TEXT:  
   
  Hecatomb 
   
  Far below the reach of the sun, dark forces seek to bring a terrible darkness into Faerun. A great 
  and awful host of drow, giants, and worse await your arrival. When even the dead tremble, what 
  hope can you find? 
   
  A 4-Hour Epic Adventure for 11th—16th Level 
  and 17th – 20th Level Characters 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Alan Patrick 
  Adventure Designer 
   
  Adventure Code: DDEP06-03 
  Version: 1.0 
   
  Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall 
  Organized Play: Chris Lindsay 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, 
  Alan Patrick, Sam Simpson 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards 
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  Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the 
  express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
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  Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  2 
  Introduction 
  Welcome to Hecatomb, a D&D Adventurers League™ 
  Epic adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers 
  League™ organized play system and the Tales from 
  the Yawning Portal™ storyline season. 
   This Epic adventure is designed for 11th 
  through 16th-level characters (optimized for five 
  15th-level characters), and for 17th through 
  20th level characters (optimized for five 19th-
  level characters). Characters outside this level 
  range cannot participate in this adventure. 
   This adventure takes place both on the plains of 
  Vaasa and in the Underdark. Vaasa lies north and 
  east of the Moonsea, behind the Galena Mountains. 
  The main focus of the Underdark portion of the 
  adventure deals with the Vault of Gnashing Teeth 
  and the Acropolis, the drow temple dedicated to 
  Kiaransalee, goddess of magic, necromancy, and 
  undeath. 
  The D&D Adventurers League 
  The D&D Adventurers League™ is the official 
  organized play system for DUNGEONS & 
  DRAGONS®. Players can create characters and 
  participate in any adventure allowed as a part of the 
  D&D Adventurers League. As they adventure, 
  players track their characters’ experience, treasure, 
  and other rewards, and can take those characters 
  through other adventures that will continue their 
  story. 
   For more information on playing, running games 
  as a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the 
  D&D Adventurers League, please visit the D&D 
  Adventurers League home at: 
   
  www.dndadventurersleague.org 
  Preparing the Adventure 
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this 
  adventure for a group of players, you should do the 
  following to prepare. 
  • Make sure to have a copy of the most current 
  version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s 
  Handbook. 
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes of 
  anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself 
  while running the adventure, such as a way you’d 
  like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use 
  in a combat. 
  • Get familiar with the monster statistics in the 
  Appendix. 
  • Gather together any resources you’d like to use to 
  aid you in running this adventure--such as 
  notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and 
  battlemaps. 
  • If you know the composition of the group 
  beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted 
  throughout the adventure. 
  Before Play at the Table 
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant 
  character information: 
  • Character name and level 
  • Character race and class 
  • Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common 
  passive ability check 
  • Anything notable as specified by the adventure 
  (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) 
  Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from 
  the organizer). The player fills out the adventure 
  name, session number, date, and your name and DCI 
  number (if they have one). In addition, the player 
  also fills in the starting values for experience, gold, 
  downtime, renown, and number of permanent magic 
  items. He or she fill in the other values and write 
  notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player is 
  responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet. 
   If you have time or see the need to do so, you can 
  do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to 
  ensure that nothing looks out of order. If you see 
  magic items of very high rarities or strange arrays of 
  ability scores, you can ask players to provide 
  documentation for the irregularities. If they cannot, 
  feel free to restrict item use or ask them to use a 
  standard ability score array. Point players to the 
  D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference.  
   If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s 
  the beginning of an adventure or episode, they can 
  declare their activity and spend the days now. 
  Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the 
  adventure or episode. Players should select their 
  characters’ spells and other daily options prior to 
  the start of the adventure, unless the adventure 
  specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the 
  adventure description to help give players hints 
  about what they might face. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide 
  information to assist you in making adjustments for 
  smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  3 
  lower levels than the adventure is optimized for. 
  This is typically used exclusively for combat 
  encounters. These adjustments are not required, nor 
  are you bound to the suggestions made by the 
  adventure—they are recommendations provided for 
  guidance and convenience. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 
  15th-level characters at tier 3, and five 19th-
  level characters at tier 4. To figure out whether 
  you need to adjust the adventure, do the following: 
  • Add up the total levels of all the characters. 
  • Divide the total by the number of characters. 
  • Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round 
  fractions of less than .5 down. 
  You’ve now determined the average party level 
  (APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party 
  strength for the adventure, consult the following 
  table. 
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition Party   
  Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL less than  
  Very weak 
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent  
  Weak 
  3-4 characters, APL greater than  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL less than  
  Weak 
  5 characters, APL equivalent  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL greater than  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL less than  
  Average 
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL greater than  
  Very strong 
  Average party strength indicates no recommended 
  adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or 
  may not offer suggestions for certain party 
  strengths. If a particular recommendation is not 
  offered for your group, you don’t have to make 
  adjustments. 
  Running the Adventure 
  As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the 
  most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of 
  the game for the players. You help guide the 
  narrative and bring the words on these pages to life. 
  The outcome of a fun game session often creates 
  stories that live well beyond the play at the table. 
  Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a 
  group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance 
  the fun of the adventure when possible. 
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the 
  following: 
   You Are Empowered. You get to make decisions 
  about how the group interacts with the NPCs and 
  environment within this adventure. It is okay to 
  make considerable changes or engage in 
  improvisation, so long as you maintain the original 
  spirit of what’s written. 
   Challenge Your Players. Never being challenged 
  makes for a boring game, and being overwhelmed 
  makes for a frustrating game. Gauge the experience 
  level of the players (not the characters) with the 
  game, try to feel out (or ask) what they like in a 
  game, and attempt to give each of them the 
  experience they’re after when they play D&D. 
  Everyone should have the opportunity to shine.
   Mind the Time. Watch for stalling, since play loses 
  momentum when this happens. At the same time, 
  make sure that the players don’t finish too early; 
  provide them with a full play experience. Try to be 
  aware of running long or short. Adjust the pacing 
  accordingly. 
   Keep the Adventure Moving. When the game 
  starts to get bogged down, feel free to provide hints 
  and clues to your players so they can attempt to 
  solve puzzles, engage in combat, and roleplay 
  interactions without getting too frustrated over a 
  lack of information. This gives players “little 
  victories” for figuring out good choices from clues. 
  The Dungeon Master’s Guide has more information 
  on the art of running a D&D game. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can 
  provide some spellcasting services. Characters need 
  to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these 
  services. 
   Spell services generally available include healing 
  and recovery spells, as well as information-gathering 
  spells. Other spell services might be available as 
  specified in the adventure. The number of spells 
  available as a service is limited to a maximum of 
  three per day total, unless otherwise noted. 
  Spellcasting Services  
  Spell  
   
   
   
  Cost  
  Cure wounds (1st level)  
   
  10 gp  
  Identify   
   
   
  20 gp  
  Lesser restoration  
   
  40 gp  
  Prayer of healing (2nd level)  
  40 gp  
  Remove curse  
   
   
  90 gp  
  Speak with dead   
   
  90 gp  
  Divination  
   
   
  210 gp  
  Greater restoration  
   
  450 gp  
  Raise dead  
   
   
  1,250 gp 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  4 
  Resurrection* 
   
   
  3,000 gp 
  True Resurrection* 
   
  50,000 gp 
   
  *These spells require an additional expenditure of 
  downtime days (150 for resurrection and 350 for 
  true resurrection). This cost can be reduced by 50 
  days for each faction rank above 1 that the character 
  possesses. This downtime is spent in community 
  service for the church that provided the spell in 
  question. The Acolyte Background feature does NOT 
  reduce the gp or downtime cost for either of these 
  spells. 
  Acolyte Background 
  A character possessing the acolyte background requesting 
  spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may 
  request one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table 
  for free. The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for 
  the consumed material component, if any. 
   
  Acolytes can call upon spellcasting services in and around 
  Camp Perilous regardless of their chosen deity. To use this 
  benefit, the acolyte must be a member of one of the five 
  factions. 
  Death and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  die. Since you might not have the same characters 
  return from session to session, here are the rules 
  when bad things happen to characters.  
  Death  
  A character who is killed during the course of the 
  adventure has a few options at the end of the session 
  (or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one 
  in the adventuring party has immediate access to a 
  raise dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A 
  character subject to a raise dead spell is affected 
  negatively until all long rests have been completed 
  during an adventure. Alternatively, each downtime 
  day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty to 
  attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in 
  addition to any other benefits the downtime activity 
  might provide.  
   Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of 
  the other options, the player creates a new 
  character. The new character does not have any 
  items or rewards possessed by the dead character.  
   Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing any 
  vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player 
  would like the character to be returned to life, the 
  party can take the body back to civilization and use 
  the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead 
  spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the 
  character 1,250 gp.  
   Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise 
  dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the 
  session. Other characters are under no obligation to 
  spend their funds to bring back a dead party 
  member.  
   Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 
  and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body 
  can be returned to civilization and a patron from the 
  faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead 
  spell. However, any character invoking this charity 
  forfeits all experience and rewards from that session 
  (both those earned prior to and after death during 
  that session) and cannot replay that episode or 
  adventure with that character again. Once a 
  character reaches 5th level, this option is no longer 
  available. 
  Adventure Background 
  The factionmasters of the Moonsea region have 
  learned of a dire plot being undertaken by the drow. 
  In nearby Vaasa, the dark elves are using the lessons 
  learned from their earlier experiments at the tomb 
  of the giants in the Anauroch desert and are now 
  seeking to bring Kiaransalee, their goddess of death 
  and magic, bodily into Faerun. They have gained 
  access to the Acropolis and the Vault of Gnashing 
  Teeth; it is in this place that was long ago dedicated 
  to the dark goddess that they will complete their 
  rituals. 
   The drow of the Undying Might – worshipers of 
  Kiaransalee, the drow goddess of death and magic - 
  beneath the Anauroch Desert have been 
  investigating ways to raise storm giants as death 
  giants; these massive bastions of faith and power 
  would then allow the drow to mount more effective 
  surface raids and would allow the drow to begin the 
  process of bringing their goddess into the world. 
  However, adventurers intervened and managed to 
  disrupt their efforts – but the drow were not entirely 
  defeated and similar efforts with fire giant corpses 
  are now being explored in far-off Vaasa. 
   SEER, the spymaster for the Lords’ Alliance, seems 
  to have a special interest in the proceedings. What 
  her true motivations are remains to be seen, but she 
  appears to be solely responsible for bringing all of 
  the disparate factions and organizations together in 
  these dark days. 
   Further complicating matters is the fact that the 
  giants are still chafing at the revelation that the 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  5 
  drow had been manipulating them all along. King 
  Snurre of the fire giants has utilized the newly-
  restored giant ordning and has taken charge of 
  deploying strike forces of giants to Vaasa. They have 
  been given strict orders to destroy anything that is 
  not a giant. 
   Finally, Vaasa itself occupies a curious place in 
  Faerun’s history. Until recent years it was highly 
  xenophobic, and under the leadership of the Witch 
  King Zhengyi had actually been poised to roll over 
  the Galena Mountains and into the Moonsea region. 
  All of that changed on the fateful night that saw 
  Zhengyi defeated and his castle – Castle Perilous – 
  destroyed. Not long after, though, the Castle was 
  mysteriously rebuilt in the space of a single night; it 
  is said that the disembodied spirit of a dragon now 
  serves as the heart of the citadel, and the plains of 
  Vaasa lie nearly barren and empty of life. 
  Adventure Overview 
  The characters have been summoned or deployed to 
  the plains of Vaasa, northeast of the Moonsea. The 
  faction heads and the Senior Cloak of Mulmaster, 
  Rastol Shan, have established a forward camp near 
  the holdings of Castle Perilous. This camp has been 
  established as news of a drow plot to raise 
  Kiaransalee has become known to SEER, the 
  spymaster of the Lords’ Alliance. 
   The characters are divided into groups, with some 
  attacking the massive crystalline pillars that have 
  shot up from the earth and others descending into 
  the Underdark in an effort to disrupt the drow ritual 
  directly. 
   As events unfold, the characters quickly learn that 
  dire events are unfolding. The characters on the 
  plains have destroyed a significant number of 
  Reaper’s Claws and the characters below the surface 
  have been working at disrupting the flow of 
  necromantic energy, and as a result the camp falls to 
  a secondary assault from the drow reinforcements 
  and the newly-released dracolich that had 
  previously been bound to this area. Deep inside the 
  Vault of Gnashing Teeth in the Acropolis, 
  Kiaransalee’s divine form is coalescing and 
  empowers a death giant to become her paladin. If 
  she is allowed to enter Faerun, it will be the 
  beginning of the end of all life across the world. 
  Adventure Hooks 
  This adventure works best when the characters have 
  already played through both DDHC Tales from the 
  Yawning Portal (chapter: Against the Giants) as well 
  as DDAL06-03 Crypt of the Death Giants. However, 
  the Adventurers League realizes that not every 
  character will have invested time into those 
  adventures. Consult the following potential hooks or 
  feel free to craft your own. 
   All Factions & the Cloaks. Each of the five 
  character factions as well as the Cloaks has been 
  given a set of secret missions. Each character may 
  participate in one faction mission based on their 
  membership and the tier they are playing at; if a 
  character is also a member of the Cloaks, they may 
  participate in that mission as well. Any information 
  pertaining to their secret missions should be shared 
  quickly, but only after the introduction has been 
  made. 
   Directly from DDHC-TYP (Against the Giants). If 
  the characters worked with the giants in the Against 
  the Giants chapter of Tales from the Yawning Portal, 
  they may have some experience dealing with King 
  Snurre – and perhaps even his respect. Work with 
  the characters to determine how the fiery King 
  might have contacted them about the impending 
  raids into Vaasa. One suggested method might be to 
  have the King send a pair of young giants into Phlan 
  bearing a blazing-hot copper scroll that bears the 
  King’s warning about the impending events. 
   Directly from DDHC-SKT (Storm King’s 
  Thunder). Characters that helped restore the giant’s 
  ordning at the end of Storm King’s Thunder may have 
  been informed about King Snurre’s rage and his 
  resulting demand for strike forces against the drow 
  in Vaasa. It would not be out of the question for a DM 
  to provide these characters advantage on social skill 
  checks with the giants, so long as they can prove that 
  they were part of the ordning’s restoration. 
  Alternately, characters that stole (or otherwise 
  maintain possession of) the Wyrmskull Throne from 
  the giants during that adventure find that the giants 
  in this adventure aggressively target them whenever 
  possible; in an encounter that does not feature 
  giants, add one death giant that is focused on that 
  character. 
   Directly from DDAL06-03 Crypt of the Death 
  Giants. Murssvayas Dhuurniv, the drow leader of 
  Szith Morcane has discussed the actions that the 
  characters undertook in the Anauroch Desert. After 
  consideration and review of ancient drow maps and 
  texts, Murssvayas informs the characters of an 
  increase in drow activity in Vaasa. Furthermore, this 
  activity is centered around the rumored location of 
  the Acropolis – the primary temple dedicated to 
  Kiaransalee on Faerun. It has been thought (hoped?) 
  lost for many years. 
    
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  6 
  Forward Camp Perilous 
   
  THE TRUTH IS, EVERYONE IS GOING TO HURT YOU. 
  You just got to find the ones worth suffering for. 
  —Bob Marley 
  Expected Duration: 15 minutes 
  The factions of the Forgotten Realms have 
  established a forward camp on the flatlands of 
  Vaasa, north and east of the Moonsea, and behind 
  the Galena Mountains. It is a hard-scrabble life for 
  those that live here, with little outside trade and 
  even less respect for exotic traditions and cultures.  
  Gathering the Troops 
  The factions have deployed these brave – or 
  indebted – adventurers to Forward Camp Perilous 
  due to recent information that has become known to 
  them. The characters have all been teleported or 
  otherwise had their journeys expedited to this place. 
  “CHAMPIONS!” 
   
  The word echoes out across the assembled masses; people 
  bristling with all manner of magical accoutrement, weapons, 
  armor, and wondrous items. The source is not immediately 
  apparent. 
   
  “CHAMPIONS! You come to us and join your allies in a time 
  of dire need – the dreaded drow have let slip knowledge of a 
  dire plot. Behold!” 
   
  The crowd parts as you can see a masked wizard several 
  dozen paces away. He mutters a few arcane syllables and the 
  severed head of a pale-skinned, emaciated fire giant 
  materializes then crashes into the ground. 
   
  “The drow are corrupting the fire giants. These so-called 
  ‘death giants’ have been granted incredible and unholy gifts, 
  and we – the Harpers, the Lord’s Alliance, the Zhentarim, the 
  Emerald Enclave, and the Order of the Gauntlet – have 
  tracked the source of their arcane energy to this region. 
  Before us lies Castle Perilous, and below us can be found the 
  tunnels of the treacherous dark elves. The task that lies 
  before us is grim: enter their world, destroy their plans, and 
  scrub their very presence from our world.” 
  Any character that is a member of the Cloaks 
  immediately recognizes the masked wizard as Rastol 
  Shan from Mulmaster. He turns and has a quiet 
  discussion with a Shou woman, whose eyes glitter 
  with unknowable secrets. Characters that played 
  certain season 5 adventures may recognize her as 
  SEER, the Lords’ Alliance spymaster. A golden 
  pseudodragon with milky white eyes lies lazily 
  across her shoulders. 
  The wizard continues: 
   
  “Our challenges are numerous, heroes. We have witnessed 
  the rise of crystalline obelisks that the captured drow 
  referred to as ‘The Reaper’s Claws’; we can only assume that 
  these are directly linked to the plot that the dark elves are 
  hatching far below our feet. These Claws must be destroyed 
  before they can gather more energy and funnel it to their 
  priests and archwizards in the Underdark, and –“ 
   
  The lithe woman deftly interrupts the wizard with the 
  following: 
   
  “- and to be very, very clear: many of you will be changed 
  by what you will see here. Death itself comes for us all. The 
  drow are bringing one of their gods into the world, and they 
  are bypassing the divine order to do so. Instead of an avatar, 
  they are attempting bring dread Kiaransalee, their goddess of 
  necromancy and death, into Faerun. Should this happen, we 
  are all doomed. Your job is to ensure that this does not 
  happen. End of discussion. 
   
  Some half of you will be tasked with managing the 
  Reaper’s Claws. The rest will be teleported as far into the 
  Underdark as we can get you. From there, you will locate the 
  Vault of Gnashing Teeth and destroy them by any means 
  necessary.” 
   
  Both she and the wizard look out over the assembled 
  forces. The golden pseudodragon lazily opens one eye as she 
  finishes: 
   
  “The gods will not be with us this night. It is upon us to 
  show that we mortals are more than capable of protecting 
  our world. Do this, that the gods themselves might tremble in 
  our presence. Do this, and we may yet live to see the dawn.” 
  Rastol Shan and SEER are available for additional 
  background details, and the characters should also 
  check in with their faction representatives (as noted 
  in the appendices). The assembled people can talk 
  about some high-level direction in the coming 
  battles, such as the fact that drow and death giants 
  are plentiful. They can also provide some history 
  about Vaasa, Castle Perilous, and the worship of 
  Kiaransalee to those that are curious (give the 
  characters Player Handout 1: History Lessons). 
   Due to the short-notice nature of this event, the 
  assembled leaders do not have additional materials 
  or resources to lend out, though spellcasting services 
  are available in the camp. 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  7 
  Development 
  The characters should have a few minutes to interact 
  with Rastol Shan and SEER so that they might learn 
  more about the mission that has been given to them. 
  Additionally, they may wish to speak to their faction 
  representatives and find out about secret missions 
  from those allies (these are noted in the appropriate 
  appendices). 
   Do NOT proceed to your tier section until the Head 
  DM signals for advancement. If advancement is 
  called for and your table is roleplaying, encourage 
  them to act with haste as this is a timed event. 
  The Challenge Ahead 
  The challenges that lie ahead are significant. Spellcasting 
  services can be procured by visiting Camp Perilous at any 
  point during the adventure. These services are available at 
  the normal rate, and a character may use the Acolyte 
  background benefit if they are a member of one of the five 
  factions. 
   
  Bear in mind the penalties that must be applied to a 
  character that receives a raise dead spell! 
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  8 
  Tier 3 – The Gathering Storm 
  STRONG MINDS DISCUSS IDEAS. Average minds 
  discuss events. Weak minds discuss people. 
  —Socrates 
  Expected Duration: 150 minutes (2h30m) 
  Once the characters have had a few moments to 
  learn about the unfolding events (and perhaps pick 
  up a secret mission or two), they proceed across the 
  plains of Vaasa to face down the Reaper’s Claws and 
  their guardians. 
  Castle Perilous 
  The Castle is not the focus for the characters at this 
  time, but it has a place of significance over the past 
  several hundred years. It was the palace of a warlord 
  of Vaasa and was replete with demons, sigils of 
  Orcus, and other bits of awfulness; some hundred 
  years ago, though, it exploded for reasons unknown. 
   As the dust and debris settled, a sleek black 
  fortress of impenetrable stone-like material sat in its 
  place. No doors, windows, or other entrance are 
  known to be reachable, but there is a definite air of 
  malice to the entire structure. Whether or not it is 
  linked to the contents of this adventure is up to the 
  characters to decide, but it is not explored herein. 
  General Features 
   Terrain. The land surrounding Castle Perilous is 
  rocky and barren, providing no obvious cover aside 
  from the Reaper’s Claws 
   Light. It is after midnight; the moon and stars are 
  obscured by thick clouds 
  The field before you is studded with dark crystalline obelisks, 
  each filled with raw magic and surrounded by drow, undead, 
  and worse. If these “Reaper’s Claws” are focusing the energy 
  of the drow ritual, then destroying as many of them as 
  possible is the order of the day. 
  Each of the Reaper’s Claws are one quarter-mile 
  apart; a character can cover that distance in about a 
  few minutes of travel. There is very little chance of 
  multiple Claws triggering on a single character or 
  group of characters, though some of the Claws may 
  be more well-defended than others.  
   
