Welcome to Leilon
Leilon was once a mining town that sold copper, nickel, and silver to Waterdeep. It was also a small port where merchants sometimes offloaded goods on barges (since most proper ships can’t traverse the town’s shallow mud flats) to be transported to cities all over 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 and trapped 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. The mage Gallio Elibro has now rebuilt the beacon and begun his own studies into the Ethereal Plane.
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 and became 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 you are ready for the adventure to get underway, show the Leilon map to the players and read the following boxed text aloud:
The half-finished palisade of Leilon will soon make a complete semicircle on the northeast side of the town, defended by an earthen rampart. To the southwest, new settlers attempt to build docks for barges, made to cross the marsh and meet merchant ships in the sea.
Outside of town, the settlers’ campground becomes ever smaller as new buildings made of wood or stone with thatched roofs are erected in Leilon’s muddy streets. At the center of it all, the New House of Thalivar, a cylindrical wizard tower, rises like a beacon, four times the height of every other building. Some lots still lie in ruins, but the settlers work quickly, clearing and reconstructing.
Visitors with coin to spend are welcome in Leilon, and adventurers are the settlers’ favorites. While there is much work to be done within the town, there are also missions to accomplish outside the settlement, listed on the job board at the fishery.
When the adventurers are ready to inspect the job board, proceed to the “Fishery” section.
Exploring Leilon
The characters might wish to explore key establishments within Leilon. These locations are marked on the map of Leilon.
Aubrey’s Peculiarities Shoppe
This shop is crammed with curiosities dredged from the ruins of Leilon: old fishing rods, swamp idols, mining helmets, and other oddities. A whimsical Illuskan male named Aubrey Silverspun runs the store. Roll a d20 on Peculiarities table to see what he has on offer when the characters visit.
Peculiarities
| d20 |
Peculiarity |
Price |
| 1-2 |
Random Magic Item (DMG's Table C) |
500 gp |
| 3-10 |
Random Trinket (PHB Chapter 5) |
10 gp |
| 11-20 |
Unique tool kit (engraved, adorned, etc.) |
50 gp |
A painted tryptic above the counter shows three adventurers: a dark-skinned warrior woman, a red-bearded dwarf, and a third whose portrait has faded with age. Aubrey explains that these are the “Swords of Leilon”: an old adventuring company local to the area.
Barge Yard
Six mud-covered barges are chained together and beached at the edge of Leilon where the town meets the marsh. The barge master is a gruff elderly female dwarf named Rorsta Anvilhand. She rents a barge for a tenday for 10 gp.
Fishery
In recent days, the town fishery has become a more permanent structure. During the day, the warehouse hosts several fishers selling their daily catches at stalls, and merchants who sell and repair fishing equipment. At night, Leilon’s town council gathers within the building to discuss the construction of the town and active threats in the region. The current town council has the following members:
- Merrygold Brightshine (see “Lathander Shrine” for more information).
- Valdi Estapaar, an elderly female half-elf fisher who keeps the settler camp fed.
- Grizzelda Copperwraught, a grumpy dwarf architect in charge of rebuilding the town, whom everyone calls “The Growler” behind her back.
- Jack Torver, the newest council member (see “Torver’s Post” for more information).
A job board outside of the fishery holds notices for adventurers looking for work. If the characters inspect the job board, proceed to the “The Quest Board” section.
Leilon Tales
| d6 |
Tale |
| 1 |
“The famers at Leilon Point have seen more shark fins in the water lately. Some even claim to see humanoids
swimming alongside the sharks! Can you imagine?” (If the characters visit Leilon Point, see “Leilon Point” for
more information.) |
| 2 |
“Merchants from Neverwinter claim to have passed something massive out at sea near an old lighthouse on
their way into town. They couldn’t agree if what they saw was a boat or a beached whale, but they agreed it
stank. (If the characters investigate the site, see “Death Knight-Dreadnaught” for more information.) |
| 3 |
“A few local merchants claim to have been attacked on the road by a band of brigands calling themselves
the Chimera Crew! Bandits sure have gotten more colorful these days.” (If the characters investigate the
attacks, see “Iniarv’s Tower” for more information.) |
| 4 |
“A few hunters came by saying to avoid Kryptgarden Forest, the dead are walking around there!” |
| 5 |
“Did you hear about the bronze dragon? Apparently, a few travelers from Neverwinter saw one fly north along
the coast with a dolphin in its claws. They say those metallic dragons are good. I hope they’re right.” |
| 6 |
“You ever hear of Claugiyliamatar? She’s a great green dragon with a lair somewhere in Kryptgarden Forest.
Folks around here call her Old Gnawbone because she loves devouring people like us. Be careful if you’re
going in that place. You don’t want to run into her.” |
Torver’s Post
Jack Torver is an optimistic young male Turami human who just finished building Leilon’s new (and currently only) general store. He is a devout worshipper of Lathander and attends the shrine’s services each morning, then offers advice from the sermons to his customers.
Jack sells standard adventuring gear, with the exception of potions of healing. He directs adventurers looking for potions to the Tymora shrine and those looking for armor, weapons, or other items he can’t supply to the town square.
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 Calishite 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 coin).
Tymora Shrine
A shrine to Tymora, goddess of luck, was recently erected in Leilon. Puck Caribdas, a lithe, rambunctious male elf, runs the temple and sells potions for the prices listed on the Puck’s Potions table. Other than potions of healing, Puck only has 1d4 vials of each potion. Each tenday, Puck’s inventory refreshes, and you can reroll to determine the elf’s new potion supply.
Puck's Potions
| Price |
Potion |
| 50 gp |
potion of healing |
| 50 gp |
potion of climbing |
| 150 gp |
potion of growth |
| 150 gp |
potion of water breathing |
| 5000 gp |
potion of heroism |
Umber Hulk’s Shell Inn
Alion Malwyn, a kind-hearted, nonbinary Illuskan human, runs this newly constructed two-story inn. A bed for the night costs 5 sp, while a meal costs 1 sp. If the characters stay here, Alion shares a tale from another traveler with them. Roll a d6 and consult the Leilon Tales table to determine which tale Alion knows or pick a tale the characters haven’t heard yet.
The Quest Board
The job board outside the fishery is where the adventurers can learn about quests. Let the players choose the order in which they tackle them. If the players don’t like a quest, they are under no obligation to complete it. However, completing quests helps the characters become more powerful (see “Leveling Up”).
