TEXT: Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  1 
  The Expedition of the Magi: 
  A Christmas Tale from the Forgotten 
  Realms 
   
  A 4-5 hour adventure for 2-6 first level 
  characters 
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  2 
   
   
  CREDITS 
  Designer: RCXCHAN 
  Version: 1.1 last updated January 9, 2018 
  ART 
  Cover: Andromeda (Pixabay/755442, skeeze, CC0), Pen 
  (Pixabay/2163261, WerbeFabrik, CC0), Splatter (Pixabay/2189644, 
  BarbaraALane, CC0), Wise Men (Pixabay/ 1299283, OpenClipart-
  Vectors, CC0) 
  Background: Paper (Pixabay/1564393, ArtsyBee, CC0) 
  Planar Anomaly: Desert (Pixabay/2468275, The DigitalArtist, CC0), 
  Verona Decoration (Pixabay/2473190, momentmal, CC0) 
  Zde (2015) Censer, clay. Gralygia, near Ierapetra Crete, Late Minoan III 
  period, 1400-1200 BC. Archaeological Museum of Agios Nikolaos. (CC 
  BY-SA 4.0) 
  Buddy Nath (2016), Shooting Star (Pixabay/1486556) (CC0) 
  Other images are credited inline. 
  PLAYTESTING 
  Thanks to Kim H, Moses W and Narelle A. 
  Should you, dear reader, run this adventure and have feedback or 
  recommendations, please post them at 
  https://www.facebook.com/RCXCH/ and I will credit you here in the 
  next version. 
  SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 
  Jeff Grubb; Andria Hayday (1992). Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures. 
  (TSR, Inc.) ISBN 9781560763581. 
  Wizards RPG Team (2014). Monster Manual 5th edition. (Wizards of 
  the Coast), ISBN 978-0786965614. 
  Wizards RPG Team (2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. (Wizards of the 
  Coast), ISBN 978-0786966073. 
  TYPEFACES 
   Convergence by 
  Nicolas Silva Schwartzenberg & John Vargas Beltrán (SIL OFL), 
  Nodesto Caps Condensed by Solbera (CC-BY-SA-4.0), Liberation Sans by Ascender 
  Corp. (SIL OFL), Liberation Serif by Ascender Corp. (SIL OFL), Libre 
  Baskerville by Impallari Type (SIL OFL), TeX Gyre Bonum 
  by GUST e-foundry (GUST Font License) 
  DISCLAIMER 
  As this is hardly the medium to engage in ideological debate, and in 
  the spirit of the source material, it is the writer's intention to be 
  accommodationist. As such, this material will assume a belief in 
  Challenge Rating balanced encounters, but will strive not to impose it 
  on readers. 
  CHANGELOG 
  1.0 18/12/17 Release 
  1.1 9/1/18 Typos: "trance", "Blightmoth" 
  LEGAL INFORMATION 
  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast 
  and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under 
  the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. 
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2018 by RCXCHAN 
  and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon 
  Masters Guild.  
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  3 
  THE EXPEDITION OF THE MAGI 
  This is a 4-5 hour adventure for 2-6 first level 
  characters and is intended to be accessible to new 
  players and dungeon masters. It is a standalone 
  adventure, though may be suitable as an opening 
  episode to a continuing story. It uses 5th edition 
  Dungeons & Dragons rules and may be run with basic 
  rules (available free here: 
  http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules) or 
  a Dungeon Master's Guide and Player's Handbook. 
   
