250 UNWELCOME SPIRITS An elder warlock from the goblinoid swamp village of Urzin has been kidnapped by soldiers of the Dwendalian Empire. Now the machinations of an evil imperial inquisitor might unleash an evil that could threaten the garrison at Fort Venture and the goblinoids of Urzin alike. "Unwelcome Spirits" is a Wildemount adventure that takes characters from 1st to 3rd level, and which introduces them to Wildemount's desolate and foreboding Eastern Wynandir region. If your players are using the heroic chronicle to create their characters (see chapter 4), you can talk with them about creating characters with ties to Urzin or nearby Xhorhasian settlements. Alternatively, characters from elsewhere might be traveling to Urzin, whether individually or as a group. Since this adventure ties directly to the Kryn Dynasty's conflict with the Dwendalian Empire, you can also ask each player to consider their character's stance on the war and how the war might tie into their background. STORY OVERVIEW Trouble has come to the roaming village of Urzin, which slowly ambles through the wastes ofXhorhas atop the massive, mossy shells of horizon back tortoises. The village's elder seer, the goblin warlock Bol'bara, has gone missing. Three nights ago, while foraging by night for rare alchemical ingredients, Bol'bara was beset by a cadre of Dwendalian Empire soldiers near the foothills of Brokenveil Bluffs. On the orders of an imperial inquisitor named Parson Pellinost, the goblin warlock was forcefully escorted to the local garrison for questioning-and for magical experimentation. What neither the imperial forces nor the goblinoids of Urzin know is that Bol'bara was performing a series of rare communal rites near a site of major arcane significance. With those rites interrupted, she is now in the throes of possession by her patron, a shadow demon known as Trush. If its dark power is set free, Trush could wreak havoc across the wastes of Xhorhas, using Bol'bara as its worldly vessel. ADVENTURE SUMMARY In the political absence of the champion chief of Urzin, Sunbreaker Olomon, the village's proud and protective acting leader is Ogre Lord Buhfal II. Buhfal seeks to resolve the plight of the missing warlock, Bol'bara, which he worries will threaten the frail alliances among the village's restless goblinoids. He and his advisors suspect the nearby imperial outpost at Fort Venture has something to do with Bol'bara's fate. However, Buhfal knows that goblinoids advancing on Fort Venture will draw reprisals against Urzin, so he seeks an outside group who might more easily seek the warlock there and bring her back to help safeguard the settlement. At Buhfal's behest, the characters must chart a course to the Brokenveil Bluffs with the help of a hobgoblin C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDEMOUNT guide, locate Fort Venture, and extract Bol'bara. Unfortunately, the reckless aims of the imperial inquisitor Parson Pellinost and his lackeys work to undermine their efforts. Without a timely interruption, the torturous interrogation of Bol'bara will lead to her possession by Trush, her shadow demon patron-and to a series of calamitous arcane events. Trush's demonic rampage will start at Fort Venture before wending its way back to Urzin-and it's up to the adventurers to do something about it. SETUP AND STARTING POINTS Before starting the adventure, work with your players as they talk about why their characters have come to Urzin. Details regarding this unique settlement and its politics can be found in chapter 3. The horizonback tortoises that give the village its mobility are detailed in chapter 7. Goblinoid or ore characters might be residents of Urzin, but characters of other races are probably visitors to this remote settlement-and are probably feeling very much out of their element. This is also a good time to figure out if the characters already know each other or if this adventure is the first time they've met. If none of the characters are goblinoids, they most likely already make up an adventuring party and have traveled to Urzin together. MISSION IN URZIN Whether the characters are local to the area or have traveled to Urzin, the adventure starts with them being summoned to an audience with Ogre Lord Buhfal II, leader of the village. The characters might have made it known that they are mercenary adventurers seeking work, or they might simply look the part. Alternatively, if they are all strangers to the village, Lord Buhfal might approach them simply because he wants there to be no connection between the characters and the village if their intended mission goes bad. The tone of the adventure and the read-aloud text assumes that the characters find Urzin a strange and exotic location. If the party consists of some or all goblinoids or other natives of Urzin, adjust the flavor and the read-aloud text accordingly. Once the players are ready to begin, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene: The rank odors of the B rokenveil M arsh mi ngle with the musty aroma of a fleet of gargantuan reptiles as you traverse the rickety rope bridges above U rzin. This strange gobl i noid village moves slowly and endlessly through the swampy Xhorhasian wastes, its structu res set atop the massive shells of horizon back tortoises. Urzin's monstrous residents pay you little heed until you approach the large, ramshackle hall of Ogre Lord Bu hfal I I-a towering structure of haphazard timber and scrap.
If the characters enter the hall of Ogre Lord Buhfal II, add the following: The din of the swamp and the hushed chatter of U rzin's residents is muted as you step through the folds of a heavy leather curtain into the chamber beyond. There, the reek of the marsh is quickly replaced by the favorable scent of roasted meats and spiced wine. Ore attendants gesture you toward a litter of d i ngy fu rs before the seat of Bu hfal II, who allows you to settle in before his baritone voice issues a welcome. " Eat. Drink. But be wary, for the empire has come to Xhorhas, bringing damnation with it!" Ogre Lord Buhfal II-a lawful evil, male ogre with an Intelligence score of 10-explains the current situation to the characters: Since his father was slain forty years earlier by the Kryn paragon Sunbreaker Olomon, Buhfal II has seen a slow swell of discontent among Urzin's goblinoid population, who labor tirelessly to execute the Kryn Dynasty's clandestine agendas. An increasing number of Urzin's residents look to Buhfal and his advisors for leadership, despite the dynasty's overt hold on the area . • Three nights ago, Buhfal's most trusted counselor, the goblin witch Bol'bara, journeyed to the foothills of the Brokenveil Bluffs to the west, where she regularly forages for ritual components. She never returned. • Buhfal doesn't know what happened to her, but he knows that Dwendalian Empire patrols had been spotted in the area in previous weeks. The patrols strike out from an outpost known as Fort Venture, which watches over the Brokenveil Bluffs. An elder villager who remembers the reign of the first Buhfal, Bol'bara is Urzin's chief loremaster and a pivotal ally in both the ongoing battle against the empire and the enduring struggle against the cruel environs of the Xhorhasian swamps. Little is known of Bol'bara's otherworldly patron, but her warlock powers are respected by all. Without Bol'bara's arcane protections and political guile, Buhfal fears his people will grow submissive to the Kryn Dynasty's whims, making Urzin a more notable target for imperial reprisals. BUHFAL'S BOON Buhfal hires the characters to locate the goblin warlock and retrieve her. For rescuing Bol'bara from her kidnappers, the ogre lord agrees to pay 200 gp and to provide the characters with "premium weapons." Buhfal suggests that the characters begin by reconnoitering the imperial garrison at Fort Venture to the west, under the keen supervision of a hobgoblin scout named Morgid. PREPARING FOR THE JOURNEY As they make preparations, the characters discover that the "premium weapons" Lord Buhfal promises are anything but. Each character receives their choice of any simple melee weapon from chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook, but these are crude weapons of goblinoid design. With resources scarce in Urzin, goblinoid-made weapons are often hastily crafted and cheap. Characters looking for better gear can equip themselves (at normal prices) for the journey through Brokenveil Marsh by visiting one of Urzin's merchants. Popular stops in the village include the following: • Graaf the blacksmith (a lawful neutral, male ore) for weapons and armor Quartermaster Krekk (a lawful evil, male goblin) for tools and adventuring gear Vreya Trestilya (a chaotic good, agender drow) for bows, crossbows, arrows and bolts, as well as simple hunters' traps EXPLORING BROKENVEIL MARSH The area between Urzin and Fort Venture is encompassed by the boggy morass of the Brokenveil Marsh. Unless otherwise noted, all areas of the marsh are difficult terrain. The bog water in the marsh averages from 1 to 5 feet deep, but is too shallow and weed-bound for boats or rafts. Tiny creatures must have a swimming speed or be carried to traverse this watery terrain. Any character not used to this environment who takes a short or long rest within the swamp without being on raised dry ground must make a DC 11 Constitution check. On a failure, the character contracts sewer plague (see "Diseases" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). Key areas of Brokenveil Marsh are noted on map 5.11. Each hex on the map measures 1 mile across. Characters moving at a normal pace can travel 10 hexes per day on foot through the swampy terrain. NAVIGATION Have the players designate one party member as the navigator. The navigator might be an NPC, such as Morgid the hobgoblin or some other guide, and the party can switch its navigator day to day. At the start of each new travel day, the DM makes a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check on behalf of the navigator. This check determines whether or not the party becomes lost over the course of the day. Apply a +5 bonus to the check if the group sets a slow pace for the day, or a -5 penalty if the group is moving at a fast pace. It's possible to get lost on a river by following a tributary instead of the main branch. If the check succeeds, the navigator knows exactly where the party is on the players' map of Brokenveil Marsh throughout the day. If the check fails, the party becomes lost. Each hex on the map is surrounded by six other hexes; whenever a lost party moves 1 hex, roll a d6 to randomly determine which neighboring hex the party enters, and don't divulge the party's location to the players. While the party is lost, players can't pinpoint the group's location on their map of Brokenveil Marsh. The next time a navigator succeeds on a Wisdom (Survival) check made to navigate, reveal the party's actual location to the players. CHAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES TN WILDEMOUNT
DESCRIBING THE JOURNEY The following boxed text describes the characters' first foray into Brokenveil Marsh and assumes Morgid, their hobgoblin guide, is leading them: Boggy wetlands covered with waist-high water spread as far as the eye can see as you venture deeper into the m ist-laden expanses of the Brokenveil Marsh. Morgid, your hobgobl in guide, knows the route you must follow, but that path leads through a hazardous morass and the territory of un known monsters. While you take a brief rest on a patch of relatively dry land, Morgid produces a scrap of bleached leather from his belt-a map of the marsh . His eyes narrow as if trying to pierce the fog ahead as he glances from the marsh to the map and back again. "The marsh loves outlanders like you," he murmurs. " Loves to gobble 'em u p, bones and all. But worry you not, my friends. Morgid will lead the way. Maybe th ree days of swamp to sift through till we reach Fort Venture. And then it's your time to shine." The wild-eyed hobgoblin stuffs the map back i nto his belt and briskly wades i nto the bog once more, motioning for you to follow. Morgid (a neutral, male hobgoblin) is an able scout, but his allegiance is tenuous. He gladly shares his map with the party and is keen to join in on the investigation of any landmarks or other points of interest, even as he warns of the importance of not dallying in the marsh. However, if the hobgoblin loses half or more of his hit points during a single combat encounter, he abandons the party unless one of the characters succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince him otherwise. RANDOM ENCOUNTERS In addition to the fixed locations the characters pass through, encounters can occur at any point as the characters venture through the unwelcoming environs of Brokenveil Marsh. While the characters are traveling or camping in the swampy wilderness, roll a dl2 three times per day of game time, checking for encounters each morning, afternoon, and evening or night. An encounter occurs on a roll of 16 or higher. Roll a d20 and check the Brokenveil Marsh Encounters table to determine what the characters encounter, or choose an encounter you like. Bl. URZIN1S MARCH As the characters push through the Brokenveil Marsh to reach the garrison at Fort Venture, the lethargic horizonback tortoises that hold the village of Urzin aloft move through the swamp at a rate of 1 mile per day. Roll a d6 to randomly determine which neighboring hex the village enters, and don't divulge Urzin's new location to the players. Whenever the party is at two miles or more away from the village, Urzin's exact location can no longer be determined. Characters within two miles of the village C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILD EMOUNT can zero in on signs of its movement with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. The characters will be forced to account for the village's movement when they make their way back after the encounter at Fort Venture, with or without a guide. B2. WITHERED GROVE Approximately four miles from Urzin, the characters come across signs of how far into the swamps the Dwendalian Empire's patrols have reached. When they reach this site, read: You spy a shaded thicket of withered mangrove trees draped in a sickly veil of rotted kudzu and creeper vines. A moldering wooden raft topped with a single withered post floats near the center of this dark and lonely copse. A gaunt form clings lifelessly to the bottom of the post, recogn izable as the weathered skeletal remains of a Dwendalian soldier. Two swarms of poisonous snakes dwell within the knotted root system of the trees, attacking any creatures that tread or swim through the area. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher spots the swarms, but all others are surprised. After the fight, a character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom
(Insight) check can deduce that the Dwendalian soldier starved to death while waiting out the relentless snakes. Treasure. The dead soldier is clad in chain mail and rotted clothes. A mildewed pouch containing 15 sp dangles from the corpse's belt, and a tarnished shield emblazoned with the Dwendalian crest sits on the raft. Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check made to search around the raft locates the soldier's longsword jutting up from the slimy bottom of the swamp, along with the scattered skeletal remains of at least two more dead travelers. B3. SUNKEN BONEYARD A boggy field littered with the bones of massive beasts has become home to a raiding party of cannibal lizardfolk. Read the following when this site comes into view: BROKENVEIL MARSH ENCOU NTERS dl2 2 3 4 6 Encounter The characters stumble onto an underwater sinkhole of indetermi nate size. All plants, earth, and structures within the area are slowly receding into a watery pit beneath the marsh. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 10 or higher notices the sinkhole, making it easy to avoid. If not spotted, the area of the sinkhole is deep water, forcing characters to swim through it with successfu l DC 10 Strength (Athletics) checks. While passi ng through a copse of blackened mangrove trees, the characters are ambushed by ld4 vine blights that emerge from the trees' tangled roots. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher spots the blights, but all others are surprised. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or h igher spots a swarm of ravens flyi ng overhead. A character with access to a map of the area who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (I nsight) check i ntu its that the ravens are flying in the opposite direction of Fort Venture. The characters cross paths with l d4 + l bullywugs. The bullywugs are hostile but can be pacified with a successful DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check, or a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check if the characters are able to communicate with them. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 11 or higher spots a swarm of ravenous dragonflies hovering above the nearby marsh. The swarm uses the swarm of insects stat block. A Dwendalian veteran leads a patrol of l d4 + 2 guards from Fort Venture through the marsh, searching for goblinoids out of U rzin to be i nterrogated. If the party i ncludes any goblinoids, the Dwendalian forces demand those goblinoids' immediate surrender, then attack in response to any resistance. The fog parts ahead to reveal the skulls and bones of giant beasts rising from the marsh like a collection of morbid mon uments. As you draw nearer, you spy th ree horizon back tortoise skulls beneath the shadow of a gargantuan rib cage at the center of this sullen boneyard. Six bloodthirsty lizardfolk and a corrupted lizardfolk shaman named Skr'a S'orsk have taken up temporary residence in the shadows of this titanic heap of primordial skulls and bones. The lizardfolk regard this place as a holy site of profound religious significance. They attempt to ambush and attack any interlopers, but are particularly brutish against non-lizardfolk humanoids. dl2 7 8 9 10 11 12 Encounter The characters d iscover the bones of a long-dead adventurer whose skeletal remains have been picked clean by swamp vermin and years of decay. If any character searches the bones, roll on the Trin kets table in chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook to determine the skeleton's last worldly possession. The cha racters are ambushed by a giant constrictor snake while wading through the murky swamp. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 16 or higher spots the snake, but all others are su rprised by it. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or h igher spots a hummock of dry earth. The hummock is ld6 feet above ground, and a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check is required to climb it. The hummock is 10 feet square and fi rm enough to support six characters and their gear. Characters who take a long or short rest on this hummock avoid exposure to the swamp's sewer plague (see " Exploring Brokenveil Marsh" earl ier in this adventu re) . The characters disturb 2d4 stirges as they move through an area of the marsh set with overgrown ruins and rotting trees. Alternatively, the same number of stirges descend on the party's camp during a rest. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher sees and hears ld3 + l crocodiles moments before they attack. All other characters are surprised by the repti les. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of l2 or higher hears and smells a pack of2d4 gobl inoid ghouls approaching. There is a 20 percent chance that the ghoul pack contains a freshly undead guard or two from nearby Fort Venture. These ghouls are of an aquatic variety known as lacedons. In addition to the statistics of a normal ghou l, each has a swimming speed of 30 feet. C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WJLDEMOUNT 253