Most of the notices on the job board are written by members of the town council. The council members are unable to provide context beyond what is written on the board. When the characters return to the fishery after completing a quest, the council pays the reward immediately.
Adventure Locations
This adventure encourages characters to explore locations marked on the DM’s map of the Sword Coast. When the characters embark on a journey to a location, use the section of this adventure that describes that location in detail. For instance, if the players choose to undertake the Iniarv’s Tower Quest, go to the “Iniarv’s Tower” section. Each location includes an overview that briefly describes what the characters can expect to find there, followed by information you’ll need to run the encounters at that location.
Starting Quests
When the characters first visit the job board, there are two quests posted. Describe each quest so they can choose which to pursue.
Death Knight-Dreadnaught Quest.
“Phandalin had some trouble with a cult of Talos in a lighthouse temple called the Tower of Storms. Now a strange boat or dead creature seems to be beached near the tower. Investigate this strange occurrence, kill or rout any cultists that might be there, then return to the town council to collect a reward of six potions of greater healing.” If the characters undertake this quest, see “Death Knight-Dreadnaught.”
Leilon Point Quest.
“Farmers in the small community of Leilon Point report aquatic humanoids making small but frequent raids on the area. They’re killing farmers and burning Leilon’s food supply. Kill or rout the raiders, then return to the town council to collect a reward of 750 gp.” If the characters undertake this quest, see “Leilon Point.”
Follow-Up Quests
After the characters complete either one of the starting quests, the following two quests are added to the job board.
The Bronze Shrine Quest is not actually added to the job board by the town council, but by the ghost of one of the Swords of Leilon, who possessed a citizen of Neverwinter to post the quest. If the characters complete this quest, the town council denies having posted the message but thinks the information is valuable and rewards the characters all the same.
Bronze Shrine Quest.
“Go north along the coast and track the bronze dragon Lhammaruntosz, the Claws of the Coast, to her lair. This location looks like a bronze dragon carved into the side of a cliff overlooking the sea. Ask for a chance to worship at the shrine to Bahamut so you may receive visions of the threats facing Leilon. Report the threats you divine to the town council to collect a reward of 1,000 gp.” If the characters undertake this quest, see “Bronze Shrine.”
Iniarv’s Tower Quest.
“A band of brigands calling themselves the Chimera Crew has been attacking merchants on the road, stealing supplies we need to rebuild Leilon. The merchants claim that the bandits operate out of Iniarv’s Tower in the Mere of Dead Men. Kill the bandits or drive them from the area, then return to the town council to collect a reward of 1,000 gp.” If the characters undertake this quest, see “Iniarv’s Tower.”
Claugiyliamatar’s Lair Quest.
Another quest in this adventure takes place in Claugiyliamatar’s lair. There is no job board notice for this quest, but the Bronze Shrine Quest should lead characters to an encounter with Claugiyliamatar. If the characters undertake this quest, see “Claugiyliamatar’s Lair.”
Leveling Up
Characters advance in level by completing quests. Regardless of the number of characters in the party, the rate of advancement is as follows:
- Characters gain a level when they complete two quests.
- Characters gain another level when they complete the remaining three quests in this adventure.
Bronze Shrine Features
The Bronze Shrine is a clean, bright, two-story temple that smells of ocean air.
Ceilings. The ceilings throughout the shrine are 30 feet high.
Light. All areas of the shrine are brightly lit by the continual flame spell cast on torches in sconces.
Open First Level. The lack of doors on the first level of the shrine means that sound carries. If the characters engage in battle, set off a trap, shout, or otherwise make loud noises on this level, the Scaly Eye members in areas B2 and B4 investigate the disturbance.
Rage of Bahamut. If a creature kills Lhammaruntosz or a Scaly Eye member while inside the temple, a spectral dragon appears and attacks the creature. The dragon makes an attack roll with a +10 bonus to hit and deals 22 (4d10) psychic damage on a hit. After attacking once, the dragon disappears.
Walls. Climbing the walls of the shrine without equipment requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
B1. Jetty
This stone jetty and rocky rise lead to a tunnel with a 10-foot-high entrance carved into the tip of the dragon relief’s tail. During high tide the jetty, the rise, and the tunnel entrance are submerged in ocean water. High tide begins at midnight and noon each day and lasts for six hours.
B2. Guarded Entry
If the characters enter or exit this area from area B1, they might trigger the molten bronze trap (see below).
Members of the Scaly Eye play three-dragon ante at a stone table in the center of the chamber. There is one swashbuckler (see appendix A) plus one additional swashbuckler for each member of the party, not including sidekicks. See the “Scaly Eye Members” sidebar for more information.
A creature with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices the tripwire. A successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disables the tripwire harmlessly. A character without thieves’ tools can attempt this check with disadvantage using any edged weapon or edged tool. On a failed check, the trap triggers.
Molten Bronze Trap. A tripwire set 3 inches off the ground is extended across the doorway at the top of the stair that leads to area B1. An iron pot full of molten bronze (magically heated) hangs above the door and overturns when a creature triggers the tripwire. The creature must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
A creature that fails this save is covered in molten bronze and takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the end of each of its turns until it uses an action to scrape off the bronze with a weapon or tool. If the weapon or tool is nonmagical, it is destroyed after removing the bronze.
Scaly Eye Members
Members of the Scaly Eye in the shrine are loyal to and worried for Lhammaruntosz, or Mother Wyrm, as they call her. Most of the dragon’s followers have left the shrine or died of old age, leaving only a few guardians, mostly older humans and a few dwarves and elves. Members of the Scaly Eye wear faded blue tabards displaying a single staring eye weeping a spreading fan of tears, above which arches an eyebrow.
Scaly Eye members are swashbucklers who may attack the characters when they notice them, but a successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check convinces a Scaly Eye member to stand down. If the characters can then convince a Scaly Eye member they mean no harm, the member shares all of the information in the “Location Overview” section except for the details about the alkilith (because they wouldn’t know about the demon, only that Lhammaruntosz has been acting strange for several years, which is cause enough for concern). That member then offers to escort them through the complex, convincing other members of the Scaly Eye to not attack the characters and pointing out other hazards.
Scaly Eye Names. If you need a name for a member of the Scaly Eye, you can make one up or use any of the following names: Aeris, Bronce, Cobril, Fervo, Gwendal, Headard, Kiltom, Olistan, Surgon, Tazir, Wei, and Zayle.
