```metadata
title: Shadows in a Seaside City
description: ''
tags: []
systems:
- 5e
renderer: V3
theme: 5ePHB
```
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## Foreward
Thank you for reading. This is an adventure I've successfully run as one-shot for several groups playing 5e for the first time. I tried to focus on making the adventure easy to run for a first time DM and a first time group. To run this adventure, you'll need the three core books for 5th edition.
The adventure is made for a group of 1st level adventures and should take 3-8 hours to run. By the end of the adventure everyone should level up to level 2. I hope you all have fun! You can check out everything else I do at https://www.denverdungeonmaster.com/
\column
## Credits
**Writing, Editing, Maps, Page Layouts:**
Jesse van der Vorst
**Stain Images and Blending Guide:**
AeronDrake & QalarValar
**Layout Tool:** The Homebrewery
**Map Tool:** Dungeondraft
All other images courtesy of the DMs Guild Resources
Version 1.0 January 14, 2023
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2023 by Jesse van der Vorst and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
{{toc,wide
# Table Of Contents
- #### [{{ Introduction}}{{ 3}}](#p3)
- #### [{{ Meeting Johan Lonstadt}}{{ 3}}](#p3)
- [{{ Roleplaying Johan}}{{ 3}}](#p3)
- #### [{{ Exploring the City}}{{ 4}}](#p4)
- [{{ The Dock District}}{{ 5}}](#p5)
- [{{ The Sunrise}}{{ 5}}](#p5)
- [{{ The Dockmaster's Office}}{{ 7}}](#p7)
- [{{ The Silver Doubloon}}{{ 7}}](#p7)
- [{{ Greeny the Pirate}}{{ 8}}](#p8)
- [{{ Scream Fight}}{{ 9}}](#p9)
- #### [{{ Cultist Hideout}}{{ 10}}](#p10)
- [{{ 1. Entrance}}{{ 11}}](#p11)
- [{{ 2. Cave Tunnel}}{{ 11}}](#p11)
- [{{ 3. Hideout Guards}}{{ 12}}](#p12)
- [{{ 4. Hideout Antechamber}}{{ 12}}](#p12)
- [{{ 5. Zangrin's Room}}{{ 12}}](#p12)
- [{{ 6. Ritual Room}}{{ 13}}](#p13)
- #### [{{ Ending}}{{ 13}}](#p13)
- ### [{{ Appendex A: Battle Maps}}{{ 14}}](#p14)
- [{{ Johan Lonstadt's Sittng Room}}{{ 14}}](#p14)
- [{{ Scream Fight Battle Map}}{{ 15}}](#p15)
- [{{ Cult of the Maw Hideout}}{{ 16}}](#p16)
}}
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## Introduction
#
In a seaside city, dark forces move in the shadows. The adventurers have been hired by an enigmatic noble named Johan Lonstadt as last-minute muscle for a job tonight.
Johan has lost an important parcel. The devious Cult of the Maw has stolen the contents, three vials of alchemically manipulated human blood. The adventures must investigate the city for traces of the cult, culminating in a showdown with their nefarious leader and his summoned demons.
This adventure is designed to be setting agnostic. Pick your favorite seaside city and run this adventure there! Great examples include Waterdeep, Seaside, Meletis, or Luskan. This is an adventure for a party of 1st level characters and will take three to eight hours of play time.
Read the following paragraph aloud to the players to introduce them to the adventure.
{{descriptive
The dimming light of the setting sun comes in through the windows, illuminating a well-decorated sitting room dominated by a crackling fireplace. The light of the fireplace outlines several comfortable and plush chairs arranged around a low table set with tea, cookies, and other refreshments. Outside the windows and far below lies a network of ships and scallywags bustling in the city's dock district.
Each of you have arrived here to meet with Johan Lonstadt. He is a noble, promising coin for a job that needs to be done by morning. You were greeted at his door by a tiefling butler and told to wait in this room.