  James Tissot (1894), The Journey of the Magi (Public 
  Domain) 
  0: STRANDED IN THE LAND OF FATE 
  Each character visited the subcontinent of Zakhara for 
  their own reasons and have now finished their 
  business. Describe the reason for your character's visit 
  or roll a d20 to determine it randomly (reroll as 
  desired): 
  1. Merchant expedition 
  2. Demobilized soldiers 
  3. Paying respects at an old friend's funeral 
  4. Cataloguing the passage of a star 
  5. Followed a guru who turned out to be a fraud 
  6. Mercenaries abandoning insolvent employer 
  7. Religious pilgrimage 
  8. Tourism, swimming in the Bountiful Shoals 
  9. Journeyman's tour learning Zakharan techniques 
  10. Revenge, only to find the target already dead 
  11. In exile, but the noble that banished you has since 
  been deposed 
  12. Negotiating business contracts 
  13. Abducted by corsairs, but escaped 
  14. Budget charter teleport gone off target 
  15. Arranged marriage, but your betrothed eloped with 
  a sailor 
  16. Travelling performers, disbanded due to creative 
  differences 
  17. Sent by guild, academy or faction to verify a rumor 
  18. Cured by a miracle working hermit 
  19. Academy exchange programme 
  20. Espionage for a defunct state 
   
  Each character then lost their passage home, finding 
  themselves in increasingly dire straits. Describe the 
  reason they can no longer afford the passage home or 
  roll a d10 to determine it randomly (reroll as desired): 
  1. Robbed in the city 
  2. Waylaid on the roads 
  3. Swindled by a con artist 
  4. Betrayed by a travelling companion 
  5. Overcome by compassion, donated too much 
  6. Extorted by corrupt officials 
  7. Gambled it away 
  8. Overspent on pleasures 
  9. Native coin collapsed in value 
  10. Miscalculated initial expenses 
  1: CARAVAN GUARDS 
  On the cusp of destitution, characters sought any 
  respectable work available at the caravanserai in the 
  city of Hiyal. One month ago, three prominent sages 
  visited the caravanserai and hired half a dozen 
  cameleers, bought thrice as many camels and 
  contracted the player characters for their adventuring 
  skills. The player characters signed three month 
  contracts for one expedition. In return, they receive 
  living expenses, supplies and the cost of passage home 
  at the completion of their contract. 
   
   
  Emile Rouergue (1855), Camels with howdah (Public 
  domain) 
   
  Each character gains the following equipment (in 
  addition to their starting equipment): 
  Bivouac sack 
  10x Day rations 
  Lantern, hooded 
  10x Oil (flask) 
  Pouch 
  Robes, desert 
  Spear 
  Tinderbox 
  5x Torches 
  Waterskin 
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  4 
  Characters freely replenish food, water, oil and any 
  ammunition from the caravan's supplies. 
     Life as a caravan guard involves what seems like a 
  lifetime of watching and waiting. You find ample 
  opportunity to get acquainted with your fellow 
  adventurers and are struck by your common goals to 
  return home. Describe what others notice when they 
  see your character. Introduce yourselves to each other 
  in-character. 
     In the past month, the expedition has been strange. 
  The camels are unladen except for food, water and 
  empty satchels. The caravan is directed deeper into 
  inhospitable desert. The sages sleep in howdahs during 
  the day and spend the nights huddled together, 
  debating intently, looking skyward. The cameleers are 
  murmuring questions about their employer's sanity. 
  You can't help but see the sages at work and try to 
  make inferences about their purposes. 
   