B3. Scaly Eye Tombs
At both ends of this hall a carving on the south wall reads, “Silence for the fallen heroes, please.” Ninety interment niches line the walls of this hall, each with the name of a deceased Scaly Eye member carved beneath their tomb. Whenever a Scaly Eye member dies, Lhammaruntosz carves a new niche in the wall.
Telna Urkil, the ghost of a female gnome and former Scaly Eye member, watches this area from the Ethereal Plane. If the characters display disrespectful behavior toward the interred dead, such as shouting in the hall, looking through niches for items to steal, or similar actions, Telna appears before them, uses her Horrifying Visage action, then flees.
If the characters make a gesture to honor the interred dead, such as moving through the area with purposeful silence, offering a prayer in front of a niche, leaving a small offering in the hall, or similar actions, Telna appears before them and shares her history with the characters, as well as all the information in the “Location Overview” section, except for the details about the alkilith. She does not know what is causing Lhammaruntosz’s madness, but she does believe there is an outside force affecting the dragon. She begs the characters to find the source and destroy it or use magic to heal the dragon’s mind.
B4. Scaly Eye Chambers
Scaly Eye members eat, train, and rest in this area when they are not on guard duty. Twenty sleeping mats are stacked neatly in the northeast corner of the room.
A roasting spit skewering seven quippers stands over a burning brazier at the center of the room. Scaly Eye members spar with each other around the brazier. There is one swashbuckler plus one additional swashbuckler for each member of the party, not including sidekicks. See the “Scaly Eye Members” sidebar for more information.
B5. Bronze Gate Entrance
A bronze gate locked from the inside with a heavy bar blocks this entrance tunnel. A creature inside the Bronze Shrine that can reach the bar, which is 4 feet off the ground, can unlock it as an action.
Characters hoping to get through the barred gates from the outside must break the gates down, which takes a single character 1 hour. Multiple characters working together can reduce the time proportionately. The noise created by smashing down the doors is loud enough to alert all the Scaly Eye members, who gather behind the gate. There are two swashbucklers plus two additional swashbucklers for each member of the party, not including sidekicks. See the “Scaly Eye Members” sidebar for more information.
B6. Statue Chamber
A 20,000-pound, 25-foot-tall marble statue of Bahamut stands at the center of this chamber, encircled by a hoard of treasure on the floor. The detect magic spell reveals that the statue radiates auras of abjuration and divination magic.
The statue has AC 19, 200 hit points, and immunity to acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, and psychic damage. Each time a creature damages the statue or touches any of the treasure, the statue shoots a bolt of lightning at the creature. The target must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Treasure. The treasure around the statue consists of a scimitar of speed, a cloak of the manta ray, a masterwork painting of a ship at sea set in a gold frame worth 500 gp, five white pearls worth 100 gp each, 623 pp, and 8,329 gp. If Lhammaruntosz or Scaly Eye members notice the characters carrying stolen treasure, they attack.
B7. Ascension Chamber
The walls and pillars of this chamber are carved with hundreds of images of metallic dragons. The ceiling is engraved with Draconic script which reads, “Only those who speak her Scaly Eye name may ascend.” This is of course, referring to the dragon.
A pool at the center of the chamber leads outside the shrine (see “Arrival”).
Stair Trap. A detect magic spell reveals that the stairs radiate an aura of enchantment magic. A creature that is not a metallic dragon that touches the stairs must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be charmed for 1 hour. While charmed in this way, the creature feels an overwhelming urge to drown itself and does everything in its power to do so. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw or speaks aloud the nickname “Mother Wyrm” in Draconic while in this chamber is immune to the effect of the stairs for 24 hours.
C3. Gnawbones Camp
A small black iron cauldron bubbles over a low campfire. Four woven moss mats sit on the ground nearby. If the druids have not left to investigate a disturbance in area C1, Delis Venomcauldron stirs the cauldron while talking with Argina Therrow, who sits on one of the mats. See the “Gnawbones Druids” sidebar for more information.
Pot of Poison. The cauldron contains an almost finished batch of ten doses of truth serum (see “Poisons” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). A character who is proficient with a poisoner’s kit recognizes the recipe and can spend 10 minutes finishing the poison.
Secret Poison Pit. Delis keeps her poison vials hidden in a 1-foot-deep, 1-foot-diameter hole in the ground covered by her sleeping mat. Creatures with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher notice that the mat dips slightly in the middle. A creature that moves the mat disturbs the swarm of poisonous snakes guarding the poisons. In addition to the snakes, the pit contains three vials of serpent venom, two vials of assassin’s blood, and a vial of malice (see “Poisons” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
C4. Enchanting Spore Cavern
The remains of ghouls, skeletons, zombies, and some other undead lay scattered across this cavern, torn to pieces by Claugiyliamatar. A creature with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 17 of higher notices that the surfaces of the chamber are covered with a very fine green dust. This dust is made of tiny, hallucinogenic spores created by moss in the chamber. A detect magic spell reveals that the moss and spores radiate auras of enchantment magic.
Whenever a creature enters this cavern, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a success, the creature is immune to the effect of the spores for 24 hours. On a failed save, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned, the creature is delirious and feels the need to frolic. At the start of its turn, the poisoned creature rolls on the Frolic Direction table and moves its full speed in a direction indicated by the roll. The creature moves in a straight line that direction without regard for its own safety, stumbling into hazards and obstacles or over ledges. If a creature runs into a statue, stalagmite, or wall and still has movement left, the creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 feet of remaining movement (rounded down). The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Frolic Direction
| d8 |
Direction |
| 1 |
North |
| 2 |
Northeast |
| 3 |
East |
| 4 |
Southeast |
| d8 |
Direction |
| 5 |
South |
| 6 |
Southwest |
| 7 |
West |
| 8 |
Northwest |
Statues. Four statues in this lair depict the following figures (see the “Lair Features” sidebar):
Vajra Safahr is a human depicted with short hair, fine but practical clothing, and a thin, wolf-headed, rune-covered staff, which is taller than her. She is the current Blackstaff and Archmage of Waterdeep.
Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande is a half-elf depicted wearing plate armor emblazoned with the symbol of Tyr (balanced scales resting on a warhammer). She was a heroic paladin who attacked Neverwinter when the city’s leaders unjustly executed her lover.
