# Mulled Wine

##### Zejety's D&December 2017 'brew.

\page # Preface I have been DMing 5th edition for about two years now. I've started out with a homebrew campaign but quickly moved on to running Curse of Strahd pretty much by the book. I've dablled in homebrewing races and monsters but they barely saw actual use in my campaigns. I wasn't aware of the D&December tradition before I saw Scarlet Moth tweet her prompts for 2017. I had been meaning to practice my design skills for a while and D&December looked like something fun to commit to. I've been working as a game designer for about two years but the stuff I do at work is rather specific and I feel like I need to branch out a bit. I'm pretty happy that I managed to go through the whole thing and even do some bigger stuff than I originally intended, and proud to compile all of it into the file you are reading now. I've been giving my best to balance everything, but with just a day of effort going into most pieces, barely anything has been playtested. Use these things at your own discretion. This whole thing took more effort than I originally planned and definitely affected my schedule in december, but it was fun! I'm not sure yet if I will repeat the excersize in 2018, but ill definitely consider it!

-- Zejety, Jan. 2018

``` ```

## Table Of Contents - **[1 Player Races](#p3)** - [1.1 Panda](#p3) - [1.2 Xvart Adventurers](#p4) - **[2 Druid](#p5)** - [2.1 Circle of Civilization](#p5) - [2.2 Circle Spell Lands](#p6) - **[3 Sorcerer](#p7)** - [3.1 Meta Magic Options](#p7) - **[4 Feats](#p8)** - [4.1 Empowered Breath Weapon](#p8) - [4.1 Weave Sense](#p8) - **[5 Spells](#p9)** - [5.1 Spell Lists](#p9) - [5.2 Spell Descriptions](#p10) - **[6 Items & Treasure](#p12)** - [6.1 Trinkets](#p12) - [6.2 Non-Magical Treasure](#p12) - [6.3 Magic Items](#p13) - **[7 Monsters & NPCs](#p15)** - [7.1 Animated Book](#p15) - [7.2 Bibliotheca Haunt](#p15) - [7.3 Chosen of Shar](#p16) - [7.4 Konchu](#p17) - [7.5 Lantern Archons](#p18) - [7.6 Puppeteer Spider](#p19) - **[8 Traps](#p20)** - [8.1 Simple Traps](#p20) - [8.1 Complex Trap](#p21)

\page # Player Races ## Panda CAN WE SPICE THIS UP A LITTLE? *I'm itching for some action... and some bamboo!*

--Lum Bam-Foo, *Yomi*

___ *This homebrew is inspired by Sirlin Games' tabletop games.* ___ The intelligent pandas of the Pandalands are known far and wide for their penchant for gambling. While they look almost identical to feral giant pandas, they have a rich culture and keen intellect. ### Gamblers at Heart Pandas love games and wagers, and their culture revolves around both to no small parts. Arguments and disputes are often resolved over bets. More incredibly, leaders and spokespeople are chosen from the winners of tournaments. While this might sound ridiculous and thoughtless, the games are carefully selected to test the skills that are most important for the job. While pandas are enthralled by the chaos of random chance, their games frequently involve elements of calculation, deduction, and social manipulation. ### Pandánte By far the widestspread game in the Pandalands is Pandánte, a card game in which players try to build strong hands from a combination of personal and community cards. The game heavily incentivized bluffing, and therefore most pandas grow up to be very apt at lying and reading their opponents. It also explains a common panda proverb, "A well-told lie is just another truth." ### Relaxed and Generous Pandas always give it their all. But despite their competitive nature, they rarely let defeat break their joyful spirits, even when the ante was considerable. This is justified by their foresight not to bet anything essential, and by the healthy culture of sharing and generosity pervading the Pandalands. They simply do not take personal wealth very serious. Pandas who travel learn quickly, and often painfully, that this dynamic is somewhat unique to their homelands. Lucky for them, it takes a strong opponent to rob a panda off all their belongings. ### Panda Names Panda names consist of a given name followed by a family name. Both are usually short, and more often mono-syllabic than not.

**Female Panda Names:** Ai, An, Bo, Chow, Chyou, Far, Hua, Jun, Jia, Lin, Mei, Qiao, Qiu, Shu, Ying, Zhu
**Male Panda Names:** An, Bojing, Chao, Dai Gan, Hop, Jin, Kang, Lì, Lum, Ming-tun, Qiang, Shen, Tao, Xin, Yi
**Panda Surnames:** Bam-Foo, Chen, Chiang, Fu, Hsiung, Kung, Lin, Mao, Sun, T'ao, Ting, Wang, Zhang

*Derivative of panda by Machovka, licensed under CC0 1.0*
### Panda Traits Your panda has the following racial traits. **Ability Score Increase.** Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Charisma or Wisdom score (your choice) increases by 1. **Age.** Pandalands pandas have considerably shorter lifespans than humans. They reach maturity around age 12 and rarely live longer than 45 years. **Alignment.** Pandas are fascinated with randomness, and take life how it comes. They like to lie but are generally benevolent. Most pandas are chaotic good or chaotic neutral. **Size.** Pandas have the stature of their bestial kin. They average about 5 ft. tall and 200-300 pounds. Your size is Medium. **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. **Natural Armor.** Your thick fur grants you a modicum of protection. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 11 + your Dexterity Modifier. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor. **Powerful Build.** You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. **Professional Gambler.** You have proficiency with Gaming Sets, and in the Deception and Insight skills. **Roll the Dice.** You can cast *chaos bolt* once with this trait as a 1st-level spell, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability. You regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common and Panda. \page ## Xvart Adventurers For general details on xvarts, refer to their entry in *Volo's Guide to Monsters*. Xvarts are a monstrous race and xvart adventurers are not appropriate for every campaign. The xvarts' craven nature makes them unlikely adventurers. However, sometimes an *individual*'s greed trumps its cowardice, or external influences force it out of their comfort zone. Xvarts are barely capably of selflessness, but valuable rewards might motivate one to act the part. Many of the more adventurous xvarts are warlocks who travel in order to claim magic items for their god and patron Raxivort. ### Xvart Traits Your xvart has the following trades. ***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score is reduced by 2. ***Age.*** Adult Xvarts are magically spawned by Raxivort and do not procreate. Their natural lifespan averages around 60 years. ***Alignment.*** Apart from their devotion to Raxivort, Xvarts are driven by their greedy and begrudging nature. They are typically chaotic evil. ***Size.*** Xvarts are about 3 feet tall and weigh about 35 pounds. Your size is Small. ***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet. ***Inferior Darkvision.*** You can see in dim light within 30 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. ***Bully.*** Once per turn, when you deal damage to an incapacitated, prone or restrained creature with an attack or a spell, you can cause the attack or spell to deal extra damage to the creature. The extra damage equals your proficiency modifier. ***Low Cunning.*** You can take the Disengage action as a bonus action on each of your turns. ***Overbearing Pack.*** You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to shove a creature, if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated. ***Raxivort's Tongue.*** You can communicate with ordinary bats and rats, as well as giant bats and giant rats. ***Sneaky.*** You are proficient with the Stealth Skill. ***Languages.*** You can speak, read and write Common and Abyssal.

