```metadata
title: 'ADVENTURE: Murder at the Drowning Lass'
description: ''
tags: ''
systems: []
renderer: legacy
```
\page
# MURDER AT THE DROWNING LASS
## ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS
##### We’re doubling down on a lot of cliches in this Adventure. It all starts in a tavern. While just doing tavern things, a barfight breaks out. During the altercations a man is murdered by someone looking for a Treasure Map. This Map will find its way into the hands of the players, after which they become the targets of the criminals looking to cash in with that map. It is then a harassed race to the Treasure
> * Target Party and Level: 4 level 6 players
> * Expected Playtime Playtime: 4-5 Hours
> * Tone: Adventurous
## TABLE OF CONTENTS
- #### [SETUP INFORMATION](#p3)
- #### [ACT 1: Murder at the Drowning Lass](#p4)
- #### [ACT 02: What Just Happened?](#p5)
- #### [ACT 03: Locations With More Clues](#p5)
- #### [ACT 04: The Blowhole](#p6)
- #### [ACT 5: The Cave of Bahed Ayek](#p6)
- #### [ACT 06: The Drowning Lass](#p9)
- #### [THE ADVENTURE ENDS](#p10)
- #### [APPENDICES](#p11)
- [NOTES ON PLAYING AN A.O.G. ADVENTURE](#p11)
- [EXPANDED LORE](#p12)
- [IMPORTANT LOCATIONS](#p12)
- [IMPORTANT NPCs](#p14)
- [HANDOUTS](#p15)
- [MAPS](#p19)
- [STAT BLOCKS](#p24)
```
```
## PROGRESSION OVERVIEW
The adventure is part mystery and part cavern crawl, with a little *heist-like* seasoning sprinkled in for good measure. Organizationally though, it should play pretty straight forward, particularly at the back end. The most obvious hook is the Treasure Map. The adventure revolves around it basically landing at their feet when a murdered fella drops it. What they do with it from there may cause some problems, but I’ve never really had a party that worried much about “property rights”. I mean, if you think about it, every dungeon is basically them trespassing… Anyway, from that point there will be a few other stops on their way to the treasure cave. The treasure cave is home to a variety of creatures and finding the loot may take them longer than they bargained for. And of course… it’s not like the thieves who caused all the trouble in the first place are just going to forget that someone else has the map they want.
## PLAYING AN A.O.G. ADVENTURE
If you’ve never played an AOG adventure, I thought it wise to give you some notes on how I write them. Cuz I do some stuff non traditional like. Those notes are down in the Appendices.
## CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Wizards of the Coast and D&D for the amazing job they do providing RPG Content for us to use!
- Origional Story Written by Amplus Ordo Games
- All Maps and Handouts were done by Amplus Ordo Games using Inkarnate
- PDF Formatting done using The Homebrewery
\page
### SETUP INFORMATION
#### SETTING: Riogchald
Riogchald (Riig-sh-alt) is a warrior nation based on a smashup of Viking and Scottish Highlander culture. They are fiercely independent among mortals, but powerfully chained to the Fey. After the Northern Half of Balinovia was devastated in the cataclysmic events following the death of The Storm Lord, the surviving people fled to the rocky highlands in the shadow of the Dhagdha's Mountains range. The land they left behind was thick with ancient, even Primordial, Forests and Otherworldly influences, particularly the Fey. Settling south of the Riogchald river they scraped back together a strong but simple civilization. They spent much of the next few decades cut off from the rest of the world and turned with open arms to the Spirit patrons of the nearby wilds for support.
They developed a culture that most would consider “rough and tumble” or even “barbaric” but there is a hearty joy in it that only they seem to really understand. A welcomed friend that has been gone for a long while could just as easily be greeted with a punch to the face as with a hug. A good night in Riogchald involves a large fire, a hearty meal, an unhealthy amount of ale, and at least one fistfight. They are a people in touch with the natural and supernatural places of their domain, and have a deep respect for nature. They also learned over time to fear and reverence the spirits that their forefathers had called upon, knowing that while they will indeed answer the pleas of mortals, that they do not do so without a price.
As they thrived they culturally awoke to the idea of exploring the world around them. It had been long since the clans had anything to speak of other than the stealing of sheep and the capturing of other Clan’s maidens. It was almost as if something collectively came to life among them. They began building ships and set off to raid and plunder their neighbors. Which they did with frightening recklessness and substantial ability. A Riogchald warship on the horizon gives even the most battle hardened buccaneer reason to sail the other direction.
Three years ago Laird (lord) Malcom Ruthven of Clan Drummond called a war council. He arrived with a powerful old crone in his company and wrestled control of Riogchald away from the other Lairds. Some by politics, some by competition, and some by blood. What he will do with this power is still unclear, but he has taken the Crown of Lairds from Castle Forbund and those who have spoken out against him have been arrested and brutally beaten. They have later been released once an oath eternal fealty has been pledged. Still, he has promised riches and war to the people, both things that get them fired up, as it is common philosophy of the Chaldites that if you are too cowardly to fight for what you have or what you want, then you do not deserve to have it.
#### BACKGROUND STORY
The Drowning Lass is the tale of two doomed lovers Luthais and Yaighread. They were kept apart by an angry and murderous father who attempted to drown the Lass of the tale. After making a bargain with a Dark Fey she comes back for revenge. Only to later find out her love committed suicide when he thought her dead. In despair she takes a boat out into the Loch and disappears forever. Or did she…
* (The Full Story is in the Appendices)
### HOOKS
**Main:** Just pick it up. Th simplest hook is to have them pick up the map and go looking.
**Backup:** Help Us! If they don’t bite on that… have Soeras’ family hire them to retrieve the treasure.
**Backup Backup:** Have the Magpies take Soeras’ family hostage. If the adventurers don’t go looking for it then Maggie will have them killed.
### IMPORTANT LOCATIONS
More detailed descriptions and maps, if there are any, can be found in the Appendices.
**Rioghchald:** The nation in which the adventure is set
**Loch Forbund:** The city where the adventure begins. Also the name of the Lake the city sits on.
**The Drowning Lass:** This tavern that is central to the plot and the starting events
**Mum’s Spoons:** Local Pawn Shop, and Thieves’ Guild Front
**The Spicy Hag Apothecary:** Local Potion and Herb Shop. Limited Magical Supplies
**The Lore House:** Kind of like a library, kind of like a tavern. Loremasters hang out here.
**Fergac’s Hole:** A Local Fisherman’s Spot, Fergac knows all sorts of local legends
**The Blowhole:** A major stop in the clue hunt.
**The Cavern of Bahed Ayek:** (The Drowning Lass) An underwater cave West of Loch Forbund
### IMPORTANT NPCs
I will give a little better description and provide necessary Stat Blocks of these NPCs in the Appendices.
**Tiobaid The Innkeeper:** Runs The Drowning Lass Tavern
T**erela The Bard:** Local Riogchald Bard, well liked, but not amazing.
**Maggie Blood Shadow:** Leader of the Magpies
**Seoras:** Has the clues to the treasure that the Magpies want. Not long for this world.
**Belaster:** Thom’s Lawyer.
**Unjoul:** A local Thieves Guild Contact
**Raibeart:** Local Fence.
**Aoife:** Local Alchemist and Fey Connection Broker
**Esobel:** Mistress of Lore
**Fergac:** Grumpy Local Fisherman
\page
## OPENING CUT-SCENE
"The water smashes into the rocks tossing driftwood and other floating debris into the air. Waves like this on the Loch are rare, and typically herald bad weather. A lone figure watches from the water. He knows what else waters like these also herald. It was time to head back to Loch Forbund before someone dies."
## ACT 1: Murder at the Drowning Lass
**MAP: The Drowning Lass**
Everyone is in The Drowning Lass tavern for one reason or another having a good time. Easy to do either way. If they are already a group then just drop them in. If this is your beginning then the adventure lends itself well toward putting groups together. I usually let them do some “Tavern” business, before I start the Event.
It is a quiet evening in the Tavern. Well quiet for Riogchald. There have only been two fistfights and the Bard is trying to get people to listen to some new song based off the tale of The Drowning Lass, but no one is really listening. There was a funeral today. Old Thom has passed on. Thom was one of those elder fellers who basically live at their local taverns, and tell wild stories to anyone who will listen. His best friend Seoras is sitting at their usual spots next to an empty seat, Thom’s seat. There are mostly regulars and town’s folk here, but there are a handful of travelers and irregulars. There are a few disreputable looking folk here. Including a shifty looking Dragonborn (just a traveler), a couple goblins, and a Half Ogre (Magpies).