Danica Bonaduce is a lean-muscled human wearing simple clothing. She has her fists raised in an unarmed fighting stance. She was a heroic monk and the lady of the now-ruined Spirit Soaring cathedral in the Snowflake Mountains.
Laerel Silverhand is a human with long hair in elaborate braids, wearing magnificent flowing robes. She is the Open Lord of Waterdeep, and one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Gnawbones Druids
The Gnawbones are lawful evil female human druids who speak Common, Draconic, and Druidic and have 45 hit points each. The druids worship Claugiyliamatar as a god, and the dragon teaches them to cast spells.
The druids attack intruders on sight. A character can stop the druids’ attacks by claiming to be allies of Claugiyliamatar and succeeding on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check made as an action. The druids lead characters they believe to be allies of Claugiyliamatar to the dragon (area C13). If the characters capture a druid and makes a successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check the druid leads them to the dragon.
Characters could encounter the following four Gnawbones druids in the lair:
Argina Therrow. The leader of the Gnawbones is a tall, thin human in her late sixties who covers herself in green body paint to honor Claugiyliamatar. The dragon devoured bandits attacking Argina when she was a young girl. Argina sees Claugiyliamatar as a savior of those who devote themselves to the dragon and is fanatical in her loyalty.
Delis Venomcauldron. Delis is a middle-aged human with a shaved head and a face scarred with alchemical burns. She joined the Gnawbones after murdering her cruel husband with poison and fleeing civilization. The alchemist has a wicked sense of humor and an obsession with poisons.
Saija Hurwi. Sajia joined the Gnawbones after hearing tales of Claugiyliamatar’s prowess with nature magic. The eighteen-year old human prefers the company of animals to people and often speaks of her desire to help beasts conquer Faerûn.
Zuri Kimyak. Zuri is a short woman in her twenties with wild black hair dyed with a streak of green. She joined the Gnawbones after learning she had a green dragon ancestor and feels a kinship with Claugiyliamatar. Except for dragons and her fellow Gnawbones, Zuri sees all other creatures as inferior and worthy of only distain.
C5. Vine Stairway
Assassin vines hide among the foliage on the walls of this stairway. There is one assassin vine per member of the party, including sidekicks. The vines are controlled by Claugiyliamatar’s magic and attack only intruders.
C6. Phase Spider Den
Webs cover the walls and ceilings of this chamber. Sajia Hurwi and Zuri Kimyak (see the “Gnawbones Druids” sidebar) feed ghoul remains to the phase spiders living in this cavern. There is one phase spider plus one additional phase spider per member of the party, not including sidekicks. The spiders and druids attack when they notice the characters. The druids command the spiders to push the characters into the webs.
If the characters defeat Sajia and Zuri and the phase spiders are not in the presence of Claugiyliamatar or other Gnawbones druids, a character who uses an action to make a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) convinces the spider to stop attacking. The spider resumes its attack if it is damaged, threatened, or commanded to do so by Claugiyliamatar or a Gnawbones druid.
A creature that touches the webs on the walls must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained. A restrained creature can use its action to try to escape, freeing itself with a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. A creature that can reach the restrained creature can also make this check as an action, freeing the restrained creature on a success.
C7. Slime Pool Overlook
This small ledge overlooks the slime pool with a 10-foot-long, 2-foot-diameter mossy log sitting near the ledge. The log can be used to bridge the slime pool between this area and area C9. Crossing the slippery log requires a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. A creature that fails this check slips and falls in the slime below.
C8. Slime Pools
These pools bubble with a dark green slime and are 15 feet deep. Swimming through the viscous slime requires a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. A creature that fails this check is restrained by the slime and sinks 1d4 + 1 feet into the pool. At the start of the creature’s turns, it sinks another 1d4 feet. As long as the creature isn’t completely submerged in the slime, it can escape by using its action and succeeding on a Strength (Athletics) check. The DC is 12 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk into the slime. A creature fully submerged in slime can’t breathe (see “Suffocating” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
A creature can pull another creature within its reach out of a slime pool by using its action and succeeding on a Strength (Athletics) check. The DC is 7 plus the number of feet the target creature has sunk into the slime.
A creature that comes into contact with the slime takes 11 (2d10) acid damage. The creature takes this damage again at the start of each of its turns until the slime is scraped off or destroyed.
Pushing Vines. A detect magic spell reveals that the vines directly above the slime pools radiate an aura of transmutation magic. Claugiyliamatar enchanted the vines to unfurl and attack creatures that fly over the pools, other than the dragon herself. When such a creature flies over a slime pool, it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage and be pushed into the slime pool.
Slime Tunnel. A 5-foot-diameter tunnel connects the slime pools. A creature with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices the very top of the tunnel peeking above the pool.
Statues. There are four stone islands in the largest slime pool that hold statues depicting the following figures (see the “Lair Features” sidebar):
Dynaheir is a human wearing simple robes, with a talisman of a stern-faced man around her neck. She was one of the famed Witches of Rashemen and a hero of Baldur’s Gate.
Alusair Nacacia Obarskyr is a human wearing plate armor and carrying a shield emblazoned with the image of a dragon. She was a brave knight who served as the regent of Cormyr.
Storm Silverhand is a human wearing chain mail and wielding a longsword with a winged hilt. She is one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Dove Falconhand is a human with a longbow strapped across her back. She wears plate armor and wields a longsword. She was one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
C9. Zuri’s Hidden Hoard
A 5-foot-square patch of moss in the center of this area hides a spiked pit trap. A creature notices the moss is not actually attached to the ground with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. A Medium or smaller creature that steps on the moss falls 10 feet onto the poisoned spikes at the pit’s bottom, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and 11 (2d10) piercing damage, and it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Treasure. A potion of poison, a silvered warhammer, a diamond worth 500 gp, and 238 gp are scattered on the bottom of the pit. Zuri Kimyak (see the “Gnawbones Druids” sidebar) keeps a hidden stash of treasure for herself in the pit. Zuri knows Claugiyliamatar will kill her if the dragon finds out that the druid keeps her own secret treasure. If Zuri notices the characters poking about her hoard or carrying the potion, warhammer, or diamond from her stash, she attacks with any other allies she can muster, no matter what arrangement the characters have with the dragon or other druids.