}}
Give a moment for everyone to describe their character and where they came from. Now, go around the table. Have each person explain how they know the person to the left. This establishes a bit of back story and relationship out of the gate.
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## Meeting Johan Lonstadt
When everyone has had a chance to introduce themselves, or at a suitably dramatic moment, introduce Johan.
{{descriptive
The door to the sitting room swings open. Shuffling through it is a slim, aging man wearing finely tailored clothes. Though his long hair is almost all white, he walks with a boldly upright posture. This is Johan Lonstadt, the man who wants to hire you.
Swiftly coming into the room behind him is a purple skinned tiefling. She is neatly dressed in a three piece suit and has a rapier at her hip. She stands to the side as Johan moves to address you all.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice. I'm sure you all know who I am. You're here to retrieve a parcel for me. I expected it to arrive earlier today, but I've been made aware that it has been held up at the docks here in the city. Your job is to find out why, and to ensure that the parcel makes it to me before the morning."
}}
Johan Londstadt is a human **noble** and is lawful evil. As Johan is pushing 70, he relies on his bodyguard Mercy to protect him from these unknown adventurers he's hiring.
Mercy is a purple skinned tiefling **swashbuckler**. See *Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse* for the swashbuckler stats (or alternatively use the **veteran** stat block). She stands in the corner of the sitting room, watching for any show of violence. She is extremely stoic and only acts or speaks if Johan is in danger.
### Roleplaying Johan
In a city of thousands, Johan is among the ten most powerful. He is only hiring these adventurers because none of his regular contacts are available. Johan has risen to his position through noble birth and cutthroat business practices. Roleplay the encounter, paraphrasing the following information and responding as Johan.
Johan does his best to hide this information about the job from the players:
- The parcel contains 3 vials of alchemically manipulated human blood. These vials were specially ordered by Johan and prepared to his specifications.
- Johan is investigating how to summon demons to the material plane. He plans to use the vials to accomplish this.
- Johan has no supernatural way to know whether or not the player characters look inside the box.
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Right now Joahn is trying not to seem desperate and reveal the importance of the parcel to him. Johan informs the player characters of the specifics of the job with the information below:
- Johan expected to receive the parcel earlier today, delivered directly to his estate.
- The parcel is a small, wooden box with an engraving of a rose and dagger on the top.
- A ship named the *Sunrise* was carrying the parcel. Johan knows the *Sunrise* docked at the city's port last night, yet the parcel was never delivered.
- Johan expects trouble with the crew of the *Sunrise*. They have a reputation for taking unscrupulous jobs and being belligerent. Johan elusively says he is worried about going himself or sending his men, so he’s hiring the characters as a show of force.
- Johan says the parcel’s contents are personal and embarrassing. As part of the job he asks the characters not to look inside the wooden box before bringing it to him.
- Johan promises 50 gold each for the return of the box, not peeking into the box, and staying quiet about the whole job. If the player characters try to haggle, Johan initially stays firm on the payment amount. If the characters refuse to budge, Johan eventually relents and pays more.
Johan is devious and ill-intentioned. It's possible that your characters will at some point in the adventure try to enact violence on Johan. If combat breaks out, Mercy defends Johan to the best of her ability.
##### Johan Londstadt's Sitting Room
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## Exploring the City
Once the players accept the job their first order of business will most likely be to seek out the *Sunrise* and interrogate its crew. However, clues to the location of the parcel can be found throughout the city. Ask the party where they would like to investigate first.
At this point the player characters should have the freedom to roam wherever they please. You can use the City Locations table to guide the players towards the adventure. If the players are having trouble deciding where to go next, prod them towards the dock district or roll on the City Locations table.
If the players stray too far from the path, consider it an opportunity to flex your improvisation skills. If the players are not having fun with an improvised adventure, you can always break the fourth wall and simply ask your players to follow the material you have prepared.
