TEXT:  
   
  
  Introduction 
  Tower of the Mad Mage is a Dungeons & 
  Dragons adventure designed for a single 
  session of 4-6 hours play. Although it is set 
  around Longsaddle, it can be moved to any 
  other setting with a small amount of work.  
  The combat sessions have been designed to 
  present a tough challenge to four 1st level 
  characters. It will present a less difficult, 
  though still enjoyable, challenge to 2nd level 
  characters. 
  This adventure assumes you have access to 
  the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Basic 
  Rules, which are available online for free 
  download. However, it is recommended that 
  you also purchase the Player’s Handbook and 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide.  
  This adventure is designed to be run with 
  minimal preparation. Before running the 
  session, though, you should skim through the 
  contents of this document. 
  Detailed descriptions for the monsters featured 
  here can be found in the Monster Manual. If 
  you don’t own the MM, you can find basic 
  stats in the D&D 5th Edition Basic Rules and 
  SRD online. The statistics for any new 
  monsters may be found at the end of this 
  document. 
  Not every loose end is tied up in the following 
  text, nor every possible reaction accounted for. 
  Be ready to improvise, and do so with 
  confidence! 
  In the following sections, the boxed text should 
  be read aloud to the players. Unless stated 
  otherwise, assume all NPCs have the stats of a 
  commoner. 
   
  Longsaddle 
  Read the following –  
  The door slams open so hard that the wall 
  shakes and the hinges groan. To everyone’s 
  astonishment, a goblin staggers in. He is badly 
  wounded, with dried blood covering about half 
  of his body. 
  Only a moment before the air was full of the 
  rattle of dice, the slap of cards, and cries of 
  victory and defeat. Now the Gambling Golem is 
  dead silent. 
  The goblin lurches toward your table then 
  collapses right in front of you. “Help me,” he 
  croaks, looking up at you with bloodshot eyes. 
  “I’ll make you rich!” 
  The PCs are in the Gambling Golem, a gaming 
  den in the village of Longsaddle. The 
  proprietor of the Gambling Golem is a grim, 
  one-eyed dwarf named Brottor Ironbeard. He 
  will demand the party hand the goblin over to 
  the Constable. If they refuse, he will insist they 
  leave. 
  The goblin’s name is Skwelch, and he speaks 
  goblin and broken common. He is too badly 
  wounded to talk much more. Magical healing 
  will restore him completely – otherwise he 
  requires a couple of days bed rest. You can 
  assume the players are staying at The Gilded 
  Horseshoe, which is Longsaddle’s only true 
  inn.  
  
  Skwelch’s Tale 
  When Skwelch is well enough, he will share 
  the following story. 
  He is a member of the Deathrot Tribe, who 
  have inhabited the Starmetal Hills to the west 
  of Longsaddle for many years. About a week 
  ago they were foraging in the Neverwinter 
  Wood, on the far side of the hills, when they 
  came across an abandoned tower.  
  The goblin chief, Glubnose, sent Skwelch in to 
  explore. Skwelch was astonished to find a 
  dragon on the top floor of the tower, alongside 
  a “big pile of dragon gold”.  
  Skwelch made his report and Glubnose 
  decided to attack. They managed to kill the 
  dragon, but most of the tribe were also killed 
  in the process. (If pressed at this point, 
  Skwelch will admit that the dragon was quite 
  small). 
  Despite their losses, there was much 
  celebration amongst the remainder of the 
  tribe. But things soon turned sour. Skwelch 
  thought he deserved a bigger share of the 
  dragon gold because he did the initial 
  scouting. Glubnose disagreed. They fought, 
  and Skwelch barely managed to escape with 
  his life.  
  The Deal 
  Here is where Skwelch will make his offer. He 
  will lead the party back to the tower and split 
  the dragon gold with them, assuming they get 
  rid of Glubnose and deal with the now 
  weakened tribe.  
  If asked how many goblins are left, he will hold 
  up his eight remaining fingers. If asked how 
  much gold was in the tower he will do the 
  same. He will assure them that the rest of the 
  tower is quite safe.  
  Anyone making a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check will decide that Skwelch is being mostly 
  honest, but is hiding something.  
   
