TEXT: 5th Edition Conversion
  5th Edition Conversion
  5th Edition Conversion
  5th Edition Conversion
  5th Edition Conversion
  
  Table of Contents
  Table of Contents
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  Welcome
  Welcome
  Table of Contents ...........................................................
  Credits .......................................................................................
  Links to External Documents .................................................
  Introduction .......................................................................
  Evil to Challenge the Gods ......................................................
  Links to Extra Images ..............................................................
  Chapter 1: Evil Does Not Sleep
  Chapter 1: Evil Does Not Sleep
  The End Times ......................................................................
  Incorporating Elder Evils .......................................
  Reading the Entries ..................................................................
  Signs of Apocalypse ......................................................
  Introducing Signs ......................................................................
  Identifying Signs ........................................................................
  Signs Revealed ...........................................................................
  Additional Signs ........................................................................
  Serving Elder Evils .........................................................
  Elder Evil Cults ..........................................................................
  Vile Feats ..................................................................................
  Elder Evil Traits .............................................................
  Malefic Properties ..................................................................
  Chapter 2: Atropus
  Chapter 2: Atropus
  Atropus in the Campaign .......................................
  Sign: Restless Dead ................................................................
  Timeline ....................................................................................
  Variant Usage ...........................................................................
  The Moonlet ......................................................................
  Key Features ............................................................................
  Defenses ...................................................................................
  Encounter Areas .....................................................................
  Facing the Aspect of Atropus ................................................
  Encounter 1: Bone Field .........................................
  Encounter 2: Deep Crater ......................................
  Encounter 3: Angels of Atropus .....................
  Chapter 3: Father Llymic
  Chapter 3: Father Llymic
  Father Llymic in the Campaign .........................
  Sign: Dead Sun .......................................................................
  Timeline ....................................................................................
  Variant Usage ...........................................................................
  Glacial Tomb ......................................................................
  Key Features ............................................................................
  Defenses ...................................................................................
  Encounter Areas .....................................................................
  Encounter 1: Giant Brood ....................................
  Encounter 2: Ice Wyrm ..............................................
  Encounter 3: Father Llymic .................................
  Chapter 4: The Hulks of Zoretha
  Chapter 4: The Hulks of Zoretha
  The Hulks of Zoretha in the Campaign ...
  Sign: Blood Moon ...................................................................
  The Zoretha Scrolls ...............................................................
  Timeline ....................................................................................
  Variant Usage ...........................................................................
  The Temple of Zoretha .............................................
  Key Features .............................................................................
  Defenses ...................................................................................
  Encounter Areas .....................................................................
  Encounter 1: Into the Temple ............................
  Encounter 2: Stop the Ritual .............................
  Encounter 3: The Hulks Awaken .....................
  Chapter 5: The Leviathan
  Chapter 5: The Leviathan
  The Leviathan in the Campaign ........................
  Sign: Eerie Weather ...............................................................
  Timeline ....................................................................................
  Variant Usage ...........................................................................
  Description .........................................................................
  Dwarven Diving Machine ......................................................
  Abyssal Shard ..........................................................................
  Spine Temple .......................................................................
  Key Features .............................................................................
  Defenses ...................................................................................
  Encounter Areas .....................................................................
  Encounter 1: Upper Temple ...................................
  Encounter 2: Runic Zones .....................................
  Encounter 3: The Pit ...................................................
  Chapter 6: Pandorym
  Chapter 6: Pandorym
  Pandorym in the Campaign ..................................
  Sign: Seal of Binding ..............................................................
  Timeline ....................................................................................
  Variant Usage ...........................................................................
  Description .........................................................................
  Pandorym's Body .....................................................................
  The Crystalline Prison Complex .....................
  Key Features .............................................................................
  Encounter Areas .....................................................................
  Encounter 1: Guard Room ....................................
  Encounter 2: The Shattered Hall ..................
  Encounter 3: Crystalline Prison ....................
  1
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  Chapter 7: Ragnorra
  Chapter 7: Ragnorra
  Ragnorra in the Campaign .................................................................................................................................................................
  Sign: Twisted Life ..................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Timeline ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Variant Usage .........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Description .......................................................................................................................................................................................................
  The Worldskin ........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  The Heart of the Crater ........................................................................................................................................................................
  Key Features ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter Areas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 1: Skin Crawl .......................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 2: Vane Engagement .....................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 3: Vile Home .........................................................................................................................................................................
  Chapter 8: Sertrous
  Chapter 8: Sertrous
  Sertrous in the Campaign ...................................................................................................................................................................
  Sign: Infestation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Timeline ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Variant Usage .........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Serpent Reliquary .......................................................................................................................................................................................
  Key Features ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Defenses ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter Areas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 1: Grand Temple of Sertrous ...............................................................................................................................
  Encounter 2: Pits of the Forsaken ..............................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 3: Inmost Vault .................................................................................................................................................................
  Chapter 9: The Worm That Walks
  Chapter 9: The Worm That Walks
  The Worm that Walks in the Campaign ..................................................................................................................................
  Sign: Infestation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Timeline ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Other Material ........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Variant Usage .........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Wormcrawl Island ......................................................................................................................................................................................
  Key Features ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Defenses ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter Areas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 1: Ruins ....................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 2: Tar Pit .................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 3: The Obelisk .....................................................................................................................................................................
  Chapter 10: Zargon
  Chapter 10: Zargon
  Zargon in the Campaign .......................................................................................................................................................................
  Sign: Eerie Weather ..............................................................................................................................................................................................
  Timeline ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Variant Usage .........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  The Ziggurat ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Key Features ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Defenses ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter Areas ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 1: Hall of Whelps ...........................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 2: Den of Excess ...............................................................................................................................................................
  Encounter 3: Chapel of Zargon ....................................................................................................................................................
  2
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  Credits
  Credits
  Fifth Edition Conversion
  Fifth Edition Conversion
  badooga (badooga#8108 on Discord, /u/badooga1 on Reddit)
  - designer
  Discord - a lot of you guys on D&D discord servers like the
  Discord of Many Things helped me out with this conversion.
  Thanks for all the help!
  Converter's Note: Welcome!
  Welcome to Elder Evils 5e! I hope you enjoy this
  conversion. To view the statistics for all of the
  monsters referenced in this document, see the
  standalone document on GM Binder. You can also
  download a PDF version of the bestiary document
  on Google Drive. Also note that this book refers to
  content from the original Elder Evils book; as such,
  you will need to acquire your own copy of the book
  in order to use it alongside this one.
  Additionally, there is a standalone supplement
  for a tenth Elder Evil, Shothragot, that can be found
  on GM Binder or on Google Drive.
  Please feel free to use the content of this book
  however you'd like, as long as credit is given as
  appropriate. Have fun!
  Original Book
  Original Book
  Designers
  Designers
  Robert J. Schwalb
  Jason Bulmahn
  Greg Gordon
  James Jacobs
  Rhiannon Louve
  Michael McArtor
  Anthony Pryor
  Editors
  Editors
  Logan Bonner
  Michele Carter
  Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
  Freelance Coordinator
  Freelance Coordinator
  Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel
  Editing Manager
  Editing Manager
  Kim Mohan
  Content Credits
  A lot of text in this conversion is taken directly
  from the original Elder Evils books. Give it up for
  these guys for all the hard work they put into it!
  Additionally, note that I used stat blocks from
  official 5e supplements (e.g. the atropal in ToA) as
  foundations for some of the new stat blocks found
  in this conversion.
  Design Manager
  Design Manager
  Christopher Perkins
  Development Manager
  Development Manager
  Andy Collins
  Director of RPG D&D
  Director of RPG D&D
  Bill Slavicsek
  Production Managers
  Production Managers
  Kris Walker
  Shari Overbay
  Senior Art Director D&D
  Senior Art Director D&D
  Stacy Longstreet
  Art Director
  Art Director
  Karin Powell
  Cover Artist
  Cover Artist
  Michael Komarck
  Interior Artists
  Interior Artists
  Miguel Coimbra
  Daarken
  Wayne England
  Ralph Horsley
  Izzy
  Howard Lyon
  Michael Philippi
  Skan Srisuwan
  Francis Tsai
  Franz Vohwinkel
  Eva Widermann
  James Zhang
  Cartographer
  Cartographer
  Mike Schley
  Graphic Designers
  Graphic Designers
  Michael Martin
  Soe Murayama
  Graphic Production Specialist
  Graphic Production Specialist
  Erin Dorries
  Image Technician
  Image Technician
  Sven Bolen
  Art Credits
  Much of the art used in this book is borrowed from
  the original Elder Evils supplement. There might be
  some images that came from elsewhere, however.
  If you find any, note that these images are taken
  from official books like Mordenkainen's Tome of
  Foes that are printed by Wizards of the Coast.
  3
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  Introduction
  Introduction
  When elder evils stir, the world groans; when they awaken,
  the world weeps. Buried in the deepest bowels of the
  Underdark, hidden in the farthest reaches of the multiverse,
  or lost in the gulfs between realities are terrible things that
  exist only to destroy or horribly remake creation. So mighty
  are these ancient beings that even the gods think twice about
  standing against them. Mortals who are aware of their
  existence viciously suppress that knowledge and destroy any
  who would serve such things. Even if an elder evil can be
  forced back to whence it came, its mere presence changes
  the world forever. In short, it is a campaign ender.
  Evil to Challenge the Gods
  Evil to Challenge the Gods
  The Elder Evils supplement presents a catalog of some of the
  most infamous and terrible creatures ever to plague the
  multiverse. From an undead world "born" at the moment of
  creation, to terrifying monstrosities that clawed their way out
  of the Abyss, to unthinkable entities from beyond the planes,
  these beings exemplify horrors that can destroy not just a
  kingdom but entire worlds or even existence itself.
  Most elder evils have been imprisoned by great heroes,
  deities, or other powerful beings who fear their release. Yet
  they are not so easily forgotten: Whispers of their existence
  seduce the mad and villainous, promising great power in
  exchange for release. Thus, each elder evil presented here
  has one or more servants, also described in detail.
  Chapter 1. Evil Does Not Sleep: This section provides
  suggestions for introducing an elder evil into the campaign as
  well as signs that bring the end times to your world. New cult
  features and malefic properties add horror and power to
  elder evils and their servants.
  Chapter 2. Atropus: This moonlike orb is the stillborn
  afterbirth of the world's creation, an undead entity that
  desires nothing less than the end of the entire multiverse.
  Chapter 3. Father Llymic: Although his body lies frozen in
  a prison of ice, the mind of this utterly alien being is glacially
  aware. His corrosive form slowly infects his surroundings,
  reaching gradually to make the world a part of himself. His
  corrupt Brood roams free, spreading evil in preparation for
  their master's awakening.
  Chapter 4. Hulks of Zoretha: Left behind in the wake of a
  world-shaking storm a century past, these enigmatic
  monoliths hold a secret known by only a few. The Hulks are
  the seeds of a monstrous colonization project, awaiting a
  signal from a parallel plane. Once it is received, they will
  animate to carve a path of destruction.
  Chapter 5. Leviathan: Leviathan is a creature of bestial
  intelligence whose enormous coils wrap the world. It sleeps
  in the deepest trenches of the seas, spawning tsunamis,
  whirlpools, and earthquakes as it restlessly shifts. Now mad
  cultists seek to wake the beast and submerge all the lands.
  Chapter 6. Pandorym: Pandorym is a doomsday weapon,
  an entity from beyond the multiverse. Ancient wizards
  summoned it as a deterrent to defend their empire from
  vengeful deities. However, the raging gods ended the
  kingdom's reign before it could release the weapon.
  Pandorym now lingers, its essence split and imprisoned,
  waiting for release—and vengeance.
  Chapter 7. Ragnorra: Arising in a time before creation,
  Ragnorra is a force of perverted life that births monstrosities
  from her swollen body. The deities cast her into the sky, but
  she reappears as a blood-red comet every 500 years.
  Dreadful seed and falling stars produce monstrous offspring
  in worlds Ragnorra approaches—and now she smashes into
  worlds to remake them directly.
  Chapter 8. Sertrous: Sertrous began as a demon, one of
  the obyriths—a remnant demonic race shuddering toward
  extinction. With the rise of the tanar'ri, Sertrous was exiled
  from the Abyss and took the form of a monstrous serpent,
  granting vile powers to the yuan-ti in exchange for their
  service. Even though he was slain, Sertrous lingers in spirit
  and continues to corrupt the snake people. His followers, the
  Vanguard of Sertrous, employ intrigue and magic to gain
  influence and ultimately bring about the end of the world.
  Chapter 9. The Worm that Walks: This elder evil is the
  memory of a slain corporeal god. Its essence transferred itself
  to the worms and maggots that devoured the deity's corpse,
  forming a hideous but vaguely humanoid shape. The horror
  was sealed away in an obelisk by heroes of a previous age. It
  seeks ever to escape and eat its way to world domination, one
  writhing victim at a time.
  Chapter 10. Zargon: According to legend, Zargon cannot
  be killed unless his horn is severed from his body, and if his
  horn is not destroyed, he will inevitably return to claim it. The
  immortals could not discover a means of destroying his horn,
  and thus they entombed Zargon and a whole city of his mad
  worshipers in a place now lost to history.
  Extra Images
  Check out these Imgur albums for important
  images you can use in your games!
  Maps: High quality maps for each area and
  encounter.
  Monster Images: Art for most monsters in the
  bestiary.
  Tokens: Tokens for most monsters in the
  bestiary.
  4
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  Evil Does Not Sleep
  Evil Does Not Sleep
  "And I looked upon the Thing and I wept tears of blood, for I
  knew my land, my people, my very world was dead."
  — Ancient scroll recovered from the Valley of Death
  The following pages present incomprehensible horrors,
  threats to the campaign setting so powerful as to bring it to
  an end. These beings have nothing less in mind than the utter
  destruction of a world or even existence itself. Even if their
  genocidal plans are not completely realized, they can leave
  the world unrecognizable.
  Elder evils are not just monsters with impressive
  Challenge Ratings. They are campaign capstones. Their
  abilities outstrip those of even the most powerful player
  characters. In some cases, the party does not confront the
  elder evil itself, but only a mighty extension of its foul will. It
  might be possible to fight and even defeat such creatures, but
  their very existence unalterably changes the world.
  If ending the world isn't on your horizon just yet, the foes
  described in the following chapters make exciting challenges
  for your campaign's high-level adventurers. They and their
  powerful minions are the basis for grand story arcs that pit
  the characters against the greatest threats facing their
  existence. As an individual challenge, any of the monsters
  presented here offers a memorable confrontation. An
  adventure need not conclude with encountering the elder evil
  itself; the party might thwart the plans of villains early enough
  to prevent an apocalyptic outcome.
  If you are ready to bring your campaign to a close, though,
  start with this chapter. It sets out the basics of incorporating
  these beings into your world's history. As well, it provides
  some advice on ending it all in a way that is not only
  memorable and exciting, but satisfying too.
  The End Times
  The End Times
  "The shrieks, the laughter, the wailing! We were going mad.
  We knew not why or how, but delusions and hallucinations
  ruled our feverish minds."
  You might be wondering why you should ever end your
  campaign: Things are going fine, and you're having fun.
  To cite a cliché, all good things must come to an end. Even
  if you're not ready to stop now, one day you will be. At some
  point, the party ascends the heady heights of the fourth tier of
  play, and fewer and fewer foes can challenge them.
  When player characters own castles and lands, command
  continent-spanning organizations, lead entire religious
  movements, or are generals of armies no longer content with
  mortal wars, your campaign is approaching a natural close.
  You could forge on, having the party challenge the gods
  themselves, but even then, the tale has to end someday.
  Ending a campaign is a significant achievement. It is a
  natural conclusion to all the stories you and your players have
  told together, and it gives everyone a feeling of
  accomplishment after years of play. In addition, bringing your
  campaign to a close lets you embark on something different,
  exploring new worlds and possibilities—in short, death leads
  to rebirth.
  Incorporating Elder Evils
  Incorporating Elder Evils
  Elder evils lurk on the fringes of existence. They have always
  been and always will be. Although they can be as powerful as
  demigods—sometimes more so—they are not deities. They
  aren't interested in mortals except to wipe them out. Gods
  create and attend their creations; elder evils unravel them.
  The mere presence of an elder evil threatens reality. Such
  power is difficult to conceal. If the party hasn't heard even a
  whisper of the entity to date, why and how has it masked its
  presence? Uncovering this mystery can be as thrilling a
  challenge as the final confrontation itself.
  The secrecy of an elder evil depends on your needs as the
  Dungeon Master. If you're starting a new campaign and plan
  to end it in a confrontation with a world-threatening entity,
  plant the seeds early and drop hints over time. If you've
  decided recently to bring things to a head, there's nothing
  wrong with suddenly revealing the elder evil.
  When introducing these terrifying entities into an
  established campaign, use what you already have. Recurring
  villains or their minions work well when the party already has
  an inkling of the nemesis. For example, when the nefarious
  high priest of Nerull reveals that she is in fact an accomplice
  of the Worm that Walks (see Chapter 9), the revelation is as
  logical as it is horrifying. On the other hand, a major
  campaign villain might turn out to be the elder evil itself.
  Faceless, recurring villains hide their identities behind
  several masks; as the campaign develops, the party exposes
  (or believe they expose) their true enemy again and again
  until you're ready to reveal the ultimate truth.
  Reading the Entries
  Reading the Entries
  Each of the chapters of the original book describes an elder
  evil, its motivations and servants, and signs of its approach,
  as well as providing a sample story arc to help you introduce
  the threat into your campaign. A given entry uses the format
  below.
  To respect the intellectual property of the original creators,
  this document only notes changes with respect to the source
  material. It also includes Signs of Apocalypse that are rebuilt
  to fit 5th Edition design philosophies.
  Background
  Background
  This section opens with a paragraph of common knowledge
  and continues with several paragraphs of specialized
  knowledge. Learning one of these pieces of information
  about an elder evil requires an Intelligence (Arcana) or
  Intelligence (Religion) check, as listed in the original book.
  While the DC of each check remains up to the DM, they
  should range from Moderate (DC 15) to Nearly Impossible
  (DC 30). Alternatively, the DM may decide that this
  information cannot be acquired except through certain
  methods of research or interaction with the campaign world.
  Goal
  Goal
  This section follows the same format as the Background
  entry, but the lore entries reveal ever more secret details of
  the elder evil's ultimate purpose.
  5
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  The Elder Evil in the Campaign
  The Elder Evil in the Campaign
  This section sets out a sample story arc with increasingly
  difficult challenges, culminating in the final confrontation
  with the elder evil. The Suggested Level of these challenges
  correspond with strengthening signs of the apocalypse, as
  detailed later in this chapter. Each chapter includes a section
  that describes the game effects of that elder evil's sign.
  Two subsections suggest ways to adapt the elder evil to the
  Forgotten Realms® and Eberron™ campaign settings.
  Variant Usage. This subsection presents an original variant
  on how an elder evil might fit in a unique campaign setting, or
  it may present alternate plot hooks or story details to be used
  as appropriate.
  You can adapt any of the example elder evils in this book so
  that they fit better into your setting's history. For example,
  planar campaigns or campaigns that use Spelljammers might
  wish to change the default locations given in the original
  book to better fit the setting they are a part of.
  Description
  Description
  Here follow physical details of the elder evil. Important
  servants and minions are also presented in this section.
  Statistics for these creatures can be found in a separate
  document, linked here.
  Encounter Information
  Encounter Information
  Each entry has an overview map of the area in which the final
  confrontation occurs. Specific encounter areas are described
  in narrative, and a few are tied to tactical encounters at the
  end of the chapter.
  Each tactical encounter includes a map of the room or area
  in which it takes place. The information includes creature
  statistics and tactics, initial positions of combatants, the
  locations of traps or other hazards, and other details
  important to the encounter.
  Signs of Apocalypse
  Signs of Apocalypse
  An elder evil, or its mortal minions, might be active through
  the life of the campaign, but only when the horror awakens,
  arrives, or sets its plans in motion does the world know of it.
  This awakening manifests as a sign: the physical, magical, or
  psychological imprint of the elder evil. A sign reflects an
  aspect of the being's purpose and nature, and it influences
  the entire campaign setting. Sometimes it appears not by the
  will of the entity itself (which would rather not tip its hand),
  but as a warning from the gods, who are often constrained
  from direct involvement.
  Introducing Signs
  Introducing Signs
  When adjudicating a sign's influence, describe in flavorful
  narrative how it alters the world around the party. (Refer to
  the quotations that introduce each sign for inspiration to
  guide your story.)
  After a sign appears and gains strength, its effect can be
  nearly as devastating as the elder evil itself; even if the threat
  is dealt with, this lingering influence leaves the world a much
  different place. Since signs have such widespread effects,
  handling them within the context of the game can be
  daunting. The sample story arcs in the following chapters
  suggest ways to heighten a given sign gradually over time.
  When it finally becomes overwhelming—heralding the
  imminent arrival of the threat—the party's average level
  should be high enough to resist all but the worst effects.
  Identifying Signs
  Identifying Signs
  To ordinary mortals, the appearance of a sign is a mysterious
  phenomenon—foreboding and sinister, to be sure, but without
  obvious significance. Only individuals who have the proper
  training and experience, who are steeped in ancient or
  forbidden knowledge, have any chance to recognize its grim
  implications.
  To identify a sign for what it is, a character must succeed
  on an Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Religion) check,
  as appropriate. The check DC depends on the sign's intensity,
  as set out in the following table. As the effect of the sign
  becomes more pervasive, its meaning grows ever more clear.
  A faint sign might be simply unsettling, but at its height, its
  influence is inescapable.
  Intensity
  DC
  Faint
  23
  Moderate
  19
  Strong
  15
  Overwhelming
  11
  By succeeding on this check, a character knows the sign is
  an evil omen. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the
  character can identify the sign's strength, and succeeding by
  10 or more reveals all the ramifications of its effect (including
  the identity of the elder evil).
  Signs Revealed
  Signs Revealed
  The following signs are examples of those that could
  accompany an elder evil's approach; you might prefer to
  design your own, taking inspiration from these entries. Each
  section describes the effect of the sign at the four intensities
  listed above.
  Some entries suggest ways of varying the sign's influence
  to better suit the needs of the campaign.
  Blood Moon
  Blood Moon
  "And the moon shone crimson, drenching the lands with the
  color of blood. In its ill-omened light, people went mad with
  rage and turned on each other in hate."
  The pale disk of silver hanging in the night sky transforms,
  assuming a ghastly hue. At first, it darkens to an orange tone
  like that of a harvest moon, but as the sign approaches its
  peak, it turns the color of blood.
  Effect: The sign of the blood moon sets tempers on edge,
  making living creatures irritable and aggressive. Ultimately,
  they are consumed by involuntary rage.
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   Details: The Hulks of Zoretha are associated with this
  sign. See Chapter 4 for more information.
  Dead Sun
  Dead Sun
  "The sun did not rise. Hours turned into days, days into
  weeks, and still the blanket of darkness shrouded all. A cruel,
  dark winter was upon us, freezing the warmth of our blood."
  When this sign appears, the light dies. The days grow shorter,
  and temperatures drop until finally the sun vanishes from the
  sky, plunging the world into perpetual night.
  Effect: Natural and magical lighting diminish as the sign
  strengthens, until the sun no longer rises.
  Details: Father Llymic is associated with this sign. See
  Chapter 3 for more information.
  Variant: Instead of the sun disappearing completely,
  planetary rotation slows so that, ultimately, one side of the
  world is bathed in perpetual light while the other is plunged
  into eternal darkness. The effects of the sign on the dark side
  function as normal. On the light side, the effects are reversed:
  The range of natural light sources doubles; sunrise occurs
  earlier and sunset later; spells that produce darkness are
  impeded and light-producing spells are enhanced. Finally,
  global average temperatures climb rather than drop. The
  glaring light and heat are as great a disaster as endless dark,
  ultimately rendering the light side a lifeless ruin.
  Eerie Weather
  Eerie Weather
  "Frogs fell from the sky for hours. The next day, flaming
  stones showered us, killing all they touched. Then it snowed
  for three weeks. Who knows what's next?"
  This sign alters the weather in drastic and unnatural ways.
  Snow in the summer and sweltering heat in the winter are
  just the beginning. Hurricanes lash the coastlines, destroy
  villages, or flood entire cities; tornadoes rip apart the
  countryside; and bizarre weather effects become
  commonplace. All the while, sickening green clouds form,
  and violet lightning dances between them.
  Effect: When this sign manifests, it creates strange and
  random meteorological effects. The intensity of the sign
  determines the extent, duration, and frequency of the unusual
  weather.
  Details: The Leviathan and Zargon are associated with
  this sign. See Chapters 5 and 10 for more information.
  Infestation
  Infestation
  "Do you hear that? That terrible sound! The scratching, the
  endless scratching in the wall—and the rats! They're
  everywhere, choking us, drowning us!"
  The world shudders beneath a flood of loathsome creatures
  birthed from the depths of the seas or the dankest pits of the
  Underdark. Armies of hideous monsters march to the pulse
  of the lurid sign. The infestation sweeps across the lands,
  devouring everything in its path.
  Effect: The type of infestation depends on the nature of the
  elder evil. Aberrations, animals, plants, oozes, undead, and
  vermin are typical choices, though some magical beasts,
  outsiders, and even humanoids could work too. As the sign
  grows in strength, so too do the numbers, increasing the
  challenge of the encounter. The creatures spread throughout
  the campaign setting as the sign grows stronger, and
  encounters range from single fights to desperate stands
  against vast armies.
  Details: Sertrous and the Worm that Walks are associated
  with this sign. See Chapters 8 and 9 for more information.
  Variant: Infestations need not be combat encounters.
  Swarms serve well in this role: Clouds of locusts devour
  crops, numberless rats spread disease, and creeping spiders
  drape entire cities in webbing.
  Restless Dead
  Restless Dead
  "Too long have we reveled in our wickedness, too long have
  we sampled the forbidden—now the gods shun us, sealing the
  gates to heaven and leaving us lost among the dead."
  When this sign appears, the demarcation between life and
  death grows ever more blurry. After souls depart, their bodies
  stir in a wretched existence neither alive nor dead. The sign
  of the restless dead first makes itself known by isolated
  occurrences of zombies and skeletons in the community. As it
  strengthens, the undead plague increases. Corpses pull
  themselves free from graves, slaughtering former friends and
  lovers and swelling their ranks until only the shuffling dead
  remain.
  Effect: In the early stages of this sign, only a few of the
  dead spontaneously animate. Necromancy magic becomes
  more efficacious, while healing magic is suppressed. As the
  sign intensifies, more and more corpses rise, growing
  stronger all the while.
  Details: Atropus is associated with this sign. See Chapter
  2 for more information.
  Seal of Binding
  Seal of Binding
  "Unnatural things walk the streets, horrors spewed up from
  the pits of hell. How did they get here? Will they ever depart?"
  A fiery glyph appears in the sky, casting dim light. Aside from
  its sudden and unusual appearance, the symbol seems to be
  harmless, but those who communicate with planar beings or
  use magical methods of travel feel its effect at once. As the
  sign intensifies, the glyph grows more complex, spreading
  like a weird stain across the heavens.
  Effect: The seal of binding interferes with most
  conjuration spells and many divination spells by closing off
  the avenues that enable mortals to interact with the planes.
  Clerics' connections with the divine are severed, summoned
  creatures do not return to their home planes, and
  dimensional travel ceases to function.
  Details: Pandorym is associated with this sign. See
  Chapter 6 for more information.
  7
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  Twisted Life
  Twisted Life
  "We argued about which deity had granted us the boon and
  blamed harmful effects on infernal forces. When we should
  have taken action, we instead wasted time on pointless
  wrangling. Only now can we see the hideous truth."
  This sign first manifests with accelerated healing. Soon,
  though, living creatures and inanimate objects become
  covered with festering boils, which burst to expel swarms of
  pests. Not long after this boon comes a light rain of spores,
  dotting the landscape with foul growths that spawn horrid
  abominations and spread corruption across the land. As the
  sign strengthens, wounds close almost instantly, but flesh
  grows pustulent and bones distend as life becomes corrupted.
  At its peak, all undead but the most powerful and hidden are
  obliterated. The dead rise as gibbering aberrations, and the
  living mutate into twisted progeny.
  Effect: This sign manifests as a surge of corrupt positive
  energy that resculpts life on an entire world.
  Details: Ragnorra is associated with this sign. See
  Chapter 7 for more information.
  Additional Signs
  Additional Signs
  When creating your own elder evil, use the following signs as
  inspiration. Alter the effects to fit the theme of your elder evil
  when necessary.
  Alien Skies
  Alien Skies
  "I peered into the heavens, searching for familiar sights, but
  found nothing I knew. All was strange and disquieting, as
  though we were adrift in alien seas."
  After the sun sets, the stars twinkle in the heavens as always
  —but they are strange. They glow luridly with weird colors,
  spreading fear and wonder in all who behold them. Familiar
  constellations vanish, re-form, or shift to new locations. As
  the sign reaches its peak, distorting the arcane energies of
  the world, unsettling auroras and intense meteor showers
  illuminate the night skies.
  Faint: The DC for any saving throw made to maintain
  concentration on a spell is increased by 2.
  Moderate: As faint, but whenever a creature deals damage
  with a spell, the damage of the spell is randomly changed to
  one of the following damage types (roll a d10 to determine
  the damage type): acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic,
  poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder.
  Strong: As moderate, but the DC for saving throws made
  to maintain concentration on a spell is increased by 5 (from
  2). Additionally, all creatures gain a +2 bonus to saving throws
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Overwhelming: As strong, but whenever a creature casts a
  spell, roll a d20. On a 20, the creature must roll on the Wild
  Magic Surge table to create a random magical effect.
  Appalling Fecundity
  Appalling Fecundity
  "The peasants believed they had been blessed: Their crops
  grew quickly, women bore healthy children in weeks rather
  than months, and the harvest was the best ever. At first, life
  was good. But the growth never slowed. Everything birthed
  and died with such speed that we could hear Nature
  suffering. Disease was rampant, and vermin spread it
  everywhere; there was no end to the screams of the afflicted."
  Growth and healing are accelerated. At first crops and
  animals grow and reproduce with unnatural swiftness, and
  injuries vanish overnight. As the sign intensifies, these early
  benefits run out of control. Fruit bursts and rots on the vine
  before it can be harvested. Weeds crack pavement and
  damage buildings. Clouds of vermin boil up from the earth,
  laying eggs that hatch and spawn new life in moments, and
  with them come equally virulent disease.
  Faint: Ordinary plants are enhanced as if by the plant
  growth spell. Crops benefit from the enrichment effect, while
  other vegetation suffers from overgrowth and chokes open
  spaces.
  Moderate: As faint, but each week at dawn, living
  creatures are cured as if by the lesser restoration spell.
  Additionally, all plants grow hard spikes and thorns, as the
  spike growth spell (save DC 11).
  Strong: As moderate, but living creatures that require
  sleep begin to lose the ability to do so, as their bodies fidget
  and their thoughts race. Whenever a creature finishes a long
  rest, it must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain
  no benefit from its rest.
  Overwhelming: As strong, but the DC of the Constitution
  saving throw increases to 16. Additionally, flesh grows and
  heals with terrible speed. Living creatures regain 1 hit point
  each minute, and severed body parts regrow daily at dawn.
  Each week at dawn, living creatures must make a DC 11
  Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature ages
  by 1d4 × 10 years, but it suffers none of the frailty of old age.
  Finally, creatures that die due to old age from this effect
  explode in a shower of gore.
  Dry Winds
  Dry Winds
  "From the north came a hot wind, scouring the clouds from
  the skies. It leached the water from our rivers and lakes, and
  the mighty oceans receded with each gust."
  Unnaturally warm winds blow from an atypical direction,
  growing hotter as the sign intensifies and carrying away all
  moisture.
  Faint: Natural precipitation stops. Average global
  temperatures increase by 1d3 degrees Fahrenheit, and all
  bodies and streams of water lose 1d4 feet of depth each
  week.
  Moderate: Average global temperatures increase by 1d6
  degrees, and all bodies and streams of water lose 1d10 feet
  of depth each week.
  Strong: Average global temperatures increase by 2d10
  degrees, and all bodies and streams of water lose 1d20 feet
  of depth each week. Additionally, the dry wind begins to
  strengthen; calm air becomes a light wind, while a light wind
  has a 50% chance of becoming a strong wind (see DMG 110
  for details).
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   Overwhelming: Average global temperatures increase by
  4d10 degrees, and all bodies and streams of water lose
  1d100 feet of depth each week. Additionally, the wind
  strengthens further; all wind becomes a Strong Wind (DMG
  110), and wind that was already strong now literally burns.
  Such wind deals 1d4 fire damage to creatures and objects
  caught in it per hour.
  Variant: The inverse of the dry winds sign is dreadful
  flooding. Clouds pile up overhead, darkening the sky, and they
  unleash torrents that drench the world. As the sign
  intensifies, water levels rise by the listed amount rather than
  fall. Global temperatures cool somewhat: When the sign
  grows strong, they drop 1d3 degrees, and when it is
  overwhelming, a further 1d6 degrees. The winds increase as
  described above but do not deal fire damage.
  Horrid Blight
  Horrid Blight
  "Before my very eyes, the waters darkened to the color of
  coagulated blood. One by one, white shapes bobbed to the
  surface: fish slain by the tainted sea. And the smell—the air
  reeked of a slaughterhouse."
  This sign slowly kills the world. Creatures become barren, no
  longer producing offspring. Animals sicken and die. Plants
  wither or rot, while disease runs rampant, corrupting all with
  its horrid touch.
  Faint: The save DC to resist any disease increases by 2.
  Moderate: Ordinary plants begin to wither and die. Dead
  animals and plants become carriers of all manners of
  contagion and disease, and plant-based food begins to
  become unsafe to eat.
  Strong: The save DC to resist any disease increases to 5
  (from 2), and living creatures that are suffering from a disease
  also have disadvantage on death saving throws. Famine is
  widespread as all forms of organic food are riddled with
  disease.
  Overwhelming: Each day at dawn, living creatures must
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 8
  hours.
  Serving Elder Evils
  Serving Elder Evils
  "That the Beast shall awaken is inevitable. I'm working to
  ensure I am the first to die when it does."