C10. Bridge
This bridge hangs 20 feet above the slime pool (see area C8). A wood woad (see appendix A) stands just west of the bridge, next to a large wooden lever that sticks out of the cave floor. When an intruder crosses the bridge, the wood woad pulls the lever.
As an action, a creature that can reach the lever can pull it, causing the bridge to suddenly part in the middle and both its halves to swing downward. Creatures on the bridge must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a success, the creature runs off of the bridge and onto the safety the closest cave floor. On a failure, the creature falls 20 feet into the slime pool. As an action, the lever can be pulled again, returning the bridge to its original state.
C11. Statue Overlook
Creatures that stand on this small plateau 10 feet above area C13 might be noticed by Claugiyliamatar.
Statues. Two statues in this area depict the following figures (see the “Lair Features” sidebar):
Catti-brie is a human wearing a flowing dress that exposes symbols on her arms. One is the seven-pointed star of Mystra. The other is the unicorn symbol of Mielikki. She belongs to a famous adventuring party, the Companions of Mithral Hall.
Ammalia Cassalanter is a human dressed in rich finery. She is a powerful enchanter and noble living in the city of Waterdeep.
C12. Map Room
Read the following boxed text aloud to describe this area:
Vines on the north and south walls of this cavern form almost perfect circles around twenty-foot-diameter patches of moss. The oddly glowing green growth on the north wall depicts a city map, and the south wall displays a map of the Sword Coast. Both maps are dotted with Draconic runes.
Claugiyliamatar’s magical connection to her lair allows her to control the moss in this room to keep track of her various humanoid spies along the Sword Coast. She has a separate map for Waterdeep, where most of her machinations take place. A character who has been to Waterdeep or who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (History) check knows that the north map depicts the city.
A character who understands Draconic knows that each rune is a single letter of the Draconic alphabet. Each depicted rune is different from the others and represents a different agent working for the dragon. There are no runes near Leilon. In addition to Waterdeep, Claugiyliamatar has agents in the cities of Luskan, Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter, and Elturel.
Hidden Message. A character who examines the Sword Coast map notices a message written in tiny carved Draconic runes at the top of the map with a successful DC 19 Wisdom (Perception) check. The message reads, “When the seven are united, the wall falls and the gold flows.” This is a reminder Claugiyliamatar left for herself about how to access her treasure hoard (area C14), for she believes one day her ancient brain may no longer remember such details.
C13. Claugiyliamatar’s Cavern
Claugiyliamatar spends most of her time in this cavern, looking into her crystal balls to find the source of the undead that attack her lair. When the characters enter this area and can see the green dragon, read the following boxed text aloud to describe this area:
Small puffs of foul-smelling green gas emit from the nostrils of a titanic dragon with dull olive scales. The tips of her massive wings and the edges of the frills along her head and spine are black with age beyond mortal reason. She stares into four glowing crystal balls, her serpentine face curled into a wicked scowl around a humanoid femur bone poking out between her teeth. Attacking such a powerful being would almost surely result in your demise.
Claugiyliamatar is an ancient green dragon of immense power. You can find her stats in Appendix A: Creatures.
Roleplaying Claugiyliamatar. Claugiyliamatar does not attack the characters unless they try to harm or steal from her. The shrewd dragon immediately suspects that the characters are not allied with the undead attacking her lair and believes she might be able to put them to work finding answers for her, especially since they bested her lair’s defenses to reach her.
Claigiyliamatar is jealous of powerful female humanoids who get to participate in the backstabbing, intrigue, and machinations of political nobility. Before she asks the characters why they have come to her lair, she demands that they state where they come from, then demands to hear any gossip or rumors the characters might know from the Sword Coast. If the characters can offer a salacious tidbit (such as rumors about the ghosts of the Swords of Leilon or the people rebuilding the town) and a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, or they succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Deception) check to offer a fake rumor, the dragon asks them why they have come to her lair.
If the characters mention one of the cities with a Draconic rune depicted in her map room (area C12), they gain advantage on the Charisma check made to influence Claugiyliamatar. If the characters cannot mention a rumor Claugiyliamatar believes or likes, she tells them to go away and return when they have some gossip for her.
Once the characters offer the dragon an appropriate rumor, she answers any questions they have honestly with the following information:
- She explains escalating undead attacks on her lair.
- Claugiyliamatar cannot find the commander of the undead through her crystal balls. The green dragon believes the closest place to search for a necromancer is Leilon, so she had planned to threaten the people there for information (and make good on those threats if no information is offered).
- After meeting the characters, she has decided to modify her plan…for now. The dragon knows from questioning previous undead invaders that they are loyal to an undead mage named Viantha Cruelhex. Claugiyliamatar is so far unable to use her crystal balls to spy on the undead, and all the servants she sent to capture Viantha have not returned. She asks the characters to capture or kill Viantha, returning with the prisoner or the deathlock’s remains for questioning (see “Finding Viantha”). In exchange for Viantha, Claugiyliamatar agrees to leave Leilon alone.
Treasure. Claugiyliamatar has a crystal ball, a crystal ball of mind reading, a crystal ball of telepathy, and a crystal ball of true seeing. Each is mounted on a 10-foot-high brass pedestal. The green dragon placed a powerful enchantment on her crystal balls to deter their theft. If a crystal ball is removed from the lair, it ceases to function until it is returned to the lair.
C14. Claugiyliamatar’s Hoard
The raised plateau that holds Claugiyliamatar’s treasure hoard is 20 feet high. The north and south edges of the plateau’s edge each hold two statues (see “Statues” below). A character who makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices three slight divots with a 5-foot diameter in the plateau floor between the two pairs of statues. A detect magic spell reveals that these divots radiate auras of abjuration magic.
A permanent floor-to-ceiling wall of force created by Claugiyliamatar runs from the north wall to the south wall, between the statues and the treasure hoard. The area west of the wall of force is obscured by trapped green gas, but a character who makes a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a pile of treasure slightly silhouetted in the gas.
Characters can destroy the wall in the following ways:
- A character who casts the disintegrate spell destroys the wall.
- If the statues of Dove Falconhand (in area C8), Storm Silverhand (in area C8), and Laeral Silverhand (in area C4) are placed next to their sisters (see “Statues” below) in the divots, the wall is destroyed. The wall reforms if any of the statues on the plateau are removed.