  The Constable 
  Assuming the party accept Skwelch’s tale, he 
  will be ready to travel in another day or two (or 
  immediately if he is magically healed).  
  The day they head out, read this –  
  You have taken only a few steps down the 
  Long Road when you are approached by a 
  young woman. She is wearing a glistening 
  chainmail shirt and has a longsword strapped 
  to her back.  
  She stops before you and says fiercely, “My 
  name is Ana Stormrider, and I am the 
  Constable here. That goblin is wanted for 
  crimes against the people of Longsaddle, and 
  I’m taking him with me. Don’t get in my way.” 
  Ana doesn’t actually have any specific charges 
  against Skwelch - she just thinks the only 
  good goblin is a dead goblin. The party will 
  need to persuade her to let Skwelch leave, or 
  otherwise trick her in some way. Play it by ear. 
  
  Skwelch Under Arrest 
  If the party make an especially poor effort at 
  keeping Skwelch free, Ana will take him to 
  the lock-up and keep him there overnight. 
  The party could bust him out fairly easily as 
  there is no guard. If they don’t, Skwelch will 
  be taken before the magistrate in the 
  morning. The magistrate will chide Ana, 
  saying that being a goblin is not a crime. 
  Skwelch will then be released.  
  Attacking the Constable 
  Attacking Ana is a bad idea. Although she is 
  young, Ana has a long history of adventuring 
  and has the stats of a veteran. There are also 
  a number of retired adventurers in the village 
  who help keep the peace. If Ana is attacked, 
  she will be joined by another veteran every 
  two rounds until there are five in total 
  fighting. If the party somehow survive, an 
  archmage from nearby Ivy Mansion will 
  appear, complain about the noise, and turn 
  the party into rabbits. Roll up new 
  characters.  
  The Journey 
  The tower is roughly 30 miles south-west of 
  Longsaddle. Skwelch will lead the party by the 
  shortest route, but it will still take about a day 
  and a half of travel.  
  If they follow Skwelch, they will have two 
  encounters on the way. If they decide to follow 
  their own path, you should create some 
  encounters using the random encounter tables 
  in the DMG.  
   
  Skwelch’s Personality 
  Skwelch is smarter than the average goblin 
  but still not very bright. In his mind, he is the 
  leader of the expedition, and the party are a 
  bit like hirelings. He will bark out orders 
  quite often, but will pay no attention if they 
  are ignored. He doesn’t listen very well when 
  others talk, and tends to look around or even 
  wander off when they are mid-sentence. 
  In battle, he has the stats of a normal goblin. 
  His first priority is his own safety, so his 
  tactics will be to get a reasonable distance 
  away from the melee and then use his short 
  bow. 
  He will also call out useless combat advice to 
  the party. For example, if someone is hit he 
  might call out, “Use your shield better!” If 
  someone misses with their attack, he might 
  call out, “Get closer – then strike!” The PCs 
  will likely find him quite annoying.   
  Longsaddle 
  Neverwinter 
  Wood 
  © Megaton Games. Used with permission 
  