##### City Locations
| d8 | Location | Event |
|:--:|:-----------------|:------------------|
| 1 | Noble District | Anyone with a passive Wisdom (Perception) check of 13 or better notices someone is following them. It's Mercy, who quickly dashes off to the dock district.
| 2 | Temple | Any player character that venerates a god here can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check. On a success they experience a vision of a lone ship on a dock, a tavern made of an upside down galleon, and a seaside cave.
| 3 | Slums | A beggar approaches the group asking for a few coins. He freely shares anything he's heard around the city with people that are kind to him. Consult the Rumors table for what he knows.
| 4 | Market | The players can buy most any mundane equipment from chapter 5 of the *Player's Handbook* here. Once they're done shopping, ask them where they go next.
| 5 | Magic University | The player characters run into some students who just finished their last class of the day. The students ask the party if they want to join them for drinks at the Silver Doubloon.
| 6 | City Street | A man in a heavy cloak bumps into one of the player characters. He is deformed with sores all over his body and wicked claws for hands. He quickly runs away. If the players catch him, consider running the Scream Fight encounter from later on in this adventure.
| 7 | Tavern | Even if the players are not in the dock district, you can replace any tavern they walk into with the Silver Doubloon.
| 8 | Other | Vamp the friendly elven **commoner** guide finds the party. He can give the player characters a tour of the city for just a few silver.
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### The Dock District
When the player characters decide to travel to the city's harbor read the following description:
{{descriptive
The city's dock district is a fetid maze of wooden platforms and sturdy sailors. As you approach the smell of salt and fish begins to pervade your nostrils. Every size of ship is currently moored at the sprawling docks, from rowboats to galleons. The harbor is usually a center of labor and trade, but at this time of day many of the workers have found a place to bed down for the night. Several tap houses and taverns dot the district for this very purpose.
}}
There are a few locations in the dock district that the players might want to check out, chief among them is finding the transport ship, the *Sunrise*.
#### The Sunrise
The *Sunrise* is anchored at the far end of the district, away from crowds and prying eyes. Finding it is not too difficult. Most anybody at the docks could tell the player characters where the ship is. If a character is searching without any help, they can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find the *Sunrise*.
{{descriptive
Coming to the last few docks in the district, you finally spot her, the *Sunrise*. The ship is just big enough to sail the open seas. It has a singular mast and is most likely crewed by less than 20 sailors. The ship's dock is almost deserted with no other ships moored there. Only a single figure occupies the dock, sitting on a crate next to the ship's gangplank.
}}
The figure is the captain of the *Sunrise*, Wenry Kegbacker. See the Crew of the *Sunrise* sidebar for more information on her and her crew. She's decided to stay with the boat while the rest of her crew enjoys the city.
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Wenry is actively looking out for trouble but wouldn't mind a chat with the adventurers to pass the time. If the players engage her in conversation this is what they can learn:
- Wenry is protective of her crew. Before anything else she'll spend some time in the conversation assessing the adventures. She won't give out any information if she thinks it will lead to her crew being harmed.
- Wenry instantly recognizes the description of a wooden box with an engraving of a rose and dagger.
- The parcel was picked up on an island a little west of the city. The same island that Ash Ears hails from.
- They got the parcel from an alchemist named Morrow. He has a bad reputation and Wenry is happy to have the box off of her ship.
- Wenry has no idea what is in the parcel. Her orders were not to look into the box and she followed them.
- The crew of the *Sunrise* are part time pirates and much of their cargo is illegitimate. Wenry would rather not have anyone official taking a close look at her ship.
- Upon arriving at the city Greeny volunteered to deliver the parcel. As Greeny is usually quite lazy, Wenry was happy to be able to give him a job to do. She gave Greeny the parcel to deliver to Johan.
- Wenry knows what Greeny looks like. Perhaps more importantly, she knows that he likes to drink at the Silver Doubloon.
##### Exploring the *Sunrise*
The player characters may wish to infiltrate the Sunrise and snoop around to look for clues. To do so they will have to either sneak past Wenry or convince her to let them aboard.
