The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Guide from Hither to Thither

If the characters need a guide to Thither, they can find one in Downfall—home of Bavlorna Blightstraw and the bullywugs of the Soggy Court. This guide is an animated scarecrow named Clapperclaw, who can guide characters from Hither to Thither and back to Hither. Clapperclaw is encountered in area D5, but you can move the scarecrow elsewhere if the characters don't visit that location.

Domain Transformation

Death Effects

Feywild Treats

High Water Features

• Depth. The water's depth is 5 feet. Creatures that don't have a swimming speed move at half speed through the water.
• Visibility. Visibility underwater is 10 feet.

Low Water Features

• Difficult Terrain. The sticky mud of the exposed swamp bottom is difficult terrain.
• Mud Pits. Characters marching across the swamp might blunder into swampy terrain that contains a pit of sucking mud. Whenever you see fit to use this hazard, have the characters make a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) group check. If the group check is successful, the characters spot and avoid the hazard. On a failed check, the character who had the lowest check result sinks into a pit of sucking mud, which is 10 feet deep (use the quicksand rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide).

Roleplaying the Brigands

If the characters don't attack immediately, one of the brigands with weapons drawn signals the others to stop singing with a wave of her hand. She introduces herself as Jebbek, and she says to the characters, "This is a robbery. If you resist, we'll beat you black and blue."

Jebbek has no interest in treasure. She demands that each character surrender the feeling of delight they remember from when they were given the best gift they ever received. Jebbek produces a stoppered gourd that can hold these memories. The stopper sports a golden knob, and any character who voluntarily touches the knob while Jebbek is holding the gourd loses the memory Jebbek wants to steal, as it is siphoned away and trapped in the gourd. (Give each player a minute or so to think about what the character's memory could be and then to note it on their character sheet, as a matter of record.) Removing the stopper releases all memories trapped inside the gourd, whereupon they return to their original owners.

If all the characters comply, the harengons leave with the gourd full of happy memories, saying that "Agdon Longscarf is much obliged." If one or more characters refuse to give up their cherished memories, the brigands threaten the characters with a beating. At this time, the characters can make a DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation) group check. If the group check succeeds, the brigands are cowed by the characters' resolve and retreat into the swamp rather than risk getting whomped by the party. On a failed check, the harengons try to beat the characters unconscious and steal their weapons, though they flee if the fight turns against them.

Jebbek's gourd was a gift to Agdon Longscarf from Bavlorna Blightstraw. Although any creature can plug or unplug the gourd's stopper, only Agdon or another creature he designates (in this case, Jebbek) can use the gourd to trap memories.

Random Encounters in Hither

Abandoned Raft

The characters find an abandoned, 8-foot-square wooden raft that can support up to 1,200 pounds. The characters need a 10-foot pole or similar tool to guide the raft across the water. When the water level of the swamp is at its lowest, the raft gets stuck in the mud and won't budge unless it is carried or dragged. It weighs 300 pounds.

Gushing O'-well

The characters hear the rush of water in the distance. If they investigate, they come to an o'-well that is 10 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. A steady geyser of water shoots from the well, rising to a height of 30 feet above the well. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher see 1d4 Feywild trinkets bobbing in the water at the top of the geyser. (Roll on the x in the introduction to determine each one in turn.) For each trinket, one invisible will-o'-wisp hovers within 5 feet of the geyser.

The geyser is powerful enough to lift up to 300 pounds into the air, and the flow of water can be stopped if the well is covered by something weighing more than 300 pounds. If the water is prevented from erupting, anything being lifted by the geyser plummets to the ground within 5 feet of the base of the well.

The will-o'-wisps are the spirits of creatures who owned the trinkets in life. If a character tries to take one or more of the trinkets, the will-o'-wisps turn visible, accuse the character of being a dishonorable thief, and insist that the stolen items be returned to the well at once. The will-o'-wisps will also accept a different trinket as payment for one that was stolen. They attack if the character fails to return the stolen trinkets or provide worthy substitutes.

[image: The Inn at the End of the Road]

Inn at the End of the Road

The Inn at the End of the Road is the only inn in Hither. It crawls through the swamp on fleshy legs and has a walking speed of 30 feet. Its movement is not reduced by swampy terrain or water up to 10 feet deep. It crosses the characters' path as they make their way through the swamp. Every mile, the inn stops for 10 minutes and lowers itself so that guests can enter or exit without risking injury.

