Black Morass
The Black Morass is a swampy forest once located in what is now the Blasted Lands. It was here, deep in the forests, that the Last Guardian Medivh constructed the Dark Portal while under control of the Dark Titan Sargeras, so as to call the orcish Horde to Azeroth. This is how the story goes, and how it must go, to ensure the sanctity of the timeline.
Unfortunately, the Infinite Dragonflight have other plans. They seek to end the life of Medivh in the past before the Horde can invade, 'saving' Azeroth from the Horde but in so doing destroying the timeline and life that you know.
To avoid this destruction, the Bronze Dragonflight has called upon adventurers (namely, the party) to aid them in preserving the past, the present, and the future.
This document is intended to work as a short adventure (6 minor combats, 3 major combats) and is almost entirely combat-oriented, with very little in the way of roleplaying, exploration, or puzzle solving.
It is split into five parts. Part 1 involves the initial hook, meeting Chromie, and their initial entry into the Black Morass. Part 2 involves navigating the swamp to Medivh via a skill challenge. Parts 3 through 5 are waves of combat split into separate parts for ease of reading.
Black Morass is intended for a party of roughly 7th level adventurers. Due to its story conceit, it is unlikely to be adaptable to other settings that don't also involve time travel in some way.
Part 1: The Hook
The party can be introduced to Chromie at any time during their adventures, but ideally it should be done in a neutral, peaceful setting where they can sit and chat for a time such as an inn. If the party has already met Chromie once, have her introduce herself as if this is their first meeting. If they have never met Chromie before, have her greet them as old friends. Chromie is a bronze dragon, and tends to hop backwards and forwards through time, meaning her knowledge of the party is a bit jumbled up from the party's linear concept of time.
Chromie's chosen humanoid form appears as a short, fair-skinned female gnome with light hair bordering on white tied up into two tight buns. She typically wears white robes, edged with bronze and black hems and highlights. A casual sort, Chromie's attitude is bright, energetic and enthusiastic, which makes her a perfect ambassador for the bronze flight to the mortal races.
If the party has not met Chromie before, read or paraphrase the following:
"Oh it's great to see you again!" Chromie says, though your non-plussed expressions seem to explain that you don't know who she is. "Oh, no, is this your first time meeting me? Oh it is such a pain when we go out of order like this. I'm Chromie, a bronze dragon, and I'm here because I need your help."
If the party has met Chromie before, read or paraphrase the following:
"Oh it's so nice to meet you!" Chromie says, before realising that you're looking at her with eyes of knowing. "Wait, have we met before? This is my first time! Well I guess that saves me explaining who I am, but I do still need your help."
Once the respective introduction has concluded, move on to treading the following:
"Years ago, Medivh helped to summon the Horde to Azeroth along with Gul'dan which started off the First War. A group - the Infinite Dragonflight - is going to try to stop that from having happened by killing Medivh, so the Horde won't ever have come to Azeroth. I need your help to go back to that critical moment and stop the Infinites from succeeding - to save Medivh."
"I've brought with me a small artifact that will take us back to the point in question and then bring you back here once you're done, so even though we'll be traveling for years, you won't need to go far. I won't lie, it will be dangerous - the Infinite dragons are a nasty sort - but I think you're up for the task."
The party likely has a few questions at this point, some common ones might include the following, along with Chromie's responses:
Can't you handle this yourself?
Chromie shakes her head at this, explaining: "The Bronze and Infinite dragonflights are like sides of the same coin, and we risk becoming Infinite if we engage with them directly, or potentially even fighting ourselves or friends we know now who have come back from the future. It's too risky, so we need to get mortal help."
Why us specifically?
If Chromie treats the party as old friends, she mentions that they've helped her in the future, so she's hoping they will do so in her past as well. If Chromie is new to the party, instead you can reference their skills or deeds from previous adventures, and note that the bronze flight is always keeping eyes on mortals of promise to help deal with the Infinite threat.
You want us to doom Azeroth by allowing the Horde to invade?