Thom was an Adventurer when he was younger. Like most he wasn’t overly successful. At least that’s what he told people. Truth is he was fairly successful. In fact, he was one of the more wealthy people in town, but few knew it. Seoras knew, and Thom left him his Water Breathing Amulet and clue to the treasure. Maggie Blood Shadow recently found all this out and has plans to get her hands on that loot.
### EVENT 1: Barfight
The Magpies are about to launch a distracting Barfight in order to cover up their kidnapping of Soeras. But that is going to go wrong, and Soeras is going to end up dead. The Fight begins when the Half Ogre grapples one of the players (Target the one most likely to get grabbed) and throws them across the room. It is then initiative.
**SKILL CHECK: Perception (Medium/Hard)**
* There are several Magpie Agents located around the tavern. Depending on how well they do, the Players can spot them oddly eyeing up the room. If they begin to suspect something is up, immediately start the barfight, but give them a little edge in the brawl.
```
```
##### ENCOUNTER: Tavern Braw
In Riogchald barfights are normal, but this one is not normal. This one is going to be an all out mess. To speed things along, I have combined the commoners into “swarms”.
* 4 Commoner Swarms, 2 Magpie Goblin Enforcers, 1 Magpie Hal-Ogre
**Round 1, Free For All:** Good old chair smashing fun. Hopefully they don’t start killing people. Ask if they want to do non-lethal.
**Round 2, Soeras is Dead:** The Goblins will attempt to grab Soeras this round. He will resist them and attempt to scramble over the bar. When he does one of them will shank him in the back and he will tumble backward dropping a Silvered Scroll Case that will bounce right to the feet of a nearby player. The Goblins and the Half Ogre will turn on that player in an attempt to get that scroll case. (Add 2 Goblins to the combat) Whatever happens here the players need to leave with that scroll case. If for some reason or another they leave it behind have that Dragonborn or the Bard give it back to them later with a “You dropped this”
**Round 3, Panic at the Tavern:** The non engaged Magpies will toss out smoke bombs and snatch the Body for a quick escape out a window. People will start freaking out. They will believe the tavern is on fire, and folks getting murdered in a barfight is not normal for Riogchald. They begin running for the exits and windows. The commoners will become non combatants as the goblins and Ogre converge on the players.
**REWARD: Loot the Bodies**
* The Magpies will have basic gear on them.
* Each combatant will have 4d6+5sp
### POSSIBLE EVENT: Body Snatchers
**SKILL CHECK: Perception (Hard)**
They could spot the Magpies but they have disadvantage because of the smoke, and these are sneaky hiding thieves.
* The Skill Challenge can only begin if the players can spot the Magpies stealing the body.
**SKILL CHALLENGE: Catch the Magpies (Hard)**
If they spot them they can give chase, but the Magpies are zipping down the cliffs on ropes, and will have a good head start, and the docks will be crowded, with lots of places to hide. They'll need to roll well or be very creative to succeed.
**REWARD: Soeras’ Body**
If they catch up to the thieves, the Magpies will drop the body, split up, and disappear into the crowds on the docks. On Soeras body they will find...
* 3d8+5sp
* A Copy of Thom’s Will (Handout 1)
* A Strange Amulet. (Water Breathing)
\page
## ACT 02: What Just Happened?
Act 2 and 3 have the potential to be the longest of the Acts. Because however Event 1 ends, they are going to be left with questions. Why was Soeras killed? What is in this scroll case the goblins were after? What was Thom into? A Map? A Conspiracy? A Heist? I will answer a few of the obvious points, but there is a good chance you’re going to have to make stuff up here. Act 2 will deal with the immediate aftermath of the attack, and Act 3 will deal with any Town or Local Area exploring. For Act 2, once the commotion begins dying down locals will start coming back to the Drowning Lass. The players will likely begin asking them and probably the innkeeper questions.
### EVENT 2: Just After the Attack
I'm just going to list information about Clues. The rest will be in your hands.
**CLUE, The Silver Scroll Case:** The Scroll case itself has a Heraldic Symbol of a Manticore on it. If they are from town, they will recognize this symbol of the old Adventurer’s Guild. The Guild closed down almost 20 years ago, but the building still stands on the East side of town. The symbol is also part of the artwork used in the signage of “Mum’s Spoons” the pawn shop.
**CLUE, The Map:** Inside of the scroll case is the “Map” (Handout 2) I use that term loosely. As it isn’t an “X Marks The Spot” kind of map. Instead it is more like a riddle. It is a simple parchment drawing with some strange lines across the center. Directly below the line is a picture of a Whale, and above it a drawing of a Cave. Above and on the left side is a Storm Cloud, and on the right a Moon symbol. Below the line the Number 4 is on the right side and the Number 10 is on the bottom. Because of the Whale most will misinterpret the map. It is intentionally drawn to lead people to believe that the shore and the cave are on the North side of the Loch, but they are not. They’ll have to do some leg work to figure out what this all means.
> * The Line does indeed represents the shore
> * But the The Whale is a little known geographical location, not an actual whale. There is a Blowhole Cavern a fair distance Northeast of Loch Forbund. However, you can only see it do its “Blowhole” thing when there is a storm or extremely high winds from the North, thus the storm image.
> * That blowhole cavern is really small. But there is a carving of the Loch on the floor. It has a coordinate graph on it. Lining up the 4 and the 10 from the Map will show them where the actual location is.
> * The moon is a warning to head to the treasure cavern at night when the Plesiosaur is out hunting. It will be rerepresented on the Map Carving on the floor.
**CLUE, Asking about Soeras and Thom:** Most folks will just tell them that they were a couple of old dudes. They can find out that Thom was a retired adventurer, but didn’t get rich doing it. He had no family, and Soeras was his best friend. His other good friend, Railbeart who runs the Pawn Shop “Mum’s Spoons”, used to Adventure with Thom. They also would know where both Soeras and Thom lived if asked.
**CLUE, Asking about the Attack:** A lot of people will not want to talk about this, but they all know it was the Magpies. They’re afraid of the Magpies, and rightly so. If they get someone to talk they will tell them that the Magpies are a nasty gang of thieves who don’t operate by the rules of the Guild. They can also tell them that they saw Maggie Blood Shadow, leader of the Magpies, at the Drowning Lass just before the attack. This info could lead them to Unjoul, a legitimate Thieves Guild contact who may be willing to help them.
**CLUE, Asking around about the Map:** Showing a treasure map around will not necessarily be the smartest thing to do, and will lead to another confrontation with the Magpies. Commoners will redirect them to “people who know things”. Maybe the Loremasters at the Lore House or Fergac the Fisherman.
**Clue, Asking about the Will and Amulet:** If they managed to get the Will and Amulet, they’ll likely ask about those. However, other than knowing that Thom left his belongings to Soeras and where to find Belaster the Lawyer, they won’t know anything.
## ACT 03: Locations With More Clues
Eventually they will leave The Drowning Lass and head out into the world trying to put the puzzle together. There are several locations they will likely visit. Sooner or later they will run into the Event of this Act. The Magpies will show up and demand that they turn over what ever information and items they have found. I think this fits best while they travel to and From Fergac’s but you put it wherever you want.
**LOCATION: Soeras’ House**
The Guard will be here informing them of the attack. The house will be a wreck, but they may answer some questions if a Hard Persuasion check is passed. They will know that Soeras inherited Thom’s belongings. But not much else.
**LOCATION: Thom’s Apartment**
Thom’s apartment has been tossed. The Magpies have been here looking for clues. The place is trashed. There are a few things they could learn. If they haven’t picked up that Raibeart is a friend of Thoms, then perhaps some old notes or a letter can reference that. Also with a Medium Search Check they could find a Driftwood Whale Statue. It has a hidden compartment underneath which hides a key to a door in Bahed Ayek.
\page
**LOCATION: Belaster’s Law Offices**
Thom’s lawyer. They didn’t like each other. Belaster will not share much citing Counsel and Client privileges. However, some money could loosen him up. He will tell them that Thom had a lot more resources than most folk would have ever guessed. Where he kept it though is anyone's guess. He does have a copy of Thom’s key, just in case the Magpies made off with the other one.
