CREDITS FOREWORD

SASQUATCH GAME STUDIO Adapting a classic is never an easy job. It was a simple
Lead Designer: Richard Baker choice to follow the Tyranny of Dragons story arc with
Designers: Ed Greenwood, David Noonan, Thomas M. Reid ,
a successor to the classic adventure The Temple of
Stephen Schubert, Steven Townshend, Jeff Ludwig,
Robert j. Schwalb
Elemental Evil. The hard part was deciding how exactly
Editors: Michele Carter, Stacy Janssen
to do that.
Interior Illustrators: john-Paul Balmet, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, We faced an important decision early on in creating
Filip Burburan, Christopher Burdett, Anna Christenson, the concept for this campaign. In addition to the original
Conceptopolis, Wayne England, Jason Engle, Jon Hodgson, 1985 adventure, there was a sequel released in 2001,
Justin Mayhew, Jim Nelson, Klaus Pillon, Claudio Pozas, a novelization, a computer game, and a variety of
Ned Rogers, Lee Smith , Raymond Swanland, Matias Tapia , supporting articles and mentions strewn across dozens
Richard Whitters, Kieran Yanner of books. We could build another sequel or simply
Cartographers: Sean MacDonald , Mike Schley reprint the original adventure with updated stats.
Typesetter: Nissa McCormack
A simple reprint felt like a disappointing option. The
Temple ofElemental Evil is available as an ebook, and
WIZARDS OF THE COAST
D&D Lead Designers: Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford
the conversion from the first edition rules to fifth edition
Story Lead: Christopher Perkins is fairly straightforward. I highly recommend it as one of
Managing Editor: Jeremy Crawford D&D's earliest and best dungeons.
Producer: Greg Bilsland Instead, we decided to consider Elemental Evil as a
Additional Design: Rodney Thompson , Peter Lee, cosmic threat. As creatures of the planes, the elemental
Chris Sims, Matt Sernett princes can reach almost any of the many worlds of
Art Directors: Kate Irwin, Shauna Narciso D&D. What would happen if the forces of evil turned
Cover Illustrator: Raymond Swan land their gaze to FaerG.n? How would this classic D&D
Graphic Designers: Emi Tanji, Bree Heiss
threat play out in the world of the Forgotten Realms?
Proofreading: Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
Simply posing that question kicked off a groundswell
Project Management: Neil Shinkle, john Hay
Production Services: Cynda Callaway, Jefferson Dunlap,
of ideas and concepts. It pushed us to think of elemental
David Gershman evil as a power beyond that of the original adventure.
Brand and Marketing: Nathan Stewart, Liz Schuh, The results of that exercise are held within this book.
Chris Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Hilary Ross, john Feil, The forces of elemental evil, much like the D&D game,
Laura Tommervik, Kim Lundstrom, Trevor Kidd are a dynamic, living thing. Read on and witness their
Playtesters: Teos Abadia , Robert Alaniz, Rory Alexander, jay latest scheme.
Anderson , Paul Baalham, Stacy Bermes , Joseph Bloch , Mike Mearls
carlo bosticco, Ken Breese, Tim Eagon , Pierce Gaithe, January 2015
Richard Green, T. E. Hendrix, Sterling Hershey, Paul Hughes
Matthew Jording, Yan Lacharite, Shane Leahy, Ryan Leary,
Jonathan Longstaff, Jon Machnicz, Farrell Madden , Matt
Maranda, Paul Melamed, Shawn MerwinLou Michelli , Rob
Mickunas, Mike Mihalas, john Proudfoot, Rob Quillen II , Karl
Resch, Sam Sherry, Sam E Simpson Jr, Pieter Sleij pen

Di<elaimer: Wizards of the Coast urges adventurers to remember that not all rock creatures are earth elementals. A talking rock that controls boulders is a galeb du hr. A talking rock wearing
jewelry is a dao. A silent rock that 's resistant to non-adamantine weapons is a stone golem. A rock with wings is a gargoyle. A rock without a K is a giant bird. A rock that sits there and does
nothing could be just a rock or a bolor disguised by an illusion. In all cases, proceed with caution.

ON THE COVER
Aerisi Kalinoth, the air prophet, unleashes the Cult of the
Howling Hatred on the Dessarin Valley. A defiant Harper
wizard named Zelraun Roaringhorn stands against her in
this tempestuous scene illustrated by Raymond Swan land.

62082436000001 EN
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6578-6
First Printing: April 2015
987654321
CE
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the d ragon ampersand , Princes of the Apocalypse, Player's Handbook, Monste r Manual, Dungeon Master's
Guide, all other Wizards of the Coast product names , and the ir respective logos a re trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countri es. All characters and their
distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. Th is material is p ro tected under the copyright laws of the Un ited States of Ame rica. Any reprod u ct io n or unauthorized use
of the material or a rtwork contained herein is prohibited wit hout the express written permi ssion of Wizards of t he Coast.

Sasquatch Game Studio and the Sasquatch Game Stud io logo are trademarks o f Sasquatch Game Studio LLC.