Chromie's face drops a bit, before she answers: "I understand how you might feel, but if we don't do this all of time will be changed, and a sudden shift like that could break all of time itself apart. If the sands of time pour through the hourglass a grain at a time, all is well, but the Infinite dragonflight want to shatter the glass entirely. That's what stopping Medivh would do."
Will Medivh see us? Will our being there change time?
Again, Chromie shakes her head: "Once the Infinites are dealt I can smooth over the memories of Medivh and anyone else who sees you. It'll be like you were never there, and only we will know that you saved everyone."
What do we get for this?
Chromie explains that they're not going to be doing something for nothing. In addition to the items dropped throughout the adventure, a successful completion entitles the characters to one Rare-quality item of their choice each, which Chromie will source from a dying timeline for the party.
Once the party is satisfied, Chromie takes them into a private location if they're not already in one, and activates a small gleaming hourglass, which teleports them back in time to the Black Morass.
Part 2: The Swamp
Read or paraphrase the following:
As Chromie's artifacts activates you're encircled by a sphere of white light, and the world gives out beneath your feet as you begin falling. Flashes of moments in time stream past your vision before it suddenly comes to a stop and your feet find the ground once more. Despite the falling sensation, it feels like you barely left the ground, and the impact is relatively minor, as if you'd not even hopped a step.
The scent of boggy air assails your nostrils and a land teeming with life and death in equal measure stretches out before you. Great trees laden with heaving wet leaves on their branches, puddles and ponds of green water flush with algae, and the constant buzz, chirp, growl, and screeching of animals all around you. There is, however, no sign of Medivh or his Dark Portal.
Chromie peers into the swamp, holding a hand to block her eyes from the sun that beats down from above. "Medivh is to the south, on the southern edge of the area. Unfortunately I can't get you any closer due to the timestream interference from the Infinites, so you'll have to go on foot. I'm sorry, but this is all the help I can give."
The swamps of the Black Morass are dangerous, and as the party makes their way south they come across a number of complications to their journey that must be bypassed via a skill challenge. For more advice on running a skill challenge, see this link.
Traversing the swamp successfully requires three successful solutions to the complications they face, whereas three accrued failures will see them fail the skill challenge - if the party fails, all party members gain one level of exhaustion. The DCs for the skill challenge is 14. Once the skill challenge is completed, the party proceeds to Part 3. If the party is very successful or very unsuccessful they may not encounter all the complications - this is fine and expected. Avoiding complications due to success is a fine reward, and dodging additional penalties helps the party from entering a spiral.
The complications likewise have individual failures associated with them.
Complication 1: Navigating a field of fungal pods.
Narration: There's a break in the trees and a field of red-and-white pods that occasionally spew puffs of spore lies before you. Circumventing it would pose a significant delay to your path, and so you need to have one of you lead the way through.
Suggested relevant skills: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival, Nature.
Failure Penalty: The party takes 2d6 poison damage (roll for each individually).
Complication 2: Mists and swirling lights, causing you to lose your way.
Narration: As you continue on past the field of fungal pods back into the swamp proper, you notice a veil of mists begin to descend, obscuring your path. Dancing lights in the distance seek to pull you aside and direct you away.
Suggested relevant skills: Arcana, Investigation, Religion, Perception, Survival.
Failure Penalty: None, save that you accrue another failure tally.
Complication 3: Traversing a diseased bog without falling in.
Narration: The mists finally clear, only to reveal that you are now surrounded by a vast, peaty bog that stinks even worse than the rest of the swamp. Animal bodies seem to be everywhere, surrounded by buzzing flies, and when you step forward your foot sinks into the mud, threatening to pull you down into the diseased water unless one of you can lead the way safely.
Suggested relevant skills: Athletics, Investigation, Acrobatics, Medicine, Survival
Failure Penalty: The party is infected with a disease that gives them disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until cured. They may make a DC14 Constitution saving throw (at disadvantage) at the end of each long rest to end the effect without additional healing.
