TEXT: Producer: Baldman Games
  Core Administrator: Shawn Merwin
  Editing and Layout: Encoded Designs
  Cartography: The Elmwood Crew
  Organized Play: Chris Lindsay 
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  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall,
  Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick
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  THE BATTLE OF 
  ELMWOOD
  DAVE BRAINARD, BEN HEISLER, AND PAIGE LEITMAN, WITH AMPLE ASSISTANCE 
  FROM JEREMY ARNOLD, ALBERT DEGENAAR, CALEB FOTH, JASON GONDING, JIM 
  HARRISON, GINNY LOVEDAY, ERIC MENGE, M. SEAN MOLLEY, AND KEATON STAMPS.
  Adventure Code: ELMW1-3
  As the Greengrass Festival gets under way, one might have a sneaking suspicion 
  that something is awry. Will the adventurers be able to save their new home in 
  the Battle of Elmwood?
  A four-hour adventure for 5th-10th Level Characters
  
  100% of the author share of the profits from these adventures 
  will be given to the following as a charitable donation: 
  Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee
  136 Harvest Lane
  Maryville, TN 37801
  https://secondharvestetn.org/
  Second Harvest Food Bank is the East Tennessee region’s largest hunger-
  relief charity; operating programs in 18 counties. The food bank secures and 
  distributes over 18 million pounds of food and grocery products annually 
  through a network of over 500 partnering non-profit organizations such as 
  food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and schools.  This charity 
  has a near-perfect score on Charity Navigator.
  Additionally, the food bank enthusiastically hosts the “Save Versus Hunger” 
  charity convention each spring, where a lot of D&D gets played.
  (https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5524)
  
  3
  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 continues their story. 
   
  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. 
   
  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. 
   
  For more information on playing, running 
  games as a Dungeon Master, and organizing games 
  for the D&D Adventurers League, please visit the 
  D&D Adventurers League home at:
  www.dndadventurersleague.org
  Preparing the Adventure                  
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this 
  adventure for a group of players, you should do the 
  following to prepare.
  • Make sure to have a copy of the most current 
  version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s 
  Handbook. 
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes 
  of anything you’d like to highlight or remind 
  yourself while running the adventure, such as a 
  way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d 
  like to use in a combat. 
  • Get familiar with the monster statistics in the 
  Appendix. 
  • Gather together any resources you’d like to 
  use to aid you in running this adventure--such 
  as notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and 
  battlemaps. 
  • If you know the composition of the group 
  beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted 
  throughout the adventure. 
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  Welcome to ELMW1-3 The Battle of Elmwood , a D&D Adventurers 
  League adventure, Part Three of the Misaligned Trilogy
   
  This adventure is designed for three to seven 5th - 10th level characters, and is 
  optimized for five 8th-level characters. Characters outside this level range cannot participate in 
  this adventure.
  The adventure is set in Elmwood and in The Lost Vale.
  
  4
  Before Play at the Table                    
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant 
  character information:
  • Character name and level 
  • Character race and class 
  • Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most 
  common passive ability check 
  • Anything notable as specified by the adventure 
  (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) 
  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. 
   
  Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from 
  the organizer). The player fills out the adventure 
  name, session number, date, and your name and 
  DCI number. In addition, the player also fills in the 
  starting values for experience, gold, downtime, 
  renown, and number of permanent magic items. He 
  or she fill in the other values and write notes at the 
  conclusion of the session. Each player is responsible 
  for maintaining an accurate logsheet. 
   
  If you have time, you can do a quick scan of 
  a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing 
  looks out of order. If you see magic items of very 
  high rarities or strange arrays of ability scores, you 
  can ask players to provide documentation for the 
  irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict 
  item use or ask them to use a standard ability 
  score array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers 
  League Player’s Guide for reference. 
   
  If players wish to spend downtime days and 
  it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, 
  they can declare their activity and spend the days 
  now. Alternatively, they can do so at the end of 
  the adventure or episode. Players should select 
  their characters’ spells and other daily options 
  prior to the start of the adventure, unless the 
  adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread 
  the adventure description to help give players hints 
  about what they might face.
  Adjusting the Adventure                           
  Throughout this adventure, you may see sidebars 
  to help make adjustments for smaller/larger 
  groups, and characters of higher/lower levels than 
  the optimized group.  Most of the time, this is used 
  for combat encounters.
   
  You may adjust the adventure beyond the 
  guidelines given. 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 may want to make 
  it a little harder.  Therefore, five categories of 
  party strength have been created for you to use 
  as a guide. 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 8th-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 
  fractions of less than .5 down
  You’ve now determined the average party level 
  (APL) for the adventure.  To figure out the party 
  strength for the adventure, consult the following 
  table:
  Party Composition
  3-4 characters, APL less than
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent
  3-4 characters, APL greater than
  5 characters, APL less than
  5 characters, APL equivalent
  5 characters, APL greater than
  6-7 characters, APL less than
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent
  6-7 characters, APL greater than
  DETERMINING PARTY STRENGTH
  Party Strength
  Very Weak
  Weak
  Average
  Weak
  Average
  Strong
  Average
  Strong
  Very Strong
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  
  5
  Running the Adventure                         
  As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the 
  most important role in facilitating the enjoyment 
  of the game for the players. You help guide the 
  narrative and bring the words on these pages 
  to life. The outcome of a fun game session often 
  creates stories that live well beyond the play at the 
  table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM 
  for a group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that 
  enhance the fun of the adventure when 
  possible. 
   
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the 
  following:
  • You are empowered to make adjustments to 
  the adventure and make decisions about how the 
  group interacts with the world of this adventure. 
  Doing so 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 one. 
  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. 
  • 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. Doing so 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™ 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 
  • 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.
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  
  6
  Spellcasting Services                               
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can 
  provide some spellcasting services. Characters 
  need to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain 
  these services.
   
  Spell services generally available include healing 
  and recovery spells, as well as information-
  gathering spells. Other spell services might be 
  available as specified in the adventure. The number 
  of spells available to be cast as a service is limited 
  to a maximum of three per day total, unless 
  otherwise noted.
  Disease, Death, and Recovery              
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or are killed. 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 character doesn’t resolve the effect 
  between sessions, that character begins the next 
  session still affected by the debilitating effect. 
  Death 
  A character who is killed during the course of 
  the adventure has a few options at the end of the 
  session (or whenever arriving back in civilization) 
  if no one in the adventuring party has immediate 
  access to a raise dead or revivify spell, or similar 
  magic. A character subject to a raise dead spell is 
  affected negatively until all long rests have been 
  completed during an adventure. Alternatively, each 
  downtime day spent after raise dead reduces the 
  penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability 
  checks by 1, in addition to any other benefits the 
  downtime activity might provide. 
   
  Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any 
  of the other options, the player creates a new 
  character. The new character does not have any 
  items or rewards possessed by the dead character. 
   
  Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing 
  any vital organs and is mostly whole) and the 
  player would like the character to be returned to 
  life, the party can take the body back to civilization 
  and use the dead character’s funds to pay for a 
  raise dead spell. A raise dead spell cast in this 
  manner costs the character 1,250 gp. 
   
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  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. 
   
  Melvaunt is a large city where any 
  acolyte can find a friendly shrine or 
  temple.
  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
  
  7
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise 
  dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the 
  session. Other characters are under no obligation 
  to spend their funds to bring back a dead party 
  member.
   
  Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 
  4 and a member of a faction, the dead character’s 
  body can be returned to civilization and a patron 
  from the faction ensures that he or she receives a 
  raise dead spell. However, any character invoking 
  this charity forfeits all experience and rewards 
  from that session (both those earned prior to and 
  after death during that session) and cannot replay 
  that episode or adventure with that character 
  again. Once a character reaches 5th level, this 
  option is no longer available.
  Elmwood Overview                         
  Though Elmwood has been a peaceful neighbor 
  of Mulmaster for centuries, it was destroyed two 
  years ago by a mishandled fire devastation orb by 
  the Cults of Elemental Evil (DDEX2-2 Embers of 
  Elmwood). There were few survivors. Since then 
  it’s been rebuilt and is a home for many refugees 
  from Phlan, Hillsfar, and the Underdark. The 
  little town is growing as it rebuilds, and changing 
  rapidly due to the influence of the refugees.
  Adventure Background                      
  Over a thousand years ago, the elves of Myth 
  Drannor battled the avatar of Moander (an evil 
  deity of rot, corruption, and destruction) in its last 
  remaining major temple, located on present-day 
  Yûlash in the southwestern Moonsea area. The 
  elves slew the priests of Moander, banished the 
  Darkbringer, and sealed the essence of its avatar 
  beneath the ruins. However, Yûlash (and the rest 
  of the Moonsea) had other problems with the fall 
  of Zhentil Keep, and the threat of Moander was 
  forgotten for more immediate needs.  Moander 
  then rose from death a few decades ago, but was 
  put down by a band of brave adventurers in the 
  events of the book Song of the Saurials. 
   
  Zuggtmoy, the Demon Queen of Fungi, Lady 
  of Rot and Decay, has been active in Faerûn in 
  the past few years (given the events of Out of the 
  Abyss). This has allowed some vestige of the dead 
  deity Moander to stir in its slumber of death, which 
  has empowered some of its ancient sites and mad 
  cult members. In Elmwood, this means the town’s 
  grain has been magically contaminated by the 
  power of Moander so that when it is used in the 
  upcoming Greengrass festival, it can infect many 
  people with a rotting sickness that will turn them 
  into mindless vegetative slaves of the Darkbringer.
   
  In the first adventure of the Elmwood Trilogy, 
  the characters went to Elmwood before the 
  Celebration of Greengrass, one of Chauntea’s high 
  holy days, and discovered the town’s grain was 
  magically contaminated. The local town council 
  asked the adventurers to consult a sage who 
  lives on the River Lis. After an encounter with 
  the awakened forest guardians, the sage directed 
  the adventurers to investigate a lost temple of 
  Moander in the Rimwood. There, the characters 
  checked for any unusual activity at this lost temple 
  to Moander, and brought back a seed for the sage 
  to study. The adventurers found a lot wrong with 
  the local plants and fought through the overgrowth 
  to extract a seed. Upon returning, the sage used 
  a divining ritual to determine the source of the 
  contamination. From the ritual, the sage learned 
  that some echo of Moander’s power is stirring 
  and that the characters must warn Elmwood. 
  This warning to find a way to stop the spread of 
  Moander’s corruption is the last the sage is able to 
  give before the ritual drives him insane. Following 
  their return to Elmwood, the Constable assembles 
  the Elmwood Council to determine the best answer 
  for the potential rise of Moander’s cult.  
   
  In the previous adventure (ELMW1-2: The 
  Lost Sanctum), the characters were asked by 
  the Elmwood Council to go into the Rimwood to 
  Grypht’s sanctum and retrieve a ritual that would 
  protect Elmwood from Moander. After tangling 
  with some necromancers, along with the guards 
  and puzzles of the Sanctum itself, the characters 
  were given the ritual. They arrive in Elmwood just 
  as the Greengrass festival is starting.
  Characters who have the “Late to the Party” story 
  award from ELMW1-2 start this scenario with a 
  level of exhaustion, a consequence of rushing back 
  to Elmwood.
  
