any evil alignment

---

• Armor Class 10
• Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
• Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	10 (+0)	16 (+3)	10 (+0)	15 (+2)	14 (+2)

---

• Skills Perception +5
• Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
• Senses passive Perception 15
• Languages any two languages
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

---

Amphibious. The priest can breathe air and water.

Innate Spellcasting. The priest’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: command, create or destroy water

3/day each: control water, darkness, water breathing, water walk

1/day each: call lightning, Evard’s black tentacles

Actions

Thunderous Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 27 (5d10) thunder damage.

Voice of the Kraken (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). A kraken speaks through the priest with a thunderous voice audible within 300 feet. Creatures of the priest’s choice that can hear the kraken’s words (which are spoken in Abyssal, Infernal, or Primordial) must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

LIZARDFOLK SUBCHIEF

Medium humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral

---

• Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
• Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)

---

• Saving Throws Wis +5
• Skills Athletics +4, Perception +5, Survival +5
• Senses passive Perception 15
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

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Hold Breath. The subchief can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

Spellcasting. The subchief is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, spare the dying, thaumaturgy

1st level (4 slots): command, guiding bolt, purify food and drink

2nd level (3 slots): hold person, lesser restoration, silence

3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic

Actions

Tooth Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Jaws of Semuanya (Recharge 5–6). The subchief invokes the primal magic of Semuanya, summoning a spectral maw around a target it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving throw is also frightened until the end of its next turn.

LIZARDFOLK RENDER

Large humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral

---

• Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14)
• Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)	7 (-2)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)

---

• Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3, Survival +5
• Senses passive Perception 13
• Languages Draconic
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

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Blood Frenzy. The render has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.

Hold Breath. The render can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

Actions

Multiattack. The render makes two attacks: one with its claws and one with its bite.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.

Rend the Field (Recharge 5–6). The render makes a claw attack against each creature of its choice within 10 feet of it. A creature hit by this attack must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

MASTER THIEF

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

---

• Armor Class 16 (studded armor)
• Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
11 (+0)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)

---

• Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +3
• Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +3, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
• Senses passive Perception 13
• Languages any one language (usually Common) plus thieves’ cant
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Evasion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the thief instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The thief deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the thief that isn’t incapacitated and the thief doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Actions

Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its shortsword.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.

Reactions

Uncanny Dodge. The thief halves the damage that it takes from an attack that hits it. The thief must be able to see the attacker.

ROT TROLL

Large giant, chaotic evil

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• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 138 (12d10 + 72)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	13 (+1)	22 (+6)	5 (-3)	8 (-1)	4 (-3)

---

• Skills Perception +3
• Damage Immunities necrotic
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
• Languages Giant
• Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

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Rancid Degeneration. At the end of each of the troll’s turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, unless the troll has taken acid or fire damage since the end of its last turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 16 (3d10) necrotic damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.

SKULL FLYER

Medium construct, unaligned

---

• Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 24 (3d8)
• Speed 10 ft. fly 50 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	1 (-5)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

---

• Skills Stealth +4
• Damage Immunities poison, psychic
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10
• Languages -
• Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Actions

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

STAR SPAWN MANGLER

Medium aberration, chaotic evil

---

• Armor Class 14
• Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
• Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	18 (+4)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)

---

• Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +4
• Skills Stealth +7
• Damage Resistances cold
• Damage Immunities psychic
• Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, prone
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
• Languages Deep Speech
• Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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Ambush. On the first round of each combat, the mangler has advantage on attack rolls against a creature that hasn’t taken a turn yet.

Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the mangler can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

Actions

***Multiattack. The mangler makes two claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. If the attack roll has advantage, the target also takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage.

Flurry of Claws (Recharge 4−6). The mangler makes six claw attacks against one target. Either before or after these attacks, it can move up to its speed as a bonus action without provoking opportunity attacks.

STATUE OF TALOS

Large elemental, chaotic evil

---

• Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 147 (14d10 + 70)
• Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	11 (+0)	20 (+5)	6 (-2)	11 (+0)	9 (-1)

---

• Saving Throws Wis +4
• Skills Perception +4
• Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
• Damage Immunities poison
• Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, poisoned
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
• Languages Terran
• Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

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False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes five attacks: one with its headbutt and four with its lightning bolt blades.

