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  Unravel the mysteries of Chult’s holy city in 
  this supplement for Tomb of Annihilation 
   
  By Will Doyle 
   
  A Complete Adventure Site for Characters of Level 1-16 
   
  
   
  Design: Will Doyle 
  Additional Design: James Introcaso, Ruty Rutenberg 
  Artists: Stacey Allan (Title), Zoltan Boros (Cover), Gary 
  Kemp (Kaestra Karanok), Maciej Zagorski (Environments: 
  Jungle, licensed from Forge Studios), all other images used 
  with permission from Wizards of the Coast. 
  Cartography: Will Doyle & Stacey Allan 
  Special Thanks: The Guild Adepts 
   
  The following D&D books provided material and 
  inspiration: 
     James, Brian R. Backdrop: Chessenta (Dungeon 178). 2010 
     Lowder, James. The Ring of Winter. 1992 
     Lowder, James and Jean Rabe. The Jungles of Chult. 1993 
     Reynolds, Sean K. and Jason Carl. Lords of Darkness. 2001  
     Wizards of the Coast. Tomb of Annihilation. 2017 
   
   
  Ruins of Mezro is a complete DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS 
  adventure site for characters of level 1-16, providing 
  everything you need to run freeform adventures in 
  the ruined jungle city. Three “one-shot” adventures 
  round out the tiers, each designed for a single 
  evening’s play. The supplement comprises the 
  following chapters: 
  Chapter 1: City of Mystery. A complete guide for 
  running adventures in Mezro.   
  Chapter 2: Ruins of Mezro. A gazetteer of notable 
  locations within the ruined city.   
  Chapter 3: Tales of Adventure. Three short 
  adventures set in the ruins:  
  The Path to Omu (level 1-4) 
  Children of the Crocodile (level 5-10) 
  Parting the Veil (level 11-16) 
  Appendix A: New Player Options. A new 
  background, Heretic, and a new domain for clerics, 
  Entropy.  
  Appendix B: New Monsters & NPCs. Four new 
  creatures for your game: the goliath warrior, 
  mudmaw, living trap, and priest of entropy. 
  Appendix C: Monster Reference. Stat blocks for 
  monsters referenced in Volo’s Guide to Monsters, 
  Tomb of Annihilation or other Guild Adept 
  releases.  
  Appendix D: Player Handouts. Handouts for use 
  at the table.   
  Ruins of Mezro requires use of the D&D fifth edition 
  core rulebooks (Player’s Handbook, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual). When a 
  creature’s name appears in bold type, that’s a 
  reference to its stat block in the Monster Manual. If 
  the creature is listed in Volo’s Guide to Monsters, 
  Tomb of Annihilation, or another Guild Adept release, 
  its stat block is reproduced with permission in 
  appendix C.  
   
   
   
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards 
  of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the 
  Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the 
  express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, 
  Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Ruins of Mezro is compatible with a wider series of 
  adventures set in and around Mezro. On the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guild, these products are identified by the Lost 
  City of Mezro logo.   
  • Heart of the Wild by Rich Lescouflair. A quest to 
  uncover a secret that lies deep within a forgotten 
  sanctum protected by the fearsome Mage Hunters. 
  • The Risen Mists by Rich Lescouflair. In search of a 
  powerful relic in the Sanrach Mountains, the 
  adventurers are caught between the survivors of a lost 
  civilization and the fury of their lizardfolk adversaries. 
  • Maze of Shadows by Rich Lescouflair. With Mezro’s 
  secret finally revealed, a warrior claiming to be from 
  the ancient city leads the party through a trial of 
  horrors and madness, the final test before the path to 
  Mezro can be opened. 
   
    
   RUINS OF MEZRO IS LEGAL FOR ADVENTURERS LEAGUE PLAY 
  
   
   
  “Looking at the walls was like staring at clouds; the 
  longer Artus gazed at the swirls of light and shadow, 
  the more fantastic the shapes that appeared before 
  him.”   
    
  – James Lowder, The Ring of Winter 
   
  Ancient Mezro lies silent and ruined, her treasures 
  plundered by foreign explorers. Flaming Fist 
  mercenaries have staked their claim to the site, but 
  they aren’t the only ones seeking to unravel its 
  hidden mysteries. Other, darker powers have set 
  their sights on its secrets… 
   Ruins of Mezro provides a set of flavorful locations 
  and adventure hooks for the ruined city of Mezro. If 
  you’re playing Tomb of Annihilation, this supplement 
  provides detail on the ruins should your players 
  choose to visit them. A short adventure, The Path to 
  Omu, serves as an alternate opening to the campaign 
  that eases the group into the hunt for the 
  Soulmonger. For those who’ve completed Tomb of 
  Annihilation, the adventure Parting the Veil provides 
  a short quest to continue Artus Cimber’s story.  
   Even if you don’t own Tomb of Annihilation, this 
  supplement can serve as the bedrock for your own 
  adventures in and around the wild continent of 
  Chult. If you develop your own stories here, be sure 
  to share them at the Dungeon Masters Guild 
  (www.dmsguild.com) as part of the Lost City of 
  Mezro series.  
  Use the following hooks to draw your players into 
  the adventure, or devise your own: 
  You seek a fabled treasure or divine relic lost in 
  Mezro. Perhaps your quest brought you here from 
  overseas, or began in the jewel markets of Port 
  Nyanzaru. If you’re playing Tomb of Annihilation, you 
  could be searching for the fabled Eye of Zaltec; a 
  jewel plundered from the empire of Maztica that’s 
  said to restore life to the dead.  
  An archaeologist in Port Nyanzaru offered you a 
  purse of 1,000 gp to accurately map the ruins of 
  Mezro. When questioned, the archaeologist hints 
  that Mezro’s architecture may provide clues to the 
  whereabouts of the god Ubtao. The short adventure 
  in Chapter 2, The Path to Omu, introduces this 
  character in more detail.  
  A mudmaw crocodile in Chult has prophesized the 
  arrival of a heretical god called the Forsaken One. 
  You’re travelling to Mezro to determine if this oracle 
  is authentic.  If you choose this hook, consider giving 
  your character the Heretic background from 
  appendix A. The adventure in Chapter 3, Children of 
  the Crocodile, deals with the mudmaw and its 
  fanatical followers.   
  You seek the arcane Soulmonger, source of the 
  “death curse” ravaging the world. Investigations in 
  Port Nyanzaru lead you to the ruined city of Mezro, 
  birthplace of the Chultan necromancer Ras Nsi. This 
  hook ties closest to the Tomb of Annihilation 
  hardcover.   
  You seek the legendary Ring of Winter: an artefact 
  said to grant its wearer eternal life. Rumor has it that 
  the Cormyrean adventurer Artus Cimber stole the 
  ring from the explorer Lord Rayburton, and now he’s 
  hiding somewhere in Chult. The adventure in 
  Chapter 4, Parting the Veil, introduces Artus Cimber 
  and his magic ring.  
  You’re a mercenary hired to protect the evil nobles 
  of House Karanok as they hunt down the wizard 
  lords of Mezro. If you’re creating a new cleric 
  character, you could choose the Entropy domain 
  from appendix A and join House Karanok itself. This 
  faction is described in 
  detail below.  
  
   
  The following NPCs feature prominently in this adventure.  
  Major NPC 
  Pronunciation 
  Description 
  Page 
  Artus Cimber 
  AR-tus SIM-ber 
  Human explorer wearing the Ring of Winter. 
  6 
  Emberon Coalscuttle 
  EM-ber-on Coalscuttle 
  Dwarf cult leader of the “Children of the Crocodile”. 
  7 
  Kaestra Karanok 
  KAY-stra KA-ra-nok 
  Human matriarch of House Karanok and cultist of Entropy. 
  9 
  Sergeant Kes Valdro 
  KEZ VAL-dro 
  Human Flaming Fist sergeant afflicted with the death curse. 
  23 
  Yindala “Brokenbarrel” 
  Harkathi 
  YIN-dah-la HARK-ath-ee 
  Goliath commander of the Flaming Fist stationed in Mezro. 
  8 
   
  – MEZRO LOCATIONS – 
  1: CITY OVERLOOK 
   
  6: TRADERS’ MARKETPLACE 
   
  11: CROCODILE CULT HIDEOUT 
  2: FLOOD BASIN  
   
  7: AMPHITHEATER 
   
   
  12: STATUE OF KING OSAW I 
  3: “PROMISE” 
   
   
  8: LIBRARY OF MEZRO 
   
   
  13: ARTUS CIMBER’S HOME 
  4: TOWERS & WALLS 
   
  9: COLLEGE OF WIZARDS  
   
  14: HEART OF THE MAZE 
  5: FLOODED BOULEVARDS  
  10: WARRIORS’ TRAINING GROUND 
  15: TEMPLE OF UBTAO 
   
  
   
  The god Ubtao raised Mezro from the jungle with his 
  own hand. It was his greatest gift to his people: a city 
  etched from glass and stone where his priests could 
  guide the common folk through the maze of life. At 
  Mezro’s heart stood the Temple of Ubtao: a 
  magnificent tower of crystal and gold that always 
  presented the same face no matter where in the city 
  one stood. From here, Ubtao sat in judgment on a 
  platinum throne. Seven of his Chosen, known as 
  “barae”, were granted miraculous powers and 
  tasked with running the city. Under their 
  stewardship, Mezro’s wisdom spread through the 
  jungle tribes and the holy city became a site of 
  pilgrimage. 
   Mezro endured for four thousand years. Its glory 
  rivalled even the great cities of the north: for while 
  Mezro was smaller in size than its northern cousins, 
  its libraries held the accumulated knowledge of four 
  millennia. Of course, the city had its fair share of 
  cutpurses and tricksters, and its merchants grew fat 
  on pilgrims’ coin. Worse, in the muddle of city life, 
  the Mezroans came to see Ubtao not as their 
  shepherd, but instead as their remedy for earthly 
  misfortunes. Enraged by their trivial pleas, Ubtao 
  returned to the sky and refused to speak to his 
  followers until they’d completed their journeys 
  through the maze of life. Guardianship of Mezro fell 
  to Ubtao’s barae, who were now the only souls 
  blessed with his divine powers.  
   With Ubtao gone, the barae cast a powerful spell 
  to hide Mezro from outsiders. Anyone gazing on the 
  city from above would see nothing but jungle, and 
  those who approached its walls would fall into a 
  magical stupor that sent them off elsewhere. For five 
  hundred years, only those whom the barae chose to 
  meet were allowed entry. For the rest, Mezro 
  became a lost city: whispered only in legend.  
  Ras Nsi was one of the seven barae that Ubtao first 
  ordained. As sworn protector of Mezro, he was 
  granted the power to reanimate the corpse of any 
  creature that died on Chult. When civil war divided 
  his country, Ras Nsi swore vengeance on the routed 
  Eshowe tribe and used his powers to annihilate 
  them. This act of genocide forced the remaining 
  barae to banish him from their holy city. Branded on 
  the forehead with the blue triangle of Mezro, Ras Nsi 
  was sent into the jungle and told never to return. 
   Ever loyal to Ubtao, Ras Nsi used his powers to 
  raise an undead horde, marking each thrall with the 
  symbol of exile that he now adopted as his own seal. 
  With an army under his control, he waited patiently 
  for a chance to save Mezro and redeem himself to its 
  people. That chance came in 1363 DR, when Kaverin 
  Ebonhand of the Cult of Frost penetrated Mezro’s 
  magical protections and led an army of batiri goblins 
  against the city. Ras Nsi’s forces acted swiftly and 
  played a pivotal role in saving Mezro from oblivion.    
   Following the attack, the surviving barae chose to 
  lift the magical veil over Mezro so its citizens could 
  aid their pillaged countrymen. For a few brief 
  decades, Mezro returned to the world and became a 
  haven for those exploring the jungle. All but Ras Nsi 
  were granted entry to the lost city. The necromancer 
  returned to the jungle, where he built a moving 
  palace on the backs of twelve gigantic skeletal 
  tortoises. As the years rolled by, he gathered his 
  undead forces for an assault on Mezro.     
  In 1385 DR, the Spellplague wracked Toril and 
  separated the Chultan peninsula from the mainland. 
  Mezro was drowned as the landscape buckled and 
  the River Olung burst its banks. In a single stroke, 
  four thousand years of history were obliterated. 
  Robbed of his powers by Mezro’s destruction, Ras 
  Nsi fled into the jungle, leaving his undead army to 
  roam unfettered across Chult. Many of his thralls 
  shambled into the flooded ruins of Mezro, making 
  the site dangerous to explore. In time, rumor spread 
  of priceless treasures buried inside. Once again, 
  Mezro had become a lost city of legend.    
   Yet all was not as it seemed. At the last moment 
  before the Spellplague, Mezro’s barae had sensed the 
  approaching oblivion and performed a ritual to 
  relocate the city and its inhabitants to a demiplane. 
  This new Mezro was a fabrication of the old: a 
  UBTAO, CREATOR OF CHULT 
  Chultans believed that Ubtao shaped the jungle and all 
  its beasts. His creation was a test for his people: a maze 
  for each soul to pass through on its way to the afterlife. 
  Everything in life connected to this metaphysical maze: 
  poor choices could send you down wrong paths, 
  strangers could lead you out of dead-ends, and good 
  hunts could open secret doors. When a Chultan died, 
  Ubtao would ask them to draw the maze representing 
  their life at his feet. Those who failed were denied entry 
  to his Great House, and forced to roam the jungle as 
  ghosts. For this reason, mazes were highly symbolic to 
  the people of Mezro.  
   
  
   
  perfect replica of the city and its inhabitants. As 
  cataclysm struck, the ritual transferred the souls of 
  Mezro’s citizenship to their new bodies in the 
  demiplane. The husks they left behind were smashed 
  asunder, leaving no clues hidden in their bones. In 
  their haste to evacuate, the barae knew that many of 
  their citizens would be abandoned in the old world: 
  foreign envoys, traders on the road, tribal wizards, 
  relatives visiting friends in the jungle, and more. To 
  aid them, they left riddles in the city’s stonework 
  that would guide the Mezroans to their sanctuary – 
  and perhaps even allow them to rejoin them. Just 
  like Ubtao’s maze, only those who knew how to 
  follow the clues would be granted enlightenment.         
  Mezro has lain in ruin for over a century. The River 
  Olung has long withdrawn, but much of the city is 
  still flooded or swallowed by jungle. Explorers have 
  scoured Mezro for treasures, yet even so, the city 
  remains full of mystery and danger. Those who 
  know the ruins agree there are many secrets yet to 
  be unraveled.  
   Mezro was built in the shape of a circle, with four 
  boulevards dividing the city into equal quarters. At 
  the city center, the great Temple of Ubtao thrust ten 
  stories into the sky. The ruins subsided over the 
  years, slumping down into a dank jungle basin. The 
  boulevards became flooded canals and vines arose 
  to strangle the buildings. The whole site is now 
  unnervingly quiet. The map presented on page 4 
  shows the ruins as they stand today. 
  Mezro has confounded explorers for decades. 
  Speculation and myth surround the city, making it 
  impossible to piece together the truth about its 
  current plight or true whereabouts. For each hour 
  spent talking to explorers who’ve visited Mezro, a 
  character can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. 
  If the check succeeds, they learn one of the following 
  rumors.  
  Mezro Rumors 
  d12 
  Rumor 
  1 
  Whoever touches Mezro’s treasures is driven mad 
  by a curse (TRUE) 
  2  
  The god Ubtao sleeps in a gigantic palace 
  underneath the ruins (FALSE) 
  3 
  The ruins aren’t real. The lost city of Mezro is 
  hidden…someplace else (TRUE) 
  4 
  The Harpers have a secret safe house somewhere 
  in the residential quarter (FALSE) 
  5 
  Any gold found inside Mezro crumbles to dust 
  when you leave the ruins (TRUE) 
  6 
  There’s a well in the Temple of Ubtao that grants 
  eternal youth to those who drink from it (FALSE) 
  7 
  The Mezroans hid clues to their fate in the 
  stonework of their city (TRUE) 
  8 
  The undead gather in Mezro to await Ras Nsi’s 
  return (FALSE) 
  9 
  There’s a crocodile in the Agricultural Quarter that 
  can see into the future (TRUE) 
  10 
  Time flows differently inside the Temple of Ubtao. 
  An hour within could be a year outside (FALSE) 
  11 
  The Flaming Fist throw their captives to the 
  dinosaurs for sport (TRUE) 
  12 
  Each night, the city shifts over into the feywild. 
  You need to get out before darkness falls! (FALSE) 
  THE LOVE OF ARTUS AND ALISANDA 
  Artus Cimber came to Chult in search of the legendary 
  Ring of Winter. After many trials, he found the ring – or it 
  found him! - in the holy city of Mezro. Yet the greatest 
  treasure he discovered there was the love of Alisanda, 
  one of Mezro’s barae.  
   