  8
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  INTRODUCTION
  Adventure Overview
  This adventure consists of five parts. See DM 
  Appendix 1 to help with understanding the flow of 
  the adventure. Encounters 3, 4, and 5 have multiple 
  options, and the players much choose which path 
  they will take in each encounter.
  Part 1 The Greengrass Festival. The adventurers 
  find Elmwood in the midst of the Greengrass 
  Festival, with the cult of Moander already hard at 
  work stealthily capturing citizens and leaders. The 
  crowds of people are oblivious to the threat, and 
  proudly wear garlands and flower crowns which 
  colt hide cult influence. The adventurers meet with 
  Constable Aliana Mathnir, who fears the worst, and 
  asks them to gather up the council and keep an eye 
  out for trouble.
  Part 2 Finding the Council Members. The 
  adventurers move about town, trying to locate the 
  councilors. As they do so, they have a chance to 
  notice some unusual events, and to intervene as 
  one of the councilors is spirited away by cultists 
  of Moander. After the characters rescue the 
  councilor, the Constable and rescued councilors 
  start devising a plan to deal with the threat. As the 
  discussion reaches a close, the cultists launch an 
  all-out attack on Elmwood.
  Part 3 When Cultists Attack. The adventurers 
  rush to blunt the onslaught. They must choose 
  to either secure the Temple of Chauntea by 
  completing a ritual to protect it from Moander, 
  or to gather up villagers and bring them to safety 
  while the council takes care of the other.
  Part 4 Gearing Up. With many of the townsfolk 
  gathered in the safety of the Temple, the Constable 
  asks the adventurers to help prepare the 
  counterattack. They must choose whether to escort 
  a group of militia to the armory so they can equip 
  for the battle, or to retrieve a cache of fireworks 
  and alchemist’s fire from the Stone’s Dwarf Inn to 
  burn away Moander’s growth.
  Part 5 The Final Push. The party makes their way 
  into the Middens of Elmwood, where the Voice 
  of Moander has been raising monstrous plant 
  creatures from the trash. After breaking through 
  her final defenses, the adventurers confront the cult 
  leader to put an end to the menace facing Elmwood.
  Pacing the Adventure
  The adventure is designed for 4 hours of play. Use 
  the table below to budget your time, adjusting the 
  pace as necessary to keep on schedule. In a large 
  public event, you’ll need to keep an eye on the clock.
  Stage
  Playing Time
  Part 1: The Greengrass 
  Festival
  15 mins
  Part 2: Finding the 
  Council Members
  50 mins
  Part 3: When Cultists 
  Attack
  50 mins
  Part 4a/5a: Gearing 
  Up/Final Push
  50 mins
  OR Part 4b/5b: Gearing 
  Up/Final Push
  50 mins
  Part 5c: Voice of 
  Moander
  50 mins
  Conclusion
  5 mins
  Adventure Hooks
  Ideally, the characters begin this adventure 
  immediately following ELMW 1-2 The Lost 
  Sanctum. If this is the case, then they have spent 
  the past few days returning to Elmwood from 
  Grypht’s Sanctum, carrying vital information 
  about the return of the dark god Moander, and 
  more importantly, a ritual that can protect against 
  the Darkbringer’s malevolence.  The adventurers 
  start at the edge of town with various celebrations 
  around them.
   
  Otherwise, the adventurers find themselves 
  in Elmwood with the Greengrass Festival in 
  full swing. After a few minutes of enjoying the 
  celebration, the adventurers are contacted by 
  Constable Aliana Mathnir. She is very well-
  informed regarding the heroes of the Moonsea 
  region, and calls one of the adventurers by name 
  (either the one with the greatest Renown total, or 
  the most visually distinctive) and asks for help. The 
  Constable is concerned that followers of a dead god 
  are gathering in Elmwood, and she would like the 
  adventurers help her keep an eye out for potential 
  trouble.
  
  9
  PART 1. THE 
  GREENGRASS FESTIVAL
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 1
  Expected Duration: 15 minutes.
  The adventure begins at midday on the first of 
  Kythorn, when Elmwood celebrates the Greengrass 
  Festival. If the  adventurers have just completed 
  ELMW 1-2 The Lost Sanctum, and have successfully 
  collected the information about Moander from 
  Grypht’s sanctum, as well as the ritual to ward 
  off the Darkbringer’s influence. They have spent 
  several days traveling through the Cormanthor 
  forest, and have just completed a long rest, unless 
  they begin play with the “Late to the Party” story 
  reward from ELMW1-2, in which case they do not 
  gain the benefits of a long rest and instead begin 
  play with one level of exhaustion from the forced 
  march to return to Elmwood by the start of the 
  Greengrass Festival.
  The adventurers who have not played ELMW 1-2 
  The Lost Sanctum are approached by Constable 
  Aliana Mathnir. She has just learned of the threat 
  posed by the Cult of Moander, and recognizes 
  the adventurers thanks to their renown. Adjust 
  interactions with the Constable appropriately if 
  this is the case.
  General Features
  The Common Gardens has the following general 
  features:
  Light and Visibility. It is a bright, sunny spring 
  day, with a few fluffy white clouds drifting 
  overhead. A light haze of pollen gives everything a 
  golden glow.
  Sounds. Singing, cheering, and the happy babble 
  of crowds. A group of musicians tune their 
  instruments in a bandstand near a wide area for 
  dancing, while hawkers, entertainers and food 
  stalls shout for attention.
  Smells. The scent of flowers is heavy throughout 
  the town. Near the food stalls, this scent is 
  complemented by the aroma of roasting meat, 
  baking bread, sweet honey and exotic spices. 
  If the characters have or have not played the 
  previous adventures in this series (ELMW1-1 and 
  1-2) then their perceptions of Elmwood and the 
  reactions of the townsfolk will vary. If you have a 
  group that has a mix of characters that have and 
  have not played these adventures, the proceed as 
  if all characters had played the adventures, and 
  explain as needed to make the narrative make 
  sense to all of the players and characters.
  Proceed with the following text if characters have 
  completed ELMW1-2:
      
  It has been a hard few days of travel to 
  get back to Elmwood, with sporadic thun-
  derstorms on the edge of town that have 
  churned the road to thick mud. Fortunately, 
  the sky is clear as Elmwood comes into sight. 
  Bright green leaves burst from the orchards 
  and fields surrounding the rebuilt town, and 
  the air is heavy with the powerful scent of 
  flowers and fresh growth. The broad earthen 
  streets of Elmwood are packed with throngs 
  of people who are singing, dancing, eating 
  and drinking to celebrate the beginning of 
  spring. Locals and visitors alike are bedecked 
  with garlands and crowns of flowers and 
  greenery.
  If the characters have not played previous 
  Elmwood adventures, use this introduction:
      
  You’ve heard of a great party all up and 
  down the Moonsea occurring at the rebuilt 
  town of Elmwood, the Greengrass Festival. A 
  celebration of Chauntea, life, love, marriage, 
  and the beginning of spring await you as you 
  spy the town on the Moonsea, surrounded 
  by orchards. As you approach there is the 
  powerful scent of flowers and fresh growth. 
  The broad earthen streets of Elmwood are 
  packed with throngs of people, singing, 
  dancing, eating and drinking to celebrate 
  the beginning of spring. Everyone is wearing 
  garlands and crowns of flowers and green-
  ery. As you arrive, you are beckoned in to 
  join in the fun!
  
  10
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 1
  The Greengrass Festival is the grand celebration 
  in Elmwood that draws in families from nearby 
  farms, as well as travelers and merchants from the 
  Moonsea and beyond to celebrate spring and the 
  rebirth of the town. It is a long-standing tradition 
  for attendees to wear flowers in their hair and 
  about their bodies, which should be troubling 
  to characters who know that thralls of Moander 
  often have plants growing from their bodies. 
  Adventurers who have played ELMW1-2 should 
  be in a hurry to find Constable Aliana Mathnir and 
  report their findings. As they search the crowds, 
  use the following brief encounters to bring the 
  festival  to life:
  • A rush of dancers sweep through the party, 
  separating them briefly as they drag the 
  adventurers through a few steps.
  • A lovely halfling woman offers the adventurers 
  a sample of delicious-smelling seed cakes. 
  (Make note of which characters eat some; those 
  characters must make a DC 10 Constitution 
  save when they confront the Voice of the 
  Darkbringer to avoid gaining a level of 
  exhaustion as the Dark Seeds they ate attempt 
  to subvert them).
  • A group of musicians are tuning their 
  instruments. They seem to be drunk, as they are 
  all far off key.
  • A group of dwarves hand the adventurers mugs 
  of herb-scented green beer from one of the kegs 
  on their wagon. It is delicious and refreshing.
  After these encounters, the adventurers find 
  Constable Aliana Mathnir as she patrols the 
  festival, keeping an eye on things and working to 
  stop trouble before it starts. When she spots the 
  adventurers, she hurries them into a relatively 
  quiet alcove to receive their report. Once she has 
  the information from Grypht’s sanctum, she asks 
  the adventurers to help her gather the councilors 
  (give them Player Handout 1) at the Elmwood 
  Hall so they can decide what to do about the 
  Darkbringer’s threat.
  If the table does not have characters who have 
  played a previous Elmwood adventure, the 
  Constable seeks them out based on their renown. 
  She then hurries them into a relatively quiet alcove 
  and explains that there has been a threat leveled 
  against the town by followers of the Darkbringer, 
  Moander. An adventurer that the Elmswood 
  Council hired to find a solution was found outside 
  of town, suffering from grievous wounds. He was 
  brought into the church of Chauntea to recover. 
  With a new group of adventurers in town, she’d 
  like to hire the characters to help defend the town 
  quietly. She offers to pay the party 750 gp to work 
  for her through the Greengrass Festival, at least 
  until she is certain of safety.  If the characters 
  agree, she asks the adventurers to help her gather 
  the councilors (give them Player Handout 1) 
  at the Elmwood Hall by the time the next band 
  starts up so they can decide what to do about the 
  Darkbringer’s threat.
  Roleplaying Aliana Mathnir
  Aliana is a short and muscular dark-skinned 
  woman with blue eyes and brown hair that is 
  kept at shoulder length. She has a scar along 
  her face that she when cultists activated a 
  devastation orb in the town two years ago. 
  Aliana tries to make sure that all get along 
  with her, even when she is doing something 
  they do not like (such as collecting taxes). 
  She likes to keep a neat and efficient town. 
  She is friendly and honest and likes to make 
  everyone feel that they can come to her with 
  any issues concerning the town. 
  Quote: “Look, just get along, okay? We have 
  bigger problems to deal with.”
  If the characters have played ELMW1-2, read or 
  paraphrase the following before explaining the 
  Constable’s offer:
      
  Through a break in the crowd, you see the 
  Constable talking down a pair of red-faced 
  rowdies on the verge of coming to blows. Ali-
  ana Mathnir is a dark-skinned human wom-
  an, notable for her welcoming smile, slightly 
  marred by a burn scar down her cheek. She 
  has an air of command which easily cows 
  the much larger toughs. As the ruffians slink 
  away, Aliana catches your eye, and her 
  face brightens as she cocks her chin toward 
  a sheltered nook. The Constable seems to 
  desire a quiet word with you.
  
  11
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 1
  Once the adventurers have a chance to share what 
  they learned in Grypht’s sanctum and to accept 
  the Constable’s offer to aid the town again, the 
  Constable asks them to help gather the other 
  councilors. Since the cult’s plans are already in 
  motion, she asks that the heroes spend no more 
  than an hour gathering who they can. They should 
  head to the Elmwood Hall (which she points out 
  to the characters if they are new to town) when 
  the band starts playing the beginning of the dance. 
  Read or paraphrase the following if they relay what 
  they learned in ELMW1-2:
      
  “This news you bring is truly troubling. Thank 
  the merciful gods that you returned before 
  these madmen did anything more than taint 
  our grain. Please, help me gather the other 
  councilors to the Elmwood Hall so we can 
  decide how to respond. Time is pressing, so 
  join us there when the band starts playing, 
  regardless of who you have found.”
  OR, if characters did not play previous Elmwood 
  adventures, read or paraphrase the following 
  before explaining the Constable’s offer:
      
  Through a break in the crowd, you see the 
  Constable talking down a pair of red-faced 
  rowdies on the verge of coming to blows. Ali-
  ana Mathnir is a dark-skinned human wom-
  an, notable for her welcoming smile, slightly 
  marred by a burn scar down her cheek. She 
  has an air of command which easily cows 
  the much larger toughs. As the ruffians slink 
  away, Aliana catches your eye, and her 
  face brightens as she cocks her chin toward 
  a sheltered nook. The Constable seems to 
  desire a quiet word with you.
  “Thank the merciful gods that you came to 
  join us! We have suspicions that the Dark-
  bringer’s minions are here to disrupt the 
  festival. Please, help me gather the other 
  councilors to the Elmwood Hall so we can 
  decide how to respond to these potential 
  threats. Time is pressing, so join us there when 
  the band starts playing, regardless of who 
  you have found.”
  