Headbutt. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Lightning Bolt Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.

SWASHBUCKLER

Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful alignment

---

• Armor Class 17 (leather armor)
• Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	18 (+4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	15 (+2)

---

• Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +5, Persuasion +6
• Senses passive Perception 10
• Languages any one language (usually Common)
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

---

Lightfooted. The swashbuckler can take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Suave Defense. While the swashbuckler is wearing light or no armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its

Actions

Multiattack. The swashbuckler makes three attacks: one with a dagger and two with its rapier.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.

TOOTH-N-CLAW

Medium fiend, lawful evil

---

• Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
• Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
• Speed 50 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (+3)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	6 (-2)	13 (+1)	6 (-2)

---

• Skills Perception +5
• Damage Immunities cold
• Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
• Languages understands Infernal but can’t speak it
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

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Keen Hearing and Smell. Tooth-N-Claw has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Pack Tactics. Tooth-N-Claw has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage.

Freezing Breath (Recharge 5–6). Tooth-N-Claw exhales an icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Appendix B

NIB ADDLESPIR

Lightfoot Halfling Spellcaster

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Nib is a happy-go-lucky gambler who keeps a deck of Three-Dragon Ante cards in her vest pocket. She also has a goldfinch named Lil.

Use the Spellcaster sidekick stat block to represent her.

Personality. “I can’t resist a sure bet or a friendly wager.”

Ideal. “The more complicated the scheme, the better.”

Bond. “I love birds and will do what I can to look after them.”

Flaw. “Deep water terrifies me. I would rather be swallowed by a dragon than get in a boat or go for a swim.”

PICKLED PETE

Human Expert

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Pete likes ale and tends to function better while tipsy. At his best, he’s quite the handyman and comes up with all sorts of crazy ways to get things done.

Use the Expert sidekick stat block to represent him.

Personality. “My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what.”

Ideal. “I like coming up with new ways to do things. What problem can’t be solved with a little ingenuity?”

Bond. “A full flask of wine is worth ten pockets full of gold.”

Flaw. “All this drinking is bad for my memory. Seriously, I can’t remember my last name.”

QUINN HIGHTOPPLE

Lightfoot Halfling Warrior

---

Quinn is a happy little scrapper who likes to punch people in the groin.

Use the Warrior sidekick stat block to represent him.

Personality. “Nice set of teeth you got there. Be a shame if something bad happened to ’em.”

Ideal. “No challenge is too big to overcome. As Papa Bartho always says, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.”

Bond. “Nothing’s more important than friendship. That’s why I’ll never leave a friend behind.”

Flaw. “I can’t resist punching tall folk in the groin. I call it the Halfling Hello.”

RUBY HAMMERWHACKER

Shield Dwarf Warrior

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Ruby lacks the customary dwarven stoicism and greets every day with a warm smile and a renewed sense of optimism.

Use the Warrior sidekick stat block to represent her.

Personality. “Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.”

Ideal. “We should all seek the betterment of ourselves. There’s always room for improvement.”

Bond. “I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves”

Flaw. “Tell me I can’t do something, and I must prove you wrong.”

SHANJAN KWAN

Human Spellcaster

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Kwan died and was raised from the dead as an infant, whereupon a tiny black glyph—the symbol of necromancy—appeared on his forehead.

Use the Spellcaster sidekick stat block to represent him.

Personality. “I’ve cheated death once. I can do it again.”

Ideal. “Great beauty can hide great ugliness. The reverse is also true.”

Bond. “I’ve been searching my whole life for the answer to a simple question: Am I a god?”

Flaw. “I don’t like mysteries. Unraveling them keeps me up at night.”

TALON THORNWILD

Human Expert

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Talon loves gold and adventure, and dreams of being a famous gold prospector.

Use the Expert sidekick stat block to represent him.

Personality. “Yes, I eat like a pig and have bad manners, but those are my only flaws, I swear. I’m darn near perfect otherwise.”

Ideal. “The low are lifted up, and the high and mighty are brought down. Change is the nature of things.”

Bond. “I like gold. I like its color, its texture, its majestic gleam.”