   Granted immortality by the Ring of Winter, Artus 
  Cimber roamed the world to fight evil. Enemies greedy for 
  the ring’s power were always in his shadow, so he could 
  never settle too long in one place. As a bara, Alisanda was 
  bound to her city and its people. She and Artus lived their 
  lives like sun and moon: separate for the most part, but 
  joined together in the twilit moments between night and 
  day. 
   
  When Mezro shifted to its demiplane, Alisanda and 
  Artus were separated forever. Artus returned to Chult, 
  and has been questing ever since for a way to bring Mezro 
  back to the world. If you’re playing Tomb of Annihilation, 
  the ruins are the perfect place to meet him and learn his 
  story. 
   
   
  
   
   
  Mezro was built on a river delta near the mouth of 
  the River Olung. As the estuary flowed into the sea, it 
  branched into many distributary flows. Mezro was 
  raised on one of these fertile riverbanks. The jungle 
  has long since swallowed the city, making it easy to 
  miss for travelers navigating the delta. To find 
  Mezro, a guide must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check. When the characters approach the 
  city for the first time, read: 
  An ancient city sprawls before you. Crumbling walls form a 
  circle divided into four quarters, with a gargantuan vine-
  covered temple at its center. A maze of ruins lies beneath. 
  The buildings are half-flooded and draped in thick jungle 
  foliage. To the northwest, smoke rises from a small 
  shantytown slumped on stilts just outside the city walls.  
  Mezro is set back from the main river, and the 
  swamp that surrounds it is infested with crocodiles. 
  To explore the ruins, the characters must first cross 
  the waters. Canoes can be lugged by hand through 
  the boggy jungle perimeter, but larger vessels can 
  only reach the city during periods of heavy flooding.   
  The characters aren’t alone in the ruins. Several 
  groups have camped here, each with their own 
  objectives in the city. Explorers also venture into 
  Mezro in search of rare treasures.   
  For mid-level characters. 
  A rag-tag group of fifty or so cultists have been 
  drawn to Mezro by the prophetic dreams of a giant, 
  mudmaw crocodile (see appendix B). The so-called 
  “Children of the Crocodile” originate from diverse 
  cultures and races, and spend most of their time 
  sacrificing jungle animals to their beloved prophet. A 
  dwarf preacher named Emberon Coalscuttle leads 
  them in worship. The cultists are camped around the 
  mudmaw’s lair (location 11). 
   The mudmaw has bestial intelligence and a 
  terrible hunger for flesh. While it dreams, wondrous 
  images spread over the water of its lair before 
  seeping out to dreamers worldwide. The mudmaw 
  has foreseen the uprising of dragons, the 
  disappearance of the storm giant king Hekaton, and 
  the coming of the death curse.  
   Most recently, the mudmaw prophesized the 
  return of the Forsaken One: a godling born of a 
  profane coupling between the divine powers Leira 
  and Savras. Heretics from all over Faerún have since 
  flocked to Chult to learn more from the mudmaw. 
  Most perished in search of Mezro, but some trickled 
  through. When the characters arrive, Emberon 
  Coalscuttle is struggling to interpret the mudmaw’s 
  dreams and locate the whereabouts of the Forsaken 
  One. If you’re playing Tomb of Annihilation, this 
  godling could be the atropal that Acererak is rearing 
  in the Tomb of the Nine Gods. The short adventure in 
  chapter 3, Children of the Crocodile, provides a link to 
  Omu that can hasten your group’s progress to 
  Acererak’s dungeon. 
   Relationships. The Flaming Fist mercenaries have 
  sworn to eradicate the Children of the Crocodile. 
  Luckily for the cultists, their devoted chultan scout 
  Nauglu (NOW-gloo) has taught them to avoid patrols 
  and blend into the ruins when soldiers are near. The 
  mudmaw’s prophecies forewarned the cultists about 
  the dangers of House Karanok, so they know to steer 
  clear of the newcomers’ camp.   
  For low to mid-level characters. 
  This mercenary company seeks to conquer Chult and 
  plunders its riches for wealthy patrons in Baldur’s 
  Gate. From Fort Belaurian, Commander Liara Portyr 
  manages an expeditionary force of roughly three 
  EMBERON COALSCUTTLE 
  For two hundred years, Coalscuttle worked as a lowly 
  accountant for the Manymetal Bank of Mirabar. Confined 
  to a single counting room, and spending most of his hours 
  occupied with tedious paperwork, the dwarf often 
  considered hurling himself from the city walls. The 
  mudmaw’s visions gave him new purpose. Setting sail for 
  Chult, Coalscuttle discovered an untapped talent for 
  oratory and whimsy. His fellow cultists zealously hang to 
  his words, but deep down Coalscuttle believes he is an 
  imposter.      
   
  Coalscuttle interprets the mudmaw’s mystifying visions 
  and transcribes its readings onto bark tablets. Most 
  recently, the mudmaw revealed the presence of the 
  Forsaken One somewhere in Chult. Unsure whether this 
  represents an opportunity or a threat, Coalscuttle’s 
  confidence in his readings has begun to waver. With each 
  month bringing more heretics, it’s only a matter of time 
  before Coalscuttle is toppled in favor of one more willing 
  to act.    
   
  Quote: “The great crocodile sees all!”  
   
   
  
   
  thousand mercenaries. For further details on Fort 
  Belaurian and the Flaming Fist, see the Tomb of 
  Annihilation hardcover. 
   Plundering the legendary city of Mezro was 
  Commander Portyr’s first objective in Chult. To this 
  end, she dispatched her trusted goliath deputy 
  Brokenbarrel to explore the ruins. Lieutenant 
  Brokenbarrel’s soldiers unearthed wagonloads of 
  riches, but most of them magically crumbled to dust 
  on leaving the site. In time, word spread of a curse 
  on the city that drove intruders mad with greed. 
  When Brokenbarrel’s mercenaries began to desert, 
  Portyr reassigned them to the hunt for another lost 
  city: Omu. A single cohort remained behind in Mezro 
  under Brokenbarrel’s command. The ruins are now 
  used to train new recruits. The soldiers have 
  constructed a base on stilts, nicknamed Promise, just 
  outside the city walls (location 3). 
   The Flaming Fist lay claim to the entire city and 
  refuse entry to explorers. Those who carry a charter 
  of exploration bearing Portyr’s seal are taken before  
  Brokenbarrel, who questions them about their 
  knowledge of the city and their motives for visiting. 
  Only characters who join the Flaming Fist are 
  granted access to the ruins: and even 
  then, they must join a 
  larger platoon and obey 
  Brokenbarrel’s orders. 
  If trespassers fail to 
  present a charter of 
  exploration, the soldiers 
  attempt to imprison 
  them in the cages 
  beneath Promise. Those who endure torture and 
  interrogation are forced to run the “Gauntlet” for 
  sport: a trench occupied by one or more corralled 
  zombie dinosaurs. Survivors are adopted into the 
  Flaming Fist, or thrown naked into the jungle if 
  they’re too badly maimed.  
   
   Relationships. Lieutenant Brokenbarrel fights a 
  guerilla war against the Children of the Crocodile. So 
  far, her sorties have failed to uncover the cult 
  headquarters, though Brokenbarrel has guessed 
  correctly that it lies somewhere in the Agricultural 
  Quarter. In secret, Brokenbarrel believes that the 
  two-headed crocodile can help her uncover Mezro’s 
  true location. Thus, her soldiers have orders to 
  capture crocodile cultists on sight. Brokenbarrel 
  doesn’t know about the recent arrival of House 
  Karanok in the city. 
  For high-level characters. 
  This doomsday cult crossed the seas to 
  destroy Mezro and its barae. They worship 
  the planar anomaly Entropy: a vast sphere of 
  annihilation that hovers above a wasteland 
  in Chessenta. To House Karanok, 
  Entropy was sent by dying gods to 
  unravel the Weave and devour the 
  cosmos. Only arcane magic can 
  staunch its growth, so their 
  “entropists” are sworn to hunt 
  down and burn wizards. To aid 
  their holy mission, Entropy has 
  granted them divine powers that 
  sap and disrupt spellcasting. 
   Kaestra Karanok leads the war 
  party, wielding a sphere of 
  annihilation drawn from the 
  nothingness of Entropy itself. Guided 
  by disturbances in the Weave, her 
  cultists have hacked through the 
  jungle and made camp in Mezro’s 
  College of Wizards (location 9). 
  Kaestra has deduced the secret fate of 
  Mezro and is searching for a means to 
  penetrate the real city. When she 
  does, she plans to annihilate everyone 
  inside its walls.   
       For centuries, the entropists of 
  House Karanok burned wizards on 
  pyres of witchweed. Their definition 
  of “wizard” is broad: including 
  warlocks, sorcerers, bards, 
  swordmages; even gnomes or priests 
  YINDALA “BROKENBARREL” HARKATHI 
  Lieutenant Brokenbarrel is a neutral evil goliath. She holds 
  the rank of blaze (lieutenant) in the Flaming Fist and takes 
  her orders direct from Liara Portyr. Brokenbarrel suffers 
  from the gilded fever (see “Hazards”, below), but refuses 
  to recognize the symptoms, which have made her 
  obsessed with wealth and devoid of empathy. She wears 
  blackened chainmail armor and wields a huge double-
  headed axe called “Widower”.   
   
  Five months ago, one of Brokenbarrel’s patrols found a 
  hieroglyphic tablet in the ruins that hinted at Mezro’s true 
  fate. When they brought it to her, she murdered every 
  soldier in the patrol to keep the secret to herself. Each 
  night, she gazes dreamily at the tablet and fantasizes 
  about the wealth Mezro will bring her when she plunders 
  the city for real. Her soldiers now have orders to scour the 
  city for magical portals and dimensional enchantments.          
   
  Quote: “I don’t like you, but I’ll work with you.” 
  
   
  of other faiths. The entropists are brazen in their 
  hatred of magic and revel in stamping it out.   
   Relationships. Kaestra’s cultists have so far 
  remained unseen by other factions in the city. They 
  explore cautiously, meeting any opposition with 
  deadly force. Kaestra is uninterested in making 
  bargains, unless they get her closer to the real 
  Mezro.    
  Mezro is full of dangers. Explorers who’ve 
  ventured inside soon learn to watch for the 
  following hazards.   
  The stagnant swamp that surrounds Mezro is a 
  breeding ground for bacteria and disease. 
  Characters who drink from it must succeed on a 
  DC 12 Constitution saving throw or contract 
  sewer plague (see “Diseases” in chapter 8 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide). Clouds of mosquitoes 
  also infest the city. They’re so profuse that even 
  insect-repellent can’t stave off their bites: as 
  sweat, rainwater and abrasion are sure to 
  expose untreated skin. After every day spent 
  exploring Mezro, a character must succeed on 
  DC 10 Survival check or expose themselves to 
  shivering sickness (see chapter 2 of Tomb of 
  Annihilation). Characters foolish enough to 
  forgo insect repellent have disadvantage on this 
  check.   
  When the barae rebuilt Mezro in its demiplane, their 
  magic cursed its original form. Any object 
  originating from the old city disintegrates when 
  taken more than a mile from the ruins. Worse, a 
  madness befouls those who touch Mezro’s riches. 
  Explorers call this the “gilded fever”. 
   Any creature carrying old city treasure for longer 
  than an hour must succeed on a DC 8 Charisma 
  saving throw or become cursed with the gilded 
  fever.  The cursed creature’s alignment changes to 
  Chaotic Neutral and they gain a new flaw, (“I’ll do 
  anything to avoid sharing my treasure”). The curse 
  lasts until the creature relinquishes its riches or 
  until the curse is removed using the remove curse 
  spell or similar magic. Creatures who succeed on 
  their saving throw are immune to the curse until 
  they acquire new cursed treasures. 
  During the Spellplague, wild magic washed over 
  Mezro’s College of Wizards and granted sentience to 
  the traps in its vaults. These living constructs 
  skulked up into the ruins to hunt down intruders 
  and prey on the unwary. See appendix B for further 
  details on these monsters.   
   Living traps are rare, terrible things. The soldiers 
  stationed in Promise are skeptical they even exist, 
  and attribute most sightings to drink or fever. Even 
  so, soldiers on patrol are wary of sounding off, as the 
  living traps are said to mimic voices to lure 
  stragglers into ambushes.    
  KAESTRA KARANOK 
  Kaestra has lived for three hundred years, kept alive by 
  alchemical unguents and profane ritual. She appears as a 
  beautiful woman in her middle years, dressed in the white 
  toga worn by all of House Karanok. Kaestra was present 
  when Entropy first appeared in Karanok Manor, half a 
  century before it unleashed itself on the wilds during the 
  Spellplague. She still wields one of the five “Daughters of 
  Entropy”: a sphere of annihilation extracted from the 
  anomaly itself. 
   
  Kaestra is a calculating foe who treats her mission as a 
  deadly game of strategy. She has no qualms about 
  sacrificing pawns to gain advantage, so long as the reward 
  is worth it. As befits her faith, her worldview is nihilistic. 
  All whom she ever loved has died: her children, her 
  husbands, her lovers. All that’s left now is to bring down 
  the curtain on this world forever.     
   
  Quote: “Hush, mage. Soon the black star shall rise and 
  these torments you feel will be nothing.”  
   