Printed in the USA. ©201 5 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057·0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasb ro SA, Rue Emile· Boechat 31, 2800 Delemont, CH.
Represented by Ha sbro Europe 4 The Sq ua re Stockley Park Uxbrjdge Mjdd!esex lJBJJ 1 ET UK
C ontents
Ch. 1: Rise of Elemental Evil..............................4 Ch. 5: Temple of the Elder Elemental Eye..... 112
Using This Book..............................................5 Wrath of the Elements................................. 112
Adventure Background................................... 5 Fighting the Prophets.................................. 115
Adventure Synopsis........................................ 6 Saving the Delegates................................... 115
Elemental Cults.............................................. 7 Fane of the Eye............................................115
Cult of the Black Earth............................. 8 The Howling Caves..................................... 123
Cult of the Crushing Wave........................9 The Plunging Torrent..................................128
Cult of the Eternal Flame........................10 The Black Geode.........................................135
Cult of the Howling Hatred..................... 11 The Weeping Colossus.................................141
Running the Adventure................................. 12 Concluding the Campaign........................... 146
Adventure Hooks....................................12
Factions................................................... 14 Ch. 6: Alarums and Excursions.......................148
Starting the Adventure........................... 17 Trouble in Red Larch...................................148
Preparing for Play.................................. 17 Into the Wilderness......................................149
Using Monster References...................... 17 Necromancer’s Cave....................................151
Using the Side Treks............................... 17 Tomb of Moving Stones.............................. 153
Side Treks................................................... 159
Ch. 2: The Dessarin Valley.................................18 New Management................................. 160
History...........................................................19 Iceshield Orcs....................................... 163
Current Events.............................................. 19 The Long Road..................................... 166
Red Larch..................................................... 19 Curse of the Fire Witch........................ 167
Important Red Larchers......................... 20 Vale of Dancing Waters.........................172
The Believers..........................................20 Dark Dealings in Yartar........................175
Adventure in Red Larch......................... 20 Rundreth Manor....................................179
Rumors of Evil........................................ 21 Halls of the Hunting Axe.......................180
Red Larch Locations.............................. 22
Exploring the Valley...................................... 29 Ch. 7: Monsters and Magic Items....................188
Travel...................................................... 29 Monsters...................................................... 188
Random Encounters.............................. 30 Howling Hatred Cultists....................... 189
Valley Sites.................................................... 31 Black Earth Cultists..............................195
The Uthgardt Tribes..................................... 39 Eternal Flame Cultists..........................200
Crushing Wave Cultists........................205
Ch. 3: Secret of the Sumber Hills......................40 Other Villains........................................209
The Missing Delegation................................ 40 Elemental Myrmidons..........................212
Early Investigations...................................... 42 Princes of Elemental Evil............................ 214
Cult Reprisals................................................44 Magic Items.................................................222
Feathergale Spire..........................................46 Elemental Magic Items......................... 222
Knights’ Quest.............................................. 49 Relics of Besilmer.................................223
Sighing Valley............................................... 50 Elemental Weapons.............................. 224
Rivergard Keep............................................. 52
Sacred Stone Monastery.............................. 59 Appendix A: Genasi..........................................227
Scarlet Moon Hall.........................................69
Appendix B: Spells.......................................... 230
Ch. 4 : Air, Earth, Fire, Water............................. 74 Spell Lists................................................... 230
Rooting Out Evil............................................74 Spell Descriptions.......................................233
Cult Retaliation............................................. 76
Temple of Howling Hatred............................78 Appendix C: Adapting to Other Worlds.......... 243
Temple of the Crushing Wave....................... 84
Temple of Black Earth...................................95 Afterword......................................................... 251
Temple of Eternal Flame.............................103
C h a p te r 1: R i s e o f E le m e n ta l E v il
terrible threat gathers in the These troubles have a source known to few in the
North. Throughout this region of the North: Elemental Evil. Servants of this malevolence
Forgotten Realms, savage marauders gather in the Sumber Hills and spy on the Dessarin
bring destruction. Monsters are on the Valley, drawn by a force they can’t explain. Dabbling in
prowl, preying on flocks, rampaging dangerous lore, these fanatics seek to master elemental
A through croplands, and attacking magic and unleash its destructive power everywhere.
homesteads and travelers. In settlements, And they are further along in their plans than most
discord and suspicion grow. Sinister people in the North realize.
strangers lurk in the shadows, whispering about how Four elemental cults grow in power in the Sumber
everything is soon to change. This year brought an Hills, claiming abandoned keeps that connect to an
unseasonably warm and stormy spring. Tales spread of underground fortress once part of an ancient dwarven
flooding, windstorms, wildfires, and tremors. kingdom. Within those chambers are the remnants of
a temple built by drow worshipers of Elemental Evil.
Each of the four cults venerates a powerful entity of air, before the Princes of Elemental Evil are unleashed upon
earth, fire, or water: a Prince of Elemental Evil. Like the world.
their princes, the four cults are rivals, yet they all serve Chapter 6 presents adventures that are secondary to
a mysterious force they call the Elder Elemental Eye. the main storyline. Use them as you see fit. Some are
A prophet gifted with a powerful elemental weapon especially useful if you start the adventure with lst-level
leads each cult. Those weapons—Windvane, Ironfang, characters.
Tinderstrike, and Drown—were the catalysts for the Chapter 7 details NPCs, new monsters, and new
creation of four elemental nodes, places where the magic items.
Elemental Planes connect to the Material Plane. The Appendixes A and B contain new material for players
cults draw elemental creatures through the nodes, to use in creating their characters for the campaign.
and they use elemental magic to create devastation Appendix C provides advice for adapting this adventure
orbs capable of ravaging the countryside. They’ve to other D&D campaign settings.
been testing these magic weapons, bolstering the
cults’ ranks, and infiltrating various communities, all A d v e n tu re B a c k g ro u n d
directed by visions the prophets receive from the Elder
Elemental Eye. In time, each prophet hopes to entice his The threat of Elemental Evil surfaces in different worlds
or her elemental prince to pass through the node and of the multiverse whenever the force known as the
wreak devastation on the Dessarin Valley and beyond. Elder Elemental Eye tests its strength. In its current
incarnation, Elemental Evil arises in the Sumber Hills.
The scattered towns and isolated homesteads of this
U s in g T h is B o o k frontier now face a dire threat. If the forces of Elemental
Princes of the Apocalypse presents an epic campaign Evil can’t be defeated before they grow, madness and
against the forces of Elemental Evil that can occupy you destruction could spread unchecked through the North.
and your players for many months. Characters who are The presence of Elemental Evil in the Sumber Hills
at least 3rd level can dive right into the main adventure. goes back thousands of years, when a sect of renegade
A party of 1st- or 2nd-level characters should start with drow discovered the extensive caverns beneath the
the mini-adventure in chapter 6. Sumber Hills and claimed it as their territory. These
This chapter provides the background of Elemental dark elves venerated a terrible god of primordial evil,
Evil’s appearance in the campaign, and a synopsis of the and they built a shrine to this nameless power. In time,
adventure. The four elemental cults, which serve as the the ancient drow cult faded away (or was wiped out), and
primary foes of the campaign, are also described in this the place known as the Temple of the Elder Elemental
chapter. Although the cults are all linked by their hunger Eye was forgotten for centuries.
for power and proclivity for destruction, each has its The dwarves of Besilmer were the next folk to
own leader and preferred methods. Further, this chapter discover the site. Besilmer was a realm of pastures and
offers guidelines for starting and running the adventure. cropland. The dwarves established an underground
Chapter 2 explores the Dessarin Valley, the setting stronghold called Tyar-Besil beneath the Sumber Hills
for this adventure (and many others, if you wish). The to defend against the trolls and giants that plagued the
Dessarin River, one of the mighty waterways of the region. The dwarves discovered the ancient drow hold
North, runs through a barely settled frontier region and its temple below their own delvings. They lacked
a few days’travel from the great city of Waterdeep. the strength to clean out the ruins, so they abandoned
A handful of small towns and outposts are scattered their deeper excavations. Trolls and giants soon broke
through the region, linked to more populous lands by the realm of Besilmer, and the remaining dwarves
ancient roads and the broad river. The heart of this area, abandoned the place altogether.
the Sumber Hills, has become the stronghold where the Over the years, adventurers occasionally stumbled
elemental cults build their bases of power. across the buried stronghold of Tyar-Besil and the drow
Chapter 3 begins the adventure in earnest. In this vaults below it. Few made any lasting record of their
chapter, the characters learn that trouble has taken explorations, and their names are forgotten. But in the
root in the Dessarin Valley and that evil forces are on year 893 DR (using the Dalereckoning calendar, about
the loose. By exploring, the characters find the first 600 years before the present day), a band of adventurers
outposts of the four elemental cults—the so-called called the Knights of the Silver Horn found the place
Haunted Keeps. and commenced an exploration of the ruins. The
In chapter 4, the characters discover that the four adventurers came back to Tyar-Besil again and again,
cults occupy a sprawling dungeon complex beneath the and when they decided to establish strongholds and
Sumber Hills. The temples serve as the base for the tame the territory, they raised their keeps over each of
cultists’ insidious attacks against the Dessarin Valley. the known access points leading to the ancient dwarven
Chapter 5 describes the ancient caverns beneath the ruins. The adventurers feared something in the deep
temple complex and the altar dedicated to Elemental caves below the Sumber Hills, and they intended to set a
Evil. From these caverns, passages lead to four permanent watch over the area.
elemental nodes, places where forces from Elemental History didn’t cooperate. A generation or two after
Planes have established a foothold in the world. Within the Knights of the Silver Horn established their
each node, a portal to one of those planes grows in strongholds, an orc horde swept through the North, and
intensity. The characters must destroy the cults there the keeps were overrun. For centuries they stood empty.
 Locals came to know them as the Haunted Keeps, and relations with Mirabar by helping to solve the mystery.
various monsters occasionally occupied the ruins. Whether the characters set out to search for the missing
The abandoned keeps and the dwarven stronghold delegation or choose to investigate another lead, they
beneath them might have been forgotten forever, but a soon find clues that lead them to the Haunted Keeps
few years ago a drow named Vizeran DeVir returned to in the Sumber Hills. All of these are now occupied
the ancient Fane of the Eye. A renegade drow wizard by strange new sects masquerading as harmless
of great power, DeVir was no servant of Lolth; like societies or reclusive orders, but these outposts serve
the forgotten sect that created the temple long ago, he Elemental Evil.
devoted himself to the nameless power of the Elder When the characters infiltrate or defeat these
Elemental Eye. His beliefs led to his exile from drow disguised groups of cultists, they discover that each
society, but his faithfulness to this dark power did Haunted Keep guards a passage leading to a huge
not go unrewarded. Guided by visions, Vizeran DeVir dungeon beneath the Sumber Hills, the new Temple
created four mighty weapons imbued with Elemental of Elemental Evil. Here, the elemental cults have
Evil: the spear Windvane, the dagger Tinderstrike, the established themselves in the ruins of an ancient
trident Drown, and the war pick Ironfang. He left these dwarven stronghold. They are building up their strength
weapons on the altar of the Elder Elemental Eye for as they work to master elemental power. The characters
their fated bearers to discover. come up against the elemental prophets and confront
Within the last few months, each of the four elemental one of the four cult leaders, whose identity depends on
prophets was driven to seek out the ancient altar by which part of the temple the characters explore first.
dreams or visions. One by one, Aerisi Kalinoth, Vanifer, Even as the characters delve into the elemental
Gar Shatterkeel, and Marlos Urnrayle claimed their temples, their successes provoke retaliation. The
weapons and became the leaders of their respective elemental prophets dispatch bands of cultists armed
cults. The four prophets established themselves in the with devastation orbs—essentially bombs of elemental
ruins of dwarven Tyar-Besil and occupied the Haunted energy created from the elemental nodes—to unleash
Keeps that guard access to the vast dungeon. Lunatics, natural disasters throughout the Dessarin Valley,
outlaws, power-hungry villains, and monsters of all punishing everyone for the characters’ interference.
description began to trickle into the valley, drawn Despite fierce opposition in the various elemental
by the dark call of Elemental Evil. Meanwhile, the temples and the retribution of the offended cults, the
prophets experimented with their new toys, nurturing characters succeed in rescuing some of the Mirabar
the seeds of elemental nodes that grew larger every day delegates and driving out some or all of the cults
and testing their powers to create ever-larger natural from their newly established bases in Tyar-Besil.
disasters. Unfortunately, other members of the delegation remain
After thousands of years, the seeds of Elemental Evil missing, and various other leads and mysteries remain
once again sprout beneath the Sumber Hills. Whether unresolved. Worse yet, it quickly becomes clear that
anyone can expose these sinister plots and put a stop to the elemental cults are on the brink of unleashing
them remains to be seen. unthinkable disasters.
As an elemental apocalypse grows nearer, the
A d v e n t u r e S y n o p s is characters discover passages leading from the cult-
controlled territory in Tyar-Besil to the far older (and
The adventure begins when the characters arrive more dangerous) caverns known as the Fane of the
in the town of Red Larch, a small settlement on the Eye, dug long ago by drow. Here they find the evil
western side of the Dessarin Valley. Strange rumors altar dedicated to the Elder Elemental Eye, where the
and ominous signs have the townsfolk concerned, characters confront another of the elemental prophets
including reports of bandit attacks on the roads, piracy (again, the prophet they fight depends on which part
on the Dessarin River, and monster sightings too close of the dungeon they explore first). They also find
to town. But the mystery that has keen observers of passages leading into the ultimate sanctums of the
the region most concerned is the disappearance of a cults: the elemental nodes known as the Black Geode,
delegation traveling overland from the city of Mirabar the Howling Caverns, the Plunging Torrents, and the
to Waterdeep. The delegation stopped in the tiny village Weeping Colossus.
of Beliard, where the members mentioned their intent In the last stage of the adventure, the characters
to visit sacred dwarven sites before continuing on to face the daunting task of pursuing the remaining two
Goldenfields. They were last seen at the west end of elemental prophets into their places of power. The most
the Stone Bridge, turning south to proceed overland powerful and dedicated followers of each of the four
through the heart of the Sumber Hills. It has now been cults guard these sanctums, which are infused with
almost a month, and the delegation never showed up at elemental energy and warped into strange reflections
Goldenfields or any other outpost. of the Elemental Planes. At the heart of each elemental
Powerful factions have good reason to worry about node, the characters find a great portal that serves as a
the missing delegation. The Harpers are concerned conduit from its associated elemental plane. Here the
about a noted dwarf historian who was part of the remaining cult leaders make their stands, and here the
delegation. The Emerald Enclave wants to know what characters face the overwhelming power of the Princes
happened to a pouch of magical seeds one of the of Elemental Evil. Victory might seem doubtful against
delegation members was bringing to Goldenfields. Even such opponents, but clever and resourceful characters
the Zhentarim are interested in trying to improve their
can find ways to destroy the portals instead of trying to in elemental cataclysms. Ruin rules as the forces of
slay these dire beings. nature become instruments of destruction. A world in
With the portals shut, the elemental nodes revert which Elemental Evil triumphed would exist only as an
to normal, and any surviving cultists scatter to the everlasting war of raging elements.
four winds. Their stronghold is destroyed and their Elemental Evil appears in different worlds throughout
leaders are dead; Elemental Evil is defeated in this the many ages. This sinister force—the Elder Elemental
world for now. Eye—is well hidden in Faerun. Individuals remain
susceptible to its call: those lured by the promise
E le m e n ta l C u lts of power, those who know only hate in their hearts,
those whose minds are broken and therefore open to
Elemental Evil perverts the natural elements, limiting insinuation and dark whispers. These are the servants
them to aspects of destruction. This force wants to of Elemental Evil, and they can cause immeasurable
gain the power to tear down everything—morals, social harm if they aren’t exposed and rooted out.
structures, governments, the laws of nature—and Although destruction is the unifying principle of
reduce existence to a more elemental state, tainted Elemental Evil, beings that serve this dark force
with conflict and madness. Elemental Evil uses mortal don’t necessarily adhere to that goal. Only the most
servants as a means to this end. unbalanced minds seek destruction for its own sake.
These hateful principles take two primary forms in Instead, the servants of Elemental Evil seek power
the world. The first is corruption. Elemental Evil tempts through the destructive might of one of the elements
the broken, the wronged, and the wicked with the power of air, earth, fire, or water. This is the origin of the four
to strike back. It represents the worm in the apple, a elemental cults that together compose the worship of
hidden corruption that grows stronger over time as the Elemental Evil.
natural order decays. Secret cults spring up, institutions The cults operate independently of each other. Each
are debased, and the fundamental laws governing the believes that its favored element is the most powerful
seasons begin to weaken. As Elemental Evil grows and most worthy of worship. Rank-and-file members
stronger, its corruption grows into the second form: of the air cult sneer at the idea that anyone could see
madness. Cultists sink into insanity, lashing out at something worth worshiping in elemental earth, fire,
everything around them or destroying themselves
or water. Members of the other cults reel the same way quarries, and tilled fields as insults imposed upon the
about any cult but their own. Only the best-educated living rock and soil. They believe the earth thirsts for
or most magically gifted members understand that the blood of those who don’t venerate it before all other
a unifying principle underlies each elemental cult. powers and beings.
Even then, they believe that their element should The Cult of the Black Earth appeals to those who
reign supreme. draw their fortunes from the earth—directly or
Despite these different goals and varying methods, the indirectly. In areas where the influence of Elemental
elemental cults are linked to each other by forces they Evil takes hold, animals and monsters that live or
don’t fully understand. From world to world and age to burrow in the ground accept the cultists as allies.
age, the cults of Elemental Evil have risen again and Creatures such as ankhegs or bulettes, normally too
again. Each time, the cultists of elemental air, earth, fire, stupid and ravenous to be trained, submit to the will
and water are joined to the same dark fate. of the Black Earth. The monsters allow themselves
Throughout the adventure, characters have ample to be herded or ridden into battle against the enemies
opportunity to see the symbol associated with each of the cult.
of the four cults. They could figure out how the four The Sign of the Black Earth. The symbol of the earth
symbols connect to form a fifth symbol: that of the Elder cult signifies purpose and stability. Cultists sometimes
Elemental Eye. identify themselves with a hand gesture: they make a
triangle by touching the thumbs and forefingers of both
C u l t o f t h e B la c k E a r th hands together.
The earth cult worships the implacable T actics and Philosophy
strength and unyielding resistance of The Black Earth cult is the most defense-minded and
elemental earth. Cultists seek the power patient of the four elemental cults. Earth cultists admire
to destroy the works of civilization with stoicism, endurance, and unyielding resolve. They are
landslides, sinkholes, or mighty earthquakes, thus deliberate and slow to act, careful to consider their
demonstrating the true power of elemental earth and plans and gather their strength before beginning any
the futility of resistance. Earth cultists see mines, new enterprise. Once earth cultists resolve to act, they
are inflexible, grinding their way forward through any in a clever or elegant way. Marlos’s previous life had
obstacle or unforeseen development. They are single- been a constant search for pleasure, but the only thing
minded in the extreme, and most earth cultists have that now stirs his loveless soul is refined cruelty. He can
little use for social niceties. They see common courtesy be driven to fits of blind, unreasoning jealousy if he is
as a way for the weak to put limits on the behavior outshone by another urbane and attractive individual.
of the strong, and they scorn empathy or friendship
as weakness. Enemies and A llies
In battle, Black Earth cultists are brutal and The Black Earth cultists are highly suspicious of the
straightforward. They overpower foes with direct Cult of Howling Hatred. They believe that the air cultists
assaults, although if they have the opportunity to are mercurial, unreliable, and generally out of touch
undermine defenses or attack from below, they with reality. The earth cultists respect the strength and
unhesitatingly put their skill at tunneling and mastery of ferocity of the Eternal Flame followers, but also find
burrowing monsters to good use. They are unflinching them maddeningly inconstant. Black Earth cultists ally
in the face of death. Surrender is never an option. most often with the Crushing Wave, since they admire
Earth cultists live and work underground. They craft the patience and pragmatism of the water cultists.
weapons from stone or iron and “bathe” themselves in
sand or dirt to feel close to their favored element. Black C u l t o f t h e C r u s h i n g W ave
Earth initiates know the secret of creating armor from Cultists of the Crushing Wave worship the
magically shaped stone, and even their robes include awesome power of water, from the surging
stone pauldrons or masks. tides and deadly maelstroms of the sea to the
raging torrents of rivers in flood and the rock­
Prophet of E a rth crushing power of ice and glaciers. Crushing Wave
A medusa named Marlos Urnrayle leads the Black Earth cultists see all living creatures as nothing more than
cult. He wields the elemental weapon Ironfang, a war trapped water that could one day be free to return to the
pick infused with the power of Ogremoch, the Prince seas or skies in a new form. The seas and deep waters
of Evil Earth. Marlos is vain and cruel, an extreme are eager to reclaim the parts of themselves currently
narcissist who delights in surrounding himself with held in the blood and bodies of living creatures, and it is
objects of beauty and luxurious comforts. Beneath this the duty of Crushing Wave initiates to return
sneering self-assurance lies a bitter being who loathes nonbelievers to the primal waters by drowning them or
himself and holds everyone around him in contempt. shedding their blood.
Marlos began life as a human aristocrat, born into The Crushing Wave cult appeals to those who live
a wealthy Cormyrean family. He squandered his in or near bodies of water, as well as to those who
family’s wealth on endless self-indulgence, seeking appreciate subtlety and inevitability. Wicked sea
more questionable forms of entertainment through the creatures such as aquatic ghouls and merrows are
years. The Urnrayle estate became known as a place friendly toward water cultists. Even non-sentient
of outrageous masquerades, bizarre banquets, and predators such as sharks or octopuses understand
grotesque orgies. Marlos required his guests to don ugly that water cultists are allies to be aided or masters to
or monstrous masks, thus ensuring that no one’s beauty be obeyed.
would outshine his own. The Sign of the Crushing Wave. Water cultists use a
As he aged, Marlos turned to magic to preserve his simple hand sign to identify one another when a token
fading beauty. After searching for years, he found a ring of recognition is required: crossing the forefingers and
that contained the stolen vitality of a lovely fey creature. overlapping the thumbs to create an X-shape linked by
As long as he wore the ring, his imperfections vanished a line across the bottom. It stands for water’s eternal
and no one could resist his physical charms—until surge and retreat, a cycle of unending change.
the day the ring transformed Marlos into a medusa.
The horror of his fate drove Marlos mad. He fled his Tactics and Philosophy
ancestral home, taking his collection of masks with him. Crushing Wave cultists are almost as patient and stoic
After years of wandering and hiding in one ruined as the followers of the earth cult. They understand the
estate or another across the Western Heartlands, value of outlasting formidable foes and slowly eroding
Marlos felt drawn to the desolate Sumber Hills by their defenses. However, they are far more flexible and
troubling dreams and visions. A long stairway beneath opportunistic in their overall philosophy than the earth
a ruined monastery brought him to an ancient cavern cultists are. Like a flood that seeks the weak point in
with a hideous altar, upon which lay a war pick of a levee and then bursts through with ever-growing
iron. When the medusa claimed Ironfang, his purpose strength, water cultists are quick to sense an opening
finally became clear to him. He established his lair in and then act to exploit it. This philosophy of pragmatism
the dungeon nearby and began building the Cult of the and opportunism means that the Crushing Wave is
Black Earth. the most mercenary of the four elemental cults. Water
Traits. Unlike many of his followers, Marlos is cultists eagerly seek out rich prizes and use their ill-
genteel and well-spoken. He delights in witty banter and gotten loot to develop their schemes.
pointed repartee, although he is quick to make a cutting In combat, Crushing Wave cultists excel as
remark or jest at someone else’s expense. Marlos takes skirmishers. They value mobility and opportunism,
pleasure in mocking others, especially if he can do so rarely making a stand in one place for long. Instead, they
feign retreats, regroup, and launch new attacks, wearing ocean again and is distressed by the fact that the driving
down their foes like storm-driven waves eating away at force behind his visions keeps him so far from the sea.
a sandy beach. Almost all water cultists are excellent
swimmers skilled at fighting in water, so they look for Enemies and A llies
opportunities to surprise their enemies by using bodies The followers of the Crushing Wave detest the Cult
of water to slip around or through defenses. of the Eternal Flame. They find the fire cultists to be
Because the cultists see water as the wellspring of all hostile, short-tempered, and unforgivably rash. The
life and purpose, they spend as much time in or around Howling Hatred cultists aren’t as hostile, but they are
it as possible. Many cult hideouts are located near large likewise given to sudden impulses and are unreliable.
bodies of water, and those that aren’t feature hidden The water cultists get along with the Cult of the Black
pools or wells in which cult members can immerse Earth. The earth cultists are deliberate and dependable,
themselves. Water cultists prize water-breathing magic if perhaps too inflexible for their own good.
and seek it out for no other reason than to spend hours
meditating underwater. Few cultists gain any profound C u l t o f t h e E t e r n a l F la m e
insights from these exercises. The followers of the Eternal Flame cult
worship the destructive power of fire in all
P rophet of W ater its manifestations. They seek the power to
The former sailor Gar Shatterkeel leads the Crushing burn away the “corruption” of both
Wave cult. He wields the elemental weapon Drown, a civilization and nature with volcanic eruptions, forest
trident imbued with the essence of Olhydra, Princess of fires, heat waves, and droughts, creating a wasteland of
Evil Water. Gar is a sullen man who says little, letting ash and cinders ruled by fire alone. Eternal Flame
his actions speak for him. He believes he has been cultists believe the world and all its peoples are wicked
wronged by the world and hates all people except those and malformed, and they consider it a sacred duty to
as broken and unfortunate as himself. Gar also despises “purify” everything around them by reducing their
weakness in others. surroundings to smoking cinders.
Gar was born in a poor fishing village in the Nelanther The Eternal Flame appeals to those drawn to
Isles. At a young age, he lost his family to a Sahuagin destruction for its own sake. Creatures of elemental fire
attack. The sea devils slaughtered almost everyone are most likely to take up this reckless philosophy; even
he knew. A Tethyrian merchant galley conscripted the non-intelligent fire monsters sense the reckless lust
young orphan into service, and Gar was forced into for destruction lurking in the hearts of fire cultists and
a brutal indentured servitude that was barely better consider Eternal Flame believers to be their allies.
than being enslaved. His unwilling service came to an The Sign of the Eternal Flame. The symbol of the fire
end when pirates attacked the merchant ship. During cult is reminiscent of a bowl-like brazier with a burning
the fighting, Gar was knocked overboard. For days he flame. Fire cultists sometimes identify themselves with
survived by clinging to the ship’s wreckage, until a shark a symbolic hand sign: holding one hand in a fist, thumb
ripped off his left arm. Death seemed imminent, but up, and laying the other hand over the fist as if to cover
a powerful current arose and bore him away from the the bowl but allow the flame to show. Members of the
hungry predator. Within an hour he was cast upon the cult can also be identified by their burn scars.
shores of the Sword Coast.
Gar believed that the current that had saved his T actics and Philosophy
life was an elemental sent by the sea. From that day Fire cultists are impetuous, hot-tempered, and violent.
forward, he devoted himself to the ocean, teaching They aren’t mindless savages; their impetuousness
himself its secrets and learning powerful water magic also encompasses fiendish inventiveness and a drive to
over years of lonely wandering. He despised all other devise new tools for their mad cause. They are masters
people, remembering only his harsh treatment by the of fire and forge, taking captives to work in their infernal
merchant crew and the brutality of the pirates. But in foundries. Fire cultists see conquest and enslavement of
time he became aware of a call to a higher purpose, the weak as necessary steps in bringing about the chaos
impelling him to find other examples of human flotsam they intend to unleash on the world.
and teach them about the power of the sea. In battle, fire cultists launch sudden, overwhelming
Gar’s visions led him to the secret waters beneath assaults. They throw themselves into reckless attacks
the Sumber Hills. He found a hidden cavern temple, on with no regard for their own lives, seeking to cause
whose altar lay a powerful magical trident. Sensing its as much damage as possible before falling. They are
power, Gar took up the weapon and began to call his fearless and would rather die fighting among a mob of
cult to join him in the Temple of the Crushing Wave. enemies than retreat a single step.
Traits. Gar is covered in barnacles, and he wears Followers of the Eternal Flame cult surround
an artificial arm in the shape of a crab’s claw over the themselves with the largest fires they can create. Their
stump of his left arm. He never uses two words when favorite tactic involves using magic to open volcanic
one will do, and he believes that anyone addressing him fissures or vents and channel flows of molten rock.
with courtesy is either insincere or subtly mocking him. Widespread arson and deliberately set forest fires are
The water prophet’s primary motivation is retribution; acceptable alternatives. Most fire cultists believe that
the world has been cruel to him, and he intends to make something important and beautiful should be set on fire
everyone else suffer as he has. He longs to be near the every day, or else they’re just not doing their part.
Fire Prophet C u l t o f t h e H o w lin g H a t r e d
Through all-consuming ambition and a desire to punish
all who ever thwarted her dreams, the tiefling Vanifer The followers of elemental air call themselves
has risen to leadership of the Eternal Flame cult. the Cult of the Howling Hatred. They
Beneath her refined exterior is a steel edge of scorned worship the destructive power of wind and
pride. And underneath her hard pride lies a desire for storms, believing that those who venerate
murder and mayhem. Vanifer harbors a fierce hatred for elemental air gain the power to punish those who have
all who think themselves superior to her, and she stops wronged them. More so than the members of the other
at nothing to make them see her as a figure to be feared cults, air cultists see their beliefs as a means to an end.
Destruction for its own sake isn’t particularly
and respected. interesting, but destruction as an expression of personal
Vanifer was born and raised in the crushing poverty freedom or to earn things wrongfully denied? That’s a
of Calimport’s poorest quarters, armed with only her
different story.
cunning intelligence. In her youth, she learned to dance The Cult of the Howling Hatred appeals to those
for coin and slowly worked her way up from the wine who deal in perceptions over facts: illusionists, spies,
sinks of the laborers’ districts to the elegant chambers and assassins, for example. Predatory or fierce winged
of the city’s nobles. She mastered minor fire magic to creatures of any kind, even non-sentient monsters that
distinguish herself from other dancers and incorporated would otherwise resist training, perceive the air cultists
flame into her routine. Her talents grew, and soon she as allies and cooperate with them. Hippogriffs, griffons,
caught the eye of a pasha and became his concubine. and giant vultures are frequently used as air cult steeds.
But even as she enjoyed the gifts he lavished on her, The Sign of the Howling Hatred. The symbol
Vanifer hated the pasha for seeing her as a mere trophy. of elemental air is an inverted triangle with three
She left before long, robbing the pasha of a small branching lines above it. Some believe it stands for
fortune in jewelry and setting fire to his palace. the funnel cloud of a tornado, while others see it as
Vanifer fled to Zazesspur, but her former master’s the superiority of winged creatures over the ground.
agents soon found her. She fled again to Baldur’s Gate, Some maintain it is an ancient rune that stands
taking up residence in the poor neighborhood known as for the elemental lord Yan-C-Bin. Whatever their
Little Calimshan. There she opened a school of dance interpretations, the air cultists use the symbol as a
and discovered that her gift for fire attracted other secret password of sorts. By touching the thumbs and
sorts of students. She became the leader of a cult of fire little fingers together and closing the rest of the fingers
worshipers. There she remained until a few months ago, into a fist, an air cultist forms an inverted triangle that is
when dreams and visions impelled her to seek out a lost a mark of membership in the cult.
dungeon in the North. On the altar of a forgotten temple
she found the dagger Tinderstrike, imbued with the Tactics and Philosophy
power of Imix, the Prince of Evil Fire. Armed with this Howling Hatred cultists are clever, impulsive, and
powerful weapon, Vanifer resolved to establish a new creative. They usually see themselves as smarter,
chapter of her cult beneath the Sumber Hills. quicker, and more capable than others they meet.
Traits. Vanifer is an extraordinary manipulator. She Howling Hatred cultists dislike open battle. They prefer
collects allies and followers with her wiles, using them to work in secret, using stealth and illusion to gain their
as she needs and discarding them the moment they lose ends with a minimum of force. Tactics of deception and
their usefulness. It’s a testament to her natural talent ambush provide the air cultists with opportunities to
that many of her victims are pathetically eager to bask prove themselves smarter and more resourceful than
in the glow of her attention again if she discovers she their opponents. The wind doesn’t blow down a castle,
needs something else from them. While Vanifer puts but flows around and through it. Infiltration and indirect
on the airs of a rich noble, she despises those raised attack are clearly superior tactics.
with great wealth, and her sensibilities favor the coarse. Air cultists seek out high places for their strongholds
Vanifer is ambitious above all else, and as undisputed wherever possible, although they value subterranean
master of the fire cult, she intends to make the Eternal spaces with wide chasms or lofty vaults. Places where
Flame the strongest and most feared cult of all. flying is possible are mandatory. The followers of the
Enemies and A llies Howling Hatred understand that sometimes they must
put secrecy above other considerations.
Eternal Flame cultists detest the followers of the
Crushing Wave. They see the water cultists as slippery Prophet of A ir
and untrustworthy, perhaps even cowardly—after all, The moon elf Aerisi Kalinoth leads the Cult of the
the Crushing Wave retreats quickly from opposition and Howling Hatred. Tall and slender, with illusory wings
seeks the path of least resistance before committing its that gently fan the air, Aerisi speaks to her people in
strength. The earth cultists are stolid and courageous, a whisper that sounds clearly in the ears of all in her
but maddeningly slow to act. The cultists of the Howling presence. Aerisi regards her followers not as cultists,
Hatred share the fire cult’s impulse to act swiftly and but as her noble subjects. Before them she is prophet
show many of the same qualities of inventiveness and and queen. Musicians and courtiers amuse and flatter
creativity in the service of Elemental Evil. her, and warriors mounted on hippogriffs serve as
her knights.
 Aerisi grew up in an enchanted castle in a remote
part of Faerie, surrounded by tales, histories, and tomes
of magic. She passed her early years playing games,
practicing enchantments, and imagining herself as one
of the avariel (winged elves) from her storybooks. Her
parents sheltered her from the conflicts of Faerun, and
she came of age with a tender and fragile disposition.
Eventually her parents decided it was time for their
daughter to engage in elven society, and they brought
her to the hidden city of Evereska. Her parents then
realized their grave mistake. In pampering and
sheltering their daughter, they had raised not a young
lady but a spoiled child. Accustomed to having all she
desired, the princess erupted into tantrums whenever
she was denied her slightest whim, and the moon elves
of Evereska could hardly endure her.
Aerisi felt powerless among the moon elves. Although
she had become a skilled enchanter in Faerie, her
people were resistant to such charms. In her dreams
she began to envision herself as one of the winged
elves from her storybooks. She wished to control the R u n n in g t h e A d v e n tu r e
wind and go wherever she liked, and to punish those
who offended her. The childlike fantasies of her youth When you prepare to DM this adventure, several tools
became dark visions where she ruled the storms and are at your disposal for a strong start and smooth play.
the air itself. She dreamed of an old mystic with brown A d v e n tu re H o o k s
skin and white hair, who promised to teach her all she
desired to know—a vision of Yan-C-Bin, the Prince This adventure is designed for 3rd-level characters,
of Evil Air. Aerisi turned her study to elemental air, but see the “Starting the Adventure” section for more
learning the secret of flight and escaping Evereska to options. When the players create characters, encourage
follow the deluded visions of her dreams. each of them to choose adventure-specific hooks from
Aerisi’s visions led her to a strange altar in a cavern the list below and align with a faction (see “Factions”
beneath the Sumber Hills, where she acquired the below). Doing so ties the characters more to the fight
spear Windvane. Driven by Yan-C-Bin, she dubbed against Elemental Evil.
herself a queen and set out to find followers to rule. Her The following descriptions detail motivations
enchantments helped fill the ranks of the Cult of the associated with specific parts of the adventure. Fulfilling
Howling Hatred with initiates hopelessly devoted to her. the goal specified by an adventure hook earns the
Traits. No one can deny Aerisi’s grace, but she also character inspiration, as described in the hook’s entry.
possesses a violent temper that reveals itself whenever
she is denied what she wants. Aerisi is prone to flights of Best Served C old
fancy and impulsive decadence. She doesn’t see herself The character must find and defeat Windharrow, the
as evil because she lacks the capacity to empathize with minstrel who attends Aerisi Kalinoth. Windharrow can
anyone else. Those who worship and please her are initially be found in area A4 of the Temple of Howling
good, and those who defy her are wicked and must be Hatred. Most members of the air cult know that he stays
punished. Her wish to lash the world with storms and near Aerisi. The character earns inspiration for reaching
destruction is, at its root, a temper tantrum against the the air temple and again for defeating Windharrow.
elven society that dared to impose its strictures on her. Dangerous Inform ation
Enemies and A llies It’s a race against time—the character overheard cruel
The cultists of the Howling Hatred find the Black bandits planning a raid and intends to stop them.
Earth cultists to be coarse, rude, unimaginative, and The bandits report to someone named Grimjaw in
stubborn to the point of stupidity. Most offensively, the a place called Rivergard Keep. The character earns
earth cultists are bluntly unimpressed by the Howling inspiration for defeating the villains in the “Reaver
Hatred cult and its achievements. Followers of the Ambush” encounter in chapter 3 and again for defeating
Crushing Wave are more flexible and inventive, but they Jolliver Grimjaw.
are crass mercenaries and likewise too pragmatic to Dangerous Secret
appreciate the finer points of the air cult’s philosophy. The character has been assigned to infiltrate the
The Eternal Flame is the best of the lot, since the fire mysterious druids of the Circle of the Scarlet Moon and
cultists share the decisiveness and creative energy of discover their true plans. The circle supposedly knows
the Howling Hatred cult, even if they are overly proud
and aggressive. ritual magic unknown to other druids. The character
earns inspiration for discovering the truth behind the
Rite of the Wicker Giant and again for finding the fire
gate in the Weeping Colossus.
D ark Omens
The signs and portents are clear: nature is out of
balance. Terrible disaster is drawing closer with
every passing day. To restore the balance of nature,
the character must destroy the four elemental nodes.
The character earns inspiration for each portal the
party closes.
D efeat th e Skyriders
Vicious raiders mounted on hippogriffs have laid waste
to several small hamlets and merchant caravans,
and the character has sworn to stop them. Clearing
the Howling Hatred cultists out of Feathergale Spire
earns the character inspiration, as does obtaining a
flying mount.
F eathergale Rebel
The character has been sent to retrieve a
Waterdhavian noblewoman. Savra Belabranta is
currently guarding the front gate of Feathergale Spire.
The character earns inspiration by persuading her
to abandon the cult and return home, as well as for
clearing the spire of air cultists.
The Fugitive
The character is on the trail of a ruthless murderer,
Bastian Thermandar. Bastian is an important member
of the fire cult and can be found in the Temple of
Eternal Flame. The character earns inspiration for
reaching the fire temple and again for defeating or
killing Bastian.
Hired Hand
Homesteaders who were kind to itinerant workers are
now missing. The character sets out to have revenge
and to rescue any survivors. Defeating the kenku in
area A2 of the Temple of Howling Hatred earns the
character inspiration, as does rescuing Bero Gladham
in area A12 of the air temple or Nerise Gladham in
area N17 of the Howling Caves.
Madman a t H aunted Keep
The character knows that unsavory sorts have
occupied Rivergard Keep, and that there’s a secret
way into the castle. Using the secret entrance earns
inspiration, as does clearing the Crushing Wave
cultists out of Rivergard Keep.
The Mud Sorcerer
Months ago, the character was robbed by a genasi
who killed several innocent bystanders. Now it’s time
to find Miraj Vizann and make him pay. Vizann can
normally be found in area B8 of the Temple of Black
Earth. The character earns inspiration for reaching
the temple and again for defeating Miraj.
Ominous Dream
The character has seen the earth prophet, Marlos
Urnrayle, in dreams and knows that Marlos is a
dangerous villain who must be stopped. The character
earns inspiration for gaining access to the earth
temple and again for defeating Marlos.
Recover Your Sword the Sacred Stone Monastery and again for defeating
Thugs associated with the water cult broke into the Hedorm in area B14 of the Temple of Black Earth.
workshop where the character apprenticed, murdered
the master smith, and stole the beautiful sword she’d S h atterk eel’s T ra il
made. The character earns inspiration for defeating Months ago, Gar Shatterkeel destroyed the character’s
Jolliver Grimjaw and again for recovering the sword in ship by conjuring a powerful storm. Dozens of sailors
area C14 of the Temple of the Crushing Wave. died, and now the character intends revenge. The
character earns inspiration for reaching the water
Rescue Your People temple and again for defeating Gar.
Raiders from the fire cult have abducted people the
character feels responsible for protecting. They must be Standing O ffer
rescued at any cost. The captives are held in area E11 Months ago, the character served as a guide for a band
of the Temple of Eternal Flame. The character earns of mysterious pilgrims who set out to reoccupy the
inspiration for reaching the temple and again for getting Sacred Stone Monastery. The character’s mission is to
the captives to safety. infiltrate the group and discover their intentions. The
character earns inspiration for successfully joining the
Seeking Revenge earth cult at the monastery and again for surviving an
Fire cultists torched the character’s home or razed a encounter with Renwick, the lich in area M16 of the
defenseless village. The character is sworn to stop them. monastery.
The character earns inspiration for defeating Lyzzie
Calderos in area E29 of the Temple of Eternal Flame Strange Map
and again for defeating Vanifer. An ancient map has come into the character’s
possession, showing the location of a forgotten dwarf
S e ttle a Score stronghold beneath the Sumber Hills. The character
Marauders in stony armor robbed the character’s earns inspiration each time he or she discovers one of
friends or family and left the character for dead. Now it’s the four temples in ancient Tyar-Besil.
time to even the score. The character earns inspiration
for defeating the Black Earth cultists in area M9 of Suspicious Fellow
The character becomes suspicious of Thurl Merosska,
a knight of the Feathergale Society, and decides to
investigate. Thurl is normally found in Feathergale
Spire. The character earns inspiration for defeating
Thurl and again for discovering the Temple of
Howling Hatred.
Undercover
The character is tasked to break up a smuggling and
piracy ring on the Dessarin River headquartered at
Rivergard Keep. The character earns inspiration for
successfully joining the water cult at Rivergard Keep
and again for capturing or killing Shoalar Quanderil.
Walked Away
The character was briefly recruited by the fire
cultists but never took up arms with them. Now the
character wants to stop the villains before they give
all mercenaries a bad name. The character earns
inspiration for clearing out Scarlet Moon Hall and again
for reaching the Temple of Eternal Flame.
F a c tio n s
Factions are like political parties, religious
organizations, or secret societies. Players can choose
a connection to one of five factions: the Harpers, the
Order of the Gauntlet, the Emerald Enclave, the Lords’
Alliance, and the Zhentarim. All five factions have their
own reasons for opposing the spread of Elemental
Evil. However, none fully comprehend the gravity of the
threat at the adventure’s start.
You can make the characters’ connections to their
factions as complex as you like. The Harpers and the
Emerald Enclave operate on personal relationships,
so the characters might have met their contacts before
the adventure starts. The Lords’Alliance and the The O rder of th e G a u n tle t
Zhentarim, on the other hand, have an elaborate system This faction is primarily a military organization made
of pass phrases and secret signs that identify their up of paladins, clerics, and monks. Members of the
agents to one another. order are faithful and vigilant seekers ofjustice who
The first visit to Red Larch is a good time to establish protect others from the depredations of evildoers. They
these protocols and give each character some face exact swift retribution against those who violate the law.
time with a faction contact. (See the “Important Red Atop a high crest in the Sumber Hills stands Summit
Larchers” section of “Red Larch” in chapter 2.) Such Hall, home to the Knights of Samular. This venerable
contacts can’t promise the characters specific resources order of paladins of Tyr strives to promote justice in
or reinforcements, but they’re friendly faces who know the savage North. The Order of the Gauntlet hopes to
the lay of the land and can offer guidance. They can expand its influence in the region by joining the Knights
pass messages to higher-ups; however, any reply is slow to its cause.
in coming. In the western Sumber Hills, the order has little
As the characters further explore the Dessarin Valley, political influence. It hopes to correct this weakness by
they meet other NPCs affiliated with various factions. establishing alliances with local leaders who share its
The factions also become more helpful as they start to goals, such as the Waterbaron of Yartar. The order is
recognize the cults are a dangerous, destructive force. even pursuing negotiations with fringe organizations.
The H arpers The Emerald Enclave
A scattered network of spellcasters and spies, the This widespread group of wilderness survivalists
Harpers advocate equality and covertly oppose the preserves the natural order while rooting out unnatural
abuse of power, magical or otherwise. Agents operate threats. Many of the Enclave’s members are barbarians,
in secret and emphasize stealth and subtlety, or at the druids, and rangers. Some wander the untamed lands
very least discretion. Bards and wizards are their most while others make their homes on the outskirts of towns
prominent members. and villages, where they help to protect travelers from
Harpers operate in small cells throughout the North. the dangers of the wild.
One is based in Triboar: Darathra Shendrel, the Lord The enclave’s greatest stronghold in the region
Protector, belongs to the faction, and Harper agents can is the fortified farm and abbey to Chauntea called
find welcome at the Home of the Boars. Goldenfields. Abbot Ellardin Darovik is a senior agent
Another cell in the prosperous trade center of Yartar of the Emerald Enclave. In the High Forest to the east
monitors traffic in the Dessarin Valley and the actions lies Shadowtop Cathedral, another of the enclave’s
and policies of the city’s Waterbaron. The Harpers work meeting places.
to maintain the balance of power between the various
groups competing to influence the city. The Lords’ A lliance
In the Sumber Hills, the Harpers warn travelers and The Lords’Alliance is a shaky compact of aggressive
adventurers to stay clear of Rundreth Manor and the political powers concerned with mutual security and
Dark Lady who dwells there. Harpers also watch the prosperity. Fighters and sorcerers are prevalent among
ruined Halls of the Hunting Axe. alliance agents, and they are often glory hounds seeking
personal recognition. Most agents are lawful or neutral;
in the courtly circles of the lords, those who don’t follow
the rules seldom last long.
 Trade along rivers and roads links the cities of the
Lords’Alliance, so its operatives eliminate threats to
that trade as soon as they appear.
Located at the confluence of the Dessarin and Surbrin
rivers, Yartar is a prosperous center of commerce.
Various groups vie to control its wealth and influence
its trade. The Waterbaron of Yartar, Nestra Ruthiol, is a
member of the Lords’Alliance, and her decisions affect
the politics of not only her city but the other cities of
the region.
The Zhentarim
This shadow network seeks to expand its influence and
power base throughout Faerun. Its members coerce,
persuade, or buy their way into every major area of
influence. Rogues and warlocks fill the Zhentarim’s
ranks, but the faction recruits any who can conduct its
business without too many moral reservations.
Zhentarim operatives might be found in any
settlement, but in the North the organization is based
in the Bargewright Inn. Zhentarim mercenaries and
spies meet within its many private chambers. The Black
Network disguises its ownership of the inn to avoid
unwanted attention. The organization also has a vested
interest in maintaining the prosperity of Yartar.
Minor Factions
A number of minor factions also seek influence in
the Dessarin Valley: the elves of the High Forest,
the Hand of Yartar, the Knights of Samular, and the
Uthgardt tribes.
Elves of the High Forest. The High Forest once
sheltered three great elven realms beneath its boughs.
Many tribes of wood elves—and a few moon elves—still
protect the ruined monuments to their golden age. Few
beyond the borders of the High Forest know much about
these elves; they have no single leader and make little
contact with the outside world.
The wood elf Morgwais, known as the Red Lady or
the Lady of the Wood, seeks to unite the disparate tribes
through the Caerilcarn (“Council of the Wood”). Her aim
is to resurrect the ancient kingdom of Eaerlann, and she
has made steps in that direction by allying various elven
settlements. As yet, though, only a few elves believe in
her vision, and they are spread far apart over the eastern
reaches of the forest. infiltration, impersonating officials and commoners
The Emerald Enclave is friendly to the elves of alike in order to steal, bribe, and murder.
the High Forest. However, Morgwais has a troubled The Hand of Yartar might work with the Zhentarim
history with Turlang, a treant leader of the enclave in when it’s convenient for both parties.
Shadowtop Cathedral. The Knights of Samular. This order of paladins
The Hand of Yartar. The famous chronicler Volo dedicated to Tyr has pursued justice across the
once said that everyone in Yartar is after money or North for over five hundred years (see chapter 3 for
power—preferably both—in as short a time as possible. more information). Its founder, Samular Caradoon,
The Harpers, the Lords’Alliance, and the Zhentarim built Summit Hall in the Sumber Hills as a training
compete within the city. The local thieves’ guild, the monastery for the order. Young men and women across
Hand of Yartar, vies for a larger piece of the action, the North travel to Summit Hall so that they might learn
but infighting has kept the guild from having much from its aging heroes.
influence. The Lady of the Hall, Ushien Stormbanner, is
Within the guild, a new and deadly group is sympathetic to the Order of the Gauntlet.
flourishing, comprising ambitious young female thieves Uthgardt Tribes. For over a thousand years, the
and assassins. They are masters of disguise and barbarian humans of the Uthgardt tribes have roved
the North, holding to ancient customs of ritual and
taboo. They are notorious for their hatred of magic, U s in g M o n s t e r R e f e r e n c e s
disavowal of any gods but their own, and hostility to
anyone not of their tribes. Most in the North consider Throughout the adventure, each encounter presents
Uthgardt to be little better than orcs. Two tribes are the monster names in bold. This is a visual cue pointing
most troublesome to folk of the Dessarin Valley: the you to look up the monster’s stat block. If a monster
Tree Ghosts and the Elk. See chapter 2 for more about comes from chapter 7, you should find a parenthetical
the Uthgardt. note telling you to look there. Finding no such note, you
should head for the Monster Manual.
S ta r tin g th e A d v e n tu re
U s i n g t h e S id e T r e k s
If the characters are 1st level, use the adventures at the
start of chapter 6 to get them to 3rd level, at which point In addition to the core narrative, Princes of the
they’re ready for the main adventure (which begins with Apocalypse presents a number of short adventures as
“The Missing Delegation” in chapter 3). You can also side treks. Side treks provide players with a change
skip the introductory adventures in chapter 6 and begin of pace. You need not run side treks in order or at
playing the main adventure with 3rd-level characters. all. Let the natural course of the campaign and the
If you previously ran Lost Mine of Phandelver (the players’ interests dictate when or if a side trek becomes
adventure in the D&D Starter Set), players can use available. You can find the side treks in chapter 6.
characters from that adventure in Princes of the
Apocalypse. In this case, the characters are likely
to be 5th level, a fact you need to account for when
considering encounter difficulty in the adventure. Such
characters also have no existing motivation to pursue
the cults of Elemental Evil. As experienced adventurers,
though, they might find the mystery of the Mirabar
delegation to be all the incentive they need. Ideas for
relocating the party to Red Larch include the following:
• Gundren Rockseeker asks the characters to escort a
wagonload of valuable ore from the newly reopened
Wave Echo Mine to Bethendur’s Storage in Red
Larch, where it should be picked up by a caravan
bound for Secomber. The dwarf has heard that the
market for platinum ingots is quite good in more
easterly lands and anticipates a tidy profit.
• After receiving a vision, Sister Garaele of the Shrine
of Luck decides to become intendant at the Allfaiths
Shrine in Red Larch. She asks the characters
(especially any prospective Harper) to accompany her
and make sure she reaches the shrine safely.
• Halia Thornton hears rumors about an important
delegation that has gone missing somewhere in the
Dessarin Valley. She asks a Zhentarim character
to investigate the situation on behalf of the Black
Network. The story came to her from a trapper
who’d heard it in Red Larch, so she suggests that the
character should begin there.
The journey from Phandalin to Triboar is about 225
miles eastward along the Triboar Trail. Another 200
miles south along the Long Road takes characters from
Triboar to Red Larch.
P re p a rin g f o r P la y
Players feel more immersed in the setting when their
characters’ backgrounds, bonds, and faction choices
come to life at the table. Once your players make their
characters, make a list of key story elements that you
can refer to throughout the course of the adventure.
Include locations and NPCs important to each
character’s faction and background. As the characters
become more involved in aspects of the adventure, keep
this list up to date.
C h a p te r 2 : T h e D e s s a rin V a lle y
he rise of Elemental Evil in Faerun If the Dessarin Valley isn’t quite as wild and lawless
T begins in the Dessarin Valley, a lightly as it once was, it’s still lightly settled territory that
settled region of caravan towns, isolated serves as a route to distant lands. Residents in places
homesteads, and uninhabited wilderness such as Red Larch or Triboar boast that their humble
just a week’s journey from Waterdeep. settlements are “the Gateway to the North.” Through
Nothing of note to the wider world has these lands pass hundreds of caravans and keelboats
happened here for hundreds of years. each year, linking the great ports of Waterdeep and
The frontier long ago receded farther Neverwinter with places such as Everlund, Mirabar, or
northward, leaving behind a quiet backwater littered Silverymoon. The steady caravan traffic breathes life
with ruins. These days, the Dessarin Valley has little into the towns of this area, supporting businesses in the
in common with the popular conception of the Savage settlements along the Long Road. Inns cater to travelers
Frontier. Winters are hard here, but the hordes of orcs anxious to sleep safely within sturdy walls and enjoy
and other hungry monsters are a long way off from good food by a warm fire instead of camping by the side
these parts. of the road.
 In addition to catering to caravans and travelers The knights had some success in clearing small
heading to or from the far North, the Dessarin Valley is domains in the wild Sumber Hills, but only a few years
a breadbasket for the hungry populations of Waterdeep later the powerful orc realm of Uruth Ukrypt arose
and Neverwinter. The farms and pastures of the area nearby, and the Dessarin Valley became a battlefield.
produce grain, livestock, poultry, apples, and hops, Trouble followed on trouble: the Orcfastings War,
then ship them downriver (or drive them down the the First and Second Trollwars, and finally a series
Long Road) to the coast. Few people become rich of vicious drow raids. By the year 942 DR, human
from farming, but farmers in the region do well for settlements in the Dessarin Valley had been all but
themselves provided the weather cooperates. (That’s wiped out, and the Knights of the Silver Horn were no
one reason why the unusual weather lately has been more. Their strongholds crumbled into ruin and became
a concern.) known in later years as the Haunted Keeps. Eventually,
no one remembered who built them or why.
H is to ry The current wave of settlement in and around the
Dessarin Valley began after 1000 DR, coinciding with
Most people who live in the Dessarin Valley have no Waterdeep’s growth from a warlord’s stronghold into
idea of its long history. Old-timers nodding sagely by a major city. The first small outposts that would grow
the hearths of the local taprooms sometimes observe, into places such as Red Larch and Triboar were carved
“These lands, they have old bones.” Most locals have no out of a wild and untamed land. People resettling the
idea of how right they are. Dessarin Valley found the remains of “kingdoms of old”
While some truly ancient ruins in this area go back scattered here and there throughout the area.
to the days of the first great elf kingdoms, none of these
figure into the story of this adventure. The earliest realm
that does is the shield dwarf kingdom of Besilmer, C u r r e n t E v e n ts
which was founded nearly six thousand years ago in Minor issues are nothing unusual in the Dessarin
-4420 DR. Its existence is so far back in the mists of Valley. Bands of savage humanoids from the Sword
history that only a handful of non-dwarf sages have Mountains or the Evermoors occasionally raid here.
even heard of it. Most people of the Dessarin Valley Human barbarians known as the Uthgardt roam these
don’t know Besilmer at all, but they are familiar with lands, and the more aggressive tribes can be very
two of its works: the engineering marvel known as the dangerous. Bandits sometimes gather in the lonelier
Stone Bridge (described later in this chapter) and the parts of the vale to waylay caravans traveling the Long
crumbling ruins known as the Halls of the Hunting Axe. Road or the Kheldell Path. Every now and then reckless
The realm of Besilmer was something rare: a or unlucky adventurers manage to stir up some ancient
dwarven kingdom built on the surface, with its strength curse in the ruins scattered around the area. Constables
measured in fields and pastures. It prospered for a time of valley settlements are usually up to the task of
but was plagued by trolls and giants. The dwarves were restoring the peace.
obliged to build a stronghold underground, carving out Six months ago, an insidious new threat began to
the fortress-city of Tyar-Besil a century after Besilmer’s grow in the area, unsuspected by the locals or any
founding. Unfortunately for the dwarves, the realm passing adventurers. Dreams and visions drew four
collapsed after its king and founder died in battle. elemental prophets, one by one, to the Fane of the
Most of the surviving dwarves sought safer lands. The Eye beneath the Sumber Hills. Each prophet began to
dwarven city beneath the Sumber Hills was abandoned gather like-minded followers. Strangers trickled into
by -4160 DR and then forgotten. the Dessarin Valley in ones or twos. Some were already
Tyar-Besil slumbered in darkness for many long cultists of Elemental Evil, eager to build a place where
centuries, occasionally discovered and occupied by they could openly practice their vile rites. Others were
monsters or ambitious miners, only to be abandoned brutal thugs, power-hungry dabblers in forbidden magic,
again. It came to light again in 893 DR, when a group or fanatics lured by the call of evil. At first the cultists
of adventurers who called themselves the Knights of valued secrecy above all else, but as their numbers grew
the Silver Horn discovered the ruins. Over the next and they established their strongholds, they turned their
six years they returned again and again, eventually attention to expanding their hold on the Dessarin Valley.
founding strongholds of their own to safeguard the The presence of so many malefactors has caused a
hidden entrances to the sprawling dungeon. spate of banditry, kidnappings, murders, and raids. The
cultists have also upset the weather in the region. All of
Time in the Realms these occurrences continue to worsen over the course of
The people of the Forgotten Realms number the years by the the adventure until the characters locate and clean out
Dalereckoning calendar, which is abbreviated “DR.”Years the four elemental cults in the Temple of Elemental Evil.
are also given names, which are drawn from the writings of
a great seer from long ago. The adventure is set in 1491 DR, R ed L a rc h
the Year of the Scarlet Witch.
Each month consists of three ten-day long weeks called Red Larch has been an important stop on the Long
tendays. People refer to tendays the way people in other Road for two centuries now. Named for a distinctive
worlds refer to weeks. stand of red larch trees that were cut down when the
hamlet was founded, Red Larch became a settlement
in the first place thanks to a drinkable spring that fed
a sizable pond ideal for watering horses, oxen, and • Marlandro Gaelkur is an unsavory local barber (and
pack mules. counterfeiter) who runs a useful secondhand shop
An east-west trail meets the Long Road at the pond, (area 17) where Red Larchers gather to gossip.
running west to the logging community of Kheldell
and east to Bargewright Inn and eventually Secomber. T h e B e lie v e rs
Another trail leads to quarries in the Sumber Hills and A dozen of the Red Larch town elders have a secret:
to ruins of stone keeps long ago left to monsters and They belong to a secret society that calls itself “the
outlaws (the Haunted Keeps). Believers.” It isn’t quite a cult, although it has special
In recent years, new quarries have been opened on the ceremonies and rites passed down for generations.
northwestern edge of town. So far these have yielded It isn’t quite a civic organization, despite the fact that
up great slabs of marble much prized in Waterdeep for some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in
facing large new buildings and repairing older edifices. Red Larch are members. The members of the Believers
Red Larch is also a center for stonecutters quarrying use their secret association to guide town affairs, plot
slate on the fringes of the Sumber Hills. against business competitors, and sometimes take care
While Red Larch remains prosperous, dark omens of people who cause problems when it becomes clear
are appearing. The heart of the Sumber Hills has that “something must be done” for the good of the town.
become far more dangerous, with monsters lurking The Believers formed years ago when local miners
seemingly everywhere (no one goes into the hills berry­ discovered a secret underground chamber beneath
picking or hare-hunting these days, though Red Larcher the town. Strange things happened in the chamber,
children traditionally did so daily in summer and fall). such as heavy stones levitating and moving about when
Banditry is on the rise, and the weather seems to be no one was around (this is described in chapter 6, in
getting more severe and more unpredictable. Several the “Tomb of Moving Stones” adventure). The miners
Red Larcher shepherds have seen strange figures began using the chamber to honor those who died in
watching them from distant hillsides in the wild fields quarry accidents and to appease Beshaba, goddess of
east of town where they have traditionally grazed misfortune and accidents. The Believers gather secretly
their flocks. Quarry workers used to cut by torchlight at the tomb once every nine nights to see if any stones
when orders were backing up but do so no longer, have moved—and if any have, they covertly meet the
shunning the pits by night. They are spooked by rumors next night to discuss what the movements mean, and
of dark-robed figures in stone masks lurking in the what is to be done. They keep the tomb and its strange
darkness beyond the torchlight. The townsfolk fear that secret to themselves.
dangerous times are at hand, but no one seems to know The Believers have no knowledge of Elemental Evil.
what to do about it. However, the Cult of the Black Earth discovered their
secret and became interested. A Black Earth priest
Im p o rta n t R ed L a r c h e rs named Larrakh came to Red Larch to steer the group
The inhabitants of Red Larch have become so toward the worship of elemental earth. The cultists
frightened by the recent “dark doings” that rather than intend to take over Red Larch through the Believers,
showing typical frontier reticence, they helpfully babble but there are other, more important tasks beneath the
about everything they’ve seen and heard. Most hope to Sumber Hills that are keeping them busy. The time is
convince adventurers to investigate and put an end to not yet right.
the current troubles.
Important Red Larchers include the following NPCs: A d v e n tu r e in R e d L a r c h
• Eldras Tantur is the local blacksmith (area 9). He’s an Red Larch serves as the starting point for two different
opinion setter in town. adventure narratives in this book. The clues and rumors
• Endrith Vallivoe is a merchant who sells all sorts of provided by the NPCs in Red Larch depend on which
goods from his shop (area 22). He is a Harper contact. phase of the adventure you are currently running. If
• Haeleeya Hanadroum is the owner of the bathhouse you prefer to start the adventurers at 3rd level and dive
(area 15). She is an Emerald Enclave contact. into the Elemental Evil plot immediately, begin with
• Helvur and Maegla Tarnlar are clothiers (area 7). the “Rumors of Evil” clues. If you wish to start the
Both are Lords’Alliance contacts. adventurers at 1st level, begin with the “Trouble in Red
• Harburk Tuthmarillar is the Constable of Red Larch, Larch” rumors. When the party finishes the “Trouble
a stern, honest guard commander and judge. He lives in Red Larch” adventures, they reach 3rd level, and
and works in area 11. they’re ready to move on to the “Rumors of Evil” clues
• Imdarr Relvaunder is a priest of Tempus in the and events.
Allfaiths Shrine (area 1). He is a contact for the Order
of the Gauntlet. T ro u b le in Red L a rc h
• Kaylessa Irkell is the proprietor of the Swinging When the characters arrive in Red Larch, a few minutes
Sword inn (area 2). She hears much from her fellow of conversation with any NPC reveals that the townsfolk
Red Larchers and shares it. are concerned about strange events. Asking around
• Mangobarl Lorren is the town’s baker (area 8). He is about what’s going on in town or points the party toward
a Zhentarim contact. the following NPCs:
• Outlaws are lurking out on the Cairn Road, but The Sinkhole. If the adventurers find their way to
Constable Harburk (area 11) hasn’t found anything. the Tomb of Moving Stones on their own, allow them to
• Minthra Mhandyvver’s granddaughter Pell (area 13) explore the site whenever they find it. If the adventurers
saw a ghost by an old tomb not far from town. don’t find the tomb or explore other sites nearby
• The Tarnlar children (area 7) are telling wild tales first, the tomb’s secret is revealed by the appearance
about plague out by Lance Rock. of a large sinkhole in town. The sinkhole opens up
• Kaylessa Irkell, the owner of the Swinging Sword shortly after the characters return to Red Larch from
Inn (area 2), thinks the town’s troubles might have a Lance Rock or other explorations in the area; see the
common source. adventure in chapter 6 for more details.
• Quarry workers at Mellikho Stoneworks (area 18) say
that mysterious figures wearing stone masks watch E le m e n ta l C u lt Spies
them when they work at night. The workers now The spies for the elemental cults in Red Larch (Justran
refuse to stay in the quarry after dark. Daehl, Ghileeda, and Iraun Thelder) aren’t formidable
• Workers at Waelvur’s Wagonworks (area 16) have combatants and are unwilling to fight adventurers. They
been talking about suspicious activity around the pass information by slipping notes to or arranging brief
workshop. They can be found drinking in the Helm at conversations with cult messengers passing through
Highsun (area 3) most evenings. town. Most of these messengers are human bandits
from the local gangs of cult marauders, dressed in
Speaking with the NPCs involved in these rumors unmarked garments.
provides the characters with several leads to adventure If confronted, the cult spies deny involvement in any
opportunities in Red Larch. These adventures are wrongdoing and try to bluff their way out of trouble.
presented in chapter 6. “Into the Wilderness” describes A spy caught red-handed weeps and begs for mercy.
several encounters located near town. “Lance Rock” Some might claim to have been under a spell, hoping
describes an adventure site near the distinctive to gain sympathy. Caught spies reveal only what’s
landmark a few miles outside of town; an insane necessary to save their own skins.
necromancer who styles himself a “lord” has taken up
residence there. Finally, “The Tomb of Moving Stones” R u m o rs o f E v il
presents an old dungeon-like mine chamber underlying
part of Red Larch. This is the secret guarded by the Red Larch is full of rumors about the missing delegation
Believers, although it has also attracted the attention of from Mirabar. It was a large, well-armed party, and
the Cult of the Black Earth. the fact that it seems to have come to grief is quite
newsworthy. When the characters sift through idle
speculation and gossip to find credible leads, they turn Key NPCs. Right now, Imdarr Relvaunder (male
up the following possibilities: Damaran human priest), a follower of Tempus, and
• Brother Eardon, a priest of Lathander staying in the Lymmura Auldarhk (female Tethyrian human acolyte),
Swinging Sword (area 2), says the Mirabarans passed a devotee of Sune, are serving at the shrine. Imdarr
through Beliard. is a stern man who is keenly interested in news and
• A caravan guard in the Helm at Highsun (area 3) says rumors and visitors. He’s also an ally of the Order of the
the Mirabarans passed through Beliard. Gauntlet, occasionally passing messages and sending
• Endrith Vallivoe (area 22) recently came by a beautiful reports on local events to the order. Lymmura is a
book in Dwarvish and has been showing it off. It looks sympathetic ear and guide to all. She has been coming
old and important. to the shrine for decades, has officiated at the marriages
• Larmon Greenboot, a shepherd, says he found strange of many couples, and is widely loved and trusted in
new graves out in the Sumber Hills. He hangs around Red Larch.
Gaelkur’s store (area 17). 2. T he Sw inging Sw ord
• When the characters return to Red Larch after leaving One door north of the Allfaiths Shrine stands the
to investigate one of the other leads, they hear that Swinging Sword. The inn is a three-story stone
Thorsk Thelorn, the wagonmaker (area 5), has had structure, crowned by a steep slate roof that bristles
some strange new customers lately. with many chimneys. A signboard juts out over the door,
To find out how these NPCs know what they know, the hanging from chains. It’s a ten-foot-long carved wooden
adventurers must question the key characters. These scimitar emblazoned with the inn’s name in red paint
conversations should suggest several ways to begin the on both sides. An inn yard with stables and outbuildings
search for the delegation from Mirabar. Continue with lies behind the building.
the “Early Investigations” encounters in chapter 3 when The Swinging Sword is welcoming and luxurious by
the adventurers decide which lead to follow. the area’s rustic standards. Each room boasts a hearth,
warm draperies and tapestries, and running water
R ed L a r c h L o c a tio n s (provided by rooftop cisterns). Now run by the Irkell
Here follow brief descriptions of important locations family from Waterdeep, the inn has become a popular
in town. Buildings shown on the map that don’t have stopover for wayfarers in the Dessarin Valley. The
a number and a description are houses, sheds, or topmost guest floor is given over to dormitories where
outbuildings. They belong to farmers who till plots close travelers can “sleep cheap” in rooms shared with up to
to town, shepherds who keep herds in nearby pastures, six guests, but the lower floors are divided into pleasant
and workers or servants employed by the larger suites of guest rooms, each with its own garderobe.
businesses. There’s also a dining room on the ground floor.
Many of the locations in town feature information The Sword has one recurring problem: kitchen
about the “Trouble in Red Larch” storyline (for lst-level fires. The one-story kitchen annex at the back of the
characters) or the “Rumors of Evil” storyline (for inn, currently out of commission, was initially built
characters ready to investigate the cult of Elemental with poorly drawing chimneys. Right now, cooking is
Evil). Just ignore the leads and clues that aren’t relevant rudimentary and done out in the yard, on grills flanking
to the part of the adventure you’re running now. You can the bread ovens. The dining room is mainly used for
assume that the Believers decide to keep a low profile drinking, with “the Helm” (the tavern across the road)
as long as adventurers are asking questions about the currently providing the best meals in town travelers can
missing delegation from Mirabar, or that the delegation easily buy.
hasn’t arrived in the area yet if the adventurers begin While the Helm at Highsun is the place to hear Red
with the local troubles. Larchers unwind, the Swinging Sword is the polite
social hub and neutral meeting ground of Red Larch.
1. A l l f a i t h s S h rin e Key NPCs. The proprietor of the Swinging Sword is
On the west side of the Long Road, just south of the Kaylessa Irkell (female Illuskan human commoner).
inn’s stable yard, stands what looks like a grand stone She is the fortyish matriarch of her family and a
mansion. Two wide wooden doors painted with the pleasant, sturdy woman. She is increasingly worried
symbols of many gods stand open day and night. Inside about “what’s gathering in the dark” in Red Larch and
is a plain chapel with a stone altar. brings up her concerns with any likely adventurers who
The Allfaiths Shrine is a wayside shrine used by many stop by (see “Kaylessa’s Tale,” below).
faiths and owned by none. Priests shuttle out from Kaylessa’s staff are uniformly attentive and good at
Waterdeep in pairs for month-long stays. Each pairing their work. However, two have secret masters. Ghileeda
includes priests of two different faiths arranged by (female Tethyrian human commoner), a maid, secretly
Waterdhavian temples. The most frequent combinations reports to Justran Daehl at the Helm for the Cult of
are Sune and Selune, Tymora and Lathander, and the Crushing Wave. The one-eyed stablemaster Iraun
Tempus and Oghma. The visiting priests dwell in two Thelder (male Tethyrian human guard), a onetime
simple stone rooms at the back of the temple. They bring mercenary warrior, is a spy for the Cult of the Howling
their own vestments and holy items and take them away Hatred. Iraun is entirely passive; he just reports what
again when their duties end. his normal duties show him.
 Kaylessa’s Tale. Kaylessa is friendly to any the delegation from Mirabar was in Beliard two tendays
adventurer who seems likely to tarry in the vicinity, ago when he left. He is surprised by the fact that the
because she believes every monster that is slain makes dwarves have not turned up yet, since he thought they
Red Larch that much safer. If the characters don’t intended to stop in Red Larch soon.
approach her, Kaylessa tells them of recent disturbances Trouble in Red Larch. Kaylessa has a theory about
near Red Larch. She’s heard many tales about fogs the source of Red Larch’s recent troubles: it’s all related
that persist in the Sumber Hills even in bright sunlight, to an evil presence at Lance Rock. She says neither the
and sudden gusts of hot wind sweeping west out of the constable nor the town elders have helped her, so she
hills where breezes have always been cold. There have offers the characters 50 gp to investigate Lance Rock
been more violent sights, too, such as sudden bolts of and make sure no sinister forces are lurking there. (See
lightning stabbing up from the hills into a clear sky. “Lance Rock” in chapter 6.)
“Fell magic,” Kaylessa terms it, though she admits this
was an opinion shared with her, and she’s seen none of 3. The H elm a t H ig h su n
this herself. Right across the Long Road from the Swinging Sword
Kaylessa has also noticed some Red Larchers looking Inn stands a ramshackle two-story tavern. Rusty metal
both frightened and furtive, and tersely turning aside grills cover its small, dirty windows. The tavern’s name
innocent queries. If pressed, she names Mellikho the is very clearly printed in large, simple letters on both
stonecutter (area 18) and Luruth the tanner (area 19). sides of a jutting wooden sign. Atop the sign is a rusting,
Rumors of Evil. Among the guests at the Swinging oversized adornment: a warrior’s bucket helm with two
Sword is Brother Eardon (male half-elf acolyte), a eye slits (actually an upside-down washtub).
follower of Lathander, god of the dawn. Brother Eardon Inside is a large, dimly lit, wood-paneled taproom. An
roams across the small towns of the North, serving as a open-tread wooden staircase climbs to the upper floor,
messenger and itinerant priest. He recently came from which is just as dim and darkly paneled as the taproom.