  —William von Dreichart, mad cultist
  Elder evils do not attract many mortal servants, for their
  nature is opposed to all living things. A few wretches who
  despise everything, whether they be nihilists or lunatics, do
  bow to an elder evil. Annihilation is the only reward for such
  service. But for those driven by insanity, an unquenchable
  thirst for vengeance, or myriad other strange and sinister
  motivations, the utter finality of death is sweet. Aiding an
  elder evil is the surest means of embracing that much desired
  end.
  Any intelligent and evil creature can swear service to an
  elder evil if the creature knows of its existence. They may
  gain a cult feature based on the elder evil they serve, or they
  may gain a vile feat of their choice.
  Elder Evil Cults
  Elder Evil Cults
  Through generations of study and grim practice, the disciples
  of certain Elder Evils have mastered the ability to bestow
  supernatural gifts on minions they select for the privilege.
  Any creature that serves a cult of Elder Evil can be given one
  of these rewards - usually as compensation for faithful
  service, but sometimes as a chance for a creature that
  breached the cult's laws to redeem itself. The following
  powers are unique to specific cults, and typically a creature is
  part of only one elder evil cult at a time.
  Atropus the World Born Dead
  Atropus the World Born Dead
  Typical Cultists: Alhoon, archmage, cult fanatic, cultist,
  death cultist, lich, mage, necromancer, any undead
  Signature Spells: Toll the dead (cantrip), inflict wounds (1st
  level), ray of enfeeblement (2nd level), animate dead (3rd
  level)
  While most of Atropus's heralds are undead who seek to
  destroy the living, there are some mortals who are wretched
  enough to give the World Born Dead their undying service.
  Cultists of Atropus typically act in isolation to advance their
  master's goals, but cabals of undead or those that associate
  with undead can also act in Atropus's name, such as the cult
  headed by the foul ur-priest Caira Xasten.
  Cultists of Atropus often uncover necromantic secrets on
  their own, but may also be granted powers by the World Born
  Dead as its arrival draws near. Rank-and-file cultists typically
  obtain the Gaze of Corruption action option, and cult leaders
  obtain the Anti-Heal trait through the mastery of negative
  energy manipulation.
  Gaze of Corruption (Recharge 6). The cultist targets one
  creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 16
  (3d10) necrotic damage and be poisoned for 1 minute. The
  poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Anti-Heal. The cultist can activate or deactivate this feature
  as a bonus action. While active, creatures within 30 feet of
  the cultist can't magically regain hit points. A creature that
  were to magically regain hit points must instead make a DC
  15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
  takes necrotic damage equal to the hit points it would have
  regained.
  Father Llymic the Alien Thought Given
  Father Llymic the Alien Thought Given
  Flesh
  Flesh
  Typical Cultists: Berserker, any brood spawn, cult fanatic,
  cultist, frost giant, tribal warrior, white dragon
  Signature Spells: Ray of frost (cantrip), ice knife (1st level),
  darkness (2nd level), sleet storm (3rd level)
  There is a tribe of barbarians that lives on and near the
  mountain that houses Father Llymic's tomb. These
  barbarians worship the Alien Thought Given Flesh and
  perform alien rituals in his name. Sooner or later, these
  cultists transform into brood spawn, either by willing self-
  corruption or by corruption from the brood spawn they
  consort with.
  9
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   Most of the time, a creature that encounters the Alien
  Thought Given Flesh or his minions is transformed into a
  savage brood spawn. However, there are rumors of creatures
  that are able to preserve their minds after the transformation,
  allowing for the existence of shadowy organizations of brood
  spawn that enact their plans from behind the scenes.
  Cultists of Father Llymic perform unholy rituals that
  transform them into inhuman monsters, eventually turning
  them into brood spawn. The most devoted of his cultists may
  even have a chance to interact with Father Llymic's illusory
  projections, who may reveal to them methods of
  manipulating ice and becoming icy abominations. These
  cultists may gain the Icy Touch action option and/or the
  Chilled Flesh trait.
  Chilled Flesh. The cultist has resistance to cold damage,
  and a creature that touches the cultist or hits it with a melee
  attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) cold damage.
  Icy Touch. Melee Spell Attack: bonus to hit equal to the
  cultist's proficiency bonus plus its Charisma modifier, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) cold damage.
  The Hulks of Zoretha
  The Hulks of Zoretha
  Typical Cultists: Berserker, bugbear, cult fanatic, cultist,
  ogre, orc, troll
  Signature Spells: Vicious mockery (cantrip), Tasha's hideous
  laughter (1st level), blindness/deafness (2nd level), enemies
  abound (3rd level)
  Janwulf the Soulbiter rules the cultists of Zoretha with an
  iron fist, leading them on raids of surrounding settlements
  and actively recruiting new members. Janwulf himself is not
  faithful, instead abusing the low intelligence of many
  berserkers, ogres, and trolls in order to retain his power over
  them. There are also devotees that act alone, perhaps
  because they went mad reading the Zoretha Scrolls or were
  exposed to the Hulks themselves for too long.
  Cultists of the Hulks of Zoretha embrace their madness,
  allowing them to resist mental manipulation or control via
  the Madness of Zoretha trait. Some cultists can also impose
  madness onto others via the Mental Overload action option.
  Madness of Zoretha. The cultist is immune to any spell or
  effect that would read its thoughts, determine if it is lying,
  charm or frighten it, or magically influence its thoughts or
  behavior, unless the spell or effect comes from the Hulks of
  Zoretha.
  Mental Overload (2/Day). One creature that can see or hear
  the cultist must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
  experience long-term madness for 8 hours. Consult the Long-
  Term Madness table (see "Madness Effects" in chapter 8 of
  the Dungeon Master's Guide) to determine the form of the
  madness. The affected creature can repeat the saving throw
  at the end of each hour, ending the effect on itself on a
  success.
  The Leviathan
  The Leviathan
  Typical Cultists: Brine cultist, cult fanatic, cultist, any
  elemental, ixitxachitl, kraken priest, any kuo-toa, mage, sea
  spawn
  Signature Spells: Shape water (cantrip), chaos bolt (1st
  level), enlarge/reduce (2nd level), water breathing (3rd
  level)
  Cultists of The Leviathan are categorized by one interest:
  chaos. While some cultists pledge their loyalty to a demon
  lord, others might be ambitious spellcasters who wish to
  channel chaotic energy in the pursuit of power. With that in
  mind, chaotic evil cultists are more likely to be Cultists of The
  Leviathan, as they are more likely to seek The Leviathan's
  power despite the potential loss of life it may cause.
  Cultists of The Leviathan are capable of manipulating the
  forces of chaos, granting them the Conduit of Chaos trait.
  Some cultists can also channel chaotic energies directly via
  the Innate Spellcasting trait.
  Conduit of Chaos. When the cultist casts a spell that deals
  damage, it can change the spell's damage type to cold, fire,
  force, lightning, or thunder.
  Innate Spellcasting. The cultist's innate spellcasting ability
  is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells,
  requiring no material components:
  At will: chaos bolt, create or destroy water
  2/day each: misty step, protection from energy
  1/day each: call lightning, watery sphere
  Pandorym the Utter Annihilation
  Pandorym the Utter Annihilation
  Typical Cultists: Any aberration, cult fanatic, cultist, any
  psionicist, quell, shadow
  Signature Spells: Encode thoughts (cantrip), detect evil and
  good (1st level), detect thoughts (2nd level), fly (3rd level)
  Despite Pandorym's attempts to manipulate mortals into
  freeing him, any attempt to serve the Utter Annihilation
  typically ends in the death or undeath of the cultist. Most who
  encounter Pandorym's mind usually have their minds
  collapse into madness or savagery, but there may be some,
  like Lucather Majii, that retain enough sanity to act on his
  behalf.
  Whether or not its mind is completely shattered, the
  influence of Pandorym monopolizes a cultist's mind and
  psyche, granting it the Stained Psyche trait. You may also
  choose to have cultists of Pandorym gain psionic abilities via
  the Innate Spellcasting (Psionics) trait, depending on the
  context of the cultists' worship and the campaign setting you
  wish to insert Pandorym into.
  Stained Psyche. The cultist is immune to any spell or effect
  that would read its thoughts, determine if it is lying, charm or
  frighten it, or magically influence its thoughts or behavior,
  unless the spell or effect comes from Pandorym.
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The cultist's innate
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence. It can innately cast the
  following spells, requiring no components:
  At will: jump, mage hand (the hand is invisible)
  2/day each: command, misty step
  1/day each: haste (self only), telekinesis
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  Ragnorra the Mother of Monsters
  Ragnorra the Mother of Monsters
  Typical Cultists: Aboleth sarcoma, acolyte, cult fanatic,
  cultist, any malshaper
  Signature Spells: Guidance (cantrip), cure wounds (1st
  level), alter self (2nd level), plant growth (3rd level)
  Ragnorra has twisted life not just on the Material Plane, but
  also in the Feywild and the Shadowfell. A handful of refugees
  from her prior ravages on these planes formed the
  Malshapers, a cultlike group dedicated to helping the Mother
  of Monsters perform her grotesque art. These fanatics believe
  they have a duty to guide Ragnorra to every suitable world.
  Scholars note, though, that they never target worlds on their
  home planes.
  The Malshapers watch the Astral Plane for signs of
  Ragnorra's ascent. Once they detect movement, they scout
  out a suitable location. They strew samples of native life
  along her likely path, then redraw the astral runes to lure
  Ragnorra to the target world.
  While some standalone cultists or groups who pledge
  themselves to Ragnorra may exist, most cultists of Ragnorra
  are sought out by the Malshapers in order to join their ranks.
  Either way, cultists of Ragnorra receive both the Warped
  Flesh trait and the Sculpt Flesh action option.
  Warped Flesh. The cultist has advantage on saving throws
  against poison, and it is immune to disease. Additionally, any
  critical hit against the cultist becomes a normal hit.
  Sculpt Flesh (Recharge 6). The cultist touches one creature
  within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 15
  Constitution saving throw or have its flesh warped by
  unnatural growth, covering it in blisters and tumors. While its
  flesh is warped in this way, the target is poisoned, its speed is
  reduced by 10 feet, and it can't use reactions. This effect lasts
  for 1 minute. The poisoned target can repeat the saving
  throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
  itself on a success.
  Sertrous the Prince of Heretics
  Sertrous the Prince of Heretics
  Typical Cultists: Acolyte, commoner, cult fanatic, cultist, any
  demon, priest, any yuan-ti
  Signature Spells: Sacred flame (cantrip), command (1st
  level), suggestion (2nd level), spirit guardians (3rd level)
  The Vanguard of Sertrous is made up of yuan-ti cultists
  whose teachings are secretly passed down by the decapitated
  head of their demonic patron. However, as Sertrous's
  teachings become more widespread, independent heretics
  may begin to spread the obyrith lord's words throughout
  normal civilization in the campaign world.
  Followers of the teachings of Sertrous are granted the
  Disciple of Sertrous trait for their loyalty. Additionally, those
  that do not fear death and do not wish to be revived by their
  allies may have the Testament of Faith trait.
  Disciple of Sertrous. The cultist has advantage on saving
  throws against divine spells, which are spells cast by clerics,
  paladins, druids, rangers, celestials, and other sources the
  DM deems appropriate.
  Testament of Faith. When the cultist is reduced to 0 hit
  points, it explodes in a burst of divine energy. Each creature
  within 10 feet of the cultist must make a DC 15 Constitution
  saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) radiant damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The cultist
  and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items,
  is reduced to a pile of fine gray dust by this explosion. The
  cultist's soul then passes into Sertrous's realm in the Abyss;
  the cultist can't become undead or be brought back to life by
  any means short of a wish spell.
  Kyuss the Worm That Walks
  Kyuss the Worm That Walks
  Typical Cultists: Avolakia, cult fanatic, cultist, death cultist,
  necromancer, star spawn larva mage, any undead
  Signature Spells: Chill touch (cantrip), false life (1st level),
  hold person (2nd level), vampiric touch (3rd level)
  Many followers of the Worm That Walks also serve or
  sympathize with Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undead, due to
  Kyuss worship of Orcus before his transformation. Unlike
  other cults of undeath, followers of the Worm That Walks
  often seek to spread disease and parasites, weakening those
  that would oppose Kyuss so that his undead can squash them
  without opposition.
  Many cultists of the Worm That Walks learn to raise
  undead as spawn of Kyuss via the Worm Necromancer trait
  below. Others learn to channel dark magic in order to
  replicate the Plague of Worms action option that Kyuss and
  his servants often use against their opponents.
  Worm Necromancer. When the cultist casts a spell that
  animates or creates undead, up to two of the undead can be
  turned into spawn of Kyuss.
  Plague of Worms (Recharge 6). Each creature of the
  cultist's choice within 10 feet of the cultist must make a DC
  15 Dexterity saving throw against this magic. On a failure the
  target takes 9 (2d8) necrotic damage and is restrained by
  masses of swarming worms. The affected creature takes 9
  (2d8) necrotic damage at the start of each of the cultist's
  turns. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Zargon the Returner
  Zargon the Returner
  Typical Cultists: Acolyte, cult fanatic, cultist, oozeblade,
  slime shaman
  Signature Spells: Acid splash (cantrip), bane (1st level),
  Melf's acid arrow (2nd level), fireball (3rd level)
  After being driven from the Nine Hells, Zargon turned his
  attention to the Material Plane. It took centuries, but he
  crawled up from the depths of the earth and set upon the soft
  mortals dwelling in the Cynidicean Kingdom above. To spare
  themselves extinction, the people of the kingdom raised up
  Zargon as their god and fed him endless sacrifices to appease
  his need to kill. While the descendants of these original
  cultists are still instilled with the fear of being devoured by
  Zargon, make no mistake: many of these cultists are
  dedicated to Zargon and would sacrifice their lives in his
  name.
  Cultists that are corrupted by Zargon's influence
  sometimes gain the Corrosive Form or Foul traits below.
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  Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the cultist or hits it
  with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid
  damage.
  Foul. Any creature, other than an ooze or another creature
  that has this trait, that starts its turn within 10 feet of the
  cultist must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
  be poisoned until the start of the creature's next turn.
  Vile Feats
  Vile Feats
  Vile feats are powerful boons available to intelligent NPCs of
  evil alignments. Those that are associated with an Elder Evil
  will pursue such boons at any cost, even resorting to self-
  mutiliation and deformation as a method of acquisition. The
  following abilities are available to cultists that are associated
  with Elder Evils or other evil entities; these abilities are not
  specific to any one Elder Evil, and a creature can have more
  than one vile feat at a time.
  Abominable Form
  Abominable Form
  The cultist revels in the ruination of its flesh, drawing power
  from its disturbing deformities.
  Deformity: Mutilated Flesh. In order to obtain this vile
  feat, the cultist flayed, burned, or otherwise mutilated its
  flesh, turning them into a grotesque shadow of their former
  self. At least one of their body parts (such as a limb or their
  face) have been mutilated in this way; this mutilation can only
  be undone by heal or another disease-curing spell of 6th level
  or higher.
  Disgusting Visage. Creatures that can see the cultist have
  disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened.
  Additionally, once per turn when the cultist hits a creature
  with a melee attack, they can force the target to make a DC
  15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is
  frightened of the cultist until the end of the cultist's next turn.
  Unsightly Figure. The cultist gains proficiency in the
  Intimidation skill, and its proficiency bonus is doubled for any
  ability check made using the Intimidation skill.
  Apostate
  Apostate
  The cultist's hatred of the gods cloaks it with potent
  resistance against their works.
  Divine Resilience. When the cultist makes a saving throw
  to resist the effects of a spell cast by a cleric, paladin, druid,
  ranger, celestial, or some other divine source, it can add its
  proficiency bonus to the saving throw if it isn't proficient in
  the save.
  Inquisition Defier. The cultist is immune to effects that
  allows other creatures to read its thoughts, determine
  whether it is lying, or know its alignment. Additionally, the
  cultist can't be targeted by any divination magic or perceived
  through magical scrying sensors.
  Chosen of Evil
  Chosen of Evil
  The cultist's naked devotion to wickedness causes dark
  powers to take an interest in its success and well-being.
  Commander of Evil. The cultist can utter a special
  command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it
  can see within 30 feet of the cultist makes an attack roll or a
  saving throw (no reaction required). The creature can add a
  d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the cultist.
  This trait doesn't function while the cultist is incapacitated.
  Unholy Protection. The cultist can use its reaction to
  halve the damage that it takes from an attack, spell, or other
  effect.
  Dark Knowledge
  Dark Knowledge
  The cultist uncovers a piece of forbidden lore or knowledge
  that allows it to tap into ancient powers of evil.
  Ancient Secrets. If the cultist has the Spellcasting trait, it
  can choose one spell of 3rd level or lower. The cultist can cast
  that spell at its lowest level without using a spell slot.
  Dark Indulgence. After the cultist makes an attack roll,
  ability check, or saving throw, but before the outcome is
  determined, an additional d20 can be rolled. The cultist
  chooses which of the d20s rolled is used to determine the
  outcome. When it does so, it takes 12 (5d4) necrotic damage,
  which can't be reduced or prevented in any way.
  Dark Speech
  Dark Speech
  The cultist learns a smattering of the language of truly dark
  power.
  Beguiling Influence. The cultist gains proficiency in the
  Deception and Persuasion skills, and its proficiency bonus is
  doubled for any ability check made using these skills.
  Harbringer of Destruction. The cultist can use its action
  to force each creature within 60 feet of it that can hear the
  cultist to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
  save, a creature is charmed or frightened (cultist's choice) for
  1 minute. A charmed or frightened target can repeat the
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
  on itself on a success. After using this action, the cultist takes
  13 (2d12) psychic damage, which can't be reduced or
  prevented in any way.
  Dark Whispers
  Dark Whispers
  By whispering foul utterances in the Dark Speech, the cultist
  can drive its enemies insane.
  Prerequisite. The cultist must possess the Dark Speech
  vile feat in order to obtain this vile feat.
  Distorted Visions (Recharge 5-6). As an action, the cultist
  can whisper words of incredible wickedness to form
  grotesque visions in the minds of those who hear it. Each
  creature within 30 feet of the cultist that can hear the cultist
  must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be
  blinded for 1 minute. While blinded, a creature is also
  incapacitated. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end
  of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  After using this action, the cultist takes 13 (2d12) psychic
  damage, which can't be reduced or prevented in any way.
  Filthy Outburst
  Filthy Outburst
  The cultist shrieks a phrase in the Dark Speech to deafen
  those around it.
  Prerequisite. The cultist must possess the Dark Speech
  vile feat in order to obtain this vile feat.
  Booming Voice. When the cultist speaks, its voice can
  boom up to five times louder than normal.
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   Foul Scream (Recharge 5-6). As an action, the cultist can
  loose a blistering torrent of foul curses and wicked insults in
  the Dark Speech. Each creature within 60 feet of the cultist
  that can hear the cultist must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom
  saving throw or be deafened for 1 minute. While deafened, a
  creature suffers disadvantage on all ability checks and saving
  throws. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. After
  using this action, the cultist takes 13 (2d12) psychic damage,
  which can't be reduced or prevented in any way.
  Harvester of Souls
  Harvester of Souls
  When the cultist delivers a killing blow, it destroys both the
  flesh and the soul.
  Steal Life. When the cultist reduces a creature to 0 hit
  points, it regains an amount of hit points equal to the cultist's
  Challenge Rating.
  Obliviation of Spirit. When a creature within 60 feet of
  the cultist dies, the cultist can use its reaction to annihilate its
  soul. That creature can't be revived by any means short of a
  wish spell.
  Insane Defiance
  Insane Defiance
  The cultist adopts insanity as a shield to turn effects that
  target its mind against those around it.
  Defense of Madness. The cultist is immune to being
  charmed or frightened.
  Mind Shield. In response to being targeted by a mind-
  affecting spell or effect, the cultist can use its reaction to
  retarget the effect to another creature of its choice, other than
  the caster or source of the ability, within the effect's range.
  Lichloved
  Lichloved
  By repeatedly consorting with the undead, the cultist gains
  dread powers.
  Undead Consortium. Mindless undead see the cultist as
  an undead creature. Becoming more and more like an actual
  undead creature, the cultist gains immunity to necrotic and
  poison damage, as well as the poisoned and paralyzed
  conditions.
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the cultist 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 cultist drops to 1 hit point
  instead.
  Murderous Intent
  Murderous Intent
  The cultist's enemies fear its savagery and inhumanity.
  Deadly Critical. The cultist scores a critical hit on a roll of
  19 or 20 and rolls the damage dice three times, instead of
  twice.
  Slaughter (1/Turn). If the cultist makes a weapon attack
  with advantage on the attack roll and hits a creature with it,
  the target takes an additional 7 (2d6) damage. If the target is
  incapacitated or surprised, the attack also becomes a critical
  hit.
  Otherworldly Sight
  Otherworldly Sight
  The cultist has mutilated its eyes or forehead in an attempt to
  see that which must remain unseen.
  Deformity: Eyes. The cultist has drilled a hole in its
  forehead trying to add a third eye, or it has supernaturally
  scarred one of its regular eyes.
  Third Eye. The cultist has truesight out to a range of 60
  feet.
  Ghostly Gaze. The cultist can see through solid objects to
  a range of 30 feet; when it does so, it perceives objects as
  ghostly, transparent images.
  Parasitic Host
  Parasitic Host
  The cultist invites parasites into its body in exchange for a
  greater hardiness against diseases and poisons.
  Deformity: Parasites. Parasites use the cultist's body as a
  nesting ground, creating holes and burrows on its skin and in
  its flesh as they feed and multiply. When the cultist dies, its
  body breaks apart into a swarm of insects in the same space.
  Healthy Tissue. The cultist is immune to poison and
  disease.
  Exude Parasites (Recharge 6). As a bonus action, the
  cultist can summon a swarm of insects or a swarm of rot
  grubs (cultist's choice), which exits its body and occupies its
  space. The swarm acts on its own initiative, and follows the
  cultist's verbal commands to the best of its ability.
  Elder Evil Traits
  Elder Evil Traits
  All elder evils have the following characteristics:
  Languages. Elder evils have telepathy out to 1000 feet.
  Senses. Elder evils have truesight out to 120 feet and
  blindsight out to 500 feet.
  Damage Resistances. Elder evils are resistant to cold
  damage and fire damage.
  Damage Immunities. Elder evils are immune to
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical
  attacks.
  Condition Immunities. Elder evils can't be charmed,
  frightened, petrified, or knocked unconscious. They also don't
  suffer from exhaustion.
  Anathematic Secrecy. Elder evils can't be targeted by any
  divination magic or perceived through magical scrying
  sensors.
  Innate Spellcasting. Elder evils don't get innate
  spellcasting by default. However, those that do have it require
  no components to innately cast a spell.
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If an elder evil fails a
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. Elder evils have advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. An elder evil's weapon attacks are
  magical.
  Unyielding Essence. Elder evils are immune to any spells
  or effects that would alter their forms, as well as those that
  would that would read their thoughts, determine if they are
  lying, or magically influence their thoughts or behavior.
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  Malefic Properties
  Malefic Properties
  Elder evils are capable of incredible destruction. They wield
  devastating magic and possess an arsenal of potent attacks to
  work their wickedness. But such power alone offers little
  defense against the gods and their servants. Malefic
  properties are their safeguard against divine interference.
  A malefic property is a supernatural ability, intrinsic to the
  very nature of an elder evil. Dispel magic and antimagic field
  have no effect against a malefic property.
  A malefic property affects an enormous area and might
  influence an entire region of the world, depending on the
  nature of the elder evil.
  All elder evils have Anathematic Secrecy (see Elder Evil
  Traits), which shields them from divination spells and scrying
  sensors. Each elder evil has one additional malefic property,
  chosen from the list that follows, as appropriate to its nature.
  The sample elder evils provided in this book can guide you in
  deciding on a suitable malefic property for one of your own
  design.
  Dark Visiting
  Dark Visiting
  An elder evil that has this property projects terrifying
  nightmares into the dreams of living creatures.
  Dark Visiting. Any living creature that sleeps within 100
  miles of the elder evil must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom
  saving throw or be afflicted with a random form of short-term
  madness. If a creature fails this saving throw by 5 or more, it
  is instead afflicted with a random form of long-term madness.
  If a creature rolls a 1 on the d20 roll, it is instead afflicted
  with a random form of indefinite madness. The Short-Term
  Madness, Long-Term Madness, and Indefinite Madness
  tables can be found in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's
  Guide.
  Discord and Woe
  Discord and Woe
  The presence of an elder evil that has this property can use
  its action to incite violence and suffering.
  Discord and Woe (2/Day). One creature within 100 miles of
  the elder evil that the elder evil is aware of must make a DC
  18 Wisdom saving throw. A creature automatically succeeds
  if it is immune to being charmed. On a failed save, the target
  must target its allies with attacks and other damaging effects
  for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
  success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect
  ends for it, the creature is immune to the elder evil's Discord
  and Woe for the next 24 hours.
  Divine Scourge
  Divine Scourge
  An elder evil that has this property can punish deities'
  servants with a powerful surge of profane energy.
  Divine Scourge (1/Day). As a bonus action, each creature
  within 100 miles of the elder evil that is a celestial or a user
  of divine magic (a cleric, paladin, druid, ranger, or some other
  class the DM deems appropriate) must make a DC 23
  Constitution saving throw. A target takes 35 (10d6) necrotic
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
  successful one. On a failed save, a target also suffers one
  level of exhaustion.
  God Slayer
  God Slayer
  An elder evil that has this property can directly combat and
  kill deities and their servants.
  God Slayer. The elder evil deals double damage to gods and
  celestials, bypassing their resistances and immunities. If the
  elder evil reduces a god or celestial to 0 hit points, it kills
  them instantly.
  Impervious to the Divine
  Impervious to the Divine
  An elder evil that has this property cannot be affected by
  divine magic of any kind, regardless of the source.
  Impervious to the Divine. The elder evil is unaffected by
  divine spells, which are spells cast by clerics, paladins,
  druids, rangers, celestials, and other sources the DM deems
  appropriate.
  Planar Anomaly
  Planar Anomaly
  An elder evil that has this property warps the planes of
  existence around them, preventing the gods and their
  servants from getting close to them.
  Planar Anomaly. The area within 10 miles of the elder evil is
  warped by the elder evil's presence. Creatures can't teleport
  into the area or use portals, such as those created by the gate
  spell, to enter the area. The area also blocks all forms of
  planar travel, and therefore prevents creatures from
  accessing the area by way of the Astral Plane, Ethereal
  Plane, Feywild, Shadowfell, or the plane shift spell.
  In addition, deities and other planar rulers are incapable of
  entering the area, and the elder evil can choose to block one
  or more of the following creature types from entering:
  celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. If any of these
  creatures start their turn in the area, they take 55 (10d10)
  force damage and are banished to their native plane of
  existence.
  Converter's Note: Impervious to the
  Divine
  Both Ragnorra and the Aspect of Sertrous are
  immune to divine spells. While I'm keeping this in
  as it's a Malefic Property from the original book,
  some DMs might find it to be a bit unfair towards
  divine spellcasters in the party. If you wish to get
  around this, consider informing your players of this
  trait ahead of time so that they can come up with a
  plan to get around it.
  You may want to roll with what they come up
  with, or you can devise your own method for the
  party to get around it, such as an artifact that
  converts divine magic into arcane magic when
  wielded by a divine spellcaster. Or perhaps you
  want to just remove the trait, either replacing it
  with a different malefic property or just excluding
  it altogether. This is completely fine, and won't
  affect encounter difficulty too much—the stat
  blocks in this book that have this are not
  specifically balanced around its presence.
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  Atropus
  Atropus
  "Behold the death of your world. There, cresting the horizon.
  Yes, that faint body is he, and he comes for me... for us all.
  Rejoice, for the end is near, and all life, all pain, all suffering
  shall be silenced in the perfect eternity of undeath."
  — Caira Xasten, mad astronomer and ur-priest
  Atropus, the World Born Dead, drifts through the gulfs of
  space, searching for worlds to consume and, when it finds
  them, erasing all life with its gruesome touch. As the
  afterbirth of creation, it is committed to unmaking all things.
  Nothing, not even the gods, can halt its relentless progress.
  Background
  Background
  Atropus's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Atropus's goals are unchanged.
  Atropus in the Campaign
  Atropus in the Campaign
  Atropus dwells in the emptiness between worlds. As it drifts,
  it casts out with its senses, sampling the emptiness for signs
  of life. Once it detects a living thing, it moves toward the
  source. Since it is such a distant threat, you can assume the
  elder evil has been around for as long as your campaign
  setting has existed, and has been traveling toward your world
  for any number of years. Once Atropus takes an interest in
  your world, place it in the heavens. It is indistinguishable
  from the other celestial bodies at the start, and as it comes
  closer it reveals its sinister character to coincide with the
  intensifying sign.
  Sign: Restless Dead
  Sign: Restless Dead
  Atropus's presence in the sky causes the dead to rise from
  their graves.
  Consecration: If a forbiddance, hallow, or temple of the
  gods spell is cast and is made to affect undead, the effects of
  this Sign are negated within the area while the spell or spells
  persist. However, these spells cannot negate the spontaneous
  animation of undead within the area.
  Faint: Spells that raise undead can animate or target twice
  as many creatures and take effect for twice their normal
  duration. Additionally, whenever a living creature dies, there
  is a 20% chance that it will spontaneously rise as a zombie in
  1d4 rounds.
  Moderate: As faint, but the chance of spontaneous
  animation increases to 40%. In addition, undead gain 5
  temporary hit points at the start of each of their turns
  throughout the world.
  Strong: As moderate, but the chance of spontaneous
  animation increases to 80%. Even creatures that died before
  this sign manifested begin to rise as skeletons or zombies,
  depending on the condition of their corpses. In addition, the
  amount of hit points restored via magical healing is halved
  throughout the campaign world.
  Overwhelming: As strong, but any creature that dies
  automatically rises as a zombie 1 round after death.
  Previously dead creatures automatically animate as skeletons
  or zombies. Additionally, all undead in the campaign world
  gain advantage on saving throws against spells and other
  magical effects, and are immune to effects that turn undead.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  5
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  15
  Strong
  17
  Overwhelming
  20
  The apocalypse from the sky spell, as detailed in the
  original book, can only be learned via the book of vile
  darkness. Its material component, alongside the self-damage
  it deals and the 9th-level spell slot it requires, makes it a very
  costly spell to cast.
  Apocalypse From The Sky
  Apocalypse From The Sky
  9th-level necromancy
  Casting Time: 24 hours
  Range: Self (100-mile radius)
  Components: V, S, M (a bottle of angel tears, which
  the spell consumes)
  Duration: Instantaneous
  You use part of your own life force to perform this
  vile ritual. You take 20d6 necrotic damage that
  can't be prevent or reduced in any way. Then, each
  non-undead creature other than you within 100
  miles of you takes 10d6 necrotic damage.
  Atropus in Eberron
  Atropus in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Atropus in Faerûn
  Atropus in Faerûn
  In addition to the information given in the original book, a
  DM may wish to alter the lore of the Forgotten Realms at
  their table. Instead of constraining Atropus to be a leftover
  creation of the overgod Ao, they may wish to relate Atropus to
  Ao in a more equal manner, or they may wish to remove Ao
  from the setting altogether. In the latter case, use the default
  lore provided in the Background section to explain Atropus's
  origins.
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  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  Rather than being free to roam the Material Plane, Atropus
  could languish in stasis on the Negative Energy Plane. Once
  released, it might seek to transform all the Outer Planes into
  a mass graveyard. In this case, the Restless Dead sign could
  represent Atropus drawing nearer to a given plane,
  intensifying until Atropus is able to enter the plane.
  The default Sign of Apocalypse for Atropus is certainly a
  major effect in your campaign world, but some may find it
  unsatisfying that the Sign is a passive effect that is simply a
  byproduct of Atropus's approach. If you wish to make Atropus
  feel more like an active threat, allow more powerful undead
  in service to Atropus to descend from the moonlet to your
  campaign setting. For example, you can take advantage of
  Atropus's connection to Atropals to make them effective
  heralds of the moonlet's approach. As stillborn creatures
  from the Negative Energy plane, atropals also serve as
  effective heralds in planar campaigns, acting as forerunners
  for the much larger threat to come.
  You can also consider other threats to act as villains in
  anticipation of Atropus's arrival. For example, while the
  original outline suggests that Orcus be involved in an
  interplanar war, you may wish for Orcus himself to beckon
  Atropus's arrival. In this case, the Bleak General might be a
  loyal servant of Orcus, rather than betraying him in favor of
  Atropus. Another villains include Acererak, Lady Illmarrow
  (and the Order of the Emerald Claw), an aspiring lich or
  mummy lord, a god of undeath, or a fallen angel or undead
  celestial. Perhaps even the Worm That Walks (chapter 9) has
  taken an interest in Atropus, and has decided to ally with the
  World Born Dead so that it may rule the dead world that
  Atropus leaves behind.
  Additionally, feel free to alter the details as to how Atropus
  is summoned. The suggested campaign outline gives two
  ways for Atropus to be summoned: the apocalypse from the
  sky spell, obtained through the book of vile darkness, or the
  massacre of a major city by demonic forces. Below are
  additional possibilities for how Atropus might be summoned:
  Perhaps a certain artifact or magical object must be
  destroyed in order to summon Atropus. For example,
  maybe the book of exalted deeds can be temporarily
  destroyed using a talisman of ultimate evil, the act of
  which awakens Atropus and draws it towards the setting.
  Alternatively, perhaps a dimensional seal or a planar
  barrier prevents Atropus from entering a given plane or
  approaching a given planet, and if destroyed, the World
  Born Dead will be free to approach and annihilate it.
  In Eberron, an eldritch machine, as detailed in Eberron:
  Rising from the Last War, may be used to channel large
  amounts of negative energy in order to cause mass death,
  or it may simply be used as a homing beacon that entices
  Atropus to approach the setting.
  In a planar setting, cultists of the World Born Dead might
  perform a ritual to break down the barriers that separate
  the planes, allowing Atropus to pass through a large
  planar portal into the target plane.
  In a Spelljammer campaign, Atropus might be on a set
  path through the cosmos. If it isn't stopped in time,
  Atropus might destroy a major planetary hub or a capital
  of a large civilization.
