Greywolf Comics & Media

Tag: fantasy

  • WH9.2 – Ashes of Trust

    The air in Highmere hangs heavy with smoke, not only from the mountains but from smoldering tempers. After the riot between Flan farmers and the miners, fear has twisted into suspicion. At dawn, Mara Tannell pulls you aside, her hands shaking as she clutches a piece of charred parchment.

    “This was on my door this morning,” she whispers. Scrawled in soot and dried blood, a symbol has been carved into the wood — it looks like a dwarven rune, but wrong somehow, stretched into something jagged and cruel. “They say the dwarves are marking us. If that’s true… none of us are safe.”

    But as the mark is studied, it bears more resemblance to an occult glyph than any dwarven rune — a sign meant to stir hatred, not truth. Someone is framing the miners, and if the culprit isn’t stopped, the village will tear itself apart before winter.

    After a pause, he eye well with tears and she begs you to act. “If this keeps up, someone will get hurt. Please — find who is behind this before the whole village turns on itself.”

    Later, as you step outside the tavern, a broad-shouldered dwarf in soot-streaked leathers approaches you quietly. He strokes his beard, lowering his voice: “Name’s Brokkar Stonevein, foreman o’ the quarry. We’re no rune-daubers. That scrawl looks dwarfish at a glance, aye, but it ain’t. Any beard worth his salt can tell. The tallfolk don’t see it — to them, dwarf, gnome, it’s all the same.”

    He glances around, then adds: “Do me a favor. Make like you’re leavin’ town, headin’ for Reedwatch or Hodnet. That’ll put the bastards at ease. Then, double back and keep watch at the homes they’ve marked. Catch ‘em in the act, clear our names, and I’ll see you get thanked proper. Quiet-like.”

    Quest Givers

    • Mara Tannell (Flan farmer): publicly asks the PCs to stop the nightly marking.
    • Brokkar Stonevein (dwarf foreman): privately approaches the PCs, stressing the marks are not dwarvish and offering a strategy to catch the culprits.

    Objective & Obstacles

    • Patrol at night: Pretend to leave town, then double back and stake out marked homes.
    • Investigate the marks: DC 12 Arcana/Religion shows they are cult glyphs, not dwarven runes. DC 14 Investigation finds faint bootprints → lighter, smaller than a dwarf’s.
    • Confront the culprits: A Tenha merchant’s hired hands + cult allies planting runes to frame the miners.

    Scaling Encounters (APL 2–4)

    • Level 2: 2 Cultists.
    • Level 3: 2 Cultists + 1 Thug (merchant’s hired enforcer).
    • Level 4: 2 Cult Fanatics + 1 Thug.

    Condensed Stat Blocks

    • Cultist (CR 1/8): AC 12, HP 9, Scimitar +3 (1d6+1).
    • Thug (CR 1/2): AC 11, HP 32, Multiattack (Mace +4, 1d6+2).
    • Cult Fanatic (CR 2): AC 13, HP 33, Dagger +4 (1d4+2), Spellcasting (Command, Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon).

    Rewards & Arc Impact

    • Reward (basic): Farmers pool supplies worth up to 25 gp (grain, cider, smoked meat). PCs gain gratitude and advantage on Persuasion checks with Flan villagers for 1 week.
    • Reward (if Brokkar’s name cleared): A pair of Gnomish Darklens — spectacles that:
      • Grant 20 ft. darkvision to a wearer without it.
      • Extend existing darkvision from 60 ft. to 90 ft.
    • Breadcrumb: Merchant’s letters reference “the ever watchful Eye looks for progress; with many distractions the land will not know where to look – V,” tying unrest back to the Caverns of Chaos.

    Arc Impact

    • If the PCs catch the culprits, dwarves and gnomes regain some trust locally, though suspicion lingers among hardliners.
    • If the PCs fail or ignore the matter, tensions worsen — the baron may order troops to “keep the peace,” deepening Flan resentment as they will suspect ‘the dwarves’ had something to do with it..
    • PCs who take Brokkar’s counsel and succeed gain a potential dwarven ally for later threads of the arc.

  • WV1.3 — Footbridge of Bones

    North of Hallowford the road dips to a placid stream. A broad plank footbridge spans the water beside a trampled watering shelf where cattle drink. The boards are black-wet. From the alder roots under the far bank comes a dry rattle, like dice in a wooden bowl—followed by the faint scrape of bone on timber.

    Quest giver: Harben the Smith (LN human, practical, respected)

    • Why he cares: Ore carts stop here so beasts can drink; the crossing’s spookiness is choking traffic.
    • Additional comments from Harben
      • “Drovers won’t cross. A goat went for water—all we found was a rack of bones.”
      • “Started after the raid. Bones in the stream. Maybe they learned to hold on under that bridge.”
      • “Only thing worse than a nervous herd are nervous drivers; deal with this without getting everyone jittery and I’ll see your steel right. Besides a keg, you can take the silver dagger off my wall.”

    Approaching

    The footbridge is about a 1/4 mile north of the town

    • Footbridge: 25–30 ft span, 8 ft wide; stout posts; rope rails; gaps between planks (1–2″).
    • Watering shelf: Muddy, churned by hooves; ladder-steps cut into bank.
    • Alder tangle: Root mass under far bank catches bone shards (Investigation DC 13: old gnaw marks).
    • Charms: Twined horsehair & iron nails tied to posts (Religion/Nature DC 12: folk wards vs. “unquiet water”).

    DM NOTES: Bones from the raid snagged on the roots and posts; Something coming down-valley have stirred them. They grab ankles, panic stock, and try to drag prey under the bridge.

    Approaches

    1. Fight through the undead mass beneath the bridge.
    2. Consecrate the crossing (skill challenge; no cleric required).
    3. Confound with craft: re-hang wards, weight bones with cairns, shore the planks, and bait-burn the tangle.

