TEXT: MARC RADLE
  
  1
  1
  Open Design, Kobold Press, and Midgard are trademarks of Open Design. 
  Open Game Content:  The Open content in this issue includes the monster stat blocks, new spells, and new monsters. 
  All other material is Product Identity, especially place names, character names, locations, story elements, and fiction. 
  No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission.
  ©2018 Open Design. All rights reserved.
  ISBN 978-1-936781-87-4
  www.koboldpress.com
  ShadowS 
     duSk Queen
  Special Thanks to the Merry Band of Playtesters: Eric Griffith, Rod Griffith, Miles Myers and Mitch Radle.
  By Marc Radle
  A 5th-Edition Adventure For 8th-level Characters
  Design: Marc Radle
  Cover Artist: Bryan Syme
  Editor: Eytan Bernstein
  Interior Artist: Matt Bulahao, Bryan Syme
  Cartography: Todd Gamble
  Art Direction and Graphic Design: Marc Radle
  5E Conversion and Editing: Thomas M. Reid
  Publisher: Wolfgang Baur
  CREDITS
  of
    the
  
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  adventur e Background
  A mysterious shadow fey known as the Dusk Queen left the 
  Winter Court and came to a forest of shadows where she 
  ruled the land from a great stone tower. Although capable 
  of surprising acts of kindness, the vast majority of her reign 
  was marked by cruelty, violence, and death. At some point, 
  the Dusk Queen encountered a powerful wizard from a 
  land of pitiless, burning sun and endless sand traveling in 
  her realm for unknown reasons. Against all logic, they fell 
  in love, eventually exchanging dark and secret vows in the 
  queen’s throne room. Because of his homeland, the wizard 
  came to be known as the Sun King. 
  The two were happy in their own, strange way until the 
  Dusk Queen had a magical mirror created. This powerful 
  item, which was infused with shadowy strands of the Dusk 
  Queen’s very life essence, greatly expanded her powers and 
  her ambition. The mirror allowed her to spy on her enemies 
  (both real and imagined), cast powerful spells through it 
  across vast distances, and even magically transport herself 
  or her minions to the farthest locations. The Dusk Queen 
  used her mirror with rapidly growing paranoia and zeal, 
  wreaking havoc and death throughout the land. The Sun 
  King found it more and more difficult to overlook the 
  Queen’s escalating acts of evil and violence. When he 
  learned the Dusk Queen was secretly plotting to invade his 
  homeland, the Sun King knew he had to act.
  In the deepest part of a cold, moonless night, the Sun King 
  wove his most powerful spells while the Dusk Queen slept, 
  magically banishing her to a hidden and unknown prison. 
  Once she was gone, the wizard smashed the Dusk Queen’s 
  mirror and departed the tower, vowing never to return.
  hroughout the land, legends of the Dusk Queen persist. They speak of a 
  sometimes kind, other times cruel, yet always mysterious fey queen who ruled 
  from her Dusk Tower—a tall spire of smooth, dark stone in the heart of a great, 
  shadowy forest. Perhaps the most gripping legends, however, whisper of the Dusk 
  Queen’s sudden and mysterious disappearance.
  t
  taBle of contentS
  Adventure Background .....................................2
   
  Hooks .......................................................................... 2
  Getting Started  ..................................................3
   
  The Weeping Treant .................................................. 3
  The Shadow Forest ..............................................5
   
  Black Stirges ............................................................... 5
  The Search for the Shards  ...............................5
   
  Wandering Monsters ................................................. 6
   
  The Shadow Nymphs’ Pool  ...................................... 6
   
  The Putrid Bog  .......................................................... 7
   
  The Mirror Shards ..................................................... 7
   
  The Dead Behir .......................................................... 9
   
  Message from the Shadows ....................................10
   
  The Hanging Tree  ...................................................10
   
  The Pit of Shadows ..................................................11
  The Queen of Shadows  .....................................13
   
  The Dusk Queen’s Tower ........................................13
   
  Shadowy Negotiations ............................................13
   
  Battle for the Shards ................................................14
   
  Adventure Conclusion ............................................19
   
  The Tower’s Fate .......................................................19
  The Shadow Grimoire .......................................19
  HOOKS
  How and why the PCs have come to the Shadow Forest is 
  left to the GM and the needs of the campaign. The party 
  could simply happen upon the forest while traveling 
  through some desolate or otherwise unexplored area and 
  decide to investigate. Alternatively, the forest could be a 
  place well known but avoided by locals that the PCs have 
  specifically come to explore. Local leadership might even 
  hire the PCs to enter the forest, find out if the rumors 
  of the Dusk Queen’s return are true and, if so, rid the 
  forest of her foul taint once and for all.
   Reluctant PCs can be tempted with legends of 
  specific magical treasures rumored to be within the 
  forest. The party wizard, for example, might hear of a 
  powerful, intelligent spellbook hidden somewhere in 
  the forest and decide to investigate.
  
  3
  3
  The Sun King’s magic did not work as he had planned, 
  however. Due perhaps to the lingering spark of love 
  he still harbored within his heart, the Dusk Queen’s 
  magical imprisonment was not permanent. Likewise, the 
  destruction of her mirror was also incomplete—five shards 
  of glass exploded from the mirror and, impossibly, came to 
  rest in various locations throughout the surrounding forest, 
  waiting to be found. . . .
  getting Started
  The adventure begins with the characters coming upon 
  a deep and mysterious forest filled with ever-shifting 
  shadows. When the PCs first approach the forest, read the 
  following to get the adventure underway:
  Before you is a dark forest with trees rising as much as a 
  hundred feet into the air. Foreboding and sorrow seem to 
  emanate from within. Occasionally, shadowy creatures, only 
  glimpsed, move among the trees. Slow, plaintive howls echo 
  among the dark branches as a cool wind begins to blow, as if 
  whispering barely discernible words . . . 
   She has returned. She has returned. She has returned. 
   The trees directly before you slowly part, forming a natural 
  opening that leads into the shadowy woods beyond.
  A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check by 
  anyone peering into the dark forest reveals the following:
  As your eyes slowly adjust to the dim light, you see the 
  silhouette of a large, tree-like creature emerge from perhaps 
  30 paces into the woods and step onto the path. The strange 
  creature completely blocks the way and seems to be watching 
  you and waiting.
  A. THE WEEPING TREANT                     
  XP Threshold: 2,300
  The shadowy silhouette is a weeping treant. It does not 
  respond or react to the PCs in any way unless they enter the 
  forest and approach it. Once the PCs get within 30 feet, read:
  A large, living tree with dark, cracked bark blocks the trail in 
  front of you. Black eyes watch you intently. Thick, dark sap 
  runs unchecked like tears down its gnarled face. The strange 
  creature shows no other sign of emotion. Suddenly, it speaks 
  in a deep, powerful voice: 
   “She has returned! The Dusk Queen has returned! Have 
  you come to retrieve the mirror shards for her?”
  The weeping treant watches the PCs, silently waiting for an 
  answer. The creature completely blocks the path and lets no 
  one pass until it receives a satisfactory response.
  DEVELOPMENT
  PCs attempting to gain information from the weeping 
  treant, convince it they have indeed come to retrieve the 
  shards for the Dusk Queen, or otherwise deceive it in 
  any way must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma (Deception) 
  or Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the PCs manage to 
  fool the treant, it reveals the locations of the five shards 
  throughout the forest:
  One rests at the bottom of a dark pool 
  One is embedded in the trunk of the Hanging Tree 
  One lies beneath a mound of smooth, black stones 
  One has fallen into a deep pit of shadows 
  One is somewhere within the Putrid Bog 
  Once the weeping treant has given this cryptic information, 
  it insists the PCs leave immediately to retrieve the shards 
  for the Dusk Queen, who resides once again in her tower. 
  The weeping treant might be persuaded to answer a few 
  additional questions, but very quickly becomes impatient 
  and suspicious.
  DC
  Result
  5
  The Dusk Queen ruled the Shadow Forest and surrounding lands for many years until she vanished mysteriously.
  8
  The Dusk Queen possessed a powerful magic mirror that she used to control and terrorize her subjects; someone 
  known as the Sun King smashed the mirror shortly before the Dusk Queen’s mysterious disappearance.
  12
  The Shadow Forest is thought to be inhabited by frightening creatures, many of which come from the Plane of 
  Shadow itself!
  16
  The Dusk Queen was protected by a dark paladin; many whispered that this dread guard was much more to her 
  than simply a royal guard.
  20
  The Dusk Queen was a shadow fey who journeyed to the Shadow Forest from the fey realm of the Winter Court. 
  She was also said to be a true theurge, able to wield both arcane and divine magic in powerful and unique ways.
  INTELLIGENCE (ARCANA) OR INTELLIGENCE (HISTORY)
  
