Experience your favorite fairy tales like never before in this collection of adventures for Dungeons & Dragon 5th Edition and A Planeshifted Guide to Eldraine
Credits
- Lead Designer:
- Gabe Rodriguez, /u/letterephesus
- Cover Art:
- Adam Paquette
Artist Credits:
Alayna Danner, Alexey Kruglov, Andrew Mar, Borja Pindado, Gaboleps, Jehan Choo, Jesper Ejsing, Julia Metzger, Kai Carpenter, Lucas Graciano, Raoul Vitale, Matt Stewart, Matteo Marjoram, Scott Murphy, Steve Prescott, Wayne Reynolds
- Maps:
- Snowy's Maps
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Changelog
- Version 2.0
- Public Release
- Fixed formatting errors
- Version 1.0
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Eldraine Adventures
This book presents a collection of six short adventures set on the plane of Eldraine from Magic: the Gathering, and is designed to be used alongside my own free supplement for playing Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition in that world: A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine.
The information in this book is intended for the DM's eyes only. If you're planning to play through the adventure with someone else as your DM, stop reading now!
What's in this Book
Chapter 1 presents "The Swarm Piper of Edgewall," an adventure inspired by the legend of The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Chapter 2 presents "Slumbering Beauty," an adventure where characters enter a land of nightmares. It is loosely inspired by the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.
Chapter 3 presents "The Night of Sweets Revenge," a dungeon full of candy monsters. It is inspired by the events of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.
Chapter 4 presents "The Curse of Redtooth Keep," a combat encounter loosely inspired by the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.
Chapter 5 presents "The Apprentice's Folly," a wizard's tower dungeon inspired by the poem The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Chapter 6 presents "Up the Beanstalk," a dungeon heist inspired by the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.
Appendix A provides stat blocks for various NPCs and monsters that can be met throughout the adventures.
Running Adventures
To run these adventures, you need the fifth edition core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual). It is recommended to read the "The Realm" section in A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine, as it contains useful information about Eldraine, the plane of fables and faerie where these adventures take place.
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text.
The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of the creatures encountered in this adventure. When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's a visual cue pointing you to its stat block as a way of saying, "Hey, DM, you'd better get this creature's stat block ready. You're going to need it." If the stat block is not from the Monster Manual, the adventure's text tells you where to find it.
Spells and equipment mentioned in the adventure are described in the Player's Handbook, while Magic items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide, unless the adventure's text directs you to A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine.
Using the Maps
Maps that appear in this book are for your eyes only. Links to other versions of each map, such as player versions and virtual tabletop versions, are provided at the bottom of each map page.
Creating a Campaign
The adventures in this book are presented as standalone adventures, but provide play across a wide range of levels. With a little work, you can run a complete campaign using only this book.
Starting with The Swarm Piper of Edgewall, guide your players through the adventures in the order that they are presented in this book. Each one provides instructions on awarding character levels as milestone awards. If you follow these instructions, characters will be the appropriate level for each adventure.
The Edgewall Inn provides the perfect framing device for the campaign. The inn's description in chapter 1 provides information on using characters from other adventures to meet player characters in the inn, and the adventure hooks for each adventure include an option for using the inn as a framing hook.
The Swarm Piper of Edgewall
This adventure begins in the small city of Edgewall Keep on the edge of the kingdom of Garenbrig, close to the wilds. The main antagonists of this story are Lord Skitter, the sewer king, and his human servant Totentanz. Totentanz is a struggling musician who could barely make ends meet. While staying out on the streets of Edgewall, he fell into the sewers beneath and was led by the rats to Lord Skitter, a monstrous rat empowered by magic and fiendish blood. Totentanz struck a vile bargain with Lord Skitter, who granted Totentanz powers, specifically the ability to enthrall listeners in a way that his music never could. In exchange, Totentanz must lure victims into the sewer king's subterranean domain to become food for his rat minions. Lord Skitter and his brood have grown in power, and now rats swarm the city in waves.
In order to stop the rats, the characters will need to storm into the sewers to defeat Lord Skitter by either striking their own bargain, or putting an end to him by force.
Adventure Structure
In the first part of this adventure characters explore the city of Edgewall Keep, including various locations, NPC inhabitants, and clues the characters can uncover there.
In the second part of this adventure, characters brave the sewers beneath Edgewall, where they face Lord Skitter's minions and the sewer king himself.
Character Advancement
The adventure assumes that the characters start at 1st level, and is designed to have them reach 3rd level at the adventure's conclusion. If your players are more interested in exploration and social interaction than combat, or if you want to make the characters' adventure less dangerous, have them start at 3rd level instead.
In this adventure, the characters gain levels by accomplishing the following milestones:
- Characters who enter the sewers (see "Sewers" section) advance to 2nd level.
- Characters who defeat Lord Skitter advance to 3rd level.
Beginning the Adventure
The adventure begins after the characters have agreed to meet with the mayor of Edgewall to discuss the business of the rat infestation. The characters need not know each other before this point, but if the players want to be part of an established group of adventurers, allow it. Characters might have seen wanted posters of an offered reward, or heard a town crier make mention of the trouble on their travels. Even if characters are residents of Edgewall, the adventure assumes the characters have no prior knowledge of sewer kings or Lord Skitter, but they might know of the musician Totentanz.
Setting the Stage
To kick off the adventure, read the following boxed text aloud:
You have been summoned to the manor of the mayor of Edgewall Keep, an older gentleman by the name of George de Rainault. He lives in quaint estate built in and around an old oak tree, consisting of several smaller rooms with pointed roofs affixed to the trunk; an architectural style common in Edgewall. George is dressed with an expensive orange robe adorned with gold jewelry, and wears a tall hat that compliments his gray beard. A small peacock with orange and yellow plummage rests on the mayor's shoulder silently as he sits behind a large oak desk littered with documents.
"I am willing to pay quite handsomely," the mayor says, "to have professionals and willing souls such as yourselves help us be rid of these rodents that plague our city. They must have a nest nearby, and it must be cleared of the vermin.
These are no field mice, mind you; some reports say the beasts grow as large as a housecat; with a bite to match. And with the disappearance of a number of citizens, well we only assume some of rats are large enough to pose a real threat to our safety. The work of witches, it must be. The damage the vermin have done to our establishments is extensive; and Edgewall, you must know, thrives on the services it provides for weary travelers.
Find the nest of these creatures and be rid of them. Upon confirmation of their eradication, you will be handsomely rewarded from my personal treasury."
The players will likely want to know more about the reward the mayor is offering. See "Mayor's Reward" later in this section for a summary.
The Mayor of Edgewall
George de Rainault, Mayor of Edgewall
steve prescott
The mayor is a noble (LN male human) with the following modifications:
- His robes function as padded armor (AC 12).
- Instead of a rapier, he wields a walking stick as a club. His weapon attack bonus with it is +2 and he deals 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage when he hits with it.
The mayor's pearfowl (see Appendix A) is named Vaisley. He is fiercely loyal to the mayor.
Mayor's Manor
jehan choo
What the Mayor Knows
If the characters request more information about the rat infestation, the mayor encourages the characters to explore the city thoroughly on their own. He does provide the following information:
- The first establishment to report a rat attack was the inn (see the "Edgewall Inn" section).
- The herbalist (see the "Herbalist's Shop" section) has also experienced a number of rat attacks.
- Most rat swarm attacks occur during the day, while some citizens have gone missing during the night.
- The mayor previously sent hounds to root out the rat nest, but the hounds have since been seen attacking and raiding with the rats as allies.
Mayor's Reward
If asked about the reward, the mayor will direct the characters to work out the details with his financier and tax collector, a man by the name of Duncan. He stays in an adjacent room in the mayor's manor.
Duncan is a haughty, stern faced man with an impressive mustache, dressed in a royal purple doublet with matching cape and chaperon. His gold jewlery appears far more expensive than the mayor's.
Duncan
wayne reynolds
Duncan offers a sum of "500 gold pieces, to be distributed amongst contributing parties at their discretion." An enterprising character can convince Duncan to raise the reward to 750gp with a successful DC 20 Charisma check, using the Persuaion, Deception, or Intimidation skill as appropriate.
To Edgewall
After their meeting with the mayor, the characters are free to leave the manor and begin exploring the rest of Edgewall Keep.
Edgewall Overview
Edgewall Keep is a city in the kingdom of Garenbrig that lies on the border to the Wilds. It is seen as the last stop for adventurers, knights, and rangers before they enter the Wilds on their quests; and the first warmth of civilization to greet them when they return.
Life on the Edge
The citizens of Edgewall expect safety and civilized behavior, despite their proximity to the faerie wilds. As in any other city or village in Eldraine, guests are expected to behave properly. Humans, elves, and dwarves all live alongside each other in Edgewall, but other races will be scrutinized and viewed cautiously; Eldraine's faerie are poorly understood, and often viewed as mischievous if not malicious.
The Spearguard
The guards of Edgewall Keep are often called the Spearguard due to the spears they carry. They wear red gambesons and capes, with red iron shoulder plates and wristguards. They keep the peace and defend the city's walls from witches, faeries, and other creatures of the Wilds. They use the statistics of guards, except their uniform functions as breastplate and they don't carry shields, giving them an AC of 15.
Spearguard
borja pindado
Other Adventures
Edgewall Keep can function as a central hub for the other adventures in this book. See "Other Characters and Adventures" in the "Edgewall Inn" section for details.
Edgewall Locations
The following section describes key locations in Edgewall Keep. Edgewall Inn is listed first, as it is a central location. The other locations are presented alphabetically.
Edgewall Inn
Edgewall inn is located in the center of the city. As the characters approach it, read:
In the middle of the city, in the center of large open square, you see an enormous, spiraling tree. Around its trunk twists a spiraling staircase, and in its boughs sits a welcoming building of slanted roofs and tower spires. A green sign with a depicition of a mug of mead hangs from one of the towers; the mark of the famous Edgewall Inn.
The inn, depicted above, is a spacious and inviting building. The interior is warmly lit, featuring ornately carved wooden columns and fanciful paintings adorning the walls. Earthen mugs hang from nails on the top banister over the bar, which is full of patrons sitting on stools at all hours of the day.
As the characters enter, they're likely to be greeted by the innkeeper and bartender, Scalan.
Scalan, Edewall Innkeeper
Scalan
matt stewart
Scalan (NG male human commoner) is a welcoming host, even to the strangest outsiders. He is accustomed to travelers, as Edgewall is the last stop before braving the wilds. He's quick to boast a pleasant, civilized experience at his inn, and quick to encourage travelers to spend a night in the city before they depart.
If asked about the rats, Scalan can recount the first rat attack.
"It was a few weeks ago, a night like any other here in the inn. Serving food and drink to the strangers and regulars. I remember there was a bit of a...scuffle," Scalan says hesitantly, "between a drunk patron and the piper providing us with music. Next thing I know, up come rats crawling into the inn from every which nook and cranny, and the whole room is empty in a blink. They ate all the food that was left out, but they vanished even quicker than they came. Luckily, haven't had an incident like that since."
Scalan hasn't seen the piper since the event. He has some trouble remembering, but he can provide the following important information:
- The bard's name was Totentanz.
- Totentanz was not very good with his pipes. He barely made enough tips to cover his meals.
- Totentanz didn't make enough coin to stay at the inn. Scalan offered to have him rest beneath the inn's tree, but Totentanz refused and likely slept in the streets.
After telling his tale, Scalan will ask if any of the characters are performers. If a character is a Bard, has the Entertainer background, or has proficiency with a musical instrument, Scalan will ask them to perform in the musician's place, offering free lodging for the character in exchange.
Edgewall Inn Amenities
A night's stay in the inn costs 5sp per night (modest lifestyle), or 8sp per night for a private suite in one of the inn's towers (comfortable lifestyle).
Scalan takes pride in the food served at the inn. The meat in Scalan's larder comes the respected Three Pigs Butcher shop in the city, and spices are hand-picked by Ellwen the herbalist.
Characters who eat food from the Edgewall Inn as part of a short or long rest gain a number of temporary hit points equal to their proficiency bonus. These hit points last for 24 hours.
The following table below lists the inn's menu and prices, and the following section describes each dish.
lucas graciano
An Unexpected Guest
The first time a character orders the sugar biscuit, jam porridge, chicken pot pie, or trifle, they are horrified to discover a rat emerging from the food and scurrying away. Scalan profusely apologizes, offering free meals for the day and a free night's stay to the character whom this occurs to. Scalan believes the rat must have been hiding in the larder since the first attack several weeks ago.
