```metadata title: 'ADVENTURE: The Secrets of Mangrove Keep' description: '' tags: [] systems: [] renderer: V3 theme: 5ePHB ``` ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/t50VrIo.jpg){position:absolute;top:0px;right:0px;width:816px;height:1057px} \page {{wide # The Secrets of Mangrove Keep
### Some say that between the reef guarded shores of a dark Mangrove Forest and the rocky cliffs miles inland lay a forgotten fortress filled with gold. Some tales say a dragon once dwelt there, and it had relieved the former owner of the burden that exorbitant wealth brings. Some say the dragon was slain, but the treasure remains. Some say it is only a legend. Some say this. Some say that. There is one thing all say; No one who has gone looking has returned. }} {{toc, - ## TABLE OF CONTENTS - #### [{{ SETUP INFORMATION}}{{ 2}}](#p3) - #### [{{ ACT 1: The Expedition}}{{ 3}}](#p4) - #### [{{ ACT 2: Mangrove Forest}}{{ 6}}](#p7) - #### [{{ ACT 3: The Ruins}}{{ 7}}](#p8) - #### [{{ ACT 4: The Lower Halls}}{{ 9}}](#p10) - #### [{{ CLOSING}}{{ 10}}](#p11) - #### [{{ INFO, STAT BLOCKS, MAPS}}{{ 12}}](#p13) }} : ### ADVENTURE MECHANICS - Target Party: 4 Level 7 Adventures - Expected Playtime: 4+ Hours - Tone: Exploration : ### STYLE "QUICK SHOT" Quick Shots are Adventures designed to be played at varying lengths and levels of engagement. Many things like *Locations* and *Encounters* are only conceptualized and were built to be run in a way that best fits your take, not ours. Think of this as an outline of ideas, not a step by step guide. We've given you the meat and the bones, you just need to garnish and present! : ### PLAYING A.O.G. ADVENTURES AOG adventures are written and designed to be system neutral to avoid Copyright and IP conflicts or issues. They will lean toward a d20 system, particularly 5e D&D, but language referencing specific creature types, treasures, and environments may be more generic or cast in my Homebrew World. All of which should be easily imported into any system of your choosing. I also write and do a lot of things in my own style. There is a simple breakdown of these things at the end, and this link leads to an [Appendices](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/mycj8rDJGKXG) of notes and my thoughts on mechanics to help GMs and Players understand what I may mean by certain phrases and ideas, as well as helpful links to our own source materials. \column ## What is The AOG? It started 40ish years ago. I still remember the day my cousin brought out this thin blue book with a white sketched dragon on its cover and a pile of strange dice. He told eight year old me that we were going to play a game where I could be anything I wanted (as long as it was an elf, dwarf, human, or halfling). I immediately developed that love of bringing people along on journey after journey, and through all the moments and four decades of playing, the trip has never lost its wonder.
Now, my son and I run Amplus Ordo Games as armchair content creators who donate our work to the hobby at large. We host a Patreon which runs like a D&D Magazine, posting mostly Maps and Full Adventures. We do dabble into other areas like stories, and thoughts on the game. My son helps write our “Year One” series which are adventures designed for entry level DMs and players, and we use that content to run the after school Jr High Group.
Any donations are used to fund an afterschool TTRPG Club, our own hobbies, and of course pizza. If you would like to make some requests or support the work you can check us out at [AOG](https://www.patreon.com/amplusordogames). The site has over 2 year's worth of work and there are no paywalls. 50+ Adventures, Hundreds of maps, and a lot of support content.
On the purely Social Media side. We're active on Reddit Subs and our Discord, where we host games, fulfil requests for our supporters, and a smidge of commission work. I coach many of our subscribers regularly on DMing and fantasy cartography. : ### Support Us / Search the Library : [PATREON](https://www.patreon.com/amplusordogames) Amplus Ordo Games : ### Contact us : [DISCORD](https://discord.gg/GDp7a3CFtA) Join the Network
[REDDIT](https://www.reddit.com/r/amplusordogames/) Our Sub in Reddit (Not super active)
[FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/Amplusordogames) Yeah we know... Facebook... {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page ## SETUP INFORMATION
### Story Flow The players will be exploring the ruins of a keep built on a craggy hilltop in a dangerous Mangrove Forest. In order to get to the keep they’ll have to travel to a tropical island, and then navigate the waterways that cut through the forest. Once there they can begin exploring the ruins of the keep, which is divided into two main areas. The hilltop fortress, the skeleton of which is more or less still intact after all these years, and the dungeon and caverns below.