   
  2: WATCHING THE WATCHERS 
  At night, you see the sages sweep the stars with what 
  appear to be telescopes and arcane instruments. You 
  may glean the following information with successful 
  group skill checks: 
  Who are they? Where are they from? 
  DC 11 Intelligence (History): One of the sages 
  (Balthasar) appears to be a Zakharan native. His 
  bearing is that of a powerful Al-Hadhar wizard and his 
  robes glow diffusely. 
  DC 13 Intelligence (History): One of the sages 
  (Caspar) appears to be from Estagund in the Shining 
  Lands. If so, he is a long way from home. He wears 
  black vestments and a dark semi opaque cloak. 
  DC 15 Intelligence (History): One of the sages 
  (Melchior) speaks with a Turmish accent, though he is 
  not ethnically Turami. He is dressed in priestly robes 
  adorned with flames and carries a holy symbol of a 
  man emerging from a winged disc. 
  What are the instruments? 
  DC 11 Intelligence (Arcana): They are not using 
  conventional astronomical instruments such as 
  telescopes or astrolabes. 
  DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): They regularly look 
  through interplanarscopes, seeing into another plane of 
  reality. 
  What are they looking at? 
  DC 11 Wisdom (Insight): One appears to be in a trance 
  state as they watch the sky. 
  DC 13 Wisdom (Perception): They look upward, 
  though apparently not at individual stars, sometimes 
  pointing into cloud cover. 
     You are interrupted by the howls of hyenas. 
  3: HUNTING HYENAS 
  Use 4 Map Grids (see appendices) placed 2x2. Three 
  dromedary camels (all statblocks are listed in the 
  appendices) have wandered 150 ft. from the camp 
  perimeter. Ten hyenas are within 20 ft. of the 
  dromedaries and closing. For the first two rounds, the 
  camels attempt to flee while the hyenas attempt to box 
  them in. At the start of the third round, the adventurers 
  may arrive at the edge of the map. 
   
  New Student's Reference Work (1914), Dromedary 
  and Bactrian camels (Public Domain) 
   
   
  Frank E. Beddard (1902), Sketch of a striped hyena 
  (Public Domain) 
   
     As free actions, at the start of the third round, the 
  party makes the following group skill checks: 
  DC 11 Intelligence (Nature): These striped hyenas are 
  usually scavengers. 
  DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): The dromedaries would 
  likely win in a one on one fight with a hyena. 
  DC 11 Wisdom (Animal Handling): For the duration 
  of the combat, you know whether an animal is 
  uninjured, slightly injured, bloodied or gravely injured. 
  DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling): For the duration 
  of the combat, you know each animal's hit points. 
     As a standard action, a character may make a DC15 
  Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On success, they 
  may direct the actions (attack, disengage and 
  movement locations) of the camels for the duration of 
  the combat. 
  Suggested rules for group skill checks 
  Only characters proficient in a skill can participate in a 
  group check. Participating characters make their skill 
  checks. The highest roll is taken at face value. Other 
  rolls (including ties) are divided by the total number of 
  player characters (rounded up) and added to the 
  highest roll to give the group skill check value. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  5 
     The hyenas attempt to kill camels, intending to return 
  to eat them later, and only attack players if they are 
  first attacked. Camels will try to disengage and escape, 
  only attacking if surrounded. The hyenas will 
  withdraw once they lose six of their numbers. After 
  repelling the hyenas, players benefit from a long rest. 
  In anticipation of further trouble, each character 
  receives 2x Potion of healing and 2x Potion of 
  vaulting. 
   
   
   
  4: THREE WISE MEN 
  In the following days, the caravan appears to be 
  heading in circles. One night, while one of the 
  cameleers is on watch, you venture to extract some 
  answers from the sages. 
  Who are you? 
  Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior. We are scholars of 
  celestial revelation and servants of destiny. 
  What are you doing each day and night? 
  We read the heavens from many planes and decipher 
  their purposes. In the day, we sleep or study in the 
  howdahs. 
  What is the purpose of the expedition? 
  We have read the stars across many planes and they 
  herald the birth of a king. It is our fate that we should 
  pay him homage. 
  Why are we in the desert? Why not teleport? 
  We know where the king is to be born. It is under the 
  sign of a planetary convergence on another plane. 
  We have been instructed to find worthy gifts on our 
  journey. The portents, as you will see, have led us 
  here. 
  What kind of gifts are you seeking? 
  They are to be symbols of the natures of the newborn 
  king. 
  Do you realise the cameleers are discontent? 
  They have been well paid in advance. The perils of the 
  desert are expected in their profession. 
  Where is the caravan going? Why are we going in 
  circles?  
  The next stage of our quest is to intercept a shooting 
  star. It has drawn close to us many times and will not 
  elude us again. 
  Why did you hire adventurers? 
  The stars have told us that we will need assistance. 
     The sages explain that a shooting star they have been 
  tracking holds to key to finding the gifts. They will call 
  the star down with magic. Ideally, they will sink it into 
  the desert sands and search the crash site, but if unable 
  to land it, they will rely on the adventurers to jump 
  aboard. 
   