   
  
   
  Ras Nsi’s undead thralls are drawn to Mezro. With 
  their bara gone, the dead shamble aimlessly through 
  the ruins of his city. Most encounters within Mezro 
  feature undead of varying forms; with zombies, 
  ghouls, skeletons and wights being the most 
  common enemies. 
  The ritual that created Mezro’s demiplane distorted 
  the Weave and imbued the ruins with wild magic. A 
  detect magic spell cast inside the ruins reveals a field 
  of wild magic stretching across the whole city. Even 
  creatures who can’t sense magic feel something 
  disquieting about the ruins, like a storm about to 
  break.   
   When a creature within Mezro rolls a natural 1 on 
  a spell attack, roll on the Wild Magic Surge table to 
  create a magical effect (see the Sorcerer class in 
  chapter 3 of the Player’s Handbook).  
  Mezro is difficult to traverse. Thick foliage strangles 
  the ruins, and many streets are submerged under 
  oozing swamp water. Swirling fog can reduce 
  visibility to just a few feet, while clouds of biting 
  insects make exploration a living hell. 
   Assume that the characters move at a flat rate of 
  200 feet every five minutes.  If they take time to stop 
  and search for treasure, each building takes 30 
  minutes to clear. Explorers have ransacked most 
  structures, but at your discretion you could let your 
  players roll on the Treasure Drops table from 
  appendix B of Tomb of Annihilation. Due to the curse 
  that affects Mezro’s treasures, only valuables 
  brought in from outside the city can be removed 
  intact from the ruins.  
   The Residential District is particularly difficult to 
  traverse, as its narrow streets were intentionally 
  built like a maze. To escape the maze or find a 
  location within it, the characters must succeed on a 
  group DC 10 Intelligence (Survival) check or become 
  lost for 1d3 hours. After this time, they wind up back 
  where they were when they first made the check.   
  After every hour of exploration, roll a d20 to check 
  for a random encounter. An encounter occurs on a 
  roll of 16 or higher. Roll percentile dice and check 
  the Mezro Encounters table, using the column for the 
  experience tier appropriate to your group.  
  Mezro Encounters 
   
       — Average Character Level   —  
  Encounter 
  1st – 4th 
  5th – 10th 
  11th – 16th 
  Apes 
  01-03 
  01-02 
  – 
  Cannibals 
  – 
  03-04 
  01-05 
  Crocodile Cultists 
  04-10 
  05-08 
  06-10 
  Crocodiles 
  11-15 
  09-10 
  – 
  Death Knight 
  – 
  – 
  11-15 
  Dinosaur Ambush 
  – 
  11-12 
  16-17 
  Dinosaur Nest 
  16-17 
  13-14 
   
  Explorers 
  18-20 
  15-16 
  18-19 
  Faerie Dragon 
  21 
  17 
  20 
  Flaming Fist Patrol 
  22-25 
  18-20 
  21-24 
  Flying Monkeys 
  26-27 
  – 
  – 
  Ghost 
  28 
  21 
  25 
  Ghouls 
  29-35 
  22-27 
  26-32 
  Giant Spiders 
  36-37 
  28-29 
  – 
  Giant Wasps 
  38-39 
  30-31 
  – 
  Goblin Warband 
  40-41 
  32-33 
  – 
  Grung Hatchery 
  42 
  34 
  – 
  Grung Patrol 
  43-44 
  35-36 
  33-34 
  House Karanok 
  – 
  37-40 
  35-41 
  Living Trap 
  – 
  41-42 
  42-47 
  Mage Hunters 
  45 
  43 
  48 
  Mantrap 
  46-48 
  44-45 
  – 
  Mazewalker 
  49 
  46 
  49 
  Minotaur 
  50-51 
  47-48 
  50-51 
  Shambling Mound 
  – 
  49-50 
  52-53 
  Skeletons 
  52-60 
  51-56 
  – 
  Stone Golem 
  – 
  57-58 
  54-59 
  Supply Wagon 
  61-63 
  59-60 
  60-61 
  Wights 
  – 
  61-64 
  62-68 
  Yuan-ti 
  Abomination 
  – 
  65-66 
  69-70 
  Yuan-ti Pureblood 
  64-65 
  67-68 
  71-72 
  Zombie Beholder 
  – 
  69-70 
  73-75 
  Zombie Dinosaur 
  66-75 
  71-80 
  76-00 
  Zombies 
  76-00 
  81-00 
  – 
  EXPERIENCE TIERS 
  Random encounters in Mezro are grouped by experience 
  tier. These are: 
  • Tier 1. 1st-4th level 
  • Tier 2. 5th-10th level 
  • Tier 3. 11th-16th level 
  Use of experience tiers to determine the strength of the 
  enemy is always only a rough guide. There’s a world of 
  difference between a party at the beginning of a tier and a 
  party at the end, so use your knowledge of your group to 
  moderate the number of enemies they face. 
   
   
  
   
  A troop of apes howl through the trees and attack 
  the characters. There are 1d4+1 apes at tier 1 and 
  2d10+5 apes at tier 2. The apes recently ransacked a 
  wine cellar, and they’re drunk on the Chultan mead 
  known as “tej”. Whenever a drunk ape misses with 
  an attack, it falls prone.      
   Treasure. The ransacked wine cellar is just 
  nearby. Fifteen kegs of tej remain intact, each 
  holding five gallons of mead (8 sp per keg). Another 
  shelf holds five bottles of vintage Turami brandy 
  worth 200 gp each.     
  A band of cannibals have entered Mezro to find the 
  lost god Ubtao. The painted warrior Rhondu leads 
  this all-female troupe: she hopes to win the favor of 
  her god and become a bara. The cannibals attack 
  explorers on sight. At tier 1, there are 1d4+2 tribal 
  warriors and a veteran. At tier 2, there are 3d6+5 
  tribal warriors and a gladiator. 
   Treasure. Rhondu carries a sack of offerings 
  stolen from waylaid explorers. To determine the 
  sack’s contents, roll once on the Treasure Hoard 
  table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Crocodile cultists have set a net-trap in this area to 
  catch sacrifices for their prophet. Characters with a 
  passive Perception of 17 or higher spot the net as 
  the group approaches. If nobody spots it, the lead 
  character in the group is hoisted into the air and 
  restrained by the net (DC 18 to escape).  
   The cultists hide nearby. They attack only if they 
  have an advantage, and try to capture their enemies 
  instead of killing them. Any captives are thrown 
  before Emberon Coalscuttle at location 11.  
  • At tier 1, there are 1d4+3 cultists and a cult 
  fanatic.  
  • At tier 2, add 1d3+1 veterans.  
  • At tier 3, double the number of enemies listed 
  above. 
   Treasure. The cultists carry gold and wear 
  valuable jewelry from outside Mezro. To determine 
  how much, roll once on the Individual Treasure table 
  in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and 
  multiply the result by five. 
  Some crocodiles wallow in the mud ahead. One of 
  the crocodiles has an ornate spearhead embedded 
  under its horny scales. If a character wades into the 
  mud to snatch the spearhead, the other crocodiles 
  round on them. There are 1d4+2 crocodiles at tier 
  1, and 1d6+5 crocodiles and a giant crocodile at 
  tier 2.   
   Treasure. The gold spearhead is engraved with 
  frogs and is worth 250 gp.   
  A death knight dressed in rotten “tobe” robes 
  stands on a rooftop ahead. When it spots the group, 
  it summons four ghasts from nearby buildings and 
  attacks. This is a disgraced bara called Ras T’fima. 
  After Ubtao robbed him of his powers, T’fima used 
  the Ring of Winter to keep his station until Artus 
  Cimber exposed his treachery. When the Spellplague 
  wracked Chult, Ras T’fima arose as a death knight 
  and swore to redeem himself to Ubtao. His undying 
  duty is to protect the holy city from defilers.    
   Treasure. Ras T’fima wields a flame tongue 
  scimitar and wears jeweled rings on his fingers.  To 
  determine their value, roll once on the Individual 
  Treasure table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide and multiply the result by seven.  
  The characters come across a maimed hippo dying in 
  the mud. Predatory dinosaurs hide nearby, using the 
  hippo as bait to lure prey. If the characters approach 
  the hippo, the dinosaurs spring their ambush. At tier 
  2, there are 2d4+5 deinonychus (see appendix C). 
  At tier 3, they are a mated pair of tyrannosaurus 
  rex.   
  A triceratops has made a nest ahead, and four infant 
  dinosaurs frolic in the vicinity. As the group 
  approaches, ask for a group DC 10 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. If they succeed, the characters 
  are a good distance away when they spot the infant 
  dinosaurs. If not, they blunder too close and are 
  ambushed by the protective parent. 
  AVAILABLE TREASURE  
  Players may complain that their treasure disintegrates 
  when removed from the ruins. Remember this only 
  applies to treasures from before the Spellplague.  
  • Valuables listed under “Treasure” headings originate 
  from outside the city and do not inflict the gilded 
  fever when handled.  
  Any other treasures that the players find can be cursed or 
  not, as you desire. 
  
   
   Treasure. 1d6 triceratops eggs rest inside the 
  nest. To the correct buyer in Port Nyanzaru, each egg 
  is worth 50 gp. 
  The characters meet another party of explorers in 
  the ruins. These consist of a mage, a knight, a scout 
  and 1d4 tribal warriors. The explorers have just 
  lost some of their number to a living trap (see 
  appendix B), and are preparing to leave the city. 
  They warn the group to steer clear of the building 
  where they encountered the monster.   
  An empty bamboo cage lies upturned nearby, with 
  tiny bite marks on its bars. The green faerie dragon 
  Milkwhip hides invisibly inside. If anyone gets too 
  close, Milkwhip uses her Euphoria Breath to 
  befuddle them. If the characters befriend Milkwhip, 
  she reveals she was enslaved by an entropist of 
  House Karanok. Her cage fell from her captor’s belt 
  during an undead ambush. Milkwhip can direct the 
  group to House Karanok’s hideout in the College of 
  Wizards (location 9).    
  The characters encounter a patrol of Flaming Fist 
  soldiers. If they spot the characters, they try to 
  capture them and take them back to Promise 
  (location 3).  
  • At tier 1, there are 2d8+3 guards. 
  • At tier 2, add 2 knights. 
  • At tier 3, add 2 gladiators. 
   Treasure. The soldiers carry a small amount of 
  gold originating from outside the city. To determine 
  how much, roll once on the Individual Treasure table 
  in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and 
  multiply the result by six. 
  A troop of 2d8 flying monkeys (see appendix C) 
  shadows the group. If the characters fail to spot 
  them, the monkeys swoop down and snatch any 
  shiny belongings they can lay their paws on. 
  Music drifts from a house ahead and warm lights 
  twinkle from its windows. In the blink of an eye, the 
  building is a silent ruin once more. The ghost of a 
  Mezroan merchant haunts the premises, waiting in 
  vain for his son to arrive for his coming-of-age 
  ceremony. If the players parley with the spirit, he 
  asks them to find his son’s remains and bring them 
  to him.  
   Treasure. The merchant’s gift to his son still rests 
  inside its casket. To determine what it is, roll once on 
  the “Gems or Art Objects” column of the Treasure 
  Hoard table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide.   
  A pack of ghouls hide in a nearby basement, wearing 
  the torn attire of tribal warriors. As the characters 
  pass by, the ghouls slip out to ambush them. 
  • At tier 1, there are 1d3+1 ghouls. 
  • At tier 2, add 1d4+3 ghasts. 
  • At tier 3, add a night hag and double the number 
  of ghouls. 
  Giant spiders descend from the rooftops as the 
  characters pass underneath. The cocooned corpses 
  of 1d4 explorers dangle from their webs. There are 
  1d3+1 giant spiders at tier 1 and 2d6+5 giant 
  spiders at tier 2.  
   Treasure. Roll on the Dead Explorers table from 
  Tomb of Annihilation to describe the corpses. Roll on 
  the Treasure Drops table in the same chapter to 
  determine if each corpse carries any treasure.  
  Vegepygmies riding giant wasps are spotted ahead. 
  The wasps are drinking from a heap of fermented 
  fruit that has fallen in the shade of a mango tree. If 
  the characters succeed on a group DC 12 Dexterity 
  (Stealth) check, they can sneak past the monsters 
  without being seen. At tier 1, there are 1d3+1 
  vegepygmies (see Appendix C) riding an equal 
  number of giant wasps. At tier 2, there are 2d6+4 of 
  each type.  
  An elite company of Batiri goblins marches into 
  Mezro to avenge their queen’s murder. Chained 
  velociraptors serve them as primitive bloodhounds. 
  At tier 1, there are 1d6+3 goblins, a goblin boss, 
  and two velociraptors (see appendix C). At tier 2, 
  there are 3d8+5 goblins, a goblin boss, and 2d4+1 
  velociraptors. 
   If the characters killed Queen Grabstab during 
  chapter 2 of Tomb of Annihilation, her son Bang leads 
  the warband. If not, the goblins hunt the Flaming Fist 
  mercenaries who raided their village. Bang wears his 
  mother’s flayed face over his war mask.  
  
   
   Treasure. Bang carries a silvered +1 rapier that he 
  stole from a pirate. Every time the blade delivers a 
  mortal wound, snatches of an elven song are heard. 
  Bang believes this is the god Maglubiyet thanking 
  him for his sacrifices.  
  A welter of slimy eggs float inside a flooded 
  courtyard, watched over by a group of grungs. An 
  enslaved ogre called Umok mucks out the hatchery. 
  Umok was dumb already, but the grung poison used 
  to subdue him has made him obedient to anyone’s 
  commands. 
   At tier 1, there is one ogre and 1d4+4 grungs (see 
  appendix C). At tier 2, add 1d4+2 grung elite 
  warriors (see appendix C). 
   Treasure. The eggs aren’t valuable. One of the 
  grungs wears a bandolier containing five potions of 
  healing.   
  A patrol of grungs sneak through the swamp, led by 
  the warrior chief Nopugluu (No-POO-gloo). They’re 
  hunting crocodiles, and have a string of kills on a 
  long pole carried between them.   
  • At tier 1, there are 1d6+3 grungs and 1 grung 
  elite warrior (see appendix C).   
  • At tier 2, add 1d6+3 grungs and 1d4+2 grung 
  elite warriors (see appendix C).   
  • At tier 3, their kills are slung to a titanosaurus 
  (see appendix c) that also has a bamboo howdah 
  strapped to its back.  
   Treasure. The grungs wear golden jewelry. To 
  determine its value, roll once on the Individual 
  Treasure table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide and multiply the result by five. 
  The group cross paths with an expeditionary patrol 
  from House Karanok. A priest of entropy leads a 
  gang of grizzled mercenaries in search of clues to the 
  true location of Mezro. At tier 2, there is one priest 
  of entropy (see appendix B) and 1d4+4 guards.  At 
  tier 3, add 1d4+2 veterans. 
   Treasure. The priest of entropy carries a sack of 
  treasure purloined from elsewhere in Chult. To 
  determine its value, roll once on Individual Treasure 
  table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and 
  multiply the resulting wealth by eight.  
  The characters hear strangled screams from a 
  nearby street. If they investigate, they spot a Flaming 
  Fist soldier with his leg caught in a bear trap. In fact, 
  the soldier is dead, and the living trap (see 
  appendix B) that killed him is puppeteering his 
  corpse to lure prey closer.  At tier 3, this could be a 
  pair of living traps working together.   
  The group encounters a party of “mage hunters”: 
  Lawful Good Chultan wizards who traveled from 
  tribe-to-tribe, combating evil and bringing renegade 
  wizards back into society. In this group, there is one 
  mage and six apprentice wizards.  
   Most mage hunters were lost in the Spellplague, 
  but this group has arisen to rebuild the order to its 
  former strength. Led by the mage Imari Jabu, they 
  have returned to Mezro to seek out the College of 
  Wizards (location 9).  
   Treasure. Imari Jabu wields a staff of swarming 
  insects. The rest wear gold jewelry and carry simple 
  supplies. To determine their value, roll once on the 
  Individual Treasure table in chapter 7 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide and multiply the result by 
  five. 
  The ground underfoot collapses, pitching the 
  characters into a half-buried cellar that is choked 
  with vegetation. Inside are 1d4+1 mantraps (see 
  appendix C) and the bones of many explorers.  
   Treasure. Valuable gear is scattered around the 
  bones, including a climbing kit, three potions of 
  invisibility, and a pouch of 1d6 garnets worth 100 gp 
  each.  
  The characters meet an ancient Chultan priest of 
  Ubtao called Cha Nkrumané. As a youth, Cha was a 
  “mazewalker”: a member of the Mezroan clergy who 
  guided his fellow citizens through the maze of life. 
  Now 120 years old, he has returned to die inside the 
  barado of the Temple of Ubtao (location 15). 
  Since the cataclysm, the maze-like walkways of 
  Mezro’s Residential Quarter have become a place of 
  pilgrimage for the minotaur race. 
  • At tier 1, there are 1d3 minotaurs. 
  • At tier 2, add 1d3+3 minotaurs. 
  • At tier 3, add 2 barlgura demons. 
  