To slip past Wenry roll a contested check between the player character's Dexterity (Stealth) check and her Wisdom (Perception) check. Wenry will attempt to stop any character she sees sneak onto her ship, but will try to avoid violence if possible. Wenry doesn't want anyone finding her ill-gotten goods and will need a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check from the characters to allow anyone on board her ship. Even then, she will insist on accompanying them.
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{{note
##### The Crew of the *Sunrise*
- Captain Wenry Kegbacker (TN female dwarven **bandit captain**). Wenry has long orange-red hair which she often keeps braided under a comically oversized captain's hat. She is boisterous and cantankerous in crowds but introspective and motherly when around those she trusts.
- Greeny (CE male gnomish **bandit**). Greeny is a nervous and neurotic man who often looks for shortcuts in life. His entire body is covered with tattoos, several of which are quite badly done.
- Ash Ears (CG male **gnoll**). Ash Ears is genuinely kind and compassionate but his monstrous appearance and dimwitted demeanor have afforded him little. He is quite large even for a gnoll, and each of his ears have been torn up like an alley cat's.
- The rest of the crew is made up of about a dozen other sailors with the **bandit** stat block. They are currenlty scattered throughout the city.
}}
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The only member of the crew of the *Sunrise* currently aboard the ship is Ash Ears. He sticks out like a sore thumb in the city and was ordered to stay out of sight on the ship to avoid drawing attention.
Ash Ears is a big sweetheart. Whenever he meets the players characters his first inclination is to invite them to play a game of dice with him and ask if they want anything to eat. Even if the players are sneaking around he will first try to make friends before reporting them to Wenry. Ash Ears has been through a few scraps and is hard to intimidate. However, if anyone makes friends with Ash Ears he will tell them everything he knows.
- Ash Ears knows that Greeny took the box with the rose and dagger on it.
- The Cult of the Maw is an organization that Ash Ears knows well. He grew up among many of its members on his home island.
- Ash Ears knows that the parcel and the Cult of the Maw have something to do with each other. After all, they both had a presence on his home island. Unfortunately, that's the extent of his deductive capabilities. He hasn't figured out exactly how they're connected.
The players can gather information about the parcel from physical clues around the ship. As the players are exploring the ship, have them roll DC 12 ability checks. Example ability checks include a Wisdom (Perception) check to look around, an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find specific details, a Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check to get past a locked door, a Strength (Athletics) check to break open a crate full of trade goods, or any other check you think is applicable. For each successful check give them one piece of information from this list:
- Many of the crates in the ship's hold have false bottoms. One of the false bottoms contains a cache of unmarked shortswords.
- One of the hammocks on the ship contains a short note saying, "deliver the box to us." A symbol of an open maw with many sharp teeth is drawn on the paper.
- Several empty bottles are scattered throughout the ship, suggesting a fair number of the crew like to drink heavily.
- A log in the captain's quarters details the reception of the parcel from an alchemist named Morrow, confirming that it was once on the ship.
- Also in the captain's quarter is Wenry's journal. The most recent entry contains a line about how one member of her crew, Greeny, showed uncharacteristic initiative today. He even volunteered to make one of their deliveries to the noble district.
- A delicious smell is currently coming from the ship's galley. Anyone who investigates runs into Ash Ears who is currently preparing a meal.
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#### The Dockmaster's Office
If the players are looking for someone in charge, you can direct them to the dockmaster.
{{descriptive
Centered among the docks of the harbor is a squat stone building weathered by the tides. Atop the building is a wooden sign with ships and nautical symbols carved into it. This building has clearly been designated as the dockmaster's office. One whole wall of the building has been replaced with a wooden counter, open to the sea breeze. Behind the counter is a thin man with an open vest and male pattern baldness.