  44
   Should the PCs at any point fail to convince the weeping 
  treant, or if it determines the PCs have been deceiving it, the 
  creature furiously and relentlessly attacks! 
  THE WEEPING TREANT
  This twisted tree’s cracked, black bark is knotted into 
  vaguely humanoid features, with branches for arms and 
  roots for legs. Thick, sap-like black tears run unchecked 
  down its face.
  Weeping treants clearly are related to other treants, but they 
  are smaller than the normal variety, little more than 30 feet 
  tall with a trunk 3 feet in diameter, and weighing no more 
  than 4,500 lb. Their gnarled trunks are often twisted, and 
  their wood often groans when they move.
  Forest Wardens. Weeping treants are protectors of 
  dark, shadowy forests, and they are as long-lived as the 
  trees themselves. They act as guardians for an entire forest 
  or for something specific within the forest—they have no 
  pity for those carrying axes or fire.
  Skeptical Mein. Weeping treants are terrifying and 
  relentless when fighting in defense of their charge. They are 
  inherently distrustful, particularly of anything not of the 
  natural or shadow world, and they’re notoriously difficult to 
  fool or deceive.
  Enchanted Bitter Tears. Sages and scholars 
  debate why these creatures weep, but no one 
  has come forward with a compelling reason 
  beyond “it’s what trees do.” The weeping treants 
  themselves refuse to speak on the matter. Their tears are 
  occasionally components in druidic spells or items.
  WEEPING TREANT
  Huge plant, neutral
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 105 (10d12 + 40)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  21 (+5) 
  8 (–1) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0)
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning and piercing
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Siege Monster. The treant deals double 
  damage to objects and structures.
  Treespeech. A weeping treant can 
  converse with plants, and most plants greet them 
  with a friendly or helpful attitude.
  Acidic Tears. Thick tears of dark sap stream 
  continuously down the treant’s face and 
  trunk. These tears are highly acidic—anyone 
  who attacks the treant from a range of 5 feet or less must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 6 
  (1d12) acid damage from splashed tears. This acidic matter 
  continues doing 6 (1d12) acid damage at the start of each of 
  the creature’s turns until it or an adjacent ally uses an action 
  to wipe off the tears or three rounds elapse.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The treant makes three slam attacks.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., single 
  target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
  TREASURE
  The weeping treant has no treasure.
  
  5
  5
  the Shadow for eSt
  When the PCs enter the forest itself, the feeling of 
  foreboding and sorrow subtly intensifies. The mysterious, 
  plaintive howls continue to echo among the branches and 
  the chilling wind continues to whisper . . .
     She has returned. She has returned. She has returned. 
  A powerful abjuration aura permeates the entire forest, 
  limiting magical transportation such as dimension door or 
  teleport to a maximum of 30 feet at a time, regardless of the 
  spell’s normal range.
   Swarms of black stirges (see sidebar) dwell in the upper 
  reaches of the tree tops. They viciously attack any who 
  attempt to climb or fly into the forest’s thick upper canopy. 
  the Search for the Shar dS
  Remember to continually reinforce the dark and mysterious 
  atmosphere as the PCs move throughout the forest. Long, 
  thick shadows obscure vision; the heroes randomly hear 
  the sounds of animals and other, even stranger beasts in the 
  distance; and the cold wind whistles and howls through the 
  trees. During moments of inactivity, the wind again seems 
  to wail . . . 
  She has returned.  She has returned. She has returned.
  BLACK STIRGES
  Treat as standard stirges (see SRD) with the  
  following changes:
  Shadow Blend: In conditions of illumination 
  other than full daylight, a black stirge disappears 
  into the shadows, gaining the equivalent of heavy 
  obscurement. Artificial illumination, even a light or 
  continual flame spell, does not negate this ability; 
  a daylight spell, however, does. A black stirge can 
  suspend or resume this ability as a bonus action.
  Strength Drain: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing 
  damage, and the stirge attaches to the target. While 
  attached, the stirge doesn’t attack. Instead, the 
  target’s Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target 
  dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the 
  reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long 
  rest. The stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet 
  of its movement. It does so after it drains 4 points of 
  Strength from the target or the target dies. A creature, 
  including the target, can use its action to detach the 
  stirge. This replaces the stirge’s Blood Drain action.
  