If the characters ask, they can learn from Scalan that his pies and sweets come from the confectionery (see the "Confectionery" section). He placed his most recent order last week, and is unaware of anything that has occurred there since.
Sturwynn, Boundary Lands Ranger
If characters want to mingle with the patrons of the inn, their eyes might be drawn to the corner of the room where a strange figure sits in a booth by himself. He's wearing a green cloak made of moss and leaves, a very different appearance from the drab commoner garb of most of the patrons.
Sturwynn
steve prescott
The cloaked figure is Sturwynn, a Boundary Lands ranger. He is a chaotic good human male with the statistics of a scout, with the following modifications:
- The armor beneath his cloak is breastplate (AC 16)
- He wields a light crossbow instead of a longbow. His attack modifier and damage with it remain the same, but the range of the attack is 80/320.
- Because of his cloak, he has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks he makes in forest terrain.
- He speaks Common and Sylvan.
The Boundary Lands are places that are close to the Wilds, and these rangers escort citizens who need to travel these roads. As Edgewall is on the outer border of the Garenbrig, Sturwynn finds a lot of work escorting adventurers here.
Sturwynn doesn't spend too much in the city, and doesn't know anything about Totentanz, but he believes that witches of the Wilds are capable of the kind of magic that might be behind the rats. If the characters haven't already visited the city's bookstoe (see the "Bookstore" section), Sturwynn mentions it as a place where knowledge about the Wilds and magic can be found.
Enterprising characters can hire Sturwynn to travel with them and help them solve the mystery of the rats. As an expert hireling, he charges 8gp per day. Sturwynn typically won't accompany the party into the sewers, since he is very out of his element in enclosed spaces. If you have fewer than four players or otherwise believe they need the assistance, Sturwynn asks for a fair portion of the mayor's reward.
Other Characters and Adventures
Edgewall Inn can function as a central hub for a campaign using the other adventures in this book. At any point during this adventure, you can have the following characters appear at the inn to allude to upcoming adventures.
Greta. While the characters are in the inn, Greta enters the room, covered in what appears to be blood splatters of pink frosting. She has just returned from an excursion into Sweettooth Village. She will have to go back, but right now, she just needs some rest and a drink. See chapter 3.
Kylene. In a corner booth of the inn, characters see Kylene pouring over a map of Stormkeld, plotting her heist. If characters approach, she hides the map. She's not ready to reveal her plans, but once she finishes plotting, she may need help from the characters. See chapter 6.
Syr Lydel. Syr Lydel is in a corner booth, reading a copy of "The Wicked Slumber" (see the "Bookstore" section in this chapter). He can explain that some victims of the Wicked Slumber have yet awoken, and he is trying to study the spell in hopes of freeing them. See chapter 2.
Melrak. Melrak might make an early appearance while the characters are in the inn. The inn goes dead silent as he enters; most citizens of Edgewall take pause at his appearance, unsure if he might be a faerie of the Wilds. Scalan calms the inn with a friendly announcement, "Welcome, friend! We serve all kinds here, what'll you have?" Melrak won't interact with the characters yet. Edgewall is just a stop on his quest to find the rose. See chapter 4.
Sewer Drain
Just outside the inn is a drain that leads to the sewers (area 1C). Characters are unlikely to notice this feature until after they have learned that the rats are coming from the sewers, in which case a character with a passive Perception of 12 or higher notices the drain. A character actively looking for hidden entrances around the inn can spot the drain with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Bookstore
As characters approach the bookstore, read:
A stylized, book-shaped wooden sign above the door frame identifies this small building as the bookstore. As the door opens, the sound of a hand bell rings out, and a female voice mutters, "Welcome!"
The store's walls are lined top to bottom with shelves brimming with books of all shapes, colors, and sizes. The air has the distinct smell of musty old paper. Just inside the doors is a wooden desk, behind which sits a woman with a cone hat and a curious creature perched on her shoulder.
Theodora, Book Vendor
Theodora
scott murphy
Theodora (LN human female commoner) is the proprietor of the bookstore, and the creature on her shoulder is a small monkey named Bufkin. He has the statistics of a baboon, except he is Tiny.
Theodora is cheerful, but she has a strangeness about her; her voice is creaky, her laugh is somewhat unsettling, and characters might notice her nails are sharp and black. If pressed, Theodora can reveal that she once studied magic as a witch, but decided that the Wilds were no place for her and civilized life is much more suitable.
When asked about the rats, she suggests that the events in the city have an eerie similarity to the book "Song of the Vermin," which speaks about rats taking over the human world. If the characters mention giant or magical rats, she suggests that "The Kenrith's Royal Bestiary" might have information. She can be convinced that either book will help the city with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check; in which case she offers a 50% discount (12gp) for the book.
Books in the Store
Theodora allows characters to peruse the bookstore for a entry fee of 5gp, while each book costs 25gp. Characters are allowed to browse, but not to read an entire book or attempt to study it. Bufkin will yelp and begin throwing harmless balls of paper at a character that tries to read a book for more than a minute, and Theodora will ask the character kindly to make a purchase.
If characters are looking for books on a specific topic, Theodora will help them find it. Characters who search on their own can find books related to their topic of inquiry with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If characters peruse randomly, roll a d20 and consult the following table.
Books
| 2d8 | Book |
|---|---|
| 2 | Assault on Delverhaugh |
| 3 | Beyond the Great Henge |
| 4 | Curse of the Werefox |
| 5 | Hexes of Dunbarrow |
| 6 | Last Stand of the Realm |
| 7 | Legend of the Gilded Knights |
| 8 | Song of the Vermin |
| 9 | Spellbook of Spells |
| 10 | Tales of the Fae |
| 11 | The Folly of Syr Perrin |
| 12 | The Goose Mother and Other Tales |
| 13 | The Kenrith's Royal Bestiary |
| 14 | The Pigs' Revenge |
| 15 | The Wicked Slumber |
| 16 | Welcome to Sweettooth |
Book Descriptions
Some books might confer benefits to characters who read them. Characters can gain this benefit by referencing a book they have on hand, or by studying a book thoroughly to learn its information. Studying a book can be done during a long rest or downtime, and the benefits of a studied book last 1 week. The contents, benefits, and required study time of each book are described in the following section.
Assault on Delverhaugh. This red leather book can be found written in dwarvish or translated into common. The book describes the events of a redcap raid on Delverhaugh, a grand hall where dwarves throw lavish grand parties. According to the tale, the dispute between recaps and dwarves began long ago over a dispute over a spoon. In the story, a commoner named Ash infiltrates the grand ball, as does a dragon in human form. In the end, the dwarven survivors were rewarded for slaying dozens of redcaps with nothing but fruit and cakes, being dubbed "the Gluttoneers."
Beyond the Great Henge. This large, green-cover tome collects a number of Garenbrig legends, including Cassia and Crystal Slipper and the Inquisitive Puppet. A character who references or studies this book gains advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (History) checks they make regarding Constructs.
Curse of the Werefox. This book's cover is decorated to look as though it is adorned with leaves, thorns, and roses. It tells the tale of the Elves of Redtooth Keep, who were cursed by witches of the Wilds for not showing hospitality. By night, these elves transform into elf-fox hybrids and succumb to a bestial nature. In the tale, a female knight of Ardenvale named Syr Armont falls in love with a cursed elvish archivist, which causes a rose to bloom and the curse to be lifted. This book is integral to the plot of the "Curse of Redtooth Keep" adventure in chapter 6.
Hexes of Dunbarrow. This black tome is decorated with motifs of spiders and webs. It is a fanciful tale about the witches of Dunbarrow, a haunted place in the Wilds. A character who references or studies this book gains advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (History) checks they make regarding witches and their magic.
Last Stand of the Realm. This folktale artistically records the events of the Phyrexian invasion on Eldraine. A character that references or studies this book gains advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (History) checks they make regarding Phyrexians.
Legend of the Gilded Knights. This hardcover book is white with gold intricate gold trim. It details the story of the origin of the Gilded Knights; once when Castle Ardenvale was assailed by a horde of monsters from the wilds, an unnamed female knight channeled the power of her oath, raising her sword as lightning struck it, causing a searing light to vanquish the monsters. The order was formed in her honor.
Song of the Vermin. This unassuming leather tome tells the tale of the Sewer King. This creature was a rat who discovered the corpse of a strange, specter-like creature and ate its heart. Upon doing so, the creature transformed into an enormous, monstrous rat with intelligence of a man. The sewer king then began rallying all the rats in all the forgotten places of the world, and found an urchin boy living in the sewers, forgotten and shunned by the folk above.
The sewer king whispered to the boy, "The human world will fall. You have but one choice to make: Will you fall with it?" The sewer king offered to spare the boy if he lured other humans into the sewers so the rats could feed and grow strong. The story ends with the boy enacting revenge on everyone who shunned him and allowing the sewer king to conquer.
A character who references or studies this book gains advantage on Charisma checks they make to interact with Totentanz, Lord Skitter, or his minions.
Spellbook of Spells. This leather-bound tome is covered in arcane geometry. Written in its pages are the following wizard spells from A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds Eldraine: blow your house down, bring to life, covetous urge, danse of the manse, enchanted carriage, hydroloft, opt, turn into a pumpkin.
Tales of the Fae. This aging tome collects fanciful stories and tales about faeries of the Wilds. It is incomplete; Theodora comments that all copies of this book are incomplete, and a complete edition is highly sought after by collectors. A character that references or studies this book gains advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) and Intelligence (History) checks they make regarding faeries, and on Charisma (Persuasion) checks they make to influence faeries. These benefits do not apply to the high fae.
The Folly of Syr Perrin. This book contains an epic legend of Ardenvale knight Syr Perrin, who wronged a mysterious green knight of the Wilds and must embark on a long journey in order to atone.
The Goose Mother and Other Tales. This thick tome is a collection of stories from across Eldraine, mostly fables that express morals for children to learn. A character that references or studies this book gains advantage on Charisma (Deception) and Dexterity (Stealth) checks they make against Giants and the goose mother (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures).
The Kenrith's Royal Bestiary. This book contains useful information on a number of different creatures throughout Eldraine. A character that references or studies this book gains advantage on Intelligence (History) checks they make to recall information about the following creatures from Eldraine: archons, beanstalk wurms, dwarves, elves, faeries (but not high fae), fauns, ogres, redcaps, sewer kings, specter of night, tempest harts, treefolk, undines, witchkites, and witchstalkers. Information about these creatures can be found in A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine and Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures.
The Pigs' Revenge. This series of pages is bound together with a steel spring. It is a screenplay about three pigs who get revenge on a large wolf for destroying their houses.
The Wicked Slumber. This tome details the events surrounding the Wicked Slumber, an infamous spell used during the Phyrexian Invasion. Talion, the lord of the high fae, combined his magic with that of three witches of the Wilds in order to cast this powerful spell to halt the invasion by putting the invaders, and everyone else, to sleep. The spell went rampant and unchecked, putting many to sleep, until the three witches were defeated by the high king Will Kenrith.
Welcome to Sweettooth. This book is a fantastical retelling of a knight's encounter with the village of Sweettooth, a village made of sweets and candies that's full of candy horror monsters. The knight barely escapes with his life, and children are warned of following any trails of treats they might find near the Wilds.
Confectionery
The confectionery is a small shop about 40 feet square. A wooden sign hangs above the door frame with an etching of a cake. In the windows of the shop are a number of confections organized on display stands, including cookies, cakes, and pies.
The door to the confectionery is always locked. If characters approach during the day, they might see an Edgewall commoner leaving the area who says "Don't bother. It's locked. Been locked up for days." A character proficienct with thieves' tools can use them to pick the lock with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. The door can also be forced open with a successful DC 11 Strength check. The windows offer an easier point of entry and can be attacked and destroyed. They have an AC of 13, 4 hit points, and immunity to poison and fire damage. Destroying the windows will likely attract the Spearguard (see the "Edgewall Overview" section earlier in this chapter). The Spearguard will threaten a fine of 100gp (to be deducted from the reward), but can be convinced the action is necessary to the investigation of the rats with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. The Spearguard won't join the characters, but they will wait outside.
Inside the Shop
If the characters make it inside the shop, read:
The interior of the shop is dark and smells of rotting foodstuffs. On the far side of the room, you see a figure wearing a chef's hat and jacket; the confectioner. She is humming lightly while topping a cake with frosting. On the figures shoulder rests a large rat, while another rat crawls its way through the cake; the confectioner seems to pay the mind, eerily humming the tune as the rats despoil the cake she prepares.