2 54 MAP 5.11: BROKENVEIL MARSH Skr'a S'orsk worships the demon lord Sess'inek and has the following spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): produce flame, resistance, thorn whip 1st level (4 slots): entangle, fog cloud 2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, spike growth 3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, conjure animals (reptiles only) The boneyard provides ample humanoid bones for the corrupted shaman's animate dead spell, and the heavy clubs wielded by the lizardfolk are fashioned from massive femurs and the like. The lizardfolk are clad in a decorative assortment of bone jewelry, and bloody war paint. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check recognizes these affectations as tributes to the reptilian demon lord Sess'inek. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check determines that the lizardfolk sect's proximity to the boneyard is fundamentally spiritual in nature. Treasure. The lizardfolk have dutifully stacked the skulls and bones of their victims in a mound near the center of the sunken boneyard. Although most of the clothing and equipment of these victims has been cast aside or destroyed, any character who searches the bone mounds and succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check finds 2d4 gold teeth (worth 1 gp each) among a few errant skulls. CHAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDEMOUNT The horizonback tortoise skulls used as dwellings by the lizardfolk are sparsely decorated with stone bedding and humanoid skull trophies. Any search of the central skull turns up the shaman's trove of valuables: a wand of magic detection and a small collection of holy symbols representing various gods. A tarnished silver amulet of Tharizdun (worth 25 gp) feels cold to the touch. B4. CRUMBLING TOWER The dilapidated ruins of a pre-Calamity watchtower are slowly sinking into the swamp at this location: r A squat, square, th ree-story tower juts up out of the water ahead. Its crumbling stones sag with age, and half of the timeworn building's fi rst floor has already been subsumed by the murky marsh. Shadowy openings mark the locations of an arched doorway at ground level and i severa l small windows on the upper floors. The lowest floor of this 30-foot-wide square edifice is half submerged under 5 feet of bog water, creating a claustrophobic crawlspace of muck and mire. The ceilings of the tower are 10 feet high, and all its doors and windows have long since rotted off. Characters who approach can see a narrow stone staircase wrapping around the crumbling tower's inner
walls. Spider webs cling to every dry corner of the building's interior, and serve to warn perceptive adventurers of the dangers within. Spider Sentries. Five giant spiders have taken over the top two floors of the crumbling tower, and feast on any creatures that traverse or explore its lightless recesses. The giant spiders won't leave the tower during daylight hours unless properly motivated by a threat. After dusk, the spiders pursue potential prey up to 100 feet from the tower before returning. Rotten Floors. The wooden floors of the dilapidated tower are rotten and dangerous. Whenever a creature standing on the floor takes damage, it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall as a section of the floor gives way, taking 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. Bodies. The shadowy third floor of the ruins is covered with the rotting husks of swamp vermin and birds. Any character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the remains of two dead Kryn Dynasty soldiers webbed to the walls. Chest. Any character who searches the watery expanse of the first floor and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check finds a locked wooden chest half buried between the slimy swamp muck and a rotted trap door. Once drawn from the water, the chest's rusted lock can be picked with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or the chest can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength check. Treasure. One of the Kryn cadavers is clad in a suit of elven chain, and a normal longsword is knotted up in webs nearby. The other body isn't armed or armored, but it wears a silver ring (worth 20 gp) on its left ring finger. The chest contains a large selection of books and scrolls that have been thoroughly destroyed by soiled water, plus pipes of haunting carved from the bones of a moorbounder. B5. BULLYWUG CAVE An algae-covered moat surrounds a low hill and a small, murky cave, within which dwells a clan of bullywugs and their toad steeds. Read the following when the characters first spot the hill: The sun less mouth of a small cave is set into a stony hill rising from a scum-covered expanse of the swamp. A colony of large purple toadstools surrounds the cave on its rocky, moss-covered isle, and a slimy path winds through the mushrooms before terminating at the cavern's dark, vine-draped entrance. The small hill is roughly 80 feet in diameter at its base. The stony hollow delved out beneath it is comprised of one large cave and three smaller dens connected by a network of short natural tunnels. Toxic Toadstools. The overgrown mushroom colony surrounding the small hill is noxious. Any character who moves through the swamp within 40 feet of the hill must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid touching the large purple mushrooms, which range from 1 to 10 feet tall. Any character who touches the mushrooms must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until they finish a long rest. Characters who move only along the slimy path twisting up toward the mouth of the cave can easily avoid the toxic toadstools. Exploring the Caverns. Other than a few rocky outcroppings, all the caverns beneath the hill, including the entrance, are covered in two feet of standing swamp water, which is difficult terrain. Any character who moves through the flooded interior areas of the echoing caves has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks unless they can avoid the water. The bullywugs launch hunting and raiding parties into the marsh on a daily basis, setting out before dawn and returning when their appeti�es have been satiated. When the characters arrive her�, five bullywugs and two giant toads lurk in different sections of the cave. If the characters stay in this area and explore the cave, there is a 25 percent chance each hour that a hunting party of ld4 + 1 bullywugs riding the same number of giant toads returns from a foray into the swamp. Junk. Any character who searches the bullywug cave discovers a small trove of junk "treasures" in the largest cavern, consisting of shiny metal scraps and worthless polished stones foraged from various corners of the swamp. As well, a few items of interest stand out within the heap (see below). Treasure. Among the worthless goods collected by the bullywugs, the characters can find the following: Eleven unbroken glass bottles of assorted shapes, sizes, and tints • A crude shortsword with artful etchings on its blade • A tarnished suit of dwarf-sized plate mail crafted from a curious alloy • A magnifying glass with a silver frame and handle • A copper tankard scribed with an intricate image of vines (worth 25 gp) • A jar half full of glass marbles plus five tiger-eye gemstone marbles (10 gp each) B6. RITUAL STONE Ahead, you spy a mossy knoll rising out of the marsh with a curious standing stone at its center. A jagged, eight-foot-tall monolith of black rock, the stone is laced with vei ns of crystal that shimmer with a strange light. Roughly 3 feet across, this enchanted menhir glows with a pale radiance under moonlight, shedding dim light in a 5-foot radius. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check or a DC 18 Intelligence (Religion) check understands that this ritual stone is an ancient monument to some dark, primordial god, and that it serves modern spellcasters by acting as a focus for illicit rituals and dark incantations. (Bol'bara was using the stone to commune with her patron when she was beset by soldiers of Fort Venture.) C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDE MOUNT 2 55
Rite ofCommunion. Any spellcaster who spends a short or long rest attuning to the ritual stone can use an action to cast the commune spell. Once used, this property of the ritual stone can't be used again until the next full moon. Any warlock who uses the ritual stone to commune with their otherworldly patron gains inspiration and acts as if under the effect of the guidance cantrip for ld2 + 1 days. Ritual Stone Fragments. Any character who succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check made to inspect the ritual stone discovers that three naturally loosened fragments of the stone can be easily removed and replaced. A fragment carries a semblance of the stone's magic, allowing the character who carries it to cast the augury spell. Once used, this property of the fragment can't be used again until the next dusk. • If a fragment is taken more than 10 feet from the ritual stone, its magic fades and it ceases to function after ld3 + 1 days. A character who attempts to chip away a piece of the ritual stone in addition to the three fragments must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or take 3 (ld6) psychic damage. B7. BROKENVEIL BLUFFS If the characters decide to exit the swamp to move overland to Fort Venture, they eventually draw near the Brokenveil Bluffs. Read the following as the characters draw close to land: T As you near the end of the wetter portion of your journey, the mist-veiled western marshland slowly gives way to the rocky foothills of the Brokenveil B l uffs. Sharp crags and steep foothills are visible ahead, as are the openi ngs to what must be hundreds of natural caves. Life is particularly difficult in this section of the swamp, where avian predators and winged monstrosities from the bluffs roam unfettered through an open sky. If Morgid is still with the party, he warns the characters to be on their guard. I l Harpy Assault. When the characters finally leave the swamp behind and enter the bluffs, any character who succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check or a DC 16 Wisdom (Perceptl.on) check notices increasing numbers of scattered bones-both animal and humanoid. Six harpies lurk among this particular section of the foothills. These bluff harpies attempt to beguile interlopers with their Luring Song before attacking with claws and clubs. In the aftermath of the fight, the characters can follow the path. of the harpies' flight back to their nest. This sits within a shallow cave approximately 80 feet above the moist and peaty ground at the base of the bluffs. Treasure. Any character who searches the cave finds a collection of valuable items buried beneath a repulsive heap of offal, including a potion of healing, a decorative rapier with a crystal hilt (worth 50 gp), and an assortment of loose coins totaling 11 gp. C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WlLD EMOUNT B8. THE MOSSBACK STEWARD A massive hill appears to rise out of a lonely section of the Brokenveil Marsh. The hill is actually an aging horizonback tortoise nicknamed the Mossback Steward, who has presided over this area for time immemorial. This encounter might occur if the characters approach Fort Venture from the swamp, or if becoming lost drives them south from a course to the Brokenveil Bluffs. Alternatively, you can have the Mossback Steward move from its marked location on the map, with its wandering course bringing it into the characters' path. When the characters encounter the Mossback Steward, read the following: j As you forge onward through the marsh, the m ist clears to reveal a lone hil lock crowned with a th icket of low-hanging mangrove trees. This bramble-covered knoll looks to be a perfect site to take respite from the murky waters of the swamp. Any character who succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence (Nature) check or a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check realizes that the hill is, in fact, the partially submerged moss-covered shell of a horizonback tortoise. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (History) check guesses that this must be the Mossback Steward, a creature of local mystery and renown. Attendant of the Broken Veil. Long-term proximity to the eldritch phenomena of the marsh has granted the Mossback Steward a modest array of magical abilities. This unique creature is a horizonback tortoise (see chapter 7 for its stat block) with these changes: The Mossback Steward has an Intelligence of 12 (+1) and a Wisdom of 17 (+3). It has the following skills: Arcana +5, Insight +7, Nature +5, Perception +7, Persuasion +5. It understands Common and Primordial, and has telepathy out to a range of 1 20 feet. • As an action, it can cast the friends cantrip, the suggestion spell (save DC 15), or the divination spell. After casting suggestion or divination, it can't cast that spell again until it finishes a short or long rest. The Mossback Steward is aware of the situation involving Bol'bara and the Dwendalian garrison at Fort Venture. While the great tortoise has a keen understanding of Bol'bara and her relationship with the people and tortoises of Urzin, the true intentions of the Dwendalian Empire's outpost and its leaders remain a mystery. One thing is clear, though. Since the garrison at Fort Venture was established, the primordial harmony of the swamp has been disrupted. The Mossback Steward is more than willing to use its powers of divination to assist characters who display an honest interest in forcing the Dwendalian military out of Brokenveil Marsh.
B9. FORT VENTURE As the characters draw close to the fort, flashes of lightning and the sound of thunder should grow more prevalent. The Dwendalian stronghold known as Fort Venture sits along a dismal stretch of marsh among the craggy foothills of the Brokenveil Bluffs. A timber palisade surrounds the fort's squat stone keep and muddy grounds, where rows of tents are set up alongside a central training field. The green timber of its battlements hint at the recent construction of this remote military outpost, while the bright colors of its quarried stonework and foreign banners readily betray its distinctly non-Xhorhasian heritage. Read the following when the characters first catch sight of the fort: The swamp gives way to a grassy shorel ine beneath a low promontory, on which sits a modest stone keep surrounded by a tall wooden pal isade. Weather-worn Dwendalian flags hang forlornly above the massive front gate and from decorative pi kes rising from the keep. Several rows of spiked barricades surrou nd the palisade as a defense against the predators of Brokenveil Marsh. A jagged bolt of lightning suddenly cuts through the misty air above the keep, striking the edifice as a mighty crack of thunder rumbles off to the horizon. Fort Venture is detailed on map 5.12. Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check or a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check recognizes that the thunderstorm above Fort Venture is fixed around the outpost and the nearby promontory, while the rest of the marsh remains relatively unaffected by the strange weather. Once the characters reach Fort Venture, the hobgoblin guide Morgid offers to run reconnaissance and to distract incoming Dwendalian patrols as the party infiltrates the fort. The precise condition of Fort Venture and its inhabitants is dependent on how long it took the characters to arrive, and how much of Parson Pellinost's ill-fated exorcism of Bol'bara has transpired. See "Bol'bara's Exorcism" later in this chapter for more information. C HARACTER ADVANCEMENT Having successfully navigated the challenges of Brokenveil Marsh, the characters reach 2nd level when they arrive at Fort Venture. INFILTRATING FORT VENTURE The Dwendalian Empire's hold on Eastern Wynandir is tenuous at best, and the ramshackle garrison at Fort Venture is testament to the empire's attempt to solidify its influence. Despite the outpost's modest appearance, its freshly laid stonework and newly erected battlements offer solid protection against the harsh environs and deadly creatures of the Brokenveil Marsh. Commander Struther Felmont and the Dwendalian soldiers at the fort have grown callous and cruel under the leadership of Imperial Inquisitor Parson Pellinost, who conducts deranged experiments on the humanoids of the marsh with an unsavory and sad*stic application of divine magic. The guards of Fort Venture engage in defense, training, and patrol work in eight-hour shifts. Few of those guards respect Pellinost, but all obey him for fear of strict retribution. BoL'BARA's ExoRCISM The party's travel time from Urzin to Fort Venture determines whether the goblin warlock Bol'bara is still a prisoner of the empire or has become an unfettered vessel of demonic possession and torn the fort apart. After three days of torture and experimentation, Parson Pellinost triggers Bol'bara's full demonic possessionmaking her powerful enough to kill the inquisitor and escape captivity. If the characters spend the minimum three days traversing the marsh and enter Fort Venture at once, they can either prevent the second phase of Bol'bara's possession or become witness to it. With or without the party's intervention, once Bol'bara enters the second phase of her possession, she plots a return to Urzin and attempts to destroy anyone and anything in her way. Point of No Return. Parson Pellinost's methods of interrogation for "troublemakers" are considered savage by normal imperial standards, but the remote location of · the outpost and the soldiers' fear of him have worked in his favor. Bol'bara is of particular interest to the inquisitor, who has been torturing her to death, then bringing her back again using divine healing magic. Bol'bara's full demonic possession is triggered at the end of the third day after the characters set out from Urzin, when Pellinost utilizes the revivify spell a third time to bring Bol'bara back to life. A Warlock Possessed. Once Bol'bara enters the next phase of her demonic possession, she gains two legendary actions granted by the unique supernatural union with her otherworldly patron (see her stat block later in this adventure). Most areas of Fort Venture will be affected by her escape, as indicated by additional descriptive text in the "Bol'bara's Possession" section in each area of the fort. Use the appropriate text depending on whether the characters arrive before Bol'bara has been fully corrupted and have a chance to stop the process, or whether her spree of destruction is already underway. Demon Detente. Even if they are too late to stop Bol'bara's possession, the characters might want to try to parley with the demon-possessed warlock. Give the players any chance of success that seems appropriate to their efforts, but remember that the shadow demon behind Bol'bara's transformation is a creature of chaos. It savors the taste of discord, and convincing Trush to relinquish its hold over the witch won't be easy. Vl. PALISADE The palisade wall around the fort is easily scouted and assessed from a distance, but more difficult to get past. When the characters draw close to the fort, read: CHAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILD E MO UNT 257
The wooden palisade that encloses Fort Ventu re stands over ten feet high and is topped by huge spikes. A gate in the middle of the east wall is flan ked by two watchtowers and appears to be the only way in or out of the complex. The parapet of the fort's stone keep can be seen rising up from the center of the grou nds. Tall grass and knotted b rambles partially obscure a well-trodden path that winds up to the gate from the marsh. Rows of spiked barricades encircle the pal isade, completing the appearance of a well-fortified military outpost. At any given time, each watchtower (including the two towers bordering the gate) is occupied by a Dwendalian guard equipped with a crossbow and a torch. The guards work in eight-hour shifts, with two guards present at each watchtower during shift changes. Characters who attempt to sneak into Fort Venture must find a way to avoid being spotted by the �atchtower guards, whose position gives them advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice activity on the grounds around or inside the palisade. Strangers approaching the fort are hailed by the watchtower guards and ordered to identify themselves. At the first sign of trouble (and the guards are inclined to view anything out of the ordinary as 'trouble'), a guard sounds an alarm on a horn whose caII can be heard across the fortress. Bear Traps. Scores of bear traps are hidden among the tall grass in a 40-foot-wide area surrounding the palisade. A character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher is able to spot the traps and avoid them. Characters who don't spot the traps have a 50 percent chance of stepping on a bear trap and triggering it whenever they move through the area. A bear trap's attack is +8 to hit and deals 5 (ldlO) piercing damage on a hit. This attack can't be made with advantage or disadvantage. A creature hit by the trap also has its speed reduced to 0 and can't move until it breaks free of the trap. Breaking free requires a successful DC lS Strength check by the trapped creature or another creature within 5 feet of the trap. A successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves' tools disables a bear trap. Spiked Barricades. Though visuaily formidable, these barricades built of crossed rows of spiked poles pose a threat only to Large and larger creatures. Any area containing a spiked barricade is difficult terrain. Any Large or bigger creature that moves through an area of spiked barricades must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take S (ld6 + 2) piercing damage. No Visitors. The garrison of Fort Venture are all experienced soldiers and treat all creatures outside the fort as potential threats. Characters who approach them intent on diplomacy or intimidation are met with swift opposition. Using crossbows or spears from their watchtower vantage points, the guards attack any character who engages in conversation with them for more than 1 round. C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDEMOUNT Climbing the Walls. The rough-cut logs of the palisade are relatively easy to climb, notwithstanding the risk of being seen. A character must succeed on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to climb up the wall, followed by the same check to descend the other side unless a rope is lowered down. At the top of the wall, a character must make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to safely slip up and over the palisade spikes. On a failed check, the character takes 3 (ld6) piercing damage. East Gate. The gate into Fort Venture is a sturdy door of iron-banded oak timbers and can be barricaded from within by a 20-foot-long iron crossbar. This crude defense mechanism can't be opened from outside the gate. The barred door can be physically forced open by creatures with a combined Strength of SO. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed as a result of the failed exorcism, the watchtower guards are either dead at their posts or missing, having fled to the main hall (area VS). The iron-banded doors of the gate stand invitingly ajar. V2 . TENT YARD Thirty single-person canvas tents cover this section of the outpost grounds in three rows of ten. When the characters can see this area, read: l The south side of the Fort Venture grounds is li ned with three rows of canvas tents, presumably the garrison's barracks. l When not on duty or training, the guards of Fort Venture spend most of their time in this tent yard, where they drink, gamble, or attempt to sleep despite the maddening howls of Pellinost's furious prisoners in the chapel (area V6). Each tent features a floor covered with straw, a cotton bedroll, a down pillow, and a small wooden footlocker. Eight guards are off duty when the characters arrive in this area, sleeping (an 80 percent chance) or resting but awake in their tents. Sleeping guards use their passive Wisdom (Perception) scores to detect intruders or to hear the alarm being raised. Treasure. The wooden footlockers within the tents are unlocked. Each contains the components of an explorer's pack minus the bedroll currently laid out in the tent. Each footlocker also has a lS percent chance of containing an object of personal or curious importance. Roll on the Trinkets table in chapter S of the Player's Handbook to determine such items. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, no guards are present in the infantry tent yard. The eight off-duty guards took up arms, joined the fray against the possessed warlock, and are either found dead in the training yard (area V4) or alive after fleeing to the main hall (area VS). V3 . COMMANDER'S QUARTERS This huge canvas tent is completely sealed except for a 5-foot-wide entrance flap on its eastern wall. When the characters can see into the tent, read:
