TEXT: Storm Lord's Wrath
  Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak - Part I
  Abandoned for many years, Leilon was once a fortified settlement midway along the High
  Road from Waterdeep to Neverwinter. Under the paid service of the Lord Protector Dagult
  Neverember, citizens of Neverwinter have returned, intent on reestablishing Leilon as a
  safe waypoint once more. Unfortunately, followers of Talos have also arrived, and
  they’ve brought the weather with them.
  
  Introduction
  I
  f the characters played Dragon of Icespire Peak,
  they have already saved the area around Phandalin
  from many threats, large and small, and they are
  likely 7th level, ready for their next challenge. The
  Sword Coast is a region of the Forgotten Realms
  teeming with danger and intrigue. Just a short ride
  west of Phandalin on the Triboar Trail, where it
  meets the High Road, more nefarious schemes and terrible
  monsters await.
  Storm Lord's Wrath is a D&D adventure designed for 7th-
  level characters. You can run this adventure for as few as one
  or as many as six players. By the time the characters
  complete the challenges presented, they will be 9th level and
  ready to take on the challenges of the next adventures in this
  series: Sleeping Dragon's Wake and Divine Contention.
  Running the Adventure
  To run this adventure, you need the D&D fifth edition core
  rulebooks: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide,
  and Monster Manual. The Sword Coast Adventurer's
  Guide is helpful but not necessary. The Monster Manual
  contains stat blocks for most of the creatures found in this
  adventure. All the necessary stat blocks are included there or
  in appendix A. When a creature's name appears in bold type,
  that's a visual cue for you to look up the creature's stat block
  in the Monster Manual, unless the adventure's text instead
  refers you to the monster appendix in this adventure.
  Spells and equipment mentioned in the adventure are
  described in the Player's Handbook. Magic items are
  described in the Dungeon Master's Guide.
  At various places, the adventure presents descriptive text
  that's meant to be read or paraphrased aloud to the players.
  This read-aloud text is offset in boxes like this one. Boxed text
  is most commonly used to describe locations or present bits
  of scripted dialogue.
  2
  INTRODUCTION
  
  Abbreviations
  The following abbreviations appear in this book:
  hp = hit points
  AC = Armor Class
  DC = Difficulty Class
  XP = experience points
  pp = platinum piece(s)
  gp = gold piece(s)
  ep = electrum piece(s)
  sp = silver piece(s)
  cp = copper piece(s)
  NPC = nonplayer character
  LG = lawful good
  CG = chaotic good
  NG = neutral good
  LN = lawful neutral
  N = neutral
  LE = lawful evil
  CN = chaotic neutral
  CE = chaotic evil
  NE = neutral evil
  DM = Dungeon Master
  Running for One Player
  If you're running this adventure for a single player, you can
  give that player a sidekick as a secondary character. Let the
  player choose one of the pregenerated sidekicks that come
  with this adventure. If a sidekick is lost or no longer needed,
  the player character can return to Leilon and acquire a new
  one.
  Using Sidekicks
  Make sure the player understands the roles and limitations of
  sidekicks in this adventure:
  Sidekicks are stalwart companions who can perform
  tasks both in and out of combat, including things such as
  setting up camp and carrying gear.
  Ideally, a sidekick's abilities should complement those of
  the main character. For example, a spellcaster makes a
  good sidekick for a fighter or rogue.
  Adjusting Encounters
  This adventure contains advice for adjusting encounters
  based on the number of characters in the party. You are
  empowered to modify the number of enemies in an
  encounter and their hit point totals as you see fit. If you need
  to adjust the difficulty of an encounter during combat, you
  can alter hit point totals without the player characters ever
  knowing and have enemies retreat or reinforcements arrive
  as needed.
  Map of the Sword Coast
  The DM's Sword Coast map shows a region of the
  Forgotten Realms called the Sword Coast. This map
  is for the DM's eyes only, as it indicates the
  locations of places described later in this adventure
  or the adventures that follow. A player-friendly
  version of the map is also included with this
  adventure. It can be shared freely with the players
  as their characters explore the region.
  Geographical locations marked on both the
  DM's map and the players' map are described
  below in alphabetical order. This information is not
  secret and can be shared with players if they
  request details about a location.
  High Road
  This highway hugs the coast, connecting Neverwinter to the
  coastal cities of Luskan to the north and Waterdeep to the
  south. For years, the stretch of road south of Neverwinter fell
  into disuse because of frequent monster attacks. Recently,
  efforts have been made to keep the road safe, with light
  patrols of guards on horseback moving between Neverwinter
  and Leilon.
  Kryptgarden Forest
  This ancient forest tucked behind the Sword Mountains
  contains the ruins of bygone dwarven civilizations. The lair of
  the ancient green dragon Claugiyliamatar, nicknamed the
  Old Gnawbone, is found in these woods.
  Leilon
  This small town along the High Road is in the midst of
  rebuilding itself after being abandoned for years. It serves as
  the main base of the characters during this adventure.
  Mere of Dead Men
  Travelers on the High Road, which skirts the mere to the east,
  must resist being lured into the cold and desolate waters.
  Many have perished in the mere, drawn by tales of ruined
  castles half-sunk in the mire. For more information on this
  location, see "Missing Patrol."
  Neverwinter
  This city was badly damaged when Mount Hotenow erupted
  some fifty years ago. Now, the City of Skilled Hands works to
  rebuild under the watchful eye of its Lord Protector, Dagult
  Neverember, who rules in the absence of an heir to
  Neverwinter's crown. At present, no legitimate heirs to the
  old Alagondar royal line are known to exist, and many believe
  that the line is ended. Lord Neverember, taking no chances,
  quietly pays off or disposes of anyone claiming a connection
  to the rulers of old.
  Neverwinter Wood
  The forest east of Neverwinter seems to have a magical
  quality about it, or at least an air of mystical secrecy.
  Reclusive spellcasters are rumored to dwell deep within.
  3
  INTRODUCTION
  
  Map 1: The Sword Coast
  4
  INTRODUCTION
  
  Phandalin
  Nestled in the foothills of the Sword Mountains, Phandalin is
  a nondescript mining settlement that recently had dealings
  with a white dragon named Cryovain. The dragon was
  dispatched by a group of adventurers. For more information,
  see Dragon of Icespire Peak in the D&D Essentials Kit and
  "Aid from Phandalin" in this adventure.
  Starmetal Hills
  This range of rocky knolls is so named because the area has
  been the impact site of a number of meteor showers over
  millennia. The hills are haunted by ruthless barbarian tribes,
  giving others little reason to visit the area.
  Sword Mountains
  These steep, craggy, snow-capped mountains are home to
  scattered tribes of orcs as well as many monsters. Icespire
  Peak is the tallest among them. Their foothills are strewn
  with the ruins of bygone kingdoms, and more than a few half-
  forgotten dungeons and tombs.
  Triboar Trail
  This path south of Neverwinter Wood is the safest route
  between Neverwinter and the town of Triboar, located in the
  Dessarin Valley to the east. The trail is not patrolled, and
  monster attacks are commonplace.
  The Adventure Begins
  The adventure begins as the characters travel toward the
  town of Leilon. The settlement has been destroyed and
  rebuilt many times in its long history, and it is currently in an
  early stage of a rebuilding period.
  The settlers tasked with rebuilding Leilon are funded by
  the Lord Protector of Neverwinter, Dagult Neverember. Lord
  Neverember hopes the town can act as a safe waypoint
  between the cities of Neverwinter and Waterdeep, as well as
  protect travelers from threats originating in the swampy
  Mere of Dead Men.
  As the adventure progresses, the characters become
  embroiled not only in the rebuilding of Leilon, but also in the
  power struggle that unfolds between the settlers of Leilon
  and terrible forces that seek their destruction.
  Adventure Background
  As the settlers of Leilon bend their backs to the arduous task
  of creating a defensible settlement in the dangerous wilds of
  the Sword Coast, even larger threats loom all around them.
  Two forces of evil rise nearby, eager to control the region
  around Leilon and eventually the Sword Coast. The first is a
  cult of Talos, god of storms, led by the priestess Fheralai
  Stormsworn. The cult's headquarters are inside a death
  knight-dreadnaught, an undead battleship beached near a
  temple of Talos called the Tower of Storms.
  At the same time, Ularan Mortus, a priest of the god of
  death Myrkul, and his followers are raising an army of
  undead to lay siege to the city of Neverwinter. The spirit of
  the dead black dragon Chardansearavitriol, also known as
  Ebondeath, aids Ularan Mortus in exchange for help finding
  and seizing the body of a living dragon to inhabit.
  The people of Leilon are completely unaware of these
  threats, as they focus on more immediate dangers, like the
  wild animals and monstrous beasts lairing in the Mere of
  Dead Men. As the adventurers interact with the villagers,
  helping them rebuild and fighting off the immediate dangers,
  the specters of these two larger threats begin to grow and
  take shape.
  Over the course of the trilogy (Storm Lord's Wrath,
  Sleeping Dragon's Wake, and Divine Contention), the
  adventurers must deal with the two main forces of evil, as
  well as many smaller threats, not to mention the many little
  dramas of a group of settlers trying to work in harmony on a
  project that might be too big for them. With the help of the
  heroes, however, the settlers of Leilon just might survive.
  This adventure begins at a modest roadside inn, where the
  characters can make some friends and get the first taste of
  the larger battle in which they are about to become
  embroiled.
  Leilon as a Home Base
  If you run Storm Lord's Wrath, Sleeping Dragon's
  Wake, and Divine Contention as a full campaign,
  the town of Leilon should become an important
  focal point of play. This gives you a unique
  opportunity, because the adventurers can put their
  own stamp on the town in a very real and personal
  way.
  In this initial adventure, the town is little more
  than a few ramshackle buildings and foundations.
  The people and locations of Leilon can be altered
  or wholly created anew by you, the DM, based on
  the interests of the adventurers.
  For example, the Shrine of Lathander is being
  built by Merrygold Brightshine, priest of the
  Morninglord. If any of the characters revere
  Lathander, they might use their resources (wealth,
  downtime days, connections, etc.) to assist in its
  construction, making the shrine more grandiose
  than it might otherwise be.
  Alternatively, if one of the characters worships a
  different deity, they might decide to invest in a
  temple to their god, in which case a temple of
  some other power might replace the Shrine of
  Lathander, bringing a new NPC to town to oversee
  it.
  Adventure Hooks
  Mercenaries for Lord Neverember
  Dagult Neverember knows that the rebuilding of Leilon
  requires protection. He could hire the adventurers to defend
  the town from attacks and track down any threats.
  5
  INTRODUCTION
  
  Spies for Waterdeep
  Dagult Neverember's enemies in Waterdeep do not trust the
  man—and rightfully so. Representatives of the ruling council
  of Waterdeep, known as the Lords of Waterdeep, might hire
  the adventurers to pose as settlers in Leilon, all the while
  reporting anything suspicious to the rulers of the city. Before
  long, the adventurers will be embroiled in the action. (Or,
  instead of spying for the Lords of Waterdeep, the adventurers
  could be hired by any powerful group in the Sword Coast
  area.)
  Friends and Family
  Friends and family of one or more of the adventurers could
  be among the settlers of Leilon. Those acquaintances might
  ask the adventurers for assistance in a general sense, to
  protect the area. Or those connections might call upon the
  adventurers to perform specific tasks.
  A Stake in Leilon
  Land and property is valuable along the Sword Coast. For
  their service, someone with a vested interest in Leilon might
  offer the characters their own land. They could use this land
  to build a business, a stronghold, a tower, or any other
  structure that they like.
  Love of Adventure
  Some adventurers—those brave and foolish do-gooders—
  may just follow adventure, wherever it might lead. When
  these characters witness and thwart the attack on the
  Wayside Inn, the natural course of events leads them next to
  Leilon, and from there into the larger plots and machinations
  of the antagonists in the campaign.
  6
  INTRODUCTION
  
  Welcome to Leilon
  Leilon was once a mining town that sold copper, nickel, and
  silver to Waterdeep. It was also a port where merchants
  sometimes offloaded goods on barges (since most ships
  cannot pass the town's shallow mud flats) to be transferred to
  cities along the Sword Coast.
  Two hundred years ago, the wizard Thalivar made his
  home here and raised a tower at the town center to conduct
  his mystical studies. The House of Thalivar was topped with
  a planar beacon that lured creatures from other planes into
  the structure, trapping them there. After Thalivar
  mysteriously disappeared, the people of Leilon were content
  to leave his tower and the monsters within alone.
  The Spellplague, a divine phenomenon that twisted
  Faerûn's magic, corrupted the tower's defenses. The
  creatures sealed within were freed to attack Leilon, and the
  magic of the planar beacon was redirected back into the
  Material Plane, causing humanoids who looked upon it to
  become paralyzed. Leilon was quickly overrun and
  subsequently abandoned and has remained that way for more
  than a century.
  The first action the soldiery of Neverwinter took in Leilon
  was to destroy the planar beacon inside the House of
  Thalivar. Gallio Elibro, a mage, has rebuilt it to perform his
  own studies into the Ethereal Plane. See "House of
  Thalivar" for more information.
  Before its fall, Leilon was defended by a loosely organized
  group of adventurers called the Swords of Leilon. When the
  House of Thalivar released its monsters, the Swords fought
  to cover the escape of the townsfolk. They died, becoming
  ghosts bound to Leilon's ruins. They now watch the
  rebuilding of the town with caution, hoping that the
  reconstructed tower does not bring similar disaster.
  When the characters first arrive at the town (after securing
  it during the quest "A Normal Day in Leilon"), show the
  Leilon map to the players and use the following read-aloud
  text:
  Leilon is a ruined town encircled by an earthen rampart. To the
  southwest, new settlers attempt to build docks for barges,
  made to cross the marsh and meet merchant ships in the sea.
  Outside of town, a settler camp nestles under the trees
  alongside the High Road. At the center of tower, the House of
  Thalivar, a wizard tower, rises like a beacon, four times the
  height of every other building. The town lies in ruin, but the
  settlers from Neverwinter work quickly, clearing and
  reconstructing.
  Exploring Leilon
  The characters might wish to explore key establishments
  within Leilon. These locations are marked on the map of
  Leilon. Some of the locations do not exist at the start of the
  adventure but may be built at a time of your choosing—after
  the characters first arrive in Leilon but before the end of the
  adventure.
  Aubrey's Peculiarities Shoppe
  This shop is crammed with curiosities dredged from the
  ruins of Leilon: old fishing rods, swamp idols, mining
  helmets, and other oddities. A whimsical Illuskan male
  named Aubrey Silverspun runs the store. Roll a d20 on
  Peculiarities table to see what he has on offer when the
  characters visit.
  Peculiarities
  d20
  Peculiarity
  Price
  1-2
  Random Magic Item (Table C)
  500 gp
  3-10
  Random Trinket
  10 gp
  11-20 Unique tool kit (engraved, etc.)
  50 gp
  A painted tryptic above the counter shows three
  adventurers: a dark-skinned warrior woman, a red-bearded
  dwarf, and a third whose portrait has faded with age. Aubrey
  explains that these are the "Swords of Leilon": an old
  adventuring company local to the area.
  Barge Yard
  Six mud-covered barges are chained together and beached at
  the edge of Leilon where the town meets the marsh. The
  barge master is a gruff elderly female dwarf named Rorsta
  Anvilhand. She rents a barge for a tenday for 10 gp.
  Fishery
  The fishery building serves as the town hall. During the day
  the warehouse hosts several fishing-folk selling their daily
  catches at stalls and merchants who sell and repair fishing
  equipment.
  House of Thalivar
  This wizard's tower has been recently rebuilt as a garrison
  for the Neverwinter soldiery. Gallio Elibro is a brooding
  middle-aged male Rashemi with the mage statistics (except
  that he has the legend lore spell prepared instead of cone of
  cold). He came to Neverwinter to find and unlock the secrets
  of the House of Thalivar. Gallio has found many coded
  journals inside the ruin, which he decrypted. He has now
  rebuilt the tower's planar beacon and is using it to study the
  creatures of the Ethereal Plane.
  Gallio does not talk much about his work with adventurers
  but is willing to cast spells in exchange for gold. The mage
  casts the legend lore spell for 400 gp.
  Idol Island
  Idol Island rises from the marshes a few yards from Leilon. It
  contains the remains of crumbled statues of forgotten human
  nobles. The settlers claim to hear whispered voices on the
  island at night, inviting them to view their destinies. If they
  characters walk by the island at night, they hear these
  whispers as well.
  7
  WELCOME TO LEILON
  
  A character who spends the night on the island has vague,
  prophetic dreams of adventures to come. For instance, the
  character might view storm clouds swirling over Leilon, a
  galleon made from bones, or a glowing statue of a dwarf
  standing in a canyon. At the end of the night, the character
  must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the
  character is bolstered by the strange dreams and gains
  inspiration. On a failure, the character gains a level of
  exhaustion.
  Shrine of Lathander
  This shrine to Lathander, god of light, was the first temple to
  be reconstructed in Leilon. Merrygold Brightshine, an
  outgoing young female halfling with the priest statistics,
  cares for the shrine and offers council to any who pray at the
  small stone altar to Lathander within. She conducts services
  at the shrine each day at dawn.
  Merrygold casts the cure wounds spell for a donation of
  10 gp to the shrine and the lesser restoration spell for a
  donation of 20 gp.
  Settler Camp
  Circled wagons, tents, cook fires, and supply crates comprise
  the sprawling settler camp outside town. Most the town's
  business takes place here, as the town council gathers
  regularly to plan the reconstruction and discuss any threats
  in the region. The councilors include:
  Grizzelda Copperwraught
  Lord Neverember tasked this gruff female dwarf with
  overseeing Leilon's construction work. Behind her back, the
  townsfolk call her "The Growler."
  Sergeant Hazz Yorrum
  This slovenly male Damaran oversees Neverwinter's soldiers
  but defers to the town wizard Gallio Elibro for most
  decisions.
  Merrygold Brightshine
  This amiable male halfling is the local priest of Lathander,
  god of light. Merrygold helped found the town following its
  reconstruction and is loved by its people.
  Valdi Estapaar
  Lord Neverember gave this half-elf female the job of
  overseeing the town's fishing industry. With the recent
  opening of the quayside, she's now one of the most important
  figures in town.
  Town Square
  The Leilon town square has become a place where local
  vendors and those passing through town can set up stalls to
  sell their wares. One vendor, a female human blacksmith
  named Zana Taylish, is a resident of Leilon who sells armor
  and weapons. More exotic items (such as spell scrolls or
  other consumable magic items) could be available from a
  traveling merchant in the square at the DMs discretion. The
  cost for such items should be high (and perhaps require a
  favor of the adventurers in addition to an exchange of gold).
  The Quest Board
  Unlike Dragon of Icespire Peak and the two adventures that
  follow this one, this adventure does not use a "quest board."
  (See "A Note on the Quest Board" sidebar below.) Below
  are a list of the quests and how they can be pursued.
  Starting Quests
  The first two quests occur as the characters are traveling to
  Leilon for the first time:
  Attack on the Wayside Inn Quest
  This quest occurs when the characters, traveling toward
  Leilon where the High Road meets the Triboar Trail, come
  upon an undead horde attacking a wayside inn. If the
  characters undertake this quest, see "Attack on the Wayside
  Inn."
  A Normal Day in Leilon Quest
  This quest occurs when the characters arrive on the outskirts
  of Leilon to find the town has been evacuated because of an
  attack from the sea. If the characters undertake this quest,
  see "A Normal Day in Leilon."
  Follow-Up Quests
  After the characters complete both the starting quests, they
  can take up residence in Leilon and be called upon to
  complete any of the other quests, except for the final quest.
  These quests are provided by various members of the Leilon
  community. These can be completed in any order.
  Aid from Phandalin Quest
  The town council asks the characters to accompany a gnome
  goatherd to Phandalin to sell her goats, as well pick up
  supplies needed by the town. If the characters undertake this
  quest, see "Aid from Phandalin."
  Foul Weather at Wayside Quest
  This guest is triggered when the town notices that, on an
  otherwise fair day, a terrible storm rages in the distance,
  directly above the Wayside Inn. The town council, concerned
  about the phenomenon and anyone caught in it, asks the
  party to investigate. If the characters undertake this quest,
  see "Foul Weather at Wayside."
  House of Thalivar Quest
  On a random evening, the party encounters soldiers fleeing
  from the House of Thalivar in fear. The soldiers are too afraid
  to return, asking the party to investigate and check on the
  well-being of Gallio Elibro, the wizard in charge of the towers
  rebuilding. If the characters undertake this quest, see "House
  of Thalivar."
  Missing Patrol Quest
  One of the residents of the town, Breltora Red-Eye, notes that
  one of the patrols into the Mere of Dead Men is late to return.
  Although the commander is not concerned, the party can still
  choose to look for them. If the characters undertake this
  quest, see "Missing Patrol."
  8
  WELCOME TO LEILON
  