The Keep is a striking walled fortress perched on a rocky hilltop with several towers reaching high above the ground and can be seen from many miles away on a clear day. Unfortunately, it is more or less a shell, as the vast majority of the wooden parts of the structure have broken and long rotted away. Damp climates do not favor furnishings and structures capable of decay. Furthermore, most of the ruin has been picked over many times by scavengers and travelers looking for shelter. Those that have stopped here have typically become victims to the Keep’s “Owners”. The walls have lasted a long time, but are finally beginning to crumble. In many places they have already collapsed, and more could topple over with some help. The Keep is now and will likely forever be a ruin, at least without some serious investment and repair. The Dungeons and Caverns below have fared better than the keep above. In fact, some furnishing can still be found in rooms closed off to the rest of the world. And one can find a great deal of treasure… if they can overcome its guardians.
***Note:** If you’ve never been to a Mangrove Forest before I highly recommend googling some images and a video. They are those trees with the huge roots that stick way up out of the water and grow on shorelines creating large natural barriers between the land and the sea. They also filter local water and create a flourishing habitat for marine life. And like most things humanity has been destroying them to our own detriment. I usually don’t ever get on a soapbox in adventure writing, but I love these places and they’re worth protecting.* ### Game Opening and Hooks
- **Main:** They’re hired by a retired explorer who recently gathered the final piece of information necessary to locate the lost Keep. The players travel with them to the Keep and discover its secrets. - **Alternate 1:** The players have been looking for a specific magic item that has eluded them. Their most recent information points them to Mangrove Keep. - **Alternate 2:** They’re shipwrecked on the island and must head inland. After getting lost in the Mangroves they end up finding the Keep. Or did it find them? \column ## DM NOTES
### Locations
**Starting Port:** For my world I would use Chamsburg for this adventure. A Northern country that has a bit of a Central Europe feel to it. But the starting location isn’t important, but I do think it interesting to have the party come from some place far from the tropics.
**The Island:** I use the backdrop of Panitube or as most old time D&D nerds know it, The Isle of Dread. IoD is one of the oldest and most famous of D&D modules. I’ve run a lot of iterations of it and honestly if I had to pick one module out of D&D’s history this would be it. But… any tropical island will do. I suppose… ### NPCS **Malliry Valderu, Human Wizard:** Malliry should have a bit of bumbling professor feel to her. Her wisdom isn’t all that great nor is her Charisma. She is a bit of a doof to be honest. Being in her mid sixties she has a grandmotherly look and mannerisms, so it should be hard not to love her. She was once part of The Swords of Stolregard Adventuring Guild in Deleran’s Crossing, a Guild that is no longer functioning and was well past its glory days when she was active. Most of the people she knew are dead or simply gone. She has a sharp memory and is great at working out problems, so can function as a lever to get players moving again if they begin to overthink problems or struggle with analysis paralysis. Malliry will have an appropriate spell list, mostly utility spells, She wears a Ring of Misty Step, A Robe of Protection +2, and has a Rust Colored Bag of Tricks, which she will use at least once a day. ## OPENING CUT SCENE {{monster,frame ##### The yellow pennants fluttered lightly in the summer’s morning breeze. The smell of ocean and forest mingled in the air as dawn approached. The sun had not yet fully crested the mountains to the west. A parade of knights was preparing to escort merchants down the road she had raised through the Mangrove Forest. The keep was already a bustle of activity. In just a few short years they had done the impossible, recover the riches of lost civilizations and built a new one in a hostile environment. And in a few short seconds it was all about to come undone. They smelled the Dragon before they saw it. The chlorinated tinge of its breath flooding the air around them. Vithseriss had come and the last thing most of them saw was one final sunrise and emerald green scales. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page ## ACT 1: The Expedition - They’ll be hired by an old adventurer Malliry Valderu to help her on one last adventure. She is a Human Wizard (Just above their Level) in her mid sixties. She was moderately successful as an Adventurer but had always been just short of a big score. She hopes this last trip will be that score. - She will hire a ship and provide any necessary expedition equipment. She will also provide some extra potions and scrolls, mostly healing, but it may be fun to throw them a few more interesting things. #### EVENT: Sail to the Island - It's not really fun to just say “Ok you get on a ship and now you’re at the island” so take some time to run a Voyage Montage and few sailing Skill Challenges - It would also be a good place for a rando ocean encounter or two. Maybe not a full on Pirate combat with scallywags swiping scimitars while swinging from sails and rigging, but maybe that! - Eventually they’ll spot the island and prepare to make landfall. ## ACT 2: Mangrove Forest - A few notes about the forest. The Mangroves here grow quite large, and the root umbrellas can reach 20’ in diameter. They are covered in mossy vines and their leaf canopies mesh together tightly bathing most of the area in darkness. Rivers and streams cut through the forest in a twisting maze of waterways. Rocky moss and vine covered hills pop up occasionally, some of them sizeable. These paths allow some light to trickle in but not much else cuts through the ever constant dim light. If they need a place to rest out of the water they’ll have to find one of these islands to make camp. - They are also home to all manner of creatures. Tribes of Bullywugs, Grung, and Lizardfolk carve out what territory they can and Sahuagin, Sea Trolls, and Swamp Ogres aren’t uncommon. And of course, large predators like overgrown insects, venomous snakes, crocodiles, giant birds, and the occasional dinosaur can be found here as well. - Putting together an encounter or two and running some navigational skill challenges should give the forest the dangerous feeling needed to set the mood. - As they approach the area of the ruins they might find smaller settlements reclaimed by the forest. They may also stumble across roadways that have sunk back into the swamp. \column ## ACT 3: The Ruins {{monster,frame ##### You approach a rocky hill and spot the ruin sticking up above the treeline like a decaying molar jutting out of black rotting gums. The wall holds in most places but the crenelated topped walls are cracked in most places, crumbling in others, and in a few spots have completely collapsed. The nearby trees grow darker and the moss thick enough to easily block line of sight. The air becomes heavier and the smell of rot and decay are mixed with the caustic odor of chlorine which seems to seep up from the ground itself. The noises of the nearby forest have quieted leaving an eerie silence hanging in the air. }} There is a clan of Trolls that have taken up residence in Keep. They are very sneaky and know the area well. They’ll set themselves up to launch an ambush on the players somewhere inside. Likely the Inner Keep, but anywhere works. The Banelar has used illusion magic to keep the Trolls scared of the tunnels below, but hasn’t chased them off because it thinks they make wonderful guardians. ### LOCATIONS - **General) The Rocky Hill:** The Rocky Hill rises quickly up out of the Mangrove Forest, reaching nearly 50’ above the waterline. The moss and vine covered cliffs are rather steep but have many ledges, some of them rather large. The North side of the island is a bit more sloped and layered than the other sides, in fact atop the first ledge is a road. - **1) North Road:** This east-west running road that courts a smaller cliff that drops away into the swamp. Grass and tall weeds sprout up between the cracks of the large cobblestones that still keep a good portion of the area clear of larger plants. There is a 15’ tall intact Bulwark along the south side of the road built into the cliff. The cliff rises another 15’ above that, and is topped by a 20’ tall wall. On the east end there is a large Oval Gatehouse. - **2) North Bulwark:** This short half circle 15’ wall flanks the road. The cliff face behind it is covered with moss and vines. A closer inspection will reveal that there was a doorway here into the underground but the cliff has collapsed burying the entrance. - **3) Gatehouse:** The Gatehouse stands 60’ tall and carved out of the cliffs. The huge wooden gates have long ago collapsed. Trees now grow inside about halfway up the Archer’s Nest lined walls. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page - **4) Southern Bulwark:** This half tower is almost completely collapsed and hidden by a tree. There is a good sized cavern that has been clawed into the wall here where a doorway once was. This was the Dragon’s main entrance to the dungeon below. - **5) Southern Cavern:** On the southside of the cliff there is a wide cavern whose entrance is almost completely submerged under the waterline. Only a foot or two is open to the air. It is extremely hard to spot, but those in boats that come past here may notice a current coming out from under the rock. - **6) Central Courtyard and Dragon Skeleton:** Coming up into the keep the players will immediately spot the Dragon Skeleton slowly being consumed by moss and vines. It has been dead for a long time now. They’ll surely spend some time poking it and trying to grab teeth and what not. I think having a patch of Shrieker Mushroom grow her turns this into a great place to ambush them with the Trolls. - **7) North Courtyard:** There are two wild fruit trees growing here. Leftovers from a small orchard and garden long ago. One of the plants allows the players to spend HD to regain HP. The other is basically a Fantasy Reaper Pepper bush and quite poisonous. - **8) South Courtyard:** This courtyard is a little more narrow. One of its more interesting features is a sewer grate that drains down into the cavern below. - **9) The Outer Towers:** The walls are dotted with multiple small towers. The one in the North next to the Gatehouse, actually hides a secret entrance to a ladder shaft leading down into the Dungeon. The three larger towers stand 40’ above the cliffs. The one in the Southeast has a well that could be climbed down into the cavern below. The North East Tower’s floor is ready to collapse, the Dragon dug out the cavern below as an emergency escape and it won’t take much to cause it to break away. - **10) Central Keep:** The keep was originally three stories tall, but the upper floors have collapsed and almost completely decayed. Once the main audience chamber of the keep, it is now just a hollow shell. Most of the stone is covered in grime with plants growing up between the joints. There are two trees that have burst up from the floor, one of them quite large. Someone at one time built a campfire behind one of the towers, but that seemed to have been some time ago. - **11) Inner Towers:** These four towers rise up one further floor above the main building. You would be able to spot doorways higher up but the floors have long crumbled away. The Northeast tower has a staircase that spirals up to the top of the tower. The Southwest one has a staircase that leads down into the dungeons. \column ## ACT 4: The Lower Halls The lower halls have preserved some of the furniture in this area; the halls are still dank and moldy. The main focus of the lower halls is finding the Treasure Room and defeating the Banelar. Though the Banelar keeps the trolls out of here there are creatures it allows to live in the rooms beyond its lair. ### LOCATIONS - **1) Northern Hallways:** There are two hallways on the north end of the dungeon. The short one **A)** ends with a ladder that leads up to a secret door to the courtyard. The other hallway **B)** once led out a door to the North Bulwark. A collapse long ago has blocked this path. - **2) Main Hallway**: There is a main hallway starting with the stairs in the south and cutting through the middle of the Dungeon. At about the halfway point is a large patch of Brown Mold. *Brown Mold is an extremely dangerous dungeon hazard. - **3) Flooded Prison:** Stairs lead downward into an old prison flooded by a few feet of water. The cots sit just above the water line, and that has kept them from rotting away. At the end of the Prison Hall is a drain that is plugged up. Putting a Zombie behind the bars of one of the cells would be a interesting and nonthreatening encounter. - **4) Barracks:** The Keep’s soldiers once slept here. The bed frames still remain as do a few empty footlockers. The rest is long gone. Several of the Foot Lockers are Mimics waiting for an opportunity to devour anything that touches them. - **5) Dining Hall:** The old common dining hall for the soldiers and servants. A fireplace has long collapsed and the furniture has been destroyed. It’s always fun to hide a treasure in a fireplace! - **6) Common Room:** A few scattered pieces of broken furniture remain in this common room. On the South end of the room a large tunnel has been dug out of the stone to the West, and a large hole had been dug in the floor in the South East corner. - **7) Burrowed Tunnel:** This tunnel was dug out by the dragon as entrances to its lair. It drops down at both ends. The West end leads into the common room and the East end leads up into the Treasure Vault. There is also a small crack in the wall that drops down into the underground river g). There is a Gelatinous Cube wandering the tunnel between the two ledges. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page - **8) Vault Entrance:** The entrance of the Treasure Room is a fair sized room with a large bronze vault door on the East wall. There are two large bronze statues (Bronze Golems), one on the North and one on the South wall. The Vault Door has a complex combination lock covered with runes, letters, and numbers. Entering the wrong code activates the two Golems, who will attack until destroyed. - **9) Treasure Room:** Well, it’s a treasure room. That part is clear and easy. What we don’t want to be easy is the final encounter. A Banelar, which is a type of Naga that is very invested in Collecting Treasure, Using Magical Items, and Being Evil. I’ll write up this Encounter and Rewards below. - **10) Underground River:** The River stretches across the South and East sides of the Fortress. Starting in the Southwest corner **C)** you’ll find the well pit. This spring fed area has been somewhat dug out to accommodate a larger area and sits a little higher than the rest of the river. Moving East **D)** we find the exit to the cavern. The channel is deep but the opening to the cave is barely above the water line and well hidden from the outside. Past that is a network of narrow winding caverns **E)**. Putting a Giant Snake in here that is blocking some of the tunnel might be a great idea. Some of the passages are extremely tight and large creatures that can’t squeeze well may not even be able to pass. At the far edge of the network **F)** there is a narrow cliff tha heads up into the Burrowed Tunnel. There is also a drain here that leads up into the South Courtyard **G)**. The passage then narrows to a singular path until it reaches the opening right behind the Treasure Room. North of there is a much wider passage heading North **H)**. - **11) Prison Drain:** This larger room was once simply a narrow drain much like the rest of the river. However the Dragon dug upward here, stopping just short of the floor of the Most Northeast tower. Any real damage to the ceiling here will cause a collapse of the floor opening it to the keep above. ##### ENCOUNTER: The Banelar
Banelars are expert spell casters and skilled with using Magical Items. Usually at the same time. This particular one is extremely powerful and knows the players are coming toward its lair and has prepared accordingly. It will prefer stealth and ambush with magical attacks and if given the opportunity will absolutely use the Golems or the Gelatinous Cube in the other rooms against them. It is dual wielding wands of Magic Missile, both of which it can use every round but not on the same target. It also has a Ring of the Bigby’s hand it can use in place of one of the wand strikes. The Banelar can cast a spell or use its magic items, then make a spit or bite attack as a bonus action. If you need to up the stakes on the encounter swap out the wands for something more spicy like Lightning Bolts. \column ## CLOSING - Once the party defeats the Balenar, Malliry (If she is still alive) will help tend to any wounded, and then simply sit down among the treasures and begin to look around. She has done it. The mission that eluded her all her life has been accomplished. She will have a huge smile on her face and be just beaming with joy. After taking it all in she will stand, dust herself off, pick up a singular gold coin, tuck it into her robe, and then quietly exit the room. - If Malliry has died, that’s sad, sort of. However, if the players bring her body here to rest alongside the treasure she was seeking then they should receive a bonus because that’s really thoughtful and cool. - The players can gather whatever treasures they have room for and begin the journey back. Remember they can’t take it all, but they might try, so that becomes an interesting skill challenge. I usually expedite such trips if it's a One-Shot, but as part of a Campaign I’d repeat the travel hazards of the Mangrove Forest and the return Voyage on the ship. ## REWARDS - You can decide best what rewards to give them but… there is a lot of treasure here. This was a Dragon’s Horde and has only been added to since. Listing treasure for someone else’s campaign is always a challenge. It is nearly impossible to predict exactly what their players need or what satisfies them. Still, in this case I have some minor recommendations. - I would give at least one nifty reward to each of the players. I really like things that give them extra uses of their powers or buff their skill sets. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page {{wide
# THANKS FOR PLAYING : **I do want to take one last moment to sincerely thank you for playing an AOG Adventure. It means a lot to me as a creator. If you enjoyed it please leave me some comments on wherever you found this adventure. You can support more content like this by subscribing to our Patreon. [AMPLUS ORDO GAMES](https://www.patreon.com/amplusordogames)** :::::: ### ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To the Long History of Open Gaming that allows our adventures to be written system neutral.