Within the dim confines of this huge canvas tent, a tall human clad in splint mail stands before a small, lantern-lit table surrounded by th ree chairs. He takes a sip of wine from a copper goblet as he studies a large map on the tabletop. A crooked scar dances across the left side of his face, and his expression shows a hint of regret as he d rinks again. The map shows the area of Brokenveil Marsh. On the west side of the tent, a wooden bed frame topped with a dusty mattress is flanked by a bedside table. A locked wooden chest lies at the foot of the bed, while a wooden weapon rack and armor stand on the north wall. Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (History) check can identify the Dwendalian insignias and medal of rank adorning the armor of Commander Struther Felmont (a lawful neutral, male human veteran). Felmont prefers the isolation of his command tent to the grim scene inside Pellinost's chapel, and retreats here whenever the priest conducts his strange exorcisms. He carries a key to the main hall (area VS). At the first sight of intruders, Felmont reaches for a horn at his side and sounds the alarm, alerting the guards outside. The commander is fearful but stubborn, and parleys with the characters only if his support troops have been routed and he is obviously outnumbered or outclassed. If Felmont sounds the horn, six Dwendalian guards arrive from the training yard within 2 rounds to fight at his side. If combat persists, all the remaining guards at Fort Venture eventually join the battle. Wooden Chest. The chest at the foot of the bed is locked and trapped. Any character who examines the chest and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers a poisoned needle hidden in the chest's lock. The needle can be removed with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. On a failed check, the character attempting to remove the needle takes 1 piercing damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage, and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. Treasure. The wooden chest contains 10 silver ingots stamped with the crest of the Dwendalian Empire (worth 25 gp each) and a potion of mind reading. Additionally, the drawer of the bedside table contains the following items: an ornate coral-handled dagger (25 gp), a magnifying glass, and a dog-eared book of Eastern Wynandir mythology titled Fabled Mutants of the Miska th Strand (worth 10 gp). Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, Struther Felmont isn't in his tent but can be found among the dead guards in the training yard. V4. TRAINING YARD The bulk of Fort Venture's garrison are usually found on this muddy training yard. Four tall braziers stand at the corners of the area. They are lit at sundown and burn C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILD EMOUNT 259
260 through the night, shedding bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. When the characters see this area, read: Th is muddy open space is lined with straw targets and practice dummies. Bales of hay stacked six feet high fence off the north and south sides of the yard, all filled with stray arrows. Eight Dwendalian guards are normally present in the training yard at all times, with four of them practicing ranged attacks with longbows against straw targets to the north, while four run longsword skirmishes against straw dummies to the south. r I Development. If the watchtower guards or Commander Felmont sound an alarm, six of the guards here investigate the disturbance, while the other two fall back to watch the front gate. Treasure. The guards of Fort Venture routinely keep a bottle of fine brandy (worth 15 gp) hidden within one of the bales of hay in the training yard, and stage mock tournaments for a chance to quaff the imported spirits when the commander isn't looking. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check to search the area finds the bottle stuffed into a hay bale, next to a charcoal stick and a small parchment notebook used to tally scores. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the eight guards normally here lay dead, and most of the targets, dummies, and bales of hay are burning where the braziers have been toppled. V5. MAIN HALL This small stone-walled keep serves as the main gathering hall for the soldiers of Fort Venture. Built on the foundations of a pre-Calamity ruin, the main hall is the strongest point in the fortress, and guards know to muster here for protection against the elements and interlopers. As the characters approach this area, read: The freshly quarried rocks of this squat stone keep lack the B rokenveil Bluffs' d isti nct mossy charm, and the structure's utilitarian style makes it even more foreboding. No windows are set into the stone walls, and a wide, i ron-banded double door is the keep's only entrance. The front door can be locked and bolted from inside (see below) but is usually unlocked. When the characters can see inside the main hall, read: l Three long tables decorate this sparse room, their oiled surfaces spotlessly clean. A closed wooden door is set i nto the far wall. The main hall is a place for the guards of Fort Venture to join together for meals, revelry, and prayer. However, C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDEMOUNT most of the guards prefer to spend their time in the open spaces of the training yard or in their own tents because of the unsavory sounds that issue forth from Parson Pellinost's chapel (area V6). Chapel Door. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check in this area can hear muffled screaming coming from behind the closed door on the west side of the room. Two Dwendalian guards normally stand watch outside the chapel door. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 12 or higher notes the looks of discomfort and unease both wear. Though the guards maintain their watch dutifully, Pellinost's activities have put them on edge, imposing disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened. One of the guards carries a key to the chapel door, which can also be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Main Door. The sturdy, iron-banded oak door leading to the main hall features an inset lock. If the door is locked, it can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Commander Felmont, Parson Pellinost, one of the guards in this area, and one of the guards at the jail (area VS) carry keys to the lock. The door can also be barricaded from within with a 20-foot-long iron crossbar. This crude defense mechanism can't be opened from outside. The barred door can be physically forced open by creatures with a combined Strength of 50. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the door to the main hall stands wide open and the two guards at the chapel door are dead. Any character who succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a DC 16 Wisdom (Medicine) check can determine that the dead guards slew each other with their longswords, providing a hint of the power of Bol'bara's Zone of Calamity legendary action. Development. If the guards in Fort Venture suffer massive casualties or become targets of a fear spell or similar effect, they fall back to the main hall as a final defense. If Bol'bara is already possessed, you might decide that some of the guards survived her assault and have retreated here. V6. CHAPEL Since Parson Pellinost's arrival, the chapel built for the use of Fort Venture's soldiers has facilitated his fetish for torture and now houses a secret altar to the god of blood, death, and life: Vesh, the Bloody Siren (described in chapter 1). When the characters can see into this area, read: l A cramped room is lit by the fl ickering flames of two small braziers suspended from the cei l ing. In the center of the room, a Dwendalian inquisitor stands above a bloody stone altar, cl utch ing a crimson-stained mace in his prosthetic right hand. On the altar, a gobl in struggles fu riously against the chains that bind her. A Dwendalian guard looks on with glee and d isgust.
When the characters arrive, Parson Pellinost and an imperial guard are in the process of torturing the demon-possessed Bol'bara to the point of death-with the sad*stic intention of reviving her to repeat the process. Bol'bara has been suffering this horrific treatment for days, and the rage in her eyes suggests that she would do equally horrific things in return if released from this torturous captivity. What Pellinost doesn't know is that the third time he attempts to cast revivify on the possessed warlock, her tortured mind will break, allowing her to be possessed by her shadow demon patron-a fiend known as Trush. Bol'bara is a chaotic good (for now at least), female goblin (see the accompanying stat block), but she doesn't have legendary actions until she is fully possessed. Parson Pellinost uses the priest stat block but has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, spare the dying 1st level (4 slots): command, cure wounds, guiding bolt 2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, spiritual weapon 3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, revivify Pellinost has a prosthetic limb (right hand), as described in chapter 6, as well as keys to the main hall, the chapel door, and the altar manacles. Chapel Door. The door to the chapel is usually locked. Parson Pellinost and one of the guards on duty in the main hall carry keys to the door, which can also be unlocked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Altar of Blood. Bol'bara is shackled by each limb to the four corners of the low stone altar. A rope gag muffles her screaming, and her arms and legs are covered in an array of fresh contusions and magically healed BoL'BARA Small humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic good (chaotic evil when fully possessed) Armor Class 13 (leather armor), 15 with mage armor Hit Points 40 (9d6 + 9) Speed 30 ft. STR 11 (+O) DEX 14 (+2) CON 12 (+l ) INT 10 (+O) WIS 13 (+l ) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages Common, Goblin Challenge 3 (700 XP) CHA 14 (+2) Dark One's Blessing. When Bol 'bara reduces a hostile creature to 0 hit points, she gains 6 temporary hit poi nts. Nimble Escape. Bol 'bara can take the Disengage or H ide action as a bonus action on each of her turns. Innate Spellcasting. Bol'bara's innate spellcasting abil ity is Charisma (spell save DC 1 2, +4 to hit with spell attacks). She can i nnately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: eldritch blast.false life, mage armor, mage hand l/day each: charm person, hex, hold person, invisibility lacerations. Rivulets of her dark goblin blood run down the side of the stone slab and into a narrow channel cut into the floor around the altar. Without the key, the manacle locks can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. Development. If the characters reached Fort Venture within three days of setting out from Urzin (see "Bol'bara's Exorcism" earlier in this chapter), they arrive here to find Parson Pellinost ready to deliver a death blow against Bol'bara. If Bol'bara is slain and revived with the use of a revivify spell (the third time Pellinost has brought her back to life that way), her otherworldly patron manipulates the veil between the Shadowfell and the Border Ethereal to possess her. Alternatively, if 1 minute passes from the time the characters arrive and interrupt the torture session, the shadow demon Trush completes its own ritual from the Shadowfell and takes control of the warlock. Treasure. In addition to his prosthetic limb (right hand), Pellinost carries a solid ring of polished bloodstone on a tarnished silver chain (worth 50 gp)-a holy symbol of Vesh, the Bloody Siren. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, Parson Pellinost and the guard here are dead. Any character who succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check can determine that the guard attacked Pellinost (under the influence of Bol'bara's Zone of Calamity legendary action) alongside another creature using magic. V7. ARMORY TENT The stronghold's open-fronted armory tent is set up with a blacksmith's forge to serve the needs of the garrison. When the characters can see into this area, read: ACTIONS Multiattack. Bol 'bara makes two melee attacks. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage. Eldritch Blast (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 1 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (l dlO + 2) force damage. LEG ENDA RY ACTI ONS When fully possessed by her patron, Bol 'bara can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Bol'bara regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. Incorporeal Dash. Bol'bara moves up to her speed. She can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrai n. She takes 5 (ldlO) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object. Zone of Calamity (Costs 2 Actions). A 1 5-foot-radius sphere of magical confusion extends from a point Bol 'bara can see within 60 feet of her and spreads around corners. Each creature that starts its turn in that area is treated as if targeted by the confusion spell (save DC 1 2). The sphere lasts as long as Bol 'bara maintains concentration, up to l minute (as if concentrating on a spell). C HAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WILDE MOUNT
S moke rises from the tiny coal forge of this open-fronted armory tent, which is equ ipped with a full complement of blacksmith's resou rces and tools. Along the rear wall, wooden racks hold a battlefield-ready collection of swords, crossbows, spears, hammers, chain sh irts, and shields. One Dwendalian veteran serves as the outpost's blacksmith and can be found in the armory tent during daylight hours. During evening hours, the smith is either fraternizing with the guards in the training yard or drinking and gambling with another guard in the tent yard. Supplies. The armory holds ten longswords, eight crossbows, eight spears, six warhammers, four chain shirts, and six shields. Additionally, any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check to search through the tools can assemble a burglar's pack and a dungeoneer's pack. VS . JAIL l Four iron cages stand in the northeast corner of the Fort l Venture grounds, apparently serving as a makesh ift jail. Three of the cages are empty, but the fourth houses a strange prisoner (see below). A small table and two wooden stump stools serve as a guard station between the jail and the storehouse (area V9). Two Dwendalian guards normally defend this area but spend most of their time playing at cards or dice. Both guards carry master keys for the cages and for the kennels (area VlO), and one carries a key to the main hall (area VS). Without a key, the cages can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or forced open from the outside with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Caged Cultist. The solitary prisoner is a neutral evil hollow one cultist of Ceratos named Alonne Frith, a Far Realm scholar from Rotthold. Frith was captured by a Fort Venture patrol during his journey through the Brokenveil Marsh seeking eldritch relics. His distinctly undead nature was quickly identified as a point of interest for Parson Pellinost, and Frith has since become a reluctant yet reliable subject for Pellinost's experiments. Alonne Frith is toilworn and weary after several days of interrogation by Pellinost. He wears a bloodstained hunter's coat (see chapter 6) whose magical properties have gone unnoticed by Pellinost and his cronies. Development. If the alarm is sounded or the dogs in area VlO start barking, one of the guards heads to the kennel to release the dogs before investigating the disturbance, while the other guard holds their position at the jail. If the characters manage to free Alonne Frith, the cultist can be convinced to join the party and take up the characters' mission with a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. CHAPTER 5 I ADVENTURES IN WlLDEMOUNT Treasure. In addition to the playing card set and dice they use for entertainment, the two guards each have a coin purse containing 26 cp and 17 cp, respectively. In addition to the hunter's coat Alonne Frith wears (see chapter 6), one guard also carries Frith's weapon, a black-bladed +l scimitar, but is unaware of its magical properties and doesn't use the weapon in combat. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the two guards are dead and Alonne Frith huddles in his cage, the only living witness to Fort Venture's demise. Frith can describe seeing a lone goblin spellcaster taking on the garrison, and how her power forced many of the soldiers to turn against each other. He can still be asked to join the party, but the Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince him is made with disadvantage. V9. STOREHOUSE When the characters can see into this area, read: This moderately sized tent contains a wide variety of foodstuffs stored in barrels and crates of all sizes. The air carries the savory aroma of smoked meats, the sweet smell of d ried fruits, and the hearty fragrance of ale. Its location at the lonely edge of the marshlands has made Fort Venture an increasingly popular waypoint for humanoid envoys and merchant caravans heading through the Xhorhasian wastes. This storehouse tent contains the fort's full complement of foodstuffs and potable drinking water, which are replenished at least once a month by caravan. The storehouse tent contains enough rations and clean water to accommodate thirty-five creatures for one month, plus a barrel of ale and a ledger of deliveries kept by a Dwendalian quartermaster. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the storehouse tent is at risk from the fires in area V4 (see that section for details). If the characters come here particularly late, they might find the tent and its contents charred and ruined. VlO. KENNELS When the characters can see this area, read: The rank odor of wet dog rises from an area of small i ron cages near the northeast stockade wall. Four lean guard dogs are chai ned within these kennels. Underfed and overtrained, the four guard dogs (use the mastiff stat block) respond aggressively to anyone not in the uniform of the Dwendalian Empire. They start barking if they see or scent intruders, causing the nearest soldiers to come and investigate. If set free, the dogs immediately attack any characters not in uniform or engaged in combat with any member of the garrison. Development. A character who succeeds on a DC 18 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check is able to calm all the dogs and prevent them from barking or attacking.