   
  A shambling mound lugs a vegepygmy chief (see 
  appendix C) through the ruins on a bamboo litter. At 
  tier 2, there are accompanied by 2d6+2 
  vegepygmies (see appendix C). At tier 3, double the 
  number of vegepygmies.   
  Skeletons dressed in tribal armor charge the group. 
  Each skeleton has the symbol of Ras Nsi painted on 
  its brow. At tier 1, there are 2d4+3 skeletons. At tier 
  2, add 1d4+2 minotaur skeletons.    
  A vine-covered statue comes to life nearby, revealing 
  itself as a stone golem. At tier 2, there are 1d3 stone 
  golems. 
   Treasure. Each golem has a fiery yellow jacinth 
  worth 1,000 gp embedded in its chest.   
  A supply wagon threads through the city to the 
  Flaming Fist headquarters at location 3. The covered 
  wagon contains fruit and vegetables harvested from 
  the ruins, and is pulled by a trained triceratops.  
  • At tier 1, there are 1d8+2 guards. 
  • At tier 2, add one knight. 
  • At tier 3, add one mage. 
   Treasure. The mercenaries carry a few personal 
  riches in the form of Chultan jewelry or ornamented 
  weapons taken from outside the city. To determine 
  its worth, roll on the Individual Treasure table in 
  chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and 
  multiply the resulting wealth by three. 
  Mist rolls over the street, concealing the approach of 
  a group of undead. Each creature has the symbol of 
  Ras Nsi tattooed somewhere on its skin. At tier 2, 
  there are 1d6+3 wights. At tier 3, there are 3d6+3 
  wights. 
  A yuan-ti abomination has slithered into the city to 
  scour the Library of Mezro for information about 
  Dendar the Night Serpent. At tier 3, a cadre of 1d3+3 
  yuan-ti malisons accompany it.  
   Treasure. The yuan-ti wear serpentine jewelry. To 
  determine its worth, roll on the Individual Treasure 
  table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and 
  multiply the resulting wealth by six. 
  A Chultan man dressed in the torn attire of a 
  merchant stumbles into view, chased by yuan-ti 
  malisons. If the characters rescue him, he grovels 
  their feet and begs them to look after him. Nyewono 
  is a yuan-ti pureblood sent by Ras Nsi to infiltrate 
  the group. 
  • At tier 1, just one yuan-ti malison chases 
  Nyewono. 
  • At tier 2, there are 1d3+2 yuan-ti malisons. 
  • At tier 3, there are 2d4+5 yuan-ti malisons. 
  An upturned cart lies in the street ahead, 
  surrounded by rubble. The armored legs of a knight 
  protrude from underneath the cart. On closer 
  inspection, the cart looks as though it was hurled 
  from afar to crash down on the knight. Flies buzz 
  around it. If the characters lift the cart, they unleash 
  the beholder zombie squashed beneath it. At tier 3, 
  the combat attracts the attention of 2d4+3 wights. 
   Treasure. The knight wears a suit of +1 plate 
  armor and carries a pouch containing 131 gp.  
  The characters encounter a pack of mindless zombie 
  dinosaurs. 
  • At tier 1, there are 1d3 zealoraptor zombies (see 
  appendix C).  
  • At tier 2, there are 2d4+2 zeoloraptor zombies 
  (see appendix C). 
  • At tier 3, there are 2d4+2 triceratops zombies 
  (see appendix C). 
  The characters encounter a 
  horde of shambling 
  undead. Each zombie has 
  Ras Nsi’s symbol stitched 
  onto its forehead. At tier 1, 
  there are 2d4+4 zombies. 
  At tier 2, add 1d3+2 ogre 
  zombies.   
   
  
   
  This chapter shines a light on some important 
  locations within the ruins. The descriptions below 
  correspond to keyed locations on the map on page 4. 
  Stagnant marshes and inhospitable thickets 
  surround the ruins. Undead are an ever-present 
  threat here, yet many explorers prefer to camp in 
  the wilds than stay inside the cursed city.   
  River travelers emerge from the jungles on this 
  forested knoll. From here, they can gaze across the 
  ruins and plot their approach into the city. When 
  your players first arrive here, give them the 
  Mezro handout from Appendix D.  
  The remnants of an explorers’ camp lie buried in the 
  undergrowth near the top of the knoll. There’s no 
  treasure to salvage, but a rotted rucksack could 
  contain any mundane equipment the players forgot 
  to acquire from town.   
  For any level: As the characters take in the view, they 
  spot a distant figure flying by magic over the city. 
  Whatever spell keeps the figure aloft is failing, and 
  they crash land out of sight in the Residential 
  Quarter. This could be Artus Cimber returning to the 
  city, or a famous explorer like Volothamp Geddarm. 
  It could even be a wizard from Port Nyanzaru whose 
  experiments with magical flight have gone awry.  
  The swamp’s depth varies with rain, sediment and 
  tide. On drier days (if such things exist in Chult!), 
  mudflats can emerge across its surface, while 
  monsoons bring the tide crashing through the jungle. 
  The swamp is too deep and muddy to wade through. 
  Thousands of crocodiles live in the swamp. They 
  ignore canoers, but attack if they’re provoked or 
  smell blood.  A crocodile can capsize a canoe and 
  throw its occupants into the water by using its 
  action and succeeding on a DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check. If a canoe is capsized, the 
  floundering occupants attract the attention of 1d6+3 
  crocodiles per experience tier. At tier 3, a giant 
  crocodile swims over to join the feeding frenzy.  If 
  the characters defeat the crocodiles, the rest of the 
  crocodiles in the lake give them a wide berth. 
  Flaming Fist mercenaries built this settlement as a 
  forward base to explore the ruins. If the players 
  approach here, read the following aloud: 
  A settlement slumps on stilts over the lake, straddling the old 
  city and the jungle beyond. Its gantries scale Mezro’s outer 
  walls, while ramshackle jetties provide berths for boats on 
  the water. On the muddy shore, a tavern has been raised 
  among the intertwined roots of a giant eucalyptus tree.       
  Promise is home to 98 Flaming Fist soldiers. Most 
  are guards or veterans, with a handful of knights, 
  acolytes and priests. The soldiers mount regular 
  patrols into the ruins. 
   Visitors to Promise must possess a charter of 
  exploration made out in their name. If not, the 
  soldiers try to capture and interrogate them. Either 
  way, newcomers are brought before Lieutenant 
  Brokenbarrel within the hour.   
  Brokenbarrel resides in the largest hut in the 
  settlement. A pair of knights stand guard on the 
  gantry outside. Underneath her hut, three prisoner 
  cages are suspended over the mire by ropes and 
  pulleys. Each cage contains 1d4 prisoners; either 
  explorers who’ve defied Brokenbarrel or crocodile 
  cultists awaiting interrogation. By turning a crank, 
  the soldiers can lower any one of the cages into the 
  water. 
   Brokenbarrel’s hut comprises two levels 
  connected by a ladder. The main room is her 
  audience chamber. It is heaped with treasures: 
  feathered fans, golden shields, silver platters, and a 
  fur mat stitched from hundreds of pelts. All 
  treasures disintegrate if removed from the city. 
   The upper floor is her bedchamber. It’s screened 
  by red drapes, and contains a silk-sheeted cot and a 
  large treasure chest. The chest is locked (DC 18 to 
  pick) and contains her hoard. Brokenbarrel carries 
  the key to the chest on a ring on her belt.  
   Treasure. The treasure chest holds 5,880 gp in 
  various denominations: enough to keep 
  
   
  Brokenbarrel’s soldiers paid for a month (not that 
  she intends to part with a penny). This treasure is 
  not native to Mezro. She keeps her cherished 
  hieroglyphics tablet in a secret compartment 
  underneath the gold. Any character who succeeds on 
  a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check while 
  studying the tablet can glean from the pictographs 
  that Mezro’s barae shifted the city to a demiplane to 
  save it from the Spellplague. 
  This thatched supply store is owned by Thull 
  Zhanmu, a one-eyed veteran and learned sage. 
  Zhanmu was educated at Candlekeep, but his 
  hulking physique made him a better warrior than a 
  bookkeeper. If Brokenbarrel approves the group’s 
  stay, characters can buy any item listed in the 
  Player’s Handbook from Zhanmu’s store.  
   Most treasures found within Mezro disintegrate if 
  taken beyond the swamp, but the Flaming Fist are 
  still interested in cataloguing their finds. Some relics 
  expose interesting facets of Mezroan life, and thus 
  have historical value if studied on site. Zhanmu pays 
  well for these treasures, though for most soldiers 
  this usually manifests as a share of the fine grog, or a 
  clean bedroll. Zhanmu has standing orders to report 
  any finds about Omu to Lieutenant Brokenbarrel.      
  The soldiers cool off in this drinking hall. Brawls are 
  common, but the officers try to keep tempers in 
  check. A “grudge board” pinned to the wall tallies 
  complaints between soldiers. If a soldier earns too 
  many checks, the officers force them to run the 
  Gauntlet (location 10). Such punishments are rarely 
  fatal, as the officers yank the offender out of the 
  trench if they’re in mortal danger. 
   The “Fortune and Glory” is run by a pair of 
  identical twins, Jarek and Garek Slavwik. They’re 
  expert brewers, and have fermented many jungle 
  fruits into their own wine blends. In recent weeks, 
  Jarek has fallen victim to the gilded fever and is 
  plotting against his brother for control of the tavern.  
  For low-level characters: Two soldiers place 
  outrageous bets on a card game, using treasures 
  plundered from Mezro. Of course, both know that 
  the gold is worthless outside the city. When one 
  soldier raises the stakes by betting his soul, a 
  bearded devil from the Nine Hells takes notice… 
  Those brave enough to enter Mezro are exposed to 
  all the hazards detailed earlier. The ruins are quiet 
  and dangerous, with an aura of expectation hanging 
  over them.  
  Thick stone ramparts surround the city. Most walls 
  rise 30 ft. above the water, but heights vary where 
  the walls have crumbled into ruin. In some sections, 
  they’ve collapsed entirely and the swamp has bled 
  through into the city within.   
   Behind the parapets, statues of Mezro’s barae 
  decorate the raised walkways. Bronze plaques at 
  their feet identify who each bara was, the years they 
  served the city, and the miraculous powers Ubtao 
  granted them. The face of the renegade bara Ras Nsi 
  has been purposefully despoiled, but his plaque 
  remains. In Promise, collecting these plaques for use 
  as serving trays has become an idle pastime. 
   Stout watchtowers stand where walls intersect. 
  These are often treacherous to explore, with sagging 
  floorboards and disintegrating walls. In the 
  Agricultural Quarter, the Children of the Crocodile 
  use the watchtowers to spy on Flaming Fist patrols.   
  In ancient times, visitors would walk down these 
  boulevards to the central plaza, and then take a 
  tunnel to their chosen quarter. The swamp has since 
  flooded the boulevards, and travelers must now 
  paddle in on canoes. Moss clings to the walls, with 
  the busts of noted priests and mages peering 
  through the muck. 
  
   
  For mid-level characters: A giant sarcosuchus once 
  preyed on the soldiers who paddled into Mezro. 
  Lieutenant Brokenbarrel tricked the beast into 
  swallowing a magic music box she’d strapped to 
  some bait, and then used the tinkling music to track 
  down the beast and slay it. Now the eerie tune has 
  been heard in the ruins again, and soldiers are going 
  missing. If the players bite, use the zombie 
  sarcosuchus in appendix C. 
  The Market Quarter was home to many skilled 
  craftspeople. Its central marketplace rivalled any 
  bazaar in Chult, and filled the district with wild 
  music and exotic aromas. Many of the city’s inns 
  were found here too, making this quarter the first 
  port of call for visitors.  
   Today, the district is half-flooded. Dilapidated 
  structures rear from the muck, and the vegetation is 
  so thick that on some streets it has blotted out the 
  sun. Where there was once music, now there is 
  silence, and the only aroma is the cloying stench of 
  death.  
  A ruined, two-story building stands ahead. It is palatial in 
  scale, with tattered awnings covering hundreds of shops and 
  stalls. Emanating from the marketplace is a noise that sounds 
  like the distant roaring of the sea. As you approach, you 
  realize that it is the aggregated moaning of hundreds of 
  zombies.  
  Since Mezro’s fall, the marketplace has become a 
  focal point for the undead. A horde of zombies now 
  shamble mindlessly through its courts. At dawn and 
  sunset, bells toll by magic from the towers at either 
  end of the market. The zombies gravitate toward the 
  towers as they toll, keeping the horde in continual 
  rotation. 
  For low to mid-level characters: A squad of Flaming 
  Fist soldiers were recently ambushed by grungs 
  (see appendix C) and one of their number fled into 
  the marketplace. Now the zombies have him 
  surrounded. His companions plan to rescue him by 
  bashing pots and pans to draw the undead away. 
  Unfortunately for them, a fast-moving ghoul pack is 
  also attracted to the noise.  
   
   
  A once-majestic amphitheater towers over the surrounding 
  buildings. Life-sized statues of dinosaurs decorate its walls, 
  and canvas canopies hang limply above its grandstands. 
  Swamp water surrounds the building on all sides.    
  The amphitheater was the beating heart of the city. 
  Raised by Ubtao himself, it served as meeting place, 
  courthouse, and concert hall. In its long history, the 
  amphitheater hosted untold plays, orchestral 
  performances, and sporting events. Chief among 
  these were the spectacular dinosaur races, which 
  drew crowds from across Chult.    
   Now the amphitheater is a forbidding island in the 
  swamp. Its arena is a crocodile-infested lake, and 
  mangrove trees strangle its stands. With every 
  passing year, the whole edifice slides a few feet 
  deeper into the bog. Characters who dare to explore 
  here are at constant risk from the crumbling 
  masonry.  
  For characters of any level: Soldiers in Promise have 
  heard muffled music drifting from the amphitheater 
  on the first full moon of each month. This night, 
  they’ve resolved to get to the bottom of it. Perhaps 
  they’re hearing an echo of the past, or a performance 
  bleeding over from the real Mezro. The music could 
  even drive visitors mad, and make them take to the 
  sunken stage themselves… 
  The Scholar’s Quarter accommodated pilgrims who 
  sought wisdom at the Temple of Ubtao and the great 
  Library of Mezro. It was also home to the affluent 
  middle classes, and its cobbled streets were lined 
  with schools, boutique stores, bathhouses, music 
  halls and coffee shops.  
   Since the cataclysm, this district has fared better 
  than the rest. Its walls have held back the swamp, 
  and though overgrown with vines and creepers, the 
  buildings are mostly intact. Even so, explorers fear 
  the Scholar’s Quarter more than any other place in 
  the city. There’s something about the dead silence 
  here that gets under your skin.    
  An impressive building rests against the city walls. Tapered 
  towers jab skyward from its roof, and jungle scenes are 
  engraved over every inch of its stonework. Cracked steps in 
  front of the building ascend to a tall door.    
  
