Starting D&D at Seven (Family D&D Night Actual Play)

Age seven, that is!* Last night I ran a game of D&D 5E for my son (and my wife, who joined a bit late) for a game designed with several overt and covert intents. It was not my son's first game night by any stretch, but it was the first one specifically designed with him in mind.

The overt intent of the game night was:

--Have a fun family game night with RPGs that allowed my son time to process a story designed for his age (he shows up to my Saturday game night with mom, but it's a schizophrenic experience for me as GM to bounce between "adult group narrative" and a refurbishing of the tale for my son to enjoy.)

--Help him learn D&D. I settled on D&D 5E for a lot of reasons I'll discuss in a future post. But short version: he has a tiefling wizard he'd played before and wanted to play again, and he wanted to learn how to make a character this time, rather than have dad do it for him.

--Give old dad a chance to enjoy a really simple, fun D&D arc with a young player who is not jaded and does not metagame. Enjoy the game from the angle of an actual, completely new gamer to whom every single thing is new and interesting, and the sky is the limit; you old veteran GMs know what I mean: new gamers always, inevitably bring a fresh take to the table as they have no preconceptions at all; and young gamers are boundlessly enthusiastic and eager to boot.

But there was a covert intent, too! This included:

--continue to teach my son math. He's now doing addition and subtraction ahead of his 1st grade class, thanks to D&D.

--encourage my son to read. I made him a character sheet that was very "reader friendly" for his age, but as it turned out he really wanted to roll his own new character, and this proved just as effective at getting him to read. This has been an ongoing issue with his school; his teacher explains it like this: he is quite adept at reading, but he's not so great at retention. But his teacher is actively encouraging him to report on his D&D adventures since he seems to have excellent retention in the games. Our trick is "How to merge the power to pay attention to D&D with the power to pay attention to what you are reading." Maybe WotC could oblige with some junior reader books aimed at age 7-10 or something.

Overall, last night was a success for all overt and covert goals. My son played two characters:

Punk Rock Demon, the tiefling wizard necromancer bounty hunter
and his newly rolled character:
Test Subject 930 ("nine hundred and thirty"), the dragonborn wizard evoker

I asked my son about the origin story for Test Subject 930, and he explained that he was a normal guy who was kidnapped by a secret lab, where they fed him a magic potion that turned him into a half-dragon. Nice!

I ran the game in the Vosjin Wood (from Pergerron; scroll down for multiple links), but left the details basic: "You're traveling to the city of Samaskar, where you hear there are lots of mages, including a school for mages where you could learn new spells, when you camp overnight on an old hill. In the morning you wake up, and the road is gone....forest is everywhere, and in the distance lurks a single, huge mountain that was never there before. You see a tower two miles away, what do you do?"

And so began the adventure! He went to the tower, at least partially because I had already put down a beautiful wilderness map with a tower on it (a Paizo map) and he was eager to explore it. Along the way he discovered an abandoned mansion, possibly once inhabited by the tymardiae, so he went to the largest house to explore (new map).

As our trusty hero Punk Rock Demon and his henchman Test Subject 930 approached the mansion, they spotted a goat emerging from a large hole in the crumbling wall. Seconds later, as they hid to approach, a gigantic goat, larger than an ogre, emerged from the same hole and spotted Test Subject 930 (hereafter TS930) in his hiding spot! TS930 promptly fired a scorching ray at the goat, one of which hit a regular goat and sent it fleeing (minimum damage), while another singed the building side and a third angered the super goat. The goat charged, and after a brief battle it was goat meat.

TS930 spent time harvesting goat meat, getting 8 days of salted meat rations to carry with him. Punk Rock Demon entered the collapsing mansion where he luckily was not spotted by a lurking lizardman with more goats. After a tense exchange he approached and convinced the lizard man he meant no harm. "Oh, the forest got you, too. Where were you going?" the lizardman asked....and much to dad's pride, my son announced, "I was going to the city of Samaskar to learn more magic!"

...I have gamed with a lot of adults who can't/won't remember the weird names I come up with for fantasy cities. But my son remembered it after being told once in an intro narrative.

Anyway, the lizardman insisted they owed him 20 GP for killing his prize giant goat, so they paid him and he went on his way. The hero and his henchman then finished harvesting the goat, and then looted the mansion, finding a box in a hidden compartment behind an old stone throne.

Around this time my wife arrived from her finals and joined in with Sartorius the drow warrior, who had snuck up on the two after also being trapped in the Vosjin Wood. He had sisters from his drow clade who wanted him brought back, and two bugbear bounty hunters were on his tail.

After a brief introduction between drow, tiefling and dragonborn they were accosted by the two bugbear bounty hunters who tried to net the drow and tiefling, but botched it. A fight ensued, and Punk Rock Demon put one to sleep before getting clocked with a mace. As Sartorius pumped them full of bolts TS930 then fried them with burning hands. As the last one fled, Punk Rock Demon rolled a 20 on his recovery/stabilization roll.....fortuitous! My wife bought brand new dice and her D20 rolled a natural 20 four out of six times in its first use.....hmmmmm......

They finished looting the hidden treasure cache and the now dead bugbear bodies, and prepared to move on to the tower. The lizardman had warned them that an old hermit named Aruman had been lurking near the tower, and that he might be able to help them escape the Vosjin Wood.....

More to come!!!




*Not the first time I've introduced someone to gaming at a young age. Technically my sister was 8 when I introduced her to D&D (I was 10). Her first character was named Wormi. Wormi is an important NPC these days in the Ages of Lingusia setting. So who knows! Maybe one day Test Subject 930 and Punk Rock Demon will be prominent forces in Pergerron. 

Five of the Best Realms of Chirak Articles (according to the author)

I was poking through the years of this blog...like, 8 of them!....and realized I've got some good stuff floating around out there that I'd all but forgotten. Here are five of the cooler articles I unearthed and which I frankly am rather proud of.....

5. Adapting the Alien Universe to Traveller (May 2017)

A quick and dirty but very robust adaptation of the Alien franchise right up through Alien: Covenant. I feel like I should run this.

4. Senempar, City of Shadows for Pathfinder (March 2011)

This was the basis for a campaign I ran for about two and a half years, and the home city of the adventuring party that went from levels 1 to roughly 14. Many good memories, especially of taking down the enigma of the Red God!

3. Pergerron (Starting April 2014)

Now I'm cheating by linking to an Index, but of the various worlds built as exercises on this blog, Pergerron was especially interesting. The setting started as my tribute to classic B/X D&D and eventually morphed into something I used in actual play with Magic World and then D&D 5E. One of the best parts of the setting was the region of the Vosjin Wood, a haunted netherland bordering the mortal realm and the Primordial lands. A lengthy series of encounter write-ups (starting here) were some of the most fun I've had in setting up a weird forest.

