Ground Level

A. Gate

The fence around the family plot is made of wrought iron, eight feet tall, with ornate spikes across the top. The iron arch over the gate rises to twelve feet tall in the middle. A motif of ivy decorates the fence and gate, and a large lock holds the gate closed. An aura of repulsion emanates from the fence, affecting anyone without the keys who comes within ten feet, causing unease and a desire to keep their distance. A successful DC Wisdom saving throw negates the effect for 24 hours. Once the gate is unlocked and open, the repulsion aura dissipates until the gate is relocked. Ivy covers the ground inside the fence, but does not climb on the headstones, or encroach on the gravel path leading to the mausoleum. The ivy clings to the feet of anyone walking across it, making the entire area inside the fence difficult terrain.

B. Tessa’s Grave and a Ruined Stone

The headstone closed to the gate, marked with an arrow on the map, is the simplest of markers, a narrow arched stone bearing the inscription “Tessa D’Vieille, Weep not for her but for those who are lost,” and the dates of her birth and death, 88 and 50 years ago, respectively. The other headstones on this side of the plot are far more ornate, bearing sculptures of skulls, ivy, dragonflies, or figures with hoods or feathery wings, and indicate family members who have been dead far longer than Tessa. The plinth labeled “B” is a single block of stone raised on several layers of brick. The headstone is carved with a winged figure hiding its face in its hands; the plinth is inscribed with “Constance D’Vieille, beloved sister and heir. May she and the family now rest in peace,” with birth and death dates 122 and 91 years ago, and a relieve sculpture of raven. Several bricks on the south side of the plinth are missing, buried under the nearby ivy. If the grave is disturbed, a raspy voice from under the plinth can be heard to say, “Vengeance!” Constance has risen as a wight, but remains trapped in the grave, unless the plinth is somehow removed. PCs can convince Constance to talk with them, especially if they address her by name. She can tell the PCs that she was betrayed and murdered by her sister, Pericanthe, who turned her back on the Lady of Shadows, and stole the birthright.

C. The Sleeping Queen

A raised marble sarcophagus with the effigy of a feather-crowned woman lying atop sits at this location. A marble raven perches on the woman’s feet, and an ornate necklace bearing a single gem adorns her throat. Despite being exposed to the elements, the marble remains in pristine condition, with dates from several centuries ago, and the inscription “Fierle D’Vieille — No memory is forever lost.” Relief sculptures on the side depict scenes, perhaps from this woman’s life: faeries dance over a cradle; faeries lead a young girl through a wood; faeries escort a young woman, and hold a crown of feathers over her head, to a raven holding scrolls and sitting on a throne; faeries providing aid to a woman crowned with feathers against monstrous arms emerging from the ground; faeries attending a woman at a feast where the table cover bears the D’Vieille coat of arms; faeries carrying a bier with a feather-crowned woman. In each image, there is a single raven perched somewhere.

D. Obelisk

A three-foot tall square base, carved to resemble ravens and faeries bearing the ten-foot tall, five-sided obelisk is surrounded by grave markers with a range of dates, but none less than 150 years old. An inscription on the obelisk reads “In memory of those that have faithfully served the D’Vieille family.” The sprite, Noir, the familiar of Constance D’Vieille, Pericanthe’s sister, remains near the obelisk, sleeping invisibly. Noir will only waken if someone in the area mentions Constance, Pericanthe, or Tessa. He will defend Constance’s character, “A true a loyal servant, betrayed by her sister. She should be interred in the mausoleum, not that treacherous witch.” He will be upset by any mention of Pericanthe: “She stole my mistress’s birthright, then hid it away where none could see. Disloyal she was, and was herself betrayed. Our queen has a long memory.” Noir does not understand Tessa: “A riddle that one, but what can one expect when she was kept from her birthright? She had every right to kill her mother to claim it for herself or her son.” If asked about the birthright, Noir will reply, “To take up The Raven’s Eye and serve the Mistress of Memory.” If asked about this queen, he will refer to her as “The Mistress of Memory, the Queen of Air and Darkness, and the Majesty of Ravens.”

E. The Weeping Willow

The shadows under the tree are deep, even in the middle of the day. When standing under its branches, one can see ghostly images wandering by. These shades do not communicate or even acknowledge others, and cannot be seen from outside the willow’s shadow. There is a narrow hollow in the trunk of the tree, on the side facing the mausoleum. At night, this becomes a passage into the Shadowfell; anyone passing through the hollow will find themselves at the north end of area M, Shadowfell version. The grave markers in this area are the oldest in the cemetery.

F. Grave of the Beloved

The statue of an angel with outstretched wings stands next to this simple headstone, right hand resting on top. The angel holds a flaming sword in its left hand, in a defensive posture. The headstone bears no name, only the inscription “My protector, my beloved, I am eternally sorry. Your sacrifice saved our daughter. I will protect her as I could not protect you,” with dates 121 and 84 years ago.

G. Mausoleum Entrance

Large, verdigris bronze doors bear the same ivy motif as the gates, with a large lock. The D’Vieille family crest is carved into the granite above the doors, and climbing roses rise up from pots on both sides of the entry way. Those disturbing the doors without possessing the key to the mausoleum are subject to attack by the rose blights. (Treat these as vine blights, but the damage is piercing, and each round a creature is grappled by the blight, it takes an additional 4 (1d6+1) piercing damage.)