  Shooting star 
  5: FALLEN STAR 
  The sages incant in terrible tones as they gesture to the 
  night sky. A shooting star streaks into the horizon, 
  slows and begins to reverse course, growing larger all 
  the while. Wreathed in flame, the rocky asteroid looms 
  overhead 60 feet across. While the sages pull it 
  downward, cosmic forces resist and the asteroid shakes 
  violently, 20 feet off the ground. Balthasar calls to the 
  adventurers to jump onto it and retrieve the key. 
     Having boarded the asteroid, likely using the potions 
  of vaulting, a magical blue glow emanates from a 
  cavernous hollow in the asteroid. Upon entering the 
  hollow, represented by 2 Map Grids laid 1x2, the 
  adventurers are beset by 2 Ember Elementals and 2 
  Minor Planar Anomalies. These are immediately 
  hostile and will fight to the death. The hollow is unlit 
  apart from the light of the ember elementals. 
   
   
  Planar anomaly in combat 
   
     At the start of each round of combat, roll a d6 and 
  apply the corresponding effect: 
  Potion of Vaulting 
  Potion, uncommon 
  When you drink this potion, you feel a spring in your step 
  and a sense of surefootedness. Your jump length and 
  height are tripled. When you are about to take fall 
  damage, make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check and 
  subtract the value of that check from the damage taken. 
  These effects last for one minute, or until you take 1 or 
  more fall damage. 
     Even when undisturbed, this potion's effervescent puce 
  liquid sloshes violently against the walls of the bottle. 
  Potion of Healing 
  Potion, common 
  You regain 2d4 + 2 hit points when you drink this potion. 
  The potion's red liquid glimmers when agitated. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  6 
  1-2. The asteroid rocks violently. All creatures must 
  succeed on their choice of a DC 13 Strength 
  (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall 
  prone. 
  3. The asteroid flies close to the ground and whips up 
  the desert sand. All creatures must succeed on a DC 13 
  Constitution saving throw or are blinded until the end 
  of the round. 
  4-5. No special effect 
  6. The asteroid flies by the sages close enough to 
  receive support. The adventurer with the least current 
  hit points regains 1d4 + 4 hit points. 
     Once the elementals are defeated, the adventurers see 
  the source of the blue glow: a ornate glass bottle half 
  buried in the rock. Digging it out takes 1 minute. The 
  bottle is robust and resists damage. By this point, the 
  sages have gained control of the asteroid and landed it 
  in the sand. Once adventurers alight, the sages 
  relinquish control and the asteroid shakes free of the 
  desert. It soars heavenward, resuming its trek as a 
  shooting star. 
  6: VILLAGE IN A BOTTLE 
  The bottle is half filled with sand. Buttons, coins, 
  needles, thimbles and tangled thread sit half buried on 
  the sand's surface. The top half of the bottle is filled 
  with an embroidered stepped square based pyramid 
  with its point facing down into the sand. Shaking or 
  tipping the bottle fails to displace its contents, save for 
  minute changes in the surface of the sand. 
     The sages are overjoyed when presented with the 
  bottle. They advise the adventurers to rest and prepare 
  for further combat and retire to make their own 
  preparations. Overnight, the cameleers desert, leaving 
  the majority of the camel train unattended. The next 
  morning, the sages announce that their expedition will 
  continue inside the bottle. 
     When the adventurers are ready, the sages begin to 
  incant and throw handfuls of sand in the air. Suddenly, 
  the desert shrinks away and the adventurers find 
  themselves airborne. The sky recedes, as if moving far 
  into the distance. The bottle mouth, now a vast chasm, 
  looms below and the caravan freefalls through the 
  bottle. The tiers of the embroidered superstructure fly 
  by their vision. Before hitting the surface of the sand, 
  the sages cast featherfall on the group, letting them 
  gently come to rest atop a massive button. 
     Having landed, the sages lie on the surface of the 
  button, unharmed, but moving only with great 
  difficulty, as though their limbs are leaden. The camels 
  move with buoyancy and gain a fly (hover) speed of 10 
  feet. The adventurers feel unchanged and move 
  normally. The sages indicate it is up to the adventurers 
  to continue the expedition and retrieve the gifts, 
  gesturing the upside down pyramid. 
     An opening is visible halfway up the pyramid and an 
  unravelled thread, the width of a precarious walkway, 
  winds around down to the sand level, supported by 
  unfinished cloth scraps, thimbles and bone needles 
  thrust into the sand. The adventurers may climb to the 
  pyramid opening with a successful DC 13 Strength 
  (Athletics) check (advantage with pitons), walk on the 
  coiled thread as a slack line with a successful DC 15 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or ride the floating 
  camels up with a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) 
  check. 
  7: GOLD 
  The pyramid entrance leads to a 10 foot wide unlit 
  winding passage of wild threads. As the adventurers 
  progress, the walls transition to rough hewn stone, then 
  worked stone, then richly painted stone. Retracing 
  steps does not lead back to the embroidered ziggurat, 
  only to further stone passages. The stone is painted 
  with hieroglyphics. A successful DC 13 Intelligence 
  (History) or DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals 
  the walls tell a story of a great battle in which two 
  governors were slain at the head of their troops. The 
  governors were political rivals in life, but are interred 
  together. The passages lead to stairs heading down, 
  then up. 
   