Fun fact: I adapted the Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle to Pergerron!

2. Temple of the Whispering Dark (April 2012)

Dual-statted for BRP (Magic World) and T&T, this module remains one of the coolest scenarios I've written which I have never managed to run, mainly because I've never found a way to squeeze the world of Sarvaelen in to my gaming slots, nor decided what system I truly wanted to use for it. Still, it's a great scenario.

1. 28 Days in Savage Space (started February 2014)

You can find it all on the Savage Worlds site index, but before The Last Parsec arrived I was deeply inspired by the fast, furious and fun structure of the Savage Worlds Science Fiction Companion to create a new setting from whole cloth....or in this case, I found a few dozen random cool picture on the internet and used them as the springboard for creating the Savage Space setting, which I have now used for three Savage Worlds SF campaigns. Definitely some of the most fun I've had writing on the blog, and something I must do again, soon.

Plotting a Campaign in Pergerron using Mythras in the Near Future

With Classic Fantasy out soon, Mythras (alias Runequest 6) is really on my mind right now. On the one hand, I've been trying to ignore it a bit, as I have a couple active games going with no immediate end in sight....White Star (now on Saturdays) and D&D 5E in Chirak (that consumes Wednesdays). But, we could put D&D on pause Wednesday, or White Star could conclude in another 5-10 sessions easily enough. When that happens....I think a little RQ6/Mythras is in order.

Not sure if I'll use the Classic Fantasy content whole cloth, as I like the core rules as-is, but maybe I could snip the monsters, magic items and some other stuff out and blend it in. I'll most likely use my Pergerron setting, which worked quite well for my prior two Magic World campaigns, so it should translate pretty easily in to Mythras.

Failing Wednesdays and Saturdays, I have some other local gaming cohorts who have been asking me to run RQ6/Mythras for a long time now. If I can somehow find the time to introduce a third game, this would be an easy way to do it. Hmmmmm.....

If you are wondering why RQ6/Mythras is sufficiently interesting to merit extra effort to run, know that it is probably the best system currently on the market for managing a blend of fantasy and realism that will evoke the grim and gritty elements of sword & sorcery (& sandals, don't forget those) in a manner consistent with actual fiction. The power and fragility of RQ6/Mythras characters contrast in such interesting ways, and you really can model an Achilles in this system without resorting to tricks or house rules, essentially.

That sort of evocative experience is a real eye-opener for many people when they finally get to play RQ6/Mythras for the first time, realizing that there's an entire other range of storytelling you can be doing in fantasy, which draws upon a much more mythic and historical resonance than D&D traditionally can. D&D can handle a certain style of game exceedingly well....but it's not a system where losing a limb is a realistic prospect in combat, or where casting spells requires meaningful sacrifice and effort....or where you can, by the Rules as Written*, advance in skill and talent without ever lifting a blade, to become a major mover and shaker by force of wit and personality and talent alone. Mythras is all of that, and a bit more.

Time to revisit The Vosjin Wood again, I think.

*In 5E's defense you can train in downtime without leveling to gain new skills and languages, but 5E is not even remotely as nuanced as Mythras is in this regard.

Lands of Pergerron: Vothrace of the Silver coast Region

See the collected Pergerron articles here to lead up to this entry!

Vothrace

From the coastal regions west of the Silver coast all the way north to the edge of the Anansis River’s southern shores and Mt. Gol is a vast an untamed land identified as Vothrace. While most look to the nomads of Vothrace as a single culture of barbaric tribesmen who revere primitive spirits and and ancestors, the truth is more complex. Vothrace contains the remnants of two once great kingdoms: Thassar, which dominated much of the south for centuries before falling to Anansic invasions, and Astumar, which fell five centuries ago to a plague which decimated the people of the kingdom and left the cities and castles of a once thriving land entirely barren; only a handful of survivors who fled the cities survived, and to this day the ruins of old Astumar are regarded as dangerous, plague-tainted remnants of a bygone era.

The kingdom of Thassar is detailed in its history along the Silver Coast, but it’s old territories included much of southern Vothrace.

Astumar, according to legend, held strong as a regional contender against the early Anansic invasions, and may have thrived but for the plague which wiped out the land, at least until the last century and a half when the great rivers which poured out of the western mountains dried up; the draught hit the nomads of the region hard, and would surely have ended Astumar had it survived to the present.

The nomads of Vothrace today are a mixture of clans with histories dating back to old Thassar settlements, Astumari descendant and Anansic settlers. There is some Galitath and even a bit of Mesutin in their language as well, suggesting a real mixing pot of relations.

Unlike many other nomadic groups in the Anansis region, the Vathrace have retained a fairly sophisticated culture and language, and pass this down from one generation to the next. A very ritualized process of ancestor worship has grown up among the Vothrace, as well as a heavy reliance on spirits from the Outland as a source of their divine lore and understanding. Priests in Vothace pay equal reverence to the spirits and ancestral ghosts, and often wear physical ornamentation of old ancestors; the very skin and bone of an ancestor may turn into a priestly vestment, and the heads of old relatives of great import (especially if they knew magic) are decorated slavishly with gold, silver and jewels an imbued with powerful divination magic to serve as oracles for the clan.

Spirit priests of the Vothrace are effectively shamans. They revere the spirits as perfect beings which exist outside of the mortal realm of creation, entities which will speak truth when the so called “gods” won’t. The Vothrace do not revere the Enkanneth or Primordials, and some occult scholars of the clans contend that the only real truth lies in the cosmic power of the Old Ones, which they say will inevitably destroy all of the world in its desire for consumption.

Vothrace clans are always on the move, and they have dozens of “meeting grounds” where several clans can converge each year for trade and commerce. Some Vothrace range as far as Galitath and Anansis, parking outside friendly cities and towns for trade and commerce. Not all Vothrace are welcome in all locations, however; the habit of wearing the skin and bones of dead relatives is considered highly taboo among Anansics who are very superstitious of the undead and see ancestor worship as bordering on dark necromancy.  Curiously the fortress-city of Thassar, last bastion of the old empire, welcomes all clans of Vothrace to its gates.

Atakan Jackal Men for Runequest 6

Say whaaaaaat? Yes, I have been motivated to work out some new Runequest 6 content after being invited to play and/or run RQ6. Verrrrry excited!!! Since I'm statting out Atakans, it's not a far cry to imagine I'm using Pergerron as the setting....