The inn follows an unpredictable course through the swamp. When Prismeer was whole, the inn could travel anywhere in Zybilna's domain. Now that Prismeer is splintered, the inn can't leave Hither.

The inn is a squat, three-story structure with a slate-shingled roof and worm-eaten wood walls. Dozens of tiny orbs of pale light buzz about the exterior like flies. The structure rocks and heaves while in motion, but these movements cannot be perceived from inside the inn.

As the inn passes by the characters, they catch the smell of hearty stew wafting from its open windows and see smoke rising in cottony puffs from its stone chimney.

For the inn's interior, use the inn map in appendix C of the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Marsh Gas

One of the hazards of Hither is marsh gas, which erupts from iridescent bubbles in the muck. When a bubble touches something edged, such as a twig or a blade of grass, it pops, releasing its gas with a sound of stifled laughter. The gas smells like old cheese.

As the characters cross the swamp, they encounter a field of marsh gas bubbles and must make a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) group check. If the group check is successful, the characters avoid popping any of the bubbles as they wade through the field. On a failed check, a bubble bursts within 10 feet of the character who had the lowest check result, perhaps catching other nearby characters in its area at your discretion.

Anyone within 10 feet of a bursting bubble must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer the gas's magical effect for 1 hour. Roll on the Marsh Gas table below to determine the effect.

Mud Mephits

This encounter can occur when the swamp's water level is low. Five mud mephits emerge from the muck around the characters and threaten to drag them down into it unless they can guess the mephits' favorite food. The answer, of course, is mud pie. Each character gets one guess. If a character guesses correctly, the mephits cackle maniacally, dive back under the muck, and disappear. If no character guesses correctly, one mephit blurts out the answer as they attack. If two or more mephits are killed in the ensuing fracas, the rest dive into the muck on their next turn and disappear.

Stilt Walkers

This encounter takes place in a mist-veiled field of tall swamp grass dotted with clusters of cattails. It begins when the characters hear rustling in the vegetation ahead of them. The sound foreshadows the arrival of six Humanoid creatures on stilts. The stilts allow these creatures to move more easily through the muck and to stay above the water. Their walking speed on stilts is 30 feet, and this movement is not reduced by mud or water.

[image: Stilt Walker]

As the stilt walkers advance, the characters recognize them as six hobgoblins (lawful neutral) who are wearing patchwork rags and furs (AC 12). Strapped to the back of each stilt walker is a wire cage padded with straw and filled with 1d20 eggs of various sizes and colors. These hobgoblins scour the swamp for the eggs of reptiles and birds, which they either eat or trade to the bullywugs of the x (described later in the chapter). The hobgoblins are not violent toward strangers.

If they are left alone, the stilt walkers pass by the characters without so much as a greeting. If the characters try to communicate, the stilt walkers stop and regard them silently for a moment before prompting them to continue. If asked about what they're doing, the stilt walkers explain (in Goblin or, if necessary, in Common) that they are gathering eggs for trading in Downfall. They know in which direction Downfall is located and share that information freely. If the characters attack the stilt walkers, the hobgoblins flee.

Stream of Visions

When the water level of the swamp is low, the characters chance upon a 10-foot-wide stream. Unknown to them, the stream flows from Downfall, and any character who looks into the water's reflective surface catches a glimpse of an event transpiring in Downfall at that very moment. Each character who looks might see something different. Roll a d8 and consult the Stream of Visions table to determine what each character sees. Each character can receive only one such vision.

Waterlogged Battlefield

The characters come upon a bog that was the site of a battle between elves and fomorians long ago. The area is littered with rusted and broken weapons and armor, along with the bones of the dead. If the characters enter the area, two suits of animated armor stand up from the detritus. The suits are clearly of elven design, their helmets shaped like stylized owl heads. Both suits are 20 feet away from the party at the start of the encounter.

Each suit of animated armor mimics the movements of the character closest to it. For example, if the character closest to a suit of armor swings a sword, the armor makes a similar gesture, though it wields no weapons. If the character casts a spell, the suit uses its action to mimic the somatic component of casting a spell on its next turn, though it lacks the ability to cast spells. If one or both suits are attacked, they stop mimicking the characters and defend themselves. Otherwise, they are harmless. They can't leave the battlefield.