   
   
  The Reaper’s Claws 
  The Reaper’s Claws are large crystalline pylons that 
  have erupted from the ground at various points near 
  Castle Perilous. These structures have six sides and 
  are approximately 10 ft. on a side and nearly 30 ft. 
  tall, with sides as smooth as glass and slightly 
  tapered like an obelisk. Dozens of these structures 
  dot the landscape, each harnessing the raw magic of 
  the Weave and serving as a beacon for evil creatures 
  in the area. 
   If the characters successfully destroy four Claws 
  using the table below, they may give an aid to a tier 4 
  table. Details for granting aid can be found in Player 
  Handout 2: Granting Aid. A party can only grant a 
  single instance of aid, but can use any amount of aid 
  that they have received. 
   Statistics for the Reaper’s Claws are as follows: 
  • Size. colossal (10 ft. per side x 30 ft.) 
  • AC. 20 
  • Hit Points. 100 
  • Immunities. damage from nonmagical weapons; 
  fire, acid, cold, lightning, psychic, disease, poison; 
  cannot be moved or teleported 
  • Vulnerabilities. Bludgeoning from magical 
  weapons; thunder, force (including disintegrate 
  spells), cure wounds (Arcana DC 16: a cure wounds 
  spell at 4th level or higher that targets the Claw 
  will immediately destroy it) 
  • Attacks. none 
  • Defenses. Roll once each on the Defenses and the 
  Monsters tables. Additionally, all of the Reaper’s 
  Claws have the “All Reaper’s Claws” effect from 
  the Defenses table.. 
   
  Fun for Players & Fun for DMs 
  There are a number of tools and options available when 
  combining the Effects and Monsters tables for determining 
  the behavior and challenge of the Claw encounters. As a DM, 
  you should be stressing their resources but also ensuring that 
  everyone is having fun. Adjust the content of the encounters 
  as-needed to keep things appropriate – no table should feel 
  “shut out” by the challenge here. 
   
  If you’re having fun as a DM, your players are probably 
  having fun, too! 
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  9 
  Random Defenses – The Reaper’s Claws 
  d6 
  Challenges 
  1 
  Necrotic Storm 
  2 
  Dark Resonance 
  3 
  The Devouring Void 
  4 
  Songs of the Damned 
  5 
  I Smell the Blood… 
  6 
  Maelstrom (roll twice) 
  All Reaper’s Claws 
  The Claws act as gathering pylons for necrotic 
  energy, much like a lightning rod gathers the energy 
  of a storm. 
   Traps & Hazards. See below. 
   
  Necrotic Web. The Reaper’s Claws draw necrotic 
  energy to themselves from all across Faerun. This 
  creates a semi-physical web that begins 25 feet 
  above the ground and is 10 feet thick. Any non-
  undead creature that moves through this field must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or 
  take 16 (3d10) necrotic damage and must choose to 
  either lose maximum hit points equal to the necrotic 
  damage taken or gain one level of exhaustion; 
  succeeding on the saving throw results in the 
  creature taking the damage but not the additional 
  effect. 
  Effect 1. Necrotic Storm 
  The Claws act as gathering pylons for necrotic 
  energy, much like a lightning rod gathers the energy 
  of a storm. 
   Difficulty. Medium to deadly. 
   Creatures. Only undead creatures can be found in 
  a necrotic storm zone.  
   Traps & Hazards. See below. 
   
  Necrotic Storm. Each round on initiative counts 20 
  and 10 (losing ties), raw necrotic energy is pulled 
  from the Weave and gathers inside the Claw. All 
  living creatures within fifteen feet of the Claw take 
  16 (3d10) necrotic damage and must make a DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw. Living creatures that fail 
  this saving throw must choose to lose maximum hit 
  points equal to the necrotic damage taken or gain 
  one level of exhaustion. 
  Effect 2. Dark Resonance 
  Kiaransalee’s dark gifts emanate from this Claw, 
  bestowing gifts to her faithful and to any bonded 
  undead creatures in the vicinity. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. No additional creatures.  
   Traps & Hazards. See below. 
   
  All undead creatures and anyone (other than the 
  characters) that worships Kiaransalee regenerates 
  16 (3d10) hit points at the start of their turn so long 
  as they are within 30 feet of the Reaper’s Claw; 
  additionally, these creatures have advantage on 
  saving throws versus spells and magic effects while 
  within 100 ft. of the Claw. 
  Effect 3. The Devouring Void 
  This Claw has suffered a deep crack, and a violent 
  whistling can be heard as the air nearby is sucked 
  into the structure. 
   Difficulty. easy 
   Creatures. No undead 
   Traps & Hazards. As below 
   
  Devouring Void. Any undead creature that begins 
  its turn within 40 ft. of the Claw must succeed on a 
  DC 16 Strength saving throw or else be sucked into 
  the Claw and destroyed immediately. Living 
  creatures that begin their turn within 40 ft. of the 
  Claw must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or 
  be drawn 20 ft. closer to the Claw and knocked 
  prone. A living creature that succeeds on this saving 
  throw is not moved and is not knocked prone. 
  Creatures moved in this manner are not moved 
  inside of the claw, but near (possibly adjacent to) it. 
   If a creature would enter the cracked Claw, it is 
  destroyed immediately due to the terrible and 
  barely-controlled Weave energies contained inside. 
  Only a wish spell can restore such a creature to life. 
   DM’s Note. This effect should not be a surprise to 
  the characters; they can easily see that things are 
  being sucked into the cracked Claw from a great 
  distance and never escape. 
  Effect 4. Songs of the Damned 
  The shrieking souls of the recently departed are 
  concentrated around this Claw, obscuring vision and 
  hiding sounds in their cacophony and swirling 
  madness. 
   Difficulty. easy 
   Creatures. none  
   Traps & Hazards. See below 
   
  The souls of the dead have not yet departed Faerun 
  and are being drawn here, likely to power 
  Kiaransalee’s ascension. They swirl and flit madly 
  about the area, imposing disadvantage on attacks 
  made against targets that are more than fifteen feet 
  away unless the attacker has the blindsight feature.  
  
   
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  10 
   Additionally, the swirling souls are drawn to 
  healing magic and effects. If a creature wishes to use 
  a restorative ability, spell, or effect (cure wounds, 
  restoration, potion of healing, lay on hands, 
  goodberry, etc.; at DM discretion) all creatures 
  involved must make a DC 16 Constitution saving 
  throw as they are pelted by the ragged, flailing souls. 
  Failing this saving throw results in the character 
  gaining a level of exhaustion. For example, if one 
  character wishes to cast cure wounds on another, 
  they both must make the saving throw. 
  Effect 5. I Smell the Blood… 
  Something dire stirs in the heart of the Claw here. 
  Wounds do not heal properly, even with magical 
  treatment. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. See below  
   Traps & Hazards. See below 
   
  At the beginning of their turn, any creature that is 
  not at their maximum hit points can feel their life 
  force ebb and wane. Their wounds throb and their 
  blood flows freely, causing them to take 7 (1d12) 
  force damage; this damage ignores resistances and 
  immunities. The blood soars through the air and 
  collides with the side of the Claw where it is quickly 
  absorbed. 
   Once the claw has absorbed 100 hit points, a 
  bloodgorger death giant is released from the Claw. 
  This effect only occurs once per instance; if the 
  characters find another Reaper’s Claw with this 
  effect, it might happen again. 
  Bloodgorger Death Giant 
  A bloodgorger death giant uses the stat block of a death 
  giant, but it has advantage on any attacks that it makes 
  against any character that is not at their maximum hit points.  
  Effect 6. Maelstrom 
  Multiple effects have taken shape here and threaten 
  the characters. Roll twice on the effects table before 
  establishing what monsters are present; ignore any 
  result of “6. Maelstrom”. 
   Difficulty. deadly 
   Creatures. adjustable  
   Traps & Hazards. adjustable 
   
  DM’s Note. A Maelstrom result can lead to a very 
  deadly combination of effects. Proceed carefully, and 
  remember that this adventure should be Epic in 
  scope but fun in practice and deployment! 
   
  Monsters near The Reaper’s Claws 
  D6 
  Monsters & Challenges 
  1 
  4 banshees, 1 death giant 
  2 
  1 drow archmage, 1 drow warlord, 2 drow 
  master thiefs 
  3 
  4 driders, 1 drider wizard 
  4 
  1 devourer, 1 drow war priest 
  5 
  1 swarm of cranium rats, 2 mind flayers, 4 
  intellect devourers 
  6 
  1 flesh golem (storm giant), 1 drow war 
  priest, 2 drow master thiefs 
   
  Adjusting these Encounters 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
  • Very weak or weak party: remove 1 creature with the 
  lowest CR, to a minimum of 2 creatures in the combat 
  encounter 
  • Strong party or very strong party: Add another creature 
  from the encounter list that plays against the party’s 
  strongest feature. For example, if the characters have 
  multiple casters you might add another caster to the 
  monster list but give them access to counterspell, or 
  perhaps add a melee-focused creature with the great 
  weapon fighter feat. 
   
  The combats here should challenge the characters and 
  encourage them to expend their resources, but the drow do 
  not wish to kill them all – though a single death may serve as 
  a potent warning to the rest. Instead, the drow want to use 
  these powerful adventurers as sacrificial gifts to celebrate the 
  rebirth of their dark queen and goddess of death and 
  necromancy, Kiaransalee. Any characters reduced to 0 hit 
  points will be collected at the end of the combat and taken to 
  the Acropolis, where they are stabilized and placed in the 
  sarcophagi. 
   
  DMs are encouraged to temper their potential desire to 
  destroy characters with the desire to create a challenging and 
  engaging narrative that is supported by these combat 
  encounters combined with one or more effects from the 
  Effects table above. 
   
  Treasure. Each encounter includes 1 piece of tier-
  appropriate treasure from DM Appendix 2: Rewards. DMs 
  are encouraged to pregenerate any potential spell scrolls that 
  might be awarded so that the game does not slow its pace. 
  Timing, Resting, and Challenge 
  The Reaper’s Claws are numerous and spaced one 
  mile apart in any given direction. The characters 
  may travel between them as time allows, but 
  remember: the Epic event is limited in time, and this 
  section may only consume five hours of game time. 
   The characters may decide that they need to rest, 
  and this is fine. Encourage them to move away from 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  11 
  the Claws and take a short rest if needed but they 
  should be well aware of the fact that taking a long 
  rest would prevent them from participating in the 
  remainder of the Epic. Using restorative items is also 
  fine, but wondrous items like a Rod of Security do not 
  prevent the passage of time. 
   These combat encounters should feel challenging 
  and encourage the characters to expend resources. 
  Feel free to adjust encounters as-needed but be 
  careful that they are not disheartened by the 
  challenge before the final segment begins! 
  Advancing the Adventure 
  Once 150 minutes have elapsed, play automatically 
  proceeds to the next section. If this time elapses and 
  your characters are still in combat or embroiled in a 
  hazard, the next section will overlap the current 
  challenge – making things that much harder! 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  12 
  Final Combat (T3). Divinity Stalks 
  the Battlefield 
   
  ONE DOES NOT BECOME ENLIGHTENED BY 
  IMAGINING FIGURES OF LIGHT, but by making the 
  darkness conscious. 
  —C.G. Jung 
  Expected Duration: 60 minutes 
  Any lingering secret missions should be initiated 
  during this time. Please note that it may be difficult 
  to finish them due to the interactive nature of this 
  event. 
  The Shattering 
  Read the text below and give the characters a few 
  seconds to react – any character that does not 
  immediately seek cover (and is not otherwise 
  protected) takes 55 (10d10) magical slashing 
  damage as the remaining Claws shatter. Any attempt 
  to take cover is sufficient; this is not an opportunity 
  to kill characters “just because”. For instance, if they 
  succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom (Insight or Survival) 
  check, you could tell them that their gut instinct is to 
  take cover and hide – or at least get prone. 
  The remaining Reaper’s Claws groan and twist ominously… 
  General Features 
   Terrain. The landscape is dotted with the 
  shattered remains of the Reaper’s Claws. The ground 
  is rough terrain due to the crystal shards. 
   Light. The clouds have parted and the moon is full. 
  The area is in dim light. 
  Once the shrieking chorus of exploding crystal has subsided, 
  there is a brief moment of glorious silence. Unfortunately this 
  moment is broken by the cracking sound of shattering stone 
  as a ghostly draconic form rises from far-off Castle Perilous 
  and screams across the sky towards the camp. 
   
  Within seconds, the dragon has arrived and unleashes its 
  first torrent of fiery breath. Screams emanate from the camp; 
  now is a great time to return and assist your faction peers! 
  The Remains of Camp Perilous 
   When the characters return to the Camp, their 
  task is grim: the dead are numerous and are now 
  rising against them. Saving the survivors is now 
  paramount! Refer to the section below for details 
  about possible survivors and effects of their efforts. 
  Read the following text: 
  Inky-black draconic forms are shedding humanoid forms into 
  the Camp; you can only assume that the drow are now 
  raiding the Camp in an effort to undo the progress you have 
  made so far.  
   
  You will need to act quickly to save as many people as 
  possible! 
  Allow the characters to select a zone from the Camp 
  Perilous map. Refer to the table below for details 
  about survivors in that zone. If the key NPC for that 
  zone is already saved by another table (your head 
  DM should share this information), simply ignore 
  that part of the text. It is imperative that your table 
  reports any saved NPCs to the head DM as quickly as 
  possible! If the characters have cleared every 
  encounter from the table, they may assist another 
  tier 3 table. 
   
  Coordinating these Encounters 
  Each table should nominate a single player to act as their 
  liaison. This liaison should coordinate with the other table 
  liaisons so that the tier 3 tables can save as many survivors as 
  possible. Be sure to tell the players that any time spent this 
  discussion does count against the total time for the round, so 
  they should be speedy in their planning! Table liaisons should 
  meet each other and discuss their tactics for a minute or two 
  before returning to their table. 
   
  Stress that there is nothing additional to be gained by 
  sending multiple groups to the same location at the same 
  time. 
   
  Every zone uses the “All Zones” effect in addition to 
  anything specifically stated for that zone. 
   
  Monsters will almost certainly target the faction 
  representatives unless the characters forcefully intervene, 
  and quickly. Due to the low hit points remaining, tread 
  carefully – the characters shouldn’t be denied at all turns! 
  Zones in Camp Perilous 
  Zone 
  Survivors & Monsters 
  Emerald 
  Enclave 
  Seranolla the Whisperer; 1 adult red shadow 
  dragon, 2 wraiths (tier 3) 
  Harpers 
  Olisara Lightsong; 1 death giant and 2 drow 
  master thiefs 
  Lords’ 
  Alliance 
  Dornal Whitebeard; 5 wraiths (tier 3) 
  Order of 
  the 
  Gauntlet 
  Zern Xerkstil; 1 death giant, 1 drow war 
  priest, 1 drow warlord 
  Zhentarim 
  Chaab; 1 drow archmage, 1 drow warlord, 2 
  drow master thiefs 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  13 
  Cloaks 
  Rastol Shan; 1 drow warlord, 2 drow master 
  thiefs 
  SEER’s 
  tent 
  2 death giants 
   
  All Zones 
  Kiaransalee’s power has suffused the plains of Vaasa. 
   Creatures. Roll a die at the beginning of each 
  combat. On an even result, add an extra creature of 
  the lowest CR to the combat. On an odd result, an 
  adult red shadow dragon strafes through and 
  breathes necrotic energy across the battlefield; each 
  creature in the area must succeed on a DC 21 
  Dexterity saving throw or take 63 (18d6) necrotic 
  damage (half damage on a successful save). This 
  includes any monsters that are present. Any 
  humanoid that is reduced to 0 hit points by this 
  attack is immediately slain and rises one round later 
  a shadow under Kiaransalee’s control. Characters 
  may use their reaction to move up to their speed if 
  they wish to take cover (if cover is available); those 
  that are taking care to stay under cover do not need 
  to make this saving throw.  
   Survivors. The factionmasters all have an AC of 16 
  and 20 hit points remaining unless otherwise 
  indicated. They fight defensively and are exhausted; 
  they are not intended to be active combatants in 
  these encounters though they may still take damage 
  and die as per normal rules. 
  Emerald Enclave 
  Seranolla the Whisperer has shapechanged into an 
  earth elemental and has burrowed below ground 
  while waiting for rescue. 
   Challenge. An adult red shadow dragon is 
  attempting to excavate Seranolla from the earth. It is 
  flanked by 2 wraiths (tier 3). 
   
  The dragon is focused on excavating Seranolla. The 
  first attack made against it is made with advantage 
  due to this. 
  Harpers 
  Olisara Lightsong has been rendered unconscious 
  due to the onslaught of the drow. 
   Challenge. Olisara is unconscious and has one 
  minute (10 rounds) to live. 
   
  Once Olisara has hit points again, she will escape and 
  assist with evacuating other survivors. Any table 
  that returns her to health gains Inspiration; any 
  Harper character that returns her to life may 
  immediately gain the benefit of spending two hit 
  dice (no hit dice are spent for this; they simply gain 
  the benefit). 
  Lords’ Alliance 
  Dornal has been holding the armory while the others 
  escaped. Unfortunately he may not last much longer. 
   Challenge. Dornal is exhausted and surrounded 
  by wraiths. 
   
  Dornal has so far successfully fought back the drow 
  and undead, but he is exhausted. He has 40 hit points 
  remaining and all attacks made against him have 
  advantage. Any table that successfully rescues 
  Dornal immediately receives a spell scroll of greater 
  restoration. Any Lords’ Alliance member that 
  assisted with his rescue receives a potion of vitality. 
  Order of the Gauntlet 
  Zern Xerkstil is fighting a desperate battle against a 
  death giant. 
   Challenge. The death giant is keenly focused on 
  Zern. 
   
  If Zern is rescued, he expresses his appreciation by 
  providing the characters with a potion of speed and a 
  potion of supreme healing. Any Order of the Gauntlet 
  character that is present during this rescue is 
  immediately affected by a sanctuary spell that lasts 
  one minute. 
  Zhentarim 
  The craggy-faced Zhentarim enforcer has realized 
  that the battle has turned against him. 
   Challenge. Chaab’s enforcers have fallen to the 
  drow, and he is hiding.  
   
  Chaab’s bodyguards and Zhentarim allies have fallen 
  to the drow. The drow here are searching for him 
  and drow that has not been engaged by the 
  characters will find him at the beginning of the 
  second round of combat. Any Zhentarim character 
  that is present for Chaab’s rescue receives an extra 
  10% gold at the end of the adventure. If Chaab is 
  successfully rescued, he poisons one random 
  opponent in the party’s next encounter with a well-
  placed poison dart (lasts 1 minute, no attack roll or 
  save; only targets creatures that are not immune to 
  poison). 
  Cloaks 
  Rastol Shan is frantically waving his rapier while 
  several drow advance on him. 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  14 
   Challenge. Kiaransalee’s emerging form in Vaasa 
  has torn the Weave here; this encounter area is now 
  a dead magic zone. 
   
  If successfully rescued, Rastol Shan casts banishment 
  against 1 random opponent at the beginning of the 
  next combat (Wisdom saving throw, DC 18). Any 
  member of the Cloaks that participates in his rescue 
  gains a spell scroll of their choice of level 6 or lower 
  at the end of the adventure. 
   If the tier 4 tables have already enlisted the aid of 
  Bregan D’Arthe, Rastol Shan does not need saving 
  and is instead taking refuge here while considering 
  his next move. 
  SEER’s Tent 
  SEER’s tent is filled-to-bursting with giantish curses. 
   Challenge. Two death giants are ransacking 
  SEER’s tent, as if searching for something.  
   
  SEER is not present in the camp, as she has entered 
  the Vault of Gnashing Teeth to assist the other 
  characters. The giants understand Common and 
  Giant but do not otherwise communicate; they are 
  enraged and in a berserk state. Modify their stat 
  block as follows: 
  Bloodgorger Death Giant 
  A bloodgorger death giant uses the stat block of a death 
  giant, but it has advantage on any attacks that it makes 
  against any character that is not at their maximum hit points.  
  Development 
  Periodically the Head DM may announce that certain 
  NPCs are rescued (or killed). Be sure to adjust the 
  table above as-needed. If an NPC is announced as 
  dead and they are in your current encounter, they 
  are indeed dead; it is imperative that any rescued 
  NPCs are reported to the Head DM as soon as 
  possible once combat ends. Raising a dead NPC does 
  not grant any of the rescue bonuses, but it will allow 
  the NPC to be marked as ‘alive’ at the end of the 
  adventure. 
   During your combat encounters, the Head DM or 
  one of their assistants may arrive at your table 
  under the guise of the Urshula, Dracolich Spirit. If 
  this happens, the dracolich takes a full round of 
  actions and each of the characters takes a full round 
  of actions, then the current combat round continues 
  as the dracolich departs. 
  Treasure 
  Each encounter awards one random item from DM 
  Appendix 2: Rewards. DMs are encouraged to 
  pregenerate any spell scrolls that might be awarded 
  here so that the game does not slow down. 
  Additionally, each encounter contains specific 
  ‘bonus’ rewards if the characters are successful. Be 
  sure to record this for the characters! 
   Be sure to denote when a table has directly saved 
  a faction master, as this will impact their Faction 
  Savior story award at the end of the adventure. A 
  faction master is considered ‘directly saved’ when 
  the table was solely responsible for their safety. For 
  example, if table A saves Chaab they are directly 
  responsible, and table B receives no story award 
  benefit. 
  When Time has Expired…. 
  When the full 60 minutes have expired for this 
  section, any remaining combatants flee as best they 
  can. Record the numbers and types of fleeing 
  creatures as well as the number of encounters 
  cleared and turn the form in to the Head DM so that 
  success or victory can be tallied. 
  Advancing the Adventure 
  Once time has elapsed for this section, you may 
  proceed to the Conclusion of the adventure. Also, 
  once all of the key NPCs have been rescued, your 
  characters may assist other tables. 
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  15 
  Tier 4 – Journey into the Dark 
   
   
  ‘DARKNESS’ IS A SUBJECTIVE WORD; it depends what 
  your viewpoint is and how you live life. 
  —Taylor Momsen 
  Expected Duration: 150 minutes (2h30m) 
  Once the characters have been able to learn about 
  the unfolding events, they are teleported into the 
  Underdark by SEER. If for some reason a character 
  does not agree to be teleported in this fashion, SEER 
  merely shakes her head and forces the spell to work 
  due to certain ancient magical enchantments that 
  are part of her being. Any character that is forced to 
  be teleported gains two levels of exhaustion due to 
  the wear and tear on their bodies. 
  SEER looks at the assembled lot of you as the magical 
  energies swirl and the stones crunch underfoot.  
   
