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  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  2 
  Introduction 
  Welcome to Drums in the Marsh, a D&D ExpeditionsTM 
  adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers 
  LeagueTM organized play system and the Tyranny of 
  DragonsTM storyline season.  
   This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-
  4th level characters, and is optimized for five 3rd 
  level characters. Characters outside this level range 
  cannot participate in this adventure. Players with 
  ineligble characters can create a new 1st-level character 
  or use a pregenerated character. 
   The adventure occurs along the Trank River and 
  within the Twilight Marsh. Both are located east of the 
  city Phlan on the north shore of the Moonsea in Faerûn. 
  The D&D Adventurers 
  League 
  This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers League 
  play. 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. 
   D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into 
  storyline seasons. When players create characters, they 
  attach those characters to a storyline season, which 
  determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create 
  and advance their characters. Players can continue to 
  play their characters after the storyline season has 
  finished, possibly participating in a second or third 
  storyline with those same characters. A character’s level 
  is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot 
  use a character of a level higher or lower than the level 
  range of a D&D Adventurers League adventure. 
   If you’re running this adventure as a part of a store 
  event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI 
  number. This number is your official Wizards of the 
  Coast organized play identifier. If you don’t have a 
  number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check with 
  your organizer for details.  
   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. 
  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 
  HandbookTM.   
  • 
  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 Dungeon Mastering, such as notecards, a 
  DM screen, miniatures, battlemaps, etc.  
  • 
  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. This includes:  
   
  • 
  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, and so on) 
   
  Players that have characters outside the adventure’s 
  level range cannot participate in the adventure with 
  those characters. Players with ineligible characters can 
  make a new 1st-level character or use a pregenerated 
  character. Players can play an adventure they previously 
  played or ran as a Dungeon Master, but not with the 
  same character (if applicable).  
   Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from the 
  organizer). The player will fill out the adventure name, 
  session number, date, and your name and DCI number. 
  In addition, the player also fills in the starting values for 
  XP, gold, downtime, renown, and number of permanent 
  magic items. He or she will fill in the other values and 
  write notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player 
  
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  3 
  is responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet.  
   If you have time, 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, or 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, you may see sidebars to help 
  you make adjustments to this adventure for 
  smaller/larger groups and characters, of higher/lower 
  levels that the optimized group size. Most of the time, 
  this is used for combat encounters.  
   You may adjust the adventure beyond the guidelines 
  given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For 
  example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced 
  players, you might want to make the adventure a little 
  easier; for very experienced players, you might want to 
  make it a little harder. Therefore, five categories of party 
  strength have been created for you to use as a guide. 
  Use these as a guide, and feel free to use a different 
  adjustment during the adventure if the recommended 
  party strength feels off for the group. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 3rd-
  level characters. 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 frations 
  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.  
  Dungeon Mastering the 
  Adventure 
  As the DM 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 to make adjustments to the 
  adventure and make decisions about how the group 
  interacts with the world of this adventure. This is 
  especially important and applicable outside of 
  combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for 
  groups that are having too easy or too hard of a 
  time. 
  • 
  Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult 
  for a group. Never being challenged makes for a 
  boring game, and being overwhelmed makes for a 
  frustrating game. Gauge the experience 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. Give everyone a chance 
  to shine.  
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
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  4 
  • 
  Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session 
  moving along appropriately. 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. 
  • 
  Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to 
  modify the text as you see fit, especially when 
  dialogue is present.  
  • 
  Give the players appropriate hints so they can make 
  informed choices about how to proceed. Players 
  should be given clues and hints when appropriate 
  so they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions 
  without getting frustrated over lack of information. 
  This helps to encourage immersion in the 
  adventure and gives players “little victories” for 
  figuring out good choices from clues. 
   
  In short, being the DM isn’t about following the 
  adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating a 
  fun, challenging game environment for the players. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide TM has more information on 
  the art of running a D&D game. 
  Downtime and Lifestyle 
  At the beginning of each play session, players must 
  declare whether or not they are spending any days of 
  downtime. The player records the downtime spent on 
  the adventure logsheet. The following options are 
  available to players during downtime (see the D&D 
  basic rules or the D&D Adventurers League Player’s 
  Guide for more information): 
   
  • 
  Catching up  
  • 
  Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot 
  commit to crafting a single item) 
  • 
  Practicing a profession 
  • 
  Recuperating 
  • 
  Spellcasting services (end of the adventure only) 
  • 
  Training 
   
  Other downtime options might be available during 
  adventures or unlocked through play, including ­faction-
  specific activities. 
   In addition, whenever a character spends downtime 
  days, that character also spends the requisite expense 
  for his or her lifestyle. Costs are per day, so a character 
  that spends ten days of downtime also spends ten days 
  of expenses maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some 
  downtime activities help with lifestyle expenses or add 
  lifestyle expenses. 
  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. 
  Alternatively, if the party finishes an adventure, they can 
  be assumed to return to the settlement closest to the 
  adventure location.  
   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 to be cast 
  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  
  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.  
  Character Disease,  
  Death, and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or die. Since you might not have the 
  same characters return from session to session, here 
  are the rules when bad things happen to characters. 
  Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating 
  Effects 
  A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and other 
  similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure can 
  spend downtime days recuperating until such time as he 
  or she resolves the effect to its conclusion (see the 
  recuperating activity in the D&D basic rules). If a 
  
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  5 
  character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, 
  that character begins the next session still affected by 
  the debilitating effect.  
  Death 
  A character who dies 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 
  XP and rewards from that session (even those earned 
  prior to 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 thundering boom of distant drums has emanated 
  from the dangerous Twilight Marsh for the last tenday. 
  Since they began, overnight disappearances of 
  individuals and theft of valuable livestock have plagued 
  farms, travelers, and small settlements around the 
  Twilight Marsh and Trank River. The lizardfolk clans of 
  the Twilight Marsh are immediately suspected. 
  However, if the rumors are true, the clans are acting far 
  more aggressively and ranging much farther outside the 
  marsh than normal. Area residents are frightened, but 
  would be absolutely terrified if they discovered the 
  trouble is due to a black dragon exerting control over the 
  Twilight Marsh and subjugating the lizardfolk clans for 
  Throstulgrael's own ends.   
  The Dragon and the Lizardfolk 
  For years, Lizard King Scalecrusher ruled three 
  lizardfolk clans in the Twilight Marsh. Under 
  Scalecrusher's leadership, the Muckmarsh built crude 
  huts and fashioned weapons to conquer the primitive 
  Rootwater and Dusk-Dusk clans. Continued clan clashes 
  concealed the takeover from outsiders.  
   About a month ago, the black dragon Throstulgrael, 
  otherwise known as “Velvet,” left his former home in the 
  Flooded Forest (near Mulmaster) and decided to lay 
  claim to the northern Twilight Marsh, including 
  Scalecrusher's lands and underlings. Throstulgrael 
  attacked the camps and villages of the Rootwater and 
  Dusk-Dusk clans as a show of force, killing their shaman 
  and leaders. The unintimidated and defiant Lizard King 
  refused to bow to Throstulgrael. Predictably, Velvet 
  attacked Scalecrusher's crudely fortified island and the 
  surrounding Muckmarsh village. Throstulgrael's acid 
  breath laid waste to the islands and its fierce but 
  overmatched defenders. Throstulgrael put 
  Scalecrusher's half-dissolved head on a pike on the 
  king's island as a reminder to those who opposed him. 
  Unknown to anyone, Bogclaw, the young lizard king 
  heir, survived the attack and retreated into the marsh. 
   Throstulgrael declared he would select one member of 
  the three greatly diminished clans as chief. The chief 
  would answer to and carry out Throstulgrael's orders – 
  or else. Each clan selected their own candidate. In order 
  to prove their leadership, loyalty, and combat skill to 
  Throstulgrael, the candidates must lead their clans in 
  kidnapping as many humanoids and large livestock as 
  possible. They must bring them to cages and corrals on 
  the deposed King's Island.  
   Throstulgrael is impressed with powerful captives. 
  Stealing livestock (a pig or larger) is acceptable but the 
  least impressive. Capturing humanoid children is 
  regarded as weak and cowardly for a chief. Humanoid 
  adults or young adults are more desirable and 
  particularly strong or dangerous humanoids are the 
  
