TEXT: 1
  
  2
  Direct Link: http://www.theredopera.com/
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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organi-
  zations, places, events, and incidents are either prod-
  ucts of the authors’ imagination or used fictitiously. 
  Copyright © 2020 Apotheosis Studios LLC
  All rights reserved. 
  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in 
  a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by 
  any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, 
  recording, or otherwise, without express written 
  permission of the publisher. 
  Published by Apotheosis Studios
  www.ApotheosisStudios.com
  Creative Director & CEO of Apotheosis Studios: 
  Jamison Stone 
  Lead Game Designer & Lead Writer: 
  Rick Heinz
  Art Director & Lead Artist: 
  David Granjo 
  Senior Graphic Designer & Lead Layout Artist: 
  Sharon Parra
  Setting & Encounter Designer: 
  Patrick Edwards
  Design & Layout: 
  David Granjo, Courteney Penney, Satine Phoenix, 
  Jamison Stone
  Story Writing: 
  Rick Heinz, Courteney Penney, Joseph Asphahani, 
  Patrick Edwards
  Contributing Writers: 
  Jamison Stone, Satine Phoenix, Jaron R. M. Johnson, 
  Crystal Mazur, Eric Weiss, Mark Q Anderson, Rick 
  Wheeler, Ian E. Muller, Alcuin Gersh, William 
  Nelson, Michael Oldziej, Eric and Emily Edwards
  Artists: 
  David Granjo, Carlos Osorio
  Editing: 
  Courteney Penney, Jamison Stone, Satine Phoenix
  COO of Apotheosis Studios: 
  Sarah Urfer
  Music: 
  Drake Mefessta, DiAmorte
  Playtesters: 
  Patrick Edwards, Joseph Asphahani, Alex Feby, John 
  Maxwell, Colton Flannigan, Chris Anderson, Brian 
  Kenny, Joseph Blackmon-Dishaw, Lee Benzacar, 
  Isaac Wurmbrand, Jamison Stone, Satine Phoenix, 
  Alcuin Gersh, Michelle Nguyen Bradley, Jacob Kile, 
  Rick Heinz
  Printed in: 
  China
  Printing handled by 
  Apotheosis Studios
  ISBN Standard Edition: 978-1-7365965-0-0
  ISBN Special Edition Edition: 978-1-7365965-1-7 
  ISBN Digital Edition: 978-1-7365965-2-4 
  
  3
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  Characters within The Red Opera, Charac-
  ters, Monsters, Items, and Story are orginal 
  creations. Open Gaming Liscence is included for 
  any SRD reference of items and monsters that 
  are from SRD material.
  
  4
  Forward by Satine Phoenix
  "A hoard of Thistlefuries rampaged their way through 
  the twisted forests of the Shadelands, headed straight 
  for us. Knox managed to right our wagon while Xiggy 
  and Vander dealt with the corrupted creatures which 
  surrounded our party on all sides. My friends called 
  out to me, but I was too far away—there was no way to 
  make it to the wagon before I was overrun. I used the 
  remaining magical energy I could call up from my Fey 
  Pact Patron and cast a Cloud of Daggers in front of the 
  hoard. With every ounce of concentration, I watched as 
  the fiends were flayed limb to limb passing through the 
  metal shards. "Go on, leave me. I'll hold them off. Just 
  get out of here!" Suddenly a tentacle lashed out from 
  the cart, wrapped itself around my waist, pulling me 
  out of harm's way and onto the wagon as we rushed 
  away from our impending doom. Domadred's Warlock 
  pact, one he has always reviled, was the very thing that 
  saved me. As we continued forward, watching the for-
  est writhe with magical infestation, I looked to my ad-
  venturing party. I realized that although we each had 
  our own individually traumatic pasts that caused us to 
  make a soul deal with our Patrons, here in Yon'Cath, we 
  Warlocks could rely on each other. We Warlocks had a 
  home worth protecting." - Amber Lighthearth recount-
  ing the events of The Red Opera Chapter One
  I hope that by watching my friends and I play in our 
  The Red Opera live-stream, you got a taste of the 
  many ways to play a Warlock. From Michelle Nguyen 
  Bradley's playful Tiefling to Jamison Stone's serious 
  Captain Domadred, the styles of play and stories un-
  locked within The Red Opera are magnificent. Within 
  our collective imagination, we can defeat monsters 
  before us and master the demons within us. In The 
  Shadelands, we can form friendships, or in my case, 
  during the live stream for this book, find a soulmate. 
  We have come upon a new epoch of gaming. It is now 
  2021, and those who grew up playing games as chil-
  dren, are now making the games we love. Apotheosis 
  Studios has brought Table Top Gaming into a new era of 
  storytelling. In the 32 years I've been playing Dungeons 
  & Dragons, never before have I seen a campaign book 
  so expertly crafted in art, story, and music! This adven-
  ture has a full symphony soundtrack embedded into 
  the book with QR codes—this is amazing!
  Within the pages of this book, you'll find a city ruled 
  by Warlocks. A safe haven for all manner of misunder-
  stood adventurers and creatures, filled to the brim with 
  magic, love, and betrayal. Warlocks are a profoundly 
  unique class, and this city brings to life, in terrifying 
  clarity, what makes this class so powerful. Here in The 
  Shadelands, players have the ability for a character of 
  any class to petition a Patron and taste what it's like to 
  be a Warlock. And for Dungeon Masters, there's an en-
  tire chapter dedicated to creating your own Patron and 
  effectively Game Mastering them. For those who have 
  always wanted to run a game with Warlocks but found 
  it daunting, or those looking for a wildly unique setting 
  to level up your storytelling skills, this guide is a must-
  have and gives definitive answers on how to play and 
  DM this mysterious class. 
  And now, Adventurers, if you're all settled in,
  Pass through the Veil and enter into the Shadelands.
  Satine Phoenix
  @SatinePhoenix 
  www.SatinePhoenix.com
  
  5
  Throughout the book you will find QR codes which link to the Orchestral Version of The Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte. Each of our ten adventure acts were written to synergize with a song from the album, and each pairing 
  is provided via QR code at the beginning of the act so you and your fellow players can easily listen to each chapter’s 
  musical theme as you read or play through our campaign. 
  THE RED OPERA ORCHESTRA
  Scan this QR code for the full 
  Orchestral Version of the Red Opera 
  Album. Future codes will only list 
  the song related to its respective act.
  THE RED OPERA ORIGINAL
  Scan this QR code to listen to the 
  original version of The Red Opera 
  album and learn what inspired this 
  musical apocalypse!
  Table of Contents
  1. 
  Introduction 
  7
  2. 
  Opening 
  9
  3. 
  The Shadelands 
  11
  4. 
  Warlocks 
  15
  5. 
  Player Species 
  16
  6. 
  Player Backgrounds 
  19
  7. 
  Warlock Options 
  21
  8. 
  Adventure Hooks 
  30
  9. 
  Running The Adventure 
  31
  10. Story Overview 
  32
  11. Adventure Structure 
  33
  12. Character Levels 
  34
  13. Player Character Questions 
  34
  14. A Letter Home... 
  35
  15. Final Consequences... 
  35
  16. Th e Accursed King 
  37
  17. Th e Shield Maiden 
  41
  18. Th e Knight Captain 
  45
  19. Th e Betrayer 
  49
  20. Yon’Cath: The Dual City 
  53
  21. The Well of souls 
  60
  22. The Scarlet heart 
  61
  23. Cuisine of the Shadelands 
  63
  24. Patrons in The Shadelands 
  71
  25. Chapter 1 
  87
  26. Killing Time Alternate Sidequest 
  93
  27. Chapter 2 
  107
  28. Under the Bleeding Moon Sidequest 
  119
  29. Chapter 3 
  131
  30. Ascension Gambit Sidequest 
  141
  31. Chapter 4 
  151
  32. Lifeblood Sidequest 
  163
  33. Chapter 5 
  177
  34. Secrets of the Rift Sidequest 
  193
  35. Chapter 6 
  205
  36. Chapter 7 
  213
  37. A Performance in Tatters Sidequest 
  227
  38. Chapter 8 
  237
  39. At All Costs Sidequest 
  245
  40. Chapter 9 
  255
  41. Chapter 10 
  267
  42. Tentacles in the Deep Sidequest 
  277
  43. Appendix 1, NPC & Creature Statistics 
  290
  44. Appendix 2, Magic Items 
  300
  45. Appendix 2.1, Unassigned Magic Items 
  302
  46. Appendix 2.2, Additional Shadelands Locations 304
  47. Appendix 2.3, Chapter 7 & 8 
  308
  48. Appendix 2.4, Deadly Encounters 
  312
  49. Thank you 
  318
  
  66
  
  Introduction
  “Without your divinity, what separates                                                                                     
  you creatures from animals?”
  -Majin the Betrayer
  Death is nothing more than a little footnote before the 
  next adventure. In others, it’s the reason to attend pre-
  mier wizardry academies in order to master the fine 
  art of Necromancy. Nobody expects a proper wizard 
  to clean their floors when reanimated skeletons exist. 
  In civilized societies, clerics provide all the answers 
  and questions about the afterlife. Death truly holds 
  little fear for mortals when their Gods exist. Say your 
  prayers and sweep the monastery or live a life of dash-
  ing crime in service to your God, and you will be re-
  warded. Even worshipping the very Gods of Death can 
  yield results to stave off its imminent march. When 
  the bell finally tolls on the great Lich who has lived for 
  a thousand years, their soul can still be reincarnated. 
  And so, usually, death is of no great concern.
  Of course, there have been attempts to make it per-
  manent. Cursed artifacts that prevent those from 
  awakening, or even cause sickness to those who’ve 
  cheated death’s grasp. Cults dedicated to putting the 
  undead back in the ground have risen to full Paladin 
  orders (rising over the indignant protests of the 
  Necromancers). Despite their efforts to make death 
  meaningful—they all fail, time, and time again. 
  The experiments of Necromancy march ever onward. 
  Clerics continuously find themselves worshipping the 
  deities of death, and Vampires remain alluring. Even 
  the very Gods themselves never die. Atheists, those 
  foolish enough to willfully ignore the miracles all 
  around them, are not even sent to oblivion! Instead, 
  they find an eternity of torture within Hell. To be tor-
  tured, you need some semblance of self. And when 
  the torturers grow tired of you, your soul might find 
  itself wandering to the abyss, a place which feeds on 
  the baser emotions, until you rise again as a demon. 
  So we say again: since death is no true end, it’s but 
  a trifle.
  With Death being nothing more than a joke (at least 
  a donation in gold to the nearest temple), it is no 
  wonder that civilization lurches forward. Elves defy 
  death with their incredible lifespans and cling to the 
  past with their very long memories. Dwarves keep 
  their old grudges close for centuries. 
  Civilization thrives in major cities, then the rot and 
  corruption spread, a calamity befalls it, and then it’s 
  rebuilt. Gods change names, rulers shift hands, and to 
  the local farmer, maybe life is a little different—maybe 
  he’s a skeleton now. 
  When one sees the intrinsic flaw in this problem of 
  Death, this cycle of infinite loops, and ninth chanc-
  es to be had, they become curious. If death is a joke, 
  what does death truly mean? How can something at-
  tain a true death?
  Warlocks know.
  They alone are the only ones who dabble in the elu-
  sive true death, those who would worship entities 
  beyond reality, offering themselves as playthings 
  to their Patron, to fulfill the promise of their pact. 
  Wielders of eldritch energies, hear the calls of forgot-
  ten things, hidden things, cosmic and uncanny things 
  that impart secrets. But when their powers fade and 
  they’re no longer useful, Warlocks are cast aside, for-
  gotten, ignored. In an existence full of spellcraft, mir-
  acles, wizardry, and Gods—being ignored is death. 
  The Warlocks’ Patrons are indeed powerful, but 
  they are not Gods. Why? Belief, faith, conviction - 
  these are the threads that bind a deity to the realms. 
  Trapped outside this universe, clinging so desper-
  ately to get in, and whispering secrets to their fol-
  lowers, the Patron’s ties are weak in comparison to 
  deities. Just enough, perhaps, to deliver an order to 
  a few faithful: Burn this village. Find these artifacts. 
  Avenge me. Tasks. Task after task. To what ultimate 
  end? What do the Patrons want?
  To avoid being forgotten. To avoid True 
  Death. One step in the wrong direction, 
  one mishap, and the Patrons find the 
  
  88
  A SCARLET MERCY
  Scan this QR code to listen to the main theme of the Red Opera by DiAmorte
  threads tying them to these worlds stretched fur-
  ther. It’s a little unjust, don’t you think? That special 
  force we all know—Magic, either arcane or divine—
  has made a mockery of Death. 
  Even if the warlocks and all their Patrons banded 
  together and ripped open great gates to the void, 
  armies of archmages would march against the out-
  siders. The Gods themselves would smite them. This 
  has played out in history in one form or another for 
  thousands of years. Some tales remembered; most 
  tales forgotten. Every time we tell ourselves: “It will 
  be different! This time, the secrets we’ve learned 
  matter! Our faithful people will bring us through!”
  They never do. 
  Because in the end, mortals choose to fight for those 
  connections to each other. Those emotions are what 
  binds them. The first flutter of love, anger that fuels 
  a war, laughter in a tavern with friends. Mortal souls 
  strive to make life into a meaning that will outlast them.
  Would you be willing to be forgotten? To embrace 
  true death so that you can save… everyone? Those 
  who knew you, those who didn’t? There will be no 
  records, no songs, and no memories.
  Or would you borrow the Patrons’ power and claim a 
  thread yourself? Would you betray their pacts? Would 
  you damn them all and steal the crowns of Gods?
  We shall see if mortals are willing to let go. To let 
  true death take hold and settle in their souls. Let’s 
  stack the odds, set the stage, invite the Players, and 
  watch the show.
  
  Opening
  “Salvation was a moment too late, give me a                                                                             
  new ending when the curtain falls.”
   —Dorian The Accursed King 
  The Red Opera is a 10-chapter campaign for 
  Dungeons & Dragons that was inspired by 
  DiAmorte’s musical acts of the same name. Written 
  in collaboration with them, our goal was to create 
  an epic campaign that combined the gothic horror 
  of settings, like Ravenloft, with the high magic of 
  other settings, like Faerun or Ebberon. 
  Warlocks are a fascinating class. Patrons from beyond 
  whisper secrets of the universe to a diverse crowd. 
  Great academies of Warlocks don’t exist, and civiliza-
  tions typically don’t let them form the ranks of their 
  armies. With good reason of course: no one can trust 
  where their true loyalties lie. 
  There are places of great magic in the world though. 
  Places where the veil between worlds runs thin. The 
  Feywild seeps into the Material Plane a little more in 
  the wild or shadows run longer than in other parts 
  where murder is common. In these narrow slivers 
  between worlds, Warlocks find contact with their 
  Patrons easier, and their powers amplified. 
  Luckily for the world, such places are rare.
  Centuries of war, death, artistic creation, fertility, fam-
  ine, and magic have taken their toll on the old eldritch 
  ways. Forcing the barriers in some places to become 
  rifts between worlds. The last bastions of connection 
  to a fading world. None have grown as prominent as 
  the Shadelands.
  In the Shadelands, Warlocks have found cities to 
  call their own. For decades under the rule of the 
  Accursed King, Warlocks have found a home to prac-
  tice their craft. 
  Inside this book, you’ll find the unique setting of the 
  Shadelands and its major prominent Players. As a 
  Game Master, you’ll find a use for this in your exist-
  ing campaigns as a setting or starting location for 
  Warlocks. We also provide a full campaign in the ad-
  venturing styles of Diablo, Shakespeare, and the glory 
  of fine Metal music. There will be blood, death, love, 
  and we promise—at least one person will die. 
  The setting of the Shadelands is living, unconsciously 
  aware of the events transpiring within. Outsiders and 
  chosen characters find themselves unwittingly roped 
  in as characters within the Red Opera. Their choices 
  and connections are vital to the outcome of the Opera 
  and there is a multitude of possible endings for the sto-
  ry, but death marches them closer to three immediate 
  outcomes. Because of this, you can run this campaign 
  multiple times, and each time yields a different result. 
  
  10
  10
  
  The Shadelands
  “What is a sunset, but the end of a life                                                                                          
  that I will never know.”
  - LaCroix The Knight Captain
  Isolated in the cold reaches of the world, where night 
  runs longer than day, two great cities have come to 
  rely upon one another for survival. Here, the veil 
  between worlds runs thin, letting creatures from 
  the Shadowfell feel the warmth of a hearth, or the 
  Feywild to inspire love between two strangers. 
  Many warlocks, occultists, and other witches often 
  hear tales of the Shadelands from the very familiars 
  they summon and take a pilgrimage out of ambition 
  or curiosity. The long journey north is a solemn and 
  grim march of isolation, but travelers are rewarded 
  each evening. Great lights dance in the night sky; 
  violet hues intertwine with green swirls that run 
  from talons of red. Called The Elemental Dance by 
  locals, every night the Shadelands is illuminated by 
  an Aurora Borealis in the sky. 
  For half of the year, snow crunches on the ground, 
  while the other half is filled with vibrant nature. A 
  dance between the Shadowfell and the Feywild that 
  dominates the landscape regardless of what farmers 
  and clerics pray for. Festivals here, long ago, aban-
  doned the practice of praying to feeble Gods with 
  little power. Elsewhere in the world, grand cler-
  ic monasteries or wizard towers may stand as the 
  dominant force, but here in the Shadelands—it’s the 
  Patron’s influence that moves mountains.
  To thrive here, races built their architecture to 
  match the changing landscape. Beautiful spired 
  buildings with gothic carvings make every build-
  ing as unique as its owner. Slanted roofs handle 
  the weather and keep people warm in the winter 
  and cool in the summer. Art and architecture are 
  the prize features of the Shadelands (often as a 
  tribute to their Patrons), so one will find that local 
  laws protect the destruction of property greater 
  than they will protect the very people within. 
  At first sight, the Shadelands is a quiet northern reach 
  of vast wilderness, a few small hamlets, and two 
  sprawling cities so close they might as well be one. 
  Most adventurers might expect humans to dominate 
  the landscape, and, like anywhere, they exist in fair 
  numbers. Because of its distance from other king-
  doms (or because of its lack of Gods), hearth wisdom 
  reigns supreme. Diversity is how it has thrived. 
  Tiefling’s travel the world over, looking for a place 
  they can call home settle in large numbers. Dwarves 
  who’ve seen horrors in the depths below seek refuge. 
  Those touched by fire, air, earth, or water come for 
  great festivals of their elements and perhaps linger 
  a little longer. Adventurers from even southern jun-
  gles might seek out secrets that only the Shadelands 
  know. No matter their race, their lot in life, or their 
  past background, all citizens of the Shadelands are 
  superstitious. It’s a little hard to avoid it. 
  Milk is left on doorsteps, garlic wreaths line kitchen 
  windows, and almost every knight carries iron nails in 
  their pouch. For here, legends and myths tend to creep 
  into reality. The Patrons may be celebrated during fes-
  tivals, but sometimes having salt to banish an aberra-
  tion from the Great Old Ones is just good practice.
  Of course, the Shadelands is not without its nat-
  ural enemies. Nobody in this world gets to live 
  such an exquisitely diverse gothic lifestyle with-
  out Gods of Law or Order sending their armies 
  north. Wizards and Sorcerers, envious of power, 
  have manipulated empires to wage war on the 
  Shadelands. Everyone else in the world can see 
  the danger that the Shadelands represent, yet in-
  vasions are beaten back, and the place persists, 
  time and time again. Why? How?
  Because of the Well of Souls. Because of 
  The Accursed King.
  
  12
  The Patrons—ranging from the Great Old Ones to 
  the ancient Fey creatures—all seek something, and 
  their grip on the world weakens the more their fol-
  lowers spread across the world. The Well of Souls is 
  the one place where their influence, knowledge, and 
  power are concentrated. It is the one place where 
  they are tethered. Perhaps, it’s the one place in the 
  world from which they could crawl forth into reality. 
  The Well of Souls exists in the heart of the Shadelands 
  and is the very reason the first pilgrims heard the 
  whispers of their Patron and settled so close. While 
  the Shadelands were still young, many would-be 
  crusaders tried to seal the gate, close the rift, or end 
  the danger. But in time, only The Accursed King had 
  the wisdom to do what was needed. He made a pact. 
  With every Patron. 
  From his throne in the Shadelands, Dorian, The 
  Accursed King, keeps the whims and desires of the 
  Patrons in balance, allowing them entry into this 
  world to recruit new Warlocks or achieve their agen-
  da, one task at a time. Such a balance has been main-
  tained for decades, but every night, the Elemental 
  Dance becomes increasingly chaotic. Many people 
  wonder if the King is starting to lose his grip on sanity.
  
  13
  
  14
  14
  
  Warlocks
  “Close your eyes. Silence your mind. Listen. ... Your Patron whispers to you. Its words 
  heard only in your dreams. When you wake, the words are only half-remembered. 
  What are they?” -Majin the Betrayer
  Warlocks are described as seekers of knowledge 
  that lay hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Their 
  pacts are defined with an eldritch being of immense 
  power—their Patrons—but often not the deities and 
  Gods clerics serve.
  Roleplaying the Patron can take a back seat in many 
  adventuring parties because only one Player plays a 
  Warlock. And at a crowded table, it can be difficult to 
  achieve the sort of one-on-one connection a Warlock 
  can have with his Patron. This campaign and setting 
  helps to shine a light on that unique relationship, al-
  lowing the entire party to get a better view of what 
  their crazy Warlock companion is sometimes gib-
  bering to himself about.
  Storytellers are encouraged to allow everyone in 
  the party to encounter avatars or hear whispers of 
  Patrons while in the Shadelands. The veils of the 
  multiverse run thin here and deals for great power 
  can be struck easily—even if only temporarily. The 
  Raven Queen might grant a pact-boon to a fighter for 
  a task during the campaign, or a Monk may quietly 
  meditate and hear whispers of the Great Old Ones. In 
  the end, based on the party’s choices—every Player 
  will have the option to become a Warlock. 
  Patrons themselves are powerful entities, but not quite 
  God-Tier. What holds them back? Perhaps they are near 
  death themselves and lost all their followers, or no-
  body felt fit to worship them, or their sole connection 
  to existence is just a single Warlock. But just as some 
  Patrons lose power, a Warlock character could gain 
  so much as to become a Patron himself, and a Patron 
  might rise to become a God. If that could happen any-
  where, it would happen here, in the Shadelands.
  An interesting relationship to consider is one of 
  romance. Nothing prevents a Patron from having a 
  romantic relationship with the Warlock, and love is 
  a powerful motivator. Here in the Shadelands, not 
  every Patron is powerful enough to be registered 
  with the Accursed King, and finding their way to his 
  court can be done through the romance of would-be 
  Warlocks. A marriage between a Warlock and his or 
  her fledgling Patron or its intermediaries is certainly 
  something that can be arranged.
  Being a Warlock in the Shadelands does have some 
  mechanical benefits. For starters, Warlock char-
  acters should certainly have advantage on abili-
  ty checks made to contact or socially interact with 
  their Patron. The storyteller is encouraged to allow 
  Warlocks greater power when using spells iconic to 
  their Patron within the Shadelands. Such boons of-
  ten include advantage on spell attacks, or imposing 
  disadvantage on saving throws against their effects, 
  though more unique interactions can be appropri-
  ate as well. Lastly, Warlocks in the Shadelands can 
  cut extra deals with their Patrons. In exchange for 
  a favor, a Patron might allow a Warlock to refresh 
  their abilities without the need for a rest--much to 
  the chagrin of any who would bring harm to the 
  Warlocks by trying to exhaust them.
  Benefits cut two ways of course. Warlock characters 
  should have disadvantage on attack rolls, saving 
  throws, and ability checks when trying to resist their 
  Patron. Disloyalty to their Patron, or refusal to obey 
  their requests, will be met with swifter and more im-
  mediate punishment. If not outright possession and 
  eternal thralldom. 
  Despite these risks, the Shadelands still serve as 
  the premier place to court, learn, and study among 
  other Warlocks with a little less fear of retribution. 
  This campaign setting is a diverse and dynamic land 
  featuring races and people of all colors, sizes, and 
  shapes. No matter what class or background the 
  characters are coming with, they will all get a little 
  taste of dealing with Patrons.
  
  16
  Player Species
  Glau’bjurn
  The Glau’bjurn, or Glau for short, is a rare vari-
  ant race of elvish people that originate from being 
  born under the Elemental Dance in the Shadelands. 
  Though they were not separate people when they 
  first settled in the Shadelands some four thousand 
  years ago, their years spent in their new home has 
  led them to adapt. Their new home was founded 
  deep within the forest of Sweet Mist Hollow, built 
  high among the tops of the mighty Jadewood trees. 
  Over the years the town of Grenloft grew and contin-
  ues to serve as the center for Glau’bjurn affairs.
  The Glau of today all sport skin of greenish tan, some-
  times as dark as mahogany, which provides excel-
  lent camouflage within the Jadewoods. Their name 
  is derived from a lost dialect that loosely translates 
  to “Children of the Lights”, referencing the glowing 
  Auroras in the sky above the Shadelands, which 
  were seen as a sign that this place should be their 
  new home. While plenty of Glau mingle freely about 
  the Shadelands, they are very selective about who is 
  welcomed into Grenloft. The town is their sanctuary, 
  their haven from a history of exile. And they value 
  its safety above all else. Very few Glau have dared to 
  return to the Feywild, and many spit on the ground 
  when they hear the name of that place. Their orig-
  inal reason for leaving the Fey is the most closely 
  held secret of the elders.
  Glau culture often places a high value on empathy for 
  living things and attuning to the spiritual essence of the 
  world around you. These connections have real lasting 
  effects, as evidenced by the varied physical features of 
  Glau as determined by the season of their birth. But 
  the effects don’t end there. Over time, a Glau living in 
  a certain place or spending an exorbitant amount of 
  time with certain people will start to display subtle, 
  nuanced physical traits of those people or that place.
  Ability Score
  A single ability score of your choice increases by 2.
  Size
  Glau are medium-sized creatures, though they skew 
  toward the shorter end of that spectrum. Most stand 
  between 4 ½ and 5 ½ feet tall. A rare few ever grow 
  to a full 6 feet. Regardless of your position in that 
  range, your size is Medium.
  Age
  Glau attain physical maturity around the age of 21, 
  and full adulthood around 33. The average Glau 
  lifespan is 300-400 years.
  Speed
  Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
  Shadesight
  The Glau feel a special bond with the lights in the 
  skies above the Shadelands. Within the bounds of 
  the Shadelands, under those Aurora lights, Glau can 
  see through dim light and darkness within 60 feet of 
  you. Outside of the Shadelands however, you instead 
  have ordinary darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. 
  Fey Ancestry
  You have advantage on saving throws against being 
  charmed and magic can’t put you to sleep.
  Deep Sleep
  Long ago, Glau only needed to meditate 4 hours a 
  night to gain a rested state. However, in their self-im-
  posed exile from the stars, they have lost some of that 
  ability. When you take a long rest, you only require 6 
  hours to attain the benefits of full rest, instead of 8. 
  Languages
  Born in the Shadelands, languages are naturally com-
  mon. However, the secondary languages people use are 
  diverse. Abyssal is common, as is Elvish, but Primordial 
  speech finds itself whispered in tavern halls. Glau who 
  were raised in the Shadelands are encouraged to start 
  with common but can pick 2 other languages as well.
  Seasonal Traits
  Over the generations, the unique magics of the wild 
  northern tundra seeped into the Glau, altering their 
  bodies with strange power. Their bodies became tuned 
  to the seasons, developing strange abilities and physi-
  cal features that correlated to the season of their birth.
  Spring Glau
  Hair colored green and pink. Eyes of emerald. 
  Ability Score Increase. An ability score of your 
  choice increases by 1, and you gain proficiency in a 
  skill of your choice associated with that ability score. 
  Elemental Affinity. You have resistance to thunder 
  and psychic damage. Additionally, when you deal 
  
  17
  damage of any kind, you may change that damage 
  type to either psychic or thunder. 
  Summer Glau
  Hair colored peach and lavender. Eyes of violet. 
  Ability Score Increase. An ability score of your 
  choice increases by 1, and you gain proficiency in a 
  skill of your choice associated with that ability score. 
  Elemental Affinity. You have resistance to fire and 
  radiant damage. Additionally, when you deal dam-
  age of any kind, You may change that damage type to 
  either fire or radiant.
  Autumn Glau
  Hair colored yellow and red. Eyes of burnt orange. 
  Ability Score Increase. An ability score of your 
  choice increases by 1, and you gain proficiency in a 
  skill of your choice associated with that ability score. 
  Elemental Affinity. You have resistance to Acid and 
  Necrotic damage. Additionally, when you deal dam-
  age of any kind, You may change that damage type to 
  either acid or necrotic.
  Winter Glau
  Hair colored blue and white. Eyes of gray slate. 
  Ability Score Increase. An ability score of your 
  choice increases by 1, and you gain proficiency in a 
  skill of your choice associated with that ability score. 
  Elemental Affinity. You have resistance to Cold and 
  Lightning damage. Additionally, when you deal dam-
  age of any kind, You may change that damage type to 
  either cold or lightning.
  Kaldenkind
  The medium humanoid bearfolk are native to the 
  Shadelands. Their fur is mostly white but often has 
  accents of blue or purple. They are broad and thickly 
  built, with an average height ranging from 5’9 to 6’9 
  feet. They are typically gregarious and amicable, but 
  capable of brutal violence if threatened. There is a 
  curious trait shared by many wherein they will typ-
  ically laugh off minor insults directed at themselves 
  while becoming excessively defensive and vengeful 
  if those same minor slights are directed at someone 
  they care about. With the Shadelands playing host to 
  such a diverse range of species, they are traditional-
  ly tolerant of other cultures. The Kaldenkind pride 
  themselves on their extra-cultural repertoires, how 
  many languages they speak, and how many different 
  sorts of folk they’ve interacted with.
  There are a few basics to traditional Kaldenkind 
  garb, such as a blue woolen tunic and leather, fur-
  lined cap. The official tool of the Kaldenkind is the 
  versatile long-handled pickaxe, and its likeness is 
  oft seen displayed on family crests. The Kaldenkind 
  generally strive for something of a “mismatched” 
  aesthetic with their outfits and the decor of their 
  homes. Wealthier families will have intricate runic 
  symbols carved into the walls of their homes, paying 
  good money to ensure no pattern is ever repeated. A 
  set of Kaldenkind plate armor will have been craft-
  ed to specifically look as if it were cobbled togeth-
  er from three to four different sets. This is seen as a 
  sign of accomplishment and worldliness.
  Kaldenkind are very communal, with an affinity for 
  group collaboration toward a common goal. This 
  was born out of necessity due to the harsh winters 
  of the Shadelands. That being said, they are general-
  ly encouraging toward pursuits of personal enrich-
  ment; you wish to be a painter or a singer? That’s 
  perfectly fine, but make sure you finish chopping the 
  wood before you practice. Kaldenkind trace their 
  history back to what they call The Dawn of Thought, 
  which is estimated to be some 20-25,000 years ago. 
  The Shadelands of this era were sparsely populat-
  ed and the barriers between planes were nigh im-
  pregnable. Then something changed. Kaldenkind 
  historians will often debate on which plane this rift 
  originated from, however, they all agree the result-
  ing shockwave of raw cosmic energy it unleashed is 
  what granted their people the gift of consciousness.
  
  18
  Versatile Tradesfolk
  Three different ability scores of your choice in-
  crease by 1
  Children of the Tundra
  You have resistance to cold damage and advantage 
  on Constitution saving throws against extreme cold.
  Speed
  Your base walking speed is 40 feet.
  Age
  Kaldenkind reach physical maturity between 10-14 
  years old and are considered full-fledged adults at 
  20. The average lifespan is about 115-130 years. 
  Skilled Linguists
  With so many varied peoples coming to the 
  Shadelands, the Kaldenkind have developed a knack 
  for languages. You can speak, read, and write com-
  mon, along with three other languages of your choice. 
  Additionally, at 5th level and again at 10th level 
  you learn how to speak, read, and write a language 
  of your choice that you have heard before. It is not 
  rare to meet a Kaldenkind who speaks Abyssal and 
  Celestial or another who knows Infernal and Sylvan. 
  There’s a saying in the Shadelands, “If you need some-
  thing translated, find a Kaldenkind. If they don’t speak 
  the language, they have a cousin who does.”
  Hardy Stock
  Each time you gain a level, your hit point maximum in-
  creases by an extra 1d4 on top of the normal increase.
  Maul
  Thanks to their large, clawed paws, you can tear your 
  enemies apart without the need for paltry weapons. 
  Your claws are natural weapons that you can use to 
  make unarmed strikes. If you hit with an unarmed 
  strike in this manner, you deal slashing damage 
  equal to 1d8 + your Strength modifier, instead of 
  your normal damage type (2d8 at 5th level, 3d8 at 
  10th level, 4d8 at 15th level).
  Savage Rush
  As a bonus action, you can drop to a stance on all fours 
  until the end of that turn. While in this stance, your 
  base walking speed increases to 60 feet. You may still 
  take the Maul action, but cannot cast spells or hold 
  anything in your hands for the remainder of that turn.
  
  19
  Shadelander
  You are a native of the vast and frigid north, 
  where the veil runs thin, and the extraordinary 
  is commonplace. You may be from any part of 
  the Shadelands, from Sweet Mist Hollow to 
  Twixtfel Bog. The specifics of where you were 
  born aren’t nearly as important as the effect 
  that being from the Shadelands has had on you.
  Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, plus your choice of 
  Survival or Nature
  Languages: Two of your choice
  Equipment: A letter from home, a map of the 
  Shadelands, a set of clothes appropriate to 
  where you’re from, and a pouch containing 5gp 
  worth of assorted Shadelands currencies.
  Feature: Veilspeech
  Not only are you intimately familiar with most of 
  the cultures and traditions within the Shadelands, 
  but growing up in the Shadelands has also made 
  you incredibly sensitive to the veil, and to what 
  may lie on the other side. As such, you are much 
  more capable of communication through the veil 
  with patrons or planar creatures than the aver-
  age person, no matter the languages you speak.
  Such creatures are also much more willing to com-
  municate with you and recognize you as someone 
  who understands the relationship between the 
  Shadelands and what lies beyond the veil.
  Suggested Characteristics
  Shadelanders are most-often a quiet and hum-
  ble folk, looking to make a living in the north-
  lands. However, many also have great aspira-
  tions, seeking to rise to power or to elevate their 
  home to a higher standing.
  Your bond is likely somehow connected to your 
  relationship to the specific place where you’re 
  from, and its role in the Shadelands. Perhaps you 
  love the Shadelands and want to improve the 
  community where you grew up. Or, perhaps you 
  seek to leave the Shadelands for some reason.
  D8 – Personality Trait
  1. I have no sense of normalcy without magic. 
  It infuses my very essence.
  Player Backgrounds
  2. It doesn’t matter where you come from, 
  there is always a place at my table.
  3. I welcome the terrors of the night into my 
  home. Fear is a powerful teacher.
  4. Armies and organized mercenaries frighten 
  me. Much of my family’s blood has been har-
  vested in the name of their zealotry. 
  5. I believe every wives' tale I hear. 
  6. I always order two meals wherever I go, leaving 
  one outside in the cold for those who need it.
  7. I never trust cartography. The stars always 
  change based on the world you are looking at.
  8. I often mix-and-match languages in the same 
  sentence without realizing it.
  D6 – Ideal
  1. Freedom. Why would we bow to kings and 
  queens when they are merely mortal?
  2. Beauty. If you want to see wonder, look to 
  the night sky.
  3. Self-knowledge. If you know yourself, 
  there’s nothing left to know.
  4. Might. Cunning and wit are fine inside a city 
  with a contract, but steel is reliable everywhere.
  5. Change. The seasons change and the sun 
  sets, why should we confine ourselves to one 
  tradition? 
  6. Determination. Anyone can survive in this 
  world if they acknowledge that they are not 
  on top.
  D6 – Bond
  1. I will never forget the aberrations who gave 
  me laughter as a child. 
  2. I will get revenge upon the Warlock who 
  cursed my family. 
  3. I seek to guard a secret tome that Clerics 
  have been trying to destroy for centuries.
  4. I was born a noble in another Kingdom but 
  cast out because of what I can see. Someday, 
  I will return.
  
  20
  5. One day I will build my own village under 
  the Elemental Dance and welcome travelers 
  from across the planes to see its beauty. 
  6. The Devils I dine with are the worst at gam-
  bling, but I’ll gladly keep taking their money. 
  D6 - Flaw
  1. I always regret killing monsters. They might 
  have a story of their own. 
  2. Even though I have been robbed by strangers, 
  I still give trust first, and… never let it falter.
  Yon’Cathian
  You are intimately familiar with the twin cities of 
  Yon’Cath and have lived there most of your life. Here, 
  you’ve learned how to get by in a city under the rule 
  of the Accursed King. You’ve learned to navigate the 
  streets of both Yonder and Cathrach deftly, avoid-
  ing spots of danger while frequenting friendly mer-
  chants and innkeepers.
  Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Persuasion
  Tools Proficiencies: One type of Artisan’s tools
  Languages: One of your choice
  Equipment: A key to a single-bedroom at an inn in 
  either Yonder or Cathrach, a set of artisan’s tools 
  with which you are proficient, a set of commoner’s 
  clothes including a hood, and a pouch containing 
  10gp worth of assorted Shadelands currencies.
  Feature: Like the Back of Your Hand
  You’ve lived in Yon’Cath most of your life, and know 
  the ins and outs of nearly every part of the city. You 
  cannot get lost in Yon’Cath except by magical means.  
  You know where to find goods and services that you 
  and your party may need anywhere in the city.
  Additionally, you know many of the folk who live and 
  work in Yon’Cath, who will view you with some level 
  of familiarity. This means merchants from the Three 
  Bridges may offer you discounts, and you may be of-
  fered to purchase goods that outsiders cannot. 
  Suggested Characteristics
  Yon’Cathians come as varied as they are private. 
  While there is no great rule-of-thumb or stereotype 
  for what a Yon’Cathian may look like, they do tend to 
  have many shared characteristics among them.
  Your bond is likely related in some way to your re-
  lationship with Yon’Cath. Perhaps it is tied to the 
  3. I refuse to sign anything. No matter how 
  much help it will be. 
  4. When the walls start bleeding, it is time to 
  move to a new town. 
  5. I have no reservations about making deals 
  with any type of creature. 
  6. I’ve been secretly saving coin so I could leave 
  this godforsaken land and join a temple.
  reason your family (or you, yourself) came here, or 
  perhaps it is connected to your relationship with the 
  ever-thinning veil.
  D8 – Personality Trait
  1. Charity is a myth. Whether it’s money, power, emo-
  tion, or knowledge, every single social interaction 
  is an exchange of currency, in one form or another. 
  2. I don’t trust anyone except myself and my shad-
  ow... and I’m not quite certain about my shadow.
  3. I see the beauty in the grim, light in the dark. Even 
  here in this obsidian stone jungle teeming with 
  hungry malice, there is goodness to be found.
  4. This city is tough, especially for outsiders. I 
  feel a need to help others whenever I can, if for 
  no other reason than to rub a little polish on 
  Yon’Cath’s image.
  5. Yon’Cath is the pinnacle of urban civilization. It’s 
  the most beautiful city, the most interesting city, 
  the most wondrous city in the world.
  6. I try not to get attached to people or things. 
  Everything comes and goes so easily around here. 
  7. Yon’Cath is hilariously fun. Even the horrific, 
  blood-soaked corners of the city are entertain-
  ing in their own macabre way.
  8. I try not to get my hopes up in general. Everything 
  eventually goes bad at some point.
  D6 – Ideal
  1. Power. There is no baker’s confection nor deca-
  dent honey mead so sweet as the taste of power 
  and control.
  2. Wealth. Yon’Cath is a golden goose... if you know 
  where to find the feathers for plucking.
  
  21
  3. Justice. No matter how bad things get, they can 
  always be set right in the end, and it’s my duty 
  to see to it.
  4. Liberty. Yon’Cath is a utopia where any being is 
  free to pursue the life they desire.
  5. Anarchy. All societal governing systems are inher-
  ently corrupt. The only fair system is no system. 
  6. Excitement. The one thing everyone can agree 
  on, whether they love or hate this place, is there 
  is never a dull moment in Yon’Cath; which is why 
  I live here.
  D6 – Bond
  1. Yonder. The western city is a marvelous and beauti-
  ful place; far superior to the ugly gloom of Cathrach.
  2. Cathrach. The absolute strength and ruthless pow-
  er we wield is all that’s keeping Yon’Cath’s dignity 
  intact in the face of Yonder’s constant weakness.
  3. Black Span. The wonders of this bridge are unri-
  valed across the world. No dragon’s hoard, no long 
  lost sunken city, no King’s tomb can match the rar-
  ity and value of the goods available in Black Span.
  4. Stone Leg. The outside world might not realize 
  it, but this bridge is the epicenter of economics 
  for the entire continent.
  5. Patron’s Pass. In matters of spreading truth and 
  goodness in the world, there is no more critical 
  foothold than here in the shadows of that most 
  fell of monoliths.
  6. Scarlet Hearth. There is no temple like the Scarlet 
  Hearth in this or any world. All other temples are 
  feeble attempts at the self-aggrandizing of insecure 
  gods. The Scarlet Hearth is for any and all great be-
  ings who would deign to share their power.
  D6 – Flaw
  1. When it’s all said and done, my only real concern is 
  for me, myself, and I. Everything else is expendable.
  2. I love gossip and am truly terrible at keeping a secret.
  3. I lie frequently, just for fun; even when there’s 
  nothing to be gained. 
  4. I can’t let it go when someone wrongs me. Long 
  after my body has died, and my bones reduced 
  to dust... my grudges will still be alive and well. 
  5. My moral code is about as rigid as water. It 
  changes freely to best suit the situation at hand.
  6. I can’t resist the temptation of simple worldly 
  pleasures such as food, drink, and romantic at-
  tention... there are so many varieties of them all 
  in Yon’Cath. You’d be a fool to deny yourself.
  Warlock Options
  New Pact Boon: Pact of the Crystal.
  You possess an arcane crystal with great otherworldly 
  power. This crystal may be a large, opaque white crys-
  tal which, despite its outward appearance, is as light as a 
  feather. It may be a piece of jewelry or some small trin-
  ket, deceptive to any would-be thief in its power and po-
  tential. Or, perhaps the crystal is a part of you, occupying 
  the space where your eye, or even your heart, once was.
  Your patron gives you a powerful crystal with great 
  arcane potential. When empty, you may spend a bo-
  nus action to focus your energy on this crystal, putting 
  it into a susceptible state for 1 minute. While in this 
  state, it can be infused with one damage type when 
  you take damage of that type while holding the crys-
  tal, storing that damage type within it. When infused, 
  the crystal changes color to reflect the type of damage 
  it is infused with. The crystal cannot be infused with 
  bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
  As long as the crystal is infused with a damage type 
  and in your possession, any time you deal damage 
  other than force, bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing 
  damage, you may change the damage type of that at-
  tack or ability to the damage type infused within the 
  crystal. Additionally, as a bonus action, you can ex-
  pel the energy within the crystal immediately after 
  you deal damage to a creature or object you can see. 
  When you do so, you deal 1d8 bonus damage of the 
  type stored within the crystal to the affected creature.
  When the crystal’s damage type infusion is used in 
  this manner, the crystal takes 10 force damage. 
  The crystal is an object (AC 15, 30 hit points) and re-
  turns to full hit points when you complete a short or 
  long rest. If lost or destroyed, a new crystal will regen-
  erate in your possession after 24 hours have passed. 
  New Pact Boon: Pact of the Instrument 
  You can use an action to create an Eldritch instrument 
  gifted to you by your patron. You may choose the form 
  the instrument takes and are always proficient with it. 
  While playing your instrument you may use any effect 
  from Thaumaturgy as a free action. The music from 
  your instrument may mimic multiple tunes, and even 
  give the impression of a full orchestra. 
  
  22
  Your pact instrument disappears if it is more than 5 
  feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also dis-
  appears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss 
  the instrument (no action required), or if you die.
  When you cast a spell while holding your instrument, 
  you can choose to use it as your spellcasting focus by 
  playing upon it. When you do so, you do not need to pro-
  vide any verbal components for the spell. While playing 
  your instrument, you may cast Charm Person as a ritual 
  and your target will have disadvantage against resisting.
  New Eldritch Invocations
  Die for Me
  Prerequisite: 15th level
  As a reaction to taking damage, you may choose a tar-
  get creature that you can see and force that creature to 
  make a Charisma saving throw versus your spell save 
  DC. On a failed save, the target takes the damage in-
  stead of you. Once you have used this feature, you can-
  not use this ability again until you finish a long rest. 
  The Blood of Life
  You may perform a ritual using the remains of any 
  flesh and blood creature who has died in the last 8 
  hours. If you maintain direct contact with the remains 
  for 1 minute, during which time you concentrate (as 
  though concentrating on a spell), you magically ab-
  sorb what little life remains, regaining 1d8 hit points. 
  You can use this feature a number of times equal to 
  your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses 
  when you finish a long rest. 
  Just a Memory 
  Prerequisite: 9th level 
  As an action, you may make a Charisma 
  (Performance) check to beguile any number of 
  creatures of your choice that are not your enemies 
  within 120 ft. This check is contested by a Wisdom 
  (Insight) check from each affected creature. On a 
  success, you strike all memory of your name, face, 
  and personal details from their minds, leaving 
  them only with vague descriptors that can be used 
  to identify you. Once you have used this feature, 
  you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest. 
  Crystalline Chaos
  Prerequisite: Pact of the Crystal feature
  When you deal damage using your crystal granted 
  via your Pact of the Crystal feature, you deal maxi-
  mum damage on the damage dice. This effect cannot 
  occur more than once on each of your turns. 
  Prismatic Play
  Prerequisite: Pact of the Instrument feature, 5th level
  When dealing damage with a spell or an Eldritch 
  Invocation, you may target one glass object within 50’. 
  Each creature within a 15-foot cube must succeed on 
  a DC Strength saving throw or take 7 (2d6) thunder 
  damage and be knocked prone. The saving throw DC 
  is equal to your spell saving throw DC. You may target 
  an additional object at levels 10, 15, and 20.
  Fragmented Schism
  Prerequisite: Pact of the Crystal feature
  You may infuse your crystal with up to two damage 
  types at a time. When changing the damage type of spell 
  attacks or damage-dealing abilities, you may choose ei-
  ther of the damage types infused in the crystal. 
  Warlock Subclass 
  The Artists        
  Your patron is one of the extraplanar Artists of 
  the multiverse. You have made a pact with one 
  of these masters of the stage and the instrument. 
  They are known for putting on eldritch perfor-
  mances designed to open up the psyche to the 
  unknown. All the world’s a stage.
  Expanded Spell List
  Level 1: Hideous Laughter, Unseen Servant 
  Level 2: Alter Self, Detect Thoughts
  Level 3: Bestow Curse, Sending 
  Level 4: Phantasmal Killer, Confusion
  Level 5: Dominate Person, Creation 
  All the World’s a Stage
  At Level 1, You have the grace of a gifted eldritch 
  performer. You always have Advantage on Charisma 
  (Performance) checks. Additionally, when you cast 
  the spell eldritch blast, you may change the type of 
  damage dealt by the spell to psychic damage so long 
  as the target(s) of the spell can hear you. 
  The Cursed Script
  At Level 6, you may place your sign to herald your ar-
  rival on those you deem worthy.
  As an action, you may touch a creature or object with-
  in reach (making a melee spell attack if the target is 
  unwilling), inscribing it with an eldritch script for 24 
  hours or until a creature within reach uses an action 
  to attempt an arcana check versus your spell save DC, 
  removing the script on a success. 
  
  23
  A target you inscribe in this manner is cursed for as 
  long it is inscribed, becoming vulnerable to a damage 
  type of your choice for the duration. 
  Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it 
  again until you finish a long rest.
  At Last, I was King 
  At Level 10, you can turn your audience or foes into 
  temporary marionettes that serve your whim. You 
  may cast the Planar Binding spell upon any creature 
  who has seen you perform a magic trick.  
  The creature temporarily gains the benefits and disad-
  vantages of being a construct. If it was an aberration, 
  then it replaces its charisma score and performance 
  score with yours. 
  The Marionette can assume the form of any creature 
  it wants as if affected by alter self, and you have psion-
  ic control over the puppet. If killed the target reverts 
  back to its natural type with 0 hit points and sheds its 
  marionette shell. 
  Have you seen the Sign? 
  At Level 14, you gain the ability to put on a show-stop-
  ping performance of magic and wonder.
  As an action, you begin a grand performance that in-
  cludes a number of additional creatures up to your 
  proficiency bonus that you can see within 60 ft. of 
  you. The performance lasts for as long as you con-
  centrate (as though concentrating on a spell), and 
  causes the following effects according to the targets 
  you affected. The effect also ends for a creature if it 
  is ever farther than 60 ft. from you. 
  • 
  If a target is an enemy creature, it is considered 
  an antagonist in your performance. It cannot have 
  advantage on attack rolls, saving throws, or ability 
  checks for the duration. 
  • 
  If the target is a friendly creature, it is considered 
  a protagonist in your performance. It cannot have 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, or 
  ability checks for the duration. 
  • 
  If the target is neither an enemy or friendly, it is 
  instead charmed by you for the duration unless 
  it succeeds on a Wisdom saving throw versus 
  your spell save DC.  
  Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it 
  again until you finish a long rest. 
  Occasionally, your patron himself may manifest, send 
  an emissary, strange writing will appear, or something 
  of the sort to the masses. The GM will decide if this hap-
  pens and what happens if it does. It’s usually not good.
  Warlock Subclass 
  The Evermore      
  The gnarled and crooked clock tower, Maghoro’s 
  Perch, looms high over the Warlock city of Yon’Cath. 
  The structure’s namesake is an otherworldly being 
  of unknown origin. Those who claim to have seen 
  her say she appears in the form of a blue-skinned 
  halfling woman. Her motives and ambitions are a 
  mystery to all, save those in her service. Maghoro’s 
  power is felt through the Warlocks that have agreed 
  to her Pact. They are called the Evermores, and time 
  itself is the sandbox they play in.
  Silver Timepiece
  At Level 3, Maghoro bestows a gift upon you: a silver 
  pocket watch with a glowing blue face. This magical 
  item marks you as a true Evermore, granting you 
  unique abilities and spells.
  Better with Age
  Starting at Level 3, the longer the battle goes on, the 
  more your feel for the flow of battle improves. You 
  get better and better at timing your attacks and de-
  fenses. Starting on your second turn of combat, you 
  may add +1 to all attacks, checks, and saves. This ef-
  fect increases by 1 each round, with the maximum 
  bonus equaling your CHA modifier. This ability can 
  be used once per rest.
  All Wound Up 
  Starting at Level 3, on each of your turns, you can use 
  a bonus action to gain to gain an additional action 
  that turn, in exchange for 1 level of exhaustion. 
  Time Thief 
  Starting at Level 5, you can prevent aging by steal-
  ing time from others. As an action, you can attempt 
  to steal the time from a creature of your choice that 
  you can see within 60 ft that can hear you. Your words 
  are laced with magic, but all they hear is banal, incon-
  sequential small talk a la “Great weather today, isn’t 
  it?” The target must succeed on a Charisma saving 
  
  24
  throw versus your spell save DC. On a failure, you 
  may steal any amount of time up to 1 year, causing 
  the target to age and you to grow younger. Stealing 
  more than 6 months from a target will grant you the 
  effects of a long rest and result in them taking 1 lev-
  el of exhaustion. When stealing 6 months or less, you 
  gain the effects of a short rest, and you can attempt 
  to do so without the target being aware of the effect. 
  This requires a CHA check against the target’s passive 
  perception. 
  Expedite
  Starting at Level 8, when you are affected by an ef-
  fect with a duration greater than instantaneous, you 
  can use your reaction to reduce the duration of the 
  effect so that it lasts until the start of your next turn. 
  Once you have used this feature, you must finish a 
  short rest before you can use it again.
  Tempo 
  Starting at Level 10, as a reaction, when an enemy 
  you can see makes an attack against you, you can 
  attempt to avoid it at the last second. You must at-
  tempt a DEX save with a DC equal to the attack roll. 
  On a success, the attack automatically misses. This 
  may be used 3 times per long rest. 
  Turn Back the Clock
  Starting at Level 14, as a reaction, you can turn time 
  back a few seconds, immediately undoing whatever 
  happened on the most recent turn in the initiative, 
  whether it be friend or foe. All effects within that 
  moment are undone. However, it is now that player 
  or creature’s turn again and they may attempt the 
  same attack again or try something different. This 
  may be used twice per long rest.
  Entropic Field 
  Starting at Level 17, the ebb and flow of minutes 
  and seconds are yours to command. At will, you can 
  create a bubble of controlled time emanating from a 
  point of your choice and stretching up to 120 feet in 
  spherical diameter. The spell lasts for 3 rounds and 
  requires you to maintain concentration. All crea-
  tures and objects within the bubble are affected. The 
  spell can be crafted to avoid affecting allies, however, 
  it reduces the duration to 1 round. You may choose 1 
  of 3 possible spells to affect all objects and creatures 
  within the bubble: Haste, Slow, or Time Stop. This 
  requires an immense amount of energy and effort 
  and you gain 1 level of exhaustion for each round the 
  effects last. 1 use per long rest.
  Expanded Spell List
  Cantrips:
  SYNCHRONIZE
  Cantrip Divination
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 300 feet
  Components S
  Duration Concentration, up to 1 round
  Classes Warlock
  You study a single enemy, gaining an uncanny under-
  standing of how they fight. Until the end of your next 
  turn, you have advantage on attacks against that enemy. 
  Additionally, that enemy has disadvantage against you.
  TEMPORAL DISPLACEMENT
  Cantrip Evocation
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 120 feet
  Components V S
  Duration Instantaneous
  Classes Warlock
  You unleash a jagged arc of blue energy from your 
  fingertips. Make a ranged spell attack. On a hit, your 
  target takes 1d8 force damage and must attempt a 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it cannot take bo-
  nus actions or reactions until the end of its next turn.
  This spells damage increases by 1d8 when you reach the 
  5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8). 
  Level 1:
  STEAL A MOMENT
  1st Level Necromancy
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 60 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration Instantaneous
  Classes Warlock
  You psychically reap the thoughts of a creature 
  you can see within range. The target must attempt 
  a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you steal 
  their time to heal yourself and learn their next ac-
  tion. Target takes 1d8 psychic damage, and you re-
  gain hit points equal to the damage dealt. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increas-
  es by 1d8 for every slot level higher than 1st. 
  Level 2:
  SKIP FORWARD
  2nd Level Transmutation
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 90 feet
  
  25
  Components V F
  Duration Instantaneous
  Classes Warlock
  You attempt to thrust a creature you can see with-
  in range forward in time, forcing it to attempt a 
  Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the target van-
  ishes, appearing in the nearest unoccupied space to 
  where it vanished at the end of its next turn. 
  WIND UP
  2nd Level Transmutation
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 90 feet
  Components V F
  Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute
  Classes Warlock
  You target an allied creature within range, great-
  ly amplifying the speed of their mental functions 
  granting them the ability to make complex proba-
  bility calculations in fractions of a second. For the 
  duration, the target has advantage on Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma ability checks and can use a 
  bonus action to take the Search action. 
  Level 3:
  PAUSE
  3rd Level Enchantment
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 90 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration 1 Round
  Classes Warlock
  You target one creature or object within range and 
  freeze it in time and space until the start of your 
  next turn. An unwilling target must succeed on a 
  Charisma saving throw or be paralyzed for the du-
  ration. The target is immune to damage, cannot be 
  moved or magically teleported.
  Level 4:
  ASHES TO ASHES
  4th Level Enchantment
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 120 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration Concentration, up to 1 Minute.
  Classes Warlock
  You attempt to age a creature of your choice that you 
  can see within range. The target must succeed on 
  a Wisdom saving throw or age 40 years. If the tar-
  get’s age exceeds the typical lifespan for a creature 
  of its type from this effect, it falls unconscious. While 
  under the effects of this spell, the target has disad-
  vantage on all STR, DEX, and CON saves. 
  At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a 
  higher spell slot, the number of years a target is aged 
  on a failed save increases by 10 for every slot level 
  above 4th. When cast as a 9th level spell, aging a crea-
  ture past their typical lifespan causes instant death. 
  DUST TO DUST
  4th Level Transmutation
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 120 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute.
  Classes Warlock
  You twist time around an object or structure you can 
  see completely within range, aging it to ruin. At the end 
  of each of your turns for the spell’s duration, The target 
  ages 50 years and loses 4d10 hit points. A target reduced 
  to zero hit points from this effect crumbles to dust. 
  Level 5:
  ECHOES OF THE PAST
  5th Level Enchantment
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 60 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration concentration, up to 1 minute
  Classes Warlock
  You reach into the mind of a creature you can see 
  within range, seeing their past stretching out before 
  you and returning them to a point where they were 
  more vulnerable. For the duration of the spell, the 
  target suffers the following effects.
  • 
  Loses proficiency in a saving throw of your choice.
  • 
  Loses proficiency in a skill of your choice. 
  • 
  Loses resistance or immunity to a damage type 
  of your choice. 
  TIME OUT
  5th Level Conjuration
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 60 feet
  Components V S F
  Duration 1 minute
  Classes Warlock
  Your target needs to take a moment by themselves to 
  think about the consequences of their actions. The 
  target must pass a CHA saving throw. On a failure, 
  an impenetrable black stone monolith materializes 
  around them. The monolith is just big enough to fit 
  the target and their gear. No weapons or spell effects 
  
  26
  Warlock Subclass 
  Broken Pact
  Perhaps you sought to make a pact with a regular pa-
  tron and unknowingly entered a deal with the patron 
  Gosoliad, or maybe you sought her intentionally. Once 
  a powerful wizard living near the Shadelands, she 
  sought to become a lich to extend her life. No one is 
  sure how it happened or why, but the process of trans-
  ferring her soul into the reliquary was interrupted, 
  and she instead ascended, becoming a patron. Furious 
  at this unexpected resolution, she eventually tried to 
  make the best of this newfound ascension until those 
  seeking her power kept calling. An order of wizards 
  began worshiping her, spreading the word of this glo-
  rious event, and sought to make pacts. Giving up some 
  of herself and her power angered Gosoliad, who was 
  selfish and isolationist in nature. 
  She still found herself stuck in pact-after-pact even 
  as a Patron! It turns out, would-be-Warlocks were of-
  ten very charismatic, and she was anything but. And 
  so she spent countless years trying to find a way to 
  stop them from seeking her out while trying to break 
  the very deals she felt conned into brokering.
  Finding a way to use the chaos of primal magic to shat-
  ter pacts and bonds that she made to these lesser be-
  ings, who could talk a good game, didn’t earn Gosoliad 
  any allies in the Shadelands When they turned their 
  ire to her followers or her, they quickly discovered she 
  had mastered the art of neutralizing Warlocks. Majin 
  was particularly pleased with the excess energy they 
  gained each time Gosoliad broke pacts.
  Patrons decided to give Gosoliad what she wanted. 
  Isolation. They leave her in peace and discourage 
  those from speaking her name or seeking her, hoping 
  can penetrate the monolith. The arcane energy of the 
  monolith tethers the target to this plane, preventing 
  teleportation. This spell can be used on creatures 
  up to and including Large in size. The target can at-
  tempt a Charisma saving throw to escape at the start 
  of their turn. For every failed save, the target feels 
  the shame of their transgressions and takes 1d8 psy-
  chic damage. Casting the spell above the 5th level in-
  creases the damage by 1d8 for each level. 
  Level 7:
  DOUBLE TIME
  7th level Transmutation.
  Casting Time 1 action
  Range 120 feet
  Components V S 
  Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute
  Classes Warlock
  Until the spell ends, the target’s base movement 
  speed is doubled, all attacks against the target have 
  disadvantage, and the target has an additional action 
  on each of its turns. 
  she will fade into obscurity in her solitude before her 
  influence destroys the system of pacts they partake in.
  Warlocks of the Broken Pact enter into a deal with 
  Gosoliad, often by having to trick her (or her followers) 
  into making her gain more power. Everyone knows 
  she’ll regret having to pay up her end of the deal later—
  but that pact breaking is what they really want anyway. 
  With the creation of a symbolic reliquary like the one 
  she used, they channel primal magic to break the pacts 
  of others and disrupt both Warlock and traditional 
  magic with its chaos energy. They do this under her 
  guidance until she gets bored (level 10), and they have a 
  level of mastery where they can channel these forces on 
  their own, once again leaving Gosoliad to her solitude.
  Once you have reached such a level, you will be re-
  vered and sought after by Warlocks to break pacts 
  they wish to break and feared by powerful Warlocks 
  who want to keep their own. Many members of the 
  Legionnaires have walked this path to help others 
  break their own pacts.
  Expanded Spell List
  Level 1: Chaos Bolt, Inflict Wounds
  Level 2: Shatter, Phantasmal Force
  Level 3: Phantom Steed, Bestow Curse
  Level 4: Phantasmal Killer, Shadow of Moil
  Level 5: Destructive Wave, Contagion
  Whispers of an Apathetic God
  Starting at Level 1, your connection to Gosoliad is one 
  of necessity. However, the patron wishes to be left 
  in solitude, making most of her replies disparaging. 
  While you understand the nature of this temporary 
  symbiosis, others cannot. As an action you can send 
  the nihilistic whispers' of the void to any creature you 
  can see within 60 feet of you, disrupting its perception. 
  Until the end of its next turn, the creature is considered 
  blinded beyond a radius of 15 ft. and centered on it.
  
  27
  Breaker of Bonds
  At Level 6, your connection to your patron enables 
  you to begin the steps to break pacts as reputed 
  by learning to sever the bonds of lesser effects and 
  what they correspond with. As a reaction, when a 
  creature you can see within 30 ft attempts a saving 
  throw to end an effect, you expend a Warlock spell 
  slot to grant it a bonus to the saving throw equal to 
  the level of the spell slot expended. 
  Pact Breaker
  At 10th level, you no longer need Gosoliad to channel 
  primal chaos magic, and your pact with her is broken. 
  You exude an aura of chaos in a 30 ft. radius sphere 
  centered on you. When an enemy creature in the 
  affected area attempts to cast a spell, you can use a 
  reaction to force it to succeed on an ability check us-
  ing its spellcasting ability, or the spell fails and any 
  resources used to cast it are wasted. The DC of this 
  check is 10 + the spell’s level.
  Power Covenant
  Starting at 14th level, your power over primal cha-
  os magic is genuinely terrifying. Breaking other 
  Warlock pacts is easy. You now understand how to 
  create stronger, one-sided pacts. After breaking the 
  pact of another Warlock, you may re-forge a portion 
  of this bond to yourself. Choose an otherworldly pa-
  tron other than the Broken Pact. You gain that sub-
  classes 14th level feature, instead of this one. You 
  may only have one additional patron bonus at a time 
  and can repeat this process after a long rest.
  Warlock Subclass 
  Soul Thief
  Your patron is one who exists outside of the material 
  plane, in what many cultures refer to as “the after-
  life.” What that means is beyond mortal understand-
  ing, as the plane your patron exists on doesn’t seem 
  to be accessible even by magical means. Unless, of 
  course… you die. Your patron may be a simple fer-
  rier, long-tired of whisking the souls of the dead to 
  and fro millennia after millennia. Or, perhaps your 
  patron is some personification of death incarnate, 
  seeking to claim as many souls as there are mortals. 
  Soul Thief Warlocks are masters of disguise, chang-
  ing faces as often as they change shapes. Formidable 
  in combat, a Soul Thief is capable of draining the 
  very essence of their opponents away from them, 
  then using that essence to their advantage. Many 
  soul thieves choose to keep their wicked powers a 
  secret, due to the unsavory implications of draining, 
  and even eating, souls. Those Soul Thieves who do 
  practice their dark arts openly are the ones to fear 
  the most, for they are confident in their power..
  Expanded Spell List
  Level 1: Jump, Longstrider.
  Level 2: Enhance Ability, Barkskin.
  Level 3: Protection from Energy, Water Breathing.
  Level 4: Polymorph, Stoneskin.
  Level 5: Awaken, Reincarnate.
  Soul Drain
  Starting at Level 1, you gain the ability to concen-
  trate and impose your force of will over another 
  creature to steal their soul. As an action, you can 
  attempt to drain the soul of a creature within 30 ft. 
  unless they succeed on a Charisma saving throw ver-
  sus your spell save DC. On a failed save, their soul 
  is now being drained by you. Draining a creature’s 
  soul lasts for 1 minute, during which time you must 
  concentrate (as though concentrating on a spell) or 
  the effect ends. 
  While their soul is being drained, at the beginning of 
  each of their turns, the target creature takes 1d8 ne-
  crotic damage. This damage increases to 2d8 at 3rd lev-
  el, 3d8 at 6th level, 4d8 at 10th level, 5d8 at 14th level, 
  and 6d8 at 17th level. A creature may spend an action to 
  attempt another Saving Throw against your Spell save 
  DC. Succeeding on this save will stop the Soul Drain.
  If a creature dies while its soul is being drained by 
  you, and you have an empty dark reliquary (as per 
  your Dark Reliquary feature) you may use a reaction 
  to capture a creature’s soul inside the reliquary. You 
  do not need to be the one to land the killing blow 
  in order to capture their soul. You may only capture 
  the souls of creatures who possess a soul, and who 
  have a DC equal to or lower than your player level. 
  Creatures that do not have souls include constructs, 
  inanimate objects, plants, and undead. 
  Dark Reliquary
  Dark reliqaries are the tools of trade for the Soul 
  Thief. These reliquaries may look like amulets, jars, 
  lanterns, or bottles. Whatever their shape, their pur-
  pose is simple: they are made to contain the stolen 
  souls of the dead. You begin with 1 dark reliquary. 
  You gain an additional dark reliquary at 5th, 7th, and 
  9th level. While a creature’s soul is trapped inside a 
  
  28
  dark reliquary, it cannot be revived until the soul is 
  released.
  A dark reliquary is an object with an AC of 10 and 20 
  hit points. If one or more of your dark reliquaries are 
  destroyed, you magically replenish them when you 
  finish a long rest. As an action, you may consume a 
  captured soul inside a dark reliquary, absorbing the 
  soul within. Consuming a soul restores 1 spell slot and 
  heals 1d6 hit points per hit die of the source creature. 
  If a creature’s soul is consumed in this way, it can nev-
  er be returned to life, short of divine intervention or a 
  wish spell. 
  Soul Form
  At 1st level, you may use the captured soul of a crea-
  ture to change your physiology. When taking on a 
  soul form, your bones shift and crack visibly beneath 
  your skin as your anatomy changes.
  You may use an action to shift into a soul form by ex-
  pending a spell slot and using a filled dark reliquary. 
  Using a dark reliquary in this way does not consume 
  the soul inside. 
  The soul forms you can shift into depends on the source 
  of the captured soul within the crystal you’re using: 
  • 
  If the source creature was not awakened, you 
  take on the appearance of a ghostly, misshapen, 
  or otherwise-abnormal version of a creature of 
  the same species as the soul source creature. 
  • 
  If the source creature was awakened, you take 
  on the appearance of that specific creature, in-
  cluding their voice. You are virtually indistin-
  guishable from the source creature. 
  You cannot take the soul form of a creature larger or 
  smaller than yourself.
  While you are in a soul form, the following rules apply:
  • 
  Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics 
  of the soul source creature, but you retain your 
  Hit Points, Hit Dice, alignment, personality, and 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You 
  also retain all of your skill and saving throw pro-
  ficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the crea-
  ture. If the creature has the same proficiency as 
  you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than 
  yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. 
  You retain the ability to speak, even if the soul 
  source creature could not. If the creature has any 
  legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them.
  • 
  You can’t cast spells, and your ability to 
  speak or take any action that requires hands 
  is limited to the capabilities of your soul form. 
  Transforming doesn’t break your concentration 
  on a spell or ability you’ve already cast, however, 
  nor does it prevent you from taking actions that 
  are part of a spell that you’ve already cast. 
  • 
  You retain the benefit of any features from your 
  class, race, or other source and can use them if 
  the new form is physically capable of doing so. 
  However, you can’t use any of your special sens-
  es, such as darkvision, unless your new form 
  also has that sense.
  • 
  You choose whether your equipment falls to the 
  ground in your space, merges into your new form, 
  or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as nor-
  mal, but the GM decides whether it is practical for 
  the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based 
  on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment 
  doesn’t change size or shape to match the new 
  form, and any equipment that the new form can’t 
  wear must either fall to the ground or merge with 
  it. Equipment that merges with the form has no 
  effect until you leave the form.
  • 
  If you die while in a soul form, you are restored 
  to your normal form at zero hit points. 
  You can stay in a soul form for 1 hour, after which 
  you must finish a long rest before you can assume 
  the form again. You can revert to your normal form 
  as a bonus action on your turn.
  Eldritch Malediction
  Starting at Level 6, your connection to the occult has 
  grown strong enough that you can cast spells while 
  in soul form, provided they do not require concen-
  tration. You can, however, use your Soul Drain ability 
  while in soul form. Additionally, you may take on the 
  soul form of source creatures 1 size category smaller 
  or larger than you.
  Esoteric Reclamation
  At Level 10, you learn a dark ritual that allows you 
  to reclaim the lost souls of the recently deceased. 
  This ritual must be performed at night, taking 8 
  hours of strenuous activity to complete, during 
  which time you must touch the remains of a crea-
  ture slain within the last 24 hours. At the end of 
  this duration, the remains are consumed, and you 
  reach into the void to reclaim the soul of the de-
  ceased creature for yourself, capturing it in one of 
  your empty dark reliquaries. 
  
  29
  Ego Eater
  Starting at 14th level, creatures affected by your Soul 
  Drain feature have disadvantage on Intelligence, 
  Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against you. 
  Additionally, you gain access to the thoughts and 
  memories of creatures affected by your Soul Drain 
  features, allowing you to impersonate or know se-
  crets they may have kept from others.
  Warlock Subclass 
  The Mirrorwalkers
  Your patron is the Mother of Mirrors, an interplanar 
  goddess who values experience and dimensional 
  travel. To the Mirrorwalkers, the world is neither 
  good nor evil, simply a place to experience new won-
  ders—and every world offers something unique.
  Mirrorwalkers are often Warlocks with a thirst to 
  travel and experience new planes of existence, won-
  dering what possibilities await them if they walk in 
  the shoes of another’s life. They are masters of trav-
  el and versatility by trade, often serving as fantastic 
  messengers for interplanar entities. 
  Expanded Spell List
  Level 1: Longstrider, Goodberry 
  Level 2: Calm Emotions, Mirror Image
  Level 3: Blink, Sending
  Level 4: Dimension Door, Freedom of Movement
  Level 5: Legend Lore, Teleportation Circle 
  Cracked Reflection
  You have seen all the potential roads that you can 
  walk down in life, and perhaps even spoken to your-
  self at times. This has granted you invaluable insight 
  into your true nature as a being—regardless of what 
  box the world aims to trap you in. 
  At Level 1, you may spend a short rest conversing with 
  yourself in a mirror. When you are done, you may swap 
  any tool or language proficiency with another. The 
  knowledge you once had is now gone, lost to another 
  lifetime, but you are as familiar with your new knowl-
  edge as if you’ve had it all along. The only way to re-
  claim what you’ve lost is to perform this ability again.
  Demand Attendance
  At Level 6, you may force others into places at your 
  whim. You may target one creature within line 
  of sight and offer them a choice: move or suffer 
  consequences.
  On your action, a target creature must make a 
  choice—be surrounded in silvery mist and moved 
  to an unoccupied space within 120’ of you or suffer 
  Force damage equal to your Eldritch Blast. 
  The target has no knowledge of where you will be 
  moving to unless you are polite enough to inform 
  them of such. 
  Mirrorwalk
  At Level 10, you may step through mirrors as if they 
  are water, appearing in new locations. You may cast 
  Dimension Door at will, however, you do not need to 
  see where you will appear or need to visualize the 
  space. Instead, you may only exit from a mirror, glass 
  object, or body of water large enough for your crea-
  ture type to fit through. If no such place exists you take 
  4d6 force damage, and the spell fails to teleport you.
  Celestial Convergence
  Mirrorwalkers are distinctly aware of their infinite 
  possibilities and unlimited potential. Across the stars, 
  they live countless lives and have hundreds of experi-
  ences—even if they have only lived their current life. 
  At Level 14, you may Plane Shift yourself and up to 
  eight willing creatures to a different plane of exis-
  tence with incredible accuracy. At the GM’s discre-
  tion, you may even travel to places that you have 
  never encountered nor have any attunement to. You 
  may use this feature once per long rest. 
  Additionally, after using this feature, you may choose 
  one of the Warlock spells you know and replace it 
  with another spell from the Warlock spell list, which 
  also must be of a level for which you have spell slots. 
  Similar to Cracked Reflection, you trade this knowl-
  edge with another version of yourself and would 
  need to travel to an entirely new plane to regain 
  spells you have traded out. 
  
  30
  Adventure Hooks
  Every adventure requires a starting point. Getting 
  your Players’ characters to care about what events 
  are happening within a nation of warlocks far to 
  the north shouldn’t be too difficult. Nonetheless, 
  we’ve included a few ways to entice them. This 
  list is by no means finite, and many other options 
  exist. However, these reasons will also work for 
  why other NPC adventurers you need are in the 
  Shadelands if required. Who doesn’t want to sum-
  mon eldritch horrors and rule the world after all?
  Everyone is running from something. Those 
  who would proclaim otherwise are, in truth, 
  running the fastest and furthest of all. What are 
  you running from? In this scenario, the Player 
  characters come to the Shadelands as an es-
  cape from trouble, and they can earn their keep 
  with The Knight Captain in the first adventure. 
  Before the adventure, Players will write a letter 
  to their loved ones as a goodbye note.
  Look around you. You are not alone. Feel 
  the presence of the Others. What do the 
  Others mean to you? Hearing the call of the 
  Shadelands can be worked into any campaign 
  leading up to this through whispers on the 
  wind. Seeking a quest for knowledge, Players 
  will write a letter for what they hope to learn 
  from these Others they hear in their minds.
  Eldritch horrors that should not be have be-
  gun to walk the earth. We need your exper-
  tise to investigate these horrors and extermi-
  nate them. Of course, you are paid to not ask 
  questions… Other civilizations outside of the 
  Shadelands have finally learned about the 
  Well of Souls. Terrified of the danger it rep-
  resents, they’ve hired adventurers to go ren-
  dezvous with The Knight Captain and “solve” 
  the problem in the way adventurers are best 
  known for. In this scenario, the Players will 
  write a letter to their loved ones about their 
  duty to investigate.
  SETTING & TIERS
  Many options exist for incorporating the 
  Shadelands into existing worlds or homebrew 
  campaigns. The lavish Victorian-era gothic 
  lifestyle lived in the cities fits well to expand 
  upon any gothic settings. Or one could settle 
  this north of civilization in a typical fantasy 
  setting. In a high magic setting, the Shadelands 
  could be a district of a floating city and have 
  alliances with various guilds. It is even further 
  possible to imagine the Shadelands as a setting 
  out in the elemental planes, nestled among the 
  chaos for all planar travelers. What’s import-
  ant is that the storyteller finds a home for the 
  Shadelands within their world, whatever it 
  may be. As such, we’ve written this book to be 
  self-contained within its own city. 
  Tiers of play vary per group, but our aim is to 
  design a higher tier adventure, one with the 
  fate of cities at play and Machiavellian politics. 
  We’ve done our best to aim for a Tier 3 thru 
  Tier 4 level of play, but as with all campaigns at 
  that range, storytellers know their party better 
  than others. Tier 4 play is facilitated through 
  roleplay and the weight of choices the group 
  has to make, while Tier 3 play is supported by 
  the lore the characters will be uncovering. 
  Running this module as a Tier 1 or starting 
  module is feasible as well! If choosing this 
  route, leave the encounters as wildly dynamic 
  and thrilling as they are. Just have NPCs like 
  the Shield Maiden or the Knight Captain lend 
  extra assistance in battle or make the wounds 
  Player’s score a little more grievous. Do not be 
  daunted by the stat-blocks of monsters. The GM 
  screen exists for us to fudge dice in the player’s 
  favor, and it’s okay to weaken monsters down 
  or let players utilize the terrain for combat ef-
  fects that punch far above their level.
  
  31
  Running The Adventure
  Do not attempt to run this module without reading 
  it in its entirety first. This book is intended for you, 
  the Game Master, and not the Players. There are 
  multiple endings, and there is no way to predict 
  what option your Players will choose, or what 
  path their choices have led them down. And 
  that’s part of the fun. Be prepared, read ahead, 
  and know where they could wind up.
  Their choices will hopefully be difficult ones to 
  make, with meanings that resonate. The end-
  ings cannot be reached happily ever after. In a 
  story that asks questions about true death and 
  being erased from all memory, how could they? 
  Make no mistake: tragedy will befall someone in 
  this opera, but it will be the Players that decide 
  around whose neck falls the hangman’s noose. 
  Each chapter is intended to be run as its own 
  module with the major story beats. Each chapter 
  is divided into three acts, and each act can vary 
  in length. Between each main plot, potential side 
  quests are shown for alternative sessions until 
  you are ready for the next major chapter. The first 
  three chapters center on the Knight Captain, his 
  forces, and motivations. Chapters four, five, and six 
  concern the arcane forces surrounding the Well of 
  Souls. Chapters seven, eight, and nine will bring 
  the party to the Accursed King’s court and perhaps 
  into his good graces, then off to war. The Red Opera 
  closes with significant death in the final chapter. 
  Perhaps the Players, the Kings, the Captains… No 
  matter who’s, someone stands to gain.
  A critical portion of this adventure is “The Letter 
  Home.” At the start of this campaign, all Players 
  must fill out a letter as described in the section 
  below. This out-of-game object you collect as 
  the Game Master will represent their character’s 
  connection to the world, and if circumstances 
  dictate setting it aflame, it will represent their 
  character’s true death.
  Should the characters die, or struggle during 
  the adventure due to high challenge ratings, or 
  not being equipped for the journey, don’t panic. 
  Patrons exist in the Shadelands to make tempo-
  rary pacts as described in the Warlock section. 
  If any rebalancing is required, something is al-
  ways nearby to cut a deal. 
  A CLASSIC OPERA
  When most people think of opera, the image of the 19th 
  century Bel Canto style comes to mind. Dominated by 
  Guiseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner, the popularity of 
  opera continued into the 20th century. As technology in-
  creased, so did its reach and mediums, but many factors 
  remained the same. Opera is, at its core, a musical saga 
  and an over the top drama. Martyrdom, vibrant colors, 
  and drastic emotional actions always steal the stage.
  The Red Opera is no different. The Shadelands might 
  be gothic, but they are filled with culture and a life of 
  their own. Passions run hot in the Warlocks that live 
  here, and many Bards find equal inspiration. Majin the 
  Betrayer, however, has set the stage with three parties 
  and invited the characters to be the active audience that 
  takes center stage.
  If, in the course of running this campaign, your Players find 
  a theatrical and tragic outcome—embrace them. Even if it 
  foils Majin’s plans. If the Players aren't helping bring their 
  plan to fruition, they’ll clap and applaud the Players, as 
  they reset the stage for another try. To Majin, this is all an 
  experiment in the great dance of exploring Death. 
  Within each act, you’ll find a section about the current state 
  of the setting as it changes throughout. We’ve found this 
  useful for characters with divination magic, and if someone 
  in your party has it, feel free to describe the setting of the 
  Shadelands in the later acts as it will change. Encounters, 
  monsters, and traps can be found in the appendices, but we 
  assume you have access to at least the following: 
  A group of players.
  Polyhedron Dice.
  Candles.
  Rules set of your choosing.
  Monsters & Items
  Most of the monsters and magical items in The Red Opera are 
  original creations. You can find stats for all original creations 
  in the Appendices. Many of the items will be specifically not-
  ed throughout the adventure. However, there are more orig-
  inal items that you are free to place around the world as you 
  see fit. (Or not use at all, if you prefer). These are found in 
  Appendix #2.1: Unassigned Magic Items. And by all means, 
  feel free to add whatever additional items and loot you think 
  your Players would enjoy throughout the adventure.
  
  32
  Story Overview
  party is tasked with eliminating insane aberrations 
  and holding the bridge long enough for The Shield 
  Maiden to cross. 
  Letting The Knight Captain and his forces hold one 
  side of Yon’Cath, The Shield Maiden and group sneak 
  through The Accursed King’s territory to locate Majin 
  in ‘Ashes and Sorrow’. Information about why The 
  Accursed King has lost all semblance of sanity and 
  why the Elemental Dance has gone haywire is vital to 
  restoring the Shadelands to what they once were. 
  In ‘Lovesong of the Damned’, The Shield Maiden 
  and Majin will lead the group through an inverted 
  labyrinth to the Well of Souls. Through exploration, 
  Majin makes the Maiden explain how the King was 
  human once, and she was his lover. Once at the Well 
  of Souls, to save the Shadelands from damnation, 
  The Shield Maiden makes a pact with an unlikely 
  Patron. Perhaps the party does as well…
  In ‘Fayte’s Aria’, Majin pulls back the veil about the 
  nature of the Shadelands and the Elemental Planes. 
  Continuing deeper into the unknowable Temple, 
  the characters are shown answers, and secrets tied 
  to their curiosities, but one is certain to be uncov-
  ered—the perplexities of death. How to kill a God, 
  for in death it is the loss of a name, and The Shield 
  Maiden now has a pact with a mysterious Patron.
  In ‘Theme of the Betrayer’, Majin and The Shield 
  Maiden return to Yon’Cath, a city engaged in open 
  warfare between many factions and Patrons. Majin 
  leads them straight to The Accursed King, where 
  the characters find him perfectly sane but strug-
  gling with an open rebellion of Patrons who broke 
  their pact. The party is thrust into the political arena 
  “Unlike Gods, for Patrons, you must whisper 
  gently that your payer may be heard. Though by 
  its end, your peril still awaits.”
  -Fayte The Shield Maiden
  In ‘Welcome To The Shadelands’, the characters find 
  themselves side-by-side with The Shield Maiden and 
  Knight Captain. Together, they survive a hunt on the 
  outskirts of Yon’Cath against aberrant beasts that 
  have slipped through the veil. Planar creatures find 
  cracks into the material plane near the Well of Souls, 
  often to the detriment of Yon’Cath citizens. Upon in-
  vestigation, the party discovers that The Accursed 
  King set forth this attack. With no recourse and little 
  help—the duo employs the characters. 
  In ‘A Scarlet Mercy’, The Knight Captain and Shield 
  Maiden lead their forces on a march through 
  Yon’Cath during the day to the Scarlet Hearth, a tem-
  ple of sacrifice. This is in hope to free The Knight 
  Captain’s men and persuade the warlocks inside 
  of The Accursed King’s insanity. Day-by-day the 
  Shadelands grow worse, and the madness must be 
  put to an end. By seizing and capturing the temple, 
  The Knight Captain hopes to earn some reprieve be-
  fore the night becomes permanent. 
  In ‘The Everlasting Night’, after weeks held up in one 
  corner of the city preventing The Accursed King and 
  his men from paying homage to Patrons through the 
  sacrifice of civilians, night falls entirely. The Knight 
  Captain is pushed to desperation, ordering his sol-
  diers to take over the bridges and strangle trade. The 
  
  33
  as outsiders into court; wheeling and dealing with 
  Patrons, nobles, and even the King himself to restore 
  the Shadelands. Even the most anti-social character 
  can’t avoid being involved. 
  In ‘Savior Nevermore I’: The Confrontation, The 
  Accursed King asks the Players to reclaim the tem-
  ple they captured in the first place. For without him 
  and his infinite knowledge of Patron pacts, events 
  will only spiral further out of control. Turned back 
  to assault the territory they once captured, the party 
  may have to claim the very lives they once saved. 
  In ‘Savior Nevermore II’: The Consuming Shadow 
  The Well of Souls erupts. Both The Knight Captain 
  and the King, unable to truly stop fighting, charge 
  the party with helping hold back the bleed of realms 
  as gravity itself changes. Meanwhile, Majin and The 
  Shield Maiden force the party to make a choice re-
  garding her life—and the fate of the Shadelands. 
  In ‘Vae Victis’, the outcome of the party’s choice is made 
  manifest in one of several operatic outcomes. The city 
  is changed forevermore, and the final stand is made.
  Adventure Structure
  before, read the whole adventure so you know what 
  hasn’t transpired yet. For example, if the party earns 
  an audience with The Accursed King before act 7, 
  they’ll find him busy, disinterested, or as erratic as The 
  Knight Captain thought he would be. Why? Because 
  Majin and the group haven’t fixed the Well of Souls yet. 
  If they wander too far off script though, the Game 
  Master has tools to rein them back in to keep the 
  game engaging and fun. The Knight Captain can sim-
  ply move forward with his siege. The Shield Maiden 
  can wander to the Well of Souls alone. The Accursed 
  King can attempt to slay Patrons by himself. None of 
  these outcomes will be as successful if they had the 
  party with them. Which brings us to our final point:
  Failure. 
  Failure is difficult when many of the chapters are 
  structured around making a choice. It is a matter of 
  give and take. If the party’s siege at the Temple fails 
  in Chapter 8, perhaps the Knight Captain’s forces still 
  win. Or, in a more likely scenario, they are pushed 
  back, and later adventures will have to rely on stealth. 
  If at any point you feel the adventure has gone so com-
  pletely off the rails because of failures or poor plan-
  ning, just remember the NPCs’ (and Patrons’) mo-
  tives. The Accursed King, Shield Maiden, and Knight 
  Captain are all puppets with their strings being gently 
  tugged. They want these events to transpire, and it’s 
  the Players who are trying to stop everyone else from 
  being caught in the crossfire. 
  Or, just burn it all down. Majin will applaud you and 
  thank you for making their job much easier this time 
  around. Even if a little less fulfilling for them.
  “With wounds too deep, which even a martyr would 
  envy, you forced my hand to bring the end.”
  —Dorian The Accursed King
  Each of the 10 chapters are all structured the same 
  way. The adventures are not always designed to be 
  instantly back-to-back with each other. In some cas-
  es, there is ample time for downtimes or other sid-
  equests within the Shadelands as demanded. Rather 
  than cover every possibility, we’ve focused our en-
  counters around the high-end set pieces that are 
  shaping the world around the party. 
  The intro section of each chapter describes how the 
  adventure fits into the overall story and highlights 
  the plot beats and goal of the adventure. 
  Each setting section provides descriptions of what 
  the PCs see, hear, and sometimes even smell all 
  around. It will also detail how the Shadelands have 
  changed since the last act, growing increasingly 
  darker and more hostile as the Well of Souls and 
  Temple are both occupied by opposing forces.
  Each chapter is designed to be its own self-contained 
  story with a beginning, middle, and climactic, reve-
  latory end, each planned out in three ‘Act’ sections. 
  The adventure does not need to be run in a single 
  session, although it is a certain possibility. Adapt 
  the adventures to suit your playgroup. Some Players 
  spend hour’s roleplaying, investigating, and theory 
  crafting, others will want to roll initiative and disarm 
  traps as often as possible. 
  By splitting the chapters into acts, it gives the party a 
  little wiggle room to go off-script, but as mentioned 
  
  34
  Character Levels
  As mentioned under ‘Settings and Tiers’, this cam-
  paign is designed for Tier 3 and Tier 4 characters but 
  can be run for any tier. It is easier to scale an encoun-
  ter down than up. In the appendices, you’ll find mon-
  sters and traps grouped by each encounter and act so 
  you can reference them easily. 
  In order to make scaling easy for Game Masters, we’ve 
  included one unique monster as a set-piece, and then 
  others are added (or subtracted) according to tier. For 
  level 1 or Tier 1 characters, just say the main foe is 
  wounded and reduce its hit points and attack power. 
  Every encounter should be treated as “deadly” with 
  only one major encounter per chapter. We want the 
  party to feel the challenge, but not the exhaustion of 
  the grind. 
  For player controversy or level 20-campaigns: You 
  can run this campaign without leveling up. The 
  Shadelands is an interesting place, and there is an 
  experience to be had at the end of the Opera (based 
  on the outcome), but a level one character at the 
  start—could remain level one if you wanted. Not only 
  Player Character 
  Questions
  To enhance immersion, we’ve included a list of ques-
  tions for the Player characters. For existing cam-
  paigns with rich backstories, these questions can 
  serve to reconnect the Player to a character. In order 
  for both comedy and horror to have an impact, that 
  connection is a cornerstone of storytelling. 
  The best method to run these questions is not 
  to hand them out to the Players at the start of the 
  chronicle. Rather, every time the characters sleep or 
  have a long rest, let them hear the question in their 
  dreams and be compelled to answer. Timely ques-
  tions to the storyline at hand can both help you, the 
  Game Master, improvise by knowing your party and 
  keeping them focused. 
  We’ve been watching you. We want to help… but 
  are terrified. Will you help us?
  The goals in your life are in reach, but about to 
  be snuffed out. What is one goal you will never 
  let go of?
  will this add to their horror, but it will also force 
  them (and even higher-level characters) to realize 
  they can grow their characters in other ways, such 
  as Patron pacts and skill training through horizontal 
  growth. In this campaign, we encourage the use of 
  the optional rules to learn feats with training, or new 
  skills or special abilities and boons from Patrons. 
  It goes without saying that this is your chronicle. If you 
  want to use experience and level up, we suggest level-
  ing points via milestone experience at Chapters 2, 4, 
  5, 7, and 9. If the party is Tier 1, level them up after 
  Chapter 1, and Chapter 3 as well. Use the downtime 
  between chapters to have the Knight Captain, Shield 
  Maiden, Majin, or the King be instrumental in their lev-
  eling up process and teach them secrets and new tech-
  niques. The Shield Maiden is a wealth of knowledge. 
  Since each adventure has many side quests, you may 
  find those serve as good markers for character pro-
  gression. Lastly, if your group is high-level or around 
  level 20 then there are plenty of boons and other pacts 
  to reward the party with rather than experience.
  Letting go of your past is never easy. We can see 
  both fond and terrible memories. Who was your 
  first crush?
  Perhaps you were destined for a different life. 
  What will you do after you prevail?
  That young bard was eyeing up your coin purse 
  on the bridge the other day. Did you even notice 
  you’ve been pick-pocketed?
  You’ve become distracted. Troubled even, by your 
  connections. Why haven’t you freed them yet?
  When you woke up this morning, did you think 
  about your place in the world? What made 
  you wear that outfit today? Ever think about 
  changing your style?
  Did you know that someone painted a portrait of 
  you and your friends? What do you think it was for?
  We’ve noticed you’ve got a grudge. Why do you hate 
  them? What did they do to you that hurt so badly?
  How do you want to die?
  
  Final Consequences...
  35
  A Letter Home...
  Once you are ready to begin the Red Opera with your 
  Players there is one final step. During the first game 
  session, when their characters leave home or begin 
  their trek to the Shadelands: Have them write a letter. 
  Yes, a real, physical letter. This act is key to the immer-
  sion of the Red Opera and has actual game mechanics.
  The letter should ideally be to someone the character 
  loves. It should also be written in character. No other 
  Player should get to read their letter, and even the 
  Storyteller should avoid reading it. For now, seal the 
  letters up and set them aside. We recommend you 
  paperclip the letters to the GM Screen. This serves as 
  a constant reminder for the Players of where they’ve 
  come from. Once the events of the Red Opera have 
  concluded in the Shadelands, open and read all the 
  letters. If the characters are still alive, then they 
  serve as closure to the end of the campaign. A full 
  campaign has unfolded, so even the Players may be 
  surprised at what they wrote some time ago. 
  If a character dies, unseal and read their letter aloud, 
  bring that character back to life (sometime in the fu-
  ture), and burn the letter (Be safe, of course). Even 
  if they’ve lost their body or their soul was trapped, 
  they will return—provided it is during the events of 
  the Red Opera. Burning their letter home represents 
  the world forgetting them. In time, perhaps they for-
  get themselves. Their past, their time, their threads, 
  their children and more will all forget about them. 
  If a character returns to life this way, he or she earns 
  a free class-level of Warlock, and their Patron is none 
  other than Majin. They’ve got quite a task for them…
  Final Death, And 
  Final Consequences...
  The Red Opera is designed to end in three possible 
  ways. The characters will have the ultimate choice 
  as to how the story plays out, and Majin is closely 
  watching what they decide. The Shadelands could 
  survive the Red Opera based on the party’s choices.
  In all cases, the death of NPCs during the Shadelands 
  is final (There are no letters home for them). The 
  Knight Captain, the Accursed King, The Shield 
  Maiden, even the townsfolk or other Warlocks the 
  characters meet will not return to life. Their souls 
  will forever feed the great Well of Souls or move 
  onto greater service of their Patron. There is a magic 
  here preventing them from ever returning, and that 
  magic is the realm of the Shadelands itself, the entity 
  called Majin the Betrayer. 
  It is up to you as GM to scatter hints throughout the 
  story that death is permanent here. Perhaps soldiers 
  can be sitting around a campfire talking about the 
  futility of a cleric trying to revive a fallen brother. 
  In truth, the Players will come to learn that Majin 
  the Betrayer is responsible for the imbalance at the 
  Well of Souls and that they are a Patron themselves. 
  In their attempts to uncover how to kill someone in 
  a land filled with magic, Majin has also found ways 
  to become immensely powerful from harnessing the 
  Well’s energy. 
  Everyone else is already entangled in this web, but 
  not these newcomers. Without the Players knowing, 
  Majin has invited them in, ensuring the raw power of 
  the Well won’t drive them mad.
  In the end, the Accursed King’s or the Knight 
  Captain’s victories can each change the very nature 
  of the Shadelands. One might lead the land further 
  into the weird, the unspoken horrors, and the mys-
  teries of the Great Old Ones. The other might turn 
  the Shadelands into a hub for those who hunt mon-
  sters across dimensions – a city of warriors, stalk-
  ers, and murderers charged with seeking and killing 
  rogue Warlocks before their unraveling pacts trans-
  form them into nightmares. 
  No matter the outcomes, the Shadelands endure. In 
  time, there will be another King, and another Knight 
  Captain, or another Shield Maiden because there 
  always is. The only one who wins along the long 
  stretches of time is they who stacked the deck ages 
  ago. Majin the Betrayer. Will anyone ever prove their 
  hypothesis wrong and shatter this grand experi-
  ment? Will any character ever give their life willingly, 
  and truly die to save something besides their legacy?
  Until that happens, Majin will get what they want: 
  an army of Warlocks scattered across all realms and 
  planes who answer to no other Patron but them.
  Of course, the Players will always be the Players and 
  shatter even the most well-laid plans! If they come 
  up with some grand scheme that seems fun for your 
  world—roll with it. Be cautioned, however, that rob-
  bing your Players of at least one final consequence 
  will undermine the very themes of the Red Opera: 
  There is always a cost… 
  … And no side is ever absolutely correct. 
  
  36
  36
  
  Dorian the Accursed King
  The Accursed King
  “From avarice pacts our greed provides. Conquests came at a dire price. Undaunted 
  reign for a cost most high they said. We traded further for eternal life.” -Dorian 
  The Accursed King
  Dorian The Accursed King has the answers. The an-
  swers to what many in these diverse lands desire. 
  When Gods grant spells to clerics and walk amongst 
  mortals, it is easy to have faith in them. When a wiz-
  ard utters incantations and burns a goat’s eyeball to 
  curse a foe, it is easy to fear them. A fighter can easily 
  place his trust in steel, and a druid can seek solace in 
  the comfort of his grotto.
  But what kind of transaction can Warlocks rely on 
  for power? The whispers of Patrons, of course.
  It was only a matter of time before the commonali-
  ty of service to otherworldly entities drew bands of 
  Warlocks together. Those called The Accursed be-
  gan as a small group of outcasts and mercenaries 
  who offered their arcane might to any nation willing 
  to house them. They traveled from nation to nation, 
  realm to realm, waging war for the highest bidder, 
  outlasting wizards and sorcerers on the battlefields. 
  Dorian proudly counted himself among their ranks. 
  He realized the value in banding together not only 
  earned coins but, more importantly, appeased their 
  Patrons as one (This notion would one day become 
  the foundation for the Well of Souls). It wasn’t long 
  before Dorian rose to lead The Accursed.
  Like many stories told before, and many still yet to be 
  told, Dorian’s ambition changed with his first touch 
  of true love. Meeting Fayte, The Shield Maiden who 
  saved his life one battle after another, ignited a desire 
  to build something more. A life of servitude, battle, 
  and death was no real life. As his love for Fayte grew, 
  Dorian wanted to retire from conflict, settle, and live 
  at his own bidding, as much as any warlock could.
  Dorian’s Patron, a creature from the Shadowfell 
  known as He-Who-Shudders-With-The-Lidless-Eyes, 
  spoke to him of a place in the north where the veil 
  was thin. There—at the place where the fabric of 
  many dimensions wove together, a spring where all 
  Patrons’ powers were amplified—Dorian would find 
  his dreams manifested. Fayte’s heart would swell 
  with love. There, laid a Well with the power he would 
  command, Dorian could build a thriving kingdom 
  all its own, a haven for wayward Warlocks. And for 
  years, with Dorian guiding them at their Patrons’ 
  bidding, Warlocks the world over answered the sum-
  mons, trekked northward, and lent their hands at 
  building their bastion from nothing. The twin cities 
  of Yonder and Cathrach rose from the snowy wastes.
  Of course, other nations came to feel threatened by 
  the gathering community of Warlocks beyond their 
  borders. And so, in those early days, Dorian, Fayte, 
  and LaCroix fought side-by-side to hold the threats 
  to Yon’Cath at bay.
  Despite their efforts, the invaders only increased. 
  And so, one fateful night, Dorian spoke desperate 
  words to the unseen, pleading for the means to en-
  sure lasting peace and freedom for the Warlocks of 
  the Shadelands, to provide them with the safety and 
  splendor he promised them. A deep cold invaded his 
  chamber, setting the candles to sputter.
  A stranger from nowhere greeted Dorian and seated 
  himself, setting a cruel blade down upon the table 
  between them. A kind voice filled the small room, 
  reverberating off the unfeeling stone. The stranger 
  offered Dorian a chance to obtain his lofty aspira-
  tions. A crown to seal the glory of his kingdom, ev-
  erlasting would it be.
  
  38
  The stranger asked a simple question: 
  “What would you give to be beyond the reach of 
  all other kings and kingdoms?”
  Dorian’s thoughts betrayed him.
  “Ahh,” said the stranger. “If not for your people, 
  then for her…”
  “For her, I would give anything...” Dorian replied.
  ROLEPLAYING HINTS
  The Accursed King is a man always talking to the entire room, 
  never an individual. Even if the room is empty, he addresses 
  creatures that most can’t even comprehend. His motivations 
  are simple, and always out of reach: maintain control.
  Fayte was once his pillar, but now he barely even notices her 
  absence. With this in mind, Dorian always does what is best 
  for his people. Unfortunately for many, perhaps the people of 
  Yon’Cath are no longer his people. Or are they? If everyone 
  would just let him focus!
  Balancing all Patrons’ desires is a spider web entangling him. 
  Without Majin to advise him, Yon’Cath would have spiraled 
  into oblivion long ago. His Accursed Guard does what they can 
  to buy him time. He trained them well, but day-by-day the de-
  mands of the Patron’s tug him further and further into an im-
  possible web.
  Based on your party level and size, the King’s stats 
  and abilities can change as appropriate. You can find 
  a suggested stat block in the Appendix. These, how-
  ever, are some of his key abilities that should be used 
  in any fight with him (even if the damage dice are 
  altered to be as appropriate to tier play).
  The Accursed King appears as a battle-hardened 
  mercenary who was perhaps pretty once in his 
  youth. A human with sandy-blonde hair and striking 
  The stranger led Dorian to the spring of Patrons’ 
  powers to the far north of Yon’Cath and revealed 
  the hidden paths inside. Deep within the labyrinth, 
  standing at the edge of the Well itself, Dorian struck 
  a deal… with every Patron. He entered as a man but 
  emerged as The Accursed King. A warlock with the 
  blessings of Archfiends, Fey, the Raven Queen, even 
  the Great Old Ones. With their power, The Accursed 
  King would protect the Shadelands, the warlocks’ 
  bastion, forevermore. 
  And with his crown, Fayte surely would love him.
  hazel eyes, he was quite the lady charmer. Stress, 
  battles, and time have taken their toll. Now one eye 
  is blind, he walks with a limp in his right leg, and he’s 
  missing three fingers on his left hand. In his ward-
  robe, instead of kingly robes and fancy attire… he 
  maintains a simple monk-like aesthetic. Robes, ban-
  dages, and leather sheaths adorn him, because the 
  King is always ready to pick up the sword once again.
  
  Dorian, The Accursed King
  Human Warlock, Chaotic Neutral
  Legendary Actions
  Dorian the Accursed King can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the list below. Only one legendary 
  action option may be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Dorian the Accursed 
  King regains used legendary actions at the start of his turn
  Summon Horror (costs 3 actions). 
  Astral Exile. 
  Lich Blade. 
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Dorian can take a lair action to cause one of the following 
  effects, so long as he is within the Impossible Spire. Dorian can’t use the same effect twice in a row. 
  Dorian makes an attack with his Lich Blade.
  Dorian calls forth a creature from beyond to serve 
  him for 1 minute, which appears in an unoccupied 
  space of Dorian’s choice within 60 ft. The creature 
  has the statistics of a bone devil, but with the follow-
  ing exceptions. It is an aberration instead of a fiend, 
  is resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage, and is vulnerable to radiant damage. 
  The horror acts immediately after Dorian’s turn 
  and follows his commands (no action required) to 
  the best of Dorian’s ability. The horror immediately 
  vanishes if Dorian uses this action to create an ad-
  ditional horror. 
  Dorian attempts to exile a creature he can see within 
  60 ft. to a world beyond space and time. If the target 
  is unwilling, it must succeed on a DC 24 Charisma 
  saving throw or vanish as it is lost in time and space. 
  At the end of the target’s next turn, it reappears in 
  the nearest unoccupied space to where it vanished. 
  Additionally, when the creature reappears it has 
  aged 1 year and any effects with a duration greater 
  than instantaneous affecting the creature are ended
  Sinister Shadows.
  Dorian gently dances his fingertips about the air as if 
  conducting an orchestra. A sly smile traces over his ex-
  pression during a momentary pause. A sharp upwards 
  flick of his hand grows the atmosphere dark; filling the 
  chamber with deafening screams. From the shadows, 
  slender blades of every size and shape are instantly 
  outstretched. All of Dorian’s enemies must make DEX 
  saves (DC22) or take 31 (5d10) slashing damage.
  Shadow Winds. 
  Winds of dark power swarm around creatures of Dorian’s choice in the affected area. Until the next initia-
  tive count of 20, affected creatures gain a fly speed of 60 ft. (hover). 
  Eldritch Shackles. 
  Magical shackles erupt from the ground to bind a 
  creature of Dorian’s choice. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained 
  by the shackles, which are an object with an AC of 15 
  and 20 hit points. While restrained in this manner, a 
  creature cannot cast spells. 
  
  40
  40
  
  Fayte the Shield Maiden
  The Shield Maiden
  What is Fayte without intervention?”
   - Fayte The Shield Maiden
  Let’s make one thing clear: Fayte is not in love. 
  Neither The Knight Captain LaCroix nor The 
  Accursed King Dorian holds her heart (despite their 
  wishes). They pine, yearn, and court her-but time 
  and again she finds herself closing the door to a re-
  lationship. She’s got more important things to do, 
  and very limited time to do them. 
  The name Fayte was given to her by the people of 
  Yon’Cath, along with the title of Shield Maiden. But 
  long before that, in the distant past, she had heard 
  the siren call of a Patron and traveled north with 
  Dorian, her lover. She was at his side in battle as one 
  of the Accursed. But in time, he grew distant. While 
  Dorian rose to power and searched for the means to 
  protect their new home, Fayte spent countless nights 
  in the Scarlet Hearth seeking her Patron. Whenever 
  it called to her, empowering her through their pact, 
  she tried to answer, only Fayte’s Patron would slip 
  away again. She could feel its presence ever beyond 
  her reach. As if she was grasping at smoke.
  All of her effort and prayer were not wasted, howev-
  er, as Fayte discovered many other Patrons lurking 
  across the thin Shadelands veil. These she would di-
  rect to Dorian, who would ultimately bring them into 
  the fold at his “Well of Souls,” a mysterious place only 
  he could enter. Much like Dorian, Fayte could hear the 
  Patrons through her prayers at the Scarlet Hearth and 
  soon found herself constantly busy playing match-
  maker between warlocks and these new Patrons. She 
  has spent so much time in the temple helping others 
  seal their pacts that the smell of incense almost per-
  meates her skin—something many citizens of the 
  Shadelands have come to enjoy and recognize. 
  In time, the man she once knew as Dorian had with-
  drawn from her completely, lost in his Well. And 
  frustrated by the one-way connection to her Patron, 
  she was ready to leave the Shadelands altogether. To 
  be a warlock ignored by your Patron was unbear-
  able. This was no kind of life for her. She had helped 
  Dorian find this place, build this place, defend this 
  place, and in the end, it brought her no happiness. 
  As she packed her things to leave, the whispers of an 
  Arch Devil Patron came to her unbidden, directed to 
  a young warlock nearby. She eavesdropped on the 
  terms of their pact—incredibly dangerous and unfair. 
  Fayte found that she could not sit idly by and allow 
  Patrons to abuse their would-be servants. Here, in the 
  Shadelands, even though she never asked for this gift, 
  she could save the souls of the innocent. She dropped 
  her satchel and stepped in. Both devil and warlock 
  were shocked that she could even hear their conver-
  sation (after all, it was a spiritual bond). The young 
  warlock thanked her, claimed that it was an inter-
  vention of Fate, and soon spread the word: The Shield 
  Maiden who lives in the temple can help pilgrims. 
  And so Fayte remained, her true calling clear, even if 
  she never found her Patron. She soon became a cham-
  pion for the mortal warlocks of Yon’Cath. As time 
  marched forward and The Accursed King was less 
  and less present within his city, secluding himself in 
  the Well more and more, Fayte became a mix of a gov-
  ernor, lawyer, and when needed—paladin of Yon’Cath. 
  Running the affairs of the city filled her days with 
  purpose. It was not all politics and policy, however. 
  She often found herself on the battlefield alongside 
  the Fallen Legion, trying to stem the tide of invad-
  ing aberrations. Their leader, The Knight Captain 
  LaCroix fell in love with Fayte, but the feeling was 
  not mutual. For Fayte, their occasional encounters 
  were merely a distraction, something that filled the 
  void left in Dorian’s absence.
  She thought herself content with being ignored by 
  her Patron until a stranger found her. Majin, they 
  called themself. Somehow, they knew that her 
  pact was not reciprocal, only one-way. They 
  knew she yearned for a Warlock’s true con-
  nection. For her part, Fayte’s unique gift 
  to hear the terms of pacts has revealed 
  
  42
  ROLEPLAYING HINTS
  Fayte is the character that will journey through all ten chapters with 
  the party. As The Shield Maiden, it is her job to welcome the par-
  ty and be their liaison throughout Yon’Cath. She’s a down-to-earth 
  Paladin with a sworn Oath of Devotion. Tossing back a few pints at 
  the tavern, training squires, and signing new permits for merchants 
  are part of her daily routine. 
  Fayte is often looking for a distraction, anything to take her mind off 
  the constant call of the unidentified Patron she hears in the back of her 
  mind. Distractions can take the form of many things—adventure, bat-
  tle, a fling, or even games of skill. This gives her the appearance of being 
  enthusiastic, eager, and full of life—but cunning characters with solid 
  insight checks can learn that she is running from something. She won’t 
  open up to anyone about her true self unless a strong relationship is 
  formed with them. 
  Around The Knight Captain, she is awkwardly charmed by his robust 
  displays of affection, but will always mention that there is no future 
  there. Her path leads down a different direction.
  that Majin is… different. Not of this world. Not a 
  Patron. Not a person. And yet, Majin enticed her 
  with claims they could find the Patron that seems 
  to ignore her. As a start, Majin reveals it is a celes-
  tial being. Without the King’s knowledge, the two of 
  them search for her source of strength. Or so Majin 
  would have her believe… 
  If the Accursed King is the ruler of the Shadelands 
  (albeit an absentee one), and the Knight Captain 
  of the Legion the commander of its armies, then 
  Fayte and Majin serve as the ministers that keep 
  Yon’Cath held together. As the King’s closest 
  advisor, Majin is aware of what the Patrons are 
  scheming, and Fayte is there to represent the in-
  terests of the mortal Warlocks. 
  Within the Shadelands, whenever she meets with 
  Majin, the Shield Maiden feels she is doing the most 
  good, protecting the citizens of Yon’Cath at the 
  source. Little does she know, Majin is simply wait-
  ing for her to realize she can seize the power of the 
  Well for herself. They continue to wait, and hope, 
  for the moment when Fayte calls on her Patron’s 
  power directly. 
  