H. Mausoleum Interior

Material Plane Version: Entering the exterior doors brings creatures to this version of the interior. A narrow aisle runs north to south, with a grid of memorial stones, four stones wide by three high, on the west wall. Each stone covers an individual crypt space beyond. The northern most column has only the center stone engraved, with the family crest, and the name “Merie D’Vieille” inscribed beneath. Close inspection will reveal a key hole hidden in the ivy of the crest. Inserting anything into the key hole besides the actual key triggers a glyph that delivers 14 (4d6) necrotic damage; a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw reduces the damage to half. Turning the key or picking the lock opens the secret door to the lower crypt levels. Blank stones are also at the bottom of the second column and the middle and bottom of the fourth column. All other stones contain inscriptions for other family members with varying dates, with no death dates later than 91 years ago.

Shadowfell Version: Those who entered the mausoleum through a Shadowfell gate, like the one in the willow tree, and venture up to this level find the following. First, the outer doors are locked and the ivy engraving on the doors contain thorns. Additionally, there is no door blocking the stairs to the crypt levels, and all the grave niches are open. Faint blue lights, like small flames, flicker in those niches that contain remains: top and middle of the second column, all three niches in the third column, and the top of the fourth column. The other niches appear empty. If the grave lights in the niches are disturbed in any way, a swarm of crawling claws emerges from the empty niches to attack intruders.

Swarm of Crawling Claws

Medium swarm of Tiny undead, Neutral Evil

Armor Class 14
Hit Points 36 (8d8)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Damage Immunities Poison
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., (blind beyond this radius)
Languages Common understands but can’t speak
Challenge 2

Turn Immunity The claws are immune to effects that turn undead.
Swarm The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Actions

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d4+2) slashing damage + 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage.
Overwhelm (Recharge 5-6). The claws swarm over one creature, which becomes grappled unless it succeeds on a DC 14 Dexterity check. After overwhelming a creature, the swarm can use a claw attack on any creature in range, and has advantage on rolls to attack the grappled creature. Grappled creatures can use their action to repeat the Dexterity check to shake off the swarm.

Keyed locations for the crypt levels will be posted soon.

DM’s Synopsis

This is a site-based adventure that invites the PCs to explore the history of the D’Vieille family and their cemetery plot. After the last known descendant passed away and was buried about 50 years ago, the house burned down, leaving nothing of consequence in the ashes. The cemetery plot and mausoleum still stand, and are avoided and believed to be haunted. While exploring the cemetery and mausoleum the PCs will confront undead and creatures from the realm of shadows, and perhaps find a portal into the Shadowfell itself.

Adventure Hooks

• The PCs find the mausoleum and cemetery keys, which bear the crest of the D’Vieille family. Inquiries and research reveal that the family died out many years ago, leaving a hidden fortune.
• The PC’s find references to The Raven’s Eye gem, a powerful magic item, and after some research they trace it back to the town where the D’Vieille family lived.
• An older man, Charles D’Robie, has grandchildren who are plagued by faeries, which cajole the children to “Accept your birthright!” Charles knows he was adopted, and where he was born, and asks the PCs to investigate.
• An NPC friend of the PCs has an adventurous relative who went to the town to see the D’Vieille family plot for themselves, and has disappeared.

Rumors and Stories

Who were the D’Vielle’s and what happened to them?

1. Some say sorcery ran strong in the blood of the women of the D’Vieille family; others say the family owed fealty to a fiend. (False: The family had made a pact with and many members were warlocks of an archfey.)
2. The last member of the D’Vieille family was a recluse who died in their house and was buried as close to the gate of the family plot as possible; that was fifty years ago. (True: Tessa D’Vieille’s grave is the one just north of the gravel path.)
3. Pericanthe D’Vieille, Tessa’s mother was a hard woman who disapproved of Tessa’s love interests. (True: Pericanthe was trying to prevent the continuing pact with the archfey.)
4. The groundskeeper, Bouen D’Robie, died in the fire that burned the family house to the ground. Nah, he disappeared with the family treasures that night. Either way, if anyone knew the family secrets, it was him. (Partially true: Bouen did die in the fire, and he did know the family secrets.)
5. The D’Vieille house burned to the ground. Some say it was the day after Tessa was buried; some say it was a week later; some say three months later; some say it was on the first anniversary of her death. (Partially true: the house burned a couple weeks after Tessa was buried in an act of arson to hide the fact that some valuables were stolen.)
6. The family founder, Merie D’Vieille was a powerful wizard. She was the first to be buried in the family plot. (Partially true; she was actually a warlock of the archfey; her grave is under the willow tree.)

What’s up with the family plot?

1. After Tessa D’Vieille was buried, the keys to the plot and mausoleum disappeared. (Partially true: the keys were stolen from the family’s house, along with some other valuables, the night it burned to the ground.)
2. The family plot is haunted by the ghost of Pericanthe D’Vieille, Tessa’s mother. (Partially true: There are no ghosts haunting the area, but Pericanthe’s spirit lives within the mausoleum.)
3. Audy Temeraire disappeared after jumping the fence about 20 years ago. Oh, yeah; his love, Lydia D’Allier, was really broken up over it and never married. I hear she lives in the next town over. (True.)
4. Anyone jumping the fence into the family plot disappears and never returns. (Partially true: a few people have come back out, but none recently, and no one has entered the area since Audy disappeared.)

Did the D’Vieilles have any treasure?

1. Some say whatever treasure the family might have had was burned up in the fire that destroyed their house; some say Tessa had to spend it all just to keep the house. (Partially true: Tessa did have to spend much of the family fortune; the thieves who burned the house down stole everything else.)
2. The family kept their treasures in a secret vault in the mausoleum. (Partially true: some of the family members were buried with treasure, but there is no secret treasure vault.)
3. The groundskeeper, Bouen D’Robie, disappeared with the family treasure and burned the house down. (False.)
4. There were stories about a family heirloom: a jewel, a black diamond called The Raven’s Eye, but no one knows where it is or if it actually exists. (True: The gem does exist. It was buried with Pericanthe, who hid its existence from her daughter.)