}}
The man behind the counter is Anton Hill (LN male human **commoner**). He's just closing up shop after a long day cataloging the business at the docks. He hopes to make his encounter with the player characters a short one so he can go home for the day. Anton has a few bits of information he can give the characters:
- The *Sunrise* is docked near the end of the harbor, away from most of the ships. Anton can point it out to the characters.
- Anton doesn't know anything about the contents of the hold of the *Sunrise*. As a dockmaster he should have inventoried the *Sunrise*, but he was paid off by Wenry to not do so. He does not wish to share this information with the players.
- He can point the player characters towards the Silver Doubloon. Most of the sailors that come to the docks drink there, so it's bound to be full of information about anything happening on the docks.
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#### The Silver Doubloon
This tavern is the premiere place for sailors to drink, galavant, and rest in the city. The Silver Doubloon used to be the largest ship sailing the seas. One night it was caught in a horrible storm and, unable to see the shore, its captain capsized the vessel when it ran aground. The upside down ship was then converted into the tavern it is now.
{{descriptive
When you walk into the Silver Doubloon the nightly festivities are in full swing. Made out of an old overturned ship, the tavern has three stories (previous the ship's decks) that all look down on a large central stage. A four piece band is playing on the stage and the entire place is awash in conversation. There are people playing cards, telling crazy sea stories, and drinking the night away.
}}
There are plenty of people in the Silver Doubloon whom the player characters could talk to to gain information.
If the players have heard of Greeny they'll probably go try to find him. If not, there are still several rumors that the players can overhear in the tavern. Roll on the Rumors table to determine the information they're able to find out. The player characters might specifically seek out some of these rumors. They could also eavesdrop on conversations between sailors to learn the information.
The barkeep Stob (CG male goliath **veteran**) is a particularly great source of these rumors. He's extremely friendly and seems to know just about everyone in town. If the players ask him about Greeny he'll be able to point them to Greeny's table. He doesn't know the gnome by name, but any description of Greeny is a dead give away.
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##### Rumors
| d8 | Rumor
|:--:|:-----------------
| 1 | Humanoids with heavy cloaks and wicked daggers have been seen by several civilians. Everyone who's seen them says they give off a bad vibe.
| 2 | A large hairy man was spotted today near the end of the dock district. They say he had a snout like a dog's.
| 3 | The dock master has been mercifully lenient recently, he's probably just overworked and missed a few things.
| 4 | A tavern patron's friend hasn't been seen all day. The patron is worried that their friend has been kidnapped.
| 5 | The tariffs for the city's docks have been recently raised by a flat rate. All of the sailors are upset. They believe the city's nobles care much more about profit than the sailors working at the docks.
| 6 | Johan Londstadt is the patriarch for the family responsible for maintaining the docks. He's recently been absent in his duties, suggesting he's found something else to occupy his time.
| 7 | There's a weird guy on the first floor of the tavern. He's completely covered in tattoos and keeps staring out the window.
| 8 | A sailor is claiming the crew of the recently docked *Sunrise* are pirates. His says his ship was recently attacked by the *Sunrise*. The enemy ship wasn't flying any colors and all its crew were wearing bandanas as masks, but he's still pretty sure it was the *Sunrise*.
##### Greeny the Pirate
The player characters' most direct way of finding the parcel is to talk to Greeny. He is sitting alone in a booth on the first floor of the tavern. Greeny is quite recognizable as he is covered head to toe in tattoos. He is wearing a knitted wool hat and a heavy coat over tight-fitting clothes
As he's nursing his drink he often glances out the tavern window. He's looking for either a member of his crew or a member of the Cult of the Maw. Greeny knows that either could mean trouble for him.
There's a fair bit of information that Greeny could tell the player characters.
- Greeny took the package to a group of people called the Cult of the Maw instead of delivering it to Johan Lonstadt.
- Greeny attempts to lie, saying he simply lost the package on the way to Johan's estate. A simple DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check shows that Greeny is lying.
- Greeny is a recent inductee to the Cult of the Maw. He's not sure if joining was a good idea but greatly desires the power and prestige that was promised to him by the cult.
