TEXT: Introduction
  Introduction
  This document adds an additional elder evil to 5th edition:
  Shothragot, the Herald of Tharizdun.
  Badooga's Notes
  Badooga's Notes
  Elder Evils was a 3rd edition supplement. It was the last
  supplement released before the release of 4th edition, so its
  designers decided to go out with a bang by making nine
  campaign-ending threats for DMs to use: Atropus, Father
  Llymic, the Hulks of Zoretha, the Leviathan, Pandorym,
  Ragnorra, Sertrous, Kyuss, and Zargon. My Elder Evils
  conversion, found on GM Binder and on Google Drive,
  converts all nine of these elder evils to 5th edition.
  A tenth elder evil, Shothragot, was teased in Dragon 361,
  and was fully released in Dragon 362. A full dungeon for the
  final encounter with Shothragot was presented in Dungeon
  152. I decided that I can't just allow Shothragot to be ignored,
  and that it's about time I bring Tharizdun to 5e.
  Original Notes
  Original Notes
  The notion of the elder evil was first presented in the 3rd
  edition book Lords of Madness to reflect the incredibly
  powerful creatures worshiped by the aboleths as gods. But
  these are no gods; they are abominations — terrible forces of
  destruction and change whose mere appearance signals a
  signature change in the world. Whether by triggering an
  apocalyptic end, causing some cataclysm to reshape the
  continents, or even just altering the fundamental nature of
  magic, these beings wield great power. Such figures have
  long been with D&D, even if not named such, and can be
  found among the abominations in the 3rd edition Epic Level
  Handbook or further back with the tarrasque, powerful
  demon princes, inexplicable powers that defy description,
  and, rarely, among some gods, specifically Tharizdun.
  This special article that ties in to Elder Evils showcases
  one of the most iconic forces of evil in the D&D game,
  revealing the danger posed by Tharizdun on a larger
  cosmological scale by presenting his chief minion, the elder
  evil named Shothragot. As with the entries in the Elder Evils
  sourcebook, you should consider the information here to be a
  collection of ideas to help you end your campaign.
  Reading the Entries
  Reading the Entries
  Each of the chapters in the original Elder Evils book
  describes an elder evil, its motivations and servants, and
  signs of its approach, as well as providing a sample story arc
  to help you introduce the threat into your campaign. A given
  entry uses the format below. Additionally, be sure to reference
  the original book for information on how to use Shothragot's
  Sign of Apocalypse.
  Background
  Background
  This section opens with a paragraph of common knowledge
  and continues with several paragraphs of specialized
  knowledge. Learning one of these pieces of information
  about an elder evil requires an Intelligence (Arcana) or
  Intelligence (Religion) check, as listed in the original book.
  While the DC of each check remains up to the DM, they
  should range from Moderate (DC 15) to Nearly Impossible
  (DC 30). Alternatively, the DM may decide that this
  information cannot be acquired except through certain
  methods of research or interaction with the campaign world.
  Art Credits
  All art and images are taken from The Essence of
  Evil in Dungeon 152. The art for Shothragot and
  the Black Cyst are also taken from Dragon 362.
  Any other art is taken from official 3.5e and 4e
  sources.
  Goal
  Goal
  This section follows the same format as the Background
  entry, but the lore entries reveal ever more secret details of
  the elder evil's ultimate purpose.
  The Elder Evil in the Campaign
  The Elder Evil in the Campaign
  This section sets out a sample story arc with increasingly
  difficult challenges, culminating in the final confrontation
  with the elder evil. The Suggested Level of these challenges
  correspond with strengthening signs of the apocalypse, as
  detailed later in this chapter. Each chapter includes a section
  that describes the game effects of that elder evil's sign.
  Two subsections suggest ways to adapt the elder evil to the
  Forgotten Realms® and Eberron™ campaign settings.
  Variant Usage. This subsection presents an original variant
  on how an elder evil might fit in a unique campaign setting, or
  it may present alternate plot hooks or story details to be used
  as appropriate.
  You can adapt any of the example elder evils in this book so
  that they fit better into your setting's history. For example,
  planar campaigns or campaigns that use Spelljammers might
  wish to change the default locations given in the original
  book to better fit the setting they are a part of.
  Description
  Description
  Here follow physical details of the elder evil. Important
  servants and minions are also presented in this section.
  Statistics for these creatures are listed alongside their lore
  and description entries.
  Page Numbers
  Page Numbers
  Most of the content in this document is self-contained.
  However, some entries in this document might have the
  following notation: waterveiled assassin (EdE 21). The page
  number here refers to the bestiary document for the other
  nine elder evils, which can be accessed through the main
  document linked above. If you want to head directly to the
  bestiary, you can view it on GM Binder or on Google Drive.
  Extra Images
  Check out these Imgur albums for important
  images you can use in your games!
  Maps: High quality maps for each area and
  encounter.
  Monster Images: Art for most monsters in the
  bestiary.
  Tokens: Tokens for most monsters in the
  bestiary.
  Copyright Notice
  To respect the copyright of Wizards of the Coast,
  my original Elder Evils does not reprint the entirety
  of the original book. However, unlike the original
  Elder Evils book, the content that is being
  converted to 5e in this document is all free - the
  original PDFs were posted for free on the WotC
  website. Now, content from the Dragon and
  Dungeon magazines can be legally downloaded on
  archive.org.
  The actual documents don't have any Open
  Game Content in them, as defined by the 3rd
  edition Open Game License. However, I cite the
  more recent Fan Content Policy from Wizards of
  the Coast, which allows me to use Wizards IP to
  make fan content as long as it is 100% free (which
  it is). Between this, the free nature of the original
  content, and the transformative nature of this
  work, I believe I am within my rights to publish this
  in its entirety.
  1
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  Shothragot
  Shothragot
  "The Ender, the Elder Elemental Eye, the Dark God, the
  Patient One, He Who Waits, the Anathema, the Father of
  Elder Evils, the Author of Wickedness, He of Eternal
  Darkness, the Eater of Worlds, the Despised, the Undoer —
  these are but a few of the many names for our glorious
  master. One thousand years, the Dark God has waited,
  lurking beyond the bounds of reality, contained in a vault
  constructed by jealous hands, his rightful throne held by
  usurpers. In these last centuries, our efforts have found
  destruction, decay, and loss, as these lesser powers have
  sought to confuse us, mislead us, and turn us against one
  another, for you see, Tharizdun's release spells their end.
  They fear him. Yes, mighty Boccob, Heironeous, even that sad
  crone Beory all quail before his imminent arrival. The time is
  at hand, the end has come, and it is our sacred duty to usher
  in the last age of our world and bring the constructs of the
  false gods to rightful ruin. Only then will we understand the
  perfect nature of all that is possible with the Eternal
  Darkness."
  Shothragot is an avatar of Tharizdun, the Chained God.
  While it is only an extension of the Dark God's will,
  Shothragot is a powerful elder evil even on its own. On its
  own, Shothragot's awakening endangers all mortal life on a
  given world. But this pales in comparison to the true threat:
  the release of its master Tharizdun, who seeks to bring about
  the end of the universe, and has the means to achieve it.
  Background
  Background
  It is telling that the origins of the Dark God are buried
  beneath layers of secrecy. All faiths oppose the cults who
  serve He of Eternal Darkness, and to whisper his name is
  tantamount to blasphemy. The fear Tharizdun evokes and the
  intensity of his opposition are all well-founded since even the
  gods themselves, good and evil alike, share this trepidation.
  The reason is simple: The Ebon God wants nothing more
  than to unravel the nature of reality, to undo all the works of
  gods and mortals, to shatter the planes, and dissolve all
  things to their fundamental natures. Tharizdun is an
  uncaring force of destruction, motivated by an inexplicable
  need to eradicate all things, himself included.
  Since Tharizdun works always to bring ruin, the gods set
  aside their differences and sealed the dreadful power away,
  holding him in stasis so his malign will and countless
  servants could no longer threaten the balance of the cosmos.
  And though the gods returned to squabbling soon after his
  imprisonment eons ago, they remain united in their distaste
  and fear of their ancient enemy and, to this day, they are all
  committed to ensuring he remains safely tucked away beyond
  the reach of misguided fools. That the Dark God remains
  sealed away in a prison plane in some forgotten corner of the
  multiverse, though, is no consolation. The divine seals may
  contain him, but Tharizdun can extend his malign will
  beyond them, caressing the minds of his servants and
  impelling them to do his bidding. Assuming the guise of the
  Elder Elemental Eye, he has accumulated numerous
  disturbing cults that swear their allegiance to the
  multifaceted nature of their insane master, fighting each
  other as much as they move toward their unholy mission of
  releasing a power whose fullness and wickedness they only
  dimly realize.
  Champions of the various gods and agencies remain
  vigilant against the legions of the Elder Elemental Eye, by
  sacking their temples, raiding their redoubts, and executing
  cultists wherever they find them, but few realize the true
  breadth of Tharizdun's power. A small body of scholars and
  sages believes that Tharizdun's greatest servants are the
  elder evils themselves. So while the courageous heroes fight
  Tharizdun's minions, the Dark God compels the elder evils to
  stir and awaken so that they may ravage the world and
  weaken its gods. Tharizdun hopes that when he finally
  weakens the wards holding him, he will emerge unopposed.
  While various elder evils may or may not respond to the
  summons of the Dark God, Tharizdun's chief creation, an
  abomination named Shothragot, awoke in the cyclopean
  depths of the earth, far below the mines of a temple devoted
  to the Elder Elemental Eye. Weak and nearly powerless after
  years of undisturbed slumber, it siphons power from the
  prayers of the unwitting servants above, biding its time until it
  gains the strength it needs to set in motion the final events
  that would see its master free.
  While having an awakened elder evil is terrifying to
  conceive by itself, Shothragot is a special case, for this
  dreadful horror's origins trace back to the Invoked
  Devastation and the Rain of Colorless Fire, when Tharizdun's
  servants summoned forth his avatar for the last time.
  Whether or not its appearance compelled the use of appalling
  magic that brought death and devastation to hundreds of
  thousands is a matter of debate, but what is known is that
  almost as fast as the avatar appeared, so too did he vanish
  after the wrought destruction. Most scholars suspect the
  avatar was destroyed in the conflagration, but in truth, it was
  weakened, dreadfully so, and the powerful energies
  unleashed left the avatar crippled. Thus it fled into the bowels
  of the earth, where it waited.
  Shothragot might have laid in wait forever, but its slumber
  was disturbed when a most unfortunate happenstance
  occurred. A band of adventurers, whose purpose was to
  destroy a cult of the Elder Elemental Eye infesting the mines
  around a fortress of wickedness, found their own deaths,
  nearly to the man. When a fleeing survivor became lost and
  stumbled into the elder evil crèche, Shothragot awoke, seized
  the mortal, and refashioned him using the last spark of divine
  essence to make him his principle servant. With his new
  agent in the field and with the prayers dedicated to the Elder
  Elemental Eye infusing him with power, the elder evil now
  swells with power and is nearly ready to reveal itself and
  bring about the release of its beloved master.
  Goals
  Goals
  Shothragot's nature as both avatar and elder evil fills its mind
  with a deep and abiding desire to reunite with Tharizdun and
  restore the exiled god to the fullness of his being. The elder
  evil is not quite aware of its own divine origins thanks to
  many centuries spent trapped deep within the earth, but at
  some instinctual level, it recognizes this need and thus it
  devotes all of its being toward completing this objective.
  What it does know is that it has many enemies arrayed
  against it, and so it is careful not to reveal itself until such
  time that it is strong enough to smash those who stand
  against it.
  Its need for joining Tharizdun fills its thoughts, but it has
  no clear understanding of how it should go about achieving
  this end. The only thing it receives are fleeting images,
  disparate memories of sensations and emotions, and a deep
  and abiding hatred. From time to time, a face swims into its
  consciousness, and when it appears, it compels its minions to
  seek out and destroy these individuals, although even it
  knows not why. In truth, it is Tharizdun himself who
  dispatches these messages to remove obstacles that would
  prevent Shothragot from completing its mission.
  Of late, Shothragot has become aware of a number of black
  jewels, 333 to be exact, known as the Gems of Tharizdun. It's
  not certain, but it suspects these items are integral to
  dissolving the wards holding his master in stasis. Thus, while
  its agents go out and murder his enemies, they are ever
  watchful for the 333 Gems of Tharizdun, which they bring
  back to the growing elder evil. Shothragot consumes and
  destroys each one they return to him, bloating on the
  released energy while simultaneously sending currents of
  destructive energies through Tharizdun's oubliette.
  1
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  Shothragot in the
  Shothragot in the
  Campaign
  Campaign
  Introducing Shothragot to your campaign signals a looming
  and devastating event that could have sweeping
  repercussions and may very well alter the fundamental
  nature of your campaign setting. Shothragot, as presented
  here, is close to unlocking the prison, having absorbed nearly
  all of the Gems of Tharizdun.
  Cult of Tharizdun the Chained
  Cult of Tharizdun the Chained
  God
  God
  Typical Cultists: Cult fanatic, cultist, any demon, any evil
  elemental, any Far Realm aberration, any kuo-toa
  Signature Spells: Eldritch blast (cantrip), command (1st
  level), darkness (2nd level), enemies abound (3rd level)
  Cults dedicated to Tharizdun take on many forms, including
  Cults of Elemental Evil and those of a more demonic nature.
  Many cultists of the Ebon God also take the form of
  individuals or small groups that serve his will directly.
  Despite this disorganization, each and every cultist of
  Tharizdun receives orders from Shothragot or some other
  extension of Tharizdun's will.
  Cultists that are corrupted by Tharizdun's influence
  sometimes gain the Tharizdun's Spark or Blessing of
  Tharizdun abilities below.
  Tharizdun's Spark (Recharge 6). As a bonus action, the
  cultist touches a simple or martial weapon or a natural
  weapon, if it has one. The next creature hit by the touched
  weapon must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
  experience short-term madness for 10 minutes. Consult the
  Short-Term Madness table (see "Madness Effects" in chapter
  8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) to determine the form of
  the madness. The affected creature can repeat the saving
  throw at the end of each minute, ending the effect on itself on
  a success.
  Blessing of Tharizdun. When the cultist takes damage, it
  can use its reaction to force each hostile creature within 10
  feet of it to make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a
  failed save, a creature takes half the damage the cultist took
  as psychic damage.
  Sign: Seal of Binding
  Sign: Seal of Binding
  This sign manifests as a glyph that spreads across the sky
  and increasingly interferes with planar communication and
  transportation.
  Faint: When a creature casts a conjuration spell or uses an
  ability that summons a creature or multiple creatures, it must
  make an ability check using its spellcasting ability (DC 12).
  On a failure, the creature suffers one level of exhaustion. In
  addition, spells that forcibly return creatures to their native
  plane, such as banishment, automatically fail.
  Moderate: As faint, but in addition, summoned creatures
  no longer return to their native planes. When a summoning
  spell or effect's duration expires, the summoned creature is
  no longer under the summoner's control. Additionally, any
  spell or effect that involves teleportation has a 20% chance of
  a mishap. On a mishap, the teleportation fails, and each
  teleporting creature or object takes 16 (3d10) force damage.
  Strong: As moderate, but the chance of a mishap when
  teleporting increases to 40%. In addition, spells and other
  effects that contact extraplanar beings (such as the contact
  other plane spell and the Divine Intervention cleric feature)
  cease to function.
  Overwhelming: All summoning and teleportation spells
  and effects cease to function.
  Timeline
  Timeline
  What follows is a possible campaign timeline with Suggested
  Party Levels (SPL) to help you construct adventures around
  the key events that might occur as Shothragot awakens.
  SPL 3: While exploring a dungeon, the player characters
  come upon a vault bearing the bas-relief carvings of
  numerous holy and unholy symbols, representing nearly
  every known god and quite a few unknown ones as well.
  Beyond the door, the player characters find a freezing cold
  room with walls, floor, and ceiling blackened and cracked.
  Hovering in the center of the room is a black gem the size of
  a fist. The stone is surrounded by a wall of force, preventing
  the party from acquiring it through normal means. If the
  characters free the stone, they find themselves constantly
  harassed by agents of Tharizdun until they rid themselves of
  the cursed object.
  SPL 6: A few months later, a powerful earthquake ripples
  through the lands, causing terrible destruction for hundreds
  of miles around. While traveling through the ruins, the player
  characters come upon a community buried in a landslide.
  While little remains other than rubble and debris, one
  structure stands intact: a slender tower at the center of the
  community. It appears as if the tumbling boulders veered
  around the tower. Investigating the place reveals a number of
  traps, magical guardians, and more, but worse, the party isn't
  the only ones exploring the site. Also present are several
  insane cultists who plunder the place in search of something.
  At the top of the tower, the cultists find what they're looking
  for: a black gem, identical to the one the party found earlier in
  the dungeon. A thrilling fight takes place, but before the party
  can slay all the villains, one slips away with the gem in hand.
  SPL 9 (Faint Sign): After weeks of quiet, when life just
  starts to return to normal, a queer fiery glyph appears in the
  sky. Attempts to reach it through magic utterly fail; it always
  seems to move just out of reach. No one seems to know what
  it signifies, but certain types of spells are becoming harder to
  cast.
  Tharizdun, peering into the future, senses the characters
  are a dire threat, and so it dispatches a dream to Shothragot,
  who in turn sends its greatest minion, Giorge Forsworn, to
  attend to them. The mortal hunter plays a cat-and-mouse
  game, murdering those closest to the characters first and
  then picking off the heroes one at a time.
  SPL 12 (Moderate Sign): As the sign in the sky
  intensifies, the greatest minds in the lands set to unravel the
  mystery of its appearance. A wide range of theories abound,
  but Jallarzi Sallavarian, a powerful archmage and member of
  the Circle of Eight (or some other arcane group), is close and
  she believes the glyph signifies a dire threat to the world,
  suspecting it may have something to do with Tharizdun. Well-
  acquainted with the history of the Dark God, she sets out for
  the Sea of Dust to find the Forgotten City in the hopes of
  unraveling the mystery of the glyph.
  When she doesn't return, the remaining members of the
  Circle of Eight, who work to undo the expanding sign, hire
  the adventurers to track the missing wizard. Enduring a long
  and perilous journey and exploring the haunted ruins of the
  ancient city, the adventurers learn the history of the avatar,
  but not before being confronted by the warped Jallarzi, who,
  through dabbling with dangerous magic, has become a
  twisted creature of the Dark God.
  SPL 15 (Strong Sign): Armed with the information
  uncovered in the Forgotten City and burdened with the
  horrible fate of an esteemed member of the Circle, the
  adventurers return to the Circle of Eight, only to find that the
  sign has grown even stronger. Cross-referencing their
  information with that of the powerful wizards, Mordenkainen
  suggests the heroes explore former strongholds of
  Tharizdun's cultists to see if they can learn of some way to
  stop the impending apocalypse. The party journies to the
  Temple of Elemental Evil, the Crater Ridge Mines, and other
  locations, each site revealing a bit more about the enemy they
  face.
  SPL 18 (Overwhelming Sign): Just as the heroes are
  exploring the final known site, the caldera formed by the
  Crater Ridge explodes, and amidst the debris and destruction
  rises a massive globe of dripping black corruption. As it rises,
  the sign in the heavens expands until it stretches from one
  horizon to the next. Horrific insane creatures come and go
  from the bulk, emerging from orifices that pierce its
  glistening hide.
  2
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  The sign's power prevents the Circle of Eight from arriving
  here quickly, so it falls to the party to journey inside this
  floating abomination and destroy the essence that lurks
  within. Should they fail, Shothragot will surely unlock the
  wards that seal Tharizdun and draw forth the gods in a
  climactic battle that will leave the world forever after
  changed.
  Shothragot in Eberron
  Shothragot in Eberron
  Tharizdun is a powerful daelkyr warlord, a being so
  profoundly evil and so immense in terms of magical power,
  he is very nearly a god. Despised by his fellow Daelkyr, they
  sealed him away in a vast prison within the Realm of
  Madness and set countless traps, guards, and vicious wards
  to ensure he never broke loose. Unfortunately, Tharizdun's
  minions, of which there are many beneath Eberron, seek to
  release their dark lord and busily create a weapon that will
  not only breach the Gatekeeper wards that keep them
  underground but also bridge the gulf between planes and
  release their dreadful master. This weapon is Shothragot.
  Shothragot in Faerûn
  Shothragot in Faerûn
  Instead of being an avatar of Tharizdun, Shothragot is the
  creation of Ghaunadaur, an entity spawned to shatter the
  worshipers of all other gods and enable the Elder Eye to
  become master of all things. Shothragot is the principal
  instrument in his plans and the elder evil slaughters the
  worshipers of other gods to weaken them. Once the gods are
  brought low, Ghaunadaur plans to move against them,
  stealing their power for himself until he can challenge the
  architect of the universe — Ao himself.
  Alternatively, perhaps Shothragot fled from Greyhawk to
  the Forgotten Realms via planar travel, only to be imprisoned
  in Undermountain by Halaster Blackcloak. Despite the Mad
  Mage's power, Shothragot cannot be held back forever, and
  soon Tharizdun will have his chance to destroy Faerûn
  alongside the rest of the multiverse.
  Variant Usage
  Variant Usage
  As Shothragot is but an avatar of Tharizdun himself, you can
  use this chapter to represent the release of Tharizdun
  through other means, even if Shothragot is not involved.
  As Tharizdun is the face behind the Elder Elemental Eye,
  you can use Shothragot alongside the Princes of the
  Apocalypse adventure for 5e. You can connect the various
  Cults of Elemental Evil to Shothragot and Tharizdun more
  directly; for example, you can have the elemental apocalypse
  sought out by the . At minimum, it may be useful to reference
  this module so that you can use the various cults and temples
  of Elemental Evil throughout the campaign (as discussed in
  the timeline above).
  As Shothragot and Tharizdun threaten the multiverse
  itself, they present the same threat to campaigns that take
  place wildspace or the planes. In a Spelljammer campaign,
  perhaps Shothragot's size can be scaled upwards, such that
  its release is enough to shatter an entire planet into pieces. In
  a planar campaign, perhaps the party must journey to the
  Elemental Planes and even the Abyss itself in order to root
  out Tharizdun's various cults.
  Beyond that, consider the following additions and changes:
  Shothragot's sign of apocalypse is the Seal of Binding
  because the Seal of Binding is what prevents Tharizdun
  from escaping in the first place. That said, you are free to
  change it to the Blood Moon sign, which can be associated
  with the madness and aggressive behavior that Tharizdun
  seeks to inspire in others.
  As discussed in the Demonomicon from 4th edition,
  Tharizdun is said to have created the Abyss using the
  Shard of Evil given to him by the Obyriths. While most
  demons aren't tanar'ri and thus aren't associated with
  Tharizdun in any way, this connection gives you the
  opportunity to have some of Tharizdun's agents be
  demons or demon cultists.
  Evil and good gods alike seek to prevent the release of
  Tharizdun from his prison. Thus, clerics of all faiths may
  be given commands from their deities to snuff out the
  forces of Tharizdun, making them likely allies of the party.
  That said, feel free to use the conflict between good and
  evil, and between law and chaos, as a point of religious
  contention during your campaign.
  Description
  Description
  This section gives descriptions and statistics for the essence
  of Shothragot, black cysts, Giorge Forsworn and his
  companion Mask, and the corrupted archmage Jallarzi
  Sallavarian.
  Essence of Shothragot
  Essence of Shothragot
  Shothragot is not something that can be fought directly, for in
  its fully awakened form, it is a massive ball of glistening black
  tar pierced with scores of holes that burrow into its body.
  Instead, to combat this horror, one must destroy its
  consciousness, which hides within it bloated, tumescent
  form.
  The essence of Shothragot is a 66-foot tall mountain of
  slippery black tar, reflecting in miniature the large form
  containing it. Bubbling up to the surface of its slick epidermis
  are twisted faces, crying out in agony or cackling with mad
  glee.
  The essence of Shothragot holds centuries of memories,
  the untold suffering it endured as it fled the dreadful magic of
  the Baklunish and Suloise, and the agony and madness it
  embraced as its body reformed into its horribly bloated state.
  As intelligent and cunning as it is, hate consumes it, and any
  who dare confront it find only its unquenchable wrath.
  Regional Effects
  Regional Effects
  The region within 5 miles of Shothragot is warped by its
  unholy presence, creating one or more of the following
  effects:
  Giant blobs of black corruption that are cast off from
  Shothragot's body dot the landscape. This corruption is
  only difficult terrain, and it doesn't do any immediate
  damage. However, any creature that suffers prolonged
  exposure to this corruption transforms into a horrific
  demon, an elemental gone berserk, or a crazed aberration.
  If a humanoid spends at least 1 hour within 5 miles of
  Shothragot, that creature must succeed on a DC 23
  Wisdom saving throw or descend into a madness
  determined by the Madness of Tharizdun table. A creature
  that succeeds on this saving throw can't be affected by this
  regional effect again for 24 hours.
  If Shothragot dies, these effects fade over the course of
  1d10 days.
  Madness of Tharizdun
  Madness of Tharizdun
  If a creature goes mad in a region tainted by Tharizdun or
  within line of sight of Shothoragot, roll on the Madness of
  Tharizdun table to determine the nature of the madness,
  which is a character flaw that lasts until cured. See the
  Dungeon Master's Guide for more on madness.
  Madness of Tharizdun
  d100 Flaw (lasts until cured)
  01-
  20
  "The universe is doomed. Anything I do to save it is
  only delaying the inevitable."
  21-
  40
  "The only thing worthy of respect is a display of
  power and domination over others."
  41-
  60
  "If I don't hide my true intentions, someone will
  root me out and kill me."
  61-
  80
  "If an opportunity arises for me to seize power, I
  won't hesitate to take it."
  81-
  00
  "Existence is a farce. The universe and its creators
  are all terrible."
  3
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  4
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Essence of Shothragot
  Essence of Shothragot
  Gargantuan aberration (titan), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 444 (24d20 + 192)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  30 (+10) 14 (+2) 27 (+8) 20 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8)
  Saving Throws Con +16, Int +13, Wis +15, Cha +16
  Skills Arcana +13, Insight +15, Intimidation +16,
  Perception +15
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
  Damage Immunities acid, poison; bludgeoning, piercing,
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
  frightened, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
  Senses truesight 120 ft., blindsight 500 ft., passive
  Perception 25
  Languages understands all languages but can't speak,
  telepathy 1,000 ft.
  Challenge 28 (120,000 XP)
  Anathematic Secrecy. The essence can't be targeted by
  any divination magic or perceived through magical
  scrying sensors.
  Aura of Mind Erosion. Any hostile creature that starts its
  turn within 60 feet of the essence must make a DC 24
  Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, a creature
  suffers disadvantage on all Wisdom and Charisma
  saving throws until the start of the essence's next turn.
  Freedom of Movement. The essence ignores difficult
  terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed or
  cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of
  movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or
  being grappled.
  Innate Spellcasting. The essence's innate spellcasting
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 24). It can innately
  cast the following spells, requiring no components:
  At will: detect magic, dispel evil and good, stinking
  cloud
  3/day each: blight, cloudkill, dispel magic
  2/day each: contagion, fire storm, reverse gravity
  1/day each: divine word, earthquake, feeblemind
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the essence fails a
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. The essence has advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The essence's weapon attacks are
  magical.
  Unyielding Essence. The essence is immune to any spell
  or effect that would alter its form, as well as those that
  would read its thoughts, determine if it is lying, or
  magically influence its thoughts or behavior.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The essence makes three attacks: two with
  its tentacles and one with its bite. It then uses
  Corporeal Instability.
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 20 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage
  plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the target is
  grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the
  target is restrained, and the target takes 10 (3d6)
  necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
  target. Hit: 36 (4d10 + 14) piercing damage plus 7
  (2d6) acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage
  (essence's choice).
  Corporeal Instability. The essence targets one creature it
  can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed
  on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4d6
  + 8) necrotic damage and become corrupted for 1
  minute.
  A corrupted creature's flesh constantly melts, flows,
  writhes, and boils. The creature has disadvantage on
  attack rolls, its speed is reduced by half, and whenever
  it takes damage, its hit point maximum is reduced by
  an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction
  lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The creature
  dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.
  The corrupted creature can repeat the saving throw at
  the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself
  on a success.
  Discord and Woe (2/Day). One creature within 100
  miles of the essence that the essence is aware of must
  make a DC 24 Wisdom saving throw. A creature
  automatically succeeds if it is immune to being
  charmed. On a failed save, the target must target its
  allies with attacks and other damaging effects for 1
  minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
  success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the
  effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the
  essence's Discord and Woe for the next 24 hours.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  The essence can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
  from the options below. Only one legendary action can
  be used at a time and only at the end of another
  creature's turn. The essence regains spent legendary
  actions at the start of its turn.
  Elemental Burst. The essence targets itself or one
  creature that is currently grappled by it, corrupted by
  it, affected by its Discord and Woe, or affected by
  one of its ongoing spells. Elemental energy bursts
  out from the target, dealing acid, cold, fire, lightning,
  or thunder damage (essence's choice) to those
  caught in the blast. Each creature in a 10-foot-radius
  sphere centered on the target must make a DC 24
  Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) of the
  chosen type on a failed save, or half as much damage
  on a successful one. The essence is immune to this
  damage.
  Fling. One Large or smaller object held or creature
  grappled by the essence is thrown up to 60 feet in a
  random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown
  target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6)
  bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown.
  If the target is thrown at another creature, that
  creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving
  throw or take the same damage and be knocked
  prone.
  Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The essence casts an
  innate spell.
  