A suit becomes inanimate and collapses in a heap if its helmet is removed, if it is reduced to 0 hit points, or if the characters leave the area. Removing a suit's helmet while the armor is animated requires an action and a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

Plea for Help

As the characters approach the edge of the bramble patch, they hear a whispered voice say in Common, "Psst. You there, I need your help." The whisper comes from the basket that dangles from the top of the tower. If a character responds with anything louder than a whisper, a quick "Shush!" cuts them off. The voice belongs to Sir Talavar, who quietly explains his predicament:

If the characters speak in raised voices, Sir Talavar shushes them again. If asked why it's important to remain quiet, he says:

See "x" below for more information about the two serpents.

The characters can't see Sir Talavar from the ground, because he is locked in a birdcage inside the basket that dangles from the tower's peak. Characters on the roof of the tower can look down into the basket and see the corpse of Wigglewog, the balloon's bullywug pilot, who died in the crash. At the bottom of the basket, a silver birdcage lies on its side with Sir Talavar inside. He is a violet faerie dragon who speaks Common, Draconic, Elvish, and Sylvan. Sir Talavar carries a magic sword and has the following additional action option:

A detect magic spell reveals an aura of abjuration magic around the birdcage. While Sir Talavar is in it, he can't cast spells, but he can use his Euphoria Breath. The cage is locked and can't be destroyed, and its lock can't be picked. A knock spell or similar magic opens it, however.

[image: Sir Talavar]

Roleplaying Sir Talavar

Sir Talavar is a knight-errant of the Seelie Court and a loyal vassal of the Summer Queen. Appendix D has additional roleplaying notes for Sir Talavar.

The faerie dragon has an upbeat demeanor and is a strict observer of noble etiquette and courtesies. He knows the way to Downfall and can point characters in the right direction. He can also impart the following useful information:

• Bavlorna Blightstraw lives in a spooky cottage on stilts at the heart of Downfall, a bullywug settlement. The bullywugs of Downfall are quite courteous and welcoming, provided one does not offend them.
• Bavlorna has the ability to conjure minions that look like tiny versions of herself.
• Bavlorna has two sisters whom she loathes. Together, the three hags form the Hourglass Coven. Using an artifact called Iggwilv's Cauldron, the coven has frozen time in Zybilna's palace, trapping the archfey inside.
• A goblin named Jingle Jangle has the key to Sir Talavar's birdcage. She lives atop Telemy Hill, not too far from Slanty Tower.

Sir Talavar explains that he must be set free so that he can return to his queen and report the news that Zybilna has been overthrown by the Hourglass Coven.

If the characters are unable to open the birdcage on their own, Sir Talavar asks them to get the key from Jingle Jangle, offering them his magic sword in return for his release (see "Development" below).

Snakes

Outside the tower, about 10 feet from the door, two giant constrictor snakes lie together, asleep. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher spot the snakes, which can move through the brambles with no reduction to their speed.

Characters can converse with the snakes using a speak with animals spell or similar magic. In the course of any such conversation, a character can try to change the snakes' attitude from hostile to indifferent, doing so with a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the snakes are made to feel indifferent, they give up their mission and slither away.

Development

If the characters free him from his cage, Sir Talavar gifts them with his tiny sword, which functions as a +1 dagger in the hands of a Small or Medium creature. He then bids them a fond farewell, adding, "Your valor will not be forgotten!" He then flies away. As a show of her favor, after hearing Sir Talavar's story, the Summer Queen leaves a gift for the characters on the threshold of the Palace of Heart's Desire (see chapter 5). Note this gift on the Story Tracker.

If the characters don't save Sir Talavar, one of the frayed ropes suspending the basket snaps after a few hours, causing it to tip enough that Sir Talavar's birdcage tumbles out and falls to the ground, where it is either swallowed by one of Bavlorna's snakes or found by harengon brigands. In either event, Sir Talavar is returned to Downfall and handed over to Bavlorna, in which case the characters can find him in x, still locked in the silver birdcage.

Arrival at Telemy Hill

Telemy Hill is skirted in mist. When the characters pass through the mist and see the hill for the first time, read:

Telemy Hill is approximately half a square mile wide. A narrow game trail leads to Jingle Jangle's den at the pinnacle of the hill. The willows that grow on the hill are awakened trees that speak Common in low, rumbling voices. Telemy Hill uses the trees to communicate, rather than speaking itself.

As the characters move up the hill, 1d4 + 1 awakened trees approach them, stopping when the two groups are 10 feet apart. One of them welcomes the characters to Telemy Hill and asks how long they plan to stay.