    Hazards (choose 1-2 and scale DC with APL)

    • Slick Boards: First time a PC Dashes/fights on the bridge, DEX save DC 12/13/14 or prone (slide 5 ft; if at edge, STR/DEX save to grab rope rail).
    • Grabbing Bones: Skeletal arms thrust from gaps: +4 to hit; on hit, grapple (escape DC 12/13) and pull 5 ft toward the edge at the start of target’s turn.
    • Livestock Surge (optional): Spooked cattle try to bolt across. Any creature on the bridge makes DEX save DC 12/13 or is shoved 5–10 ft and must save vs. prone (once per combat).
    • Bone-Rattle Fear: When the root mass is disturbed, WIS save DC 11/12/13 or frightened until end of next turn (one-time per creature).

    Encounters (pick tier; add hazards)

    Lv 1–2:

    • Skeletal Rat Swarm writhing in the alder roots + 2–4 Skeletons clambering up over 2 rounds.
      • Twist: at 0 HP the swarm scatters into the roots; without consecration it reforms in 1d4 hours.

    Lv 3–4 (choose one):

    • Bone Naga Fragment (half-spine coiled around a bridge post) + 2 Skeletons (round 2), or
    • Shadow hugging the waterline + Skeletal Rat Swarm (the shadow targets anyone who slips/prone on wet boards).

    Condensed Stat Blocks:

    • Skeleton (CR 1/4) – AC 13, HP 13, Shortsword +4 (1d6+2)
    • Skeletal Rat Swarm (CR 1/2) – AC 12, HP 24, Bite +4 (2d6)
    • Shadow (CR 1/2) – AC 12, HP 16, STR Drain on hit
    • Bone Naga Fragment (CR 3) – AC 15, HP 45, Bite +5 (2d6+3), Command, Hold Person

    Consecration challenge (no spells required)

    Goal: 3 successes before 2 failures; 1 round per action while threats press. APL = Average Party Level:
    DCs: APL 1–2 → DC 12; APL 3–4 → DC 14 (use different skills per success).

    Tasks:

    • Religion: Chalk a circle on both bridgeheads; sprinkle salt; speak a blessing.
    • Nature/Survival: Build low cairns on each bank to pin exposed bones; place bread & salt atop.
    • Athletics: Drive iron nails/stakes into posts (“iron binds ill”).
    • Persuasion/Performance: Name the unknown dead and invite rest.
    • Tools (Carpenter/Smith): Shore loose planks and lash the rope rails—“tend the way.”

    Complications (1d4 each round):

    1. Cold gust; checks relying on hearing are at disadvantage.
    2. Rat bones surge (swarm acts now).
    3. Bone hand grabs a ritualist (escape DC as hazard).
    4. Whisper: “Under the boards… warm…” (repeat fear save).

    Success:

    Undead collapse; the stream runs quiet.
    Each PC gains 3 temp HP or advantage vs. fear once today.

    Failure:

    A chill clings; next long rest within 24h restores no HP from Hit Dice; the haunt persists.

    Magical shortcuts:

    Turn Undead destroying most = 2 successes;
    protection from evil & good on posts = 1 success;
    ceremony (funeral/dedication) completes the rite after 3 rounds of defense.

    Outcomes & rewards

    • Cleared or consecrated: Free weapon repairs (mundane) for a month, food & ale (3 days rations + a morale keg), silver dagger (25 gp), and +2 to the next info-gather check in Wolfsward (“they set the watering bridge right”).
    • Only driven off: Safe for 1d4 days; haunt returns at night (add +1 skeleton or +5 HP to shadow). Harben pays half.

    Optional clues/loot:

    • Snagged satchel under a post (DC 14): damp leather scrap with a rune on it (an inverted triangle) and the words “bones to the water.”
    • Finger-bone charm: 1/day add +1d4 to a save vs. fear or charm.

  • Duuthmere (Duthmere)

    Nestled some 30 miles west of the Tenh and just south of the Bluff Hills lies Duuthmere, or ‘Good Home’ in Halfling. It lies among three gracehull hills and a large old tree that has, so far, stood the test of time. The halflings dwell on the north hill on a few terraced slopes and their homes are veritable fortresses built into the rock. Local legend says the Grosskopf came to pillage and the quick thinking of one of the locals, Shila Quickfoot, brought a pair of smoked pork shoulders and a flagon of ale as a gesture of respect to the warlord. Quickfoot was not only fast on his feet but equally fast with his wits and won the adoration of the tribe who proclaimed Duuthmere under his family’s protection and has remained so by tradition for a hundred years.

    The town has kept it’s size, both for it’s precarious location among the barbarians but has seemed to be in the eye of the hurricane when it comes to wars and skirmishes being just out of the way for most to ignore it.

    Duuthmere has about 75 souls mostly halflings and a few humans farming the land quietly. The Quickfoot family continues it’s tradition of smoked meats and cheeses and trading services for meat and other goods to continue their craft, although they do raise some pigs west and north of the town. Several plots of small crops ring the north hill beside Maera Wintleaf’s Remedies and Roots Herbalist shop and below the Halfling Pub, which can acommodate tallfolk in an added room. The tallfolk have a pub and hostel on the east end of town and the beer is considered to be quite palatable in these parts. Every fall, the two inns have a celebration to see who’s brew is the best.

    While it’s quiet charm seems to be idyllic, the Rustjaw Circle has operations that run through Duuthmere now and then. Maerna also has a small trade in some herbs that can be stimulating but slightly addictive and many a thief has picked up a habit from her goods for a little edge in dexterity and focus.

    Places to Go

    Wintleaf’s Remedies & Roots

    Location: Terraced hillside on the western side of Duthmere
    Owner: Maera Wintleaf, halfling herbalist & discreet supplier

    Exterior Description:

    Nestled into the slope of a low hill, the shop’s rounded front blends seamlessly into the earth, with flowering herbs (lavender, marigold, feverfew) spilling from wooden boxes beneath round glass windows. A weathered sign swings overhead: “Remedies & Roots: What Doesn’t Kill You, Makes You Stronger! – Est. 547CY” in flowing script. A faint but pleasant scent of dried herbs and pipe smoke lingers outside.