  Thunder Cliffs Quest
  The final quest in this adventure takes place at Thunder
  Cliffs, when the local anchorite threat is based. There is no
  trigger or giver for this quest, since the location and
  significance of the threat is only learned after performing the
  other quests. When the characters undertake this quest, see
  "Thunder Cliffs."
  Leveling Up
  Characters advance in level by completing quests. Regardless
  of the number of characters in the party, they gain a level
  when they complete three quests. The initial encounter,
  "Attack on the Wayside Inn", does not count as a quest.
  A Note on the Quest Board
  Dragon of Icespire Peak uses an excellent campaign-
  control quest mechanic to point characters in the
  right direction: the quest board. The two other
  adventures in this series use the quest board as
  well. In general, the quest board idea works
  wonderfully to show the players what options they
  have for seeking adventure.
  As this adventure opens, the town of Leilon
  doesn't have a quest board, because the
  infrastructure of the town is not in place. It doesn't
  make much sense to have a quest board when the
  adventurers are the only people in town who are
  capable of performing the tasks that the town
  needs done.
  Instead, you can use the town council to
  introduce potential quests to the characters. Many
  of the quests in the adventure happen at the spur
  of the moment, so rather than having the
  characters learn about the needs of the town on a
  board, one of the three members of the town
  council will approach the characters directly.
  If you still want to give the characters the
  freedom to choose from a variety of quests, the
  different members of the council could have
  different ideas of which quest is the most
  important and roleplaying the conflict between
  council members can add depth to the story. Will
  one council member be upset if the characters
  choose a different quest first? Will they have to do
  something to get back into that member's good
  graces?
  9
  WELCOME TO LEILON
  
  Attack on the Wayside Inn
   As the adventurers travel toward Leilon, they pass the
  Wayside Inn, which is being attacked by undead creatures.
  The adventurers can thwart the attack and meet the residents
  of the inn, learning a bit about Leilon in the process.
  "Attack on the Wayside Inn" and "A Normal Day in
  Leilon" are balanced for characters of 7th level, though
  characters of 8th level should be challenged as well.
  Location Overview
  Many enterprising hostellers have tried to maintain an inn
  where the Triboar Trail meets the High Road. Some have
  succeeded for many years before falling victim to monsters or
  bandits. Others have given up relatively quickly, when the
  dangers become apparent.
  The current owner of the Wayside Inn is Martisha
  Vinetalker, a striking half-elf whose pleasing features contrast
  with her tough demeanor. She is cold, calculating,
  charismatic, and knows how to run a business with ruthless
  efficiency and an eye for profit.
  The bartender is Backes Dunfield, a human with a scarred
  face and a crooked smile. He started working for Martisha six
  months ago and quickly proved himself a valuable lieutenant.
  The cook is Cooragh Struckt, a half-orc who has been a
  close friend and confidante of Martisha for many years.
  Cooragh is famous for her incredibly tasty, and alarmingly
  well-spiced, stews and meat pies.
  Undead Attack
  This encounter occurs at night. As the characters approach
  the junction of the Triboar Trail and the High Road, set the
  scene:
  An oddly shaped building sits at the juncture of the Triboar
  Trail and the High Road. Two entrances into the building are
  apparent: a smaller one at the northern corner, and a larger
  one, suitable for beasts of burden and wagons, near the first.
  Right now, both sets of doors are under attack by humanoid
  figures. They have already breached the smaller door, and they
  are starting to make cracks in the larger.
  The smaller doorway leads into a cloak room, and another
  door bars the way into the common room from there. The
  larger doors lead into the courtyard, where there are stables
  and a smithy.
  Monsters. The attacking creatures are comprised of 1
  zombie per player character, and 1 wraith per every two
  characters (rounded down), excluding sidekicks. The zombies
  are the only ones attacking the building. The wraiths come
  out of the darkness after the party approaches the zombies.
  The zombies don't notice the party until the adventurers are
  within 60 feet of them, or until the party attacks. Then all the
  monsters turn their focus from the building to the party, who
  are easier to reach.
  If the zombies are defeated and examined, each bears a
  brand on its forehead in the shape of a skull. A successful DC
  15 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals that this mark was
  probably used as part of a ritual to create the creatures, and
  that it is similar to the symbol of the death god Myrkul.
  Inn Occupants. The people within the Wayside Inn have
  barred the doors and windows, hoping the zombies would be
  unable to breach the doors. If the party runs into difficulty
  dealing with the creatures, occupants of the inn can open the
  windows and fire crossbows or other missile weapons at the
  monsters to help.
  Aftermath
  Assuming the adventurers defeat the threat, the occupants
  unbar the doors and windows, allowing the party entrance.
  Martisha is thankful, but not ebullient in her praise or her
  rewards. She offers the characters food for their efforts, but
  not drink or lodging. Backes and the other occupants,
  however, make sure the characters drink for free this night. A
  traveling merchant also offers to pay for the characters'
  lodging for the evening.
  Use the bullet points below to roleplay the rest the evening
  at the Wayside Inn:
  Martisha sits in the corner at a lone table, poring over
  records and watching the business. She answers any
  attempts at conversation curtly. She wants to partner with
  the settlers of Leilon to set up a mutual protection pact, as
  well as a trade pact where she sells her vegetables and
  livestock in return for the goods they will produce.
  Backes keeps the ale flowing all night for the adventurers.
  He tells them that he gave up a life as a privateer (that is, a
  pirate) to get into business on land. He works the bar and
  assists Martisha, but he hopes to someday open his own
  place in Neverwinter or Waterdeep. He wears a pendant
  around his neck in the shape of a trident, which he says
  the crew of his last ship wore as a way to appease the
  many sea gods.
  Cooragh only emerges from the kitchen long enough to
  thank the adventurers and give them a piece of her special
  pork pie. It is very spicy, but delicious for those who can
  stomach the burn. On her neck, beneath each ear, are
  tattoos of curved daggers. If asked, she admits she got
  them because she knew it would upset her mother, a
  human from Luskan. It was a foolish youthful folly, she
  says.
  The smith who works at the Wayside Inn smithy is a
  strapping woman called Teega who can wield a hammer
  in each hand like a titan. Her anvil is forged in the shape
  of a dolphin, and at night she drinks at the bar with the
  other patrons. She met Backes after his life as a pirate
  ended, and she hopes to join him in setting up a business
  in a city at some point. She makes jewelry in her spare
  time and wears a set of bronze bracers shaped like three
  lightning bolts. She proudly displays three suits of plate
  armor that she created, each bearing the same symbol as
  the design of her bracers.
  10
  ATTACK ON THE WAYSIDE INN
  
  Map 2: Wayside Inn
  A young halfling named Silla Scalesweep sits at a table,
  humming to herself. She is traveling from Neverwinter to
  Leilon, hoping to get hired on as a fisher by Valdi
  Estapaar, the woman in charge of the fishery in the town.
  She wears her long hair in five braids atop her head, and
  she is very talkative. She also plays the harmonica quite
  well and is keen to have an audience.
  Tarbin Tul is a traveling bard who wanders the High Road,
  seeking new songs to add to his already impressive
  repertoire. Tarbin sits by the fire, singing along to Silla's
  ditties on the harmonica. He gladly buys a drink for
  anyone who helped drive off the undead.
  Feel free to populate the rest of the inn with travelers and
  staff. There are servers, farmers who work small fields
  nearby that supply the inn with food in return for
  protection and shelter on the inn's land, farmers who
  provide meat and milk, and other laborers. A few of these
  people came here because of Backes, and they serve him
  within the Cult of Talos.
  The Long Con
  Some of the workers at the Wayside Inn are
  members of the Cult of Talos. This information
  should be hidden from the characters until it is
  ready to be revealed later in the adventure. Placing
  bad guys in the party's path before it is ready to be
  revealed is always a risk, but it is a great shock
  when it pays off.
  The best way to allay suspicion is to have the
  characters become friends with them early,
  especially during this opening encounter. The
  secret cultists can heap praise, rewards, free drinks,
  and information upon the adventurers, gaining
  their trust and friendship.
  Details Make the Con. This long con works best
  when you provide details that might later prove to
  be portents of the truth, if not actual clues. For
  example, the necklace worn by Backes is
  noteworthy early in the adventure, and it becomes
  clear later what it represents.
  Play the Shell Game. On the off chance that your
  players figure things out too quickly (or if someone
  is already familiar with the adventure), details can
  be changed. Backes is the leader of the Talos
  cultists at the inn, but he doesn't have to be.
  Maybe Cooragh the cook is really the leader, and
  Backes is just a patsy she is using to throw
  suspicion off herself. With just a few adjustments,
  you can keep your players guessing even after they
  think they know what's happening.
  11
  ATTACK ON THE WAYSIDE INN
  
  A Normal Day in Leilon
   After their time at the Wayside Inn, the characters have less
  than twenty miles of travel along the High Road to reach
  Leilon. Silla asks if she can travel with the party. If they say
  no, she simply follows behind them at a short and indiscrete
  distance, forlornly playing a sad tune on her harmonica at the
  thought of being shunned by the party.
  A Town Meeting
  When the party gets less than a mile from the location where
  the town is being rebuilt, they come upon an impromptu town
  meeting. Most of the town is here; they have been evacuated
  to this point because the town guards sent up a warning that
  someone or something was invading Leilon.
  When the adventurers approach the settlers, use the
  following read-aloud text to describe the scene:
  Roughly fifty people stand in a clearing just off the High Road,
  where the forest to the northeast and the swampland to the
  southwest give way to grassland for a bit on each side of the
  road. The beginnings of gardens or larger fields of crops are
  half-dug here.
  The people mill about in a panic. Some shake in fear, others
  shout in anger, and in the center of it all an enraged dwarf
  waves her arms and tries to get those around her to listen. A
  bored-looking human in a chain shirt and shield decorated
  with the sigil of Neverwinter stands next to the dwarf. He
  finally bangs his spear against his shield to quiet the tumult.
  The dwarf is Grizzelda Copperwraught, who the settlers call
  "the Growler", but never within earshot of her. She was
  personally hired by Lord Neverember to oversee the
  rebuilding of the structures that will comprise the new town.
  She instructs the builders and gives them their pay at the end
  of each tenday.
  Next to Grizzelda is Sergeant Hazz Yorrum. Yorrum is a
  human guard, and in charge of the Neverwinter soldiers who
  protect the settlers while the town is being built. He is a
  coward, as lazy as he is corrupt.
  Two other persons of note are here as well: Merrygold
  Brightshine and Valdi Estapaar. Merrygold is a priest of
  Lathander, the Morninglord. He and his church were given
  the rights to build the first temple in Leilon. The church of
  Lathander paid handsomely for the honor, and Merrygold and
  his staff assist in making sure that the workers get fed and
  cared for outside of their normal duties.
  Valdi Estapaar is a half-elven fisher who is tasked by Lord
  Neverember to oversee the fishing industry that is supposed
  to support the town as it is built. The fish she and her
  subordinates catch feed the town, and the excess fish are
  cured and transported to the nearby cities for sale.
  The Growler, Merrygold, and Valdi comprise the Leilon
  Town Council at this point in the town's development. While
  the Growler is ostensibly the leader, the council votes on
  major issues, so the Growler can be overruled if Merrygold
  and Valdi agree on a different plan.
  A Hard Decision
  The characters come within earshot of the meeting just as
  the Growler is about to address the townsfolk. The
  characters are free to step in and interrupt at any point, but
  use the bullet points below to guide the talk until they do:
  The Growler begins by berating the townsfolk for being
  such an unruly mob as they evacuated the town. She calls
  out a few individuals by name, shaming them in front of
  the group.
  She asks if anyone saw anything strange happening in the
  town as they were evacuating. One of the stonemasons
  claims that she saw something strange happening in the
  water out on the swampland, past the marsh islands, but
  then she picked up her tools and ran as the soldiers
  ordered her to evacuate.
  Another stonemason claims to have seen heard some of
  the returning fishing-folk, who were still out on their skiffs
  in the marshland, shouting in panic. Others nod and
  "harrumph" to indicate they heard this as well.
  At this point a short dragonborn wearing a holy symbol of
  Lathander shouts, "May the Morninglord forgive me! We
  are missing two of the children. Smithwell and Burnice
  aren't here. They were right behind me as we left the
  town." (The two human children are best friends, the son
  and daughter of two of the fishers who are still out in the
  water.)
  This pronouncement sends the collected townsfolk into a
  panic again, forcing the guard Yorrum to put spear to
  shield to quiet the crowd.
  Merrygold insists that they must immediately go back to
  town to retrieve the children, consequences be damned.
  The Growler insists that they stay right here until one of
  the soldiers from the town comes to tell them that it is
  safe. Until then, no one is going anywhere. Valdi seems
  unsure what to do, as no one here (except Sgt. Yorrum) is
  much of a fighter.
  At this point that party should have heard enough to
  intercede into the conversation, even if it is just to volunteer
  to be the ones to head into town and check on the situation,
  retrieving the children if danger remains.
  Chasing the Children
  During the town meeting, two servants of the Morninglord
  are tasked with keeping an eye on a group of about twenty
  children between the ages of four and twelve. These kids
  belong to some of the workers in the town. While the parents
  work, the children are looked after and taught by the acolytes
  of Lathander who inhabit the Shrine of Lathander, which is
  currently the only finished stone building in the town.
  These children, some of them terrified and missing their
  parents, others mischievous and too young to understand
  consequences (much like adventurers), decide to run off in
  different directions during the meeting.
  12
  A NORMAL DAY IN LEILON
  
  Map 3: Leilon Under Construction
  Any players not engrossed by the town council discussion can
  be called upon to have their characters help the acolytes
  round up the wayward children. This could involve DC 10
  ability checks like Strength (Athletics) to get them down from
  trees, Dexterity (Acrobatics) to pull them out of the
  marshland, or Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) to
  cajole or order them to behave.
  Whichever adventurer does the best job of corralling the
  children might gain an admirer. This child can be totally
  smitten or intrigued by the character, following them around,
  asking them questions constantly, and wanting to be just like
  the character (regardless of how inappropriate that might be).
  Storm's Moving In
  After the drama (or comedy) of the town meeting has played
  out, and the party has decided on a course of action, the first
  threat comes to them in the form of a wagon full of
  anchorites of the Cult of Talos.
  The forces of the cult include one archer and one dark
  tide knight (see appendix A) for every two characters,
  including sidekicks, rounded down. If there is an odd number
  of characters, add one dark tide knight.
  As enemy approaches, use the following read-aloud text to
  describe the situation:
  Strange knights bearing a symbol with three lightning bolts
  striking ride horses made of water. Accompanied by a wagon
  full of archers, pulled by another of the water steeds.
  The steeds move at 30 feet per round, and otherwise cannot
  attack or be harmed.
  As the Cult of Talos members attack, the rest of the
  citizens of Leilon scatter. The acolytes of Lathander shepherd
  the children to safety, and the rest of the adults move toward
  the safety of the nearby trees. Sgt. Yorrum, it should be noted,
  flees faster than anyone.
  Aftermath
  If the party defeats the cultists, they find that each of them
  bears a tattoo of three parallel lightning bolts on their
  forearms. If any are taken prisoner and questioned, they
  answer with the ominous ravings of those touched by divine
  madness. They claim that the Stormlord is coming to drown
  everyone and cleanse the world of the unworthy.
  The wagon was stolen from the town, and still contains the
  remains of some fish that were meant to be taken to the
  fishery. One of the dark tide knights carries a potion of
  greater healing.
  The Request. Seeing that this threat came from the village
  itself, the town council now understands the dire nature of
  the situation. It is possible that the guards and anyone else
  who was left in town is dead, and the town could be overrun
  with enemies. The council asks the party to sneak into town
  and assess the situation there. If the town is no longer safe,
  the settlers must return to Neverwinter in defeat.
  Something Fishy in Town
  After dealing with the members of the Cult of Talos, the
  characters should be in a hurry to get to Leilon and see what
  is happening.
  13
  A NORMAL DAY IN LEILON
  
  Approaching the Town. By following the High Road, the
  party can easily get to town. They may also decide to
  approach from a less conspicuous direction. Either way, they
  can get to the edge of town without being spotted. When they
  reach Leilon, use the following read-aloud text to describe
  the situation:
  The progress on the town's rebuilding has been slow, it
  appears. The holes for a palisade have been dug, but only a few
  logs are in place. At the center of the ruins, a tall tower, mostly
  collapsed, rests atop a bluff. The only intact stone building sits
  at the bottom of the bluff, its white façade bearing the mark of
  Lathander.
  There is an intact wooden building closer to the water
  marsh at the southwest side of town, smoke rising from two
  chimneys.
  In front of this building stands a tiefling dressed in blue
  robes. She raises her hands to the sky, and dark clouds appear
  in response. Before the tiefling, at the end of the swampy
  water, stand a small number of humans, greataxes raised in the
  air, who chant in response to her.
  Children in Danger
  In the previous scene, a plot point was introduced:
  ten-year-old friends Smithwell and Burnice were
  still in town during the attack. How you use them
  is up to you, as you know your players. Some
  players do not handle children in danger well. If this
  is the case, simply have the pair hiding safely in the
  Shrine of Lathander, emerging when the threat is
  gone.
  If you want to add drama and motivation for the
  party, you can place the children out in the open,
  needing to be brought to safety before they are
  seen by the Talos cultists. Just remember that
  giving the characters something else to do in the
  encounter increases the difficulty of the encounter
  for the party.
  The tiefling standing in front of the fishery is a kraken priest
  (see appendix A) named Nixoxious, and before her in the
  water there is 1 berserker per character, including sidekicks.
  They are trying to perform a ritual to summon water
  creatures to destroy the town. (These water creatures are
  faced in the next wave of the battle, as described below.)
  The characters start 500 feet from the priest. She has
  already completed enough of her ritual to summon the water
  elemental, and every four rounds she is alive, she summons
  another water weird, up to the maximum described below.
  Once she has summoned the maximum number of creatures,
  she stops chanting and joins the combat, assuming the party
  has engaged in combat with her and the berserkers.
  Note that even though she performs the ritual to summon
  these water creatures, they do not attack or even appear until
  this part of the battle has ended.
  Ritual. If the characters watch what is happening for at
  least a round, they can attempt a DC 10 Intelligence
  (Religion) check. On a success, they realize what she is doing
  and know that, unless they stop her, she could summon any
  number of terrible creatures.
  Aftermath
  After defeating the forces of Talos on land, the party can find
  a spell scroll of mass cure wounds on Nixoxious. They don't
  have long to recover, however, because the water creatures
  summoned by the ritual are about to arrive.
  Marsh, Unmellow
  On the marsh islands with the pagan ruins, fishers and
  soldiers captured by the cultists are unconscious, meant to
  be used as sacrifices for the water creatures that the tiefling
  summoned.
  Monsters. Based on the number of rounds that the kraken
  priest chanted before being defeated, there is at least one
  water elemental, and a maximum of one water weird for
  every two characters, including sidekicks. When the
  creatures arrive, set the scene using the following read-aloud
  text:
  The watery marshland bubbles and roils. Lightning flashes in
  the sky, revealing several humanoid forms lying on muddy
  marsh islands 60 feet from the shore. The waist-high water
  between the shore and the islands suddenly erupts as large
  watery forms emerge.
  Tactics. If the characters do not intervene, the monsters
  move out to the islands and kill the unconscious fishers and
  soldiers lying there. The water between the shore and the
  islands is 3 feet deep, acting as difficult terrain for any
  creature without a swim speed.
  Aftermath
  If the party defeats the water creatures, the immediate threat
  to Leilon is eliminated. The unconscious people on the
  islands can be brought back to the mainland and treated.
  The damage to the town was minimal, and only a few of the
  settlers were killed, most of the them brave Neverwinter
  soldiers who gave their lives to protect the fishers caught in
  their boats during the attack.
  Time to Rest
  Now that the threats are removed, the party can inform the
  settlers that it is safe to return to Leilon. The settlers return
  to their work: construction, farming, fishing, and otherwise
  building their new home.
  14
  A NORMAL DAY IN LEILON
  