Beliard by way of Westbridge, and he can confirm that Across the back of the taproom is a long bar with three
 copper candle-lanterns hanging over it, and a stair night, not to mention monsters ranging from snake­
leading down to the cellars. headed rats to ghostly dragons that faded away when
The Helm at Highsun is where locals relax, gossip, approached. (If you’re looking for NPCs to deliver more
flirt, tell jests and “war stories” of their working days, fanciful and outrageous rumors, the denizens of Mother
and get drunk. It’s not a place for refined dining. A Yalantha’s boarding house are perfect.)
dozen servers work shifts at the Helm; most nights, two Trouble in Red Larch. Six of the guests staying here
cover the ground floor and one waits on guests on the are watchers for the Cult of the Black Earth (equivalent
upper floor. The staff at the Helm don’t gossip, but they to bandits). They are the stone-masked folk who
direct anyone who questions them to other patrons they have been watching over the quarry by night, and the
think might talk about a particular subject. A gift of a so-called Bringers of Woe who appear in area T7 of the
drink loosens most tongues. Tomb of Moving Stones (they rush down to the tunnels
The Helm gets rowdy from time to time, but the staff is when they hear that adventurers have discovered the
ready for ordinary drunken fisticuffs. Behind the bar are hidden chambers). They don’t admit any involvement
three stout and well-used cudgels, and an old cloak used and aren’t foolish enough to hide their masks at the
as an improvised stretcher to lug drunks outside (and boarding house.
sometimes thrown over the heads of brawlers so they
can be clubbed down). 5. T h e l o r n ’s Safe Jo u rn e y s
Key NPCs. The Helm is run by the jovial but grasping Three huge sheds stand here in a triangle, surrounded
Garlen Harlathurl (male Tethyrian human commoner). by sturdy wooden wagons at all stages of assembly. The
He is a cynic bitter from failed Waterdhavian mercantile first is a workshop full of busy woodworkers, the second
ventures, but he has turned out to be an attentive is a storage area for parts such as wheels and axles, and
tavern-keeper. He has two partners: one has retired to the third houses a dozen finished wagons for sale. The
Waterdeep, and the other is the cellarer of the Helm, the foremost wagonmaker in this region, Thelorn’s is now
gruff and rotund Justran Daehl (male Tethyrian human run by two grandsons of the founder. It is a busy, always-
bandit). Justran is secretly a spy for the Cult of the bustling place that works day and night (three shifts of
Crushing Wave. workers) because making wagons of top quality takes
Rumors of Evil. One of the tavern denizens is a very time. The quality of Thelorn’s wagons is well known
drunk and argumentative caravan guard named Zomith throughout the region, with the result that workers here
(female half-ore guard). She recently quit a caravan have to toil flat-out to keep up Thelorn’s long-decreed
that came from Beliard through Westbridge, arriving in “dozen spare wagons in stock, ready to go.”
Red Larch two days ago. The caravan continued south No one here is interested in gossiping during shift
without Zomith, but she can confirm that she brawled time. There is a no-nonsense, pride-in-craft atmosphere,
with Mirabaran guards from the missing delegation and many of the workers are experts who can do top-
about fifteen days ago. She couldn’t care less what notch work with astonishing speed. Watchful children
happened to them, but she had nothing to do with their armed with skillets to bang as alarms guard the sheds
disappearance. every moment of the clock.
Trouble in Red Larch. Stannor Thistlehair (male Key NPCs. The burly Thorsk Thelorn and the taller
lightfoot halfling commoner) is a carpenter who works but thinner Asdan Thelorn (both male Illuskan human
at Waelvur’s Wagonworks (area 16). Stannor is a sneaky commoners) are the bosses here. They are fair, hard­
and unpleasant fellow, but if bribed to talk (10 gp would working men who pay well to keep good workers.
do the job), he tells the characters that he’s seen his boss Rumors of Evil. If the characters ask Thorsk about
Ilmeth Waelvur disappear into a hidden tunnel in the strange customers, the busy wagonmaker recalls an
back of the work yard. He’s also seen other people sneak Amnian merchant heading north on the Long Road who
in after dark and follow Ilmeth to wherever they go, stopped for a wagon repair. His goods were marked by a
although everyone else shows up hooded or masked. strange symbol, like a bowl. The Amnian merchant paid
Thorsk well and talked about a big gathering of druids
4. M o th e r Y a l a n th a ’s he was heading to, hoping to sell kegs of beer and
This three-story, dilapidated boarding house has many various trinkets. Characters who question Thorsk can
balconies and outside staircases. Inside, the place is a get directions to Scarlet Moon Hall (see chapter 3).
warren of narrow, creaky-floored passages that snake
around small rooms made of flimsy partition walls. 6. C h a n s y r l Fine H a rn e ss
However, the atmosphere is cheerful, if generally noisy. The pungent smell of tanned and oiled leather fills
Key NPCs. The boarding house is the home of its this crowded workshop, and the walls display leather
owner and proprietor, the rail-thin, pipe-smoking saddles, reins, yokes, and harnesses for working beasts
“Mother” Yalantha Dreen (female Tethyrian human of all sizes. Stylish leather jackets, longcoats, caps,
commoner). Mother Yalantha lives in a cramped boots, leggings, bracers, belts, baldrics, and full leather
ground-floor room at the very back, and most of the armor are also in stock in all sizes.
other twenty rooms are occupied by transient laborers. Owned by its founder’s granddaughter, who oversees
However, there are usually four or five rooms that can a skilled staff of three full-timers and two part-timers,
provide an overflow for the inn if the need arises. Chansyrl’s is considered the best Red Larch harness-
All of the residents have seen (or claim to have seen, maker by caravan merchants. For some, it’s the reason
at any rate) “brigands” lurking around Red Larch at
they come to Red Larch. Chansyrl’s is a steady supplier directions to the ravine the dwarf warned them about
for many a settlement up and down the Long Road. (see “Lance Rock” in chapter 6).
Key NPCs. Phaendra Chansyrl (female Tethyrian
human scout) wears carved and stamped leather armor 8. L o r r e n ’s B ak ery
of her own making as a sort of walking advertisement. This aromatic, tidy building’s ovens and mixing bowls
With the sharp knives, awls, and punches she wears in are in use day and night. The bakery has a hanging sign
custom sheaths at her belt and strapped to her arms and consisting of a carved and painted wooden round loaf
legs, she looks like an adventurer. She has idle dreams the size of a small cart.
of traveling the North and slaying dragons, but she is The bakery always has fresh round loaves and buns
far more interested in building a mercantile empire and for sale. Its specialty is cheese-topped buns with melted
outgrowing Red Larch someday. mushroom cheese from outlying local farms.
Phaendra has heard many tales of brigands and Key NPC. The thin, energetic proprietor, Mangobarl
monster sightings and mysterious stone-masked Lorren (male Chondathan human thug), thrives on
watchers by night, but she ignores them, attending to gossip and can spin many wild tales. Few are true,
her work. She sharply advises others to do so, too.
7. H e lv u r T a r n l a r , C l o t h i e r
Tarnlar’s is the only place to buy quality clothing for a
hundred miles around. The square two-story building
stands at the intersection of the Long Road and the
Cairn Road. Its signboard is painted with the images
of a well-dressed lord and lady, one on each side of the
board. Ornate scrollwork iron bars protect the windows.
The Tarnlars used to be wagonmakers, but due to
competition, the family changed trades two generations
ago. The Tarnlars reinvented themselves as vendors
of sturdy but fashionable clothing to appeal to the
merchants and travelers making use of the Long Road.
After all, cloaks and boots wear out just like wagon
wheels, and anyone trudging for tendays on the road in
raw spring weather or bitter winter cold soon comes to
value warm garments very highly indeed.
The clothing, boots, and accessories are all fine,
warm, and sturdy, even though few Red Larchers can
afford to buy them for everyday wear. The Tarnlars live
in a comfortable apartment above their garment shop.
Key NPCs. Helvur Tarnlar (male Tethyrian human
commoner) is a snob by the standards of Red Larch.
He puts on airs of gentility, haughtily explaining to
customers that “This is how aristocrats wear their
boots in Neverwinter,” or “Hats such as this are all the
rage in Silverymoon,” even though he has never been to
those places. He refuses to speculate about local events,
saying, “Tarnlars do not deal in gossip!” However,
Helvur puts aside his pretentiousness and unwillingness
to share information for any member of the Lords’
Alliance. He directs most inquiries to his wife Maegla.
Maegla (female Tethyrian human commoner) is the
true talent in the family. She is a sharp businesswoman
who has an eye for good merchandise. She is also
the mother of four bold and adventurous children.
She also helps those who serve the interests of the
Lords’Alliance.
Trouble in Red Larch. The Tarnlar children (two
boys and two girls, aged seven to ten) are eager to
befriend and follow adventurers as a possible escape
from their everyday chores. A couple of tendays ago,
the Tarnlar children were out berry-picking in the
direction of Lance Rock when they met a grizzled dwarf
prospector who warned them away from Lance Rock
“because there’s plague there.” Maegla has no idea
what they’re talking about, but the children can provide
and none of the secrets are his own. He is a staunch, dangers of the wilderlands” and “such nonsense as
discreet ally of the Zhentarim and a useful source of dark magic.” Nahaeliya inherited the business from her
no-questions-asked aid to anyone of that faction. Lorren father, who was a respected town elder, but she hasn’t
doesn’t volunteer this information, but some of his yet been approached for membership in the Believers.
distant relatives have Zhentarim connections, and he’s
always willing to help the Black Network. 11. J a le s s a O r n r a , B u tc h e r
Trouble in Red Larch. Mangobarl heard about Pell Next door to Drouth’s Fine Poultry stand four identical
Mhandyvver’s scare at the Haunted Tomb (see the single-story stone buildings, running back from the
“Haunted Tomb” encounter in chapter 6) and went to street in a line. The front building has a painted sign
look for himself. He saw a goblin near the spot, and of a ham being carved by a cleaver, accompanied by
figured that a gang of the creatures had moved in and no words. This is the workplace and shop ofJalessa
rigged a “haunt” to scare off intruders. He tells any Ornra (female Illuskan human commoner), Red Larch’s
Zhentarim character that it might be worthwhile to talk butcher. The second building is her smokehouse, joined
to Minthra Mhandyvver (area 14)—treasure could be to the shop by an underground cold-cellar where meats
hidden in the tomb, and it shouldn’t be left to a band are stored. The third building often has wash hanging
of goblins. by clothesline outside, and is the home Jalessa shares
with the town’s constable, Harburk Tuthmarillar (male
9. T a n t u r Sm ithy Tethyrian human veteran).
Both ends of this soot-stained building are massive Red Larch doesn’t have a jail or court. The shop is
stone blocks that rise into tall, wide chimneys. The din the closest thing. Harburk employs four trusties, who
of forge hammers rings out late into most nights. Eldras bunk in the fourth building. The trusties are assistant
Tantur (male Turami human thug) has been Red Larch’s constables (human guards) who also work for Jalessa as
blacksmith for a decade and a half and has taken only a cutters and preservers, brining and salting meat, then
handful of days off work in all that time. Eldras and his sealing it into small kegs for shipment or storage.
children—a strapping son and two strong daughters— Harburk and his trusties discuss matters of law
are skilled smiths who can make almost anything that enforcement and peacekeeping while butchering.
requires no specialized alloys or treatments. They can They’ve also been known to hang drunks by their belts
temper swords and reinforce armor, and they often from meat hooks to sober up.
repair tools and weapons. Key NPCs. Harburk and his trusties are some of
The Tanturs rarely emerge from their smithy. They the busiest people in Red Larch, because they work as
work all day long every day filling endless orders for butchers in addition to shifts keeping the peace in the
hasps, hinges, locks, and chains, plus hardware for town. Harburk is known for napping instead of taking a
wagons such as cotter pins, bolt rings, wheel rims, and full night’s sleep.
wheel hubs. Harburk hasn’t quite figured out that he has four
Key NPCs. Eldras is a plain-dealing sort who knows elemental cults on his doorstep. He knows there are evil
almost nothing of the current mood and troubles in Red and secretive groups in the Sumber Hills—the rumors
Larch, since he’s so rarely away from his forge. can’t all be false—but he isn’t sure just what is out there.
His wife Laefra, who orders metals via the merchants Adventurers who could go investigating where he dares
she deals with, hears much of the troubles, but she not would be a godsend.
tells Eldras and their children none of it. Life is better Trouble in Red Larch. Harburk has heard tales
undarkened by such matters, she figures. of banditry on the Cairn Road south of town, and he
knows of several potential hideouts. He doesn’t have
10. D r o u th Fine P o u ltr y the time to wander around the countryside on what he
This largest of the two Red Larch poultry shops is ever- thinks is a wild goose chase, but he provides eager new
bustling thanks to thriving local farms and the endless adventurers with directions to one or two likely spots.
appetite of communities along the Long Road. Two or See the “Bears and Bows” encounter in chapter 6.
three wagonloads of skewered capons in casks of oil
depart this establishment daily, to be finished over far- 12. D o rn e n F in e sto n e
off hearths. This plain square building is always coated in a gray-
The one-story building is long, narrow, and white shroud of rock dust. It’s the business office of
nondescript on the outside, but the name of the business the busy Dornen quarry, run by Elak Dornen (male
is painted above the double entry doors (wide enough Tethyrian human noble). The office displays samples
for a wagon). Inside, feathers drift in the air. Cages of cut stone as well as “raw” samples from the quarry.
and casks sit at the street end of the building, followed Records of orders and old employment rolls are neatly
by two brick cooking-hearths, long and bloodstained sorted in cabinets behind a wooden counter. Dornen is a
cutting tables, and a plucking area in the back. The hard master to some twenty workers, and he insists on
feathers are heaped in open handcarts that are taken keeping careful records.
away for washing and eventual sale as pillow stuffing. Key NPC. The Believers have no formal leader, but
Key NPC. The proprietor and owner, Nahaeliya if they did, Dornen would be it. He is a longstanding
Drouth (female Tethyrian human commoner), has built member who serves as the deciding vote on questions
up her business by becoming a trusted supplier to inns about who to induct into the secret group and how to
across the valley. She prefers not to know about “the use their collective influence to arrange business in
Red Larch. He is a stern and inflexible man, and he 15. H a e le e y a ’s
enjoys the power he gains from bending other Believers Originally from Amn, Haeleeya Hanadroum (female
to his side. human Tethyrian commoner) operates a bathhouse
Trouble in Red Larch. Dornan is an eager convert and dress shop in her large, well-appointed home.
to the message of the Black Earth priest Larrakh. He Half-barrels planted with aromatic herbs and flowers
sees a day coming soon when he and the other Believers flank the entrance, and the windows are decorated
openly take power. If bothered by nosy adventurers, with flower-filled window boxes. Inside is a tidy room
Dornan tells them he’s heard stories of a lost treasure that functions as a dressmaker’s shop and fitting room.
and mysterious villains lurking in Tricklerock Cave (see Beyond two sets of doors are bathing chambers that
the “Bloody Treasure” encounter in chapter 6). emanate pleasant smells and warm dampness.
Unlike Tarnlar’s down the street, Haeleeya’s caters
13. I ro n h e a d Arms to local women seeking dresses for special occasions;
Three years ago, an old sellsword and caravan guard she makes few garments for men. The bathhouse is a
by the name of Feng Ironhead decided to settle in Red steadier business, since many of the older women of
Larch and open a shop dealing in arms and armor, Red Larch visit the baths regularly to trade gossip.
both new and used. Over a long career of shepherding Key NPC. Haeleeya hears all the gossip shared in
caravans and pack trains from one end of the North to the baths, but she keeps her own counsel, unless the
the other, Ironhead (male half-ore veteran) decided that inquirer is affiliated with the Emerald Enclave. When
there was money to be made by keeping guards-for-hire Haeleeya was young, she became lost in the wilderness.
and mercenaries supplied with decent, affordable gear. An Emerald Enclave ranger rescued her, and she’s been
Key NPCs. Ironhead is a surprisingly genial half-ore. a friend to faction members ever since.
He has a little skill at weapon and armor repair and
sometimes fixes up used gear for resale. His true talent 16. W a e lv u r’s W agonw orks
is a keen eye for ordinary weapons and armor that can Ilmeth Waelvur (male Tethyrian human bandit)
stand up to hard use and bad weather. Ask him which operates a cheaper alternative to Thelorn’s Safe
of his battleaxes is best, and Ironhead offers an honest Journeys, making and selling replacement wheels and
(and accurate) answer. He isn’t a very good businessman axles for wagons. The workshop is a cluttered, untidy
and barely breaks even, but he doesn’t seem to care. shed surrounded by dozens of wagons shrouded in
worn canvas tarpaulins. A crudely hand-lettered sign
14. M h a n d y v y e r’s P o u ltr y over the wide main door proclaims this to be “Waelvur’s
This wooden building grew haphazardly for many years, Wagonworks.” Ilmeth spends most of his time repairing
shooting out single-story wings and annexes untidily wagons and making heavy-duty wagons and sledges for
in all directions. The interior looks like a barn or attic, the local quarries.
with exposed beams and posts. Pens with live chickens Inside, half a dozen wagons stand in various stages of
fill most of the odd corners and halls of the building, assembly, surrounded by stools, ladders, and benches.
leaving only a narrow aisle down to the back, where the Wooden pillars support a loft that is an open latticework
Mhandyvvers live. Their rooms are separated from the of boards, serving as home to some birds and storage
chicken pens by a workroom with cutting benches and a for scores of wooden wagon wheels. Ilmeth employs
central hearth. half a dozen laborers who drink heavily as they work.
Mhandyvver’s is the less impressive of the two local Everything here is far messier but far cheaper than
poulterers, but is a favorite with Red Larchers. Kindly Thelorn’s.
old Minthra “Minny” Mhandyvver (female Tethyrian Key NPCs. Ilmeth is a hard-drinking, sullen man who
human commoner) and her three grown children sell cares nothing for the troubles of others. He is one of the
chickens live or roasted and preserved in oil, pickled Believers, and he hopes to use the group’s influence to
chicken livers, and eggs both fresh and pickled. run the Thelorns (his hated rivals) out of business. An
Key NPC. Minny has the demeanor of a kindly old old cellar door in the back of his cluttered work yard
dodderer, but she is sharper than she appears. Among actually covers a tunnel leading to area T1 in the Tomb
other things, she knows that a group of town elders of Moving Stones (see chapter 6).
(including Elak Dornen, Ilmeth Waelvur, and Albaeri Trouble in Red Larch. The halfling Stannor
Mellikho) belong to a secret club and pull many strings Thistlehair, one of the workers here, has spotted Ilmeth
in town. She thinks that the Believers are harmless, and the other Believers sneaking in and out when no
but shares what she knows if adventurers she comes to one is supposed to be around, but Stannor is unwilling
trust ask for her advice. to say anything if questioned here for fear that Ilmeth
Trouble in Red Larch. Recently, Minny’s adventurous might overhear him.
young granddaughter Pell had a frightening encounter
with a “ghost” near a long-forgotten tomb a short
distance outside of town. Minny has ordered the girl
to stay away, but she wonders what Pell saw, and she
thinks that someone ought to “make sure it’s safe.” The
directions Pell provides lead to the “Haunted Tomb”
encounter in chapter 6.
17. G a e lk u r ’s work a night shift by torchlight. Over the last month or
This seedy wooden building serves as Red Larch’s two, they’ve been scared off by mysterious dark-robed
used tools and goods shop, its barber, and an unofficial figures wearing stone masks, who watch them from
second tavern for locals. Inside is a cluttered shop the shadows.
full of lounging customers—most of them men in The masked watchers are actually members of the
no particular hurry to be waited on—with old hair Black Earth cult who work as laborers in the town’s
clippings trodden underfoot on the sagging board floor. harness shops or warehouses; they are staying in
Marlandro Gaelkur (male Tethyrian human commoner) Mother Yalantha’s boarding house. Mellikho is in on the
is the shopkeeper and barber. In addition to providing plan to scare off her own stonecutters; the Believers use
grooming, he deals in used (and sometimes shady) items the quarry to meet with Larrakh, the Black Earth priest
with no questions asked. hiding out in the Tomb of Moving Stones.
Gaelkur’s true trade is unsuspected by other If the characters visit the quarry and begin asking
Red Larchers. He runs the shop as a front for his questions, Albaeri Mellikho claims that rumors of
counterfeiting business. Gaelkur coats cheap coins strange watchers are overblown. She then suggests that
(or simple iron plugs) in thin plating of more valuable if the characters are looking for something to test their
metals, then marks them appropriately with stamps and mettle, there is a legendary treasure that is said to be
dies of his own making. hidden in Tricklerock Cave, and provides directions.
Key NPC. Marlandro is a skilled engraver and was (This leads to the “Bloody Treasure” encounter in
once a jeweler’s assistant in Baldur’s Gate, making chapter 6.) She knows the cave is dangerous and hopes
mountings for stones and entire rings. He counterfeits that the characters get themselves killed there, putting
only when the shop is shut up and he’s alone, but most an end to awkward questions, but tries to pass off her
days and much of every night, Red Larchers drop by suggestion as a “helpful” rumor.
to talk. Lately every wild tale of odd and suspicious
things that have been seen locally seems to come up for 19. L u r u th ’s T a n n e ry
discussion. This former warehouse reeks with an eye-watering,
Rumors of Evil. Larmon Greenboot (male Tethyrian throat-closing stench that obliterates all other smells
human commoner), a local shepherd, can be found at within a bowshot of the place. Inside are stretching
Gaelkur’s. He has been telling and retelling the story racks, cutting tables with sharp knives and scraps of
of finding mysterious freshly dug graves in the Sumber tanned hide, a back room of finished leather ready for
Hills (see “Rumors in Red Larch” in chapter 3). sale, and six huge, open-topped vats containing various
foul-smelling, caustic liquids used in tanning.
18. M e llik h o S to n e w o rk s The proprietor is Ulhro Luruth (male Chondathan
A sign set on two posts in a scrap of weedy lawn out human commoner). He can’t smell a thing, thanks to
front of this small house reads “Mellikho Stoneworks.” years of working in tanneries. He and his five loyal,
The quarry pit begins just behind the house, which terse assistants live and work here.
serves as the business office and the home of the Key NPC. Luruth is one of the Believers. He knows
quarry owner, Albaeri Mellikho (female Tethyrian he’s not supposed to talk with outsiders about the secret
human commoner). Mellikho herself oversees the society, but he’s not too bright and might assume that
work in the quarry, cajoling and cursing the sweating questioners know more than they do.
stonecutters here.
A hidden tunnel in the quarry pit leads to area T9 in 20. B e th e n d u r’s S to ra g e
the Tomb of Moving Stones (see chapter 6). Mellikho Four identical, well-built warehouses stand here in
and the other Believers know about the secret entrance ground covered in raked gravel and cinders. The
in the quarry, but the stonecutters working here do moment anyone sets foot past the sign that says
not (it’s well disguised as a “collapsed” and abandoned “Bethendur’s Storage/Rent Space by tenday, month, or
storage tunnel). year,” a tall, smiling man emerges to meet them. This is
Key NPC. Albaeri, a pot-bellied and usually jovial Aerego Bethendur (male Tethyrian human noble). He
whirlwind of a woman, is one of the Believers. She is assisted by three burly clerks and porters, who are
is worried about the moving stones in the hidden former mercenary thugs.
chambers below Red Larch being more active lately, but Aerego asks no questions, so anything can be stored
she is reluctant to share her concerns with strangers. here. Stored items that don’t move or burst out of their
Trouble in Red Larch. When orders for her stone containers are left strictly alone, though crates that
are backed up, Mellikho usually has her stonecutters begin to smell of death are taken out back and opened.
If they contain dead bodies (rare, but it happens),
Aerego burns them without a word to the constable or
Crumblecake anyone else.
To the average citizen ofWaterdeep, Red Larch is known only Key NPCs. Aerego is a Believer, although his
for crumblecake, a local specialty. This much-maligned but attendance is spotty and he is beginning to wonder what
hearty food is useful on the trail: baked loaves of turkey and
wildfowl scraps, nuts, and chopped roots and greens, mixed exactly the mysterious priest Larrakh (see “The Tomb of
in a chickpea mash. It is bland at the best of times, but badly Moving Stones” in chapter 6) has in mind for Red Larch.
made crumblecake tastes terrible.
21. T he M a r k e t by a dozen similar books. (If the characters investigate,
This muddy, well-used field is ringed with outhouses this leads to the “Womford Rats” encounter in chapter
and rings of stones that have obviously been used as 3.) Endrith is willing to sell the tome for 50 gp, although
cook-fires or trash burn sites many times in the past. he lets a Harper have it for 25 gp.
Once a tenday, it’s crowded with wagons from nearby
farms. Farmers drive in from homesteads miles away to S c a n d a l a n d R e b u ild in g
sell all manner of in-season produce, cheese, cider and If you run the “Tomb of Moving Stones” adventure in
cider vinegar, and last year’s pickled beets in jugs. chapter 6, the exposure of the Believers leads to some
On the other nine days of the tenday, only one Red big changes. Even if the Believers can avoid a murder
Larcher is here, a half-orc named Grund. Grund (male investigation, the folk of Red Larch are scandalized to
half-orc thug) is the village simpleton. He ekes out a learn that many of their most respected fellow citizens
living by making pickles in vats at the end of the field. were part of a secret cabal. This discovery launches a
Key NPC. Grund is a happy, dim-witted sort. The whirlwind of gossip, innuendo, and recrimination.
other vendors all pilfer from his open pickling vats, and The other citizens of Red Larch shun the Believers for
he cheerfully lets them. He’s easy comic relief when the next several months, and the Believers turn against
encountered here, but the adventurers meet him in more one another. Many retreat into seclusion. Leadership
unpleasant circumstances in area T3 of the Tomb of of Red Larch passes to Harburk, but he’s too busy as
Moving Stones (see chapter 6). constable. After a month, Jalessa Ornra becomes Red
Larch’s mayor. She’s liked and known for common
22. V a lliv o e ’s S u n d rie s sense, so the townsfolk rally around her.
Aside from the bewildering profusion of doors, barrels, The townsfolk pitch in to cover the sinkhole and shore
rotting old furniture, and tools leaning against its up walls and ceilings against future cave-ins.
outside walls, this building looks like a private home.
A small, faded sign on the front door reads “Vallivoe’s
Sundries.” Rooms are crammed to the rafters with new E x p lo rin g th e V a lle y
wares and used items of all sorts. At the beginning of the adventure, the player characters
Endrith Vallivoe (male Tethyrian human commoner) know they are up against a mysterious threat.
is a retired caravan merchant who sells new and used Something isn’t right in the Dessarin Valley. To find out
goods: furniture, lamps, carpets, mirrors, weapons, what exactly threatens these lands, they must leave Red
shields, helms, and a little bit of everything else. Almost Larch and venture out into the wider vale. Much of the
anything might be available to buy here, buried under early action of the adventure involves visiting different
heaps of other stuff, and Vallivoe carries a good running sites in and around the valley, solving problems and
inventory in his head. He’s the only vendor in town digging up clues that can lead the party to the Haunted
selling blank books and parchment. Keeps—and then on to their confrontation with the
Key NPC. Endrith is a shy, scuttling little man who elemental cults and the discovery of the temple complex
employs a small army of local children. He’s heard below the Sumber Hills.
most of the rumors and monster sightings, but doesn’t
know—-and doesn’t want to know—what’s really going T ra v el
on. However, he watches and listens attentively. He It can take a full tenday for a slow-moving group—say, a
is friendly toward the Harpers and shares all of what merchant caravan—to trudge from Red Larch to Triboar.
he sees and hears with any Harper who asks. He is a The Dessarin River is an obstacle to any group without
useful, loyal informant and contact, though he’s not a boat, since no crossing can be found between Ironford
really cut out for any derring-do. and the Stone Bridge.
Trouble in Red Larch. If one or more characters When the player characters set out to travel to another
seem interested in helping the town with its recent location, they either know how to get there or they don’t.
troubles, Endrith says, “I don’t know if it’s relevant, but I All settlements are known sites—it takes only a few
overheard someone say that they saw a skull pinned to a minutes of asking around to get sufficient directions
tree with a black arrow, like some kind of dire warning to another town. Likewise, the Dessarin River and
or ill omen. It was a half day’s walk along the Larch Stone Bridge are well-known landmarks. Feathergale
Path, then about four miles east into the hills.” If the Spire is known to anyone in Red Larch. Rivergard
characters investigate this lead, run “The Last Laugh” Keep is known to some people in Bargewright Inn and
encounter in chapter 6. Womford. Summit Hall is known to anyone in Beliard
Rumors of Evil. Endrith bought a strange old book and Womford. The Halls of the Hunting Axe site is
from a passing merchant just a couple of days ago. The known to anyone in Beliard. Characters from the area
book is a beautifully illuminated manuscript written in or drawn here by a particular hook might know these
Dwarvish. Endrith doesn’t read Dwarvish, so he doesn’t locations.
know what is in it; a character who can read the words All other sites are unknown, so the characters need to
can tell that it’s a genealogical history of the dwarf clans find such locations. For more on wilderness travel, see
of Mirabar. If asked how he got it, Endrith explains that chapter 5, “Adventure Environments,” of the Dungeon
he bought it from a peddler passing through town. The Master’s Guide.
peddler told Endrith that he bought it from a shady
keelboat skipper in Womford, who had somehow come
R andom E n c o u n te rs Later Travels
Most of the Dessarin Valley is wilderness in which Day Night Encounter
wildlife is abundant and monsters common. 2 — Aarakocra war band*
Frequency. Check for a random encounter in the — 2 2d6 jackalweres
morning, afternoon, evening, and midnight. Roll 1d20; 3 3 1d3 manticores
an encounter occurs on an 18 or higher. 4 4 1d3 + 1trolls
Range. Place an encounter at a range that fits 5 5 Elktribe hunters*
the story you want. Every encounter need not be a — 6 1d8 will-o’-wisps
confrontation. Some encounters can foreshadow their 6 — Knights of Samular*
onset or allow the characters to choose to avoid them. 7 — Homestead*
Difficulty. During chapters 3 and 4, use the “Early — 7 1d2 ghasts and 1d4 + 2 ghouls
Travels” random encounter table. During chapter 5, 8 8 1d4 + 1gargoyles
use the “Later Travels” table. At any point during travel
on or very near the Dessarin River, use the “River 9 9 Air cult skyriders*
Travels” table. Roll 1d12 + 1d8 to determine what the 10 10 Water cult raiders*
adventurers run into. 1 11 1d6 + 2 bugbears
Asterisks. Encounters marked with an asterisk have 12 12 Fire cult war band*
explanations that appear after the tables. 13 13 Earth cult marauders*
14 14 2d4 ogres
Early Travels 15 — Caravan*
Day Night Encounter — 15 1d4 + 1wights
2 — Aarakocra scouts* 16 16 2d4 mephits*
— 2 1d4 + 1jackalweres 17 — Dwarf miners*
3 — Knights of Samular* — 17 1d3 vampire spawn
4 3 Pilgrims* 18 18 1d3 elementals*
— 4 1d2 owlbears 19 19 1 bulette
5 5 Elktribe hunters* 20 20 1d2 hill giants
6 6 1d3 ankhegs
7 7 1d3 + 1 bugbears Aarakocra Scouts. These 1d4 + 1 aarakocra attack
8 8 1d4 + 1orcs those who appear to be elemental cultists. Otherwise,
9 — Dwarf miners* the aarakocra might be helpful.
10 — Caravan* Aarakocra War Band. Awar band consists of 1d6 + 3
1 — Homestead* aarakocra and an air elemental. They interact like the
12 9 Air cult scouts* scouts, above.
Air Cult Scouts. A group of scouts for the air cult
13 10 Water cult marauders* consists of 1d4 + 1 hurricanes in wingwear. See chapter
14 1 Earth cult robbers* 7 for the cultists’ statistics and wingwear description.
15 12 Fire cult raiders* Air Cult Skyriders. One Feathergale knight leads
16 13 1d4 + 1gnolls 1d4 Skyweavers. They all ride giant vultures. See
17 — Shepherds* chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics
18 14 1d6 + 2 wolves Caravan. A caravan consists of a merchant and his or
19 15 1d3 ogres her entourage heading for the nearest settlement. The
— 16 1d2 gargoyles group consists of 1d4 + 2 guards, 2d4 commoners, and
— 17 1d3 + 1ghouls the caravan leader (a spy).
20 18 1d2 perytons DwarfMiners. A band of dwarf miners consists of
— 19 1d3 wights 1d4 + 1 shield dwarf scouts and a pugnacious leader (a
shield dwarf thug).
— 20 The Watchful Knight* Earth Cult Marauders. A band of marauders for the
earth cult consists of 1d4 + 1 Black Earth guards, a
River Travels Black Earth priest, and 1d4 - 1 ogres. See chapter 7
Roll Encounter for the cultists’statistics.
2-3 Aarakocra scouts* Earth Cult Robbers. These earth cult robbers stake
4-5 Air cult skyriders* out spots to waylay Passersby. The group consists of
6-9 River pirates* 1d4 + 1 bandits and 1d4 Black Earth guards (see
10-14 Keelboat* chapter 7).
15-16 1d4 merrow Elementals. A small group of elementals wanders
freely. Roll a d4 to determine the type of elementals: 1,
17-18 2d4 ghouls air; 2, earth; 3, fire; 4, water.
19-20 1water elemental Elk Tribe Hunters. This group includes a berserker
and 1d4 + 1 tribal warriors. They are hostile (see “The
Uthgardt Tribes” section at the end of this chapter).
 Fire Cult Raiders. The fire cult sends out raiders that A m p h a il
include 2d6 Eternal Flame warriors and an Eternal
Flame priest. See chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics. Amphail lies on the Long Road, about three days’ ride
Fire Cult War Band. A war band of the fire cult north of Waterdeep. The town is named after Amphail
consists of 1d6 Eternal Flame warriors, an Eternal the Just, one of Waterdeep’s early warlords, who is said
Flame priest, and 1d3 hell hounds. See chapter 7 for to haunt the surrounding hills in spirit form, frightening
the cultists’ statistics. away monsters. Horses are bred and trained here, rich
Homestead. The party discovers a homestead. Roll Waterdhavians maintain secluded estates in the hills,
a d6 to determine the race of the people there: 1-3, and farmland is plentiful. Stands of dark duskwood and
Tethyrian human; 4, Illuskan human; 5-6, halfling. A spruce trees are everywhere.
homestead consists of 1d6 adult commoners and 1d6 In one corner of the town square stands the Great
- 1 noncombatant children. Residents might provide Shalarn, a black stone statue of a famous war stallion
friendly adventurers with food and shelter. bred in Amphail long ago. Gelded by a prankster, the
Keelboat. A river trader’s keelboat carries 1d4 + 4 rearing horse is often painted bright colors by high-
commoners (the sailors), 1d4 guards, and a captain (a spirited locals. Children are allowed to hurl stones at
spy). They are willing to offer passage to adventurers birds perched on the statue, to keep it free of droppings.
heading in the same direction. The children often climb it themselves and cling
Knights of Samular. This armed patrol consists of precariously to the high, tilted saddle, waving their
1d4 veterans and 1d4 guards. They hail from Summit arms and commanding imaginary armies into battle.
Hall and offer a hearty “Well met!” to the characters. Within spitting distance of the statue is the Stag-Horned
Mephits. Several mephits travel in a pack. Roll a d6 to Flagon, a cozy tavern.
determine the mephit type: 1, dust; 2, ice; 3, magma; 4, Reason to Visit. Great Shalarn is a popular place to
mud; 5, smoke; 6, steam. leave cryptic messages, either tucked under the statue’s
Pilgrims. A group of pilgrims includes 2d6 hind hooves or slid between the sculpted curls of its tail.
commoners, 1d4 + 1 guards, 1d4 acolytes, and a
priest bound for a holy or special site. They’re happy B a rg e w rig h t In n
for company. Once a hilltop wayside inn, this site has become a
River Pirates. A keelboat carries 2d4 bandits, 1d4 walled community of ramshackle, often-rebuilt wooden
thugs, and a pirate captain (a bandit captain). towers and buildings now entirely cloaking a hill that
Shepherds. A group of shepherds watch over herd overlooks the village of Womford across the river.
animals. Roll a d6 to determine the shepherds’ race: Bargewright Inn reeks of manure and filthy mud.
1-4, human; 5-6, halfling. The group consists of 1d4 It houses blacksmiths, dealers who buy and sell
commoners and 1d2 leaders (scouts). horses, mules, and oxen, wheelwrights, coopers, and
The Watchful Knight. Once, this helmed horror wagonmakers. It has inns, stables, and warehouses, and
stood watch in the common room of the Inn of the two concentric rings of high protective walls with gates
Watchful Knight in Beliard. It chooses one character that are firmly closed and barred by night. (Individuals
at random, advances to within 5 feet, then studies the can pay stiff fees to be raised and lowered after sunset
target for several seconds. If attacked, it fights back, on rope-slung chairs, but nothing beyond what they can
retreating after it loses half its hit points. Otherwise, it carry can pass.)
follows the chosen character for 1d3 days, guarding its Bargewright Inn fell under Zhentarim influence a
temporary master in combat. At the end of that time the few years ago. Any member or ally of that faction can
helmed horror wanders off again. find a discreet welcome (and few or low fees) within
Water Cult Marauders. A marauder gang of the its walls. The Zhentarim spy on everyone, even each
water cult consists of 2d6 Crushing Wave reavers, a other (or as one merchant put it, “especially each
Crushing Wave priest, and 1d2 fathomers. See chapter other”). Bargewright Inn is ruled by a plutocracy of
7 for the cultists’ statistics. business owners, most of whom are in the pockets of
Water Cult Raiders. A group of raiders from the the Zhentarim. The unofficial leader is Chalaska Muruin
water cult includes 2d6 Crushing Wave reavers, a (female Damaran human veteran), the terse, cold-eyed
Crushing Wave priest, and a one-eyed shiver. The “Senior Sword” and master of the gate guards.
leader is a Dark Tide knight mounted on a giant The largest inn, The Old Bargewright, was recently
crocodile. See chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics. rebuilt as a substantial stone structure with thick
walls, secret passages, and private chambers separated
V a lle y S ite s from nearby rooms by sealed-off passages. Innkeeper
Nalaskur Thaelond (male half-elf spy) keeps careful
The Dessarin Valley has been a well-used highway into watch over who comes and goes from his inn; it’s where
the heart of the Sword Coast North for an age upon an Zhentarim meet to broker deals in commerce illicit
age, and it has seen the ravages of many orc hordes, in Waterdeep, such as smuggled goods, poisons, and
the rise and fall of a dwarven kingdom, frequent bands certain magic.
of brigands, and much more. Adventurers exploring Reason to Visit. Thaelond is the local leader among
the Sumber Hills and vicinity might visit many sites of the Zhentarim and a key contact for characters with a
interest as they trek across the valley. connection to that faction. It’s also where two side treks,
“The Long Road” and “New Management,” start (see foodstuffs preserved in vast storage cellars, vats, ricks,
chapter 6). and squat stone grain-towers.
Now run by Abbot Ellardin Darovik (male Tethyrian
B e lia rd human priest), Goldenfields is a stronghold of the
One of the more pleasant-looking villages in the Emerald Enclave. Members of that faction are as
Dessarin Valley thanks to its many trees, Beliard is a welcome here as clergy of Chauntea; many of them
market-moot for local cattle drovers. It surrounds the stay for months at a time to help with the work and the
intersection of the Dessarin Road with the Stone Trail. vigilant defense of the farm against insects and blights,
Beliard is home to many cattle ranchers whose herds as well as would-be vandals and plunderers. Hired
roam the hills around it, particularly to the east. The adventurers patrol the walls and the land immediately
village offers a public well, as well as a pond where around them, watching for anyone approaching. More
harnessed horses or oxen can be driven through the than five thousand people live and work in Goldenfields
water to bathe them, drive off flies, and let them drink. year round, farming more than twenty square miles of
It’s also home to a tanner, a smith, some horse dealers tillage in gangs of hard-working gardeners.
and trainers who keep extensive stables, and an inn: No guest at Goldenfields ever leaves hungry, and the
the venerable, popular, and several-times-expanded farmer-priests expect that everyone should leave with
Watchful Knight. The inn was originally named for an “food for a tenday or more on the road, and seeds for the
inoperative helmed horror that stood in the common future beyond that.”
room, but the creature mysteriously vanished years ago. Reason to Visit. Darovik is a useful contact for
The innkeeper went missing shortly thereafter. characters with a connection to the Emerald Enclave.
In recent years, bodyguards and mercenaries formerly Goldenfields is also an intended destination of the
active in Waterdeep and along the Heartlands trade missing delegation, though they obviously never arrived.
routes retired to Beliard, and their presence makes
nearby brigands reluctant to raid the village directly. H a lls o f th e H u n tin g A xe
Because so many big-city folk settled here, rumors These monster-haunted ruins were once a grand and
persist of cached treasure buried or otherwise hidden important city in the shield dwarf kingdom of Besilmer.
all over Beliard, but aside from a sack of gold coins The old city was a small forest of stone roundhouses,
found walled away behind stones in a chimney, nothing interlaced with gardens and joined by walls into one vast
has yet been found—nothing that has become public and sprawling building. It was surrounded by a moat fed
knowledge, at least. by underground springs; splendid stone statues of heroic
Reason to Visit. Beliard was the last place anyone dwarves stood on high pedestals wherever one turned.
saw the missing delegation from Mirabar (described in All trace of the gigantic building is gone now except the
chapter 3). foundations of its thickest, highest walls, which jut like
lines of stone teeth from thickets of trees and creeping
C u l t E n c a m p m e n ts vines. For centuries, shards from magnificent windows
Two cult encampments are marked in specific positions of stained glass that once adorned the Halls have found
on the regional map. These play a part in the events and their way into beautiful and distinctive glass bottles
cult reactions of the adventure. blown locally.
Stories in nearby Beliard warn of predatory creatures
H a a y o n ’s Camp lurking in the extensive ruins. Despite forays by
This is the camp of Haayon the Punisher, described in adventuring bands and dwarves determined to reclaim
the “Wrath of the Elements” section of chapter 5. The and explore the ruins, the halls rarely stay empty for
camp is here only after the characters have defeated the long. As a result, travelers usually give the Halls of the
air prophet and water prophet, or forced them to retreat Hunting Axe a wide berth.
from their respective temples. Many dwarves and most local Harpers believe King
Torhild Flametongue, the founder of Besilmer, lies
R eav er Ambush entombed with his legendary greataxe somewhere
This is the camp of water cult reavers, described in the beneath the Halls. (The rumor is true.) Some dwarven
“Early Investigations” section of chapter 3. The camp legends go further, saying the royal tomb was long
is here only until the characters defeat Jolliver Grimjaw deliberately sealed off by dwarves and that a fearsome
(chapter 3) or Gar Shatterkeel (chapter 4). curse befalls anyone who disturbs Torhild’s rest.
Reason to Visit. Characters have a chance to explore
G o ld e n fie ld s Torhild’s tomb in the “Halls of the Hunting Axe” side
Goldenfields is a huge walled temple-farm dedicated trek in chapter 6.
to Chauntea, the goddess of agriculture. Called “the
granary of the North,” it’s the only reason many H a u n te d K eeps
Northerners ever taste soft-fleshed fruit larger than In the southwestern Sumber Hills stand four ruined
bush berries. Waterdeep, Secomber, Yartar, and points keeps built centuries ago by a band of adventurers,
beyond consume the temple’s reliable output: carefully the Knights of the Silver Horn. According to most
husbanded grains and dried, oil-packed, or salted locals, these crumbling stone castles are haunted by
ghosts and prowling monsters. Sensible valley dwellers Keep is secretly the stronghold of the Cult of the
avoid them. Crushing Wave.
In recent years, four elemental cults have taken over
the keeps. The cultists are careful to keep the curious H e lv e n b la d e H o u se
outside their walls—or to make sure visitors who Northwest of Westbridge, on the forest’s edge, stands
learn the truth either join the cult or never return from Helvenblade House, the principal country estate of the
their visit. Silmerhelve noble house of Waterdeep. It consists of a
Reason to Visit. These four sites are central to the fortified manor, stables, a guest lodge, and two outlying
adventure (see chapter 3) and places where characters hunting lodges connected by grass paths that enclose a
confront the Elemental Evil cults directly. food and herb garden and a small lawn. A large, lightly
F e a t h e r g a l e Spire wooded hunting preserve extends for several miles from
the manor.
Home to the flamboyant Feathergale Society, this tall The Silmerhelves visit perhaps six times a year, and
stone tower stands on a height commanding splendid the rest of the time the sleepy estate is left to the live-in
views across the Sumber Hills. It can be seen from afar staff. Helvenblade has never been overrun by bandits
by anyone traversing the hills and is used as a private or otherwise put to ruin; the servants ascribe this to its
retreat by an elite hippogriff flying club comprised of protection by the “family ghost.” In reality, a secretive
rich Waterdhavians calling themselves the Feathergale dragon named Umsheryoth (adult male bronze
Knights. These “knights” affect a dashing image and dragon) guards the house and has been a friend to the
are given to drinking, singing, wearing fashionable Silmerhelves for generations.
clothing, and general revelry. The club is a cover for the Reason to Visit. Helvenblade House offers a respite
Cult of the Howling Hatred. Cult warriors watch the from the machinations of the elemental cults, and the
surrounding area but leave travelers close to the spire “family ghost” could prove an unusual but potent ally.
alone. They want to avoid drawing attention to their
activities for now. H ig h F o r e s t
S a c re d S to n e M o n a s te ry Although much shrunken from its ancient boundaries,
This “keep” is actually an old stone temple built in a the High Forest is still vast and mysterious. Larger
rocky vale at the southern edge of the Sumber Hills. It than some kingdoms, it’s big enough to encompass
was recently reborn as the Sacred Stone Monastery, mountains within its depths. It is home to treants of
home to reclusive monks dedicated to a mysterious gigantic size, stags with antlers as wide across as a
“Way of the Sacred Stone,” which sages across Faerun wagon, brown bears bigger than large sheds, owlbears,
have never heard of because it’s merely a cover for the wolves, and unicorns. Woodcutters and even outlaws on
Cult of the Black Earth. the run dare visit only the verges of the High Forest. As
The monastery is the surface stronghold of the earth everyone knows, those who venture too deep are seldom
cult, and it functions as the guarded entrance to the seen again.
Temple of the Black Earth beneath it. All of the monks In the northwestern High Forest stands Shadowtop
are earth cultists who are well aware of the true nature Cathedral, a stand of towering shadowtop trees that is
of the monastery. an important meeting-place for the Emerald Enclave.
Foes of the enclave have to fight to reach it, but members
S c a r le t M oon H a l l can readily find aid, healing, and advice in the grove.
Deep in the wild heart of the Sumber Hills stands Reason to Visit. Shadowtop Cathedral is a key base
Scarlet Moon Hall, the abode of the druids of the Circle for the Emerald Enclave. Also, characters from the Tree
of the Scarlet Moon. To folk of the Dessarin Valley, this Ghost Uthgardt tribe call the High Forest home.
is the most mysterious of the Haunted Keeps. It stands
deep in the Sumber Hills “where the worst monsters H o m e s te a d s
are”—and as a result local hunters, prospectors, Scores of isolated homesteads are scattered across
herbalists, and woodcutters rarely go near the place. the Dessarin Valley, but only a few that are featured in
Scarlet Moon Hall is secretly the stronghold of the the adventure’s side treks are shown on the regional
Cult of the Eternal Flame, elemental fire cultists posing map. Additional homesteads appear on the Random
as druids while they seek new adherents. Encounters tables earlier in this chapter. Not even
R iv e r g a r d K eep lifelong residents of the Dessarin Valley know exactly
This stout castle stands on the banks of the Dessarin where all the outlying farms and ranches lie, and
River. It consists of a stone keep and gatehouse linked characters traveling cross country might stumble across
by a curtain wall to a river tower and dock. lonely farmhouses or outlying ranches anywhere.
Rivergard is home to a mercenary band led by “Lord Since homesteads are permanent structures, make a
of the Castle”Jolliver Grimjaw (see chapter 7). The note on the regional map when the characters discover
band is repairing the old castle, and reroofing is their one at random. It should be in the same place if the
current major task. They claim their intention is to make party passes through again.
Rivergard Keep their base for protecting river-borne A homestead usually consists of a farmhouse with
trade from monsters and bandits. In truth, Grimjaw and thick shutters for the windows and a bar for the door, a
his followers are themselves the bandits, and Rivergard barn or two containing livestock, a feed crib, and crops
or pastures nearby. Most homesteaders are human or Hunters from Westbridge used to cautiously seek
halfling commoners. They gladly welcome travelers game along the easternmost verges of Kryptgarden
(especially adventurers who look like they’re trying but dare not do so now, after several hunting parties
to chase away outlaws and monsters) and are eager disappeared. Small game remains plentiful, but larger
for news. Homesteaders can usually point the way to beasts are seldom seen. Presumably, such beasts have
the nearest town or neighboring homesteads (there is fallen prey to Old Gnawbone.
usually another homestead within one or two hexes).
Reason to Visit. If the characters speak with L ance R ock
homesteaders in the area east of the Sumber Hills, they A prominent landmark near Red Larch, Lance Rock is
learn that raiders in brown cloaks sacked a few farms a slender stone monolith that juts up out of the plains a
and dragged off their inhabitants. (These captives are few miles west of the Long Road. It stands only about
currently held in the slave pens beneath Sacred Stone 25 feet high, but the land nearby is flat and open, so
Monastery.) In addition, three homesteads—Anderil it can be seen from miles away on a clear day. Lance
Farm, Dellmon Ranch, and Nettlebee Ranch—are Rock is made of granite that doesn’t match any other
featured in side treks and shown on the regional map. stone nearby, and looks like it was dropped from the
sky—which it was. Long ago, Claugiyliamatar, the
K ry p tg a rd e n F o re s t ancient green dragon known as “Old Gnawbone,” took
Kryptgarden Forest hides many old dwarven ruins the enormous stone from the Sword Mountains and
and the extensive underground city now known as dropped it on a rival red dragon. The red dragon’s bones
Southkrypt. For centuries, this forest has been the are long gone, and few but Claugiyliamatar know the
home and hunting ground of the ancient female green origin of the stone.
dragon Claugiyliamatar, better known to many as “Old Reason to Visit. Characters who investigate rumors
Gnawbone.” She earned her nickname by her habit of of plague near Lance Rock might discover the lair of a
gnawing on old kills, and is often seen with a mangled necromancer nearby (see “Lance Rock” in chapter 6).
corpse hanging from her mouth. Other dragons
rarely remain in Kryptgarden Forest for long because N e v e rw in te r
Claugiyliamatar drives them out. The city of Neverwinter lies on the Sword Coast, west
and north from the Dessarin Valley. Once known as the
Jewel of the North, Neverwinter was badly damaged god Moradin appeared atop the Stone Bridge to rally
when nearby Mount Hotenow erupted about fifty dwarves of the Ironstar clan against a horde of orcs.
years ago. The City of Skilled Hands works furiously The founder of Besilmer, King Torhild Flametongue,
to rebuild itself as a wealthy trading city known died fighting a hill giant atop the Stone Bridge. (He is
for its clocks and other superbly made local items. entombed within the Halls of the Hunting Axe.)
Neverwinter’s reconstruction is far from complete, Built to connect those parts of the dwarven realm of
however. Entire sections of the city still lie in rubble, Besilmer on both the western and eastern banks of the
plagued by brigands and monsters, and sinister factions Dessarin, the Stone Bridge is made of smooth, fused
scheme to take over the place. hard granite. It is only six paces wide and lacks railings
Neverwinter is part of the league of city-states known or barriers, so anyone atop it is at the mercy of the wind,
as the Lords’Alliance. Lord Dagult Neverember particularly in winter.
rules over the city, even though he isn’t the true heir Reason to Visit. The Stone Bridge is the only
to Neverwinter’s crown. He supports the alliance’s crossing of the Dessarin River between Ironford
efforts to establish civilization throughout the North, and Yartar; travelers and caravans frequently use it
although his primary concern is to rebuild the city and (with care).
its economy.
The most direct route to Neverwinter from the Sum ber H ills
Dessarin Valley is to head west along the trail from The Sumber Hills are windswept badlands sparsely
Triboar to the tiny town of Phandalin (about 140 miles), covered in dry grass. Many of the hills have exposed
then north another 110 miles or so along the coastal rock faces or steep escarpments. While the hills are
road. Riders who know the way, travel light, and push dry, countless tiny streams rise from hidden springs
hardy mounts can make the trip in as little as eight or (usually clean and drinkable), then flow down to join the
nine days. Dessarin River, which bisects the hills.
Reason to Visit. If the characters need the services Most locals only think of the wilder, higher hills west
and commerce of a big city and Waterdeep doesn’t do for of the river when they hear “Sumber Hills,” because
some reason, then Neverwinter is the next best choice. it’s there that once had rich quarries and good hunting.
Some hunting lodges and keeps owned by wealthy
R u n d re th M a n o r Waterdhavians or adventurers remain—and in recent
Atop a hill overlooking the Long Road less than a day’s times have become homes to bandits and monsters.
travel northeast of Amphail stands ruined Rundreth Those who quarry the Sumber Hills for building stones
Manor. This large stone mansion, now roofless and and gravel often trade tales of finding gemstones and
overgrown, is home to a mysterious and terrifying figure rich veins of ore in the hills—but for the most part, these
known far and wide as “the Dark Lady.” Locals warn persistent tales have never been more than talk.
everyone to stay well away from the ruins. In the last few years, the infamous “Haunted Keeps”
The truth of the tale is that the “Dark Lady” is a in the western Sumber Hills have all been reoccupied.
female adult black shadow dragon named Nurvureem, Sightings of strange beasts and menacing figures have
who has established her lair in the caverns beneath increased, too.
the manor. Her favorite shape is a beautiful female Reason to Visit. The characters likely traipse all over
drow. In this form, Nurvureem lures adventurers into the Sumber Hills in chapter 3 of the adventure as they
the manor and stalks them. She sometimes poses as a seek out the Haunted Keeps.
drow captive of a dragon, desperate to avoid being eaten
and willing to pay with her treasure to be rescued. The S u m m it H a l l
Harpers have learned her secret, and do their best to Summit Hall was established long ago as a fortified
spread stories of the Dark Lady to scare off curious or monastery by the Knights of Samular, an order
foolhardy adventurers. They warn fellow members to dedicated to Tyr, god of justice. A paladin of Tyr named
approach Nurvureem with extreme caution. Samular Caradoon founded the order and its monastery.
In recent months, Nurvureem has been pestered by A tomb within the monastery contains Samular’s
elemental cultists looking for potential bases. By leaving remains as well as the phylactery of his brother,
their shredded corpses on the road for all to see, she Renwick Caradoon, who dwells in the Sacred Stone
hopes to make it clear to the cultists that they should Monastery (see “Haunted Keeps” above) as a lich.
leave Rundreth Manor alone. Lady Ushien Stormbanner (female Tethyrian human
Reason to Visit. A side trek in chapter 6 takes place knight of Tyr) oversees Summit Hall. Veterans, many of
at Rundreth Manor, and the characters have a chance to them scarred and grim, train novices and instruct them
confront the Dark Lady and perhaps find common cause in the moral “Rule of the Knights” (an extensive series
against the cults. of “in this situation, a knight shall do this” guidelines).
Life here is very regimented. The occupants of Summit
S to n e B rid g e Hall grow their own food and keep perpetual watch over
This gigantic stone archway (two miles long and four nearby lands. They are always ready for battle, and fully
hundred feet high) comfortably spans the widest armed and armored if encountered outside their walls.
spring flood of the Dessarin River. It is a sacred site Reason to Visit. Characters who track the Mirabar
of pilgrimage for many dwarves. Long ago, the dwarf delegation from Beliard find that the delegation never
reached Summit Hall. The site where elemental cultists (typically for stiff fees). Many of these guides are retired
attacked the delegation lies only a few miles away. Later adventurers who know the North well.
in the adventure, characters affiliated with the Order A half-elf adventurer named Gervor and his
of the Gauntlet can turn to the Knights of Samular to companions went missing recently. The adventurers
recruit guards for locations they’ve cleared or other “off were staying in town, and locals expected them to return
camera” needs for low-level soldiers. tendays ago. In addition, two important merchants from
Waterdeep, Kharloss and Jarlee, are overdue. (Gervor
T rib o a r is currently a prisoner in area B14 of the Temple of
The town of Triboar stands where the Long Road meets the Black Earth, while the two Waterdhavians were
the Evermoor Way, a well-used caravan road that runs captured by fire cultists on the Long Road. They are
east to the city of Yartar. Triboar is the chief rival to currently held in area W6 of the Weeping Colossus.)
Yartar, and the two communities compete for the trade Reason to Visit. Any Harper can readily find refuge
of the Dessarin Valley. and aid in the Home of the Boars, a lodge on the
The current lord protector is a good-natured Harper outskirts of the town. Darathra is a key contact for
and ex-adventurer named Darathra Shendrel (female characters affiliated with the Harpers. The Zhentarim
Tethyrian human knight), known for the excellent has spies in the town as well, and its agents might
wine she makes. Darathra enacts and modifies local contact the characters in the course of “The Long Road”
laws (known as “The Lord’s Decree”), which are then side trek in chapter 6.
enforced by “The Twelve,” a dozen mounted veterans
drawn from the militia to serve in a tenday cycle. V a le o f D a n c in g W a te rs
Triboar is a horse-market for a dozen nearby ranches Called Tyn’rrin Wurlur in Dwarvish, this narrow gorge
that turn out trained draft horses, riding mounts and carries a trio of creeks down to the Dessarin River in
ponies, and pack mules. Blacksmiths, harnessmakers, cascades of water. The vale is on the west side of the
and wagonworks flourish in town. In addition, a number river and found at the end of a secret trail leading south
of guides operate from Triboar. They take merchants from the Stone Bridge.
and other travelers all over the Sword Coast North Long ago, the vale was the site of the summer palace
of King Torhild Flametongue of the dwarven kingdom
of Besilmer. In time, it became a sacred place where
dwarves come to worship their gods. Some legends
among the Stout Folk say the cellars of the ancient
palace hide riches of the royal treasury of Besilmer.
(Actually, the palace collapsed long ago, but the shrine
survives.) Recent sightings of monsters and roving
bands of marauders in the Sumber Hills have alarmed
the shield dwarf priests who tend the shrine. They worry
that enemies might find the way to the hidden vale.
Reason to Visit. The Order of the Gauntlet has allies
among the dwarves here, and the characters might be
asked to check on them in the “Vale of Dancing Waters”
side trek (see chapter 6).
W a te rd e e p
The City of Splendors is a bustling city on the Sword
Coast. A rider from Red Larch can reach Waterdeep in
seven days, three if he or she changes horses often and
dares to ride by night. Some merchants have termed
Waterdeep “the best supply center in the world,” with
the largest collection of superb craft workers, experts,
useful contacts, and potential hirelings to be found
anywhere. Others warn that it represents a huge army
of potential enemies for those who aren’t careful—and
everyone agrees that its busy streets are full of spies.
Waterdhavian noble families and guilds hold
tremendous political and economic sway up and down
the Sword Coast, but within the city itself, true power
lies with the Masked Lords of Waterdeep—individuals
who convene secretly and whose identities are largely
unknown. The public face of this ruling body is the
Open Lord of Waterdeep. The current Open Lord,
Laeral Silverhand, has held the position for only a few
months, and many of the city’s nobles and guildmasters
are vying for her attention and conspiring to wrest
power away from her office, while taking advantage of
the transition to dispose of unwanted rivals. This kind
of political chaos is “business as usual” for most city
residents.
Reason to Visit. Characters who need rare items,
sage advice, or other services found only in large cities
might say “we’re going to Waterdeep.”
W e s tb rid g e
A village strung out along the Long Road between Red
Larch and Triboar, Westbridge is home to the Harvest
Inn, which stands on the west side of the Long Road
facing the wagon road from the Stone Bridge. The inn
is run by the affable Herivin Dardragon (male halfling
commoner), a curly-haired collector and reseller of
paintings and statuettes of questionable taste.
The town is full of rumors about the disappearance of
Oric and Lathna, siblings who were abducted by raiders
from a homestead a short distance outside of town.
(They are currently serving in the kitchens of Rivergard
Keep.) Herivin Dardragon is also worried about one of
his regulars, a female shield dwarf prospector named
Wulgreda. She has not stopped by in a long time (and is
a prisoner in the Temple of the Black Earth).
Reason to Visit. Westbridge is a target when the
cultists take revenge for the characters’ actions.
The characters probably come to Westbridge in the west bank of the river connects to a bridge wide enough
aftermath of the “Dire Tidings” counterattack in chapter to accommodate two wagons with room to spare,
4, or after the “Counsel of Despair” event in chapter 5. connecting the Evermoor Way into and through Yartar.
The road leads east to Everlund and Silverymoon,
W e s tw o o d and west to Triboar and eventually Waterdeep via the
A tangled and varied forest cloaking the eastern Long Road.
foothills of the Sword Mountains, these woods are home Yartar is prosperous and increasingly crowded, so
to a shrine to Mielikki, several woodcutters’ camps buildings have been torn down and taller ones built-
that are often taken over forcibly for a season or a few four stories high in some instances.
months at a time by bandits, and a few overgrown ruins AWaterbaron who rules for life leads Yartar. The
of the ancient elven kingdom of Rilithar. current Waterbaron is the shrewd, farseeing Nestra
Recently, a roving band of Elk tribe barbarians (see Ruthiol (female Tethyrian human noble). Yartar is
“The Uthgardt Tribes” below) have come to Westwood. part of the Lords’Alliance, and Ruthiol considers that
They forcibly evicted bandits from the innermost membership vital for its survival and prosperity. She
woodcutters’ camps, then camped there themselves to knows that Harpers and Zhentarim are well established
explore and hunt in Westwood. in the city, but her path only crosses with theirs when
Reason to Visit The Elk tribe and the adventurers the wellbeing of Yartarrans is at stake.
have common enemies: the elemental cults. Although The elemental cults have begun abducting Yartarrans
characters will be hard-pressed to win the barbarians’ who won’t be missed—poor people and drunkards,
trust, they can pry useful information out of them. mostly—and smuggling them out of the city. These
The Elk hunters know the Sumber Hills well and can missing Yartarrans are currently being held in area A12
provide simple, landmark-based directions to two cult of the Temple of Howling Hatred (see chapter 4).
strongholds: Rivergard Keep and Scarlet Moon Hall Reason to Visit The “Dark Dealings in Yartar”
(though they don’t know the names of these locations). side trek (chapter 6) brings the characters here. More
broadly, characters affiliated with the Lords’Alliance
WOMFORD can readily receive support in Yartar, and Harpers and
Zhentarim can get aid, too, if they’re discreet and know
This tiny village has a dock on the Dessarin River how to contact an agent in town.
for shipping the grain from its grist mill. It is also the
local supply and market for the surrounding farms
from which the grain comes. Aside from the mill, the T h e U t h g a r d t T rib e s
village consists of a handful of granaries and a larger Most of the human barbarians in the vicinity of the
handful of cottages, several of which house tiny local Dessarin Valley belong to the various Uthgardt tribes.
shops. According to old tales, the village was known They take their name from Uthgar, a great hero-chief
as Ironford until a dragon was slain nearby. Passers-by who conquered much of the North many centuries ago
began to call the settlement “Wyrm Ford,” a name before ascending to godhood. Each tribe venerates its
subsequently corrupted, thanks to the thick local accent, own particular totem animal and protects its own sacred
into “Womford.” sites, known as ancestral mounds. Some Uthgardt are
Womford is a center of thinly disguised cult activity relatively settled and trade with the civilized folk of the
thanks to its location on the Dessarin. River pirates and area, while others are aggressive raiders who pillage
smugglers allied to the water cult frequently put in at any caravan or homestead they come across.
the town’s dock. Ruffians and thugs seem to take over The major tribes in the vicinity of the Dessarin Valley
the village whenever a keelboat is tied up at the dock. In include the Elk, Gray Wolf, Griffon, and Tree Ghost.
fact, some locals have thrown in with the smugglers— The Gray Wolf and Griffon tribesfolk are known as
three young ne’er-do-wells named Gorm, Herek, and fierce warriors, but they rarely wander as far south
Shadnil sailed off a month ago to join up. (They are now as the Sumber Hills. The Tree Ghosts are a reclusive
servants in the kitchens of Rivergard Keep.) band that roams the High Forest; the barbarians are
Womforders lock and bar their doors and shutter sometimes seen in the vales between the Sumber Hills
their windows at night, for fear of the “Womford Bat,” and the edge of the forest, but they are among the more
a nocturnal predator that snatches folk it can catch peaceful tribes and rarely trouble settlers or travelers in
outside after dark. One villager named Darreth vanished this area.
only steps from his own front door a tenday ago. (He Uthgardt of the Elk tribe regard most of the Dessarin
was actually abducted by water cultists, and is now a Valley as their territory. Small bands of Elk warriors
captive in area F21 of the Fane of the Eye.) roam the Westwood, the Sumber Hills, and the hilly
Reason to Visit Characters who try to trace the land around the Dessarin and Surbrin rivers. Because
origin of the mysterious book during their investigations they are relatively few in number, the Elk barbarians
into the missing delegation might come to Womford and stay well away from the cities and towns in the area.
deal with the Womford Rats, as described in chapter 3. However, they often attack weakly defended caravans
on remote trails that are far from help. The tribesfolk
Y a rta r generally don’t harass poor working folk such as
This fortified city commands the most northerly wagon homesteaders and shepherds, although they sometimes
bridge over the Dessarin River. A walled citadel on the steal sheep or other livestock if the opportunity
presents itself.
C h a p te r 3: S e c r e t o f t h e S u m b e r H ills
HEADVENTURE STARTS INRED LARCH, without attracting much attention. Two tendays ago, that
with the characters investigating the changed when an important delegation from the city of
disappearance of a delegation from Mirabar disappeared in the Sumber Hills.
Mirabar. Characters are free to go The delegation traveled overland from Westbridge
wherever their information, as provided to Beliard, crossing the Stone Bridge. From Beliard it
by you, takes them. Clues lead them to headed south into the Sumber Hills, bound for Summit
T Haunted Keeps in the Sumber Hills. Hall. Earth cultists attacked the group a few miles
These old fortresses have become secret from Summit Hall. The cultists took prisoners back
outposts for the cults of Elemental Evil. to the Sacred Stone Monastery, paying water cultists
for the use of their riverboats to cross the Dessarin
T h e M is s in g D e le g a tio n River, which is how the delegation’s valuables end up
in Womford (see “Rumors in Red Larch”). On their way
For months now, the cults of Elemental Evil have back to their base, the earth cultists skirmished with
been establishing themselves in the Dessarin Valley
air cultists, which accounts for the “Shallow Graves” to the abbey of Goldenfields, not far from Red Larch.
section later in this chapter. When planted, these seeds are supposed to grow into a
After their arrival at the Sacred Stone Monastery, magical grove.
some of the delegation members were put to work in Order of the Gauntlet. The delegation was also
the mines. Others were sent down to the Temple of the transporting the body of a knight who was killed
Black Earth (see chapter 4). fighting orcs in the Spine of the World. The knight was
Other troubles have also surfaced recently, including to be interred with honor at Summit Hall, the chapter
some that might directly affect the characters. Tailor the house of an order called the Knights of Samular. It lies
introduction to work with the factions, backgrounds, and in the southeast Sumber Hills.
motivations in play among the characters. The Zhentarim. The Zhentarim aren’t particularly
The Priest’s Purse. If you began this campaign with concerned about the delegation for its own sake, but
the introductory adventures in chapter 6, remind the they see an interesting opportunity here to rescue the
players about the trade bars, minted in Mirabar, that the missing delegates and win the gratitude of the leaders
party found in the possession of Larrakh in the Tomb of of Mirabar. Accordingly, a Zhentarim character wants to
Moving Stones. prove the good faith of the Black Network by lending a
helping hand.
A d v e n tu re S t a r t Nonfaction Start. Characters who aren’t attached to
the five factions can search for the missing delegation
on their own initiative or might be motivated by their
Red Larch is a little town on the Long Road, a few days’ personal calls to action. The mystery of a missing
travel north of Waterdeep and south of Yartar. It’s a way delegation might not seem to be directly connected
station for caravans coming to or from the cities of the to whatever personal goal the character brings to the
North, with only one inn, the Swinging Sword. adventure, but then again, it just could be the lead.
An important delegation from the city of Mirabar R u m o r s in R e d L a r c h
disappeared in the nearby Sumber Hills. The whole town is
Red Larch is described in detail in chapter 2.
also abuzz with news and rumors of fierce raiders, roaming Characters who take the time to talk to locals might
monsters, suspicious strangers, and unseasonable gain a lead or learn something useful. The best places
weather. to hear the latest rumors about the missing delegation
are the town tavern (the Helm at Highsun), the common
The five factions know about the overdue delegation room of the town inn (the Swinging Sword), or the store
and are concerned enough to send agents to investigate. (Gaelkur’s).
Characters affiliated with these factions are contacted Rumors. An evening of asking questions in and
and asked to help out. Tell each player in private why his around Red Larch reveals the following rumors.
or her faction is concerned about the missing delegation. • The Mirabar delegation was last seen in the town
The exact reasons for each faction are described of Beliard. This information comes from a caravan
as follows: guard in the Helm at Highsun and an itinerant priest
Harpers. The delegation included a renowned of Lathander in the Swinging Sword who just came
shield dwarf historian named Bruldenthar, who was from Beliard.
transporting his collection of manuscripts to Waterdeep. • A dozen beautiful old books written in Dwarvish
The Harpers don’t want the sage or his books to fall into showed up in the cargo of a shady keelboat skipper
the wrong hands. in Womford. Characters hear this fact from Endrith
Lords’Alliance. Three important diplomats from Vallivoe, a local shopkeeper drinking in the Swinging
cities in the alliance were leading the delegation: a Sword, who bought one of the books from a merchant
moon elf from Silverymoon named Teresiel, a shield recently arrived from Womford.
dwarf from Mirabar named Rhundorth, and a human • Four new graves—simple rock cairns, really—have
noble from Waterdeep named Deseyna Majarra. The appeared on a windswept hilltop in the Sumber Hills,
diplomats are important, but each also carries one part a few miles outside of town. The shepherd Larmon
of a secret, coded document that must be recovered at Greenboot found them, and he has no idea who
all costs. would have been buried out there in the last few days.
Emerald Enclave. The moon elf Teresiel had in her Larmon hangs around Gaelkur’s. He can guide the
possession a pouch of magical seeds she was taking characters to the site where he found the graves, but
he insists on waiting until morning.
Character Advancement • An Amnian merchant heading north on the Long
This adventure assumes that the characters begin this Road stopped in Thorsk Thelorn’s workshop for a
chapter at 3rd level. Some of the Haunted Keeps are tougher wagon repair. His goods were marked by a strange
than others. Feathergale Spire is designed for a 3rd-level symbol, like a bowl. He paid Thorsk well and talked
party, Rivergard Keep works best for a 4th-level party, Sacred about a big gathering of druids he was heading to,
Stone is designed for a 5th-level party, and Scarlet Moon hoping to sell kegs of beer and various trinkets. If the
Hall should challenge a 6th-level party. Each outpost the characters mention the Amnian merchant to Thorsk,
characters overcome should advance them at least one level. they can get directions to Scarlet Moon Hall.
 They intended to visit Summit Hall next, returning the
E a r ly In v e s tig a tio n s body of a knight slain in the North.
Armed with a lead or two from their inquiries in Red • Senya, a server at the Watchful Knight, noticed a
Larch (and perhaps with clues from their personal calls strange monk who wore a golden mask observing
to action), the characters can begin their search. Ask the Mirabarrans closely while they stayed at the
the players where they want their characters to go and Watchful Knight. The monk left a few hours before the
continue with “Beliard,” “Shallow Graves,” or “Womford delegation set out and hasn’t been seen since.
Rats,” as appropriate. • A cattle drover met the delegation on the Dessarin
Controlling Information. To find a Haunted Keep, Road about ten miles south of town, a few hours after
the party must develop a lead by following events in the they left. Later that day he saw a group of five warriors
adventure, employing scrying magic, or methodically in sky-blue armor and white cloaks, flying on giant
searching the Sumber Hills. vultures. The aerial riders flew overhead and turned
Some or all of the player characters might begin the south, heading in the same direction as the delegation.
adventure already in possession of useful information Eann, a cattle drover drinking at the Watchful Knight,
because of the adventure hooks in chapter 1. Key clues tells this tale to anyone who listens.
from these hooks include the following: If the characters ask about warriors on flying monsters
• Best Served Cold: The character hears from tavern or giant vultures, they gain an additional rumor:
patrons in Red Larch that a band of minstrels called • Halrud Ponden, the townmaster and chief lawkeeper
the Windwyrds performs at Feathergale Spire. The of Beliard, looks nervous as he tells the characters
character knows the spire’s location. about warriors in blue armor and white cloaks flying
• Dangerous Information: The character knows where on monsters or giant vultures have been seen near
the Reaver Ambush encounter takes place (see “Cult Feathergale Spire, not far from Red Larch.
Reprisals” later in this chapter) and can go there to
intervene. Nothing more comes to light about the strange monk in
• Feathergale Rebel: The character knows the location Beliard. The characters have to keep looking.
of Feathergale Spire.
• Madman at Haunted Keep: The character knows the T h e D e s s a rin R o a d
location of Rivergard Keep. If the party follows the trail south from Beliard toward
• Standing Offer or Strange Map: The character knows Summit Hall and Womford, they come across the spot
the location of the Sacred Stone Monastery. where the delegation from Mirabar was attacked. No
• Suspicious Fellow: The character knows the location one else found it because it’s off the road. Only in the
of Feathergale Spire and heard that Thurl Merosska last day or two have natural scavengers returned to the
can be found there. area, since the lingering aura of elemental magic kept
• Undercover: The character knows the location of them away until now.
Rivergard Keep and that Jolliver Grimjaw is in charge.
Anyone in Red Larch can provide good directions to The Dessarin Road leads south through the barren Sumber
Feathergale Spire if the characters ask about the place. Hills. You don’t meet any other travelers this day, but you
It’s a well-known site. It’s fine if the characters decide to
follow up on one of these leads instead of investigating find evidence that the trail supports traffic—wagon ruts
the missing delegation. and mule droppings prove that people come this way on
a regular basis. You find nothing else until you are about
B e lia rd fifteen miles south of Beliard, when you spot a cloud of
Check for random encounters during the journey to ravens and vultures circling a mile or so west of the trail.
Beliard (see chapter 2).
If the characters investigate, they find the remains of a
Orchards and large cattle ranches surround the little town pitched battle between the earth cult and the delegation
of Beliard. Large stockyards lie on the east side of town, from Mirabar.
and stone warehouses along the Dessarin Road indicate
the regular caravan traffic that passes through. In a small dell a mile off the road, you find the remains of
a battle. Adozen dead soldiers lie on the ground, dressed
Everyone is talking about the travelers from Mirabar in black surcoats bearing the emblem of a red axe. Most
and wondering what happened. A dozen theories make appear to have died from battle injuries, although some lie
the rounds, but most make no sense. If the characters in small craters or jumbles of broken rock. Abandoned and
sort through the gossip look for those who spoke with looted wagons lie nearby. Acouple of broken trunks sit on
the Mirabarrans, they unearth the following leads: the ground by the wagons. Two rock cairns—one large and
• Neshor Fleurdin, proprietor of the Watchful Knight one small—stand atop a hillside nearby.
inn, spoke with the delegation leaders and learned
they planned to head south on the Dessarin Road.
Characters native to the North recognize the red axe You have a good view of the surrounding hills from this
design as the emblem of Mirabar. Non-native characters vantage point. Several miles to the west you can make out
recognize it with a successful DC 10 Intelligence the tiny outline of Red Larch, and the thin dark line marking
(History) check. A successful DC 15 Intelligence the Long Road. Perhaps two miles to the north, you see
(Arcana) check identifies the craters and rock jumbles
as the effects of powerful earth-based magic. None of a slender old tower circled by large birds. Nothing else is
the Mirabar delegates are here, but almost all of their around here.
escorts were killed.
The large cairn contains the bodies of five dead If asked, Larmon identifies the tower in the distance as
bugbears. They are dressed in black leather armor with Feathergale Spire. All he knows about the place is that
a strange triangular symbol on it (the earth cult symbol). “knights out of Waterdeep come up here sometimes,
The small cairn contains the body of a human woman in riding on flying monsters.” He adds, “They keep to
monk’s robes, with a strange golden mask shaped like themselves.”
a snarling gargoyle face (a Sacred Stone monk killed
in the fight). The mask is made of gilded tin and not S u m m it H a l l
particularly valuable.
Tracks. A character studying the tracks in the area The party might discover that the delegation for Mirabar
who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) was headed for Summit Hall and travel there directly,
check learns that a large group of about thirty bugbears without following the Dessarin Road from Beliard. (This
and Medium humanoids wearing boots headed west into is most likely if a character belonging to the Order of the
the hills. The trail leads several miles to the banks of Gauntlet insists on going directly to Summit Hall.)
the Dessarin River in the middle of nowhere, but gouges
in the bank show where several keelboats landed. This small stronghold stands on a hilltop in the southern
region of the Sumber Hills. It consists of a stone hall
S h a llo w G ra v e s surrounded by a fifteen-foot wall with a sturdy wooden
The shepherd Larmon Greenboot in Red Larch leads gate. Stables, a tower, barracks, and storage buildings
the characters to this site if they ask. The characters are enclosed within the protective wall. Abanner flying an
might also stumble across the site while traveling in the
Sumber Hills near Red Larch. emblem of a crossed torch and sword flutters overhead.