    A set of moss-covered stone steps leads down to a split round door carved with vine motifs. The iron knocker is shaped like a small curled leaf.

    Interior Description:

    The inside smells of cinnamon, cloves, and cut grass. Shelves curve with the shape of the hill, each lined with bundled herbs, dried mushrooms, clay jars, amber vials, and wrapped roots. A low, warm fire always crackles in the corner under a cast-iron kettle. Dozens of colored glass bottles catch light from a small skylight above.

    Maera moves quietly, wearing a patched shawl and wire-rimmed spectacles. Her ferret, Flicker, watches silently from atop a scale.

    A small counter with an iron bell separates customers from the locked backroom — the source of her more “exclusive” stock.

    Adventuring Stock List

    These items are openly available to friendly adventurers or regulars:

    ItemPriceNotes
    Basic Healing Salve25 gpHeals 1d6+2 HP; takes 1 minute to apply
    Antitoxin Infusion40 gpGrants advantage on poison saves for 1 hour
    Smoked Emberroot (mild)2 sp/dosePipeweed mix; no stat effects, relaxing
    Traveler’s Tonic10 gp#ERROR!
    Glowmoss Paste15 gpGlows dimly for 1 hour; used like chalk or warpaint
    Field Stitcher Kit30 gpFunctions like a healer’s kit but with 6 uses
    Poultice of Alertness35 gpAdvantage on Initiative for 1 hour, once per long rest

    Guild-Only or “Quiet Stock”

    These are hidden in the backroom and offered to Thieves Guild members or those with the right phrase (e.g., “the lantern’s always lit”).

    ItemPriceNotes
    Concentrated Emberroot15 gpAs per detailed mechanics (+1 Dex, escalating penalty)
    Hush Draught25 gpMutes sound from wearer’s footsteps for 10 minutes
    Ghost’s Hand Balm60 gpApply to gloves: +1 to Sleight of Hand for 1 hour
    Forget-Me-Not Elixir75 gpDC 13 Wis save or forget last 10 minutes (1 target)
    Dust of Darkvision100 gpGrants darkvision 60 ft. for 1 hour (non-magical)
    Binding Oil50 gpApplied to manacles or ropes; DC 17 to escape them for 1 hour
    Truethistle Syrup120 gpTruth serum: DC 13 Cha save or compelled to answer 3 questions honestly (lasts 10 mins)

    People to See

    Maera Wintleaf

    Medium humanoid (halfling), neutral
    Class/Level Equivalent: Rogue 2 / Artificer (Alchemist) 3
    Challenge: 1 (200 XP)
    Background: Herbalist / Smuggler
    Role: Apothecary, local contact, secret supplier of Emberroot concentrate

    Stats
    Armor Class: 13 (leather apron + Dex)
    Hit Points: 45 (6d8 + 12)
    Speed: 25 ft.

    STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
    8 (-1)14 (+2)14 (+2)16 (+3)15 (+2)12 (+1)

    Skills & Proficiencies

    • Saving Throws: Int +5, Dex +4
    • Skills: Medicine +4, Nature +5, Insight +4, Sleight of Hand +4, Deception +3
    • Tools: Herbalism kit, alchemist’s supplies, poisoner’s kit, thieves’ tools
    • Languages: Common, Halfling, Druidic (secret legacy), Thieves’ Cant
    • Senses: Passive Perception 12, Passive Insight 14

    Features

    Halfling Nimbleness. Can move through the space of larger creatures.
    Lucky. Can reroll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw once per roll.
    Alchemical Savant (Artificer). Adds INT modifier (+3) to healing potion effectiveness.
    Experimental Elixir (1/day). Maera can brew a minor potion such as:

    • Healing (1d4+3)
    • Boldness (+1d4 to attacks and saves for 1 min)
    • Resistance (1 type, 10 min)

    Under-the-Table Dealer. Can identify and appraise any herbal or poison compound. When dealing with criminal or rogue-adjacent contacts, gains advantage on Charisma (Deception or Persuasion).

    Retired, Not Rusty. Maera can cast one of the following spells 1/day each:

    • Detect Poison and Disease
    • Cure Wounds (2nd level)
    • Fog Cloud

    Actions

    Dagger (Rusty Bone Knife).
    Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
    Hit: 1d4 + 2 piercing damage. On crit: target must succeed DC 12 Con save or be poisoned for 1 minute (concentrated Emberroot extract).

    Throwing Flask: Maera throws a sticky elixir bottle up to 20 ft.

    • Choose either blinding mist, sticky entangle, or pungent burst
    • DC 13 save or suffer:
      • Blind (1 rnd)
      • Restrained (1 rnd)
      • Disadvantage on attacks (coughing)

    Tactics and Use in Play

    • Primarily a non-combat NPC; avoids direct violence
    • Uses cleverness, charm, or potions to escape or delay foes
    • May assist PCs secretly with illicit substances… for a price
    • Could broker smuggler deals or offer rare concoctions

    Sample Dialogue

    “The tallfolk think I’m just good with tea. That’s adorable.”
    “I don’t sell trouble, dear — but I bottle what helps you survive it.”
    “It’s not illegal unless the constable knows what to smell for.”

  • WH4.8 – Marsh Predator

    Suggested Level: 3–5
    Quest Giver(s): Freddie, Haren Brookfell, or Cerris Fenwild (depending on prior quests completed)

    Summary

    The reeds whisper no longer. They scream.

    After weeks of disappearances, strange signs, and eerie sightings, something has emerged from the marsh that no one can deny. Boats have been dragged beneath the water, fishers ripped from docks, and an entire reed-harvest crew vanished without trace save a blood-soaked basket.