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  6 
  most impressive.  
   Further challenging the lizardfolk, all prisoners must 
  remain alive and uneaten until Velvet returns in two 
  tendays. One tenday has already passed. The best 
  captives become tribute to Throstulgrael, while the rest 
  become the main course in a grand feast celebrating the 
  new chief.  
  Overview 
  The characters are invited or hired to investigate 
  kidnappings along the Trank River. They meet their 
  initial contact at the Crossing Inn and given known clues 
  and the happenings of the past tenday. As the meeting 
  wraps up, a farmhand named Taroo bursts in and 
  frantically reports that his employers were kidnapped 
  last night. Taroo pleads for help and the characters are 
  encouraged to go with him downriver to the Renons’ 
  farm, where he lives and works.  
   At the farm are clues further implicating the lizardfolk. 
  The characters may visit nearby farms, only to discover 
  additional overnight disappearances and livestock theft. 
  The clues spur the characters to head further downriver 
  towards the Twilight Marsh. 
   The weather turns cold and rainy. Overnight, the 
  characters hear the drums for the first time. They are 
  ambushed by the Dusk-Dusk clan, following up from the 
  night before. The attackers try to seize the characters, 
  recognizing that captured adventurers should highly 
  impress Throstulgrael. The exact location depends on 
  the characters' progress, though it is likely to be on or 
  near the river. 
   When the characters arrive at the Twilight Marsh, 
  they are free to search however they wish. Along the 
  way, they must contend with a giant toad attack and 
  avoid or defeat lizardfolk patrols.  
   They also likely run across a prisoner raft escorted by 
  Dusk-Dusk or Rootwater kidnappers (depending on the 
  territory). The adventurers may rescue the prisoners or 
  follow them to the Ringcurrent Islands where the rest 
  are held. Rescued prisoners can provide more clues to 
  the events in the marsh, and are capable of finding their 
  way out of the marsh without the party escorting them. 
   The characters eventually locate the Muckmarsh 
  village in the Ringcurrent Islands. They get the chance 
  to investigate the outer islands and find further clues as 
  to Throstulgrael's attack and the kidnapping contest. 
  They discover a mysterious large lizardfolk lurking 
  about, but he disappears without making contact. He is 
  Bogclaw, the deposed king's heir, looking to retake 
  control. 
   The characters find the prisoners held on the King's 
  Island. Each clan holds their prisoners in set of cages. 
  When the characters put their rescue plan into action, 
  the lizardfolk on the island are thrown into further chaos 
  when Bogclaw makes his move to seize control of the 
  clans and destroy those who contest him.  
   The characters must deal with the lizardfolk, the chief 
  candidates, Bogclaw, and their rescue operation 
  simultaneously. They get some aid from the prisoners. If 
  successful, they can use the lizardfolk's primitive 
  prisoner rafts to transport the kidnap victims out of the 
  marsh.  
   While the characters do not encounter Throstulgrael 
  in this adventure, disrupting the contest and the 
  lizardfolk further weakens the clans. This makes them 
  less useful to Throstulgrael, and much less effective over 
  the long term. This is especially true if Bogclaw survives. 
  The characters can warn the local inhabitants around 
  the marsh about Throstulgrael. 
  Adventure Hooks 
  The adventurers start at the Crossing Inn. They may 
  meet or arrive there via one or more of the following 
  adventure hooks. 
   
  • 
  The inn's proprietor Romsan Kal personally invites 
  the characters to come and look into the 
  kidnappings. They are disrupting travel, and 
  therefore his business. 
  • 
  The characters are traveling on the Phlan Path, or 
  possibly down the Trank River, and hear about the 
  kidnappings from other travelers. They also hear 
  that Romsan Kal is organizing search parties at the 
  Crossing Inn. 
  • 
  Optional: One or more of the characters have 
  received word that one of their friends or relatives 
  have disappeared, and have come looking for them. 
  They are already held by the lizardfolk. The 
  characters hear that Romsan Kal has the best 
  information and is organizing search parties.  
   
   
  
   
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  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  8 
   "We have a few clues. Some spotted clawed footprints where 
  the kidnappings occurred. A few river dwellers claim to have 
  heard splashing and movement on the river in the dead of 
  night. Most fear that a new monster has moved in, but some 
  think it's the lizardfolk in the Twilight Marsh. They're 
  troublesome, but some of these disappearances are a long way 
  from a marsh, and a few have even happened along the road. 
  Not exactly lizardfolk hunting grounds." 
    
  Romsan can answer a few questions, but doesn't have a 
  lot of information. By his tally, about 30 people have 
  disappeared along with a couple dozen livestock. 
  Romsan knows his list is incomplete. New reports 
  trickle in with the occasional traveler or messenger. 
  While there is evidence of skirmishes at the site of some 
  disappearances, no bodies have been found.  
   When the characters are ready to begin their 
  investigation, or ask Romsan where to start, they're 
  interrupted by a new arrival. Taroo, a human farmhand, 
  bursts into the inn and runs up to Romsan.  
   
  The front door flies open and a young human male dashes in. 
  His appearance suggests he's a farmer. He pauses and looks 
  around the room before running up to the innkeeper. He's 
  clearly upset.  
   "Romsan! The Renons are gone! Come to the farm. You have 
  to figure out what happened." 
   Romsan looks pained and says, "I'm not fit to come out of 
  retirement for this, but these folks are here to help." He turns 
  to you, "This is the best lead you're going to get. Taroo can get 
  you downriver to the farm. It's much faster than riding the 
  trails." 
    