On a barren hilltop a few miles from Red Larch, you find Summit Hall is home to about a dozen Knights of
four freshly dug shallow graves. The earth scraped out for Samular, an order of long-suffering Tyr worshipers who
have been reenergized by their god’s return. They host
the holes is piled nearby, although hastily gathered stones another dozen young aspirants-in-training, and about
cover the graves. The faint smell of death hangs in the air, fifteen servants and artisans to help maintain the place.
and several vultures circle overhead. The most senior knight is a human woman of sixty
years named Ushien Stormbanner, an ally of the Order
If Larmon is with the party, he explains that he grazes of the Gauntlet. Ushien is happy to meet with any
his sheep in a nearby vale, and he passed by this spot adventurers that turn up on her doorstep. She tells
less than a month ago. There were no graves present on the characters that the delegates from Mirabar never
his previous visit. He found them just a couple of days showed up at Summit Hall, and that her warriors
ago and has no idea who might be buried here—none searched the area and didn’t find them (both true).
of the folk of Red Larch are missing, and he doesn’t The Golden Mask. If any of the characters mention
know of anyone else out this way. The hills are mostly monks in golden masks or show Lady Ushien the mask
uninhabited. of the monk from the cairn in the Dessarin Road site,
Grave Occupants. If the characters excavate the Ushien recognizes it. She can tell the characters that
graves, they find one male dwarf dressed in artisan the masks are worn by the monks of the Sacred Stone
robes (a smith from Mirabar), one female human order. She doesn’t know much about them, but she can
warrior dressed in a red surcoat with a black axe (the tell the characters that the monks have taken over one
symbol of Mirabar’s army), one male human warrior of the old Haunted Keeps. She provides directions to the
dressed in a black cloak with strange stony armor (an Sacred Stone Monastery.
earth cultist), and one male human in a white robe with W o m fo rd R a ts
black feathers at the shoulders (an air cultist). All died
from arrow wounds or crushing blows, and the earth
cultists who won the battle buried the fallen on both Womford is a tiny settlement on the banks of the Dessarin
sides because they believe everything should ultimately River, south of the Ironford Bridge. Adilapidated dock juts
be consumed by the earth.
What’s Around? If any of the characters make a out into the river, and three keelboats are tied there. Alarge
serious effort to study the surrounding area, they find mill sits on the riverbank, with several big granaries nearby
a confused collection of tracks, a few broken arrows, a and a handful of small, run-down cottages.
discarded javelin, and a tattered gray cloak.
 Roleplaying S h o alar
Shoalar appears jovial, but he has a biting sense of
humor and tends to laugh at people rather than with
them. If questioned, he denies any knowledge of books
or delegates from Mirabar, but he is lying. Characters
who present themselves as fellow rogues or potential
recruits might be able to persuade him to admit that
he “ferried unsavory passengers across the river a
couple of tendays ago, and how they paid was no worry
of mine.” Characters who threaten or act suspiciously
trigger an attack from Shoalar and his crew.
T reasure
Shoalar wears a leather belt pouch containing 10 gp,
three small malachites (10 gp each), and a potion of
healing. A trunk in the deckhouse contains five tomes
written in Dwarvish (historical accounts of the old
kingdom of Delzoun), each worth 30 gp. A large chart on
a table in the deckhouse marks the location of Rivergard
Keep with a hand-drawn water cult symbol.