\page # Druid Druids are as diverse as the lands that they inhabit. The differences can be subtle like knowing some unique spells, or they might come with an entirely different philophical outlook. ## Druid Circle At 2nd level, a druid gains the Druid Circle feature. The following Circle of Civilization is available to a druid, in addition to those offered in the *Player's Handbook*. ### Circle of Civilization You do not view humanoids as fundamentally different from animals. Society simply consists of particularly intelligent and crafty creatures. You live in their midst, watching and sheparding them towards some goal you have in mind. #### Social Manipulator When you choose this circle at 2nd level, you gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill and learn the *friends* cantrip. #### Beasts at Heart Starting at 2nd level, when you cast a spell that can target or affect beasts and makes them roll saving throws, you may make it target and affect humanoids instead. #### Circle Spells Your outlook on society grants you the ability to cast certain spells. At 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level you gain access to additional circle spells which are considered druid spells for you. Once you gain access to a circle spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. | Druid Level | Circle Spells | |:----:|:-------------| | 3rd | Suggestion, Calm Emotions | | 5th | Tongues | | 7th | Compulsion | | 9th | Modify Memory | #### Crowdwalk Starting at 6th level, moving through occupied
spaces costs you no extra movement. You also have advantage on ability checks to
move through a hostile creature's space (such as
when using the Tumble or Overrun options
detailed in the Dungeon Master's Guide). ``` ``` #### Magical De-escalation At 10th level, you gain the ability to empower your enchantment spells in combat. A spell empowered in this way requires concentration, but you and your allies are not considered to be fighting the target for the purpose of its initial saving throw. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. #### Apex Authority Once you reach 14th level, you radiate an aura of authority. Humanoids subconsciously perceive you as their superior and hesitate to attack you. When a humanoid attacks you, it must make a wisdom saving throw against your druid spell save DC. On a failed save, it must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the humanoid is immune to this effect for 24 hours. Creatures who can't be charmed or frightened are also immune. Humanoids are aware of this effect before they make an attack against you.

*Urban Druid by Hans Binder Knott*

\page ## Circle Spell Lands At 3rd level, a druid of the Circle of the Land gains the Circle Spells feature. Here are new options for that feature, in addition to the lands in the *Player's Handbook*. A spell marked with an asterisk is from *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*.

##### City | Druid Level | Circle Spells | |:--------:|:---------------------|| | 3rd | *heat metal, pyrotechnics* | | 5th | *create food and water, stinking cloud* | | 7th | *locate creature, stone shape* | | 9th | *contagion, wall of stone* | ___ ##### Feywild | Druid Level | Circle Spells | |:--------:|:---------------------|| | 3rd | *blur, enthrall* | | 5th | *conjure animals, plant growth* | | 7th | *conjure woodland beings,
hallucinatory terrain* | | 9th | *commune with nature, dream* | ___ ##### Shadowfell | Druid Level | Circle Spells | |:--------:|:---------------------|| | 3rd | *blindness/deafness, darkness* | | 5th | *feign death, life transference**| | 7th | *blight, confusion* | | 9th | *antilife shell, creation* | ``` ```

*Magic Forest by Selenada; licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0*

\page # Sorcerer Every sorcerer's source of power is unique, and their magic manifests in many different ways. This section introduces new meta magic options for you to customize your sorcerer with further. ### Meta Magic Options At 3rd level, a sorcerer gains the Meta Magic feature. Here are new options for that feature, in addition to the ones in the *Player's Handbook*. #### Forceful Spell When you hit a Large or smaller creature with a spell attack, you can spend 1 sorcery point to force that creature to make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, you push it up to 10 feet away from you. #### Infused Spell When you gain this meta magic, choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. When you cast a spell that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can spend 1 sorcery point to make it deal your chosen damage type instead of that type. You can choose to gain this Metamagic option multiple times. Each time you do so, you must choose a different damage type. ``` ```

\page # Feats Feats are an optional rule in chapter 6, "Customization Options," of the *Player's Handbook*. The DM decides whether they're used and may also decide that some feats are available in a campaign and other aren't. This section introduces two new feats that your DM might rule are available for you to choose from. ### Empowered Breath Weapon *Prerequisite: Dragonborn* ___ You've unlocked the true potential of your breath weapon. You gain the following benefits. * Increase your Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20. * You add your Constitution modifier to your breath weapon's damage rolls. * When a creature fails its saving throw against your breath weapon, it suffers an additional effect based on the type of damage you deal:
    ***Acid.*** The creature can't regain hit points until the start of your next turn.
    ***Cold.*** The creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
    ***Fire.*** The creature takes additional fire damage equal to your Constitution modifier.
    ***Lightning.*** The creature can't take reactions until the start of its next turn.
    ***Poison.*** The creature has disadvantage on ability checks until the end of its next turn. ___ ### Weave Sense *Prerequisite: Intelligence or Wisdom 13 or higher* ___ Whether by training or instinct, you have developed a sixth sense for nearby magic. You gain the following benefits: * You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient in the skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it. * You learn the *detect magic* spell. You can cast it once without expending a spell slot, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. * Once per round, when you perceive a spell being cast, you may attempt to identify it (as per the rules in *Xanathar's Guide to Everything*) without using your reaction.