- If a statue other than those three is placed in a divot, the statue explodes with violent force. Each creature within 10 feet of the statue must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
If the wall is destroyed, the gas behind it immediately expands, filling all of area C13 and C14. A creature that enters or starts its turn in the gas must make DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 77 (22d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures and objects in the gas are lightly obscured. The gas remains for 24 hours. A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the gas after 4 hours. A strong wind (at least 20 miles per hour) disperses it after 1 hour.
Statues. Four statues in this area depict the following figures (see the “Lair Features” sidebar):
Anastra Syluné Silverhand is a human wearing a simple dress and carrying two halves of a broken staff. She died battling three dragons and was one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Lady Alustriel Silverhand is a human wearing long flowing robes and carrying a unicorn-headed staff. She served as the leader of Silverymoon for many years and is one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Alassra Shentrantra Silverhand, also known as Simbul, is a human with long, wild hair and wearing flowing robes. She was the queen of Aglarond and one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Qilué Veladorn is a drow wearing elegant robes, with hair that comes down to her ankles. She was one of the Seven Sisters chosen by Mystra.
Treasure. Claugiyliamatar’s treasure hoard contains a +2 war pick, a wand of magic detection, a spell scroll of speak with dead, seven emeralds worth 1,000 gp each, 1,339 pp, and 14,235 gp. If the characters steal the dragon’s treasure while she still lives, she begins hunting them as soon as she is able to do so.
Finding Viantha
After speaking with Claugiyliamatar in her lair, the characters likely want to find Viantha Cruelhex in Kryptgarden Forest. Each day the characters search the forest, have them choose one character to act as the guide. At the end of each day the guide makes a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a successful check, the characters find Viantha (see “Viantha Found”). On a check failed by 4 or less, the characters get close and run into undead (see “Undead Encounter”).
On a check failed by 5 or more,
the characters find nothing.
D3. Main Deck
The main deck contains a set of stairs that descend into the bowels of the ship, a ballista mounted on a rotating platform (see “Siege Equipment” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide), and a hatch that opens into the ship’s stores. The hatch can only be opened by creatures with a combined Strength score of 18 or more.
Two anchorites of Talos (see appendix A) are stationed at the ballista, with an additional anchorite present on deck for every two characters in the party, including sidekicks. If combat occurs here, the anchorites on the forecastle and quarterdeck (areas D5 and D6) respond immediately.
D4. Hellfire Orb
The iron brazier mounted on the mainmast contains an ever-burning orb of flame. The spirit of the death knight can see and talk through this orb, perceiving its surroundings with darkvision to a range of 120 feet (see “Death Knight’s Soul”). Once per day, the death knight can hurl a magical ball of fire that explodes at a point it can see within 240 feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A creature takes 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
D5. Forecastle
The front deck of the dreadnaught is fitted with a ballista mounted on a rotating platform. Two anchorites of Talos (see appendix A) are assigned to this weapon. When no threats are present, the cultists take turns daring each other to spit on the skull of the giant skeleton mounted under the bowsprit.
D6. Quarterdeck
The ship’s wheel is fixed to the quarterdeck. The wheel is the round, iron shield that Emberlost carried in battle. If a creature the death knight doesn’t know or like touches the wheel, the intruder must succeed at a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much necrotic damage on a successful one. After taking this damage, the creature can safely hold the wheel and steer the ship without taking further damage.
D7. Poop Deck
Two rear-facing mangonels (see “Siege Equipment” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) are mounted on the poop deck, guarded by two anchorites of Talos (see appendix A). As these weapons can only fire to the rear of the ship, the anchorites can’t use them to target the other decks. If combat ensues below, the anchorites move on foot to engage in melee or hurl lightning bolts down on the intruders.
The hatch here opens into a 20-foot-deep shaft leading to the ship’s magazine. During naval combat, a bucket and winch are used to haul rocks up from the magazine to load the mangonels. A character can climb down the chain to access the magazine at area D13.
D8. Chart Room
The desk is here is laden with sea charts, old maps of the Sword Coast, and enough instruments to assemble a complete set of navigator’s tools. Characters who study the ship’s course deduce that it set sail from the distant nation of Estagund four months previously. The old maps show the locations of dozens of long-lost barrows along the Sword Coast, indicating that the sailors came here to unearth something buried. Most of these tombs have already been looted or destroyed, but others could form the basis for your own dungeon-based adventures. Ularan Mortus was hunting for the mausoleum of the black dragon Chardansearavitriol. He took the map showing its location with him before he fled the ship.
D9. Storage Lockers
These lockers contain supplies for maintaining the vessel: spare rope, buckets, tubs of grease, and other mundane tools. A character who hides inside a locker gains advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to evade the crew.
D10. Captain’s Cabin
This cabin belonged to Ularan Mortus but has since been claimed by Fheralai Stormsworn. Anyone who searches the cabin and succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check discerns that a new resident recently reclaimed the room.
A leather-bound journal lies open on the floor next to the bed. Characters examining the journal discover clues about the necromancer’s plans for the region. Give the players the “Necromancer’s Journal” handout from appendix C, the contents of which is reproduced in a sidebar below. A note in the journal indicates that Fheralai may have kidnapped a bard to appease the spirit bound in the ship.
Treasure. A liquor cabinet contains ten bottles of rare spirits worth 100 gp each. The historical tomes on the bookshelves have a combined value of 800 gp but weigh a total of 250 pounds.
Necromancer's Journal
This journal belonged to Ularan Mortus, a high priest of Myrkul, god of death. As a member of the Cult of the Dragon, Ularan Mortus colluded with evil dragons to plot the downfall of the Sword Coast. He hopes to reanimate the soul of Ebondeath, a legendary black dragon, and petition it to steal a magical artifact from the town of Leilon. The journal provides no name or clues about the nature of this artifact, but it seems vital to the high priest’s invasion plans.
Ularan Mortus sailed over the ocean onboard an undead galleon imbued with the soul of the death knight named Emberlost. The death knight’s homeland, Anauria, once lay in this region, and the high priest fears that Emberlost is becoming obsessed with this bygone realm. At this point in the journal, another hand has made a note in the margin: “Roadhouse? Could bard win him over?”
D11. Oar Deck
This gloomy oar deck looks like the belly of a whale, with gargantuan ribs sweeping from the walls to form rowing benches for the undead crew. The deck underfoot is littered with humanoid bones to a depth of 1 foot. Two large, unmanned drums are positioned to the rear of the deck.