C u l t R e p ris a ls
The cults of Elemental Evil don’t wait passively for a
band of heroes to systematically eliminate each cult’s
surface outpost. Even if the characters destroy one of
the Haunted Keep outposts completely and eliminate
all possible witnesses, the elemental prophets gain
glimpses of the threat facing them through dreams,
visions, and portents. The Elder Elemental Eye warns
the prophets of danger and impels them to respond.
You have four reprisals to choose from: “Tremors,”
“Skyriders,” “Reaver Ambush,” and “Fiery Fangs.” Let
player interest and your own sense of pacing dictate
which reprisal to use.
• If a character has the Dangerous Information
adventure hook (see chapter 1), run “Reaver Ambush”
when the character resolves to travel to the attack site
and stop it.
• Choose one reprisal to run after the characters visit
the first locale (Beliard, Dessarin Road, Shallow
Graves, Summit Hall, or Womford Rats). “Skyriders”
and “Reaver Ambush” are good choices because they
point to lower-level Haunted Keeps (Feathergale Spire
and Rivergard Keep, respectively).
• Choose a second reprisal to run after the characters
visit the first of the Haunted Keeps. This is a good
opportunity to point the characters toward the air or
Most of the townsfolk are intimidated by the thugs who water keeps—whichever one the characters haven’t
run their criminal trade from their keelboats. Questions explored yet.
about, “Is anybody selling books around here?” or • Choose a third reprisal to run after the characters
“Where do we find the river boats?” quickly lead the visit the third of the Haunted Keeps.
party to the docks.
Two of the three keelboats are crewed by commoners T rem o rs
(ordinary river sailors). The third belongs to a gang While the characters explore the Sumber Hills, they
of water cultists: the genasi Shoalar Quanderil (see experience first-hand the strange phenomena and
chapter 7), his servant Pike (a halfling thug), and two dangerous monsters plaguing the area. Use this reprisal
bandits loyal to the genasi. The cultists’ keelboat is 30 any time the characters travel between towns or search
feet long. The middle 10 feet feature a small deck house, the hills for sites of interest.
with a forecastle at one end and an open stern at the
other. The holds are crammed with ordinary provisions,
marked with the water cult symbol.
 You are trudging along through the barren countryside Asmall, carefully banked cooking fire smolders in the
when you hear a low, distant rumbling. Amoment later, middle of this haphazard encampment. Haifa dozen
the ground beneath your feet begins shaking. The tremor battered old tents and crates of provisions are scattered
is strong enough to start small slides of pebbles from the around, along with racks on which pieces of smoked fish
hillsides and cause shrubs and brush to wave from side to are curing. Several fierce-looking human warriors are
side, but then it subsides. Amoment later, horrible insect­ hunkered down in front of their tents, tending to their gear
like creatures as big as horses begin to burrow out of the or quietly conversing.
ground!
The camp is occupied by one Crushing Wave priest,
The insect-like monsters are two ankhegs, hungry for two Crushing Wave reavers, and five bandits (statistics
flesh. The creatures haven’t specifically been sent by for the priest and the reavers appear in chapter 7). If the
the earth cult to attack the characters, but the local evil characters have the advantage of foreknowledge and
influence of the cult makes events such as the tremor successfully sneak up on the villains, they can surprise
and the ankheg attack almost commonplace in the the water cultists. Otherwise, the cultists assume
Dessarin Valley. that any strangers are enemies and attack. If all the
Crushing Wave members are killed, surviving bandits
S k y rid e rs try to flee or surrender.
Nosy heroes asking awkward questions in the towns Development
nearby gain the attention of the Howling Hatred Captured Crushing Wave cultists refuse to talk, but
cult. The air cultists send a group of aerial raiders to captured bandits aren’t as fanatically close-mouthed.
eliminate the characters, or at least to give them a good The bandits reveal that they signed on with the
scare. This encounter can occur any time the characters “mercenaries” at Rivergard Keep and now work for
are away from a settlement. Jolliver Grimjaw. They can tell the characters how to
find the keep.
Astrange, croaking cry from somewhere above catches
your attention. You spot a trio of huge, winged shapes F ie r y F a n g s
gliding toward you—giant vultures! Each bird carries on its The fire cult is less concerned with maintaining
back a warrior in dull blue armor with a dirty white cloak. appearances than the other elemental cults. When
Vanifer or her lieutenants receive word that a band of
adventurers is trying to ferret out the cult, they send a
The attackers include one Feathergale knight and two pack of three hell hounds after the party. The hounds
Howling Hatred initiates (see chapter 7 for both), each need only get the scent of the characters through spilled
mounted on a giant vulture. The riders prefer to keep blood or discarded items. This encounter can take
their distance and make ranged attacks. They are also place wherever the characters are at the time, whether
protective of their mounts. If a vulture is reduced to half traveling between sites or ostensibly safe at an inn.
its hit points or less, its rider disengages and retreats. If If the characters encounter the hell hounds in the
any two riders are killed or retreat, the third flees. wilderness, the hounds appear a short distance behind
the characters, following their tracks and baying with
Treasure eagerness. If the characters are resting at an inn, they’re
None of the riders carry treasure, but one of them interrupted by screaming and barking coming from the
has a map tucked into his boot. (Whichever villain the inn’s common room, where the pack breaks through
characters defeat has the map—the characters should windows and terrifies the staff. (It’s all the better if the
find it.) The map shows a crude sketch of the Dessarin characters are eating a meal there themselves).
Valley and marks a place called “the Spire” a few miles The monsters single-mindedly pursue the characters
east of Red Larch. It also depicts a strange arrow-like and fight until one is killed and a second is reduced to
symbol by the site (the air cult symbol). fewer than half its hit points, whereupon the surviving
hounds flee. A mysterious bowl-like symbol (the symbol
R e a v e r A m b u sh of the fire cult) marks the iron collars of the hell hounds.
If the characters learned about this attack from the Thorsk Thelorn in Red Larch can connect the symbol
Dangerous Background adventure hook, they know that to a mysterious gathering of druids in the Sumber Hills
a band of raiders intends to ambush a caravan on the he heard about from a passing merchant and provide
trail between Red Larch and the Ironford Bridge, a few directions to Scarlet Moon Hall.
miles from Bargewright Inn. They can find the villains
camped just out of sight from the trail. Otherwise, the
characters can encounter this camp any time they travel
along one of the roads or trails in the area.
 approach openly are welcome. Those who sneak in or
F e a t h e r g a l e S p ire assault the spire meet the full defenses of the keep.
In the Sighing Valley stands Feathergale Spire,
the Haunted Keep inhabited by the Feathergale S p ire F e a t u r e s
Society, Waterdhavian aerial-mount enthusiasts who The refurbished spire has the following features. Any
have pretensions of nobility. They call themselves exceptions are noted in areas to which they apply.
Feathergale Knights. Ceilings. Ceilings are 18 feet high.
Secretly, the knights are dedicated to Yan-C-Bin. They Defenders. The spire is described as it is when the
occupied the keep when the air cult established itself characters arrive. At that time, four Feathergale Knights
in the dwarven ruins beneath the Sumber Hills. The and their giant vulture mounts are away until that
knights serve the cult as lookouts, messengers, spies, evening’s feast (see the “Knight’s Quest” section).
and a first line of defense. Doors. Interior doors are made of wood banded with
iron. Most have no locks but can be barred. It takes
S p ire A p p r o a c h a successful DC 20 Strength check to break open a
When the characters visit the area, use the unique barred door.
environment and its weather to add atmosphere. During Floors. All floors are made of white stone.
the day, azure sky encompasses the tower and gusty Light. Due to its many windows, Feathergale Spire
winds buffet it from all sides. The wind sighs through is brightly lit during the day and dimly lit at night. With
rock formations in the canyon. At night, the wind calms the reinforced shutters closed, the light becomes dim
to a breeze, and light fog settles over the canyon. The during the day and dark at night.
spire then appears to float among the stars on a sea of Locks. Any locks require thieves’ tools and a
clouds. The summits of the hills rise above the fog like successful DC 15 Dexterity check to open.
islands in that sea. Treasure. Feathergale Knights keep their wealth
You can initially describe the keep as follows: locked in chests in their cells. Each knight also has
2d10 gp in mixed coinage and minor valuables.
Feathergale Spire rises from a pillar of rock high into the Windows. Oversized windows on the ground level
allow light and air to pass easily into the tower. They
air, the tallest point for miles. Built from white limestone stand 3 feet from the ground and are 6 feet tall and 8
and embellished in marble, the spire resembles a gleaming feet wide. Smaller windows, about half the size of the
sword that pierces the sky. larger ones, are on levels 2 and 3. Shutters reinforced
The gatehouse faces the opposite cliff, its drawbridge with iron bands permit the windows to be shut and
the only apparent point of entry. Tall, wide windows barred. A barred window is like a barred door.
encompass the bottom level of the tower, absent only upon F e a th e rg a le M o a t
the gatehouse side.
Acircle of open stalls rings the tower’s foundation where
it meets the rock. Above each stall, the sculpture of a Agap of twenty feet separates the ledge where the path
hippogriff in flight leaps from the tower’s base. ends from the closed drawbridge on Feathergale Spire. The
Beneath Feathergale Spire to the east, a wide gusty space between the cliff’s edge and the gatehouse drops
canyon yawns through the hills. several hundred feet to the bottom of the canyon. Near the
ledge, a brass bell hangs from a wooden post.
A steep trail leads to the drawbridge over Feathergale
Moat and to the keep’s main entrance (area S2). At the bell’s ring, a female human Feathergale knight
Characters who approach along the floor of the canyon (see chapter 7) named Savra Belabranta opens a
(the Sighing Valley, described later in this chapter) can small window near the gate, welcomes the characters,
scale the stone pillar on which the spire stands. It is 400 and courteously asks what brings them here. Savra
feet from the pillar’s base to the lowest level of the spire lowers the drawbridge to allow friendly visitors entry.
(area S1), and each level of the spire is 20 feet higher If the characters accompany her, go to the “Knights’
than the level below it. Flying characters can enter the Quest” section.
spire from the pinnacle or through one of the windows
in the courtyard gardens. S 1. S t a b l e L e v e l
Two Feathergale knights (see chapter 7) patrol the
pinnacle (area S11) at all times, taking flight on giant
vultures to meet attackers. One knight is stationed Acircular landing surrounds the central shaft of a spiral
in the front hall (area S2) with two Howling Hatred staircase. The landing is piled with supplies and bales of
initiates (see chapter 7). In daylight, the pinnacle straw. Radiating from the landing are twelve stalls with
knights have an excellent vantage point. They are likely straw-covered floors. Aharness, riding crop, and saddle
to know of the characters’ approach long before the hang in each stall. Swinging wooden doors cap either end
party arrives.
The knights’ reaction depends on how the party of each stall, one leading from the tower to the stall and the
chooses to enter the spire. Peaceful visitors who other from the stall to the open air.
The round room in the center of the spire serves as a
storeroom. It is filled with supplies. Any gear from the
Player's Handbook you want the characters to have can
be found here. The knights are willing to sell items at a
ten percent markup.
When the characters arrive, four hippogriffs and two
giant vultures occupy the stables, each in its own stall,
and one Feathergale knight (see chapter 7) stands
watch and tends the creatures. The hippogriffs and
vultures are aggressive toward strangers that enter their
stalls unless a knight introduces the newcomers. Knight
disguises can fool the creatures, but only at a distance.
The latches on the stall doors are fastened at multiple
points on each door, so it takes two actions to open
each door.
S2. F r o n t H a l l