If an alarm is sounded elsewhere in the camp, the dogs start barking and one of the guards from the jail (area V8) runs to the kennel to release them before investigating the disturbance. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the dogs survive her initial onslaught but are fearful in the aftermath. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling or Insight) check discerns that the dogs are too frightened to attack. If the dogs are freed, they either flee or can be encouraged to come with the characters at your discretion. If they aren't set free, they die of thirst and starvation within a few days. Vll. LATRINES Three small wooden outhouses stand in a row beneath the southwest palisade wall. When the characters first arrive here, there is a 15 percent chance that one Dwendalian guard is present in one of the outhouses. If combat breaks out here, the inconvenient circ*mstances give the guard disadvantage on its initiative roll. Bol'bara's Possession. If Bol'bara has already been possessed, the characters discover a dead guard in one outhouse, showing no obvious wounds. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check confirms that the guard died of a heart attack. RETURN TO URZIN If the characters don't rescue Bol'bara from captivity before Parson Pellinost completes his interrogation and triggers her full possession, the goblin warlock is taken over by her otherworldly patron. Her alignment becomes chaotic evil, and she gains the legendary actions noted in her stat block. After destroying Pellinost and the garrison of Fort Venture, Bol'bara heads into the Brokenveil Marsh, slaying every creature she meets on her way back to destroy the village of Urzin. To prevent the people of Urzin from suffering a terrible fate, the characters must track Bol'bara across the swamp and intercept her for a final confrontation. You can use a location the characters didn't visit on their journey to the fort as the site of a climactic battle, or reuse an already-visited site as a location for a deadly ambush. Alternatively, you could have the characters catch the warlock as she reaches Urzin, turning the unique village into the site of a deadly battle. Ending Bol'bara's possession while she is alive is beyond the characters' abilities. However, if the warlock is reduced to 0 hit points during the party's confrontation with her, she falls unconscious rather than dying outright. If she is brought back to 1 hit point within 3 rounds, she is restored to her normal self. This reverts her alignment to chaotic good and causes her to lose her legendary actions. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check when the warlock falls can deduce this fact from observing how the unnatural magic infusing her dissipates, or the characters might receive this information as a prophetic insight from the Mossback Steward (area B8). CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE If the characters successfully rescue or defeat Bol'bara, they have the gratitude of Buhfal II and the people of Urzin-and will no doubt attract the questionable attention of local Kryn Dynasty operatives. If the characters fail, Bol'bara attacks Urzin and becomes an ongoing threat in Brokenveil Marsh-a threat for which the characters are almost certain to be blamed, by any surviving goblinoids and the Dwendalian Empire alike. C HARACTER ADVANCEMENT At the end of this adventure, the characters reach 3rd level. Further opportunities for adventure might be found in Eastern Wynandir, perhaps involving the goblinoids of Urzin or the soldiers of Fort Venture. Or the characters might use the success of this adventure-or their unwelcome notoriety if the mission failed-as an excuse to seek out new opportunities elsewhere in Wildemount.
cehapter 6 WILDEMOUNT TREASUR E S HE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POWER AND potential is a curious thing. Everyone seeks to gain power, to use it. Yet the more power you have, the more you use, the more others will try to take it from you. Potential, however, is power unknown, unused. Hidden. Secret until absolutely necessary. I peddle in potential, and I recommend you do too in these times of war. -Enchanter Yun Since magic was first introduced to mortals in ages past, many have sought to channel the gifts of magic into implements of power. Master crafters and fine artisans have long worked with talented arcanists and divine acolytes to craft beautiful artifacts of protection, or to forge armaments of war. The most skilled archmages enchanted and assembled vast collections of mighty artifacts throughout the Age of Arcanum, most of which were scattered and lost in the conflicts of the Calamity. Adventurers, archeologists, and unscrupulous explorers delve into dungeons, ruins, and forgotten places of lore in hopes of recovering these objects of power, even as spellcasters and researchers seek to replicate ancient enchantments by their own hands. This chapter contains a collection of new magic items and artifacts found in Wildemount, but which can be used in any campaign setting. MAGIC ITEMS OF WILDEMOUNT Whether found in a subterranean tomb while searching for lost treasure, chosen as a reward from a wealthy collector of curiosities, or stumbled across as a discarded object of hidden potential, magic items are always highly sought after by adventurers in a Wildemount campaign. Relics of magic provide a perfect opportunity to bring alive the history of ages long gone, and to reward players for diligently seeking their way in the world. Many of the magic items in this section are relics of the flying city-state of Aeor, and can often be found in Aeorian ruins in Eiselcross. See chapter 3 for more information on Eiselcross and Aeor. MAGIC ITEM DESCRIPTIONS These magic items are presented in alphabetical order. For the rules on magic items, see chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. AcHERON BLADE Weapon (any sword), rare (requires attunement) The black blade of this sword is crafted from a mysterious arcane alloy. You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While the sword is on your person, you are immune to effects that turn undead. Dark Blessing. While holding the sword, you can use an action to give yourself ld4 + 4 temporary hit points. This property can't be used again until the next dusk. Disheartening Strike. When you hit a creature with an attack using this weapon, you can fill the target with unsettling dread: the target has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn. The creature ignores this effect if it's immune to the frightened condition. Once you use this property, you can't do so again until the next dusk. AMULET OF THE D RUNKARD Wondrous item, uncommon This amulet smells of old, ale-stained wood. While wearing it, you can regain 4d4 + 4 hit points when you drink a pint of beer, ale, mead, or wine. Once the amulet has restored hit points, it can't do so again until the next dawn. ARCANE CANNON Wondrous item, very rare This Large cannon is imbued with magic. It requires no ammunition and doesn't need to be loaded. It takes one action to aim the cannon and one action to fire it. After the cannon has fired, it must recharge for 5 minutes before it can be fired again. The creature firing the cannon chooses the effect from the following options: Acidjet. The cannon discharges acid in a line 300 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much CHAPTER 6 I WI LDEMOUNT TREASURES
266 damage on a successful one. In addition, a creature that fails its saving throw takes 11 (2d10) acid damage at the start of each of its turns; a creature can end this damage by using its action to wash off the acid with a pint or more of water. Fire Jet. The cannon discharges fire in a line 300 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried. Frost Shot. The cannon shoots a ball of frost to a point you can see within 1 ,200 feet of the cannon. The ball then expands to form a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on that point. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 22 (4d10) cold damage, and its speed is reduced by 10 feet for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and its speed isn't reduced. A creature whose speed is reduced by this effect can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Lightning Shot. The cannon shoots a ball of lightning to a point you can see within 1 ,200 feet of the cannon. The lightning then expands to form a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 33 (6dl0) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures wearing metal armor have disadvantage on the save. Poison Spray. The cannon expels poison gas in a 60- foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 22 (4d10) poison damage and is poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. A creature poisoned in this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. BATTERING SHIELD Armor (shield), rare (requires attunement) While holding this iron tower shield, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. This bonus is in addition to the shield's normal bonus to AC. Additionally, the shield has 3 charges, and it regains ld3 expended charges daily at dawn. If you are holding the shield and push a creature within your reach at least 5 feet away, you can expend 1 charge to push that creature an additional 10 feet, knock it prone, or both. BLOODAXE Weapon (greataxe), very rare (requires attunement) You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic axe. The axe deals an extra ld6 necrotic damage to creatures that aren't constructs or undead. If you reduce such a creature to 0 hit points with an attack using this axe, you gain 10 temporary hit points. This axe is forged from a dark, rust-colored metal and once belonged to the goliath barbarian Grog Strongjaw of Vax Machina. CHAPTER 6 I WILDEMOU NT TREASURES BREATHING BUBBLE Wondrous item, common This translucent, bubble-like sphere has a slightly tacky outer surface, and you gain the item's benefits only while wearing it over your head like a helmet. The bubble contains 1 hour of breathable air. The bubble regains all its expended air daily at dawn. BROOCH OF LIVING ESSENCE Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) While wearing this nondescript brooch, spells and anything else that would detect or reveal your creature type treat you as humanoid, and those that would reveal your alignment treat it as neutral. BUTCHER'S BIB Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) This black leather apron is perpetually covered by blood, even after being washed off. You gain the following benefits while wearing the apron: Once per turn when you roll damage for a melee attack with a weapon, you can reroll the weapon's damage dice. If you do so, you must use the second total. Your weapon attacks that deal slashing damage score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20. Corn OF DELVING Wondrous item, common This scintillating copper coin sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius. If dropped a distance greater than 5 feet, the coin issues a melodious ringing sound when it hits a surface. Any creature that can hear the chime can determine the distance the coin dropped based on the tone. CORPSE SLAYER Weapon (any), rare (requires attunement) You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit an undead creature with an attack using this weapon, the attack deals an extra ld8 damage of the weapon's type, and the creature has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead until the start of your next turn. D ISPELLING STONE Wondrous item, very rare This smooth, rainbow-colored, egg-shaped stone can be thrown up to 30 feet and explodes in a 10-foot-radius sphere of magical energy on impact, destroying the stone. Any active spell of 5th level or lower in the sphere ends. DUSKCRUSHER Weapon (warhammer), very rare (requires attunement) This item takes the form of a leather-wrapped metal rod emblazoned with the symbol of Pelor, the Dawn Father. While grasping the rod, you can use a bonus action to cause a warhammer head of crackling radiance to spring into existence. The warhammer's radiant head
AMULET OF THE DRUNKARD emits bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet. The light is sunlight. You can use an action to make the radiant head disappear. While the radiant head is active, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon, and attacks with the weapon deal radiant damage instead of bludgeoning damage. An undead creature hit by the weapon takes an extra ld8 radiant damage. While you are holding Duskcrusher and its radiant head is active, you can use an action to cast the sunbeam spell (save DC 1 5) from the weapon, and this action can't be used again until the next dawn. DUST OF DELICIOUSNESS Wondrous item, uncommon This reddish brown dust can be sprinkled over any edible substance to greatly improve the flavor. The dust also dulls the eater's senses: anyone eating food treated with this dust has disadvantage on Wisdom ability checks and Wisdom saving throws for 1 hour. There is enough dust to flavor six servings. ERSATZ EYE Wondrous item, common (requires attunement) This artificial eye replaces a real one that was lost or removed. While the ersatz eye is embedded in your eye socket, it can't be removed by anyone other than you, and you can see through the tiny orb as though it were a normal eye. GOGGLES OF OBJECT READING Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) These leather-framed goggles feature purple crystal lenses. While wearing the goggles, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks made to reveal information about a creature or object you can see. In addition, you can cast the identify spell using the googles. Once you do so, you can't do so again until the next dawn. HUNTER'S COAT Armor (leather), very rare (requires attunement) You gain a +l bonus to AC while wearing this armor. The coat has 3 charges. When you hit a creature with an attack and that creature doesn't have all its hit points, you can expend 1 charge to deal an extra ldlO necrotic damage to the target. The coat regains ld3 expended charges daily at dawn. LAST STAND ARMOR Armor (any), very rare You have a +1 bonus to AC while wearing this armor, which shimmers softly. If you die while wearing the armor, it is destroyed, and each celestial, fey, and fiend with 30 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be banished to its home plane of existence, unless it is already there. CHAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES
'268 LUXON BEACON Wondrous item, legendary This dodecahedron of faintly glowing crystal is heavier than it appears. A set of handles are affixed to its sides, and it pulsates and thrums when touched. Fragment of Possibility. A creature that touches the beacon and concentrates for 1 minute receives a Fragment of Possibility, which looks like a Tiny, grayish bead of energy that follows the creature around, staying within 1 foot of it at all times. The fragment lasts for 8 hours or until used. Once the beacon grants a Fragment of Possibility, it can't grant another until the next dawn. A creature with a Fragment of Possibility from a Luxon beacon can't gain another Fragment of Possibility from any source. When a creature with a Fragment of Possibility makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, it can expend its fragment to roll an additional d20 and choose which of the d20s to use. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can expend its fragment to roll a d20 and choose which of the d20s to use, the one it rolled or the one the attacker rolled. If the original d20 roll has advantage or disadvantage, the creature rolls its d20 after advantage or disadvantage has been applied to the original roll. Soul Snare. If a follower of the Luxon who has undergone a ritual of consecution dies within 100 miles of a Luxon beacon, their soul is ensnared by it. This soul will be reincarnated within the body of a random humanoid baby developing within 100 miles of the beacon. NEEDLE OF MENDING Weapon (dagger), rare (requires attunement) This weapon is a magic dagger disguised as a sewing needle. When you hold it and use a bonus action to speak its command word, it transforms into a dagger or back into a needle. You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with the dagger. While holding it, you can use an action to cast the mending cantrip from it. NIGHTFALL PEARL Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) Used to summon night, this 6-inch-diameter, jet-black orb is cold to the touch. You can spend 10 minutes to activate it, causing the area within 10 miles of it at the moment of activation to become night even if it is daytime. This night lasts for 24 hours, until you cancel it as an action, or until your attunement to the pearl ends. Once used, the pearl can't be used again for 24 hours. ORB OF THE VEIL Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) This onyx sphere bears deep, spiraling grooves and dangles from an iron chain. While the orb is on your person, you gain the following benefits: Your Wisdom score increases by 2, as does your maximum for that score. • You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, the orb increases its range by 60 feet. C HAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES • You have advantage on Wisdom checks to find hidden doors and paths. Curse. The orb is cursed, and becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you. As long as you remain cursed, you are unwilling to part with the orb, keeping it on your person at all times. All nonmagical flames within 30 feet of you automatically extinguish, and fire damage dealt by you is halved. POTION OF MAXIMUM POWER Potion, rare The first time you cast a damage-dealing spell of 4th level or lower within 1 minute after drinking the potion, instead of rolling dice to determine the damage dealt, you can instead use the highest number possible for each die. This glowing purple liquid smells of sugar and plum, but it has a muddy taste. POTION OF POSSIBILITY Potion, very rare When you drink this clear potion, you gain two Fragments of Possibility, each of which looks like a Tiny, grayish bead of energy that follows you around, staying within 1 foot of you at all times. Each fragment lasts for 8 hours or until used. When you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can expend your fragment to roll an additional d20 and choose which of the d20s to use. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against you, you can expend your fragment to roll a d20 and choose which of the d20s to use, the one you rolled or the one the attacker rolled. If the original d20 roll has advantage or disadvantage, you roll your d20 after advantage or disadvantage has been applied to the original roll. While you have one or more Fragments of Possibility from this potion, you can't gain another Fragment of Possibility from any source. PROSTHETIC LIMB Wondrous item, common (requires attunement by a creature missing some or all of a limb) This artificial limb replaces a hand, an arm, a foot, a leg, or a similar appendage that was lost or removed. While the prosthetic is attached and attuned to you, it functions identically to the body part it is replacing. You can detach or reattach it as an action, and it can't be removed by anyone else. If you have multiple prosthetic limbs, they count as a single magic item with regard to the number of magic items you can attune to. REINCARNATION DUST Wondrous item, very rare When this small pouch of purple dust is sprinkled on a dead humanoid or a piece of a dead humanoid, the dust is absorbed by the remains. If willing, the dead creature returns to life with a new body as if the reincarnate spell had been cast on the remains.