Tell me more about Tessa?

1. Tessa was a beautiful young woman who could have had many suitors. Her mother was a hard woman who disapproved of Tessa’s love interests. (True: Pericanthe was trying to prevent the continuing pact with the archfey.)
2. Tessa never had any lovers after Charlie Douceur, even after her mother died. She became a recluse and was only seen by the groundskeeper until she passed away. (True.)
3. Charlie courted Tessa, but the mother interfered. He married Amary sometime after Tessa had hidden herself away following her mother’s death. He still lives with his grandkids in the house at the end of the lane. I hear the first great-grandchild will be born any day now (True.)
4. Rumor has it Tessa bore Charlie’s child, or perhaps it was a fiend’s offspring. Either way, if she did have a child, no one ever saw it. (Partially true: the baby was Charlie’s, but Pericanthe had the child sent away in the night.)
5. The groundskeeper, Bouen D’Robie, was the father, and took the child away. I heard that Pericanthe had him take the child to an orphanage in the city. If you ask me, Pericanthe killed the child. (Partially true: Bouen was not the father, and Pericanthe did have Bouen take the child away.)

Tell me more about Pericanthe?

1. Pericanthe D’Vieille was a hard woman who disapproved of Tessa’s love interests. (True: Pericanthe was trying to prevent the continuing pact with the archfey.)
2. Pericanthe was a powerful magic-user. (True: Pericanthe was a warlock of the archfey.)
3. She died about 60 years ago, very suddenly. (True.)
4. She was killed by her demon lover. Nah, Tessa killed her for breaking up the relationship with Charlie. (Partially true: Pericanthe was killed but not for these reasons.)
5. Bouen D’Robie, the gardener killed Pericanthe so he could be with Tessa. Others say Tessa killed Pericanthe for taking away the baby. (The second statement is true.)

Coming up …

Information in this post is the start of an adventure to accompany the map in Cemetery Adventure, Part 1. A keyed map and location descriptions will be in another post soon.

A squat mausoleum sits in the middle of the fenced in area. Most of the area on the north side is taken up by graves with headstones; two above ground sepulchers sit in this area as well, with the one on the west side bearing an effigy of a well-dressed and veiled woman. A very old obelisk rises on the west side of the mausoleum, shaded by a large willow tree. The inscriptions on the monuments on this side of the mausoleum have been mostly weathered away. There are fewer graves on the south side of the mausoleum, and an elaborate memorial with the statue of an angel shown weeping over an ornately carved headstone.

Large urns containing vibrant rose bushes flank the heavy wooden door leading into the mausoleum. Inside, a narrow passage provides access to the drawer-like crypts: four columns each with four memorial plaques. Some of the plaques are engraved, while some are blank. The column on the far left bears plaques for the founders of the family, but is actually a secret door hiding a narrow stairway to a lower level of the crypt.

The lower level contains columns of memorial plaques, similar to those found above. The column in the southeast corner has crumbled, and stone, dirt, and remains are jumbled in a pile, held tight by the roots of the willow tree. A statue in the middle of the room depicts a life-sized, heavily robed and cowled figure holding a sword point down. The column of plaques in the northeast corner hides another secret door, behind which is a locked gate leading to another narrow stairway which leads to the lowest level of the structure.

The lowest level of the mausoleum contains three sarcophagi, each ornately carved, and bearing the effigy of one of the founding members of the family. The south east corner has caved in, and debris and tree roots cover the feet of the two crypts on that side. A pool of clear water burbles in the middle of the room; the basin has a crack through which the water flows in a small stream that disappears into the bottom of the debris pile. A small gap between the pile and the ceiling leads to a larger cavern, the uneven floor of which slopes downward to the south. The stream of water emerges from the debris on the west side and flows into a pool at the south end, behind another elaborately carved sarcophagus. The effigy on this crypt is a completely different, and much older style than those in the room with the pool. The ceiling on the south end is 20 feet above floor level; a niche, 10 feet above the floor, contains a statue in the same style as the effigy below.

I’m writing up some encounters to go with this map, and will post those later.

This five room dungeon showcases a “before” and “after” version of an adult dragon’s lair, and it seems appropriate for this month’s RPG Blog Carnival, “After the Dragon,” hosted by Sea of Stars.

I like the layout of the map, but I’m not sure I like how I detailed it. I’m used to old-school maps that don’t have much detail, but current maps always seem poised for use with a VTT, which I don’t use. I use OneNote and sometimes Paint to create my maps, and I’m always experimenting. Also, I wanted the caverns here to seem rough-looking, so I tried some bits modeled after what the Laidback DM does with natural caverns. Aside from my less-than-artistic map, here are two mini-adventures, “The Dragon’s Lair” and “Aftermath.”