\page # Spells This chapter introduces several new spells for various classes and levels. While it starts by presenting them as additional spell lists, it's up to the DM which of these spells are available in their campaign at all, and if they can be selected from the get go or must be earned in some way. ## Spell Lists The following spell lists show which spells can be cast by characters of each class. A spell's school of magic is noted in parentheses. If a spell can be cast as a ritual, the ritual tag also appears in the parentheses. #

### Bard Spells ##### Cantrips (0 Level)
*Smash object* (evocation)
##### 1st Level
*Glimpse of doubt* (illusion)
*Glimpse of triumph* (illusion)
##### 2nd Level
*Moment of despair* (enchantment)
### Cleric Spells ##### 2nd Level
*Moment of despair* (enchantment)
##### 5th Level
*Righteous might* (transmutation)
### Druid Spells ##### 2nd Level
*Sporing mushroom* (conjuration)
##### 4th Level
*Parasitic mushrooms* (conjuration)
### Sorcerer Spells ##### Cantrips (0 Level)
*Smash object* (evocation)
##### 1st Level
*Water jet* (evocation)
##### 2nd Level
*Geyser* (evocation)
*Sporing mushroom* (conjuration)
##### 4th Level
*Parasitic mushrooms* (conjuration)
``` ``` ### Warlock Spells ##### Cantrips (0 Level)
*Smash object* (evocation)
##### 2nd Level
*Moment of despair* (enchantment)
### Wizard Spells ##### Cantrips (0 Level)
*Smash object* (evocation)
##### 1st Level
*Water jet* (evocation)
##### 2nd Level
*Geyser* (evocation)
*Sporing mushroom* (conjuration)
##### 4th Level
*Parasitic mushrooms* (conjuration)

\page ## Spell Descriptions The spells are presented in alphabetical order. #### Geyser *2nd-level evocation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 120 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a small piece of volcanic rock) - **Duration:** Instantaneous ___ A 10-foot-tall geyser of scalding or freezing water erupts from the ground beneath a creature you see within range. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw that does not benefit from cover. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d6 fire or cold damage (your choice). A large or smaller creature is then flung up to the geyser's peak. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't flung up. A flung creature falls back to the ground unless it has a flight speed or other means to suspend itself in the air. It's subject to the normal rules for falling. **At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6, and the geyser's height increases by 5 feet for each slot level above 2nd. #### Glimpse of Doubt *1st-level illusion* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (an apple seed) - **Duration:** 1 round ___ Choose a creature other than yourself that you can see within range. You show it an illusory vision of its defeat, causing it to second-guess its every action. It must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and wisdom saving throws until the spell ends. #### Glimpse of Triumph *1st-level illusion* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 bonus action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** V, S, M (a pinch of sugar) - **Duration:** 1 round ___ Choose a creature other than yourself within range. You show it an illusory glimpse of success, inspiring it and dispelling its doubts. The target has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks and Wisdom saving throws until the spell ends. #### Moment of Despair *2nd-level enchantment* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 ft. - **Components:** S, V - **Duration:** Instantaneous - **Spell Lists:** Bard, Cleric, Warlock ``` ```

*"Thief"
by shiprock
is licensed under
CC BY-NC-ND 3.0*

___ You attempt to momentarily fill the mind of a
humanoid you can see with thoughts of despair and
nihilism. The target must make a Wisdom saving
throw. It takes 2d6 psychic damage on a failed save,
or half as much damage on a successful one. After a failed save, the target becomes frightened
until the end of its current turn or the start of its
next turn. While frightened by this spell, a creature
is also stunned and has disadvantage on Wisdom
saving throws. **At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases
by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Parasitic Mushrooms *4th-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 60 feet - **Components:** S, M (a pinch of mushroom spores) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute ___ Energy-sapping mushrooms sprout from the flesh and skin of a creature you can see within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 4d8 necrotic damage and the spell ends. On a failed save, the target takes 4d8 necrotic damage, and the mushrooms take root. The target repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns until the spell ends, taking 5d8 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. The target or one of its allies within 5 feet of it can use an action to painfully rip out the mushrooms, dealing 1d6 piercing damage to the target and ending the spell early. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs. \page #### Righteous Might *5th-level transmutation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** Self - **Components:** V, S, M (a holy symbol of your deity) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 10 minutes ___ You loudly procclaim your deity's power and become a vessel for it. Your size doubles in all dimensions, and your weight is multiplied by eight. This growth increases your size by one category - from Medium to Large, for example. If there isn't enough room for you to double your size, you attain the maximum possible size in the space available. Everything you wearing and carrying changes size with you. Any item you drop returns to normal size at once. Until the spell ends, you also have advantage on Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom checks and Strength, Constitution, and Wisdom saving throws, and you gain a +1 bonus to AC. Finally, your weapons grow to match your new size and become infused with (un)holy power. While they are enlarged, your attacks with them deal 1d4 extra damage and an additional 2d8 radiant or necrotic damage (chosen by you when casting the spell). #### Smash Object *Evocation cantrip* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** S - **Duration:** Instantaneous ___ You point at a non-magical object you can see within range and create a subtle burst of energy in its space. If the target is being worn or carried by a creature, the creature makes a Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save, nothing happens. Otherwise, if the target has 4 or less hit points and is not resistant or immune to bludgeoning damage, it takes 4 bludgeoning damage. A non-magical container that holds a magical object, like a potion vial, is a valid target for this spell. #### Sporing Mushroom *2nd-level conjuration* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 90 feet - **Components:** S, M (a tiny mushroom) - **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute ___ A mushroom the size of a Small creature grows from a surface in an unoccupied space of your choice within range, turning that space into difficult terrain for the spell's duration. The mushroom is surrounded by a 25-foot diameter cloud of poisonous spores. That area is lightly obscured and any creature that starts its turn in it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d4 poison damage and becomes poisoned until the end of its turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. A strong wind disperses the cloud until the end of your next turn. The mushroom is an object that can be damaged and thus destroyed. It has AC 13 and 7 hit points, and it's vulnerable to fire damage. The spell ends if the mushroom is destroyed. **At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd. #### Water Jet *1th-level evocation* ___ - **Casting Time:** 1 action - **Range:** 30 feet - **Components:** V, S - **Duration:** Instantaneous ___ You shoot a strong jet of water at a creature that you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage and must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away from you. **At Higher Levels.** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