LUXON B EACON RING OF OBSCURING Ring, uncommon (requires attunement) This band of iron resembles a skull and is cold to the touch. It has 3 charges and regains ld3 expended charges daily at dawn. As an action while wearing the ring, you can expend 1 of its charges to cast the fog cloud spell from it, with the following changes: the cloud is centered on you when it first appears, and the spell lasts for 1 minute (no concentration required). RING OF TEMPORAL SALVATION Ring, rare (requires attunement) If you die while wearing this gray crystal ring, you vanish and reappear in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the space you left (or the nearest unoccupied space). You have a number of hit points equal to 3d6 + your Constitution modifier. If your hit point maximum is lower than the number of hit points you regain, your hit point maximum rises to a similar amount. If you have any levels of exhaustion, reduce your level of exhaustion by 1. Once the ring is used, it turns to dust and is destroyed. Ron OF RETRI BUTION Rod, uncommon (requires attunement) This adamantine rod is tipped with a glowing crystalline eye. The rod has 3 charges and regains all its expended charges daily at dawn. When a creature you can see within 60 feet of you damages you while you are holding this rod, you can use your reaction to expend 1 of the rod's charges to force SPELL BOTTLE the creature to make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. The creature takes 2d10 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. SPELL BOTTLE Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This glass bottle can store one spell of up to 5th level at a time. When found, roll a d6 and subtract 1· the total determines the level of spell in the bottle Cthe DM chooses the spell, and 0 means the bottle is empty). A swirling blue vapor fills the bottle while it contains a spell. When the bottle is empty, any creature can cast a spell of 1st through 5th level into it by touching it while casting. The spell has no effect other than to be stored in the bottle. While holding the bottle, you can cast the spell stored in it. The spell uses the slot level, spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and spellcasting ability of the original caster, but is otherwise treated as if you cast the spell. The bottle becomes empty once the spell is cast. If you're holding the empty bottle when you see a creature casting a spell within 60 feet of you, you can open the bottle as a reaction in an attempt to interrupt the spell. If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, the spell has no effect, and it is stored in the bottle. If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, make an Intelligence check. The DC equals 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the spell has no effect, and it is stored in the bottle. C HAPTER 6 I WJ LDEMOUNT TREASU RES
STAFF OF DUNAMANCY Staff, very rare (requires attunement by a wizard) This staff of polished gray wood bears numerous runes carved along its length. The staff has 10 charges and regains ld6 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff turns into dust and is destroyed. While holding the staff, you can use an action to expend 2 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC and spell attack bonus: fortune's favor (2 charges), pulse wave (3 charges), or gravity sinkhole (4 charges). See chapter 4 for descriptions of these spells. New Possibility. If you are holding the staff and fail a saving throw against a spell that targets only you, you can turn your failed save into a successful one. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. STAFF OF THE IVORY C LAW Staff, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster) This gray-and-cerulean staff is topped with a small dragon claw carved from ivory. While holding the staff, you gain a +l bonus to spell attack rolls. Whenever you score a critical hit with a spell attack, the target takes an extra 3d6 radiant damage. Vox SEEKER Wondrous item, common This clockwork device resembles a metal crab the size of a dinner plate. Every action used to wind up the device allows it to operate for 1 minute, to a maximum of 10 minutes. While operational, the item uses the Vox SEEKER Tiny construct, unaligned Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 7 (2d4 + 2) Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. STR 2 (-4) DEX 10 (+O) CON 12 (+1) INT 1 (-5) Damage Immunities poison, psychic WIS 10 (+O) CHA 1 (-5) Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses blindsight 60 ft. (bl ind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 Languages - Challenge 1 /8 (25 XP) Voice Lock. The vox seeker must move toward and attack the source of the nearest voice within 60 feet of it, to the excl usion of all other targets, for as long as it remains operational. Spider Climb. The vox seeker can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on cei l ings, without needing to make an abil ity check. ACTIONS Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (ld4) piercing damage plus 3 lightning damage. C HAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASU RES accompanying vox seeker stat block. This automaton is under the DM's control. A vox seeker reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. WEAPON OF CERTAIN DEATH Weapon (any), rare When you damage a creature with an attack using this magic weapon, the target can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn. VESTIGE S OF DIVERGENCE When the great wars of the Calamity rolled across Exandria, heroes of divinity accepted legendary relics from their patrons and gods. At the same time, archmages wove dangerous arcane power into items of immense magical might. When the war ended, most of these magic items were buried with their wielders beneath ash and dust. Those items that survived were passed down as heirlooms and prized tokens of the past. Whether they survived destruction or have been claimed from the ruins of history, these remnants of a lost era have come to be known as the Vestiges of Divergence. Each Vestige of Divergence is a magic item that evolves with its wielder. If not attuned to a worthy individual over a prolonged period, such items commonly revert to their dormant state. While in this state, a Vestige of Divergence grants an attuned bearer only some of its power. Over time, and in response to perseverance and personal growth, a Vestige of Divergence might unlock facets of its lost capabilities to enter an awakened state. Eventually, through extreme personal challenge, evolution, and achievement, these artifacts can reach their ultimate potential in their exalted state. The properties and features gained at each new state are cumulative with the properties and features granted at a previous state, unless otherwise noted. This section presents a number of Vestiges of Divergence that might be found anywhere in Exandria. When Vestiges of Divergence are used in a campaign, their discovery and acquisition should always be treated with a suitable amount of weight and responsibility. DANOTH'S VISOR Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) These mithral-frame goggles with clear diamond lenses were used by the evoker Danoth Oro to spot invisible enemies and scout areas from afar. Dormant. While wearing the goggles in their dormant state, you can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 60 feet. Additionally, you have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Awakened. When Danoth's visor reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: • You see invisible creatures and objects within 60 feet of you as if they were visible, and you can see into the Ethereal Plane. Ethereal creatures and objects appear ghostly and translucent. • As a bonus action, you can speak a command word and use the goggles to see into and through solid matter. This vision has a radius of 60 feet and lasts
for 1 minute. To you, solid objects within that radius appear transparent. The vision can penetrate 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, or up to 3 feet of wood or dirt. Thicker substances block the vision, as does a thin sheet of lead. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. • As a bonus action, you can speak a command word to switch the goggles into spyglass mode. While in this mode, creatures and objects viewed through the goggles are magnified to twice their size. Speaking the command word again reverts the goggles to their normal operation. Exalted. When Danoth's Visor reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • You automatically detect illusions you can see and automatically succeed on saving throws against them. In addition, you see a bright aura around any creature that isn't in its true form. • As an action, you can cast the antimagic field spell from the visor. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. GRIMOIRE lNFINITUS Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a wizard) Several of these spellbooks with gilded pages and silver-plated covers were created during the Age of Arcanum, but only one has been found since the Calamity ended. The book has an infinite number of pages, is three inches thick, eight inches wide, twelve inches long, and weighs three pounds. Dormant. Most of the book is blank, but the following spells are recorded in the first pages of the tome: alarm, antimagic field, Bigby's hand, blight, charm person, confusion, control weather, create undead, detect thoughts, enlarge/reduce, fear, foresight, gaseous form, glyph of warding, legend Jore, Leomund's tiny hut, mass suggestion, mislead, misty step, Mordenkainen's faithful hound, prismatic spray, ray of enfeeblement, silent image, teleport, and thunderwave. You can use the grimoire as your spellbook, and you can scribe new spells into it as normal. When you prepare wizard spells using the grimoire, the number of wizard spells you can prepare increases by 1. Awakened. When the Grimoire Infinitus reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: • While you carry the spellbook, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects. • When you prepare wizard spells using the grimoire as your spellbook, the number of spells you can prepare increases by 1 again. Exalted. When the Grimoire Infinitus reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • You can now use your Arcane Recovery feature twice between long rests, rather than once. • When you prepare wizard spells using the grimoire as your spellbook, the number of spells you can prepare increases by 1 again. HIDE OF THE FERAL GUARDIAN Armor (studded leather), legendary (requires attunement) It is believed that this polished and beautifully detailed leather armor was a gift from Melara, bestowed on a long-forgotten archdruid and champion of the natural world before the terrors of the Calamity. Dormant. While wearing the armor in its dormant state, you gain the following benefits: • The armor grants you a + 1 bonus to AC. • While you are transformed by an effect that replaces any of your game statistics with those of another creature, you have a + 1 bonus to melee attack and damage rolls, and you retain the benefits of this armor. As an action, you can use the armor to cast polymorph on yourself, transforming into a giant owl while retaining your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Awakened. When the armor reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The AC bonus of the armor increases to +2. While you are transformed by an effect that replaces any of your game statistics with those of another creature, your bonus to melee attack and damage rolls increases by 1 (to +2). ADVANCEMENT OF A VESTIGE OF DIVERGENCE Typically, the advancement of a Vestige of Divergence echoes its wielder's own journey of self-discovery, whether that i nvolves triumph or failure. However, a Vestige of Divergence might evolve on its own during moments of duress or desperation for its wielder, granting additional aid in times of need. These moments of advancement are up to the Dungeon Master to identify and enforce, and might manifest in unexpected ways. DMs can use the following examples as guideli nes for shaping the evolution of a Vestige of Divergence: • A character overcomes one of their greatest fears, bravely facing an otherwise paralyzing phobia to save a fellow party member. • A character is beaten within an inch of their life by a long-hated foe. In the face of defeat, they feel a deep, dormant strength grow from within. • A character loses a close ally in battle, their anguish and fury stirring the power within a Vestige of Divergence. • A character discovers a facet of their destiny that guides them toward a dangerous cause. Setting aside their fears, they accept their fate and responsibil ity. • A character successfully takes vengeance agai nst a rival who has long tormented them. A character known for restraint gives in to the amoral, violent urges that a Vestige of Divergence was forged to hone. A Vestige of Divergence typically remains dormant until its wielder achieves 9th level. It becomes awakened between levels 9 and 1 5, and achieves an exalted state between levels 16 and 20. U ltimately, though, this progression is determined by the Dungeon Master. C HAPTER 6 I WJLD E MOUNT TREASURES
DANOTH'S VISOR GUARDIAN WOLF Huge monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 66 (7d12 + 21) Speed 60 ft. STR 22 (+6) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 4 (l, l 00 XP) GRIMOIRE lNFINITUS INT 5 (-3) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 8 (-1) Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. ACTIONS Multiattack. The wolf makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (ldlO + 6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength savi ng th row or be knocked prone. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage. C HAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES INFILTRATOR'S KEV WREATH OF THE PRISM When you cast the polymorph spell using this armor, you can transform into a cave bear (use the polar bear statistics). Exalted. When the armor reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • The AC bonus of the armor increases to +3. • While you are transformed by an effect that replaces any of your game statistics with those of another creature, your bonus to melee attack and damage rolls increases by 1 (to +3). • When you cast the polymorph spell using this armor, you can transform into a guardian wolf (see the accompanying stat block). INFILTRATOR'S KEY Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This mithral skeleton key was forged using the blood of twelve master thieves executed for trying to steal magic items during the Age of Arcanum. Dormant. The infiltrator's key grants the following benefits in its dormant state: The key can be used as thieves' tools for the purpose of opening locks. When using the key, you are considered proficient in thieves' tools and you have advantage on ability checks made to open locks. While holding the key, your steps are muffled, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to move silently. Awakened. When the infiltrator's key reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties:
• While holding the key, you can use a bonus action to transform the key into a magic dagger or back into a key. While the key is in the form of a dagger, you gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, and it returns to your hand immediately after it is used to make a ranged attack. • While holding the key, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it: alter self, invisibility, knock, or pass without trace. Once a spell has been cast using the key, it can't be used to cast that spell again until the next dawn. Exalted. When the infiltrator's key reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • As a bonus action, you can touch the key to a floor, wall, or ceiling that is no more than 5 feet thick and cause a magical opening to appear in the surface. When you create the opening, you choose its length and width, up to 10 feet for each dimension. The opening lasts until the key passes through it to the other side, at which point it disappears (if a creature is in the opening when the doorway closes, the creature is safely shunted to the nearest unoccupied space). The key can't be used to create another opening until the next dawn. While holding the key, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it: dimension door, gaseous form, or mislead. Once a spell has been cast using the key, it can't be used to cast that spell again until the next dawn. STORMGIRDLE Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) A stormgirdle is a wide belt made of thick leather branded with the symbol of Kord. The girdle's clasps are made from dragon ivory. Dormant. While wearing the stormgirdle in its dormant state, you have resistance to lightning damage and thunder damage, and your Strength score becomes 21 if it isn't already 21 or higher. In addition, you can use an action to become a Storm Avatar for 1 minute, gaining the following benefits for the duration: You have immunity to lightning damage and thunder damage. • When you hit with a weapon attack that normally deals bludgeoning damage, it deals thunder damage instead. When you hit with a weapon attack that normally deals piercing or slashing damage, it deals lightning damage instead. • As a bonus action, you can choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you to be struck by lightning. The target must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once you use the girdle's Storm Avatar property, that property can't be used again until the next dawn. Awakened. While wearing the stormgirdle in its awakened state, you gain the following benefits: Your Strength score becomes 23 if it isn't already 23 or higher. Your Storm Avatar's lightning strike deals 4d6 lightning damage (instead of 3d6). • While transformed into a Storm Avatar, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover. Exalted. While wearing the stormgirdle in its exalted state, you gain the following benefits: • Your Strength score becomes 25 if it isn't already 25 or higher. Your Storm Avatar's lightning strike deals 5d6 lightning damage (instead of 3d6). You can cast the control weather spell from the girdle. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. VERMINSHROUD Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This patchy cloak was pieced together from the pelts of rats found feasting on the dead in Blightshore and is dotted with the bloated corpses of magically preserved insects along its seams. Dormant. While wearing the verminshroud in its dormant state, you gain the following benefits: You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell, you are immune to disease, and you have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, wearing the cloak increases the range of your darkvision by 60 feet. As an action, you can use the verminshroud to cast polymorph on yourself, transforming into a giant rat or rat while retaining your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as the properties of the cloak. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Awakened. While wearing the verminshroud in its awakened state, you gain the following benefits: • You have resistance to poison damage. • You can use an action to cast the insect plague spell (save DC 15) from the verminshroud, requiring no material components. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. • When you cast the polymorph spell using the verminshroud, you can transform into a giant wasp. Exalted. While wearing the verminshroud in its exalted state, you gain the following benefits: You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Your teeth become razor-sharp natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal piercing damage equal to ld6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. You can make this attack as a bonus action. When you bite a creature and deal damage to it, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success. • When you cast the polymorph spell using the verminshroud, you can transform into a giant scorpion. CHAPTER 6 I W!LDEMOUNT TREASURES 273
2 74 LASH OF SHADOWS WREATH OF THE PRISM MACE OF THE BLACK CROWN Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) This loop of golden thorns is inset with dozens of gems representing the five colors of Tiamat. Dormant. While wearing the wreath in its dormant state, you have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, wearing the wreath increases the range of your darkvision by 60 feet. When you hit a beast, dragon, or monstrosity of challenge rating 5 or lower with an attack, or when you grapple it, you can use the wreath to cast dominate monster on the creature (save DC 13). On a successful save, the target is immune to the power of the wreath for 24 hours. On a failure, a shimmering, golden image of the wreath appears as a collar around the target's neck or as a crown on its head (your choice) until it is no longer charmed by the spell. If you use the wreath to charm a second creature, the first spell immediately ends. When the spell ends, the target knows it was charmed by you. Awakened. Once the wreath of the prism reaches an awakened state, it gains the following benefits: You can affect creatures of challenge rating 10 or lower with the wreath. • The save DC of the wreath's spell increases to 15. Exalted. Once the wreath of the prism reaches an exalted state, it gains the following benefits: You can affect creatures of challenge rating 15 or lower with the wreath. • The save DC of the wreath's spell increases to 17. CHAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES GROVEL THRASH Ru1N's WAKE ARMS OF THE BETRAYERS The Arms of the Betrayers are sentient weapons forged from the souls of fiends by the Betrayer Gods for their humanoid champions. (See "Lesser Idols" in chapter 1 for more details.) These artifacts are more than just magic items. They are powerful sentient beings, filled with fury and eager to be wielded-and to spill blood. BETRAYER ARTIFACT PROPERTIES The Arms of the Betrayers advance in power in the same manner as the Vestiges of Divergence (see the previous section). In its dormant state, each of these artifacts has one minor beneficial property and one minor detrimental property. When the artifact attains an awakened state, it gains an additional minor beneficial property and an additional minor detrimental property. When the item reaches its exalted state, it gains a major beneficial property. See "Artifact Properties" in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for more information. DESTROYING THESE ARTIFACTS Destroying any of the Arms of the Betrayers is no easy task. Most conventional means of destruction fail to even scratch one of these ancient artifacts. Each weapon's method of destruction is determined by the DM and should be unique and require at least one adventure to accomplish. The DM can choose or roll for a weapon's method of destruction on the Arms of the Betrayers Destruction table, or use the table as inspiration.
When one of the Arms of the Betrayers is destroyed, the soul of the fiend within the weapon returns to its home plane-and begins to plot the destruction of the creatures responsible. A R M S O F T H E BETRAYERS DESTRUCTION d8 Destruction Method The weapon must be bathed in the ichor of an archdevil or demon lord. 2 A coven of twelve night hags must perform an eight-hour ritual known only to them on the plane of Gehenna to destroy the weapon. 3 The weapon must be brought back to a forgotten forge in Xhorhas and melted down by the fu rnace that made it. 4 The fiery breath of an ancient red dragon is the only thing that can destroy the weapon. 5 The weapon is destroyed if devoured by Uk'otoa. 6 Thrusting the weapon into a Luxon beacon destroys the weapon and the beacon al ike. 7 The weapon can be broken only by a blow from another of the Arms of the Betrayers. 8 Burning the remains of the fi rst champion to wield the weapon destroys the item. ARTIFACT DESCRIPTIONS These artifacts are presented in alphabetical order. For the rules on artifacts, see chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. BLADE OF BROKEN MIRRORS Weapon (dagger), artifact (requires attunement by a humanoid) A weapon of Tharizdun, this dagger is a piece of jagged stone whose blade is scribed with a maze-like pattern with no beginning or end. Sentience. The Blade of Broken Mirrors is a sentient chaotic evil weapon with an Intelligence of 21, a Wisdom of 24, and a Charisma of 24. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal and Common. Personality. An insane glabrezu named Ragazuu lives within the Blade of Broken Mirrors. The weapon yearns to cause chaos. It learns its wielder's principles, then uses those ideals to encourage reckless action. The dagger whispers ideas of revolution. Dormant. The dagger grants the following benefits in its dormant state: You can speak, read, and write Abyssal. • You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. Immediately after you make a ranged attack with this weapon, it returns to your hand. • Whenever you kill a humanoid with an attack using the Blade of Broken Mirrors, the blade remembers the creature's appearance. While holding the dagger, you can use an action to change your form to match any humanoid the blade remembers. Your statistics, other than your size, don't change. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying isn't transformed. You can revert to your true appearance as an action. You revert to your true appearance automatically when you die. When the Blade of Broken Mirrors attunes to a new wielder, the appearances of humanoids it has killed are wiped from its memory. Awakened. When the dagger reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. While holding the weapon, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it (save DC 15): fabricate, hallucinatory terrain, major image, orphantasmal killer. Once a spell has been cast using the dagger, that spell can't be cast from the dagger again until the next dawn. Exalted. When the dagger reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. • The saving throw DC for spells cast from the dagger increases to 17. While holding the dagger, you can turn invisible as an action. Anything you are wearing or carrying is invisible with you. You remain invisible until you stop holding the dagger, until you attack or cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw, or until you use a bonus action to become visible again. GROVELTHRASH Weapon (warhammer), artifact (requires attunement) Crafted from a single piece of obsidian, this warhammer ofTorog hums with magical energy and is carved with the images of faces screaming in pain. Sentience. Grovelthrash is a sentient neutral evil weapon with an Intelligence of 18, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 19. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal, Common, and Infernal. Personality. A covetous ultroloth named Ciria lives within Grovelthrash. The weapon values material possessions and doling out pain. It compliments its wielder whenever they claim treasure and takes pleasure in harming others. Dormant. The warhammer grants the following benefits in its dormant state: • You can speak, read, and write Abyssal and Infernal. You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. When you hit with an attack using this warhammer, you can deal an extra 2d6 bludgeoning damage to the target. If you do, you take ld6 psychic damage. The warhammer deals double damage to objects and structures. While holding this weapon, you have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to discern a lie spoken in a language you understand. C HAPTER 6 I WILD EMOUNT TREASURES 2 75
Awakened. When the warhammer reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. You gain a burrowing speed equal to your walking speed. You can use your burrowing speed to move through sand, loose earth, mud, or ice, not solid rock. When a creature you can see within 30 feet of you hits you with an attack while you are wielding the warhammer, you can use your reaction to deal an amount of psychic damage to that creature equal to the damage you took from the attack. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Exalted. When the warhammer reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. • When you have fewer hit points than half your hit point maximum, the warhammer deals an extra 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a hit. • You can burrow through solid rock at half your burrowing speed and leave a 5-foot-diameter tunnel in your wake. As an action, you can use the warhammer to cast one of the fol lowing spells from it (save DC 17): earthquake, meld into stone, or stone shape. Once a spell has been cast using the warhammer, that spell can't be cast from the warhammer again until the next dawn. LASH OF SHADOWS Weapon (whip), artifact (requires attunement) This snakeskin whip is touched by the power of Zehir and ends in five animated serpent heads. Sentience. The Lash of Shadows is a sentient chaotic evil weapon with an Intelligence of 18, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 20. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 1 20 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal, Common, and Draconic. Personality. A mad marilith named Sizlifeth lives within the Lash of Shadows. The weapon has a short temper and experiences only extreme emotions. It is most happy when dealing harm. Dormant. The whip grants the following benefits in its dormant state: • You can speak, read, and write Abyssal and Draconic. • You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. • You can attempt to poison any creature that is hit by the whip. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer the effect of one of the following poisons of your choice; once a poison other than Serpent Venom has been used, that poison can't be used again until the next dawn: C HAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES Dead Eyes. A creature that fails the saving throw against this poison is poisoned for 1 hour. While poisoned in this way, the creature is blinded. Serpent Venom. A creature that fails the saving throw against this poison takes 3d6 poison damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. Awakened. When the whip reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. The saving throw DC for the weapon's poisons increases to 15. The weapon gains a new poison option called Ghoul's Blood. A creature that fails the saving throw against this poison is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature is paralyzed. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Exalted. When the whip reaches an exalted state, it gains the following additional properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. • The saving throw DC for the weapon's poisons increases to 17. • The weapon gains a new poison option called co*ckatrice Tears. A creature that fails the saving throw against this poison begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified for 24 hours. MACE OF THE BLACK CROWN Weapon (mace), artifact (requires attunement) This mace has a haft of black iron and a ruby head with a fiendish countenance. Carrying the boon of Asmodeus, it is fit for the most powerful servants of the Nine Hells. Sentience. The Mace of the Black Crown is a sentient lawful evil weapon with an Intelligence of 20, a Wisdom of 12, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Common and Infernal. Personality. A greedy erinyes named Xartaza lives within the Mace of the Black Crown. Xartaza wants to recruit more souls for Asmodeus, so the weapon pushes its wielder toward lawful evil actions by manipulating the wielder's dreams. A former Blood War general, Xartaza hates demons and relishes crafting sound battle plans in any conflict. Dormant. The mace grants the following benefits in its dormant state: • You can speak, read, and write Infernal.