  Boar Attack 
  After the party set out, read the following - 
  The Starmetal Hills are low and rolling with 
  the occasional steep, rocky gorge. The poor soil 
  is decorated by scrubby grass, thorny brush 
  and the thickets of dry, scraggy trees. Skwelch 
  seems to know this area well and so you make 
  steady progress south-west.  
  It is about noon; the sun is high and hot, your 
  armor and gear are feeling heavy, and you are 
  beginning to think about lunch. You hear a 
  sudden squealing and three large boars burst 
  out of a spikey bush no more than thirty feet 
  in front of you. They squeal again as they 
  charge.  
  These three boars are ordinary animals – they 
  have nothing of value. If skinned and cooked, 
  they taste superb. 
  Naked Man 
  Read the following -  
  Toward the end of the day you leave the 
  Starmetal Hills and enter the vast, forbidding 
  expanse of the Neverwinter Wood. Skwelch 
  once more guides you expertly along old paths 
  and game trails.  
  The sun is starting to set and you are looking 
  for a campsite when you come across a fallen 
  tree. To your astonishment, there is a naked 
  young man caught beneath the trunk. “Thank 
  the gods!” he cries as he sees you. “Please, 
  help me!” 
  The man is trapped, but is otherwise 
  uninjured. Two or three PCs can easily lift off 
  the trunk if they choose. Skwelch will advise 
  them to either leave him or eat him. 
  The man’s name is Jai Copperstaff, and he is 
  an apprentice clockmaker from Neverwinter. 
  He has no idea where he is or how he got there 
  – his last memory was of going to bed in his 
  home at Neverwinter.  
  Poor Jai is actually a wererat, but he is 
  unaware of his condition. Five nights ago he 
  transformed in Neverwinter and then off into 
  the woods. A chance lightning strike saw a tree 
  fall on him a day ago, and he transformed 
  back.  
  If the party free Jai and keep him with them, 
  he will transform again around midnight. In 
  his rat form he is more than a match for the 
  party. If the PCs don’t attack him, he will stare 
  at them for a few moments then run off. If 
  attacked he will fight back, but will flee after 
  receiving 5 points of damage. 
  
  The Tower 
  Read the following -  
  Around mid-morning, Skwelch leads you to 
  the edge of a large glade. It is cool and 
  shadowy, with the ground blanketed by bright 
  green grass and patches of yellow soil. There 
  are several large burn marks on the ground. 
  Rising up in the middle of the glade is an 
  ancient six-sided tower, about eighty feet tall. 
  The tower is covered by a veneer of white 
  limestone, which is now quite dirty. It is 
  capped by a sloping roof tiled in dark slate. 
  The roof has been smashed in a number of 
  places. 
  A large door on the ground floor leans out 
  steeply, having been torn from its top hinges. 
  Near this entrance is a huge pile of smoking 
  ash. 
  The ashes are from a funeral pyre erected for 
  the remains of the 20 goblins who died 
  assaulting the dragon. Astute PCs may note 
  that there is no evidence of the dragon’s 
  remains. 
  Tower Features 
  The bottom floor is made of flagstones, while 
  the upper floors, stairs and doors were all built 
  from a magically strengthened hardwood. The 
  interior walls are made of brick, which has 
  also been magically reinforced. The ceilings are 
  12’ high. 
  On the first floor and above there are windows 
  in the north, south, east and west walls. The 
  Guest and Master Chamber windows are 
  secured by a force field. The other windows 
  are all glazed, but most have been broken or 
  are badly cracked. An exception is the 
  Chantry stained glass window on the first 
  floor. The goblins have covered the windows in 
  the Master Chamber to keep out the sunlight. 
  A map of the tower is available on the last page 
  of this document. Squares are 5’.  
  Resting  
  Most of the goblins sleep on the fourth floor 
  during the day, and the floors are very thick 
  and heavy. The goblins on the fourth floor are 
  unlikely to realise they are under attack until 
  the PCs reach the third floor, and maybe not 
  at all if the PCs are quiet. 
  This means that the PCs can comfortably take 
  short rests as required, and can also take a 
  long rest if they need to. If you feel the PCs are 
  taking too many rests, send along a pair of 
  wandering goblins to stir them up. 
  Skwelch the Guide 
  Skwelch only spent a brief amount of time in 
  the tower before being exiled, so he does not 
  really know his way around it. He won’t tell the 
  party that, though.  
  The Deathrot Tribe have not explored the 
  whole tower, being more concerned about 
  licking their wounds and fondling the dragon 
  gold.  
   
