TEXT: Intriguing Organizations: The Gutter Guild | EN World EN5idEr
  The Gutter Guild
  T
  ake a step out into the city and 
  breathe the fresh air. Is it not sweet 
  despite the many thousands of citizens 
  relieving themselves without a care into 
  the gutters, emptying their filth into 
  the streets? And the river—people fish 
  from it, even drink of the water. Have 
  you not wondered how it is that a place 
  so populated can seem so clean?” 
  —Clarissa Brite, Custodian of Gutter Guild.
   
  WRITING Will Gawned
   
  COVER ART Indi Martin
   INTERIOR ART Mariana Ruiz Villarreal
   
  EDITING Mike Myler
   
  LAYOUT Frank Michienzi
  “
  
  Intriguing Organizations: The Gutter Guild | EN World EN5idEr
  HISTORY
  Young dwarven engineer and now hunted traitor 
  Clarissa Brite was the scientific genesis of the 
  Gutter Guild. She developed her theories of ooze 
  ecology while observing the recovery of her home 
  city after it was briefly overcome by a cult of the 
  Faceless Lord—and the oozing horrors summoned 
  in their honor. Heroes drove out the demonic 
  influence but the oozes were harder to completely 
  eradicate, and the heroes (uninterested in roaming 
  sewers any longer than absolutely necessary) left 
  the job unfinished. 
  Working in city water and waste management, 
  Clarissa observed that previous scourges (such as 
  noxious vapors and outbreaks of filth fever) did not 
  hamper the population as their home recovered. 
  The local temple was quick to claim divine credit 
  for this ‘miracle’, while city leadership obscured the 
  fact that monstrous oozes were still loose beneath 
  the city streets (fearful of panic or a resurgence of 
  the demonic cult). Clarissa thought otherwise—the 
  oozes consumed waste and a cleaner city resulted 
  in better health. She shared her theories and though 
  largely dismissed by the establishment, a few 
  people took interest in her work. The Gutter Guild 
  was created to collect evidence from surrounding 
  settlements, some affected by the cult and others 
  not, and they concluded that where oozes are 
  present overall health had improved.
  With their support Clarissa collected samples, 
  cultivated the creatures, and introduced oozes 
  to a nearby city where the cult had never taken 
  hold—and again observed that as oozes colonized 
  the sewers the presence of disease and vermin 
  decreased. Once discovered by the authorities her 
  activities led to her being branded a treasonous 
  cultist and so her work, and the Gutter Guild, were 
  driven underground. That hasn’t stopped them 
  and they are still at large, continuing their work in 
  secret to improve public health by creating func-
  tional sewer ooze-ecologies.
  Any adventurer who has made their way through 
  a sewer is familiar with a variety of oozes, slimes, 
  and molds that inhabit grimy undercities. These 
  maligned creatures are seen as demonic extensions 
  of The Faceless Lord and feared because of their 
  shapeless unrelenting hunger, yet they serve a vital 
  role in preventing disease from effluent waste and 
  where oozes are absent there are cities succumbing 
  to vermin, plague, and pollution. There are few 
  sane people interested in the qualities of oozes and 
  fewer still that dedicate themselves to public health, 
  but for those unique individuals there is no better 
  organization than the Gutter Guild, a small group 
  of alchemists, academics, and street healers that 
  capture, breed, and seed oozes in sewers across the 
  known world.
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  Intriguing Organizations: The Gutter Guild | EN World EN5idEr
  MOTIVATION
  The Gutter Guild’s members are a mixed bunch 
  of misfits ranging from influential city officials 
  (willing to bend the rules for a greater good) to 
  street urchins (whose familiarity with the under-
  ground spaces in a city are a boon for research 
  purposes). The organization is altruistic—there 
  isn’t much money and getting involved with them 
  is a quick way to become a fugitive wanted for the 
  crimes of breeding and releasing monsters. There is 
  a very real public risk as oozes are of course quite 
  dangerous, and care is required to introduce the 
  correct type to an area lest they overpopulate and 
  spill into the streets. Thus Gutter Guild gatekeepers 
  are careful to recruit the right people for the right 
  reasons and there is an internal paranoia (perhaps 
  justified) that demonic cultists will infiltrate and 
  undermine the organization, proving the authori-
  ties right. However even with careful oversight 
  there have been cases of ooze theft and trade to 
  mad wizards, monster collectors, and priests of the 
  Faceless One.
  ACTIVITIES
  Custodians of the Gutter Guild focus on the acqui-
  sition and cultivation of oozes, making certain that 
  they are present in sufficient (but not excessive 
  quantities) within the sewers of towns and cities 
  within the Guild’s influence. There is tension with 
  other organizations that tend to utilize the sewers 
  (mostly thieves’ guilds and occasionally over-
  zealous adventurers whose activities can devastate 
  an ooze-ecology) leading to outbreaks of plague 
  and pestilence, and as such custodians act as diplo-
  mats to try and smooth relations between disparate 
  groups (often while trying to disguise their own 
  actions) or to guide adventurers away from their 
  hidden laboratories. All members actively oppose 
  demonic cults, specifically those of the Faceless 
  Lord—which seek to take the oozes and lore they’ve 
  acquired and developed.
  Gutter Guild Items
  Working with corrosive monsters able to slip through 
  tiny gaps in their enclosures has proven quite difficult, 
  and custodians of Gutter Guild have developed a 
  number of magic items to aid their activities.
  Dehydrated Jelly
  Wondrous item, rare
  This spongy, sour smelling, gelatinous bead becomes 
  an ooze when you spend an action to submerge it in 
  at least 1 gallon of water. The ooze is paralyzed as it 
  grows to full size over 2 (1d4) rounds. The type of ooze 
  is based on the bead’s color. The ooze is hostile to 
  everyone, including you, and acts on its own initiative.
  Table: Ooze Type
  D4
  COLOR
  OOZE
  1
  Black
  Black pudding
  2
  Clear
  Gelatinous cube
  3
  Gray
  Gray ooze
  4
  Yellow
  Ochre jelly
  Dust of Ooze Paralysis
  Wondrous item, uncommon
  Found in a small packet, this powder resembles 
  very fine sand. There is enough of it for one use. 
  When you use an action and throw the dust on 
  an ooze within 5 feet of you, it must succeed on 
  a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or become 
  paralyzed for 11 (2d10) hours. While paralyzed 
  this way, the ooze loses any corrosive qualities.
  Ooze Handler’s Gloves
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
  While wearing these gloves, you have advantage 
  on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple 
  oozes, and you have immunity to acid damage 
  from an ooze you are grappling. In addition, you 
  gain resistance against acid damage.
  