  Romsan offers to stable the characters' mounts for free 
  for the duration of their investigation. He can also 
  provide a few days’ worth of rations and a few minor 
  supplies such as blankets or lanterns. Romsan leads the 
  characters down to the docks and orders the staff to turn 
  one of the keelboats over to the characters. The keelboat 
  is 20 ft long and about 8 ft. wide. It has a shallow draft, 
  primitive sail, and a tiny cabin at the stern. There are 
  enough poles for everyone to use to push and guide the 
  vessel. 
   Taroo guides the characters, and even helps steer the 
  boat if needed. He ties his own small boat to trail behind 
  the stern of the keelboat. It is midafternoon by the time 
  they depart.  
  Roleplaying Taroo the Farmhand 
  Taroo is an honest man in his late 20s who is truly concerned 
  for his employer's safety. He's easily impressed if the 
  characters tell tall tales or practice flashy magic. However, if the 
  characters demonstrate they are ill at home in the wild he 
  becomes very uneasy and questions their abilities.  
   
  Taroo knows the surrounding lands well, but he's never 
  entered the Twilight Marsh. He rightly regards it as a highly 
  dangerous place. He shares his great fear of the lizardfolk 
  making a meal out of him or anyone else that wanders inside. 
   
  Taroo is not a combatant. He has an Armor Class of 11, 4 
  hit points, and a long knife (treat as a dagger; +3 to hit, 1d4+1 
  damage) to defend himself if he must.   
  A Short Trip 
  Downstream 
  The farm is about a mile and a half downstream and 
  only takes about 30 minutes to reach by boat. It is 
  uneventful as long as the characters can handle the boat. 
  If no one save Taroo has any experience with 
  negotiating on a river, the journey takes double the time 
  (one hour) and Taroo is noticeably frustrated with the 
  party. 
   During the trip, the adventurers can take the 
  opportunity to question Taroo about the disappearances, 
  his doings, the river, and anything else about the area. 
  Taroo knows the following. 
   
  • 
  He's worked at the farm for two years and lives in a 
  tiny house on the premises. 
  • 
  He's been away from the farm for the past day and a 
  half seeing family. He was supposed to get back 
  yesterday, but it got dark before he could return, so 
  he stayed at a friendly farm a few miles to the east. 
  No one travels after dark.  
  • 
  Upon returning, it was around midday. He found 
  the doors to the Renons’ house smashed in and 
  they were gone. There were obvious signs of a 
  struggle. A few pigs and a pair of cows are also 
  missing. 
  • 
  He quickly searched the farm, found nothing, 
  panicked, and headed for the inn for help. He didn't 
  think to check the two neighboring farms until he 
  was far upriver. 
  • 
  The Renons are a middle aged married human 
  couple and have owned their farm for many years. 
  They're not adventurers, but are quite capable of 
  taking care of themselves, which is often required 
  given their farm's proximity to the river and marsh.  
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  9 
  Renon Farm 
  The farm is on the east side of the river. There is a slight 
  curve to the river, leaving a wide gravel bar on the east 
  side. The characters can beach their boat anywhere 
  along the gravel bar. The banks on each side are steep, 
  though only about 10 feet tall. Both sides are heavily 
  wooded. If the characters stop to search the gravel bar, 
  see “Gravel Bar.”  
   Pair of very wide, weathered wooden stairs go up the 
  embankment. Taroo leads the characters to the smaller 
  one because it leads directly into the Renon Farm. The 
  other is at the end of the Farmer's Trail which connects 
  to other farms and small villages many miles to the east 
  of the river. Taroo used it during his trip.  
   There are three farms at this end of the trail: the 
  Renon Farm, the Alyin Farm, and the Tralio Farm. The 
  Renons’ is the largest. Taroo occasionally works and 
  socializes at the other two farms, so he knows them 
  almost as well as the Renons. 
  What Really Happened 
  While there are specific clues listed in the descriptions, you can 
  use this overview to help fill in gaps and ad lib clues if needed 
  as the characters investigate. 
   
  Last night, 15 lizardfolk came upriver, towing four large, 
  crude log rafts which they beached at the south end of the 
  gravel bar. They attacked Renon farm first, followed by the Alyin 
  farm, and last the Tralio farm. In all cases the occupants were 
  subdued after a brief skirmish and rounded up along with larger 
  livestock such as cattle. A bull at the Tralio farm caused a few 
  injuries and property damage.  
   