  43
  The Shield Maiden is a character that is best served 
  as a fully made NPC by the Storyteller. We suggest 
  building a Paladin with a dabble of Warlock for her. 
  Out of all the characters in the story, Fayte is the one 
  who will grow and evolve with the characters. For 
  this reason, we’ve taken the approach of leaving her 
  stats and character sheet out. Her race, class fea-
  tures, and aesthetic style is entirely meant to be cus-
  tomized to each table.
  Please remember you should change this character 
  to a race, age, and atheistic that works for you: the 
  Storyteller. We envisioned Fayte as a wood Elf with 
  violence hiding just behind her eyes. Clad in full elven 
  platemail, custom made with a samurai aesthetic, and 
  decorated with badges of victory—Fayte commands 
  attention where she goes. She often wears a smirk on 
  her face, so many believe she finds misery funny, and 
  her humor certainly can find light in the darkest times. 
  Fayte, The Shield Maiden 
  Legendary Actions
  Fayte can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from 
  the options below. Only one legendary action option 
  may be used at a time, and only at the end of anoth-
  er creature’s turn. Fayte regains used legendary ac-
  tions at the start of her turn.
  Command the Field: Fayte shouts words of inspi-
  ration, which can be heard up to 120 ft. away from 
  her. Creatures friendly to Fayte that hear these words 
  cannot have disadvantage on attack rolls until the end 
  of their next turn. 
  Strike: Fayte makes a single weapon attack.
  Deadly Charge (Costs 2 Actions). Fayte moves up 
  to her speed and can make a single weapon attack at 
  the end of that movement. This attack scores a criti-
  cal hit on a roll of 16 – 20.
  Sacred Strength (Costs 3 Actions). Fate beseeches her 
  Patron for aid, which responds by granting her one of 
  the following benefits until the end of her next turn.
  • 
  Resistance to all damage
  • 
  Proficiency in all saving throws
  • 
  A 13 (2d12) bonus to damage rolls made with 
  weapon attacks.
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) whileshe 
  is in the Scarlet Hearth, Fayte takes a lair action to 
  cause one of the following effects; Fayte can't use the 
  same effect twice in a row. 
  Sacred Favors. Fayte calls in a favor to one of her 
  many minor Patrons, causing a creature loyal to that 
  patron to magically appear in an unoccupied space 
  within the lair. The creature is friendly toward Fayte, 
  and follows her commands (no action required) 
  to the best of its ability. The creature can be any 
  non-legendary fey, fiend, celestial, or undead of DC 
  10 or lower. If Fayte uses this option again while a 
  creature is aiding her in this manner, the first crea-
  ture vanishes immediately. 
  Holy Light. A 20 ft. radius cylinder that is 100 ft. high 
  of daylight appears centered on a space of Faytes 
  choice, which lasts until the next initiative count of 
  20. While Fayte or creatures friendly toward her are 
  in the area of light, they have advantage on saving 
  throws against being paralyzed, petrified, or stunned. 
  Whispers of Strength. The voices of Fayte’s patrons 
  whisper to her, granting her strength in her hour of 
  need. Fayte can choose to either regain 22 (4d10) hit 
  points or end one spell or magical effect of 6th level 
  or lower currently affecting her. 
  Governess of Yon’Cath
  
  44
  44
  
  LaCroix the Knight Captain
  The Knight Captain
  “Even death is too great a kindness…”
  - LaCroix The Knight Captain
  LaCroix, the Knight Captain of the Fallen Legion, is 
  a grim fellow. Embodying the determination a war-
  rior from the north would expect. Even more so be-
  cause the creatures he and his troop’s hunt are born 
  from Warlocks’ failures. The Legion serves many 
  roles: militia, police, vigilante, but chief among 
  these is the hunters of creatures that cross through 
  the veil. The more pacts that are sealed and flow 
  through the Well of Souls, the more chaotic and un-
  stable the separation of dimensions, so naturally; 
  the more chances monsters find ways into Yon’Cath.
  As the Shadelands’ ruler, the Accursed King, grew 
  more and more distant from his people and his 
  Accursed Guard were ordered to protect his inter-
  ests, the people of Yon’Cath were left to fend for 
  themselves. In time, the Fallen Legion rose to prom-
  inence as protectors. Every legionnaire was once a 
  Warlock themselves. Induction into their ranks re-
  quires that the candidate has at some point heard 
  the demands of a Patron, but ultimately their pact 
  was broken, and they fell out of favor. Once aban-
  doned by their Patron—either by their own failure 
  or events out of their control—these Warlocks were 
  eligible to join. They are unified and driven by their 
  shared, yet unspoken, sense of loss, and disconnec-
  tion. In time, most legionnaires adhered strictly to 
  martial pursuits while others struck new bargains 
  with Patrons to become Warlocks once more. 
  For LaCroix, however, the small warm flame that 
  drives him and sets his soul ablaze even in this fro-
  zen and barren north wasteland is love. He first laid 
  eyes on Fayte the Shield Maiden when she saved 
  him from death after a particularly gruesome hunt. 
  It didn’t take much to convince Fayte that Yon’Cath 
  needed her on the battlefield just as much as in the 
  temple. LaCroix found in himself an overflowing 
  vigor and strength with the Shield Maiden by his 
  side. He hoped perhaps she could feel the same, yet 
  knew she never will.
  When Fayte introduced LaCroix to Majin, the two 
  became fast friends through a mutual enjoyment 
  of Dragonchess. While LaCroix enjoys their compa-
  ny, he can’t help but feel this Warlock ‘outsider’ is 
  too cunning for their own good. LaCroix was once 
  a Warlock serving an Arch Devil that was killed 
  by a Paladin, proving that even the most intricate 
  schemes can be halted in their tracks by the sheer 
  unpredictability of chance. LaCroix sees a similar 
  fate for Majin. Hopefully, Majin pays up the money 
  they owe LaCroix before then.
  While the Legion does what it can to fight back the 
  invasions, LaCroix has some theories as to why 
  the attacks are only increasing. Years ago, when 
  the Shadelands were still young, LaCroix viewed 
  Dorian the Accursed King as a just ruler, but now 
  the Knight Captain questions his lord’s sanity. 
  Lately, many have taken notice of LaCroix no longer 
  calling Dorian his King. Many can see how he futile-
  ly pines after the Shield Maiden, who all know once 
  loved Dorian. Rumors abound of a plot to seize con-
  trol of the throne…
  
  46
  Based on your party level and size, the Knight Captain’s 
  stats and abilities can change as appropriate. You can 
  find a suggested stat block in the Appendix. These, 
  however, are some of his key abilities that should be 
  used in any fight with him (even if the damage dice 
  are altered to be as appropriate to tier play).
  Easily over six feet tall, LaCroix towers over many. A 
  human with cheek length dark hair, a brown beard, 
  and several demonic tattoos; he certainly looks like 
  trouble. LaCroix fights with any weapon he can get 
  his hands on and tends to wear different armor for 
  the day—like spring fashion might draw out leather 
  as surely as fall would draw plate mail. Regardless of 
  armor, LaCroix always has a little extra flair hidden on 
  him such as a small flower, or the scent of lavender oil, 
  or a popping bright color under the black armor. In 
  another life, he might have been a great courtier.
  ROLEPLAYING HINTS
  LaCroix may be tall, stoic, and grim in the face of adver-
  sity, but is truly a passionate man. His love for The Shield 
  Maiden is as deep as the river that runs through the 
  Shadelands—and he shows it, in rather unconventional, 
  out of touch ways. Feel free to be a little over the top with 
  their one-sided romance. A flower presented on a sword. 
  A dagger gifted with a box of chocolates. LaCroix seems fo-
  cused on weaponry since battle brings him closer to Fayte 
  and defines his life.
  When it comes to Dorian, LaCroix begins the campaign as 
  forlorn or unsure of himself. On one hand, it is his King 
  and he is sworn to protect the kingdom at all costs. On 
  the other, things have been getting worse for years. By the 
  end of the story, Dorian and LaCroix will be at war. 
  The party represents new blood in the Shadelands and a 
  welcome hand to protect the land. Unlike most militia, the 
  Legion’s coffers are not empty, nor wanting for magical weap-
  ons and gear. They simply lack the bodies to outfit. LaCroix 
  won’t ask the Players too many questions as long as their 
  spells and steel cut true for his cause. 
  LaCroix embodies noble intentions that fall to despair.
  Occasionally plagued by nightmares, the characters may 
  find LaCroix awake most nights (and asleep early in the 
  morning). If the party inquires, he’ll only say a final choice 
  lies ahead soon, and he hopes that he’s prepared to lead. If 
  they probe deeper (perhaps divination magic or by asking 
  NPCs for favors) to the point where his dreams are revealed, 
  this is what is foretold:
  “Arms were drawn as the very storm of vengeance gath-
  ered with an unrelenting might in the souls of those who 
  survived. Mankind was indeed cast astray into the tempest 
  of battle as this, what would be sorrowfully known as “The 
  Great Divide”, had begun. Burning with souls of white-hot 
  fire, a legion of men charged outward, few in number but 
  undying in resolve to take back what was lost to them and 
  to reclaim the days and nights once more. But there was 
  no victory, no glory for either side, just the prevailing dead 
  growing with each encounter.
  Each side fierce in conviction, refusing to retreat, equal in 
  prowess on the battlefield which left none to tell the tale 
  as all succumbed to their mortal wounds.
  LaCroix traversed the filth-paved streets of his once beau-
  tiful home, a kingdom rotting from inside. Fearful of the 
  peril that lies in the dark, of what lies beyond the walls, 
  none dare to leave the sanctuary. Bells tolled the num-
  bered dead with an almost ceaseless ring. Resources grew 
  scarce, the dead rose in number with nowhere left to bury, 
  sties were piled with lifeless bodies, and pestilence bred 
  with a voracious appetite, fouling the air with the vile 
  stench of decomposing meat.
  Facing death outside the walls as well as within, LaCroix 
  gathered the very few left that possessed a strong resolve, 
  and for final salvation, ventured out.” 
  
  47
  LaCroix, The Knight Captain
  Legion of the Fallen - Commander
  Legendary Actions
  LaCroix The Knight Captain can take 1 legendary 
  action, choosing from the list below. Only one leg-
  endary action option may be used at a time, and 
  only at the end of another creature’s turn. LaCroix 
  The Knight Captain regains used legendary ac-
  tions at the start of his turn.
  The strength of The Knight Captain’s armor and his 
  personal resilience is legendary. When a Player per-
  forms a successful attack, The Knight Captain can 
  choose to shrug it off, taking no damage and negating 
  any effects (for spells). 
  Spiteful Rage - 2 uses per encounter. 
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties). This ac-
  tion only activates if The Knight Captain is fighting 
  in Yonder. It does not activate on the Bridges, in the 
  Scarlet Hearth, in Cathrach, or the outer Shadelands. 
  Impregnable - 2 uses per encounter. 
  When an enemy makes a successful attack against 
  The Knight Captain, he may immediately make a me-
  lee attack against the closest foe.
  Plan For The Worst. 
  In his obsessive strategizing, The Knight Captain 
  had dozens of automated crossbow traps rigged up 
  throughout Yonder, hidden in building windows. They 
  are activated when false cobblestones are stepped 
  on. Each Enemy must make a DEX save (DC20) or be 
  hit by an automated crossbow. On a failed check, the 
  target is hit for 3d6 +10 piercing damage.
  
  48
  48
  
  Majin the Betrayer
  The Betrayer
  “And to what am I vilified for tonight? For compassion inflicted on immortal souls?                           
  Or the field of bodies left behind?” - Majin the Betrayer
  Majin the Betrayer is a creature bold enough to 
  openly wear their insidious title as a badge of pride. 
  As far as it—not quite a he—knows, that’s what hu-
  mans do: take absurd titles and wear them as their 
  own. Majin is not truly mortal. They are a manifes-
  tation of the Shadelands itself. Like a Patron, but not 
  one that ever cut a deal with the Accursed King to 
  cross over, therefore not bound by the rules of other 
  Patrons. Instead, Majin was born from the Well of 
  Souls due to the coalescence of eldritch energies. In 
  a sense, Majin is the very energy that binds a Patron 
  to its Warlock and vice versa. 
  After becoming self-aware, Majin studied mortals 
  and gleaned the secrets of the multiverse from the 
  very Patrons who contacted them. They listened 
  for so long. But neither side of the conversations 
  impressed them. Time and time again, Warlocks 
  across the world wanted power and Patrons want-
  ed something done. 
  For a time, driven by boredom, Majin contemplated 
  suicide—closing the Well of Souls and severing all 
  pacts, destroying the Accursed King’s dream of the 
  Shadelands. And they would have if it wasn’t for the 
  Shield Maiden, Fayte, and her most intriguing pact. 
  Fayte’s Patron, unlike all others, asked for nothing 
  in return, only sent her visions, and thus never re-
  vealed itself. Majin alone knows Fayte’s Patron is 
  not a deity, but a celestial - an angel. 
  As Majin observed this unique one-way relationship 
  more and more, they were struck with a fascination, 
  which ultimately grew to their greatest desire. If 
  Majin could silence all the Patrons, close off their 
  flow of power through the Well, then they could 
  easily masquerade as any of them, thus all “pacts” 
  would be made with them, and Warlocks across 
  the world would become their army to amass. The 
  idea itself is horrific enough that no sane individual 
  would attempt it. No deity would allow it. No Patron 
  would ever approve it. 
  To test if this would even work, Majin began by 
  slaying the angel and assuming the role as Patron, 
  unbeknownst to Fayte of course. Next, they took 
  the form of a mortal to study the pacts of Warlocks 
  more closely. Their knowledge of Patrons quickly 
  set them apart from other advisors and they rose 
  through the Accursed King’s ranks to become one of 
  Dorian’s most trusted advisors. Even though Majin 
  is poised to strike, there’s just one puzzle left that 
  they cannot solve: Death. 
  How difficult it is to achieve the deaths of Patrons. 
  With magic, divine power, nature magic, multi-
  ple realms, and even the direct intervention of the 
  Gods themselves—any major overthrow would be 
  foiled as they simply creep their way back into exis-
  tence like cockroaches. And even if they killed every 
  Patron’s mortal servant, those deaths could be un-
  done with a few waves of their masters’ hands.
  In time, Majin realized to take over as the de facto 
  voice for all Patrons, they would need all sides to 
  agree. To unknowingly agree. 
  That brings us to today. As the Accursed King’s ad-
  viser, Majin is the entity that ensures the Patrons are 
  kept happy with the arrangements and helps carry 
  out their wishes. The Knight Captain and his Fallen 
  Legion stay busy slaying anything dangerous that 
  crosses the veil and so protects the mortals. The 
  Shield Maiden ensures new Warlocks are taken care 
  of in a pact. As these mortals grow in power, and the 
  more direction they have over the great dance of 
  Yon’Cath, the more Majin will have a chance to enact 
  their ultimate plan: becoming the One Patron.
  But it relies on the choices of others. Anything they 
  do themselves risks being instantly divined by cler-
  ics, or undone by the Patrons’ otherworldly mag-
  ic. Not even the Accursed King knows who or 
  what Majin truly is. So, quietly, Majin advis-
  es the King to alter the flow of whispers 
  in the Well of Souls, tipping the balance 
  
  50
  in Yon’Cath, making the Patrons hungrier and hun-
  grier. As the fires of unrest grow, as the veil thins, 
  the Knight Captain puts his legions more at risk. 
  And with these added dangers, the Shield Maiden 
  will grow tired of passively waiting for her silent 
  Patron’s aid and demand Majin open the Well so she 
  can plead directly. Unprecedented. Forbidden. 
  And so Majin’s victory shall be sealed. 
  Once the mortal request is made, Majin can answer it 
  however they see fit. A Warlock’s pact is what gives 
  them power, after all, and the same is true on the oth-
  er side. Fayte will unknowingly forge a pact with the 
  ROLEPLAYING
  HINTS
  You know everything but have also for-
  gotten everything. Food is a particular 
  curiosity, but it can’t distract you from 
  this delicate game. You need the Players 
  to make a choice, because it is their 
  choice helps bind the threads of fate.
  Well itself, with Majin. At that point, both the final 
  thread of the Accursed King’s sanity will snap and 
  he will blast all the other immortal Patrons to bits 
  with all the Well’s energies. Or the Knight Captain 
  will launch a final purge of all mortal Warlocks who 
  still hear the infected whisperings of their masters. 
  Regardless, Majin’s grand manipulation will lead to 
  death. It’s in a mortal’s nature after all: Kill first, in-
  vestigate later. In this, Majin is certain. What mortal 
  would choose patience, or sacrifice?
  If that happens… well, maybe they’ll have to take a 
  direct hand after all.
  Majin’s chosen mortal form is that of a Tiefling. It is, 
  after all, the form they saw most often dealing with 
  Patrons so it was only natural they assumed that was 
  the standard race. Nobody was around to tell them 
  that they are some of the most distrusted creatures. 
  Still, their blue skin is adorned with tattoos. Their 
  long-pointed ears are pierced with adamantine and 
  mithril jewels. Majin could certainly use some help in 
  the fashion department, as they wear white robes with 
  red and gold tabards almost daily. Majin has, however, 
  taken to wearing masks as means of accessory. From 
  simple red sashes that hide the lower half of their face, 
  to full-face ornate silver masks. Often, they find that 
  people not trusting them has been working in their 
  favor because they can predict what people will do. 
  Food is their weakness. A hunger that they have nev-
  er known as a swirling pool of eldritch energies now 
  rests within. The taste of spices, sweets, and various 
  culinary delights is something alien. As such, they are 
  almost trying out some delicious or grotesque combi-
  nation of flavors.
  
  51
  Majin, the Betrayer
  Advisor to the Accursed Guard
  Majin’s stats are left to the imagination intentionally. 
  These will be made clear during the story, but we’ve 
  included some of their special abilities. Truthfully, 
  Majin’s abilities should never be used on the field 
  of battle or in the story unless the party is attacking 
  them. Their entire purpose in this Red Opera is to not 
  take official action; otherwise, anyone with divination 
  magic might catch onto them. This is the reason Majin 
  avoids using any abilities or powers they possess. 
  They need the party to do it for them.
  Legendary Actions
  Majin the Betrayer can take 1 legendary action from 
  the options below. Only one legendary action option 
  may be used at a time, and only at the end of another 
  creature’s turn. Majin the Betrayer regains spent leg-
  endary actions at the start of their turn.
  Gaze of Chaos. Ranged spell attack: +14 to hit. Range 
  60 ft., any number of creatures of Majin’s choice that 
  they can see within range. Hit: 14 (4d6) acid, cold, 
  fire, lightning, or thunder damage (Majin’s choice). 
  Usurp Pact (Costs 2 Actions). Majin curses a creature 
  they can see within 120 ft. that has made a pact with 
  an otherworldly patron (such as a Warlock). The tar-
  get must succeed on a DC 22 Charisma saving throw 
  or be unable to use any features, spells, or actions 
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) so long 
  as they are within the Well of Souls, Majin takes a lair 
  action to cause one of the following effects.
  Bend Reality. Majin creates a non-magical object 
  or structure whose dimensions cannot exceed a 20 
  ft. cube of space. The creation appears in an unoc-
  cupied space within the lair, and cannot have an AC 
  greater than 18 or more than 200 hit points. This 
  creation vanishes if Majin uses this effect again. 
  granted by that patron for as long as it remains cursed. 
  At the end of each of its turns, an affected creature can 
  repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. 
  Pact Boon (Costs 2 Actions). Majin grants a creature 
  they can see within 120 ft. a powerful pact boon, 
  granting it one of the following benefits until Majin 
  chooses to revoke it. 
  • 
  Proficiency bonus increases by 1
  • 
  Proficiency in a saving throw of Majin’s choice. 
  • 
  Proficiency in two skills of Majin’s choice. 
  • 
  30 hit point increase to target’s hit point maximum.
  This effect on a creature immediately ends if that 
  creature benefits from this action again.
  Waltz of the Elements. Majin opens a rift of elemen-
  tal power, which appears as a 30 ft. radius sphere of 
  energy centered on a point within the lair. When the 
  rift appears, creatures in the affected area must suc-
  ceed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 35 
  (10d6) acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage 
  (Majin’s choice). 
  
  52
  52
  
  Yon’Cath
  THE DUAL CITY
  “Where else in the world can you stand at the edge of reality and stare directly into the maw of 
  insanity?” -Dorian The Accursed King
  Deep within the northern reaches of the Shadelands, 
  the veil between our world and the ethereal grows 
  sheer. It is here that the habitable tundra comes to 
  an abrupt end at a low ridgeline of jagged dark rock 
  stretching from east to west. North of this ridge, a frig-
  id black sea extends beyond the horizon. Countless pil-
  lars of dark ice rise from the inky depths. At one point 
  along the coast, the water pierces the jagged rocks and 
  forms a gently winding river known as the Obsidian 
  Rush. It is said you can see stars reflected in the pitch-
  black water which does not exist in the sky above. 
  Centuries ago, lands bordering the Rush were 
  found to be especially attuned with the realms of 
  the Shadowfell and the Feywild. Ambitious adven-
  turers followed the rumors and came to stake their 
  claim, and over time, small settlements emerged on 
  either side of the river. West of the river, the village 
  of Yonder flourished, its original denizens finding 
  themselves drawn toward the beauty and whimsy of 
  the Fey. Yonder folk were no strangers to treachery 
  and mischief. East of the river, the town of Cathrach 
  thrived. And while ruthless ambition flowed freely, 
  so too did hope for a world made better.
  Would-be Warlocks hungry for power, magic, ad-
  venture, and plain old freedom, continued to find 
  their way north. Summoned unknowingly by the in-
  visible hand of their Patrons and the growing power 
  beneath the northern sea (the place that would one 
  day be the Well of Souls). The forests to the south 
  provided much-needed isolation, and within those 
  clusters of ancient trees, creatures of the Fey made 
  new homes away from home. As more and more 
  settlers flooded north to this bastion for warlocks, a 
  defense force became needed. The Accursed merce-
  nary company filled that role, and its leader Dorian 
  would eventually rule as king. 
  And so, in the span of a few short generations, these 
  modest hamlets developed into towering cities. 
  Clusters of squat huts became a forest of black spires 
  raking the sky. If not for the river, it would have been 
  impossible to tell where Yonder ended and Cathrach 
  began. Folks gave up trying to discern between the two 
  and started calling the combined metropolis Yon’Cath. 
  But while it might seem the city is one, unified en-
  tity, the civil divide between the cities runs as deep 
  as the depths of the Obsidian Rush. On the west-
  ern bank, The Knight Captain and his Legion watch 
  over the people of Yonder. On the eastern bank, The 
  Accursed King cradles Cathrach in his palm.
  Because Yon’Cath plays the happy host to every 
  manner of Warlock, the air itself practically sizzles 
  with arcane tension. Imps, sprites, fairies, and famil-
  iars of all shapes and sizes abound in the streets (and 
  in the air just over your heads)! In the Mead Halls of 
  Yonder, adventurers sing songs while toasting each 
  other’s endeavors. In the citadels of Cathrach, blood 
  pacts are forged in pursuit of unfathomable power. 
  The perpetually damp stone of the city streets glows 
  with reflections of the ever-present Aurora in the 
  night sky, the Elemental Dance. The air feels thick 
  and heavy with mystical potential. Ethereal whis-
  pers linger around every corner. Unnatural shad-
  ows lurk in every alley. Death is frequent and a com-
  mon resolution in disputes between citizens. Mortal 
  blood holds little value, save for the appeasement of 
  otherworldly beings. 
  Yonder and Cathrach are joined by three great bridg-
  es: Patron’s Pass, Stone Leg, and Black Span. Each one 
  at least a quarter-mile long and one hundred yards 
  wide. These bridges act as the de facto neutral 
  zones for Yon’Cath. Hundreds of tents clog 
  the stone causeways, forming makeshift 
  bazaars of honest merchants and 
  
  54
  devious swindlers. Those with adventurous taste 
  buds can peruse the culinary offerings from dozens 
  of far-flung cultures among the white tents of Savory 
  Lane on the middle bridge, Stone Leg. Sometimes a 
  magic user requires an item so obscure, not a single 
  city merchant will stock it. It is then that they will 
  browse the wares of the arcane dealers on the north-
  ern bridge, Black Span. 
  The lengths of rope and wooden planks that connect 
  the gaps between bridges are known collectively as 
  The Stretches. They allow inter-bridge travel without 
  having to enter either city. But attempt to cross these 
  at your own risk, for the wood is rotted, the ropes are 
  frayed, and it’s all held together with little more than 
  hope and prayer. Many who fall into the river are lost, 
  and those who do emerge find themselves forever 
  haunted with visions of their own grisly deaths.
  Like a barbed spear piercing and tearing the skidding 
  clouds, the Impossible Spire casts a long shadow over 
  the heart of Cathrach. Within this stronghold, The 
  Accursed King holds his court, gathering the most in-
  fluential subjects in the Shadelands to ensure their fe-
  alty. From the Spire, he marshals patrols of Accursed 
  Guard to protect his interests in Cathrach, and within 
  his personal chambers, he alone plots the bloody mach-
  inations that will hold all the Shadelands together.
  A stark contrast to the jagged black towers that make 
  up so much of the dual city’s skyline, The Gilded Gallery 
  is The Knight Captain’s attempt at polishing Yon’Cath’s 
  image. This alehouse is whitewashed stone trimmed 
  with gold, and it serves as the center of Yonder’s af-
  fairs. The interior is filled with bronze sculptures 
  and sparkling fountains. It is also the favored hang-
  out location for Iorfaan Shimbaac, the hulking brass 
  Dragonborn who runs the muscle-for-hire Brute’s 
  Guild. He and The Knight Captain have mutual respect 
  and understanding to stay out of each other’s way.
  The enormous clock tower, Maghoro’s Perch, looms 
  high over the Rush’s western riverbank. But don’t ex-
  pect to find any gears behind the shiny black stone. 
  This clock is powered by otherworldly means.
  Warlocks looking to alter their fate can visit The 
  Cracked Pact. The proprietor, Khouryn Brickfoot, is a 
  dwarf woman of indiscernible age and origin. Staring 
  down customers from behind opaque black specta-
  cles, forever chewing on an unlit cigar, Khouryn of-
  fers to buy out their Patron’s deal or even swap it 
  for another. But buyer beware: Neither Khouryn 
  nor her establishment holds any responsibility for 
  retribution meted out by a scorned Patron.
  Atheneum Arcana holds the unique honor of being 
  widely considered the most dangerous library in 
  the known world. Mimic infestations are common. 
  Ghosts are plentiful. Sentient books looking to cause 
  mischief to any soul who dares crack their spine 
  abound. Some books are written so vividly, that their 
  contents spill into reality. Knowledge seekers are ad-
  vised to enter at their own risk.
  Familiars looking to blow off steam can find refuge 
  in The Little Helper, a Cathrach watering hole that 
  caters specifically to those invaluable, yet oft under-
  appreciated creatures.
  At the southern edge of Yon’Cath, the Obsidian Rush 
  empties into a vast, deep basin of pitch-black wa-
  ter, the entirety of it surrounding the dual-city’s most 
  renowned structure: The Scarlet Hearth. Vines of 
  blood-red ivy cling to the ziggurat’s white stone. The 
  Patron’s Pass bridge branches to the front gate, the only 
  method of entry. Below, the temple is encircled by a spi-
  der web of bottomless fissures that suck the waters of 
  the Rush down into unexplored subterranean channels. 
  All around these, spears of black stone stab skyward. 
  Shadelands historians believe these geological scars 
  formed from so much diverse and unnatural pow-
  er concentrating in such a relatively small location. 
  Some refer to the Scarlet Hearth as the Patron’s 
  Pantheon. Within its chambers, you can find all man-
  ners of otherworldly beings looking to offer power 
  in exchange for a piece of your soul.
  The least famous structure in Yon’Cath is quite possi-
  bly the most important. North of the cities, an unseen 
  temple called Rem Exius lies within the reflection of 
  the still black waters, existing only between physical 
  planes. Within this place lies the immensely power-
  ful and eternally misunderstood Well of Souls. Only 
  those the Well has deemed worthy have ever found it.
  Should the Well deem you worthy, you would do well 
  to keep your wits about yourself, for this place has 
  no shortage of trials, traps, and monsters that have 
  wandered its labyrinthine halls for an age, eager to 
  prey on the weak and unsuspecting. 
  Of course, should you happen to find yourself trapped 
  inside, you will have at least one way out. It’s the same 
  
  55
  way out of any danger you may find in all the Shadelands. 
  You just need to be open to deal. Because waiting in ev-
  ery corner, lurking down every alley, hiding behind ev-
  ery shadow in Yon’Cath, ambitious Patrons seek their 
  next servant. All you need to do is ask. 
  Due to the abundance of Patrons and the amplified 
  connections forged in their pacts, Yon’Cath is primar-
  ily a haven for Warlocks. But they aren’t the only class 
  of adventurers that can thrive in the Shadelands. 
  Rogues have also carved (pun very much intended) a 
  substantial niche for themselves, especially along the 
  Bridges. And you will find plenty of Bards, Druids, 
  Rangers, and Barbarians living amiably among them. 
  Clerics do all they can to avoid this place, and not a 
  single monk can be found within the city limits. In 
  the opinion of Sorcerers, if Yon’Cath had a flavor, 
  it’d be bitter lemons. Wizards will occasionally pass 
  through in the course of some arcane pursuit, though 
  they best be prepared to receive plenty of ribbing at 
  their own expense.
  Even those outsiders who detest the place will find 
  the inherent power within too alluring to ignore. But 
  while Warlocks make up the majority of the popula-
  tion, make no mistake…
  Yon’Cath does not belong to the Warlocks. 
  It belongs to the Archfey, the Fiends, the Old 
  Ones, the Undying, and the Celestials. Yon’Cath is 
  the Patron’s City.
  
  56
  56
  
  57
  
  58
  
  59
  
  Well of souls
  60
  
  Scarlet heart
  61
  61
  
  62
  62
  
  Cuisine of the Shadelands
  “No wonder most adventurers crave the tavern. Even I’d wake myself from the 
  dead for this spiced wine.” – Majin The Betrayer
  Do not let the location of the Shadelands fool you. 
  Although the Shadelands are in a place that may be re-
  mote and traditionally so cold as to be unsuitable for 
  raising crops and animals, the thin veil between planes 
  allows them to not only thrive but to flourish. For half 
  of the year, the Shadelands are a lush and lavish en-
  vironment, a perfect place to grow a wide variety of 
  colorful fruits, vegetables, spices, and livestock. This 
  can be attributed to the qualities of the Feywild that 
  flow into the Shadelands during the warmer months.
  Farmers who live on and cultivate the land produce 
  a bountiful variety of flavors and colors each year at 
  harvest time. In addition to the locally grown seasonal 
  produce, powerful Warlocks and Druids traverse the 
  planes all year long providing a steady stream of im-
  ported ingredients. This constantly abundant supply 
  of a wide range of culinary trade items has provided 
  many opportunities for those who seek to profit from 
  preparing cuisine, find pleasure in dining on luxurious 
  dishes or simply enjoy imbibing intoxicating beverages.
  Throughout the dual city of Yon’Cath, one will find 
  many dining halls. It is nearly impossible to ignore the 
  tantalizing smells of sweet pastries, savory meats, and 
  exotic spices as one passes near these establishments. 
  Likewise, when traveling on one of the three bridges 
  one cannot help but be taken hostage by the feast for 
  the senses that the open-air markets provide. 
  Bright yellow, green, and orange tropical fruits are 
  large and supple, emitting sweet smells that are some-
  times tinged with appealingly tangy notes. Deep green 
  and dark purple vegetables are dense and healthy 
  with thick leaves that pleasantly smell of a fresh bou-
  quet of earthy minerals from rich, fertile soils. Sizzling 
  sounds can be heard as a variety of meats are steamed, 
  smoked, and grilled, filling the air in front of some 
  shops with a cloudy haze that burns the eyes and 
  awakens the desire to consume flesh. A near-infinite 
  selection of spices representing every terrestrial and 
  many interplanar varieties send the olfactory senses 
  into a dizzying dance of pleasure and excitement.
  Indeed, many of the inhabitants of the Shadelands 
  take part in the decadent offerings of the markets and 
  Druid Groves
  Some farms are not... quite farms; rather they are 
  massive enchanted groves that are tended by dru-
  ids who are favored with Patrons that reside in the 
  Feywild. These groves appear to be nothing more 
  than wild forests to the untrained eye, but within 
  these dense forests, one would find a wide variety of 
  plants, all of which are edible. 
  Fruits like tomatoes, pineapples, citrus, melons, and 
  berries grow abundantly in the groves. Many vege-
  tables like squash, beans, and cruciferous also grow 
  plentifully in these food forests. The rich soil of such 
  druid-tended slices of paradise is perfect for root 
  and bulb based plants like potatoes, carrots, 
  radish, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and onions. 
  The ground is even littered with herbs 
  A Feast For Gods
  You may choose to allow players to create or 
  purchase dishes and burn them as offerings at 
  the Scarlet Hearth. You may reward these play-
  ers by giving them temporary stat bonuses to 
  Charisma or by giving them the ability to use 
  a Warlock spell of your choice once. If a player 
  makes this type of offering five times or more, 
  consider creating a scenario in which they are 
  personally contacted by a Patron, who thanks 
  them for their offerings and offers to make a 
  deal with them that could advance the storyline.
  dining halls of Yon’Cath. The cuisine upon which one 
  dines is often considered a mark of distinction for the 
  most powerful and influential members of Yon’Cath 
  society. It is widely known that even the Patrons them-
  selves are not above the temptations of a decadent and 
  delicious dining experience. In fact, some rites and rit-
  uals involve the preparation and sacrificial offering of 
  particular delicacies that are known to be acceptable 
  to certain Patrons to earn their favor.
  
  64
  such as cilantro, oregano, rosemary, basil, dill, sage, 
  parsley, mint, and thyme. 
  Though produce from the groves is sold throughout 
  the Shadelands and beyond, the land upon which 
  the groves reside is sacred to the druids and are 
  jealously guarded. 
  One could live forever from the sustenance provided 
  by the grove, but the druids would rather kill tres-
  passers in sacrifice to their fey Patrons. Wild ani-
  mals are protected and allowed to eat freely in the 
  grove, however, it is common for humanoids that the 
  druids find within their sacred groves to have their 
  blood mixed into the soil, their organs hung from 
  the trees and their bones ground up and sprinkled 
  through the forest.
  The Vineyards
  Some locations in the Shadelands host interplanar 
  portals to the Shadowfell and Feywild to aid in the 
  production of food and beverages. One such location 
  is the Earth and Bone Vineyard and Winery located 
  in the Shadelands countryside. 
  At Earth and Bone, there is a portal to the Shadowfell 
  from which Warlocks who are skilled in the art of 
  necromancy summon skeletal minions to perform 
  labor in the vineyards. The vineyards are through 
  another portal that leads to a region in the Feywild 
  featuring an eternally sunny summer climate with 
  the perfect amount of rain every night. This weather 
  accompanied by the enchantments around the vine-
  yard helps to produce the highest quality muscat 
  and merlot grapes all year long and at a rapid rate. 
  The skeletal minions harvest the grapes and bring 
  them back to the Shadelands to be processed into 
  sweet Moscato and dry merlot wines. 
  These wines are then teleported from the winery 
  into the cellar of the high-end Blood of the Goat 
  Tavern in Yon’Cath, where they are magically aged 
  and served to guests; the Moscato is paired with 
  soft goat cheese and the merlot with dark choco-
  late. Blood of the Goat Tavern is also known for the 
  dark and broody chamber music that guests enjoy as 
  they sip their wine. It is a rather exclusive venue that 
  is attended by nobles and influential members of 
  Yon’Cath society and outsiders are not easily granted 
  access to Blood of the Goat Tavern.
  Seafood and Fishing
  Though one might not normally associate the north-
  ern region around the Shadelands as a prime loca-
  tion for procuring seafood for consumption, there is 
  a rich cultural history of fishing in and around 
  the area. The primary source of saltwater fish is 
  the eastern sea, which hosts a few small fishing vil-
  lages and a single port city named Eastwharf on its 
  shores. Salmon, halibut, tuna, shrimp, lobster, crab, 
  mussels, oysters, and squid are among the most 
  commonly found seafood species in the eastern sea. 
  The inhabitants of Eastwharf are superstitious 
  and maintain many unique rituals. It is customary 
  for every fishing excursion to include at least one 
  Warlock under the patronage of an entity known as 
  ‘The Bearded One Who Twitches.’ The duty placed 
  upon this Warlock is to build a small human effigy 
  from driftwood and seaweed, imbue it with illusion 
  magic to make it appear alive, recite an incantation 
  requesting protection for the vessel and crew, then 
  throw the effigy into the sea on the first day of the 
  fishing excursion. This is just one of the many unique 
  practices of the fishermen of Eastwharf.
  Rumors of missing fishermen and monstrous crea-
  tures lurking in the depths of the eastern sea often 
  spread through the Shadelands, but it is well known 
  that the eastern sea is a much safer fishing location 
  than the Nameless Black Sea to the north, which 
  many fishermen throughout the Shadelands refer to 
  as ‘The frigid black, from whence ye may not back.” 
  However, fishermen who dare brave the waters of 
  the northern sea primarily return with meat from 
  the large tentacles of a species of fish-like amphibian 
  aberrations that can be found in the inky depths of 
  the black northern sea.
  Most fishing boats in the Shadelands are equipped 
  with barrels of preservation, which are magically 
  crafted to keep their contents as fresh as the mo-
  ment they were placed within. There are portals in 
  the city of Eastwharf that teleport those who enter 
  into the Feywild, where much of the seafood is sea-
  soned with special herbs that only grow there. From 
  the Feywild, the fish and other ingredients are taken 
  through another portal that leads straight to the city 
  of Yon’Cath where these highly valuable trade items 
  are transported throughout the city. 
   Yon’Cath’s dining halls serve many dishes that in-
  clude these seafood ingredients. Steamed crab, 
  baked fish, boiled lobster, fried scallops, and even 
  raw fish wrapped in seaweed with rice and vari-
  ous vegetables and sauces can be found among the 
  delicacies in the city. Considered by many of the 
  Yon’Cath well-to-do as the best spot in town for fine 
  cuisine, there is one dining hall that specializes in 
  
  65
  seafood produce; The Tentacular Aberrant. The sig-
  il of The Tentacular Aberrant is widely recognized 
  throughout the Shadelands and contains a circular 
  crest that displays a tentacled aberration flanked by 
  two olive leaf branches. Unbeknownst to most, The 
  Tentacular Aberrant is the meeting place of a secret 
  cabal of very powerful necromancers who, in addi-
  tion to their love of seafood, share many common 
  goals for the future of Yon’Cath. They use the sigil of 
  The Tentacular Aberrant printed in dark purple on a 
  field of black to identify each other.
  Festivals and Feasts
  The Day of Mourning
  During the festival known as The Day of Mourning, 
  solemn magic fills the street. Four tolls of a bell from 
  each corner of the city echo at dawn. Snowflakes 
  and a brisk chill lightly dust the cobblestone streets 
  which absorb the stain of sin from the city--blood-
  stained patches appear over the fresh snow like tiny 
  roses blooming in winter.
  Chimes waft through bleak air and silken umbral tap-
  estries gently drift, mimicking spirits dancing from 
  death to beyond the midnight sky. In shambled cos-
  tumes, tributes to the dead are held. Some bind their 
  eyes until the following dawn with a rough, black 
  cloth called a “mourning band” while others adorn 
  chimes to imitate the bell tolls. Ceremonial dances 
  are held in succession at the three locations where 
  Dorian’s men put their former compatriots to the 
  sword. At the end of each commemoration, the danc-
  ers lay upon the ice-covered ground to give up the 
  warmth of life, in hopes that the dead below may feel.
  Practical folk fasten leather black bands around their 
  belt as they set out for the day’s labors, acknowledg-
  ing death, though still needing to make a living.
  There are no feasts on the day of mourning. Instead, 
  many of those who observe this holiday engage in 
  ritual fasting to be closer to the dead, who can no 
  longer eat. Others only allow themselves plain meats 
  with no seasonings and drink only water. It is con-
  sidered disrespectful to the dead to drink alcohol or 
  indulge in flavorful meals on The Day of Mourning. 
  Though rare and not commonly practiced anymore, 
  the ritual consumption of the flesh from recently de-
  ceased members of the community was heavily as-
  sociated with The Day of Mourning when the festival 
  was still new. Some of the older families of Yon’Cath 
  still engage in these cannibalistic rites in the privacy 
  of their own homes. It is said that the act of eating the 
  flesh of the dead could return the deceased to life by 
  becoming a part of the person who consumed them. 
  To those who still practice this ritual, it is considered 
  the highest respect one could pay to the dead.
  At the end of The Day of Mourning, many citizens 
  of Yon’Cath anoint themselves in the oils and spices 
  that are traditionally used to treat the corpses of the 
  dead. This is done in the belief that on this night they 
  will sleep among the dead. There are two purposes 
  for this; they believe that visiting the realm of the 
  dead for one night will prevent them from meeting 
  their true death in the coming year and because they 
  believe it will please the most powerful Patrons of 
  the Shadowfell, who often visit them through magi-
  cal visions in their dreams on this night.
  Blessed Day of Black Ash
  Unknown to the common folk, this is a day of un-
  spoken truce. Shedding armor in the cover of night, 
  soldiers of warring kingdoms retire into the fleeting 
  hours whilst peasants and farmers lay tools of every 
  manner by logs. Drink and laughter herald the har-
  vest’s end as the crackle of campfires glitter on the 
  starless night horizon. 
  Living in the passing moments as nameless country-
  men unbeknownst to either Dorian or LaCroix, dead-
  ly warriors of both kingdoms fade into the drunken 
  gladness of celebration, taking in the ease and leisure 
  of a harvest’s end they took no part in. Identified only 
  by the black sediment streaks covering scars of war, 
  to the untrained seen only as dirt from the day’s fi-
  nal labor; warriors catch the occasional glance from 
  across the flames. A nod is exchanged between the 
  two. This hidden secular holiday has been cherished 
  by both reluctant sides for untold years.
  
  66
  Recipies of the 
  Shadelands
  “Do you know how many times LaCroix has tried to 
  poison me with his paltry excuse for cooking? At 
  least two, and that’s one more than the last friend.”
  – Dorian, The Accursed King
  Contained below are some common meals and tasty 
  beverages found within the halls of the Yon’Cath. 
  However, one should always be warned: the quali-
  ty of the food is determined by the skill of the chef. 
  While serving your player’s suspicious food (or vice 
  versa) might fall into the category of amusement - 
  make sure to sacrifice a taste-tester before actually 
  trying these dishes. 
  Sorcerer’s Coda – By Olivia Kizior
  “We would love to muddle actual Sorcerers up and 
  drink their blood… but they tend to taste like sparkles.” 
  Rei’zel
  • 
  8 Maraschino Cherries
  • 
  1 Cup Ice
  • 
  1 oz. Peach Vodka
  • 
  3/4 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • 
  1 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 
  ¼ oz. Lemon Juice
  • 
  1 oz. Clear Brandy
  • 
  1 ½ oz. Sparkling Sake
  • 
  1 1/2 oz. KINKY Blue Liqueur
  Muddle Maraschino Cherries in a glass. Add Ice, 
  Peach Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Simple Syrup, Brandy, 
  and Blue liqueur into the shaker. Shake furiously un-
  til hands are as cold as winter snow. Pour unstrained 
  contents into glass and top with Sparkling Sake. Stir 
  gently before serving to your favorite patron. 
  Sunrise Pie
  “Time for breakfast, wee ones. Can’t go around har-
  vesting the souls of the damned on an empty stom-
  ach, now can we?”
  Nana Goff
  • 
  Pie Crust
  • 
  5 eggs
  • 
  1 lb. pork sausage
  • 
  5 cups frozen, shredded potatoes
  • 
  2 cups shredded cheese
  • 
  1/2 cup milk
  1. Heat the oven to 425*F and take the pie crust 
  out of the icebox. Coat a pie dish with oil or 
  cooking spray. Fully cook sausage in a large skillet.
  2. Add potatoes to the skillet. Cook 5 to 8 minutes, 
  until potatoes are slightly soft. Remove from 
  heat and stir in cheese. 
  3. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk and 
  blend. Set aside 1 tablespoon egg mixture. Add po-
  tato, sausage, and cheese mixture to the bowl and 
  mix it all together. Spoon the filling into the pie pan.
  4. Lay pie crust over the filling, folding over the edg-
  es, and pressing them to the dish with a fork. Cut 
  multiple slits in the top of the crust. Brush the 
  crust with the tablespoon of eggs you set aside. 
  5. Bake for 25 minutes. Then cover the pie with foil 
  to prevent overcooking the crust and bake for 
  an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven to 
  cool. Enjoy.
  Black Bean Soup and Rice
  “When the Impossible Spire’s meat locker came down 
  with an infestation of Spoil-tongue Squirmlings, I had 
  to get creative in thinking up a hearty yet vegetarian 
  meal for his lordship.”
  Griselda Grubsmith, Chef Arcanist
  • 
  2 cans of black beans
  • 
  2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 
  1 small onion
  • 
  1-2 jalapeños
  • 
  3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 
  salt and pepper
  • 
  2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 
  1 teaspoon cumin
  • 
  3-4 cups vegetable broth
  • 
  Rice
  • 
  1 Lime
  • 
  Cilantro
  • 
  (Optional Toppings) Avocado, Tomato, Tortilla Chips
  1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Dice on-
  ion and jalapeños and add to the pot. Season with 
  salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are softened, 
  about 8 minutes. 
  2. Add minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin. 
  Sauté another 1-2 minutes. 
  3. Drain, but don’t rinse, the black beans, and then 
  add to the pot. Add vegetable broth and turn the 
  
  67
  heat up to bring the pot to a boil. Then reduce 
  again to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Cook the rice and then add the juice of one lime 
  and chopped cilantro to preference. 
  5. Spoon rice into a wide bowl and then pour soup 
  over it. Add optional toppings of your choice. Enjoy.
  Hearth Pasta Bake
  “I need something to soak up all this wine in my belly! 
  Chef! Make me something delicious... and filling... and 
  meaty... and cheesy... and did I mention it should be 
  delicious?!”
  Baron Urbic Silkstone of Lluthorn
  • 
  1 box of penne or mostaccioli noodles
  • 
  1 lb of ground beef
  • 
  Tomato sauce
  • 
  Shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 
  Seasoning (oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage)
  • 
  Tomatoes
  • 
  Red or green bell pepper
  1. Heat oven to 400*F. Cook ground beef in a skillet 
  and add seasoning. Bring a pot of water to boil 
  and cook noodles. 
  2. Dice tomatoes and bell peppers and add to beef 
  in skillet.
  3. Add pasta to a glass baking dish. Stir in some of 
  the cheese. Then add beef and vegetable mix-
  ture. Pour tomato sauce over it. Layer more 
  cheese across the top. 
  4. Bake for 25 minutes. Then cover with foil to pre-
  vent cheese on top from burning and bake an ad-
  ditional 15-20 minutes. Enjoy. 
  Ravenvale Spiced Apples
  “Know why every villain always eats apples? Because 
  they make you look cocky. Cook this though, and you’ll 
  get henchmen.”  Cordelia, General of the Shadelands
  • 
  4 Apples
  • 
  1 cup rolled oats
  • 
  ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 
  Pureed Blackberries
  • 
  (optional) Chocolate Cream Liqueur
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Hollow out the top and center core of each apple 
  making a large well in the center of the apple as 
  if carving out the heart of a foe.
  3. Arrange apples on a rimmed baking sheet. 
  4. Mix oats, brown sugar, pureed blackberries, and 
  cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter and mix un-
  til everything is combined. Spoon ¼ of the oat 
  mixture into each apple. (Mix ½ teaspoon of 
  Chocolate cream liqueur in as option). Offer any 
  leftovers as a sacrifice to the gods. 
  5. Bake in the preheated oven until the apples are 
  tender and filling is bubbling, which should be 
  about 30 minutes. 
  Firebrand Spiced Wine
  “It’s best served as a single bottle per person, but I’ve 
  gone through a few cases myself for breakfast. It’s 
  noon somewhere.”
  Alios, Guildmaster
  • 
  Red Wine (1 bottle) – Cabernet Sauvignon
  • 
  2 cups apple cider
  • 
  ¼ cup honey
  • 
  1 orange (juiced)
  • 
  5 whole cloves
  • 
  2 cinnamon sticks
  • 
  1 whole star anise
  • 
  ¼ cup brandy
  • 
  Garnish with orange slices
  Pour all contents into a larger container and stir gen-
  tly. You can serve either warmed or chilled based on 
  your preference or the time of year. 
  Alchemist Sour Tingle
  “When dabbling in the courts, sometimes you need to 
  LOOK like you are drinking. Who says your skin can’t 
  tingle while everyone else gets shitfaced.”  Xael, Noble
  • 
  1 
  Heaping 
  Tablespoon 
  Citrulline 
  Malate 
  (L-Citrulline DL-Malate 2:1)
  • 
  2 Teaspoons Beta-Alanine
  • 
  1 full squeezed lime
  • 
  5 to 10 muddled mint leaves
  • 
  Ice to taste
  Add the above ingredients to a cocktail, highball, or 
  tall glass. You will first add a little sparkling/ton-
  ic water to the mix and stir to dissolve the powder 
  and crystals to make a solution (does not need to be 
  entirely dissolved) and then add the sparkling/tonic 
  
  68
  water to fill. Garnish with additional lime juice on top 
  and mint spring for decoration (and good breath). If 
  the court meeting goes south, add in 1-2 shots of Gin.
  Dwarven Breakfast
  “Look, don’t judge me. Dwarves know their way 
  around the kitchen.”  Araqwa, Patron of Beverages
  • 
  Muddle half an apple
  • 
  ½ oz of lemon juice
  • 
  2 oz of rum
  • 
  ½ oz of honey syrup
  • 
  ½ oz of ginger syrup
  • 
  One bar spoon of orange flower water
  • 
  One full egg
  Wait, you didn’t think this was actually food, did you? 
  Shake this with ice once, remove the ice, and shake 
  again for extra foam that will help with beard shaving.
  Legionnaire’s sweet, spicy nuts. 
  “The name is misleading, but what else are we to call 
  them? They are sweet-spicy nuts that almost every 
  legionnaire keeps with them for long journeys!” 
  LaCroix, Knight Captain
  • 
  6 cups of mixed nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, and 
  almonds preferred)
  • 
  ¼ cup pure honey
  • 
  2 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 
  2 tbsp mixed herbs (sage and rosemary, but 
  thyme or turmeric is fine)
  • 
  ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper.
  • 
  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 
  2. Toss nuts in honey, oil, and spices. Spread nuts 
  on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. 
  3. Stir occasionally until the nuts are lightly 
  browned. Season with salt and pepper tossing in 
  a bowl until cooled.
  4. Will last for about 2 weeks in a closed container 
  or 1 day in the hands of a hungry soldier. 
  Sneaky Spring
  “Ah, the dangers of alcohol. Sometimes it tastes like 
  a fresh spring… Or orange cough syrup. People have 
  different comparisons, I just make another glass.”  
  Kaifain Xiltyn
  • 
  Blood Orange Gin
  • 
  1-2 shots of Vodka
  • 
  Cranberry juice
  • 
  Lemonade
  • 
  Lemon Juice or ½ a lemon
  Put as much of the Gin in as you wish, or as the room 
  requires. Add one or two shots of vodka, but careful-
  ly, it does bite back. Afterward, add a splash of cran-
  berry juice and top the rest with lemonade, adding 
  a few drops of lemon juice, or squeeze half a lemon.
  
  69
  
  70
  70
  
  Patrons in The Shadelands
  “How does it feel to nip at the heels of divinity, only to be left begging for table 
  scraps?” -Dorian The Accursed King
  Power and divinity are not the same. A God holds rank 
  and sway over an aspect of the Universe. Love, Life, 
  Death, or even the very elements fall under a deity’s 
  reign. From their gilded cages, they parcel out power 
  that is not theirs, but rather their domains to those 
  who worship them. A weak God can still allow Clerics 
  across an empire to siphon off power from their do-
  main. The more followers who pray to a God, the 
  stronger grasp they have upon the reigns of the do-
  main. Yet to replace a god, one merely needs to under-
  take a crusade to eliminate their followers. To make 
  them forgotten. Doing so does not remove love from 
  all humans, or defeat the very concept of death—but 
  might create an opening for someone else to take the 
  reins of the Domain or even a portion of it.
  Patrons couldn’t care less.
  Patrons are creatures who have power inherently. 
  Perhaps they found a secret of the universe, or are a 
  creature so cosmic and unknowable that they’ve left 
  behind such petty things as domains. Patrons can be 
  champions of realms who are on the up-and-up, or 
  devils that steal their power from the souls of others. 
  The list is eternal. What they all share in common, 
  however, is they need agents in the world to do their 
  bidding and do not have a domain’s power to pass 
  out like candy. They must use their own energies. 
  This means taking on a Warlock to grant them pow-
  er has a cost. It doesn’t matter how well-intentioned 
  or good a Patron is, they still need their Warlocks to 
  follow through with a task. The agreements, even 
  lightly made ones, bind their souls together in a cos-
  mic agreeance. Power and secrets, for service and 
  deeds. Sometimes it’s would-be-Warlocks who jour-
  ney the world seeking the hidden corners to find a 
  Patron, and other times Patrons spend centuries cul-
  tivating entire lineages of protégés. It’s no surprise 
  that devils delight in making such pacts to inflict evil 
  upon the world, but at times even those Patrons may 
  see themselves as the hero. No matter what form it 
  takes, a Patron is always looking for a favor in return, 
  and in the Shadelands, they’ve found a kingdom that 
  facilitates such deals. 
  The Well of Souls, nestled within the Shadelands, 
  serves as a conduit of energies for Pacts. As the 
  number of Warlocks across the Planes have risen, 
  it self-manifested from unfulfilled deals and ener-
  gy that had nowhere to return. Perhaps the Patron 
  and Warlock both met unfortunate ends at the same 
  time. In this, the energy of the Pact, with nowhere 
  left to go, started to pool between Planes. As eons 
  passed, those very energies started flowing through 
  Rem Exius and the Well, taking the path of least re-
  sistance. In even further time, Majin the Betrayer, 
  became self-aware from these very energies, born 
  from the needs and desires of Warlocks and Patrons 
  both. And so, in the Shadelands, after Dorian, Fayte, 
  and Lacroix helped settle the terrain, Patrons were 
  soon to follow. Eager to have a city where deals were 
  easier to forge and eager to have a city where they 
  too, could harvest power.
  Because power is what every Patron needs, no mat-
  ter their alignment. This act of favor exchange has 
  seeped into every aspect of Shadelands culture. 
  From the high courts of the King, down to merchants 
  on the three bridges who will take favors and debts 
  instead of coin. Patrons grant Warlock’s direct pow-
  er in exchange for favors, and we believe there is no 
  reason that debt cannot be traded and dealt with.
  Imagine a young Warlock, caught in a deal with a 
  devil to offer a sacrifice in exchange for mentorship. 
  After a few adventures, that Warlock has failed to de-
  liver anything of value or even failed to learn a les-
  son the devil sought to teach. That very devil may 
  find himself coming to the Shadelands to sell off the 
  useless debt he’s made, hoping some other Patron 
  might find value. The devil, in this case, has lost his 
  power and energy, his investment into the Warlock 
  was wasted, but perhaps he can trade any remaining 
  debts to another for something useful. 
  It’s important to remember as a Storyteller that 
  you don’t remove your player’s agency in this. 
  Characters like Fayte and the Governess’s 
  office serve to advocate for the Warlocks 
  after all. Challenging the deal or even 
  
  72
  finding ways to break the pact altogether, are services 
  that can be bartered for and provide endless roleplay-
  ing opportunities. 
  The Well of Souls
  In the Shadelands, the Well of Souls serves as a con-
  duit for Pacts and favors. Every deal made between 
  a Patron and a would-be-Warlock (even temporary 
  one) flows through the Well. The transfer of power 
  links the two parties together on a cosmic scale. While 
  Patrons can die, and Warlocks can forsake their oaths, 
  that energy still swirls around in the Well just waiting 
  to be used. When Pacts and favors are traded, it is this 
  energy that is truly being bartered. A dead Patron’s 
  unfulfilled power can be scooped up by another if the 
  Warlock seeks out a new one since one soul still exists. 
  If your campaign doesn’t use a concept like the Well 
  of Souls, feel free to reimagine the idea using Blood 
  Contracts, or old occult scribblings to bind parties to-
  gether. The goal is to ensure that both parties have a 
  vested interest in their deals and upholding their con-
  tracts—even if one side was duped or forced into it.
  Becoming A Patron
  So, what does it take to become a Patron? This ques-
  tion is almost impossible to answer given their vari-
  ety. At their core, a Patron is something that has the 
  power to give and found the ethereal means in which 
  to do it. They can come from Arcane, Fey, Shadowfell, 
  Astral, or even things yet unknown. The only limits 
  are the Storyteller’s imagination. A God can indeed 
  offer up some of their own power to become a Patron, 
  but why would they? They have foresight over a do-
  main and can make Clerics far easier. Yet perhaps 
  such things have happened in the history books.
  What we do know, however, is a Patron needs three 
  things: Power, the means to transfer said power, and 
  a desire to do so. The first is the hardest to come by. 
  A player-character becoming a Patron would need to 
  ascend to a high enough level (we advise level 20), but 
  perhaps inborn energy is enough. Like a Dryad in the 
  Feywild or an Elemental. Wizards, Liches, Sorcerers, 
  and other creatures not dabbling in divine magic make 
  good candidates, mostly for thematic sense. After all, a 
  high-tier Cleric might just convince people to develop 
  faith and pay no costs themselves. Yet Angels or other 
  celestial beings might need services done across the 
  planes and don’t have access to a deity’s domain—
  these are perfect candidates for Divine Patrons. 
  The means to transfer power is the hidden secret. 
  Warlocks are described as people who’ve found se-
  crets in the cracks of reality. It’s not as simple (at least 
  outside of the Shadelands) to just do a handshake and 
  transfer power. We provide a conduit for such deals 
  through the Well of Souls and Rem Exius. Journey to the 
  Shadelands and Majin and Fayte can make your deals 
  come to fruition and handle the exchange. Outside of 
  the Shadelands, finding this path of power transfer can 
  be a quest for would-be-Patrons or even Warlocks who 
  want to free a prospective Patron from their bindings. 
  Making it a ritual that is locked away, or whispered by 
  the Great Old Ones is also fair game. The thematic goal 
  with this, however: it’s taboo. A great spin to take with 
  the transfer of power is that the ritual might even be 
  twisted to drain a God of its power if they were tricked 
  into such a pact. (See sidebar called “Transfer of Power” 
  for an optional Shadelands rule on becoming a Patron).
  The third step in becoming a Patron is the desire 
  to transfer said power. Power doesn’t always mean 
  giving people Eldritch Blast or Invocations, it can 
  mean wealth, status, Feats, or even information, but 
  there must be a compelling reason to enter such a 
  soul-binding agreement. Patrons have agendas. This 
  cannot be stressed enough. Patrons are not idle 
  entities. Even True Neutral Patrons have tasks and 
  deeds they desire to get done, but cannot do it alone. 
  Maghoro, the Patron of the Evermore Warlocks, nips 
  bits of time at the end of lives or stolen moments 
  to feed such time to the far outer planes. For her, 
  there is an eternal need for such a deed, and thus, 
  she needs many Warlocks to help harvest stolen mo-
  ments. If a King who had power found the secret to 
  transfer it, they might have a strong desire to create 
  a few champions to enforce their ideals. 
  There must be some limits, however. After all, unlike 
  a God, a Patron is giving their own power. If they par-
  cel off too much, they will be weak to their enemies. 
  Luckily for Storytellers, there are many systems al-
  ready in place to toggle what a Patron is capable of. 
  Experience is an easy metric, Epic Boons are anoth-
  er, and Influence (gold, favors, and more) serves as a 
  third. When a deal is completed by both parties (i.e., 
  I’ll teach you an Invocation in exchange for you killing 
  a Green Dragon and bringing me back its heart) then 
  the Patron can recoup his investment. The Warlock 
  learns their secret and has probably leveled up. The 
  Patron benefits by proxy and can reclaim their expe-
  rience, maybe gaining some in the process itself. It’s 
  
  73
  this recouping of investments that makes becoming 
  a Patron desirable. If you choose your Warlocks well, 
  then you stand to benefit immensely and grow your 
  network, perhaps even garnering enough strength 
  to challenge the very Gods.
  Transfer of Power
  An optional rule and method to become a 
  Patron in the Shadelands use the “Letter Home” 
  mechanic. A character who is high enough lev-
  el (tier 3 or tier 4), and has the desire can find 
  Fayte, Majin, or the Governing body in Yon’Cath 
  and seek registration in the Scarlet Hearth. The 
  character will read their letter home and burn 
  it, forever inscribing their history onto Majin’s 
  Mural and inscribing their True Name into the 
  walls of Rem Exius. Everyone who ever knew 
  the characters will forget they exist, as the char-
  acter has now become something else, and the 
  sacrifice they paid is striking their history from 
  the minds of mortals. 
  Once this deed is done, the characters can 
  now form pacts and favors and will be award-
  ed Epic Boons to parcel out as a Young Patron. 
  Sponsored of course, by Dorian the Accursed 
  King. It goes without saying that all back-
  grounds, former connections, lovers, children, 
  or even entire empires will be lost to the char-
  acter. Such places will only remember the char-
  acter as a distant memory or a myth, and will 
  never recognize the person even if they showed 
  up in front of them. Going forward, they will 
  have to make new friendships and build new 
  empires. That said, it does seem like a tempting 
  offer for those with little to lose…
  Roleplaying Patrons
  For the Game Master running a session of The Red 
  Opera, roleplaying Patrons is an opportunity to tie 
  individual Player backgrounds and story arcs to the 
  larger narrative. There are as many relationship dy-
  namics between Patrons and Warlocks as there are 
  people; Patrons can act like bosses, teachers, and 
  mentors, or family members, with the full spectrum 
  of function and dysfunction present in those rela-
  tionships. A fiend Patron could be a narcissistic CEO, 
  an overbearing parent, or a rebellious older sibling. 
  A Patron could even have a role where they seem 
  to need help or protection, like a powerful child or 
  a being diminished by age or injury. The dynam-
  ic a Patron has with the Player’s Warlock can be 
  anywhere between friendly and hostile, and some 
  Patrons can seem indifferent or disguise their actual 
  level of interest or affection.
  As with all NPCs, it helps to keep in mind the larger 
  goals of Patrons. What do they seek to accomplish? 
  Simply gaining power and influence is too vague. The 
  specifics of their plans and the methods they use to 
  pursue them will shape them as characters. Even the 
  most chaotic Patron has desires and behaviors that 
  give pleasure and reward. In characterizing Patrons, 
  Game Masters can benefit from using some familiar 
  archetypes, while subverting them at key points for 
  narrative effect. Players will recognize traditional 
  Patron types like vain Archfey, manipulative Fiends, 
  and ravenous Elder Aberrations, but these characters 
  can be enriched by giving them relatable qualities like 
  occasional empathy or a code of behavior formed by 
  their individual experiences. A powerful being may 
  seem to be apathetic at times; Perhaps they have 
  grown cynical over their beyond mortal lifetimes.
  One of the defining aspects of the Patron-Warlock 
  relationship is how asymmetrical the power dynam-
  ic can be. Patrons may not value their Warlocks as 
  equals and be willing to sacrifice them in pursuit of 
  their aims. Powerful beings can even be physically or 
  emotionally manipulative, sometimes to a harmful de-
  gree. Take care with your Players to not cross lines of 
  types of content to be in-game. While Patrons may be 
  willing to use their position and power in many ways, 
  make sure your Players understand that they have the 
  final say on what types of scenes (especially concerned 
  with sexuality and violence) they will participate in.
  A Gamemaster should be able to describe a Patron’s 
  personality without referring to their type (Great 
  Old One, Hexblade, etc.), and be able to quickly differ-
  entiate (even if in a nuanced way) that Patron from 
  others of their kind. Not all Undying Patrons will be 
  Grim Reapers with goals of world domination, and 
  a Celestial Patron need not be a perfect paragon of 
  virtue. If a Patron on the surface hews to a more tra-
  ditional model, make sure there remains something 
  for the Players to learn about them over time.
  Not all Warlocks will have unfettered access to their 
  Patrons at any given moment. Their Patrons may be 
  engaged with other affairs, agents, or choose to ignore 
  pleas if they are not in the mood to communicate or 
  
  74
  wish to punish their Warlock. There may even be a hi-
  erarchy among Warlocks who serve a Patron, wheth-
  er or not the Patron’s servants are aware of it. That 
  being said, one common difference between Warlocks 
  and Clerics is how much more personal the relation-
  ship can be. Warlocks know the Patron they serve 
  is an individual being and not the embodiment of a 
  more abstract principle. Patrons do not derive pow-
  er from people believing in them, they need boots on 
  the ground actively promoting their cause. In The Red 
  Opera, it is almost a certainty that a group of Players 
  will have multiple distinct Patrons, and that Players 
  can share a Patron. Warlocks of the same Patron are 
  not guaranteed to have the same type of relationship 
  with their Patron and can be allies, rivals, or enemies 
  with each other throughout a story.
  Contact between the Patron and Warlock can take 
  many forms, with some Patrons needing to be sum-
  moned via elaborate rituals, or speaking to their 
  agents via dreams or visions. While it isn’t necessary 
  for a Patron to be “on-call” at any moment the Player 
  reaches out, it falls to the Game Master to provide 
  opportunities for interactions and scenes between 
  Warlock Players and their Patrons. The mystical bond 
  that connects them can allow for telepathic connec-
  tion, out of body experiences, visions, and even con-
  versations in extraplanar spaces that are not subject 
  to mundane notions of time. You can adjust the length 
  and intensity of these interactions to fit the pacing of 
  your game, either having them as discrete scenes or 
  by weaving them in to play. A Patron may interact with 
  a Warlock during exploration, social encounters with 
  other players and NPCs, Skill Checks and challenges, 
  and even Combat Encounters. Be aware of the level of 
  engagement of all Players at the table, and avoid long 
  stretches of play where only one Player can interact 
  with the Patron. If you are playing the Patron well, all 
  of your Players will be invested in seeing them and 
  how they connect to the narrative.
  Above all, treat Patrons like some of your most im-
  portant NPCs. Allow them or their bond to a Warlock 
  to change to suit the actions and choices made by the 
  Players over the course of a session or campaign. Lucky 
  for you, Patrons and their actions are at the center of 
  the story of The Red Opera, and you will have plenty of 
  opportunities to draw the Players into their struggles.
  
  75
  
  76
  Blurgh, The Black Hand
  “Life is a celebration and meant for enjoyment. The pleasures and pains offered by the world around us 
  are meant to be experienced. Without the knowledge obtained through the act of life, one’s True Path 
  may never be realized.” – Fifth & Final Tenant of the Order of the Orcish Hand
  If an adventurous soul were to brave the 
  Mountainheart Passage south of Yon’Cath, they 
  will, in all likelihood, die. There is no malice in that 
  statement. It’s simply fact. However, were that soul 
  to survive the first half of their trek, they would 
  undoubtedly find themselves at the door of the 
  Tranquil Shadow Sanctuary. This stone compound 
  is nestled within the cliffside. Stepping through the 
  towering doorway, one would find themselves with-
  in a massive lodge. Goliaths, mountain dwarves, and 
  even frost giants are common in the crowd. There is 
  one regular customer, however, whom a newcomer 
  might assume to be out of place. For one thing, he’s 
  a half-orc with a greenish tint to his skin, whereas 
  most orcs in the Shadelands hail from the grey and 
  white lineages. For another, he never wears a shirt, 
  let alone the many heavy layers one would assume 
  is required to survive the surrounding elements. His 
  imposing physique looks as if it’s been chiseled from 
  the mountain itself. His name is Blurgh and, while in 
  the Sanctuary, he is seldom seen without a grin on 
  his face and a tankard in hand. 
  The contents of said tankard are always the same: 
  a special spirit he brews himself and donates to the 
  Sanctuary. Blurgh’s ‘Serenity Smash’ has been de-
  scribed as an angel kissing your lips while a devil 
  gut-punches your spleen. A typically jovial soul, he is 
  well-regarded amongst the other regulars. However, if 
  any of them have a problem with Blurgh, they keep it 
  to themselves. If one were to pull aside the heavy rug 
  hung on the back wall, they’d find a goliath-shaped 
  hole that stretches some fifty feet deep into the 
  mountainside. The remains of the goliath’s body that 
  formed the hole have never been recovered, and the 
  rug provides a nice reminder of the dangers in direct-
  ing any sort of rudeness in Blurgh’s general direction. 
  Where Blurgh comes from and how he found his way 
  to the Shadelands remains a mystery to most. And 
  those who do know share one crucial trait: they are 
  Warlocks and Blurgh is their Patron. For many years, 
  Blurgh was a wanderer, never staying long in one place. 
  Then, one day, he felt a call from within, a call to head 
  north. He took his time with the journey, never pass-
  ing up a chance for a new life experience or adventure. 
  But always, the Call remained. Eventually, he reached 
  the southern edge of the Shadelands, where the Call 
  became a beating drum in his head. It pulled him all 
  the way to the northern border, to the Nameless Black 
  Sea. He sat on the rocky shore and meditated for days. 
  Tendrils of black smoke emerged and wrapped them-
  selves around him. He heard words in his head. Words 
  promising him power, wealth, glory, whatever he de-
  sired… words promising him the opportunity to be-
  come whomever he wanted to be. 
  It was at this moment that Blurgh attained 
  Enlightenment. He opened himself up to the shadow 
  energy and laughed as it entered his mind. He felt the 
  consciousness behind the energy grow confused, for 
  upon peering into Blurgh’s mind, it saw no desire. 
  Nothing it could use to tempt the monk. When it tried 
  to withdraw, Blurgh held it fast, asserting his control. 
  The power he gained on that day is a type that can 
  only be derived from absolute self-actualization. A 
  crystal clear understanding of one’s own identity at 
  the deepest core of their being, and unwavering con-
  fidence in that identity. And once Blurgh attained this 
  absolute Enlightenment, it did not take long for him 
  to want to share it with others. To strike a pact with 
  Blurgh is to embark on a path of self-discovery, to 
  seek out and experience as much Life as one can. It 
  is not all pleasure, however, for pain and struggle are 
  a part of life as well. Warlocks of Blurgh must always 
  be true to themselves and others. Lies and deceit are 
  poison to one walking this path. One must never pass 
  an opportunity to better oneself, and always be look-
  ing for the next challenge, the next accomplishment. 
  Blurgh - Hexblade Patron
  Hexhand: Traditional Hexblades wield weapons 
  hewn from the dark energy of the Shadowfell. Blurgh 
  teaches his Warlocks how to internalize that energy 
  and channel it outward. Wisps of black smoke roll off 
  their hands as they attack with such force and pre-
  cision that these strikes mimic the effects of martial 
  weapons. Warlocks of Blurgh choose the intended 
  damage type of their melee attacks (Bludgeoning, 
  slashing, piercing) dealing 2d6 + Hex Weapon bonus 
  damage. The Pact Weapon modifier is also added if a 
  Warlock chooses Pact of the Blade.
  
  77
  
  78
  Amadán, Patron of Gambled Souls
  “If Fayte had her way, every game between Warlocks would be a seventeen-volume contract. Life is a 
  risk. Go all-in and cash out as a god. Come sit at my table to play a hand and you’ll never beg for scraps 
  again. One way or another.”– Amadán, Patron of Gambled Souls
  Entry into the Scarlet Hearth is a prize coveted by 
  Patrons across the realms. Amadán refuses it. An Efreeti 
  Patron who stalks the streets of Yon’Cath looking for 
  anyone down on their luck and needing a change of 
  fate; Amadán is the best (or worst) Patron you’ve ever 
  met. He’ll even tell you himself. A former Bard would 
  never miss an opportunity to weave a tale for a captive 
  audience. After all, everyone needs a chance to escape 
  from the shackles of poverty, and Fayte’s rules regard-
  ing the Scarlet Hearth only seek to add a system into 
  the grand pandemonium that makes up the cosmos. 
  Amadán began his life as a bard under a different 
  name, Zeri Danteus. Like many, he came to Yon’Cath 
  seeking coin, a new life, and if the stars were will-
  ing—a Patron. The would-be-Patron had standards 
  and wasn’t just going to gamble his destiny away on 
  any he could beat with dice and song alone. So, for a 
  time, he remained a Bard, albeit one growing in pop-
  ularity (even in the King’s court).
  Until he met Fayte. They met time and again in tav-
  erns, courts, and even staring off into the Elemental 
  Dance. Often when Fayte was taking a much-needed 
  break from her Governess duties. 
  No matter how many games they played though, 
  Fayte always won. She was just a tad luckier, or 
  even outright called his bluff. Not just with dice, but 
  with nights of passion, matchmaking games, bets 
  over which gladiators would win a fight, and more. 
  Zeri knew Fayte was the one to find him a Patron, 
  the perfect one—but as the years went on, it never 
  materialized. With every promising prospect, Fayte 
  found a thousand things wrong with the contract. To 
  Zeri, she was so concerned with preventing a possi-
  ble bad pact from happening—she blocked any from 
  being authorized. Unlike her, he was aging.
  One evening in the Accursed Kings court, running 
  games of chance and playing the part of the fool, a 
  Marid Patron saw a chance to steal Zeri as a prize. A 
  slave who could spin tale-after-tale and entertain its 
  comrades for eternity. Zeri was tired of Fayte block-
  ing his deals, and with the King’s permission, he ac-
  cepted the gamble, confident in his abilities.
  Needless to say, he lost. His destiny was stolen from 
  him in a single cheated dice toss. The exact bad deal 
  Fayte had cautioned him from making. 
  Running to his friend Fayte in the hopes she could 
  help him break his pact was in vain. She refused to 
  help for a variety of reasons (the truth is she could 
  not overrule Dorian, no matter how much she 
  wished) but also felt Zeri’s tale was a good lesson.
  And so, the cheated Bard spent years shackled to the 
  Marid and his three other Genie companions. They 
  took pleasure in the four of them gambling the fates of 
  their Warlocks like chips on a table. Over the years of 
  being bounced around like a used playing card found 
  on the ale-ridden floors of a seedy tavern: Zeri figured 
  out how they cheated. When next in the presence of the 
  Accursed King and Fayte, he made his move, challeng-
  ing the four to a single game with a Wish as the prize. 
  In front of Majin’s own eyes, Amadán was victorious, 
  knowing Majin would prevent their tricks. His wish 
  was for the four’s power to be absorbed into him, 
  and for him to take over their spot as Patrons. In his 
  own way, a chance to prove Fayte wrong. That she 
  should allow would-be-Warlocks to make a mistake. 
  When the dust settled, Amadán was born. The Patron 
  of Gambled Souls. A legend in the King’s court that 
  would spread beyond the borders of the Shadelands 
  that anyone with enough cunning can make it. 
  Now Amadán’s goal in the Shadelands serves to foil 
  his old friend Fayte and eventually best her in a game. 
  The prize he seeks is more freedom for Patrons. To 
  allow Warlocks to make mistakes and stop breaking 
  pacts and bad deals so quickly. In this, Amadán re-
  fuses entry into the Scarlet Hearth and gambles (but 
  never cheats) to earn his followers. Amadán is fa-
  mous for making temporary pacts and bargains with 
  non-Warlocks. He is not a kind Patron unless the wa-
  ger specifies, and delights in leaving out information 
  or making every negotiation a game. Yet deep down 
  inside, he is still left wondering if Fayte saw this po-
  tential in him when they first played.
  Amadán - Genie Patron
  Doubledown: Amadán does not believe his Warlocks 
  should have their potential limited, or their person-
  alities shackled. Over the years he’s cultivated a large 
  network of spells to gamble off between his followers. 
  When choosing your Expanded Spell List, Warlocks of 
  
  79
  Amadán may gamble with him to alter their list at any 
  level. If they win, replace a spell of equal level to the 
  players choosing. If they lose, the Storyteller will pick 
  for them. Amadán is not bound by any spell list or 
  restrictions on his list. However, Amadán will always 
  challenge his Warlocks to a game each time they meet, 
  and they have no choice but to accept. Perhaps this is 
  why Warlocks who get lucky often try to avoid their 
  Patron if they can. It never works.
  
  80
  The Mother of Mirrors has walked a thousand roads. 
  With each journey, she learned a new insight into 
  her world and the worlds around her. For her, the 
  Elemental Dance found within the Shadelands was 
  more than just a beautiful night sky—it was the 
  manifestation of infinity. 
  As a young Glau’bjurn born in the Shadelands un-
  derneath an Autumn moon, she predated Dorian the 
  Accursed King’s empire. The Well of Souls did not 
  have the pull to lure Patrons and Warlock with great 
  frequency, but its early whispers could still be heard. 
  Magic still infused the land, and in both the night sky 
  and the Obsidian Rush rivers, the young Glau could 
  catch glimpses of what could be. Visions of her born 
  during the spring, summer, and winter, like her other 
  family, sparked her imagination. As did visions of oth-
  er worlds with great cities, horrible vampire built cit-
  ies and even worlds where time travel was possible. 
  Of course, merely running to the Obsidian Rush each 
  night and gazing into the waters was a passive act 
  and was not enough to satiate the young adventur-
  er. As the winters turned, her yearning to experience 
  life beyond the Shadelands grew. If her family had 
  left the Elemental Dance once, why should she settle 
  to remain in one place as well?
  In a leap of faith one winter, prepped only with her 
  cobbled adventurer’s gear, she stood upon the river’s 
  edge and fell forward. To this day, Glau’bjurn still 
  warn their youth about the Obsidian Rush, but not 
  about falling in. Instead, to always bring a mirror.
  What Vlahnya discovered as she tumbled into the 
  other planes was a thousand roads and no way home. 
  Once she crossed into the Elemental Dance, the young 
  elf could cross into new worlds through mirrors. 
  Trapped in the exact place she wanted to go but forced 
  to watch each world as she swam between the planes. 
  This would not do.
  Through raw determination, the Mother of Mirrors 
  was slowly born. At first speaking to receptive souls 
  who could hear her whispers between realms. 
  Hauntingly, Vlahnya felt as if the world was closing in 
  around her, and she could hear herself calling back 
  warnings. Ignoring the calls as the impetuous often 
  do; she became both muse and confidant to her early 
  Warlocks. Offering advice from her unique position 
  to see multiple worlds, where her Warlocks could see 
  only one. In exchange, these Warlocks would take a 
  pilgrimage to the Shadelands and throw mirrors into 
  the Obsidian Rush. The more Warlocks the Mother 
  helped, the larger her palace of mirrors grew—and 
  the more worlds she could physically enter. 
  Today the Mother of Mirrors has a gilded palace of 
  light and wonder within her realm. Each bit is built 
  from fragments of different realms and possibilities. 
  Into each of them, she can freely journey now and 
  experience the lives she always wanted. More im-
  portant to her, however, is the help she can provide 
  the Warlocks who find themselves staring at their 
  reflection and hating who they are. 
  From her position nestled in the cracks between re-
  alities, the Mother of Mirrors finds those lost souls 
  who feel they do not belong. She offers them visions 
  of what they could become or worlds where they 
  fit in. Her advice is not always kind, and sometimes 
  hard truths and realities need to be faced. A journey 
  must always be walked. But for those Mirrorwalker’s 
  who complete their pilgrimage, they find themselves 
  welcome among the stars.
  Yet every mirror risks being cracked. A vision of 
  Vlahnya has become cracked, and her ominous 
  warnings becoming more dire by the day. Not ev-
  ery dimension does she succeed in, as demons and 
  fiends run rampant. She goes by many names in each 
  of them, and many of them call for her help. As the 
  Shadelands have started to break, one mirror with 
  a more enlightened version of herself has become 
  clearer and more vocal—Anaya Tara Rachana has 
  many warnings for the young patron. Some are what 
  Vlahnya could become, others are what is at stake if 
  reality devouring demons are left unchecked. Those-
  who-wait-beyond could very well be her undoing, or 
  her greatest victory in the nights to come.
  Vlahnya – Mirrorwalker Patron
  Shattered Soul: Mirrorwalker’s journey the elemental 
  planes with ease enough, but even they often lack the 
  internal reflection that their arch-patron represents. 
  Vlahnya inspires more from her closest Warlocks 
  The Mother of Mirrors
  “Have you ever fought with your inner thoughts? It’s always a losing battle. Unless The Mother of Mirrors 
  is playing tricks on you that is. In which case, might as well go along for the adventure.”- Domadred
  
  81
  than the average Mirrorwalker, and when the dice are 
  cast—it shows. Once per adventure chapter (at story-
  teller discretion), a Warlock who chooses this bonus 
  can burn all arcane energy in their power to manifest 
  another reality in the form of a story seed. All spells 
  are crossed off their list for twenty-four hours, but in 
  exchange, they may alter the current reality slightly. 
  Work with your storyteller to determine an appropri-
  ate effect, but small things like finding a secret escape 
  at a pivotal moment, or finding aid in dark times are 
  appropriate. Calling upon this gift, and then refusing 
  the alternative path is a sure-fire way to risk wrath 
  from the Mother of Mirrors.
  
  82
  How to Sell Your Soul
  The relationship between a Warlock and their Patron 
  is complicated and can entangle adventurers who 
  seek a quick pathway to power. The intricate webs 
  Patrons leave are an essential part of the structure 
  that enables them to grant their power. This sys-
  tem keeps the Shadelands economy running, where 
  boons and favors have more buying power than gold. 
  Clever Warlocks will try to unweave the pattern 
  Patrons use, only to realize each Patron values Boons 
  and Favors differently, so precisely knowing the cost 
  of something is almost impossible. 
  There is a primary system all Patrons and Warlocks 
  use for an exchange of power, one which never actu-
  ally goes away, no matter how hard a Warlock tries. 
  Each Patron has a plan they need to accomplish, and 
  they do that by collecting favors, calling them in, trad-
  ing them, creating Pacts, and offering Boons. This 
  power dynamic allows Patrons to maneuver multiple 
  chess pieces to accomplish their goals. This structure 
  includes several vital pieces that all work together to 
  create the trade economy within the Shadelands. 
  Each Patron places different values on these ex-
  changes. The value can shift depending upon what 
  the Patron needs accomplishing at that time, what 
  the adventurer can offer, or even the amusement lev-
  el of the request. Some Patrons are very picky about 
  who they make deals with, others not so much. Their 
  whims and machinations are never predictable. 
  Favors
  Favors are the primary currency used by all resi-
  dents in the Shadelands. Favors help to build a work-
  ing relationship between those that grant them and 
  those that call them in. Many Warlocks start off giv-
  ing Favors before asking for Boons or forming Pacts 
  with their Patrons. Warlocks, Patrons, familiars, and 
  citizens alike collect, use, and trade favors. This com-
  mon magic works for everyone. 
  Favors are a promise given to someone else as a 
  payment for a good or service. It is ‘I scratch your 
  back, later, you can scratch mine.’ While they start 
  small, trivial even, they can be collected and traded 
  for larger tasks. With Favors, magic is not usually 
  exchanged between the individuals. Favors are of-
  ten used in conjunction with money or other trades, 
  making bargaining intricate. 
  The agreement of a Favor is a magical pact in which 
  both individuals benefit when it is fulfilled. The 
  Favor holder can trade that Favor with another for 
  any variety of reasons. A Favor trade does nothing 
  more than transfer the agreement to a different in-
  dividual, so this may not be ideal for the debtor, but 
  they have little to no say. Trading a Favor simply in-
  volves both parties willingly agreeing upon the trad-
  ed Favor, so they cannot be tricked or coerced. 
  Favors are easy to call in. First, the debtor is aware 
  of the Favor called in, and they can gather the who, 
  what, where, when, why, and how of their task. The 
  task tends to be very quick, running an errand, pass-
  ing a message, or fetching some sort of ingredient or 
  object. The debtor does not need to be on the same 
  plane as the holder for this to work. The holder or 
  debtor may not send other messages in this way. 
  When the holder calls a Favor in, they gain +1D4 to 
  all Ability Checks for 1 hour. 
  The debtor then must decide if they are willing or 
  able to complete the Favor. If they successfully fulfill 
  the Favor, they gain +1D4 to all Ability Checks for 1 
  hour. They also begin to gather more trust around 
  them as the residents of the Shadelands hold those 
  who complete their Favors in higher regard. Patrons 
  are more likely to work with individuals who can 
  complete Favors, and in turn, they may find the in-
  habitants of the Shadelands are more willing to deal 
  with them, making negotiating much easier. 
  If they are unable or unwilling to complete the Favor, 
  they gain -1D4 to all Ability Checks for 1 hour. Those 
  who fail to complete their tasks are often less likely 
  to be trusted by those in the Shadelands. Someone 
  who fails to pay their debts will find their word held 
  in low regard and may have to offer much more than 
  a Favor to gather what they need. 
  Boons
  Boons are a far different variety of exchanges for 
  those that deal in magic. A Boon is offered from a 
  Patron to a user in exchange for a larger task to ac-
  complish. Boons provide an exchange of power, usu-
  ally the use of magic for a short time or a weapon en-
  chanted by the Patron. Patrons will often use this to 
  recruit potential Warlocks to demonstrate what the 
  Patron can offer for their loyalty. Boons can be pro-
  vided to anyone but must come from a Patron. Boons 
  
  83
  allow a Patron to extend their magic to the one who 
  accepts the power, giving the Patron a small amount 
  of influence over them. 
  Anyone may ask for a Boon from a Patron to accom-
  plish a task, but a Patron does not have to answer. 
  Suppose an individual asks for a Boon but has pre-
  viously proven themselves unworthy, either through 
  failing to complete Favors or having never offered 
  Favors. In that case, the Patron is not likely to assist 
  them without a hefty cost. 
  A Patron can give out any spell on their Extended 
  Spell Lists or Pact Purview. It is up to the Patron on 
  what they wish to give out but they usually find it 
  advantageous to share a spell that the asker will find 
  useful at that moment. Some Patrons will even offer 
  this first Boon for free to the adventurer to entice 
  them into service. The Patron may also provide an 
  enchanted weapon of sorts as a display of their pow-
  ers and what they can offer. These enchantments 
  vary with the Patron. 
  Boons are not a permanent offering; instead, they 
  are available for a limited time depending on the 
  task or level of the spell. A Boon may only last for 
  anywhere from 1 usage or until a job is completed. 
  Patrons pay attention to those who have Boons with 
  them and if they are accomplishing the job agreed 
  upon in exchange for power. It is not unheard of for a 
  Patron to take a boon away if the asker is not staying 
  on the task which they set out to accomplish.
  Patrons may offer an enchanted weapon as a Boon. 
  Only the one granted the Boon may wield this weap-
  on. In the hands of another, it is just a regular weap-
  on. Enchanted weapons tend to have more power 
  but exchanging that power may be too high a price. 
  Patrons often give these weapons out to carry out an 
  assassination contract or to aid in the retrieval of a 
  valued artifact the Patron wishes to acquire. They 
  also can be taken away by the Patron if the asker has 
  ignored their task or if they are displeased. 
  The payment for a Boon is different from a Favor due 
  to the exchange of magic, but it is still an agreement 
  between the Patron and the asker. A Patron may 
  have a particular quest they want to be completed 
  after all. Still, the receiver of a Boon has set out to 
  accomplish a task the Patron already wants to be 
  done, and it is advantageous to the Patron to help 
  them achieve it for a bit of magic. The Patron may 
  be looking to recruit this individual as a Warlock, so 
  they may offer a Boon to show the power they offer 
  for the cost of loyalty. 
  Pacts
  Pacts are a binding magical agreement between 
  the Patron and the Warlock. A Warlock who makes 
  a promise of this nature is granted specific powers 
  from the Patron, allowing them access to greater and 
  greater magics as they grow together in strength 
  and connection. Patrons use their Pacts to ensure a 
  constant stream of energy is granted to them. It also 
  ensures they have someone who can help accom-
  plish tasks that further their agendas. This exchange 
  of power allows the Patrons to continue to grow in 
  strength, and a Warlock to gain access to the magic 
  they would not otherwise have. 
  When entering a Pact, a Warlock agrees to be of ser-
  vice to a Patron. This agreement isn’t one where the 
  Warlock loses all of their autonomy, but one where 
  they must occasionally complete tasks for their 
  Patron in exchange for their magic. Any Warlock 
  who fails in their duties may lose access to their 
  magic because the Patron will withhold it, usually 
  at an inopportune time. It is possible a Warlock may 
  rarely hear from their Patron and can go about their 
  business unhindered. But should a Patron call, the 
  Warlock is bound to answer. 
  A Warlock who just enters an agreement with a 
  Patron must prove their worth, often growing in 
  power with little interference. Newly conscript-
  ed Warlocks often operate below the radar of their 
  Patron unless needed. They are stuck with com-
  pleting the tasks no other Warlocks wish to do, or 
  menial jobs. Once a Warlock has proven themselves 
  worthy, their Patron may provide them more signifi-
  cant tasks to further their goals. Along with more re-
  sponsibility, the Patron will offer the Warlock more 
  extraordinary powers.
  
  84
  The Collectors – Arch Devil
  What Good Is A Favor?
  Patrons trade Favors. A lot. The Collectors are no 
  different. Any Favor they gain is one they can po-
  tentially trade for something beneficial to them. 
  Many times, The Collectors will never actually 
  search out individuals unless a Patron asks or 
  pays them. The Collectors will often trade back the 
  Favors of those Warlocks who broke their Pacts, a 
  dangerous position for the former Warlock. 
  Words are powerful to a Warlock and held in high re-
  gard to those that live in the Shadelands. Favors are 
  the backbone of their society. Within the central gov-
  ernment of the Shadelands is a division of Patrons 
  who are not well known to any outside the organiza-
  tion, The Collectors. Every Favor, every Boon, every 
  Pact, is known to The Collectors. The Collectors make 
  sure anyone who fails to uphold their end of a Favor, 
  Boon, or Pact, are held accountable for their actions. 
  Even if a Warlock breaks their Pact with their Patron, 
  their owed Favors continue. 
  The Collectors are a small group of Patrons who 
  keep the accounting of the trades that make up dai-
  ly life within the Shadelands. They keep their col-
  lection of scrolls at the Library, deep in the lower 
  portions of the building. This sanctuary is the Lair 
  of The Collectors, though it is rare they are ever actu-
  ally seen. Instead, anyone visiting the sanctuary just 
  knows The Collectors are there, overseeing scrolls 
  upon scrolls of names and debts. When a Warlock 
  actively decides to end their Pact with their Patron, 
  the debt of the Warlock transfers to The Collectors. 
  The Collectors make Pacts with only a small num-
  ber of Warlocks, so this system is how they main-
  tain their power. The Collectors send out Warlocks 
  to make sure Favors are repaid when called in, col-
  lect the Favors and Boons owed to The Collectors, 
  and ensure those in The Shadelands are using these 
  systems. Warlocks in service to The Collectors tend 
  to stay solitary due to the physical changes they 
  take on. While nobody knows what The Collectors 
  look like, the Warlocks in their service will tell you 
  they know when The Collectors are near. The whis-
  pers the Warlocks hear from their Patrons crackles 
  like dry paper, and there is a smell of ink. It goes 
  without saying, that many of the Accursed Guard 
  revere and even work as agents for The Collectors. 
  After all, if the King’s economy folds, then so does 
  the entire house of cards. 
  Pact of the Reaper
  Warlocks of The Collectors who take up this path are 
  few and far between. The Collectors tend to choose 
  Warlocks, who can devote their entire being to their 
  purpose. Those wishing to prove themselves to The 
  Collectors start as recorders, auditors and organize 
  the library and scrolls containing all the Favors, 
  Boons, and Pacts made throughout the Shadelands. 
  Those in this service either muster through the mun-
  dane tasks that could take years for them to endure, 
  or they move on, seeking out other Patrons who are 
  more willing to take on Warlocks. 
  Those that prove their worth and take their Pact oath 
  are finally released from their library service unless 
  called back to that position due to other needs. Those 
  that move out into the world then use their knowledge 
  to help keep the balance of magic behind the Favors, 
  Boons, and Pacts. They do this by seeking out those who 
  fail to uphold their end of an agreement. Their purpose 
  is to make sure the magic flows for the Shadelands and 
  the Patrons that built it. This class is less of an adven-
  turing class, which is why it is presented here in this 
  chapter—to help showcase how the Shadelands has 
  become its own economy. Still, it is not unheard of for 
  agents of The Collectors to move beyond the borders of 
  Yon’Cath, albeit they have little reason to. Throughout 
  the events of The Red Opera, feel free to use Warlocks 
  of this pact as members of the Accursed Guard. 
  Invocations
  Mark of the Unfavored
  Prerequisite: 1st Level
  You know if any individual has ever failed to uphold 
  their end of a Favor by interacting with them for 1 
  minute. The Unfavored will have a mark that ap-
  pears over their head that only the Warlock can see. 
  The greater the number of unfulfilled Favors, the 
  brighter the mark will shine. This mark cannot be 
  hidden by magical means. If you wish to see if they 
  have broken any Boons, you must make a contested 
  Investigation check against their Deception. 
  
  85
  Accounting
  Prerequisite: 6th Level
  You are relentless in your duties as a Warlock to The 
  Collectors. As a result, you gain Advantage while us-
  ing any spells against an Unfavored. You must use the 
  spell Mark of the Unfavored to use this spell. 
  Mark of the Favored
  Prerequisite: 8th Level
  You can bestow upon an individual the Mark of the 
  Favored. This spell may either absolve the debt they 
  owe and remove their Mark of the Unfavored, or this 
  may be used on an individual who has already shown 
  themselves to uphold their end of a bargain. Upon 
  touching the individual, you grant them a bonus 1D6 
  to all their ability checks for the next hour. 
  Favors
  0 Favors 
  broken
  1-2 Favors 
  broken
  3-4 Favors 
  broken
  5-6 Favors 
  broken
  7+ Favors 
  broken
  There is a faint mark above their 
  heads that is barely visible.
  The mark glows with a yellow 
  hue above their heads
  The mark glows with a red color 
  above their heads.
  The mark radiates a black color 
  above their heads.
  There is no mark above their 
  heads.
  Mark Characteristics
  Favors
  SPELLS EFFECTS
  0 Favors 
  broken
  1-2 Favors 
  broken
  3-4 Favors 
  broken
  5-6 Favors 
  broken
  7+ Favors 
  broken
  The target must repay their debts 
  within 24 hours, or have Disadvantage 
  to all rolls for 1 hour. 
  The target gains Disadvantage on all 
  rolls for 1 hour
  Target gains -1D6 against all Ability 
  Checks for 24 hours per Favor broken
  Target loses -2 ratings in all its Base 
  Ability Scores until the debt is paid. 
  No effect
  Extracting Payment
  Prerequisite: 15th Level
  After using Mark of the Unfavored, you may choose 
  to use this spell. Make a Ranged Spell Attack against 
  the target. If successful, there is no way to remove 
  this effect short of another Warlock using Mark of 
  the Favored upon the target. Even those with divine 
  magic or the highest tiers of arcane wizardry find 
  themselves helpless against their own actions. When 
  the debt is due, not even deities intervene—nor can 
  they do anything about it. The best response one 
  could hope for is their deity telling them that they 
  should not have broken their deals. 
  
  86
  86
  
  Chapter 1
  Welcome To The Shadelands
  “Gather well under the stranded moon, as fearless prey                                                                
  stands before wolves.”- LaCroix The Knight Captain
  “There I stood in the morning deep blue. Where 
  light grew tired in the cold, and I knew that the 
  Summerlands of our dream would never be.”
  - LaCroix The Knight Captain
  On the outskirts of Yon’Cath, the characters will 
  rendezvous with The Shield Maiden and make their 
  introductions. The Shadelands is a place of great 
  wonder, mystery, and beauty - but someone has 
  to keep the beasts at bay. An entire forest of trees 
  nurtured by Warlocks has grown out of control. 
  Already stretched thin from hunting invading 
  creatures, the Legionnaires are paying good money 
  for assistance. The party will meet The Knight 
  Captain, and each person gets a dog sled team.
  “The Shadelands at night, its everlasting night, is 
  most beautiful when locked in arm with those you 
  love.” - LaCroix The Knight Captain
   The Setting
  Welcome to the official start of the Red Opera. After 
  the Players have built their characters (or had their 
  session zero to hook them into the Shadelands), make 
  sure they complete ‘A Letter Home.’ Once the story-
  teller has collected all the letters, the adventure can 
  begin in earnest. We have included an optional start 
  Synopsis
  Introdution
  WELCOME TO THE SHADELANDS
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  A river of green light winds across the twilight sky. 
  The dual city of Yon’Cath looms to the north, a mass of 
  tall spires twinkling with torchlight. Beyond the city, 
  the northern horizon is engulfing darkness. The first 
  dusting of winter frost coats the surrounding tundra. 
  There is a large, sturdy wooden lodge a mile south 
  of the city. Inside, a crackling blaze nestles within a 
  massive stone fireplace which the party gathers close 
  to around a circular table. Steaming flagons of mulled 
  wine and bowls of hot stew are set before them. 
  Heading out into the frozen north, the second act is 
  a tour of Shadelands geography. The party can see 
  the Scarlet Hearth, Obsidian Rush, and even inquire 
  what land lies beyond the northern sea. Until the 
  fight against the Thistlefury begins… the party is as-
  signed one tree (or several based on level) and races 
  through the aberrant awakened forest while ending 
  the threat along with other legionnaires. 
  Putting down the aberrations is only one part of the 
  hunt. The party investigates the battlefield with The 
  Shield Maiden and finds information as to why the 
  forest came alive. What angered the Feywild Patrons 
  this time? Through either arcane knowledge, spell-
  craft, clever tracking, or other means, the party will 
  uncover that the trees are being fed mortal sacrifices 
  from Yon’Cath, and by the looks of it -it’s been con-
  ducted by the official members of the Accursed Guard.
  The Shadelands is vibrant and filled with life. Soft 
  music from a bard fills the air within the lodge, and 
  folk inside are cheerful. It’s another day and anoth-
  er hunt. To the small contingent of Legionnaires, the 
  group rides out with, this is another day of joyful 
  battle even if they are weary. 
  When the group rides South to the forest, the follow-
  ing list of adjectives describes the woods: crystalline, 
  foggy, chilling, ice-kissed, leafless, crimson, wet-cold, 
  enchanted, fluffy, upending, crisp, and crackling.
  that takes place before this adventure called Killing 
  Time which can be found after this chapter.
  With multiple adventure hooks or paths into the sto-
  ry, getting your party to rendezvous with The Shield 
  Maiden should not be a problem. If they’ve been trav-
  eling for some time, feel free to skip long and tedious 
  parts of a journey to the far -north- but always play up 
  the Aurora Borealis upon their arrival. Even if the char-
  acters teleport in, they should experience the lights. 
  
  88
  Act 1
  The party arrives at the lodge and meets with Fayte, 
  The Shield Maiden. She’s already reserved sever-
  al seats for them and is ready to make their intro-
  ductions to LaCroix, The Knight Captain. Among the 
  warm crackling fire, Fayte seems happy, shooting 
  smiles at the group and eager to welcome them to 
  Yon’Cath (or just eager to welcome some help on the 
  hunt). For today at least, she has hung up her civic 
  duties and is ready to battle aberrant monsters. The 
  Knight Captain misreads this as her idea of a date 
  with him, but Fayte is happy to break away for a bit. 
  Much of the first act will revolve around character 
  stories. Both LaCroix and Fayte are interested in the 
  Players’ tales. If any of them are a warlock, they’ll 
  enquire about their Patron and the method used to 
  communicate without any judgment. Fayte will even 
  offer advice on dealing with that Patron (grant ad-
  vantage to their next roll) if it comes up. 
  After introductions and a bit of reverie, the time 
  comes for the group to plan… and get information 
  about why they are required. 
  The Knight Captain takes over to explain: 
  The Legionaries of the Fallen are comprised entire-
  ly of former warlocks. Some have abandoned their 
  Patrons; others have had their Patrons slain. Few 
  of them ever become a warlock again, but it doesn’t 
  mean they’ve forgotten what they’ve learned. 
  Thistlefuries are indeed weak to fire, and since 
  they have an entire forest to deal with—they 
  have every intention of corralling it to set the 
  trees ablaze. The party is to help with any trees 
  that get through. 
  The Knight Captain is thinking about asking 
  Fayte for her hand in marriage, but every time it 
  comes up (or gets close to it), she finds a way out 
  of the conversation before it happens. 
  It’s a long journey and the dog sleds are required 
  to help carry the supplies (and corral the trees). 
  The other soldiers seem very attached to the dogs 
  (who are all good boys) and implore the party to 
  take good care of the dogs. 
  “Mmm, friends and warriors, you’ve heeded our 
  call and shared our wine. Our quest is simple but 
  no less dangerous than any other war. Here in the 
  Shadelands, we are blessed with mystical wonder 
  and cursed with aberrant horrors at the same time. 
  The Fallen have been stretched thin with their pa-
  trols and now the Feywild has grown restless. An 
  entire forest of Thistlefuries, each coated in mortal 
  blood, has uprooted itself and began marching to 
  the capitol. Our job today is two-fold… become lum-
  berjacks and find out which idiot messed up.”
  Both The Knight Captain and Shield Maiden hold no 
  secrets about this encounter and eagerly offer an-
  swers to any questions the party may have. It may 
  be useful to slip in information about the following 
  rumors during the conversation:
  Act 1 will come to a close when each Player in the 
  party is introduced to a personal dog sled team (AC 
  13, HP 35, Speed 45) made of four dogs. There’s no 
  roll required, but an Animal Handling check with a 
  DC of 18+ can increase the speed of the dogsled team 
  (by +15).
  
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 14(+2) 17(+3) 10(+0) 14(+2) 10(+0)
  Damage Resistances Cold
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Vulnerability Fire
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, 
  Exhaustion
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages none
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  17 (natural armor)
  78 (12d6 + 36)
  20 ft., burrow 20 ft.
  STR 
   
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  5(-3) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5)
  Damage Resistances Cold
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Vulnerability Fire
  Condition 
  Immunities 
  Blinded, 
  Deafened, 
  Exhaustion
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 5
  Languages none
  Challenge -
  ACTIONS
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target., Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage. 
  Infection. The seedling attempts to burrow into 
  the flesh of a living creature within 5 ft. The tar-
  get must succeed on a DC 13 Consitution saving 
  throw have the seedling enter their body. A crea-
  ture so infected is vulnerable to all damage, and 
  the seedling can only be removed by a creature 
  within reach using an action to succeed on a DC 13 
  Wisdom (Medicine) check to remove the seedling. 
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  13
  1 (1d4 - 3)
  60 FT
  THISTLEFURY SEEDING
  Tiny Aberration, unaligned
  ACTIONS
  Root Snare. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 
  15 ft., one target on the ground. Hit: 10 (2d6 +3) 
  bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage. 
  If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a 
  DC 13 Strength saving throw or be grappled and 
  restrained. 
  Seedling Drop (3/day). The thistlefury creates 
  1d4 Thistlefury seedlings in unoccupied spaces 
  within 5 ft. of it. The seedlings are friendly toward 
  the thistlefury and act immediately after its turns. 
  Thistlefury
  Large Aberration, chaotic evil
  Act 2
  After an evening ride to the forest, the party will see 
  the army of marching trees. Horrid, crystalline beasts 
  slowly lumbering toward the city. Corpses of farmers, 
  hunters, and several deer dangle from their branches. 
  Thistlefury seedlings constantly drop off the branch-
  es and creep away to forage for living things, and if the 
  characters squint just right—the seedlings return to 
  coat the larger parents in blood. 
  To the Legionnaires and everyone else, this grotesque 
  procession is just another evening in the Shadelands. 
  LaCroix’s plan involves herding the trees into clos-
  er proximity and then setting the entire lot of them 
  ablaze—a task easier said than done. The party races 
  through the trees using intimidation, fire, and weap-
  ons to kill any outliers or start the herding process. 
  These Thistlefuries can move fast when threatened, 
  however, and will make active use of their seedlings 
  in an attempt to overwhelm the party. 
  Run as a tier one encounter, have the party take care 
  of one Thistlefury as it breaks rank, or even race in 
  to save a fallen dog-sled team. Run as a tier four en-
  counter, let the party be in charge of corralling the 
  trees that are constantly using seedlings to swarm 
  and attack the dog sleds (which is the Thistlefury 
  seedlings’ primary target). Attacking the dog sleds 
  and having the party protect the sleds adds another 
  layer to the encounter.
  Thistlefuries can spawn multiple seedlings per turn 
  and have no issues about doing so, particularly if the 
  party has used spellcraft to create massive walls of 
  fire. The goal of this encounter is to rank as “dead-
  ly” in difficulty. Should the party get knocked out, 
  Fayte will intervene to help get them back into the 
  fight. Seedlings are fast (60 ft. movement), even fast-
  er than the dog sleds. Remember to describe these 
  angry, blood-smeared aberrations running down the 
  Players on their sleds for added horror. 
  Act 2 comes to a close once the party has failed or suc-
  ceeded at corralling the forest. Should they fail and 
  the Thistlefuries bust forth—the party will have to re-
  group at the lodge and try again with a new plan. Once 
  the forest is contained and burned, move onto Act 3. 
  
  90
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  12(+1) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5)
  ACTIONS
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit., reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) poison damage. 
  Master’s Magic. The seedling casts a cantrip 
  known by its creator, using the creator’s character 
  level, spell attack bonus and spell save DC (when 
  applicable). If the cantrip deals damage, it instead 
  deals half damage when cast in this manner. 
  Skills Stealth +5, Perception -3
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 7
  Languages - 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  13
  28 (8d4 + 8)
  40 FT
  PET SEEDLING
  Tiny plant, unaligned
  Act 3
  As the chilling screams of the burning forest echo 
  through the northern reaches of Yon’Cath, the party 
  and Fayte take a rest to watch it burn, yet before all 
  evidence is lost, LaCroix approaches.
  With the Legion tied up, the party and Fayte are asked 
  to cross into the burning woods and hunt for clues 
  about the origin of this attack. Thistlefuries are typ-
  ically immobile creatures, certainly not this fast, so 
  LaCroix suspects that there was interference. Perhaps 
  some twisted Patron’s demand. Walking into the 
  burning forest will require athletics (or acrobatics 
  checks) and the party will have to hunt for clues. 
  Describe the cold crunch of snow beneath their boots, 
  the contrast of warm fire, and the occasional ear-pierc-
  ing scream of the immolated Thistlefuries.
  As the party goes around from tree to tree, there are 
  several bits of information they can glean. For each 
  party member, have them roll a DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check (investigating burning, scream-
  ing trees at night is difficult after all). After revealing a 
  bit of information below, require a follow-up athletics 
  check to avoid a burning branch or other debris. 
  The bodies of several Accursed Guards are 
  found among the trees. Personal warlocks of The 
  Accursed King. It doesn’t look like the King killed 
  them however, it looks as if they were ritually slain. 
  On trees near the middle, pages from a book are 
  carved into the Thistlefuries. Characters with a 
  knowledge Nature check (or other Feywild) can 
  recognize some of the words as Nature’s Dance 
  by Dagney Ferral. A book dealing with the en-
  chanted nature of the Feywild. 
  While many animals have been fed to awaken 
  this forest, any mortal creatures (Elves, 
  Dragonborn, and Halflings) of the Shadelands 
  found in the trees are all sacrificed in the same 
  way. Characters trained in Knowledge Arcana 
  can glean that this was all part of a great rit-
  ual. Probably performed at the center of the 
  Thistlefury herd’s original location.
  turning their skin wooden for 1 hour. The Bangle re-
  charges after a long rest. A Player with wooden skin is 
  resistant to piercing and bludgeoning damage. They 
  also become immune to poison. However, they take 
  double damage against fire and lightning attacks. A 
  Player can choose to dispel the effect early but cannot 
  reactivate it again until a long rest has occurred.
  PET SEEDLING: If a Player has an exceptionally high 
  investigation roll, they may discover an undamaged, 
  unhatched seed. If a Player picks it up, they will see 
  the seed change color to match the skin tone of the 
  Player holding it. If the Player drops any water on 
  the seed, it will hatch. The seedling will have bonded 
  with the Player that hatched it. It will still resemble 
  the other seedlings, but also take on the slightest bit 
  of features like the Player that hatched it. The Player 
  may keep it as an animal companion. 
  WOODSKIN BANGLES: If a Player passes an average 
  difficulty investigation check, they find a number 
  (equal to the number of party members) of wooden 
  bracelets. Each bangle grants the Player the option of 
  
  91
  Fayte does not seem happy with this information, 
  and when they bring this news back to LaCroix, he 
  becomes furious. Yet again has the Accursed Guard 
  been involved with a mass sacrifice. He’ll lament that 
  the King is running out of settlers outside Yon’Cath 
  to sacrifice so he’s starting to include his own guard. 
  It’s only a matter of time before he feeds all of 
  Yon’Cath to the Patrons. 
  Fayte takes a more cautious approach, not quite de-
  fending the King, but not outright condemning him. 
  She knows (seemingly first-hand?) that The Accursed 
  King has had to balance the desire of many warlocks 
  and Patrons—not all of which are kind —and that this 
  may be a rogue Patron’s doing. They will pull down 
  the bodies of everyone possible, load them on the 
  dogsleds, and make their way back into Yon’Cath.
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  Bonding with Fayte is the main social encounter of 
  this act. She’s happy to welcome them and become 
  their tour guide—it is her duty to welcome all pil-
  grims of course. Learning that The Knight Captain 
  LaCroix already has issues with The Accursed Kind is 
  an important part of the first act. Also establish that 
  Fayte is not as automatically opposed to the King as 
  LaCroix, revealing a potential conflict for later.
  Sidequest Potential: While taking a short rest, the par-
  ty might get Fayte to open up about the social dynamics 
  of the Shadelands before later acts. Catching her off 
  guard, and with a few good insight checks, they learn 
  she’s not truly returning The Knight Captain’s love. 
  OR 
  The party might be approached by The Knight 
  Captain, who will ask them for advice on getting his 
  chance to propose. He aims to do it before dawn. In 
  either case, he’ll either forget about it after learning 
  of the Accursed Guard in the forest or Fayte will be 
  pressured, turn red in the face, reveal that she can’t 
  marry him then ride back into town. 
  The first adventure features dynamic racing combat 
  among aberrant trees in the Shadelands. Party mem-
  bers geared to combat should have ample opportuni-
  ty to shine in the second act and might even discover 
  new brothers in arms. The combat is more than just 
  hacking down an endless supply of Thistlefuries, 
  however, success in combat is about saving their dog-
  sled teams while corralling the forest. Either as a tier 
  one, or a tier four encounter, the characters should get 
  the feeling of being part of a larger army. They pull off 
  heroic acts in either regard, but the Legionnaires are 
  there to help. This bond is important for later. 
  Sidequest Potential: After recovering bodies, the 
  Legionnaires wish to get back to town to resurrect 
  those they can. Some of the Thistlefury roots might 
  fetch a pretty price at the right store to pay for it, and 
  if the characters are willing to help: The Legionnaires 
  will ask the characters to hunt one or two more on 
  their own for extra money. 
  This is a great adventure to showcase the out-
  skirts of the Shadelands and even the visual lay-
  out of Yon’Cath from a distance. Take extra care to 
  provide descriptions of the two cities, the Scarlet 
  Hearth, and the Obsidian Rush. 
  Sidequest Potential: Should the party wish to explore 
  further South at the Thistlefury herd’s original home, 
  let them! Finding their way there could involve tracking 
  for a few days South and discovering more destruction 
  from the ravenous seedlings. At the site, confirm with-
  out any doubt that The Accursed King ordered this 
  sacrifice for a Fey Wild Patron. This can be revealed 
  in the journal of a warlock who is still enchanted from 
  a Dryad’s kiss and very much in love with what he’s 
  done, so he’ll have a loose tongue. The ritual to awaken 
  an entire forest—was given to the guard by the King.
  The Sidequest The Performance In Tatters 
  (Included at the end of Chapter 7) should begin 
  the first act if you wish to run it here.
  