After a moment, she and the rats all snap their faces in your direction, their faces twisted with malice.
gaboleps
Unfortunately, the confectioner Gunrudd (NE human female cultist) is fanatically devoted to Lord Skitter in the hopes of being granted power as his acolyte, just as Totentanz has. To prevent the characters from interfering with Skitter's plans, she and the two rats will attack without abandon and can't be reasoned with.
While there is no extra reward for doing so, the mayor will be thankful to the party for turning Gunrudd over to the Spearguard.
Sewer Drain
Just outside the confectionery is a drain that leads to the sewers (area 1A). Characters are unlikely to notice this feature until after they have learned that the rats are coming from the sewers, in which case a character with a passive Perception of 12 or higher notices the drain. A character actively looking for hidden entrances around the inn can spot the drain with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Herbalist
As characters approach this location, the scents of spices and herbs fills the air, along with the faint sound of a bubbling brew. The herbalist's shop is a small building with an aging, moss-covered sign hanging by the door.
The interior of the shop is a cramped space, with many shelves and countertops covered with various flower pots and bundles of plants. Butterflies of a rainbow of colors flit harmlessly through the air. When the characters enter, a dark-skinned woman with long black hair wearing green robes and an incense burner in her hat emerges to greet them.
Ellwen
steve prescott
Ellwen, Herbalist
Ellwen is a chaotic good female human with the statistics of a druid. Coiled around her neck is her friend Ennor, a poisonous snake she recently found while foraging in the Wilds. Ellwen has a deep appreciation for nature and life, and hopes to improve relations between the Realms and the Wilds. She frequents the Wilds in search of rare herbs and plants that can enhance the lives of those in the city.
She sells the following items from the Player's Handbook at full price: antitoxin, healer's kit, herbalism kit, and potion of healing.
Ellwen's shop has been raided by the rats a handful of times, but since befriending Ennor, the rats have been much less of a problem. She doesn't know anything about Lord Skitter or Totentanz, but as a druid she can cast the speak with animals spell and offers to do so if the characters bring her a rat.
Speak with Animals
Ellwen can cast speak with animals to learn about Lord Skitter and Totentanz from a rat. Characters might have access to this spell themselves. If a rat is questioned, Ellwen or a player character can learn the following information from it:
- The rats get direction from the "big smart rat" who lives in the "tunnels below" (Ellwen understands this to mean the sewers).
- The rats follow "the human who plays the song" every night (see Song of Totentanz in the "Special Events" section).
- The human and the big rat promise them lots of food.
- If the rats do what the big rat wants, he will let them eat the special food, and they will also be big smart rats (the rat does not know what the special food is).
Sewer Drain
Just outside the herbalist's shop is a drain that leads to the sewers (area 1D). Characters are unlikely to notice this feature until after they have learned that the rats are coming from the sewers, in which case a character with a passive Perception of 12 or higher notices the drain. A character actively looking for hidden entrances around the inn can spot the drain with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Smithy
As characters approach the smithy, read:
The air rings with the rhythmic clang of a blacksmith's hammer against steel. The smithy is an open air gazebo, stockpiled with shelves full of horseshoes, spikes, and farming equipment. The stone forge glows red with hit as a young, short, but muscled woman hammers a shape out of red steel.
The young blacksmith is Daniela, a chaotic good female human. She has the statistics of a commoner with the following modifications:
- She has 9 (2d8) hit points.
- Her Strength score is 13 (+1).
- Her leather blacksmith apron gives her an AC of 11.
- She can wield her hammers as melee or thrown weapons. Her weapon attack bonus with them is +4, they have a reach of 5 ft. or a range of 20/60 ft., and they deal 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage on a hit. She typically carries three hammers in her apron pockets.
- She can cast the mending spell using her smith's tools as a spellcasting focus.
Daniela
steve prescott
Daniela is cheerful, charming, and enthusiastic about her work. She studied under Kenver, master blacksmith of the kingdom of Embereth, before the Phyrexian invasion. She also supplied many Garenbrig knights during the war, but is just as happy to make horseshoes and nails for the citizens of Edgewall.
Daniela doesn't know anything about the rat attacks. If asked about it, she offers to make hunting traps for the party, charging half price (2gp 5sp) and making no more than three per day.
If you have fewer than four players, or otherwise feel the characters could use assistance in their quest, Daniela can join the characters into the sewers once they devise a plan. At your discretion, she might simply offer her help, or she can be convinced to help with a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. She won't take kindly to attempts at intimidation. She won't expect a cut of the reward, but she will gladly accept it.
Daniela sells armor and melee weapons from the Player's Handbook at full price, along with items made mostly of metal from the Adventuring Gear table, such as ball bearings, grappling hooks, and shovels. If you're running the adventures in this book as a campaign, Daniela is unlikely to have any weapons or armor on hand, instead taking requests for the item as a work order. She takes a number of days to craft the item according to the Downtime rules for Crafting in the Player's Handbook, which she does while the characters are off adventuring.
Edgewall Architecture
jehan choo
Special Events
You can use the following special events while the characters explore the city.
Song of Totentanz
Each night, Totentanz (see Appendix A) roams the streets of the city playing his song, hoping to entice its citizens to follow him into the sewers to become food for Skitter's rats. The song is a melodic but eerie tune that echoes through the streets.
A character who has a passive Perception score of 15 or higher is awoken during the night by the song, and must make a save against its magic as detailed in the Charming Melody action of Totentanz's stat block.
Using the pipe's magic, Totentanz takes one commoner and any characters who fail their saves to an area near the city gates that leads to a secret entrance into the sewers (area 1E), and leads the victims to the preparation room (area 17). The character is shoved into the cage, while the commoner is prepared by Lord Skitter's butcher, replacing the elf on the table.
Roleplaying Totentanz
Totentanz
matt stewart
Totentanz was a starving artist, quite literally. He played a pipe as a performance in the Edgewall Inn, hoping to earn coin for his talent, but was never very good and had no other skills to speak of. As Lord Skitter grew in power, he sought to take advantage of urchins like Totentanz. By luring the bard into the sewers via rat messengers, Skitter eventually proposed a bargain with Totentanz; in exchange for luring citizens into the sewers for food, Skitter would gift Totentanz with a pipe of the sewers (see the Dungeon Master's Guide) and the magical ability to play it well.
Totentanz is thus eternally grateful to Lord Skitter for giving him magic, power, and talent; Totentanz will do anything to protect Skitter and further his goals. He also bears no love for the citizens of Edgewall, who refused him coin and left him to sleep in the streets and gutters. His tale is a sad one, but Totentanz never sought to better himself or learn a trade; he is an embittered, evil soul.
Edgewall Pack
This event occurs as the characters make their way through the city.
As you walk the busied streets of Edgewall, you hear distant shouting, screaming, and the barking of dogs. The commotion steadily grows louder until, suddenly, a pack of hunting dogs comes barreling around a corner, chasing and biting at the fleeing citizens. You immediately notice the most curious sight: a very large rat is perched atop one of the dogs' heads, seemingly using it as a mount. And if you didn't know any better, you could swear you see it point at a citizen, while the dog chases after that particular person.
Before you can process this, the dog pack is upon you, and the rat points directly at you.
The giant rat is a servant of Lord Skitter that has been allowed to drink fiendish blood, and has an Intelligence of 10. He directs and commands four hunting dogs, which use the statistics of mastiffs, to surround the characters and coordinate their attacks.
If the rat is defeated, the dogs will become noncombatants, cowering in fear and fleeing if possible. A character can successfully calm and befriend a dog with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. A befriended dog will follow the character around Edgewall, but refuses to go into the sewers. If the mayor mentioned the dogs during the adventure hook and players are prudent enough to return the dogs to him, he will reward the group with 25gp for each returned dog.
Map 1.1 Edgewall Sewers
Snowy's Maps
Download Links
Sewers Locations
The following areas correspond to labels on the map of the Edgewall Sewers (Map 1.1). Map downloads are available here.
1. The Sewer Tunnels
Edgewall has many entrances into the sewers through various drains. Area 1A leads to an entrance near the Confectionery, area 1C leads to an area near the Edgewall Inn, and area 1D leads to an area near the Herbalist's Shop. The smaller tunnels to the east and west (area 1B) lead to other random drains in the city and can't be traversed by Small or Medium creatures.
Characters who follow Totentanz during the night (see "Song of Totentanz" in the "Special Events" section) will find the hidden entrance (area 1E).
When the characters enter the main sewer network for the first time, read:
The air is stiff and rank, and the tunnels are poorly lit. Along the walls are stone walkways littered with trash and scurrying insects. The water below is murky and a sickening shade of green.
Characters can walk safeley along the walkways that hug the sewer walls. The sewage water that fills the tunnels is 3 feet high, is difficult terrain, and is contaminated by sewer plague (see "Diseases" in chapter 8, "Running the Game," of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
If a character steps into the water, read:
The ripples of your movement in the water bounce along, and the air of the tunnels suddenly becomes very still. Elsewhere in the sewers, you hear a growl and a stirring echo.
For every 30 feet a character moves in the water, there is a 30% chance that the disturbance is detected by the ogre chitterlord (statistics in Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures) that guards the sewers. If this happens, the chitterlord sends a swarm of rats to investigate. The swarm will attack the intruding characters, but will retreat if it drops to half its hit points or fewer, only to return later with the chitterlord. The chitterlord waits in the den (area 19).
As the characters explore the sewers, they will encounter various plain wooden doors, each seeming rather new and well maintained. Most are unlocked, with the following exceptions:
- The doors leading to the armory (area 7) are locked; a charcter proficient with thieves' tools can use them to unlock the doors with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check, or the doors can be forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength check.
- The doors leading the ritual chamber (area 11B) locked with the arcane lock spell. A character proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick the lock with a successful DC 25 Dexterity check, or the doors can be forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. The witch in the witching room (area 9) has a signet ring that will open this chamber.
- The doors leading to Lord Skitter's throne room (area 20) is magically locked and cannot be forced open.
2. Cistern
The sewer water flows and eventually empties into an underground cistern. Trash piles up in this area, and characters who spend 1 minute sifting through the trash can find a trinket (choose one or roll on the Trinkets table in chapter 5, "Equipment," of the Player's Handbook).
4. Dining Hall
Characters who listen at the north door (area 4A) hear low voices and the clinking of silverware. If the characters enter through the south door (area 4B), they can remain out of sight, and hear the same low voices and clinking from around the corner.
When characters enter the main area (4A), read:
In this room is a large dining table, fully stocked with meat, fish, and fruit. A candle lights the table as three hooded, cloaked figures talk lowly amongst themselves and enjoy their meal.
The figures at the table are three cultist apprentices of Totentanz, hoping to one day strike their own bargains with Lord Skitter. They are fanatically devoted to the sewer king and can't be reasoned with. If they spot the characters, one cultist will attempt to flee to the eastern barracks (area 6B) to wake the other cultists, while the remaining two will attempt to apprehend the characters to bring them to the preparation room (area 17). Each cultist carries a set of manacles and its corresponding key, which they can use to restrain a creature with the grappled or incapacitated condition.
The dining table is fully served with simple, half-eaten dishes. The hallway beyond is littered with rotting food stores, and two doors. A simple wooden door that leads to the barracks (area 6B), and a much older, rotting door that leads to the crypt (area 5).
5. Crypt
This room contains six stone tombs, some of which are littered with flowers and other memoirs for the dead. Each tomb is engraved with a headstone that reads "Prying eyes seized for the Cauldron. Witnesses to soak the altar."
A character who has read the book Hexes of Dunbarrow (see the "Bookstore" section earlier in this chapter) recognizes the quote as a witch's incantation for fiendish summonings.
Treasure
Among the offerings left by the tombs, a character can find two gallons of ale, a vial of perfume, and 2d6 gp.
6. Barracks
Each barracks room contains a number of wooden bed frames, and various crates and shelves for trinkets.
If they have not yet been awoken by the encounter in the dining hall (area 4), three cultist apprentices of Totentanz are sleeping in their beds in eastern barracks (area 6B). They don't sleep in their armor, so they have a modified AC of 11. If they are awoken, they will quickly reach for weapons and attack any intruders. Like the other cultists, they are fanatically devoted and can't be reasoned with. Each of the cultists in this area carries a key to the armory (area 7).
7. Armory
Both doors that lead into the armory are locked. A character proficient with thieves' tools can use them to unlock the doors with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check, or the doors can be forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength check. The sleeping cultists in the eastern barracks (area 6B) each have keys to these doors.