  The human captives were bound and thrown on the rafts 
  while some of the cattle were tranquilized by a sedating poison 
  of the lizardfolk, the majority were left behind. The lizardfolk 
  drummer sounded the return cadence and the raiding party 
  headed downriver before dawn. With their pace slowed by the 
  unwieldy rafts, the raiding party hopes to return to get the bull 
  and cows late tonight after trading rafts and sending the 
  victims on to the King's Island. 
  Searching Renon Farm 
  The trail from the stair leads through a strip of dense 
  woods between the farm in the river. When the 
  characters emerge from the trees, they can see the stout 
  wooden farmhouse. The farmhouse is about 230 feet 
  uphill from the stair. The trail passes north of the 
  plowed "south field," wraps around the farmhouse and 
  ends in the middle of a small group of buildings. Another 
  trail splits off to the southeast and winds downhill to 
  meet the Farmer’s trail. 
   The group of buildings includes the farmhouse, barn, 
  chicken coops, well, and Taroo's farmhand house. The 
  two chicken coops are in a small fenced in area. The 
  large barn has a pig sty to the north and green pasture to 
  the east, both of which are fenced in. Beyond the barn is 
  the "north field." All are in good repair or condition. 
   Taroo answers questions as best he can. He can lead 
  them around the farm, but they are free to look around.  
  Barn 
  The barn is a story and a half tall stout wood structure. 
  Access is through the main doors on the west side, with 
  two additional doors on the north and east sides. The 
  north door leads to the pig sty, and the east doors open 
  into the pasture.  
   Clues. All of the doors are smashed in, showing clear 
  impacts from clubs. Taroo realizes several large pigs are 
  missing. Smaller pigs remain inside the north side of the 
  barn. The two cows and the ox are gone. Clawed 
  footprints cover the dirt floor. A successful DC 14 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the cows 
  were led out of the barn and down the Renons’ path 
  towards the stair.  
  Farmhouse 
  The farmhouse is a well-built, low 20 ft. x 40 ft. sturdy 
  wooden structure with walls stained dark green. The 
  roof is wood shingles. There are front and back doors, 
  and a pair of small rippled glass windows into each 
  room. It has wood floors and a six-foot high ceiling. 
  Inside the front door is a large living space with a 
  fireplace. A narrow hallway leads past a small bedroom 
  to the kitchen in the back. There are no interior doors. A 
  large fireplace dominates the kitchen, and it is clear that 
  food preparation occurs both inside and at tables behind 
  the house.  
   Clues. The doors and windows are bashed in and 
  broken. There was obviously a struggle throughout the 
  house. Furniture is broken and stored items are 
  damaged or displaced. Taroo says nothing is missing, 
  even items of value. There are dried blood spots and 
  splatters on the floor and walls, though it is not 
  extensive.  
   A bloody woodsman's axe with a broken handle is 
  stuck at an odd angle in the wall next to the front door. A 
  successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  reveals that the awkward angle is likely due to avoiding 
  the room's low head height. The bed is unmade and the 
  fireplaces are cold.  
   A broken, crude club is on the kitchen floor. A 
  successful DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  reveals it is fashioned out of wood common to the 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  10 
  swamp, but also the riverbanks.  
   The wood floor has deep scratches from clawed feet. 
  A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  reveals that at least one person or creature was dragged 
  out the back door and down the Renons’ path to the 
  river. 
   Treasure: In the bedroom under a floorboard is a 
  small hidden chest that takes a successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigate) check to find. It contains 10 gp, 
  22 sp, 52 cp. There is also a silver necklace inlaid with 
  finely cut agates worth 20 gp. 
  Other Areas 
   Chicken Coop. The small chicken coop holds a dozen 
  chickens that make a fantastic racket if someone steps 
  inside. The lizardfolk ignored it, so there are no tracks 
  here.  
   Taroo's House. Taroo's rough wooden house is a 
  single 10 ft. x 10 ft. room with a small window next to 
  the front door. The door is smashed in, but its worn 
  table and chairs are undisturbed. The bed is overturned, 
  as though someone looked under it. Nothing is missing. 
   North Field. The north field has the first green shoots 
  of the spring grain planting. An ox-drawn plow sits at the 
  south edge of the field, near the barn.  
   South Field. The south field shows the first shoots of 
  a variety of vegetables. Three clear sets of clawed 
  footprints lead from the compound through the field and 
  towards the Alyin's farm to the south.  
   Well. The well is shallow and stone lined. A dozen 
  battered wood buckets are stacked around the well next 
  to a ragged rope.  
  Alyin Farm 
  If the characters investigate the Alyins’ farm, they 
  discover the couple (Walos and Jinns) has gone missing. 
  Taroo describes them as young adult humans who 
  inherited their farm and moved in only a few months 
  ago. They don't really know the area. The farm has an 
  old small farmhouse similar to the Renons’ but in poorer 
  condition. It likewise has been broken into and shows 
  signs of a struggle. However, there are no signs of 
  anyone being dragged away (the Alyins were actually 
  carried).  
   A search turns up a broken wooden drumstick among 
  the stuff on the floor with a successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (investigation) check. Taroo can confirm it 
  isn't the Alyins. The Alyins’ field is partially planted – 
  Taroo says they're late this year due to illness. The 
  house has no valuables in it. The decayed wood barn is 
  wide open, and an ox was obviously led away down the 
  path to the road and river.   
  Tralio Farm 
  If the characters investigate the Tralios’ farm, they see a 
  number of cattle inside and outside of a large pasture. 
  Part of the pasture’s wood fence along the trail from the 
  road to the house is down. A big bull remains inside the 
  fence, and watches anyone who walks by. If a character 
  enter the pasture (or attack), the bull charges the first 
  one in. Use the giant goat statistics; the animal can be 
  calmed down with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) check. A successful DC 12 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check reveals that the bull’s horns are 
  caked with blood. There appears to be three small 
  blowgun darts stuck in the bull's side (from a failed 
  tranquilizing attempt). A trail of blood leads back to the 
  Farmer's Trail and all the way to the river. The 
  lizardfolk gave up for now, but plan to come back 
  tonight. 
   The Tralios (Hilloo and Gerona) are also gone, and 
  their small house and barn broken into, all of which are 
  similar to the Renons. Taroo says the Tralios regularly 
  dealt in livestock with the local farmers. He watched 
  their farm when they traveled, or helped with the 
  livestock.  
  The Gravel Bar 
  Characters searching the gravel bar might discover 
  (with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check) that something large was beached here. They 
  might also notice (with a successful DC 12 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check) muddy footprints and a small trail of 
  blood from the stairs to the Farmer's Trail (leading back 
  to the Tralio farm).  
   Anyone searching the water's edge soon finds a gourd 
  canteen wedged between two large rocks. It is empty but 
  the inside has a nasty odor to it. A successful DC 15 
  Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals that it might have held 
  some type of poison. It was, in fact, dropped by one of 
  the lizardfolk while struggling to get the livestock aboard 
  a raft.  
  Moving On 
  By now, the characters should realize all the clues point 
  towards the lizardfolk, and head towards the marsh.
   The characters might deduce that the lizardfolk might 
  return tonight to the Tralio farm. Otherwise, they likely 
  set off for the marsh. You should determine how long 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  11 
  the investigation has taken so far, and how much time 
  remains before sunset. The characters might opt to stay 
  at a farm and leave at dawn or may head out no matter 
  what the time and camp near or in the marsh. At dusk, 
  the drums start up and run through the night. See “The 
  Drums” and “Dusk-Dusk Ambush.” 
   Taroo has absolutely no interest in pursuing the 
  kidnappers into the marsh. He says he'll stay at the 
  farms to tend to the remaining animals and lock up the 
  buildings. He'll go back upriver for the night. 
   A steady cold rain starts in the late afternoon, 
  continues overnight and stops just after dawn the next 
  morning. Along the river, the characters occasionally 
  discover the corpse of a pig or cow that didn't make it, 
  but never any people.  
  Travel to the Marsh 
  Once the party embarks to head from the farms to the marsh, 
  have them choose activities they might be engaged in while 
  traveling. Each character should choose one of the activities 
  listed below, in addition to helping guide the keelboat with 
  poles. See Chapter 8: Adventuring in the basic rules or the 
  Player’s Handbook for more information. 
  • 
  Keep a lookout: Characters doing this are able to use their 
  passive Wisdom (Perception) scores to keep an eye out for 
  threats.  
  • 
  Navigate: Characters can find the quickest path 
  downstream. If a character succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check, the travel time is reduced to 3/4 of its 
  normal time. 
  • 
  Map the area: This could be vital if the characters become 
  separated or leave the immediate area of the river. Without 
  a map, it is possible the characters could become lost.  
  • 
  Track: While traveling on land or by water, a character could 
  continue to track the lizardfolk. A successful DC 12 
  Wisdom (Survival) check made every six hours keeps them 
  on track with the lizardfolk, eventually leading back to 
  Ringcurrent Islands and the Island of the Lizard King. 
   
  Travel Time and Distance. The edge of the Twilight 
  Marsh is about seven and a half miles downstream. The 
  Trank River is relatively easy to navigate, with no 
  whitewater and few rapids. Some sections are deeper 
  than others.  
   If the characters use the keelboat, the first five miles 
  takes about two hours. For the last two miles, the 
  current slows significantly, and the river seems to take 
  forever to traverse. It takes about two hours to reach the 
  northern edge.  
   If the characters try to go overland, it takes about 20 
  hours by foot due to the rugged landscape and trails. If 
  the characters somehow brought horses, it cuts the time 
  to 15 hours. However, the horses are next to useless 
  beyond the borders of the swamp. Taroo can point this 
  out. 
  The Drums 
  The lizardfolk drums are used for communication and 
  intimidation. Due to the extraordinary nature of Throstulgrael's 
  contest, they are using their drums continuously each night. 
  Certain patterns convey different messages.  
   
  Lizardfolk who hear the drums are emboldened by them. 
  Each lizardfolk gains advantage on one attack or saving throw 
  during combat. 
   