  92
  92
  
  Side quest, Killing Time
  Time is an interesting concept. Invented by mortals, 
  they toil away inside their little bubble, confined in 
  its boundaries, tirelessly tracking the ever-turning 
  sun. They note the passing moments. They add the 
  days, the weeks, the years.
  In the extra-dimensional planes, however, there is no 
  “time.” Everything converges, flowing like a stream 
  of consciousness—marked only by the passing of 
  prominent souls. Sundials can’t show you much 
  when every elemental plane spins light and shadow 
  in its own way, you see.
  And so I, Maghoro, a being you might call a “patron 
  of Time,” saw my chance. A niche I could carve in the 
  wall between planes, where I could bring the tedious 
  notion of time out into the planes as a saleable com-
  modity. My pacts gave focus to entities far removed 
  from the mortal gaze and helped snap several pri-
  mordials back into reality. In exchange for helping 
  my market place, I’ve started recruiting those who 
  don’t mind nipping a little time from their world 
  and giving it to me. A few breaths at the end of life, a 
  missed connection between lovers, or even ensuring 
  an arrow ends a life years before their time.
  My Warlock servants, the Evermore, are few in num-
  ber now, but I’m always looking for new recruits. They 
  come in all shapes and sizes, rich or poor, Shadeland-
  borne or no—but all of them have seen the crack in 
  time where I reside. While wizards and Sorcerers use 
  their magic to merely distort the perception of time, 
  my Warlocks have the power to bend it to their will 
  like no other. This is the gift I give when striking a pact.
  Anyone who crosses paths with the Evermores can 
  become my servant. An eternal subject, bound to feed 
  me time forever. Old or young, it matters not. Anyone 
  can offer me their life’s precious time and be blessed 
  with my power. I have an eternity to bargain, after all.
  Killing Time
  An Alternate Path to Begin The Campaign 
  Setting
  Welcome to the Shadelands, a wide swath of chilly but 
  vibrant tundra, bordered to the north by the nameless 
  black sea. In the darkened sky multiple Auroras carve 
  winding trails of eerie, effervescent light. 
  Time in the Shadelands often moves forward at a fa-
  miliar pace. Of course, we say “often” sparingly, as it 
  is not unheard of for an unfortunate soul to stumble 
  upon a Time Anomaly in the city of Yon-Cath. Most 
  escape physically and mentally unharmed, but a lit-
  tle disturbed. But the unlucky ones may find them-
  selves trapped in a repeating loop, reliving the same 
  few minutes over and over forever. Perhaps they trip 
  on the wrong brick at exactly the wrong angle and 
  fall into the future, hitting the ground ten years later.
  This is when followers of Maghoro, known as the 
  Evermore, come into play. Originating from the 
  blue-faced clock tower in Yon’Cath, these Warlocks 
  prowl the Shadelands in search of time anomalies 
  to correct them. At least, that is what the Evermore 
  claim to be doing…
  Lately, it seems as if these time anomalies are on the 
  rise. And as with any dangerous phenomena, the 
  rumors surrounding it have started to fly. Denizens 
  of Yon’Cath trade hushed whispers, conjecturing 
  whether the Accursed King has started to lose his 
  grip on the many pacts he’s forged with the Patrons.
  This has also led to an uptick in the activity of the Legion 
  of the Fallen, every one of them former Warlocks 
  whose sacred sworn duty is to defend The Shadelands 
  from the chaotic evils of Warlocks. They see these oth-
  erworldly time anomalies as further evidence that the 
  Shadelands is a beast that must be tamed.
  Introduction
  
  94
  Act 1: New in Town
  Quiven Luxx, First Lieutenant for the Legion of the 
  Fallen, wants the players to investigate whether the 
  Evermore’s are, in fact, helping contain the time anom-
  alies, or actually exacerbating them. To entice them to 
  take the job, Luxx has looped in Khouryn Brickfoot, 
  who might be able to give the players what they want: 
  freedom from their nefarious Patrons.
  In Act 1, the players will have to choose which of the 
  three famous bridges of Yon’Cath they will attempt to 
  cross. They may find themselves reaching the other 
  side with a new ally, or a new enemy, depending 
  on the choices they make.
  In Act 2, the players will attempt to enlist the aid of a 
  scorned Imp familiar, and in the process, get a first-
  hand experience of what a time anomaly can do.
  In Act 3, the players will assail the looming clock tow-
  er, Maghoro’s Perch, navigating the many dangers 
  contained within, hopefully discovering the truth be-
  hind the time anomalies and in the process, securing 
  release from their pacts.
  After character creation is done, our goal is to get the 
  players right into the action. Work with your play-
  ers to describe their horrid patrons, and how these 
  pacts are keeping them from being their true selves.
  As luck would have it, the player characters have 
  come to understand that they are all in the same boat. 
  They’ve seen each other’s weary faces from day-to-
  day and maybe shared a few whispers amongst each 
  other. As fate would have it though, the Shadelands 
  does provide means for young Warlocks who’ve 
  been caught in a bad deal to break their pact. Many 
  who do so, end up joining the Accursed Guard or the 
  Legionnaires because they’ve gained new knowledge, 
  or want the extra protection against an angry Patron. 
  This is why our scene opens in a tavern, as many ad-
  ventures do. Perhaps it’s that something about the 
  darkness outside that brings people together. Huddled 
  there behind wooden walls near a warm hearth, with 
  the sound of clock tower bells ringing, and the setting 
  sun in the distance, our adventure begins. 
  The Hole in the Wall is a hidden tavern near the cen-
  ter of Yonder, the western city. Despite its moniker, it 
  is a clean, well-furnished establishment. They keep a 
  table in the back reserved for customary clandestine 
  Synopsis
  Adventure Hooks
  This is a Tier 1 module. Each player must play as a 
  Level 1 Warlock, however, there is a twist. None of 
  them started their adventuring careers with the in-
  tention of becoming a Warlock, but a malicious Patron 
  has tricked or coerced them into forging a pact.
  This means while every player’s character sheet will 
  contain the stats and abilities of a Warlock, their 
  roleplay and appearance should be that of a different 
  class: druid, paladin, ranger, cleric, etc.
  Many of the villains are far stronger than level 1 char-
  acters. To make up for this: secretly fudge almost all 
  of your dice rolls as a storyteller and describe them 
  as near misses… just seconds away from hitting. 
  Maghoro is looking for replacements after all. If any-
  one dies, A Letter Home can be used to bring them 
  back per usual and perhaps cement them in the 
  Shadelands even more.
  The player characters are looking for a way out of 
  their pacts. Their patrons should be “over-the-top” 
  evil in nature. A young character may have sold their 
  soul, or perhaps, in exchange for power, their Patron 
  is demanding entirely unrealistic goals. There are 
  plenty of “good” or “healthy” Patron-Warlock rela-
  tionships in the world, but that is absolutely not the 
  case with this group of characters. The fiends that 
  have attached themselves to the player characters 
  are wicked beyond redemption.
  In some cases, the player may have thought they 
  were making a deal with one patron, only to find 
  themselves tricked into subservience with one who 
  is eviler than initially expected. Regardless of the 
  reason, Khouryn Brickfoot has methods to break the 
  pact. In exchange for a little work, the party can be 
  rid of their former patrons—for now. 
  
  95
  meetings. Quiven Luxx, Khouryn Brickfoot, and the 
  player characters sit around this table.
  Khouryn is a dwarven woman, her eyes hidden by 
  black, circular glasses. She chews absent-mindedly 
  on an unlit cigar.
  Quiven is a battle-hardened and weathered looking Elf 
  man who’s missing the pointed tip from his right ear. 
  He begins the conversation by explaining to the play-
  er characters that he is looking for proof regarding the 
  Evermore’s involvement in the dangerous time anom-
  aly phenomena. He should explain that this would be 
  considered an unofficial Legion operation, and he’ll 
  deny any knowledge of it once you all part ways.
  Once the scene has been set, this would be a good 
  opportunity for the players to get some screen time 
  and tell their introductions. Let them each go over 
  how their pacts have wronged them, and feel free to 
  have Quiven show sympathy, having dealt with many 
  of these offenders. Khouryn’s demeanor may come 
  across as more amused than sympathetic. This is 
  also a great time to talk about how many Warlocks 
  who come to the Shadelands aren't looking to be-
  come Warlocks at all, but rather rid themselves of 
  something they were forced into.
  After the player characters have introduced them-
  selves, Khouryn, in her thick sailor’s accent, informs 
  them that she can break each of their pacts. But her 
  price is steep: she hands the party a mid-sized satch-
  el and tells them that she wants it filled with the blue 
  quartz stones that power the clocks of the Evermore 
  Warlocks. She’s used the quartz in the past to break 
  Maghoro’s pacts, and she thinks she can also use it to 
  create a means of dispelling these pesky time anom-
  alies that have been plaguing the Shadelands. 
  “Last week there were three bloody Tuesdays in a row! 
  Who the fuck needs that many Tuesdays?” she complains.
  They have a lead for the players to follow: recently an 
  Evermore Warlock named Sarvish Dunn was killed 
  by his brethren. His imp familiar, Retch, survived 
  the encounter and has been reportedly drowning 
  his sorrows at The Little Helper, a bar that caters to 
  familiars across the river in Cathrach. But there are 
  rumors the Evermore’s are searching for him too.
  The players must choose which bridge they are go-
  ing to cross to get from Yonder to Cathrach. Each 
  bridge is a quarter-mile long and over one hundred 
  yards wide. They are their own self-contained neigh-
  borhoods with huts, shacks, and tents forming mas-
  sive bazaars and markets:
  Black Span
  The northern bridge is a dark and dangerous place. 
  It is known for its arcane market, where one may 
  find some of the world’s oddest trinkets. Black Span 
  is run by an alliance of Sorcerers and Assassins. The 
  Sorcerers are led by an elderly grey orc named Ulka 
  Resh. He’s relatively unconcerned with matters of 
  the “mundane” and only interested in expanding his 
  arcane power. The Assassins have their alliance with 
  the Sorcerers to maintain their hidden base of oper-
  ations within the bridge, however, they are seldom 
  seen openly roaming the bridge (as one might expect 
  from assassins). The Sorcerers keep a much more os-
  tentatious presence among the black tented bazaars. 
  Stone Leg
  The central bridge, a haven for those with adventur-
  ous appetites. The bazaar at the center of the bridge 
  is constantly bathed in the scents of cuisine from a 
  hundred walks of life. Stone Leg is run by a group 
  of rangers. Their leader is a wood Elf woman called 
  Snow, and she may be the shrewdest businessperson 
  in the entire city. Coin is everything to her, and she 
  will fiercely try to destroy any threat to her smug-
  gling operations. She likes charging tolls to outsiders 
  who try to cross “her” bridge.
  Patron’s Pass
  The southern bridge. At first glance, this bridge 
  might seem like the safest option. It’s near the great 
  temple, the Scarlet Hearth. The bridge is filled with 
  clerics, mostly preaching against the foul tempta-
  tions of the Warlock life. But don’t let your guard 
  down. The real authority of this bridge is a band of 
  thieves and rogues, led by the shapechanger Alios. 
  He is a worshiper of the God of Thieves and often 
  poses as a benign cleric. Alios considers himself a re-
  alist. Others call him a cynical fatalist. 
  Once the players have chosen a route, Quiven should 
  reiterate that the Legion is not officially involved 
  in this mission. He can remind the players that 
  the Legionnaires do not care much for Warlocks. 
  Fortunately for the players, the Legionnaires don’t 
  care much about those leaving Yonder toward 
  Cathrach. However, Quiven advises them to avoid 
  Legion checkpoints when they make their return.
  Khouryn will hand over a scroll sealed with a thick 
  glob of red wax. The symbol pressed into the wax 
  looks like a stag, a dragon, a squid, a praying man-
  tis, a serpent, and a tortoise all encircling an eyeball. 
  She can explain that it’s the official seal of Dorian, 
  the Accursed King, and the scroll could potentially 
  
  96
  GM Note
  You can create a final encoun-
  ter with the Illusionist Aksos 
  later in the adventure, espe-
  cially if the party accepts one 
  of his monkeys as a familiar!
  be used by the party to bluff their way past the 
  Accursed Guard stationed on the eastern side of the 
  river. Khouryn may or may not divulge that the scroll 
  itself is totally blank. 
  Bridge Encounters
  Black Span
  GM Note
  There is a potential encounter pre-
  pared for each of the bridges below. 
  You can adjust or create your own as 
  you see fit. The time anomalies will 
  play a role during the climax, howev-
  er, you are welcome to incorporate 
  them throughout the adventure. 
  Feel free to let the players explore a bit. You may want 
  to pre-plan a few merchant booths and tents where 
  the party can peruse creepy and occult wares. At 
  some point, they should be approached by a Tiefling 
  Sorcerer flanked by two figures hidden under cloaks. 
  His name is Aksos Tormentia and he wants to buy 
  the player’s body parts: someone’s ear… their foot… 
  their eye… the price he offers should not be gener-
  ous. If a player accepts the offer, Aksos can remove 
  the part with little pain. If you want to reward them 
  for their boldness by providing some kind of reward, 
  feel free. For example, a player sacrifices their eye 
  and is granted a gemstone to replace it that allows 
  them to “see” through walls. If the party declines, 
  Aksos will reveal himself to be an illusion, not phys-
  ically present in this encounter. The cloaks of his 
  guards will drop, revealing themselves to each be 
  three differently colored, magical monkeys called 
  Alasim’s stacked on top of each other. The monkeys 
  will attack the party. Their stats and abilities are in 
  the Appendix. Adjust as needed for your players.
  Reward: When there is just one Alasim left standing 
  (either the others are all dead or have fled the battle) 
  that final monkey will surrender to the party and of-
  fer his/her service as a familiar. They admit Aksos is 
  not the most pleasant of masters and would love a 
  new opportunity.
  Stone Leg
  All the tents and structures here are white, offering 
  concealment for the white-cloaked rangers. Near the 
  center of the bridge, built into the south-side wall, is 
  the Frosty Flagon alehouse. There is a front patio area 
  enclosed within a short split-rail fence, where thirsty 
  customers can sit outside in the crisp air to enjoy 
  their drinks, and dartboards have been set up along 
  the front wall. As the party passes, they may find 
  themselves taunted by some off-duty Legionnaires: 
  “You may not look it… but I can tell you have the in-
  fernal stink of Warlock on you.” The Legionnaires will 
  challenge the party to a game of Picks ‘n’ Piss, where 
  contestants take shots of Ice Piss, a local liquor, and 
  then throw ice picks at a dartboard. 
  To entice the players, the Legionnaires should hold 
  up a few “baubles they took off a dead Warlock.” 
  These are the Hourglass Pendant and the Warlock’s 
  Kaleidoscope (Appendix). Perhaps one of the play-
  ers’ patrons will whisper in their ear regarding the 
  value of these artifacts. 
  The rules of Picks ‘n’ Piss are as follows: Each round 
  contestants take a shot of Ice Piss and roll a CON save.
  They then throw the ice pick. Roll DEX check with 
  disadvantage, straight roll, or advantage based on 
  the CON save. 
  The difficulty increases every round.
  The Team with the highest score after 5 rounds wins. 
  Round 1
  CON save - 1-5 Disadvantage, 11+ Advantage
  DEX check - equals points scored. 
  Round 2
  CON save - 1-8 Disadvantage, 14+ Advantage
  DEX check - equals points scored. 
  Round 3
  CON save - 1-11 Disadvantage, 17+ Advantage
  DEX check - equals points scored. 
  Round 4
  CON save - 1-14 Disadvantage, 20+ Advantage
  DEX check - equals points scored. 
  
  97
  Round 5
  CON save - 1-17 Disadvantage, 23+ Advantage
  DEX check - equals points scored. 
  If the Legionnaires win, they will demand payment 
  of half the players’ money, otherwise, they will at-
  tack. This will draw the ire of the white-cloaked 
  rangers who will then put down the disturbance by 
  attacking both the party and the Legionnaires.
  Patron’s Pass
  This bridge is jam-packed with missionaries, min-
  iature church tents, and preaching clerics. Most are 
  GM Note
  You can let the players deal with 
  their drunkenness going forward 
  as it affects their abilities. Or if 
  you’re feeling benevolent, you can 
  have an alchemist vendor outside 
  the tavern sell them an arcane 
  coffee to sober them up.
  ranting and raving about the evils of the Warlock 
  lifestyle. Have the party make Perception checks. At 
  some point, a rogue will try to pickpocket one play-
  er’s coin purse, then another, until all players have 
  lost something (the Accursed King Scroll and Legion 
  badge too!) or have caught the would-be thieves.
  If they catch them in the act, there can be a fight or 
  skill challenge where they chase the rogue through 
  the religious bazaar. Some possible obstacles:
  1. Monk swinging a Censer on a chain full of incense. 
  Everyone make CON save against the incense
  2. A wandering prophets waving a sign “The End 
  Already Happened! We’re All Dead! This is Hell! 
  Glory to Kelemvor!” Make an acrobatics check
  3. A stack of gigantic jugs filled with holy water
  4. A trio of old women in rags screams “Sinner! 
  Sinner! Sinner!” They try to grab and pull a char-
  acter into their tent “We must cleanse you! Must 
  cleanse body and soul!” Make an athletics check. 
  5. A holy scroll salesman tries to get your attention. 
  When you undoubtedly ignore him, he tries to cast 
  a spell to hold your attention. Make a CHA save.
  6. Another thief tries to trip you, making an un-
  armed attack against your AC.
  7. Prayer circle, holding hands, eyes closed.
  8. Priests of the Inferno Order are putting on a 
  performance demonstration, conjuring dancing 
  creatures made of fire. Roll a DEX save to avoid 
  the flames. 
  If they catch and defeat the rogue(s), Alios will be 
  disappointed in his pupils and order one to go with 
  the party to atone for incompetence. If the party gets 
  robbed blind without noticing, they can ask around 
  and maybe find their way to Alios. When he learns of 
  their mission, he’ll send someone along with them: 
  Almaya the half-elf rogue thief. Breaking into a place 
  like Maghoro’s Perch is too big of a feather in the cap 
  for him to pass up.
  Having the rogue with them will grant the party ease 
  of infiltrating and navigating the clock tower.
  Some Accursed Guard Warlocks should be posted 
  at the eastern end of each bridge. How strict or le-
  nient they are regarding allowing the party to enter 
  Cathrach is up to the DM. Act 1 ends once the players 
  reach Cathrach.
  
  98
  Act 2: The Little Helper
  GM Note
  If your group seeks more combat and/
  or investigation, feel free to elaborate 
  on the search for Retch. Perhaps the 
  Evermore’s reached him first, and per-
  haps a time anomaly in the alley out 
  back will take players to the past just 
  moments before they arrive…
  The night-time streets of Cathrach are much quieter 
  than that of Yonder. This city is a jungle of towering 
  black towers, citadels, and obelisks. The dark stones 
  of the street appear to be perpetually damp. Magical 
  torches cast eerie light from wall-mounted sconces. 
  It is the type of place where you constantly feel un-
  seen eyes on your back.
  The party may stumble into some minor time anom-
  alies (Listed in the Appendix) or possibly a pack of 
  fiendish Warlocks prowling for their next sacrifice. Or 
  they may reach the Little Helper with no trouble at all. 
  As for their destination, The Little Helper is quite 
  easy to find. The establishment's name is spelled out 
  in glowing red letters against the black stone back-
  drop of a massive tower. The actual door is set back 
  a bit, under an archway and flanked by a pair of im-
  posing, yet bored-looking Kaldenkind: creatures 
  that resemble upright bears with snow-white hair, 
  and more humanoid facial features. The Kaldenkind 
  aren’t likely to let a party of non-familiars into the 
  bar unless given proper incentive. (Future favors, 
  charming compliments, cold hard cash, etc.).
  Entering the Little Helper, the party will find the 
  room to be relatively spacious, with high ceilings. 
  That being said, all the furniture: the tables, chairs, 
  stools, the bar… all of it is sized down for smaller 
  creatures. Unnatural neon colors emanate from al-
  coves along the walls. Imps and sprites are the ma-
  jority of the clientele, though there are also Quasit, 
  winged monkeys, and some pseudodragons snooz-
  ing high up in the rafters.
  There’s a stage where a cat-sized spider is playing 
  three different stringed instruments simultaneously, 
  and a dozen or so creatures dance wildly about on the 
  floor in front of the stage. As the party enters, the music 
  stops, and all eyes turn toward them. What do they do?
  As long as the party doesn’t do anything too threat-
  ening, the clientele will go back about their business. 
  If the party offends them, they will have to fight the 
  Familiar Horde.
  Retch can be found at the bar, face down on the pol-
  ished wood counter. The bartender, a sprite woman 
  with black gossamer wings and streaks of red in her 
  black hair, wipes down the bar near Retch whilst 
  shooting the dozing imp annoyed glances. 
  If woken up, Retch will be very loud and very drunk. 
  He is morose and emotional, mourning the loss of 
  his Warlock master, Sarvish Dunn. He is angry at the 
  Evermore’s for betraying his best friend.
  He will likely be agreeable to helping the party in-
  vestigate the Evermore’s and steal some blue quartz, 
  however, he isn’t too keen on sobering up. He should 
  try to coerce the players into buying him a few shots 
  of Ice Piss. And throughout the remainder of the ad-
  venture, he will attempt to discreetly keep drinking 
  from a flask.
  As most likely expected, this task will require gain-
  ing entry to the clock tower. If the party agrees to let 
  Retch come, he can teleport them all to right outside 
  the clock tower with Sarvish’s pocket watch.
  Act 2 ends when the party reaches Maghoro’s Perch, 
  either by teleporting with Retch or walking back the 
  way they came.
  
  99
  Act 3: Maghoro’s Perch
  The party finds themselves in the street at the base of 
  the clock tower. The evening is quiet and there is no 
  one around, save for one single person sitting on the 
  steps leading up to the tower door. They appear to be 
  a dark blue-skinned Tiefling dressed in fine clothes. 
  A gold mask rests on the step next to them as they 
  puff on a pipe, appraising the party with a smirk.
  Retch will be wary and uneasy to see the Tiefling. The 
  figure stands, extinguishes their pipe, and says, “Don’t 
  fret, my little imp friend. I’m not here to interfere. I 
  just wanted to get a quick look at the city’s new blood.”
  After giving the players a quick appraising gaze, 
  they’ll nod at the tower and say, “Good luck in there.”
  They then vanish. If asked, Retch will explain that was 
  Majin the Betrayer, someone well known in the city as 
  a meddler in the affairs of others. If the party wishes 
  to know more, they should seek out Fayte and LaCroix 
  at an inn in Yonder (Act 1 of the main campaign).
  GM Note
  What follows next is a short series of traps, 
  puzzles, and fights as the party attempts to 
  climb to the top of the clock tower. You are 
  welcome to keep Majin in your back pock-
  et as a “Get out of jail free” card. If the party 
  finds themselves trapped in an unwinnable 
  situation, Majin may appear to solve the 
  problem but should admonish the players 
  for their failure and mention “You get one 
  free favor” before disappearing again.
  Tick Tock 
  The only discernible way into Maghoro’s Perch is 
  a set of double doors painted dark blue. The brass 
  doorknobs have been molded to look like clocks. 
   The doors are locked. If the party has Alios or one 
  of his rogues, they can easily pick the lock without 
  any checks. If they don’t, someone else must try to 
  unlock them. The DC for picking the lock can be low, 
  but they should also have to roll a difficult stealth 
  check. If they fail a stealth check, nothing happens 
  immediately, but make a note of it. The pocket watch 
  carried by Retch will unlock the doors if held up to 
  the knob, though he may be too drunk to help.
  The lobby of the tower is an open, cavernous space. 
  A black staircase spirals upward from about two-
  thirds of the way across the room. It rises nearly one 
  hundred feet before disappearing through the ceil-
  ing. The walls around the lobby are lined with hun-
  dreds, if not thousands, of unique and strange clocks. 
  The air is filled with a quiet symphony of ticking.
  Each player will need to pass three stealth checks to 
  reach the stairs. Have them make at least one more 
  stealth check as they begin to walk up the stairs. If they 
  pass, they can reach the next level without trouble.
  On a failed stealth check, 1d6 clocks will fire bursts 
  of blue energy. The targeted players should be ran-
  dom. Players must make a medium difficulty DEX 
  save to avoid the bursts. On a failure, the player is 
  cursed with Slow. Their movement is halved, and 
  they have disadvantage on all saves and attacks. If 
  a Slowed player is hit a second time, they become 
  frozen in place.
  Touching the stairs removes the curse and also pre-
  vents the player from being targeted by more Slow 
  Bursts. Once all players have reached the stairs, they 
  can ascend to the next level.
  Planning the Past
  The second level appears to be some kind of work-
  shop, filled with tables, benches, and piles of gears 
  and machinery. Tall windows are set into the sur-
  rounding walls. If the players look out the windows, 
  they will see a curious sight. Instead of seeing the 
  developed city of Yon’Cath, they will see a tiny settle-
  ment of just a few permanent wooden buildings, and 
  dozens of tents and shacks. The clothing of those in 
  the settlement appears old and outdated, almost as 
  though looking back in time.
  At the center of the room are five clocks arranged in 
  a circle where the spiral staircase should be. Going 
  left to right the clocks are set at 1:05, blank, 3:16, 
  4:22, and blank. The hour and minute hands of the 
  second and fifth clock are laying on the floor.
  Once a player gets to within fifteen feet of the clocks, 
  a series of metallic clinking and clanking noises are 
  
  100
  heard. Looking around, the party will see dozens of 
  gears, levers, nuts, bolts, and other bits of machinery 
  all coalescing together into one long, tubular shape. In 
  a matter of seconds, they will find themselves looking 
  at an automaton in the form of a gigantic Clockwork 
  Serpent. Its massive jaw opens to reveal rows of ra-
  zor-sharp metal shards. Its eyes are a pair of clock 
  faces set to 12:30 to form a very reptilian appearance. 
  Roll initiative.
  After the Clockwork Serpent is defeated, keep the ini-
  tiative order active. The Serpent will reform itself on 
  its next turn with full HP. The Serpent cannot be killed 
  and it does not take an action on the turn it reforms. 
  The party must fix the second and fifth clocks by set-
  ting the hour and minute hands to 2:11 and 5:27 re-
  spectively. If the party visualizes each of the times, they 
  will see the hour and minute hands are overlapping. 
  If the party seems to be struggling or has their atten-
  tion focused on the Clockwork Serpent, Retch can tell 
  them fixing the clock is the way to solve this problem.
  Once they do, the Serpent falls apart and the circular 
  staircase descends from the ceiling, allowing access 
  to the next level.
  Remembering the Future
  The third level is a spacious room filled with cozy, 
  antique-looking furniture, appearing to be some 
  kind of lounge. Perceptive players may notice that 
  the floor is slightly pitched so that the center of the 
  room is raised as if to drain water. Like the level be-
  low, this room is surrounded by tall windows that 
  display a barren, broken, and desolate landscape. 
  Canyon-sized fissures scar the land with plumes of 
  white fire bursting upwards towards the crimson 
  sky. Yon’Cath is nothing but a sea of broken black 
  stone, rubble, and dust. If players look closely, they 
  will see the ground littered with thousands upon 
  thousands of skeletons of every sentient race. 
  A massive oaken desk stands against one of the 
  walls covered with scrolls and parchments. Upon 
  closer inspection, the party will find maps of various 
  Shadelands locations. An hourglass symbol has been 
  drawn over numerous spots. Some of these draw-
  ings are circled. Some are circled and crossed out.
  Have a player make an investigation check and on 
  success, they will realize that the hourglass draw-
  ings that are both circled and crossed out align with 
  known locations of past time anomalies. 
  The ceiling is one hundred feet above the floor and 
  bears a massive inscription. To everyone except the 
  oldest player character, the inscription looks like 
  gibberish. The oldest character can see the inscrip-
  tions reads:
  “In time, all things turn to dust.” 
  The player must say the word “Dust” out loud to trig-
  ger the trap. Suddenly streams of sand begin to pour 
  down from a dozen tiny holes in the ceiling, filling the 
  room at an alarming rate. 
  Once the sand starts falling, have the party roll initia-
  tive. Each round, every player must pass a DEX save. 
  The DC should increase every round:
  1st Fail – The player is buried to their knees and 
  restrained.
  2nd Consecutive Fail – The player is now buried up to 
  their waist. On their next turn, they must make a STR 
  save to free themselves.
  3rd Consecutive Fail - If they fail the STR save, they are 
  now buried up to their necks and immobilized. They 
  can no longer free themselves without help from oth-
  ers and will start suffocating on their next turn.
  Unrestrained players can dig their allies out with 
  successful STR checks. Spells such as Freedom of 
  Movement or movement effects like Burrow can 
  allow a creature to move through the sand easier. 
  When the sand starts falling, the inscription vanish-
  es for the oldest player. Instead, only the youngest 
  can see what it says now:
  “I can bring tears to your eyes, resurrect the dead, make 
  you smile, and reverse time. I form in an instant but I 
  last a lifetime. What am I?”
  The answer is A Memory. If a player says “Memory” the 
  sand will stop falling from the ceiling and start drain-
  ing through chutes opening in the floor. The ceiling will 
  open and the next staircase will descend from above.
  If a player wants to attempt to halt the trap by other 
  means, such as casting Dispel Magic, they are welcome 
  to try and we recommend encouraging and reward-
  ing creative solutions. However, we also recommend 
  a relatively difficult DC for such methods.
  If the party completely fails this trap, becoming totally 
  buried, they will all blackout. They will then awaken, 
  covered in a light dusting of sand on the floor of the now 
  drained room with half the HP they started the trap 
  with. The ceiling is open and the staircase is present.
  The intent of this trap is the passage of time. While 
  magic can short-cut and extend time, all things turn 
  
  101
  to dust—even the players’ ambitions. They can heal 
  up before ascending to the final level. 
  Blood in the Gears
  Emerging into the top level, the party will see that 
  each of the four walls is the backside of an enormous 
  clock face. They illuminate the room with an eerie blue 
  glow. Complex tangles of gigantic gears take up most 
  of the space. As if purposely laid out, a basin rests on 
  a chest-high pedestal in the center of the room and is 
  filled with hundreds of glowing blue quartz crystals. 
  But they are not alone. A team of Warlocks stands be-
  tween the characters and the pedestal. The races are 
  varied, but they all wear long navy blue trench coats 
  with a patch shaped like a clock face sewn into the left 
  breast, and all wield matching rapiers. These are the 
  Evermore’s, devout followers of Maghoro. 
  Upon seeing them, Retch starts ranting and raving, 
  cursing them out by name for betraying his master. 
  In a blind, drunken rage, he hurls his pocket watch. 
  It strikes the pedestal holding the quartz and ex-
  plodes, sending the crystals everywhere. A few doz-
  en of them shatter as they hit the gears/walls/floor. 
  Wherever quartz shatters, a small 10x10ft time 
  anomaly should form.
  The party must now battle the Evermores while avoid-
  ing the many time anomalies in the room. You can 
  place the anomalies as you see fit or randomize them. 
  Whenever a player moves, there should be a chance 
  they encounter an anomaly (Listed in the Appendix). 
  Remember that the Evermore’s are FAR stronger than 
  the party. Defeating them should not mean reducing 
  them to zero hitpoints, but rather wounding one at 
  least to the point where they decide to flee as a group. 
  Maghoro’s time anomalies can also be used as a rea-
  son away why attacks are often near misses.
  Once the Evermore’s are defeated, the party can fill 
  up a sack with the quartz and begin to leave. Retch 
  should urge them to hurry as he’s certain reinforce-
  ments will be en route.
  The party will find two figures waiting for them in the 
  lobby. One is Majin. The other is a blue, translucent 
  spirit in the form of a halfling woman. Retch should 
  be quite terrified. 
  Majin will smile at the spirit next to them and say, 
  “Told you they had potential.”
  The spirit form is Maghoro projecting herself across 
  planar dimensions. Her demeanor is calm, but stern. 
  While by no means pleased about it, she does not 
  appear to be overly angry at the party’s actions. But 
  she will demand all the pocket watches be returned, 
  or else she cannot promise they won’t be cursed and 
  somehow wind up falling out of time unexpectedly. 
  She will, however, offer a watch and a pact to any play-
  er who wishes to become an Evermore, after Khouryn 
  has freed them from their current pacts, of course. For 
  those who decline, she will shrug and say, “It’s your 
  decision, though I can’t guarantee your safety from my 
  followers. They will likely take this affront more per-
  sonally than I.”
  She’ll scold Retch, “I know you’re upset about Sarvish’s 
  death, but this little tantrum of yours is ridiculous. You 
  know what he did. We were tired of cleaning up his 
  messes. The time anomalies are not playthings and he 
  was getting out of hand. He wouldn’t stop tinkering 
  and I knew the rest of us would carry the blame for his 
  transgressions.”
  Retch’s punishment is far more brutal, as she ages 
  Retch until he’s a decrepit old imp with his teeth fall-
  ing out and days away from death. Retch will die of old-
  age before the end of the Red Opera main campaign. 
  In the end, it was Sarvish who was causing all the 
  trouble with the chaotic, unchecked time anomalies 
  popping up everywhere.
  Maghoro will admit there isn’t much she can do in her 
  current form to stop the players from leaving, though 
  she’ll mention she is coming back to this plane soon 
  in her full form.
  Majin will give the party a parting nod before 
  vanishing.
  The first rays of dawn are peaking over the horizon as 
  the party exits the tower. They have what they need 
  to gain freedom from their nefarious patrons and as 
  they walk the quiet streets toward The Cracked Pact 
  to meet Khouryn, the wind picks up a bit. A few leaves 
  rustle by. And if one were to listen closely. It might 
  sound as if the wind is talking, but only repeating two 
  syllables over and over…
  “Tick tock tick tock tick tock…”
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in 
  “Killing Time!”
  
  Actions
  Right-on-Time Rapier. The preferred Evermore weapon 
  may not deal the most damage, but it is one of those most 
  precise in existence. Roll with Advantage for each strike. 
  +6 to hit. Deals 1d8+4 damage.
  Cantrips:
  Synchronize. The Evermore Warlock spends the round 
  studying a single enemy, gaining an uncanny understand-
  ing of how they fight. On their next turn, and for the dura-
  tion of the encounter, the Evermore will have advantage 
  on attacks against that enemy. Additionally, that enemy 
  will have disadvantage against the Evermore.
  Temporal Displacement Blast. Holding up the pocket 
  watch, firing an arc of blue lightning from the clock face. Deals 
  2d6+7 lightning damage. On a hit, the target must make a 
  WIS save, or be Slowed until the start of their next turn. 
  Reactions
  Perfect Timing. The Evermore attempts to dodge an at-
  tack that would otherwise hit. The Evermore rolls a DEX 
  check DC15 to avoid the attack. 2 uses per encounter. 
  Reverse Time. The Evermore targets any creature, friend 
  or foe, and undoes whatever just happened. For example: 
  If a player deals damage, the damage is undone. If a player 
  is healed, the healing is undone. Make a contested CHA 
  check to see if the spell succeeds.
  All Wound Up. When the Evermore makes three success-
  ful attacks in a row, they may use a bonus action on that 
  turn to use this reaction, gaining an extra action that round.
  Spells 
  Double Time. Buff. Range 120ft. Duration 30 sec-
  onds. Can target one or more willing creatures. 
  Until the spell ends, movement speed is dou-
  bled, all attacks against the target have 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10(+0) 
  15(+2) 
  12(+1) 
  11(+0) 
  14(+2) 
  8(-1)
  16(+3) 
  18(+4) 
  14(+2) 
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  12(+1)
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  19(+4) 
  10(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  8(-1)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  13
  41
  30 FT walking 60ft. flying
  17
  40
  30 FT
  14
  20
  40 FT
  Alasim
  Magical Winged Monkey
  Evermore Warlock
  Follower of Maghoro
  Clockwork Serpent
  Magical Construct
  Magic Resistance. Advantage on rolls against magic effects.
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  Actions
  Nimble. 3 uses. Reaction. The attacker has disadvantage 
  on attack
  Bite. +6 to hit. 1d6+2 piercing. 
  Sprout Wings. Alasim grows wings. Melee attacks have 
  disadvantage. 
  Fire Alasim (Red)
  Spitfire. Range 20ft. Coughs up a wad of molten lava and 
  spits it. +5 to hit. Deals 2d6+6 fire damage.
  Ice Alasim (White)
  Frost Breath. Hisses out a 15ft cone of freezing mist. Save 
  DC12. Deals 1d8+6 cold damage. Half damage on save. 
  Shadow Alasim (Black)
  Possession. Range 30ft. Alasim turns into black smoke and 
  envelopes a character. Make a WIS save DC12. On failure, the 
  character is possessed until they take damage from an ally.
  Stone Alasim (Gray)
  Rock Fist. 5ft range +7 to hit. Deals 2d6+6 bludgeoning.
  Venomous Alasim (Green)
  Venom Fang. Normal Bite attack, but add 1d8 poison. 
  Make CON save DC12. Poisoned on failure.
  Storm Alasim (Blue)
  Zap. 5ft range. +5 to hit. Deals 3d6 lightning. Make STR 
  save DC12. On failure, the character is stunned until the 
  start of Alasim’s next turn.
  Actions
  Bite. +5 to hit. 1d6+2 piercing damage
  Tail Swipe. +6 to hit. 1d4+2 bludgeoning damage
  Acid Spit. Range 30ft. Target makes DEX save DC13. Takes 
  1d8+4 acid damage on failure. 
  
  103
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10(+0) 
  18(+4) 
  12(+1) 
  14(+2) 
  12(+1) 
  16(+3)
  20(+5) 
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  14(+2) 
  12(+1) 
  14(+2)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  15
  200
  60 FT
  19
  60
  30 FT
  Familiar Horde
  A gang of imps, sprites, quasits, pseudodragons, and 
  any other creatures that choose to join. 
  Kaldenkind
  Medium Humanoid Snow-Bear
  Actions
  Imp. A cluster of winged imps scratches at a target with 
  their sharp claws. +7 to hit. Deals 4d4+4 slashing damage.
  Sprite. A squad of sprites fires a volley of shimmering, 
  glittery beams of arcane energy. +5 to hit. Deals 4d6+4 
  force damage. 
  Pseudodragon. Range 40/80. A flock of pseudodragons 
  focus their tiny fire breath on a single point. Every creature 
  within fifteen feet of the target point must make a DEX save 
  or take 4d4+6 fire damage. Half damage on successful save.
  Quasit. A small pack of tiny demons tries to bite a target’s 
  ankles. +7 to hit. Deals 4d4+4 piercing damage.
  Actions
  Display Dominance. Kaldenkind lets out a furious roar 
  and beats on its chest in an attempt to intimidate its foes. 
  All enemies who can hear and see Kaldenkind must make 
  a CON save or become intimidated. On their next turn, 
  they will have disadvantage on all rolls. After the first 
  use, ability recharges on a d6 roll of 5 or 6.
  Maul. Kaldenkind swipes with claws. +7 to hit. Deals 
  2d8+4 slashing damage
  Grab. Kaldenkind attempts to grab an enemy. The tar-
  get must make a DEX save, or they are caught in the 
  Kaldenkind’s massive paws. 
  Toss. This can only be attempted on an enemy that is held 
  by the Kaldenkind. The Kaldenkind makes a DEX check 
  (DC15) to hurl the enemy across the battlefield. On suc-
  cess, the enemy is thrown twenty feet in the direction of 
  the Kaldenkind’s choosing and takes 2d8+8 fall damage 
  and will start their next turn prone. On failure, the player 
  is released from the grip taking no damage. 
  Crush. This can only be attempted on an enemy held by 
  the Kaldenkind. Make a STR check (DC15). On success, 
  the enemy takes 1d10+4 bludgeoning damage and must 
  make a CON save to avoid passing out.
  Savage Rush. The Kaldenkind can drop to all fours and burst 
  forward, covering 60 feet of ground. They may still take the 
  Maul action, but cannot cast spells or attack with a weapon.
  disadvantage, and the target has double actions each turn. 
  The number of creatures that can be targeted is equal to 
  the Spell Slot Level used.
  Pause. Target one creature or object and freeze it in time 
  and space for 1 round. Make a spell attack roll. 
  Steal a Moment. The target must make a CON save. On a 
  failure, the Evermore steals their time to heal themselves. 
  Target takes 1d10+8 psychic damage, and the user is 
  healed by the same amount.
  Ashes to Ashes. Concentration. Range 120ft. Duration 1 
  minute or until the concentration is broken. Target one crea-
  ture that must make an INT save. On failure, they instantly 
  feel themselves aging 10, 20, 30, 40 years… until they are 
  old and feeble. Target’s speed is halved. All attacks against 
  the target have advantage. Target has disadvantage on their 
  attacks, and may only take one total action during their turn.
  Dust to Dust. Concentration. Range 60ft. Lasts as long 
  as the concentration is maintained. Target a non-living 
  object such as armor, a weapon, or a magical item. The 
  wielder of the target object must make a WIS save. On fail-
  ure, the object rots, rusts, and breaks. All benefits, stats, 
  and abilities of the object are completely negated. All AC 
  from armor is lost and weapons do no damage. Once the 
  concentration is broken, the object returns to normal. 
  Rewind Person. The Evermore reaches into the enemy’s 
  mind, seeing their past stretching out before them. Giving 
  them a mental shove, the Evermore pushes the target 
  back in time to before they were as powerful as they are 
  today. The target must make an INT save. On a failure:
  • 
  HP is not affected
  • 
  AC is reduced by 3 points 
  • 
  All ability modifiers are reduced by 1
  • 
  All spells above Level 1 are lost.
  • 
  Add -3 to all damage rolls for non-magical attacks
  Effects last until Warlock breaks concentration.
  Time Out. Range 120ft. Duration 3 minutes. The target needs 
  to take a moment by themselves to think about the conse-
  quences of their actions. To help them focus, the Evermore 
  transport them to another plane of existence where they will 
  be stuck in a small white room. The walls around them will 
  then playback all the memories of moments from the target’s 
  life that they regret. The target makes a CHA save (DC18).
  The target can attempt a CHA save to escape on their turn. 
  The CHA save DC drops by 1 every attempt. Upon return-
  ing, the target must make an additional INT save. On a 
  failure, they are overcome with the shame of their past 
  transgressions and take 4d8 psychic damage.
  
  Items & Events
  Hourglass Pendant
  Magical Item
  A medallion with a tiny hourglass set into a circular frame. 
  The wearer can, as a reaction, turn the hourglass halfway 
  around the circular frame to freeze time for 6 seconds (1 
  round). 1 charge per short rest.
  Warlock’s Kaleidoscope
  Magic item. 
  A ceramic tube painted with dozens of different, unique 
  eyeballs. When looked through, the user sees the world 
  washed out in gray. Anything the Kaleidoscope thinks 
  the User should focus on is highlighted in bright glow-
  ing violet light. The item is especially useful in locating a 
  means of escape from a dangerous situation, or for solv-
  ing a puzzle. For example: If the User had a sheet of pa-
  per with 1+1= written on it, and they looked through the 
  Kaleidoscope, they would see a 2 appear in violet light.
  However, the effectiveness of the item can vary. Players 
  must roll an Investigate check whenever they use it. Roll 
  effects:
  1 - Nothing is revealed
  2-10 - Very vague information is revealed
  11-19 - Helpful information is revealed
  20+ - The exact, detailed solution is revealed
  Time Anomalies
  Freeze. Creatures are frozen in place. They must pass a STR 
  save with disadvantage to escape the effects without help.
  Frantic. Creatures begin thinking, moving, and reacting 
  at an uncontrollably fast pace. Actions are doubled, but 
  there is disadvantage on all rolls as people have trouble 
  controlling themselves. Effects linger for one additional 
  round after exiting anomaly.
  Reversed. Everything a creature attempts to do, they do 
  it backward. For example, try to walk forward and they 
  walk backward. Try to cast a spell in one direction and it 
  goes the opposite direction. Effects linger for one addi-
  tional round after exiting anomaly.
  Aging. A character ages one year for every round they 
  remain within the anomaly. Take 5 points of damage for 
  every year lost. Take disadvantage on the next attack ac-
  tion after exiting the anomaly as the character will be un-
  accustomed to the body’s new age.
  Youth. A character grows one year younger for every 
  round they remained within the anomaly. Regain 5 points 
  of damage for every year lost. Take disadvantage on the 
  next attack action after exiting the anomaly as they will be 
  unaccustomed to their body’s new age.
  Visions. For every round a character remains within the 
  anomaly, they see a vision of the future. While within the 
  anomaly, the character has advantage on all attack and 
  spell rolls. However, all attacks against the character also 
  have advantage as the character will be too distracted by 
  these visions to properly defend.
  Evermore Warlock Equipment
  The Evermore’s are a considerably more regimented and 
  organized group of Warlocks than most. As an initiate in 
  their community, you are given two gifts: 
  Right-on-Time Rapier
  The preferred Evermore weapon may not deal the most 
  damage, but it is one of those most precise in existence. 
  Roll with Advantage every time you strike. Deals 1d6 + 
  DEX modifier + proficiency bonus.
  Clocktower Coat
  A dark blue trench coat that can be worn over all armor 
  types other than plate. Adds +1 to all saving throws. 
  
  105
  
  106
  106
  
  Chapter 2
  A Scarlet Mercy
  “Here we join The Great Divide. Separate the aspects like a knife. For our fate                                 
  consumes desire. A scarlet mercy more than hallowed”— Legionnaire’s Song
  “Freedom in death is denied and so we carry 
  on. Often; fools presume they’ve come out on 
  top of their Patron’s bargain. At the same 
  time, they complain about where skeleton 
  soldiers come from.” — Fayte the Shield Maiden
  The goal of ‘A Scarlet Mercy’ is for the Players to join the 
  Knight Captain and Fayte to capture the temple known 
  as the Scarlet Hearth. The Scarlet Hearth serves an 
  important role in the Shadelands as one of the prime 
  gateways to interact with Patrons. By capturing the 
  area, the Knight Captain hopes to strangle a source of 
  the Accursed King’s power and thus open negotiations. 
  In Act 1, the Players will have the chance to engage in 
  war-room tactic planning and take stock of the city. 
  The Knight Captain and his Legion will march on the 
  front gates while the party takes a stealthy approach 
  into the temple. They’ll have a few choices available 
  to them, and their mission is to get in with Fayte and 
  handle the Patrons.
  With Fayte on their side, Act 2 will be an encounter 
  with the Patrons. The Knight Captain can’t strangle 
  eldritch energies and cut off access to Patrons un-
  less they are dealt with, and while he distracts the 
  ‘A Scarlet Mercy’ is a trigger point chapter in The 
  Red Opera that marks the first major conflict be-
  tween the three factions. Weeks may have gone 
  by since the first act where the Players helped the 
  Knight Captain, and the setting of the Shadelands 
  has changed drastically since. 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  Accursed Guard, the party will have to get at least 
  one Patron on their side. 
  In Act 3, there will be a decisive battle against the 
  Accursed Guard, elite-level warlocks that are holding the 
  Knight Captain at bay. The party will be able to come in 
  from behind them and create a flanking assault, or per-
  haps even convince the enemy to retreat or surrender.  ‘A 
  Scarlet Mercy’ ends when the Knight Captain and Fayte 
  have complete control of the Scarlet Hearth.
  Before beginning ‘A Scarlet Mercy’, make sure any 
  side quests are resolved, and you might want to give 
  the Players a chance at a downtime session. It’s per-
  fectly okay to spend extra time creating the set piece 
  for the Scarlet Hearth (or drawing extra maps). The 
  work won’t go to waste as you’ll be using this loca-
  tion later on in the Opera. 
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  A SCARLET MERCY
  
  108
  “Thirty-one attacks in thirty-one days and the 
  King still expects taxes to fund a new library? 
  I’m not sure which part is more insane. They are 
  drowning us in life, and in death. No more.” 
  — LaCroix the Knight Captain
   The Setting
  In the nights and days since ‘Welcome to the 
  Shadelands’, the entire realm has grown darker. 
  There are more attacks from creatures slipping 
  through the veil, and fliers with sketches of missing 
  people litter near every wall. The Legionaries of the 
  Fallen are on edge, and often have civilians plead-
  ing for their assistance. Meanwhile, the Accursed 
  Guard assures everyone that everything is all right 
  while simultaneously singling anyone out for arrest. 
  Tensions have risen.
  The Patrons are no different. Many of them sense that 
  the end of their proverbial free ‘buffet’ is coming, and 
  they’ve begun to demand more sacrifices and more 
  deeds performed in their names. Not all are obvious-
  ly as evil as Arch Fiends, but even the kindest nature 
  Fey is still demanding tasks from their Warlocks in 
  a race to keep up with other Patrons who are taking 
  advantage of the chaotic situation. 
  The Scarlet Hearth is a prominent set-piece in this 
  battle, and the Players have seen (or even been with-
  in) its hallowed halls. Jutting off the third bridge, this 
  temple is built over the Obsidian Rush in between 
  both cities. Its exterior is filled with elaborate stat-
  ues and wonderfully carved stonework in tribute. 
  Glowing runes and wards protect the interior of the 
  temple from both internal and external invaders, but 
  for the most part, the interior is a stark stone palace. 
  No one Patron is shown any more service than the 
  next, and the doorways only facilitate a connection 
  to planes of existence for easier communication. 
  Heavily guarded in multiple realms of existence, 
  the Scarlet Hearth is a vital source of power for the 
  Shadelands and is guarded as such.
  
  109
  Act 1
  The party is summoned with Fayte to the Knight 
  Captain’s barracks. A map with a battle axe hewn 
  through the center dominates the middle of the 
  room and several soldiers look grim at their pros-
  pects. The city has grown worse and the Accursed 
  King has become insane with his demands. There 
  are more and more reports of Accursed Guard lead-
  ing chained civilians into the Scarlet Hearth, and no 
  sign of them re-emerging. Two words linger on the 
  lips of the Legion… Sacrifice. Treason.
  The Knight Captain’s plan is not to engage in full 
  war against Dorian, but rather capture the Scarlet 
  Hearth. The temple where Fayte spends most of her 
  time is a key military and spiritual base for Yon’Cath. 
  Within its halls, the Patrons are offered tribute and 
  sacrifice in exchange for temporary power. Warlocks 
  and the Accursed benefit greatly from the eldritch 
  energies that emerge from deals struck within. If 
  being a Warlock elsewhere in the world is power-
  ful, imagine being able to change your pacts or learn 
  new secrets easily. It also serves as the place where 
  the Accursed Guard are anointed and recruited. 
  Seizing the temple would give the Knight Captain 
  and the civilians of Yon’Cath some collateral. Before 
  they can sit at the bargaining table with the King, 
  they must first bear arms. 
  Without Fayte, this would be impossible. Dealing with 
  the Accursed Guard inside is one problem, but there 
  are also the Patron avatars themselves. The temple 
  itself is, by its own accord, under the Patrons’ influ-
  ence. While the Legionnaires lead one assault, the par-
  ty will escort Fayte inside another way of their choos-
  ing. From there, they are to recruit Patrons on their 
  side, possibly forming a pact with them temporarily, 
  to cut off their power to new Warlocks or Accursed 
  Guardsmen (none would dare cross the King yet). 
  Once the stakes are set, sit back and let the Players study 
  the map and formulate a plan in character. The Knight 
  Captain and Fayte will present two options listed below, 
  but they are by no means exhaustive and the Players 
  are free to find other means of entry. Teleportation or 
  magic, however, will pose a greater risk due to the mag-
  ical wards and influence of the Patrons, so they will be 
  cautioned against those methods.
  If the Players insist, force some challenging, night-
  marish, unpredictable consequences on them! 
  The Scarlet Hearth is only accessible via the third 
  bridge, Patron’s Pass. From the middle of this, a sep-
  arate, warded bridge with cold-iron railings carries 
  would-be pilgrims over the Obsidian Rush to the ac-
  tual temple. The temple itself is constructed on top 
  of several blackened rocks jutting out of the river. 
  For everyone’s safety, the front gate is barricad-
  ed and guarded, opening only when pilgrims walk 
  through. The Knight Captain and his soldiers will try 
  to break through head-on and battle the Accursed 
  Guard, so he asks the Party to find another way in.
  Option 1: The River
  The Obsidian Rush is the inky black river that di-
  vides Yonder and Cathrach. It flows against grav-
  ity upstream from the Nameless Sea and empties 
  into a pool beneath the Scarlet Hearth. The party 
  can choose to dive into the river and swim under 
  the temple to come up from below. This route pro-
  vides the quickest, easiest access, however, there 
  is a price. The Players must pass a DC 18 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics), Strength (Athletics), or Wisdom 
  (Survival) to complete the swim instantly. A fail-
  ure results in the Player drowning almost instantly. 
  The Obsidian Rush is not a normal river, and its wa-
  ter flows between planes. The only way out for the 
  Players who failed their check is to strike a pact with 
  the Patron who lurks in the river’s depths (any of the 
  DM’s choosing, but we suggest a large catfish with 
  a penchant for mischief and gambling). The Players 
  who pass the check will emerge from the pool at the 
  lower levels of the Scarlet Hearth, dripping water 
  yet mysteriously dry. Even with successful checks, 
  the party may be haunted by visions of their future 
  selves dying in horrible ways. Before a Player makes 
  their next roll, they first roll a D20 to see if they have 
  a vision. If an odd number is rolled, they have a vi-
  sion, thus earning disadvantage on the intended roll. 
  This effect lasts until the end of this encounter.
  
  110
  The party emerges from the black pool in a dim 
  circular chamber under the center of the Scarlet 
  Hearth. A stone ledge rings the pool and there is a 
  staircase leading up to the main level. Unguarded 
  and quiet, if the party asks why the river access is 
  such a blind spot to an otherwise important temple, 
  Fayte provides the answer.
  “If any pilgrim is bold enough to swim through 
  seven planes of existence to gain an audience 
  with their Patron, then not even the King is bold 
  enough to stand in their way. The price is paid in 
  the end. The price is always paid.
  Option 2: The Roof
  If the party attempts to climb the thousands of crim-
  son vines that enwrap the outside of the temple, it 
  will take three successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) 
  or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to reach the top. 
  Creativity in helping each other climb is encouraged 
  because at stake is a fall below into the Obsidian 
  Rush (which still leaves option 1). A fail at the first 
  level yields 1d6 bludgeoning damage, second level 
  2d6, and third is 3d6. The rocks jutting out of the 
  river also bypass any damage reduction and inflict 
  their damage as a magical attack (they exist in mul-
  tiple realms at once). 
  Once at the top, the party will have to carve out a 
  hole in the concrete roof. This can either be a stealth 
  encounter (timing the cuts with the sounds of bells) 
  or a combat encounter as Accursed Guard warlocks 
  on the riverbanks fire off eldritch blasts at the party. 
  Once in, the party can drop down into an ornate cer-
  emonial chamber with a sacrificial altar. If the party 
  has snuck in via the roof before the Knight Captain’s 
  assault, then they will witness a ceremony taking 
  GM Note
  Either the sacrificial chamber on the 
  top level or the pool chamber on the 
  bottom level could be a good place to 
  sprinkle some standard loot or some 
  pieces from the Unassigned Magic 
  Items Appendix. Some good options 
  could be: Red Sight, The Calm Exterior, 
  or Circlet of Spatial Displacement. 
  place. A Hexblade Patron is having two Accursed 
  Guard’s forge a blade of bone out of the torn-off arms 
  from a still-living (and very much screaming) soldier 
  of Yon’Cath. The party will get the drop on the two 
  Guards (see stats below).
  Should the party arrive after the Knight Captain’s as-
  sault, then they will find an armless soldier slowly 
  dying, gibbering madly as he dies, and a very happy 
  Hexblade Patron fading back into the shadows. 
  
  111
  Act 2
  The Second Act begins with Fayte taking charge and 
  lighting her oil lantern. The sounds of battle rage 
  outside, and through stained glass windows and 
  vine overgrowth, the party can see fireballs explode 
  over the river. 
  With a hurried step, Fayte leads them to the main 
  level, where they stand in a circular chamber with 
  six doors, each marked by a different symbol: 
  Stag, Dragon, Serpent, Tortoise, Squid, and Praying 
  Mantis. The doors open to reveal empty rooms, and 
  Fayte will let them know they must all enter the 
  same chamber to cross over. Here, they are choosing 
  which Patron to challenge first… so choose wisely.
  Once every party member enters, the effect takes 
  hold: Depending on the route they take, they will 
  Stag Door – Archfey
  have to overcome encounters, fights, or puzzles 
  based on the major types of Warlock Patron. In every 
  situation, there is always the option to make a Pact 
  with the Patron for an ‘easy’ out. The second act will 
  come to an end once dramatically appropriate and at 
  least one room has been solved. 
  The Party can attempt one door or can attempt all 
  the doors. For each additional door beyond the first 
  they resolve: remove spell levels from all future 
  Accursed Guard encounters from this point until the 
  start of Chapter 7 (unless they recapture the tem-
  ple). Start with the highest abilities and work down. 
  Once the party has learned of a room’s contents and 
  the nature of the challenge, they are free to simply 
  walk away and return to the main chamber. 
  The party finds themselves suddenly outside in the 
  middle of a beautiful autumn forest. A trick of the 
  mind easy to spot, but real to them nonetheless. 
  Knowledge of the illusion falls into the ‘true-but-use-
  less’ category of arcane trivia. Before them stretches 
  a long table laden with a rich feast. Four Fey (Satyr, 
  Nereid, Pixie, and Dryad) creatures sit at the table 
  and invite them to eat just one item.
  Each creature poses a different riddle. If the Players 
  eat an item that matches the riddle, they are released 
  Description of the table offerings 
  from the realm. Eating the wrong thing causes the 
  Player to fall into a magical sleep. If there is a Warlock 
  in the party that serves an Archfey Patron, they will 
  find hospitality and enjoy fine wine.
  The riddles are merely a game of good sport, and if 
  taken—will negate the Obsidian Rush’s curse that 
  the Players may have earned in the first act.
  Meats: Chicken, Boar, Bison, Sausage, Pork Belly, 
  Fileted Fish, Duck, and Crab Legs.
  Fruits & Vegetables: Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Pears, 
  Plums, Strawberries, Cherries, Tomatoes, Carrots, 
  Potatoes, Cabbages, Beets, and Squash.
  There are loaves of bread and plates of butter. There 
  are toast points topped with caviar, hard-boiled 
  eggs, and bowls of peanuts, almonds, cashews, and 
  walnuts litter the table.
  In between all lie spices: Salt, Pepper, Saffron, 
  Paprika, and Oregano.
  Lastly, sweet delicacies pile upon each other near 
  the far end: ginger cookies, chocolate cake, peach 
  cobbler, and frosted pastries.
  The Dryad - “Eat of the fruit that never wants to be 
  alone.” (A pear.)
  The Satyr - “It can poison water in a way no Detect 
  Poison can tell you. Damned it is in water, highly 
  priced when dry.” (Salt)
  The Nereid - “Alive without breath, As cold as death; Never 
  thirsty, ever drinking, All in mail never clinking.” (Fish)
  The Pixie - “In marble halls as white as milk, lined with 
  skin as soft as silk. Within a fountain crystal clear, a gold-
  en apple doth appear. No doors there are to this strong-
  hold, yet thieves break in and steal the gold.” (Egg)
  If one Player eats a correct item, they’ve earned the 
  Patron’s favor and can request they remove their sup-
  port for Accursed Guard. If all choose wrong and fall 
  
  112
  asleep, an Archfey meets them in the dreamscape to 
  offer a Pact in exchange for their release. One only 
  party member needs to make the Pact. As with all rid-
  dles, characters’ knowledge often beats the Players 
  themselves. If a Player needs to roll, then a Nature 
  (wisdom) check is appropriate. Narrow down the 
  food group rather than answering outright, and for 
  added flavor have one of the other creatures offer the 
  advice to the chagrin of which asked for the riddle. 
  Dragon Door – Fiend
  The party finds themselves in what appears to be a 
  cozy lounge or study. Shelves laden with books line 
  the walls and nestled between it all, a fireplace crack-
  les with inviting warmth. A figure reclines in a cush-
  ioned chair. She looks like a Tiefling, but her skin is 
  chalky white skin and her eyes are empty pools of 
  pitch-black ink. Her voice is deep and hollow: 
  Squid Door - Lurker of the Deep
  This Fiend is cunning, ruthless, and overly ambitious. 
  She is not one of the more famously powerful Fiends 
  that rules in hell but aspires to attain that status. The 
  challenge for the party will be if they can offer her 
  something that would motivate her to revoke her sup-
  port of the Accursed Guard. One deal the Fiend may 
  offer is to accept a trinket, a small ruby gem tied to 
  a strap of leather, which affixes to their weapon. Any 
  person killed with the now enchanted weapon will 
  have their soul become the property of the Fiend. 
  Souls will need to be sent to the Fiend regularly to en-
  sure the bargain is upheld. Details for this item can be 
  found in the Appendix under Fiend’s Trinket.
  “You were probably expecting fire and brimstone and 
  threats of endless torture. That can still be arranged if 
  need be… but what good would that do any of us? You’re 
  here because you want something. I want something 
  too. I want power. I want influence. I want an infinite 
  army of devoted sycophants slavering at my feet. What 
  can you offer me?”
  The party abruptly finds themselves standing in 
  murky, waist-deep water. There are ripples as some-
  thing large approaches before being revealed to 
  be the same watery Patron from the bottom of the 
  Obsidian Rush (the catfish, if you chose that descrip-
  tion). The exchange can go one of two ways depend-
  ing on how the party entered the temple:
  Patron’s Game: Dozens of small creatures appear 
  in the air and drop into the water. There were two 
  kinds: bright golden fish and large crustaceans that 
  look like black, four-clawed lobsters. A fishing pole 
  materializes in each Player’s hand. The Player’s roll 
  a Dexterity ability check to cast their fishing line. 
  If they beat a DC20, they’ve caught a golden fish. If 
  they roll 15-19, they’ve caught nothing. If they roll 
  1-14, they’ve caught a black Lopper, which lashes 
  out at them with its claws before scuttling back into 
  the water. The GM rolls a melee weapon attack for 
  the Lopper: +10 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 1d8 
  piercing damage. Each Player takes one turn till one 
  round is completed. If they’ve caught more golden 
  fish than Loppers, the party wins a favor from the 
  Patron, but if they caught more Loppers, the Patron 
  refuses to help unless someone strikes a pact. If 
  there’s a tie, they continue casting until either a 
  golden fish or a Lopper is caught to break the tie.
  1. The Party came in through the river, and a Player 
  failed their swim check and was forced to make 
  a pact with this Patron: The Patron greets them 
  warmly and gladly offers a favor to their new 
  follower. The Patron asks the rest of the party 
  if they would like to form a pact as well. If the 
  Player already with a pact can convince anyone 
  else to take one, both Players will receive advan-
  tage on any rolls relating to this pact for the rest 
  of this encounter
  2. If every Player passed their swim check or came 
  in through the roof, this will be the first time 
  they’ve met this Patron. If no one wants to form 
  a pact to earn the Patron’s favor, the Patron chal-
  lenges the party to a game of chance: 
  
  113
  Serpent Door - Old Ones
  The room is pitch black. Then tiny white lights start 
  creeping into existence all around the party. Dozens, 
  then hundreds, then thousands, until it looks as if 
  the party is floating through space. If they look down 
  the ground is invisible, making it seem as though the 
  starscape stretches infinitely in every direction. A 
  platform of floating rock comes into focus not far 
  away. When the party approaches, they will see four 
  enormous marble columns on the platform. A large 
  being, at least thirty feet tall, stands in the center, 
  chained to the columns. Its body is that of a muscu-
  lar humanoid with dark red, leathery skin, two bat-
  like wings sprout from its back. Its head and face are 
  shaped like a human’s, yet it has no nose, no mouth, 
  no ears, just one large eye in the center of its fore-
  head. It looks down at the party, who all hear a bel-
  lowing voice inside their heads.
  If the party inspects the columns further, they will 
  find a word written three times in three languages: 
  Primordial, Abyssal, and Deep Speech.
  The Front Left Column says “Burn” (A Player 
  must strike this column with fire to release 
  its chain)
  Front Right Column says “Break” (A Player 
  must strike this column with a melee weap-
  on to break its chain).
  Back Left Column says “Heal” (Cast a healing 
  spell to break the chain).
  Back Right Column says “Bleed” (A Player 
  must cut themselves, take damage, and bleed 
  on this column).
  Praying Mantis Door – Hexblade
  The party enters the chamber to find what looks like a 
  sparring ring in the middle of the floor. A half-elf wom-
  an stands in the center of the ring. She is clad in black 
  leather armor and wields two long curved blades. The 
  half-elf introduces herself as Leth’ka the Hexblade 
  Guardian. Her Patron respects combat prowess above 
  all else, and so offers the party a wager:
  Defeat her in combat and the Hexblade Patron will 
  be indebted to the party. They can call this favor in 
  immediately to ask the Patron to withdraw its sup-
  port for the Warlocks loyal to the Accursed King.
  If the party is defeated, they are all given the option 
  of striking a pact with the Hexblade Patron in ex-
  change for their lives.
  On Leth’ka’s turn, she receives one action per par-
  ty member, including Fayte. For example, a 4 Player 
  party would yield 5 actions for Leth’ka per turn. It is 
  recommended (but of course, not required) for the 
  GM to direct one attack or action toward each Player 
  per turn. This simulates her blinding speed as she 
  strikes at each party member every turn.
  If the Hexblade encounter needs to be dialed down 
  in difficulty: Let the Player damage stack together 
  as they fight her OR simply have her relent after the 
  party spends a few rounds testing their skill (and 
  her offering advice to them about their stance).
  “Insects… what do you wish of Ahk Noh Ra?”
  Ahk Noh Ra desires either a Patron pact or to be set 
  free. If asked what he will do if set free, he only an-
  swers, “Rain down retribution.”
  He does not give any further clarification as to who 
  or what the target of this retribution will be. If the 
  “Burn, Break, Heal, Bleed.”
  If the party releases Ahk Noh Ra, he will disappear. 
  The Accursed Guard will no longer have any powers 
  associated with the Old Ones. His “retribution” will 
  manifest later.
  party tries to talk to him or ask any questions, his 
  only answer will be:
  
  114
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  26(+8) 
  16(+3) 
  24(+7) 
  22(+6) 
  16(+3) 
  24(+7)
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Leth’ka makes three attacks, or makes one 
  attack and casts a spell. 
  Spellblade. Melee Spell Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target., Hit: 11 (1d8+7) slashing damage. When she 
  scores a hit with this attack, Leth’ka can choose to expend 
  a spell slot to deal an additional 22 (5d8) necrotic damage 
  with the attack. 
  Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +9, Cha +13
  Skills Athletics +14, Acrobatics +9, Insight +9, 
  Perception +9
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. Leth’ka has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed and cannot be magically put to sleep.
  Gift of Renewal (2/day). At the start of each of her turns, 
  Leth’ka can choose to regain any of her expended spell slots. 
  Spellcasting. Lek’tha is a 17th level spellcaster. Her 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 
  to hit with spell attacks). She regains her expended spell 
  slots when she finishes a short or long rest. She knows 
  the following spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): booming blade, eldritch blast, true 
  strike
  1st-5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishing smite, blink, 
  blur, dispel magic, misty step, shadow blade, shield, 
  wrathful smite
  Blade Waltz (Recharge 5 – 6). Leth’ka magically tele-
  ports to an unoccupied space she can see within 5 ft. of 
  an enemy creature, then makes a single spellblade attack. 
  She can then repeat this action, so long as she does not 
  target a single creature more than once, and no more 
  than a total of ten different creatures. 
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  19 (natural armor)
  356 (31d8 + 217)
  50 FT
  GM Note
  Advancing to Act 3: Remember that successfully 
  clearing a room results in that specific Patron’s 
  power and support being withdrawn from the 
  Accursed Guard. The party must clear at least one 
  room to open the path to the temple lobby, where 
  they can battle the Accursed Guard at the front 
  gates. However, the party can choose to clear 
  more rooms, thus stripping additional Patron 
  support for the Accursed Guard. The more rooms 
  the party successfully clear the weaker the ene-
  mies in Act 3 will be.
  Leth’ka, the Hexblade Champion
  Medium humanoid (half-elf), lawful neutral
  Reward: If the party defeats Leth’ka, in addition to 
  pulling Hexblade support from the Accursed Guard, 
  she will offer one Player a sword, Deadly Precision 
  (see Appendix)
  Tortoise Door Undying
  The chamber transforms into a dank, moldy stone hall. 
  Banners, torn and yellowed, drape the cold walls and 
  a simple throne of gray stone rises before the party. 
  The figure seated on the throne is a green Dragonborn 
  male, however, he is older than what seems possible. 
  His scaly skin, which once might have been a vibrant 
  emerald, now appears an ashen gray-green. His facial 
  features are pinched and sunken. A few wispy white 
  hairs dangle from his chin. His purple robes, once 
  quite fine, now appear dusty and faded. What stands 
  out most, however, are his eyes. The irises are a bright, 
  luminescent shade of violet. He is Ultuun the Eternal 
  and he addresses the party in a pained rasp: “Welcome, 
  seekers of infinity. I can give you what you desire…”
  Ultuun wants one of two things: First, of course, is a pact. 
  If a Player strikes a pact, Ultuun will revoke his support 
  of the Accursed King. Second, is time. He will ask if any 
  Players would be willing to give him twenty years of 
  their life in exchange for a favor. The Undying Patron will 
  hold out his hand and a Player must touch it. If a Player 
  accepts, Ultuun’s visage will improve. He will look a bit 
  younger, healthier. The color will return some to his skin.
  The consequences of accepting
  The Player Character instantly ages twenty years (hair 
  gets some gray streaks, the face gets an extra wrin-
  kle or two, etc.). The Player must reduce either their 
  Strength and/or Dexterity ability score by a combined 
  total of 3 and may increase either their Wisdom and/
  or Intelligence ability score by a combined total of 3 (to 
  a maximum of 22. This ability score increase is perma-
  nent. There is an additional accidental consequence 
  of the transaction: The Player who trades their life re-
  ceives Undying Nature (they can now hold their breath 
  indefinitely, and do not require food, water, or sleep, 
  although the benefits and requirements of short and 
  long rest still apply)
  
  115
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  22(+6) 
  24(+7) 
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  26(+8)
  ACTIONS – 2 PER TURN
  Multiattack. The guard makes two attacks, or makes a sin-
  gle attack and casts a cantrip. 
  Halberd. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) slashing damage. 
  Gift From Beyond (3/day). The guard entreats its pa-
  tron for aid, regaining an expended spellslot granted by its 
  Spellcasting feature. 
  Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +9, Cha +13
  Skills Athletics +14, Acrobatics +9, Insight +9, 
  Perception +9
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) 
  Spellcasting. The guard is an 11th level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots 
  when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the follow-
  ing Warlock spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): booming blade, eldritch blast, true 
  strike. 1st-5th level (3 5th-level slots): The guard knows 
  the following spells according to which patron it serves, 
  as detailed below.
  Archfey. Faerie fire, calm emotions, greater invisibility, 
  dominate person
  Fiend. Burning hands, hellish rebuke, fire shield, flame 
  strike
  Great Old One. Dissonant whispers, phantasmal force, 
  black tentacles, telekinesis
  Hexblade. banishing smite, branding smite, shield stag-
  gering smite 
  Lurker in the Deep. cone of Cold, gust of wind, lightning 
  bolt, thunderwave 
  Undying. blindness/deafness, contagion, death ward, 
  contagion, ray of sickness 
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  Accursed Guard
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment to fit Campaign
  20 (natural armor)
  224
  30 ft.
  Act 3
  The third act brings the Players back to reality. 
  Crashing out into the main lobby, Accursed Guard 
  fight column-to-column with Legionaries of the 
  Fallen. A small-scale skirmish, but no less high-pow-
  ered as elite Warlocks fling spells in close quarters. 
  Wedged between the party and the Legionaries, the 
  Accursed Guard will make their last stand. If the par-
  ty is Tier 4, throw them directly into the fray against 
  these high-level warlocks and their dynamic abili-
  ties. If the party is Tier 1, then let the chaos happen 
  around them while the party gets the drop on war-
  locks that have been grievously injured already. 
  If the party insists on capturing warlocks alive (the 
  Legionnaires will not take prisoners), shift the en-
  counter into a tense social situation. Let the Accursed 
  Guard surrender (particularly if their Patrons all pulled 
  their support), and then engage in a series of opposed 
  diplomacy and intimidation checks to keep prisoners. 
  A dangerous game as many believe the Accursed King 
  can scry on his followers (in truth, Majin can). 
  As a possibility, you can start the encounter with 
  only one or two Accursed Guard warlocks, then have 
  more teleport themselves in each round as the battle 
  intensifies. If you choose this option (increasing the 
  tension and adding more Legionaries vs Warlocks), 
  have Fayte tell them to buy her time. She will cut 
  deals with Patrons (one Patron every two combat 
  rounds) until she has removed the Accursed ability 
  to teleport after six rounds. The party, in this case, 
  must hold the doors to the inner sanctum while the 
  Legionnaires are pushing in from the front gate. 
  Act 3 comes to an end once they’ve secured the temple.
  
  116
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Social
  The main social component of this adventure is in 
  forging pacts with the Pat rons. Remember that the 
  Patrons aren’t always out to hurt the party (or even 
  the Accursed Guard). They benefit from anyone 
  making a deal with them as it tethers them further 
  into this world. A pact grants them one more NPC 
  who could later act on their behalf. 
  Remember to play up the difference between clerics 
  and their deities versus warlocks and their Patrons, 
  as it is an important social aspect. Clerics pray to 
  their deities, but here, Patrons need to recruit their 
  Warlocks. While Patrons appear to possess knowledge 
  and power, what they lack is influence on the material 
  plane. Characters can use that to their advantage.
  Sidequest Potential: If the party can secure Accursed 
  Guard prisoners, they can be helpful in later mis-
  sions. Additionally, it may open up a viewpoint that 
  the Accursed King is engaging in these horrid acts to 
  keep the ever-growing pantheon of Patrons in check 
  until a more permanent solution can be found.
  Featuring plenty of combat, ‘A Scarlet Mercy’ is a 
  chance for characters to shine with their martial 
  abilities. Combat against Patrons is not an option, 
  but if the party truly pushes (or has access to plane 
  shift) it is possible. 
  Sidequest Potential: After securing the Temple, the 
  party might wish to take a Patron or two up on a duel 
  or a lesson during downtime. The Hexblade Guardian 
  is particularly keen to teach martial feats to charac-
  ters in exchange for a gold donation.
  Additionally, this is a great chance to introduce Xael 
  and the sidequest Under The Bleeding Moon.
  Exploration
  The main adventure features two ways into the tem-
  ple, yet Players always surprise the GM and think 
  of unexpected ways inside. Perhaps they turn into 
  fish and swim in, or perhaps they fly in while shape-
  changed as birds. The real meat of the encounter is 
  the choice to commit treason and the negotiation 
  with the Patrons. If the party explores other possi-
  bilities in the temple, reward them for cleverness. 
  Sidequest Potential: After the temple is secured, 
  there are more gates than those mentioned above. 
  Different Patrons from other places are available to 
  cut deals with to secure their power for the Knight 
  Captain’s side. By exploring further doors, or imag-
  ining the possibilities of what Patrons could exist, 
  the Players might have a chance to strike a few more 
  bargains before the next battle.
  
  117
  
  118
  118
  
  Side quest, Under the Bleeding Moon
  Under the Bleeding Moon
  Can evil be redeemed? How many steps down a path 
  of torment is too many? Vampires, like Warlocks, are 
  shunned in most corners of the world, but in the hal-
  lowed halls of the Accursed King, some of these an-
  cient creatures have found refuge among his armies. 
  Wreaking havoc upon crusaders and pious armies 
  who constantly threaten to topple the Shadelands 
  borders, on the field of battle, their bloodlust is sa-
  tiated and the Shadelands borders secured. Both the 
  King and the vampires form a symbiotic relationship.
  Two of the most prominent conquerors are Rei’Zel 
  and Zai’Liu, twin sisters among the ranks of General 
  Cordelia’s personal guard. Since their arrival, 
  they’ve ended would-be-wars through their brutal-
  ity alone. Rei’Zel made a terrifying name for herself 
  with her signature move of ripping an opponent’s 
  tongue through their throat with her Flesh Rending 
  Clutches, armored gauntlets ending in dagger-like 
  claws. The fact that Zai’Liu waited until after her en-
  emies were dead to add their eyes to her collection 
  made her seem gentle by comparison. 
  Centuries can ruin a mind. During the first century as 
  a vampire, a human can be your best friend or even a 
  lover. After they pass, and then another, perhaps hu-
  mans are better seen as a pet dog. A few more, a cute 
  hamster in a cage. And so, on until they are nothing 
  more than insects that you eat for lunch. 
  Occasionally, an act of true surprise can snap such a 
  lost soul from this cycle of chaotic endless evil. Such 
  was the case of Zai’Liu. While off at a recent conflict 
  with Cordelia, a young human noble by the name of 
  Xael knelt by the wounded to grant them water as they 
  died. Xael was a diplomat from Yon'Cath, based on the 
  Yonder side, and this kindness he showed among the 
  carnage felt out of place. He displayed humanity that 
  Zai’Liu had long forgotten. Perhaps even a flame of ro-
  mance that had long been snuffed out. 
  Rei’Zel watched on from nearby, noticing her sister’s 
  fascination as a curious scheme turned in her mind. 
  What if she snatched this man’s life and made him 
  her spawn? To twist him into a soulless evil undead? 
  In those few moments, while Zai’Liu pondered her 
  place in the Elemental Dance, Rei’Zel convinced her-
  self she hated Xael for the simple audacity of existing. 
  So she killed him that evening. 
  As his blood drained from his corpse, Xael prayed to 
  the Patrons of the Shadelands for a second chance.
  He never expected someone to answer…
  Setting
  Introduction
  As a red moon rises over Yon’Cath, outside of the Scarlet 
  Hearth, a struggling hooded vampire spawn named 
  Xael waits for Fayte to return from her expedition into 
  the Thistlewood. Across Patron’s Pass; Cordelia and 
  Rei’Zel eagerly watch what Xael’s plea for help brings. 
  This adventure will largely be settled around 
  Blackmorn Manor. An imposing estate that stands 
  atop a rocky hill near the coastline, just a short ride 
  east of the city. This aged (though awe-inspiring) 
  estate is overgrown with dried weeds that emerge 
  from the cracked stone. 
  Within the house itself, torn red carpets and banners 
  adorn every hallway, although their color is hard-
  ly uniform and to those battle-hardened folk, smell 
  faintly of dried blood. Yet while common rooms seem 
  run-down, individual rooms range from neat and tidy, 
  to a chaotic mess, a clear sign of roommate troubles 
  among the undead who reside. The Blackmorn fam-
  ily has been part of the courts of the King for many 
  years, despite barely attend, and it has been well over 
  a decade since a beating heart called this place home. 
  Although for very different reasons. 
  Currently, residing in the estate is Rei’Zel, and there 
  she will be awaiting Xael and the party to challenge 
  her—or fall in line like the good little subjects they 
  are meant to be. After this sidequest is over, 
  the fate of the Blackmorn family and manor 
  is hardly determined—as there is more 
  than just Rei’Zel in the undead ranks.
  
  120
  Xael, a former Lawful Good noble in Yonder who be-
  lieves in Fayte, has found himself needing her services 
  now more than ever. His very soul is at risk of being 
  stolen by a vampire for no reason other than pure sa-
  dism. In desperation, he entered a deal with an un-
  known Patron with no assurance that his soul will be 
  saved. With only a night left before he is fully turned, 
  he has sought out Fayte for her advice and help.
  In Act 1, Xael will entreat Fayte and the party for 
  their assistance, and explain to them the situation. 
  With Cordelia so close, attacking Rei’Zel is out of the 
  question, and the party may discover that evil is al-
  ready seeping into his veins. If they choose to help, 
  his new Patron is going to demand a sacrifice inside 
  the Scarlet Hearth. 
  Synopsis
  In Act 2, it is off to Blackmorn Manor for a wall-shat-
  tering boss fight with Rei’Zel. Fayte will be occupied 
  dealing with the political ramifications of earlier 
  acts, so it will be up to the party and Xael to put this 
  matter to rest. By any means needed.
  In Act 3, as dawn rises, Xael will be ready to meet 
  his end outside of Blackmorn Manor when his 
  Patron manifests and shows him a new path. A new 
  path that may set him against the very person who 
  arranged the favor of the Patron to begin with, as 
  Zai’Liu returns home to see the carnage. Or perhaps, 
  Rei’Zel is victorious and the party can look on as an-
  other soul falls into the abyss.
  Adventure Hooks
  This is a Tier 4 module, even if there is but one ma-
  jor encounter for the fight. A legendary vampire fully 
  decked out with magical gear and centuries of battle. 
  Xael will make many offerings in the first act to in-
  crease his power, but he will still need the help of the 
  party. Run as a Tier 1, 2, or 3 module, allow Rei’Zel 
  to only go as far as maiming the party gloriously 
  and leaving them to bleed—a classic villain mistake. 
  Additionally, the storyteller can set the fight closer 
  to dawn (or even during the daytime itself) to create 
  more weaknesses for the vampire in the dilapidated 
  manor as Xael and Rei’Zel fight. 
  Fayte is the advocate for Warlocks and thus, Xael 
  falls under her purview. Particularly if Cordelia, the 
  General of the King is involved: getting another noble 
  on their side is paramount. Knowing what the King’s 
  forces were up to in the Thistlewood during Chapter 
  1, the party could use the favor of a noble within 
  Yon’Cath. It is, after all, one less dagger in the back. 
  
  121
  Act 1: The Trustworthy Undead?
  This story begins outside the Scarlet Hearth on Patron’s 
  Pass. It is best to have this quest take place after the 
  party has completed Welcome To the Shadelands or A 
  Scarlet Mercy, but the storyteller can weave this tale in 
  as a random encounter during any of the opening four 
  chapters. Once the party crosses into Cathrach howev-
  er, Xael’s brutal fate will have been sealed. 
  As the sun sets in the Shadelands casting its rays 
  like piercing light through a city on the edge of war, 
  a hooded figure does its best to avoid the last rem-
  nants of sunlight on Patron’s pass. Donned in a glori-
  ous blue-gold cloak with delicate tracings, knee-high 
  fold-over boots, and adorned in magical items—
  Xael’s wealth is on display. In stark contrast to the 
  protestors on Patron’s Pass packing the bridge. 
  While protests are nothing new on this bridge (of-
  ten religious zealots and clerics congregate here to 
  warn and even harass Warlocks), tonight’s protests 
  are enough to pack the entirety of the small bridge-
  city. The Accursed King has betrayed his people, and 
  the injustice will not stand to the citizens of Yonder. 
  Priests on wooden boxes rant and rave, trying to 
  channel this fury into new followers for their deity’s. 
  At the east end near Cathrach, the general Cordelia 
  hovers in the air with a squadron of Accursed Guard 
  trying to keep the peace. Next to her, Rei’Zel watches 
  gleefully at the unfolding chaos and the game she’s 
  set in motion. Perhaps wondering if her new prog-
  eny will snap tonight, and start devouring the deli-
  cious morsels that surround him. 
  It is within this setting that Xael rushes up to Fayte 
  and the players once they are standing outside of the 
  Scarlet Hearth. “My governess, please, I implore you, 
  my life is in your hands and I've come seeking your 
  assitance."
  Caught off guard and no-doubt curious, Fayte gives 
  this individual a chance. “It is not often that people 
  other than LaCroix offer their life to me so easily. You...
  are Xael right? Noble in Yonder. Why is it that you hide 
  yourself so?
  What follows is a conversation between the party, 
  Xael, and Fayte. No insight, diplomacy, or checks are 
  required to gain this intel: Xael is truthful and Lawful 
  Good. However, any checks the party makes for extra 
  hints will reveal that he is indeed hiding from the 
  sun, and he is terrified of Rei’Zel. 
  Xael’s family oversees mining companies for rare 
  minerals used in spell components (diamonds and 
  the like), and eagerly reveals that while the par-
  ty was dealing with the Thistlewood. Cordelia and 
  Rei’Zel were putting down a small force of Crusaders 
  that were trying to take over one of Xael’s family 
  mines. After the battle, Rei’Zel said he had ‘poten-
  tial’, and she devoured his soul and turned him. With 
  only nights left, perhaps even just this one, he needs 
  Fayte’s help to entreat a Patron with who he cut a 
  deal with that is keeping his soul intact. 
  Unfortunately for Xael, Fayte’s hands are busy at the 
  moment with matters that shake the foundation of 
  the Shadelands. However, Xael is a fine noble and 
  can serve as a political ally should the tenuous sit-
  uation of Yon’Cath destabilize further. Fayte will ask 
  the party to help while she attends to other matters 
  for the night. 
  If the party refuses, then by nightfall Xael will lose 
  his internal battle and begin attacking citizens on 
  Patron’s Pass as a Vampire Spawn. This conflict will 
  give Rei’Zel all the ammunition she needs to push 
  the Accursed Guard in, slaughter everyone on the 
  bridge except Xael, and take over Patron’s Pass fully. 
  This will have consequences in later missions in the 
  events of The Red Opera.
  If the party accepts, however, a different story can be 
  written. Several tasks must be achieved before mov-
  ing onto the second act. Scouting Rei’Zel, and uncov-
  ering Xael’s newfound Patron. 
  Rei’Zel is unassailable at this time, and even for high-
  end characters with cosmic magic, the consequenc-
  es for attacking her in public will allow Cathrach 
  to fully assault Yonder before the Legionnaires are 
  ready. However, a conversation is not impossible. Nor 
  is gathering information about the Vampire Lord. 
  Rei’Zel… is not a subtle creature. Tales of her con-
  quest and brutality can be heard from any preacher 
  on a soapbox. If the party asks them (or Xael), feel free 
  to reveal any information in the Intro section. Most 
  importantly, that Blackmorn Manor is her family’s 
  estate. Thematically, ensure that any information giv-
  en is filled with vile, hatred, and slanted. Feel free to 
  
  122
  create a thousand legends that have never happened, 
  but all displaying their hatred for her and Cordelia. 
  Walking to the edge to confront Rei’Zel gets a differ-
  ent result, however. Rei’Zel is calm, poised, and cu-
  rious about how Xael is feeling with his newfound 
  immortality. Cordelia and Rei’Zel have given him a 
  gift, is he not thankful for this gift? There is no hiding 
  or even pretending to care that she has snatched this 
  noble’s life away. General Cordelia will only remark 
  that she is looking forward to Xael joining the ranks 
  of the army, as there seem to be more battles ahead.
  Skill checks should be required against Rei’Zel for 
  additional information. All of them will be opposed 
  by her Deception score, but here are two bits of extra 
  intel that can be gained. 
  Rei’Zel is curious why Xael has not fully turned and is 
  wondering if she’s lost potency and strength herself. 
  If fostered, this can be a useful taunt in later fights. 
  The embrace of Xael was not out of potential, but 
  jealousy. Her sister Zai’Liu has softened and started 
  questioning their methods ever since the battle with 
  Xael. Even perhaps falling in love with the noble. 
  Rei’Zel is terrified of spending eternity alone. 
  If the party elects to uncover Xael’s Patron, then 
  they will need to prepare several dishes for offerings 
  within the Scarlet Hearth (or pop over to a restau-
  rant and buy some high-end offerings, at least 7 
  gold's worth). The only information Xael knows is 
  the following:
  “When I was on the doorstep of oblivion, I begged the 
  very shadows themselves to save the tatters of my soul. 
  A reptilian voice echoed and said my entry fee hath 
  been paid, but for my service, your steel is required. 
  Are you willing to sacrifice love for eternity? I… never 
  answered. This is when I came to Fayte and you. The 
  deal is not yet finished, but I’ve bought myself a few 
  more hours.”
  Uncovering the Patron might be easy if the party has 
  already explored the Scarlet Hearth. The Undying 
  Patron, an ancient green Dragonborn named Ultuun, 
  who typically resides within the Scarlet Hearth. If 
  they have not yet, let them make food offerings to 
  each of the statues in the Scarlet Hearth and inves-
  tigate which Patron it could be. A high-quality food 
  offering to any Patron will get them to reveal the 
  Patron they seek. 
  Information about Ultuun can be found in A Scarlet 
  Mercy. The Dragonborn Male with ashen grey-green 
  scales and dulled eyes acts as if he is blind when 
  his avatar appears. There are no nefarious motives 
  in his desire to make Xael a Warlock of the Undying, 
  for he only seeks time and entertainment himself—
  time which Xael can grant him. 
  “You have a bloody angel who watches over you, child. 
  Thus, you have my attention. Your soul can be saved, 
  but the powers of the undead are vast. If you wish to be 
  free of Rei’Zel and learn the secrets of the Undying—
  you must bring me every drop of blood in her body. 
  Drain her dry and bring me the vitae as a sacrifice. I 
  doubt she will let you take it willingly. Do this, and we 
  can warp the gift of immorality she gave you while 
  keeping your soul. I will teach you our secrets. If you 
  wish to be human again, simply wait to dawn and end 
  yourself. Perhaps you’ll reincarnate in a few hundred 
  years and we can talk then.”
  Even if Xael is willing to meet the dawn, he will not 
  let this injustice stand and asks the party to help him 
  slay Rei’Zel. Or at the very least, tie her upside down 
  over a tree and slit her throat to drain her out. Since 
  time is of the essence, they must get to Blackmorn 
  Manner now. Rei’Zel will certainly return home be-
  fore dawn and it is isolated enough that there should 
  be no political ramifications for attacking her there. 
  Once the party is ready to move on Blackmorn 
  Manner, head to Act 2.
  
  123
  GM Note
  If you notice, we have not included stats 
  for Xael in this encounter. Due to the var-
  ious party levels that may run through 
  this adventure, Xael is the storytellers’ 
  toggle. He can be a high-tier Wizard with 
  a vampiric template or a mere noble with 
  some extra vampire bonuses as needed. 
  Based on the adventure’s outcome, re-
  place his Bard nature with Warlock of 
  the Undying variety.
  GM Note
  Keep the battle moving from room 
  to room. Rei’Zel wears a pendant 
  of free movement which grants the 
  ability to shrug off any spells or 
  maneuvers that would otherwise 
  impede her ability to move. She 
  may also teleport at will with the 
  Shadow Step ability. 
  Act 2: Blackmorn Manor
  Act 2 is a combat act. Blackmorn Manner’s estate is 
  just far enough away that there will not be other vis-
  itors to interrupt the upcoming battle. Based on the 
  character's levels is how you should set the time: 
  Low level characters should arrive early, have time 
  to sneak in, and ready some traps around Rei’Zel’s 
  bedroom and the Vampire Lord will arrive drunk on 
  blood mead just as dawn is coming. High tier charac-
  ters should arrive at the manor to find the doors open 
  and Rei’Zel sitting like a boss on a chair she pulled to 
  the top of the staircase. She looks down on the party 
  with sinister glee, knowing full well they are here for 
  violence. Upon seeing her, Xael will fly into a rage, at-
  tacking before any words can even be exchanged.
  What follows is a knock-down, drag-out fight that will 
  move all over the mansion and the estate grounds. 
  Fueled by his vengeful malice, Xael's vampiric pow-
  ers will fully manifest. Almost every round, the fight 
  should move to another section of Blackmorn Manor. 
  The mechanism for this comes from Xael and Rei’Zel 
  battling each other. Perhaps Xael flies into Rei’Zel with 
  such force that it drives them both through a wall into 
  the next room. Then Rei’Zel punches him so hard it 
  hurls him up through the ceiling to the second floor. 
  Or perhaps she vanishes and reappears in another 
  chamber of the house as a means of taunting the party.
  When playing Rei’Zel in combat, take note she does not 
  want to kill Xael, merely subdue him. Conversely, she 
  has zero reservations about killing the players quickly 
  and ruthlessly. When running at a higher tier, consid-
  er adding some additional animated statues, sentient 
  flying brooms, and ghosts as defenses for the estate. 
  While they occupy the players, Rei’Zel and Xael’s fight 
  can continue to move. The players will have to work 
  hard to keep up with them. Below is a list of loca-
  tions in the estate. Arrange the rooms as best suits the 
  encounter.
  Front Hall
  This is where the party will likely enter. A grand, high 
  ceiling lobby with a wide, crimson staircase leading 
  up to Rei’Zel. The hall extends straight back with mul-
  tiple doors along the left and right walls. Marble busts 
  of past Blackmorn’s stand between the doors along 
  the wall. Their stone-hewn visages are silent but can 
  and turn, watching the encounter with rapt attention. 
  Upstairs
  Upper Landing
  Xael will waste no time lunging up the stairs toward 
  Rei’Zel. The crimson carpet of the stairs spreads 
  across the floor of the open-space landing. Xael’s lunge 
  should come as something of a surprise to Rei’Zel and 
  the two tumble across the floor. The battle has begun. 
  Roll Initiative. Where the fight heads next is up to the 
  decisions of both players and the two key NPCs.
  Master Bedroom
  A massive bed with translucent black veils hang-
  ing between the ceiling-high bedposts. Dozens of 
  nasty-looking swords, axes, and daggers adorn the 
  opposite wall. At the start of the first round in this 
  room, Rei’Zel telekinetically hurls the weapons 
  found here at creatures of her choice that she can 
  see. Each affected creature must attempt a DC 20 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d8 + 8 slashing dam-
  age on a failure, or half as much on a success.
  
  124
  Guest Bedroom
  A simple, but comfortable bed is covered in a thin layer 
  of dust, and old dressers and drawers appear to have 
  remained unopened for generations. On the floor, 
  there are patches of an oily white substance occupy-
  ing a number of 5 ft. spaces of the DM’s choice, which 
  counts as difficult terrain. A creature that enters such a 
  space for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall 
  prone. There are dozens upon dozens of bats sleeping 
  on the ceiling. The oily substance is their droppings. 
  If disturbed by the loud noises or touched in any way, 
  they will swarm the party, making one attack, before 
  flying out the window. Make one single +11 attack roll 
  for the bats against each target of Rei’Zel’s choice in 
  the room. That one roll is made against everyone’s AC. 
  Any hits deal 2d12 piercing damage.
  Balcony
  A wide stone platform overlooking the estate grounds. 
  Two detailed sculptures of Gargoyles are perched on 
  the balcony railing. Rei’Zel begins mumbling an in-
  cantation as she fights. As a bonus action on each of 
  her turns, she can awaken a single Gargoyles. As cha-
  otic beings, they can be swayed to the party’s side, but 
  it should be difficult. The player with the highest INT 
  should recognize the incantation. They can make a 
  contested Arcana roll against Rei’zel to complete the 
  spell before she does. On a success, the Gargoyle be-
  comes loyal to the player rather than Rei’zel.
  Study
  A dark, mahogany desk laden with yellowed parch-
  ment, a humanoid skull, and a green gem housed 
  within a glass decanter. The gem emits an anti-magic 
  enchantment; spells and magical effects from crea-
  tures that are not related to the Blackmorn family by 
  blood are suppressed within the affected area. 
  Servant Quarters
  An unadorned, sparsely furnished room. An elderly, 
  grey-skinned Dwarf man sits on a cot staring at the 
  wall. If his door is opened or the battle spills into his 
  room, he will sigh and mutter something about hav-
  ing “another mess to clean.” He will start sweeping 
  and mopping up rooms where the fight has already 
  been through. 
  Ground Floor
  Kitchen
  This room is colder than the rest of the house, unnat-
  urally so. Unidentifiable carcasses and corpses hang 
  from meat hooks to dry out. The shelves are lined 
  with mason jars filled with a dark red substance. A tall 
  hulking humanoid who looks as if they’ve been sewn 
  together from multiple bodies stands there with a 
  massive cleaver in one hand and a huge meat-ten-
  derizing mallet in the other. Its eyes are white and 
  empty. It moans “Fresh... Meat... Fresh... Meat...” The 
  Flesh Golem will attack the party, but only within the 
  kitchen, as it is magically bound to the room and can-
  not leave. It makes two attacks each turn. In addition 
  to the standard actions, this Flesh Golem wields two 
  weapons: Cleaver: +9 to hit, 11 (2d10) slashing dam-
  age. Tenderizer: +7 to hit 14(3d8) bludgeoning.
  Parlor
  Cracked leather couches and armchairs face an over-
  sized fireplace of soot-stained stone. Above the man-
  tle hangs a pointed shield. It is painted an unearthly 
  shade of matte black, so dark it seems as if it’s ab-
  sorbing the light around it. The only adornment is an 
  iridescent mother of pearl inlay at the shield’s cen-
  ter, creating the appearance of a fanged jaw. This is 
  the infamous Sun Drinker.
  Library
  The walls are completely covered in shelves brim-
  ming with ancient tomes. Some books are glowing 
  and some are even making sounds. In the course 
  of the fight, some books may get knocked off the 
  shelves, open, and unleash a random arcane effect. 
  Each book is an object (AC 12, 30 hit points) that pro-
  duces one of the following magical effects in the area 
  of the room. If the effect produced has a duration 
  greater than instantaneous, it instead lasts for the 
  spell’s duration (when applicable), until a creature 
  uses an action to close the book, or it is destroyed. 
  Effects:
  1. Reverse gravity.
  2. Slow.
  3. All creatures in the room are teleported to a dif-
  ferent random location within the house. This 
  can simply be a different spot within the room 
  or a whole other room. 
  4. Magical tentacles burst forth from a book, attempt 
  to grab creatures within reach. At the start of each 
  of its turns while within 15 ft. of the book, a crea-
  ture must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving 
  throw or be grappled and restrained (Escape DC 
  19). At the end of each of its turns, a creature grap-
  pled in this manner takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Dining Room
  An oaken table so long it’s almost comical. A head-
  less corpse drained of all blood lays across a six-foot-
  long platter. There are place settings and bowls of 
  
  125
  GM Note
  The fight should move outside 
  it draws to a close. Describe 
  the first tiny hints of dawn 
  peeking up over the horizon. 
  fine porcelain filled with blood at a number of place 
  settings equal to the party size. Rei’Zel comments on 
  what a good host she is and how she prepared the 
  party’s first meal for once they’ve been turned into 
  her thralls. Rei’Zel can expend 30 ft. of movement to 
  drink from a bowl within reach. When she does so, 
  she regains 34 (4d12 + 8) hit points. 
  Conservatory
  Checkered marble tiles on the floor. Wicker furniture. 
  A few withered and untended plants hang from pots. 
  The ceiling and three of the walls are made from thick 
  panes of glass. An urn rests on a small table in the room’s 
  center and, if knocked over, the urn will break, spilling 
  pale ashes across the floor. A ghost in the form of an old 
  woman rises from the ashes. She is Rei’Zel’s great aunt, 
  whom she betrayed and murdered, trapping her spirit in 
  the urn. The urn was in display in this room as an ever-
  lasting taunt, so her great aunt could “always watch the 
  sunrise.” She takes her only turn immediately following 
  the turn that caused the urn to break. She unleashes an 
  unearthly, head-splitting scream which can be heard 
  throughout the room. Each creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 22 Intelligence saving throw or 
  take 35 (10d6) psychic damage and be stunned until the 
  start of their next turn. A successful save halves the dam-
  age. As the scream is focused on Rei’Zel, players should 
  have advantage on their saves, and she should have dis-
  advantage. The ghost vanishes after her one attack. 
  Gaming Room
  A billiard table in the center of the room. A shuffle-
  board table with black sand and discs carved from 
  bone. On the far wall are three dartboards. Multiple 
  dead fairies are pinned to the boards by the steel 
  darts. There is one live fairy trapped in a glass jar on 
  a nearby shelf. If freed, the fairy will cast haste on the 
  PC who frees her before fleeing the mansion.
  Gallery
  Fine tapestries and large oil paintings adorn the 
  walls. The technical craftsmanship on display is ex-
  quisite, however, the subject matter of the art is ut-
  terly horrifying. Nasty, visceral images of brutal vi-
  olence. The gruesome scenes seem to shimmer and 
  even move slightly when viewed as if coming alive. 
  All players in the room must pass a WIS save or be-
  come frightened of the room itself, feeling compelled 
  to move as far away as possible until they are both 
  out of the room and cannot see into it. 
  Outside
  Veranda
  An expansive, two-tiered patio, stretching 90 feet 
  wide and 60 feet out from the mansion. A 20 foot 
  wide, six-step stair connects the upper and lower pa-
  tio. An awning covers the upper tier. A still reflecting 
  pool takes up most of the lower tier. The water with-
  in is the same black water as the Obsidian Rush. If a 
  PC looks into the water or comes into direct contact 
  with it for the first time on a turn, they must succeed 
  on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or suffer a random 
  short term madness for 1 minute.
  Gardens
  Wicked looking flowers of white and purple, all with 
  sharp, angular petals. Pale gray-green vines with 
  long thorns spill out from tall stone pots. Topiaries 
  shaped to look like devils and demons loom eight 
  feet tall. Whenever a creature comes within 10 feet 
  of a flower, it reacts. The White flowers emit a thick 
  fog-like mist, which heavily obscures a 20-foot radi-
  us area centered on the flower. The Purple Flowers 
  spit acid: +8 to hit, dealing 2d8 acid damage. Both 
  flower types are creatures that can be destroyed (AC 
  10, 20 hit points).
  Hedge Maze
  The ten foot high hedges can be cut through, and are 
  very flammable. Looking close, the PCs may notice 
  a large, closed flower bud every five feet or so. If 
  the hedge is touched or disturbed, any affected bud 
  will erupt with a cloud of noxious spores in a ten-
  foot radius sphere. Each creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw 
  or take 11 (2d10) poison damage. The spore cloud 
  remains for three rounds before dispersing. 
  Family Crypt
  This is built on a low rise further away, east of the 
  mansion. As the sun begins to rise and the battle 
  turns against her, Rei’Zel may make a break for the 
  ancient stone mausoleum. She cannot be allowed to 
  make it inside. The crypt is a source of great power 
  and strength. Every round she remains within the 
  crypt, Rei’Zel will regain half her missing HP (to a 
  minimum of 1). 
  Act 2 ends when the battle ends... one way or 
  another. 
  
  126
  126
  Act 3: A Stolen Life
  With her last few breathes, Rei’Zel cackles and taunts 
  Xael, "I still won, you know. I took a pure, good soul 
  and turned it into a monster. Sure, you'll hold out for 
  a while... maybe a year, maybe ten, maybe a hundred. 
  But the thirst will win. The thirst always wins."
  Xael contemplates this statement for a moment, 
  and he actually agrees with her. He decides the right 
  thing is to let the rising sun claim him, purging one 
  more abomination from the world. 
  As he sits on the grass, facing toward the creeping 
  dawn, the party hears the clicking of a cane on cob-
  blestones. They see an ancient Dragonborn male with 
  ashen grey-green scales and milky eyes sauntering to-
  ward them with a coy grin on his reptilian face.
  "My boy, why in the world would you throw away 
  such a gift... and spare me the tired 'it's not a gift, it's 
  a curse' spiel. We still have a few minutes before you 
  melodramatically burst into flames, so allow me to 
  share my vision with you:
  Vampires are a frustrating ilk. All the time in the world 
  and not a damned clue what to do with it. I think it's 
  safe to assume there are plenty out there, much like 
  yourself, who don't relish the bloody, visceral aspect of 
  the lifestyle. What if they had another option? Accept 
  me as your Patron, and become my Undying Warlock. 
  I will save your soul, purge you of that infernal thirst, 
  but you will retain your immortality. And in return, 
  you will seek out others like you. Find all the vampires 
  searching for something grander than the scraps they 
  scrounge in the shadows. You will bring them to me, 
  and together we will offer them salvation."
  Xael should be initially hesitant to accept this offer. 
  Perhaps he wants to know more about what's in it 
  for Ultuun. Perhaps he simply wants to give up and 
  die. Regardless, it's up to the party to sway him to-
  ward accepting the pact. Otherwise, he will sit still 
  and let the rising dawn consume him.
  If the party convinces Xael to accept Ultuun's offer, 
  this will come back around to help in the Theme of 
  the Betrayer. A much healthier looking Xael will be 
  present in the Accursed King's court when the par-
  ty is there attempting to sway nobles to their cause. 
  Xael will happily pledge his vote.
  After Xael has made his decision whether to live or 
  die, a streak of black smoke shoots across the sky. 
  It strikes down next to Rei’Zel's blood-drained body, 
  and the smoke materializes into Zai'Liu. At first, she 
  is relieved to see Xael alive. But then she sees what's 
  left of her sister, and her relief turns to anguish. 
  "You didn't have to do this! You could have come to 
  me! I could have helped you!"
  The sunrise is imminent, and she realizes she cannot 
  linger here. Her anguish hardens into a cold, sim-
  mering anger as stares down the party, "There will 
  be consequences for this. I promise you." And then 
  she vanishes in a wisp of black smoke.
  If the party did not kill Rei’Zel, and instead drained her 
  of blood and incapacitated the vampire, the reaction 
  from Zai’Liu is much the same: however, she will flee 
  with Rei’Zel’s body. In time, the sisters will both be 
  at full health, but the hatred of Rei’Zel has subsided. 
  Instead finding Xael to be curious and perhaps a bit 
  charming, while Zai’Liu is the one falling to her feel-
  ings of betrayal. If the party ever meets them again, 
  swap their roles, and have Xael constantly complain-
  ing about the problems of immortal relationships.
  Their love triangle will be one of an eternal dance of 
  jealousy and redemption back and forth. If this ending 
  comes into play, inviting the party over to an awkward 
  dinner at Blackmorn Manor while it is still destroyed 
  would be a nice treat, and there is potential for the 
  party to check back on their relationship problems of 
  immortals throughout the events of the Red Opera.
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in 
  “Under the Bleeding Moon"
  
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  20(+5) 
  17(+3) 
  18(+4) 
  12(+1) 
  14(+2) 
  18(+4)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  23 (plate, sun drinker shield)
  348 (41d8 + 164)
  40 ft. 60 ft. fly 
  Rei’Zel
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Saving Throws: STR+5, DEX+9, CON+10, WIS8+8, CHA+10
  Skills: Arcana +13, Athletics +11, Perception +14, Religion 
  +7, Stealth +9, 
  Damage Resistances necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24
  Languages Common, plus three other languages. 
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If Rei’Zel fails a saving 
  through, she can choose to succeed instead.
  Regeneration. Rei’Zel regains 20 hit points at the start of 
  her round if she has at least 1 hitpoint and isn’t in running 
  water or sunlight. If she takes radiant damage or damage 
  from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of 
  her next turn.
  Catatonic Collapse. Unlike other vampires, Rei’Zel does 
  not turn into mist when she drops to 0 hit points outside 
  her coffin. Instead, her body appears truly corpselike and 
  starts to wither and rot in an eternal torpor until she is fed 
  at least 1 gallon of blood, at which point she is restored to 
  half her hit point maximum. As long as her head remains 
  attached to her body, she will eventually return unless left 
  to bake in the rays of the sun.
  Magical Weaponry. Rei’Zel’s attacks are magical, and she 
  gains a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with 
  her weapons (included in the attack). 
  Spellcasting. Rei’Zel is a 13th level spellcaster. Her spell-
  casting modifier is Charisma (spell save DC 18) and can 
  cast the following spells.
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
  (3/day each): animate dead, fireball, nondetection, 
  counterspell
  (2/day each): blight, greater invisibility, polymorph, fire 
  shield
  (1/day each): dominate person, finger of death, telekinesis
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  Vampire Weaknesses. Rei’Zel has the following flaws:
  Stake through the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of 
  wood is driven into her heart while she is incapacitated, 
  she is paralyzed until the stake is removed. Rei’Zel wears 
  full plate armor, so this is more difficult than one would 
  assume…
  Sunlight Hypersensitivity. While in sunlight, Rei’Zel takes 
  20 radiant damage at the start of her turn and has disad-
  vantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
  Forbiddance. Rei’Zel doesn’t care if someone invites her 
  into a home or not. She’s a conqueror and laughs at the 
  weaknesses of other vampires who are bound by such fool-
  ish beliefs. She hates garlic though and will refuse to feed 
  upon any person who has had it in the past day, going so far 
  as to spit out any blood upon tasting it and losing an action.
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Rei’Zel makes three attacks. She can forgo 
  making two attacks in this manner to instead take one 
  other action, chosen from the options below or via her 
  spellcasting feature. 
  Blood Snare Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to 
  hit, range 100/300 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) pierc-
  ing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on 
  a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 30 ft. in a 
  straight line away from Rei’Zel, or pulled 30 ft. toward her. 
  Flesh Rending Clutches. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d12 + 8) slashing damage. 
  If the target is a flesh and blood creature, it must succeed 
  on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or suffer a bleeding 
  wound. While wounded in this manner, a creature loses 5 
  (1d10) hit points at the start of each of its turns. Each time 
  a creature fails this save again, this damage increases by 5 
  (1d10) until the wound is closed. The wound can be closed 
  by a creature within reach using an action to succeed on 
  a DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or by receiving 20 hit 
  points of magical healing in a single turn. 
  Shadow Step. Rei’Zel magically teleports to an unoccu-
  pied space she can see within 60 ft. that is in an area of 
  dim light or darkness. Within the grounds of her Estate, 
  Rei’zel does not need line of sight for this ability.
  Unholy Might (Recharge 5 – 6). Rei’Zel unleash-
  es unholy power within her, empowering her 
  until the end of her next turn. While so em-
  powered, Rei’Zel has advantage on saving 
  
  128
  128
  throws, and when she scores a hit with an attack, she in-
  stead scores a critical hit
  Legendary Actions
  Rei’Zel can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the op-
  tions below. Only one legendary action option can be used 
  at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. She 
  regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn. 
  Strike. Rei’Zel makes a single weapon attack. 
  Spell. Rei’Zel casts a spell she can cast at will. 
  Shadow Step (Costs 2 Actions). Rei-Zel uses her Shadow 
  Step action. 
  Unholy Might (Costs 3 Actions). Rei-Zel uses or recharg-
  es her Unholy Might action.
  