The entrance is a thirty-foot-long hall of white stone. At the

opposite end of the hall are two twelve-foot-tall doors like
those of the entry gate.
An eagle carved from a massive timber hangs from the
far side of the ceiling, suspended on strong chains. Slender
wings of steel sweep close to its sides. Its head is also
fashioned of steel.

One Feathergale knight (Savra when the characters

first arrive) and two Howling Hatred initiates keep
watch in the entry hall. See chapter 7 for their statistics.
Friendly Entry. If Savra has allowed the characters
in, she tells the characters that they have excellent
timing. She invites them to join the knights’ feast
this evening, commemorating the tenth year of the
Feathergale Society. Savra leads the party through the
tower to meet her captain, Thurl Merosska, in area S11.
The Eagle. The eagle is a battering ram. If released
using a lever near the doors to area S4, the ram attacks
an area that starts at the doors to area S4, extending 30
feet along a 5-foot-wide path in the center of the hall.
Each creature in this area must succeed on a DC
10 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 bludgeoning
damage. Those who fail the save by 5 or more are swept
along with the ram, pushed out of the hall onto the
drawbridge, and knocked prone. The eagle resets when
it swings back, locking back into place and resetting its
activation lever.
S 3. W eap o n s L o c k e r
The Feathergale knights stow weapons and armor here
under lock and key. The weapon racks currently hold
four longswords, four suits of scale mail, four shields,
four helmets, four longbows, and four quivers of twenty
arrows each. S 5. I n i t i a t e D o r m i t o r y
S4. C e n t r a l S ta irs Howling Hatred initiates, priests, hurricanes, and
Skyweavers sleep in this room on four double bunks.
A single spiral stair runs through the tower’s center, Most cultists spend their days in other parts of the spire.
with landings at each floor. The stairs have a handrail
along the outer edge.
S 6. K itc h e n S 1 0 . M e r o s s k a ’s A p a r t m e n t

In this kitchen, sacks are heaped along the walls, and This chamber contains a bed, a fireplace, a closet, a writing
a small pile of vegetables is spread on a table. Ahuge, desk, a chest, and a small tapestry on the wall.
steaming cauldron stands at the center. Two wooden
paddles and two knives hang on a rack next to a brick On the desk, in a cylindrical leather case, is a letter to
oven. Four wall shelves hold a dozen loaves of bread. Thurl Merosska from Aerisi Kalinoth, written by her
minstrel Windharrow. It reads as follows:
Four Howling Hatred initiates (see chapter 7) stand Merosska,
around the cauldron inhaling the steam wafting from We are pleased to hear about the outcome of
it. The initiates are trying to “inhale—and become—the your altercation with the Black Earth cult, and
steam.” These cultists also serve as kitchen staff. we praise you for the capture of one of their
S 7. S o l a r i u m prisoners. This noblewoman from Waterdeep
has an interesting tale to tell, and we shall enjoy
interrogating her further. Keep a close watch on
Abright room occupies the east quarter of this floor. the Sacred Stone Monastery. I want to know what
Flowers and shrubs of many varieties grow in a labyrinth of our enemy is planning next.
Your beloved queen,
planters. Spidery red and purple plants grow suspended in Aerisi Kalinoth
baskets in mid-air. Robed humans water the plants.
Treasure
Three Howling Hatred initiates and one hurricane In addition to clothing and personal effects, the chest
(see chapter 7 for both) tend to the plants, contemplate contains 320 gp in a sack, a potion of heroism, a scroll
philosophy, or train in this room.. of beast bond, and a scroll of skywrite (see appendix B
Several barrels of fresh water are located around the for descriptions of both spells).
perimeter of the room. S11. P i n n a c l e
S8. G re a t H a ll
At the apex of the tower, the stairs terminate at a round
This great hall spans half the diameter of the tower. stone gazebo that continues upward in a needle-like
Between the overlarge windows, tapestries depict scenes minaret. Beyond this enclosure, a small lawn grows upon
of gallant knights on flying hippogriffs, fighting dragons the top of the tower. Four paths paved with white stones
and jousting with one another among the clouds. High point the directions of the compass, each path ending in
on the walls are the mounted heads of griffons, wyverns, a pointed stone crenellation. At the pinnacle’s edge is a
owlbears, and manticores. Along, curved table set for a spyglass on a tripod, pointed downward.
feast stretches between the hall’s twin hearths. From this vantage point, the Feathergale Knights possess
a supreme view of all that transpires in the nearby canyon
When the characters first arrive, two Feathergale and the Sumber Hills beyond.
knights (see chapter 7) who aren’t occupied with other
duties or rest are found here. At night, the tower’s Two Feathergale knights (see chapter 7) and their
servants sleep here after the knights have retired for giant vultures are stationed here. Every hour, one of
the evening. them patrols the air around the spire. The other patrols
the tower. They watch for danger and fellow knights sent
S9. K n ig h ts ’ C e lls on errands. When the characters first arrive at the spire,
Thurl Merosska (see chapter 7) is here as well, gazing
west toward Red Larch.
This chamber contains two beds, a fireplace, a closet, two Shrine to Elemental Evil. Here in the high open air,
chests, and a small tapestry on the wall. the cultists gather to worship Yan-C-Bin. They sacrifice
their enemies, first marking them with the sign of Yan-
Each knight’s chest contains valuables worth d100 gp, C-Bin and then throwing them off the pinnacle. In the
and a feathered cloak. Sighing Valley, area C2, scavengers swiftly remove
evidence of the knights’ dark deeds.
Spyglass. Those who gaze through the spyglass
without moving it first see a hooded figure enter the
concealed door in Knifepoint Gully (area C3).
 The doors to the great hall fly open and a sentry from the
K n ig h ts ’ Q u e s t pinnacle shouts, “Manticore! It’s on the move!”
Savra Belabranta escorts the characters through the At this announcement the Feathergale Knights rise as
spire and up to the pinnacle where Thurl Merosska one, the feast before them unfinished.
surveys the territory. Briefly describe any other rooms
or inhabitants of the tower the characters observe on “We should take this opportunity to slay the monster,”
their ascent. When the characters reach the pinnacle, Thurl says. From his finger he removes a feather-patterned
read the following text: golden ring set with a garnet and holds it aloft, saying, “A
prize for the one who brings me the beast’s head!”
The commander of the Feathergale Knights is a well-built
male human in his early fifties. Embossed feather patterns Merosska asks the characters to join four of his knights
ornament the plates of his armor, and his kingly cloak in the manticore hunt. He offers to lend them hippogriffs
boasts a feathered mantle. He smooths his white-blond for the task. If the characters agree, go to the “Manticore
hair into place, then bows low before you as if he were only Hunt” section. Those who decline the invitation can stay
at Feathergale Spire and rest, or explore the tower.
a lowly courtier.
“Welcome to Feathergale Spire, retreat of the Feathergale Treasure
Society. I am Thurl Merosska, the lord commander.” Thurl’s ring is worth 250 gp. Thurl also carries 3d10 gp
and 2d6 pp in a pouch.
Thurl Merosska offers the hospitality of the tower, M a n tic o re H u n t
inviting the characters to a feast in honor of the society’s
tenth year. Merosska especially shows favor to nobles, Four Feathergale Knights join the characters on the
knights, members of the Lords’Alliance, and members hunt. To start, read the following text:
of the Order of the Gauntlet.
If the characters wish to interview Merosska now, Four Feathergale Knights assemble at the pinnacle, each
they can do so. He might answer questions on the mounted upon a giant vulture. The moon illuminates the
following topics: misty canyon below Feathergale Spire. In the far distance,
• The Feathergale Society, an “elite” group of aerial- a single shard of darkness moves, flitting in and out of the
mount enthusiasts from Waterdeep mist. Then the shadow sinks beneath the bank of clouds,
• The origins of Feathergale Spire (see chapter 2)
• Doing one’s duty for the realm lost again from sight.
• Hunting and hawking
• Hippogriffs, giant vultures, and other aerial mounts The manticore hunt takes place in the skies above the
If the characters mention elemental cults, read the Sighing Valley (see the accompanying map).
following text: Visibility
Vision is limited to 100 feet within the canyon because
Thurl’s face darkens. “Great evil lurks among these hills,” of the fog and night sky. The manticore, hippogriffs, and
he says. “Depraved cultists led by wretched monsters. But giant vultures know the canyon well enough to avoid
let us speak of such matters after the feast has warmed our running into the cliffs.
blood.” H unting th e M anticore
The knights ride giant vultures and stay together as a
Thurl allows the characters to rest in the tower until it group. Characters can join the knights’ group, form their
is time to begin the feast. If the characters join the feast, own group, or split up into multiple groups. A character
read the following text: or knight who moves more than 100 feet away from the
rest of his or her group becomes a separate group.
Clad in the finest garments of velvet brocade, the knights Finding the Manticore. At the end of each minute
spent searching for the manticore, have each group
feast at a curved table in the great hall, where twin hearths of hunters in the canyon roll a d20, adding 1 for each
blaze. Thurl Merosska sits at the head of the table. character or knight in the group. Any group that rolls
“Honored guests,” he says. “Tell us of your adventures in a total of 18 or higher comes within 100 feet of the
the Sumber Hills. Let us aid you in any way we can.” manticore. Any and all groups that find the manticore
can engage it in battle.
If the knights find the manticore first, they blow their
The knights use the feast to learn about the characters horns so that other groups can pinpoint the knights’
and how much they know about the elemental cults. location and join the battle in 1d6 rounds.
Applauding bravery and offering toasts, the knights Battling the Manticore. The giant vultures and
listen to the characters’ stories and share anecdotes. hippogriffs are faster fliers than the manticore, and the
When you decide it’s time, read the following: manticore knows it. Once it is found, the manticore
fights until it has no targets to attack, using its action
every round to make three Tail Spike attacks. If there F e a tu re s
are no characters present, assume that one knight
is injured and the manticore’s hit points are reduced Fauna. Wild goats are common in the canyon.
by 8 at the end of each round of battle. A knight that Fog. At night, fog fills the canyon, limiting visibility to
is injured leaves the hunt. When no more knights 100 feet. Beyond that range, creatures and objects are
remain, the knights are out of the hunt. If the manticore heavily obscured.
has nothing to attack, the battle ends and it flies off.
Remaining groups can try to search for it again.
The manticore has twenty-four tail spikes. When it
runs out of spikes, it does nothing other than fly away
from its pursuers on its turn. At the end of each of these
turns, have all characters and knights in the battle
make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. If all of their
checks fail, the manticore gets away, though groups can
try to search for it again.
Manticore Lost. If 10 consecutive minutes pass
and neither the knights nor the characters find the
manticore, it returns to its lair (area V9).
C o n c lu s io n
After the manticore hunt, a few courses are open for
furthering the story.
The Party’s Fate. Thurl decides what to do with
the characters. If they’ve been polite, Thurl tells the
characters the location of the Sacred Stone Monastery.
He suspects the reclusive monks could be harboring
evil and wants them investigated. If the characters have
been rude or proven themselves to be enemies of all the
elemental cults, the knights try to kill the characters
later that night. Fighting all of the knights and cultists
at once is a deadly encounter, but the villains aim to
capture the characters first, and then hurl them from
the top of the spire (area S11). The aarakocra in area V8
come to the characters’ aid in that event.
If the characters defeat their attackers, surviving
knights flee on hippogriffs and giant vultures. They lead
pursuers past the griffon roost at area V7. Surviving
cultists retreat to the Temple of Howling Hatred via
Knifepoint Gully (area V3).
Savra’s Revelation. If a character makes a strong
impression on Savra and the party is on good terms
with the knights, Savra looks for an opportunity to pull
that character aside. Delighted with the character’s
deeds, Savra confides that the Feathergale Knights have
a secret mission to master elemental air to annihilate
Waterdeep’s enemies. Savra offers to meet with Thurl
to request he recruit the character into the Feathergale
Knights. In doing so, she unwittingly reveals part of the
knights’ secret.
Indoctrinated by the air cult, Savra’s heart and mind
belong to Yan-C-Bin. If the characters defeat the cult and
destroy Windvane, Savra is freed from prince’s influence
and returns to her senses.

S ig h in g V a lle y
Sighing Valley is actually a wide canyon consisting of
a deep gorge through which a small river flows. Rock
spires rise from the canyon floor, and when the wind
blows past these natural structures it makes a sighing—
and sometimes a howling—sound.
 Light. The canyon is brightly lit during the day, and
light varies at night from dim to dark.
Walls. The canyon walls are 200 to 400 feet high.
V 1. F e a t h e r g a l e S p ire
See the “Feathergale Spire” section.
V 2. D ead R ocks
A giant vulture picks at the gruesome remains on
the rocks. The giant vulture attacks the characters
only if provoked. Six blood hawks circle overhead,
attacking any other creature that comes near the kill.
After half an hour, the vulture flies away and the blood
hawks swoop in.
Among the dry, days-old gore lie shattered bones.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check
reveals the bones belong to a humanoid creature. If the
check succeeds by 5 or more, the character discovers
rusty stains among the rocks and bone fragments
indicating that many more humanoids have died here.
V 3 . K n ife p o in t G u lly

Anarrow fissure in the canyon wall leads through a gully

choked with pale brush and shrubs. Aswift breeze passes
through the fissure. At the end, a dark, jagged crevice
awaits.

Carved into the crevice at the end of the gully is a A creature standing atop Howling Plateau can see the
stairway that leads down to the Temple of Howling whole canyon, but not the surrounding lands.
Hatred (see chapter 4). Three hurricanes (see chapter
7) watch the entrance for intruders. V 6 . T h e L o s t R iv e r

V 4. T h e L o s t R iv e r
The river that runs through the canyon sweeps close to the
canyon’s eastern wall. To the west, the ground is covered
Ariver courses through the canyon, winding around tall with rocky spires and wild brush.
spires and through the base of a plateau. Coarse green
shrubs huddle along its banks. Four gnolls and four hyenas forage here. During the
day, when the sky is clear, the gnolls use their longbows
A gnoll pack lord and three gnolls forage among to take down distant targets.
large rocks west of the river. During the day, when
the sky is clear, they use their longbows to take shots V 7. G r i f f o n R o o s t
at characters. At night, they huddle behind the rocks, A mated pair of griffons occupies a cliff cave about 150
gnawing on fish from the river. feet from the canyon floor. The griffons attack any horse
or hippogriff that nears the lair. They slay the mount and
Treasure escape with the carcass.
The gnoll pack lord carries a severed human finger with
a gold ring (worth 25 gp) worn on it.
This cave stinks of animal musk and damp straw. Anest of
V 5. H o w lin g P l a t e a u straw and twigs follows the curvature of the cave walls.

This high rocky plateau rises from the center of the canyon. The nest holds two griffon eggs, worth up to 2,000 gp
each. For each day without sixteen hours of incubation,
Ariver cuts through the canyon bottom, passing through each egg has a ten percent chance of spoiling.
it to the other side. The wind on the plateau keens and
moans, alternating its pitch with the force and direction of V 8 . A a r a k o c r a C am p
the wind. In a depression on a ridge near the canyon floor, five
aarakocra have set up a watch post hidden with brush.
They have seen grim pilgrims proceeding into and Asmall castle overlooks the mighty Dessarin River, which
out of Knifepoint Gully (area V3), and they witnessed is a good half-mile wide at this point. Agatehouse and
the recent sacrifice from Feathergale Spire. Certain keep stand atop a low bluff, but the walls are built to the
that the forces of Elemental Evil has taken hold in the
canyon, they are now debating what action to take. They water's edge. On the river bank, another lowtower guards
are willing to help characters who show an interest a boat basin where keelboats are moored.
in confronting the evil in the canyon, and they might The keep seems old and worn, but new timbers and
interfere with any attempt the Feathergale Knights shingles suggest that repairs are underway. Awhite banner
make to sacrifice captured characters. with a blue gauntlet flies over the keep.
The front gate is closed.
V 9. M a n tic o re L a ir
What happens next depends on why the characters are
Apool fills the center of this deep cave, born from a natural here and how they approach.
spring beneath the rock and flowing outward into the
river. Long stalactites hang above the pool, surrounding a Peaceful Approach
If the characters approach openly and politely ask for
natural central pillar. Water drips from the stalactites into admittance for almost any plausible reason, the cultists
the pool, echoing throughout the cave. Some of the debris welcome them. Characters who make use of inside
here looks like leftovers from an old camp, including four knowledge (asking to see Gar Shatterkeel or Reash, or
old crates. to sign on with Grimjaw) are considered to be either
important guests or spies who know too much. If the
characters use no such knowledge and are rude or
Two manticores lair here. Only one manticore is provide no reasonable excuse for entrance, they are
present at a given time, with the other one out hunting. turned away.
If a manticore died in the “Manticore Hunt” event, the Four bandits escort characters who enter peacefully
other is here. through the gate (area K1). If the characters entered
Treasure through the water gate (area K11), three Crushing
The bones of six orcs litter the cave, along with signs the Wave reavers (chapter 7) provide escort instead. The
orcs camped here for many days. Coins scattered in the escort takes the party to the great hall (area K16), where
pool and around the lair total 60 cp, 26 sp, and 14 gp. Grimjaw interviews the characters to find out who they
The orcs also accumulated four crates of plunder that really are.
include plates, candlesticks, and silks worth 50 gp total. Aggressive Approach
Grimjaw and his cutthroats aren’t expecting an attack.
R iv e rg a rd K eep Characters who sneak in are challenged by anyone
A small but strongly built castle on the banks of the they meet inside. It’s up to you whether fast-talking
Dessarin River, Rivergard Keep is one of the Haunted characters can stave off conflict at such a meeting.
Keeps of the Sumber Hills. A taciturn mercenary lord
named Jolliver Grimjaw and his band of sellswords K eep F e a tu re s
occupy the keep. They are repairing the old castle and The water cultists are busy repairing Rivergard, but
protecting trade along the river from the depredations parts of the complex remain inaccessible. For example,
of monsters and bandits, or so they claim. In fact, the upper floors of the north tower and the water
Rivergard Keep is the secret stronghold of the Cult tower are filled with debris. The following features are
of the Crushing Wave. Grimjaw and his followers common to the keep. Any exceptions are noted in areas
are the very outlaws from whom they claim to be to which they apply.
defending trade. Arrow Slits. In the castle walls, arrow slits are 9 feet
above the ground level, 8 inches wide, and 4 feet high.
In v e s tig a tin g R iv e rg a rd Ceilings. Most ceilings are 12 feet high.
Grimjaw and his gang work with smugglers to move Defenders. Jolliver Grimjaw is known as “Jolly” to
stolen goods on the river. They stage attacks against his followers, as a shortening of his first name and an
river boats that refuse to pay protection money, and they sarcastic comment on his demeanor. He leads bandits,
actively recruit thugs and monsters to join the Cult of who work for money rather than ideology, and water
the Crushing Wave. cultists. Only some of the commoner servants lack
When the characters arrive at Rivergard, read the loyalty to Grimjaw and the cult.
following text: Doors. Interior doors are made of wood. It takes a
successful DC 10 Strength check to force open a locked
door. Exterior doors are reinforced with iron bands and
can be barred. Such a barred door requires a successful
DC 20 Strength check to force open.
 Light. During the day, the castle’s windows and arrow If fighting breaks out here, characters standing in
slits provide bright light for all interior spaces. At night, front of the gate are exposed to fire from the arrow slit
interior spaces are brightly lit with small oil lamps. in area K3 and the parapet on the wall. If the bandits in
Locks. A lock requires thieves’ tools and a successful area K2 can’t line up shots at the intruders, they climb
DC 15 Dexterity check to open. the stairs to area K3 and then move out onto the parapet
Treasure. Each warrior in the keep carries 2d10 - to join the battle.
2 gp in mixed coinage and minor valuables.
Walls. The walls are 15 feet above outside ground Development
level and 10 feet above inside ground level. A crenellated If the characters kill some or all the gatehouse guards
parapet faces the outside. One bandit stands watch on (areas K2 and K3) and then leave Rivergard, the dead
each of the four wall sections, pacing back and forth. guards are replaced by troops from areas K8 or K20.
If those guards are killed too, it takes Grimjaw 1d4 + 1
R a is in g t h e A l a r m days to get reinforcements and replace the gate guards.
If the characters are caught doing something suspicious, During this period, the front gate remains barred but
cultists nearby attempt to raise the alarm. When the unguarded.
alarm is raised, the following countermeasures happen: K 2 . G a te h o u s e
• Castle denizens bar all exterior doors.
• Bandits in area K8 move to the tops of the walls,
adding two more bandits to each wall section. The gates open to a thirty-foot passage leading east. A
• The Crushing Wave reavers in area K8 head straight portcullis blocks the far end of the passage, but you can
for the source of the trouble, arriving 1 minute after see the castle yard on the other side. An arrow slit in the
the alarm is raised. southern wall of the passage provides defenders a way to
• After 10 minutes, Grimjaw and the reavers from
area K20 leave the keep and search for intruders in fire on intruders who get this far.
the castle.
Characters who specifically examine the ceiling notice
K 1. F r o n t G a t e the murder holes (see area K3). Otherwise, it takes a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to discern
the murder holes overhead.
The keep’s main entrance features a two-story gatehouse
attached to a round tower. Arrow slits look out onto the Gatehouse In te rio r
ground outside the gate. The gate itself is a double door of If the characters find a way into the round tower south of
thick timbers reinforced by iron bands. the gatehouse passage, read the following text:

The gate is barred from the inside. It can’t be forced This is the ground floor of the gatehouse tower. Adoor
open by any means short of a siege engine. The bar can leads to the east, and stairs climb to the floor above. Arrow
be raised from inside the gatehouse passage (area K2) slits in this room offer a view of the ground outside the
or lifted by an iron chain from the upper floor of the castle and the gate passage to the north. Two double­
gatehouse (area K3). bunks stand against the walls.
One bandit stands watch on the wall section
just north of the gatehouse. If he spots the party
approaching, he warns the cultists in areas K2 and K3. The tower interior serves as the barracks for four
If the characters openly approach the gate and call out, bandits. If the gatehouse comes under attack, three
read the following text: move to the arrow slits, while the fourth steps into area
K4 and heads toward area K8 to raise the alarm.
The stairs lead to area K3.
Clattering sounds and muffled voices come from inside the
gatehouse. Then a human warrior appears at the second- K 3 . G a te h o u s e U pper F l o o r
story arrow slit directly over the gate. You can’t see much
of him, but he wears a leather jerkin and has a black beard.
This room above the castle gatehouse features doors
“Who are you? What do you want?” that lead out to the tops of the walls to the north and
to the east. Stairs lead down to the floor below. Achain
The person at the arrow slit is Holger, a thug who mechanism in the northern half of the room positioned
commands the gatehouse. Holger is a high-strung
martinet, and no one in the gatehouse likes him. Holger over the main gate raises or lowers the gate bars. Another
decides whether to open the gate, tell the characters controls the portcullis. Three holes in the floor, each about
to go away, or order his bandits to open fire. If Holger a foot square, look down on the passage below.
admits the characters, he orders four bandits (two from
area K2, two from area K3) to meet them at the gate and
escort them inside.
This area serves as a barracks and a defensive post. As the characters move around the castle yard, it’s
Holger, a thug, commands the gatehouse. Three more easy to see (and be seen by) any or all of the four
bandits have bunks here. bandits standing on the wall. They pay no attention to
The chain mechanisms are easy to operate. A people inside the walls who act like they’re supposed
character has to use three actions to bar or unbar the to be there.
gate, or to raise or lower the portcullis. The bandits Bluff. Asteep bluff of earth and loose rock on the
posted in this area operate the mechanisms to let people eastern edge of the castle yard leads down to the boat
into or out of the castle. basin and landing. Carved into the bluff is a 20-foot-long
The stairs in this room descend to area K2. The doors staircase.
lead out onto the wall sections on the south and west Random Encounters. Characters lingering in the
side of the castle. castle yard are likely to encounter various denizens of
Rivergard going about their business. Check for random
Treasure encounters once per 5 minutes during the day or once
Holger has accumulated a tidy little hoard, mostly per 15 minutes at night. Roll a d20; if the result is 18 or
through “fining” the warriors under his command for higher, a random encounter occurs. To determine the
minor infractions. He stores a locked wooden coffer encounter, roll a d6 and consult the following table:
under his bunk (he keeps the key on a string around
his neck). The coffer contains 150 sp, 40 gp, a potion of d6 Encounter
healing, and a potion of diminution. 1 1d3 commoners (see area K17)
2 1d4 bandits (see area K8)
K 4. C a s tle Y a rd 3 1d3 Crushing Wave reavers (see area K20)
4 1d3 giant rats
The area just inside the castle gatehouse consists of a 5 Drosnin and her guards (see area K15)
6 Reash and his guards (see area K9)
small courtyard of bare dirt and tufts of wiry grass. Astable
stands to the east, the gatehouse to the west, and the main The commoners are helpful, especially if they realize
yard of the castle lies to the north. The keep occupies the the characters plan to take on the Crushing Wave
northern corner of the castle yard. Stone stairs near the cultists. If they think the characters are cultists, the
keep lead up to the top of the wall. commoners hurry past with their eyes averted. All other
groups challenge the characters if the party looks like it
might not belong here.
K 5 . R u in e d S t a b l e Development
If the characters convince Grimjaw that they are here to
join up, they are assigned bunks in this room (only two
This old stable is in bad shape. Most of the roof has caved of the bunks are empty, so the characters might need to
in, and rotting debris fills the interior. Six horse stalls line share). Little camaraderie exists in the barracks—most
the back wall. of these cultists are sullen, boastful, or ill-tempered, and
they bully new recruits.
The cultists haven’t bothered to repair the stables yet, K 9 . W a te r T o w e r
since they have little need for mounts here.
K 6 . A rm o ry The upper floor of this tower looks deserted, but the
ground floor is still in use. Curtains hanging across
Weapon racks along the walls of this armory hold spears. the eastern half of the room wall off someone’s private
Barrels full of crossbow bolts and arrows stand near the quarters, and several straw pallets lie on the floor near the
doors. Open chests in the middle of the room contain suits door. Acapstan stands against the north wall, with a heavy
of leather armor. The most unusual items in this armory chain disappearing through a pipe to the northeast. The
are the shields—they are made of beaten copper and river laps just beneath the arrow slits of the tower.
fashioned into the shape of horseshoe crab shells.
Three Crushing Wave reavers and a fathomer named
Reash (see chapter 7 for both) occupy this tower. Reash
The room contains twenty spears, ten shortswords, five is in command and does most of the talking. He’s a sour­
scimitars, five light crossbows, four hundred crossbow faced fellow with a drooping mustache and an arrogant
bolts, two hundred arrows, fifteen suits of leather armor, manner. Reash is instantly suspicious of strangers.
and eight shields shaped like horseshoe crab shells. Reash uses the curtained area as his private quarters,
while the reavers make do with the straw pallets. The
K 7. B a th h o u s e fathomer’s private quarters hold a folding wooden cot
and a saddlebag on a table (see “Treasure” below).
Two big wooden washtubs occupy the middle of this room, Capstan and Chain. The capstan raises or lowers
the chain that blocks the castle’s water gate (area K11).
and a row of curtains along the west wall provides privacy It only takes one person to operate the capstan, but
for several privies. lowering the chain to allow a boat to pass requires a
character to use three actions cranking.

K 8. B a rra c k s Treasure
Reash carries a key to the grate in area K13. His leather
saddlebag holds 70 gp, 12 pp, and six agates (worth
Nine double bunks fill this barracks, each with a pair of 10 gp each).
footlockers tucked underneath. Doors exit to the north,
K 10. L a n d in g
west, and east.

This area is home to twelve bandits and four Crushing The keep’s eastern wall juts out into the river, forming a
Wave reavers (see chapter 7). At any given time, four of good-sized basin in which a couple of keelboats float. A
the bandits stand watch as sentries on the outer wall, wide gap in the southeast wall provides access to the river,
and two of the Crushing Wave reavers are on duty in although it is blocked by a heavy chain. Atwenty-foot tall
area K16. The remaining eight bandits and two reavers
linger here. They spend most of their time gambling, bluff of rock and earth separates the landing and a nearby
dozing in their bunks, tending to their gear, practicing in tower from the rest of the castle grounds. To the north, a
the yard just outside, or starting pointless quarrels with wide stream flows out of a cave mouth into the boat basin.
each other. An iron grate blocks access to the stream.
At night, most of these warriors are asleep in their
bunks, but the cultists post a watch in this room
throughout the night. At least two bandits remain awake Keelboats full of loot and stolen goods off-load their
and armed at all times. Sleeping cultists sleep through cargo here. The boat tied up right next to the landing is
their first turn of any combat that takes place here, then currently empty. The water in the boat basin is about 15
awaken and arm themselves during their second turn. feet deep, although it naturally shallows near the shore.
K 11. W a t e r G a t e If the fight goes badly, Shoalar flees by leaping into
the river.
If Shoalar Is Already Dead. If the characters already
The keep’s eastern wall is built into the river, forming a defeated Shoalar (see the “Womford Rats” section,
long pier that encloses a boat basin. Aheavy chain that earlier in this chapter), the genasi and his halfling
servant aren’t here. Instead, the master of the keelboat
emerges from the tower to the south stretches across the is a bandit captain.
entrance.
T reasure
The heavy chain raised and lowered by the winch in A locked chest in the deckhouse holds 190 sp and 95 gp.
area K9 provides Rivergard’s defenders with the ability Shoalar wears a leather belt pouch containing 10 gp,
to block boats from entering or leaving. A swimming three small malachites worth 10 gp each, and a potion
character can easily go over or under the chain—it of healing. In addition, the cargo hold (below the stern)
impedes only boat traffic. is currently full of stolen goods: casks of ale, salted fish,
The sentry—a bandit posted on the wall section jutting and twelve large bundles of cured pelts (beaver and
out into the river—hails characters approaching by boat. sable) worth 40 gp each.
He then shouts for Reash in area K9, who moves to the
arrow slit in his tower to see what’s happening. K 13 . D a r k S t r e a m