*Image licensed under public domain*
\page # Items & Treasure This chapter offers a variety of new items for your games. While most of these items are meant as rewards that DMs can hand out at their discretion, a new table of trinkets also offers an alternative to the one in the *Player's Handbook* for players to use during character creation. ## Trinkets You may roll on or choose from the following chart instead of rolling on or choosing from the one in the *Player's Handbook*. |    d20    | Trinket | |:------:|:-----------| | 1 | An ink pen that never runs dry | | 2 | A spinning top with a painted outward-pointing arrow | | 3 | A wind-up toy soldier that walks backwards | | 4 | A whistle that produces no apparent sound | | 5 | A pair of iron marbles that produce a low humming sound when they touch | | 6 | A pretty flower head that doesn't wilt or decay | | 7 | A small portrait of an unknown man that you feel inexplicibly familiar with | | 8 | A soft toy of a bulette | | 9 | A silver ring that is always cool to the touch | | 10 | A beholder's eyestalk preserved in a glass jar | | 11 | A playing card with a small splatter of blood on one side | | 12 | A vial of perfume that smells like your parent's cooking | | 13 | A cat figurine that always lands on its paws when falling unobstructedly | | 14 | A glass amulet containing an opaque liquid that changes color every midnight| | 15 | A sketch depicting what looks like you as an old person | | 16 | Gold-rimmed glasses through which all elves look like gnomes | | 17 | The fancy painted crank of an unknown contraption | | 18 | A set of three nesting dolls: a human man, a flayed human, and a skeleton | | 19 | A walnut turned locket that opens when you blow on it gently | | 20 | A twig grown into a perfect spiral | ``` ``` ## Non-Magical Treasure #### Father's Lament ___ This light crossbow was comissioned and wielded by vampire hunter Rudolph van Richten. A clever mechanical apparatus loads a bolt from a wooden magazine, pulls the string and fires, with a single motion of a lever. Father's Lament has the same statistics as a mundane light crossbow, with the following exceptions: It has the *reload (10 shots)* property instead of the *loading* property. Its normal range is 60 feet, and its maximum range is 240 feet. It weighs 10 pounds. In addition, you can use an action to fill a small copper compartment with liquid poison or holy water. Doses of the liquid are automatically applied to bolts as they are fired. Poisons used this way can coat as many bolts as when applied manually. One vial of holy water can coat 10 bolts, attacks with which will deal 1 additional point of radiant damage against fiends and undead.

*Derivative of an illustration from "The Crossbow", Ralph Payne-Gallwey, 1903 Longman's, Green & Co. London; licensed under CC BY 1.0* \page ## Magic Items The following items are presented in alphabetical order. #### Bell of Announcing *Wondrous item, common*
This tiny gold bell rings quietly but when rung deliberately, it can nevertheless be heard by all creatures within 40 feet who aren't deafened. #### Chop Chop (Floating Axe) *weapon (greataxe), uncommon*
These adamantine greataxes are priced posessions of the goblin warriors who wield them. Plundered from adventurers, they enchant them to appear lighter while maintaining the force behind their real weight. A Chop Chop weighs only half as much as a regular greataxe amd Small creatures do not have disadvantage on attack rolls with it despite its heavy property. A Chop Chop has the thrown (20/60) property. As an adamantine weapon, the axe's hits against an object are automatic critical hits. #### Coin of Kinship *Wondrous item, common*
These steel coins depicting a human and a dwarven face on their opposite sides are popular at Mirabarren parties. A Medium humanoid who presses it against its heart while staring up or down for 1 round grows 1 foot taller or shorter respectively for 1 hour. A Small humanoid can use it in the same way to change size by 6 inches. The creature's weight and size-category are unaffected, but its clothes and armor adjust to its new proportions. The coin can be used three times, but a single creature can't alter its size more than once in either direction. The coin regains all uses at dawn. #### Dust of Solstice Magic *Wondrous item, uncommon*
This red leather pouch contains a glittering powder. When sprinkled over a Large or smaller quadruped beast, the target gains a flying speed equal to its base speed for 1 hour. The target can pull weights to its usual capacity and that load levitates behind it as long as it moves at least half its speed every round. When the effect ends the target falls if it is still aloft, unless it can stop the fall. The pouch contains enough powder for 1d3 such uses. ``` ``` #### Fiend's Heirloom *Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)*
What appears to be a ruby in the center of this black steel amulet is actually a vial filled to the last drop with demon and devil blood. While wearing this ring, your appearance takes on some fiendish traits like horns, tails and/or spines. If you are human, some observers might take you for a Tiefling. You also gain resistance to fire and poison damage. If you are a tiefling, the effects are more radical, as they unlock your dormant fiendish blood. You take on a clearly demonic or devilish form that integrates your tiefling features, but otherwise barely resembles your original body. While in your fiendish form, you are immune to the poisoned condition, as well as fire and poison damage, and you have resistance to cold damage. #### Gloves of Fiery Glamour *Wondrous item, common*
These thin leather gloves were created by a mage who hoped to gain the favor of the Flaming Fist. A creature who wears a pair and knocks its fists against eachother engulfs them in illusionary flames in a color of its choice. Repeating the gesture extinguishes them. The flames are animated to dance but are easy to recognize as illusions, as they don't shed light or radiate height. #### Jar of Endless Cookies *Wondrous item, common*
Every day at dawn, 1d4 cookies magically appear in the jar if it was empty. The cookies are delightful but almost *too* sweet. When you offer one to a child and it eats it, you gain advantage on your next Charisma check to interact socially with it. The cookies provide no sustenance and disappear at dawn when new ones are created. #### Keep Candle *Wondrous item, common (requires attunement)*
A favorite among inhabitant of shared dormitories who like to read in bed. Whispering the command word while holding this 7-inches-long wooden stick makes its tip shed bright light in a 2.5 foot radius. This light is magically confined to that area. Creature outside of its radius cannot perceive it or benefit from the illumination it provides. Repeating the command word ends the effect. In order to use ithis property for a given amount of time, the candle must have been charged by exposing it to bright light for that lonh. It can store up to 8 hours worth of light. \page #### Mimikeen *Weapon (see description), rare (requires attunement)*
This magic weapon has been crafted from the remains of a mimic and preserves several of the monster's properties. When you finish a short or long rest, you can make Mimikeen assume the form of any mundane melee weapon that lacks the light, special, and two-handed properties. It continues to be magical and gains the following properties. **Acid Touch.** When you hit with an attack using Mimikeen, the target takes an extra 1d8 acid damage. **Adhesive Attack.** When you take the attack action, you may replace one of your attacks with an attempt to immobilize an opponent. Choose a creature within 5 feet of you that is no more than one size larger than you, and make an attack roll using Mimikeen contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If you win the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the target becomes grappled by you (escape DC 13). You can't attack with Mimikeen or let go of it while you maintain this grapple. **Adhesive Hilt.** You can't drop Mimikeen against your will. #### Neverwinter Elixir *Potion, common*