  Lastly, feel free to use the Aspect of Atropus in new and
  creative ways. For example, perhaps cultists seek to summon
  the Aspect of Atropus directly to their world; if they succeed,
  the aspect will annihilate them and every other creature in
  the setting. Perhaps a villain seeks to take advantage of the
  aspect for their own gain. If they absorb or take control of the
  aspect somehow, they may gain control of the moonlet, or
  their consciousness might be merged with the World Born
  Dead itself. Any villain will recognize that the World Born
  Dead holds the ultimate power over death and undeath, and
  that if this can be taken advantage of, they will be
  unstoppable.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding the Aspect of
  Atropus, Caira Xasten, and Gorguth and its mount
  Skyshadow.
  The Moonlet
  The Moonlet
  Atropus is the moonlet, the location where the player
  characters confront the elder evil and drive it from their
  world. The moonlet is spheroid, 700 miles in diameter.
  When the moonlet approaches close to the home world of
  your campaign setting (assuming Earth as the default), it
  takes up an orbit just outside the moon's orbit, about 250,000
  miles from the surface of the world. (If your campaign setting
  features multiple moons, it begins its orbit outside the orbit
  of the most distant satellite.)
  Once in position, the moonlet begins to circle the planet,
  entering a deteriorating orbit and picking up speed as it loses
  altitude. The rate of fall is up to you, but it should correspond
  with the progress of your campaign, the intensity of the sign,
  and the pace that best fits your needs. (Remember, this is a
  floating head in space, not an astrophysics project; don't
  worry too much about the time it takes for the moonlet to
  descend.)
  16
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  Key Features
  Key Features
  The moonlet of Atropus is a barren, unforgiving wasteland of
  dread and despair, littered with undead, star spawn
  aberrations, and debris picked up from the countless worlds
  it annihilated. The following effects take place on and within
  60 feet of the moonlet:
  The moonlet remains on the dark side of the world,
  keeping the planet between it and the sun. As such, the
  moonlet is in total darkness.
  The moonlet has a thin atmosphere permeated by a field
  of negative energy. It is not breathable, and creatures that
  suffocate in it are overwhelmed by the stench of rotting
  flesh.
  Due to the moonlet's low gravity, creatures have their
  walking speed increased by 5 feet, only take 1d4
  bludgeoning damage for each 10 feet they fall, and have
  their carrying capacities doubled.
  Creatures take 1 necrotic damage for each minute that
  they spend on the moonlet. This damage cannot be
  reduced by resistance to necrotic damage. Constructs,
  star spawn, and undead are immune to this effect.
  A creature that isn't a construct, star spawn, or undead
  that reaches 0 hit points dies instantly, rising as a zombie
  after 1 minute if nothing raises it beforehand. Such a
  creature cannot be restored to life by any means.
  The amount of hit points restored by magical healing is
  halved.
  Spells and effects that attempt to restore life to dead
  creatures have no effect.
  Spells that raise undead can animate or target twice as
  many creatures and take effect for twice their normal
  duration.
  Defenses
  Defenses
  The moonlet has few defenses. The dangers of the void are
  enough to keep enemies at bay. Unless the moonlet is
  approached when it has already entered the atmosphere—at
  which point it is almost too late—characters must contend
  with the hazardous environment. After 3 rounds of exposure,
  and at the start of each of its turns thereafter, a creature that
  is holding its breath must make a DC 20 Constitution saving
  throw. On a failed save, the creature runs out of breath and is
  suffocating. On a failed save of 5 or more, the creature is also
  stunned until it can breathe again.
  If the characters set foot on or fly above the moonlet, the
  undead infesting its surface spill forth. Each hour the
  characters remain within 60 feet of the surface, there's a 20%
  chance for a random encounter, as shown on the table below.
  If an encounter features a creature from a book you don't
  have, pick a result from a book you do have. If the source
  column lists the source "EdE", it is referring to the
  accompanying bestiary for this book.
  d100
  Encounter
  Source
  01-10
  1d4 nightwalkers
  MTF 216
  11-20
  4d12 ogre zombies
  MM 316
  21-30
  1d6 atropals
  ToA 214
  31-40
  1d8 angels of decay
  EdE 3
  41-50
  1d3 famine spirits
  EdE 6
  51-60
  6d12 ghasts
  MM 148
  61-70
  4d12 wraiths
  MM 302
  71-80
  1d8 atropal hulks
  EdE 7
  81-90
  2d12 dread wraiths
  EdE 27
  91-00
  20d6 zombies
  MM 316
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  Given the moonlet's size, it could take an entire book to
  describe every location on its surface. The following are just
  a few of the locations appear on the vast "face" of Atropus.
  For a map of these locations, see the original book.
  A. The Ichor Sea
  A. The Ichor Sea
  The two areas marked A on the map are part of a large sea of
  necromantic sludge formed from the decaying afterbirth of
  creation. The fluid about 200 feet deep a short distance away
  from the shoreline. The sea emits an aura of negative energy.
  All undead within 20 feet of the shore gain advantage on
  saving throws.
  Any non-undead creature that come in contact with the
  Ichor Sea or starts its turn in the seatakes 14 (4d6) necrotic
  damage and must make a DC 23 Constitution saving throw.
  On a failed save, a creature suffers one level of exhaustion. If
  a creature dies to this effect, it rises as an angel of decay
  (EdE 3) after 1d4 rounds.
  B. The Great Depth
  B. The Great Depth
  Piercing the side of the moonlet is an enormous pit 70 miles
  across with no visible bottom. Creatures coming within 20
  feet begin to hear the susurrus of Atropus's hate. Each
  creature that enters the area for the first time on a turn or
  starts its turn there must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving
  throw. On a failed save, a creature suffers from a random
  form of Short-Term Madness, determined by rolling on the
  Short-Term Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon
  Master's Guide.
  Creatures falling into the pit descend 300 feet until they hit
  an underground offshoot of the Ichor Sea (area A). Such
  characters take 70 (20d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall
  in addition to the effects of the Ichor Sea.
  C. Crater
  C. Crater
  Craters created by meteors and other debris pock the
  moonlet's surface. The craters vary depending on the size of
  the object that struck the moonlet. A typical crater is 10 feet
  in diameter, 4 feet deep, and has a 1-foot-tall rim around the
  impact area. Loose rock (counting as difficult terrain) spreads
  out 10 feet in all directions.
  Much larger craters, such as the ones marked on the map,
  are especially dangerous and usually inhabited by undead.
  17
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  18
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  D. Inky Tears
  D. Inky Tears
  Welling up from one of the Eyes of Death (see area H) is a
  bubbling torrent of hideous slime. This fluid has the same
  properties as the Ichor Sea.
  E. Bubbling Crater
  E. Bubbling Crater
  This crater is similar to all the other craters marring the
  moonlet's surface, except that from its depth rises a fetid
  black ooze—the bilious blood of Atropus. A random undead
  creature (or creatures) always attends this place.
  Undead within 20 feet of the crater have advantage on
  saving throws, and they gain 10 temporary hit points
  whenever they start their turn there.
  Non-undead creatures touching the foulness at the bottom
  of the crater are affected as if they had come into contact with
  the Ichor Sea (see area A).
  F. The Trench
  F. The Trench
  The ground drops away, forming a deep trench between the
  Ichor Sea and the Great Depth. It extends some 30 feet
  down. Haunting the depths is twenty star spawn manglers
  (MTF 236). They crawl forth from the trench wall and attacks
  any creatures they encounter. If you do not have access to the
  statistics of a star spawn mangler, you can replace them with
  11 beholder zombies (MM 316).
  G. Vents
  G. Vents
  Spewing from 6-inch-diameter pits are streams of poisonous
  air. Creatures who require air can breathe here, but
  whenever a non-undead creature enters the area for the first
  time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a DC 23
  Constitution saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) poison damage
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  On a failed save of 5 or more, the creature is also poisoned
  until the end of its next turn. Creatures slain by the poisonous
  air rise as wraiths (MM 302) 1d4 rounds after death.
  H. The Eyes of Death
  H. The Eyes of Death
  Each spanning 40 miles across, these glossy black stones
  reflect no light, seeming to drink in everything shining on
  their surfaces. These black expanses are in fact the eyes of
  Atropus and, for as long as the party lingers here, Atropus is
  aware of their presence. There is also a 10% chance each
  minute for the aspect of Atropus to lumber toward the
  characters from a random direction, 140 (4d6 × 10) feet
  away.
  Undead in the area gain advantage on all saving throws,
  and they also gain immunity to effects that turn undead.
  Additionally, creatures in the area can't benefit from
  resistance to necrotic damage, and they suffer disadvantage
  on saving throws made against effects that deal necrotic
  damage.
  Facing the Aspect of Atropus
  Facing the Aspect of Atropus
  The aspect of Atropus (EdE 2) can appear at any time you
  like once the player characters arrive at the moonlet. Atropus
  is no fool, and it generally won't send its minions against the
  party until it is prepared. However, the Focus might come on
  its own. Each time the party rolls initiative, there's a 10%
  chance that after 1 minute, the Aspect of Atropus approaches
  the characters from random direction, 140 (4d6 × 10) feet
  away.
  Encounter 1: Bone Field
  Encounter 1: Bone Field
  This encounter is unchanged, except that the dread
  boneyard is only capable of summoning one young red bone
  dragon (see EdE 5).
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The dread boneyard hides in the field of bones, requiring a
  DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot it. Once a creature
  comes within 15 feet of the boneyard, it emerges, and
  initiative is rolled; if the party didn't spot it before it emerged,
  the boneyard gains surprise over the party.
  During the first round of combat, the boneyard uses
  Summon Bone Dragon and Summon Skeletons to summon
  as many minions as possible. The skeletons will attempt to
  spread out and attack every party member if possible, while
  the bone dragon will take to the skies and swoop in only
  when its Breath Weapon has recharged. The boneyard will
  act as the main combatant, attempting to draw the party's fire
  and engage in melee when possible.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Altar
  Altar
  This altar is dedicated to Atropus, erected eons ago by an
  undead servitor. The altar emits a hallow spell in a 60 foot
  radius, targeting celestials, elementals, and fey. Such
  creatures can't enter the area, nor can such creatures charm,
  frighten, or possess creatures within it. Additionally, undead
  in the area gain resistance to radiant damage, and whenever
  they make a saving throw, they can roll a d6 and add the
  result to the total.
  Bones
  Bones
  Any space with bones in it is difficult terrain, and creatures
  that move through it have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
  checks unless they can avoid rattling the bones when they
  move.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  Every minute that a creature searches through the area
  allows the creature to make a DC 20 Intelligence
  (Investigation) check. On a success, the creature finds a
  random item from the list below:
  An assortment of coins worth 5,000 gp
  A silver comb with strange glowing gemstones worth
  7,500 gp
  A signet ring depicting an alien crest worth 3,500 gp
  A potion of radiant resistance (DMG 188)
  A potion of flying (DMG 187)
  An amulet of health (DMG 150)
  19
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  Encounter 2: Deep Crater
  Encounter 2: Deep Crater
  This encounter is unchanged, although it is worth noting that
  the evolved atropal scion (EdE 6) is now CR 17 and that
  famine spirits (EdE 6) are now CR 11.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The famine spirits work together against the closest foe they
  can see. At the start of combat, they are within range of the
  atropal's Turn Resistance Aura, which they will stay within
  range of unless they determine the party cannot use Turn
  Undead.
  Meanwhile, the atropal will cast its innate spells from
  range, using hold monster on any party member the famine
  spirits are attacking. It then has several options: it might use
  negative energy flood to give a famine spirit temporary hit
  points (if you don't own XGE: if the target of the spell is
  undead, roll 5d12 and give it half as many temporary hit
  points), or it might use circle of death and cone of cold to
  attack as much of the party as possible without affecting its
  allies. If attacked, the atropal will use misty step to exit melee
  and will use its Ray of Cold on the target if needed.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Debris
  Debris
  Area with debris in it is difficult terrain until cleared.
  Deep Crater
  Deep Crater
  This crater emanates a field of negative energy. Non-undead
  creatures within 5 feet of the crater can't benefit from
  resistance to necrotic damage.
  Ichor Sea
  Ichor Sea
  The sea emits an aura of negative energy. All undead within
  20 feet of the shore gain advantage on saving throws.
  Additionally, any non-undead creature that come in contact
  with the Ichor Sea or starts its turn in the seatakes 14 (4d6)
  necrotic damage and must make a DC 23 Constitution saving
  throw. On a failed save, a creature suffers one level of
  exhaustion. If a creature dies to this effect, it rises as an angel
  of decay (EdE 3) after 1d4 rounds.
  Small Crater
  Small Crater
  Creatures that fit inside of the small crater gain half-cover,
  but it costs an additional 5 feet of movement to enter and exit
  the crater.
  Encounter 3: Angels of
  Encounter 3: Angels of
  Atropus
  Atropus
  This encounter is unchanged, although it is worth noting that
  the angel of decay (EdE 3) is now CR 7.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  After descending, the angels of decay attack split up to attack
  as many party members as they can. If possible, they stick
  close to one another so that may heal from each other's
  Rotting Auras via their Feed on Decay traits.
  When the aspect of Atropus (EdE 2) arrives, it makes its
  entrance by using Divine Scourge followed by casting meteor
  swarm, with no concern for the subsequent incineration of
  the remaining angels of decay. It uses its first lair action to
  create an earthquake effect, and it uses its next one to
  forcibly teleport the party members: it teleports melee
  opponents into newly formed fissures, and it teleports ranged
  opponents into its melee range. It consistently uses Waves of
  Exhaustion to decimate as many party members as it can, but
  it will favor its Life Drain or Slam if it finds itself to be taking
  large amounts of damage.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Eyes of Death
  Eyes of Death
  This entire encounter takes place on one of the Eyes of
  Death. Undead in the area gain advantage on all saving
  throws, and they also gain immunity to effects that turn
  undead. Additionally, creatures in the area can't benefit from
  resistance to necrotic damage, and they suffer disadvantage
  on saving throws made against effects that deal necrotic
  damage.
  Small Crater
  Small Crater
  Creatures that fit inside of the small crater gain half-cover,
  but it costs an additional 5 feet of movement to enter and exit
  the crater.
  Veins of Atropus
  Veins of Atropus
  A creature standing entirely on one of these cracks is
  unaffected by the effects of the Eyes of Death. Fissures
  created by the Aspect of Atropus's earthquake spell also
  count as veins of Atropus.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  The moonlet's surface rumbles as if under the effects of an
  earthquake spell, requiring all creatures on the ground to
  succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked
  prone. Fissures tear open, and all creatures on the ground
  have a 25% chance of falling into one; a creature can make a
  DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling into one of
  these new fissures. The tremors last for 1d6 rounds, at which
  point the whole moonlet seems to contract—killing anyone or
  anything still trapped in a fissure.
  Then the moonlet rockets away from the world, moving at a
  speed of 40,000 feet per round. Characters still on the surface
  are carried with the moonlet. As it moves away from the
  world, the Restless Dead sign ends, and creatures animated
  by its effects collapse, lifeless.
  20
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  Father Llymic
  Father Llymic
  "Madness dwells on the mountaintop, where feral tribesfolk
  feast on human flesh and dance in worship of the darkness.
  Their song can be heard even now, calling out to their father
  to bring the eternal cold, the endless darkness of death."
  — From the bloodstained journal of an unnamed traveler
  A mote of alien thought given form and flesh, Father Llymic is
  not of this world. He dwells in an icy prison, awaiting a time
  when the world will be right for his coming. As his age of
  freezing darkness draws near, his brood begins to appear,
  stalking the wastes in preparation for his reign. If he is
  released from his prison, the entire world will be covered in a
  deadly glacier, removed from light and hope for all time.
  Background
  Background
  Father Llymic's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Father Llymic's goals are unchanged.
  Father Llymic in the
  Father Llymic in the
  Campaign
  Campaign
  Father Llymic sleeps in an icy prison atop one of the world's
  tallest mountains. Locked away inside a glacier, he beckons
  any who draw near to his form so that they might be
  transformed into his servants. With each new servant, he
  gains more of the strength needed to fully rouse.
  Since he lurks in such an inhospitable place, this elder evil
  is easy to add to any campaign. Only when Father Llymic
  approaches his full might does the effect become noticeable,
  as the sun begins to lose the power to contain him. The
  terrain easily hides his brood, and travelers and remote
  mountain clans go missing all the time. Only the most
  thorough chronicler might notice that one mountain in
  particular is full of strange tales regarding missing travelers
  and reclusive natives. The obvious sign of Father Llymic's
  coming—the darkening of the sun—means that it is almost
  too late to stop him from waking.
  Sign: Dead Sun
  Sign: Dead Sun
  The dead sun diminishes natural and magical lighting until
  the sun no longer rises.
  Faint: The radius of illumination from natural light sources
  (both bright light and shadowy illumination) drops to half
  normal, to a minimum of 5 feet. Sunrise occurs 1 hour later
  than normal, and sunset occurs 1 hour earlier than normal.
  Moderate: Spells and other effects that create magical
  darkness take effect for twice their normal duration. The
  radius of illumination from natural light sources drops to 5
  feet. Sunrise occurs 2 hours later than normal, and sunset
  occurs 2 hours earlier. Finally, average temperatures drop by
  2 degrees Fahrenheit all over the world.
  Strong: Spells and other effects that create magical
  darkness have their size doubled in all dimensions and take
  effect for twice their normal duration. Light produced by
  spells or other magical effects has its size halved in all
  dimensions and no longer dispels darkness spells of any level.
  Natural light sources do not illuminate any area at all,
  appearing only as dim spots. The sun rises for just 1 hour
  each day, and global temperatures drop by an additional 4
  degrees.
  Overwhelming: The sun vanishes altogether. Spells, magic
  items, and other effects that generate light cease to do so.
  Spells and other effects that create magical darkness
  continue to be enhanced as under the strong sign. The
  average temperature plunges another 10 degrees and drops
  by 1 degree further every day thereafter.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  7
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  13
  Strong
  16
  Overwhelming
  19
  Father Llymic in Eberron
  Father Llymic in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Father Llymic in Faerûn
  Father Llymic in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  Rather than have Father Llymic be imprisoned upon a block
  of ice, he may be banished to another plane or some other
  extradimensional prison for all eternity. As his Brood Spawn
  spread across the campaign setting, the binds that hold him
  in his prison weaken, culminating with his arrival in the
  setting.
  Or perhaps Father Llymic isn't imprisoned at all. He might
  be in the Far Realm or one of the other planes of existence,
  or in the case of a Spelljammer campaign, he might be on
  another planet in a distant sphere. In the former case,
  perhaps Father Llymic has already claimed one of the Outer
  Planes as his own icy domain. In the latter case, he might
  reside in a frozen crystal sphere whose sun has permanently
  gone dark. Either way, such a campaign would pose Father
  Llymic as an evil outsider whose Brood Spawn have invaded
  the setting, and the arrival of Father Llymic himself would
  spell doom for mortal life altogether.
  21
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  Additionally, you may wish to alter Father Llymic's Sign of
  Apocalypse if you feel its default effects are not appropriate
  for your campaign. Instead of causing the sun to disappear,
  Father Llymic might simply cause the setting to experience
  an unnatural winter as his influence spreads. Temperatures
  fall as normal, but permafrost spreads from the mountain
  housing Father Llymic's tomb to envelop the entire world as
  the campaign goes on. In this case, you may wish to remove
  the Light Torpor and Light Weakness traits from Father
  Llymic and his Brood Spawn, instead relying on the very
  absence of heat to be that which awakens the Alien Thought
  Given Flesh.
  Lastly, some may find the default campaign timeline to lack
  the intrigue and variety that they seek in an elder evils
  campaign. If so, consider the following changes and
  additions:
  Associate Father Llymic with the other denizens of the
  Far Realm. While the brood spawn are certainly
  interesting creatures to fight, other aberrations such as
  mind flayers and daelkyr might serve Father Llymic's
  interests as well.
  Brood spawn do not suffer reductions to their Intelligence,
  Wisdom, or Charisma scores; in fact, their Wisdom and
  Charisma are each increased by 2 compared to that of the
  base creature. As such, rather than using them as
  mindless aliens, you are capable of running them as an
  intelligent faction that has its own unique NPCs, sub-
  groups, and society, although such elements are obviously
  warped by the brood's alien nature.
  Run a more active or intelligent Cult of Father Llymic.
  While the original timeline speaks of savage barbarians
  that perform strange rituals that transform them into
  Brood Spawn, you may wish to alter this existing cult or
  add new ones as you see fit. Perhaps a humanoid-esque
  brood spawn has figured out how to blend into society and
  to spread Brood Fever without getting caught. Maybe a
  vampire or some other creature of the night seeks to black
  out the sun, knowingly or unknowingly allowing Father
  Llymic to emerge from his prison sooner than expected.
  Keep in mind that this document provides cult features for
  NPCs that serve Father Llymic, as well as general Vile
  Feats for such NPCs to take as appropriate; use these
  features to create NPCs that fit your campaign as you see
  fit.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Father Llymic and
  his Brood Spawn.
  Glacial Tomb
  Glacial Tomb
  An imposing mountain holds Father Llymic's tomb.
  Surrounded by jagged hills, the mountain is studded with icy
  crags, treacherous ice bridges, and perilous cliffs. Few paths
  make their way to the summit; all of them are home to
  dangerous mountain predators and, as the time of Father
  Llymic's wakening draws near, swarms of alien brood spawn.
  As the light of the sun begins to dim and the cold
  increases, great sheets of ice cover the mountain and the
  surrounding hills. Eventually, this glacier begins to move
  across the surrounding countryside at an accelerated rate.
  The mountain becomes home to cascades of deadly ice
  spears, thunderous avalanches, and strange vistas of
  unnatural ice formations. Some areas begin to exhibit odd
  geometric patterns in the ice, many of which defy logic or
  reason.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  When planning for activity around the glacial tomb, be sure to
  familiarize yourself with the rules for Wilderness Survival
  (DMG 109). These rules include mechanics for hazards such
  as Extreme Cold, Strong Wind, Slippery and Thin Ice, and
  Heavy Precipitation that you may find useful.
  Snow and ice cover the mountain. Temperatures hover just
  above freezing during the day and plummet to well below at
  night (the exact temperature varies depending on the time of
  the year and the power of the Dead Sun sign). The
  environment is severe cold, progressing to extreme cold as
  Father Llymic begins to stir.
  The surface of the mountain consists of three primary
  materials.
  Stone: Small patches remain where snow and ice have
  not found purchase. These areas are rough, but otherwise
  easy to traverse.
  Snow: Although most of the snow is only a foot or so deep
  and is simple enough to traverse, other areas contain deep
  snowdrifts. These areas are difficult terrain, and they
  might hold other hazards as well, such as pockets of
  empty space beneath the snow that act as large pits.
  Ice: Great smooth ice floes make their way down every
  side of the mountain. Traversing these floes requires a DC
  13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid falling prone.
  Failing by 5 or more results in a fall that, depending on
  the slope, might carry a character far away from their
  companions. Other areas are merely slick and level and
  follow the normal rules for Slippery Ice (DMG 110).
  Aside from these effects, the weather itself makes traveling
  the mountain extremely difficult. Snow, hail, and lightning
  constantly assault its slopes. This weather can limit vision
  and obscure trails.
  22
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  Defenses
  Defenses
  As long as Father Llymic remains imprisoned, defense of the
  glacial tomb falls to his minions—the crazed cultists and the
  brood spawn—and the harsh environment.
  Cultists and insane individuals prowl the lower reaches of
  the mountain, incapable of surviving the higher summits.
  These groups all succumb to brood fever eventually, joining
  the spawn up above, while new groups and individuals
  constantly arrive to take their place. The cultist groups might
  have an order among themselves, but none of them work
  together toward any sort of common defense. These maniacs
  attack anyone bearing natural or artificial light. Characters
  who are not carrying such illumination might be able to
  bypass these groups with the use of the Deception and
  Persuasion skills.
  When the party reaches the mountainside, the
  environment changes dramatically and brood spawn become
  common. Encountering a single creature precipitates a much
  greater conflict as all nearby brood move in to investigate the
  disturbance. The concentration and power of the brood
  increases the higher up one goes.
  Those hoping to fly to reach the peak find it to be a nearly
  impossible task. Fierce, driving snow and hail assault any
  who ascend to more than 30 feet above the mountain's
  surface. This constantly roiling storm limits visibility to 5
  feet, slows movement by half, and deals 14 (4d6) cold
  damage per round of exposure. As an added hazard, the
  storm is home to flying brood spawn that have no difficulty
  navigating it.
  Additionally, those hoping to bypass the dangers of the
  mountainside by teleporting directly to the top find
  themselves out of luck. Due to the magical wards created by
  the ancient elves that imprisoned Father Llymic, it is
  impossible to make it to the summit, or to any other location
  on the mountain, via teleportation or by extradimensional or
  interplanar means.
  Anyone reaching the summit with a functioning light
  source provokes the wrath of all the brood spawn within 1
  mile, who quickly make their way to the peak to destroy the
  intruders.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The mountain that holds Father Llymic's tomb is huge,
  covering many square miles. Although numerous threats and
  dangers plague the ascent, only the peak is detailed here.
  Feel free to add groups of cultists, wandering packs of brood
  spawn, dangerous terrain, and other hazards during the
  approach. Unless otherwise noted, all these areas are sites of
  intense weather, as noted in the previous section.
  A. Garden of Alien Ice
  A. Garden of Alien Ice
  As travelers ascend the peak, they encounter a large plain of
  relatively flat ground. Dotting this landscape are strange
  statues made out of ice. Odd shapes and alien forms make up
  most of the sculptures, including titanic spheres of ice
  balanced atop slender stalagmites, perfect spirals of ice that
  seem to tighten to infinity, and grotesque images of beasts
  that cannot be. Those wandering through this eerily quiet
  garden must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw for every
  minute that they spend there. On a failed save, a creature
  suffers from a random form of Short-Term Madness,
  determined by rolling on the Short-Term Madness table in
  chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
  B. Keep of the Frost Giants
  B. Keep of the Frost Giants
  This ruined structure is carved from large slabs of pure white
  rock and covered in a thick layer of frost and ice. It was the
  home of a small tribe of frost giants who long ago succumbed
  to brood fever. Although most left to spread the plague of
  Father Llymic across the land, three of the terrible
  behemoths remain. See Encounter 1 for more information.
  C. Ice Bridge
  C. Ice Bridge
  The path leading up to the summit is broken at this point.
  Only a sheet of ice bridges the 60-foot gap, which is 100 feet
  deep and has a plain of snow at the bottom. Brood spawn
  creatures have laired in this area in the past, and a pack of
  them might be here when the party arrives. Typical creatures
  include brood spawn trolls, ogres, and even purple worms.
  The ice bridge is 15 feet wide and has the following statistics.
  Ice Bridge: Each 5-foot square of the bridge has 100 hit
  points, has an AC of 16, is immune to cold, poison, and
  psychic damage, and is vulnerable to fire and thunder
  damage. The bridge is Slippery Ice (DMG 110), which may
  prevent creatures from crossing the bridge in a timely
  manner.
  If the bridge is broken into two halves on each side of the
  gap, the bridge collapses and falls to the plain below. Each 5-
  foot square of the bridge has a weight tolerance of 500
  pounds. Whenever this weight is exceeded, the ice in that
  area breaks, and all creatures standing above it must make a
  DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, a creature
  plummets to the bottom of the gap. On a success, a creature
  manages to prevent themselves from falling by grabbing onto
  the bridge or onto another creature, as appropriate.
  D. Black Ice Spire
  D. Black Ice Spire
  The winding path meets up with a towering spire of ice at
  this location. This spear reaches 200 feet above the level of
  the path, making its tip all but invisible to those at its base.
  Only during lightning flashes can the pinnacle be seen. Flying
  brood spawn use this location to roost and wait for the arrival
  of their master. These creatures do not bother those on the
  path unless they see light of any kind, in which case they
  swoop down to attack. The brood spawn white dragon that
  resides in area E can be found here, clinging to the side of
  the spire. Although numerous rings and gouges are carved
  into the spire, the slick ice requires a successful DC 18
  Strength (Athletics) check to climb it.
  23
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  24
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  E. Cave of the Wyrm
  E. Cave of the Wyrm
  This cave is the home of a brood spawn white dragon. See
  Encounter 2 for more information.
  F. Ice Falls
  F. Ice Falls
  A great cascade of black glacial ice pours down the
  mountainside at this spot. Its numerous crevasses and cracks
  make it easier to climb than most ice surfaces, requiring only
  a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. Being this close to Father
  Llymic, however, adds another danger to the 60-foot ascent: A
  creature that is touching the ice at the start of its turn must
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one
  level of soul chill.
  G. Plain of Darkness
  G. Plain of Darkness
  This vast sheet of pure black ice is mirror-smooth and
  difficult to traverse. Not only is this ice considered Slippery
  Ice (DMG 110), but black vapor also seeps from the ice,
  acting as an inhaled poison. Whenever a creature enters the
  area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must
  succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or take 11
  (2d10) poison damage and suffer one level of exhaustion.
  Those who breathe in the vapor suffer visions of a frozen
  alien world covered in darkness that are forever burned into
  their minds. If a creature would die to this exhaustion, its
  Wisdom score is instead reduced to 0, and the creature
  becomes motionless, as if in prayer, and is effectively
  unconscious. Brood spawn can be found here, but they are
  comatose due to the effects of the vapor.
  H. Father Llymic's Prison
  H. Father Llymic's Prison
  Atop the mountain, near its highest peak, Father Llymic is
  entombed in a thick sheet of glacial ice. Seven pillars
  humming with eldritch power, each bearing ancient Elven
  runes, surround the crack that contains him. By the time the
  party reaches this point, the sun is extinguished and the time
  of Father Llymic's awakening is at hand. One by one, the
  seven pillars of ice shatter as the last bonds of his
  imprisonment fail. When the final one crumbles, Father
  Llymic's great alien bulk crawls up from below, surveying his
  new world. See the "Father Llymic" encounter for more
  information.
  Encounter 1: Giant Brood
  Encounter 1: Giant Brood
  This encounter is changed to consist of two brood spawn
  frost giants (EdE 11) and two brood spawn worgs (EdE 10).
  The positioning of these creatures can be determined based
  on the possible locations given in the original encounter map.
  Additionally, the suggested party level for this encounter is
  increased to 16, from 14.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Both brood spawn frost giants rush out of the keep on the
  first round to engage the party members out in the open.
  They target their attacks against creatures bearing a
  functioning light source, whether it's natural or magical in
  nature. If kept at range, they use their innate spells to hamper
  and damage the party by obscuring their vision with darkness
  and sleet storm.
  The worgs wait 1 round before revealing their presence.
  They might wait for a good opportunity to strike before
  moving into a closer position. In the following round, the
  worgs attack the most injured party member, if possible. The
  worgs do not use their breath weapons unless sorely pressed.
  These creatures use their innate spells and breath
  weapons without regard to their companions, relying on their
  immunities to negate the damage. These brood spawn fight
  to the death.
  Prolonged combat here attracts other brood spawn to
  assist in holding the path. After 10 rounds, 2 (1d4) brood
  spawn ogres (EdE 10) come to investigate from a nearby
  encampment.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Rubble
  Rubble
  The ground in certain places is strewn with large chunks of
  rubble, which acts as difficult terrain. A brood spawn frost
  giant can throw pieces of rubble from these piles. Each 5-foot
  square of rubble has two usable rocks that they can throw at
  a creature, as described in their statistics.
  Structures
  Structures
  The walls of the keep are all roughly 40 feet tall and covered
  in frost and ice. Due to the damage, however, scaling the
  structures requires only a DC 15 Strength (Acrobatics)
  check.
  Doors
  Doors
  The two gigantic doors of the keep lie in ruin before it. A
  brood spawn frost giant can throw one of these doors as if it
  were a rock.
  Encounter 2: Ice Wyrm
  Encounter 2: Ice Wyrm
  This encounter is unchanged, except that the suggested party
  level is increased to 18, from 15.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The brood spawn white dragon (EdE 12) is a cunning
  opponent, using its surroundings to its best advantage. It
  moves out from its cave only close enough to unleash its Cold
  Breath and does not fly unless cornered. It instead waits for
  the party to approach it before using its powerful tail to
  collapse the thin ice underfoot. If any characters fall in, its
  next action is to cast wall of ice in order to seal the hole,
  trapping them in the freezing water below.
  Once reduced to half of its hit points or fewer, the brood
  spawn dragon Disengages and flies up above the party, hiding
  in the howling storm. From there, it uses its spells to assault
  any creatures who were causing it harm in melee. After
  crippling these foes, it returns to the ground, focusing on
  spellcasters and other support characters before returning to
  that combat. The white dragon fights to the death.
  If the characters bypass this brood spawn white dragon, it
  flies up to join the fight with Father Llymic the moment he is
  freed.
  25
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  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Freezing Water
  Freezing Water
  This water is considered Frigid Water (DMG 110). Those
  trapped beneath the ice have no air and can't breathe.
  Thick Ice
  Thick Ice
  This ice is considered Slippery Ice (DMG 110).
  Thin Ice
  Thin Ice
  This ice is considered Thin Ice (DMG 110). If destroyed,
  creatures above it plummet 40 feet into the Freezing Water
  below.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  The ice cave of this dragon is full of treasure, including
  18,400 gp, 12,900 sp, a set of adamantine plate armor (DMG
  150), a potion of storm giant strength (DMG 187), a potion of
  vitality (DMG 188), and a robe of stars (DMG 194).
  Encounter 3: Father
  Encounter 3: Father
  Llymic
  Llymic
  This encounter is unchanged, except that the suggested party
  level is increased to 20, from 18.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Father Llymic (EdE 8) opens combat by using his Discord
  and Woe malefic property. He then calls forth three brood
  spawn barbarians from the surrounding caves. These brood
  spawn charge and attack the nearest enemy. In the following
  rounds, Father Llymic uses his abilities to their best effect,
  targeting any character that has a functioning light source
  before all others. If no light source presents itself (which is
  likely considering the overwhelming Dead Sun sign), Father
  Llymic instead closes with the nearest enemy to use his
  melee attacks while exposing as many party members as
  possible to his Deadly Chill aura. He also casts cone of cold
  whenever he can catch multiple party members in the blast.
  If the party proves resistant to cold, he casts maddening
  darkness and uses melee attacks in hopes of minimizing the
  effects of this resistance. If facing only a single foe in melee,
  Father Llymic tries to implant his Brood Seed.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Crevasse
  Crevasse
  This opening drops down 100 feet, and anyone falling into it
  takes 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage. In addition, the hole
  radiates a terrible chill. Any creature within 10 feet of the
  hole at the start of its turn suffer one level of soul chill.