**LOCATION: The Lore House**
The Loremaster won’t be able to help them a lot, but she will pull out some detailed maps of the Loch area and try to match up the map’s “shoreline”. Unfortunately it isn’t an accurate depiction of any shores on the Loch. She will also tell them there have never been whales in the Loch. There are of course stories of large Loch Monsters, but those are just myths, and no large monster in the Loch has ever been discovered. Not to say that the Loch isn’t dangerous. There are deadly creatures in it, but there certainly aren’t whales. She will also tell them that most of what she knows is very academic, even the versions of their oral history are fairly sterile. If they want a more “locally” flavored take on some of this they should go talk to Fergac the Fisherman.
**LOCATION: Mum’s Spoons**
Raibeart is a little more than just a friend of Thom's. They were adventuring partners back in the day. Now Raibeart should be played tricky. He is a fence that works with both the Thieves Guild and the Magpies and he doesn’t want trouble. However two of his friends have recently died, and one for sure was murdered by the Magpies. He will help if persuaded. He can tell them that Thom was indeed rich, but didn’t want to live like it. Raibeart sold his share of the treasure off and opened Mum’s Spoons. But Thom would sell valuables they gathered every so often and lived a simple life but comfortable off of that. By Raibeart’s estimation there would have been a lot of treasure left. Where it is hidden though… he has no idea. He will offer suggestions as to who else they could ask.
**LOCATION: Fergac’s Fishing Hole**
Just West of Loch Forbund is Fergac’s Fishing Hole. Where Fergac lives and fishes. Duh… Anyway, he will be pretty tight lipped. But he immediately realizes that the Whale on the map represents “The Blowhole” cave. A Bribe, some magic, or a Hard Persuasion/Intimidation success will open him up. If they are about to give up on talking to him he will flat out tell them that he will tell them what he knows if they pay him. If they force him to tell them one way or another he will tell the Magpies about their plans, and lead to a more difficult confrontation later.
**LOCATION: The Spicy Hag Apothecary**
Aoife Bitterbrew owns The Spicy Hag. It is not relevant to the story, but if they go shopping this is a well know potion shop. Which she does have quite a few of. It is also the few places in town to buy Magic Items. You do you, but in my world Magic Items are super rare. She won’t have much but maybe something they are looking for.
**LOCATION: Strongbelly’s**
Dramug Strongbelly runs a local Adventuring Gear shop that is not relevant to the story, but they can do business here if they have needs. He will have most of the stuff they might want. He also has a +1 Shield, but that will be a hard bargain if they want to get that from him.
**LOCATION: Unjoul’s Dice Game**
Unjol hangs out down on the docks where he runs some dice games. What he is really doing is gathering information for the Thieves Guild. If the party as a Rogue among them he may be willing to speak openly about the problems with the Magpies. Otherwise information will come at a price.
### EVENT 3: The Magpies
Sooner or later some thugs the Magpies hired are going to show up. I like to do this on the Road to or from Fergac’s. There is a map provided that sets the stage for a nifty little ambush spot. The Magpies will demand that the players surrender the map and anything else they found. Now they may be able to talk or more accurately bribe their way out of this with some Hard Checks, but it will likely end up in a fight. This will not be an easy encounter like the tavern. The Magpies have come prepared with some archers at range and muscle up front. They even have a mage among them.
**MAP: Cliffside Camp**
##### ENCOUNTER: Magpie Ambush
The Scouts and the Illusionist will position themselves out of the player’s line of sight and a little spread out, preferably up on some cliffs or behind some cover. The Hobgoblin and the Thugs will meet the players in the roadway, and demand their surrender. If things begin to go poorly the illusionist will flee.
* 4 Thugs, 3 Scouts, Wendle the Illusionist, The Hobgoblin Warlord.
**REWARD: Loot the Bodies**
* Looted gear will be as described in the monster stat blocks minus the Thug’s Heavy Crossbows, and the Hobgoblin is wearing Chain Mail not Half Plate.
* Wendel has a Spellbook with the his spell list in it.
* The Hobgoblin has a potion of Healing, which he will use if he can, and a letter from Maggie Blood Shadow (Handout 3).
* Coin wise the Thugs and scouts are worth 1 gp and 3d4+15sp for each one killed, The Hobgoblin has the 50gp Maggie promised him, and the Illusionist, if they managed to catch him, has a reagent pouch with about 30gp in reagents an 3 25gp gemstones.
\page
## ACT 04: The Blowhole
Sooner or later they’re going to have to have someone tell them where the Blow Hole is, and then travel there. Walking or boat are obviously the two main ways to go. It will be harder to find walking, unless the weather is stormy. Now depending on your timeframe you can just head to the end of the cave and have them start deciphering the puzzle. Or you can have them have to deal with the Hazards and Encounter of the cave. That’s entirely up to you. This could take ten minutes or a half hour depending on how you run it.
**SKILL CHALLENGE: Navigating the Cave.**
The cave is a Skill Challenge. The entrance sits just above the waterline. If they take a boat in they will have to duck down into the boat to clear the entrance. Have them roll for a Storm here. Even without a storm the water in the Blow Hole is always choppy and skill checks would be at a Medium. Storms on the Loch form suddenly and are frequent, at least once a week, so roll a d8 and on an 1 there is a storm. If there is a storm entering the cave is extremely dangerous. Move all Skill Checks form a Medium to a Very Hard. They will want to get to the center of the cave in between the Loch entrance and the Blow Hole.
The entrance sits just above the waterline. If they take a boat in they will have to duck down into the boat to clear the entrance. The Blow Hole Entrance is due south of the Loch entrance, between some rocks. If they rope down from there they’ll have to swim. Either way the waves in the hole will threaten to smash a boat or beat a swimmer against the cave.
### EVENT 4: The Map Island
In the center of the channel of the Blow Hole cavern is a small island. On it they will find a carving of the Loch on the floor. It has a coordinate graph on it. Lining up the 10 and the 5 from the Map will show them where the actual location is.
##### ENCOUNTER: 3 Grey Ooze
There are three Grey Oozes living in the cavern. They are completely camouflage on the rocks around the map. Once the players are engaged in deciphering the map the Oozes will attack. Grey Oozes are not overly dangerous, but they can ruin the player’s equipment making for a really bad day. If you wanna be a real jerk have one of them eat the nails in their boat and sink it. Lolz…
* 3 Grey Ooze
## ACT 5: Bahed Ayek
They now know where the treasure spot is! As DM you know it is in the cave of Bahed Ayek. (Cave of The Drowning Lass). Which is on a rocky Island out in the lake about a mile from shore. If they go back and ask Fergac about this location, he might tell them what it is, and how dangerous it can be. But it is pretty doubtful they’ll do that. So off they go again. This last part of the adventure is a Cavern Crawl with the potential for seven stops. The first room in the cavern is flooded and getting through to the next room could be very tricky, which is why Soeras was given an Amulet of Water Breathing. But they probably don’t have that.
> **NOTES: Environmental**
The entrance to the cave is easily seen from the water. But they’ll have to go under and deep if they want to get into the tunnels beyond that entrance. The water is cold, dark, and murky, limiting their line of sight by half. The cave has a thriving ecosystem with small eels and fish thriving in the dark waters. Opportunity for Rests are possible, but discouraged. The environment is not very friendly to resting. It is damp (or underwater), or the ground is precariously uneven. If they do try and rest you may want to drop a random encounter on them. Some Chull or the Scrags (If they haven’t killed them yet) will break up their sleeping quite nicely.
**MAP: The Cavern of Bahed Ayek**
### LOCATION 1: The Cavern Entrance, Plesiosauruses’ Den
There are 2 Plesiosaurus living in this cavern. They are nocturnal and will be out hunting at night. The cavern floor (50’ down) is littered with fish bones and even a few wrecked boats.
##### ENCOUNTER: Plesiosauruses
If it they are home, they will attack them the moment they enter the cave. The Players will likely be in boats, if so the Plesiosauruses get a surprise round as they come up from below. A Very Hard Perception Check could be made to avoid the surprise. The exit from the chamber is large, some 30’ around, but down at the floor level.
* 3 Plesiosauruses
**REWARD: Treasure on the Cavern Floor**
If they want to Search the Cavern floor they can make a Medium Search Check.
* Hidden in the muck on the cave floor is a small chest with 3d100+50sp
* An ornate Bone Harpoon (Functions like a Pike but has the Thrown Stat 30/60). It is magical and has the Fish Slayer quality, doing 1d8 extra damage to anything with a Swim Speed.