Atakans in Runequest 6

STR 3D6+3 (14), CON 2D6+6 (13), SIZ 2D6+6 (13), DEX 3D6+3 (14), INT 2D6+6 (13), POW 3D6 (11), CHA 3D6 (11)

APs 3     DMG +1D2          MPs 11 Move 8 SR 13     Armor: scale (AP 4 penalty 5)and hoplite shield

Roll        Loc.                    AP/HP

1-3          left leg                  4/6

4-6          right leg                4/6

7-9          Abdomen             4/7

10-12     Chest                     4/8

13-15     left arm                 4/5

16-18     right arm               4/5

19-20     head                      4/6

Combat Style: Atakan Hoplite (spear, 1H swords, shields, javelins, bite) 55%

Skills: Athletics 55%, Brawn 50%, Endurance 58%, Evade 45%, Perception 45%, Survival 45%, Unarmed 50%, Willpower 40%

Attack                   Damage               Size/Reach     Combat Effects        AP/HP

Bite                        1D4+1D2              S/M                grip, impale               natural

Scimitar                 1D8+1D2              M/M               bleed                           6/10

Hoplite shield       1D4+1D2               H/S                  bash, stun loc.            6/15

Javelins (4)           1D8+1+1D2           H/10/20/50     impale, pin shield M   3/8        

Scent: Atakans have a keen sense of smell which grants them advantage to detect the nature and approximate location of any target within 60 feet that could emit an odor (including invisible creatures or objects) on a successful perception check (contested if the target is specifically obscuring his or her scent).

Hardy Desert Dwellers: Atakans are used to roughing it in harsh desert climates, and gain a 20% bonus on any Survival checks in dry desert conditions due to thirst or heat exhaustion. Atakans can go for up to one week without water before experiencing dehydration effects.

Atakans are tall jackal-headed men who have the bodies of humans but the heads of jackals. They are not related to jackalweres, which are a cursed race infected with abyssal taint….the atakans are an ancient race which claims to predate human and elvenkind’s existence in the mortal realm. In Pergerron atakans dwell mostly in the wastelands outside of the human city-states of Anansis, and many atakans dwell in the Vumaskan lands to the east. They are suitable as a player-character racial option. The stats presented here are for an atakan commoner of no special skill who is a bit hardier as a physical laborer.

Vumaskans, the shrewd merchants and rogues of Pergerron (D&D 5E and S&W)

Since I've been getting back in to Swords & Wizardy lately I think I'll start dual-statting my Pergerron entries for both D&D 5E and S&W Complete. After much procrastination I have finally written some details up on the vumaskans of Pergerron....a mercantile race of green and blue skinned half-giants aimed at the spirit of the planetary romance genre: 

Pergerron: The Vumaskans

The vumaskans of Pergerron are considered an indigenous race, one of several (which include the elves, dwarves, atakans and orcs) that predate the appearance of man and may have been created from the dreams and musings of the Primordial gods. Though they are identified as one of these elder races little has been written of ill-will toward the vumaskans by humans; it seems that the bulk of the ire in ancient times was reserved toward the great empire of Sar, which was dominated by elves. As such, it is reasonable toexpect that the vumaskan kingdoms of Asparta to the far east may in fact have much longer lineages than the human kingdoms which arose in the last one thousand years in the wake of the fall of Sar.

Physically vumaskans average 6 ½ to 7 feet in height, almost always towering over mortal men. They have distinct skin tones, varying in hue from aquamarine to light green and cerulean blue. Vumaskan women tend toward greener skin tones while the men are inclined toward blue, but this is only a generality and not always true. About ten percent of the population have distinct ochre, yellow or jet black skin tones of shocking tonal quality. Once in a generation an albino vumaskan is born with shocking white skin. Such vumaskans are regarded as either sacred or profane gifts from the gods, and are always blessed with significant magical talent. Vumaskans are also known for being polydactyl, with four fingers and two thumbs on each hand, and six toes. This polydactylism makes them especially fine manipulators, and contributes toward their reputation for producing elaborate and detailed art.

Vumaskan culture is one of mercantilism and trade. The kingdoms of Asparta are much like the human lands of Anansis and abroad: a loose collection of city-states, although they pay nominal respect to the Caliphate of Dakarta, which is regarded as the spiritual center of vumaskan civilization. The Caliph of Dakarta, called Manaskan Draei, is considered a prophet of the primordial sea god Trigaril. Manaskan Drei’s wisdom is believed to be imparted directly from the Primordial himself. Aside from Trigaril, the vumaskans pay close reverence to Yoka Vataras, the only other primordial they continue to worship. Belief in the Enkanneth is also strong among the vumaskans, which helps to explain their good relations with humans. They especially favor Tekastei, a sort of local culture hero among the vumaskans who is seen as the Enkanneth that befriended the vumaskans during the ancient war against Sar and the fall of the Primordials, and the one who allegedly “tamed” the beastly nature of Trigaril.

Vumaskan language is a practical language which employs a surprising number of adopted words from the human Anansic tongue (common) as well as elvish and ataakan. The vumaskan relationship with the atakans is an interesting one: it is known that their lands overlap with the remnants of the fallen atakan empire, including the famour ruins of Pavagar and Ulhambra in the region of the Starry Wastes. Most vumaskan cities have significant populations of atakans, who willingly work as mercenaries and agents for the vumaskans. Among ataakans in this region of the world they have adopted a curious reliance on the vumaskans for broad political leadership, refraining from the need to rule themselves outside of their family clades. The vumaskans are fine with this, and treat the ataakans as equals while letting them self-govern within their own communities.

Among the men of Anansis vumaskans are regarded as wealthy foreign traders and merchants who bring exotic goods, fabulous art and exotic spices. Vumaskans are known for their production of opium as well, and are a principal supplier of such to those city states which do not frown upon its use (usually inland cities such as Samaskar allow opium use without restriction, while more conservative cities such as those which worship Abia along the Silver Coast have all but outlawed its use).

Vumaskan Characters

Vumaskans are excellent choices as player characters, though uncommon in lands outside of Asparta. They have the following traits:

Vumaskans in D&D 5E:

Attribute Modifiers: vumaskans gain +1 Dexterity and +1 to Strength due to their polydactyl nature and larger physical build.

Movement: 35 feet; the larger average size of the vumaskan gives them a longer stride.

Shrewd Negotiators: vumaskan culture encourages quit wit and fine negotiating skills. As such, vumaskans start with proficiency in Persuasion and Deception.

Fine Manipulation: The six-digited hands of vumaskans with two thumbs make them exceptionally talented at fine manipulation. They gain proficiency in Sleight of Hand.

Vumaskans in Swords & Wizardry:

Attributes: Vumaskans generally have better strength, dexterity and charisma than a normal human; if you are using optional attribute requirements they should have at least 9 in each of the above to qualify for vumaskan as a racial option.