  Black Cyst
  Black Cyst
  "A great black ball of impenetrable darkness hangs in the air.
  From the blackness spills a knot of writhing tentacles."
  A black cyst is a monstrous creation of Tharizdun, an
  idiotic servant that exists only to spread the ill-will of the
  Dark God and destroy all living things.
  Strategies and Tactics
  Strategies and Tactics
  A black cyst is aggressive in combat, flying into the thickest
  group of combatants and exposing them to its aura. Once
  positioned, it uses its Entropic Scream to damage as many
  creatures as it can. Over the course of the next few rounds, it
  uses its Multiattack to grapple as many creatures as it can,
  uncaring or unable to distinguish between the types of foes.
  The black cyst reserves its magical abilities for when it has
  taken a significant amount of damage, usually once it is at
  half of its hit points or fewer. It responds by summoning an
  elemental followed on the next round with one of its spells,
  targeted against the creature that dealt it the most damage if
  possible.
  Sample Encounter
  Sample Encounter
  A black cyst is a particularly obscure outsider, virtually
  unknown outside of a few dusty journals penned by occultists
  and lunatics. Black cysts, when encountered, are always
  found in conjunction with powerful priests of Tharizdun or
  one of the mad god's other aspects, namely the Elder
  Elemental Eye. A cult lucky (or unlucky) enough to have the
  service of such a monstrosity may very well bind it into an
  object such as an altar or magic item, while others may mask
  its appearance with a liberal use of illusion spells. Some even
  contain them with walls of force to keep them in reserve
  should their temple fall under attack.
  The Fane of the Dark God (SPL 14): This blasphemous
  temple is constructed of fitted blocks of obsidian that drink in
  light brought inside the unholy sanctum. Violet tapestries
  hang from rails running along the walls near the ceiling,
  while a great black altar riddled with lavender veins
  dominates the center of the room. Haunting the room is a
  black cyst that floats above an illusory ceiling that conceils its
  presence, watching and waiting for enemies.
  Ecology
  Ecology
  The black cyst is an entirely unnatural creature — an
  abomination conjured up from the madness that defines
  Tharizdun's mind. Believed to ooze from the Dark God's
  demiplane prison, black cysts slip free and congregate
  around the shackled color pool marking the entrance to this
  place, awaiting the time when their hideous master is freed.
  Occasionally, black cysts escape to visit horrors on the
  Material, usually, but not always, on behalf of Tharizdun's
  mortal servants.
  Having no need for sustenance doesn't stop these dim
  creatures from hunting. Black cysts seem to take special
  delight from dissolving the flesh of their victims, and when
  they kill a mortal, they set to work liquefying the victim with
  their unspeakable essences in a process that can take hours.
  As the tentacles caress the flesh, the fundamental nature
  seems to unravel, leaving behind a sticky mess of blood, liquid
  flesh, and softened bones. Queerly, this act does not actually
  affect living creatures or creatures animated by negative
  energy; it only works on the inanimate dead.
  Environment: Black cysts are native to the nameless
  demiplane holding Tharizdun. The divine power that
  contains the Dark God seems not to affect the black cysts,
  who can come and go freely if they choose.
  Typical Physical Characteristics: A black cyst looks like a
  massive black ball of darkness. Nothing mars its surface and
  when light falls upon it, it leaves no reflection. From its
  depths, it forms long ropy tentacles that flail about when
  angered. Outside of combat, the tentacles soften and retract,
  oozing back into the perfect orb of its body.
  5
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  Black Cyst
  Black Cyst
  Large aberration (titan), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100)
  Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  23 (+6) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 17 (+3)
  21 (+5)
  Saving Throws Con +10
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning
  Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and
  slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
  frightened, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
  Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages —
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
  Aura of Mind Erosion. Any hostile creature that starts its
  turn within 30 feet of the cyst must make a DC 18
  Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, a creature
  suffers disadvantage on all Wisdom and Charisma
  saving throws until the start of the cyst's next turn.
  Freedom of Movement. The cyst ignores difficult terrain,
  and magical effects can't reduce its speed or cause it to
  be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of movement to
  escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.
  Innate Spellcasting. The cyst's innate spellcasting ability
  is Charisma (spell save DC 18). The cyst can innately
  cast the following spells, requiring no components:
  At will: detect magic, protection from evil and good
  2/day each: confusion, telekinesis
  1/day each: enemies abound, fear
  Psychic Mirror. If the cyst takes psychic damage, each
  creature within 10 feet of the cyst takes that damage
  instead; the cyst takes none of the damage. In addition,
  the cyst's location can't be discerned by magic.
  Unyielding Essence. The cyst is immune to any spell or
  effect that would alter its form, as well as those that
  would read its thoughts, determine if it is lying, or
  magically influence its thoughts or behavior.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The cyst makes three attacks with its
  tentacles. It can also use Entropic Scream if it is
  available.
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus
  7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled
  (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is
  restrained, and the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic
  damage at the start of each of its turns.
  Entropic Scream (Recharge 5-6). The black cyst targets
  any number of creatures that it can see within 30 feet
  of it. Each target must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving
  throw, taking 27 (4d10 + 5) psychic damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If
  the saving throw fails by 5 or more, a target is also
  incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
  Spawn Elemental (Recharge 6). The cyst magically
  summons an air, earth, fire, or water elemental, which
  emerges from the cyst's body and lands in the nearest
  unoccupied space. The elemental is chaotic evil and
  protects the cyst to the best of its ability. The cyst can
  only have one elemental summoned by this ability at a
  time.
  
  Society
  Society
  Black cysts are the nightmares of Tharizdun given form, and,
  as such, they are capricious beings, capable of unprovoked
  and appalling acts of violence. They seem to delight in
  spreading suffering and insanity wherever they go, and some
  even torment other creatures that bend their knee to the
  Dark God. Their dim intellect prevents them from forming
  any sort of lasting community, and their lack of need for
  sustenance gives them little impetus to set aside their wanton
  wickedness to work together overlong. This said, black cysts
  are famous for combining their efforts against greater
  enemies. It's unlikely they do so out of their own tactical
  sense. Likely, it is because of some missive from their master.
  Alignment: As creatures of Tharizdun's creation, black
  cysts are always chaotic evil. They recognize no pacts, no
  alliances, and are as quick to destroy their allies, as they are
  their enemies.
  Black Cysts in Eberron
  Black Cysts in Eberron
  Black cysts are semi-intelligent formations that cling like
  cancerous tumors on the edges of Xoriat. From time to time,
  a few become dislodged during the plane's normal passage
  only to find themselves caught between realities. Black cysts
  search for a way to bind themselves to a new reality and so
  watch for any planar anomalies such as those created by gate
  spells, and then they slip through to the surprise of the caster.
  Black Cysts in Faerûn
  Black Cysts in Faerûn
  Black cysts came to Faerûn with the shades. Native to the
  Shadowfell, these creatures of incomprehensible wickedness
  and depthless evil seek only to spread madness and despair,
  to reduce all living things to decay, and slowly pull the
  Material Plane into the Shadowfell. Luckily, the shades
  brought few of these abominations with them and those that
  have slipped from their control have been destroyed by
  doughty heroes, but rumors persist of more and more of
  these hateful creatures appearing in places beyond Anauroch.
  Black Cyst Lore
  DC Result
  16 This creature is a black cyst, a vile horror born from
  Tharizdun's tortured flesh.
  20 Black cysts are particularly resilient creatures. This
  result reveals its damage resistances and immunities.
  24
  A black cyst is the embodiment of madness and many
  of its attacks affect its foes' minds. Between its Aura
  of Mind Erosion and its various mind-affecting spells,
  to fight one of these things, an adventurer would do
  well to shield their mind somehow.
  28
  Black cysts share their master's elemental eye aspect
  such that they can call forth a random elemental to do
  their bidding, which is usually to ravage its attackers.
  6
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  Giorge Forsworn
  Giorge Forsworn
  Medium humanoid (tiefling), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (plate, shield)
  Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 68)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 19 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +5, Con +8, Int +5, Wis +8,
  Cha +8
  Skills Investigation +5, Perception +8, Sleight of Hand
  +5, Stealth +9, Survival +8
  Damage Resistances fire, psychic
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Common, Deep Speech, Infernal
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its
  damage when Giorge hits with it (included in the
  attack).
  Dark Blessing. Giorge adds his Charisma modifier to his
  saving throws (accounted for in his statistics).
  Improved Critical. Giorge scores a critical hit on a roll of
  19 or 20.
  Inquisition Defier. Giorge is immune to effects that
  allows other creatures to read his thoughts, determine
  whether he is lying, or know his alignment. Additionally,
  Giorge can't be targeted by any divination magic or
  perceived through magical scrying sensors.
  Mortal Hunter. Giorge has advantage on attack rolls
  against any creature he has surprised. Additionally,
  Giorge is invisible to darkvision, and he doesn't suffer
  disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks due to his
  heavy armor.
  Slaughter (1/Turn). If Giorge makes a weapon attack
  with advantage on the attack roll and hits a creature
  with it, the target takes an additional 7 (2d6) psychic
  damage. If the target is frightened, incapacitated, or
  surprised, the attack also becomes a critical hit, and the
  target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw
  or experience short-term madness for 10 minutes.
  Consult the Short-Term Madness table (see "Madness
  Effects" in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide)
  to determine the form of the madness. The affected
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
  minute, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Spellcasting. Giorge is a 13th-level spellcaster. His
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16).
  Giorge has the following spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): absorb elements, detect magic,
  hunter's mark
  2nd level (3 slots): silence, spike growth, zone of truth
  3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic, fear
  4th level (1 slot): banishment, freedom of movement
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Giorge makes three melee attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) damage, or 15 (2d10 + 4)
  damage if used with both hands, plus 7 (2d6) psychic
  damage.
  Vile Touch (Recharge 5–6). Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit,
  reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: The target suffers
  disadvantage on all saving throws until the end of
  Giorge's next turn.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Insane Defiance. In response to being targeted by an
  effect that would magically influence his mind, Giorge
  can retarget the effect to another creature of his
  choice, other than the caster or source of the ability,
  within the effect's range.
  