### LOCATION 2: The Chasm Room
The floor drops away in this room revealing a deep chasm. It goes down another 60’ Near the bottom is a large tunnel leading to the Giant Catfish’s Grotto. The three passages to the north all lead to the Sunken Tunnels.
\page
### LOCATION 3: The Giant Catfish Grotto
Sleeping at the bottom of this room, hidden under the mud is a giant catfish. It will not wake unless the players disturb things in the room.
##### ENCOUNTER: Giant Catfish
The Sleeping Catfish is both easy to avoid and easy to rouse. If the players disturb the bottom at all it will burst from the muck and attack.
* Giant Catfish
**REWARD: Inside the Fish**
* Inside the Catfish there is a skeleton wearing Mariner’s Breastplate Armor.
### LOCATION 4: The Scrag’s Lair
A Clan of Scrag’s make their home here. (Scrags are smaller underwater trolls. Basically a troll with a swim speed, and less HP). They mostly survive off of the eels and fish that live in the cavern, and anything unlucky enough to wander into their lair. They stay away from the Catfish and know well enough to only go through the Plesiosaurus den when the creatures are out hunting. There is a geothermal vent near the center that gives the water in this room a small temperature boost.
##### ENCOUNTER: 4 Scrags
The Scrags will attempt to take the players by surprise if they can, they are quick but not overly stealthy. A Medium Perception Check will be enough to avoid surprise when the creatures launch their attack.
* 4 Scrags
**REWARD: Crystals**
* The scrags don’t have much in the way of treasure, but there are some valuable crystals that have formed near the vent. If they can remove them they would have an appraised value of 1gp a pound broken and 5gp per pound intact. There are 5 crystals weighing 100lbs each.
### LOCATION 5: The Sunken Tunnels
These twisting tunnels aren’t much more than a small network of passages that lead to the Ascending Shaft. If they have not encountered the Scrags in their lair the creatures may try to jump them here.
### LOCATION 6: The Ascending Shaft
Water trickles down the sides of this large shaftlike room, and a full waterfall gushes from a large rock column near the center. A steep winding path-like series of cliffs works its way upward. The room rises 150’ from water level to the exit above. The slope varies between a 20 and 45 degree angles (Which is actually quite steep) as it climbs with very few “flat” locations. Between the damp stones and the steep angle the path counts as difficult terrain.
##### ENCOUNTER: Water Weirds
There are two different locations the Water Weirds may attack the players. The first is if they attempt to explore the water below they will be attacked by Water Weirds. If they do not, the Weirds will attack at the waterfall crossing. Which is where more maniacal DMs want the encounter to happen. Leaving this room into Location 7 brings us into Act 6.
* 3 Water Weirds
**REWARD: Dead Adventurers**
Two dead adventurers, killed by the weirds, lay at the bottom of this waterway. One by the waterfall, which can be found with with a Hard Search Check, and near the entrance, found with a Medium Search Check. In both cases they’ve been here a while, and most of their gear is long decayed.
* The Hard Check has 3d4+2pg and a Rope of Climbing.
* The Medium Check has 2d4+1gp and a Potion of Healing.
## ACT 06: The Drowning Lass
### LOCATION 7: The Treasure Pool
Finally the treasure pool. This large room as a ledge working all the way around it. Roots have busted through in many places letting them know they must be close to the surface of the island. There is even a beam of light coming in from one side. (This is actually a hidden entrance to the room.) There are two events and/or encounters that will happen here. A Water Naga and the Maggie Blood Shadow and her Magpies.
### EVENT 5: The Drowning Lass
Laying in the pool below is a Water Naga, although they will not see her until she rises up when they climb down to get the treasure. A Naga is a huge magical snakelike creature with a woman’s face. This particular Naga has a name… Yaighread, the Drowning Lass. Thom met her years ago as an adventurer and approached her with curiosity and sympathy. She appreciated this, as Water Naga are prone to the same habits. The two came to an agreement and Yaighread agreed to guard Thom’s retirement fund. Also something Water Naga love to do. She does not know that Thom is dead, but she did know his plan to pass along the map to Soeras. So she will ask which one of them is Soeras. Depending on how they respond she may become slightly aggressive but will not rush to attack. She is calculating the outcome at this point. If the players do not attack she will soften and chat it up with them. Once she learns that both Thom and Soeras are dead, she will acquiesce the treasure to them, and offer the option to leave it here for her to guard. She can also confirm most of the legend about her being true. Although this is the form that the Rusulka gave her. She did indeed make a new deal to have her love returned to her. Once she has drowned 30 wicked people both she and Luthais will be restored. Finding qualifying wicked folk in the Loch is harder than one might think and she has been at this for over 100 years. She needs 8 more. At the end of their conversation she will disappear into the water. Afterward the room becomes safe for them to take a Long Rest.
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##### ENCOUNTER: The Drowning Lass
Water Naga aren't upfront combatants. They prefer to rely on distraction and controling the battle field. The Lass will summon her Water Elemental Guardian and then disappear into the pool. She will rise out of the water cast a spell and then disappear into the water. If she or her Elemental have the oppertunity, they will grapple and drown one of the players. If you Party is hurt badly I suggest skipping the water elemental.
* The Drowning Lass (Greater Water Naga), Water Elemental
### EVENT 6: Maggie Blood Shadow
Maggie Blood Shadow is about to make an appearance. Whether or not they rested, this happens as they agree on a plan and get ready to leave the room. Typically, Maggie will enter and say something like “Well, thanks for clearing a path and finding my treasure. Kill them.” and then attack.
> If they did not rest, the players will likely be low on resources, especially if they fought the Naga. Another fight right away could be deadly for them. To avoid that, this encounter may need some adjustment. Maggie is smart, so maybe she offers the players a chance to surrender and do a job for her in exchange for their lives? Maybe Wendel turns on her? The encounter is designed to have the Naga on their side, but if the players have made poor choices, you'll have to be creative to give them a chance.
##### ENCOUNTER: Maggie Blood Shadow
Maggie and her team show up and attack. They will use the first few rounds to spread out while attacking. Maggie is a Swashbuckler/Warlock so she has a lot of tricks. The other combatants are pretty straight forward. Much like the road ambush the archers are going to attack from above making things complicated for the players. If they did not kill Yaighread, he Naga will help the players.
* Maggie Blood Shadow, 2 Magpie Thugs, 2 Magpie Goblins, 2 Magpie Scouts, Wendle (if alive), and The Redcap Borts
**REWARD: Magpie Loot**
* Basic gear as described in the player’s manual for the Thugs and Scouts
* 1gp and 3d4+15sp for each one killed.
* Maggie has a Lucky Rapier (Grants Attack Advantage 1/day), a dagger, a ring of evasion, and 30gp on her.
* She also has a Key (It is to her hideout in town. Another adventure? If you don’t want to have them chase that down I suggest there not being a key here)
* And any of Soeras’ things that the Magpies may have gotten away with earlier.
* The Wendel the Illusionist has his spellbook a reagent pouch with about 30gp in reagents and 3 25gp gemstones.
**REWARD: Thom’s Treasure**
This treasure is almost completely valuable trinkets and small art objects.
* There is a grand total of 3217gp worth of knicknacks, 1972gp in gems, 3541 in Jewelry. (Before Resale Value).
* There is also a Potion of Stone Giant Strength and a Potion of Diminution
* Lastly, among the trinkets are a Blue Elemental Gem and a Marble Elephant Figurine of Wondrous Power. A Detect Magic spell will need to be cast to discover the Gem and Figurine, otherwise they will simply be thought to be valuable trinkets.
## CLOSING
### EVENT 7: Returning to Town
They can head out of the hole in the room if they want, or head back through the caves. Hopefully they still have a boat, otherwise they’re going to have to figure out how to get back to shore. A mile swim is no joke… especially if they’re hauling any loot.
**Once in town there are likely a few things they will want to go and do.**
* Tell people about what the heck just happened
* Investigate the Magpies
* Go sell their treasures, or…
**They can give some to Soeras’ family as Thom wanted.**
If they give at least ⅓ of the Treasure to the family. Soeras’ son, Thoras, will give them his Grandfather’s Battle Axe as a reward. The family doesn’t know it is magical. Roeras’ Cleaver, grants the wielder the Dueling Fighting Stance as described in the Fighter Class.