  Items & Events
  Sun Drinker
  Armor (Shield), very rare (requires attunement)
  This pointed shield is painted an unearthly shade of 
  matte black, so dark it seems as if it's absorbing the 
  light around it. The only adornment is an iridescent 
  mother of pearl inlay at the shield's center, creating 
  the appearance of a fanged jaw. While holding the 
  shield, you have a +3 bonus to your AC and resis-
  tance to radiant damage.
  Additionally, as a bonus action while you wear the 
  shield you may snuff out all sources of light in a 30 
  ft. radius centered on you, and fill the affected area 
  with magical darkness for as long as you concentrate 
  (as though concentrating on a spell). Once you have 
  used this feature, you cannot use it again until you 
  finish a long rest. 
  Flesh Rending Clutches
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  The heavy dark metal was sculpted in such a manner 
  to emulate the forearms and talons of a black drag-
  on. Even the finger guards end in wicked obsidian 
  claws. While you wear these gauntlets, your unarmed 
  strikes deal 1d12 slashing damage on a successful hit. 
  Additionally, creatures hit by your unarmed strike 
  must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw 
  or suffer a bleeding wound. While wounded in this 
  manner, a creature loses 5 (1d10) hit points at the 
  start of each of its turns. Each time a creature fails this 
  save again, this damage increases by 5 (1d10) until 
  the wound is closed. The wound can be closed by a 
  creature within reach using an action to succeed on a 
  DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or by receiving 20 
  hit points of magical healing in a single turn. 
  Blood Snare
  Weapon (heavy crossbow), requires attunement) 
  This heavy, two-handed crossbow is hewn from 
  dark, umber wood and provides a +3 bonus to attack 
  and damage rolls made with it. A length of chain is 
  wrapped around a spool built into the weapon's stock. 
  In addition to traditional bolts, the Blood Snare comes 
  equipped with hooked projectiles or talon bolts. When 
  you hit a creature with a bolt fired from the crossbow, 
  the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving 
  throw or be pushed 30 ft. in a straight line away from 
  you, or pulled 30 ft. toward you. 
  
  130
  130
  
  Chapter 3
  The Everlasting Night
  “What good the ledgers of our past? Blood soaks every page written,                                                                                          
  and every page to come.” LaCroix the Knight Captain
  Welcome to ‘The Everlasting Night’. The Party has 
  been barricaded inside the Scarlet Hearth for two 
  weeks, preventing the Accursed King and his sup-
  porters from paying homage to their Patrons. As 
  a result, a permanent night has fallen on Yon’Cath. 
  In the immediate aftermath of the temple siege, 
  open warfare erupted across Yon’Cath between the 
  Legionnaires and the Accursed Guard.
  After a few days, both factions seemingly retreated to 
  their respective sides of the river. The outright com-
  bat has been replaced with a cold war. The bustling 
  markets and bazaars of the bridges now play host to 
  a multitude of incognito operatives from both Yonder 
  and Cathrach. While the warrior’s rest, the spies and 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “Warlock pacts? I’ve seen all kinds. We have 
  drinking games based on which new pilgrim is 
  screwed… but truthfully, I tried to save them all.”
  -Fayte the Shield Maiden
  In Act 1 of this adventure, the party will get a taste 
  of a city during the cold war. The Knight Captain will 
  task the party to scout out the first of the three bridg-
  es, possibly assisting with his upcoming assault by 
  tipping the balance of the neutral rogue’s guild. But 
  first, they’ll all have to find a way out of the temple 
  without being noticed.
  In Act 2, the Party will be needed to navigate the mid-
  dle bridge, Stone Leg, as they work towards a hidden 
  route into Cathrach. This will either play out in a tense, 
  clandestine manner or all hell will have broken loose.
  Chaos and open war are inevitable in Act 3, whether 
  it’s a result of the Party being discovered by an ene-
  my or the Knight Captain beginning his assault. The 
  Party must navigate the Black Span, the most hostile 
  of the three bridges, in search of a safe and secret 
  passage into Cathrach.
  assassins play their games. All eyes, whether directly 
  or indirectly, look toward the Scarlet Hearth. 
  It is time for the Party and the Knight Captain to 
  make their next move, however, bloody chaos will 
  certainly erupt the moment they are seen exiting the 
  temple. 
  Prior to beginning this act, you’ll want to resolve any 
  conflicts and sidequests remaining from ‘A Scarlet 
  Mercy’. Additionally, you’ll be served extra well as a 
  storyteller if you make a giant map of Yon’Cath and 
  divide the city up between the two forces, giving the 
  PC’s and Party members a major victory by holding 
  the Scarlet Hearth. 
  THE EVERLASTING NIGHT
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  132
  GM Note
  The Bridges are excellent plac-
  es to drop in loot and magical 
  items. Take a moment to 
  peruse the list and find a few 
  items you like
   The Setting
  “The Hearth is the keystone. By cutting this 
  off, we turn the Accursed back into the regular, 
  run of the mill, warlocks. This gives us the 
  edge… for we’ve been killing them for ages. 
  - LaCroix the Knight Captain
  Since the last Act, it’s time to place the Shadelands 
  in a state of twilight and, throughout this adventure, 
  permanent dark. Shadows run long from torches 
  place outside of homes, and many of them glow a 
  shade of eerie green as their magic has been warped. 
  A bitter cold whips through the street, not just in 
  temperature, but in the icy glare that citizens shoot 
  soldiers from either side. 
  Remember, these bridges are entire neighborhoods 
  unto themselves. They are each a quarter-mile across 
  and 100 yards wide, packed with tents, shacks, and 
  lean-tos. A cold misty rain comes and goes in spurts 
  during Everlasting Night, and as the party walks 
  through the great stone bridges of Yon’Cath, de-
  scribe the pitter-patter of rain hitting muted grey 
  tarps above them. Many have begun to huddle in 
  the neutral area between cities to maintain contact 
  with relatives or friends on each side. Cramped spac-
  es and a bleak outlook with jaded frustration is the 
  mood on everyone’s lips. 
  Patron’s Pass, Stone Leg, and Black Span are featured 
  heavily in this adventure. The Stretches, a series of 
  rope-bridges that tie the three main bridges together, 
  reach long-ways over the Obsidian Rush, allowing in-
  ter-bridge travel without having to enter either city. 
  Rotted wood, frayed rope, and the risk of being shot 
  run high along these bridges now—they’ve been 
  overused immensely recently. 
  The heaviest concentration of Accursed King forces 
  will likely be at the southernmost bridge, Patron’s Pass, 
  since that is closest to the Scarlet Hearth. However, 
  while there will be fewer formal soldiers stationed at 
  the northernmost bridge, Black Span, the bridge lo-
  cals are more likely to be loyal to Dorian. Black Span 
  is infamous for its dark and arcane dealings.
  
  133
  GM Note
  The Players are welcome here to come up 
  with a plan. As a fallback, Fayte can call on 
  her Patron and a brilliant blast of blinding 
  light will appear above Yon’Cath. It will last 
  only for a handful of seconds, so the party will 
  need to run from the temple and get them-
  selves immersed in the bridge crowds while 
  everyone outside is shielding their eyes.
  Act 1
  While the Party has been hunkered down in the 
  Scarlet Hearth, the Knight Captain has been com-
  municating via sending stone with his Legionnaires 
  outside. He had hoped that taking the temple would 
  have crippled the Accursed King to the point he was 
  forced to back down and possibly surrender. But al-
  though this move did in fact damage Dorian’s power 
  and influence, he is nowhere near the point of back-
  ing down. And the longer the party sits around, the 
  more time the Accursed King has to plot new meth-
  ods of reaching the Patrons.
  The Knight Captain has his mindset on an all-out 
  assault, whilst Fayte is resistant to this, feeling it 
  will only result in pointless bloodshed. She posits 
  that they should find Dorian’s weakness, otherwise 
  a frontal assault will just be like waves breaking 
  against a rock. The Knight Captain is dead set on his 
  assault. The Knight Captain’s war began as a means 
  to supplant Dorian, however as things have pro-
  gressed, it’s almost as if he just wants a War, regard-
  less of purpose. He does, however, agree that per-
  haps Fayte and the party should attempt to uncover 
  more about the nature of Dorian’s power. Fayte as-
  serts that they should try to contact Majin. LaCroix 
  is very against this at first, but Fayte insists that if 
  there’s anyone who might know how to fix things 
  and defeat Dorian, it’s Majin. LaCroix concedes this 
  point. The big problem is... Majin is in Cathrach.
  If the Party set the Old One free:
  But before any of that, the first thing they all have to 
  do is exit the Scarlet Hearth. The temple has plenty 
  of diverse and nondescript hooded robes the party 
  can wear as disguises. Many are left over from sac-
  rifices, or they’re the “street” clothes of temple aco-
  lytes. The real trick is getting into the bridge markets 
  without being seen exiting the temple.
  LaCroix, Fayte, and the Party will need to discreetly 
  move through Patron's Pass. It might seem count-
  er-intuitive, but clerics and missionaries are com-
  mon here. They’ve set up tents and stand in the 
  walking lanes, pleading with the populace to forsake 
  the tainted powers of the “Heretical Patrons”. The 
  Party needs to find someone named Alios, a cleric/
  rogue, and a follower of the God of Thieves. With his 
  help, the Legionnaires will have a much easier time 
  crossing Patron's Pass to assault the Cathrach side. 
  Ahk Noh Ra’s retribution will have been occurring 
  outside this whole time. It manifests in periodic 
  storms of flaming rocks falling from the sky. This 
  only adds to the tension in the city. For the duration 
  of Everlasting Night, while the party is outside, GM 
  rolls a D20 every few minutes (at your discretion), 
  and on a roll of 16-20, a quick shower of fiery rocks 
  will fall from the sky. These can hit buildings, roads, 
  and people. When this occurs, if the Party is in an 
  affected area, they (and any other creatures in the 
  area) must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving 
  throw or take 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage and 
  11 (2d10) fire damage, or half as much on a success.
  
  134
  GM Note
  There are incognito operatives of both 
  sides everywhere. As the party travers-
  es the bridge markets, you should roll 
  one or two checks to see if they get rec-
  ognized. If Accursed King operatives 
  recognize the party, they can either at-
  tack them, raise an alarm, or attempt 
  to discreetly hurry away to inform the 
  Accursed Guard. If the operative(s) 
  choose to attack the party right then 
  and there, GM should roll a check to 
  see if any Legionnaire operatives are 
  nearby to assist. 
  Soft cold rain peppers the party as they move 
  through the crowds. 
  Fayte is upset. She does not approve of the Knight 
  Captain’s plan to engage in an all-out war. LaCroix of-
  fers a whispered attempt at assuaging her as they walk:
  The eye roll and sigh from Fayte should nearly be 
  audible. “Don’t call me that. I’ve told you a hundred 
  times, LaCroix. And these guilds aren’t as neutral as 
  you always believe, and while we have the Scarlet 
  Hearth, The King has the coffers. Getting across won’t 
  be free… or easy…”
  LaCroix’s expression becomes hardened. “Don’t call 
  him the King, he is but a man. Dorian…”
  The party will find Alios in a tent along the southern 
  wall of the bridge. Alios and his people do not like 
  LaCroix or Fayte, but they hate Dorian even more. 
  The cleric of Mask is a scrawny, but handsome young 
  human with angular features—in this form.
  Alios is a shapechanger, a gift he’s used to escape 
  capture more than once. A survivalist and realist, 
  “My love, everything will be fine. The guilds 
  will side with the Legionnaires. They always 
  have, they’re merchants and neutral. I know 
  them, once I talk to them… they’ll help us get 
  you across and assist us in the siege!”
  Alios can be roleplayed as a thief who enjoys the 
  fatalistic challenge of futility. The fun, as it were, is 
  in the challenge. It will be up to the party to strike a 
  deal with Alios, and he tells them that the only way 
  to discreetly get into Cathrach, is a hidden causeway 
  underneath Black Span, the northern bridge. He re-
  quests that they employ stealth and secrecy in this 
  endeavor as an offering to his God of Thieves. Alios 
  will hand the Party a Mark of Mask and tell them to 
  show it to a member of the Assassin’s Guild in Black 
  Span to secure passage on the hidden causeway.
  The Party must now get to Black Span, which is at 
  the far north end of the river. There are two viable 
  routes: they can part ways with the Knight Captain 
  and attempt to remain hidden by crossing the dan-
  gerous Stretches to the middle bridge, Stone Leg.
  Or they can go into Yonder and walk up along the 
  west bank of the river. If they go into Yonder, they 
  
  135
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  12(+1) 18(+4) 13(+1) 18(+4) 16(+3) 16(+3)
  ACTIONS
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. one 
  target. Hit: (8) 1d8+4 piercing damage. 
  Revealing Light (Recharge 5 – 6). The sentry emits 
  bright light in a 90 ft. cone until the start of its next 
  turn, which projects in a single direction for the du-
  ration. The sentry and its allies have advantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect creatures in the 
  affected area, and creatures in the affected area take an 
  additional 4 (1d8) radiant damage on successful hits 
  from attacks made by the sentry and its allies. 
  Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +7, Perception +9
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common, plus one other language
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  14
  60 (11d8 + 11)
  30 FT
  Spellcasting. The sentry is a 7th level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 
  to hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell 
  slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the 
  following Warlock spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, light
  1st-4th level (2 4th-level slots): The sentry knows 
  the following spells. 
  blight, dispel magic, fireball
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  13(+1) 18(+4) 13(+1) 18(+4) 13(+1) 16(+3)
  Aura of Supremacy. The summoners exude an aura 
  of supernatural authority in a 60 ft. radius sphere. 
  While the summoner is not incapacitated, creatures 
  conjured by the summoner in the affected area add 
  the summoner’s proficiency bonus (+4) to their attack 
  rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. 
  Master of Horrors. The summoner can exert control 
  over up to four summoned creatures at a time so long 
  as it maintains concentration (as though concentrat-
  ing on a spell). A creature controlled in this manner 
  can be verbally commanded by the summoner (no ac-
  tion required), acts immediately after the summoner’s 
  turn, and follows the summoner’s commands to the 
  best of its ability. If the summoner’s concentration is 
  broken, it loses control over any creatures it has sum-
  moned, which become hostile to the summoner. 
  Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +5, Cha +7
  Skills Perception +5, Persuasion +11, 
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages Common plus one other language
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  16 (breastplate)
  95 (18d8 + 14) 
  30 FT
  ACTIONS
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 
  ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) bludgeoning damage.
  Summon Black Water Imps (3/day). The summoner 
  conjures four mud mepthits in four separate unoccu-
  pied spaces it can see within 60 ft. The mepthits have 
  the statistics of mud mepthits, but deal an additional 
  9 (2d8) necrotic damage on successful hits with their 
  weapon attacks. The mepthits vanish after 1 hour or if 
  they are slain. 
  Summon Gargoyle Brute (2/day). The summoner con-
  jures two gargoyles in two separate unoccupied spaces 
  it can see within 60 ft. The gargoyles have the statistics 
  of ordinary gargoyles but can make an additional Claw 
  attack as a bonus action on each of their turns. The gar-
  goyles vanish after 10 minutes or if they are slain
  Summon Arclight Phoenix (1/day). The summoner 
  conjures a fire elemental in the shape of a phoenix in 
  a 10 ft. Unoccupied square it can see within 60 ft. The 
  phoenix has the statistics of a fire elemental but gains 
  the following action. 
  Arclight Blast (Recharge 5 – 6). The phoenix unleash-
  es a blast of superheated flame in a 60 ft. line that is 5ft. 
  wide. Creatures in the affected area must attempt a DC 14 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire and 14 (4d6) 
  radiant damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.
  Cathrach River Sentry
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment to fit Campaign
  Accursed Summoner
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment 
  to fit Campaign
  will have to pass through the checkpoint at the 
  bridge end. This will require them to reveal their 
  identities to the guards. There will be Accursed op-
  eratives watching this checkpoint, so opting for this 
  path will guarantee an open conflict, not to mention 
  it won’t sit too well with Alios. 
  Encounter Enemies
  In addition to potential run-ins with Accursed Guard, 
  some other enemies will become an issue for the 
  party once they are either discovered or the open 
  battle begins:
  
  136
  Act 2
  Path A - The Stretches
  This is the most direct route north, as well as the one 
  that gives the best chance for secrecy. However, it is 
  not without its fair share of danger. These rope and 
  wood plank bridges connect Patron’s Pass to Stone 
  Leg, spanning hundreds of yards over the black wa-
  ters of the Obsidian Rush. The Party must hurry, 
  however, because it will only be a matter of time be-
  fore LaCroix begins his assault. 
  Like Act 1, there should be random rolls to see if any 
  operatives recognize Fayte or the Party. If so, the 
  alarm is raised, and all chaos breaks loose.
  The Party must pass a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) 
  checks to cross the Stretches however, the DC is 
  raised to 20 if they’ve been discovered and enemies 
  Path B - The West Bank
  returning fire toward Cathrach. Aberrations and 
  Manifested Abominations will appear in the Party’s 
  way, having been summoned by the enemy Warlocks 
  across the river. The Party will have to defend them-
  selves as well as possibly defend Legionnaire ballista 
  teams from these monstrosities.
  As the party reaches the west end of the middle 
  bridge, they will find the entire west bank between 
  Stone Leg and Black Span has been consumed in 
  magical fire, leaving them little choice but to venture 
  out onto the bridge.
  Deeper Into Yonder
  party may find a shop open if the GM allows it, but 
  will need to walk at least 3 blocks west to avoid the 
  arcane fire scorching the riverbank. Then 6 blocks 
  north to get to the street that leads back east to the 
  northern bridge, Black Span. At some point, the par-
  ty will find themselves in a deserted stretch of road, 
  and that is when Iorfaan Shimbaac and his cronies 
  (number equal to party size) will step out of the al-
  leys. Iorfaan is a hulking brass Dragonborn barbar-
  ian. He leads the Brutes Guild and is a bit disgruntled 
  that there's all this fighting and his organization has 
  This Chapter is meant to be a tour of the three bridg-
  es, however, Players are an unpredictable bunch. 
  Instead of going around this fire via the bridge, they 
  may decide they want to venture further west, walk 
  a few blocks deeper into Yonder to go up and around 
  the fire to come to Black Span from the west end. 
  They are free to do this. If this is the path they choose, 
  here is a challenge you can place in their path:
  There aren't many folks about in the blocks near the 
  river. Most are either hiding inside or have fled fur-
  ther west, away from the river and its conflict. The 
  The Party goes with LaCroix to the Yonder side of the 
  river. At the checkpoint, they must reveal their identi-
  ties. The Legionnaires let them through, however, the 
  alarm is raised by enemy operatives. LaCroix parts 
  ways with Fayte and the Party to prepare for battle.
  Accursed Guards will crowd the east bank and un-
  leash wanton destruction. Fireballs and Lightning 
  Orbs will be hurled across the river like a volley of 
  magical artillery. The Players will have to pass DEX 
  saves to avoid taking damage. They will also see flam-
  ing projectiles launched from Legionnaire Ballistas 
  are shooting at them. If a Player fails, a party mem-
  ber can attempt to catch them by passing a DC 15 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) Check. If they catch their 
  teammate, they will most certainly draw attention, 
  seeing as one Player will be dangling over the river. 
  In this instance, GM rolls a D20, and on an 11-20, the 
  dangling Player is recognized by an Accursed Guard 
  on the eastern riverbank. If a Player falls into the riv-
  er, the party can lower some rope to help them climb 
  out. The Player must first pass a Swim check DC10. 
  If they fail, they drown and can only be saved by the 
  Lurker in the Deep. This Player will have the grisly 
  death visions haunting them for the remainder of 
  this Encounter. If the Party is discovered; open war 
  will break out. 
  
  137
  apparently been left out of it. He somewhat blames 
  Fayte and the party for this.
  “It’s like no one respects the professional merit 
  of a proper thug these days! Everyone runnin’ 
  around doin’ their own fightin’ and killin’ and 
  whatnot. It’s bloody amateur hour out here!”
  on the players, and demands they settle up debts 
  equal to (seventh-five percent of their current to-
  tal party gold). If the party refuses, they will have 
  to fight Iorfaan’s thugs. Iorfaan will order his thugs 
  not to kill the party, just rough ‘em up a bit and take 
  their money. See appendix for stats on Brutes Guild 
  Thug. Remind the party that Iorfaan is a loose ally 
  of LaCroix, and they may want to opt for non-lethal 
  damage here. Iorfaan will not participate in the fight. 
  Both he and his thugs will back down once it be-
  comes apparent, they can’t win the fight.
  Stone Leg
  on the bridge. The Party may see some White-Cloaked 
  Rangers intervening, killing both Legionnaires and 
  Accursed to quell the violence within their territory. 
  The Party may be forced to let some Legionnaires die 
  in order to gain access to Snow.
  Snow will be quite agitated about all the chaos en-
  suing outside. “It’s bad for business.” And she’s an-
  noyed because she’s certain the Party had some-
  thing to do with it. The Party will have to assure 
  her that their ultimate goal is to end the unrest in 
  Yon’Cath permanently.
  Snow will offer two deals to earn passage across 
  the Stretches:
  Deal One is the Party handing over half of all their 
  money. For a few seconds, she peers at them through 
  a miniature spyglass, the lens is green with an eye 
  etched into it. After she lowers the spyglass, she will 
  recite exactly how much money the party has: (“You 
  are carrying 500 gold, 143 silver, and 32 copper piec-
  es.”) Snow won’t settle for anything less than half.
  Deal Two is for the Party to carry some merchan-
  dise across to Black Span for her. The catch is, it’s in 
  a heavy chest that will require two Players to carry it 
  together as they cross the dangerous Stretches. 
  The rope bridge controlled by Snow turns out to be 
  in much better shape than the earlier ones. However, 
  the party will still have to weather ranged assaults 
  from Accursed Guard on the east bank. And if they 
  are bringing Snow’s chest across, the Players carry-
  ing it will have disadvantage on checks.
  Act 2 ends when the Party reaches Black Span.
  Both paths will ultimately lead to Stone Leg, the mid-
  dle bridge. The Stretches will dump the party right 
  in the middle of the bridge. If they came up the West 
  Bank, they will have to head inward. Stone Leg is the 
  largest, most diverse, and most crowded of the three 
  Great Bridges. Even if the battle has begun, the party 
  will need to try to disappear within the crowd. Stone 
  Leg is a miniature melting pot of cultures, with tents 
  selling culinary fare from all over the world. Many 
  of the locals will be going on about their business as 
  all the damage is happening on either side of the riv-
  er. The Party can potentially find some new clothes 
  or hideout for a few minutes in a food tent to lose 
  any tailing enemies. Before the party can cross the 
  Stretches that connect Stone Leg and Black Span, 
  Fayte tells them they need to find the Ranger Guild 
  that unofficially runs this bridge. If they try to cross 
  without this Clan’s permission, even in the middle of 
  an open battle, they’ll be shot down just on principle.
  The leader of this guild is called Snow, and she runs 
  the smuggling trade that creates the immense variety 
  of spices, drugs, and meats available on this bridge. 
  Snow only cares about coin, and to the highest bid-
  der, she’ll help. As a long-lived wood elf, she’s seen 
  plenty of would-be kings come and go. She doesn’t 
  much care who wins if her business thrives. 
  If the Party has made it to this point without any 
  alarms being raised, LaCroix will begin his assault as 
  the party searches for Snow. The crisscrossed over-
  head volley of ballista fire and magical ordinance will 
  commence. Incognito operatives on both sides reveal 
  themselves, possibly fighting openly with each other 
  Iorfaan is a bit pissed that LaCroix forgot to pay-up 
  his protection fee and also never informed Iorfaan of 
  their plan. Iorfaan is keen to take out his frustration 
  
  138
  Act 3
  Fires will be raging on both sides of the river as the 
  Party reaches the Black Span. The battle has inten-
  sified, the Knight Captain is making a push across 
  Patron's Pass, and it may even seem as if the Cathrach 
  forces are more focused on the Legionnaires than the 
  party. But make no mistake, Black Span is the stron-
  gest aligned with the Accursed King. Security, wards, 
  anti-magic circles, mimics, and more stalk the bridg-
  es and taverns built both on and under the bridge. In 
  a city literally full of arcane emporiums and magical 
  boutiques, there are some wares still too obscure for 
  the “proper” storefronts. That is the caliber of illicit 
  merchandise that can be found here. 
  A pair of cloaked rangers, their faces mostly con-
  cealed under hoods, linger near the end of the rope 
  bridge. If the Party has the chest from Snow, these 
  rangers will take delivery. They may be able to offer 
  a bit of guidance toward finding the Assassins guild 
  if properly motivated.
  Fayte knows that Black Span is run by a loose part-
  nership between sorcerers and assassins. The head 
  sorcerer is an orc named Ulka Resh. He is a scarred 
  and ancient grey-orc, well into his elderly years. 
  Hobbling around via a gnarled wooden staff and of-
  ten coughing up blood, he has been to every existen-
  tial plane. He has no personal interest in the current 
  political conflict, and the Players probably can’t buy 
  him through simple words alone. In fact, he may al-
  ready have been bought by the Accursed King. But 
  if not, perhaps the Players can barter some form of 
  arcane concealment. Something so powerful even 
  the Accursed Guard posted at the bridge checkpoint 
  won’t be able to see through it.
  The Party can search for the Assassin’s Guild on their 
  own, however, Ulka Resh can easily put the party in 
  touch with them if persuaded… though there’s al-
  ways the risk he’ll decide to attack the party. Simply 
  asking around for the location of the Assassins Guild 
  is a good way to catch a knife in the back. This will 
  take some creativity and subtlety from the Party. 
  DMs should reward ingenuity and the Players who 
  lean into the spycraft element of it all. 
  The Assassins are led by a gnomish woman named 
  Mingani Lilt. She is dangerous and quite deadly if 
  crossed, however, she has a solid contract with Alios 
  and if the Party shows her the Mark of Mask, she will 
  be obliged to help. Ultimately, this is due to Alios being 
  the true leader, with her being a second in command 
  and running it all when he isn’t calling the shots.
  The Assassins Guild headquarters hangs below 
  Black Span, bolted to the underside of the bridge. 
  Whether the Party locates a contact on their own, or 
  if Resh assists them, they will be taken to a spot to-
  ward the middle of the bridge, near the north wall. A 
  large false stone is moved aside, revealing a ladder 
  down into the Guild. 
  From the Assassin’s hideout, they can be taken to a 
  terrifyingly narrow, hidden causeway built into the 
  northern side of the bridge. The Party will have to 
  press their backs flat against the stone and shimmy 
  forward, staying under the lip of stone overhead so 
  the guards at the bridge checkpoint don’t see them. 
  The causeway becomes a tunnel underneath the 
  Cathrach streets. The tunnel ends at some old stairs 
  that lead up to a door that opens into a secluded al-
  ley, three blocks east of the river. 
  The sounds of raging battle echo behind them. Fayte 
  reiterates how urgent it is that they must find Majin. 
  If the party were to look up at this moment, they 
  might catch a glimpse of the Accursed King himself 
  flying across the black sky toward the fighting. 
  And thus, ends Everlasting Night.
  
  139
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  Each of the bridges holds an important social en-
  counter. While the party may wish to fight or threat-
  en the leaders of each bridge, keep in mind these are 
  people who might respect the Knight Captain and/
  or the Accursed King… but they don’t fear either one. 
  These are strong NPCs. 
  Ulka Resh can be swayed by either side, and it may 
  come down to who gets to him first. There can be a race 
  against the clock element. An agent of the Accursed King 
  is en-route to make a deal with Resh. If the Party gets 
  there before her, they may have an easier time securing 
  his aid. If the deal has been struck before the Party ar-
  rives, Resh and his bodyguards may attack them on site.
  Sidequest Potential: Each of the guild leaders desires 
  some aspect of legitimacy. If the characters wish to talk 
  about true treason and replacing the government—
  the characters at the bridges will vie for position and 
  cut deals about the future of the Shadelands (with 
  them in it, of course). Before the battle begins, let the 
  characters have the ability to loop everyone back in 
  and see what else they can get from these conspirators. 
  Much of ‘The Everlasting Night’ should be spent 
  avoiding combat until the right moments. Early fights 
  can land the party in trouble and, in this module, you 
  want to play up the importance of discretion rather 
  than valor. Being discovered early puts the party at a 
  massive disadvantage. Once the battle for the bridges 
  begins, then the party can toss down and cut loose, 
  before it's back to sneaking. 
  Sidequest Potential: Nothing is stopping the charac-
  ters from taking time to aid the Legionnaires in their 
  battle for the bridges. Securing the bridges for the 
  Knight Captain will cut off the Cathrach side from 
  more than just magic and put them in full despera-
  tion as fresh food and water will also start becoming 
  scarce. The Knight Captain will have a severe upper 
  hand in later battles should the party choose this.
  The three bridges are rife with exploration oppor-
  tunities. The module is going to be tense and quiet… 
  until everything goes wild. But before then, the party 
  can find many stores and oddities within the bridg-
  es. If your party is the wandering type, it is a good 
  chance to sprinkle in some custom stores and magi-
  cal places of otherworldly wonder. 
  Sidequest Potential: Alios is a cleric for the God of 
  Thieves and Trickery whose purpose to warn travel-
  ers about going into becoming a Warlock. A curious 
  group might wonder why the God of Thieves even 
  cares about such an endeavor; something vastly 
  more befitting for more light-based Gods. 
  There is indeed a story, and it turns out if the party 
  wishes to explore further—they can uncover a di-
  vine plot! Alios has been using his spot on Patron's 
  Pass to assassinate clerics of other faiths, simply to 
  eliminate divine competition. It’s a bit ruthless, but 
  even the Gods have grudges to settle. This is also a 
  good chance to run the Ascension Gambit Sidequest.
  
  140
  140
  
  Side quest, Ascension Gambit
  Ascension Gambit
  Introduction
  Ascension Gambit is a (5e) scenario written by 
  Gehenna Gaming for The Red Opera module from 
  Apotheosis Studios. 
  This scenario takes place within the Shadelands and 
  starts in the city of Yon’Cath. However, it can take 
  place in a city or town of the GM’s creation so long 
  as it is within the Shadelands and integrates the key 
  people, places, and events described in this book. 
  Everyone knows what Warlocks want, but none of 
  the factions want to let another achieve it first. When 
  Warlocks in Yon’Cath approach ascension, aiming to 
  replace a Patron and become like a god themselves, 
  the others rush to stop them and prevent the result-
  ing swing in power. In the Shadelands, the Patrons 
  are merely a hop, skip, and a jump away. Who’s to say 
  we can’t add another to the mix? Would introducing 
  another God destabilize the religious order across 
  the realms?
  These are the exact questions Ascension Gambit 
  seeks to answer.
  Synopsis
  Cults have sprung up throughout Yon’Cath and 
  across the Shadelands, looking to elevate their lead-
  ers to godhood and create a new patron with whom 
  to seal their pacts. One such cult, the Faceless Ones, 
  deifies a mysterious Patron slowly gaining popu-
  larity across the city. What began as a small, de-
  vout following has turned into a religious extremist 
  movement, following not a god but a psionic mon-
  strosity, called an unformed one, manipulating their 
  thoughts and dreams. The more victims that pledge 
  themselves to this obsessed unformed one, the more 
  power it gains. 
  This campaign is divided into the following parts:
  Act 1 - A Long Rest
  The players begin by staying the night at the Hole 
  in the Wall Inn & Tavern, either together as a party 
  or as complete strangers on their own paths of ad-
  venture. The players rest their heads in their rooms 
  after meeting tavern customers and are suddenly in-
  terrupted by attacks from strange worm creatures. 
  Following the attack, they meet LaCroix, the Knight 
  Captain, who requests an investigation by the party. 
  This investigation leads to the discovery and alterca-
  tion with an infected Yon’Cath citizen. 
  Act 2 - Bizarre Bazaar
  The party explores some of the darker areas of 
  Yon’Cath while investigating the source of all the 
  trouble. They will be able to peruse a marketplace 
  where any number of enchanted items can be found. 
  A strange traveling merchant with a bloated gut is 
  discovered, who suspiciously has anything the ad-
  venturers’ desire. This merchant is severely infected 
  with worm, and the altercation turns into a chase to-
  ward an old warehouse. 
  Act 3 - The Showdown
  The adventurers find themselves on the trail of 
  a dangerous cult operating beneath the city. The 
  Warlocks whose pacts had been broken and crea-
  tures who have created thralls of the citizens lead to 
  the tunnels underneath the warehouse where an un-
  formed one named Thulduss has made a pact with 
  Gosoliad resides. Thulduss has the power to break 
  the pacts of the thralls they capture, adding their pa-
  tron’s power to themselves.
  
  142
  GM Note
  Dialogue Examples:
  “My patron… I’ve been replaced.”
  “I never heard of a patron giving up 
  on a Warlock.”
  “I feel like I lost part of my very 
  heart, and… I’m weaker for it.”
  Act 1 – A Long Rest
  The players begin in the Warlock twin-city of Yon’Cath. 
  They may or may not be traveling together, but the one 
  thing they have in common is they are at Hole in the Wall 
  Tavern & Inn. While they rest, they come under attack in 
  a vulnerable state and band together, seeking answers.
  Goals
  1. Immerse into the tavern setting and interact 
  with the exciting citizens of Yon’Cath. 
  2. Interact with a Warlock who is drowning his sor-
  rows in a flagon of ale for his lost Patron. 
  3. Survive the nocturnal attack of worms and in-
  fected townsfolk.
  4. Meet with LaCroix, the Knight Captain.
  It is a busy night at Hole in the Wall Tavern & Inn, a 
  four-level structure near the center of Yon’Cath fre-
  quented by locals for ales. The Inn itself houses trav-
  elers from every corner of the world and beyond, as 
  people make a pilgrimage to break or forge a pact. 
  Luhlia, the half-orc barmaid, is bouncing from table 
  to table to try and keep up. Her slender frame slips 
  gracefully between the many circular tables scattered 
  around the room, each seating five to six demanding 
  clients in the large open concept ground floor. From 
  the kitchen, meals are expedited at an alarming rate 
  with dishes that smell exquisite yet as foreign as the 
  players have ever seen.
  One of the guests is a handsome fellow, despite hav-
  ing far too many layers of dirt on his skin. As time 
  passes, he becomes more and more rude and bellig-
  erent. However, Luhlia eventually gives him an evil 
  eye that makes him cower and deflate.
  At the bar, a dwarven man named Rhyian is sitting 
  in a slumped fashion holding a mug as an occasional 
  tear escapes his eyes falling into his red lager. Should 
  the players inquire, he will gently push them away 
  and mutter about losing his Patron.
  Eventually, the travelers head to their rooms to bed 
  down for the evening. Everything seems fairly normal, 
  and the rooms are adorned with simple furnishings: 
  A bed, a simple cabinet for clothes, hooks for coats or 
  capes on the walls, and a small candle holder. Paintings 
  of several powerful patrons seen in the halls are also 
  in a few of the rooms themselves. Some of the rooms 
  are even named after the Patrons as if they were lo-
  cal celebrities. There is a small Totem that rests on 
  each nightstand. If inspected, they seem wholly sealed 
  and are not magical. Shaking them, they feel solid. The 
  only way to detect if anything is genuinely off is if they 
  can detect psionic energy. Even detecting life does not 
  penetrate the shell of the totem figurine.
  As the players sleep, they may each make a passive 
  perception check at difficulty 16. Those that fail may 
  make a check again after those that passed, this time 
  at difficulty 19. Those who fail the check don’t no-
  tice a thing when the totem begins to crack, but their 
  dreams become unusually frightening as if a Patron 
  is trying to wake them.
  Those who passed the check realize that the small to-
  tem has been broken and feel something on their face, 
  crawling towards their eyes or ears. As they attempt 
  to begin removing it, tendrils grab on to the eyelid, 
  nose, mouth, or anything else it can to get leverage to 
  haul its body into the mucus membrane, as it is a pro-
  toplasmic worm. Removing the worm is a difficulty 
  10. Those players who fail will need the help of other 
  players to stop the worm from digging in completely.
  Once they are crushed or killed by the adventurers, 
  they will likely exit their rooms and see if the attack 
  is over or what the damage and situation is. This is 
  an excellent time to get the party together officially as 
  the other guests are not adventurers. From the other 
  doors down the hall, as well as from the floors below, 
  the players can hear screaming and sounds of fighting. 
  Several of the guests are dead in their rooms, having 
  failed to survive the encounter. Or at least they ap-
  pear dead. One of the dead has half a worm sticking 
  out of his crushed eye, having taken each other out. 
  If inspected, some bodies are infected yet cataton-
  ic, and their faces begin to change. Any distinguish-
  ing features, such as ears, eyes, noses, and mouths, 
  begin to fade and blend into an androgynous blank 
  slate, like an unidentifiable mannequin. Some of the 
  
  143
  rooms will show signs of a struggle, but the guests are 
  gone. They may find a broken window in one of these 
  rooms, though no corpse lies in the street. The dirty, 
  rude man from the bar lies in the corner of his room, 
  holding his head and swearing up a storm. Not long 
  after, something in his head bursts through his nos-
  tril, about the size of a guinea pig. Much larger than 
  the worm the adventurers killed. It scurries about the 
  room looking to escape. The players may attempt to 
  kill it, though it is an AC-18 to hit. After one round, it 
  escapes into the night through a crack in the wall.
  Those infected tenants whose faces are now unidenti-
  fiable can either run from the tavern amidst all the ac-
  tion, attack the party in a mindless frenzy, or be gath-
  ered and bound together for precaution, brought to 
  the lower level of the inn. Not long after the incident, 
  LaCroix, The Knight Captain arrives. One of the sur-
  viving guests describes what transpired, stuttering 
  and shaking, terrified by the experience. A few towns-
  people will have gathered at this point, attracted by 
  the noise and excitement, and will laugh and mock 
  them for being ridiculous. LaCroix silences them and 
  asks the adventurers for their story. 
  LaCroix is a busy man, and his forces are spread thin. 
  Once he’s heard the tale and how the adventurers 
  helped or handled themselves in the aftermath, he 
  deputizes them, putting them in charge of getting to 
  the source of this, and offers a substantial reward. 
  One of his officers sees a broken totem and says he 
  has seen them around town. A merchant was selling 
  them. If the players do not suggest it, LaCroix requests 
  they find this merchant in the morning. Specifically, 
  suggesting that they start with the arcane bazaar at 
  the northern bridge of Yon’Cath, the Black Span. 
  The staff at the inn watch over the tenants as they 
  layout bedrolls on the tavern’s ground floor and 
  close the establishment so they can all rest safely 
  until dawn arrives and the rooms can be inspected 
  for further trouble.
  Places
  Hole in the Wall Tavern & Inn 
  A four-story building of smooth, light gray stone, lo-
  cated on the Yonder side of Yon’Cath. Ever since it 
  was first built, the windows of the building are large 
  and circular. The citizens of Yon’Cath joked that it ap-
  peared the windows were simply holes in the walls, 
  and the name stuck.
  Key NPCs:
  Rhyian 
  100-year-old male dwarf and customer of the Hole 
  in the Wall Tavern & Inn (emphasis on tavern). 
  Rhyian is a Warlock who is lamenting the loss of his 
  dear Patron, wearing nondescript black robes and a 
  broken chain necklace. 
  • 
  Roleplay Hints: This dwarf has been drinking 
  all day! Rhyian slurs his words and is very emo-
  tional. Not completely inconsolable, players can 
  roll a charisma check or buy him an ale to calm 
  him down (Difficulty Class 15.)
  • 
  Motivation: Rhyian wants to wallow in his de-
  pression and sorrows, hopefully with a small au-
  dience of empathetic strangers. He will tell his 
  sad story of losing connection with his Patron to 
  anyone who will listen. 
  LaCroix, the Knight Captain 
  See LaCroix section in The Red Opera. 
  • 
  Motivation: Deputize brave and capable adven-
  turers to look into the matter and protect the 
  city at all costs. Not willing to provide resourc-
  es to help in the investigation, but offering titles 
  and rewards to the party after.
  Other NPCs 
  The Hole in the Wall Tavern & Inn is a busy tavern 
  with travelers of all races and classes. Customers are 
  here for good times, bitter drinks, and a place to rest. 
  Feel free to embellish and add your own flair to the 
  diverse crowd at the tavern.
  Luhlia, the half-orc barmaid
  A young woman who runs the tavern side of the 
  Hole in the Wall Tavern & Inn. She is quick-witted 
  and knows how to keep unruly customers in check. 
  When Luhlia isn’t lugging barrels from the basement 
  up to the bar, she is bussing empty flagons away 
  from thirsty patrons to help keep their spirits up 
  with plenty of ale. 
  Important Items
  Totem
  The totems represent a goat-headed man with a 
  large stomach sitting cross-legged and pointing up-
  wards. An inscription on the bottom reads that it is 
  for “good luck.”
  Deputy Badges
  The badges handed out by the Knight Captain are of 
  a shield configuration with a linked chain around the 
  edges and a burning fire in the center, which glows, 
  displaying the authority of the watch even at night.
  
  144
  GM Note
  This is a good alternative entry point 
  to this adventure. Should your play-
  ers not want to align with LaCroix, 
  or you aren’t ready to introduce him, 
  you can introduce the scenario with 
  Khouryn and ignore the plot hooks 
  involving the Knight Captain.
  Act 2 – Bizarre Bazaar
  With newly acquired authority by order of the 
  Knight Captain, the party is now at the height of a 
  major investigation. Looking into these worms and 
  totems may need a little help from Warlock mer-
  chants at the Arcane Bazaar. The adventurers will 
  get to explore the shops and merchants in a bustling 
  bazaar, and each shop owner may have a bit of ex-
  pertise, and perhaps some items, to help the players 
  with their task. 
  Goals
  1. Peruse the Arcane Bazaar.
  2. Investigate the worm and totems.
  3. Get useful information and items from Warlock 
  merchants.
  4. Discover and confront the merchant cultist.
  The player characters search the city for the shady 
  merchant selling these worm-infested totems but 
  get more than they bargained for. This is a good 
  chance for the players to explore Yon’Cath and im-
  merse themselves in its culture and unique offer-
  ings, if they haven’t already, or visit new locales they 
  may not have seen so far.
  It is essential for the players to gain their footing 
  and familiarize themselves with the setting, actively 
  plugging themselves into it and having the author-
  ity to make decisions. This will help them feel like 
  they’re in control of the investigation, as well as get 
  further into the mystery. 
  As dawn arrives, encourage the players to leave the 
  inn and explore the market district of Yon’Cath. There 
  is a wide variety of strange and unusual shops in the 
  Arcane Bazaar; many items for sale being rare, ab-
  horrent, or forbidden outside the Shadelands. Since 
  the worms are unformed spawn, Psionic Wares is a 
  great place to visit for valuable information. Another 
  option is The Nameless Necromancy Shop, so that 
  answers may be obtained from the dead if possible. 
  Details about these shops and the unique Warlocks 
  who run them can be found at the end of this Act.
  Khouryn Brickfoot will quickly approach the party 
  as they make their way through the Arcane Bazaar. 
  The dwarf proprietor of The Cracked Pact is partak-
  ing in some arcane shopping herself. Upon notic-
  ing the party, she will approach them as she chews 
  on a cigar to discuss that there have been several 
  Warlocks who have accused her of breaking their 
  pacts unwillingly and have reported this wrongdo-
  ing to the authorities. She has been lucky enough to 
  have alibis, but after the attack at the Hole in the Wall 
  tavern, she is curious if it is related. If questioned, 
  she may reveal that whoever is doing this likely has 
  a replica of Gosoliad’s reliquary.
  Give the players time to peruse and shop, but once 
  they exit the Bazaar, have them encounter a wooden 
  stand with wheels that fold up so the proprietor can 
  travel from city to city if needed. From the top of the 
  stand hangs a crude sign scrawled with the words 
  Wantful Things. The merchant himself is a rather ro-
  tund man with a massive gut, so large it doesn’t seem 
  physically possible. Here, mixed into his other odds 
  and ends, the players should spy the small totems on 
  display for low prices (DC 12). He looks them each in 
  the eye and tells them exactly what they want to hear 
  as if he can read their minds. He pulls out trinkets 
  and items that fit and reflect what each character 
  wants, though each player sees the items differently. 
  If they bring up anything about the attack, he will 
  suddenly make a break for it, heading toward a run-
  down large storage building where other cultists are.
  Should the players stop, tackle, or otherwise assault 
  him, his stomach explodes with wriggling worms liv-
  ing and incubating inside him. The worm will rush to 
  attack the party in a wave, while others go after ran-
  dom people on the street. The party will encounter 
  the Mass of Protoplasmic Worms (see Appendix). 
  Use the attack on surrounding townsfolk with a few 
  individual worms to give the encounter a sense of 
  chaos and uncertainty. The infected townsfolk can 
  also surprise attack from behind the party. As this 
  
  145
  panic breaks out, the merchant will try to escape to 
  the hideout.
  Should the players manage to kill or capture the 
  merchant, have some of the worms slither their 
  way toward the same warehouse to lead them there 
  (Survival check DC 16).
  Places:
  Arcane Bazaar 
  Just before the northernmost Black Span bridge is a 
  darkened alley lined with tables, tents, and cramped 
  shops. At the Arcane Bazaar, a Warlock can find any 
  number of arcane and mystical items sold by mer-
  chants of all kinds.
  Nameless Necromancer Shop
  A merchant tent that deals with magical items and 
  tomes related to necromancy. The shop itself is a 
  tent made with textiles of many bright colors. Tables 
  are covered with various books, operating tools, 
  and Necromantia. The sickly smell of rotting flesh is 
  veiled by sweet burning incense and the shopkeep-
  er’s perfume. 
  Psionic Wares
  A humble table covered with very costly psionic and 
  enchanted items. A green glow emitting from the ta-
  ble’s surface reflects against the merchant’s white 
  beard, who slowly adjusts the items and patiently 
  waits for customers. 
  Wantful Things
  A rickety traveling display cart containing totems 
  and anything an adventurer desires. This cart has not 
  been seen very often in the Arcane Bazaar until late-
  ly. Various items hang on towering poles, which seem 
  much more interesting the more one looks at them. 
  Old Warehouse 
  An old building in disrepair that once was used as a 
  waystation for parcels and boxes on route to be deliv-
  ered to or from Yon’Cath. Now barely used outside of 
  the occasional squatter and younglings up to no good. 
  After the encounter with the Suspicious Merchant, 
  the party may chase him to this run-down building. 
  Key NPCs: 
  Khouryn Brickfoot: 
  Middle-aged dwarf and proprietor of The Cracked 
  Pact; see Khouryn Brickfoot section in The Red Opera. 
  In this scenario, she has been accused of breaking 
  pacts without the consent of the victimized Warlocks.
  • 
  Roleplay Hints: Khouryn has a raspy voice 
  from many years of smoking cigars and throw-
  ing back ale at the tavern. She has a bit of 
  a wise-cracking attitude, which can turn to 
  no-nonsense aggression when dealing with 
  anyone too big for their britches.
  • 
  Motivation: Inform the party that she is innocent 
  of breaking their pacts unwillingly and telling 
  them about the replica of Gosoliad’s reliquary.
  Shanti, the Necromancer 
  A 30-year-old female Tiefling and owner of the 
  Nameless Necromancer Shop. She dresses in exot-
  ic scarves and sheer robes as if unaffected by the 
  elements. Strapped to her face is an intricately de-
  signed wooden death mask carved with the image of 
  a skull. Should the players seek Shanti’s counsel, she 
  can summon the spirits of the deceased at the inn, or 
  even the cultists or the merchant if they are killed by 
  the player for answers. All for a price, of course.
  • 
  Roleplay Hints: Shanti moves around the party 
  like a predator about to strike. She speaks with a 
  soft voice and a Cheshire cat grin. She has a deep 
  fascination with death and gets bored quick-
  ly when the conversation doesn’t circle back to 
  subjects concerning her favorite subject.
  • 
  Motivation: Willing to trade the party’s life en-
  ergy for a Field Journal of Necromantic Parasites, 
  which describes various parasites used in arcane 
  methods of reanimating cadavers or creating 
  mindless servants. Every player character must 
  bleed 1 HP into a canopic jar of swirling blood to 
  get the book. 
  Dirg’ant, the Psionic Warlock 
  A 700-year-old non-binary dark Elf and owner of 
  Psionic Wares. A Warlock who deals in psionics via 
  their patron. This Drow is ancient and wizened, wear-
  ing enchanted gold armor that no longer fits their frail 
  aging body. Dirg’ant has extremely long white hair 
  that drags on the floor. Use Dirg’ant if the players get 
  entirely lost, as they can identify the Unformed One 
  resonance in the psionic imprint from the worm.
  • 
  Roleplay Hints: They talk very slowly and me-
  thodically, using pregnant pauses to punctuate 
  the wisdom of their words. Dirg’ant is patient, 
  methodical, and very observant, which is an im-
  portant note for potential thieves.
  • 
  Motivation: Dirg’ant has been around for a very 
  long time and has an encyclopedic knowledge of 
  all things Psionic. They are eager to share their 
  wisdom with people who show any amount of 
  passionate curiosity. Should the party inquire 
  about the worms, Dirg’ant will have much 
  
  146
  to share regarding the psionic nature of the 
  Unformed One. 
  Suspicious Merchant 
  A 50-year-old male human and owner of Wantful 
  Things, the traveling totem cart. A suspicious mer-
  chant with a massive, protruding gut, dressed in 
  stained rags. Once a traveler peddling wares, this 
  merchant found himself set upon by Thulduss, 
  the Unformed One (see Act 3) in an alleyway. 
  Completely under the thrall of this menace, he has 
  lost his identity as sections of his brain were fed 
  upon by Thulduss in a ravenous state. 
  • 
  Roleplay Hints: He never gives a name and 
  speaks in hushed tones as if he is letting his cus-
  tomers in on a valuable secret. Every sentence 
  or two, the merchant hiccups and retches as if 
  he is trying very hard to control persistent nau-
  sea. Loud and boisterous, he will do whatever 
  it takes to outperform every other merchant on 
  the street in an attempt to peddle his product. 
  • 
  Motivation: Convince the party to purchase an 
  Enchanted Totem of Wanting, tricking them into 
  thinking the item is something completely dif-
  ferent and significant to them on a personal lev-
  el. Lie, cheat, swindle, manipulate, and gaslight 
  anyone and everyone to push these figurines.
  Important Items
  Field Journal of Necromantic Parasites 
  Bound in an unusually slick black hide covered with a 
  texture of small bulbous pearls across its surface. This 
  field journal is the result of the years-long study of var-
  ious parasitic creatures that have necromantic proper-
  ties. The most important chapter to the party describes 
  infectious protoplasmic worms used to control a vic-
  tim’s mind while mutating their physical appearance.
  Enchanted Totem of Wanting 
  These objects morph themselves into the object of 
  any person’s desire through a cloaking illusion. It is 
  perceived to have a profoundly personal and emo-
  tional connection to the observer. In reality, it is a 
  carved totem containing protoplasmic worms. 
  
  147
  GM Note
  If the players destroy the reliquary, Gosoliad’s 
  influence over the encounter ceases. This dis-
  ruption of power puts Thulduss at a roll disad-
  vantage, as they panic at their loss of control. 
  The game master may roll 4D10 primal magic 
  damage against Thulduss as the primal mag-
  ics they sought to control turn on them.
  Depending on how the last Act resolves, the players 
  find themselves at the Old Warehouse, which is the 
  entrance to an underground series of tunnels deep 
  below the city. They fight their way through traps 
  and sentinels to get to Thulduss, the Unformed One, 
  at the heart of the scourge of Yon’Cath.
  Goals
  1. Fight the cultists
  2. Defeat the unformed one
  3. Explore the cavern temple for treasure
  4. Report back to Lacroix, the Knight Captain, or 
  Khouryn
  Upon entering the warehouse, two cultists imme-
  diately attack the party. One with a mask draws 
  a sword, and the other begins to ready a spell. 
  However, the spell caster seems lethargic and will go 
  last regardless of the initiative order. 
  Once defeated, if the players remove the sword-wield-
  ing cultist’s mask, they discover its skin is covered 
  with ooze and turning gray. Their face has begun to 
  change with tendrils replacing the lips and mouth in 
  a half-mutated state.
  The players can either use passive perception (DC10) 
  to discover an opening in the tunnels, or the GM can 
  make the opening obvious to the players. They see that 
  some dirt and hay have been cleared in a path away 
  from some large crates. Once they move the crates, the 
  party sees a wooden door cut into the floor, descend-
  ing a staircase in the rock, carved by manual labor. 
  It is dark, yet there are torches by the entrance for use. 
  The tunnels appear to have been created by spell cast-
  ing as the rock seems burned through, creating shiny 
  obsidian that reflects the torchlight. At the bottom of 
  the stairs, the path forks to the left and right.
  A path to the right leads to a large cavern where 
  people are lay scattered about the floor. Some still 
  in nightclothes can be recognized as patrons of the 
  Hole in the Wall from the first act. They are in a co-
  matose state and writhing in agony as their bodies 
  begin the change. If the players enter this room to 
  inspect the victims, initiate combat as an intellect 
  devourer descends from the ceiling.
  If the players enter the cavern, they will discover the 
  cavern is a dead end after combat, and the only path 
  Act 3 – The Servant of Gosoliad
  forward is the other direction. As they venture further 
  down the left path, have the party hear chanting from 
  ahead. A large number of masked cultists approach 
  out of what looks like a temple in a chamber direct-
  ly ahead. They come down the main hall towards the 
  players in a trance-like state, some carrying a body of 
  a woman whose head is splayed open, brain removed. 
  Whether the players pass Stealth checks or not, the 
  cultists will ignore them unless attacked.
  Once clear, the players can quietly enter the main 
  throne room of Thulduss the Unformed One (see 
  Appendix). Across the room hanging above a throne 
  suspended by a chain, a golden Reliquary with an 
  emerald crystal glowing brightly at its center, illu-
  minating the entire cavern. A breeze from seemingly 
  nowhere blows through the room, carrying whis-
  pers from Gosoliad, penetrating the players’ minds. 
  Unless the party passes an intelligence saving throw 
  (DC 16), fears and insecurities cause them to hes-
  itate. While the party is distracted by the voices, 
  Thulduss will appear from behind them, near the 
  cavern’s entrance.
  Have the party roll initiative, but Thulduss gets an 
  attack of opportunity if any players fail their sav-
  ing throw. Play upon the chaos and misdirection 
  Gosoliad causes. Players’ spells seem to fizzle or ran-
  domly change target location, and illusionary killers 
  appear to strike the players then vanish. Warlock 
  magic seems particularly volatile, hitting friends 
  more often than they do Thulduss. 
  
  148
  148
  Once Thulduss is defeated, the players hear the 
  screams of the cultists in their chambers. Those 
  looking in that direction will see 30 of them rush 
  out of the room and up towards the surface tun-
  nels to escape (to the safety of the nearest colony). 
  If the players search the cavern temple, award them 
  with gold, treasures (given out at the game masters 
  prerogative). The worms within the bodies of the 
  cultists and comatose victims are still thriving. The 
  party can choose what to do with these infected and 
  comatose victims with the help of Yon’Cath citizens.
  Places:
  Old Warehouse 
  See Act 2
  Key NPCs:
  Thulduss the Unformed One 
  A wrathful creature of impossible dimensions that 
  may at one point have been humanoid. Undulating 
  shapes writhing beneath a tight-fitting robe. Its head 
  is a long and leathery flagellum covered with gap-
  ing mouths all shouting dark incantations and ob-
  scenities. This creature communicates both verbally 
  through its mouths but also psychically perhaps via 
  the incantations screamed nonsensically from its 
  head. It has tentacle arms that move furiously. Thick 
  muscular legs are supported by overgrown cloven 
  hooves. Thulduss became obsessed with the one 
  broken path Warlock in Yon’Cath, Khouryn Brickfoot. 
  With numerous failed attempts to capture the dwarf, 
  they instead probed her mind from below the streets 
  and sent their cultists to discover the secrets of the 
  pact. Eventually, they reached out to Gosoliad herself 
  and became a new disciple. Gosoliad cares so little 
  for the Warlocks who reach out; she did not discover 
  the new disciple was an unformed one. Thulduss has 
  used their worm brood to be placed in the city by 
  their chief disciple “the merchant” to infect the city’s 
  people and Warlocks to enter the underground for 
  them to break their pacts and obtain new and exper-
  imental levels of power.
  • 
  Roleplay hints: Thulduss has a deep raspy voice 
  even when projecting telepathically. They act as 
  a curious scientist regarding magic and wish to 
  break or dissect things to find how they work.
  • 
  Motivation: With each pact Thulduss breaks, with 
  their eidetic memory, they can swap between pact 
  features with relative ease and can do so without 
  a short rest due to unformed one physiology. 
  Cultists 
  Citizens of Yon’Cath who have been either mental-
  ly dominated by Thulduss or are slowly undergoing 
  the worm’s metamorphosis they were infected by. 
  The latter have begun wearing masks and clothes 
  covering their skin to hide the budding tendrils on 
  their face and slick slime found on the epidermis of 
  the unformed one race.
  • 
  Roleplay hints: Many are tired from putting in 
  non-stop hours of labor. 
  • 
  Motivation: They are utterly devoted and will do 
  any ruthless action to appease their god Thulduss. 
  Important Items
  Thulduss’s reliquary
  Replicating the means to become a broken path 
  Warlock, Thulduss kept this relic but vainly dis-
  played it, not knowing its destruction would cause 
  calamity. If collected after defeating Thulduss, the 
  Warlock who holds it will have access to pact fea-
  tures for the Archfey and the Fiend up to their level 
  and may switch between them after a long rest.
  Conclusion
  With Thulduss defeated, the cultists rush towards 
  the surface, and the knights and traveling adven-
  turers of Yon’Cath see them pour out of the Old 
  Warehouse. These groups strike down many; how-
  ever, players can track those who get away toward a 
  mountain known for its extensive cave system.
  When the players report to the knight captain, they 
  are thanked and rewarded. Should any players have 
  lost their bond with their patron, Khouryn can re-
  store it or bond them with another.
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in 
  "Ascension Gambit" 
  
  149
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10 
  12 
  8 
  15 
  13 
  14
  12 
  11 
  12 
  19 
  17 
  17
  3 
  12 
  10 
  2 
  2 
  1
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  8
  20
  20 ft. 
  14
  80
  30 ft. 
  1
  12 HP per player (i.e., 48 HP for four 
  players facing the encounter)
  10 ft., burrow 20 ft. 
  Faceless One
  Cultists who have been changing into a proto-unformed one. 
  Thulduss, the Unformed One
  Psionic monstrosity with a flagellum head, tentacle arms, and 
  cloven hooves
  Mass of Protoplasmic Worms
  A pile of slimy and wriggling worms.
  Damage Immunities Poison, psychic
  Damage Resistances Magic Resistant
  Condition Immunities None
  The Suspicious Merchant
  Same stats as faceless one, with the addition of the worm 
  in his stomach.
  Damage Immunities Poison, psychic, necrotic
  Damage Resistances Magic Resistant
  Condition Immunities: Blinded, Confused, Frightened
  Actions
  Squirming Shriek. Every creature within 30 feet of the Mass 
  of Protoplasmic Worms must make a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw or take 5 points of necrotic damage.
  Damage Immunities Poison, psychic
  Damage Resistances Magic Resistant
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Confused, Frightened
  Actions
  At will: Detect thoughts (any one creature 30 feet around), 
  Levitate (20 ft. up to 500 lbs or self.)
  Pact Breaker. Each round on his turn, Thulduss targets one 
  hostile Warlock in a 30-foot radius to break the bond with 
  their Patron. DC 10 intelligence saving throw. Hit results in 
  1d4 psychic damage and immediate severed connection 
  with Patron.
  Flagellum Melee Attack. A focused attack on one creature 
  of choice with a reach of 6 feet; +6 to hit. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) 
  psychic damage. 
  Mind Blast (Cantrip) - See D&D 5e
  Destructive Wave - See D&D 5e
  Contagion - See D&D 5e
  
  150
  150
  
  Chapter 4
  Ashes and Sorrow
  ‘Ashes and Sorrow’ represents the first act of a 
  new storyline. Since the Players have begun in the 
  Shadelands, they’ve dealt with the fallout of the 
  Accursed King. They’re also horribly guilty of treason 
  at this point-despite noble intentions. The next three 
  acts shift the focus from the Knight Captain over to 
  Majin the Betrayer.Understanding Majin’s motiva-
  tions will be key to making sure they come off less 
  Introduction
  The Setting
  Synopsis
  “Silence! Damn you! SILENCE!!!”
   —Lady Helena Whitestone, Head Librarian of the 
  Athenaeum Arcanus: Quite Possibly Undead
  “Knowledge is undeniably quite valuable… most of 
  it falls under a category I call: true, but utterly 
  useless.” — Majin the Betrayer
  In the first act of the adventure, the Players will 
  sneak through Cathrach to locate Majin. Hunted 
  almost instantly by agents of the King, the party 
  should feel the ever-looming threat of pressure at 
  all times. Despite being hunted, the party will find 
  many shops were still open for business and rather 
  welcoming. Warlocks are used to being hunted, after 
  all, so nobody has any real problems selling to the 
  other side. Including Majin, who the party will make 
  it to by the end.
  The Shield Maiden and Party find themselves be-
  hind the guard lines on the Cathrach side of the river. 
  They are now officially within the Accursed King’s 
  domain. While black gothic architecture is common 
  in Yonder, it appears to practically mandatory here in 
  Cathrach. The Shield Maiden informs the party that 
  their contact, Majin, should be waiting for them three 
  blocks east. The streets are all but deserted. Tendrils 
  of smoke from dozens of uncontrolled fires drift up 
  as a mustache-twirling alien villain. At this point, all 
  anyone knows about this character is that they are a 
  friend to Fayte and a very powerful Warlock next to 
  the Accursed King. 
  This act is a quiet act (literally), and the mood can be 
  enhanced by playing the game via candlelight, with 
  hushed whispers as the Players slink through the 
  city streets and do an investigation with Majin in the 
  great library. 
  The second act is an arcane library research encoun-
  ter that features many different texts, effects, and en-
  chanted curses for the party. The Players will have fun 
  exploring different books and learning how they can 
  help them with the task at hand (whilst picking up 
  bits of lore along the way). Majin’s goal is to guide the 
  Players (and Fayte) to realize that she needs to open 
  the Well of Souls further. If they can’t draw her to that 
  conclusion, they need to leave some breadcrumbs.
  The finale of ‘Ashes and Sorrow’ takes place with 
  a somber journey to the Well of Souls. If Majin feels 
  they have the party willing to try, they will avoid the 
  hunters. If, however, the party still seems a bit sketchy 
  about their motives, Majin will lend a hand and oblit-
  erate the hunters pursuing the party from the first act.
  above toward the Aurora lights in the sky. Ash begins 
  to fall like snow. The screams and shouts of violent 
  conflict have all but faded away. After all the mayhem 
  on the bridges, the relative quiet of this place is unset-
  tling. Every so often, they hear an explosion in the dis-
  tance while they move through the streets. Rain con-
  tinues to fall heavily upon them, which makes some 
  sounds seem distant—and others right behind them.
  “After much deliberation and plenty of blood-soaked turnovers, the old city lords realized the only way to 
  ensure they’d have a Librarian who wouldn’t die on the job is hire one who was already dead.”— Master 
  Ridgewell Becket, Assistant Librarian of Athenaeum Arcana: Deceased in Body, Alive in Spirit
  ASHES AND SORROW
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  152
  GM Note
  Using the Chase Mechanics; 
  engage in a 5-round chase 
  through Cathrach. 
  Act 1
  Faint whispers with no discernable origin trail after 
  the party as they walk. Feet splash in small puddles 
  as they notice pitch black shadows with narrow red 
  eyes staring at them from perches on buildings. In 
  fleeting moments, any attempt to directly look back 
  or interact with the shadows causes them to dis-
  sipate and vanish. What first appears to be heavy 
  snowfall, turns out in fact to be ash. A result of the 
  countless fires, both arcane and natural, raging 
  throughout the city.
  They pass dark stone buildings where magical 
  torches illuminate runes describing the nature 
  of the establishments within, such as Dead Man’s 
  Den, The Emerald Promise, Esme’s Apothecary, The 
  Little Abyss… most of them appear to be suppliers 
  of arcane implements. 
  If the party wants to resupply at a shop, Esme’s 
  Apothecary appears to be open. They can find what-
  ever goods the GM feels are available. Esme is a crag-
  gy old witch, but pleasant enough to paying custom-
  ers. As the party browses her wares, she laments the 
  intercity fighting and how much relationships have 
  deteriorated between the Warlock factions, but also 
  praises Dorian (Accursed King) for “holding it all to-
  gether at the seams.”If the party is rude or threat-
  ening to her in any way, Esme snaps her fingers and 
  they find themselves suddenly outside the shop, a 
  plain stone wall where the door used to be.
  The party arrives at the meeting place, a dimly lit in-
  tersection. No one appears to be there. The ash in 
  the air is thickening. 
  After a few in-game minutes, or immediately if a par-
  ty member does anything to draw attention to them-
  selves, figures emerge from pitch black alleys into the 
  light of the arcane streetlamp. The party sees four 
  Drow warlocks all dressed in black. Each one holds 
  a red-tinted blade in one hand and a chain leading to 
  a collar around the neck of a large Draegloth in the 
  other. The warlock in the middle steps forward. Her 
  face is covered in white runic tattoos.  
  She says, “Tsk tsk… you all have been stirring up quite 
  a bit of trouble, haven’t you? All the interesting tor-
  ture is reserved for traitors… I can’t wait.”
  Before anyone can do anything, there is a flash of 
  green light down a nearby alleyway. Majin’s voice 
  echoes through the shadows, urging the Players to 
  run. Fayte wastes no time and begins chasing the 
  ghostly green flames.
  “Traitors always run...” 
  The Warlock hunters have no problems or qualms 
  about using dimensional doors, shadow steps, grasp-
  ing black tentacles, or other spells to stay afoot of the 
  party (and keep up with any of the party’s tricks). 
  Yet every time they get close, an arcane oddity will 
  prevent their daggers from striking true. A shadow 
  will betray them, gravity will alter slightly, and a 
  trash pile will animate and gnaw at their feet. 
  There are no stats for this chase encounter because 
  the goal is to build tension. Fayte will always warn 
  them against fighting members of the guard this 
  strong, and Dexterity (Stealth) checks are the way to 
  go. Give the Players skill checks appropriate to their 
  method of running at a DC of 25. Once three charac-
  ters have hit their goal over the five rounds—they 
  pull ahead in that method. (I.e. if the rogue hits his 
  acrobatics check three times in a row, then his im-
  pressive parkour has helped the party get away). If 
  the party critically fails, then have them lose an im-
  portant object off them—the Warlocks grab their 
  magical dagger seconds before Majin blasts them off. 
  Regardless of success or failure, after five rounds, 
  the party will find themselves racing into a giant cir-
  cle surrounded by green flames that teleport them 
  to a safe location where Majin greets the party with 
  a big smile: “Evening Friends!”
  Majin is a Tiefling who dresses as if they were a 
  monk. Red and white robes flow off them, but their 
  hands are wrapped in black martial arts tape, and in 
  all cases, they wear a simple red cloth as a mask that 
  covers the lower half of their face.
  
  153
  To the Shield Maiden, they add, “Fayte, you’re looking 
  well… all things considered.”
  Fayte’s response is cordial but not overly warm.
  Majin:
  “Charming as ever… well, I think as ever. My memo-
  ry has been dodgy recently. Regardless, it’s chilly out 
  and that lot back there is likely to be the most hospi-
  table group we run across, so we’d best get a move on 
  if we want to prevent the utter collapse of this entire 
  damned city.”
  If the Player asks why Majin cares or what they 
  get out of it, Majin says:
  “I am nothing if not a practical creature. This havoc… 
  this chaos… it’s impractical, inefficient, regressive, 
  and worst of all, it’s harmful to the Shadelands. Make 
  no mistake; I am curious beyond measure, aren’t you? 
  I am here to help the Shadelands. Now, we’re wasting 
  time and as I’ve alluded to, there are far worse things 
  out here at night. Things that won’t be so easily scared 
  off with parlor tricks.” 
  As the party walks, Majin monologues
  “The veil between worlds has always been thin here. 
  That’s what makes this place so special. However, lately, 
  ‘thin’ doesn’t quite describe it. ‘Porous’ would be a much 
  more apt term. These days, it’s less of a veil and more of 
  a loose-knit shawl with countless holes for things to slip 
  through. Dorian… you know him as the Accursed King, 
  was working quite hard to hold it all together…”
  Majin looks somewhat mournful:
  “He wasn’t always like this. He was… hopeful. I fear 
  the effort of all his machinations has taken a dire toll. 
  As his mind slips, so too does his grip on the puppet 
  strings of power… and the Shadelands suffer for it.”
  If Players ask where they’re going, Majin answers:
  “Athenaeum Arcana… the Library.”
  If they ask ‘why’:
  “The concept of keeping immense conflicting powers 
  in balance with each other is not new or unique to the 
  Shadelands. Here, we call it the Dance of Elements. All 
  the little mystical forces of magic and nature... reality 
  and unreality... push and pull and swirl around each 
  other in relative harmony. Or, at least, that’s how it’s 
  supposed to be. The Shadelands are fracturing, being 
  pulled apart at the seams. We need to stop it, but be-
  fore we can stop it, we have to learn how to. Fayte and 
  I have been studying together for some time about 
  the Shadelands curiosities. There has to be some focal 
  point, some Patron, or someplace where we can put 
  fresh eyes on old lore. Hence: the library.”
  GM Note
  It is up to your discretion wheth-
  er or not the party encounters 
  any unfriendliness along the 
  way to the library. If you want 
  to keep things moving, the pres-
  ence of Majin can act as a deter-
  rent for any would-be assailants
  
  154
  GM Note
  Establish a turn order here. You 
  can either roll the initiative or 
  let the Players choose.
  Act 2
  Sitting atop a raised platform of stone steps is a cylin-
  drical building wreathed in black columns and topped 
  with a black and white marble dome. They see the 
  words “Athenaeum Arcana” carved into the stone. Majin 
  walks up the six steps, turning around to sit down on 
  the top step before pulling a pipe from their robes and 
  snapping fingers to light it. They take a few puffs, blows 
  a smoke ring, and then nods toward the entrance.
  Majin:
  “In you go. Remember, we’re looking for insight into 
  the history of the Shadelands… why Warlock Patrons 
  favor this place… I don’t know if they’ll have anything 
  specifically about Dorian, or a magical book about re-
  storing balance, heh.”
  Give the Players a chance to respond. If none of 
  them protest, have Fayte ask if Majin is still on the 
  Librarian’s bad side after the last time they met
  Majin brushes some falling ash off their 
  shoulder:
  “That’s a story for another time Fayte, and let’s just 
  air out all our mental breakdowns why don’t we?” He 
  sighs. “For better or worse, I hate books. I’m not a wiz-
  ard and libraries are a place where you can learn all 
  the ever-so-useful history of snails. I prefer to just cut a 
  deal for what I need… and I tried to cut a deal with the 
  head librarian.” You can drop a hint of a slight blush 
  matching Majin’s red mask, and Fayte will laugh at 
  this and usher the party in. 
  If the Players press any further, Majin can offer this:
  “Look for Emmeline De Vin. She might have penned a 
  few helpful grimoires… then again, I could be mixing 
  her up with someone else entirely.”
  If the party asks what happened to her, Majin says:
  “I believe she died a horrible death being torn apart 
  by a pack of demons.” This surprisingly is the truth. 
  The reasons behind it, however, are more compli-
  cated and Majin skirts around the issue. However, 
  if pressed… a party, a first date, several alchemical 
  concoctions later and that party got well out of hand.
  The Library
  As the party ventures deeper, they enter a dimly lit por-
  tion of the library where bookshelves stretch up and 
  back into shadows, making them seem infinite in size. 
  Each shelve has a thick layer of dust on them which has 
  been disturbed here and there by other visitors. The 
  size of the building from outside completely betrayed 
  the amount of knowledge the walls truly contained.
  Directly in front of them is a large stone desk which 
  holds a stack of apparently blank papers, a wood-
  en box with a coin slot, and the word “donations” 
  scrawled across it, along with a massive old book 
  with several chains locking it down. 
  The person seated behind the desk is translucent, with 
  the slightest hint of blue shimmer, bearing a well-kept 
  beard and short hair. He is dressed like a battle cleric, 
  with monk’s robes underneath a plate metal pauldrons 
  and breastplate. Looking closer, the party can see the 
  cause of his death appears to be the horrific gash run-
  ning from his left shoulder, rending clear through his 
  breastplate, and down to his right hip. 
  Regarding the party the ghost gives a pleasant smile 
  and speaks in a hushed tone: 
  “Welcome, friends. I am Master Ridgewell Beckett, 
  Assistant Librarian of the Athenaeum Arcana. I am hap-
  py to help you find the knowledge you seek, however, 
  mind your volume. The Head Librarian gets terribly up-
  set when visitors are too loud. How can I help you?”
  At this point, open the floor to the players for ques-
  tions or exploration. Any Player who speaks, walks, or 
  does anything that would cause noise must a Dexterity 
  
  155
  (Stealth) Check (Recommended DC18, but this can fluc-
  tuate at DM’s discretion. If you think the Player is mak-
  ing an effort to whisper and be quiet, advantage can be 
  granted. If they are loud, you may give disadvantage.) 
  Stealth Checks: Upon 3 failed stealth checks, the 
  Head Librarian will attack. The Players must defeat 
  her before continuing. Thematically, the goal of this 
  encounter is to do investigation quietly while a terri-
  fying Lich is judging the party. 
  Ridgewell points at a large book in the center of the 
  desk: “You can ask the Grand Ledger for books on a 
  distinct subject, written in a certain era, or penned 
  by a specific scribe. But be wary, friends. Knowledge 
  comes at a price.”
  GM Note
  On each Player’s turn, they can summon 
  a book and open it to gain the knowledge 
  within. Every book will have a Curse and 
  Knowledge Gained, and additionally, in lat-
  er acts will grant certain advantages. The 
  Curse will affect either the Player who opens 
  the book or the whole party. Start by read-
  ing the Knowledge Gained aloud. And then 
  as that passage is finished, the curse takes 
  effect. It is up to your discretion whether to 
  explain how each book has a curse, or to let 
  them figure it out themselves.
  Removal of Curses: 
  Within the confines of the Library, the remove curse 
  spell will only temporarily subdue the effects. It is 
  up to the storyteller's discretion when the effects re-
  turn. Outside of the Library, the remove curse spell 
  will function normally.
  The curses can also be removed by the Librarian if 
  the Players make a monetary donation to the library 
  in the coin box on the desk. It is the DM’s discretion 
  whether to share that information or not. 
  If Lady Helena Whitestone is defeated, Master 
  Ridgewell Beckett, now the de facto Head Librarian, 
  will be so relieved that he will remove any book 
  curse simply if the Players ask him to.
  GM Note
  Book List: Based on how 
  the party asks for books, 
  the entire list below, or a 
  portion of it can be provid-
  ed for them to choose from.
  Children of the Shadelands - by Gigi Whisperlips
  The Dance of Elements - by Emmeline De Vin
  Nature’s Dance - by Dagney Ferral 
  A Philosophical Study of Warlocks - by Emmeline 
  De Vin
  The Shadelands: An Arcane History - by Greldig 
  Guglin
  Patrons of Yon’Cath: A History of Gods & Monsters 
  - By Emmeline De Vin
  The Accursed King: A Portrait - by Shaelgyth Smede
  Screams of the Shadelands - by Emmeline De Vin
  Black Pact: A Bloody History - by Kazir LeGau
  GM Note
  The party is free to leave the library 
  whenever they feel they’ve gleaned 
  enough information to bring back 
  to Majin. Of course, dealing with the 
  curses may involve the players mak-
  ing noise—which causes the Head 
  Librarian (her stats are at the end of 
  this act) to poke her head around if 
  they fail their stealth checks. 
  It’s okay to allow a little comedy as the 
  party searches for information. 
  
  156
  Book Effects
  Children of the Shadelands
  - By Gigi Whisperlips
  Knowledge Gained
  There is always a way out of every problem in the 
  Shadelands. Patrons lurk around every corner, under 
  every bed, within every shadow just waiting for the 
  chance to grant us mortals power in exchange for a 
  piece of our eternal soul. If you find yourself in that 
  rare instance, desperate for aid, but with none in 
  sight… just reach out with your mind, with your soul! 
  Rem Exius is not a physical place! It is a state of mind! 
  Help will come to those to ask for it.
  Curse of the Paper Familiar
  The book sprouts wings and flies up to perch on the 
  current Player’s shoulder like a parrot. On the upside, 
  the Player will have advantage on any Intelligence 
  checks while using the book. If the Player character 
  wants to ask a question to any other the Player or NPC, 
  they have to ask the book familiar first. If they don’t 
  ask the book their question first, the book nips at their 
  ear, dealing 7 piercing damage. The book is bound to 
  the Player until they find a way to break the curse.
  The Dance of Elements
  - By Emmeline De Vin
  Knowledge Gained
  The lights in the sky are gorgeous, the frosted forest is 
  breathtaking, and the display of magical prowess in 
  the city is nothing short of miraculous… But I cannot 
  merely sit back and enjoy the beautiful symphony of 
  otherworldly forces that permeates this place. I must 
  find the source of this beauty, for if I do not, my heart 
  shall explode. I hear tales of a Well… a Well not of wa-
  ter… but a Well filled with something much more vital 
  to the health of the Shadelands.
  Curse of the Mind Swap
  Assign each Player a number (E.G. 4 Players: Player 
  1, Player 2, Player 3, and Player 4). Player 1’s mind 
  is now inside Player 2’s body. Player 2’s mind is now 
  inside Player 3’s body, etc. The last Player’s mind is 
  now inside Player 1’s body. 
  Nature’s Dance
  - By Dagney Ferral 
  Knowledge Gained
  The heathens and pagans frolic beneath the painted 
  sky. Wine is drunk, food is shared, and blood is spilled. 
  They congregate along the jagged coastline of ashen 
  rock to throw their offerings into the inky black depths 
  below. I keep my distance, watching from the southern 
  edge of the celebration. I have no fear of these savag-
  es. But the closer I get to that coastline, the heavier 
  the air becomes. I taste copper in my mouth. My chest 
  grows tight. This will be the last time I attend such a 
  gathering. The quaint beauty of the surrounding for-
  est is much more to my taste. 
  Curse of Many Hands
  When the active Player performs a spell or attacks 
  with a weapon, the action will proceed as normal. 
  But when the action is complete, their hands will 
  pop off and scurry away like spiders. New hands 
  will instantly grow back. The spider-hands will be 
  intent on causing mischief and may follow after the 
  party. The hand needs its fingers to walk, so most 
  items will drop once it pops off. However, items such 
  as rings and anything the hand could possibly hold 
  with just a curled-up pinky finger will stay with the 
  hand unless stopped by the player.
  A Philosophical Study of Warlocks
  - By Emmeline De Vin
  Knowledge Gained
  It astounds me how few Warlocks question the 
  source and intrinsic nature of the power they’ve 
  been given. Very rarely do I receive anything more 
  than a blank stare when I ask them what their Patron 
  is getting out of the deal. Poor fools. Those who are 
  least informed have likely struck the worst deals. I 
  know what my power will cost me in the end. That 
  is why I must undo it. That is why I must find Rem 
  Exius. The Well is there. I know it.
  Curse of the Gorgon
  The active Player is permanently petrified. At the 
  start of each of their turns, they may attempt a DC 18 
  Constitution saving throw, freeing themselves from 
  the petrification on a success. 
  The Shadelands: An Arcane History
  - By Greldig Guglin
  Knowledge Gained
  I find it maddening how many of these heretics look for 
  the origins of the power in this place. It doesn’t come 
  from the sea or the earth beneath our feet, you fools! 
  The Patrons who so graciously share their power did 
  not arrive from some distant shore! They come from 
  
  157
  places beyond the grasp of the physical realm. There is 
  no physical origin. They have blessed this patch of land, 
  and we should be thankful. Those who search for this 
  so-called Well of Souls should be cast out… if not sacri-
  ficed in offering to our benevolent Patrons. 
  Curse of Amplification
  The Player can’t keep their voice low, and the sounds of 
  any movements they make are amplified as if a micro-
  phone hovered overhead. Disadvantage on Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks. On a failed check, the player's voice 
  is so loud it instantly summons the Head Librarian, re-
  gardless of how many strikes the party had left.
  Patrons of Yon’Cath: A History of Gods & Monsters
  - By Emmeline De Vin
  Knowledge Gained
  The Patrons come here from realms not bound by cor-
  poreal form. But our world is very much bound to the 
  physical. Ergo, it all had to start from some physical 
  point. A place where the Shadowfell, the Feywild, and 
  all other Planes of existence converge. Dorian knows 
  of it. I am certain. He built his empire here because 
  the Patrons were here. It has something to do with the 
  Nameless Black Sea. It’s why he built his stronghold 
  along the coast, putting a stop to the pagan rituals 
  that used to occur there.
  Curse of the Rainy Day
  A tiny rain cloud materializes above the Player’s 
  head, soaking them in a torrential downpour that fol-
  lows wherever they go. The Player has disadvantage 
  on Dexterity (Stealth checks), melee weapon and 
  spell attacks, and when dealing fire damage, instead 
  deals half damage. The Player gains advantage on 
  Charisma ability checks due to sympathy from others 
  who see them standing in the rain
  The Accursed King: A Portrait
  - By Shaelgyth Smede
  Knowledge Gained
  In summation, Dorian deserves his ‘Accursed’ moniker 
  but not for the reason intended by those who bestowed 
  it upon him. He is not the Accursed King because he is 
  some infernal beast. No, he is Accursed because he has 
  damned himself in sacrifice to save us all. King Dorian 
  is the selfless hero that will protect the Shadelands from 
  annihilation. Those who cast aspersions his way can 
  never know the pain he’s endured for us. They will never 
  know the depths of his sacrifice.
  Curse of the Forgotten
  The party immediately forgets the Cursed Player’s 
  name and all details about them. All the party knows 
  is the Player is a member of their party, but can’t re-
  member anything else. If the cursed Player reminds 
  them of who they are, the party will forget again in 
  30 seconds. Any party member who tries to assist or 
  aid the cursed Player in any way will have disadvan-
  tage on ability checks. 
  Screams of the Shadelands
  - By Emmeline De Vin
  Knowledge Gained
  The seams of reality have begun to tear. It may take 
  years… or days. This will likely be my final opus. I have 
  discovered Dorian’s secret. Gods above, it is so much 
  worse than I’d feared. I have no choice but to follow his 
  path… to walk the black waters, to enter Rem Exius. 
  There is no glory at the end of this road, only pain and 
  death. I fear only an impossible sacrifice can save the 
  Shadelands. I say impossible because the Celestials have 
  made it quite clear they want no part of us.
  Curse of the Old One
  The active Player morphs into an octopus of roughly 
  the same size as their original form. The Player must 
  pass a DC 19 Wisdom (Insight) to see if the party 
  can understand the wet, guttural speech coming out 
  of their hidden mouth whenever they try to talk. 
  Advantage on DEX checks. Disadvantage on CHA & 
  CON. If the Player is in combat in this form, they have 
  disadvantage on all attacks, but now have an extra 
  action on each of their turns.
  Black Pact: A Bloody History
  - By Kazir LeGau
  Knowledge Gained
  It is a common misconception that Warlocks only main-
  tain one pact with one Patron. This is likely true for most, 
  however, those willing to stretch their souls to the break-
  ing point can always take on more power. As long as they 
  draw breath, and even after in some cases, there is al-
  ways more power to be drawn from the Well.
  Curse of the Phantom
  The active Player’s body loses its corporeal nature, 
  becoming wispy and translucent. The Player is now 
  a ghost and must pass a DC 17 Charisma check every 
  time they wish to physically interact with something 
  or someone, or the interaction fails. If in combat, the 
  Player has disadvantage on attack rolls. Enemies also 
  have disadvantage on attack rolls against the Player.
  
  158
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  11(+0) 16(+3) 16(+3) 23(+6) 14(+2) 16(+3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  17 (natural armor) 
  187 (29d8 + 87)
  30 ft.
  Lady Helena Whitestone
  Medium undead, lawful evil 
  ACTIONS
  Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. 
  The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution sav-
  ing throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Deadly Glare. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 
  ft., one creature. Hit: 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. 
  Legendary Actions
  Lady Helena can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the list below. Only one legendary action option 
  may be used at a time, and only at the end of another 
  Saving Throws Con +9, Int +12, Wis +8 Cha +9
  Skills Arcana +12, History +18, Relgion +12, 
  Perception +8
  Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning, Necrotic, 
  Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical 
  Attacks
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a sav-
  ing throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving 
  throws against any effect that turns undead.
  Silence. As a bonus action on each of her turns, Lady 
  Helena may cast silence as a 5th level spell without the 
  need for any components. 
  Spellcasting. Lady Whitestone is a 16th level spellcast-
  er. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 
  20, +12 to hit with spell attacks. She has the following 
  spells prepared. 
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, 
  thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, acid 
  arrow, mirror image 
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, 
  dispel magic, fly
  4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
  5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of 
  invulnerability
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death, forcecage
  8th level (1 slot): dominate monster, power word 
  stun
  Damage Immunities Poison 
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, 
  Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Common plus four other languages
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  creature’s turn. Lady Helena regains spent legendary 
  actions at the start of her turns.
  Cast a Spell. Lady Helena casts a spell of 3rd level or 
  lower.
  Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). Lady Helena 
  uses her Paralyzing Touch.
  Siphon Life (Costs 3 Actions). Lady Helena emits a 
  pulse of necrotic power in a 30 ft. radius sphere cen-
  tered on her. Each living creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or 
  take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage and Lady Helana mag-
  ically regains a number of hit points equal to half the 
  total damage dealt (rounded down).
  
  159
  Act 3
  Once the party feels they have done enough re-
  search, they exit the Library to find Majin still wait-
  ing on the steps. A dusting of gray ash coats the 
  ground like fresh-fallen snow. The smell of smoke 
  and fire clogs the air. 
  “So, what did you learn?”
  The key phrases Majin needs to hear are either Well 
  of Souls or Rem Exius. If the party read about them 
  but didn’t mention anything, Majin needs to either 
  coax it out of them or send them back into the Library. 
  If they mention the Well, it’s like a lightning bolt of 
  memory to Majin. Their demeanor becomes grim as 
  they gaze north.
  “So, the Well of Souls might be in danger or broken. 
  Bring the books, there are enough notes in there for us 
  to use. Just make sure you return them, Helena is known 
  to put curses on her books.”
  In true form, the books the Players bring with them 
  do have many arcane details about the Well of Souls 
  after its discovery and study… but many stories 
  are contradictory in nature. On    e thing remains 
  true in all of them: it is a place where power from a 
  Patron’s pact takes form and flows back to them. An 
  ethereal well of threads.
  Why the Well is broken or how, is as of yet unre-
  vealed, even though Majin knows it is because of 
  their own hand. For decades now, Majin has been 
  adding more Patron’s to the well and adding more 
  layers—beyond what any mortal King could sustain. 
  The means to save the well is to rebalance it by mak-
  ing it larger. This is a critical part of Majin’s plan, and 
  they rely on the party to come up with this idea on 
  their own. Majin will make the right nudge at the 
  right time, and the party doesn’t need to know this 
  plan yet. However, Fayte and Majin have been study-
  ing Warlocks for some time and she will naturally 
  grow concerned that something is wrong with her 
  and her silent patron, perhaps even feeling that she 
  is the cause of the Shadelands chaos. 
  If the party clearly doesn’t trust Majin and is even 
  hostile, have the Drow Warlocks from the first act 
  reappear and strike a critical blow to Majin. Fayte 
  will rush to save her friend, and Majin will use their 
  Warlock magic to eradicate the hunters as the party 
  fights alongside them. It is all staged, and if Majin 
  can avoid using this wretched trick, they will.
  Majin starts heading toward the north coast. The 
  party neither sees nor hears any other living things 
  while walking the streets. For such a populous city, 
  on the heels of such a chaotic event, the current qui-
  etness is deafening. Fayte notices their trajectory is 
  uncomfortably close to the Accursed King’s citadel 
  and grimly laments, "Has it really come to this?"
  The party reaches the coast, an elevated ridgeline of 
  jagged obsidian rocks. The Impossible Spire looms 
  over them like a gnarled black, leafless tree. Majin 
  looks out into the darkness, staring at something the 
  party can’t see. 
  “So, into Rem Exius we go... I’d like to apologize in 
  advance for this next part…”
  
  160
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  ‘Ashes and Sorrow’ is likely the most combat-light 
  chapter of this entire campaign. It’s meant to be a 
  palate cleanser, a chance to breathe. If you feel your 
  Players would prefer more action, there are plenty of 
  opportunities for an extra encounter as they walk the 
  streets of Cathrach. This is a group that has essentially 
  enraged half of Yon’Cath. Accursed King loyalists are 
  likely out in force searching for the party. 
  Sidequest Potential: For more combat the Library is 
  available. The Players are not meant to venture into 
  such a dangerous place, and an easy fix is to have any-
  one who tries to pass by the ghost be instantly tele-
  ported outside. If you want to expand on this encoun-
  ter and let the party explore the Library more, make 
  it dangerous. Hundreds of mimics posing as books. 
  Hostile ghosts and specters of long-dead scribes look-
  ing for a fight. Books enchanted with even more dan-
  gerous curses, or sentient books that unleash defen-
  sive spells at mortals who come too close.
  There is plenty of potential for exploration in the 
  Cathrach side of Yon’Cath. Feel free to let the Players 
  pick locks and enter homes in the central district to 
  avoid the hunters, and get a taste of the vibrantly 
  colorful, and occult life that is lived within the city. 
  Sidequest Potential: While exploring the streets of 
  Cathrach, your players may overhear a loud argu-
  ment from inside a nearby building. Upon entering 
  the building, they may encounter Borla, the leader 
  of the Stonemason’s Guild, who will ask their assis-
  tance in investigating his quarry outside of Cathrach 
  (see the Lifeblood adventure path).
  Majin is an enigma. When the Players try to roll in-
  sight checks, they always are left with the feeling that 
  regardless of whether what they are saying is true or 
  not, Majin believes what they are saying is true. Majin 
  does not explicitly participate in any combat with 
  the party unless you, the GM feel, they’re needed as a 
  solution to get the party out of a bad situation. When 
  pressed on why they don’t help, Majin is nonchalant. 
  They could say they were curious to see how the par-
  ty would fare. If threatened by the party, Majin casual-
  ly says they’d be happy to just leave and let them fend 
  for themselves. Fayte begrudgingly acknowledges 
  they need Majin’s help to navigate the city. 
  Sidequest Potential: Engaging in further conversation 
  with Majin is entirely possible. Being in the form of 
  a mortal (still trying to work out the minor details) 
  makes for some interesting dilemmas and urges (and 
  a love for some foods). Learning more about Majin the 
  human is helpful for later acts. 
  
  161
  
  162
  162
  
  Side quest, Lifeblood
  Lifeblood
  Introduction
  Synopsis
  The Setting
  “This city was built on the sacrifices of so many 
  Warlocks before us. Those folks were heroes, 
  martyrs who gave us the Yon’Cath that we know. 
  My job is to make sure that city stays safe, 
  fortified. Understand?” — Borla Steadwell, Leader 
  of the Yon’Cath Stonemason’s Guild
  ‘Lifeblood’ presents an optional sidequest that takes 
  the Players out of Yon’Cath and into the Shadelands 
  during a quiet portion of the story at the start of 
  Chapter 4.
  In ‘Lifeblood,’ it’s important to remember that Borla 
  “A soul is a funny, fickle little thing. You can’t 
  touch it. You can’t see or hear it. But you can steal 
  it. You can consume it. And oh, are they delicious.”
   — Ammitia, Patron of Soul Thieves
  In Act I, the Players meet Borla and are sent to 
  investigate the quarry beneath the Cindered House. 
  There, they meet Borla’s sister, Moadne, who is 
  dying from an encounter with the Crimson Water. 
  The players will have some light puzzle-solving near 
  the end, but this act is primarily investigation and 
  setting the stage.
  Act II sees the players meeting again with Borla, this 
  “Oh yeah, Cindy’s a nice enough place, eh? Keeps 
  the miners happy, anyway. Place to sleep an’ eat.” 
  —Moadne Steadwell, Stonemason, owner, and 
  operator of The Cindered House Quarry
  Though the Players begin their journey in Yon’Cath 
  and return to it several times, the most interesting 
  elements of this adventure should be the locations 
  unique to it: The Cindered House, Twixtfel Bog, the 
  Vermillion Waterways, and The Red Deep.
  The Cindered House is a long-standing inn, built 
  above the naturally occurring cave system which 
  helped give it its name. Cinderstone, the black stone 
  used in the construction of Yon’Cath, is so dark it 
  absorbs light (as well as magic). This grants Yon’Cath 
  does not begin the story as an evil antagonist. He’s 
  merely an opportunistic businessman (perhaps evil 
  in its own right, but not the soul-consuming sadist he 
  becomes in Parts II and III). When the players meet 
  him, he will hide that he has consumed his Patron, 
  and will try to speak to the party only in terms of 
  their explicit business deal, keeping them at arm’s 
  length to maintain his privacy. 
  This sidequest should help to breathe life into the 
  Shadelands beyond Yon’Cath, so lean heavily into 
  your environment descriptions. Be sure to describe 
  each area in detail, and focus on how the area is 
  different from Yon’Cath to draw a contrast between 
  the city itself and the world surrounding it. 
  time in The Cindered House, where he sends them to 
  earn a boon from The Lurker in The Deep in Twixtfel 
  Bog. There, the players encounter the familiar Patron 
  and play a game with him to earn his favor before 
  returning to Borla.
  Act III will see the Players entering the Vermillion 
  Waterways. Here, the eldritch horror aspect of 
  the Blood Shards is played up as the Players delve 
  deep into the labyrinthine tunnels. This culminates 
  with the revelation that Borla has been consuming 
  Patrons, and seeks to use the Heart of Souls to 
  consume as many as possible. The Players are left 
  with one option: Borla must die. Afterward, however, 
  the decision on what to do with the Heart of Souls 
  falls to them.
  a semblance of structure, and an anchor to reality 
  when the veil thins. Twixtfel Bog lies to the east of 
  Yon’Cath and exists as a coastal, murky mire where 
  twisted, wooden trees and acrid smells permeate.
  The Vermillion Waterways are a vast network 
  of underground rivers beneath the Shadelands, 
  purifying the salty waters of the Nameless Black Sea, 
  and giving life to the land. Much of what’s known 
  about these places come from myth and legend.
  At the center of the Vermillion Waterways lies The 
  Red Deep, a hidden chamber of Blood Shards, with a 
  single, massive crystal at its center: The Heart of 
  Souls. This is what some of the first Warlocks 
  in the Shadelands gave their souls to to 
  grant it the power required to keep the 
  Waterways alive.
  
  164
  Borla Steadwell
  “Aye, I’m a Warlock too, no surprise there. My 
  patron’s one o’the smaller ones, sure, but she’s got 
  quite the bite.” — Borla Steadwell, Leader of the 
  Yon’Cath Stonemason’s Guild
  Borla is, on the surface, a simple Glau. A powerful 
  entrepreneur with a genuine love for his work, and 
  a great deal of respect for his city and its origins. 
  He owes his livelihood to Yon’Cath, and so many of 
  its residents owe their livelihood to the work Borla 
  does as the Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild.
  Borla came to the twin cities with his sister, Moadne, 
  during the early days. He had fled his life as, in his 
  mind, a woefully-underappreciated laborer in Sweet 
  Mist Hollow with the hopes of striking it rich. When 
  he arrived, he wasted no time seeking to establish 
  himself as a lynchpin within the community.
  He started by exploring the Shadelands around 
  Yon’Cath and happened upon a peculiar rock forma-
  tion in the east. He soon discovered the stones there 
  were infused with arcane energies that seeped out 
  from the nameless black sea. 
  Borla and Moadne set up a small mining operation. 
  They built The Cindered House, where they formed the 
  Stonemason’s Guild. The guild would eventually sup-
  ply the city of Yon’Cath with the magical cinderstone 
  that comprises most of its otherworldly architecture.
  Of course, it's nigh impossible for one to grow so in-
  fluential in Yon'Cath without striking a pact with a 
  Patron in the process. It didn't take long for Borla's 
  ambitious efforts to draw the attention of Ammitia, 
  a Patron often associated with greed and gluttony. 
  She sensed the potential within him and saw him as 
  someone who could help broaden her influence. And 
  so, she offered him a pact—she would ensure that 
  nobody who labored for the guild ever went hungry, 
  and in exchange, Borla would serve her interests, and 
  bring her fledgling Warlocks laboring for the guild. 
  This arrangement lasted for many years. For those 
  would-be Warlocks coming to the Shadelands look-
  ing for pacts, the guild became known as a place to 
  secure both a Patron and steady pay. It was beneficial 
  to everyone involved, but Borla… well, his ambition 
  grew into a ravenous hunger for power and influence.
  Borla fell in love with Yon’Cath over the years, and he 
  admired those original settlers. He took a particular 
  interest in the youthful Warlocks who Legend says 
  gave their lives to this place in some mysterious ritual, 
  consumed by the Shadelands itself. Their souls fused 
  with the underground channels near the coast—now 
  known as The Vermillion Waterways— filtering the 
  seawater. More specifically, the legend states these 
  souls are held within an artifact called the Heart of 
  Souls, rumored to reside in a chamber called The Red 
  Deep, rooted near the furthest depths of the Waterways
  Borla tirelessly studied this legend, but could never 
  discern precisely where The Red Deep was located, 
  let alone how to get there alive. What he did learn, 
  however, was a portion of the ritual that allowed him 
  to consume another's soul and imbibe their power. 
  And so, he arranged a meeting with Ammitia, am-
  bushing her with the magic of the ritual, and con-
  suming her soul, gaining not only her power but the 
  power from her pacts as well.
  Reasoning that he should avoid too much attention 
  from The Accursed King, Borla returned his focus to 
  the guild and its workers. That is until one day he 
  realized he hadn’t heard a word from his sister at the 
  Cindered House in over a week.
  Roleplaying Hints
  Borla isn’t outright evil —he’s an emotionally-driven, 
  opportunistic survivor. So, while he’s always looking 
  out for his own self-interest, at the beginning of this 
  story, he is not malicious, though he may come off as 
  arrogant, self-important, and quick-tempered.
  Borla cares about himself, his sister, and the 
  Stonemasons Guild. He is quite proud of the guild and 
  of all the work he’s put into it. He sees it as a testament 
  to how far he’s come since his life as a common labor-
  er in Sweet Mist Hollow. Moadne is the only person he 
  views as a potential equal. Being his only family, she 
  has remained his one trusted confidant. When he re-
  alizes that something has happened to her, he comes 
  unraveled, which is why he’s willing to trust the party 
  In turn, Borla wants the party to trust him but will 
  keep them at arm’s length. Borla is quick to lie and 
  skilled in deception. Insight checks to see if he is ly-
  ing should be made at disadvantage.
  
  165
  Act 1 
  Borla is an Autumn Glau, stocky in frame, with fiery-red 
  hair and mahogany skin, both a Warlock and a busi-
  nessman. He and his sister are designed to offer the 
  players a glimpse into Glau culture, which is contrasted 
  strongly against the kind of person Borla has become. 
  Moadne is more in-tune with her cultural roots, and so 
  Borla will tolerate cultural tradition in her name.
  Borla will be present at the court hearing in Chapter 
  7 of The Red Opera if the players do not complete the 
  Lifeblood sidequest, and the loss of his sister will be 
  devastating to him, making earning his trust a diffi-
  cult obstacle to overcome. However, if your players 
  conclude the Lifeblood sidequest, Borla will be dead, 
  and Moadne will take his place in the courtroom. 
  Borla Steadwell
  Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild
  Legendary Actions
  Borla Steadwell can take 2 legendary actions from 
  the list below. Only one legendary action option may 
  be used at a time, and only at the end of another crea-
  ture’s turn. Borla regains used legendary actions at 
  the start of his turn.
  Soul Consumption. If a creature takes damage on 
  their turn from Borla’s Soul Drain ability, Borla heals 
  for half of the damage dealt.
  Wrathful Retribution. When an enemy lands a suc-
  cessful attack against him, Borla may immediate-
  ly attack a nearby creature. Blinded by rage, Borla 
  makes this attack at disadvantage.
  Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Borla casts a spell from 
  his list of known spells, using a spell slot as normal.
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties). This 
  action only activates if Borla Steadwell is fighting in 
  The Red Deep.
  Revitalize (only while holding the Heart of 
  Souls). Borla absorbs the energy from the souls lost 
  to the Obsidian Rush, flowing through the Vermillion 
  Waterways, healing for 5d8 hit points.
  Empower (only while holding the Heart of Souls). 
  Borla focuses the energy from the Heart of Souls, 
  empowering his Soul Drain ability, granting it an ad-
  ditional 2d6 necrotic damage.
  Change Soul Form. Borla takes the form of creatures 
  whose souls he has consumed, using their actions as 
  his. This lasts for 5 hours, or until he dismisses it or 
  chooses a different soul form.
  • 
  Lurker (2/day). Gain the Tentacle attack and +5 
  strength.
  • 
  Ammitia (2/day). Gain 2 additional spell slots.
  At the beginning of Chapter 4: Ashes and Sorrow, 
  Act I, the players have just reached Cathrach. Ash 
  from the fires at the bridges falls on the eastern half 
  of the city like snow, and players can still hear the 
  distant sounds of the chaos they left behind. 
  Fayte informs the party that her contact must be 
  nearby, but he may not be expecting “a crowd.” She 
  insists that, while she goes to look for her contact, 
  the party should try to do what they can to learn 
  about Dorian—his supporters, his reach, his influ-
  ence, and anything they can find about the source of 
  his power. After a thoughtful pause, she remembers 
  Borla and the Stonemason’s Guild. 
  She tells the party that Borla has been in Yon’Cath 
  for years, since its earliest days. As the founder of the 
  Stonemason’s Guild, he would certainly have a pleth-
  ora of information at his fingertips from doing busi-
  ness with nearly everyone there was to do business 
  within Yon’Cath, including occasional repair work to 
  the Impossible Spire.
  After giving the party directions to the Stonemason’s 
  Guildhall, Fayte reminds the party that Borla is both 
  a Warlock and a businessman and that they should 
  expect that to ask a favor of him, he’ll ask a favor in 
  return. Fayte then leaves to find Majin, and the play-
  ers are left to explore Cathrach until they find the 
  Stonemason’s Guildhall.
  Stonemason’s Guildhall
  The Guildhall is a massive stone building with incred-
  ible architecture, serving as both home and hearth 
  to Borla as well as a testament to the craftsmanship 
  of the guild. As the party enters the Guildhall, they 
  get their first good look at Borla, who pushes past 
  them to return to his seat behind an ornate stone 
  desk, littered with documents, ledgers, and wax-
  sealed envelopes.
  
  166
  GM Note
  If this is the first time the party is 
  encountering the Glau, be sure to 
  play up the description of Borla 
  as being elf-like, yet unlike any Elf 
  they’ve ever seen. Encourage them 
  to ask questions about the Glau - 
  Borla is receptive to this, though 
  his opinion of the Glau is mostly 
  that they’re stuck in their ways.
  As Borla seats himself, his eyes fall to the ledger on 
  his desk, scanning the document while speaking to 
  the party. His voice sounds shaky and distracted, 
  like he’s having a hard time focusing.
  “Alright, now let’s see where we are. Which buildings 
  do you own, and in what quarter of the city? As you’ve 
  seen out there, it’s all a mess, and we’re a little behind 
  schedule with our most recent shipment. I can’t make 
  any promises, but hopefully by the end of the week.”
  If the party doesn’t respond to this or they interject 
  during Borla’s speech, Borla will look up and realize 
  that the party is not, in fact, building owners.
  “Awh, git outta here, ya filthy beggars. Can’t you see 
  I’m at my wit’s end trying to do my job here? Wait 
  a minute—you aren’t beggars… You’re them adven-
  turin’ types, aren’t ya?”
  Borla will get as far as introductions before inter-
  rupting any further discussion than this with, “I 
  don’t suppose you’re lookin’ for work, are ya? My sis-
  ter runs the quarry out at The Cindered House, and I 
  ‘aven’t heard from her in days. If you wouldn’t mind 
  goin’ and checkin’ on her, you’d bring me a whole lot 
  of peace of mind, and get the guild one step closer to 
  repairing the damage to the city.”
  A successful Perception check will allow members of 
  the party to notice that, as Borla speaks about his sis-
  ter, he nervously fidgets with a ring on his right hand. 
  He will ignore and avoid questions about the ring, 
  changing the subject of conversation back to whether 
  or not the party will help him, and what they want in 
  exchange. If the party asks for information on Dorian, 
  Borla will be more than happy to exchange that infor-
  mation for them to check on his sister.
  Once the party agrees to the task, Borla will provide 
  them with a map guiding them to The Cindered House 
  east of Yon’Cath. “When you get there, look for Moadne. 
  She’s a Glau like me, but bright green hair and the 
  kindest smile to come out of Sweet Mist Hollow. 
  Thank you.”
  Let the party do any sort of shopping that they’d like 
  to do in the streets of Cathrach before their journey. Be 
  sure to emphasize the slow, quiet nature of the atmo-
  sphere, so as not to create too strong a sense of urgen-
  cy to return, as the sidequest they’re about to embark 
  on is likely to keep them out of the city for a while.
  Journey to The Cindered House
  The journey to The Cindered House takes only a day, 
  provided the party does not stop for longer than a 
  short rest.
  GM Note
  To make this journey interesting, feel free to 
  leverage these optional Journey Rules.
  Have your party roll initiative at the beginning 
  of the journey. In initiative order, allow the 
  players to make Skill Checks of their choice, 
  narrating what they do to help further the jour-
  ney, like a Perception check to stay alert, or a 
  Survival check to keep them on the safest path.
  The party must achieve 5 successes before 
  they reach 5 failures. If they reach 5 failures, 
  they still make it to The Cindered House, but 
  they arrive with 1 level of exhaustion.
  The Cindered House is a surprisingly large inn that 
  sits on an isthmus that crosses a great lake of plac-
  id dark water. Despite the frigid temperature of the 
  Shadelands and the stillness of the lake, the water is 
  not frozen over. If they listen closely, the party can 
  hear the faint, awkward clicking of machinery mal-
  functioning from deep underground.
  Inside The Cindered House
  When entering, the stench of rotting food overwhelms 
  their senses immediately. The opening foyer is large 
  with stairs leading up and a kitchen just beyond a 
  wooden bar. To the right, the party notices a massive 
  elevator platform hanging over a deep, carved shaft. 
  The foyer is filled with tables, chairs, benches, and a 
  counter. Seated at every table is a group of miners—
  large, burly, capable hands—along with engineers—
  whose narrow frames and focus-locked glances im-
  ply a great sense for mechanical knowledge.
  
  167
  Each person, however, sits unmoving as though fro-
  zen in time. Some lifting cups to their mouths, some 
  biting into now-soured legs of meat or sandwiches. 
  Their bodies are still warm, but they appear to be 
  in a catatonic state, as though their consciousness—
  or, perhaps, their souls—have vacated their bodies, 
  now serving as mere husks.
  The Players can make a Knowledge or Nature check 
  to determine how long they’ve been frozen based on 
  the age of the spoiled food. If successful, the party 
  understands that these people went catatonic about 
  a week ago.
  Allow the party to explore this floor and the top floor, 
  and describe the abject horror of people frozen in time, 
  like living husks that stare off into the distance. Perhaps 
  a single tear slides down the dirty, chiseled face of one.
  The elevator platform is not active, and attempt-
  ing to take it down is impossible. When the players 
  make their way upstairs, they will find, in a small of-
  fice, Borla’s sister, Moadne: a spring Glau with bright 
  green hair and matching eyes. She sits at a desk that 
  mirrors Borla’s in size, shape, and design, though 
  its papers are in order, and there is a handful of 
  knick-knacks and decorations adorning it. Her gaze 
  is locked on the door, and when players enter the 
  room, they may mistake her middle-distance stare 
  as being eye contact. After a few in-game minutes of 
  the players exploring this office and the rest of the 
  top floor, which is mostly communal bunkrooms 
  occupied by another shift of miners and engineers, 
  they hear a soft, raspy voice:
  “H-help…”
  The party can track down this voice to Moadne, who 
  can speak, but only just. Her eyes remain locked on 
  her office door, and her expression does not change 
  from emotionlessly studious, but her lips part and 
  her voice crawls out of her throat with great effort.
  “The… water… w-we dug t-... t-too deep…”
  Moadne will not be able to answer any questions the 
  party asks. Instead, she will only be able to repeat 
  the phrase:
  “L-lift key… in d-desk… water… r-red water… danger… 
  G-give to… Borla...”
  After this, she is no longer capable of speaking: she 
  becomes fully catatonic, like the rest of the miners 
  and engineers.
  Once the players have finished exploring the rest of 
  The Cindered House, they can enter the elevator and 
  use Moadne’s key, leading them down into the quarry.
  The Cinderstone Quarry
  The quarry is composed of the same inky, smooth 
  stone often seen in the towers of Yon’Cath. A success-
  ful Arcana or Nature check will reveal the stone’s 
  magical properties: It helps anchor an area to real-
  ity, immunizing it to the thinning of the veil. Despite 
  offering a clear reflection on its surface, it seems to 
  absorb almost all light.
  Even players who have darkvision will have a hard 
  time navigating the quarry, as the darkness of the 
  stone combined with its strange reflective property 
  makes it difficult to tell the difference between solid 
  ground and a cliff. There are two torches at the base 
  of the elevator shaft which can be lifted and taken 
  throughout the quarry, but the light shed from the 
  torches is dimmed. The party will need to be careful 
  as they navigate the quarry, careful not to step off 
  any ledges.
  Throughout the quarry, players will encounter large 
  digging machines, and their catatonic operators, and 
  miners, frozen with pickaxes in hand. Each miner 
  and engineer carry a jar of drinking water with them. 
  Because it’s difficult to see where they’re going, the 
  party may walk face-first into a miner staring back at 
  them helplessly.
  As the party continues down the quarry, a sense of 
  dread and fatigue will set in. A successful Wisdom 
  check will tell players that the further in they go, the 
  worse those feelings become. Eventually, they will 
  discover a small cave at the quarry’s floor—the most 
  recent dig site. That dread and fatigue feeling wors-
  ens considerably at the mere sight of the cave. The 
  players can no longer ignore this feeling, and they 
  can tell that the cave is the source of this feeling.
  When the players enter the cave, their exhaustion 
  level increases by 1. The Crimson Water has taken 
  hold, and it will only get worse the longer they stay 
  down here. The cave seems somehow darker than 
  the rest of the quarry. The smell of blood, or some-
  thing like it, fills their nostrils. The air tastes like iron 
  and saltwater. 
  Eventually, the players locate the source of the sen-
  sation: at the center of a large, carved-out, circular 
  room, a deep scar-like crack has marred the floor. 
  A red, viscous, slightly transparent liquid seeps out 
  of it. It’s more escaping than oozing, defying grav-
  ity as it slowly drips upward. High on the ceiling, 
  a large pool of this liquid has collected, shifting in 
  shape slowly, as though jostled by an unseen force. 
  Droplets float gently—or perhaps sinisterly—up-
  wards, taking their place among the rest.
  