  Building a Town
  As this adventure and the other two adventures in
  the series progress, the Leilon locations presented
  in the adventures represent the default growth of
  the town if the characters do not intervene too
  much. The more interest the adventurers take in
  building the town, however, the more is at stake
  when the town in threatened.
  For players interested in the town-building
  aspect of the campaign, you can even let them
  help plan the growth and building of the town,
  changing the map dramatically. This is not only fine
  —it is wonderful! You may need to tweak later
  adventures in and around the town, but that is one
  of the joys of running a D&D campaign: the
  unfolding story belongs to you and the players.
  Let the characters use their downtime to help
  build the palisade, create homes, fish and hunt, or
  otherwise pitch in if they desire. Otherwise, you
  can just declare that time passes with no more
  attacks until the next adventuring quest comes
  along.
  15
  A NORMAL DAY IN LEILON
  
  Aid from Phandalin
  "AID FROM PHANDALIN" IS BALANCED FOR    
  characters of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should
  be able to survive the encounters.
  Location Overview
  The town of Phandalin rests along the Triboar Trail between
  the High Road and town of Triboar. Nestled into the hills of
  the Sword Mountains, it has become a bustling area of trade
  and mining since brave heroes vanquished some of the
  threats to the area.
  Quest Goals
  To complete the Aid from Phandalin quest (see "Leilon
  Quests"), the adventurers must escort the goatherd and her
  flock to Phandalin, pick up the goods at Barthen's Provisions,
  and survive the separate attacks of the forces of the
  necromancer Ularan Mortus and the Cult of Talos.
  Travel to Phandalin
  The town council approaches the characters one morning
  and asks them to undertake a different kind of mission. One
  of the town residents, a gnome named Pinchwit Wigglehoof,
  is an expert goatherd. But her flock of goats are no normal
  herd. She raises giant goats, excellent producers of milk and
  meat, and even their goat-hair is highly valued for its tensile
  strength and warmth.
  Elmar Barthen, proprietor of Barthen's Provisions in
  Phandalin, is brokering a deal with a wealthy Waterdhavian
  merchant to sell some of Pinchwit's stock for a very lucrative
  profit. As a goatherd in the employ of Dagult Neverember and
  the town of Leilon, Pinchwit's profits are the town's profits.
  However, part of the deal is that the goats must be brought
  to Phandalin. While Pinchwit is an excellent goatherd, she is
  less capable as a fighter. She and her goats need an escort
  from Leilon to Phandalin. The town council of Leilon also
  asks the characters to buy wagons to bring back a plethora of
  supplies that the town needs.
  The distance from Leilon to Phandalin is only twenty-one
  miles or so, but the route goes through forest and grassland
  unsullied by anything resembling a road or a path. Pinchwit
  wants to keep the flock off the main roads.
  Additionally, goats are not the most obedient animals in the
  wide kingdom of creatures. They can only travel about three
  miles per day, making the trip to Phandalin a seven-day
  ordeal. And with a couple hundred unruly goats, what could
  possibly go wrong?
  Encounters on the Way
  The characters have the following encounters as they travel
  to Phandalin.
  Goat Check
  At some point during the trip, a pair of wyverns fly above the
  goat-train heading for Phandalin. The wyverns do not attack;
  even with their limited intelligence, they understand that such
  a large group of people could prove dangerous to them.
  The goats, however, panic at the sight of these large
  predators, causing them to flee in every direction. The
  characters must do everything in their power to keep the
  goats together, because the wyverns do not hesitate to pick
  off stragglers.
  Herding. When the goats bolt, each character can attempt
  a DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. If at least half of
  the checks succeed, the characters manage to keep the herd
  together, and the wyverns move on to easier pickings. If the
  checks fail, the herd breaks up, leaving many goats vulnerable
  to wyvern attacks. If this happens, the characters have a
  choice:
  They can stay together, saving half the herd but losing
  many of the goats to the wyvern attack. This reduces that
  money that the town could make from the merchant.
  They can split up and each go after one of the groups of
  goats that split off. That means, however, that half the
  group must fight one wyvern, and the other half must fight
  the other, and they are 3000 feet away from each other,
  likely unable to help each other.
  Hungry Ogres
  One night (or day if the situation dictates), while the traveling
  goat show is resting for the evening, a family of ogres catches
  their scent. Being ogres, always hungry and particularly
  grumpy around goats, the ogres decide to attack.
  Assuming some of the characters are sleeping for the
  night, anyone on guard duty can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom
  (Animal Handling) or Wisdom (Insight) check to notice that
  the goats are getting restless. This gives those on guard three
  rounds to wake up any sleepers and take precautions.
  After three rounds, the ogres, numbering three plus one
  per character, excluding sidekicks, charge out of the darkness
  and begin grabbing goats. When the characters intervene, the
  ogres drop the goats and attempt to smash the adventurers.
  Your Campaign, Your Phandalin
  Since this adventure and the ones that follow were
  designed to continue the story of Dragon of
  Icespire Peak, there's a good chance your players
  have already interacted with the NPCs in the town
  of Phandalin. If that is the case, then they have
  their own stories and their own relationships with
  the people of Phandalin. The town and the NPCs,
  as they are presented here, should be seen as just
  the beginning. You should change the attitudes of
  the NPCs, or the actual NPCs themselves, based on
  what has come to pass in your campaign.
  If the characters have not been to Phandalin, you
  can learn more about the town in the D&D Starter
  Set or D&D Essentials Kit. If you do not wish to
  purchase any products that detail Phandalin, you
  can create your own Phandalin based on the areas
  described in this adventure.
  16
  AID FROM PHANDALIN
  
  Arrival
  When the characters arrive in Phandalin, Pinchwit scurries
  off to Barthen's Provisions to finalize the deal. The characters
  are free to go to the merchant's establishment with her, or
  they can explore the town, picking up a wagon and the
  supplies needed by the town of Leilon.
  If the characters are heroes of the town, they are greeted
  as such wherever they go. Townsfolk who know them offer
  free food and drink, with plenty of handshakes, pats on the
  back, and requests for autographs.
  On the Town
  As the characters go about the business of procuring and
  securing wagons, horses, and the supplies needed back in
  Leilon, they might learn about some spies who have recently
  arrived in Phandalin, some working for the Cult of Talos, and
  others employed by Ularan Mortus and the followers of
  Myrkul.
  Stonehill Inn
  This is a modest, two-story roadhouse with rooms for rent
  and a common area for purchasing food and drink. Toblen
  Stonehill, a short, friendly human, runs the establishment.
  While the characters are in the common room at night,
  Toblen looks up as the door opens. The door closes quickly
  without anyone entering, and Toblen shakes his head in
  wonder. He says he thinks it was Argus Skeel who just
  opened the door and left immediately. Skeel is a newcomer
  who claims to be a prospector but never seems to be
  prospecting. He only comes around at night.
  Following Skeel. If the characters leave quickly, they can
  spot Skeel ducking into an abandoned shack on the edge of
  town with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check.
  Skeel lives in the cellar of this building with a number of
  ghouls that he commands. (See "The Attack" below for more
  information on Skeel and the ghouls.) If the characters follow
  Skeel into the shack, they cannot find him. A DC 20
  Intelligence (Investigation) check finds the secret door in the
  floor leading to the basement, where the undead hide. If the
  characters find and deal with them here, the undead don't
  attack as the characters try to leave town.
  Lionshield Coster
  Linene Graywind, a middle-aged woman, runs the coster, and
  she sells the horses that the characters need for Leilon. She
  doesn't have any carts for sale but tells the characters that
  they can probably pick some up at the Miner's Exchange in
  town.
  Linene has a new assistant, a red-haired elf going by the
  name of Velleen Firecrow. Velleen makes deliveries and
  manages trade in the surrounding area, with a team of
  kobolds who seem to adore her. Velleen is also a member of
  the Cult of Talos, acting as a spy for the comings and goings
  in Phandalin. (See "The Attack" below for more information
  on Velleen and the kobolds.)
  If the characters find the Talos symbol at the Shrine of
  Luck and show it to Linene, she recognizes it as something
  Velleen wears as a brooch, although she hasn't seen her
  wearing it in a couple of days.
  If the characters approach Velleen about her lost brooch,
  the cultist and her kobold servants attack. If they are
  defeated, the characters do not have to face them later as they
  pack to leave the town.
  Barthen's Provisions
  Elmar Barthen runs this general store with help from his two
  assistants, Ander and Thistle. Elmar and Ander know rumors
  and are happy to spread them, but Thistle is a little more
  reluctant to talk. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check
  reveals his nervous reticence.
  If the characters push him for information, he can be
  prompted to talk with a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or
  Persuasion) check. He then admits that he has taken a liking
  to Velleen, the new assistant at the Lionshield Coster. They
  were spending time together, getting to know each other,
  when she started talking about some scary stuff. She believes
  the Stormlord is going to come and wipe out the weak and
  the nonbelievers, and that he should join her. He's avoided
  her since then.
  Phandalin Miner's Exchange
  The characters can procure carts and wagons at the
  Phandalin Miner's Exchange, which is operated by the crafty
  Halia Thornton. Halia knows about the spies in town, but she
  won't reveal anything without getting paid at least 50 gp for
  the information.
  She is willing to tell the characters as much or as little
  information as you want her to provide. And if the characters
  treat her rudely or try to pay her less than she asks, she
  happily tells Skeel, Velleen, or both exactly what the
  characters know and what their plans are.
  17
  AID FROM PHANDALIN
  
  Shrine of Luck
  The characters were asked by the Leilon town council to pick
  up ten vials of holy water at the shrine. When the characters
  arrive, the place is empty, and the shrine has been ransacked.
  There is no sign of anyone who worked here, but with a
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the
  characters find a silver pin displaying three parallel lightning
  bolts. This should indicate to them that worshippers of Talos
  are in town.
  Townmaster's Hall
  This stone building has a wooden roof, a bell tower in the
  back, and an empty job board in the front. Harbin Wester, the
  townmaster and a wealthy banker, is polite if the characters
  see him, although he seems to be worried and fretful—more
  so than usual.
  If the characters ask, he confides in them that the weather
  has been particularly fierce recently. Winds have come out of
  nowhere and damaged buildings, and three people have been
  struck by lightning.
  Also, a few people seem to have gone missing over the last
  couple of tendays. No one can say for sure, because the
  people who may be missing are visitors or travelers with no
  ties to Phandalin. It's possible that they simply left town, but
  some of them seemed to indicate that they were going to be
  around longer.
  The Attack
  When the characters are packing up to take the supplies back
  to Leilon at the end of their visit, the spies from both the Cult
  of Talos and the followers of Myrkul independently decide
  they are too big a threat to let live. (If the characters have
  already dealt with both spies, this encounter doesn't happen.)
  Use the Backlot Map to run this encounter. As the
  characters load the wagons, storm clouds descend and block
  the sun. Argus Skeel (male vampire spawn) and two ghouls,
  plus one ghoul per character, including sidekicks, approach.
  If it is daylight, Argus wears heavy clothes to protect himself.
  At the same time, Velleen Firecrow and two kobold
  dragonshields (see appendix A), plus one dragonshield per
  character, including sidekicks, approach from the other
  direction. Velleen is a female Damaran master thief (see
  appendix A).
  As the combat begins, the two evil groups recognize each
  other, and also attack one another when appropriate. (See
  "Running a Three-sided Battle" sidebar for advice.)
  Running a Three-Sided Battle
  Combat is a highlight of the game for a large
  number of players: they love the challenge, the
  tactics, and the drama. A battle involving three
  different sides at the same time can provide all of
  those highlights writ large. Running such a combat,
  however, takes care and practice. With a three-
  sided combat, it is very easy to simply overwhelm
  the characters if you turn all the attention on the
  party. On the other hand, such a combat can be
  too easy if the other two sides simply wipe each
  other out while the adventurers watch. Below are
  some tips for running a three-sided combat:
  Start by focusing most attacks on the
  characters. Doing this establishes the tone and
  danger of the situation quickly. The players
  should be aware from the outset that if all the
  enemies turned on them at once, the encounter
  would likely go very poorly for them.
  Keep a close eye on the hit points of the
  characters. When the adventurers begin to feel
  a sense of hopelessness or peril beyond their
  capability, then have the other sides focus on
  each other for a while, giving the characters a
  chance to recover and regroup.
  Encourage tactical thinking. If one of the sides
  of the battle consists of savage monsters or
  mindless undead, give clues that they attack the
  nearest enemy rather than thinking tactically.
  This might encourage characters to move away
  from those enemies, or push other enemies
  into their path. This highlights the kind of
  tactical play that some players thrive on.
  End dramatically. Three-sided battles can
  sometimes take longer because of the number
  of combatants participating. Use your
  discretion as the DM to have the excitement of
  the battle build up rather than fizzle out. When
  it's clear that the characters have the upper
  hand, turn on the monster toward them. But
  when it is clear that the characters will be
  victorious, have the remaining enemies fall
  quickly to avoid a drawn-out and anticlimactic
  denouement.
  18
  AID FROM PHANDALIN
  
  Map 4: Backlot in Town
  19
  AID FROM PHANDALIN
  
  Aftermath
  After the characters have dealt with the spies, either
  individually through investigation or at once as they are
  packing to leave, the characters can search them for clues.
  The ghouls working for Skeel bear the same skull marks at
  the ones who attacked the Wayside Inn during the
  introduction of this adventure. Skeel's clothes are riddled
  with thorns and barbed seeds from plants that are only found
  in the Mere of Dead Men. This can indicate to the characters
  that the larger undead threat may stem from that marsh.
  Velleen and her kobolds each conceal hidden symbols of
  the Cult of Talos. She also carries a case containing a pair of
  lenses and a note in Common that says, "The lenses show
  the secrets of the map." If these lenses are used to view the
  map found in the basement of the Wayside Inn, it reveals
  secret writing that points out various other locations of Cult
  of Talos activity up and down the Sword Coast, with the
  Thunder Cliffs circled as the central hub of activity.
  20
  AID FROM PHANDALIN
  
  Foul Weather at Wayside
  "FOUL WEATHER AT WAYSIDE" IS BALANCED FOR
  characters of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should
  be able to survive the encounters.
  Location Overview
  As the characters played the "Attack on the Wayside Inn"
  introductory encounter earlier in this adventure, they should
  be familiar with the place, as well as the key NPCs who work
  and dwell there. However, they probably did not learn all of its
  secrets!
  Most of the staff employed at the Wayside Inn are cultists
  of Talos who follow the dark teachings of Fheralai
  Stormsworn, a priest of the Stormbringer. Although the inn's
  owner does not know this, the bartender, Backes Dunfield, is
  a lieutenant of Stormsworn, fully pledged to the subjugation
  of the Sword Coast by his master. The rest of the cultists at
  the Wayside Inn see Backes as their leader however, to be
  protected and obeyed in any circumstance.
  The local cultists have received orders to kidnap a local
  bard, Tarbin Tul, and then turn the Wayside Inn into a shrine
  to Talos. From this point, they would establish a series of
  shrines up and down the High Road, allowing them to bend
  the weather to their will and choke off travel and trade
  between the civilized areas of the northern Sword Coast.
  As they draw power into the shrine within the Wayside Inn,
  the cultists summon storms to do the bidding of their master.
  This results in foul weather and raging skies appearing right
  above the inn, while the rest of the area is sunny and calm. If
  the adventurers can intervene in time, they can stop the ritual
  and save Leilon from destructive weather in their immediate
  future.
  Quest Goals
  To complete the Foul Weather at Wayside quest (see "Leilon
  Quests"), the adventurers must defeat the cultists of Talos at
  the Wayside Inn, destroy the shrine of Talos before it is fully
  activated, rescue the sacrifices, and find clues to the location
  of the cultists' hideout at the Thunder Cliffs.
  The Power of the Echo
  In a D&D adventure, as in any narrative enterprise,
  repetition is a powerful tool. Images or symbols,
  when repeated, become a pattern that strengthens
  a story. Subtle differences in repeated scenes can
  add to the horror, comedy, or drama of a situation.
  In this case, the characters return to the location
  of the first encounter in this adventure: the
  Wayside Inn. Some of the descriptions, details, and
  actions in this encounter are meant to echo that
  first encounter. If you remember some of the
  actions that the characters took in that encounter,
  feel free to add your own echoes.
  For example, if the characters danced in the
  common room during their time at the Wayside
  Inn previously, the ritual being performed by the
  cultists could incorporate movement that harkens
  back to that dance. Although it's a small detail that
  a typical player might overlook, if even just one of
  your players gets chills or a laugh because of the
  echo, it's worth the effort.
  Travel to the Inn
  One morning, the adventurers awake to a beautiful, sunny
  day. To the north, however, in the direction of the Wayside
  Inn, storm clouds are gathering: very strange storm clouds in
  the shape of three swirling lightning bolts.
  The town council sees this strange phenomenon and
  becomes concerned. Earlier that morning a group of settlers
  left to pick up supplies at the inn. The council asks the
  adventurers to investigate immediately.
  A Violent Atmosphere. As the party is gathering their
  equipment and preparing to leave town, the group of settlers
  dispatched earlier returns, without the goods they were sent
  to retrieve. The group is soaking wet, and one of the larger
  carts is being pulled by one horse instead of two.
  One of the two soldiers that was accompanying the caravan
  reports that when the group got within a mile of the inn, the
  weather became so violent they couldn't continue. The
  driving rain, fierce winds, and hailstones the size of apples
  impeded progress to a crawl, and then one of the horses was
  struck by lightning and killed.
  When they retreated just a few hundred yards back down
  the High Road toward Leilon, the weather was perfectly calm
  again. The group decided not to risk trying to complete the
  journey to the inn, but the other soldier sent to guard the
  caravan agreed to stay and keep an eye on the situation.
  21
  FOUL WEATHER AT WAYSIDE
  