    Freddie believes it’s a marsh gator of unnatural size. Cerris feels something older has awakened, twisted by the weakening of the land’s balance. Haren suggests it’s the same creature that killed a friend he lost weeks ago.

    It hunts by night. It watches during the day.

    The villagers call it “The Slasher Below”—but what it truly is depends on how much corruption has spread.

    Near the Lair:

    You find tracks—massive, clawed, like an alligator’s but bipedal. Water drips from the reeds above, as though they’d been disturbed seconds ago.

    Then a sound—thick, guttural, gurgling like mud through a throat.

    Something watches.

    Something waits.

    Objectives

    • Investigate the latest attack site near the western reed bank.
    • Locate the predator’s den or hunting ground.
    • Defeat, trap, or drive off the creature.
    • Optional: Discover the source of its mutation.

    Combat Encounter

    Suggested Battlefield

    • Shallow water with deeper trenches (slow terrain unless players fly or use boats)
    • Tall reeds that provide partial cover
    • Optional fallen log or bog platform to use as a trap/advantage zone

    Marsh Predator – Corrupted Gator-Beast

    Huge monstrosity, CR 3–5 depending on corruption level – adjust for the party size.

    • AC: 14 HP: 68 (8d10+24) [+20 HP for L4, + 50 for L5] Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.
    • STR 18, DEX 12, CON 17, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 5
    • Bite: +6 to hit, 2d10+4 piercing + grapple
    • Tail Slam (Recharge 5–6): 10 ft cone, DC 13 STR save or knocked prone
    • Swamp Lurk: While in water or reeds, has advantage on Stealth and can Hold Breath for 1 hour
    • Chaos-Bitten Mutation (optional): At 50% HP, grows spiny fins and gains Reaping Lunge: once per round, makes a second Bite as bonus action.

    Optional Adds

    • Rustjaw Scout (CR 1): Shadowing the beast to test its lethality or manipulate its kills
    • Bogling Minions (1–2): If previously spared or enraged, they now reappear, worshipping the beast as a “servant of the Deep Fang”

    Rewards

    • Trophy of the Marsh: Carving the predator’s fang or eye provides a token of renown. Selling it in Hodnet or showing it to Elsbeth earns:
      • +25 gp
      • Advantage on future Charisma checks with trade leaders
    • Swamphide Mantle: If crafted from its hide (requires tanner or leatherworker), provides advantage on Stealth in wetland terrain
    • Twisted Claw Talisman (if corrupted): Grants +1 to melee damage vs creatures affected by Chaos effects, but causes 1 psychic damage on a natural 1 attack roll.

    Lore Payoffs

    • Corruption – if the beast is autopsied, there will be signs in it’s body of strange magic brands that draw corruption possibly from the elemental or necrotic schools. (Most likely from the necromancer experimenting in WH4.1)
    • Rustjaw Tie-In: If the Rustjaw Circle is involved, the beast may have been lured or fed to create fear and disrupt trade routes for smuggler control.
    • Beory’s Judgment: If the land is restored (via WH4.5 or WH4.7), the predator’s corruption might subside—or other beasts may still stir in deeper marshes.

    Aftermath & Follow-Up Hooks

    • If corruption is deepening, Cerris warns: “This was no predator. It was a messenger.”
    • If the Rustjaw were involved, a ledger, token, or ciphered note may be recovered on a scout body nearby, pointing to Hodnet’s docks or a hidden riverside cache.

  • WH4.7 – Reeds of Destiny

    Suggested Level: 3–5
    Quest Giver(s): Cerris Fenwild (Druidess of Beory)
    Optional Catalyst: Players disturbed the Reed Maze, studied the Whispering Stones, or invoked Beory’s Harmony

    Summary

    After recent disruptions in the marsh—the Juniper’s wreck, the Reed Maze’s stirrings, and whispers from the bog—Beory stirs. Cerris calls it a “rippling of the Threads.” Something ancient and dreaming has shifted in the weave of nature’s memory.

    She invites the party to a secluded part of the shrine known only as The Mirror Reedbank: a stillwater bend where reeds grow in eight symmetrical patterns like runes on a giant’s hand. It is a place of fate—used by Flan seers to seek glimpses of the future.

    There, players may receive visions, warnings, or fragmented truths—reflections not of who they are, but who they might become. Each sees a possible self, or a choice yet to be made, tied to the Unraveling Threads of Chaos.

    Hook Flavor Text

    Cerris kneels by the water’s edge, head bowed. The reeds here bend without wind, tracing arcs in perfect circles.

    “Eight paths twist through time,” she whispers. “But none are fixed.”

    She touches the water. It stills. A perfect mirror.

    “You may see yourselves… or you may see the world watching you.”

    Objectives

    • Accept Cerris’ invitation to the Mirror Reedbank.
    • Step into the stillwater circle and receive a personal vision.
    • Optionally: Seek to understand, resist, or alter the glimpse.
    • Interpret the visions (Insight, Arcana, or Religion DC 13–16) for lore benefit or inspiration.

    Vision Mechanics (Optional System)

    Each PC experiences one of the following, or a custom vision tailored to them:

    Roll d8 – Vision Threads

    d8Vision Fragment
    1You see the horizon to the north change as the mountains grow larger and larger and a great rumbling becomes almost deafening like a stampede – an avalanche falls as the mountains grow almost touching the clouds and buries the lands of the north duchy
    2You see a vision of the verdant east grasslands and as the sun sets a fire burns and moves across the hills to the west leaving ash and cinders
    3You stand at the edge of a deep chasm, its walls formed of cracked bone and root. At its center, an immense horn — severed, hollow, and steaming — pulses like a heartbeat. With each beat, a golden thread unravels from your chest, drawn toward the void. As it touches the horn, you feel part of yourself vanish — memory, voice, or name. You scream to stop it, but nothing comes out.
    4You walk among stars and stones. A woman of green light hands you a single reed wrapped in red silk.
    5You hold a blade of living water. When you strike, eight vines wither. One grows stronger.
    6A female elf archer with ebony black skin fights with a hideous shambling creature with one great eye. She buries her blade in the beast and reaches for her last arrows when they are knocked from her hand towards you feet. With desperation in her eyes you hear her call your name when the vision ends.
    7A great eye opens in a starry sky, its iris a fire as it glances across the land it starts to focus on you when the vision ends.
    8You see yourself placed in a great web, not as a fly but consuming your enemies, yet as they shrivel you see their dried shells are actually familiar faces, friends, allies.