  66
  B. THE SHADOW NYMPHS’ POOL               
  XP Threshold: 5,400
  A small pool of calm, dark water lies nestled in a secluded 
  clearing. As you watch, two delicate figures rise gracefully 
  from the still pool.  The painfully beautiful creatures have long 
  black hair that falls down their bare backs before gathering 
  around their waists on the surface of the dark water. 
   The two dark beauties stare at you for a moment with 
  calm, suspicious eyes before at last speaking, “Why have you 
  come to our pool? Are you here to harm us?”
  Sapphyl and Lasralith, two shadow nymphs, guard 
  one of the shards. They keep it extremely well hidden 
  at the bottom of their deep, dark pool (DC 22 Wisdom 
  [Perception] check to find). The shadow nymphs have 
  no love for the Dusk Queen  and are not happy she has 
  escaped from her long imprisonment. A successful DC 
  12 Charisma (Persuasion) check convinces the distrustful 
  shadow nymphs the PCs are not loyal to the Dusk Queen 
  and mean them no harm.
  Sapphyl and Lasralith show great relief and beg the  PCs to 
  destroy the Dusk Queen once and for all. If the PCs agree, 
  the shadow nymphs gladly volunteer to give the PCs the 
  mirror shard they have been hiding since they first found it.
   The nymphs are desperate to see the Dusk Queen 
  destroyed. However, Sapphyl and Lasralith also fear for their 
  lives should the queen learn they’ve aided the PCs and are 
  unwilling to offer any additional assistance beyond what has 
  been detailed here.
  DEVELOPMENT 
  The Shadow Nymphs reveal (or confirm) the locations of 
  the other four shards. They stress that the forest is extremely 
  dangerous and the PCs should remain on the trails at all 
  costs. Additionally, they share a rumor that says if all five 
  shards can be found and placed physically together, the 
  combined shards can produce a magic powerful enough to 
  greatly aid in any battle against the Dusk Queen. 
  TREASURE 
  Sapphyl and Lasralith have three potions of greater healing 
  and one scroll of lesser restoration which they gladly give 
  the PCs to help them in their quest.
  GM NOTE
  It is important to remember Sapphyl and Lasralith have lived 
  in the forest a very, very long time and can answer most 
  questions the PCs might have regarding the Dusk Queen 
  and her tower (essentially, the GM should use the shadow 
  nymphs to move the story along, clear up any confusion the 
  players might have so far, and fill in missing plot points).
  SHADOW NYMPHS (2)
  Medium fey, neutral
  Armor Class 15
  Hit Points 76 (9d8 + 36)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10 (+0) 
  21 (+5) 18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
  25 (+7)
  Saving Throws Dex +10, Cha +10
  Skills Deception +10, Persuasion +10, Stealth +8
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Common, Sylvan
  Challenge 5 (1,100 XP)
  Blinding Beauty: All creatures within 30 feet of a shadow 
  nymph who look directly at her must succeed on a DC 
  18 Charisma saving throw or be blinded permanently. A 
  creature can avoid this effect for one full round by choosing 
  to avert its eyes at the start of its turn, but it then has 
  disadvantage on any attacks or other rolls directed against 
  the shadow nymph until the start of its next turn. A shadow 
  nymph can suppress or resume this ability as a bonus action. 
  Anyone who successfully saves against this effect cannot be 
  affected by it from the same shadow nymph for 24 hours.
  WANDERING MONSTERS
  Although the paths are relatively safe and easy to 
  travel, the same cannot be said if the PCs attempt to 
  stray from the paths and venture into the dense woods 
  themselves, which is considered difficult terrain. There 
  is a 50% chance of a random encounter for every 2d6 
  rounds spent in the forest depths instead of on the 
  paths. It’s possible PCs might decide to stay and fight 
  the creatures if they have little trouble with some of 
  the fights. It is up to the GM’s discretion to increase 
  the difficulty of the random encounters if she wishes 
  to emphasize the danger of straying or decrease the 
  likelihood of PCs fighting endless battles. 
  WANDERING MONSTERS TABLE (SEE SRD)
  d%
  Encounter 
  1–10
  2d4 giant spiders
  11–17
  1d6 awakened shrubs
  18–25
  1d4 giant bats
  26–32
  1d3 worgs
  33–38
  1 shrieker and 1d6 zombies
  39–50
  1d4 shadows
  51–56 
  1d4 winter wolves
  57–64
  3d6 ettercaps and 2d8 giant spiders
  65–75
  2d8 skeletons
  76–84
  2d4 awakened trees
  85–90 
  1 shambling mound
  95–100
  1 wraith
  
  7
  7
  Unearthly Grace. A shadow nymph applies her Charisma 
  modifier to all of her saving throws in place of the normal 
  ability modifier.
  Water Spirit. The shadow nymph is under the effect of 
  freedom of movement whenever she is in contact with a 
  body of water.
  Shadow Blend: In conditions of illumination other than full 
  daylight, a shadow nymph disappears into the shadows, 
  gaining the equivalent of heavy obscurement. Artificial 
  illumination, even a light or continual flame spell, does not 
  negate this ability; a daylight spell, however, does. A shadow 
  nymph can suspend or resume this ability as a bonus action.
  Spellcasting. The shadow nymph is an 8th-level spellcaster. 
  Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to 
  hit with spell attacks). She requires no material components 
  to cast her spells. The shadow nymph has the following 
  druid spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, produce flame, 
  resistance
  1st level (4 slots): animal friendship, cure wounds, detect 
  magic, entangle, faerie fire, fog cloud
  2nd level (3 slots): bark skin, flame blade, moonbeam
  3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, water breathing, water walk
  4th level (2 slots): conjure woodland beings, control water
  ACTIONS
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.
  Stunning Glance. The shadow nymph mentally disrupts a 
  creature within 30 feet with a look. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned for 2 
  rounds. Anyone who successfully saves against this effect 
  cannot be affected by it from the same shadow nymph for 
  24 hours.
  C. THE PUTRID BOG (CR 9)
  XP Threshold: 3,900
  The forest gives way suddenly to a thick bog of twisted trees 
  and dripping vines. A few small hillocks and other areas of 
  soft, damp ground peek out from the stagnant water and 
  muck. 
   A strange gray mist hangs in the air, slowly swirling and 
  drifting though the misshapen trees and vines as if possessing 
  a mysterious sentience. The putrid stench of rot and decay 
  threatens to nauseate even those with the stoutest fortitude.
  THE MIRROR SHARDS
  Each of the mirror shards is as wide as a man’s  fist and just 
  under an inch in thickness. Although apparently made of 
  normal glass, they are extremely difficult to break.
   Because the shards have the Shadow Queen’s essence 
  within them, they possess a spark of quasi-intelligence. 
  The mirror shards’ primary goal is to be rejoined with 
  the Dusk Queen’s mirror. A shard continually urges any 
  PC possessing it to take it to the Queen’s Tower. If a PC 
  attempts to damage a mirror shard, remove it from the 
  forest, or do anything else contrary to the shard’s goal, it 
  attempts to force the PC into compliance (DC 11 Wisdom 
  saving throw to resist).
  A mirror shard has: AC 13; 5 (2d4) hp; damage threshold 
  20; INT 4 (–3), WIS 20 (+5), CHA 21 (+5) (as long as the 
  Dusk Queen is alive)
  COMBINED MIRROR SHARDS
  Wondrous item, legendary
  If all five mirror shards are held together so they are 
  stacked front to back, front to back, they have the 
  following powers:
  • Wielder can cast sacred flame three times per day as if 
  by an 11th-level caster
  • Instead of the above, the wielder can opt to cast a 
  single robust sacred flame spell once per day. This 
  causes maximum (24) damage, and any target creature 
  with vulnerability to radiant damage rolls its saving 
  throw with disadvantage
  Anyone can use the five mirror shards in this way, even 
  non-spellcasters.
  Although the shards’ edges are certainly sharp, 
  reasonably careful PCs should be in no danger of cutting 
  themselves when using the shards in this way. A clever 
  PC might even bind the five shards together with strong 
  cord, wire, or rope in order to keep them together and 
  make it easier to use them.
  