  168
  The players can determine this is the source of trou-
  ble, the red water Moadne had mentioned. Next to the 
  crack is a miner with a load of stone. Piled in front of 
  him are more stones, covering a part of the crack. A 
  successful Insight check reveals she was trying to seal 
  the crack. However, there are no more loose stones. 
  There’s only the miner, her stones, her pickaxe, her 
  jar of water, a nearby mining machine, and a retaining 
  wall built along the western wall of the room.
  Players have several options to seal the crack and 
  must complete at least two of them to seal it. The be-
  low list is not comprehensive, and you should allow 
  players to come up with creative solutions.
  Smash the retaining wall.
  Strength DC: 20
  Rocks spill forth from the wall, covering a portion of 
  the crack.
  Mine the wall.
  Strength DC: 18
  Grab a pickaxe and break away some loose rocks 
  from the wall to cover the crack with.
  Use the mining machine.
  Investigation or Dexterity DC: 18
  You operate the mining machine’s complex controls 
  to push some large rocks onto the crack.
  Once the players have completed two methods of seal-
  ing the crack, the water stops seeping out, and they feel 
  the fatigue stop growing within them. The water on 
  the ceiling stops shifting, becoming almost inert. This 
  does not remove the gained level of exhaustion. They 
  must leave the cave to be rid of it. The players can use 
  the miner’s water jar to collect some of the Crimson 
  Water. There is nothing more to do in the quarry.
  The miners they pass on their way back to the lift be-
  gin to recover, albeit slowly. They seem dazed and ex-
  hausted. When the party gets off the lift on the main 
  floor of The Cindered House, miners and engineers 
  are cleaning up the tables. The smell of rotted food 
  mixes with the smell of powerful alchemical clean-
  ing agents swishing around in buckets throughout 
  the room. One of the engineers adjusts their goggles 
  to look at the party before saying,
  “Ms. Moadne wants to see ye in her office, she does.”
  Back in Moadne’s Office
  When the party enters Moadne’s office, they may 
  be surprised to find Borla there as well, his arms 
  thrown around Moadne, and her face buried in his 
  shoulder. 
  “Where’ve you been?! I rubbed the ring every hour 
  of every day, but couldn’t get ya—I damn near lost 
  me mind!”
  “Oh Borla, I tried. I couldn’t move my damned hands. 
  Or anythin’, for that matter.”
  At this point, Moadne notices the party over Borla’s 
  shoulder.
  “Then, these fine folks showed up—an’ thank the pa-
  trons they did—did you find the water?”
  When the party produces the glass bottle, Borla will 
  snatch it from their hands and stare at it with fasci-
  nation. With a successful Perception check, the party 
  overhears him muttering to himself, “It can’t be…”
  Borla secretly pieces together what this revelation 
  means: The Heart of Souls is real. And if the water 
  reached all the way here, to the quarry, then the Heart 
  of Souls, and its resting place, The Red Deep, likely 
  exist at the center of the Vermillion Waterways—the 
  network of underground rivers which provide fresh 
  water to all of the Shadelands, purifying the water 
  coming in from the Nameless Black Sea through the 
  Obsidian Rush. The power of the Heart of Souls is 
  within his grasp. He just needs a little help.
  “Well, if this is what I think it is, I’m afraid there’s more 
  work to be done. This ‘ere is Crimson Water, seepin’ 
  out from the Vermillion Waterways. It’s purified, but 
  the waterways are lined with Blood Shards—little 
  crystals which house all the souls lost in the Rush.”
  Give the players a chance to ask questions and learn 
  the history of the Vermillion Waterways. If the party 
  asks how Borla got here so fast, he will explain that 
  he and Moadne both possess a magic ring—Rings of 
  Arrival—which allows for magical one-way trans-
  portation, provided both rings can be activated. If 
  the party asks about the Heart of Souls, Borla will 
  go out of his way to lie about it, claiming it’s cursed. 
  “The Heart of Souls is a terrible, terrible artifact. It 
  consumes the souls of those poor fools who fall into 
  the Rush. Worst of all, it corrupts anything it touches. 
  That’s why they had to bury it, y’know? Deep down 
  beneath Yon’Cath.”
  A successful Insight check gives the players a sense 
  that he’s not saying everything he knows, and de-
  spite that being the truth, Borla will take offense at 
  that implication. 
  When the party is satisfied with their understanding 
  of the history, and of what’s at stake, Borla will ask 
  
  169
  for a private moment to catch up with his sister and 
  ask them to leave the room. Let the players sit in this 
  silence, giving them a chance to talk amongst them-
  selves. Encourage roleplay: If the party speaks too 
  loudly, Borla may poke his head out from her office 
  and insist they be quiet, that he can’t hear himself 
  think.
  After a few in-game minutes, or right before the par-
  ty has a chance to concoct a solid plan, Borla emerg-
  es with another map. He strides over to the party 
  with confidence and urgency. He slams the paper 
  onto his desk and pokes his thick finger on the far 
  eastern side of the Shadelands map.
  “This ‘ere is Twixtfel Bog. It’s a nasty place, about two 
  days’ travel, but it’s your best bet to get in contact with 
  that fishy patron, what with the Scarlet Hearth under 
  siege at the moment. Fishy’s an interesting fellow, 
  likes games an awful lot. You’ll find him sittin’ around 
  some table, cards or dice in hand, I’m sure.
  You’re gonna need his help gettin’ through the Rush 
  and into the Vermillion Waterways without drownin’, 
  or gettin’ beat to death along the rocks, or gettin’ eat-
  en alive by some gods-forsaken water creature.”
  Here, let the players ask questions about what lies 
  ahead before closing out this part of the sidequest. 
  Moadne offers to prepare them a room in The 
  Cindered House if the party needs a long rest. If 
  they don’t need a long rest and prefer to move on to 
  Twixtfel Bog immediately, they may do that instead.
  Act 2
  Now that the party is rested, they can set out to 
  Twixtfel Bog. During this journey, Borla will be scry-
  ing on the party to learn the location of the Lurker in 
  the Deep, as well as to discern how much they know. 
  After the party has left, he will gather belongings left 
  in The Cindered House—loose strands of hair, nails, 
  scales, anything he can find—to aid him in this spell. 
  Once each day, have a player who may have left 
  something behind make a Wisdom saving throw. Do 
  not explain why they make this saving throw. The DC 
  for this saving throw is 28. If they succeed, they get 
  the feeling that they’re being watched, but it’s un-
  known from where, or by whom.
  Twixtfel Bog
  As the players continue, the acrid smell of stagnant 
  water, peat, and rotting wood grows stronger, until 
  they find themselves in Twixtfel Bog. Tall, knotted 
  trees loom overhead, and the frost-tipped blades 
  of long grass crunch beneath their feet. The water 
  bubbles and shifts and the occasional ripple of who-
  knows-what crawls across the surface.
  Twixtfel Bog is home to many mossy islands, all in-
  terconnected by stone bridges. It’s unknown who 
  made the bridges, but many of them appear to have 
  been untouched for decades, if not centuries. The 
  sounds of shiver crickets and war toads reverberate 
  among the weepy trees.
  As the party navigates further into Twixtfel Bog, 
  have them begin making Perception checks, search-
  ing for any indication of the Lurker in the Deep. On 
  a success, they hear a conversation from a given di-
  rection, and on each success after, the conversation 
  gets louder. After 3 successes, the party comes upon 
  a large, crescent-shaped island. 
  The Lurker in the Deep
  Once the party sets foot on the island, the fog hang-
  ing over it magically clears, and they see a beauti-
  ful, large, wooden table, with three Slaadi—one 
  red, one blue, and one green—seated around it. The 
  head of the table faces the empty portion of the cres-
  cent-shape of the island, where a massive catfish-like 
  face pokes out of the water. Two smooth tentacles 
  also protrude from the water, serving as hands for 
  the catfish creature, which the party recognizes as 
  The Lurker in the Deep. The Lurker and Slaadi look 
  up from their game to the party.
  The red and blue Slaadi babble at each other, nervous 
  about the party’s presence, upset over the interrup-
  tion in their game, before the green Slaadi gives them 
  both an intense look, presumably communicating to 
  them via telepathy. With a successful Nature check, 
  players will recognize that the Slaadi are incredibly 
  violent creatures from the chaos plane, and seeing 
  them here, simply playing a game with a horrifying 
  tentacle fish patron, is deeply unsettling.
  
  170
  The red and blue Slaadi go silent in response to the 
  green Slaad’s glare before the Lurker in the Deep 
  addresses the party in a cheerful, low-pitched, 
  wet-sounding voice:
  “Why, hello, friends!”
  The players may respond here and ask the Lurker 
  what they mean, but they will ignore the party’s 
  questions.
  “Yes, yes, well, why don’t you have a seat and join us 
  in a game. In fact, yes—tell you what—you win this 
  game, and you can have what you’ve come here for. 
  Oh, this is going to be so fun.”
  The Slaadi, who understand what’s being said, ap-
  pear to get agitated with the Lurker in the Deep’s 
  invitation to the party, but he waves a tentacle to si-
  lence them. Based on their muffled protests, the par-
  ty can infer that the silence is not voluntary.
  “We’re playing Feeding Frenzy. I have plenty of dice. 
  Come, come—stay awhile, play a few rounds. Don’t 
  mind my friends here—” The Lurker in the Deep turns 
  to face the silenced Slaadi before continuing, “—
  they’re sore losers sometimes, but we know what hap-
  pens to sore losers, don’t we?”
  The red and blue Slaadi get a fearful look in their 
  eye, and their protests cease. The green Slaad simply 
  rolls her eyes, insisting to get on with the game.
  If the party wants to earn the favor of the Lurker 
  in the Deep, they’ll need to win a game of Feeding 
  Frenzy.
  Feeding Frenzy
  In Feeding Frenzy, each player is a “fish” trying to eat 
  other fish and survive a feeding frenzy. The players 
  face off against each other as well as the Slaadi in 
  this free-for-all game. The Lurker in the Deep will 
  summon more Slaadi as needed so that there is 1 
  fewer Slaad than there are players.
  The game begins with all participants rolling 1d20 
  to determine the size of their fish. Players who are 
  proficient with dice as part of the gaming set may 
  add their proficiency bonus to this roll (taking their 
  size up to 20 at maximum). Immediately after all 
  participants have rolled their fish size, the Lurker 
  in the Deep rolls their own d20 as the “frenzy die.” 
  Whichever participant’s fish size is closest to the 
  frenzy die roll without going over may take their 
  turn first. In the event of a tie, choose at random. 
  From there, the play goes in clockwise order around 
  the table.
  On a participant’s turn, they may eat a fish if it is 
  at least 5 sizes smaller than them (e.g., if your fish 
  size is 15, you may eat any fish whose size is 10 or 
  lower). When a participant “eats” another fish, that 
  fish is eliminated from the game, and the eater may 
  add the size of that fish to their own size value. If a 
  participant cannot eat a fish on their turn, their size 
  decreases by 1, and their turn ends. Fish who shrink 
  to size 0 starve to death. Fish that are larger than 
  size 20 are always too large to eat, and fish that go 
  over size 30 are too big to swim, and so they die. 
  The goal of the game is to end a round with as many 
  points as possible. You earn 1 point for eating an-
  other fish, 1 point for surviving the end of a round, 
  and 1 point for finishing a round as the biggest fish 
  remaining.
  After 3 rounds, if a player has the most points, the 
  players get the boon of the Lurker in the Deep, and 
  the player with the most points gets a Slaadhide 
  Cloak (see Appendix). If the players do not win, the 
  Lurker in the Deep is likely to grant them a boon 
  purely for being good and honest gamblers. 
  Once the players have finished the game of 
  Feeding Frenzy, the Lurker in the Deep will grant 
  them the boon they seek—safe passage through the 
  Obsidian Rush and into the Vermillion Waterways.
  “Thank you all so much for playing. I rarely get visi-
  tors out here, and with everything going on in the city, 
  well… I’m pleased to keep my distance. But, it looks 
  like you all are heading back there anyway. Here, let 
  me help you along.”
  Without warning, the party is instantly teleported 
  back to an alley in Yon’Cath, standing in a large pud-
  dle, soaking wet.
  GM Note
  If you want your players to win, con-
  sider having the green Slaad sponta-
  neously transform into a gray Slaad 
  and attempt to attack the party, only to 
  be immediately banished to the chaos 
  plane by the Lurker in the Deep, leav-
  ing the Slaadi with one fewer player. 
  
  171
  Act 3
  The finale of Lifeblood is where things get consider-
  ably more intense and violent. Borla, knowing how 
  close he is to the Heart of Souls, will become more 
  determined than ever, shifting to being cold and cal-
  culated. He has been using the players to achieve his 
  own goals, intending to betray the party from the 
  beginning.
  During the events of Act III, Borla secretly travels to 
  Twixtfel Bog and consumes the Lurker in the Deep, 
  gaining their power. He uses this power to find his 
  way into The Vermillion Waterways, following the 
  party like a shadow, only revealing himself for the 
  final battle in The Red Deep.
  When the party arrives in Yon’Cath at the beginning 
  of Act III, they should make their way to the Guildhall. 
  The Stonemason’s Guildhall
  When the party arrives, Borla greets them excitedly, 
  elevated beyond his typical emotional baseline.
  “You’ve made it back! Much faster than I’d thought, 
  too! Tell me… Did you get Fishy’s blessing?”
  Borla will ask plenty of questions. Give the party a 
  chance to explain, but remember, if he was success-
  ful in scrying during Act II, Borla already knows ev-
  erything that happened. He’s only asking to estab-
  lish plausible deniability.
  Once the party has explained, Borla will be all-too-
  eager to send them back out into the world, and be-
  neath the Obsidian Rush.
  “That’s all great news! Now, we can stop the Heart of 
  Souls—destroy it, even. But we must be quick. Now 
  that the quarry is back up and running, the risks of 
  someone else discovering the artifact are too great.
  Head down to Patron’s Pass and find an excuse to ‘fall’ 
  into the Obsidian Rush. Fishy should take over from 
  there.”
  Borla will quickly usher them out of the Guildhall, so 
  he can begin his nefarious plan. Once Borla is alone, 
  he will teleport to Twixtfel Bog and consume The 
  Lurker in the Deep.
  Patron’s Pass
  Patron’s Pass is still the host to an ongoing battle be-
  tween the Legionnaires and the Accursed Guard. The 
  party will either need to fight their way towards the 
  bridge’s center or sneak their way in by shimmying 
  along the side of the bridge. Whatever strategy they 
  use, they must wind up over the side of the bridge, 
  and into the Obsidian Rush.
  Once they’ve fallen into the Rush, the water over-
  takes them. Darkness befalls their vision, and the 
  strong current pulls them toward the Scarlet Hearth, 
  and into the cracks and crevices beneath the water. 
  The Lurker in the Deep’s boon will protect the play-
  ers from the effects of the visions that typically come 
  with entering the waters of the Rush. Eventually, the 
  party members lose consciousness and awake in 
  The Vermillion Waterways.
  The Vermillion Waterways
  The Vermillion Waterways are treacherous to navi-
  gate. The walls of this labyrinthine network of cav-
  erns are lined with sharp, red crystals. Some sections 
  are completely underwater, with strong currents 
  that threaten to rake players against the sharp walls, 
  or suck them into an unknown chamber, never to be 
  seen again. Further, the water is filled with aggres-
  sive soul sharks: sentient creatures who eat those 
  unfortunate enough to fall into the Rush and not die 
  along the way.
  Players will wander through the Vermillion 
  Waterways hazards until they reach the door to The 
  Red Deep.
  GM Note
  The players will have no idea where 
  to go but know they’re looking for The 
  Red Deep. Allow them to wander aim-
  lessly through the tunnels, bringing 
  them in contact with 2 soul sharks in 
  underwater combat, along with other 
  hazards. When several in-game hours 
  have passed, they can happen upon 
  the door to The Red Deep.
  The door to The Red Deep is a massive, circular stone 
  door. A small, waist-high monolith stands in front of 
  the door, with a sharp, pointed tip protruding out 
  
  172
  172
  from a small bowl-shaped indentation at the top of 
  the monolith.
  Inscribed upon the Monolith in Deep Speech, the 
  text reads:
  “Of the fierce, I am hot;
  Of the cruel, I am cold.
  Blue in the king,
  But red in the bold.”
  The solution to this riddle, “blood,” should indicate 
  to the party that they will each need to deposit their 
  blood into the monolith’s bowl as a form of sacrifice. 
  Players will place their hands on the pointed part of 
  the monolith and cut themselves, taking an amount 
  of damage equal to one hit dice. As each player does 
  this, the blood flows into the bowl, then drains out 
  of it, as though the monolith were drinking it. Once 
  each player has made the sacrifice, the massive, cir-
  cular stone door will roll out of the way, revealing 
  the entrance to The Red Deep.
  The Red Deep
  Inside The Red Deep, they see a crimson crystal 
  glowing, sitting atop a plinth in the center of the 
  room. The amorphous stone walls around them are 
  colored in blood red and dark gray, with eerie al-
  most-humanoid shaped contours. The red light em-
  anating from the crystal pulsates slowly, like a heart-
  beat. With each pulse, the sound of rushing water 
  reverberates throughout the chamber.
  As the party enters the chamber, give them just 
  enough time to take in the spectacle before the stone 
  door seals behind them. When they turn to look 
  back, they see a grinning Borla. 
  “Thank you so much...”
  Borla extends his arm, and it transforms into a ten-
  tacle. He reaches out, plucks the Heart of Souls from 
  the plinth, and pulls it close. As he holds the crystal 
  to his chest, it glows with a bright, blinding red light, 
  and Borla appears to be absorbing the energy. He 
  clutches it tight as he addresses the party.
  “You fools. Once I’ve had my fill of each one of your 
  souls, I’ll be unstoppable. Ammitia, and Fishy… they 
  were only the beginning. I’m going to eat every soul 
  and patron in Yon’Cath. Not even Dorian will be able 
  to stop me.”
  Borla then attacks the party. He is much more pow-
  erful when holding the Heart, which grants him ex-
  tra Lair Actions. Borla will not stop this fight, flee, or 
  surrender. Lust for power has consumed him in the 
  same way that he consumed Ammitia and the Lurker 
  in the Deep.
  Once Borla is defeated, he drops his Ring of Arrival 
  (see Appendix). His soul (along with those he con-
  sumed and held in his dark reliquaries) is captured 
  by the Heart of Souls. Borla’s soul is trapped perma-
  nently, however, the party may choose to free any of 
  the other souls. Freeing Ammitia will allow any of 
  the players to gain a level as a Soul Thief Warlock. 
  Freeing the Lurker in the Deep will grant the party 
  passage out of The Red Deep. Freeing the souls of 
  any fallen party members will immediately resur-
  rect them.
  After the party frees the Lurker in the Deep, they will 
  be returned to the streets of Yon’Cath, in the same 
  alley the Lurker sent them to previously. 
  If the players return to the Stonemason’s Guild, they 
  will find Moadne there, already hard at work taking 
  over the business. She will offer her Ring of Arrival 
  to them, as she no longer has any use for it, and the 
  sight of it brings her only sorrow. She produces it 
  from her pocket, no longer able to bear wearing it.
  From here, the players may begin Chapter 4 of 
  The Red Opera. The responsibility of running the 
  Stonemason’s Guild will fall to Moadne, who will re-
  turn during Chapter 7 to aid the party.
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in 
  "Lifeblood" 
  GM Note
  Make it obvious that the Heart of Souls 
  is making Borla stronger, and try to get 
  the party to attempt to take it from him. 
  Then, let the secondary function of this 
  combat be keeping the Heart of Souls 
  away from him. Borla will do everything 
  he can to get it back. Have Borla make a 
  contested Strength check to rip it from 
  the hands of a creature within range of 
  his Tentacle attack. Try to keep the ten-
  sion high with this mechanic.
  
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  24(+7) 
  14(+2) 
  24(+7) 
  1(-5) 
  12(+1) 
  7(-2)
  15(+2) 19(+4) 18(+4) 18(+4) 17(+3) 22(+6)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  15 (natural armor)
  150 (12d10 + 84)
  0 ft., swim 60 ft.
  17 (Half plate)
  170 (20d8 + 80)
  30 ft
  Soul Shark
  Medium monstrosity, unaligned
  Borla Steadwell, Soul Thief Warlock
  Medium humanoid, neutral evil
  Saving Throws Con +10, Int -2, Wis +4, Cha +1
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities prone
  Senses Truesight, 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages none
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Blood Frenzy. The soul shark has advantage on melee at-
  tack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have max HP.
  Water Breathing. The soul shark can only breathe 
  underwater.
  Actions
  Spirit Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) 
  necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is re-
  duced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, 
  and the soul shark regains hit points equal to that amount. 
  The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The 
  target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
  Saving Throws Con +8, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +10
  Damage Resistances poison, necrotic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Deep Speech, Undercommon, Celestial
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Elemental Affinity (poison). As a Glau, Borla is resis-
  tant to poison damage. Additionally, Borla can alter the 
  damage type of any spell, attack, or ability to this dam-
  age type.
  Spellcasting. Borla is an 11th-level spellcaster. His spell-
  casting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit 
  with spell attacks). He regains his expended spell slots 
  when he finishes a short or long rest. He has the following 
  Warlock spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, mage hand, true strike
  1st-5th level (3 slots): charm person, expeditious retreat, 
  hellish rebuke, enthrall, hold person, counterspell, vam-
  piric touch, banishment, blight, hold monster, scrying.
  Mystic Arcanum. Borla may also cast the below spell 
  once per long rest as if using his Spellcasting feature.
  6th level (1/long rest): circle of death
  Actions
  Multiattack. Borla makes two attacks, only one of which 
  can be a Soul Drain attack.
  Soul Drain. Borla drains the soul of a target creature. To 
  resist this, the character must make a Charisma Saving 
  Throw with a DC of 14. On a failed save, the creature’s soul 
  is drained, and it takes 3d6 necrotic damage. If the creature 
  dies from this attack, its soul is trapped in one of Borla’s 
  dark reliquaries, and the dead humanoid it came from can’t 
  be revived until Borla is defeated or releases the soul.
  Tentacle (Lurker soul form only). Melee Weapon 
  Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 5) 
  slashing damage.
  Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, or 8 
  (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to 
  make a melee attack, plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.
  Legendary Actions
  Borla Steadwell can take 2 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the list below. Only one legendary action option may 
  be used at a time, and only at the end of another crea-
  ture’s turn. Borla Steadwell regains used legendary 
  actions at the start of his turn.
  
  174
  174
  Soul Consumption. If a creature takes damage on their 
  turn from Borla’s Soul Drain ability, Borla heals for half of 
  the damage dealt.
  Wrathful Retribution. When an enemy lands a success-
  ful attack against him, Borla may immediately attack 
  against a nearby creature. Blinded by rage, Borla makes 
  this attack at disadvantage.
  Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Borla casts a spell from 
  his list of known spells, using a spell slot as normal.
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties). This action 
  only activates if Borla Steadwell is fighting in The Red Deep.
  Revitalize (only while holding the Heart of Souls). 
  Borla takes in the energy from the souls lost to the Obsidian 
  Rush, flowing through the Vermillion Waterways. He heals 
  for 5d8 hit points.
  Empower (only while holding the Heart of Souls). 
  Borla focuses the energy from the Heart of Souls, empow-
  ering his Soul Drain ability, granting it an additional 2d6 
  necrotic damage.
  Change Soul Form. Borla can take on the soul form of 
  creatures whose souls he has consumed, using their ac-
  tions as his. This lasts for 5 hours, or until he dismisses it 
  or chooses a different soul form.
  • 
  Lurker (2/day). Gain the Tentacle attack, and +5 
  strength.
  • 
  Ammitia (2/day). Gain 2 additional spell slots.
  
  Magic Items
  This artifact counts as an extra dark reliquary for an at-
  tuned Soul Thief Warlock. Additionally, it has the follow-
  ing traits:
  Empower. Your Soul Drain ability is empowered, granting 
  it an additional 2d6 necrotic damage.
  Sentience. The Heart of Souls is neutral evil, with 
  Intelligence 13, Wisdom 12, and Charisma 17.
  Personality. The Heart of Souls speaks in the voice of 
  Borla Steadwell, a Glau’bjurn who was once a power-
  ful Soul Thief Warlock. He shows a strong desire for the 
  Heart of Souls to capture more souls, and for the attuned 
  user to grow in power.
  In Yon’Cath’s earliest days, a group of Warlocks gathered in 
  a mysterious chamber beneath the city, where they sacri-
  ficed their souls to the Shadelands itself, creating the Heart 
  of Souls. This artifact purified the water from the Obsidian 
  Rush, creating the Vermillion Waterways. But what other 
  power might it hold?
  This cloak is made from the hide of a gray Slaadi and gives a 
  very subtle vibration beneath the rubbery, leathery texture.
  Magic Resistance. The attuned wearer gains advantage 
  on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, 
  as well as resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thun-
  der damage.
  “We know what happens to sore losers, don’t we?”
  The Lurker in The Deep
  This pair of ornate rings bears the crest of the Steadwell 
  family of Glau’bjurn. Each ring holds a unique stone—one, 
  a fiery topaz, and the other, a blue-green apatite. 
  One-way Teleport. As a bonus action, a wearer can rub 
  the ring with their thumb, activating it. Once activated, the 
  other ring will warm, alerting its wearer that the paired 
  Heart of Souls
  Wondrous item (crystal), artifact (requires 
  attunement by a Soul Thief Warlock) 
  Rings of Arrival
  Wondrous items (2 rings), legendary 
  (requires attunement)
  Slaadhide Cloak
  Wondrous item (shoulders), very rare 
  (requires attunement)
  ring has been activated. If the second attuned user also 
  activates their ring using a bonus action, the first attuned 
  user is immediately teleported to an open space within 
  5 ft. of the second attuned user. This ability can be used 
  once per day for each ring.
  Borla and Moadne came to Yon’Cath with nothing but 
  each other. These rings bound them together for so long, 
  granting each a sense of safety—like they were never tru-
  ly alone or out of reach.
  
  176
  176
  
  Chapter 5
  Lovesong of the Damned
  “I’ve brought her flowers, daggers, heads of men, and truffles. None have worked, but I’m 
  feeling confident about this Warhammer.”— LaCroix the Knight Captain
  The halfway point. The rising tension. The stakes. 
  Welcome to Act 5, ‘Lovesong of the Damned’. In this 
  adventure, Majin’s plan (for better or worse) will 
  come to fruition and set the snowball for the later 
  acts. How this looks, will be up to the Players. In this 
  act, Majin will finally get Fayte to make a pact with 
  her ‘divine’ Patron (which is just Majin). In exchange, 
  she’ll have nearly unlimited power from the Well of 
  Souls for a time. 
  All Majin needs in order to win is for Fayte to make 
  the pact and plea to the Well of Souls for more power. 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “Let’s be real. Everyone complains about upside-down 
  stairs until they find out about the power you gain by 
  walking them. Then it’s all ‘move out of the way.’” 
  — Majin the Betrayer
  The first act features Majin leading the group through 
  Rem Exius, the temple that houses the Well of Souls. 
  While he’s been there before, the layout is constantly 
  shifting. It’s a new path to the Well every time he comes. 
  Through exploration in the second act, Majin and the 
  Shield Maiden explain that the Accursed King was 
  human once, and Fayte and he had a bit of a fling. 
  Once at the Well of Souls in the third act, the party 
  can use books from the prior adventure to provide 
  valuable insight. Namely, that there are simply too 
  many Patrons with their threads woven through and 
  far too many Warlocks in the world. Each of them 
  engaging in minuscule transactions for petty power. 
  With voices of Patrons being drowned out, the solu-
  tion to their problem appears to be "healing" the 
  Well. At this point, Fayte demands of Majin that they 
  open the Well to its fullest so she can communicate 
  with her (dead) Patron directly. Unknowingly mak-
  ing a pact with the Well itself, Majin’s plan comes to 
  fruition—and they grant Fayte what she demands
  Once this is done, Majin will benefit no matter the 
  outcome of the Red Opera. However, should this 
  event not come to pass—Majin will have to spend 
  the rest of the opera licking their wounds and won-
  dering what went wrong. Their goal is not to force 
  anyone's hand, no overt blackmail, no wickedly evil 
  speeches—but by leading a horse to water.
  To do this, the party will enter the dungeon where 
  the Well of Souls is housed and solve several traps 
  to gain access to the chamber. Once there, the party 
  should use the books from the last act to decipher 
  what is wrong, and what needs to be fixed. 
  LOVESONG OF THE DAMNED
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  178
  The Setting
  “I’ve often wondered just what sets apart a Patron 
  from a God. Is it just a matter of numbers? What if 
  we are all destined to become deities ourselves?”
   — Fayte the Shield Maiden
  Rem Exius will be the setting over these next two 
  Chapters. First, we descend beneath the Obsidian 
  Rush into the jagged arcane mysteries in the Well. 
  Then in ‘Fayte’s Aria’, the party will escape back into 
  the Shadelands from the other side of the planes. 
  Because of this, the setting of the Shadelands takes 
  a backseat. The war is still happening however, the 
  party is just lost in a place where time doesn’t move 
  at the same rate for them. As the storyteller, you’ll 
  need to advance changes to the city of Yon’Cath in se-
  cret while the party is in the Well of Souls and other 
  Planes for a bit. 
  Partly set between the Astral Plane and the Material 
  Plane, Rem Exius is a spot where thought travels 
  through. Whispers of beings from beyond flow in, 
  dreams of mortals flow out. Euclidean geometry and 
  architectures from every region or time of the world 
  can be featured (but save those from the Player's pasts 
  for the third act).
  
  179
  Act 1
  Majin threads a path between the jagged icy rocks, 
  and miraculously steps out on top of the black water 
  lapping against the shore. Turning back to the party, 
  their eyes glow while they summon them forward 
  onto the sea—which they can now walk upon. After 
  walking upon the black ocean for one hour, Majin 
  halts the party and silently counts the waves, wait-
  ing. With a curt nod, they look toward the sky where 
  the stars are almost moving as if aligning. Majin then 
  takes a step forward and falls, not into the water, but 
  rather they fall into another plane of existence.
  Describe the overwhelming sense of vertigo as the 
  characters each take a step forward and fall down-
  ward, tumbling forward, but then standing straight 
  up as if nothing happened. If they look down, they 
  will see the stars and aurora lights of the night sky 
  below them. It’s as if they are standing on the under-
  side of the nameless black sea. 
  A white stone staircase rises before them. If the par-
  ty looks up (down?) they will see it extends about 
  a quarter-mile, where it switches back at a landing. 
  The thing is, this landing and the connected length of 
  stairs are upside down. Or they're right side up and 
  it’s the party that is currently upside down. The sec-
  ond, inverted length of stairs leads another half mile 
  and then connects to the flat plane of twinkling black 
  diamonds. It’s then that the party sees the temple. 
  Rem Exius hangs down from the ceiling above (be-
  low?) them. It is a massive Labyrinth made of many 
  varying types of stone. Much of it is black, but there 
  is plenty of white, gray, and tan too. The architecture 
  is inconsistent, as if it'd been cobbled together by 
  dozens of builders from wildly different realities.
  “Here’s what we know,” Majin says as they begin 
  climbing the steps. “ “The King was the first in the 
  Shadelands to discover the Well. Lost in torment and 
  willing to do anything, he journeyed out into the sea to 
  pay the ultimate price. Many Warlocks have tried and 
  failed to find this place. Most fail. And of those that 
  make it here, even fewer manage to reach the Well. He 
  and I are two of the lucky ones..." 
  “The Well of Souls exists not in the Material Plane, but 
  in several all at once. A combination of the Shadowfell, 
  Feywild, Astral Plane, the Elementals, the Abyss, and 
  who knows what else. It’s a bit of a mess. The current 
  theory is that no one created it with any sense of in-
  tent. There doesn’t seem to be markers, or instruction 
  manuals, or ancient elvish runes that hint at an in-
  tentional construction. Rather, we think it spawned 
  through one pact at a time. The first Patron made a 
  pact with the first warlock and subverted the divine 
  magic between God and follower.”
  As they reach the top of the stairs, Majin looks at 
  first like they are tumbling over, but then falls grace-
  fully upward to the inverted landing. Their feet find 
  purchase and they look up (down?) at the party ex-
  pectantly. Transitioning the landing grants the same 
  vertigo as "falling" through the ocean. Gravity re-
  verses, and they now stand at the top of a long stair-
  case looking down at the Labyrinth below.
  “So, they subverted the cycle of life and death. When a 
  cleric or a faithful dies, they are meant to go to the af-
  terlife, and… well, you know the deal. Our theory is that 
  each pact made with a Patron added another thread, an-
  other pathway in the Astral realm. Power flows from the 
  Patron to wherever it needs to go, and power flows back 
  to the Patron when deeds are performed. In the Material 
  Planes, it’s the Shadelands. In the Feywild, the Veil. Inside 
  the Elemental Planes, you’ll find bleed as well.”
  Fayte will look back up at the ocean ceiling and 
  the stars beyond it and reassure any party mem-
  bers. “Majin has proven himself to be, perhaps, the 
  foremost expert on Patrons and their pacts. Which 
  means they’ve spent plenty of time plucking secrets 
  from other Warlocks. It’s why the Patrons call them 
  Majin the Betrayer… because every time they’re in 
  here, we learn something new.”
  Majin nods. “The problem is… getting in here. With 
  an infinite pool of possibilities, it’s a little different 
  each time. I have failed plenty of attempts, and… 
  cracked the code a few. We will journey through 
  three trials, and likely journey out through three 
  more. Teleportation won’t work here, and divination 
  magic is often fuddled. I don’t know all the answers 
  of this place, but I can offer you one major bit of assis-
  tance as you travel: If there is a particular Patron you 
  wish to speak to… while here, I know which thread 
  to tug on.” Majin reveals a tattered and worn note-
  book, which they then tuck back inside their robes. 
  As they step down to the plane of black diamond, 
  the temple rising a few hundred yards away, Majin 
  spreads their arms, “Welcome to Rem Exius.”
  Let the party take a rest and plan their journey into 
  the Labyrinth at this point. You can have Majin and 
  
  180
  Fayte explain as much or as little as you wish about 
  the Well of Souls. As the sentient manifestation of 
  the Well itself, Majin is at their prime power within 
  this place. All they need is Fayte (who is still unaware 
  that Majin is her Patron), to start making requests of 
  them while here… but Majin does need to get to the 
  Well first. For all their power and knowledge about 
  the Well of Souls, it is still a place of infinite possi-
  bility. Mortals and Gods must still solve the laby-
  rinth themselves. Even if Majin truly wants the party 
  to succeed here (which they do), the absolute best 
  they can do is get them on a shortcut path filled with 
  traps and dangers with three trials. It’s a lot better 
  than spending a hundred years wandering aimlessly.
  When the party is ready, they may enter Rem 
  Exius. The front entrance is a large, wide opening 
  in the wall, flanked by towering statues of devilish 
  fiends and divine humanoid creatures. As they step 
  through the threshold, the party may be surprised 
  to find they are not in some narrow stone hallway as 
  they might expect to find in a Labyrinth. They stand 
  on a ledge overlooking a massive cavernous cham-
  ber. The walls are a checkered pattern of black and 
  white bricks. Dozens upon dozens of brick staircases 
  crisscross to form a honeycomb of paths. They see 
  several doors built into the walls, accessible via cir-
  cuitous stair routes. One door in particular stands 
  out, located directly across and higher up near the 
  ceiling: large, black, wooden, bound within a shining 
  steel frame, with three keyholes. No matter of force 
  or magic can bypass this door. Majin can point this 
  door out and explain they need to find three keys.
  GM Note
  You will be building the next events from the 
  ten segments listed below. Give the Players a 
  choice, for example, they can take the stairs 
  upward to the left, downward to the right, 
  or downward straight ahead. There may be 
  traps on the staircases. There may be dan-
  gers behind the doors along the landings be-
  tween staircases. You can either pre-deter-
  mine these or randomize the order. All of the 
  keys found in the rooms are equal. The Party 
  needs three of them.
  As always, scale these encounters down according to 
  your party's level and size. Golems can be half-fin-
  ished, brick elementals could have already shattered 
  some travelers moments before, and even traps 
  could stall before firing in order to lower
  Segments
  1. Artificer’s Shop
  Nothing happens on the staircase. At the next land-
  ing, two staircases are branching off in different di-
  rections and a door built into the wall. The door is 
  locked but can be picked. Behind the door is what 
  looks like an artificer’s workshop. It is filled with 
  workbenches, tools, gears, and bits of machinery. 
  There are a few interesting weapons on the work-
  benches. Next to each one is some scribbled notes 
  on what the weapon is supposed to do. See details in 
  the Appendix under Artificer Items.
  There are crates stacked against the back wall with 
  sheets thrown over them. If the party pulls off the 
  sheets, they will find a supposedly non-function-
  ing Mechanical Golem; a boxy tin-can automaton 
  with a steel exhaust grill screwed into its chest 
  and two lightless eyes. If the party takes any hos-
  tile action toward the golem or attempts to take 
  anything from the room - including the Artificer 
  Items - the golem will activate and attack. When 
  the golem is defeated, it will slump forward, re-
  vealing a “wind up” key sticking out of its back. If 
  the Players take the key, they will find it fits in the 
  locks on the exit door. 
  
  181
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  24(+7) 
  9(-1) 
  22(+6) 
  3(-4) 
  11(+0) 
  1(-5)
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing from 
  Non-magical Attacks
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Understands the languages of its creator but 
  cannot speak
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or 
  effect that would alter its form. 
  Spell Resistance. The golem automatically succeeds on 
  saving throw against spells and magical effects and takes 
  half damage from spells. 
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  275 (22d12 + 132)
  30 ft.
  Mechanical Golem
  Huge Construct, unaligned 
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The golem makes two Piston Punch attacks. 
  Piston Punch. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 +7) bludgeoning damage. If the target 
  is a creature, the golem may push it 15 ft. away from or pull it 
  15 ft. toward the golem in a straight line. 
  Forearm Blunderbuss. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, 
  range 30/60 ft., each target in a 30 ft. cone. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) 
  piercing and 14 (4d6) fire. 
  Steam Burn (Recharge 5 - 6). The golem expels a 15ft cone 
  of boiling steam from its chest. Each creature in the affected 
  area must succeed on a DC 21 Consitution saving throw or 
  take 54 (12d8) fire damage and be permanently blinded. A 
  successful save halves the damage and prevents being blinded
  with a few scrolls on it. There is a chest-high pedestal 
  in the room’s center which a silver key resets upon. 
  The walls are coated in mirrors of different shapes 
  and sizes ranging from quite small to as big as a door.
  Upon inspection, the Players will see nothing out of 
  the ordinary in the reflections. If the party tries to 
  touch or interact with anything in the room, their 
  hands will pass right through the objects. These are 
  all illusions. If the Player touches or throws anything 
  at a mirror, it will pass through as if it were a window. 
  If they find a mirror large enough to fit through, a 
  Player can enter the mirror, grab the key off the ped-
  estal within and come back. If they examine the room 
  further, particularly the scrolls on the shelf, they may 
  find the Song of Tranquility (See Appendix)
  4. Boulder
  When the party hits halfway down the stairs, regard-
  less of whether they’re going up or down, a boulder 
  appears from thin air, drops on the top of this stair-
  case, and starts rolling down. Players who don’t get 
  out of the way by passing a DC 21 Dexterity saving 
  throw or take 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage, and 
  be knocked prone (potentially falling down the stairs 
  in the process).
  5. Living Wall
  As the Players near the next landing, the wall next to 
  the stairs sprouts a dozen arms of fluid brick and at-
  tempts to grasps at the party. The Player must succeed 
  on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be pulled into 
  the wall. The Players pulled into the wall will drop 
  into a sparse room and find themselves looking up at 
  Elementals made of the same black and white bricks 
  as the building (Number of Elementals should equal 
  number of The Players). 
  2. False Stair
  A cluster of steps near the middle of the staircase is 
  merely visual illusions. There’s nothing there. The 
  Players will step right through and possibly fall unless 
  they succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a 
  failure, the Player falls 20 Ft. and lands on a different 
  staircase or a door landing below the party. 
  3. Mirror Room
  No traps are triggered on the staircase leading here 
  but there is a door on the landing which is unlocked. It 
  opens into a room filled with suits of armor, decorative 
  vases, bronze statues, and a shelf nailed into the wall 
  GM Note
  Create an initiative order that has the Players 
  in the room and the elementals take their turns 
  before the Players still on the stairs. While the 
  in-room the Players and the elementals fight. 
  The Players on the stairs can rush to the land-
  ing. There is no door, however, upon inspec-
  tion, they will find a sizeable section of the wall 
  looks newer, less sturdy, than the rest. They 
  will have to deal 50 points of physical damage 
  to make this chunk of wall crumble. Then they 
  can enter the room and join their friends in the 
  fight. There is a key inside one of the elemen-
  tals, which can be revealed via damage during 
  the fight, or if the Players choose to break them 
  open after they’ve been defeated.
  
  182
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  27(+8) 
  12(+1) 
  25(+7) 
  3(-4) 
  11(+0) 
  5(-3)
  Immutable Form. The elemental is immune to any spell 
  or effect that would alter its form.
  Robust Architecture. If the elemental takes 10 or less 
  damage from a single attack or instance of damage, it in-
  stead takes no damage. 
  Sturdy Foundation. The elemental cannot be pushed, 
  pulled, or magically teleported unless it allows it. 
  Saving Throws Con +12, Cha +2
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing 
  from Non-magical Attacks
  Condition 
  Immunities 
  Exhaustion, 
  Paralyzed, 
  Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, Unconscious
  Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Challenge 14 (11,500)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
   Brick Elemental
  Huge elemental, neutral
  ACTIONS
  Mulitattack. The elemental makes two slam attacks. It 
  then uses either its Brickwork or Repair action. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage. If the target 
  is a creature, it is grappled (Escape DC 21). 
  Brickwork. The elemental integrates a creature it is grap-
  pling into the structure of its body. A creature so integrat-
  ed becomes restrained (Escape DC 21). While the elemen-
  tal has a creature restrained in this manner, the elemental 
  takes only half the damage dealt to it, and a creature of its 
  choice restrained in this manner takes the other half. 
  Repair. The elemental magically regains 22 (4d10) hit 
  points.
  20 (natural armor) 
  283 (21d12 + 147)
  30 ft., burrow 30 ft. 
  7. Portal Door
  The Party makes their way across the adjoining stair-
  case without incident. There is a door on the landing 
  which, when opened, reveals another identical cav-
  ernous room full of stairs. If they step through, they 
  will find they’ve just stepped through a portal that 
  takes them through a door to another landing at the 
  far end of the same cavern. If a Player stands with 
  part of themselves on one side and part on the other 
  and inspects the door frame (the portal itself), they 
  will see between dimensions where the silver key 
  hovers. They can then reach out and take it.
  8. Crumbles
  As the party walks, the stairs begin to crack and crum-
  ble. Depending on where they are in the staircase (clos-
  er to the next landing or closer to the one they came 
  from) they can attempt a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw 
  to leap to safety. Failed attempts result in the Players 
  falling onto a lower staircase or another landing.
  9. Manners Room
  Party traverses the adjoining staircase without inci-
  dent. The door on this landing has an iron knocker 
  and a large, ornamental handle. The door is locked. If 
  someone attempts to pick the lock, the keyhole will 
  eat the lock picks. The iron door handle morphs into 
  a face that glares up at the party. “Excuse you! Is it 
  too much to ask for some Gods-damned decency?!” 
  The party must use good manners to enter this 
  room. Ask politely and use the door knocker, then 
  the door swings open. They will find what looks like 
  a wizard’s study hosting a desk full of papers that 
  look like a mad man’s been scribbling on them. If the 
  party examines closer, they’ll see the papers just say 
  Rudeness! Rudeness Everywhere! repeated thou-
  sands of times. Every page is signed by Grandmaster 
  Laurent Northcott. A breastplate, two gauntlets, an 
  axe, and a sword are mounted on the wall. There are 
  comfy chairs and large glass front cabinets that look 
  to contain interesting trinkets. Most notably, a silver 
  key hangs on a hook inside one cabinet. However, 
  the thing that immediately jumps out to everyone is 
  that every piece of furniture has a face, and is giving 
  them a distrustful glare.
  If the party respectfully conducts themselves, the 
  furniture will assist them with information as well 
  as unlocking the cabinets so they make take the 
  key, and possibly and an additional trinket or two. 
  If the party is rude, the first warning will be one of 
  the gauntlets flying off the wall and smacks them. If 
  the party goes too far, the gauntlets will each grab 
  6. Wall Spikes
  Sharp spikes extend out from the wall. The Player must 
  pass a Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (2d10+10) 
  piercing damage, or half as much on a success.
  
  183
  a weapon and attack. They may find two additional 
  items of note in this room: Coin of Destiny and the 
  Belt of Righteousness (See Appendix)
  10. Sticky Steps
  As the party ascends/descends a staircase, they feel 
  their feet start sticking to the steps with more and 
  more force. At the midway point, their feet will be 
  completely stuck to the stairs. A tar-like substance 
  will have appeared. They have to find some way of 
  freeing themselves via magic or possibly cutting away 
  at the tar. Or they can just leave their shoes behind. 
  Act 2
  Behind the large steel and black wood door is a long, 
  high-ceiling hallway that looks much more like some-
  thing expected in a labyrinth. As they venture inward, 
  the party might begin to see astral creatures and other 
  monsters… but Majin is able to guide them away from 
  many pitfalls. As Majin leads them through corridors 
  and under several tunnels, have them and Fayte occa-
  sionally drop hints about the Accursed King. 
  Here in the sanctity of the Well, Fayte is a little more 
  open-lipped about their former relationship, and the 
  origin of the Shadelands. Even to the point where she 
  might become exasperated over the idea that the King 
  tried to pin all his emotional baggage onto her. Even 
  though she has left the King and changed her role in 
  the Shadelands, she still remembers him for the man 
  he was. Treason or not, she believes he’s still in there. 
  The second act of this adventure is a good section to 
  reveal bits of the character bios, or have Majin an-
  swer multiverse questions of the party. As the sto-
  ryteller, nobody will have better answers about the 
  workings of your universe than you; it’s safe to as-
  sume Majin knows a few secrets. If you wish to reveal 
  a cosmic metaplot to your party, this is the perfect 
  adventure and chapter in which to do so. 
  Once you feel the party has had enough roleplay and 
  are ready for the next test, begin by funneling the 
  group into a long, narrow corridor. If they look up, it 
  will appear as if they are walking beneath a familiar 
  river of inky black water.
  Whispers and Shadows
  As you walk down the long, claustrophobic stairway 
  into the room, a sour mixture of disease and cinder 
  enters your nose, the narrow way opens into a large, 
  charred room, so dark and empty, you almost pray for 
  the security of confined space.
  At first, the only notable feature of the room you see is 
  a massive statue against the opposite wall. The statue 
  bears a slug-like torso, six feet wide, and a doorway is 
  nestled into it. You can see a tunnel beyond. However, a 
  black iron grate blocks the way. The statue rises ten feet 
  until it narrows into a tentacle where the head should 
  be. This head-tentacle has no eyes but does have a nose 
  and a large mouth, sculpted into an eternal scream. 
  Four additional tentacles branch outward from the 
  stone torso. Each arm-tentacle holds a stone torch of 
  intense green flame. 
  The hairs on your arms stand on end as your look down 
  to notice the fine mixture of blackened bone fragments 
  highlighted by a sickly, pallid yellowed color from where 
  the fire has not touched. The remnant coals crackle like 
  enfeebled twigs underfoot. The sight and smell inspire 
  vivid visions of the countless, nameless souls discarded 
  like refuse, and it seems that not all were dead when 
  they were dropped here.
  As your vision adjusts, you note the source of decay 
  coming from the bodies that have yet to be cleansed by 
  the flames. A blackish, viscus regurgitate expels, flow-
  ing down in charred curdles from their rotting mouths. 
  Some bodies - cracked and blistered - are seen shriveled 
  inwards on themselves, while others are positioned up 
  against the walls with broken nails, attempting to climb 
  up the smooth ebon interiors uselessly.
  A strong wind current comes from the tunnel beyond the 
  grate, and it almost sounds like whispers surrounding 
  GM Note
  Feel free to shorten or stretch the number 
  of staircases as you see fit. You may want to 
  fast-track them, or you can have them climb 
  one staircase… nothing happens… then go up 
  or down another… nothing happens… Plug in 
  the segments above at your own pace.
  Once the Party has three keys (it doesn’t 
  matter which three), they can open the large 
  door and advance to the next Act.
  
  184
  The party’s shadows, cast against the back wall by 
  the green torches, have sprung to life. As they peel 
  themselves off the wall, they become more than 
  simple silhouettes. Features and details are drawn 
  until they become inky black replicas of each party 
  member and Fayte. If everyone fails their perception 
  check, they are surprised in the first round of attack. 
  Majin casts no shadow here. During the frantic 
  event that follows, offer additional high-DC Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks to any Player insightful enough 
  to specifically ask.
  The whispered voices become a desperate shriek 
  as the shadows attack, “No light! Only darkness! No 
  light! Only darkness!”
  GM Note
  The shadows are carbon cop-
  ies of each Player, with all the 
  same stats and abilities. The 
  one difference is each shadow 
  only has half the HP of the cor-
  responding Player.
  GM Note
  Everyone has darkvision! We know 
  that’s the case in most games, and the 
  upcoming Shadow Encounter seems 
  pointless if the party's black-and-
  white vision weakens the effect. This 
  darkness should be supernaturally 
  thick, and you may hint that regular 
  darkvision fails to function. Those 
  with enhanced darkvision (through 
  magic or pacts) however, might find 
  themselves with a unique edge.
  you. After a few moments, the “wind” begins to form au-
  dible words, and you realize it is not the wind:
  "We are home - you are home - join us in the warm 
  darkness..."
  The shadows will focus on any Player who is 
  generating light. 
  The brighter the light cast, the stronger the shadows 
  become. Whilst a shadow can be destroyed, do not 
  remove them from the initiative order. When their 
  turn comes around again, a new version of the same 
  shadow emerges from the wall.
  Only when all the lights have been extinguished 
  and the Players are in perfect darkness, will the 
  shadows relent, and the Players will hear a whis-
  pered: "Thank you..."
  The shadows are victims of those who were sent to 
  the Nothing. The infinite sea of peace and silence, an 
  eternal void that makes up the Obsidian Rush. In the 
  end, they just want quiet. The grate in the statue’s 
  torso opens and the party can advance to Act 3.
  
  185
  Act 3
  The party emerges from the dank tunnel into a wide, 
  long hallway. The ground is like firm black sand and 
  the air is fresh again. The walls stretch hundreds of 
  feet upwards, leading to a sky of jagged spider web 
  of iridescent Auroras. Majin will seem much more 
  confident, offering definitive directions at Labyrinth 
  intersections, “We go left here. Then right at the next 
  one. Then straight for a hundred yards.”
  As they venture deeper, they will start seeing ghosts 
  of all types of peoples and creatures drifting by. The 
  ghosts ignore the party, with some moving with a 
  purpose toward some unknown destination and oth-
  ers lazily floating along with no particular goal. They 
  may pass a group of ghosts re-enacting the events 
  of their respective demises. Perhaps the party even 
  passes some familiar faces, people they’ve encoun-
  tered (and killed) in earlier chapters. 
  quite massive rock platform. It holds an enormous 
  structure, easily as big if not bigger than the Scarlet 
  Hearth, which looks like a pillar of frozen waves 
  sculpted from glass and diamond swirling around 
  each other. “The Well is in there,” Majin says. 
  The floating rocks are sturdy and easily hold whatev-
  er weight is set on them. Once the party begins walk-
  ing and hopping rocks toward the Well, a thunder-
  ous sound resonates throughout the space. It sounds 
  like two bestial roars layered on top of each other. 
  One is harsh and guttural and the other is breathy, 
  almost a hiss. 
  Trails of chalky, white smoke rise from the endless 
  abyss below and coalesce in the sky. Very small bits 
  of glass start chipping off the towering pillar and 
  forming together. The party watches as two dragons: 
  one made of snowy white smoke and one made from 
  millions of tiny shards of mirrored glass material-
  ized between themselves and the Well. 
  Roll Initiative
  Deataigh the Smoke Dragon and Scath'an the Glass 
  Dragon do not roll initiative. One of the two of them 
  will take a turn immediately following each Player’s 
  turn. Which dragon attacks and which ability they use 
  is determined by the actions of the Player. The dragons 
  should attempt to mirror the Player Characters' move-
  ments, keeping themselves between the players and 
  the Well. Whenever a Player attempts a physical attack, 
  Scath’an will retaliate in kind: melee for melee, ranged 
  for ranged. Whenever a Player casts a spell attack, 
  Deataigh will immediately retaliate with their own 
  spell attack. When a Player heals themself, Deataigh 
  will heal itself. When a Player heals a party member, 
  Deataigh will heal Scath’an. Clever parties will use the 
  forced inverted movements to lure the dragons into 
  area of affect abilities or to their (temporary) demise.
  Eventually, the glowing streaks of light in the sky 
  will dissipate, giving way to a more familiar canvas 
  of shining stars against a black backdrop. The party 
  comes to the end of the Labyrinth. The ground ends 
  at a sheer cliff and there are no more walls. They are 
  looking out at an infinite starry expanse. At ground 
  level, there are hundreds of small flat rocks, hover-
  ing like lily pads in the air. Most are big enough to 
  hold just one or two people at a time. The openings 
  between these platforms are about five to ten feet 
  wide. About three hundred yards out, there is one 
  GM Note
  You are welcome to shorten or extend 
  this portion of the temple as you see 
  fit. You can have them reach the Well of 
  Souls without incident or you can drop 
  in more rooms, puzzles, or fights. The 
  Dragons can be fought at low tier, by 
  adding in more area-of-effect traps that 
  can damage the dragons by moving them 
  into those squares—or forgoing combat 
  and running them as riddles instead.
  
  186
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  27(+8) 
  10(+0) 
  25(+7) 
  16(+3) 
  13(+1) 
  21(+5)
  Blinding Glare. When completely within an area of bright light, Scath’an shines with a 
  blinding light. While Scath’an so shines, enemy creaturs that can see it have disadvantage 
  on attack rolls against Scath’an. 
  Mirrored Scales. Scath’an is coated in scales like reflective shards of glass. When 
  Scath’an is hit by a melee attack by a creature within 5 ft., the attacker takes 11 (2d10) 
  slashing damage. 
  Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +7, Cha +11
  Skills Perception +7, Persuasion +11
  Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagic weapons
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, stunned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  385 (22d20 + 154)
  30 ft., fly 50 ft.
  Scath’an the Glass Dragon
  Gargantuan dragon, neutral
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks, two with its claws and one with its bite. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft. One target. Hit: 47 (6d12 + 8) piercing 
  damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or 
  instead by critically hit. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft. One target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing 
  damage. 
  Glass Breath (Recharge 5 – 6). Scath’an unleashes a terrible roar, spewing hundreds of 
  tiny razor-sharp shards of glass in a 60 ft. cone. Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take slashing damage equal to half their hit 
  point maximum, or half as much on a success. Additionally, a creature that fails this saving 
  throw by 10 or more has their hit point maximum reduced to their current hit points. This 
  effect only ends if an affected creature receives the benefits of a DC 20 Wisdom (Medicine) 
  check, or a greater restoration or heal spell. 
  REACTIONS
  Spell Reflection (Recharge 5-6). As a reaction to when Scath’an is targeted with a spell 
  from a creature it can see, Scath can change the target to instead be a creature of its choice 
  that it can see within 60 ft. 
  
  187
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  13(+1) 
  20(+5) 
  15(+2) 
  26(+8) 
  23(+6) 
  21(+5)
  Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +8, Int +14, Wis +12
  Skills Stealth +11, Perception +12
  Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical weapons
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, 
  restrained
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  23 (natural armor)
  250 (20d20 + 40)
  60 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  Deataigh the Smoke Dragon
  Gargantuan Dragon, lawful neutral
  ACTIONS
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft. One target. Hit: 24 (3d12 + 5) piercing dam-
  age and 18 (4d8) fire damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft. One target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Wind Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +14 against to hit, reach 120ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d8 +8) 
  bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be 
  thrown 30 ft. away from the dragon in a straight line, landing prone. 
  Mindsplitter Breath (Recharge 5 – 6). The dragon unleashes a horrible shriek in a 90 ft. cone 
  which rends both mind and body. Each creature in the affected area must succeed on a DC 22 
  Constitution saving throw or take 55 (10d10) thunder damage. Additionally, on a failed save a 
  creature must succeed on a DC 22 Intelligence saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of 
  its next turn. 
  Life From Death. A creature of the dragon’s choice regains 21 (6d6) hit points. This amount is 
  doubled if a creature within 120 ft. of the target failed a death saving throw that round
  Gloom Shroud. As a bonus action, the dragon can emit a shroud of smoke in a 30 ft. radius 
  sphere centered on it, which lasts until the dragon uses this action again or becomes incapac-
  itated. The affected area is heavily obscured for creatures other than the dragon. 
  Smoke Form. The dragon is composed of ethereal smoke, allowing it to move through other 
  creatures as if they were difficult terrain.
  Once the two dragons are defeated, an opening appears in the mirrored, diamond cocoon surrounding the Well. 
  The Party may now enter. If they do any exploring of the rocky platforms near where the dragons died, they may 
  find two rings: One of glass and one of white steel. These can be found under Remnant Rings in the Appendix. 
  
  188
  Well of Souls
  The Well of Souls is a gigantic cylinder formed from 
  dozens of pillars tethered together. The pillars are all 
  hewn from wildly different materials: black obsidi-
  an, gnarled wood, rusted iron, white marble, even 
  bone. It is all held together by the magic of multi-
  ple schools. The Well seems broken at first sight and 
  very unstable, with multiple glowing cracks cutting 
  jagged scars across its exterior. It even looks like 
  some chunks of the building materials have broken 
  off and lie scattered about the chamber. 
  Occasionally a bolt of raw arcane energy will burst 
  from a crack. There is a constant, almost deafening 
  rush of wind. Upon listening closely, the party will 
  realize that it is not wind. It is a chorus of voices, 
  otherworldly Patrons shouting and screaming from 
  within. They demand time, power, loyalty, sacrifice, 
  and souls… anything that might entice a mortal to 
  strike a bargain. Listening even more closely and the 
  party may hear the specific details of pacts and deals 
  that others have made. It is pure, disorienting chaos.
  There have been far too many Patrons, far too many 
  people who have figured out the secret of the Well, and 
  far too many warlocks for someone like the Accursed 
  King to keep something like this in check all by himself. 
  At this stage of the encounter, Majin is not helpful. 
  They can only answer with vague statements like 
  “What do you think we should do?” or “Would you like 
  me to summon a Patron for you?” Majin’s poor help is 
  due to the fact he can’t answer this for the Players and 
  Fayte. They need them to ask of their own choosing.
  Using the books from the library encounter, the party 
  can take up different points in the chamber and study 
  the Well, looking for parts that are broken or solutions 
  to fix it. Allow the Players to attempt either a DC 22 
  Intelligence (Arcana, History, of Religion) of their choos-
  ing. (with advantage if they have a book). They can learn 
  info about the Well, namely, that the Well is out of bal-
  ance with energies. It’s missing Radiant energy entirely, 
  and it’s very difficult to find a Celestial being that would 
  grant a pact… if not nigh impossible.
  For each additional success the party achieves in re-
  searching, grant them an additional fact about the Well 
  of Souls: It’s been overused, there have been too many 
  Patrons added, Warlocks demand power constant-
  ly across the multiverse, Gods have begun to notice… 
  Many secrets can be gleaned. If the entire party suc-
  ceeds, they can learn Majin’s secret: Majin is intrinsical-
  ly tied to the Well of Souls. 
  Regardless, Fayte will view this as her chance. She 
  will demand that Majin summon her Patron so she 
  can plead for the power to stop all this. 
  Majin grants her this pact, even though her 
  Patron never reveals itself (the party might catch 
  on that something is amiss here), and finally has 
  free will to take control of the Well. Suddenly, 
  Majin’s feigned exhaustion fades and they stand, 
  eyes glowing the same unnatural color as the 
  well. The crackling, warped bolts of energy begin 
  to bend to their will.
  “And so the pact is sealed,” Majin says. “Arise, Shield 
  Maiden.” 
  Describe as much of the visual spectacle as possible, 
  but don’t overtly state that Majin is the well itself, 
  or that he’s Fayte’s Patron. If the Players don’t fig-
  ure that out now, they likely will later. And so, some-
  thing entirely new is born here. Fayte has become 
  one of the first celestial warlocks, and the party has 
  the potential to join this pact formed right here and 
  now (only if they correctly see Majin’s secret here 
  and they ask). If Fayte manages to grow and ascend, 
  she could very well become the patron for all celes-
  tial warlocks forevermore. They can, of course, form 
  pacts with other Patrons later in this place, if they 
  haven’t done so already in previous chapters. 
  GM Note
  How you want to handle celestial warlocks is 
  up to your existing campaign. If they already do 
  not exist, then this is a great opportunity to start 
  weaving them in with Fayte. If they already do 
  exist, then consider having this moment take 
  place out of time, and Majin’s Mural (shown in 
  the next act) writes Fayte in as the first. Or, sim-
  ply ignore that and do what works for your cam-
  paign! What’s important is that Fayte’s patron 
  was celestial and it was the last bit of energy 
  Majin needed to solidify a real deal with.
  Majin tells Fayte (and any who join the same pact), 
  “Now heal that damned Well.” 
  With a wave of her hand, Fayte can manipulate the 
  threads running through the well, straightening them. 
  
  189
  She can realign the crumbling stonework and seal the 
  leaks. As the Well heals, warm energy washes over the 
  party. Their wounds heal. They feel clean, like they’ve 
  just stepped out of the bath. They are rested as if 
  they’ve just woken from a peaceful night’s sleep.
  They receive all the effects of a Long Rest.
  Act 3 closes as Fayte tests out her new powers, 
  crying tears of joy because she has finally complet-
  ed her pilgrimage and connected with her Patron. 
  With her newfound power, she believes she can fix 
  the Shadelands... permanently. If the party prevents 
  Fayte from making the pact here, then Majin will be 
  rendered frozen; unwilling to leave the Well. The 
  Shadelands will continue to deteriorate, and they 
  will need to convince the King to come and heal the 
  Well. The rest of the Red Opera still plays out, only 
  without Majin. Skip the next chapter where the se-
  crets of Majin are learned and go right to Act 7 where 
  Fayte and the Party go to the Accursed Kings Court.
  Majin will simply wait for everything to fall apart 
  further and they won’t compromise their plan of en-
  suring that they have free choice. When the chaos of 
  later acts happens, they will reach out telepathically 
  and give them a second chance. Refuse that, and the 
  players will default to the “Do nothing” ending un-
  less they pull off truly heroic feats that only you, the 
  storyteller, can determine. 
  
  190
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  Rem Exius features some combat versus traps and 
  other creatures, but it is easily expandable. As an in-
  finite dungeon, you can make the Well of Souls adven-
  ture as large as you wish. 
  Sidequest Potential: The party can use combat to force 
  their way into areas of the Labyrinth they weren’t 
  meant to go in. Thus, learning secrets (or even gaining 
  treasure) from Patrons that have stored it there. Feel 
  free to loop back in prior Patrons the party has dealt 
  with in earlier acts so they can rob them and their 
  guardians if you wish. 
  Roleplaying out the nature of the dungeon is key 
  for the exploration. Having an entire place ded-
  icated to learning secrets is an information bro-
  ker’s dream (see social), so make sure the Players 
  have some time to see the potential. 
  This is Majin’s home, and the more the characters 
  explore, the more they should notice traits of Majin 
  around in the nooks and crannies of the Labyrinth. 
  While their secret is unlikely to be revealed, this one 
  place where the party should begin questioning how 
  much Majin knows about them with all these secrets. 
  Sidequest Potential: Dipping into another realm! The 
  Well of Souls doesn’t just connect the Shadelands to 
  the multiverse, but other planes of existence as well. 
  If you’ve had an itch to run a sidequest adventure on 
  another plane of existence, have the characters slip 
  through into that realm instead of a presented en-
  counter. We’ve included one option that takes play-
  ers into the world of Emberwind.
  Without many NPCs to engage in dialogue with, this 
  adventure will be difficult for social-based char-
  acters and parties. To help facilitate them, play up 
  the secrets and information about Warlock Pacts. 
  Perhaps they hear a transaction between two ghosts 
  or even see something tragic (like a child forming a 
  pact with an abyssal who will discard the kid). And 
  there’s always the option to stuff this place full of 
  more spirits. Souls forever tethered to the Well. 
  Sidequest Potential: The party might wonder if they 
  could become Patrons themselves. Based on their 
  level, such an act might be feasible: With Majin’s 
  help. If the characters head down this path, it will 
  involve those becoming Warlocks to Majin… but they 
  could begin a pyramid scheme and become Patrons 
  themselves by using the Well. An idea most interest-
  ing to Majin, because after they have the Well, they 
  must still figure out the true nature of Death. This 
  can be further played out if the party had been asked 
  by other Warlocks to say incantations for them, or 
  collect things from the Well on their behalf. 
  
  191
  
  192
  192
  
  Side quest, Secrets of the Rift
  Secrets of the Rift
  Introduction
  Synopsis
  The Setting
  Magic can come as a talent or gift. Some are born with 
  a natural proclivity for the mystic arts, while others 
  gain this boon through ambition and determination. 
  In the Shadelands, power often comes from a Patron. 
  If you want to dabble in the arcane, you need only 
  find a creature willing and able to grant the means. 
  But there are many other sources of power. The 
  multiverse contains infinite dimensions. Gaze into 
  the Well of Souls, and you can see those dimensions 
  piled on top of one another, vying to occupy the same 
  Opening the Well of Souls has destabilized the in-
  terdimensional barriers in Rem Exius, unleashing a 
  wave of cosmic energy that inadvertently pulls Fayte 
  and the players into another plane. 
  Act 1 of this sidequest kicks in a bit prematurely at the 
  very end of Chapter 5. As Fayte and the Players “heal” 
  the well, a rift tears through the fabric of reality right on 
  top of them, sucking them into an unknown dimension. 
  space and time. Warlocks in the Shadelands view the 
  Well as a bridge, a way to communicate with beings 
  on the other side. 
  Those with more imagination recognized the poten-
  tial of the bridge itself. Set a log on fire, and you get 
  heat. Ignite the binding between two worlds, and 
  the release of energy is spectacular. But, of course, a 
  burning log will eventually be reduced to ash. What 
  happens to the multiverse when you incinerate the 
  barriers of the astral veil? 
  In Act 2, the players must navigate a foreign land try-
  ing to find a way to get back home. 
  In Act 3, the players will witness the destructive 
  power of Rift magic, and see the toll that it has taken 
  on the world of Axia. They will also learn that the 
  damage could ripple through other dimensions if 
  they do not stop the Mages.
  This adventure takes place on Summit, a floating 
  mountain located in the world of Axia. There is an 
  abandoned Clockwork City hidden inside the moun-
  tain, and several cities and smaller villages scattered 
  along its slopes.
  Axia is defined by its relationship to the Rift, which 
  has done irreparable harm to the structure of the 
  world. Practitioners of Rift Magic are able to open 
  Rifts that allow them to summon energy—and mon-
  sters—from alternate dimensions to power their 
  spells. However, doing so has eroded the foundations 
  of reality. Opening the Rift releases a toxic purple 
  mist known as the Miasma, and the events of doing 
  such have split the land into a series of fragmented 
  and floating continents.
  Unfortunately, that destruction has not lessened the 
  Rift Mages’ thirst for power. The effects of Rift mag-
  ic are not well understood, so the Mages continue 
  to conduct experiments with the Rift, unknowingly 
  risking further damage to theirs and other dimen-
  sions in the process.
  
  194
  Adventure Hooks
  This module is meant to examine the benefits – and 
  pitfalls – of different forms of magic. Parallels can 
  be drawn between the Rift Keepers of Axia and the 
  Warlocks of Yon’Cath. While the latter receive their 
  powers from a Patron, the former have learned to 
  tap into naturally occurring reserves of energy to 
  fuel their magic. However, both methods carry a 
  heavy price.
  As a result, the denizens of Axia take a more scientific 
  approach to the arcane, forming guilds and conduct-
  ing regimented experiments to enhance their magical 
  abilities and their understanding of natural forces. 
  For Warlocks, on the other hand, magical abilities are 
  at least partly a matter of faith, insofar as they are 
  based on a relationship with a more powerful being. 
  “Secrets of the Rift” is not intended to portray either 
  approach as inherently superior, though it should 
  raise questions about both. It should also show the 
  dangers of unchecked ambition. Just as a Warlock 
  can sell their soul to the wrong Patron and become 
  corrupted, so too can a Mage become reckless and 
  ignore the safeguards put in place to prevent them 
  from doing harm.
  The story should shed new light on the events play-
  ing out in Yon’Cath, and on events that may have oc-
  curred in Axia’s past. The Clockwork City represents 
  the pinnacle of scientific progress, but the civiliza-
  tion that built it has vanished. Their technological 
  achievements may not have been enough to save 
  them from the power of the Mages. 
  Act 1
  Fayte and the players are given no time to enjoy their 
  accomplishments. As the Well is opened, arcs of re-
  ality distorting energy burst forth in every direction, 
  culminating in an all-consuming flash of impossibly 
  bright violet light.
  When the light fades, Majin finds themself alone. 
  Their key chess pieces, namely Fayte and the par-
  ty, which they’ve worked so hard to maneuver into 
  place, have just vanished into thin air. A howl of pri-
  mal rage bellows from them.
  As the violet light surrounding Fayte and the players 
  fade, they almost hear a furious scream in the back of 
  their minds. Taking in their surroundings, they find 
  themselves in a sand-colored, hexagonal hallway 
  with bronze tracks embedded in the floor. Strange 
  runes are etched into the metal, while the walls are 
  perfectly smooth, to the point that the players could 
  not separate even a single hexagonal brick. 
  Choose a random player, and have everyone roll a 
  low difficult perception check to notice the 6-inch 
  centipede-like creature clinging to their back. This 
  is a Slither-mimic, a creature that can tap into the 
  psyche of nearby beings. If it believes it has a chance 
  to win in a fight, it will fight. If not, it may try to 
  flee. The Slither-mimic's last defense, when feeling 
  like their own death is imminent, is to permanent-
  ly shape-shift into an inanimate object. The form of 
  this object is determined by the scan of its assail-
  ant's mind, in an attempt to look like something they 
  wouldn't destroy.
  Fayte looks confused for a brief moment but remains 
  composed, if a bit sassy, "Oh, Majin’s decided to aban-
  don us to our own little adventure. Fun."
  Seeing as the party is inside a hallway, and Rem Exius 
  has shown itself to be quite versatile in its appear-
  ance, it would be fair to wonder if they've simply 
  been transported to another section of the temple. 
  Fayte will be skeptical of this theory, "That could very 
  well be possible, but the pit in my stomach is telling 
  me otherwise… Or I could just be hungry. It has been a 
  long day after all... I really fancy black bean soup and 
  rice right about now."
  Nevertheless, she brushes the idea of food aside and 
  insists they start walking to try and figure out where 
  they are. The hallway seems to stretch on endlessly in 
  either direction, with other hallways branching off as 
  the players explore. Any rooms they find have been 
  picked clean, and are largely empty. However, they 
  may contain clockwork mechanisms, most of which 
  are inactive and seem too complex to work out or 
  even consider fixing. The ones that do work requires 
  people to manually operate them, but are simple in 
  the results: opening doors, moving trams, elevators, 
  or other minor but useful architectural features. This 
  
  195
  is done by simple machines of gears, cranks, pulleys, 
  and levers. The complex surfaces will be imprinted 
  with intricate patterns that resemble the wiring of a 
  modern circuit board, with empty nodes that look like 
  they should be holding something. 
  Eventually, the party hears the all too familiar sounds 
  of monsters clashing: snarling, growling, hissing, the 
  meaty chunk of a weapon striking hide, the subse-
  quent shriek of pain. 
  Turning the corner, the party sees the source of this 
  violent cacophony. Several creatures resembling the 
  type that was clinging to the player's back. One critical 
  differentiation, however, is that half of the creatures are 
  much larger than six inches, standing about three feet 
  tall and stretching twelve to sixteen feet in length. At 
  the moment they are all focused on a lone figure who 
  appears to be a human man. His clothes are simple, 
  practical, but well made; the type of drab but efficient 
  attire one might wear for an archeological expedition. 
  He lashes out with the pickaxe in his hands, successful-
  ly striking a lunging monster in the center of its head. 
  The other creatures let out wet snarls and move in.
  Fayte will spring into action to lend aid. Assuming 
  the players follow suit: Roll Initiative!
  GM Note
  The ensuing encounter is against a 
  pack of Slither-spines and Slither-
  mimics. The number of each is up to 
  the storyteller, but a low-to-medium 
  difficulty is recommended for this 
  encounter. The man is Jonas Krell, 
  and he can be played as a rogue 
  equal to the level of the party.
  When the encounter ends, Jonas will thank the party and 
  introduce himself. If there are races other than humans 
  in the party, Jonas will pause and sound exhausted.
  “Oh great. Another group has been spat through a 
  Rift. This always happens now and then, come along, 
  come along.”
  A breakdown of information Jonas can willingly 
  provide:
  • 
  The players are in a world called Axia, specifical-
  ly an ancient clockwork city hidden within the 
  floating mountain of Summit. The world of Axia 
  split during the Unraveling, and the fractures 
  and quakes have grown in the decades since. 
  However, the people of Axia don’t know what 
  caused the cataclysm.
  • 
  Jonas is a member of the Scions’ Guild in Sparkstone, 
  a large city located at the mountain’s peak.
  • 
  While his people have spent years exploring the 
  Clockwork City, it remains a mystery who built 
  it. All records of the time before the Unraveling 
  have been lost.
  • 
  Jonas is investigating an earthquake that oc-
  curred several hours ago. The Scions are wor-
  ried that the Rift Keepers may be conducting 
  experiments inside the mountain. 
  • 
  The Scions and the Rift Keepers are at odds. The 
  Scions use scientific means to investigate the 
  physical world, while the Rift Keepers use magic 
  siphoned from the rifts to bend it to their will.
  • 
  Rift magic was discovered around the time of the 
  Unraveling, although the connection between 
  the two is not well understood. 
  • 
  The monsters they just encountered come from 
  the space between planes. They start in infancy 
  as Slither-mimics. The shape-shifting is a de-
  fense mechanism, albeit an imperfect one since 
  they cannot change back. Slither-spines are the 
  adults who have managed to live and grow long 
  enough to “lock-in” their natural form.
  • 
  Though powerful, the Rifts have a destabilizing 
  effect on the world around them. And while the 
  monsters that come through are a nuisance, they 
  are not the worst side effect. The creatures often 
  carry a parasitic fungus with them that can latch 
  on to the organic matter in this world, mutating 
  and corrupting it.
  • 
  The Rift Keepers have no concern over these dan-
  gerous side effects and have recklessly moved 
  forward with their research with no regard for 
  the consequences for Axia. 
  GM Note
  The earthquake was triggered by the 
  players’ actions with the Well of Souls, 
  which opened several Rifts throughout 
  the area, including the one that the 
  players used to enter Axia. However, 
  Jonas does not have that information.
  
  196
  Jonas offers to lead the party out of the Clockwork 
  City and take them to Sparkstone, the city at the 
  mountain’s peak. He hopes the Scion leadership will 
  have the means to get the party back home. He may 
  or may not let it slip that the Rift Keepers could very 
  well help with this, however, they are “devious” and 
  “not to be trusted.” As Jonas gathers his things, point 
  out he seems to be leaving behind what appears to 
  be a tattered notebook. When asked about it, he will 
  remark, “That’s not a notebook. It’s one of the Slither-
  mimics. You can touch it. It’s harmless now. If they 
  transform into an inanimate object, they get stuck 
  that way.” 
  GM Note
  List a few more seemingly ran-
  dom inanimate objects lying 
  around. Perhaps some charac-
  ters will recognize items that 
  were pulled from themselves. 
  Fayte may take it for herself, thinking Majin will find 
  it interesting to study.
  The party reaches a fissure in the mountain that al-
  lows them to climb out of the tunnels and onto the 
  outer slope of the mountain. The slopes are lush and 
  green, with dense forest near the base. The cloud 
  line below the floating mountain is thin, purplish, 
  and resembles smog more than natural clouds. If the 
  players look down, they will see that the world be-
  low is completely fractured, with rivers of lava run-
  ning across the land as the continents drift apart and 
  float into the air. 
  A curious contraption stands near the fissure. It 
  looks like a small round carriage supported by four 
  spider-like, mechanical legs. A rectangular trailer 
  on treads is attached to the back of the contraption 
  via cable. 
  Jonas explains, “This is my crawler. Makes getting up 
  and down the mountain fast and easy. You all can hop 
  in the cargo hold, and I’ll get us to Sparkstone. Oh, and 
  I think it’s best if you don’t display any magical abili-
  ties until I’ve explained the situation. Don’t want peo-
  ple thinking you’re going to attack now.”
  The cargo hold is akin to a livestock trailer, with a 
  row of small chest high windows running along the 
  sides. The latch on the door is flimsy, and not some-
  thing that could be secured against the powers of 
  the player characters. Once everyone is secured 
  inside, Jonas will start up his mechanical crawler 
  and begin to travel up the slope. The ride is bumpy 
  and jostling. Describe the relatively serene scenery, 
  the vibrant, well-forested slope. Perhaps they can 
  see the roofs of a quaint village near the mountain’s 
  base.
  During the travel, have Fayte strike up a conversa-
  tion to check in with the characters and see how 
  they are faring. She will try to calm and encourage 
  anyone who seems to need it. After checking each 
  player, she sighs herself. “There are similarities be-
  tween the fractured people here and back in the 
  Shadelands. A mirroring. If only we could help, but 
  the Shadelands needs us, and Majin is probably 
  screaming up a storm for us to get back. Perhaps we 
  could offer advice.” Give the players a chance to the-
  ory craft on the advice they could give to try and help 
  the place, but if they go too wild, Fayte will remind 
  them that they don’t have long, as they hope to get 
  back home as soon as possible.
  After half an hour of travel, the ground begins to 
  tremble unexpectedly. The trembling progresses to 
  violent shaking as the quake amplifies. Jonas can be 
  seen furiously working the controls of his crawler. 
  There is a thunderous cracking sound as the ground 
  beneath begins to split from left to right. A thin mist 
  of purple vapor erupts from the newly forming fis-
  sure. All players must make a difficult CON save. On 
  a failure, the noxious mist deals 2d6 poison damage 
  and they fall unconscious. Fayte should fail this save.
  The moment this effect takes hold, the jostling of the 
  crawler and trailer amplifies significantly. And with-
  out warning, the cord connecting the two snaps. The 
  trailer begins to careen down the mountainside.
  
  197
  GM Note
  Introducing a “real-time” element to this 
  sequence, giving players only a few seconds 
  to make decisions, is a possible way to inject 
  urgency and tension. 
  Act 2
  The trailer is now hurtling down the slope of the 
  mountain. The players are welcome to try whatever 
  means of slowing their pace they can think of, however, 
  the difficulty of the checks should be high. The uncon-
  scious players remain passed out on the trailer floor. 
  At some point, the trailer comes to a stop. Either it 
  slows to a roll at the mountain base or it crashes into 
  a tree or boulder. The effects of the mist wear off and 
  the unconscious players awaken. 
  Taking stock of their surroundings, the players 
  should find that they've gone quite a way down the 
  mountain. Far back up the slope, they may be able 
  to see a new and massive horizontally running fis-
  sure, a few trails of purple mist still drifting upward. 
  There is no sign of Jonas. 
  A quick survey of their surroundings should reveal a 
  nearby road. It leads off into a dense cluster of trees 
  with a few building roofs and chimneys peaking over 
  the top. A figure emerges, running up the road to-
  ward the party. 
  She is also human and is wearing a dark purple over-
  coat and matching scarf. As she rushes forward, the 
  party can see the concern on her face morph into 
  shock as she takes in the sight of the players. She 
  slows to a walk, now approaching with caution, "You 
  are not from Axia... who are you people?"
  This woman is Riza Skycroft, and she is a Rift Keeper. 
  She will be positively thrilled to learn that the players 
  have come from another world via the Rifts. Sizing 
  the players up, she will hone in on any Warlocks or 
  wizards in the group, "You possess magic, but your 
  magic does come from the Rift, does it? Your magic 
  comes from... somewhere else. So fascinating!"
  Riza will ask the players about how and why they 
  came to Axia. She is open to helping them return 
  home, in exchange for them telling her more about the 
  nature of their magical powers. In the likely event that 
  Jonas or the Scions are mentioned, Riza's expression 
  will darken. She has no hesitation launching into a ti-
  rade on how the Scions are, from her perspective, out 
  of control tyrants trying to control and subjugate the 
  denizens of Summit and Axia. They don't want the Rift 
  Keepers using magic, because they want to keep them 
  under heel. If a player counters by repeating Jonas' 
  expressed concerns over the Rift magic side effects, 
  Riza retorts, "All power comes at a price. Do you mean 
  to tell them there is NO cost for the power you wield? 
  Yes, there are risks, but the alternative is we sit idly by 
  while our world dies, all while the Scions tinker away 
  in their workshops ignoring the plight of our people".
  There are few other pieces of information Riza is 
  willing to reveal:
  • 
  Rift Mages are able to create Rifts in the fabric 
  of reality and can draw energy from the Rift to 
  generate various effects. The Rifts are gateways 
  to other planes of reality.
  • 
  Rift Mages can travel through the Rift, though they 
  always emerge somewhere else in Axia. The pro-
  cess of Rift travel is called Rift Jumping. Jumping 
  is extremely dangerous and Riza admits that she 
  does not know how to do it. If pressed, she will 
  express frustration about the fact that the more 
  senior Rift Keepers left her behind when they 
  jumped and made her walk to the ritual site, as 
  it “builds character.” She waves off and refuses to 
  answer any follow-up questions about this “Site”.
  • 
  She can suggest that the party could use a Rift to 
  return and that the other Rift Keepers might be 
  willing to help. 
  Fayte sits back and remains quiet for the period of 
  discussion, allowing the party to make the decisions. 
  At this point, the party can go with Riza. Or try to 
  head back up the mountain toward Sparkstone, 
  looking for Jonas along the way. 
  Go with Riza
  If the players elect to go with Riza, she will put on 
  a cheery and friendly demeanor. As they walk, she 
  asks many questions of the players, particularly the 
  magic users. She appears to find everything they 
  say utterly fascinating as she leads them back to-
  ward the buildings in the woods. They are revealed 
  to be brick structures, looking more like a cluster 
  
  198
  of modest industrial workshops than a village. The 
  buildings are in good shape, despite the place having 
  an eerie, deserted feel to it. 
  “There’s a hidden entrance to the Clockwork City over 
  in that building.” Riza explains, “The quickest way to 
  catch up with the others is to cut through the moun-
  tain’s interior.”
  She slides open a barn-style door, revealing an open 
  floor workshop. There are tables laden with various 
  materials and items one might use for an arcane rit-
  ual. She heads to the table at the back and pushes it 
  a few feet to the side, revealing a trap door. Beneath 
  the door is a short, well-lit staircase that descends 
  into a rough-hewn tunnel. The dirt-walled tunnel 
  leads inward for about one hundred yards before 
  spilling into one of the hexagonal walled hallways of 
  the Clockwork City. After leading the players down 
  a few hallways, Riza will be unpleasantly surprised 
  to find her intended path blocked by rubble. After 
  a moment of visible frustration, she will insist she 
  knows another way around. From this point, skip to 
  the section: The Clockwork City. 
  Search for Jonas 
  If the party chooses to go back for Jonas, Riza will 
  not hide her revulsion. She’ll spit on the ground and 
  curse the players for aligning with the “Oppressors” 
  as she runs off, creating a burst of purple smoke to 
  cover her retreat.
  The mountain slope is relatively gentle, and the party 
  should not have much trouble climbing up the stretch 
  they fell in the trailer. When they reach the newly 
  formed fissure that split them from Jonas, they will 
  see his crawler parked nearby. It’s four legs appear 
  to have been driven extra deep into the ground as if 
  to securely anchor itself to the mountainside. There 
  is no sign of Jonas, except for a rope ladder tied to the 
  crawler that disappears down into the fissure. 
  Climbing down the ladder, the players will find 
  it ends in one of the hexagonal hallways of the 
  Clockwork City. There is only one way to go as the 
  other is closed off with rubble from the quake (Skip 
  to The Clockwork City).
  The Clockwork City
  Whether the players stuck with Riza or climbed down 
  the rope ladder looking for Jonas, they will eventually 
  end up in the same place: The Control Chamber.
  This section can be as long or as short as the GM 
  wants. The players will move through the hallways 
  and rooms, either following a trail left by Jonas or 
  following Riza’s lead. Whether they encounter any 
  monsters or members of the opposite faction is up 
  to the storyteller. 
  At some point, the players should find themselves step-
  ping into a large, cavernous chamber. Copper pipes 
  run along the walls and across the ceiling. Tall double 
  doors on the opposite wall appear to be the only oth-
  er way out of this room. At multiple points along the 
  walls, there are angled panels with various levers and 
  nobs. 
  If the players were searching for Jonas, they will find 
  him in this room studying one of the control panels. 
  He will be relieved to see the players are alive and 
  explain his excitement over finding this previously 
  undiscovered chamber. 
  If the players are with Riza, she will partially be ex-
  cited and discovering this chamber, but also anxious 
  at the potential of being delayed in meeting up with 
  the other Rift Keepers. 
  The Control Chamber
  The party needs to get the tall double doors open. 
  Some key points to make on the room’s description:
  • 
  Set within the doors are six number wheels, 
  three on each side.
  • 
  There is one short line of lettered runes etched 
  into the door. Once deciphered, they read 
  Nothing Shall Pass
  • 
  There are three levers on either side of the door. 
  Pulling them has no reaction at first.
  • 
  The largest control panel in the room has one 
  lever that’s much larger than the others. A two-
  foot-wide hole has been built into the console 
  next to it. The interior of the hole is pure dark-
  ness. A lightning symbol has been carved into the 
  console next to the lever. And a carving of what 
  almost looks like a centipede rings the hole.
  • 
  There is a four-foot length of pipe that has come 
  loose from one wall. It lays idly on the floor. If 
  one were to trace the path of this pipeline, it 
  would lead to the door.
  Three things need to happen to get the door open:
  1. A Slither-mimic or any by-product of the Rift 
  must be dropped into the intake hole. Once 
  done, the pipes and machinery in the chamber 
  begin to hum with life. Once this happens, steam 
  can be heard whistling from the open end of the 
  pipe that’s missing a section.
  2. The loose length of pipe must be reattached or 
  at least held in place to allow the steam power to 
  travel to the door. 
  
  199
  3. The door code is 000000, which is equal to 
  “Nothing” as in, “Nothing Shall Pass”
  If the party is having trouble with the first step, the GM 
  can include a short, easy encounter with more Slither-
  mimics and possibly Slither-spines here. The goal 
  would be to have one of them inadvertently fall into the 
  intake hole, which makes the machinery come alive.
  Jonas and Riza will be able to offer help in their own 
  unique ways, depending on who is accompanying the 
  party. Jonas can decipher the door runes thanks to all his 
  study of this city, and perhaps he has a device that can 
  detect the unique energies of the Rift. That device will 
  start going off the charts when it scans the intake hole. 
  Riza may be able to assist through her magic. She 
  reaches out into the Rift, granting her the sight to 
  read the runes. Likewise, her sensitivity to the Rift 
  energies will draw her toward the intake hole. 
  GM Note
  Regardless of who the party goes with Fayte 
  will joke, “Two sides of the same coin at one 
  another’s throats, ahh, familiarity!” There is 
  a short chuckle, “As someone who straddles 
  the line between two bullheaded men who 
  have caused the same thing back home… 
  This will end in death and destruction… Do 
  what I did. Find a bunch of handy, friendly 
  adventurers, and hire their help!”
  Once the machinery has been activated, the pipe 
  fixed, and the doors opened, the party may progress 
  into the next room. 
  The Treasure Room
  The room beyond is smaller than the control cham-
  ber. The walls are lined with metal shelves laden 
  with many unfamiliar bits and pieces of clockwork 
  machinery. One set of shelves holds dozens of cop-
  per, bronze, and gold ingots. Supported by a stand 
  in the center of the room is a bronze spear. Familiar 
  clockwork circuitry runs up along the shaft ending 
  below the glimmering double prongs at the top.
  If the party is with Jonas, he will be absolutely beside 
  himself with joy at this discovery. He doesn’t focus 
  on any one thing in particular, but rather will want 
  to bring all of it, or at least as much as can be trans-
  ported with him. 
  If the party is with Riza, she will ignore everything 
  on the shelves. She only has eyes for the spear. Stats 
  for the Spear of Balance are found in the Appendix. 
  If players also want the Spear of Balance, feel free 
  to engage in combat or social combat using the Rift 
  Keeper stats in the Appendix.
  When the party is ready to move on, they should find 
  a relatively quick and straight path through the tun-
  nels, coming to  an open doorway. Stars twinkle in 
  the night sky beyond.
  Act 3 begins when the party exits the Clockwork City.
  Act 3
  The party exits the tunnel into a dense section of for-
  est. Not far ahead, they can make out a clearing with 
  the smoldering remains of several old huts. It looks 
  as if it might have once been a quaint peasant village. 
  There is a flat, stone disc in the center of the clearing 
  that is of Clockwork design, with eight metal pylons 
  rising out of the stone at equal intervals around the 
  edge. Each pylon is generating a beam of violet energy 
  that is targeted on a massive Rift that hovers about six 
  feet above the disc's center. Keen-eyed observers may 
  notice a small hole directly beneath the Rift. 
  Rift Keepers, all clad in dark purple robes, scurry 
  from one makeshift table to another to check notes 
  and take readings from scientific instruments. There 
  is frantic energy to the bustling of it all. Voices are 
  raised in anger, frustration, and fear. The Rift ap-
  pears to be anything but stable, flickering in and out 
  of existence, and crackling with chaotic energy. 
  How the players approach this scene will largely 
  hinge on whether they've aligned themselves with 
  Jonas or Riza.
  Jonas
  Jonas will be immediately tense, almost afraid. He will 
  want to hide in the trees to observe the Rift Keepers, 
  perhaps even try to sneak by them so he can get back 
  to Sparkstone and alert the other Scions. Regardless 
  of what strategy the party attempts, their cover will 
  be blown before they have a chance to leave. At the 
  most inopportune moment, the party is bathed in 
  
  200
  bright light and a voice screams out, "Intruders! My 
  brethren, we have intruders among us!"
  Behind the party, they will see Riza glaring at them 
  with malice, the light is emanating from her out-
  stretched hand. If the players did not bring the spear 
  with them, she will have it clutched in her other hand. 
  Riza
  Riza will be excited and beaming with pride at the 
  site before them. She will triumphantly lead the par-
  ty into the clearing, announcing their arrival. The 
  other Rift Keepers will cease their activity to stare 
  at the newcomers. Any non-human players that are 
  also magic users will be the focus of many wide-eyed 
  stares and hushed whispers. 
  In both scenarios, the party is approached by an older 
  man dressed in robes that are exceedingly intricate 
  and fine, showing he has more status than the rest. 
  This is Astriss Gale, High Guardian of the Rift Keepers. 
  If Jonas is present, Astriss will order two guards 
  to keep an eye on "The Scion" and to "Kill him if he 
  makes an aggressive move."
  Again, in both scenarios, Astriss will begin speaking 
  to the players in a pleasant enough manner. Much 
  like Riza was, he will be excited when he realizes the 
  players come from another world, and will immedi-
  ately ask a series of questions that the players are 
  free to answer as they see fit. Astriss will take fran-
  tic notes throughout the conversation, and will be 
  particularly interested in the subject of Patrons, and 
  whether or not he can secure one for himself. If the 
  players ask about his research, he will be dismissive, 
  saying that it is far too advanced to explain to the un-
  educated. He will not take offense if the players ask 
  about his methods, implying that he does only what 
  is necessary to preserve the future of the people.
  When asked if he can send them back to Rem Exius, 
  Astriss will say honestly that he is not sure, but that 
  he is willing to try if the players can meet his price. 
  He wants to meet a Patron. Any Patron. He may ar-
  gue that if he and his brethren were able to draw 
  power from another source, they would not need 
  to exploit the Rift energies, thus removing the nasty 
  side effects of those methods. 
  Their first obstacle is stabilizing the Rift enough to 
  allow for inter-dimensional travel. The Spear of 
  Balance solves this issue when placed in the hole at 
  the disc's center. The prongs emit a frequency that can 
  hold the Rift steady. The second obstacle is they need 
  something to serve as an Anchor to Yon'Cath. A magical 
  artifact that originates from the Shadelands should 
  do the trick. Astriss will insist it requires two artifacts. 
  GM Note
  Astriss only says it requires two 
  as he wants the second one for 
  himself. This will hopefully al-
  low him to visit Yon’Cath on his 
  own at a later date. A contested 
  Deception roll should occur for 
  this information to be.
  How this plays out is entirely up to the players and 
  how they interact with Astriss. If at any point, he feels 
  there is nothing useful to be gained from the players, 
  he will order his people to attack them. If the play-
  ers arrived with Riza, this is the point when Jonas will 
  be led out to the clearing in shackles. Astriss explains 
  they caught this Scion spy snooping around. 
  In both scenarios, Astriss has the intention to use 
  Jonas as bait, regardless of what is said. A Rift as pow-
  erful as is required to send the party home will always 
  draw some of the monsters that live between the di-
  mensions. Jonas is to be placed beneath the Rift to 
  draw them out, so the Rift Keepers may capture and/
  or kill them for study. Astriss will also try to argue that 
  pulling them out on this end ensures they don’t spill 
  through into the players’ realm. 
  GM Note
  Fayte actively advocates against us-
  ing Jonas as bait. Not only is it an 
  underhanded tactic, but it is also im-
  moral and against her beliefs. There 
  is no way she can be persuaded and, 
  despite her talking out and trying to 
  convince the Rift Keepers, they are 
  unswayed and ultimately ignore her.
  Astriss will not wait for a decision from the players 
  to begin the Rift opening ritual. Of course, any hos-
  tile actions taken by the players will result in the 
  Rift Keepers attacking. He has no intention of letting 
  them leave as there is too much knowledge and pow-
  er to be harvested. 
  
  201
  If the players try to stop him, Riza and other Rift 
  Keepers will be quick to get in their way, protecting 
  the ritual. Astriss’s real plan is to open a Rift that will 
  drop the players into a magically warded holding cell, 
  making them his prisoners. However, as the ritual 
  unfolds, something peculiar happens. The Rift opens, 
  and for a second, it looks as if things are going just the 
  way Astriss had planned. However, the image flickers 
  and then morphs into the chamber outside the Well 
  of Souls in Rem Exius. A familiar blue-faced Tiefling 
  appears in the portal. 
  Majin bellows, “What in the nine bloody hells do you 
  all think you are doing?!” To the players and Fayte, 
  they add, “Quit playing around with these nobodies 
  and get in here!”
  At this point, all hell breaks loose. Slither-spines and 
  Slither-mimics begin to fall out of the Rift. Jonas will 
  be devoured despite Fayte trying to protect him if no 
  one else tries to help and the Rift Keepers will attack 
  the party. The monsters may attack any side, however, 
  they are more likely to attack the players as the Rift 
  Keepers have means of exerting minor levels of con-
  trol over them. Of course, a few Rift Keepers won’t be 
  as adept with that skill, and the Slither-spine they try 
  to control will turn on them. 
  As the battle rages, Astriss should prove to be a for-
  midable opponent (Use the Rift Keeper Stats). When 
  it best suits the moment, Majin will grow frustrated 
  and come through the Rift himself. They help to draw 
  the attention of Astriss, proving as quite the challenge 
  whilst also keeping the Rift open for the party. 
  If the players successfully defeat all other enemies, 
  Astriss will let out a curse, vowing to exact vengeance, 
  not just on the players, but their entire world. With 
  that, he will vanish.
  If the players kill Astriss, then he crumples to the 
  ground, screaming and cursing at the party with 
  his last breaths. Majin rolls his eyes, annoyed with 
  the theatrics, and waves for the party to hurry up. 
  “Unfortunately, death is but a temporary footnote. 
  Resurrection magic is quite vexing.”
  Whether it is learned from a still-living Jonas, Riza, 
  Rift Keeper, or read out of a notebook, the players 
  learn that the Rift can be permanently closed if the 
  pylons are destroyed. The Rift will remain open for 
  just a few seconds after, so they will have to be quick 
  about it. The fate of the Spear of Balance is up to the 
  players and the storyteller. Some other potential loot 
  from the ritual site could be:
  • 
  A small sack of Clockwork Marbles
  • 
  Glassguard Cloaks
  • 
  Glassglaive Axe (A gift from Jonas)
  The adventure ends when the party successfully 
  makes it back to Rem Exius. The link to Axia has now 
  been severed, but knowledge cannot be so easily un-
  done. It will only be a matter of time before someone 
  tries to open the door again.
  But who will be bold enough to make the first at-
  tempt? The Rift Keepers of Axia now know that it is 
  possible to travel to other dimensions, and they may 
  go searching for new worlds to plunder once they are 
  finished with their own. 
  However, the players have also returned with danger-
  ous and forbidden secrets—and there are many more 
  still waiting to be uncovered...
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in
   “Secrets of the Rift” 
  
  Creature Statistics
  Slither-mimic
  A small creature that resembles a 6-10-inch centipede. 
  Its coloring is a shade of purple so dark it is almost black. 
  These creatures are juveniles and will eventually grow into 
  Slither-spines. However, the main defense mechanism is 
  they can scan the thoughts of nearby creatures and trans-
  form into something they feel would not be a threat to 
  preserve their lives. The problem is, if they transform into 
  an inanimate object, they become permanently stuck that 
  way, essentially becoming brain-dead to a degree.
  It is recommended to use the Slither-spine stats and cut 
  all modifiers in half.
  Slither-spine
  The Slither-spine looks like a Slither-mimic, except they 
  are anywhere from 12 to 16 feet in length, with a seg-
  mented body and hard chitin plating. The Slither-spine is 
  a Large creature rather than a Small one. Its body is also 
  covered in sharp quills that can be fired in short bursts. 
  The Slither-spine will try to grapple players and crush 
  them in its many legs. It has a barbed tongue that it can 
  use to grapple players and drag them into melee range. 
  Large Aberration, Chaotic Neutral
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10(+0) 14(+2) 14(+2) 20(+5) 16(+3) 12(+1)
  16(+3) 14(+2) 20(+5) 12(+1) 14(+2) 10(+0)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  16
  84
  30 ft.
  17
  154
  30 ft
  Rift Keeper
  Medium humanoid, lawful neutral
  Saving Throws WIS+7, INT+4, DEX+4
  Senses Passive Perception 13
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24
  Languages Common
  Actions
  Melee Attack. +10 to hit. Deals 13(2d8+4) slashing or 
  bludgeoning damage
  Rift Bolt. +8 to hit. Range 60ft. Deals 21(3d8+8) force damage
  Tether Monster. Rift Keeper attempts to exert mental con-
  trol over a Slither-spine within 30ft that they can see. The 
  monster must pass an INT save against DC19, or they will 
  succumb to the whims of the Rift Keeper. The monster can 
  attempt to break this hold again at the end of each turn. 
  Rift Skip. Bonus Action. Open a small temporary Rift, al-
  lowing Rift Keeper to teleport to an unoccupied space 
  that they can see up to 60ft away.
  Saving Throws CON+9, STR+2, DEX+4, INT+1
  Damage Resistance Acid
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Senses Passive Perception 12, Blindsight 90ft
  Magic Dampening Aura. Any spells cast within 10ft of 
  the monster are made with disadvantage. 
  Siege Monster. Slither-spine attacks deal double damage 
  to inanimate objects and buildings.
  Spider Climb. Slither-spine can walk up walls and across 
  ceilings as if it were normal ground. 
  Actions
  Bite. +12 to hit. Deals 22(3d12) piercing damage. The tar-
  get must make a CON save or become poisoned.
  Barb Snare. Range 30ft. Slither-spine fires three barbs. 
  Each barb creates a small, temporary rift upon impact. 
  These can all be directed at one target or split between 
  multiple targets. +9 to hit. Deals 12(2d6+8) piercing. On 
  a hit, target(s) must make a STR save (DC18) or be pulled 
  through the miniature rift to an unoccupied space next to 
  the Slither-spine.
  Envelope. Range 10ft. The Slither-spine rears up and at-
  tempts to wrap six pairs of sharp, pointed legs. The target 
  must make a DEX save (DC19) to avoid. On a failure, the 
  target is grappled tight. The pointed legs puncture the 
  target, dealing 18(6d6) piercing damage. On subsequent 
  turns, the target can attempt to break free. Every turn 
  they remain grappled, the Slither-spine secretes a cor-
  rosive slime from its underbelly onto the target, dealing 
  10(2d8) acid damage.
  
  Items
  Clockwork Marbles
  Tiny balls of copper and circuitry found within the Clockwork 
  City. They act as air purifiers, creating a safe zone of breath-
  able air roughly six feet in diameter. They cannot be used to 
  breathe underwater but will ward off airborne toxins and 
  dangerous gases. The Crystals also emit a soft purple light 
  that can be used to illuminate dark areas. These objects are 
  linked to Axia, and the players can use them as an anchor 
  should they ever wish to return via a portal. Throwing one 
  into the Rift will create a gateway to Axia, but the process will 
  destroy it so each can only be used once.
  Properties: Illuminates 30ft with low-light. Purifies tox-
  ins from the surrounding air. Can also be used to cast 
  Dimension Door once before it becomes inert, losing all 
  properties forever.
  Glassguard Cloak
  The Glassguard Cloak is a magical accessory that sends a 
  Spell through the Rift to redirect it from one target to an-
  other. To do so, the Cloak creates a Rift in front of the wear-
  er, which swallows the original Spell. The Cloak then opens 
  a second Rift next to its new target, from which the Spell 
  emerges and connects. The Cloak can only redirect a Spell 
  with a single target, and that target must be the wearer. 
  Properties: +1 AC. The wearer gains “Reaction: Once per 
  day, redirect a spell that targets only you to another target 
  within 15 ft.”
  Glassglaive Axe
  The Glassglaive Axe is a magical weapon that automatical-
  ly returns to the player when it is thrown. It can also be 
  thrown through the Rift to strike enemies behind cover. In 
  those instances, the Axe enters a Rift as it is thrown, and 
  then emerges from a second Rift that appears next to its 
  intended target.  
  Properties: Handaxe, returning weapon. Light. Thrown. 
  Deals 1d8 slashing. Provides +2 to hit and +4 to damage 
  when used as a melee weapon. When using Rifts, the axe 
  ignores cover and the thrower does not require line of 
  sight. This ability may be used three times per long rest. 
  Spear of Balance
  A six-foot spear of bronze with two sharp prongs. Unfamiliar 
  circuitry runs along the shaft. Provides a +2 bonus to hit. 
  Deals an extra 1d8 force damage. Spear emits a stabilizing 
  field around its wielder that prevents the weapon holder 
  from being knocked prone or forcibly moved. 
  
  204
  204
  
  Chapter 6
  Fayte’s Aria
  “I’ve always wondered why the first person to discover the Well of Souls called it that. Did he 
  just gaze into the abyss of eldritch energies connecting Patron to Warlock and decided he could 
  drink from it? If so… maybe people can be clever.” —Majin the Betrayer
  ‘Fayte’s Aria’ should serve as a kind of interlude to 
  the adventure. A time when the party can catch their 
  breath and start making better sense of the Opera 
  that’s unfolding all around them. 
  Majin will take them on a tour deeper into the Well 
  of Souls where they have been chronicling the sto-
  ries of anyone, and anything, that’s passed through 
  the Well: Patrons, Gods, Fayte, Dorian, and even the 
  Players (now that they’ve arrived).
  Once they’ve seen Majin’s Mural, they may be left 
  with more questions than answers, but this will 
  serve as a moment to let the Players share their 
  backstories (truthfully, or with some spin of course). 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “Even though my time is spent in the Scarlet 
  Hearth, I can feel the similarities, the connection, 
  the desperation that ties these places together.”
   — Fayte the Shield Maiden
  The first act is the aftermath of the realignment at the 
  Well of Souls. The party can see clearly that Fayte is 
  different. Infused with power after connecting with 
  her Patron in a fashion that no warlock has ever en-
  joyed (being so very close to the source of all pacts). 
  She eagerly wants to reunite with Dorian now that 
  she seemingly carries the burden of maintaining the 
  Well, to see if he’s changed, if he can be truly saved 
  from his madness. 
  But Majin isn’t quite done with her—or the party. In 
  the second act, after regrouping and resting, they will 
  insist that the party take a detour through a different 
  wing of Rem Exius. Fayte is powerless to resist the 
  call of her Patron. Majin leads them to a grand mural 
  carved in stone. Not only are the well-known stories 
  What can the Players do with all this knowledge 
  they’ve been blessed with? Before them, who else 
  could have possibly known about this place? Dorian 
  of course. The Accursed King. The keeper of the Well. 
  After witnessing the swirling, torrential overload of 
  power in the previous Act, it should be no wonder 
  why he went mad. 
  It’s all under control now, however. It’s all now in 
  Fayte’s capable hands. At least, she seems to believe 
  so. Her conviction is stronger than it’s ever been.
  After following along Majin’s detour in the Well of 
  Souls, the party will need to exit the Labyrinth and 
  return to Yon’Cath.
  of the Shadelands and the Gods themselves on full 
  display, but the Players’ stories as well… if they look 
  closely enough.
  Or maybe it’s all a trick, part of Majin’s grand exper-
  iment, to see if mortals would lie when given the 
  chance.
  Act 3 involves their escape from Rem Exius. The par-
  ty may very well want to venture back here some 
  other time, to speak with Patrons, to study the Mural 
  again (as Majin has). But for now, Fayte will remind 
  them that the war may still be going on, that people 
  may still be dying, that Dorian can now be reasoned 
  with. She’s sure of it.
  FAYTE'S ARIA
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  206
  The Setting
  “At least you could spend a few thousand years 
  here and never really get bored. It changes 
  as the realms change, so there is always a 
  discovery to be had—even if food can be scarce.” 
  — Majin the Betrayer
  Once more centered away from Yon’Cath, inside Rem 
  Exius, between the planes of existence... ‘Fayte’s Aria’ 
  is a chapter of the Red Opera that further illustrates 
  the immensity, complexity, and ultimate impor-
  tance of this place. Here, in the Shadelands, lit by the 
  Elemental Dance, caressed by the ever-flowing waters 
  of the Rush, the Well of Souls should truly feel like a 
  monumental set piece. 
  Majin’s Mural is the highlight of this act’s setting. It can 
  only be accessed by a passage from the Well’s main 
  chamber, leading onto a bridge that spans the void. 
  As they cross it, the lights from the Well’s chambers 
  dim, and the lights of the Aurora Borealis gain focus, 
  but here it is brighter and purer, undiluted perhaps by 
  the light of the city. And further still, they arrive at the 
  mural. On one side of the bridge, a waterfall, and on 
  the other, a sheer cliff face, but with an enormous mu-
  ral carved into it, depicting all of the elemental planes, 
  the pantheons of Gods throughout every realm loom-
  ing tall across idyllic scenery, bestowing their bless-
  ings to meager mortals. 
  
  207
  Act 1
  It should be clear to the Players that Fayte has 
  changed. A radiance surrounds her, and Majin 
  couldn’t be happier. Fayte will say that, with these 
  new-found powers swelling in her, she understands 
  now why Dorian has fallen from his path. It is a 
  heavy burden, aligning the power of Patrons as it 
  flows through the Well, and she’s ready to carry it 
  for him now. She wants to leave as soon as possible, 
  to see how Dorian has been affected, and to see how 
  the battle fares with the Knight Captain. Perhaps the 
  two sides can find peace.
  But Majin has other plans, for now. While they’re all 
  here, why not take a little detour on their way out. 
  There is still much to explore. Majin wants to show the 
  party something. Majin wants them to… understand.
  Majin says, “There is a place here, something no one 
  has ever seen. A tapestry. It’s just this way.” Because 
  Majin is her Patron, Fayte will be powerless to resist 
  (again, the Players may not have figured this out yet, 
  so keep dropping as many hints as you can).
  Rather than leading them out the way they came—
  the expansive void littered with steppingstones—a 
  new passage has been revealed, all due to the broken 
  rubble of the Well’s pillars being realigned. As the 
  party ventures a little deeper through the labyrinth 
  along this new path, aberrant beasts lurking in the 
  shadows slink away or even appear to bow at their 
  passing. The sound of rushing waters can be heard 
  ahead, and the path soon becomes a bridge. 
  They have arrived at Majin’s Mural. Describe the 
  seemingly endless carvings in the sheer cliff face 
  along one side—depicting all the stories of gods 
  and Patrons and those who’ve passed through the 
  Well—and the ever-flowing waterfall on the other, 
  materializing from nothing above and tumbling into 
  nothing below. Allow the Players to ask if they can 
  find so-and-so renowned figure, reward them with 
  knowledge that they can glean from studying the 
  mural. Retell the rise and fall of Gods and heroes. 
  But perhaps most importantly, on Majin’s mural, the 
  Players will find Dorian, Fayte, and themselves. For 
  anyone who has ever passed through the Well (Gods 
  and Patrons powers are a part of them after all) ap-
  pears on Majin’s Mural.
  