8. Hallway
This access corridor is littered with crates full of rotting foodstuffs. The doors to the ritual chamber (areas 11A and 11B) are locked with the arcane lock spell. A character proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick the lock with a successful DC 25 Dexterity check, or the doors can be forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. The witch in the witching room (area 9) has a magic signet ring that unlocks the ritual chamber. The doors to the treasury (area 10A) are unlocked, but the vault doors (area 10B) are similarly locked with arcane lock. The ogre chitterlord in the den (area 19) has the keys to the treasury.
9. Witching Room
The room is filled with a bright purple glow from bubbling cauldrons and magic sigils. A large table sits in the middle of the room littered with herbs, vials, and what you can only assume to be the reagents of strange magic. Looming over a cauldron is a thin woman with black, tattered robes and a twisted grin.
The woman is a fledgling witch. She has the statistics of a cult fanatic, but has a different spell list from that in the Monster Manual.
- At will: prestidigitation
- 3/day each: bane, charm person, hideous laughter
The witch is a servant of Lord Skitter, but unlike the other cultists, she has her own goals and plans. If she feels that the characters are a real threat to Lord Skitter's reign, she will make a bargain: she will not harm the characters, and will even provide them useful information, if they agree to let her leave Edgewall. She will seek out Dunbarrow, the marsh home of witches in the wilds, if allowed to leave.
If the characters agree, she will use a witch's spell in an attempt to make the bargain binding, requiring the characters shake her hand as it glows with arcane symbols. The characters can refuse to enter the magic bargain, in which case she will attempt to flee, engaging characters who get in her way. If the characters enter into the bargain, she will explain Lord Skitter's nature.
"The sewer king is a creature created when a lowly rat feeds on fiendish blood. I am not sure how, why, or when, but in this sewer there is a fiend bound by magic from which the sewer king feeds. In exchange for the ability to practice my magic in secret, I have maintained the sigils that keep the creature bound and allowed Lord Skitter to feast on its blood, growing stronger."
She will then offer them a signet ring that unlocks the ritual chamber (areas 11A and 11B) and Lord Skitter's throne room (area 20), and will hand them a large iron key that unlocks the fiend's cage. She tells the characters that releasing the fiend would weaken Lord Skitter, but the fiend itself is a dangerous creature. She can also provide more general knowledge about the locations in the sewers. Then she will attempt to leave.
If the characters break their bargain by harming the witch or not allowing her to leave, the characters are affected by the witch's vengeance spell (see A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine). If the witch is defeated, the characters can obtain the signet ring from her.
10. Treasury
The treasury room is plain and empty, save for the large vault at its center. The vault door is locked with the arcane lock spell. A character proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick the lock with a successful DC 25 Dexterity check, or the door can be forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. The ogre chitterlord in the den (area 19) has the keys to this room.
Treasure
Inside the vault is 200gp, five bloodstones (worth 50gp each), three 25gp art objects (choose or roll on the Art Objects table in chapter 7, "Treasure," of the Dungeon Master's Guide), and one arcane signet (see A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine).
11. Ritual Chamber
When players gain access to the main chamber (area 11A), read:
This room is lit by candlelight and the dim glow of a strange fungus that grows from skulls scattered around the walls. In the center of the room is an eerie sight: a large magic circle is painted onto the floor in red, with candles at its four corners, and at its center is a wooden coffin held shut with heavy chain and an iron lock. At the far end of the room, behind the coffin, there is an altar stained with even more arcane symbols, drawn in blood.
If the characters spend any time in this room, they begin to hear whispers calling out to them from the coffin at the center of the circle. The fiend that Lord Skitter feeds from is locked inside.
If the characters choose to unlock the lock on the coffin, read:
With the turning of the key, there is a loud click, and all the candles are snuffed out, leaving only a dim blue glow from the fungus that grows along the walls. The coffin lid shoots open, and two large, black claws grasp the sides. Slowly, a figure emerges from the darkness of the coffin; humanoid, except for the bat-like wings that unfurl as the ten-foot tall creature towers in the center of the room.
The fiend is a pit fiend, having long ago been imprisoned beneath Edgewall. It whispers into the minds of the characters, thanking them for finally setting it free. It then slams its mace into the ground, cracking the magic circle imprisoning it before disappearing in a flash of fire.
12. Wine Cellar
This room contains ten wine barrels and a fully stocked wine rack of 32 bottles. If characters are looking to sell these wines to Scalan (see the "Edgewall Inn" section earlier in this chapter), he will give them 5gp for each bottle of fine wine, and 1gp for each barrel of common wine.
13. Library
This otherwise unremarkable hallway has four shelves of books at its southern end. The library contains all the books from the bookstore (see the "Bookstore" section earlier in this chapter). Roll on the Books table from that section to determine the nature of a randomly selected book.
14. Study
This small study consists of two desks, two chairs, and two shelves. The study is littered with sheet music, and a spare pant flute rests on one of the desks. This room is used by Totentanz to continue his attempts at writing music. Characters who are proficient with a musical instrument can confirm the sheet music is not very good.
15. War Room
On the table in the center of this room is a sprawling map of the kingdom of Garenbrig, including a large portion dedicated to the city of Edgewall, and is overlaid with hand-drawn lines that show the sewer tunnels and where they connect to the surface in the city.
Unless he has already been dealt with, Totentanz (see Appendix A) is here in this room, plotting out his next excursion into the city. See "Song of Totentanz" in the "Special Events" section earlier in this chapter for tips on roleplaying Totentanz.
When Totentanz is defeated, the characters can retrieve a pipes of the sewers from his corpse.
16. Pantry
This small room is lit by a single candle, and is well stocked with various food stores and goods.
There is a redcap servant, with the statistics of a goblin, who is in the pantry looking for ingredients for Lord Skitter's butcher. He is absorbed in his search and won't notice characters as they open the door. Once he does notice the characters, the redcap will do everything in his power to flee to the kitchen (area 18) to alert the butcher.
17. Preparation Room
This room is used to prepare kidnapped Edgewall citizens for consumption by the rats, redcaps, ogres, and other cultists of Lord Skitter. Near the western door is a cage where victims are sometimes held. A character proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick the lock on the cage with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. The lock can be broken by smashing it with a bludgeoning or slashing weapon and succeeding on a DC 20 Strength check.
On the preparation table is the corpse of an elf in common clothing, a victim of Totentanz. Beside the preparation table is a set of thieves' tools, including a pair of pliers, scissors, a butcher's cleaver, and other knives.
18. Kitchen
Character who listen at either door to the kitchen before entering can hear the wistful humming of Lord Skitter's butcher, provided he has not already been alerted. When the characters enter, they find a rat as large as a man on its hind legs, wearing a chef's hat and wielding a butcher's cleaver. He is preparing the next meal for the servants of Lord Skitter.
The enormous rat is Lord Skitter's butcher (see Appendix A). He will assume the characters are simply kidnapped citizens who are trying to escape, and will attempt to quickly dispatch them.
To add an extra layer of challenge to this encounter, the butcher can use the environment in the room to his advantage. He can begin the encounter by throwing his pot of stew onto the characters. Each creature in a 10-foot cone make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. He can also use the Shove action to shove a character into the oven, trapping it. A trapped creature has the blinded and restrained conditions, has total cover against attacks originating outside the oven, and takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A trapped creature, or a creature outside the oven within 5 feet of it, can use its action to make a DC 11 Strength check, opening the oven and freeing the trapped creature on a success. Otherwise, the oven can be attacked an destroyed (AC 17; hp 20; immunity to fire, poison, and psychic damage).
Though he is far more intelligent than the average rat, the butcher is dim-witted. If a character is disguised, they can fool the butcher into thinking they are a new cultist with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check. If this happens, the butcher will attempt to have the "cultist" taste the stew is working on, which contains a mystery meat. If the character refuses, the butcher will see through the deception and attack. If they agree, they suffer no ill effects, save the mental trauma of having possibly tasted Humanoid.
19. Den
This room has several smaller, round tables and chairs, lit by candles and littered with food and game pieces. Seated around a single round table is a large, hulking figure and several rats. They all seem to be engaged in a very exciting game of cards.
The hulking figure is an ogre chitterlord (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures). The giant rats he is accompanied by are those he has summoned with his Call Rats bonus action, which he has already used for the day. The ogre cannot be fooled by the characters; he and his rats can identify that the party are intruders by their scent, and will attack immediately.
To provide an extra layer of challenge to this encounter, the ogre can flip over one of the tables in the room to use it as a tower shield. It provides him with half cover, but it can be attacked and destroyed (AC 15; hp 10; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to poison and psychic damage).
If the ogre is defeated, the characters can obtain the keys to the treasury (area 10B) from him.
20. Throne Room
The throne room of Lord Skitter is magically locked, and will only open on one of two conditions:
- The characters are in possession of the witch's signet ring (see area 7).
- The characters have fooled Lord Skitter's butcher (see area 16) and convinced him to help them see Lord Skitter.
When the characters enter the throne room, read:
Two stone statues by the door hold torches that provides this room with dim light. You see columns lining the fraying, rotting carpet that leads to a makeshift throne of stone and bone. Rats gather in droves at its feet, and upon it sits a monstrous, deformed rat wearing a red king's cape and gold chain, a mockery of royalty.
Lord Skitter is a sewer king (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures), and he has already used his Summon Swarm action to summon the swarm of rats that surrounds his throne. Two giant rats also lurk between the columns that lead to the throne.
Roleplaying Lord Skitter
Lord Skitter
jesper ejsing
Lord Skitter will speak with the characters who enter his throne room in a last ditch effort to entice them with the witch's magic. If any characters have proficiency with a musical instrument, the Entertainer background, or have spellcasting, Skitter will offer to increase their magical power if he can be spared. He will agree to leave Edgewall if characters consider his offer, and will offer his cape as proof for the mayor.
If the characters don't want to bargain with him, he can still be convinced to leave with a successful group Charisma (Intimidation) check (see "Working Together" in chapter 7, "Using Ability Scores," of the Player's Handbook). The characters get a +1 bonus to this check for each of the following tasks that have been completed throughout the the adventure:
- The book "Song of the Vermin" was read
- The sewer witch was defeated or fled (area 9)
- The ogre chitterlord was defeated (area 19)
- Lord Skitter's butcher was defeated (area 17)
- The pit fiendt was freed (area 11A)
If the party refuses to deal with him or allow him to leave, he and his rats will attack without abandon. He is intelligent enough to use the terrain in his throne room as cover if needed. If the characters managed to free the pit fiend (area 11A), Lord Skitter's bite loses its rancidity, and characters automatically succeed on the Constitution saving throw they make against the poisoned condition in Lord Skitter's Bite action.
Ending the Adventure
Lord Skitter's reign can come to an end in of the following ways:
- Lord Skitter is killed.
- One or more characters have made a deal with Lord Skitter, and he agrees to leave Edgewall.
- The characters in the party have successfully intimidated Lord Skitter into leaving Edgewall.
Fate of the Rats
When Lord Skitter falls, all the rats (including those in throne room) that were loyal to him scatter away from the sewers and flee to the Wilds. The water in the sewer tunnels ripples as waves and waves of rats escape.
Lord Skitter's Reward
You can determine the nature of Lord Skitter's magical reward. If your campaign or adventure uses the optional feat rules in the Player's Handbook, Lord Skitter's reward might be the Magic Initiate Feat, choosing the warlock class. If the character is already a warlock or is interested in multiclassing into warlock, Lord Skitter might become their patron, becoming a sort of recurring character in your campaign whenever the party is in Edgewall or other city. Otherwise, Lord Skitter can offer one of the charms listed in "Other Rewards" in chapter 7, "Treasure," of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
The Fiend
If the characters release the fiend from the ritual room (area 11A) during the adventure, this fiend might make an interesting villain for a future adventure at the end of an Eldraine campaign.
The Mayor's Reward
With Lord Skitter and the rats gone, characters can return to the mayor's mansion in Edgewall to claim their reward from Duncan. The mayor keeps up his end of the deal, and the characters become known throughout Edgewall as heroes and saviors of the city. This helps set up the adventure hooks for the other adventures in this book!
Slumbering Beauty
This adventure explores the aftermath of the Wicked Slumber, a powerful spell that was used during the Phyrexian Invasion of Eldraine. After the inhabitants of the plane suffered great losses, Talion, the lord of the high fae, combined his magic with that of three witches in order to cast this powerful spell. The invaders were put to sleep, along with many inhabitants of the plane.