Amale human with lank black hair looks out of the arrow The north side of the boat basin laps against a steep,
slit in the tower by the river. He has a drooping mustache rocky bluff. From the base of the bluff, a subterranean river
and a sour expression. “What do you want?” he asks. empties into the boat basin. The river is close to thirty feet
wide, and the cave ceiling is about six feet above the water
Reash decides whether to admit the party. If he does, level in the middle. An iron grate blocks the stream mouth.
he has the reavers in area K9 lower the chain and tells
the characters to tie up their boat in area K10. He then The iron grate has a swinging gate section secured by a
sends the reavers to escort the characters. simple lock. Reash (area K9) and Jolliver Grimjaw (area
K16) carry keys. The stream is 10 feet deep and leads to
K 12 . M o o r e d K e e l b o a t a hidden boat landing under the keep (area K22).
K 14. N o r t h T o w e r
Alarge keelboat is moored to the inner side of the keep’s
east wall, floating in the boat basin. Arope ladder leads This tower stands on top of the bluff, overlooking the
from the top of the wall to the deck of the boat, about six Dessarin River and the castle harbor below.
feet below. Hatchways lead into the boat’s cabin from the
bow and the stern. Filthy furs and discarded bones litter the interior of this
tower. Arank animal stench hangs in the air.
This is the Rivermaid. The ship’s water genasi captain,
Shoalar Quanderil (see chapter 7) and a halfling Most nonhumans recruited by the cult are sent down
servant named Pike (a thug) occupy the boat’s cabin. to the Temple of the Crushing Wave (see chapter
Two bandits serve as the rest of the crew. They remain 4). However, Jolliver Grimjaw felt that he didn’t
in a cramped bunkroom below the deck on the bow, have sufficient numbers to hold Rivergard against a
which is accessed by a hatch and a short ladder. determined attack, so he employs three bugbears to
Shoalar is a high-ranking Crushing Wave cultist, augment the garrison. The bugbears are bored and
and he is well informed about events in the towns spoiling for a fight. They attack anyone they don’t
throughout the area. Unless the characters come recognize, not caring if they injure or kill new recruits.
to Rivergard early in the campaign, he is likely to
recognize them from accounts of their deeds. Use your K 15. C h a p e l
best judgment.
If Shoalar recognizes the characters, he chooses one The keep’s chapel contains plain wooden pews facing a
of the following options:
large altar at the west end of the room. No idol hints at
• He plays dumb, invites the characters to drink what deity is venerated here. Acrude symbol is painted on
and gamble, then signals his crew to launch a
surprise attack. the wall above the altar, resembling an Xwith a horizontal
• He plays dumb, deflects the characters to the Hall bar linking the bottom limbs. Several straw pallets lie near
of the Scarlet Moon, and sends a bandit to warn the chapel door.
Jolliver Grimjaw.
• He attacks immediately. The intendant of the chapel is Drosnin, a Crushing
Wave priest. Two Crushing Wave reavers serve as
her bodyguards and somewhat unwilling acolytes. K 16 . G r e a t H a l l
(See chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics.) They are
enthusiastic converts to the cult, but they would rather The great hall becomes a banquet hall, a practice hall,
be out raiding or fighting instead of stuck in the chapel or a throne room as the occasion requires.
listening to Drosnin rant about the unstoppable power
of the Crushing Wave. The symbol painted above the This room is the great hall of the keep. It is two stories
altar is the symbol of the Crushing Wave cult. high, with stone stairs on both sides of the room leading
Drosnin assumes that any strangers who wander into
her chapel have been assigned to her for indoctrination. up to a stone balcony at the west end of the chamber.
Drosnin’s favored technique is enthusiastic, relentless Heavy double doors lead east to the castle yard, while two
oratory. As long as the characters don’t attack, she interior doors open to the west. Arrow slits look out to the
launches into an exhaustive sermon about the “truth north and the south.
of the deep waters” and the “great revelations” to At the west end of the room, below the balcony, a large
come. The two reavers with her roll their eyes and look wooden chair sits behind a wide table littered with papers
bored, but Drosnin keeps going and going, brooking no
interruptions. Once Drosnin begins, she drones on for and discarded plates. Asecond table, this one long and
two hours before dismissing the party. If they attempt furnished with benches, runs down the middle of the hall.
to leave before she finishes her sermon, or if they The walls are painted in green and blue, decorated with
interrupt her frequently, she orders the reavers to keep tattered banners showing nautical designs.
them from leaving. She attacks if the characters ignore
her commands.
If a fight breaks out here, Drosnin defends the chapel Jolliver Grimjaw conducts most of his business here.
to the death. Once she falls, any surviving reavers He is a wereboar, although he remains in his human
retreat to area K14 or K16 to raise the alarm. form during any audience with strangers to Rivergard.
Grimjaw usually remains in the hall until late in the
evening, when he slips down to the riverside to hunt in
boar form. He returns before dawn and sleeps in his
quarters (area K21). In the Great Hall, he is attended K 17. S e r v a n t s ’ Q u a r t e r s
by a fathomer named Urshnora and two Crushing
Wave reavers (see chapter 7 for both). If a battle breaks
out, Grimjaw prefers to fight in his hybrid form. If the This plain dormitory features six bunk beds and a small
battle goes poorly, he flees through the secret door (see wooden table and chairs, as well as two large laundry tubs
“Secret Door” below).
Reports. Grimjaw has little patience for and several baskets full of dirty clothes and linens.
administration. Various reports from gangs of bandits
and smugglers throughout the area are buried in the This room houses the servants who work in the kitchens
piles of paper on the table, along with routine notes and tend to menial chores throughout the castle.
about Rivergard’s supplies, boat sailings on the river, Three human commoners (Anya, Berd, and Nayreen)
and logbooks and manifests taken from plundered currently work in here. They are natives of Womford
ships. The bandits report exactly what loot they take, who were kidnapped by the Crushing Wave cult and
but location descriptions are imprecise: for example, brought here to take care of cleaning, cooking, laundry,
“wagonload of flour, near B.,” or “40 silver pieces, and waiting on the cult warriors. All three are anxious
traveler near W.” The abbreviations stand for towns in to escape and head home, but they don’t dare try.
the area, Beliard and Womford. Grimjaw has already had two others flogged to death for
One of these reports details caravan traffic in attempting to flee.
Red Larch. It makes note of the arrival of “a band of The servants know about the secret door in area K16,
troublemakers” with the racial mix of the party. The but they don’t know where it leads.
letter is unsigned, but the unusual handwriting mixes
block letters and script. See “The Spy’s Letter” in K 18 . K i t c h e n s
chapter 4 if the characters investigate further.
Secret Door. A secret door behind Grimjaw’s seat
can be found with a successful DC 10 Intelligence Two large hearths on the north wall of this room hold
(Investigation) check. The door hides a spiral staircase kettles full of simmering stew. Washbasins and worktables
that descends to area K22. with old, battered crockery stand in the middle of the
Audience w ith Grimjaw room. Sacks, casks, and barrels are piled along the
Jolliver Grimjaw is sullen, suspicious, and humorless. southern wall, and cheeses and smoked fish hang from the
He asks very direct questions, such as “Who are you?” ceiling.
and “Why are you here?” If a character tries to flatter
him or concoct any kind of fanciful story, Grimjaw tells Five human commoners labor here. Two (Lathna and
the talkative character to shut up and points at someone Oric) are captives who don’t want to be here, but the
else to answer. other three (Gorm, Herek, and Shadnil) are ne’er-do-
After listening to the characters, Grimjaw decides wells from Womford. These three aren’t tough enough
among the following options: to be Crushing Wave warriors, so they’ve been pressed
• If the party seems unaware of the cult and annoys into service in the kitchens. If intruders enter in the
him, he has the characters thrown out of Rivergard. kitchen, the would-be bandits try to slip away to warn
• If the party seems unaware of the cult but offers a the cultists.
good reason to remain in Rivergard, Grimjaw permits
the characters to stay only as long as needed, giving T reasure
them bunks in area K8. The sacks contain flour, the dozen casks hold ale (worth
• If the party seems to know something but appears 10 gp per cask), and the barrels hold salted meat.
weak or dangerous, Grimjaw orders the cultists
to attack. K 19 . O l d L i b r a r y
• If the party seems to know something and appears to
be important (or useful as recruits), Grimjaw allows
Old bookshelves line the walls of this room, but most are
them to stay, giving them bunks in area K8.
empty. One old shelf has been cleared and restocked with
If the characters were escorted to Grimjaw’s hall a selection of tomes. Asingle bunk sits under the narrow
from one of the gates, their escorts are also present for
during the talk with Grimjaw. window at the far end of the room, near a small desk, a
wooden chair, and a chest. The floor looks wet.
Development
If the characters leave Rivergard after killing Grimjaw This room was once the library and parlor of the
or forcing him to flee, any remaining cultists abandon keep’s lord, but Grimjaw has no particular interest in
the keep over the next day or two. Most disperse to reading or entertaining. It now serves as the personal
bandit and smuggler camps throughout the Dessarin quarters of Urshnora, who is normally found in area
Valley. Initiates of the cult retreat to the Temple of the K16. Urshnora is a fathomer (see chapter 7). She
Crushing Wave (see chapter 4). hates Reash (area K9), who heartily reciprocates
Grimjaw carries a key to the iron grate in area K13. Urshnor’s ill will.
 Secret Door. One of the bookshelves hides a secret K 2 2 . S e c r e t L a n d in g
door. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)
check reveals the door, which connects to area K21. The secret stairway in area K16 descends 20 feet to this
landing, which abuts an underground stream that flows
Treasure east to area K13.
Urshnora keeps a small wooden chest by her bed. The
chest contains 80 sp, 30 gp, a silk pouch that holds four At the bottom of the stairs, you find a torchlit chamber
excellent jaspers worth 70 gp each, a scroll of haste, and
a scroll of wall of water (see appendix B). where two boats bob in an underground stream. The
The books—a dozen in all—are worth 25 gp each. stream flows toward daylight to the east and leads
Most cover nautical topics and include charts, excerpts upstream into darkness toward the west.
from ships’ logs, and the like.
Six ghouls lurk in the waters just beyond the boat
K 2 0 . K eep G u a rd ro o m landing. They have orders to make sure that only
cultists proceed to the Temple of the Crushing Wave,
Four bunk beds line the walls of this guardroom. To the which lies more than two miles upstream. The ghouls
attack anyone who begins rowing upstream without
south, an arrow slit looks out over the castle yard, and a first standing in the bow of the boat and making the
door exits to the castle parapet. Another door exits to the hand sign of the Crushing Wave. Spotting the ghouls
north. in the inky water requires a successful DC 17 Wisdom
(Perception) check.
This guardroom serves as a barracks for six Crushing All six ghouls spend their first action of any combat
Wave reavers (see chapter 7). At any given time, two are combining their efforts to overturn a boat and dump
on duty in area K16, while the other four rest here. At its passengers into the river. Doing so allows three
night, at least one reaver remains awake at all times. of the ghouls to use their actions to attempt Strength
If the reavers in this room hear fighting in areas K19 checks, while three others use their actions to take the
or K21, they quickly move to investigate and deal with Help action. If any ghoul succeeds on a DC 20 Strength
any threat. check, the boat capsizes. Some might continue to try to
tip the boat later in the battle.
K 2 1. L o r d ’s C h a m b e r s
C o n c lu s io n
The underground stream winds for more than two miles
Alarge semicircular room occupies the western half of through lightless grottos, leading to an underground
this floor of the keep. Three narrow windows look out lake on the outskirts of the lost dwarven city of Tyar-
over the countryside outside the castle walls. The room’s Besil. The characters can easily row a small boat
furnishings are very plain, including a hard-looking bunk, a from the Secret Landing (area K22) to the Lakeshore
Landing in the Temple of the Crushing Wave (see
small wooden table, and a couple of simple chairs. Several chapter 4).
large chests occupy the room’s southern corner.
S a c re d S to n e M o n a s te ry
Jolliver Grimjaw has no use for creature comforts, but The third of the Haunted Keeps of the Sumber Hills,
he is very fond of his riches. The best pickings from his the Sacred Stone Monastery is where the lich Renwick
gangs’ raids and robberies end up here, where he can Caradoon chose to make his home, discouraging other
see and touch them whenever he wants. Grimjaw is a monsters from settling nearby. The former keep has
wereboar, and he only sleeps a few hours each morning been reborn as the Sacred Stone Monastery, now home
in this room. to a reclusive order of mysterious monks (actually earth
If confronted here, Grimjaw fights furiously to defend cultists in disguise) who spend their days in meditation
his hoard, roaring in anger and calling for help. Any and rigorous exercises of self-discipline.
nearby cultists (see areas K19 and K20) answer his Few people in the area have heard of the Sacred
call. If the characters are discovered in this room when Stone order. No one in the region knows the truth: the
Grimjaw isn’t here, they are immediately attacked, since monastery now serves as the surface headquarters of
the room is off limits to everyone except Grimjaw. the Black Earth cult and guards access to the unholy
Secret Door. Asecret door leading to the library (area vaults of the Temple of Black Earth below.
K19) is hidden in the northeast corner of the room. A
successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check I n v e s tig a tin g t h e M o n a s te ry
reveals the door.
Unlike the flamboyant Feathergale Knights or the
Treasure aggressive raiders of Rivergard Keep, the monks of the
Grimjaw’s loot consists of 600 sp, 450 ep, and a pouch Sacred Stone Order keep a low profile. They quietly
containing fifteen blue azurites (worth 10 gp each). recruit monsters and kidnap travelers and isolated
miners to work as slaves in their mines, but they’re
careful to eliminate witnesses. So far no one suspects
that “those reclusive monks” are behind the troubles. In M o n a s te ry F e a tu re s
fact, so little attention comes this way that the Sacred
Stone monks hardly bother to keep their monstrous Most of the Sacred Stone Monastery appears to be in
allies out of sight or to misdirect nosy intruders. good shape except for the eastern end of the building
(areas M16 and M17), with its crumbling walls and
V isitors N o t Welcome heaps of rubble. The following features are common
Whatever story the characters are selling, the Sacred to the monastery. Any exceptions are noted in areas to
Stone monks don’t want any of it. A group of strangers which they apply.
that knocks on the door is turned away. Insistent Ceilings. Ceilings in the monastery are 12 feet high.
visitors are told, “The abbess doesn’t allow visitors The mines have 8-foot-high ceilings in most places.
to disturb our meditations,” and are attacked if they Defenders. Most of the inhabitants of the monastery
refuse to leave. are cultists. Others, such as the orogs, are mercenaries.
If the characters ask about the Mirabar delegation, the The lich Renwick (area M16) has nothing to do
monks at the door say, “They aren’t here,” and turn the with the cult.
party away. Suspicious characters might sense that the Doors. Interior doors are made of wood. It takes a
monks are exchanging furtive glances with a successful successful DC 10 Strength check to force open a locked
DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) skill check. door. Exterior doors are reinforced with iron bands and
usually locked. Such a door requires a successful DC 15
R ecruits o r Members? Strength check to force open.
The Sacred Stone monks might be persuaded to let the Light. During the day, the windows provide bright
characters in if the characters claim that they are here light for most interior spaces. At night, no lights are lit.
to join up or are already working for the Black Earth The mines are unlit as well.
cult. Asking for Hellenrae, Marlos Urnrayle, or Miraj Locks. A lock requires thieves’ tools and a successful
Vizann by name suffices as proof, as does producing DC 15 Dexterity check to open.
something that would pique the Black Earth cultists’ Treasure. Sacred Stone monks are ascetics and
interest. If admitted, the characters are escorted to don’t collect individual treasure. Their gilded tin masks
Qarbo so that he can decide what to do with them (see are worthless. For the more worldly denizens of the
“Audience with Qarbo” in area M9). monastery (such as the duergar), each carries 2d10 gp in
mixed coinage and minor valuables.
Disguises Walls. The roof of the monastery is about 25 feet
The Sacred Stone monks normally wear hooded robes above the ground, but the walls have patches of
and gargoyle masks made of gilded tin that cover their crumbling masonry or poorly fitted fieldstone, so they’re
faces. If the characters acquire these articles, they relatively easy to climb. The wall surrounding the
can don the monks’ clothing and disguise themselves. garden (area M14) is 10 feet high.
Characters disguised as Sacred Stone monks can Windows. The monastery windows are narrow and
move about the monastery without being challenged, tall, almost like arrow slits. The sill of each window is
as long as they avoid talking too much. The gargoyles about 10 feet above the ground outside.
in areas M8 and M14 don’t attack characters dressed
in Sacred Stone robes and masks. Other villains and M 1. P a s s a g e o f S t o n e
monsters ignore the disguised characters unless they
act suspiciously. When the characters arrive at the Sacred Stone
Monastery, read the following text:
I n filtr a tio n and Combat
The denizens of the monastery know exactly who Atrail leads into an ever-narrowing defile between bluffs
is supposed to be here and who isn’t. Undisguised of wind-sculpted sandstone. Eventually the walls draw in
adventurers roaming around the halls without an escort
are immediately identified as intruders and attacked. so closely that you can reach out and touch either side, but
The cultists don’t have an organized response to an then the narrow space opens into a hidden canyon in the
attack. Most of the monastery denizens are fatalistic, heart of the hills. Asprawling monastery with dark, narrow
inclined to stand their ground and fight it out with windows and red tile rooftops stands in the middle of this
intruders instead of trying to escape and raise the natural amphitheater, ringed by sandstone cliffs all around.
alarm. However, the cultists do respond aggressively to Ahead, a weathered flight of stone steps leads up to the
the sounds of fighting. When a fight begins in an area,
check adjacent areas to see if any other monsters or closed monastery doors. The plain doors are made of heavy
villains are nearby. Then decide if and when such foes timber with iron studs. Adusty footpath circles the building.
join an ongoing battle. This might lead to deadly combat
encounters for the characters, since new opponents can If the characters scout around the other sides of the
rush in to join a fight that is still in progress, or arrive building, add the following:
while the characters try to rest after a tough battle.
 Asmall door, perhaps a servants’ entrance, is on the M 3. S o u th D o rm ito ry
northwest side of the monastery. On the northeast side,
a lowwall encloses a good-sized garden with a locked
gate. The eastern portion of the monastery is in very poor This room is arranged as a very uncomfortable-looking
repair—the walls there are crumbling, and the windows barracks. Ten thin pallets are rolled up along the walls,
have been bricked up with old masonry. Asmall side beside neatly folded piles of clothing—plain, dun-colored
door is near that section, in the southeast portion of the robes and sandals. Two of the clothing piles also include
building. golden masks in the shape of scowling gargoyle faces.
There are no other furnishings. Asingle window looks
Nobody inside the monastery pays much attention to toward the canyon wall to the south.
people skulking around outside, although characters
who make a commotion might attract the attention of This room houses ten Sacred Stone monks (see
cultists whose windows look out in the right direction. chapter 7). During the day, the room is empty as the
All outside doors are locked after nightfall. monks attend to their duties elsewhere. At night, six
monks sleep in this room, two remain awake, and
M 2. B a s a lt H a l l two work in area M7. The two monks who remain
At night, no one is here, but during the day, two Sacred awake watch to make sure no one sneaks out to raid
Stone monks (see chapter 7) are stationed here. If the the kitchen or the distillery, or otherwise behaves
monks are present and the party knocks, tries the door, inappropriately for a monk. If combat occurs, sleeping
or converses loudly, read the following: monks wake up and stand up during their first turn.
They can each take a normal second turn.
By day, four monks (the ones who drew night shift)
Asmall panel in the monastery’s front door slides open, sleep here.
and someone wearing a golden mask peers out. The mask
is fashioned in the shape of a scowling gargoyle, but the M 4. G u e st Q u a r te r s
hand that opened the panel seems human enough. From The door to this room is usually locked. Qarbo carries
beneath the mask comes a female voice: “Yes? What do the key. He is either in area M9 during the day or
you want?” sleeping here at night.

The monks listen to their visitors’ story, then turn the Eight simple bunks line the walls of this room, each with a
party away unless the characters make convincing small trunk at the foot of the bed. Asmall table and several
arguments about their importance. If the doors wooden chairs stand in the middle of the room near an iron
are unlocked, the characters can walk in without stove. Five of the bunks are bare, but three are comfortably
announcing themselves. In this case, they find made up with sheets, pillows, and blankets.
two monks dressed in dun-colored robes waiting
impassively in the hall. The monks ask what they want
and the conversation proceeds in much the same way. Back in the days when the inhabitants of the monastery
Once the characters pass the front door, read: offered shelter to travelers, this room served as the
monastery’s guest room. Few people come this way
now, so the Black Earth priest Qarbo uses this space
This austere hall is finished in irregular blocks of dark as his personal quarters. Qarbo keeps two Black Earth
basalt that form natural columns along the walls. The guards at his beck and call to serve as bodyguards. See
doors of the monastery’s front entrance face south, while chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics.
interior doors lead east and west. An interior courtyard Qarbo rests here from midnight to shortly after dawn.
lies just to the north of this room, visible through a pair of He spends the rest of his time in area M9, the Shrine of
narrow windows. Stone. When Qarbo and his guards are here, they lock
the door and sleep.
The monks attack without warning if anyone attempts Treasure
to leave through the east or west doors without an A locked iron coffer beneath Qarbo’s bunk contains
escort. If the monks are convinced that the characters 120 gp, 90 ep, cloth-of-gold priestly vestments worth
are potential recruits or engaged in important cult 40 gp, a leather pouch containing 2 gold bracelets worth
business, one of the monks guides the party to area M9 30 gp each, a scroll of earthbind, a scroll of Maximilian's
to meet Qarbo. earthen grasp, and a scroll of transmute rock (see
appendix B for a description of these spells). Qarbo
Development carries the coffer key, as well as the key to the locked
If the characters attack the monastery and then leave, doors in area M21.
when they return the guards here are replaced by two
minotaurs sent here from the Temple of Black Earth,
supervised by one Sacred Stone monk (see chapter 7).
M 5. W e st D o r m ito ry Hot coals smolder in two big brick hearths in the middle of
this room, and the smell of baking bread fills the air. Sacks
of flour, casks of salted fish, crates of dried vegetables,
Aheavy wooden shutter covers the window of this room, and wheels of cheese clutter the walls, along with well-
making it quite dark inside. It is also very warm due to a worn work tables and a collection of mismatched cutlery.
large iron stove with a well-stoked fire. Ten uncomfortable­ Adoorway to the west leads to a washroom where three
looking pallets lie on the floor amid tidy piles of iron arms large wooden tubs stand. Adoor to the north leads to the
and armor. monastery exterior, while another door leads south.

This room houses six duergar and four Sacred Stone The Sacred Stone monks take turns working in the
monks (see chapter 7). During the day, the monks kitchen. Regardless of the time of day, four Sacred
work in the dojo (area M15) and the kitchen (area M7), Stone monks (see chapter 7) work here. If the hour
while the duergar rest in here. At any given time while is late (or early), they are engaged in baking bread,
the duergar are present, three are awake and three are scrubbing kettles, or making preserves. The food isn’t
dozing. At night, the duergar patrol the area around very good, but it is plentiful and filling. Basic provisions
the monastery and venture into the mines while the are stockpiled along the walls.
monks rest. The room immediately to the west is a bathhouse and
These duergar mercenaries see the Cult of Black laundry area with three large wooden tubs.
Earth as a good bet. They tolerate the monks because
the monks don’t say much and generally leave M 8. S a n d s to n e C o u r t
them alone.
This area is open to the sky. Characters on the
M 6. R e fe c to ry monastery roof can enter the building here.

This long, narrow court is paved in red sandstone. To the

Four old wooden tables with bench seats stand in the north stands the main temple or shrine of the monastery,
middle of this room, and shelves full of plain clay crockery its copper-sheathed doors emblazoned with a triangular
and wooden platters line the walls. To the west, two symbol. Doors also exit the court at its east and west
windows look out into the canyon beyond the monastery ends, and several narrow windows pierce the south wall.
walls. Two doors lead from this room to the north, and one Gargoyle statues guard the door, each facing the court with
to the south. a ferocious leer.

The cultists spend little time in this common room. The two statues nearest the temple door are actually
They spend most of their waking hours working or two gargoyles, hiding in plain sight. They don’t react
training in other parts of the monastery. When they unless characters who don’t belong to the cult attempt
aren’t working, they’re resting in their quarters. to enter the shrine to the north (area M9). The gargoyles
At dawn and dusk, the Sacred Stone cultists (except don’t interfere with anyone wearing a Sacred Stone robe
the two door wardens in area M2) gather in this and mask, or anyone escorted by individuals dressed in
room for half an hour to dine together in silence. At such a manner.
mealtimes, twelve Sacred Stone monks eat here, along The symbol on the north door is the symbol of
with Hellenrae, the Black Earth priest Qarbo, and the elemental earth.
two Black Earth guards who protect Qarbo. The other
denizens of the monastery (the duergar in area M5 and M 9 . S h rin e o f S to n e
the orogs in area M18) prefer not to eat with the rest of
the inhabitants. See chapter 7 for the cultists’ statistics. The stairway in the middle of this room descends to
area M21 in the mines below the monastery.
M 7. K i t c h e n
The door leading outside is locked after nightfall. Four large columns of natural rock dominate this shrine. A
During the day, monks working in the kitchen frequently wide set of steps descends into darkness in the center of
go in and out, gathering herbs or dumping refuse. the room, in front of a slab-like stone altar. Large, copper-
sheathed doors stand in the middle of the south wall,
and smaller doors exit to the east and west. Two narrow
windows in the north wall admit thin fingers of light from
outside. Above the altar, a triangular symbol has been
chiseled into the heavy stone blocks of the wall.

Anyone who looks in the northeast corner notices a

small bronze lever (see that section).
 The Black Earth cultists claimed the old temple’s but hurriedly explains that “they passed the test” and
main hall as their own, and now this shrine serves as accepts them into the cult or forwards their offer to the
a holy place for the cult members who garrison this leaders in the temple.
outpost—and a proving ground for those who wish The austere shrine offers no treasure, but Qarbo
to join. When not in area M4, the Black Earth priest carries the keys to the chest in area M4 and the doors
Qarbo presides here, protected by two Black Earth leading into area M21.
guards (see chapter 7 for both). They attack intruders
who appear without an escort. M 10. S c rip to riu m
Altar. Close inspection of the altar reveals that old
runes and emblems in its surface have been recently
chiseled out. A character who examines the marks can Writing desks stand beneath the windows of this large
attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check to identify workroom. Dusty tomes, stacks of parchment, and pots of
the erased marks (a dwarf succeeds automatically). ink clutter each desk.
The runes show that the temple was once dedicated
to Moradin.
Bronze Lever. The lever triggers the collapsing stair During the day, four Sacred Stone monks (see
trap described in area M21 and also releases the umber chapter 7) work in this room. At night, they return to
hulk in that room. their quarters.
The books and scrolls the monks are copying from
Audience w ith Q arbo a small collection that Marlos Urnrayle assembled
Qarbo is the second-in-command at the monastery, but during his life as a human aristocrat. The tomes include
the abbess Hellenrae doesn’t like to deal with visitors. academic texts on the elemental planes, holy texts that
It therefore falls to Qarbo to interrogate any guests or refer to earth deities or elemental powers (most quite
recruits. If the characters are presented to him (perhaps obscure), and philosophical treatises on self-denial and
because they claim they want to join), Qarbo questions nihilism as the response to a flawed and illogical world.
them to determine how committed they are to the cult. Marlos’s Testament. Characters who wade through
Qarbo is cruel and more than a little manic in his the banal “insights” and “secrets” that make up most
demeanor. He grins slyly the entire time he questions of the texts here find Marlos Urnrayle’s personal
the characters, as if enjoying an inside joke. He asks testament. From this text, they can learn the following:
questions such as, “What is your greatest failing?” and • Marlos Urnrayle is the Prophet of Earth;
“Why do you think you are worthy to be a servant of • He was drawn to a place called “the Fane of the
eternal earth?” There are no right or wrong answers; Eye” by powerful visions. There he found “Ironfang,
the priest just wants to see how the newcomers react. the Holy Implement of Earth Power,” and took it
After hearing out the characters, Qarbo chooses one for his own;
of the following options: • Marlos established the Temple of Black Earth in the
• If the party seems ready to join the cult, Qarbo explains ruins of a long-abandoned dwarven stronghold that
that they must start with a period of self-denial and exists below the Sacred Stone Monastery;
reflection. He sends for a pair of Sacred Stone monks • He nurtures something called the Black Geode, and
from area M7, who take all the characters’ equipment when all is ready, “the Evergrowing Mountain shall
and clothing and provide them with Sacred Stone come and remake these lands in his own image.”
monk robes. If the characters accede to this, they are
split up and assigned pallets in areas M3 and M5. Over T reasure
the next few days, they are assigned routine chores in Among the books and parchments are a scroll of dust
the kitchens and watched carefully. devil and a scroll of erupting earth (see appendix B for
• If the party seems committed to speaking with higher- descriptions of both spells). The monks set them aside,
ups in the cult (for example, Miraj Vizann), Qarbo realizing that they are magical and can’t be copied.
reluctantly assigns them space in the guest quarters Characters who take the time to sort through the
(area M4) and sends word down to the Temple of books find that twenty have value to noncultists. They’re
Black Earth. Within a day or two, the characters are worth 25 gp each.
summoned to the temple (see chapter 4). The Sacred
Stone monks provide a guide to show them the way. M 11. S t a i r s
• If the party is antagonistic or doesn’t seem to be of
potential value to the cult, Qarbo feigns acceptance
and tells them that they may “proceed below,” Stone stairs descend ten feet to a landing, turn, and
indicating the stairs leading to area M21. When the continue to descend beyond your sight. Several large
majority of the party is on the steps, he pulls the lever buckets are stacked unevenly on the landing. To the north,
and dumps the party into area M21, also releasing the a staircase descends ten feet to a door.
angry umber hulk in that area.
Qarbo is eager to let the umber hulk in area M21 The western stairs lead to area M18 in the mines
have its fun, so he prefers the third option. If the below the monastery. The northern stairs descend to a
characters survive the experience, he is quite surprised doorway that opens into the garden (area M14).
 The buckets are for fetching water from the well in a catch below the sill releases the bars and lets them
area M18, a daily chore for the monks. swing open, so that a person with a slight build can
easily wriggle out of the window and drop to the
M 12. A b b e s s ’s C h a m b e r s garden below (area M14). Hellenrae flees by this route
The door to this room is locked at night. Hellenrae if she is cornered and doesn’t believe she can defeat
doesn’t wish to be disturbed. her enemies.
Treasure
This large room contains a wooden table with four chairs, Hellenrae has little interest in material possessions,
a small working desk, several macrame wall hangings, and but she understands that others do. The monastery
a single pallet on a low stone shelf set against the west also needs funds from time to time. A large wooden
wall. To the north, a barred window looks out over a walled chest by the desk contains 800 sp, 65 pp, and 12
turquoise stones worth 10 gp each, wrapped in a swatch
garden. of cowhide.
The key to area M13 hangs from a hook on the wall by
Hellenrae (see chapter 7), the Abbess of Stone, resides the room’s door. Hellenrae wears the key to the padlock
here. She spends little time in her room during the day, in area M24 on a leather cord around her neck.
preferring to exercise and mediate in the dojo (area
M15). At night she retires to this room, but she sleeps M 13 . D i s t i l l i n g R o o m
only in brief catnaps—even in the middle of the night The door to this room is locked at night.
there is a fifty percent chance that she is wide awake.
If confronted here by intruders, Hellenrae immediately
attacks. If she is disturbed by individuals who appear Piles of firewood are stacked neatly against one wall of this
to be new recruits or guests of the cult, she curtly room, and four large copper kettles stand in iron frames
informs them that Qarbo can attend to their needs and above iron fireboxes. Copper tubing in long coils leads from
dismisses them from her presence. one kettle to the next. Several large wooden casks stand at
Barred Window. The window looking over the garden the south end of the room, and shelves on the eastern wall
appears to be solidly barred to prevent egress. However,
hold scores of brown bottles sealed with red wax.
The Sacred Stone monks have little use for brandy, If the characters somehow get Hellenrae into a
but Hellenrae recognizes that innocuous activities talkative mood (a difficult prospect), she explains that
like producing liquor for visitors might help to conceal she sees the Sacred Stone Monastery as a stepping-
the true nature of the Black Earth cult’s studies and stone to service in the Black Earth temple. It’s her job to
philosophy. It is also a useful chore to occupy her use discipline and drudgery to make newcomers worthy
monks. During the day, two Sacred Stone monks (see servants of elemental earth. She speaks of Marlos
chapter 7) work here, tending the fires. Urnrayle with glowing praise and relates the story of
Sacred Stone Brandy. There are sixty-five bottles of his visions and his efforts (see “Marlos’s Testament” in
recently bottled brandy on the shelves. It is strong, but area M10).
not very good—the liquor has not been properly flavored Ordinary clubs and staffs fill the wooden weapons
or aged. It burns fiercely if ignited. racks. The sign on the wall is the symbol of the earth
cult. Hellenrae wears the key to the lock in area M24 on
M 14. G a r d e n o f S to n e a leather cord around her neck.
The garden gate leading to the monastery exterior
is normally locked. Hellenrae and Qarbo carry keys M 1 6 . R e n w i c k ’s T o w e r
to the gate. The door from area M14 to M16 is protected by an
arcane lock spell (cast by the lich Renwick), as is the
Awalled garden shelters beneath the northern wall of the door leading to the passage to the southwest. Stairs to
the north lead down to area M20.
monastery. The garden is poorly kept, although some effort
has been made to clear footpaths through the overgrowth.
This older part of the monastery has been fitted out
Agarden gate to the northeast leads outside. Three doors
as a laboratory, with work tables covered in alchemical
open into the monastery at the southeast, south, and
apparatuses and shelves full of strange curios and dusty
western side of the garden. The statues in the garden are
clay jars. The windows have been bricked up, and cobwebs
particularly lifelike.
hang thick in the ceiling corners. An ancient figure peruses
a heavy tome that lies open on a small desk, making notes
The statues are the handiwork of Marlos Urnrayle. He
rarely visits the monastery now, but he lived here when on sheets of parchment covered in arcane writing.
he was first establishing the earth cult in the area.
Two of the statues in this garden are actually This portion of the monastery serves as the demesne
gargoyles. The monsters ignore cultists but freely attack of a long-term tenant of the Sacred Stone Monastery, a
intruders who wander into the area. lich named Renwick Caradoon. The lich isn’t a member
of the Black Earth cult, and he doesn’t care about the
M 15. D o jo other residents of the monastery as long as they don’t
interrupt his studies.
Hundreds of years ago, Renwick was a hero of some
Straw mats cover the floor of this large exercise room, and renown and the brother of Samular Caradoon, the
wooden racks along the walls hold quarterstaffs, polearms, founder of the Knights of Samular. The two of them
and various weapons commonly associated with martial fought bravely in the second Troll War. Renwick’s
arts. Doors exit to the north and the east. Atriangular hunger for arcane knowledge eventually led him to
symbol is carved into the center of the room’s western wall. prepare for lichdom, but he became a lich only because
his brother fed him a lichdom potion on the battlefield
rather than let him die. The Black Earth cult naturally
Hellenrae (see chapter 7), the Abbess of Stone, spends tried to make an ally of Renwick, but he ignored them.
much of her daytime here, sparring with her monks or Hellenrae and her monks make a point of leaving him to
leading them in various meditations. At any given time, his own devices.
four Sacred Stone monks (see chapter 7) practice
with her. Hellenrae’s instruction consists of beating her Roleplaying Renwick
followers senseless, so the two monks are at half their Renwick doesn’t attack intruders. If he believes the
normal hit points. characters are Black Earth cultists, he says, “I have
If confronted by individuals she believes to be new already told you no. Depart.” If confronted by characters
recruits, Hellenrae calls them out and tests them he believes aren’t cultists, he says, “I am not your
personally in hand-to-hand combat. She chooses one enemy. Now go.” If the characters provoke him, he
character at a time to challenge. If her intended sparring provides fair warning: “In a moment I will fill this room
partner declines, Hellenrae attacks anyway. She ends with deadly poisonous gas. You should leave now.” If
the bout when the victim is down to half hit points or attacked without warning, Renwick uses time stop,
less, or when she is. If multiple characters attack her then casts cloudkill before taking his leave. (The lich
at once, she realizes at once that this is no longer a has time stop prepared instead of power word kill. His
practice session and tries her best to kill or incapacitate list of prepared spells is otherwise the same as the lich
as many of her foes as possible. Her battered Sacred presented in the Monster Manual.)
Stone monks join in as well.
 If the characters recognize Renwick (perhaps from by touching thumbs and forefingers together. If the
the stories told at Summit Hall) and remind him of his characters can’t guess the pass sign or bluff their way
heroic days, Renwick might be moved to help them. He through without one, Jurth and his followers attack.
doesn’t want to fight the cultists since he no longer has
any wish to kill, but if persuaded to help, he bestows Treasure
a gift on any paladin or good-aligned fighter in the Jurth has accumulated a good store of loot stolen from
party: an amulet of health. He also promises to keep the hapless captives who wind up in the clutches of the
more cultists from reoccupying the monastery after the cult. He conceals this loot in a leather pouch hidden
characters drive them out, and he might part with some beneath a loose flagstone under his sleeping pallet. The
of the potions and scrolls described in the next section. pouch contains 90 gp, and 40 ep. Jurth also carries the
keys to the doors in areas M19 and M21.
Treasure
Renwick’s curios and esoteric tomes aren’t valuable and Development
hold little magical power. For centuries he has been If the characters kill this group of monsters and leave
interested in the philosophy of magic, not bigger and the dungeon without defeating Hellenrae, within 1d3
more powerful spells or artifacts. However, scattered days she replaces these guards with six duergar. The
among the curios are a potion ofgreater healing, a duergar also arrive if the characters kill Jurth in a
potion of hill giant strength, a scroll of invisibility, and a random encounter in the mine (area M22).
scroll of Snilloc’s snowball swarm (see appendix B).
M 1 9 . S la v e P e n s
M17. L i c h ’s Q u a r t e r s
At the end of this tunnel, three cell-like rooms have been
Amagnificent canopy bed covered in dusty tattered sheets excavated from the rock. Iron bars wall off each one, with
and several moth-eaten couches suggest that this room a chain and padlock securing a swinging gate. Inside, a
was once the bedchamber of someone important. number of prisoners huddle on miserable straw pallets.