  88
  ENVIRONMENT
  The Putrid Bog is covered in brackish water and thick mud 
  ranging from only a few inches deep at most points to as 
  much as a few feet at others. It is difficult terrain.
   Any non-resident of the bog must make a DC 17 
  Constitution saving throw or gain the  poisoned condition 
  by the bog’s putrid stench for as long as he remains within 
  its confines. A successful save renders him immune to the 
  effects of the bog’s stench for the duration of his visit. A 
  protection from poison spell removes the effect from the 
  sickened creature and renders him immune to the effects 
  for the remainder of his visit. Creatures with immunity to 
  poison are unaffected, and creatures with poison resistance 
  receive their normal advantage on the saving throws.
   Despite the overwhelming smell of death and decay, the 
  Putrid Bog is in fact teeming with life, most of it vile.
   At the heart of the Putrid Bog lies a ring of ancient 
  standing stones:
  An earthen mount rises from the muck. Tall, twisted 
  standing stones form a ring on the center of the mound, like 
  some misshapen stone claw. The mysterious rocks encircle an 
  ancient stone altar of black rock carved with strange, barely 
  discernible symbols. A mirror shard lies on the altar’s surface. 
   A palpable feeling of evil and dark magic radiates from the 
  entire area and the black altar in particular. 
  The mound is solid enough to walk on unimpeded and is 
  one of the few areas within the bog not considered difficult 
  terrain. The mound is approximately 50 feet across and 
  rises 5 feet above the swampy waters of the bog. The ring of 
  standing stones, each anywhere from nine to 12 feet tall, is 
  approximately 30 feet in diameter.
   The black rock altar radiates a permanent symbol of 
  stunning (successful DC 16 Wisdom saving throw negates) 
  which is triggered by anyone not of evil alignment passing 
  through the ring of standing stones.
  DEVELOPMENT
  Any spellcaster placing both hands on the black altar causes 
  the symbols to glow faintly. For the next 24 hours, any 
  necromancy spell that spellcaster casts functions as if cast at 
  three spell slots higher than it actually was. A spellcaster 
  may only benefit from this effect once per week. 
  CREATURE
  The spirit naga Vessh Ossk lurks within 
  the ring of standing stones. She was 
  drawn to the stone circle and the dark 
  magic of the black altar and has claimed 
  both as her own. Vessh Ossk found the 
  mirror shard some time ago and has been 
  placing it on the altar each night as an 
  experiment. The naga is aware of the Dusk 
  Queen’s return but has yet to decide if she 
  wishes to return the shard or keep it for herself.
   The spirit naga is supremely evil, highly intelligent, 
  and extremely manipulative. If she learns the PCs possess 
  any of the other shards, she uses lies, deception and then 
  outright threats to get them for herself. If the PCs refuse, she 
  viciously attacks. Vessh Ossk does not give up her own shard 
  under any circumstances and fights to protect it. She does 
  not leave the confines of the bog for any reason, however.
  Spirit Naga: AC 15, hp 75, +7 hit, 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing 
  dmg, poison, rejuvenation, spellcasting, see SRD.
  TREASURE
  Vessh Ossk has a collection of gems buried near the altar. 
  The collection consists of one small ruby (100 gp), two 
  diamonds (150 gp each), and a pyramid carved from deep 
  green jade (260 gp).
  
  9
  9
  to die for her or the shard; if reduced to 5 hp or fewer, he 
  attempts to flee.
  GOTHROLG
  This massive bugbear has coarse, black fur, muscular 
  bare arms resembling tree-trunks, and draconic features, 
  including large, bat-like dragon wings. A grisly necklace of 
  ears and fingers hangs loosely around its neck. The hulking 
  creature’s beady red eyes glint with sadistic intelligence and 
  a lust for killing. 
  D. THE DEAD BEHIR
  XP Threshold: 9,000
  Countless pebbles and other small stones litter this 
  large clearing. In the center, you see a large mound 
  of smooth, black stones. Lying on the ground 
  in front of the mound is the dead body of 
  a large black reptilian creature, its 
  fearsome head crowned with two 
  large curling horns. 
   Surrounding the carcass 
  stand a number of hulking, 
  dark- furred creatures with 
  tiny, milk-white eyes.
  ENVIRONMENT
  The large pile of black stones is 
  approximately 30 feet in diameter 
  and 20 feet tall. Each stone is 
  perfectly smooth and about the size 
  of a man’s head. Both the mound 
  and clearing are considered 
  difficult terrain.
   The strange black behir 
  carcass is approximately 40 feet 
  long and fills much of the area 
  directly in front of the mound 
  of black stones.
  CREATURES
  A band of bugbears has recently 
  ventured into the forest, hoping to 
  claim it as new hunting grounds. 
  Three bugbears are focused on picking 
  over the recently slain carcass of the 
  black behir while six others are 
  spread out across the clearing, 
  busily repairing weapons or 
  performing other chores. The 
  bugbears are all focused on 
  their tasks and most likely unaware 
  of reasonably cautious PCs.
  The bugbears are led by Gothrolg, a powerful half-umbral 
  dragon bugbear who is currently out of view on the far side 
  of the mound but quickly flies up on top of the black stones 
  at the first sign of trouble.
   Gothrolg is a sadistic creature who delights in torture, 
  pain, and suffering and has a taste for flesh, both living 
  and undead. The half-umbral dragon bugbear recently 
  recovered the shard, which the slain black behir had been 
  guarding, and is unsure what to do with it. He is more than 
  willing to fight to keep the shard, and will happily sacrifice 
  the bugbears in the process. However, Gothrolg has no 
  particular allegiance to the Dusk Queen and is unwilling 
  
  10
  10
  GOTHROLG
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (+1 leather armor, +1 ring of protection)
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA
  19 (+4)  
  14 (+2)  16 (+3)  
  11 (+0)  
  12 (+1)  
  11 (+0)
  Skills Intimidation +3, Stealth +5, Survival +3
  Damage Resistances necrotic
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 
  14
  Languages Common, Draconic, Goblin
  Challenge 5 (1800 XP)
  Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage 
  when Gothrolg hits with it (included in the attack).
  Indominable Heart. Gothrolg has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, frightened, paralyzed, 
  poisoned, stunned, or put to sleep.
  Surprise Attack. If Gothrolg surprises a creature and hits it 
  with an attack during the first round of combat, the target 
  takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Gothrolg makes two melee attacks.
  Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing 
  damage in melee or 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage at range.
  Necrotic Breath (Recharge 5–6): Gothrolg exhales a burst 
  of withering energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that 
  area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 24 
  (7d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one.
  Bugbears (9): AC 16, hp 27 ea., +4 hit, 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  piercing melee dmg or 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing ranged dmg, 
  surprise attack, see SRD.
  TREASURE
  Gothlorg wears a suit of +1 leather armor and a +1 ring of 
  protection.
  Searching the mound of black stones requires a successful 
  DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Buried within the 
  mound are three broken potion bottles (empty), a ring of 
  cold energy resistance, and a wand of secrets.
  E. MESSAGE FROM THE SHADOWS
  A hauntingly beautiful woman silently emerges from 
  the shadows and stares at you with cold, dark eyes. The 
  surrounding shadows seem to pool around her, and power 
  pours from her body. She smiles, but her dark eyes remain 
  cold as she speaks to you in soft, soothing tones. 
   “You are gathering my shards for me, and for that I am 
  eternally grateful. Once you have all five, I trust you will 
  bring them to me at once. If you do, I will reward each of you 
  handsomely. I assure you, the rumors about me have been 
  greatly exaggerated; I am not the monster many believe me 
  to be. Bring me the shards and I shall be pleased. Keep them 
  for yourself, though . . .” 
   The woman’s voice trails off and her cold eyes narrow 
  menacingly.
  The Dusk Queen is using major image in an attempt to 
  manipulate the PCs. Once the message has been delivered, 
  the image continues to regard the PCs quietly for a few 
  moments before slowly fading away.
  GM NOTE
  Although keyed to a specific location on the map, this 
  encounter can actually occur at any point along the path, 
  after the PCs have acquired two or three of the shards.
  Ideally, this should take place during a lull in the action 
  and should be used for maximum dramatic effect. 
  F. THE HANGING TREE
  XP Threshold: 7,600
  A lone, twisted tree rises from a small hill ahead of you. 
  Skeletons, some with their hands still bound behind their 
  backs, hang from strong branches high up in the tree. The 
  branches creak as the skeletons twist and sway in the wind. 
  By all appearances, these gruesome remains have been here 
  for a very long time. 
   High up on the trunk, a mirror shard is deeply embedded 
  in a thick branch.
  This was once known as the Hanging Tree. The skeletons 
  belonged to people who displeased the Dusk Queen during 
  her reign. Unless the PCs possess magical means to reach 
  the shard, they will likely need to climb to reach it (DC 12 
  Strength [Athletics] or Dexterity [Acrobatics] check).
  ENVIRONMENT
  The shard is embedded in a thick branch 40 feet up the tree. 
  A PC who reaches the shard may attempt to pry it loose 
  (DC 10 Dexterity check) or forcibly yank it free (DC 10 
  Strength check). Failing either of these checks by 3 or more 
  requires a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being 
  cut by the shard for 3 (1d6) slashing damage. Failing either 
  