1. The Approach

Dragon’s Lair:
The narrow path up the side of the mountain has several switchbacks, and sheer drops up to 100 feet down. Partway up, there is a 10-foot wide gap in the path, with a 40-foot drop. On the uphill side of the gap, there is a a rough wooden plank that looks like it could span the gap, but would be unstable if creatures sized Medium or larger tried to cross.
A ledge at the top of the path opens into a large cave. Piles of boulders line the edge and serve both as cover for defenders on the ledge and as ammunition to be dropped on attackers. Another ledge, 20 feet higher up on the left opens into a smaller cave.
A tribe of kobolds and two minotaur thugs guard the entrances to the dragon’s lair. Sentries are always on duty on the higher ledge, and will alert the rest of the tribe to anyone approaching. The kobolds will use their slings from behind the covering boulders on both ledges, as well as roll some boulders down on the heads of uninvited creatures. The minotaurs will likewise throw rocks at trespassers from the upper ledge for 14 (3d6+4) bludgeoning damage. If trespassers enter the lower cave (Area 3), the minotaurs will lower baskets full of kobolds onto the path to attack them from behind; one minotaur will climb down to join the rear guard, while the other returns to areas 2 and 3 for a frontal assault.

Aftermath:
The wind moans across the broken switchbacks, and several kobold skeletons sprawl along the path. The turn closest to the top of the path has completely broken away, and tumbled rubble onto the path below. Amongst the rubble pile, along with the remains of several kobolds and one minotaur, is a javelin of lightning. Those approaching without stealth will alert the harpies in Area 2.

2. Guardians Cave

Dragon’s Lair:
The stench of the tribe of kobolds and the minotaurs who call this cave home settles in the nose like rancid oil. The floor is a ruin of rubble, bones, animal hides, and other detritus, and is difficult terrain for anyone not familiar with the area. The one clean space, between some stalagmites and the north wall, makes the rest of the cave that much dingier. The area has a severed kobold head staked to the floor on each side. Graffiti scratched into the wall nearby alleges, in draconic, that “Prissy missy minotaur kisses itchy fishes”; parts of the graffiti have been scratched out, but it is still readable. Several small, expertly carved stones depicting small animals are lined up on the floor in this area. (This area has been claimed by one of the minotaurs, Silverhorn, who dislikes their current position as guardian, but sees no way out. If given the chance, they may flee or bargain for their safety if they see a fight going against the kobolds and the dragon.)

Several traps are constructed in this area:
A 20-foot-deep pit occupies the middle of the room, with sloping, gravelly sides. Any creature coming within five feet must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid sliding on the scree into the bottom, which contains two swarms of beetles. Trip wires have been rigged nearby to help encourage the unsuspecting to take a face-first plunge into the pit.
The uphill passages leading north and east toward area 4 have low ceilings, requiring Medium and larger creatures to squeeze through. There are many small and sharpened stalagmites and stalactites in these areas, that require Medium creatures to succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 2 (1d4) piercing damage for every 10 feet of movement; creatures larger than medium have disadvantage on this saving throw.
A trap on the downhill corridor toward area 3 can be triggered from this room, collapsing the roof and blocking the passage, causing creatures in the tunnel to suffer 44 (8d10) bludgeoning damage, and become trapped under the rubble unless they succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. A similar trap in the passage leading to area 1 does only 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage, but does not block the area.

Aftermath:
The cave smells worse than before, further fouled by the harpies who live here now. The remains of many kobolds are scattered amongst the rest of the trash on the floor. The trap in the corridor toward area 3 was sprung and the passage is now impassable. The tip of a longsword, +2 is visible at the bottom of that rubble pile, but the sword is firmly wedged among the rocks. Completely buried in the rubble are the remains of an adventurer wearing a magical chain mail shirt that gives the wearer resistance to fire damage and carrying a bag of holding with four gems and two potions of healing. The trap in the passage leading to area 1 is still set, but has become unstable, anyone passing through the area has a chance to trigger it on themselves. The harpies realize the danger and avoid this area if possible.

3. Entrance Cave

Broken stalactites hang from the 50-foot high ceiling, and fragmented stalagmites just like teeth from the uneven, rock-strewn floor. This is difficult terrain for any creature not familiar with the area. Small pits make traversing the area more hazardous; creatures moving quickly must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw for every 30 feet of movement or trip into a pit, suffer 2 (1d4) points of bludgeoning damage, and be knocked prone. Water dripping into the shallow pool at the south end of the cavern echoes throughout the space. A low makeshift wall of rocks hides part of the 30-foot high ledge at the north end. Intact stone columns and small niches in the walls can provide cover and hiding places. A trickle of water runs down the narrow passage on the east, and along the wall into the pool.

Dragon’s Lair:
Given enough warning, the kobolds spread out around the chamber, and hide behind the wall at the top of the ledge. They will concentrate their missile attacks on spell casters and mob them for melee attacks if possible. A large wooden cistern at the top of the eastern ramp collects dripping water which overflows to form the trickle down the passage. The kobolds can release the water which forms a torrent down the ramp; creatures caught in the deluge must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be washed down the slope, suffering 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage from the tumble. A large barrel of oil at the top of the ramp serves as a secondary defense; when tipped over and lit on fire, creatures in the passage must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being splashed with burning oil taking 2d6 fire damage. A kobold sorcerer (AC 15 (mage armor), Hit points 12 (6d6-6), Spell Attack +3, Save DC 12. At will: firebolt for 2d10 fire damage; 3 times: ray of sickness; 1 time each: invisibility, misty step, shatter) with a wand of magic missiles is among the group defending the caverns.

