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DG27 Shaky AlliancesBy Dan Hass

The communities around Odill are not natural allies. Each was established with its ownphilosophies and works to protect its niche in the economy of greater Odill. Forging these

communities into a political block capable of challenging the power of Odill is no trivial task. AD&D 5thedition adventure for 1-8 7thlevel adventurers. The second episode in the Villages of

Odill Arc.

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1DG27 Shaky Alliances

By Dan Hass

Copyright 2015 Dan Hass Endeavors

Contents

Adventure Summary .............................................................................................................. 2

Preparing the Adventure ........................................................................................................ 2

Running the Adventure .......................................................................................................... 2

Adventure Background .......................................................................................................... 2

Adventure Outline .................................................................................................................. 4

Starting the Adventure ........................................................................................................... 4

Encounter 1: Wolfdells Chairman.......................................................................................... 5

Encounter 2: Wolfdells Zealots............................................................................................. 6

Encounter 3: The Inquisition .................................................................................................. 7

Encounter 4: The Cult of Asmodeus ...................................................................................... 8

Encounter 5: The Counter Naturalist ..................................................................................... 9

Concluding the Adventure ....................................................................................................10

Appendix 1: DM Maps ..........................................................................................................11

Forest Path .......................................................................................................................11

Thanks to the many people who have helped me make this possible. Here are some whocontributed in special ways.

Editing Jeremy Esch

Cover Art Fernando Olmedo (his work)Sponsor The War Store

Sponsor Eric Mills

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Adventure SummaryShaky Alliancesis a Dungeons andDragons 5th Edition adventure designed for1-8 7th level characters. It requires aPlayers Handbook, a Monster Manual, a

Dungeon Master's Guide, and theElemental Evil Player's Companion(EE).While the encounters include scaling for

1-8 characters, parties of 1 or 2 PCs and 7or 8 PCs are fringe circumstances that mayplay oddly. Specifically, parties of 1-2 arehighly susceptible to a single bad die roll,and 7-8 can slow play dramatically. Ideallya party will be 3-6 PCs.

It is set in the Dimgaard CampaignSetting(the Dimgaard Campaign Guideis afree pdf available at here), but could be set

in other campaigns where there is a corruptcity ripe for overthrow. The Digital copies ofthe encounter maps are available here.

Preparing the AdventureIt is always a good idea for the DM to readthrough an adventure before running it.Shaky Alliances is no different. There aresome rather complex encounters that willbenefit if the DM spends a few minutesdeciding how she will play them. Shaky

Alliances can be run with a lot of interactionbetween the PCs and NPCs depending onthe inclinations of the PCs and DM. Themodule deliberately givesjust en oughinformation about NPCs to move the plotalong, leaving a lot of room for a DM toindividualize these to her campaign. Itmakes things smoother if the DM spends afew minutes deciding how she will deliverthe NPCs interactions. Some DMs andplayers revel in the opportunity to assumethe personae of multiple NPCs over thecourse of a session (active roleplaying),others prefer a summary approach(descriptiveroleplaying). The decision is amatter of style and showmanship. Neitherapproach is correct; both are valid ways tocollaboratively build a story, but the DMshould try to anticipate her playerspreferences, decide her own, and prepareaccordingly.

The Odill Campaign Guidecampaignguide can be found here, and includes theorganizations and NPCs that influenceShaky Alliances.

A battlemat or dungeon tiles may behelpful, but not necessary.

Running the AdventureThe encounters in Shaky Alliancesattemptto challenge PCs in a variety of ways. Theencounters where combat is likely areexpected to be hard(DMGp.81), butadditionally there are encounters to test thePCs ability to deal with diplomatic situationsand pose difficult questions about theircharacters morals.

Modif ication ExploitsTechnically each combat encounter uses

a mediumXP budget per the encounterbuilding guidelines. And for many partiesa mediumencounter may turn out tomeet the definition of hard as PCs maybe built for roleplaying and the party maynot have optimized their tactics.