If asked about Jingle Jangle, the awakened trees share the following information:

• Jingle Jangle is friendly. She collects keys and talks about them endlessly.
• She wears a coat of keys that jingle and jangle when she walks—hence her name.
• Three days ago, while rooting through the swamp for truffles, she was attacked and robbed by brigands. She hasn't left her hilltop den since returning to the hill and must be pretty hungry by now.

If the characters are hostile, the trees do what they can to drive the invaders off the hill. If the trees are not met with violence, they shepherd the characters up the hill to Jingle Jangle's den, waving them on with their branches. Characters who stray from the path are met by 1d6 additional awakened trees. These trees don't attack but join in coaxing the characters up the hill.

At the top of the hill, the characters find Jingle Jangle's den: a cave with an entryway shaped like a keyhole.

Obtaining the Silver Key

If one or more characters enter Jingle Jangle's den on the hilltop, read:

The oval-shaped den is 20 feet wide, 30 feet long, and 6 feet tall, with a smaller chamber at the back where Jingle Jangle sleeps.

Jingle Jangle is a goblin (chaotic good) who refers to herself in the third person. Replace her normal weapon attacks with the following action option:

One of the keys in Jingle Jangle's collection is the silver key that unlocks Sir Talavar's birdcage. If the characters want this key, Jingle Jangle offers it freely, saying, "Better you should have it than those long-eared brigands. First they stole Jingle Jangle's truffles. Next, they'll want Jingle Jangle's keys. Someone ought to give them a good shaking down so they know what it feels like!"

Jingle Jangle's obsession with keys serves as a cautionary tale for those who would enter into a bargain with Bavlorna Blightstraw. The goblin once sought the hag's help in a desperate attempt to undo what she thought was a terrible curse: wherever Jingle Jangle went, she felt a tormenting fear of being caught on the wrong side of a locked door. When she appealed to Bavlorna for aid, the hag removed the goblin's ability to perceive that fear and replaced it with an insatiable and overwhelming need to collect keys. So great is this obsession that Jingle Jangle has lost her own sense of self and now refers to herself only in the third person.

Appendix D has additional roleplaying notes for Jingle Jangle.

Jingle Jangle's Tale of Woe

If the characters seem interested in hearing more about her recent altercation, or if they want to offer reciprocation for her gift of the silver key, Jingle Jangle reveals the following information:

[image: Jingle Jangle]

Jingle Jangle knows that Telemy Hill is well defended, so she's not concerned about her own well-being at the moment. However, she happily accepts any or all of the following as payment for the key to Sir Talavar's cage:

• A bag of truffles or some other tasty snack
• A thirst-quenching beverage
• A solemn vow to avenge the abuse Jingle Jangle suffered at the hands of the harengon brigands

If the characters raise her spirits by offering her food, drink, or the promise of revenge, Jingle Jangle imparts the following useful information:

• Agdon Longscarf is the leader of the harengon brigands. He wears a bright blue scarf and moves as fast as lightning. Characters who head toward Brigands' Tollway might encounter him there.
• Brigands' Tollway is a series of old wooden catwalks that circle a giant tree stump. The brigands camp atop the stump because it gives them the advantage of high ground.
• The best guide in Hither is a pincer-clawed scarecrow named Clapperclaw. It hangs around Downfall and knows the way to the neighboring realm of Thither, which is ruled by a hag named Granny Nightshade.

Leaving Telemy Hill

The outcome of the characters' interaction with Jingle Jangle influences how Telemy Hill regards them.

Approaching the Tollway

The wooden causeways are 5 feet wide and in poor shape. Characters who walk across the planks are assumed to be taking care to avoid unsafe areas. If a character runs across the planks, roll a d8 at the end of the character's turn. On a 7 or 8, part of the causeway falls away beneath the character, who must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling off the plank and into the bog. While prone in the muck, the character is restrained. A character can use an action to try to free itself or another creature from the muck, doing so with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.

Most Notorious Brigand in Prismeer

As the characters make their way along one of the causeways, the character who has the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score notices something:

The figure is a notorious harengon brigand named Agdon Longscarf (see the accompanying stat block), who snuck in among the characters for a laugh. He casts off his cloak with a flourish, revealing his 15-foot-long, bright blue scarf. He holds a hot branding iron in one hand and a small round shield in the other.