  “This place is a two-way portal back to Camp Perilous. Go 
  now; secure the tunnels and make clear the way into the 
  Vault of Gnashing Teeth. I will remain here and guard the 
  arcane circle. Should you need to return to Camp, simply step 
  into the rift. Be aware that in five hours we march into the 
  Vault. Until that time, busy yourself with securing the tunnels 
  – though I do suggest securing one of the secondary goals as 
  well.” 
   
  She hands you a rough map of the tunnels and wishes you 
  good hunting. 
   
  “Do not step foot in the Vault before the time is right. If 
  you do, you will ruin our plans – and worse, the protections 
  woven into that place will devour you entirely.” 
  The characters can freely move back and forth 
  between the tunnels and Camp Perilous – this may 
  be helpful for securing spellcasting services.  
       The characters must secure as many locations as 
  possible before time expires for this section; when 
  time expires, they automatically move into the next 
  phase. The secondary goals are indicated on the 
  map; each table may attempt one secondary goal 
  (even if there are fewer than 4 tier 4 tables in the 
  event). 
   
   
   
   
  Descending through the Tunnels 
  General Features 
   Terrain. The tunnels are natural and rough, but 
  travel can take place at normal speeds unless an 
  effect dictates otherwise. The tunnels are all 20 feet 
  wide and approximately 12 feet tall. Caverns are 
  typically no taller than 30 feet between floor and 
  ceiling. 
   Light. There is no light in the Underdark except 
  where noted. 
  Faerzress 
  Many parts of the Underdark of Faerûn are suffused with a 
  magical radiation that the drow call faerzress. A remnant of 
  the mighty forces that originally shaped the terrain of the 
  Underdark, faerzress distorts and interferes with certain 
  types of magic. Its effects on spells are not widely known 
  among the surface-dwelling peoples. 
   
  Areas of concentrated faerzress can be found here and 
  there throughout the Underdark. The drow have long sought 
  out such places in which to raise their cities, since the magical 
  radiation helps to frustrate spying and protect against enemy 
  assaults. Faerzress is also used in the construction of 
  powerful magical magic items. 
   
  Sometimes creatures that dwell in and around great areas 
  of faerzress find themselves imbued with strange and 
  unpredictable powers. 
   
  For the purposes of this adventure, whenever a non-drow 
  character (including their familiars, simulacrum, shield 
  guardians, and so on) casts a spell in the Underdark (but not 
  in the Vault of Gnashing Teeth), roll a d20. On a roll of 19 – 
  20, they cause a wild surge as per the chaos sorcerer class 
  feature (found in the Player’s Handbook). If no Player’s 
  Handbook is available, or if you wish to expedite the process, 
  feel free to roll a d6 and consult the following options: 
   
  • 1. The spell targets a randomly chosen target instead. If 
  the original spell affected a space instead of a target, it’s 
  targeted space is moved by 1d6 x 10 feet instead. 
  • 2. After the spell is cast, the spellcaster cannot speak. 
  Instead, whenever they open their mouth a stream of 
  festively-colored balls of light dribble out. 
  • 3. The spell simply has no effect, but the spell slot is spent. 
  • 4. All affected targets are also hasted and cursed until the 
  end of the caster’s next turn. 
  • 5. The caster is polymorphed into a goat until they take 
  damage. They have a strong desire to bleat loudly and to 
  find the nearest boot to chew on. 
  • 6. The caster and any affected targets must succeed on a 
  DC 18 Constitution check or else receive a level of 
  exhaustion. 
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  16 
  As the characters descend through the tunnels and 
  make their way to the Vault of Gnashing Teeth, they 
  will come across several random encounters. Their 
  first encounter should be 1. Reaper’s Claw (with a 
  random encounter as well), and then randomly 
  determined after that (unless noted, encounters can 
  be repeated). As a timed section, it is important to 
  help the party stay on-task and focused; when the 
  full 150 minutes has elapsed please conclude the 
  current combat in the most appropriate manner. 
  Play then immediately proceeds to the next section 
  or the chosen secondary goal. 
   If the characters successfully complete four 
  encounters using the tables below, they may give aid 
  to another tier 3 table. Details for granting aid can be 
  found in Player Handout 2: Granting Aid. A party 
  can only grant a single instance of aid, but can use 
  any amount of aid that they have received. 
  Fun for Players & Fun for DMs 
  The following section may prove to be simple in intention but 
  complex in deployment. Please take a moment to make 
  yourself comfortable with the encounters and effects; 
  pregenerating these setups is strongly encouraged so that 
  you don’t have to make many adjustments at the table. That 
  said, if you need to make slight adjustments to the challenges 
  presented please feel free to do so. 
   
  If you’re having fun, your players are probably having fun! 
  As the characters progress through the tunnels, roll 
  on the Random Effects – Underdark Tunnels table 
  and then on the Random Encounters – Underdark 
  Tunnels table. This can create some unexpected 
  combinations, so be ready to adjust as-needed. 
  Random Effects – Underdark Tunnels 
  d6 
  Challenges 
  1 
  Reaper’s Claw 
  2 
  Dead Magic Zone 
  3 
  Faerzress Concentration 
  4 
  Glyph of Imprisonment 
  5 
  Necrotic Storm 
  6 
  Maelstrom 
   
  Random Encounters – Underdark Tunnels 
  d10 
  Monsters & Challenges 
  1 
  Blessings of the Queen 
  2 
  Hunting Party 
  3 
  Golems 
  4 
  Death Giants 
  5 
  Purple Worm 
  6 
  Enraged Giants 
   
   
   
  Maps! 
  The map provided by SEER at Camp Perilous shows the 
  general outline of the tunnels, notable chambers, and the 
  Vault of Gnashing Teeth. You can draw your encounter maps 
  freehand to save time or if you wish to customize them a bit 
  more. 
   
   
  Adjusting these Encounters 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
  • Very weak or weak party: Adjustments are not 
  recommended. If you feel that they are absolutely needed, 
  allow creatures to flee or otherwise escape. Encounters 
  should not receive further modification. 
  • Strong party or very strong party: Add another creature 
  from the encounter list that plays against the party’s 
  strongest feature. For example, if the characters have 
  multiple casters you might add another caster to the 
  monster list but give them access to counterspell, or 
  perhaps add a melee-focused creature with the great 
  weapon fighter feat. 
   
  The combats here should challenge the characters and 
  encourage them to expend their resources, but the drow do 
  not wish to kill them all – though a single death may serve as 
  a potent warning to the rest. Instead, the drow want to use 
  these powerful adventurers as sacrificial gifts to celebrate the 
  rebirth of their dark queen and goddess of death and 
  necromancy, Kiaransalee. Any characters reduced to 0 hit 
  points will be collected at the end of the combat and taken to 
  the Acropolis, where they are stabilized and placed in the 
  sarcophagi. Characters so affected may participate in the 
  final encounter if another table of characters can heal them; 
  these players should remain seated with their table for the 
  duration of the event and their status should be reported to 
  the Head DM. 
   
   
  Treasure. Each encounter includes 1 piece of tier-
  appropriate treasure from DM Appendix 2: Rewards. DMs 
  are encouraged to pregenerate any potential spell scrolls that 
  might be awarded so that the game does not slow its pace. 
   
  Am I Out Forever? 
  Spellcasting services can be procured in the Camp, or… this is 
  an interactive adventure! Some of these encounters have 
  some dire effects; if another tier 4 table can cast things like 
  greater restoration, dispel magic, and so on be sure to let 
  them. This is an onslaught by cooperating heroes, so 
  encourage them to play it up! 
   
  This sort of activity can only occur while out of combat. 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  17 
  Effect 1. Reaper’s Claw 
  Part of one of the Reaper’s Claws runs through this 
  space. Its crystalline housing is both sinister and 
  calming, with promises of glory contained inside. 
   Difficulty. deadly 
   Creatures. adjustable  
   Traps & Hazards. adjustable 
   
  Roll once on the effects table in Random Effects – 
  The Reaper’s Claws (in the tier 3 section), then roll 
  again on this table; ignore any result of 1. Reaper’s 
  Claw. 
  Effect 2. Dead Magic Zone 
  Some areas of Faerun are completely devoid of 
  magical energy. These areas are known as dead 
  magic zones, and are extremely terrifying for 
  adventures. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. none  
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  No magic functions in this place. Magical weapons 
  become mundane, wondrous items serve no 
  purpose, and even potions of healing simply become 
  thick, syrupy potables.  
  Effect 3. Faerzress Concentration 
  Faerzress is a type of radiation that suffuses large 
  portions of the Underdark. It has a strange effect on 
  magical energies and can sometimes also cause 
  mutations in the denizens of the caverns and tunnels 
  far below ground. Be sure to have a visual marching 
  order for the characters prior to beginning this 
  encounter, as spacing makes a difference for class 
  features like a paladin’s auras. 
   Difficulty. easy 
   Creatures. none  
   Traps & Hazards. exhaustion 
   
  Any spell cast in this space automatically triggers a 
  wild surge, as per the sidebar earlier in this section. 
  Effect 4. Glyph of Imprisonment 
  Be sure to have a visual marching order for the 
  characters prior to beginning this encounter, as 
  spacing makes a difference for class features like a 
  paladin’s auras. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. none  
   Traps & Hazards. Glyph of Warding 
  (Imprisonment). 
   
  The drow wizards have inscribed a high-level glyph 
  of warding in this entire area. It is triggered when a 
  non-drow steps on it or comes within ten feet of it 
  (for example, if someone hovers or flies over it). The 
  glyph contains an imprisonment spell (Wisdom 
  saving throw DC 22 to negate) that, on a failed 
  saving throw, buries the triggering character far 
  underground as per the spell’s burial effect. This 
  effect lasts until dispelled; any dispel magic effect 
  aimed at the imprisonment has a DC of 19. This glyph 
  recharges every 30 minutes due to the faerzress. 
   Unless the characters are extremely powerful, this 
  encounter should only be used once during this 
  adventure. 
  Effect 5. Necrotic Storm 
  The energy gathered by the Reaper’s Claws is arcing 
  through this place. 
   Difficulty. Medium to deadly. 
   Creatures. Only undead creatures can be found in 
  a necrotic storm zone.  
   Traps & Hazards. See below. 
   
  Necrotic Storm. Each round on initiative counts 20 
  and 10 (losing ties), raw necrotic energy is pulled 
  from the Weave and gathers inside the Claw. All 
  living creatures within fifteen feet of the Claw take 
  26 (5d10) necrotic damage and must make a DC 18 
  Constitution saving throw. Living creatures that fail 
  this saving throw must choose to lose maximum hit 
  points equal to the necrotic damage taken or gain 
  one level of exhaustion. 
   
  Effect 6. Maelstrom 
  Multiple effects have taken shape here and threaten 
  the characters. Roll twice on the effects table before 
  establishing what monsters are present; ignore any 
  result of “6. Maelstrom”. 
   Difficulty. deadly 
   Creatures. adjustable  
   Traps & Hazards. adjustable 
   
  DM’s Note. A Maelstrom result can lead to a very 
  deadly combination of effects. Proceed carefully, and 
  remember that this adventure should be Epic in 
  scope but fun in practice and deployment! 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  18 
  Creatures 1. Blessings of the Queen 
  This encounter should show the effects of the drow’s 
  blind faith in their death goddess, Kiaransalee. 
   Difficulty. Medium to deadly. 
   Creatures. 5 draegoloth, 1 drow war priestess, 
  1 drow assassin.  
   Traps & Hazards. None. 
   
  The draegoloth have hidden under loose stones near 
  the center of their encounter space (Perception DC 
  22 to spot). The drow are similarly hidden but do 
  not reveal themselves until the draegoloth are 
  engaged in combat. They are intelligent enough to 
  attempt to draw the characters into direct conflict so 
  that the assassin and priestess can pick off one or 
  two; as fiends, they do not fear death and instead 
  wish to sow chaos and discord before they are 
  dispatched back to the Abyss. 
  Creatures 2. Hunting Party 
  The drow are seeking to enlist the aid of some of 
  their oldest and deadliest allies, the mind flayers. 
  Together with the blessings of Kiaransalee and the 
  tiny but ferocious intellect devourers, this encounter 
  showcases the hasty, dangerous nature of these alien 
  cultures. 
   Difficulty. deadly 
   Creatures. 1 ulitharid, 1 drow warlord, 2 drow 
  warlocks of the fiend, 4 intellect devourers.  
   Traps & Hazards. None. 
   
  The ulitharid is the de facto leader of this group. It 
  will command the warlock to hex whichever 
  character appears weakest so that the entire unit 
  can hammer that character down. When 
  appropriate, the intellect devourers will attempt to 
  consume and replace the brain of any defeated 
  characters. 
  Creatures 3. Golems 
  The drow sometimes craft horrific statues and 
  effigies of their gods. In places of potent magic or 
  religious significance, these statues sometimes take 
  on a terrifying life of their own. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. 1 iron golem and 4 flesh golems  
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  The iron golem has been crafted in the likeness of a 
  huge-sized drider and cannot be knocked prone. 
  Furthermore, it has been given a coat of adamantine 
  plating and is now immune to critical hits. Once the 
  golem has negated two critical hits, this carapace 
  cracks and falls off as worthless dust. 
   The flesh golems are large and are comprised of 
  different types of giants all stitched together. Their 
  eyes gleam with unholy light, and once they take 
  damage from any weapon, slashing, or piercing 
  source their putrid internal gases begin leaking out. 
  One the gas begins spilling out, any living creature 
  that moves within fifteen feet of the flesh golem or 
  that ends their turn in that space must make a DC 18 
  Constitution saving throw; on a failure they are 
  poisoned for 1 minute. If they fail this saving throw 
  by 5 or more, or if they fail this saving throw while 
  already poisoned, they also gain a level of 
  exhaustion. 
  Creatures 4. Death Giants 
  Two heavily-armored, axe-wielding death giants 
  patrol the tunnel here. They are keenly aware of 
  their nature and revel in sowing the seeds of death 
  and destruction at every opportunity. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. 2 death giants, 3 wraiths (tier 4) 
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  The death giants work in tandem to fell their foes, 
  similar to very large lumberjacks taking down trees 
  quickly and efficiently. These death giants are using 
  huge-sized greataxes; their melee attacks inflict 22 
  (6d8 + 8) slashing damage plus 18 (6d6) necrotic 
  damage on a hit. The wraiths lurk in the walls and 
  require a Perception of 24 or higher (or an effect 
  that would allow the character to pinpoint the 
  location of these undead creatures) in order to not 
  be surprised by them at the start of combat. 
  Creatures 5. Purple Worm 
  The tunnels in this area are unnaturally smooth and 
  have gentle slopes, unlike the more rough-hewn 
  tunnels you had been traveling through. A slight 
  rumble can be heard in the earthen walls. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. 1 purple worm  
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  The purple worm is a vicious combatant and 
  explodes from the wall in a flurry of teeth. As the 
  rumbling echoes through the tunnel, the characters 
  must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check in order to not be surprised by the worm 
  when it emerges; characters that are proficient in 
  Nature make this check with advantage, and all drow 
  and all rangers automatically succeed. The round 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  19 
  tunnel here is only twenty-five feet across, so the 
  worm will push the characters to either side as it 
  enters the area; this blocks line of sight if characters 
  become separated. 
   It makes copious use of its bite attack and the 
  swallow feature, and once it has swallowed three 
  characters it will attempt to withdraw and burrow 
  into the stone. Bear in mind that swallowed 
  characters cannot breathe, and if the worm is killed 
  while burrowing they may become trapped! 
   DM’s Note. This encounter should only be run 
  once, and should immediately launch into another 
  combat encounter as creatures would be drawn by 
  the noise (use the same initiative, and add the new 
  creatures at the beginning of the third round of 
  combat). This only counts as a single encounter for 
  purposes of generating aid. 
  Creatures 6. Enraged Giants 
  The giant tribes have been dealt a grievous blow by 
  the drow and their experiments. Several giants have 
  made their way into the Underdark and are no 
  longer see any difference between the dark elves 
  and other “small people”. 
   Difficulty. medium 
   Creatures. 2 fire giant dreadnaughts and 1 
  cloud giant smiling one  
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  The giants attack recklessly and are utterly 
  convinced that the characters are in league with the 
  drow. If there is a drow among the characters, the 
  giants attack them first and have advantage on all of 
  their attack rolls (as if they were barbarians using 
  the reckless attack class feature). 
   DM’s Note. This encounter should only be run 
  once. 
  Secondary Goal 1. Illithid Laboratory 
  A mind flayer lich (illithilich) has been reported in 
  this region. SEER believes that it might be part of the 
  ritual that is funneling the necrotic energy in Vaasa. 
  Putting it down may lessen the burden on your 
  allies. 
   Difficulty. lethal 
   Creatures. 1 Mind Flayer Lich, 4 intellect 
  devourers, 2 tier 4 wraiths 
   Traps & Hazards. Use effects 3 & 5 on the 
  Random Effects – Underdark Tunnels table. 
   
  The mind flayer lich has set up its laboratory around 
  the base of this Reaper’s Claw. It knows full well the 
  effects and seeks to bring living creatures close so 
  that the wraiths and its spells can destroy them. The 
  intellect devourers are trained to only run out of 
  their hiding holes when living creatures go prone, 
  and will never willingly enter the space around the 
  Reaper’s Claw. 
   DM’s Note. This encounter may only be run once 
  per event. When the characters successfully 
  complete this encounter, report this to the Head DM. 
  The characters earn the Lost Lore of the Illithilich 
  story award at the end of the adventure. 
  Secondary Goal 2. Bregan D’Arthe Mercenary Company 
  The mercenaries of Bregan D’Arthe keep a faction 
  house here in the tunnels. SEER believes that their 
  alliance can be purchased or proven, and that their 
  might would be greatly appreciated in the coming 
  battles. 
   Difficulty. difficult 
   Creatures. 4 drow warlords, 2 drow master 
  thiefs, 1 iron golem 
   Traps & Hazards. none 
   
  The drow mercenaries must be convinced of the 
  character’s similar intentions – mercenary in nature, 
  and admitting that gold is king. The drow are tightly 
  allied with the faithful of Kiaransalee, and would 
  need to be convinced that their best interests lie 
  elsewhere. If the characters succeed on a DC 24 
  Charisma (Persuasion) check (reduce the DC by 2 for 
  every 3,000 gp in bribes that are offered by the 
  characters) they can secure the alliance of the 
  mercenaries – but only if they can defeat the 
  faction’s champions. Killing the champions causes a 
  failure for this mission, and the Persuasion check can 
  only be made one time and by a single character. If 
  the characters attempt to use spells to bolster their 
  Persuasion check, the hidden drow mages use 
  counterspell as often as possible. A DC 16 Wisdom 
  (Insight) check will reveal that the drow should be 
  offered a single, large bribe prior to any negotiating 
  begins. 
   DM’s Note. This encounter may only be run once 
  per event. When the characters successfully 
  complete this encounter, report this to the Head DM. 
  The characters earn the Patron of the Company story 
  award at the end of the adventure. 
  Secondary Goal 3. Establish Secondary Portal 
  SEER has asked for one of you to establish a second 
  teleportation circle at the desired spot. She requires 
  that you use a specific set of sigils for this circle, as 
  “it will bring reinforcements”. She refuses to 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  20 
  elaborate further, and only smirks. “You’ll know it 
  when you see it.” 
   Difficulty. lethal 
   Creatures. 2 death tyrant beholders 
   Traps & Hazards. Effect 3 on the Random Effects 
  – Underdark Tunnels table (Faerzress) 
   
  In order to complete this mission, one of the 
  characters must know and be capable of casting 
  teleportation circle (or wish, emulating teleportation 
  circle); furthermore, the characters must use the 
  sigils provided by SEER or the mission is a failure. 
  Characters cannot spend the time studying these 
  sigils, as this would require the use of downtime 
  days and would exceed the duration of this 
  adventure. Once the spell is cast, the faerzress flares 
  up and capture the attention of a pair of death 
  tyrant beholders. The mission is successful once 
  the monsters have been defeated. Additional details 
  will be handled by the Head DM. 
   DM’s Note. This encounter may only be run once 
  per event. When the characters successfully 
  complete this encounter, report this to the Head DM. 
  The characters earn the Gatekeeper of the Divine 
  story award at the end of the adventure. 
  The Entrance to the Vault of Gnashing Teeth 
  The entrance to the Vault is nothing more than a 
  plain-looking stone door festooned with holy 
  symbols of Kiaransalee. The emits a terribly cold 
  aura; the characters do not need to make an Arcana 
  check to determine that this is raw necromantic 
  energy. If they insist on interacting with it, remind 
  them of SEER’s warning and encourage them to 
  move away. 
   If they insist on opening the door, they may do so 
  – it’s not locked. However, stepping foot inside that 
  chamber causes immediate death and nothing short 
  of a wish spell can bring that character back to life. 
  Even worse, all monsters in the final section of the 
  adventure now have advantage on their attacks and 
  saving throws against the characters at this table 
  until the end of the adventure. 
  Timing, Resting, and Challenge 
  The tunnels into the Underdark many and twisting, 
  but the characters should find their way to the 
  Acropolis in fairly short order. Remember: the Epic 
  event is limited in time, and this section may only 
  consume five hours of game time and 150 minutes of 
  “real” time. 
   The characters may decide that they need to rest, 
  and this is fine. Encourage them to take a short rest 
  if needed but they should be well aware of the fact 
  that taking a long rest would prevent them from 
  participating in the remainder of the Epic. Using 
  restorative items is also fine, but wondrous items 
  like a Rod of Security do not prevent the passage of 
  time. 
   These combat encounters should feel challenging 
  and encourage the characters to expend resources. 
  Feel free to adjust encounters as-needed but be 
  careful that they are not disheartened by the 
  challenge before the final segment begins! 
  Advancing the Adventure 
  Once 150 minutes have elapsed (or the characters 
  have used five hours of game time), play 
  automatically proceeds to the next section. If this 
  time elapses and your characters are still in combat 
  or embroiled in a hazard, simply cut that combat 
  short by allowing the characters to narrate their 
  heroic finishing moves! 
  SEER strides up to the solid door to the Vault of Gnashing 
  Teeth. Gritting her teeth, she places her palms on it and looks 
  at you. 
   