When Renwick first established himself in the old The cage door leading into each of these pens is locked.
monastery, he claimed this room, though he has no Jurth (in area M18) holds the key. Forcing open a cage
need for the trappings of life. If he decides to help door requires a successful DC 20 Strength check.
the characters, he allows them to use this room to The cells hold a total of seventeen commoners. Most
rest safely. are human peasants, caravan drivers, merchants,
Renwick’s Phylactery. Renwick left his phylactery or tribesfolk. However, one is the dwarven sage
in a place even he can’t easily reach: a tomb beneath Bruldenthar, one of the missing members of the
Summit Hall. If he should be defeated in combat, he’ll delegation from Mirabar.
re-form there—and see whether he can abscond with The cult’s prisoners, who have been working in the
his brother’s body for reburial in the empty sarcophagus mines, beg for the characters to free them from their
in area M20. pens and lead them out of the monastery. They know
that Jurth carries the keys to the pens, and that he can
M 18 . M in e G u a r d r o o m be found in the guardroom to the north (area M18). If
The stairs near this room lead up to area M11 on the questioned, they tell stories of raiders wearing brown
monastery’s ground floor. cowls or hoods sweeping into town and carrying them
back to servitude in the mines. Strangely, the mine
contains no valuable ores.
Alarge well sits in one corner of this room, equipped with Bruldenthar’s Tale. Bruldenthar confirms that earth
a winch-and-bucket mechanism for fetching water. Doors cultists ambushed the Mirabar delegation south of
enter from the north, west, and south. Several dirty straw Beliard, slaying most of their guards. Earth cultists and
pallets lie tucked into the corners of the room—including their captives were ferried across the Dessarin River
one very large and stinking pallet. by pirates who received the sage’s beloved books as
payment. Bandits flying on giant vultures ambushed
the earth cultists somewhere in the Sumber Hills.
This chamber serves as the barracks for the Sacred The bandits captured the delegate Deseyna Norvael.
Stone’s subterranean guards: three orogs and one ogre. Bruldenthar and the rest were brought to the Sacred
The leader of the orogs is a battle-scarred old veteran Stone Monastery. The sage was put to work, but
named Jurth, who claims the title of “commander.” The delegates Rhundorth and Teresiel were taken below to
ogre, a flabby simpleton called Drool, pathetically tries an unknown fate.
to please Jurth by brutalizing the hapless slaves this
band of guards oversees. M 20. T h e H a u n te d C ry p t
When strangers appear, Jurth and his gang don’t The doors leading into this area are made of old
immediately attack. Instead, the orog growls, “The pass bronze plate. They aren’t locked, but they are stuck
sign!” He waits for one of the characters to make the (DC 10 Strength check to force open). The stairs to the
hand sign of the earth cult: a simple triangle formed
southeast lead up to area M16, and the door here is Behind the iron bars stands a monstrous creature that
locked with an arcane lock. resembles a cross between a huge ape and a beetle. It has
wicked mandibles, powerful claws, and four eye sockets—
This barrel-vaulted chamber is obviously an ancient crypt. but two of its eyes have been put out, and its claws are
Niches along the walls hold dozens of old skeletons, some bronze blades. The creature bellows and thrashes in rage,
with scraps of burial cloth still clinging to their bones. constantly testing the bars and clawing at the walls.

Not all the monsters beneath the monastery belong to The monster in the western portion of the chamber
the Black Earth cult. The crypt is part of the dungeon is an umber hulk. The cultists partially blinded the
claimed by the lich Renwick, who normally can be found creature and removed its natural claws, so the hulk no
in his workshop (area M16). The lich retreats here to longer has its Confusing Gaze power or the ability to
avoid confronting determined attackers. Six zombies burrow. However, the artificial blades increase its claw
guard this place, lying among the remains of the long- damage to 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage. The angry,
dead priests and monks who first built it. The creatures trapped umber hulk eagerly attacks anything it can
obey Renwick, who ordered them to defend the crypt reach. If the characters goad it through the bars (for
against all living intruders. example, by attacking with ranged weapons or spells),
Samular’s Empty Tomb. At the east end of the crypt the umber hulk goes berserk. It can use an action to
stands a magnificent but empty stone sarcophagus, attempt a DC 20 Strength check on each of its turns to
carved in the image of a noble human knight with a long wrench the cage door open.
white beard. An inscription carved across the front of The natural stone column and the floor of loose earth
the sarcophagus reads: “Here Lies Samular Caradoon, are harmless. The earth is about 5 feet deep with hard
Defender of the North.” The lich prepared the tomb long rock underneath; it’s not any harder to walk across than
ago, foreseeing the day when he could abscond with his firmly packed sand.
brother’s body (currently interred with the Knights of Cage. The lever in area M9 opens the cage door. It can
Samular in Summit Hall). also be opened by unlocking it (Jurth in area M18 has
the key), although the caged umber hulk immediately
Treasure attacks whoever opens the cage.
Most of the old clerics and monks were buried quite Trapped Stairs. The lever in area M9 also causes the
modestly, but one skeleton in the north wall wears a stairs leading into this room to collapse, creating a steep
silver ring set with small rubies (600 gp) and a ring of slide. A character actively searching the stairs for traps
fire resistance. notices the collapsing mechanism with a successful DC
15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
M 21. H a l l o f T h i r s t i n g S t o n e Anyone on the stairs when the lever is activated
The doors leading into this room are made of iron slides to the foot of the stairs and must succeed on a
plate and secured with strong but simple locks (DC Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. While the stairs
20 Strength check to force open, or a DC 10 Dexterity are collapsed, climbing back up requires a successful
check to pick with thieves’ tools). DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
If the characters listen at the western door, they hear Typically, the Black Earth cultists shove victims
something large moving around restlessly just on the down the stairs and pull the lever, simultaneously
other side. Knocking or making a commotion outside releasing the caged umber hulk and making sure
the door provokes the creature in the room to bellow the victims (and the monster) can’t escape back
and throw itself against the door, which booms and up the stairs.
rattles but otherwise holds.
The wide stairway at the south end leads up to the M 2 2 . M in e s
Shrine of Stone (area M9) in the upper monastery. Most of this level consists of mine tunnels. Any location
that isn’t a keyed room is part of the mines.
The floor of this large chamber consists of loose red
earth. Acolumn of natural stone stands near the middle Several rough-hewn mine tunnels converge near this spot,
of the room, and a row of sturdy iron bars with a sliding shored up by old timbers. Patches of weird fungus or lichen
cage door (currently shut) walls off the western portion of cling to the walls in places. Asoft breeze moans through
the room. Adoor of iron plate stands in the western wall the passageways.
behind the iron bars, while a similar door exits to the east.
To the south, a wide set of stairs leads up. The timber shoring isn’t really needed, since the tunnels
are sturdy. A breeze enters the mines at area M23,
If the characters enter the room from the stairs or the circulates a bit, and then exits at area M24.
eastern door, add the following: Random Encounters. The mines aren’t heavily
trafficked, but the cultists send their captives to work
here and sometimes strange creatures wander in. Check
for random encounters once per hour. Roll a d20; if the
result is 18 or higher, a random encounter occurs. Roll a C o n c lu s io n
d6 for day encounters, or a d8 for night encounters:
When the characters defeat Hellenrae and her followers
d6 (d8) Encounter or convince them to guide them deeper into the temple,
1 1d4 commoners (see area M19) they are done with the monastery portion of the
2 As per result 1, plus 1 orog (see area M18) adventure. The Ancient Stair (area M24) descends about
1d3 Sacred Stone monks (see area M7) 250 feet, leading to a quarter-mile passage in a natural
3
cavern. This passage in turn leads to area B1 in the
4 1d3 violet fungi Temple of Black Earth (see chapter 4).
5 1grick
6 Jurth and 1d2 orogs (see area M18)
S c a rle t M oon H a ll
7-8 1d3 + 1duergar (see area M5)
Elizar Dryflagon, a fire cultist who was once a druid,
The commoners labor at new excavations, digging has sent word throughout the Dessarin Valley that an
with picks and shovels. They are desperate to escape obscure (and fictitious) druid circle called the Circle
but are thoroughly intimidated. If they mistake the of the Scarlet Moon knows the Rite of the Wicker
characters for Black Earth cultists, they cringe and Giant, a ritual that can restore nature’s balance in the
work harder. If they realize that the characters are here troubled region. Several groups have set up camps
to fight the cultists, they eagerly relate everything they on the slopes below Scarlet Moon Hall, waiting for
know about the layout of the mines and the guards in Elizar to invite them up to partake in the rite. He has
area M18. The commoners also know where the crypt convinced those gathered here that he’s a druid of
(area M20) and the Hall of Thirsting Stone (area M21) the Circle of the Scarlet Moon and promises to teach
are located, but they haven’t been in those rooms. They others the rite as it’s performed. The atmosphere is one
beg the characters to free the rest of the captives in area of festive anticipation. Real druids here are excited to
M19 and help them all escape. meet their fellows and learn from the mysterious but
powerful Elizar.
M 2 3 . H id d e n T u n n e l
A r e a F e a tu re s
Scarlet Moon Hall was once a central tower with outer
Alocalized cave-in partially obstructs this disused mine protective walls. The walls are now tumbled ruins, and
tunnel. Aheap of rubble stands six feet high and blocks the tower is under repair. The following features are
a ten-foot long section of the passage, but the tunnel common to the site. Any exceptions are noted in areas to
definitely continues past the collapsed section. which they apply.
Haze. The influence of elemental fire creates a smoky
haze that renders the area lightly obscured. A bright
This tunnel continues for a quarter-mile, opening into spot in the haze indicates where the sun or moon is.
a well-hidden spot in the surrounding hills. The rubble Defenders. The potential foes in this area are varied.
makes for a tough scramble, but anyone can manage it The fire cultists pretend to be servants of the Circle of
given a little time. the Scarlet Moon. Among them, only Elizar has druid
capabilities.
M 24. T h e A n c ie n t S ta ir Fires. A number of bonfires burn on the hillside. A
This stairway leads to the ruins of Tyar-Besil, exiting bonfire deals 1d10 fire damage to a creature the first
the Sacred Stone mines. time on a turn it enters the fire, as well as when the
creature starts its turn in the fire. You can modify the
damage based on the size of the fire. See the “Damage
The passage leads to a gate made of iron bars that blocks Severity by Level” table in chapter 5, “Adventure
the way north, secured with a chain and padlock. Just Environments,” of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
beyond the gate, worn stone steps descend and turn left. Slope. Within the keep walls, within about 20 feet of
This is no mine tunnel—the stonework is near-perfect each campfire, and along the trails, the ground is level
despite its evident age. To the right, a short passage leads enough to pose no hindrance. Other areas are difficult
to a big door of iron plate, dented in from the other side. terrain for those moving uphill on the ground.
Tents. The canvas tents are tall enough for humans to
crouch in. Bedrolls and clothing are scattered on most
Hellenrae and Jurth have keys to this gate. The stairs tents’ floors. Most also have lanterns hanging inside or
descend about 250 feet before reaching the Temple of from the frame supporting the tent entrance.
Black Earth (see chapter 4). Any dwarf recognizes the Treasure. Most of the visitors here carry 2d10 gp in
steps as dwarven stonework, most likely thousands of mixed coinage and minor valuables.
years old.
The door to the east is locked and leads to area M21;
Jurth and Qarbo hold the keys.
A s c e n d i n g t h e S lo p e H c 2 . C u l t C am p

Visible through the haze that covers the hill is a square Two human men in robes stand before the bonfire. On the
tower ringed by ruined walls. In front of the tower burns other side of it, leashed to a peg pounded into the ground,
a bonfire shaped like a fiery giant. Scattered on the slope is a brown bear.
below the tower are seven bonfires with tents clustered
around them. Humanoid figures huddle near these closer The humans are two Eternal Flame priests (see
fires. Atrail leads up to these hillside encampments. chapter 7) claiming to be Aylbrith and Ingulf, posing
as druids of the Circle of the Scarlet Moon. They
have a captured brown bear with them to improve
Due to the haze, characters can sneak past or overcome their disguise. They warmly greet visitors who aren’t
a camp without arousing the attention of the others. obviously hostile, asking questions to determine the
Whether or not they attract the attention of nearby characters’ reason for visiting Scarlet Moon Hall.
camps depends on how quiet they are. Keep in mind If the characters aren’t mollified by their claims, the
that the brown bear (camp Hc2), werewolves (camp cultists attack. If it can’t reach someone within 10 feet
Hc3), and worgs (camp Hc7) all have keen senses that of it, the bear uses its action to make a DC 20 Strength
don’t depend on sight. check, breaking its leash on a success. Once free, it
The denizens of a camp cry out an alarm only if attacks the fire cultists if it can’t reach a character.
they’re clearly losing a fight. Absent extenuating Reinforcements. Camp Hcl arrives first, though the
circumstances, though, they don’t repeat the alarm druids of that camp try to talk it out rather than fight. If
round after round. the disturbance is large or extended, camp Hc6 arrives.
Once a battle starts, reinforcements arrive in waves.
It’s conceivable that, once a few camps empty out, the H c 3 . W e re w o lf C am p
rest hunker down and hope that whatever is attacking
the other camps doesn’t come their way.
Characters can avoid the camps entirely by circling Two rugged humans sit near a large bonfire. They are
the hill and climbing its north side. The north side of the sparsely dressed and very hairy.
hill is steep but navigable, and can be climbed without
having to make ability checks.
The humans, Storol and Wiglaf, are werewolves. They
H c 1. D r u i d C a m p are here because they want to know what the druids are
up to. They think the Rite of the Wicker Giant is real.
The werewolves don’t know it, but they passed the
Four robed humans—two male, two female—chant as they initial test when fire cultists visited this camp. The fire
stand around a bonfire. On the periphery of the firelight are cult has no idea Storol and Wiglaf are lycanthropes, but
two massive elk, placidly chewing. they noticed the pair’s killer instinct.
The werewolves pretend to be interested in the rite,
but prolonged conversation with strangers frustrates
The four druids (Varigo, Mahoon, Iniri, and Fariya) them. Any conversational hostility causes them to snap,
are looking forward to the Rite of the Wicker Giant assume hybrid forms, and attack.
and hope it leads to greater cooperation among the Reinforcements. Camp Hc4 arrives first, then camp
druids of the Dessarin Valley. These druids are already Hc6 if the disturbance persists. These reinforcements
celebrating in hopes of a successful rite. They offer attack characters and werewolves alike.
the characters food and drink, including a few sips
from a small cask of brandy, and encourage the group H c 4 . C u l t C am p
to spend the night and witness the rite, which should
occur tomorrow.
The fire cultists have decided that these druids are Ahalf-elf woman here is dressed in robes, while her three
unsuitable for induction into the cult. Elizar plans to companions—a human woman and two human men—are
feed them to the wicker giant during the rite. dressed in rugged clothing and breastplates. The three in
These druids fight only if attacked, spurring their two
elk companions into battle. They beg for mercy once armor cook food on kebabs at their bonfire.
half of them (including the elk) are down.
Reinforcements. Camp Hc2 arrives the first time These people are an Eternal Flame priest and three
a disturbance is detected. Camp Hc3 arrives if the Eternal Flame guardians (see chapter 7 for both). The
disturbance persists. priest—a half-elf named Lytin—looks like a druid and
tries to do all the talking. Her guardians—Biart, Orm,
Treasure and Malin—look like rangers, and they become more
The druids have a scroll of elemental bane and a scroll nervous the longer any conversation lasts.
of warding wind (see appendix B for descriptions of both Reinforcements. Camp Hc3 arrives first, but camp
spells) in a wooden case in one of their tents. Hc5 might respond to prolonged disturbances.
H c 5 . F i d d l e r ’s C am p H c 6 . D r u i d C am p

This bonfire is a little smaller than the others. An elf Three people doze near the bonfire as a fourth leans on a
woman in robes plays a fiddle as two sprites dance around staff, clearly bored out of his mind.
the smoke above the fire.
The three sleeping druids—Comnall, Murcadh, and
This camp has a real druid, Gariena, and two sprites Ragnad—wake if the characters approach openly. The
named Flix and Afid. They are here to contribute to fourth person is Sauruki, a Crushing Wave priest
the rite. Gariena has a sense of anticipation, but she (see chapter 7) sent by the water cult to figure out
wonders why she never heard of the Rite of the Wicker what the fire cult is up to here. They’re suspicious
Giant. She also wonders why the preparations are about strangers, but Sauruki is curious about who the
taking so long. characters are.
Gariena fights only if attacked and happily shares her The fire cultists haven’t made up their minds about
campfire with friendly characters. No one can camp this group, although Sauruki has concluded that the fire
here, though. The sprites can’t be trusted to refrain from cultists are seeking recruits.
pranks, and Gariena wants no trouble. If the characters seem likely to disrupt the ritual,
Reinforcements. Camp Hc4 arrives, attacking the druids attack. Sauruki tries to hang back and fight
intruders first, then trying to finish off Gariena and the cautiously. He repeatedly makes the sign of the water
sprites. The fire cult doesn’t think Gariena has what it cult, crossing his forefingers and touching his thumbs,
takes to be a cultist. hoping that the characters are affiliated with the
water cult.
Treasure Reinforcements. Camp Hc7 arrives. Camp Hc3
Gariena has a coinpurse with 40 sp and 18 gp in it, arrives if the disturbance persists.
plus she wears a silver ring worth 25 gp and carries a
scroll of lesser restoration and a scroll of skywrite (see
appendix B). If the characters earn her favor, she gives
them her scrolls as gifts to help them in their struggle
against the cults of Elemental Evil.
H c 7 . B u g b e a r C am p H 2 . W ic k e r G i a n t

This fringe camp has three bulky figures standing near the Waves of heat come from the burning wicker giant, but
fire, their robes’ hoods pulled up. Two worgs rest at edge of the wooden structure contains the flames without being
the firelight. consumed by them.

The hooded figures are three bugbears, accompanied Bound in the wicker giant is a fire elemental. It
by two worgs. Until recently, this camp was occupied remains quiescent until the tower scaffolding starts to
by druids who didn’t pass muster with the fire cult and collapse, the priests beckon it forth (see area H1), or the
were fed to the wicker giant. The bugbears are trying to characters damage the wicker giant.
look like druids from a distance until the other camps Once it emerges, the elemental attacks any creature
are cleared out. Knowing they aren’t going to fool that couldn’t reasonably be mistaken for a fire cultist. It
anyone at close range, they attack immediately. also burns anything nearby that’s flammable. Once the
Reinforcements. Camp Hc6 arrives first. The druids elemental emerges, the wicker giant itself starts to burn,
aren’t sure who to fight at first, though the characters much like the scaffolding in area H1.
can sway them with a successful DC 10 Charisma
(Persuasion) check. H 3. K en n el
Treasure
The bugbears carry a total of 68 cp, 42 sp, and 55 gp. Ruined walls surround this shallow pit, which was probably
a basement once.
H 1. C o u r t y a r d
Two hell hounds and one Eternal Flame guardian (see
Beyond the ruins of walls ringing the keep’s central tower chapter 7) stand guard here.
is a courtyard cluttered with tents. Ahumanoid-shaped
H 4 . S c a ffo ld in g
wicker giant, two stories tall, burns brightly here. Two
figures in robes stand near the wicker giant, their heads The tower scaffolding is 30 feet high and equally
as long. It is easy to climb and has a walkway about
lowered in prayer. every 7 feet up. Two Eternal Flame guardians (see
The tower is under repair, with wooden scaffolding chapter 7) cover the courtyard from their perches
some thirty feet high stretching across the east and west on the scaffolding, preferring not to get drawn into
sides. Lanterns hang from struts and poles attached to melee combat.
the woodworks. Two guards with crossbows watch the At your option, perhaps due to a falling lantern or
stray fire spell, a portion of the scaffolding can catch
courtyard from the scaffolding to the west. Rubble chokes a fire. Such a fire spreads 5 feet in every direction at the
wide doorway, likely once the main entrance, on the tower’s start of each round until the structure is fully engulfed.
south side. Starting 1 minute after the scaffolding first catches fire,
randomly choose 1d2 10-foot sections to collapse every
The two praying figures are Eternal Flame priests minute until the whole structure is a flaming ruin.
(see chapter 7). They’re disguised as druids, but no
one is supposed to be in the courtyard, so they attack H 5 . U pper E n tr y C h am b er
intruders. For her first action, one priest stands before The door to this chamber is reachable only from the top
the wicker giant and cries, “Arise, and cleanse this of the scaffolding. The tower wall is rough fieldstone,
place of the unworthy!” She uses her next two actions so it can be climbed with successful DC 10 Strength
to repeat this call. If she dies, the other priest uses his (Athletics) checks.
actions to do the same. If the priests succeed at calling
on the wicker giant three times, see area H2. This warmly lit room has a large in the wooden floor and
Reinforcements. The defenders in the kennel (area
H3) join the battle. The guards on the scaffolding (area stone stairs leading up the northern wall.
H4) react slowly to disturbances in the courtyard,
because some such occurrences are the fire cult Unless they joined the battle in area H2, two Eternal
feeding the wicker giant. They join any battle here Flame guardians (see chapter 7) are here, accompanied
during its second round, making ranged attacks from by an azer who’s acting as an envoy between Vanifer
the scaffolding unless they have a reason to descend. If and Elizar. They’re eager to lure enemies near the hole
the fight is prolonged, the creatures in area H5 join in. in the floor, then push them to drop 20 feet into area H6.
Denizens of the hillside camps might, at your option, Wooden stairs lead up to area H7.
also come as reinforcements, starting with camp Hc6 Reinforcements. If a battle here lasts more than
and then camp Hc3. Some campers might be influenced 3 rounds, the cultists in area H7 awaken. They warn
to help the characters.
Elizar in area H8, giving time for Elizar and his cultists If they haven’t been disturbed, one Eternal Flame
to prepare an ambush in area H7. priest and two Eternal Flame guardians (see chapter 7
for both) are asleep when the characters arrive.
H 6 . T h e D o w n w ard P a th Reinforcements. If Elizar Dryflagon is in area H8 and
hears a disturbance in this room, he joins the battle as
soon as he can.
Amassive pile of rubble—the furniture and flooring from Weak Floor. The area marked with lines creaks
the level above—sits in the middle of this chamber. A loudly whenever someone steps on it. At the start of
cluster of small fire-creatures burns the wooden beams every round, roll 1d8. If the result is equal to or lower
along the north wall, where a tunnel leads downward. than the number of creatures standing on the weak
floor, it collapses, sending everyone falling 15 feet into
area H5 or 35 feet into area H6.
Rubble covers what was once the main entrance to the
tower, but five magmins are burning away the debris to H 8 . E l i z a r ’s C h a m b e r
make the tunnel in the northern floor larger. They attack
anyone who doesn’t look like a fire cultist.
Tunnel. The tunnel winds downward and eventually The room contains a bedroll, a desk, and a bookcase. On
connects to area E1 of the Temple of Eternal Flame (see the northern wall, a tall ladder leads up to a trapdoor in the
chapter 4). ceiling.
H 7. C u l t is t B a rra c k s
Elizar Dryflagon (see chapter 7), an older man in robes
and carrying a pipe, is here if he didn’t join a battle in
This room has a dozen bedrolls scattered across the area H7. Behind a veneer of good humor is the heart of
floor. Stone stairs continue upward along the inside of the a pyromaniac. He doesn’t parley for long, preferring to
tower’s north wall. burn the characters out of existence.
Treasure
In Elizar’s desk are 250 gp, two fire opals (worth 50 gp
each), and a scroll of flame arrows (see appendix B).
H 9 . B a t s in t h e A t t i c

This chamber is under the tower’s angled upper roof.

Holes in the ceiling lead to the open air. Ashort ladder to
the west leads through one such opening. The room smells
strongly of the droppings that cover the floor.

Four giant bats roost here. Fire cultists periodically

burn them out, but others return within a tenday. The
bats are hungry and aggressive, so they attack anyone
who comes through the trapdoor.
Roof Opening. The ladder leads about 5 feet up to a
circular opening about 3 feet wide. A small platform has
been built outside this opening, and on it are supplies
for repairing the roof, including 200 feet of hempen rope
and a climbing kit.
Weak Floor. This area has a weak floor like the one in
area H14. Creatures that fall drop 15 feet into area H8.
C o n c lu s io n
When the characters defeat Elizar and his followers,
this scenario is largely over. The party can still deal with
any campers still on the slope.
The tunnel in area H6 leads to area E1 in the Temple
of Eternal Flame. If you aren’t ready for the characters
to explore that temple, a force from the temple could
emerge to drive the characters away. Or, you can allow
the characters to descend to the Temple of Eternal
Flame and discover how dangerous it is for themselves.
Elemental Evil. No matter which disasters and events Development
the characters choose to respond to, the solution to If the characters capture Justran, he reveals after brief
the region’s woes lies in the great dungeon below the interrogation that he is a member of the Cult of the
Sumber Hills. Crushing Wave. He knows that an underground stream
at Rivergard Keep leads to “the temple below,” although
U r g e n t S um m ons he has never been to the Temple of the Crushing Wave.
Early in this part of the adventure, one or more He also knows that Jolliver Grimjaw and his followers
characters receive messages from their factions, asking (see chapter 3) are water cultists.
for help with other dangers in the area. This opportunity
allows you to introduce the players to one of the side T h e T e m p le o f E l e m e n t a l E v i l
treks described in chapter 6. The four elemental cults maintain their chief stronghold
The summons could be a verbal message entrusted in the ancient dwarven citadel of Tyar-Besil beneath the
to an NPC waiting in the characters’ base town. A Sumber Hills. Each cult controls a portion of the old
messenger might brave the wilds to find the characters dwarven redoubt and has its own sanctum dedicated
at their campsite. Magic might be used, such as a specifically to the element worshiped. These four
sending spell. Whether the party chooses to respond or temples are described in this chapter.
continue on their current course is up to the players. Several subterranean routes lead from buried Tyar-
Besil to the surface. Knifepoint Gully near Feathergale
T h e S p y ’s L e t t e r Spire leads to the Temple of Howling Hatred. The
The characters have a problem in Red Larch: Justran Dark Stream flows under Rivergard Keep, leading to
Daehl, the cellarer (ale buyer) of the Helm at Highsun, the Temple of the Crushing Wave. The Ancient Stair
is a spy for the Cult of the Crushing Wave. He’s been descends from Sacred Stone Monastery to the Temple
reporting on the party’s comings and goings since they of Black Earth. Finally, the Path of Frozen Fire leads
arrived in the region. Justran doesn’t sign his letters, but from the cellars below Scarlet Moon Hall to the Temple
if the characters find one of his reports in Rivergard or of Eternal Flame. Each elemental cult controls one of
in the Temple of the Crushing Wave, they might be able these routes and therefore controls the quarter of Tyar-
to figure out who he is by looking for the author. Besil that connects to the surface outpost.
Most townsfolk don’t recognize the handwriting,
but those who do regular business with Justran and In filtra tin g th e Temples
the Helm at Highsun can identify his script. These Characters who dress in cultist gear might have some
include Kaylessa (proprietor of the Swinging Sword success infiltrating the temples. Each cult’s monstrous
Inn), Marlandro Gaelkur (of Gaelkur’s), and Aerego allies rarely challenge a group of cultists that proceeds
Bethendur (the warehouse owner). If the characters with confidence. Human members of the cult have a
show the letter to any of these individuals, the NPC good chance to spot impostors at close range, but fast-
identifies the handwriting. If the players say “we show talking characters might be able to pass themselves off
the letter to everyone in town,”Justran hears about it as new arrivals, bearers of important information, or
and flees town before the characters corner him. potential allies against another cult. If the characters
If confronted, Justran Daehl denies the charge ask for a prophet or issue threats in the prophet’s name,
vehemently. He claims that any letter the characters they gain advantage on ability checks they make to bluff
present as evidence is “a clear forgery” until he sees a or intimidate their way into a temple. Fooled cultists
chance to escape. The cult spy is equivalent to a bandit insist on leading the party to one of the cult’s leaders. At
captain. If the encounter takes place at the Helm and least two cultists from any group the characters interact
the characters don’t make a strong case against him, with serve as escorts.
five commoners (tavern regulars) come to his defense. Driving th e C u lts in to R e tre a t
They aren’t cult servants, just bystanders mistaken The cultists learn and adapt as the characters attack
about Justran and trying to help the cellarer who keeps their strongholds. The four temple dungeons described
them in drink. in this chapter each include a room where that cult’s
Poisoned A le elemental prophet might be encountered. The first time
Justran might take it upon himself to eliminate the
characters. When the characters gather for dinner one Character Advancement
evening after they return to Red Larch, he arranges to The characters probably begin this chapter around 6th level.
serve them poisoned ale. This has the same effect as a Encourage the players to take on the challenges in this
potion ofpoison, but the characters have advantage on chapter in whatever order they wish—let their interests drive
their saving throws because Justran has to dilute the the story. Ifyou want to pace the adventure, the Temple of
poison among several flagons. (The dilution also makes Howling Hatred suits a 6th-level party; the Temple of the
Crushing Wave is appropriate for a 7th-level party; the Temple
the poison unlikely to be lethal; Justran is better at of Black Earth is designed for an 8th-level group; and the
making ale than he is at making poison.) Temple of Eternal Flame works best for a party of 9th-level
A brief investigation reveals that the poisoned flagons characters. Each quarter of the dungeon cleared out by the
came from the taproom of the Helm at Highsun, and characters should advance the party one level.
Justran Daehl personally delivered and poured the ale.
the characters find their way to one these locations, Parties that stay in the dungeon and choose not
the prophet is present, and the characters can engage to return to town might be oblivious to the villains’
their foe. After one prophet falls, the remaining three retaliations. If the characters never leave, assume the
prophets retreat to lower levels, leaving their minions to cultists’ effort to destroy a town in “Reckless Hate”
defend the temple dungeons. causes great damage without the characters on hand
The characters defeat each dungeon when they kill to stop it. When “Race to Destruction” is triggered, the
its prophet or eliminate the monsters in the elemental characters receive a sending or similar warning from
shrine in these locations: a faction NPC that a town is in great danger, providing
• Temple of Howling Hatred: area A19 them with a chance to stop the event.
• Temple of the Crushing Wave: area C25 D i r e T id in g s
• Temple of Black Earth: area B23
• Temple of Eternal Flame: area E17 While the characters were busy in ruined Tyar-Besil,
elemental cultists used a devastation orb to attack one
COUNTERATTACK of the towns in the area. The party learns the news
It’s dangerous to linger in a stronghold without defeating when they arrive at any settlement in the Sumber Hills
that dungeon’s prophet. If the characters try to camp in region. If the characters don’t venture anywhere near
any of the four temples while its elemental prophet is civilization, NPCs the party meets in the wilderness
still alive, the prophet gathers reinforcements and sends deliver the news.
them to attack the intruding party. The prophets can A caravaner tells the characters of seeing silent
organize this strike even if they have retreated down to pilgrims on their way to the settlement in question.
the Fane of the Eye or the elemental nodes—visions and She describes the pilgrims’ garb well enough for the
whisperings from the Eye guide their actions. (However, characters to know the pilgrims were elemental cultists.
there are a few specific areas called out within the They carried a box, which had elemental symbols
temple levels where the characters might be able to rest worked into it. The caravaner and her servants then
without attracting attention.) witnessed the devastation but were too far away to
Groups sent up from lower levels of the dungeon lend any aid.
include the following: If the characters visit the wrecked town, they can
• Air cult: Howling Hatred priest and four kenku confirm the scope of the damage. They learn from
• Water cult: Crushing Wave priest and four bugbears survivors that the cultists marched to the center of town,
• Earth cult: Black Earth priest and two ogres opened the box, took out an orb, and then ran for the
• Fire cult: Eternal Flame priest and four hobgoblins hills, leaving the orb behind. The disaster happened
scant minutes later. Many townspeople were injured,
See chapter 7 for each priest’s statistics. and the survivors are tending to the wounded in
Likewise, it isn’t safe to camp in a cleared Haunted makeshift shelters.
Keep. The elemental prophets divine the characters’
location and send forces to harass the party. Small R e c k le s s H a te
bands of cult raiders and mercenaries roam the Sumber
Hills, so it’s a simple matter to order one such group to When the characters defeat a second elemental temple,
attack the characters at one of the Haunted Keeps. (See the offended cult strikes back. Through divinations, spy
the “Random Encounters” section in chapter 2.) To rest reports, or visions bestowed by the Elder Elemental Eye,
in safety, the characters must either hide their camp or the cultists learn which settlement the player characters
return to a nearby settlement. are using for a base and send a small force with a
devastation orb to ravage that settlement—preferably
with the characters in it. While the characters rest,
C u lt R e ta lia tio n trouble arrives on their doorstep.
The eradication of one or more of the surface If the characters make camp outside of town, this
outposts of the elemental cults marks the characters encounter occurs when the characters spot the cultist
as dangerous enemies. As the party continues the group traveling to a settlement they intend to attack.
assault on cult strongholds in Tyar-Besil, the elemental The cultists’ path brings them close to wherever the
prophets look for ways to hit back hard, using their characters happen to be staying. For example, if the
devastation orbs. characters are camped out near one of the Haunted
The timing of these retaliatory encounters coincides Keeps, they spot the group as it exits the passage
with the party’s progress in overcoming the four temple connecting the keep to the dungeon levels.
complexes. A temple is overcome when its prophet is
defeated or the monsters in its shrine are eliminated. Shortly after sunrise the day after you arrive in town, you
• After the characters defeat the first prophet, run “Dire hear a commotion outside. Someone shouts, “Hey, stop
Tidings” when they return to a settlement. that!” Amoment later voices break into a low, strange
• After the characters force a second cult to abandon its
shrine, run the “Reckless Hate” encounter when the chanting.
party returns to a settlement.
• After the characters force the third cult to abandon its When the characters investigate, add the following
shrine, run the “Race to Destruction” encounter. information.