Shrewd Negotiators: vumaskans can be shrewd negotiators. Typically this means in traditional old-school form that the GM should consider any reasonable persuasion from the player to be indicative of the shrewd and manipulative vumaskan’s acumen for negotiation. However, if you would like a mechanic for this, try the following: if a vumaskan is speaking with an NPC and is trying to convince him to do something out of the ordinary (but not harmful) the GM may opt to let the target make a saving throw against common sense to see if he buys into whatever the vumaskan is selling. Alternatively you can make the vumaskan PC roll against Charisma (D20 equal to or under) with a penalty set by the DM (equal to what seems right, or 1/4^th of the Hit Dice rounded down, or if the target has a Wisdom score apply a penalty of -1 for every point over 14).  Success means the target must make a saving throw or think the vumaskan’s idea is really great.

Fine Manipulation: vumaskans gain a +15% bonus to Delicate Tasks & Traps and Open Locks skills.

Class Options: vumaskans can advance without limit in cleric, fighter, thief and magic-user classes. They may advance to 12^th level as assassins or monks and may multi-class as cleric/fighters, fighter/thieves or thief/magic-users. There are no vumaskan druids, rangers or paladins. If you are using an expansion (such as the Player’s Companion) with bards as a class then vumaskans may advance to 15^th level as bards.

Lands of Pergerron: The Quest for Aladonsis Gedar

This is a short module/outline that I worked up in case I needed a filler scenario for my regular night. It's sort of turning into a mini-treatment of a corner of Pergerron not yet disclosed, however, so I may focus more on this in days to come.

Unlike much of what I present, this is actually written in a "scenario" format with some encounters outlined. I'll work on the journey to Maradraes next week.

Adventures in Pergerron: The Quest for Aladonsis Gedar

PRIMARY PLOT: In my original script the Adventurers have been hired by Kras Zenodar, an Anansic merchant, to travel to the coast of Galitath in search of the hermit-mage Aladonsis Gedar. He needs them to present the hermit with a sealed scroll that has been magically warded from prying eyes. However, for purposes of this plotline the adventurers only need to be arriving in the port for any number of reasons, including as a simple stop-over en route to another adventure.

SECONDARY PLOT: The adventurers will be landing in port Kadantir, in time to find the town under attack by vile forces!

Key Foes:

Warlord Grochas: The Ibixian Warlord Grochas has conquered a region of the southern Bramblewood and claimed it for his own, attacking the local jackalweres and gnolls and subjugating them to his rule. There are only a few ibixians, but they have dominated they local monsters already, thanks to information from bullywug allies.

Spymaster Kensas: a bullywug spy and current “chieftain” of his people, Kensas was the one who opened the gate to the Outlands that let the ibixians in. He has lured the goatmen into doing what he wishes. Kensas is a bullywug wizard, and has grand visions of riding on Grochas’s coat-tails to victory.

Port Kadantir Statistics:

Location on the Map: where the Sullen Sea and the Askofar Mountains meet; the vast stretch of coast and the length of the mountain lowlands are a dense thicket of swampland and trees from the Bramblewood.

Race Relations: Harmony

Ruler’s Status: Lord Valgarin is a feared tyrant in this town; an Anansic northman expatriate

Notable Traits: Kadantir has been the site of many battles between the monstrous tribes of the land and human colonials of Anansis and Mesutin. It has exchanged hands between Mesutin, Anansis and Galitath on multiple occasions.

Known For: strong Anansic patriotism and excellent local mines

Current Calamity: aside from the incursion of invaders, Kadantir has suffered from rising flood waters for several summers and most of its harbor region looks like a venetian canal system. It is nestled along the coast between the southern stretch of the Bramblewood, which in this region is a vast and murky swamp.

A Couple Taverns: The Laughing Stag and the The Drunken Dolphin are two famous local taverns.

Encounters:

#1: The Siege of Port Kadantir

The PCs have arrived at this remote Anansic settlement via the intrepid longship Hidden Glory, piloted by Captain Rohan Austemere (LN human fighter L6) and his first mate Eliza Gotares (LE 1/2 orc rogue L5). It’s been a three week journey with increasingly frigid waters. En route to the port the PCs pass a vessel which signals that the harbor ahead is under attack.

On arrival it is clear the small port is under attack. Two ships are sinking in the harbor as the ibixians, and three more ships are trapped.  gnolls, jackalweres and bullywugs lay siege to the town. Victory can be had if the War Keep is seized….but it looks like the attack by the monsters took the defenders by surprise, and the keep has fallen into the monster’s hands.

Part one: The party arrives in port, where the docks are under attack. Lord Valgarin and his family are trying to escape to their vessel before the beasts wind up the great siege ballista in the tower to sink it. They’ve already holed two ships.

Foes: on the docks a group of bullywugs, gnolls and jackalweres under an ibixian commander.

1 ibixian (450 XP)

8 bullywugs (25 XP each for 200 XP)

1 bullywug fighter level 5 (200 XP)

1 bullywug wizard level 5 (450 XP)

2 jackalweres (100 XP each for 200 XP)

2 gnolls (100 XP each for 200 XP)

Total XP 1,700 (3,400 XP total: a hard encounter for 4 level 5 PCs)

Treasure: 19 gold pieces, 60 silver pieces, and the ibixian is wielding a Great Club +1 (property: hungry quirk), a potion of healing. The bullywug fighter champion has a +1 long sword of behir slaying (deals +3D6 damage to behir).

Part Two: Lord Valgarin will be pleased at being saved, but his commander Goshin will ask the PCs to help him retake the tower. Commander Goshin has a cleric of Katas with him named Esavia who can heal the party. He knows a way in through the drainage grates at the base of the tower, which can be reached along the shore with a DC 15 sneak check. Getting in is easy….but inside the sewage drain is a troll guarding the path!

Foes: A mutant troll (Fifth Edition Foes) and three bullywug henchmen.

1 two-headed troll (2,300 XP)

3 bullywugs rogues level 4 each (100 XP each)

XP Value: 2,600 XP total

Treasure: 171 GP on the troll and 52 SP on the bullywugs plus a scroll of Fireball that they were using to threaten the troll with.

Part Three: The hike to the top of the tower is easy enough but the PCs who push must make Constitution checks (DC 15) or be fatigued when getting to the top. The signal tower and the massive war ballista are under the command of a gnollish strike force led by the bullywug eldritch knight Yamas Getata:

Foes: 1 bullywug leader and 8 gnolls, plus 1 gnoll fang of yeenoghu  (XP 2,350 XP)

 Treasure: the bullywug has 35 EP and 11 PP, the gnoll fang has 50 PP, and the gnolls have 72 GP. Yamas Getata has a shortsword +1 of Human Bane (gains advantage on attacks against humans) and a scroll of fireball as well as a potion of invisibility and two potions of healing (4D4+4).