  12
  PART 2. FINDING THE 
  COUNCILORS
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 2
  Expected Duration: 50 minutes.
  The adventurers make their way about the 
  Greengrass Festival seeking out the other 
  councilors. As they do so, Moander cultists are also 
  gathering up councilors in order to corrupt them.
   
  Based on Player Handout 1: List of Council 
  Members, let the characters decide whom to 
  seek out. Regardless of their decisions, run each 
  of the following encounters in order, inserting the 
  chosen council member where appropriate. The 
  adventurers will only have time to find three of the 
  councilors before the band starts playing, signaling 
  the time to meet the Constable at the Elmwood Hall. 
   
  If the adventurers elect to “divide and 
  conquer” by splitting up, allow them to do so. 
  Choose one of the adventurers (using whatever 
  method you like) to find the first councilor, while 
  the rest of the party keeps searching; once the 
  first encounter has resolved, choose another 
  adventurer to find the second councilor. Hopefully, 
  that encounter raises some suspicions and the 
  players decide to reconvene; if not, choose another 
  adventurer to find the third councilor (ideally the 
  one least capable of handling a combat encounter 
  solo) and allow them to find the other adventurers 
  relatively quickly. If that adventurer chooses to 
  jump in alone, the other adventurers can hear the 
  sounds of combat and get involved a round or two.
   
  Use some of the following interactions to spice 
  up the transitions from scene to scene:
  • A gaggle of children rush past, shrieking as 
  they chase a clockwork bird trailing colorful 
  streamers.
  • An elderly woman places garlands of flowers 
  around the necks of passersby, including the 
  adventurers, if they let her (Make note of any 
  characters who accept; those characters must 
  make a DC 10 Constitution save when they 
  confront the Voice of the Darkbringer to avoid 
  gaining a level of exhaustion as the Dark Seeds 
  in the flowers attempt to subvert them).
  • An elven man offers samples of freshly fried 
  fish.
  • A group of young women chatter happily about 
  being married that evening in the traditional 
  community wedding.
  Easy-Peasy
  The first councilor is right where Aliana expected 
  them to be, doing what she expected them to 
  be doing. It might take a few minutes to pull the 
  councilor away from whatever they are up to, but 
  once the adventurers mention the Constable’s 
  name and the danger facing the town, the council 
  member agrees to head to the Elmwood Hall 
  shortly. 
  Bad Apple
  The second councilor is not where the adventurers 
  expect them to be. Asking around with a DC 12 
  Charisma (Persuasion) check allows a character to 
  quickly learn that the councilor they seek headed 
  off with some festival-goers a few hours ago, 
  walking towards the Middens. If the check is failed, 
  the adventurers are still asking around when the 
  councilor they seek comes ambling up.
   
  This councilor has been implanted with a Dark 
  Seed, and has been sent back to the festival with 
  orders to bring other councilors to the Middens 
  so they can be corrupted as well. Any adventurer 
  with a passive Insight of 13 or higher immediately 
  recognizes that the councilor is acting odd. 
  During their interactions, roleplay or describe the 
  counselor as glassy-eyed, spaced-out, and generally 
  robotic. If the adventurers tell the councilor that 
  they are to escort them to a council meeting, the 
  council member is quite amenable to going along.
   
  Should the adventurers accuse the councilor 
  of acting odd, or mention Moander or the cult, the 
  council member takes off running for the Middens. 
  If the adventurers subdue the councilor publicly, 
  word quickly spreads and they have disadvantage 
  on subsequent checks dealing with party-goers. 
  
  13
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 2
  If the adventurers let the councilor go, they hurry 
  off to inform the cult that meddlesome heroes are 
  about. Otherwise, a cultist witnesses the heroes 
  escorting or taking down the councilor. In either 
  case, the cult advances their plans in response to 
  the adventurers’ actions.
  Rotten to the Core
  The third councilor is not where the adventurers 
  expect them to be, either. Asking around with a 
  successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check 
  allows a character to quickly learn that the 
  councilor they seek just walked off with a some 
  festival-goers a few minutes before, heading 
  thataway. Similarly, a successful DC 12 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check allows a character to spot the 
  councilor heading around a building with a couple 
  of celebrants, just as they are suspiciously yanked 
  out of sight by an unseen party.
      
  Rounding the corner, you see a dozen 
  festival-goers, gaily decked in garlands and 
  crowns of flowers. They are huddled around 
  a cart filled to overflowing with apple cores, 
  chicken bones, and other garbage. There is 
  no sign of (councilor), but when the revelers 
  spot you, they draw hidden blades and rush 
  to attack!
  Twelve Darkbringer Cultists are led by a 
  Darkbringer Druid (the druid has already cast 
  charm person on the councilor, so has used a 1st 
  level spell slot). Each of the cultists is a willing 
  follower of Moander, and has been implanted with 
  a Dark Seed containing a fragment of the god’s 
  twisted power. When a Darkbringer Cultist or the 
  Darkbringer Druid is reduced to 0 hit points, the 
  Dark Seed consumes the last of their life energy 
  and grows rapidly, bursting from the body as a 
  Needle Blight or a Vine Blight (in the case of the 
  Darkbringer Cultists) or a Shambling Mound (in 
  the case of the Darkbringer Druid) at the start of 
  the cultist’s next turn. 
   
  A Vine Blight sprouts if the cultist fell within 
  10’ of an enemy, a Needle Blight if the cultist fell 
  more than 10’ away from the closest enemy; once 
  six of a particular kind of blight have sprouted, all 
  further cultists turn into the other, regardless of 
  distance from enemies.
  The process of a person being consumed and 
  sprouting a blight is horrific; upon witnessing 
  the transformation for the first time, a character 
  must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or 
  become Frightened until the end of their next turn.
   
  Confronted with capable heroes, the followers 
  of the Darkbringer are overjoyed by the chance to 
  capture and corrupt such powerful individuals. 
  The cultists open up with a volley of yellow mold 
  flasks to soften up the PCs, while the druid focuses 
  on dividing the heroes with spells. All are confident 
  of rebirth upon death, and fight without fear. 
  The cultists do not seek to kill the characters, far 
  preferring to take them alive so they can join the 
  ranks of those who worship Moander.
  General Features
  Light. This fight occurs late in the day under a clear 
  sky, so there is ample sunlight.
  Sounds. While this is farther away from the stage, 
  the sounds of revelry are all around.
  Houses. A row of neat houses stand on either side 
  of a broad, packed earth road. The homeowners 
  are all out enjoying the festival, so there are no 
  witnesses.
  Fences. These low fences demarcate neat gardens, 
  but climbing over them in combat takes an extra 
  square of movement.
  Hand-cart. This large vehicle filled with trash 
  stands at the corner, facing toward the Middens. 
  The unconscious councilor is partly buried in the 
  cart.
  
  14
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 2
  Adjusting the Adventure
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: remove 6 Darkbringer 
  Cultists, 3 Vine Blights and 3 Needle 
  Blight; none of the Darkbringer Cultists 
  have yellow mold spore flasks
  • Weak Party: remove 4 Darkbringer 
  Cultists, 2 Vine Blights, and 2 Needle 
  Blight; only two of the cultists have yellow 
  mold spore flasks
  • Strong Party: add 2 Darkbringer 
  Berserkers; after a berserker is reduced to 
  0 hit points, at the start of the berserker’s 
  next turn a gas spore erupts from its 
  body and immediately explodes. A DC 15 
  Intelligence (Nature) check can reveal the 
  danger posed by getting infected by a gas 
  spore’s disease.
  • Very Strong Party: add 3 Darkbringer 
  Berserkers, who grow into gas spores upon 
  death, as above
  .Developments
  Once the party defeats the cultists, they can 
  find the kidnapped councilor unconscious but 
  otherwise unharmed, buried in the trash with a 
  number of strange pods placed about their head 
  and face. Just as the adventurers pull the councilor 
  out, once of the pods bursts in a spray of seeds 
  which quickly burrow into the trash.
   
  Once the heroes get the councilor standing, 
  the sound of sprightly dance music drifts from the 
  town center, which is the signal to rendezvous with 
  the Constable.
  Treasure
  The council member asks that the party make a 
  brief stop at their home, which is on the way to 
  Elmwood Hall. The councilor fetches two vials of 
  antitoxin and a potion of fire breath as a reward.
  
  15
  PART 3. WHEN 
  CULTISTS ATTACK
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 3
  Expected Duration: 50 minutes
  Council Meeting
  The Constable has gathered three councilors and 
  an acolyte of Chauntea, in addition to whomever 
  the adventurers managed to bring in. When 
  they hear of the cult attack and their monstrous 
  transformations, the council begins devising a 
  plan to deal with the threat. The heroes may take a 
  short rest while the council talks, and are welcome 
  to contribute to the discussion. If the characters do 
  not know about Moander already, distribute Player 
  Handout 2 with them as the council members 
  share what they know.
   
  The council plan boils down to three steps: 
  gather the townsfolk in a central location; arm 
  the militia to secure the area; and enact the ritual 
  the adventurers (either the characters or the 
  lone survivor) retrieved to create a ward against 
  Moander’s influence (if the characters do not have 
  the ritual, then the acolyte of Chauntea reports 
  that the survivor has awoken and has shared the 
  ritual with the priestess there). Unfortunately, the 
  cultists have been making their own plans, and as 
  the councilors finalize their plans, screams ring out 
  from the town. The attack has begun!
      
  The Constable leaps to her feet, drawing her 
  sword. The other councilors rise as well, some 
  nervous, others angry, but all determined to 
  protect their home.
   
  “No time for more debate. We need 
  to secure the Temple of Chauntea; it is the 
  only place with the reagents necessary to 
  complete the protective ritual (you brought 
  back/the lone survivor returned with)! We 
  must also gather up as many of the people 
  as we can and get them to safety, here in 
  the Hall or at the Temple. You take one job, 
  we’ll handle the other.’
  The adventurers have a choice of mission: 
  • Rush to the Temple of Chauntea to secure it. 
  Once secure, they’ll need to protect it while 
  either they or the priestess enact Grypht’s ritual 
  against Moander. 
  • Or, they may head into the chaos to rally 
  townsfolk and bring them to safety. 
  If the adventurers wish to secure the Temple, and 
  do not have a ritual caster among them, a councilor 
  tells them that Kamik Felicity, one of the priests, 
  should be there. Hopefully, he will be able to 
  perform the ritual.
   
  If the characters wish to secure the temple 
  but have not played ELMW1-2, a survivor from the 
  group that brought the ritual back is convalescing 
  there and will be able to help.
  3A: Secure the Temple of Chauntea
  The adventurers rush into the madness that has 
  engulfed the Greengrass Festival. They are to make 
  their way to the Temple of Chauntea, gather the 
  necessary reagents from the stores there, and 
  complete Grypht’s ritual to create a secure refuge 
  against the Darkbringer’s forces.
      
  The Greengrass Festival has descended into 
  utter madness. All around, cultists decked out 
  in festive greenery menace the townsfolk, 
  herding them south and east. The Consta-
  ble and the other councilors spread out into 
  the crowds, rallying the people of Elmwood 
  as they go. You must make your way to the 
  Temple of Chauntea and use (Grypht’s/the) 
  ritual to create a refuge for the noncomba-
  tants. The knowledge that their loved ones 
  are safe will allow the defenders of Elmwood 
  to fight all the harder.
  The adventurers are able to make their way to 
  the Temple of Chauntea with little resistance. The 
  cultists seem focused on moving groups of villagers 
  out of town, and avoid those who appear able 
  to put up active resistance. The adventurers are 
  met at the door by one of the priests of Chauntea, 
  Kamik Felicity, a tall, red-haired elf. If any of 
  
  16
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 3
  the adventurers have participated in ELMW1-
  1 or ELMW1-2,  Kamik recognizes them, and is 
  relieved that help has arrived. Otherwise, it takes 
  a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check 
  to convince him to let armed strangers into the 
  sanctuary; mentioning Constable Aliana Manthir 
  grants advantage on this check.
   