  Giorge Forsworn
  Giorge Forsworn
  Formerly a bold adventurer and member of the Green Horn
  Adventuring Troupe, Giorge Forsworn fell from grace and is
  now a corrupted and insane villain, bent on spreading death
  and destruction in the blasphemous name of his despicable
  master. Forged anew by the filthy touch of the elder evil
  named Shothragot, violent images contaminate his mind and
  drive him to commit unspeakable acts of grisly murder. A
  disturbing villain, he prowls the lands in search of those he
  deems as marked for death and puts them to the sword.
  The Green Horn Adventuring Troupe challenged the Crater
  Ridge Mines and were found wanting. After their priest fell, the
  kuo-toans swarmed them, ruthless in their tactics and filled
  with religious fervor and unreasoning hatred. One by one, the
  heroes fell, the flesh of their bodies flung up in the orgy of
  violence, trailing ropes of dark blood to the sounds of their
  screams. It was too much for the ranger named Giorge, and he
  set aside his courage and fled into the black tunnels.
   Cursing with every step, begging his feet to turn around so
  he might save his friends, his body denied him for the fear had
  a grip on his heart and there was no turning back. So he ran.
  He ran for what might have been minutes but felt like days and
  in his panic, he lost track of where he was, losing himself in
  the bleak corridors and the rusting rails of the accursed mines.
  When his breath came in hitches and the pain in his side
  forced him to stop, he collapsed, tears pouring from his eyes,
  little sobs escaping from his dry and cracked lips. He knew he
  would die. The sounds of his pursuers were close. Too close.
   He drew his short sword, thumbing the edge of the blade as
  he fought for control over himself. He was about to stand —
  to make his final desperate attempt to kill his foes — when
  something wet and black and awful curled around his ankle. It
  jerked him into the cloying darkness of the mine's endless
  shadows before he even had a chance to scream.
  Background
  Background
  When the Green Hand Adventuring Troupe learned that the
  cult of the Elder Elemental Eye was once more active in the
  area, they stormed the Crater Ridge Mines, searching for a
  way to breach the crater's interior and besiege the temple
  itself. In spite of early successes, they move too swiftly and
  eventually found themselves overrun and slaughtered by kuo-
  toan cultists. One among them survived, though: a ranger
  named Giorge.
  Fleeing through the tunnels, he eventually became lost and
  stumbled into a chamber containing a great abomination, a
  fragment of Tharizdun's personality severed at the time of his
  imprisonment. Giorge's sudden arrival and the approach of
  more fishfolk hunters caused the great horror to awaken and
  snatch Giorge, plunging the mortal into the thickened waters
  contaminated by its rot. Beneath the churning surface, the
  entity known as Shothragot infested Giorge's mind, rent his
  spirit, and seized his body, transforming it into something
  else entirely.
  The elder evil awakened a trace of fiendish blood that lay
  dormant in the broken ranger, causing him to become a
  tiefling. The severe agony of transformation shattered
  Giorge's mind, and when he was spit out upon the shores, he
  gibbered like an idiot, shrieking and laughing by turns for
  days on end. But the thing in the pool was not through with
  its first disciple.
  Shothragot swelled out from the pool's depths and
  instructed Giorge to go forth to spread the news of its
  coming, and also to find and destroy its enemies. The new
  champion had no choice but to agree since Shothragot
  possessed his soul. And so he went out into the world,
  scouring the lands through which he traveled for those he
  perceived as threats and for those marked by his god as being
  chosen to die. When he finds them, he does as he has been
  commanded. He kills.
  Goals
  Goals
  The experience in the Crater Ridge Mines left Giorge
  Forsworn changed in body and mind. The physical changes,
  while profound, compared little to the evil filling the vessel of
  his soul. The entity in the shadowy cave filled his mind with
  disturbing visions of apocalypse and planted instructions that
  grew and thrived in the haunted corridors of his thoughts.
  Now when he draws close to an individual Shothragot deems
  a threat — no matter how minor — Giorge sees a fiery glyph
  burning on her brow. This sigil marks those Giorge must kill
  even though each murder pained him, reducing him to tears
  for he knew in his heart that what he did was wrong. But
  Giorge serves because nothing else is permitted to him —
  nothing beyond furthering his master's ambitions, and no
  doubt — no hesitation — will ever stop him from fulfilling his
  profane duty.
  Using Giorge Forsworn
  Using Giorge Forsworn
  Giorge Forsworn is insane. He is a villain in his own right, but
  he is also a servant of an elder evil. Shothragot has a
  penchant for remaking mortals into useful servants, bending
  their bodies and minds to become fitting tools for use in its
  own agenda of freeing Tharizdun. Giorge, then, is an
  extension of the elder evil's will. He travels endlessly, moving
  through the lands, always watching and searching for those
  marked for death. He is a reluctant servant, haunted by the
  memories of his life before the touch of evil, and he despairs
  about his fate. Even the company of a beautiful nymph is not
  enough to drag him from his melancholic thoughts, though
  she uses every trick she can to distract him from his
  suffering.
  Regardless of his detestation for his work, he cannot stop
  himself. He must do as his master commands and he has no
  concept of sparing his victims. Therefore, in spite of his
  reluctance, Giorge is a foul adversary that strikes seemingly
  at random. In one village, he might slaughter an entire family
  of peasants, and in the next, he may burn down a temple of
  St. Cuthbert. Even he has no idea why his targets are
  selected. He only knows that they are.
  Forsworn in Faerûn
  Forsworn in Faerûn
  Giorge Forsworn discovered Shothragot imprisoned deep
  within the Undermountain. Much of his murders are confined
  to the city of Waterdeep above the elder evil, but Giorge has
  blood from all across the Sword Coast on his hands.
  Forsworn in Eberron
  Forsworn in Eberron
  The Green Horn Adventuring Party was destroyed in the
  Khyber beneath Sharn, and Giorge stumbled into an ancient
  temple that contained the essence of a powerful daelkyr.
  Releasing the abomination in a botched attempt to hide from
  his pursuers, Giorge saw the entity tear free and then was
  remade by it into a brutal killing machine. As the entity builds
  its power in the dark tunnels, it sends Giorge to Sharn to
  retrieve victims for sacrifice or for remaking — as the entity
  capriciously decides.
  Description
  Description
  Giorge stands just under 6 feet tall. He has a muscular frame
  and chiseled features, and from afar, he might even pass for
  human. Anything more than a glance reveals the truth of his
  blood, for his skin is deep blue mottled with purple spots and
  strange whorls of scarred flesh. In the palm of each hand
  snarls a wet and dripping mouth, while a nest of writhing
  tentacles ending in pink tongues lashes out from his navel.
  He conceals his monstrous appearance beneath a suit of
  purple full plate emblazoned with the same symbols
  decorating his body. His helmet is a terrifying thing, wrought
  to resemble the fusion of countless faces twisted with agony,
  the flesh of one spilling into another. So lifelike are the
  visages, they seem to move, crying out for mercy, even as
  Giorge sets to complete his grisly task.
  "I'm so sorry... sorry... it hurts, doesn't it. I'm trying to make
  this quick. S... s... so sorry!"
  — Giorge Forsworn
  7
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  Mask
  Mask
  "She is my rock, my foundation, and I cling to her as I travel
  the bleak roads of my destiny." — Giorge Forsworn
  Mask is a corrupted alseid nymph, a fey warped by the filthy
  embrace of Shothragot and given to Giorge Forsworn as a
  helper, lover, and slave. She aids Giorge by locating his
  victims, but more importantly, she goads him to more and
  more acts of appalling violence. Her intoxicating beauty and
  her hold over his heart threaten to kill the last vestiges of his
  humanity.
  Background
  Background
  Upon remaking Giorge Forsworn, Shothragot spread its
  malign influence through the land, sliding down the rocky
  slopes of the Crater Ridge and infesting the forests,
  corrupting the waters, and warping the sylvan denizens in the
  surrounding environs. One of the first creatures bent to its
  will was a young nymph. When it found her, Shothragot filled
  her with unspeakable essence of its filth until she too became
  a creature of wickedness, joining the others who were in the
  thing's thrall.
  The elder evil then gave the nymph to Giorge Forsworn as
  a tool and gift to reward his mortal hunter for his constant
  service. Secretly, though, Shothragot suspected a part of his
  champion clung to his mortality and so it used Mask to
  ensure Giorge would not abandon Shothragot's purpose.
  Goals
  Goals
  Outrage fills Mask. Her contamination leaves her a wretched
  thing and she expresses her wickedness with incomparable
  cruelty. Her principal objective is to ensure Giorge remains
  true to Shothragot and continues his work to murder anyone
  who would rise against Shothragot as the evil struggles to
  reunite with his divine form. However, while attending to
  Giorge, she takes every opportunity to kill and maim, adding
  to the horror Giorge creates as he goes about his bloody
  business. Though she cannot conceive of turning her hatred
  against the Forsworn or some other minion of the elder evil,
  the rage still holds her heart. Thus, she unleashes her anger
  on innocents, delighting as her woody claws rend their flesh,
  savoring the delicate morsels as she dissects them alive,
  while they writhe in the exquisite ecstasy of her uncanny
  beauty.
  Using Mask
  Using Mask
  Mask is a horrific minion — a monstrous villain every bit as
  twisted and evil as Giorge Forsworn. She is obedient to the
  tiefling, but bends his instructions to give her the greatest
  freedom to harm and torment those she encounters. She
  accompanies Giorge on his missions, supporting him with a
  variety of spells and supernatural abilities she acquired from
  her filthy pact with Shothragot.
  Although Mask has a wide range of combat capabilities,
  her true strengths rest on her ability as a spy. Many of her
  capabilities are suited for information gathering, and thus she
  spends much of her time watching for her lover.
  8
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  Mask
  Mask
  Medium fey, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  12 (+1) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +7, Cha +9
  Skills Deception +9, Nature +7, Perception +7,
  Persuasion +9, Stealth +8
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Common, Deep Speech, Druidic, Primordial,
  Sylvan
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Hide in the Shadows. While in dim light or darkness,
  Mask has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made
  to hide.
  Innate Spellcasting. Mask's innate spellcasting ability is
  Charisma (spell save DC 17). She can innately cast the
  following spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: detect magic, find familiar, invisibility (self
  only), spare the dying
  3/day each: cure wounds, entangle, lesser restoration,
  suggestion
  2/day each: blight, cloudkill, locate creature, protection
  from energy
  1/day each: greater restoration, pass without trace,
  scrying
  Inquisition Defier. Mask is immune to effects that allows
  other creatures to read her thoughts, determine
  whether she is lying, or know her alignment.
  Additionally, Mask can't be targeted by any divination
  magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors.
  Magic Resistance. Mask has advantage on saving throws
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Nimble Escape. Mask can take the Disengage or Hide
  action as a bonus action on each of her turns.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Mask makes two claw attacks. She can then
  use Twisting Words, or Stunning Glance if it is available.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing
  damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
  Twisting Words. Mask targets one creature she can see
  within 60 feet of her. If the target can hear and
  understand her, it must succeed on a DC 17 Charisma
  saving throw or become charmed for 1 minute. The
  charmed target can repeat the saving throw if Mask
  deals any damage to it. A creature that succeeds on the
  saving throw is immune to Mask's Twisting Words for
  24 hours.
  If the target is already charmed by Mask, Mask can
  force it to make another DC 17 Charisma saving throw.
  On a failed save, Mask can decide where it moves on its
  next turn.
  Stunning Glance (Recharge 5–6). Mask targets one
  creature she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target
  can see Mask, it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom
  saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next
  turn.
  
  Description
  Description
  The transformation left Mask's physical beauty largely intact,
  but destroyed her soul. She possesses a sleek body, alluring
  and athletic, and black hair tumbles down from her head.
  Beneath a queer mask, one can see brilliant blue eyes that
  flash with incredible power. A long, black cloak hangs from
  her shoulders providing some covering for her scantily clad
  body. The only unsettling thing about her physical form is
  that she has bundles of animated twigs, twisting and clawing,
  where her hands ought to be. Although monstrous in
  appearance, these claws retain the flexibility and use of
  normal hands.
  Jallarzi Sallavarian
  Jallarzi Sallavarian
  Jallarzi was an archmage and a member of the Circle of the
  Eight. She set off to the Forgotten City to uncover more about
  the Seal of Binding and and its possible connection to
  Tharizdun, but she has been gone for a concerning amount of
  time, and all attempts to magically contact her have failed.
  In the Forgotten City, Jallarzi discovered a supposedly
  inactive temple dedicated to Tharizdun. It was there that
  Jallarzi uncovered a magical ritual that draws upon the power
  of the Dark God to enhance a user's arcane magic. Perhaps
  Jallarzi was tempted by the allure of this amazing power, or
  maybe she was arrogant enough to believe she could wield
  this power without being corrupted by the Dark God. Maybe
  her mind was weakened by the unholy power radiating
  throughout the temple. In any case, Jallarzi performed this
  foul ritual, transforming herself into a star spawn seer and a
  servant of Tharizdun.
  Combat
  Combat
  Between the space-warping abilities granted to her as a star
  spawn seer, the wizard spells she knew before her
  transformation, and the new spell options granted to her by
  the transformation ritual, Jallarzi has a wide variety of options
  that can be used in combat. While she might use the
  invisibility spell as part of an ambush, Jallarzi prefers using
  her spells to directly harm or debilitate her foes, and relies on
  her defensive abilities to keep her alive, rather than trickery
  or illusions. That said, the Seal of Binding's interference with
  Jallarzi's teleportation abilities force her to only use them in
  desperate situations. Jallarzi and her minions refuse to
  retreat and fight to the death.
  Jallarzi leads a group of star spawn grues, manglers, and
  hulks. Many of these minions were summoned as a part of
  the ritual that transformed Jallarzi into an aberration, but
  perhaps some of them were already lurking in the Forgotten
  City beforehand.
  9
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  Jallarzi Sallavarian
  Jallarzi Sallavarian
  Medium aberration, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 130 (20d8 + 40)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 22 (+6) 16 (+3) 18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +11, Wis +8, Cha +9
  Skills Arcana +16, History +16, Intimidation +9,
  Investigation +11, Religion +11
  Damage Resistances damage from spells; bludgeoning,
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities cold, psychic
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Celestial, Common, Deep Speech,
  Primordial, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
  Commander of Evil. Jallarzi can utter a special command
  or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that she can
  see within 30 feet of her makes an attack roll or a
  saving throw (no reaction required). The creature can
  add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand
  Jallarzi. This trait doesn't function while Jallarzi is
  incapacitated.
  Dark Knowledge. After Jallarzi makes an attack roll,
  ability check, or saving throw, but before the outcome
  is determined, an additional d20 can be rolled. Jallarzi
  chooses which of the d20s rolled is used to determine
  the outcome. When she does so, she takes 12 (5d4)
  necrotic damage, which can't be reduced or prevented
  in any way.
  Magic Resistance. Jallarzi has advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Out-of-Phase Movement. Jallarzi can move through
  other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
  terrain. Each creature she moves through takes 5
  (1d10) psychic damage; no creature can take this
  damage more than once per turn. Jallarzi takes 5 (1d10)
  force damage if she ends her turn inside an object.
  Spellcasting. Jallarzi is an 18th-level spellcaster. Her
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19,
  +11 to hit with spell attacks). She can cast darkness,
  fear, and misty step at will and has the following spells
  prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, light, mage hand,
  prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): armor of Agathys, detect magic,
  inflict wounds, magic missile
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, mirror
  image
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, enemies abound,
  lightning bolt
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, fire shield, wall of fire
  5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, telekinesis
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
  7th level (1 slot): delayed blast fireball, divine word
  8th level (1 slot): earthquake, feeblemind
  9th level (1 slot): power word kill
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Jallarzi makes two comet staff attacks.
  Comet Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage
  plus 18 (4d8) psychic damage, or 10 (1d8 + 6)
  bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) psychic damage if
  used with two hands, and the target must succeed on a
  DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated
  until the end of its next turn.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Bend Space. When Jallarzi would be hit by an attack, she
  teleports, exchanging positions with another star
  spawn she can see within 60 feet of her. The other star
  spawn is hit by the attack instead.
  Blessing of Tharizdun. When Jallarzi takes damage, she
  can force each hostile creature within 10 feet of her to
  make a DC 19 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed
  save, a creature takes half the damage Jallarzi took as
  psychic damage.
  