Aftermath: Liberating the tower and the ballista….then using it against the attackers directly….will cause them to break rapidly and flee to the mountains. Lord Valgarin will feel indebted to the PCs, but surprisingly won’t offer more than his appreciation. He will hold out on any suggested reward, implying the PCs are not done with their duties until this warlord “Grochas” is slain. Captive monsters will readily cave and say that Grochas is now in command, having slain the jackalwere and gnoll leaders, and he is operating out of the old ruins in the ruins of Maradraes, the so-called “Fortress.” A bullywug of note may mention that a great glowing "mirror" has become the center of the ruins, and it was after this was activated by his chieftain Kensas that the goatmen showed up.

Finding Aladonsis Gedar: it turns out the last known location of Sir Gedar was in the ruins of Maradraes, where it is said he was studying the mysteries of the ancient lost culture of the south-eastern Askofar Mountains, a people he said were the Astrakania, a race of men who interbred freely with dragons to create the draconian halfbreeds of the world. But that adventure will be for another future post...

At last, the final three encounters in the Vosjin Wood...I'll work on assembling this in to some sort of coherent downloadable soon.

18: Mark of the Spear. This location is almost impossible to find save by chance or the will of one of the wood’s more notorious denizens. The Mark of the Spear is ground zero, the location where the Enkanneth drove the enchanted spear called Asiphiron into the ground, releasing the flood of magic which created the woodland prison in which the army of Blood Knights and monsters of Sar were trapped.

Happening upon this area reveals a small clearing of gentle but thick grasses surrounding what appears to be a sunken depression in the earth, almost like a crater. At the center of the crater rests what appears to be a polished spear of pure gold with ruby stones along the length of the shaft. Runic writing in the primordial tongue spells out “Asiphiron” along the side of the weapon. The actual spear head is buried deep in hard stone at the base of the incline where the spear rests.

Asiphiron is a potent artifact weapon, but it’s time has come and gone. The removal of the weapon would free the army and destroy the Vosjin Wood; powerful divine magic insures it remains firmly rooted. To protect it, the Enkanneth bound the spear to a powerful planar being, the Solar Angel Setirivan. Sterivan dislikes the duty placed upon him, but any who attempt to move the spear using supernatural means or with even a hint of success (for example, making a STR DC 25 to try and pull it free) will summon him immediately to either reason with or dispatch those who would seek to remove the spear.

Should Asiphiron somehow be removed (and this really should be a GM call) then the Vosjin Wood will dissipate within 1D100 days and free the ancient army of Sar. That might merit a campaign in its own right….

19: The Hydra’s Tree. The Hydra’s Tree is the most ancient and possibly most formidable of the denizens trapped in the wood. It can never be freed (save for the removal of the Spear, entry 18) but the tree nonetheless continues to cause problems for the mortal realm. The original Hydra was a twenty-one headed beast of immense (gargantuan) size….actual stats will not be provided here, but imagine a Tarrasque-like version of a hydra. The tree is equally immense, of almost mind-bendingly large dimensions, and within its branches and leaves it is said an entire tribe of goblins lurks, carefully tending and pruning the tree, relishing the sense of fear and presence it exerts on the forest around them.

The tree covers several acres, and its immense branches, twenty one primary trunks for each head, droop heavy with strange yellowish-green orbs of eerie fruit. Eating one of these fruits is deadly (DC 21 CON save or suffer 100 points of poison and 100 points of acid damage immediately) but if one ripens and drops it will spawn a juvenile hydra where it lands in 1D6 days. This has led to a plague of the beasts at times, many of which are later devoured by the serpent in the woods or other major predators, and still others seem to find their way into the Outworld. There is also a rumor that the goblins of the tree are actually kept there under Sukagra’s orders to prune the tree of its fruit as best they can.

Adventurers hanging around the tree have a 15% chance per half-day of encountering roaming hydras (1D6). They are also likely to attract the attention of the goblin tribe (there are roughly 100 goblins living in the tree’s upper branches).

20: Aruman’s Villa. Much has already been said of Aruman, who’s details were posted previously, so here’s a bit more information to add to it all. Aruman’s hut is a ramshackle affair, a long house divided into three parts, centered over an old dry cistern in the thicker, darker corner of the wood. The cistern is one of several like it that contain a planar gate at the bottom, this one opening up into the Outworld, along a stretch of Mt. Sahambla. Aruman regularly uses it to visit the mountain and the sprawling ruin of a lost Saric city where he enjoys studying his magic.

The villa itself is guarded by two brutish fellows, Urn and Skard, who are both Galitathic barbarians (NE human barbarians level 10 each). The two brothers were both ensorcelled by the Witch of Galitath and they journeyed many years ago to seek out Aruman to remove the curse….which he did, but in exchange for their servitude thereafter.

Aruman wears’ a mask of leather which a scrutinizing eye (Heal DC 12) might notice is human skin. He rarely reveals his lich-like features and can suppress the glow of his eyes at will. He favors speaking with visitors before harming or eluding them….Aruman is thirsty for the knowledge of the outside world, and an easy way to become friends with him is to bring new sorcerous knowledge for his vast collections.

Aruman also has a night hag which serves as his personal maid and assistant named Rukatha, who always manifests as an old woman. Rukatha can summon 4D6 wraiths of the woods as a bonus action if harmed or threatened, and the wraith obey her unerringly.

Aruman’s inner hut includes a passage dug deep which winds down into the cistern, chiseled steps narrowly guiding those who would dare down into the depths. At the bottom is a shallow pool which is rife with necrotic energy (it deals 1D6 necrotic damage per round to any who immerse themselves even slightly in the water), as well as the carved gateway which opens up onto the lost ruins on the vast eastern slope of Mt. Sahambla in the Outworld.

Encounters in the Vosjin Wood: Entry 17

Entry 17 was big enough that I decided to give it its own blog. 18-20 are next!

17: Special Monstrous Encounter (D6: 1 Serpent of the Woods; 2 The Rogue Blood Knight; 3 Sukagra; 4: Hydra; 5: The Shambling Mound; 6: Slaad Nest). Each of these special sub-encounters reflects one of the potentially deadly denizens of the woods which can waylay weary travelers:

Serpent in the Woods: the serpent may be a spirit of the woods which takes on physical form, and it is most certainly disliked by Sukagra, who sees it as an omnivorous pest which usually takes an interest in any adventurers she seeks to ally with. The serpent is an impressive beast, a gargantuan constrictor snake that stretches for at least 100 feet. The serpent has little interest in its prey other than to devour, and it is said by some that it’s influence of the woods is motivated entirely by hunger….the woods respond by luring in likely prey.