  The drums get louder the closer the characters are to the 
  marsh. They also notice there are occasionally quieter drums 
  from other directions. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check reveals that, far from being random drumming, the boom 
  drums are a means of communicating amongst the lizardfolk 
  and that the drums signal the start and end of hunting each 
  night as well as the coming and going of raiding parties.  
   
  • 
  Start: Four distinct thundering beats echoing across the 
  marsh and surrounding lands. Locals panic and barricade 
  themselves indoors when it starts.  
  • 
  Drumroll: The thunderdrums keep up a continuous low 
  rumbling roll accented by louder staccato patterns and the 
  occasional thundering boom.   
  • 
  End: At sunrise, the drums end with three low booms and 
  two rapid thundering shots. 
   
  Playing up the tribal, menacing nature of the drums during the 
  trek through the swamp can do a lot to heighten tension and 
  create great atmosphere.  
  Dusk-Dusk Ambush 
  The lizardfolk set their sights on the party after sunset. 
  Canny and observant parties might be alerted to their 
  presence before they strike. Six lizardfolk move in on 
  the party in the evening. Adapt the ambush to the 
  characters' specific circumstances. The likely scenarios 
  are: 
   
  • 
  The characters stay at Tralios' farm to ambush or 
  follow the lizardfolk returning for the livestock.  
  • 
  The characters stay at one of the other farms for the 
  night and are discovered by lizardfolk scouts. 
  • 
  The characters head downriver but travel or camp 
  in or near the boat overnight.  
  • 
  The characters make it into the marsh where they 
  travel or camp overnight. 
   
  If the characters do take care to conceal themselves, 
  they must avoid detection by two lizardfolk scouts. The 
  scouts use Dexterity (Stealth) to sneak into the area 
  sometime after sunset. If they manage to avoid detection 
  and succeed in spotting the characters, they withdraw 
  and return with the rest of the raiders. If the scouts are 
  killed, the rest of the lizardfolk come looking for them an 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  12 
  hour later. Should the characters spot the scouts, they 
  have advantage to spot the rest when they arrive. 
  Twilight Marsh Lizardfolk Raiders 
  Raiders out to capture quarry carry a net or blowgun in addition 
  to the attacks listed in the stat block. 
   
  Net. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or 
  one Small target. Hit: target is restrained and falls prone. 
   
  Blowgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 30 ft./60 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must 
  succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d4 
  poison damage and become poisoned for one hour. 
  Nighttime Ambush 
  The Dusk-Dusk's main goal is to subdue the 
  characters. If they are clearly overmatched or lose half 
  their number, the lizardfolk retreat into the river or 
  darkness. They attack after sunset, at a time you wish to 
  enhance the characters' circumstances. 
   Light. None due to the rain, aside from the light 
  sources the characters have. It could be twilight if the 
  attack occurs just after sunset or before dawn. The 
  lizardfolk carry torches, but not during the ambush. 
   Sound. The drums continue to boom through the 
  night, bolstering the lizardfolk; see “The Drums.” 
   Weather. A heavy downpour makes surfaces slicker 
  or muddier (treat as difficult terrain) and further reduces 
  visibility. Dexterity (Stealth) checks have advantage.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party or weak party: remove one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Strong party: add one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Very strong party: add two lizardfolk 
  Sequence of Events 
  The lizardfolk plans are as follows. 
    
  • 
  Attack from multiple directions, including surprise 
  attacks from the water. 
  • 
  Characters subdued in the attack are pulled to and 
  into the river. They are hauled downstream to a 
  hidden raft. Captives are seated on the uneven log 
  raft deck, hands and feet tied with ropes, as well as 
  tied to the logs themselves. The lizardfolk head for 
  the swamp before dawn. 
  • 
  The lizardfolk retreat to and into the river if they 
  lose more than half their number. 
  Land Tactics 
  If the ambush takes place on land away from the water, 
  the lizardfolk leave a raft at the water's edge where they 
  can return to it quickly, but keep it out of sight. They 
  split up into pairs, except for the four tasked with 
  kidnapping. They try to draw the target away from the 
  others. They sneak up as close as they can and then 
  launch their ambush from all directions. If the 
  characters are outside, the lizardfolk fire blowgun darts 
  coated with tranquilizer poison. The kidnappers rush 
  their target, trying to throw a net over their victim. If the 
  characters are in a building, the lizardfolk hammer at 
  the doors with wooden clubs and fire through open 
  windows.  
  Water Tactics 
  If the ambush occurs on the boat, river, or riverbank, the 
  lizard folk use the water to maximum advantage. They 
  leave the raft as close as they can downstream out of 
  sight. They swim underwater to surround the boat or be 
  parallel to the bank, as limited by water depth. They 
  suddenly break the surface to start the ambush, 
  immediately firing their blowguns at any visible target. 
  The four kidnappers attempt to climb on the boat, or 
  rush their target from the darkness if on land.  
  Treasure 
  The lizardfolk carry clubs, blowguns, poisoned darts, 
  crude nets, and a few personal but otherwise valueless 
  items. There is a half-full gourd of the lizardfolk 
  tranquilizing poison; enough for six more doses. Their 
  half-barrel sized signaling drum and drumsticks are on 
  the log raft. 
  Development 
  If the lizardfolk succeed in capturing one or more of the 
  adventurers, the fight turns into a pursuit. It might 
  include a chase between the raft and the keelboat, 
  neither of which are particularly fast or maneuverable. 
  The lizardfolk direct the raft while swimming. If they get 
  away, they head for the Lizard King's Island, which is 
  several hours away. Allow players to be creative in how 
  they try to track down and rescue captured comrades.  
   If the lizardfolk are defeated, the survivors flee 
  downriver to return to the Dusk-Dusk village. Lizardfolk 
  who are captured resist giving information for a short 
  time, before a realistic threat makes them talk (or a 
  successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check). They 
  do not speak Common.  
   They say their clan leaders ordered them to kidnap 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  13 
  people and livestock to please Throstulgrael and 
  become king of the Twilight Marsh lizardfolk clans. If 
  the characters asked for locations, they receive vague 
  directions to the center of the marsh. If the characters 
  try to bribe or force them to lead them to the kidnap 
  victims, the lizardfolk willingly leads them into the 
  swamp. They deliver them into Dusk-Dusk territory, 
  looking for an ambush by their clan's patrols. 
   
   
  
   
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  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  15 
  are two giant toads. About an hour into the marsh, the 
  characters pass through a wetland with a few giant 
  toads hidden in the tall grass. A variation of this 
  encounter can be used almost anywhere in the marsh, 
  day or night, though it should only occur once.  
   
  You are passing through a wetland with tall, wide, and dense 
  blades of greenish brown grass bordering labyrinthine 
  waterways. The wall-like growths make it appear as though the 
  boat is traveling watery hallways. Crossings occur frequently, 
  opening suddenly to one or both sides. A slow current guides 
  your way. 
   Standing on the boat, characters six feet in height can barely 
  see over the tops of the grasses, which wave and rustle in a 
  strong, breeze.  The plants are growing in the shallower areas, 
  and the channels you are using are only a few feet deep.  
   