  The Essence of Evil
  The Essence of Evil
  "...And in the last days, the sleep of a thousand years shall
  end when the herald appears, blotting out the sun in all its
  awesome glory. Its shuddering bulk shall sound the trumpets
  of destiny, those clarion calls to bring forth He Who Waits,
  the Dark God, the Wrongly Held. The 333 jewels that contain
  the dread master shall shatter, and the world shall tremble,
  wailing and clawing, begging their petty gods for escape from
  the wondrous return of the Unraveler, whose appearance
  shall set to right all wrongs, restore all balance, and reduce
  the abomination of creation to its primal, primitive state.
  Rejoice, for the end is at hand..."
  "The Essence of Evil" is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure
  designed for four to six 20th-level characters. "The Essence
  of Evil" is designed to be the conclusion of a long campaign—
  a capstone to an excellent series of adventures. The plot is
  broadly sketched to allow Dungeon Masters to link it to
  nearly any campaign in any campaign setting. Alternatively,
  this adventure can make for a brutal stand-alone scenario,
  allowing players and DMs a deadly scenario to explore high-
  level games.
  What You Need to Play
  What You Need to Play
  In addition to the 5th edition Player's Handbook, Dungeon
  Master's Guide, and Monster Manual, this conversion
  references monsters found in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.
  Beyond that, this document provides you with any new
  monsters, items, and content needed to run the adventure.
  Preparation
  Preparation
  "The Essence of Evil" is an unusual adventure in that it
  leaves much of what has come before to the DM to design.
  Suggestions and ideas are included here, but how this
  adventure site fits into your campaign is entirely at your
  discretion. You could, for instance, start at the dungeon's
  "doorstep", sending the party into a harrowing descent into
  madness and appalling evil, or you could seed the adventure
  background into an ongoing campaign to foreshadow the
  events described in these pages. Whatever you decide, this
  adventure will be a challenge, and its outcome could have
  lasting effects on your campaign setting, as is fitting for any
  scenario featuring an elder evil as the principle villain.
  This adventure is designed for experienced DMs. It is a
  difficulty foray, featuring numerous monsters and adversaries
  with a broad range of abilities, in deadly environments, and
  with the fate of your campaign setting at stake. You could
  downplay any of these elements, altering the nature of the
  elder evil and recast the adventure to have less impact on
  your world. You can swap out monsters for those you feel
  have a stronger connection to your personal campaign
  setting, or even discard the adventure entirely and pull the
  creatures out to populate a dungeon of your own design.
  However you use this adventure, "The Essence of Evil" is
  bound to take your players to the brink and test their skills
  and abilities in ways they've never been tested before.
  Adventure Background
  Adventure Background
  Few names strike as much fear as the dreaded Tharizdun.
  The Dark God has many names, looming large in the minds
  of every sentient race to walk the Material Plane. He is
  known as the Patient One, He of Eternal Darkness, while
  others call him the Elder Elemental Eye, the Ebon God, or by
  any of countless other appellations. All of these are masks—
  facades to conceal utter malevolence and evil. A god so
  powerful and so destructive, his mere existence compelled
  the gods of good and evil to set aside their differences and
  lock him away for all time. This is Tharizdun, the lord of
  entropy, the force of decay and destruction in the multiverse.
  He is the god of madness, the father of endings, and to some,
  he is the sire of elder evils.
  In spite of the gods' efforts to contain this malign entity,
  Tharizdun's touch has not been far from mortal minds. In
  their dreams, their fantasies, their feverish thoughts, he
  whispers unspeakable secrets, driving mad those who would
  listen, seducing them with promises of power, wealth, the
  fulfillment of their lust, vengeance, and anything else he can
  to fill their souls with an unquenchable thirst to serve his
  awful will. He puts before his servants one dreadful task. He
  demands freedom—release from the hateful bonds that
  contain him in the far-flung prison deep inside the gloomiest
  depths of the Ethereal Plane. It is a task many have promised
  to fulfill but none have achieved, for the enemies of the Dark
  God are many and varied, drawn to oppose the certain
  destruction his release threatens. So it is that history is
  littered with corpses of Tharizdun's failed servants, of bold
  cultists cast down, and of entire civilizations brought to ruin
  for their allegiance to this foul master. To many, it seems
  Tharizdun is a tired threat, an old menace easily thwarted
  and one not worth committing the resources and heroes to
  defeat, for too often his minions find defeat. While some still
  remain committed to being vigilant against Tharizdun's
  endless legions, the cancer spreads and complacency blooms
  in the hearts of those that matter. It is but a matter of time
  before the world becomes too soft—too weak—to oppose him
  and his children, and that time is now.
  Deep beneath a forlorn volcano, long dormant but active
  with the servants of the Elder Elemental Eye, lays a dreadful
  thing—a fragment of He of Eternal Darkness brought low
  ages ago by powerful magic. For centuries, the abomination
  has waited, growing fat on the prayers of those mortal above
  that gave their lives and those of their sacrifices to honor
  their insane master. Never content with such petty
  supplications, the entity divided its minions into factions and
  turned them against one another, compelling them to fight
  and murder, to harvest the souls of their brethren in evil.
  Each new death fed the elder evil, awakening a dire
  intelligence and a grim awareness until it took a name and
  found its purpose. It became Shothragot, the Herald of
  Tharizdun and the key to unlock the dread prison.
  As it stirred and trembled, it called upon awful servants to
  slaughter those remaining enemies, to winnow the ranks of
  those divine servants who would stand against it as it
  blossomed into the fullness of its horrid form. It assumed
  control over the scattered cultists, compelling them to seek
  out the keys that would unlock the dark god's prison, to find
  the 333 Gems of Tharizdun and return them to it so the
  Herald might consume them and grow powerful on their
  energies. For eight long years, the Herald feasted, growing fat
  on the burgeoning wickedness, greedily swallowing the
  stones as quickly as they arrived. The last gemstone devoured,
  Shothragot is ready to seek out its dread master. It tears free
  from its hidden redoubt and drifts into the heavens to make
  its final journey.
  Adventure Synopsis
  Adventure Synopsis
  Shothragot's sign of apocalypse is at full strength and the
  land shudders under the weight of the elder evil and its
  progress. Since Shothragot's agents murdered or imprisoned
  most other would-be champions and heroes, it falls to the
  player characters to attend to this apocalyptic threat. Fighting
  the elder evil itself is impossible since it is too big and too
  resilient to be destroyed from outside. Instead, the heroes
  must journey inside the elder evil, seek out its essence, and
  destroy it.
  A number of complications combine to make this task
  extraordinarily difficult. First, there's the matter of reaching
  the elder evil. Certainly, characters of this level should have
  means to reach the mass by means of a fly spell, but note that
  so long as the glyph continues to burn in the heavens,
  teleportation spells automatically fail. Once the characters
  reach the elder evil, they have to find a way inside.
  10
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  Within, the player characters learn there is no way to reach
  the essence of Shothragot due to a sealed portal that, thanks
  to the glyph, no longer functions and blocks the passage.
  Diminishing the glyph is possible if the characters destroy all
  of the Gems of Tharizdun (see area 4). This causes the glyph
  to recede and gives the party the chance to jump through the
  portal at area 6 to face the essence in area 22. Unfortunately,
  weakening the glyph also enables the elder evil to slip free
  from the Material Plane. Once there, the party must
  overcome the essence before it reaches Tharizdun's prison
  plane.
  A better solution is to find the torch of revealing and the
  incense of dreaming (found in area 18). If the adventurers
  bring the lit torch to the portal, the light it radiates opens the
  portal and allows the party to slip through without releasing
  the elder evil.
  What the Party Knows
  What the Party Knows
  As an elder evil, Shothragot's appearance in the world
  triggers the appearance of a sign of the apocalypse, a potent
  sigil that warns mortals of the impending doom. In the case
  of this abomination, the sign is of divine origin, a seal to
  contain the wickedness of this appalling entity and prevent its
  reunion with Tharizdun.
  Undoubtedly, the player characters as wellas countless
  others, have felt the sign intensify, catching sight of its
  manifestation, first in subtle ways, but growing more
  powerful as Shothragot grows in power. The Herald's
  particular sign manifests as the Seal of Binding, a strange
  glyph that spreads across the heavens to interfere with
  conjuration magic. For details on the sign's full effects, see
  page 2 of this document. At the start of The Essence of Evil,
  Shothragot's sign is at Overwhelming strength. If you intend
  to run this adventure as the conclusion of your campaign,
  consider revealing the sign earlier to signal the approaching
  doom.
  Since noticing something is wrong is unavoidable, the
  player characters should have plenty of opportunity to
  research the sign's implications and associations and perhaps
  learn something more of Tharizdun in the process.
  Regardless of the party's preparations, the full weight of the
  threat reveals itself when Shothragot tears free from the
  Crater Ridge Mines and drifts into the sky toward the glyph
  burning in the heavens. Whatever the thing is, it aims to
  reach the fiery sign, and who can say what will happen when
  it reaches it?
  What the Party Doesn't Know
  What the Party Doesn't Know
  Bloated on the Gems of Tharizdun, the elder evil is ready to
  make its journey. However, it is contained by the fiery glyph in
  the heavens. As long as it remains, it cannot leave the
  Material Plane. Thus, the elder evil commands its servant
  Lareth the Beautiful to destroy the Gems it has swallowed,
  but the cleric is reluctant for it knows guardians protect the
  stones and he fears he lacks the power to destroy them. Thus
  the elder evil hovers until its servant finds the courage to do
  as he is bid.
  Another complication is that as the elder evil grew, it
  attracted the noisome attention of all manner of fiends.
  Demons, elementals, and corrupted abominations have
  burrowed into its form, some to worship it, others to
  accompany it as it makes its passage into the Ethereal Plane.
  If the elder evil cares, it shows no sign and seems content to
  let the parasites exist for now.
  Adventure Hooks
  Adventure Hooks
  The party can become involved in this adventure in a number
  of ways.
  Sudden Appearance. The elder evil tears free from the
  earth in an enormous explosion that causes earthquakes and
  tidalwaves, and that also vomits up plumes of dust and debris
  into the atmosphere. Following the event, the elder evil
  appears in the sky, slowing climbing toward the fiery glyph
  that now spreads across the heavens as if it were some
  incredible world-spanning eldritch shield. As a result of the
  heavenly phenomena, magic is damaged, spells fail, and other,
  subtler effects take hold, plunging the world into turmoil. It
  falls to the party to fight this potent menace and put to right
  the world by eliminating it.
  Impending Doom. Forages, prophets and mystics have
  foretold a coming calamity—warned all who would listen that
  the end was nigh. No one believed them until the skies
  ignited with flames and magic unraveled. As the sign
  intensified, the earth swelled and gradually there emerged a
  massive ball of darkness. The various churches and temples
  declared war on the thing, knowing the end of all things was
  at hand. The characters, along with others, are recruited to
  fight this menace. Tragically, all attempts to defeat the
  monstrosity have failed, leaving it to one final band of heroes
  to set things aright.
  Planar Catastrophe. Shothragot emerges from the land
  on an alternate Material Plane only to be cast out by powerful
  magic, shunted into the Shadowfell. Drifting through the
  endless darkness and leaving a swathe of destruction in its
  wake, it finally emerges into the party's Material Plane. When
  it does, it tears a hole in reality, bringing with it a tide of
  horror. Legions of twisted shadow creatures spread like black
  ink across the land. While the people rally to fight back the
  hordes, the elder evil rages in the heavens sowing destruction
  wherever it goes. It's believed that if someone can destroy the
  abomination, the fiery glyph will vanish and allow the gods to
  lend their aid to fighting the shadowy hordes.
  Setting-Specific Information
  Setting-Specific Information
  Although the elder evil described in this adventure has overt
  connections to Tharizdun, a major and enduring threat in the
  Greyhawk campaign setting, you can easily adapt this
  scenario for use with a variety of other game settings.
  Forgotten Realms
  Forgotten Realms
  In the Forgotten Realms, Shothragot is the Herald of
  Ghaunadaur. Created to wipe out mortal worshipers of his
  enemy gods, the Elder Eye uses the Herald to distract the
  gods while he mounts an offensive against his rivals. Using
  the power he steals from his defeated enemies, he plans to
  cast down Ao and seize the multiverse and the secrets of
  creation for himself. The party must stop the Herald before
  Ghaunadaur can make his move.
  Eberron
  Eberron
  Forged by a powerful and nearly forgotten daelkyr warlord,
  Shothragot lays in wait for the moment its master calls.
  When foul agents of evil descend into the Khyber, they
  uncover Shothragot's resting place and awaken the
  abomination. Tearing loose from the ground, the elder evil
  intends to breach the bounds of reality and bring forth the
  Realm of Madness fully into the mortal realm.
  Dragonlance
  Dragonlance
  Having been stirred to consciousness during the War of
  Souls, the Herald erupts from the soil to escape the Material
  Plane and seek out its maker, a fragment of Chaos locked
  inside the mysterious Void.
  Demiplane of Dread
  Demiplane of Dread
  Shothragot has torn free from a Material Plane, destroying it
  and everyone in it. As it drifts through the Ethereal Plane, the
  mists of the Demiplane of Dread ensnare it and draw it and
  all of its wickedness within the boundaries of the horrific
  plane. Shothragot cackles with glee as the Domain Lords vie
  and wage war against one another in the effort to claim the
  elder evil for themselves.
  Mystara
  Mystara
  Spawned by the united will of the Outer Beings, Shothragot
  instead emerges from the Nightmare Dimension intent on
  raining death and destruction upon the world. As it passes
  over the lands, it births countless abominations, seeding the
  world with creations born from the diseased minds of
  inexplicable forces of chaos and entropy.
  Dark Sun
  Dark Sun
  Believed to be a sentient fragment of the force responsible for
  the Dead Lands, the horror is born in a torrent of unleashed
  destruction. Rather than flying through the heavens,
  Shothragot spreads across the land, pulling itself along with
  its inky tentacles. Like spilled ink, what little life that remains
  on Athas is now in jeopardy unless bold heroes can stop the
  elder evil before it's too late.
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  Birthright
  Birthright
  The Cold Rider awakens Shothragot in the hopes of using it
  to restore its former power and might, to regain the mantle of
  Azrai, the dark god. The elder evil drifts into the heavens to
  pierce the Evanescence and merge the Material Plane with
  the Shadow World, while the Cold Rider provokes its bestial
  servants to wage war across the lands in preparation for the
  dreadful event that could plunge this war-torn world into ruin.
  Exandria
  Exandria
  Created by power of the Divine Gate, the Seal of Binding is
  used to prevent Shothragot from reuniting with Tharizdun.
  Seeking to free its master, Shothragot will attempt to shatter
  all six of the divine shackles that chain Tharizdun down at
  the bottom of the Abyss, allowing the Chained Oblivion to
  destroy the Divine Gate and to bring about the Epoch of
  Ends.
  Spiral of the Dark God
  Spiral of the Dark God
  Drifting in the heavens is a great ball of roiling darkness, an
  uncertain orb that shudders and writhes, belching forth its
  corruption to wash over the land. Horrid creatures fly about
  the mass, shrieking and gibbering in celebration of the
  Herald's passage. As it ascends, ever so slowly, the light of the
  fiery glyph shines in the heavens, intricately carved as if by
  the hands of the gods themselves.
  Key Features
  Key Features
  The elder evil's interior is a shuddering network of living
  tunnels, dripping passages filled with noxious fumes and
  beads of acid sweat oozing from the porous walls. The air is
  laden with the stench of rot and decay, and coarse hair
  reaches out to snatch those that pass by. Each chamber is a
  new vista of horror, twisted and corrupt, born from
  Tharizdun's insane mind.
  Ceilings: Passages and chambers are usually as tall as
  they are wide.
  Floors: Unless otherwise mentioned, all terrain in this
  dungeon is filled with animated hairs that reach up and coil
  about the legs of people exploring the tunnels. These hairs
  reduce a creature's walking speed by 10 feet, which is applied
  after any difficult terrain.
  Walls: The walls of the complex are made from
  particularly tough flesh. The walls are immune to all damage.
  If a creature scores a critical hit against a 10-foot section of
  the wall with an attack, the section ruptures, and each
  creature within 30 feet of the wall take 35 (10d6) acid
  damage. The rupture clots and seals after 1 round.
  Lighting: The entire place is dark—so dark it even mutes
  light sources brought inside. All sources of bright light
  become dim light, and all sources of dim light effectively
  cease to function. Characters with darkvision can see as
  normal.
  Sounds: The elder evil's form is alive with noise; there's
  always some groaning sound, some distant shriek, or a deep
  and rumbling chuckle, as if the characters amused the place.
  Any Wisdom (Perception) check that relies on hearing has
  disadvantage.
  Defenses
  Defenses
  The elder evil is infested with creatures—dreadful beings
  trapped in the Material Plane because of its presence or
  horrors hoping to curry favor with the Dark God. The party is
  not in danger of encountering wandering monsters, but
  whenever they initiate an encounter that isn't in area 21,
  there is a 10% chance that Shothragot itself will respond
  excitedly to the violence. Should this occur, a portion of the
  wall somewhere in the room bulges as a black tumescent
  tumor forms. After 1 round, the tumor splits open in a torrent
  of caustic fluids, dealing 14 (4d6) acid damage to each
  creature within 20 feet of it. Following the vile fluid is a black
  cyst (page 5), an awful servitor of Shothragot. The newly
  created abomination attacks the closest creatures each round
  until it senses no other creatures near it. Once created, a
  black cyst remains until destroyed.
  Feel free to use this spawning mechanism as a balancing
  lever for these encounters. If you find that the party is having
  too easy of a time in an encounter, you can simply cause a
  black cyst to spawn, making the fight more difficult.
  Magic Items
  Magic Items
  This section gives descriptions for the important items
  presented in this adventure.
  Gem of Tharizdun
  Gem of Tharizdun
  Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement)
  When Tharizdun was chained in his prison, sealed away for
  eternity, his last act was to contain fragments of his essence
  in 333 black gemstones that would enable his scions and
  servitors to unlock the shackles that bind him. Each gem is a
  fist-sized rock resembling obsidian, but queerly translucent if
  held to the light.
  Each gem has an AC of 20, 10 hit points, vulnerability to
  radiant damage, and immunity to necrotic, poison, and
  psychic damage.
  Most believe these gems to be simple baubles or props
  used by mad clerics in their rituals, but in truth, these items
  grant access to great power. You gain the following benefits
  (and drawbacks) while you are attuned to one of these
  gemstones and have it on your person.
  Unholy Symbol. You can use the stone as a spellcasting
  focus.
  Veil of Darkness. You have advantage on all saving
  throws.
  Impose Will. You can use your action to cast the dominate
  monster spell (save DC 20). Once used, this property can't be
  used again until the next dawn.
  Curse. Unfortunately, these stones are also infused with
  the raw essence of the Dark God, and those who carry these
  items soon feel the weight of their power in the form of
  madness and physical corruption.
  Whenever you roll a 1 or 2 on the d20 when making an
  attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you take 21 (6d6)
  psychic damage, which can't be reduced or prevented in any
  way. You must then make a DC 20 Charisma saving throw
  with disadvantage. On a failed save, your alignment changes
  to chaotic evil. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, it also
  suffers one level of exhaustion.
  After finishing a long rest, you can make another DC 20
  Charisma saving throw with disadvantage. On a successful
  save, the alignment change ends. On a failed save, you suffer
  one level of exhaustion.
  Incense of Dreaming
  Incense of Dreaming
  Wondrous item, very rare
  This cone-shaped block of incense gives off a spicy and
  unpleasant aroma.
  When you burn incense of dreaming in a torch of revealing, it
  causes that torch to chase away the gloom found in temples
  and shrines dedicated to the Dark God and also reveals
  magically hidden items and features of these locations.
  Burning this incense outside of the torch produces no effects.
  The secret of manufacturing this incense has long since
  been lost to the world.
  Purple Robe of Tharizdun
  Purple Robe of Tharizdun
  Wondrous item, very rare
  This purple robe has a pointed hood and long sleeves that
  extend past the hands by at least 6 inches or more.
  The purple robe of Tharizdun protects you from the magical
  cold peculiar to temples dedicated to the Dark God. It has no
  other function.
  The secret of manufacturing these robes has long since
  been lost to the world.
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  Torch of Revealing
  Torch of Revealing
  Wondrous item, very rare
  This black iron torch has a cupped head.
  When you place incense of dreaming into the cup and light it,
  the torch of revealing casts bright violet light in a 20-foot
  radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet for 1 hour. This
  light fills the air with a dreadful chill.
  These torches have a specific purpose: the revelation of
  specific, magically hidden objects within temples and shrines
  devoted to Tharizdun.
  The secret of manufacturing these torches has long since
  been lost to the world.
  Encounter Areas
  Encounter Areas
  The following locations correspond to those indicated on the
  dungeon map above.
  1. Suppurating Valves
  1. Suppurating Valves
  The elder evil's body floats above the surface of the world. Its
  altitude depends on how long it takes the party to reach it.
  For each day after its first appearance, it ascends 500 feet.
  When the characters come within 100 feet of the elder evil,
  read:
  The massive, spinning ball of glistening darkness hangs in the
  air, slowly and steadily rising into the firmament. Its surface
  writhes as if alive, and its foul fluid wars with waves of mud.
  Toxic fumes vent into the air. Plumes of black fire scorch the
  sky.
  When the player characters come within 50 feet of an
  entrance, read:
  A shuddering valve, fleshy in appearance, opens onto a dim
  passageway into the form's interior. Spilling forth from the
  wound is a torrent of bright purple fluid, which rains down on
  the land far below.
  When the characters come within 50 feet of the elder evil,
  they trigger the combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Suppurating Valves (Encounter 1).
  2. Cyst of Madness
  2. Cyst of Madness
  Obox-Ob, the Prince of Vermin, brought with him a number
  of servants to safeguard his presence while in the company of
  the elder evil. Once inside the abomination, the fickle lord
  abandoned its scions and left them in this chamber to find
  their own fates.
  When the characters come to the edge of the map, read:
  Pools of phosphorescent fluid cast the chamber in ghastly
  lime-colored light. Several misshapen lumps of flesh quiver in
  the gloom.
  When the characters enter the room, they trigger the combat
  encounter. The draudnus' truesight allows them to spot
  invisible or otherwise hidden characters.
  Combat Encounter: Cyst of Madness (Encounter 2).
  3. Crying Room
  3. Crying Room
  The Crying Room takes its name from the violet
  condensation collecting on the walls of this odd chamber.
  When the party enter this rooms, read:
  The walls bleed a running violet fluid that dribbles down to
  collect into small puddles on the floor. Scattered around the
  place are loose coins and an assortment of oddities.
  Believed by the denizens to be a place sacred to Tharizdun,
  those intelligent creatures inhabiting the elder evil
  occasionally make offerings here.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  Scattered across the floor are 6,000 gp, a small inverted
  basalt pyramid studded with tiny amethysts (worth an
  additional 3,000 gp), an elixir of health (DMG 168), and a
  robe of useful items (DMG 195).
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  4. Pool of Molten Ice
  4. Pool of Molten Ice
  This room houses a trio of the Dark God's servants. Charged
  with guarding the digested Gems of Tharizdun, these
  guardians attack anyone they deem to be an intruder.
  As part of the safeguards that protect the gemstones, a
  prismatic wall trap stretches across the entrance of the room.
  This trap is created by a special form of the glyph of warding
  spell cast at 9th level. When the Pool of Molten Ice encounter
  is triggered and initiative is rolled (see below), the glyph
  releases a modified prismatic wall spell. This wall lasts until
  destroyed (rather than 10 minutes), and does not allow any
  creatures to pass through it harmlessly. Both spells have a
  spell save DC of 20.
  Once the characters enter the chamber, read:
  Murky water floods this large room and rising from the center
  is an island of dark stone studded with black jewels that reflect
  the light of two large balls of roiling fire hovering in the air on
  either side of the entrance.
  When a character enters the water, or when a character
  touches the islands, the prismatic wall trap activates, and the
  characters trigger the combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Pool of Molten Ice (Encounter 3).
  5. Carnage
  5. Carnage
  When the elder evil consumed the last Gem of Tharizdun,
  cultists clambered to find a place within the abomination, to
  be carried forth and witness first-hand the power of the Dark
  God. Gathering in this chamber to chant their prayers and
  supplications, they waited for the appointed time. However, a
  molydeus in the service of Orcus had other plans.
  After the demon prince of undeath learned of Obox-ob's
  interests in Shothragot, Orcus dispatched an enforcer to
  weaken the cult of the Elder Elemental Eye in the hopes of
  dashing the obyrith lord's plans. The demon arrived just as
  the elder evil made its destructive journey to the surface and,
  like others, it hitched a ride inside of its bulk. It followed the
  cultists into this room, where it immediately chopped them
  into bloody chunks of meat.
  When the party enters this room, read:
  The cause of this room's stench is soon made clear by the
  hundreds of dismembered corpses cooling in pools of their
  own blood throughout this massive chamber. Humans, kuo-
  toas, goblinoids, and more all lie scattered about in various
  forms of mutilation, congealing into a macabre carpet of flesh
  and gore.
  If the party has not yet encountered the molydeus, they face it
  here.
  Combat Encounter: Carnage (Encounter 4).
  6. Puce Portal
  6. Puce Portal
  This room holds the portal that grants passage to the essence
  of Shothragot. Pounding on the gate is a frustrated inevitable.
  Any listener within 10 feet of the entrance of this room can
  hear the sounds of its hammering.
  If the party has not yet destroyed the Gems of Tharizdun in
  area 4, read:
  A pale yellow disk surrounded by a scorched ring of blackened
  flesh hangs against the far wall. Hammering against the disk is
  a large abstract being, its body made up of intricate clockwork
  sheathed in greenish-blue metal plating. Its head, a flattened
  disk, pivots to face your direction and a single blazing red eye
  fixes upon you.
  The creature is a varakhut, an inevitable created to defend
  the gods and their works. It and several others like it
  appeared in the Material Plane shortly after the elder evil
  awakened. All of the other inevitables that made the journey
  met various nasty fates until only this construct remained of
  the original expedition. The varakhut is hostile to any
  creature it encounters inside the elder evil. It does, however,
  give the party long enough to explain their presence. Unless
  the party proves themselves to be friendly, the varakhut
  attacks, triggering a combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Puce Portal (Encounter 5).
  Should the adventurers succeed on improving its attitude,
  it turns back to pounding on the portal, ignoring the party.
  Only if the characters prove themselves to be possible allies
  will it talk with them. The inevitable knows everything
  described in the adventure background and relates this
  information if asked. It offers to assist the party in their
  efforts to destroy the abomination and accompanies the
  adventurers so long as they make clear progress toward their
  goal. If the party falters, the varakhut abandons them.
  Into the Heart of Darkness
  Into the Heart of Darkness
  If the party has destroyed the Gems of Tharizdun in area 4,
  read:
  Lambent flames burn the walls all around a large disk of
  pulsing puce light. Vague shapes can be seen within.
  Monstrous things, dark and feminine, flit back and forth. The
  dim room beyond seems otherwise empty.
  Alternatively, if the party brings a lit torch of revealing (see
  area 18) into this chamber, read:
  When the eerie light of the torch falls upon the disk, the
  cloudiness vanishes and you can see clearly into a massive
  chamber. Four enormous stone statues stand guard over a
  great pit, where something black and profoundly evil throbs
  and groans.
  With the light of the torch, the party can cross over and
  confront the essence of Shothragot in its lair (area 26).
  Whenever the portal opens, the varakhut slips through the
  gate to attack the essence of Shothragot. Without help, the
  essence and its guardians make short work of the inevitable,
  destroying it after 3 rounds. If the party chooses to destroy
  the Gems of Tharizdun, you can choose to delay the
  varakhut's if you feel that they need its help during the final
  battle.
  7. Pits and Pillars
  7. Pits and Pillars
  Several traps ward this chamber. When the party enters this
  room, read:
  Ten-foot wide pillars sculpted to resemble tortured human
  men and women, their flesh flayed from their bodies, fill this
  room.
  In each space indicated on the main map, there are two
  invisible, magical traps of the transmutation school, one on
  the floor and another on the ceiling. Any pressure placed on a
  floor in these spaces causes them to swirl open, revealing a
  gap that travels through the elder evil and out into the open
  air below. A creature can avoid falling with a successful DC
  20 Dexterity saving throw. Damage from the fall depends on
  the elder evil's altitude, but typically amounts to 70 (20d6)
  bludgeoning damage.
  Characters flying or levitating in these spaces trigger the
  second trap, which causes the ceiling to open up and triggers
  a gust of wind that blow the victim up and out of the elder
  evil. A creature must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving
  throw or be blown out through the top of the elder evil fall as
  above, unless they can somehow stop the fall. Those that land
  on the exterior are subject to the elder evil's epidermis (see
  the Features of the Area section in the Suppurating Valves
  encounter).
  14
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  8. Corridor of Sighs
  8. Corridor of Sighs
  Numerous orifices whisper in the dark of this corridor,
  imparting fell secrets on those who traverse its length. When
  the characters enter this corridor, read:
  A susurrus sounds as you press on through this corridor
  carrying with it faint whimpering noises and mournful cries.
  Creatures with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or
  higher that pass through the area hear "the gems" repeated
  and mixed with sobs and cries. The noise emanates from the
  petitioners of Tharizdun, who, because their god is chained
  in the Ethereal Plane, have nowhere to go and are thus
  condemned to join the elder evil, trapped between worlds.
  9. The Dark God's Prison
  9. The Dark God's Prison
  Service to the Ebon God is difficult at best. Enemies oppose
  the god from all sides, even within the cult's own ranks. To
  make matters worse, mortal servants are often driven insane
  by the whispers of their unspeakable master, by the sights
  they see in their brief service, and by the knowledge of the
  doom they bring unto the world by chasing after the
  objectives of their foul master. Most cultists that lack the will
  to serve are destroyed because the Dark God doesn't tolerate
  weakness in his minions. Those who disappoint their master
  find terrible fates as is revealed by this room.
  This chamber contains the raving servants of Tharizdun.
  Deemed flawed, the cult sealed them inside the cages and left
  them in the care of the scions of madness to guard.
  When the characters reach the edge of the chamber, read:
  The passage widens into a large chamber filled with smoke
  and fire. Narrow pathways wind through the conflagration,
  passing near black iron cages hanging from thick chains set
  into the ceiling.
  When the characters enter the room, they trigger the combat
  encounter.
  Combat Encounter: The Dark God's Prison (Encounter 6).
  10. Antechamber
  10. Antechamber
  This odd room serves as the antechamber for a cluster of
  beholders in area 11. Seventy-feet up on the far wall are three
  large holes cut through the flesh of the elder evil by the
  beholders' disintegration rays. Unless the party goes to
  investigate or make a lot of noise, the beholders in the
  adjacent room are content to serve the whims of their hive
  mother.
  When the characters enter this room, read:
  This bleak chamber is cold and patches of ice cling to the
  walls and floor. The ceiling rises far above, and against the far
  wall, you see three brown waterfalls, frozen in motion by the
  chill of the room.
  The waterfalls are actually the ichors of the elder evil, created
  by the tears in its flesh. The room is indeed below freezing,
  but the temperature is not a threat if the party doesn't linger
  for too long. This room is under the effects of the Extreme
  Cold hazard (DMG 110).
  11. Fetid Cluster
  11. Fetid Cluster
  A cluster of mad beholders and their equally disturbing hive
  mother lair in this chamber. These deviant aberrations
  believe the elder evil is the avatar of the Great Mother and
  have come to pay fealty by infesting its foul form.
  Three portals about 70 feet above area 10 cut through the
  dark hide of the elder evil and allow access to this chamber.
  The ice that coats the wall makes climbing perilous,
  requiring a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to
  make it, though characters likely have other means of
  accessing this chamber.
  When the characters enter one of the portals, they trigger
  the combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Fetid Cluster (Encounter 7).
  Treasure
  Treasure
  At the bottom of the unoccupied pit is the beholders'
  sacrifices to the Great Mother. They include a collection of
  gold and valuable gems with a combined worth of 10,000 gp
  and a platinum idol of the great mother that acts as a stone of
  good luck (DMG 205).
  12. Chamber of Delights
  12. Chamber of Delights
  The door to this chamber is locked, and can be unlocked with
  a successful DC 20 Dexterity check with thieves' tools, or
  forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics)
  check. A symbol spell with the hopelessness effect is
  inscribed on the door (spell save DC 20), triggering if any
  creature that isn't a cultist of Tharizdun passes through the
  doorway.
  When the characters examine the door, read:
  A huge iron door stands before you. It is carved with hundreds
  of tiny screaming faces, their eyes weeping real tears that
  leave rusty streaks across the door's face.
  Once the party opens the door, read:
  A 10-foot-wide corridor with rough black walls stretches
  ahead some 40 feet before expanding into a larger chamber.
  Bones litter the corridor and the place reeks of decay.
  At the end of the corridor, read:
  An appalling mess of broken bodies and splattered gore
  covers this horrific chamber of death. A filthy purple carpet
  covers the floor, torn and stained with blood. Rising in the
  center is an altar of flesh, an unholy fusion of glistening organs
  that twitch with unlife.
  This chamber was the site of a particularly gruesome ritual
  that saw the destruction of many innocents offered up by
  Lareth the Beautiful (see area 21) to Tharizdun. Resulting
  from this profoundly evil act, a potent deathshrieker was
  born.
  If the characters walk down the corridor and enter the
  room, they trigger the combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Chamber of Delights (Encounter 8)
  13. The Gauntlet
  13. The Gauntlet
  The klurichir demon in area 14 watches over this room from
  their lair. To deal with intruders, it has inscribed multiple
  symbol spells with the pain effect where indicated on the
  main map (spell save DC 20).
  If the party triggers the trap, the demon casts greater
  invisibility followed by attacking with its Spines to lure the
  adventurers into area 14. If the characters don't take the bait,
  the demon comes after them, using tactics as described in
  the Demonic Sentinel encounter.
  14. Demonic Sentinel
  14. Demonic Sentinel
  This large chamber is the barracks for a deadly klurichir
  demon. Charged by Lareth the Beautiful to watch over the
  entrance nearby, this demon set up a nasty trap guarding the
  exits from area 13. The demon prefers to mount its attack
  from this room rather than engage the party in the area of the
  symbol spells, lest the demon itself triggers the wards. Thus,
  it hurls attacks into the adjacent room in the hopes of luring
  the party to its position and thus triggering the other glyphs
  safeguarding the entrances to this chamber.
  When the party engages the demon, they trigger the
  combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Demonic Sentinel (Encounter 9)
  15
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  15. Flesh Chamber
  15. Flesh Chamber
  This disturbing chamber makes manifest the true nature of
  this dungeon.
  When the characters enter this chamber, read:
  The dark walls lighten as you make your way into the gloomy
  corridor. Eventually, rugged black walls give way to gray and
  then finally a pink surface when you come to the corridor's
  end. Pale green moisture collects on the walls and the entire
  place reeks of ammonia.
  The walls here are indeed fleshy, and respond violently to
  biological matter. If a non-undead creature moves within 5
  feet of the walls, or if the walls are targeted with an attack or
  damaging spell, the entire elder evil shudders, and every
  creature inside of it must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity
  saving throw or be knocked prone.
  Then, two black cysts emerge from the wall and attack the
  closest living creatures with their tentacles. The cysts seek to
  grapple these enemies and to hold them inside of the room,
  which has now begone to convulse violently. On initiative
  count 20 of the third round of combat, the entire corridor
  constricts and closes itself off, instantly killing any creature
  inside of it. The corridor relaxes and opens up again on
  initiative count 20 of the next round.
  16. The Blister
  16. The Blister
  More cyst than chamber, a disgusting skin of congealed fluid
  holds back a corrosive flood.
  If the characters examine the barrier, read:
  A pliable membrane the color of sickness stretches taught
  across this passage.
  It takes only one attack against an AC of 10 to break the
  membrane, which causes the acidic fluid inside of it to spray
  forth. Each creature within 30 feet of the blister must make a
  DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) acid damage
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Once the blister is broken, it reveals an empty chamber
  beyond.
  17. Keepers of the Eye
  17. Keepers of the Eye
  Two deathdrinker demons protect this room. Contemptible
  creatures, Lareth the Beautiful enlisted them as guardians,
  posting them here to watch for intruders.
  When the party enters this room, they trigger the combat
  encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Keepers of the Eye (Encounter 10).
  18. The Emissary
  18. The Emissary
  Rumors of the elder evil's existence and awakening have
  spread throughout the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, and
  various demon princes have each taken an interest in what
  Shothragot intends. Some are opposed to the machinations
  of the Chained God (such as Orcus), while others are keenly
  interested in seeing Tharizdun released. The main demon
  prince to seek an alliance is Obox-ob, whose own agenda is
  close to that of the Dark God. Obox-ob made his way to
  Shothragot to treat with the Dark God. Until the elder evil
  reaches Tharizdun's prison, the demon lord is content to wait
  here.
  When the characters approach this room, read:
  A foul stench emanates from this chamber, and from inside
  the gloom of this place, you hear the chittering of countless
  insects, each clicking and clacking as they scuttle in the dark.
  Obox-ob is not interested in a fight since he has but one
  chance to encounter Tharizdun and defeat here would ruin
  his plans. Having nearly been slain once before, Obox-ob
  knows that an unnecessary risk could prove to be an
  insurmountable setback, especially if the party has not yet
  destroyed the Gems of Tharizdun in area 4. Rather than
  wiping out the party at once, he keeps himself concealed in
  the corner and uses telepathy to communicate with the party
  members. He questions them to find out where they have
  been, to confirm what he believes has been their mission, and
  to learn what progress they have made thus far. Obox-ob
  knows the sign of apocalypse contains the elder evil and it
  can complete its mission only if the sign is weakened. Thus,
  he is keenly interested in whether the characters have
  weakened the sign so far.
  If the characters have not yet weakened the sign, Obox-ob
  suggests destroying the Gems of Tharizdun, claiming such an
  act would surely weaken the elder evil. Under no
  circumstances does Obox-ob mention the Puce Portal (area
  6) and its ability to transport the party to the essence of
  Shothragot. If the characters know about the portal and
  attempt to discuss it with him, he may lie about its intended
  functionality. If he finds out about the varakhut, the demon
  lord might take action against it, whether by pitting the party
  members against it or by dealing with it himself.
  Obox-Ob has little to gain from concealing his identity and
  should the characters ask, he reveals himself and that he, like
  the party, is an enemy of the tanar'ri. He explains his own
  quest to destroy the usurper race and claims he's been
  imprisoned here along with everyone else. A character that
  succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check knows
  Obox-ob is an ancient demon of a race that precedes the
  tanar'ri. A check that succeeds by 5 or more also reveals that
  Obox-ob seeks the annihilation of all things much like
  Tharizdun.
  Obox-ob is well aware of the function of the torch of
  revealing and incense of dreaming. If queried about these
  items, he lies and suggests they are in fact worthless
  accoutrements of the Dark God's cultists.
  If the characters try to take the items or otherwise prove
  themselves to be a threat to Obox-ob's plans, they trigger the
  combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: The Emissary (Encounter 11).
  Treasure
  Treasure
  Hanging from two hooks near the portal to area 19 are four
  purple robes of Tharizdun. In addition, a torch of revealing
  sits in an iron sconce and from it hangs a purple pouch
  containing four blocks of incense of dreaming.
  19. Temple of Shadow
  19. Temple of Shadow
  An impenetrable darkness fills this room, defeating any light
  source, magical or otherwise, brought into this room. Only a
  character with a lit torch of revealing can see the room as it
  actually is.
  In addition to the darkness, the room carries an incredible
  chill. Anyone not wearing a purple robe of Tharizdun takes 7
  (2d6) cold damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage at the end of
  every minute spent in the temple. Anyone unprotected that
  touches a metal object takes an additional 7 (2d6) cold
  damage, while characters wearing metal armor take 7 (2d6)
  cold damage per round spent in this room.
  If a character enters the room with the lit torch, read:
  The queer violet light of the torch reveals a dreadfully cold,
  disturbing chamber. Three obsidian pillars veined with lilac
  worms support a soft and dripping ceiling overhead. The floor
  is equally giving and puddled with sickening green fluid that
  reflects the light strangely, offering up images of dancing
  demonic figures, scenes of death and carnage, and worse.
  Opposite from the entrance is a great altar of basalt,
  constructed to resemble an upside-down ziggurat with two
  steps. It is the source of the impossible darkness and it holds
  your eye, as if seeking to draw you inside its depths.
  16
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  The Obex
  The Obex
  Any living creature that looks upon the Obex—the strange
  altar—must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
  save, a creature is stunned for 1 minute or until it is pulled
  out of the room. The creature can repeat the saving throw at
  the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, the effect
  ends on the creature. On a failed save, the creature takes 55
  (10d10) psychic damage. If this damage reduces a target to 0
  hit points, its soul is wrenched from its body and absorbed by
  the Obex, where it is utterly destroyed. A creature slain in this
  way can't be revived by any means short of a wish spell.
  If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends
  for it, the creature is immune to the effects of the Obex for
  the next 24 hours.
  The Obex has an AC of 10 and 300 hit points, is vulnerable
  to radiant damage, and is immune to necrotic, poison, and
  psychic damage. A black cyst emerges from the when the
  Obex is reduced to 200 hit points, and again at 100 hit points.
  If the alter is destroyed, the darkness and the chilling effect in
  the temple end, and the essence of Shothragot permanently
  suffers disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and
  saving throws.
  20. Templars of Tharizdun
  20. Templars of Tharizdun
  As the elder evil pulled itself free from the earth, those
  surviving cultists clambered inside to accompany the
  abomination on its journey. The fate these servants found
  was death, violent and painful, at the hands of a dread demon.
  The only survivors of this original band were Lareth the
  Beautiful and his companions. While powerful in their own
  right, they are terrified by the forces at work inside the elder
  evil and rightly believe that if they venture far from their
  quarters they might be added to the ranks of the dead.
  Since entering the temple, visions of the Gems of
  Tharizdun have plagued Lareth, along with a powerful
  compulsion to destroy them. He's tried to convince his allies
  to assist him, but neither one seems willing to risk his life on
  such a venture.
  Although disappointed at the treatment they have received
  in the service of the Dark God, they are not so naïve to think
  they have any chance at redemption. Consequently, when
  confronted with a party of adventurers, each templar is
  prepared to fight to the death.
  When the characters enter the room, they trigger the
  combat encounter.
  Combat Encounter: Templars of Tharizdun (Encounter
  12).
  Taking Prisoners: Captured templars are wholly
  uncooperative and prove to be difficult prisonersat best. Of
  the three, only Lareth knows how to get through the portal
  without destroying the Gems, though he's loathe to reveal this
  since he knows Tharizdun will punish him. If the party
  members intimidates the other two, they admit they believe
  the Gems might be the key to reaching the essence.
  21. The Essence of Shothragot
  21. The Essence of Shothragot
  The Essence of Shothragot is the mind and soul of the elder
  evil and serves as the focus of all its malevolence. If
  destroyed, the elder evil's body collapses in on itself,
  imploding and leaving nothing behind. The only way to stop
  this abomination and thwart its plans is to destroy the
  essence and thus spare countless Material Planes the
  destruction Tharizdun promises.
  The only way to reach the Essence is through the Puce
  Portal (area 6), which activates only if the elder evil's sign is
  diminished or if the party finds the torch of revealing. Once
  the party fulfills these requirements, they are free to enter the
  portal.
  When the party enters the portal, they trigger the combat
  encounter.
  Combat Encounter: The Essence of Shothragot
  (Encounter 13).
  Concluding the
  Concluding the
  Adventure
  Adventure
  The ideal outcome for this adventure is for the characters to
  navigate the perils of the elder evil's body, find a way through
  the portal, venture to the essence, and defeat it. With its
  destruction, the elder evil dies and decays rapidly, depositing
  the player characters several hundred feet over the surface of
  their world or stranding them in the Ethereal Plane. At your
  option, the party might appear before the elder evil's prison
  plane and be the first mortals to look upon the awful
  demesne of Tharizdun, a sanity-blasting experience to be
  sure.
  Failure does not necessarily indicate the end of all things
  as the release of Tharizdun seems to suggest. If the party
  used the torch of revealing, but still failed to defeat the elder
  evil, Lareth, if he still lives, eventually destroys the Gems of
  Tharizdun, enabling the elder evil to escape the Material
  Plane and embark on its final journey. Faced with such a
  dreadful end, the gods themselves attend to the abomination.
  Unfortunately, the elder evil's maddening powers drives them
  insane, causing them to fight one another, which could have
  incredible repercussions in your campaign.
  Whether or not Shothragot reaches its master is ultimately
  left to you, but such an event could reshape your world and
  prepare the way for something entirely new. Whatever you
  decide, the emergence and destruction of Shothragot is a
  signature event that can have sweeping change on your
  setting, making a fight with this monster a thrilling
  conclusion for your campaign.
  17
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  Encounter 1: Suppurating
  Encounter 1: Suppurating
  Valves
  Valves
  This encounter pits the party against two creatures of evil
  elemental air that seek to stop them from entering the elder
  evil's body.
  Setup
  Setup
  Two cyclonic ravagers (C), unwholesome thralls from the
  Elemental Plane of Air, guard the entrances to the elder evil.
  They attack any creature that comes within 50 feet of a valve.
  There are three locations keyed to this encounter. If a fight
  breaks out at one, the others do not come to help.
  When the characters come within 50 feet of an entrance,
  read:
  The light breeze disperses much of the awful stench but
  suddenly whips up into a screaming gale. To either side, you
  see two large funnel clouds form and spin toward you.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Both cyclonic ravagers use their Buffeting Winds to disperse
  the intruders, sending some against the outer walls of the
  elder evil, others into acidic waterfalls, and move lightly
  armored spellcasters to well within the ravager's reach.
  Characters on the decks of vehicles, flying carpets, and
  similar conveyances that fail their Strength saves may fall off
  to plummet to the ground. Thereafter, the cyclonic ravagers
  use their regular attacks to harass the intruders - one
  chooses to enter melee range, while the other sits back and
  attacks from range.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Acidic Waterfall
  Acidic Waterfall
  Spilling forth from the valve is a torrent of thin acid. Any
  creature that enters a space containing acid, including those
  beneath the waterfall, must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
  throw, taking 17 (5d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as
  much damage on a successful one.
  Contracting Entrance
  Contracting Entrance
  Once every 1d4 rounds, the valve seals shut at initiative count
  20 (losing initiative ties). Any creature standing on the edge of
  the entrance must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving
  throw or take 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage as the walls
  close. Those who succeed on the save may place themselves
  beyond the walls or inside the complex. A closed valve
  reopens after 1d4 rounds.
  Elemental Bursts
  Elemental Bursts
  The elder evil's epidermis is an unholy fusion of all four
  elements—air, earth, fire, and water, and periodically, the
  instability of its form unleashes a burst of elemental energy.
  Any creature within 20 feet of the elder evil's exterior has a
  10% chance of being exposed to such a burst. If so, the target
  must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6)
  acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage
  (DM's choice) plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save,
  or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Epidermis
  Epidermis
  The elder evil's outer walls writhe with profane energies. Any
  living creature that touches the elder evil's outer walls must
  succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or suffer one
  level of exhaustion.
  18
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  Cyclonic Ravager
  Cyclonic Ravager
  Large elemental, neutral evil
  Armor Class 15
  Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 90 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  20 (+5) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Con +7, Cha +7
  Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled,
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained,
  unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Auran, Common
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Air Form. The ravager can enter a hostile creature's
  space and stop there. It can move through a space
  as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
  Buffeting Winds. The ravager constantly emits an
  aura of winds out to a range of 30 feet. Small or
  smaller flying creatures or objects can't pass
  through the aura. Arrows, bolts, and other ordinary
  projectiles that pass through the aura are deflected
  away and automatically miss. (Boulders hurled by
  giants or siege engines, and similar projectiles, are
  unaffected.) Creatures in gaseous form can't pass
  through it.
  In addition, at the end of each of the ravager's turns,
  each creature in the aura that isn't immune to being
  grappled must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw,
  taking 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone, and
  if the creature is Large or smaller, the ravager can
  move it up to 30 feet in any direction.
  Smite of Seven Winds. When the ravager hits with an
  attack, it can choose to push the target up to 10
  feet away from the ravager in a straight line. This
  distance increases to 20 feet on a critical hit.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The ravager makes three attacks. It can
  also use Storm Surge if it is available.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
  Air Blast. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 90
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning
  damage.
  Storm Surge (Recharge 5–6). Until the start of its
  turn, the radius of the ravager's Buffeting Winds
  increases to 60 feet, and its damage increases to 36
  (8d8) bludgeoning damage.
  
