TEXT: Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
   
  Happy Liars Night, All! 
  The nights grow longer, and the chill in the air, more biting. Settlements increase activity in preparation for the 
  sun’s hibernation and to find any excuse for merriment before the cold chases everyone indoors. On Liars Night 
  eve, no one is as they seem, or less so than usual. Children and adults, alike, disguise themselves through illusion 
  and costume. Tricksters, pranksters, and performers play for genuine laughs. And pickpockets pilfer candy instead 
  of coin. Candlelit carved pumpkins and gourds ensure, for just one night, no one holds your deceptions and 
  chagrins against you. Only those disrespectful enough to blow out others’ candles are judged poorly for potentially 
  attracting the ire of the gods. Leira, a deity of illusion and deception, and Mask, trickster patron of spies and 
  thieves, do not favor those who disrupt their holiday.  
  Wandering Monsters! 
  Dungeon Masters can insert these Wandering Monster encounters into any adventure module 
   or session to add festive fun through November 2nd, 2020. 
  This is Wandering Monsters Wave 02. 
  The Rules 
  Refer to the “How to Use this Encounter” section for information on tier of play, optimization, notes on tier 
  adjustments, running the encounter, and other suggestions. DMs are empowered to make adjustments to increase 
  fun (raise or lower hit points, reskin, be creative in how characters come across the encounter, adjust for more or 
  less time). Some gaming situations might not be ideal for Wandering Monsters. For example, online conventions 
  and charity events, with tight time slots, might not be able to accommodate Wandering Monsters, and that’s OK. 
  Prioritize the overall gaming experience! 
  Each player and DM earns the rewards listed in the Wandering Monster encounter. No candy corn collecting this 
  year; each encounter contains at least one reward (examples: trinket, magic item, pet, etc.). The player may play 
  and/or DM the same encounter multiple times and with different player characters, but the player/DM earns the 
  rewards only once. 
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  The Haunted Mansion 
  The adventurers are invited to test their courage by 
  exploring a large, seemingly-abandoned home. 
  The Situation 
  The building appears around sunset, and isn’t there 
  until it suddenly is. The adventurers may discover it 
  along the road they’re travelling, notice it at the 
  edge of town where they are staying, or are directed 
  to it by those who are concerned about its 
  mysterious arrival. As they approach, a woman of 
  indeterminate age opens the front door to greet 
  them. She welcomes them to “Mordenkainen’s 
  Haunted House”.  
   The woman regales them with a tall tale of finding 
  a spell previously lost to the ages, used previously by 
  the renowned archmage to test the mettle of would-
  be companions and potential enemies. Admission is 
  but a single gold, to be returned to each character if 
  they somehow manage to survive. 
  How to Use This Encounter 
  Adventurers have four rooms to explore in the 
  house: the ballroom, the kitchen, the library, and 
  the drawing room, each accessible through the 
  house’s foyer. When the party enters a room, the 
  only door magically locks behind them, and cannot 
  be opened through any means until the key(s) to the 
  door are located and used to exit.  
   The building remains for only one night, from 
  sunset to sunrise; as this may be exceptionally 
  challenging for lower level adventurers, at the DM’s 
  discretion the house’s stay can be extended to two 
  nights. If the characters abandon their investigation 
  before all four rooms have been explored, they 
  forfeit their gold piece, but may keep any items 
  accumulated during their visit. If the adventurers 
  manage to survive all four rooms (even over two 
  nights), the home’s caretaker returns their gold to 
  them, and bids them to each keep a key as a token. 
  Once outside the building, these keys become 
  mystery keys (Wondrous item, common, XGE).  
   
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  The Ballroom 
  When the adventurers enter the ballroom, they are 
  greeted by the sight of freshly polished wooden 
  floors underneath three crystal chandeliers. Small 
  tables and chairs dot the outer perimeter of the 
  room, with the center cleared for dancing. The 
  dance floor appears to be approximately 60 feet in 
  length and width. 
  The Situation 
  Upon entering the ballroom, the door closes and 
  locks behind the party; the door has a single keyhole 
  on it. Characters will have a brief moment to take in 
  their surroundings before they are plunged into 
  darkness.  
  Each chandelier hangs 20 feet above the floor and 
  is the center of a darkness spell. As each chandelier 
  is destroyed, the spell on it ends and nonmagical 
  light returns to the room. The chandeliers each have 
  an AC of 16 and can take 3 hits before shattering; 
  creative methods of destroying the chandelier may 
  do so immediately at the DM’s discretion. 
  As the lights go out, the party will hear rustlings of 
  movement as two mind drinker vampires and two 
  vampire spawn emerge to attack them in the 
  darkness.  
  When the vampires have been defeated, the light 
  returns to the room (if the chandeliers have not 
  already been destroyed to return the room’s 
  nonmagical light) and the party can find the door key 
  and a cloak of the bat among the vampire bodies. 
  Adjusting This Encounter. This encounter is 
  optimized for Tier 2. It can be adjusted for Tier 1 by 
  removing the magical darkness; the lights have 
  simply gone out. Remove one mind drinker vampire 
  and one vampire spawn, and remove the remaining 
  mind drinker vampire’s Mind Siphon ability. 
  In Tier 3, if the spells are dispelled, they return on 
  initiative count 20. Consider adding a gnoll vampire 
  or two to challenge your party. 
  In Tier 4, all three chandeliers are present, but the 
  center chandelier is the focus of a maddening 
  darkness spell. If the spells are dispelled, they return 
  on initiative count 20. Consider adding vampires, 
  vampire warriors, vampire spellcasters, or a 
  demilich to challenge your party. 
  Mind Drinker Vampire 
  Medium Undead, Neutral Evil 
  Armor Class 14 
  Hit Points 55 (10d8+10) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. 
  STR  
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  19 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 14 (+2) 
    