   
  
  0.  Ground Floor 
  0A. Foyer 
  This room is in a sad state. The plaster on the 
  walls is dirty and has gaping holes, the ceiling 
  beams are exposed and the stone floor is 
  covered with all manner of refuse. Several old, 
  dust-covered chairs are scattered around the 
  room. There is a closed door on the northern 
  wall. 
  There are two goblins in this room. They are 
  meant to be keeping watch but they are 
  actually engrossed in a game of dice, and can 
  be easily surprised if the party is quiet.  
  Once the PCs enter the room, the wolves in 
  location 0B will begin howling and pawing at 
  the door. Once the goblins realise they are 
  under attack, they will try and reach the door 
  on the northern wall to let the wolves in and 
  attack. 
  Treasure. There is a pile of coins and some 
  dice where the goblins were gambling. In total 
  there are 75cp and 20sp. One of the goblins is 
  also wearing a worn leather belt with 3gp sewn 
  inside it. There is no other treasure in the 
  room.  
  Goblin Names 
  The names of major goblins in the Deathrot 
  Tribe are given in the text. If you need some 
  other goblins names, try these - Gergle, Flem, 
  Klot, Flort, Hoozer, Slopyolk, Snurt, 
  Pusgriddle. 
  0B. Sitting Room 
  The floor of this room is covered with rubble, 
  plaster and old wood. The walls and ceiling are 
  torn and dirty, and the air is full of dust. 
  Several filthy old rugs have been bunched up 
  in one corner. 
  The goblins have turned this into a kennel for 
  the three wolves they keep as pets. The 
  wolves will be alert and howling as soon as the 
  PCs enter the tower. If they howl for a full 
  minute (10 rounds) a goblin from the fourth 
  floor will sleepily come down to investigate. 
  Treasure. There is no treasure in this room.  
  0C. Servants Room 
  This room is once more littered with debris 
  and full of dust. Half a dozen broken old beds 
  line one wall, and there are several smashed 
  chairs scattered about. 
  There are two axe beaks in this room. The 
  unfortunate creatures wandered in about a 
  week ago and began nesting amongst the 
  rubble. The goblins were frightened of the large 
  birds and shut the door to trap them. The 
  creatures are now nearly mad with thirst and 
  hunger, and will attack the party as soon as 
  the door is opened.   
  Treasure. On a successful DC 20 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check, the party find a hiding 
  place under a cracked flagstone. In the hole is 
  a set of prayer beads made of semi-precious 
  stones (worth 50gp). 
  
  1. First Floor 
  1A. Chantry 
  Your eyes are drawn immediately to a 
  gleaming silver globe sitting atop a stone altar 
  at the far end of this room. A dusty blue rug 
  covers the floor, and the walls are plastered 
  and whitewashed, though now covered in 
  grime. The single window is made of stained 
  glass, and shows a robed figure bearing a staff 
  in one hand, and a globe in the other.   
  This room was used for the worship of Savras, 
  the god of mages. The figure depicted in the 
  window is actually a minor stained glass 
  golem. If anyone touches the silver globe, the 
  golem will step down out of the window and 
  attack. It is flat and two-dimensional, and 
  makes a tinkling sound as it moves.  
  Treasure. The silver globe is exquisitely carved 
  with many kinds of eyes (worth 100gp). 
  1B. Guest Chamber 
  This door is locked. The lock may be picked 
  with thieves’ tools and a DC 15 Dexterity 
  check. Once it is opened, read the following - 
  The odor hits you immediately – it is stale and 
  musty, with a strong tinge of decay. An old set 
  of drawers and a collapsed bed are the only 
  furniture in this room. On the bed you can see 
  traces of bones and rags – all that remains of a 
  body long since dead. There is a thick layer of 
  dust everywhere.  
  The body belonged to a former servant, who 
  was locked in this room (either by accident or 
  malice) and left to die after the tower was 
  abandoned.  
  He turned into a specter, and is full of an 
  undying hatred for the living. Once the whole 
  party has entered the room, the door will lock 
  itself and the specter will appear and attack. 
  Note. The specter has been weakened by the 
  close proximity of the chantry. Therefore, it 
  cannot use its life drain ability. 
  Treasure. If the PCs search amongst the bones 
  on the bed, they will find a small silver hip 
  flask (worth 50gp).  
  2. Second Floor 
  2A. Drawing Room  
  As you open the door you hear pipe music – 
  the melody is gentle and sad. The sound is 
  coming from a large wooden pan flute attached 
  to the interior wall. The pipes appear to be 
  playing themselves. 
  The rest of the room is sumptuously 
  furnished, though all is now covered with dust 
  and cobwebs. Several landscape paintings 
  hang on walls paneled in dark wood, while the 
  carpet underneath is thick and plush.  
  There are several chairs and lounges scattered 
  around the room. There is also a gilt mirror on 
  one wall and a writing bureau in the corner.  
  The pipes are actually being played by a minor 
  air elemental, which has been magically 
  