If they tell folks about the Naga… some will believe them, others wont. However it will have no real bearing on the folklore and superstitions of the people.
I do not have a plan for anyone to know what the key is for. That is just out there for you to use if you want. If someone really wants I suppose I could cook up an follow up adventure.
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# Thanks for playing an AOG Adventure.
##### 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.
##### https://www.patreon.com/amplusordogames
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# APPENDICES
### NOTES ON PLAYING AN A.O.G. ADVENTURE
If you’ve never played an AOG adventure, I thought it wise to give you some notes on how I write them. Cuz I do some stuff non traditional like. I’ll put those notes down in the Appendices.
**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 the same time period 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 for Patreon Members.
**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? So for reference the DC scale in 5E looks like this.... Very Easy DC5, Easy DC10, 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 so 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!
**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.
> **THE LEAKY BOAT**
> * 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.
> * Stuff like this.
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### EXPANDED LORE
**Tale of the The Drowning Lass**
Some time ago, when the clans were still ununited. A lass by the name of Yaighread fell in love with a young warrior, Luthais, from another Clan. His father, Marcas, would not allow his son to marry a maiden that wasn’t from his cloth, but Luthais disobeyed and made plans to marry the girl anyway.
One night, the Luthais’s father stole Yaighread from her home, and paddled his boat out to the middle of the Loch. He threw her into the freezing waters, telling her that if she made it back to shore then she would be worthy of his son. A Rusulka witnessed this cruel act and intervened. She offered to grant Yaighread the ability to breathe water, but the gifts of such creatures are rarely blessed, and never without consequence. If Yaighread was to ever return to the land she would have to drown the man who wronged her. Trapped by her fear and motivated by her rage Yaighread accepted the offer and swam back to shore.
But when she arrived she found that she could no longer breathe air! She experienced the sensation of drowning out of the water. Terrified she retreated to the lake. But all was not lost. Her wouldbe killer often fished at night, and always after spending the evening at the tavern on the cliffside. She would wait for him to come to his boat and then drag him into the water.
Days passed and she waited. Why had he not come? Just when she was about to lose hope, Marcas came stumbling to his boat. So inebriated that he could barely stand. His friends tried to dissuade him from going out that night. But in a rage Marcas fought them off, and tumbled into his boat. As soon as the man’s friends were out of sight Yaighread rose from the water and pulled him below the surface.
As the air left Marcas’ lungs, hers once again filled and she scrambled to the shore. She ran for Luthais’ house. She ran to find her love. But when she arrived the house was empty, the windows dark, and the door locked. She pounded against it, but there was no answer. She ran to her own home, her parents were overjoyed to see her, but their joy was burdened. Marcas had told Luthais what he had done, and in despair Luthais flung himself from the cliffs.
Overcome by grief and sorrow, Yaighread took Marcas’ boat and rowed out into the lake never to be seen again. Some say she went looking for the Rusulka, hoping to strike another bargain from Luthais’ life. Others say she went to drown herself and be with him in the afterlife. Some say she found a way and the two lived happily ever after. But tales with Dark Fey rarely end happily, most believe that she haunts the waters of Loch Forbund to this day searching for her love and drowning those unfortunate enough to cross her path.
The Drowning Lass is built on the very cliffs that they say Luthais threw himself from and overlooks the docks where Yaighread drowned Marcas. There is a ritual in the town held at the tavern whenever a sailor is lost to the Loch, which happens rarely, but often enough, as the waters and weather are treacherous. The harbormaster buys a barrel of ale and the sailors pour it out over the cliffs. It is the only sober day in Loch Forbund. No one goes out onto the lake that day, lest they test the wrath of The Drowning Lass.
```
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### IMPORTANT LOCATIONS
**The City of Loch Forbund:** The city where the adventure begins. Also the name of the Lake the city sits on. Built atop and into the shoreline cliffs common to the Loch it is home to about 10,000 people. Loch Forbund is the most “modern” settlement in Riogchald, but that isn’t saying much. Most of the buildings are still thatch roofed, and many of them are little more than large holes carved into the cliff faces. There isn’t much in the way of large scale industry. Governmentally it is ruled by Laird Malcom Ruthven, but as long as the people stay in line and pay their taxes he cares little about the day to day going ons. Like all settlements in Riogchald, there are only a handful of guards, who really only deal with matters related to their Laird’s business. Most everything else is left to the citizenry to deal with themselves, which they typically do quite well. Even serious matters like murder don’t normally cause an urgency with the Guard, unless it is going to affect the local treasury. Then they show up pretty quickly.
**Lock Forbund (Lake):** The Riogchald River rushes down from the mountains in the North and spills over Yorminir’s Falls filling up Loch Forbund before it spills out in the Southwestern end making its way out to the sea. At over 20 miles in diameter, Loch Forbund is almost large enough to be an inland sea. It boasts extremely deep waters and is contained by steep cliffs and rapidly descending shores, above and below the waterline. The land around the lock is typically rocky, covered in mosses, and with only a scattering of trees. The waters are cloudy, run deep, and are extremely cold. Still the Loch teems with fish, many of them quite large. The Blue Forbund Trout has been known to grow to over 15’ and weigh up to 2000lbs. The surface is typically covered in fog until at least midday and is subjected to frequently changing weather in the evenings. Ferocious Storms can pop up without much warning and do so about once a week. Many sailors have been lost during these storms. The weather isn’t the only danger in the water. Bluefins have been known to destroy smaller boats and devour the sailors within, and there are stories of large predators in the Loch. Serpent-like beasts that swallow ships whole. No real evidence of such creatures exist, but still… There isn’t a fisherman at the docks that doesn’t have some story about the beasts of the lake. And it would be remiss of me as a narrator to not mention the "Spirits" that dwell in the deep places of the Loch. It is said that some foul spirit in the Loch collects the souls of those who perish in her waters, and that other, lesser Fey make their homes there. It is said they delight in making deals with the locals. Although few openly discuss these dealings, as doing so often breaks the deal, but everyone knows that there is no “luck” in Loch Forbend, only the blessings of the Fey.
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**The Drowning Lass:** This large longhouse style tavern that is central to the plot and the starting events. Named after a tragic fable of young love cut short. It is positioned on the cliffs at the east end of the docks and the favorite haunt of local fisherman. The Lass has a bit of a dark history itself. It was at one point in time the Greathall of the Settlement. The Clan Chieftain of the time was indebted to a Hag Patron who yearly had him throwing maidens into the Loch from the cliffs. A lot of folks do remember this story, but they have disconnected it from the actual Tavern.
**Mum’s Spoons:** Local pawn shop located just off the town center and therefore a little bit more modern of a building. It has two floors and a basement, and even has a shingled roof. There are a number of odds and ends hanging in the windows. Things like Steel Washboards, ceramic jugs, old worn instruments, and antique Dragon Chess Boards. Inside you would find a similar assortment of knick-knacked odds and ends.
Quietly, Mum’s is a major front and point of contact for the Thieves’ Guild. It also has a back of the house shop where the things stolen from the common folk in town are dealt in. Mum’s also has the potential to have a few magic items for sale. The owner is pretty cagy about his business dealings and so the shop is protected by a variety of traps and mechanisms designed to eliminate intruders and protect its owner.
**The Spicy Hag Apothecary:** This fair sized round hut sits on a ridge just outside of town to the North. It is well kept and has a full wrap around porch, much of which is covered in flowering vines. Out back there is a thriving garden filled with all manner of plants common to medicinal and arcane use. Songbirds sing in nearby trees while Insects and small critters scamper about playfully as people approach.
The name is the most dark natured thing about the Spicy Hag. It is not run by a hag, but by a brilliant young healer and alchemist, making it one of the more helpful businesses in town. It sells all manner of functional medicines to the locals. It also deals in potions, mostly common, but some more rare. Adventurers could also contract the Spicy Hag to brew more exotic potions if they can procure the ingredients. The shop is protected by a colony of Faerie Folk who live in the Garden. These Fey help locals make contact with more powerful Fey beings who are willing to “help” them when they have needs.
**The Lore House:** One of the only stone buildings in the city, the lore house rises two stories tall. It is framed with marble pillars and decorated with statues and carvings that reflect the cultures connection the the Fey that live in their land. Its most impressive feature is certainly the roof work, which is constructed to look like a typical Riogchaldan long house. Smoke pours from a chimney like opening at the peak that is carved to look like a forest teeming with Fey Folk. It has large sweeping staircases that lead to massive double doors on either end.