    Players may roll Insight, Arcana, or Religion (DC 13–16) to gain:

    • Advantage on one future check tied to their vision (DM’s call).
    • A permanent boon or divine favor tag from Beory (see Rewards).
    • A cryptic line of true prophecy (DM may customize this).

    Rewards

    • Inspiration (all PCs who engage in good-faith roleplay/reflection)
    • Reed of Destiny (Wondrous Item, uncommon): A slim reed hardened like bone. May be planted to grow a single-use 10×10 ft patch of difficult terrain in marsh/swamp, or may be consumed to reroll a failed save vs a Chaos effect.
    • Beory’s Whisper: Once per long rest, the bearer may ask, “Is this action in balance?” and receive a vague answer through natural signs.
    • Foreshadow Unlock: Vision fragments unlock key lines when facing Zargon, Lareth, or the Threads of Chaos.

  • WH4.5 – Bog of Whispering Stones

    • Suggested Level: 2–4
    • Quest Giver(s): Cerris Fenwild, druidess of Reedwatch

    Summary

    South of Reedwatch lies a fetid bog where ancient standing stones, half-submerged in muck, form a ring. In recent weeks, villagers have reported whispers drifting on the wind—mocking, eerie voices that taunt, threaten, or speak in riddles. Most dismiss it as swamp gas or nerves… but Cerris Fenwild believes something older is at work.

    In truth, a crack beneath the bog has opened, allowing Mud Mephits to slip through. These minor elemental beings are drawn to the chaotic seepage leaking from below—a faint, buried pulse of Zargon’s ancient corruption. The mephits echo its madness without understanding it, twisting elemental mockery into prophetic fragments.

    Reaching the Bog…

    The bog yawns wide, silent but for the bubbling of stagnant pools. Green slime clings to the edges of ancient stones like rot to bone.

    Then, faintly, a whisper:
    “A god forgotten… hungers still…”

    A ripple breaks the water’s surface. Something giggles… and sinks.

    Objectives

    • Investigate the source of the whispers in the bog.
    • Defeat or banish the Mud Mephits causing the disturbance.
    • Optionally: Consecrate the stone ring (DC 14 Religion or Nature).
    • Study the whispers (DC 15 Arcana or History) to uncover fragments of primordial prophecy.

    Scaling Combat Encounters

    Party LevelEnemies
    1–21 Mud Mephit
    32 Mud Mephits
    42 Mud Mephits + 1 Quasit (chaos-warped minion)

    Condensed Stat Blocks

    Mud Mephit

    Small elemental, CR ¼

    • AC: 11 HP: 27 Speed: 20 ft., fly 30 ft.
    • Claws: +3 to hit, 1d4+1 slashing
    • Mud Breath (Recharge 6): DC 11 Dex save or blinded 1 round
    • Death Burst: DC 11 Dex save, 2d4 bludgeoning (mud splash)

    Quasit (Chaos-Aligned)

    Tiny fiend, CR 1

    • AC: 13 HP: 7 Speed: 40 ft.
    • Claws: +4 to hit, 1d4+3 slashing
    • Shapechanger: Turns into bat, centipede, or toad
    • Scare (Recharge 4–6): DC 10 Wis save or frightened 1 min

    Rewards

    • If banished (not slain):
      Beory’s Harmony — Each party member gains advantage on one Nature or Survival check per day for 1 week.
    • If prophecy is studied:
      Players learn cryptic fragments tied to Zargon’s resurgence and the Unraveling Threads of Chaos. May grant inspiration or future insight.
    • Optional Treasure:
      One of the stones has a small petrified charm embedded in its roots:
      • Stone-Tethered Fetish: When dropped in water, points toward Reedwatch like a compass. Once per long rest, grants advantage on saves vs fear in swamp terrain.

    Prophecy Fragment Table (Roll d6)

    d6Whispered Fragment
    1“The Horn stirs beneath the stone… broken, yet never silenced.”
    2“Roots wither, waters curdle, balance shatters when veins run red.”
    3“A god forgotten hungers still. Feed it fear, and it wakes.”
    4“When stone splits and silver bleeds, blood will follow in its wake.”
    5“Eight veins unravel, threads of chaos through earth and soul.”
    6“The river carries more than water… it carries whispers, waiting.”

    Lore Payoffs

    ❖ Flan Faith Connection:

    “The earth remembers,” Cerris tells the party. “And it grieves when the veins of the world are split. We do not dig into the root unless we ask permission first.”
    This reflects the Flan reverence for balance and stewardship, and stands in contrast to the miners of Cragford/Highmere.

    ❖ Zargon / EEG Foreshadowing:

    The whispered phrases from the mephits can be recalled much later during cult encounters or visions:

    “You remember what they said in the bog… the Horn stirs… the veins run red…”

    ❖ Political Intrigue:

    • Rumors may be twisted by anti-mining agitators or EEG cultists masquerading as druids.
    • Cragford merchants might try to use this as proof that “the land curses us for digging,” furthering paranoia until the truth is uncovered.

  • WH4.4 – The Reed Maze

    • Suggested Level: 2–4
    • Quest Giver(s): Thane Alris (if worried about Perrik),
      or Freddie (if players ask about the maze)

    Summary

    After the ferry Juniper was found wrecked and half-sunken near East Bend (WH4.2), most assumed the halfling passenger was drowned or taken. But last night, someone swore they heard a voice—Perrik Tanglefoot’s—calling faintly from the tall reeds west of the crossing. A carved reed-weaving token tied with green string was left on the edge of the path, half-soaked but intact. It’s one of the good-luck charms the Reedweavers give only to family.