When the invasion was over and the Phyrexians lost their connection to their world, the spell was supposed to lift. Instead, it went unchecked, allowing one of the witches, Eriette, to control slumbering knights through their dreams and take command of Ardenvale. The curse was finally ended when Kellan, a half-fae boy, succeeded in his quest to stop the three witches.
But even with the spell lifted, its lingering effects remain. Two individuals remain in slumber: Neva, an Ardenvale noblewoman, and Obya, the daughter of Talion and princess of the high fae. The characters must enter the nightmares of one of these slumbering beauties and face their own fears to wake them.
Adventure Structure
The characters are drawn into the adventure by one of two adventure hooks. You choose which hook to use. Both hooks are described in "Beginning the Adventure," later in this introduction.
Once the adventure begins, the characters enter the land of nightmares to face their fears.
Character Advancement
This one-shot adventure assumes that the characters start at 3rd level or 4th level. At the end of the adventure, the characters advance a level.
A Personal Nightmare
This adventure deals with nightmares and fears. While it can be run using only Neva's own fears, you may want to make the adventure more personal to each of the characters by working out with the players what each character fears. The adventure details points at which these fears can be incorporated for maximum effect.
Beginning the Adventure
How the characters become embroiled in the adventure depends on which hook you use to pull them into it. Choose either the "Slumbering Ambush" or "Loremage's Quest" adventure hook.
Slumbering Ambush
This hook can be used if the characters are not part of a party yet, and takes place as the characters are traveling through the Wilds of Eldraine. They might be traveling to or from Edgewall Keep, they might be residents of the Wilds, or they be knights on a quest slay a beast of the Wilds. Whatever they reasons for being in the Wilds, they all cross paths just as they are ambushed.
Just as the characters cross paths, read:
Suddenly, the trees around you begin to stir, and a man in armor rushes out of the trees. He is wearing the white armor of an Ardenvale knight, but he has a strange appearance; strange, purple wisps of magic seem to swirl around his body. As he charges towards you, you notice that his eyes remain closed.
"Be careful!" a voice shouts from behind the knight. The shouting man rushes out of the trees after the knight wearing the blue armor of Vantress, and continues shouting, "try not to hurt him, he's asleep!"
The first knight is a knight of Eldraine (Ardenvale) (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures). He is sleepwalking, still a victim of the Wicked Slumber and being controlled by his nightmares. The second knight, Syr Lyndel, is a loremage of Vantress (LG knight of Eldraine (Vantress)) who is trying to wake the final sleepers of the wicked slumber. He will help the characters fight the first knight, but will attempt to deal nonlethal damage and not kill.
You can use the map of the Eldraine Forest (Map 2.1) for this encounter.
Once the knight of Ardenvale is defeated, read:
"Well fought," the blue knight says, "and well met; I am Syr Lyndel, loremage of Vantress. I have been tasked by the high king with finding a way to wake those like this poor knight, who still feel the spell of the Wicked Slumber. It's good timing you were here in the Wilds when he escaped."
See the "Syr Lydel" section to begin the adventure proper.
Loremage's Quest
This hook assumes that the characters have already performed a feat of some renown as a group (such as the previous adventure, "The Swarm Piper of Edgewall"), and begins as the characters are resting in a tavern. The details of this tavern are for you to decide, but the Edgewall Inn in the previous chapter makes for a good location to begin the adventure.
Setting the Scene
To kick off the adventure, read the following boxed text aloud:
As you enjoy your evening meal and drink, a harried man dressed in blue armor and robes approaches your table, a large book in his hand. "Greetings," he says, "I am Syr Lydel, loremage of Vantress and servant of the high king. Your faces, names, and deeds are familiar to me. I have heard that, though you are not knights, you have taken up arms in defense of virtue. If this is true, then the high king himself has a task for ones such as yourselves."
See the "Syr Lydel" section to begin the adventure proper.
Syr Lydel
Syr Lydel
kai carpenter
However the characters meet him, Syr Lydel explains the situation at hand. During the Phyrexian invasion, three witches cast a spell known as the Wicked Slumber, which spread across the land causing all to fall asleep; the spell was meant to halt the invasion long enough for the kingdoms of Eldraine to fight back. However, one of the witches seized the opportunity for evil, and many did not awake, instead becoming the witch's sleepwalking minions. Though the witch was ultimately defeated, some citizens of the Realms still did not awake.
The high king ordered that the remaining sleepers be placed in glass caskets, magical creations to protect them until they could be awoken. One such sleeper is a noblewoman of Ardenvale named Neva. Syr Lydel has set out to seek adventurers because the loremages who have been studying the slumber believe they have found a way to awaken her: Neva is being kept asleep by a nightmare creature. The only way to awaken her is to defeat it, but it only exists in her dreams. Brave adventurers must enter Neva's dream to confront the creature.
Adventurers who might need some convincing will be pleased to learn that Syr Lydel is authorized to offer a reward of up to 3,000gp, to be split evenly between the members of the party.
What Syr Lydel Knows
Before characters agree to enter Neva's dream, they may want to learn what they can about nightmares and dream magic. Syr Lydel can provide the following important information, which he has gleaned from the book he carries, a copy of "The Wicked Slumber":
- The nightmare creature is a creation of Ashiok, a wicked planeswalker from another world who allied with the witch Eriette to control the people of Eldraine while they slept. Ashiok escaped Eldraine, but Eriette was captured by the high king.
- The loremages will send characters into Neva's dream via magic. They will be in the world of dreams, but the nightmare creature will still pose a very real danger to them.
- If the nightmare creature is defeated, Neva will awaken.
To The Glass Casket
Characters who agree to Syr Lydel's request for aid will be escorted with him to the glass casket where Neva is being kept safe. The exact location of the casket is left for you to decide. If you are running the adventures in this book as part of a campaign, you may wish the coffin to be held somewhere in Edgewall Keep. If you want to make sure your characters have more experience before beginning the adventure, you might pit them against encounters with creatures of the Wilds as they journey with Syr Lydel to their destination, such as faerie pests (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures), awakened trees, or wolves.
The Glass Casket
Once the characters arrive at the glass coffin's location, read:
In the middle of the room, several blue-clad loremages stand, taking notes on their scrolls. As you draw near, you see they are huddled around a glass casket standing upright. Behind the glass rests a woman with dark hair in a white dress, sleeping soundly as strange purple wisps seem to emanate from the casket.
raoul vitale
Entering the Nightmare
When the characters are ready, the loremages will cast the spell to transport the party into Neva's dream. The characters' bodies are unconscious during the rest of the adventure, but dying in the dream means dying in real life. If a character must make death saves, you may want to narrate how the loremages in the real world panic and try to stabilize the character for dramatic effect.
Nightmare Overview
Neva's nightmare takes the form of two simple village houses from Neva's youth in the highlands of Arden. The houses are dilapidated and falling apart, and the landscape of the nightmare is eerie and drab. If the characters attempt to leave the area of the nightmare, they'll find themselves looping back to where they started.
Face Your Fears
As this adventure takes place in a nightmare, it is recommended that you obtain information about the characters' fears before the adventure begins. Several areas of the nightmare will allow you to utilize these fears to increase drama, tension, and personal stake in the adventure.
The Nightmare Haunt
The main antagonist in the nightmare is the nightmare haunt (see Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures). Rather than reveal this villain at the outset, the haunt will stalk the characters from behind walls and shadows, remaining out of sight until the adventure's conclusion.
Map 2.1 Eldraine Forest
Snowy's Maps
Download Links
Map 2.2 Nightmare Woods
Snowy's Maps
Download Links
While within the nightmare, the haunt has the following modifications to its statistics:
- Since all the characters are sleeping during the nightmare, the haunt's Somnophage feature counts all the characters in the party regardless of their distance from their haunt.
- The haunt's Tendrils of Slumber action does not give characters the unconscious condition.
- The haunt can cast the phantasmal killer spell at will. If you have gathered information about the characters' fears, these fears manifest when the haunt casts phantasmal killer.
- The haunt has the following additional bonus action:
Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5-6). The nightmare haunt teleports to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it, provided that both the space it's teleporting from and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The destination need not be within line of sight.
Nightmare Woods Locations
The following areas correspond to labels on the map of the Nightmare Woods (Map 2.2).
1. Road in the Woods
When you open your eyes, you are no longer in the room with the casket and the mages. Instead, you are lying on the cold dirt at a crossroads between two dimly lit, dilapidated houses. The roads lead to and from a surrounding dark forest of decaying trees. A sense of dread fills the air around you, and the forest is still and silent, save the occasional creaking of the old houses.
The characters can enter either house, but attempting to leave the area by the road or through the trees results in them looping back towards the same area. The nightmare is a demiplane from which escape is not possible until certain conditions are met.
Once a character enters a house and then exits back to the road in the woods, they will find that three scarecrows have been erected onto the road between the houses while they were exploring inside. Each of the scarecrows has crude features mimicking traits of three of the characters (chosen randomly or at your discretion). For example, if a scarecrow mimicks an elf of the Wilds, it might have corn cobs for pointed ears and be dressed in green tatters.
If a character moves within 15 feet of the scarecrow that mimicks them, the scarecrow animates and attacks.
2. Common Room
A chandelier of candles provides this room with dim light. Scattered about the floor by the door is a deck of cards. The shelves along the wall are full of rotting tomes, and two seats rest against the other walls, littered with forgotten trash.
If you have gathered information about a character's fears, that fear is depicted on any playing card the character picks up from the pile. If the characters attempt to inspect the full deck, they find all their fears depicted on the cards, along with images of Phyrexians, common fears (such as wolves or spiders), and several cards with shaky writing written on them taunting the characters, with phrases such as "You will never wake," and "Stay here with me forever."
If a character grabs a book from the shelf, the words on its pages will be illegible gibberish; they are in a dream, so details like the contents of books are incomplete.
3. Kitchen
The stove provides ample light in this room, which smells of freshly baked bread. The tables and crates are full of fresh food and ingredients, including cuts of meat, loaves of bread, fish, and fruit.
If a character attempts to eat any of the food, it rots in their mouth. The character must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 1d8 necrotic damage. All the other food and ingredients then begin to rot, spawning three swarms of insects.
4. Bathroom
This washroom contains a tub and sink, both full of water, a pit latrine in the corner, and a rack of hanging towels. The room is lit by a candle.
5. Bedroom
This room contains a large bed, shelves, and a number of rotting books. The chandelier above provides dim light.
Unless it is drawn elsewhere, the nightmare haunt is drawn here when a character enters, using its Shadow Teleport to teleport and hide beneath the floorboards. From beneath, it casts phantasmal killer on a creature in the room.
6. Dining Hall
Inside this room is a long dining table, fully stocked with all manner of food. Against the far wall is a burning stove, providing light to the room. Beside it is a pile of coal and iron shovel, along with crates of food stores.
Once a character gets within 5 feet of the stove, which they must do in order to go through the doors leading to areas 7 or 8, an elemental springs up from the stove's flames to attack. It has the statistics of a fire snake.
7. Bathroom
This room is mostly the same as the bathroom in the other house (area 4), but it is unlit and covered in darkness. When a character enters this room, two shadows appear. f you have gathered information about a character's fears, the shadows might take the form of that character's fear.
8. Hallway
This hallway is covered in darkness, and is eerily quiet. The two doorways in this area shed dim light for 5 feet under the door. The door to the den (area 9) is magically locked and can't be opened without the key, which can be obtained to from the master bedroom (area 10). The door to the master bedroom is unlocked.
9. Den
In the den is a large table flanked by two couches. Across from it is a fireplace providing ample light, which itself is flanked by two stone statues of Ardenvale knights.
Waiting beneath the table is the nightmare haunt. A character can detect the nightmare haunt with a passive Perception score of 16 or greater or a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. The nightmare haunt will attempt to remain hidden until it can get two or more characters within range of its Tendrils of Slumber action, and uses that action to initiate combat with the characters. The nightmare haunt can't be reasoned with and fights until it (or the characters) are destroyed.
If the characters left an offering at the shrine, the shrouded shepherd (see A Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine) appears to assist the characters in combat.
The Shrouded Shepherd
The Shrouded Shepherd is a mysterious and stoic figure. It never speaks, but it will defend the characters and attempt to help them slay the nightmare haunt to the best of its ability, and will defend any characters who are reduced to 0 hit points to prevent the haunt from attacking them while they are down.
When the haunt is defeated, the shepherd will simply nod before disappearing.