As Agdon throws off his cloak, the sound of a bagpipe erupts from somewhere up ahead. After a few notes, the characters recognize it as the song sung by the harengon brigands they met earlier (see "x"). Agdon sings the song as he takes off at a run, a wide grin on his rabbit face as he bounds from one plank to another in a circle around the party. He and his fellow harengons know the causeways well enough to avoid sections that are too weak to support their weight.

Agdon is backed up by two skiffs, each one containing three harengon brigands and a harengon sniper (see appendix C for their stat blocks). The skiffs come from the direction of the giant tree stump. They emerge from the fog and become visible when they are 20 feet away. Each skiff has two rowers, a lookout (the sniper), and a bagpiper. The brigands spring onto nearby causeways, advance to melee range, and try to knock out characters and rob them without killing anyone, while the snipers stay in the skiffs. Any character rendered unconscious by the brigands is stable at 0 hit points.

Dealing with Agdon

In days gone by, Agdon Longscarf made a name for himself as he and his band of miscreants menaced travelers throughout various Feywild domains. It was in Prismeer, however, that Agdon's antics came to an end by Zybilna's hand. As punishment for his offenses, the archfey demanded that Agdon give up his beloved scarf. When he refused, Zybilna cursed him so that he would never be able to remove it. She then pinned the scarf to a young sapling with a magic nail made of gold and iron, and she bade the tree grow until its branches raked the clouds. Agdon was thus carried into the sky, where he was stranded for a long time.

The arrival of the Hourglass Coven signaled a reversal of Agdon Longscarf's fortunes. With Zybilna trapped in temporal stasis, Agdon's loyal gang was able to chop down his tree prison. But his scarf remained pinned to the felled trunk, and him with it, until Bavlorna struck a deal with him—she agreed to remove the nail and free the scarf in exchange for the best prize from each of his raids thereafter.

Agdon's scarf is a bright blue length of cloth that he claims was woven from lightning bolts he stole right out from under a dark cloud. The scarf can't be removed, even if Agdon dies. His branding iron functions for him alone, and it ceases to be hot when it leaves his hand. The brand it makes is shaped like three bounding rabbits connected nose to tail, forming a triangle.

The brigand leader is cocky and boastful. Appendix D has additional roleplaying notes for Agdon Longscarf.

Aided by the magic of his scarf, he darts among the characters, using Quick Fingers to steal things as he passes. His speed and agility make him difficult to hit; however, grabbing hold of his trailing scarf can dissuade him.

As an action, a character can try to grab Agdon's scarf. Doing so requires a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check. While a character has him by the scarf, Agdon has a walking speed of 35 feet, and he can't move farther than 15 feet from the character. Agdon can use an action to try to pull his scarf free; this attempt is resolved with a Strength (Athletics) contest. If he fails to free himself after one try, he surrenders immediately, blubbering and pleading for his life like a coward.

Development

Either the characters defeat Agdon Longscarf, or he and his brigands subdue and capture them.

Big Stump

The harengons have set up camp atop the 30-foot-high, 80-foot-wide tree stump. Wooden skiffs are moored among the cattails and grasses that poke up from the water surrounding the ancient stump, and rope ladders hanging off the edges of the trunk enable approaching creatures to climb to the surface of the stump without having to make an ability check.

The brigands' encampment is a circle of twelve patchwork tents surrounding a carved wooden throne where Agdon Longscarf holds court. Piled around Agdon's throne are scores of worthless trinkets stolen from travelers. If the characters want to examine the trinkets, describe a few of them, using the entries in the x in the introduction for inspiration. Lying amid the trinkets is a small bag of truffles (the same ones the brigands stole from Jingle Jangle).

At any given time, 1d4 harengon brigands and 1d4 harengon snipers (see appendix C for their stat blocks) occupy the camp. These harengons defend their turf only if they outnumber intruders; otherwise, they scatter and hide.

Bullywug Names

Soggy Court Honorifics

D1. Channel

The characters will likely arrive by skiff, rowboat, or raft, by way of this channel. This waterway flows into Murky Lake (area D7).

The four bullywugs (neutral) are enjoying a boat ride on the lake. All four are dressed in soiled garb typical of members of the Soggy Court. In croaking Sylvan, they say, "Welcome to Downfall, travelers."

If the characters don't attack immediately, the bullywugs explain that their king, Gullop XIX, would be honored to make the characters' acquaintance. They suggest that the characters head to the small dock nearby (next to area D2), then make their way across the stepping stones (area D3), through the balloon factory (area D4), and across the bridge of chattering heads (area D5) to the gazebo where Gullop XIX holds court (area D6). If the characters ask about Bavlorna, the bullywugs insist that the characters see the king first, saying that he'll know how to help them.