  “Once I begin this incantation I will be rooted in this place. 
  I can channel the Weave effectively enough, but it will be 
  your responsibility to breach the temple ahead and punish 
  the drow. Go now, and may your blades be ever sharp!” 
   
  She begins an incantation and her eyes roll back in her 
  head as the door silently opens to the chamber beyond… 
    
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  21 
  Final Combat (T4). Within the 
  Acropolis, The Goddess Emerges 
   
  SOMETIMES IT IS BETTER TO LIGHT A 
  FLAMETHROWER THAN CURSE THE DARKNESS. 
  —Terry Pratchett 
  Expected Duration: 60 minutes 
  The full impact of the drow plan is now revealed. 
  Kiaransalee has begun to emerge from the rift, and 
  her presence is causing waves of raw necrotic 
  energy to cascade throughout the entire region. 
  The Ritual 
  The highest-ranking faithful servitors of Kiaransalee 
  have completed their summoning ritual. As the 
  goddess emerges, the characters must determine 
  their best course of action: will they attempt to 
  destroy the faithful, the avatar, or both? Time is 
  running out. 
  General Features 
   Terrain. The Acropolis is, at first glance, made of 
  finely carved marble. Upon inspection it can be 
  determined that it is actually crafted exclusively of 
  the bones of non-drow humanoids. The ceiling is 
  lined with thousands of clacking skulls. 
   Light. There is no ambient light in this place. 
   Smells. There is a sharp electric scent in the air, 
  similar to ozone. 
   Ceiling. The ceiling is forty feet overhead and is 
  completely covered with the preserved skulls of 
  many different humanoid races. The skulls mounted 
  on the ceiling can create a horrific cacophony (see 
  the Vault of Gnashing Teeth sidebar).  
  Webs of inky-black necrotic energy arcs between the 
  standing pillars as a gathering of priestesses of Kiaransalee 
  drone their sonorous chant. Their voices rise as one, and the 
  energy redoubles in intensity, arcing across the room and 
  striking several of the faithful dead in an instant. As your eyes 
  clear you can see a massive female shape that is now 
  standing in the center of the room, surveying the wreckage 
  with a cruel glimmer of a smile splaying across her face. 
  The priestesses of Kiaransalee have nearly 
  completed their ritual as the characters enter this 
  space. The energy arc has killed a number of the 
  faithful (causing the female death giant to have a 
  number of souls in her possession as combat begins 
  – see the Adjusting the Encounter sidebar). She 
  herself is not Kiaransalee, but is acting as her vessel 
  upon Faerun. Her divine spark is split between each 
  of the ritual zones (the other tier 4 tables in this Epic 
  adventure). As the death giant succumbs to damage 
  caused by the characters, this fraction of her essence 
  joins the others on the battlefield. Ultimately, her full 
  divine essence will be present and no matter the 
  outcome, the Realms will surely tremble from the 
  ensuing combat. 
   In addition to the death giant, there are also 2 tier 
  4 wraiths and an invisible drow matron mummy 
  lord. 
  The Vault of Gnashing Teeth 
  This chamber houses the Acropolis, the main temple to 
  Kiaransalee, though some might say that the chamber itself is 
  the most significant temple dedicated to the drow goddess of 
  undeath and magic. The interior structures are built entirely 
  of the bones of the enemies of the drow, and the ceiling is 
  lined with thousands of animated skulls. 
   
  Cacophony. If any of the characters or their allies find 
  themselves more than 20 feet above the floor, the skulls 
  immediately begin to clack and chomp in a horrid storm of 
  noise. This clattering fills the chamber; if the characters 
  attempt to cast a spell with a verbal component they must 
  first succeed on a DC 18 Concentration check; failing this 
  check means that the spell is lost and the slot is expended. 
  Spoken words between characters also require a DC 18 
  Wisdom (Perception) check in order to be heard up to ten 
  feet away; speech simply cannot travel further than this. 
  Once begun, the cacophony only ends when the characters 
  leave the Vault. 
   
  Rending Bites. If one of the characters or their allies makes 
  contact with the skulls for any reason, they are attacked by 
  the skulls. Bites. Magical Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 66 (12d10) piercing damage and 
  66 (12d10) necrotic damage, and the target is grappled 
  unless they succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw. 
   
  Divine Essence. This place is the center of Kiaransalee’s 
  power. Her worshippers have advantage on attack rolls made 
  against those that do not worship her, and those that do not 
  worship her have disadvantage on saving throws versus spells 
  and other magical effects generated by those that do.  
   
   
  The Vault houses a number of small, identical temples 
  dedicated to Kiaransalee arrayed around the center of the 
  chamber. There are as many temples as there are tables of 
  tier 4 characters. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  22 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
  • Very weak or weak party: No adjustments. After all, this is 
  an Epic adventure! 
  • Average party: Add a second tier 4 wraith. 
  • Strong party or above: As Average party, and the skulls on 
  the ceiling immediately use their cacophony ability once 
  the first character enters the Acropolis, and the wraiths 
  have advantage on all attack rolls made against any target 
  that is not at their maximum hit point value.  
   
  Kiaransalee’s souls. Kiaransalee will begin combat with a 
  number of souls, and may use them or gain additional ones 
  as combat progresses. She may use them as follows (using 
  souls does not consume any form of action): 
   
   
  1 soul: gain advantage on one attack roll or saving throw 
   
  2 souls: gain an additional reaction 
   
  3 souls: heal half of the amount of damage that she has 
  taken during this battle (this is a magical effect but is not a 
  spell) 
   
  4 souls: Smite the Soulless. Any melee attack that the 
  death giant makes against an unliving target (such as an 
  undead creature, construct, or even a simulacrum) that hits is 
  considered a critical hit and inflicts maximum damage instead 
  of any rolled amount. This ability can only be used once. 
   
   
   
  Development 
  The death giant can recall its fire giant heritage and 
  does not hesitate to make liberal use of thrown rocks 
  and melee attacks. It also knows full well the power 
  of Kiaransalee’s divine essence and seeks to use the 
  souls that she has gathered to devastating effect. 
   The matron mother mummy lord is a tough 
  opponent in that she has already used the invisibility 
  function of her cloak of invisibility. For the duration 
  of this encounter and due to the ongoing ritual effect, 
  the cloak is temporarily upgraded to a greater 
  invisibility effect. The mummy lord will bolster the 
  death giant initially, but gleefully picks off weaker 
  opponents whenever possible. 
   This is intended to be a very difficult encounter. 
  Do not hold back on the characters – they are facing 
  a the very real possibility of a deity entering the 
  world; if the drow plot is fully realized, they will 
  have brought Kiaransalee bodily into Faerun, 
  whereas previous visits from deities have been 
  limited to just their avatars. 
  Binding Divine Essences 
  Each death giant begins with a single divine essence. As your 
  table’s death giant succumbs to damage by the characters, 
  her essence arcs out and seeks to join with the nearest divine 
  spark. In almost every case this will be another tier 4 table.  
  Your death giant dies. When your table’s death giant dies, 
  describe the visual effect of her divine spark wrenching 
  itself free of her giantish body and how it quickly speeds 
  away and out of this temple. The characters all gain 1 point 
  of inspiration or may spend hit dice as if they were taking a 
  short rest, though no other short rest effects take place. 
  Your characters may assist other tier 4 tables (no more 
  than 1 additional character to a single table, to a maximum 
  of 7 characters at that table and a minimum of 3 
  characters at a table) or you may run an additional combat 
  by rolling 1d4 on the Random Encounters – Underdark 
  Tunnels table. The divine essence is sent to another tier 4 
  table, and the listed effects take place immediately. 
  Your death giant gains an extra essence. When your table’s 
  death giant gains another divine essence, her powers are 
  greatly increased.  
  • 1 extra essence. This death giant is healed to full hit points 
  and may automatically end any ongoing spell effects on 
  her that she desires. 
  • 2 extra essences. This death giant has advantage on all 
  attack rolls and saving throws for the rest of the 
  adventure. 
  • 3 extra essences. This death giant’s melee attacks also 
  include the effects of a bestow curse spell (DC 24) when 
  she hits. 
  • 4 extra essences. This death giant summons 1 drow war 
  priestesses, 2 draegoloths, and 1 invisible drow assassin at 
  a random tier 4 table other than this one. 
   
  If your Epic game has more than 4 tier 4 tables, each 
  additional essence restores all of her missing hit points and 
  grants her a number of souls equal to the number of 
  characters present (including simulacrum, shield guardians, 
  and other allied combatants). 
  When only a single death giant remains, read or 
  paraphrase the following. Remember that this text 
  and the following effects are only in play for the final 
  table:  
   
  For the table with the last death giant: 
  The grotesque, giant meatsuit housing Kiaransalee’s divine 
  essence shudders and buckles as horrible ripping noises 
  emanate from it. A soul-rending scream tears through the air 
  as her body explodes with raw spell energy. 
   
  As the debris settles, a lithe drow priestess stands where 
  the giant body had formerly been. The very air around her 
  ripples with menace and the promise of death, and her eyes 
  glint with equal parts malice and disgust. 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  23 
   
  Suddenly, from behind you comes the familiar voice of 
  SEER. “Take her down, champions! My enchantments will not 
  hold her forever!” 
   
  The air around you shimmers and crackles as raw arcane 
  energy is woven together into a protective bubble. Your last 
  sight of SEER’s face showed her to be in extreme pain but 
  filled with determination. The bubble closes and all you can 
  see is the challenge ahead. 
   
   
   
   
  Adjusting the Encounter – the Final Death Giant 
  This is the penultimate goal for the drow. The last remaining 
  death giant has taken the form of Kiaransalee, and although 
  it does not have the deity’s full array of powers it is a terribly 
  powerful opponent. Characters should be ready to face the 
  fight of their lives, and Dungeon Masters should pull no 
  punches. Adjust the final death giant’s stat block as follows: 
  • Restore lost hit points and maximum hit points; this death 
  giant has 247 maximum hit points. 
  • Her size becomes medium. 
  • She no longer has the ability to throw rocks, and her 
  longsword damage becomes 12 (1d8 + 8) one-handed, or 
  13 (1d10 + 8) two-handed. Her longsword attacks also 
  inflict 18 (4d8) necrotic damage on a hit. 
  • All of her melee attacks and melee weapon attacks count 
  as magical sources of damage. 
  • She retains any unused souls from the last combat. 
  • She is resistant to fire, acid, and cold damage. 
  • She is immune to necrotic damage, and cannot be 
  charmed, confused, or frightened. 
  • On initiative count 20 (losing ties), the death giant may 
  bring 2 tier 4 wraiths into existence if none are present. 
  • Until the arcane shell is broken by her destruction, nothing 
  can teleport into or out of the shell, though teleportation 
  between points inside this space is not affected. Spells that 
  do not function include maze, plane shift, banishment, 
  summon spells, and the like; spells like misty step work just 
  fine, though. 
  • The death giant may transfer half of any damage she takes 
  (rounded up) to a wraith that she can see. This does not 
  cost a reaction, but it does consume an unused spell slot if 
  she uses this ability. 
   
  There is no scaling for very weak or weak tables. For strong 
  or very strong tables, consider maximizing (not rolling) the 
  death giant’s necrotic damage or adding 2 additional tier 4 
  wraiths to the combat. 
   
  This death giant may also use (and already possess!) souls as-
  noted in the previous ‘Adjusting the Encounter’ sidebar. 
   
  Story Awards from DDAL06-03 Crypt of the Death Giants 
  The characters may have already played DDAL06-03 Crypt of 
  the Death Giants. If they have, ask them if they have either of 
  the following awards and apply effects as-stated (settling ties 
  in favor of the characters, or in the favor of the monsters if 
  this is a strong or very strong table): 
   
  Death’s End. You previously defeated a number of drow 
  faithful of Kiaransalee and have undermined their ability to 
  perform this ritual. If more characters possess this story 
  award than possess the Death’s Escape story award, the 
  death giant has disadvantage on the first attack roll that she 
  makes each turn and one saving throw per turn. 
   
  Death’s Escape. The cultists of Kiaransalee that you 
  previously encountered were able to escape. They used this 
  time to adjust their ritual; if more characters possess this 
  story award than possess the Death’s End story award, the 
  death giant has advantage on the first attack roll that she 
  makes each turn and as a reaction may change the target of a 
  spell if she exceeded the saving throw by 5 or more. 
   
  Interactve Options 
  Although characters inside the bubble are focused on the 
  battle at-hand, the characters outside of the bubble may be 
  able to affect the battle inside by using the following options: 
  • Bolster SEER’s ritual. As an action, a character can sacrifice 
  spell slots to SEER. For each 4th level spell slot or higher 
  that they wish to spend in this manner, SEER’s ritual is 
  bolstered; each creature inside the shell takes 1d8 force 
  damage per level of the spell slot, and this damage 
  bypasses immunities and resistances. A successful DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw cuts the damage in half; undead 
  creatures make this saving throw with disadvantage. If this 
  action is used, inform the table that is inside the shell. 
  • Clearing an encounter. If the characters outside of the 
  arcane shell kill or otherwise destroy all of their opponents 
  in an encounter, SEER can capture some of their escaping 
  energy. Whenever an encounter is cleared, a pulse rides 
  through the arcane bubble and all enemies (not the 
  characters) inside the bubble take 9 (2d8) force damage; 
  this damage ignores resistances and immunities. 
   
  Be aware that other tables may tell you that one of the above 
  effects has taken place. Furthermore, although the 
  characters inside the bubble cannot interact with those 
  outside, they also cannot be attacked by the death giant 
  paladin that is now harassing their allies. 
  When her final form is revealed, 2 tier 4 wraiths 
  emerge from the pillars in the room (to a maximum 
  of 4 wraiths total, as creatures from the previous 
  combat may still be present). They swarm about her 
  and act as a sort-of shield (see the sidebar above). 
   When the death giant is reduced to 0 hit points she 
  does not immediately die. Instead, Ao himself 
  reclaims the divine spark; the characters see her 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  24 
  body wrench and twist and jerk as a glowing ember 
  is pulled from her sternum by an opaque 5-fingered 
  hand covered in rings and scars; it streaks across the 
  room and into the ceiling in the blink of an eye. 
  Those that succeed on a DC 30 Intelligence 
  (Religion) or (Arcana) check recognize the ember as 
  the physical representation of her divine essence. 
  Any character that witnesses this (even if they do 
  not recognize its significance) is immediately 
  granted a Charm of Vitality as Ao departs the 
  battlefield. Only after Ao is gone does the death giant 
  succumb to her wounds. 
   However, this is not the end of her threat: as she 
  falls and is reclaimed by the eldest of the deities, her 
  body explodes as a number of tier 4 wraiths equal to 
  the number of characters tear free of her grisly shell. 
  The arcane bubble surrounding the battlefield is 
  gone and there may be some allies waiting to assist; 
  otherwise, the characters may choose to simply 
  escape the battlefield by retreating in haste. 
   Be sure to stress to the characters that the Vault of 
  Gnashing Teeth is collapsing and will not remain 
  safe for much longer. 
   
  For all other tier 4 tables: 
  The chattering teeth of the skulls on the ceiling reach a fever 
  pitch and frenetic pace, and a high-pitched whining noise 
  emanates from one of the nearby temples. This noise is 
  quickly following by a wet, meaty explosion – and the 
  unmistakable presence of raw arcane energy. The Vault of 
  Gnashing Teeth groans and shudders, and skulls begin to rain 
  down from the ceiling as undead horrors pull themselves free 
  from the necrotic shell and the floor itself! 
   
  Suddenly, from behind you comes the familiar voice of 
  SEER. “Take her down, champions! My enchantments will not 
  hold her forever!” 
   
  The air around in the chamber shimmers and crackles as 
  raw arcane energy is woven together into a protective 
  bubble. You quickly realize that there are multiple copies of 
  SEER present, all focused on the enchantment – and you also 
  realize that protecting her while your allies finish off 
  Kiaransalee is now the only mission that truly matters. 
  The Vault of Gnashing Teeth is beginning to collapse. 
  The characters may wish to check the dome of 
  arcane energy; allow them to make arcana checks 
  but regardless of the result they should know that 
  the dome will not allow them to pass through. Living 
  matter will be affected as if by a sphere of 
  annihilation, and any constructs or commanded 
  magical effects are severed from the controller as 
  soon as they fully enter the sphere. At any rate, this 
  should not come as a surprise to the characters – 
  take care to warn them. No form of sight or magic 
  can penetrate the bubble while it remains. 
   SEER and her simulacra are present for this series 
  of encounters, but it is impossible to determine 
  which (if any) of them are the “real” SEER. Her 
  enchantment has her channeling raw arcane energy 
  directly from the Weave; a character that succeeds 
  on a DC 28 Arcana check can determine that the 
  ritual is similar to those used in the creation of a 
  mythal. Should SEER take damage, simply record the 
  amount and report it to the Head DM at the end of 
  this section. She is anchored to this world while 
  channeling, and cannot be teleported, charmed, 
  frightened, or otherwise disrupted. As the rubble 
  begins to rain down, impress upon the characters 
  the need to protect SEER. Undead creatures are 
  emerging quickly! Each round on initiative count 20 
  (losing ties), choose one of the following options if 1 
  or fewer enemies remain at this table: 
  • A number of tier 4 wraiths equal to the number of 
  characters in the party 
  • 3 death kiss beholders and 2 tier 4 wraiths 
  • 1 drow matron mummy lord and 2 tier 4 
  wraiths 
  • 5 flameskulls and 10 greater zombies 
  • 1 death giants and 1 tier 4 wraith 
   
  Please refer to the notes in the treasure section, as 
  there is an important interactive element located 
  here. 
   
  Adjusting the Encounter & Interactive Options 
  The dome of arcane  energy acts as a massive summoning 
  circle for undead creatures. More and more creatures will 
  spawn here, drawn from the Underdark first and eventually 
  from all over the world. Regardless of the might of the group, 
  no changes are to be introduced here. 
   
  It should be made expressly clear to the characters that 
  their allies inside the globe are now responsible completing 
  the mission. Encourage them to work together to defend 
  SEER while she maintains the shell; allow them to narrate 
  their escape as well, and even offer the following options: 
  • Aid another character. A character may move to another 
  tier 4 table, so long as that other table is not inside of 
  SEER’s arcane dome. They can move when not in combat, 
  and may only move once. If the destination table already 
  has 7 players or this table would have less than 3 due to 
  the character’s move, the character cannot move. 
  • Bolster SEER’s ritual. As an action, a character can sacrifice 
  spell slots to SEER. For each 4th level spell slot or higher 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  25 
  that they wish to spend in this manner, SEER’s ritual is 
  bolstered; each creature inside the shell takes 1d8 force 
  damage per level of the spell slot, and this damage 
  bypasses immunities and resistances. A successful DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw cuts the damage in half; undead 
  creatures make this saving throw with disadvantage. If this 
  action is used, inform the table that is inside the shell. 
  • Clearing an encounter. If the characters outside of the 
  arcane shell kill or otherwise destroy all of their opponents 
  in an encounter, SEER can capture some of their escaping 
  energy. Whenever an encounter is cleared, a pulse rides 
  through the arcane bubble and all enemies (not the 
  characters) inside the bubble take 16 (4d8) force damage; 
  this damage ignores resistances and immunities. 
  • Breaking an Amulet. While this does not directly impact 
  SEER’s efforts, the first creature that the characters defeat 
  in this section is wearing an amulet that can be broken. For 
  more information, refer to the treasure section. 
   
  Be aware that the Head DM may arrive at your table in the 
  guise of the death giant paladin. If this happens, allow them 
  to run a fast-paced combat round in which the paladin acts 
  and then each of the characters receives a full round of 
  actions. This does not change the normal initiative order. If 
  the death giant paladin is killed, all remaining death giants 
  (including the one under SEER’s arcane shield) may either 
  take an action or a bonus action on their turn, but not both; 
  furthermore, they lose access to their multiattack feature. 
  This must be announced to the tier 4 DMs when or if it occurs! 
   
  Any characters left alive when the arcane shell is broken by 
  the table fighting Kiaransalee may assist with any remaining 
  combat, as no further undead (other than very angry death 
  giants) will join the fray once the shell is removed. 
   
  Story Awards from DDAL06-03 Crypt of the Death Giants 
  The characters may have already played DDAL06-03 Crypt of 
  the Death Giants. If they have, ask them if they have either of 
  the following awards and apply effects as-stated (settling ties 
  in favor of the characters, or in the favor of the monsters if 
  this is a strong or very strong table): 
   
  Death’s End. You previously defeated a number of drow 
  faithful of Kiaransalee and have undermined their ability to 
  perform this ritual. If more characters possess this story 
  award than possess the Death’s Escape story award, the 
  creatures here are mad with rage. They have disadvantage on 
  saving throws and the characters have advantage on melee 
  attacks against them. 
   
  Death’s Escape. The cultists of Kiaransalee that you 
  previously encountered were able to escape. They used this 
  time to adjust their ritual; if more characters possess this 
  story award than possess the Death’s End story award, the 
  creatures here have been enchanted as part of the drow 
  cultist’s backup and escape plans. These creatures are 
  resistant to weapon damage and have advantage on all 
  saving throws. 
   