If the death knight’s soul knows that intruders are onboard, it animates a team of minotaur skeletons to defend the deck. There is one skeleton present for every member of the party, including sidekicks. The skeletons hide underneath the bones until intruders draw near, and then arise to attack them with surprise. If combat ensues here, Gol Badwind arrives from area D12 to investigate after two rounds.
Skeleton Crew. Once per day when the dreadnaught needs to move, the death knight can animate a rowing crew of fifty skeletons from the bones piled here. This occurs at the end of the quest if the players stop Tarbin Tul’s singing (see area D17).
D12. Badwind’s Cabin
This cabin is occupied by Fheralai’s second-in-command, Gol Badwind, a grossly fat, grumpy half-orc male blackguard. Badwind is the cultists’ quartermaster.If the characters slay him, all anchorites left onboard become frightened of them.
Treasure. Badwind carries an alchemy jug at his belt, which he swigs from while doing his rounds.
D13. Magazine
This chamber holds iron balls, ballista bolts, and rocks for the vessel’s siege weaponry. A 20-foot-high shaft ascends from here to the poop deck (area D7), where a bucket and chain dangles from a winch. A character can climb the chain to ascend to the poop deck.
D14. Crew Quarters
String hammocks are strung up here like cobwebs. When they enter this area, the characters hear singing drifting from the cabin at D17. Due to the awkwardness of this space, any Medium or larger creature fighting in here counts as squeezing into a smaller space (see “Creature Size” in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook).
The hammocks are enchanted to attack anyone who enters without the death knight’s permission. Each hammock has the statistics of a rug of smothering except that it looks like a hammock when using its False Appearance feature. One hammock animates for every member of the party, including sidekicks.
D15. Galley
The old crew used this galley to prepare food, which consisted of spartan gruels and dry biscuits. There is nothing else in here but bad recipes.
D16. Surgery
The door to this compartment is boarded over with heavy planks of wood. Ularan Mortus was known for constructing obedient servants from the stitched-together bodies of former enemies. After the anchorites discovered that the golems in here were immune to lightning damage, they sealed them inside this chamber and boarded up the door.
There is one flesh golem inside the compartment for every two members of the party, including sidekicks (rounded down). The golems attack anyone who enters.
Treasure. An apothecary’s bag inside the surgery contains three potions of greater healing.
D17. Death Knight’s Soul
The corpse of a knight wearing plate armor slumps on a throne at the rear of this compartment. The ship’s bones spill from the knight’s chest and are entwined with his body, fusing him to the vessel. This was the death knight Emberlost, and though his corpse (as well as the ship itself, hosts his cursed soul, Emberlost may speak through the corpse and see through its eyes, but can’t animate it otherwise.
If questioned, the death knight reveals its yearning for Anauria, its lost homeland. Characters who succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (History) check recall some tidbit of ancient Anaurian lore that impresses the death knight. It has no loyalty to Fheralai and gladly betrays her if the characters offer a better deal. The terms of such a deal (and if it’s even possible) are left up to you (the DM) and your players.
If anyone touches the corpse or strikes it with a melee weapon attack, Emberlost withdraws his body into the hull, swallowing it in bones.
The Bard. Tarbin Tul, a kidnapped male human bard (see appendix A) spends his waking hours singing songs of old Anauria to the death knight to keep it appeased. Tarbin wears an ankle manacle that is chained to a heavy iron ball weighing 50 pounds. He is desperate to escape but terrified of defying Fheralai Stormsworn. If Tarbin is taken from the dreadnaught, the soul of the death knight becomes enraged and it steers the vessel out to sea (see “Death Knight’s Soul”).
D18. Stores
The dreadnaught’s stores contain mundane supplies for the journey: barrels of salted meat, cords of wood, nails, and cloth.
D19. Prisoner Cell
When the bard Tarbin Tul (see area D17) becomes too exhausted to perform, the anchorites lock him in this cold cell to recuperate. The door is magically locked with an arcane lock spell and can only be opened by castig either knock or dispel magic. Unlocking the door alerts the death knight’s soul to the presence of intruders inside the vessel.
D20. Armory
This armory contains racks of maces, spears, and hammers for use by the ship’s crew.
Treasure. One of the racks contains a magical +2 mace called Bonecounter. Whenever this weapon is used
to destroy an undead creature, a single silver
piece appears in the wielder’s pocket.
D21. Flooded Hold
The hold is unlit and
flooded to a depth of
3 feet with dark,
briny water.
When the characters enter the first story, they immediately smell and see oil on the floor and walls. If set ablaze, the oil burns for 1 minute. While the oil burns, each creature that enters or starts its turn in the first story of the gatehouse takes 11 (2d10) fire damage.
Doors and Portcullises. The first story of the gatehouse has two sets of double doors behind iron portcullises. Each portcullis requires a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check to lift and immediately slams back down when the creature that lifted the portcullis stops holding it. A portcullis has AC 19, 27 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, and a damage threshold of 5.
The gatehouse’s front double doors are secured with an iron bar from the inside, and the back-double doors are secured with the same mechanism from the courtyard side. A creature that can reach a bar can lock or unlock the bar as an action. Forcing open a secured set of double doors requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Each door has AC 19, 27 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Murder Holes. The second story has eight 1-foot-diameter murder holes in the floor that look down into the first story of the gatehouse. When using a murder hole to fight, a creature on the second story gains three-quarters cover against threats on the first story. A Medium or larger creature can’t squeeze through a murder hole, but a Small creature can with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Tiny creatures can move through the holes without squeezing.
Treasure. A small iron box in the northeast corner of the second story contains two flasks of alchemist’s fire, which the Chimera Crew can throw down the murder holes to set the oil on the first story ablaze.
I4. Courtyard
Most of the Chimera Crew stays in the mud-covered courtyard, which contains their tents. At any given moment, a member of the crew here could be cooking over a small campfire, drinking, eating, planning a raid, playing a game, preparing equipment, resting, or socializing. When the characters arrive, the Chimera Crew in the courtyard consists of three human scouts and one veteran for every member of the party, including sidekicks.
If the brigands in the courtyard notice intruders, they immediately attack. If combat breaks out here, members of the Chimera Crew in areas I1 and I7 join the battle. If only two members of the Chimera Crew remain, they attempt
to remove the barricade in front of the entrance to
area I5 and the chain on the door to area I9 to
flood the courtyard with undead to cover their
escape.