  11
  11
  check by 10 or more requires a successful DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw to avoid falling from the tree for 14 (4d6) 
  bludgeoning damage.
   The shard is too firmly embedded in the tree for 
  mage hand or similar magic to pull free.
  CREATURES
  A specter and two wraiths guard the shard. 
  They swarm out suddenly from the surrounding 
  shadows and attack as soon as the shard is 
  disturbed.
  Specter: AC 12, hp 22, +4 hit, 10 (3d6) 
  necrotic dmg, incorporeal movement, 
  sunlight sensitivity, life drain, see SRD.
  Wraiths (2): AC 13, hp 67 ea., +6 
  hit, 21 (4d8 + 3) necrotic dmg, 
  incorporeal movement, sunlight 
  sensitivity, life drain, create specter, 
  see SRD.
  TREASURE
  A ring of the ram is on one of the 
  skeleton’s hands.
  G. THE PIT OF SHADOWS
  XP Threshold: 6,200
  An oblong pit yawns like a jagged 
  wound in the ground in front of you. 
  It is perhaps 20 feet across and at 
  least twice that in length. A dense, 
  almost palpable blackness seems to 
  rise up from the depths of the pit.
  ENVIRONMENT 
  It is particularly difficult to see 
  very far into the pit. PCs without 
  darkvision cannot see more than 
  a few feet. Even PCs who can see 
  in the darkness find they are able to 
  penetrate the thick blackness only half as far 
  as normal.
   A DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a partially 
  worn and eroded set of ancient stone steps cut into the sides 
  of the pit. They wind their way precariously downward into 
  the darkness before eventually ending at a stone ledge 60 
  feet below that juts out abruptly. The steps are extremely 
  steep and uneven, making them difficult to navigate. PCs 
  failing a DC 7 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 
  check fall from the steps and crash to the stone ledge below, 
  taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage.
   If the PCs take precautionary measures, such as using 
  rope or other climbing gear, the checks are made with 
  advantage.
  GM NOTE
  Although characters falling from the steps should normally 
  have a chance of missing the stone ledge and falling 
  downward into the swirling darkness, doing so would 
  certainly take the character out of the adventure! Therefore, 
  be sure to play up the dramatic impact of a falling character 
  barely managing to grab hold of something as he crashes 
  onto the ledge and narrowly avoids falling down into the 
  swirling darkness below! 
  
  12
  12
  THE PIT
  Once the PCs are close enough to the stone ledge, read:
  Peering over the edge of the stone outcrop, you see a swirling 
  miasma of inky blackness some 50 feet farther down. This 
  strange vortex of darkness resembles impossibly dense storm 
  clouds which completely fill the remainder of the deep pit.  
  This mysterious, swirling cloud of darkness is in fact a 
  portal to the Plane of Shadow. Although specific details 
  regarding what lies beyond are well beyond the scope of 
  this adventure, the GM is free utilize this gate at a later 
  point in the campaign if she wishes.
  Once on the ledge, the PCs discover a cave opening. Like 
  the rest of the shadowy darkness within the pit, visibility is 
  difficult even for those with darkvision.
  The cave opening leads directly into a natural cavern 60 feet 
  across and 40 feet high. At the center of the cavern, narrow 
  steps leading up to a stone ring are just barely discernible.
  ENVIRONMENT
  The stone ring is approximately two feet high, 10 feet in 
  diameter and encloses a pool of dark water 15 feet deep. A 
  DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a glint from a 
  mirror shard that lies at the very bottom of the pool.
  CREATURE
  Ilmareth, an elder shadow drake, dwells here with his two 
  “pet” shadows. Ilmareth, who had been the Dusk Queen’s 
  fiercely devoted mount, was devastated and confused by 
  her sudden disappearance. He retreated here to his lair 
  and sank into a long, deep depression. Ilmareth knew of 
  the shard in his pool, but until the recent whispers of his 
  Queen’s return, he was unsure what to do with it.
   As soon as anyone touches or otherwise interacts with 
  the water, read:
  A large dragon-like creature with black scales and shadowy 
  wings emerges suddenly from the darkness. The creature’s red 
  eyes glare at you as it speaks in a deep, monotone voice: 
   “I know why you have come, but I am a loyal servant of 
  the queen. You’ll not take this shard; the only thing I will give 
  you is DEATH!”
  Ilmareth attacks with reckless abandon to protect his shard, 
  as do the two shadows that share his cave with him. If the 
  battle goes particularly poorly for him, he attempts to escape 
  the cave with the shard and retreat to the Dusk Tower.
  
  13
  13
  ILMARETH, ELDER SHADOW DRAKE
  Large dragon, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48)
  Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  22 (+6) 
  13 (+1) 18 (+4) 
  8 (–1) 
  9 (–1) 
  13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +7, Cha +4
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +7
  Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
  Damage Immunities cold
  Condition Immunities paralyzed, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages Common, Draconic, Umbral
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Shadow Blend. In areas of dim light or darkness, an elder 
  shadow drake is treated as invisible. Artificial illumination, 
  such as a lantern or a light or continual flame spell, does 
  not negate this ability; nothing less than true sunlight or a 
  daylight spell does. The drake cannot use its Speed Surge or 
  its Stygian Breath while invisible. An elder shadow drake can 
  suspend or resume this ability at will, so long as the drake is 
  in dim light or darkness.
  Shadow Jump (3/Day). An elder shadow drake can travel 
  between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. 
  This magical transport must begin and end in an area of 
  dim light or darkness, and the distance must be no more 
  than 60 feet.
  Speed Surge (3/Day). The elder shadow drake takes one 
  additional move action on its turn. It can use only one speed 
  surge per round.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The drake makes one bite attack and one tail 
  slap attack.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage.
  Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
  Stygian Breath (Recharge 5–6). The elder shadow drake 
  exhales a ball of black liquid that travels up to 60 feet 
  before exploding into a cloud of frigid black mist with a 
  20-foot radius. Each creature in that sphere takes 42 (12d6) 
  cold damage, or half damage with a successful DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw. Within the area of effect, the mist 
  snuffs out nonmagical light sources and dispels magical 
  light of 1st level or lower.
  Shadows (2): AC 12, hp 16 ea., +4 hit, 9 (2d6 + 2) 
  necrotic dmg., amorphous, shadow stealth, sunlight 
  weakness, Strength drain, see SRD.
  TREASURE
  A bead of force, a slightly rusted mace of disruption with the 
  word “Nanroc” faintly carved into the head, and 120 gp can 
  be found at the bottom of the well.
  the Queen of ShadowS
  Once the PCs have all five shards, they must confront the 
  Dusk Queen, making their way to the clearing near the 
  center of the forest and infiltrating the Dusk Tower itself.
  THE DUSK QUEEN’S TOWER
  When the characters approach the tower, read:
  The tower appears to be made of smooth black stone. There 
  are no windows and only a single door. The tower is clearly 
  in disrepair; bits of the stone have crumbled away and 
  cracks run like spider webs across its surface. Vines snake up 
  the outside, as if trying to choke the life from the tower or 
  perhaps pull it to the ground.
  A single ornate door, crafted of sturdy darkwood and 
  reinforced with black iron, is the tower’s only entrance. 
  Although the door is not physically locked, it is warded 
  with arcane lock and protected by a glyph of warding (7d8 
  cold damage, DC 18 Dexterity saving throw for half).
   The darkwood door is three inches thick, has AC 15, 18 
  hit points, and damage threshold 5. 
  SHADOWY NEGOTIATIONS
  Once the PCs enter the tower, read:
  A single large chamber opens before you. There is no ceiling 
  overhead; the wooden floors of the upper levels appear to 
  have crumbled away long ago. A massive chandelier lies 
  twisted and broken in the middle of the floor, apparently 
  having crashed to the floor when the ceiling above rotted 
  away. Thick shadows fill the upper reaches of the tower. 
   Directly across from you, on a black marble dais at the far 
  end of the chamber, sits an ornate black throne. 
   To either side of the throne, once-majestic stairs climb the 
  walls, reaching as high as a man’s head before crumbling 
  away. 
   To the right of the throne, a large oval mirror in a thick 
  darkwood frame hangs on the stone wall. The frame is carved 
  with delicate runes, many of which look chipped or defaced. 
  The glass in the mirror has clearly been shattered; thousands 
  of tiny cracks create a chaotic spider-web pattern across its 
  surface. In five distinct spots, large pieces of the glass, each 
  about the size of a man’s hand, are missing entirely.
  