   
  The library stands three stories high, with many 
  levels below ground. Its vaults stored four thousand 
  years of scrolls, parchment books, and cuneiform 
  tablets. Other chambers were used as museums for 
  tribal relics and statuary. 
   Flaming Fist priests have conducted extensive 
  studies of the library: even building a scriptorium to 
  transcribe the most valuable tomes. Unfortunately 
  for them, more than one high priest succumbed to 
  the gilded fever and murdered their underlings to 
  avoid sharing knowledge. Lieutenant Brokenbarrel 
  is keen to reinstate the endeavor, but the scouts 
  she’s sent to the library have so far all disappeared.    
  For mid to high-level characters: One of the cursed 
  priests still lurks in the bowels of the library. Half-
  starved, he scours the books for leads to the real city. 
  Now an archmage of considerable power, he’s cast a 
  spell over the tomes to warn him of intruders. When 
  strangers enter the library, printed words creep 
  from the pages and slither book-to-book, ultimately 
  spelling out a warning to the mad mage. Learning of 
  the characters, he begins to covet one of their items, 
  and tries to steal it from them at all cost.     
  This oddly-shaped building is formed from a cluster of mud-
  brick cupolas, with narrow stairs winding between them. The 
  bricks are decorated with arcane symbols and leering faces.    
  Mezro’s College of Wizards adjoins the great library.  
  Tribal wizards were trained here, alongside the 
  infamous Mage Hunters who punished unauthorized 
  use of magic across Chult. Both orders collapsed 
  with the Spellplague, and have never knowingly 
  been reestablished.  
   The College of Wizards is infused with magic. 
  Corridors shift when you’re not looking, and doors 
  open into different rooms each time they’re used. 
  Most peculiarly, gravity in certain sections is oddly 
  pliable, with inverted staircases running across 
  ceilings or floors spilling up onto walls.  
  Kaestra Karanok believed that Mezro’s secrets were 
  hidden somewhere within the College of Wizards. 
  Now the stone tablet from location 12 has led her 
  forces elsewhere in the city. When the characters 
  arrive, up to half of her cultists may be absent.  
    Kaestra Karanok is a human priest of entropy 
  (see appendix B), who wields a sphere of 
  annihilation. She is attended by three other priests 
  of entropy, twelve lesser priests, and twenty 
  cultists. Each priest carries a witchweed stick (see 
  the sidebar nearby).     
   The cultists have made camp in a bathhouse 
  within the college’s basement. Inside this chamber, a 
  large sphere of water hovers over a stony pit. 
  Kaestra’s cultists use a balcony overlooking the pit 
  as a pyre for burning wizards. If they catch any 
  within Mezro, they drag them here for execution.  
   To enter the College unseen, the characters must 
  avoid being spotted by the three cultists on its roof. 
  These lookouts dash to alert Kaestra if they spot 
  intruders entering the building. If the characters are 
  quick, they could intercept the lookouts on their way 
  down.  
   Treasure. Kaestra Karanok carries a sphere of 
  annihilation. Being nobles, her entourage wear a 
  small fortune in gold and jewelry brought here from 
  Chessenta. To determine its worth, roll once on the 
  Treasure Hoard table in chapter 7 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. 
   
  A ruined hippodrome stands ahead. Much of the roof has 
  collapsed, with the rest teetering atop a colonnade of pillars. 
  Beneath these, a deep trench in the ground spans the length 
  of the arena.  
  A caste of warriors upheld Mezro’s laws. They 
  patrolled in groups, meting out punishments on the 
  spot. While the worst offenses were punishable by 
  death or branding, most minor crimes were settled 
  through compensation or formal apology. This 
  hippodrome is where the warriors trained. The 
  trench is all that’s left of the warrior’s gymnasium.  
  The Flaming Fist have corralled several undead 
  dinosaurs inside the trench. Trespassers are hurled 
  into the “Gauntlet” as punishment: if they survive the 
  WITCHWEED 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  This pungent alchemical paste is refined from the leaves 
  of the witchweed bush: a tobacco-like plant native to 
  Chessenta. Packed into a paper tube, the paste can be 
  burned like a torch to create a 10-foot radius sphere of 
  light smoke that interferes with spellcasting. Cantrips 
  won’t function within the area of the smoke, and all 
  other spells require a spellcasting slot of one level higher 
  than usual to cast. The smoke lasts for 1 minute, or until 
  a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles 
  per hour) disperses it. Witchweed is consumed after use. 
  
   
  dash to the far side, they are released from captivity. 
  The Flaming Fist also use the Gauntlet to discipline 
  their own soldiers or settle grudges. In these cases, 
  they tie ropes to the competitors so they can hoist 
  them out if things get too hairy. 
   For tier 1 games, the trench contains 3 
  zeoloraptor zombies (see appendix C). At tier 2, 
  add 1d4+2 zeoloraptor zombies. At tier 3, replace 
  the dinosaurs with a 2d4+2 triceratops zombies 
  (see appendix C). 
  For low to mid-level characters: The soldier in charge 
  of the Gauntlet, a grizzled, one-eyed veteran named 
  Jeb, is being slowly dominated by the ghost of one of 
  Mezro’s warriors. The possession comes in fits and 
  starts: Jeb suddenly mutters in Chultan, or tries to 
  brand trespassers with the triangle of Mezro. His 
  companions blame the drink for his madness. As the 
  ghost grows stronger, it persuades Jeb to build a 
  wooden grandstand next to the trench. When the 
  soldiers are next gathered here, Jeb tries to collapse 
  the grandstand and hurl them to the dinosaurs. 
  This district was reserved for farming. The Mezroans 
  enchanted the soil, and cultivated it into fruit 
  orchards and fields of barley and maize. Rich 
  landowners raised palaces among the plantations, 
  and sculpted beautiful gardens.   
   Since the cataclysm, the swamp has overrun the 
  district. Land still heaves from the muddy waters, 
  but it’s choked in thick undergrowth. Travelers must 
  hack their way through the bush. The enchanted 
  jungle closes behind them, so it’s easy to get lost.   
  A ruined villa sags on the lakeshore. Its roof was once formed 
  from panes of colored glass, but all that’s left now are ribs of 
  rusted metal. On the side facing the lake, the marsh spills 
  through the walls into the building’s interior.  
  This building was once an aviary for Chult’s birds. 
  Rare and exotic specimens still nest in its eaves, but 
  the floor is a trough of muck and weed. The 
  mudmaw worshiped by the Children of the 
  Crocodile lairs here. Rusted gantries above the water 
  are dotted with tents and cookfires where the 
  cultists camp.  
   The cult comprises Emberon Coalscuttle, a dwarf 
  cult fanatic, fifty cultists, and the Chultan scout 
  Nauglu. If Nauglu is present, any cultists in his 
  vicinity gain a +2 bonus to their passive perception 
  and Stealth checks. At least ten of the cultists are out 
  manning the watchtowers around the district.  
   For its part, the mudmaw tolerates the cultists 
  only so long as they keep it fed and rested. If it 
  misses a meal, it’s liable to snatch one of them for 
  dinner.  
  Emberon has chosen a giant, rusted birdcage as his 
  quarters. This cage once held a jungle roc, but it’s 
  now furnished with skins, a brazier of coals, and 
  palm frond fans. Bark tablets hang from strings 
  around the cage, bearing the many prophecies of the 
  mudmaw. 
   Treasure. Emberon persuades his followers to 
  give up their worldly goods on joining the cult. He 
  keeps these treasures in a barrel at the back of his 
  cage. To determine the treasure’s worth, roll once on 
  the Treasure Hoard table in chapter 7 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. If things go south, Emberon 
  tries to escape with this wealth.  
  A moss-covered statue overlooks the lake, depicting an 
  elderly Chultan man holding a sword to the heavens. He 
  wears a circlet and bracers, and his other arm is missing at 
  the elbow.  
  The statue depicts King Osaw I: one of Mezro’s barae 
  and longest-serving king of the Mezroan people. He 
  wears the circlet and bracers of the negus negusti 
  (“prince of princes”). Osaw reigned for 1,500 years, 
  and had the miraculous power to remember with 
  precision every event he had ever witnessed. When 
  the Spellplague came, he crossed over into the 
  demiplane and still rules Mezro today. If a character 
  succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check, 
  they recall mention of King Osaw I and his divine 
  power.   
   The mossy statue is spattered with guano. Until 
  recently, its left arm held a stone tablet engraved 
  with a mysterious labyrinth. Kaestra Karanok made 
  a rubbing of the maze, and then hurled the tablet 
  into the swamp so nobody else could read it. She 
  believes it holds clues to uncovering Mezro’s true 
  location, but hasn’t deciphered them yet. For more 
  details, see the short adventure Parting the Veil in 
  chapter 3.  
   The statue’s eyes are shards of mirrored glass. If a 
  character asks the statue a question about its past, 
  the reflection in its eyes reveals whatever it looked 
  on at that time. For example, asking “who built you?” 
  reveals Mezroan masons crafting the statue and 
  laying it in place, whereas asking “what happened to 
  
   
  your hand?” shows Kaestra Karanok shattering the 
  tablet and scattering its remains into the swamp.    
  Most Mezroans lived in this winding maze of one and 
  two-story abodes. The labyrinthine layout deterred 
  intruders, but also reflected Ubtao’s maze of life. The 
  closer to the center you lived, the more enlightened 
  you were viewed among your peers. 
   The district is overgrown by bushes and high 
  grasses. Some roofs have fallen in, yet most 
  architecture remains intact. Flaming Fist patrols are 
  wary of treading too deep for fear of getting lost. 
  Even though they carry maps of the district, they 
  swear the layout changes each night. See chapter 2 
  for rules on navigating the Residential Quarter. 
  This building is surprisingly well-tended. The door looks 
  recently repaired, and the front step has been swept clean of 
  rubble.   
  This was Artus Cimber’s old home in the city. Inside, 
  the dwelling is well-cleaned and cozy, with 
  ornaments from all over Chult and the North. Cimber 
  stays here whenever he returns to the ruins.      
   Artus Cimber is detailed in the Tomb of 
  Annihilation hardcover. The short adventure in 
  chapter 3, Parting the Veil, introduces Artus Cimber 
  and features this location. Even if you’re not playing 
  Parting the Veil, Cimber’s home is a good location to 
  introduce the explorer to your Tomb of Annihilation 
  campaign. 
   Treasure: Cimber’s artefacts have more value as 
  curios than as collectibles. To determine their worth, 
  roll once on the Individual Treasure table in chapter 
  7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and multiply the 
  result by three. Other equipment here includes a 
  diplomat’s pack, carpenter’s tools, and cook’s 
  utensils. 
  Twisting streets converge on a plain structure of white stone. 
  On its roof, a single silver spire points to the heavens.  
  This building lies at the heart of the maze. Inside, a 
  tranquil court overlooks a well of enchanted water. 
  Before Mezro fell, pilgrims would drink from this 
  pool to receive visions that would aid them through 
  the mazes of their lives. Such magic still exists today: 
  if a character drinks from the pool, you can reward 
  them with a vision that hints cryptically at their 
  future. For Tomb of Annihilation, this could be a clue 
  that points them towards Omu.     
  For characters of any level. Some folk whisper that 
  Ubtao never truly left Chult. His disappearance was a 
  test, and he hid clues to his hiding place throughout 
  the jungle. If a follower could decipher these clues, 
  Ubtao would return to his people. Perhaps the well 
  is the first step on this journey, and its vision sets the 
  character off on a grand tour of Chult? 
  This cobblestone court is now submerged. At its 
  center, the grand Temple of Ubtao rears from a 
  stepped platform covered in slime. Archways in the 
  city walls lead to Mezro’s four quarters. 
  A gargantuan palace stands at the center of the city. Tall 
  spires encircle a tower of crystal and gold, with each spire 
  linked to the center by a slender buttress. The whole 
  structure is draped in vines and creepers.    
  The Temple of Ubtao is a spectacular nine-story 
  edifice built from crystal and gold. Its magic presents 
  the same side to each viewer, making it appear 
  identical from every angle of approach. Vines cling to 
  its surface, and its crystal walls are clad in moss. If a 
  character peels the moss aside and stares into the 
  walls, they must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw or become paralyzed for 1 minute as they 
  receive a vision of their heart’s desire.  
  The Hall of Champions lies beyond the main 
  entrance. When the players enter here, read: 
  A long hallway lined with pillars stretches before you. Onyx 
  statues stand in the alcoves, depicting men and women in 
  commanding poses. An archway filled with dead blackness 
  looms at the far end of the hall.  
  The statues depict Mezro’s many previous barae. 
  Characters who speak a bara’s name aloud inside 
  this hall are teleported to the foot of the statue 
  depicting that lord. No statue exists for the renegade 
  bara Ras Nsi. If his name is spoken aloud, the 
  speaker is teleported to the lost city of Omu (see the 
  Tomb of Annihilation hardcover for more details). 
  The players can learn the names of each bara by 
  studying the plaques dotted around the city walls 
  (see location 4). 
  
   
   Those who step through the darkened archway 
  are teleported to random rooms inside the temple. 
  Characters can return to a room they’ve already 
  explored by thinking of it as they step through the 
  portal. Otherwise, roll on the following table for each 
  character that passes through: 
  Temple Locations 
  d12 
   
  1 
  Library of crumbling religious texts. 
  2  
  Ancient kitchen fitted with gargantuan clay ovens. 
  3 
  Priest’s bedchamber that overlooks the city 
  through a round window. 
  4 
  Flooded storage cellar underneath the temple. 
  5 
  Meditation hall decorated with dinosaur bone 
  wind chimes. 
  6 
  Apothecary well-stocked with herbs and potions.   
  7 
  Hall of Champions (reroll if traveling from the hall). 
  8 
  Prayer hall below the golden dome.  
  9 
  Rooftop balcony dotted with pterodactyl nests. 
  10 
  King’s audience hall (see below). 
   
  Each location contains a darkened doorway 
  ensorcelled with the same enchantment. 
  A glittering platinum throne stands in one corner of this 
  triangular hall. Before it, an intricately-detailed mosaic floor 
  depicts the city of Mezro. 
  This is where Ubtao sat in judgement over his 
  people. After he abandoned Chult, the barae elected 
  a line of kings to rule in his stead.  
   The mosaic floor depicts Mezro as it appears in the 
  demiplane. Tiny, illusory figures even show its 
  inhabitants milling around in the business of their 
  daily lives. Some parts of the city are different to 
  how they are now, representing building work that 
  has occurred over the past century. For this reason, 
  explorers who’ve visited here have come to believe 
  Mezro still exists on another plane.   
  The portals never transport creatures to the barado 
  unless they’ve visited previously or have been 
  invited to enter by one who has. Of those alive today, 
  only Artus Cimber and the mazewalker Cha 
  Nkrumané (see “Random Encounters” in chapter 1) 
  have entered here before.  If a character gains entry 
  to the barado, read: 
  This room is so dark you can’t see the walls. The air is chill 
  and laden with a paralyzing sense of dread.  
  When a bara died, supplicants would enter this 
  chamber to undertake Ubtao’s test. If they could 
  demonstrate understanding of the maze of their life, 
  Ubtao granted them a miraculous power and choose 
  them as his new bara. Since the cataclysm, the 
  chamber has fallen silent. 
   If you wish, Ubtao could test characters who enter 
  his barado. The character sees wraith-like images 
  that represent key moments in their lives. With a 
  successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check, the 
  character perceives the “path” that connects these to 
  their journey through the maze. They immediately 
  gain a new level. 
  For characters of any level. Explorers have reported 
  strange sights in the waters beneath the temple. 
  Reports vary between a giant piranha, an inky 
  darkness that moved underwater, or a plump 
  Chultan woman who transformed into a shoal of fish 
  when spotted. Could this be Mainu, the most elusive 
  of Mezro’s barae? It’s said she was bound to the 
  River Olung, so perhaps she chose to stay behind 
  when others fled to the demiplane. If so, could she 
  help find the real city?  
   
  MEZRO’S RETURN 
  The barae swore Mezro would return to the world when 
  Chult was safe. Until then, they left clues in the stonework 
  to guide the faithful to the real city. Exactly what these 
  clues are is left open for you to decide. Chapter 3 contains 
  some suggestions, as do other adventures in the Lost City 
  of Mezro series. There’s probably more than one method 
  of reaching the demiplane.   
   