  Encounters on the Way
  The characters have the following encounters as they travel
  to the Wayside Inn.
  Armor of Talos. When the characters get to the point
  where the bad weather starts, the soldier who stayed behind
  to observe is being attacked by the three suits of armor. (The
  characters might remember the armor from the Wayside Inn
  on their previous visit.) Use the following read-aloud text to
  set the scene:
  A wall of storms surges and howls in the distance. The sunny,
  mild weather gives way immediately to rain and hail, violent
  winds, and electrical discharges. Passing in and out of the wall
  are three figures in plate armor, each swinging a flail at a lone
  figure in splint armor wielding a longsword. The lone fighter,
  taking on the three in plate, wears the emblem of the Leilon
  garrison.
  The soldier, a veteran named Emmalou, is fighting off three
  air elemental myrmidons (see appendix A). These suits of
  armor were the same ones crafted by the Wayside Inn's
  blacksmith, Teega. If the characters don't remember seeing
  the armor on their previous encounter at the inn, feel free to
  remind them. Also, if any character stole a suit of the armor
  and is wearing it now, it falls off the character and animates
  as another hostile air elemental myrmidon!
  Curse of Talos. If a character is hit with a lightning strike
  attack from any of the myrmidons, and then fails their saving
  throw and becomes stunned, a mark resembling three
  parallel lightning bolts appears on their head. It can only be
  removed by a remove curse spell, and its effects are noted
  later in this quest.
  Note that three of these creatures is a deadly encounter,
  even for 6 characters of 8th level. For fewer characters, or for
  lower level characters, have the enemies start at half their
  normal hit points, and allow Emmalou to assist the
  characters for longer than normal by increasing her hit
  points.
  The Creeping Storm. The combat takes place at the edge
  of where the stormy weather rages. The air elemental
  myrmidons are bolstered by the storm but are weaker when
  outside it. The edge of the storm expands outward at a rate of
  5 feet per round, on initiative count 20.
  If the myrmidons are within the storm, their melee attacks
  are made with advantage. If they can be tempted outside the
  storm's area, they attack with disadvantage and have
  disadvantage on saving throws. They move out of the storm
  only if they have no targets to attack in melee within the
  storm.
  Aftermath. If the characters defeat the myrmidons and
  Emmalou is still alive, the salty and experienced survivor of
  many battles can relay the following additional information:
  The stormy area is slowly growing larger. Emmalou had to
  retreat several hundred yards to remain outside the zone.
  She has no idea what is causing it, but such blatant and
  powerful forces of magic are nothing she wants to be
  involved with if she has a choice in the matter.
  When she was in the stormy area, the lightning was
  everywhere, but it never struck the suits of armor even
  though they were made of metal.
  She was almost struck a few times, but she kept repeating
  prayers to Talos, and she thinks that is the only thing that
  saved her.
  She does not want to enter the stormy area and does not
  do so unless a character convinces her with a successful
  DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
  Lightning Strikes
  When the characters enter the storm zone around the
  Wayside Inn, they must contend with the weather, which
  becomes an enemy more deadly than most they have faced.
  As the party travels to the Wayside Inn through the storm,
  have each character roll a d6 for the number of times they are
  struck by lightning as they approach. If a character attempts
  to pray to Talos and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence
  (Religion) check, they are not hit by any of the strikes.
  For each strike, a character must succeed on a DC 15
  Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) lightning damage,
  or no damage on a successful save.
  Any characters carrying the cursed symbol of Talos from
  the fight with the myrmidons has disadvantage on those
  saving throws as well as on the checks to pray to Talos to be
  spared.
  Arrival
  When the characters arrive at the inn, use the following read-
  aloud text to describe the situation outside the inn:
  The buffeting winds and violent precipitation grow more
  intense the closer you get to the inn. Your vision is hampered
  to the point you can only see clearly within thirty feet.
  Lights coming from the inn reveal a strange scene. Six
  humanoid creatures stand at the main doors, the same doors
  that the undead creatures were attacking the first time you
  encountered this place. The figures seem to be pounding on
  the doors, although they are hampered by the weather.
  The Victims
  The creatures clawing at the doors are not monsters at all.
  The cultists have used small tridents to impale six
  humanoids victims to the doors, leaving them to die as
  offerings to power their terrible ritual.
  Once characters are within 30 feet of the poor souls, they
  can attempt a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, with
  disadvantage due to the pouring rain, to realize that these
  people (commoners) are staked to the doors by small
  tridents and trying to pull themselves off. They each only have
  1 hit point and are restrained.
  Unless the tridents can be pulled out with a soft touch,
  requiring a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or
  Wisdom (Medicine) check, the removal does 4 (1d8) points of
  damage, and easily kills the victim.
  22
  FOUL WEATHER AT WAYSIDE
  
  Map 5: Wayside Inn
  Inside the Inn
  The cultists of Talos are performing a ritual inside the
  Wayside Inn. The doors and windows to the building are
  locked but can be opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity
  check using thieves' tools. Also, the doors and windows have
  an AC of 12 and break with 25 points of damage.
  Magical runes, as per the glyph of warding spell, protect
  the cloak room and barn doors. If the party opens the doors
  without first removing or disabling the runes, they take
  thunder damage as per the spell.
  A window at the back of the inn on the second floor is open
  (see "The Upstairs" below). A successful DC 10 Strength
  (Athletics) check to climb to the window gives characters
  access to the inn without having to go through the more
  dangerous front doors.
  The Common Area and Courtyard. In the common area
  and courtyard, the ritual is underway to fully activate the
  statue of Talos, which is currently in the basement.
  The Ritual
  Backes (Illuskan human gladiator) leads the
  chanting in the common area as cult fanatics (one
  for every two characters rounded down, excluding
  sidekicks) walk back and forth between the
  common area and the courtyard, making sure the
  ritual is progressing according to plan. Spread out
  between the two areas are cultists (one per
  character) with tridents, guarding several bound
  victims who will be sacrificed at the conclusion of
  the ritual.
  The ritual takes 10 minutes to complete after
  the characters arrive on the scene. If they do
  nothing but watch, describe how the chanting
  from inside gets louder, how the weather gets
  darker and even more dangerous, and how terrible
  faces appear in the clouds. If this doesn't urge
  them to act, the ritual will be completed, and the
  adventurers must deal with the consequences (see
  "Aftermath" below for details).
  23
  FOUL WEATHER AT WAYSIDE
  
  Upstairs. The cultists believe they cleared the rooms of all
  guests, using them as sacrifices to power their ritual.
  However, one sneaky individual avoided capture.
  In the posh room at the end of the hallway (Room C on the
  map), a gnome apprentice wizard named Cray Onderquill
  hides beneath the bed. She was traveling from Neverwinter to
  Waterdeep on an errand for her master, and she decided to
  stay the night. When the cultists began grabbing people, she
  used disguise self to imitate a cultist, and then snuck away
  here to hide. She thought about climbing out the window but
  is afraid the fall might kill her. She is willing to help the
  characters in an assault on the cultists, if only by lending her
  expertise in Arcana to figure out what's happening with the
  ritual.
  Cray also reveals that not all the captives taken by cultists
  were impaled on the doors: the inn's owner, Martisha
  Vinetalker, was dragged into the basement, and a local bard,
  Tarbin Tul, was taken away on horseback. Cray thinks the
  cultists had strict orders to capture the bard alive, as he
  heard them talking about being careful with Tul.
  The Basement. The basement houses the shrine to Talos,
  where the energy from the ritual is being focused. When the
  characters lower themselves through the trap door into the
  basement, use the following read-aloud text to set the scene:
  Crates, barrels, and other containers holding food and drink
  have been pushed aside to make room for a large copper
  statue at the far side of the room. The statue depicts a four-
  armed storm god holding lightning bolts in each hand.
  Before the statue stands Teega the smith. In the corner
  behind the statue, Martisha, the inn's owner, is bound with
  rope. Her face is bruised and bloodied, but she bears no
  mortal wounds.
  Help. Martisha Vinetalker, owner of the Wayside Inn, is
  bound in the corner, watching the proceedings with a mix of
  anger and terror. If the adventurers free her, she joins the
  battle to help the party defeat the threat. Although she's now
  a respectable innkeeper, Martisha is a former bandit captain
  who's weapons are close at hand.
  Aftermath
  If the characters can defeat the cultists and the statue before
  10 minutes have elapsed, the storms gathering above the inn
  dissipate immediately, returning the calm and peaceful
  weather to the area.
  Failure. After 10 minutes have passed, the ritual has been
  completed. The characters can still defeat the enemies, but
  they must now deal with the weather. Until they defeat
  Fheralai Stormsworn, the weather along the Sword Coast
  grows more and more volatile. Land travel becomes difficult
  as the days pass, and the seas become rough. You, as the DM,
  can make the consequences of this foul weather as great or
  severe as you wish.
  Treasure. In sacks stored in the basement, the party finds
  500 gp, 5 potions of greater healing a spell scroll of call
  lightning, and a ring of water walking. More importantly,
  they find a clue to the location of the local headquarters of
  the Cult of Talos.
  Clues. The map shows a sketch of the Sword Coast
  between Waterdeep and Neverwinter. Dozens of points are
  highlighted on the map, representing places where the Cult
  of Talos hopes to establish shrines. A defeat here sets those
  plans back months, if not years.
  If used in conjunction with the magical lenses found in the
  following "Aid from Phandalin" quest, the characters can
  pinpoint a key location in the Cult of Talos' plans: the
  Thunder Cliffs.
  24
  FOUL WEATHER AT WAYSIDE
  
  House of Thalivar
   "HOUSE OF THALIVAR" IS BALANCED FOR    
  characters of 7th level, though characters of 8th level will still
  find parts of the quest challenging.
  Location Overview
  Two hundred years ago, the wizard Thalivar settled in Leilon
  and raised a high tower as a laboratory for his magical
  studies. Thalivar's field of interest was the planes of
  existence. At the top of his tower he erected a planar beacon
  that shone into other worlds, drawing strange creatures like
  moths to a flame and paralyzing them for his studies. Over
  the years, the reclusive wizard filled the tower's library with
  his research and built an impressive menagerie of monsters.
  One summer, Thalivar stopped visiting the town for
  supplies. The locals who entered his tower to investigate
  didn't return, and the House of Thalivar became a shunned
  site at the heart of Leilon, drawing adventures from afar to
  plumb its mysteries for treasure. When the cataclysmic
  Spellplague wracked Toril, the magic of the tower's planar
  beacon was redirected outward into the town, freezing the
  inhabitants where they stood and bringing ruin to the
  settlement.
  Forces from Neverwinter tore down the planar beacon and
  are refurbishing the tower for use as a garrison building.
  These efforts are led by Gallio Elibro, a powerful wizard and
  ranking member of the Order of the Many-Starred Cloak.
  Gallio has secret orders from his superiors to seize
  Thalivar's research and rebuild the planar beacon in a
  stronger form. Unfortunately, his efforts are hampered by
  ghostly activities inside the tower, which have driven away his
  military work crew. Gallio is unaware that Thalivar's spirit
  haunts the tower and possesses him each night to carry on
  its research!
  Quest Goals
  To complete the House of Thalivar quest (see "Leilon
  Quests"), the adventurers must destroy Thalivar's ghost or
  lay it to rest without harming Gallio Elibro.
  Travel to the Tower
  The House of Thalivar perches on a rocky crag in the center
  of town. The locals shun the place, and the bluff is overgrown
  with brambles and thorn bushes. A beaten trail made by
  soldiers winds up to the foot of the tower.
  Encounters on the Way
  The characters have the following encounters as they ascend
  to the tower.
  Cowardly Soldiers
  As the characters begin their ascent, they encounter four
  soldiers arguing on the path: two humans named Erlum and
  Koz, a timid dwarf named Gori, and Sgt. Yorrum. All three
  guards wear the tabards of the Neverwinter soldiery. The
  soldiers warn the characters against venturing up to the
  haunted tower. If questioned, they reveal the following
  information:
  The soldiers were working on the tower's reconstruction,
  but they fled last night after seeing a ghost.
  Before seeing the ghost, they experienced many odd
  occurrences: missing tools, strange chills, and spooky
  whispers.
  The ghost manifested as an old man with wild hair and
  burning eyes. They were working on the tower's third floor
  when it appeared.
  Their leader, the wizard Gallio Elibro, is still up at the
  tower. The soldiers are too scared to go up and check on
  him.
  Any character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Insight)
  check discerns that the soldiers are holding something back.
  If pushed, they reveal another clue:
  Gallio Elibro has been acting strangely. He appears
  overtired, and he's been spotted at night wandering around in
  his nightgown and muttering to himself.
  Strange Sighting
  Nearing the top of the crag, the characters spot a figure
  watching from the crest of the hill: a dark-skinned Turmish
  woman wearing chainmail armor. She retreats as the group
  approaches and is soon lost from sight. Characters who've
  seen the painting of the Swords of Leilon notice a startling
  resemblance to one of the long dead heroes. When they
  reach the tower, the woman is nowhere to be seen.
  Arrival
  When the characters arrive at the tower, read the following
  boxed text aloud:
  A tall, ruined tower thrusts skyward from the summit of the
  crag. Its uppermost floor is blackened with soot and has been
  cracked open like an egg, with a fissure extending down one
  side of the building. Wooden scaffolds have been recently
  erected along this flank and work is clearly apace to rebuild the
  structure. At the foot of the tower, two ruined arches open
  into the interior.
  The tower is unguarded, and the only person present is the
  wizard Gallio Elibro. Refer to "Dealing with Gallio Elibro" if
  the players call out for the wizard, or "House of Thalivar
  Locations" if they choose to explore.
  25
  HOUSE OF THALIVAR
  
  Map 6: Ruined Tower (Leilon)
  Dealing with Gallio Elibro
  Gallio Elibro is a short-tempered male Rashemi mage (with
  the legend lore spell prepared instead of cone of cold). His
  relentless studies have pushed him to the brink of
  exhaustion and his sleep is troubled (since he doesn't know
  that the ghost of Thalivar possesses him each night when he
  sleeps). Gallio wears an ink-stained robe and his curly black
  hair is tousled. His fingertips are stained with purple ink.
  Gallio is furious that his workers have abandoned their
  duties. He beseeches the group to rid the tower of any
  spectral presences so his people can return and finish the
  job. Gallio has not seen any spirits, but he doesn't doubt the
  word of his underlings. He remains in his study (area H3)
  while the characters explore. Gallio can recount the history
  of the tower to anyone who enquires.
  Gallio's Possession
  Each night, Thalivar's ghost emerges from the Ethereal
  Plane to possess Gallio while he's sleeping. Unlike normal
  ghostly possession, Gallio remains unaware that his body has
  been hijacked and placed under the effects of the spider
  climb spell. He crawls around the tower in his night gown,
  peers worriedly at the pile of rubble at the top of the tower,
  and scribbles in Thalivar's old journal (area H9). If
  confronted, he uses Horrifying Visage to scare away his
  enemies or tries to defeat them in combat (see "Confronting
  Thalivar's Ghost" for information on how the ghost fights).
  Thalivar does not hesitate to abandon Gallio's body if he feels
  threatened.
  Ghostly Events
  Thalivar's ghost tries to scare away anyone who enters his
  tower. As the characters explore, roll on the Ghostly Events
  table to introduce creepy phenomena, or invent your own!
  Ghostly Events
  d6 Event
  1 A sudden gust of wind extinguishes any open flames.
  2 A character sees their own reflection age in a puddle
  or pane of glass.
  3 Books hurl themselves from a shelf.
  4 Any pets or animals with the group hiss, bark, or back
  away from an empty corner of the room.
  5 Any rations that the group carries with them suddenly
  spoil and rot.
  6 A voice is heard whispering from a dark corner, but
  nobody is there.
  Confronting Thalivar's Ghost
  Characters may try to summon Thalivar's ghost using magic,
  a séance, or any other ploy they can devise. Remember that
  his spirit is insane and believes it is living in a nightmare. It
  does not want to parley and retreats into the Ethereal Plane
  at the first sign of trouble.
  26
  HOUSE OF THALIVAR
  
  Once per day, when Thalivar's ghost returns to the Ethereal
  Plane, it chants a magical phrase that summons a star
  spawn mangler (see appendix A) into the tower for every
  two members in the party, including sidekicks. Defeating
  Thalivar's ghost in combat is difficult, so the players are
  better off finding a way to lay it to rest using the clues in the
  tower.
  Tower Features
  The House of Thalivar is an 80-foot-tall stone
  tower that has fallen into ruin.
  Ceilings. Ceilings inside the tower are 20 feet
  high and vaulted. The fourth floor is open to the
  sky, and a large portion of the third-floor ceiling
  has caved in where the planar beacon once resided.
  Light. By day, sunlight punches into the upper
  floors through breaches in the outer wall or
  through high windows. The first floor remains
  gloomy and dimly lit even by day.
  Doors. Doors are made of wood and are
  unlocked and badly rotted. They all creak loudly
  when operated.
  Dangerous Floors. Some sections of floor are
  perilously weak and rotten. If a creature weighing
  more than 200 pounds enters these areas, the
  floor collapses underneath them. The creature
  must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
  or fall 20 feet to the floor below.
  House of Thalivar Locations
  The following locations are keyed to the map of the House of
  Thalivar.
  H1. Tower Exterior
  The tower rests on a rocky plateau. A grand portico once
  abutted the building to the west, but it fell long ago and only a
  few broken arches of masonry remain. The eastern side of
  the tower is undergoing repair; from here, characters can
  climb a ladder to ascend to the scaffolds at area H7.
  H2. Entry Hall
  The hall is strewn with rubble. Puddles of muddy rainwater
  pool over the floor and starlings' nest in the eaves of the
  arched ceiling. There is a large banquet table bearing eight
  soldiers' backpacks.
  Treasure. The packs contain three potions of healing, five
  healer's kits, and 123 gp. However, these items belong to the
  solders, and Gallio won't be pleased if the characters ransack
  them.
  H3. Gallio's Study
  The walls of this study are lined with bookshelves housing
  dozens of musty scrolls and journals taken from the library
  on the second floor. Gallio Elibro spends most of his waking
  hours in here, attempting to decipher Thalivar's coded
  research notes (see area H6). See "Dealing with Gallio
  Elibro" for advice on roleplaying the wizard if he's present
  when the characters enter the study.
  H4. Kitchen
  The tower's kitchen remains unused and is covered in a layer
  of masonry dust and rubble. The chimney over the hearth
  ascends for half the height of the tower before opening onto
  the breached third floor.
  H5. Servant's Quarters
  Thalivar was tended by his loyal faerie servant, Soapwort,
  who died when his master accidentally released a menagerie
  of extraplanar monsters into the tower. Soapwort's chamber
  has long since caved in, and his bed is buried underneath a
  pile of rubble. Characters who spend at least 30 minutes
  clearing the wreckage discover humanoid bones crushed
  underneath. Those who succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence
  (Medicine) check while examining the bones identify that
  they are fey in origin.
  Raising Soapwort
  Characters who've read Thalivar's journal (area H9)
  may be interested in raising Soapwort from the
  dead. If they have the mean to do so, the
  mysterious faerie agrees to help lay Thalivar's ghost
  to rest. The old mage gladly listens to Soapwort
  and is laid to rest when the faerie tells him that this
  life is but a dream. Soapwort returns to the Feywild
  when his job is done.
  Casting speak with dead is fruitless, as the corpse
  no longer has a mouth through which to speak.
  H6. Library
  These ruined chambers contain high shelves stacked with
  Thalivar's moldering research notes. Each chamber houses a
  large statue of a peasant girl with her forefinger pressed to
  her lips in a hushing gesture. Characters who succeed on a
  DC 15 Intelligence (Religion or Arcana) check recognize her
  as Mystra, goddess of magic.
  Thalivar's notes are written in pictographic code. Using
  magic, nothing short of a wish spell can decipher them.
  Without such magic, Gallio must decrypt them himself using
  laborious trial and error. The task is highly taxing but Gallio
  is committed to seeing it through. At short notice, characters
  who examine the notes are unlikely to have any epiphanies.
  Trapped Statues. These magical traps were disarmed by
  adventurers long ago. Close examination reveals that each
  statue has a vandalized magical symbol carved into its back.
  Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana)
  check identify these as sigils of transmutation magic. If a
  symbol is mended or reworked, the statue comes to life and
  attacks intruders. The statues are stone golems, except that
  their size is Medium. They only attack creatures they can
  hear, always targeting the creature making the most noise. If
  this is unclear, they target the creature with the lowest
  passive Dexterity (Stealth). The statues never leave the
  library.
  H7. Scaffolds
  The soldiers have shored up one side of the tower with
  scaffolds. Ladders link the rickety scaffold platforms and a
  winch at the top is used to hoist timber and masonry between
  floors.
  27
  HOUSE OF THALIVAR
  