Aftermath:
The remains of a dragon lie sprawled across fallen rock and mud at the north end of the room, its hind quarters atop the ledge, its head and front legs on the floor of the cavern. (The mud will detect as transmutation magic, and return to stone if dispelled.) The remains of a cleric wearing a cloak of protection and holding a mace +1, +3 versus evil creatures are trapped under a front foot of the dragon, its claw through the cleric’s chest. If the dragon’s corpse is disturbed, swarms of beetles will emerge. The rest of the cavern is littered with the remains of kobolds, all showing signs of violence. The cistern at the top of the eastern passage is open and water trickles out freely; a overturned barrel nearby contains an oily residue.
Five kobold zombies guard the remains of a wizard hidden behind a pillar near the pool of water. The wizard’s body wears a ring of shooting stars and a cloak of displacement. One of the wizard’s legs has been obviously broken. The body clutches a piece of parchment, containing a message, written in charcoal:

The dragon is finally defeated, but at what cost? We lost Alphonse, and with Marta dead, I don’t have much hope myself. Reynard and Giselle went to check the beast’s horde for any healing magic, but I heard Giselle shout and the sound of a scuffle, before I blacked out. All was silent when I regained myself; I will animate some servants to aid me, but I fear it will take all my strength. If you find me here, I humbly ask you to return my remains and belongings to my family …

Pouches of spell components and miscellaneous gems and/or jewelry can also be found on the remains of the cleric and wizard.

4. Dragon Cave

The floor and ceiling of this cavern have been smoothed out more than the other spaces, and small collections of coins, gems, and jewelry have been placed in niches along the walls. Coins lay scattered across the shelf at the north end of the cavern, with art objects precisely arranged along the walls in this area.

Dragon’s Lair:
On the third round of fighting in area 3, the dragon will emerge from area 5 into this cavern, and proceed into area 3 if the battle with the kobolds continues. If trespassers enter the caverns stealthily enough, the dragon may be admiring the art on the northern ledges, or dozing in area 5.

Aftermath:
Several of the niches have been plundered of their treasure, a few coins left inside or scattered on the floor nearby. A rope hangs from the northern ledge. Near the back of the ledge, a number of art objects have been toppled over, and the body of a thief lies sprawled in a pool of dried blood, the side of its skull caved in. The ghost of Reynard the thief haunts the area, and wants revenge on Giselle, who killed him after he attempted to stab her in the back. The ghost knows that Giselle stole one of the dragon’s eggs, and the location of the adventuring group’s home base. The remains wear a ring of invisibility and a sword of life stealing lies nearby.

5. The Nest

Coins, gems, and jewelry lie in a pile near the southeast end of the cave.

Dragon’s Lair:
The dragon sleeps in this chamber, guarding the nest on the 15-foot high ledge at the east end of the cavern. Noise in the other chambers in the Lair will awaken the dragon and cause it to investigate. Three eggs lie in the nest.

Aftermath:
The nest on the ledge contains two smashed eggs, and a space where a third egg may have lain. The nest is guarded by a dragonwight, the dragon-soul possessed body of one of the kobolds who survived the onslaught of the adventurers. The dragonwight will defend the smashed eggs, and demand to know where the third egg is.

Dragonwight

Medium to Large aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 15
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +6, Wis +5, Chr +5
Skills Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Necrotic, the damage type of the dragon’s breathweapon(s)
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Draconic
Challenge 5

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the dragonwight has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Legendary Resistance (1/day). If the dragonwight fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The dragonwight can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes two claw attacks.
Claw. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8+3) slashing damage.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragonwight’s choice that is within 60 feet of the dragonwight and aware of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragonwight’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The dragonwight has the same breathweapon(s) as a wyrmling of its dragon type.

A dragonwight appears as a larger version of the creature possessed by the dragon’s soul, but with scales the same color as the dragons, and with ghostly wings.

As a stand-alone monster, without minions to depend on, the nothic quickly becomes the target of all the PCs, and I would like the encounter and likely combat to be a little more interesting. I came across Matt Colville’s video on “action-oriented monsters” and found his idea of introducing “villain actions” inspiring. So I’m giving the nothic an upgrade. Here is my take on a Greater Nothic.

I’ll boost the armor class to 17; fifth level PCs still have a pretty good chance to hit it, and I’ll give it a little more than double the hit dice. I’m increasing Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom a point or two each. These changes puts it in the same range as a barbed devil and night hag, which are CR5. For its “villain actions”, I want to play up the nothic’s desire for magical learning. Because it would rather avoid combat, the first action, “Throw down your weapons”, helps avoid physical combat. The second encourages creatures to parlay with the nothic if they have magical abilities or items; I think any creature who was a victim of the nothic’s weird insight ability should have disadvantage on Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) checks against the nothic. This could turn what started as a combat encounter into a role-play encounter, and perhaps a trade for information.

Greater Nothic

Medium aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 97 (13d8+39)
Speed 30

Skills Arcana +5, Insight +6, Perception +3, Stealth +5
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Undercommon
Challenge 5 (XP)

Keen Sight. The greater nothic has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Misty Escape. The greater nothic can cast misty step as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Actions

Multiattack. The greater nothic makes two claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit. reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) slashing damage.
Rotting Gaze. The greater nothic targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against this magic or take 14 (4d6) necrotic damage.
Weird Insight. The greater nothic targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must contest is Charisma (Deception) check against the greater nothic’s Wisdom (Insight) check (16). If the greater nothic wins, it magically learns one fact or secret about the target. Until the end of the greater nothic’s next turn, it automatically knows the location of the target, and has advantage on any saving throws against attacks by the target. Targets who are immune to being charmed, have advantage on their Charisma (Deception) checks to against the greater nothic’s Wisdom (Insight) check.

Villain Actions

The greater nothic can take 3 villain actions, in the order listed, during the first three rounds of engagement. Only one villain action can be used at a time, and only as a reaction or at the end of another creature’s turn.