Inside, the building is part library, part museum, and part tavern. Locals come here nightly to hear stories while engaging in the national pastime, drinking. There is a fully functioning tavern inside of the Lore House, and it does enough business to pay for the building and the salaries of a dozen lorekeepers. There is so much that could be talked about here. I could literally fill pages with stories. The library and tavern take up the first floor. The museum and historical exhibits dominate the second. The lower level is housing and workspace for the Loremasters.
**Fergac’s Hole:** Set off the cliffside road that runs along the Loch is a small bay. This bay, known as Fergac’s Hole, is home to a small Clan of successful fishermen led by the elderly Fergac the Third. The land around the Loch is typically rocky, covered in mosses, and with only a scattering of trees. Fergac’s Hole is a bit of an exception. It feels more like a hollow from the Eastern Woodlands, than it does a place along the shore of Loch Forbund. This is due almost entirely to the Nymph that lives in the waters here. She is extremely shy but has developed a special, almost symbiotic, relationship with the family that has lived here for many long years. When the need arises to protect themselves, the Nymph can hum a nearly undetectable tune that makes visitors feel very unwelcome here, causing intruders to become uncomfortable just being in the area. She and the residents here will flee rather than engage in violence if it comes down to it. But anyone thinking they can take the hole away from Fergac and his family will be in for a violent surprise. Although they and the Nymph may flee, she will summon Water Elementals and Giant Crabs to defend their home.
**The Blowhole:** The Blowhole is an interesting natural phenomenon, that is typically only found along seashores. It is a small watery cavern carved out into the cliffside. It has an exit in the water and on the shore. When large waves slam into the cavern the force of the water rushing through the cave blasts it out of the exit on the other side shooting it into the air, invoking imagery similar to how a whale blasts water out of it blowhole. In this particular case the waves large enough to cause the blowhole phenomenon only happen during storms or on extremely windy days.
The Blowhole was long ago the lair of a the Hag that the Clan Chieftain was indebted to. She however was killed by adventurers hired by the townsfolk who had had enough of their daughters being sacrificed. Thom originally decided to hide his treasure here, but while attempting to move there encountered Yaighread, the Drowning Lass in her Naga form. The two hit it off, and Yaighread offered to guard Thom’s treasure in her lair at Bahed Ayek.
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**Eilean Dubh and The Cavern of Bahed Ayek:** Sticking up out of the waters here is a large, mostly barren island, Eilean Dubh. It is covered with black rocky cliffs, moss covered tumbled boulders, and has only a small handful of trees growing on it near the top. It is home to a few herds of wild sheep, many small animals, and flocks of birds. Situated on the south eastern shore, just at the waterline is The Cavern of Bahed Ayek (The Drowning Lass). It is a cavern many fisherman know exists but very few know the proper name and even fewer have dared venture close to it. For starters, the waters around the island are littered with jagged rocks and strong currents, making sailing near the island dangerous. They also have a bad reputation on the superstitious level. Folk say that many vessels don’t just sink there because they ran aground, but simply go missing in the area, vanishing without a trace. And so the fisherman tend to stay away. Their fears are well founded, as the natural hazards in the area have claimed many fisherman. But so have the plesiosaurus that live in the cave. And so has The Drowning Lass herself.
### IMPORTANT NPCs
**Tiobaid The Innkeeper:** Owns and Runs the Drowning Lass. He is the strong quiet type of man, but kindly enough to those he knows. He lives at the Tavern with his wife Isgrid and two sons Murtis and Belero. His family has owned the Lass for years. They have a protective Fey known as a Nisse (Gnome-like Fey) that watches over the home and business. It typically warns the family of trouble by causing pranks on the one who is about to cause trouble. In the instance of this module, it was the Nisse’s intervention that stopped the goblins from kidnapping Soeras. Unfortunately that just enraged the kidnappers and sadly led to Soeras’ death.
**Terela The Bard:** Terela, is a local bard, of 23 Summers. She doesn’t fit the mold of a lot of bards. She was beaten as a child by a local merchant who caught her stealing, and her eye ridge has an odd slope to it where the man fractured her skull. So most folks don’t consider her overly attractive, and she only has middling musical talent. However, she is extremely persuasive and a fabulous story teller. Ultimately that makes her only a mediocre Bard as far as the business side of barding goes. She is a local with no surviving family. Her Father was a miner and her mother a school teacher. She does long for adventure and would be willing to follow the Players on their treasure hunt. If the DM feels they need an NPC around. She is also a good source of local information. I’ve provided a Stat Block for her below.
**Seoras:** Soeras is a retired Fisherman, as many of the locals in Loch Forbund are. He has a large family and already has a dozen grandchildren. He did well for himself fishing and was known for bringing in the largest Bluefin Trout in ages. Otherwise he is rather normal. He came to The Lass most evenings to drink with his friends before heading home. Unfortunately, Soeras is about to die at the hands of the Magpies.
**Maggie Blood Shadow and The Magpies:** Just short of two years ago a woman know as Maggie Blood Shadow took over a local street gang. That gang, known as the Magpies, began to grow in size and influence. Little is known about Maggie herself, as she isn’t a Loch Forbend local. Most stories have her as a former resident of Muir Taigh, but no one really knows for sure. She is a tall, well muscled, and extremely agile woman in likely her mid forties, whose black hair has just started to show hints of gray. She is also extremely smart and mean as an angry badger. Maggie and her gang began taking over other smaller groups in town and soon started muscling in on the Thieves Guild’s operations. This has resulted in a bit turf war, one which the Guild is losing. Maggie has a Warlock pack with a Dark Fey that has greatly helped her gather power and influence. It has long term designs of its own, but those are unknown even to Maggie. Her Patron has sent her a Redcap Bodyguard named Borts, who doesn't say much but absolutely delights in doing any violence Maggie sets him to.
**Mr Gaurth Belaster Attorney at Law:** Need for lawyers isn’t really something the Riogchaldan have. The country operates mostly by local justice, not quite mob rule, but definitely by popular opinion and might makes right. But when it comes to things like property ownership and wealth. There are procedures that local governments demand be followed. Mr Gaurth Belaster Attorney at law fulfills those needs. He is an elderly gentleman of noble bearing. The Belaster house has a fairly reputable name, although Belaster was the youngest son of a cousin of the main Noble birthline. And so while his name garnered him respect and education, it did little for his pocket book. He became a lawyer at a young age and built for himself a comfortable life. He is a bit stiff personality wise, but enjoys a good argument, and may be willing to offer up information if a solid case can be presented for him to do so.
**Unjoul, Hides in Boxes:** Unjoul is a bit of an oddity in Loch Forbund. He is a Tabaxi, and his kind prefer warmer climates, not the cold damp of Riogchald. Unjoul found himself stowed away on the wrong ship quite a few years ago. It landed in Muir Taigh, where he was discovered. Rather than face punishment he offered his services as a local ear and huckster. He offered those services to one Maloris Durnwhal, the head of the Thieves Guild. Durnwhal put Unjoul to work and quickly found out he did indeed have a knack for getting people to talk, and for winning at games of chance. Unjoul now runs some dice games down at the dock and gathers information for the Guild.
**Raibeart:** Domic Raibeart was once a successful adventurer. He and his group made quite a name for themselves when they were younger. They were most well known for dealing with a flock of Peryton’s that were harassing local farmers. It turned out these beasts were being controlled by a local Druidic Cult. Raibeart’s team put an end to that and earned quite the nice reward. But that isn’t where they made their fortune. In secret they were hired by a Lord of the Fey to deal with a Redcap infestation. Upon completion of that job the Fey Lord showered them with trinkets and treasures. Things that after lifetimes of collecting mortal baubles no longer interested her. The group retired after that and Raibeart opened Mum’s Spoons where he has worked till this very day. He is a local fence, and quite good at it, and so has connections to the Thieves Guild and to the Magpies, as well as other organizations that help him deal in stolen goods.
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**Aoife Half Elven:** A brilliant young woman, skilled in both medicine and alchemy. She owns and operates The Spicy Hag, a shop where she peddles her medicines and potions. She is kind and pleasant and well liked by the people of Loch Forbund. Most folks know Aoife as Half Elven, and she does not correct them, but she is more accurately Half Eladrin. Her mother was a Summer Eladrin and that heritage gives her a strong connection to the Fey. While her background may not be as widely known her connections certainly are. Many folk visit her when they feel the need to get in contact with otherworldly entities. Aoife has become something of a meeting broker between mortals and those in the Feywild.