  Crumbled Pillars
  Crumbled Pillars
  Each one of these pillars counts as difficult terrain. Although
  ruined, each one radiates overwhelming abjuration magic.
  More important, the runes on the pillars amplify light-
  creating spells and effects. Although the true power no longer
  functions, some residual magic remains. Anyone using a
  piece of one of these pillars as a material component for a
  spell that creates magical light can cast it normally, despite
  the current level of the Dead Sun sign. Each piece of stone is
  consumed in the casting of the spell and each pile of rubble
  contains only one piece of stone that can be used for this
  purpose. A piece of stone can be found with a DC 15 Wisdom
  (Perception) check (no action required) by any character that
  is capable of seeing the stone's magical auras or is otherwise
  aware of this property.
  Dark Ice
  Dark Ice
  The entire top of the mountain is a sheet of smooth, Slippery
  Ice (DMG 110). This ice generates a field that enhances the
  effects of cold damage in the area; spells and effects that deal
  cold damage can't deal less than their average cold damage.
  Father Llymic has been imprisoned for too long to accept
  defeat and fights to the death. The moment Father Llymic is
  reduced to half of his hit points or fewer, he lets out a
  terrifying screech that calls all brood spawn within a 10-mile
  radius. Although most do not arrive for some time, any
  creatures not slain in previous encounters come to his aid
  after 2 to 3 rounds. In addition, other flying brood spawn
  might arrive within a few rounds, if the party is having an
  easy time with the fight.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  The moment Father Llymic is destroyed, a faint flicker of light
  appears in the sky as the sun returns. Although it takes a few
  days for the light to return to full strength, this event causes
  fear in the hearts of all brood spawn, who quickly flee the
  area. Within a week, all the brood spawn die, melting into
  pools of ichor that forever stain the landscape. The arctic
  conditions slowly subside, but the effect on the world is
  devastating. Entire towns are emptied, crops are ruined,
  countless animals slain, and the landscape is scarred and
  ruined. With time, things might return to some semblance of
  normalcy, but nothing is ever again as it was.
  26
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  The Hulks of Zoretha
  The Hulks of Zoretha
  "And the Five shall awaken to cleanse the world of living
  vileness, and when all is purified unto emptiness the
  Children of Zoretha shall arise to fill creation with their glory.
  Therefore tremble in thy home, o mortal, for thou standeth
  between this earth and grim salvation."
  — The Zoretha Scrolls, chap. 13, verses 23-25
  The Hulks of Zoretha are five stone monoliths that have
  stood still and silent for as long as history records. Deep
  within their stone hearts pulse five malevolent intelligences
  determined to destroy all life on this plane. If awakened, the
  Hulks will destroy the world to make a nest for their own foul
  brood.
  Background
  Background
  The Hulks' background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  The Hulks' goals are unchanged.
  The Hulks of Zoretha in
  The Hulks of Zoretha in
  the Campaign
  the Campaign
  The cults that worship the Hulks of Zoretha have been
  working for years to raise their strange stone gods to life.
  Since the Five are preparing to finally awaken, it seems as if
  they are about to succeed.
  Sign: Blood Moon
  Sign: Blood Moon
  The blood moon sets tempers on edge, making people
  aggressive and angry.
  Attitudes: This sign refers to multiple steps of NPC
  attitudes as per the table below. These steps are used for the
  purposes of description brevity, and need not be used as a
  mechanical descriptor in play.
  Excluding Player Characters: To preserve party integrity,
  a DM may wish to exclude the player characters from the
  direct mechanical detriments of this sign (as per the Strong
  and Overwhelming effects). Rather, a DM may wish to
  describe how the temper of each character shortens and how
  their anger becomes more volatile as the sign intensifies; this
  method requires cooperation from the players so that they
  can properly roleplay these effects over the course of the
  campaign. This may also be done with NPCs that are
  powerful enough to resist entering a rage or frenzy on a
  regular basis.
  NPC Attitudes
  Attitude
  Means
  Possible Actions
  Hostile
  Will take risks
  to hurt you
  Attack, interfere, berate, flee
  Unfriendly Wishes you ill
  Mislead, gossip, avoid, watch
  suspiciously, insult
  Indifferent Doesn't much
  care
  Socially expected interaction
  Friendly
  Wishes you
  well
  Chat, advise, offer limited
  help, advocate
  Helpful
  Will take risks
  to help you
  Protect, back up, heal, aid
  Faint: The starting attitudes of all living creatures are
  reduced by one step. If a creature's attitude drops to hostile, it
  immediately attacks the closest living creature until it deals
  damage. At that point, it reverts to its normal starting
  attitude.
  Moderate: As faint, but starting attitudes drop by two
  steps.
  Strong: As moderate, but living creatures also risk flying
  into an uncontrollable rage. Each day when it awakens (or at
  the beginning of the day if it does not require sleep), a
  creature must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or
  go berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, a creature
  attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near
  enough to move to and attack, the creature attacks an object,
  with preference for an object smaller than itself. Once the
  creature goes berserk, it continues to do so until it kills
  another creature or is itself killed. At the end of the rage, the
  creature (if it survives) suffers one level of exhaustion.
  Overwhelming: As strong, but the DC of the Wisdom
  saving throw increases to 16. The rage intensifies to an
  insane frenzy, granting an affected creature advantage on
  saving throws against being charmed or frightened, as well as
  allowing it to make one weapon attack as a bonus action on
  each of its turn.
  The Zoretha Scrolls
  The Zoretha Scrolls
  Scribed on an unidentifiable material that has somehow
  endured the millennia intact, the now-crumbling Zoretha
  Scrolls are not inherently magical and are thus not detected
  as such by spells like detect magic and identify. The words
  contained within the scrolls have a magical effect that occurs
  when they are read.
  Only one or two copies (in addition to the original scrolls)
  should exist in a given game world, since making a copy
  requires a scribe to voluntarily and permanently give up her
  sanity. Copies are usually in book form. No written
  translation has ever been completed.
  27
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  Reading the Scrolls
  Reading the Scrolls
  The scrolls are written in an archaic dialect of Dwarven that
  can be read only by someone who can read Dwarven; the
  reader then must find a way to translate this dialect to
  modern Dwarvish (e.g. a comprehend languages spell), or
  they can make a DC 18 Intelligence (History) check in an
  attempt to understand it directly. Even then, the insane
  ramblings cannot be correctly deciphered without a DC 23
  Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Religion) check; this
  check must be made at the beginning of every 5 hours of
  reading.
  Readers who maintain their sanity can learn from the
  Zoretha Scrolls. On a succcessful check to decipher the
  ramblings as above, the first 5 hours of reading hours of
  reading reveals all the information contained in the
  Background and Goals sections from the original book. For
  each additional 5 hours of reading that is accompanied by a
  successful check, a reader learns one of the following facts:
  d8 Result
  1 The four female Hulks are connected with the
  elements: acid, cold, fire, and lightning.
  2
  The colors and basic appearance of the Hulks, as
  described in the "Description" section of the original
  book.
  3 One of the three chants needed to awaken the Hulks.
  4
  One of the six material components of the awakening
  ritual. All are rare and expensive and can be clues to
  help the party find the whereabouts of NPCs if
  necessary.
  5 How to conduct the ritual, excluding the required
  chants.
  6 The Hulks have breath weapons.
  7 One Hulk is faster than the others and flies.
  8 The location of the Hulks.
  Madness of the Scrolls
  Madness of the Scrolls
  Every five hours spent reading the Zoretha Scrolls forces the
  reader to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. The scrolls
  don't need to be understood to take effect; simply reading
  them is enough. On a failed save, the creature's Wisdom
  score is reduced by 1d4, to a minimum of 1 (-5). On a failed
  save of 5 or more, the target also suffers from a random form
  of Indefinite Madness, determined by rolling on the Indefinite
  Madness table in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
  The reduction to a target's Wisdom score lasts until the
  target finishes a long rest without reading the scrolls during
  the rest. However, if the target's Wisdom score is reduced to
  1, the reduction becomes permanent and can't be cured by
  any means.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  5
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  15
  Strong
  18
  Overwhelming
  20
  The Hulks of Zoretha in Eberron
  The Hulks of Zoretha in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  The Hulks of Zoretha in Faerûn
  The Hulks of Zoretha in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  When compared to the other eight Elder Evils here, the
  Hulks of Zoretha could be considered the most
  underwhelming. One reason for this is that each individual
  Hulk is much weaker than many of the monsters out there.
  Even Soelma and Janwulf are higher in CR than an individual
  Hulk. Rather, the global threat posed by the Hulks' Blood
  Moon sign makes them a world-ending threat; additionally,
  the five Hulks are designed to be a challenge even for high
  level characters when fought all at once.
  The second reason for this is that there is so much missed
  potential for their story. The original Elder Evils book
  describes that the Hulks are part of an alien race that sent
  them to colonize the campaign setting; once they awaken and
  eradicate all sapient life on the planet, they will give birth to
  the "Children of Zoretha". Such children were not given
  statistics nor descriptions in the original book, as it is
  assumed that the players will defeat the Hulks before they
  have a chance to give birth to them.
  However, what if a DM wanted to change up the story?
  Perhaps the Children of Zoretha have begun to bring chaos
  and destruction to the setting, in an effort to awaken their
  dormant parents. Perhaps the Hulks and their now matured
  Children have already colonized a different world and have
  now begun to invade the campaign setting. It is unfortunate
  that the original book did not provide the tools necessary in
  order to facilitate such stories.
  As mentioned, the Hulks of Zoretha are underwhelming
  because they are required to individually be weak in order to
  be a group encounter for high level players. Thus, DMs that
  feel the Hulks are boring as a group may run them as one
  colossal Elder Evil that I dubbed the "Titan of Zoretha".
  A five-headed monolith big enough to tackle a tarrasque,
  the Titan of Zoretha can be used as a replacement of the five
  Hulks in a standard campaign. However, if a DM makes the
  Hulks and Children of Zoretha non-unique (i.e. a reoccuring
  monster type throughout the campaign), the Titan of Zoretha
  would instead be used as their leader. This way, the aliens of
  Zoretha can be used as an entire faction of enemies, rather
  than relying on cultists and the Hulks' Blood Moon sign to
  create conflict throughout the campaign.
  28
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  Thus, I included statistics for the Children of Zoretha and the
  variant Titan of Zoretha in the accompanying bestiary. They
  are simply my imagining of these concepts, which I do not
  claim to have a definitive monopoly over or understanding of.
  In addition to the above content, consider the following
  changes and additions:
  Associate the Hulks with the Far Realm. The Hulks are
  easily associated with the Far Realm due to their
  madness-inducing traits. Perhaps Zoretha is a layer of the
  Far Realm, and the Hulks' Innate Spellcasting traits are
  actually psionic in nature. Throughout the campaign,
  more and more aberrations might threaten the world in
  preparation for the Hulks' awakening.
  Elaborate upon the mysterious place called Zoretha. In a
  Spelljammer campaign, perhaps Zoretha is a distant
  crystal sphere that the other denizens of Zoretha call
  home. In a planar campaign, perhaps Zoretha is a new
  plane of existence from outside the Great Wheel, or it is a
  small crevasse between two planes that has been
  undetected by mortal civilization.
  Change the motivation of the Hulks as you see fit. As alien
  colonizers, the Hulks might seek to enslave the mortal
  races instead, using what is left of civlization when they
  awaken to construct a new society for their Children to
  live in. Or perhaps the Hulks seek to open a portal to
  Zoretha, allowing the rest of their kind to flood into their
  new colony. You can also change the motivations of the
  Cult of Zoretha. Perhaps they can perform sacrificial
  rituals in order to create or summon the Children of
  Zoretha, or maybe their desire to spread madness to all
  has allowed them to create the Blood Moon sign
  themselves.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding the Hulks,
  Soelma Nilaenish, and Janwulf the Soulbiter. Additionally,
  reference the bestiary for information on the optional
  Children and Titan of Zoretha as described in the previous
  section.
  The Temple of Zoretha
  The Temple of Zoretha
  The Hulks of Zoretha have no true temple, but the five of
  them have stood in one place for thousands upon thousands
  of years. In this location, cultists have carved out a lair that
  they call the Temple of Zoretha.
  The rock and ice of this "temple" have been hollowed out
  by hand to form a vast cavern with a permanent roof of ice
  hundreds of feet thick and a warren of tunnels and chambers
  leading off it. Cultists make their homes, such as they are, in
  these smaller chambers. Fire pits with crude chimneys cut
  into the rock allow cultists to keep themselves warm despite
  the year-round freezing temperatures. A nearby coal deposit
  provides fuel in the treeless wasteland they inhabit.
  All life in the temple centers around the great cavern where
  the uncaring monoliths have stood since far past the reach of
  mortal memory. Vast, echoing, and largely empty, the cavern
  nevertheless swarms with indistinct whispers and eerie
  shadows. During the day, sunlight filters thinly through the
  frozen roof, casting strange ripples and prisms of dim light.
  At night, torchlight glimmers against the ice ceiling, and the
  weird markings on the Hulks' bodies produce a shimmering
  effect.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  Mad cultists with little knowledge of architecture designed
  the temple of Zoretha. It was intended to be a cathedral and
  resting place grand enough for gods. What is most
  remarkable is how well the cultists succeeded at their goal,
  for the main cavern of the temple is nothing if not awesome.
  At its highest point, right above the Hulks, the ceiling of the
  cavern is 150 feet in height, and a roughly 90-foot-radius
  circle of it is ice. Large fires are never burned in the great
  cavern, so it is always very cold there.
  The ice ceiling allows for illumination throughout the
  chamber during daylight hours, though the light is blue and
  the room is lit no better than it would be with candles and
  torches. The cultists leave the place dark at night, except
  when they perform rituals. During rituals they use torches
  and fire pits similar to those in the cultists' sleeping quarters.
  Any light causes strange shimmers and tricks of the eye.
  Other ceilings in the temple complex are stone, and most
  are 20 feet tall or lower. Some are as small as 5 feet tall. The
  exception to this is the main entry hall, which at 40 feet in
  height is designed to be a comfortable space for the 20-foot-
  tall monoliths once they awaken. All light outside the main
  cavern comes from fire pits left burning for warmth.
  Defenses
  Defenses
  The Temple of Zoretha is well defended by the cultists who
  live there. Even when the majority are out raiding or hunting,
  a substantial guard is left behind to defend their gods' resting
  place. Surviving the harsh climate and the cult's internal
  squabbles make cultists tougher and better fighters than
  average folk. Defenders of less than CR 3 are rare.
  After the main gate, the next line of defense is the great
  hall itself. Intruders are ambushed upon entry if possible.
  Cultists know that their monoliths are invulnerable, and
  those retaining the slightest shred of sanity do not defend the
  main cavern to the death.
  The twists and turns of the smaller chambers and tunnels
  provide useful ambush spots or defensible last stands. If
  faced with particularly powerful intruders, the strongest
  Medium and Small warriors have instructions to defend the
  library, which can be accessed only by Medium or smaller
  creatures. Defenders of the library fight to their last breath.
  Once the Hulks' Blood Moon sign reaches the strong or
  overwhelming stage, cultists of Zoretha can voluntarily enter
  a frenzy as noted in the sign's description.
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  30
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  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The following locations correspond to those indicated on the
  Temple of Zoretha map.
  A. The Entrance Tunnel
  A. The Entrance Tunnel
  Set into an icy cliff face, this enormous tunnel is obscured by
  huge, fanglike icicles and large piles of packed snow; it takes
  a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) to notice the
  entrance before entering bowshot range. The entrance tunnel
  is guarded by ten to twelve cultists who gain cover from the
  ice and snow in the opening. Guards attack anyone they do
  not know as soon as they are in range. There is no password,
  and they cannot be reasoned with or bribed. Encounter 1
  provides an example of entrance guards who are prepared for
  powerful opponents.
  B. The Cavern
  B. The Cavern
  Any cultists in the cavern attack intruders on sight. In
  combat, keep in mind the huge scale of the room. Most
  Medium cultists worshiping among the monoliths, for
  example, need at least 2 rounds to reach melee fighting range
  of the entrance. All ranged fighters should have little trouble
  finding cover among the support pillars along the edge of the
  hall or behind the monoliths themselves. If a leader is
  present, cultists attempt to surround and trap intruders in the
  central area, so that they can be picked off by archers.
  Encounter 2 portrays the final fight with Soelma Nilaenish
  and the cultists in this area.
  C. Ambush Spot
  C. Ambush Spot
  This alcove just inside the main entrance makes a perfect
  ambush spot to surprise those coming up the entrance
  tunnel. Stone formations and a well-placed support pillar
  grant anyone crouching here advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
  checks in all but full daylight. If cultists are prepared for the
  party's arrival, four to five Medium cultists are hidden here
  when the party enters. Once the male Hulk awakens, he uses
  this ambush spot if given an opportunity to do so.
  D. Janwulf's Home
  D. Janwulf's Home
  The back half of this smaller room has been turned into a tidy
  and comfortable personal quarters for a Huge-size creature,
  with a magically everburning fireplace, piles of cured animal
  hide blankets forming a bed, a well-made wooden writing
  desk and chair, neatly organized shelves, and a large chest.
  Janwulf's wealth and remaining possessions can be found in
  this chamber. Janwulf used every magic trap he was able to
  pay for to keep intruders from rifling through his things, and
  the spells are still in place. The doorway, shelves, chest, and a
  secret panel in the chest are all rigged with explosive glyphs
  of warding (save DC 17).
  Treasure in the room includes four silk tapestries on the
  walls that depict scenes of violent horror (1,000 gp each), a
  large crystal wine glass with an ornate gold base (3,000 gp), a
  silver ice bucket for chilling wine (2,000 gp), candlesticks
  (100 gp each), fine fabric on the mantelpiece (300 gp), and
  furs on the bed (350 gp total). The large desk and chair are
  made of darkwood and worth 500 gp each. The shelves
  (carved into the wall) contain only the works of a frost giant
  poet, worth 500 gp if the party can find a collector of
  depressing love poetry written in Giant.
  The chest holds 4,000 gp and 500 pp. The chest is
  embroidered on the inside with nine bloodstones worth 50 gp
  each adorning a velvet cloth (worth 300 gp). If the party
  removes the velvet lining they find a secret panel and a tiny
  compartment holding five gemstones, each worth 1,000 gp:
  one diamond, one ruby, one topaz, one sapphire, and one
  black pearl.
  E. Small Sleeping Area
  E. Small Sleeping Area
  Some Small and Medium cultists sleep here. The area is
  filthy and smells of unwashed bodies. Any cultists hiding here
  will probably be terrified of the characters, but being crazy
  and trapped, they still attempt to fight their way out.
  F. Large Sleeping Area
  F. Large Sleeping Area
  Much like area J, this room is filthy and smelly, full of poorly
  tanned animal hides and little else. A few starved and sickly
  noncombatant cultists lie in the filth.
  A second tunnel leads to area L, but it is small and difficult
  to notice in the shadows. Unless someone fully enters the
  chamber, it cannot be seen at all. If the party searches the
  room, a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check allows
  them to see the second tunnel.
  G. Library
  G. Library
  Here the cultists keep their stash of manuscripts referencing
  the Hulks of Zoretha as well as any other texts the cultists
  have decided allude to the Hulks. The original Zoretha
  Scrolls are not present. Other books and scrolls here include
  fairy tales and fiction, manuals describing the methods
  through which one can obtain Vile Feats (see Chapter 1), and
  spell scrolls of animate dead, eyebite, hallow, and move earth.
  Several cultists (minimum CR 8 each) make a stand here.
  They fight to the death to protect their precious books.
  H1. Fire Hulk
  H1. Fire Hulk
  Before awakening, the red and orange mottled fire Hulk
  stands here, facing the acid Hulk.
  H2. Ice Hulk
  H2. Ice Hulk
  The quiescent gray ice Hulk stands here, facing the lightning
  hulk. Pale blue lines that look like veins in the stone monolith
  glimmer wetly in torchlight.
  H3. Acid Hulk
  H3. Acid Hulk
  Until the Hulks are raised, the brown acid Hulk stands here,
  splotched randomly with sickly green patches that resemble
  lichen. The acid Hulk faces the fire hulk.
  H4. Lightning Hulk
  H4. Lightning Hulk
  Before awakening, the dark blue lightning Hulk stands here,
  facing the ice Hulk. Torchlight sparkles brightly in the white
  crystal lines that run through the apparently stone Hulk.
  H5. Male Hulk
  H5. Male Hulk
  The fifth Hulk stands here, facing the entrance. Though he is
  made of a black stonelike substance, his eyes follow
  observers.
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  I. Ritual Room
  I. Ritual Room
  The cultists keep their pseudo-religious paraphernalia here,
  including costumes and props for bizarre rites; many of the
  items are blood-soaked, and nearly all are poorly made. A few
  minor magic items are scattered in the mix, such as a
  shortsword of wounding (DMG 207) that has obviously been
  used for blood sacrifices, an eversmoking bottle (DMG 168),
  and a flask of sovereign glue (DMG 200). The cult leaders
  keep the best acquisitions for themselves.
  J. Storage
  J. Storage
  The three smaller back chambers of the ritual room serve the
  cultists as storage areas. They keep food in one area, torches,
  fuel, and other supplies in a second, and weapons and armor
  in the third. All of it is filthy, mundane, and poorly organized.
  Encounter 1: Into the
  Encounter 1: Into the
  Temple
  Temple
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  In the first round, the guards at the gate sound the alarm to
  the rest of the temple, then do their best to pick off the party
  members with ranged attacks while they retain their cover
  behind the snow and icicles. They will not be drawn out of
  their tunnel. The creatures outside the tunnel keep the party
  from advancing quickly to allow their allies to fire.
  Since the guards sounded the alarm during the first
  rounds, the longer this fight takes, the better prepared the
  cultists are when the party finally enters the main cavern.
  After the fifth round, consider one main cavern cultist per
  round to be hidden (DC 18 to detect) to ambush the party.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Ice Slick
  Ice Slick
  A flat patch of very slick Slippery Ice (DMG 110) lies in front
  of the entrance, extending outward 10 feet from the northern
  snow pile.
  Icicles
  Icicles
  As well as providing cover for the trolls, the icicles at the
  tunnel mouth act as a barricade against intruders. A DC 18
  Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check
  reveals an easy path through the hanging icicles, along the
  eastern side of the entrance. Otherwise, Medium and Large
  creatures that move through the area must move as if the
  area was difficult terrain.
  Snow Piles
  Snow Piles
  Steep slopes of packed snow lead up to the entrance. The
  slope and the unsure footing of the deep snow causes the
  snow piles to be difficult terrain.
  Encounter 2: Stop the
  Encounter 2: Stop the
  Ritual
  Ritual
  This encounter is changed to consist of one cave troll (EdE
  18), two skindancers (EdE 18), three greathorn minotaurs
  (EdE 18), and Soelma Nilaenish (EdE 16). The positioning
  of these creatures can be determined based on the possible
  locations given in the original encounter map. Additionally,
  the suggested party level for this encounter is increased to 18,
  from 17.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  As the party makes its presence known, Soelma Nilaenish
  sends a few particular combatants to keep the party busy
  while she finishes her ritual.
  The cave troll and the skindancers charge to attack as
  quickly as they can, while the greathorn minotaurs use their
  earth glide ability to circle behind the characters and
  surround them. Once the party is surrounded, the creatures
  try to herd them farther into the cavern, thus exposing them
  to more ranged attacks.
  Obedient to Nilaenish's instructions, the creatures try to
  keep the party members in a group and away from the ritual
  if they possibly can. Nilaenish herself, even if attacked at
  range, does not join in the fight until her ritual is interrupted.
  She cast several defensive spells on herself before combat,
  however, and she is capable of casting counterspell and
  shield using her reaction without interrupting the ritual.
  Once joined in the battle, Soelma attempts to stay out of
  melee with the party, taking cover behind a monolith and
  casting spells to support her allies. If she runs out of spells,
  Soelma—who is by now completely insane—voluntarily goes
  into a Blood Moon frenzy and fights to the death in melee
  with her staff of power.
  If the party does not stop Soelma Nilaenish's ritual after 10
  rounds of fighting, the Hulks awaken. However, if a party
  member attacks Soelma in melee or otherwise disturbs her
  ritual before a minute has passed, she angrily devotes her full
  energy to the battle. When Soelma falls, the remaining
  creatures flee into other parts of the temple.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Ambush Spot
  Ambush Spot
  Just to the left of the party as they enter the cavern is a
  perfect ambush spot. This alcove is not in line of sight to
  those coming up the entrance tunnel until they have fully
  entered the cavern by at least 10 feet. Stone formations and
  support pillars grant anyone crouching here advantage on
  Dexterity (Stealth) checks in all but full daylight.
  Low Ceiling
  Low Ceiling
  Though 150 feet tall at its highest, the ceiling in the great
  cavern arches down to 20 feet tall at the walls, which is
  slightly shorter than the Hulks themselves. The enemies will
  not enter the low-ceiling area indicated on the map unless
  they need to fight the party.
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  Sleeping Hulks
  Sleeping Hulks
  The Hulks of Zoretha serve as little more than terrain
  features during this battle. Keep in mind that since they are
  not really stone, the earth glide ability of the greathorn
  minotaurs does not work for passing through them.
  Support Columns
  Support Columns
  The columns around the outer edge of the cavern are wide
  enough to provide total cover for creatures of Medium size or
  smaller.
  Encounter 3: The Hulks
  Encounter 3: The Hulks
  Awaken
  Awaken
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The Hulks of Zoretha (EdE 13) are aware of the party's
  approach no matter how stealthy they are. The black Hulk
  has circled around to the ambush spot, hoping to use his
  sneak attack. The other Hulks spread out to surround the
  party and to avoid being caught in area spells. The black Hulk
  specifically targets spellcasters.
  All four female Hulks cast conjure minor elementals before
  the combat is engaged, summoning mephits or other
  elemental creatures as appropriate. The summoned
  creatures attempt to keep the party together so the female
  Hulks can make better use of their breath weapons.
  The five Hulks are mates and breeding partners. They
  become angry if one of the females is killed, and all the
  females are extremely protective of the male, since he is
  irreplaceable.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Ambush Spot
  Ambush Spot
  Just to the left of the party as they enter the cavern is a
  perfect ambush spot. This alcove is not in line of sight to
  those coming up the entrance tunnel until they have fully
  entered the cavern by at least 10 feet. Stone formations and
  support pillars grant the male hulk advantage on Dexterity
  (Stealth) checks made to hide here.
  Low Ceiling
  Low Ceiling
  Though 150 feet tall at its highest, the ceiling in the great
  cavern arches down to 20 feet tall at the walls, which is
  slightly shorter than the Hulks themselves. This area is
  considered difficult terrain for the hulks, as they must crouch
  in order to move through the area properly.
  Support Columns
  Support Columns
  Each support column has 300 HP and an AC of 12. They
  provide total cover to Huge or smaller creatures behind them.
  When a column is broken, a portion of the ceiling collapses.
  Each creature within 10 feet of the column must make a DC
  15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) bludgeoning
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
  successful one. The space where the collumn was and the
  10-foot-radius area of rubble around it then becomes difficult
  terrain until cleared.
  Variant: Titan of Zoretha
  Variant: Titan of Zoretha
  If you choose to use the Titan of Zoretha variant discussed
  earlier in this chapter, place it in the center of the room. The
  Titan is 60 feet tall, and it isn't able to enter the low ceiling
  area unless it drops prone on it knees.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The Titan of Zoretha (EdE 15) summons an elemental of its
  choice before combat. This elemental has been directed to
  hide in the ambush spot and to target spellcasters that are
  exposed from the rear.
  The Titan starts combat by casting earthquake; the fissures
  created by the spell are too small for the Titan to get stuck in,
  and the Titan is able to support itself on the ceiling,
  preventing it from having to make a saving throw against
  falling prone or losing concentration on the spell. It then
  attempts to use dominate monster on the party member it
  determines is the strongest physically, and proceeds to attack
  the rest of the party with its Multiattack.
  If the target of the Titan's dominate monster succeeds on
  its initial saving throw or the spell ends, it uses its next action
  or legendary action to unleash its Breath Weapon on as many
  party members as it can, and then proceeds to bombard the
  party with weapon attacks and spells as normal.
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  The Leviathan
  The Leviathan
  "Dread Leviathan, who spawned monster serpents,
  Their bodies filled with poison instead of blood.
  Fierce beasts of land and sea who wore their glory
  like gods, all bedecked in splendor.
  Terror overcame whoever beheld Leviathan,
  From its dread body sprang vipers and dragons,
  And hurricanes, and mighty tempests,
  And fearsome shaking of the earth,
  And such abominations as even the gods could not
  comprehend.
  So did the world shudder at the stirring of Leviathan.
  Gods grant that it lie in peace in the depths for all eternity."
  — An ancient tablet carved in Draconic, origin unknown
  Spawned by the raw and undiluted chaos of creation, the
  world-spanning creature called the Leviathan slumbers deep
  beneath the waves, its dreams and stirrings producing
  monsters and disaster in the world above. Few on the surface
  are aware of the terrible threat that the Leviathan represents,
  but in the depths of the ocean, a creature of unspeakable evil
  seeks to use the mighty creature for his own nefarious
  purposes.
  Background
  Background
  The Leviathan's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  The Leviathan's goals are unchanged.
  The Leviathan in the
  The Leviathan in the
  Campaign
  Campaign
  Everyone has heard legends about the Leviathan, ranging
  from wild sailors' tales of giant fish or whales to scholars'
  suggestions that the Leviathan is a real creature that has yet
  to be discovered. Few tales hint at the Leviathan's true power,
  and most of these are buried in the obscure dragon legends.
  Most scholars consider the Leviathan to be little more than
  an entertaining myth.
  Sign: Eerie Weather
  Sign: Eerie Weather
  The impending awakening of the Leviathan is heralded by
  abnormal weather that becomes more and more widespread
  as the sign becomes stronger.
  Faint: Eerie weather occurs once every 2 weeks and
  affects an area of 21 (2d20) square miles in a place of the
  DM's choice. The effects last for 3 (1d4 + 1) hours.
  Moderate: Eerie weather occurs once a week and affects
  an area of 101 (2d100) square miles. The effects last for 7
  (2d4 + 2) hours.
  Strong: Eerie weather occurs once a day and affects an
  entire continent or large surface of the planet. The effects last
  for 14 (4d4 + 4) hours.
  Overwhelming: Eerie weather occurs once an hour and
  affects the entire world. The effects last for 2 (1d4) hours
  (because the duration can be longer than the frequency, the
  effects often overlap).
  Each time eerie weather occurs, consult the following
  tables and roll a d20 three times to determine the exact
  effect. See DMG 109 for details on severe weather conditions
  and their effects.
  Temperature
  d20 Temperature
  01-
  08
  Heat wave; temperature rises by 1d4 × 10 degrees
  Fahrenheit
  09-
  16
  Cold snap; temperature falls by 1d4 × 10 degrees
  Fahrenheit
  17-
  20
  Invert season: summer becomes winter, spring
  becomes fall, and vice versa
  Wind
  d20 Wind
  01-08 Strong wind
  09-16 Strong wind and fog (heavily obscuring the area)
  17-20 1d6 tornados
  Precipitation
  d20 Precipitation
  01-
  10 No precipitation
  11-
  12
  Storm: heavy rain or heavy snowfall (temperature-
  based)
  13-
  14
  As storm, plus heavy lightning (rain) or blizzard
  (snow)
  15-
  16 As storm, plus hurricane (rain) or hail (snow)
  17-
  18
  As storm, plus blood rain (rain) or rain of fish or
  frogs (snow)
  19-
  20 As storm, plus acid rain (rain) or flaming hail (snow)
  Tornado. Use the whirlwind spell (XGE 171) as the effect
  of the storm (with the actual tornado being much larger than
  the size of the spell), with a save DC of 20.
  Blizzard. The area of the blizzard is heavily obscured.
  Additionally, ground that has heavy snow on it is difficult
  terrain until cleared.
  Blood Rain. A creature that ends its turn in the rain must
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
  poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature can repeat the
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
  on a success.
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   Rain of Fish or Frogs. Instead of snowing, fish and/or
  frogs fall from the sky, splattering when they hit the ground.
  Exposed creatures and objects take 1 bludgeoning damage at
  the start of each of their turns. Additionally, the ground
  becomes slick with gore and is difficult terrain until 2 (1d4)
  hours after the storm ends.
  Acid Rain. Exposed creatures and objects take 2 acid
  damage at the start of each of their turns.
  Flaming Hail. Exposed creatures and objects take 1
  bludgeoning damage plus 1 fire damage at the start of each of
  their turns. Every 5 (1d10) rounds, a flaming hailstone
  explodes on impact in a random spot. Each creature within
  20 feet of the impact must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
  throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as
  much damage on a successful one. The explosion covers the
  ground with fragments, making it difficult terrain until
  cleared.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  5
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  15
  Strong
  17
  Overwhelming
  20
  The Leviathan in Eberron
  The Leviathan in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  The Leviathan in Faerûn
  The Leviathan in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  The Leviathan's nature of being a sleeping serpent that wraps
  around the world limits its usage in different campaign
  settings. However, with enough creativity, it is possible to
  include The Leviathan in a Spelljammer or planar campaign.
  In a Spelljammer campaign, The Leviathan can still be ran
  as normal; its body wraps around a given planet, and if
  roused, it will reduce that planet to rubble. However, you may
  also wish to have The Leviathan be a space serpent, laying
  dormant as its unconscious body drifts through wildspace.
  Perhaps it is even as big as a planet itself, and if awakened, it
  will smash each and every crystal sphere it comes across
  until the Material Plane has been compeltely destroyed.
  In a planar campaign, perhaps The Leviathan's body spans
  multiple planes as the River Styx does. The forces of evil may
  wish to take advantage of this interplanar connection as their
  plans unfold, or they may wish to partially awaken The
  Leviathan in order to destroy a particular plane or two. If fully
  awakened, The Leviathan would eviscerate every plane it can
  before destroying itself.
  Beyond that, consider the following changes and additions:
  Add additional cults or factions that wish to take
  advantage of The Leviathan or that otherwise compete
  with the Cult of the Leviathan. By having multiple evil
  factions in this manner, it allows the players to ally with
  certain factions or to pit them against each other in order
  to prevent The Leviathan from bringing about an
  apocalypse. Here are a few examples:
  An archdevil or infernal cult that receives word of
  Axihuatl's actions seeks to stop their demonic rivals
  from succeeding in their plans.