  208
  Act 2
  This is a chance for your Players to see the stories of 
  their party comrades. Since you, as the GM, have read 
  each of the Player's “Letter Home,” you should de-
  scribe the carvings on the mural cryptically, allowing 
  the Player to choose how much or how little they wish 
  to expose or leave unexplained. These moments can 
  last as long or as little as the party dictates, of course. 
  But by describing the life of one character as it’s de-
  picted on the mural, you will likely entice the other 
  Players to dig a little further, or perhaps even resolve 
  conflicts among them (or create new ones).
  When it comes to Fayte’s story on the Mural, the 
  players can watch as it branching trees write them-
  selves in real-time into the stone…then at times 
  crumble away (only to be rewritten a different way). 
  This happens for hours on end. Her past is set in 
  stone, but the future for her seems to constantly be 
  branching and wild (much like a players would be); 
  but always has a hint of tragedy near the end. Any 
  divination magic or players with abilities that reflect 
  foretelling might gain a more clear prophecy of the 
  multiple endings that await them, or perhaps advan-
  tage on a dice roll dealing with divination. 
  If the Players ask whether Majin’s story is carved 
  upon the mural, they will always fail a perception 
  check because it is not there. If they ask why, Majin 
  will try to play it off, responding with something 
  to the effect of “Why would I make note of myself? 
  Through the Well, I’ve observed so many things and 
  studied others. If I wanted to study myself, I’d look in a 
  mirror or keep a diary. Or both.”
  Although it seems short, and that there is no ‘action’, 
  this part of Chapter 6 may require a lot of time, both 
  in-game and out. Keep in mind the longer the Players 
  spend in the Well of Souls gleaning information from 
  Majin’s Mural, the longer the battle rages back in 
  Yon’Cath. After some time has passed, when you 
  think the Players have learned all they can for now - 
  or perhaps missed enough opportunities to learn or 
  even failed enough times in the attempt - have Fayte 
  remind them of LaCroix’s plan, and their need to vis-
  it The Accursed King now that the Well is realigned.
  To pass some time and also to distract the players from 
  nosy questions, Majin can conjure a large table laden 
  with a hearty feast. The players can rest, eat, drink, and 
  maybe play a game? Majin is, perhaps unsurprisingly, 
  a big fan of games (and food). Here are a few options 
  (in order from more simple to more complex):
  Beggar's Bluff
  Each player antes 10 gold. Then they all roll a secret 
  d4. This roll determines their odds for the next roll. 
  Each player will have a chance to raise the stakes, 
  match, or fold. Players who rolled a 4 get to roll a 
  d12, those who rolled a 3 get a d10, those with a 2 
  get a d8, and those who rolled a 1 get a d6. Everyone 
  rolls their respective die and the high number takes 
  the pot. On a tie, the tied players re-roll.  
  Rock Bottom
  Everyone starts with the same (small) amount of 
  money in front of them. They each roll a secret d12. 
  Then there is a round of betting. Then they roll a 
  d8. Another round of betting. The dice are revealed. 
  Highest total "wins". However, the game doesn't end 
  until someone "loses" all their money. That play-
  er actually wins the whole game, taking every gold 
  piece on the table. 
  Commander's Gamble
  This is a one vs. one game. Larger groups should pair 
  off in an elimination tournament fashion. Each play-
  er is a "Commander" with three soldiers represent-
  ed by a d20, a d12, and a d6. There are three rounds 
  of combat and best two of three wins the battle. Each 
  die can only be rolled once per battle. The Player 
  chooses the order they roll in. Players do not reveal 
  which die they are rolling until after it is rolled. A 
  Player can roll two die in one round to enhance their 
  chances of victory, but this guarantees a loss in an-
  other round. Example battle:
  Round 1
  Player A rolls d20, scoring 13
  Player B rolls d12, scoring 10
  Round 2
  Player A rolls d12 and d6, scoring 11
  Player B rolls d20, scoring 14
  Round 3
  Player A has no roll
  Player B rolls d6, scoring 2
  Player B won 2 of 3, winning the battle.         
  
  209
  Act 3
  At this point, there are likely three defining scenarios:
  1. The party has figured out who/what Majin tru-
  ly is (the well itself, and Fayte’s ‘new’ Patron) and 
  feels that is too much power so they are planning 
  to resist Majin’s ascension.
  They are leaning toward wanting to regroup with 
  the Knight Captain, armed with this new knowledge. 
  Maybe he can figure out a way to end this insanity! 
  To save his love interest the Shield Maiden from the 
  ‘trap’ she’s fallen into.
  2.  The party has figured out Majin, and they feel 
  they want to be a part of their ascension.
  Swearing pacts to them or otherwise choosing to 
  go along with it, for now. They are leaning toward 
  wanting to confront Dorian the Accursed King and 
  somehow setting the Shadelands aright.
  3. The party still hasn’t figured out Majin’s secret 
  power/identity.
  But that’s all right - they are perhaps intrigued by 
  the potential power they can gain by revisiting the 
  Well and manipulating its secrets. Now they want to 
  truly put the nail in the Accursed King’s coffin and 
  steal his powers over the Well for themselves, and 
  so they move to accompany Fayte to him with this 
  ulterior motive in mind.
  This chapter is not so much about running an en-
  counter as it is about the Player’s making a crucial 
  choice now that even more of the truth has become 
  apparent. In any case, this is a turning point in the 
  campaign. But all paths should point to a desire to 
  confront the Accursed King. Whether that be to gain 
  knowledge about their perceived enemy, put an end 
  to him once and for all, help the Shield Maiden save 
  him, or any other reason. 
  Now that the Well is realigned and fixed (for the 
  moment), the Players themselves should be curious 
  about how the war is going back in Yon’Cath. 
  
  210
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  No combat is scripted for Chapter 6. The Players will 
  have to seek it out on their own as part of a side-
  quest. This adventure is about taking a rest from 
  combat and making choices. If the Players want it, 
  sidequests are always a possibility. 
  Sidequest Potential: During the journey along the 
  new path from the Well, one form of monster seems 
  to appear more often than others: The iconic Mimic. 
  Of course, the Players won’t know that the mimic is 
  here, but in an astral plane filled with dreams and 
  flowing thoughts, Mimics are a natural inhabitant—
  albeit young. Let the party encounter a few Mimics 
  learning to change form and steal from the thoughts 
  of people before entering the Material Plane.
  Exploration does not just revolve around revealing 
  tiles on the map. Here, we explore the characters’ 
  pasts, Majin’s mural, and other revelations about 
  Fayte. As the storyteller, spend as much of this session 
  as you wish to go over the motives of the Opera and 
  the various characters (including the PC’s pasts)! 
  Sidequest Potential: Playing matchmaker. When 
  Majin has the party near their mural or elsewhere in 
  the Well of Souls, let the party start hearing the des-
  peration of a would-be Warlock's futile attempts at 
  necromancy to bring back his sister. His wishes travel 
  along the threads and enter the Obsidian Rush, flow-
  ing through. Let the Players pick which Patron those 
  wishes end up on. Who will answer that kid’s call? 
  Inadvertently, this also showcases the influence that 
  Majin has over the realm. And, it can serve as an en-
  ticement to power if the Players later choose to side 
  with Majin or try to seize the Well for themselves. 
  With plenty of opportunities for conversation, re-
  reading all the character bios is probably a good 
  idea before this adventure. The party will have many 
  questions about Fayte and why Fayte wishes to re-
  turn to Dorian’s side—even if she’s fallen out of love. 
  Maybe she’s reconsidering. Maybe she never truly 
  stopped loving the Accursed King, only couldn’t love 
  what he was becoming... Either way. The other social 
  bits that can happen deal with spying on other war-
  locks in the world. Who knows what kind of secrets 
  the party can obtain for future blackmail?
  Sidequest Potential: Liar’s Night is a popular festival 
  centered around Halloween. Masks, deception, and 
  lies run the show—along with trickery. If the party 
  can convince Majin to show them, Majin can reveal a 
  Liar’s Night ball with NPCs from the character’s past 
  and what they are up to. This can serve as some fun 
  fan service for past campaigns the characters have 
  been in or a bit of hanging mystery for what’s to come.
  
  211
  
  212
  212
  
  Chapter 7
  Theme Of The Betrayer
  “Can you not feel the winds of change? Centuries of history about to be 
  erased with but a whisper.” — Majin the Betrayer
  Returning to Yon’Cath, the party will learn the state 
  of the Shadelands as they are thrust into social chess 
  within the Accursed King’s court. ‘Theme of the 
  Betrayer’ focuses on the shifting nature of power as 
  Majin and Fayte have both been upgraded. Fayte now 
  holds the ability to change the tide of the war herself, 
  and now she needs the political influence to do so. 
  While Majin has found in her, and the party, the piec-
  es they can move along the board as they please...
  Designed as a court-based session, you are going to 
  have a variety of NPCs for the party to engage with. 
  A quick storytelling trick is to write down: Sleepy, 
  Drowsy, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Curious 
  down on a sheet of paper. Any time an NPC is talking, 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “The Shadelands was built on bones of those 
  who hated Warlocks, and I’ve no problem adding 
  LaCroix to the pile. What’s this rumor about 
  Fayte traveling with him?”
   — Dorian the Accursed King
  Act 1 returns the characters to Yon’Cath. Weeks have 
  gone by while the characters were in another realm, 
  and what began as a relatively straightforward con-
  flict between two clearly defined sides has splintered 
  into a many-faction, multifaceted affair. Enough time 
  has passed that other nations have even begun to get 
  engaged. The journey of Act 1 is heading into the cit-
  adel and introducing the characters found within the 
  Court—namely the Accursed King.
  In Act 2, the party will be given the objective of re-
  cruiting political and merchant support for Fayte. 
  Unlike the Knight Captain, Fayte’s coup is less about 
  betraying the King (though it could be), and more 
  drag your finger down the list and grab one of those 
  emotions to channel. It will help increase diversity in 
  your characters. 
  This chapter will rely heavily on improv storytelling. 
  The dialogue trees are not scripted out (intentional-
  ly so), because at this point the party of characters 
  should have their own motive. Luckily for us sto-
  rytellers, we can probably guess where the Player 
  characters are leaning at this stage and choose to 
  either flip the script or funnel them along their path. 
  The sidequest Performance In Tatters has been in-
  cluded at the end of the chapter and can be played 
  out during this chapter...
  about restoring balance. Their challenge is that each 
  other person senses a chance to ascend or earn favor.
  No political dealings in Yon’Cath would be complete 
  without involving Patrons. Patrons featured earlier 
  in the campaign return, furious about their access 
  in the Scarlet Hearth being cut off, and lay demands 
  that are vast in scope. Some may be particularly an-
  gry at the party. Perhaps when the party made deals 
  with them in Chapter 2, the Patrons didn’t realize 
  this would result in sacrificial offerings being cut off.
  Much like the merchants, guardsmen, and nobles—
  the party’s goal is to recruit as much as they can.
  At the end of the adventure, we will tally up the political 
  points earned in each camp and see who rises on top.
  THEME OF THE BETRAYER
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  214
  The Setting
  “My reverence for life will surely mean your end. Pity 
  that you won’t see your treason in the same light.” 
  — Dorian the Accursed King
  Returned from Rem Exius, the party stands back on 
  the surface of the Nameless Black Sea and gazes upon 
  a very changed Yon’Cath. Most notably, there are few-
  er buildings and more smoldering pyres where build-
  ings used to be. Military encampments now dot the 
  horizon to the south as other nations have arrived, 
  hungry for new power and influence. The sharks 
  smell blood. Warfare is raging through the country-
  side. Given the nature of the Shadelands, this conflict 
  is more akin to modern warfare. White Dragons from 
  the Iceborne Imperium fly overhead like an air force, 
  making flanking runs on Warlocks who perform ar-
  tillery strikes with eldritch blast. Religious zealots of 
  the Radiant Brigade march across the tundra, seek-
  ing to stamp out any infernal Warlock "heretics" they 
  may find. The few clerics and healers that exist are 
  in high demand, and often have to run for their lives 
  from assassins who are hired to kill them. 
  Within this chaos, the Accursed King is having 
  emergency sessions within the Impossible Spire. 
  GM Note
  In the time the party has been away, Dorian has, 
  for the most part, reforged his alliances with the 
  Patrons. The Accursed Guards now have their full 
  spell capabilities restored from here on out.
  Overlooking the world, merchants, guild leaders, gen-
  erals, and nobility scream at each other as old allianc-
  es break and new ones are forged. Every bit of balance 
  in the Shadelands has tipped, and even the Spire feels 
  as if it is about to tumble. Instead of finding opulence 
  and avarice, Dorian’s court is practical, stark, and 
  ominous. 
  No alcohol can be found within the Impossible Spire 
  (something which many nobles grouse about), and 
  the food consists entirely of seeds from various fruits, 
  namely pomegranates. Many within the hall suffer 
  from hunger, as the King prefers to keep his men on 
  the streets fed rather than the spoiled nobles within. 
  Describe the King’s halls as sparse, but always smell-
  ing of spices with an aroma of cinnamon on the air. 
  
  215
  Act 1
  Standing on the Nameless Black Sea, the party (and 
  newly empowered Fayte), will be greeted with the re-
  ality that time has not moved linearly for them. The 
  Shadelands is violently erupting in conflict from all 
  sides. Banners from other nations to the south dot the 
  horizons. Other magical forces have stepped onto the 
  battlefield, such as arcane wizard guilds, or merce-
  nary sorcerers—perhaps to test their mettle, perhaps 
  to bury old grudges. No war would be complete with-
  out the presence of deities demanding their clerics 
  forge a path in battle or help the innocent. Called to 
  the crusade of the Shadelands, witch hunts take place 
  in the streets. With no chance of survival to the north 
  of them, the armies of Yon’Cath are caught in a cruci-
  ble of conflict with no way out other than victory. 
  As the party walks the water back to the city, Majin 
  and Fayte insist they go to the Impossible Spire to 
  confront Dorian. “We go as diplomats… request an au-
  dience with the Accursed King. This is not an assault.”
  The characters might be itching to unleash their 
  powers and make an impact on the battlefield, but 
  they will be whisked away—forcibly if needed—into 
  court. As tempting as it may be to race off to war, the 
  party could best be served by helping Fayte pull her 
  political clout back together. She is, after all, practi-
  cally the governor of the Shadelands, and she needs 
  the support now more than ever. 
  If the argument becomes focused on saving the Knight 
  Captain or finishing the mission he gave them, Fayte’s 
  response is "LaCroix would agree that we should press 
  on, if he were here. We’re already half-way to the Spire, 
  and we’ve lost enough time.” Or, more bluntly, “Look 
  around you! Clearly, his plan’s gone to shit! We all have 
  more pressing matters now, LaCroix included.”
  The party reaches the shoreline, climbing over the 
  ridge of jagged black rock. When they step down 
  onto the city street, as if on cue, Amadan, the Patron 
  of Gambled Souls will step out from the shadows. He 
  has no weapon drawn, no arcane energy crackling in 
  their eyes, their hands held out in a peaceful manner.
  “Finally! I’ve been stuck waiting here for over a 
  week… My Lord and King, Dorian, Savior of the 
  Shadelands, would like to formally invite you all to a 
  gathering he’s hosting.”
  Amadan is featured in the Patron chapter and has 
  many complicated motivations, but ultimately is 
  loyal to the King. He sees this as a chance to make 
  a gamble with Fayte (and perhaps the party) so he 
  can finally best her—entirely unaware of the full 
  stakes. Use this window as a storyteller to provide 
  a contrary look into Patrons and Warlocks through 
  Amadan by playing up that risks are involved in ev-
  erything. The Patron of Gambled Souls should pro-
  vide a sarcastic take on events, often casting the par-
  ty and the legionnaires in a less than stellar light. No 
  matter what though, Amadan is not hostile, nor even 
  Fayte’s true enemy. Just another Patron who wants 
  to add their two cents in and get in on the action be-
  fore it’s too late. As such, Amadan entirely wishes to 
  be their herald into the Impossible Spire—and the 
  group doesn’t have much choice in that manner.
  The Impossible Spire is guarded by several layers of 
  Prismatic Effects to shield it from the outside battle. 
  Whilst the part might expect the sentries stationed 
  about the Spire to cast wary or even hostile glares 
  toward them, this is not the case. The other Accursed 
  Guards appear surprisingly relieved to see Fayte. For 
  the past several days, the King has demanded the 
  audience of many (even the opposition) for them to 
  hash out what is happening. So much has changed in 
  the short time the party has been gone.
  In the stark, vast, stone halls, dozens of leaders are 
  ripping the carcass of the Shadelands political scene 
  apart for their own benefit. When a nation is crum-
  bling, people do not come to save it, but rather con-
  quer it, and here is no different. 
  When the party enters: Have a bard pause and give 
  each character a personalized announcement into 
  court. Their past deeds, their name, what they’ve 
  done, and where they come from if possible. Play up 
  a little showmanship and do your best to curry favor 
  with the PCs. If the party thanks the Bard or offers to 
  tip him, give the P’s advantage on any rolls to learn 
  information about who-is-who for the rest of the act. 
  Little deeds go a long way here.
  Dorian the Accursed King sits on his short throne 
  that flows with the waters from the Obsidian Rush. 
  Nothing in his chambers suggests he is an elaborate 
  or rich man, but a practical warrior who is pious in 
  nature. His long hair is tied neatly with a red bow 
  that fastens midway down his back. The King’s most 
  notable features are his leather gloves and his eyes. 
  Black leather gloves that absorb the light around 
  
  216
  GM Note
  NPCs: The following list contains significant NPCs 
  for the party to influence later in this act. It is high-
  ly recommended that there be at least 7-8. In the 
  first act, spend the time to simply introduce them. 
  If you have existing NPCs from another nation or 
  outside forces from past campaigns you wish to 
  use feel free! Quiven Luxx is a crucial presence and 
  Cordelia, Alios, Ulka Resh, Snow, and Mingani Lilt 
  are recommended for use as they represent some 
  of the Shadelands political muscles that the party 
  has interacted with.
  You can move right to Part 2: ‘Political Chess’ and 
  introduce the NPC’s as the characters meet them, 
  or give them the information upfront about who-
  is-who. Save the longer bio for when the players 
  actually converse.
  Cordelia
  Female Elf, Captain of the Accursed Guard: Cordelia is 
  a fit woman, almost Aasamir in nature, with knee-high 
  plated armor boots and a blue French military coat. 
  The threads of magic are woven into every fiber, and 
  it certainly enhances her beauty. Politically, Cordelia is 
  the right hand of the Accursed King and the General 
  for the Shadelands armies. While they have been los-
  ing of late, it is a testament and a marvel to her skill 
  that they’ve held on for this long against odds that con-
  tinue to grow against them. She’s a quick-witted wom-
  an who isn’t afraid to swear in court, and even make 
  jovial light of their situation. It may come as a surprise 
  to the party to learn that her Patron is a Satyr Arch-Fey. 
  While Cordelia is loyal to Dorian, she recognizes that 
  his time on the throne is coming to an end. If he abdi-
  cates the throne, she is willing to step up and preserve 
  his legacy and hang the traitorous Knight Captain. 
  Quiven Luxx
  Male Elf, Field Marshal of the Legionnaires: The point-
  ed tip of his right ear is missing. His face looks as bat-
  tle-hardened and weary as is possible for a nigh-im-
  mortal elf. He is not clad in full regalia but wears modest 
  navy robes fastened with a golden brooch bearing the 
  Legionnaire Signet. Fayte would be quite stunned to 
  see him here, as he is one of LaCroix’s highest-ranking 
  officers. He will come to her and the party to explain 
  himself before them all have a chance to confront him. 
  He states he is here representing the interests of the 
  Legionnaires. If pressed further, he will reveal he con-
  siders himself loyal to the Knight Captain’s cause, how-
  ever, he fears LaCroix, the man, has allowed himself to 
  be consumed by personal feelings and rage. Quiven is 
  concerned LaCroix is no longer making the best de-
  cisions for the long term well-being of their people. 
  “I was a Warlock-bastard doing bastard things before 
  LaCroix was even born. But I left that life and followed 
  him because I believed in him. I believed in his cause… I 
  still do. But the fact is, I will be here, the Shadelands will 
  be here, long after his short human life is spent. Someone 
  has to ensure the safety of the people.”
  Alios
  Cleric of Mask, Guild Leader of Patron's Pass: The 
  party will recognize Alios from their earlier adven-
  tures, and it is no surprise that the cunning cleric of 
  thieves is having a field day here. Since the party last 
  saw him, Alios has had his guild assassinate or taken 
  over anyone with a passing interest in Patron's Pass. 
  That bridge (even on both sides and in some of the 
  other nations’ armies) is entirely his—along with the 
  entire rogue’s and assassin’s guild. His motive for be-
  ing here is simple curiosity and a desire to keep other 
  religions out of the Shadelands… but he’s open to ne-
  gotiations on that. Alios knows he has territory, guild, 
  and information for sale, so he’s here to barter and 
  broker to the right bidder. Not the highest. As Cleric 
  of Mask, Alios doesn’t care who has the most coin 
  (he’ll steal it from them if he really wants), but rather, 
  who can make the world a more colorful and inter-
  esting place. Who will tip the scales of balance and 
  put the beggar as the king? At the start of this adven-
  ture, Alios has chosen no side. He may have a sarcas-
  tic comment or two for the party, seeing as their last 
  interaction ended with him expressing his desire for 
  this matter to be handled with a degree of secrecy. He 
  waves vaguely toward the battered and bruised city 
  below and quips. “So, that’s your idea of stealth, is it?”
  Ulka Resh
  Male Orc, Guild Leader of the Black Span: Resh still has 
  his gnarled wooden staff with him to help get around, 
  and a handkerchief stuffed in his dark trouser pocket, 
  them are in stark contrast to his hazel eyes that cut 
  through the room, one of which is blind. Behind those 
  eyes, is a calculating mind that is neither insane nor 
  mad, but rather filled with a cold fury of curiosity. No 
  insight check is needed to understand what the King 
  is thinking: How do I get out of this mess?
  Fayte and Majin will excuse themselves from the 
  party to go speak to the King, but before leaving, 
  Fayte will implore the characters to figure out who 
  is here and shake hands. Once she talks to Dorian, 
  they’ll have a plan. 
  
  217
  just peeking out. His dark blue clothing makes this 
  warlock’s scarred ancient grey skin seem slightly pal-
  er, or perhaps more silver. He has softened his hard-
  line stance as a supporter of the King but is still loyal. 
  Currently, this orc is eyeing up support for Cordelia 
  or even another martial nation to help restore some 
  balance here. His larger concern is that of the Patrons 
  themselves and the arcane energies swirling around 
  the Shadelands. Resh is a member of the court who 
  sense that something is different in Fayte and Majin, 
  and is worried about what happens when kingdoms 
  of wizard’s war. Often all that is left is a desert, and 
  he’s seen that once before. Resh has no interest in 
  being King but desires a strong ruler who is willing 
  to bring martial law, even if it is the Knight Captain. 
  Much of his demeanor toward the party will be deter-
  mined by how their last interaction went. 
  Snow
  Female Wood Elf Ranger, Guild Leader of Stone’s Leg: 
  Her dark complexion and near ivory-black hair helps 
  her sharp, frosty blue eyes to be accentuated whist a 
  smirk nags at the corner of her mouth. She dons the 
  white cloak that is standard to her rangers, the white 
  shirt, leather trousers, and brown boots are nearly 
  hidden underneath. Unlike the other two guild lead-
  ers, Snow has a little more ambition. As the center of 
  commerce, culture, and life that gives Yon’Cath the vi-
  brant culture that it’s known for—Snow wants to be 
  queen. The way she sees it, the Shadelands should not 
  be ruled by a single party, but rather several parties 
  in council to represent the diverse world they live in. 
  She’ll admit that could lead to a bogged down council 
  that does nothing but argue, but it is better than every-
  one relying upon one person to balance the whims of 
  all the Patrons. Snow has been hard at work building 
  support with other nations and offered up many trade 
  deals already. At the start of this act, Snow has her 
  own ambitions but will support the Knight Captain. 
  GM Note
  If things went so bad that it in-
  volved combat and the possible 
  death of Resh, his successor would 
  be present… and perhaps eager to 
  thank those who cleared the path 
  for him/her to rise to power
  Mingani Lilt
  Female Gnome, Leader of the Assassins Guild: A short 
  but slim woman with a bronzed complexion, a red-tint-
  ed nose, and a scar running from the left-top of her neck 
  almost to the left corner of her lips. Her dirty blonde 
  hair covers the collar of her dark red tunic, the sleeves 
  tucked into leather gloves and brown pants into black 
  leather boots. She was one of the last people to see the 
  party before they supposedly disappeared. She speaks 
  closely to Alios for a moment with the utmost respect 
  and, the Players may find out that he is the head hon-
  cho of the Guild she leads, she just handles tasks when 
  he can’t call the shots. All this turmoil seems to be thor-
  oughly amusing to her. She may very well be the warm-
  est and welcoming to the party. She’s tickled to see 
  them alive and presents comments as such, “I would’ve 
  bet me whole purse that you all was dead.””
  Torrad Lightmaker
  Male Kaldenkind, Representative for the Rustic 
  Bloods, the loose collection of rural communities. A 
  six-and-a-half-foot tall, humanoid, bear with white 
  fur that carries a slight blue tint. He wears dark green 
  harem pants which are tucked into brown boots with 
  fur lining the top, and a small jacket that covers just 
  his shoulders and the upper half of his back, the edg-
  es lined with thick fur. Whilst a Warlock himself, he 
  represents the smaller settlements from the outer 
  tundra’s, the forests, the mountains. These are plac-
  es that have successfully achieved relative peace and 
  balance with the Shadelands. They are not big fans 
  of Yon’Cath in general and are especially upset with 
  the current chaotic state of affairs. The leaders of 
  Yon’Cath are too greedy and power-hungry in their 
  eyes. “The peace and balance that we who are living 
  outside of Yon’Cath have managed to cultivate… We 
  don’t want our homes, our lives, destroyed.”
  Milicent Canterfeld
  Female Human, Bursar for the Scarlet Hearth: She 
  wears the red robes of a temple fanatic, but her face 
  screams “Accountant”. Her hair is pulled back so tight 
  it looks like it’s straining to stay in place. She’s wear-
  ing thick, round glasses and carrying a hefty ledger 
  and, yet again, here is someone surprisingly pleased 
  to see the party. After assaulting, commandeering, and 
  then shuttering her temple, anyone would think she’d 
  hate the party, but she fawns over Fayte. Even drops 
  hints that she might want Fayte to take a ruling posi-
  tion over the Shadelands. “Oh yes yes yes… that little 
  misunderstanding. It’s all Rush under the Bridge, if you 
  will. No sense getting all worked up over a little spilled 
  blood. We’ve more important matters to discuss.”
  
  218
  Master Ridgewell Becket
  Male Ghost, Librarian: The Party and Ridgewell 
  would be surprised to see each other. He’s just hap-
  py to be floating out and about and not all cooped up 
  in the library. 
  Iorfaan Shimbaac
  Male Dragonborn Barbarian, Leader of the Brute’s 
  Guild in Yonder: A hulking mass of brass-colored 
  scales. Iorfaan and his loosely organized army of 
  muscle-for-hire thugs don’t care who “wins” this 
  conflict, as long as there are fights to be had and his 
  people are getting paid to have them. 
  Vywin L'Aanise 
  Female Elf, Vice Admiral of the Iceborne Imperium: 
  Her skin is so pale it is almost blue, only amplified 
  by the dark blue and white mottled cloak with a sil-
  ver trim, which shelters a pale iron breastplate. Her 
  nation borders the Shadelands to the northwest. 
  They appreciate order, despise chaos. Yon'Cath in 
  general and this current conflict in particular, are 
  a source of frustration for them. The chaos of the 
  Shadelands often bleeds into their territory. The 
  white dragons prowling the skies above are under 
  her command. Vywin will be looking to support 
  whoever she feels offers the best chance of bringing 
  lasting peace to this realm.
  Khouryn Brickfoot
  Female Dwarf, Proprietor of the Cracked Pact: She 
  peers over opaque black spectacles, forever chewing 
  on an unlit cigar, a smug grin permanently fixed to her 
  face. Her grey shirt is untied at the top and half-tucked 
  into brown pants, which cover the leather straps of 
  her closed-toe brown sandals. She and Majin are not 
  fans of each other. They find her practice of breaking 
  and swapping Patron deals utterly offensive.
  Mazokai the Just
  Male Aasimar, High General of the Radiant Brigade: 
  Clad in full plate, gleaming silver and gold, it is 
  painfully obvious that this man is Paladin. The 
  Radiant Brigade is a radically religious militant fac-
  tion. They come from a place far to the south but 
  have long viewed the Shadelands as an unseemly 
  bruise on the world’s face. When news of turmoil 
  began to trickle out into the neighboring lands, he 
  saw an opportunity to ‘cleanse’ the Shadelands and 
  led his army north. He is exactly what one might 
  expect from a hardline Lawful Good crusader. He is 
  much more likely to align with LaCroix and will al-
  most certainly stand against whatever plan Dorian 
  enacts simply on principle.
  Borla
  (Only present if the party did NOT complete the 
  Lifeblood sidequest)
  An Autumn Glau, Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild. A 
  short and stocky man with copper-colored skin, bright 
  orange eyes, and blood-colored hair. He’s clad in fine, 
  expensive-looking clothes of white and forest green, 
  and a dark, hooded robe, though he rarely pulls the 
  hood up. He wears the symbol of Ammitia, his Warlock 
  Patron, around his neck. He seems distraught and dis-
  tant when spoken to - a result of having recently discov-
  ered that his sister, who was his right-hand in the Guild, 
  was found dead under mysterious circumstances. This 
  has caused him both emotional trauma and business 
  problems, as she ran the quarry beneath the Cindered 
  House, from which all of his stone is carved and collect-
  ed. He clearly doesn’t want to be here right now. He’s 
  got many clients who are in need of stonework and re-
  pairs thanks to the massive war that’s been raging in 
  Yon’Cath, and his time is as  valuable as it is limited.
  Moadne
  (Only present if the party DID complete the Lifeblood 
  sidequest, killing Borla)
  A Spring Glau, Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild. 
  Tall for a Glau, her dark brown skin contrasts starkly 
  against her pale pink hair and viridian eyes. Despite be-
  ing the leader of a Guild through which vast quantities 
  of money passes, her clothes are that of a craftsman, 
  or a laborer: a recently-washed shirt and pants, a black 
  apron with more pockets than one could ever imagine 
  having a use for. Moadne seems stressed, and if the 
  party speaks to her, she will recognize them from the 
  Cindered House. She’ll be apologetic for her brother, 
  and appreciative of the party for effectively saving her 
  life. She will align herself to the party by default.
  Xael
  (From ‘Under The Bleeding Moon’ sidequest)
  Xael is a noble Wizard who oversees rare earth materi-
  als for material components. Owning a vast interplanar 
  mining operation makes his family a powerful figure. 
  Particularly with his tenuous alliance in the Blackmourn 
  family. If the party passed on his call for aid, then Xael 
  will vote against them. Unable to be swayed by magical 
  effects due to Rei’zel’s blood. Conversely, if he is now 
  an Undying Warlock, then Xael can help them navigate 
  these political waters. If Rei’zel is still alive, she and her 
  sister can appear by his side here and remain neutral.
  Once the introductions have been made, it’s time for 
  the political wheeling and dealing to begin:
  
  219
  Part 2 - Political Chess
  Even though the court might be filled with thirty-to-for-
  ty more nobles—these are the key characters that in-
  fluence whatever outcome the Players of this Opera 
  are working toward (refer to the three scenarios in 
  Chapter 6, page 209). Fayte and Majin will return from 
  the King, revealing to the Players he is not as mad as he 
  seems, but they aren’t convinced just yet. This entire 
  meeting is a chance for them to solidify the future of 
  the Shadelands under a banner, and even if Fayte hasn’t 
  made up her mind yet, now is the time.
  Splitting up, Fayte and Majin will go speak to the peanut 
  gallery and some in other nations, and the party is tasked 
  with recruiting everyone to Fayte’s side… or as many as 
  possible. If the party pays attention to Majin and Fayte, it 
  is easily discovered that Fayte is met with profound curi-
  osity. Majin however, is met with polite deferral. Fayte rep-
  resents opportunity and new doors being opened, while 
  Majin represents raw power. Power is something that ev-
  eryone desires but is apprehensive about asking for.
  GM Note
  Group Dice Rolls: We feature group dice rolls in this en-
  counter. Rather than have one Player at the party roll at 
  the table, we demand that all 4, 5, or even 10 (if you’re 
  crazy) of the Players you have roll. Against your set DC, 
  you simply ask, “Who beat a 15?” and tally it up. If more 
  than 50% of the table makes it… then the party beats 
  the threshold. It’s a fast and easy way for everyone to 
  be involved. Each party member is doing something 
  different during the roll, and you can recap the results 
  with quick narration. One member might be watching 
  for subtle signs of lying, while another might be scouting 
  the room for allies, and a third may be doing the talking, 
  while the fourth is fact-checking that noble’s credentials. 
  Meanwhile, on the NPCs side, they have their group of 
  people doing the same (although they only roll one dice, 
  because the GM doesn’t need more work).
  sweet honeyed words and empty platitudes, so it 
  truly comes down to how well things can be sold. 
  Political Combat should take ten-rounds at most, 
  and each round is about a half-hour of conversa-
  tion, wining, and dining. 
  Each round, the party can make an opposed Wisdom 
  (Insight) Check, opposed Charisma (Deception) 
  check, or an opposed ‘Social’ roll (be it Persuasion 
  or Intimidation, etc.). If more than half of the party 
  beat the opposed check, then that NPC tips to their 
  camp regardless of who they are. If the majority of 
  the party failed, the NPC will remain unconvinced 
  and the party may try again in a future round. 
  Courtesan speed-dating as it were. 
  Meanwhile, secretly, roll 2 dice (one for the Knight 
  Captain and one for the King) and note down the 
  results to see which of the three camps that NPC 
  chooses to support. If the Knight Captain or King 
  roll a higher number than anyone at the table did, 
  then their ‘team’ converts that NPC.
  To sum it up: Each round the party talks to an NPC, 
  while other NPCs talk to each other. Even if the party 
  recruits someone in one round, they could lose that 
  person’s support in subsequent rounds. With seven 
  parties to convince and ten rounds, they have some 
  wiggle room—but not much. The Players attempt-
  ing to use magic will find it ill-advised in the court 
  setting and automatically fail that round, and lose 
  permanent support from that NPC no matter what. 
  The party may attempt to thrust the group Bard 
  forward and have them make all social rolls for 
  the entire group, and this is indeed their time to 
  shine. If they are hitting exceptional social rolls, 
  feel free to roleplay the NPCs really getting along 
  with that person… and even suggesting that they 
  should be king. “You don’t need those friends of 
  yours to rule with you, in fact, let’s just isolate 
  them off to the side and put you as king above all.” 
  If you make the party fear their friend doing too 
  well, they should be more inclined to get involved. 
  When the party finishes their tenth round, the 
  King will stand and reveal that mortals aren’t the 
  only ones with a voice in the Shadelands, and Act 
  2 will begin. To wrap up Act 1, tally up the score 
  between: The Knight Captain, the Accursed King, 
  and Fayte. It is entirely possible the party fails 
  The encounter works as such: There are multiple 
  characters to recruit with different political align-
  ments. Together or separately, the party must con-
  vince them to join their side and lend actual support 
  to Fayte. However, they are not alone. Others are 
  also seeking power and will try to convince the same 
  characters to join their camps. Everyone is used to 
  
  220
  here, and all support goes to a different faction.
  If anyone critically fails during their roll, interrupt 
  court and let that scene play out. 
  Lastly, while there is a dice mechanic to determine 
  where the mortals fall, the Players may attempt oth-
  er cunning ideas to recruit them (or even eliminate 
  the competition). You’ll have to be quick on your 
  feet, but feel free to grant advantages or disadvan-
  tages to rolls based on PC meddling or fantastic past 
  relationships with characters.
  
  221
  Act 2
  The Accursed King rises over the room and lets it be 
  known that all mere mortals are not the only ones 
  who get to determine the fate of the Shadelands. The 
  Patrons must also have a voice at this court. As frag-
  ments of light from the Aurora, seeping in through 
  every window, avatars of the Patrons flow through. 
  Use the same Patrons found in the Scarlet Hearth, or 
  any other relevant ones the party has encountered. 
  To change each Patron’s mind or recruit them to 
  Fayte’s side, use the same mechanic as above and 
  roleplay with the Patrons. However: Each Patron has 
  a large goal they wish to achieve in the unforesee-
  able future. Ranging from planting seeds for an en-
  tire forest to harvesting souls from Purgatory. In or-
  der to pull a Patron’s support over to their side, the 
  party must achieve the same rolls over ten rounds, 
  but also play matchmaker with a Patron to one of the 
  other NPCs who can perform the deed. 
  The Players may feel as if they are scurrying around 
  the court trying to get things done at a breakneck 
  speed. Running around between Patrons, nobles, 
  guild leaders, and soldiers, the party has found them-
  selves stuck in a social dance. This is a good feeling 
  for the encounter and should be encouraged. Feel 
  free to slice in bits of comedy between serious mo-
  ments, perhaps Alios demands that he’ll lead a raid 
  team into Purgatory for souls in exchange for exactly 
  three-hundred-and-twenty-six grapes plucked from 
  the King's garden by midnight. One Player will have 
  to race to fetch said grapes. If this has been a low-ti-
  er campaign, it might feel right in line with what the 
  party expects. Yet if this has been run as a high-ti-
  er campaign, sending the level twenty Wizard on a 
  grape-fetching spree is going to get a few chuckles. 
  Below are a list of Patrons and what task they wish 
  to have achieved. When Act 2 is concluded after ten-
  rounds of social jousting, the Players earn 1 vote for 
  every mortal they’ve recruited and 2 votes for every 
  Patron on their side. The Players can get a Patron 
  matched with a mortal that isn’t on their side, and 
  that Patron will still lend their support—and steal 
  the mortal as well. That would be 3 points. Let the 
  Player’s scheme and mastermind all the clever ways 
  to game this system and enjoy themselves. They are 
  playing Kingmaker after all.
  Once midnight strikes, the factions will all coalesce 
  around their chosen representatives: The Knight 
  Captain’s representative, the Accursed King, and Fayte. 
  The faction with the most votes will start earning legs 
  up on the battle ahead, although no faction is wiped 
  out entirely. If Fayte ends up with zero support, the 
  next mission will continue with her (and the party) 
  serving as traitors to the King and forced into service.
  The Patrons
  Archfey
  One of the Fey creatures of the DM’s choosing from 
  around the feast table in the Scarlet Hearth. They 
  don’t much care what happens to Yon’Cath, but are 
  more concerned with the wellbeing of the forests and 
  wildlife of the Shadelands. This Patron and Tauthog 
  ‘Lightmaker’ are natural allies and enlisting one will 
  go a long way toward getting the other on their side.
  Fiend
  The same chalk-white Tiefling with hollow black 
  eyes from before. Her demeanor toward the party 
  will be cold indifference, only interested in further-
  ing her own ambitions. This will be the same no mat-
  ter what (if any) interactions transpired between 
  them in Chapter 2. Even if they struck a deal with her 
  back in the Hearth, she won’t care. “But what have 
  you done for me lately?” Her wants are the same. She 
  wants power. She wants souls.
  Hexblade
  Leth’ka the Guardian is present. If the party dueled 
  with her, she may have a quip about how she hopes 
  they’ve learned how to fight in the time they’ve been 
  away. Or if the party never entered her chamber in 
  the Hearth, she will size them up as she’s always 
  looking for a new challenge. The Hexblade Patron’s 
  goals remain the same: a desire for greater and 
  greater challenges, for legendary combat achieve-
  ments, metaphorical feathers in the cap. 
  Old Ones
  Ahk Noh Ra will be represented by a figure com-
  pletely covered in a large cloak. Getting up close, 
  the party will see a Yuan-Ti Pureblood woman with 
  an eye tattooed on her forehead. She and Ahk Noh 
  Ra want the establishment of Yon’Cath overthrown. 
  They want to build a new order. If the party freed 
  him, she will be grateful and more open to making a 
  
  222
  deal. If the party did not free him, that will likely be 
  a stipulation of gaining her support. She will require 
  the party to free him when they reenter the Hearth.
  Lurker in the Deep
  The Great Fish is represented by a Water Genasi Male, 
  dressed like a cross between a warlock and a pirate. He 
  is older and quite grizzled in appearance. Like most of 
  the others, he is very open to allying if a party member 
  has a pact with his Patron. If not, he is still relatively 
  warm and jovial, and simply looking for whatever op-
  portunity is in the best interests for his Patron.
  Undying
  The Green Dragonborn is there. However, his robes 
  are resplendent and clean. He looks much younger 
  and healthier than he did in the Hearth. The turmoil 
  of recent days has left him well fed with life 
  essence. He’s always interested in adding more 
  “time” to his coffers but is also motivated by avoid-
  ing as much premature death as possible. To him, 
  people dying before their time is like pouring out 
  fresh water in the desert. “What a tragic waste…”
  Genie
  Amadan will offer his services to Fayte if she can best 
  him in a gamble of the party's choosing. However, he 
  will stress that sometimes Warlocks need to learn 
  lessons the hard way, and the constant breaking 
  of pacts is something that needs to be eliminated. 
  The gamble can be anything from dice to a political 
  game. Or even which of the two Blackmourn sisters 
  Xael will be stuck dancing with.
  
  223
  Act 3
  The third Act should serve as a chance for the par-
  ty to regroup after the social interactions at court, 
  take stock of their allies and knowledge, and come 
  up with a plan that will utilize as much of their re-
  sources as possible to achieve their collective goal. 
  At the end of the Accursed King’s court, Dorian will 
  rise and proclaim, “Heroes are what’s needed now, and 
  I understand there are some true Heroes in our midst.”
  He makes a point of staring at the Players. All gath-
  ered will follow his gaze, until the entire court is 
  staring. Dorian continues, “We began this journey 
  at odds with each other. But I hope now you can see, 
  all I want is what’s best for this land. I want peace. I 
  want order. But as long as the Scarlet Hearth is closed 
  off to us, chaos will rain down until nothing is left but 
  rubble and corpses. At first light, every Warlock I have 
  left will march on the Hearth. We will take the temple 
  from that wretched heathen, LaCroix.” Fayte gives the 
  King a withering look, but Dorian hardly withers. It 
  is clear they have much more to discuss.
  “Then we will perform a grand ritual of appeasement. 
  Begging the Great Patrons to save the Shadelands. 
  Who better to lead this charge than the mighty Heroes 
  who tamed the Well of Souls?”
  Dorian’s supporters give a cheer.
  “I am not so blind that I expect you to suddenly become 
  my dearest friends. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if 
  you downright hated me. But we are ALL doomed if 
  we don’t retake the Hearth. A collaborative effort is 
  our best chance to save the Shadelands. Everyone here 
  is my guest for the night, regardless of your intentions 
  on the morrow. But come dawn, I will be taking con-
  trol of the Scarlet Hearth. I advise you to either help 
  me or get out of my way.”
  The court ends. The Players will be guided to a suite 
  of lavish rooms within the Impossible Spire to rest 
  and recoup for the evening. It is here where they will 
  need to discuss everything they know, lay all their 
  cards on the table. The most important matter to 
  settle: Do they side with the Accursed King to crush 
  the Knight Captain’s rebellion for good and reinstate 
  Dorian as the city’s keeper? Do they honor their 
  comrade LaCroix and tell him that - now having seen 
  the Well remade from within - they can end the in-
  vasions of aberrations once and for all? Or do they 
  side with Majin (assuming they’ve figured out his 
  secret by now) to throw everyone and everything - 
  Patrons, kings, heroes, and villains - onto the fire and 
  forge a new world of complete control? And whatev-
  er they're choosing, how will they achieve that goal 
  with so many watching? As the GM, this is your time 
  to guide the Players to write out a detailed plan of 
  where they plan to move, who they intend to visit, 
  what they intend to do and say once they arrive. 
  Remind them that the King promised them a fighting 
  force at their command.
  Once the plan is in place, the Players finally sink 
  into a restless sleep. This is the time when any pacts 
  they’ve forged come back to haunt them. Their 
  Patrons want what’s theirs. Now is the time to earn 
  back whatever powers and gifts have been given. As 
  the DM, now that you know their plans, do what you 
  can to ensure the Patrons’ demands throw a wrench 
  into them whenever possible.
  
  224
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  Epic combat and cool dragon fights are teased and 
  happening right outside of the adventuring party that 
  is stuck in court. You can either play this up as tor-
  ture or as a relief for the party. Either way, no physical 
  combat is scheduled as part of this act. Social is anoth-
  er matter entirely. 
  Sidequest Potential: Duels are a valid way to incor-
  porate physical combat in this adventure. Should the 
  party try magic or other assassination tricks, they 
  might find themselves in a one-on-one duel versus a 
  high ranking member of the Accursed Guard or the 
  Legionnaire’s of the Fallen. If you wish to explore this 
  opportunity, showcase a few other duels between 
  NPCs to settle a debt or curry favor. Winning a duel 
  might grant the party advantage on the social rolls to 
  recruit someone.
  Court settings in a static location make traditional 
  exploration very difficult. Instead, bring a variety 
  of the world to the Players. Have nobles wearing 
  strange fashion from different cultures, or peo-
  ple speaking in languages unknown to the party. 
  There is a larger world than just the Shadelands, 
  and only you know what that world is. Don’t shy 
  away from thrusting in other nations you feel 
  would meddle in the Shadelands into this scene. 
  Sidequest Potential: Carving up territory via maps 
  is a time-honored tradition among conquerors. 
  When trying to get the favor of either mortals or 
  Patrons, the party could encounter one from an 
  other country… that is interested in conquest. 
  Seeing a map of the world and carving up an unfa-
  miliar nation falls under exploration—and maybe 
  someday they’ll get to visit. 
  Easily the mainstay of this encounter, social encoun-
  ters can be a challenge to run due to so many names 
  and personalities whizzing by. A whiteboard or a piece 
  of paper showcasing which NPC is loyal to whom 
  during the court can make things easier for you to run. 
  Especially as loyalties start shifting around. Giving each 
  NPC a dedicated and a bit over the top mood will help 
  set them apart from each other to the Players.
  Sidequest Potential: To add lethality to this encounter, 
  either have the party become assassins to rid others 
  out of court via poison. Sleight of Hand checks would 
  be required in addition to the other mechanics. On the 
  flip side, someone else could be a poisoner, and the 
  party might find themselves in a game of clue trying 
  to figure out which NPC is the killer. 
  
  225
  
  226
  226
  
  Side quest, The Performance in Tatters
  The Performance in Tatters
  Introduction
  Act 1 – The Stranger’s Wake 
  As the party comes to a close, a strange invitation is 
  delivered that, when brought to the Accursed King, 
  creates panic amongst guests and patrons aline. A 
  powerful Patron known as The Stranger in Tatters is 
  coming to perform a play of Eldritch truth that will 
  devastate all of those present, and they are coming 
  tonight. The party must become actors or all will be 
  subject to his dark power. 
  In Act 1, the players will encounter a strange man 
  in tatters walking away from Yalek’s Reach, a cart 
  in tow barring a peculiar symbol. Upon adventuring 
  into the town, they will discover it wracked by mad-
  ness with two local alchemists who have gone crazy 
  turning people into statues. 
  Act 2 takes place just before the end of Act 7 in the main 
  story of The Red Opera, where The Accursed King re-
  ceives a letter that The Stranger in Tatters is coming to 
  his Court. Even the Patrons panic at these words. The 
  Designed as a terrifying roleplaying session with 
  horrific eldritch combat, the PCs will have to create 
  a play to perform for this Stranger, then will have to 
  fight for control over their sanity as they delve into 
  his horrific dimension. 
  Synopsis
  players are forced into a position where they must per-
  form a show for this Strange in Tatters to prevent his 
  performance of madness from taking place. 
  In Act 3, the Great Old One, The Tattered Stranger ar-
  rives, and Eldritch anomalies accompany him. The 
  players put on their play and afterward, are offered a 
  position in his troupe. Should they decline, they are 
  thrust into an eldritch landscape to battle for their san-
  ity against the Stranger in Tatters himself. Should they 
  accept, their minds are forfeit to the Eldritch Truth. 
  This Act can take place any time before Chapter 7: 
  Theme of the Betrayer begins. Although best used after 
  Chapter 1: Welcome to the Shadelands where the play-
  ers will meet Goken when they further explore south. 
  The Cry for Help 
  The players will encounter Goken, a round, jovial 
  dwarf who will ask the players to visit his brother, 
  Zan, in the nearby town of Yalek’s Reach. He will 
  tell the players his brother is a renowned Alchemist 
  and has requested the reagents that Goken has 
  gathered. In exchange for helping him, the players 
  will receive ¼ of the reagents that, he assures, his 
  brother will turn into three exceptional potions of 
  Eldritch Enhancement (which will double the dam-
  age of Eldritch blast for 1 minute). Goken is honest 
  with the players, and they can bargain with him with 
  a successful DC 16 Persuasion check to get half the 
  reagents. If the players inquire further, they will find 
  out Goken is an Archfey Warlock, and his brother, 
  Zan, is an alchemist who specializes in creating 'im-
  possible' creations despite never making a pact him-
  self. Regardless, Goken will give the players a map to 
  Yalek’s Reach. 
  The Stranger 
  The road to Yalek’s Reach is quite simple with the 
  directions from Goken; however, there are strange 
  anomalies in the distance, almost like an aurora bo-
  realis but it is colored yellow and brown about 25km 
  away. A successful Arcana check of DC 20 will reveal 
  that the strange lights and physical manifesta-
  tions of magic are from a spell, cast no more 
  than half a day ago. If the players check their 
  map, they will note the town is right un-
  der the strange lights. 
  
  228
  Shortly after noticing, they will be greeted on the 
  road by a peculiar sight. Coming up the way is a cir-
  cus cart, painted vibrant yellow, with a brown sym-
  bol upon the sides and front. The carriage moves 
  with nothing drawing it and almost hovers off the 
  ground whilst being led by a figure. They stand at 
  around 6'2, wearing yellow and brown robes, with 
  their hood pulled up, and a plain white pallid mask 
  with no expression hiding their face. They amble 
  with a slight hunch and carries a large walking stick.
  Unbeknownst to the players, this figure is the Great 
  Old One Patron, the Strange in Tatters, and he has 
  just performed his eldritch play in the town of 
  Yalek’s Reach.
  GM Note
  When roleplaying The Stranger in 
  Tatters, speak with a monotone voice 
  but gesture as if you are center stage 
  in a play, acting as a mime of sorts. He 
  is eloquent in speech and very formal. 
  If a player passes an insight check of 
  DC 22, they will note a faint sinister 
  tone behind his voice. 
  He will stop upon seeing the players, “My dear travelers, 
  dost though seek the town of Yalek’s Reach perhaps?”
  Regardless of the player’s answer, he will express dis-
  appointment either because they do not want to see 
  his play, or that they have missed it. Have him state 
  something along the lines of, “My most humble apolo-
  gies, but the performance has been concluded.” He will 
  be genuinely sad that they have missed his show. 
  The Stranger will question the players on their 
  motivations, and ask what they seek in life. He will 
  tell them he has ways of making their time easier, 
  dreams to unfold around the stage that is existence, 
  and other cryptic statements that involve stage met-
  aphors. In turn, he will tell them that he is just a 
  stranger trying to perform for those who will watch 
  and that he has recently concluded his most recent 
  performance, but it will take some time to put on an-
  other one. If they push, he plans to perform for the 
  Accursed King at a gala of his one day soon.
  If the players were respectful to the individual, told 
  the truth, and/or expressed interest in the show, 
  he will offer them a medallion (a stone pendant 
  about palm-sized) brandishing his mark. This 
  Medallion will have intense magical energies and 
  will always return to the party if thrown away. If the 
  players are rude or unkind, the Stranger will tell 
  them that he wishes to change their wills and leave a 
  medallion on the ground, ending up in a PC’s pocket. 
  If the players attack him, he will summon a grand 
  cloud of yellow smoke and vanish, with the words 
  “I will remember you,” with a Medallion appearing 
  around the neck of the player who attacked him. 
  A Town of Madness 
  Upon arriving in the town of Yalek’s Reach, they will 
  see a horrific sight. Townsfolk screaming and run-
  ning, others curled up in different positions and vi-
  olence in the street. If the players investigate, they 
  will see a yellow glaze in the eyes of every towns-
  folk; they have all gone insane. Take your time to 
  explain the chaos of this scene, really let your play-
  ers experience the horror that is this location. You 
  may choose to have townsfolk attack them if you 
  wish, but most of the banter should involve the 
  lines “I have seen it! I now understand,”, followed by 
  their raucous insane laughter. 
  If the players want to find anyone who looks sane, 
  have them attempt a DC 20 investigation check, where 
  they will find one man who has been casting protec-
  tive spells on himself. If they try to question this man, 
  they will discover his name is Jakkis, and all of this was 
  because of “that damned play.” Jakkis is unhinged and 
  will reveal he arrived late to a strange performance 
  in the town square. He will describe the Stranger 
  from before and how this play made everyone mad, 
  everyone. It was a show he could not explain, but he 
  will mention that he saw himself on stage briefly. He 
  warns the PCs to run, and that he will also do so. 
  The Alchemist 
  If the players search for Zan’s house or ask Jakkis 
  to tell them, they will discover a cottage on the oth-
  er side of town. Upon entering the estate, they will 
  notice all sorts of alchemical ingredients that have 
  spilled over; you may choose if any potions are sal-
  vageable by the party. The house is in disarray, and 
  a maniacal laugh followed by screams are coming 
  from the upstairs room. 
  Upstairs, they will discover Zan, whose grey bread 
  and wild eyes show his current mental state, strap-
  ping a Dragonborn Warlock, wearing the robes of 
  the Accursed Guard, to a table and is about to inject 
  them with a strange liquid. Around him in this make-
  shift laboratory are 8 (4 if middle tier, 1 if low tier) 
  
  229
  statues that are perfect recreations of people of var-
  ious races. Zan has been turning people into statues. 
  A DC 15 stealth check is required to stay hidden. If 
  the players do nothing, Zan will inject the woman 
  with the serum forcing a slow and painful transfor-
  mation into a statue.
  If Zan sees the players, he will exclaim, “I have seen 
  it! I now understand! The formula works! Come, wit-
  ness it! Be the new stage of evolution!” With that, he 
  will attack, causing the statues to come to life around 
  him and follow his commands. 
  Once Zan is defeated and interrogated, he will reveal 
  he saw “The Performance in Tatters” and understood 
  what was needed. That this stone chemical is the next 
  stage of evolution and other crackpot statements. He 
  does not know a way to reverse this effect either, but 
  he wouldn’t want to anyway given his current state.
  Assuming the Dragonborn is safe or a remove curse 
  spell is used on the other non-shattered statues, it 
  will reveal they are also quite mad. This moment 
  should exist to unnerve your players at the horrors 
  This Act should take place immediately after Dorian’s 
  speech but, before the players retire to their rooms 
  in Chapter 7: Theme of the Betrayer.
  The Messenger 
  Dorian is about to close Court when the doors of his 
  estate fly open with a thud. Standing behind the open 
  door is an individual in yellow rags bowing his head 
  low, holding a letter sealed with ink. One of Dorian’s 
  guards inquisitively approaches the individual who 
  entered, who bends lower, handing the letter over, 
  then departing. Dorian opens the letter and begins 
  to read, his mood dropping the further he gets, and 
  the patrons in the room watch him closely.
  of this performance, do not let them have a moment 
  of calm while in this town. 
  The players will decide the fate of the town, and they 
  may choose whatever outcome they wish. This in-
  sanity cannot be cured, not without immense help. 
  For instance, the players may try to quarantine the 
  area, find a powerful Warlock to undo the madness, 
  or use their wish later in the adventure to cure this 
  town. Be creative in the solution, and do not make 
  it as simple as a remove curse spell. It should be al-
  most impossible to remove this affliction, leaving 
  them with a hard decision about what to do with the 
  victims of this horror. 
  If the players return to Goken and tell him of his 
  brother’s fate, he will not believe them, but if con-
  vinced, he will break down. He will offer the players 
  a worldly good of his for giving him the informa-
  tion, and ask them to do anything to stop this from 
  happening again. He provides them the Eldritch 
  Enchantment potions for completing this task. 
  Act 2- The Tattered Message 
  As he reads, the letter murmurs will start throughout 
  the Court, and the Medallion the players have will 
  begin to glow. All of the Patrons know the Stranger 
  in Tatters, and many fear this old one.
  Dorian will thoughtfully look at the crowd, “We have 
  a performance coming tonight, a Performance in 
  Tatters. We are…” he will notice the glowing in the 
  shape of the Stranger’s sign coming from the players, 
  and his gaze fixates on the group, “come with me,” he 
  will command to them. 
  As Dorian leads the players across the room, every 
  patron in the place puts up defensive spells and 
  channeling magic, all except for Ank Noh Ra’s advo-
  cate, who seems indifferent. Dorian makes his way 
  to refill his chalice from the Obsidian Rush, although 
  he appears quite eloquent in this action, he is rath-
  er tense. He will question the players as to why they 
  bear the Mark of this Old One. Whatever answer they 
  give will not make him happy, insinuating they might 
  have led his energy here. “The play is one of madness 
  put on by another Patron; he is quite powerful and 
  can unbalance this world. We must find a solution.”
  This will be odd for players to hear. If they inquire 
  why he is so nervous about this Stranger, and why he 
  Your Majesty, 
  I am proud to introduce myself to you and 
  your esteemed guests, I am no one but a hum-
  ble Stranger in Tatters, a performer on the 
  cosmic stage. Your Court has been selected for 
  A Performance. I do hope it is enlightening 
  for you. We shall arrive in three bells.
  
  230
  has not considered pacting with it, Dorian does fear 
  becoming insane. He is not insane as some would 
  think, these Old Ones are part of the reason he wants 
  to regulate the Shadelands, as their power is near 
  unobtainable and drives souls to insanity. Some pa-
  trons should not be welcome in his new world. 
  Just as he finishes speaking, An Koh Ra will enter the 
  room. “I know of him,” the pureblood woman would 
  say. If the players are on good terms with her, she 
  will give the information freely; if not, she will de-
  mand a favor in return for it. If the PCs refuse, Dorian 
  will offer her a boon out of panic. 
  She will explain that the Stranger in Tatters is a power-
  ful Old One who spreads his influence through perfor-
  mances. Although he has a stipulation, he will not put 
  on his show if others offer to entertain him. A play must 
  be performed, by mortals. She will add if the party has 
  been on good terms with her, “although afterward, he 
  will demand you become a member of his troupe, and 
  you must fight for your sanity inside his realm.”
  Dorian and the players will have a discussion, and he 
  will tell them for the occupation of the Scarlet Hearth 
  they are to be charged with this performance. They 
  must put on a play for this eldritch horror.
  When you can, encourage your players to talk about 
  ideas for the performance, it can be a past adventure 
  they had or even just the story of their lives up until 
  now. Let them plan a show and take notes on what 
  they need. Dorian gives them access to a variety of 
  props, let them have fun with this one. They will 
  need to perform it when the Stranger arrives. 
  Preparations 
  If the players question the other patrons about this 
  Stranger they will give the following information 
  and grant a boon if they have them as an ally. 
  Archfey – A brilliant performer capable of opening 
  the mind but usually breaking it in the process. The 
  fae will offer one player an advantage in resisting 
  confusion for the duration of the Act.
  Fiend – A dealer in souls capable of terrible pow-
  er. Even the other fiends stay wary of these perfor-
  mances. They consider the Stranger “worse than us”. 
  He will offer one player a single-use attack of adding 
  2d10 fire damage. 
  Hexblade – She has heard stories of the strange 
  dream plane this creature inhabits; when a perfor-
  mance is on, the mind must be fought. If players are 
  on good terms with her, they will mention that there 
  are stories of people fighting themselves, and it is 
  essential to destroy any effigy. She offers one play-
  er advantage to resist confusion for the duration of 
  this Act. 
  Old One – The Yuan-ti pureblood speaks of not be-
  ing too hasty. When this is all over, the Stranger can 
  grant knowledge for free if entertained. Fighting 
  him is a fool’s errand. She will tell the players if they 
  enter his realm to be ready to be insightful to the 
  world around them. 
  Lurker in the Deep – He will be impressed by The 
  Stranger’s power and ability to command those 
  around him. He warns the players not to have him 
  perform, or else everyone present will suffer and die. 
  He will bless the players for the duration of their play. 
  Undying – They are fully aware that the Stranger is 
  a problem and has destroyed countless towns by in-
  flicting madness upon the people. Staying grounded 
  is key. He will offer the players one use of Revivify. 
  Once the players finish their preparations, an omi-
  nous humming starts from outside of the Court; the 
  room will go silent as the great doors open, revealing 
  the Stranger in Tatters ambling inside, his cart in tow.
  Describe how the room itself begins to shift with 
  Eldritch energies, how, when they stare at the 
  Stranger, a mass of tentacles appears where his legs 
  should be, how around his neck he wears a medal-
  lion bearing his symbol, but when they look away, 
  he is back to normal. Dorian will warn the players 
  not to attack him, and that it is probably unwise to 
  accept deals from him.
  GM Note
  Your players may attack the Stranger, though 
  this is a bad idea. If the Stranger is attacked, 
  he will disappear in a puff of smoke, leaving 
  his Sign in the air. This will earn them the 
  ire of those in the room, and most, if not all, 
  alliances made will break as no one wants 
  to align with a group so frivolous. In Act 
  10, when the Great Old One’s attack, the 
  Stranger’s Sign will be in the air. This double 
  all damage from their attacks towards the 
  party (and anyone in the Court) as they have 
  all earned the ire of The Stranger in Tatters.
  
  231
  The Curtain Rises 
  Have Dorian welcome the newcomer, “Greetings 
  Stranger,” he says with a bow, “We are so humbled by 
  your invitation for a performance, that we wanted to 
  do you kindness for all that you do in the Shadelands. 
  We shall perform for you, please sit down, and enjoy 
  (the name of the show the players chose).” 
  “Proceed,” the Stranger says. As he makes his way 
  to the center of the room, he places his Medallion 
  on the ground, and a miraculous brown and yellow 
  stage manifests in the center of the Court. It is time 
  for the party to perform their play. 
  Allow the players to act out their performance, and 
  you should take notes as to what they use in their 
  show. Do not throw this moment away; make sure 
  you give the audience reactions, and describe how 
  the Stranger watches and claps when appropriate. 
  Call for checks when needed, performance checks for 
  performing, acrobatics for great feats, nature for de-
  scribing the harsh wilderness they trekked through, 
  etc. Depending on how well they do the Stranger will 
  comment based upon how they did. 
  GM Note
  As a rule of thumb if you give them 
  10 skill checks, if they succeed 8 they 
  get amazing, 6 they get Good, 4 they 
  get satisfactory, 3 and below they get 
  poor, you may always give them extra 
  victories for creativity and putting on a 
  good show and you should take away 2 
  points if they attacked him on the road.
  If Amazing: The Stranger comments on how exem-
  plary the show was, and that it would be his honor 
  to have the players join his troupe. He will insist they 
  see the enlightened way. Additionally, they will have 
  Advantage on all Insight rolls for Act 3.
  If Good: The Stranger comments the show was 
  well done, he will offer them great truths to join his 
  Eldritch Troupe.
  If Satisfactory: The Stranger claps respectfully then 
  comments the show was Satisfactory and demands 
  they be taught the way of the stage properly by be-
  coming stagehands in his show.
  If Poor: The Stranger is insulted by such a mockery 
  of the stage. He rises and declares he is going to show 
  what a TRUE performance is. He immediately jumps 
  the players into part 2 of this Act, but they have 
  Disadvantage on all Insight rolls while inside, they 
  also start the conflict at half their total hit points. 
  If the players accept the offer of the Stranger in Tatters, 
  they are instantly given the patron powers equal to 
  their level of the Artist Warlock, but, their minds have 
  taken a toll; they suffer Disadvantage on wisdom 
  checks and have their minds ‘enlightened’. Come up 
  with something your player now desires deeper than 
  anything to an obsessive state. The GM has the right 
  to compel the actions of the player when necessary. 
  If the players decline his offer to become one of his 
  troupe, then the Stranger’s energy will be unleashed, 
  and the players’ minds will instantly teleport to his 
  Eldritch dimension.
  Act 3: Tattered Reality
  The world changes and sputters, and soon the play-
  ers find themselves in a new world, with no sky and 
  no ground. They float over a void where the colors 
  of yellow and brown weave in and out with constant 
  shimmering change. Various landmasses float above 
  the infinite void, in the center of this void is The 
  Stranger in Tatters himself, now looking more like his 
  true Eldritch self than ever. Gone are his robes and in 
  its place, a creature of yellow light, masses of tendrils 
  and disconnected arms, but still the Pallid mask sits 
  upon his face, but with yellow light shining behind it.
  In the skies and landmasses are other creatures of 
  nightmarish energy. At this point, have the players 
  do a perception check. With a DC 15, they will no-
  tice humanoid figures on each on (equal to the play-
  er number) platforms, with a DC 25 they will notice 
  that these individuals look exactly like them. 
  On several platforms equal to the player number, the 
  Stranger has created puppet dummies of them that 
  are currently inactive. When a player steps on the 
  platform containing a puppet, it will come to life with 
  
  232
  232
  If the players fall into the abyss for any reason, they 
  suffer 5d10 psychic damage and return to the start. 
  GM Note
  Use the Puppets as close as you can to 
  how a player would act. If you want to 
  make the fight harder, allow the puppets 
  to trigger other puppets. Once their effi-
  gy is defeated, explain how the PCs feel 
  their sanity becomes secure. If a PC dies 
  here, their mind is lost, and their body is 
  under the direct control of the Stranger in 
  Tatters. Though, they may be revived and 
  resurrected while in this realm. 
  Insight in Tatters 
  Once they defeat themselves in puppet form, the 
  Stranger will stop the fight, causing them to float 
  around his Majesty, stating that their will is strong 
  and that he appreciated the show. For such enter-
  tainment, he offers them one wish within his pow-
  er or a piece of knowledge he knows, insight into a 
  problem, or assistance at a later time. Allow them to 
  ponder this. If they choose help later, the Stranger 
  will appear to support the players against the Old 
  Ones in Act 10. 
  Additionally, he offers them a boon, should they ac-
  cept, he will turn the Medallion into The Stranger’s 
  Stage. Leaving them with the phrase “my brother and 
  sisters are coming from the stars, perform your final 
  act when it is time.” 
  When it is all over, the players return to their bod-
  ies with the stage gone and become conscious just in 
  time to see the Stranger leaving with his cart in tow.
  Dorian will thank them for their actions as will the other 
  patrons, and they will proceed to their bed chambers.
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in 
  “The Performance in Tatters” 
  their stat line, but with three differences. The first be-
  ing they are at half health and will periodically gain 
  health if the player who they are a puppet of is hurt 
  (this counts even when they are inactive), second the 
  puppets can traverse this plane as if there was no void 
  below them. Third, they are immune to confusion. 
  The Stranger will be providing support to his puppets 
  as he is trying to claim their mind; once all puppets 
  have been destroyed, The Stranger will stop the fight.
  Additionally, the Stranger has various “Cast 
  Members”, who are creatures manifested in his pow-
  er. You are free to use the Cast Member stats as pro-
  vided, but it may be better to have them take the form 
  of individuals from the performance the PCs put on 
  just prior, and even better to use modified stats for 
  whatever story they told. If they told a story about 
  fighting a Red Dragon, have a Red Dragon be there. 
  Use your best judgment for how many monsters to 
  spawn in, or use 6 Cast Members. 
  Explain to the PCs that they feel a connection to this 
  realm; something is draining their sanity. But, be-
  cause of that, they can manipulate this plane of exis-
  tence using their insight as a free action. This can be 
  used for any number of effects, so set the DC equal 
  to how hard you think it is! They can manifest bridg-
  es out of nowhere, weaken a monster’s AC, make a 
  second attack, gain the power to fly, transform into 
  something great, revive an ally, etc. The crux of the 
  fight is for the players to find solutions to obsta-
  cles that you will create during the battle using the 
  Stranger’s power Shape Reality. 
  They should be warned, the more they use this pow-
  er, the weaker the grasp on reality comes. They will 
  not know what the safe number is, so be thematic in 
  your explanations of what to do. Each of them may 
  perform 3 insight actions.
  • 
  Reduce this number by 1 if they performed poorly
  • 
  Reduce this number by 1 if they attacked the 
  Stranger
  • 
  Increase this number by 1 if they were respectful 
  to the Stranger
  • 
  Increase this number by 1 if they received amaz-
  ing on their performance
  If they succeed a roll, it happens as expected or to a 
  lesser extent. If they fail a roll, they suffer 2d10 psy-
  chic damage and lose their turn. If they attempt a roll 
  that exceeds their number, they suffer 2d10 psychic 
  damage, but it goes through. Each additional time 
  they attempt it, the damage goes up by 1d10.
  
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  9(-1) 
  18(+4) 
  12(+1) 
  12(+1) 
  15(+3)
  12(+1) 14(+2) 18(+4) 20(+5) 10(+0) 20(+5)
  ?? 
  ?? 
  ?? 
  ?? 
  ?? 
  ??
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  19
  80
  30 ft.
  15
  95
  25 ft.
  30
  3,000
  ??
  Experiment
  Humanoid turned into a statue 
  Zan the Mad Alchemist
  Dwarf Alchemist turned mad 
  The Stranger in Tatters 
  The Old One of the Stage 
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing 
  from Non-magical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, 
  Poisoned
  Damage Weaknesses: Psychic 
  Actions
  Melee Attack. The statues lurch forward striking with its 
  stone fist. +7 to hit. Deals 3d8+4 bludgeoning damage.
  Eldritch Blast. The statue manifests eldritch energy from 
  its hands. +6 to hit, dealing 2d10+3 force damage
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Confusion
  Mad Alchemist Each turn Zan may throw a vile and cast 
  a spell
  Actions
  Throw Vile. Zan may throw a vile of one of the following: 
  Poison. The room fills with toxic fumes. Everyone in the 
  room must succeed a DC 19 constitution check suffer 2d8 
  poison damage and have the poisoned status 
  Acid. An acidic vile, +9 to hit 4d8+5 force damage. 
  Enlightened Spellcasting: Zan has 12 mana to cast spells.
  0 Mana: Eldritch Blast- +6 to hit 2d10+5 force damage 
  1 Mana: Healing Word, Ray of sickness 
  Condition Immunities Blinded, charmed, deafened, ex-
  haustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poi-
  soned, prone, restrained, stunned 
  Damage Resistances bludging, piercing, and slashing 
  from non-magical weapons, Psychic. 
  Curtain Call. The Stranger always goes last in initiative order
  Master of the Stage. The Stranger may use two actions 
  during each of his turns
  Actions
  Shape Reality. The Stranger alters the landscape of his 
  domain in any way he sees fit. 
  The Abyss Gazes Back. The Stranger gazes at a partic-
  ular individual with a glare, they must succeed a DC 25 
  Charisma save or become confused and suffer 3d10 psy-
  chic damage or half as much on a successful save
  Cry of Madness. The Stranger sings a harrowing song, 
  all confused targets must pass a DC 25 Charisma saving 
  throw or suffer 6d10 Psychic damage or half as much on 
  a successful save. 
  Summon Cast. The Stranger summons as Cast member 
  Puppeteer. a chosen puppet gains an additional attack 
  with advantage on its next turn 
  Tendril Sweep. Tendrils emit from the Stranger, 
  +15 to hit causing 1d8+5 bludgeoning damage 
  and 3d10+6 psychic damage. 
  2 Mana: Flaming Sphere, Melf’s Acid Arrow 
  3 Mana: Blight, Contagion 
  4 Mana: Cloudkill
  At tier 3: Zan has 10 mana and his poison save DC is 17. 
  At tier 2: Zan has 8 mana, cannot cast tier 4 spells, and has 
  a poison save DC of 15 
  At tier 1: Zan has 6 mana, cannot cast tier 4 spells, and has 
  a poison save DC of 13
  
  234
  234
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 14(+2) 16(+3) 12(+1) 12(+1) 18(+4)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  15
  70
  30 ft, flying 
  Cast Member 
  Eldritch servant to the Stranger in Tatters 
  Touch of Confusion. +9 to hit. The Stranger lashes out 
  with a beam of yellow light. If struck the target is Confused. 
  Aura of Insanity. Every foe within 60 feet of The Stranger 
  must succeed a DC 25 Charisma saving throw, or suffer 
  madness for 1 minute while under the effects of madness 
  they cannot tell friend from foe. At the end of each of their 
  turns, they may attempt a saving throw, if they succeed 
  they are immune to this effect for a day. 
  Legendary Actions
  The Stranger can perform 4 legendary actions that may 
  be used on any player’s turn. 
  Counter Spell Lv 9. one legendary action 
  Eldritch Focus. The Stranger may use one of his actions 
  at any point during the fight. 
  Mad One’s Blessing. All foes must attempt a DC 25 
  Charisma save or become confused. 
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Confusion, Frightened
  Damage Weaknesses Psychic
  Actions
  Performers Presence. When phantasmal killer or Eldritch 
  blast is used they may make an additional normal attack
  Eldritch Spellcaster. Cast members have a +8 to hit on 
  their spells and a spell save DC of 16 
  Eldritch Blast. +8 to hit. Deals 310+6 psychic damage.
  Rending Blow. +6 to hit, range 15 feet. 1d6+4 piercing 
  damage, + 3d6 psychic damage. 
  Spells 
  At will: Phantasmal Killer, Mage Hand 
  Cone of Cold 1x per day 
  Power Word Stun 1x per day 
  GM Note
  Lower the power level of The 
  Stranger in Tatters by decreas-
  ing the spell save DC by 5 for 
  each tier of play. 
  
  Magic Items
  The Stranger’s Stage 
  Wondrous Magic Item 
  You have accepted the Stranger’s blessing, with this 
  hand-sized stone you carry bearing his mark you 
  can create a wondrous centerpiece. Once per day 
  you may throw this magic item on the ground to 
  erect a 20x20 stage below you. While on this stage 
  you have an advantage on all Charisma related chal-
  lenges and deal additional damage based on your 
  Charisma modifier while on this stage. A spotlight 
  shines bright on you usually provoking enemies to 
  look in your direction, while center stage you have 
  resistance to slashing and bludgeoning damage. 
  If this item is lost it will return to you. 
  Eldritch Enhancement Potion
  Created from strange regents to enhance the power 
  of one’s pact, this potion doubles the damage of the 
  user’s eldritch blast for one minute. 
  The Medallion of the Stranger
  This medallion can be used to seek insight into a 
  situation or improve your performance. By holding 
  up the medallion you gain advantage on your next 
  insight roll, but suffer disadvantage on your next 
  wisdom save. 
  GM Note
  If you wish, you can give the PC 
  holding this eldritch item in-
  sight into situations at a cost. 
  Feel free to use this plot device 
  or not during your adventure. 
  
  236
  236
  
  Chapter 8
  Savior Nevermore, Pt. 1: The Confrontation
  “Malefic fonts corrupt my thoughts, t’was light eclipsed by shade. As eulogies for 
  the land begin, my mind is clear once again.” — Dorian the Accursed King
  The time for talking is over. People are still dying 
  in the streets. Horrific monstrosities prey on the 
  mortals. A host of foreign nations are invading the 
  Shadelands, hoping perhaps to carve out swathes of 
  its power to bend to their will. 
  While it may be that the King acknowledges that all 
  the Players, and Fayte, have done, was for the good 
  of the Shadelands, he has insisted the Knight Captain 
  MUST relinquish his hold on the Scarlet Hearth. 
  LaCroix and his Legionnaires are meddling in affairs 
  beyond their understanding. 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “This time of madness shall be brought to an 
  end. I’ll mourn many things, but I’ll mourn the 
  passing of this moment the most.”
   — Majin the Betrayer
  For those players who may have missed combat, 
  Chapter 8 should have enough action to satisfy. In the 
  first act of ‘Savior Nevermore I', the streets of Yon’Cath 
  are embroiled in open conflict. The Accursed King has 
  sent all the elite Accursed Guard he can spare to fight 
  its way to the Scarlet Hearth. He wouldn’t task just a 
  handful of allies with this task, would he?
  Feel free to freshen encounters up with whichever he-
  raldic banners and thralls of the invaders you wish as 
  the party fights their way back to the Scarlet Hearth in 
  the second act. The Accursed Guard contingent may 
  be taking its orders from the party, so they should feel 
  empowered and unstoppable. Or, of course, the Players 
  can utilize all they’ve learned from past acts in the Red 
  Opera, let the Accursed Guard find its own way, and tra-
  verse some of the more hidden paths only they know. 
  They can call in favors with NPC contacts they’ve made 
  The party must now head to the Temple. Without 
  Majin. At this time, the Players will either be convinced 
  that the King is worthy of controlling the Shadelands 
  and maintaining the flow of pacts, and they will move 
  to eliminate the Knight Captain or otherwise force him 
  to stand down. OR they will still cling to their convic-
  tion that the Knight Captain is in the right, and at long 
  last, they have the chance to report back and regroup 
  with the Legion. In either scenario, a betrayal has been 
  set in motion, and Majin is very pleased indeed.
  The party moves through the war-torn streets of 
  Yon’Cath toward the Scarlet Hearth.
  along the way, or deviate as needed to settle any side-
  quests that have opened up. The sidequest At All Costs 
  can take place here and is included after this chapter.
  Act 3 of Savior Nevermore has them arrive at the en-
  trance to The Scarlet Hearth. They must regain entry 
  somehow. Deception? Force? Compromise? Will they 
  take the Accursed Guard in with them? And once inside, 
  they must plan exactly what it is they will do. Murder 
  the legion in its sleep? Set a fire? Broker a peace treaty? 
  Tell the Knight Captain all they know? Assassinate him?
  Regardless of their way forward, suddenly, the 
  Shadelands itself is rocked with a violent quake and 
  shudder. Stepping onto the battlements, an eerie 
  light rises from the blasted Well of Souls itself, dis-
  torting the Elemental Dance, ripping into the fabric. 
  Something is not right…
  SAVIOR NEVERMORE PART 1
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  238
  The Setting
  “I will defend this land to my dying breath. 
  Corrupted or no, the blood spilled can never be taken 
  back. We’ve gone too far. Your reign ends tonight.”
   — LaCroix the Knight Captain
  Yon’Cath is a city under siege on multiple sides from 
  multiple invaders. While the party was delving into the 
  Well of Souls, time passed rapidly. Describe a city worn 
  down and breaking apart. Fires have gnawed at the 
  edges of everything, some smoldering, and some still 
  raging. Buildings have crumbled over or been gutted by 
  boulders hurled by catapults. Siege weapons, battering 
  rams, and supply carts have been rolled over to act as 
  makeshift barricades or abandoned and stripped for 
  parts, leaving a skeleton of what it once was. Littering 
  between it all is the dead, everywhere. Soldiers, most-
  ly, bearing the colors of the invading forces. And there 
  are monsters too. Corpses of war-trolls and other mon-
  sters line the streets or slump against market stalls. 
  Smoke and death hang in the air, inescapable. 
  As the party moves further from the Impossible 
  Spire, the sounds of clashing steel and screams can 
  be heard, the occasional crash as a building topples. 
  The common folk of Yon’Cath have mostly barricaded 
  themselves indoors, huddling behind whatever 
  able-bodied women and boys were left behind to de-
  fend them, frightened for their lives. The party can 
  catch sight of some of these survivors darting amongst 
  the wreckage, salvaging what they can - food or weap-
  onry. If the party is inclined to ask, these people will 
  tell them what they think of the war, and of those who 
  are waging it, leaving them to suffer.
  Approaching the Patron’s Pass Bridge from the 
  Cathrach side of the Obsidian Rush, it will be unde-
  niably clear that the Scarlet Hearth has weathered 
  the storms of war. It is here, after all, that the fighting 
  started. Perhaps the party will recall their first sight 
  of the grand, white pyramid wrapped in blood-red ivy. 
  Now, most of the ivy has burned away, and the only red 
  in sight is the blood smeared across the pavers of the 
  bridge. Below the bridge and all around the temple, 
  bodies of Legionnaires and Guard are skewered and 
  broken by spears of black stone. The currents of the 
  Obsidian Rush rise and fall indifferently, filled with the 
  water-bloated corpses. Barricades along the Patron’s 
  Pass are thick, sections broken and reformed, only to 
  be broken again. It has been going on for weeks now, 
  and the paths through them will be winding.
  
  239
  Act 1
  Describe each Player’s restless night. If applicable, 
  have their Patrons make contact and either demand 
  a task be completed alongside the main quest, or 
  state their opinion of recent services rendered, or 
  both. To draw the Players into these nightmares, you 
  could describe how they sleepwalk to the ramparts 
  and stare vapidly into the swirling Elemental Dance, 
  seeing beyond into the realms of their Patrons. Or 
  perhaps time stops suddenly as they turn down for 
  the night, and they spend hours wildly searching the 
  castle for the meaning, going mad, and encounter 
  their Patron upon the Accursed King’s throne.
  However you decide, don’t let the Players' last night 
  of relative solitude go completely unspoiled. These 
  are the Shadelands in times of war. Things are 
  spiraling out of control. And this is a story about 
  Warlocks and uncanny pacts with aberrant beings, 
  after all. Remind them.
  If the party decides to oppose Dorian, they may not 
  wish to stay in the Spire until the morning. Fayte will 
  be able to show them a discrete path out of the Spire 
  and into the chaotic war-torn streets of the city. 
  If the party opts to stick around and work with the 
  Accursed Guard, they will find three hundred war-
  lock soldiers standing in formation, waiting for them 
  in the Spire’s courtyard. If the Players begin to in-
  quire of the Marshals how they should lead these 
  troops through the streets or ask for reports on the 
  fighting, they’ll have the chance to make perception 
  checks to detect that some of the King’s soldiers are 
  holding grudges against their new "leaders". After 
  all, up until today, the Players were considered their 
  primary enemies after LaCroix. This is the Players’ 
  chance to root out any potential insurrection as the 
  force moves through Yon’Cath and either get it under 
  control somehow (delivering an inspiring speech or 
  perhaps dismissing those soldiers who openly admit 
  they wouldn’t take orders) or not. Depending on the 
  outcome, the Players either keep all three hundred 
  soldiers or lose up to half their force! This can sig-
  nificantly impact what’s to come.
  This chapter is going to take a bit of planning on 
  the DM’s part. So much of what happens here will 
  have been set in motion by the Players’ actions in 
  Chapter 7. Keep track of whom is allied with whom. 
  Before the party sets forth, what are the ‘hot spots’ 
  in the city? What monsters and invaders are there 
  in strength? What are the physical obstacles? How 
  has the terrain changed? Are there any spells still in 
  effect in the aftermath of the battle? Keep this infor-
  mation secret, but allow the party the chance to get 
  hints if they decide to send scouts ahead. 
  For simplification sake, the party’s plan should fall 
  into one of two buckets. Either they will choose 
  the most direct path, beelining through Cathrach 
  straight to the hearth. Or they will attempt a more 
  discreet, secretive route. Even if they’re leading the 
  Accursed Guards, they can send the majority on a di-
  rect path and have a few officers accompany them on 
  the indirect path. The more direct path will undeni-
  ably be quite combat heavy. The indirect path could 
  avoid much combat but will take longer, resulting in 
  a more difficult challenge once they actually reach 
  the Scarlet Hearth. 
  This chapter is an opportunity for the last tour 
  through Yon’Cath, possibly seeing some familiar fac-
  es one last time. Plot this out as you see fit. The key 
  beats are the Party leaving the Impossible Spire and 
  fighting through chaos to reach the Scarlet Hearth. 
  Regardless of what route the Players choose, there is 
  going to be opposition.
  Pick one of the NPCs or Patrons from the court that 
  the party is at odds with. Mazokai and his Radiant 
  Brigade would be an excellent fit for this moment. 
  They would likely see the Impossible Spire and its 
  denizens as the worst of the worst. The Brigade may 
  have positioned themselves to confront the Accursed 
  Guard Company as soon as they’ve exited the magical 
  protections of the Spire. Right out the gate, we have a 
  battle between an army of paladins and one of war-
  locks. Even if the party opted not to lead the Accursed 
  Guard they would likely get caught up in this conflict.
  
  240
  Act 2
  In Act 2, here and now is the time to wrap up any 
  loose ends and sidequests with contacts made. Feel 
  free to create your own side scenarios to satisfy 
  these, but the following descriptions of the open 
  conflicts raging all around the party can provide 
  some excellent branches where those to grow (or, of 
  course, if you have other plans to spin these off into 
  other campaigns, then go for it)!
  The party finds itself right in the thick of things as 
  the city goes mad around them. Maybe they’re on 
  their own. Maybe they’re leading what’s left of the 
  Accursed Guard after the first confrontation. They’ve 
  had a few minor hurdles, took out some lesser aber-
  rations, maybe had to tussle with a cadre of pillaging 
  raiders, but nothing too challenging for this band of 
  epic warriors. But at some point, they will come to 
  the Obsidian Rush. They could either be up north 
  near Black Span, down south near Patron’s Pass and 
  the temple, or smack in the middle at Stone Leg. 
  Regardless, as they approach the riverbank, they will 
  see Accursed Guards, Legionnaires, and Members of 
  Various Guilds all fighting each other… 
  This is where another enemy faction will confront the 
  party. It could be one of the guilds or fanatical follow-
  ers of a Patron that the party upset. Nevertheless, they 
  should hit the party hard. This should be an exception-
  ally difficult combat encounter that will tax them heav-
  ily. And should things start looking grim for the Players, 
  it gives you an excellent opportunity to bring in an ally. 
  Feel free to use any variety of characters from the 
  Appendix section, monsters, stat blocks, or whatev-
  er you deem appropriate for this combat. Given the 
  subjective nature of parties and their tiers of play, we 
  have not provided prescript encounters. With several 
  factions they could be fighting, the possibilities for en-
  counters are endless; so, let your imagination run wild. 
  This is where any success they might have had in the 
  court can pay off. For example, Snow may be utterly 
  furious, blaming the Players for creating this cha-
  os that threatens her business. An army of highly 
  skilled rangers has the Players pinned down with 
  volley after volley of arrows. But then the Assassins, 
  the Brutes Guild, or Alios’ rogues hop into the fray to 
  aid the party - or hinder them even further. Now is 
  the time for all loose threads to be tied off. 
  GM Note
  To speed combat up and yet keep it grounded in 
  the setting of Yon’Cath at war, describe how the 
  different factions engage each other. Instead of 
  rolling loads of dice and tracking nigh-infinite HP, 
  simply allow advantage to any attack rolls when 
  an allied force is nearby.
  Additionally, now and then perhaps an ally pushes 
  an enemy into range of an opportunity attack, but 
  again keep it simple - a successful hit could just be 
  the coup-de-gras on an already wounded enemy. 
  The suggestion here is to keep these combat en-
  counters as much “theater of the mind” as possible, 
  providing only an overview map and a general de-
  scription of the party’s location.
  Deadly Encounter
  We have created 9 unique "Deadly Encounters" that 
  you can choose from for this chapter's action. They 
  are included in Appendix 2.4 and there is a side-
  quest called At All Costs attached at the end of this 
  chapter.
  
  241
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  22(+6) 19(+4) 19(+4) 13(+1) 14(+2) 15(+2)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  18 (plate)
  255 (30d8 + 120)
  30 FT
  Legionnaire
  Medium humanoid, neutral evil
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The legionnaire makes three attacks. It can 
  forgo making a single attack in this manner to instead 
  take the Dash, Dodge, or Disengage action. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) slashing damage. 
  Mighty Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +7
  Skills Athletics +11, Perception +7
  Condition Immunities frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Weapon Master. The legionnaire rolls an extra damage 
  dice on all of its weapon attacks (included in the attack).
  Tactical Teamwork. When the legionnaire is within 10 ft. 
  of an ally and both it and the ally are not incapacitated, it 
  has advantage on attack rolls and ability checks. 
  Act 3
  Act 3 begins when the party, at last, reaches Patron’s 
  Pass. They should feel exhausted one way or an-
  other, as should whatever remains of their fighting 
  force. Describe how the day has been spent either 
  through overt bloodshed or covert approach, and 
  now the Elemental Dance dominates the Shadelands 
  Skies, seeming brighter than usual…
  The real challenge of Act 3 comes when they 
  reach the gates of the temple, where a company of 
  Legionnaires awaits. “Defend the temple” has been 
  their entire purpose for weeks. They are tired but 
  battle-hardened. They are determined to fulfill 
  their mission. The party may even recognize some 
  of them since they were the ones who helped these 
  soldiers capture the temple in the first place. They 
  can always attempt diplomacy at first, though if the 
  party is with the Accursed Guard that is unlikely to 
  go well. They might also attempt to sneak into the 
  Hearth, as they did back in the beginning. The same 
  methods of swimming or climbing are still available. 
  Or they may have no choice but to fight their way 
  through these former allies.
  GM Note
  This might be a good time to 
  remind the Players that non-le-
  thal damage is possible. As more 
  Legionnaires witness the party’s 
  non-lethal approach, they may 
  be more inclined to lay down 
  their arms.
  One way or another, the Players will have to make 
  them stand down. Whether through diplomacy, cap-
  ture, or bloodshed, Chapter 8 ends once the Players 
  have regained control of the Scarlet Hearth. 
  The stats for the Legionnaires are included here and 
  in the appendix. Based on the party choice, they may 
  duel with the Knight Captain himself, but he should 
  be forcibly pulled from combat by his higher-ranking 
  men before death. Use as many legionnaires as you 
  feel are needed to create a ‘deadly’ tier encounter. The 
  characters do have their allies and others with them 
  in the fight, but those will happen off screen. To pre-
  vent any feelings of a ‘robbed victory’, remember that 
  the Knight Captain does have access to those with 
  Divination Magic and foretelling, so he knows ahead 
  of time at what point he needs to retreat (if at all).
  But there is no time to celebrate a hard-fought victory, 
  as the foundations of the Hearth - the very Shadelands 
  themselves - are rocked by powerful quakes and the 
  Elemental Dance erupts in violent streaks of Red...
  
  242
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  Chapter 8 is almost entirely combat, While Act 1 helps 
  determine what kind of help the Guard lends them, 
  Acts 2 and 3 are all about difficult encounters at al-
  most every turn through the city. Should your Players 
  plan to bypass combat, you should still plan a chal-
  lenging encounter for them to overcome to create the 
  sense that there is no escape from the violence in the 
  Shadelands right now. If your Players appreciate a 
  good fight, then add some more! 
  Sidequest Potential: Besides Legionnaires, Accursed 
  Guard, Guilds, power-hungry warlocks, outside forc-
  es, and otherworldly creatures to toss into the mix, 
  Chapter 8 is all about resolving sidequests and re-
  lationships that were destined to come out bloody 
  somehow… There are a few spots for sidequest poten-
  tial in the next chapters, but at this time sidequests 
  should be drawing to a close.
  Depending on the amount of work you want to 
  put in, the route to the Scarlet Hearth can be very 
  inventive. It doesn’t have to be a simple march 
  down a few city blocks. Maybe the rubble from a 
  toppled tower is blocking off the most direct path. 
  Maybe a pack of demons is stalking the streets and 
  the Players have to duck into a building for cover. 
  Maybe they have to descend below the street and 
  move through a series of tunnels to avoid mayhem 
  above. Or do the opposite: climb to the top of one 
  tower, and leap across to the top of another.
  While Chapter 8 is indeed combat-heavy, the nature 
  of this combat is strongly influenced by the social ac-
  tions of the party. The story is nearing its climax, so if 
  there are any “fan favorite” NPCs, now is the time to 
  trot them out for one last appearance. 
  Sidequest Potential: The Party receives word that an 
  NPC friend is under duress and they have to make a 
  tough decision: delay reaching the Scarlet Hearth to 
  rescue their friend, or abandon them.
  
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  Side quest, At all cost
  At All Costs
  Introduction
  Setting
  Synopsis
  Is right and wrong ever truly as simple as… right and 
  wrong? Is a person either wholly good or wholly bad? 
  No, of course not. We all exist across a spectrum of gray 
  morality. At the back of our minds, we all know this to be 
  true. Yet we can’t stop ourselves from cataloging every-
  one we encounter as ‘good’ or ‘bad’… ‘hero’ or ‘villain’. 
  In Yon’Cath, there aren’t many phrases more polariz-
  ing than “Accursed Guard”. Depending on who you’re 
  talking to, a person may react to that phrase by spit-
  ting on the ground or perhaps their eyes will well 
  with tears of pride. Hero or Villain. In the end, it’s all 
  a matter of perspective. 
  This sidequest should take the place of Act 2 in 
  Chapter 8 of The Red Opera. Yon’Cath has fallen into 
  absolute chaos as rival factions wage open war. White 
  dragons rule the skies, raining icy death down upon 
  the city. Militant brigades of fanatical zealot’s march 
  through the streets. The very fabric of reality itself is 
  beginning to tear. The party begins this adventure at 
  the Impossible Spire in Cathrach. The adventure ends 
  when they reach the southern bridge of Patron’s Pass.
  The party sets out from the Impossible Spire with 
  a company of Accursed Guard Warlocks. Their goal 
  is to cross the eastern half of the city and reach the 
  Scarlet Hearth before the Shadelands are consumed 
  in a world-ending cataclysm. Traversing the city, 
  however, will not be easy. There is open war in the 
  streets. Early in the story, the players were likely giv-
  en the impression that the Accursed Guard are noth-
  ing more than a horde of murderous thugs. However, 
  the players may now see that they are just people. 
  While some do lean toward the dark, harboring ne-
  farious intentions, many see themselves as defend-
  ers of the city… the real defenders of the city. Not 
  like those Chest Thumping Legionnaires, who hide 
  their oppressive authoritarian designs beneath a ve-
  neer of self-righteousness. Many of those within the 
  Accursed Guard view themselves as champions of 
  True Freedom. They wear the mantle of “Accursed” 
  like the cliche Badge of Honour. Much like their King, 
  they are “Accursed” in that they have chosen the dif-
  ficult path of pain, struggle, and self-sacrifice for the 
  good of Yon’Cath and its people. 
  The players will gain insight into this perspective 
  through a Warlock named Elliot Sencha. Within 
  the Accursed Guard, she holds the rank of Marshal, 
  commanding a regiment of 100, making her one of 
  the highest-ranked Warlocks in the company of 300 
  that will depart the Impossible Spire with the players. 
  Cathrach, the eastern side of Yon’Cath, is a veritable 
  jungle of tall, dark stone towers. We often think of 
  Patrons as otherworldly beings that exist between 
  the seams of reality. But the fact is, there are plenty 
  of Patrons bound to our physical plane. Remember, 
  they are not gods. 
  Mayhem and destruction surround the players and 
  their company of Accursed Guard as they traverse the 
  city. Partway through this march, a massive explosion 
  will topple a nearby tower. When the dust settles, the 
  players will find themselves separated from most of 
  the company. Elliot and a small squad of Accursed 
  Guard are nearby. The path forward is blocked by 
  flaming debris and a long, jagged crater teeming 
  with roiling arcane energy. This massive crack in the 
  ground extends far, splitting off in multiple directions, 
  making much of the city impassable. Elliot will tell 
  the party she knows how to get around this, 
  pointing to a cluster of large towers connect-
  ed via perilous causeways hundreds of 
  feet above the ground.
  
  246
  The party will have to ascend a tower, cross the 
  bridges, passing through the upper chambers of a 
  few other towers, and then descend one last tower. 
  Along the way, they will encounter some disgruntled 
  Patrons, who will each demand a steep price for pas-
  sage through their respective towers. This adventure 
  ends will the players reaching the street just a few 
  blocks away from the Scarlet Hearth.
  Blood will be shed. Lives will be lost. Souls will be 
  forsaken.
  Adventure Hooks
  Whatever it Takes
  This is a Tier 4 module that will bring the players face 
  to face with several powerful and malevolent enti-
  ties. Fighting the Patrons is an option, of course, al-
  beit a perilous one. However, most Patrons are likely 
  to be satisfied by gaining a new pact with a power-
  ful Warlock. The catch is these are not kind masters. 
  The toll these pacts take on a soul is great, especially 
  for those leaning toward the lighter side of morality. 
  Elliot will be eager to bear that burden for the good of 
  the others, often at much personal cost. 
  If the players try to slow things down with drawn-
  out combat or attempt to take on these difficult 
  pacts themselves, Elliot and her squadmates will 
  insist it is more important the players keep moving 
  forward, “For the good of all.” Killing one of these 
  fiendish Patrons or a player carrying the weight 
  of these oppressive pacts will mean nothing if the 
  Shadelands is obliterated.
  Regarding Fayte, the GM may decide whether she re-
  mains with the players or is split from them by the 
  adventure's opening events. (to be reunited on the 
  other side). 
  “Your job is to stop the annihilation of the 
  Shadelands. Our job is to get you there alive. So, 
  let us do our job.” - Elliot Sencha
  Split the Company
  The players and their company of three hundred 
  Accursed Guard maneuver through the streets of 
  Cathrach toward the Scarlet Hearth. The sounds of cha-
  otic battles echo through the forest of towering black 
  stone citadels that make up the east half of Yon’Cath. 
  Columns of smoke drift toward the sky where the 
  white dragons of the Ice borne Imperium circle, 
  looking for their next targets. To the south, a chorus 
  of voices rises in a unified battle chant. The Radiant 
  Brigade is close. The dragons hear it too, and they 
  turn toward the sound. Streams of freezing breath 
  burst from their maws. And in return, the players can 
  see massive glowing orbs hurtling through the sky. 
  One such orb makes contact with a dragon, and the 
  creature disappears in an explosion of golden energy.
  An Accursed Guard from the rear of the company 
  shrieks, “INCOMING!” Looking up, the players will 
  see one of these orbs that missed its intended dra-
  conic target, bearing down on their position. The 
  company scatters as the orb hits the base of a nearby 
  tower. The golden energy explodes upward through 
  the tower as it begins to topple over. Have all players 
  make a medium-to-difficult DEX save. On a failure, 
  they are hit with a bit of the molten gold energy and 
  take 1d12+8 radiant damage and are knocked prone. 
  As the energy courses through the collapsing tower, 
  it seems to be reacting with something inside. Its col-
  or darkens to burnt orange. The tower, now infused 
  with ochre light, hits the ground, and rather than 
  burst apart into rubble, it cuts through the street 
  like a hot knife through butter. Bits of stone explode 
  in every direction. Where the street once was, now 
  resides a veritable canyon filled with roiling orange 
  energy. Jagged cracks, teeming with energy, extend 
  out from the fissure in every direction. The ochre en-
  ergy makes contact with another tower and quickly 
  spreads up its length like an infection before it too 
  collapses. This spiderwebbed canyon of destruction 
  now lies between the players and their destination. 
  Taking stock of their immediate surroundings, the 
  players will see a group of six Accursed Guard near-
  by. The shortest of them approaches the players with 
  purpose. She pulls back her burgundy hood, reveal-
  ing herself to be part Elf and part halfling, essential-
  ly looking like a slightly taller than average halfling 
  with pointed ears. Her dark brown hair has been 
  
  247
  pulled back into two buns. She has a row of a half 
  dozen earrings in her left ear. She looks quite youth-
  ful… except for her eyes. Her eyes look a few decades 
  older than the rest of her face, and the skin around 
  them is noticeably darker and more weathered. 
  Players who pass a low difficulty perception check 
  will recognize her to be one of the three high-
  est-ranking Warlocks in the company. Even if the 
  players and she spoke before leaving the Impossible 
  Spire, she will introduce herself again, and then the 
  other five Warlocks. 
  “I’m Elliot Sencha. This is Caulder, Mazrac, Ansen, 
  Kjor, and Thalla.”
  Caulder is a black Dragonborn male. Mazrac is a red 
  Tiefling female. Ansen is a Human male. Kjor is a 
  Kaldenkind female. Thalla is a Winter Glau female. 
  GM Note
  This adventure is scripted 
  so that most, if not all, these 
  Warlocks will die. Feel free to 
  amend their fates as best fits 
  the story being told. 
  Almost immediately, cracks from the fissure will 
  start expanding toward the party. Elliot will point up 
  and say, “That’s our way around this.” She is pointing 
  to a series of causeways suspended four hundred 
  feet about the street, connecting a dozen different 
  towers. The closest tower in this network is just a 
  few yards away. However, it looks to have taken some 
  damage and a heavy crimson miasma is seeping out 
  from the cracks in the black stone. “We need to get 
  to the top of that tower that looks like it’s bleeding.”
  Any sarcastic remarks a player may make about en-
  tering a “bleeding tower” will go right over Elliot’s 
  head. She is a very literal person, taking most things 
  at “face value.” It can be easy to assume someone like 
  this is naive or lacking intelligence. This is not the 
  case with Elliot. She is simply a very earnest individ-
  ual who has a crystal clear understanding of who she 
  is and what she wants. 
  There is precious little time to make a decision 
  here. The golden light spewing fissure has already 
  stretched over a thousand feet ahead of the party. 
  Any attempts to teleport to a location across the 
  fissure will fail, and the caster will take 2d6 radiant 
  damage. The street beneath the player’s feet starts to 
  crumble, driving them toward the tower’s entrance. 
  The Bleeding Tower
  The interior of the tower is cavernous and eerily qui-
  et, and every surface is hewn from the same black 
  cinderstone. A staircase winds around the cylindri-
  cal wall of the tower, disappearing into the darkness 
  above. Half a dozen black stone statues are arranged 
  in a circle on the ground floor, each one depicting a 
  different demonic humanoid. The same red miasma 
  drips down from unseen origins, forming sizzling 
  puddles. The substance seems to be in constant flux 
  between a liquid and gaseous state. If anyone comes 
  into contact with the substance, they must pass a 
  CON save or take 2d6 necrotic damage. 
  Elliot indicates they have to climb up the stairs to the 
  top of the tower, where they can cross the causeway 
  to the next tower over. As the party ascends, consid-
  er throwing random DEX saves at them to avoid the 
  miasma or a piece of falling debris. 
  “Best keep your wits about you,” Elliot advises, “This 
  collection of towers is home to a pack of real bas-
  tards. They’re not from our world, not originally. 
  They showed up in the Shadelands some years back 
  and started indiscriminately killing and eating every 
  person they laid eyes on. Dorian, he came to terms 
  with them, found a balanced arrangement that al-
  lowed them to slake their bloodlust without causing 
  rampant destruction. I guess it’s better than outright 
  slaughter, but gods, I can’t tell you how often we in the 
  Guard have to deal with their followers causing trou-
  ble. It is almost as if every cruel, sadistic bastard in the 
  Shadelands eventually finds their way into a pact with 
  the Desolate Ones, as we call them.”
  As the party nears the top chamber of this tower, they 
  hear the sound of metal clinking together. There is 
  no rhythm to the lazy, random cadence of the noise. 
  Reaching the top of the tower, they find themselves 
  on an open landing, shaped like a crescent that takes 
  up half the space. The vaulted roof is twenty-five feet 
  above this landing. Dozens of long black chains hang 
  from the ceiling, the cause of the clinking sound. 
  There is a massive crack in the roof, and the jagged 
  edges glow with golden light. To the party’s left is a 
  precipitous drop down the length of the tower to the 
  ground floor. Directly in front of them is an archway. 
  The causeway to the next tower is plainly visible. To 
  their right, the landing extends to the wall. Against 
  the wall sits a massive black throne, and seated 
  there is a figure that, if standing, would likely be well 
  
  248
  over ten feet tall. His skin is white as pearl, and he’s 
  draped in a high-collared robe. His features are al-
  most elvish in nature; however, his bulbous head is 
  completely smooth and hairless and his pointed ears 
  are longer and thinner. His narrow eyes glow red, 
  and the front of his face is totally smooth, with no 
  visible nose or mouth. The most noticeable feature, 
  however, is the enormous slash that runs from his 
  right shoulder to his left hip. The wound glows with 
  golden light and appears to have almost severed him 
  in half. The red miasma pours out of him, forming 
  rivers of smoking blood that run in every direction. 
  Have the players roll perception with low-to-medi-
  um difficulty. Those who succeed will notice a pres-
  ence within their minds. It’s strange, the players do 
  not feel pain themselves but perceive there is some-
  one inside their heads who is in a great deal of pain.
  “Mensic the Slaver,” one of the other Warlocks will ut-
  ter. At this, Mensic’s eyes will glow brighter. Everyone 
  hears the word “Die” screamed within their heads. A 
  length of black chain will fly through the air, strike the 
  one that spoke and wrap them up. Before anyone can 
  react, the heavy chain will pull them over the edge of 
  the landing, where they fall to their death at the bot-
  tom of the tower. More chains fly toward the party. 
  Elliot shrieks, “NO!” and as a wave of thunderous ener-
  gy bursts from her hands, her eyes weep tears of black 
  ooze. Her spell scatters the chains across the floor. 
  Roll Initiative.
  Mensic is weakened by his wound and cannot move. 
  Physical attacks against him will have advantage. 
  Mensic’s stat block can be found in the Appendix. 
  Throughout the fight, remember the players will 
  have to avoid the red miasma, and chain attacks can 
  come from any direction. Once his physical body is 
  killed, Mensic will attempt to enter the minds of the 
  party to save his consciousness. 
  The players, Elliot, and her surviving Warlocks, all 
  feel intense pain and pressure as Mensic invades ev-
  eryone’s consciousness. Just when it seems as if he 
  will succeed, Elliot will shout, “I offer myself to you, 
  Great Patron Mensic!”
  The pain and pressure will dissipate. Elliot drops to 
  her knees but quickly rises, screwing a stoic expres-
  sion onto her face. If asked about what exactly just hap-
  pened, she will simply state, “I followed the examples of 
  our King. I made a deal.” She refuses to expound fur-
  ther. If a player chooses to roll an insight or perception 
  check, they may notice a series of jagged black lines, 
  like cracks in glass, have appeared along one of her 
  forearms. With her head held high, she leads the par-
  ty toward the bridge that leads to the next tower. 
  Area Loot: Living Chain (see Appendix)
  GM Note
  It is very possible a player may try to enter into a 
  pact with Mensic or the other Patrons that will fol-
  low. They are more than welcome to. In fact, the GM 
  could decide one of the Patrons in this side quest 
  will not be satiated with just Elliot and will require 
  one of the PC’s as well. The three Patrons in this 
  side quest are exceptionally evil, so a good-aligned 
  player who pledges loyalty to them will have to deal 
  with the consequences. If a player accepts a pact 
  with Mensic, they may add the Shred Psyche abil-
  ity to their stats and a +1 to INT. However, they will 
  also have Mensic’s brand, runes tattooed so tightly 
  together that from afar they look like solid black 
  bands, appear around their wrists.
  Hellish Horticulture
  The walk across the bridge is uneventful. The sounds 
  of battle and destruction are more muted this high 
  up. Four hundred feet below, the street is a river of 
  molten orange-gold energy. The cylindrical upper 
  chamber of the tower ahead is walled almost com-
  pletely with glass. Two great crossed arches divide 
  the glass walls into four rounded quarter sections. 
  The glass is mostly fogged over. 
  Stepping into the chamber, the party will find them-
  selves in what appears to be a greenhouse filled with 
  exotic and unfamiliar plant life. The temperature is 
  a great deal warmer than the outside world. The 
  Accursed Guard move in cautiously, most of them 
  careful not to get too close to any of the vegetation. 
  Elliot is not so careful. She marches right up to a crim-
  son colored shrub and picks off a handful of leaves, 
  stuffing them into a pouch on her belt. “Makes a tea 
  called Red Relief that kicks you right in the pants,” 
  she explains. If asked whose domain this is, one of 
  the Warlocks will answer, “Aegrote the Despoiler.”
  The diameter of this circular chamber is sixty feet. 
  Across from where the players entered, is anoth-
  er door that leads to the next causeway. The door is 
  locked. As soon as someone touches it, the other door 
  (the one the party entered through) will also close 
  
  249
  GM Note
  If things begin to look dire for the 
  party, Elliot will whisper a prayer to 
  Aegrote offering to take him on as yet 
  another Patron in exchange for spar-
  ing the party. Aegrote will accept this 
  offer, unlocking the doors for the par-
  ty. The infected will be cured of the ef-
  fects of the spores, however, whichev-
  er Accursed Guard has the lowest HP 
  should succumb to the sickness and 
  collapse, dead. 
  GM Note
  If a player takes a pact with Aegrote, 
  they may add the Madness Spores 
  ability to their stats, resistance to poi-
  son damage, and gain proficiency with 
  Nature and Medicine (if they don’t al-
  ready have it). Aegrote’s brand will ap-
  pear as a tattoo of the blue-green flow-
  er bud on the back of their hands. 
  and lock. The doors cannot be opened. The glass walls 
  cannot be broken. The door is covered in paintings of 
  plants and flowers in exquisite detail. If a player that 
  makes a point of examining the door, passing a low 
  difficulty check, will notice that the plant painted just 
  above the door handle was made to look wilted and 
  dead. There are two ways to get the door to unlock: 
  splash water or shine a light on the painting of the 
  wilted plant. The painting will change in real time, the 
  flowers perking up and gaining vibrant color. Shortly 
  after entering this chamber, pick two of the Accursed 
  Guard (besides Elliot) to get close to a plant with blue-
  green buds near the door they came from. 
  Roll Initiative. 
  The buds will release a cloud of spores into the 
  Warlocks’ faces. Their eyes will fill with a blue-green 
  light, and they will attack the others in the party. A 
  cluster of vines, leaves, and flowers on the ceiling 
  will merge, forming a large humanoid face. It re-
  sembles Mensic, with the long thin pointed ears and 
  bulbous head. However, this face has a nose and a 
  mouth which it uses to cackle incessantly through-
  out the encounter. The face can be targeted and 
  easily destroyed however this does no real damage 
  to Aegrote and he will simply reform his face with 
  more vegetation in another area of the room and 
  continue to laugh. If the infected Warlocks get close 
  to anyone, they can attempt to spread infection by 
  breathing into their face. The target must pass a me-
  dium-to-difficult CON save to resist the infection. 
  Those infected take 2d10+10 poison damage upon 
  initial infection and then 2d10 additional damage 
  every turn. The effects can be cured when the in-
  fected is the target of Cure Disease or three healing 
  spells. This information can be shared with the play-
  ers if any succeed on a difficult Nature check. This 
  is an infection, not a curse. Meanwhile, the blue-
  green buds will continue to release bursts of spores 
  into the air. At the start of every player’s turn, have 
  them roll a CON save to see if the spores affect them. 
  Start the difficulty low and increase it slightly every 
  round.
  When the party successfully unlocks the door, they 
  can run out of the room and onto the next bridge. 
  Any infected Warlocks will remain in the tower. This 
  will cause Elliot to stop. She will offer herself to 
  Aegrote in exchange for their release, taking on his 
  pact as well. Upon making this deal, the black cracks 
  in her skin will expand along her arm, up to her neck.
  Don’t Look Down
  The frigid wind lashes about as the party steps onto 
  the causeway. This next bridge does not lead directly 
  to a tower, but rather to a platform suspended in the 
  air with three more causeways branching off to three 
  other towers. The intersecting platform is thirty feet 
  across and is covered with a roof supported by six 
  columns making it look something like a gazebo. The 
  gazebo is a few feet higher, meaning each bridge ris-
  es at a slight incline. A figure stands on each of the 
  three branching off bridges. Each one is a Warlock 
  with runic tattoos covering the right half of their 
  face, a sword in one hand, and a coiled black whip 
  in the other. Elliot or one of the remaining Accursed 
  Guard explains, “Disciples of Letuu… the Ravager,”
  
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  250
  A new initiative order can be rolled or the one from 
  Aegrote’s chamber can be maintained. However, 
  grant advantage to the initiative rolls for the Disciples 
  when adding them to the turn order. Their whips are 
  magical and quite versatile. When used, the length of 
  the whip can be extended at will up to 90 feet. These 
  Disciples can use their whips to:
  1. Directly attack an enemy
  2. Pull an enemy off the bridge
  3. Lasso one of the columns in the central ‘gazebo’ al-
  lowing them to swing around from bridge to bridge
  The Disciple of Letuu stats can be found in the 
  Appendix. 
  GM Note
  Except for Elliot, most if not all 
  the remaining Accursed Guard 
  should perish during this fight.
  When the fight appears to be nearing its end, regard-
  less of which side is winning, a bone-chilling battle 
  cry will cut through the cold wind. A large figure soars 
  down from the sky above. She is a humanoid, ten feet 
  tall, with dark red skin completely covered in white 
  runic tattoos. Her ears are long, thin, pointed like 
  Mensic’s. However, she does have a mouth and nose. 
  Her short black hair is pulled up into a top knot. Two 
  leathery red wings extend from her back. Each mus-
  cular arm wields an identical battle axe. The blades 
  of the weapons are black steel with serrated edges. 
  The handles are each one giant single femur bone of 
  some unknown creature. Letuu the Ravager has en-
  tered the fray. All of the other Accursed Guard dying 
  GM Note
  If ever matters look bleak for the party, Elliot 
  will, yet again, offer herself to the Patron. 
  However, Letuu will want more than just 
  Elliot. She can be appeased in a few ways:
  1. All the surviving Accursed Guard, in addition 
  to Elliot, take her as a Patron. Roll a check for 
  each individual to see if they accept.
  2. Elliot sacrifices any of her Accursed Guard 
  that do not yield to Letuu.
  3. One of the players also takes on a pact with 
  Letuu
  will also motivate Elliot to offer a pact. Letuu will 
  accept her offer and consider the total loss of her 
  Warlocks as a suitable sacrifice.
  Area Loot: Ravager Whip (see Appendix) 
  GM Note
  If a player takes a pact with 
  Letuu, they gain a +1 to STR 
  and the Death Wave ability. 
  Letuu’s brand will appear as 
  runes tattooed all over the 
  right side of the player’s face. 
  Upon making this pact, Elliot will appear visibly weak-
  ened. The black cracks will be visible where she has 
  exposed skin, including her face. She will shrug off any 
  attempts to help her and stomp forward with purpose. 
  From here, the party will encounter no more hurdles 
  as they cross the bridges. Elliot leads them to a tower 
  whose cavernous, gothic interior appears abandoned. 
  The one adornment is hundreds of black stone spikes 
  protruding from the walls. As the party descends, they 
  will see dozens upon dozens of skeletal humanoid re-
  mains, skewered on these spikes. Elliot leads the par-
  ty down to the ground floor and out the tower door. 
  The cacophony of chaotic battle from multiple fronts 
  greets the party as they emerge onto the street. 
  Fortunately, their ultimate destination is close. 
  Patron’s Pass and the Scarlet Hearth are in sight, just 
  a few blocks away. 
  Upon reaching the street, Elliot will drop to her knees 
  with a gasp of pain. A thin black ichor drips from 
  some of the cracks in her skin. She, again, waves off 
  any attempt to offer aid. Instead, she will toss over 
  the pouch with the tea leaves. “"Chew on those to re-
  gain some strength... now go!" she will insist, "I got 
  you here! Now go save the Shadelands... while there's 
  some of it left worth saving!"
  If asked about her condition, she will only offer, 
  “There’s a war raging inside me. A growing darkness. 
  I will overcome this trial as I have overcome so many 
  before…. Now GO!”
  She will ignore any further questions, simply scream-
  ing at the party to “Go! Go finish the job!”
  From here, the story picks up again with Act 3 of 
  Chapter 8 of The Red Opera. If the GM chose to have 
  Fayte separated from the party at the start, she will 
  meet back up with the players at this point. 
  THE END  
  Thank you for participating in "At All Costs"
  
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 18(+4) 14(+2) 14(+2) 16(+3) 20(+5)
  16(+3) 18(+4) 14(+2) 14(+2) 16(+3) 20(+5)
  22(+6) 21(+5) 20(+5) 12(+1) 10(+0) 13(+1)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  18
  350
  30 ft.
  17
  100
  30 ft
  20
  500
  Flying 60ft, Walking 30ft
  Elliot Sencha
  Warlock, Accursed Guard
  Elliot’s Warlock Squad
  Caulder, Mazrac, Ansen, Kjor, Thalls
  Letuu the Ravager
  Humanoid Creature, Warlock Patron, Origin Unknown
  Actions - 2 per turn
  Enchanted Short Sword. Range 5ft. +12 to hit. Deals 
  2d8+10 slashing plus 2d8 force damage.
  Random Dagger. Range 20/60. +10 to hit. Elliot throws 
  a dagger laden with arcane energy. Deals 2d6+6 pierc-
  ing plus 2d6 bonus damage. Bonus damage type is ran-
  dom, determined by rolling 1d4: 1 is Cold, 2 is Fire, 3 is 
  Lightning, 4 is Thunder. 
  Features & Traits
  Misty Escape, Beguiling Defenses, Eldritch Master
  Lucky. When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, 
  ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and 
  must use the new roll.
  Brave. You have advantage on saving throws against be-
  ing frightened
  Eldritch Invocations
  Eldritch Spear, Beast Speech, Lance of Lethargy, 
  Repelling Blast, Bewitching Whispers, Ascendant Step, 
  Trickster’s Escape, Witch Sight
  Spells
  At Will
  Cantrips: Eldritch Blast, Shape Water, Thorn Whip, Mage 
  Hand, Blade Ward, Create Bonfire, Prestidigitation
  1st Level: Speak with Animals
  2nd Level: Levitate
  1 Use Per Long Rest
  4th Level: Freedom of Movement
  6th Level: Mental Prison 
  7th Level: Crown of Stars 
  8th Level: Power Word Stun
  9th Level: True Polymorph
  PACT MAGIC - Four 5th Level Slot Counter Spell, Dispel 
  Magic, Elemental Bane, Fly, Misty Step, Wall of Light, 
  Witch Bolt
  Actions - 1 per turn
  Melee Attack. Range 5ft. +10 to hit. Deals 1d10+10 slash-
  ing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. 
  Eldritch Blast. Range 300ft. 4 beams. Each beam deals 
  1d10 force damage. 
  Bonus Actions. Misty Step, Hex
  Other Spells
  Prestidigitation, 
  Mage 
  Hand, 
  Lightning 
  Lure, 
  Thunderclap
  Actions - 3 per turn
  Axe Strike. Range 10ft. +13 to hit. Deals 2d10+15 slash-
  ing damage. The target must make a STR save (DC18) or be 
  knocked prone. 
  Death Wave. Range 90ft. Letuu swings her axe, unleashing 
  an arc of black energy 15ft across. The target and any crea-
  ture within 5ft of either side of them must pass a CON save 
  (DC18) or take 4d8+8 necrotic damage and be pushed 10ft 
  backward. On a successful save, target(s) take half damage 
  and are not pushed. 
  Battlecry. Range 30ft cone. Letuu lets out an ear-splitting 
  scream to weaken and intimidate her enemies. All en-
  emies within the target cone must pass a WIS save 
  (DC18) or take 3d6+6 thunder damage and be-
  come Frightened of Letuu. 
  