  14
  14
  ENVIRONMENT
  A large tapestry depicts the Dusk Queen riding her 
  shadow drake mount, Ilmareth, against the backdrop of 
  a stormy night sky. Well-worn, the tapestry is of superior 
  workmanship and worth at least 300 gp to the right buyer.
  DEVELOPMENT
  The Dusk Queen is invisible and flying overhead in the 
  shadowy, upper portion of the chamber. Once the PCs enter 
  the throne room, she addresses them in a soothing and 
  friendly tone, using the strange acoustics of the tower to 
  throw her voice so she does not give away her position: 
  Greetings, my friends. I trust you have retrieved all of my 
  mirror shards for me? Please kindly place them on my throne 
  and then step back. Once you have done so, I will reward you 
  handsomely as promised. I am, after all, a just queen, true to 
  my word.
  The Dusk Queen focuses all of her charisma and powers 
  of persuasion to cajole the shards from the PCs. If they 
  foolishly obey her command, Aazael attacks them while she 
  swoops in to claim her precious shards and tries to repair 
  her mirror. She can replace one shard each round.
  If she is unsuccessful in convincing the heroes to obey, 
  the Dusk Queen quickly becomes furious and addresses the 
  PCs in a menacing voice: 
  “FOOLS! If you will not listen to reason, then I will pluck the 
  shards from your cold, lifeless hands!” 
   As the Dusk Queen’s angry words echo throughout the 
  chamber, an ominous-looking warrior clad in black armor 
  and wielding a glowing black glaive appears out of the 
  shadows. Lifeless eyes burn from inside the dread knight’s 
  hollow skull.
  BATTLE FOR THE SHARDS
  XP Threshold: 10,800
  The Dusk Queen attacks relentlessly from above, using 
  every means at her disposal to destroy the PCs and take the 
  shards while the Dread Knight pummels them in combat 
  on the ground.
  ENVIRONMENT
  Because there are no longer any upper floors, the inside of 
  the tower is essentially a shadowy, 80-foot-high shaft.
  GM NOTE
  A PC with all five shards attempting to use the sacred flame 
  power against the Dusk Queen or her dread knight must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw each time in 
  order to force the shards to comply. 
  
  15
  15
  AAZAEL, THE DREAD KNIGHT
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (+1 plate, +1 ring of protection)
  Hit Points 85 (9d8 + 45)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  20 (+5) 
  11 (+0) 20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4)
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing 
  from nonmagical weapons
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., 
  passive Perception 13
  Languages Abyssal, Common
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Special Equipment. Aazael has +1 plate, a 
  +1 ring of protection, and a +1 glaive.
  Fear Aura: Any creature hostile 
  to Aazael that starts its turn 
  within 20 feet of the dread 
  knight must make a 
  DC 15 Wisdom saving 
  throw, unless Aazael 
  is incapacitated. On 
  a failed save, the creature 
  is frightened until the start of 
  its next turn. If a creature’s 
  saving throw is successful, the 
  creature is immune to Aazael’s 
  fear aura for the next 24 hours.
  Magic Resistance: Aazael has advantage 
  on saving throws against spells and other 
  magical effects.
  Rejuvenation: One day after Aazael is 
  destroyed, his armor begins to rebuild the undead 
  body trapped within. This process takes 1d10 days—if the 
  body is destroyed before that time passes, the armor merely 
  starts the process anew. After this time has elapsed, Aazael 
  wakens fully healed (see sidebar for more information).
  Spellcasting. Aazael is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell 
  attacks). He has the following paladin spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): command, compelled duel
  2nd level (3 slots): aid, magic weapon
  3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, elemental weapon
  Undead Nature. Aazael doesn’t require air, food, drink, or 
  sleep.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Aazael makes two melee attacks.
  +1 Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) 
  necrotic damage.
  Summon Pet (1/Day): Aazael may summon Annominc, 
  his fiendish black panther servant (see sidebar), which 
  immediately appears adjacent to him. Annominc remains for 
  1 hour, until it or Aazael dies, or until Aazael dismisses it as 
  an action.
  
  16
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  AAZAEL’S DREAD KNIGHT ARMOR
  Aazael’s armor is a preternatural second skin fused over 
  the desiccated flesh and scarred bones locked within; the 
  undead warrior’s life force lingers on in his armor, much 
  like a lich’s essence is bound within a phylactery. Unless 
  every part of Aazael’s armor is ruined along with his body, 
  Aazael will rejuvenate after it is destroyed.
   Aazael’s suit of deep black plate armor has AC 19, 45 hit 
  points, and damage threshold 10. Merely breaking Aazael’s 
  armor does not destroy it; it must be ruined, such as by 
  being disintegrated, exposed to the Positive Energy Plane, 
  or thrown into the heart of a volcano.
  THE DUSK QUEEN
  A hauntingly beautiful woman stares at you with cold, dark 
  eyes. Shadows pool around her and power can almost be 
  felt emanating from her body.
  Medium fey, neutral evil
  Armor Class 16 (mage armor*, +1 ring of protection)
  Hit Points 77 (14d8 + 14)
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.*
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  9 (–1)  
  15 (+2)  
  12 (+1)  
  20 (+5)  
  20 (+5)  
  21 (+5)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +4, Cha +8
  Skills Perception +8, Stealth +5
  Damage Resistances fire*, lightning*, bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t 
  cold iron
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, exhaustion
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 
  18
  Languages Common, Elvish, Giant, Sylvan
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Special Equipment. The Dusk Queen has scrolls of darkness 
  (x2), dominate person, freedom of movement*, harm, mage 
  armor*, protection from energy (×2)*, see invisibility, shield, 
  slow, stoneskin, and true seeing*, a handy haversack, and a 
  ring of feather falling (those marked with * indicate spells 
  cast before combat begins).
  Fey Ancestry. The Dusk Queen has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put her to 
  sleep.
  Innate Spellcasting. The Dusk Queen’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma. She can cast the following spells innately, 
  requiring no material components.
  3/day: misty step (when in shadows, dim light, or darkness)
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the Dusk Queen has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight.
  Arcane Spellcasting. The Dusk Queen is a 7th-level 
  spellcaster. Her arcane spellcasting ability is Intelligence 
  (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She knows 
  the following wizard spells:
  Cantrips (4 slots): chill touch, control flames, minor illusion, 
  ray of frost
  1st level (4 slots): color spray, ray of sickness, protection from 
  evil and good, witch bolt
  2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, cloud of daggers, 
  enlarge/reduce
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, major image
  4th level (1 slot): phantasmal killer
  Divine Spellcasting. The Dusk Queen is a 7th-level divine 
  spellcaster. Her divine spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell 
  save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She knows the 
  following cleric spells:
  Cantrips (4 slots): guidance, mending, resistance
  1st level (4 slots): bane, guiding bolt, sanctuary
  ANNOMINC
  Medium fiend (beast), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 14
  Hit Points 45 (10d8)
  Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16 (+3) 
  19 (+4) 10 (+0) 
  8 (–1) 
  14 (+2) 
  7 (–2)
  Damage Resistances cold and fire
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +8
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages —
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Keen Smell: The panther has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
  Pounce: If the panther 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 panther can make one bite attack against it 
  as a bonus action.
  ACTIONS
  Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) 
  necrotic damage.
  Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) 
  necrotic damage.
  