  The forces of Elemental Evil (see Princes of the
  Apocalypse) do not care for the campaign setting
  and wish to fully awaken The Leviathan, taking
  advantage of or infiltrating Axihuatl's cult in order
  to acquire the Abyssal Shard.
  Two different Cults of the Dragon Below disagree
  on how to use The Leviathan and whether or not it
  should be fully awakened.
  By default, the Abyssal Shard is in Axihuatl's possession
  for the entirety of the campaign. However, perhaps
  Axihuatl does not have it, and the party must race against
  Marcus Hape in order to obtain the Abyssal Shard from
  its current location.
  You may wish to use water-based campaign elements
  beyond just Mytus's Dwarven Diving Machine. Perhaps an
  underwater city of storm giants enlists the party's help in
  stopping aquatic aberrations from destroying their
  civlization. Maybe the party gains access to a seafaring
  vehicle (see Ghosts of Saltmarsh for ship rules), and they
  must navigate the high seas in order to travel between
  island nations or to fight threats just off the coast of a port
  city.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding aspects of the
  Leviathan, Axihuatl, and Marcus Hape.
  Additionally, a description of the Abyssal Shard magic item
  is given below. Statistics for the sage Mytus are given in the
  bestiary, and his Dwarven Diving Machine is given statistics
  below.
  35
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  Spine Temple
  Spine Temple
  Rituals to awaken the Leviathan take place at a secret temple
  located in one of the mountainous spines that bristle along
  the great beast's back. The spine, positioned not far behind
  the Leviathan's head, rises from the water several miles off
  the coast. It is entirely featureless, leaving sailors and
  scholars alike utterly puzzled as to its origin and purpose.
  Originally used by chaos-worshiping spellcasters to
  recharge their arcane energy, the temple has long been
  abandoned. Axihuatl learned of its existence during his
  research on the Leviathan and intends to use the temple to
  awaken the creature, then return the Leviathan to sleep once
  it has done its work.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  The spine is ideal for Axihuatl's purposes, since part of it
  rises above the water, part of it is below, and the lowest level
  contains an opening to the swirling heart of chaos inside the
  Leviathan's body. A single entrance on the surface provides
  access to the upper temple.
  The upper level of the temple at the tip of the Leviathan's
  great spine is above water, but the remainder is submerged
  beneath the waves. Long, dark, and perilous tubes provide
  access between levels.
  Be sure to reference pages 182 and 198 of the Player's
  Handbook for rules on Swimming and Underwater Combat,
  respectively.
  Abyssal Shard
  Abyssal Shard
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
  A fragment of elemental chaos, the Abyssal Shard
  is a key element in Axihuatl's ritual to awaken the
  Leviathan. As chaos calls to chaos, the presence of
  this chunk of living disorder draws the great beast
  from its slumber just far enough for Axihuatl to
  influence its actions. Once the Leviathan's task is
  complete, Axihuatl intends to have Marcus Hape or
  another minion cast the shard into the Leviathan's
  heart, where it will be absorbed, sending the
  creature back to its slumbers.
  When you use an action to toss the shard into
  the air, the shard orbits your head at a distance of
  1d3 feet and confers a benefit to you. Thereafter,
  another creature must use an action to grasp or net
  the shard to separate it from you, either by making
  a successful attack roll against AC 24 or a
  successful DC 24 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
  You can use an action to seize and stow the shard,
  ending its effect.
  The shard has AC 24, 50 hit points, and
  resistance to all damage. It is considered to be an
  object that is being worn while it orbits your head.
  You have advantage on all saving throws while
  the shard orbits your head.
  36
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  Dwarven Diving Machine
  Dwarven Diving Machine
  Gargantuan vehicle, (25 ft. by 25 ft.)
  Creature Capacity 2 crew, 8 passengers
  Cargo Capacity 0.5 tons
  Travel Pace 3 miles per hour (72 miles per day)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  11 (+0)
  14 (+2)
  13 (+1)
  0
  0
  0
  Damage Immunities cold, poison, psychic
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
  exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed,
  petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
  Actions
  Actions
  On its turn, the diving machine can take both the Move
  and Light actions below. It can't take these actions if it
  has no crew.
  Move. The diving machine can use its helm to move
  with its magical propulsion unit.
  Light. The diving machine's flashlight can emit bright
  light in a 60-foot cone and dim light for an additional
  60 feet, or it can be turned off to emit no light. It
  can't use this action if the Helm or Magical
  Propulsion Unit is destroyed.
  Hull
  Hull
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 100
  Control: Helm
  Control: Helm
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 100
  Move up to the speed of its magical propulsion unit,
  with one 90-degree turn. If the helm is destroyed, the
  diving machine can't turn.
  Movement: Magical Propulsion Unit
  Movement: Magical Propulsion Unit
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 75; -5 ft. speed per 25 damage taken
  Speed (water or underwater). 25 ft; 15 ft. while
  swimming against a current; 35 ft. while swiming
  with a current.
  
  37
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  Defenses
  Defenses
  The temple is a baffling and alarming place for outsiders (see
  Encounter Areas, below, for details), and Axihuatl relies on
  secrecy to defend it. He does not venture into the lower levels
  of the temple very often, remaining content to let the various
  chaotic obstacles of the lower levels keep the place safe from
  intruders.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The following locations correspond to those indicated on the
  map.
  First Level
  First Level
  The uppermost level of the temple is a roughly conical
  chamber where surface-dwelling cultists perform their
  rituals. A massive shaft of bone, elaborately carved and fluted,
  supports the arched ceiling. At the base of the central pillar is
  the ritual space where Axihuatl (in human form) leads his air-
  breathing followers.
  A. Entrance
  A. Entrance
  This tube is dry and leads to an entrance on the surface (the
  other three on the level are filled with water after about 20
  feet and lead to the next lower level). The cultists have fixed a
  rope ladder to enable easier access. The exterior door is
  located about 10 feet above the surface of the water and
  requires a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check to locate.
  B. Ceremonial Pillar
  B. Ceremonial Pillar
  The central pillar narrows down here, where a ritual circle is
  inscribed in the floor, surrounded by incomprehensible runes.
  If cast correctly, Axihuatl's ritual will in theory wake the
  Leviathan for a time so it can smash the lands and sink most
  of the continents, and then send it back to sleep, leaving the
  world (in the ixitxachitl's mind, anyway) a far better place.
  See Encounter 1 for more details.
  C. Ascending Transport Tubes
  C. Ascending Transport Tubes
  D. Descending Transport Tubes
  D. Descending Transport Tubes
  These tubes are about 10 feet in diameter and were used for
  access between levels when the temple was submerged.
  Warm water rises through the tubes, heated by the mass of
  the Leviathan below, so swimming down is somewhat more
  difficult than swimming up. Descending one level through a
  tube requires 10 minutes and for a swimmer to make a DC
  12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a swimmer
  suffers one level of exhaustion.
  Swimming up to the next higher level is easier, since the
  warm water carries the swimmer along. Doing this only takes
  5 minutes and doesn't require a saving throw.
  Second Level
  Second Level
  This level is a squat cylinder, its walls, floor, and ceiling
  completely covered in intricately carved runes similar to
  those that surround the ceremonial circle on the first level. An
  eerie glow emanates from the runes, suffusing the area with
  dim light.
  Chaos energy from the Leviathan slowly leaches from
  these runes, and small bioluminescent creatures swarm
  through the water, tiny manifestations of the Leviathan's
  dreams.
  E. Runic Zone
  E. Runic Zone
  These zones exist as cubes of chaotically charged water
  about 150 feet square, each centered on one of the transport
  tubes from above. Here, chaos energy is focused, manifesting
  several unusual effects. Anyone exiting the tubes into the
  level encounters the runic zone and its effects. See
  Encounter 2 for further details on these zones.
  Third Level
  Third Level
  The lowest level of the temple is a great spherical chamber
  over 800 feet across. It too is covered in carved runes that
  provide shadowy illumination as described on the previous
  level.
  F. Chaos Doorway
  F. Chaos Doorway
  The builders of the temple used these portals to transport
  themselves to and from the temple, entering and exiting
  without the need for physical doors. Now they serve as
  conduits to the Leviathan, manifesting creatures from its
  dreams and transporting them from the temple to elsewhere
  in the world. If the party approaches within 50 feet of one of
  these doorways, roll on the following table to see what type of
  creature manifests.
  If an encounter features a creature from a book you don't
  have, pick a result from a book you do have. If the source
  column lists the source "EdE", it is referring to the
  accompanying bestiary for this book.
  d100 Encounter
  Source
  01-10 1d4 aspects of the Leviathan
  EdE 19
  11-20 1d6 chaos spawn
  EdE 22
  21-30 2d8 deep lurkers
  EdE 22
  81-90 1d4 juvenile krakens
  GoS 14
  91-00 1 kraken
  MM 197
  G. The Pit
  G. The Pit
  At the bottom of the sphere is a round pit that leads into the
  very heart of the Leviathan's chaotic essence. See Encounter
  3 for more details on this area.
  Encounter 1: Upper Temple
  Encounter 1: Upper Temple
  This encounter is changed to include 16 brine cultists (EdE
  21) instead of normal cultists, as well as a wastrilith (MTF
  139) that is summoned alongside the waterveiled assassin
  (EdE 21) in order to guard Axihuatl (EdE 20) against the
  party.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Initially, the waterveiled assassin and the wastrilith move to
  defend Axihuatl. Their priority is protecting him, so they
  move toward any characters who attack him. Cultists
  likewise move to stop the party while Axihuatl completes the
  ritual, but they are more likely to be nuisances than any real
  threat. The focus initially is simply to slow the party down
  and buy Axihuatl some time.
  38
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  When one or more characters break through and attack
  Axihuatl, he turns and fights while the Abyssal Shard begins
  to orbit the central column and the runes grow brighter and
  brighter. He casts all possible protective spells on himself
  before combat if he has time, and once in combat uses his
  most powerful spells, starting with the most damaging and
  working down. He falls back toward the central column as he
  fights.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Ritual Circle
  Ritual Circle
  The cultists stand around the edge of these carved runes. A
  permanent hallow spell (save DC 16) is in effect inside the
  circle. The spell prevents celestials and fey from entering the
  area, and it inflicts the "Fear" effect (see the original spell) on
  creatures of lawful alignment.
  Inner Circle
  Inner Circle
  The hallow spell continues to target lawful creatures within
  the inner circle, but it also targets creatures of good aligment
  in this area.
  Central Column
  Central Column
  Any creature of chaotic alignment that starts its turn within
  10 feet of the column gains 7 (2d6) temporary hit points, and
  such creatures have advantage on ability checks and saving
  throws while in the area.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  The combat continues until Axihuatl has lost half his hit
  points. At this point, he staggers and accidentally strikes the
  orbiting Abyssal Shard. The entire chamber is rocked by a
  massive tremor equivalent to an earthquake spell (save DC
  15) for 1 round. This tremor also starts early if a party
  member attempts to grab or attack the Abyssal Shard while it
  is orbiting.
  After the tremor, all the tubes in the floor of the chamber
  shoot geysers of seawater into the air, and the chamber
  immediately begins to fill with water at a rate of about 5 feet
  per round (rising on initiative count 20, losing initiative ties).
  The cultists begin to scream and take no further actions
  other than trying to save themselves. Once the water is 15
  feet deep, or if he is in danger of reaching 0 hit points,
  Axihuatl transforms into his ixitxachitl form.
  Before the party can react to "Enshaddon's"
  transformation, the water pushes the party up to 15 feet away
  from Axihuatl, and they must each make a DC 15 Strength
  saving throw to avoid being knocked prone. Moments later,
  huge waves ripple through the chamber and smash open one
  of the walls. The sea comes rushing in, and the party is swept
  out of the chamber, carried along by a titanic wave.
  Encounter 2: Runic Zones
  Encounter 2: Runic Zones
  This encounter is changed to have a total of three aspects of
  the Leviathan (EdE 19) by default; if this encounter is too
  easy for the party, have one or two more aspects enter the
  battle at the start of round 2.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The aspects of the Leviathan attack the party members to
  keep them apart and prevent them from leaving the
  encounter area. The aspects attempt to use their Chaotic
  Surge abilities to deliberate the party, then bite and restrain
  any victims that are incapacitated.
  The aspects continue to pursue the party members if they
  move out of the runic zones. If the characters can reach the
  exits, the aspects break off pursuit.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  This underwater battlefield includes a number of areas
  affected by the swirling random energy of the level. These
  zones are columns of water that extend from the top of the
  battlefield to the bottom and affect any individuals moving
  through them regardless of their relative depth. They can also
  be moved by the DM to present the party with greater
  challenges, if a character is leaving the battlefield too quickly
  or is otherwise having too easy a time of it. The aspects of the
  Leviathan are immune to the zone's effects.
  Chaos Effects
  Chaos Effects
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) of each round, a
  random effect occurs, determined by rolling on the table
  below. General effects are assumed to affect the entire
  encounter area except when noted otherwise. Effects that
  aren't instantaneous last until initiative count 20 of the next
  round, and any saving throw made has a DC of 15.
  Additionally, the aspects are unaffected by chaotic effects that
  don't benefit them.
  d100
  Effect
  Name
  Effect Description
  01-
  20
  Antimagic
  Wave
  All spells that are taking place in the area
  immediately end.
  21-
  40
  Darkness Magical darkness fills the area, and no
  light can illuminate the area.
  41-
  60
  Flash
  Bomb
  Each creature in the area must succeed
  on a Constution saving throw or be
  blinded.
  61-
  80
  Whirlpool
  Each creature in the area must succeed
  on a Strength saving throw or be hurled
  2d6 × 10 feet in a random direction.
  81-
  00
  Surge of
  Speed
  Each creature in the area can swim 2 feet
  for every 1 feet of movement they spend.
  39
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  Creatures
  Creatures
  The water seems alive with many different small creatures:
  iridescent glowing shrimp, tiny jellyfish, spiralshaped worms,
  and fluttering fan-shaped creatures. They are harmless but
  numerous enough to cling to anyone who enters, slowing
  movement and obscuring vision. A creature that enters such
  a column in it in it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
  throw. On a failure, the creature is blinded and has its speed
  halved until the start of its next turn.
  Energy Columns
  Energy Columns
  These columns contain concentrated chaos energy.
  Creatures within such a column have disadvantage on saving
  throws made against Chaos Effects (see above).
  Thick Zones
  Thick Zones
  The water here is thick and sluggish, so moving through this
  area is like swimming through pudding. A creature that
  enters the column for the first time on a turn or starts its turn
  there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
  have its speed be reduced to 0 until the start of its next turn.
  Turbulence
  Turbulence
  The water swirls about madly here. A creature that enters the
  column for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there
  must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
  thrown 1d6 × 10 feet in a random direction. A creature that is
  willing to be thrown can choose to fail the saving throw
  automatically.
  Encounter 3: The Pit
  Encounter 3: The Pit
  This encounter is changed to have three deep lurkers (EdE
  22) instead of three krakens.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The advanced aspect of the Leviathan (EdE 19) is drawn to
  the character who has the Abyssal Shard. It attacks this
  individual whenever possible and uses its Chaotic Surge
  ability as soon as it is in range. It then attempts to swallow
  the shard-carrier whole. If the shard-carrier perishes in the
  aspect's gizzard, see possible outcomes under the Conclusion
  section of the original book.
  The deep lurkers attack the other party members and
  attempt to keep them from helping the shard-carrier.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Obelisks
  Obelisks
  These polished black columns rise 100 feet from the edge of
  the pit.
  The Pit
  The Pit
  If a creature that was not spawned by The Leviathan enters
  more than 20 feet into the pit, it must succeed on a DC 20
  Constitution saving throw or die, reducing its body and every
  nonmagical item on its person to dust.
  Thick Zone
  Thick Zone
  The water here is thick and sluggish, so moving through this
  area is like swimming through pudding. A creature that
  enters the column for the first time on a turn or starts its turn
  there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
  have its speed be reduced to 0 until the start of its next turn.
  Turbulence
  Turbulence
  The water swirls about madly here. A creature that enters the
  column for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there
  must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be
  thrown 1d6 × 10 feet in a random direction. A creature that is
  willing to be thrown can choose to fail the saving throw
  automatically.
  40
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  Pandorym
  Pandorym
  "They brought it. They brought it and trapped it, though many
  gave their lives to do so. They brought it to threaten the gods,
  which they did. And the gods responded. But the evil remains,
  imprisoned. Biding. Planning. Seething."
  — Tune Majii, arcane investigator
  Lured to the Material Plane by an ancient civilization hoping
  to protect itself from the vengeance of deities, Pandorym
  personifies the emotionless void of utter annihilation. It was
  imprisoned by its summoners millennia ago as a deterrent
  but never released. Now, hidden in a forgotten prison, the
  godslaying weapon awaits the arrival of a being powerful
  enough to reunite its awesome mind with its potent body.
  Pandorym seeks freedom—and with it, mass deicide.
  Background
  Background
  Pandorym's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Pandorym's goals are unchanged.
  Pandorym in the Campaign
  Pandorym in the Campaign
  Either the mind or the body of Pandorym alone is powerful
  enough to end a campaign. If the two are brought together,
  the alien weapon would be unstoppable. A reunited
  Pandorym should lead to the end of the campaign world.
  Sign: Seal of Binding
  Sign: Seal of Binding
  This sign manifests as a glyph that spreads across the sky
  and increasingly interferes with planar communication and
  transportation.
  Faint: When a creature casts a conjuration spell or uses an
  ability that summons a creature or multiple creatures, it must
  make an ability check using its spellcasting ability (DC 12).
  On a failure, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion. In
  addition, spells that forcibly return creatures to their native
  plane, such as banishment, automatically fail.
  Moderate: As faint, but in addition, summoned creatures
  no longer return to their native planes. When a summoning
  spell or effect's duration expires, the summoned creature is
  no longer under the summoner's control. Additionally, any
  spell or effect that involves teleportation has a 20% chance of
  a mishap. On a mishap, the teleportation fails, and each
  teleporting creature or object takes 16 (3d10) force damage.
  Strong: As moderate, but the chance of a mishap when
  teleporting increases to 40%. In addition, spells and other
  effects that contact extraplanar beings (such as the contact
  other plane spell and the Divine Intervention cleric feature)
  cease to function.
  Overwhelming: All summoning and teleportation spells
  and effects cease to function.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  mostly unchanged. However, as Pandorym's Sign of
  Apocalypse has been altered, some of the descriptions given
  by the timeline have been rendered obsolete.
  Additionally, consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  5
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  15
  Strong
  17
  Overwhelming
  20
  Pandorym in Eberron
  Pandorym in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Pandorym in Faerûn
  Pandorym in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  Due to the planar nature of Obligatum VII and Pandorym's
  Seal of Binding sign, it would be very easy to run a Pandorym
  campaign in a planar setting such as Planescape. As the sign
  intensifies, planar travel becomes harder and harder,
  requiring Obligatum and the party to rely on pre-existing
  portals (such as those in the city of Sigil) in order to traverse
  the planes before even they cease to function. In such a
  campaign, Pandorym's prison might be on a secret demiplane
  created by its summoners, or it could be found in a remote
  location on one of the known planes of existence.
  In a Spelljammer campaign, perhaps the Seal of Binding
  sign extends to travel between crystal spheres as well. When
  the sign becomes overwhelming, portals to other spheres
  cease to function altogether, causing each sphere to be
  isolated from one another. In this case, Pandorym's prison
  would reside in some unknown sphere, perhaps on an
  abandoned planet or in an isolated space station in wildpsace
  where Pandorym's summoners once resided.
  Beyond that, consider the following changes and additions:
  Elaborate on the method through which Pandorym's
  prison is discovered; after all, the original timeline left this
  purposefully vague as to allow DMs to come up with their
  own process. Perhaps certain artifacts are scattered
  throughout the setting, and each one gives a clue as to
  where Pandorym's mind (or body) is located. Anyone that
  wields all of these artifacts would instantly discover the
  location of Pandorym's mind (or body), making them
  highly desirable for Obligatum VII and any other faction
  out there.
  41
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  Add additional restrictions as to how Pandorym's mind
  can be freed. By default, the crystalline prison can be
  attacked via any adamantine or magical weapon, and is
  protected mostly by its secret location and hostile
  guardians. However, you may wish to create a specific
  weapon, spell, or other object or process that acts as the
  only way to destroy the prison. Whatever the requirement
  is, the story would involve Obligatum's quest to satisfy it,
  as well as the party's attempts to stop it from succeeding.
  Use Pandorym's body as part of the story. While
  Pandorym's sphere of annihilation-esque body normally
  can't be controlled, perhaps a special talisman was
  created by its summoners in order to move it to its current
  hiding place. With this talisman, any entity or faction
  could use Pandorym's body as an unstoppable weapon,
  assuming that they can find the body in the first place.
  Maybe Obligatum itself seeks Pandorym's body so that it
  may destroy the crystalline prison that houses Pandorym's
  mind, allowing Pandorym to become whole again much
  sooner than anticipated.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Pandorym,
  Lucather Majii, and Obligatum VII.
  Additionally, see below for an updated description of
  Pandorym's body.
  Pandorym's Body
  Pandorym's Body
  Pandorym's physical component does not truly exist as a
  body in the multiverse but is a conduit to the
  incomprehensible reality of its home. It manifests as a 30-
  foot-diameter black sphere that hovers in space, similar to a
  sphere of annihilation.
  The sphere obliterates all matter it passes through and all
  matter that passes through it, except for deities. Anything else
  that touches the sphere but isn't wholly engulfed and
  obliterated by it takes 10d10 force damage.
  No being—not even a deity—can control it, even using a
  talisman of the sphere. Any attempt to control the
  Gargantuan sphere instead causes it to slide 90 feet toward
  the creature. When this happens, each creature in its path
  can attempt a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save,
  the sphere passes through the creature, either destroying or
  heavily damaging it as described above. On a successful save,
  a creature can use its reaction to move barely out of the way
  of the sphere.
  The ancient wizards hid Pandorym's body in a secret
  location far from the crystalline prison that holds its mind.
  The Crystalline Prison
  The Crystalline Prison
  Complex
  Complex
  The lost empire's wizards and artisans constructed a magic
  crystalline prison to ensnare Pandorym's mind. When the
  deities obliterated the kingdom, they dared not destroy the
  crystal and release their doom. Instead they sealed the prison
  away and eliminated all records of its existence. Still, the
  deities knew they could not keep the prison secret forever, so
  they created defenses around its location. Over time, the
  influence of Pandorym's mind has created undead guardians,
  the maddened remnants of those who failed to release it.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  Every mortal being that dies in the frightful complex
  surrounding the crystalline prison later serves in some way
  as a defender of the site. And every mortal being foolish
  enough to enter the complex so far has breathed its last
  within.
  Physical Hazards
  Physical Hazards
  The prison holding Pandorym's mind lies hidden beneath
  crumbling ruins and extensive catacombs. The ravages of
  time have created cave-ins and blockages intermittently
  throughout the complex. Excavations have attempted to link
  areas separated by collapsed sections. Not all those efforts
  succeeded, resulting in even more labyrinthine passages. To
  further confuse intruders, the deities established decoys
  throughout the catacombs: false prisons within completed
  but unused circles of binding.
  In addition to the natural hazards it presents, the prison
  complex has active and dedicated guardians. Original
  defenders remain, in the form of constructs. Intruders fell to
  the ancient guardians, perished in traps or cave-ins, or were
  destroyed by Pandorym's oppressive mind, and now patrol
  the complex as undead. They oppose any living creatures they
  encounter, whether in search of final rest, out of an abiding
  hatred for life, or simply as a release from boredom.
  Many defenses were overcome by Lucather Majii and his
  band of mercenaries. They deliberately bypassed some wards
  or guardians, ran from others, and luckily avoided a few.
  Ultimately, though, they succumbed to the awesome might of
  Pandorym's mind or to its near-impenetrable prison.
  Aura of Entropy
  Aura of Entropy
  An aura of entropy fills the underground cavern complex and
  all the surrounding ruins. The deities established this aura to
  deter intruders and to strengthen existing defenders. It has
  the following effects.
  Food instantly molders and water instantly evaporates
  when brought into the area. Other non-magical drinks are
  spoiled - wine turning to vinegar, for instance.
  Conjuration and divination spells cast in the area
  immediately fail, as well as those that target the area and
  the region within 10 miles of it.
  Undead in the area are immune to effects that turn
  undead.
  Constructs and undead in the area have advantage on all
  saving throws.
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  Any living creature that dies in the area rises as an undead
  after 1 minute. Nonsentient beings become zombies or
  skeletons, while creatures with an Intelligence score of 7
  or higher return as intelligent undead such as wights or
  ghouls. There's a 10% chance that an intelligent being's
  mind and body separate. Its consciousness rises as an
  incorporeal undead, such as a quell or wraith, and its
  body animates as a corporeal horror as normal.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The ruins above the crystalline prison are filled with the dire
  challenges and opponents typical of a high-level dungeon
  setting. Their extent and salient features are left to you to
  design as you see fit. The complex can be dropped into the
  deepest part of any suitable dungeon.
  A. Chamber of Summoning
  A. Chamber of Summoning
  In this room the ancient wizards first contacted and lured
  Pandorym to this reality. The chamber barely survived its
  arrival: The annihilating body of the ultraplanar being
  instantly blew a 30-foot-wide sphere out of existence, along
  with several of its summoners. In a last act of freedom as the
  survivors strove to divert it into its prison, Pandorym lashed
  out at its betrayers. It utterly destroyed the bodies of a
  handful of mages and their assistants, leaving their suddenly
  insatiable souls intact. Panic ensued. A few summoners
  managed to escape, sealing the chamber against dimensional
  travel. The ghostly remnants of the rest fed on their former
  allies and coconspirators, bolstering their numbers. Now a
  dozen angry shadows (MM 269) remain trapped within.
  B. Outer Circle of Binding
  B. Outer Circle of Binding
  The lines and symbols of a massive calling diagram cover the
  floor of this circular hallway. Passing over the lines toward
  the center of the circle shifts a corporeal creature's body to
  the "perpendicular" reality of Pandorym's home for a brief
  moment. The sudden disorientation causes any non-undead
  creature that passes over the lines to have disadvantage on
  ability checks and saving throws for 1d4 rounds.
  Necromancy spells cast within the circle (including
  adjacent rooms and passages) do not require concentration
  and take effect for twice their normal duration.
  Several groups of constructs and undead patrol the hall.
  C. Inner Circle of Binding
  C. Inner Circle of Binding
  A second great circle of binding covers the floor of this
  circular hallway, enclosed entirely within the outer circle.
  Passing over its engraved lines shifts a corporeal creature's
  body to Pandorym's native reality for a few seconds. The
  wrenching shift forces any non-undead creature that passes
  over the lines to make a DC 23 Constitution saving throw. On
  a failed save, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion.
  Necromancy spells cast within the circle (including other
  rooms and passages) do not require concentration and take
  effect for four times their normal duration. If such a spell
  makes an attack roll, it has advantage to hit. If such a spell
  forces a saving throw, any victim of the spell has disadvantage
  on the save.
  Additionally, undead in the area have advantage on all
  attack rolls and ability checks, and they regain 5 hit points
  whenever they start their turn there.
  This inner circle defines the limit of Pandorym's power
  while its mind is trapped within the crystalline prison. If
  Pandorym's mind escapes, the floor holding the calling
  diagram cracks, and the entire hallway collapses.
  The Crystalline Prison
  The Crystalline Prison
  At the heart of the complex is a 20-foot-diameter circular
  room covered with sigils, runes, and incomprehensible
  glyphs of arcane design. A dark, oppressive chill leaks from
  the frigid void beyond the world, freezing the room's interior.
  The temperature never rises above Extreme Cold (DMG
  110). Creatures in the area have resistance to fire damage.
  Nonmagical open flames are snuffed out the instant they
  enter the chamber and cannot be relit within its walls. Light
  sources provide half normal illumination.
  At the chamber's center floats a violet crystal 15 feet tall
  and 8 feet across. It pulses with an unholy darkness that
  seems to suck in whatever light enters the room. It does not
  shimmer, nor does it reflect or refract any light other than
  hues of purple, casting a sickly violet pall over everything.
  The mind of Pandorym is trapped within.
  Prismatic Barrier. The "crystal" is actually a permanent,
  modified, solidified form of the prismatic wall spell (PHB 267,
  save DC 23), six layers deep (it does not include the violet
  layer). The normal magical counters to the layers' effects
  don't function. Any creature that touches the crystal (even if
  wearing a glove or other protective clothing) is subject to the
  effect of one color layer per round, in consecutive order, for 6
  rounds of contact. A creature still in contact with the crystal
  for a seventh round is drawn into the prison and blotted from
  existence.
  A creature drawn into the prison cannot be revived by any
  means as long as the crystal remains intact, since it no longer
  truly exists in this reality. If the crystal is shattered (which
  releases Pandorym's mind), a creature destroyed by entering
  it can be returned to life with a true resurrection or wish
  spell.
  Held items touching the crystalline prison do not put their
  wielders at risk, but an intelligent magic item is affected as a
  creature would be.
  Physical Properties. The crystalline prison has an AC of
  15 and 1,000 hit points. It regenerates 15 hit points at the
  start of every round, and it is immune to acid, cold, fire,
  lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, and radiant damage; it is
  also immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't made with adamantine
  weapons. It is also vulnerable to thunder damage.
  The prison has a damage threshold of 15, meaning that any
  effect that deals 14 damage or less is considered superficial
  and doesn't reduce the prison's hit points. It otherwise takes
  damage as normal.
  Pandorym's Escape. If the crystalline prison takes 100
  damage or more on a single turn for two rounds in a row, or if
  it takes 200 or more damage in a single round, it cracks and
  sends forth a mind shard of Pandorym. Only one mind shard
  can exist at a time, meaning that you only need to keep track
  of this condition while no mind shard is on the battlefield.
  If the crystalline prison is reduced to 0 hit points, it
  crumbles into a pile of slivers and dust. At that moment, the
  full mind of Pandorym is released.
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  Encounter 1: Guard Room
  Encounter 1: Guard Room
  This encounter is changed to consist of one grisgol (EdE 26)
  and one deathshrieker (EdE 26).
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The grisgol moves to attack living creatures it sees entering
  the room, attempting to paralyze as many as it can. It does
  not stop fighting until it is destroyed or its opponents are.
  As soon as a party member becomes paralyzed, the
  deathshrieker enters the fight to take advantage of helpless
  prey. It works in concert with the grisgol, attempting to
  paralyze more opponents and draining Charisma from those
  affected.
  Once more than half the opponents have been paralyzed at
  least once (even if they are no longer so), the deathshrieker
  flies to the top of the chamber and lets loose its Scream of
  the Dying. If it can, it uses this ability twice in a row in order
  to inflict short-term madness on the party.
  If the deathshrieker is reduced to half of its hit points or
  fewer, or if an opponent casts the silence spell, it flees into the
  chamber's floor. It waits there for several minutes, then
  attempts to follow the party members and catch them in the
  midst of another fight. If the grisgol is destroyed, the
  deathshrieker uses its Scream of the Dying ability.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Destroyed Grisgol
  Destroyed Grisgol
  The pile of detritus in the center of the room is the remains of
  a grisgol destroyed by Lucather Majii's group. The space it
  covers is considered difficult terrain.
  Fallen Statues
  Fallen Statues
  These depict heavily armored guards from the ancient
  kingdom. The spaces they occupy are considered difficult
  terrain.
  Rubble
  Rubble
  A wall section has collapsed, filling the northwest corner with
  dense rubble, which is difficult terrain for creatures
  attempting to walk through it.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  The party can find the following treasure among the three
  corpses:
  A cloak of protection (DMG 159)
  A potion of invulnerability (DMG 188)
  A potion of superior healing (DMG 187)
  A ring of mind shielding (DMG 191)
  Encounter 2: The
  Encounter 2: The
  Shattered Hall
  Shattered Hall
  This encounter is changed to consist of caryatid columns
  (EdE 27), rather than advanced caryatid columns.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The first seven caryatid columns work together tactically to
  eliminate one opponent at a time. They focus first on any
  party member wielding a two-handed weapon, hoping for the
  opponent to attack a column and to have the weapon break
  against their bodies.
  The sounds of combat attract the attention of Lucather
  Majii (EdE 24), who appears 2 rounds after the party engages
  the patrol. When he arrives, he first uses his Intercession
  ability to weaken divine spellcasters. He then begins casting
  spells, beginning with appropriate high-level ones. When the
  second wave of patrollers arrives, the caryatid columns
  (along with any surviving from the first wave) defend
  Lucather with a defensive line or semicircle.
  This fight is intended to delay and weaken intruders. If the
  party defeats all seven caryatid columns of the first wave
  within 2 rounds, Lucather waits for the second wave. The
  next seven caryatid columns arrive 4 rounds after combat
  begins, regardless of whether the first wave survived or
  whether the party is still in the area.
  Lucather flees to the chamber of the crystalline prison (see
  Encounter 3) if both waves of caryatid columns are destroyed
  or if he is reduced to 40 hit points or fewer. In addition, his
  arrival notifies Obligatum VII of the party's approach and
  nullifies any chance of their surprising it.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Outer Circle of Binding
  Outer Circle of Binding
  This area falls within the outer circle of binding. The lines
  and symbols of a massive calling diagram cover the floor of
  this circular hallway. Passing over the lines toward the center
  of the circle shifts a corporeal creature's body to the
  "perpendicular" reality of Pandorym's home for a brief
  moment. The sudden disorientation causes any non-undead
  creature that passes over the lines to have disadvantage on
  ability checks and saving throws for 1d4 rounds.
  Necromancy spells cast within the circle (including
  adjacent rooms and passages) do not require concentration
  and take effect for twice their normal duration.
  Rubble
  Rubble
  Two wall sections have collapsed, filling parts of the area with
  dense rubble, which is difficult terrain for creatures
  attempting to walk through it.
  45
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  Encounter 3: Crystalline
  Encounter 3: Crystalline
  Prison
  Prison
  This encounter is changed to consist of Obligatum VII (EdE
  25) and a dread wraith (EdE 27), as well as Lucather Majii
  (EdE 24) if he survived or avoided Encounter 2. The
  positioning of the dread wraith can be determined based on
  the possible locations given in the original encounter map.