  bound to the room and is invisible while it is 
  playing.  
  If the PCs begin to examine the writing 
  bureau, the music will stop. The bureau is 
  locked, but can be may be opened with thieves’ 
  tools and a DC 10 Dexterity check. As soon 
  as the PCs begin playing with the lock, the air 
  elemental will attack. It will become visible 
  then as a swirling mess of dust and cobwebs. 
  Treasure. Inside the bureau are dry ink pots, 
  withered quills and some old blank sheets of 
  paper. There is also a small purse with 20gp 
  in it, and a pair of goggles of night. 
  2B. Study 
  Light wooden paneling covers the walls, and 
  there is a thin crimson rug in the middle of the 
  wooden floor. There is a small bookshelf next 
  to a strange gray door on the east wall.  
  Against the western wall is a large writing desk 
  made of dark oak. There is a heavy, closed 
  volume on the desk, with a locked clasp on it. 
  As with the other rooms, this one is covered 
  with copious amounts of dust, and cobwebs 
  hang listlessly from the ceiling. 
  Desk and Diary 
  The book on the table is labelled “The Diary of 
  Hugo Harpell”. The Harpell’s are a mighty and 
  eccentric magical dynasty who founded the 
  town of Longsaddle, and whose ancestral 
  home is the Ivy Mansion. Hugo was an 
  eccentric archmage who built this tower over a 
  hundred years ago then mysteriously 
  vanished.  
  If anyone touches the clasp, the diary grows a 
  pair of spindly legs and begins running around 
  the study, crying “No, no!” It will require a DC 
  20 Dexterity check to catch it. Once caught, 
  it will squirm about for a few moments, then 
  give a long and mournful “Noooooo!” as it 
  slowly turns into dust. 
  Bookshelf 
  The bookshelf contains about forty volumes, 
  many of which are decaying. The volumes 
  include such titles as –  
   Glyphs, Sigils, and Seals  
   The Obscure Octavo  
   Deadly Glamours of the Unseelie Court  
   The Perils of Drink  
   The Prophecies of the Grand Egg  
  Treasure. The bookshelf also contains a 
  volume entitled “The Book of Wondrous 
  Answers”. It is entirely full of blank pages. 
  Once per day, you can write a question in the 
  book in ordinary ink. After a few moments the 
  ink will fade away, and then a helpful answer 
  will appear. Sadly, the book only has 3 charges 
  left. 
   
  2C. Vault 
  The door to this room is gray and metallic 
  looking, and features a large lock and handle. 
  It is, in fact, a gray ooze that has been 
  magically petrified. If anyone touches the 
  handle or lock, the ooze will revert to normal 
  and attack. 
  Once the creature is defeated, read the 
  following –  
  
  The walls of this large chamber are covered 
  with a pale gray stucco, which has been carved 
  in an intricate pattern of swirls and curves. A 
  thick layer of dust covers the wooden 
  floorboards. 
  Otherwise the room is completely empty – it 
  looks like no-one has been in there for many 
  years. 
  There is a small treasure chest against the far 
  wall, but it is invisible. If the PCs spend any 
  amount of time searching the room, they will 
  soon stumble upon it.  
  This chest is locked. The lock may be picked 
  with thieves’ tools and a DC 20 Dexterity 
  check. The chest will become visible once it is 
  opened. 
  Treasure. The chest contains the following 
  items –  
   200gp 
   Longsword +1 (named Whitherbrand) 
   Pouch of 15 goodberries 
   Wand of the War Mage +1 
   Platinum backed hand mirror, set with 
  small rubies (worth 150gp) 
   3 potions of healing 
  3. Third Floor 
  3A. Dining Room  
  A statue of a goblin with a horrified expression 
  on his face stands just a few feet from the 
  door. A long dining table made of dark wood 
  runs through the center of the room, lined on 
  either side with plush chairs. At the far end of 
  the table are four candlestick holders, made of 
  silver. 
  The PCs will hear a shuffling sound from 
  beneath the table at the far end of the room. A 
  cockatrice has flown in through the broken 
  window and made a nest for itself there. The 
  poor goblin near the door was bitten by it and 
  turned to stone. A few rounds after the players 
  enter, the cockatrice will attack. 
  Treasure. The candlestick holders are worth 
  90gp in total.  
   