This pleasantly warm and sweet potion preserves and enhances the elemental qualities of Neverwinter River. After drinking it, you are unharmed by temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit. #### Orb of Altitude *Wondrous item, common*
The Yawning Portal Inn in Baldur's Gate usually has a few of these orbs stocked. While holding one, you can use an action to determine your altitude or depth relative to the sea level with an accuracy of 100 yards. This property functions only on the Material Plane. ``` ``` #### Outcast's Respite *Wondrous item, uncommon*
This flat, polished bronze amulet is striking in it's ordinariness, with only a single rune scribed on its back. While a tiefling wears it around her neck, she takes on a human appearance as if affected by the *alter self* spell. It only changes those body traits that distinguish you from a human, and you remain recognizeable to those familiar with your face. If you have the *winged* racial trait, your wings and fly speed disappear while your're transformed - an exception from *alter self*. The amulet can sustain this effect for 1d4 hours per day after which you will gradually transform back over the course of 1 hour. Taking it off instantly ends the transformation. The amulet fully reacharges at dawn. This item can have the same or a similiar affect on other humanoid races at the DM's discretion. #### Plane Render *Weapon (any weapon that deals slashing damage), legendary (requires attunement)*
This magic weapon's blade is so impossibly sharp that it can cut through the very fabric of the planes. Your attacks with it have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls. When you take the attack action while wielding it on the Material Plane, you may sacrifice one of your attacks to create a rift from an Elemental Plane of your choice (Fire, Water, Air or Earth) for 1 minute, a one-way portal from which elemental substance or energy pours out into a 10-foot cube originating from you. After creating a rift, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. While the rift is open, the affected area is difficult terrain, and a creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time on a turn must make a DC 15 saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d10 damage and suffers a secondary effect. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and suffers no additional effect. The saving throw, the damage's type and the secondary effect depend on the plane you chose:
|Plane | Saving Throw | Damage Type | Effect | |:----:|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------| | Fire | Dexterity | Fire | Ignited | | Water | Constitution | Cold | Whelmed | | Air | Strength | Slashing | Pushed | | Earth | Strength | Bludgeoning | Stuck | **Ignited.** The target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the end of each of its turns, until a creature uses an action to douse the fire. **Whelmed.** The target is deafened and can't speak or cast spells that include verbal component until the start of its next turn. **Pushed.** The target is pushed 20 feet away from the effect's point of origin. If it re-enters the affected area this turn, it must repeat the saving throw or suffer this effect again. **Stuck.** The creature's speed is reduced to 0 until the start of its next turn. \page # Monsters & NPCs This sections presents a few new potential allies and foes in alphabetical order. It's largely aimed towards DMs, though warlock players with the chain pact feature may want to take a look at the "candle archon. ## Animated Book Not all books in a library are inanimate objects. Some have been enchanted to act as guardians or guides, and others might have developed lives of their own just by absorbing residual magical energies, or by a fey's prank. A book flapping through the air might look silly, but a swarm of heavy tomes slamming into one's head can become overwhelming surprisingly swiftly. ***Constructed Nature.*** An animated book doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep. The magic that animates it is dispelled when the book drops to 0 hit points. An animated book reduced to 0 hit points becomes inanimate and is too damaged to be legible or of any other use. ___ > ## Animated Book > *Tiny construct, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 12 > - **Hit Points** 10 (4d4) > - **Speed** Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|8 (-1)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|3 (-4)|5 (-3)|13 (+2)| >___ > - **Damage Vulnerabilities** fire > - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic > - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone > - **Senses** blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 7 > - **Languages** None > - **Challenge** 1/8 (25 XP) > ___ > ***Antimagic Susceptibility.*** The book is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the book must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. > > ***False Appearance.*** While the book remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal book. > > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage ## Bibliotheca Haunt An undead spirit who is tethered to a library, either by a spellcaster's intent or by fate, has often spent a long time doing nothing but reading before encountered by a group of adventurers. It knows the library and its contents by heart. Whether helpful or hostile, these specters have grown protective of the knowledge surrounding them and view themselves as its guardians, which doesn't stop them from flinging less valuable tomes at intruders with their *catapult* spell. ***Undead Nature.*** A bibliotheca haunt doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
___ > ## Bibliotheca Haunt >*Medium undead, any alignment* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 11 > - **Hit Points** 54 (12d8) > - **Speed** Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover) >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|7 (-2)|13 (+1)|10 (+0)|19 (+4)|18 (+4)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Arcana +6, Insight +6, Medicine +6,
Nature +6, Religion +6 > - **Damage Resistances** acid; fire; lightning; thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks > - **Damage Immunities** cold, necrotic, poison > - **Condition Immunities** charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17 > - **Languages** all languages it knew in life or learned from books in the library > - **Challenge** 2 (450 XP) > ___ > ***Incorporeal Movement.*** The haunt can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. > > ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The haunt's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The haunt can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: > > At will: *catapult, mage hand, vicious mockery*
> 2/day each: *dissonant whispers, illusory script,
>     locate object (books only), silence*
> ### Actions > > ***Withering Touch:*** Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) necrotic damage. \page ## Chosen of Shar The goddess Shar is known to have blessed Shadar-kai children with the powers of Chosen in the past. This rare fate sometimes befalls those who have suffered a most tragic loss and embraced the resulting feelings of hopelessnes. **Fonts of Emptiness.** Chosen of Shar radiate a feeling of nihilism at all times. They can help the grieving come to terms with their loss, but likewise deny others the spark of happiness. The effect is temporary, but there are reports of people who have fallen to madness after long exposure. In combat and worship alike, the Chosen can also amplify their auras to completely overwhelm the minds of others with despair and hopelessness. **A Life for the Lady.** Usually indoctrinated into priesthood at an early age, Chosen children are venerated by the Church of Shar and usually rise through the ranks quickly. Those who grow up like this are erudite and empathic, but often lack the live experience of their contemporaries and are ignorant of many worldly affairs. **Crisis Authority.** Recent war efforts of Netheril have required the Church of Shar to engage in more worldly affairs than usual. While too important to expose to a battlefield, a Chosen of Shar has been reported to have overseen critical endeavours, particularly those involving divine matters.