10. Master Bedroom
This room, while still being run down, is much more furnished and taken care of than the other rooms. Notes and other documents are sprawled out on the bed, and at the far end of the room is a small shrine. Atop the shrine is an iron key that unlocks the den (area 9).
A character who inspects the notes and documents can find an important note written by Neva with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
"In my dreams, I am visited by a stranger. An antlered man in a hood, carrying a woodcutter's axe. He is not fearsome like the other things of my nightmares; I feel safe when he is near. Now that I have fallen asleep again, it is all I can do to hope that the stranger returns. I have built an altar here, in my dream. I don't know any magic, and I don't what offering the stranger might accept, but I must try. I have locked the monster in the den and left the key atop my shrine, in hopes that the stranger will do what I cannot."
Whether or not the characters find the note, a character can leave any of the following items as offerings at the shrine:
- 1 or more gp
- One of the cards found in the common room (area 2).
- A piece of food from the kitchen (area 3) or the dining hall (area 6).
- Any item obtained from the scarecrows at the road in the woods (area 1).
When an item is left, the shepherd will appear in the den (area 9) when the characters gain access to it to face the nightmare haunt.
Ending the Adventure
The Nightmare can be escaped when the nightmare haunt is defeated in combat.
Waking from the Nightmare
When the characters awake from the dream, Neva wakes also. She is groggy and drained, but will thank the characters as she is tended to by the mages.
Syr Lydel will offer the 3,000gp reward, to be split between the characters, in thanks for their part in freeing Neva.
Other Sleepers
This adventure can be used as a kind of template for other similar adventures, if the characters want to help free other sleepers from their nightmares.
Night of the Sweets' Revenge
This adventure explores Sweettooth Village, a town that has been taken over by witches and candy horrors, and has fallen into legend in the lands of Eldraine. The village lies South of Edgewall, deep in the wilds.
The main antagonists of this story are a pair of Sweettooth witches, Rosina and Holda, who have created candy monsters and use trails of sweets to lure children away from nearby villages. These witches force the kidnapped children to help create more candies, and sacrifice them to a Fiend from another plane to bargain for power.
The players are joined by a character named Greta, an orphan-turned warrior who lost her brother to the horrors of sweettooth, and who frequently plots excursions into the village for revenge. The characters join Greta on her latest excurison to free the children and put an end to the witches' plot.
Running this Chapter
Here's what you need to know to run the adventure in this chapter, whether you're running it as part of an ongoing campaign or as a standalone adventure.
Content Warning
This adventure features children as victims of the witches. If this is unsuitable for your table, consider replacing the children with adult peasants from Edgewall Village (described in Chapter 1) using the commoner stat block from the Monster Manual.
Sources
This adventure references a number of different sources, including the Monster Manual (MM), Monstrous Compendium Vol. 4: Eldraine Creatures (MCV4EC), and this book's accompanying guide: the Planeshifted Guide to the Wilds of Eldraine (PGWE).
Character Advancement
This adventure assumes that the characters start at 4th level or 5th level, and it is expected that characters will gain at least one level over the course of the adventure. You can award experience points for the defeat of foes, or use milestone awards. Appropriate milestone awards include the following:
Finding the Children. The characters gain a level when they find all the missing children, including those in the Chocolate Mine (area S12) and the Sorting Room (area S22).
Defeating the Witches. The characters gain a level when they defeat both Rosina and Holda (the adventure doesn't end there!).
At the end of the adventure, the characters advance a level.
Iconography
Inspired by QuarterShots from Deck & Dice Games, this adventure uses icons to organize information for quick at-a-glance referencing:
| This information is apparent, regardless of character actions or abilities | This information is hidden, requiring specific actions or abilities | This information might be true depending on how the adventure progresses |
Beginning the Adventure
This adventure assumes that the characters have already performed feats of renown (such as the previous advenutres, "The Swarm Piper of Edgewall" and "Slumbering Beauty"). It begins as the characters are resting in a tavern. The details of this tavern are for you to decide, but the Edgewall Inn as presented in the Swarm Piper of Edgewall adventure in chapter 1 makes for an excellent location to begin.
Setting the Scene
To kick off the adventure, read:
The Inn falls silent. A young woman with dark hair has entered the room, wearing leather armor and a bright green scarf. A large handaxe is strapped to her side, caked in blood of a strange pinkish hue.
It seems none of the inn's patrons want to look her in the eye, but she pays them no mind. Instead, she calmly but decisively walks right towards you.
"I've a job for you," she says in a soft voice, "since I hear your braver than the lot of these." She gestures to the silent patrons. "Their sons and daughters disappear into the wilds, and they've nothing to do about it when I come looking for aid. But of course, it's showers of thanks and coins when I'm done."
She happily throws a bag of gold at the innkeeper, who begins preparing drinks and a meal for you and your newfound friend.
Greta takes the opportunity to explain herself. She is known as the "Scourge of Sweettooth," and every few months as needed, she ventures into the wilds into a cursed place known as Sweettooth Village. Wicked witches live there, and they leave trails of treats for children to find, which lead them through the wilds back to Sweettooth. There, the witches bake the children into pies and use them as slaves to make more candy treats.
Many times now, Greta has rallied together the bravest men and women in Edgewall to venture into Sweettooth. Time and time again they slay the monsters and witches, but the place is cursed to be an eternal blight on the land, and new witches always find their way back in to repeat the cycle.
The time has come once again; she found a new trail of treats last week while traveling, and killed a beast made of frosting. She says this seriously, and explains that the horrors of sweeettooth are all made of candy, but feel free to play a bit of humor into the idea; candy cane hookmen, jello slimes, gingerbread men, etc. Greta doesn't know much else about Sweettooth, and doesn't care to. She just wants to slay the beasts and free whomever is left alive.
If pressed about her reasoning, she will explain that her and her brother were once lured to Sweettooth as children, but only she survived the experience. She wants to make sure that no one else befalls the same fate again.
For characters who need extra incentive, Greta communicates that the people of Edgewall will be generous with their reward. The reward could be equivalent to the coin value of a Challenge 5—10 Treasure Hoard (see "Chapter 7: Treasure" of the Dungeon Master's Guide for details).
Once the party agrees to the excursion, she gives them one week to prepare, if they need it. Once they are ready, she will lead them to the trail of treats she found in the wilds.
Greta, Scourge of Sweetttooth
Greta, Scourge of Sweettooth
steve prescott
Greta is presented as an NPC who leads the party in this adventure, and uses statistics provided in Appendix A. However, you may instead wish to allow a player to play as Greta. In this case, a character sheet for her is provided in that section.
The Candy Trail
alix branwyn
Departing from the inn, Greta leads the party through the Wilds uneventfully until they find the candy trail; enormous lollipops, gumdrops, peppermints, and hard candies line a path through wicked trees.
Map 3.1 Sweettooth Village
BirdieMaps
Download Links (Labeled)
Download Links (Original Community Pack, Virtual Tabletop)
Welcome to Sweettooth
When the characters arrive at Sweettooth, read or paraphrase the following:
After some time of following the treats into the wilds, a wonderful smell of baked bread fills the air. Following the scent, you are finally met with a beautiful, quiet village hidden among the trees. Its buildings are like giant gingerbread houses, decorated with frosting and gumdrops. Candies seem to grow from the ground all along the village's dirt roads. There's an icy lake in the center of the town, and in it a small island with an enormous red tree, candy canes dangling from its branches.
Prior Information
Greta accompanies the part on the adventure, but she notes that the village's layout and inhabitants are different each time she returns.
If a player is playing as Greta using her provided character sheet in Appendix A, consider allowing the character to have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track and find evidence of Sweettooth Horrors.
If a character has read the book Welcome to Sweettooth from the Edgewall Bookstore in chapter 1, consider giving that character advantage on Intelligence checks to recall information about Sweettooth Village and Sweettooth Horrors.
Night of the Sweets' Revenge
leonardo santanna
Sweettooth Features
The village of Sweettooth is a village of candy and gingerbread houses. It has the following features.
Gingerbread and Candy. The houses in the village are made entirely of candy, and different kinds of candy grows from the ground and trees. A character can consume a 5-foot cube portion of a gingerbread house in 1 hour. Unless otherwise noted, a creature that eats the gingerbread or candy suffers one level of exhaustion.
Ceilings and Rooftops. Unless otherwise noted, the ceilings of gingerbread houses are 10 feet high. The rooftops are angled and are difficult terrain. A Chimneys extend 5 feet above the rooftop and are large enough to fit a Small creature. A character who enters a building through the chimney falls 10 feet from the ceiling into the room below.
Locked Doors and Windows. A creature proficient with thieves' tools can use them to pick a locked door with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. A locked door can be forced open with a successful DC 12 Strength check. Windows are made of stained sugarglass and don't open. A character can break open a window with a successful DC 10 Strength check. Windows can also be attacked and destroyed if time is a factor. They have an AC of 13, 3 hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage.
Glowing Pumpkins. Several pumpkins grow around the village, and many of them have jack-o-lantern faces carved into them. Each one casts bright light in its space and dim light in 5-foot radius.
Animated Machines. Several machines in Sweettooth are enchanted to perform tasks autonomously. This is achieved with a variant of the bring to life spell (PGWE). A character can attempt to end the spell with dispel magic. Each of these machines can be attacked and destroyed, which is necessary to one of the adventure's endings (see "Ending the Adventure" later in the chapter). The statistics for each of these machines is listed in that machine's area in the "Sweettooth Locations" section later in the chapter. These statistics (AC, HP) are intended to be used if time is a factor; otherwise, consider letting characters destroy a machine with 1 minute of work.
Random Encounters
If you want to pad out this adventure with more encounters, particularly if your party's characters are 5th level or higher, or if you want to calculate experience for your party's Adventuring Day (see Chapter 3: Creating Adventures of the Dungeon Master's Guide), consider checking for one of the following random encounters once a day and once each night.
Random Sweettooth Encounters
| d6 | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2d6 candy grapplers (PGWE) |
| 2 | 1 sugarmaw (PGWE) |
| 3 | 1 scream puff (PGTE) |
| 4 | 2d4 gingerbrutes (MCV4EC) |
| 5 | 1 sweettooth horror (MCV4EC) |
| 6 | 2 jello monster gelatinous cubes (MM) |
Sweettooth Locations
The following locations are keyed to the map of Sweettooth Village (Map 3.1) on the previous page.
S1. Candy Trail
This location is where the candy trail leads, and where the characters enter the village.
A group of five candy grapplers (PGWE) lie in wait in the treetops above this stretch of road.
Characters with a passive Perception score of 13 or higher notice the threat at the start of the encounter. Other characters are surprised.
Suddenly, a wet, sticky glob drops from the treetops right in front of you. Lurking above are a group of candied apples with spidery legs made of apple stems. Caramel drips from their snarling mouths, full of sharp, human teeth.
Candy Grappler
konstantin porubov
S2. Bakery
The gingerbread house is filled with the smell of chocolate and baked bread. On the far wall is is a large brick oven with strange symbols carved into its face. Across from it is a long wooden table with two gift-wrapped boxes. Around the room are a number of shelves and buckets filled with ingredients and utensils.
Hiding inside the boxes are four gingerbrutes (MCV4EC). They have full cover while in the boxes.
If a character approaches the boxes or the oven, the gingerbrutes will spring from the boxes to attack. Characters with a passive Perception score of 20 or higher notice the threat as the encounter begins. Other characters are surprised.
In combat, the gingerbrutes attempt to use their Gumdrop Slingshot attack on a nearby bucket full of flour, producing the effects of a fog cloud spell.
The gingerbrutes speak Sylvan. They were constructed by the witches to defend the oven. They are too dimwitted to have any useful information for the characters.
Gingerbrute
jehan choo
If a character searches the shelves and buckets, they can find cook's utensils, plus 10gp worth of flour, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
The oven is covered in glowing runes in the Infernal language. A character who speaks Infernal, or that succeeds DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check, can determine that the oven can be used to create magical constructs (such as the gingerbrutes).
The oven is a magic item and can't be dispelled, but it can be attacked and destroyed. It has an AC of 18, 10 hit points, and immunity to fire, psychic, and poison damage.
If a character opens or attacks the oven, a black cat (MM) jumps from the oven. It doesn't attack, but it watches the characters intently.
The black cat is secretly the familiar of the witch Holda. It will follow the characters wherever they go in Sweettooth and telepathically inform Rosina of their characters' location and actions.
Witch's Oven
alexander forssberg
A character can determine the cat is a Fey, not a Beast, with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check. If an Intelligence (Arcana) check scores a 16 or higher, the character also determines the cat is the product of the find familiar spell.