    The signs all point to one dreaded possibility: he’s wandered—or been pulled—into the Reed Maze. A place where reeds grow unnaturally tall and thick, forming shifting corridors and illusory paths. Freddie refuses to go near it. Cerris warns the place is older than maps. But if Perrik is in there… he needs help. Fast.

    Upon Arriving

    The path fades beneath your boots as reeds overtake the trail. Towering, seven feet tall and tightly packed, they sway as if breathing with the wind. Somewhere in the distance, a broken ferry plank rests on a mudbank. And beside it — a faint glimmer. A charm of the Reedweavers. Perrik’s.

    The reeds part ahead like a verdant throat rising nearly ten feet tall in spots. They almost whisper against one another—not rustling, but as if speaking at your approach.
    Paths shimmer in the breeze as they fork and twist, seeming to shift behind you. Light warps on the water’s surface and for a moment gazing at your own reflection, you smiled back…but, YOU weren’t smiling.

    Objectives

    • Navigate the Reed Maze to find Perrik.
    • Avoid or overcome the maze’s illusions and hazards.
    • Uncover the origin of the unnatural maze (optional).
    • Return safely—if possible.

    Key NPCs

    • Perrik Tanglefoot – May have seen something “wrong” and gone catatonic or terrified.
    • Freddie – Warns that the maze shifts “like it’s listening.”
      • Refuses to enter if he joins the group.
      • “He didn’t run off. That lad may be bold, but he’d not skip the fare. If he’s out there, it wasn’t his choice. And if the Maze took him… we best be quick, or he’ll never come back the same.”
    • Cerris Fenwild – Believes the reeds here are “touched by something that remembers too much.”
      • “The Maze remembers those who trespass… and sometimes it keeps what it finds.”

    The Maze Structure (Skill Challenge or Map)

    For a map, have players begin with Map #1. When they enter, roll d20 and re-roll on 1 or 20 until they find Perrik.

    5, 8, 10 are encounters: Moss Elemental, Reed Phantoms, and Lesser Will-o-wisps. 18 will teleport them back to 1.

    If run narratively:

    • Requires 3 Navigation Successes before 2 Failures.

      Use: Survival (DC 14) to track paths, Perception (DC 13) to spot trail markers or waterflow direction.

      On each round, one PC can attempt a check. Other PCs may aid.
    • On Success: Players find Perrik quickly and avoid major hazards.
    • On Failure: Encounter one or more of the following:
      • Moss Elemental (CR ¼) ambush
      • Reed Phantoms (illusion hazard)
      • Will-o’-Wisps (lures that mislead)
      • Maze Reversal (return to starting point)

    Combat or Hazards

    Moss Elemental
    Small plant elemental, CR ¼

    AC: 13 HP: 16 Speed: 20 ft.

    STR 12, DEX 10, CON 14, WIS 10

    • Slam: +4 to hit, 1d6+2 bludgeoning
    • Entangling Roots (1/day): 10-ft radius; DC 12 STR save or restrained 1 turn
    • Mossy Form: Advantage on Stealth in wetlands

    Reed Phantoms (Illusion Hazard)
    Trap-like terrain effect, not a creature

    • Triggers when player fails Perception or Insight (DC 13)
    • Phantom forms mimic lost loved ones, old memories, or future selves
    • WIS Save DC 13 or become Charmed for 1 minute, drawn deeper into maze
    • Cleric or Druid can dispel with Channel Divinity or Dispel Magic

    Lesser Will-o’-Wisp
    Tiny undead, CR ½

    • AC: 15 HP: 18 Speed: fly 50 ft.
    • Resist: Lightning, Thunder, Necrotic, Bludgeoning, etc.
    • Shock: +4 to hit, 2d6 lightning
    • Lure Light (1/short rest): A glowing illusion 30 ft away, DC 13 WIS save or creature follows light 1 round

    Perrik Tanglefoot (Noncombatant)

    • Halfling commoner: AC 11, HP 6
    • Has a small reed charm he believes kept him safe
    • May have seen something the players didn’t—gives a cryptic statement:
      “They’re not reeds… they were watching.”

    Rewards

    • Safe return of Perrik gains favor with Reedweavers and Cerris.
    • Perrik gives the party his “Reedluck Charm”: Once per long rest, reroll a failed Navigation (Survival) check in marshes or swamps.
    • Optional: Small token from Beory — a glowing reed that lasts 1 week, shedding dim light and always pointing back to Reedwatch.

    Lore and Follow-Ups

    • The maze may be partially alive, a remnant of Beory’s raw, unfocused memory or a place “pinned” in time by marsh spirits.
    • May connect to WH4.7 – Reeds of Destiny, where time and fate intertwine.
    • Some illusions speak in an ancient dialect of Flan or Aquan, hinting at a submerged past or curse.
    • If the players press Perrik about what he saw, use the following layered response
      • Initial Response (Cautious, shaken, vague)
        He lowers his eyes, fiddling with a bit of woven reed in his fingers.
        “It wasn’t just the reeds. They weren’t still. They moved like they had… joints. I saw a path, then it closed. Like something was breathing. I thought I heard you callin’ me, but… you weren’t there.”
        He glances up nervously.
        “I think they knew I was there.”

        Insight DC 10: He’s hiding details out of fear of ridicule.

        If Gently Encouraged (with kindness, calm, or insight)
        Perrik bites his lip, then speaks low, as if the reeds might hear.
        “There was a place deep in the maze, all quiet. No birds. No bugs. Just water… black like ink. And in it—my face, but older. Looked right at me. Smiled. Said ‘Not yet.’”
        “Then the reeds shifted and I ran. But I don’t think I left alone. I think something followed.”