Complication 4: Avoiding a huge group of crocolisks, and their giant matriarch.
Narration: Having eventually escaped the bog of the dead, you continue on. A low growling is head, and through the break in the trees you see an enormous group of monstrous crocolisks - far too many to fight, and each as large as you or larger, accompanied by a giant crocolisk the size of a fully grown dragon.
Suggested relevant skills: Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Deception, Performance, Animal Handling.
Failure Penalty: The party takes 2d6 piercing damage (roll for each individually).
Complication 5: The party is eaten by a giant carnivorous plant, and must escape.
Narration: Having braved poison pods, diseased bogs and crocolisks you feel the end is near, but a misplaced foot makes a hidden carnivorous plant close its jaws over the party, locking you inside its maw, and you begin to feel the twinge of acid nipping at your skill.
Suggested relevant skills: Athletics, Nature, Medicine, Survival, Animal (plant) handling.
Failure Penalty: The party takes 3d4 acid damage.
Part 3: The First Assault
Having crossed the swamp's danger the party now approaches the Dark Portal, where Medivh is stood as he begins his spell casting.
The dense forestry of the swamp breaks to a wider grove area, still pockmarked by puddles and shallow ponds. On the far side, stretching easily fifty meters tall, is an enormous stone gate, its centre empty air ready to be filled with magic, its sides flanked with malicious figures in hooded robes.
At its base stands a figure wearing a brown cloak edged with black raven feathers, in his hand a mostly plain wooden staff with its head a carved raven figure. Medivh, the Last Guardian. Around him glows a magic circle the heralds the beginning of his spellcasting. Before you can properly take in the visuals you're seeing however, a swirling portal at the edge of your vision begins to tear at the fabric of reality, and the black scales of an infinite dragon stretch into sight, heralding the attack.
Part 3 of the adventure is made up of three combat encounters: Two standard infinite dragonflight portals, followed by a mini-boss, Chrono-Lord Deja. Refer to the map in Appendix A for an example battlemap which will also be used for parts 4 and 5.
Whenever a portal spawns, it creates a Portal Guardian (either Warrior or Caster) and begins sending out Portal Attackers (one of the following: 3 Infinite Whelps, 1 Infinite Assassin, or 1 Infinite Chronomancer). See Appendix B for creature statistics for this adventure.
A portal stays active so long as the Portal Guardian remains alive, instantly closing when they die. Portal Guardians stay at their portal until attacked. A tether of chronal energy between the two shows a clear visual connection to the party, but it can only be broken by their death.
A new Portal Attacker (either a group of whelps or an individual attacker) spawns every 3 rounds - on round 1, round 4, round 7, etc. Portal Attackers immediately head towards Medivh and attempt to kill him. They only turn on the party once any creature successfully deals damage to them.
Medivh himself will not contribute at all to the combat - all of his efforts and magics are being spent on opening the Dark Portal.
After a portal is closed, the party has only a single round to move and recover before a new one appears in another location.
On the third portal, when Chrono-Lord Deja appears, read the following:
Stretching a five-clawed hand through the portal, an enormous dragonkin on two legs emerges from the portal. Its torso bristles with muscles covered by the black scales that constantly seem to shed tiny shards of crystallized time every time it moves. In its hands it wields a massive staff gleaming with unnerving magic, and the air itself seems to bend around it.
After defeating Chrono-Lord Deja, the party receives two magic items, included in Appendix C: Melmorta's Twilight Longbow and Sun-Gilded Shouldercaps. Chromie also contacts them telepathically to say that the residual chronal energy will allow them to hasten their time passage until the next portal appears. To the party, this allows them to take a full short rest that lasts an hour (meaning any spell durations still elapse as normal). To the rest of the world, it appears as if only a few minute pass.
Once their short rest concludes, proceed to Part 4.