  Inside, thirty townsfolk mill about, anxious 
  and frightened. Kamik is happy to bring out the 
  temple’s supply of reagents, and is willing to act 
  as either the primary ritual caster, or a secondary 
  participant. See the Appendix: Monster/NPC 
  Statistics for Kamik’s abilities. Grypht’s ritual can 
  protect an area up to 100 feet on a side, which 
  is enough to encompass the sanctuary and the 
  courtyard.
   
  If the characters did not play ELMW1-2, there 
  is also a bandaged human man with scraggly, curly 
  black hair and ripped robes. He is wounded and 
  paranoid. Kamik introduces him as the wizard 
  Golan, the only survivor of a past adventuring 
  party that the Elmwood Council hired to seek 
  the protective rituals from the Rimwood in the 
  Cormanthor. Despite his paranoia, Golan does have 
  the ritual and has begun making preparations 
  with Kamik, but he is very concerned that the 
  minions of the Darkbringer will be alerted as soon 
  as they begin. The priest and the mage will need 
  the characters to protect them and the innocents if 
  they are to succeed.
  Roleplaying Golan
  Golan is a young mage and has gotten more 
  than he bargained for, and is worse off for it. 
  Scarred and scared, he was unprepared to face 
  the minions of a dead god and a frighteningly 
  powerful group of necromancers so early in 
  his career. He is eager to help, and also eager 
  to warn others of the necromancers’ threat to 
  the area.
  Quote: “If the Darkbringers don’t get us, 
  the forces of Tyranne Epaline will. The 
  necromancers were none too pleased we took 
  their treasure from the Rimwood.”
  General Features
  Sanctuary. The sanctuary of the Temple of 
  Chauntea is a wide, stone-floored area with thick, 
  wooden pillars supporting a 30-foot high roof. It is 
  used as a threshing floor during the harvest. 
  Furnishings. Furnishings are light and easy to 
  stack. Feel free to add them being broken by area 
  spells and missed weapon attacks to add to the 
  chaos and destruction in the narrative. 
  Doorways.  There is a doorway, large enough for 
  a wagon to pass, in each wall, but the only way to 
  secure them is with light wooden shutters, meant 
  to keep out weather more than people. Breaking 
  the shutters open requires a DC 13 Strength check.
  Light. The Sanctuary is lit by continual flame 
  spells, and is considered well-lit. Outside, it is still 
  daytime and natural sunlight.
  Performing the ritual takes a total of 1 hour and 
  10 minutes, during which time the caster(s) 
  cannot leave the area, and must devote full time 
  to it like casting other ritual magic (it is suggested 
  that the characters have Kamik and/or Golan 
  perform the ritual if they are present). After 45 
  minutes, the Voice of Moander becomes aware of 
  the gathering power, and dispatches a force of a 
  Darkbringer Druid and 7 Darkbringer Cultists, 
  accompanied by a shambling mound, to disrupt 
  it. They attack from two sides, bursting through 
  the shutters. Adventurers who are outside may 
  attempt to engage the cultists before they breach 
  the sanctuary, so prepare to adjust the encounter 
  appropriately.
   
  The cultists also carry two Dark Seed packs, 
  which they hurl into the crowd of villagers huddled 
  in the middle of the sanctuary. Each Dark Seed 
  pack corrupts four commoners, who then do what 
  they can to disrupt the ritual, focusing on grappling 
  the ritual casters and moving them outside the 
  sanctuary.
   
  Two of the Darkbringer Cultists (choose 
  randomly) are hosts to fully-developed Dark Seeds; 
  when slain, the seeds consume the last of their 
  life energy and grow rapidly into Darkbringer 
  Horrors, bursting out at the beginning of the 
  cultist’s next turn and acting immediately. 
  
  17
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 3
  Adjusting the Encounter
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: replace the Shambling 
  Mound with a Darkbringer Horror, 
  replace three Darkbringer Cultists with 
  Darkbringer Druids; none of the cultists 
  transform into Darkbringer Horrors
  • Weak Party: replace the Shambling 
  Mound with a Darkbringer Grabber, 
  and only two of the cultists transform into 
  Darkbringer Horrors
  • Strong Party: add a second Shambling 
  Mound
  • Very Strong Party: add 2 Shambling 
  Mounds, and a total of 3 cultists transform 
  into Darkbringer Horrors.
  Developments
  If the party successfully repels the cultist attack 
  without the ritual being disrupted, any corrupted 
  townsfolk fall unconscious and the Dark Seeds 
  infecting them soon die. The ritual also cleanses 
  any dark seeds the adventures may have consumed 
  earlier in the adventure. With the Temple of 
  Chauntea as an unassailable stronghold, the 
  Constable is able to rally the town’s defenders and 
  start to mount a counter-attack. Kamik rewards the 
  party with a scroll of restoration, as well as using 
  his remaining spells to help the party recover.
   
  If the ritual is disrupted but the cultists are 
  driven away, the ritual must be started anew. It 
  is eventually successful, but repelling additional 
  attackers depletes (Golan if he is present and) 
  Kamik’s stores, leaving him nothing to reward the 
  party.
   
  In either case, the Constable meets the 
  adventurers at the temple shortly thereafter with a 
  new mission. Proceed to Part 4.
  3B Rescue the Townsfolk                     
  Read or paraphrase the following:
      
  The Greengrass Festival has descended into 
  utter madness. All around, cultists bedecked 
  with festive greenery menace the townsfolk, 
  herding them south and east toward the 
  Downs. The Constable leads the priests of 
  the council toward the Temple of Chauntea, 
  hoping to enact Grypht’s ritual and create a 
  refuge.  
   
  It has been a harrowing hour, gathering 
  up small groups of villagers and directing 
  them toward safe havens. The cultists have 
  been herding people south and east, but 
  have thus far avoided facing armed oppo-
  sition. You have seen members of the town 
  council and deputies leading people to the 
  Elmwood Hall or the Temple of Chauntea, 
  but now you spot a deputy leading a large 
  group west, toward the Firewood Glade in 
  the forest. Very strange…
  General Features
  Clearing. This encounter takes place in Firewood 
  Glade, a clearing in the woods roughly 60 feet 
  across. 
  Trail. A 10-foot wide trail leads through the forest 
  towards Elmwood. Beyond the edge of the clearing, 
  the woods are thick with undergrowth, providing 
  plenty of cover for the Darkbringer’s forces. Treat 
  the undergrowth as difficult terrain that provides 
  cover. 
  Light. The sun is low in the sky but it is still normal 
  light conditions outside.
  Deputy Umbero Marivaldi has seen the horde 
  of plant monsters massing on the edge of the 
  Middens, and does not like his odds of survival. 
  Unfortunately, he was spotted by a group of 
  villagers as he legged it out of town, and has 
  acquired a growing train of terrified followers.
  
  18
   
  Umbero is a Turami man from the shore of 
  the Inner Sea who ended up in Elmwood decades 
  ago and survived the Burning. He is very large, 
  has close cropped hair, and has his ears pierced 
  numerous times. He has a sour look on his face, 
  and is arrogant, rude, and unkempt. When the 
  adventurers catch up with him in the Firewood 
  Glade, he is trying to convince the villagers to let 
  him leave “to scout” so he can desert in peace. 
  Unfortunately for him, Umbero’s chosen escape 
  route has taken him directly into a force of 
  Darkbringer plant monsters poised to outflank 
  Elmwood’s defenders.
   
  Four Darkbringer Druids lead a force of 4 
  Awakened Trees and 8 Needle Blights, attacking 
  from either side of the glade. The druids open the 
  attack by hurling two Dark Seed packs into the 
  crowd of villagers, corrupting four commoners 
  who join the fight by attempting to grapple 
  adventurers and drag them into the surrounding 
  forest. Umbero Marivaldi (a veteran) makes a 
  show of protecting the townsfolk, but as soon as 
  an opening presents itself, he flees back down the 
  trail. Characters with a Passive Insight of 12 or 
  higher can recognize Umbero’s growing terror; 
  he can be persuaded to stay and fight by taking 
  an action to make a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check. 
  Adjusting the Encounter
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: replace the Darkbringer 
  Druids with Darkbringer Cultists, remove 
  two of the Awakened Trees and four 
  Needle Blights
  • Weak Party: remove one Darkbringer 
  Druid and one Awakened Trees
  • Strong Party: add three Darkbringer 
  Druids
  • Very Strong Party: add three Darkbringer 
  Druids and two Awakened Trees.”
  Development
  If the party manages to defeat the cultists and to 
  persuade Deputy Umbero Marivaldi to return to 
  his duties defending the town, they can escort 
  the villagers to the Temple of Chauntea, where 
  Constable Aliana Mathnir welcomes their return, 
  as well that of her deputy. She provides the party 
  with a scroll of restoration and two potions of 
  healing from the temple stores.
   
  If the party allowed Umbero to flee, he had 
  plundered the Constable’s cache of supplies before 
  going. In either case, the Constable has another 
  mission for the heroes. Proceed to Part 4.
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 3
  
  19
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 4
  PART 4. 
  GEARING UP
  Expected duration: 10 minutes (4a) or 40 
  minutes (4b).
  With the Temple of Chauntea secure and some 
  of the people safe, the Constable meets up with 
  the heroes to make the next move in retaking the 
  town. She offers them another choice of missions: 
  recover incendiaries from the Stone’s Dwarf Inn, 
  OR escort a group of militia to the armory to get 
  arms and armor.
      
  Your short breather in the relative safety of the 
  Temple of Chauntea is interrupted by the Con-
  stable’s arrival. A trickle of dried blood mars 
  her cheek, but her voice is strong and sure.
   
  “You have my thanks for all you have 
  done, getting the people of Elmwood to safe-
  ty. At last we can begin our counterattack. 
  There are many who would fight, but they 
  lack weapons. Unfortunately, a strong force 
  of the enemy bars the way to the armory.
   
  “I also believe that Tinker Nimbledigit, 
  our resident wizard, has a cache of incendiar-
  ies which would be very helpful in burning our 
  way into the enemy stronghold. Unfortunate-
  ly, we have lost contact with him, and we 
  cannot wait for him to disarm whatever tricks 
  he has in place at the Stone’s Dwarf Inn.
   
  “So, which of these little jaunts appeals 
  to you?”
  The adventurers have a choice between escorting 
  a group of militia to the armory, battling their 
  way through enemy forces, or getting past Tinker 
  Nimbledigit’s tricks and traps at the Stone’s 
  Dwarf Inn. Their choice here also determines 
  which encounter they will face in Part 5. If the 
  adventurers choose to undertake the “Arm the 
  Militia” mission (a combat encounter), in Part 
  5 they will face the “Slimes, Molds, and Fungi” 
  encounter (a skill-based encounter); if they 
  choose the “Fetch the Fireworks” mission (a skill-
  based encounter), then in Part 5 they will face 
  “Gulguthra!” (a combat encounter).
  4A Fetch the Fireworks                     
  The Stone’s Dwarf Inn is an inn on the southern 
  edge of the town. The gnome wizard Tinker 
  Nimbledigit runs it in a fairly haphazard way, but 
  he is well loved for his humor and good cheer.
  General Features
  Construction. The Stone’s Dwarf Inn is three story 
  solid stone inn with on no rational floorplan, and is 
  full of odd angles and stairways that go nowhere.
  Magical. The building radiates magic if examined.
  The Stone Dwarf. Outside of the building is an 
  entirely too lifelike stone dwarf.
  When the group of characters approach the 
  building, read or paraphrase the following:
      
  Thanks to the Constable clearing the way, 
  you make it to the Stone’s Dwarf Inn virtually 
  unchallenged. The place is shuttered up tight. 
  As you walk up, the front door opens a crack, 
  and a wizened gnome peers out, barking ‘Go 
  away! We aren’t home!’ before slamming the 
  door closed. There is the sound of a heavy bar 
  slipping into place.
  This is an illusion created by Tinker. If the 
  adventurers spend more than five minutes at the 
  door, the illusion repeats. The door is locked, DC 18 
  Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check to pick the lock, 
  or DC Strength check  to bash it in. Once the door 
  is breached, a glyph of warding is triggered: the 
  two characters closest to the door must make DC 
  14 Charisma saving throws or be banished, as the 
  spell banishment, for 1 minute. When they return, 
  a magic mouth on the dwarf statue says “Mind your 
  manners or your next time-out may be a bit chilly.”
   