- Greeny has a tattoo of an open maw rowed with teeth on the back of his right hand. It is difficult to spot among all his other tattoos, but a character who's seen the symbol before has no trouble doing so.
- Greeny was magically contacted by the Cult of the Maw. All he heard was a light, male voice giving him directions. He followed those directions out of fear for what might be done to him if he did not.
- Greeny does not know what's inside the parcel. He was too scared of what might be inside to peek into the box.
- When delivering the package Greeny went to the cult's hideout, a cave outside of town. If he can be convinced to do so, he'll tell the party where the hideout is.
- Greeny did not go inside the hideout. He left the parcel at the cave entrance. For that reason he doesn't know who or what might be inside the cave.
Greeny is fearful of what his decision to side with the Cult of the Maw and betray the crew of the *Sunrise* will mean for him. He has an unconscious compulsion to confess, making him more talkative than might be wise. Greeny responds more strongly to intimidation and aggressive negotiations as his actions are largely motivated by fear.
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{{text-align:center
##### Scream Fight Battle Map
}}
}}
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### Scream Fight
As the player characters traverse the city they come into contact with the main antagonists of this adventure: the Cult of the Maw. When in the adventure this encounter occurs is flexible. Consult the When to Fight sidebar for suggestions on when to begin this encounter. When you're ready, read out this description:
{{descriptive
Suddenly, a piercing scream fills the air. Someone is in danger in a nearby alley way!
}}
If anyone goes to investigate read:
{{descriptive
You rush to the wooden alley way. At the end of the alley you can see figures in long, dark cloaks manhandling a petite elf. They seem to be attempting to shove the elf into a nearby rowboat. It is very clear he does not wish to go. A few of the cloaked figures are oddly bulbous and malformed in shape.
}}
If the players attempt to call out to the cloaked figures or intervene in any other way, they respond by attacking. Having everyone at the table roll for initiative!
The group of cloaked figures consists of **cultists** and **manes** demons. There are a number of cultists equal to the number of players. There are two manes demons who are disguised by wearing heavy cloaks.
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Any close inspection reveals the manes have inhuman proportions, are covered in sores, and are each wearing a leather collar.
The elf is Elluin (NG male elf **commoner**). He was simply walking home after his work on the docks. He has no idea who these people attacking him are, only that each of them are somewhere marked with a symbol of an open mouth lined with sharp teeth.
Two of the cultists focus on capturing Elluin, shoving him into their rowboat while trying to bind and gag him. They are attempting to secure a sacrifice for their demon summoning rituals. Once Elluin is secured, they attempt to flee the battle. The rest of the cultists charge the players, with the manes in front.
If the fight seems to be going against the cultists, they do not fight to the death. Rather they attempt to run, preferring to escape on their rowboat with Elluin.
##### Fight Resolution
At the end of the fight either the cultists have gotten away or have been defeated by the player characters. If Elluin has been saved, he unfortunately doesn't have much information for the players. As far as he is concerned this was a random mugging and he would just like to get home.
If the cultists were killed, the player characters can search their bodies. They have on them a dagger each, their robes, a grand total of 6 gold, and various knick knacks. Each of them has the symbol of the open maw with rows of teeth either on one of those knick knacks, or carved into their flesh.
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Any cultist that is captured first attempts to fight their way out. They fight like wild animals, clawing and biting at their captors. If asked what they were planning to do with Elluin they would lie, saying that they were going to sell him into slavery in another town.
Any captured cultist knows the way to their cave hideout and that the parcel was delivered there earlier today. However, their minds have been altered by their profane magic and many of them are insane. Finding out this information requires a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) check from the player characters.
If the cultists manage to escape (with or without Elluin) the players can attempt to follow them. The cultists are not being careful and are easy to track. If the players follow them right away, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check leads the player characters right to their cave hideout. If the players attempt to track the cultists later, a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check is required.