  You may wish to add additional dread wraiths, or to replace
  the dread wraith with multiple normal wraiths (MM 302), if
  you think your party can handle the challenge (bearing in
  mind the presence of Lucather Majii and the terrain features
  affecting the area).
  Tactics
  Tactics
  With his Obligatum VII is focused on releasing Pandorym's
  imprisoned mind. The kolyarut's adamantine longsword
  allows it to deal an average of about 100 damage to the
  crystalline prison per round, assuming that it hits all four of
  its attacks. By the time the party arrives, it has already dealt
  50 damage to the prison, meaning that it requires two more
  rounds before a mind shard of Pandorym has the potential to
  emerge.
  If the crystalline prison takes 100 damage or more on a
  single turn for two rounds in a row, or if it takes 200 or more
  damage in a single round, it cracks and sends forth a mind
  shard of Pandorym. If you want to present a more difficult
  challenge for the party, change this encounter so that
  Obligatum VII has already dealt 200 damage to the prison
  and released a mind shard, and that it is well on its way to
  shattering the crystal.
  The kolyarut is single-minded in its task, but it takes steps
  to defend itself if it is reduced to half of its hit points or fewer.
  Even then, if allies protect the inevitable it continues its
  assault on the crystalline prison regardless of its injuries.
  The wraiths work with one another and Lucather (if he still
  exists) to defend the inevitable, but they do not necessarily
  cooperate with Obligatum VII or a mind shard. They focus on
  one or two physically weak foes, using their Life Drain
  attacks to kill their opponents and swell their own numbers.
  If a mind shard forms, it immediately defends Obligatum
  VII or any other creatures attacking the prison. It
  concentrates on heavily armored foes (such as fighters or
  other combat specialists), leaving physically weaker
  opponents to the dread wraiths and Lucather. Keep in mind
  that its Intelligence and Wisdom scores are both 30, meaning
  that it is smart enough to determine the best course of action
  against the party, just as the DM is familiar enough with their
  party and players to metagame against them.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Inner Circle of Binding
  Inner Circle of Binding
  A great circle of binding covers the floor of this circular
  hallway, enclosed entirely within the outer circle. Passing
  over its engraved lines shifts a corporeal creature's body to
  Pandorym's native reality for a few seconds. The wrenching
  shift forces any non-undead creature that passes over the
  lines to make a DC 23 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
  save, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion.
  Necromancy spells cast within the circle (including other
  rooms and passages) do not require concentration and take
  effect for four times their normal duration. If such a spell
  makes an attack roll, it has advantage to hit. If such a spell
  forces a saving throw, any victim of the spell has disadvantage
  on the save.
  Additionally, undead in the area have advantage on all
  attack rolls and ability checks, and they regain 5 hit points
  whenever they start their turn there.
  The Crystalline Prison
  The Crystalline Prison
  Floating over a 10-foot-diameter dais in the chamber's
  centermost room looms a violet crystal 10 feet tall and 5 feet
  across. The crystalline prison is nearly impervious to most
  attempts to damage it. It is affixed to its location and can't be
  moved or teleported by any means. See the "Encounter
  Areas" section of this chapter for information on this prison.
  If the crystal is reduced to 0 hit points, it crumbles into a
  pile of 2d10 slivers (see below) and worthless dust. At that
  moment, the mind of Pandorym is released.
  Whenever the crystalline prison takes 50 or more damage
  on a single turn, a sliver breaks off. Each sliver provides has a
  market value of 500 gp and can contribute that much value in
  gold to any spell that requires a costly material component.
  46
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  Ragnorra
  Ragnorra
  "Hush, hush now; screams will not dull your pain. Your life
  has been a lie shouted by gods, but She whispers what is
  truly right for the flesh. The shape of your life, of all life, is her
  highest art. We can only pray we are Her last, brightest, and
  most terrible canvas."
  — Irthicax Vane, Malshaper
  Ragnorra, Mother of Monsters, is a primeval source of life
  eternally corrupted. Bloated, hideous, and filled with a
  terrible love for her children, this elder evil wanders the
  planes searching for new worlds to remake in her image.
  Background
  Background
  Ragnorra's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Ragnorra's goals are unchanged.
  Ragnorra in the Campaign
  Ragnorra in the Campaign
  Ragnorra's path is extraplanar, a twisted loop with one end
  anchored in the Positive Energy Plane. It curves through the
  Astral Plane and intersects with the Ethereal Plane, the
  Material Plane, or the Shadowfell before returning to its
  starting point. Each loop takes approximately 500 years.
  Ragnorra was exiled long before the deities created the
  mortal races, so the elder evil has been a potential threat for
  as long as the campaign setting has existed. Her current path
  is taking her toward the campaign world as the result of the
  Malshapers' actions to lead her there. This process can take
  anywhere from a few months to many years of game time,
  depending on the needs of the campaign.
  Once Ragnorra emerges on the Material Plane, astrologers
  and astronomers quickly detect a fiery red comet where none
  had previously been recorded. The faint effect of her sign
  appears. Soon she is visible to the naked eye, dominating the
  night sky while the sign's effect strengthens. Ultimately, she
  crashes into the world, and the sign reaches its peak. At that
  point, the party has only a short time to deal with the threat.
  Sometimes Ragnorra's target is another, nearby world. Her
  close passage leaves spores and corrupting influence in its
  wake, producing the effect of a moderate or strong sign, but
  does not culminate in a collision.
  Sign: Twisted Life
  Sign: Twisted Life
  This sign manifests as a surge of corrupt positive energy that
  resculpts life on an entire world.
  Faint: When a creature magically regains hit points, it
  regains 5 additional hit points.
  Moderate: As faint, but in addition, warts and blemishes
  appear on living targets of those that magically regain hit
  points. These unsightly growths impose a -2 penalty on
  Charisma checks. Once per day, an affected creature can
  attempt a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a successful
  save, the blemishes disappear, and the creature is immune to
  this effect for 24 hours.
  Additionally, spores fall to earth, taking root in rock, roofs,
  and the soil. Over time, such spores turn into cysts,
  abscesses, tumors, and other foul growths that dot the
  landscape. These features are identical to those of Ragnorra's
  Worldskin (see the Worldskin section later in this chapter). In
  particular, Spawning Spores will churn out progeny of
  Ragnorra who use these spores to birth even more horrible
  aberrations. If left unchecked, these worldskin features will
  overrun the landscape and will remake the environment as
  Ragnorra intended it to be.
  Strong: As moderate, but the DC to remove blemishes
  increases to 18. Additionally, the surge of positive energy
  repairs flesh. Once per day, injured living creatures can use
  their action to magically regain 19 (2d8 + 10) hit points. Any
  creature that benefits from this healing must succeed on a
  DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of
  positive energy corruption.
  Overwhelming: As strong, but the DC of saving throws to
  remove blemishes or to avoid corruption increases to 20.
  Dead creatures rise 2 (1d4) days after death, becoming
  progeny of Ragnorra (EdE 30) upon resurrection.
  The overwhelming aura of positive energy is anathema to
  undead. Once per day, exposed undead must succeed on a
  DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 24 hours.
  When an undead of CR 3 or lower fails this saving throw, it is
  instead instantly destroyed. Undead can avoid this effect by
  remaining underground (minimum 15 feet depth) or within a
  stone or metallic vault whose walls are at least 15 feet thick,
  provided all entrances to the chamber are sealed.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged except as described below. Note that Ragnorra's
  Twisted Life sign has been altered, and that the progeny of
  Ragnorra template no longer has an Intelligence score
  requirement.
  Strong Sign: The fiery comet is now easily visible at night
  and can even be discerned during daylight. The undead are
  leaving the cities for unknown destinations. Civil authorities
  want the party to monitor this exodus and learn if the
  creatures are preparing for a major assault.
  Meanwhile, Irthicax Vane makes his first move against the
  party, sending Malshaper agents against them while they are
  on this spying mission. The agents (typically generic
  humanoids such as thugs and mages) are no match for the
  party, though their numbers increase with every attack. They
  are disturbingly disfigured, with distended jaws, prominent or
  horned brows, protruding teeth, or extra tongues. After each
  attack, more of the strange rain falls. Greater swarms appear,
  along with ravaged corpses, some seemingly fallen from a
  great height.
  After the last attack, the rains begin again. Then, an object
  falls from the sky, forming a small crater nearby. Malshaper
  corpses twitch with life, becoming aberrations that slither to
  the crater's edge. A few moments thereafter, an impossible
  horror emerges: an aboleth sarcoma (EdE 34), a corrupted
  aboleth that has fused with the risen Malshapers and uses
  their enslaved bodies as "legs".
  47
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  Additionally, consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the updated outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  5
  Faint
  10
  Moderate
  15
  Strong
  17
  Overwhelming
  20
  Ragnorra in Eberron
  Ragnorra in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Ragnorra in Faerûn
  Ragnorra in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  Ragnorra corrupts countless worlds as she makes her way
  through the planes, guided by the planeswalking Malshaper
  cult. As such, she makes a great villain in a planar campaign,
  where the party must track down the Malshapers across
  multiple planes of existence in order to stop the elder evil
  from destroying their home world.
  In a Spelljammer campaign, Ragnorra's path might take
  her through the vast reaches of wildspace. She smashes into
  each crystal sphere she comes across, leaving behind a trail
  of spores and corruption as she goes along. If left unchecked,
  Ragnorra will twist life on countless worlds across the
  Material Plane.
  Additionally, consider changing Ragnorra's extraterrestrial
  nature to fit your campaign setting. For example, you could
  change Ragnorra to be a dormant entity deep below the
  earth, hibernating until she can draw enough energy from the
  planet to awaken once more. Her worldskin would extend
  from underground to the immediate area above her,
  constantly drawing nourishing energy from the environment
  to be fed to Ragnorra via the True Mother Chord.
  Beyond that, consider the following changes and additions:
  Undead are significantly harmed by Ragnorra's Twisted
  Life sign. As such, some powerful undead might seek to
  ally with the party against the elder evil. Just as corrupt
  positive energy harms undead, the use of negative energy
  might be effective against Ragnorra's influence.
  When applying the progeny of Ragnorra template to a
  monster, feel free to customize the monster as you see fit.
  For example, if you apply the template to the Death Kiss
  (VGM 124), you might wish to swap its lightning immunity
  for radiant immunity, and then reskin instances of
  lightning damage to radiant damage. You could then add
  saving throws against positive energy corruption as you
  see fit.
  Due to Ragnorra's Twisted Life sign, worldskin features
  will be present constantly throughout the campaign. The
  worldskin system is designed to add extra depth to
  encounters via terrain interactions and mechanics. As
  such, be sure to have your monsters use tactics that
  involve the activation and regeneration of these features,
  even if these monsters otherwise would be mindless due
  to low Intelligence scores. Additionally, feel free to come
  up with your own worldskin features, such as Gargantuan
  tumors of flesh that constantly spew out aberrations
  (without needing to be regenerated) or flesh growths that
  attack nearby creatures with tentacles or acidic fluids. The
  difference between "worldskin feature" and "terrifying
  monster" needn't be so black and white, after all.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Ragnorra, her
  True Mother form, and Irthicax Vane and his ring Gutterang.
  Note that the accompanying bestiary for this book contains
  updated statistics for Ragnorra and for the progeny of
  Ragnorra template, as well as a reprint of the Worldskin
  information below.
  The Worldskin
  The Worldskin
  Ragnorra is corrupting the essence of the world's life. After
  she crashes into the planet, all living things eventually
  become connected to her through a massive network known
  as the Worldskin. Pulsing veins run through the earth,
  branching neural fibers lace the skies, and gelatinous tendrils
  arc through the oceans. Cysts, abscesses, spores and tumors
  dot this foul growth, extensions of the elder evil's power that
  create a variety of magical effects. Such growths should be
  familiar to the party, as Ragnorra's Twisted Life sign has
  created identical growths in preparation for Ragnorra's
  arrival.
  Because Ragnorra does not smash into the world until the
  very end of the campaign, the worldskin does not get a
  chance to spread very far yet. The membrane stretches
  across the crater floor, and the elder evil can activate any
  feature on its surface if she feels threatened. The party must
  contend with its many hazards in addition to Ragnorra, who
  lurks at its heart. She is unlikely to take notice of them unless
  they enter the neurotangle. However, her guardian progeny
  can also activate the skin's features and regenerate them for
  repeated use.
  Worldskin features and their locations are marked on the
  original battle maps for each encounter. In an encounter, you
  can mark the various worldskin features with coins: heads
  indicates a growth ready for use, and tails marks one that
  must be regenerated. Remove coins from features that are
  destroyed. Progeny of Ragnorra and blistered souls can use
  their actions to activate these growths, and aboleth
  sarcomata and Ragnorra herself use legendary actions to do
  the same.
  All worldskin features are immune to poison, psychic, and
  radiant damage. They each have a Constitution score equal to
  their AC, they automatically fail Strength and Dexterity
  saving throws, and they are immune to effects that require
  Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saves.
  48
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  Bioenergy Cyst. Hard, mineral-laced mounds jut from the
  surface, thrumming with energy. On activation, a cyst
  generates a 5 foot wide line of lightning between itself and
  another cyst within 100 feet of it. Each creature in the line
  must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6)
  lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on
  a successful one. Alternatively, the cyst explodes with fire on
  activation. Each creature within 20 feet of the cyst must
  make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
  successful one.
  A bioenergy cyst is Medium, has 40 hit points, and has an
  AC of 13. Once activated, a bioenergy cyst cannot be activated
  again until it is regenerated and is not missing any hit points.
  Regenerating a bioenergy cyst causes it to regain 10 hit
  points.
  Healing Spore. This fleshy lump heals injuries to creatures
  in contact with the worldskin. On activation, a random
  creature within 5 feet of the spore regains 30 hit points and
  suffers one level of positive energy corruption. Any healing
  that is in excess of the creature's maximum hit points is
  granted as temporary hit points instead. For example, a
  creature that is missing 10 hit points that is healed by a
  healing spore is healed to its maximum hit points and also
  gains 20 temporary hit points.
  An unwilling creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom
  saving throw to avoid this healing and corruption. A creature
  that gains temporary hit points from a healing spore equal to
  or exceeding its maximum hit points is instantly corrupted
  and becomes a progeny of Ragnorra.
  A healing spore is Large, has 50 hit points, and has an AC
  of 10. Once activated, a healing spore cannot be activated
  again until it is regenerated. Regenerating a healing spore
  causes it to regain 15 hit points. If the spore takes cold or
  lightning damage, it cannot be regenerated until the start of
  the next round.
  Spawning Spore. This mass of tissue, when activated,
  spontaneously births aberrations to serve Ragnorra or her
  minions. The creature spawned depends on the Constitution
  modifier of the creature activating the source, as set out in
  the following table.
  Modifier
  Creature(s) Spawned
  -1 or less
  1 star spawn grue (progeny of Ragnorra)
  +0 or +1
  1 ankheg (progeny of Ragnorra)
  +2 or +3
  1 hook horror (progeny of Ragnorra)
  +4 or +5
  1 star spawn mangler (progeny of Ragnorra)
  +6 or greater
  1d4 blistered souls
  A spawning spore is Large, has 75 hit points, and has an
  AC of 10. Once activated, a spawning spore cannot be
  activated again until it is regenerated. Regenerating a
  spawning spore causes it to regain 25 hit points, and
  temporarily links it to the life force of the one who
  regenerated it to the spore. When the spawning spore takes
  damage within 3 rounds of being regenerated, the one who
  regenerated it must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw.
  On a failed save, the spawning spore takes half the damage
  (rounded down), and the target takes the remaining damage.
  Tentacular Boil. Dark, swollen pustules bubble from the
  worldskin, and squirming growths wriggle within. On
  activation, a tentacular boil produces an Evard's black
  tentacles effect (save DC 16), as the spell, for one minute.
  A tentacular boil is Large, has 75 hit points, and has an AC
  of 8. Once activated, a tentacular boil automatically
  regenerates after 1 minute. Manually regenerating a
  tentacular boil causes it to regain 30 hit points. If the boil
  takes acid or fire damage, it cannot be regenerated until the
  start of the next round.
  Vaporous Abscess. This pus-filled lesion releases a fog of
  acid when activated, which dissipates at the end of the round.
  This fog of acid fills a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on the
  abscess, heavily obscuring the area. A creature that enters
  the fog's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn
  there must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking
  22 (5d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much
  damage on a successful one.
  A vaporous abscess is Medium, has 30 hit points, has an
  AC of 13, and is difficult terrain when walked on (no cover
  provided). Once activated, a vaporous abscess automatically
  regenerates after 2 rounds, unless it is regenerated by a
  creature before then. Regenerating a vaporous abscess
  causes it to regain 10 hit points. If the abscess takes fire or
  lightning damage, it cannot be regenerated until the start of
  the next round.
  The Heart of the Crater
  The Heart of the Crater
  The tactical encounters in this chapter occur after Ragnorra
  has plummeted to earth in the campaign world. At the center
  of a 30-mile-wide pit of scalded wasteland lie her remains.
  The heart of the crater is shattered by cracks and fissures,
  and walls of obsidian have been thrown up by the impact.
  Corrupted life is already teeming here, impossibly
  springing from the seared rock. This is the sign of things to
  come: Ragnorra's new world order.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  Ragnorra has started the process of regrowth, during which
  she will increase from her current Gargantuan fragment to a
  monstrosity a mile or more across.
  The Neurotangle
  The Neurotangle
  The visible evidence of Ragnorra's growth is the neurotangle,
  a thick canopy of twisted, thorny fibers blanketing the crater.
  This network extends Ragnorra's senses and grows thicker
  as she regains her strength.
  The neurotangle canopy forms a dome rising about 80 feet
  above the crater. It is at least 30 feet thick, extending to the
  floor in many places, and it spreads out past the crater edges
  in a thin mat. At the heart of the crater, it forms a ceiling
  resting on the obsidian walls caused by Ragnorra's impact.
  An eerie twilight fills the space beneath the canopy, whose
  matted fibers block many of the sun's rays; the area below the
  canopy is thus filled with dim light.
  The Worldskin
  The Worldskin
  See the Description section of this chapter for details
  regarding the Worldskin.
  49
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  50
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  Obsidian Walls
  Obsidian Walls
  These glassy walls stretch from the ground to the
  neurotangle. Their smooth surface is difficult to scale,
  causing them to be difficult terrain for climbers.
  Random Encounters
  Random Encounters
  In addition to the aberrations created by Ragnorra,
  monstrous beings are strangely attracted to her corrupt
  energy, and some are twisted into unearthly horrors due to
  exposure to Ragnorra's energies. For every 10 minutes
  characters spend in the heart of the crater, they have a 20%
  chance of encountering wandering monsters. If a random
  encounter occurs, roll d100 and consult the table below. If an
  encounter features a creature from a book you don't have,
  pick a result from a book you do have. If the source column
  lists the source "EdE", it is referring to the accompanying
  bestiary for this book.
  d100
  Encounter
  Source
  01-10
  2d4 ropers
  MM 261
  11-20
  1d4 dire trolls
  MTF 243
  21-30
  2d10 otyughs
  MM 248
  31-40
  2d8 umber hulks
  MM 292
  41-50
  2d4 chimeras
  MM 39
  51-60
  1 purple worm
  MM 255
  61-70
  1d4 neothelids
  VGM 181
  71-80
  1 hydra (10 heads)
  MM 190
  81-90
  1d6 mind flayers
  MM 222
  91-00
  2 aboleth sarcomata
  EdE 34
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  In addition to the above hazards, Ragnorra's crater
  challenges explorers with unnatural terrain and bizarre
  creations.
  A. Geyser Cave
  A. Geyser Cave
  The cave is hissing with live steam erupting from a pool
  covering the cave floor. The pool's water has been
  superheated by the living lava in area B. The steam subjects
  creatures within to extreme heat, dealing 2 fire damage every
  minute a creature stays here, in addition to its other effects
  (DMG 110).
  The scorched rock is charged with elemental power, which
  acts as a barrier against the corrupt positive energy of the
  crater and repels the crater's twisted denizens. The chance of
  a random encounter drops to 5% while the party remains
  within the cave. If the party defeats the living lava, the cave
  cools to habitable temperatures and forms a useful shelter.
  The pool in this area is charged with life-giving energy; one
  disease or condition afflicting a creature ends for every 5
  minutes immersed in the pool.
  B. Living Lava
  B. Living Lava
  Ragnorra's energy animated a pool of lava to create a Huge
  elemental creature of living lava, which now resides within
  this cave. This being is a magma paraelemental (EdE 34),
  except that it is bound to the cave. Each round it spends away
  from its cave cools and slows it, reducing its speed by 5 feet.
  For every 30 cold damage dealt to it, the living lava's speed
  drops by an additional 5 feet. If its speed falls to zero, the life
  force animating it disperses, and the living lava collapses into
  a pile of rock.
  C. Mage Garden
  C. Mage Garden
  This preternaturally still area is not a true garden but a
  confusion of luxuriant plant growth. Odd, bulbous fruit grows
  from the tangle of strange-looking trees. A successful DC 20
  Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Investigation) check
  reveals that many of the plants are transformed creatures,
  including mind flayers and at least one aboleth.
  Consuming a fruit from this garden restores one spell slot
  of 8th level or lower, but at great risk. Anyone eating the fruit
  must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be
  immediately transformed into an immobile plant that reflects
  that creature's form. The creature is effectively petrified, but
  its weight remains the same.
  A transformed creature can be returned to its normal form
  by an antimagic field or dispel magic spell; the petrification
  effect is considered a 7th level spell for the purposes of dispel
  magic. If the effect is not dispelled within 3 rounds, nothing
  short of a wish spell can restore the unfortunate being.
  D. Breathing Tube
  D. Breathing Tube
  Regenerating Ragnorra's body requires an immense
  metabolic effort. To fuel this regrowth, she needs to breathe,
  so a respiratory system is the first part of her new form to
  appear. An 18-foot-wide tube has sprouted from the growing
  mass, connecting to what will eventually be lunglike
  structures. This pipe stretches across a wide crevasse that
  separates the Vile Home (see Encounter 3) from the rest of
  the crater's heart. The neurotangle extends to its upper
  surface, making passage difficult and hazardous.
  The breathing tube protrudes from the worldskin and
  allows relatively safe access to Ragnorra's lair. Creatures can
  enter the pipe, though the inner surface is slippery and
  sensitive. The pipe is difficult terrain, and when a creature
  moves on the pipe for the first time on a turn, it must succeed
  on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. Failing
  this check by 5 or more causes the tube to reflexively twitch,
  pulling the tube opening inward and dumping the intruders
  into the crevasse below (area E). When this happens, a
  successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw allows a creature to
  brace itself against the tube walls and remain inside.
  E. Eruptive Abscess
  E. Eruptive Abscess
  The churning, tearing, and regrowth of the Scramble (see
  area F) has torn a gash in the worldskin. An acidic
  suppuration bubbles from it, spilling into a deep fissure
  surrounding Ragnorra's lair. The acid-filled crevasse forms an
  effective moat, with only a patch of land to the east and the
  breathing tube (see area D) offering access.
  51
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  Although its outflow is restrained by this natural channel,
  acid spurts from the abscess. A creature that moves within
  30 feet of its edge or starts its turn there must make a DC 15
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 20 (8d4) acid damage on a
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Creatures that are between 15 and 30 feet away from the
  edge have advantage on this save. A creature that enters the
  acid for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there
  instantly takes 30 (12d4) acid damage. Creatures that swim
  in the acid find that the liquid is difficult terrain.
  F. The Scramble
  F. The Scramble
  This is the epicenter of the worldskin's explosive growth.
  Here the surface churns, cracks, oozes, is subsumed, and
  regenerates at a fast pace. Wrinkles the size of hills rise, fall,
  and shift. Great wounds open, spouting noxious liquids over
  the slopes, and quickly close again. Thus, travel across the
  Scramble is a difficult challenge.
  Creatures who attempt to cross the Scramble must first
  deal with its stink, which becomes apparent within 20 feet of
  its edge. A creature that moves within 20 feet of its edge for
  the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed
  on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until
  the end of its next turn.
  The Scramble itself is difficult terrain. When a creature
  moves on the Scramble for the first time on a turn, it must
  succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall
  prone. If this check fails by 5 or more, the character stumbles
  and must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed
  save, the creature is pitched into the acid-filled crevasse
  below (see area E).
  Encounter 1: Skin Crawl
  Encounter 1: Skin Crawl
  This encounter is changed to include a neothelid (VGM 181)
  in addition to the three blistered souls (EdE 33). If you do
  not own Volo's Guide to Monsters, or if you wish to reduce
  the difficulty of the encounter, you can substitute the
  neothelid for a behir (MM 25). The neothelid (or behir) is a
  progeny of Ragnorra, as per the progeny of Ragnorra
  template (EdE 30), and is placed directly north of the healing
  spore marked on the map in the original book.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The blistered souls want to draw the party farther into the
  area to expose the intruders to more worldskin features. The
  charging one attacks the party for a round, then retreats
  toward the center where the other awaits them. These two
  blistered souls engage the party. Typically, one of them uses
  its melee or ranged attacks while the other activates or
  regenerates a nearby worldskin feature. The third remains
  hidden, using Regenerate Worldskin and Skincasting to aid
  its fellows.
  The neothelid is the first to detect the party's approach via
  its Creature Sense, and its reaction alerts the blistered souls.
  It stays back, using its breath and superior reach to batter the
  party once the blistered souls lure them there. Once engaged
  in melee, the neothelid acts as the "tank" and fights until
  slain. It doesn't use Regenerate Worldskin or Skincasting
  during the fight.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Shuddering Worldskin
  Shuddering Worldskin
  The worldskin is highly sensitive both to Ragnorra's
  dreamlike thoughts and to violent events (such as combat) on
  its surface. Each round the party is in this area, a 40% chance
  exists that the skin twitches in response, which takes place at
  initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties). If a worldskin feature
  is destroyed, such a twitch happens immediately.
  When the worldskin twitches, ripples up to 2 feet high race
  across its surface, accompanied by a high-pitched keening.
  Each creature on the worldskin must succeed on a DC 15
  Dexterity saving throw or fall prone.
  Worldskin Features
  Worldskin Features
  This area contains Bioenergy Cysts, Vaporous Abscesses,
  and a Healing Spore. See the Description section earlier in
  this chapter for their statistics and usage.
  Writing Plant Ridge
  Writing Plant Ridge
  Corrupt positive energy flows along these cracks in the
  worldskin, causing plants to rapidly grow, die, and regrow.
  The ridges of plant growth average about 40 feet in height.
  Crossing or traveling along the ridge requires a DC 15
  Strength check. On a failure, the ridge prevents a creature
  from moving through it. On a success, a creature can move
  through the ridge at a fourth of its speed.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  The blistered souls collect their victims' possessions and
  embed them within the worldskin as offerings to Ragnorra.
  Digging into the worldskin is possible, though disquieting,
  and takes 10 minutes per hole. Such activity is likely to make
  the skin shudder (see above), but that event does not present
  a problem unless combat is occurring.
  A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check
  uncovers one of the following items in a hole:
  A circlet adorned with rubies worth 3,300 gp
  A potion of climbing (DMG 187)
  A letter that scorns the idea of Ragnorra's minions
  breaching the defenses of an aristocrat's home, in the
  pocket of a bejeweled smoking jacket worth 2,700 gp
  A periapt of health (DMG 184)
  52
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  Encounter 2: Vane
  Encounter 2: Vane
  Engagement
  Engagement
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Though he speaks scornfully, Irthicax Vane (EdE 31)
  harbors deep admiration for these indviduals who are
  unwilling to abandon their world. He would rather avoid
  violence and tries to convince the party to forgo their
  hopeless quest. If they do not, he regretfully takes steps to
  deal with them.
  Vane waits for one of the party members to come within
  reach of his hiding place and strikes with his Multiattack,
  attempting to frighten them at first in order to scare them off.
  He then uses the far step spell, cast via Gutterang, to teleport
  away and to withdraw into a tunnel.
  He is accomplished at hit-and-run tactics, using his
  superior speed and the terrain to full advantage. He moves
  through the tunnels to new attack positions on the surface,
  and he never fights for more than two consecutive rounds
  before retreating to a membranous opening and
  repositioning for another attack.
  Vane keeps up a running dialogue with the party during
  this combat to keep them off guard and confused. While in
  the tunnels, he projects his voice from other openings by
  causing his voice to echo across the tunnels.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Membranous Openings
  Membranous Openings
  These are areas of inflamed tissue growing over wounds left
  by Two-and-a-Half-Brains as she burrowed her tunnels. The
  skin has almost healed, leaving small openings for access. It
  costs an additional 5 feet of movement to enter and exit a
  membranous opening.
  Ragnorra
  Ragnorra
  Ragnorra is now dimly aware of the presence of the party and
  is beginning to sense a threat, though she has difficulty telling
  creatures apart. Beginning in the third round of the
  encounter, she acts randomly in self-defense. As her
  Regenerate Worldskin and Skincasting legendary actions do
  not have a range limitation, Ragnorra activates one random
  worldskin feature in the area and then regenerates it
  immediately after. This takes place on initiative count 10
  (losing initiative ties).
  Tunnels
  Tunnels
  The bulette's burrows have healed since they were dug. They
  are now wide and high enough to accommodate one Medium
  creature. Any new tunnels the creature creates are large
  enough to accomodate a Huge creature.
  Vane's Hideout
  Vane's Hideout
  Vane's simple camp consists of dried plant growth for
  firewood, a cooking pot, a sleeping mat, and scrolls of poetry
  describing his world before the arrival of Ragnorra.
  The southern wall is porous volcanic rock and abuts the
  geyser cave (area A). Water and steam slowly filter through
  the stone to create a shallow, warm pool. A living creature
  immersed in its waters heals 1 hit point every minute.
  Worldskin Features
  Worldskin Features
  This area contains Bioenergy Cysts and Tentacular Boils. See
  the Description section earlier in this chapter for their
  statistics and usage.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  Irthicax Vane fights until he drives the party away or is
  defeated. However, if the party can convince him that they
  stand a chance against Ragnorra, he can offer limited help.
  He makes it clear that he will not directly engage Ragnorra
  for any reason.
  Vane can tell the party about the Mage Garden (area C) if
  they are not aware of it, as well as inform them of its uses and
  pitfalls. He has also observed a potential weakness of the
  Mother of Monsters: when a creature destroys a spawning
  spore, she seems to become angry, focusing her attacks at the
  destroyer for a time.
  Two-and-a-Half-Brains
  Two-and-a-Half-Brains
  Two-and-a-Half Brains is a bulette (MM 34) who until
  recently was in predator heaven: a crater full of rapidly
  multiplying food. But consuming Ragnorra's corrupted
  growth transformed her, growing two new brains, so that she
  now has an Intelligence score of 10. With sentience came
  awareness, and with awareness came the fear that something
  terribly wrong is happening.
  The bulette is looking for a way out of this frightening
  place, and she needs help to do that. She is cowering beneath
  the surface in a burrow (marked with B on the encounter
  map) and does not attack the party except in self-defense.
  Attempts to rationaly communicate with her or to calm her
  down have advantage, due to her increased Intelligence and
  her eagerness to escape. She doesn't speak Common, but
  simple ideas can be communicated back and forth through
  sounds and gestures if the party manages to calm her down.
  If the party can establish a friendly relationship with Two-
  and-a-Half Brains, she can assist them in at least two ways.
  She can burrow tunnels within or under the worldskin,
  bypassing surface hazards and possibly giving the party an
  advantage when they confront Ragnorra.
  She can eat worldskin features from below. Unlike attacks
  against features on the surface, such feeding goes
  unnoticed by Ragnorra.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  The party can dig into the worldskin here, using their action
  to open a hole wide enough to enter. At the DM's discretion,
  the bulette's digging might have already unearthed some
  items (discarded by Two-and-a-Half-Brains as inedible). A
  successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers
  one of the following items per hole:
  An arrow of aberration slaying (DMG 152) with the
  inscription "May your aim be as true as our love"
  A potion of radiant resistance (DMG 188)
  A gilded altar centerpiece with three large rubies from a
  temple of St. Cuthbert worth 10,000 gp
  53
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  Encounter 3: Vile Home
  Encounter 3: Vile Home
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Ragnorra (EdE 28) is preparing for the next stage of her
  regrowth. She moves toward the True Mother Chord to finish
  her preparations, rolling like a wave of sludge over spawn,
  worldskin features, and party with equal unconcern.
  If the party deals damage to Ragnorra, she does not
  retaliate directly at first; instead, she births aberrations from
  a nearby Spawning Spore and regenerates it, and then
  decides to activate worldskin features instead of making
  attacks. After 1 round, she directly attacks creatures who
  damaged her, striking and making use of her attacks and
  worldskin features as you see fit.
  If a creature destroys one of her Spawning Spores,
  Ragnorra retaliates against the creature, focusing her attacks
  on them for 1 or 2 rounds.
  Blistered Souls
  Blistered Souls
  Any blistered souls (EdE 33) that were spawned in response
  to the party's intrusion (at locations 3 and 4 on the map)
  attempt to defend Ragnorra. They activate worldskin features
  to support other blistered souls in combat.
  Blistered souls that escaped here from Encounter 1
  remain hidden in the corner labeled 2 and use their
  Regenerate Worldskin ability to heal and support Ragnorra
  and the others.
  Irthicax Vane
  Irthicax Vane
  Even if the party persuades Vane to their cause, the monk
  will not engage Ragnorra. However, he does attack blistered
  souls, distracting his target and preventing it from activating
  worldskin features. If Ragnorra transforms into her True
  Mother form, Vane immediately attempts to flee through the
  eastern entrance.
  Two-and-a-Half-Brains
  Two-and-a-Half-Brains
  The bulette does not want to be here and would rather not
  fight. The might be able to persuade her to attack worldskin
  features, but otherwise she is content to huddle in her tunnel.
  True Mother Transformation
  True Mother Transformation
  When Ragnorra has been reduced to 0 hit points, she sheds
  her skin and merges with the neurotangle, transforming into
  the True Mother. This form grants new mythic actions as
  described by Ragnorra's True Mother Transformation trait.
  Thick, twisting strands descend from the neurotangle,
  closing access to the eastern and southern entrances. If Two-
  and-a-Half-Brains has burrowed into the area, the tunnel
  opening is not affected.