Flaw. “It’s not stealing if I need it more than someone else.”

Sidekick Stat Blocks

The following stat blocks work with any character race. If you and the DM agree, you may enhance your sidekick with the appropriate racial traits presented in chapter 2 of the Player’s Handbook.

Proficiencies

A sidekick is proficient with any armor, weapons, and tools included in its stat block. In addition, experts are proficient with simple weapons, rapiers, shortswords, and light armor; spellcasters are proficient with simple weapons and light armor; and warriors are proficient with simple and martial weapons, shields, and all armor.

Sidekick Level

In this adventure a sidekick starts as a 7th-level character. As the characters and sidekick adventure together, the sidekick gains experience points and reaches new levels the same way a player character does, using the rules in the Player’s Handbook.

When a sidekick gains a level, look at the sidekick’s table below, and consult the new level’s row, which shows the sidekick’s new hit point maximum and features.

EXPERT

7th-level Medium humanoid

---

• Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
• Hit Points 44 (8d8 +8)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)

---

• Saving Throws Dex +6
• Skills Acrobatics +9, Performance +5, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +9
• Senses passive Perception 10
• Languages Common, plus one of your choice

---

Helpful. The expert can take the Help action as a bonus action, and the creature who receives the help gains a 1d6 bonus to the d20 roll. If that roll is an attack roll, the creature can forgo adding the bonus to it, and then if the attack hits, the creature can add the bonus to the attack’s damage roll against one target.

Evasion. When the expert is not incapacitated and subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it failed.

Tools. The expert has thieves’ tools and a musical instrument.

Actions

Extra Attack. The expert can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the attack action on its turn.

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

SPELLCASTER (HEALER)

7th-level Medium humanoid

---

• Armor Class 13 (studded leather)
• Hit Points 36 (8d8)
• Speed 30 ft.

---

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)

---

• Saving Throws Wis +6
• Skills Arcana +5, Investigation +5, Religion +5
• Senses passive Perception 13
• Languages Common, plus one of your choice

---

Potent Cantrip. The spellcaster can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip.

Spellcasting (Healer). The spellcaster’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The spellcaster has following cleric spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): guidance, light, resistance, sacred flame

1st level (4 slots): bless, cure wounds, shield of faith

2nd level (3 slots): aid, lesser restoration

3rd level (3 slots): protection from energy, revivify

4th level (1 slot): death ward

Actions

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

SPELLCASTER (MAGE)

7th-level Medium humanoid

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• Armor Class 13 (studded leather)
• Hit Points 36 (8d8)
• Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)

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• Saving Throws Wis +5
• Skills Arcana +6, Investigation +6, Religion +6
• Senses passive Perception 12
• Languages Common, plus one of your choice

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Potent Cantrip. The spellcaster can add its spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals with any cantrip.

Spellcasting (Mage). The spellcaster’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The spellcaster has following cleric spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, minor illusion

1st level (4 slots): burning hands, shield, sleep

2nd level (3 slots): flaming sphere, invisibility

3rd level (3 slots): fireball, fly

4th level (1 slot): wall of fire

Actions

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.

WARRIOR

7th-level Medium humanoid

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• Armor Class 20 (plate, shield)
• Hit Points 52 (8d8 +16)
• Speed 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)

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• Saving Throws Con +5
• Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Survival +4
• Senses passive Perception 14
• Languages Common, plus one of your choice

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Battle Readiness. The warrior has advantage on initiative rolls.

Improved Critical. The warrior’s attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.

Martial Role. The warrior has one of the following traits of your choice:

Attacker. The warrior gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls.

Defender. The warrior gains the Protection reaction below.

Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The warrior can use a bonus action on its turn to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level.

Actions

Extra Attack. The warrior can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the attack action on its turn.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Appendix C

Thalivar’s Journal

Appendix D

Player Maps

Appendix E

Additional Locations

Locations not Described in this Adventure

The DM’s Sword Coast map on page 5 shows additional locations not detailed in this adventure, Most of them are from Dragon of Icespire Peak which can be found in the D&D Essential Kit; see that reference for additional information. Others can be found in Lost Mine of Phandelver, which can be found in the D&D Starter Set.