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{{note
##### When to Fight
Discovering the location of Johan's parcel can require a lot of conversations and inference. To break up the narrative or add some action to your adventure, considering running the Scream Fight encounter.
Narratively, it makes the most sense to begin the encounter when the players learn of Greeny and go to seek him out at the Silver Doubloon. As they are making their way from their previous location to the tavern, begin the encounter.
There are plenty of other reasons to introduce the fight. If the players seem to have reached a dead end in their investigation, the resolution of the Scream Fight encounter can give them new leads. Conversely, if the players have been discussing new information for a long time (talking themselves in circles) you can introduce the fight in order to get them out of their own heads.
If some of the players don't seem engaged in the adventure, the fight can be a good way to bring everyone back to the table. Some players come for the tactical combat of 5e and will tune out during heavy narrative.
Finally, the fight is not necessary for the adventure. Some players might decide that the scream is not worth checking out. That's okay! If you're short on time or your players are antsy to move onto the next location, feel free to skip the fight.
}}
## Cultist Hideout
Making it to the hideout of the Cult of the Maw and searching it for Johan's parcel is the ultimate goal of the adventurers. They can find the cave hideout by either interrogating Greeny, interrogating one of the cultists, or following one of the cultists.
If the players have missed all the pointers to the hideout, construct some new clue. Maybe another cultist pops out of the shadows and leads the characters on. Maybe a member of the Cult of the Maw has had a change of heart and finds the player characters to help them. Maybe Greeny attempts to sell them a map to "treasure" that actually points towards the hideout.
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##### Cult of the Maw Hideout
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### 1. Entrance
However the player characters eventually arrive at the hideout, this is what awaits them.
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You travel outside the city and along the coastline until the night turns truly dark. In front of you lies the yawning mouth of a seaside cave. Except for the large entrance, the cave is non-descript. Nobody guards the cave's entryway.
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The cultists have hidden their hideout fairly well, but not perfectly. A DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals footprints in the sand, partially washed away by the waves, leading up the cave's entrance. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals faint light and whispered voices coming from the cave.
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### 2. Cave Tunnel
As the player characters walk into the cave, ask them for their marching order. Knowing who's in front and who is hanging back can be crucial for the upcoming fights.
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or more notices torch light and whispered voices coming from up ahead if they haven't already.
### 3. Hideout Guards
The cultist's hideout is built into the stone of the cave itself. Astute characters might notice the stonework changing from natural cave to worked stone.
{{descriptive
Ahead of you is a small building built into the stone of the cave. A torch on either side of the main entrance illuminates the chamber. You can just make out a humanoid shape in a heavy robe next to each torch.
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The two **cultists** here are lookouts and are actively searching for anyone entering the cave. Anyone attempting to sneak into the cave must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid being noticed by the lookouts. If a character does so and then attacks, the cultists are surprised.
If the cultists spot any of the player characters, they immediately sound the alarm by shouting. The cultists then draw their weapons and attack. The cultist and demons in the antechamber join in the fight on the same round they are warned.
### 4. Hideout Antechamber
The first room in the cultist's hideout is split into two by a shoddy wooden barrier. This creates a kind of jail cell. The barrier has a door and is locked up by a chain and padlock.
There are two **manes** demons currently locked in the cell. The cultists have difficulty controlling the manes and so keep them locked up here until they are needed. Each of the manes has a leather collar and leash that the cultists use to control them.
In the main portion of the antechamber are two **cultists**. If battle breaks out or the alarm is sounded, one of them takes a round to free the manes while the other rushes out to help fight.
A closed door to the north leads to Zangrin's room while a hallway to the east leads to the ritual room.
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### 5. Zangrin's Room
Zangrin Turnbelt is the leader of this faction of the Cult of the Maw. He is a **cult fanatic** with only 22 HP and three 1st level spell slots.
Zangrin is the son of a minor noble in the city. Unhappy with his lot in life, he sought to increase his station.