**Esobel of House Forbund:** An Elderly woman of the Forbund Noble House. Although she prefers to go by Lore Mistress Esobel. When she was younger her father planned to marry her off to a man three times her age as part of a deal for more land. Rather than be the trophy wife of someone old enough to be her grandsire, she took the oath of knowledge and joined the House of Lore. It was quite the scandal back in the day, but has been long forgotten by most people. Now she spends her days studying and reading. She is one of the most educated people in Riogchald, although that education is mostly academic. Lore Masters have a tendency to forget that people outside the walls have different experiences that don’t always line up with the knowledge found in books. Even still, she is happy to be helpful and tell the stories of her people. She does know a lot, and more importantly know where to find people who may be able to give better clarity to questions she is unsure of.
**Fergac:** Fergac is the third of his name. He is the eldest member of a small Clan of fisherman that live at Fergac’s Hole. Generations ago his family encountered a Nymph, with whom they formed a partnership of sorts. They protect her cove and in exchange she brings them great success fishing. That arrangement has been a beneficial for both parties going on almost a century. Fergac himself is a cranky old bastard. He doesn’t like people poking around The Hole and he isn’t really willing to be overly helpful. However, he does like coin, and for the right price can be persuaded to tell people what he knows. He isn’t even shy about it. He may drop hints to the players that he knows things, but he will only share for a price. If they don’t pick up on the hints he will flat out tell them it will cost them coin to get answers. If he is attacked the Nymph will summon Water Elementals and Giant Crabs to fight the Party while the Clan escapes by boat.
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### HANDOUTS
Images of these handouts are on the next few pages. For convenience sake I have put the plain text here.
#### Thom’s Will:
##### “Soeras you old bum! I’ve got no family, and you got a baker's dozen of grand littles, so I’m leaving you all of my my things. I hired this blood sucking lawyer to make this document official. He'll see that certain things are passed along proper like. The key in the envelope will let you into my apartment. Help yourself to my belongings. In particular look for the bits we’ve talked about over the years. If you got half a brain or listened to my tales, you’ll know what to do with what you find. One last thing. Be careful. The path ahead is dangerous. You may want to hire some muscle." It has the official seal of Riohchald on it.
#### Thom’s Map:
##### This is a simple parchment drawing with some strange lines across the center. Directly below the line is a picture of a Whale, and above it a drawing of a Cave. Above and on the left side is a Storm Cloud, and on the right a Moon symbol. Below the line the Number 5 is on the right side and the Number 10 is on the bottom.
#### Letter to the Hobgoblin:
##### “I would like to retain your services for my group. I have sent along a pouch with 50 Gold Marks, and promise another 50 upon completion. I am also sending Wendel to aid you. Your target is a group of individuals who have meddled in my affairs. Wendel will show you an image of them. Find them and eliminate them. Bring anything they are carrying to me. There is a bonus for discretion and I will double your payment if you can bring me one of them alive. - Maggie Blood Shadow”
\page
##### THOM'S WILL
\page
##### THOM'S MAP
\page
##### HOBGOBLIN LETTER
\page
### MAPS
##### RIOGCHALD
\page
##### LOCH FORBUND (Player and DM Maps)
There isn't a lot extra on the DM Map, but the Blowhole and Drowning Lass Cavern are Marked
\page
##### THE DROWNING LASS
\page
##### CLIFFSIDE ROAD AND CAMP
\page
##### THE CAVERN OF BAHED AYEK
\page
### STAT BLOCKS
___
> ## Magpie Goblin
>*Small Humanoid (goblinoid), Neutral Evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 16 (Studded Leather)
> - **Hit Points** 65 (10d6 + 20)
> - **Speed** 25ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|10 (0)|10 (0)|8 (-1)|
>___
> - **Condition Immunities** None
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
> - **Languages** Goblin, Common
> - **Challenge** 3
> ___
> ***Nimble Escape*** The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
>
> ***Multi-Attack.*** The goblin makes two attacks with its scimitar.
>
> ***Sneak Attack*** The Goblin has a 4d6 Sneak Attack. Normal Sneak Attack rules apply
> ### Actions
> ***Short Sword*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d6 + 3)
___
> ## Magpie Half Ogre
>*Medium Humanoid (Giant), Neutral Evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (Hide Armor)
> - **Hit Points** 90 (10d10 + 20)
> - **Speed** 30ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|8 (-1)|8 (-1)|8 (-1)|
>___
> - **Condition Immunities** None
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
> - **Languages** Giant, Common
> - **Challenge** 3
> ___
>
> ***Multi-Attack.*** The Half Ogre makes two attacks with its Greatclub.
>
> ***Grab and Toss*** As a bonus action the Half Ogre can grab and throw a medium target if the grapple is successful.
> ### Actions
> ***Great Club*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 11 (2d4 + 5)
___
> ## Magpie Thug
>*Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (Studded Leather)
> - **Hit Points** 40 (5d10 + 15)
> - **Speed** 30ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|10 (0)|10 (0)|11 (0)|
>___
> - **Skills*** Intimidation +2
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** Common
> - **Challenge** 1
> ___
>
> ***Pack Tactics.*** The thug has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the thug's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
>
> ***Multi-Attack.*** The Thug makes two attacks with its shortsword.
> ### Actions
> ***Short Sword*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d6 + 3)
___
> ## Magpie Archer
>*Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 14 (Studded Leather)
> - **Hit Points** 40 (5d10 + 15)
> - **Speed** 30ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|10 (0)|10 (0)|11 (0)|
>___
> - **Skills*** Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5
> - **Senses** Passive Perception 15
> - **Languages** Common
> - **Challenge** 1
> ___
>
> ***Multi-Attack.*** The Scout makes two attacks with its Shortsword or Longbow.
> ### Actions
> ***Longbow*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 150/600ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (1d8 + 3)
>
> ***Short Sword*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 5 (1d6 + 3)
\page
___
>## Hobgoblin Warlord
>*Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 18 (Chainmail armor, shield)
>- **Hit Points** 97 (13d8 + 39)
>- **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|11 (+0)|15 (+2)|
>___
>- **Saving Throws** Int +5, Wis +3, Cha +5
>- **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
>- **Languages** Common, Goblin
>- **Challenge** 6 (2,300 XP)
>___
>***Martial Advantage.*** Once per turn, the hobgoblin can deal an extra 14 (4d6) damage to a creature it hits with a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of an ally of the hobgoblin that isn't incapacitated.
>
>### Actions
>***Multiattack.*** The hobgoblin makes three melee attacks. Alternatively, it can make two ranged attacks with its javelins.
>
>***Longsword.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
>
>***Shield Bash.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
>
>***Javelin.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. *Hit:* 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
>
>***Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).*** For 1 minute, the hobgoblin can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the hobgoblin. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if the hobgoblin is incapacitated.
>
>### Reactions
>***Parry.*** The hobgoblin adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the hobgoblin must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
___
>## Wendel the Illusionist
>*Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 12 (15 with *mage armor*)
>- **Hit Points** 38 (7d8 + 7)
>- **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|9 (-1)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)|11 (+0)|12 (+1)|
>___
>- **Saving Throws** Int +5, Wis +2
>- **Skills** Arcana +5, History +5
>- **Senses** passive Perception 10
>- **Languages** any four languages
>- **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
>___
>***Displacement (Recharges after the Illusionist Casts an Illusion Spell of 1st Level or Higher).*** As a bonus action, the illusionist projects an illusion that makes the illusionist appear to be standing in a place a few inches from its actual location, causing any creature to have disadvantage on attack rolls against the illusionist. The effect ends if the illusionist takes damage, it is incapacitated, or its speed becomes 0.