You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon . • While holding the mace, you can use a bonus action to speak its Infernal command word, causing flames to erupt from the head. These flames shed bright light in a 40-foot radius and dim light for an additional 40 feet. While the mace is ablaze, it deals an extra ld6 fire damage to any target it hits. The flames last until you use a bonus action to speak the command word again or until you are no longer holding the mace. • While holding the mace, you can use an action to summon an imp. Any devil you summon with this mace is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. The imp obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it and returns to the Nine Hells 10 minutes after you summoned it. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Awakened. When the mace reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2, and the extra fire damage dealt by the weapon when it is ignited increases to 2d6. • The weapon's Summon Devil feature can also be used to summon a bearded devil . • You have resistance to poison damage while holding this weapon. Exalted. When the mace reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3, and the extra fire damage dealt by the weapon when it is ignited increases to 3d6. Fire damage dealt by the mace ignores resistance to fire damage. • The weapon's Summon Devil feature can also be used to summon a barbed devil. • You have resistance to fire damage while you hold this weapon. RuIN's WAKE Weapon (spear), artifact (requires attunement) This spear is made from the ivory bone of an ancient gold dragon and carved with an Ore hymn to Gruumsh. Sentience. Ruin's Wake is a sentient chaotic evil weapon with an Intelligence of 20, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 22. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 1 20 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal, Common, and Ore. Personality. A slaughter-loving balor named Yarrowish lives within Ruin's Wake. The weapon desires only to draw blood and pushes its wielder to solve problems with violence. Dormant. The spear grants the following benefits in its dormant state: You can speak, read, and write Abyssal and Ore. • You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon, and it deals an extra ld8 piercing damage to any target it hits. Immediately after you make a ranged attack with this weapon, it flies back to your hand. As a reaction when you are hit by a melee attack, you can make a melee attack with Ruin's Wake with advantage against the attacker. You can't use this property again until you finish a short or long rest. Awakened. When the spear reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2, and the extra piercing damage dealt by the weapon increases to 2d8. When you hurl the spear and speak a command word, it transforms into a bolt of lightning, forming a line 5 feet wide that extends out from you to a creature you can see within 1 20 feet of you. Each creature in the line, excluding you, must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Ruin's Wake then returns to your hand. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. Exalted. When the spear reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. While holding the spear, you can let out a battle cry as a bonus action. Each creature you choose within 30 feet of you gains advantage on attack rolls until the start of your next turn. This property can't be used again until the next dawn . • When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack from the spear, you can regain hit points equal to the damage you dealt with the attack. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. SILKEN SPITE Weapon (rapier), artifact (requires attunement) The blade of this rapier is made of spider silk. Its onyx pommel is tipped with a ruby cut in the shape of a spider, and the blade carries the blessing of Lolth. Sentience. Silken Spite is a sentient chaotic evil weapon with an Intelligence of 13, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 15. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 1 20 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Abyssal, Common, Elvish, and Undercommon. CHAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES 2 77
Personality. A murderous yochlol named Sinnafex lives within Silken Spite. The weapon speaks in whispers, pushing its wielder to trust no one and to kill those who cause the slightest personal offense. Dormant. The rapier grants the following benefits in its dormant state: You can speak, read, and write Abyssal, Elvish, and Undercommon. • You have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, being attuned to the rapier increases the range of your darkvision by 60 feet. • You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. • You can use an action to cause poison to coat the rapier's blade. The poison remains for 1 minute or until an attack using this weapon hits a creature. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature uses its action to shake the creature awake. While carrying the rapier, you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Additionally, you can't be caught in webs of any sort and can move through webs as if they were difficult terrain. Awakened. When the rapier reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. • The saving throw DC for the weapon's poison increases to 15. While holding the rapier, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it (save DC 15): cloudkill, darkness, levitate, or web. Once a spell has been cast using the rapier, that spell can't be cast from the rapier again until the next dawn. Exalted. When the rapier reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. The saving throw DC for the weapon's poison and spells cast from the weapon increases to 17. Magical darkness doesn't impede your darkvision. • While holding the weapon in dim light or darkness, you can use a bonus action to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. CHAPTER 6 I WILDE MOUNT TREASURES THE BLOODY END Weapon (momingstar), artifact (requires attunement) Carrying the power of Bane, this adamantine morningstar sports foot-long spikes and has a jagged blade on its pommel. Sentience. The Bloody End is a sentient lawful evil weapon with an Intelligence of 22, a Wisdom of 18, and a Charisma of 24. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Common and Infernal. Personality. A tyrannical pit fiend named Izeelzee lives within The Bloody End. The weapon boisterously pushes its wielder to subjugate others and to never back down from a challenge. If the wielder doesn't demand fealty from others, the weapon is happy to demand it on their behalf. Dormant. The morningstar grants the following benefits in its dormant state: • You can speak, read, and write Infernal. You gain a +l bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While holding the morningstar, you can use an action to cast one of the following spells from it (save DC 13): charm person, dominate person, or fear. Once a spell has been cast using the morningstar, that spell can't be cast from it again until the next dawn. While holding the morningstar, you have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Awakened. When the morningstar reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. The saving throw DC for spells cast from the morningstar increases to 15. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack using The Bloody End, you can cause the following effect: each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. • When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal ld6 psychic damage to the attacker. Exalted. When the morningstar reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. • Add dominate monster to the list of spells that can be cast from the morningstar. The saving throw DC for spells cast from the morningstar, as well as for creatures to avoid being frightened by it, increases to 17. When you use your reaction to deal psychic damage to a creature that hits you with a melee attack, the amount of psychic damage increases to 2d6.
WILL OF THE TALON Weapon (war pick), artifact (requires attunement) Black, blue, green, red, and white gems carved in the form of dragon heads cover this ostentatious gold war pick, marking it as a weapon channeling the power ofTiamat. Sentience. Will of the Talon is a sentient lawful evil weapon with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 19. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Common, Draconic, and Infernal. Personality. A short-tempered bone devil named Ashtyrlon lives within Will of the Talon. The weapon is greedy and values strong leadership. It demands that its wielder take decisive action to keep order in high-pressure situations-and to always take a fair share of treasure in return. Dormant. The war pick grants the following benefits in its dormant state: You can speak, read, and write Draconic and Infernal. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. • As a bonus action while holding the war pick, you can cause the following effect: each creature of your choice that is within 30 feet of you and is aware of you must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you 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 your Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours. This property can't be used again until the next dawn. • While holding the war pick, you can use your action to exhale destructive energy. Pick a damage type from the Will of the Talon Breath Weapons table. Each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a DC 13 saving throw, the type of which is specified in the table. A creature takes 3d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. When you use the war pick to unleash a breath weapon of a specific damage type, you can't choose that same damage type again until the next dawn. WILL OF THE TALON B R EATH WEAPONS Damage Type Area Saving Throw Acid 5 ft. wide, 30 ft. long line Dexterity Cold 15 ft. cone Constitution Fire 15 ft. cone Dexterity Lightn ing 5 ft. wide, 30 ft. long line Dexterity Poison 15 ft. cone Constitution Awakened. When the war pick reaches an awakened state, it gains the following properties: The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +2. The saving throw DC for the war pick's Breath Weapon property increases to 15, and that property deals 4d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. • The saving throw DC for the war pick's Frightful Presence property increases to 15. While carrying the weapon, you have resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, and poison damage. Exalted. When the war pick reaches an exalted state, it gains the following properties: • The weapon's bonus to attack and damage rolls increases to +3. The saving throw DC for the war pick's Breath Weapon property increases to 17, and that property deals 5d6 damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. • The saving throw DC for the war pick's Frightful Presence property increases to 17. CHAPTER 6 I WILDEMOUNT TREASURES 279
• • • • CChapter 7 WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY F THE WEATHER, FOOD, AND COMPANY DON'T kill me, I can only hope whatever gods-forsaken nightmares live out past the darkness will finish the job. -Unknown Righteous Brand soldier Endless turmoil has scarred Wildemount, from the wars of ages long past to the more recent bloody conflicts between the many factions that lay claim to this land. These struggles have shaped the past and the futureeven as they have imbued the denizens ofWildemount with the tenacity to survive in a world filled with danger. This chapter provides stat blocks for various creatures ofWildemount. These creatures are presented in alphabetical order. For guidance on how to use a creature's stat block, see the introduction of the Monster Manual. STAT BLOCKS BY CREATURE TYPE Here are lists of the creatures in this bestiary, sorted by creature type. ABERRAT I ONS Core spawn crawler Core spawn emissary Core spawn seer Core spawn worm BEASTS Bristled moorbounder Moorbounder CO NSTRUCTS Gearkeeper construct FEY Sea fu ry FI ENDS Nergaliid Udaak HUM ANOIDS Blood hu nter Sahuagi n warlock of Uk 'otoa MONSTROSITIES Aeorian absorber Aeorian null ifier Aeorian reverser Frost worm Gloomstalker Horizon back tortoise Merrow shallowpriest Swavain basilisk UN DEAD Frost giant zombie Husk zombie Shadowghast WILDEMOUNT NPCs Appendix B of the Monster Manual contains stat blocks that can be used to represent most nonplayer characters (NPCs) in Wildemount. You can modify these stat blocks to give NPCs features similar to the character options in chapter 4 of this book. For example, you can create an NPC dunamancer by taking the archmage or mage stat block in the Monster Manual and replacing some of its spells with new spells from chapter 4, or you can take the knight or veteran stat block and add a trait similar to the Manifest Echo class feature of the Echo Knight in chapter 4. ELDER EVILS OF EXANDRIA Few creatures in the m ultiverse have any awareness of the Elder Evils, and their exact identity remains in dispute among the scant few sages who study them. Some are said to be gods, primordials, or fiends. Some are al leged to be creatures of the Far Realm. But scholars versed in the most esoteric mysteries insist that the Elder Evils are beings unlike any of those, set apart from any aspect of mortal reality, and perhaps trapped in particular planes or worlds by wandering stars, imprisoned in the vastness of the night sky. The extent to which these bei ngs channel power on Exandria varies, as do notions of their relative strength and spheres of influence. But they are all forces of corruption and evi l. N othing good can come from their i nfl uence. No bargain made with an Elder Evil ends in anything other than madness, plague, or death . The fol lowing are just some of the names given to these terri ble entities: • Azathoth the Boundless Bolothamogg Who Watches from Beyond the Stars Ceratos of Many M inds Hadar the Dark Hu nger Haemnath uun the Blood Lord Hargut of the Gray Pestilence ltyak-Ortheel the Elf-Eater Maram of the G reat Spear Pandorym the Utter Annihi lation Piscaethces the Blood Queen Rasalhague the Noxious Star Shothotugg the Eater ofWorlds Tharizdun the Chai ned Obl ivion Y'chak the Violet Flame C HAPTER 7 I WILD EMOUNT BESTIARY
AEORIAN HUNTERS Brought to life by mages in the flying city of Aeor during the Age of Arcanum, Aeorian hunters were created to take on angels, demons, devils, fey, and the gods themselves. When Aeor crashed into Eiselcross, many of these magically mutated monstrosities survived, and they now stalk Aeor's ruins and the islands' icy wastes. Created by Experimentation. Aeorian hunters were created through arcane experimentation on beasts and humanoids-both captives and volunteers. These experiments resulted in monstrosities with brightly colored flesh and the power to resist and destroy Aeor's enemies. It is theorized that the mages of Aeor must have possessed some means of controlling their monstrous soldiers, but no such device has yet been found in the wastes of Eiselcross. Draconic was the language used by these mages to train and bind the Aeorian hunters, and the hunters retain an understanding of this language even though they can't speak it. Madness through Immortality. Aeorian hunters do not age. As such, the lust for violence their creators instilled in their minds has grown ravenous after centuries without war. Most immediately attack any creature they see. AEORIAN ABSORBER C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY Never Harm Another Hunter. Though they crave violence, Aeorian hunters have never been seen attacking each other. Most scholars believe that Aeor's mages must have enchanted this behavior into them, given the cost in gold and magic required to create each hunter. Some adventurers in Eiselcross boast about sneaking past Aeorian hunters using disguises or illusions to mimic a hunter's form, but these are most likely tall tales. Ageless Memories. Each Aeorian hunter has perfect recall of every experience since the moment of its creation. Their limited intellects and desire for violence prevent them from effectively communicating, but each hunter holds a wealth of knowledge-often including the location of rare Aeorian relics-inside its mind. Perfect Soldiers. Aeorian hunters don't require food or drink. AEORIAN N ULLIFIER
AEORIAN ABSORBER Resembling some sort of canine or feline quadruped at a distance, the absorber's monstrous nature becomes quickly apparent as it closes in. Named for its ability to draw magical energy into its body, the absorber can release that energy in devastating blasts through its tail, whose eye is constantly on the lookout for prey. AEORIAN NULLIFIER Nullifiers are the bane of all magic users, with their physical forms and innate powers shaped specifically to resist and cancel magical effects. Against other foes, a nullifier is no less fearsome for the grotesque mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth that cover its torso-and which set up a cacophony of gnashing that can drive other creatures mad. AEORIAN ABSORBER Large monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class l 5 (natural armor) Hit Points 171 (18dl0 + 72) Speed 40 ft. STR 21 (+5) DEX 18 (+4) CON 18 (+4) Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +3 INT 6 (-2) Skills Perception +6, Stealth +8, Survival +6 Damage Immunities radiant, necrotic WIS 14 (+2) Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages understands Draconic but can't speak Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) CHA 8 (-1) Magic Resistance. The absorber has advantage on saving th rows against spells and other magical effects. Pounce. If the absorber moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits its claws attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 17 Strength savi ng th row or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the absorber can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. ACTI ONS Multiattack. The absorber makes three attacks: one with its bite or Mind Bolt and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to h it, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (ldlO + 5) piercing damage plus 5 (ldlO) force damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld6 + 5) slash ing damage plus 3 (ld6) force damage. Mind Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +8 to hit, range 1 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 22 (4d1 0) psychic damage. R EACTIONS Tail Ray. When the absorber takes damage from a spell, the absorber takes only half the triggering damage. If the spel lcaster is with in 60 feet of the absorber, the absorber can force the caster to make a DC 16 Dexterity saving th row. Unless the save succeeds, the caster takes the other half of the damage. AEORIAN NULLIFIER Large monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 180 (19d10 + 76) Speed 40 ft. STR 19 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4) Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +8 INT 7 (-2) Skills Perception +6, Survival +6 Damage Immunities radiant, necrotic WIS 14 (+2) Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages understands Draconic but can't speak Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) CHA 18 (+4) Horrid Gnashing. The nullifier's mouths gnash incoherently while it can see any enemies. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the nul lifier and can hear it must make a DC 16 Wisdom savi ng th row. U nless the save succeeds, the creature rol ls a d8 to determine what it does during the current turn: 1-4: The creature is stu nned until the end of the turn. 5-6: The creature is frightened until the end of the turn and uses its movement to get as far as possible from the nullifier. 7-8: The creature doesn't move, and it uses its action to make one melee attack against a random creature (other than itself) if one is within reach. It otherwise does nothing. Innate Spellcasting. The nul lifier's innate spel lcasting abil ity is Charisma (spell save DC 1 6). It can in nately cast the following spel ls, requiring no material components: At will: counterspell (see " Reactions" below), detect magic, dispel magic, see invisibility 1 /day: anti magic field Magic Resistance. The nullifier has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The nul lifier makes three attacks: one with its bites and two with its claws. Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) force damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slash ing damage plus 11 (2d10) force damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 1 6) if it's a creature. The nu llifier has two claws, each of which can grapple one creature. R EACTIONS Counterspell. The nullifier attempts to interrupt a creature that it can see within 60 feet in the process of casti ng a spell. If the creature is casting a spell of 3rd level or lower, its spell fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell of 4th level or higher, the nul lifier makes a Charisma check with a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level. On a success, the creature's spell fails and has no effect. C HAPTER 7 I WILD EMOUNT B ESTIARY
AEORIAN REVERSER A reverser is a terrible foe in melee, laying into other creatures with teeth and claw. But the chaos it imposes is more fearful by far, as its enemies' healing magic are unraveled and turned against them. AEORIAN REVERSER Large monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 133 (14dl0 + 56) Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. STR 21 (+5) DEX 16 (+3) CON 18 (+4) Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +2 INT 6 (-2) Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6, Su rvival +5 Damage Immunities radiant, necrotic WIS 14 (+2) Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages understands Draconic but can't speak Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) CHA 8 (-1) Magic Resistance. The reverser has advantage on saving throws agai nst spells and other magical effects . ACTIONS Multiattack. The reverser makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (l dl2 + 5) pierci ng damage plus 6 (ldl2) force damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to h it, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (ld6 + 5) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage. REACTIONS Reversal. When a creature the reverser can see within 30 feet of it regains hit poi nts, the reverser reduces the number of hit poi nts regained to 0, and the reverser deals 13 (3d8) force damage to the creature. CHAPTER 7 1 WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY BLOOD HUNTER To mortals and monsters alike, the blood hunter is a legendary figure-a humanoid stalker said to embrace monstrous power. Long years ago, a group of mortals undertook dark rituals and alchemical experiments to gain the power of the deadliest monsters, allowing them to better hunt those monsters. Blood hunters are steely on the surface, but roiling emotion lies beneath that impassive mask. Bestial fury and fathomless sorrow drive every stroke of a blood hunter's blade. Humanoids who draw the ire of a blood hunter are often in league with monsters-or the victims of a terrible misunderstanding. Such misunderstandings are tough to clear up, for blood hunters are the kind of folk to slay first and ask questions later. BLOOD HUNTER Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 16 (half plate) Hit Points 65 (1 0d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+l ) CON 15 (+2) Saving Throws Str +7, Wis +6 INT 9 (-1) WIS 16 (+3) Skills Acrobatics +4, Insight +6, Perception +6 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 5 (l ,800 XP) CHA 11 (+O) Blood Curse of Binding (1/Day). As a bonus action, the blood h unter targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or have its speed reduced to 0 and be unable to take reactions. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Blood Frenzy. The blood hunter has advantage on melee attack rol ls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points. Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The blood hunter can in nately cast hex. Its i n nate spel lcasting ability is I ntelligence. Magic Resistance. The blood hunter has advantage on savi ng th rows against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The blood hu nter attacks twice with a weapon. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to h it, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 3 (l d6) fire damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 1 00/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ldlO + l) piercing damage.