If the characters attack the bullywugs, they croak loudly enough to alert the two guards atop the watchtower (area D19). These guards sound the alarm with loud croaks of their own. One minute later, six armed bullywugs (neutral) rally at the base of the watchtower before setting out to subdue the characters and bring them before Gullop XIX for questioning.

D2. Damaged Balloon

The two bullywugs (neutral) watch the characters warily but pose no threat. The three giant frogs are here to prevent anyone from stealing the balloon. (Another one of Bavlorna's balloons was stolen recently. Characters encountered what was left of it at x earlier in the chapter.)

If the characters strike up a conversation with the bullywugs, the one on the ground responds in Sylvan, "Hmmm. You should probably see the king," regardless of what the characters say.

D3. Stepstone Crossing

The water around the stepstones is only 4 feet deep, but the bottom is not visible through the murk.

Four of the five stepstones are boulders sunk deep in the mire. The middle stepstone is actually the top of a galeb duhr. If someone steps on it, the galeb duhr takes offense, grumbling about ingratitude. An apology accompanied by a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check satisfies the galeb duhr. On a failed check, the galeb duhr gives the offending character one more chance, allowing the character to repeat the check provided the apology is sung with feeling. On a second failed check or if the character refuses to sing, the galeb duhr uses its Animate Boulders action to affect the two boulders closest to it, and the three of them move 15 feet to the west, leaving a 20-foot gap in the path formed by the stepstones. Any character who was standing atop one of the stones is dumped into the water.

D4. Burned-out Balloon Factory

The garments on the clothesline aren't particularly well made or valuable. The line leads to Bavlorna's cottage (area D12), which is heavily obscured by the thick fog. The line can support up to 200 pounds of additional weight.

The building is accessible by ramps from areas D3 and D5, as well as stairs that rise from the lake. A rickety wooden deck clings to the outside of the structure 6 feet above the water. Use the following boxed text to describe the building's interior:

This is where Bavlorna's swamp gas balloons are manufactured. Two bullywugs recently set fire to the place, destroying most of the supplies as a consequence. One of the culprits was Wigglewog, Sir Talavar's pilot (now deceased). The other was Morgort, the former Knight of Warts, who was captured before she could make her escape and is now being held prisoner in area D9.

A bullywug (neutral) named Duke Ickrind is overseeing the repair of the factory, but new fires keep popping up thanks to the persistence of the animated coals that were used to start the fire originally. When the characters enter the place, Duke Ickrind yells in Sylvan, "Grab a bucket! We have to make sure the fires are out!"

A low workbench—the only piece of undamaged furniture in the room—has three wooden buckets on it. Two of them are filled with water.

If the characters help Duke Ickrind extinguish the coals, he gives them a brass brooch shaped like a fly, with wings that flutter. He tells them to wear the brooch when they present themselves to Gullop XIX, saying it will help win the king's trust.

D5. Chattering Heads

The bridge is in decent condition and safe to cross.

D6. His Royal Majesty Gullop XIX

King Gullop XIX, a bullywug royal (neutral) is accompanied by a baby crocodile (a Small noncombatant) named Snoodle and protected by five bullywug knights (neutral; see appendix C for their stat blocks). The knights are stationed around the edge of the gazebo's interior. Eight unarmed bullywugs (noncombatants) lounge at the king's feet, eating insects from platters as they gossip among themselves. The king treats visitors as honored guests in accordance with the rule of hospitality (see "x" earlier in the chapter), but he expects a measure of kindness in return. If a fight breaks out, Gullop XIX flees to area D11 and makes his final stand there, counting on the bullywug knights to cover his escape. As the king flees, Snoodle and the unarmed bullywugs jump into the lake and swim to safety.

D7. Murky Lake

Downfall is built around a 20-foot-deep body of standing water called Murky Lake. A blanket of thick fog and a layer of pond scum cover the lake's surface. Heavily obscured by the fog are 2d6 bullywugs (noncombatants) spread out across several large lily pads and relaxing in rowboats. Some read to each other, and others nap or play music. When they see the characters, they wave in a friendly manner. If the characters ask for directions, one of the bullywugs tries to be helpful while the others gaze about listlessly. If the characters require any further assistance or information, the helpful bullywug suggests that they speak to King Gullop XIX and points the way to his Royal Majesty (area D6). Each lily pad can hold up to 250 pounds without sinking.