  The characters might detect the hidden toads (roll 
  Dexterity (Stealth) checks for the toads) as they pass by. 
  Characters that succeed are not surprised when the 
  toads attack, realizing something is out there.  
   The first toad to strike sits in the thick grass. It shoots 
  its tongue out to grab one of the characters on the boat, 
  which seems to suddenly get yanked into the grass and 
  disappear from view. The DM should play up the 
  suddenness of the shocking disappearance and the 
  realization that they are being dragged through the grass 
  to some kind of hidden monster. The current continues 
  to push the boat along, even if the characters stop 
  guiding it. A second toad sits at the next crossing, ready 
  to pick off another character.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: remove one giant toad; the remaining 
  giant toad has 27 hit points 
  • 
  Weak party: each giant toad has 27 hit points 
  • 
  Strong party: add one giant toad 
  • 
  Very strong party: add one giant toad; each giant toad has 
  51 hit points 
  Development 
  If a toad grabs and swallows a character, it hops into a 
  waterway and jumps away as fast as possible. Toads 
  that take more than half damage also flee. 
  Treasure 
  The toads don’t carry treasure, but a quick search in the 
  shallow waters around the ambush site turns up 
  skeletons of less fortunate halfling travelers, along with 
  their ruined weapons, packs, and purses with a total of 
  53 gp, 39 sp, and 24 cp.  
  The Prisoner Raft 
  About four hours into the swamp, the characters see 
  through the trees, a group of three lizardfolk and one 
  lizardfolk shaman in the distance guiding a prisoner 
  raft. The characters have not been detected and won't be 
  unless they draw attention to themselves. This 
  encounter can occur at any time. At night, the lizardfolk 
  use torches to light the way.  
   
  A flurry of movement catches your attention. In the distance 
  through a thick stand of old trees, you see several humanoid 
  shapes, most likely lizardfolk, guiding a long raft. The raft 
  appears to carry more humanoids that are sitting on the raft's 
  surface, but it is difficult to make out who or what they might 
  be. The guides are waist deep in water in front, behind, and 
  next to the raft. They don't appear to have noticed you.  
   
  It shouldn't take long for the characters to realize that 
  the raft is carrying prisoners. The lizardfolk are taking 
  the captives to the Lizard King's Island, which is still 
  about an hour away. Eight escort the raft, while two 
  others scout around for dangers and the other clans. 
  The lizardfolk are from the clan whose territory the 
  characters are passing through, most likely the 
  Rootwater clan. If they are in Muckmarsh territory, the 
  lizardfolk are armed.  
   The characters have several options:  
   Follow. If the characters follow the raft, they must 
  make Dexterity (Stealth) checks every 15 minutes, or 
  four times before reaching the Ringcurrent Islands. If 
  the characters are successful, they reach the outer 
  Ringcurrent Islands. If they are detected, the lizardfolk 
  push the raft faster while the scouts and two others 
  break away to engage the characters.  
   Attack and Rescue. If the characters attack the 
  lizardfolk, they have about 10 minutes to plan before 
  they are out of sight. The characters may make Dexterity 
  (Stealth) checks to position themselves for an ambush. 
  The lizardfolk attempt to flee if they detect the 
  characters. The scouts and two others engage the 
  characters. If the adventurers succeed in ambushing the 
  raft, all of the lizardfolk engage and none flee the 
  confrontation no matter the outcome. If the lizardfolk 
  beat back the attack, they rush their cargo to the King's 
  Island. 
    If the characters are successful, they are left with a 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  16 
  raft full of kidnap victims. There are three male humans, 
  two female humans, three female halflings, and two 
  male dwarves. If the characters manage to free the 
  victims during the fight, the dwarves, two humans and a 
  halfling join the battle (use the commoner statistics). 
   All of them have minor injuries from their kidnapping, 
  but nothing debilitating. They tell the adventurers 
  everything they can, filling in some gaps about what is 
  going on. See “Rolk Talks” for more information and 
  roleplaying notes.  
   The victims can use the raft to get out of the marsh. 
  They are appreciative of weapons, but make do with 
  improvised clubs for defense. They don't require an 
  escort. The way is dangerous, so it is possible that the 
  characters might try to dissuade them. The victims are 
  reluctant, but might agree to hiding somewhere nearby 
  until the adventurers returned to take them out. 
   Negotiation. Though unlikely, the characters might try 
  to negotiate with the lizardfolk or intimidate them into 
  giving up their prizes. If the characters clearly have the 
  upper hand, intimidation might scare the lizardfolk into 
  fleeing for their lives. If the characters try to simply 
  negotiate, they have made a poor choice. The lizardfolk 
  see them as highly desirable targets and waste no time 
  to try to capture at least one of the characters. See 
  “Attack and Rescue,” above. 
  Rolk Talks 
  Rolk is a talkative dwarf merchant who is exceedingly grateful 
  for his rescue. The dwarves (Rolk and Nik) were taken three 
  days ago while traveling on the Phlan Path. The rest come from 
  surrounding farms. Rolk understands a bit of Draconic and can 
  relay what he has surmised is going on. 
   
  • 
  Three lizardfolk clans are having some sort of contest 
  whereby the winner is the clan with the most captives. It 
  has been going on since the drums began a tenday ago, 
  and appears to end in a few nights.  
  • 
  Rolk doesn't know what the prize is or anything about a 
  dragon. 
  • 
  Most everyone believed there was only one lizardfolk clan, 
  not three. He knows their names. 
  • 
  The drums call out the leading clan somehow.  
  • 
  Before the contest, something powerful attacked the 
  lizardfolk villages and killed a powerful lizard king called 
  Scalecrusher. 
  • 
  The lizardfolk constantly complain that they can't eat any of 
  their victims until the contest is over. 
  • 
  The lizardfolk have been pushing them steadily in the same 
  direction for days. Rolk assumes it leads to their ultimate 
  destination and thinks it translates as the Island of the 
  Lizard King in the Ringcurrent Islands.  
  Treasure 
  The lizardfolk aren't carrying valuables, just clubs, blow 
  guns, and a dozen poisoned darts. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party or weak party: remove one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Strong party: add one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Very strong party: add two lizardfolk 
   
  The Ringcurrent Islands 
  The Ringcurrent Islands are named for the source and 
  shape of their ring-like arrangement. A large, slow 
  moving circular eddy formed along one of the Twilight 
  Marsh's deeper water channels, and the circular motion 
  shaped a number of islands. The Muckmarsh tribe lives 
  on and around the islands, which surround the King's 
  Island.  
  Outer Islands 
  Throstulgrael damaged or destroyed half of the 
  Muckmarsh huts. About 40 survivors have temporarily 
  abandoned the north and west islands and retreated to 
  the best remaining huts to the south. The characters 
  arrive at the abandoned islands. 
   
  Ahead you see a series of wooded islands in an expanse of 
  muddy water. A slow current seems to revolve around them 
  like a massive eddy. Waterbound trees continue the canopy 
  over the water. There is an irregular line of crude wood huts 
  built partially in the water along each island's bank. Many are 
  damaged or knocked over and look abandoned.  
    