  H8. Collapsed Rooms
  These rooms have collapsed entirely, choking this floor of the
  tower from floor to ceiling. The soldiers were in the process
  of clearing this rubble when they fled the tower and their
  picks and shovels still lie where they fell. Clearing the rubble
  would take one person a week of hard labor.
  H9. Thalivar's Bedroom
  This chamber is sealed behind rubble. A broken window is
  the only entrance, but an enchantment woven into the
  window frame prevents most creatures from entering. Any
  time a creature attempts to pass through the window it must
  make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
  creature forgets what it's doing and moves off to do
  something else. If it tries to enter the window again within
  the next hour, it automatically fails its saving throw. When
  Gallio is possessed, he can crawl freely through the window
  without being affected.
  The ruined bedchamber belonged to Thalivar and still
  contains his bed and writing desk. A journal lies open on the
  desk next to a recently uncapped ink pot. Characters who
  examine the journal discover that it is at least a hundred
  years old and written in the same hand throughout—yet there
  is a hundred-year gap between the older entries and the
  newest ones, which resumed just a few days previously. The
  journal is written in purple ink. Give the players the
  "Thalivar's Journal" as a handout, the content of which is
  reproduced in the sidebar below.
  Thalivar's Journal
  This journal belonged to the wizard Thalivar and
  details the studies he conducted inside the tower
  using a device called the Planar Beacon. The light
  of this artifact drew creatures from across the
  planes and trapped them inside the tower for him
  to study. The journal reveals how Thalivar's beacon
  unearthed a powerful magic item named the
  Ruinstone. Thalivar devoted himself to acquiring it
  —but whether he found it or not is a mystery. The
  entries stop here for over a hundred years.
  Dates on the entries and the freshness of the ink
  reveal that the later entries have been made in the
  last few days. Thalivar describes how he visits a
  ruined version of his tower in his dreams each
  night. In this dead world, he is drawn to a pile of
  rubble in the ruined chamber where his beacon
  once lay. Each time he draws close to the rubble, a
  terrible dread holds him back. Thalivar wishes his
  faerie servant Soapwort were here to assure him
  that he's dreaming, but the faerie never turns up.
  Thalivar prays that these nightmares will end soon
  so he may resume his studies in peace.
  H10. Broken Beacon
  This chamber once housed the planar beacon, but it is now in
  ruins and open to the sky. Prisoner cells line the walls, with
  bars broken and bent open as though whatever creatures
  were trapped within somehow broke out.
  Characters who search through the rubble unearth
  Thalivar's shattered skeleton. If these remains are buried
  using the ceremony spell, Thalivar's haunt is put to rest.
  Ghostly Farewell
  If the characters succeed in laying Thalivar's ghost to rest,
  they notice the same Turmish woman they saw earlier when
  they descend the hill back to town. This time, she raises her
  sword in a silent salute before disappearing.
  28
  HOUSE OF THALIVAR
  
  Missing Patrol
   "MISSING PATROL" IS BALANCED FOR CHARACTERS
  of 7th level, although characters of 8th level should also find
  the quest challenging.
  This quest is suitable to play after the characters have
  rescued Leilon in "A Normal Day in Leilon", but before they
  find all the clues that lead them to the final quest: "Thunder
  Cliffs."
  A half-orc stonemason named Breltora Red-Eye
  approaches the characters one morning, a worried
  expression on her face. She is friends with one of the
  soldiers, Private Vester Jessup. He works under Sgt. Yorrum,
  and he was set into the Mere of Dead Men as part of a
  regularly scheduled patrol. Vester told Breltora that Yorrum
  has them patrol the stretch of the High Road that runs along
  the edge of the terrible swamp to ensure that no dangerous
  creatures have established lairs there.
  Since the reestablishment of Leilon, none of these patrols
  have spotted anything more dangerous than a nest of snakes
  or a random alligator. For the first time, however, a patrol has
  failed to return. The latest patrol, comprised of four soldiers,
  including Private Vester, is a full two days late. Breltora asks
  the characters to find out what happened.
  If the characters talk to Sgt. Yorrum, he brushes off their
  concerns with a lazy wave of his hand. He says he can't spare
  any more of his troops to look into the missing soldiers,
  especially with the recent threats from the lightning
  worshippers and the undead. He tells the party that they can
  look for the missing soldiers if they want. If they ask for more
  information, he sighs and makes a production of pulling out a
  map to show the party the normal patrol area.
  Location Overview
  The Mere of Dead Men is an expansive marsh that has been a
  bane to travelers along the High Road for centuries. All
  attempts to tame the wild swamp have failed, as countless
  threats call the area home: young dragons, trolls, lizardfolk
  tribes, swamp beasts, and even more aberrant monsters. At
  best, the forces of civilization hope to keep the High Road
  safely passable to facilitate trade and travel between
  Waterdeep and the lands of the north.
  Recently, a relatively peaceful lizardfolk tribe living in the
  vicinity of the High Road was forced to relocate when a group
  of rot trolls attacked their home. This attack pushed the
  lizardfolk to move closer to the High Road, putting them into
  conflict with travelers who assumed that their appearance
  was an attack. The lizardfolk defended themselves, taking
  human prisoners, including the four soldiers from Leilon.
  The lizardfolk use most of the prisoners as a means to
  keep the rot trolls away from their traveling village. Prisoners
  are left tied up in cages, then the lizardfolk move in the
  opposite direction, hoping the trolls leave them alone in favor
  of the offering.
  Quest Goals
  To complete the Missing Patrol quest (see "Leilon Quests"),
  the adventurers must find and defeat the leaders of the
  lizardfolk tribe, fight off any pursuing rot trolls, and rescue
  the humans taken prisoner. Some of these objectives can be
  achieved through negotiation or trickery, especially when
  dealing with the lizardfolk tribe.
  Travel in the Mere
  As the party moves south on the High Road from Leilon, they
  don't find anything of import right away. Once they find
  evidence of trouble, they must move off the main path and
  deeper into the Mere of Dead Men to investigate.
  Traveling within the Mere requires ability checks to follow
  the lizardfolk's trail and avoid hazards and threats (see
  "Tracking the Lizards" below). Any time the party fails at one
  of these ability checks, roll on the Mere Encounters table
  below.
  Mere Encounters
  2d6
  Event (see below for details)
  2-3
  Yuan-ti Scouts
  4-5
  Pit of Snakes
  6-8
  Quicksand and Alligators
  9-10
  Troll Brawl
  11-12
  Hydra Wranglers
  Encounters in the Mere
  The adventurers might have the following encounters as they
  search the marsh for the missing soldiers.
  Yuan-ti Scouts
  A yuan-ti expedition from the serpent kingdom of Najara has
  been exploring the Mere of Dead Men, assessing it as a
  location for colonization—and then to serve as a launch point
  for attacks in the north.
  A yuan-ti abomination acts as an advance scout for these
  expeditions. The party comes upon him as he devours a large
  elk. The abomination does not wish anyone to know of the
  yuan-ti's plans in this area, so he attempts to kill anyone who
  sees him. If there are five or more characters (including
  sidekicks), add a second abomination.
  Pit of Snakes
  The characters lose the trail and wander into an area where
  swamp gas has built up beneath the surface of the Mere.
  Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature)
  check realize the gas is present and understand its danger.
  A pit of snakes opens to the right of the characters as they
  pass, and one giant constrictor snake, plus an additional
  snake for every character, including sidekicks, emerges from
  the pit looking for a meal.
  29
  MISSING PATROL
  
  Any magical or normal fire larger than a torch could ignite
  the swamp gas. Whenever a fire-based spell or effect is used,
  roll a d6. On a 1-2, the gas ignites. If the fire effect has an
  area, the area of the effect doubles. Also, treat all creatures in
  the area as being vulnerable to fire to approximate the extra
  damage done by the swamp gas.
  Quicksand and Alligators
  As the party loses the trail for a moment, they stumble into a
  dangerous part of the marsh with a 10-foot square, 20-foot
  deep pit of quicksand. Unless the character doing the
  tracking succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Nature) check,
  they lead the party into it. When a creature enters the area, it
  sinks 1d4 + 1 feet into the quicksand and becomes
  restrained. At the start of each of the creature's turns, it sinks
  another 1d4 feet.
  If the creature isn't completely submerged in quicksand, it
  can escape by using its action and succeeding on a Strength
  check, DC 10 plus the number of feet the creature has sunk
  already. A creature that is completely submerged in
  quicksand can't breathe (see the suffocation rules in the
  Player's Handbook).
  A creature not sunk in the quicksand can pull another
  creature within its reach out of a quicksand pit by using its
  action and succeeding on a Strength check, DC 5 plus the
  number of feet the target creature has sunk into the
  quicksand.
  While the party deals with the quicksand, a giant crocodile
  and its young (one crocodile per 2 characters) emerge from
  the swamp and attack.
  Troll Brawl
  While following the trail of the lizardfolk, the party comes
  across three trolls fighting over the remains of a lizardfolk
  who died at the hands of one of the rot trolls. The trolls claw
  and bite each other, trying to take possession of the tasty
  lizardfolk remains.
  When the characters find the trolls, they are each at half
  their starting hit points. If the characters can remain quiet,
  the trolls beat each other up even more, until they are all
  down to a quarter of their starting hit points.
  The first troll to die carries a sack, and in it there are three
  vials of acid (see the Player's Handbook for details).
  Hydra Wranglers
  After hearing rumors of a hydra lairing in the Mere of Dead
  Men, a Waterdhavian circus owner hired a band of
  mercenaries to go into the swamp, locate the hydra, capture
  it, and bring it back to Waterdeep to be the main attraction in
  the circus. Little did the mercenaries realize that one does
  not simply capture a hydra.
  The adventurers lose the correct trail and pick up on the
  trail of the mercenaries. When they arrive on the scene,
  several mercenaries are dead, and the remaining three are
  preparing to flee.
  The hydra has a number of active heads equal to the
  number of characters and 30 hit points per character,
  excluding sidekicks. The mercenaries are of little use in the
  battle. They do, however, carry five vials of alchemist's fire
  (see the Player's Handbook for details) in order to deal with
  any extra heads that might spring up. At the end of the battle,
  the mercenaries offer the characters any vials left over, along
  with 50 gp for saving their lives.
  Tracking the Lizards
  When the party arrives at the area where the map shows the
  start of the patrol route, they come upon a worrisome scene.
  Use the read-aloud text below to describe the area:
  The map shows that the area you now travel is where the High
  Road runs into the edge of the Mere of Dead Men. The Leilon
  soldiers start their patrol into the Mere here. Just off the path,
  the wet earth is dug up by battle, and bloodstains dot the
  ground.
  An examination of the area finds a broken cart half-buried in
  the mud, a broken sword blade, and some buttons from a
  jacket worn by Leilon soldiers. An obvious trail also leads
  west, deeper into the Mere of Dead Men.
  With a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check, the
  adventurers can also learn the following:
  A large number of tracks are apparent. Most are made by
  bipedal lizards of various sizes. Some are booted prints
  the size of humans.
  There are strange ruts in the mud that look like dual-
  tracked sleds. The ruts are deep enough that the sleds are
  probably pulling a great deal of weight.
  On top of the mud along the tracks are several trails of
  slimy residue, like those created by snails as they move.
  Following the Tracks
  Most of the time, the tracks are easy to follow. However,
  occasionally the trail runs through very swampy water, and
  tracking becomes more difficult.
  In order to catch up to the lizardfolk tribe, the party must
  succeed on three DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) checks. On a
  failed check, roll on the Mere Encounters table for a random
  encounter in the swamp. Note that anyone attempting or
  aiding with the Survival checks to follow the tracks cannot
  attempt Wisdom (Perception) checks to spot random
  encounters, as they are too focused on the details of tracking.
  After three successful Survival checks are attained, the
  characters come upon the lizardfolk tribe as they stop for a
  rest. Move on to "Fighting the Lizards" below.
  Fighting the Lizards
  Use the Missing Patrol Map for this encounter.
  The characters have braved the swampland, tracking the
  lizardfolk tribe and their mobile village. The lizardfolk have
  finally stopped to rest, giving the party the chance to catch
  them. As the characters come upon the lizardfolk, use the
  following read-aloud text to set the scene:
  30
  MISSING PATROL
  
  Map 7: Lizardfolk Camp
  Ahead of you, the sound of murmuring and hissing voices
  rises above the droning of insects. Several carts fitted with
  sled rails are being pulled by giant snails with thick
  appendages protruding from their heads. Most of the carts
  carry lizardfolk of various ages and size, but two of them bear
  cages. Each cage contains four humans, and you recognize
  four of them, by their uniform, as the soldiers you were sent to
  rescue. A tall lizardfolk addresses the fifty or so of his fellows,
  and they scatter, performing the tasks of setting up camp. A
  larger, bestial-looking lizardfolk moves closer to the leader, as
  if waiting for directions.
  Adventurers who understand Draconic learn that the tall
  lizardfolk is the leader. He is ordering his followers to feed
  the prisoners and see to the needs of the rest of the group. He
  also orders the large lizardfolk next to him to go off into the
  swamp, scout for enemies, and bring back something to cook.
  The eight humans inside the two cages include the four
  soldiers from Leilon, one of whom is Private Vesper, as well
  as four humans who were part of a merchant caravan that
  foolishly attacked the lizardfolk when they saw the creatures
  moving through the swamp.
  Lizardfolk Forces
  The leader is a lizardfolk subchief (see appendix A) called
  Hissain. The large lizardfolk with him is a lizardfolk render
  (see appendix A) whom the others call Slosh. The warriors
  who follow Hissain's orders are normal lizardfolk, and there
  is one per character, including sidekicks. The sleds and cages
  are pulled by flail snails (see appendix A), but only one of
  those creatures' attacks (the one next to Hissain), unless they
  are attacked first. The rest of the lizardfolk in the tribe are
  young, elderly, and other noncombatants.
  The Unfolding Situation
  The party might handle this situation in several ways. If they
  are a typical adventuring party, they charge in without a plan.
  However, they might favor caution and knowledge over brute
  force.
  A more cautious party can better catch the lizards unaware
  and might even learn more about the tribe's own troubles.
  The subchief Hissain orders one of the lizardfolk to start
  boiling a pot of water to "leave the trolls a distraction." He
  then discusses plans, after the tribe has rested, to leave the
  cooked human here, and take the traveling village in a
  different direction to keep the tribe safe from the rot trolls.
  This could give the party some information on a peaceful
  resolution.
  If the party approaches peacefully and succeeds on some
  DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) checks, they might convince
  the lizardfolk to release the prisoners if the party defeat the
  rot trolls for them.
  31
  MISSING PATROL
  
  A Rotten Way to Die
  When you, as the DM, feel it is most appropriate, the
  interactions between the party and the lizardfolk tribe are
  interrupted when one of the rot trolls (see appendix A)
  infesting the area shows up, looking for dinner.
  If the adventurers slaughtered the lizardfolk combatants
  without trying to parley, they have no assistance in fighting
  the rot troll. If the battle is still going on, all the remaining
  lizardfolk combatants immediately turn their attention to the
  troll. This new situation might be the impetus for a peaceful
  resolution to hostilities between the lizardfolk and the party.
  Defeating one rot troll is a good start, but in order to
  peacefully release the prisoners, the lizardfolk insist that the
  characters defeat a total of three rot trolls. They can
  accomplish this by hunting the remaining two trolls in the
  swamp, or they can wait until the trolls come to them, which
  doesn't take more than 24 hours after killing the first.
  Aftermath
  The party can rescue the prisoners either by defeating the
  lizardfolk tribe, finding common ground with the tribe by
  defeating the rot trolls, some combination of the two, or by
  coming up with a solution of their own.
  If successful, the characters can free the four merchants,
  who offer a total of 500 gp for their rescue, and also lead the
  soldiers back to Leilon.
  If the characters were able to strike a deal with the
  lizardfolk tribe, they might even convince them to move
  closer to Leilon, where they can establish a mutual defense
  pact, trade of goods and food, or some other beneficial and
  peaceful coexistence.
  32
  MISSING PATROL
  