You may acquire access to those adventures from D&D Beyond. A short description is provided here for ease of reference.

Agatha's Lair

Agatha is an elven banshee with wizardry abilities. She is often seen roaming the region, and known to be very knowledgeable on the local history.

The lair is located a few miles northwest of Conyberry, at the edge of Neverwinter Wood. It it made of a simple screen of warped branches of trees standing close together, woven into a domelike shelter in the shadows, with a low doorway leading inside.

Axehome

Axeholm is a dwarven fortress carved into the base of a mountain fifteen miles south of Phandalin. The site was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee. When the evil spirit started filling Axeholm's halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold.

Butterskull Ranch

Alfonse Kalazorn used to be the sheriff of Triboar. a town 40 miles to the east (see the adventure Princes of the Apocalypse for more information), where he was known as Big Al Kalazorn. He retired a decade ago, but retirement didn't sit well with him. Looking for a new challenge, he claimed a plot of fertile land five miles east of Conyberry and turned it into a cattle and horse ranch, a pig farm, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, corn fields, and an apple orchard. Most of his money comes from the sale of butter skulls lumps of butter cleverly molded into the shapes of humanoid skulls.

Circle of Thunder (*)

The circle of standing stones atop the hill has been known to help focus magic used to summon monsters of various sort.

Conyberry

The Triboar Trail runs right through this abandoned town, which was sacked by barbarians years ago and now lies in ruins. A dirt road extending south of the town leads to a supposedly abandoned shrine dedicated to Savras while a path leads northwest toward Agatha's Lair.

Cragmaw Castle

Though it has recently been occupied by the Cragmaw goblin tribe, Cragmaw Castle is not a goblin construction, nor is that the structure's original name. Raised by a talented wizard-noble of old Phalorm, an ancient realm that once controlled much of the North, the stronghold consists of seven overlapping towers; however, its upper levels have long since collapsed to heaps of crumbling masonry. Only the ground floor is still sound enough to be habitable.

Cragmaw Hideout

The Cragmaw tribe has established a hideout from which it can easily harass and plunder traffic moving along the Triboar Trail or the path to Phandalin. The Cragrnaw tribe is so named because each member of the tribe sharpens its teeth so they appear fierce and jagged. The hideout is a small complex of caves and passages on each side of a small stream bubbling out of the hillside.

Dragon Barrow

Lady Tanamere Alagondar was a royal scion of Neverwinter more than a century ago. Along with two parties of adventurers, she fought and killed Azdraka. a green dragon that had long terrorized the High Road. Lady Alagondar died in the battle and was laid to rest beneath a barrow near where the dragon fell. The remains of her fallen compatriots and the corpse of Azdraka were sealed in the barrow with her, in accordance with Lady Alagondar's dying wishes.

Dwarven Excavation

This ancient dwarven settlement has been buried by an avalanche long ago. Behind the settlement, carved into the back wall of the canyon, an old temple of Abbathor, the evil dwarven god of greed, has recently been excavated.

Falcon's Hunting Lodge

This lodge is a sanctuary in the heart of Neverwinter Wood. Falcon the Hunter maintains this hunting lodge to cater to nobles from Neverwinter. He offers his services as a guide to those nobles, most of whom wouldn't last long in the forest without his protection and survival skills. Falcon abhors city life, preferring a rustic existence and simple pleasures. His lodge has all the creature comforts he requires, though he never turns down a good bottle of wine (or even a bad one) from a visitor.

Gnomengarde

The caves of Gnomengarde are carved into the base of a mountain southeast of Phandalin, around a narrow waterfall. The rock gnome wizards who occupy these caves form strategic alliances with their human and dwarf neighbors as needs warrant. Reclusive and secretive. the gnomes craft minor magic items and useful, nonmagical inventions to pass the time. In these endeavors, their failures outnumber their successes. They seldom stray far from home, subsisting largely on the mushrooms that grow on misty islands outside their caves.

Icespire Hold

lcespire Hold is a stone fortress perched on the icy northeast spur of lcespire Peak. A warlord named Delsendra Amzarr built the stronghold and dwelled there for many years while she and her soldiers kept the orcs of the Sword Mountains in check. When supply lines were cut off by heavy snow and blizzards during a brutal winter, Delsendra and her followers starved to death. Orcs later took over the fortress, which was damaged by an earthquake ten years ago and never repaired.