Bigger, Shorter, Combats
If your group of players is pressed for time or you want to increase the lethality, consider compressing one or more portal guardians into a single encounter. For example, you could combine both portal guardians and Chrono-Lord Deja into a single deadly encounter at a single portal. This would keep up a constant high level of threat throughout the adventure, but also ensures that groups with smaller playtimes get to conclude the adventure at a faster rate. This advice applies to Parts 4 and 5 just as much - though Part 5 might be especially dangerous with Aeonus and the two enhanced portal guardians.
Due to the additional enemies on the field at once, you shouldn't need to also increase the rate at which portal attackers appear, but you might want to have them spawn during the Aeonus fight until the two portal guardians are defeated still.
Part 4: The Second Wave
Part 4 of the adventure is similarly made up of three combat encounters: Two standard infinite dragonflight portals, followed by a mini-boss, Temporus. It operates almost identically to Part 3 in this regard.
On the third portal, when Temporus appears, read or paraphrase the following:
You hear the roar of the next foe before you see it emerge. A large Infinite drake burts from the portal on wings of decaying time, beating great epochs into being and destruction with each flap. Tainted time-sand drips from its maw as it begins its assault against you.
After defeating Temporus, the party receives two more magic items (see Appendix 3): a Star-Heart Lamp and the Hourglass of the Unraveller.
They also receive a second hastened short rest, which takes effect in the same way as the one from Part 3.
Part 5: The Final Push
Part 5 of the adventure is similarly made up of three combat encounters, though the Portal Guardians are now able to use their Part 5 features as well.
After the two portal guardians are slain, Aeonus appears from the northern central portal. Unlike previous portals, no Portal Attackers spawn during the final portal. In addition, Aeonus doesn't remain with his portal, instead immediately moving to attack Medivh, only turning his attention on the party when a creature deals damage to him.
When Aeonus appears, read or paraphrase the following:
An echoing voice splits through the swamp, its booming voice repeating again and again behind itself, reverberating back and forth across time. It calls out "The time has come to shatter this clockwork universe forever! Let us no longer be slaves of the hourglass!" An enormous dragon, a fully grown Infinite, enters the field on thundering footsteps and its very being seems to bristle with magic.
Once the party successfully defeats him, read or paraphrase the following:
After much effort, Medivh finally finishes his spellweaving and a great clap of thunder crashes across the swamp as the portal opens, its gleaming star-speckled blackness heralding a future some would curse you for.
The sound of footstomps, the reverberation passing through the portal even before they do, reaches you first but after a moment row upon row of hulking green orc warriors appear clad in armour and clutching weapons, their glowing-red eyes a sure sign of the demonic corruption that flows through their veins. Vicious warlocks and enormous ogres fill out the ranks of the Horde's invasion force.
In your minds, you hear Chromie whisper: "Well done heroes! Lets get you out of there..." and you feel a similar pull to the artifact that started your adventure as you're dragged back forward through time, appearing back from where you left as if not a moment had passed - and, indeed, perhaps it hadn't.
In addition to the rare items of their choice (which she produces entirely too quickly - almost as if she already knew what they wanted) Chromie also provides them with the spoils of their fight against Aeonus (see Appendix 3): Latro's Shifting Sword and Mana-Etched Crown. She bids the party goodbye, and vanishes in a cloud of bronze sand, off to another point in the timeline to keep on with her work, and the adventure concludes.
What if they lose?
There is a small likelihood that the party survives while Medivh does not, but it could happen. In the event that Medivh dies and the party survives, the timeline is irreperably changed, and chances are you will need to create an entire new alternate timeline in which the Horde never came to Azeroth. Do not fall into the trap of believing all would be well if this happened: the Burning Legion would not sit idly by just because their pet Horde was hindered in their invasion slightly. If anything, this might give them more time to build up an army.
Consider having other groups fall under the Legion's sway and undermine the residents of Azeroth from within: Perhaps the Night Elf druids in their slumber get corrupted by the Nightmare, turning Kalimdor into a demonic land before invading the Eastern Kingdoms. Perhaps Arthas, rather than falling to the sway of the Lich King, instead became a demonic cultist. Or perhaps the infinite dragons would cause the dragonflights to become corrupted, creating a terrifying Fel Flight of dragons.