  Once through the front door, the heroes find 
  themselves in an eclectic common room, filled with 
  knickknacks, curios, and bric-a-brac. It doesn’t take 
  long to look through the common room, kitchen, 
  and half-dozen guest rooms, leaving a small locked 
  door at the bottom of a short flight of stairs the 
  only unexplored option. The first adventurer to 
  set foot on the stairs must make a DC 14 Charisma 
  
  20
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 4
  save or be teleported to the center of the Temple 
  Gardens, leaving all their clothing and gear behind. 
   
  Another magic mouth, this one on a stuffed 
  alligator hanging from the ceiling, says, “You’ll find 
  your embarrassed friend in the temple gardens. 
  Don’t come back if you value breathing.” 
   
  The victim of the trap finds themselves standing 
  naked in the gardens. They may get some pants 
  and a basic weapon from villagers sheltering in the 
  temple, and can rejoin the party by making a DC 
  10 ability check of some sort to avoid the cultists 
  (Athletics to outrun them, Bluff to seem corrupted, 
  Perception to notice approaching danger, ect). On 
  a failed check, the adventurer suffers 2d10 damage 
  from a run-in with the cult on the way.
   
  The door itself is exquisitely crafted, with 
  a massive, complex-looking lock. An illusion of 
  an incredibly complex trap overlays the lock 
  mechanism, one that seems like it would defy any 
  attempt to bypass. A successful DC 14 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check reveals the trap to be an 
  illusion, but if anyone says the word “illusion”, the 
  trap fades away and a dozen glyphs fade into view 
  on the doorframe, similar to the ones that held 
  the banishment and teleportation traps. They are 
  fakes, however, a fact that can be revealed by a 
  DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The lock itself 
  requires a DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, 
  or a DC 20 Strength check to bash in.
   
  Inside is a crowded workroom, filled with all 
  kinds of tools, from watchmakers’ implements 
  to gardening hoes. There are several illusions 
  covering portions of the room; each can be found 
  with a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check. 
  • An illusory rug covering a wooden chest sitting 
  in a hole in the floor in the northwestern corner 
  of the room. Inside the chest are a variety of 
  valuable-looking, but ultimately worthless, 
  trinkets, such as plated jewelry, glass gems, and 
  brass coins.
  • An illusion covering a large portion of the 
  east wall. A section of shelving that appears to 
  hold rusty pipes of various lengths and widths 
  actually hold a large number of fireworks and 
  several cases of alchemist’s fire. An adventurer 
  who passes within 5’ of this section may notice 
  the smell of smokepowder with a DC 16 passive 
  Perception.
  • An illusion conceals a stout door on the north 
  wall. If a creature touches the door, a magic 
  mouth angrily shouts “You have until the count 
  of five to leave this place. Linger and die! 5. 4. 
  3. 2. 1.” When the countdown reaches one, a 
  glyph of warding containing a cloud kill spell 
  goes off, filling the room with toxic gas. Any 
  creature in the room takes 5d8 poison damage, 
  DC 14 Constitution save for half damage. The 
  cloud moves away from the door at 10 feet per 
  round, into vents Tinker installed under the 
  stairs so the gas wouldn’t get into the kitchen or 
  common room. 
  • The door is strongly locked and barred; if the 
  adventurers decide to go through it, Tinker 
  uses a peephole to get a look at them. If he 
  recognizes any adventurers from ELMW1-1 or 
  ELMW1-2, he uses the message cantrip to tell 
  a bad joke, judging their reaction to determine 
  whether they are corrupted or not. An example: 
  “A ham sandwich walks into the Wayfarer’s 
  Rest and orders an ale. Halser Taletreader says 
  ‘Sorry, we don’t serve food here.’” It takes a DC 
  13 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince 
  Nimble to open up; any player who actually 
  laughed at the joke has advantage on the check. 
  Nimble and his wife are sheltering a dozen 
  small children hidden away in his safe room. He 
  is happy to hear that the Temple of Chauntea 
  is secure and promises to join the Constable 
  shortly with his fireworks.
  Developments
  If the adventurers bring the incendiaries back 
  to the Temple of Chauntea, they can take a short 
  rest while they are adapted for martial use. If they 
  manage to convince Nimble to join the Constable at 
  the Temple, he gives them two flasks of alchemist’s 
  fire.  Otherwise, Nimble comes in later, having 
  contacted the Constable via sending. In either case, 
  while the adventurers are taking a well-earned 
  rest, he uses alchemist’s fire to turn the festive 
  fireworks into incendiary rockets. Proceed to Part 
  5, in which the adventurers will face the encounter 
  “Gulguthra!” before moving on to “The Voice of 
  Moander.”
  
  21
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 4
  4B Arm the Militia                                  
  Many townsfolk are willing to fight, but have 
  no weapons or armor. The Constable asks the 
  adventurers to protect them as they make their 
  way to the Shrine of Tempus, where Hammer 
  Granthar Copperhelm keeps an armory hidden 
  beneath the altar.
   
  Read the following when the characters take 
  on this mission:
      
  Two dozen hard-eyed men and women stand 
  before you. Some carry broom handles, bro-
  ken chairs, a few even have large rocks. They 
  are all determined to fight, but to survive long, 
  they will need proper gear. Fortunately, the 
  local priest of Tempus is the sort to be well-pre-
  pared.
  By this point, the cult has gained a more aggressive 
  footing. Roving bands of marauders infest 
  Elmwood, and a strong force is between the Temple 
  of Chauntea and the Shrine to Tempus. If the 
  adventurers have a scout ranging ahead, allow that 
  character to make a DC 11 Dexterity (Stealth) check 
  to get close enough to the shrine to spot the cultists 
  ransacking the place. Otherwise, the adventurers 
  and their charges just stumble into the area.
  Features of the Area
  Open Air. The Shrine to Tempus is an open-air 
  altar, surrounded by a ring of large pillars 
  Pillars. The pillars are hung with broken shields, 
  shattered blades, and tattered battle-flags. Any 
  creature that is pushed into a pillar takes 1d10 
  piercing damage from the jagged shards adorning it. 
  Hallow. The entire area is under the effects of a 
  hallow spell which provides all creatures within 
  immunity to being Frightened. (Also note that that 
  it hedges out celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, 
  and undead; this includes paladin mounts and 
  familiars). 
  Altar. Under the altar is a large hidden chamber 
  containing weapons, armor and shields to outfit 
  fifty. It takes a combined Strength of 35 to move 
  the altar (note that as long as enough townsfolk 
  survive, they can help to move the altar).
  Light. The sun is setting and there is dim light.
  A Darkbringer Druid commands four 
  Darkbringer Berserkers and three Corrupted 
  Owlbears captured in the forest. The berserkers are 
  host to fully developed Dark Seeds; when they are 
  reduced to 0 hit points, it consumes the last of their 
  life energy to quickly grow into a gas spore, which 
  explodes at the start of the berserker’s next turn.
   
  The militia members are guards, but without 
  equipment they would be easy prey for the cultists.  
  If necessary, they can snatch up weapons dropped 
  by cultists, but until properly equipped, they are 
  not effective combatants.
  Adjusting the Encounter
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: remove one 
  Darkbringer Berserker, one gas spore, 
  and two of the Corrupted Owlbears
  • Weak Party: Remove two Corrupted 
  Owlbears
  • Strong Party: Add a Darkbringer 
  Berserker and a gas spore
  • Very Strong Party: The Darkbringer 
  Druid also has a fully-developed Dark Seed; 
  when the druid is reduced to 0 hit points, it 
  grows into a Shambling Mound at the start 
  of the druid’s next turn.
  Developments
  Once the cultists are eliminated, the adventurers 
  can open up the altar cache, allowing the militia to 
  arm themselves. If at least 20 of the militia survive, 
  the Constable gives the adventurers a potion of 
  greater healing out of the medical supplies she 
  had set aside for the mission. If the party lost more 
  than four of the militia to the cultists’ attack, the 
  supplies are used trying to get the fallen back into 
  the fight.
   
  In either case, the party may take a short rest. 
  The Constable wants them as fit as possible for 
  the counterattack she is planning. Proceed to Part 
  5, where the adventurers will encounter “Slimes, 
  Molds, and Fungi” before moving on to “The Voice 
  of Moander.”
  
  22
  PART 5. 
  THE FINAL PUSH
  Expected duration: 10 minutes (5a) or 40 
  minutes (5b). 50 min (5c).
  The townsfolk are as safe as they can be, and those 
  willing to fight are as equipped as possible. The 
  Constable has identified the Middens as the most 
  likely location for the cult’s leaders, so she has 
  ordered an all-or-nothing attack.
   
  If the adventurers completed 4B: Arm the 
  Militia encounter, Elmwood’s fighters cut a path 
  through the cult’s lines for them. However, the 
  party must deal with some insidious traps before 
  they can confront the Voice of Moander and break 
  the cult once and for all. Proceed to the encounter 
  5A: Slimes, Molds, and Fungi.
   
  If the adventurers completed the 4A: Retrieve 
  Fireworks encounter, the adventurers must fight 
  their way through the cult’s line, but the makeshift 
  artillery barrage has burned away many defenses. 
  Proceed to the encounter 5B: “Gulguthra!”
   
  Once the heroes have made their way past 
  either the active or passive defenses, they face the 
  leader of the cult in encounter 5C: The Voice of 
  Moander.
      
  The sun has set after hours of fighting, but 
  there seems to be no end to the cultists and 
  their abominations. Lurching out of the smoke, 
  Constable Aliana Mathnir smiles when she sees 
  you, then winces as the opens a scabbed-
  over gash on her cheek.
   
  “We seem to have dealt with most of 
  the human cultists, but more and bigger 
  plant monsters keep joining the fray. With the 
  light dying, I fear that we are lost if we can-
  not stop these creatures at their source. The 
  cultists seem to be protecting something in the 
  Middens, which also seems to be the birthing 
  place of these foul things. What say you, my 
  friends: one last push? For Elmwood!”
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 5
  General Features
  The following general features apply to all 
  encounters in part 5.
  The Middens. The encounters take place in the 
  Middens. The ground is spongy and treacherous, 
  with broken farm implements, derelict furniture, 
  and all manner of garbage strewn about. Large 
  heaps of compost are connected by rough paths the 
  farmers use to drop off scraps and pick up fertilizer.
  Light and Visibility. The sun has set, the red sky 
  providing dim light, for now. Intermittent fires 
  sputter among the damp undergrowth (if the 
  adventurers completed the Retrieve Fireworks 
  encounter, there are a number of larger fires and 
  many charred-out patches).
  Sounds. The battle rages all around, with clashing 
  arms, screaming wounded, desperate battlecries and 
  a strange, rustling susurrus of the plant creatures 
  coming from all sides. Occasionally, bits of odd 
  chanting can be heard from deeper in the Middens.
  Smells. Drifts of smoke and the tang of spilled 
  blood do little to distract from the overwhelming 
  smell of damp rot and decay that pervades the 
  Middens, like a compost heap turned over after a 
  long, wet spring.
  5A Gulguthra!                                      
  If the adventurers completed the “Retrieve 
  Fireworks” encounter, read or paraphrase the 
  following:
      
  Bloody and near exhaustion, the few remain-
  ing defenders of Elmwood jog southeast. The 
  last rays of the setting sun turn Aliana Mathnir’s 
  sword into a blazing torch as she raises it high.
  ‘This ends NOW!’ The Constable breaks into a 
  run, charging straight at the cultists and mon-
  sters massed around the garbage Middens. 
  With a ragged cry, the rest of the Elmwood’s 
  fighters lurch after her. A screaming flurry of 
  rockets suddenly shoots past, exploding in 
  huge blossoms of flame. The disoriented cultists 
  scatter, but hulking masses of filth burst out of 
  the heaps of trash. Time for action!
  
  23
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 5
  As the few other defenders of Elmwood engage the 
  remaining cultists, the adventurers must deal with 
  a more monstrous threat: otyughs raised from the 
  filth of the Middens and infused with the 
  Darkbringer’s power by the Voice of Moander.
   