>
>***Spellcasting.*** The illusionist is a 7th-level spellcaster. its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The illusionist has the following wizard spells prepared:
>
>Cantrips (at will): *dancing lights*, *mage hand*, *minor illusion*, *poison spray*
>1st level (4 slots): *color spray*, *disguise self*, *mage armor*, *magic missile*
>2nd level (3 slots): *invisibility*, *mirror image*, *phantasmal force**
>3rd level (3 slots): *major image*, *phantom steed*
>4th level (1 slot): *phantasmal killer*
>
>### Actions
>***Quarterstaff.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 2 (1d6 - 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 - 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
\page
___
>## Gray Ooze
>*Medium ooze, unaligned*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 8
>- **Hit Points** 22 (3d8 + 9)
>- **Speed** 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|6 (-2)|16 (+3)|1 (-5)|6 (-2)|2 (-4)|
>___
>- **Skills** Stealth +2
>- **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire
>- **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone
>- **Senses** blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
>- **Languages** —
>- **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP)
>___
>***Amorphous.*** The ooze can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
>
>***Corrode Metal.*** Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that hits the ooze corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that hits the ooze is destroyed after dealing damage.
>The ooze can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical metal in 1 round.
>
>***False Appearance.*** While the ooze remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an oily pool or wet rock.
>
>### Actions
>***Pseudopod.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage, and if the target is wearing nonmagical metal armor, its armor is partly corroded and takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.
___
>## Plesiosaurus
>*Large beast, unaligned*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 68 (8d10 + 24)
>- **Speed** 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|15 (+2)|16 (+3)|2 (-4)|12 (+1)|5 (-3)|
>___
>- **Skills** Perception +3, Stealth +4
>- **Senses** passive Perception 13
>- **Languages** —
>- **Challenge** 2 (450 XP)
>___
>***Hold Breath.*** The plesiosaurus can hold its breath for 1 hour.
>
>### Actions
>***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage.
___
>## Giant Catfish
>*Huge beast, unaligned*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 90 (10d12 + 30 )
>- **Speed** 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|23 (+6)|11 (+0)|21 (+5)|1 (-5)|10 (+0)|5 (-3)|
>___
>- **Skills** Perception +3
>- **Senses** blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13
>- **Languages** —
>- **Challenge** 4 (1,800 XP)
>___
>
>***Water Breathing.*** The shark can breathe only underwater.
>
>### Actions
>***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage.
\page
___
>## Scrag
>*Large giant, chaotic evil*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 55 (8d10 + 25)
>- **Speed** 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|13 (+1)|20 (+5)|7 (-2)|9 (-1)|7 (-2)|
>___
>- **Skills** Perception +2
>- **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
>- **Languages** Giant
>- **Challenge** 5 (1,800 XP)
>___
>***Keen Smell.*** The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
>
>***Regeneration.*** The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
>
>### Actions
>***Multiattack.*** The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
>
>***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
>
>***Claw.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
___
>## Water Weird
>*Large elemental, neutral*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 13
>- **Hit Points** 58 (9d10 + 9)
>- **Speed** 0 ft., swim 60 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|17 (+3)|16 (+3)|13 (+1)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|10 (+0)|
>___
>- **Damage Resistances** fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
>- **Damage Immunities** poison
>- **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
>- **Senses** blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 10
>- **Languages** understands Aquan but doesn't speak
>- **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
>___
>***Invisible in Water.*** The water weird is invisible while fully immersed in water.
>
>***Water Bound.*** The water weird dies if it leaves the water to which it is bound or if that water is destroyed.
>
>### Actions
>***Constrict.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 13 (3d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13) and pulled 5 feet toward the water weird. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the water weird tries to drown it, and the water weird can't constrict another target.
___
___
>## The Drowning Lass
>*Large monstrosity, lawful Neutral*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 100 (15d10 + 25)
>- **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** Sylvan, Common
>- **Challenge** 7 (2,900 XP)
>___
>***Rejuvenation.*** If it dies, the naga returns to life in 1d6 days and regains all its hit points. Only a *wish* spell can prevent this trait from functioning.
>
>***Elemental Guardian.*** The Water Naga can summon a Water Elemental 1/Day
>
>***Spellcasting.*** The naga is an 9th-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): *mending*, *sacred flame*, *thaumaturgy*
>1st level (4 slots): *command*, *cure wounds*,
>2nd level (3 slots): *calm emotions*, *hold person*
>3rd level (3 slots): *bestow curse*, *clairvoyance*
>4th level (3 slots): *banishment*, *freedom of movement*
>
>### Actions
>***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (6d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
>
>***Spit Poison.*** *Ranged Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, range 15/30 ft., one creature. *Hit:* The target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (6d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
\page
___
>## Lesser Water Elemental
>*Large elemental, neutral*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 12 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 75 (8d10 + 35)
>- **Speed** 30 ft., swim 90 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|14 (+2)|18 (+4)|5 (-3)|10 (+0)|8 (-1)|
>___
>- **Damage Resistances** acid; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
>- **Damage Immunities** poison
>- **Condition Immunities** exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
>- **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
>- **Languages** Aquan
>- **Challenge** 3 (1,800 XP)
>___
>***Freeze.*** If the elemental takes cold damage, it partially freezes; its speed is reduced by 20 feet until the end of its next turn.
>
>***Water Form.*** The elemental can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
>
>### Actions
>***Multiattack.*** The elemental makes two slam attacks.
>
>***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
>
>***Whelm (Recharge 5–6).*** Each creature in the elemental's space must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If it is Large or smaller, it is also grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and unable to breathe unless it can breathe water. If the saving throw is successful, the target is pushed out of the elemental's space.
>
>The elemental can grapple one Large creature or smaller creatures at one time. At the start of each of the elemental's turns, each target grappled by it takes 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. A creature within 5 feet of the elemental can pull a creature or object out of it by taking an action to make a DC 14 Strength check and succeeding.
___
>## Maggie Blood Shadow
>*Medium humanoid (Human), Neutral Evil*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 19 (Armor of Shadows, Warlock Invocation)
>- **Hit Points** 74 (12d8 + 12)
>- **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|12 (+1)|14 (+2)|11 (+0)|15 (+2)|
>___
>- **Skills** Acrobatics +8, Athletics +5, Persuasion +6
>- **Senses** passive Perception 10
>- **Languages** any one language (usually Common)
>- **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
>___
>***Lightfooted.*** Maggie can take the Disengage action as a free action on each of her turns against any target that she has attacked.
>
>***Suave Defense.*** If Maggie is wearing light or no armor and wielding no shield, her AC includes its Charisma modifier.
>
>***Swashbuckler Sneak Attack.*** Maggie has a 4d6 Sneak Attack. Furthermore, she can use that Attack, on her turn, without needing advantage, if she has a target alone and no one else is within 5' of her.
>
>***Armor of Shadows*** Maggie can cast Mage Armor at will without expending a spell slot. This armor appears as an almost invisible smoky red Shadow that surrounds her.
>
>***Feindish Vigor*** Maggie can cast *False Life* on herself at 1st level as without expending a spell slot.
>
>***One with the Shadows*** Maggie can use a bonus action to become invisible in dim light or darkness until she moves, takes an action, or reaction.
>
>**Fey Presence** Maggie can cause a beguiling fear in a 10' Cube origionating from her. Creatures in the cube must make a Wisdom Saving Throw or be Charmed or Firghtened (Her Choice) until the end of her next turn.
>
>***Spellcasting.*** Maggie is a 5th-level Warlock spellcaster. her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks).
>
>**Cantrips:** *Mage Hand*, *Minor Illusion*, *Eldritch Blast*
>**3rd level (3 slots):** *Armor of Agathys*, *Arms of Harar*, *Blink*, *Calm Emotions*, *Counterspell*, *Faerie Fire*, *Hold Person*, *Phantasmal Force*, *Plant Growth*, *Sleep*
>
>### Actions
>***Multiattack.*** Maggie makes three attacks: one with a dagger and two with its rapier.
>
>***Dagger.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. *Hit:* 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
>
>***Rapier.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
\page
___
>## Borts, Maggie's Redcap
>*Small fey, chaotic evil*
>___
>- **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
>- **Hit Points** 45 (6d6 + 24)
>- **Speed** 25 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|13 (+1)|18 (+4)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|9 (-1)|
>___
>- **Skills** Athletics +6, Perception +3
>- **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
>- **Languages** Common, Sylvan
>- **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
>___
>***Iron Boots.*** While moving, the redcap has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
>
>***Outsize Strength.*** While grappling, the redcap is considered to be Medium. Also, wielding a heavy weapon doesn't impose disadvantage on its attack rolls.
>
>### Actions
>***Multiattack.*** The redcap makes three attacks with its wicked sickle.
>
>***Wicked Sickle.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.
>
>***Ironbound Pursuit.*** The redcap moves up to its speed to a creature it can see and kicks with its iron boots. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 20 (3d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.