  Treasure 
  Each of the mummy lords during the ritual is 
  wearing a Cloak of Invisibility (as described in the 
  magic item section of this adventure). Furthermore, 
  any characters that were alive to witness the 
  removal of Kiaransalee’s divine spark by Ao were 
  granted a Charm of Vitality. 
   Additionally, in the first encounter that each tier 4 
  table receives, they can plainly see that one creature 
  is wearing an ornate platinum medallion. Once the 
  creature is killed, the characters can easily 
  determine that this medallion is actually a 
  phylactery. The amulet can be destroyed by striking 
  it once with a legendary weapon, inflicting 50 points 
  of force damage, or a DC 19 dispel magic. The 
  characters should be informed of these options on a 
  DC 25 or higher Intelligence (Arcana) check. Once 
  the medallion is destroyed, inform the Head DM. 
  When all medallions are destroyed, the ghostly form 
  of Urshula (who is currently menacing the tier 3 
  tables) is released and flees the event. 
  When Time has Expired…. 
  Characters that are not in combat with Kiaransalee 
  may flee when time is called, unless they have 
  already decided to leave the area. The death giant 
  reaches her full power at the end of the 60 minutes 
  for this section. Each living, remaining copy of her 
  giantish body that still contains a shard of her divine 
  essence may become a deity in its own right – 
  essentially a twin of the original god. This means 
  that a fully-powered goddess (or worse, multiple 
  copies of the drow goddess of death!) now walks the 
  Realms. 
   Any characters still fighting the death giant may 
  choose to flee or stand and fight. Those that flee are 
  not eligible for several of the adventure’s magical 
  items but they are alive; those that stay are slain and 
  consumed, body and soul, by Kiaransalee.  These 
  characters earn the Consumed by Kiaransalee 
  story award. 
  Advancing the Adventure 
  The surviving characters should make it a point to 
  evacuate this area as quickly as possible and return 
  to the surface world. However they choose to get 
  there, stress to them that resting is not needed and 
  proceed to the Conclusion section. 
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  26 
  Conclusion 
   
  THE NEXT WORST THING TO A BATTLE LOST IS A 
  BATTLE WON. 
  —The Duke of Wellington, the day after Waterloo 
  Expected Duration: 15 minutes 
  The characters have seen some truly horrifying 
  things this day, and should be able to celebrate the 
  victories that they earned. But they should also be 
  keenly aware of the cost of that victory, and that it is 
  likely that the drow plan is almost certainly delayed 
  but not stopped. 
  The Survivors 
  The Head DM will announce which factionmasters, if 
  any, remain in the camp. Any survivors are very 
  appreciative of the characters and their efforts, and 
  Rastol Shan – or another high-ranking Cloak – offers 
  one Candle of Invocation to each tier 3 table. This 
  Candle is customized to whichever character 
  chooses to retain it, gaining the deity and alignment 
  that the character desires. 
       Tier 4 tables are offered a Blessing of Protection by 
  SEER. She explains that this blessing is a gift that 
  was given to her by Savras, the god of divination and 
  fate, many years ago and that both she and the deity 
  believe that these heroes have earned their reward. 
  Only one character at each table may receive this 
  blessing, and it is handled by the Adventurers 
  League’s normal rules regarding permanent magic 
  item distribution. Regardless of whether they accept 
  or not, every copy of SEER in the remains of Camp 
  Perilous crumbles into a pile of snow and slush 
  within a few moments. 
       Any of the faction masters that were slain may be 
  raised by the assembled heroes. If the heroes wish to 
  pay for a true resurrection spell for these dead 
  faction masters, they may do so – even going so far 
  as to pool their gold to do this. Any faction master 
  that remains dead at the end of this conclusion 
  section must be reported as dead to the Head DM. 
  What Lies Ahead? 
  The tier 3 tables should be given a brief run-down of 
  the events of the tier 4 tables, and vice versa. This 
  works best if a single table captain from each tier 
  stands and announces their experiences to the 
  assembled heroes and champions. 
  Interactivity! 
  This section may work best if a volunteer from the tier 3 
  tables and a volunteer from the tier 4 tables gives this recap 
  to the assembled characters. Share the stories; share the 
  exploits! 
   
   
       In the following text, replace NPC names as 
  needed and as appropriate: 
  Rastol Shan addresses the assembly: 
   
  “The plains of Vaasa are littered with debris and the 
  Reaper’s Claws have shattered. A huge amount of necrotic 
  energy was released into the world and SEER’s interactions 
  with the Weave in the Underdark leave more questions than 
  answers. But even with that, we know now that the drow 
  plot has been quieted, and by our combined efforts we have 
  once more stymied what should have been an unknowable 
  plot. The fire giants have been put down and given their final 
  death. 
   
  Trust does not come easy to me, but know this: I know 
  that your actions here today will have lasting effect upon our 
  lands, and I trust that you will keep us all in your minds as the 
  years come on. GLORY TO THE HEROES, TO THE MOONSEA, 
  AND TO FAERUN!” 
  Any characters that have died at any point in their 
  careers feel a momentary twinge, as if their life 
  essence was ebbing a bit.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  27 
  Rewards 
  Make sure players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI 
  number (if applicable) so players can record who 
  ran the session. 
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present 
  in the combat. For non-combat experience, the 
  rewards are listed per character. Give all characters 
  in the party non-combat experience awards unless 
  otherwise noted. 
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Adult Red Shadow Dragon  
  18,000 
  Archmage 
   
   
  8,400 
  Assassin  
   
   
  3,900 
  Banshee  
   
   
  1,100 
  Bone Devil 
   
   
  5,000 
  Death Giant 
   
   
  17,000 
  Death Kiss Beholder 
   
  5,900 
  Death Slaad 
   
   
  5,900 
  Death Tyrant 
   
   
  11,500 
  Devourer 
   
   
  10,000 
  Draegloth 
   
   
  2,900 
  Drider 
   
   
   
  2,300 
  Drider Wizard 
   
   
  2,300 
  Flameskull 
   
   
  1,100 
  Froghemoth 
   
   
  5,900 
  Giant (Cloud Giant Smiling One) 
  7,200 
  Giant (Fire Giant Dreadnaught) 
  11,500 
  Golem (Flesh) 
   
   
  1,800 
  Golem (Iron) 
   
   
  15,000 
  Greater Zombie  
   
  1,800 
  Intellect Devourer 
   
  450 
  Master Thief 
   
   
  1,800 
  Mind Flayer 
   
   
  2,900 
  Mind Flayer Lich  
   
  41,000 
  Mummy Lord 
   
   
  13,000 
  Purple Worm 
   
   
  13,000 
  Swarm of Cranium Rats 
   
  1,800 
  Ulitharid  
   
   
  5,000 
  War Priest 
   
   
  5,000 
  Warlock of the Fiend 
   
  2,900 
  Warlord  
   
   
  8,400 
  Wraith (tier 3) 
   
   
  5,900 
  Wraith (tier 4) 
   
   
  13,000 
  The experience rewards for playing this adventure 
  are variable by tier: 
   
  For characters that played at Tier 3 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 12,500 
  experience points.  
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 19,000 
  experience points.  
  For characters that played at Tier 4 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 20,000 
  experience points.  
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 33,000 
  experience points.   
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, 
  divided up amongst the party. Characters should 
  attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever 
  possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are 
  calculated at their selling price, not their purchase 
  price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one 
  character is interested in a specific consumable 
  magic item, the DM can determine who gets it 
  randomly should the group be unable to decide. 
   Permanent magic items are divided according to 
  a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP value 
  Tier 3, successful  
   
  9,000 
  Tier 3, unsuccessful 
   
  6,000 
  Tier 4, successful  
   
  15,000 
  Tier 4, unsuccessful 
   
  10,000 
   
  The above values are granted to each character. 
  Additionally, characters may purchase tier-appropriate 
  consumables from DM Appendix 2: Rewards at the 
  end of this adventure. A character may purchase up to 
  two spell scrolls and one potion or consumable item; 
  all purchases must be tier-appropriate. 
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  28 
   
   
   
  Permanent Magic Item Distribution 
  D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine 
  who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a 
  session. Each character’s logsheet contains a column to 
  record permanent magic items for ease of reference. 
  • If all the players at the table agree on one character taking 
  possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets 
  the item. 
  • In the event that one or more characters indicate an 
  interest in possessing a permanent magic item, the 
  character that possesses the fewest permanent magic 
  items gets the item. If there is a tie in the total number of 
  permanent magic items owned by contesting characters, 
  the item’s owner is determined randomly by the DM. 
  Candle of Invocation (tier 3) 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  See the DMG for a full description. A description of 
  this item can be found in the Player Handout 3. 
  Amulet of the Planes (tier 3) 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  See the DMG for a full description. A description of 
  this item can be found in the Player Handout 3. 
  Blessing of Protection (tier 4)  
  Blessing, unique (not tradeable) 
  You gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws. A 
  description of this blessing can be found in the 
  Player Handout 3. 
  Cloak of Invisibility (tier 4) 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  Woven from the strands of an undead spider’s web, 
  this sticky cloak renders the wearer invisible when 
  worn. It smells faintly of dust and has a faintly 
  cloying lingering scent when you move. Additionally, 
  you can use your action to sprout undead spider legs 
  from the cloak and gain a climb speed of 30 feet on 
  stone and webs for ten minutes; once you use this 
  ability, you cannot use it again until the following 
  dawn. A description of this item can be found in the 
  Player Handout 3. 
  Renown 
  All faction members gain one renown point for 
  completing this adventure. 
   Characters that successfully complete their faction 
  missions gain one additional renown point. There 
  is no additional renown gain for agents of the Cloaks 
  – only for the core five factions. 
  Story Awards 
  The characters have the opportunity to earn the 
  following story awards: 
   
  Consumed by Kiaransalee. You faced the drow 
  goddess Kiaransalee until the bitter end. However, 
  she won – you were utterly destroyed and your soul 
  was consumed. If you had clones or contingencies, 
  these fail to activate. 
   You cannot be resurrected or otherwise returned 
  to life until another character spends 100 downtime 
  days searching the planes of existence for you and 
  also spends 200,000 gp in bribes and resources with 
  greater demons and elder powers. This bargaining is 
  exhausting for all parties involved, but if you are 
  returned to life you do so with a deeper 
  understanding of this menace: you have advantage 
  on saving throws against spells and effects from 
  clerics of Kiaransalee – and Kiaransalee herself! 
   
  Faction Savior. You were directly responsible for 
  the safety of one or more faction leaders. They are 
  incredibly thankful, and wish to reward you. If you 
  share a faction with that faction master, you may 
  receive a true resurrection for free (including 
  downtime days). If you do not share faction 
  membership with them, they will cover half of the 
  gold piece fee of a true resurrection. You may only 
  receive one free casting of the spell in this manner, 
  but the discount applies for each faction master that 
  you directly saved. 
   
  Gatekeeper of the Divine. SEER’s teleportation 
  circle allowed a large host of angelic solars and 
  planetars to temporarily enter Faerun. These 
  creatures represent the pinnacle of the lawful good 
  alignment, and some of their qualities have rubbed 
  off on you. You desire to pursue the greater good 
  whenever possible and wish to work within the 
  limits of the law. Though you are not beholden to 
  these desires, they are strong. If you change your 
  alignment to lawful good (or are already there), you 
  have advantage on Charisma checks with solars, 
  planetars, and lawful good clerics and paladins. 
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  29 
  Lost Lore of the Illithilich. The drow lich that had 
  been serving as the focal point of the necromantic 
  ritual in the Underdark is destroyed, and upon your 
  return to the surface you find that one of her still-
  wriggling fingers (or toes) can be found in one of 
  your packs. No matter what you do to get rid of it, it 
  always comes back a few days later. It’s been said 
  that liches have more power in their fingers than 
  most mortals will ever know, and this is no 
  exception: you can use this appendage while casting 
  a spell in order to impose disadvantage on the spell 
  target’s saving throw. Once used in this manner, the 
  appendage crumbles into dust and cannot be 
  reconstructed by any means, including wish. 
   
  Patron of the Company. You managed to convince 
  the drow mercenary company Bregan D’Arthe to 
  turn their back on the conflict. This cost no small 
  amount of gold, and word of your actions will 
  spread. While the mercenaries themselves are 
  discreet about their funding, there were other ears 
  and eyes in the Underdark that day. What this means 
  for you will remain to be seen. 
   
  Downtime 
  Each character receives ten downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
  DM Rewards 
  The DM rewards for running this adventure are 
  variable by tier: 
  If you were the DM for a tier 3 table 
   
  You receive 4,750 XP, 2,250 gp and ten downtime 
  days for running this session. 
  If you were the DM for a tier 4 table 
  You receive 16,500 XP, 3,750 gp and ten 
  downtime days for running this session. 
   
  If you were Head DM for this event 
  You may choose either the tier 3 or tier 4 DM 
  rewards. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  30 
  DM Appendix: NPC Summary 
   
  The following NPCs are present in this adventure: 
   
   SEER (SEE-er). Female Shou. SEER is merely a 
  codename for a Lords’ Alliance operative. This Shou 
  woman is of curious origin, as in some situations she 
  may appear as a wizened old woman and in others a 
  spry woman in her early 20s. She has great 
  command of the Art, and her spells serve her well as 
  she recruits junior operatives and pursues agendas 
  that blur the line between the Lords’ Alliance, her 
  own inscrutable goals, and the safety of the entire 
  Sword Coast.  
   Hsing (SING). Golden pseudodragon with milky-
  white eyes. Serves as the familiar of SEER, the Lords’ 
  Alliance spymaster. 
   Senior Cloak Rastol Shan (RASS-stole SHANN). 
  Male human lich. The senior Cloak in Mulmaster. 
  Formerly Thurand Tallwand, the senior Cloak during 
  the reign of Selfaril (and later, Rassendyll) 
  Uoumdolphin. Participated in the imprisonment of 
  Selfaril. Uses magic and a mask to conceal his true 
  identity. Additional material available via 
  dmsguild.com. 
   Olisara Lightsong (OHL-eh-SAR-ah LITE-song). 
  Female moon elf. Senior Harper for the Moonsea 
  region. Additional material available via 
  dmsguild.com. 
   Zern Xerkstil (ZERN ZERK-stil). Male half-orc. 
  Senior Order of the Gauntlet representative for the 
  Moonsea region. Additional material available via 
  dmsguild.com. 
   Seranolla the Whisperer (SAR-ah-NAHL-la). 
  Female forest gnome. Senior Emerald Enclave 
  representative for the Moonsea region. Additional 
  material available via dmsguild.com. 
   Dornal Whitebeard (DORN-all WITE-beerd). 
  Male shield dwarf. Senior Lords’ Alliance member 
  for the Moonsea region. Takes orders (somewhat 
  incredulously) from SEER. Additional material 
  available via dmsguild.com. 
   Chaab (CHAHB). Male human. Senior Zhentarim 
  agent for the Moonsea region. Has been very quiet 
  about local events since the destruction of 
  Mulmaster. Additional material available via 
  dmsguild.com. 
   Kiaransalee (KEE-uh-RAN-suh-LEE). Female 
  drow deity of necromancy and death. Though 
  powerful, she was nearly silent for many years. Only 
  in the last few decades has she begun to return to 
  her former glory. 
   King Snurre (SNUR-ree). Male fire giant. Angered 
  by the betrayal that the drow pulled off in Against 
  the Giants. Has sent numerous fire giants and 
  berserkers to chase down their priestesses and 
  terminate them. NOTE: King Snurre is not present in 
  this adventure but is influential to a small degree. 
   
  NPCs & Statistics 
  Many of the NPCs listed here have been given statistics in 
  other materials. Do not worry about running them as 
  additional characters or combatants; their relevant statistics 
  for this adventure (AC and hit points) are indicated in an 
  abbreviated form inside the adventure itself. 
   
  Don’t let the mechanics get in the way of awesome 
  storytelling! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  31 
  DM Appendix 2: Rewards 
   
  Unless the adventure specifically dictates otherwise, 
  treasure generation must be tier appropriate. For 
  example, a tier 4 character can find any of the 
  potions on the table, but a tier 3 character would 
  only be able to find very rare potions and below. 
   
  Reward Table A: Spell Scrolls 
  d20 
  Rarity 
  Item 
  1 
  Legendary 
  9th level spell scroll (save DC 19, 
  attack bonus +11) 
  2-3 
  Rare 
  5th level spell scroll (save DC 17, 
  attack bonus +9) 
  4-5 
  Rare 
  4th level spell scroll (save DC 15, 
  attack bonus +7) 
  6-10 
  Uncommon 
  Cantrip, 1st or 2nd level spell 
  scroll (save DC 13, attack bonus 
  +5) 
  11-14 
  Uncommon 
  3rd level spell scroll (save DC 15, 
  attack bonus +7) 
  15-16 
  Very Rare 
  6th level spell scroll (save DC 17, 
  attack bonus +9) 
  17-18 
  Very Rare 
  7th level spell scroll (save DC 18, 
  attack bonus +10) 
  19-20 
  Very Rare 
  8th level spell scroll (save DC 18, 
  attack bonus +10) 
   
   Any spell scrolls discovered or purchased using 
  this table can only use spells from the abjuration, 
  evocation, or necromancy schools. These spells can 
  be pulled from any approved Adventurers League 
  resource, though DMs are encouraged to 
  pregenerate these spell scrolls as Epic adventures 
  are explicitly timed environments. 
   Any spell scrolls purchased at the end of the 
  adventure must also have their material components 
  paid for at the time of purchase. 
   
  Reward Table B: Potions 
  d12 
  Rarity 
  Item 
  1 
  Legendary 
  Potion of Storm Giant Strength (Str 
  29) 
  2-3 
  Rare 
  Potion of Gaseous Form 
  4-5 
  Rare 
  Elixir of Health 
  6-7 
  Uncommon 
  Potion of Greater Healing 
  8 
  Very Rare 
  Potion of Cloud Giant Strength 
  9-11 
  Very Rare 
  Potion of Supreme Healing 
  12 
  Very Rare 
  Potion of Speed 
   
   
  Reward Table B: Consumables 
  d12 
  Rarity 
  Item 
  1 
  Legendary 
  Sovereign Glue 
  2 
  Legendary 
  Universal Solvent 
  3 
  Rare 
  Oil of Etherealness 
  4-5 
  Uncommon 
  Oil of Slipperiness 
  6-7 
  Very Rare 
  Oil of Sharpness 
  8-11 
  Very Rare 
  4 arrows or bolts, +3 
  12 
  Very Rare 
  1 bolt of slaying (DM: insert a 
  humanoid type chosen from the 
  characters races) 
   
  Purchasing These Items 
  At the end of the adventure, the adventurers are assumed to 
  return to their preferred base of operations. Be it on the 
  Sword Coast or along the shores of the Moonsea, they 
  eventually come across the Shou trade Fai Chen. The 
  salesman regales the character with tales of their own 
  exploits on the plains of Vaasa, and as a measure of his 
  appreciate he agrees to sell up to two spell scrolls and one 
  potion or consumable to the character. Any items so 
  purchased must be tier-appropriate, and any material 
  components needed for a spell must be paid for as well. He 
  does not offer any item trading services during this 
  interaction. 
   
   
  Uncommon items are 500 gp each. 
   
  Rare items are 1,500 gp each. 
   
  Very rare items are 2,500 gp each. 
   
  Legendary items are 7,000 gp each. 
   
  These purchases must be made before the character leaves 
  this game event/ table, or else this benefit is lost forever. 
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  32 
  Appendix: NPC/Monster Statistics 
   
  Adult Red Shadow Dragon 
  Huge dragon, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 256 (19d12 + 133) 
  Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   27 (+8) 
  10 (+0) 
  25 (+7) 
  16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  21 (+5) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +13, Wis +7, Cha +11 
  Skills Deception +13, Stealth +12 
  Damage Immunities fire 
  Damage Resistances necrotic 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive -
  Perception 23 
  Languages Common, Draconic 
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) 
    
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a 
  saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. 
  Living Shadow. While in dim light or darkness, the 
  dragon has resistance to damage that isn’t force, 
  psychic, or radiant. 
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the 
  dragon can take the Hide action as a Bonus action. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the dragon has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The dragon can use its Frightful Presence. 
  It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two 
  with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 7 
  (2d6) fire damage. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage. 
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage. 
  Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon’s 
  choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware 
  of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or 
  become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat 
  the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending 
  the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving 
  throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the 
  creature is immune to the dragon’s Frightful Presence 
  for the next 24 hours. 
  Shadow Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales 
  necrotic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that 
  area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 
  63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. A humanoid reduced to 0 
  hit points by this damage dies, and an undead shadow 
  rises from its corpse and acts immediately after the 
  dragon in the initiative count. The shadow is under the 
  dragon’s control. 
  Legendary Actions 
  The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the options below. Only one legendary action 
  option can be used at a time and only at the end of 
  another creature’s turn. The dragon regains spent 
  legendary actions at the start of its turn. 
  • Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) 
  check. 
  • Tail Attack. The dragon makes a tail attack. 
  • Wing Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon beats its 
  wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the dragon 
  must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or 
  take 15 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be 
  knocked prone. The dragon can then fly up to half its 
  flying speed. 
   
  Archmage 
  Medium humanoid (drow), any alignment 
  Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor) 
  Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +6 
  Skills Arcana +13, History +13 
  Damage Resistance damage from spells; nonmagical 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (from stoneskin) 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Undercommon, Elvish, Dwarvish, Thayan, 
  Gnomish, Netherese 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
  Magic Resistance. The archmage has advantage on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  
   
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  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Spellcasting. The archmage is an 18th-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, 
  +9 to hit with spell attacks). The archmage can cast 
  disguise self and invisibility at will and has the following 
  wizard spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, 
  prestidigitation, shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, mage armor*, 
  magic missile 
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, misty 
  step 
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly, lightning bolt 
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, fire shield, stoneskin* 
  5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, wall of force 
  6th level (3 slots): globe of invulnerability 
  7th level (3 slots): teleport 
  8th level (3 slots): mind blank* 
  9th level (3 slots): time stop 
   
  *: The archmage casts these spells on itself before 
  combat 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 
  3) piercing damage. 
   
  Assassin 
  Medium humanoid (drow), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +8, Int +5 
  Skills Acrobatics +8, Deception +4, Perception +4, 
  Stealth +11 
  Damage Resistances poison 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Thieves’ cant, Undercommon, Elvish 
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) 
  Assassinate. During its first turn, the assassin has 
  advantage on attack rolls against any creature that 
  hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against 
  a surprised creature is a critical hit. 
  Evasion. If the assassin is subjected to an effect that 
  allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only 
  half damage, the assassin instead takes no damage if it 
  succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if 
  it fails. 
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The assassin deals an extra 13 
  (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 assassin that 
  isn’t incapacitated and the assassin doesn’t have 
  disadvantage on the attack roll. 
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The assassin makes two shortsword 
  attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and 
  the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving 
  throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, 
  or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, 
  range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing 
  damage, and the target must make a DC 15 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  34 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one. 
   