  3B. Kitchen 
  There is a dead goblin in a pool of blood near 
  the door, with a meat cleaver buried deep into 
  his skull. On the far wall you see a large 
  hearth, with a spit and several cauldrons 
  suspended over it and an oven on one side. 
  Several cleavers, pots, pans and spoons sit on 
  a large wooden bench in the middle of the 
  room. It is otherwise empty. 
  The utensils here were enchanted to prepare 
  and serve the food without assistance. The 
  charm has worn off most items, but a decayed 
  version persists in some. 
  Three rounds after the PCs enter the kitchen, 
  they will notice a number of cleavers and pots 
  begin shaking violently. The next round, four 
  flying pots and two flying meat cleavers will 
  rise off the ground and attack.  
  
  Treasure. There is a set of silver cutlery in a 
  sideboard (worth 50gp). The dead goblin has 
  7gp concealed in her boot. 
  Where are the goblin kids? 
  The Deathrot Tribe has a roughly equal 
  number of male and female goblins (all fight 
  alike). You might therefore be wondering 
  where the goblin young are.  
  Nomadic goblin tribes (like Deathrot were up 
  until a week ago) have few children due to 
  certain aspects of goblin physiology. The 
  young that are born are usually exposed.  
  Once a nomadic tribe finds a nice lair (such 
  as a good cave or an abandoned dwarf mine) 
  they settle in and tend to breed prodigiously. 
  4. Fourth Floor 
  4A. Master Chamber 
  This large chamber is paneled in dark wood 
  hung with numerous paintings, most of which 
  are torn or faded. The carpet was once a deep 
  crimson, but is now badly discolored by dust 
  and grime. 
  A number of wardrobes are scattered about 
  the room, and there is a large four-poster bed 
  against one wall. In the corner opposite is an 
  impressive pile of coins and other treasure.  
  There are also eight goblins in the room – all 
  that remains of the Deathrot Tribe. Some of 
  them are playing dice, a few are drinking from 
  a barrel of old beer, and the rest are talking or 
  arguing. The chief of the Deathrot Tribe is 
  named Glubnose. 
  There is a trapdoor in the ceiling leading up to 
  the attic (not mapped). The tribe moved the 
  treasure hoard from the attic down to the 
  master chamber, then nailed the trapdoor 
  shut and destroyed the ladder. 
  Treasure. See “The Dragon Hoard” in the 
  following chapter. 
  Read This! 
  The party might just charge in, or they may try 
  some other plan. Before any combat breaks 
  out, go to the chapter titled “The Dragon” and 
  read out the opening text. 
  Glubnose’s Personality 
  In all probability the PCs will need to 
  negotiate with Glubnose at some point. He is 
  older, fatter and smarter than the other 
  goblins, though still not very intelligent. He is 
  convinced that he is always right, and that 
  most of his tribe are lazy and stupid. He 
  speaks with a kind of spluttering bluster, and 
  rarely lets anyone else finish their sentences.  
  The Dragon 
  Before the party begin fighting the Deathrot 
  tribe, read the following –  
  There is a sound like a sudden rush of wind, 
  then the ceiling above you booms and 
  shudders as a large weight alights upon it. 
  There are a few moments of silence and then 
  an ear-splitting roar.  
  The goblins begin rush around madly. “The 
  dragon!” they cry. “The dragon has returned!” 
  From above you can now hear a great 
  pounding and the splintering of wood.  
  