  Manly Palmer Hall (1928), Œdipus and the Sphinx, 
  from Chapter 6 of The Secret Teaching of All Ages 
  (Public Domain) 
   
     A riddling sphinx sits at the top of the stairs, 
  blocking the passage. It demands that the adventurers 
  answer its riddles to gain passage.  
   
  Iron roof and glass walls 
  Burns, but never falls. 
  Lantern 
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  7 
  Ten men’s strength, 
  Ten men’s length, 
  Ten men can’t break me, 
  Yet a boy walks off with me. 
  Rope 
   
  Two bodies have I, 
  though both joined in one. 
  The more still I stand, 
  the quicker I run. 
  Hourglass 
   
     Should the adventurers ask the sphinx why it is there, 
  it will reveal that it has gotten lost and it asks and 
  solves riddles from habit. It can be bribed or otherwise 
  convinced with Charisma checks to allow the 
  adventurers to pass. 
   
  Left: LadyofHats (2017), 
  Mummy (CC0 1.0) 
   
     The passage leads to a 
  tomb chamber, 
  represented by a single 
  Map Grid. Two 
  sarcophagi have been 
  flung open and the tomb 
  furniture - statues inlaid 
  with precious metals and 
  ebony beds, tables and 
  chairs - have been toppled 
  and trampled. Inside, two 
  rotting nomarchs wrestle, 
  both clutching onto the same 
  golden scepter, revealed by wall inscriptions to be a 
  symbol of office. Two embalmed cats circle each 
  other, hissing and spitting. Canopic jars, pitchers of oil 
  and vessels of long wasted foodstuffs line the tomb. 
  The tomb paintings reiterate the story of the two 
  governors' rivalry and conclude with the sentiment 
  "that they should find common cause in death". 
     The adventurers may intuit that the golden scepter 
  holds particular importance as possessing it will enable 
  them to progress. The nomarchs are resistant to letting 
  go of the scepter and begin by grappling and tripping 
  the other. If the adventurers attempt to take the scepter, 
  the nomarchs may temporarily attack the adventurers 
  over the other nomarch if they appear to have the 
  upper hand. The embalmed cats nominally belong to 
  one nomarch or the other and will attack adventurers if 
  their nomarch does. 
     If the sphinx is approached and convinced the room 
  represents a riddle, it will solve it for the pleasure of it, 
  altering the glyphs on the wall to read: "that they 
  should find unity in death". At this point, the nomarchs 
  will cease to struggle with one another, but will not 
  surrender their sceptre. Altering the glyphs with words 
  to the effect of "charity" instead of "unity" may yield 
  better results. 
     Once the adventurers leave the main tomb room with 
  the scepter, or as soon as they touch the scepter while 
  there are no hostile creatures present, their vision fills 
  with blindingly pure light. 
  8: FRANKINCENSE 
   