Modifications (denoted with 1) havebeen made to the creatures which do notincrease the calculated CR of thecreature but do increase the challenge ofthe creature. The DM should gauge theeffectiveness of the party and decide

which of these to use (keeping in mindthe definition of hardencounters).

Awarding XPThe XP listed with each encounterreflects the XP of the creatures listed as amedium encounter. However, theencounters with the enhancements to thecreatures likely is a Hard encounter.Considering how wide 7thlevel is, theDM should consider awarding 50% moreXP than that listed in the tables. Thatamount would correspond to the XP for a

hard encounter rather than a mediumencounter.

Adventure BackgroundThere are several villages in the vicinity ofOdill. Odill could not survive without thesupport of these villages. They providealmost all the food, and much of the craftedgoods in the Odill economy. These are

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summarized in the Odill Campaign Guide.Each has its own economic, social, andcultural factors.

Many neighboring villages have onlymarginal loyalties to Odill (although all havea significant economic interest). With some

influence they could be organized to bringpressure on Odill to reform. When PrinceRainaldus assumed the throne and Odillbegan its slow descent into decadence,those among the nobility who resented thecorruption, and had the means, left Odill.Many of them established communitieswithin a few miles of Odill. These became

havens for those seeking relief from theharsh existence in Odill. Many are quitenoble in their pursuits and tolerate Odillscorruption only because they have norecourse. Among these is the village ofGreenville. It has no ties to corrupt

organizations, and a history of fair-dealings.In Odill, Prince Priogrim realizes his

militia is insufficient for either defense or lawenforcement. The Cult of Asmodeus hasallied with him to recruit, and organize amilitia capable of securing Odill bothinternally and externally. They have madesignificant progress along those lines. Theynow have a force which patrols theimportant sectors of Odillthe central tradedistrict, noble district, middle income district,and docks. Further, the Cult of Asmodeus

is exploring joining the One True Faith withAsmodeus revered as an Intercessor.Reforming Odill is expected to significantlyinfluence that process.

Within Odill, the Inquisition is still underthe corrupt rule of Tholy the Divine, but theFellowship of Olidammara and TrithereonsUnited offer some hope. Tholy has growntired of the meddling PCs and placed asignificant bounty on them. (The DM willdecide what significant is.)

Relatively easily, Earl Tarrowin has

formed an alliance with the dwarven townDelvers Dale and the village of Vallaki,which has a significant halfling population.They are also craftsman villages withphilosophies that align with Greenvilles.

Earl Tarrowin also sent overtures to thecommunity of Wolfdell. It is a natureoriented commune that produces varioustextiles using wool from their own sheepand cotton they buy from neighboringplantation communities. They are generallyquite active and influential in the

communities around Odill, and Wolfdellsinfluence is a necessity if the alliance isgoing to grow any larger. While theresidents of Wolfdell have a loathing of thecorruption and slavery in Odill, they havestrong issues with the way the leather craftsinteract with the environmentspecificallythe tannery using skins from animals, andpolluting of the river. Wolfdells hostility

Greenvilles History and EconomyWhen Prince Rainaldus assumed thethrone, Earl Calmus was the noble incharge of overseeing the craftsmen inOdill associated with leather.

Calmus quickly saw Rainaldusscorruption as the Prince began takingbribes by those who wanted tocircumvent the protections of theleatherworkers guild. Calmus was quitewealthy, so rather than endure Rainaldus,he retired to a villa ten miles from Odill.To his surprise many of the craftsmenthat he had overseen in Odill followed himforming the village of Greenville.

Greenville has a modest agriculturalsector which is almost sufficient to feeditself. But the real industry in Greenvilleis the leatherworking tradesarmorers,cobblers, tanners, and hunters.

The guild ensures that there isnt anoversupply of goods and provides abarrier to entry for new craftsmen toensure that the number of producers iscontrolled. Rumors are that at times, theguild has gone to war with renegadeleatherworkers in Odill and other villages

in the area that tried to encroach on theleather trade.