  Saving Throws DEX +6, INT +6, WIS +3 
  Skills  Stealth + 6, Insight + 3, Perception + 3, 
  Deception + 4 
  Damage Resistances Necrotic 
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13 
  Languages the languages it knew in life 
  Challenge 4 (1100XP) 
   
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The vampire’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14). 
  It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no 
  components: 
  At will: message 
  3/day each: charm person, hold person, mirror image, 
  sleep 
  1/day each: gaseous form, major image 
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the 
  vampire can take the Hide action as a bonus action. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the vampire 
  has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Multiattack. The vampire makes two attacks, only 
  one of which can be a bite attack. 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled 
  by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 
  (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic 
  damage. 
   The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an 
  amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the 
  vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The 
  reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. 
  The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 
  0. 
   
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning 
  damage. The vampire can also grapple the target 
  (escape DC 13) if it is a creature and the vampire has 
  a hand free. 
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
   
  Mind Siphon (Recharge 5–6). The vampire targets a 
  creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target 
  must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw, with 
  disadvantage if the vampire has previously 
  consumed the target’s blood. On a failed save, the 
  target takes 28 (8d6) psychic damage, and the 
  vampire discerns the target’s surface emotions and 
  thoughts. On a successful save, the target takes half 
  as much damage, and the vampire discerns the 
  target’s general emotional state but not its thoughts. 
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  The Kitchen 
  Walking into the kitchen would be a delight, if not 
  for being locked in. Cookbooks, pots, pans and 
  frames with faded photos line the walls as delicious 
  smells waft out of the oven and from various pots 
  bubbling on the stove. 
  The Situation 
  Upon entering the kitchen, the door closes and locks 
  behind the party; the door has two keyholes on it. 
  Characters will need to comb through the chaos of 
  the kitchen to find the keys to the door. 
   At the far end of the kitchen, a well-tended fire 
  flickers in a large stone fireplace; a sizeable cauldron 
  hangs from a hinged metal arm so that it can be 
  moved in and out of the fire’s heat. A viscous amber 
  liquid bubbles gently in the cauldron, and smells 
  faintly of ginger and cloves. Characters who reach 
  into the cauldron find that instead of burning, the 
  liquid faintly tickles; they can feel around until they 
  encounter an object. Roll on the Cauldron Trinkets 
  table to determine what they pull out. The final 
  character retrieving a trinket will also emerge with 
  one of the door keys.  
   The shelf above the fireplace holds what appear to 
  be the most well-loved and frequently-used 
  cookbooks; a character who takes the time to page 
  through the books finds a loose recipe for Aurora’s 
  Lemon Tarts. 
   The stove next to the fireplace holds four pots of 
  various sizes that are merrily bubbling away. The 
  contents of three pots have been boiled beyond 
  recognition, but a character who is proficient with a 
  poisoner’s kit recognizes the contents of the fourth 
  as a potion of poison. The contents of this pot can be 
  carefully bottled; there is enough in the pot for a 
  single dose to be kept by one character. 
   A set of drawers on the wall perpendicular to the 
  stove holds assorted cutlery and kitchen 
  implements; a character who investigates the 
  drawers must attempt a DC 17 Dexterity check. On a 
  success they avoid having their fingers snapped in a 
  rat trap; on a failure they take 1d8 piercing damage.  
   Above the drawers are cabinets that hold assorted 
  glass vials and canisters. Along with the usual flour, 
  sugar, rice, and oats are jars labeled lizard, adder, 
  owlet, and bat. If one of these jars of more exotic 
  ingredients is opened, the still-alive ingredients 
  attempt escape!  
   If the bats are released they screech; all characters 
  in the room must attempt a DC 16 Constitution 
  saving throw or they are deafened until they leave 
  the kitchen.  
   If the adders are released they attempt to bite the 
  adventurer who opened their jar; the character must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be 
  poisoned for one hour.  
   If the lizards are released they scramble over the 
  hands of the adventurer who opened their jar; the 
  character must attempt a DC 17 Dexterity check to 
  shake them off. On a failure they take 2d6 acid 
  damage.  
   If the owlets are released they peck at the 
  adventurer who opened their jar; the character must 
  attempt a DC 16 Intelligence (Animal Handling) 
  check to soothe them and prevent them from biting. 
  On a failure the character takes 1d8 piercing 
  damage. 
   Any character who opens the jar of owlets will 
  notice a door key nestled in between the fluffy birds.  
   