  Encounter 2: Cyst of
  Encounter 2: Cyst of
  Madness
  Madness
  This encounter has the party face the abandoned servants of
  Obox-ob.
  Setup
  Setup
  Have the players place their miniatures at the bottom of the
  map in the entrance. Once they are positioned, place the
  draudnus (S) where indicated on the map. When the party
  enters the room, read:
  A number of three-legged creatures rise from the floor of this
  irregularly-shaped chamber, fixing their multitudinous eyes
  upon you.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  The demons herd the characters to spaces containing acid
  and use flesh hook attacks to pin them in place. The demons
  prioritize their attacks against lightly armored characters and
  then fall back to lure warriors deeper into the room.
  Developments
  Developments
  The molydeus in area 5 automatically hears a pitched battle
  in this location. Starting on the second round, it moves 60
  feet each round, joining the combat 3 rounds into the combat.
  It hates the draudnus as much as it hates the party and
  attacks the closest creature each round. See Encounter 5 for
  tactics.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Acid Pools
  Acid Pools
  These acid pools are 1 foot deep and count as difficult
  terrain. When a creature moves into the acid's space for the
  first time on a turn or ends its turn there, it takes 3 (1d6) acid
  damage. Somehow adding an equal amount of water dilutes
  the acid so that it deals no damage.
  Lighting
  Lighting
  Illumination from the acid pools fills this chamber in dim
  light.
  Rubble
  Rubble
  A space containing rubble counts as difficult terrain.
  19
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  Draudnu
  Draudnu
  Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 142 (15d8 + 75)
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  16 (+3) 22 (+6) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +7, Cha +9
  Skills Athletics +7, Perception +7
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, psychic
  Damage Immunities acid, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
  frightened, poisoned, prone
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Abyssal, Common, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, the draudnu can
  move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that
  it can see.
  Corrosive Skin. A creature that touches the draudnu
  or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it
  takes 4 (1d8) acid damage.
  Freedom of Movement. The draudnu ignores difficult
  terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed or
  cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of
  movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or
  being grappled.
  Magic Resistance. The draudnu has advantage on
  saving throws against spells and other magical
  effects.
  Overwhelming Madness. When a creature that isn't
  an obyrith starts its turn within 30 feet of one or
  more draudnus, it must make a DC 16 Intelligence
  saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 10
  (3d6) psychic damage and must subtract a d4 from
  each of its attack rolls and saving throws until the
  start of its next turn. This die increases to a d6 if
  there are three or four draudnus, and to a d8 if there
  are five or more.
  Standing Leap. The draudnu's long jump is up to 20
  feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or
  without a running start.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The draudnu makes three melee attacks
  or two ranged attacks.
  Flesh Hook. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing
  damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller
  creature, the draudnu can detach the hook and force
  the target to make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw.
  On a failed save, the target is skewered by the flesh
  hook, and the draudnu regrows a new hook
  immediately. While skewered, a creature's speed is
  reduced by 10 feet, plus 5 feet for every additional
  flesh hook that is skewering it.
  When the draudnu detaches its flesh hook, it can
  attempt to fasten the target to a surface such as a
  floor or wall within 5 feet of the target. When this
  happens, the target is also restrained to the surface
  by the flesh hook on a failed save.
  A creature within 5 feet of the flesh hook can use its
  action to make a DC 15 Strength check. On a
  success, the skewered target takes 6 (1d12)
  piercing damage, and the flesh hook is removed.
  Acid Spray. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range
  30 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d4 + 6) acid damage.
  