Original story written by Amplus Ordo Games
All Maps and Handouts were done by Designers at AOG using Inkarnate
PDF Formatting done using The Homebrewery
}} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page {{wide ## PLAYING AN AOG ADVENTURE: THE BASICS
#### Homebrewed World
First off, almost all my adventures are set in my Homebrew World of Taalist, particularly the Continent of Krenshad. Which the majority of has a very Gothic Art and Renaissance Period cultural feel to it. With some Greek and Middle Eastern Cultre from various time periods thrown in there for flavor. That said… Almost all of my Adventures can be easily ported into your location of choice. If you would like to play in Taalist my Campaign Guide (All 150+ Pages of it) can be accessed on our Discord.
#### The Lay Out
I divide my adventures into “Acts”. An Act doesn’t necessarily reflect an amount of time, but more of an important series of events or locations. Some Acts may take 5 minutes, some 5 hours. Why? I dunno, ask the players who over complicate simple matters and simplify the overly complex.
#### Skill Check DCs
I don’t spend a lot of time defining DCs as I play with a bit wider scale of success and failures. What does that mean? For reference the DC scale in 5E looks like this.... Very Easy DC 5, Easy DC 10, Medium DC 15, Hard DC 20, Very Hard DC 25, Nearly Impossible DC 30. When I list a DC, I will tell you it is Hard. But Hard for one party may be easy for another so I leave the actual number value up to you. I also play with a “Success but with Consequences” mentality. That means if they get close they still accomplish their goal, but there is a “but” to that success. An Example? Hard Stealth DC is 20, they roll an 18, I tell them “You sneak past the guard you see, but the guard you didn’t see heard something and is headed your way.” I think it adds more to the story that way.
#### Search Checks
I often reference Search Checks. What is a Search Check? When the players want to “search” something or for something I let them use either Investigation or Perception. I know that isn’t RAW but it just makes things so much easier. I got real tired of explaining to players who have been playing with me for years the difference between the two… just let them look for stuff!
#### Treasure Sizes
Every game is different. So I do not *usually* list out treasures. Instead I use the follwing terms to assign value not size to the treasure Petty, Small, Medium, Large, Huge. Often I will use a combination of them. You can decide how best to fulfill that for your party.
#### Identify Rules
I use a different style of Identify. Items in my world have a Knowledge DC on them (Arcana, Religion, History, and Nature). I allow the player to use an appropriate Check on an item to identify it. The Identify Spell adds a +10 to this. It can be upcast for additional +5 bonuses. Depending on the score of the Check I give them different information. Some information is extremely hard to obtain, for example Curses are well hidden behind DCs that are at least DC 30, often much higher.
#### Opening Cutscene
I like to start my games with an Opening Cutscene which is read before anything else happens. These are usually really vague bits of information that give a glimpse into something that will maybe happen later, happened before the adventure, or is story adjacent to it. I have found these to be great tools to set the mood and create a little mystery.
#### Setting, Background Info, and Hooks
These portions can be used as you see fit. Each one is a little different, so it is hard for me to say how best to use them. Some will play better if you can get them into the hands of the players before the game. Others may have better influence when read just after the Cutscene. Some are really only relevant to moments in the story. But as in all things you do what is best for your game! That is always the way to go.
#### Skill Challenges
I use the idea of Skill Challenges a lot. What is that? It is an event in the game that isn’t quite an encounter and it isn’t a simple skill check. It is a problem they solve with their whole skill set. Typically they must get three successes before three failures in order to succeed in a skill check. The thing about a Skill challenge is they’re are vague on purpose to allow players to be creative in solving a problem. An example may help here.