Logger's Camp

Years after the eruption of Mount Hotenow, the city of Neverwinter continues to rebuild itself after the destruction wrought by that event. Loggers have set up camps along the river that flows out of Neverwinter Wood, using the river to transport logs to the city.

Mountain's Toe Gold Mine

The mine is owned by a business consortium in Neverwinter and has been troubled by recent pro- ductivity problems.

Old Owl Well

Built thousands of years ago by a long-vanished empire, Old Owl Well is a ruined watchtower that now consists of little more than a few crumbling walls and the broken stump of a tower. In the tower's courtyard stands an old well that still delivers clean, fresh water. Old Owl Well lies in the wild and rugged hills south of the Triboar Trail. The site is relatively easy to find, and any inhabitants of the region can provide directions to the ruins.

Shrine to Savras

Five miles south of Conyberry is a shrine dedicated to Savras, god of divination and fate. Many years ago, the shrine's priest-seers foresaw a barbarian attack on Conyberry, giving the townsfolk time to escape. Not all the townsfolk chose to flee, but those who did went to the shrine and brought much of the town's gold with them. The barbarians eventually tracked the townsfolk to the shrine, besieged it, and slaughtered everyone inside.

The Crags

These rocky. windswept hills are dotted with old mines that have become infested with monsters.

Thundertree

Near the place where the Neverwinter River emerges from Neverwinter Wood stands the abandoned village of Thundertree. This once prosperous community on the outskirts of the forest has been destroyed following the eruption of Mount Hotenow thirty years ago. In the wake of the natural disaster, a plague of strange zombies swept over the area, killing or driving off those who survived the eruption. Though most of the zombies have long since crumbled to dust, strange magic permeating the area has mutated the local vegetation into new and dangerous forms. Few people dare to venture into the ruined village now, and those who do so seldom stay long.

Tower of Storms (*)

This lighthouse is built atop a barren, 80-foot-bigh outcropping of rock. At low tide, a narrow causeway extends from the shore to this outcropping, allowing easy access to the lighthouse. This causeway is 5 feet above sea level at low tide. At high tide, the causeway and the sandy beach arc submerged under 5 feet of water.

Umbrage Hill

Umbrage Hill got its name after two feuding dwarf clans fought a pitched battle atop it. The cause of their umbrage is a ta le lost to time, and on ly the cairns of the dead now remain. The stone windmill on the hill is a later addition. but is still more than a hundred years old. Adabra Gwynn, a midwife and apothecary devoted to Chaumea (goddess of agriculture), resides here.

Wave Echo Cave

Fifteen miles east of Phandalin, in the deep vales of the Sword Mountains, lies Wave Echo Cave. The rich mine of the Phandelver's Pact was lost five hundred years ago during ore invasions that devastated this part of the North. The pact was made between clans of dwarves and gnomes, by which they would share the mine riches and its great magical power. Human spellcasters allied themselves with the dwarves and gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge (called the Forge of Spells), where magic items could be crafted. In the centuries since, countless prospectors and adventurers have searched for the lost mine, but none succeeded until the Rockseekers, three dwaren brothers, found the entrance in the recent years.

Woodland Manse (*)

Many years ago, a half-elf wizard interested in the exploration of ancient elven ruins built a stone house in Neverwinter Wood, not far from several ruins that piqued her interest. In the course of her explorations, the wizard disappeared, and the protective magical wards on her home expired. The house fell into disrepair, then eventually into ruin. Ivy has all but engulfed it in the years since.

Wyvern Tor

This crag is a prominent landmark in the rugged hills northeast of the Sword Mountains, and is easily visible from twenty miles away. People traveling along the Triboar Trail in the vicinity of Conyberry catch glimpses of Wyvern Tor to the south as they go. The tor was formerly the home of a large and dangerous nest of wyverns, but a band of bold adventurers dealt with the monsters years ago. Though the wyverns never returned, other creatures lair here from time to time. Wyvern Tor's current squatters include a band of ores and their ogre ally.