  Thunder Cliffs
  "THUNDER CLIFFS" IS BALANCED FOR CHARACTERS
  of 8th level, though characters of 7th level should be able to
  survive the encounters.
  Location Overview
  The Thunder Cliffs were named by the people in the area for
  the sounds that the surf makes as it crashes into this high
  bluff overlooking the Sea of Swords. The Cliffs rest along the
  coastline halfway between the Mere of Dead Men and the city
  of Neverwinter.
  The caves at the base of the Thunder Cliffs were once a
  haven for pirates, smugglers, and legitimate seafaring vessels
  looking for a safe place to wait out coastal storms. The shore
  there is inaccessible except by sea, making it the perfect
  haven for sea travelers.
  Unfortunately, the Cult of Talos decided to use the caves of
  the Thunder Cliffs as a base of operations in the area, turning
  the place into a graveyard for ships and sailors alike. The
  anchorites used magic to install dangerous reefs in the area,
  proving deadly to vessels traveling the coast.
  Now the cultists of Talos collect the goods from the
  wrecked ships to fund their operation. They imprison
  survivors from the wrecks to sell as slaves, to die in the
  twisted rites that honor their violent god, or to feed the
  monsters that share the caves with them.
  Quest Goals
  To complete the Thunder Cliffs quest (see "Leilon Quests"),
  the adventurers must find passage to the caves of the
  Thunder Cliffs, navigate the deadly waters, make it to shore
  when their transportation goes awry, and then clear the caves
  of the dangers there.
  Travel to the Cliffs
  Using the map found in the quest "Foul Weather at
  Wayside" and the magical lenses found in the quest "Aid
  from Phandalin," the adventurers should understand that
  the hub of cultist activity in the area is located at the Thunder
  Cliffs.
  Valdi Estapaar is the best person in Leilon to counsel the
  characters on finding passage to the Thunder Cliffs. Use the
  bullet points below to guide that conversation:
  The fishing boats used by the fishing fleet of Leilon are
  not capable of making the trip to the Thunder Cliffs. The
  seas have been too rough, and the waves on the open
  ocean would crush the smaller fishing vessels. However,
  the town of Leilon will pay for the characters' passage on
  another vessel.
  Valdi can, however, use her knowledge of the seafarers in
  the area to find them some possible people who could
  take them to the Thunder Cliffs. The area at the base of
  the Thunder Cliffs, once you reach it, is known for being
  peaceful and welcoming to vessels.
  She has two vessels and captains in mind who frequently
  travel along the Sword Coast, transporting goods on
  behalf of merchants, as well as carrying travelers. Both
  are trustworthy and should be traveling toward the
  Thunder Cliffs within the next tenday.
  The first is Stands in Tar, a jovial if slightly off-kilter
  tabaxi. She is known for her recklessness, but her daring
  has also earned her a reputation for being able to do the
  impossible. Her corsair (sailing ship), the Dancing Delight,
  is fast and agile.
  The other is Kristoffen, a white dragonborn. He is
  calculating, efficient, and somber. He captains a galley
  called the Ice Floe, which is specially outfitted to break
  through the icy waters of the far north.
  Meeting the Captains
  Within a few days, the two captains arrive via rowboat
  through the marsh to talk to the party. Their vessels are
  anchored out at sea, awaiting the party if they are selected as
  the method of conveyance.
  The Interview
  Valdi Estapaar brings the tabaxi Stands in Tar and the
  dragonborn Kristoffen before the characters to allow them to
  ask questions of the two captains. They each plead their case
  for being the best ship and crew for the job.
  Stands in Tar staggers slightly as she stands. A successful
  DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that the tabaxi has
  been in the rum-soaked catnip and is not totally sober. She
  does, however, plead her case eloquently. Her ship is faster
  and more agile, and her crew smaller and less likely to gossip
  about their mission. There isn't a ship on the sea that the
  Dancing Delight can't outmaneuver or outrun on the open
  ocean.
  Kristoffen looks at Stands in Tar with a mixture of disgust
  and horror, shaking his head in disbelief that anyone would
  even consider choosing the drunken tabaxi and her ship over
  him and his. He explains to the party that his ship is more
  reliable and safer, which they might need on the seas that
  have become more violent of late. He goes on to reveal that
  he's heard rumors that the once-safe caves at the base of the
  Thunder Cliffs have recently become more dangerous. Stand
  in Tar scoffs at that idea.
  A Secret Agent
  Feel free to roleplay the interactions here as much or as little
  as you are comfortable. If the characters ask to get a read on
  the attitudes of the two captains, Stands in Tar is pretty much
  as advertised: competent but foolhardy, experienced but
  overly confident.
  Kristoffen, on the other hand, is hiding something. With a
  successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check, a character can
  sense that the dragonborn is nervous and hiding something.
  If confronted, he says that he just has a bad feeling about
  traveling to the Thunder Cliffs, but he is willing to do so for
  the payment and the friendship he shares with Valdi
  Estapaar.
  33
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  Kristoffen has recently been converted into the Cult of Talos.
  There is no evidence of this on his person, but back on the
  Ice Floe the characters might find some if they snoop in his
  quarters.
  A Decision
  At some point, the characters must decide which vessel and
  captain they prefer. The town covers the cost of passage there
  and back for the characters, and both captains ask the same
  fare, so that should not enter into the decision.
  Whomever the party chooses is pleased, and the other
  captain simply accepts the decision and walks away. They are
  both ready to go as soon as the characters are.
  If for any reason the characters attack Kristoffen because
  they learn of his affiliation with the Cult of Talos, he defends
  himself. Kristoffen (use half-red dragon veteran statistics
  but replace fire with cold in attacks and resistances) can
  summon a pair of air elementals that serve him on behalf of
  Talos, which appear at the end of the first round of combat.
  Encounters on the Way
  The characters have the following encounters as they travel
  to the Thunder Cliffs. The encounters may play slightly
  differently depending on the vessel and captain that the party
  chose.
  Mutinous Intentions
  Regardless of which vessel the characters choose, some of
  the crew have their own intentions and are dissatisfied with
  the leadership of their captain.
  The crew of the Ice Floe is unhappy because their captain
  has been acting differently within the last couple of months.
  He has turned down more lucrative contracts to sail
  northwest to the Moonshae Isles in order to stay closer to
  Neverwinter. This has meant less pay for the crew, which they
  are not pleased about.
  The crew of the Dancing Delight is unhappy because their
  captain has been even more reckless and unpredictable than
  usual, causing them to lose pay, since merchants have begun
  to eschew using Stand in Tar's ship and crew for important
  and profitable jobs.
  The Moment of Truth
  A day into the journey, after the party has heard some
  grumbling among the sailors, the crew confronts the captain.
  Regardless of the vessel, the mutiny is led by Castisha
  (female Calishite swashbuckler; see appendix A), the first
  mate. She is backed by four sailors (bandits) per character,
  excluding sidekicks.
  The captain (of either ship) refuses to turn over control of
  the ship peacefully. Castisha offers to let the captain get into a
  dingy and go ashore safely, but if they don't go peacefully, the
  mutineers are willing to do it the hard way. The mutineers
  make it clear they will not hurt the party and will honor the
  contract that was agreed upon.
  Allow the Mutiny
  Without the characters' help, neither captain can defeat the
  mutineers. If the adventurers do nothing, the mutiny
  succeeds.
  Talk
  The adventurers may attempt to speak on behalf of the
  captain, hoping to talk the mutineers out of their plans.
  Castisha has already made up her mind, and nothing short of
  magical compulsion can get her to back down. The rest of the
  mutineers, however, are willing to listen to reasons why they
  shouldn't overthrow their captain. Set the DC for succeeding
  at 15, and then adjust based on the tactics the characters use.
  For example, if one of the characters shoots a fireball into
  the sky to intimidate the sailors into standing down, the
  Charisma (Intimidation) check to cow the sailors might just
  be DC 10, or it might even succeed automatically.
  Fight
  The adventurers are much more powerful than the sailors,
  even though they are outnumbered. If the characters defeat at
  least half the sailors, or Castisha and a quarter of the sailors,
  the mutiny ceases immediately.
  Bad News
  As the party's ship sails north toward the Thunder Cliffs, a
  southward-sailing vessel approaches them. The ships drop
  anchor and the captain of the other vessel, called the Uneasy
  Alliance, comes aboard the ship.
  This captain, a human named Captain Starling Winchet,
  trades stories and ale with the captain and crew of the
  characters' ship. She tells a tale that is of particular interest
  to the adventurers. While the Uneasy Alliance was passing
  near the Thunder Cliffs, they spotted a great deal of
  wreckage, which likely came from the waters directly before
  the caves there. They did see any survivors or salvageable
  wreckage, so they steered very clear of the area.
  Captain Winchet also relays that she's heard other sailors
  talking about seeing a ghost ship in this area recently. The
  ship is only seen from a distance, but it is as hazy as the
  smoke from a cannon and emits a low moaning sound that
  carries across the water. She hasn't personally seen the ghost
  ship, but she feels obligated to pass along the information.
  Ghost Ship
  As the party's ship gets closer to the Thunder Cliffs, the
  spectral ship that the characters heard about approaches.
  Use the following read-aloud text to set the scene:
  The skies darken and a thick mist rises from the water,
  obscuring sight around the ship. The crew swears and make
  superstitious signs. Then, from the crow's nest, a voice
  screams, "Ghost ship ahead." Before the words can even
  register, spectral figures emerge from the mist, swooping up
  onto the decks.
  One allip per three adventurers (rounded down) and two
  specters per character, excluding sidekicks, use the cover of
  the mist to approach the ship. The allip's howling babble
  instantly stuns everyone on the ship except the adventurers,
  as the crew collapses in a heap. Even if they get up during the
  battle, the sailors are terrified and do nothing but flee and
  cower under the undead assault.
  34
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  While the allips attack, the characters can understand a few
  snippets of recognizable words in their babbling, including
  "we know of the ruinstone... that never happens" and "the
  Ebondeath rises but cannot fly" and "the bronze points the
  way to the green."
  The Sea Less Traveled
  The adventure assumes that the characters access
  the caves of the Thunder Cliffs via the sea.
  Reaching the caves via the top of the Thunder
  Cliffs would mean a dangerous trek through hostile
  territory, then a long climb (or fall) from the top of
  the cliffs to the surf below. Still, some players, as
  soon as you tell them they cannot do something,
  want to do just that. If they insist, let them.
  The trek from Leilon to the Thunder Cliffs should
  trigger many encounters with undead creatures
  from the army of Ularan Mortus, random ogre and
  giant attacks, and confrontations with other hostile
  beasts, humanoids, and monsters.
  The top of the cliffs is home to a tribe of Talos-
  worshipping aarakocra who act as a guard for the
  cult. Many will attack when the characters
  approach, but some will hang back and see what
  happens. If the characters succeed in defeating the
  group, the rest of the aarakocra pester the party as
  they try to climb down the 800-foot-high cliffs.
  And, of course, the invisible stalker and manticores
  are always ready to attack intruders.
  Arrival
  After the drama on the high seas, the party's transport finally
  arrives in the vicinity of the Thunder Peaks. The tops of the
  cliffs are visible for a great distance, long before the party can
  see the caves along the shoreline.
  Heeding the words of Captain Winchet, the captain of the
  party's vessel drops anchor at least a mile offshore, telling the
  adventurers that the vessel cannot get any closer based on
  what they've learned on the trip. The characters are welcome
  to take a large rowboat the rest of the way. The ship will wait
  here until they return, or for five days, whichever comes first.
  From here, the characters must either use the rowboat
  attached to the ship (2-8 people can fit in and operate the
  boat) or find their own way to the shore.
  Threats by Air
  As the adventurers set off toward the caves, guardians
  serving the cultists of Talos sense their presence and attack.
  One invisible stalker flies down from the cliffs to attempt
  to upend the rowboat. Manticores (one per two characters,
  excluding sidekicks) follow from their perches in the cliff
  face.
  Talos is Angry
  The water and air, which have been relatively peaceful until
  now, suddenly turn violent as the party approaches shore.
  Jagged reefs magically spring up out of the water. The reefs
  can be avoided in the maneuverable rowboat, but a larger
  ship would have been torn apart on the rocks.
  Flying creatures not sent by Talos must succeed on a DC
  15 Strength saving throw at the start of each turn. On a failed
  save, severe winds drive them into the water.
  Creatures in the water find the rough waves treacherous.
  Creatures without a swim speed must succeed on a DC 10
  Strength (Athletics) check to take an action without going
  under. On a failed check, or if the creature takes an action
  without attempting the check, that creature begins to drown
  (see "Suffocating" in the Player's Handbook).
  Sea Galley
  The previous guardians are not the only creatures that
  protect the shore in the service of Talos. A huge giant crab
  (see appendix A), or two crabs if there are more than four
  characters, including sidekicks, floats under the surface 200
  feet from shore. It waits until a boat or swimming creatures
  pass above it, then it swims up and attacks, tipping over the
  boat if it is still in use. If creatures are flying, the crab waits
  until they land on shore, then rushes out to attack.
  35
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  Map 8: Caverns at Thunder Cliffs
  Thunder Cliffs Caves
  The caves at the base of the Thunder Cliffs, used by seafarers
  for centuries, are now controlled by the Cult of Talos. A
  tyrannical and supremely devout servant of Talos, Gadrille
  the Reef-Reaver, oversees the operations here. She's a trusted
  lieutenant of Fheralai Stormsworn, who knows that Gadrille
  isn't exactly stable, but her unswaying devotion to the cause
  of the Cult of Talos makes her a great and feared commander.
  The map of the Thunder Cliffs Caves represents the cave
  system at low tide. The yellow parts of the map show the
  sandy areas that become flooded at high tide. The water-filled
  areas within the caves themselves are always there, flooded
  even at low tide.
  The operation undertaken by the Cult of Talos here is not
  complicated. They lure unsuspecting ships close to the caves,
  wreck the ships on the magical reefs, capture the crew, and
  drag the wreckage into the caves. Anything worthwhile is
  salvaged and sold, and the prisoners are either sold to slavers
  or sacrificed to Talos.
  With the gold earned through this terrible operation, the
  Cult of Talos funds operatives along the coast and the High
  Road, who (like the group at the Wayside Inn) hope to
  establish shrines that will eventually put the Cult of Talos in
  control of the area.
  1. Unsure Shore
  The shoreline, where the water meets the sandy beach,
  crashes with the breaking waves. The echoes formed within
  the caves reverberate back, filling the air with a sound like
  the crashing of thunder.
  The shore is lined with thin wire treated with a modified
  version of the alarm spell. Water and other natural
  circumstances do not trigger the spell, but any humanoid
  creatures that trip the wires cause an alarm to sound within
  the caves, alerting the cultists that intruders are present.
  The wires can be spotted with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
  (Perception) check. Getting to shore without tripping the
  wires is practically impossible, but the wires can be disarmed
  with a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, or the alarm
  spell can be suppressed for an hour using dispel magic.
  2. Unhappy Cultists
  If the characters are able to approach without tripping the
  alarm, they might hear some disgruntled cultists talking
  while they work. If the alarm was tripped, the cultists wait
  with weapons drawn and cannot be surprised.
  If the adventurers get a chance to hear the cultists talking,
  use the following read-aloud text to portray that conversation:
  A severely damaged ship leans against a ledge. Atop the ledge,
  a handful of workers offload crates, boxes, and barrels from
  the ship. They grumble and grouse about this menial labor,
  agreeing that they did not seek the power of the Stormlord to
  be forced into playing the part of glorified longshoremen.
  36
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  Sea Hags
  A Better Offer?
  The party could avoid a fight here if they understand the
  frustration of the cultists and go in immediately with a better
  offer. To get the dialogue started on a good note, one of the
  characters must approach the group and talk to them. A
  successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion)
  checks convinces the disgruntled cultists to listen.
  The party might also pretend to be other members of the
  cult who are seeking volunteers to do more exciting work
  elsewhere. They might offer to kill the current leader and put
  the workers in charge, or they might come up with a totally
  different plan.
  Whatever the party's tactics allow the roleplaying to carry
  the encounter until it's time to resolve the situation. If the
  adventurers make a compelling offer to the cultists, they
  might do what the party wants with no check. If the outcome
  is uncertain, have the party make a final ability check to
  figure what happens. On a failure, the cultists attack. The
  cultists here (spies) number two per character, including
  sidekicks.
  Success!
  On a success, however, the party now has a valuable
  resource. The cultists are unlikely to turn traitor completely
  and join the characters, but they might give the characters
  valuable information about who and what lives in the caves,
  where the important areas are, and anything else they might
  need to know.
  3. Sea Hag Coven
  In this cave, strategically separated from the rest of the
  complex, a coven of three sea hags carry out their own
  gruesome plans in alongside those of their anchorite allies.
  Accessing the Cave In order to access this cave, a creature
  must swim through a submerged tunnel teeming with scary-
  looking fish. The fish have strange glowing eyes and large
  teeth, but they are just normal fish that have been mutated
  through the magic of the hags, and they do not attack
  swimmers.
  The Coven Cave In the cave, three sea hags chew on the
  hands and feet of sailors who drowned after being
  shipwrecked on the magical reefs. The cultists supply the
  bodies in return for help from the coven when dealing with
  special problems, and the two forces have an easy mutual-
  protection pact.
  37
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  Piles of slimy seaweed act as beds for the three sisters: Nana
  Pocktuss, Auntie Unk, and Granny Muyuk. The trio is using
  the inedible parts of the bodies to create assistants that look
  like flying skulls with long stingers. There is one skull flier
  per character, excluding sidekicks. You can find the statistics
  for these creatures in Appendix A.
  A Nice Chat
  The coven does not attack immediately. They don't get many
  visitors who aren't boring anchorites or screaming victims, so
  they invite intruders in for a nice seaweed and squid ink
  cookie.
  Auntie Unk is the newest member of the coven, and she
  spent her previous years kidnapping people off the High
  Road and dragging them into the Mere of Dead Men to eat.
  She misses news of the city and favors anyone who can
  provide gossip about Waterdeep or Neverwinter.
  Nana Pocktuss likes to dance. If any of the characters can
  play music or dance themselves, Nana Pocktuss appreciates
  a grand old hoedown to shake the rust (and maggots) out of
  her old joints.
  Granny Muyuk never could turn down a good (or even
  putrid) drop of grog. If any of the adventurers carry alcohol
  with them, regardless of its vintage or provenance, Granny
  Muyuk can smell it and asks for a taste. Those sharing
  generously earn her favor.
  If all three of the hags can be placated by catering to to
  their particular vices and interests, they are willing to spare
  the characters a fight, and they might even look the other way
  as the characters attempt to end the dominance of the Cult of
  Talos at this location. And if not, they always enjoy a good
  fight as well.
  4. The Dying Second
  While the incredibly devout Gadrille the Reef-Reaver leads
  the group of cultists at the caves, Fheralai Stormsworn
  assigned a second-in-command to assist her—with special
  instructions to keep an eye on Gadrille to ensure she doesn't
  kill all her followers in a fit of mad devotion to Talos. That
  second-in-command is Sovendahl Erkinze, a drow elite
  warrior.
  Sovendahl's bodyguards (thugs), numbering one per
  character, including sidekicks, stay with the drow no matter
  where he goes. And right now, he isn't going very far, because
  he is suffering from a curse.
  Sovendahl's duties involve overseeing the sorting,
  transportation, and sales of the stolen goods that the rest of
  the operation steals from wrecked ships. This frees Gadrille
  do what she loves most: killing others in the name of Talos.
  Recently, Sovendahl expressed opposition to some of
  Gadrille's more enthusiastic endeavors, deeming them too
  risky and likely to draw the attention of larger and more
  powerful forces, like the Waterdeep navy. Sovendahl went
  behind Gadrille's back and urged Fheralai Stormsworn to
  order Gadrille to stand down. The overzealous Gadrille did
  as she was told, but she secretly prayed to Talos, asking for a
  boon in payment for her years of devotion: curse Sovendahl
  for his cowardly caution. And Talos answered.
  The Sick Room
  When the characters encounter Sovendahl, he is resting in
  his quarters His bodyguards sort through the latest haul of
  stolen and salvaged treasure. Occasionally the drow erupts in
  a coughing spasm that brings up blood from his lungs. He is
  worried but tries not to show it.
  If combat breaks out here, Sovendahl fights bravely and
  expertly, but the exertion leads to more coughing. As the fight
  progresses, describe the drow's spasms of coughing, and
  blood spraying over the adventurers who face him. (That's
  something that can scare even the bravest barbarian!) The
  disease is not communicable, but no one has to know that.
  If at any point the characters speak with the drow about his
  affliction, pointing out that he is sick and in need of
  assistance, the drow might stop fighting and ask the
  characters if they can help him. He is willing to walk away
  from the cult to obtain a cure.
  A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that
  the ailment is not a disease, but a curse. A character who
  casts remove curse on Sovendahl earns the drow's thanks.
  As a reward, the he gives the characters a magic item has
  been storing away: a dagger of venom.
  Treasure. If the characters kill Sovendahl and his
  bodyguards, they do not find the magical dagger, which is
  hidden carefully in a secret location outside the caves. They
  do, however, get 250 gp in various coins, 3 potions of
  greater healing, and a jade brooch worth 500 gp.
  5. The Cultist's Quarters
  The cultists of Talos working under Gadrille the Reef-Reaver
  don't get a lot of time for relaxation and socializing. They
  spend most of their time out on the sea, luring unsuspecting
  ships into the reef, then salvaging the wreckages. Gadrille's
  motto is "if you're not reavin' in service to Talos, you're
  sleepin' in service to Talos."
  This area is where the cultists of the lowest standing sleep
  and eat. At any time, there are eight scouts here, sleeping in
  four bunk beds that line the walls, or eating their fish broth at
  the table in the center of the room before heading out to
  perform their tasks. The cultists here when the characters
  arrive are dedicated to their god and will not surrender or
  negotiate.
  The Blowhole
  In an alcove to the north of the room is a special feature that
  the occupants of the cave call "the blowhole." This vertical
  shaft runs both beneath the water and up into the cave
  ceiling.
  When Gadrille believes a cultist is lacking the proper
  amount of faith to be a true servant of Talos, the cultist is
  dragged here and tossed into the water of the blowhole to be
  judged. Sometimes they are pulled down into the bottom of
  the shaft, sometimes a geyser of water blows them up
  through the top of the shaft, and sometimes nothing happens.
  If nothing happens, Gadrille takes that as a sign Talos
  approves.
  38
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  The truth is that the blowhole is a magical portal. When a
  living creature enters the blowhole, roll a d10. On a 1-8,
  nothing happens. On a 9, the creature is pulled down into the
  shaft, through a portal, and appears moments later floating in
  Waterdeep Harbor, alive and well. On a 10, the creature is
  pushed up through the ceiling by the geyser. With a
  successful DC 10 Strength saving throw, a creature can grab
  onto the side of the shaft and avoid getting pushed through
  the portal. On a failure, the creature tumbles through a portal
  at the top of the shaft and ends up in the Elemental Plane of
  Water. (Perhaps a passing marid takes pity on the creature
  and uses plane shift to return it home—for a price!)
  The party can learn about the magic of the blowhole in a
  number of ways:
  One of the disgruntled anchorites tells the character about
  Gadrille's cruelty in dealing with those she deems
  unworthy.
  A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check of
  the area reveals scrape marks around the blowhole,
  where people have grabbed hold while attempting to keep
  from getting sent away.
  Characters succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana)
  checks notices the magical emanations within the
  blowhole, revealing that it contains teleportation magic.
  A character steps into the blowhole and suffers the effects
  of the area.
  6. Loot
  This central chamber is where the loot to be sold or
  transported is packaged and stored. When ready, it's carried
  down to the shore, loaded onto ships operated by the Cult of
  Talos, and taken to its final destination.
  When the characters arrive, there is no one here, but there
  are several closed crates awaiting transport. Most of the
  crates contain commercial goods like cloth, crafted goods,
  spices, and other trade items. Each of the crates is marked
  with chalk describing the contents. One of the crates, with a
  chalk marking that says "Gold," is trapped.
  Trap
  Sovendahl fears that some of the cultists might be stealing
  from the stockpiles of goods for sale, so he placed a crate
  here that might be tempting to a thief.
  The crate marked "Gold" is full of rocks, and there are tiny
  runes on the edge of the lid, which can be noticed with a DC
  20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The runes can be
  deactivated with a dispel magic spell, or carefully filed away
  with a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
  If the crate is opened without deactivating the runes, it
  explodes. Any creature within 10 feet of the crate must
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 8d8
  thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much on a
  success. The creatures within the blast radius are also
  covered in green ink that only comes off with repeated
  scrubbing over the course of months.
  Treasure. The rest of the crates here contain about 2000
  gp worth of trade goods. However, they are heavy and
  unwieldy, requiring a good-sized ship to transport them all to
  a place where they could be sold.
  7. Gadrille the Reef-Reaver
  Gadrille the Reef-Reaver is a female half-elf evoker. She
  spends most of her time out with her followers, preying on
  those too weak to withstand the ravaging power of Talos.
  When in the caves, however, she is in her chambers praying.
  Talos has rewarded Gadrille for her devotion with a pet,
  whom she calls "Tooth-N-Claw". This beast uses hell hound
  statistics but replace fire with cold in attacks and immunities.
  Tooth-N-Claw is ferociously protective of Gadrille. If there are
  more than four characters, excluding sidekicks, add a second
  pet called "Frost-N-Fang."
  Swirling Pool Chamber
  In the center of this chamber is a large roiling boil of water.
  Gadrille likes to soak in it, feeling the power of Talos course
  through her when she does. If a creature not favored by Talos
  enters the pool or starts its turn there, it takes 4d10 psychic
  damage.
  Shrine Chamber
  This area is Gadrille's private shrine. In addition to the carved
  limestone likeness of Talos in one corner, the walls are
  carved with images of Talos's destructive power. Moving
  within the chamber is like moving through difficult terrain
  unless you are a worshipper of Talos. Taking an action to say
  a prayer to Talos and succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence
  (Religion) check, allows a creature to move normally in the
  room for 1 minute.
  Treasury. Gadrille stores her personal wealth here,
  including a chest with 300 gp, three ornate matching silver
  daggers worth a total of 500 gp, a ring of warmth, a wand of
  magic missiles, and a potion of vitality.
  Aftermath
  If the characters can defeat Gadrille and her cultists' salvage
  operation, they have struck a great blow to the plans of the
  Cult of Talos in the immediate area. Plans to create shrines
  along the High Road are scrapped for the near future, and the
  heroes of Leilon can return to their new home for a well-
  deserved rest. And they'll need it, because evil, unlike them,
  never rests.
  39
  THUNDER CLIFFS
  