  Cauldron Trinkets 
  D8 
  Trinket 
  1  
  A tiny clockwork cat; it turns circles before 
  nestling into the palm of your hand. 
  2  
  A pumpkin-shaped music box; the haunting 
  melody is different to every listener. 
  3  
  A dark metal cloak clasp in the shape of a 
  bat; two tiny green gems are affixed for 
  eyes. 
  4  
  An ornate finger ring in the shape of a 
  spider; the spider’s body is a deep violet 
  piece of cut glass. 
  5  
  A quill pen made from an axe beak feather; 
  it self-inks with deep red ink. 
  6  
  An opal gem the size of a human thumb; 
  the gem is carved into the shape of a 
  mouse. 
  7  
  A small vial of perfume; the scent is 
  different to every individual but reminds 
  them of their first love. 
  8  
  A single dragon’s talon; the claw is always 
  cold to the touch. 
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  The Library 
  Every inch of wall space in the spacious library is 
  covered in shelves stacked with books. The library 
  appears to be approximately 30 feet wide by 50 feet 
  long, and is furnished with a handful of chairs and 
  sofas. It would be a lovely place to pass an hour (or a 
  day) if not for its slight spider problem.  
  The Situation 
  Upon entering the library, the door closes and locks 
  behind the party; the door has three keyholes on it. 
  Characters will find immediately inside the door a 
  small un-webbed area where they may assess the 
  situation. 
   The library looks as if it has not been used in some 
  time, evidenced primarily by the thick layers of 
  spiderwebs covering the shelves, books, walls, and 
  ceiling of the room. The room is dominated by a 
  single, massive web that crisscrosses from wall to 
  wall, from floor to ceiling, and from each corner of 
  the room to the center, where a giant spider and a 
  phase spider have suspended themselves from the 
  ceiling.  
   The character with the highest passive perception 
  will notice five small bundles wrapped in silk and 
  distributed around the large web. One bundle is a 
  sizeable rat that one of the spiders is saving as a 
  snack; another lumpy shape has been bundled so 
  long that the contents crumble away when it is 
  opened. The other three bundles are door keys. 
   This web-filled room is difficult terrain. A creature 
  entering a webbed area for the first time on a turn 
  or starting its turn there must succeed on a DC 12 
  Dexterity saving throw or become restrained by the 
  webs. A restrained creature can use its action to try 
  to escape, doing so with a successful DC 12 Strength 
  (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
   Each 10-foot cube of webs has AC 10, 15 hit 
  points, vulnerability to fire, and immunity to 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and psychic damage. 
   The characters may try to sneak through the 
  spider webs; they must attempt a DC 20 group 
  Dexterity (Stealth) check for every 10 feet that they 
  progress through the room and the web. On a failed 
  group check the spiders are alerted to their 
  presence. 
   The characters may attempt to use fire to clear 
  out the webbing; if at any point 20 square feet of 
  webbing has been burned away or is on fire, a young 
  fire centipede bursts through one of the walls as it is 
  drawn to warmth in the room. Its black carapace 
  glides smoothly through the webbing in the room as 
  its dozens of tiny legs carry it in pursuit of the 
  warmth in the room (and the characters). 
  Adjusting This Encounter. This encounter is 
  optimized for Tier 1. It can be adjusted for Tier 2 by 
  replacing one or both spiders with a drider or jade 
  spider.  
  In Tier 3, the spiders are replaced by a drider and 
  a ghost spider; the young fire centipede can be 
  replaced with an adult fire centipede. 
  In Tier 4, both spiders are replaced by ghost 
  spiders; the young fire centipede is replaced with an 
  adult fire centipede. 
   
  Young Fire Centipede 
  Large Monstrosity, Unaligned 
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 93 (11d10+33) 
  Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. 
  STR  
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
    3 (-4) 
  10 (0) 
   4 (-3) 
    
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft. 
  Damage Immunities Cold, Fire 
  Languages -- 
  Challenge 5 (1800 XP) 
   
  Heated Body. A creature that touches the young fire 
  centipede or hits it with a melee attack while within 
  5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage. 
   