However the world changes, the party surviving but failing to keep Medivh alive would mark them as individuals out of time, and Chromie might task them to aid her in restoring the original timeline with a whole new time-hopping campaign.
Appendix 1: Example Maps
Included in this section are a set of example battlemaps to use for this adventure - one gridless, one gridded, and one with markings for portal locations and Medivh's summoning circle.
They can be found at the following links:
Appendix 2: Creature Statistics
Medivh of the Dark Portal
Medium Humanoid, Chaotic Neutral
- Armor Class 14 (mage armour)
- Hit Points 126 (18d8 + 38)
- Speed 0ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 19 (+4) 18 (+4) 17 (+3)
- Senses passive Perception 14
- Languages Common, Demonic, Elven, Draconic, and more!
- Challenge 0
Portal Caster. Medivh spends all of their efforts and attention opening the Dark Portal. They have no other actions or features due to spending all their powers on cracking the magical shell around Azeroth.
Medivh's statistics here are not truly representative of the Last Guardian at the peak of his power, nor are they intended to be. For the purpose of this adventure, Medivh is a sack of hit points to be defended, and his given only the most basic of information needed for a DM to deal with them.
Infinite Whelp
Small dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 13 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 18 (3d6 + 5)
- Speed 30ft, fly 60ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 14(+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 13 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +3, Wis +2, Cha +3
- SkillsPerception +4, Stealth +4
- Damage Immunities Force
- Senses blindsight 10ft., Darkvision 60ft., passive perception 14
- Languages Draconic
- Challenge 1 (200 xp)
Fragmented Time. The whelp has advantage on saving throws against spells or effects that would hinder its movement or apply conditions that might do so.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage plus 1d4 force damage.
Time Breath (Recharge 5-6). The whelp exhales sands of decaying time in a 15-fott line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a DC11 dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.
Infinite Assassin
Medium dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 14 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 49 (7d8+14)
- Speed 50ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 9 (-1)
- Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
- Damage Resistances Force
- Senses passive Perception 15, darkvision 60ft
- Languages Draconic
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Phase Fade. While not adjacent to any creatures, the Infinite Assassin can take the Hide action even when not in cover. If they successfully beat all observing creature's passive perception, they become Invisible until they make an attack.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The Infinite Assassin deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the assassin that isn't incapacitated and the assassin doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The assassin attempts to use a Kidney Shot if invisible, then makes two longsword attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Kidney Shot. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: The target creature is Stunned until the end of the assassin's next turn.
Infinite Chronomancer
Medium dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 13 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 49 (7d8+14)
- Speed 30ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)
- Skills Arcana +4, Intimidation +8
- Damage Resistances Force
- Senses passive Perception 11, darkvision 60ft
- Languages Draconic
- Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Infinite Devotion. The Infinite Chronomancer has advantage on saves against being charmed or frightened.
Arcane Binds. Whenever a creature is hit by the Chronomancer's Arcane Bolt or fails their save against their Arcane Explosion, their movement speeds are halved until the end of the Chronomancer's next turn.
Actions
Arcane Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+4) force damage.
Arcane Explosion. The chronomancer unleashes a wave of chronal energy. Creatures within a 20ft radius take 3d8 force damage, or half as much on a successful DC14 dexterity saving throw.
Portal Guardian (Warrior)
Large dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 16 (scale mail)
- Hit Points 117 (13d10+39)
- Speed 40ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1)
- Skills Perception +7
- Damage Resistances Force
- Senses passive Perception 17, darkvision 60ft
- Languages Draconic
- Challenge 5 (1800 XP)
Enraged. When reduced to half health or less, the Portal Guardian gaves resistance to all damage and gains one additional greataxe attack with its Multiattack feature.
Hamstring. Whenever a creature takes damage from the Portal Guardian's greataxe their movement speeds are reduced by 10ft until the end of the Portal Guardian's next turn. This effect can stack with itself.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragonspawn makes two greataxe attacks.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Reactions
Knockdown. Whenever a creature misses a melee attack against the Portal Guardian, the guardian can use its reaction to knock the attacker down. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be either knocked prone or pushed 15ft away (Portal Guardian's choice).