1. “Throw down your weapons”. The greater nothic casts a mass suggestion with a Wisdom save DC of 15, for creatures to “Throw down your weapons and talk with me,” if there are spell-casters or magic items in the area, or “Throw down you weapons and leave,” if not.
2. “No magic please”. The greater nothic uses its reaction to cast counterspell at 5th level against a spell attack. Its spellcasting ability modifier is +5.
3. “What’s in your brain?”. The greater nothic can rip away a creature’s thoughts at range: Touch. The victim must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or suffer 22 (5d8) points of psychic damage and be stunned, with half damage and avoiding being stunned on a successful save. Stunned creatures can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turns. After used as a villain action, the greater nothic can use this ability as an action with a recharge on 5 or 6.

1. Tower Cellar

Inhabited Retreat: The portcullis from the stairway is closed, but not locked, and the space smells of dust and mildew. Crates and barrels line the walls, with odd bits of furniture scattered around. Cobwebs and dust drape across much of the clutter. A stack of barrels on the south wall is free of dust. One large barrel contains water, and another, wine. A smaller cask contains quality brandy. Investigations of the rest of the clutter in this area may reveal that a stack of crates is empty and connected to the secret door, rather than sitting directly on the floor. The door to area 2 is locked; the secret door to area 4 is magically locked.

Abandoned Ruins: A group of goblins has made this place home. The portcullis from the stairway is hanging from its hinges, and the space smells of damp, smoke, and rot. Many of the wooden items have been smashed for firewood, although some pieces have been cobbled together to create rough furniture. A bedframe, still in reasonable condition sits in the northern section, heaped with rags. The goblins will occasionally fight over whose turn it is to sleep in “The Big Bed”. There is a small cask of oil in the stack of barrels on the south wall. There are two larger barrels, one containing stagnant water and the other wine that has turned to vinegar. The stack of crates against the secret door have been broken apart and repurposed as a throne for the leader of the goblins. She knows there is a secret door there, and that something dangerous lurks on the other side. A makeshift fire pit sits between the stairs and the door to area two, and produces oily smoke that has blackened the ceiling and makes breathing on the stairs to this area difficult. The door to Area 2 is open, and the lock has been seriously damaged.

2. Library

Inhabited Retreat: Many shelves line this room overburdened with books and scrolls. These contain volumes on such topics as “Strategies for Dragon Chess”, “Inter-Planar Creatures: From the Benign to the Truly Malevolent”, “Dances with Owlbears,” “Navigating Ancient Woodlands: A Survival Guide”, and works of fiction like, “My Life as a Firebeetle”, and “Love among the Sawgrass”. There are also a couple spellbooks, scrolls with various spells, and shelves full of journals containing lab notes. These last contain recipes for making several kinds of potions and magic items. A comfy chair and writing desk stand before a cozy hearth. The doors to area 3 are magically locked, both with magical alarm spells that create a loud ringing sound in areas 1 and 3.

Abandoned Ruin: The goblins have been using this room in addition to area 1. The destruction here would make a wizard weep. Shelves of books and scrolls have been smashed, they and their contents used a fuel for the small fire in the hearth at the south end of the room. There is a chance that a book or scroll has survived, but it will take quite a while to find it in the ruins. An overturned writing desk piled with rags sits next to the hearth; this is the chief’s bed. A half-full cask of quality brandy, with the words “Propty of Cheef” written on it with charcoal, sits near the bed. The doors to area 3 are blocked by piles of debris, and the southern door is magically locked. Two swarms of rats will emerge from the debris blocking the north door, if that pile is disturbed.

3. Laboratory

Inhabited Retreat: The contents of this room are tidy and organized. The shelves and tables at the north end contain materials for a variety of endeavors, and include alchemists’ supplies, jewelers’ tools, and tinkers’ tools. A complex array of beakers, braziers, tubes, and flasks is set up on the east wall, and occasionally drips a viscous, green liquid with black flecks in it into a large flask at one one end. The liquid, once the process is allowed to complete (in the next 24 hours) will be a potion of giant strength. The middle section of the lab contains a forge, anvil, and smiths’ tools. There is also a sink that magically produces water continually, and drains through a grate in the floor into the sewers below. The forge is currently cold, and the tool stowed away carefully. The table at the far end contains diagrams of humans, dogs, and a variety of human/dog hybrids, with many annotations, partial formulas, calculations, and scratched out work. There are also books open to pages about dispelling polymorph spells, cryptid biology, and undoing curses. A heavy, dark curtain conceals the bars blocking the south end of this room and the cells just beyond. The gate in the bars is closed, but unlocked, and the sound of whimpering can be heard on the other side. All the cells are unlocked, open, and with the exception of the western-most one, unoccupied. In that last cell, a large dog with an almost human face, long brown hair, and human hands rather than front paws lies on a pile of clean rags, crying softly to itself. A cup, of fresh water, and a plate of human foot are on a small table near the front of the cell, but are untouched. Keys to the cells are on a hook near the southern door to area 2. The door to areas 4 and 5 is magically locked and trapped.