Earl Tarrowin is the son of Calmus andinherited his position nine years ago (afterCalmus diesd). In addition to his dutiesas earl, Tarrowin is guild master, althoughmost of the duties from that position aredelegated to senior tradesmen, and heonly needs to settle disputes.

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towards Greenville cant be overcome byTarrowin. It will require action from the PCsto convince them to join. Tarrowin haspersuaded the Chairman to meet with thePCs.

Meanwhile, agents of the Cult of

Asmodeus and the Inquisition have beenwatching and waiting for the PCs to leavethe sanctuary of Greenville.

Formin g the All iance

Delvers Dale is centered on mining andmetalworking. It has a significantpopulation of dwarves who have lived inthe town for generations. They arelikewise concerned about the debaucheryin Odill, but they arent willing to engagein a risky scheme without a tangiblereward. They want to establish an

economic powerbase with theirmetalworking in the same way thatGreenville has done with leatherworking.The Thane of the Dale has garneredsupport among the dwarves with thecondition that one of the goals will be toestablish a metalworking guild based inDelvers Dale with authority to imposepolicies throughout the Odill region.

Vallaki has an economy based onbrewing and distilling. It is a haven forhalflings (40% of the population of 500).

Vallakis interest in reforming Odill isnteconomic. They control a majority of theirmarkets because of the quality of theirproduct, and dont need the protections ofa guild. They are very concerned aboutfreedom and racial equality. Theiropinion of slavery is that it is a horribleinstitution and should be completelyabolished.

Adventure Outline

Brilohors Haunting

Creature trapOdill is the territory of the night hag (MM p.178), Brilohor.The DM can use her Nightmare Hauntingduring anylong rest. There is no known NPC in Odill capable ofcasting greater restoration. This effect may also carryover from one adventure to the next.

The PCs start in Greenville with some timehaving passed since events of DG26Greenville. Earl Tarrowin explains thesituation with Wolfdell to the PCs, and if

they accept the mission to meet with theChairman it launches the action.

The PCs exit from Greenville is noticedby the agents watching the town, andreports are sent to the Cult of Asmodeusand Tholy the Divine.

The PCs meet with the Chairman toconvince him to join the alliance. The factthat the Chairman would even consider analliance with the leatherworkers ofGreenville stirs a radical segment ofWolfdell into action. They hijack themeeting and may attack the PCs.

On the way back, the PCs are encountermembers of Cult of Asmodeus and theInquisition, as well as the nature cultist,Cobru.

Starting the AdventurePC Resources

Another tool to moderating the difficulty ofencounters is controlling PCs access toequipment and magic items. If the partyappears weak, the DM can provideaccess to inexpensive resources. If theparty appears strong, the DM can makeresources rare and expensive.

The PCs should have recently completedDG26 Greenville, and inspired Earl Tarrowinto form an alliance to bend Odill toward

reform. The DM may award downtime tothe PCs to reflect the time betweenadventures. When the downtime activitiesare resolved, read or paraphrase:

Earl Tarrowin has been updating you onthe progress of the alliance. In the few dayssince he began the effort, Vallaki andDelvers Dale have already joined. But thisisnt surprising. Those two villages have ahistory of cooperation with Greenville.

Broadening the alliance will beimpossible without the village of Wolfdell. It

is not particularly large, but its citizenry areregarded highly for their history of morality.

Unfortunately, Wolfdell and Greenvillehave several long running disputes thatmakes Wolfdell hostile to Earl Terrowin.

Presuming the PCs accept the task, the tripto Wolfdell is uneventful. PresentEncounter 1.

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Encounter 1: Wolfdells Chairman

Map. There is no map for this encounter.

Encounter background.Wolfdell is a

commune. Its residents are artists,naturalists, and fine craftsmen. Theyunanimously oppose slavery.