  Frightful Entrance. Any creature that can see the 
  young fire centipede when it bursts into the room 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be 
  frightened until the end of their next turn.  
   
  Web Walker. The young fire centipede ignores 
  movement restrictions caused by webbing. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 
  (2d6) fire damage. 
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  Adult Fire Centipede 
  Huge Monstrosity, Unaligned 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 195 (17d12+85) 
  Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. 
  STR  
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  24 (+7) 
  13 (+1) 
  21 (+5) 
    4 (-3) 
  10 (0) 
   5 (-2) 
    
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive 
  Perception 10 
  Damage Immunities Cold, Fire 
  Languages -- 
  Challenge 11 (1800 XP) 
   
  Heated Body. A creature that touches the adult fire 
  centipede or hits it with a melee attack while within 
  5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage. 
   
  Frightful Entrance. Any creature that can see the 
  young fire centipede when it bursts into the room 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be 
  frightened until the end of their next turn.  
   
  Web Walker. The adult fire centipede ignores 
  movement restrictions caused by webbing. 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 
  10 (3d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature, it is 
  grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the 
  target is restrained, and the adult fire centipede 
  can't bite another target. 
   
  Ghost Spider 
  Large Monstrosity, Unaligned 
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 189 (18d10+90) 
  Speed 40ft. 
  STR  
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  18 (+4) 
  20 (+5) 
  20 (+5) 
    18 (+4) 16 (+3)  20 (+5) 
    
  Saving Throws STR +9, CON +10, WIS +8, CHA +10 
  Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; 
  Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical 
  Attacks 
  Damage Immunities Poison, Fire 
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive 
  Perception 13 
  Languages -- 
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) 
   
  Magic Weapons. The ghost spider’s weapon attacks 
  are magical. 
   
  Spider Climb. The ghost spider can climb difficult 
  surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without 
  needing to make an ability check. 
   
  Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the ghost 
  spider knows the exact location of any other 
  creature in contact with the same web. 
   
  Web Walker. The ghost spider ignores movement 
  restrictions caused by webbing. 
   
  Multiattack. The ghost spider makes seven attacks: 
  six with its legs and one with its bite. 
   
  Legs. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage. 
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 9 
  (2d8) poison damage. If the target is Medium or 
  smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this 
  grapple ends, the target is restrained, the ghost 
  spider can automatically hit the target with its legs, 
  and the ghost spider can't make bite attacks against 
  other targets. 
   
  Teleport. The ghost spider magically teleports, along 
  with anything it is wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet 
  to an unoccupied space it can see. 
   
  
  Liars Night 2020: Wandering Monsters Wave 02 - written and illustrated by Amy Lynn Dzura 
   
  The Drawing Room 
  When the adventurers enter the drawing room, it’s 
  quiet. Almost too quiet. The room appears to be 
  approximately 20 feet wide by 25 feet long, and is 
  empty except for the large framed mirrors hanging 
  on every wall and the area rug in the center of the 
  floor. The mirrors (a total of 17) are spaced five feet 
  apart, and ring the room in its entirety. 
  The Situation 
  Upon entering the drawing room, the door closes 
  and locks behind the party; the door has four 
  keyholes on it. Characters will need to find the keys 
  in the empty room.  
   When the characters enter into the room to 
  investigate it, they will pass in front of the framed 
  mirrors on the walls. Passing within 5 feet of any 
  mirror will activate that mirror’s effect; it will briefly 
  show a distorted reflection of the adventurer 
  standing in front of it before the image leaps out of 
  the mirror into an unoccupied square in the room. 
  These mirror images (monodrones) are 
  distinguishable from the adventuring party by their 
  altered features; they appear to have elongated 
  arms, exaggerated facial features, or foreshortened 
  legs. If a character stands in front of two mirrors at 
  the same time, such as in the corners of the room, 
  two mirror images are created. 
   The framed mirrors will continue to produce 
  mirror images as long as they are still intact; the 
  adventurers will need to destroy the mirrors in order 
  to prevent the creation of more and more mirror 
  images. The framed mirrors each have an AC of 16 
  and 50 hit points. The first framed mirror destroyed 
  will reveal the first door key; the fifth, ninth, and 13th 
  mirrors destroyed also contain door keys, but the 
  DM may randomize the placement of the keys in 
  specific mirrors if they wish. 
  Adjusting This Encounter. The mirror images use 
  modron statistics according to the chart below. 
  Tier 
  Creature 
  1 
  monodrone 
  2 
  duodrone 
  3 
  tridrone 
  4 
  quadrone 
   
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/Liars Night 2020/Liars Night 2020 Wave 2.pdf