  Even if Mezro could be found, the barae won’t return 
  until the city’s safety is assured. Since the Spellplague, 
  new horrors have bubbled up to threaten Toril. Chief 
  among these is Ras Nsi’s crusade to awaken Dendar the 
  Night Serpent (see Tomb of the Annihilation). For the 
  barae to even consider returning, Ras Nsi’s plans must be 
  foiled…   
  
   
  For characters of level 1-4 
  A Flaming Fist sergeant afflicted by the death curse 
  aids the characters in their hour of need. To repay 
  the favor, they try to help her find a cure. A prophecy 
  in the library of Mezro provides a lead to Omu, and a 
  hook into the wider campaign of Tomb of 
  Annihilation. This short adventure forms an 
  alternate intro for DMs who’d like a little more 
  structure to the campaign.  
  The characters have arrived in Port Nyanzaru to 
  seek their fortune in the land of Chult. Rumors of the 
  death curse afflicting Toril are spreading, but at this 
  stage most folk put it down to tavern talk. 
  In a small, dark side street of the Market District the 
  characters find a map shop filled with dusty shelves 
  of foreign coins, stone-carved buttons, jars of grung 
  toes and other curios that belong to the gnome 
  archaeologist Carter Tuttletomb. Guessing they seek 
  gold and glory, Tuttletomb offers them a pouch of 
  1,000 gp if they venture to the lost city of Mezro and 
  return with an accurate map of its ruins. The 
  archaeologist believes that the layout of the city may 
  point to the hiding place of the god Ubtao. To aid 
  their quest, Tuttletomb arranges a meeting with the 
  merchant prince Jobal to acquire a guide, and pays 
  up front for one month’s service (see Tomb of 
  Annihilation for further details).  Before the 
  characters leave, Tuttletomb warns them that the 
  Flaming Fist have claimed the ruins for themselves. 
  They’ll do well to avoid them if possible.  
   
   
   
  The guide takes the characters down the River 
  Tiryki on canoes, and then leads them through the 
  jungle to the city of Mezro. The journey takes a week. 
  Roll for encounters as detailed in Tomb of 
  Annihilation, but don’t get bogged down. This stage 
  should serve to build atmosphere and introduce 
  players to the hardships of Chult: the heat, the biting 
  insects, and the ever-present threat of disease.   
  On route to Mezro, the guide recounts the history of 
  the city and its destruction by the Spellplague (of 
  course, the guide knows nothing of Mezro’s escape 
  to a demiplane). As part of the story, the guide tells 
  of Ras Nsi and his efforts to return to the city. Now’s 
  a good time to encounter some undead!  
  Arriving at location 1, the characters see Promise for 
  the first time and notice the presence of Flaming Fist 
  soldiers in the ruins. Sneaking inside at nightfall is 
  easy. Just ask the players how they approach and 
  refer to the gazetteer in chapter 2 as they explore.  
  Roll for encounters as described in chapter 1, 
  rerolling any results that come up with ghouls or 
  Flaming Fist patrols. 
  Immediately following the players’ first combat 
  encounter, spring an ambush by a pack of six ghouls. 
  The characters should be overwhelmed, but help 
  shows up at the last moment in the form of a 
  Flaming Fist patrol lead by Sergeant Kes Valdro. The 
  KES VALDRO 
  CARTER TUTTLETOMB AND THE LOST RUINS 
  Once an adventurer himself, this wizened gnome was 
  forced into early retirement by an encounter with a 
  cursed artifact that left him with a fear of rain – quite a 
  problem when stranded in Chult’s extreme climate. He’s 
  spent the past few decades sequestered in his store, 
  fondly drawing maps of his past adventures. With an 
  encyclopedic knowledge of the jungles and a penchant 
  for mystery, Tuttletomb could serve as a hook for 
  numerous forays into the lost ruins of Chult. Tuttletomb 
  featured first in Ruins of Hisari, a Guild Adepts adventure 
  by Lysa Chen available on www.dmsguild.com. 
  
   
  soldiers drive the ghouls away. After the battle, 
  Sergeant Valdro attends to any injured characters 
  using her healer’s kit. She is a knight with the Healer 
  feat. The death curse has reduced her hit point 
  maximum to 32. 
   Sergeant Valdro informs the group they are 
  trespassing inside the ruins, and must report at once 
  to Lieutenant Brokenbarrel in Promise (location 3). 
  She also tells them that any treasures they’ve found 
  are worthless outside the city, due to Mezro’s curse. 
  Assuming the characters treat her respectfully, 
  Valdro assures them she can smooth things out with 
  her boss. As she speaks, she suffers a coughing fit. 
  She is clearly unwell, but brushes it off as “just 
  another of Chult’s damned plagues”.    
  Sergeant Valdro leads the characters to Promise, and 
  takes them to meet Lieutenant Brokenbarrel.   
  Brokenbarrel questions the characters about their 
  interest in Mezro. Given Valdro’s assurances, the 
  lieutenant doesn’t turn the screws too much. She 
  releases the characters into Promise, but forbids 
  them from reentering the ruins. Before they leave, 
  Sergeant Valdro asks Brokenbarrel if she’s 
  reconsidered her offer to scout out the Library. The 
  lieutenant coldly refuses her.  
  Visibly troubled, Sergeant Valdro offers to buy the 
  characters dinner before they leave Mezro. Over an 
  ale, she recounts the circumstances of her death and 
  reveals her affliction. The death curse is eating away 
  at the flesh underneath her armor, and she doesn’t 
  think she has long to live. Valdro has heard that the 
  same thing is happening to people across the word.   
   Valdro believes the Library of Mezro could hold 
  clues about this mysterious curse. Many soldiers 
  have explored its depths, but that’s not why she 
  thinks Brokenbarrel refused her. Valdro suspects 
  that her commander has succumbed to the gilded 
  fever, and is jealous of the riches contained within 
  the library. If the characters are game, Valdro 
  proposes breaking into the ruins that night to 
  explore the site.        
  Sergeant Valdro leads the group to the Library of 
  Mezro (location 8). Inside, they search for clues 
  about the death curse. If you choose, you can spring 
  an encounter with six zombies inside the library. 
  In a ruined wing of the library, one of the characters 
  discovers a prophecy about the renegade bara Ras 
  Nsi. This was written long ago by a bara gifted with 
  the ability to peer into the future. It reads; 
   
  When the Soulmonger grinds,  
   and exiled Nsi wraps himself in serpents,  
  Death’s curse will grip the world, 
   From beneath the forbidden city.  
   
  Nobody has heard of this “Soulmonger”, but the 
  group’s guide suggests the forbidden city could be 
  Omu. Entry to this lost city was outlawed when 
  Omu’s royal line fell from Ubtao’s favor. The guide is 
  unsure where the city lies, but thinks they could find 
  directions by consulting the oracle at Orolunga (see 
  chapter 2 of Tomb of Annihilation). Sergeant Valdro 
  is keen to get started at once. 
  As the characters are leaving, Brokenbarrel arrives 
  with a group of Flaming Fist soldiers. She knew 
  Valdro would defy her orders, and is here to claim 
  whatever secret her underling is searching for. No 
  matter what the characters say, Brokenbarrel’s 
  sickness compels her to capture them and 
  “confiscate” their belongings. If they resist, they 
  must fight the goliath warrior (see appendix B) and 
  her six guards. Brokenbarrel should escape alive, 
  but don’t force the matter if it seems contrived. 
  Sergeant Valdro asks the group to accompany her to 
  Omu to find a cure for the death curse. If 
  Brokenbarrel lives, she’ll send trackers to hunt them 
  down in the jungle. From Mezro, the characters have 
  a long journey ahead of them! 
  SERGEANT KES VALDRO 
  Kes joined the Flaming Fist to see the world and find 
  adventure. A renowned joker and optimist, she even saw 
  the funny side when a stag mortally wounded her during 
  a hunt through Neverwinter Wood. Miraculously, a 
  passing woodsman with the “holy touch” raised her from 
  the dead. Sergeant Valdro was reassigned to Chult and 
  has since become a respected officer in Mezro’s cohort. 
  Over the past month, the death curse has taken hold and 
  now she is truly dying.   
  
   
  For characters of level 5-10. 
   
  A dying man hires the group to seek a prophet in the 
  ruins of Mezro. On arrival, they become entangled in 
  Lieutenant Brokenbarrel’s fanatical hunt for the true 
  city. This culminates in a deadly battle outside the 
  Temple of Ubtao. For tier 2 characters beginning 
  Tomb of Annihilation, this adventure provides a 
  springboard to the lost city of Omu.   
  The death curse rages across Toril. Those who were 
  spared death by the gods are now dying, and rituals 
  to bring back the dead fail consistently. One or more 
  of the characters could even suffer from this curse. 
  Choose one of the following hooks. 
  The characters are called to the home of a 
  benefactor, who was brought back from the dead 
  long ago and now suffers from the death curse. This 
  could be Syndra Silvane from Tomb of Annihilation, 
  or a character from your own campaign. For 
  characters adventuring in Port Nyanzaru, the 
  merchant prince Jessamine could fill the role.   
  The patron recounts a dream in which they saw 
  the labyrinth of Ubtao held in the jaws of a 
  mudmaw crocodile. When they grasped the 
  symbol, they saw their affliction pass. Others 
  suffering from the death curse have had the 
  same dream. The patron believes 
  this vision relates somehow 
  to Mezro, and offers the 
  characters 3,000 gp to travel there and return with a 
  cure. If they need a guide, the patron can provide 
  one.     
  A priestly friend has received a vision of the rise of 
  the Forsaken One: a child conceived and abandoned 
  by the gods Savras and Leira. The vision showed the 
  infant bathing in the jaws of a mudmaw crocodile. 
  Many others have received the same vision, and 
  traced it to a prophetic mudmaw that lurks in the 
  ruins of Mezro.  The priest offers the characters 
  3,000 gp to travel to Mezro and return with clues to 
  the Forsaken One’s whereabouts. Characters with 
  the Heretic background from appendix A are ideally 
  suited for this hook.  
  On arrival at Mezro, the characters are sure to bump 
  into the Flaming Fist: either by heading to Promise 
  (location 3), or by encountering patrols in the ruins. 
  To avoid conflict, the soldiers order the characters to 
  follow them to Lieutenant Brokenbarrel.  
  Brokenbarrel interrogates the characters about their 
  reasons for visiting Mezro. She warns them that the 
  ruins are forbidden to all but her own soldiers. If her 
  visitors show disrespect, she has them clapped in 
  irons and imprisons them in the cages. After being 
  tortured, the characters are thrown into the 
  “Gauntlet” for the amusement of her troops (see 
  location 10). 
  If the characters reveal their true mission, 
  Brokenbarrel meets them in secret on the ruined 
  city walls. She says that a group of cultists called the 
  Children of the Crocodile dwell somewhere in the 
  Agricultural District, where they worship a 
  prophetic mudmaw crocodile. She wants the 
  characters to infiltrate the cult and kidnap the 
  mudmaw, then take it to a secret hideout in the 
  Market Quarter. If they succeed, she’ll match the 
  reward offered by their benefactor. Of course, 
  Brokenbarrel has no intention of paying them. Once 
  they’ve brought her the mudmaw, she plans to turn 
  the undead on them. 
  EMBERON COALSCUTTLE 
  
   
  The characters search the Agricultural District for 
  the mudmaw. Refer to the gazetteer in chapter 2 as 
  they explore, and roll for encounters as described in 
  chapter 1. When they enter the district, the lookouts 
  stationed in the watchtowers are likely to forewarn 
  the cultists of their approach.  
  The cultists fight to the death to protect the 
  mudmaw’s lair (see location 11). If the characters 
  approach peacefully, they’re taken inside the hideout 
  and welcomed by Emberon Coalscuttle. Over a meal 
  of boiled turtles, he tells them about the crocodile’s 
  many prophecies and asks them if they’d like to join 
  the “movement”. This means giving up their worldly 
  treasures, but they can keep hold of their other gear. 
  If they refuse, Emberon offers them sanctuary inside 
  the hideout until they’re ready to move on.  
  Characters who stay in the hideout soon learn of the 
  prophecies surrounding the Forsaken One. Heretics 
  arrive from abroad each month, and Emberon is 
  struggling to interpret the crocodile’s visions about 
  the infant godling. Some within the cult are openly 
  plotting to usurp him. 
   If the characters treated Emberon with respect, he 
  invites them to his quarters for a secret meeting. He 
  reveals that the mudmaw’s visions have begun to 
  reveal images of the city’s exiled bara Ras Nsi. 
  Emberon is sure he’s connected somehow to the 
  Forsaken One. He asks the characters to help him by 
  searching the ruins for clues about Ras Nsi’s past. A 
  good place to start is the Temple of Ubtao (location 
  15). Characters who met Brokenbarrel earlier have a 
  choice: side with her to kidnap the mudmaw, or help 
  Coalscuttle get to the bottom of this mystery.  
  Characters who try to kidnap the mudmaw risk the 
  wrath of the cult. A head-to-head fight against so 
  many cultists is hard, so players are advised to 
  concoct ways of luring the cultists away. If they 
  succeed in capturing the mudmaw, they can take it 
  to the hideout in the Market Quarter. Brokenbarrel 
  meets them here, takes the beast from their hands, 
  and pays them in old Mezroan gold. As she leaves, 
  she unleashes the zombies from the Trader’s 
  Marketplace (location 6).  With the mudmaw in 
  captivity, Brokenbarrel studies it for clues to the real 
  city of Mezro.  
  Characters who investigate the Temple of Ubtao are 
  cornered by Brokenbarrel. Believing they’ve 
  betrayed her, she orders her soldiers to arrest them. 
  If the characters resist, they must fight the goliath 
  warrior (see appendix B) and her six veteran 
  soldiers. If the characters survive, they uncover clay 
  tablets in the temple that tell the history of Ras Nsi. 
  One pictograph shows a cleric visiting Ras Nsi in the 
  jungle after speaking his name in the Hall of 
  Champions. Characters who do the same are 
  transported to the lost city of Omu. 
  If Brokenbarrel escapes, she musters all her forces 
  and leads them on a raid on the crocodile cult 
  hideout. Losses on both sides will be catastrophic.  
  During the chaos, Emberon Coalscuttle tries to 
  escape with his followers’ gold, and Brokenbarrel 
  tries to kidnap the mudmaw.
    
   
  
   
  For characters of level 11-16. 
   