Portal Guardian (Caster)
Large dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 15 (mage armour)
- Hit Points 104 (13d10+26)
- Speed 40ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 18 (+4)
- Skills Perception +8
- Damage Resistances Force
- Senses passive Perception 17, darkvision 60ft
- Languages Draconic
- Challenge 5 (1800 XP)
Prismatic Barrier. The portal guardian has advantage on saving throws against all spells and magical effects. After they take damage from a spell, they gain resistance to that damage type until they take damage from another spell and the resistance changes.
Actions
Frostbolt. Ranged Spell Attack. +7 to hit, range 60ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8 + 4) cold damage. The creature damaged by this ability has their movement speeds reduced by half until the end of the guardian's next turn.
Blast Wave (Recharge 5-6). The Portal Guardian unleashes a wave of flame in a 15ft radius. Creatures in the area take 3d8 fire damage and are knocked back 10ft from the guardian. A succesful DC15 dexterity save halves the damage and negates the knockback.
Bonus Actions
Swift Polymorph. The Portal Guardian choses one creature within 30ft. They must succeed on a DC15 Wisdom saving throw or be Polymorphed (as the spell) into a sheep until the end of the guardian's next turn. The guardian does not need to Concentrate on this.
Chrono-Lord Deja
Large dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 17 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 204 (24d10+72)
- Speed 40ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
- Skills Perception +5, Athletics +7
- Damage Resistances Force
- Senses passive Perception 15, darkvision 60ft
- Languages Common, Draconic
- Challenge 9 (5000 XP)
Chronal Discharge. When Chrono-Lord Deja hits a creature with his Epoch Staff, creatures adjacent to the target (other than Chrono-Lord Deja) take 1d6 force damage.
Temporal Reactions. Chrono-Lord Deja has two reactions per round, instead of one.
Time Lapse (1/turn). When Chrono-Lord Deja deals force damage to a creature, he can force the creature to be Slowed (as the spell) until the end of his next turn. A successful DC14 constitution saving throw negates this.
Actions
Multiattack. Chrono-Lord Deja attacks twice with his Epoch Staff.
Epoch Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (3d6) force damage.
Reactions
Chronal Retaliation. Whenever a creature casts a spell that targets or affects Chrono-Lord Deja he can use his reaction to unleash an arcane blast against them, which deals 2d6 force damage and knocks them back 15ft. A successful DC14 constitution saving throw halves the damage and negates the knockback.
Temporus
Large dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 16 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 228 (24d10+96)
- Speed 40ft, fly 80ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
- Saving Throws. Dex +3, Con +7
- Skills Perception +5, Athletics +7
- Damage Immunities Force
- Senses passive Perception 15, darkvision 60ft, blindsight 10ft.
- Languages Common, Draconic
- Challenge 9 (5000 XP)
Breaker of Time. Each creature's initiative roll, except Temporus, is reduced by an amount equal to Temporus' charisma modifier.
Acceleration. At the end of each of Temporus turns, it gains an additional attack as part of its Multiattack feature and adds +10ft to its movement speeds. This resets when combat ends. Extra attacks are added in order of two claw attacks and one bite attack sequentially.
Mortal Wound. When Temporus hits a creature with its Bite attack, any healing the creature receives is reduced to 0 until the end of Temporus' next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. Temporus makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
Reactions
Wing Buffet (Recharge 5-6). When a creature moves adjacent to Temporus he can use his reaction to push the creature away. Creatures within a 10ft radius of Temporus must succeed on a DC15 strength saving throw or be pushed back 15ft and knocked prone.
Aeonus
Huge dragon, chaotic evil
- Armor Class 18 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 243 (18d12+126)
- Speed 40ft, climb 40ft., fly 80ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 19 (+4)
- Saving Throws. Dex +4, Con +9, Wis +4, Cha +8
- Skills Perception +8, Athletics +7
- Damage Immunities Force
- Senses passive Perception 18, darkvision 60ft, blindsight 30ft.