Wolfdel l

Wolfdell has no ruling noble. Theymaintain an administrator who carries theof Chairmanand who must bereaffirmed at each weekly communitymeeting. Galius has held the position fornearly three monthsthe longest term ofany Chairman in years.

The Chairman represents Wolfdell in

negotiations and conferences with othercommunities, but any major decisionmust be ratified by the weekly communitymeeting.

Wolfdells supports itself by gatheringnon-animal food from the forest, and hasa solid cash flow from textiles. It hasflocks of sheep for wool, and purchasescotton from the plantation villages.

Running th e encounter. Chairman Galiuscannot make decisions about allianceswithout consensus. He can arrange a

community meeting for the PCs can maketheir case. It will take 24 hours to arrangethe meeting during which time Galius willprovide comfortable quarters for the PCs.

The residents of Wolfdell do not likeGreenville. Their view of Greenville rangesfrom merely exploiters of natures bountiesto vicious despoilers of nature. For manyWolfdell residents the primary offender isthe tannery. It provides a market for hidesclaimed by murdering various animals, andis an unrepentant polluter of the river.

Even if Greenville were to promise toreform the tannery to pollute lessusingnatural or neutral agents instead of theacids, lye, and salts it currently usesmanyWolfdell residents would not believe them.

The PCs may have a strategy forconvincing Wolfdell at the meeting (whichtakes several hours).

Whether or not the PCs are successful inswaying Wolfdell to immediately join thealliance, a contingent led by Genista storms

out shortly before the resolution. It isimpossible to convince her to acceptGreenville as an ally.

Cobru is also in the meeting, but remainscompletely quiet and non-committal.

The DM can populate the crowd with anynumber of interesting NPCs.

Roleplaying

Wolfdell is an opportunity for extensiveroleplaying. The DM and players canapproach this in a variety of ways.

If the DM and players prefer summary

approaches, the players can state theirstrategies. The DM can set a DC for thedesired outcome (refer to PHBChapter7), and a die roll can decide the results.

Similarly, but with added complexityand subtlety, the DMG p.244-246 hasguidelines and tables for managing socialencounters.

Another approach is to start with a DCto persuade Wolfdell to join the alliances(hard, DC20). Then based on roleplayingadjust the DC to reward good roleplaying.

Concludin g the encounter. It will be mid-afternoon when the meeting ends. The PCscan return to Greenville or stay overnight.Regardless, Genista watches them and laysan ambush (Encounter 2).

Rests

D&D 5thedition presumes the PCs willhave several encounters before a longrest. Once the action starts when thePCs leave Wolfdell, there is noopportunity for a long rest.

Even short rests should be managed,

as there are numerous PC abilities thatrecharge with a short rest.

If the PCs are able to enter encounterswith plenty of resources, they will notlikely be challenged.

There should be no long rest the restof this adventure.

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Encounter 2: Wolfdells Zealots

Map.Forest Path (Appendix 1)Encounter background. Genista is theleader of a group of druids that arevehemently anti-Greenville. Under nocircumstances will they allow Wolfdell to becorrupted by allying with Greenville. Theyare willing to kill to prevent the PCs fromachieving the alliance.

Running th e encounter.The druids havepooled their abilities to create a weathereffect that they unleash on the PCs before

attacking.Lightning BurstWeather effectThe clouds that will produce the lightning burst areobvious, so Perception yields no useful information. ADC15 passive Nature check by any PC will realize thatthe clouds are dangerous, and the PCs can protectthemselves from it. Lightning strikes in the middle of thePCs. Each PC takes 7 (2d6) lightning damage (DC15Dexterity saving throwwith advantage if the passiveNature check was successfulfor half damage).

Genista isnt inclined to negotiate at leastnot at first. She may be persuaded after around or two if the DM is inclined.

Scaling the encounter. Genista and herparty of druids vary with the PCs party.