CoRE SPAWN EMI SSARY CoRE SPAWN C RAWLER C ORE SPAWN The Elder Evils assault the multiverse in strange and calamitous ways. Sometimes they breach the Material Plane by exploiting the unfathomable energy and darkness found in the world's depths. These terrestrial manifestations of loathsome alien agendas are known as core spawn, and they are as varied in their physiology as they are horrific. Their concentration in the desolate lands of Blightshore makes the core spawn a challenge to research, and many who have sought to observe or study these nightmarish entities rarely return. Those who do return are often shells of their former selves who speak of horrifying underground labyrinths of twisting caverns and malevolent nests where other denizens of the Miskath Strand are dragged below to some infernal purpose. Offspring of Calamity. The aberrant creatures known as core spawn are a subterranean breed of heralds, servants, foot soldiers, and lieutenants of the Elder Evils, awakened in the depths by the cataclysmic actions of the Betrayer Gods and their minions. They often appear on the surface world in the wake of seismic events, such as that which created the bottomless Miska th Pit of Eastern Wynandir. Warlocks and cultists sometimes gather together to hasten the arrival of core spawn to the Material Plane, focusing their arcane power on areas of natural seismic instability when the signs and stars are right. C ORE SPAWN CRAWLER The smallest and most numerous of the core spawn, these eyeless creatures scurry through the subterranean darkness with the help of their four irregular, gangly arms and hooked prehensile tails. Core spawn crawlers rarely travel alone, and a group of these agile predators is known as a vein of crawlers. Their clattering taloned limbs warn of their presence as they scuttle through the shadow-haunted depths of the earth. C ORE SPAWN EMIS SARY These airborne predators serve as assassins and sentinels for the core spawn. The terrible thrum of its insectoid wings and a chittering of mandibles announces an emissary's arrival. The core spawn emissary can expel clouds of crystalline spores from tubes in its head. These spores act like a contact poison and can be deadly if inhaled. C ORE SPAWN SEER Core spawn seers are humanoid arcanists corrupted by the eldritch power of the Elder Evils through blasphemous rites or accursed encounters. Ravaged by otherworldly radiation and disease, their bodies are covered in horrible protrusions of fluorescent crystals, which emit a psychedelic glow from beneath the tattered folds of their robes. CHAPTER 7 I WILD EMOUNT BESTIARY
CORE SPAWN CRAWLER Small aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 12 Hit Points 21 (6d6) Speed 30 ft. STR 7 (-2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 10 (+O) INT 9 (-1) WIS 12 (+l) Skills Perception +5 Damage Immunities psychic Condition Immunities blinded Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages understands Deep Speech but can't speak Challenge l (200 XP) CORE SPAWN EMISSARY Medium aberration, neutral evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 1 02 (1 2d8 + 48) Speed 40 ft. , fly 60 ft. (hover) STR 17 (+3) DEX 15 (+2) CON 18 (+4) INT 8 (-1 ) Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4, Cha +2 Skills Perception +4 Damage Immunities psychic Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 14 WIS 13 (+l) CHA 6 (-2) CHA 8 (-1 ) Languages understands Deep Speech but can't speak, telepathy 1 20 ft. Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Magic Resistance. The emissary has advantage on savi ng throws against spells and other magical effects. CORE SPAWN SEER Medium aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit Points 1 53 (18d8 +72) Speed 30 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 12 (+l ) CON 18 (+4) INT 22 (+6) WIS 19 (+4) Saving Throws Dex +6, I nt + 11, Wis +9, Cha +8 Skills Perception +9 Damage Immunities psychic Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses blindsight 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft. , passive Perception 19 Languages Common, Deep Speech, U ndercommon, telepathy 1 20 ft. Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) CHA 16 (+3) Earth Glide. The seer can traverse through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the seer doesn't disturb the material it moves through. 286 CHAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY Pack Tactics. The crawler has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the crawler's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. ACTIONS Multiattack. The crawler makes four attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, and one with its tail. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom savi ng throw or become frightened until the start of the crawler's next turn. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (ld4 + 2) slashing damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (ld6 + 2) piercing damage. ACTIONS Multiattack. The emissary makes th ree talons attacks. Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to h it, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2dl0 + 3) slashing damage. Alluring Thrum (Recharge 5-6). The emissary emits a dreadful yet alluring h um. Each creature within 20 feet of the emissary that can hear it and that isn't an aberration must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution savi ng th row or be charmed for l min ute. A creature can repeat the savi ng throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Crystal Spores (Recharge 6). A 1 5-foot-radius cloud of toxic crystalline spores extends out from the emissary. The spores spread around corners. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned in this way, a creature takes 11 (2dl 0) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Magic Resistance. The seer has advantage on saving th rows against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The seer uses Fission Staff twice, Psychedelic Orb twice, or each one once. Fission Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one ta rget. Hit: 9 (ld6 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) radiant damage, and the target is knocked prone. Psychedelic Orb. The seer hurls a glimmering orb at one creature it can see with in 1 20 of it. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom savi ng th row or take 27 (5dl 0) psychic damage and suffer a random condition until the start of the seer's next turn. Roll a d6 for the condition: (l -2) blinded, (3-4) frightened , or (5-6) stunned. REACTIONS Fuse Damage. When the seer is hit by an attack, it takes only half of the triggering damage. The first time the seer hits with a melee attack on its next turn, the target takes an extra ld6 radiant damage.
C ORE SPAWN WORM This invertebrate horror has quivering, barbed tentacles set around its massive, toothy maw. The worm's cracked and stony hide pulses with a dull orange glow, as if it might be composed of primordial lava perpetually on the verge of hardening into solid rock. CORE SPAWN WORM Gargantuan aberration, chaotic evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 279 (1 8d20 + 90) Speed 60 ft., burrow 40 ft. STR 26 (+8) DEX 5 (-3) CON 20 (+5) Saving Throws Con + l 0, Wis +4 Skills Perception +4 Damage Vulnerabilities cold Damage Immunities fi re, psychic INT 6 (-2) Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 14 WIS 8 (-1) Languages understands Deep Speech but can't speak Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) CHA 4 (-3) Illumination. The worm sheds dim light in a 20-foot radius. Radiant Mirror. If the worm takes radiant damage, each creature within 20 feet of it takes that damage as well. Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowi ng speed and leaves a 10-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. Multiattack. The worm makes two attacks: one with its barbed tentacles and one with its bite. Barbed Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: + 13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 25 (5d6 + 8) pierci ng damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 1 8). U ntil this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The tentacles can grapple only one creature at a time. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 3 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (5d8 + 8) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving th row or be swallowed by the worm. A swallowed creature is bli nded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and takes 21 (6d6) fi re damage at the start of each of the worm's turns. If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a si ngle turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution savi ng throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the worm. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone. C HAPTER 7 I WILD EMOUNT B ESTIARY
288 FROST GIANT ZOMBIE An unknown Aeorian object of immense power and mystery was uncovered and brought to the Fortress of the Dead Jar! in Eisel cross to please the ruling frost giant, Conessa Berg. The object's unstable nature unleashed a burst of corroding arcane power, ravaging the denizens of the stronghold with twisting necromantic energies, transforming them into monstrous, rime-infused undead. These hulking brutes now wander the ruined landscape surrounding their cursed home, hunting and destroying all living things with a frightening ferocity. The battered, butchered, and frozen remains of would-be heroes litter battle sites where these undead giants have been encountered. Underestimating these towering horrors has been the folly of numerous expeditions to the northern reaches of Eiselcross, with only rumors often finding their way back as proof that these frigid monsters even exist. Hearts oflce. Within the giants' glacial hearts, glowing and unbeating, elemental energy stokes an unrivaled fury that pushes the frost giant zombies beyond the meandering speeds of standard zombies, making these behemoths far quicker than a studied mind would think a rotting giant could be. Numbing Aura. Beyond shaping the unsuspecting frost giants into undying horrors, the Aeorian artifact also infused and amplified the elemental nature of the wandering horde, so that the undead giants exude a deadly aura of slowing cold, ensnaring their prey in icy mist that lessens their chance to escape. Undead. A frost giant zombie doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. FROST GIANT ZOMBIE Huge undead, neutral evil Armor Class 15 (patchwork armor) Hit Points 138 (12dl2 + 60) Speed 40 ft. STR 23 (+6) DEX 6 (-2) Saving Throws Wis +2 CON 21 (+5) Damage Immunities cold, poison Condition Immunities poisoned INT 3 (-4) WIS 6 (-2) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 Languages understands Giant but can't speak Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) CHA 5 (-3) Numbing Aura. Any creature that starts its turn with in 10 feet of the zombie must make a DC 17 Constitution savi ng throw. Unless the save succeeds, the creature can't make more than one attack or take a bonus action on that turn. C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT B ESTIARY Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, un less the damage is fi re, radiant, or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to l hit point instead. ACTI ONS Multiattack. The zombie makes two weapon attacks. Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3dl2 + 6) slashing damage. Hurl Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +1 0 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4dl0 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Freezing Stare. The zombie targets one creature it can see with in 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving th row or take 35 (10d6) cold damage and be paralyzed until the end of its next turn.
FROST WORM Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 264 (1 6d20 + 96) Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft. STR 28 (+9) DEX 8 (-1) CON 22 (+6) Saving Throws Con + 1 2, Wis +3 Damage Vulnerabilities fi re Damage Immunities cold INT l (-5) Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 7 Languages - Challenge 17 (1 8,000 XP) WIS 5 (-3) CHA 5 (-3) Freezing Body. A creature that touches the worm or h its it with a me lee attack while within 5 feet of it takes l 0 (3d6) cold damage. Death Burst. When the worm dies, it explodes in a burst of frigid energy. Each creature within 60 feet of it must make a DC 20 Dexterity savi ng throw, taking 28 (8d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures inside the worm when it dies automatically fail this savi ng th row. Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowing speed and leaves a 1 0-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. ACTIONS Multiattack. The worm makes two bite attacks, or uses its Trill and makes a bite attack. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: + 15 to hit, reach l 0 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 9) pierci ng damage plus 10 (3d6) cold damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity savi ng throw or be swallowed by the worm. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and takes 10 (3d6) acid damage and 10 (3d6) cold damage at the start of each of the worm's turns. If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the worm. Trill. The frost worm emits a haunting cry. Each creature within 60 feet of the worm that can hear it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom savi ng th row or be stunned for l min ute. A creature can repeat the saving throw each time it takes damage and at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once a creature successfully saves against this effect, or if this effect ends for it, that creature is immune to the Trill of all frost worms for the next 24 hours. Frost worms are immune to this effect. FROST WORM Frost worms burrow through the snow, dirt, ice, and rock ofWildemount's Biting North. These enormous monstrosities eagerly consume any living creature they can wrap their jaws around. A frost worm spends most of its time beneath the frozen ground, conserving energy while it waits for prey to pass overhead. Smart travelers can identify a frost worm's hunting grounds by looking for recently iced-over tunnels. When the worm senses vibrations above, it bursts forth through dirt, ice, and snow. Those who escape its initial assault must still contend with the worm's haunting trill-a hypnotizing call that stops creatures in their tracks to make them easy prey. CHAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT B ESTIARY
GEARKEEPER C ONSTRUCT Rolling, deadly whirlwinds of metal plates and curving blades, these clockwork automatons were initially designed by tinkerers and mage engineers to be sentries and guardians in the deepest of vaults during the Age of Arcanum. While most of these majestic and deadly curiosities have fallen to rust and ruin, forgotten along with their long-destroyed and buried societies, some continue to patrol the tunnels and pathways of forgotten tombs and dungeons, following their original operations and directives to protect the contents of their domain. Resembling a rolling ball of shield-like plates, a gearkeeper construct can rapidly travel through corridors to seek intruders. Upon discovering an unrecognized creature, the shields expand to reveal gaps where numerous metallic legs emerge for precision movement. Bladed appendages whir around the construct, threatening any unlucky delvers who wander too close, while heavy spears of steel can be fired from within the construct's core, impaling unwanted guests. If overwhelmed, the construct can discharge a spray of heated, jagged metal fragments to subdue groups of intruders. Reverse engineering from the recovered shells and scraps of excavated gearkeeper constructs, a number of modern tinkerers have developed updated variations of these sentinels. Such designs are only recently seeing use in select prisons, or by wealthy collectors seeking to keep their collections safe. Constructed Nature. A gearkeeper construct doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. C HAPTER 7 I WILD EMOUNT B ESTIARY GEARKEEPER CONSTRUCT Large construct, unaligned Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 1 61 (l7dl0 + 68) Speed 60 ft. STR 20 (+5) DEX 16 (+3) CON 18 (+4) INT 3 (-4) WIS ll (+O) CHA l (-5) Damage Resistances bludgeoni ng, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities fi re, poison, psychic Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion , frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses blindsight 1 20 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Immutable Form. The gearkeeper is immune to any spell or effect that wou ld alter its form. Rapid Shifting. Opportunity attacks made against the gear· keeper have d isadvantage. Whirling Blades. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the gearkeeper takes 4 (ld8) slashing damage. ACTIONS Multiattack. The gearkeeper makes two Arm Blade attacks, or one Arm Blade attack and one Spear Launcher attack. Arm Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) slashing damage. Spear Launcher. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 90 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target is knocked prone. Shrapnel Blast (Recharge 6). The gearkeeper jettisons a spray of jagged metal in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) piercing damage on a fai led save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
GLOOMSTALKER A gloomstalker is a terrifying, winged predator resembling a wyvern composed of twisting shadows, with glowing eyes and dagger-like teeth. Shadows of Doom. Hailing from the cursed lands of the Shadowfell, these nightmarish creatures hunt the barrens of that desolate plane, freezing prey in their tracks with their woeful shrieks before pulling them into the skies with their talons to be ripped apart and devoured. Night Hunters. A gloomstalker's proclivity for darkness makes it extremely dangerous at night or in heavily shaded places where it can blend in with their shadowed surroundings, but more dangerous than the lone hunter is a pack of gloomstalkers. Small packs of three to six are common. Larger packs of ten or more, called frenzies, are often harbingers of a greater evil yet to come. GLOOMSTALKER Large monstrosity, neutral evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 90 (12dl0 + 24) Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. STR 22 (+6) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2) Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +6 INT 5 (-3) WIS 17 (+3) CHA 14 (+2) Skills Ath letics +9, Perception +6, I ntimidation +5, Stealth +6 Damage Vulnerabilities radiant Senses darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages understands Common but can't speak Challenge 6 (2, 300 XP) Shadowstep. As a bonus action, the gloomstalker can teleport up to 40 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the gloomstalker has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Terror Mounts. Gloomstalkers were employed by arcanists and the followers of the Betrayer Gods as mounts in the ancient battles of the Calamity. A respectable number of gloomstalkers, now free of their burden, still hold hidden lairs scattered across the wastes of Xhorhas. ACTIONS Multiattack. The gloomstalker makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. Snatch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 1 7). While grappled in this way, the target is restrained. Shriek (Recharge 6). The gloomstalker emits a terrible shriek. Each enemy within 60 feet of the gloomstalker that can hear it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution savi ng th row or be paralyzed until the end of the enemy's next turn. C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOU NT BESTIARY
292 HORIZONBACK TORTOISE Desolate badlands and soggy marshes are home to the ancient and massive horizonback tortoises of Eastern Wynandir. Nearly fifty feet from nose to tail, and with a habit of remaining stationary for long periods, a horizonback tortoise is easy to mistake for a low hill at a distance. But when these impressive creatures rise to begin their march, the sight inspires fear and awe in equal parts. An omnivore of incredible size, these scavengers HORIZONBACK TORTOISE Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor), 22 while in its shell Hit Points 227 (l 3d20 + 91) Speed 20 ft. STR 28 (+9) DEX 3 (- 4) CON 25 (+7) Saving Throws Str +1 2, Con +1 0 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned INT 4 (-3) WIS 10 (+0) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception l 0 Languages understands Goblin but can't speak Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Amphibious. The tortoise can breathe air and water. CHAPTER 7 I WJ LDEMOUNT B ESTIARY CHA 5 (-3) prefer to feed on dead vegetation, but make use of whatever edible matter they come across. Friend to the Wastefolk. Referred to as "kinespaji" by the goblins of the east, these majestic and slow-moving beasts have long enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with the denizens of Xhorhas. Horizon back tortoises provide mobile homesteads and can act as siege weapons in times of crisis. Massive Frame. The tortoise can carry up to 20,000 pounds of weight atop its shell, but moves at half speed if the weight exceeds 1 0,000 pounds. Medium or smaller creatures can move underneath the tortoise while it's not prone. Any creature under the tortoise when it fa lls prone is grappled (escape DC 1 8). Until the grapple ends, the creature is prone and restra ined. ACTIONS Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: + 12 to hit, reach l 0 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (3dl2 + 9) bl udgeoning damage. Shell Defense (Recharge 4-6). The tortoise withdraws i nto its shell, falls prone, and gains a +5 bonus to AC. While the tortoise is in its shell, its speed is 0 and can't increase. The tortoise can emerge from its shell as an action, whereupon it is no longer prone.