D8. Holding Cells

This hut is round, 12 feet in diameter, with a conical thatched roof that rises 18 feet from the floor at its apex. Prisoners of the Soggy Court are held here while they await trial by combat in area D9. Characters brought here as prisoners are thrown into the north cell. The guards depart after locking up the characters.

A character can use an action to try to break into or out of a cell, tearing through its root walls with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check. A cell door's lock can be picked in 1 minute with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check, provided the character making the check has thieves' tools.

D9. Proving Grounds

Justice in the Soggy Court is carried out using trials by combat. Prisoners fight for their freedom here, as do those who want to challenge the monarch for the right to rule.

The grounds are 20 feet in diameter. Combatants are shackled by one wrist or ankle to a 10-foot length of chain attached to the tree. Each chain has AC 19, 11 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Using an action, a creature can pull a chain free of the tree with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check.

D10. Trinket, Bauble, and Charm's

Two darklings (see appendix C) named Trinket and Bauble look after the balloon and lurk inside the cramped merchant's stall, which is open for business. Their boss, Charm, is a darkling elder (see appendix C) who is presently visiting Bavlorna Blightstraw in her cottage.

Charm travels around Prismeer in her "rain cloud balloon" while posing as a merchant. She is actually a burglar working for Bavlorna's sister, Endelyn Moongrave. Charm has come to Downfall to steal treasure from under Bavlorna's nose. Trinket and Bauble guard the stall while Charm sees to the real business of carrying out her heist (described later in the chapter).

Trinket and Bauble greet their customers with plenty of sass. Since their business is a front, they don't care whether they sell anything or not.

D11. Sinking Palace

The palace has two entrances: one on high ground to the northwest, the other overlooking the docks. Each entrance has two bullywugs (neutral) and a crocodile guarding it. These sentries deny entry to anyone who doesn't have an invitation from the bullywug king.

The palace has two levels:

• Upper Level. The upper level is built around the trunk of a tree. Gathered here at any given time are 2d4 unarmed and unarmored bullywug courtiers, some of them reclining on pillows. Among these noncombatants are three bullywugs (neutral) who would defend their honor if they thought it besmirched by hostile interlopers.
• Lower Level. The lower level is submerged in 3 inches of swamp water. More bullywug courtiers fill this space as a trio of bullywug musicians play an upbeat tune on stringed instruments. These bullywugs are also noncombatants.

D12. Bavlorna's Cottage

Four flights of wooden steps rise out of the swamp, ending at a trapdoor in the underside of Bavlorna's cottage, which is perched atop tall, thick wooden stilts and surrounded by dense fog. See "x" later in the chapter for details.

D13. Big Barkless

Big Barkless is a tree blight, a carnivorous, ambulatory Plant of menacing disposition (see the accompanying stat block). While it remains motionless, it easily passes for a dead tree. Four sprites live in hollow cavities in its trunk. Their names are Bitzi, Dandy, Mintleaf, and Timpella. The sprites are a bitter bunch, taunting those who come close by spewing forth insulting words and tiny arrows. They hope to provoke the characters into damaging Big Barkless, thus prompting the blight to fight back. While ridiculing the characters from their hollows, the sprites have three-quarters cover.

Big Barkless remains rooted to the spot until it's required to act in its own defense, whereupon it uproots itself and attacks all creatures it perceives as threatening. That doesn't include the sprites, even if the sprites instigated the conflict. The blight will not chase prey into the lake but can move on land as far as it wants.

If the sprites take any damage, they withdraw deep into the tree blight, gaining total cover. The sprites evacuate and disperse into the swamp if the tree blight is reduced to 0 hit points.

D14. Toadstool Patch

If the characters follow the music to its source, read:

The flutist is a wood elf named Octavian Meliamne, who came to Bavlorna seeking magic that would make him forget his lost loves. A deal was struck, but when it came time for him to pay up, Octavian refused to give Bavlorna what she wanted in return: Octavian's still-beating heart. As punishment, Bavlorna took what she wanted by force, switching out Octavian's heart for a goat's heart so that he would not die. The process left the elf unable to feel or exhibit emotion.

Octavian is truthful with the characters about what happened to him. He knows what Bavlorna did was wrong, but he can't seem to get worked up about it. He suspects the hag is keeping his heart as a trophy. Unbeknownst to Octavian, Bavlorna is using his heart to keep her meat locker cold (see x).