        Arcana or Religion DC 13: Suggests a planar or temporal ripple — maybe fey, echoes of the future, or a sentient memory.

        If Pressured or Magically Compelled
        He stiffens, goes pale. Voice dry.
        “It touched my thoughts. Slid around in my head like oil in a bowl. It showed me things. A city swallowed by water. A tower made of woven reeds. A mouth in the earth. I felt the roots of the world move.”
        “And then I saw myself… not me-me, but me if I’d never left. Still there. Watching. Waiting.”
        He suddenly looks away, trembling.
        “That part of the marsh… it remembers things we forgot. It’s not just alive. It’s awake.”

        Wisdom Save DC 13 (if players spend too long listening): One PC may briefly glimpse an intrusive vision — a twisting maze of reeds forming an eye.

  • WH4.2 – The Sunken Ferry

    • Suggested Level: 2–3
    • Quest Giver(s): Elsbeth (Hodnet Trader) or Thane Alris (Bent Willow Inn)

    A small river ferry, The Juniper, went missing en route from Hodnet to Reedwatch. It was last seen leaving the East Bend crossing just before dusk two days ago, carrying two crates of goods, a single ferryman, and a Halfling passenger from the Reedweavers’ Guild. Yesterday, bits of driftwood and a torn ferry banner were found tangled in the reeds downstream.

    The ferry is suspected to have struck something or been pulled under—possibly by natural hazards… or something worse. Locals whisper about sunken spirits, river-dwelling boglings, or even eel-men of the lower marsh.

    Elsbeth – Trader from Hodnet, worried about her goods and the safety of the trade route. Will pay 25 gp + 5 gp bonus per crate recovered.

    Thane Alris – The passenger, Perrik Tanglefoot, was last seen drinking a cider at the Bent Willow. Thane remembers him leaving cheerfully after winning three games of reedbones.

    Cerris Fenwild – The reeds near the East Bend have been “restless,” and Cerris sensed something disturbed in the flow of Beory’s riverward current.

    Goals

    • Investigate the ferry’s last known route about two leagues west of Reedwatch
    • Recover the missing crates (or proof of delivery failure).
    • Discover the fate of the ferryman and the halfling passenger.
    • Identify what caused the ferry to sink (hazard, creature, sabotage?).

    Rewards

    • 25 gp base + 5 gp per crate recovered (Elsbeth)
    • Inspiration or minor charm if players properly bury the drowned ferryman (via Cerris)
    • Tarnished River Ring (homebrew item): While worn, grants the wearer advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to swim and can cast Shape Water once per day.

    Encounter Locations

    1. East Bend Lookout (it’s east of Hodnet)
      Cracked stones and old ferry moorings, now abandoned. Drag marks lead down to a stretch of churned mud and broken planks—signs of something struggling against the current.
    2. Reed-Slick Channel
      A flooded inlet with thick, dragging reeds and low visibility.
      • Skill Challenge: DC 13 group Survival/Perception (3 successes before 2 failures) to locate signs of the sunken ferry.
      • On failure, the group is attacked by a Reed Swarm or loses 1 hour in the marsh.
    3. Wreck of The Juniper
      Submerged under 6 feet of murky water. A successful DC 12 Investigation reveals:
      • A smashed hull (likely collision)
      • Scrapes that could be claw marks
      • One crate remains lashed (with a broken seal), others missing
      • A body (ferryman?) wrapped in kelpy growth—possibly animated if disturbed.

    Creatures

    • Bogling Lurker
      Small aberration (swamp-dwelling), neutral evil
      • AC: 13 HP: 18 (4d6 + 4) 
        Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
      • STR: 13 (+1) DEX: 14 (+2) CON: 12 (+1) INT: 8 (–1) WIS: 11 (+0) CHA: 6 (–2)
      • Skills: Stealth +4, Perception +2
      • Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
      • Languages: understands Common & Aquan but can’t speak
      • Traits:
        • Swamp Ambusher: Advantage on attack rolls against surprised creatures in water or reeds.
        • Slippery Form: Advantage on checks to escape grapples.
        • Multiattack: Two claw attacks (1d4+2 slashing each)
        • Harpoon Toss (1/Day): Ranged attack (30 ft) for 1d8+2 piercing and may pull target 10 ft (DC 12 STR save to resist).
    • Reed Swarm
      Medium swarm of Tiny beasts (insects), unaligned
      • AC: 12 HP: 22 (5d8) Speed: 10 ft., fly 20 ft.
      • STR: 3 (–4) DEX: 13 (+1) CON: 10 (+0) INT: 1 (–5) WIS: 7 (–2) CHA: 1 (–5)
      • Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
      • Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
      • Traits: Swarm — Can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa.
      • Bite Swarm: +3 to hit, 4 (1d4+1) piercing damage; DC 10 CON save or suffer Disadvantage on Perception checks for 1 hour due to itchy welts and stings.
    • Drowned Ferryman (Optional Undead)
      Medium undead, neutral
      • AC: 11 HP: 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed: 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
      • STR: 14 (+2) DEX: 6 (–2) CON: 13 (+1) INT: 3 (–4) WIS: 10 (+0) CHA: 5 (–3)
      • Damage Resistances: Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
      • Condition Immunities: Poisoned
      • Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
      • Traits:
        • Rotten Grasp: On a hit with a slam, target must succeed on DC 12 STR save or be grappled.
        • Revenant’s Memory (1/Day): Speaks a single, water-logged phrase from its final moments — potentially offering a clue or cryptic warning.
        • Slam: +4 to hit, 1d6+2 bludgeoning damage.