  At night, the drums are tremendously loud and clearly 
  located somewhere in the middle of the islands. The 
  characters gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks 
  when the drums overwhelm the ambient sound. 
   Sharp eyed characters might pick out details of the 
  damaged huts from afar. Read or paraphrase the 
  following as they approach the islands. 
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
  Up close, it is obvious that some of the huts have been 
  physically knocked over or crushed, with logs snapped like 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  17 
  twigs. However, many more of them are oddly destroyed, and 
  the remains show signs of being dissolved or rotting away.  
   Further inland, you see several a pair of ragged winged 
  shapes hanging like decorations high in the tree branches. The 
  silhouette of a large and powerful lizardfolk appears from 
  behind the trees. It jumps high in the air, grabs one decoration 
  in each hand and rips them from their ropes. It lands, throws 
  them to the ground, and stomps them flat. The lizardfolk 
  strides into the gloom. 
   
  The young lizardfolk king, Bogclaw, is ripping down 
  dragon effigies hung by surviving clan members in 
  honor of Throstulgrael. He is too far away for most 
  character actions, but if they try a quick long range 
  attack, call attention to themselves, or carry a bright 
  light source at night, he attempts to disappear into the 
  vegetation. Seeing Bogclaw for the first time, someone 
  knowledgeable about lizardfolk might realize they are 
  seeing a variation called a lizard king that is more 
  powerful and smarter than the average lizardfolk. 
   The islands show the direct results from 
  Throstulgrael's attack. If the characters land and 
  investigate the area, they find no other living lizardfolk. 
  They discover lizardfolk bodies in the rubble of some of 
  the ruined huts. A successful DC 12 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check suggests that the bodies and huts 
  show signs of being burned partially away by a very 
  powerful acid. Searching the huts reveals basic 
  weapons, shields, and other items common to a 
  primitive village. If the characters look for the ruined 
  decorations, they discover they appear to be crude 
  effigies of a dragon.  
   The island is long, but only a hundred feet or so 
  across. On the other shore, they find another series of 
  destroyed huts. Beyond the huts, they can see the King's 
  Island in the center of the enormous eddy. If the party 
  succeeds at a group DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check 
  they can follow Bogclaw to the Island of the Lizard King 
  before losing his trail in the water. 
  Bogclaw 
  Bogclaw is a young and strong lizardfolk king, now the rightful 
  king of the clans. He secretly escaped death, though he had to 
  hide and treat his wounds for a few days. He plans to take back 
  control by ruining the contest. He can't stand Throstulgrael and 
  won't allow the clans to work for the creature or worship it. 
  Bogclaw is destroying the honor effigies out of frustration and 
  to remind the lizardfolk who is in charge, once he reveals 
  himself.  
   
    Bogclaw eventually notices the characters, hides, and 
  watches them from the deep shadows or water. He flees into 
  the water if discovered. Bogclaw hides and waits to take 
  advantage of any distraction the characters might give to 
  disrupt the contest.  
  Island of the Lizard King 
  When the characters first see the island, read or 
  paraphrase the following. 
   
  In the center of a massive, slowly swirling eddy is a long island 
  that appears to be taller and larger at one end. From your 
  vantage point, you can see two distinct encampments of 
  lizardfolk.  Each has a ragged banner with different markings 
  on them. You can just see the top of a third banner hidden 
  behind a cluster of six massive drums in the center of the 
  island. Destroyed wooden huts and crude fortifications sit on a 
  low mound around the drums, and down into the water.   
   Two large wooden cages lashed together from tree limbs 
  dominate each encampment. One appears to contain 
  humanoids. Animal-like sounds from the other ones imply 
  they hold livestock. Each cage has tall poles with winged 
  decorations similar to those on the outer island.  
   About a dozen lizardfolk roam each encampment. Some are 
  guarding the cages, while others work on large rafts at the 
  water's edge. The lizardfolk seem more interested in keeping 
  an eye on the other groups than watching for other dangers. 
   
  If the characters arrive at night, the marsh 
  thunderdrums boom away, covering most sounds in the 
  area and making speech difficult on the island. The 
  drums pulse with a magical blue energy each time they 
  are struck, a side effect of the minor enchantment that 
  drastically raises the volume. It lights the whole island.  
   Each clan has their own encampment on each arm of 
  the Y-like island. The King's huts, and those of his 
  lieutenants and bodyguards are mounds of wood and 
  debris. In the center of the island stands a pike with 
  Scalecrusher's half-dissolved skull on it. It's 
  Throstulgrael's reminder of the fate of those who 
  oppose him. 
   The mound, bordered by the drums, is something of a 
  no-man's land between the clans. The clans only deliver 
  captives to their own encampment. Deliveries are 
  guarded to keep the other clans from stealing their catch 
  enroute.  
   The Muckmarsh are on the northeast arm, the 
  Rootwater are on the southeast, and the Dusk-Dusk are 
  due west. Each group has ten lizardfolk, plus an average 
  lizardfolk turned-clan leader who would be king. There 
  are three or four rafts beached on at each camp. The 
  Muckmarsh clan is armed with primitive swords, 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  18 
  shields, and javelins. Only the clan leaders and shaman 
  of the other two clans are so equipped.  
   The Muckmarsh cages hold 18 humans and 
  strongheart (stout) halflings, plus about 25 various 
  livestock. The Dusk-Dusk have 12 humans and wood 
  elves, along with 32 mostly large livestock. The 
  Rootwater hold 10 strongheart halflings and shield 
  (mountain) dwarves, along with 14 assorted livestock. 
   The characters can take their time planning their next 
  move. Show them the King's Island map. They might 
  wait for darkness or dawn, depending on their ideas. 
  The distance between the cages make rescuing all three 
  groups of victims challenging. Saving the livestock is 
  likely impossible due to the lack of enough rafts and 
  time. However, the characters have some circumstances 
  on their side, though they won't realize it at first. 
   
  • 
  The clans do not help each other defend the other's 
  captives. 
  • 
  Once the captives are let loose, about half of them 
  fight the lizardfolk (as commoners) while the 
  others run for the rafts. The adventurers' force 
  grows significantly with each rescue. The DM 
  should handle all but the characters' actions 
  cinematically.  
  • 
  If the characters defeat Bogclaw, the rest of the 
  lizardfolk flee, abandoning the island.  
  • 
  The drummers continue until Bogclaw appears, or 
  they are attacked. 
  Treasure 
  The Muckmarsh tribe has a stash of treasure in stolen 
  old saddlebags hidden away in the hut of the old leader, 
  Scalecrusher. If they search the Muckmarsh’s huts, they 
  can find the treasure. It consists of 6 pp, 196 gp, an 
  agate worth 100 gp, and a jar of Keoghtom’s ointment 
  with 3 doses remaining.   
  Bogclaw’s Coup 
  Immediately after the adventurers disrupt the 
  proceedings, Bogclaw emerges from the water and 
  swiftly kills the Muckmarsh would-be leader, preferably 
  in sight of the characters. The Muckmarsh guards 
  immediately follow his orders.  
   Bogclaw leads them against the next clan (the one 
  none or the least number of characters are fighting). 
  Some fight back, while others switch sides. Afterwards, 
  they turn to the last clan. If the characters are quick, it is 
  possible they can free the captives while the infighting is 
  going on.  
   Only after all of the surviving lizardfolk are under 
  Bogclaw's control does he turn and attack the 
  characters. He defends himself if they engage him 
  directly. The lizardfolk pursue the characters to the edge 
  of the Ringcurrent Islands, then Bogclaw turns them 
  back to stabilize his control. Most of the valuable 
  captives are gone, which suits him fine. 
  Dealing with the Lizardfolk 
  At this point, the adventurers have a variety of ways that 
  they can approach the situation.  
   