___ ___ > ## Chosen of Shar >*Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 16 (scale mail) > - **Hit Points** 78(12d8+ 24 > - **Speed** 30 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|8 (-1)|14 (+2)|14 (+2)|13 (+1)|18 (+4)|10 (+0)| >___ > - **Saving Throws** Wis +7, Cha +3 > - **Skills** Insight +7, Intimidation +2, Religion +6 > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 > - **Languages** Common, Elvish > - **Challenge** 8 (3900 XP) > ___ > ***Shadow Jaunt (1/Day).*** As a bonus action, the Chosen of Shar can magically teleport up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space she can see, and she gains resistance to all damage until the start of her next turn. > > ***Spellcasting.*** The Chosen is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following cleric spells prepared: > Cantrips (at will): *Chill Touch, Resistance, Thaumaturgy*
> 1st level (4 slots): *Bane, Inflict Wounds, Ray of* >     *Sickness*
> 2nd level (3 slots): *Blindness/Deafness, Calm*
>     *Emotions, Silence*
> 3rd level (3 slots): *Dispel Magic, Nondetection*
> 4th level (3 slots): *Death Ward, Blight*
> 5th level (1 slots): *Scrying* > > ***Gift of Shar (Recharge 5-6).*** The Chosen can use an action to project a magical aura of despair in a 30 feet radius around her. When a creature enters the aura for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it is blasted with debilitating feelings of loss, and must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d8 psychic damage and becomes frightened until the start of its next turn or until it is no longer within the aura. While frightened by this effect, the creature is also stunned. On a success, the creature is immune to this ability for the next 24 hours.
>    The aura last up to 1 minute and maintaining it requires concentration. \page ## Konchu *This homebrew is inspired by Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise.*

Konchus are large isopods known for their hard shells and curious method of attack. Their hardiness and frugality makes them a common sight in many ecosystems. ***Roly-Polies.*** Usually rather slow, konchus can roll into balls and travel at high speeds. In combat, konchus use this ability to ram into their enemies out of nowhere. Experienced hunters therefore know to keep an obstacle between themselves and a konchu at all times. ***Uncanny Resilience.*** While konchu shells are indeed very hard, they are not everything there is to the konchus' durability. Beneath their shells lies a layer of elastic and insulating tissue that can further absorb blows and even magical attacks. Unofrtunately, armorer's have not yet found a way to preserve that tissue, but konchu shells are a popular resource regardless of that. ***Symbiosis.*** Konchus incentivize larger predators to tolerate them in their territory. When their "landlord" is threatened by hunters or a pack of smaller beasts, konchus will assist it in battle and even serve as living shields. In turn, the konchus don't have to fear minor predators who aren't above preying on them despite their shells, and can occasionally feed on their patron's leftovers.

*Illustration by Jeremey Chinshue* ``` ``` ___ > ## Konchu >*Medium monstrosity, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 45 (6d8 + 18) > - **Speed** 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|16 (+3)|1 (-5)|10 (+0)|2 (-4)| >___ > - **Senses** passive Perception 10 > - **Challenge** 1/4 (50 XP) > ___ > ***Konchu Shell.*** Unless the konchu is prone, it has resistance to all damage. A prone konchu is incapacitated and can't crawl or use its roll trait. > > ***Roll.*** Instead of moving normally on its turn, the konchu can spend movement equal to its speed and move up to three times that distance in a straight line. It must stop before entering difficult terrain, including occupied spaces. > > ***Running Tackle.*** If the konchu moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. > > ### Actions > ***Slam.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
> ##### Konchu Symbiosis > > Konchus sometimes live in symbiosis with more dangerous creatures. As an action, a konchu can climb onto and attach itself to a willing large or larger beast or monstrosity within 5 feet of it. > > While attached, the konchu moves with the creature, and it can't take actions or reactions. When the konchu takes damage or the creature is moved against its will, the konchu must make a DC 10 Strength saving throw or fall to an adjacent empty space and drop prone. Likewise, the konchu falls to the ground prone if it leaves the creature's space or gets knocked prone. It can spend movement equal to half its speed to climb down from the creature safely and move into an adjacent free space. > > A creature can support one konchu for every size it is larger than medium. It has +1 AC for every konchu attached to it. \page ## Lantern Archons Archons are lawful-good outsiders from the Outer Planes. Among their many forms are the lantern archons. Lantern Archons look like balls of soft, calming light. They are curious and social-minded, and enjoy talking with mortals and guiding them through their plights. ***Candle Archons.*** Candle archons are juvenile lantern archons. While archons aren't born in the literal sense, recently-created archons are nevertheless lacking in experience. These archons often set out to engage with mortals on the material plane to learn about their world. As a candle archon grows wiser, it becomes brighter and more powerful. > ##### Variant: Candle Archon Familiar > A familiar summoned with a warlock's *Pact of the Chain* feature may take the form of a candle archon.
___ > ## Candle Archon >*Tiny celestial, lawful good* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 7 (3d4) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 40 ft. ___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|6 (-2)|10 (+0)|12 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +2, Religion +2 > - **Damage Resistances** poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** lightning > - **Condition Immunities** petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Celestial, Draconic, Infernal > - **Challenge** 1/8 (25 XP) > ___ >
> ***Hallowed.*** The candle archon gains the benefits of a permanent *protection from evil and good* spell. > > ***Innate Spellcasting***. The candle archon can innately cast the *light* cantrip at will (spell save DC 10), ignoring its material component. > > ***Radiance.*** A candle archon's body sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 10 feet. As a bonus action, it can reduce both ranges to 5 feet until the end of its next turn. > > ***Truespeech.*** The candle archon can communicate verbally with all creatures who speak at least one language, as if it was affected by a *tongues* spell. > ### Actions > ***Light Ray.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +3 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. *Hit* 3 (1d6) radiant damage.