# Naturalists XP

1 Druid 450

2 Druid, 2 Lion 850

3 2 Druid, 3 Lion 1,5004 3 Druid, 3 Lion 1,950

5 3 Druid, 4 Lion 2,1506-7 4 Druid, 6 Lion 3,000

8 4 Druid, 8 Lion 3,400

Druid .MMp.346Armor Class 15 (hide + natural)1Hit Points 33 (6d8+6)1Speed 40 ft. (10 ft. from longstrider)1Saving Throws Int +3, Wis +41Reactive.As a marilith (MMp.61)1Sooth Beast. As a bonus action, a beast the druid cansee within 60 ft. is healed 9 (3d4+2) hit points.

Spel lcast ing. Change 1st

& 2nd

level:1stlevel (4 slots):cure wounds, healing word, longstrider,speak with animals, thunderwave2ndlevel (3 slots): barkskin, heat metal

Actions1Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack:+2 to hit (+4 to hitwith shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit:3 (1d6)bludgeoning damage or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning withshillelagh or if wielded in two hands; the target mustsucceed on a DC13 Constitution saving throw or bestunned for one round.

Reactions1Deflect.A projectile targeting the druid from a source thedruid can see, misses.

Lion.MMp.3311Speed 70 ft. (10 ft. from longstrider)1Saving ThrowsStr +5, Dex +41Mobi le.Per PHBp.168

Reactions1Skit ter.A ranged attack against the lion from a source itcan see, misses and the lion can move up to one-third itsspeed.

Concludin g the encounter. If Genista andher party are defeated, they will expect tobe returned to Wolfdell with theunderstanding that they will not interferewith further negotiations.

If Genistas party defeats the PCs, theytake them hostage in an attempt to derailthe alliance. This will end the PCsadventure and be a setback for the alliancethat will take several days to overcome.

Shortly after the PCs complete thisencounter, marshals from the Inquisitionengage them.

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Encounter 3: The Inquisition

Map. Forest Path (Appendix 1)

Encounter background. Ioco the Bald is ahigh ranking marshal within the Inquisition.If the PCs are proceeding after Encounter 1,

Ioco lays an ambush for them. Otherwisethey sneak up on the PCs.

Iocos AffiliationIoco is presented as a marshal for theInquisition loyal to Tholy the Divine.However, if it is conducive to the story forhim to be acting for a differentorganization, the nature of hisbackground should be modified. Hecould be acting on behalf of the Slavers

Alliance, the Cult of the Green Dragon,Prince Priogrim, or even the Church of

Mask.

From the undergrowth a tall figure inplate mail steps. With authority, he states,I am here to bring you tojustice. I startedthe day intending to give out lollipops andass-kickings I ran out of lollipops tenminutes ago.

Running th e encounter. Iocos ordersdepends on the PCs past with Tholy theDivine. If he is hostile towards the PCs, heis instructed to bring the PCs inunconscious or dead. Otherwise, afterestablishing an upper hand, he may give thePCs the option of coming peacefully.

Scaling the encounter.The marshals varywith the number of PCs

# Marshals XP

1 Ioco 7002 Ioco, Acolyte, Owl, Scout 860

3 Ioco, 2 Acolyte, 2 Owl, 4 Scout 1,2504 Ioco, 3 Acolyte, 3 Owl, 5 Scout 1,380

5 Ioco, 3 Acolyte, 3 Owl, 7 Scout 1,580

6 Ioco, 5 Acolyte,5 Owl, 11 Scout 2,100



Ioco (Knight).MMp.3471Speed 40 ft. (10 ft. from longstrider)1SkillsAthletics +5, Stealth +41Damage Immunities piercing1Legend ary Resistance (1/day).As a lich (MMp.202)

1Pomm el Strike.As a bonus action, a creature of theknights choice within 5 ft. must succeed on a DC15Constitution saving throw or be stunned for one round.1Gear.bead of force.