  Minoan censer 
   
  The world fades to white. The adventurers find 
  themselves standing on the branch of an unnaturally 
  gigantic boswellia tree. Its roots envelope a house 
  sized rock, inexplicably floating in a sea of gauzy 
  light, featureless as far as the eye can see. Empty clay 
  censers are arranged on the tree branch. Perception of 
  time is distorted: in what feels like a minute, the sky 
  turns from daylight to dusk, then dawn, though no sun 
  is visible. Occasionally, the adventurers are showered 
  by light rain and gentle breezes. If a character falls 
  from the rock, they disappear from sight, only to 
  reappear in free fall above the rock, landing 
  harmlessly. Adventurers can take a long rest safely. 
     If the tree is gashed, resin oozes out and crystallizes. 
  If this is placed in censers and burned, a cloud wafts 
  from the censers along with the aroma, filling the 
  adventurers’ vision. The world fades again. Should the 
  players be uncertain of the next step, the tree may 
  prompt them telepathically. 
  9: MYRRH 
  The world fades and turns to a featureless pitch black 
  represented by a single Map Grid. Rats are noisily 
  gnawing on flesh. Light or darkvision reveals a 
  facedown person 20 feet away with rats attacking 
  them. As they approach, the adventurers are attacked 
  by 3 blightmoths, 2 rats and 1 rust monster. On a 
  successful DC 5 Intelligence (Medicine) check, the 
  body is found unrecognisable, likely long dead. Vision 
  fades as if waking from a dream. 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  8 
  10: EPILOGUE 
  The adventurers open their eyes to find themselves 
  spread supine on the sand at the tip of the embroidered 
  ziggurat. Around them lie the gifts in ample quantities: 
  gold, frankincense and myrrh, packed in saddlebags. 
     The sages have set up multiple portals, which appear 
  as oversized free standing doorways with destinations 
  visible on the other side. The portals lead to locations 
  in the Forgotten Realms familiar to the adventurers, 
  except for one opening into a desert, with a 
  conspicuously bright star overhead. Here, the æther 
  pours in and the emanations feel alien. 
     The sages react with a composite of curiosity, awe 
  and dread as they contemplate the meaning of the gifts. 
  They announce that their time is drawing to a close and 
  that their quest is at its final stage. Floating camels are 
  tethered to the ground nearby. Once the gifts are 
  loaded, the sages heal the adventurers and reward them 
  as promised. If this to precede an ongoing campaign, 
  the adventurers receive campaign appropriate rewards 
  and level up. The sages gesture to the Forgotten 
  Realms portals that will send the adventurers home. 
     As the sages and the camels pass through the last 
  portal into the starlit dunes, their weights normalize. 
  They ride into the distance as the portal fades behind 
  them. 
   
   
  Leopold Kupelwieser (1825), The Journey of the Three 
  Kings (Public Domain) 
  APPENDICES 
   
  # of Players 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  5 
  6 
  3: Hunting Hyenas 
  Hyena 
  3 
  7 
  8 
  10 
  11 
  13 
  Dromedary 
  2 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  3 
  5: Fallen Star 
  EElemental 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  3 
  4 
  MPAnomaly 0 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  7: Gold 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  RNomarch 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  ECat 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  2 
  4 
  4 
  9: Myrrh 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  BMoth 
  1 
  0 
  1 
  3 
  1 
  2 
  Rat 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  2 
  1 
  1 
  RMonster 
  0 
  1 
  1 
  1 
  2 
  3 
  Encounter Adjustments for Player Numbers 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  9 
   