___ > ## Lantern Archon >*Small celestial, lawful good* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 15 (natural armor) > - **Hit Points** 13 (3d6 + 3) > - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 60 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|1 (-5)|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|6 (-2)|13 (+1)|13 (+1)| >___ > - **Skills** Perception +4, Religion +2 > - **Damage Resistances** poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons > - **Damage Immunities** lightning > - **Condition Immunities** petrified, poisoned > - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 > - **Languages** Celestial, Draconic, Infernal > - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP) > ___ >
> ***Aura of Menace.*** An archon radiates an aura of righteousness in a 20 foot radius during combat. When a hostile creature enters the aura's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, it becomes immune to the same archon's aura for 24 hours. > > ***Hallowing Radiance.*** A lantern archon's body sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius, and dim light for an additional 20 feet. As a bonus action, it can reduce both ranges to 5 feet until the end of its next turn. The archon and all allies in this bright light gain the benefits of a *protection from evil and good* spell. > > ***Innate Spellcasting***. The lantern archon's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 11). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components: > > At will: *detect evil and good, guidance, light* >
> 2/day: *aid* > > ***Truespeech.*** The lantern archon can communicate verbally with all creatures who speak at least one language, as if it was affected by a *tongues* spell. > ### Actions > *** Multiattack.*** The lantern archon uses Light Ray twice. > > ***Light Ray.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +3 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. *Hit* 3 (1d6) radiant damage. > > ***Greater Teleport.*** The lantern archon teleports to a location known to it on its current plane of existence. It can bring along objects it touches as long as their weight doesn't exceed 50 lbs. \page ## Puppeteer Spider Puppeteer spiders are macabre ambush predators. Their silk is imbued with dark magic and enables them to animate corpses to kill prey and protect their lairs. ***Strings Attached.*** A puppeteer spiders covers its lair and hunting ground with interconnected webs. Unlike other web-spinning spiders, puppeteers spiders often attach large parts of their webs to ceilings instead of commonly-traveled paths. The reason is that their webs' primary use doesn't lie in trapping prey directly; it is a conductor for necromantic energy. The puppeteer spider connects medium or smaller corpses to its webs via long strands. As long as they are connected, these corpses animate as mindless undead under the spider's control. When a creature wanders into a puppeteer spider's lair, its minions suddenly rise and kill it. The spider will then feast upon the kill and add it remains to its web. ***Fighters Beyond Death.*** If slain, the residual negative energy in a puppeteer spider's body will reanimate its own corpse for about 8 hours. The creature's fate ultimately remains unchanged, but it may be able to defend its lair and eggs before its time is up. The ability also serves as a deterrent for larger predators. Many species have realized that going after a puppeteer spider is often more trouble than it's worth.

> ##### Puppeteer Spider Thralls > A puppeteer spider's lair is usually guarded by **skeletons** and **zombies** who follow its mental commands. If the spider is unconscious or isn't within 200 feet of a given thrall, the thrall will follow its previous instructions. >Long strands of silk connect the thralls to the web that animates them. > A creature that would deal 5 or more slashing damage to a thrall may instead sever the target's connecting strand. A thrall who moves more than 100 feet away from the spider's webs also automatically has its thread severed. Thralls do not voluntarily leave this range without explicit orders. > A thrall that is not connected to a web becomes unconscious until it is destroyed or the spider reconnects it with its *Animating Silk* action. It reverts to an inanimate corpse if it doesn't get reconnected within 8 hours. > Thralls also revert 8 hours after the spider's death or continuous absence from its lair. > **Zombie** thralls have a reduced CR of 1/8 (25 XP). ___ ___ > ## Puppeteer Spider >*Medium paragon monstrosity, unaligned* > ___ > - **Armor Class** 13 > - **Hit Points** 2x 45 (7d8 + 14) > - **Speed** 20 ft., climb 20 ft. >___ >|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA| >|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| >|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|14 (+2)|5 (-3)|13 (+1)|5 (-3)| >___ > - **Skills** Stealth +5 > - **Damage Resistances** necrotic > - **Senses** blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 > - **Languages** None > - **Challenge** Paragon 1/2 (200 XP), 2 creatures > ___ >
> ***Spider Climb.*** The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. > >***Web Sense.*** While in contact with a web, the spider knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web. > >***Web Walker.*** The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing. > ### Actions > ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage > > ***Necrotic Discharge.*** *Ranged Spell Attack:* +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. *Hit* 7 (2d6) necrotic damage > > ***Animating Silk.*** The spider connects a pile of bones, or a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid with one of its webs it can see. The target must be within 5 feet of the spider and within 100 feet of the web. It immediately rises as a thrall (see the info box above); bones become a **skeleton**, a corpse becomes a **zombie**.
> Alternatively, the spider can target a disconnected thrall, and reconnect it to the web.