Action1Greatsword.Melee Weapon Attack:+5 to hit, reach 5ft.,one creature. Hit:10 (2d6+3) slashing damage and thetarget must succeed on a DC13 Dexterity saving throw orlose the use of one hand until the target receives healingat least equal to the damage done.

Reactions1Hell ish Rebuke.Ioco casts a 3rdlevel hellish rebuke(DC13 Dex saving throw)

Acolyte.MMp.342; owlfamiliar1Hit Points31 (7d8)1Speed 40 ft. (10 ft. from longstrider)1Saving ThrowCon +2, Wis +41Skills Medicine +4, Religion +4, Stealth +41Spel lcast ing.The acolyte is a 4 thlevel spellcaster. Itsspellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC12).

Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy1stlevel (4 slots):bless,command,cure wounds2ndlevel (3 slots): heat metal, hold person.

1Portent.Per PHBp.116

Gear.3 scroll of cure wounds, scroll of dispel magic

Reactions1Counterspel l .The acolyte casts counterspell.

Owl.MMp.3331Damage Immunitiesfire, force, piercing

Scout. MMp.3491Armor Class 14 (studded leather)1Hit Points 32 (6d8+3)1Natural Explorer (forest).Per PHBp.911Innate Spellcastin g. The scout can cast each of thefollowing spells 3/day each requiring no materialcomponent: locate creature, longstrider,pass withouttrace, speak with animals1Marksman. The scout ignores less than total cover, andsuffers no penalty for long range.

Concludin g the encounter.The DimgaardCampaign Guidehas guidelines for

handling the Inquisition, but the PCs mayhave a specific relationship with Tholy theDivine that supersedes these guidelines.

If the PCs overcome Iocos party, theyencounter agents of Asmodeus shortlyafterward.

Roleplaying

This can be an opportunity for the PCs toease tensions with some organizationthey have crossed.

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Encounter 4: The Cult of Asmodeus

Map.Forest Path (Appendix 1)

Encoun ter Backgrou nd. Fiends have beendispatched to deal with the PCs. The Cult

of Asmodeus is heavily invested in PrincePriogrim and Odill, and doesnt want to seean alliance form to end the corruption there.

Customizing

Like Encounter 3, these fiends could havea different affiliation than the Cult of

Asmodeus. Also, this could be anopportunity for the PCs change theirrelationship with an organization such asthe Cult of Asmodeus or Cult of Orcus.

A large coin purse sets in the middle ofthe path. It appears unattended.

Running th e encounter.The fiends arehere to correct slights made by the PCs.The spies will set an ambush. If the PCsare taking too long, the spies will attempt tolure them away from camp to expose thePCs to their trap.

Poisoned CoinsPoison trap

A large coin purse contains several hundred silver piecescoated with contact poison. A 17 Wisdom (Perception)check notices that many of the coins are discolored. Thecoins cannot be separated without being exposed to thepoison. Any creature exposed to the poison, after oneminute, must succeed on a DC15 Constitution saving

throw or be poisoned (PHB p.292) for two hours.

Once the spies see that the PCs have beenexposed to the poison (or avoided it), theywill launch their assault.

Scaling the encoun ter.

# Demons XP

1 2 Spies, 2 Homunculi 4202 3 Spies, 3 Homunculi 630

3 5 Spies, 5 Homunculi 1,050

4 6 Spies, 6 Homunculi 1,2605 7 Spies, 7 Homunculi 1,470

6 10 Spies, 10 Homunculi 2,1007 12 Spies, 12 Homunculi 2,520

8 13 Spies, 13 Homunculi 2,730

Homunculus. MMp.1881Armor Class14 (natural armor)

Hit Points2 (1d4)

Skills Stealth +61Damage Immunity fire, force, piercing, poison

Devils Sight.As imp(MM p.76)

1Inv is ib i l i ty .As a bonus action, the homunculus turnsinvisible

Actions1Bite.Melee Weapon Attack:+4 to hit, reach 5ft, onecreature. Hit:1 piercing damage, and the target mustsucceed on a DC13 Constitution saving throw or bepoisoned for 1 minute. If the saving throw fails by 5 ormore, the target is instead poisoned for 5 (1d10) minutesand unconscious while poisoned in this way.