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Sensing his ambition, the demon lord Yeenoghu visited Zangrin in his dreams. The young noble has been consumed by the Great Hunger ever since. He has been following the visions granted to him by his dark lord to learn how to summon demons.
In his life as a noble Zangrin overheard of the parcel being delivered to Johan Lonstadt. Knowing that Johan was also interested in summoning fiends, Zangirn set things in motion to get the parcel for himself.
Zangrin is the owner of this little building in a cave. It used to be a safehouse to store both goods and people that Zangrin's father needed to keep hidden. It had fallen into disuse until Zangrin decided to use it as a headquarters for his new cult.
Zangrin exclusively uses this particular room. None of the other cultists are allowed entry. Zangrin is fairly rich and if the players snoop through his belongings, they'll find a fair haul. In this room they can find 1,200 cp, 900 sp, 80 gp, a ruby worth 25 gp, a *spell scroll* of *inflict wounds*, and 2 *potions of healing*. When the player characters first come to this room, there is no one in it.
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### 6. Ritual Room
This room is the Cult of the Maw's seat of power, where their leader Zangrin leads them in obscene rites.
{{descriptive
The final chamber of the Cult of the Maw's hideout seems to have been a study at one point. The desks of the study have been shoved to the side to make room for an arcane symbol drawn on the ground. The desks are covered in arcane paraphernalia. One particular object on the desks draws your eye: a wooden box with a rose and dagger carved on the top.
As you move towards the room, a young man in a mage's robe with a crazed look in his eye screams out, "You're too late!" He crushes a vial of red, fizzing liquid in his hand and the arcane symbol on the ground begins to glow. A portal of swirling purple light forms in the center of the symbol. Digging its way out of the arcane energy is a green-skinned, pig-like being that smells like sewer water. It lurches forward at you and attacks!
}}
Have everyone roll initiative! If your players are already engaged in a battle, roll initiative for just Zangrin and the newly summoned **dretch** demon. Add them to the initiative order.
Zangrin hoped to use one of the vials as a spell component to summon a powerful demon. What he got instead was a dretch. While only a little more powerful than a manes, the dretch and Zangrin still represent a deadly threat to the adventurers.
Zangrin does not understand the power of the thing he has summoned. He is beside himself with glee as he exalts in his successful attempt to summon a demon that is not a manes. Crazed and having lost half his mind, Zangrin intends to fight to the death to destroy these intruders.
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## Ending
Assuming the party doesn't fall to Zangrin and the Cult of the Maw, they will have recovered the wooden box and defeated a servant of evil. All that lies in front of them is returning the parcel.
The box originally contained three vials of human blood. The blood has been alchemically tampered with for best demon-summoning results. This has resulted in the blood fizzing like a carbonated beverage. Zangrin destroyed one of the vials, but there are still two left resting in velvet in the box.
If the players decide to look into the box they are knowingly disobeying Johan's directions. If they do it out of sight of anyone else and lie well enough about doing so, Johan has no way of knowing they took a peek.
The party now faces a decision. Zangrin's summoning provided a prime example of the type of thing these vials can accomplish. The players have to decide if they trust Johan Lonstadt with the contents of the parcel.
Returning to Johan is easy enough. He meets them all again at any time of night, with Mercy by his side.
At this point it's possible that the players wish to get a little more out of Johan before they hand over the box. Johan is willing to further upgrade their payment by a small amount. He does not wish to tell the players what he intends to use the parcel's contents for. As always, Mercy is ready if things get violent.
Whether or not the players decide to give Johan his parcel, this adventure then comes to an end. There are still a few unanswered questions. Why did Yeenoghu and his cultists pick this time and place? Are there any other members of the Cult of the Maw out there with malicious plans? What exactly does Johan intend to do with those blood vials? Create your own answers to those questions and keep on adventuring!
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# Appendex A: Battle Maps
### Johan Lonstadt's Sittng Room
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### Scream Fight Battle Map
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### Cult of the Maw Hideout
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