  • 
  Dive in and start thrashing the lizardfolk in 
  hopes of driving them off. This is the most 
  dangerous course of action; feel free to alter the 
  fight as you see fit. The tribes will fight amongst 
  themselves, but members of each tribe will attempt 
  to defeat the party in hopes of winning glory for the 
  tribe 
  • 
  Negotiation with the tribes. Rolk can assist if no 
  one speaks Draconic. Award the party for clever 
  role playing, possibly by making the final battle 
  easier as the tribes ally against the Muckmarsh.  
  • 
  Stealth and assassination. By sneaking up to free 
  captives and eliminate key guards the party could 
  garner a decent sized fighting force and throw the 
  lizardfolk in to disarray.  
  • 
  Something else the party thinks up. Roll with 
  their ideas if they seem plausible.  
   
  Whatever the outcome, the party should face Bogclaw 
  and some of his tribesmen. Narrate the battle raging 
  around them until Bogclaw is defeated or the party falls. 
   Unless the party decides to rush headlong in to battle, 
  they should face Bogclaw (use lizard king statistics), a 
  lizardfolk shaman, and two lizardfolk.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: remove the shaman and one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Weak party: remove the shaman and add one lizardfolk 
  • 
  Strong party: Bogclaw has 102 hit points 
  • 
  Very strong party: Bogclaw has 102 hit points; add one 
  lizardfolk 
    
   
  Escape and Aftermath 
  With the loss of the clan leaders and possibly Bogclaw, 
  the remaining lizardfolk don't have the will or the 
  numbers to reasonably recapture the escapees. The 
  
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  19 
  large group scares most marsh predators away. It takes 
  many hours, but the characters eventually escort the 
  rafts out of the marsh and up the river. 
   The characters should end with the knowledge that a 
  dragon is stirring up trouble in the marsh. They might 
  surmise that the destruction of the contest and so many 
  lizardfolk over the past two weeks that the remainder 
  won't pose much of a threat for a while. A few captives 
  speak some Draconic and inform the characters that 
  Throstulgrael was due to return in the coming days to 
  pick the clan leader and feast on all of the captives. They 
  also relay Rolk's information if the characters missed it 
  somehow.  Now, Throstulgrael might take its wrath out 
  on the lizardfolk.  
   The characters are fully paid their gold and spell scroll 
  upon returning to the Crossing Inn with some of the 
  captives.  
  Rewards 
  Make sure 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 
  Lizardfolk king 
   
   
  1100 
  Lizardfolk shaman  
   
  450 
  Giant toad 
   
   
  200 
  Crocodile  
   
   
  100 
  Lizardfolk  
   
   
  100 
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
  Investigating the farms 
   
  75 
  Saving the prisoners on the raft 
  50 
  Saving the prisoners on the island 
  50 
  Negotiating with the lizardfolk  
  50 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 600 experience 
  points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 750 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 
  Coins from the Renons’ farm  
   
  12 
  Necklace from the Renons’ farm 
   
  20 
  Halfling coinpurses  
   
   
  57 
  Scalecrusher’s hidden treasure 
   
  256 
  Rolk’s reward 
   
   
   
  100 
  Romsan’s reward 
   
   
   
  50 
  Keoghtom’s Ointment 
  Wondrous item, uncommon  
  This rose-colored glass jar contains 3 doses of the 
  ointment. Once the last dose is used, the certificate is 
  void and can be removed from your magic item list. A 
  description of this item can be found in the D&D basic 
  rules. 
  Spell Scroll: Fireball 
  Scroll, uncommon 
  This spell scroll contains a single fireball spell. A 
  description of spell scrolls can be found in the basic 
  rules or Dungeon Master’s Guide.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  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 
  
   
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  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  22 
   
  Lizardfolk 
  Medium humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor, shield) 
  Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  7 (−2) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (−2) 
    
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4, Survival +5 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Draconic 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Hold Breath. The lizardfolk can hold its breath for 15 minutes. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The lizardfolk makes two melee attacks, each one 
  with a different weapon. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Heavy Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Spiked Shield. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Twilight Marsh Lizardfolk Raiders 
  Raiders out to capture quarry carry a net or blowgun in addition 
  to the attacks listed in the stat block. 
   
  Net. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or 
  one Small target. Hit: target is restrained and falls prone. 
   
  Blowgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 30 ft./60 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must 
  succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1d4 
  poison damage and the Poisoned condition-disadvantage on 
  attack rolls and saving throws-for one hour. 
  Lizardfolk Shaman 
  Medium humanoid (lizardfolk), neutral 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  8 (−1) 
    
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4, Survival +6 
  Senses passive Perception 14 
  Languages Draconic 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Hold Breath. The lizardfolk can hold its breath for 15 minutes. 
  Spellcasting (Lizardfolk Form Only). The lizardfolk is a 5th-level 
  spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, 
  +4 to hit with spell attacks). The lizardfolk has the following 
  druid spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, produce flame, thorn whip 
  1st Level (4 slots): entangle, fog cloud 
  2nd Level (3 slots): heat metal, spike growth 
  3rd Level (2 slots): conjure animals (reptiles only), plant growth 
  Actions 
  Multiattack (Lizardfolk Form Only). The lizardfolk makes two 
  attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage 
  in crocodile form. If the lizardfolk is in crocodile form and the 
  target is a Large or smaller creature, the target is grappled 
  (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, 
  and the lizardfolk can’t bite another target. If the lizardfolk 
  reverts to its true form, the grapple ends. 
  Claws (Lizardfolk Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. 
  Change Shape (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The 
  lizardfolk magically polymorphs into a crocodile, remaining in 
  that form for up to 1 hour. It can revert to its true form as a 
  bonus action. 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. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Drums in the Marsh 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  23 
   
  Lizard King/Queen 
  Medium humanoid (lizardfolk), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2 
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5, Survival +4 
  Condition Immunities frightened 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Abyssal, Draconic 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
    
  Hold Breath. The lizardfolk can hold its breath for 15 minutes. 
  Skewer. Once per turn, when the lizardfolk makes a melee 
  attack with its trident and hits, the target takes an extra 10 
  (3d6) damage, and the lizardfolk gains temporary hit points 
  equal to the extra damage dealt. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The lizardfolk makes two attacks: one with its bite 
  and one with its claws or trident or two melee attacks with its 
  trident. 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, or 
  7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a 
  melee attack. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
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  24 
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S01 - Tyranny of Dragons/DDEX1-07 - Drums in the Marsh.pdf