  The dragon is named Talantha, and she is a 
  red dragon wyrmling.  
  Talantha’s Tale 
  Talantha was born and raised in The Crags. 
  About a year ago she left her mother to make 
  her own way in the world. She found the old 
  tower, made a den in the attic, and began 
  building her hoard. 
  All was going well until a week ago when the 
  Deathrot Tribe provoked her into a battle in 
  the field before the tower. She raked the 
  goblins with fire and claw while they poured 
  volley after volley of arrows into her.  
  She destroyed over half the tribe but was 
  fearfully wounded and forced to flee. Now she 
  has returned, fully recovered and looking for 
  vengeance. 
  Talantha is 15 years old, and is about 8’ long 
  from tip to tail. 
  Party Options 
  It will take Talantha 10 rounds to tear her way 
  through the ceiling into the Master Chamber, 
  at which point she will attack anyone who 
  remains. If no-one is there, she will spend 
  about a day re-counting all of her treasure, 
  then will creep down through the levels of the 
  tower, looking for survivors to roast. 
  The party have several options, some of which 
  are explored below.  
  Attack the Goblins 
  The party may choose to destroy the rest of the 
  Deathrot Tribe. They could do this effectively 
  by trapping them in the Master Chamber with 
  Talantha. She will have no problem dealing 
  with the remaining goblins on her own.  
  They would then need to decide whether to 
  attack or negotiate with Talantha, or to flee the 
  tower. 
  Negotiate with the Goblins 
  The party may choose to negotiate with the 
  goblins. Glubnose realizes his situation is 
  desperate and is willing to cut a deal (but see 
  “Glubnose’s Personality” above).  
  Negotiate with Talantha 
  The party may try to negotiate with Talantha. 
  She speaks Draconic and Common fluently, 
  and will be willing to talk with them (see 
  “Talantha’s Personality”, below). 
  Ultimately, she is not willing to sacrifice any of 
  her hoard, and she wants to punish the 
  goblins for the harm they did her. 
  Attack Talantha 
  The party may choose to attack Talantha. On 
  their own, it would be a very difficult fight to 
  win. With the aid of the Deathrot Tribe, 
  however, they would have a good chance. 
  In battle, Talantha will focus her attacks on 
  the goblins first. If she loses half of her hit 
  points, she will flee. She will remember the 
  PCs, however, and could well become a 
  recurring villain. 
  Flee 
  The party may decide to flee without facing the 
  dragon, which is a sensible option on the face 
  of it. If Talantha is in the attic or Master 
  
  Chamber, she will be listening for anyone 
  leaving the tower, and will quickly take flight 
  to hunt them down. She will likely get one full 
  attack on those fleeing before they reach the 
  safety of the trees.  
  The party may come up with other options, of 
  course. If so, improvise! 
  Talantha’s Personality 
  Talantha is just 15 years old and has the 
  personality of a petulant teenager. She 
  considers the PCs and goblins to be vermin. 
  Her main goal in talking will be to draw the 
  PCs out into a vulnerable position so she can 
  roast them. She lacks experience, however, so 
  some of her entreaties will sound quite naïve 
  (“Why don’t you come out of hiding? I just 
  want to be friends!”).  
  The Dragon Hoard 
  Talantha’s hoard consists of the following –  
   3540cp 
   570sp 
   220gp 
   Jade bird cage (worth 50gp) 
   9 tiger eye gems (worth 10gp each) 
   A gold scarab worth (110gp) 
   A 200-year-old bottle of elven wine from 
  the Rosedale vineyard (worth 190gp) 
   2 potions of healing 
   Potion of strength 
   +2 shield, white with a green cross  
  Conclusion 
  If Glubnose survives, he will honor whatever 
  deal he made with the PCs. The only exception 
  would be if the party were severely weakened 
  during the battle (for example, if most of the 
  PCs died). In that case he would feel free to 
  change the terms to suit himself. 
  If Glubnose dies then Skwelch will become the 
  new goblin chief, and he will honor his deal 
  with the party.  
  Skwelch will also happily lead the party back 
  over the Starmetal Hills to Longsaddle. If 
  Skwelch died and the party remained on good 
  terms with the rest of the Deathrot Tribe, one 
  of the other goblins will lead take them. 
  Otherwise they will need to find their own way 
  back to Longsaddle, which should not be 
  overly difficult.  
  The folk of Longsaddle will listen to their tale 
  with interest and skepticism, and the story will 
  earn them a round or two of ale. They 
  townsfolk will also cheerfully advise the party 
  that the Constable is looking for them, and 
  wants to have a little chat… 
  