  Three Darkbringer Otyughs burst out of the 
  compost heaps around the party, surrounding 
  them. The south-eastern edge of the map is a 
  raging inferno as marked on the tactical map; any 
  creatures entering or ending their turn in the area 
  suffer 2d10 fire damage.
  Adjusting the Encounter
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: remove one 
  Darkbringer Otyugh; the Otyughs are 
  hit by the fireworks barrage, and start the 
  encounter with 80 hit points each
  • Weak Party:The Otyughs are hit by the 
  fireworks barrage, and start the encounter 
  with 80 hit points each
  • Strong Party: The Darkbringer Otyughs 
  surprise the party
  • Very Strong Party: The Darkbringer 
  Otyughs surprise the party; in addition, 
  when they burst from the garbage heaps, 
  they fling burning garbage in all directions, 
  dealing 4d6 bludgeoning damage and 2d6 
  fire damage to other creatures within 20 
  feet; a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw allows 
  a creature to take half damage.
  Treasure
  The characters find a Staff of the Woodlands among 
  their vanquished foes. Note that this treasure is not 
  available twice. Characters can only do encounter 
  5A OR 5B, but not both.
  Developments
  After the characters have bypassed the challenges 
  here, proceed to section 5C The Voice of Moander.
  5B Slimes, Molds and Fungi            
  If the adventurers completed the “Arm the Militia” 
  encounter, read or paraphrase the following:
      
  Bloody and near exhaustion, the remaining 
  defenders of Elmwood jog southeast. The last 
  rays of the setting sun turn Aliana Mathnir’s 
  sword into a blazing torch as she raises it high.
   
  ‘This ends NOW!’ The Constable breaks 
  into a run, charging straight at the cultists and 
  monsters massed around the garbage Mid-
  dens. With a roar, the people of Elmwood slam 
  into the writhing horde. They batter a gap in 
  the line of cultists and monstrosities. Now, it is 
  up to you to confront the source of this mad-
  ness!”
  The Constable and other defenders of Elmwood 
  have engaged the bulk of the cult defenders, but 
  the Voice of Moander has had days to augment 
  the defenses of her lair. Whichever path the 
  adventurers take, they encounter a patch of yellow 
  mold, carefully cultivated under a layer of mulch 
  to protect it from the sun, and a tripwire trap that 
  releases a barrage of clay pots filled with green 
  slime. Note that the dim light conditions apply 
  disadvantage on Perception checks, which reduces 
  Passive Perception by 5. If the party is using a 
  brighter light source, it will be impossible for 
  them to attempt stealth checks against the Voice of 
  Moander.
   
  The approach to the Voice of Moander weaves 
  among massive piles and heaps of trash and rotting 
  compost. Pathways roughly 15 feet wide meander 
  among the mounds, limiting vision to no more than 
  60 feet at any given time.
   
  Should the adventurers elect to clamber over 
  the mounds rather than go between, they find 
  them to be slow going, and they still need to cross 
  the trapped area between heaps. They can manage 
  a glimpse of a twisted tree near the south-eastern 
  edge of the Middens, which seems to be source of 
  the chanting.
  Yellow Mold: The outer approach to the Voice 
  of Moander’s lair is carpeted with patches of 
  yellow mold, carefully protected from the sun by 
  thin layers of mulch. Unless the adventurers are 
  prodding the ground ahead of them, whoever is in 
  front steps right into a patch.
  
  24
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 5
   
  When disturbed, yellow mold ejects a cloud 
  of spores that fill a 10-foot cube centered on the 
  disturbed patch. Any creature in the area must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw 
  or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and become 
  poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, 
  the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the 
  start of each of its turns. The creature can repeat 
  the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the effect on itself on a successful save.
   
  Sunlight or any amount of fire damage 
  instantly destroys one patch of yellow mold.
  Green Slime Launcher: The inner approach to 
  the Voice of Moander’s lair is spiderwebbed with 
  tripwires. It takes a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check to notice a slightly-raised tripwire among the 
  mulch, filth, and tangled vines that fill the Middens; 
  note that dim light imposes disadvantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks based on sight. If the 
  trap is set off, a hail of clay pots rains down in a 30’ 
  radius, centered on the triggering character, which 
  shatter in sprays of green slime. Each creature in 
  the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw; 
  on a failure, the creature is exposed to green slime; 
  if the creature fails by 5 or more they suffer a direct 
  hit, and any non-magical armor they are wearing 
  has its AC bonus permanently reduced by 1.
   
  Green slime deals 5 (1d10) acid damage when 
  a creature is first exposed, and the creature takes 
  the damage again at the start of each of its turns 
  until the slime is scraped off or destroyed. Against 
  wood or metal, green slime deals 11 (2d10) acid 
  damage each round, and any nonmagical wood or 
  metal weapon or tool used to scrape off the slime is 
  effectively destroyed.
   
  Sunlight, any effect that cures disease, and 
  any effect that deals cold, fire, or radiant damage 
  destroys a patch of green slime.
  Treasure
  The characters find a Staff of the Woodlands among 
  the trash in the Middens. Note that this treasure 
  is not available twice. Characters can only do 
  encounter 5A OR 5B, but not both.
  Developments
  After the characters have bypassed the challenges 
  here, proceed to section 5C The Voice of Moander.
  5C The Voice of Moander                    
  After battling through the cult’s last defenses, 
  the adventurers can finally confront the Voice of 
  Moander, the source of all the evil that has beset 
  Elmwood. At the southeast edge of the Middens, 
  the Voice raises wave after wave of plant creatures 
  to hurl against the defenders of Elmwood. If the 
  adventurers are not carrying a light source, they 
  can get within 60 feet before needing to make a 
  group Dexterity (Stealth) check to get closer. If 
  they are carrying lights, or fail to beat the passive 
  Perception of either the Voice of Moander (who has 
  disadvantage on her Passive Perception due to her 
  chanting) or of her corrupted treant companion. 
  If successful in their stealth, the Voice is on the 
  ground, but if unsuccessful, she begins hidden 
  among the treant’s foliage. Read or paraphrase the 
  following, adjusting as necessary depending upon 
  whether the Voice of Moander is hidden in the 
  treant or not.
   
  The Corrupted Treant has already used its 
  Animate Trees ability, but the animated trees have 
  already been destroyed. The Voice of Moander 
  (drow priestess of Lolth) has lost her Summon 
  Demon ability once she severed her connection to 
  the Demon Goddess.
      
  Pressing deeper into the Middens, the sounds 
  of battle fade behind the heaps of trash. 
  The sound of chanting is clearer now, a high, 
  hoarse voice calling out maddening syllables. 
  A line of trees stands on the far side of a clear 
  area, but the voice seems to be coming from 
  the top of a larger tree a few yards away from 
  the rest, covered in broad shelves of fungus 
  and patches of rot.
  The Voice of Moander tries to remain hidden in the 
  branches of her corrupted treant ally, using her 
  spells to support its attacks by summoning beasts 
  and disrupting the enemy. If the party managed to 
  approach without alerting her, she uses her levitate 
  ability on her first turn to get among the branches 
  and take cover.
   
  While in the corrupted treant’s branches, the 
  Voice of Moander has half cover (+2 to AC and 
  Dexterity saving throws), and enough concealment 
  to hide if she so desires. She moves about the 
  corrupted treant’s branches as if they were difficult 
  
  25
  terrain, but does not need to make an ability check 
  to do so as the treant is actively helping her; she 
  may improve her cover to three-quarters (+4 to AC 
  and Dexterity saving throws) by moving to put the 
  bulk of the treant’s crown between herself and an 
  enemy. She tends to remain 20 feet off the ground.
   
  In order to confront the Voice of Moander 
  in melee while she is so protected, a character 
  must climb up the treant by first making a DC 
  16 Strength (Athletics) check to clamber up into 
  its branches, which will provoke an attack of 
  opportunity from the corrupted treant. Moving 
  about on the treant requires the same check, and 
  the character moves at half speed while climbing. 
  The corrupted treant has advantage on any attacks 
  it makes against an enemy in its branches, and 
  focuses its attacks on such creatures, as they are 
  the greatest threat to the Voice of Moander.
   
  The Voice of Moander and her allies fight to the 
  death. Once she is slain, the plant monsters are no 
  longer motivated by her malice, and simply wander 
  off to a damp spot to put down roots. The surviving 
  cultists scatter.
  Adjusting the Encounter
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this 
  combat encounter. These are not cumulative.
  • Very Weak Party: replace the Corrupted 
  Treant with a Shambling Mound, the Voice 
  of Moander has already used all of her 4th 
  and 5th level spell slots
  • Weak Party: Replace the Corrupted Treant 
  with a Shambling Mound; the Voice of 
  Moander has already used her 5th level 
  spell slots
  • Strong Party: The Corrupted Treant has 
  the use of its Animate Trees ability, and has 
  already animated two nearby trees. The 
  Voice of Moander uses minor illusion to 
  make the chanting come from one of the 
  animated trees, and she and Corrupted 
  Treant wait to act until the adventurers 
  engage the trees
  • Very Strong Party: The Corrupted Treant 
  has the use of its Animate Trees ability, and 
  has already animated two nearby trees. 
  The Voice of Moander uses minor illusion 
  to make the chanting come from one of the 
  animated trees, and she and Corrupted 
  Treant wait to act until the adventurers 
  engage the trees. Add a Shambling Mound 
  which enters the battle in the second round, 
  and approaches from the rear.
    
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  PART 5
  
  26
  Conclusion
  When the Voice of Moander falls, read or 
  paraphrase the following:
  With a last, desperate shriek to a dead god, 
  the Voice of Moander falls. As she does, 
  the animated plants suddenly lose their 
  malevolent thirst for slaughter and simply 
  wander aimlessly.
   
  Lacking their horrific allies, the people 
  of Elmwood are able to drive off or kill the 
  remaining followers of the Darkbringer over 
  the course of the night. The death toll was 
  surprisingly light, as the cultists were more 
  interested in converts than slaughter, but 
  many brave defenders were still slain battling 
  the plant monsters.
   
  When the last of the mindless plant 
  monsters is cut down, Constable Aliana 
  Mathnir addresses the massed defenders of 
  Elmwood. ‘You have all done well. Our home 
  is safe. Now get some rest!’ Ignoring her 
  own order, the Constable hurries on to deal 
  with putting the town back together, pausing 
  briefly to give you a tired, thankful smile.
   
  In the days that follow, Elmwood’s 
  Greengrass festival goes on at a much
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD: 
  PART 6
  subdued level, but the party does go on. 
  Catlin Littleleaf of Druid Brewery makes sure 
  everyone has more than enough libations, and 
  thanks to your efforts, there’s enough food 
  for everyone. There are many marriages over 
  the next few days and you are invited to all of 
  them as the heroes of Elmwood.
  As the Greengrass festival winds to a close, 
  Aliana Mathir and some of the rest of the 
  townsfolk seek you out.
  “Look, I’ve been talking to folks and,” she rubs 
  her chin as she smiles at you. “And folks want 
  you to stick around. I’ve been talking to the 
  platt-writer, the guy who figures out property 
  boundaries, and we’d like to give you a little 
  piece of Elmwood for your very own if you’d 
  like to stay here, and maybe build a house or 
  a shop on it, you know?” She gives you a grin. 
  “You make this place feel a little safer. It’s been 
  a rough couple of years, and you’re just the 
  kind of people we want to have here as we 
  rebuild.”
  The constable gives you a wry smile, and 
  offers out a brand-new property deed.
  “Welcome home, adventurer.”
  