  Ending the Adventure
  A
  fter the characters have dealt with the threat of
  the Cult of Talos on the Thunder Cliffs, they can
  return to Leilon with the information they
  obtained. If they have not yet completed one or
  more of the other quests in this adventure, they
  can undertake those after resting from the
  assault on the caves.
  Some plot threads from this adventure could also be
  expanded upon if the adventurers are not quite ready to move
  to 9th level and start the next adventure in the series,
  Sleeping Dragon's Wake. This is a good opportunity to
  create your own encounters or short adventures to tell other
  pieces of your own story. Below are just a few examples of
  what you could do:
  After the cleansing of the influence of the Cult of Talos
  from the Wayside Inn, Martisha needs to reassess her
  situation, repair the damage, and find new staff. She
  might hire the party to travel to one of the larger cities to
  recruit talent. This could be an interesting side quest with
  lots of roleplaying potential.
  If the party made peace with the lizardfolk tribe during the
  "Missing Patrol" quest, the leaders of the tribe may ask
  the characters to join them to celebrate a holy night in the
  lizardfolk culture, the blessing of the eggs. This occasion
  could be meaningful to a character attuned to nature, who
  could even become the "godparent" to a brood of
  lizardfolk hatchlings. Of course, a threat from the swamp
  might threaten to interrupt the blessing ceremony.
  Further odd happenings might resume at the Thalivar's
  Tower, forcing the characters to investigate again. More
  supernatural hauntings may occur, or a conniving
  illusionist might be hiding there, hoping to scare the
  settlers away so that he can claim the area as his own.
  Duties in Leilon
  While some adventurers may be enticed by further
  adventures that take them up and down the Sword Coast,
  others may be more focused on the rebuilding of town, and
  the well-being of the settlers who they have come to know.
  For those characters, the tasks of the town may draw more
  attention.
  Below are some longer-term tasks that the characters
  might perform before moving on to the next part of the story:
  Build a home. With the characters (hopefully) proving
  themselves to be the heroes that Leilon needs, the town
  council might offer one or more of them a parcel of land.
  They can spend money and resources, as well as time,
  building their home. Of course, such a place would also
  need to serve a purpose to the town, like having an extra
  root cellar to store food, or a secret room to keep extra
  weapons for the soldiery.
  Build other structures. It is still early in the process of
  rebuilding Leilon, and there is much to do. The
  construction of the palisade has barely begun. Most of the
  people are still living in tents outside of town. The fishing
  industry, which will sustain Leilon in the future, needs
  piers and docks and breakwaters and other structures.
  Making items. With the warning that too many magic
  items can inadvertently ruin a campaign by making
  characters too powerful to be truly challenged, characters
  could spend time creating magical or mundane items for
  themselves, others, or the town. For some items, of
  course, the certain components must be collected, and
  that could be an adventure of its own.
  Continuing the Story
  The threats to Leilon were merely introduced in Storm
  Lord's Wrath. While the work on the building of the town
  continues, so too do the plans of Fheralai Stormsworn and
  Ularan Mortus unfold and blossom.
  When the characters are prepared to face off against these
  growing threats, they should become 9th level, sharpen their
  weapons, gather their spell components, and prepare for an
  even greater challenge.
  40
  ENDING THE ADVENTURE
  
  Appendix A: Creatures
  Air Elemental Myrmidon
  Air Elemental Myrmidon. Elemental myrmidons are
  elementals conjured and bound by magic into ritually created
  suits of plate armor. In this form, they possess no recollection
  of their former existence as free elementals. They exist only
  to follow the commands of their creators.
  41
  Air Elemental
  Myrmidon
  Medium elemental, neutral
  Armor Class 18 (plate armor)
  Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
  Damage Resistances lightning, thunder;
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
  nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
  prone
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Auran, one language of its creator's
  choice
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Magic Weapons. The myrmidon's weapon attacks
  are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The myrmidon makes three flail attacks.
  Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
  Lightning Strike (Recharge 6). The myrmidon makes
  one flail attack. On a hit, the target takes an extra
  18 (4d8) lightning damage, and the target must
  succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
  be stunned until the end of the myrmidon's next
  turn.
  Allip
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 40 (9d8)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  6 (-2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6
  Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder;
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
  nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
  frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified,
  poisoned, prone, restrained
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Incorporeal Movement. The allip can move through
  other creatures and objects as if they were difficult
  terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its
  turn inside an object.
  Actions
  Maddening Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit,
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) psychic
  damage.
  Whispers of Madness. The allip chooses up to three
  creatures it can see within 60 feet of it. Each target
  must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, or
  it takes 7 (1d8 + 3) psychic damage and must use
  its reaction to make a melee weapon attack against
  one creature of the allip's choice that the allip can
  see. Constructs and undead are immune to this
  effect.
  Howling Babble (Recharge 6). Each creature within
  30 feet of the allip that can hear it must make a DC
  14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a target
  takes 12 (2d8 + 3) psychic damage, and it is
  stunned until the end of its next turn. On a
  successful save, it takes half as much damage and
  isn't stunned. Constructs and undead are immune
  to this effect.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Allip
  Allip. When a mind uncovers a secret that a powerful being
  has protected with a mighty curse, the result is often the
  emergence of an allip. Secrets protected in this manner
  range in scope from a demon lord's true name to the hidden
  truths of the cosmic order. The allip acquires the secret, but
  the curse annihilates its body and leaves behind a spectral
  creature composed of fragments from the victim's psyche and
  overwhelming psychic agony.
  Blasphemous Secrets. Every allip is wracked with a
  horrifying insight that torments what remains of its mind. In
  the presence of other creatures, an allip seeks to relieve this
  burden by sharing its secret. The creature can impart only a
  shard of the knowledge that doomed it, but that piece is
  enough to wrack the recipient with temporary madness.
  The survivors of an allip's attack are sometimes left with a
  compulsion to learn more about what spawned this
  monstrosity. Strange phrases echo through their minds, and
  weird visions occupy their dreams. The sense that some
  colossal truth sits just outside their recall plagues them for
  days, months, and sometimes years after their fateful
  encounter.
  Undead Nature. An allip doesn't require air, food, drink, or
  sleep.
  Insidious Lore. An allip might attempt to share its lore to
  escape its curse and enter the afterlife. It can transfer
  knowledge from its mind by guiding another creature to write
  down what it knows. This process takes days or possibly
  weeks. An allip can accomplish this task by lurking in the
  study or workplace of a scholar. If the allip remains hidden,
  its victim is gradually overcome by manic energy. A scholar,
  driven by sudden insights to work night and day, produces
  reams of text with little memory of exactly what the
  documents contain. If the allip succeeds, it passes from the
  world—and its terrible secret hides somewhere in the
  scholar's text, waiting to be discovered by its next victim.
  42
  Archer
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather armor)
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  11 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Archer's Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer
  can add 1d10 to its next attack or damage roll with
  a longbow or shortbow.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its
  longbow.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing
  damage.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Archer
  Archers defend castles, hunt wild game on the fringes of
  civilization, serve as artillery in military units, and
  occasionally make good coin as brigands or caravan guards.
  Dark Tide Knight
  Dark Tide knights are the elite warriors of the Crushing
  Wave cult. By drawing upon Olhydra's dark power, they gain
  the ability to ride sea-creatures that normally wouldn't be
  suitable as mounts, and can even breathe underwater and
  share their mount's senses. The knights prefer to fight from
  or in the water, since they don't like to leave their mounts
  behind, but they can be fierce opponents on foot at need.
  Unlike most other knights, Dark Tide knights disdain
  heavy armor, relying on the speed and ferocity of their attacks
  to carry them to victory.
  43
  Dark Tide Knight
  Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  17 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0)
  Skills Athletics +7, Stealth +7
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Common
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Bonded Mount. The knight is magically bound to a
  beast with an innate swimming speed trained to
  serve as its mount. While mounted on this beast,
  the knight gains the beast's senses and ability to
  breathe underwater. The bonded mount obeys the
  knight's commands. If its mount dies, the knight
  can train a new beast to serve as its bonded mount,
  a process requiring a month.
  Sneak Attack. The knight deals an extra 7 (2d6)
  damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack
  and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the
  target is within 5 feet of an ally of the knight that
  isn't incapacitated and the knight doesn't have
  disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The knight makes two shortsword
  attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Lance. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker the knight can
  see hits it with an attack, the knight can halve the
  damage against it.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Flail Snail
  A flail snail is a creature of elemental earth that is prized for
  its multi-hued shell. Hunters might be lulled into a false sense
  of confidence upon sighting this ponderous, seemingly
  nonhostile creature. If any other creature large enough to be
  a threat approaches too close, though, the snail unleashes a
  flash of scintillating light and then attacks with its mace-like
  tentacles.
  Trail of Treasure. Left undisturbed, a flail snail moves
  slowly along the ground, consuming everything on the
  surface, including rocks, sand, and soil, stopping to relish
  crystal growths and other large mineral deposits. It leaves
  behind a shimmering trail that quickly solidifies into a thin
  layer of a nearly transparent substance inedible to the snail.
  This glassy residue can be harvested and cut to form window
  panes of varying clearness. It can also be heated and spun
  into glass objects of other sorts. Some humanoids make a
  living from trailing flail snails to collect this glass.
  Using the Shell of a Flail Snail
  A flail snail shell, which weighs about 250 pounds,
  has numerous uses. One intact shell can sell for
  5,000 gp.
  Many hunters seek the shell for its antimagic
  properties. A skilled armorer can make three
  shields from one shell. For 1 month, each shield
  gives its wielder the snail's Antimagic Shell trait.
  When the shield's magic fades, it leaves behind an
  exotic shield that is the perfect item from which to
  make a spellguard shield.
  A flail snail shell can also be used to make a robe
  of scintillating colors. The shell is ground and
  added to the dye while the garment is being
  fashioned. The powder is also a material
  component of the ritual that enchants the robe.
  44
  Flail Snail
  Large elemental, unaligned
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 52 (5d10 + 25)
  Speed 10 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  17 (+3) 5 (-3) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 10 (+0)
  5 (-3)
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive
  Perception 10
  Languages —
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Antimagic Shell. The snail has advantage on saving
  throws against spells, and any creature making a
  spell attack against the snail has disadvantage on
  the attack roll. If the snail succeeds on its saving
  throw against a spell or a spell attack misses it, an
  additional effect might occur, as determined by
  rolling a d6: 
  1–2: If the spell affects an area or has multiple
  targets, it fails and has no effect. If the spell targets
  only the snail, it has no effect on the snail and is
  reflected back at the caster, using the spell slot
  level, spell save DC, attack bonus, and spellcasting
  ability of the caster. 
  3–4: No additional effect. 
  5–6: The snail's shell converts some of the spell's
  energy into a burst of destructive force. Each
  creature within 30 feet of the snail must make a DC
  15 Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 force
  damage per level of the spell on a failed save, or
  half as much damage on a successful one.
  Flail Tentacles. The flail snail has five flail tentacles.
  Whenever the snail takes 10 damage or more on a
  single turn, one of its tentacles dies. If even one
  tentacle remains, the snail regrows all dead ones
  within 1d4 days. If all its tentacles die, the snail
  retracts into its shell, gaining total cover, and it
  begins wailing, a sound that can be heard for 600
  feet, stopping only when it dies 5d6 minutes later.
  Healing magic that restores limbs, such as the
  regenerate spell, can halt this dying process.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The flail snail makes as many flail
  tentacle attacks as it has flail tentacles, all against
  the same target.
  Flail Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
  reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3)
  bludgeoning damage.
  Scintillating Shell (Recharges after a Short or Long
  Rest). The snail's shell emits dazzling, colored light
  until the end of the snail's next turn. During this
  time, the shell sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius
  and dim light for an additional 30 feet, and
  creatures that can see the snail have disadvantage
  on attack rolls against it. In addition, any creature
  within the bright light and able to see the snail
  when this power is activated must succeed on a DC
  15 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the
  light ends.
  Shell Defense. The flail snail withdraws into its shell,
  gaining a +4 bonus to AC until it emerges. It can
  emerge from its shell as a bonus action on its turn.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Kraken Priest
  A kraken can seem godlike to folk who have witnessed its
  fury. Those who mistake its might for divine power and those
  who seek to appease the monster through veneration are
  sometimes rewarded with power, to serve thereafter as
  kraken priests.
  The kraken can make itself dimly aware of a kraken priest's
  thoughts if the two are on the same plane of existence, and it
  can then push aside the priest's personality and control it.
  Kraken priests can thereby act as eyes and ears for their
  masters, and when the kraken has something to say, the
  priest becomes its mouthpiece.
  45
  Huge Giant Crab
  Huge beast, unaligned
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  20 (+5) 15 (+2)
  20 (+5) 1 (-5) 9 (-1) 3 (-4)
  Skills Stealth +5
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened,
  paralyzed
  Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages —
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Amphibious. The crab can breathe air and water.
  Banded Claw. On one of its claws, the crab wears a
  rune-covered copper band that makes it immune to
  being charmed, frightened, and paralyzed. The
  copper band is worthless as a treasure, as the
  magic is keyed to this crab.
  Actions
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) bludgeoning
  damage, and the target is grappled, escape DC 14.
  The crab has two claws, each of which can grapple
  only one target.
  Kraken Priest
  Medium humanoid (any race), any evil alignment
  Armor Class 10
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2)
  Skills Perception +5
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
  slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Amphibious. The priest can breathe air and water.
  Innate Spellcasting. The priest's spellcasting ability is
  Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell
  attacks). It can innately cast the following spells,
  requiring no material components:
  At will: command, create or destroy water 
  3/day each: control water, darkness, water
  breathing, water walk 
  1/day each: call lightning, Evard's black tentacles
  Actions
  Thunderous Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit,
  reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 27 (5d10) thunder
  damage.
  Voice of the Kraken (Recharges after a Short or Long
  Rest). A kraken speaks through the priest with a
  thunderous voice audible within 300 feet.
  Creatures of the priest's choice that can hear the
  kraken's words (which are spoken in Abyssal,
  Infernal, or Primordial) must succeed on a DC 14
  Charisma saving throw or be frightened for 1
  minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving
  throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the
  effect on itself on a success.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Every kraken priest undergoes a change in appearance that
  reflects the kraken's influence, although each one differs in
  how its reverence is displayed. One kraken priest might have
  ink-black eyes and a suckered tentacle for a tongue, while
  another has a featureless face and a body covered in eyes and
  mouths that dribble seawater. These horrific manifestations
  intensify when the kraken possesses its minion to utter its
  dire pronouncements.
  Lizardfolk Render
  Filled with the primal magic of Semuanya, the lizardfolk
  render undergoes terrifying changes during a dayslong ritual
  performed by a shaman. As seen in Danger at Dunwater, the
  render's claws grow long and hard as steel, its frame
  enlarges, and its temperament becomes even more ferocious.
  Lizardfolk Subchief
  The lizardfolk subchief (seen in Danger at Dunwater) is a
  devout priest of Semuanya, pursuing the worship of its god in
  a manner similar to a cleric. It wields a dagger crafted of a
  massive crocodile tooth blessed by Semuanya, representing
  the subchief's prowess in both battle and piety.
  46
  Lizardfolk Render
  Large humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 52 (7d10 + 14)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
  Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3, Survival +5
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Draconic
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Blood Frenzy. The render has advantage on melee
  attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have
  all its hit points.
  Hold Breath. The render can hold its breath for 15
  minutes.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The render makes two attacks: one with
  its claws and one with its bite.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
  Rend the Field (Recharge 5–6). The render makes a
  claw attack against each creature of its choice
  within 10 feet of it. A creature hit by this attack
  must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or
  be knocked prone.
  Lizardfolk Subchief
  Medium humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Wis +5
  Skills Athletics +4, Perception +5, Survival +5
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages Draconic
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Hold Breath. The subchief can hold its breath for 15
  minutes.
  Spellcasting. The subchief is a 5th-level spellcaster.
  Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13,
  +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following
  cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, spare the
  dying, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): command, guiding bolt, purify
  food and drink 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, lesser restoration,
  silence 
  3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, dispel magic
  Actions
  Tooth Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
  damage.
  Jaws of Semuanya (Recharge 5–6). The subchief
  invokes the primal magic of Semuanya, summoning
  a spectral maw around a target it can see within 60
  feet of it. The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity
  saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) piercing damage on a
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
  one. A creature that fails this saving throw is also
  frightened until the end of its next turn.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Master Thief
  Master thieves are known for perpetrating daring heists.
  They tend to develop a reputation and a cult of personality. A
  master thief might "retire" from hands-on work to run a
  thieves' guild, spearhead some covert enterprise, or enjoy a
  quiet life of luxury.
  Rot Troll
  Rot Troll. A troll that is infused with waves of necrotic energy
  as it regenerates can develop a symbiotic relationship with
  that deathly power. The troll's body withers, and its flesh falls
  away from the body as quickly as it forms. Eventually a rot
  troll becomes unable to regenerate, though it still heals
  normally. The creature courses with necrotic energy that
  flows out of its withered form. Simply standing near a rot
  troll exposes other creatures to its lethal emanations.
  Trolls. Trolls that are nearly obliterated but survive and
  regenerate from mere scraps of flesh can display bizarre
  mutations. One of these warped trolls is especially likely to
  arise if the creature regenerates in the presence of magical
  emanations, planar energy, disease, or death on a vast scale,
  or if its body was damaged by elemental forces. These
  mutated forms can also be produced and shaped by the ritual
  magic of evil spellcasters.
  47
  Master Thief
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather armor)
  Hit Points 83 (13d8 + 26)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +3
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +3, Perception +3,
  Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages any one language (usually Common) plus
  Thieves' cant
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can
  use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or
  Hide action.
  Evasion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that
  allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take
  only half damage, the thief instead takes no damage
  if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half
  damage if it fails.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The thief deals an extra 14
  (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon
  attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when
  the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the thief that
  isn't incapacitated and the thief doesn't have
  disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its
  shortsword.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
  range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4)
  piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Uncanny Dodge. The thief halves the damage that it
  takes from an attack that hits it. The thief must be
  able to see the attacker.
  Rot Troll
  Large giant, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 138 (12d10 + 72)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4) 13 (+1)
  22 (+6) 5 (-3) 8 (-1) 4 (-3)
  Skills Perception +3
  Damage Immunities necrotic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Giant
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Rancid Degeneration. At the end of each of the
  troll's turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes
  11 (2d10) necrotic damage, unless the troll has
  taken acid or fire damage since the end of its last
  turn.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with
  its bite and two with its claws.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus
  16 (3d10) necrotic damage.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus
  5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Star Spawn Mangler
  Stars don't spawn these creatures. Such beautiful lights
  shouldn't be blamed for such balefulness.—
  MordenkainenStar Spawn Mangler. A mangler is a low-
  slung, creeping horror with multiple gangly arms. A mangler
  most often has six arms, but one can have any number from
  four to eight.
  Manglers creep along the ground or the walls, sticking to
  shadows, hiding in spots that seem too shallow or well-lit to
  conceal anything. They appear smaller than their true size,
  thanks to their hunched posture and emaciated frame.
  Cultists summon these creatures to serve as guards and
  assassins, two roles at which they excel.
  48
  Skull Flier
  Medium construct, unaligned
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 24 (3d8)
  Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened,
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages —
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Actions
  Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and
  the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving
  throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit
  points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour,
  even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed
  while poisoned in this way.
  Star Spawn Mangler
  Medium aberration, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 14
  Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
  Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  8 (-1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +4
  Skills Stealth +7
  Damage Resistances cold
  Damage Immunities psychic
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, prone
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Deep Speech
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Ambush. On the first round of each combat, the
  mangler has advantage on attack rolls against a
  creature that hasn't taken a turn yet.
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the
  mangler can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The mangler makes two claw attacks.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. If the
  attack roll has advantage, the target also takes 7
  (2d6) psychic damage.
  Flurry of Claws (Recharge 4–6). The mangler makes
  six claw attacks against one target. Either before or
  after these attacks, it can move up to its speed as a
  bonus action without provoking opportunity
  attacks.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Star Spawn. The Material Plane represents only one small
  part of the multiverse. Beyond the best-known planes of
  existence lie realms that are lethal to mortal life. Some are so
  hostile that even a moment's contact with such a place is
  enough to plunge a mortal mind into madness. Yet beings do
  exist that are native to these realms: beings that are eternally
  hungering, searching, warring, sometimes dreaming. These
  Elder Evils are far older than most of the mortal races and
  always horrific to humanoid minds.
  However much they might desire to enter and dominate
  the Material Plane, the Elder Evils are unable or unwilling to
  leave their realms. Some are imprisoned in their dimensions
  by external forces, some are inextricably bound to their home
  realities, and others simply can't find any way out.
  Heralds of Doom. The creatures known as star spawn are
  the heralds, servants, foot soldiers, and lieutenants of the
  Elder Evils, capable of taking on forms that can journey to
  the Material Plane. They arrive most often in the wake of a
  comet—or perhaps such a phenomenon merely signals that
  star spawn are in the vicinity and available for
  communication. When the signs are right, warlocks and
  cultists hasten to gather together, read aloud their
  blasphemous texts, and conduct the mind-searing rituals that
  guide the blazing star spawn into the world.
  The cultists who blaspheme reality by calling out to Elder
  Evils often speak of a Far Realm from which these entities
  hail. In truth, there is no one place or space from which they
  come. There is the multiverse of things that are, and there is
  the multiverse of things that shouldn't be.— Mordenkainen
  49
  Statue of Talos
  Large elemental, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 147 (14d10 + 70)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  19 (+4) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
  Saving Throws Wis +4
  Skills Perception +4
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
  slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't
  adamantine
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified,
  poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Terran
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  False Appearance. While the statue remains
  motionless, it is indistinguishable from an
  inanimate statue.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The statue makes five attacks: one with
  its headbutt and four with its lightning bolt blades.
  Headbutt. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
  Lightning Bolt Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing
  damage.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Swashbuckler
  Swashbucklers are charming ne'er-do-wells who live by their
  own codes of honor. They crave notoriety, often indulge in
  romantic trysts, and eke out livings as pirates and corsairs,
  rarely staying in one place for too long.
  50
  Swashbuckler
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful
  alignment
  Armor Class 17 (leather armor)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 15 (+2)
  Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +5, Persuasion +6
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Lightfooted. The swashbuckler can take the Dash or
  Disengage action as a bonus action on each of its
  turns.
  Suave Defense. While the swashbuckler is wearing
  light or no armor and wielding no shield, its AC
  includes its Charisma modifier.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The swashbuckler makes three attacks:
  one with a dagger and two with its rapier.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6
  (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
  Tooth-N-Claw
  Medium fiend, lawful evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
  Speed 50 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  17 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 6 (-2)
  Skills Perception +5
  Damage Immunities cold
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages understands Infernal but can't speak it
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Keen Hearing and Smell. Tooth-N-Claw has
  advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely
  on hearing or smell.
  Pack Tactics. Tooth-N-Claw has advantage on an
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of its
  allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally
  isn't incapacitated.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
  one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7
  (2d6) cold damage.
  Freezing Breath (Recharge 5–6). Tooth-N-Claw
  exhales an icy blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature
  in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
  throw, taking 21 (6d6) cold damage on a failed
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  APPENDIX A: CREATURES
  