  Encounter 3: Pool of
  Encounter 3: Pool of
  Molten Ice
  Molten Ice
  This encounter has the party fight the evil elementals that
  guard the Gems of Tharizdun.
  Setup
  Setup
  Guarding this chamber is a waterveiled assassin (EdE 21)
  and two inferno tyrants. The creatures detest the other and
  they frequently trade insults in Common. However, sounds of
  combat from an adjacent room cause them to be silent. Place
  the inferno tyrants (H) on the map where indicated. Wait to
  place the waterveiled assassin (W) on the map until its turn
  or until a character has line of sight to its position and is able
  to locate it despite its attempt to hide. If any character
  touches the water or lands on the island, or if the party trigger
  the prismatic wall trap, read:
  The balls of fire unfold into vague humanoid shapes, flaring
  brightly above the waters and emanating waves of heat from
  their forms.
  When the waterveiled assassin reveals itself or is spotted,
  read:
  Surging from the foul water is a great tidal wave and in its
  midst, a grotesque face forms and looses a dreadful howl.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Both inferno tyrants position themselves to be as far away
  from the party as possible. They then let loose their Fire
  Blasts against the party. Should any of the characters close
  on the elementals, neither hesitates to use their Flame Wave
  ability.
  Meanwhile, the waterveiled assassin stays underwater but
  moves to shore's edge to threaten opportunity attacks against
  enemies that attempt to move past it. It could try to get a
  Sneak Attack off on an unsuspecting enemy, or it could wait
  for the perfect moment to line up its Water Jet action and to
  hit many enemies with it at once. Should any enemy enter the
  water or engage the waterveiled assassin in melee, the
  assassin moves to engulf the hapless victim with its Whelm
  action.
  If the characters negate the prismatic wall trap, the inferno
  tyrants pursue the characters. The waterveiled assassin stays
  behind.
  Developments
  Developments
  If the characters have yet to deal with the Molydeus in area 5,
  it moves to investigate the sounds of combat, arriving in 2
  rounds. The demon is as likely to attack the party as it is the
  elementals, so it trains its attacks on the closest foe each
  round.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Island
  Island
  The island rising from the center of the pool is difficult
  terrain.
  Treasure
  Treasure
  Behind the island and under the water is a bag of holding.
  Finding the bag requires a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation)
  check. If located, opening it reveals 1,000 gp, a holy symbol of
  Ioun, and a 5th level spell scroll (DMG 204) with the flame
  strike cleric spell, which could potentially be used to destroy
  all 333 gems of Tharizdun at once. The elder evil swallowed
  the bag along with a recovered gem of Tharizdun months
  ago.
  Water
  Water
  The water in this room is 60-feet deep and is stagnant.
  Efforts to destroy or remove the water work for 1 round
  before more fluid seeps from the walls to restore it to its
  proper depth.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  Embedded all over the island are the 333 Gems of
  Tharizdun. Prying a gem free from the rock requires a
  successful DC 20 Strength check. For every 111 gemstones
  destroyed, the essence of Shothragot loses one of its
  Legendary Resistances. In addition, destroying all the gems
  reduces the Seal of Binding's intensity by one step.
  20
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  Encounter 4: Carnage
  Encounter 4: Carnage
  This encounter has the party face off against a molydeus that
  serves the will of Orcus.
  Setup
  Setup
  The molydeus (MTF 134) occupies a spot indicated on the
  map (M) if the party come from the bottom. Otherwise, it
  starts on the opposite side if they come from the top. When
  the molydeus is spotted, read:
  Charging toward you, barking a challenge from both its vicious
  wolf head and its spitting serpent head, is a massive fiend
  drenched in blood. It grips a terrifying battleaxe stained black
  with gore and flings droplets of blood into the air as the horror
  whips the blade about.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Knowing that it can't use its teleport spell until the Seal of
  Binding has diminished, the molydeus relies on a
  straightforward approach, letting loose its Multiattack on the
  closest creature it can. After the rest of its enemies have
  shown what they are capable of, the molydeus uses its Move
  legendary action to charge the biggest threat with impunity. It
  casts lightning bolt only if it can hit a clear majority of the
  enemies in the room.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Bloody Bodies
  Bloody Bodies
  Spaces containing these bloody bodies are difficult terrain.
  21
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  Inferno Tyrant
  Inferno Tyrant
  Large elemental, neutral evil
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
  Speed 50 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +7
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
  from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled,
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained,
  unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Ignan
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Combustion. When the tyrant causes a creature or
  flammable object to ignite, the target takes 10
  (3d6) fire damage at the start of each of its turns
  until someone takes an action to douse the fire.
  Fire Aura. At the start of each of the tyrant's turns,
  each creature within 5 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) fire
  damage, and flammable objects in the aura that
  aren't being worn or carried ignite. A creature that
  touches the tyrant or hits it with a melee attack
  while within 5 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.
  Fire Form. The tyrant can move through a space as
  narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. In
  addition, the tyrant can enter a hostile creature's
  space and stop there. The first time it enters a
  creature's space on a turn, that creature takes 10
  (3d6) fire damage and ignites.
  Illumination. The tyrant sheds bright light in a 30-
  foot radius and dim light in an additional 30 feet.
  Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the tyrant
  moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed
  on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The tyrant makes three attacks.
  Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
  target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) fire damage. On a critical
  hit, a creature also suffers one level of exhaustion,
  unless it has resistance or immunity to fire damage.
  Any levels of exhaustion caused by this effect go
  away after 1 minute.
  Fire Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 90
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) fire damage. If the
  target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites.
  Flame Wave (Recharge 5–6). The tyrant generates a
  wave of flame that rolls out from its body. Each
  creature within 30 feet of the tyrant must make a
  DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) fire
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on
  a successful one.
  
  Encounter 5: Puce Portal
  Encounter 5: Puce Portal
  This encounter has the party face a varakhut, an inevitable
  construct and enemy of Shothragot.
  Setup
  Setup
  Place the varakhut (V) where indicated on the map. Have the
  players put their miniatures near the entrance of the map
  unless they first parlayed with the inevitable, in which case
  they may place their miniatures wherever they wish in the
  room. When the varakhut attacks, read:
  The fiery red eye flares with outrage as it intones dread words
  of grave magical power.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  On its first turn in combat, the varakhut casts chain lightning
  in order to wipe out any cohorts, followers, and animal
  companions. The following round, it activates its Antimagic
  Cone and aims it at any spellcasters it has identified. It then
  dances around the battlefield, using its Antimagic Cone to
  disable spellcasters while still leaving a few targets open to
  attack with its spells and other abilities.
  Note that the varakhut will attempt to conserve some of its
  spells for use against the elder evil. Unless it is significantly
  threatened, it will hold off on using force cage and will save at
  least one use of both disintegrate and hold monster.
  The varakhut, being a defender of the gods, has little
  interest in destroying divine servants, even ones it suspects of
  being in cahoots with the elder evil. Rather than attacking
  these creatures, the varakhut uses dominate monster to force
  them to fight at its side and aid it in its quest to destroy the
  elder evil and its minions.
  Befriending the Inevitable
  Befriending the Inevitable
  Even after combat begins, the party may persuade the
  inevitable of their intentions. As an action, a character may
  attempt to make a Charisma (Persuasion) check with the
  goal of calming the varakhut. The check is made with
  advantage if a character shows themselves to be divine
  servants of some sort. The number of checks required to
  achieve diplomacy as well as the DC of each check is up to
  you, but you may use 16 as the default or starting DC.
  If the party successfully improves relations with the
  inevitable, it breaks off the attack and returns to its pounding.
  It takes additional convincing for the inevitable to believe that
  the party is not a threat, at which time it will release or end
  any hostile spells it cast during combat.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Portal
  Portal
  While the elder evil's sign is at overwhelming strength, the
  portal does not function. Only when the light of a torch of
  revealing shines upon its surface can the party make the
  journey to area 22. Otherwise, the party must destroy the
  Gems of Tharizdun in area 4.
  22
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Varakhut
  Varakhut
  Large construct (inevitable), lawful neutral
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 225 (18d10 + 126)
  Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  20 (+5) 19 (+4) 24 (+7) 18 (+4) 22 (+6) 20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Int +10, Wis +12, Cha +11
  Skills Arcana +16, Insight +12, Perception +18,
  Religion +10
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, radiant
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 28
  Languages all
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  Antimagic Cone. The varakhut's head emits an area of
  antimagic, as in the antimagic field spell, in a 60-foot
  cone. At the start of each of its turns, the varakhut
  decides which way the cone faces and whether the
  cone is active.
  Immutable Form. The varakhut is immune to any spell or
  effect that would alter its form.
  Innate Spellcasting. The varakhut's innate spellcasting
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with
  spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells,
  requiring no material components:
  At will: chain lightning, dispel magic, locate creature
  3/day each: counterspell, dimension door, disintegrate
  2/day each: divine word, geas, hold monster
  1/day each: dominate monster, forcecage, plane shift
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the varakhut fails a
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. The varakhut has advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The varakhut makes two attacks.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
  target. Hit: 25 force damage, and the target must
  succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be
  knocked prone.
  Force Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +12 to hit, range 90
  ft., one target. Hit: 20 force damage, and the target is
  pushed up to 5 feet away from the varakhut if it is
  Large or smaller.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  The varakhut can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
  from the options below. Only one legendary action can
  be used at a time and only at the end of another
  creature's turn. The varakhut regains spent legendary
  actions at the start of its turn.
  Move. The varakhut flies up to half its speed without
  provoking opportunity attacks.
  Attack. The varakhut makes one attack.
  Dispelling Blast (Costs 2 Actions). The varakhut makes a
  Force Blast attack. On a hit, the target's
  concentration is also broken, and any spell of 6th
  level or lower on the target ends.
  Force Beam (Costs 2 Actions). The varakhut unleashes a
  magical beam of force in a line that is 5 feet wide
  and 100 feet long. Each creature in the area must
  make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 25
  force damage on a failed save, or half as much
  damage on a successful one.
  
  Encounter 6: The Dark
  Encounter 6: The Dark
  God's Prison
  God's Prison
  This encounter pits the party against the wardens of the Dark
  God's Prison.
  Setup
  Setup
  The scions of madness (M) are positioned where shown on
  the map. Smoke and fire conceals them, so wait to place
  them until the party spots them. Have the players place their
  miniatures anywhere at the bottom of the map, but not on the
  paths or in the burning cinders. When a character enters a
  space adjacent to the effigy (E), read:
  Hanging from the ceiling on a thick iron chain is a cage
  holding a smoking prisoner, its face blackened by the flames.
  Its mouth stretches wide, frozen in a perpetual scream. Bits of
  cloth, still aflame, cover the remains of the wretched
  inhabitant. Suddenly, a cloud of fire leaks out of the corpse's
  mouth and eyes, soon followed by the reduction of its entire
  body to ash. What remains is some sort of transparent
  humanoid shape cloaked in fire.
  When a character first comes within 30 feet of a scion of
  madness, read:
  Striding forth from the smoke and fire is a 10-foot-tall brute
  hunched over and wearing a purple cloak. Under its cloak, you
  catch glimpses of a deformed face and hands, suggesting that
  this creature has humanoid origins. The creature mutters a
  prayer under its breath and steps forward, ready to slay the
  intruders that stand before it.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  When a scion of madness first perceives a foe, it spends its
  turn casting circle of power, unless it can perceive another
  scion concentrating on the same spell. It then leaps forward,
  looking to catch as many enemies as it can with its
  destructive wave. The scions will communicate with each
  other in Deep Speech, ideally having two scions fighting in
  melee range while the third casts spells from a distance. If
  desperate, a scion will cast fear, hoping that the spell will buy
  it some time to retreat.
  The effigy slips loose from its cage whenever a character
  comes within 10 feet of it. Whenever it can, the effigy uses
  Infuse to attempt to possess the nearest enemy. While
  waiting for the ability to recharge, the effigy attacks using its
  Life Drain. Once it has successfully possessed a character, or
  if it is reduced to half of its hit points or fewer, the effigy uses
  Fiery Death to take out as many characters as it can. The
  effigy does not care for the scions of madness, but will make
  an effort to avoid harming them.
  Developments
  Developments
  By default, the caged cultists in this room are either dead or
  entirely insane and cannot provide any useful information to
  the party. However, if this adventure is the conclusion to a full
  campaign, you may wish to place some familiar faces in this
  prison for the party to encounter. The best candidates are
  important cultists that the players have defeated in the past,
  yet were left alive or otherwise were able to avoid an untimely
  death. However, you may also place allied NPCs in this
  prison, assuming that these NPCs were valuable to
  Shothragot and thus were not immediately killed.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Smoke
  Smoke
  This room is filled with smoke, lightly obscuring everything in
  the area. On its turn, a creature can choose to hold its breath
  until the start of its next turn. If it doesn't hold its breath, or if
  the target is forced to breath at some point afterwards, it
  must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
  poisoned until the start of its next turn. A creature can only
  be forced to make this save once per round. The scions of
  madness are accustomed to the poor air and are immune to
  its effects.
  Flaming Cinders
  Flaming Cinders
  A creature takes 14 (4d6) fire damage whenever it moves into
  a space containing flaming cinders for the first time on a turn
  or ends its turn there.
  Fire Jet
  Fire Jet
  When a creature steps into one of these four spaces (marked
  with a flame symbol on the map), the jet is triggered. Each
  creature within 10 feet of the jet's horizontal position must
  make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
  successful one.
  Cages
  Cages
  These cages hang 10 feet above the floor. Opening one
  requires thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity
  check to unlock it, or a successful DC 18 Strength check to
  force it open.
  Offering
  Offering
  A belt of storm giant strength (DMG 155) lies on a rocky
  outcropping toward the back of the room (marked O on the
  map). Once owned by a mighty champion of Kord, the belt
  was left here to melt to slag after their brutal murder.
  23
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  24
  This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Scion of Madness
  Scion of Madness
  Large aberration, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 149 (13d12 + 65)
  Speed 40 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  20 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +9, Cha +5
  Skills Athletics +9, Perception +9
  Damage Resistances psychic
  Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common, Deep Speech
  Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
  Dark Devotion. The scion has advantage on saving
  throws against being charmed or frightened.
  Innate Spellcasting. The scion's innate spellcasting
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell
  attacks). It can innately cast the following spells,
  requiring no material components:
  At will: bane, contact other plane, fear
  3/day each: contagion, destructive wave, mass healing
  word
  1/day each: circle of power, divine word, finger of death
  Third Eye. The scion can see through solid objects to a
  range of 30 feet; when it does so, it perceives objects
  as ghostly, transparent images.
  Actions
  Actions
  Maddening Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one creature. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning
  damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 19) if it
  is Large or smaller. Until this grapple ends, the target
  must make a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw at the
  start of each of its turns. On a failed save, the target
  takes 27 (6d8) psychic damage and is driven insane
  until the end of the scion's next turn. While insane, the
  target is incapacitated, can't understand what other
  creatures say, can't read, and speaks only in gibberish.
  Effigy
  Effigy
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15
  Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  6 (-2) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4)
  20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Con +10, Cha +11
  Damage Resistances acid, lightning, thunder;
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical
  attacks
  Damage Immunities fire, necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
  grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone,
  restrained
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Cold Susceptibility. If the effigy takes cold damage, it
  has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws
  until the end of its next turn.
  Fire Form. A creature that tries to touch the effigy or
  hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes
  14 (4d6) fire damage.
  Illumination. The effigy sheds bright light in a 15-foot
  radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet.
  Incorporeal Movement. The effigy can move through
  other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
  terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn
  inside an object.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The effigy makes two melee attacks.
  Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one creature. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) necrotic damage plus
  14 (4d6) fire damage. The target must succeed on a
  DC 19 Constitution saving throw or its hit point
  maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the
  damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target
  finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect
  reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
  Fiery Death (Recharge 6). Each creature in a 30-foot-
  radius sphere centered on the effigy must make a DC
  19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) fire
  damage plus 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Infuse (Recharge 6). One humanoid that the effigy can
  see within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 19
  Charisma saving throw or be possessed by the effigy;
  the effigy then disappears, and the target is
  incapacitated and loses control of its body. The effigy
  now controls the body but doesn't deprive the target of
  awareness. The effigy can't be targeted by any attack,
  spell, or other effect, except ones that turn undead, and
  it retains its Cold Susceptibility, Fire Form, Illumination,
  alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and
  immunity to being charmed and frightened. It
  otherwise uses the possessed target's statistics, but
  doesn't gain access to the target's knowledge, class
  features, or proficiencies.
  The possessed target can repeat the saving throw at the
  end of each of its turns. It takes 14 (4d6) fire damage
  and suffers one level of exhaustion on a failed save, and
  the possession ends on a successful one. The
  possession also ends if the body drops to 0 hit points,
  the effigy ends it as a bonus action, or the effigy is
  turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and
  good spell. When the possession ends, the effigy
  reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the
  body. The target is immune to this effigy's Infuse ability
  for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or
  after the possession ends.
  