  27
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  REWARDS
  Rewards
  Make sure note their rewards on their adventure 
  log sheets. 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
  Awakened Tree 
   
   
  450
  Corrupted Owlbear 
   
   
  700
  Corrupted Treant 
   
   
  5,000
  Darkbringer Berserker  
   
  450
  Darkbringer Cultist 
   
   
  50
  Darkbringer Druid 
   
   
  450
  Darkbringer Grabber  
   
  1,100
  Darkbringer Horror 
   
   
  700
  Darkbringer Otyugh  
   
  1,800
  Elmwood Commoner  
   
  25
  Gas Spore 
   
   
   
  100
  Needle Blight  
   
   
  50
  Shambling Mound 
   
   
  1,800
  Vine Blight 
   
   
   
  100
  Voice of Moander 
   
   
  3,900
  Non-Combat Awards
  Task or accomplishment 
  XP per Char.
  Every Non-Named Elmwood Citizen 
  (commoners and guards) that 
  survives an encounter  
   
  100 xp
  Kamik Felicity survives uninfected 
  200 xp
  Golan Survives uninfected 
   
  200 xp
  Deputy Umbero Marivaldi survives 
  uninfected 
   
   
   
  200 xp
  Finding and saving Tinker and 
  the children 
   
   
   
  500 xp
  Survive Encounter 5A: Slimes, 
  Molds, and Fungi 
   
   
  750 xp
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 4,500 
  experience points.
   
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 6,000 experience 
  points.
  Treasure                                             
  The characters receive the following treasure, 
  divided up amongst the party. Characters should 
  attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever 
  possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable 
  gear are calculated at their selling price, not their 
  purchase price.
   
  The grateful townsfolk take up a collection to 
  reward the heroes who saved Elmwood, which, 
  combined with some loot found on the cultists, 
  totals 3,000 GP.
   
  Character with the story award “We Owe You 
  One” from ELMW1-2 receive an extra 500 GP and 
  can cross that portion of the story reward off.
  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 Item Distribution
  Permanent magic items are divided according to 
  a system. D&D Adventurers League has a system 
  in place to determine who is awarded permanent 
  magic items at the end of a session. Each 
  character’s logsheet contains a column to record 
  permanent magic items for ease of reference.
  • If all the players at the table agree on one 
  character taking possession of a permanent 
  magic item, that character gets the item.
  • In the event that one or more characters indicate 
  an interest in possessing a permanent magic 
  item, the character that possesses the fewest 
  permanent magic items gets the item. If there 
  is a tie in the total number of permanent magic 
  items owned by contesting characters, the item’s 
  owner is determined randomly by the DM.
  
  28
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  REWARDS
  Staff of the Woodlands
  Staff, rare (requires attunement by a druid)
  This staff can be wielded as a magic quarterstaff 
  that grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls 
  made with it. While holding it, you have a +2 bonus 
  to spell attack rolls.
   
  The staff has 10 charges for the following 
  properties. It regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges 
  daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll 
  a d20. On a 1, the staff loses its properties and 
  becomes a nonmagical quarterstaff.
  Spells. You can use an action to expend 1 or more 
  of the staff’s charges to cast one of the following 
  spells from it, using your spell save DC: animal 
  friendship (1 charge), awaken (5 charges), barkskin 
  (2 charges), locate animals or plants (2 charges), 
  speak with animals (1 charge), speak with plants (3 
  charges), or wall of thorns (6 charges).
   
  You can also use an action to cast the pass 
  without trace spell from the staff without using any 
  charges. 
  Tree Form. You can use an action to plant one end 
  of the staff in fertile earth and expend 1 charge to 
  transform the staff into a healthy tree. The tree is 
  60 feet tall and has a 5-foot-diameter trunk, and its 
  branches at the top spread out in a 20-foot radius. 
  The tree appears ordinary but radiates a faint aura 
  of transmutation magic if targeted by detect magic. 
  While touching the tree and using another action 
  to speak its command, word, you return the staff to 
  its normal form. Any creature in the tree falls when 
  it reverts to a staff
  Scroll of Lesser Restoration (3rd Level)
  Scroll, Uncommon
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Potion of Healing
  Potion, Uncommon
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Potion of Greater Healing
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Potion of Fire Breath
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Antitoxin x2
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Alchemists Fire x2
  A description of this item can be found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Favors and Enmity                                 
  Characters that successfully completed this 
  adventure earn the story reward “Home Sweet 
  Home”. Reward them with Player Handout 3.
  This character has been given a plot of land in 
  Elmwood by the Elmwood Council to use as their 
  permanent residence. This plot of land can be 
  either sized for a comfortably large house in the 
  main area of the town of Elmwood OR about an 
  acre of bare land out in the farmlands for some 
  crops or a ranch, a barn, and a farmhouse. Future 
  Elmwood adventures will have more information 
  about how to upgrade this residence.
  Renown                                            
  Each character receives one point of renown.
  Downtime                                        
  Each character receives 10 downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure.
  DM Rewards                                       
  You receive 300 XP, 150 gp, and ten downtime 
  days  for running this session.
  
  29
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Appendix:
  NPC / Monster Statistics  
   
  Awakened Tree
  Huge plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 59 (7d12+14)
  Speed 20 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  19 (+4)    6 (-2)        15 (+2)      
  10 (+0)    10 (+0)      7 (-2)
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages understands Common but can’t speak
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Actions                                                                                
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) bludgeoning damage
  Corrupted Owlbear
  Large plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 59 (7d10+21)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  20 (+5)    12 (+1)       17 (+3)      2 (-4)     
  6 (-2)          1 (-5)
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  frightened, paralyzed
  Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8
  Languages -
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Actions                                                                                    
  Multiattack. The corrupted owlbear makes two 
  attacks: one with its beak and one with its claws.
  Beak Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) piercing damage.
  Claws Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) slashing damage.
  Corrupted Treant
  Huge plant, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 138 (12d12+60)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  23 (+6)     8 (-1)        21 (+5)       12 (+1)    16 (+3)      12 (+1)
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Condition Immunities yellow mold spores
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  False Appearance. While the corrupted treant 
  remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a 
  normal tree.
  Siege Monster. The treant deals double damage to 
  objects and structures.
  Actions                                                                                     
  Multiattack. The corrupted treant makes two slam 
  attacks.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 16 (3d6+6) bludgeoning damage.
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, 
  range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10+6) 
  bludgeoning damage.
  Animate Trees (1/day). The corrupted treant 
  magically animates one or two trees it can see 
  within 60’ of it. These trees have the same statistics 
  as a treant, except they have Intelligence and 
  Charisma scores of 1, they can’t speak, and they 
  have only the Slam action option. An animated 
  tree acts as an ally of the treant. The tree remains 
  animate for 1 day or until it dies; until the treant 
  dies or is more than 120 feet from the tree; or 
  until the treant takes a bonus action to turn it back 
  into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if 
  possible.
  
  30
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Darkbringer Cultist
  Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
  Hit Points 9 (2d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  11(+0)     12 (+1)       10 (+0)      10 (+0)    11 (+0)      10 (+0)
  Skills Deception +2, Religion +2
  Condition Immunities yellow mold spores
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Common
  Challenge ⅛ (50 XP)
  Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on 
  saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
  Actions                                                                                      
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) slashing damage
  Yellow Mold Flask. The cultist hurls a flask 
  containing yellow mold spores at a space within 
  15’, which bursts to fill a 10’ cube. Any creature 
  in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and 
  become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned 
  in this way, the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison 
  damage at the start of each of its turns. The 
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of 
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with 
  a successful save. Each cultist carries one flask of 
  yellow mold spores; if the cultist is reduced to 0 HP 
  while carrying a flask, there is a 50% chance that 
  it shatters in a cloud extending 5’ from the cultist; 
  the flask automatically breaks in this fashion if the 
  cultist takes 5 or more Thunder damage from a 
  single effect.
  Darkbringer Druid
  Medium humanoid (any race), neutral evil
  Armor Class 11 (16 with barkskin)
  Hit Points 27 (5d8+5)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10(+0)     12 (+1)       13 (+1)      12 (+1)    15 (+2)      11 (+0)
  Skills Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4
  Condition Immunities yellow mold spores
  Senses passive Perception 14
  Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Spellcasting. The druid is a 4th-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, 
  +4 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following 
  druid spells prepared.
  Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, shillelagh, thorn 
  whip
  1st level (4 slots): charm person, entangle, 
  longstrider, thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, hold person
  Actions                                                                                 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit 
  (+4 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) 
  bludgeoning damage if wielded in two hands, or 6 
  (1d8+2) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh
  Yellow Mold Flask. The cultist hurls a flask 
  containing yellow mold spores at a space within 
  15’, which bursts to fill a 10’ cube. Any creature 
  in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution 
  saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and 
  become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned 
  in this way, the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison 
  damage at the start of each of its turns. The 
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of 
  each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with 
  a successful save. Each cultist carries one flask of 
  yellow mold spores; if the cultist is reduced to 0 HP 
  while carrying a flask, there is a 50% chance that 
  it shatters in a cloud extending 5’ from the cultist; 
  the flask automatically breaks in this fashion if the 
  cultist takes 5 or more Thunder damage from a 
  single effect.
  
  31
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Darkbringer Berserker
  Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 13 (hide armor)
  Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3)     12 (+1)       17 (+3)      9 (-1)      
  11 (+0)      9 (-1)
  Condition Immunities yellow mold spores
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Common
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, the berserker can 
  gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls 
  during that turn, but attack rolls against it have 
  advantage until the start of its next turn.
  Actions                                                                          
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12+3) slashing damage.
  Darkbringer Grabber (Spore Servant Chuul)
  Large plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 93 (11d10+33)
  Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  19 (+4)    10 (+0)       16 (+3)      2 (-4)      
  6 (-2)          1 (-5)
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  frightened, paralyzed
  Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8
  Languages understands Common, but can’t speak
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Actions                                                                             
  Multiattack. The darkbringer horror makes two 
  pincer attacks.
  Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage. 
  The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a 
  Large or smaller creature and the Darkbringer 
  grabber doesn’t have two other creatures grappled.
  Darkbringer Otyugh (Spore Servant Otyugh)
  Large plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 114 (12d10+48)
  Speed 20 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16 (+3)    11 (+0)      19 (+4)       2 (-4)       6 (-2)         1 (-5)
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  frightened, paralyzed
  Senses blindsight 30’ (blind beyond) passive 
  Perception 8
  Languages - (can follow telepathic orders from the 
  Voice of Moander)
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Limiting Telepathy. The otyugh can magically 
  transmit simple messages and images to any 
  creature within 120 feet of it that can understand a 
  language. This form of telepathy doesn’t allow the 
  receiving creature to telepathically respond.
  Actions                                                                                   
  Multiattack. The otyugh makes three attacks: one 
  with its bite and two with its tentacles.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) piercing damage. If 
  the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw against disease or 
  become poisoned until the disease is cured. Every 
  24 hours that elapse, the target must repeat the 
  saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum 
  by 5 (1d10) on a failure. The disease is cured on 
  a success. The target dies if the disease reduces 
  its hit point maximum to 0. This reduction to the 
  target’s hit point maximum lasts until the disease 
  is cured.
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage 
  plus 4 (1d8) piercing damage. If the target is 
  Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13) 
  and restrained until the grapple ends. The otyugh 
  has two tentacles, each of which can grapple one 
  target.
  
  32
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Darkbringer Horror (Spore Servant Hook Horror)
  Large plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 75 (10d10+20)
  Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  18 (+4)    10 (+0)       15 (+2)      2 (-4)      
  6 (-2)          1 (-5)
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, 
  frightened, paralyzed
  Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8
  Languages understands Common, but can’t speak
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Actions                                                                                   
  Multiattack. The darkbringer horror makes two 
  hook attacks.
  Hook. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage
  Umbero Marivaldi, veteran
  Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral
  Armor Class 17 (splint)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8+18)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  16(+3)     13 (+1)       14 (+2)      10 (+0)    11 (+0)      10 (+0)
  Skills Athletics +5, Perception +2
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 3 (450 XP)
  Actions                                                                                   
  Multiattack. Nama makes two spear attacks; if 
  Nama is wielding a spear in each hand, she may 
  make a third spear attack
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 20 ft./60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 
  (1d6+3) piercing damage, or 8 (1d8+3 piercing 
  damage) if wielded in two hands.
  Acid Breath. (1/short or long rest) creatures in a 
  5 ft. by 30 ft. line must make a DC 14 Dex saving 
  throw, taking 3d6 acid damage on a failure, or half 
  that on a success.
  Elmwood Commoner
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral
  Armor Class 10
  Hit Points 4 (1d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10 (+0)     10 (+0)       10 (+0)      10 (+0)    10 (+0)      10 (+0)
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Common
  Challenge 0 (10 XP)
  Actions                                                                                
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage
  Elmwood Guard
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral
  Armor Class 11
  Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  13 (+1)    12 (+1)       12 (+1)      10 (+0)    11 (+0)      10 (+0)
  Skills Perception +2
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Common
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Actions                                                                                          
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 bludgeoning damage
  
  33
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Gas Spore
  Large plant, unaligned
  Armor Class 5 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 1 (1d10-4)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  5 (-3)       1 (-5)         3 (-5)         1 (-5)       1 (-5)         1 (-5)
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
  Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 5
  Languages -
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Death Burst. The gas spore explodes when it 
  drops to 0 hit points. Each creature within 20 feet 
  of it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving 
  throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage and become 
  infected with a disease on a failed save. Creatures 
  immune to the poisoned condition care immune to 
  this disease.
   