> An undead puppeteer spider can't use this action. > ### Paragon Traits > ***Paragon Undeath.*** The spider has multiple pools of hit points, each of which is tracked separately. All damage and healing must be completely applied to only one pool. When a pool is reduced to zero, all ongoing conditions and effects affecting the spider end, and that pool can't receive any healing until after a long rest. If this was its first hit point pool, the spider dies and immediately rises as an undead, and that pool can't receive any healing, even after a long rest. If all pools are reduced to zero, The spider is destroyed. > > ***Paragon Exhaustion.*** The spider may take one complete turn in each round of combat for each hit point pool it has above zero and receives one reaction between each of its turns. When a pool of hit points has been reduced to zero, the spider loses one turn each round thereafter. The spider determines initiative normally for its first turn, though it gains advantage on the roll. Each subsequent turn is inserted immediately after any one PC’s turn in the initiative order. \page # Traps ### Simple Traps #### Compelling Book *Simple trap (level 1–4, moderate threat)*
This worn book tells a tell so great, you can't put it down. The enchantment magic woven into its words does the rest. ***Trigger.*** A creature that understands common reads any of the books contents. ***Effect.*** The triggering creature must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the book until it finishes reading it from cover to cover, a feat that normally takes about 12 hours. While charmed, the creature spends its turn doing nothing but reading. If it somehow becomes unable to read, likely because another creature took the book from it, it tries to correct that situation. A charmed creature can repeat the saving throw with disadvantage after every hour. On a successful save, the book's effect ends for it. The effect also ends for a creature that takes damage or can't read for 10 consecutive minutes. ***Countermeasures.*** A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices that the pages are almost evenly worn from the beginning to the end, revealing that an unusual ratio of readers has finished it. A creature that is wary of traps and opens the book can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, it notices that the words and whitespace form magic patterns. A creature that succeeded on either check or observed the book's effect has advantage on saving throws against it. #### Falling Bookcase *Simple trap (level 1-4, moderate threat)*
Someone rigged this 10 feet long and tall bookcase to tip over and bury intruders under its and the books' weight combined weight. ***Trigger.*** A Small or larger creature that steps on a hidden pressure plate triggers the trap. ***Effect.*** The bookcase tips over towards the pressure plate. Any creature in the area must make DC 15 Strength saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If more than one creature has to make the saving throw, they all make it with advantage. ***Countermeasures.*** A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices that the books in the bookcase are unsorted and that their spines show heavy wear. A succesful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the pressure plate. A successful DC 10 Dexterity Check using thieves' tools disables the pressure plate; failing the check causes the trap to activate. ``` ``` #### Man-Eating Plant *Simple trap (level 1–4, dangerous threat)*
These Large plants reflexively react to nearby motion by attempting to swallow the passerby whole. Once caught, the struggling creature gets slowly digested. ***Trigger.*** A Small or Medium creature that steps within 5 feet of an empty plant triggers it. ***Effect.*** The plant makes an attack against the triggering creature. The attack has a +8 attack bonus and deals 4 (1d8) acid damage on a hit. A creature hit by the plant gets swallowed whole; it is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns. It takes 4 (1d8) acid damage on a failed save or half as much an a successful one. The target or an ally adjacent to the plant can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check to try to free it; the target itself has disadvantage on this check. Destroying the plant (see *countermeasures* below) also frees the swallowed creature. ***Countermeasures.*** A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check identifies a man-eating plant. A plant growing among other foliage is revealed on a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. The plant is an object with AC 12 and 10 HP, and is vulnerable to slashing damage and resistant to bludgeoning damage.
\page ### Complex Trap #### Guardian Glade *Complex trap (level 5–10, dangerous threat)*
This hidden forest clearing guards a magical gems in its center. The clearing has a diameter of 140 feet. The treasure lies in its center, but is surrounded by an area overgrown with animated vines, a cylinder 100 feet wide and 15 feet tall. The clearing is surrounded by dense forest. Both the forest and the overgrown area are difficult terrain and obscure vision beyond 10 feet. ***Trigger.*** The trap activates as soon as a creature comes within 60 feet of the glade's center. It remains active while any conscious creature is within 85 feet of it. ***Initiative.*** The trap acts on initiative count 20. ***Active Elements.*** The magically animated vines lash out in a blind frenzy, whipping intruders and dispersing sleep-inducing pollen covering the outside area.
**Vines (Initiative 20).** The animated vines attack every
        creature in the overgrown area, with a +8 bonus to the
        attack roll and dealing 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage
        on a hit. **Sleep Pollen (Initiative 20).** Any creature within 100 feet
        of the glade's center but outside the overgrown area must
        make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or fall asleep as
        it makes contact with poisonous pollen. On a failed save,
        it falls unconscious for 8 hours, until it takes damage, or
        someone uses an action to shake or slap it awake.
***Dynamic Elements.*** Destroyed vines regrow. As more pollen fill the air, it becomes harder to resist their effects.
**Regrowth.** After the Vines element activated, the thicket of
        vines heals up to 20 hit points it has lost. **Increased Potency.** The DC of saving throws against the
        Sleep Pollen element increases by 1 each round after it
        activates, to a maximum of 20.
***Constant Elements.*** The Vines strike creatures who remain within their reach, and creatures who try to escape the area find themselves unable to leave.
**Vines.** Any creature that ends its turn in the overgrown
        area is targeted by an attack: +8 attack bonus; 11 (2d10)
        bludgeoning damage. **Bent Space.** The forest area is enchanted to loop on itself.
        A creature that moves more than 15 feet deep into the
        forest ends up in a space 15 feet deep into the forest on
        the opposite site of the glade.
***Countermeasures.*** Each of the trap's elements can be thwarted by particular countermeasures.
**Vines.** Vines can be destroyed by force They quickly
        regrow, but destroying a few still offers a brief respite.
        Treat the thicket of vines as a single object with AC 13,
        150 hit points, and resistance to bludgeoning and
        piercing damage. Casting *dispel magic* on it deals 10
        damage as it dispels a single vine. For every 10 hit points
        it's missing, the Vines attack bonus is reduced by 1.
        While at 0 hit points, the thicket isn't destroyed, but it
        can't attack until it is healed.

**Magic Gem.** This magical item powers the animated vines
        that protect it. Taking it from its pedestal in the center of
        the overgrown area reduces the thicket of vines to 0 hit
        points and disables the Regrowth element. The gem is
        held in place by a weave of roots, three of which must be
        removed to claim the gem. Each root has AC 15 and 5
        hit points, and can either be destroyed or ripped out with
        a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check that takes
        an action. The gem can also be disabled for one hour by
        three successful castings of *dispel magic* (DC 17).
**Sleep Pollen.** Creatures in an area of strong wind like that
        of a *gust of wind spell* automatically succeed on their
        saving throws against the Sleepy Pollen element. On a
        turn during which the vines were disabled for their
        activation, the Increased Potency element decreases
        instead of increases the DC by 1, to a minumum of 5.
        While the DC is 5, the Sleep Pollen element is disabled.
**Bent Space.** A creature can find the hidden exit, a specific
        series of directions, by following the tracks of the glade's
        guardians. To identify the right path, a creature must
        make a total of three successful Wisdom (Survival)
        checks. Each check requires an action. After the third
        successful check, the creature knows the path and can
        lead others out of the glade. Alternatively, th magical
        effect can be suppressed for an hour with three
        successful castings of *dispel magic* (DC 15) targeting the
        edge of the forest.