   
  ' 
   
   
  ZAKHARAN CAMELEER 
  Medium humanoid (human), any alignment 
   
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 10 (3d8 - 3) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (+0) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) 
  9 (-1) 
  14 (+2) 9 (-1) 
   
  Skills Animal Handling +4, Survival +4 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
   
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. 
  Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 30 ft./120 
  ft., one target. 
  Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Wrangle. The cameleer makes a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal 
  Handling) check. On success, friendly creatures with 
  Intelligence less than 4 within 15 ft. will obey the 
  cameleer's commands until the end of their next turn. 
  Commands must be simple, such as disengage, dash, 
  attack or move. 
   
   
   
   
   
  HYENA 
  Medium beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 11 
  Hit Points 5 (1d8 + 1) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 
  12 (+1) 5 (-3) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
   
   
  Pack Tactics. The hyena has advantage on an attack 
  roll against a creature if at least one of the hyena's allies 
  is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't 
  incapacitated. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d6) piercing damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
  DROMEDARY 
  Large beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 9 
  Hit Points 20 (3d10 + 4) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 8 (-1) 
  14 (+2) 2 (-4) 
  8 (-1) 
  5 (-3) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 9 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  10 
   
   
   
   
  MINOR PLANAR ANOMALY 
  Small elemental, chaotic neutral 
   
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 10 (3d6) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 7 (-2) 
   
  Damage Vulnerabilities force 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious 
  Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Primordial 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
   
   
  Spatial Sinkhole. Space in a 30-foot radius around the 
  anomaly is treated as difficult terrain when moving in a 
  direction away from the anomaly. 
  At the start of the anomaly's turn, each creature within 30 
  feet of the anomaly must succeed on a DC 13 Strength 
  saving throw or be pulled 10 feet toward the anomaly. 
  Then, all creatures adjacent to the anomaly take 2 (1d4) 
  force damage. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Spatial Tear. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. 
  Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage, and the target's Strength 
  score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces 
  its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the 
  target finishes a short or long rest. 
   
   
   
   
  EMBER ELEMENTAL 
  Small elemental, neutral 
   
  Armor Class 11 
  Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  8 (-1) 
  13 (+1) 13 (+1) 6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 7 (-2) 
   
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities fire, poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious 
  Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages lgnan 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
   
  Fire Form. The elemental can move through a space as 
  narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. A creature that 
  touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack while 
  within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity 
  saving throw or take 1 fire damage. In addition, the 
  elemental can enter a hostile creature's space and stop 
  there. The first time it enters a creature's space on a turn, 
  that creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving 
  throw or take 1 fire damage and catch fire; until someone 
  takes an action to douse the fire, the creature takes 1 fire 
  damage at the start of each of its turns. 
   
  Illumination. The elemental sheds bright light in a 10-
  foot radius and dim light in an additional 10 feet. 
   
  Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the elemental 
  moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on 
  it, it takes 3 (1d6) cold damage. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) fire damage. If the target is a creature or 
  a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an 
  action to douse the fire , the target takes 1 fire damage at 
  the start of each of its turns. 
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  11 
   
   
   
   
  EMBALMED CAT 
  Tiny undead beast, lawful evil 
   
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 5 (2d4) 
  Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  3 (-4) 
  14 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 
  13 (+1) 14 (+2) 
   
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth  +4 
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
   
   
  Keen Smell. The cat has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Multiattack. The cat can use its Divine Scorn and makes 
  one attack with its claw or withering glare. 
   
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 1 slashing damage plus 1 necrotic damage. 
   
  Withering Glare. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  range 60/240 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 1 psychic damage plus 1 necrotic damage. 
   
  Divine Scorn. The cat targets one creature it can see 
  within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the cat, it must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw against this 
  magic or be charmed by the cat for 1 minute. 
  A the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the 
  saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to 
  the Divine Scorn of all cats for the next 24 hours. 
   