S3. Storage Shed
This gingerbead shed has no doors; it is unfurnished and bare floored. Aside from scattered junk, you notice two wheelbarrows full of large brown rocks, and crates of equipment against the southern wall.
A character who inspects the rocks in the cart can determine they are actually huge chunks of chocolate. This might require a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check, or interacting with the rocks in a meaningful way, such as trying to break them, sniff them, or taste them.
The crates contain mining equipment, including 2 shovels, 1d4 miner's picks, 5 candles, and a tinderbox.
A character with a passive Perception of 15 or higher notices the cart has left tracks in the dirt.
A character can follow the tracks with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. The tracks lead to area S12.
S4. Forested Area
Lurking among the trees in this area is a sweettooth horror (MCV4EC). Once the characters explore Rosina's House (area S5) and/or the Flavor Station (area S6), the horror emerges and attacks.
S5. Rosina's House
The house is well-lit, furnished, and clean; it looks lived in and feels cozy. There's a bed, two desks with assorted plates of candies, and a rack of scrolls in the northern corner.
jehan choo
Hiding under the bed is Crumb (see Appendix A). He is a sweettooth horror made from a slice of lemon meringue pie. He has two green peppermints for eyes, chocolate shavings for hair, and a full mouth of human teeth.
Crumb is not hostile, and behaves similarly to a puppy if found. If the party treats him well, he will come to their aid in battle against other sweettooth horrors and the witches themselves.
Crumb's teeth can be heard chattering in fear as a character explores the area.
If crumb goes undiscovered, his curiosity might lead him to stalk the party from a distance until he is noticed.
The scroll rack contains numerous recipes for food such as candies, cakes, and pies. With a successul DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, a character can find a scroll of protection (fiends), scroll of protection (fey), and/or spell scrolls for the following spells: black tentacles (the tentacles appear as licorice), burning hands, entangle (the vines and weeds appear as gummy worms), grease, or magic missile (the glowing darts appear as gumdrops).
S6. Flavor Station
This area is used to flavor the "cotton candy" harvested in the Spinnery (area S7), using the liquid gathered from the Candy Crusher (area S14).
A faded trail of colorful liquid can be seen outside the house.
Following the tracks requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. The tracks lead north to area S14.
This room has the overpowering smell of sweetness and sugar. There are several barrels by the entrance, leaking liquids of various bright colors. Farther along the wall is a crate filled with a white, cotton-like mass. Against the far while are a number of mixing buckets full of more bright liquid. Beside them is a table with several spools of the final product: cotton candy.
The barrels and buckets contain sugary-sweet liquid in varying colors.
The crate is full of the raw "cotton," with spools of wood sticking out allowing the cotton candy to be rolled.
Inspecting the cotton with a successful DC 11 Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Animal Handling), or Wisdom (Survival) check reveals its true nature: it's not cotton, it's spiderweb, and has the same properties described in the Web attack of the giant spider (MM).
If the cotton candy is consumed, it is sweet and tasty, but it provokes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the cotton candy sticks to the creature's throat, causing it to choke (see the Suffocating rules in "Chapter 8: Adventuring" of the Player's Handbook). At the end of each round (6 seconds), the creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
S7. Spinnery
This building is used to harvest spider webs from giant spiders, for use in making "cotton candy" and other items made of string or linen.
As a character approaches the building, they hear a distinctive chittering sound.
S7a. Loom Room
This room has a foul, earthen stench. When you enter, scrambling, spindly legs catch your eye. At the far end of the room are two iron cages, each barely containing an enormous black spider.
Two differently sized looms appear to be catching the webs of giant spiders, spinning them into cotton and string, animated by an unseen magic.
The two spiders have the statistics of giant spiders (MM), except they're Medium. They will chitter and raise their legs if they see a character. The spiders can't reach outside the cage, but they will use their Web attack if provoked.
The cages are locked. They can be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Bending or breaking the iron bars requires a successful DC 20 Strength check.
If the giant spiders are freed, they will attack unless calmed with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
The looms are enchanted to spin autonomously. They can be attacked and destroyed; the small loom has AC 16 and 25 hp, while the large loom has AC 10 and 50hp. Both looms have immunity to psychic and poison damage.
S7b. Cutting Room
The floor in this room is littered with crates, each containing rolls of string and yarn. Against the middle wall is a table with an assortment of shears.
The crates contain 100 feet of silk rope, and 300gp worth of linen and cotton cloth.
The table has four shears of varying sizes, each of which can be used as a dagger.
S8. Cages
Around the back of the gingerbread house are a number of iron cages; most of them are prisons for enormous black spiders.
The spiders and cages have the same mechanics as those presented in the Spinnery (Area S7). There are four spiders in cages in this area.
S9a. Webs
Down this path the trees twist and become more and more ashen and dead. Spider webs fill this area of the forest, and a sickening chittering can be heard echoing through the branches.
Characters can follow the path to the chasm. See "The Chasm" later in the chapter for details.
S9b. Spiderweb
A giant spider lurks in the spider web in this area, hidden amongst the branches. It attacks if the characters get too close or attempt to walk down the path.
S10. Shore
At the edge of the icy lake you see several wooden benches, scattered trash, and an old oar. This was clearly a beloved spot when the village still teemed with life.
Stashed against the side of the nearby gingerbread house are two fishing tackle kits, a net, and a spear.
A hole in the ice and scattered equipment (area S26), is clearly visible from this vantage.
S11. Lake
The lake is partially frozen; characters can walk along the ice as difficult terrain. When a creature moves on the ice, it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. If the check fails by 5 or more, the ice in the creature's space breaks and the creature falls into the icy water, subjecting the creature to Extreme Cold (see "Chapter 8: Adventure Environments" of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
A swarm of quippers (MM) makes its home in the icy water, and will attack any characters that fall through.
S12. Cave Entrance
An ominous cave mouth sits nestled into the rock, nearly hidden entirely by branches, bushes, and lollipops. A sound echoes out from its depths...clink, clink, clink...
A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check can determine the clinking sounds like iron against rock, like a dwarven mine.
Characters can enter the cave. See "Chocolate Mine" later in the chapter for details.
S13. Cabbage Patch
Outside this gingerbread house is what looks like a cabbage patch garden, But rather than plants, hard candies are growing from the ground; wrappers and all. A few wheelbarrows full of the candies are parked in the garden, and there is a dirt road flanked by cobblestone that leads up to a small gingerbread house.
A faded trail of colorful liquid can be seen in this area.
Following the tracks requires a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. The tracks lead south to area S6.
A character who searches the area can find 2 sickles, an herbalism kit, and 2 buckets of water.
S14. Candy Crusher
A wave of a sweet-smelling aroma wafts from this house. The center of the room is commanded by a large crushing device, which is surrounded by barrels of various brightly colored liquids. Along the walls are crates of hard candies.
Just as you get your bearings in this room, one of the barrels begins to shake violently. A blob bursts from the barrel, something like a living ooze of gelatin. Suspended inside it are what's left of adventurers who came before.
jehan choo
This horror has the statistics of a gelatinous cube (MM).
1d4 rounds after the first gelatinous cube appears, a second one emerges from another barrel.
Suspended in the monsters are a number of items, which the monsters leave behind when they are defeated. These including a cloak of protection, +1 shield, and a +1 magic weapon of a kind used by one of the characters. You can include additional magic items among the items by rolling 1d4 times on Magic Item Table F (see "Chapter 7: Treasure" of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
If Greta is with the characters, she might recognize some of the items as belonging to previous adventurers who helped her venture into Sweettooth in the past.
The crushing device can be attacked and destroyed. It has AC 15, 39 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
S15. Storage Shed
The interior of this small gingerbread house is dimly lit, crowded with clutter, and musty. It appears to be a disused supply closet of assorted items.
Scattered about the room are brooms, barrels, miner's picks, shovels, and empty crates.
S16. Millstone
The millstone is used to turn the cookie caps from area S17 into flour for baking.
As characters approach this area, they hear a loud grinding sound, like stone scraping against stone. It's coming from the building.
The interior of the building has no light and is covered in darkness. All that's visible from the door without light or darkvision is the stone floor.
In the center of this small round room is a large millstone, turning along the track as though moved by some invisible force. Along the edges of the room are shelves and crates.
The shelves and crates contain cookie caps (see area S17) in various stages of milling; some are broken into chunks and others ground into fine powder.
The millstone can be attacked and destroyed. It has AC 17, 39 hit points, resistance to damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
S18. Licorice Orchard
As you crest the hill, you see a small orchard of what appears to gnarled trees or bushes, but they have unnatural colors; stark black, bright red, and pure white. You also detect a strange, bitter smell in the orchard. The winding path continues on towards a large gingerbread house.
A character who searches the area can find 2 handaxes, a greataxe, and cart. Inside the cart are "branches" of licorice that have been cut from the bushes.
S19. Holda's House
The air around this gingerbread house is an unpleasant combination of sweets, seafood, and meat. The door swings open, and a short, plump, grey-skinned crone dressed in an apron with a kerchief hooded around her head. In her oven-mitted hands she holds a large, steaming pie.
In a creaky voice she announces, "Welcome to Sweettooth, dearies!".
konstantin porubov
The crone is the witch Holda. Read her description and stat block in Appendix A.
If Holda is defeated or the characters otherwise gain access to the kitchen, read or summarize the following:
In the center of the room is a dining table, and all along the walls are shelves of ingredients and cooking implements. In the corner of the room is a large brick oven.
Character who search the area can find three iron pots, cook's utensils, and an assortment of salted fish and mystery meat that yields 10 days worth of rations.
S20. Bedroom
This room is well lit and cozy. Flames flicker in a small iron stove in the corner, providing warmth. Beside the bed, hanging on the wall, is a large painting. Across from it is a long bookshelf, a cozy chair, and a desk with a half-eaten pie.
The painting is an artistic interpretation of the multiverse; small spheres with cities and landscapes inside them, connected by various lines that simulate omenpaths, portals between planes. A large sphere dominates the center of the painting, depicting a large tree (similar to the one in the center of Sweettooth), and directly below it, connected by an omenpath, is a sphere depicting flames.
The bookshelf contains some of the books available from the Bookstore in chapter 1. Roll 2d4 times on the Books table to determine which books are available.
The bookshelf also has a magic book that functions as a manual of golems, but that can be read by a spellcaster with at least one 3rd-level spell slot and that can be used to create one of the following creatures, determined by the DM or chosen at random.
| d4 | Creature | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Candy Grappler (PGWE) |
1 hour | 50gp |
| 4 | Gingerbrute (MCV4EC) |
1 hour | 200gp |
The bookshelf also has a book titled The Witch's Way, which goes into great detail about the rituals and spells of witches. A character who skims this book for relevant information learns of a witch rite for contacting beings from other worlds "in places where the barrier between worlds is thin."
Searching the book for methods of undoing or preventing the ritual reveals that "all spells granted by the outsider must be ended," and "all creatures summoned by the outsider must be quelled." This information is meant to hint at the objective described in "Ending the Adventure" later in the chapter.
If characters begin to leave the area without finding The Witch's Way, or if they are having trouble understanding the clues therein, consider having Flitterfang emerge from the half-eaten pie. Read his description and skim his stat block in Appendix A.
S21. Supply Room
This room is dimly lit, but clean; the far walls are lined with shelves, and crates and tools lie scattered along the floor.
In this room characters can find an assortment of saws, handaxes, shovels, and miner's picks.
S22. Sorting Room
A group of small children, the missing children of Edgewall, work busily in this crowded room, organizing and sorting mushrooms that look like cookies into various crates scattered about the room. The children pause their work at your entrance.
The witches have been putting these children to work performing menial labor. The children can explain that they are not old or strong enough to work in the chocolate mines (area S12, Map 3.3). If the children in the Chocolate Mine have not yet been rescued, these children explain that the older kids must mine the chocolate from the caves or be eaten by a "donut monster."
The children are noncombatants and can be escorted back to safety. If Holda has not yet been dealt with, she will attempt to prevent the characters from taking the children.
S23. Licorice Storage
This room is used to store licorice harvested from area S18.
S24. Rolling Room
This room is used for rolling bread into cinnamon rolls and buns.
There are two large rolling machines in this room that are automatically turning. They can be attacked and destroyed; they both have AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to psychic and poison damage.
S25. Logging Shed
This area is used to cut and store wood use as firewood, and to construct crates, barrels, and other items needed by the witches.
A character who searches the area can find a set of woodcarver's tools, a handaxe and a greataxe.