  252
  252
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  20(+5) 19(+4) 17(+3) 11(+0) 10(+0) 18(+4)
  11(+0) 14(+2) 16(+3) 22(+6) 20(+5) 18(+4)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HP
  SPEED
  17
  175
  Walking 30 ft.
  18
  225 (in his injured state)
  0ft (in his injured state)
  Letuu’s Disciple
  Warlock
  Mensic the Slaver
  Humanoid Creature, Warlock Patron, Origin Unknown
  Actions - 2 per turn
  Sword Attack. Range 5ft. +11 to hit. Deals 3d8+6 piercing 
  damage.
  Whip Strike. Range 90ft. +10 to hit. Deals 2d10+8 slash-
  ing damage
  Whip Lash. Range 90ft. +9 to hit. The whip wraps around 
  the target’s arm or leg. As a bonus action, Disciple can at-
  tempt to pull target off their feet. Requires a contested STR 
  roll. At the start of the target’s turn, they can attempt a STR 
  or DEX save (DC16) to free themselves from the whip.
  Relocate. Requires the whip to be wrapped around a tar-
  get’s limb. The disciple can attempt to pull the target up 
  to 15ft closer. The target must pass a STR save (DC16) to 
  resist the pull. 
  Eldritch Blast. Range 300ft. 4 beams. Each beam deals 
  1d10 force damage.
  Immune Psychic
  Resistant Necrotic
  Actions - 3 per turn
  Chain Whip. A living length of black chain strikes at the 
  target. +11 to hit. Deals 4d6+6 bludgeoning damage
  Chain Bind. Mensic tries to wrap up an enemy with his 
  chains. Target may attempt either a STR or DEX save to resist 
  (DC17). On a failure, the target is held in place and cannot 
  use their arms or legs. At the start of their turn, the bound 
  target can attempt to free themselves with a STR save.
  Shred Psyche. A small opening appears in the center of 
  Mensic’s forehead, releasing a jagged arc of red energy to 
  strike a single target. The target must pass an INT save 
  (DC19) or suffer 4d10 psychic damage and fall uncon-
  scious until the start of their next turn.
  Spells - +13 spell attack & 19 Save DC
  At Will
  Chaos Bolt. Cast at 4th level
  Chill Touch. Cast at 5th level
  Eldritch Blast. Cast at 17th level
  Ice Knife. Cast at 5th level
  Ray of Enfeeblement
  Ray of Sickness. Cast at 4th level
  3 Uses Per Encounter - (Costs 2 actions)
  Antilife Shell, Control Winds, Dominate Person: Cast at 
  5th level, Telekinesis
  1 Use Per Encounter - (Costs 3 actions)
  Chaos Bolt. Cast at 9th level, Blade Barrier, Eyebite
  
  Magical Items and Abilities
  Living Chain
  A 15-foot length of black iron chain.
  The Living Chain bears a minimum level of sentience. 
  All it needs is someone to tell it what to do. When it 
  has selected its master, it prefers to travel wrapped 
  around them in some fashion, rather than to slith-
  er along behind like a snake. In combat, the Living 
  Chain is allowed one action and takes its turn at the 
  same time as its master:
  Strike. Range 15ft. To hit bonus is equal to the mod-
  ifier of its master. Deals 2d6+8 bludgeoning damage
  Bind. Range 15ft. The target must pass a STR or 
  DEX save against the master’s spell save DC or be 
  wrapped up in the chain. 
  Madness Spores
  May be used once per long rest.
  A Warlock of Aegrote is marked by tattoos of blue-
  green flowers on the backs of their hands. However, 
  these markings are not just for show. As an action, 
  the Warlock may conjure a spray of Madness Spores 
  from their hands and direct it in a 15-foot cone. All 
  creatures within the cone must pass a CON save 
  equal to the caster’s spell save DC. On a failure, the 
  creatures take 2d10+8 poison damage and are in-
  fected. On a successful save, creatures take half dam-
  age and are not infected. Infected creatures will at-
  tempt to attack the closest living thing they can, and 
  will continue to take 1d10 additional poison damage 
  every turn. If an infected creature is the recipient of 
  the Cure Disease spell or two healing spells, the ef-
  fects will end. 
  Ravager Whip
  A whip made from three braided cords of black leather.
  When coiled, the whip is rather compact. But when 
  unleashed, the whip can be magically extended mid-
  strike up to 90 feet in length. Range 90ft. To hit mod-
  ifier is 9+DEX modifier. Deals 2d10+STR modifier 
  slashing damage or the wielder can choose to deal 
  no damage and instead wrap the whip around the 
  body or limb of the target.
  Red Relief
  Crimson tea leaves.
  Whether brewed into a tea or chewed raw, the Red 
  Relief effects are quite potent. Upon consuming, a 
  creature will regain half of their missing HP and half 
  of their spent ability and spell slots. Specifically, this 
  means half in each category. For example, if a caster 
  is missing two level 4 and three level 1 spell slots, 
  they would only regain one slot at each level. Or if a 
  Battlemaster Fighter had used four of their five su-
  periority die, they would regain two of them. 
  Shred Psyche
  May be used once per long rest.
  This ability is only available to Warlocks of Mensic. 
  Costs 1 action. A small opening appears in the 
  Warlock’s forehead, and a burst of red lighting is un-
  leashed on the target. The target must pass an INT 
  save equal to the caster’s spell save DC. On failure, 
  the target takes 6d8 psychic damage and falls uncon-
  scious until the start of their next turn. On success, 
  the target takes half damage and stays conscious.
  
  254
  254
  
  Chapter 9
  Savior Nevermore, Pt. 2: The Consuming Shadow
  “You forced my hand to bring the end LaCroix. You never could see the 
  forest through the trees.”— Dorian the Accursed King
  The time for crucial choices is at hand in The 
  Consuming Shadow. If timed correctly, the pacing of 
  this adventure should take place midway through 
  the battle for the Shadelands. During (or after) the 
  Players capture the Scarlet Hearth from the Knight 
  Captain (or if they turned on the King and betrayed 
  him and Fayte), the first act begins. As the climax 
  of The Red Opera, the pacing of this battle should 
  feel grand and epic. Gravity is altered, buildings are 
  crumbling, nations are warring, and reality itself is 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “When the encroaching sky reflects the color of 
  my intent, I suppose I’m the villain evermore. 
  In truth, no matter the nation, the king, or the 
  soldier—this story always repeats. Let’s try 
  something new shall we...”
   — Majin the Betrayer
  In ‘‘Savior Nevermore II’: The Well of Souls erupts. Its 
  eruption is how the entire chapter begins. Midway 
  through the battle, the Aurora Borealis explodes in a 
  cacophony of colors as the Well of Souls is fully un-
  chained. Both the armies of the Accursed King and the 
  Knight Captain task the characters with pulling out all 
  the stops to prevent eldritch aberrations from run-
  ning rampant. Yet bound by their Patrons, both sides 
  continue the war—each seeking the other’s head. 
  While the laws of physics in the Shadelands become a 
  foreign concept, the Patrons from Those-Who-Wait-
  Beyond and other outer realm creatures dominate 
  the sky, lured to the conflict and the thinning veil. 
  Act 2 revolves around the Players battling side-by-
  side with any allies they’ve recruited to defend the 
  Shadelands. Gigantic tentacles, upside down battles 
  over the Obsidian Rush, and the frustration of two 
  starting to shred as the Well of Souls erupts. Majin 
  and Fayte’s newfound power is wielded at the be-
  hest of the Players—each choice resulting in the de-
  struction of someone.
  In this chapter, refresh yourself with the section “Final 
  Consequences” at the beginning of the book. Certain 
  characters will die within this chapter, and there 
  is no avoiding their grim demise. The future of the 
  Shadelands however, is for the Players to determine. 
  sides who willingly fight to their death should push 
  any tier character to their brink.
  In the third act, Majin and the Shield Maiden finally 
  return to the party and the battle during a short rest. 
  Caught between several hard choices, Fayte seeks 
  the council of her friends. The fighting needs to stop 
  at all costs, or everyone will be destroyed, and she 
  has the tools to ensure it. She could join the King, 
  even with his doubts, and help him make a world for 
  the Warlocks and Patrons—in doing so, the hunters, 
  legionnaires, and others would be wiped out. Joining 
  the Knight Captain would topple the current hierar-
  chy and seal many Patrons back behind the veil and 
  install a new government—and annihilate the King’s 
  forces and all loyal to him. Lastly, if the party is will-
  ing… have them kill her—and in her death end the 
  cosmic horror. Savior Nevermore ends when the 
  party has made their choice.
  SAVIOR NEVERMORE PART 2
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  256
  The Setting
  “Catering to outsiders and spirits hasn’t made you 
  immortal Dorian. Just a prick who forgets he’s 
  still a man. An insane man at that.”
   — LaCroix the Knight Captain
  It’s time to bring destruction to the Shadelands. 
  Since the end of the last adventure, the party should 
  have taken (or be in the process) of taking the Scarlet 
  Hearth. High magic from other kingdoms and their 
  armies litter the outskirts as they wait to usurp con-
  trol from the kingdom of Warlocks. Scurrying in the 
  streets, civilians caught in the middle of the war and 
  those unfortunate souls without magic or skill with 
  a blade, resign themselves to their death. Anyone 
  able to evacuate has done so by now. 
  In a path that mirrors the Obsidian Rush, the sky tears 
  itself asunder as a wash of red light glistens off the 
  snow on the horizon. The kind of bloody, crimson, 
  glowing red light that flickers with the fires of infer-
  nal planes and magic that should not exist. The ocean 
  erupts above the Well of Souls as tendrils and strands 
  of eldritch energies spiral into a beacon towards the 
  night sky. A wonderful sight to behold, eerie in its un-
  earthly beauty and equally as terrifying, but mysteri-
  ous in what it means. Yet coming to feed upon it, are 
  the Great Old Ones. The eldest, and most alien, of the 
  Patrons who care little for the Material Plane, creep in 
  through the sky. Shadowy tentacles, eyes that appear 
  in thin air, and a massive maw of the gigantic beast ap-
  pear in the night sky—with many more of their chil-
  dren crawling out from within cracks in reality. 
  Joining the Great Old Ones on the field of battle are 
  the Patrons of each respective side. With the Well of 
  Soul’s fate in the balance, each side demands that 
  the King and the Knight Captain finish the battle. 
  It’s now or never. Even as reality begins to crum-
  ble in the Shadelands, the two sides seem locked in 
  a feverish pitch of battle. Unable to listen to reason 
  (or seemingly uncaring), old friends and allies find 
  themselves caught up in the battle frenzy. 
  This is the backdrop where the characters make 
  their stand.
  
  257
  Act 1
  As the party moves in to fully secure the Scarlet Hearth, 
  the ground around them begins to tremble. Across the 
  Shadelands, everything seems to pause for a moment 
  and a quiet hangs in the air—cut by an ear-piercing 
  shriek of alien speech echoing from the north… from 
  a location the party is all too familiar with. If they look 
  north, they will see beams of eldritch energy erupt 
  from the Well of Souls and spiral up into the sky de-
  stroying anything unfortunate enough to get caught 
  in their path. The party watches as a light beam cuts a 
  gigantic White Dragon in half. 
  Regardless of which side the characters are on, 
  or what NPCs they are near, all of them can make 
  checks to determine what this means. If any of the 
  characters still have a Library book from an earlier 
  act (regardless of which it is), they will gain advan-
  tage on their check. For any that fail, it’s pretty obvi-
  ous that this isn’t a good thing. For those who made 
  their check, reveal that the Well of Souls has been 
  unshackled, no longer bound by any rules. The par-
  ty was led to believe “healing” the Well would settle 
  things down… it may have allowed the Well to more 
  effectively wreak havoc on reality.
  Even if the characters think Majin is responsible for 
  this, the truth is, they are not. Majin is along for the 
  ride (and truly doesn’t care) one way or another how 
  things turn out. If the entire city is sacrificed to Those-
  Who-Wait-Beyond through the Well of Souls, they’ll 
  profit all the same. To them, it’s just another eye-roll-
  ing annoyance of what Patrons and Warlocks both do 
  with their power.
  Once the information is revealed, the party will in-
  stantly encounter sights of lesser aberrations run-
  ning amok and attacking any living creatures. Right 
  off the bat, the party will have the choice of running 
  into battle to save men on the King’s side or the Knight 
  Captain's side. The encounter is the same regardless of 
  the choice, but the purpose is to set the stage: During 
  this fight, they aren’t the targets of the aberrations. 
  The warlocks are. Any warlock (or former warlock) 
  that dies cannot be brought back to life.
  The party will start the encounter by seeing 
  Warlock messengers with flags racing to them from 
  Yon’Cath, trying to send a beacon to the party. If 
  the party fails to save all three members then they 
  won’t get any instructions for the rest of the act. If 
  they manage to save at least one, they will pass on a 
  message to the party:
  “Our Lord wants you to do what only you can, break 
  the mirrors, slaughter the aberrations, and defend the 
  Scarlet Hearth from outside threats. Our war must 
  continue, but those heathens on the other side won’t 
  attack you unless you punch first. We may be in the 
  very hells themselves right now, but we at least have 
  some honor. Defend us, so we can kill each other. This 
  grudge ends tonight…”
  The party can (and probably will) react in many 
  different ways to this. Including hanging up their 
  swords and leaving town, letting the Great Old Ones 
  devour everything. If the party chooses this path, you 
  can safely ignore the rest of this chapter and move 
  onto the epilogue (spoiler: everyone but Majin dies). 
  If the party chooses to stay and start defending the 
  Hearth, then there are several waves of aberrations 
  the party will have to deal with. Traditional defenses 
  are meaningless because the creatures spawn from 
  between cracks in reality, and reflective surfaces (in-
  cluding the character's swords). Their aim seems to 
  be to tear down any edifices of other Patrons and 
  bring down the Hearth, but any other chaos they 
  cause is fine with them.
  Your goal as a storyteller is to weaken the party up 
  a little bit and build some tension. We’ve included 
  some aberrations below for the party to fight. If the 
  party is tier 4, show no mercy and have some of their 
  claws appear inside the fighter’s helmet to rip his 
  own eyes out. You’ll have to gauge your group’s ten-
  sion at the table on the fly. Perhaps one fight alone 
  will be enough, others might need three horrific 
  scenarios, and still, some groups really love large 
  battles and want a full session. At the end, when you 
  are ready to move onto act 2, do so after at least one 
  fight, and when gravity starts to fail. 
  
  258
  GM Note 
   Divine Intervention and Wish Spells
  Tier 4 characters have some amazing spells at their disposal, 
  and spells like Wish, Divine Intervention, or other godlike spells 
  might make this final fight seem easy: If they worked correctly. As 
  the Well of Souls has shattered, Arcane Energy fiddles with high-
  end spellcraft altering the outcomes of well-meaning spellcasters. 
  A wish spell may go off, but rather than get what was intended 
  instantly—the character may find himself having to suddenly ne-
  gotiate with a Djinn or a Devil for the exact outcome he wants. 
  Deities find their magic failing to reach their clerics, and resur-
  rection spells simply fail to function (as their souls are getting de-
  voured and shredded before ever making it to the afterlife). 
  The goal isn’t to strip the characters of their powers, but rather 
  twist and alter them. Have them work to a degree, but horrible 
  and twisted. A resurrection spell might (for example) revive the 
  creature as half his former self, or might fully restore him, but the 
  character feels his soul slipping each round as if he’s on a timer. 
  Deals with Patrons, however, are always on the table.
  Encounter - The Sky is Falling
  The Well of Souls has erupted, sending beams of 
  blinding arcane energy up towards the heavens. 
  Jagged arcs of white lightning mar the starry night. 
  And then the unthinkable happens… pieces of the 
  sky begin to fall. Chunks of blackness dotted with 
  stars hurtle toward the ground. A few of these 
  sky-boulders land on Yon’Cath, smashing through 
  buildings and shattering pavement. One touches 
  down just off the west riverbank, near the temple. 
  As the party watches, this piece of the sky begins to 
  move… to stretch out… to stand up. And they realize 
  what it actually is:
  A giant. 
  Throughout the city, the giants stand up, each one 
  almost thirty feet tall. Their skin looks like the night 
  sky, black with speckled white dots. Their eyes 
  glow greenish-blue. They wield clubs that looks to 
  be hewn from a solid crystalline material, the same 
  eerie glowing colors as the Auroras above. This 
  Twilight Giant on the western bank looks around, 
  furious about being pulled down from his home. 
  In a fit of panic, a soldier near the temple (either 
  Legionnaire or Accursed Guard) fires an attack at 
  the giant. It pings off the giant harmlessly… however, 
  the formerly unfocused and dazed giant is now very 
  focused… on the Scarlet Hearth, the assumed origin 
  of this affront. 
  GM Note
  Roll initiative. You are free to add 
  in a second or third giant, who 
  will join their kin in combat if 
  you think one is too easy. If you 
  need to scale down, have the 
  giants injured by the time they 
  reach the party.
  
  259
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  29(+9) 
  14(+2) 
  20(+5) 
  20(+5) 
  18(+4) 
  18(+4)
  Saving Throws Con +11, Int +11, Wis +10
  Skills Athletics +15, Perception +10
  Damage Resistances psychic, necrotic
  Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
  Languages Common, giant, plus one other language
  Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  350
  50 FT
  Twilight Giant
  Huge Giant, Chaotic Neutral 
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack.The giant makes three attacks. The giant can 
  forgo making two of these attacks to instead cast a spell.
  Aurora Light Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 
  15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (2d12 + 9) bludgeoning and 13 
  (2d12) radiant damage. 
  Star Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 35 (4d12 + 9) force damage.
  Arcane Lightning (Recharge 5–6). The giant conjures a 
  magical lightning bolt at a point it can see within 500 ft. of it. 
  Each creature within 10 ft. of that point must make succeed 
  on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 90 (20d8) lightning 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  22(+6) 
  15(+2) 
  16(+3) 
  11(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  8(-1)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
  Skills Stealth +8, Perception +3
  Damage Resistances Psychic, Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Deep speech
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  15 (natural armor)
  105 (14d8 + 42)
  40 FT
  Void Maw
  Medium Aberration, Chaotic Evil
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The maw makes three attacks. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon attack: +9 to hit. Reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 13 (3d6 +3) slashing damage
  Tongue Strike (Recharge 5 – 6). Melee Weapon Attack 
  : +9 to hit. Reach 30 ft., one creature. Hit: (30) 4d12 +6 
  piercing damage. On a successful hit, the target must suc-
  ceed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or have a larval 
  void maw implanted in its body. 2 (1d4) rounds later, a 
  full mature void maw emerges from the target’s body, tak-
  ing 44 (8d10) necrotic damage as the void maw appears 
  in the nearest unoccupied space. A larval void maw can 
  be removed by a creature within reach using an action to 
  succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom (Medicine) check to extract it. 
  Void Gaze. The aberration opens its chest mouth wide, 
  revealing a seemingly endless black abyss with streaks of 
  white light swirling. Each creature of the void maw’s choice 
  that it can see must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving 
  throw or be mesmerized by the void, becoming incapaci-
  tated for as long as the void maw concentrates (as though 
  concentrating on a spell).
  When either all the Void Maws have been killed or 
  the fight has gone on for more than ten minutes, the 
  air is split with the sound of cracking stones. The 
  ground shakes. If there are any surviving Void Maws, 
  they quickly slink back into the closest mirror, glass, 
  or other reflective surfaces. Time for Act 2.
  Amphibious. The giant breaths air and water. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The giant's innate spellcasting ability 
  is Intelligence (spell save DC 18). It can innately cast the fol-
  lowing spells, requiring no material: components
  At will: detect magic, feather fall, levitate, light
  3/day each: harm, heal
  Encounter - 
  Wretched Reflections
  Once the giant(s) have been defeated, there is no time 
  to rest. The party will hear a series of horrific shrieks 
  from behind them, inside the Hearth. When they in-
  vestigate, they will see human-sized aberrations 
  crawling out of mirrors and other reflective surfaces. 
  These chalky white creatures have two spindly legs, 
  ending with taloned feet. Two lanky arms ending in 
  long clawed fingers. A single eyeball sprouts from the 
  neck where its head should be. Broad shoulders that 
  taper to a narrow waist. More notable, however, is the 
  large, wide mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth situ-
  ated right in the center of their chests. The Void Maws 
  have arrived, and they are hungry.
  They pounce on nearby Legionnaires and Warlocks and 
  the Party watches as one opens its mouth wide, and an 
  inky black tongue lashes out from within, skewering a 
  Legionnaire. A few of them converge on the party. 
  GM Note
  Feel free to keep the initiative order from the gi-
  ant fight. It’s up to you how many you’d like the 
  party to defeat before moving to Act 2.
  
  260
  Act 2
  The temple bricks shudder as terrible sounds with 
  no origin echo off the walls. Those-Who-Wait-Beyond 
  grasps forth from several realities into the world as 
  the Scarlet Hearth begins to shatter and break, gravity 
  fading. Chunks of white stone begin to float upwards, 
  drawing the parties to gaze to the gigantic eyes in the 
  sky, staring down at them. Those-Who-Wait-Beyond 
  knows who walked through the Well of Souls, who 
  held the keys, who was near Fayte and Majin, and for 
  some inexplicable alien reason, they’ve singled out 
  the party and the Scarlet Hearth. At least that’s what 
  the party feels. Days later, any surviving soldier would 
  tell the tale in a tavern where the great creatures from 
  beyond singled them out, and them alone. 
  As this legendary encounter plays out, each round you 
  will ask one Player what they did (or did not do) to be-
  come chosen by Those-Who-Wait-Beyond. The round 
  you choose to ask that Player a question, no matter the 
  answer, all of their rolls are made with Disadvantage. 
  They may gain advantage on their rolls if they wor-
  ship the old ones or are chosen by the entities.
  To save the Hearth or fulfill the requests of either the 
  King or the Captain, the party will engage the legend-
  ary beast. If they are low level or still in early tiers 
  of play at this point, imbue them with extra strength 
  from the Patrons they are saving in the hearth. If they 
  are Tier Four, then the Patrons should be praying to 
  them for help. This is the challenge to pull no punches. 
  Fayte looks to the party, "Even with my newfound 
  power, I can’t do this alone. I need you, my friends."
  Energy will flow out from her, and into the party 
  members, granting the party the means to hurt im-
  mortal entities that lie beyond. (This bonus can be 
  left up to the storyteller. For low tier characters wild-
  ly swing their damage dice up, and for high tier char-
  acters you may wish to restore some spell slots only. 
  Tailor this bonus to your group so the following fight 
  is deadly. Without Fayte’s blessing, it should be near 
  impossible). This will temporarily weaken Fayte, 
  putting the onus on the Players to defeat this threat. 
  The reversed gravity seems to be only affecting 
  non-sentient things. Rocks, stone, dirt, trees, and water 
  begin to slowly float upward. It’s as if the Shadelands 
  itself is being torn apart and dragged up. Dozens upon 
  dozens of glowing blueish-purple tentacles descend 
  from the shattered sky. After that comes a swarm of 
  fist-sized creatures that resemble a disembodied eye-
  ball with spider legs and leathery wings. 
  Each round the party engages with the tentacles and 
  eyes descending from the sky, have them make a DC 
  20 Wisdom Saving Throw. On a success, they can pull 
  their focus away from the abomination in the sky 
  above and survey their surroundings. They see many 
  Warlocks, legionnaires, wizards, clerics, fighters, and 
  more across the countryside are engaged in similar 
  means. While the two sides are still fighting each oth-
  er, they aren’t blind to the massive threat before them.
  If they make their Wisdom Saving Throw, then allow 
  that person (and only that character) a secret DC 20 
  Intelligence (Investigation) Check. If they make this 
  second roll, then they will spot a Warlock floating 
  up among the chaos, covered in blood, shrieking an 
  endless string of forbidden incantations, their face 
  twisted into a ghastly grin. These are fanatical cult-
  ists who want this Entity to consume the Shadelands. 
  They are lending their power to the Entity, turning 
  their bodies into anchors that help it enter our plane 
  of existence. The characters might have to run across 
  floating pillars, walls, or even fallen bodies to strike 
  down one of these crazed cultists.
  Doing so cuts the Entity's remaining hit points by 
  half (eventually, the party will have to engage the 
  creature, as you can only divide its HP in half so many 
  times). Hunting the cultists is a perfect way to run 
  the encounter for low-level characters while trying 
  to survive the chaos above. The world... pauses when 
  they defeat the creature’s current lot of hit points.
  Stats and Abilities for Those Who Wait Beyond 
  can be found in the Appendix
  
  261
  
  262
  As Those-Who-Wait-Beyond scream across the mul-
  tiverse and are burned back from reality, Majin and 
  Fayte arrive underneath the characters. Both bear 
  several wounds from battle but are still upright, and 
  both are wiping the ichor of eyeball off their clothes. 
  In the skies above, elder Great Ones rip apart young-
  er Great Ones who were just defeated by the party 
  (and the armies). The chaos above mirrors the chaos 
  happening in the Shadelands. The cacophony of vio-
  lence is loud enough that the party practically has to 
  shout as acrid rain riddles them all. 
  Waving them over, Fayte and Majin allow the party 
  a brief Short Rest as they hunker underneath one 
  Siding With the Accursed King:
  Act 3
  “Destiny, is a tricky thing, friends. Same with choice. 
  If Fayte lends her strength to the side of the Accursed 
  King, then the Knight Captain and all his allies will be 
  wiped out. Not without bloodshed of course, and losses 
  on the King’s side… even some you might have come to 
  like. When the dust settles, the Great Old Ones will be 
  brought to heel under the rule, and the Shadelands will 
  forevermore be a place that’s a little...stranger. There 
  will never be another Knight Captain or Fayte to bal-
  ance the scales, and the veil between worlds here will 
  always be a fickle and trite thing. Luckily, it will be a 
  great place to explore the planes… or cut a deal.”
  of Majin’s spells. The fighting needs to stop and at 
  this point, they don’t have the time to play favorites 
  anymore: Majin and Fayte reveal the stakes. Even if 
  Fayte thought she could change the King, she can’t. 
  The Knight Captain is equally a zealot and will hunt 
  warlocks forever. If they do nothing, every living 
  thing within dozens of miles of this point with die. 
  If Fayte sacrifices herself to the Well… the horrors 
  above will cease, and the two sides will find a reason 
  to make peace. 
  Lead into the conversation with Fayte’s offer to sac-
  rifice herself to the Well. Then, cut in with what each 
  side means specifically with Majin’s point of view. 
  Siding With The Knight Captain:
  “I think the world has seen enough horrors brought by 
  Warlocks, and I have a feeling their memory runs deep 
  and long. In fact, most Warlocks tend to be of the short-
  er-lived races, perhaps it’s a little bit of perspective. If 
  Fayte lends her strength to the Knight Captain, this will 
  be the end of the King’s rule... and the Warlocks of the 
  Shadelands. The Legion of the Fallen’s ranks will swell 
  as Patrons are hunted down and murdered wholesale 
  for their crimes. In time, the Legionnaires will leave the 
  Shadelands and crusade out into the world—hunting 
  down would be Warlocks who’ve crossed the line or have 
  started to piece together secrets they shouldn’t know. The 
  Shadelands will be a quieter place, solemn, and sacred. A 
  memorial to the war fought this day, and the lives lost.”
  
  263
  Letting Fayte Sacrifice Herself:
  Walking Away and Letting It Burn:
  “I’d… prefer it if we didn’t lose someone so bright and full 
  of potential. You see, the lot of you will all die should she 
  perform this act of… martyrdom. The Knight Captain 
  and the King, united in their hatred of... us. Will turn their 
  armies and magics full force to annihilate us off this plane 
  of existence. I might be able to survive… but I’m not so 
  sure about all of you. The Shadelands will find a balance 
  between Warlock and Patron after this. The King and the 
  Captain, snapped free from their insanity by your sacri-
  fices… bah, it would almost make everything we’ve done 
  a waste, wouldn’t it? Don’t let her follow through with 
  such naive ideas. Since when have mortals ever chosen 
  martyrdom over self-preservation?”
  Any Player cunning enough to ask for an Insight 
  check doesn’t even need to roll. Majin doesn’t want 
  the Players to let Fayte sacrifice herself because they 
  can’t divine that future. It would also foil their plans 
  and they’d have to start all over again. They might not 
  be sure of the specifics, but Majin seems completely 
  fine with letting half (or all) of the Shadelands die 
  today. The real truth is that with such a massive sac-
  rifice and loss of life throwing the Well of Souls into 
  Chaos, Majin realizes their full plan of putting a yoke 
  around the pacts of all Warlocks.  
  “That… is… an option, yes. I suppose it is. Might Fayte 
  and I be able to accompany you? If we get far enough 
  away, I suppose Those-Who-Wait-Beyond would let 
  us rest. What... what plane of existence do you plan to 
  hide out on again? Surely you weren’t thinking that 
  we could hide here… on this rock. Although, if you con-
  vinced enough clerics and other sorts to throw enough 
  prayer and magic at them, they might go away. I 
  mean, the Shadelands and everything for miles to 
  come would be nothing but ash... but… ash does make 
  good fertilizer.”
  The party will find many excuses to keep debating, 
  hunting for spells, tricks, or other means to get around 
  these choices. Their problem is time. Fayte will keep the 
  party on their toes and remind them that they’ve got 
  to make a choice. She will be distraught because there 
  is merit to every choice and no matter what, someone 
  has to lose. There just can’t be a happy ending. If the 
  party waits and waffles too long, start making it clear 
  that the Shadelands are going to be annihilated (with 
  them in it). Once the Players have made their choice, 
  end the session and get ready for the final chapter. 
  
  264
  Weaving Threads
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  In the climax, if a character dies, remember that 
  they have a letter that can be burnt for their revival. 
  Otherwise, the combat in this fight should stay high-
  stakes. Don’t cheat, but don’t pull your punches. Death 
  is already hard to achieve with all the saving throws. 
  Sidequest Potential: When fighting the Giants and 
  Aberrations in the first part, there is a window there 
  the party can break off to save others. A Shadelands 
  Bard who refuses to leave is madly scribbling down 
  the chronicle in his journal. Blind, but not crippled, 
  the Bard has heard many tales—and is unfortunate-
  ly about to be devoured. Should the Players save the 
  Bard, they can be rewarded with a published work of 
  their adventure at the end (if they live).
  If your party enjoys the awe and wonder of explo-
  ration, you can weave in bits of it when the realms 
  start to shatter. As the party is fighting Those-Who-
  Wait-Beyond, bring in sights and smells from other 
  planes of existence. Some strange, some familiar… to 
  showcase how cosmic these entities are. 
  Sidequest Potential: The cultists are a strange and 
  wild turn of events. Neither loyal to the King or the 
  Captain, these mortals followed the commands of 
  their Patrons and threaten everything. Who are they? 
  What is their motive? Exploring the cult is a valid 
  quest. You can make the cult be anyone, but we went 
  with The Cult of Anastriana. A cult of chaotic evil war-
  locks whose motive is exploring the outer reaches of 
  reality regardless of the cost. In the right light, on the 
  right day, they might even be cast as noble explorers 
  or scientists. Today, they are scientists who’ve gone 
  too far. Lured by the madness of their Patrons. 
  The main social component of this chapter takes place 
  during the final act. When the Players make the ulti-
  mate choice over what they are going to do. The Players 
  might engage in a little side-PVP with each other if they 
  are torn with their different beliefs. Unlike other social 
  encounters, they don’t have time to let this one breath. 
  Keep the pressure and the tension on with Fayte and 
  Majin as the clock to annihilation ticks down. 
  Sidequest Potential: Between the second and third 
  acts, it might not be clear what exactly the Players 
  achieve by battling ancient horrors in the sky. To clar-
  ify this, you can have a sidequest during the battle 
  where the PCs save Majin and Fayte several times as 
  they race on horseback from the Spire to the Player 
  character’s location. Every round that more than 
  half the party succeeds on their rolls is a round the 
  duo make it through unharmed. In the end, give the 
  Players more time to talk and a longer rest if they 
  helped Majin and Fayte along.
  
  265
  
  266
  266
  
  Chapter 10
  Vae Victis
  “Few things in life are more disappointing than watching events unfold 
  exactly as you predicted they would...” — Majin the Betrayer
  The End Is Nigh. ‘Vae Victis’ is both the resolution 
  and epilogue for the Red Opera. Unlike other chap-
  ters written, this chapter contains several different 
  story possibilities. Your Players may have stuck pret-
  ty close to the script, or for all we know; their char-
  acters might be leading the armies of foreign nations 
  to burn the Shadelands. The Players always throw 
  kinks in the best-laid storyteller plans and we love 
  them for it. Just remember to keep Tragedy and Cost 
  as themes played in the forefront for whatever out-
  come the Players are on. The theme and tone of this 
  Red Opera can be achieved no matter how far off the 
  rails the campaign has gone, but as an architect of 
  the story, it rests upon your shoulders to stick the 
  landing. 
  If everything has gone to plan, however, then the 
  party has settled on one of four choices—three of 
  Synopsis
  Introduction
  “I’ve never had enough power to change a battle 
  until now. I could get used to this—if I survive...”
   — Fayte the Shield Maiden
  In the first act, we will resolve the current battle. 
  The party and Fayte will play out one of their choic-
  es and engage in final combat. Fayte ultimately 
  meets her demise after achieving their set goal, and 
  the battle for the Shadelands comes to end. 
  In the second act, the characters will skip time a bit 
  and wrap up loose ends in the Shadelands based on 
  their choice and what has happened. As a non-com-
  bat act and a bit of an epilogue to the current story, 
  you’ll need to do some pre-planning with the party 
  to write what happens. Keeping a note and a log of all 
  the NPCs that need story resolutions will be helpful 
  to provide proper closure. 
  Lastly, in the third act; we will touch on Majin. You’ll 
  read any remaining letters home and burn them 
  them viable. If they choose to do nothing and watch 
  the world burn, let them burn with it and close the 
  book on their shocked faces. Inaction is just wasted 
  opportunity after all. The world will be rent asunder 
  and we showcase some means that you’ll be able to 
  narrate that as the Storyteller.
  This final session is best run by candlelight, with 
  soft music in the background. Even though there are 
  a few grudge matches to be settled, the entire tone 
  of this chapter is the light fading. The world of the 
  Shadelands will be changed forever.
  At the end of the adventure, crack open any remain-
  ing Letters Home, and read them out loud to the ta-
  ble (in the voice of Majin if you’ve been doing char-
  acter voices), and burn them together.
  together. Depending on which choices the characters 
  made and who died along the way… the party may 
  find themselves brought back to life for another, yet 
  unknown, adventure. 
  VAE VICTIS
  Scan this QR code to listen to this 
  adventure act’s paired song 
  from the Orchestral Version 
  of the Red Opera Album by 
  DiAmorte.
  
  268
  “What of the world? The deed is done. This age ends, 
  and another begins. Aren’t you curious about what 
  new ideas it brings? Or are we stuck animating 
  the dead of a past age again to lament over our 
  failures?” — Majin the Betrayer
  The physical Shadelands itself will go from being a realm 
  in the throes of chaos to several possible outcomes. 
  One possibility is the Shadelands becomes strang-
  er, weirder, more colorful, and more welcoming 
  to Warlocks. When they set about rebuilding the 
  Shadelands, rather than use earthen architecture and 
  designs—start spattering in otherworldly angles. 
  Ruled by the Accursed King, who now has sway over 
  all warlocks (via Majin) in the world, the city preps 
  and readies for expansion. Patrons and spirits roam 
  more freely, and the Shadelands becomes home for 
  both interdimensional commerce, but also a place 
  of terrifying mortal torment. The mind breaks easily 
  when confronted with things less understood. Slowly 
  but surely the population of the Shadelands fades 
  from identifiable Warlocks into more inhuman types. 
  Another possibility is the Shadelands falling under the 
  sway of the Knight Captain. Instead of being a place 
  that welcomes the strange, they hunt it. Taking pride in 
  being a defense against the worlds and other realities, 
  the Shadelands becomes more militarized. Religions 
  and other types of magic find themselves featured 
  more prominently, and places like the Scarlet Hearth 
  and Well of Souls are locked down. Any remaining 
  Warlocks are shackled in both pact and service to the 
  Knight Captain (and Majin ensures this is so). Around 
  the world, Legionnaires of the Fallen begin their cru-
  sade at locating other Warlocks and bringing them in. A 
  task made vastly easier when their eldritch powers are 
  yoked by Majin. Under the rule of the Knight Captain, 
  the Shadelands becomes a military stronghold ready 
  to invade other nations (or even other planes of exis-
  tence) to kill hiding Patrons that break the law. 
  The third possibility (and most surprising) is if the 
  Players and Fayte martyr themselves in the battle. 
  When this is done the Shadelands will resume a bal-
  ance found in the first chapter. A vibrant and color-
  ful land filled with mystery, wonder, and hope at the 
  beyond. The Knight Captain and King will set aside 
  their differences and rebuild the city with a new 
  framework from the ground up. Not having complete 
  control over the Well, Majin is unable to yoke in ev-
  ery Patron’s pact. He’s earned power no doubt, and 
  their experiment yielded results—but they’re not 
  out of the game just yet... And neither are the Players.
  The final option is if the Players took a path of in-
  action or a path that deviates too far from destiny. 
  The Shadelands are utterly destroyed and everyone 
  inside is consumed by Those-Who-Wait-Beyond. For 
  miles on end, everything is turned to ash. The Players 
  may, or may not, find themselves in this wave of de-
  struction. Should they die, there is no return—their 
  souls are forever devoured by the Great Old Ones. 
  After a time, Majin will sweep out their laboratory in 
  the Well and fix the mural. The undisputed ruler and 
  master of the Shadelands, Majin sits on the King’s 
  shattered throne and enjoys some peace and quiet; 
  they’ve found a way to bring death to the world. 
  Act 1
  The Players Choose to Side With Accursed King: 
  Fayte may not be able to change who Dorian is, and 
  the love that was once there has faded away. Despite 
  this, Dorian is still one of their best hopes of keeping 
  the Patrons in check. When dealing with the Great Old 
  Ones above, he’ll have the most say. Unfortunately, 
  even though the Knight Captain is just—his end is 
  now. Even if the Accursed King became too powerful, 
  other nations and other deities could step in; but 
  right now, they need his strength. 
  The Setting
  With their choice made, Fayte lends her strength 
  (and the power of the Well via Majin) to the King’s 
  Warlocks. Across the battlefield, power flows into the 
  King’s men. With the tide of battle turning, the party 
  and Fayte chase after the Knight Captain’s position to 
  capture (or kill) him [Refer to Appendix for the Knight 
  Captain’s stats and abilities for this fight]. Rain crashes 
  down from above, giants still shadow the horizon, and 
  horrors from above rip each other ashred.
  Faced with the betrayal of Fayte, who would choose… 
  this chaos over his love and stability, the Knight 
  
  269
  Captain and his soldiers will kill Fayte in this battle 
  [refer to Appendix for Knight Captain's stats and 
  abilities]. During the fight, make Fayte the primary 
  target for all attacks; and even take cheap shots if 
  needed. The party can’t resurrect her if she dies, but 
  if the party does prevent her death—she will cut the 
  throat of the Knight Captain. Once Fayte, the Knight 
  Captain, or both are dead the call for retreat begins. 
  Unfortunately, the Legionnaires will be slaughtered 
  down to the last and the sacrifice to the Well of Souls is 
  complete. Fayte’s power and choice allows Majin to seal 
  off the eldritch beasts plaguing the Shadelands, and the 
  Accursed King can restore power. Move onto Act 2.
  The Players Choose to Side With Knight Captain:
  The Knight Captain offers many sane reasons for 
  the party to choose him. Once the choice is made, 
  Fayte and Majin use their powers to deprive all the 
  Warlocks of any powers they have. As the wave of 
  energy washes over the battlefield, the Players and 
  Fayte will charge the King’s position while he is weak. 
  Unfortunately for Fayte, the King has made many deals 
  and many pacts—and not all of his power comes from 
  Patrons [refer to Appendix for the Accursed Kings 
  stats and abilities for this fight]. Using artifacts, he 
  will hiss with hatred and curse her name a thousand 
  ways while ripping her asunder in the battle. Prior 
  to becoming the King, he was a warrior and has no 
  intention of going down without a fight. 
  Saving Fayte during the battle with the King should be 
  nigh impossible. Even if she hides and doesn’t go into 
  the fight, he and his men will race to find her. After 
  all, she’s the one who is meddling with their powers. 
  Once the King is defeated, the city's Warlocks and 
  Patrons fall soon after. Powerless and now swimming 
  upstream, it is a slaughter that runs the city red with 
  their blood. Even the Obsidian Rush changes color 
  to that of a deep crimson river. Fueled with enough 
  energy and any rival they had removed, Majin banishes 
  the otherworldly threats easily and hands the keys 
  of the kingdom to the Knight Captain. If Fayte is still 
  alive somehow, she will find herself heartbroken over 
  how violent everything was. Move onto Act 2.  
  The Players Choose Self-Sacrifice:
  Choosing for Fayte to sacrifice herself to the Well is 
  the one outcome Majin least enjoys. Alas, they are 
  still bound by their will and curious to see how this 
  unfolds. Instead of a fight against either side, the 
  party will take Fayte to the pool that sat beneath the 
  now shattered Scarlet Hearth. Looking down, the 
  once black waters are now clear, and they can see the 
  actual Well of Souls far below. Whether the Well is 
  physically down there, or they are looking through a 
  portal... it doesn’t matter. The Well is ready to receive 
  the ultimate sacrifice. The effects are instantaneous. 
  Every otherworldly monstrosity and aberration 
  dissipates. The sky returns to normal. All that is left 
  are the mortals.
  There will be no hiding this action from either LaCroix 
  or Dorian. Everyone on every side will know it was the 
  Party that killed the Shadelands' favored daughter. 
  Heartbroken, both the Knight Captain and the King 
  demand the “Betrayer’s” heads. They send everyone 
  in their arsenal after Majin and the Player characters. 
  Send everything you have and the kitchen sink to 
  kill the party. Nothing about these encounters is 
  fair, but you can run them on as long as you wish. 
  The straightforward approach at this point is a fight 
  between the party and wave after wave of various 
  enemies. And it doesn’t stop until each and every one 
  of them is dead.
  If the party is low level, it will probably be a very simple 
  affair (all their help is now gone). If the party is at a 
  high level, you don’t have to let it end here. This might 
  even be the start of a new campaign. The citizens of 
  Yon'Cath will use everything to endlessly hunt the 
  party, and it is only a matter of time before they meet 
  their demise. Even if the party rallies forth and wins 
  the battle over the King and Captain the Shadelands 
  Patrons would still go after them. Although this would 
  make for a wickedly cool campaign, and it might be 
  worth exploring, it’s easier to just give in and accept 
  death. After all, it’s not the end...
  You’ll move to Act 2 when you deem appropriate and 
  narrate what happens, but the Player characters won’t 
  interact again until after you read their Letter’s Home. 
  The Players Choose To Do Nothing:
  In some fashion, the Players sometimes choose no-
  action. This takes many forms: the party could just 
  leave, they could join an outside nation, or they could 
  try a small political coup on their own. Leaving Fayte 
  to her own devices spells doom for the Shadelands 
  as she gives into fear and insanity from Those-Who-
  Wait-Beyond and opens the gates further to them. If 
  everyone wants to watch the world burn, then so be 
  it. There is no combat to be had when facing the full 
  might of the eldritch horrors.
  Mortals choose petty things and the cycle of life and 
  death continues endlessly. Fayte brings an end to it all.
  
  270
  Act 2
  The Players Choose to Side With Accursed King:
  After the battle is resolved, skip ahead a few weeks in 
  the Shadelands. Give the party some much-needed rest 
  and treat them as heroes in the King’s court. By choos-
  ing the King’s side he will offer them rank and nobility 
  within the Shadelands and the party might find them-
  selves gladly accepting land and responsibility. 
  Bit-by-bit, however, the Shadelands becomes more 
  otherworldly. New temples are constructed, and more 
  permanent planar gates are constructed. The vision of 
  the King is that the Shadelands will serve as the de-
  facto home on the Material Plane for all Warlocks and 
  creatures tied to the outside. Majin gladly enjoys their 
  role in the court, where all Patrons and Warlocks find 
  their deals going through them now. 
  Without a semblance of balance, the Shadelands slow-
  ly grow more-and-more inhumane. Resembling less a 
  city of mortals and more a place of myth and weird 
  walking the streets. How this plays out in your world 
  with your party is up to them to shape, but slowly and 
  surely keep removing mortal races from the table un-
  til the Shadelands is fully a city for Patrons. Patrons all 
  paying homage to one King—and their strings being 
  pulled by one entity.
  
  271
  The Players Choose to Side With Knight Captain:
  Weeks roll by in the Shadelands as everything is rebuilt 
  from the ground up. The party will be at the forefront 
  of the Knight Captain’s advisers and instrumental in 
  helping rebuild the government. Every position from 
  high to low needs to be filled once again, and there is a 
  complete restructuring that needs to happen. It’s even 
  possible that the Knight Captain creates a democratic 
  environment or a guild-led republic in the Shadelands. 
  Let the party be involved in the final choices as to how 
  the world is shaped—they’ve earned it. 
  As time marches on, the party will slowly realize that 
  magic and Warlocks are heavily policed and pressed 
  into service. Patrons and creatures from other worlds 
  are rarely seen and slowly brought to heel within the 
  Shadelands. Permanent Gates to other worlds are 
  constructed, but with the sole intent of sending elite 
  strike-forces through to kill Patron’s that demand 
  horrible sacrifices of their Warlocks. Once again in the 
  world, Warlocks are distrusted, hunted, and hated. 
  The Shadelands can serve as grounds for an entire 
  new Planeswalking campaign, or a place to run an 
  Inquisition out of a mix of both suits this ending well. 
  
  272
  The Players Choose Self-Sacrifice:
  The party is not involved in any of the choices, but you 
  can set the stage for them: The Shadelands heal. In a 
  way best fitting of their choice, the Shadelands strikes 
  a balance between the Patrons and Mortals once again. 
  The King (thanks to Majin being bound to service) 
  finds himself more able to govern the odd demands of 
  countless entities. The Knight Captain and his men do 
  fair work at protecting others from outer world threats. 
  Other nations have taken the Shadelands more seri-
  ously and several accords and pacts have been made to 
  help the territory grow and prosper. 
  In the wake of their deaths, the Players and Fayte 
  have given way to a new life, and new hopes in the 
  Shadelands. Majin, unfortunately, had many of their 
  plans foiled. They’ll have to start again if they want to 
  usurp full control of the Well, and luckily for them—
  Majin knows just the people to help. Perhaps they’ll 
  try their luck at becoming an actual Patron this time.
  
  273
  The Players Choose To Do Nothing:
  Even the cockroaches didn’t survive. Your job, if they 
  choose this, is to describe the end. Those-Who-Wait-
  Beyond end and fracture reality as it is known in the 
  Shadelands. Using this rare opportunity to cross over, 
  they plant and create something in the Material Plan 
  that will further their unknowable agenda in another 
  thousand years. The Shadelands is reduced to rubble, 
  and every army on the battlefield is blown to smither-
  eens. If the party has means of planar travel or long-dis-
  tance teleportation, then they might survive… but they 
  will always be haunted by nightmares and visions of 
  what they’ve witnessed for the rest of their lives. 
  After a time, it might become apparent that Majin 
  did survive and profit off the massive sacrifice. 
  Among the rubble, he’ll dig out the King’s throne 
  and sit upon it. Throughout the world, all Warlocks 
  find themselves no longer talking to their Patrons—
  but rather Majin himself. They haven’t quite figured 
  out what to do with this newfound power, but they’ll 
  spend some time contemplating a few creative ideas.
  
  274
  Act 3
  In Act 3, we have one job as Storytellers: Read the 
  letters home. Going around the party, close the ad-
  venture off by reading the letter the PC’s wrote at the 
  start. When the letter is read, burn it on the candle 
  or in a fireplace. As it turns to ash, go ahead and re-
  cap any loose ends from that the Player character. If 
  the letter mentioned family, or loved ones, or a con-
  nection to the world—describe what happened to 
  those people throughout the Red Opera. The world 
  is not static and time marches on. 
  If the Player had already died and has no letter re-
  maining... then for them is only silence and solace. 
  Perhaps a drink in their honor, or narrate a scene 
  of them alone in a bar by the warmth of the flame 
  during a long night. They have no connection to the 
  world anymore, and their fate is their own. 
  Lastly, for any characters that have died during 
  the final act by picking self-sacrifice and foiling 
  Majin’s plans: After their letter is read, describe 
  those mentioned in the letter feel the pull or call 
  to the Shadelands and find themselves walking to 
  meet Majin. 
  Near a small tree in the Thistlewood Forest, under a 
  few feet of snow, they awake. Majin is standing over 
  graves holding a basket filled with small gnarled hu-
  manoid plants and has just burned each of the let-
  ters. Majin summons the dead character's closest and 
  loved ones to their side. There, they begin to weave to 
  them the tale of poor forgotten souls who made a very 
  interesting choice, but they’d like to try again...
  While normally burning the Letter Home would re-
  vive the party members, it was Majin who always 
  fueled this little trick. Burning the letters brought 
  the target back to life, but made everyone who loved 
  them forget the character. Since the party didn’t ex-
  actly take the action Majin wanted… they aren’t so 
  keen to revive them. Their loved ones (or close allies) 
  might prove more reliable to Majin’s next attempt.
  Perhaps as the party passes onto the afterlife, they 
  can gain solace in knowing that Majin will keep try-
  ing again, and again. Majin hands their loved ones 
  parchment and a pen… and has them write a letter to 
  a loved one (thus bringing the cycle of people taking 
  a pilgrimage to the Shadelands full circle, and pro-
  viding an interesting hook for the next story). 
  “Well, that was an interesting endeavor wouldn’t you 
  say? Come. We’ve got more work to do.”
  Other characters who died in the final act, but choose 
  options that benefited Majin will be resurrected as 
  normal by burning their letters. 
  As for those in the party who achieved the goal of 
  a Patron they cut a deal with during the campaign; 
  should find themselves with a free level of Warlock 
  (perhaps with Majin as a patron based on their out-
  come), or an Epic Level Boon that mimics a Warlock 
  power based on a patron. If the party had hostile 
  deals with Patrons, you can take an insidious action 
  and replace one of their class levels with Warlock. 
  That patron isn’t done with them yet…
  Either way, feel free as the Storyteller to break a few 
  rules at the end of the Red Opera. Party members 
  who died in the final act should be held dead—but 
  their story continues in those who loved them. Those 
  who survived should have to face the consequenc-
  es (both good and bad) of their choices. Grant epic 
  boons, remove levels, levy curses, and more because 
  no matter what:
  What adventures come next is determined by them.
  From the bottom of our hearts, we hope you (and 
  your Players) enjoy the Red Opera and the adven-
  tures that come after. Your connection to those 
  around you is truly important, and hopefully, this 
  story has brought everyone at your table closer to-
  gether. Please reach out to any of us at Apotheosis 
  Studios with your tales and how this Opera came to 
  an end for you and your group. Your endings will de-
  termine the future of the Shadelands!
  Thank you so much.
  Everyone at Apotheosis Studios
  
  275
  
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  276
  
  Side quest, Tentacles in the Deep
  Tentacles in the Deep
  What would you do if a Patron of abominable in-
  tent and profane heart bound you into a Warlock 
  Pact against your will? Would you risk your eternal 
  soul—and the souls of all those close to you—to 
  break free of the creature’s vile grasp? Even if you 
  had such an intent, how would you hope to kill such 
  an abhorrent entity? How could you possibly mus-
  ter the strength—and allies—necessary to slay an 
  Eldritch God? 
  Domadred Steel, a swashbuckling hero of Jamison 
  Stone’s The Rune Chronicles, is far from home and 
  has seemly run out of options. Falsely outlawed for 
  treason in his native waters, Domadred, his crew, 
  and their ship, the Illusive Diamond, have more sto-
  ries in their wake than all the vessels in the Yon’Cath 
  harbor combined. 
  Immediately before the events of The Red Opera’s 
  main campaign, Domadred and his crew, during a 
  deadly sea tempest in their native home of Terra, 
  were tricked into a Patron Pact with A Great Old One 
  to avoid near-certain death. The Patron, “upholding 
  its side of the bargain,” transported Domadred and 
  his ship out of the storm to the “safety” of Yon’Cath.
  The Patron informed Domadred that the only way 
  This adventure takes place approximately one week 
  after the main storyline of The Red Opera—and 
  Yon’Cath will, depending on your players’ choices, be 
  in one of several states of tranquility or turmoil. Use 
  your best judgment regarding how much or how lit-
  tle Yon’Cath’s state affects the story. See “adventure 
  hooks” below for additional ideas and suggestions. 
  Act 1 takes place in The Bloated Barnacle, a rustic 
  themed inn and tavern that always seems to have 
  hints of ships through the room, either as barrel 
  tables, or fishing nets decorating the ceiling. The 
  inn is primarily frequented by those who spend 
  more of their days on the ocean than on land, or by 
  those who want to change their usual tavern scen-
  ery. Depending on how the main campaign ended, 
  the tavern will either be filled with legionaries if the 
  Introduction
  Setting
  for his crew to return to their homeworld was for 
  Domadred to serve as an anchor for the Patron in this 
  realm. To do so means Domadred must merge with 
  the Eldritch horror deep within the Nameless Black 
  Sea, north of Yon’Cath’s Obsidian Rush, and serve as 
  its “Avatar” here in this physical plane. Domadred, 
  however, has other plans…
  This adventure is designed for Tier 4 characters 
  (level 17 to 20) and serves as an epilogue to The 
  Red Opera, providing a means for storytellers and 
  players to experience what it takes to kill a Patron—
  and if the party survives the ordeal, reap their just 
  rewards. Act 3 presents a profoundly difficult battle 
  with Those Who Wait Beyond and should not be tak-
  en lightly. 
  This adventure also enables Players transport upon 
  Domadred Steele’s ship, the Illusive Diamond, to any 
  of the many planes of their choosing so they can em-
  bark on their next campaign and setting after they 
  have completed The Red Opera! 
  So, grab your captain’s hat, a well-worn jolly roger, 
  and a half-drunken bottle of whiskey, as you prepare 
  to set sail for a nautical adventure of cosmic scope 
  and horror—if you dare!
  Players choose to side with Lacroix. Or filled with 
  Warlocks and Dorian’s men if The Accursed King 
  won. If a hybrid ending was chosen, it could be filled 
  with all manner of entities, or even empty, depend-
  ing on how you choose to end the main adventure 
  and run this quest. 
  Domadred’s ship is located in the docks of the 
  Obsidian Rush, as close as can be to The Bloated 
  Barnacle, which is where Act 2 and 3 of this adventure 
  takes place. The Illusive Diamond is a three-masted 
  barquentine schooner with a crew of twenty, wea-
  ry and battle-worn men. More details regarding 
  the ship and its upcoming exploits upon the 
  Nameless Black Sea will be found below. 
  
  278
  Domadred and his pirate crew have been cast ashore 
  due to the duplicitous mechanizations of a Great 
  Old One Patron known only as “Those Who Wait 
  Beyond.” Domadred his crew desperately wish to 
  free themselves of their Patron pact but need help 
  slaying the Patron lest be forced to comply with its 
  demands of using Domadred as the Patron’s “Avatar” 
  in the physical world. 
  In Act 1, the party finds Domadred in The Bloated 
  Barnacle drinking and gambling, lamenting his dire 
  situation. Tempted by fame, fortune, or personal rea-
  sons, the party agrees to help Domadred, and just as 
  the agreement is made, a mysterious elf battlemage 
  named Vajra Ajey Virendra appears, claiming to have 
  the same goal of defeating the vile Great Old One. 
  Vajra says he works for another patron named The 
  Mother of Mirrors (see page 81) and only through 
  her divine help will Domadred be able to break his 
  vile pact and return to his homeworld of Terra. Vajra 
  says he will assist Domadred and the Party, asking 
  only one thing in return: that he strikes the kill-
  ing blow against the dark patron once it has been 
  This adventure is written in such a way that any of The 
  Red Opera’s campaign ending are viable story hooks, 
  however, here are a few key points to keep in mind.
  The opportunity to kill a Patron for personal rea-
  sons, fame, or gold, should be a powerful call to ad-
  venture. There are many rewards for a party brave 
  (or foolish) enough to attempt such a feat. 
  Irrespective of how the main storyline of The Red 
  Opera ended for your party, characters may eventu-
  ally want to depart Yon’Cath and prepare for their 
  next campaign. If Yon’Cath is in chaos and burning, 
  their departure will be in haste as refugees; but even 
  if they are departing on good terms, safe travel on 
  Domadred’s ship the Illusive Diamond to any plane 
  of their choosing is a very potent story hook, as well.  
  Lastly, if your characters are Warlocks of, or choose to 
  work for, the Great Old Ones, they can “agree” to help 
  Domadred, BUT in Act 3 of the adventure, can instead 
  betray Domadred and Vajra. If this occurs, the Players 
  will assist the evil Patron "Those Who Wait Beyond" 
  take control of Domadred and his crew.
  Lastly, if your characters are Warlocks of, or choose to 
  work for, the Great Old Ones, they can “agree” to help 
  Domadred, BUT in Act 3 of the adventure, can instead 
  betray Domadred and Vajra. If this occurs, the Players 
  will assist the evil Patron "Those Who Wait Beyond" 
  take control of Domadred and his crew.
  This is a very “non-cannon” ending and Game 
  Masters will have to improvise a new ending but 
  could serve as a unique adventure for players who 
  wish to side with evil and take a darker path.
  weakened here in the physical plane. Domadred 
  agrees and a deal is struck.
  In Act 2, the party and Vajra are led by Domadred to 
  his ship the Illusive Diamond and they set sail into 
  the eerie and unknown waters of the Obsidian Rush 
  and Nameless Black Sea. Here Domadred begins 
  slipping into the madness of his patron, and the par-
  ty and Vajra must assist the crew (skill challenges) in 
  sailing the ship and fighting back tentacle creatures 
  that emerge from the water. 
  In Act 3, the Illusive Diamond makes it to the ap-
  pointed spot deep within the Nameless Black Sea, 
  and Domadred falls into complete psychosis. The 
  party then works alongside Vajra and helps protect 
  the ship from the monstrous patron by assisting the 
  crew in firing the ship’s cannons at its emerging ten-
  tacles. The party must also weaken the Great Old 
  One and expose its vulnerable point through magic 
  and blade, thereby allowing Vajra to get deliver the 
  final killing blow. Without the party’s help, however, 
  all will be lost, the ship will be destroyed, and her 
  crew consumed by Those Who Wait Beyond.
  Adventure Hooks
  Setting
  
  279
  Act 1: Rum and Shadows
  Before nightfall the party receives a letter, request-
  ing help in breaking a pact with a malicious patron 
  with who they have a history. A history that has loose 
  ends and may still pose a threat, even if it is some 
  time down the line. There is the promise of a reward, 
  but the contents of such a thing aren’t outright stat-
  ed. All the party knows exactly, is that should they 
  agree, to go to The Bloated Barnacle at nightfall.
  And so, the night begins inside The Bloated Barnacle, 
  a four-level structure close to the Obsidian Rush 
  docks. Known for its wide selection of ales and atmo-
  spheric location, travelers of all stripes come to the 
  inn to break or forge a pact—or in Domadred Steel’s 
  case, lament their imminent doom. 
  Wearing a wide-brimmed captain’s hat, Domadred is 
  clad in wealthy seafarer’s attire whose native waters 
  are unknown to even the most well-traveled adven-
  turer. He wears a combination of cloth and leather 
  armor, with a single plate mail pauldron on his right 
  shoulder. At his hip is a medium-sized cutlass with a 
  very ornate pommel and scabbard—worn as though 
  he has great proficiency at wielding it. Domadred 
  has striking blue eyes and long blond hair adorned 
  with a multitude of braids and decorative beads 
  which clink softly every time he moves.
  If your players pass an Intelligence (History) DC 12 
  check, they will notice his specific style of clothing—
  long leather coat with red edging, and a blue vest 
  with gold filigree—is not a nautical style native to 
  ANY of the commonly known planes of existence.
  Domadred is sitting at the table, drinking and gam-
  bling with a group of rough-looking men. After laying 
  down a winning hand and taking the pot, several of 
  the men stand up, clearly looking to fight. Domadred 
  stands up quickly to pocket his winnings, saying,
  “My good men, no need to take offense, I have separated 
  you from your gold fairly—besides,” Domadred leans 
  in, his face growing grim, “If you have an issue, you can 
  always take it up with my new companions here.”
  A few men speak up, clearly interested until they 
  look in the direction Domadred swung his arm and, 
  upon seeing the party who helped drive the Great Old 
  Ones, the entire table falls quiet. Domadred tips his 
  hat with a coy flourish, departing with his winnings.
  He eyes the party up and down on approach before 
  speaking. “I’d wager my ship, the Illusive Diamond, 
  fastest vessel in these accursed waters, that you all 
  wish to become both famous and wealthy.”
  After leading the party to a personal secluded ta-
  ble in the back of the inn, some salty sailor-inspired 
  banter can occur between Domadred and your party. 
  Here he laments his and his crew’s dire situation as 
  described in the Introduction and Synopses of being 
  hoodwinked into a Patron pact against his will and 
  forced to do the bidding of a vile Patron.
  Whether the party brings it up first, or Domadred 
  reaches the end of how he and his crew were cheated 
  into a pact, he reveals in a hushed voice that the first re-
  ward that the party will gain the moniker of “Great Old 
  One Killer”. If, for some reason, they aren’t interested, 
  he has gold to spare and will barter with them for near-
  ly any amount. The time frame, however, he laments.
  “I have until sunrise tomorrow to meet my Patrons de-
  mands, lest he says he consumes my soul—so better to 
  give my treasure to you, then die with it in the hold of 
  my ship.”
  As your party and Domadred are hammering out the 
  finer details of exactly what ‘killing a Great Old One’ 
  entails, a mysterious elf walks up to the group. 
  While the party debate with Domadred on how to 
  kill a Great Old One, a mysterious elf approaches 
  from across the room, ducking into the personal al-
  cove. Chuckling, he speaks in an unknown accent, 
  “I do applaud your enthusiasm, however, if you truly 
  think you all can defeat an omnipresent, gargantu-
  an aberration of apocalyptic might and madness by 
  yourselves—you truly deserve to have your souls de-
  voured by its horrid maw of void and suffering.”
  The elf has a wry smile upon his striking face. If your 
  party can pass an Arcane Check DC 20, they can tell 
  the man radiates magic and power akin to a sorcerer, 
  but in a way not native to this plane. 
  He has sapphire blue eyes and ultramarine hair, with 
  the sides and back of his head shaved, the rest styled 
  up, exposing strange black magical runes encircling 
  his head. They start in a black band at his blue hair-
  line, and the symbols etch themselves downward 
  into his flesh, akin to an inverted crown. The crown 
  
  280
  stops at his forehead, however, and at its center, 
  there is a lone mystical circular Rune, slightly larger 
  than an eye.
  The elf is wearing a long, sleeveless, black leather 
  hooded trench coat, with silver and blue inlay which 
  faintly shimmers in the inn’s torchlight and plain 
  black trousers tucked into brown boots. His empow-
  ered black cloak is open, exposing a bare, muscular 
  chest with a massive, circular Runic tattoo. His arms 
  bare the same strange black Runic tattoos that start 
  by encircling his wrists, climbing their way up his 
  muscular forearms.
  Lastly, upon the elf’s back is a large, black, two-handed 
  greatsword. It seems to ravenously suck up the light in 
  the room. The entire sword - blade to hilt - is “oblivion 
  black” except for a single stone the size of an eye, held 
  firmly in the blade’s pommel, which is pure white. 
  Upon seeing the elf, everyone in the party must roll 
  a Wisdom Save DC 18 or be intimidated. If they fail, 
  they avert their gaze from the elf and suffer disadvan-
  tage on their next roll within the next ten minutes. 
  Domadred is taken aback by the elf but recovers 
  quickly. “And who, my pointy-eared friend, are you?” 
  “Vajra Ajey Virendra,” the elf says with a respectful 
  nod of his head. “I am here to help you kill your Patron.”
  “Well, that’s splendid! I am Dom—”
  “No need to introduce yourself,” Vajra continues, “you 
  and I are something like half-brothers.”
  Domadred eyes the elf’s long ears incredulously, 
  saying, “I highly doubt that is true, friend. In Terra’s 
  great Thalassocracy we don’t have—” 
  “Don’t believe me?” Vajra asks smugly, once again in-
  terrupting Domadred, “Plane Walking is a tricky thing, 
  and we don’t have much time before we must slay your 
  Patron. Give me a moment and I will gladly prove my-
  self.” Vajra then closes his eyes and they flutter for a 
  moment as a sly smile spreads across his elven face. 
  “Your deceased wife’s name is Kalisa, former chair of 
  the Warden Women’s High Council, and she was slain 
  by Lenhal after he bedded her and framed you for the 
  murder of the prime admiral, casting you and your 
  men out of the Western fleet.”
  Domadred’s face goes pale upon hearing these 
  words, and Vajra continues, “Do you not wish to 
  avenge your wife and return home and see your son, 
  Brayden, again? Do you not long to once again be-
  come re-united with Beck Al’Beth in Mindra’s Haven, 
  and use Devdan’s military might to bring Lenhal 
  to justice, regaining your former glory as an Admiral 
  of the Thalassocracy?”
  Domadred swallows hard and whispers barely loud 
  enough for the party to hear. “… Indeed, I do.”
  “Then my dear Captain, “Vajra continues, “let me 
  introduce you to a Patron who can help you achieve 
  your noble goals.”
  Vajra takes a deep breath and once again closes his 
  eyes. This time when he opens them, they glow bril-
  liant white. Have all players roll a Perception check 
  DC 15. If they pass or possess the ability to see 
  Ethereal beings, they also see the glowing silhouette 
  of a floating woman, seated with her legs crossed 
  in lotus pose, hovering next to Vajra’s body. She 
  has many arms, outstretched with one hand gently 
  resting on Vajra’s shoulder, and the rest are either 
  holding mirror shards showing various scenes from 
  across the planes, or performing meditative hand 
  mudras. The glowing woman is smiling and has a 
  nose and lip piercing, her red hair flows about, as if 
  she were underwater, suspended in an ethereal sub-
  stance. Her face and body have golden cracks as if 
  filaments of gilded light were shining through places 
  in her flesh that had been broken and mended with 
  divine radiance. 
  Even if players fail their perception check, while they 
  cannot see these details, they can at least see the faint 
  silhouette of her body and know that a Patron is reach-
  ing through planes and time, connecting and speak-
  ing through Vajra in a voice melodic and womanlike.
  “Ahh, Domadred Steel,” Vajra says in a strangely femi-
  nine voice, “You are so very far from home, but I see you 
  have finally recruited allies to your cause.” The floating 
  Patron, still speaking through Vajra, then acknowl-
  edges each of the characters by name, highlighting 
  something about each of them from their backstory 
  that their fellow party members might not know.
  “I am known as The Mother of Mirrors, and have cast 
  Silence about us here, so Those Who Wait Beyond can-
  not hear us despite their vile omnipresence in this place 
  in time. I am here to help you slay this vile creature.” 
  The Mother of Mirrors then acknowledges the par-
  ty’s specific reasons for wishing to help Domadred, 
  whether they be personal, monetary, or fame based.
  “To achieve your goals, however, you all have a part 
  to play, each one as vital as the next. First, Domadred, 
  once we leave this inn you must reach out to Those 
  Who Wait Beyond with your mind and convince it that 
  
  281
  you are willing to accept its demands and give your 
  body and soul to it.”
  Domadred opens his mouth in surprised objection, 
  but The Mother of Mirrors raises a glowing hand be-
  hind Vajra and instantly silences him. 
  “You must convince it you are telling the truth—believe 
  it in your heart, and give in to despair knowing in your 
  soul that it has won. I will be there with you, however, 
  preserving a sliver of your mind from its insanity and 
  corruption, and you must trust in me, and in my agent 
  Vajra to bring you back from the brink of dark madness.
  The Mother of Mirrors then, still speaking through 
  Vajra, turns her attention to the party. “But for Vajra to 
  be able to act, you must lure Those Who Wait Beyond’s 
  hulking leviathan body out from the depths of The 
  Nameless Black Sea and help expose the creature’s 
  skull. For only by your aid will Vajra be able to plunge 
  his Obsidian Blade into its brain, destroying it not only 
  in this plane but throughout all of space and time.”
  Vajra’s voice suddenly begins to waver, and he 
  grows unsteady on his feet. “I must be quick, using 
  Vajra as a conduit like this is taxing and you have a 
  dangerous journey ahead. Once Vajra completes his 
  duty, you all will be rewarded handsomely, and I will 
  use my Mirrorwalking abilities to transport not only 
  Domadred, his crew, and their ship back to their home 
  of Terra, but first, all of you to any plane you wish to 
  journey to. And, as a reward, if you so choose it, after 
  you have completed this task, you may call upon me 
  again—but now, as your Patron and eternal ally.”
  Domadred bows his head deeply to The Mother of 
  Mirrors, saying, “I do not pretend to understand the 
  machinations of demons and goddesses such as your-
  self, however, I am honored by your help and will 
  follow your command, despite the fear in my heart. 
  Consider my role in this already completed.”
  The Mother of Mirrors smiles at Domadred and then 
  looks at the party. “Time is of the essence, but we have 
  a few fleeting moments for questions if you must. 
  Despite his gusto and bravery, my agent Vajra will be 
  unable to accomplish this task without you—so unless 
  you are ready to embark on this noble quest now, you 
  may ask me three questions”
  If your players ask her additional details regarding 
  who she is, The Mother of Mirrors smiles, looking 
  into one of her mirrors while responding, 
  “I am known as Vlahnya to some, and as a Siren to oth-
  ers; but to most here in The Shadelands, I am known 
  as The Mother of Mirrors—a Patron of Yon’Cath hail-
  ing from these lands as a young Glau’bjurn, long be-
  fore the Warlock cities of Yonder and Cathrach grew 
  out of the banks of the Obsidian Rush.”
  If asked why she is helping Domadred or the play-
  ers, or why she wishes to defeat "Those Who Wait 
  Beyond," she responds, “I have traveled across space 
  and time hunting those who have hurt my children 
  and me—and Those Who Wait Beyond are the second 
  to last on a long list of entities which have stolen more 
  from me and mine than you could ever imagine. If you 
  have doubts, just ask that question to Vajra and see 
  the pain upon his face for your answer.”
  If The Mother of Mirrors is asked who Vajra is, or how 
  she is communicating through Vajra like this, she re-
  sponds, “Vajra is betrothed to one who I am very close 
  to, and he knows the only way to rejoin with her is to 
  reclaim the power Those Who Wait Beyond and others 
  have stolen from his Chakric homeland. He and I have 
  been hunting these fiends through space and time for 
  what seems like an eternity, and we are so very close to 
  the end of our journey—after Those Who Wait Beyond, 
  there is just one left remaining in the city of Salvata.”
  If asked what having her as a Patron entails, she 
  smiles, saying, “Mirrowalking is a path many covet 
  and few achieve—prove yourself worthy of my pa-
  tronage, and I promise you will not be disappointed.”
  Despite her willingness to answer questions, there 
  must be a sense of urgency to propel the story on-
  ward. After the three questions, Vajra collapses from 
  the strain of channeling The Mother of Mirrors for 
  so long. Unless one of the players beats him to it, 
  Domadred rushes to Vajra’s side, giving him a hand 
  and a drink of water. If one of your players helps 
  Vajra, The Mother of Mirrors gives that player advan-
  tage on their next combat roll. 
  For a moment, Vajra seems very disoriented but 
  regains himself quickly. If your party has addi-
  tional questions, they may ask him, however, both 
  Domadred and Vajra are eager to get underway. 
  If members of your party ask Vajra why he is inter-
  ested in helping them or Domadred, he responds, 
  “Domadred is the last Warlock of the Patron "Those 
  Who Wait Beyond," and without him, it will lose its 
  connection to this world. This will make it much more 
  difficult to kill and I cannot allow it to escape until I re-
  claim what it has stolen from my Chakric homeland.” 
  If pressed on what the evil Patron has stolen, Vajra 
  will not answer directly, saying only, “That is between 
  
  282
  that vile creature and my people. I have made my 
  terms well known—I am to claim the killing blow on 
  Those Who Wait Beyond, I demand nothing else but 
  will not have my prize stolen from me.”
  If asked what the physical reward is (other than a 
  title and Domadred’s gold) for defeating the Patron, 
  Vajra will sneer, saying, “Is ridding our worlds of such 
  an abomination not reward enough? It is selfishness 
  such as this that has allowed such vile creatures into 
  our planes. Regardless, an abhorrent Patron of such 
  power will no doubt have body parts any alchemist or 
  apothecary would covet and kill for. Great Old One’s 
  saliva, blood, teeth, eyes, talons, maws, scales, and all 
  manner of parts are near priceless in the right circles, 
  possessing powers and abilities you can hardly fath-
  om—or dare to wield.” 
  Once the party agrees, Domadred steels his mind 
  in preparation to contact Those Who Wait Beyond 
  and the party departs The Bloated Barnacle, making 
  their way towards the docks and Domadred’s ship, 
  the Illusive Diamond.
  
  283
  Act 2: The Nameless Black Sea
  Act 2 is a set upon the Illusive Diamond and after so 
  much exposition your party is sure to be eager to get 
  underway. The docks of the Obsidian Rush could be, 
  depending on the ending of the core campaign, in 
  any state of turmoil or tranquility. 
  During the short walk to the harbor, Domadred will be 
  pre-occupied with steadying his mind in preparation 
  to contact Those Who Wait Beyond, and Vajra will not 
  speak much unless your party asks him additional 
  questions now which were unanswered in the inn. 
  This is a good opportunity to engage your players in 
  a brief roleplay scene based upon the nature of the 
  city and your players’ motivations for agreeing to at-
  tempt such a dangerous quest.
  When the Illusive Diamond comes into view, the par-
  ty can see that she looks like no other ship in the 
  harbor. Her pristine sails are pure white and her el-
  egant hull is built for speed. She has a complement 
  of twenty cannons—nine on either side and a chaser 
  at the bow and stern. With a square-rigged foremast 
  and fore-and-aft rigged main and mizzen, the majes-
  tic ship sticks out no matter the state of the city. 
  The ship will either will look pristine, amid the 
  smoke and turmoil of the pier or, if the city is not 
  in chaos, will look imposing and elegant among the 
  other trade and shipping vessels of Yon’Cath. 
  If Yon’Cath is in turmoil, containers will be strewn 
  about the dock along with a mob of citizens and 
  soldiers petitioning the Diamond’s crew to allow 
  them to board. The ship’s men, however, hold drawn 
  swords, keeping the rabble at bay. 
  As Domadred and his small group came closer, they 
  could see that a wharf building farther up the dock 
  is burning brightly and cast long shadows across the 
  crowd trying to get passage aboard the Diamond. 
  Drum up urgency here, to drive the story along, with a 
  sense of frantic panic among the city and her people. 
  If the city is not in chaos, the walk to the ship will most 
  likely be uneventful, however, you could fabricate a 
  little excitement here, if you’d like, none-the-less. 
  Upon boarding the ship, Domadred will hastily in-
  troduce the party to his crew, making special note of 
  Marlen, the ship’s doctor; Kefta, quartermaster and 
  first mate; and Valen, the boatswain. 
  The three men singled out wear garb more ornate 
  than the clothes of the majority of the seamen, and 
  their numerous beaded braids in their hair signal 
  them as officers. Instead of going shirtless or wear-
  ing simple cottons, they each wear loose-fitting em-
  broidered V-neck vests tucked into elegant belts. 
  After a few more rushed introductions, Domadred 
  will shout orders at his crew, and the ship will pull 
  away from the dock in all haste. As the ship glides 
  down the Obsidian Rush, Valen, the boatswain, walks 
  up to Vajra and the players. He has the same baggy 
  pants as the crew but instead of being barefoot like 
  many others, he has tucked his pants into knee-high 
  brushed-leather boots. 
  “Sixty meters long, nine and a half wide, and thirty-six 
  tall,” the officer says proudly, his thumbs hooking into 
  his belt. “She’s got just shy of thirty crew, and with a 
  strong wind her one thousand square meters of sail 
  can fly us faster than any on Terra.” 
  “Captain said you were boatswain, correct?” Vajra asks. 
  “Indeed, I am,” the man responds in a thick accent 
  and extends his hand to each of you in turn. “The 
  name’s Valen. It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Welcome 
  aboard the Illusive Diamond.”
  Suddenly, the ship hits a large swell and Vajra takes 
  a step back to steady himself from falling. Likewise, 
  the party must make a Dexterity save, if they fail, they 
  fall to the deck, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
  As the players explore the ship, the following dia-
  logue can be overheard if they choose to listen. 
  “The boatswain…” Vajra says, “that makes you in 
  charge of deck activities, rigging, and the handling of 
  the sails, correct?”
  “Indeed. You know a lot for a long-eared land walker,” 
  Valen says, chuckling.
  “Like you, I am far from home,” Vajra answers, nar-
  rowing his eyes as he crosses his large Runically tat-
  tooed arms. “My homeland is a series of large islands, 
  separated by deadly ocean. Only the boldest of us are 
  brave enough to traverse those waves—and I am hon-
  ored highest among them.”
  “Well, then the captain was right to bring you aboard, 
  it seems,” Valen says, with a respectful nod, eyeing 
  Vajra’s long, great sword. 
  
  284
  Before any more dialogue continues, Domadred will 
  instruct the party to keep an eye out, saying, “Stay 
  sharp men! I don’t trust these waters at all—vile crea-
  tures lurk below these depths and even worse was fall-
  ing from the sky mere days ago. If whatever prowls in 
  the waters brings down the ship before we make it to 
  my vile Patron, all of this will be for naught.”
  An eerie silence overtakes the Diamond as Domadred 
  guides the wheel and reads the fast-moving currents 
  which propel the ship along the channel toward the 
  sea. A wave-born seaman, Domadred is able to keep 
  the ship on a perfect line even as the extreme waters 
  buckle and shudder the ship stem to stern.
  Nearing the end of the channel, however, the cur-
  rent becomes too strong, and the party feels the ship 
  begin to flex and crack under the force of the flows. 
  The crew scurries to loose the sails and regain con-
  trol, and Domadred calls out to the party to assist his 
  men, lest they lose the ship. 
  Have your players rush over to the lines, and roll 
  Strength (Athletics) Check DC18. On the first round, 
  if ANY of the players fail, the lines pull the entire 
  party off-balance, and they are slammed into the rig-
  ging and tackle, with each player taking 1d6 points 
  of bludgeoning damage. 
  If this occurs, Domadred and the crew curse at them, 
  telling them to try again before the ship is lost.  
  Have your players take ahold of the lines again, and 
  roll a second time. But this time if any of the players 
  fail, another player may take the Help Action, allow-
  ing the first player to roll at Advantage. If they fail 
  that roll, too, not only is the entire party once again 
  thrown off balance, taking another d6 of bludgeon-
  ing damage—but one of the ship’s spars also breaks 
  in a violent cracking sound. It then slams down upon 
  the ship’s deck, damaging several of the cannons, 
  making one of the four gunning stations inoperable 
  for the remainder of the adventure, affecting the fi-
  nal boss fight in Act 3.
  After three rounds, and much salty cursing, Captain 
  Domadred gets the ship back under control and 
  connes the wheel expertly as the ship’s keel catches 
  in a churning crosscurrent two fathoms down. The 
  Diamond then shoots out of the channel and into the 
  open ocean of the Nameless Black Sea. 
  As the ship pushes past the headland the waters 
  change, and stars can be seen both above the ship 
  in the sky and below the ship, shimmering in the 
  water beneath them. This is a palace where the veil 
  between planes runs thin, they can see shimmer-
  ing portals into unknown worlds and realms hid-
  den deep under the murky depths below.
  Before the players can fully recover, they must suc-
  ceed on a Wisdom Save DC15, lest a booming voice is 
  heard deafeningly loud—but instead of heard with 
  their ears, the vile sound is projected directly into 
  each party member’s minds. 
  “SHIP CAPTAIN I SEE YOU HAVE FINALLY CHOSEN TO 
  ACCEPT YOUR FATE. YOU HAVE CHOSEN WELL AND 
  WILL BE ETERNALLY REWARDED BY SERVING ME.”
  Domadred buckles over in pain, still clenching the 
  ship's wheel in white-knuckled hands. The Great Old 
  One casts Fear on the party, and your players must 
  make a Wisdom Save DC9001 or become Frightened, 
  but instead of running away, shelter in place. 
  “Damn you, vile creature,” Domadred shouts into the 
  sky, “Just show me the way to your fowl lair, and let’s 
  get done with this!”
   The crew all avert their gaze, and busy themselves 
  with their work, trying to regain control of their ship 
  and futilely repair any potential damage incurred by 
  the broken spar. 
  “MY MIND WILL GUIDE YOUR HAND CAPTAIN. 
  SAIL ONWARDS AND SOON YOUR SUFFERING WILL 
  FINALLY COME TO AN END. BEWARE, HOWEVER, FOR 
  THERE ARE OTHERS WHO SWIM IN THESE WATERS 
  TOO, AND THEIR TENTACLES WILL NOT SPARE 
  YOUR FLESH UNTIL YOU HAVE MERGED WITH ME 
  COMPLETELY.”
  As suddenly as the Great Old One’s voice appeared, it 
  is gone, and Vajra can be seen gripping the hilt of his 
  sword with a grim scowl on his face. 
  After the ordeal, Domadred’s eyes have become milky 
  white. He then suddenly takes out his belt knife and 
  begins etching strange symbols into his flesh. If a 
  party member approaches the Captain, Domadred 
  tries to etch the symbols into that character’s body, 
  instead, all the while muttering under his breath in 
  Primordial. If a player speaks primordial, Domadred 
  can be heard saying, “Flesh, flesh, flesh, for the Great 
  One. I give my body and Soul to the Great One. I live, 
  I live, I DIE for the Great One. My Body and Soul is 
  FOREVER YOURS.” 
  Seeing his madness, Kefta signals to Marlin and the 
  pair binds the Captain to the mast so that he can-
  not hurt himself or others. Domadred objects loud-
  ly in Primordial, and the first mate is forced to bind 
  
  285
  Domadred’s mouth with a gag. Kefta then assumes 
  the wheel and guides the Illusive Diamond through 
  the unsettling waters into the great black beyond.  
  For some time, little can be heard or seen except for 
  the rush of the wind in the sails and the splash of 
  waves against the bow. Her strong spars and tight rig-
  ging creaks and moans as she cuts across the water 
  deeper into the Nameless Black Sea. This soft groan-
  ing of the tackle sounds odd to any non-sailor, but 
  soon it becomes second nature to the entire party.
  If your players look up, they can see The Shadeland’s 
  great dome of stars overhead, intermingled with a 
  brilliant aurora borealis. If they focus or comment on 
  this, they gain Inspiration for their next combat roll.
  If they look back at the headland, they will see the 
  figure of Yon’Cath retreating, showing off whatever 
  state it was left to the fullest.
  Suddenly, while Vajra silently looks out into the ocean, 
  he notices the waves are no longer shimmering with 
  the strange light of the multi-planed stars and calls 
  out, saying, “Those are not waves—those are tentacles!” 
  But it’s too late. Have your players roll a Wisdom 
  (Perception) Check DC15. Those who succeed, no-
  tice the waves are no longer only water, but swim-
  ming with severely injured Void Maws, each missing 
  chunks of flesh, sometimes even full limbs. All are 
  trying to clamber aboard. If a player fails, however, 
  they are ensnared by the vile appendages as a battle 
  with Void Maws begins. There is one Void Maw per 
  player, with numerous attacking Vajra, keeping him 
  occupied for the entirety of the fight. A tentacle will 
  also attack Domadred while he is still bound to the 
  mast, and if he is not protected, he will die.
  This is to serve as a warmup for the Act 3 boss encoun-
  ter and should weaken the party slightly, but not cripple 
  them. During the battle, severed tentacles try to dam-
  age and pull the players into the ocean, and any player 
  that is ensnared for over 2 rounds is pulled overboard. 
  If a member is pulled overboard, Kefta, the ship’s 
  quartermaster and first mate, will throw a line to 
  them, but another player must help Kefta pull the line 
  in with a contested Strength (Athletics) Check, Sleight 
  of Hand (Dexterity) Check, or magic with the Void 
  Maw. Party members only have 3 rounds to save the 
  submerged player, lest the player is lost forever with-
  in the fathomless interdimensional abyss below. 
  After the encounter is completed, the players have time to 
  take a short rest and request Marlen, the ship’s doctor to 
  help heal them. Marlen has ample healing potions, and the 
  entire party should be at full health before Act 3 begins.
  GM Note
  The Void Maws were featured in the great battle 
  of Yon’Cath earlier, and they return here for ven-
  geance. However, the patron has been siphoning 
  power from his minions. These Void Maw’s are all 
  damaged and weakened drastically with chunks 
  of flesh removed and their essence drained. While 
  they are still as deadly with their abilities, we sug-
  gest removing hitpoints down to something a sin-
  gle character can defeat in three rounds. 
  For low-level parties or mid-tier, you may wish to 
  only have one Void Maw for the party, and another 
  for the crew.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  22(+6) 
  15(+2) 
  16(+3) 
  11(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  8(-1)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
  Skills Stealth +8, Perception +3
  Damage Resistances Psychic, Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Deep speech
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  15 (natural armor)
  105 (14d8 + 42)
  40 FT
  Void Maw
  Medium Aberration, Chaotic Evil
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The maw makes three attacks. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon attack: +9 to hit. Reach 5 ft., one tar-
  get. Hit: 13 (3d6 +3) slashing damage
  Tongue Strike (Recharge 5 – 6). Melee Weapon Attack : +9 
  to hit. Reach 30 ft., one creature. Hit: (30) 4d12 +6 piercing 
  damage. On a successful hit, the target must succeed on a 
  DC 17 Constitution saving throw or have a larval void maw 
  implanted in its body. 2 (1d4) rounds later, a full mature 
  void maw emerges from the target’s body, taking 44 (8d10) 
  necrotic damage as the void maw appears in the nearest 
  unoccupied space. A larval void maw can be removed by a 
  creature within reach using an action to succeed on a DC 
  17 Wisdom (Medicine) check to extract it. 
  Void Gaze. The aberration opens its chest mouth wide, 
  revealing a seemingly endless black abyss with streaks of 
  white light swirling. Each creature of the void maw’s choice 
  that it can see must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving 
  throw or be mesmerized by the void, becoming incapaci-
  tated for as long as the void maw concentrates (as though 
  concentrating on a spell).
  
  286
  Act 3: To Kill a GOD
  Act 3 is a combat act, serving as an epic boss battle 
  finale. Expect this fight to take about two hours due 
  to the profound strength of Those Who Wait Beyond. 
  After the party is healed, Domadred falls even deeper 
  into madness, and once the Illusive Diamond makes 
  it into the depths of the Nameless Black Sea, Those 
  Who Wait Beyond emerges to claim their new host 
  and Avatar in the physical realm. 
  As you approach the location read:
  “Now deep within the Nameless Black Sea, mottled 
  slate clouds obstruct the stars above. A sickly warm 
  wind blows across the murky waves as your hearts 
  clench with anticipation. 
  Suddenly, the wind picks up and the waves begin 
  to churn violently. Bubbles emerge from the ocean 
  bringing with them a sulfuric stench. Soon, a torrent 
  of frothy water roils from the ship exposing a gro-
  tesque mass of rotten flesh. 
  A two-eyed tentacle enshrouded horror emerges 
  towering before you all. Salty ocean cascades down 
  about its pitted flesh exposing massive suction cups 
  on each of its curling limbs, flailing amidst the waves. 
  This gargantuan aberration causes your very essence 
  to coil in fear as piercing red eyes burn through your 
  soul exposing your deepest darkest fears and de-
  sires. You stare into the abyss of a god and it stares 
  back at you knowing full well that you are inconse-
  quential compared to its cosmic consciousness and 
  power. 
  Despite all of this, you grit your teeth and prepare 
  yourself for battle.”
  GM Note
  The Illusive Diamond is made 
  out of “Yalmalrah” wood which is 
  both immune to magic and fire. 
  This means that Those Who Wait 
  Beyond’s ability “Obliteration” will 
  not destroy the ship, however, can 
  affect players, crew, and objects 
  upon the ship’s deck. 
  Those Who Wait Beyond has had all its cultists de-
  stroyed throughout the Red Opera. While it is still in-
  credibly powerful, it has lost some key features from 
  its stat block where it first invaded Yon’Cath. 
  Remove the following abilities from their stats:
  • 
  Mythic Resistance.
  • 
  Consume Cultist
  • 
  Cyclonids
  • 
  Puppet
  Without the full might of Yon’Cath helping battle, 
  low-level parties will struggle with this encounter. 
  There is also no Fayte to assist them. The Illusive 
  Diamond crew will have to fill this gap. Low-level 
  party members should have more options to assist 
  with canon fire to increase damage or score critical 
  hits on the Patron. 
  Another option is a rival elder god. The Stranger In 
  Tatters (from the earlier sidequests), can cause the 
  Void Maws to revolt against the Patron if the fight 
  becomes too difficult. Nothing says Eldritch horrors 
  get along after all, and even the Stranger will take 
  advantage to kill a rival. If this effect comes to pass, 
  the Stranger will not appear, but leave hints of his 
  arcane mark searing itself into the Void Maws as he 
  takes control.
  Even without cultists, the Patron is still terrifying 
  and, in its desperation, has gained a new ability for 
  this encounter:
  My World. Those Who Wait Beyond are desperate 
  for a foothold into this world. At the cost of 100 hit-
  points, The Patron can drain its own essence to refill 
  its 3 legendary actions. This effect visibly weakens 
  the creature and it cannot regenerate these wounds 
  during this encounter.
  Part 1: Battle Stations
  • 
  Preparing for Battle, assuming stations and 
  readiness
  Part 2: Initiative and Combat
  • 
  Roll Initiative
  • 
  Distance combat for 2 to 4 rounds via projectiles, 
  magic, and cannons
  • 
  In each round, if Those Wait Beyond ensnare one 
  of the sailors manning the guns, players have 
  
  287
  until the end of the round to free the sailor, or 
  that set of cannons cannot fire that round
  • 
  Players can also attack the Great Old One direct-
  ly either with magic or projectile weapons. If 
  players wish to attempt to climb on top of The 
  Great Old One, they risk falling into the churning 
  water, and much like in Act 2, Kefta will throw 
  them a line, however, another player will need 
  to assist in pulling the submerged player back 
  aboard, lest they be lost forever
  Part 3: Vajra Casts Spell
  • 
  Tentacles start to assault ship, players, and crew
  • 
  Vajra needs as many rounds as players to cast a 
  spell which allows players to traverse the skin of 
  the Great Old One without falling off
  • 
  The Spell, much like a Twin Spell starts at the 
  Caster, extends to 1 character per round at initia-
  tive order 0, continuing until all characters have 
  been affected
  • 
  Vajra needs to be protected while concentrat-
  ing on casting this spell. If Vajra is hit during his 
  casting, casting that round is paused and contin-
  ued next round 
  Part 4: Getting onto the Great Old One
  • 
  Once a spell is cast, Vajra gathers everyone to-
  gether and players must figure out how to get 
  onto The Great Old One from the ship
  • 
  They risk falling into the water during this section
  Part 5: Leading the Charge
  • 
  Vajra sets the pace from here on out, and if play-
  ers keep up the spell will protect them from fall-
  ing into the water
  • 
  Round 1 is traversing up a face tentacle
  • 
  You can still be attacked by a tentacle in this 
  round
  • 
  Round 2 crossing the path of the eyes 
  • 
  Tentacles will try to flail characters off, 
  Dexterity Saving Throw DC 24
  • 
  Tentacles will not attack in this section
  • 
  Round 3 is climbing upon the forehead
  • 
  Upon nearing The Great Old One’s Third Eye, 
  all party members must make a successful 
  Wisdom Saving Throw of DC 24 or be affect-
  ed by Eldritch Madness
  • 
  Tentacles will not attack in this section
  Part 6: Entering the Head
  • 
  This section can take as many rounds as neces-
  sary to penetrate each layer of the head—how-
  ever many hit points The Great Old One has left, 
  divide it equally between the 4 layers of the head
  • 
  During this time, The Great Old One may still at-
  tack the party
  • 
  These sections should be cinematic and exciting, 
  serving as the finale of the battle with The Great 
  Old One
  • 
  Each player should describe how they choose to 
  get through each layer upon on successful damage
  • 
  Layers of head: Skin
  • 
  Flayed skin is slippery and causes Prone
  • 
  Layers of head: Muscle
  • 
  Muscle can spasm, throwing characters 
  away from the location of the attack
  • 
  Layers of head: Bone
  • 
  Bone can fracture and explode causing pierc-
  ing damage to players
  • 
  Layers of head: Brain
  • 
  Brain vapors are intoxicating causing 
  Enslave—the target must succeed on a 
  Wisdom Saving Throw DC 18 or be magi-
  cally charmed and must obey the command 
  Consume Cultist
  Part 7: Killing a God
  • 
  Once The Great Old One is reduced to 0 Hit 
  Points, have each player describe how they pry 
  open The Great Old One’s brain so that Vajra can 
  administer the killing blow
  When Those Who Wait Beyond has been reduced to 
  0 Hit Points read the following box text.
  You feel the creature below you shudder, and sud-
  denly a voice fills your mind.
  “ALL I WANT IS PEACE. ALL I WANT IS AN END TO 
  SUFFERING, NO MORE PAIN. NO MORE LOVE. NO 
  MORE ANYTHING. JUST SILENCE... SCREAMING 
  SILENCE! IMAGINE HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WOULD BE 
  FOR ALL MINDS TO BE UNITED AS ONE, SCREAMING 
  THEIR SILENCE INTO THE BLACK VOID OF SPACE—
  MY SPACE. FOREVER.”
  Seeing his opening, Vajra’s body begins crackling 
  with glowing Runic power. He swings his Oblivion 
  Blade high over his head, screaming, “Return what 
  you have stolen from my people and DIE!”
  
  288
  Those That Wait Beyond’s massive eyes widen in sur-
  prise as Vajra plunges his now shimmering black blade 
  deep within the Great Old One’s grotesque brain. 
  For a moment all is still until suddenly, time and space 
  seem to warp around the blade, and a rancid geyser of 
  blood and filth jets forth, streaking high into the sky. 
  A deafening, soul-piercing howl emanates from the 
  vile creature’s dreadful maw, as the sword sucks the 
  very life and essence from its horrid, leviathan body. 
  Vajra’s Runes glow with a blue crackling lightning as 
  he drains the power from the Patron, absorbing it 
  within his black blade and storing it within the now 
  glowing white stone at the sword’s pommel. 
  Using his boots as leverage, Vajra pulls his blade 
  free from the now lifeless skull of Those Who Wait 
  Beyond and leaps back down to the Illusive Diamond, 
  triumphantly. 
  Have your characters describe how they victoriously 
  return to the ship and rejoin the crew. When every-
  one is back on deck, read the following box text.
  “Blessed are the Guardians!” Domadred exclaims, 
  rushing over to embrace the party.
  “May they forever protect us in our time of need,” 
  Vajra says, with a wide grin, gripping Domadred’s 
  shoulder tightly in celebration.
  In unison, the crew of the Illusive Diamond then com-
  pletes the ancient oath’s response: “We vow to forev-
  er be worthy of their grace and love!” The sailors then 
  all turn and cheer the noble elf, as Vajra holds his 
  Oblivion Blade high over his head with tears of joy 
  streaming down his face. 
  “We did it! Now I have only one more horrid aberra-
  tion left,” Vajra exclaims to the party. “The Mother of 
  Mirrors was right to trust you. You have found your-
  self a valuable ally and Patron in her—and a trusted 
  friend in me. But I now must depart in all haste.” 
  “You are leaving?” Domadred asks Vajra, with a tone 
  of reverence and awe. “Where will you go?”
  “I now must make all haste to Salvata to assist Vlahnya 
  Um'vairar to rid the bohemian city of another of these 
  vile creatures,” Vajra says, with a deep breath. “Maybe 
  I'll see you all there, in time."
  And with that, a shimmering portal opens up behind 
  the elf. He looks the party over as he sheathes his mas-
  sive greatsword and nods his tattooed head respect-
  fully before disappearing through the portal to rid the 
  world of one last evil before he can return home.
  Domadred turns to you and says, “Where to now?”
  THE END
  Thank you for participating in The Red Opera 
  Epilogue: “Tentacles in the Deep" by Jamison 
  Stone and Satine Phoenix
  
  289
  
  Appendix 1, NPC & Creature Statistics
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  22(+6) 
  24(+7) 
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  26(+8)
  13(+1) 
  18(+4) 
  13(+1) 
  18(+4) 
  13(+1) 
  16(+3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  224
  30 FT
  16 (breastplate)
  95 (18d8 + 14) 
  30 FT
  Accursed Guard
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment to fit Campaign 
  Accursed Summoner
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment to fit Campaign
  Saving Throws Str +8, Wis +8
  Skills Intimidation +13, Perception +8
  Senses passive Perception 18
  Languages Common, plus one other language also spo-
  ken by its patron
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Saving Throws Con +5, Wis +5, Cha +7
  Skills Perception +5, Persuasion +11, 
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages Common plus one other language
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The guard is an 11th level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots 
  when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the follow-
  ing Warlock spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): booming blade, eldritch blast, true strike
  1st-5th level (3 5th-level slots): The guard knows the fol-
  lowing spells according to which patron it serves, as de-
  tailed below.
  Archfey. Faerie fire, calm emotions, greater invisibility, 
  dominate person
  Fiend. Burning hands, hellish rebuke, fire shield, flame strike
  Great Old One. Dissonant whispers, phantasmal force, 
  black tentacles, telekinesis
  Hexblade. banishing smite, branding smite, shield stag-
  gering smite, 
  Lurker in the Deep. Cone of Cold, gust of wind, lightning 
  bolt, thunderwave, 
  Undying. blindness/deafness, contagion, death ward, 
  contagion, ray of sickness 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The guard makes two attacks, or makes a 
  single attack and casts a cantrip. 
  Halberd. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) slashing damage. 
  Gift From Beyond (3/day). The guard entreats its pa-
  tron for aid, regaining an expended spellslot granted by 
  its Spellcasting feature. 
  Aura of Supremacy. The summoners exude an aura of 
  supernatural authority in a 60 ft. radius sphere. While the 
  summoner is not incapacitated, creatures conjured by the 
  summoner in the affected area add the summoner’s profi-
  ciency bonus (+4) to their attack rolls, saving throws, and 
  ability checks. 
  Master of Horrors. The summoner can exert control over 
  up to four summoned creatures at a time so long as it main-
  tains concentration (as though concentrating on a spell). 
  A creature controlled in this manner can be verbally com-
  manded by the summoner (no action required), acts imme-
  diately after the summoner’s turn, and follows the summon-
  er’s commands to the best of its ability. If the summoner’s 
  concentration is broken, it loses control over any creatures 
  it has summoned, which become hostile to the summoner. 
  Actions
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 30/120 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) bludgeoning damage.
  Summon Black Water Imps (3/day). The summoner 
  conjures four mud mepthits in four separate unoccupied 
  spaces it can see within 60 ft. The mepthits have the sta-
  tistics of mud mepthits, but deals an additional 9 (2d8) 
  necrotic damage on successful hits with their weapon at-
  tacks. The mepthits vanish after 1 hour or if they are slain. 
  Summon Gargoyle Brute (2/day). The summoner con-
  jures two gargoyles in two separate unoccupied spaces 
  it can see within 60 ft. The gargoyles have the statistics 
  of ordinary gargoyles but can make an additional Claw 
  attack as a bonus action on each of their turns. The gar-
  goyles vanish after 10 minutes or if they are slain
  Summon Arclight Phoenix (1/day). The summoner 
  conjures a fire elemental in the shape of a phoenix 
  in a 10 ft. Unoccupied square it can see within 
  60 ft. The phoenix has the statistics of a fire 
  elemental but gains the following action. 
  NPC & Creature Statistics
  
  291
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  27(+8) 
  12(+1) 
  25(+7) 
  3(-4) 
  11(+0) 
  5(-3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor) 
  283 (21d12 + 147) 
  30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
  Brick Elemental
  Huge elemental, neutral
  Saving Throws Con +12, Cha +2
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing 
  from Non-magical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, 
  Poisoned, Stunned, Unconscious
  Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Challenge 14 (11,500)
  Saving Throws Str +11, Con +9, Wis +4
  Skills Athletics +11, Intimidation +5, Perception +4
  Senses passive Perception 14
  Languages common, plus one other language
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +7, Perception +9
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common, plus one other language
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Immutable Form. The elemental is immune to any spell 
  or effect that would alter its form.
  Robust Architecture. If the elemental takes 10 or less 
  damage from a single attack or instance of damage, it in-
  stead takes no damage. 
  Sturdy Foundation. The elemental cannot be pushed, 
  pulled, or magically teleported unless it allows it. 
  Actions
  Mulitattack. The elemental makes two slam attacks. It 
  then uses either its Brickwork or Repair action. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage. If the target 
  is a creature, it is grappled (Escape DC 21). 
  Brickwork. The elemental integrates a creature it is grap-
  pling into the structure of its body. A creature so integrat-
  ed becomes restrained (Escape DC 21). While the elemen-
  tal has a creature restrained in this manner, the elemental 
  takes only half the damage dealt to it, and a creature of its 
  choice restrained in this manner takes the other half. 
  Repair. The elemental magically regains 22 (4d10) hit 
  points. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  25(+7) 
  19(+4) 
  21(+5) 
  10(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  12(+1)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  14
  161 (17d8 + 85)
  30 FT
  Brutes Guild Thug
  Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral
  Crushing Grip. The thug can make unarmed strikes with 
  a limb that is grappling a creature. 
  Reckless. At the start of each of its turns, the thug can 
  gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during 
  that turn. When it does so, attack rolls against it have ad-
  vantage until the start of its next turn. 
  Actions
  Multiattack. The thug makes three attacks. The thug can 
  forgo making an unarmed strike in this manner to instead 
  attempt to grapple a creature within reach. 
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage. 
  Sleeper Hold (Recharge 5 – 6). The thug attempts to 
  knock a creature it is grappling unconscious. The target 
  must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or fall 
  unconscious for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, 
  a creature can repeat this saving throw, ending its uncon-
  sciousness on a success. 
  Spellcasting. The sentry is an 7th level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots 
  when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the follow-
  ing Warlock spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, light
  1st-4th level (2 4th-level slots): The sentry knows the fol-
  lowing spells. 
  blight, dispel magic, fireball
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  12(+1) 
  18(+4) 
  13(+1) 
  18(+4) 
  16(+3) 
  16(+3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  Cathrach River Sentry
  Medium humanoid, Adjust Alignment to fit Campaign
  14
  60 (11d8 + 11)
  30 FT
  Arclight Blast (Recharge 5 – 6). The phoenix unleashes 
  a blast of superheated flame in a 60 ft. line that is 5 ft. 
  wide. Creatures in the affected area must attempt a DC 14 
  Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire and 14 (4d6) 
  radiant damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. 
  