  Banshee 
  Medium undead, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 58 (13d8) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   
  1 (-5) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Wis +2, Cha +5 
  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 10  
  Languages Common, Elvish 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
  Detect Life. The banshee can magically sense the 
  presence of living creatures up to 5 miles away. She 
  knows the general direction they’re in but not their 
  exact locations. 
  Incorporeal Movement. The banshee can move 
  through other creatures and objects as if they were 
  difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she 
  ends her turn inside an object. 
  Turn Immunity. While she is within her manor house or 
  on the grounds of her estate, Lady Fidatov is immune 
  to effects that turn undead. Any other undead within 
  60 feet of Lady Fidatov while her Turn Immunity is 
  active has advantage on saving throws against effects 
  that turn or destroy undead. 
  Actions                      
  Corrupting Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) necrotic damage. 
  Horrifying Visage. Each non-undead creature within 60 
  feet of the banshee that can see her must succeed on a 
  DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 
  minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving 
  throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage 
  if the banshee is within line of sight, ending the effect 
  on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is 
  successful or the effect ends for it, the target is 
  immune to the banshee’s Horrifying Visage for the next 
  24 hours. 
  Wail (1/Day). The banshee releases a mournful wail, 
  provided that she isn’t in sunlight. This wail has no 
  effect on constructs and undead. All other creatures 
  within 30 feet of her than can hear her must make a DC 
  13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature 
  drops to 0 hit points. On a success, a creature takes 10 
  (3d6) psychic damage. 
   
  Bone Devil 
  Large fiend (devil), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 142 (15d10 + 60) 
  Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +6, Cha +7 
  Skills Deception +7, Insight +6 
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered 
  Damage Immunities fire, poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
  Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  devil’s darkvision. 
  Magic Resistance. The devil has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The devil makes three attacks: two with 
  its claws and one with its sting. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 17 
  (5d6) poison damage, and the target must succeed on 
  a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned 
  for 1 minute. The target may repeat the saving throw 
  at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success. 
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  35 
  Cranium Rats, Swarm (Swarm of Cranium Rats) 
  Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 36 (8d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   
  9 (-1) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing 
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned 
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages telepathy 30 ft. 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
   
  Illumination. As a bonus action, the swarm can shed 
  dim light from its brains in a 5-foot radius, increase the 
  illumination to bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius (and 
  dim light for an additional number of feet equal to the 
  chosen radius), or extinguish the light. 
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The swarm’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13). As 
  long as it has at least more than half of its hit points 
  remaining, the swarm can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no components: 
   
  At will: command, comprehend languages, detect 
  thoughts 
  1/day each: confusion, dominate monster 
  Actions 
  Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one 
  target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing 
  damage, or 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the swarm has 
  half of its hit points or fewer.  
   
  Death Giant (Fire) 
  Huge undead, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 180 (19d8 + 95) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   27 (+8) 
  11 (+0) 
  23 (+6) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
    
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +9, Cha +10 
  Damage Resistances necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, 
  poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Abyssal, Common 
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) 
  Magic Resistance. The death giant has advantage on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Marshal Undead. Unless the death giant is 
  incapacitated, it and undead creatures of its choice 
  within 60 feet of it have advantage on saving throws 
  against features that turn undead. 
  Spellcasting. The death giant is a 19th-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 
  to hit with spell attacks). It has the following paladin 
  spells prepared: 
   
  1st level (4 slots): command, compelled duel, searing 
  smite 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, magic weapon 
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, counterspell 
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, staggering smite 
  5th level (2 slots): destructive wave (necrotic) 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The death giant makes three longsword 
  attacks. 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 
  ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 8) slashing damage, or 23 
  (3d10 + 8) slashing damage if used with two hands, 
  plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage. 
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 60/240 
  ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage. 
  Hellfire Orb (1/Day). The death giant hurls a magical 
  ball of fire that explodes at a point it can see within 120 
  feet of it. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere 
  centered on that point must make a DC 18 Dexterity 
  saving throw. The sphere spreads around corners. A 
  creature takes 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. 
  Reactions 
  Parry. The death giant adds 6 to its AC against one 
  melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the death 
  knight must see the attacker and be wielding a melee 
  weapon. 
   
  
   
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  Death Kiss Beholder 
  Large aberration, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 161 (17d10 + 68) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5 
  Skills Perception +5 
  Damage Immunities lightning 
  Condition Immunities prone 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15  
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
  Lightning Blood. A creature within 5 feet of the death 
  kiss takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage whenever it hits 
  the death kiss with a melee attack that deals piercing 
  or slashing damage. 
  Actions                      
  Multiattack. The death kiss makes three tentacle 
  attacks. Up to three of these attacks can be replaced by 
  Blood Drain, one replacement per tentacle grappling a 
  creature. 
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage and the 
  target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Huge or 
  smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is 
  retrained, and the death kiss can’t use the same 
  tentacle on another target. The death kiss has ten 
  tentacles. 
  Blood Drain. One creature grappled by a tentacle of 
  the death kiss must make a DC 16 Constitution saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the target takes 22 (4d10) 
  lightning damage, and the death kiss regains as many 
  hit points. 
   
  Death Tyrant Beholder 
  Large undead, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 187 (25d10 + 50) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover) 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  19 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
   
  Saving Throws Str +5, Con +7, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +9 
  Skills Perception +12 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon 
  Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) 
   
  Negative Energy Cone. The death tyrant’s central eye 
  emits an invisible, magical 150-foot cone. At the start 
  of each of its turns, the tyrant decides which way the 
  cone faces and whether the cone is active. 
   Any creature in that area can’t regain hit points. Any 
  humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie under the 
  tyrant’s command. The dead humanoid retains its 
  place in the initiative roder and animates at the start of 
  its next turn, provided that its body hasn’t been 
  completely destroyed. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage. 
  Eye Rays. The death tyrant shoots three of the 
  following magical eye rays at random (reroll 
  duplicates), choosing one to three targets it can see 
  within 120 feet of it: 
   1. Charm Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the 
  death tyrant for 1 hour, or until the beholder harms 
  the creature. 
   2. Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be 
  paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
   3. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on 
  a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 
  minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a 
  success. 
   4. Slowing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the 
  target’s speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, the 
  creature can’t take reactions, and it can take either an 
  action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The 
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of 
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a 
  success. 
   5. Enervation Ray. The targeted creature must make 
  a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) 
  
   
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  37 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one. 
   6. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or the 
  beholder moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. It is 
  restrained by the ray’s telekinetic grip until the start of 
  the beholder’s next turn or until the beholder is 
  incapacitated. 
   If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds or less 
  that isn’t being worn or carried, it is moved up to 30 
  feet in any direction. The beholder can also exert fine 
  control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a 
  simple tool or opening a door or a container. 
   7. Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on 
  a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain 
  unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it 
  takes damage or another creature takes an action to 
  wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and 
  undead. 
   8. Petrification Ray. The targeted creature must 
  make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, 
  the creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. 
  It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next 
  turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the 
  creature is petrified until freed by the greater 
  restoration spell or other magic. 
   9. Disintegration Ray. If the target is a creature, it 
  must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or 
  take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces 
  the creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of 
  fine gray dust. 
   If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object 
  or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without 
  a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object 
  or creation of magical force, this ray disintegrates a 10-
  foot cube of it. 
   10. Death Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) 
  necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 
  0 hit points. 
  Legendary Actions 
  The beholder can take 3 legendary actions, using the 
  Eye Ray option below. It can take only one legendary 
  action at a time and only at the end of another 
  creature’s turn. The beholder regains spent legendary 
  actions at the start of its turn. 
  • Eye Ray. The beholder uses one random eye ray. 
  Death Slaad 
  Medium aberration (shapechanger), chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
    
  Skills Arcana +6, Perception +8 
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive 
  Perception 18 
  Languages Slaad, telepathy 60 ft. 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
  Shapechanger. The slaad can use its action to 
  polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back 
  into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are 
  the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or 
  carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if 
  it dies. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The slaad’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell 
  attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: detect magic, detect thoughts, invisibility (self 
  only), mage hand, major image 
  2/day each: fear, fireball, fly, tongues 
  1/day each: cloudkill, plane shift 
  Magic Resistance. The slaad has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The slaad’s weapon attacks are 
  magical. 
  Regeneration. The slaad regains 10 hit points at the 
  start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The slaad makes three attacks: one with 
  its bite and two with its claws or greatsword. 
  Bite (Slaad Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing 
  damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 
  Claws (Slaad Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to 
  hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing 
  damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.  
  
   
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  38 
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 7 
  (2d6) necrotic damage.  
   
  Devourer 
  Large fiend, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft. 
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The devourer makes two claw attacks and 
  can use either Imprison Soul or Soul Rend. 
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 21 
  (6d6) necrotic damage.  
  Imprison Soul. The devourer chooses a living humanoid 
  with 0 hit points that it can see within 30 feet of it. 
  That creature is teleported inside the devourer’s 
  ribcage and imprisoned there. A creature imprisoned in 
  this manner has disadvantage on death saving throws. 
  If it dies while imprisoned, the devourer regains 25 hit 
  points, immediately recharges Soul Rend, and gains an 
  additional action on its next turn. Additionally, at the 
  start of its next turn, the devourer regurgitates the 
  slain creature as a bonus action, and the creature 
  becomes an undead. If the victim had 2 or fewer Hit 
  Dice, it becomes a zombie. If it had 3 to 5 Hit Dice, it 
  becomes a ghoul. Otherwise, it becomes a wight. A 
  devourer can imprison only one creature at a time.  
  Soul Rend (Recharge 6). The devourer creates a vortex 
  of life-draining energy in a 20-foot radius centered on 
  itself. Each humanoid in that area must make a DC 18 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) necrotic 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much on a 
  successful one. Increase the damage by 10 for each 
  living humanoid with 0 hit points in that area. 
   
  Draegloth 
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5 
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Abyssal, Elvish, Undercommon 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
   
  Fey Ancestry. The draegloth has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The draegloth’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 11). It can innately 
  cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components: 
   
  At will: darkness 
  1/day each: confusion, dancing lights, faerie fire 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The draegloth 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: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.  
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage.  
   
  Drider 
  Large monstrosity, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52) 
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
   
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +9 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages Elvish, Undercommon 
  
   
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  39 
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. The drider has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the 
  drider to sleep. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drider’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The drider can 
  innately cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day: darkness, faerie fire 
  Spider Climb. The drider can climb difficult surfaces, 
  including upside down on ceilings, without needing to 
  make an ability check. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drider has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Web Walker. The drider ignores movement restrictions 
  caused by webbing, 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The drider makes three attacks, either 
  with its longsword or with its longbow. It can replace 
  one of those attacks with a bite attack. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison 
  damage. 
  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. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison 
  damage. 
  Variant: Drider Spellcasting 
  Driders that were once drow spellcasters might retain their 
  ability to cast spells. Such driders typically have a higher 
  spellcasting ability (15 or 16) than other driders. Further, the 
  drider gains the Spellcasting trait. A drider that was a drow 
  divine spellcaster, therefore, could have a Wisdom of 16 (+3) 
  and a Spellcasting trait as follows: 
   
   
  Spellcasting. The drider is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The drider has the following spells prepared 
  from the cleric spell list: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): poison spray, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): bane, detect magic, sanctuary 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, silence 
  3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, dispel magic 
  4th level (2 slots): divination, freedom of movement 
   
   
   
  Flameskull 
  Tiny undead, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 40 (9d4 + 18) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   1 (−5) 
  17 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Arcana +5, Perception +2 
  Damage Resistances lightning, necrotic, piercing 
  Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, 
  poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
  Illumination. The flameskull sheds either dim light in a 
  15-foot radius, or bright light in a 15-foot radius and 
  dim light for an additional 15 feet. It can switch 
  between the options as an action. 
  Magic Resistance. The flameskull has advantage on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Rejuvenation. If the flameskull is destroyed, it regains 
  all its hit points in 1 hour unless holy water is sprinkled 
  on its remains or a dispel magic or remove curse spell is 
  cast on them. 
  Spellcasting. The flameskull is a 5th-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, 
  +5 to hit with spell attacks). It requires no somatic or 
  material components to cast its spells. The flameskull 
  has the following wizard spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrip (at will): mage hand 
  1st level (3 slots): magic missile, shield 
  2nd level (2 slots): blur, flaming sphere 
  3rd level (1 slot): fireball 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The flameskull uses Fire Ray twice. 
  Fire Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. 
   
  
   
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  Froghemoth 
  Huge monstrosity, unaligned 
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   23 (+6) 
  13 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +5 
  Skills Perception +9, Stealth +5 
  Damage Resistances fire, lightning 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19 
  Languages -- 
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) 
   
  Amphibious. The froghemoth can breathe air and 
  water. 
  Shock Susceptibility. If the froghemoth takes lightning 
  damage, it suffers several effects until the end of its 
  next turn: tis speed is halved, it takes a -2 penalty to AC 
  and Dexterity saving throws, it can’t use reactions or 
  Multiattack, and on its turn, it can use either an action 
  or a bonus action, not both. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The froghemoth makes two attacks with 
  its tentacles. It can also use its tongue or bite. 
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 
  ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage 
  and the creature is grappled (escape DC 16) if it is a 
  Huge or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the 
  froghemoth can’t use this tentacle on another target. 
  The froghemoth has four tentacles.  
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage, and the 
  creature is swallowed if it is a Medium or smaller 
  creature. A swallowed creature is blinded and 
  restrained, has total cover against attacks and other 
  effects outside the froghemoth, and takes 10 (3d6) acid 
  damage at the start of each of the froghemoth’s turns. 
    The froghemoth’s gullet can hold up to two 
  creatures at a time. If the froghemoth takes 20 damage 
  or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the 
  froghemoth must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution 
  saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all 
  swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a 
  space within 10 feet of the froghemoth. If the 
  froghemoth dies, a swallowed creature is no longer 
  restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 
  10 feet of movement, exiting prone. 
  Tongue. The froghemoth targets one Medium or 
  smaller creature that it can see within 20 feet of it. The 
  target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw. On a 
  failed save, the target is pulled into an unoccupied 
  space within 5 feet of the froghemoth, and the 
  froghemoth can make a bite attack against it as a 
  bonus action.  
   
  Giant, Cloud (Cloud Giant Smiling One) 
  Huge giant (cloud giant), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 262 (21d12 + 126) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   26 (+8) 
  12 (+1) 
  22 (+6) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +10, Int +6, Cha +7 
  Skills Deception +11, Insight +7, Perception +7, Sleight 
  of Hand +9 
  Senses passive Perception 17 
  Languages Common, Giant 
  Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) 
  Keen Smell. The giant has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The giant’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately 
  cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components: 
   
  At will: detect magic, fog cloud, light 
  3/day each: feather fall, fly, misty step, telekinesis 
  1/day each: control weather, gaseous form 
  Spellcasting. The giant is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The giant has the following bard 
  spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, prestidigitation, vicious 
  mockery 
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, disguise self, silent 
  image, Tasha’s hideous laughter 
  2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, suggestion 
  3rd level (2 slots): major image, tongues 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  41 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks with its 
  morningstar. 
  Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 
  10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) bludgeoning 
  damage. The attack deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage if 
  the giant has advantage on the attack roll. 
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 60/240 
  ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage. 
  The attack deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage if the giant 
  has advantage on the attack roll. 
  Change Shape. The giant magically polymorphs into a 
  beast or humanoid it has seen, or back into its true 
  form. Any equipment the giant is wearing or carrying is 
  absorbed by the new form. Its statistics, other than its 
  size, are the same in each form. It reverts to its true 
  form if it dies. 
   
  Giant, Fire (Fire Giant Dreadnaught) 
  Huge giant (fire giant), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 21 (plate, shields) 
  Hit Points 187 (15d12 + 90) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   27 (+8) 
  9 (-1) 
  23 (+6) 
  8 (-1) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +11, Cha +5 
  Skills Athletics +13, Perception +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages Giant 
  Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) 
  Dual Shields. The giant carries two shields, each of 
  which is counted for in the giant’s AC. The giant must 
  stow or drop one of its shields to hurl rocks. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The giant makes two attacks fireshield 
  attacks. 
  Fireshield. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) fire damage plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage. 
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 60/240 
  ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage.  
  Shield Charge. The giant moves up to 30 feet in a 
  straight line and can move through the space of any 
  creature smaller than Huge. The first time it enters a 
  creature’s space during this move, it makes a fireshield 
  attack against that creature. If the attack hits, the 
  target must also succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving 
  throw or be pushed ahead of the giant for the rest of 
  this move. If a creature fails the save by 5 of more, it is 
  also knocked prone and takes 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning 
  damage, or 29 (6d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage if it was 
  already prone. 
   
  Golem, Flesh (Flesh Golem) 
  Large construct, neutral 
  Armor Class 9 
  Hit Points 93 (11d8 + 44) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   19 (+4) 
  9 (-1) 
  18 (+4) 
  6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Damage Immunities lightning, poison; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that 
  aren’t adamantine 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages understands the languages of its creator but 
  can’t speak 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
  Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 40 hit 
  points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes 
  berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem 
  attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is 
  near enough to move to and attack, the golem attacks 
  an object with preference for an object smaller than 
  itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it continues to do 
  so until it is destroyed or regains all its hit points. 
   The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet of the berserk 
  golem, can try to calm it by speaking firmly and 
  persuasively. The golem must be able to hear its 
  creator, who must take an action to make a DC 15 
  Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the 
  golem ceases being berserk. If it takes damage while 
  still at 40 hit points or fewer, the golem might go 
  berserk again. 
  Aversion of Fire. If the golem takes fire damage, it has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the 
  end of its next turn. 
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or 
  effect that would alter its form. 
  Lightning Absorption. Whenever the golem is 
  subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and 
  
   
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  42 
  instead regains a number of hit points equal to the 
  lightning damage dealt. 
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are 
  magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.  
  Variant: Custom Flesh Golem 
  The flesh golems in this adventure have been customized by 
  the drow. They are crafted from the corpses of fire giants, 
  and retain that appearance (albeit quite grotesquely). 
   
  Golem, Iron (Iron Golem) 
  Large construct, unaligned 
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100) 
  Speed 50 ft., climb 50 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   24 (+7) 
  9 (-1) 
  20 (+5) 
  3 (-4) 
  11 (+0) 
  1 (-5) 
   
  Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that 
  aren’t adamantine 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages understands the languages of its creator but 
  can’t speak 
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) 
  Fire Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to 
  fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a 
  number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt. 
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or 
  effect that would alter its form. 
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are 
  magical. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The golem makes two melee attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage. 
  Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage.  
  Poison Breath (Recharge 6). The golem exhales 
  poisonous gas in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that 
  area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, 
  taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failed save, or 
  half as much damage on a successful one. 
  Variant: Custom Iron Golem 
  The iron golems in this adventure have been customized by 
  the drow. They are crafted to look like driders, and have 
  increased speed and the ability to climb any surface. 
   
  Greater Zombie 
  Medium undead, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  4 (−3) 
  6 (−2) 
  6 (−2) 
    
  Saving Throws Wis +1 
  Damage Resistances cold, necrotic 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages understands the languages it knew in life 
  but can’t speak 
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
  Turn Resistance. The zombie has advantage on saving 
  throws against any effect that turns undead. 
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 
  hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw 
  with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage 
  is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the 
  zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The zombie makes two melee attacks 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) 
  necrotic damage. 
   
  Intellect Devourer 
  Tiny aberration, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 21 (6d4 + 6) 
  
   
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  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   6 (−2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Condition Immunities blinded 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 12 
  Languages understands Deep Speech but can’t speak, 
  telepathy 60 ft. 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Detect Sentience. The intellect devourer can sense the 
  presence and location of any creature within 300 feet 
  of it that has an Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless 
  of interposing barriers, unless the creature is protected 
  by a mind blank spell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The intellect devourer makes one attack 
  with its claws and uses Devour Intellect. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. 
  Devour Intellect. The intellect devourer targets one 
  creature it can see within 10 feet of it that has a brain. 
  The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving 
  throw against this magic or take 11 (2d10) psychic 
  damage. Also on a failure, roll 3d6: If the total equals 
  or exceeds the target’s Intelligence score, that score is 
  reduced to 0. The target is stunned until it regains at 
  least one point of Intelligence. 
  Body Thief. The intellect devourer initiates an 
  Intelligence contest with an incapacitated humanoid 
  within 5 feet of it. If it wins the contest, the intellect 
  devourer magically consumes the target’s brain, 
  teleports into the target’s skull, and takes control of 
  the target’s body. While inside a creature, the intellect 
  devourer has total cover against attacks and other 
  effects originating outside its host. The intellect 
  devourer retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and 
  Charisma scores, as well as its understanding of Deep 
  Speech, its telepathy, and its traits. It otherwise adopts 
  the target’s statistics. It knows everything the creature 
  knew, including spells and languages. 
   If the host body drops to 0 hit points, the intellect 
  devourer must leave it. A protection from evil and good 
  spell cast on the body drives the intellect devourer out. 
  The intellect devourer is also forced out if the target 
  regains its devoured brain by means of a wish. By 
  spending 5 feet of its movement, the intellect devourer 
  can voluntarily leave the body, teleporting to the 
  nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. The body 
  then dies, unless its brain is restored within 1 round. 
   