Use the scout stat block to represent Octavian, with the following changes:

• Octavian is a wood elf (chaotic good) who speaks Common and Elvish. He has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
• He has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put him to sleep.

D15. Bullywug Hut

The wooden door to this dwelling is closed but not locked.

No bullywugs are present.

D16. Bullywug Hut

The wooden door to this dwelling is barred shut from the inside. If the characters knock on the door or otherwise announce their arrival, a bullywug inside the dwelling croaks (first in Bullywug and then in Common), "Push the note under the door." The bullywug is referring to the secret message the characters received in area D6. If the characters comply, the bullywug lifts the bar, opens the door, and allows them inside. If the characters don't comply or don't have the note, a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check convinces the bullywug to open the door and let them in. Otherwise, a character can use an action to try to force open the door, doing so with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check.

When the characters peer inside, read:

This dwelling provides shelter to a group of bullywugs that is plotting to overthrow King Gullop XIX. Their leader is a bullywug knight (neutral evil; see appendix C) named Illig, Baron of Muckstump. The other four bullywugs (neutral evil) are Illig loyalists named Glorig, Grundelkrantz, Gullibek, and Voolp.

Illig regards Gullop XIX as a witless buffoon unworthy of the crown and plans to declare himself the rightful king. He proudly shows off a drawing on the mud floor that depicts a crude image of Gullop XIX with a dagger in his eye. Illig's plot is straightforward: he intends to approach Gullop XIX while the king sits on his throne, pretend to trip into him, and "accidentally" stick him in the eye with the dagger. If Illig views the characters as co-conspirators, he's eager to hear what they think of his cunning plan. If they have a better one, he wants to hear it.

If the characters try to leave before Illig is ready to pull off his attempted coup, Illig and his allies become suspicious of them unless the party succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) group check. On a failed check, the bullywugs attack the characters to prevent them from betraying Illig to Gullop XIX.

If one or more characters force their way inside, Illig's allies try to hold the intruders back long enough for Illig to use an action to hurriedly wipe away the plans drawn on the floor. If he succeeds in doing so, Illig feigns innocence while demanding that the characters leave the hut at once.

D17. King's Mount

The wooden door to this dwelling is closed but not locked.

The giant toad is Gullop XIX's mount. The regurgitated bullywug (neutral) is the toad's handler, Vlonk. "Swallow the guard" is a game the toad likes to play, and Gullop has ordered Vlonk to let himself get swallowed whenever the toad wants to "play."

Vlonk and the toad are indifferent toward the characters. If the characters seem friendly, Vlonk asks them to mind the toad while he goes for a swim to wash the toad's saliva off his skin. If the characters agree to toad-sit, Vlonk returns 10 minutes later to resume his duties. During Vlonk's absence, the toad tries to swallow at least one of the characters. However, it can't reach anyone more than 5 feet away from the wooden post to which it is tethered.

D18. Bavlorna's Cauldron

Bavlorna's cauldron is 4 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall. The cauldron is hot to the touch, because it is being heated by the coals. The cauldron's lid is held shut by an arcane lock spell, the password for which is "spittlespew." If anyone tries to remove the lid without first speaking the password, the cauldron scuttles away; it has a walking speed of 30 feet and returns to its spot over the coals after 10 minutes.

If the cauldron scuttles away, a magmin emerges from within the pile of hot coals. It introduces itself as the coal tender and asks the characters, in Ignan, "You want in that cauldron?" He offers to give them the password in exchange for some dry wood (he loves the sound that dry wood makes when it burns). If the characters give him a bundle of dry wood (which can be obtained from the darklings in area D10), the magmin shares the password. The magmin lingers until the cauldron returns, at which point the magmin dives under the coals and disappears.

• Animated Coals. If the characters attack the magmin, eight of the coals from the bed spring to life and come to the magmin's defense. See the "Animated Coals" section in the description of area D4.

D19. Watch Tower

A wood plank path leads up to this location from the nearby dwellings (areas D16 and D17).

The mound on which the platform is built is 10 feet above water level at its highest point. The slippery slope around the platform is difficult terrain. No ladder or rope leads to the platform, since the bullywugs can simply leap to the top of the mound. The two bullywugs (neutral) stationed on the platform use the swiveling spyglass to keep an eye out for danger, though the device does not help them see through the thick fog.

Cottage Locations

The following locations are keyed to the map of Bavlorna's cottage.