> - DM says “Your Boat is taking on water. What would you like to do?” > - Player 1 responds with “I use my carpentry tools to fix the hole” and they make a Tool Check. But they roll a 2 so they fail. Too much water. > - Player 2 says “ wants to row harder with the crew to get us toward shore faster” They make an Athletics Check and roll an 18. So that is a success. > - Player 3 “I use Destroy Water to get water out” OK, well it only destroys 10 gallons so it isn’t super helpful, but the momentary reprieve allows a little drywork to happen and allow player 1 to reroll. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page {{monster,frame >## Malliry Valderu >*Human Wizard, lawful good* >___ >- **Armor Class** 12 (15 with *mage armor*) >- **Hit Points** 40 (9d8) >- **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|9 (-1)|14 (+2)|11 (+0)|20 (+5)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)| >___ >- **Saving Throws** Int +6, Wis +4 >- **Skills** Arcana +6, History +6 >- **Senses** passive Perception 11 >- **Languages** any four languages >- **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP) >- **Proficiency Bonus** +3 >___ >***Spellcasting.*** Malliry is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). Malliry is mostly a support caster and has the following wizard spells prepared:
>Cantrips (at will): *firebolt*, *light*, *mage hand*, *mending*, *minor illusion*, *prestidigitation* >1st level (4 slots): *detect magic*, *identify*, *mage armor*, *shield*, *Tenser's Floating Disk* >2nd level (3 slots): *enlarge/reduce*, *invisibility*, *knock*, *locate object*, *misty step*, *shatter*, *suggestion* >3rd level (3 slots): *counterspell*, *dispel magic*, *fly*, *haste*, *tongued*, *waterbreathing* >4th level (3 slots): *dimension door*, *greater invisibility*, *locate creature*, *polymorph* >5th level (1 slot): *creation*, *scrying*, *rary's telepathic bond*, *wall of force* > >### Actions >***Dagger.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. }} :: ### The Ancient Banelar Banelars are expert spell casters and skilled with using Magical Items. Usually at the same time. This particular one is extremely powerful and knows the players are coming toward its lair and has prepared accordingly. It will prefer stealth and ambush with magical attacks and if given the opportunity will absolutely use the Golems or the Gelatinous Cube in the other rooms against them. It is dual wielding wands of Magic Missile, both of which it can use every round but not on the same target. It also has a Ring of the Bigby’s hand it can use in place of one of the wand strikes. The Banelar can cast a spell or use its magic items and then make a spit or bite attack as a bonus action. If you need to up the stakes on the encounter swap out the wands for something more spicy like Lightning Bolts. \column {{monster,frame >## Ancient Banelar >*Large Monstrosity, lawful good* >___ >- **Armor Class** 18 (natural armor) >- **Hit Points** 150 (15d10 + 70) >- **Speed** 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|19 (+4)|18 (+4)|16 (+3)|16 (+3)|19 (+4)|18 (+4)| >___ >- **Saving Throws** Dex +8, Con +7, Int +7, Wis +8, Cha +8 >- **Damage Immunities** poison >- **Condition Immunities** charmed, poisoned >- **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 >- **Languages** Infernal, Common >- **Challenge** 10 (5,900 XP) >- **Proficiency Bonus** +5 >___ > > >***Spellcasting.*** The Banelar is an 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks), and it needs only verbal components to cast its spells. It has the following cleric spells prepared: >Cantrips (at will): *eldritch blast*, *thaumaturgy* >1st level (4 slots): *catapult*, *command*, *cure wounds*, {{width:30px}} *hellish rebuke* >2nd level (3 slots): *heat metal*, *invisibility*, *misty step*, {{width:20px}} *scorching ray*, >3rd level (3 slots): *bestow curse*, *clairvoyance*, *counterspell*, {{width:20px}} *dispel magic*, *spirit guardians*, *thunder step* >4th level (3 slots): *banishment*, *blight*, *shadow of moil*, *wall of fire* >5th level (2 slots): *flame strike*, *geas*, *synaptic static* >6th level (1 slot): *globe of invulnerability* > >### Actions >***Swift-Action.*** The Banelar can cast a spell or use its magic items and then make a spit or bite attack as a bonus action. >***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. >***Spit Poison.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, range 15/30 ft., one creature. *Hit:* The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. >***Legendary Resistance (3/Day)***. If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. >### Legendary Actions The Banelar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. >- Use a Magic Item (Costs 2 Actions) >- Make a Bite, Spit, or Cast a Cantrip >### Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the banelar takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. Cammot use the same effect two rounds in a row. >- It Casts Darkness. The Banelar is unaffected by this spell. >- It Casts Grease. The Banelar is unaffected by this spell. >- It Casts Bane. The Banelar is unaffected by this spell. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/WSwArYs.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page {{wide # Panitube
### ##### Panitube (The Isle of Dread) is a mysterious tropical island that has been part of the D&D universe since the early 1980s. It was originally included with the Expert Blue Box of the Basic rules and introduced wilderness exploration as a playstyle, a number of new ideas, and new creatures. It has gone through a number of iterations, including a 5e rewrite) and been a fan favorite for ages.