   
   
   
  ROTTING NOMARCH 
  Medium undead, lawful evil 
   
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 +3) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 8 (-1) 
  13 (+1) 6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 12 (+1) 
   
  Saving Throws Wis +2 
  Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire 
  Damage Resistances cold, lightning, thunder; piercing, 
  and slashing from non magical weapons 
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison 
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Special 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
   
   
  Dead Tongue. The nomarch speaks in an archaic form 
  of Common, comprehensible to a speaker of Common 
  on a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana or History) 
  check. 
   
  Leaking Miasma. Each time the nomarch takes 
  damage, all creatures within 5 ft. must succeed on a DC 
  13 Constitution saving throw or take 1 necrotic damage. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Multiattack. The nomarch can use its Putrefied Splendor 
  and makes one attack with its unravelling wraps. 
   
  Unravelling Wraps. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 
  reach 10 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic 
  damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is 
  grappled (escape DC 11). Until this grapple ends, 
  the target is restrained, and the nomarch can't use its 
  wraps on another target. 
   
  Putrefied Splendor. The nomarch targets one creature it 
  can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the 
  nomarch, it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving 
  throw or choose to submit or flee. Creatures that can't be 
  poisoned are unaffected. 
  Submit. At start of the affected creature's next turn, it 
  falls prone. At the end of the affected creature's next 
  turn, it falls prone again. 
  Flee. At the start of the affected creature's next turn, it 
  uses all its movement to move in a random direction. If it 
  cannot move, it is frightened of the nomarch for 1 minute. 
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  12 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  RUST MONSTER 
  Medium monstrosity, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 
  13 (+1) 6 (-2) 
   
  Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
   
   
  Iron Scent. The rust monster can pinpoint, by scent, the 
  location of ferrous metal within 30 feet of it. 
   
  Rust Metal. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that 
  hits the rust monster corrodes. After dealing damage, the 
  weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to 
  damage rolls. If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is 
  destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that 
  hits the rust monster is destroyed after dealing damage. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage. 
   
  Antennae. The rust monster corrodes a nonmagical 
  ferrous metal object it can see within 5 feet of it. If the 
  object isn't being worn or carried, the touch destroys a 1-
  foot cube of it. If the object is being worn or carried by a 
  creature, the creature can make a DC 11 Dexterity 
  saving throw to avoid the rust monster's touch. 
     If the object touched is either metal armor or a metal 
  shield being worn or carried, its takes a permanent and 
  cumulative -1 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced 
  to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is 
  destroyed. If the object touched is a held metal weapon, 
  it rusts as described in the Rust Metal trait. 
   
   
   
   
  RAT 
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1) 
  Speed 20 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  2 (-4) 
  11 (+0) 9 (-1) 
  2 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 4 (-3) 
   
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
   
   
  Keen Smell. The rat has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 1 piercing damage. 
   
   
   
   
  BLIGHTMOTH 
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
   
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1) 
  Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft. 
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  2 (-4) 
  16 (+3) 8 (-1) 
  1 (-5) 
  8 (-1) 
  1 (-5) 
   
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison 
  Senses blindsight 10ft., darkvision 60ft., passive 
  Perception 9 
  Languages ― 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
   
   
  Flyby. The blightmoth doesn't provoke opportunity 
  attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach . 
   
  Phototaxis. If the blightmoth can see a light source and 
  is not within 10 feet of a light source, it must use its 
  movement to fly towards the light source. If the 
  blightmoth is within 10 feet of a light source, it must use 
  its movement to fly in random directions, 5 feet at a time. 
   
  ACTIONS  
   
  Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. 
  Hit: 1 poison damage, and the creature must succeed 
  on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) 
  necrotic damage and it is blinded until the end of its next 
  turn. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
   
   
   
   
  T H E  E X P E D I T I O N  O F  T H E  M A G I  
  13 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/RCXCHAN/Expedition of the Magi v1.1.pdf