Abandoned Ruin: This room has been taken over by a group of wererats who access the space through the grate leading down to the sewers. While not tidy, the space is well kept, and the tools are still in good, although used condition. The area around the forge has been turned into a bedding area, while the north end of the room is used by an alchemist wererat, who is currently creating oil of slipperiness. There are three other potions stored on the shelves: two potions of healing and one of invisibility. This wererat pack is part of a larger gang, and currently have a hostage, Aquilinus “Linus” Waldhar, the husband of a butcher whose is delinquent on the protection payments in the eastern cell. The tattered curtains separating the cells from the rest of the area are completely closed, and Linus is scared out of his wits. He can hear the wererats whispering, but not enough to hear the words. He also hears them going about their daily routines, and has imagined them creating all sorts of torturous plans for him. (He does not know the real reason he has been kidnapped.) Linus can also hear movement and the occasional moan coming from the western-most cell. He tried to talk to whomever is imprisoned there, but the only response he got was a ghastly whisper saying “Kill me!”. The creature in that cell is a ghoul, but appears to be a combination of a human and a dog. The wererats are aware of the goblins in area 2, but choose not to interact with them. They can summon the swarms of rats from that area, as well as from the sewers to their aid, if needed. The door to areas 4 and 5 is locked (not magically), but has some sort of gel around the frame. If the door is opened, the gel erupts like a glyph of warding with fire damage.

4. Research Room

Inhabited Retreat: This room is tidy and dust-free. The books on the shelves are spellbooks containing conjuration and abjuration spells. There are also some dusty tomes with descriptions of other planes and the creatures therein. All the books are chained to the shelves, with the keys in the writing desk in the center of the room. An air elemental inhabits this room, and attacks anyone disturbing the books or desk without permission. The secret door and the door to areas 3 and 5 are locked; the secret door with a magic lock. The door to areas 3 and 5 also has a high-level glyph that causes force damage.

Abandoned Ruin: Shelves have been ripped from walls, and books torn to shreds lie scattered around this room. Arcane symbols are painted on the walls and ceiling, connected by both drawn lines, and strings. Many of the strings stretch from one wall to the other or to the ceiling. The debris on the floor and the strings make movement in the room difficult. Anyone spending more than a minute reading the symbols must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or suffer psychic damage, and possible (temporary) insanity. An air elemental resides in this room and will attack anyone disturbing the painted symbols or string. The secret door to area 1 is magically locked, but the door to areas three and five is opened.

5. Summoning Chamber

Inhabited Retreat: A raised podium stands in the middle of the room, facing south, toward a large magic circle and an elaborately carved arch on the south wall. The fixtures in the room are all covered in white sheets, as if the room has not seen much use of late. Under the sheets, the tables are empty, and the shelves contain a variety of powders, herbs, and other material than can be burned in the brazier or mixed in the basin. The brazier is cold and the basin empty; both are covered by sheets. Attached to the basin is an alchemy jug, that will dispense its contents into the basin. Removing the jug has a chance to damage it. A small book lies open under the sheet on the podium. It contains a ritual that can be used to open a gate to the ethereal plane in the archway. The ritual requires one hour, and the gate remains open while the caster concentrates, up to an hour. The barred gate and the door beyond to areas 3 and 4 are both locked, and the gate bears an alarm spell.

Abandoned Ruin: Like the research room, the shelves here have been destroyed, and most of the walls are covered in arcane runes, but without the connecting lines and strings. The tables in the northeast have been raised and propped against the wall, and covered with tattered and stained sheets. This serves as a lean-to where a greater nothic resides. It will seek to rip as much information from anyone entering the room as it can. The nothic can also open a gate in the archway as an action, but the gate is only one-way, allowing creatures from other planes to enter the room. Bones and exoskeletons from other-planar creatures litter the floor. The gate and door to this room are both closed but unlocked; the decaying remains of a wererat lie in the hall leading to area 3.

“It’s not easy being green”

Even though this was my first time hosting an RPG Blog Carnival, it is actually pretty easy, and the folks of the community did not disappoint! I did not have a lot of time to write this month, but I did get two posts done: a little bit of magical greenery with May Flowers, and a post about my new campaign. The real gems are from the other contributors:

Sean over at Sea of Stars had a number of great ideas:

• A list of interesting ideas on the theme: https://seaofstarsrpg.wordpress.com/2024/05/03/it-is-not-easy-being-green-rpg-blog-carnival/
• And the “Jade Mask of Eternal Rest”, which will definitely show up in my games, especially since one of my players is thinking about having his wizard start dabbling more with necromancy: https://seaofstarsrpg.wordpress.com/2024/05/28/tuesday-magic-item-jade-mask-of-eternal-rest/

The DM’s Escritoire posted an comment on the month’s introduction post about flavoring the abilities of a Circle of Spores druid.

A grim forest on the move makes for a dark green adventure seed, thanks to The Robgoblin: https://the-robgoblin.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-wood-is-growing-rpg-blog-carnival.html

Cool ideas about herbs from VDonnut Valley will be handy for one of my players who wants their PC to lean into their herbalism skills. The minisystem suggested there reminds me a bit of some of the cooking/crafting mechanics in some video games: https://vdonnutvalley.bearblog.dev/is-it-really-not-easy-being-green-herbalism-minisystem-for-rpg-blog-carnival/

DM Gonz at Codex Anathema has some great suggestions for folks new to the game about what you need to play D&D based on your level of interest, from newbie to burgeoning DM: https://codexanathema.com/2024/05/30/una-guia-esencial-para-empezar-a-jugar-dd/

There’s a short adventure by Empedocles the Wizard inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, both creepy and beautiful at the same time: https://elementalreductions.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-very-hungry-caterpillars-butterflies.html

Finally, Xaosseed from Seed of Worlds has some thoughts on orc-centric worldbuilding; even if you don’t view orcs as greenish, tusked humanoids, the article has some really interesting thoughts about shifting a setting away from human/elf centric: https://seedofworlds.blogspot.com/2024/05/orc-shifted-world-rpg-blog-carnival.html

A big THANK YOU to these folks for participating. I really enjoyed reading your work! Check out past RPG Blog Carnivals and upcoming themes at https://ofdiceanddragons.com/rpg-blog-carnival/. As always, thanks to Scot for organizing the Carnival! And please check out (and participate) in June’s Carnival, After the Dragon: What happens after the monster attack and after they are defeated?, hosted by Sea of Stars.