  Ragnorra's consciousness now resides wholly in the
  neurotangle. Her torpor has ended. She is eager to rid herself
  of the pests burrowing in her flesh and to recycle the material
  of her former lair into a new generation of creations.
  Once she has assumed her new form, Ragnorra is both
  stronger and weaker. She gains access to new abilities, but
  she can no longer move. The process of maturation requires
  some time, so she focuses first on any threat to the True
  Mother chord. She attacks any intruders with her
  pseudopods, attempting to Reel them away from the True
  Mother chord if possible. If needed, she uses Pillar of Skin to
  grant cover to her weak spots.
  If any blistered souls remain, they give in to their pain and
  attack the nearest creature, including one another.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Neurotangle
  Neurotangle
  If the party attempts to escape through the blocked
  entrances, they must deal with the neurotangle barrier, as
  described earlier in this chapter.
  Pustule Pool
  Pustule Pool
  As bubbles rise and burst from this thick, tarry pool, they
  release a stink of bile and infected flesh. But in the center of
  each bubble, a clear liquid appears. Corrupt positive energy
  infuses the fluid and can confer a temporary benefit on a
  creature immersed in the pool. You might hint at this property
  by mentioning that the liquid resembles the healing waters of
  the geyser cave or Vane's hideout, or by calling for a DC 18
  Intelligence (Arcana) check.
  When a living creature enters the pool for the first time on
  a turn or ends its turn there, it gains 20 temporary hit points
  per level of positive energy corruption it chooses to suffer
  from (minimum of 1).
  Worldskin Features
  Worldskin Features
  This area contains Bioenergy Cysts, Healing Spores,
  Spawning Spores, and Tentacular Boils. See the Description
  section earlier in this chapter for their statistics and usage.
  Once Ragnorra transforms into the True Mother, intact
  Healing Spores start to flow toward the True Mother Chord
  at the rate of 5 feet per round at the start of every round.
  Once they move as close to the True Mother Chord as they
  can, Ragnorra's regeneration increases by 5 hit points per
  adjacent Healing Spore.
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  Sertrous
  Sertrous
  "Today, few question the fact that a priest need not worship a
  god to work divine magic-he needs only faith in an idea. Yet
  what of the source of this discovery? Who was the first to
  draw upon divinity without the guidance of a god? Who
  knows the truth of the first heretic, and of the serpent who
  exposed a secret no god wished revealed?"
  — From the Demonomicon of Iggwilv
  Members of the Vanguard of Sertrous hold that their
  demonic patron is the true father of the yuan-ti, yet this
  ancient and exiled—and deceased—demon lord is far more
  than that. If the dead demon rises, he intends to retake his
  throne in the Abyss and spread his heretical words across the
  planes.
  Background
  Background
  Sertrous's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Sertrous's goals are unchanged.
  Sertrous in the Campaign
  Sertrous in the Campaign
  Avamerin remains hidden, a shadow leader of the Vanguard.
  When one army is defeated, he waits for a few centuries to
  start again, choosing a new champion to woo followers away
  from the yuan-ti gods and to lead an army against the world.
  As a result, the latest Vanguard can come from anywhere in
  the campaign world where the yuan-ti are active. The Serpent
  Reliquary itself, where Avamerin dwells and Sertrous's head
  is kept, exists in its own dimension accessed by a portal
  placed in a remote location in the campaign world.
  Sign: Infestation
  Sign: Infestation
  The earth vomits torrents of snakes and serpentine
  creatures. At first these infestations consist of normal snakes,
  but as the infestation grows, monstrous creatures such as
  chaotic evil nagas, hydras, and even mariliths become more
  common. As the sign grows more potent, the infesting
  serpents become increasingly more deformed. Some might
  have multiple heads, others are inside out, and some might
  have no head or tail—they're simply a mass of coils with no
  end or beginning.
  See the Scourge of Worlds section of Mordenkainen's
  Tome of Foes (page 24) for information regarding Demonic
  Infestations, the process of which is mirrored by this Sign of
  Apocalypse.
  Faint: The ecosystem is disrupted as snakes and other
  serpentine creatures begin to corrupt the environment.
  Bodies of water become tainted and sometimes poisonous.
  The food chain is toppled as both predator and prey alike are
  hunted by large swarms of snakes that consume all in their
  path. Farmers soon find their crops and livestock to be
  eviscerated by these snakes, disrupting trade and causing
  famine and disease as conditions worsen.
  Moderate: The ecosystem continues to be corrupted by
  large numbers of powerful serpents. In untamed areas of the
  wilderness, the environment is completely warped into a
  sickened, Abyss-like haven of chaos and destruction. Often
  times, these untamed areas have some sort of apex predator
  that the rest of the serpents fear and/or follow. Some of these
  predators are impossibly large yet instinctual serpents such
  as a hydra or golothoma, and others are intelligent rulers
  such as demons and nagas that command legions of snakes
  to do their bidding.
  Strong: The infestation rapidly explodes outwards from
  infested areas, enroaching on all but the most urban areas of
  the world. The colossal, apex serpents that were once rare
  bosses become common leaders, often leading swarms of
  serpents during assaults on civilization. Infected areas
  become almost completely identical to the wastes of the
  Abyss, and are unlivable for any non-serpentine creature.
  Portals may open up in the deep recesses of the wilderness,
  but instead of opening into the Abyss, thousands upon
  thousands of snakes pour into the surrounding area,
  ensuring that there is never a short supply of serpents in the
  world.
  Overwhelming: Civilization is overrun except for the most
  fortified of settlements. Wandering serpents are found
  everywhere, and the serpents that were once considered the
  top of the new food chain have now become the most
  common life form in the world. Unless the source of this
  infestation can be stopped, the only options civlization has
  are to flee from this world or to pray for divine intervention.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  3
  Faint
  9
  Moderate
  13
  Strong
  17
  Overwhelming
  20
  Sertrous in Eberron
  Sertrous in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Sertrous in Faerûn
  Sertrous in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  55
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  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  As an obyrith lord with an extradimensional lair, Sertrous fits
  well into both planar campaigns and Spelljammer
  campaigns. In a planar campaign, players might visit the
  various layers of the Abyss, encountering golothoma demons
  and the lost souls of Vanguard cultists in the process. In a
  Spelljammer campaign, worshiping an ideal might be an
  attractive option for clerics that would otherwise be restricted
  in spheres their gods do not have influence over, causing the
  Vanguard's heretical beliefs to spread faster than anticipated.
  In either case, the entrance to the Serpent Reliquary might
  reside in a particular plane or crystal sphere as appropriate,
  requiring the party to track it down before Sertrous's
  Infestation sign overwhelms the campaign setting.
  In general, feel free to involve the spread of Sertrous's
  teachings in your campaign. You can use the Vanguard Cleric
  template (EdE 38) to create statistics for clerics that follow
  the ways of godless worship. While they might use their
  powers for good, over time, these godless clerics might be
  swayed to worship Sertrous after being exposed to more of
  his teachings.
  Beyond that, consider the following changes and additions:
  The gods and their servants will adamantly oppose
  Sertrous's influence, but they ultimately cannot deny that
  his teachings are correct. They might ask the party to deal
  with certain godless heretics, or perhaps they send their
  own worshipers and angelic servants to slay them, for
  better or for worse.
  The tanar'ri demons that control the Abyss today were
  slaves of the obyrith demons before they revolted against
  them. However, some demonic cults might be unaware of
  this distinction, and they might be convinced to join the
  Vanguard in their conquests. Additionally, any sane devil
  would oppose the rise of a cult that worships an obyrith
  lord, even if their demonic patron has long since been
  dead. Keep this in mind when determining which factions
  might oppose or ally with the Vanguard.
  The original book does not elaborate on how Sertrous
  learned specifically of godless worship, although him
  being an ancient obyrith makes it reasonable for him to
  discover this fact. You may wish to elaborate on how this
  revelation was discovered, or perhaps the players might
  discover it themselves somehow.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Sertrous,
  Avamerin, Seghulerak, and the Golothoma demons.
  Serpent Reliquary
  Serpent Reliquary
  The Serpent Reliquary is the heart of the Vanguard's
  presence in the multiverse. Built around an extradimensional
  cube trapped between the planes, the Reliquary was
  constructed by the fallen planetar Avamerin to serve as a
  place for him to rest between incursions and as a place to
  safely keep Sertrous's head secure from those who would
  attempt to destroy it.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  The layout of the rooms within the Serpent Reliquary
  disrupts most mapping attempts. This complex is
  constructed around a tesseract, a structure whose sides
  connect in ways that are unfathomable in a three-dimensional
  world.
  The chambers within the complex are aligned to the
  different sides of the tesseract, producing seemingly
  impossible (at least, from a three-dimensional point of view)
  room connections within the complex. Arrows on the map
  show what other rooms can be reached from each area.
  Each of the complex's sections is located on its own
  demiplane, separate from but contained wholly by the
  complex itself. The ranges of all divinations cast within the
  complex are limited to the area where the spell is cast.
  Defenses
  Defenses
  Although the walls inside of each complex are made of
  magically enhanced stone, they are still subject to effects and
  damage as normal. Where faces of the tesseract touch, door-
  shaped portals allow movement between them. Passage
  through these portals feels no different from moving through
  a doorway. Physical objects can pass with ease, and a
  creature in one area can observe events in an adjacent area
  by looking through an open portal.
  Air within the complex constantly refreshes, and rooms are
  humid and warm
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The following locations correspond to those indicated on the
  Reliquary map.
  A. Entrance
  A. Entrance
  No matter how one travels to the Serpent Reliquary, the
  traveler finds himself stepping through a portal and emerging
  into this grandly appointed hall. The polished floor bears the
  symbol of Sertrous (a coiled but headless snake wrapped
  around and through a snake's skull), as do the immense
  tapestries and banners that hang from the hall's 100-foot-
  high ceiling.
  The approach to the double doors that lead to area B is
  warded by divination magic. As soon as a creature of any
  alignment other than chaotic evil enters this area, the snake
  statues scattered throughout areas B through G begin hissing
  loudly in alarm, alerting the entire Reliquary to the presence
  of intruders.
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  B. Grand Temple of Sertrous
  B. Grand Temple of Sertrous
  The leaders of the Vanguard meet in this grand chamber to
  hear the teachings of their leader, to offer prayers and
  offerings to Sertrous, and to present captured treasures and
  religious texts. As the central chamber, it also serves as the
  primary point of defense. When the characters reach this
  chamber, they are confronted with a band of Vanguard
  assassins and Seghulerak herself (see Encounter 1).
  This room provides the only entrance to the Inmost Vault
  (area H), an entrance that normally doesn't even exist. Carved
  into the ceiling of the chamber is the visage of an immense
  serpent. It can be commanded to open through the use of
  Dark Speech, by a wish spell, or with a password that can be
  found in area E. When opened, the jaws reveal a stone shaft
  leading up through the ceiling. No stairs or other means of
  ascent is apparent: flight (such as through Seghulerak's
  wings of flying) is the standard method of travel up to area H
  above.
  In this chamber and in areas C through G stand statues of
  coiled serpents. These statues function as an alarm system
  and as guardians. A statue can make one attack at the end of
  every round against a creature of any alignment other than
  chaotic evil that is within 5 feet of it, striking with a single
  bite attack. A statue has a +7 bonus to attack rolls, and it
  deals 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage on a hit.
  C. Assassin's Hold
  C. Assassin's Hold
  The assassins who guard the Reliquary from intrusion sleep
  and eat in this chamber. If the party invades the Reliquary
  without Seghulerak having a chance to prepare for them, the
  six vanguard assassins (EdE 38) begin here instead of in
  area B.
  The secret door that leads to area G can be discovered
  with a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check and is
  protected by three glyphs of warding (save DC 18). The
  effects are all spell glyphs, unleashing three spells
  simultaneously when a creature that isn't chaotic evil touches
  the secret door: a sunburst spell, a forcecage spell in the
  shape of a box, and a 9th-level cloudkill spell that remains
  trapped within the box.
  D. Pits of the Forsaken
  D. Pits of the Forsaken
  The most important prisoners are kept in these pits, hateful
  holes that remain perpetually half flooded and infested with
  snakes. The warden of this prison is Seghulerak's cohort, a
  powerful marilith demon named Zuvexus (see Encounter 2).
  Zuvexus wears wings of flying that allow her to move around
  the room with ease.
  E. Heretic's Walk
  E. Heretic's Walk
  This towering chamber is lined with bookshelves, upon
  which rest the collected lore stolen during dozens of
  crusades against the mortal realm. Many books are badly
  damaged, but they all share one theme—they are religious
  works stolen from countless razed temples. Characters who
  spend enough time in research can uncover the solution to
  any remaining mysteries that still vex them about the
  Vanguard, Sertrous, and his history. The password for
  operating the portal in area B to the Inmost Vault can be
  found here with a DC 20 Intelligence (Religion) check made
  after 1d6 hours of research. As in area C, the secret door that
  leads to area G can be discovered with a DC 20 Intelligence
  (Investigation) check and is protected by three glyphs of
  warding.
  F. Apostle's Chambers
  F. Apostle's Chambers
  Seghulerak's chamber is decadent, with a haphazard decor of
  stolen artwork and furnishings from two dozen nations.
  Seghulerak spends increasingly little time here, kept busy
  with the work of leading the Vanguard to triumph. As in area
  C, the secret door that leads to area G can be discovered with
  a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check and is protected by
  three glyphs of warding.
  G. The Treasury
  G. The Treasury
  This room should represent the greatest single treasure that
  the party finds during their entire adventuring career. The
  wealth here has accumulated over dozens of crusades and
  consists of coins, gems, and all manner of artwork and magic
  items. It's not unlikely that an artifact or two languishes here
  as well. You should tailor this treasure to the campaign, but it
  should represent at least 1,500,000 gp in value.
  H1. Prayer Room
  H1. Prayer Room
  Upon passing through the portal in the ceiling of area B,
  creatures find themselves in a non-descript room that is 20
  feet in all dimensions. The only objects in this room are the
  skeleton of a long-dead yuan-ti cultist and a Medium sized
  bust depicting the five-jawed head of Sertrous. There is no
  entrance or exit to this room, and the walls are indestructible.
  To leave this room, creatures must kneel, sit cross-legged,
  or otherwise stand or sit in a position as if they were praying
  silently. While doing so, they must concentrate on their
  destination: returning back to the Serpent Reliquary (area B),
  or moving ahead to whatever faces them next (area H2). After
  1 minute, the creature teleports to its intended destination.
  An Intelligence (Religion) check can be made to determine
  the nature of this bust. With a 15 or higher, a creature
  determines how to return to Area B. On a 20 or higher, a
  creature also figures out that they can also go to some sort of
  sacred vault (Area H2). Either piece of information can be
  shared with the other creatures in the room.
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  H2. Inmost Vault
  H2. Inmost Vault
  After solving the puzzle of the Prayer Room, creatures
  emerge from a well up into a strange realm. Unlike the other
  seven chambers, the Inmost Vault (and the Prayer Room) lies
  in an area bordered below by the tesseract the Reliquary is
  built upon. One could fly forever into the boundless gray skies
  above, but after a day's journey along the steaming festering
  fens of the ground here (regardless of the speed of the
  journey), a traveler finds themselves in the Hungry Tarns of
  the Abyss.
  Of more importance, however, is the stone altar about 50
  feet from the well, for upon it rests the skull of Sertrous, and
  the final guardian and First Heretic Avamerin that stands
  next to it (see Encounter 3).
  Encounter 1: Grand
  Encounter 1: Grand
  Temple of Sertrous
  Temple of Sertrous
  This encounter is changed to exclude the summoned babau.
  Additionally, it is worth noting that vanguard assassins (EdE
  38) are now CR 4.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  If forewarned, Seghulerak (EdE 36) casts spiritual weapon
  before combat (she always has a death ward spell on herself).
  She wastes no time with threats once she sees the first party
  member, but immediately uses the Dark Speech to attempt to
  frighten the party, hopefully buying herself some time. On her
  next turn, she summons a fiendish anaconda (EdE 38) using
  the summon greater demon spell; if you wish to increase the
  difficulty of the encounter, you can have her summon a more
  powerful demon instead. If the party still hasn't reached her
  in melee, she continues to fight using her ranged spells. If
  threatened in melee, Seghulerak either uses spells like
  disintegrate or finger of death that force saving throws, or
  she uses her Multiattack against the weakest melee
  combatant. She is fond of moving into a pool of poison while
  constricting foes.
  Four assassins move up to engage the party, attempting to
  use their sneak attacks by attacking from the shadows and
  then moving to flank foes in the following rounds. The
  remaining two assassins hang back to observe the party's
  spellcasters, attempting to gang up on one of them three
  rounds later.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  This area is bathed in dim light from the glowing poison.
  Poison
  Poison
  Any character that enters a space that contains the green
  fluid for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there must
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8)
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
  successful one.
  Pools of Poison
  Pools of Poison
  Both pools of poison are 5 feet deep; each has the same
  effect as the poison river above. A creature fully immersed in
  the poison that fails its saving throw is also poisoned until the
  end of its next turn.
  Serpent Statue
  Serpent Statue
  The statue of Sertrous is made of stone and can provide
  cover, but it is not dangerous. It is Large, has an AC of 12, has
  70 hit points, and is immune to poison and psychic damage.
  Statue of Sertrous
  Statue of Sertrous
  The six smaller statues of Sertrous are all traps. A statue can
  make one attack at the end of every round against a creature
  of any alignment other than chaotic evil that is within 5 feet of
  it, striking with a single bite attack. A statue has a +7 bonus
  to attack rolls, and it deals 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage on
  a hit. These statues are Medium, have an AC of 10, have 30
  hit points, and are immune to poison and psychic damage.
  Encounter 2: Pits of the
  Encounter 2: Pits of the
  Forsaken
  Forsaken
  This encounter is changed to consist of Zuvexus (EdE 37)
  and 16 swarms of poisonous snakes (MM 338).
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The snake swarms should be little more than a nuisance to a
  high-level party, but the real menace is a considerable threat.
  Zuvexus is Seghulerak's cohort, and when her mistress is in
  the Reliquary, it is the marilith's duty to serve as warden.
  She waits patiently, hidden inside the illusory statue of
  Sertrous in the middle of the room. She can see through the
  illusion with her truesight. When combat begins, she casts
  spiritual weapon and attempts to summon 1d4 hezrous (MM
  60) using her Summon Demon ability. On her next turn, she
  uses major image to lure in the party's melee combatants,
  and then she casts blade barrier on the area they are in.
  When forced into melee, Zuvexus batters her opponents with
  a whirlwind of longswords. If she grapples an opponent with
  her tail, she will attempt to move them into her blade barrier.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  This area is dark.
  Balconies and Bridges
  Balconies and Bridges
  The balconies have no railings; a fall off one of them is a 30
  foot drop and immediately exposes the victim to the carpet of
  snakes.
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  Illusory Statue
  Illusory Statue
  The statue of Sertrous in the middle of the room is an
  illusion. Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be
  an illusion, because things can pass through it. A creature
  that uses its action to examine the image can determine that
  it is an illusion with a successful DC 18 Intelligence
  (Investigation) check. If a creature discerns the illusion for
  what it is, the creature can see through the image. The statue
  is large enough for a Large or smaller creature to hide within.
  Prison Pits
  Prison Pits
  An adamantine grate seals the top of each pit. The grate
  cannot be opened; prisoners are placed in the pits using
  teleporation magic. The shaft of each pit drops 20 feet and is
  warded against teleportation magic and planar travel. At the
  base, each shaft opens into a cubical cell; most cells are 7
  feet square, but three are larger (15-foot squares) for larger
  prisoners. Feel free to stock these prison cells with
  prominent NPCs that have been captured by the Vanguard in
  the campaign.
  Encounter 3: Inmost Vault
  Encounter 3: Inmost Vault
  This encounter is changed to consist of Avamerin (EdE 36)
  and two golothomas (EdE 37) in the first phase of the fight,
  and the aspect of Sertrous (EdE 35) and two golothomas in
  the second phase of the fight. Feel free to add or remove
  golothomas as you see fit.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  When Avamerin becomes aware of the party's arrival, he
  greets them with a friendly but tired welcome, congratulating
  them on achieving the Inmost Vault of the Serpent Reliquary.
  He then apologizes to the party, informing them that there is
  no Sertrous- there never was. The Vanguard was a sham, and
  the infestation of serpents is a trial placed upon the world by
  the gods as a test to mortal life. Avamerin proudly proclaims
  the party members the saviors of their world and
  congratulates them on proving to the gods that mortal life
  can indeed stand against such horror and peril. He then
  offers to send the party back to their homes; if they accept, he
  casts gate to open a portal for them.
  Of course, these are all lies. Avamerin is merely attempting
  to convince the party to leave the Inmost Vault so that he can
  flee to somewhere else with the skull of Sertrous and rebuild
  his lair. Whether the gate actually leads back to the party's
  home or to a horrific layer of the Abyss cunningly disguised to
  look like their home is up to you. Due to Avamerin's Divine
  Awareness trait and his Aura of False Divinity, the party
  cannot use ability checks to influence this social encounter,
  and they must overcome Avamerin's extremely high
  Charisma (or his Shapechanger trait) if they are to see
  through his lies.
  If the party attacks (as Avamerin expects), the fallen
  planetar does his best to slay them all, beckoning two
  golothomas to come to his aid and using his Dark Speech on
  his first turn in combat. As he attacks, his true nature slithers
  into being; he is not the handsome angel the party initially
  spoke to, but a hunchbacked creature with scaly skin and a
  partially serpentine face, complete with forked tongue.
  Although he has a large number of ranged spells, he prefers
  to fight in melee, resorting to spells only as a trump or to
  strike at foes beyond his immediate reach.
  Sertrous's Final Gambit
  Sertrous's Final Gambit
  When Avamerin is slain, Sertrous is forced to manifest to
  defend himself. The demon lord uses the body of his first and
  greatest minion to fuel the manifestation of his avatar, and he
  calls upon two golothomas to aid him in the battle as well.
  Sertrous uses his abilities freely, desperately attempting to
  get rid of the party as soon as possible. Sertrous might use
  his Swat Away legendary action to hurl opponents into the
  diseased trees to cause explosions of poisonous spores.
  You may wish to force each creature that witnesses the
  manifestation of Sertrous's aspect to make a DC 23 Wisdom
  saving throw. On a failed save, a creature goes mad. Roll on
  the Madness of Sertrous table (EdE 35) to determine the
  nature of the madness, which is a character flaw that lasts
  until cured. See the Dungeon Master's Guide for more on
  madness.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Diseased Tree
  Diseased Tree
  These soaking and shuddersome trees can provide cover, but
  any attempt to climb them results in great swaths of diseased
  wood and bark coming away by the handful. This action or
  any solid blow struck against a tree unleashes a cloud of
  green spores in a 10-foot-radius spread. Each creature in the
  area that isn't immune to poison or disease must make a DC
  20 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is
  poisoned and suffers disadvantage on Constitution saving
  throws for 1 minute.
  Deep Bog
  Deep Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for creatures of Medium size or
  larger. Small and smaller creatures must swim to enter these
  spaces.
  Shallow Bog
  Shallow Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for all creatures.
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  The Worm That Walks
  The Worm That Walks
  "The Worm that Walks is known by many names, though of
  them all, Kyuss is the one true name—the most common, the
  most reviled, and the most feared."
  — Edwin Tolstoff
  The Worm that Walks is a shifting mass of maggots and
  worms filled with the psychic imprint of a demigod named
  Kyuss. Slain in another age, the Worm that Walks yearns to
  return and seize the world in its wriggling grasp, ushering in
  the world's last age.
  Background
  Background
  The Worm That Walks' background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  The Worm That Walks' goals are unchanged.
  The Worm That Walks in
  The Worm That Walks in
  the Campaign
  the Campaign
  The Worm that Walks is easy to incorporate into a campaign
  because of its association with several lesser creatures such
  as the spawn of Kyuss, the avolakia, and the ulgurstasta.
  Using these adversaries helps plant the seed of Kyuss in your
  players' minds so when you reveal the elder evil's true nature,
  it's a logical resolution for the campaign.
  Sign: Infestation
  Sign: Infestation
  Vermin swarm out from Wormcrawl Island under the
  influence of the obelisk.
  Faint: The region immediately surrounding Wormcrawl
  Island becomes infected with worms, slowly spreading
  across the landscape. Nothing initially seems amiss, but
  swarms of insects and other creepy crawlies begin to pollute
  the environment. Such insects might also be found spilling
  out of the corpses of slayed beasts and other creatures in the
  area. While they do not immediately attack civilized areas,
  the diseases that these worms carry allow for the Worm That
  Walk's influence to taint places all across the world.
  Moderate: As faint, but Kyuss's vermin begin to pervert the
  environment with undeath. Dead beasts periodically animate
  as undead mockeries of their former selves. These undead
  act as parasitic hosts, transforming into spawn of Kyuss and
  spreading their infection to any wildlife they kill or interact
  with. These worms and undead enroach onto farms and
  other rural communities, transforming them into lifeless
  havens of disease and infestation.
  Strong: By now, the vermin have infested the countryside,
  wreaking havoc with smaller communities and besieging
  cities. Panic rules the land and people take desperate
  measures to protect themselves and their families from all
  sorts of worms and undead. The wilderness is desolated by
  creeping, worm-carried death, slowly transitioning the
  campaign world into the Age of Worms that Kyuss has
  foreseen.
  Overwhelming: Parasites have infested even the most
  well-guarded settlements in the world. Life throughout the
  wilderness has been all but extinguished, replaced by vermin
  and worm-infested undead. Even necromancers have their
  own undead seized from them and turned against them;
  when unattended, these undead are infected by worms, and
  set out to fulfill the will of Kyuss. The Age of Worms is
  coming - all that stands in its way is Kyuss's imprisonment.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline incorporates information
  found in the third edition supplement Exemplars of Evil. If
  you do not have this supplement, you can substitute other
  characters and adventure hooks, or you can create your own
  backstory for Edwin Tolstoff. Otherwise, the timeline is
  unchanged.
  Consult the following table for the suggested level of your
  party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  Faint
  3, 6
  Moderate
  9, 12
  Strong
  15
  Overwhelming
  18
  Worm That Walks in Eberron
  Worm That Walks in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Worm That Walks in Faerûn
  Worm That Walks in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Other Material
  Other Material
  Dungeon Magazine's Age of Worms adventure path describes
  Kyuss's emergence as heralding the start of a new age of
  despair. The material in this chapter was not written to
  contradict what's presented in this campaign, but certain
  elements are different. If you're running Age of Worms, you
  can make use of many of the plot elements provided in this
  chapter as well as the characters and locations to create even
  more adventure possibilities.
  The same applies to the Saga of the Worm, three 5th
  edition Adventurers League modules (DDAL00-01, DDAL00-
  03, and and DDAL00-10) surrounding Kyuss's presence in
  the Forgotten Realms. For example, you may wish to use the
  monster statistics provided in the accompanying bestiary for
  this book rather than the ones provided by the modules.
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  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  If you find Kyuss's default Sign of Apocalypse to be
  underwhelming, you may wish to swap it out for the Restless
  Dead or Horrid Blight sign as described in Chapter 1.
  Spawn of Kyuss are described on page 192 of Volo's Guide
  to Monsters. If you do not have this supplement, you can use
  zombies in their place, but give them the Burrowing Worm
  action of the blessed spawn of Kyuss (EdE 42) and adjust
  their Challenge Rating as you see fit.
  The circumstances surrounding Kyuss's imprisonment
  make it very easy to incorporate the Worm That Walks into a
  planar or Spelljammer campaign. In the former case,
  consider placing the Obelisk in its own plane or demiplane.
  In the latter case, Kyuss's Infestation sign might take the form
  of worms contaminating certain spelljammers, spreading
  from sphere to sphere wherever these ships go.
  In addition to the above content, consider the following
  changes and additions:
  By default, a creature infested by the Burrowing Worm
  action of a spawn of Kyuss eventually dies and rises as an
  undead. Perhaps your campaign could include other uses
  for these Burrowing Worms. For example, cultists of the
  Worm That Walks might be able to embed mind-
  controlling worms in politicians and other key NPCs in
  your world. Other worms might use their victims as long-
  term parasitic hosts; when these hosts die, a swarm of
  multiple worms or a single giant worm might emerge from
  their corpses.
  In life, Kyuss was a priest of Orcus. As such, Orcus might
  ally with the Worm That Walks in an attempt to replace
  the campaign setting with an undead, wormy wasteland.
  This would allow Kyuss's planar ally spell to summon
  demons that are in service of Orcus, and might also bring
  about the threat of a demonic incursion within the setting.
  Feel free to change the conditions required to free Kyuss
  from his imprisonment. Instead of a sphere of annihilation
  and well of many worlds, perhaps only a certain weapon
  or artifact can break the obelisk. Maybe the answer lies
  hidden in the book of vile darkness, or only the
  unstoppable body of Pandorym (see Chapter 6) is
  powerful enough to cut through the obelisk, or the
  presence of Atropus (see Chapter 2) provides an infusion
  of negative energy potent enough for Kyuss to break free
  himself. You could also create a ritual that allows Kyuss to
  be freed, such as a repeat of the massacre that allowed
  Kyuss to ascend in the first place, or the use of various
  magic items and spells found throughout the campaign
  setting as you see fit.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Kyuss, Edwin
  Tolstoff, and the Herald of Kyuss.
  Wormcrawl Island
  Wormcrawl Island
  The Worm that Walks is imprisoned within an obelisk at the
  heart of Wormcrawl Island, a remote place not found on any
  nautical chart, forgotten by all but the wisest sages and most
  despicable cultists. This island is wild and deadly, filled with
  monsters of incalculable horror and might, infested with the
  worst sorts of creatures imaginable. The people who
  entombed Kyuss here chose wisely, for none but the most
  courageous (or foolish) would dare explore the haunted
  jungles, brave the swarms of biting vermin, or contend with
  the monstrous threats contaminating the place.
  Through the ages, many have settled here, including
  savage humans, forest giants, and others. No settlement has
  survived the perils of the island, instead succumbing to beasts
  of the jungle, madness inspired by the obelisk, or violence
  committed against one another. Ruins filled with bones and
  rot testify to the carnage of the inhabitants' deaths.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  To an outsider, the island is like any other tropical paradise,
  with high, mist-shrouded peaks and lush jungles buzzing with
  life. The forest canopy is home to several varieties of
  monkeys, birds whose plumage runs the spectrum, all sorts
  of crawling insects, and, of course, worms. Beneath its
  breathtaking exterior lies rot, decay, and pulsing evil.
  Wormcrawl Island is about four miles in diameter. Two
  mountains dominate the terrain. The eastern mountain is
  older and covered by dense jungle, and the western peak is
  jagged, bare, and topped with a smoking crater.
  Runoff from the mountains drains down to the interior and
  gathers in a large freshwater lake (see area C). The lake feeds
  a river that cuts a path to the ocean. Gathering on the shores
  of the river is dense foliage consisting of thorny bushes, tall
  grasses, and odd flowers.
  The most notable feature of the island is at its center,
  where the Worm that Walks languishes in the prison of its
  obelisk. All around the 100-foot-tall spire is blood rock, stone
  infused with the blood of countless sacrifices. Spewing up
  from this stone are pools of slime infused with Kyuss
  pestilence.
  The islet rises in the center of a sea of hot tar. Great
  bubbles rise from its depths to burst and release poisonous
  fumes that waft across the shores and fill the air with toxins.
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  Defenses
  Defenses
  The island is home to numerous creatures—undead and
  aberrations mostly—but there are all sorts of vermin, magical
  beasts, and other predators as well. Although these threats
  are many and varied, characters of a level likely to be
  exploring this place should be more than a match for such
  creatures.
  The party's arrival does not, however, go unnoticed, and a
  powerful guardian responds to their presence. Every 10
  minutes the party explores the island, there is a 10% chance
  the characters attract a century worm (EdE 43) set here to
  ensure that no interlopers awaken the Worm that Walks.
  Additionally, poisonous gas emitted by the island's volcano
  deter creatures that attempt to fly over any part of the island.
  Creatures flying above the treeline of the island or climbing
  the volcano must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw
  against the poisonous air each minute they remain in the
  area. A creature takes 28 (8d6) poison damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the
  saving throw fails by 5 or more, a creature also falls
  unconscious for 1 minute or until another creature uses its
  action to make a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check
  to awaken it.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The encounter map depicts one possible approach, placing
  the obelisk in the center of the island. If the party travels from
  a different direction, change the compass to a direction
  serving your needs or sketch out the rest of the island. The
  following encounter areas are but a sample of those that
  could take place here.
  A. Gruesome Greeting
  A. Gruesome Greeting
  Skulls mounted on stained poles along the island's shores
  serve as warnings to drive off unwanted visitors. The skulls
  are all humanoid, and a DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check
  reveals small holes riddling each.
  B. The River
  B. The River
  The river is not deep enough for a seafaring vessel to
  navigate; characters equipped with rowboats can move
  upstream without a problem. The river is 100 feet wide on
  average. It is home to giant crocodiles, schools of flesh-eating
  fish, and a variety of water snakes. Swarms of biting insects
  carry Cackle Fever (DMG 257), and each hour of travel each
  party member must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
  throw or contract the disease.
  C. The Lake
  C. The Lake
  Waterfalls spilling down from the mountain create a beautiful
  spectacle for those coming upon this place, masking the
  danger lurking beneath its waters. Three hideous
  leechwalkers (EdE 43) rise up and attack any who come too
  close.
  D. Caves
  D. Caves
  A few caves and fissures pierce the slope of the volcano.
  Venting out from these gaps are plumes of poisonous gas.
  The DC for saving throws against the volcano's poisonous
  gas (see the Defenses section above) is increased to 20 in this
  area.
  Each cave descends 1d4×100 feet into the volcano. In their
  depths, at least a dozen blessed spawn of Kyuss (EdE 42)
  work to breach the walls and flood the tunnels and the island
  with lava to destroy the obelisk and free their master.
  E. Volcano
  E. Volcano
  A volcano towers over the island, rising above the lower
  slopes at a sharp climb up to 2,000 feet above sea level at the
  lip of the caldera. At the top, the ground gives way to a 500-
  foot-deep pit a thousand feet across. At the bottom is a
  churning soup of lava, spewing clouds of poisonous gas and
  the occasional spray of flaming rock into the air. The DC for
  saving throws against the volcano's poisonous gas (see the
  Defenses section above) is increased to 22 in this area. In
  addition, there's a 20% chance each minute that something
  belches forth from the flaming pit, striking a random
  character. The creature struck must make a DC 18 Dexterity
  saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage plus 17
  (5d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage
  on a successful one.