  Mind Flayer 
  Medium aberration, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 15 (breastplate) 
  Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  19 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +6 
  Skills Arcana +7, Deception +6, Insight +6, Perception 
  +6, Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 
  ft. 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
  Magic Resistance. The mind flayer has advantage on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The mind flayer’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). The 
  mind flayer can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no components: 
   
  At will: detect thoughts 
  1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only) 
  Actions 
  Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the 
  target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 
  15) and must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving 
  throw or be stunned until this grapple ends. 
  Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the mind 
  flayer. Hit: 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this damage 
  reduces the target to 0 hit points, the mind flayer kills 
  the target by extracting and devouring its brain. 
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The mind flayer magically 
  emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature 
  in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence 
  saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and 
  be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the 
  
   
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  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
  Variant: Mind Flayer Arcanist 
  A few mind flayers supplement their psionic power with 
  arcane spells. However, they are regarded as deviants by 
  their illithid peers and usually shunned. A mind flayer arcanist 
  has a challenge rating of 8 (3,900 XP) and the following trait: 
   
   
  Spellcasting. The mind flayer is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The mind flayer has the following wizard spells 
  prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): blade ward, dancing lights, mage hand, 
  shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self, shield, sleep 
  2nd level (3 slots): blue, invisibility, ray of enfeeblement 
  3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, lightning bolt, sending 
  4th level (3 slots): confusion, hallucinatory terrain 
  5th level (2 slots): telekinesis, wall of force 
   
   
   
  Mind Flayer (Ulitharid) 
  Large aberration, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 15 (breastplate) 
  Hit Points 127 (17d10 + 34) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  21 (+5) 
  19 (+4) 
  21 (+5) 
   
  Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +9 
  Skills Arcana +9, Insight +8, Perception +8, Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 2 
  miles 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
  Creature Sense. The ulitharid is aware of the presence 
  of creatures within 2 miles of it that have an 
  Intelligence score of 4 or higher. It knows the distances 
  and direction to the creature, as well as each creature’s 
  Intelligence score, but can’t sense anything else about 
  it. A creature protected by a mind blank spell, a 
  nondetection spell, or similar magic can’t be perceived 
  in this manner. 
  Magic Resistance. The ulitharid has resistance on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The ulitharid’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17). The 
  ulitharid can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no components: 
   
  At will: detect thoughts, levitate 
  1/day each: confusion, dominate monster, eyebite, 
  feeblemind, mass suggestion, plane shift (self only), 
  project image, scrying, telekinesis 
  Action 
  Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 27 (4d10 + 5) psychic damage. If the 
  target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 14) 
  and must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence saving throw 
  or be stunned until this grapple ends. 
  Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the 
  ulitharid. Hit: 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this 
  damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the ulitharid 
  kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain. 
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The mind flayer magically 
  emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature 
  in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Intelligence 
  saving throw or take 31 (4d12 + 5) psychic damage and 
  be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
   
  Mind Flayer Lich (Illithilich) 
  Medium undead, any evil alignment 
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  20 (+5) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +10, Int +12, Wis +9 
  Skills Arcana +18, History +12, Insight +9, Perception +9 
  Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic 
  Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 19 
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 
  ft. 
  Challenge 22 (41,000 XP) 
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving 
  throw, it can choose to succeed instead. 
  Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich 
  gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  45 
  points and becoming active again. The new body 
  appears within 5 feet of the phylactery. 
  Magic Resistance. The mind flayer has resistance on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The mind flayer’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20). The 
  mind flayer can innately cast the following spells, 
  requiring no components: 
   
  At will: detect thoughts, levitate 
  1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only) 
  Spellcasting. The lich is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 
  to hit with spell attacks). The lich has the following 
  wizard spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of 
  frost 
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, 
  thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, Melf’s 
  acid arrow, mirror image 
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel 
  magic, fireball 
  4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door 
  5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying 
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability 
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death, plane shift 
  8th level (1 slot): dominate monster, power word stun 
  9th level (1 slot): power word kill 
  Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving 
  throws against any effect that turns undead. 
  Actions 
  Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The 
  target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving 
  throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) psychic damage. If the 
  target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) 
  and must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw 
  or be stunned until this grapple ends. 
  Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the 
  mind flayer. Hit: 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this 
  damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the mind 
  flayer kills the target by extracting and devouring its 
  brain. 
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The mind flayer magically 
  emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature 
  in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence 
  saving throw or take 27 (5d8 + 5) psychic damage and 
  be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
  Legendary Actions 
  The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from 
  the options below. Only one legendary action option 
  can be used at a time and only at the end of another 
  creature’s turn. The lich regains spent legendary 
  actions at the start of its turn. 
  • Tentacles. The lich makes one attack with its 
  tentacles. 
  • Extract Brain (Costs 2 Actions). The lich uses Extract 
  Brain. 
  • Mind Blast (Costs 3 Actions). The lich recharges its 
  Mind Blast and uses it. 
  • Cast a Spell (Costs 1-3 Actions). The lich uses a spell 
  slot to cast a 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spell that it has 
  prepared. Doing so costs 1 legendary action per level 
  of the spell. 
   
  Master Thief 
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 84 (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 Common, 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 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
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  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: 7 (1d6 + 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. 
   
  Mummy Lord 
  Medium undead (drow), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +8, Int +5, Wis +9, Cha +8 
  Skills History +5, Religion +5 
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages the languages it knew in life 
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) 
   
  Magic Resistance. The mummy lord has advantage on 
  saving throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Rejuvenation. A destroyed mummy lord gains a new 
  body in 24 hours if its heart is intact, regaining all its hit 
  points and becoming active again. The new body 
  appears within 5 feet of the mummy lord’s heart. 
  Spellcasting. The mummy lord is a 10th-level 
  spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save 
  DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The mummy lord 
  has the following cleric spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): sacred flame, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): command, guiding bolt, shield of 
  faith 
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, silence, spiritual 
  weapon 
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, dispel magic, 
  counterspell 
  4th level (3 slots): divination, guardian of faith 
  5th level (2 slots): contagion, insect plague 
  6th level (1 slot): harm 
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The mummy lord can use its Dreadful 
  Glare and makes one attack with its rotting fist. 
  Rotting Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage 
  plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a 
  creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution 
  saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed 
  target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point 
  maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours 
  that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point 
  maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to 
  dust. The curse lasts until removed by the remove 
  curse spell or other magic. 
  Dreadful Glare. The mummy lord targets one creature 
  it can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the 
  mummy lord, it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom 
  saving throw against this magic or become frightened 
  until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the target 
  fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed 
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
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  for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the 
  saving throw is immune to the Dreadful Glare of all 
  mummies and mummy lords for the next 24 hours. 
  Legendary Actions 
  The mummy lord can take 3 legendary actions, 
  choosing from the options below. Only one legendary 
  action option can be used at a time and only at the end 
  of another creature’s turn. The mummy lord regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. 
   
  Attack. The mummy lord makes one attack with its 
  rotting fist or its Dreadful Glare. 
  Blinding Dust. Blinding dust and sand swirls magically 
  around the mummy lord. Each creature within 5 feet of 
  the mummy lord must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution 
  saving throw or be blinded until the end of the 
  creature’s next turn. 
  Blasphemous Word (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord 
  utters a blasphemous word. Each non-undead creature 
  within 10 feet of the mummy lord that can hear the 
  magical utterance must succeed on a DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end 
  of the mummy lord’s next turn. 
  Channel Negative Energy (Costs 2 Actions). The 
  mummy lord magically unleashes negative energy. 
  Creatures within 60 feet of the mummy lord, including 
  ones behind barriers and around corners, can’t regain 
  hit points until the end of the mummy lord’s next turn. 
  Whirlwind of Sand (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord 
  magically transforms into a  whirlwind of sand, moves 
  up to 60 feet, and reverts to its normal form. While 
  whirlwind form, the mummy lord is immune to all 
  damage, and it can’t be grappled, petrified, knocked 
  prone, restrained, or stunned. Equipment worn or 
  carried by the mummy lord remains in its possession. 
   
  Purple Worm 
  Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned 
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 247 (15d20 + 90) 
  Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   28 (+9) 
  7 (-2) 
  22 (+6) 
  1 (-5) 
  1 (-5) 
  4 (-3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +11, Wis +4 
  Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive 
  Perception 9 
  Languages -- 
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) 
   
  Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock at 
  half its burrow speed and leaves a 10-foot-diameter 
  tunnel in its wake. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The purple worm makes two attacks: one 
  with its bite and one with its stinger. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 9) piercing damage. If the target is 
  a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 
  Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the worm. A 
  swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total 
  cover against attacks and other effects outside the 
  worm, and takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of 
  each of the worm’s turns. 
    If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a single 
  turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed 
  on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw at the end of that 
  turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall 
  prone in a space within 10 feet of the worm. If the 
  worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer 
  restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 
  20 feet of movement, exiting prone. 
  Tail Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 9) piercing damage, and 
  the target must make a DC 19 Constitution saving 
  throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed 
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
   
  War Priest 
  Medium humanoid (drow), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 18 (plate) 
  Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +7 
  Skills Intimidation +6, Religion +4 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages Undercommon, Elvish 
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  
   
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  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Spellcasting. The priest is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells 
  prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): light, mending, sacred flame, spare 
  the dying 
  1st level (4 slots): divine favor, guiding bolt, healing 
  word, shield of faith 
  2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, magic weapon, 
  prayer of healing, silence, spiritual weapon 
  3rd level (3 slots): beacon of hope, crusader’s mantle, 
  prayer of healing, silence, spiritual weapon 
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, freedom of movement, 
  guardian of faith, stoneskin 
  5th level (1 slot): flame strike, mass cure wounds, hold 
  monster 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The priest makes two melee attacks. 
  Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. 
  Reactions 
  Guided Strike (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). 
  The priest grants a +10 bonus to an attack roll made by 
  itself or another creature within 30 feet of it. The priest 
  can make this choice after the roll is made but before it 
  hits or misses. 
   
  Warlock of the Fiend 
  Medium humanoid (drow), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 13 (16 with mage armor) 
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  19 (+4) 
   
  Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7 
  Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Persuasion +7, Religion 
  +4 
  Damage Resistances slashing damage from nonmagical 
  attacks not made with silvered weapons 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages Undercommon, Infernal 
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following 
  spells (spell save DC 15), requiring no material 
  components: 
   
  At will: alter self, false life, levitate (self only), mage 
  armor (self only), silent image 
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It regains expended spell slots 
  when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the 
  following warlock spells: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, fire bolt, friends, mage 
  hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp 
  1 st-5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishment, burning 
  hands, flame strike, hellish rebuke, magic circle, 
  scorching ray, scrying, stinking cloud, suggestion, 
  wall of fire 
   
  Dark One’s Own Luck (Recharges after a Short of Long 
  Rest). When the warlock makes an ability check or 
  saving throw, it can add a d10 to the roll. It can do this 
  after the roll is made but before any of the roll’s effects 
  occur. 
  
   
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  49 
  Actions 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 3 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 10 
  (3d6) fire damage. 
   
  Warlord 
  Medium humanoid (drow), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 20 (plate) 
  Hit Points 229 (27d8 + 108) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  18 (+4) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  19 (+4) 
   
  Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +8, Con +8 
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +5, 
  Persuasion +8 
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages Undercommon, Giant 
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it 
  to sleep. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight. 
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components: 
   
  At will: dancing lights 
  1/day each:  darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only) 
  Indomitable (3/Day). The warlord can reroll a saving 
  throw it fails. It must use the new roll. 
  Survivor. The warlord regains 10 hit points at the start 
  of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit 
  points than half its hit point maximum. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The warlord makes two weapon attacks.  
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Legendary Actions 
  The warlord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the options below. Only one legendary action 
  option can be used at a time and only at the end of 
  another creature’s turn. The warlord regains spent 
  legendary actions at the start of its turn. 
  Weapon Attack. The warlord makes a weapon attack. 
  Command Ally. The warlord targets one ally it can see 
  within 30 feet of it. If the target can see and hear the 
  warlord, the target can make one weapon attack as a 
  reaction and gains advantage on the attack roll. 
  Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions). The warlord targets one 
  enemy it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can 
  see and hear it, the target must succeed on a DC 16 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of 
  the warlord’s next turn. 
   
  Wraith (from DDAL00-01 Window to the Past) 
  Medium undead, neutral evil 
  Armor Class 14 
  Hit Points 116 (14d8 + 53) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   
  6 (-2) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder;  
  Damage Immunities silvered weapons, weapons that 
  are not magical; necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages the languages it knew in life 
  Challenge 10 or 15 (5,900 or 13,000 XP) 
  Incorporeal Movement. The wraith 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. 
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wraith has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight.  
  Empowered Undead. The wraith has advantage on 
  saving throws versus magic and magic effects. 
   
   
  
   
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  Actions 
  Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 27 (5d8 + 4) necrotic damage. The 
  target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving 
  throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an 
  amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction 
  lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies 
  if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. 
  Create Specter. The wraith targets a humanoid within 
  10 feet of it that has been dead for no longer than 1 
  minute and died violently. The target's spirit rises as a 
  specter in the space of its corpse or in the nearest 
  unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith's 
  control. The wraith can have no more than seven 
  specters under its control at one time. 
   
  Scaling the Wraith  
  This adventure can be played at multiple tiers but uses the 
  same basic layout and creature selection. As such, the 
  creatures need to be adjusted to provide an appropriate 
  challenge across those tiers. What follows are the suggested 
  changes, and although they are not cumulative you are 
  encouraged to use your best judgement when applying these 
  changes. 
  • Tier 4 (levels 11 - 16): hit points 163 (19d8 + 78), AC 15, 
  Dexterity is 20 (+5), immune to non-magical weapons and 
  fear, resistant to fire, cold, acid, lightning, thunder; has 
  advantage on saving throws versus magic and magic 
  effects, Life Drain’s Constitution DC is 18, and Life Drain 
  becomes +10 and deals 41 (6d8 + 5) necrotic damage 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Appendix. Plains of Vaasa Encounter Map (one square = 5 feet)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  52 
  Appendix. Underdark Encounter Maps (one square = 5 feet)
   
  Due to size constraints, the full-scale Underdark Encounter Maps are not attached to this file. Please see the 
  attachments in this adventure’s zipped archive, though. You may run your group’s encounters as the rooms on the 
  map are laid out, or you may cut out desired rooms from the printed map file and simply deploy them ala carte (this 
  is the author’s suggestion). The labeling in the images does not represent any specific zone or reference in this 
  adventure, and is part of the default image file. 
   
  Get creative with your combat deployments and let the players drive the action! 
   
  Encounter maps are provided by B Simon Smith, and available on dmsguild.com. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  Appendix. Vault of Gnashing Teeth Map (one square = 10 feet)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  54 
  Appendix. The Emerald Enclave Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  This secret mission is available to any group that 
  that has at least one of its members claiming 
  membership in the Emerald Enclave. These missions 
  increase a character’s secret mission count if 
  successfully completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Harvesting Lichbriar 
  A small female forest gnome beckons for you to join her. You 
  know her to be Seranolla the Whisperer; she is the leader of 
  the Emerald Enclave for the greater Moonsea area. Her 
  words are quiet but pointed: 
   
  “The abominations that roam this landscape must be dealt 
  with, indeed. As Master Shan and Elder SEER discussed, there 
  are dark plans unfolding even as we speak. But my concerns 
  lie atop that: this blasted land is not entirely dead. Please 
  keep your eyes open for a patch of lichbriar. This rare plant is 
  not commonly found anywhere else in the world, but the 
  fields of Vaasa were once rife with it. It is a dangerous plant 
  and given prolonged contact with flesh it will begin to 
  consume one’s life. It is thought that the briar is an 
  experiment gone awry from the long-ago time of the 
  Netherese.” 
   Actions needed. Recover a sample of lichbriar. In 
  one of the Reaper’s Claws encounters, add the 
  following effects to a living foe there: 
  • Additional hit points. This creature has 30 
  temporary hit points.  
  • Additional piercing damage. This creature deals 
  an additional 11 (3d6) points of piercing damage 
  with their melee attacks. 
  • Vulnerabilities. This creature is vulnerable to 
  fire, cold, lightning, acid, and thunder damage. 
  Additionally, taking damage from these sources 
  will destroy the vine immediately. 
   Result. Once the host is defeated, the lichbriar can 
  be harvested with a DC 16 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check followed by a DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of 
  Hand) check. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 4: Sweet Little Froggies 
  A small female forest gnome beckons for you to join her. You 
  know her to be Seranolla the Whisperer; she is the leader of 
  the Emerald Enclave for the greater Moonsea area. Her 
  words are quiet but pointed: 
   
  “The Vault of Gnashing Teeth is a temple that we have 
  only dreamed about seeing. It is an unholy place, and we 
  wish to determine just how the years of sacrifice and corrupt 
  magic have intertwined with the faerzress. If the drow 
  complete their ritual and the denizens of that chamber 
  escape, we need to be ready and informed.” 
   
  She hands over a small cage with several frogs inside. 
   
  “Take these dear creatures with you, and return them to 
  me for later study after you have completed your work. 
  Please take care to not alter its form or shunt it away from 
  this plane – we need the evidence to be as pure as possible.” 
   Actions needed. Take the cage of frogs into the 
  Underdark and look for a concentration of faerzress 
  inside or near the Vault of Gnashing Teeth. This 
  Underdark radiation causes the frogs to mutate 
  immediately into froghemoths (2 for most parties; 
  3 for very strong ones). Polymorphing or teleporting 
  the frogs (or otherwise removing them from the 
  Prime Material plane) results in the secret mission 
  being a failure. Seranolla only needs a corpse to 
  perform her study. This combat should take place 
  once the characters arrive in the Underdark tunnels. 
   Result. The berserk froghemoths fight to the 
  death. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  55 
  Appendix. Harpers Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  This secret mission is available to any group that 
  that has at least one of its members claiming 
  membership in the Harpers. These missions increase 
  a character’s secret mission count if successfully 
  completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Release the Wyrm 
  A pale moon elf, her eyes heavy with sadness and sharp 
  resolve, addresses you: 
   
  “Those Who Harp have a keen interest in the events that 
  are about to unfold. In ages past the worship of a foul demon 
  prince – Orcus – pervaded this region, and somehow those 
  cultists managed to bind a spirit of great power to this place. 
   
  You are going to release it. 
   
  Take this trinket, and when you are private and secure 
  from prying eyes – especially those of the Zhentarim – simply 
  throw it into the air. It will work on its own and should be 
  enough to undo the binding rituals that tie the spirit to this 
  place. Take great care that nobody notices you in this act.”   
   Actions needed. Ensure that Olisara’s flare is set 
  off amidst the chaos of the coming battle. This is 
  largely a roleplaying element (though they may wish 
  to stealth or use other skills and resources), but the 
  effect from Olisara’s trinket breaks the enchantment 
  that some of the dracolich Urshula’s power. When 
  the characters use the trinket, the sigil of the Red 
  Wizards of Thay echoes across the land and a voice 
  booms: “The Zulkirs withdraw their support of the 
  drow. May Urshala’s talons rend you a final time.” It 
  is the desire of the Harpers to use this as a tool to 
  begin pushing the Red Wizards out of Mulmaster. 
   Result. The Harpers view everything as a game, 
  and this is no different. This empowers the dracolich 
  Urshala and is indicated in that stat block. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 4: A Secret Kind of Ordning 
  Olisara Lightsong, the senior Harper for the Moonsea region, 
  rests her weary arms across a wooden beam in the Forward 
  Camp. 
   
  “The journey you are about to embark upon, Dove, is one 
  of great peril. The machinations of the drow are dire and the 
  abominations they are creating are truly horrid – but know 
  that we are not the only parties interested in their undoing. It 
  has come to our attention that several clans of giants are 
  already on their way to the Vault. 
   
  I want you to remind them of their place in the Ordning. 
  The giants live by a code, a caste system; you must impress 
  upon them that despite all observations their quarrel is not 
  with the drow but rather with their fallen brethren first and 
  foremost. Only when the undead giants – these so-called 
  “death giants” – are destroyed can they move forward with 
  their anti-drow agenda. Their rage has blinded them to this.  
   
  Good luck. I would suggest bringing as many healing 
  potions as you can carry.” 
   Actions needed. When the giants are encountered, 
  the characters should be reminded that rendering 
  them unconscious will allow them to remind the 
  giants of the Ordning and their responsibilities. If 
  any of the giants die, these discussions fail. If the 
  characters broach the topic of the Ordning mid-
  combat, the giants have a 50% chance of entering a 
  rage (gaining the use of the barbarian’s reckless 
  attack feature) because the “little people” are 
  speaking out of place. 
   Result. The giants will no longer bother the 
  characters at this table, save for the death giants 
  (who answer only to the drow). 
   
    
   
   
  
   
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  56 
  Appendix. Lords’ Alliance Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  This secret mission is available to any group that 
  that has at least one of its members claiming 
  membership in the Lords’ Alliance. These missions 
  increase a character’s secret mission count if 
  successfully completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Embracing the Touch of Death 
  Dornal Whitebeard, a stout shield dwarf with a longsword 
  and breastplate that struggles to contain his considerable 
  bulk, wipes the sweat from his brow as he pants. 
   
  “As… as… as the… de facto ranking officer of the Lords’ 
  Alliance…” he inhales deeply and breaks into a coughing fit. 
  “Ugh. As your superior, your orders: 
   
  The Reaper’s Claws possess potent necromantic powers. 
  Shatter one and bring the remains to me so that it might be 
  safely preserved for later study. Better that we get it than it 
  turns up in the hands of that Zulkir in Mulmaster, or worse – 
  ANY other Red Wizard. Our wizards tell us that they fear that 
  the magic of the Claws fades in the shining sun, so be sure to 
  return the sample to me before the sun rises over the Galena 
  Mountains.” 
   Actions needed. Destroy any one of the Reaper’s 
  Claws and bring back a shard the size of a human 
  thigh. Whomever carries the shard can use it as a 
  magical greatclub that deals +1d6 necrotic damage 
  on a hit. The journey from the Claws to the Forward 
  Camp takes one hour if traveling on foot. The magic 
  of the shard fades at dawn, and maximum hit points 
  lost in this manner only return after a long rest. 
   Result. The character that carried the shard back 
  to camp has advantage on the next saving throw that 
  they make to prevent the loss of maximum hit 
  points. Each member of the Lords’ Alliance in the 
  party also gain 1 spell scroll of greater restoration.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 4: Dornal’s (SEER’s) Request (Demand) 
  Dornal Whitebeard, the rotund but canny leader of the Lords’ 
  Alliance in the Moonsea region, extends a leather satchel to 
  you. Contained inside is a book; though it is chained shut, you 
  can easily feel that it is straining to open. 
   
  “Aye, it’s animated. Demonic, perhaps? SEER handed that 
  cursed thing to me. Seems that she thinks that the book can 
  do ‘something’ down in the Vault. Just… open it up once you 
  enter the Vault proper and she tells me that it will ‘Just 
  Work’. 
   