  Appendix B: Sidekicks
  T
  his appendix presents the game statistics for
  sidekicks, of which there are three types:
  Expert, an agile and exceedingly helpful jack
  of all trades
  Spellcaster, a magic-user who can cast spells
  to harm your foes or heal you and your friends
  Warrior, a martial companion who specializes in striking
  your foes or defending you and your allies
  You can tell the players which type of sidekick to use or let
  the players choose. It's up to you and the players to decide
  who controls the sidekick in play.
  If the characters have already played through Dragon of
  Icespire Peak, they can use the same sidekicks from that
  adventure. This appendix can also help you level up those
  sidekicks.
  Sidekick Cards
  Donnabella Fiasco
  Donnabella Fiasco. Human Spellcaster
  Donnabella is a young magic-user who wears a papier-mâché
  unicorn mask because it makes her feel more magical.
  Use the Spellcaster (Healer) or Spellcaster (Mage)
  sidekick stat block to represent her.
  Personality. "I'd rather talk to a book than most people."
  Ideal. "We all have a little magic in us. The trick is finding
  it and bringing it forth."
  Bond. "I want to join a prestigious wizards' academy one
  day. I just hope they accept unicorns!"
  Flaw. "I can't keep a secret to save my life—or anyone
  else's."
  Galandro Luna
  Galandro Luna. Human Expert
  Galandro's most treasured possession is a fiddle that he
  tunes and plucks constantly.
  Use the Expert sidekick stat block to represent him.
  Personality. "I love a good insult, even one directed at me."
  Ideal. "I like seeing the smiles on people's faces when I
  perform. That plus their adoration is all that matters."
  Bond. "My fiddle was gifted to me by a good friend. I
  cherish it above all other things."
  Flaw. "I'll do anything to win fame and renown."
  51
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  Inverna Nightbreeze
  Inverna Nightbreeze. Moon Elf Warrior
  Inverna has a scar on her cheek where she was grazed by an
  orc's javelin. She is cautious by nature and suspicious of
  strangers.
  Use the Warrior sidekick stat block to represent her.
  Personality. "I choose my words very carefully. Sarcasm,
  I'm told, is my sharpest weapon."
  Ideal. "All people deserve to be treated with dignity,
  regardless of their station. Of course, orcs aren't people."
  Bond. "Orcs are a blight on the land. For the sake of the
  natural and civilized worlds, I kill them on sight."
  Flaw. "I can't admit when I'm wrong."
  Nib Addlespur
  Nib Addlespur. Lightfoot Halfling Spellcaster
  Nib is a happy-go-lucky gambler who keeps a deck of Three-
  Dragon Ante cards in her vest pocket. She also has a
  goldfinch named Lil.
  Use the Spellcaster (Healer) or Spellcaster (Mage)
  sidekick stat block to represent her.
  Personality. "I can't resist a sure bet or a friendly wager."
  Ideal. "The more complicated the scheme, the better."
  Bond."I love birds and will do what I can to look after
  them."
  Flaw. "Deep water terrifies me. I would rather be
  swallowed by a dragon than get in a boat or go for a swim."
  52
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  Pickled Pete
  Pickled Pete. Human Expert
  Pete likes ale and tends to function better while tipsy. At his
  best, he's quite the handyman and comes up with all sorts of
  crazy ways to get things done.
  Use the Expert sidekick stat block to represent him.
  Personality. "My friends know they can rely on me, no
  matter what."
  Ideal. "I like coming up with new ways to do things. What
  problem can't be solved with a little ingenuity?"
  Bond. "A full flask of wine is worth ten pockets full of gold."
  Flaw. "All this drinking is bad for my memory. Seriously, I
  can't remember my last name."
  Quinn Hightopple
  Quinn Hightopple. Lightfoot Halfling Warrior
  Quinn is a happy little scrapper who likes to punch people in
  the groin.
  Use the Warrior sidekick stat block to represent him.
  Personality. "Nice set of teeth you got there. Be a shame if
  something bad happened to 'em."
  Ideal. "No challenge is too big to overcome. As Papa
  Bartho always says, the bigger they are, the harder they fall."
  Bond. "Nothing's more important than friendship. That's
  why I'll never leave a friend behind."
  Flaw. "I can't resist punching tall folk in the groin. I call it
  the Halfling Hello."
  53
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  Ruby Hammerwhacker
  Ruby Hammerwhacker. Shield Dwarf Warrior
  Ruby lacks the customary dwarven stoicism and greets every
  day with a warm smile and a renewed sense of optimism.
  Use the Warrior sidekick stat block to represent her.
  Personality. "Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude."
  Ideal. "We should all seek the betterment of ourselves.
  There's always room for improvement."
  Bond. "I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves"
  Flaw. "Tell me I can't do something, and I must prove you
  wrong."
  Shanjan Kwan
  Shanjan Kwan. Human Spellcaster
  Kwan died and was raised from the dead as an infant,
  whereupon a tiny black glyph—the symbol of necromancy—
  appeared on his forehead.
  Use the Spellcaster (Healer) or Spellcaster (Mage)
  sidekick stat block to represent him.
  Personality. "I've cheated death once. I can do it again."
  Ideal. "Great beauty can hide great ugliness. The reverse is
  also true."
  Bond. "I've been searching my whole life for the answer to
  a simple question: Am I a god?"
  Flaw. "I don't like mysteries. Unraveling them keeps me up
  at night."
  54
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  Talon Thornwild
  Talon Thornwild. Human Expert
  Talon loves gold and adventure, and dreams of being a
  famous gold prospector.
  Use the Expert sidekick stat block to represent them.
  Personality. "Yes, I eat like a pig and have bad manners,
  but those are my only flaws, I swear. I'm darn near perfect
  otherwise."
  Ideal. "The low are lifted up, and the high and mighty are
  brought down. Change is the nature of things."
  Bond. "I like gold. I like its color, its texture, its majestic
  gleam."
  Flaw. "It's not stealing if I need it more than someone
  else."
  Sidekick Stat Blocks
  The following stat blocks work with any character race. If you
  and the DM agree, you may enhance your sidekick with the
  appropriate racial traits presented in chapter 2 of the
  Player's Handbook.
  55
  Expert
  7th-level Medium humanoid
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor)
  Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +6
  Skills Acrobatics +9, Performance +5, Persuasion
  +5, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +9
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Common, plus one of your choice
  Challenge —
  Evasion. When the expert is not incapacitated and
  subjected to an effect that allows it to make a
  Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it
  instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the
  saving throw, and only half damage if it failed.
  Helpful. The expert can take the Help action as a
  bonus action, and the creature who receives the
  help gains a 1d6 bonus to the d20 roll. If that roll is
  an attack roll, the creature can forgo adding the
  bonus to it, and then if the attack hits, the creature
  can add the bonus to the attack's damage roll
  against one target.
  Tools. The expert has thieves' tools and a musical
  instrument.
  Actions
  Extra Attack. The expert can attack twice, instead of
  once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its
  turn.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit,
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5
  (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
  damage.
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  56
  Spellcaster (Healer)
  7th-level Medium humanoid
  Armor Class 13 (studded leather armor)
  Hit Points 36 (8d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Wis +6
  Skills Arcana +5, Investigation +5, Religion +5
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, plus one of your choice
  Challenge —
  Potent Cantrip. The spellcaster can add its
  spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals
  with any cantrip.
  Spellcasting (Healer). The spellcaster's spellcasting
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with
  spell attacks). The spellcaster has following cleric
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, light, resistance, sacred
  flame 
  1st level (4 slots): bless, cure wounds, shield of
  faith 
  2nd level (3 slots): aid, lesser restoration 
  3rd level (3 slots): protection from energy, revivify 
  4th level (1 slot): death ward
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage,
  or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two
  hands.
  Spellcaster (Mage)
  7th-level Medium humanoid
  Armor Class 13 (studded leather armor)
  Hit Points 36 (8d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +6, Investigation +6, Religion +6
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Common, plus one of your choice
  Challenge —
  Potent Cantrip. The spellcaster can add its
  spellcasting ability modifier to the damage it deals
  with any cantrip.
  Spellcasting (Mage). The spellcaster's spellcasting
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit
  with spell attacks). The spellcaster has following
  wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, minor
  illusion 
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands, shield, sleep 
  2nd level (3 slots): flaming sphere, invisibility 
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, fly 
  4th level (1 slot): wall of fire
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage,
  or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if used with two
  hands.
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  57
  Warrior
  7th-level Medium humanoid
  Armor Class 20 (plate armor, shield)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  Saving Throws Con +5
  Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Survival +4
  Senses passive Perception 14
  Languages Common, plus one of your choice
  Challenge —
  Battle Readiness. The warrior has advantage on
  initiative rolls.
  Improved Critical. The warrior's attack rolls score a
  critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
  Martial Role. The warrior has one of the following
  traits of your choice:
  Attacker The warrior gains a +2 bonus to attack
  rolls.
  Defender The warrior gains the Protection
  reaction below.
  Second Wind. (Recharges After A Short Or Long
  Rest) The warrior can use a bonus action on its turn
  to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level.
  Actions
  Extra Attack. The warrior can attack twice, instead of
  once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its
  turn.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage,
  or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two
  hands.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
  damage.
  Reactions
  Protection (Defender Only). When a creature the
  warrior can see attacks a target other than the
  warrior that is within 5 feet of the warrior, the
  warrior can use their reaction to impose
  disadvantage on the attack roll. The warrior must be
  wielding a shield.
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
  Proficiencies
  A sidekick is proficient with any armor, weapons, and tools
  included in its stat block. In addition, experts are proficient
  with simple weapons, rapiers, shortswords, and light armor;
  spellcasters are proficient with simple weapons and light
  armor; and warriors are proficient with simple and martial
  weapons, shields, and all armor.
  Sidekick Level
  In this adventure a sidekick starts as a 7th-level character. As
  the characters and sidekick adventure together, the sidekick
  gains experience points and reaches new levels the same way
  a player character does, using the rules in the Player's
  Handbook.
  When a sidekick gains a level, look at the sidekick's table
  below, and consult the new level's row, which shows the
  sidekick's new hit point maximum and features.
  Experts Beyond 7th Level
  Level
  Hit
  Points
  New Features
  8th
  49
  (9d8
  + 9)
  Ability Score Improvement. The expert's Dex.
  score increases by 2, raising the modifier by
  1, so increase the following numbers by 1:
  the Dex. saving throw bonus; the Armor
  Class; the Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and
  Stealth bonuses; and the bonuses to hit and
  damage of the expert's weapon attacks.
  9th
  55
  (10d8
  + 10)
  Spellcasters Beyond 7th Level
  Level
  Hit
  Points
  New Features
  8th
  40
  (9d8)
  Ability Score Improvement. The spellcaster's
  Int. (mage) or Wis. (healer) score increases
  by 2, raising the modifier by 1, so increase
  the following numbers by 1: the Int. or Wis.
  saving throw bonus; Int. or Wis. based skill
  bonuses; and the bonuses to hit and to
  saving throw DCs with spells. Spellcasting.
  The caster gains one 4th-level spell slot and
  learns one new 4th-level spell: banishment
  (healer) or polymorph (mage).
  9th
  45
  (10d8)
  Spellcasting. The spellcaster gains one 4th-
  level and one 5th-level spell slot and learns
  one new 5th-level spell: greater restoration
  (healer) or cone of cold (mage).
  Warriors Beyond 7th Level
  Level
  Hit
  Points
  New Features
  8th
  58
  (9d8
  + 18)
  Ability Score Improvement. The warrior's Str.
  score increases by 2, raising the modifier by
  1, so increase the following numbers by 1:
  the Str. saving throw bonus; the Athletics
  bonuses; and the bonuses to hit and damage
  of the warrior's longsword attacks.
  9th
  65
  (10d8
  + 20)
  Indomitable (1/Day). The warrior can reroll a
  saving throw that it fails but must use the
  new result.
  58
  APPENDIX B: SIDEKICKS
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Storm Lord_s Wrath - Beyond the Dragon of Icespire Peak 1.pdf