  F. The Unquiet Jungle
  F. The Unquiet Jungle
  The jungle that covers much of the land west of the volcano is
  crawling with fierce insects and contaminated by parasites
  and diseases delivered by clouds of thirsty mosquitoes. Each
  hour the characters travel through the jungles forces them to
  make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a
  creature contracts Slimy Doom. 1d4 hours after being
  infected, the creature begins to bleed uncontrollably. The
  infected creature has disadvantage on Constitution checks
  and Constitution saving throws. In addition, whenever the
  creature takes damage, it is stunned until the end of its next
  turn.
  G. Shattered Idol
  G. Shattered Idol
  Rising up like a crone's finger from the western mountain are
  the remains of a shattered idol. Little is left to testify to its
  original form, though it's clear the figure wore robes. Rubble
  litters the ground around the idol, and 50 feet down the slope
  lies the head, which is carved to look like a mass of worms.
  H. Sacred Pool
  H. Sacred Pool
  This pool served as a sacred meeting place. It is now black
  and corrupt, with a skin of green slime coating its surface.
  The water feeding the pool spills into the murk without
  disturbing the surface. The grass and underbrush all around
  is brown and slippery with rot. A successful DC 15
  Intelligence (Investigation) check of the area turns up a few
  scraps of cloth, a shattered symbol of Obad-Hai, and a
  scattering of maggot-infested flesh.
  I. Polluted Lake
  I. Polluted Lake
  The marsh is a mess of mud, pools of brown water, and dead
  reeds. In its center is a still, black pool of stinking water. Just
  beneath the surface are the rotting remains of the villagers
  who lived here. The salts of the water preserve their bodies,
  keeping them ready for animation. As long as no one drinks
  the water, the pool and its contents are harmless. Consuming
  or touching the water exposes the characters to the tiny
  green worms crawling through the muck.
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  These worms are identical to those launched by the
  Burrowing Worm action of a blessed spawn of Kyuss (EdE
  42). If someone touches the water, 1d4 worms latch onto the
  creature's skin. If someone consumes the water, 2d4 worms
  burrow inside of and infest the creature's body.
  J. Tar Pit
  J. Tar Pit
  The islet that surrounds the obelisk is encircled by a sea of
  tar. The effects of the tar are described in Encounter 2.
  Encounter 1: Ruins
  Encounter 1: Ruins
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The blessed spawn of Kyuss (EdE 42) rush into melee
  combat as fast as possible, attempting to restrain as many
  enemies as they can with multiple Plagues of Worms. While
  the combat rages, the gravecrawler (EdE 44) moves back
  and uses its chill touch and dispel magic spells to negate the
  beneficial effects of any divine spellcaster in the party. It
  might also use its transmute rock spell to restrain the party in
  mud. If four or more blessed spawn are destroyed, the
  gravecrawler uses its sickening radiance spell on the party,
  hoping to reduce the remaining characters to nothing via
  exhaustion. It relies on its Calcifying Aura to defend itself in
  melee if need be.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Calcified Bones
  Calcified Bones
  These areas are filled bones calcified by the gravecrawler,
  causing them to be difficult terrain for all creatures.
  Crumbling Walls
  Crumbling Walls
  The walls, where present, are masonry, but are in bad shape.
  They are 1 foot thick and 10 feet tall. Each 10-foot-by-10-foot
  panel of the wall has an AC of 15, has 30 hit points, and is
  immune to poison and psychic damage.
  Deep Bog
  Deep Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for creatures of Medium size or
  larger. Small and smaller creatures must swim to enter these
  spaces.
  Heavy Undergrowth
  Heavy Undergrowth
  Heavy undergrowth is difficult terrain for all creatures. It
  provides three-quarters cover and lightly obscures any
  creature inside it.
  Light Undergrowth
  Light Undergrowth
  Light undergrowth is difficult terrain for all creatures. It
  provides half cover and lightly obscures any creature inside it.
  Rubble
  Rubble
  Areas filled with collapsed walls are difficult terrain for all
  creatures.
  Shallow Bog
  Shallow Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for all creatures.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  Searching through the rubble turns up an assortment of
  baubles. There is a total of 1,034 pp. A creature that succeeds
  on a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check also finds 1d2
  black pearls (worth 500 gp each) until a total of five have
  been found. A DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check in the
  western corner uncovers a spellguard shield (DMG 201).
  Encounter 2: Tar Pit
  Encounter 2: Tar Pit
  This encounter is unchanged, although it is worth noting that
  the scion of Kyuss (EdE 45) can only regurgitate one forest
  giant skeleton (EdE 44) per round.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The scion of Kyuss lurches forward and swims through the
  tar to attack the party. It uses its Acid Breath to bombard as
  many creatures as it can, and then it regurgitates a forest
  giant skeleton to keep them busy. When one or more
  creatures are close enough, it uses its Tendrils to grapple as
  many creatures as possible. If it succeeds, the scion uses its
  Fling to throw a grappled creature deeper into the tar. It
  relies on the forest giant skeletons it regurgitates to keep the
  rest of the party busy while it uses its Tendrils to batter tar-
  submerged creatures, taking advantage of its 20 foot range
  and the immobilizing effect of the tar to attack without
  retaliation. It prefers to only re-emerge from the tar when it
  recharges its Acid Breath or when it wants to Bite and
  swallow an enemy that has half of its hit points or fewer.
  Keep in mind that while the scion's Fling action has a
  range of 60 feet, actually throwing a player character that far
  into the tar might take them out of the fight completely. Be
  careful when using Fling on melee characters, but feel free to
  use this maximum range on any NPC that is accompanying
  the party, as well as on spellcasters that have access to
  magical flight or teleportation that enables them to escape
  the tar.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Deep Bog
  Deep Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for creatures of Medium size or
  larger. Small and smaller creatures must swim to enter these
  spaces.
  Heavy Undergrowth
  Heavy Undergrowth
  Heavy undergrowth is difficult terrain for all creatures. It
  provides three-quarters cover and lightly obscures any
  creature inside it.
  Light Undergrowth
  Light Undergrowth
  Light undergrowth is difficult terrain for all creatures. It
  provides half cover and lightly obscures any creature inside it.
  Shallow Bog
  Shallow Bog
  This area is difficult terrain for all creatures.
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  Tar
  Tar
  The depth of the tar starts at 5 feet by the shore, and
  increases by 10 feet in 5-foot increments away from the
  shore.
  Any non-undead creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of
  this tar must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw
  or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. Non-undead
  creatures that are sinking into the tar (see below)
  automatically fail this saving throw.
  Huge and larger creatures can swim through the tar as if it
  was difficult terrain. Otherwise, the tar acts like Quicksand
  (DMG 110), restraining creatures that enter the area and
  causing them to sink.
  Encounter 3: The Obelisk
  Encounter 3: The Obelisk
  This encounter is unchanged.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Edwin Tolstoff (EdE 42) must direct the sphere of
  annihilation into the well of many worlds. If he possesses a
  talisman of the sphere, Edwin automatically succeeds at
  doing this; otherwise, he must make Intelligence (Arcana)
  checks as detailed in the sphere of annihilation item
  description.
  Once he succeeds, Edwin then fights the party until his
  master emerges. He uses spells to cause trouble and to
  prevent the party from drawing too close to the shuddering
  well, using dominate monster or hold person to immobilize
  and distract them. Edwin casts greater invisibility and
  attempts to flee early if reduced to half of his hit points or
  fewer.
  After 5 rounds, Kyuss (EdE 40) bursts free, erupting from
  the obelisk as a flood of worms and maggots that quickly
  assumes the form of a giant humanoid. As the obelisk
  shatters, Kyuss uses his Divine Scourge. He then begins
  combat by using his Plague of Worms to restrain as many
  party members as possible, and then he hammers at the
  characters with his Worm Smite.
  Kyuss uses Quicken Spell to cast animate dead as a bonus
  action, creating multiple spawn of Kyuss to assault the party
  with. Kyuss then casts dominate monster on a melee
  combatant, instructing the character to turn against their
  comrades. Kyuss fills out the next few rounds by casting
  spiritual weapon at 6th level and any offensive spell of his
  choice, as well as using an 8th level spell slot to cast spirit
  guardians if his dominate monster spell ends. He returns to
  melee combat when his Plague of Worms or Worm Smite
  actions have recharged. Throughout the fight, he uses Bless
  Spawn to bolster his forces and Summon Spawn when they
  are depleted. He saves his 9th level spell slot for the use of
  power word kill later on in the fight.
  When Kyuss is reduced to half of his hit points or fewer, he
  casts divine word. If you wish, Kyuss may then quicken planar
  ally to cast it using his bonus action, beseeching Orcus for
  aid. Orcus immediately sends a demon to his aid, such as a
  glabrezu (MM 58) or a maurezhi (MTF 133). Orcus might
  also send an undead servant, such as a famine spirit (EdE 6),
  if he so desires.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book. Undead and aberrations are immune to any
  negative effects described below.
  Blood Rock
  Blood Rock
  Whenever a creature scores a critical hit on a melee weapon
  attack while standing on this blood rock, the creature gains
  10 temporary hit points.
  Fissures
  Fissures
  There are two types of fissures found on the battlefield. A
  space containing a small fissure is difficult terrain, while a
  wide fissure is a 30-foot-deep chasm. Any living creature that
  ends its turn on a small fissure or within 5 feet of a wide
  fissure suffers disadvantage on Constitution saving throws
  until the end of its next turn.
  Obelisk
  Obelisk
  Before Kyuss escapes the obelisk, the stone emits an aura of
  madness in a 20-foot radius. Whenever a creature ends its
  turn in the area, it suffers disadvantage on Intelligence,
  Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws until the end of its next
  turn. Once Kyuss escapes, the aura ceases.
  Obelisk's Shadow
  Obelisk's Shadow
  Any creature that ends its turn in the Obelisk's shadow
  suffers disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws until the end
  of its next turn.
  Worms
  Worms
  These spaces contain the worms of Kyuss. A character
  moving through one of these spaces has a worm latch onto its
  skin, as described by the Burrowing Worm action of the
  blessed spawn of Kyuss (EdE 42).
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  Although the procedure Edwin uses to release the Worm that
  Walks should succeed, it has other unforeseen consequences.
  The sphere becomes a "black hole", annihilating everything
  near to it. If abandoned for more than 10 minutes, it picks up
  speed and power, drawing the island, the waters, the air and
  everything else on the Material Plane into its dimensional
  fissure, erasing all existence within 1 hour.
  The bizarre circumstances of this ritual modify the usual
  effects that occur when someone attempts to destroy a
  sphere of annihilation. Casting a gate spell on the sphere
  catapults everything within a 180-foot radius into an alternate
  Material Plane. Touching the sphere with a rod of absorption
  causes the sphere to be absorbed and for the rod to explode,
  dealing 140 (40d6) force damage to everything in a 600-foot
  radius.
  At your option, once the Worm that Walks has been dealt
  with or has left the island, a divine power can intervene to
  stop the catastrophe, or you can choose to lessen the severity
  of these consequences. For example, instead of becoming a
  black hole, the sphere might explode after 15 minutes,
  destroying Wormcrawl Island and everything on it.
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  Zargon
  Zargon
  "Who can stand against the might of Zargon the Returner?
  Surely, no man is strong enough of courage and skill to face
  my master in combat. No god would dare confront him, for he
  has brought low others before. Nay, when Zargon awakens,
  all shall tremble as the world is born anew in his foul image."
  — Dorn, Ascendant of Zargon
  Despised by the baatezu, feared by the gods, and all but
  forgotten by mortals, Zargon the Returner struggles to
  escape his prison to once more conquer the earth and drown
  the world with rivers of his slime.
  Background
  Background
  Zargon's background is unchanged.
  Goals
  Goals
  Zargon's goals are unchanged.
  Zargon in the Campaign
  Zargon in the Campaign
  The particulars of the Cynidicean Kingdom, such as
  placement and cultural specifics, are loose to make it easier
  for you to insert Zargon into the campaign. The ziggurat
  holding Zargon should lie in the middle of a large desert, but
  any wasteland can serve. Legends about the lost civilization
  are hard to come by, suppressed by religious groups hiding
  the fact that divine intercession failed and Asmodeus saved
  the day. If necessary, you can substitute any powerful evil
  force for Asmodeus and if you'd prefer the gods not be slain,
  substitute high-level wizards, clerics, or other adventurers.
  Sign: Eerie Weather
  Sign: Eerie Weather
  The worship of Zargon causes unrest among the gods, which
  is made manifest with strange weather.
  Faint: Eerie weather occurs once every 2 weeks and
  affects an area of 21 (2d20) square miles in a place of the
  DM's choice. The effects last for 3 (1d4 + 1) hours.
  Moderate: Eerie weather occurs once a week and affects
  an area of 101 (2d100) square miles. The effects last for 7
  (2d4 + 2) hours.
  Strong: Eerie weather occurs once a day and affects an
  entire continent or large surface of the planet. The effects last
  for 14 (4d4 + 4) hours.
  Overwhelming: Eerie weather occurs once an hour and
  affects the entire world. The effects last for 2 (1d4) hours
  (because the duration can be longer than the frequency, the
  effects often overlap).
  Each time eerie weather occurs, consult the following
  tables and roll a d20 three times to determine the exact
  effect. See DMG 109 for details on severe weather conditions
  and their effects.
  Temperature
  d20 Temperature
  1-8 Heat wave; temperature rises by 1d4 × 10 degrees
  Fahrenheit
  9-
  16
  Cold snap; temperature falls by 1d4 × 10 degrees
  Fahrenheit
  17-
  20
  Invert season: summer becomes winter, spring
  becomes fall, and vice versa
  Precipitation
  d20 Precipitation
  1-10 No precipitation
  11-
  12
  Storm: heavy rain or heavy snowfall (temperature-
  based)
  13-
  14
  As storm, plus heavy lightning (rain) or blizzard
  (snow)
  15-
  16
  As storm, plus hurricane (rain) or hail (snow)
  17-
  18
  As storm, plus blood rain (rain) or slime rain (snow)
  19-
  20
  As storm, plus acid rain (rain) or flaming hail (snow)
  Other Effects
  d20 Effect
  1-8
  Slime covering (area becomes difficult terrain)
  9-16 Fog (heavily obscures the area)
  17-20 1d4 earthquakes (as the spell, save DC 20)
  Blizzard. The area of the blizzard is heavily obscured.
  Additionally, ground that has heavy snow on it is difficult
  terrain until cleared.
  Blood Rain. A creature that ends its turn in the rain must
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
  poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned creature can repeat the
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
  on a success.
  Slime Rain. Instead of snowing, large globs of slime fall
  from the sky. Every 5 (1d10) rounds, a colossal glob of slime
  explodes on impact in a random spot. Each creature within
  15 feet of the impact must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
  throw, taking 28 (8d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as
  much damage on a successful one. The explosion covers the
  ground with viscious slime, preventing creatures from
  moving across it until cleared.
  This rain also contaminates all exposed water sources. Any
  creature that drinks the water or enters a contaminated
  water source for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there
  takes 7 (2d6) acid damage.
  Acid Rain. Exposed creatures and objects take 2 acid
  damage at the start of each of their turns.
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   Flaming Hail. Exposed creatures and objects take 1
  bludgeoning damage plus 1 fire damage at the start of each of
  their turns. Every 5 (1d10) rounds, a flaming hailstone
  explodes on impact in a random spot. Each creature within
  20 feet of the impact must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
  throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as
  much damage on a successful one. The explosion covers the
  ground with fragments, making it difficult terrain until
  cleared.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  The possible campaign outline given in the original book is
  unchanged. Consult the following table for the suggested
  level of your party for each section of the original outline.
  Suggested Party Level Chart
  Intensity
  Party Level
  None
  2
  Faint
  5
  Moderate
  10
  Strong
  15, 17
  Overwhelming
  20
  Zargon in Eberron
  Zargon in Eberron
  This section is unchanged.
  Zargon in Faerûn
  Zargon in Faerûn
  This section is unchanged.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  In a planar campaign, Zargon might seek to claim control
  over planes other than the Material Plane. For example, in
  the adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, Zargon
  might be free to roam in Baator, acting as a warlord that
  seeks control over Avernus and the rest of the Nine Hells. If
  the party makes a deal with his cultists, Zargon might be
  willing to break Elturel's chains using his nigh indestructible
  horn.
  Regardless of the setting and the dominion he has set his
  eyes on, Zargon has one goal: to corrupt every creature he
  can with slime. As such, Zargon works well as written in a
  Spelljammer campaign, although his connection with the
  Nine Hells adds for another layer of intrigue in a planar
  campaign.
  In addition to his whelps, you may also wish to create
  statistics for other baatorian devils spawned by Zargon. An
  easy way to do this is to apply the whelp of Zargon template
  to baatezu devils of your choice, or to come up with your own
  ideas as to what the original denizens of the Nine Hells used
  to be.
  Beyond that, consider the following changes and additions:
  If you have a setting that lacks deities, or at least has a
  rather small pantheon compared to other settings,
  consider using Zargon to explain why this is. Perhaps
  Zargon managed to kill all of the gods in the setting, or
  only a majority of them. In a setting such as Dark Sun,
  perhaps Zargon slew the gods but then himself was slain.
  This would allow for an explanation of why the gods are
  missing without requiring Zargon to be in the setting
  anymore.
  While Juiblex may support Zargon's conquests, other
  demons may be divided on the subject. Some demons
  might find the notion of an ancient archdevil conquering
  the Material Plane unsettling to them. Other demons
  might believe Zargon will attempt to retake the Nine Hells
  after conquering his current target, which would divide
  the devils among themselves and allow for a successful
  invasion of the Nine Hells.
  Enemies of Juiblex in particular, such as Zuggtmoy,
  are committed to preventing the Faceless Lord
  from gaining more power and would attack Zargon
  once discovering their alliance. Others might be
  threatened by this alliance; if successful, Juiblex
  could potentially gain enough power to rival
  Demogorgon for the title of King of Demons.
  The obyrith lord Pazuzu might oppose Zargon due
  to the demon's secret alliance with Asmodeus. It is
  reasonable to assume that Pazuzu, having been the
  one to corrupt Asmodeus in the first place, would
  be aware of his past conflict with Zargon and the
  threat he poses. Pazuzu could potentially work with
  the party against the elder evil, disguising himself
  as a benevolent entity in order to manipulate them
  to his advantage. See the Demonomicon from 4th
  Edition for more information on Pazuzu.
  Particularly cunning demon lords might attempt to
  use Zargon to their advantage. Rather than openly
  allying with him, they might use manipulation to sic
  him against the gods once again. If successful,
  Zargon would kill all of the gods, leaving their
  celestial realms free to be conquered by and
  absorbed into the Abyss.
  If you find Zargon's default sign to be underwhelming, you
  may wish to swap it out for the Blood Moon or Alien Skies
  sign described in Chapter 1. You could also use the
  Infestation sign, in which Zargon's brown slime rapidly
  spreads across the landscape until it threatens to engulf
  the entire setting.
  Description
  Description
  This section is unchanged. Reference the original book if you
  are interested in lore and details regarding Zargon and his
  whelps, Dorn, and Vanessa Mackelroy.
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  The Ziggurat
  The Ziggurat
  Hidden in the Valley of Death are the ruins of Cynidicea.
  Little remains of the city, and if not for the imposing ziggurat
  in the center of the ruins, one might overlook the few exposed
  stone blocks and crumbling walls. In spite of the site's
  condition, the ziggurat is more or less intact. Its walls have
  crumbled somewhat and a few breaches reach to the dark
  secrets within, but the massive structure stands defiant of
  time and the harsh terrain. The ziggurat is a stepped pyramid,
  with each level rising 20 feet high. Sand conceals most of the
  bottom tier. Mounted on the top of the ziggurat are three
  statues. One depicts a strong, bearded man holding a balance
  and a javelin. Another depicts a winged child with two snakes
  wrapped around its body, and the third is of a beautiful
  woman. Over the centuries, the wind has erased all the
  statues' fine detail.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  Each tier of the ziggurat (there are five in all) serves as a
  discrete level and connects to lower and higher levels by
  carved staircases cut into the stone. Ceiling heights reach 18
  feet except in the hallways, where the ceiling drops to 10 feet
  high. The upper levels can be developed in extensive detail if
  desired, but by the time the party reaches the ziggurat,
  Zargon should soon be freed, and there's neither time nor
  need to detail every inch of this place.
  Before Zargon was sealed in the floor, lower levels
  provided access to the Lost City far below. Whether these
  levels remain or the Lost City can still be accessed is up to
  you.
  Entrances
  Entrances
  Unless you wish to expand this adventure site to include the
  upper levels, the party has to enter through the front doors
  leading to area A. However, 20 feet of sand prevents this.
  Characters might attempt to use teleportation to circumvent
  this barrier, but ancient wards prevent such effects from
  breaching into the ziggurat. It takes 20 hours to clear out a
  passage by hand (or five hours each for four creatures),
  although magic can be used to speed up this process
  considerably.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  Lamps that burn human fat for fuel illuminate the main level.
  The fuel is poor and gives off more smoke than light. Each
  lamp sheds shadowy illumination in a 10-foot radius. The
  lamps hang from hooks every 20 feet in the corridors and
  might or might not be lit in individual rooms, depending on
  the occupants.
  Doors
  Doors
  Doors throughout are closed and locked. All locks use the
  same keys, and each cultist carries a key on their person. The
  cultists shut and lock any door they pass through—to leave
  one open warns that intruders are inside.
  Walls
  Walls
  The walls between rooms are reinforced masonry, and
  thicker walls count as magically treated hewn stone. Lead
  sheets have been buried within all walls, ruining certain
  divination spells such as locate object.
  Floors
  Floors
  The floors are flagstone. In breached areas, light rubble
  might impose difficult terrain to creatures walking through it.
  Defenses
  Defenses
  The cult is ready for an attack, so three sets of guards
  monitor the corridors. Each group consists of four
  oozeblades (EdE 50) and one slime shaman (EdE 51).
  If combat breaks out, the closest guards can make DC 12
  Wisdom (Perception) checks. Those who succeed go to
  investigate. Guards in room 12 respond to sounds of fighting
  in Encounter 3.
  Dorn and Vanessa will investigate if they hear combat
  break out within 90 feet of them. Otherwise, they move to
  Encounter 3 to make their stand alongside Zargon.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The following locations correspond to those indicated on the
  ziggurat map.
  A. Main Entry Chamber
  A. Main Entry Chamber
  Two rows of statues depicting animal-headed people support
  the high ceiling of this massive chamber. Mosaics recounting
  the rise and fall of Cynidicea adorn the walls behind the
  statues. Bright light fills the corridor to the south, revealing
  more mosaics. The wide corridor ends at a T intersection.
  A character who examines the northwest corner of the
  room and succeeds on a DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation)
  check discover a hidden trapdoor. Lifting the lid reveals a
  ladder descending into the darkness. This passage leads to
  the subterranean city.
  The southern passage ends at an illusory wall. Creatures
  with truesight can see through the wall, and physical
  interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because
  things can pass through it. Otherwise, examination of the
  wall does not reveal it to be an illusion.
  B. Empty Room
  B. Empty Room
  The floor of this chamber drops 6 feet. At the bottom is a
  shattered stone box. An acrid stench fills the air.
  C. Storage Room
  C. Storage Room
  Wine racks cover the north and east walls and casks cover
  the west, as do the remains of several shattered casks. The
  floor here is black and sticky.
  D. Crushing Wall Trap
  D. Crushing Wall Trap
  This passage is trapped. Creating pressure (e.g. walking, or
  pressing with a 10-foot pole) anywhere in the indicated area
  causes the entire stretch of corridor to slam shut, pulping
  anyone caught between the walls.
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  The trap can be discovered by a DC 15 Intelligence
  (Investigation) check. A creature in the trapped area when it
  slams shut must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a
  success, it can use its reaction to move up to its speed so that
  it is no longer in the way of the trap. Otherwise, a creature in
  the area takes 70 (20d6) bludgeoning damage. Unsecured
  objects in the area take the same damage automatically.
  E. Killing Floor
  E. Killing Floor
  This room holds piles of corpses, butchered by Dorn (see
  Encounter 1). Aside from a collection of animal masks, the
  bodies have nothing of value.
  F. Gambling Hall
  F. Gambling Hall
  This room was once a gaming hall, as evidenced by the
  toppled tables, cards, dice, and scattered coins. Blood soaks
  the carpet in the center of the room. The dead are
  everywhere.
  A secret door stands on the south wall. A creature who
  succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds
  a hidden pressure plate that causes it to open, leading into
  area G.
  G. Cultist's Chambers
  G. Cultist's Chambers
  This room was once the private quarters for the high cultist
  Darius—Dorn's father. The room holds a bed, dresser, writing
  desk, and other ordinary furniture. Painted on the east wall is
  a grotesque illustration depicting Zargon.
  Characters searching the high priest's belongings find little
  of value, but a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check turns
  up two pearls of power (DMG 184) lying under the bed.
  If Vanessa Mackelroy (EdE 47) has not yet been
  encountered, she is here.
  H. Abandoned Cultist's Quarters
  H. Abandoned Cultist's Quarters
  A moist odor fills the air of this damp room. Aside from a
  sagging bed, shelves, and a small chest, this room is empty.
  I. Consultation Room
  I. Consultation Room
  A massive table dominates the center of this wood-paneled
  room. Six chairs are pushed up to the table on either side. In
  each corner stands a gaudy painted urn, and there is a
  gargoyle (MM 140) in each corner of the room.
  If Vanessa Mackelroy (EdE 47) has not yet been
  encountered, she is here.
  J. Barracks
  J. Barracks
  This wide room houses the guards patrolling the corridors.
  At any given time, there are eight oozeblades (EdE 50) and
  two slime shamans (EdE 51) here reclining and relaxing.
  Although off duty, they wear animal masks depicting two each
  of the following: boar, rat, ant, eagle, and wolf.
  The guards store their possessions here. The party can
  find 550 gp and three potions of superior healing (DMG 187)
  in footlockers.
  K. Storeroom
  K. Storeroom
  This chamber holds the cult’s spare vestments, masks,
  incense, general goods, and three months' worth of rations
  and water. There are five masks (tiger, ape, rat, rhino, and
  boar) and accompanying vestments. Assume that the room
  holds at least one piece of any mundane equipment
  (excluding alchemical items, weapons, and armor) the party
  could want or need.
  L. Guardroom
  L. Guardroom
  Four slime shamans (EdE 51) wearing rat masks and red
  robes over mail protect this room. They make sure none of
  the denizens from below come up to disturb the cult's
  activities. If you are not expanding this adventure site to the
  lower levels, have the stairs end at a bricked-up wall.
  Encounter 1: Hall of
  Encounter 1: Hall of
  Whelps
  Whelps
  This encounter is changed to consist of Dorn (EdE 47), three
  humanoid whelps of Zargon (EdE 49), and one alkilith
  (MTF 130) summoned by Dorn. If you wish, you can
  substitute the alkilith with a roper whelp of Zargon (EdE
  49). The suggested party level of this encounter is increased
  to 17.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  If Dorn is here and the trap was not sprung, he first uses his
  Summon Demon action to summon an alkilith. It and the
  humanoid whelps then ooze forward, attempting to engage
  the party in melee. The whelps are all immune to the alkilith's
  Foment Madness, and they attempt to use their Whelm
  actions to immobilize the party.
  Once the party is engaged in melee, Dorn uses his
  Corrosive Spew on as many of them as he can. He uses his
  Cunning Action to weave in and out of combat, targeting the
  most injured enemy with his Sneak Attack when possible.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Corpses
  Corpses
  The bloody corpses are difficult terrain for any creature
  without the Amorphous trait or Liquid Movement action.
  Doors
  Doors
  The doors here are made out of lead. They have an AC of 14,
  50 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
  Pools of Blood
  Pools of Blood
  The blood in this area has been mixed with corrosive acid,
  dealing 5 (2d4) acid damage to any creature that enters its
  space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
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  Encounter 2: Den of
  Encounter 2: Den of
  Excess
  Excess
  This encounter is changed to consist of Vanessa Mackelroy
  (EdE 47) if she is present, two oozeblades (EdE 50), two
  thralls of Juiblex (EdE 50), and one slime shaman (EdE 51).
  If Vanessa isn't present, feel free to add an additional slime
  shaman instead. The suggested party level of this encounter
  is increased to 17.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The oozeblades sound the alarm and charge the party on
  their turn. They start off by using their Slimy Curse before
  entering melee. If they need to retreat, one of them casts the
  darkness spell before they flee.
  One round later, the thralls of Juiblex join the fight and
  charge the party.
  One round after that, Vanessa (if present) and the slime
  shaman arrive. The slime shaman targets spellcasters with
  blindness/deafness, and then follows up with a variety of
  damaging spells.
  Vanessa supports the melee combatants with spells,
  casting hold person followed by flaming sphere. If she faces
  spellcasters, she makes sure to save her reaction for
  counterspell or Insane Defiance.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  All rooms except the secret chambers are filled with dim
  light.
  Bed
  Bed
  The bed is a stained feather mattress. There is nothing of
  interest on the bed, but searching it exposes the characters to
  disease. A creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution
  saving throw or be infected by Sewer Plague (DMG 257).
  Desk
  Desk
  The desk is a simple wooden writing desk that stands 4 feet
  off the ground.
  Ladder
  Ladder
  In the eastern secret room, there is an iron ladder bolted
  against the north wall. If your adventure includes the upper
  levels, this ladder leads there. If not, the exit is bricked up.
  Characters descending from the upper levels enter this level
  from here.
  Secret Doors
  Secret Doors
  Two secret doors lead to concealed chambers. A successful
  DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check in the area reveals
  them and their opening mechanisms.
  Stove
  Stove
  This is a simple stove. A fire burns inside. Once per turn
  when a creature comes in contact with this fire, it takes 5
  (2d4) fire damage.
  Tapestries
  Tapestries
  Tapestries depicting grotesque scenes of human sacrifice
  hang in one of the secret rooms and in southern room. A
  creature standing behind a tapestry gains half cover, but once
  it is attacked or takes damage, it is destroyed.
  Treasure Hoard
  Treasure Hoard
  The western secret room contains the cult's accumulated
  wealth, which is made up of the following treausre:
  Coins and gemstones worth a total of 7,500 gp
  A ring of telekinesis (DMG 193)
  A potion of invisibility (DMG 188)
  An animated shield (DMG 151)
  Encounter 3: Chapel of
  Encounter 3: Chapel of
  Zargon
  Zargon
  This encounter is changed to consist of Zargon (EdE 46), one
  corrupture (EdE 51), and three humanoid whelps of
  Zargon (EdE 49). The positioning of these corruptures can
  be determined based on the possible locations given in the
  original encounter map. The suggested party level of this
  encounter is increased to 20.
  If the party arrives before Zargon's sign of apocalypse
  becomes Overwhelming, it instead contains six slime
  shamans (EdE 51) and six oozeblades (EdE 50) working to
  extract their master.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  When not ordered by Zargon, the whelps attempt to use
  Whelm on the closest party members they can see. The
  corrupture rushes into melee as well, attempting to catch as
  many enemies as it can in its Acid Burst.
  Zargon starts by using his Spew Slime action, blanketing
  the area with the awful stuff. While the oozes attend to the
  party, Zargon stays back, using his Multiattack to make two
  attacks with his barbed tentacles from 30 feet away,
  preferably against the spellcasters of the party. If a party
  member does a large amount of damage to Zargon, he might
  choose to grapple the opponent and to Fling it into the pit
  below him. In general, Zargon uses his superior reach to
  assault the party while still avoiding their melee combatants.
  If the other oozes die, Zargon uses his Tentacle Swarm
  legendary action to immobilize as many party members as he
  can. He then rushes into melee, using his Gore attack
  (preferably boosted by his Charge trait) on the most damaged
  party member he can see. Afterwards, Zargon uses his
  muscled tendrils to knock grappled creatures prone, and he
  uses Spew Slime whenever it recharges. When not provoking
  opportunity attacks, Zargon climbs around the room,
  spreading his Slime Trail wherever he goes. Zargon fights
  until destroyed, knowing he will rise once more in a few days.
  Sounds of combat in this room attract the attention of
  guards throughout the complex. If they are still alive, the cult
  guards from area L start moving in the second round of
  combat, while any remaining guards in the halls head toward
  this room starting in round 3. If Vanessa and Dorn have not
  been encountered elsewhere, they begin moving starting in
  round 5.
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  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  This area contains a variety of features, as pictured in the
  original book.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  This room has no light sources in it.
  Broken Statue
  Broken Statue
  Three massive statues once stood at the end of the chapel,
  but the cultists of Zargon have defaced and shattered them;
  the rubble covers the floor around them. Each statue stands
  10 feet high and ends in a jagged break, but can still be
  climbed if a creature wants to do so.
  Dense Rubble
  Dense Rubble
  Areas with dense rubble in it are difficult terrain for creatures
  that walk through them.
  Illusory Wall
  Illusory Wall
  Illusory walls stretch across the north edge of the room.
  Pit
  Pit
  Zargon emerges from a deep pit dug by his cultists, who were
  rewarded for their labor by being transformed into whelps.
  The pit is 40 feet deep, and the bottom is covered with slime.
  A character falling in the pit takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning
  damage from the fall and must contend with the slime at the
  bottom (see below). The pit's walls are covered in a thin layer
  of slime, but can be climbed with a successful DC 15
  Strength (Athletics) check.
  Slime
  Slime
  This slime was created by Zargon's Slime Trail trait. A
  creature that moves into the slime's space for the first time on
  a turn or ends its turn there must succeed on a DC 27
  Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6) acid damage. This
  slime dissipates 1 minute after being excreted.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  Even if the characters "kill" Zargon, the elder evil regrows in
  a matter of days unless they destroy the horn as well. The way
  to destroy this elder evil is to drop the horn in the smoking
  crater called the Eye of Zargon. This volcanic crater lies far
  below the earth in the cave housing the lost city of Cynidicea,
  on the far shores of Lake Moldvay. Such a quest is the subject
  of another adventure...
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Badooga Homebrew/Elder Evils 5e.pdf