The serpent in the woods stats are: CR 12 (8,400 XP); STR 20, DEX 20, CON 20, INT 3, WIS 14, CHA 3; HD 15D20+75, HP 232, AC 17, Speed 40 ft (30 ft. climbing and 50 ft. swimming), blindsight 30 ft, Perception +5 (passive 15), Skills: Stealth +8, Attacks include melee Bite +8 to hit, reach 15 ft one target, 6D8+30 piercing damage; melee constriction +8 attack, reach 15 ft, up to three targets in reach, deals 8D8+40 bludgeoning damage and target is grappled (escape DC 21 to escape). Until the grapple ends the targets are restrained and the snake cannot constrict other targets.

The Rogue Blood Knight: this is an elven vampire of some stature who has somehow escaped the woods and so far eluded the efforts of the Vosjin Wood to recapture him in the tree-prisons that his brethren are also captured in. When first encountered he will assess the prowess of the party....if they appear weak he will seek to befriend and prey on them to gain strength in blood, but if they appear strong he will promise a lost elven fortune from his thousand-years gone homestead for assistance in escaping the woods. If they are hostile to him he will flee if he does not have the obvious upper hand.

The Rogue Blood Knight’s Stats: use the vampire stats, but modified with either (D6): the wood elf traits (1-3), high elf traits (4-5) or eladrin traits (6). Elven vampires have a few special advantages in the Vosjin Woods: when in dense brambles or thick woods they can operate even by day for sunlight does not penetrate to the floor of the forest. When in the woods the elven vampire does not fear going anywhere for the woods are his “home” so no invite is ever needed, save for Aruman’s hut. An elven vampire also steals beauty when it attacks, and any strike from an elven vampire which deals necrotic damage also imposes disadvantage on the target until the injuries are fully healed.

Sukagra: the lamia queen of the woods has been here a long time, cast in exile and serving as a sort of caretaker of the woods, she both respects and dislikes the Stag and the Rook, while looking for ways to either drive out or slay the other denizens which have seen fit to take up refuge in the wilderness. Sukagra may be likely to befriend adventurers in need if she sees a way she can manipulate them into causing trouble for Aruman, Caldare or the Rook (among others). She will also use them to slay the rogue blood knight or other “prisoners” who should not be free. She is able to polymorph at will as a bonus action between the form of a woman of vaguely human or elven features and a lamia at will; she usually approaches those she seeks to ally with in human form.

Sukagra’s Stats: Sukagra is a lamia but with a serpentine torso instead of a lion. She replaces the “claw” attack with a tail-whip which deals bludgeoning damage of the same amount as the normal claws, and also adds a constriction attack as per the giant constrictor snake stats (but with +5 to hit). She, like many of the creatures bound to the wood, will resurrect 1D6 days later if slain, with vengeance strong on her mind. She has the ability to dominate any ordinary monsters or animals in the woods with sheer willpower, and such creatures, unless under the sway of another denizen, will obey her unquestioningly.

The Hydra: The hydra of the woods is a terrifying beast, but it is locked safely away in a tree in the woods (see #19). However, when it was trapped a thousand years ago the tree of the hydra grew strong and bore hideous poison fruit, which when ripened dropped to the ground and birthed more lesser hydras. These hydras wander the woods, hunting prey and one another with a ferocity unrivalled. Only the serpent in the woods keeps their population down.

When encountering the hydras of the Vosjin Wood roll 1D6 to determine how many there are. A solitary hydra is a loner looking for easy prey, but a pack of hydras are a family working together with cunning efficiency.

The Shambling Mound: there are immense, ancient forest beasts in the woods. These shambling mounds may have some unearthly origin, or they may be a manifestation of the wood….none can say for sure. When encountering shambling mounds, there are typically 1D8 of them moving in hunting packs. They will strangle those they encounter to feed themselves and the wood. There is a 10% chance that one of the eldest of these beasts may appear; such elders have maximum hit points (208 HP) and a strength of 22 (+6 instead of +4; add +2 to all base damage attacks).

Slaadi Nest: certain corners of the Vosjin Wood grow so dark and the roots dig so deep that they accidentally break into the dominion of limbo, from which terrible beasts such as the slaadi dwell. These slaadi find crude islands of growth emerging in limbo and make dark nests out of the roots, slime and water which pools in these regions. Occasionally a slaad will burrow up, and discovered the Vosjin Wood. Especially enterprising slaadi have realized this is a portal into the mortal realm, though not quite….the woods seem determined to capture and lock the slaadi away just as the woods have done to the blood knights and demons of old. Any slaad which enters the woods must make a DC 15 constitution check once per hour or find itself polymorphed/trapped in the form of a tree, permanently.

Finding a slaadi nest means coming across another dense copse of trees, some of which have vaguely humanoid batrachian features (DC 22 intelligence/arcana check to notice that the trees are reminiscent of slaadi). At the center of the copse is always an especially large and ancient tree, with monstrous features, and a deep hole in the wood of its trunk which leads down to the island-gate of limbo. This island will almost always contain a deep pool into which the roots dip, containing 10D10 slaad tadpoles, as well as 2D6 red slaad protectors. There is a 50% chance 1D4 blue slad and 1D3 green slaad are present in the area, and a 20% chance of a single gray slaad with visions of grandeur. Slaughtering or disrupting the birthing island in limbo may (10% chance) draw the ire of a death slaad which will either send more minions or even come on its own to hunt down those who kill its offspring and servitors.

Next: encounters 18-20, at last!

Encounters in the Vosjin Wood: Entries 13 through 16

13: The Chasm at the Base of Mt. Sahambla. It is normally very difficult to find this without the guidance of either the Black Rook or the White Stag. The chasm isn’t terribly formidable: it’s a 10-20 foot gap at any given point, possible for an enterprising adventurer to jump or otherwise make it across (although falling in is a bad idea; the chasm is infinitely deep, and may eventually open up into the plane of Limbo). What is ominous is the immense mountain lurking on the other side. Mt. Sahambla is only ever visible from a distance, as if it’s always “over there about 50 miles” when moving through the woods, for those who climb tall enough trees to spot it….a single great mountain in the distance. The mountain is already ominous because it does not exist anywhere outside of the wood. No one can see it until they are actually in the Vosjin Wood. But once you have found the chasm….then you are suddenly not only able to see the mountain, but it is right there, the steep slopes and cliffs visible just dozens of feet past the chasm itself. The sense of presence of the mountain is overwhelming.

Once across the chasm one may discover a lost primordial temple, though there are likely many more secrets to be found on this mountain which exists coterminously in the Outworld and the mortal plane.