  17
  17
  2nd level (3 slots): enhance ability, hold person, silence
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, meld into stone, protection 
  from energy
  4th level (1 slot): stone shape
  Traveler in Darkness. The Dusk Queen has advantage on 
  Intelligence (Arcana) checks made to know about shadow 
  roads and shadow magic spells or items.
  ACTIONS
  Dagger: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.. 
  TACTICS
  The Dusk Queen has been monitoring the party’s progress 
  for some time and has had plenty of time to prepare for 
  their arrival. She uses her large supply of scrolls to cast 
  fly, greater invisibility, freedom of movement, globe of 
  invulnerability, mage armor, protection from energy (fire), 
  protection from energy (lightning), and true seeing (these 
  additional boons are noted in the statistics block above 
  and marked with an * where applicable). During combat, 
  The Dusk Queen attacks with spells while remaining well 
  hidden and protected in the shadows high overhead for as 
  long as possible.
  
  18
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  19
  19
  the Shadow gr imoir e
  Wondrous item, legendary  
  (requires attunement by an arcane spellcaster)
  This thick tome is covered in inky black nightmare hide leather 
  and bound with iron overlaid with silver. Delicate silver runes 
  are inlaid in a circular pattern across the cover. The pages 
  within are written in silver ink on jet-black paper. The book is 
  extremely well-crafted, durable and waterproof, and measures 
  just over 12 inches tall, 9 inches wide and 1 inch thick.
  The Dusk Queen received the Shadow Grimoire as a gift 
  while she still dwelt in the fey realm of the Winter Court.
  Warded. The Shadow Grimoire is protected by a glyph of 
  warding. The glyph is triggered by the Grimoire itself 
  if it feels threatened. The glyph causes explosive runes 
  to erupt in a 20-foot-radius sphere. Each creature in 
  the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. A 
  creature takes 45 (10d8) cold damage on a failed save, or 
  half as much damage on a successful one.
  Bookish. The Shadow Grimoire can open and close itself 
  and flip instantly to any page it desires, including the 
  current scroll page (see below) as an action. A DC 30 
  Strength check is required to close it, pry it open, or tear 
  out a page against its will.
  Scroll Page. The Shadow Grimoire always contains one 
  spell, from among all the spells transcribed within it, that 
  the owner may cast directly from the book as if it were a 
  scroll. Once the spell is cast, another spell (other than the 
  one just cast) randomly becomes the next spell that can 
  be cast directly from the book. The owner must spend 
  an action to flip pages and find the new scroll-page spell. 
  Once found, the scroll page can be marked for future 
  reference. The owner does not need to provide a material 
  component if it costs under 100 gp, and casting the spell 
  does not remove it from the spellbook. The Grimoire 
  does not have the ability to cast this spell itself.
  Innate Spellcasting. The Shadow Grimoire’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can cast the following 
  spells innately, requiring no material components:
  3/day: misty step (when in shadows, dim light, or 
  darkness only)
  Shadow Knowledge. The Shadow Grimoire’s secrets cling 
  to its owner’s mind like the Shadowfell itself. As long 
  as the owner is in possession of the Grimoire, he gains 
  advantage on all skill checks pertaining to shadow or 
  darkness magic or the geography, history, and denizens 
  of the Plane of Shadow.
  Sunlight Vulnerability. The Shadow Grimoire must remain 
  cloaked in shadow or the darkness of night at all times. 
  The spellbook is immediately damaged if exposed to 
  direct sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) for even an 
  instant. For every minute the Shadow Grimoire is exposed 
  to sunlight, it takes 4 (1d8) radiant damage. If this damage 
  exceeds the book’s total hit points, the Shadow Grimoire 
  bursts into gray flame and is forever destroyed.
  adventur e concluSion
  Replacing the five shards into the empty spots on the 
  broken mirror is simple enough, assuming the PCs still 
  wish to. When the first shard is replaced, the mirror’s frame 
  begins to glow slightly but the thousands of spidery cracks 
  remain. Once the final shard is placed into the mirror, 
  all five immediately fuse into the rest of the glass and the 
  cracks magically repair themselves, leaving a perfectly 
  smooth and whole mirror once again! The mirror is firmly 
  attached to the wall with powerful magic and cannot be 
  removed by anything short of a wish or similar magic.
   If repaired, the mirror allows the PCs to step into the glass 
  and magically transport themselves away from the tower, 
  as via teleport. Without the various command words and 
  intimate knowledge of how the mirror works, however, the 
  PCs will be unable to use any of the mirror’s other powers.
   Clever PCs may realize there is little compelling reason to 
  repair the mirror at all, now that the Dusk Queen has been 
  destroyed, and might instead decide to keep the five mirror 
  shards. If so, the shards keep their magical qualities. What’s 
  more, if the Dusk Queen is dead, the shards no longer 
  possess the queen’s life essence and therefore no longer 
  require a Wisdom saving throw when using their sacred 
  flame ability. The PCs will have acquired a unique and 
  powerful treasure indeed!
  TREASURE
  In addition to the shards and the considerable magic 
  possessed by the Dusk Queen and her Dread Knight, a 
  successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a 
  compartment concealed in the base of the throne. Hidden 
  inside is the Shadow Grimoire.
  THE TOWER’S FATE
  Once the PCs have had time to catch their breath and 
  search the throne room, read the following:
  A tremor ripples across the floor of the throne room. Moments 
  later, an even stronger tremor rocks the entire tower. Dust 
  and bits of stone begin to fall as large cracks appear on the 
  stone walls! The shaking quickly grows more and more violent, 
  making it abundantly clear the tower is in danger of collapse!
  If the PCs move quickly, they are able to get out in time 
  and move to a safe distance just as the entire tower crashes 
  to the ground in a cacophonous and deafening roar, 
  leaving nothing but a massive pile of stone, rubble, and 
  absolute destruction!
   If, for some reason, the PCs choose to remain inside the 
  tower, they most certainly meet with the same grim fate.
  GM NOTE: 
  The tower’s collapse utterly destroys the Dusk Queen’s 
  mirror. The force of the collapse is not powerful enough 
  to ruin Aazael’s armor, however, which means the dread 
  knight begins to rejuvenate 1d10 days later, while still 
  buried under the rubble.
  