  The explorer Artus Cimber is searching the ruins for 
  a way to reunite with his lost love Alisanda. He’s 
  uncovered a clue to her location, but House Karanok 
  are two steps ahead of him. In the end, Artus is 
  forced to close the portal to save the city: catching 
  only a fleeting glimpse of his heart’s desire. 
  This adventure is best played immediately following 
  the events of Tomb of Annihilation. If the characters 
  already know Artus Cimber, they can accompany 
  him to Mezro to find Alisanda. If so, jump straight to 
  “A Sad Tale” below. If not, they encounter Artus in 
  the ruins of Mezro (see “Meeting Artus”). If you need 
  a hook to draw them to the ruins, use one from a 
  previous adventure in this chapter.  
  While exploring the ruins, the characters bump into 
  the Cormyrean explorer Artus Cimber. A good way 
  to introduce him is to have him chased into their 
  path by an angry pair of tyrannosaurus rex. If you 
  don’t have Tomb of Annihilation, Artus has the stats 
  of a veteran.   
   If the characters aid the explorer, he invites them 
  back to his home in the Residential Quarter (location 
  13), promising them a feast of good drink and food. 
  If they accept, he proves true to his word.  
  Artus takes the characters to his house in the 
  Residential Quarter and treats them to a feast. As 
  night falls and the fire burns low, he recounts the 
  following story. 
  • Long ago, Artus fell in love with one of Mezro’s 
  barae: the beautiful Alisanda. They were married 
  in a ceremony at the Temple of Ubtao.   
  • The magic ring Artus wears – the Ring of Winter – 
  has kept him alive for centuries. With enemies 
  hunting for the ring, Artus couldn’t stay long in the 
  city. Though his love for Alisanda was strong, they 
  rarely met.  
  • After the Spellplague ravaged Mezro. Artus found 
  Alisanda’s body among the ruins. Yet somehow, 
  impossibly, he knew it wasn’t her. He is convinced 
  of this. 
  • Since then, Artus has regularly returned to the 
  ruins to find out what really happened. He’s 
  convinced that the stone tablet held by the statue 
  of King Osaw I contains a clue to Mezro’s true fate 
  (see location 12). 
  • Cimber shows the group a rubbing of the tablet. It 
  depicts a maze, with symbols for various Mezroan 
  locations positioned throughout it. Runes etched 
  around its perimeter spell out the message “We 
  Are Hidden.”  
  • Artus believes that the Mezroans hid themselves 
  in another world to avoid the Spellplague. Their 
  transferal was spiritual, leaving the city on this 
  world devoid of life and value. 
  • A mysterious obelisk stands outside every location 
  depicted in the maze. Artus believes that touching 
  the obelisks in the correct order will open the 
  portal. Unfortunately, there are many routes 
  through the maze, and hundreds of combinations 
  between locations.  
  Artus asks the characters to help him complete the 
  combinations. He proposes splitting up: he tries one 
  sequence, the characters try another.  The locations 
  are scattered throughout Mezro: comprising old 
  bathhouses, courts, and other public buildings.   
  The characters travel from location-to-location, 
  touching the obelisks at each stage. Choose ten 
  locations around the city that look interesting on the 
  map: the players must locate these in any order you 
  choose. As each obelisk is touched, the characters 
  feel arcane power coursing through the stone. Refer 
  to the gazetteer in chapter 2 as they explore, and roll 
  for encounters as described in chapter 1. 
  The characters soon cross paths with a cadre of 
  wizard-hunters from House Karanok. This group 
  comprises a priest of entropy (see appendix B), 
  twelve cultists, two priests, and four veterans. 
  When the characters arrive, the cultists are burning 
  an explorer alive on a witchwood pyre. Assuming 
  they intervene, the cultists fight to the death.  
   On the priest’s body, the characters recover 
  another rubbing of the stone tablet from location 12. 
  However, this one has been folded into the shape of 
  a triangle: the ancient symbol of Mezro. In this form, 
  the paths of the maze combine to connect eight of 
  the locations in clear order.  The entropists of House 
  
   
  Karanok are also searching for Mezro – and they 
  could be two steps ahead!    
  The characters must race against House Karanok to 
  open the portal to Mezro. Play this for maximum 
  thrills – perhaps their cultists leave traps at the 
  obelisks, or set ambushes for the characters. If the 
  players think to jump ahead, they could even set 
  ambushes themselves. As soon as Kaestra Karanok 
  realizes her cohorts are being killed, she acts to 
  defuse the situation… by kidnapping Artus Cimber.  
  Kaestra ambushes Artus in the ruins and drags him 
  to her hideout at the College of Wizards (see location 
  9). She chops off his hand and leaves it – minus the 
  Ring of Winter – with a challenge carved into the 
  flesh of its palm: “Come to the College of Wizards if 
  you want to see your friend alive”. The characters 
  should discover the hand nailed to the next obelisk 
  they locate.  Kaestra leaves Artus with her acolytes 
  while she leads a smaller group on a quest to open 
  the portal to Mezro. If the characters try to rescue 
  Artus, they’ll face roughly half of the cultists listed at 
  location 9. Assuming they succeed, Artus tells them 
  of Kaestra’s plan to unlock the portal to Mezro and 
  annihilate its inhabitants. With Entropy behind her, 
  Artus fears she may succeed.   
  With the last obelisk located on the far side of the 
  city, Artus suggests a desperate plan to foil Kaestra. 
  Reasoning that all eight obelisks must be 
  empowered to open the portal, he urges the group to 
  help him must destroy one. If they do so, a 
  glimmering portal opens briefly before them to offer 
  a tantalizing glimpse of the real city.  Drawn by the 
  magical backlash, Kaestra Karanok turns up soon 
  after to seek revenge. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  KAESTRA KARANOK 
  
   
  Where gods vie for supremacy through trickery and 
  murder, and mortals ascend to godhood, so there is 
  heresy. You believe in a doctrine outlawed by your 
  faith, taught to you in secret by other heretics. 
  Perhaps your superiors excommunicated you from 
  your temple, or forbidden dogma provided answers 
  to questions you never sought. Whatever your 
  origin, you’re now shunned by the faithful, or worse, 
  hunted. 
  Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Religion 
  Languages: Two of your choice 
  Equipment: A holy symbol (subtly modified to 
  represent your own heretical belief), a prayer 
  book or prayer wheel, vestments, a bottle of 
  invisible ink, a quill, a set of common clothes, and 
  a pouch containing 10 gp.   
  Hundreds of outlawed sects exist throughout the 
  Forgotten Realms. Choose a belief that defines you 
  as a heretic, or roll on the table below.  
  d8 
  Belief 
  1 
  Dark Moon. A doctrine that ascribes Selúne 
  and Shar as two aspects of the same deity. 
  2 
  Fatemakers. Tymorans who believe mortals 
  can influence and control luck. 
  3 
  Threefold God. A belief that Tyr, Helm and 
  Torm are all the same god. 
  4 
  Forsaken One. A conspiracy that Savras and 
  Leira conceived and abandoned a god child. 
  5 
  Three-Faced Sun. The sun is a tripartite deity, 
  with divine aspects of dawn, noon and dusk. 
  6 
  Shared Suffering. Flagellant Ilmatari who say 
  all mortals must share their god’s suffering. 
  7 
  Entropy. Belief that dying gods sent a divine 
  sphere of annihilation to Toril to kill wizards. 
  8 
  Harlot’s Coin. Belief that Waukeen sold her 
  divinity to Graz’zt and he receives her prayers. 
  You know where to find heretics in settlements 
  where your faith is represented. If no heretics are 
  present, you can indoctrinate weak-willed souls if 
  you spend a day preaching. Where heretics are 
  present, you can always find a place to hide, rest and 
  recuperate. If needed, they can help you escape the 
  settlement on a cart or through a secret tunnel. 
  Heretics survive by living on the run, or by blending 
  into the ranks of greater faiths. They tend to be 
  suspicious folk with zealous ideals and unshakable 
  convictions. This sometimes manifests as a sense of 
  superiority over the “unenlightened”.  
   
  d8 
  Personality Trait 
  1 
  I think I’m right even when I’m wrong. 
  2 
  I pity those who deny the heresy. 
  3 
  I always scope out the closest exits and 
  position myself near them.   
  4 
  Those who refute my beliefs are damned and 
  not worth saving. 
  5 
  I’m sure my god has chosen me for a greater 
  destiny. 
  6 
  I’m a natural orator, but once I start talking 
  it’s difficult for me to stop.  
  7 
  I’m always looking over my shoulder and the 
  slightest things startle me.  
  8 
  I believe the end of the world is nigh. 
   
  FULLY COMPATIBLE 
  
   
  d6 
  Ideal 
  1 
  Guidance. I must teach others my forbidden 
  doctrine (Neutral). 
  2 
  Caution. It’s always better to be safe than 
  sorry (Any). 
  3 
  Knowledge. If this conspiracy is true, what 
  else are we being lied to about? (Neutral) 
  4 
  Insurrection. My old faith is corrupt and must 
  be brought down by the new order (Chaotic). 
  5 
  Honesty. I’ve been lied to enough, so now I’m 
  sworn to always tell the truth (Lawful).  
  6 
  Self-Knowledge. Those who seek the truth 
  become wise beyond their years (Good). 
   
  d6 
  Bond 
  1 
  The heretics who educated me were burned 
  at the stake. I won’t let that happen to me. 
  2 
  Belief in my old faith still nags at me. Have I 
  chosen the right path?  
  3 
  I used to be friends with the cleric who’s now 
  hunting me.  
  4 
  I carry a heretical treatise on my person. It 
  mustn’t be found!  
  5 
  I protect the faithless so they can know 
  enlightenment. 
  6 
  One of my underworld contacts reports my 
  movements to the superiors of my old 
  temple. 
   
   
  d6 
  Flaw 
  1 
  I’m suspicious of strangers, as they may be 
  bounty hunters sent to arrest me. 
  2 
  I sneer at those whom I deem unworthy of my 
  time. 
  3 
  I’m deeply superstitious, and have many 
  rituals to avoid bad luck. 
  4 
  I tend to misjudge the devotion of others. 
  5 
  I’m obsessed with my studies, often to the 
  detriment of other concerns. 
  6 
  I’m deeply mistrustful of temple hierarchies. 
   
   
  HERESY OF THE FORSAKEN ONE 
  The god Savras knows all things that come to pass. He 
  knows when mortals die and when empires fall. When he 
  closes his eyes, he gazes on the end of all things. Mighty 
  Azuth imprisoned him in a staff, but Savras waited 
  patiently. By his own prophecy, Savras knew his bondage 
  would one day end.  
   
  Yet Leira, goddess of illusion, once tricked the All-
  Seeing Savras. Hungry for power, Leira sought to corrupt 
  the holiest of Savras’s prophets: Alaundo the Seer. 
  Finding him by a starlit pool, she tricked him with a vision 
  of Savras’s murder. Alaundo’s prophecy so troubled 
  Savras that he abandoned Toril to search the multiverse 
  for further portents of his doom. In his absence, Leira 
  snuck into Savras’s celestial palace and stole his orb of 
  prophecy.  
   
  When Savras learned of the deception, he strangled 
  Alaundo for his weakness. In his rage, the All-Seeing god 
  turned to Mask, Lord of Shadows, and commanded him 
  to aid his revenge. Mask transformed Savras into a clone 
  of Alaundo: a duplicate so perfect it could trick even the 
  goddess of illusions. Posing as Alaundo, Savras swore 
  fealty to Leira and was accepted into her court. 
   
  For ages, Savras schemed to steal back his orb. Yet his 
  hatred waned over time and was ultimately undone by 
  that most mortal of emotions: love. Leira’s faithful always 
  speak truth to one another, and so it was that the 
  goddess confessed her budding love for Alaundo. They 
  lay together by the starlit pool and conceived a son.  
   
  As the goddess grew heavy with child, so Savras’s 
  deception weighed heavy on his soul. In time, he revealed 
  his true form to his beloved. Furious and heartbroken, 
  Leira tore the unborn child from her womb and cast it 
  into the starlit pool. With that, she turned her back on 
  the All-Seeing for all time. In despair, Savras smashed his 
  orb and swore never to deceive again.  
   
  The faithful of both deities have long rejected the 
  Heresy of the Forsaken One. The followers of Savras claim 
  their deity would never act so chaotically, while the 
  Mistshadowed of Leira refute that their mistress could be 
  tricked. To this day, heretic priests claim the forsaken one 
  yet lives, and will one day arise to seize his parents’ place 
  in the heavens. 
   
  
   
  With Ruty Rutenberg 
   
  Heretics preach of a void at the center of the 
  universe that dying gods created to devour the 
  Weave. The necrotic energy it emits is called 
  “Entropy”: a potent force that clerics can harness to 
  shield themselves from magic and annihilate arcane 
  casters. The chained god Tharizdun claims this 
  domain, while in Chessenta, a giant sphere of 
  annihilation is worshipped as an aspect of Entropy 
  itself. Cultists who wield the power go by many 
  names: thaumatoclasts, entropomancers, or 
  entropists.  
   
  Cleric Level 
  Spells 
  1st 
  detect magic, inflict wounds 
  3rd  
  gentle repose, spiritual weapon 
  5th  
  dispel magic, protection from energy 
  7th  
  blight, death ward 
  9th  
  circle of power, hallow 
  When you choose this domain at 1st level, you 
  perform a ritual to anchor your soul to the material 
  plane. You have advantage when making death 
  saving throws.      
  Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel 
  Divinity to disrupt the flow of magic in your vicinity. 
   As an action, you conjure an aura of disruptive 
  energy that radiates from you in a 15-foot radius. 
  The aura lasts until the end of your next turn, and 
  moves with you, centered on you. While inside the 
  aura, any creature that attempts to cast a spell must 
  first succeed on a Constitution saving throw. If they 
  fail the save, their spell fails to cast and the spell slot 
  is wasted. 
  Starting at 6th level, when you or an ally within 30 
  feet of you takes damage from a spell, you can use 
  your reaction to cause the caster to make a 
  Constitution saving throw. If the caster fails its 
  saving throw, it gains one level of exhaustion.  
  At 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the 
  damage you deal with any cantrip. 
  At 17th level, you have advantage on saving throws 
  against spells. In addition, when you succeed on a 
  saving throw against a spell, you gain 5 temporary 
  hit points for each slot level of the spell.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CULT OF ENTROPY 
  Entropy is a gargantuan sphere of annihilation that hovers 
  above a wasteland in Chessenta. When the mad nobles of 
  House Karanok first discovered this anomaly, they 
  harnessed its energy to create smaller spheres of 
  annihilation which they used to hunt down and destroy 
  arcane spell casters. During the cataclysm of the 
  Spellplague, Entropy broke free from House Karanok’s 
  control and grew stronger in the plague lands, 
  threatening to destroy the cosmos. Its devotees formed a 
  doomsday cult around their “black star”. Led by the 
  ageless matriarch Kaestra Karanok, they searched for a 
  way to tear apart the fabric of magic and hasten the end 
  of the world. Disturbances in the Weave have now led 
  them to the lost city of Mezro.   
   
  REQUIRES SPECIAL CERT 
  
   
  Goliaths are reclusive survivalists who dwell in the 
  world’s most inhospitable mountain ranges. A 
  goliath’s life is measured in deeds, and they compete 
  ferociously to outdo their peers. When a goliath 
  leaves the tribe to fight abroad, they’ve most likely 
  killed the greatest enemy in their homeland.     
  Mudmaws lurk beneath the surface of the swamp, 
  waiting for prey to come down to the water to drink. 
  When they strike, they use their rubbery tentacles to 
  pin their prey before latching on with their powerful 
  jaws.  
  Medium humanoid (goliath), lawful neutral 
  Armor Class 13 (hide) 
  Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Athletics +5, Survival +2 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Giant 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
   
  Multiattack. The goliath makes two attacks with 
  either its battleaxe or javelin. 
  Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 
  (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 feet, one target. Hit: 6 
  (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Stone’s Endurance. If a goliath takes damage and 
  remains above 0 hit points, it can make a 
  Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the 
  damage taken. On a success, it gains 5 temporary 
  hit points.   
   
  Huge monstrosity, unaligned 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 133 (14d12 + 42) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.  
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   21 (+5) 
  9 (-1) 
  17 (+3) 
  2 (−4) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (−2) 
   
  Skills Stealth +5 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 
   
  False Appearance. While the mudmaw remains 
  motionless, it is indistinguishable from a floating 
  log. 
  Hold Breath. The mudmaw can hold its breath for 
  15 minutes. 
  Soften Earth. While on land, the ground in a 15 feet 
  radius around the mudmaw is difficult terrain.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) piercing damage. 
  Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 
  20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is grappled 
  (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is 
  restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks 
  and Strength saving throws, and the mudmaw can’t 
  use its tentacles on another target. 
   