The Temple of Sahambla: the base of the mountain includes a vast stretch of sheer stone cliffs stretching up for several hundred feet. At the base of this cliff lies a secret door hidden with primordial runes that glow only on nights of the full moon. The passage will open for true believers on these nights, or those who have special sight (such as detection of secret doors) if the runes are read: a prayer of humble submission to Sahambla.

Once open, the passage reveals the depths of a great subterranean temple and dominion. A vast descending staircase in an immense cavern reveals a lost elven court and temple, and at the center lies a dais on which rests the primordial Iron Sphere of Sahambla. Guarding the sphere are two gear maidens, with many more in the depths of the vast temple complex. There are also undead elves in the area, including ghosts of the old priests and librarians of this dominion, though most are merely sad at their existence and have no ill feelings….they would be laid to rest if the temple were ever restored.

The Iron Sphere is a lost artifact of great power. On occasion the White Stag will guide prospective candidates for this artifact to the chasm in the hopes they find the temple and come to possess the Iron Sphere. Those who survive the discovery may become the Voice of Sahambla, a means of restoring the lost cult of the banished primordial to the mortal world.

The Iron Sphere of Sahambla requires a DC 17 constitution save to even hold (elves gain advantage on this save); failure means the person attempting to grab the sphere is subject to a petrification attack, and if he fails the save by 5 or more is petrified immediately. If failing by less, the save is made next round and if failed then the subject is petrified; the gear maidens will shattered the body and restore the Iron Sphere to the dais.

If the adventurer overcomes the challenge of picking up the Iron Sphere then he experiences some changes: his skin will default to a metallic state and he now functions as if wearing adamantine full plate armor henceforth (will not stack with existing armor). As an action the bearer of the sphere can will his flesh to reappear, but this requires concentration to maintain normal skin.

Second, the user gains access to several spells which may be cast using his or her own spell slots, but each may be cast using the magic that is imbued within the Iron Sphere: stoneskin, stone shape, wall of stone. Each may be cast as a level 9 effect twice per day.

As the Iron Sphere is an artifact, it also imbues 2 minor beneficial properties, 2 major beneficial properties and 1 minor and 1 major detrimental property to its bearer (DMG pg. 218-22).

Beyond the temple chamber of the orb is an extensive but unexplored remnant of the temple which links to a vast abandoned subterranean city, in which there may still be denizens of unknown nature.

14: The Yawning Chasm of the Outworld. Adventurers can on occasion stumble across one of the planar rifts which link the Vosjin Wood to the Outworld. The adventurers will suddenly find a break in the woods, opening up to a wide chasm, usually 5-100 feet in width (roll 5D20 for the number of feet across). Beyond the chasm is a vast plain of desert scrub stretching as far as the eye can see, in a deep cerulean and purple sky with no visible moon, sun or even stars. There is a 10% chance a bridge may be visible allowing easy passage across (though if the adventurers are employing a tymardiae guide he will always take them to a location with a safe bridge to cross).

Moving beyond the chasm to the plains beyond puts the adventurers in the Outworld, about which more will be written in the future. Here lie the ruined cities of the primordials and their ancient tomb-prisons, as well as mysteries of incalculable nature. Wandering too far can make returning to the Vosjin Wood difficult….but Mt. Sahambla is always visible in the distance, and easy to reach in the Outworld. The chasm here will eventually connect to the chasm that runs the length of Mt. Sahambla, and so serves as the best navigational beacon for those who dare to explore Outworld.

15: The Spectral Fields. Here lie the bodies of thousands of warriors who perished in battle before the matter was settled by the wrath of the Enkanneth. The fields initially appear bare of any distinct features except for an absence of trees and thick grass. As one moves through the fields, bones become visible, remnants of rusted armor and weaponry, and soon enough it is clear that an ancient battlefield lies beneath the adventurer’s feet.

By night the battlefield becomes a haunted landscape as wraiths, ghosts, specters and worse manifest and re-enact their final moments, over and over again. Interrupting this process, even by accident, will earn the dire enmity of the undead. Moving through the field during a spectral event requires good grace (Dexterity check DC 15) each round to avoid stumbling in to one of the dead’s pantomimes.

Should the battle be interrupted, 3D6 wraiths, 1D6 ghosts and 4D4 specters as well as a 50% chance of 2D6 shadows may be in the immediate area. Initially 1D3 undead will be interrupted by a stumbling adventurer, but each turn of combat another 1D3 may be drawn in as each round all parties must make Dexterity checks to avoid further interruptions.

16: The White Stag. This spirit champion of the Vosjin Wood reflects a purity of spirit and a balance of goodness. It is in many ways the embodiment of the goodness that lay within the elves of Sar, even as they fell due to the corruption and lost ways toward the end of their empire. The White Stag is also an avatar or servant of the primordial Sahambla, and will on occasion seek to guide travelers to the base of the mountain (entry 13) to aid them in finding the lost temple of the primordial. The White Stag can take pity upon those who have no wish to be here, and will lead them to escape the woods as well. Just as likely if it happens upon evil men it will lead them to their doom, usually a creature from entry 17, Caldare’s lair, or even worse.

The White Stag is a means (like the Black Rook) for DMs to lead the players where they wish, but if it is purely a random encounter then the White Stag will react according to the predominant alignment of the group. When encountering the White Stag, adventurers of good nature will notice it immediately, but evil characters must make a DC 12 insight check to spot the stag. Any efforts to hunt it will prove difficult, for it appears the stag has no physical form (but if somehow tricked into the Outworld it becomes a normal stag while there; if killed it will reform in the Vosjin Wood). The White Stag does have a physical form, but it is protected from harm by the spirit of the wood. There are rumors that Aruman has crafted an arrow which can kill the stag, however.

Next: the finale with entries 17-20!!!

Encounters in the Vosjin Wood: Entries 9 through 12

9: The Elves of the Woods. The Saganyir elves are ancient survivors of the Saric empire who migrated to the woods as they followed their venerable leader, Vask’Tinorin. A young elf when the Empire of Sar fell, Vask’Tinorin is believed to have witnessed the destruction of the Saric army and the blood knights, and experienced a profound religious conversion as a result. As he grew up, Vask’Tinorin gathered followers, who turned into a tribe of elves that renounced their old lives and migrated to the Vosjin Wood, both to remember the folly of their lost kin and to remain close to the tethers of the Outworld. Some believe that the legends of the Enkanneth goddess Abia being the true creator of elvenkind may have started with Vask’Tinorin’s conversion of faith to the Enkanneth pantheon.