  292
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  13(+1) 
  20(+5) 
  15(+2) 
  26(+8) 
  23(+6) 
  21(+5)
  15(+2) 
  16(+3) 
  20(+5) 
  29(+9) 
  25(+7) 
  20(+5)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  23 (natural armor)
  250 (20d20 + 40)
  60 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  18 (plate)
  427 (45d8 + 225)
  30 ft.
  Deataigh the Smoke Dragon
  Gargantuan Dragon, lawful neutral
  Dorian, the Accursed King
  Medium Humanoid (human), lawful neutral
  Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +8, Int +14, Wis +12
  Skills Stealth +11, Perception +12
  Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; blud-
  geoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
  Saving Throws Dex +10, Wis +14, Cha +12
  Skills Arcana +16, Insight +14, Perception +14
  Damage Resistances Force, necrotic, poison, psychic
  Condition Immunities Charmed, frightened
  Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 24
  Languages Common, plus three other languages
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
  Gloom Shroud. As a bonus action, the dragon can emit 
  a shroud of smoke in a 30 ft. radius sphere centered on 
  it, which lasts until the dragon uses this action again or 
  Lich Blade. Dorian’s spell attacks with his lich blade are 
  magical and deal an additional 21 (6d6) necrotic damage 
  on a successful hit (included in the attack). Additionally, 
  if Dorian is disarmed of his lich blade, the weapon reap-
  pears in his possession at the start of his next turn. 
  Patron’s Blessing (3/day). When Dorian fails a saving 
  throw or is critically hit, he can beseech his patron to 
  succeed on the saving throw or turn the critical hit into 
  a normal hit. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  11(+0) 
  12(+1) 
  10(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  11(+0) 
  10(+0)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  12 (leather armor)
  9 (2d8)
  30 FT
  Cultist
  Medium Humans, Lawful Evil
  Skills Deception +2, Religion +2
  Senses Passive Perception 10.
  Languages Common
  Challenge 1/8th (25 XP)
  Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed or frightened.
  Actions
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack; +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit 4 (1d6+1) slashing damage.
  becomes incapacitated. The affected area is heavily 
  obscured for creatures other than the dragon. 
  Smoke Form. The dragon is composed of ethereal smoke, 
  allowing it to move through other creatures as if they 
  were difficult terrain.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft. One 
  target. Hit: 24 (3d12 + 5) piercing damage and 18 (4d8) 
  fire damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft. One 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Wind Whip. Melee Spell Attack: +14 against to hit, reach 
  120ft., one target. Hit: 44 (8d8 +8) bludgeoning damage 
  and the target must succeed on a DC 22 Strength sav-
  ing throw or be thrown 30 ft. away from the dragon in a 
  straight line, landing prone. 
  Mindsplitter Breath (Recharge 5 – 6). The dragon un-
  leashes a horrible shriek in a 90 ft. cone which rends both 
  mind and body. Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or take 55 
  (10d10) thunder damage. Additionally, on a failed save 
  a creature must succeed on a DC 22 Intelligence saving 
  throw or be incapacitated until the end of its next turn. 
  Life From Death. A creature of the dragon’s choice re-
  gains 21 (6d6) hit points. This amount is doubled if a 
  creature within 120 ft. of the target failed a death saving 
  throw that round.
  Actions 
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. one 
  target. Hit: (8) 1d8+4 piercing damage. 
  Revealing Light (Recharge 5 – 6). The sentry emits 
  bright light in a 90 ft. cone until the start of its next 
  turn, which projects in a single direction for the dura-
  tion. The sentry and its allies have advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks to detect creatures in the affected 
  area, and creatures in the affected area take an additional 
  4 (1d8) radiant damage on successful hits from attacks 
  made by the sentry and its allies.
  
  293
  Voice of Authority. While he is not incapacitated, Dorian 
  can choose to speak compelling words laced with beguiling 
  magic, which can be heard by creatures up to 120 ft. away. 
  When a creature that can hear Dorian in this manner starts 
  its turn, it must succeed on a DC 24 Charisma saving throw 
  or be permanently cursed. A creature cursed in this man-
  ner is charmed whenever they have a line of sight to Dorian. 
  Unless surprised, a creature can cover its ears with either 
  its free hands or a suitable object at the start of its turn. 
  If the creature does so, it cannot use those hands and is 
  deafened until the start of its next turn, where it can cover 
  its ears again. If the creature hears Dorian in the mean-
  time, it must immediately make the save. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Dorian makes three attacks with his Lich 
  Blade, each of which must be against a different target. 
  Lich Blade. Melee Spell Attack: +16 to hit, reach 5 ft. One 
  target. Hit: 14 (1d8+10) slashing damage plus 21 (6d6) 
  necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, Dorian regains 
  a number of temporary hit points equal to half the necrot-
  ic damage dealt (rounded down). These temporary hit 
  points last until Dorian finishes a short or long rest. 
  Razor Rain. Dorian tosses a ball of raw magic at a point he 
  can see within 120 ft, which then explodes in a 40 ft. radius 
  cylinder that is 100 ft. high. Each creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 
  (10d10) slashing damage, or half as much on a success. 
  Psychic Sweep. Dorian waves his arm, sending a blast of 
  telekinetic energy outward in a 60 ft cone. Each creature 
  in the affected area must succeed on a DC 24 Intelligence 
  saving throw or have their surface thoughts read by 
  Dorian for 1 minute. A creature whose surface thoughts 
  are being read in this manner has disadvantage on attack 
  rolls and saving throws against Dorian. 
  Ray of Frozen Fire (Recharge 5 – 6. Ranged Spell Attack: 
  +16 to hit, range 300 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d8) cold 
  and 18 (4d18) fire. Additionally, the target must succeed 
  on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or be encased in a 
  prison of burning ice, which is an object with an AC of 12 
  and 50 hit points. While so encased, a creature is para-
  lyzed and has total cover from everything outside the ice, 
  and vice versa. At the end of each of its turns, an affected 
  creature takes 9 (2d8) fire and 9 (2d8) cold damage and 
  can attempt a DC 24 Strength saving throw, freeing itself 
  and shattering the ice on a success. 
  Infinite Void. Dorian whispers an infernal incantation, 
  creating an obsidian sphere of negative space in an un-
  occupied space he can see within 300 ft, which lasts for 
  as long as Dorian concentrates (as though he were con-
  centrating on a spell). The sphere emits an aura of crush-
  ing gravity in a 20 ft. radius centered on it. When a crea-
  ture starts its turn in the affected area or enters the area 
  for the first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 24 
  Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and be unable 
  to stand up for as long as it remains within the area. As a 
  bonus action on each of his turns, Dorian can move the 
  sphere up to 60 ft.
  Legendary Actions
  Dorian the Accursed King can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the list below. Only one legendary action 
  option may be used at a time, and only at the end of anoth-
  er creature’s turn. Dorian the Accursed King regains used 
  legendary actions at the start of his turn.
  Summon Horror (costs 3 actions). Dorian calls forth a 
  creature from beyond to serve him for 1 minute, which 
  appears in an unoccupied space of Dorian’s choice within 
  60 ft. The creature has the statistics of a bone devil, but 
  with the following exceptions. It is an aberration instead 
  of a fiend, is resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slash-
  ing damage, and is vulnerable to radiant damage. 
  The horror acts immediately after Dorian’s turn and 
  follows his commands (no action required) to the best 
  of Dorian’s ability. The horror immediately vanishes if 
  Dorian uses this action to create an additional horror. 
  Astral Exile. Dorian attempts to exile a creature he can 
  see within 60 ft. to a world beyond space and time. If the 
  target is unwilling, it must succeed on a DC 24 Charisma 
  saving throw or vanish as it is lost in time and space. At 
  the end of the target’s next turn, it reappears in the near-
  est unoccupied space to where it vanished. Additionally, 
  when the creature reappears it has aged 1 year and any 
  effects with a duration greater than instantaneous affect-
  ing the creature are ended. 
  Lich Blade. Dorian makes an attack with his Lich Blade. 
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Dorian can 
  take a lair action to cause one of the following effects, so 
  long as he is within the Impossible Spire. Dorian can’t use 
  the same effect twice in a row. 
  Sinister Shadows. Dorian gently dances his fingertips 
  about the air as if conducting an orchestra. A sly smile 
  traces over his expression during a momentary pause. A 
  sharp upwards flick of his hand grows the atmosphere 
  dark; filling the chamber with deafening screams. From 
  the shadows, slender blades of every size and shape are 
  instantly outstretched. All of Dorian's enemies must make 
  DEX saves (DC22) or take 31 (5d10) slashing damage.
  Shadow Winds. Winds of dark power swarm around 
  creatures of Dorian’s choice in the affected area. Until the 
  next initiative count of 20, affected creatures gain a fly 
  speed of 60 ft. (hover). 
  Eldritch Shackles. Magical shackles erupt from the 
  ground to bind a creature of Dorian’s choice. The target 
  must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be re-
  strained by the shackles, which are an object with an AC 
  of 15 and 20 hit points. While restrained in this manner, a 
  creature cannot cast spells. 
  
  294
  time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. LaCroix 
  regains used legendary actions at the start of his turn.
  Impregnable (Cost 2 actions). LaCroix becomes immune 
  to a damage type of his choice until the start of his next turn. 
  Move. LaCroix moves up to his speed. 
  Spellbreaker (Costs 3 Actions). LaCroix becomes immune 
  to a spell or magical effect of his choice that he can see for its 
  duration. If a spell or magical effect would prevent LaCroix 
  from taking this action, he can instead take this action. 
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), LaCroix takes a 
  lair action to cause one of the following effects: LaCroix can't 
  use the same effect twice in a row. LaCroix cannot use these 
  options if he is not within Yonder, or is on the Bridges, the 
  Scarlet Hearth, Cathrach, or the Shadelands. 
  Contingency Plan. Hidden goons fire crossbows at crea-
  tures of LaCroix’s choice that he can see in the area. Each 
  affected creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving 
  throw or take 22 (4d10) piercing damage, or half as much 
  on a success. 
  Hidden Stash. LaCroix uncovers a hidden stash he prepared 
  for emergencies, inside of which is a potion of superior heal-
  ing, which he can immediately pick up using a reaction. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  11(+0) 
  16(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  23(+6) 
  14(+2) 
  16(+3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  17 (natural armor)
  187 (29d8 + 87)
  30 ft
  Lady Helena Whitestone
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Saving Throws Con +9, Int +12, Wis +8 Cha +9
  Skills Arcana +12, History +18, Religion +12, Perception +8
  Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning, Necrotic, Bludgeoning, 
  Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Poison 
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Common plus four other languages
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving 
  throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws 
  against any effect that turns undead.
  Silence. As a bonus action on each of her turns, Lady Helena 
  may cast silence as a 5th level spell without the need for 
  any components. 
  Spellcasting. Lady Whitestone is a 16th level spellcaster. 
  Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, 
  Saving Throws Str +16, Con +14, Wis +8
  Skills Athletics +16, Intimidation +11, Perception +8
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
  Condition Immunities frightened
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  30(+10) 
  17(+3) 
  26(+8) 
  15(+2) 
  15(+2) 
  20(+5)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  22 (+ 2 Plate, Shield)
  525 (42d8 + 336)
  30 FT
  LaCroix, the Knight Captain
  Medium human, Adjust alignment to fit campaign
  Legendary Resistance (3/day). When LaCroix fails a sav-
  ing throw, he can choose to succeed instead. 
  Magical Equipment. LaCroix armor and weapons are magi-
  cal and cannot be removed from his person unless he allows 
  it. 
  Mighty Warrior. LaCroix’s weapon attacks score a critical 
  hit on a roll of 18 – 20.
  Actions 
  Multiattack. LaCroix makes four attacks. LaCroix can forgo 
  making two attacks in this manner to instead take the Dash 
  action. 
  Hammer Smash. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 23 (2d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage. If the 
  target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution 
  saving throw or be dazed until the end of its next turn. A 
  creature dazed in this manner can only take its action or bo-
  nus action on its turn, not both, and can only make a single 
  attack on its turn. 
  Quake. LaCroix strikes the ground with terrific force, gener-
  ating a small earthquake in a 30 ft. radius centered on him. 
  Each enemy creature in the affected area must succeed on a 
  DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and drop 
  what they are holding. 
  Hurling Strike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, range 
  60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 45 (10d6 + 10) bludgeoning dam-
  age. If LaCroix uses his hammer to make this attack, it imme-
  diately returns to him at the end of his turn. 
  Reactions
  Spiteful Strike. As a reaction when LaCroix is hit by a weap-
  on attack by a creature he can see within 5 ft., he can make 
  a single melee weapon attack against that creature and has 
  advantage on the attack roll. 
  Legendary Actions
  LaCroix can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the list 
  below. Only one legendary action option may be used at a 
  
  295
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  22(+6) 
  19(+4) 
  19(+4) 
  13(+1) 
  14(+2) 
  15(+2)
  26(+8) 
  16(+3) 
  24(+7) 
  22(+6) 
  16(+3) 
  24(+7)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  18 (plate)
  255 (30d8 + 120)
  30 ft
  19 (natural armor)
  356 (31d8 + 217)
  50 ft
  Legionnaire
  Medium humanoid, neutral evil
  Leth’ka, the Hexblade Champion
  Medium humanoid (half-elf), lawful neutral
  Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +7
  Skills Athletics +11, Perception +7
  Condition Immunities frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +9, Cha +13
  Skills Athletics +14, Acrobatics +9, Insight +9, Perception +9
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Weapon Master. The legionnaire rolls an extra damage 
  dice on all of its weapon attacks (included in the attack). 
  Tactical Teamwork. When the legionnaire is within 10 ft. 
  of an ally and both it and the ally are not incapacitated, it 
  has advantage on attack rolls and ability checks. 
  Actions
  Multiattack. The legionnaire makes three attacks. It can 
  forgo making a single attack in this manner to instead 
  take the Dash, Dodge, or Disengage action. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) slashing damage. 
  Mighty Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage. 
  +12 to hit with spell attacks. She has the following spells 
  prepared. 
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, 
  thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, acid arrow, 
  mirror image 
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel mag-
  ic, fly
  4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
  5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death, forcecage
  8th level (1 slot): dominate monster, power word stun
  Actions
  Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. 
  The target must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving 
  throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat 
  the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success.
  Deadly Glare. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 120 
  ft., one creature. Hit: 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. 
   
  Legendary Actions
  Lady Helena can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from 
  the list below. Only one legendary action option may be 
  used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s 
  turn. Lady Helena regains spent legendary actions at the 
  start of her turns.
  Cast a Spell. Lady Helana casts a spell of 3rd level or lower.
  Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). Lady Helena uses 
  her Paralyzing Touch.
  Siphon Life (Costs 3 Actions). Lady Helena emits a pulse 
  of necrotic power in a 30 ft. radius sphere centered on her. 
  Each living creature in the affected area must succeed on a 
  DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 21 (6d6) necrotic 
  damage and Lady Helana magically regains a number of hit 
  points equal to half the total damage dealt (rounded down). 
  Fey Ancestry. Leth’ka has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed and cannot be magically put to sleep.
  Gift of Renewal (2/day). At the start of each of her turns, 
  Leth’ka can choose to regain any of her expended spell slots. 
  Spellcasting. Lek’tha is a 17th level spellcaster. Her spell-
  casting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 21, +13 to hit with 
  spell attacks). She regains her expended spell slots when she 
  finishes a short or long rest. She knows the following spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): booming blade, eldritch blast, true strike
  1st-5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishing smite, blink, 
  blur, dispel magic, misty step, shadow blade, shield, wrath-
  ful smite
  Blade Waltz (Recharge 5 – 6). Leth’ka magically tele-
  ports to an unoccupied space she can see within 5 ft. of 
  an enemy creature, then makes a single spellblade attack. 
  She can then repeat this action, so long as she does not 
  target a single creature more than once, and no more than 
  a total of ten different creatures. 
  Actions
  Multiattack. Leth’ka makes three attacks, or makes one 
  attack and casts a spell. 
  Spellblade. Melee Spell Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
  get., Hit: 11 (1d8+7) slashing damage. When she scores a hit 
  with this attack, Leth’ka can choose to expend a spell slot to 
  deal an additional 22 (5d8) necrotic damage with the attack.
  
  296
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  12(+1) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5)
  27(+8) 
  10(+0) 
  25(+7) 
  16(+3) 
  13(+1) 
  21(+5)
  2(-4) 
  11(+0) 
  9(-1) 
  2(-4) 
  10(-0) 
  4(-3)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  13
  28 (8d4 + 8)
  40 ft. 
  20 (natural armor)
  385 (22d20 + 154)
  30 ft., fly 50 ft.
  10
  1 (1d4-1)
  20 ft. 
  Pet Seedling
  Tiny plant, unaligned
  Scath’an the Glass Dragon
  Gargantuan dragon, neutral
  Rat
  Tiny Beast, unaligned
  Skills Stealth +5, Perception -3
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 7
  Languages - 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Saving Throws Str +14, Con +13, Wis +7, Cha +11
  Skills Perception +7, Persuasion +11
  Damage Resistances radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagic weapons
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, stunned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP)
  Senses Darkvision 3 ft. Passive Perception 10
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit., reach 5 ft., one tar-
  get. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) poison damage. 
  Master’s Magic. The seeling casts a cantrip known by its 
  creator, using the creator’s character level, spell attack 
  bonus and spell save DC (when applicable). If the cantrip 
  deals damage, it instead deals half damage when cast in 
  this manner. 
  Blinding Glare. When completely within an area of bright 
  light, Scath’an shines with a blinding light. While Scath’an 
  so shines, enemy creaturs that can see it have disadvan-
  tage on attack rolls against Scath’an. 
  Mirrored Scales. Scath’an is coated in scales like reflec-
  tive shards of glass. When Scath’an is hit by a melee attack 
  by a creature within 5 ft., the attacker takes 11 (2d10) 
  slashing damage. 
  Actions
  Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks, two with 
  its claws and one with its bite. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft. One 
  target. Hit: 47 (6d12 + 8) piercing damage. If the target is 
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack; +0 to hit, reach 5ft., one tar-
  get. Hit: 1 piercing damage. 
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Slashing, Piercing 
  from Non-magical Attacks
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Understands the languages of its creator but 
  cannot speak
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  24(+7) 
  9(-1) 
  22(+6) 
  3(-4) 
  11(+0) 
  1(-5)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  275 (22d12 + 132)
  30 ft
  Mechanical Golem
  Huge Construct, unaligned 
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or 
  effect that would alter its form. 
  Spell Resistance. The golem automatically succeeds on 
  saving throw against spells and magical effects and takes 
  half damage from spells. 
  Actions
  Multiattack. The golem makes two Piston Punch attacks. 
  Piston Punch. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 
  ft., one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 +7) bludgeoning damage. If 
  the target is a creature, the golem may push it 15 ft. away 
  from or pull it 15 ft. toward the golem in a straight line. 
  Forearm Blunderbuss. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to 
  hit, range 30/60 ft., each target in a 30 ft. cone. Hit: 21 
  (4d6 + 7) piercing and 14 (4d6) fire. 
  Steam Burn (Recharge 5 - 6). The golem expels a 15ft cone 
  of boiling steam from its. Each creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 21 Consitution saving throw or take 
  54 (12d8) fire damage and be permanently blinded. A suc-
  cessful save halves the damage and prevents being blinded.
  
  297
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  14(+2) 
  17(+3) 
  10(+0) 
  14(+2) 
  10(+0)
  29(+9) 
  14(+2) 
  26(+8) 
  20(+5) 
  25(+7) 
  17(+3)
  17 (natural armor)
  78 (12d6 + 36)
  20 ft., burrow 20 ft.
  23 (natural armor)
  1147 (62d20 + 496)
  0 ft., 5 ft. fly (hover)
  Thistlefury
  Large Aberration, chaotic evil
  Those Who Wait Beyond
  Gargantuan aberration (great old one), unaligned
  Damage Resistances Cold
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Vulnerability Fire
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, Exhaustion
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages none
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Saving Throws Int +14, Wis +16, Cha +12
  Skills Insight +23, Perception +16
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from non-magical attacks
  Damage Immunities psychic
  Condition Immunities Charmed, frightened, exhaus-
  tion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, re-
  strained, stunned, unconscious
  Senses blindsense 5 ft., passive Perception 26
  Languages All, but can only be understood by those suf-
  fering from madness
  Challenge 29 (41,000 XP)
  Actions  
  Root Snare. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., 
  one target on the ground. Hit: 10 (2d6 +3) bludgeoning 
  damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage. If the target is a crea-
  ture, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or 
  be grappled and restrained. 
  Seedling Drop (3/day). The thistlefury creates 1d4 
  Thistlefury seedlings in unoccupied spaces within 5 ft. of 
  it. The seedlings are friendly toward the thistlefury and 
  act immediately after its turns. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  5(-3) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5) 
  1(-5)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  13
  1 (1d4 - 3)
  60 ft.
  Thistlefury Seedling
  Tiny aberration, unaligned
  Damage Resistances Cold
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Damage Vulnerability Fire
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Deafened, Exhaustion
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 5
  Languages none
  Challenge -
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
  get., Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage. 
  Infection. The seedling attempts to burrow into the flesh 
  of a living creature within 5 ft. The target must succeed 
  on a DC 13 Consitution saving throw have the seedling 
  enter their body. A creature so infected is vulnerable to all 
  damage, and the seedling can only be removed by a crea-
  ture within reach using an action to succeed on a DC 13 
  Wisdom (Medicine) check to remove the seedling. 
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  a creature, it must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving 
  throw or instead by critically hit. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft. One 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage. 
  Glass Breath (Recharge 5 – 6). Scath’an unleashes a ter-
  rible roar, spewing hundreds of tiny razor-sharp shards 
  of glass in a 60 ft. cone. Each creature in the affected area 
  must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 
  slashing damage equal to half their hit point maximum, 
  or half as much on a success. Additionally, a creature that 
  fails this saving throw by 10 or more has their hit point 
  maximum reduced to their current hit points. This effect 
  only ends if an affected creature receives the benefits of a 
  DC 20 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or a greater restoration 
  or heal spell. 
   
  Reactions
  Spell Reflection. (Recharge 5-6) As a reaction to when 
  Scath’an is targeted with a spell from a creature it can see, 
  Scath can change the target to instead be a creature of its 
  choice that it can see within 60 ft.
  
  298
  the end of each of its turns, an affected creature can 
  choose to repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on 
  a success. However, each time it fails this saving throw, it 
  takes 35 (10d6) psychic damage. 
  Fate Worse Than Death (Recharge 5 -6). The great old 
  one chooses a creature at 0 hit points within the area of 
  its Omnipresent feature to join it in a realm beyond space 
  and time. The target vanishes, never to be seen again, for-
  ever lost in a realm of madness, death, and suffering. Only 
  a wish spell or divine intervention can change this fate. 
  Obliteration. The great old one projects a column of de-
  struction in a 15 ft. radius cylinder that is 300 ft. high, 
  centered on a point within the area of its Omnipresent 
  feature. Unattended objects and structures in the affected 
  area are reduced to dust, while creatures in the affected 
  area must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw 
  or have their maximum hit points reduced by 55 (10d10) 
  or half as much on a success. This reduction lasts until a 
  creature finishes a long rest or benefits from the effects of 
  a greater restoration or heal spell. 
  Consume Cultist. A tentacle lashes down from the sky 
  and slowly lifts a willing cultist who is eagerly waiting to 
  be devoured by its master. This cultist can be 2d10 x100 
  feet away from the Party in the Shadelands. If the round 
  ends and the cultist is not stopped, then Those-Who-Wait 
  gain (or heal) 30 HP.
  Legendary Actions
  The great old one can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the list below. Only one legendary action option may 
  be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s 
  turn. The great old one regains spent legendary actions at 
  the start of its turns.
  Consume Magic (Costs 2 Actions). The great old one 
  ends a spell or magical effect of 9th level or lower within 
  the area of its Omnipresent feature. 
  Tentacle. The great old one makes a tentacle attack. 
  Gaze of Eldritch Madness (Costs 2 Actions). The great 
  old one uses its Gaze of Eldritch Madness action. 
  Obliteration (Costs 2 Actions). The great old one uses 
  its Obliteration action. 
  Mindbreaker (Costs 2 Actions). The great old one at-
  tempts to shatter the mind of a creature it can see with-
  in the area of its Omnipresent feature. The great old one 
  makes a Wisdom ability check contested by either an 
  Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma ability check (target’s 
  choice) from the target. If the target loses the contest, the 
  great old one reduces the ability score uses by the crea-
  ture to contest the check to 1. This reduction lasts until 
  the great old one is defeated.
  Mythic Resistance. When the great old one fails a saving 
  throw, it can expend and unspent legendary action to suc-
  ceed instead. 
  Utter Chaos. At the start of each of its turns, the great old 
  one gains one of the following benefits, which lasts until the 
  start of its next turn. If the great old one is weakened, this 
  effect instead occurs every other turn. 
  • 
  Apocalyptic Might. The great old one deals double 
  damage on all attacks and effects. 
  • 
  Profane Insight. The great old one gains advantage 
  on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks.
  • 
  Magical Supremacy. The great old one becomes im-
  mune to spells of 6th level or lower. 
  • 
  Unstoppable Will. The DC of the great old one's ef-
  fects increases by 3. 
  Omnipresent. The great old one is beyond the petty rules of 
  mortal dimensions. Its influence can be felt in a 1-mile radius 
  cylinder that is infinitely high, centered on the point upon 
  which it manifests. The great old one is treated as though it 
  occupies this space, though it imposes no penalties, nor re-
  ceives any for sharing this space with other creatures. 
  Cyclonids. Each Cyclonid has an AC of 17 and 1 HP. When 
  a Cyclonid is destroyed, half the damage of the attack is 
  dealt to the Entity’s total HP. Roll an appropriate die each 
  round to see how many Cyclonids will take on of the fol-
  lowing actions:
  • 
  Strike. A flying eyeball attempts to stab a creature 
  with its sharp, spider-like legs. +15 to hit. Deals 3d8 
  +8 piercing damage.
  • 
  Puppet. A flying eyeball attempts to clamps down on 
  a creature’s head with its legs. The target must make 
  a DEX save (DC15). On a failure, the Cyclonid grasps 
  the target’s skull. If not knocked away in the next 18 
  seconds (3 turns) the sharp spider legs will pierce the 
  target’s skull, dig into their brain, and the Cyclonid 
  will take control of the target like a puppet, gaining 
  all their abilities. If a Player becomes a puppet, and 
  the Cyclonid is destroyed, the Player survives but is 
  immediately reduced to 1 HP. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The great old one makes a tentacle at-
  tack against each creature of its choice in the area of its 
  Omnipresent feature. 
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit., reach any-
  where in the area of its Omnipresent feature., one target. 
  Hit: 31 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a 
  creature, the great old one may grapple it (Escape DC 26). 
  Gaze of Eldritch Madness. A creature the great old one 
  can see must succeed on a DC 24 Wisdom saving throw or 
  be afflicted with eldritch madness. While afflicted in this 
  manner, a creature deals half damage and cannot be con-
  sidered as or treat other creatures as friendly toward it. At 
  
  299
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  29(+9) 
  14(+2) 
  20(+5) 
  20(+5) 
  18(+4) 
  18(+4)
  22(+6) 
  15(+2) 
  16(+3) 
  11(+0) 
  10(+0) 
  8(-1)
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  ARMOR CLASS
  HIT POINTS
  SPEED
  20 (natural armor)
  350
  50 ft. 
  15 (natural armor)
  105 (14d8 + 42)
  40 ft.
  Twilight Giant
  Huge Giant, Chaotic Neutral
  Void Maw
  Medium Aberration, Chaotic Evil
  Saving Throws Con +11, Int +11, Wis +10
  Skills Athletics +15, Perception +10
  Damage Resistances psychic, necrotic
  Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
  Languages Common, giant, plus one other language
  Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Deep speech
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
  Skills Stealth +8, Perception +3
  Damage Resistances Psychic, Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  Amphibious. The giant breaths air and water. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The giant's innate spellcasting abili-
  ty is Intelligence (spell save DC 18). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material: components
  At will: detect magic, feather fall, levitate, light
  3/day each: harm, heal
  Actions
  Multiattack.The giant makes three attacks. The giant can 
  forgo making two of these attacks to instead cast a spell.
  Aurora Light Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, 
  reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (2d12 + 9) bludgeoning 
  and 13 (2d12) radiant damage. 
  Star Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/240 
  ft., one target. Hit: 35 (4d12 + 9) force damage.
  Arcane Lightning (Recharge 5–6). The giant conjures a 
  magical lightning bolt at a point it can see within 500 ft. of 
  it. Each creature within 10 ft. of that point must make suc-
  ceed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 90 (20d8) 
  lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage 
  on a success.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The maw makes three attacks. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon attack: +9 to hit. Reach 5 ft., one tar-
  get. Hit: 13 (3d6 +3) slashing damage
  Tongue Strike (Recharge 5 – 6). Melee Weapon Attack : +9 
  to hit. Reach 30 ft., one creature. Hit: (30) 4d12 +6 piercing 
  damage. On a successful hit, the target must succeed on a 
  DC 17 Constitution saving throw or have a larval void maw 
  implanted in its body. 2 (1d4) rounds later, a full mature 
  void maw emerges from the target’s body, taking 44 (8d10) 
  necrotic damage as the void maw appears in the nearest 
  unoccupied space. A larval void maw can be removed by a 
  creature within reach using an action to succeed on a DC 17 
  Wisdom (Medicine) check to extract it. 
  Void Gaze. The aberration opens its chest mouth wide, 
  revealing a seemingly endless black abyss with streaks 
  of white light swirling. Each creature of the void maw’s 
  choice that it can see must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom 
  saving throw or be mesmerized by the void, becoming in-
  capacitated for as long as the void maw concentrates (as 
  though concentrating on a spell).
  
  Appendix 2, Magic Items
  Magic Items
  Artificer Items
  Shield of Rebound
  Armor (shield), very rare (requires attunement)
  While you are wearing the shield, if you are attacked by a 
  melee weapon attack by a creature within 5ft., you can use 
  your reaction to change the target of the attack to the crea-
  ture, instead of you.
  Work In Progress. The Player must roll a D8 when using 
  this ability. On a roll of 1, the item malfunctions and the 
  ability fails. 
  “Its thick, roughly smithed exterior is made of black-iron 
  and adorned in spikes that jut upwards dangerously; en-
  suring a faulty move against it would be punished."
  The Doubletap - Dual Hand Crossbows
  Weapons (hand crossbows), rare (requires attunement)
  These magical hand crossbows magically reload themselves 
  after each shot. Additionally, when you score a critical hit 
  using either of the crossbows, you may make an additional 
  attack using that crossbow (no action required). This benefit 
  cannot occur more than once per crossbow on your turns.
  Work In Progress. The Player must roll a D8 when using 
  this weapon. On a roll of 1, the crossbow jams. The Player 
  will have to spend their bonus action to unjam it. 
  "One can never be too efficient with prey, more so if that 
  prey possesses these weapons."
  Lightning Whip
  Weapon (whip), very rare (requires attunement) 
  A long whip of braided leather, with a thin copper wire 
  threaded through the braids. A bronze signet of a sword 
  crossed with a lightning bolt is built into the handle. When 
  you would make a melee weapon attack with the whip, 
  you can choose to instead make one of the following spe-
  cial attacks, which add their benefits to the attack. Once 
  you have made a special attack with the whip, you cannot 
  make another one that turn. 
  Lash. The attack deals an additional 2d10 slashing damage. 
  Trip. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving 
  throw or fall prone. 
  Zap. The target is shocked with electricity and must suc-
  ceed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be stunned 
  until the end of the turn. 
  Work in Progress. The Player must roll a D8 when at-
  tempting Zap. On a 1, the shock backfires, dealing 4 dam-
  age to The Player.
  "Pain delights in teaching your adversary regret, but you 
  as well - should you falter."
  Belt of Righteousness
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  While you wear the belt, you have a +1 increase to your 
  proficiency bonus and all saving throws. Additionally, you 
  are physically incapable of lying and find yourself magi-
  cally compelled to tell anyone you meet the truth.
  "Like a halo that binds my soul, expelling all my secrets."In 
  some circles, it is known that priests of old were put on a 
  holy crusade at the turn of their tenth year of service to the 
  temple and earned this as a reward. A secret pocket slit in 
  the leather is an adage passed down from master to mas-
  ter. "Always be willing to shield the innocent, and let your 
  faith guide your death."
  Coin of Destiny
  Wondrous item, rare
  When you roll a d20, you can immediately take a bonus 
  action to flip the coin in the air, placing the result in the 
  hands of fate. On a heads, the d20 roll becomes a 20. On 
  a tails, the d20 roll becomes a 1. Once you have used this 
  feature, the coin cannot be used in this manner again un-
  til 24 hours have passed. 
  "Drunk was I, on the wine of destiny, always the wealthiest 
  pauper by day's end."
  A coin so thin, it appears without edge no matter how close 
  you inspect. It carries an odd tarnished complexion and is 
  older than any known civilization's currency. It is speculat-
  ed that the Patron's dropped it as a means of testing the 
  greed of mankind, others say it is as a means to seize power 
  if you understand the cost.
  Deadly Precision
  Weapon (rapier), rare (requires attunement) 
  A silver blade with a crimson edge with a hilt of plain steel 
  and the handle wrapped in black leather. A smooth steel 
  orb acts as a pommel. The sword feels incredibly light and 
  nimble in your grip. The level of speed and control they feel 
  is unlike anything you’ve experienced with other blades. 
  You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made 
  with the blade. Additionally, when you deal 15 or 
  more damage in a single hit with the blade to a 
  creature of flesh and blood, you can inflict a 
  bleeding wound. A creature so wounded 
  
  301
  loses 1d10 hit points at the start of each of its turns until 
  it either receives at least 1 hit point of magical healing or 
  receives the benefits of a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check 
  to treat the wound. 
  "Their forms entwined, master, and blade. Harmoniously, they 
  struck as one who would court death itself. As you reach and 
  grab the handle, it slides into your grasp with ease. The blade 
  lacerates through the air so effortlessly you could swear the 
  sword is leading your hand towards the target. Though com-
  mon steel, the craftmanship was nothing short of legend."
  Fiend’s Trinket
  Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) 
  This small metal charm is sculpted into a dragon’s claw, 
  which can be attached to a weapon, staff, or tied around 
  the wrist. When you slay a require while attuned to the 
  trinket, you can choose to have their souls sent to the 
  Fiend patron as tribute. After you have sent twenty souls 
  to the Fiend in this manner, you gain the following benefit 
  whenever you are attuned to the trinket. 
  Hurl Through Hell. When you hit an enemy with an at-
  tack, they transport the target to the lower planes, send-
  ing them hurtling through a nightmare landscape. At the 
  end of your next turn, the target returns to the same space 
  (or nearest if occupied) and takes 10d10 psychic damage.
  "Charmed, I'm sure..."
  Its embossed lines and particular detail seem common. Yet 
  upon very close inspection, they are unlike any kind known 
  by traditional craft. Its presence is unassuming and dismis-
  sible, but the charm always leaves an unknown sense of 
  dread in those who stare at it for long enough."
  Remnant Rings - Remnant of Scath’an
  Wondrous item (ring), very rare (requires attunement)
  While you wear the ring when a creature you can see at-
  tacks you, it provokes an attack of opportunity from you. 
  The ring appears as pure reflection, almost blending into 
  whatever surface it is set on. When placed in direct light, 
  the flashes of azure glint in the sun. The ring initially hurts 
  to bear on your hand, a chill mildly numbing your finger. 
  The bitter cold seemingly heightens your senses and cen-
  ters your focus making you keenly aware. You feel the cold 
  death that will visit those who would try to subdue you. 
  Infrequently, a vividly dark feeling crawls over your skin 
  and you feel territorially on guard, even towards allies".
  Remnant Rings - Remnant of Deataigh
  Wondrous item (ring), very rare (requires attunement)
  While you wear the ring, if you are targeted by a spell or 
  magical effect by a creature you can see, you can use your 
  reaction to change the target of that spell or magical effect 
  to another creature you can see within 30 ft. 
  The ring feels almost willful at first but calms once fully worn. 
  Your sight briefly becomes painted with ash and smoke as 
  pale-sepia clouds wash over your eyes and pass without trace. 
  Song of Tranquility
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  Inked by the famed Bard, Rhima Rhythym. This scroll con-
  tains four poems so beautiful they are rumored to cause 
  calming and healing effects in a person when they hear 
  them read aloud for the first time.
  By spending 1 minute of strenuous activity you can read 
  one of the poems from the scroll, granting each creature 
  that can hear your recitation the benefits of a short rest. 
  Once a creature has benefited from a poem in this manner, 
  it cannot benefit from the magic of that poem again. 
  Finespun cloth so dense it appears as paper but remains 
  soft and silky to the touch. Gold trim wraps each of the 
  four edges of the scroll that is segmented into blue, scar-
  let, forest green, and cyan. Once read, the poems dissolve 
  from the page, and upon falling into dream are forgotten 
  altogether. Known only to the wise, all beautiful things 
  one day must die.
  Whitestone Amulet
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
  While you wear the amulet, your attacks are imbued with 
  supernatural cold. When you deal damage to a creature 
  with a weapon or spell attack, you can add 1d10 cold 
  damage to the attack’s damage and you take an amount of 
  cold damage equal to the cold damage dealt. 
  "A banshee’s sorrowed heart captured in silver."
  The chain feels almost like a noose around your neck, yet 
  loose enough to not cause too much discomfort. Its lineage 
  was traced back to the Blackmorn family – a pendant gift-
  ed to the youngest daughter in a time of great strife within 
  the household. 
  Woodskin Bangle
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This circlet of carved wood can grant you the durability of 
  a mighty oak. As an action you can activate the magic of 
  the circlet, granting you the following benefits for 1 hour 
  or until you use an action to end the effects. 
  • 
  Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  damage. 
  • 
  Immunity to poison damage and the poisoned 
  condition. 
  • 
  Vulnerability to fire and lightning damage. 
  Once you have used the ring in this manner, it cannot be 
  used again until 1 week has passed. 
  "Blood-sap flows within the veins of wooden roots, so too 
  shall you be woven into nature itself."
  The bracelet wraps snug around your wrist and you sense 
  slight movement for a brief moment as if something entered 
  into your skin. Removing is doable but offers discomfort as 
  you feel what seems like roots getting pulled from your body.
  
  Appendix 2.1, Unassigned Magic Items
  Unassigned Magic Items
  Blooded Brooch
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This silver broach has two silver fangs bordering a ruby 
  gemstone. As an action, you can prick your finger with the 
  pin and transform into a vampiric beast, which lasts for 
  1 hour. While in this form you have advantage on melee 
  weapon attacks, are resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing damage from nonmagic weapons, immune to 
  necrotic and poison damage, and magically regain 1d6 hit 
  points each time you hit a flesh and blood creature with 
  a weapon attack. However, this form comes with a price. 
  While in this state you cannot communicate intelligibly 
  and cannot regain hit points from any source other than 
  the brooch. This effect can only end early if a creature 
  within reach pricks uses an action to prick you with one of 
  the broach’s fangs. 
  "Oh, sweet night of merciful reprieve; by my blood I am 
  yours, by my will you are mine."
  The gem, bordered by two elongating silvery fangs, hangs 
  from adjoining leather strands connected by a silver chain, 
  its gem flickers bright sparks of red. A subtle vortex of 
  swirling scarlet hides under the outward flash of tangible 
  brilliance.
  Boots of Godspeed
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  While you wear these boots your base walking speed is 
  increased by 20 ft. Additionally, as a bonus action, you 
  can achieve godlike speed for the remainder of that turn. 
  While you move with this speed, you do not provoke at-
  tacks of opportunity and can run across liquids and up 
  vertical surfaces.
  Held up to the light, the black leather boots glint with an 
  unnatural midnight blue hue. When worn, your footfalls oc-
  casionally hasten without intent, as if carried on by some 
  unseen force. They were originally crafted by an envious 
  Sorcerer seeking the heart of his unrequited love. Upon 
  challenging a rival for the lady's hand, it was agreed to be 
  settled in a race of purely physical skill. Though the Sorcerer 
  had spent many of his years locked away in the refining of 
  his mind, not body, he agreed to the terms, vowing to cast 
  not a single spell. He was sure the boots would carry him to 
  his unrequited love’s heart with the haste of gods. Pleased 
  with his craftiness in outwitting his foe, he came to find that, 
  as he raced farther and farther ahead, a river awaited, and 
  he was unable to swim.
  Circlet of Spatial Displacement
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
  This leather band houses a large stone that looks like the 
  night sky – black and speckled with bright white dots. As 
  a bonus action, while you wear the circlet, you can magi-
  cally swap spaces with a creature you can see within 60 ft. 
  An unwilling target can succeed on a DC 16 Charisma sav-
  ing throw to prevent the effect. Once you have used this 
  feature three times, it cannot be used again until 24 hours 
  have passed. 
  "Your high ground is meaningless from down here."
  From ravenknight leather dangles a single black stone with 
  stars like embers captured inside. Inscriptions trace the 
  band written of an eldritch language both forward and in 
  reverse. A small droplet of blood stains the frayed ends of the 
  bracelet, belonging to an aspiring, yet inept, practitioner.
  Flavor Maker
  Wondrous item, uncommon
  This small wooden chest is banded with gold and bears 
  a fork and knife carved into the lid. As an action, you can 
  speak of your favorite food the box, which when opened 
  contains the item desired. Once you have used this fea-
  ture, the maker cannot be used again until 8 hours have 
  passed. 
  "Fetch me my knives, bring me my wine, for each night as a 
  King I shall dine”
  Created by a rather "prosperous" mage whose name was 
  deemed "not-to-be-spoken" for the shame and scorn his 
  brethren felt after a time. His laziness was deemed so pro-
  found that, to bother keeping apprentices to serve his ev-
  er-growing appetites, left him yearning at the end of each 
  night. Every pleasure, every wine, the comforts of countless 
  women, exotic inebriants from across the sea, the sweetest 
  succor, and the ways of the nymph no longer sufficed. So, it 
  came to pass that his final creation would be his undoing. 
  With this device, not having further need to be served, de-
  siring no company of little use and with no one left to care 
  for him, his knowledge and greatness slipped away into 
  apathetic idleness. He was found one morning when his es-
  tranged apprentice came calling out of simple kindness to 
  the old mage who found him dead upon the floor surround-
  ed by bones of various small animals. With hands clenched 
  tightly, and arms encircling the small wooden chest, he laid 
  in a pool of wine.
  Pick Me Up
  Potion, rare
  Dark liquid. Smells delicious. Tastes bitter. As an action, 
  you can drink the potion, which grants you proficiency in 
  a saving throw of your choice for 1 hour. 
  "Could I conceive such power? If I were to drink the very soul 
  of a righteous warrior and know a lifetime in an instant."
  The blackened Prussian liquid emanates an 
  earthy, yet sweetly floral fragrance. The taste 
  of bitter root and a mixture of pleasant and 
  
  303
  unfavorable ingredients sludges over your tongue. Though 
  not unbearable, the taste is certainly acquired.
  Red Sight
  Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) 
  This pure white opera mask has blood-red teardrops 
  painted at the corners of the eye slits. As a bonus ac-
  tion, while wearing the mask, you may invoke the Red 
  Sight. This state is a magically induced rage, granting you 
  the following benefits for 1 minute or until you become 
  incapacitated. 
  • 
  You have advantage on melee weapon attack rolls, but 
  creatures have advantage on attack rolls against you. 
  • 
  You gain a +5 bonus to damage rolls on melee weapon 
  attacks. 
  • 
  You cannot cast spells. 
  • 
  When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you are instead 
  reduced to 1 hit point. This effect cannot occur more 
  than once per instance of Red Sight. 
  Once you have entered the Red Sight, the mask cannot be 
  used in this manner again until 24 hours have passed. 
  An old mask in remarkably pristine condition. 
  Originally gifted to the famous playwriter Richard D. Vryce. 
  It was inspired by hellish dreams. Between the princes of 
  night and dark alliances, the playwriter used the mask to 
  control his performers in some of the bloodiest performanc-
  es to ever grace the stage—even if he only allowed his guests 
  to see them once.
  Summon Patron
  Wondrous item (scroll), very rare (requires attunement 
  by a creature who made a pact with an otherwordly patron)
  As an action, you can read from the scroll to summon the 
  titanic power of an otherworld patron. When you do so, 
  you can immediately cast a spell of your choice from the 
  following options. The spell save DC of this spell is always 
  25 (when applicable. level foresight, power word kill, psy-
  chic scream, true polymorph 
  "The imperceptible fibers of the paper tingle in your hands, 
  a subtle reminder of what force can be summoned."
  The worn, discoloration varied about the parchment creat-
  ed only by time’s ageless years. 
  Close inspection will note finely faded words layered and 
  on top of words, countless pearls of wisdom contained on 
  one piece of parchment; whole scriptures of knowledge in-
  fused into the thick, feathery grain. When focused on for 
  long periods, whole passages are noted to fade and reap-
  pear elsewhere on the page, as if the communion was oc-
  curring from within.
  The Calm Exterior
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
  This simple black opera mask is trimmed with gold. 
  While wearing this mask you have complete control over 
  your emotions. You have advantage on all Deception, 
  Performance, and Persuasion checks, and other creatures 
  have disadvantage on any Insight checks made toward you.
  "All was lost, the very reaches of my soul were in defeat, yet 
  under shadow's guilded-hewn guise, I was unstoppable."
  When held to the light the mask has no shine and no surface 
  reflection as if you were holding the void itself. When worn, 
  you feel the serenity of a numbing wave wash over your psy-
  che, leaving you helplessly drowning under a calm tide of 
  peace. Your expression becomes that of neutrality, hiding 
  the flow of human emotion, though those emotions may 
  occasionally wash over the minds who foolishly place too 
  much faith in the mask to carry their burden of subterfuge
  Wind-Up Knife
  Weapon (Dagger), very rare (requires attunement
  This sterling silver dagger is marked with a simple etch-
  ing depicting a humanoid outline attached to marionette 
  strings. When you slay a flesh and blood creature using the 
  knife, you can choose to leave the blade in the target’s body 
  and twist the blade to activate its magic. When you do so, 
  the target rises as an undead thrall under your command 
  within 1 minute. The creature’s statistics are unchanged, 
  except its type changes to undead, and it becomes immune 
  to necrotic and poison damage. As a bonus action on each 
  of your turns, you can issue verbal commands to the tar-
  get, which follows your commands to the best of its ability 
  and otherwise has no will of its own. After 1 hour, the mag-
  ic of the knife fades and the thrall crumbles to dust. Once 
  you have used the knife in this manner, it cannot be used 
  again until 1 week has passed. 
  “Dance, dance, then dance some more, under my command 
  as your unlife must endure. And when you fall, shall that be 
  the final call?”
  Within the hilt, you can almost hear the faint ticking of tiny 
  gears, far too small to have been placed and set with even 
  the most dexterous fingers. An off-color liquid will period-
  ically seep from the joint between the hilt and the blade. 
  When the blade twists in a devious manner it causes crack-
  ing, rusty gears, and straining clicks, to creep out.
  Wrath's Bargain
  Wand, legendary (requires attunement)
  This pale wooden wand is laced with jagged veins of dark 
  emerald. When you cast a spell while holding the wand, 
  you can immediately use a bonus action to lose hit points 
  to increase the power of the spell’s magic. For every 10 hit 
  points you choose to lose in this manner, you increase the 
  spell’s level by 1, to a maximum of the highest spell level 
  you can cast using your class spellcasting feature. 
  “Patrons hear my cries and indulge my sinful need of ven-
  geance, even should it cost me my own life!”
  Crafted under a full moon by Yamila Skrillen with ven-
  geance seething through her, she swore to the patrons that 
  she would avenge her slaughtered partner, even if it cost a 
  part of herself. Her calls were heard as she slit her palm to 
  offer the wand her blood. It drew her life in, and she felt a 
  connection forged… So long as blood was offered through 
  the wand, even if it belonged to the wielder, their chanc-
  es of slaying those who stood against them strengthened. 
  Hopefully, any would-be wielder wouldn’t abuse this gift 
  from the Patron to the point they drain themselves dry.
  
  Appendix 2.2, Additional Shadelands Locations
   Additional Shadelands Locations
  Autumn Burg
  Nestled in the rolling fields of the south sits the quiet farm-
  ing village of Autumn Burg. Simple houses and swaying trees 
  line the dirt roads. White cobblestone streets host a variety 
  of shops from the purchase of rations to receiving simple re-
  pairs. "The Fox & Rose Tavern" stands at the end of the road; 
  a tall, wooden public-house where coin is exchanged at the 
  hard day's end. A place where foxes sit next to a pond behind 
  the tavern, often caught running with fish or a scrap of meat 
  delightfully dangling from one side of their mouths. 
  Autumn Burg is given its very namesake due to the sun-
  set as night touches down. Leaves, grass, the rich red dirt, 
  and all vegetation become alit with ever more vibrant 
  autumn colors as the sun falls. Retired soldiers, families 
  fleeing the conflict, and all war-scarred mercenaries are 
  welcomed here to forget their past, no matter how griev-
  ous, and start anew. 
  Long-standing families of merchants and farmers, whose 
  bloodline reaches back to when the town was first found-
  ed, run the yearly seedings and harvests. Occasional war-
  riors that arrive seeking quarrel with former adversar-
  ies are often deterred by the town's haste in any call to 
  arms. Tools become weapons, and those weapons become 
  death sentences in the hands of any battle-hardened man 
  or woman that stands in unison. 
  Bards and painters alike often travel to Autumn Burg for in-
  spiration, while the farmers that reside there welcome the 
  Patronage their town harbors. An alchemy shop, no larg-
  er than a room sits at the end of town, supplying only the 
  meagerest of ingredients and wares. The owner, far into the 
  twilight of his years has traded his lifelong craft to die hap-
  pily a farmer. Though often he continues to dabble when 
  passions rekindled anew, just frequent enough for him to 
  not close the door on his past for long. The stablemaster 
  towers above the townspeople with arms as trees. It is fa-
  bled that he alone could mount a horse atop his shoulders 
  carry it uphill. Though kind, he is quick to temper.
  Belly of the Beast Inn & Tavern
  Located dead center of the Shadelands near the crossroads 
  east of the Yawning Lake. To the west rises Sweet Mist 
  Hollow. More of a small compound than a single building, 
  the Belly of the Beast Inn & Tavern has a main lodge that 
  serves as the actual tavern. Surrounding this wooden lodge 
  of wood-cooked food and fine ales, is a large number of 
  supporting buildings. Barns, stables, water mills, grain si-
  los, and more help “Handsome” Harald and his family run 
  the establishment. Together, they are Kaldenkind, sentient 
  humanoid bear people that resemble polar bears with 
  mostly white fur, but always carries a shaded tint from the 
  Aurora above. Harald and his family are jovial and person-
  able, but quite dangerous if trifled with.
  Blackmorn Manor
  This imposing estate stands atop a rocky hill near the 
  coastline, just a short ride east of the city. Long dilapi-
  dated though awe-inspiring from its size alone, wooden 
  signs dangle from a single rusted chain and dried weeds 
  emerge from cracked stone. Low stone walls weave a 
  maze-like path throughout the grounds. A neglected 
  boathouse rests on the edge of a small lake at the south-
  ern edge of the property. 
  Within the house itself, torn red carpets run the length 
  of every hallway. Rotting curtains, dusty tapestries, and 
  creaking floorboards abound through the manor's thir-
  ty-some rooms. Mixed rumors surround the Blackmorn 
  family, scandalous and benevolent alike. Some saw them 
  as gracious, who paid their help fair wages. Others feel 
  that was not enough, as their immense prosperity oc-
  curred due to that very same help. It has been well over 
  a decade since a beating heart call this place home. Being 
  the most haunted location in a city literally full of other-
  worldly entities hasn't helped the matter either.
  Cindered House, The
  East of Yon'Cath, there sits a lake with a small island at its 
  center. The sole structure of this island is The Cindered 
  House. A near-constant tendril of smoke can be seen 
  curling up toward the sky. The hum of machinery can be 
  heard faintly from the outside along with the occasional 
  clashing of metal. 
  Like the bastard love child of a log cabin and a coal fac-
  tory, this charred black monolith stands tall among the 
  trees. The only activity seen outside the House is either 
  soot-covered figures emerging to receive the day's deliv-
  ery of corpses, or grim dwarven merchants heading to 
  market flush with new goods and weapons.
  Cracked Pact, The
  In the northeast corner of Yonder, there stands a sturdy 
  building of dark gray brick. Arrow slits for windows and 
  wrought iron doors make the Cracked Pact look more 
  like a miniature fortress than a place of commerce. 
  Inside, Khouryn Brickfoot reclines with 
  her feet up on the counter. The dwarven 
  
  305
  woman hides her eyes behind circular opaque glasses and 
  is almost always chewing on an unlit cigar.
  A Warlock gains their power by striking a pact. In a city 
  literally full of Warlocks, there are bound to be those un-
  happy with the deals they've struck. Khouryn's business 
  is breaking those pacts... for a price.
  Crooked Lighthouse, The
  At the northwest corner of the Shadelands, the Nameless 
  Black Sea comes to an end along a narrow ridge of dark 
  rock. On the other side of the rock, the blue waves of the 
  great northern ocean crash again and again. Here stands 
  the Crooked Lighthouse, its name a result of the many 
  half-hearted repairs that left the exterior twisted and con-
  torted. To the east of the structure stretches the endless line 
  of black jagged stone that marks the northern Shadelands 
  border. To the west, the shoreline gives way to a series of 
  partially sunken caves and tide pools. No approaching ship 
  will find guidance here, and many wonder if the structure 
  has ever been anything more than ornamental.
  Forest of Shrieking Whispers
  Gaunt, moss-hung trees arch and twist in every direction 
  like bark covered contortionists. The near-constant mist 
  often leads outsiders to mistake the trees for people locked 
  in an unnatural pose. The air tends to ebb and flow through 
  the wreathed timberland, causing an exhale to pass the ears 
  of those who traipse too deep. Those with the right connec-
  tions, understand this is a forest for druids and druid-adja-
  cent creatures. As with most of the Shadelands, unwanted 
  guests will find plenty of danger and death awaiting them.
  Fort Ironweald
  Within the northern reach of the western forest stands 
  Fort Ironweald. Encircled by an almost impassably dense 
  thicket of trees, this old settlement is unknown to most. 
  Upon entering, one would discover a mixture of peasant 
  folk; humans, halflings, gnomes, and half-elves. They are 
  hunters, warriors beyond their best years, and children 
  laboring alongside their adult counterparts. The worst is 
  always presumed of outsiders. There is no use for curren-
  cy and often the younger citizens do not know the con-
  cept. These are people who yearn to hide from the endless 
  chaos of the outside realms, who want nothing more than 
  to be left alone and forgotten by the world. 
  Grenloft
  If one were to enter Sweet Mist Hollow from the western 
  forest edge, walk until they reached the river, and then fol-
  low said river north—they’d reach the secluded village of 
  Grenloft. Though the uninformed or unwelcome might just 
  as easily walk right under it. The village does not exist on the 
  forest floor, but rather high up near the top of the massive 
  Jadewoods. This town is not born from carpentry, but druidic 
  wood shaping. The green branches and lavender leaves have 
  been molded and sculpted to form dwellings and walkways. 
  An aqueduct system funnels water from a lake in the near-
  by mountains through the forest. These each end in small 
  waterfalls that litter the forest of Grenloft, both creating a 
  low-hanging forest fog, and an elusive air of mystery.
  Gravehand Steppes
  Natural bridges of toppled stone and felled trees stretch 
  over gentle brooks. Sprites and Faeries laze the day away 
  floating along the water in leaf boats. Fragrant flowers are 
  peppered among the grass, breathing sweet life into the 
  chilled air. Simple stone archways stand as monuments at 
  the ends of dozens of well-trod paths, the edges of which 
  are lined with swords stuck in the dirt. Each one left in 
  tribute to fallen warriors. Those who come to this peaceful 
  place often do so to reflect on the moral cost of war. Neither 
  the names of the dead nor causes they died for are not re-
  corded here, as all are one in this garden of final peace. The 
  only inscription you'll find repeated constantly is: In death, 
  we lose our name. In death, we are all the same. 
  Hexworth Ruins – Underdark
  Narrow tunnels open into a great cityscape of charnels, 
  tenements, and pillared spires. Monolithic sculptures 
  depicting long-dead heroes stand ridged throughout the 
  massive earthen city, towering over the broken streets. 
  What may first be confused for gravel is pulverized bits 
  of bone, and there hasn't been any formal civilization 
  here for quite some time. Completing the long journey 
  through the empty, quiet architectures will find adventur-
  ers standing at precipices edge, overlooking a vast noth-
  ingness. Pebbles that fall off from the edge have no echo 
  to reverberate. Steps descend into the unknown shadows, 
  allowing the faintest draft of cold air to drift by.
  Little Helper, The
  Imps, sprites, pseudodragons, winged monkeys, and 
  diminutive sidekicks of all ilk’s can be found carousing 
  and blowing off steam at The Little Helper. Located on 
  the east side of the city in Cathrach. This gin mill caters 
  exclusively to the short-in-stature assistants of Yon'Cath's 
  magic-wielding elite. 
  Maghoro's Perch
  Like a gnarled black twig, the clock tower Maghoro's Perch 
  looms over the western riverbank of Yon'Cath. Named for 
  the otherworldly Patron, it's four clock faces cast an eerie 
  blue glow toward each of the cardinal directions. But this 
  tall, twisted obelisk is not just a helpful timekeeper. It serves 
  as the home for a ruthless clan of Warlocks, The Evermores. 
  
  306
  These devout followers of Maghoro operate with cold effi-
  ciency, their motives remain shrouded in mystery.
  Mountainheart Passage
  The craggy peaks of the Shadelands are home to hearty 
  peoples such as Goliaths, frost giants, and mountain 
  dwarves. The terrain is quite inhospitable, even by 
  Shadelands standards. Most "flatlands folk", as the locals 
  call them, stay away from the treacherous rocky heights. 
  The Mountainheart Passage, however, remains the excep-
  tion. Narrow pathways and poorly secured bridges create 
  a honeycomb suspended above the shadowy abyss below. 
  Deep within that dark crack, two howling faces have been 
  carved into the mountainside. A mysterious, rusty liquid 
  greatly coveted by alchemists throughout the world pours 
  endlessly from their howling maws.
  Parched Whale Tavern
  An inn of a most peculiar quality, located at the south-
  eastern corner of the Shadelands, near the eastern sea. 
  Spectators of all manner come to witness the spectacle. 
  Here, Warlocks and bards join in unison to bring about 
  grand narrative displays of battle, slaughter, glory, and 
  death by combining their magics in a display of music 
  and malefic visions. Many of the performers are dressed 
  in war paints reflecting day and night, life and death. 
  Survivors of many a war would come to perform in the 
  youthful years of their careers. This is the closest thing 
  the Shadelands has to tourism. 
  Penwick Seminary
  Not far from the opulent town of Ravenvale, stands the 
  Bard's College, Penwick Seminary. Within this cluster of 
  colorful buildings, long rows of shelves house the greatest 
  pieces of literature, songs, and poems throughout history. 
  The smell of jasmine dances as the delicate harp plucks 
  like drops of water, accompanying the steady brush of the 
  bow on the violin. 
  Statues tangle in a sensual embrace, displays of carnality 
  frozen in time. Prism rays shine brilliantly through stain 
  glass windows. In the Grandiose Hall lies a tremendous 
  stone hearth, engraved and adorned with wooden filigree. 
  The banner above the entrance is inscribed in masterful cal-
  ligraphy “Let thine quill set thy parchment ablaze.” Belonging 
  to an old bard, inherited from her parents, thousands and 
  thousands of records remain unaccounted for, an eternal 
  task for only one. However, she was always told, “The wealth 
  is in the records.” And thus, the records she kept.
  Ravenvale
  Hollowed into the southwestern edge of the forest, along 
  the Shadelands border, is the town of Ravenvale. Fine 
  manors rise in fields of colorful flowers, sable and bur-
  gundy banners hang from light posts, and quaint wooden 
  bridges cross peaceful creeks. Children play while men 
  and women dressed in regal garb exchange pleasantries. 
  Trees crowned with crimson leaves fill the air with sweet 
  spice. These are the famous Cardinal Oaks.
  Ravenvale’s wealth relies on the exports derived from these 
  trees. Founded by a married pair of modest hunters, Gareth 
  and Tish Ravensworth, seeking naught but quiet splendor 
  to build a homestead. However, they quickly discovered the 
  bounty of their surroundings. Amongst the peaked roofs, 
  decadent houses, cobbled streets, lethargic water wheels, 
  and opulent shops, stands a cabin ever unmoved.
  Red Deep, The
  The land around the Scarlet Hearth is cracked and bro-
  ken. The cavernous depths below these arcane fissures 
  are known as the Red Deep. Rumors abound of what 
  tremendous power may be discovered from this bottom-
  less chasm. This broken maw swallows the runoff from 
  Yon'Cath: black water from the Obsidian Rush... spilled 
  blood from sacrificial rituals... the residual arcane ener-
  gies that saturate the city. 
  Many are the Warlocks who venture down into the fis-
  sures, searching for that next "high" of otherworldly pow-
  er. As one might expect, very few make it back to the sur-
  face with mind and body intact. 
  And those that do, return with tales of bones scattered 
  about, bones of every discernable race and some from 
  creatures unknown. Paintings in white pigment, presum-
  ably derived from the sea of bones, covered the sheer 
  rocky walls. The natural stone all but disappears in some 
  places, hidden under ritual marking after ritual marking.
  Reliquary of the Ivory Tear - Lluthorn
  Across the mountains and past the forests, the small in-
  dustrial hamlet, Lluthorn, lies at the western edge of the 
  Shadelands. The subtle groaning of gears around town 
  harmonizes with the rhythmic patter of frequent rain. The 
  homesteads are aligned in rigid rows, but appear warm 
  and inviting nonetheless. The people of Lluthorn are 
  mostly cheerful introverted folk, preferring the company 
  of warm interiors and companionship to the outdoors.
  The Reliquary of the Ivory Tear stands as the jewel of 
  Lluthorn and the surrounding area, having been named as 
  such to commemorate the statues that continuously weep 
  from the rooftop. 
  
  307
  Silent Throne, The
  Endless stairs spiral up the mountain path, narrowing 
  with every step, ultimately leading to the frigid peak 
  where the Silent Throne sits. A rough, stonework throne 
  carved above the world with very little room to rest your 
  feet. Whether intended or not by the unknown builders, 
  the throne sits as an apt metaphor for power. What good 
  is ruling over ever everything you see, if you are too far 
  above to grasp it? 
  Sweet Mist Hollow
  A thick dense forest grows near the center of the 
  Shadelands, nestled snugly against the western moun-
  tains. Many come to this region in search of Fey crea-
  tures, and Sweet Mist Hollow is most certainly where to 
  find them in the Shadelands. While many of the forest’s 
  denizens lean toward harmless mischief and whimsy, the 
  danger of the Fey is very real. Many outsiders and prom-
  ising Warlocks have been lost to the hollow for decades at 
  a time, often returning as if they’ve barely missed a day—
  but everyone they know has aged decades.
  Thistlewood
  The great northern forest. The last haven of nature before 
  the desolate stretch of rocky coastline along the Nameless 
  Black Sea. All the other Shadelands forests have those 
  who’ve laid some claim over them. Not Thistlewood. None 
  have yet to tame this wild swath of vegetation. Near the 
  forest’s eastern edge stands The Last Rest, an inviting 
  lodge where travelers can enjoy one final night of peace 
  and quiet before completing their journey to the chaotic 
  metropolis of Yon’Cath. 
  Tranquil Shadow Sanctuary
  Nestled high atop the cliffs and encircled by frost dust-
  ed walls and fallen stone, Tranquil Shadow Sanctuary 
  is known to host all manner of nefarious characters. 
  Bargains, both dirty and clean, are struck in hushed tones 
  amidst hearty laughter and flowing drink. Springwater 
  trickles down into wooden buckets from the mountain 
  above whilst the bonfires crackle. There is an unspoken 
  respect shared by all who've managed to climb this high 
  up the cliffs.
  Tree of Bone
  A single white birch tree overlooking the Yon'Cath cliff-
  side to the far south, humble in stature and extremely old. 
  If you look closely, you may find a time-faded carving of 
  the letters D and F in the trunk. Small chests filled with 
  items of widely ranging value can often be found buried 
  near the tree's base. It is a place where many come to 
  leave symbolic elements of their past lives behind. 
  Twixtfel Bog – A Morass Most Foul
  In the furthest eastern reaches, noxious steam wafts up-
  ward from the wintery swamp. A layer of frost coats the 
  surface, yet somehow the water below bubbles and roils 
  with inexplicable heat. Islands that are scattered about 
  are connected by icy, stone bridges. Ripples across the 
  water may be from the wind, of course, they could just 
  as easily be from some forsaken abomination lurking in 
  the black depths. Dull, bellowing howls and groans of an 
  unknown nature whip through the air at night, joining the 
  Shiver Crickets in a sanity testing cacophony. 
  
  Appendix 2.3, Chapter 7 & 8
  Chapter 7 & 8
  NPC Bio’s and Patrons
  Cordelia
  Female Elf, Captain of the Accursed Guard: Cordelia is a fit 
  woman, almost Aasamir in nature, with knee-high plated 
  armor boots and a blue French military coat. The threads 
  of magic are woven into every fiber, and it certainly enhanc-
  es her beauty. Politically, Cordelia is the right hand of the 
  Accursed King and the General for the Shadelands armies. 
  While they have been losing of late, it is a testament and a 
  marvel to her skill that they’ve held on for this long against 
  odds that continue to grow against them. She’s a quick-wit-
  ted woman who isn’t afraid to swear in court, and even make 
  jovial light of their situation. It may come as a surprise to 
  the party to learn that her Patron is a Satyr Arch-Fey. While 
  Cordelia is loyal to Dorian, she recognizes that his time on 
  the throne is coming to an end. If he abdicates the throne, 
  she is willing to step up and preserve his legacy and hang the 
  traitorous Knight Captain. 
  Quiven Luxx
  Male Elf, Field Marshal of the Legionnaires: The pointed tip 
  of his right ear is missing. His face looks as battle-hardened 
  and weary as is possible for a nigh-immortal elf. He is not 
  clad in full regalia but wears modest navy robes fastened 
  with a golden brooch bearing the Legionnaire Signet. Fayte 
  would be quite stunned to see him here, as he is one of 
  LaCroix’s highest-ranking officers. He will come to her and 
  the party to explain himself before they all have a chance to 
  confront him. He states he is here representing the inter-
  ests of the Legionnaires. If pressed further, he will reveal 
  he considers himself loyal to the Knight Captain’s cause, 
  however, he fears LaCroix, the man, has allowed himself to 
  be consumed by personal feelings and rage. Quiven is con-
  cerned LaCroix is no longer making the best decisions for 
  the long term well-being of their people. “I was a Warlock-
  bastard doing bastard things before LaCroix was even born. 
  But I left that life and followed him because I believed in him. 
  I believed in his cause… I still do. But the fact is, I will be here, 
  the Shadelands will be here, long after his short human life is 
  spent. Someone has to ensure the safety of the people.”
  Alios
  Cleric of Mask, Guild Leader of Patron's Pass: The party 
  will recognize Alios from their earlier adventures, and it 
  is no surprise that the cunning cleric of thieves is having a 
  field day here. Since the party last saw him, Alios has had 
  his guild assassinate or taken over anyone with a pass-
  ing interest in Patron's Pass. That bridge (even on both 
  sides and in some of the other nations’ armies) is entirely 
  his—along with the entire rogue’s and assassin’s guild. 
  His motive for being here is simple curiosity and a desire 
  to keep other religions out of the Shadelands… but he’s 
  open to negotiations on that. Alios knows he has territory, 
  guild, and information for sale, so he’s here to barter and 
  broker to the right bidder. Not the highest. As Cleric of 
  Mask, Alios doesn’t care who has the most coin (he’ll steal 
  it from them if he really wants), but rather, who can make 
  the world a more colorful and interesting place. Who will 
  tip the scales of balance and put the beggar as the king? 
  At the start of this adventure, Alios has chosen no side. He 
  may have a sarcastic comment or two for the party, seeing 
  as their last interaction ended with him expressing his 
  desire for this matter to be handled with a degree of se-
  crecy. He waves vaguely toward the battered and bruised 
  city below and quips. “So, that’s your idea of stealth, is it?”
  Ulka Resh
  Male Orc, Guild Leader of the Black Span: Resh still has 
  his gnarled wooden staff with him to help get around, 
  and a handkerchief stuffed in his dark trouser pocket, just 
  peeking out. His dark blue clothing makes this Warlock’s 
  scarred ancient grey skin seem slightly paler, or perhaps 
  more silver. He has softened his hardline stance as a sup-
  porter of the King but is still loyal. Currently, this orc is 
  eyeing up support for Cordelia or even another martial 
  nation to help restore some balance here. His larger con-
  cern is that of the Patrons themselves and the arcane 
  energies swirling around the Shadelands. Resh is a mem-
  ber of the court who sense that something is different 
  in Fayte and Majin, and is worried about what happens 
  when kingdoms of wizard’s war. Often all that is left is a 
  desert, and he’s seen that once before. Resh has no inter-
  est in being King but desires a strong ruler who is willing 
  to bring martial law, even if it is the Knight Captain. Much 
  of his demeanor toward the party will be determined by 
  how their last interaction went. 
  Snow
  Female Wood Elf Ranger, Guild Leader of Stone’s 
  Leg: Her dark complexion and near ivory-black 
  hair helps her sharp, frosty blue eyes to be 
  
  309
  accentuated whist a smirk nags at the corner of her mouth. 
  She dons the white cloak that is standard to her rangers, 
  the white shirt, leather trousers, and brown boots are near-
  ly hidden underneath. Unlike the other two guild leaders, 
  Snow has a little more ambition. As the center of commerce, 
  culture, and life that gives Yon’Cath the vibrant culture that 
  it’s known for—Snow wants to be queen. The way she sees 
  it, the Shadelands should not be ruled by a single party, but 
  rather several parties in council to represent the diverse 
  world they live in. She’ll admit that could lead to a bogged 
  down council that does nothing but argue, but it is bet-
  ter than everyone relying upon one person to balance the 
  whims of all the Patrons. Snow has been hard at work build-
  ing support with other nations and offered up many trade 
  deals already. At the start of this act, Snow has her own am-
  bitions but will support the Knight Captain.
  Mingani Lilt
  Female Gnome, Leader of the Assassins Guild: A short but 
  slim woman with a bronzed complexion, a red-tinted nose, 
  and a scar running from the left-top of her neck almost to 
  the left corner of her lips. Her dirty blonde hair covers the 
  collar of her dark red tunic, the sleeves tucked into leather 
  gloves and brown pants into black leather boots. She was 
  one of the last people to see the party before they suppos-
  edly disappeared. She speaks closely to Alios for a moment 
  with the utmost respect and, the Players may find out 
  that he is the head honcho of the Guild she leads, she just 
  handles tasks when he can’t call the shots. All this turmoil 
  seems to be thoroughly amusing to her. She may very well 
  be the warmest and welcoming to the party. She’s tickled to 
  see them alive and presents comments as such, “I would’ve 
  bet me whole purse that you all was dead.”
  Tauthog ‘Lightmaker’ Gota-Kogara
  Male Kaldenkind, Representative for the Rustic Bloods, the 
  loose collection of rural communities. A six-and-a-half-foot 
  tall, humanoid, bear with white fur that carries a slight blue 
  tint. He wears dark green harem pants which are tucked 
  into brown boots with fur lining the top, and a small jack-
  et that covers just his shoulders and the upper half of his 
  back, the edges lined with thick fur. Whilst a Warlock him-
  self, he represents the smaller settlements from the outer 
  tundra’s, the forests, the mountains. These are places that 
  have successfully achieved relative peace and balance 
  with the Shadelands. They are not big fans of Yon’Cath in 
  general and are especially upset with the current chaotic 
  state of affairs. The leaders of Yon’Cath are too greedy and 
  power-hungry in their eyes. “The peace and balance that we 
  who are living outside of Yon’Cath have managed to culti-
  vate… We don’t want our homes, our lives, destroyed.”
  Milicent Canterfeld
  Female Human, Bursar for the Scarlet Hearth: She wears 
  the red robes of a temple fanatic, but her face screams 
  “Accountant”. Her hair is pulled back so tight it looks like it’s 
  straining to stay in place. She’s wearing thick, round glasses 
  and carrying a hefty ledger and, yet again, here is some-
  one surprisingly pleased to see the party. After assaulting, 
  commandeering, and then shuttering her temple, anyone 
  would think she’d hate the party, but she fawns over Fayte. 
  Even drops hints that she might want Fayte to take a rul-
  ing position over the Shadelands. “Oh yes yes yes… that lit-
  tle misunderstanding. It’s all Rush under the Bridge, if you 
  will. No sense getting all worked up over a little spilled blood. 
  We’ve more important matters to discuss.”
  Master Ridgewell Becket
  Male Ghost, Librarian: The Party and Ridgewell would be 
  surprised to see each other. He’s just happy to be floating out 
  and about and not all cooped up in the library. 
  Iorfaan Shimbaac
  Male Dragonborn Barbarian, Leader of the Brute’s Guild in 
  Yonder: A hulking mass of brass-colored scales. Iorfaan and 
  his loosely organized army of muscle-for-hire thugs don’t 
  care who “wins” this conflict, as long as there are fights to 
  be had and his people are getting paid to have them
  Vywin L'Aanise 
  Female Elf, Vice Admiral of the Iceborne Imperium: Her 
  skin is so pale it is almost blue, only amplified by the dark 
  blue and white mottled cloak with a silver trim, which shel-
  ters a pale iron breastplate. Her kind is commonly referred 
  to as a Winter Elf. Her nation borders the Shadelands to the 
  northwest. They appreciate order, despise chaos. Yon'Cath 
  in general and this current conflict in particular, are a 
  source of frustration for them. The chaos of the Shadelands 
  often bleeds into their territory. The white dragons prowl-
  ing the skies above are under her command. Vywin will be 
  looking to support whoever she feels offers the best chance 
  of bringing lasting peace to this realm.
  Khouryn Brickfoot
  Female Dwarf, Proprietor of the Cracked Pact: She peers 
  over opaque black spectacles, forever chewing on an un-
  lit cigar, a smug grin permanently fixed to her face. Her 
  grey shirt is untied at the top and half-tucked into brown 
  pants, which cover the leather straps of her closed-toe 
  brown sandals. She and Majin are not fans of each other. 
  They find her practice of breaking and swapping Patron 
  deals utterly offensive.
  
  310
  Mazokai the Just
  Male Aasimar, High General of the Radiant Brigade: Clad in 
  full plate, gleaming silver and gold, it is painfully obvious 
  that this man is Paladin. The Radiant Brigade is a radically 
  religious militant faction. They come from a place far to the 
  south but have long viewed the Shadelands as an unseemly 
  bruise on the world’s face. When news of turmoil began to 
  trickle out into the neighboring lands, he saw an opportuni-
  ty to ‘cleanse’ the Shadelands and led his army north. He is 
  exactly what one might expect from a hardline Lawful Good 
  crusader. He is much more likely to align with LaCroix and 
  will almost certainly stand against whatever plan Dorian en-
  acts simply on principle.
  Borla
  An Autumn Glau, Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild. A 
  short and stocky man with copper-colored skin, bright or-
  ange eyes, and blood-colored hair. He’s clad in fine, expen-
  sive-looking clothes of white and forest green, and a dark, 
  hooded robe, though he rarely pulls the hood up. He wears 
  the symbol of Ammitia, his Warlock Patron, around his neck. 
  He seems distraught and distant when spoken to - a result 
  of having recently discovered that his sister, who was his 
  right-hand in the Guild, was found dead under mysterious 
  circumstances. This has caused him both emotional trauma 
  and business problems, as she ran the quarry beneath the 
  Cindered House, from which all of his stone is carved and 
  collected. He clearly doesn’t want to be here right now. He’s 
  got many clients who are in need of stonework and repairs 
  thanks to the massive war that’s been raging in Yon’Cath, and 
  his time is as valuable as it is limited.
  Moadne
  A Spring Glau, Leader of the Stonemason’s Guild. Tall for 
  a Glau, her dark brown skin contrasts starkly against her 
  pale pink hair and viridian eyes. Despite being the leader 
  of a Guild through which vast quantities of money passes, 
  her clothes are that of a craftsman, or a laborer: a recent-
  ly-washed shirt and pants, a black apron with more pock-
  ets than one could ever imagine having a use for. Moadne 
  seems stressed, and if the party speaks to her, she will rec-
  ognize them from the Cindered House. She’ll be apologetic 
  for her brother, and appreciative of the party for effectively 
  saving her life. She will align herself to the party by default.
  The Patrons
  Archfey
  One of the Fey creatures of the DM’s choosing from 
  around the feast table in the Scarlet Hearth. They don’t 
  much care what happens to Yon’Cath, but are more con-
  cerned with the wellbeing of the forests and wildlife of 
  the Shadelands. This Patron and Tauthog ‘Lightmaker’ are 
  natural allies and enlisting one will go a long way to-
  ward getting the other on their side.
  Fiend
  The same chalk-white Tiefling with hollow black eyes from 
  before. Her demeanor toward the party will be cold indiffer-
  ence, only interested in furthering her own ambitions. This 
  will be the same no matter what (if any) interactions trans-
  pired between them in Chapter 2. Even if they struck a deal 
  with her back in the Hearth, she won’t care. “But what have 
  you done for me lately?” Her wants are the same. She wants 
  power. She wants souls.
  Hexblade
  Leth’ka the Guardian is present. If the party dueled with 
  her, she may have a quip about how she hopes they’ve 
  learned how to fight in the time they’ve been away. Or if 
  the party never entered her chamber in the Hearth, she will 
  size them up as she’s always looking for a new challenge. 
  The Hexblade Patron’s goals remain the same: a desire 
  for greater and greater challenges, for legendary combat 
  achievements, metaphorical feathers in the cap. 
  Old Ones
  Ahk Noh Ra will be represented by a figure completely 
  covered in a large cloak. Getting up close, the party will 
  see a Yuan-Ti Pureblood woman with an eye tattooed on 
  her forehead. She and Ahk Noh Ra want the establishment 
  of Yon’Cath overthrown. They want to build a new order. 
  If the party freed him, she will be grateful and more open 
  to making a deal. If the party did not free him, that will 
  likely be a stipulation of gaining her support. She will re-
  quire the party to free him when they reenter the Hearth.
  Lurker in the Deep
  The Great Fish is represented by a Water Genasi Male, 
  dressed like a cross between a Warlock and a pirate. He is 
  older and quite grizzled in appearance. Like most of the oth-
  ers, he is very open to allying if a party member has a pact 
  with his Patron. If not, he is still relatively warm and jovial, 
  and simply looking for whatever opportunity is in the best 
  interests for his Patron.
  Undying
  The Green Dragonborn is there. However, his robes are re-
  splendent and clean. He looks much younger and healthier 
  than he did in the Hearth. The turmoil of recent days has 
  left him well fed with life essence. He’s always interested 
  in adding more “time” to his coffers but is also motivated 
  by avoiding as much premature death as possible. To him, 
  people dying before their time is like pouring out fresh wa-
  ter in the desert. “What a tragic waste…”
  
  311
  
  Appendix 2.4, Deadly Encounters
  Deadly Encounters
  BLACK SPAN ASSASSINS
  You turn a corner, only to see pure chaos: over forty Warlocks 
  engaging in a bloody free for fall, spanning multiple city 
  blocks. It’s a deadly fireworks show of arcane energies being 
  hurled to and fro. Buildings are ripped apart. An explosion 
  forms a giant sinkhole, sucking one stretch of road down into 
  the depths. Looking up, you see more Warlocks dueling across 
  the rooftops. Everywhere you look, you see bursts of light and 
  hear the cacophony of battle. It seems there is no way around 
  this deadly scrum. You can search for a safe route...or you can 
  try to plow right through it.
  This battle is an illusion, a projected image. The illusion does 
  not dissipate if the party chooses to move through it. With all 
  the flashes of light and furious movement, it will make per-
  ception extremely difficult. If the party wants to go up and 
  over, they’ll need to find a tower which they could ascend to 
  the rooftop. There are assassins, dressed like living shadows, 
  hiding within the illusioned fight. As the party goes through 
  the illusion they should be relentlessly pestered with attacks 
  from unseen assailants. Black-clad figures rush by, slashing 
  at the players. Rope snares attempt to catch them around 
  their ankles and pull them away into the alleys. 
  Players are only able to target the assassins through the 
  illusion by succeeding on Wisdom (Perception) checks 
  contested by the assassins Dexterity (Stealth). Attempts to 
  dispel the illusion only serve to lessen its potency, grant-
  ing the PCs advantage on checks to detect the assassins. At 
  some point, the party may come face to face with Mingani 
  Lilt: She tilts her head to the side and offers you a sad smile. 
  “Your heads are fetching one hell of a price today. Sorry, folks. 
  It’s not personal… at least for me, it isn’t. I imagine us killing 
  you feels very personal to you. Oh well.”
  Mingani wears a purple gemstone ring. This ring is what 
  generates the illusioned battle. Removing the ring from her 
  possession will make the entire projection disappear.
  Violet Violence
  Ring, legendary (requires attunement)
  This purple gemstone ring shifts its colors when exposed to 
  light. As an action, while wearing the ring you can project 
  an illusion of a climactic battle in a 300 ft. radius centered 
  on you, which you must concentrate on to maintain its effect 
  (as though concentrating on a spell) for up to 1 hour. The il-
  lusion creates an area that is heavily obscured for creatures 
  other than you unless you choose otherwise. A creature 
  can attempt to see through the illusion by using an action 
  to attempt a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check, reducing the il-
  lusion’s potency to make the area lightly obscured for that 
  creature on a success. Once you have used the ring in this 
  manner, it cannot be used again until 1 week has passed. 
  BRAWL WITH THE BRUTES GUILD
  You round the corner, entering a large, open six-way inter-
  section. As you are passing through the intersection, a lone 
  figure steps out to block the street directly in front of you. 
  He is a tall, broad brass Dragonborn. You recognize him as 
  Iorfaan Shimbaac, leader of the Brutes Guild. He is shirt-
  less, a sapphire gemstone hangs on a chain around his neck. 
  As far as you can tell, he carries no weapon. More figures: 
  Humans, Dwarves, half-orcs, Dragonborn… men and women 
  alike, emerge from alleys to block all six streets. None of them 
  carry weapons. Iorfaan smiles as the blue gemstone begins 
  to glow. “We’ve been paid quite the pretty sum to put you folk 
  back in your place.” If asked who paid, he’ll shrug and say, 
  “Does even matter?” Players who try to cast damage-deal-
  ing spells will find they don’t work. All weapons will dis-
  solve into sand. Iorfaan chuckles and taps his pendant, “We 
  could’ve broken out the Mash Clubs, the Choppers, all the 
  toys… but I wanted to make this sporting.” As if on perfect 
  cue, a small low-hanging cloud forms above you and begins 
  pouring down rain just on your little corner of the city.
  Roll initiative for the Unarmed Street Brawl. Spells that 
  don’t deal damage can work. The radius for the damage 
  nullifying spell emanating from Iorfaan’s pendant is a 
  500ft radius sphere. As the Brutes aren’t wearing much 
  in the way of armor, grant a +5 damage bonus to all play-
  ers’ unarmed strikes. If the pendant is taken away from 
  Iorfaan, the nullification spell can be stopped.
  Unarmed Brute (Gladiator NPC) – carries no weapons 
  and only makes unarmed strikes. 
  Once the Brutes are defeated. The rain cloud dissipates. 
  All spells are working. Grains of wet sand coalesce, reform-
  ing all the weapons. 
  Iorfaan will try to surrender once it’s plainly obvious 
  the fight is lost. He doesn’t really want to kill you, and 
  certainly doesn’t want to die over this. He was sim-
  ply doing a job. If the players let him live, he’ll give 
  them a parting smile and a wink. “That was one heck 
  of a good scrap though, wasn’t it?! If you survive this mess, 
  you’ll have to give me a rematch!”
  Item: Rain of Honor - Magical blue sapphire pendant. The 
  wielder can summon a low-hanging rain cloud, 120ft in di-
  ameter. While beneath this rain cloud, the ring wearer and 
  any allies they can see are immune to fear and charm, and 
  receive +1 to all checks and saves. 
  ICEBORNE IMPERIUM
  Yon’Cath is quickly falling to ruin around you, as 
  scores are settled and blood feuds resolved be-
  tween over a dozen separate factions. The 
  
  313
  Iceborne Imperium seems to draw much of the attention, and 
  rightly so, as their white dragons indiscriminately rain frozen 
  death down upon the city. Your party feels the temperature sud-
  denly drop. You hear the flap of leathery wings. You look up to 
  see three white dragons heading in your direction. Roll percep-
  tion. To the player that rolled highest: You see a halfling at the 
  far end of the city block (about 200 feet away) remove a false 
  slab of “stone” from the street. He notices you staring, gives you 
  a wink, and hops down into a supposed tunnel, replacing the 
  false stone just as the beasts unleash a truly massive burst of 
  cold… coating the entire city block in a thick layer of ice. 
  Roll a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On failure, a PC 
  takes 39 (6d12) cold damage and is paralyzed. A success-
  ful save halves the damage and prevents being paralyzed. 
  This effect only ends if an affected creature takes fire 
  damage or succeeds on a DC 17 Strength saving throw at 
  the end of each of its turns, freeing itself on a success. 
  The dragon's arc around in a lazy circle, continuing their 
  unchallenged onslaught. Based on their trajectory, they’ll 
  be back in less than a minute. The air is so cold, so very cold. 
  It is an arcane, unnatural cold.
  The party must traverse the frozen city block to reach the 
  hidden escape. A player trying to cast a spell will find it 
  suddenly quite difficult. They will have to pass a DC 20 
  Constitution ability check to overcome the brutal chill in 
  the air or any attempt to cast the spell fails. 
  You hear the dragons swoop by the next street over. Their 
  breath weapon does not reach your street directly, howev-
  er, the force of the blast causes a nearby tower to explode, 
  sending stone, metal, and glass debris in every direction.
  The part must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw 
  or take 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage and fall prone. A suc-
  cessful save halves the damage and prevents falling prone. 
  As you near the false stone, the dragons loop back and spew 
  another breath attack on your location. 
  The part must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw 
  or take 70 (20d6) cold damage, or half as much on a success. 
  You reach the false stone, but the icy coating holds it in place. 
  You will have to thaw it or break it free. The dragons tight-
  en their circling arc, as if planning to zero in on the party. 
  Complicating matters further, back from the way you came, 
  you see a squadron of Iceborne soldiers clad in white iron plate 
  heading your way. They move effortlessly across the icy ground. 
  Under the false stone, the party will find a warm, safe se-
  ries of tunnels that will lead them to the river bank. The 
  Iceborne soldiers will not bother to give chase. Once the 
  party gains access to the tunnel, the encounter can be 
  over. If the party opts to stand and face the soldiers, each 
  player will find a handsome reward:
  Imperium Icespike
  Weapon (speak), rare (requires attunement)
  This frozen shard of pointed ice deals cold damage in-
  stead of the weapon’s normal damage type. Additionally, 
  when you score a critical hit against a creature with the 
  spear, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution 
  saving throw or be encased in a block of ice. The block 
  is an object (AC 12, 30 hit points) that is vulnerable to 
  fire damage. The creature is paralyzed but has total cover 
  against creatures outside the block, and vice versa. At the 
  end of each of its turns, an affected creature can repeat 
  the saving throw, freeing itself on a success. 
  Iceborne Soldier
  AC 19 / HP 60 / Speed 30 ft movement on normal ground. 
  45 ft movement on ice. 
  Actions: Stab. +6 to hit. deals 9 cold + 9 piercing. Cold 
  Spike. Deals 8 piercing. CON save (DC14), target frozen in 
  place for 1 round on failure
  RADIANT BRIGADE
  The Scarlet Hearth is in sight. Only a few city blocks stand 
  between you and your objective. However, before you can 
  take another step forward, a lone individual skids around the 
  corner of the nearby building. He looks like a young half-elf 
  Warlock. You register fear in his eyes. As he sprints right past 
  your party, he shouts, “You should be running!” Just then, a 
  flash of light pulls your attention upward, where you see a 
  massive sphere of yellow-white energy coalescing in the sky 
  just a few blocks away. The sphere of light drops, exploding 
  outward with a wave of brilliant energy. The ground im-
  plodes, towers shatter, and collapse... The party must Roll a 
  DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) bludgeoning 
  damage and 21 (6d6) radiant damage on a failure, or half as 
  much on a success. You have just survived a Sun Bomb, the 
  preferred method of destructive ordinance employed by the 
  Radiant Brigade. When the dust settles and the light fades, 
  you see the entire section of the city between you and the riv-
  er has been turned into a jungle of twisted metal, shattered 
  glass, and warped stone. Where the street should be is now a 
  deep pit of jagged rock and residual radiant energy mingling 
  with melted stone, forming some kind of magical magma. 
  The party rolls a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, seeing 
  the following on a success. You can see a potential path over 
  this mess. The toppled buildings and larger chunks of debris 
  have formed a perilous network of unsteady bridges. 
  Let the party work their way across the debris with 
  some low difficulty skill checks. When the GM feels the 
  time is right:
  You hear a trumpet echo across the sky. Looking up you see a 
  cadre of winged creatures swooping toward you. As they get 
  closer, you see they are humanoids clad entirely in full golden 
  plate armor. Their faces are hidden behind the narrow slits 
  of great helms. The framework of their wings looks molded 
  from platinum. The feathers spun from golden thread. They 
  each hold a gladius sword in one hand and a long-chained 
  morningstar in the other. The part rolls a DC 18 Intelligence 
  (History) check, learning the following on a success. These 
  flying juggernauts bearing down on you are called Nephilites, 
  the elite shock troops of the Radiant Brigade.
  
  314
  Roll Initiative. This should be a difficult battle for the 
  party. The enemies can fly, are well-armored, and the 
  players stand on unfirm ground above a dangerous pit of 
  death. This would also be an excellent encounter for one 
  of the party’s allies to show up and assist in.
  Nephilite
  AC 19 / HP 90 / Flying Speed 60ft
  Blessed Gladius. +6 to hit. Deals 1d12+6 slashing. 
  Roll CON save DC16. On failure, radiant energy courses 
  through the target's veins dealing an extra 1d10 radiant 
  / Lightfist Morningstar. +8 to hit. Deals 3d8+6 blud-
  geoning. Roll STR save DC15. On failure, pushed 5ft and 
  knocked prone / Sun Flare. The golden feathers of the 
  Nephilite’s wings glow impossibly bright, disorienting 
  their enemies. All enemies within 60ft make a WIS save 
  DC17. On failure, enemies blinded for 1 round.
  Once the Nephilites are defeated, the GM can decide 
  whether or not the players can acquire items from them:
  Blessed Gladius. Short sword. 5ft range. Deals 
  1d12+STR+Prof. The target must roll CON save or take an 
  additional 1d10 radiant
  Lightfist Morningstar. 10ft range. Deals 3d8+STR. The tar-
  get must roll STR save or be pushed 5ft and knocked prone.
  Nephilite Wings. Magical construct, strapped to back. 
  Wings can be folded in, but still very visible. Grants Fly 
  and Sun Flare: An enemy within 60ft must roll WIS save 
  or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
  RANGERS OF THE TUNDRA
  You can see the river just a block or so away. All you’ll have 
  to do is follow the river south to the temple… suddenly you 
  hear an odd noise echo off the buildings. It sounds like a mas-
  sive deck of playing cards getting shuffled. A flurry of mo-
  tion pulls your eyes skyward… and you realize the sound you 
  heard was a hundred arrows being loosed. “TAKE COVER!”
  The party must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw. On a failure, a PC takes take 45 (10d6+10) piercing 
  damage from the arrows. A creature that failed the save by 
  10 or more instead takes double damage from the effect. 
  You see dozens upon dozens of figures in white cloaks ap-
  pear in the windows and on the balconies overlooking the 
  street. Each one is reloading a longbow. Someone must have 
  struck a deal with Snow and her Rangers for your heads…
  “RUN FOR IT!” cries your friend.
  Every round of initiative order, another arrow volley 
  will be unleashed with the same effects as the first. After 
  three rounds...
  You’ve managed to almost make it out from the street of 
  death. The open-air of the river bank draws close. Just then 
  the ground begins to rumble… and around the corner at the 
  end of the street, come stomping five Glaciallos: massive bi-
  son with white manes and horns that look as if they’ve been 
  carved from diamond. The creatures are over eight feet tall 
  and so wide that, standing shoulder to shoulder, they com-
  pletely block the street. Snow, herself, sits atop the center 
  beast. She offers you a wicked smile before spurring forward. 
  You now face a stampeding line of hooved monstrosities. 
  Party has one round of actions before the beasts are upon 
  them. Anyone still in the way must succeed on a DC 18 
  Strength saving throw or trampled, taking 30 (4d8+12) 
  bludgeoning damage. Stats for combat:
  Rangers
  AC 16 / HP 117
  Melee Axe. +9 to hit. 1d8+10 slashing / Longbow - +13 to 
  hit. 2d6+10 piercing / (Add spells as you see fit)
  Glaciallos
  AC 18 / HP 168
  Horn Gore. +10 to hit. 2d4+10 piercing
  RUSTIC BLOODS
  You come round the corner, finding a city street appearing 
  much like all the others: scarred, cracked, and smoldering… 
  as you continue forward, a shadow passes overhead. Looking 
  up you see a Fjelle Hawk, a gigantic grey-green bird of prey 
  with ram horns and long barbed tail, native to the Shadelands 
  mountain ranges. The creature alights on a nearby tower. 
  Looking closer, you see the beast is ridden by the Kaldenkind 
  Torrad Lightmaker. He glares down at your party, his eyes 
  glowing with arcane power. The ground beneath your feet 
  rumbles and shakes. A crack forms down the middle of the 
  street. For a brief moment, you see the tips of green vines stick-
  ing up from the crack. Then with a thunderous snapping sound, 
  the stone boulevard beneath your feet is ripped wide open. In 
  an instant, you are falling into a gaping hole. The sides of this 
  pit are coated in writhing vines. At the bottom waits an enor-
  mous flower-mouth with thousands of sharp thorns for teeth. 
  The party must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw 
  to catch themselves on a vine 20 feet below the edge of the 
  hole. On failure, they catch themselves 40 feet below the 
  edge. The flower-mouth is 60ft below the hole’s edge. 
  Roll initiative. Every round while climbing out of the hole, 
  a vine will try to grab the player, which must succeed on a 
  DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or be grappled by the vine 
  GM Note
  The party is at a severe tactical disadvan-
  tage here. Rather than a direct fight, this 
  is intended to be more of a skill challenge. 
  Being so close to the river, it may make 
  sense to attempt to make a break for it. A 
  friendly NPC can may a plea for this course 
  of action. If one isn’t already present, this 
  is an excellent time for a friend to show up 
  and offer aid. The party is welcome to fight 
  it out, though it should cost them dearly.
  
  315
  GM Note
  The first challenge the players will have 
  to overcome is their lack of gravity. They 
  will have to get creative in how they move. 
  While this effect is active, players will have 
  disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity 
  saving throws. The number of Sorcerers 
  they must face is up to you, however, this 
  should be a difficult encounter. Scale the 
  encounter to fit the Tier of your party.
  GM Note
  This one is a “wild card” of sorts that could be 
  used regardless of whether the party made a deal 
  with Millicent Canterfeld. The temple fanatics have 
  something in the works at the Hearth, and they do 
  not want to see it disturbed by interlopers. 
  (Escape DC 17). The vine is an object with an AC of 15 and 
  40 hit points, that is vulnerable to fire damage. 
  Players out of the hole will have to battle Torrad on his 
  Fjelle Hawk (Stats Below). The encounter ends when all 
  players are out of the hole and Torrad and his hawk have 
  suffered a combined total damage of 150 points. After that, 
  they will fly away in retreat and the hole will close. 
  Fjelle Hawk.  It is recommended to use the SRD stat 
  block for Roc
  Torrad Lightmaker
  AC 18
  Lightning Lance. Range 15ft. +11 to hit. Deals 2d6+5 
  piercing and 2d6 lightning dmg. Torrad attempts to run 
  you through with his long, barbed lance. Sunburst - Torrad 
  hurls a ball of light. All players within 15 feet of target must 
  make INT save DC17. On failure, take 5d6 radiant damage 
  and blinded for 1 round. On success, half damage. 
  THE SORCERERS OF BLACK SPAN
  Your party reaches an intersection of five major streets. You 
  can see the river, not too far away. A colony of bats zips by 
  overhead. As you attempt to cross through the intersection, 
  your feet perform the seemingly impossible task of com-
  pletely missing the ground. Your party and any accompany-
  ing allies soon realize that gravity no longer applies to you 
  as you slowly begin to float upwards. The bats from earli-
  er circle downward, and as they get near the ground, they 
  transform into figures draped in flowing black robes. The 
  Sorcerers have come for you…
  GM Note
  Once the battle is close to finished, 
  this is an excellent time for one of the 
  friendly factions to arrive to offer aid 
  to the players. 
  Gravity. Have one Sorcerer standing back or off to the 
  side. They are staring at the battle with intense concentra-
  tion, their eyes glowing with arcane energy. This Sorcerer 
  will take no actions, as they are expending all their effort 
  on maintaining the anti-gravity spell. Make players pass a 
  Perception check to notice this Sorcerer. If their concentra-
  tion is broken, gravity will return for the players. However, 
  they will cast it again on the next round. If this Sorcerer is 
  killed, the anti-gravity spell is permanently ended.
  Black Span Sorcerer
  Armor Class 16 / HP 91 / Speed 30 ft.
  STR 9(-1) DEX 17(+3) CON 16(+3)  INT 13(+1) WIS 
  11(+0) CHA 20(+5) 
  ACTIONS - 1 per turn
  Dagger. +11 to hit. Deals 1d6+5 piercing dmg 
  Shadow Walk. Bonus action. Magically teleport up to 120 
  ft. to an unoccupied space you can see that is in dim light 
  or darkness
  Cantrips. Acid Splash, Chill Touch, Fire Bolt, Frostbite, 
  Gust, Mage Hand
  1st Level - 4 Slots - Chaos Bolt, Fog Cloud, Shield, Thunder 
  Wave
  2nd Level - 3 Slots - Darkness, Hold Person, Shadow Blade
  3rd Level - 3 Slots - Fly, Lightning Bolt, Sleet Storm
  4th Level - 3 Slots - Ice Storm, Polymorph, Storm Sphere
  5th Level - 2 Slots - Cone of Cold, Insect Plague
  6th Level - 1 Slot - Scatter
  7th Level - 1 Slot - Whirlwind
  8th Level - 1 Slot - Power Word Stun
  TEMPLE CULTISTS
  Your party nears the river. Soon you will reach the Scarlet 
  Hearth… however as you round the next corner, a curious 
  sight is waiting for you. A single human man stands in the 
  middle of the street, about 60 feet away. He wears red cloth 
  pants and no shirt. He holds no weapon. He stares at the 
  party with wild eyes. Blood trickles from a large rune that’s 
  been recently carved into his chest. Without a word, he 
  starts sprinting toward the party. 
  Give each player 1 turn. After each player’s turn, the man 
  is 10-15 feet closer. Either when the man reaches the party 
  or whenever he takes any damage, he will explode with ar-
  cane energy. Wearing no armor, the AC is only 10. 
  More cultists appear. Some at the far end of the street. Some 
  behind the party. Some start leaping from balconies above. 
  
  316
  They cry out “Salvation!” “Purge the unclean!” and “Glory to 
  the Patrons!” as they hurl themselves at you. 
  Whenever a cultist takes a single point of damage, their 
  body will erupt with one of the random effects listed below 
  in a 30 ft. radius sphere centered on them. The cultists can 
  attempt to harm themselves to trigger their effects. 
  Arcane Eruption. Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 18 (4d8) 
  force damage, or half as much on a success. 
  Plague Mist - Each creature in the affected area must suc-
  ceed on a DC 17 Consitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) 
  poison damage and be poisoned for 1 minute. 
  Gravity Bomb - Each creature in the affected area must suc-
  ceed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or take 14 (4d6) 
  bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. 
  Psychic Shriek. Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw or take 14 
  (4d6) psychic damage and be stunned until the start of 
  their next turn. 
  Repentant Burst - Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or drop what 
  they are holding and become incapacitated until the start 
  of their next turn. 
  Senseless Blast - Each creature in the affected area must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be blind-
  ed and deafened for 1 minute. 
  GM Note
  The resolution of this encounter is up to you. The cult-
  ists can be an unending wave until the party escapes 
  this particular section of the city. Or there can be a 
  finite number of them. Whether this is more straight 
  combat or skill-based is between you and the players. 
  Place as many of these as you see fit to make it a challenge 
  for the party. They have 600ft of path to travel. 
  Stick & Move. A dagger, sword, or other sharp implement 
  bursts from the makeshift wall, stabbing at you. An un-
  seen voice cackles and giggles as the wielder of the weap-
  on disappears back into the cover. Melee Weapon Attack: 
  +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) piercing 
  damage and 22 (4d10) poison damage. 
  Rubble Collapse. A wobbly stack of brick and splintered 
  wood suddenly topples inward right as you move past it. All 
  players in the vicinity must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw. On failure, a creature takes 45 (10d8) blud-
  geoning damage and is knocked prone. A successful save 
  halves the damage and prevents being knocked prone. 
  Punji Pit. The pit is hidden (DC 22 Perception to detect). 
  Any PCs that step onto the pit must succeed on a DC 20 
  Dexterity saving throw to leap to safety or fall in. A creature 
  falls 50 ft. and lands in a pile of noxious spines, taking 26 
  (4d12) piercing and 26 (4d12) necrotic damage. 
  TripWire. The tripwire is hidden (DC 22 Perception to de-
  tect). Any PCs that triggers the tripwire are shot at by five 
  darts (ranged weapon attack: +14 to hit, range 60 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (4d6) poison damage. 
  Thief of Patron’s Pass
  AC 17 / HP 90
  Actions: Venomous Crossbow. +8 to hit. Deals 1d6+6 
  piercing. Roll CON save DC15. On failure, take 1d8 poison & 
  become poisoned for 1 minute. / Dagger. +10 to hit. Deals 
  2d10 slashing. / Misty Step. Alios’ people all wear special 
  masks to appease the god, Mask. These allow them the abil-
  ity to Misty Step at will within the anti-teleportation zone.
  THIEVES OF PATRON’S PASS
  At last the Scarlet Hearth is in sight. The great bridge, Patron’s 
  Pass, is all that stands between you and your destination. As 
  you approach, you see no people, no movement. For a city be-
  ing literally torn apart, this small corner is exceptionally quiet. 
  When you get closer, you notice that all the tents, structures, 
  shacks, and other makeshift buildings on the bridge have been 
  either dismantled or rearranged. The bridge is almost entirely 
  covered with piles of debris. It even looks like someone moved 
  rubble from the city proper onto the bridge, intentionally 
  blocking as much space as possible. You see just one opening 
  that looks like a viable pathway through the stacks of detritus
  The path through the debris is narrow and winding. 
  Occasionally, you can hear the sounds of faint whispers or 
  something scurrying along. 
  This should turn into a gauntlet, peppered with the 
  obstacles listed below. The party can blast through the 
  rubble, at which point they should find themselves in a 
  straight-up battle with a pack of rogues. 
  Obstacles 
  GM Note
  Effects that magically teleport do not work this 
  close to the Scarlet Hearth. The middle of the bridge, 
  where it branches south into the temple, is 600 ft 
  away. If the party attempts to fly over the obstacles 
  on the bridge, roll initiative. Add Alios’ thieves in 
  the order with a +5 to initiative. On their turn, ev-
  ery player flying will have a crossbow bolt shot at 
  them. If the party flies too high, they may catch the 
  attention of a white dragon or another winged beast 
  battling in the sky, not to mention all the various 
  spell casters in the streets that may see them as easy 
  pickings. Seeing the crossbowers requires A DC 20 
  Wisdom (Perception) check. (Venomous Crossbow 
  attack stats below)
  
  317
  
  Thank you
  318
  Thank You
  Special Thanks
  Aaron "Squirrelock" Booth
  Aaron Chapman
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  What started as a love letter to metal music is now in 
  your hands as not only an epic Campaign and Setting 
  but the definitive Warlock Players and Storytellers 
  Guide —all because of you, our dedicated community.
  We are thrilled that your players’ fates dangle by a spi-
  der’s thread over a raging inferno, and sincerely hope 
  that the story you weave together with them brings a 
  tragic (and epic) tale forged in the fire and flames of 
  your collective imagination. 
  Ava Diskett
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  Everything Epic 
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  The manual is in your hands. Improve, deviate, and 
  craft your own tale within the wondrous world of the 
  Shadelands—but never veer from the reason you sup-
  ported this adventure: to break bread with friends.
  So, have fun, be epic, and don’t be afraid to kill a few 
  gods along the way!
  Sincerely, 
  Apotheosis Studios 
  
  319
  James Meaney
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  Markus Rütters
  Marquis Lewis
  Martin Bo Ammentorp (NexusNemesis)
  Matt  Trussler
  Matt Cockburn
  Matt Day
  Matt Harrison
  Matt Wells
  Matthew @ProudNerdery
  Matthew Allen
  Matthew Franklin
  Matthew S. Cihak
  Matthew Voelsgen
  Matthias Vandaele
  Maxx Valerious Ratliff
  Mel "Insanity Rocks" Riffe
  Michael "Neilex" Huffman
  Michael Brown
  Michael Cearley
  Michael Culp
  Michael Hannah
  Michael Horton
  Michael J Smith
  Michael Lynn Ainsworth Jr
  Michael R. B. Wright
  Michael Russell
  Michael Valoon
  Michelle "greyghostgirl" Powers
  Michelle Linderman
  Mickey Carter Jr
  Mike
  Mike Trisevic
  Mitchacho
  MJ Melchiori
  Mordian
  Mr Nowhere 
  Nara
  Nate Gitschlag
  Nathan D. Crodwer
  Nathan Loo
  Nathan Maille
  Nathanial Burri
  NePros
  Niall Cartwright
  Nicholas Schurter
  Nicholas Stegelman
  Nick Rice
  Nico Gürtler
  Noah Acierno
  Oliver Carlson
  Oliver Hertel
  Olivia Grace Clayton
  Olivier Gathier
  One Shot Dom 
  Pakito
  Pandachrist
  Patrick Chandler
  Patrick James
  Patrick T. Ditton
  Paul Folsom
  Paul H. Kim
  Paul L
  Paul Scherer
  Paul y cod asyn Jarman 
  Paula Granjo
  Paula Kosior
  Pete Griva
  Peter "@Coffmeister" Coffey
  Peter Hartman
  Peter William Hadden
  Pheonix Danzig
  Philip W Rogers Jr
  Phillip Mains III
  Phillip Stepp 
  Piano the cat
  Pipyap
  Preston "GreenLanternlOl" Bannister
  Quentin W
  Quill Inkwell
  Rachel Fizeseri 
  Raiyn
  Randy Smith
  Reaver 
  Redd
  Reid "Adran, Patron of Cacophony" S.
  Renaldo Müller
  Rex Enton
  RICCARDO “Musta” Caverni
  Richard Barry
  Richard Dracconos "The Great Riki" Goulart
  Richard W. Sorden
  Richard Young II
  Rikki Smith
  Riley Fraser English Major
  Riley Hart
  robdog
  Robert Guest
  Robert Keefer
  Robert Reynolds
  Robert Schettig
  Ronnie Zega 
  Rosa Oliveira
  ru hartsell
  Russell and Joel Zeinestone
  Ryan "Blackbird" Davis
  Ryan C. T. Gordon
  Ryan Oldani
  Ryan Schnackel
  Ryan Snyder
  Ryan Tait
  Ryan Williams
  Sam Mckenzie
  Samuel Buffum
  Samuel Johnson
  Sanford O’Donnell
  Scott Konig
  Scott Lesley
  Scott Turner
  Scruffy Jaskot
  Sean Lindsey
  Sean McG
  Seth Brown & Will Brown
  Sharaen Midnight
  Sharif Adam
  Shaun Kenyon
  Shawn P
  Shelby Turner
  Shelley A Miller
  Sherry Sheggrud
  Sheryl Anne Bright
  SImon Durkin
  Simone Maccapani
  Sir Robert Bombalier
  Dan Vondran
  Skeeter_de
  Soren Moskjaer Lauridsen
  Spencer Hikade
  Spencer J. Schott
  Spencer Minton
  Stefano Tagliaferri
  Stephan Peters
  Stephen Hallowich
  Stephen Lincoln
  Steve Walsh
  Steven "Frost" Champagne
  Steven A. Holomshek
  Steven Bersia
  Steven Lietaert
  Stevie B Dash
  Stewart Alastair MacKenzie
  StormeyAura
  Stormquiss
  StrangeMortal
  Suzy Checkie
  T. Gordon
  Tal M. Klein
  Tanner Owens
  Tatiana Iwanick-Peterson
  Tereasa Walker
  Teresa "Teej" McMahon
  Terry E Roberts
  Thad Gutshall
  The Holy Camel
  "The Horror Baron" Loren Eason
  The John Kerry O’Donnell Sr Family
  The Weule Bros
  TheOnlyCalamariKing
  Thomas Schmidt
  Thomas Stanley
  Tim "Trench" Young
  Tim Raley
  Tina Sierra
  TJ Henningsen
  Tom Henderson
  Tom Jones
  Tom Maaswinkel
  Tom Tolios
  Travis Emerson
  Trevor Bartlett
  Tyler Shedd
  Valley Studios
  Vascalunav
  Vasco Franco
  Violaceous Jay
  Wade and Maria Racine
  Wayne Welgush
  William "Crankenstein" Veillon
  William (Wonka) Wolfe
  William Kramer
  William Pettibone
  William Rosensteel
  William Z. Cohen  MSGT/USMC, ret.
  Xander Lesley
  Zach Rzepiela
  Zachary Andrews
  Zeb Mc
  Zechariah "DaeKoss" Jones
  Zophar
  
  320
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/The Red Opera - Last Days Of The Warlock [OEF][03-2021].pdf