Spy.MMp.349 with a homunculusMedium fiend, neutral evil1Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.1Saving ThrowsDex +4, Cha +3

Sensesdarkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 161Devils Sight.As imp(MM p.76)1Innate Spellcastin g. The spy can cast the followingspells requiring no material component.

1/day: armor of Agathys, locate object, long strider, passwithout trace

1Mobi le.Per PHBp.1681Steal.As a bonus action, a creature the spy can seewithin 5 ft. must succeed on a DC14 Dexterity (Acrobatics)check or the spy takes possession of an item on thetargets person of the spys choice.

Gear.Bead of Night

Actions1Shor tsword .Melee Weapon Attack:+4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,one creature. Hit:5 (1d6+2) piercing damage and thetarget must succeed on a DC14 Dexterity (Acrobatics)check or drop a weapon or item of the spys choice.

Remove Hand Crossbowif using fly speed.

Reactions1Coun terspell (3/day). The spy casts counterspell.1

Hellish Rebu ke (3/day).The spy casts hellish rebuke.

Concludin g the encounter.The results ofthis encounter depend on the PCsrelationship with the Cult of Asmodeus. Ifthe Cult isnt extremely negative andcapture the PCs, they will hold them for awhile and then let them go. But if the PCshave established that they are opponents of

the Cult, they will make sure the PCs arenever heard from again.

If the PCs win, Cubro approaches them ashort time later.

Bead of NightWondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement)This is a pearl that emanated magical darknessas thespell. It is contained in a clasp, so that by interacting withthe clasp as an object, the darkness can be suppressed.

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Encounter 5: The Counter Naturalist

Map. Forest Path (Appendix 1)

Encounter background. Unlike the otherresidents of Wolfdell, Cobru is highly in

favor of the pollution from the tannery. Ithas caused the forest around the tannery tooccasionally spawn blights, which he has anaffinity for.

The lean form of a human in leatherarmor approaches. He seems wary, but nothostile.

Running th e encounter. Cobru doesntwant the tannery reformed, and will fight tokeep it unchanged. He will subtly probe thePCs, and if he believes the PCs will work tochange the tannery, he will attack.

His blights are nearby, and if combatensues he will attempt to do so from theirlocation.

Scaling the encounter. Cobrus forcevaries with the number of PCs.

# Dark Naturalists XP

1 Cobru, Needle Blight 500

2 Cobru, 3 Needle Blight,2 Vine Blight

850


1,100

4-5 Cobru, 7 Needle Blight,6 Vine Blight

1,400


2,150


2,550


2,900

Cobr u (Cult Fanatic).MM p.3451Armor Class14 (studded leather)1Saving Throws Con +3, Wis +31Plant Master.Cobru can establish a telepathic link withany plant with an intelligence within 120 ft., and they willobey his desires.1Dark Casting (3/day).A creature that is affected by oneof Cobrus spells has disadvantage on its saving throw.1Reactive.As a marilith (MMp.61)1Spel lcast ing.Cobru is a 6thlevel caster. His spellcastingability is Charisma (spell save 12, +4 to hit with spellattacks)

Cantrips (at will): guidance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy1stlevel (4 slots): cure wounds, longstrider, shield2ndlevel (3 slots): hold person,pass without trace,suggestion3rdlevel (3 slots): dispel magic

1

Gear. Two daggers with continual flame, gem ofbrightness (5 charges)

Reactions1Coun terspell (3/day).Cobru casts counterspell.