Slippery Mud. When a creature standing in the
courtyard is hit by an attack that is a critical hit, the
target must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
or fall prone.
I5. Main Tower
The main tower in the keep stands 80 feet tall. As the characters approach the tower, they notice it reeks of rot and animal waste.
Two entrances lead inside the tower: an entrance from the courtyard (area I4) barricaded with old wood furniture and a 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-high crack in the back wall filled with stone rubble. A creature can clear the blockage from either entrance with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check made as an action. If an entrance is cleared, the undead inside come out and immediately begin attacking any creatures they notice that are not undead. The Chimera Crew do not open an entrance unless they think it will give them an advantage in combat or they are with a priest of Myrkul who can command the undead.
The bottom floor of the tower contains zombies and ogre zombies covered in bird droppings thanks to the hole in the roof above (area I6). There are two zombies and one ogre zombie for every member of the party, including sidekicks.
Collapsed Cellar Entrance. The entrance to the keep’s cellar collapsed long ago and requires many days of work to clear. What this cellar might hold (perhaps a secret sanctum where Iniarv hides practicing magic) is up to you.
I6. Main Tower Roof
Ten swarms of ravens live on what remains of the main tower’s roof. They attack any creature that comes within 30 feet of the roof, fighting until the creature retreats.
If more than 100 pounds of weight are added to the remains of the roof, it collapses. Creatures inside the tower when the roof collapses must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures on top of the roof when it collapses take 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall and another 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage from fallig roof debris.
I7. North Guard Tower First Floor
The first floor of the north guard tower has a 30-foot-high ceiling. The floor is covered in straw, which services as a bed for Ashbreath, a chimera. Rega Swarn, a chaotic evil human master thief (see appendix A) is feeding the chimera chunks of humanoid flesh, unless they joined a fight in areas I1 or I4. See the “Chimera Crew” sidebar for more information about Rega and Ashbreath.
If the characters approach Rega in a nonthreatening manner, she asks why they have come to Iniarv’s Tower. If a character claims to be an ally willing to help the Chimera Crew and succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check, Rega asks the characters to stick around and help raid the next caravan that passes. Otherwise she attacks with Ashbreath, fighting to the death. If a fight breaks out here, members of the Chimera Crew in areas I1 and I4 join the fray.
Ladder. A ladder leads to a trap door in the ceiling that leads to area I8.
Steel Box. A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher spots a locked steel box hidden beneath the straw. Rega has the key to this box, which is trapped with a poison needle (see “Sample Traps” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
The box has AC 19, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The lock can be picked with a successful DC 17 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. The box can be forced open with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. The box contains Rega’s treasure.
Treasure. The steel box contains a potion of diminution, 36 pp, and 1,215 gp.
I8. North Guard Tower Second Floor
The second floor of the north guard tower has a 10-foot-high ceiling. This area is stocked with trade goods (see chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook) worth a total of 300 gp that were stolen from caravans on the road.
I9. South Guard Tower First Floor
The door to this area from area I4 is chained shut from the outside. A creature that can reach the chain can remove it as an action, or force the door open, breaking the chain by making a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check as an action.
The Chimera Crew moved the greater zombies (see appendix A) to this location after they broke through a weakened area of the main tower (area I5). There is one greater zombie plus one additional greater zombie for every two members of the party (rounded down), not including sidekicks.
I10. South Guard Tower Second Floor
This area has the same features as area I8.
If the glyph is triggered, the sahuagin in area S2 investigate.
S2. Clam Cavern
A glowing clam made of coral stands atop a 10-foot-high cliff, filling this chamber with bright green light. The clam was gifted to Gahza when she became a high priestess. If she dies, the clam stops shedding light. Sahuagin in the clam’s light have advantage on attack rolls.
At the center of the chamber a 10-foot-deep pool is filled with seawater and a swarm of hungry baby sharks that use the statistics of a swarm of quippers.
Gahza, a sahuagin high priestess (see appendix A), stands next to the clam, leading a group of swimming sahuagin blademasters (see appendix A) in wild prayer to Sekolah. There is one blademaster plus one additional blademaster per two members of the party (rounded down), not including sidekicks.
S3. Training Cavern
A sahuagin blademaster (see appendix A) trains a group of sahuagin to fight on the bottom level of this chamber. There are two sahuagin for every member of the party, not including sidekicks.
A boulder atop the 10-foot-high platform in this room mostly covers a small hole where Gahza hides her treasure.
A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 16 or higher notices the edges of the hole around one side of the boulder. A character can move the boulder to get to the treasure beneath with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check.
Treasure. The hole beneath the rock contains a black pearl worth 500 gp, 1,321 sp, and 426 gp.
S4. Ritual Cavern
A circle of sahuagin symbols are drawn in blood around the bones of a giant shark. Several sahuagin priestesses chant around the bones, which come to life as a giant shark skeleton controlled by the priestesses. There is one sahuagin priestess plus one additional priestess for every member of the party, not including sidekicks.
The giant shark skeleton has the statistics of a giant shark with the following changes:
- The shark is undead and doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
- The shark is vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and cannot gain levels of exhaustion.
- The shark has had skeletal feet attached by some demented necromancer and gains a walking speed of 20 feet.
Ending the Adventure
The adventure can end one of several ways. Ideally, it concludes with the adventurers witnessing Claugiyliamatar’s body becoming possessed by Chardansearavitriol’s spirit and the completion of all the The Quest Board. By then the characters should be 11th level. Give the players a chance to wrap up loose ends before declaring the adventure over. For example, the characters might need to return to Leilon to collect an outstanding reward or notify the town council of Claugiyliamatar’s possession. The story doesn’t have to stop there. If you play Divine Contention, the next adventure in the Beyond Dragon of Icespire Peak series, the characters will have final showdowns with the cults of Myrkul and Talos that decide the ultimate fate of Leilon.
If the worst happens and the characters die, their adventure is also over. You can let the players roll up new characters and pick up where the last ones left off, or you can also start the adventure over with new characters, tweaking quests as you see fit to surprise your players who might otherwise be familiar with them.
You might expand the adventure by inventing new quests and new locations. Several other D&D adventures, Out of the Abyss, Princes of the Apocalypse, Rise of Tiamat, and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, take place in the Forgotten Realms and include challenges for characters of 11th and higher levels.
SHANJAN KWAN
Human Spellcaster
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
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 9th-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.
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.