S26. Ice Fishing Hole
Someone has carved a square hole in this area of the lake's ice. Lying around it is an assortment of fishing equipment and dead fish, and you can see live fish darting around beneath the ice.
In this area characters can find hempen rope (50 ft.), fishing tackle, an ice pick (war pick), and the bodies of 3 quippers (MM).
S27. The Tree
Leading to the giant tree in the center of lake is a wooden footbridge, half submerged in the icy water. The bridge leads to an archway in the trunk of the tree, like a door leading down into the darkness of its roots below.
Characters can enter the hole in the tree. See "Ritual Chamber" later in the chapter for details.
Map 3.2 The Chasm
BirdieMaps
The Chasm
When characters approach the chasm, read or summarize the following:
The snow has melted in this area of the woods; you feel an unnatural heat and smell an unnatural smell. As the path winds on, you see two stone statues of faeries overlooking a chasm, a rift torn open into the earth. Spiderwebs fill the gaps and swarms of spiders crawl their way to the surface.
The chasm (Map 3.2) is a large rift in the earth that leads down into some deep, dark, forgotten underworld. The giant spiders used for harvesting "cotton candy" in the Spinnery (area S7) emerge from this rift. The rift was opened, and the spiders summoned, by the fiend at the behest of the witches.
The spiders are birthed by the fiendish Spider Queen (see Appendix A) that lurks in this area. She is accompanied by two giant spiders (MM) and a swarm of spiders (MM).
Map 3.3 Chocolate Mine
BirdieMaps
Chocolate Mine
When characters enter the Chocolate Mine, read or summarize the following:
A small railroad for a minecart leads you from the entrance of the cave deep into a mineshaft. Lanterns hung periodically illuminate the walls of the caverns. The sound of pickaxes striking the stone grows louder as you descend.
A group of five older children (see Appenidx A) and teens are being forced by the witches to work the mines, mining out chocolate from the walls of the cave. The children are overseen by a sugarmaw (PGWE), which ensures the children are working. The children will help attack the sugarmaw to earn their freedom.
The Chocolate Mine is depicted on Map 3.3. The mine needs to be collapsed for one of the adventure's endings (see "Ending the Adventure" later in the chapter). The supports shown on the map can be attacked and destroyed; they have AC 15, 10 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Map 3.4 Ritual Chamber
BirdieMaps
Ritual Chamber
When characters enter the tree, read or summarize the following:
Entering the archway in the tree, you're met with a spiral wooden staircase that descends below. As you enter the depths, a sickening red glow illuminates your path.
At the end of the staircase, you emerge into a large chamber, a sort of cave with the roots of the tree hanging above. The cavern floor consists of several stone islands separated by a pool of blood. Skeletal remains float as detritus in the depths.
Ritual Chamber Locations
The following locations are keyed to the map of the Ritual Chamber (Map 3.3).
R1. Altar
Beside the staircase is a stone altar, atop which is a bowl of blood, and shackles for restraining sacrificial victims. Beside the altar is a table with bloodied remains.
Neither the blood nor the altar have any special properties. The shackles can be removed from the altar with a successful DC 13 Dexterity check.
On the table is a +1 dagger used in witch rituals.
R3. Omenpath
Ahead you see a large stone circle on the ground, and a pentagram drawn atop it in blood. Beside it is a stone pathway that leads to a glowing circle hanging in the air; an omenpath, a portal to another world.
Standing in the circle is a woman with white hair and a black dress holding a lantern. Beside her is a table with a strange book, and a large chest emblazoned with a skull.
brian valeza
The woman is the witch Rosina. Read her description and stat block in Appendix A.
The omenpath leads to another plane where a Fiend resides. This fiend is responsible for the magic around Sweettooth: the candy growing in the village, the Chocolate Mine (Map 3.3), the giant spiders in the Chasm (Map 3.2), and the magic used by the witches.
The identity of the fiend is left ambiguous for you to determine. It might be a powerful demon like Shilgengar, a demon of famine from Innistrad responsible for that plane's vampires. It might instead be the guise of a powerful Fey lord, with the omenpath leading to Talion's court deep in the Wilds of Eldraine.
If the characters discovered Rosina's familiar in the Bakery (area S2), she will be expecting the characters and will likely know of their intent. If the characters did not discover the familiar, she is more likely to try and bargain with them.
The lantern Rosina holds is a soul-guide lantern (PGWE), which the characters can obtain if she is defeated.
The book is Rosina's spellbook. It appears to be made of patchwork human skin. It has the following spells: !REPLACE!
The chest is unlocked. Inside is a set of demon armor, a bag of beans, an alchemy jug, and a decanter of endless water. Alternatively, you can stock the chest by rolling 1d4 times on Magic Item Table F (see "Chapter 7: Treasure" of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
Ending the Adventure
While the characters can leave once the two groups of children have been rescued (area S22 and area S12), the characters must complete the following objectives in order to truly put an end to the horrors of Sweettooth:
- The witches, Holda and Rosina, must be defeated.
- The autonomous machines in the Spinnery (area S7), the Candy Crusher (area S14), the Millstone (area S16), and the rolling machines in the Rolling Room (area S24).
- The Spider Queen in The Chasm (area S9, Map 3.2) must be defeated.
- The Chocolate Mine (area S12, Map 3.3) must be collapsed.
Once these objectives are complete, the magic stabilizing the omenpath in area R3 will end, and the portal will close; cutting off the Fiend and any other witches who hope to contact it.
Fate of Sweettooth
If the omenpath is closed, the gingerbread houses and candy in the village decay into dirt and dust, the Chasm closes, and the tree in area S27 wilts. Any survivng sweettooth horrors are destroyed. Eventually, the village of Sweettooth passes into legend and memory.
The Reward
With the children saved, the citizens of Edgewall pool together their resources to reward the characters. The reward could be equivalent to the coin value of a Challenge 5—10 Treasure Hoard (see "Chapter 7: Treasure" of the Dungeon Master's Guide for details).
The Curse of Redtooth Keep
Adventure Coming Soon
The Apprentice's Folly
Adventure Coming Soon
Up the Beanstalk
Adventure Coming Soon
Appendix A: Monsters and NPCs
The new monsters and NPCs that appear in these adventures are described below. They are presented in alphabetical order. The introduction of the Monster Manual explains how to read a creature's stat block.
Child
The children of Edgewall have followed the candy trail and wound up trapped in Sweettooth Village. Some of these children are ready to join the adventurers and fight for their freedom.
Child
Small Humanoid (Human), Any Alignment
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 3 (1d6)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages Common
- Challenge 0 (10 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Pack Tactics. The child has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the child's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn't have the incapacitated condition.
Actions
Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage. If the child had advantage on the attack roll, the target must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or have a condition of the child's choice: grappled or prone.
jehan choo
Crumb
Crumb is a sweettooth horror made from a slice of lemon meringue pie. He has two green peppermints for eyes, chocolate shavings for hair, and a full mouth of human teeth.
Crumb is not hostile, and behaves similarly to a puppy if found. If the party treats him well, he will come to their aid in battle against other sweettooth horrors and the witches themselves.
Crumb
Tiny Construct, Unaligned
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 2 (1d4)
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Perception +3
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages —
- Challenge 0 (10 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Magic Resistance. Crumb has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Pack Tactics. Crumb has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of Crumb's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn't have the incapacitated condition.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d4 - 1) piercing damage.
Old Flitterfang
chris seaman
Flitterfang
Flitterfang was once an ordinary rat (MM) that served as the witch Holda's familiar. He was transformed into a faerie by an arcane ritual.
Roleplaying Flitterfang
Flitterfang has an abrasive personality, but has no real loyalty to Holda or the witches; he serves his own interests and is a familiar unwillingly. He knows about the Fiend and the plot of the witches (see chapter 3 for details), and will assist the characters out of sheer spite towards Holda.
Flitterfang
Tiny Fey, Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 17 (5d4 + 5)
- Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
- Skills Perception +3, Stealth +7
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages Common, Sylvan
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 6 (1d6 + 3) necrotic damage. Flitterfang regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt.
Greta, Scourge of Sweettooth
steve prescott
Greta
Greta is a survivor of the horrors of Sweettooth Village who accompanies the characters on their adventure into Sweettooth. See chapter 3 for more information on Greta and this adventure.
If your adventure uses Greta as a player character, download a character sheet for her here.
Greta
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Good
- Armor Class 17 (splint armor)
- Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
- Skills Athletics +5, Investigation +2, Perception +3, Survival +3
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages Common
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Improved Critical. Greta's attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Actions
Multiattack. Greta makes three battleaxe attacks.
Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Bonus Actions
Second Wind (1/day). Greta regains 9 (1d10 + 4) hit points.
konstantin porubov
Holda
Holda
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
- Hit Points 72 (16d8)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5)
- Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +8
- Skills Arcana +6, Nature +6
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages Abyssal, Common, and Sylvan
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +3
Actions
Multiattack. Holda makes two Pie attacks. She can replace one of these attacks with Spellcasting.
Pie. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire and 10 (3d6) poison damage.
Spellcasting. Holda casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
At will: mage armor (self only), prestidigitation
2/day each: burning hands, entangle, grease
1/day each: black tentacles, dispel magic
George de Rainault, Mayor of Edgewall
steve prescott
Peafowl
Peafowl
Peafowl
Medium Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 5 (1d8 + 1)
- Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
- Skills Perception +3
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages —
- Challenge 0 (10 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Keen Sight and Smell. The peafowl has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.
Pack Tactics. The peafowl has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the peafowl's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
brian valeza
Rosina
Rosina
Medium Humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
- Hit Points 72 (16d8)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5)
- Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +8
- Skills Arcana +6, Nature +6
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages Abyssal, Common, Sylvan
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +3
Actions
Multiattack. Rosina makes two Poison Dagger attacks. She can replace one of these attacks with Spellcasting.
Poison Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) poison damage.
Shattered Shards. The witch targets a point it can see within 30 feet of itself. The air there magically solidifies into a mirrorlike pane, then shatters in a 15-foot cone originating from that point. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 25 (10d4) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Soul-Guide Lantern. Rosina gains 5 temporary hit points.
Spellcasting. The witch casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 16):
At will: mage armor (self only), prestidigitation
2/day each: animal messenger, charm person, Tasha's hideous laughter
1/day each: bestow curse, dispel magic
dave allsop
Spider Queen
Spider Queen
Large Monstrosity, Unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 32 (5d10 + 5)
- Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Skills Stealth +6
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages —
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Web (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target has the restrained condition. As an action, a restrained target can make a DC 13 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a successful check. The webbing can also be destroyed (AC 10; 5 hit points; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to acid, bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Sturwynn
steve prescott
Sturwyn
Sturwynn
Medium Humanoid (Human, Ranger), Chaotic Good
- Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
- Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)
- Skills Nature +2, Perception +3, Stealth +4, Survival +3
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Common, Sylvan
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Mosswood Cloak. Sturwynn has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks he makes in forest terrain.
Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Totentanz
Medium Humanoid (Human, Bard), Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
- Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3
- Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +5, Performance +6
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Common
- Challenge 2 (450 XP)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. Totentanz makes two Dagger attacks. He can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting.
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Spellcasting. Totentanz casts one of the following spells, using his pipe of the sewers as a spellcasting focus and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12):
At will: thunderclap (2d6), vicious mockery
1/day each: charm person, sleep, thunderwavePipes of the Sewers (3/day). Totentanz plays a melody on his pipe and summons a swarm of rats to his aid. The swarm appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of Totentanz that Totentanz can see. It acts as Totentanz's ally, obeys Totentanz's commands, and takes its turn immediately after Totentanz's. The swarm remains until it dies, Totentanz dies, or until Totentanz dismisses it as an action.
Charming Melody. Totentanz plays a magical melody. Every Humanoid and Giant within 300 feet of Totentanz that can hear the song must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or have the charmed condition until the song ends. Totentanz must use his action on subsequent turns to continue playing. He can stop playing at any time.
While charmed, a target has the incapacitated condition. If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away from Totentanz, the target must move on its turn toward Totentanz by the most direct route. It doesn't avoid opportunity attacks, but before moving into damaging terrain, and whenever it takes damage, a target can repeat the saving throw. A creature can also repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. If a creature's saving throw is successful, the effect ends on it. A target that successfully saves is immune Totentanz's Charming Meloday for the next 24 hours.Bonus Actions
Frightening Strain (2/Day). Totentanz targets one creature within 60 feet of him. If the target can hear Totentanz, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or have the frightened condition for 1 minute.