##### It was clearly influenced by King Kong Skull Island concepts. It even has a giant wall that keeps the locals safe from the dangers of the main island. It also carries with it a bit of multidimensional mayhem, drifting in and out of worlds gathering lost sailors and treasures, making it quite similar to a Domain of Dread.
##### It is more of a mainstay in my world, though it does still have much of the mystery the original has. It has been a setting for numerous adventures and has been used as a Pirate base and a locale for nations to attempt expanding to unsettled frontiers. None of these endeavors have been successful. Panitube after all isn't called The Isle of Dread for no reason. No, it has earned that title a thousand times over. :: ### The Map ##### This would have be the "highest quality" map available to your players. The seller would have told them that Panitube is a difficult place to map because it is an impossible place to survive. The interior markers are questionable at best and mostly rumor. If you go exploring you're sure to find more ruins and places the island has reclaimed. Be careful you're not one of them. The entire island is surrounded by a Maze of Razor Sharp Reefs, which are home to things with Razor Sharp Teeth. If they are careful, they should be able to find a path through the reefs and make it to the Villages in the South East. Those villages are the only "safe" place on the island IF the islanders welcome you. Don't underestimate them if they think you're a threat. #### Known Places - **The Jungle Gate** is a massive wall that keeps dangerous creatures outside of the Peninsula. - **The Dread Port** is the failed attempt at a stable city that sailors built a century ago. - **Crown Top** is a well picked over ruin easily spotted ruin from the shore. - **The Blossoming Templ**e is where the Panitube send their warriors to prove themselves #### Mysterious Places - **The Serpent's Stair** is supposedly a Yuan-Ti city - **Mangrove Keep** is a ruin that was, maybe is, inhabited by a Dragon - **The Observatory** is something's scientific lair, you can see a telescope if you get close enough - **The Path of Souls** leads through the mountains but you have to pass through some kind of Necropolis - **The Under Tunnel** is also a highway through the mountains and supposedly comes out in several places - **The Guardian's Bridge** is well... a bridge. Reports of its condition vary. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page # Mangrove Keep, Exterior ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/NtCwIA4.jpg) {position:absolute;top:100px;right:30px;width:750px} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page # Mangrove Keep, Interior ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/LmHTSEz.jpg) {position:absolute;top:100px;right:30px;width:750px} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote The Secrets of Mangrove Keep, July 2023}} \page # Mangrove Keep, DM Maps ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/ZS7wpZm.jpg) {position:absolute;top:110px;right:30px;width:450px} ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/q67xQGE.png) {position:absolute;top:570px;right:30px;width:450px} ## Keep Exterior ##### 1) North Road ##### 2) North Bulwark ##### 3) Gatehouse ##### 4) Southern Bulwark ##### 5) Southern Cavern ##### 6) Central Courtyard and Dragon Skeleton ##### 7) North Courtyard ##### 8) South Courtyard ##### 9) The Outer Towers ##### 10) Central Keep ##### 11) Inner Towers :::::::::::::: ## The Lower Halls ##### 1) Northern Hallways ##### 2) Main Hallway ##### 3) Flooded Prison ##### 4) Barracks ##### 5) Dining Hall ##### 6) Common Room ##### 7) Burrowed Tunnel ##### 8) Vault Entrance ##### 9) Treasure Room ##### 10) Underground River ##### 11) Prison Drain