Needle B light.MMp.321Hit Points 33 (6d8+6)1Saving Throws Dex +3, Wis +11Skills Stealth +51Damage Immunities piercing1Fire Absorp t ion.When the blight takes fire damage, ittakes no damage and instead regains a number of hitpoints equal to the damage dealt.1Force Abso rpt ion.When the blight takes force damage,it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit

points equal to the damage dealt.1Reactive.As a marilith (MMp.61)

Reactions1Hellish Rebu ke (3/day).The blight casts hellish rebuke(DC9)

Vine Blight.MMp.321Saving ThrowsStr +4, Dex +41Stealth +31Damage Immunities piercing1Forest Camouf lage. In forest terrain, the blight get +10to Stealth checks, and can Hide by blending into thefoliage even when there is no cover or obscurity.1Reactive.As a marilith (MMp.61)1Trip.As a bonus action a creature within 5 ft. must

succeed on a DC14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or berendered prone.

Reactions1Abso rb Elements. The blight casts a 2ndlevel absorbelements (EEp.15)

Concludin g the encounter. If Cobruovercomes the PCs, he keeps them forseveral days, until it becomes clear thealliance will progress without them (albeitmore slowly).

If the PCs prevail in combat, Cobru willadmit defeat, and agree to aid them in somehelpful way if they spare his life.

If an agreement is reached where thetannerys operation is left unchanged, hewill be very helpful to the PCs.

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Concluding the AdventureThe ramifications of this adventure dependsa great deal on the roleplaying directions ofthe encounters. There are possibilities thePCs could improve relations with several

organizations and individuals depending onhow the different encounters resolved. TheDM should note the PCs standing with thevarious entities for future reference.

Treasure

Treasure (both wealth and magical) isdeliberately not mentioned during theadventure. The amount of treasure is adefining trait for a DMs campaign (Highwealth/Low wealth; High magic/Lowmagic). If the DM wants a campaign ofgritty realism where the PCs are

struggling in a dark world, she shouldkeep wealth low. If she wants acampaign with PCs tossing gems aroundand building monuments, she should addgenerous treasure.

Players like magic items, but it is veryeasy to blow up a campaign byproviding too many magic items.

PCs with a lot of treasure are going tohave more resources and it will requiremore difficult encounters to challengethem. This can lead to an escalation.

That being said, the PCs faced somedifficult encounters and rewardsappropriately aligned to the DMscampaign should be given. The DMGChapter 7 has the guidelines fordetermining treasure. Alternately, thissitedoes an excellent job of quicklygenerating treasure.

Magic Items in Dimg aard

One of the defining characteristics of theDimgaard campaign is how magic itemsare treated. While relatively mundane

magic items like common and uncommonpotions, +1 weapons, low level spellscrolls, andpearl of powerare craftedaccording to the DMGsguidelines, everymagic item of greater significancerequires the sacrifice of a sentientcreature with a relevant trait to completethe crafting. A creature sacrificed in thisway has its life force transferred into theitem, and it cannot be returned to life aslong as the magic item exists. Further,when the life force imbues the magic

item, the item is magically infused withthe story of the creatures life. The itemwill take on the name of the sacrificedcreature, and a synopsis of the creatureslife will either be magically inscribed, orwill be emitted as a soft whisper whenheld near the ear. This explains whydragonborn and other exotic creaturesare rare in Dimgaard.

Crafting is sometimes used as amethod of execution for the most vile ofcriminals, but almost always after an

agreement between a civil authority andthe One True Faith that the criminalwarrants such a drastic fate. There aresome crafters who operate outside theauthority structure who would be willing tocomplete crafting without the expectedsanctioning.

The process for getting authorizationregarding a captured creature and findingthe necessary crafter is left to DMdiscretion. This can be a matter of simpledice rolling, a roleplaying opportunity, or a

side adventure.

7/23/2019 shakeyz

12/12


By Dan Hass


Appendix 1: DM Maps

Forest Path

1. Foliage: Through 15 feet is lightly obscuredterrain (beyond that is highly obscured),

and difficult terrain.2. Tree terrain: Same as foliage, but also any creature in tree terrain has half cover.

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