HUSK ZOMBIE The wastes of Eastern Wynandir retain many curses and corruptions from the time of the Calamity, the worst of which pervert the sanctity of death. One such curse manifests as a terrible roving fog that draws the corpses of the fallen to rise as husk zombies-resilient undead of frightening speed and bloodlust. As well, some of the more heinous fiends that walk these scarred lands feed on the life force of the living, leaving these terrible undead in their wake. Psychotic Frenzy. Unlike typical zombies, which are ponderous and lumbering stalkers, a husk zombie races quickly toward its prey, eager to tear flesh from bone. Each kill it makes drives it into a fighting frenzy, during which it howls with delight. It doesn't feed on those it kills, but rather leaves the corpses to rot. Humanoids killed by a husk zombie become husk zombies themselves, rising quickly to join their slayer in merry carnage. Undead. A husk zombie doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. VAR IANT: HUSK ZOMBIE 8 U RSTERS Some husk zombies become bloated with disease and bile, their frenzied state pushing them to rush other living creatures, explode, and spread their horrid infection. A husk zombie bu rster has the following additional action option: Burst. The zombie explodes and is destroyed. Each creature within 5 feet of it must make a DC 12 Constitution savi ng throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A humanoid creature ki lled by this damage rises as a husk zombie after l minute. HusK ZOMBIE Medium undead, neutral evil Armor Class l 0 Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 1 5) Speed 35 ft. STR 16 (+3) DEX 10 (+O) CON 16 (+3) Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +O Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned INT 3 (-4) WIS 6 (-2) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 CHA 5 (-3) Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak Challenge l (200 XP) Curse of the Husk. A humanoid slain by a me lee attack from the zombie revives as a husk zombie on its next turn. Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit poi nts, it must make a Constitution savi ng throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, un less the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to l hit point instead. ACTIONS Multiattack. The zombie makes two claw attacks. For each of these attacks that reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the zombie can make an additional claw attack. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (ld6 + 3) slashing damage. CHAPTER 7 I WILDE MOUNT B ESTIARY 293
294 MERROW SHALLOWPRIEST Some of the many merrow that dwell in the watery shadows of the Menagerie Coast learn to harness the magical aspects of the elements. Often working as guides leading merrow hunting parties, some of these shallowpriests rise to become powerful leaders, inspiring their clans to terrorize coastal communities and passing ships. Rumors speak of underground waterways and lakes carved into the rock beneath Wildemount, where shallowpriests hold court over huge subterranean communities of merrow. These evil creatures are thought to seek the means of flooding the surface world, allowing them to steal away who and what they will to the dark waters below. While most shallowpriests do not bind themselves in the service of a specific deity, some are drawn to the worship of entities that reign over regions of the Elemental Plane of Water, hoping to find means of expanding their dominion into the seas of Exandria. These merrow often spearhead the construction of intricate shrines and temples along the bottom of the ocean, preparing a sacred space for planar doorways to their master's realm to be opened and maintained. CHAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY MERROW 8HALLOWPRIEST Large monstrosity, chaotic evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 75 (lOdlO + 20) Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 15 (+2) INT 11 (+l ) WIS 16 (+3) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Abyssal, Aquan Challenge 4 (l ,lOO XP) CHA 9 (-1) Amphibious. The merrow can breathe air and water. Spellcasting. The merrow is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 1 3, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The merrow has the following druid spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, minor illusion, shocking grasp 1 st level (4 slots): cure wounds.fog cloud, thunderwave 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, mirror image, misty step 3 rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, lightning bolt (see "Actions" below). sleet storm ACTIONS Harpoon. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, the merrow can pull it 10 feet closer. Lightning Bolt (3rd-Level Spell; Requires a Spell Slot). The merrow unleashes a stroke of lightning in a line 100 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a DC 13 Dexterity savi ng throw, taking 28 (8d6) lightn ing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
MOORBOUNDERS One of the many predators to stalk the marshlands and muddy foothills of Xhorhas, moorbounders are known as dangerous killers to those who try to avoid them on their travels-and as prized mounts for those willing to capture and train them. Though the process of domesticating a moorbounder is fraught with peril, these creatures can become favored hunting companions and powerful war mounts. Natural Hunters. Moorbounders hunt with elongated tusks and retractable claws. With a vague resemblance to large hunting cats, their muscular bodies are built for combat, granting them incredible prowess at leaping and a running speed that makes them dominant carnivores. Bristled Moorbounders. A weird and deadly offshoot of the moorbounder has rows of long, bladelike bristles covering its sleek body. The creature weaponizes these blades, using them to slash nearby creatures to ribbons. However, these blades make the bristled moorbounder less suitable as a mount. MooRBOUNDER Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 13 (natu ral armor) Hit Points 30 (4dl0 + 8) Speed 70 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 2 (-4) WIS 13 (+l) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages - Challenge l (200 XP) CHA 5 (-3) Standing Leap. The moorbou nder's long jump is up to 40 feet and its high jump is up to 20 feet, with or without a running start. ACTIONS Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to h it, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) slashing damage. BRISTLED MOORBOUNDER Large beast, unaligned Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 52 (7dl0 + 1 4) Speed 70 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 2 (-4) WIS 13 (+l ) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages - Challenge 3 (700 XP) CHA 5 (-3) Bladed Hide. At the start of each of its turns, the moorbounder deals 5 (2d4) pierci ng damage to any creature grappling it. Standing Leap. The moorbounder's long jump is up to 40 feet and its high jump is up to 20 feet, with or without a running start. ACTI ONS Multiattack. The moorbounder makes two attacks: one with its blades and one with its claws. Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d4 + 4) slashing damage. C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT BESTIARY 295
NERGALIID (DEVIL TOAD) Corpulent, scaled, and utterly repulsive, these vicious devils stalk the dark edges of society away from prying eyes, subsisting on the life force of unsuspecting humanoids. Creatures that die to the nergaliid's feeding leave a corrupted undead corpse behind known as a husk zombie (presented earlier in this chapter). The nergaliid favors feeding on the life force of sleeping humanoids, feasting on the same prey nightly-so long as its victim remains unaware. This ensures a lasting source of nourishment, with the victim beset by terrible nightmares as long as the feeding continues. When a nergaliid is discovered, it tries to strike a deal with the one who uncovered it. It might offer material wealth in exchange for freedom and silence. Only when an accord seems unlikely does the nergaliid attack. CHAPTER 7 J WILD EMOUNT BESTIARY Large fiend (devil), lawful evil Armor Class 12 (natu ral armor) Hit Points 42 (4dl0 + 20) Speed 30 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+l) CON 20 (+5) INT 12 (+l) WIS 10 (+O) Skills Deception +5, Perception +2, Stealth +5 CHA 12 (+l ) Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered Damage Immunities fi re, poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Infernal Challenge 3 (700 XP) Shadow Stealth. While in dim l ight or darkness, the nergaliid can take the H ide action as a bonus action. Standing Leap. The nergaliid's long jump is up to 30 feet and its h igh jump is up to 20 feet, with or without a running start. ACTIONS Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for l minute. The poisoned creature can repeat the savi ng th row at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Tongue Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to h it, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (ldl2 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Siphon Life (Recharge 4-6). The nergaliid magically draws the life from a humanoid it can see within 40 feet of it. The target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving th row. An incapacitated target fails the save automatically. On a failed save, the creature takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage, and the nergaliid gains temporary hit points equal to the damage taken. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage, and the nergal iid doesn't gain temporary hit points. If this damage kills the target, its body rises at the end of the nergaliid's cu rrent turn as a husk zombie (see earlier in this chapter).
SAHUAGIN WARLOCK OF UK'OTOA The slumbering leviathan Uk'otoa preys on the fears and ambitions of humanoids that brave the depths of the Lucidian Ocean. Countless communities of sahuagin inhabit uncharted pockets of water along the Menagerie Coast, and the most ambitious among them often hear the call of the leviathan in their dreams, urging them to take his power and use it to achieve their bloodsoaked dreams. Sahuagin who answer the call of Uk'otoa tend to have one ambition in common: vengeance against the land dwellers of the Clovis Concord for daring to sail oceans that do not belong to them. As these devotees receive dark boons from their leviathan lord, other sahuagin begin to gather to their side, drawn to their displays of power and seeking their own pathway to power. Over time, these warlocks eventually become empty husks, mere receptacles for Uk'otoa's power, and puppets that the slumbering leviathan can control as he pleases. VAR IANT: Roo OF R ETRI BUTIO N Sahuagin warlocks of Uk'otoa who have exceptional potential in the eyes of the leviathan lord are granted a rod of retribution (see chapter 6) in addition to Uk'otoa's typical blessing, the Sword of Fathoms. A sahuagin warlock of U k'otoa holding this rod gai ns the fol lowing reaction: Retribution (3/Day). When a creature the warlock can see with in 60 feet of it damages the warlock, the creature m ust make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 11 (2dl0) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. SAHUAGIN WARLOCK OF UK'OTOA Medium humanoid (sahuagin), neutral evil Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 22 (5d8) Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 10 (+O) CON 11 (+O) Skills Arcana + 1, Persuasion +5 INT 8 (-1) WIS 8 (-1) Senses darkvision 1 20 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages Common, Sahuagin Challenge 3 (700 XP) CHA 16 (+3) Blood Frenzy. The warlock has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points. Innate Spellcasting. The warlock's innate spellcasti ng ability is Charisma (spell save DC 1 3, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It can in nately cast the fol lowing spells, requiring no material components: At will: eldritch blast (see "Actions" below), minor illusion l/day each: armor of Agathys, arms of Hadar, counterspell, crown of madness, invisibility, hunger of Hadar Limited Amphibiousness. The warlock can breathe air and water, but it needs to be submerged at least once every 4 hours to avoid suffocati ng. Shark Telepathy. The wa rlock can magically command any shark within 1 20 feet of it, using a limited telepathy. ACTIONS Multiattack. The warlock makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its Sword of Fathoms. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (l d4 + 2) piercing damage. Sword of Fathoms. Me lee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (ldlO + 2) slashing damage, and ifthe target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution savi ng throw or begi n choki ng. The choking creature is incapacitated until the end of its next turn, when the effect ends on it. Eldritch Blast (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 1 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (ldlO) force damage. C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT B ESTIARY 297
SEA FURY In times of great danger, sea hags form massive covens to channel powerful magic against outside threats. But when the threat is vanquished, these covens often destroy themselves from within. One sea hag grows more powerful than the others, killing its kin one by one and siphoning their magical power as it does so. Driven to madness by the power it claims-and by the loneliness that is the cost of its killing spree-the hag becomes a sea fury, which hoards treasure, spreads rumors, and does everything within its power to lure sailors and explorers to its lair. By doing so, it hopes to break its loneliness for a time-and then to destroy its new playthings when they have outlived their usefulness. A SEA FURY'S LAIR A sea fury lurks in the caverns where its coven once dwelled, decorating the walls with the bones of its slain kin, as well as baubles stolen from sunken wrecks. A sea fury encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 14 (11,500 XP). LAIR ACTIONS On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the sea fury can take a lair action to cause one of the following magical effects, but can't use the same effect two rounds in a row: 298 C HAPTER 7 I WILDEMOUNT BEST IARY • Caverns, tunnels, and pools of water within 120 feet of the sea fury become foggy or murky, to the extent that the area becomes heavily obscured. The sea fury conjures a 15-foot cube of water that fills an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet of it, then moves the water in a straight line up to 60 feet, after which the water disperses. Any creature that comes into contact with the rushing wave must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone by it and pushed 15 feet along its course. The sea fury calls forth the spirit of a dead sailor or sea hag that met its end in the lair. This spirit has the statistics of a specter and lasts until the sea fury uses another lair action. The specter appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of the sea fury and obeys the sea fury's commands. REGIONAL EFFECTS The region containing a sea fury's lair is warped by the sea fury's magic, which creates the following effects: Sea water within 5 miles of the lair becomes coarse and choppy, as if whipped by an unseen wind. Sea grass within 1 mile of the lair is imbued with a foul mockery of life, grasping ineffectually at any creature that passes within 5 feet of it. • Ordinary crabs and octopi within 1 mile of the lair grow in size to become giant crabs and giant octopi, respectively. These creatures serve the sea fury as spies and guards.
SEA FURY Medium fey, chaotic evil Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42) Speed 30 ft., swim 50 ft. STR 19 (+4) DEX 15 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 12 (+l) WIS 12 (+l) CHA 18 (+4) Skills Deception +8, Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +6 Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered Condition Immunities paralyzed, poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Aquan, Common, Giant Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Amphibious. The sea fury can breathe air and water. Innate Spellcasting. The sea fury's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: witch bolt l/day each: bestow curse.fear, thunderwave Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the sea fury fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. The sea fury has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. ACTIONS Multiattack. The sea fury makes two attacks with its claws. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage. Death Glare. The sea fury targets one frightened creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or drop to 0 hit points. LEGENDARY ACTIONS The sea fury can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The sea fury regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. As Water. The sea fury transforms into a wave of foaming seawater, along with whatever it is wearing or carrying, and moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks. While in this form, it can't be grappled or restrained. It reverts to its true form at the end of this movement. Fearsome Apparition (Costs 2 Actions). The sea fury conjures an apparition of one of its dead sisters, which appears in an unoccupied space the sea fury can see within 30 feet of it. Enemies of the sea fury that can see the apparition must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of it until it vanishes at the end of the sea fury's next turn. Conjure Snakes (Costs 3 Actions). The sea fury disgorges a swarm of poisonous snakes, which occupies the same space as the sea fury, acts on its own initiative count, and attacks as directed by the sea fury. The sea fury can control up to three of these swarms at a time. SHADOWGHAST A shadowghast is an undead assassin. Leaping out from the shadows and trailing tendrils of darkness, it closes in on its prey with nary a sound, then tears into a victim with its paralyzing claws and furious bite. SHADOWGHAST Medium undead, chaotic evil Armor Class 15 Hit Points 49 (9d8 + 9) Speed 35 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 20 (+5) CON 12 (+l) Skills Perception +3, Stealth +8 Damage Resistances necrotic Damage Immunities poison INT 12 (+l) WIS 11 (+0) Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 LanguagesChallenge 5 (1,800 XP) CHA 8 (-1) Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the shadowghast must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to this Stench for 24 hours. Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the shadowghast can take the Hide action as a bonus action. ACTIONS Multiattack. The shadowghast makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) slashing damage plus 5 (ldlO) necrotic damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an undead, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. CHAPTER 7 I W1LDEMOUNT BESTIARY 299