  20
  20
  Spells. The Shadow Grimoire currently contains the 
  following spells (spells marked with a† can be found in the 
  Midgard Heroes Handbook by Kobold Press):
  5th level: cone of cold, dark dementing†, dream, shadow 
  realm gateway†
  4th level: black hand†, black tentacles, night terrors†, 
  phantasmal killer, shadow monsters†
  3rd level: call shadow mastiff†, feign death, fly, legion†, 
  shadow trove†, shield of star and shadow†
  2nd level: blindness/deafness, dark path†, darkbolt†, 
  darkness, darkvision, negative image†, shadow puppets†, 
  slither†
  1st level: black ribbons†, cloak of shadow†, cloying 
  darkness†, color spray, ray of enfeeblement, shadow 
  armor†, shadow hands†
  Cantrips: chill touch, claws of darkness†, douse light†, 
  shadow bite†, shadow blindness†, silhouette†
  Sentience. The Shadow Grimoire is a sentient neutral 
  book with an Intelligence of 16, a Wisdom of 14, and 
  a Charisma of 14. It has hearing and darkvision out 
  to a range of 30 feet. The book can speak, read, and 
  write Common, Elven, Sylvan, and Umbral, and can 
  communicate with its owner telepathically.
  Personality. The book is intelligent, haughty, and extremely 
  proud of its abilities and its unique nature. Once it 
  decides to reveal its sentience and awareness, it expects 
  to be treated in every possible way like a highly regarded 
  equal. As long as the Grimoire is confident its owner 
  shares its outlook and goals, it reveals its abilities and 
  complies with most requests. 
   The Shadow Grimoire is often mysterious, cryptic, and 
  prone to falling silent for long periods of time without 
  cause or explanation. If it feels it is being mistreated or 
  not shown the proper level of respect, the Grimoire snaps 
  itself shut and refuses to open or use any of its abilities. If 
  such behaviors persist, it attempts to hide itself or escape 
  from its owner using misty step. It even shouts for help 
  when the party encounters someone the Grimoire feels 
  would be a more suitable owner. 
   The Grimoire has little interest in good or evil, law 
  or chaos. Its primary interests lie in magic, specifically 
  shadow and darkness magic or anything pertaining to the 
  Shadowfell. The Grimoire is single-minded in its desire 
  to learn all it can about shadow magic and it expects its 
  owner to share this desire. It insists that its owner prepare 
  a minimum of three shadow or darkness spells from 
  among the highest level spells the owner can cast each 
  day. If the owner refuses, the book finds a more suitable 
  owner by whatever means necessary.
  GM NOTE
  The value of the Shadow Grimoire may seem high for 
  characters at this level. However, it is important to 
  understand that a living spellbook is much easier to manage 
  than other magical items of a similar rarity. For example, 
  PCs cannot memorize spells beyond what their caster level 
  allows. Also, the Shadow Grimoire is the final authority on if 
  and when its powers are used. The book typically acquiesces 
  to the owner’s wishes, but that is hardly absolute—the 
  Grimoire always retains full control of its abilities.
   Essentially, the GM should treat the Shadow Grimoire as 
  an NPC as well as a magic item, which makes it an excellent 
  tool for dispensing special clues and other campaign 
  information that might not be easy to convey otherwise. 
  The Grimoire can be a teacher and mentor as well as a 
  mysterious source of secrets and knowledge.
  If a PC decides to keep the Grimoire, the GM should 
  observe and cultivate the symbiotic relationship between 
  them carefully. While a living book retains control 
  over its special abilities, it still relies on its owner to 
  carry it around so it can learn and influence events.
  
  AN ADVENTURE 
  ON EVERY PAGE
  Tome of Beasts brings more than 400 new foes  
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  to earth-shaking personifications of evil!
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  ©2016 Open Design. Kobold Press logo is a trademark 
  of Open Design. 5E bullet is used by kind permission 
  of Sasquatch Game Studio.
  
  Midgard and the Kobold Press logo are trademarks of Open Design. 
  BY DAN DILLON, RICHARD GREEN, AND CHRIS HARRIS
  TM
  HEROES HANDBOOK
  Venture Forth in A  
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  The Midgard Campaign Setting is here! Now all it needs is heroes—to discover its wonders, battle its horrors, 
  and forge new legends in a dark world of deep magic for 5th Edition Fantasy. 
  MIDGARD WORLDBOOK 
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  MIDGARD HEROES HANDBOOK 
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  BY WOLFGANG BAUR AND RICHARD GREEN
  WORLDBOOK
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  MIDGARD WORLDBOOK
  ion slowly gives way to 
  d once-mighty empires  
  nly magic and the warmth  
  en dread things prowl,  
  t by demonic rage.
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  e returned to claim their 
   giants prepare for 
  he west grow restless.  
  f the vampire princes falls 
  nt is stirring—and not 
  ay what will happen next.
  ds heroes to stand against 
  , steel, and cunning!
  PO Box 2811  |  Kirkland WA 98083
  www.koboldpress.com
  MSRP 49.99
  BN 978-1-936781-82-9
  Printed in the USA
  tasy 
  playing 
  nture in a 
  k world 
  f deep magic!
  TM
  
  ©2016 Open Design. Kobold Press logo is a trademark 
  of Open Design. 5E bullet is used by kind permission 
  of Sasquatch Game Studio.
  Magic Knows a  
  Thousand Roads
  There’s more to spellcasting than flying and fireballs! The Deep Magic series  
  gives you access to entire new schools of magic, including:
  • Clockwork Magic: Your hand on the levers of the universe!
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  • …and more! 
  Each installment comes with new spells, new archetypes, and new school-specific 
  powers. Go beyond the ordinary, and unlock the power of Deep Magic!
  
  24
  24
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All 
  Rights Reserved.
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  	 15.	COPYRIGHT	NOTICE	
   Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the 
  Coast, Inc.
   System Reference Document. Copyright 2000, Wizards 
  of	the	Coast,	Inc.;	Authors	Jonathan	Tweet,	Monte	Cook,	
  Skip	Williams,	based	on	material	by	E.	Gary	Gygax	and	Dave	
  Arneson.
   Midgard Heroes Handbook.	©	2018	Open	Design.	Authors:	
  Beth	Jones,	Thomas	Knauss,	Ben	McFarland,	and	Stephen	
  Rowe.
   Shadows of the Dusk Queen,	©	2018,	Open	Design	LLC;	
  Author	Marc	Radle.		
  
     The 
  Queen  
        of 
      ShadowS
  hroughout the land, 
  legends of the Dusk Queen 
  persist. They speak of a sometimes 
  kind, other times cruel, yet always 
  mysterious fey queen who ruled 
  from her Dusk Tower—a tall 
  spire of smooth, dark stone in 
  the heart of a great, shadowy 
  forest. Perhaps the most 
  gripping legends, however, whisper  
  of the Dusk Queen’s sudden and 
  mysterious disappearance ... and 
  her even more mysterious return.
  T
  PO Box 2811  |  Kirkland WA 98083
  www.koboldpress.com
  ISBN 978-1-936781-87-4
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Kobold Press/Shadows of the Dusk Queen.pdf