  Intriguing Organizations: The Gutter Guild | EN World EN5idEr
  MODUS OPERANDI
  Gutter Guild custodians travel with merchant 
  wagons disguised as alchemists or apothecaries, 
  spending time investigating sewers before they 
  introduce new oozes to the area. If a sewer is overrun 
  by improper vermin (such as Faceless Lord cultists, 
  giant rats, wererats, otyughs, or even inappropriate 
  oozes) they might hire adventurers (or encourage 
  a city official to do so) to clear out the infestations 
  before oozes are introduced. There are only a few 
  more permanent set ups, hidden laboratories in 
  sewers where loyal Gutter Guild custodians (mages, 
  guards, veterans, and ooze handlers) experiment 
  in ooze cultivation, trying to create new oozes with 
  unique variations to better suit their idealistic goals.
  Ooze Handler 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8+12)
  Speed 30 ft.
   STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Saving Throws Str +4
  Skills Arcana +4, Medicine +4, Nature +4, Perception +2
  Damage Immunities acid
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The ooze handler attacks twice.
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) 
  acid damage.
  Ooze Fling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) acid damage plus 3 
  (1d6) acid damage at the end of each of the target’s 
  turns until a creature uses its action to remove oozes 
  from the target. In addition, nonmagical armor worn 
  by the target is partly dissolved and takes a permanent 
  and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. The 
  armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10. 
  REACTIONS
  Sticky Slime (Recharge 5-6). When a creature moves to 
  a space within 15 feet of the ooze handler, they may 
  throw a jar of slime targeting the creature. A 10-foot 
  square area centered on the target becomes difficult 
  terrain and each creature in the area must succeed on 
  a DC 12 Strength saving throw or become grappled 
  (escape DC 12). The slime persists for 1 minute and 
  a creature that enters the area or ends its turn there 
  must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or become 
  grappled (escape DC 12).
  Ooze handlers are specialized members of the 
  Gutter Guild who capture and cultivate oozes. They 
  travel under the guise of alchemists or apothecaries, 
  carrying a great many jars and vials containing 
  tiny oozes. When journeying into the sewers they 
  are accompanied by guards or veterans loyal to the 
  Gutter Guild.
  OOZE VARIANTS
  Through their research the Gutter Guild has classi-
  fied a number of variant oozes:
  VARIANT: BLAZING BLACK PUDDING (CR +0)
  Identifiable by its gaseous odor, the oily sludge of 
  a blazing black pudding constantly bubbles and 
  emits a flammable vapor that catches ablaze at the 
  slightest touch of flame.
  A blazing black pudding has resistance to fire 
  damage and gains the following trait.
  Blazing Form. After taking fire damage, until the end of 
  its next turn the pudding becomes immune to fire, and 
  its form becomes covered in flames that shed bright 
  light 30 feet and dim light a further 30 feet. While the 
  pudding is ablaze its speed is doubled, it can make 
  a pseudopod attack as a bonus action, and when a 
  creature touches the pudding or hits it with a melee 
  attack using a weapon that does not have reach, the 
  creature takes 2 (1d4) fire damage.
  
  Intriguing Organizations: The Gutter Guild | EN World EN5idEr
  VARIANT: EUPHORIA CUBE (CR +0)
  A particularly deadly variant, the euphoria cube is 
  visually indistinguishable from its gelatinous cousin 
  but is laced with psychotropic toxins that cause its 
  victims to feel ecstatic joy even as they are consumed.
  A euphoria cube gains the following trait.
  Euphoric Touch. When a creature is engulfed by or touches 
  the cube, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving 
  throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned 
  in this way and in contact with the cube, a creature is 
  charmed by it, feeling an intoxicating euphoria as long 
  as it remains in contact.
  VARIANT: FLASH JELLY (CR +1)
  The flash jelly’s oozing form constantly ripples 
  with flickers of dim light in a mesmerizing display, 
  and when hit with weapon attacks it emits sudden 
  bright flashes to blind its attackers.
  A flash jelly gains the following action and 
  reaction:
  ACTIONS
  Hypnotic Display (Recharge 5−6). All creatures within 10 
  feet of the jelly that can see it must succeed on a DC 12 
  Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While 
  charmed in this way, a creature is incapacitated and has 
  a speed of 0. At the end of each of the creature’s turns 
  it may repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a 
  successful save. The effect also ends if another creature 
  spends its action to shake the creature out of its trance, 
  or if the creature takes any damage.
  REACTIONS
  Sudden Flash. When the jelly is hit with a melee weapon 
  attack, it emits a sudden flash of light. Any creature 
  within 10 feet that can see the jelly must succeed on 
  a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the 
  end of its next turn. e
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/EN World EN5ider/EN5ider 321 - IO Gutter Guild.pdf