  Monster Stats 
  Small construct, unaligned 
  Armour Class 13 
  Hit Points 5 
  Speed fly 25 ft. (hover) 
  STR 
  10 (+0) 
  DEX 
  10 (+0) 
  CON 
  10 (+0) 
  INT 
  1 (-5) 
  WIS 
  1 (-5) 
  CHA 
  1 (-5) 
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic 
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, 
  poisoned 
  Languages -  
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Antimagic Susceptibility. The cleaver is 
  incapacitated while in the area of an 
  antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, 
  the cleaver must succeed on a Constitution 
  saving throw against the caster’s spell save 
  DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. 
  Actions  
  Cleave. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) slashing damage.   
  Small construct, unaligned 
  Armour Class 13 
  Hit Points 5 
  Speed fly 25 ft. (hover) 
  STR 
  10 (+0) 
  DEX 
  10 (+0) 
  CON 
  10 (+0) 
  INT 
  1 (-5) 
  WIS 
  1 (-5) 
  CHA 
  1 (-5) 
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic 
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, 
  poisoned 
  Languages -  
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Antimagic Susceptibility. The pot is 
  incapacitated while in the area of an 
  antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, 
  the pot must succeed on a Constitution 
  saving throw against the caster’s spell save 
  DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. 
  Actions  
  Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Medium construct, unaligned 
  Armour Class 14 
  Hit Points 33 (6d8+6) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
  STR 
  14 (+2) 
  DEX 
  17 (+3) 
  CON 
  13 (+1) 
  INT 
  6 (-2) 
  WIS 
  10 (+0) 
  CHA 
  6 (-2) 
  Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical attacks  
  Damage Immunities poison  
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, 
  restrained, unconscious  
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 
  10 
  Languages Auran  
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  
  Air Form. The elemental can enter a hostile 
  creature’s space and stop there. It can move 
  through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide 
  without squeezing. 
  Actions  
  Multiattack. The elemental makes two slam 
  attacks. 
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Medium construct, unaligned 
  Armour Class 15 
  Hit Points 33 (6d8+6) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
  STR 
  14 (+2) 
  DEX 
  11 (+0) 
  CON 
  13 (+1) 
  INT 
  1 (-5) 
  WIS 
  3 (-4) 
  CHA 
  1 (-5) 
  Damage Resistance psychic, poison, radiant 
  Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning 
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, 
  poisoned 
  Languages -  
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  Antimagic Susceptibility. The golem is 
  incapacitated while in the area of an 
  antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, 
  the golem must succeed on a Constitution 
  saving throw against the caster’s spell save 
  DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. 
  Actions  
  Multiattack. The golem makes two slash 
  attacks. 
  Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing 
  damage. 
  Credits & Legals 
  Design: M.T. Black 
  Acknowledgement: I made great use of The 
  Dungeon Alphabet by Michael Curtis in this 
  adventure, and also took ideas from the 
  Unusual Treasures list on Reddit.  
  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 of the 
  Coast product names, and their respective 
  logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast 
  in the USA and other countries. All characters 
  and their distinctive likenesses are property of 
  Wizards of the 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. 
   
  
   
   
  Ground Floor 
  First Floor 
  Second Floor 
  Third Floor 
  Fourth Floor 
  A 
  B
   
  C
  A 
  B
  B
   
  A 
  A 
  A 
  B
   
  C
   
  Stairs Down 
  Stairs Up 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/M.T. Black/Lvl 1-2-Tower_of_the_Mad_Mage.pdf