  
   
  A living trap appears as mass of rusty chains and 
  blades entangled with hunks of masonry and 
  vegetation. Coursing with wild magic, the whole 
  thing can heft itself into a vaguely humanoid form to 
  skulk through the ruins of its home.    
   Born of Magic. Living traps are formed during 
  cataclysmic magic upheavals or through rituals that 
  have gone catastrophically wrong. The unleashed 
  magic grants sentience to a structure that’s been 
  used for killing: a torture chamber, a trapped 
  corridor, or a scaffold bearing a guillotine. As soon as 
  it’s born, the living trap exists only to hunt and kill.   
   Cunning Hunters. Living traps use shape-shifting 
  and mimicry to lure prey close: posing as fountains 
  of cooling water, secret doors, or fallen knights. 
  When their prey is in range, they attack with 
  explosive power.       
  A living trap hunts in a single area: usually a 
  dungeon or ruin. Having no need for sustenance, it 
  can lie dormant for centuries until prey approaches.  
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the 
  living trap takes a lair action to cause one of the 
  following effects; the living trap can’t use the same 
  effect two rounds in a row: 
  • Walls that the living trap can see within 120 feet 
  sprout slashing blades. Any creature within 5 feet 
  of such a wall must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw, taking 19 (3d8+6) slashing 
  damage on a failed 
  save, and half as 
  much damage on a 
  successful one.  
  Large construct, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100) 
  Speed 30 ft.  
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   22 (+6) 
  10 (+0) 
  20 (+5) 
  5 (−3) 
  11 (+0) 
  1 (−5) 
   
  Skills Stealth +4 
  Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t 
  adamantine 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Understands Common but speaks only 
  through the use of its Mimicry trait 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
   
  Shapechanger. The living trap can use its action to 
  Polymorph into a section of ruined terrain no larger than 
  10-foot-radius sphere. This form can include objects and 
  structural features such as doors and pillars. Its statistics 
  are the same in each form. It reverts to its true form if it 
  dies. 
  False Appearance (terrain form only). The living trap is 
  indistinguishable from an ordinary section of ruined 
  terrain.  
  Mimicry. The living trap can mimic any sounds it has 
  heard, including voices. A creature that hears the 
  sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 
  17 Wisdom (Insight) check. 
  Multiattack. The living trap makes two melee attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. 
  The living trap can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the options below. Only one legendary only can be 
  used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s 
  turn. The living trap regains spent legendary actions at 
  the start of its turn. 
  Detect. The living trap makes a Wisdom (Perception) 
  check. 
  Slam Attack. The living trap makes a slam attack. 
  Entangle (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 15 feet 
  of the living trap must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw or it is grappled (Escape DC 16). 
  
   
  • A 40-foot-deep pit opens at a point the living trap 
  chooses within 120 feet of it, occupying a 10-foot-
  radius area. Creatures standing over the pit when 
  it appears must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw to leap clear. The pit remains until 
  the living trap dismisses it as an action, uses this 
  lair action again, or dies. Any creatures inside the 
  pit when it disappears are transported to the 
  surface.   
  • Magical darkness spreads from a point the living 
  trap chooses within 60 feet of it, filling a 15-foot-
  radius sphere until the living trap dismisses it as 
  an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The 
  darkness spreads around corners. A creature with 
  darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and 
  nonmagical light can’t illuminate it. If any of the 
  effect’s area overlaps with an aura of light created 
  by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that 
  created the light is dispelled.  
  The region containing the living trap’s lair is warped 
  by wild magic, which creates one or more of the 
  following effects: 
  • If a creature takes damage within one mile of the 
  living trap’s lair, the living trap is immediately 
  aware of its location. 
  • Masonry and unattended objects within 1 mile of 
  the lair appear cracked and old. Any damage dealt 
  to break objects in this area is doubled.  
  • When a creature within one mile of the living 
  trap’s lair rolls a natural 1 on a spell attack, roll on 
  the Wild Magic Surge table to create a magical 
  effect (see chapter 3 of the Player’s Handbook).  
  If the living trap dies, the last two effects fade over 
  the course of 3d10 days.  
  These maniac priests worship Entropy: a gargantuan 
  sphere of annihilation that hovers above a wasteland 
  in Chessenta. Only arcane magic can stop its growth, 
  so the priests of Entropy have sworn to hunt down 
  and annihilate wizards.  
   
  Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 14 (scale armor) 
  Hit Points 136 (21d8 + 42) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +7 
  Skills Intimidation +6, Religion +4  
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages any two languages 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
   
  Spellcasting. The priest is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells 
  prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, light, resistance, sacred 
  flame, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): bane, detect magic, guiding bolt, 
  healing word, inflict wounds 
  2nd level (3 slots): gentle repose, hold person, spiritual 
  weapon, silence 
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, dispel magic, mass 
  healing word, meld into stone, protection from 
  energy, sending 
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, blight, death ward 
  5th level (2 slots): contagion, circle of power, hallow, 
  insect plague 
  6th level (1 slot): forbiddance, true seeing 
  Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  ranged 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing 
  damage, or 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage if used with two 
  hands to make a melee attack. 
  Arcane Disruption. The priest conjures an aura of 
  disruptive energy that radiates from it in a 15-foot 
  radius and moves with the priest, centered on it. The 
  aura lasts until the priest dismisses it as action, or dies. 
  While inside the aura, any creature that attempts to 
  cast a spell must first succeed on a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw. If they fail the save, their spell fails to cast 
  and the spell slot is wasted. 
   
  
   
  This man-sized therapod is a clever hunter that 
  strikes suddenly from cover and tears at its prey 
  with fang and claw. 
  These monkeys sport colorful, feathered wings and 
  can be domesticated to carry out simple commands. 
   
  Medium beast, unaligned 
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  4 (-3) 
  12 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Skills Perception +3 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
   
  Pounce. If the deinonychus moves at least 20 feet 
  straight toward a creature and then hits it with a 
  claw attack on the same turn, that target must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be 
  knocked prone. If the target is prone, the 
  deinonychus can make one bite attack against it as 
  a bonus action. 
  Multiattack. The deinonychus makes three attacks: 
  one with its bite and two with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage. 
   
  Small beast, unaligned 
  Armor Class 12  
  Hit Points 3 (1d6) 
  Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   8 (-1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  5 (-3) 
  12 (+1) 6 (−2) 
    
  Senses passive Perception 11 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
   
  Pack Tactics. The flying monkey has advantage on 
  an attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the monkey’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 1 (1d4 -1) piercing damage. 
  
   
  Grungs are mean-spirited froglike humanoids that 
  live in the jungle. They have poisonous skins and 
  delight in enslaving other creatures.  
   
  Small humanoid (grung), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 11 (2d6 + 4) 
  Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   7 (-2) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 10 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +4 
  Skills Athletics +2, Perception +2, Stealth +4, 
  Survival +2 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages Grung 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
  Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water. 
  Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the 
  grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with 
  the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 
  1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct 
  contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw 
  at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success.  
  Standing Leap. The grung’s long jump is up to 25 
  feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or 
  without a running start.  
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or 
  take 5 (2d4) poison damage. 
   
  Small humanoid (grung), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 49 (9d6 + 18) 
  Speed 25 ft., climb 25 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   7 (-2) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 12 (+1) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +4 
  Skills Athletics +2, Perception +2, Stealth +5, 
  Survival +2 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages Grung 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
   
  Amphibious. The grung can breathe air and water. 
  Poisonous Skin. Any creature that grapples the 
  grung or otherwise comes into direct contact with 
  the grung’s skin must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 
  1 minute. A poisoned creature no longer in direct 
  contact with the grung can repeat the saving throw 
  at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success.  
  Standing Leap. The grung’s long jump is up to 25 
  feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or 
  without a running start.  
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or 
  take 5 (2d4) poison damage. 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  80/320ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing 
  damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison 
  damage. 
  Mesmerizing Chirr (Recharge 6). The grung makes 
  a chirring noise to which all grungs are immune. 
  Each humanoid or beast that is within 15 feet of 
  the grung and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 
  12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the 
  end of the grung’s next turn.  
   
  
   
  This carnivorous plant resembles nothing less than 
  an oversized flytrap. 
   
  These goliath crocodiles are so large they prey on 
  other huge dinosaurs. In undeath, they can strip an 
  entire river system of life within days.   
  Large plant, unaligned 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 45 (7d10 + 7) 
  Speed 5 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  1 (-5) 
  10 (+0) 
  2 (-4) 
   
  Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, 
  exhaustion, prone 
  Senses tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
   
  Attractive Pollen (1/day). When the mantrap 
  detects any creatures nearby, it can use its reaction 
  to release pollen out to a radius of 30 feet. Any 
  beast or humanoid within the area must succeed 
  on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be forced to 
  use all its movement on its turns to get as close to 
  the mantrap as possible. An affected target can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.  
  False Appearance. While the mantrap remains 
  motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary 
  tropical plant.   
  Engulf. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The target is 
  trapped inside the mantrap’s leafy jaws. While 
  trapped in this way, the target is blinded and 
  restrained, has total cover from attacks and other 
  effects from outside the mantrap, and takes 14 
  (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the 
  target’s turns. If the mantrap dies, the creature 
  engulfed inside it is no longer restrained. A 
  mantrap can only engulf one creature at a time.  
   
  Gargantuan undead, unaligned 
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 137 (10d20 + 32) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   23 (+6) 
  6 (-4) 
  18 (+4) 
  1 (-5) 
  8 (-1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
   
  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, unless 
  the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a 
  success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.  
  Water Poisoner. Water within 20 ft. of the zombie 
  is tainted with toxins. A creature that enters or 
  starts its turn in that water must succeed on a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw or it is poisoned until 
  the start of its next turn.  
  Multiattack. The zombie can make two attacks: 
  one with its bite and one with its tail.   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) piercing damage. If 
  the target is a creature, it is grappled (Escape DC 
  16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, 
  and the sarcosuchus zombie can’t grapple another 
  target.   
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If 
  the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 
  
   
  These are the largest of all known dinosaurs. Their 
  intimidating 130-foot length and overwhelming 
  220,000-pound weight mean that titanosaurus 
  almost never need to use their massive feet and tail 
  to defend themselves.  
  Ras Nsi’s powers extended beyond just humanoids. 
  He could also raise Ubtao’s children from the dead.  
  BEASTS OF THE JUNGLE ROT 
  The sarcosuchus zombie, titanosaurus, triceratops zombie 
  and zealoraptor zombie are reproduced with permission 
  from the Guild Adepts supplement Beasts of the Jungle 
  Rot, by James Introcaso and Ruty Rutenberg, If you’re 
  looking for more dinosaurs to flesh out your adventures 
  in Chult, be sure to check it out at www.dmsguild.com 
   
  Gargantuan beast, unaligned 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 201 (13d20 + 65) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   30 (+10) 
  7 (-2) 
  20 (+5) 
  2 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (-2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +8 
  Senses passive Perception 8 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
   
  Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 
  ft., one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 + 7) bludgeoning 
  damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.   
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 45 (7d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage. 
  The titanosaurus can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one 
  legendary action can be used at a time and only at 
  the end of another creature’s turn. The 
  titanosaurus regains spent legendary actions at the 
  start of its turn.  
  Momentum. The titanosaurus moves half its speed 
  without provoking opportunity attacks.  
  Tough Defense (2 actions). The titanosaurus picks 
  one of the following damage types and is 
  resistant to that type of damage until the start of 
  its next turn: bludgeoning, piercing or slashing.  
  Tail Thunder (Costs 3 Actions). The titanosaurus 
  makes a tail attack with disadvantage against 
  each creature in a 20-foot cone.  
   
  Huge undead, unaligned 
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 95 (10d12 + 30) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   22 (+6) 
  6 (-2) 
  17 (+3) 
  1 (-5) 
  6 (-2) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 5 (1,700 XP) 
   
  Trampling Charge. If the zombie moves at least 20 
  feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with 
  a gore attack on the same turn, that target must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be 
  knocked prone. If the target is prone, the zombie 
  can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus 
  action.  
  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, unless 
  the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a 
  success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.  
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) piercing damage. 
  Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one prone creature. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
   
  
   
  Born of russet mold, these diminutive fungus 
  monsters live in secluded tribes.  
   
  Small plant, neutral 
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   7 (-2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
  11 (+0) 
  7 (-2) 
   
  Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 
  Damage Resistances lightning, piercing 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Vegepygmy 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
  Plant Camouflage. The vegepygmy has advantage 
  on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain 
  with ample obscuring plant life.   
  Regeneration. The vegepygmy regains 3 hit points 
  at the start of its turn. If it takes cold, fire, or 
  necrotic damage, this trait doesn’t function at the 
  start of the vegepygmy’s next turn. The vegepygmy 
  dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and 
  doesn’t regenerate.  
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. 
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Small plant, neutral 
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 33 (6d6 + 12) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  7 (-2) 
  12 (+1) 
  9 (-1) 
   
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 
  Damage Resistances lightning, piercing 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Vegepygmy 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
   
  Plant Camouflage. The vegepygmy has advantage 
  on Dexterity (Stealth) checks it makes in any terrain 
  with ample obscuring plant life.   
  Regeneration. The vegepygmy regains 5 hit points 
  at the start of its turn. If it takes cold, fire, or 
  necrotic damage, this trait doesn’t function at the 
  start of the vegepygmy’s next turn. The vegepygmy 
  dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and 
  doesn’t regenerate.  
  Multiattack. The vegepygmy makes two attacks 
  with its claws or two melee attacks with its spear.  
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. 
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 
  + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8 +2) piercing 
  damage if used with two hands to make a melee 
  attack.  
  Spores (1/day). A 15-foot-radius cloud of toxic 
  spores extends out from the vegepygmy. The 
  spores spread around corners. Each creature in that 
  area that isn’t a plant must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. While 
  poisoned in this way, a target takes 9 (2d8) poison 
  damage at the start of each of its turns. A target 
  can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of 
  its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.   
   
  
   
  These feathered dinosaurs may only be the size of 
  turkeys, but they shouldn’t be underestimated. In 
  packs, they can be lethal.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   6 (-2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  4 (-3) 
  12 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
   
  Saving Throws Perception +3 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
  Pack Tactics. The velociraptor has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of the 
  velociraptor’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.    
  Multiattack. The velociraptor makes two attacks: 
  one with its bite and one with its claws.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.   
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. 
   
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
  Will Doyle has written adventures for Dungeon magazine 
  and the D&D Adventurers League, including several multi-
  table D&D Epics events. His dreams of contributing to a 
  printed product came true when Chris Perkins approached 
  him to create maps and encounters for Storm King's 
  Thunder and Tomb of Annihilation. Will lives in the UK with 
  his fiancée Stacey and their daughter, Roxanne. You can 
  follow him on Twitter @beholderpie. 
   
  Large undead, unaligned 
  Armor Class 11 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  3 (-4) 
  8 (-1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages – 
  Challenge 2 (200 XP) 
   
  Pounce. If the zombie moves at least 20 feet 
  straight toward a creature and then hits it with a 
  claw attack on the same turn, that target must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be 
  knocked prone. If the target is prone, the zombie 
  can make one bite attack against it as a bonus 
  action.  
  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, unless 
  the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a 
  success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.  
  Multiattack. The zombie makes two attacks: one 
  with its bite and one with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage, and if 
  the target is a creature it must succeed on a DC 12 
  Constitution saving throw or contract Sewer Plague 
  (see “Diseases” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide). 
   
  These bipedal carnivores are clever, silent, swift 
  pack hunters with large claws on their feet. In 
  death, they are relentless juggernauts of 
  destruction. 
   
  
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/D&D 5E Adventures/Tomb of Annihalation/Ruins_of_Mezro.pdf