  Don’t ask me what that means. I learned a long time ago 
  that life is infinitely easier when I just trust SEER to be right.” 
   Actions needed. The tome is magical, but defies 
  identification; the chain cannot be undone until the 
  book is inside the Vault. Once there, the chain 
  disconnects and the book flies out, pages rifling in an 
  unfelt wind. It thrums and bobs around, drawing in 
  arcane energy from the Vault. This causes the skulls 
  to immediately double the intensity of their 
  cacophony ability (the characters are now at 
  disadvantage when attempting the associated saving 
  throws). Furthermore, the tome attracts the 
  attention of a number of tier 3 wraiths equal to the 
  number of characters in the party; these wraiths are 
  present during the encounter with Kiaransalee. 
   Result. After combat the book snaps closed; it is 
  once more chained shut. Dornal refuses to touch it, 
  but SEER is almost giddy at its return. She tells the 
  characters that “this long-term plan is swiftly 
  coming to a head” though she does not elaborate 
  further. Instead, she offers a reward of two spell 
  scrolls of up to seventh level. These scrolls must be 
  of the enchantment, abjuration, or necromancy 
  schools and must be on the wizard spell list. 
  Characters that played DDAO-01 (or DDAL00-01) 
  Window to the Past can’t shake the feeling that they 
  have seen the symbol and the book before. 
  
   
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  57 
  Appendix. The Order of the Gauntlet Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  This secret mission is available to any group that 
  that has at least one of its members claiming 
  membership in the Order of the Gauntlet. These 
  missions increase a character’s secret mission count 
  if successfully completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Stop the Bregan D’arthe Mercenaries 
  Zern Xerkstil, factionmaster for the Order of the Gauntlet, 
  squares his shoulders. His plate armor, battered from recent 
  use, creaks and groans as he hangs his flanged mace from a 
  leather hoop on his hip. 
   
  “The drow are using mercenaries. Mercenaries. Our agents 
  tell us that the company is named Bregan D’arthe, and that 
  they are quite fearsome. We heard that these drow were on 
  the side of Faerun when the demon princes were driven out 
  of the Sword Coast, but that doesn’t make them trustworthy 
  – and their presence here simply drives that home. 
   
  Capture as many as you can and bring them back to the 
  Forward Camp. Death does us no good; they might yet be 
  useful in the future.” 
   Actions needed. The drow mercenaries from 
  Bregan D’arthe are scattered around the battlefield. 
  Run Monster encounter #2 early in the adventure; 
  the drow warlord and master thiefs sport the crest 
  of the mercenary company. Their stat blocks are 
  modified as follows: +30 hit points, they each have 1 
  point of Inspiration, immunity to fear and charm 
  effects, and they have the pack tactics feature (they 
  have advantage on attack rolls against creatures as 
  long as one or more of their allies is adjacent to that 
  creature and is not incapacitated). 
   Result. Returning to the Forward Camp with 
  captives from Bregan D’arthe takes 1 hour of travel 
  each way. Although this negatively impacts the 
  ability of the characters to bring down the Claws, the 
  captives represent a trove of information for the 
  Order. The characters are gifted three potions of 
  superior healing and one spell scroll of remove curse. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 3: Harvest the Essence 
  Zern Xerkstil, factionmaster for the Order of the Gauntlet, 
  audibly groans as he is joined by SEER. 
   
  “Speak, spymaster. You make me itch.” He rubs his 
  temples. 
   
  The Shou woman chuckles and, in honeyed words, 
  describes the matter at hand: “The Vault lies far below us and 
  is certain to be fraught with danger. But I believe that you are 
  ready for this danger. The clerics of the Order are eager to 
  craft defenses for serious threats like this, as our world 
  seems prone to cataclysmic events these last few decades. 
   
  I merely ask that you recover a scrap of the divine essence 
  that is being summoned in that terrible place. How you 
  recover it is up to you, but I know that you are crafty and 
  capable. 
   
  Zern? They’re all yours.” 
   
  He watches her leave and adds, “I think she’s crazy, but 
  she’s right: if you can bring us what she mentioned, we can 
  begin work in earnest on crafting defenses against these 
  kinds of attacks. We’re counting on you – all of us across 
  Faerun.” 
   Actions needed. During the final encounter, the 
  characters must capture at least two pounds of flesh 
  or a pint of blood from Kiaransalee. This can likely 
  be recovered from the ground after she has taken a 
  wound – for example, a critical hit from a melee 
  weapon might spray sparkling blood, or a grievous 
  wound from an axe might cleave off a slice of her 
  giantish thigh. 
   Result. If the characters successfully complete this 
  mission, those that are members of the Order of the 
  Gauntlet may receive a single true resurrection spell 
  cast upon them for the normal gp cost, but 0 
  downtime days. This reward can be used once and 
  does not have to be used in this adventure. This 
  benefit is non-transferable. 
   
  
   
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  58 
   
  Appendix. Zhentarim Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  This secret mission is available to any group that 
  that has at least one of its members claiming 
  membership in the Zhentarim. These missions 
  increase a character’s secret mission count if 
  successfully completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Maintaining Trade 
  Chaab, the heavily scarred face of the Zhentarim in 
  Mulmaster, extends a hand in greetings. 
   
  “Sit, kid, I have to talk to you. We Zhents have a number 
  of, er, widely varied interests throughout the Moonsea and 
  beyond. One such interest is about to be interrupted on a 
  pretty permanent basis if these drow get their way. I’m 
  gonna need you to take this” he shoves a battered scrolltube 
  up your sleeve “and establish a new teleportation circle for 
  us. ‘Cause traders gotta trade and all that. Make sure that 
  you place the new circle closer to Castle Perilous, since these 
  fools aren’t looking too closely at it right now. 
   
  Got it? 
   
  Good.” 
   Actions needed. Recite Chaab’s modified 
  teleportation circle spell scroll near Castle Perilous 
  so that the Zhentarim can have continued access to 
  their magical network. However, Chaab’s alterations 
  end up opening a rift to the Abyss and several death 
  slaad pop into existence (2 for most parties; 3 for 
  very strong ones). This encounter includes a single 
  Reaper’s Claw (and its effect) from that table. 
   Result. Report back to Chaab once the circle has 
  been established. It is up to the characters to 
  determine if they wish to tell Chaab about the slaad. 
  If they do, he simply chuckles and says “Ya lived, 
  didn’t ya?” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 4: Maintaining Trade 
  Chaab, the heavily scarred face of the Zhentarim in 
  Mulmaster, extends a hand in greetings. 
   
  “Look, let’s be straight with each other. It’s pretty bad if 
  we’re all here – and I don’t want to be here any longer than I 
  need to be. The senior partners have decided that I get to tell 
  you that you’ve been given free reign on this mission. All we 
  need from you is to make sure that whatever matron mother 
  down there is in charge gets the business end of your blade. 
   
  Got it? 
   
  Good.” 
   
  He hands over a small dented tin of foul-smelling paste. 
   
  “Don’t eat that. Don’t even smell it. It’s been ‘blessed’ by 
  high-ranking clerics of both Mask and Myrkul. Hit the matron 
  mother with it and she’ll wither pretty quickly. Bring me her 
  signet ring when it’s done and we’ll call it good.” 
   Actions needed. The paste is a poison of Chaab’s 
  own devising. When the characters arrive at the 
  Acropolis inside the Vault of Gnashing Teeth, a drow 
  mummy lord and her wraith guardians are waiting 
  for them. Until the mummy lord is damaged by a 
  melee weapon coated with this poison, she is 
  immune to all damage. There is only enough poison 
  to coat one weapon, and it has no effect outside of 
  this encounter. This refers to the mummy lord, 
  wraith, and death giant encounter at the beginning 
  of the “Within the Acropolis” section of the 
  adventure. 
   Result. Once the matron mother mummy has been 
  destroyed, Chaab will need to see evidence. Bring 
  him her signet ring. If the characters tell him that she 
  was a mummy, he mumbles something about 
  “Dar’lon didn’t say anything about that.” He refuses 
  to elaborate further. 
   
    
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  59 
  Appendix. The Cloaks Secret Missions 
   
  Who May Participate? 
  Any character that is at least rank 3 (for tier 3 
  characters) or rank 6 (for tier 4 characters)within 
  the Cloaks and that has not sworn allegiance to the 
  Red Wizards of Thay may assist in these missions. 
   This secret mission is available to any group that 
  sports at least one member of the Cloaks that is of 
  the minimum rank; only 1 character needs to be of 
  the minimum rank for this mission to be unlocked 
  for all characters in this group (regardless of their 
  ranks). These missions increase a character’s secret 
  mission count if successfully completed. 
   
  Tier 3: Spell Component Disposal 
  Rastol Shan hands you a small 6” x 6” cube of teakwood. 
  Although there are no obvious openings, he tells you that 
  contained inside are spell components that the Thayans have 
  been storing away for decades, and that they are usable for 
  extremely dark magic. This package was intercepted by the 
  Cloaks as a merchant from Elventree was attempting to enter 
  Mulmaster. 
   
  “Those Claws destroy living matter with even the slightest 
  touch. Press the box against one of the Claws until it is 
  nothing more than a memory. And do not tell the Thayans of 
  this!” 
   Actions needed. Ensure that the box is 
  permanently destroyed by pressing it into one of the 
  Claws. However, damaging the box in this manner 
  immediately releases the 3 very angry bone devils 
  are trapped within (the box radiates evil, but does 
  not otherwise indicate their presence until 
  destroyed). 
   Result. Cloaks that are successful with this 
  mission gain 1 rank within this organization at the 
  end of the adventure, and also gain a spell scroll of 
  their choosing. The spell must be on the wizard or 
  sorcerer spell list, from the evocation, abjuration, or 
  enchantment school, and be of 6th level or lower. 
  Characters (with spellcasting ability) that are not 
  already members of the Cloaks are extended an offer 
  to join; if they accept, they join at level 1 instead of 0. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tier 4: Retrieve a Skull 
  “Deep within the Vault of Gnashing Teeth you will find 
  animated skulls. These skulls are not mere flameskulls or 
  mundane lich phylactery, but I believe that they are 
  something far more potent: a seal that is keeping something 
  out of our world. Secure one of them for me and bring it 
  back, that we might study it later.” 
   Actions needed. Retrieve an animated skull from 
  the Vault of Gnashing Teeth. These skulls cannot be 
  teleported, plane shifted, or otherwise removed 
  from the Prime Material plane (including effects like 
  misty step and bags of holding). Once the skull is 
  removed from the ceiling of the Vault, it chatters on 
  and on with various drow-themed threats and 
  promises of destruction by Kiaransalee; this causes 
  the carrying character’s entire party to automatically 
  fail stealth checks and to have disadvantage on 
  concentration checks and any Perception check that 
  uses sound. Its teeth are extremely sharp due to 
  magical enchantments and it will destroy gags and 
  satchels alike in moments. Although it does not 
  attempt to bite its bearer, it cannot be quieted even 
  if placed inside multiple bags or bedrolls – only very 
  slightly muffled. 
   Result. Cloaks that are of the minimum rank gain 
  one rank in the organization at the end of the 
  adventure, and also gain a spell scroll of their 
  choosing. The spell must be on the wizard or 
  sorcerer spell list, from the evocation, abjuration, or 
  enchantment school, and be of 8th level or lower. 
  Characters (with spellcasting ability) that are not 
  already members of the Cloaks are extended an offer 
  to join; if they accept, they join at level 1 instead of 0. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  60 
  Player Handout 1. History Lessons 
   
  Vaasa – Regional Information 
  The land of Vaasa lies to the north and east of the 
  Moonsea. It is a largely barren land, with only a few 
  hardscrabble farms to be found here. Gems and 
  precious metals are the main exports, and these 
  mines are generally operated by militant 
  organizations from around the world. Bloodstone is 
  its most notable export, as there is no other known 
  source in all of Faerun. 
       Throughout the years, various forces have tried to 
  lay claim to the land as a whole. Most recently 
  (nearly a hundred years ago) this was Zhengyi the 
  Witch-King. He united the land under fear and 
  oppression, then split the land into multiple 
  baronies. Unfortunately this may proven to be his 
  undoing; the baronies united amongst themselves 
  and destroyed both the Witch-King and his home, 
  Castle Perilous.  
       However, he was a crafty mage and had amassed a 
  significant collection of relics – many of which 
  survived the destruction. One of his enchanted 
  tomes was recently discovered and read by a half-
  orc; in so doing, a latent spell was triggered that 
  used the half-orc’s life essence to rebuild the Castle 
  Perilous in the span of a single night. The new Castle 
  has a similar look to the old one, but is built of black 
  stone with a mirror-like finish, and has no apparent 
  entrance or exit. 
  Necromancy & the Land 
  Zhengyi’s term as the ruler of this land did more 
  damage than good. Not only did he regularly incite 
  war between his own people, he researched and 
  perfected many necromantic rituals and spells. The 
  energies he used still infuse the land, giving much of 
  it a foul reputation.  
       Whether it was by design or by accident is not 
  known, but far below the plains of Vaasa is the dread 
  drow location known as the Vault of Gnashing Teeth. 
  Inside this place is a collection of temples known as 
  the Acropolis, all dedicated to their dark goddess 
  Kiaransalee. She represents magic and undeath in 
  their pantheon, and now the drow seek to use the 
  latent necromantic energy of this land to fuel a ritual 
  that would culminate in bringing her bodily into the 
  world. They have pushed huge crystalline pillars 
  from the Underdark, up through the earth and into 
  the sky above to collect this energy and funnel it into 
  the temples far below.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  61 
  Player Handout 2. Granting Aid 
   
  Requirements 
  Throughout the tier 3 and tier 4 combats, you can 
  accomplish certain heroic tasks. When you do, your 
  DM will hand out one of the slips on this page and 
  ask you to take it to another table. If you are playing 
  tier 3, your aid goes to a tier 4 table and vice versa.  
  Benefits 
  When you receive aid from another token, your table 
  must decide how and when it will be used. An 
  instance of aid is used all at once; if only one person 
  would benefit from the aid effect, any remaining 
  effect is forfeit and cannot be “held for later”. Tables 
  do not have to use aid immediately and may use it 
  later; using aid does not require an action and simply 
  occurs. 
   
   
   
  Using Aid 
  You have received aid from other heroes! Choose from one 
  of the following options: 
   
   
  Battlesong of Determination. Two characters at your table 
  may immediately end an ongoing effect that normally 
  requires a saving throw to end. 
   
  Battlesong of Might. Each character at your table gains 
  advantage on the next attack roll they make. 
   
  Battlesong of Terror. One creature that your table is 
  fighting must succeed on a DC 16 (tier 3) or DC 20 (tier 4) 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of all characters at this 
  table until the start of its next turn or until it takes damage, 
  whichever happens first. 
   
  Battlesong of Valor. Each character at your table may 
  immediately spend up to half of their hit dice as if resting. 
   
  Using aid does not take an action, and once used cannot be 
  used again unless another table provides you with a new aid 
  slip. 
   
   
   
   
  Using Aid 
  You have received aid from other heroes! Choose from one 
  of the following options: 
   
   
  Battlesong of Determination. Two characters at your table 
  may immediately end an ongoing effect that normally 
  requires a saving throw to end. 
   
  Battlesong of Might. Each character at your table gains 
  advantage on the next attack roll they make. 
   
  Battlesong of Terror. One creature that your table is 
  fighting must succeed on a DC 16 (tier 3) or DC 20 (tier 4) 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of all characters at this 
  table until the start of its next turn or until it takes damage, 
  whichever happens first. 
   
  Battlesong of Valor. Each character at your table may 
  immediately spend up to half of their hit dice as if resting. 
   
  Using aid does not take an action, and once used cannot be 
  used again unless another table provides you with a new aid 
  slip. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Player Handout 3. Map of Camp Perilous 
   
   
  
   
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  63 
  Player Handout 4. SEER’s Map of the Tunnels 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  64 
  Player Handout 5. Magic Items 
   
  Candle of Invocation 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
   This slender taper is dedicated to a deity and shares that deities alignment. The candle’s alignment can be 
  detected with the detect evil and good spell. Choose an alignment and a deity from the Adventurers League allowed 
  resources. 
   
  Chosen Deity: _________________________________________  
  Chosen Alignment: _________________________________________ 
   
   The candle’s magic is activated when the candle is lit, which requires an action. After burning for 4 hours, the 
  candle is destroyed. You can snuff it out early for use at a later time. Deduct the time it burned in increments of 1 
  minute from the candle’s total burn time. 
   While lit, the candle sheds dim light in a 30-foot radius. Any creature within that light whose alignment matches 
  that of the candle makes attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks with advantage. In addition, a cleric or druid 
  in the light whose alignment matches the candle’s can cast 1st-level spells he or she has prepared without expending 
  spells slots, though the spell’s effect is as if cast with a 1st-level slot. 
   Alternatively, when you light the candle for the first time, you can cast the gate spell with it. Doing so destroys the 
  candle. 
   
   
   
   
  Amulet of the Planes 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
   While wearing this amulet, you can use an action to name a location that you are familiar with on another plan of 
  existence. Then make a DC 15 Intelligence check. On a successful check, you cast the plane shift spell. On a failure, 
  you and each creature and object within 15 feet of you travel to a random destination. Roll a d100. On a 1-60, you 
  travel to a random location on the plan you named. On a 61-100, you travel to a randomly determined plane of 
  existence. 
   This amulet bears the arcane sigils of the baelnorn of Myth Drannor and is heavily scarred, as if it had been 
  crushed by stones or bricks. 
   
   
   
   
  Blessing of Protection 
  Blessing, unique [cannot be traded] 
  This can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
   You gain a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws. 
   Your eyes have developed small flecks of brilliant gold, and your senses seem just a little bit sharper. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  65 
  Charm of Vitality 
  Blessing, unique [cannot be traded; does not count as a permanent magic item] 
  This can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
   You expend this charm to immediately gain the effects of a potion of vitality. 
    
   
   
  Cloak of Invisibility 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement) 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
   While wearing this cloak, you can pull its hood over your head to cause yourself to become invisible. While you are 
  invisible, anything you are carrying or wearing is invisible with you. You become visible when you cease wearing the 
  hood. Pulling the hood up or down requires an action. 
   Deduct the time you are invisible, in increments of 1 minute, from the cloak’s maximum duration of 2 hours. After 
  2 hours of use, the cloak ceases to function. For every uninterrupted period of 12 hours the cloak is unused, it 
  regains 1 hour of duration. 
   Woven from the strands of an undead spider’s web, this sticky cloak renders the wearer invisible when worn. It 
  smells faintly of dust and has a faintly cloying lingering scent when you move. Additionally, you can use your action 
  to sprout undead spider legs from the cloak and gain a climb speed of 30 feet on stone and webs for ten minutes; 
  once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until the following dawn. 
   
    
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  66 
  Player Handout 6. Story Awards 
  The characters have the opportunity to earn the following story awards. You may need to print multiple copies. 
  Consumed by Kiaransalee (tier 4) 
  You faced the drow goddess Kiaransalee until the bitter end. However, she won – you were utterly destroyed and 
  your soul was consumed. If you had clones or contingencies, these fail to activate. 
   You cannot be resurrected or otherwise returned to life until another character spends 100 downtime days 
  searching the planes of existence for you and also spends 200,000 gp in bribes and resources with greater demons 
  and elder powers. This bargaining is exhausting for all parties involved, but if you are returned to life you do so with 
  a deeper understanding of this menace: you have advantage on saving throws against spells and effects from clerics 
  of Kiaransalee – and Kiaransalee herself! 
  Faction Savior (tier 3) 
  You were directly responsible for the safety of one or more faction leaders. They are incredibly thankful, and wish to 
  reward you. If you share a faction with that faction master, you may receive a true resurrection for free (including 
  downtime days). If you do not share faction membership with them, they will cover half of the gold piece fee of a 
  true resurrection. You may only receive one free casting of the spell in this manner, but the discount applies for each 
  faction master that you directly saved. 
   
    
  FACTION 
   
  NAME  
   
   
  RESCUED BY YOU? 
    
  Emerald Enclave  
  Seranolla the Whisperer  
  YES // NO 
    
  Harpers  
   
  Olisara Lightsong 
   
  YES // NO 
    
  Lords’ Alliance  
  Dornal Whitebeard 
   
  YES // NO 
    
  Order of the Gauntlet 
  Zern Xerkstil 
   
   
  YES // NO 
    
  Zhentarim 
   
  Chaab  
   
   
  YES // NO 
  Gatekeeper of the Divine (tier 4) 
  SEER’s teleportation circle allowed a large host of angelic solars and planetars to temporarily enter Faerun. These 
  creatures represent the pinnacle of the lawful good alignment, and some of their qualities have rubbed off on you. 
  You desire to pursue the greater good whenever possible and wish to work within the limits of the law. Though you 
  are not beholden to these desires, they are strong. If you change your alignment to lawful good (or are already 
  there), you have advantage on Charisma checks with solars, planetars, and lawful good clerics and paladins. 
  Lost Lore of the Illithilich (tier 4) 
  The drow lich that had been serving as the focal point of the necromantic ritual in the Underdark is destroyed, and 
  upon your return to the surface you find that one of her still-wriggling fingers (or toes) can be found in one of your 
  packs. No matter what you do to get rid of it, it always comes back a few days later. It’s been said that liches have 
  more power in their fingers than most mortals will ever know, and this is no exception: you can use this appendage 
  while casting a spell in order to impose disadvantage on the spell target’s saving throw. Once used in this manner, 
  the appendage crumbles into dust and cannot be reconstructed by any means, including wish. 
  Patron of the Company (tier 4) 
  You managed to convince the drow mercenary company Bregan D’Arthe to turn their back on the conflict. This cost 
  no small amount of gold, and word of your actions will spread. While the mercenaries themselves are discreet about 
  their funding, there were other ears and eyes in the Underdark that day. What this means for you will remain to be 
  seen. 
   
   
  
   
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  DDEP06-03 Hecatomb 
   
   
  67 
  Results Code: X – Y 2017 
   
  If you are DMing this adventure during the months of X – Y 2017, please show your players this page. The QR code 
  below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence the storyline in 
  the future! 
   
  If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter 
  their results. 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S06 - Tales from the Yawning Portal/DDEP06-03 - Hecatomb v1.04.pdf