  Spores invade an infected creatures syste, 
  killing the creature in a number of hours equal to 
  1d12+the creature’s Constitution score, unless the 
  disease is removed. In half that time, the creature 
  becomes poisoned for the rest of the duration. 
  After the creature dies, it sprouts 2d4 Tiny gas 
  spores that grow to full size in 7 days.
  Giant Spider
  Large beast, unaligned
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 26 (4d10+4)
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  14 (+2)     16 (+3)      12 (+1)      2 (-4)       11 (+0)      4 (-3)
  Skills Stealth +7
  Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive 
  Perception 10
  Languages -
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult 
  surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, 
  without need to man an ability check.
  Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider 
  know the exact location of any other creature in 
  contact with the same web.
  Web Walker. The spider ignores movement 
  restrictions caused by webbing.
  Actions                                                                             
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage, and 
  the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving 
  throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed 
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit 
  points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, 
  even after regaining hit points, and paralyzed while 
  poisoned in this way.
  Web (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to 
  hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: The target is 
  restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained 
  target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting 
  the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be 
  attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability 
  to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, 
  and psychic damage).
  
  34
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Kamik Felicity, Priest of Chauntea (Priest)
  Medium humanoid (half-elf), neutral good
  Armor Class 13 (chain shirt)
  Hit Points 27 (5d8+5)
  Speed 25 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10 (+0)     10 (+0)       12 (+1)      13 (+1)    16 (+3)      13 (+1)
  Skills Medicine +6, Persuasion +3, Perception +6, 
  Religion +4
  Senses passive Perception 16
  Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. Kamik has advantage on saving 
  throws against being Charmed, and is immune to 
  magical sleep.
  Divine Eminence. As a bonus action, Kamik can 
  expend a spell slot to cause his melee weapon 
  attacks to magically deal an extra 10 (3d6) radiant 
  damage to a target on a hit. This benefit lasts until 
  the end of the turn. If the priest expends a spell slot 
  of 2nd level or higher, the extra damage increases 
  by 1d6 for each level above 1st.
  Spellcasting. Kamik is a 5th-level spellcaster. His 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, 
  +5 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following 
  cleric spells prepared.
  Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, 
  thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, healing word, 
  sanctuary
  2nd level (3 slots): augury, lesser restoration
  3rd level (2 slots): beacon of hope, dispel magic
  Actions                                                                              
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage
  Shambling Mound
  Large plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 136 (16d10+48)
  Speed 20 ft., swim 20’
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  18 (+4)     8 (-1)        16 (+3)       5 (-3)       10 (+0)      5 (-3)
  Skills Stealth +2
  Damage Resistances cold, fire
  Damage Immunities lightning
  Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, 
  exhaustion, yellow mold spores
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 10
  Languages understands Common, Druidic and 
  Sylvan but can’t speak
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Lightning Absorption. Whenever the shambling 
  mound is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no 
  damage and regains a number of hit points equal to 
  the lightning damage dealt.
  Actions                                                                            
  Multiattack. The shambling mound makes two 
  slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or 
  smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 
  14), and the shambling mound uses its Engulf on it.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage.
  Engulf. The shambling mound engulfs a Medium 
  or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed 
  target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, 
  and it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving 
  throw at the start of each of the mound’s turns 
  or take 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the 
  mound moves, the engulfed target moves with it. 
  The mound can have only one creature engulfed at 
  a time.
  
  35
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Voice of Moander (Drow Priestess of Lolth)
  Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (scale mail)
  Hit Points 71 (13d8+13)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  10 (+0)     14 (+2)      12 (+1)      13 (+1)    17 (+3)      18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +6, Cha +7
  Skills Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +4, 
  Stealth +5
  Condition Immunities yellow mold spores
  Senses darkvision 120’, passive Perception 16
  Languages Elvish, Undercommon, Sylvan
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. The Voice of Moander has advantage 
  on saving throws against being charmed, and 
  magic can’t put her to sleep.
  Innate Spellcasting. The Voice of Moander’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). 
  She can innately cast the following spells, requiring 
  no material components:
  At will: dancing lights
  1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self 
  only)
  Spellcasting The Voice of Moander is a 10th-level 
  spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom 
  (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She 
  has the following spells prepared.
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, minor illusion, 
  poison spray, shillelagh, thorn whip
  1st level (4 slots): charm person, cure wounds, 
  entangle, longstrider
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spike growth, 
  web
  3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals (2 giant 
  spiders), dispel magic
  4th level (3 slots): blight, confusion
  5th level (2 slots): insect plague, mass cure 
  wounds
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Voice of 
  Moander has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well 
  as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on 
  sight.
  Actions                                                                                 
  Multiattack. The Voice of Moander makes two 
  quarterstaff attacks.
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit 
  (+6 to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) 
  bludgeoning damage if wielded in two hands, or 7 
  (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh
  
  36
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Vine Blight
  Medium plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)
  Speed 10 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  15 (+2)     8 (-1)         14 (+2)       5 (-3)       10 (+0)      3 (-4)
  Skills Stealth +1
  Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, yellow 
  mold spores
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 10
  Languages Common
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Actions                                                                                         
  Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 
  10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) bludgeoning 
  damage, and a Large or smaller target is grappled 
  (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target 
  is restrained, and the blight can’t constrict another 
  target.
  Entangling Plants (Recharge 5-6). Grasping roots 
  and vines sprout in a 15-foot radius centered on 
  the blight, withering away after 1 minute. For the 
  duration, the area is difficult terrain for nonplant 
  creatures. In addition, each creature of the blight’s 
  choice in that area when the plants appear must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or 
  become restrained. A creature can use its action 
  to make a DC 12 Strength check, freeing itself or 
  another entangled creature within reach on a 
  success.
  Needle Blight
  Medium plant, neutral evil
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
  12 (+1)     12 (+1)      13 (+1)       4 (-3)       8 (-1)         3 (-4)
  Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, yellow 
  mold spores
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 9
  Languages understands Common but can’t speak
  Challenge ¼ (50 XP)
  Actions                                                                                           
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (2d4+1) piercing damage
  Needles. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 
  30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d6+1) piercing 
  damage
  
  37
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Appendix: Adventure Flowchart
  
  38
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Appendix: Maps
  
  39
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  40
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  41
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  Fetch the Fireworks
  
  42
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  43
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  44
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  45
  Appendix: Player Handouts
  Handout 1: List of Councilors and their Likely Locations
  • Constable Aliana Mathnir (already found)
  • Alksuth Cork, a bald human male, gnarled and heavily tattooed; he is likely to be overseeing the 
  wrestling matches near Black Hand Cheeses
  • Aranda Fletcher, a very tall half-elven woman, with blond hair and a pronounced limp; she is one of 
  the judges at the Beautiful Pig competition at Prici’s Threads and Gowns
  • Drake Holmstrumph, an older, gray-haired human man, most likely at the docks drinking with other 
  survivors of the Burning 
  • Deputy Kala Namak, a black-scaled dragonborn female, assigned to patrol the festival; she could be 
  anywhere
  • Larissa Aerasumé, Priestess of Selune, a strikingly beautiful half-elf who strongly favors here moon 
  elf heritage; she is likely sketching festival goers in exchange for donations to charity at the Wayfarer’s 
  Rest Inn
  • Nils Sankt, Priest of Bane, an extremely old human male, who hobbles about with the aid of a long 
  cudgel carved with a fist; he is likely heckling at the dunking booth near the Refugee Barracks
  • Harvest Mother Shayad, Priestess of Chauntea: an imposing half-orc woman, likely to be found in the 
  temple gardens shooing people away from her prized flowerbeds
  • Thyra Stoneshoulders, a tall, lovely dwarf woman, most likely serving food and drink at her inn, the 
  Silvery Gem
  • Yao Seijou, head of the Shield Trading Company: a short, slender man with long, black hair in a 
  ponytail, wears expensive clothes, probably at the Shield Trading Company compound working
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  46
  Handout 2: Moander the Darkbringer
  The saurial archmage Grypht devoted a great deal 
  of time and energy to researching Moander the 
  Darkbringer, and even more to developing methods 
  to combat the god’s power.
   
  The cult’s primary means of spreading its 
  influence is through the use of Dark Seeds. A 
  creature implanted with one of the corrupting pods 
  quickly falls under the thrall of the Darkbringer, 
  free will suppressed by the desire to serve. 
  Willing thralls retain a good deal of their prior 
  personalities, but unwilling victims are utterly 
  dominated by the dark god’s will. They tend to 
  have a fixed, glassy stare, slightly jerky movements, 
  and no sense of humor, or sense of anything that 
  brings joy.
   
  The Dark Seeds continue growing in their 
  hosts, eventually replacing their flesh and even 
  vital organs. Unwilling victims can last as long 
  as a tenday before being fully corrupted, but the 
  seeds grow much more quickly in the willing. In 
  either case, those infected with a Dark Seed are 
  identifiable by the plant material that grows from 
  their bodies: green, leafy tendrils, even flowers. 
  The host grows sickly if these growths are denied 
  light and air for too long, so cultists trying to blend 
  in tend to wear corsages, boutonnieres, wreaths, 
  and such to camouflage the corrupting growths.
   
  Grypht’s crowning achievement was a 
  powerful ritual that could hedge out creatures 
  imbued with Moander’s power, and even kill the 
  Dark Seeds within a host.
   
  Any character with the Ritual Caster class 
  feature who is able to cast 3rd level spells can 
  enact Grypht’s ritual. It has a 1-hour casting time, 
  so ritually casting it will take 70 minutes. The ritual 
  requires pure water and healing herbs, worth 100 
  gp. When completed, the ritual wards an area up 
  to 100 feet on a side against creatures infected 
  with Moander’s power. Such creatures must make 
  a Charisma saving throw in order to enter the 
  warded area. If successful, repeat the saving throw 
  at the start of each of its turns or fall unconscious 
  for 1 minute. If an infected creature fails 3 such 
  saves, the Dark Seed within dies; the creatures 
  gains a level of Exhaustion for each day it has been 
  infected, so long-time cultists die when their Seed 
  does. Casting the ritual in the same place every day 
  for a year renders it permanent, or it can be tied to 
  a hallow spell.
   
  While casting the ritual, the caster is 
  considered to be concentrating, as if on a spell. If 
  interrupted, the caster can defend herself, but must 
  use either an action or a bonus action each round 
  to maintain the ritual. If the caster leaves the area, 
  or loses concentration, the ritual ends and must be 
  started anew. 
   
  Several casters can undertake the ritual at 
  the same time. It doesn’t increase the speed of the 
  casting  but the ritual is not interrupted unless 
  all the participants lose concentration or leave 
  the area. As long as one ritualist is continuing the 
  ritual, a caster who had lost concentration, or left 
  the area, may rejoin the ritual as an action.
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
  47
  Handout 3: Welcome Home, Adventurer!
  ELMW 1-3 / THE BATTLE OF ELMWOOD:  
  APPENDIX
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/Convention Created Content/Baldman Games (BMG)/CCC-BMG-18 ELMW1-3 The Battle of Elmwood.pdf