  Encounter 7: Fetid
  Encounter 7: Fetid
  Cluster
  Cluster
  This encounter pits the party against a cluster of beholders
  and their hive mother.
  Setup
  Setup
  Place the hive mother (H) where indicated on the map.
  Choose two of the beholder pits to hold the other beholders
  (MM 28), but wait to place them until their turn. Have the
  players place their miniatures near the lip of the portal when
  the encounter begins.
  If the hive mother hears the sounds of climbing characters,
  conversation, or any other noises, she readies an action to
  use her Eye Rays, with all three rays targeted at the first
  intruder she sees.
  When the first character reaches the edge of the portal,
  read:
  Hovering in the air is a spheroid creature bristling with eye-
  stalks and razor-sharp plates of chitin and bone. Orange
  corruption oozes from numerous rents and fissures in its hide.
  Burst blisters weep an equally noxious substance and its many
  rheumy eyes glare in outrage. Its broad mouth spreads in a
  frown causing a fresh torrent of slime to spill onto the floor.
  Numerous pits pierce the floor. Statues of robed men and
  women stand scattered throughout the chamber, all carved in
  terrified positions.
  The beholders that hide in the pits reveal themselves on their
  turns, rising just far enough for their eyestalks to crest the
  lips of the pits. Whenever a beholder emerges from the pit,
  read:
  A forest of dripping eyestalks climbs up from the darkened pit
  to look around.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Having been prepared to use their eye rays, the hive mother
  and her lesser kin, which are permanently charmed by the
  hive mother, deactivate their Antimagic Cones. The hive
  mother fires her eye rays at as many intruders as she can,
  and the two beholders follow up with their own eye rays
  directed at any enemy that fails their saving throw against
  one.
  Once the hive mother is reduced to half of her hit points or
  fewer, she uses Protect Mother on a charmed intruder, or on
  one of her lesser kin if necessary. She then orders these
  minions to use their Antimagic Cones to disable any enemy
  spellcasters, while still allowing the hive mother to use her
  eye rays if possible. If she can't get her eye rays off, she enters
  melee range and uses her bite on the safest target possible.
  The beholders fight to the death and may pursue the party if
  they flee this chamber.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Foul Ice
  Foul Ice
  Spaces containing this brown ice act as Slippery Ice (DMG
  110).
  Beholder Pits
  Beholder Pits
  The beholders carved out 10-foot wide pits that are 70 feet
  dip in which to hide from the hive mother's wrath. A beholder
  that partly emerges gains three-quarters cover and may use
  its eyestalks but not its central eye.
  Statues
  Statues
  The characters aren't the first ones to attack the beholders.
  Shattered fragments of creatures petrified by the beholders'
  Petrification Rays can be found scattered across the floor.
  Among those that are intact enough to be saved are an insane
  mage (MM 347) that escaped from The Dark God's Prison
  (see area 9), a stoic knight (MM 347) in service of a good-
  aligned deity, and an oblivious druid (MM 346) that isn't quite
  sure how they got there.
  25
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  
  26
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Hive Mother
  Hive Mother
  Huge aberration, lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 230 (20d12 + 100)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  16 (+3) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 21 (+5)
  Saving Throws Int +10, Wis +9, Cha +10
  Skills Perception +14
  Condition Immunities prone
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 24
  Languages Common, Deep Speech, Undercommon
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
  All-Around Vision. The hive mother can't be surprised,
  and attack rolls against it can't benefit from advantage.
  This trait doesn't function while the hive mother is
  incapacitated.
  Antimagic Cone. The hive mother's central eye creates
  an area of antimagic, as in the antimagic field spell, in a
  300-foot cone. At the start of each of its turns, the hive
  mother decides which way the cone faces and whether
  the cone is active. The area works against the hive
  mother's own eye rays.
  Actions
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
  target. Hit: 21 (4d8 + 3) piercing damage. If the target
  is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC
  16 Strength saving throw or be swallowed by the hive
  mother. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained,
  it has total cover against attacks and other effects
  outside the hive mother, and it takes 35 (10d6) acid
  damage at the start of each of the hive mother's turns.
  If the hive mother takes 30 damage or more on a single
  turn from a creature inside it, the hive mother must
  succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the
  end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures,
  which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the hive
  mother. If the hive mother dies, a swallowed creature is
  no longer restrained by it and can escape from the
  corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
  Dominate Beholder. The hive mother targets one
  beholder or beholderkin it can see within 60 feet of it.
  The target must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw.
  On a successful save, the target is immune to this
  feature for 1 hour. On a failed save, the target is
  charmed by the hive mother for 1 hour. While charmed
  in this way, the target must follow the hive mother's
  orders to the best of its abiilty. This effect ends if the
  hive mother or its companions deal damage to the
  target.
  If the hive mother loses control of a dominated
  beholder, the hive mother immediately senses the loss
  of control, and knows the position and distance to the
  beholder at the time control was lost.
  Eye Rays. The hive mother shoots three of the following
  magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), choosing
  one to three targets it can see within 120 feet of it:
  1. Charm Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a
  DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the hive
  mother for 1 hour, or until the hive mother harms the
  creature.
  2. Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed
  on a DC 18 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.
  3. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a
  DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened 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.
  4. Slowing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on
  a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the
  target's speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the
  creature can't take reactions, and it can take either an
  action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each
  of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  5. Enervation Ray. The targeted creature must make a
  DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8)
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much
  damage on a successful one.
  6. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature, it must
  succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or the hive
  mother moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. It is
  restrained by the ray's telekinetic grip until the start of
  the hive mother's next turn or until the hive mother is
  incapacitated.
  If the target is an object weighing 900 pounds or less
  that isn't being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30
  feet in any direction. The hive mother can also exert
  fine control on objects with this ray, such as
  manipulating a simple tool or opening a door or a
  container.
  7. Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on a
  DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain
  unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it
  takes damage or another creature takes an action to
  wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and
  undead.
  8. Petrification Ray. The targeted creature must make a
  DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the
  creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It
  must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn.
  On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature
  is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or
  other magic.
  9. Disintegration Ray. If the target is a creature, it must
  succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 54
  (12d8) force damage. If this damage reduces the
  creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of fine
  gray dust.
  If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object or
  creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without a
  saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object or
  creation of magical force, this ray disintegrates a 10-
  foot cube of it.
  10. Death Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on
  a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 66 (12d10)
  necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to
  0 hit points.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  The hive mother can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
  from the options below. Only one legendary action can
  be used at a time and only at the end of another
  creature's turn. The hive mother regains spent
  legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Move. The hive mother flies up to its speed.
  Eye Ray. The hive mother uses one random eye ray.
  Command Beholder. The hive mother targets one allied
  beholder or beholderkin within 60 feet of it. The
  target can use its reaction to use one random eye
  ray; when it does so, it can make two rolls and select
  either result.
  Protect Mother (Costs 2 Actions). The hive mother
  targets one creature within 60 feet of it that is
  charmed by the hive mother. Until the end of the
  hive mother's next turn, the target has disadvantage
  on all saving throws, and the hive mother has
  advantage on all saving throws.
  
  Encounter 8: Chamber of
  Encounter 8: Chamber of
  Delights
  Delights
  This encounter has the party fight an advanced deathshrieker
  named Agony.
  Setup
  Setup
  Allow the characters to place their miniatures at the end of
  the corridor on the opposite side of the door. Agony is
  currently standing motionless near the wall and only reacts
  when it sees when someone or something step within 30 feet
  of it. When the characters enter this room, read:
  You are met with the sight of an eery fog that clouds your
  vision, reducing visibility to about 30 feet.
  Once the characters get within 30 feet of the altar, read:
  As you move deeper into the room, you see that the floor is
  covered by a carpet stained with blood and human remains. At
  the center of the carpet sits an unholy altar, composed of the
  same flesh and bones that litters the carpet.
  Once Agony enters view of the characters, read:
  Soon after taking in this grisly scene, you spy a shape drifting
  through the fog, a wispy being consisting of a skull perched
  atop a fluttering knot of ethereal robes. It howls with rage and
  horror, drifting toward you, eyes blazing with hatred.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Agony moves along the walls of the room, taking advantage of
  its Incorporeal Movement to remain more than 30 feet from
  the players at any given time. It starts combat using its
  Scream of the Dying ability, and only makes touch attacks if
  the target is at 1 hit point or is otherwise an easy target to
  pick off. Knowing that this room doesn't leave enough room
  for Steal Voice to work well, Agony uses its Terrifying Glare
  each round, and fights until slain.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Altar
  Altar
  The fleshy altar causes the area filled by the carpet to be
  desecrated. Agony has advantage on all saving throws while it
  is in the area. A detect evil and good spell cast within range
  reveals its presence.
  Fog of Misery
  Fog of Misery
  The entire room is filled with a magical fog that doesn't affect
  undead. See Agony's regional effects for more information.
  27
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  Agony
  Agony
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 17
  Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  6 (-2) 24 (+7) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4)
  22 (+6)
  Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +10, Cha +12
  Skills Deception +12, Intimidation +12, Perception +10
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning;
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical
  attacks
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities all
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 20
  Languages all
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Aversion to Silence. Agony cannot willingly enter an area
  of magical silence, and takes 16 (3d10) psychic
  damage if it starts its turn in one.
  Death Rattle. When Agony is reduced to 0 hit points,
  any non-undead creature within 120 feet of it that can
  hear its scream must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution
  saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.
  Despair. At the start of each of Agony's turns, each non-
  undead creature within 120 feet of it that can see or
  hear it must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On
  a failed save, a creature takes 14 (4d6) psychic damage
  and is incapacitated and can't move until the start of
  Agony's next turn. On a successful save, a creature is
  immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. A creature
  is immune to this effect if it is immune to being
  frightened.
  Incorporeal Movement. Agony can move through other
  creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It
  takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an
  object.
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Agony fails a saving
  throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Share Agony. If Agony takes psychic damage, each non-
  undead creature within 120 feet of Agony that can hear
  it takes the same amount of damage. In addition,
  Agony's thoughts and location can't be discerned by
  magic.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Agony makes two touch attacks.
  Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
  creature. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) necrotic damage plus 7
  (2d6) psychic damage, and the target has disadvantage
  on all saving throws until the end of Agony's next turn.
  Scream of the Dying (Recharge 6). Agony emits a terrible
  scream. Each non-undead creatures within 60 feet of it
  that can hear it must make a DC 19 Charisma saving
  throw. On a failed save, a creature drops to 1 hit point.
  On a successful save, a creature takes 28 (8d6) psychic
  damage; this damage cannot reduce a creature below 1
  hit point.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  Agony can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
  options below. Only one legendary action can be used
  at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.
  Agony regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
  turn.
  Roam. Agony moves up to half its speed without
  provoking opportunity attacks.
  Steal Voice. Agony magically steals the voice of one
  creature it can see within 30 feet of it. Until the end
  of Agony's next turn, the target can no longer speak,
  and Agony can unerringly speak in its voice instead.
  Terrifying Glare (Costs 2 Actions). Agony targets one
  creature it can see within 120 feet of it. If the target
  can see Agony, the target must succeed on a DC 19
  Charisma saving throw or be magically frightened
  until the end of Agony's next turn. The frightened
  target is paralyzed.
  
  Regional Effects
  Regional Effects
  The region around Agony is filled with a magical fog of
  misery centered on its space. The radius of this region is 1
  mile while Agony is outdoors, but is reduced to 60 feet while
  indoors. Undead are unaffected by the fog.
  The entire area is lightly obscured, and anything more than
  30 feet away from a creature within the area is heavily
  obscured. In addition, sound constantly echoes throughout
  the fog, making it impossible to discern the location of a
  creature within it by sound alone.
  Encounter 9: Demonic
  Encounter 9: Demonic
  Sentinel
  Sentinel
  This encounter has the party face off against a klurichir, one
  of the most fearsome types of tanar'ri in the Abyss.
  Setup
  Setup
  The klurichir (K) is positioned at any of the three starting
  positions indicated on the map. Unless the characters have
  some ability to perceive invisible creatures, don't place the
  demon on the map. Have the players position themselves in
  the bottom left corner. When this is done, read:
  Four alcoves grant access to a larger chamber beyond. A few
  depressions in the floor hold some foul fluid that bubbles and
  burps as you watch. In the far corner, blood and gore paint the
  walls.
  If any of the characters can perceive invisible creatures, or if
  the klurichir's greater invisibility spell ends or wasn't cast,
  read:
  A demonic figure stands some 30-feet tall and possesses a
  powerful and muscular body. Massive crimson wings flare out
  from its back while four powerful arms twitch and claw at the
  air. Its head is monstrous and snarling, while a second mouth
  flanked by grotesque pincers snaps out from its prodigious
  gut.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Before combat begins, the demon has most likely cast greater
  invisibility on itself. The demon is eager to engage the party
  in melee, but is clever enough to soften them up first. So, the
  demon casts fireball once the party is close and has bunched
  up, and spends the next two rounds flying around and casting
  fireball or launching Spine attacks at them. If its invisibility
  breaks, the klurichir follows up by casting its modified
  incendiary cloud spell and entering melee range.
  Once the klurichir has grappled a victim with its Pincers,
  the klurichir keeps focusing its attacks on its grappled victim
  until the character escapes or is killed. Once it is reduced to
  half of its hit points or fewer, it unleashes its
  Characters that approach within 30 feet of the demon must
  save against its Fear Aura. If any characters flee, the klurichir
  follows, chasing the character or characters so it can butcher
  them while they scream. The demon does not let the party
  escape easily. It chases them if they try to flee—even out of
  the elder evil itself, such is its hunger for fresh meat.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Glyphs of Warding
  Glyphs of Warding
  Each entrance to this room is protected by a glyph of warding
  with the explosive runes option (spell save DC 15). Created by
  the klurichir using four spell scrolls, a glyph triggers
  whenever a creature that isn't the klurichir moves within 5
  feet of it. When triggered, each creature in a 20-foot-radius
  sphere centered on the glyph must make a DC 15 Dexterity
  saving throw, taking 5d8 fire damage on a failed saving throw,
  or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Pockmarks
  Pockmarks
  The floor is dimpled with foul pockmarks that contain the
  elder evil's ichors. Any creature that enters a space
  containing the fluid must make a DC 24 Constitution saving
  throw, taking 22 (4d6 + 8) necrotic damage on a failed save,
  or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Blood and Gore
  Blood and Gore
  The far corner of this room witnessed the death of another
  adventuring party who came to destroy the elder evil. The
  demon captured and slowly tore them to pieces here, tossing
  their equipment on top of the torn flesh and splattered
  organs. The items not destroyed by the klurichir are made up
  of the following list:
  Five potions of flying (DMG 187)
  Two potions of invisibility (DMG 188)
  One ring of mind shielding (DMG 191), which contains the
  soul of one of the slain adventurers
  28
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  29
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Klurichir
  Klurichir
  Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 294 (19d12 + 171)
  Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  30 (+10) 22 (+6) 28 (+9) 21 (+5) 24 (+7) 26 (+8)
  Saving Throws Str +17, Con +16, Wis +14, Cha +15
  Skills Intimidation +15, Perception +21
  Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning,
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
  frightened, poisoned, stunned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 31
  Languages Abyssal, Common, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)
  Aura of Slaughter. Unless the klurichir is incapacitated,
  each ally within 120 feet of it can't be charmed or
  frightened and has advantage on attack rolls and ability
  checks.
  Fear Aura. Any creature hostile to the klurichir that
  starts its turn within 30 feet of the klurichir must make
  a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw, unless the klurichir is
  incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is
  frightened until the start of its next turn. If a creature's
  saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to
  the klurichir's Fear Aura for the next 24 hours.
  Innate Spellcasting. The klurichir's innate spellcasting
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23). It can innately
  cast the following spells, requiring no material
  components:
  At will: blight, detect magic, fireball, telekinesis
  3/day each: bestow curse (5th level), darkness, symbol
  2/day each: counterspell, eyebite, greater invisibility
  1/day each: incendiary cloud (necrotic damage), power
  word kill
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the klurichir fails a
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. The klurichir has advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The klurichir's weapon attacks are
  magical.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The klurichir makes three attacks: two with
  its battleaxe and one with its pincers.
  Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15
  ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d8 + 10) slashing damage. This
  attack scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the
  d20. On a critical hit, the klurichir rolls damage dice
  three times, instead of twice.
  Pincers. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 26 (3d10 + 10) piercing damage, and
  the target is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this
  grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the
  klurichir can't use its pincers against another target.
  If the target has at least one head and the klurichir
  rolled a 20 on the attack roll, the target is decapitated
  and dies if it can't survive without that head. A target is
  immune to this effect if it takes none of the damage,
  has legendary actions, or is Huge or larger. Such a
  creature takes an extra 6d8 slashing damage from the
  hit.
  Spines. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 90 ft.,
  one or two targets. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) piercing damage,
  and the target must make a DC 24 Constitution saving
  throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage on a failed save,
  or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  The klurichir can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
  from the options below. Only one legendary action can
  be used at a time and only at the end of another
  creature's turn. The klurichir regains spent legendary
  actions at the start of its turn.
  Move. The klurichir moves up to its speed.
  Rend. The klurichir rips the flesh of one creature it is
  grappling with its pincers. The target takes 36 (4d12
  + 10) piercing damage, and it can't regain hit points
  until the end of the klurichir's next turn.
  Blasphemous Utterance (Costs 2 Actions). The klurichir
  chooses one hostile spell or effect that is currently
  affecting it. It then targets one creature it can see
  within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 23
  Charisma saving throw against this magic. On a failed
  save, the effect ends on the klurichir and is
  transferred to the target for the remainder of its
  duration. If the effect is a spell that requires
  concentration to maintain, the klurichir must
  concentrate on it, instead of the original caster.
  Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The klurichir casts a spell
  with a casting time of 1 action.
  
  Encounter 10: Keepers of
  Encounter 10: Keepers of
  the Eye
  the Eye
  This encounter has the party face two deathdrinker demons
  that serve the will of Tharizdun.
  Setup
  Setup
  Place the deathdrinker demons where indicated on the
  tactical map. The players may place their miniatures
  anywhere within the first three squares of the right side of the
  map. Once the players have placed, read:
  Glistening pools of bright green fluid illuminate this chamber
  and reveal two 30-foot-tall, red-skinned guards dressed in
  sinister breastplates and wielding massive longswords.
  Branching out from either side of their heads are broken and
  splintered antlers. Carved into their foreheads between their
  white eyes are symbols reminiscent of inverted black
  pyramids.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  While one deathdrinker charges the party from the front, the
  other uses its Teleport action to position itself behind the
  party, hopefully within range of its backline members. They
  then wail on the party with their longswords, hoping to
  reduce one of them to 0 hit points and to activate their
  Deathdrink abilities. The deathdrinkers are inherently selfish
  and do not work together.
  Developments
  Developments
  Sounds of combat from this room may alert nearby creatures.
  Have the templars of Tharizdun in area 21 make Wisdom
  (Perception) checks each round the combat continues
  against a DC of 15 or higher. Similarly, Obox-ob (in area 18)
  is also entitled to his own Wisdom (Perception) checks. If
  either Obox-ob or the templars hear the combat, they do not
  join the fight, but make preparations as noted in their
  respective entries (if any).
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Acid Pools
  Acid Pools
  These acid pools are each as deep as they are wide and count
  as difficult terrain. When a creature moves into the acid's
  space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, it
  takes 14 (4d6) acid damage and must succeed on a DC 17
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its
  next turn.
  30
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  Deathdrinker
  Deathdrinker
  Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
  Hit Points 253 (22d10 + 132)
  Speed 40 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  24 (+7) 12 (+1) 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Str +12, Con +11, Wis +5, Cha +7
  Skills Intimidation +7, Perception +5
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning;
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
  nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages Abyssal, Common
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
  Aura of Unlife. The deathdrinker emits an aura out to
  a radius of 10 feet. Any non-undead creature in the
  aura that isn't a deathdrinker can't regain hit points
  and has disadvantage on death saving throws.
  At the start of each of the deathdrinker's turns, each
  non-undead creature in the aura takes 9 (2d8)
  necrotic damage. Undead in the aura regain the
  same amount of hit points instead.
  Deadly Critical. The deathdrinker scores a critical hit
  on a roll of 19 or 20. On a critical hit, the
  deathdrinker rolls the damage dice three times,
  instead of twice, and each ally of the target that can
  see the deathdrinker must succeed on a DC 15
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the
  deathdrinker until the end of the deathdrinker's next
  turn.
  Deathdrink. When a creature within 30 feet of the
  deathdrinker is reduced to 0 hit points, the
  deathdrinker regains 16 hit points, and it gains
  advantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and
  saving throws until the end of its next turn.
  Magic Resistance. The deathdrinker has advantage on
  saving throws against spells and other magical
  effects.
  Slaughter (1/Turn). If the deathdrinker makes a
  weapon attack with advantage on the attack roll and
  hits a creature with it, the target takes an additional
  7 (2d8) necrotic damage. If the target is frightened
  or incapacitated, the attack also becomes a critical
  hit.
  Unholy Weapons. The deathdrinker's weapon attacks
  are magical. When the deathdrinker hits with any
  weapon, the weapon deals an extra 4d8 necrotic
  damage (included in the attack).
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The deathdrinker makes two weapon
  attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach
  10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) slashing
  damage, or 23 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage if used
  with two hands, plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.
  Teleport. The deathdrinker magically teleports, along
  with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to
  120 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Parry. The deathdrinker adds 5 to its AC against one
  melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the
  deathdrinker must see the attacker and be wielding
  a melee weapon.
  