There are three possible encounters with Saganyir as follows:

D6/Result

1-2 The Grove of the Saganyir-this grove is the central hub of trade and social gathering among the Saganyir tribes. There are perhaps a dozen tribal groups in the woods, maybe more that wander the dark paths to the Outworld and even Arborea beyond. In the grove are roughly 6D10 able warriors and twice that many women, children, elderly and other noncombatants. The grove includes a sacred shrine to the Enkanneth and Abia specifically, as well as a pool of healing waters within used for medicinal purposes. The grove, despite being a center of occupation, is so natural in design that it would take a DC 12 Perception check for most non-wood elves to notice it’s actually inhabited at first. The elves will disappear quickly in response to an unknown party, and return to fight if the adventurers appear threatening. They will engage in trade if they have reason to trust the heroes.

3-5 A hunting party-this is a war party of 3D6 saganyir who are rangers of levels 1D4 each, and 1D3 ranger leaders who are level 2D4+2 each. There is a 25% chance they are stalking lost wanderers (roll on encounter table 3 to see who) otherwise they are hunting game.

6 a party led by Vask’Tinorin-as 3-5 above but Vask’Tinorin is with them. Though he is over 1,000 years old Vask looks of middle years by human standards. He is a Druid (level 15)/Ranger (level 5) of great skill, and is lawful good.

10: The Putrid Cistern. This region of the wood is dense with brambles and thicket, gnarled trees that look too horribly like humanoid forms stretched in agony and torture, and the sounds of the woods are of ominous and disturbing things which should not be; it is all difficult terrain. The cistern itself bubbles and erupts with curious noises like the sound of bubbling and venting gasses below, as if the deep hole in the earth is a portal to the Abyssal realms.

Anyone studying the putrid cistern will have a chance of attracting the attention of one of the tentacle horrors that dwells in the watery depths below (Fifth Edition Foes (FEF) page 225). Just lingering around the pit gives them a 25% chance per minute of appearing to see who has wandered into their dominion.

The putrid cistern is a dangerous environment, and every ten minutes in the area there is a 20% chance of attracting the attention of one of the following:

D12/Result

1-4 a shambling mound (1D3 appear, acting curious, but there’s a 25% chance of 2D4 shambling mounds approaching, even more curious)

5-6 a tendriculous (see FEF pg. 224)

7-9 a horde of vegepygmies charge out (1D6 per character, or a horde of 10D10; FEF pg. 239)

10-11 Gaz Mudare appears from the Arboreal Unseelie Realm of the Bramblewood (See below) to see why the adventurers are interested in the cistern.

12 A feral green dragon appears, possibly emerging from the cistern (D6: 1-4 young, 5-6 adult)

Gaz Mudare is an elven eladrin of the unseelie court and a lone blood knight survivor of old. He is actually an eladrin vampire, and an ancient descendant of the eldest Saric family bloodlines from time immemorial. His interest in the Putrid Cistern is based on its importance to him: when the ancient battle took place, the cistern was the point he was located at. When the Enkanneth spell erupted, Gaz had only seconds to act and called upon ancient planar magic to save himself, ripping a hole from this plane into the Unseelie kingdom of the Bramble in Arborea. He escaped in this manner, the sole survivor of the entire blood knight army to get away.

Gaz is a very high level entity, and for practical purposes he is a lawful  evil level 20 eldritch knight eladrin with all of the vampire traits. His soul is bound to the Bramblewood in the Arboreal Realm and he cannot truly be slain unless that dark heart in the wood is also staked and burned. That said, it’s bound not too far away from the planar gate in the bottom of the cistern which opens into Arborea. Such a trek would be a daring adventure in its own right.

11: The Dragon Caldare. Eldest of the green dragons, Caldare is a venerable beast (ancient green dragon) and there is a 5% chance the adventurers have stumbled across his lair in the woods: a knotted mass of trees that have grown in on one another to form a dense thicket which is impassable, and forms a great cavernous hollow within which Caldare resides. This is Caldare’s lair….but all of the Vosjin Wood is considered his lair, so no matter where he is Caldare may take lair actions.

Caldare is evil and manipulative, and unless the adventurers give him an excuse to slay and devour them he will seek to use them to cause strife for his rivals in the woods. He is keen to see Sukagra destroyed, Aruman run out, or even the White Stag and The Black Rook slain if possible. He knows the latter two will simply reform over time, but he delights in causing any problems he can for those he must share the woods with.

Caldare’s wood-spun nest is filled with treasure of the ages, including lost tomes, ancient artifacts, countless gold coins and a statue of the enigmatic lady Rehana, the first of the ancient Vumaskan queens. The statue contains a vestige of Rehana’s animating force and can provide cryptic messages about the past and future to those who speak to it. The statue is propped up next to a crude altar to the god Hax Nagor, whom Caldare believes he is the avatar and servant of.

12: A Hidden Temple to Hox Nagor. The demiurge of serpents and ophidians, Hox Nagor’s temple resides deep in the woods and is a little-known secret to those who are serpentine in nature. The temple is sometimes guarded by the Serpent of the Woods (see entry 17), though as often as not it roams freely and ignores its duties as temple guardian. More frequently it is protected by ophidians such as the Yuan-ti and lizard men with dominant serpentine features who are dedicated to Hox Nagor.

The temple is difficult to spot if not specifically searching for, covered in thick vines and the overgrowth of the trees, it’s moss-covered walls that were once comprised of jadeite and alabaster marble are almost totally obscured (DC 15 Perception check to even notice). The entrance looms open like a dark cave, easily mistaken for another dark path in the thick woods.

Inside the main temple is a vast cathedral-like chamber in which the ominous statue of Hox Nagor resides, a looming figure of serpentine stone with serpents emerging from where its arms and legs are located, and a long trio of serpentine heads from its neck. The statue itself is a stone golem and will animate if any vandalism or theft takes place in the temple.

At any given time there will be guardians and visitors within the temple. The complex has a permanent presence of temple priests in the form of 4D6 pureblood yuan-ti, along with 2D4 yuan-ti malisons and 2D3 yuan-ti abominations. There are usually 4D8 lizard men serving as guards, servants and pilgrims as well. The temple usually keeps 2D6 giant lizards as guardians on the grounds, unless the Serpent of the Woods is present, in which case the lizards are hiding in their pens.

There is a 25% chance that one of the following may be visiting to honor the demiurge:

D12/Result

1-4 A gorgon named Perisphene with her retinue of 2D8 blind grimlocks seeks to gain oracular aid from the temple

5-8 Caldare, who reveres Hox Nagor and believes he is the demiurge’s avatar of doom

9-10 A contingent of Skelzis from the planes (1D6) with 4d4 weredactyl servants are honoring the demiurge with gifts in exchange for insight on how to destroy their enemies

11-12  a lich named Vasufar who was once a serpent man of pureblood origin has come to view the temple. He moves freely through the woods with a tymardiae guide whom he has bewitched.

Next: Encounters 13-16