- Languages Common, Draconic
- Challenge 10 (5900 XP)
Breaker of Time. Each creature's initiative roll, except Temporus, is reduced by an amount equal to Aeonus' charisma modifier.
Ideal Timeline. Aeonus' fluctuating form allows it to navigate to the ideal timeflow. All critical hits against it become normal hits.
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Aeonus fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. Aeonus uses his Time Stop ability (if available). He then makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) force damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Time Stop (Recharge 5-6). Aeonus targets one creature within 120ft and attempst to halt their time. They must succeed on a DC16 constitution saving throw or be frozen in time - they cannot be interacted with in any way (and cannot take any damage), nor are they able to act in any way. Any creatures connected to the target creature (such as summoned creatures or familiars) are likewise frozen by the connection, and any ongoing spell effects they have are suppressed until the stasis ends at the start of Aeonus' next turn.
Temporal Sand Breath (Recharge 6). Aeonus exhales sand in a 120-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC17 Constitution saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) slashing damage damage on a failed save and becoming Slowed (as the spell) until the end of Aeonus' next turn. On a success, a creature take half as much damage to no other ill effect.
Appendix 3: Magic Items
Latro's Shifting Sword
Weapon (Any Sword), Rare
This +2 sword appears to flicker in and out of reality, changing shape the moment you look away, but always returning back to its proper state when observed. As a bonus action on your turn, you can command the sword's form to change into any 'sword'-based weapon. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to: A dagger, shortsword, a longsword, a greatsword, a scimitar, a rapier, a double-bladed scimitar. It remains in this shape until the wielder commands it to change again.
Hourglass of the Unraveler
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
This small hourglass' sands constantly seem to be flowing back and forth, no matter which way up your hold it. By holding the hourglass aloft you can invoke its magic as an action to affect all creatures - friendly or hostile - within a 100ft radius with the Haste spell for 1 minute. You do not need to Concentrate on this, but all creatures do suffer from the lethargy when the effect ends.
This effect can be used once, refreshing at dawn.
Mana-Etched Crown
Wondrous Item (Crown), Uncommon
This crown pulses with chaotic mana. Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, roll a d10 on the table below - the spell's damage type changes to the result rolled. If you rolled the same damage type as the spell originally had, increase the damage dice size by one level (eg. d6 becomes d8, d12 becomes 2d8).
Spells that have variable damage types (such as chromatic orb) or multiple damage types (such as Destructive Wave) are not affected by the Crown.
| d10 | Damage Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fire |
| 2 | Acid |
| 3 | Poison |
| 4 | Cold |
| 5 | Lightning |
| 6 | Thunder |
| 7 | Force |
| 8 | Psychic |
| 9 | Radiant |
| 10 | Necrotic |
Melmorta's Twilight Longbow
Weapon (Longbow), Uncommon
This +1 longbow bears some of the time tearing powers of its previous owner, and arrows fired from it seem to shed the same slivers of time that infinite dragons do. Whenever you critically strike with it, you deal additional force damage equal to your proficiency bonus as the target is ravaged by time.
Star-Heart Lamp
Wondrous Item, Common
This magical lamp sheds a gentle bright blue light with a 30ft radius, and dim light out a further 30ft radius beyond that. While this is in hand, you can use your bonus action to cast Sanctuary (DC12) on any creature of your choice that is within the bright light. The lamp darkens when you cast the spell, and instead the target creature casts out the bright/dim light in the lantern's place until the effect ends.
1d4 days must pass before the lamp regains its light, and can therefore cast Sanctuary once more.
Sun-Gilded Shouldercaps
Wondrous Item (Shoulderpads), Common
While you are wearing these leather shoulderpads you seem to find additional rejuvenation in the sun's rays. When you expend hit dice on a short rest in which you are resting in the sun directly, the first hit dice you expend grants you additional hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.