For example, the sorcerer in the party was invited to a meeting of the Sorcerer’s Caucus, referred to as The Genitus, at the Arcanum. The first check was how well he introduced himself to the rest of the caucus. Then, as the social event went on, he was approached by a number of noble-born sorcerers, and had a second check to interact with them. The player had decided that his sorcerer was from a dirt-poor family, so I had set this one up to see how he would react to the nobles. Before the third check, the Genitus decided to hold a prestidigitation contest, with the prize being a small magic item. During the contest, one of the wild sorcerers in the caucus had an unfortunate accident, with lightning bolts flying in all directions. The third skill check was about how the PC would handle this event.

The great thing about this scene was that it allowed me to provide hints and clues about the campaign without much exposition and without just handing it over. Additionally, for each failed skill check, there were consequences. In the sorcerer’s scene, the PC failed one of the checks, and made an enemy of one of the noble-born sorcerers. He also got information about the field his patron was researching and a rumor about the location of a ruined fellstone tower. The wild-magic sorcerer with the lightning accident became an ally.

The rogue was tasked with stealing back a writ of credit from a corrupt city guardsman, who stole it from the orphanage where the PC grew up. The rogue got to use lots of their sneaky investigation skills, and ended the scene with a chase. The bard, whose player envisions her as disillusioned with the upper class, was helping negotiate a deal between a noble and a horse-trading goblin. They got to use their Charisma skills, and helped prevent a serious brawl in the tavern where they were making the deal. They got a slightly damaged alchemy jug from the bartender for their trouble.

The group encounter was with a few masked members of the Revelry, who were seeing how many passersby would dance with them that evening. After walking past the dancers (the sorcerer joined the dance, the other two avoided it) two dark-robed figures rushed from an alley and tried to kidnap one of the masked nobles. The PCs engaged in combat and rescued the noble before the robed figures could escape, discovered the would-be kidnappers were sahaugin, and saw the door the surviving kidnappers escaped through.

This was a great session, and everyone said they had a good time playing and learning about their characters. I found out more about how the players viewed their PCs, who liked to role- and who liked to roll-play, and how they might handle combat. I also got to try out a new mechanic for rolling contested skill checks: I rolled 2d6+8 to determine the DC. This provided variability to the DC with an average of 15, which seemed appropriate given the skills involved and the situations. (It shouldn’t be too easy to sneak into a guard house.) The PCs got some information about the city, gained allies and enemies, and earned some small magic items. I hadn’t run a session like this before, and I think I’ll use the format every so often moving forward.

We started the session with player introductions and a discussion of Lines and Veils, then moved into what they had for their character concepts:

• A tiefling rogue who grew up in an orphanage and now works for the Outstretched Hand as a Robin Hood type of character.
• A human sorcerer whose powers emerged later in life and was quickly recruited by the Arcanum. He grew up poor, and his mother still lives in a tenement and works as a maid for one of the noble houses. He would like to know why the Arcanum is so interested in him.
• A young noble (from the house where the sorcerer’s mother works) who is currently going incognito as a member of the lower class. The charade is part of a bet undertaken by a clique from the Revelry. (The player had drawn a picture of the PC, which was really cool.)
• A satyr bard, former master-at-arms for the royal family who left her position after becoming disillusioned with the privileged behavior of the noble class and is now affiliated with the Outstretched Hand.

We discussed their personalities and physical appearances, then I provided a list of questions for them to ask each other in character. This was an idea I had from a Cypher System one-shot run by Jason from Shadomain.com. In each round of questions, each PC asks one other PC a question. I don’t remember the questions he had us ask each other, but it was a fun exercise, so I made up my own questions.

For the first round of questions, I had each PC ask one other “How did we meet?” We didn’t get all the meeting stories, and we agreed they didn’t have to be canon for the campaign, just ideas to build from and a way to get a feel for the PC’s personalities. I did not take a lot of notes about what the players said about their characters. One player was unsure about being creative on the fly and received encouragement from the other players who were happy to build on whatever came up.

In the second round of questions, the PCs had to ask a different person one of these questions:
Why did we get kicked out of the tavern that night?”
How did we lose that thing we found?
What was the best thing we accomplished together?
How did we escape from that place?
There were a few funny stories, and I made sure the more tentative player had their choice of questions.

For the third round, the questions got a little more personal:
What do we laugh about the most?
What is it about me that annoys you?
What is it about me that makes you happy?
What have you told me that you’ve not told anyone else?
These turned out really interesting, and we found out that the rogue may know more about the undercover noble than the latter had planned on revealing based on that last question.

I then asked each player what they hoped their PC would get a chance to do. I do plan to incorporate some of these ideas into the overall campaign. We also discussed where each PC was likely to call home, and then looked at the map of the city and some of the location descriptions. I explained that I typically used theater of the mind for encounters, but liked to provide maps so the players had some context. They asked a few questions about the setting, and I suggested a couple procedural things like rolling our own dice, getting max damage from the first die roll on a critical hit, and using perception checks to determine who gets the clues (rather than as opportunities to miss the clues).

We hung out a bit after that and talked about our experiences with other games and systems before everyone logged off. One player might not be able to make the first session, so I’m planning on a few short prologue encounters for the rest of the PCs. I’m looking forward to our next session in a couple weeks!