  Encounter 11: The
  Encounter 11: The
  Emissary
  Emissary
  This encounter has the party face off against Obox-ob, the
  demon prince of vermin and pests.
  Setup
  Setup
  Place Obox-ob (O) where indicated on the tactical map. The
  players may place their miniatures anywhere near the
  entrance. When the characters see Obox-ob, read:
  A nightmare of spider limbs fused into the form of a vile
  demon surges outof the darkness, cackling aloud and in your
  minds to create an unbearable chorus of madness. The form
  defies description and threatens to blast your sanity away,
  leaving you a shuddering, gibbering shell.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  Once committed to combat, Obox-ob does not grant quarter.
  He lurches into the frey, seeking to affect as many enemies
  with his Drone feature as possible. He trains his attacks on
  any creature that tries to get past him or to engage him
  directly, using telekinesis to toss back ambitious characters,
  such as those that know about the important items present in
  the room, back toward the entrance.
  If he is reduced to half of his hit points or fewer, or if the
  characters get their hands on one of the items, Obox-ob uses
  his Giant Vermin ability to summon two giant scorpions
  (MM 327), directing them to grapple this enemy and to
  prevent them from escaping. He then becomes less stingy
  with his spells, unleashing cloudkill or insect plague on as
  many enemies as he can.
  If at any point in the fight a creature wakes up from being
  unconscious due to his Drone feature, Obox-ob lurches
  forward and uses Implant Chaos on them. If Implant Chaos
  is unavailable, he instead casts contagion on the target.
  Note that Obox-ob does not have access to his lair
  actions or regional effects during this encounter.
  They are printed here anyway for the sake of
  completeness, and to fill in some space that would
  otherwise be left empty.
  If you want to see the original source of this
  Obox-ob stat block, check out my Abyssal Horrors
  document.
  Lair Actions
  Lair Actions
  On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Obox-
  ob can take a lair action to cause one of the
  following effects; he can't use the same effect two
  rounds in a row:
  Obox-ob targets himself or a creature he can
  see within the lair and magically makes its body
  do something unnatural, such as vomit blood,
  twist its head all the way around, or cause a
  quadruped to move as a biped. Any creature
  that sees this behavior must succeed on a DC
  23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened
  of Obox-ob until initiative count 20 of the next
  round.
  One repulsive and contaminated feature of the
  lair releases toxic gas, the decayed remains of a
  slain creature, a colony of insects, or some
  other carrier of disease. Each creature within 10
  feet of this filth must make a DC 23
  Constitution saving throw against disease. On a
  failed save, the target can't regain hit points
  until initiative count 20 of the next round.
  Regional Effects
  Regional Effects
  The region containing Obox-ob's lair is warped by
  his magic, creating one or more of the following
  effects:
  The area within 6 miles of the lair becomes
  overpopulated with giant versions of scorpions,
  centipedes, and other vermin.
  Any creature that sleeps within 6 miles of the
  lair must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw.
  On a failed save, a creature suffers terrible
  nightmares and gains no benefit from its rest.
  If Obox-ob dies, these effects fade over the
  course of 1d10 days.
  31
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  32
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  are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
  Obox-ob
  Obox-ob
  Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 378 (28d12 + 196)
  Speed 50 ft., climb 50 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  27 (+8) 14 (+2) 25 (+7) 19 (+4) 17 (+3) 24 (+7)
  Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +15, Wis +11
  Skills History +12, Insight +11, Perception +11
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, psychic
  Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and
  slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
  poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 21
  Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 26 (90,000 XP)
  Drone. Obox-ob produces a horrid droning sound to
  which demons are immune. Any other creature that
  starts its turn with in 30 feet of Obox-ob must succeed
  on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or fall
  unconscious for 10 minutes. A creature that can't hear
  the drone automatically succeeds on the save. The
  effect on the creature ends if it takes damage or if
  another creature takes an action to splash it with holy
  water.
  If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect
  ends for it, it is immune to the drone for the next 24
  hours.
  Innate Spellcasting. Obox-ob's innate spellcasting ability
  is Charisma (spell save DC 23, +15 to hit with spell
  attacks). He can innately cast the following spells,
  requiring no material components:
  At will: contagion, detect magic, telekinesis
  2/day each: cloudkill, harm, insect plague
  1/day each: animal shapes (insects only), astral
  projection
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Obox-ob fails a saving
  throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. Obox-ob has advantage on saving
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. Obox-ob's weapon attacks are magical.
  Spider Climb. Obox-ob can climb difficult surfaces,
  including upside down on ceilings, without needing to
  make an ability check.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Obox-ob makes four attacks: three with his
  stingers and one with his tongue. He can use Implant
  Chaos instead of his tongue.
  Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 7
  (2d6) poison damage.
  Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) slashing damage, and
  the target must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving
  throw or become frightened of Obox-ob until the end
  of the demon lord's next turn.
  Implant Chaos (Recharge 5–6). Obox-ob uses his tongue
  to touch one creature within 15 feet of him that isn't a
  demon. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Charisma
  saving throw or have its soul implanted with raw stuff
  of chaos for 1 minute.
  When this effect occurs, the target is poisoned, which
  causes it to also suffer one level of exhaustion. While
  poisoned in this way, the target must repeat the saving
  throw at the start of each of its turns as the chaos
  transforms both its body and soul. Three successful
  saves against the poison end it, and ending the poison
  removes any levels of exhaustion caused by it. Each
  failed save causes the target to suffer another level of
  exhaustion.
  If the target is dies while implanted with chaos, the
  chaos completely consumes its body, leaving its
  equipment behind. If the creature is resurrected by a
  spell, the caster must succeed on a DC 23 Intelligence
  (Arcana) check. On a failed save, when the target is
  resurrected, this effect begins to affect the target once
  again.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  Obox-ob can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
  the options below. Only one legendary action can be
  used at a time and only at the end of another creature's
  turn. Obox-ob regains spent legendary actions at the
  start of his turn.
  Lurch. Obox-ob moves up to his speed.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
  target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) piercing damage.
  Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Obox-ob casts an innate
  spell.
  Giant Vermin (Costs 2 Actions). Obox-ob magically
  summons twenty giant centipedes, ten giant wasps, or
  two giant scorpions. The vermin burst out from
  Obox-ob's body and land in an unoccupied space
  within 15 feet of the demon lord. The vermin are
  considered demons rather than beasts, obey Obox-
  ob's verbal commands, and act on their own initiative
  count.
  
  Encounter 12: Templars of
  Encounter 12: Templars of
  Tharizdun
  Tharizdun
  This encounter has the party fight the last surviving cultists
  of Tharizdun.
  Setup
  Setup
  Lareth the Beautiful (L), an infamous cleric of the Dark God
  who has escaped death on numerous occasions, positioned
  his personal guard—the deathdrinkers—at area 17 to
  dissuade intruders from venturing close to the last cultists'
  redoubt. If Lareth or his cronies—Azugel (A) and Vadaeth
  Bloodseeker (V)—hear the sounds of battle with the demons
  or Obox-ob (see Encounter 11), they make preparations
  before combat: Lareth casts shield of faith, and Vadaeth casts
  staggering smite. Vadaeth then withdraws into his chambers
  and emerges only if he hears fighting here.
  The placement of the figures assumes the inhabitants are
  aware of the party. If not, place Azugel and Lareth both in the
  side rooms. When the party enters this room, read:
  Beyond the door, a vast sea of green slime bubbles before you.
  On either side, you see a few flickering torches, each giving
  off a pale blue flame. Iron walls set in the strange substance of
  the walls give the chamber the appearance of having rooms.
  Charging you is a frothing half-orc wielding a greatsword. At
  the opposite side of the room, you see a tall blonde man with
  purple robes. One side of his face is extraordinarily attractive,
  while the other is a gruesome mass of scars.
  Behind the man, you see a massive altar. On it rests an
  inverted two-step pyramid.
  When Vadaeth emerges, read:
  A hulking humanoid, larger than a man but smaller than an
  ogre, lumbers forward. Encased in enameled black full plate
  and armed with an impossibly large greataxe, he howls
  "Tharizdun!" as he charges forward.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  None of the templars works especially well with the others
  and each fight independently, looking to kill as many
  characters as possible while preserving their own skins. Of
  the three, Azugel is the most straightforward. On the
  firstround, he charges the closest character, using his
  Intimidating Presence against them before hacking them into
  pieces.
  Lareth runs through his direct damage spells first, freely
  catching Azugel in the area. If faced with powerful spells that
  bring him close to death, he will cast antimagic field and run
  directly into melee, hoping that Azugel and Vadaeth's brute
  strength will be enough to overpower the party.
  If he hasn't already casted staggering smite, Vadaeth casts
  during the first round. He then rushes out of his chambers
  and into the frey, saving his spell slots for staggering smite
  and wrathful smite. He prefers to avoid attacking the same
  enemy as Azugel. If he is targeted by damaging spells, he will
  save his reaction for hellish rebuke, allowing him to punish
  the spellcaster for their insolence.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Light
  Light
  Positioned around the perimeter of this chamber are magical
  torches that shed bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light
  an additional 40 feet.
  Virulent Green Slime
  Virulent Green Slime
  The center of this chamber is filled with a pool of nasty green
  slime. This Green Slime is described on page 105 of the
  Dungeon Master's Guide.
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  Azugel
  Azugel
  Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18 (Unarmored Defense)
  Hit Points 253 (22d8 + 154)
  Speed 40 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  24 (+7) 13 (+1) 24 (+7) 8 (-1) 12 (+1)
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Str +12, Con +12
  Skills Athletics +12, Intimidation +7, Perception +6
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Common, Orc
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
  Brute. A melee weapon deals two extra dice of its
  damage when Azugel hits with it (included in the
  attack).
  Brutish Durability. Whenever Azugel makes a saving
  throw, he can roll 1d6 and add the die to his saving
  throw total.
  Deadly Critical. Azugel scores a critical hit on a roll of 19
  or 20 and rolls the damage dice three times, instead of
  twice.
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, Azugel can gain
  advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls he makes
  during that turn, but attack rolls against him have
  advantage until the start of his next turn.
  Relentless Rage. If damage reduces Azugel to 0 hit
  points, he can make a Constitution saving throw with a
  DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage from a
  critical hit. On a success, Azugel drops to 1 hit point
  instead.
  Unarmored Defense. While Azugel is wearing no armor
  and wielding no shield, his AC includes its Constitution
  modifier.
  Unbreakable (3/Day). If Azugel is incapacitated at the
  start of his turn, the effect causing this condition
  immediately ends on him.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Azugel uses his Intimidating Presence, if it
  is available. He then makes three weapon attacks.
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) slashing damage.
  Intimidating Presence (Recharge 4–6). Azugel targets
  one enemy he can see within 30 feet of him. If the
  target can see and hear him, it must succeed on a DC
  15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of Azugel
  until the end of Azugel's next turn. If the saving throw
  fails by 5 or more, the target also experiences a random
  form of short-term madness for the same duration,
  determined by rolling on the Short-Term Madness table
  in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Unbridled Fury. In response to being hit by a melee
  attack, Azugel can make one melee weapon attack with
  advantage against the attacker.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  Azugel can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the
  options below. Only one legendary action can be used
  at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.
  Azugel regains spent legendary actions at the start of
  his turn.
  Savage. Azugel makes one weapon attack against each
  creature within 5 feet of him.
  Shake it Off. One spell or effect of Azugel's choice
  immediately ends on himself.
  
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  Lareth the Beautiful
  Lareth the Beautiful
  Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (plate, shield)
  Hit Points 150 (20d8 + 60)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  15 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Wis +11, Cha +9
  Skills Arcana +6, Deception +9, Intimidation +15,
  Religion +6
  Condition Immunities frightened
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages Abyssal, Common
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Commander of Evil. Lareth can utter a special command
  or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that he can
  see within 30 feet of him makes an attack roll or a
  saving throw (no reaction required). The creature can
  add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand
  Lareth. This trait doesn't function while Lareth is
  incapacitated.
  Disgusting Visage. Creatures that can see Lareth have
  disadvantage on saving throws against being
  frightened.
  Hand of Devastation. Whenever Lareth rolls damage for
  a spell, he can reroll the spell's damage dice and use
  either total.
  Spellcasting. Lareth is a 20th-level spellcaster. His
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 19).
  Lareth has the following cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): light, resistance, sacred flame, spare
  the dying, thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): detect evil and good, inflict wounds,
  shield of faith, wrathful smite
  2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, invisibility,
  lesser restoration
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, lightning bolt, spirit
  guardians
  4th level (3 slots): guardian of faith, ice storm,
  staggering smite
  5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, destructive wave
  6th level (2 slots): blade barrier, harm
  7th level (2 slots): divine word, fire storm
  8th level (1 slot): antimagic field
  9th level (1 slot): power word kill
  Actions
  Actions
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic
  damage.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Blessing of Tharizdun. When Lareth takes damage, he
  can use his reaction to force each hostile creature
  within 10 feet of him to make a DC 19 Intelligence
  saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes half the
  damage Lareth took as psychic damage.
  Unholy Protection. Lareth halves the damage that he
  takes from an attack, spell, or other effect.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  Lareth can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the
  options below. Only one legendary action can be used
  at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.
  Lareth regains spent legendary actions at the start of
  his turn.
  Cast a Spell. Lareth casts a non-damaging spell using a
  spell slot of 3rd level or lower.
  Terrifying Glare. Lareth targets one creature he can see
  within 30 feet of him. If the target can see Lareth, it
  must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or
  be magically frightened until the end of Lareth's next
  turn. The frightened target is paralyzed.
  
  36
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  Vadaeth Bloodseeker
  Vadaeth Bloodseeker
  Medium humanoid (goliath), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 190 (20d8 + 100)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  20 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Str +10, Dex +6, Con +10, Int +6, Wis
  +7, Cha +10
  Skills Athletics +10, Insight +7, Investigation +6,
  Religion +6
  Condition Immunities frightened
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Giant, Terran
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
  Aura of Slaughter. Unless Vadaeth is incapacitated, each
  ally within 30 feet of him can't be charmed or
  frightened and has advantage on attack rolls and ability
  checks.
  Dark Blessing. Vadaeth adds his Charisma modifier to
  his saving throws and to the damage he deals with
  melee weapon attacks (accounted for in his statistics).
  Powerful Blows. When Vadaeth hits a Medium or
  smaller creature or object with a melee weapon attack,
  the target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw.
  On a failed save, the target is pushed up to 5 feet away
  from Vadaeth and is knocked prone.
  Shroud of Evil. Vadaeth is immune to any spell or effect
  that would read his thoughts, determine if he is lying,
  or magically influence his thoughts or behavior, unless
  the spell or effect comes from Tharizdun.
  Spellcasting. Vadaeth is a 20th-level spellcaster. His
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18).
  Vadaeth has the following spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): bane, command, hellish rebuke,
  wrathful smite
  2nd level (3 slots): darkness, enlarge/reduce, shatter
  3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic, fear
  4th level (3 slots): blight, phantasmal killer, staggering
  smite
  5th level (2 slots): destructive wave, dispel evil and
  good
  Unholy Vigor. As a bonus action, Vadaeth can gain 15
  temporary hit points.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. Vadaeth makes two weapon attacks.
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 16 (1d12 + 10) slashing damage plus 9
  (2d8) necrotic damage.
  Reactions
  Reactions
  Stone's Endurance. Vadaeth halves the damage that he
  takes from an attack that hits him. Vadaeth must be
  able to see the attacker.
  Unyielding. When Vadaeth is subjected to an effect that
  would move him, knock him prone, or both, he can use
  his reaction to be neither moved nor knocked prone.
  Legendary Actions
  Legendary Actions
  Vadaeth can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the
  options below. Only one legendary action can be used
  at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn.
  Vadaeth regains spent legendary actions at the start of
  his turn.
  Crush. Vadaeth initiates a grapple contest with one
  prone humanoid within his reach. On a success, the
  target takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage as
  Vadaeth uses his foot to crush the target's chest.
  While Vadaeth keeps his foot on the target, the
  target is grappled and restrained, and it is
  suffocating. The target can uses its action to repeat
  the contest, freeing itself on a success. Vadaeth
  doesn't need a free hand to initiate this grapple, but
  he can only grapple one creature at a time with this
  ability.
  Vile Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one creature. Hit: The target suffers disadvantage on
  all saving throws until the end of Vadaeth's next turn.
  
  Encounter 13: Essence of
  Encounter 13: Essence of
  Shothragot
  Shothragot
  This encounter is the final fight against the Essence of
  Shothragot.
  Setup
  Setup
  The player characters appear on the ledge surrounding the
  essence's pit. The players may place their miniatures
  anywhere inside the dotted red box. Place the blackstone
  gigants where indicated and the essence of Shothragot
  (page 4) at the bottom of the pit. Neither the constructs nor
  the elder evil anticipate the party's arrival, so the characters
  automatically gain surprise. When the characters appear,
  read:
  You find yourself in a massive chamber with smooth black
  stone walls and floor. The ceiling stretches nearly 100 feet
  overhead. Hovering in each corner of the room are four 66-
  foot-tall black statues of horrible demons, fusions of snakes
  and beautiful women. Each wears a necklace of petrified
  human heads whose faces are contorted as if wailing. The
  statues, as one, turn their stony heads to face you, faces
  twisting with anger.
  Tactics
  Tactics
  After the initial surprise, the blackstone gigants sweep in to
  grab as many of the characters as they can and to drop them
  into the pit, causing them to fall 60 feet and to land on the
  essence's body.
  The gigants concentrate their attacks against the more
  melee inclined members of the party, leaving the spellcasters
  and ranged characters to contend with the elder evil. Ideally,
  they plan to petrify these melee characters and to pit them
  against the rest of the party using Animate Statue.
  The essence ascends from the pit on the second round and
  stops about 10 feet over the top of it. It starts off by using
  Discord and Woe against a spellcaster in the party, following
  up with its various offensive spells and melee attacks. Once it
  is reduced to half of its hit points or fewer, the essence begins
  using spells like earthquake more freely, even if doing so
  would harm the gigants. If a party member manages to deal
  significant harm to the essence in melee, it uses its Fling
  ability to splatter it against the wall or against the bottom of
  the pit.
  The Varakhut
  The Varakhut
  If the varakhut in area 6 is also present, it will focus its ire on
  the blackstone gigants. The varakhut does so because it
  believes the party has a better chance of beating it, and also
  because it wouldn't be fun for your players if it stole their
  spotlight against the final boss. That said, the varakhut may
  be willing to cooperate with any plans the party might have if
  it believes they are well thought out and have a decent chance
  of success. Know that the varakhut will make every effort to
  ensure the elder evil is defeated, even if this means it will not
  survive this battle.
  As the gigants' petrification abilities are magical and thus
  can be countered by the varakhut's Antimagic Cone, and
  because the varakhut is immune to being petrified, the
  varakhut is a natural counter to the gigants. The varakhut
  draws fire from at least two of the gigants, aiming its
  Antimagic Cone up at their heads to avoid interfering with
  the party's fight against the essence. If any of the other
  gigants are giving the party a hard time, the varakhut might
  unleash its Force Blast against them when possible.
  Conclusion
  Conclusion
  Once the party destroys the essence of Shothragot, the
  surviving blackstone gigants wail in horror as they crumble to
  dust. Rents appear in the walls tearing through the elder
  evil's body and giving the party an avenue of escape. If the
  characters don't move quickly, the walls contract, shrinking
  by 1 foot every round until the elder evil implodes. Any
  creatures inside are utterly destroyed.
  Features of the Area
  Features of the Area
  Pit
  Pit
  The pit is 60 feet deep. Characters falling in the pit take 21
  (6d6) bludgeoning damage.
  Cracked Floor
  Cracked Floor
  Squares containing cracks and fissures count as difficult
  terrain.
  37
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  Blackstone Gigant
  Blackstone Gigant
  Gargantuan construct, unaligned
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 231 (14d20 + 84)
  Speed 40 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  25 (+7) 9 (-1) 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning,
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  that aren't adamantine
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
  frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages the languages of its creator
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Immutable Form. The gigant is immune to any spell
  or effect that would alter its form.
  Magic Resistance. The gigant has advantage on
  saving throws against spells and other magical
  effects.
  Magic Weapons. The gigant's weapon attacks are
  magical.
  Trampling Charge. If the gigant moves at least 20
  feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a
  slam attack on the same turn, that target must
  succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be
  knocked prone. If the target is prone, the gigant can
  make one slam attack against it as a bonus action.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The gigant makes three slam attacks,
  each of which it can replace with one use of
  Petrifying Grasp, or with Animate Statue if it is
  available.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  Petrifying Grasp. The gigant attempts to grapple one
  creature within 5 feet of it. The gigant has eight
  arms, each of which can grapple one target. On a
  success, the gigant can attempt to magically petrify
  the grappled target.
  Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and
  it must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at
  the end of each of its turns. If it successfully saves
  against this effect three times, it is immune to it for
  the next 24 hours. If it fails its saves three times, it
  is turned to stone and is petrified until the creature
  is freed by the greater restoration spell or other
  magic. The successes and failures don't need to be
  consecutive; keep track of both until the target
  collects three of a kind, or until the grapple ends.
  Animate Statue (Recharge 6). The gigant touches one
  petrified creature within 5 feet of it and magically
  animates its body. This effect lasts for 1 minute,
  until the gigant or the target dies, or until the target
  is no longer petrified.
  While its body is animated, it uses the statistics of a
  stone cursed (MTF 240). It also gains 50 temporary
  hit points and an additional +4 bonus to its attack
  and damage rolls. The animated body defends the
  gigant to the best of its ability.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Badooga Homebrew/Elder Evils 5e - Shothragot.pdf