    DM NOTES

    • The claw marks match sightings in WH4.3 – Marsh Stalkers.
    • The Passenger is Missing: Perrik Tanglefoot may have escaped, been taken, or is hiding from what he saw (Leads into WH4.4 – The Reed Maze).
    • Unnatural Pull: Players with Detect Magic may sense necrotic residue in the reeds. Reed spirits angry at overharvesting may be active (connect to WH4.5 or WH4.7).
    • Elsbeth grows suspicious and offers another job to secure the route (WH4.6)

  • Reedwatch Quests

    WH4.1 – Lights on the Water (Mystery / Exploration)

    Hook: Locals whisper of strange lights dancing over the reeds at night. Fisher Talric claims they lure boats to wreck.

    • Quest Giver: Talric Fenmoor (fisher).
    • Truth: The lights are will-o’-wisps, feeding on drowned prey. PCs may fight or try to ward them off.
    • Scaling Encounters:
      • Lv 1–2: 1 Will-o’-Wisp.
      • Lv 3: 2 Will-o’-Wisps.
      • Lv 4: 2 Will-o’-Wisps + 1 Cultist necromancer trying to “bind them.”
    • Reward: Reedwatch nets treated with druidic oils (+2 to Survival checks for fishing/foraging).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Will-o’-Wisp – AC 19, HP 22, Lightning +4 (2d8).

    Cultist (necromancer reskin) – AC 12, HP 13, Ray of Sickness.

    WH4.2 – The Sunken Ferry (Exploration / Puzzle / Combat)

    Hook: A half-submerged ferry lies in the reeds; villagers fear it is cursed.

    • Quest Giver: Cerris Fenwild (druidess).
    • Truth: The ferry was sabotaged by smugglers who use a secret cache in the hull. PCs can dive into the wreck, dealing with traps and river creatures.
    • Scaling Encounters:
      • Lv 1–2: 3 Giant Frogs.
      • Lv 3: 2 Giant Frogs + 1 Swarm of Quippers.
      • Lv 4: 2 Giant Toads + Smuggler Captain.
    • Puzzle: Cache is locked by weighted crate; requires clever lifting or strength.
    • Reward: Stash of 50–100 gp + a potion of water breathing (hidden in smuggler cargo).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Giant Frog – AC 11, HP 18, Bite +3 (1d6+1, grapple).

    Giant Toad – AC 11, HP 39, Bite +4 (1d10+2, swallow Small).

    Swarm of Quippers – AC 13, HP 28, Bite +5 (4d6).

    Smuggler Captain – AC 14, HP 32, Multiattack.

    WH4.3 – Marsh Stalkers

     (Combat / Survival)

    Hook: Fishers return claiming that “scaled folk” rise from the marsh at dusk, stealing nets and dragging livestock under.

    • Quest Giver: Talric Fenmoor (fisherman).
    • Truth: A small band of lizardfolk are expanding their hunting territory. They believe humans are “stealing their river.”
    • Scaling Encounters:
      • Lv 1–2: 2 Lizardfolk.
      • Lv 3: 3 Lizardfolk + 1 Giant Lizard.
      • Lv 4: Lizardfolk Shaman + 3 Lizardfolk + 1 Giant Lizard.
    • RP Option: PCs can parley. Lizardfolk may be appeased with a share of fish/tolls, or by clearing a rival predator.
    • Reward: A set of lizardfolk-crafted bone totems (advantage vs. fear effects once).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Lizardfolk – AC 15, HP 22, Multiattack (Bite +4 1d6+2, Club +4 1d6+2).

    Giant Lizard – AC 12, HP 19, Bite +4 (1d8+2).

    Lizardfolk Shaman (CR 2) – AC 13, HP 27, Spells: Entangle, Hold Person.

    WH4.4 – The Reed Maze

     

    (Puzzle / Exploration)

    Hook: A child wanders into the marsh chasing fireflies and disappears.

    • Quest Giver: Pella Greenwhistle (halfling weaver).
    • Obstacle: PCs must navigate a reed-choked bog where paths shift like a maze.
    • Skill Challenge: 3 successes before 2 failures. Survival (DC 13) to track, Nature (DC 12) to recognize reed markers, Perception (DC 12) to spot safe footing.
    • Complication: 1–2 Swarms of Insects harry them during the search.
    • Reward: Gratitude of halfling family; gifted a finely woven reed cloak (functions as a Cloak of Protection for 1d4 days, then frays).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Swarm of Insects – AC 12, HP 22, Bite +3 (4d4 piercing).

    WH4.5 – Bog of Whispering Stones

     

    (Roleplay / Mystery)

    Hook: Cerris Fenwild (druidess) sends PCs to investigate strange “voices” coming from standing stones sunk in a bog pool.

    • Truth: A trapped Mud Mephit is causing the whispers, mocking villagers and sowing fear.
    • RP Option: PCs can release it, banish it, or strike a bargain.
    • Scaling Encounters:
      • Lv 1–2: 1 Mud Mephit.
      • Lv 3: 2 Mud Mephits.
      • Lv 4: 2 Mud Mephits + 1 Quasit ally.
    • Reward: A pouch of glimmering bog quartz (worth 25–50 gp).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Mud Mephit – AC 11, HP 27, Claws +3 (1d4+1), Mud Breath (recharge 6).

    Quasit – AC 13, HP 7, Claws +4 (1d4+3), Shapechanger.

    WH4.5 – Bog of Whispering Stones (Expanded)

    Hook:

    Cerris Fenwild (druidess) tells the party of an ancient bog pool where standing stones half-sink into the muck. For weeks, villagers claim to hear whispers from the stones at night — eerie voices that mock and threaten. Superstitious fishers say it’s “Beory’s warning.”

    Truth:

    The whispers come from Mud Mephits, minor elemental beings drawn up through fissures beneath the bog. The fissures connect to deeper veins of chaos — subtle seepage of Zargon’s distant corruption, amplified by the wetlands.

    • The mephits don’t fully understand what they echo. Their whispers occasionally slip into eerie phrases such as:
      • “The Horn stirs beneath the stone…”
      • “Veins break, roots wither, waters curdle…”
      • “A god forgotten hungers still…”
    • Cerris interprets these as signs of imbalance. Some villagers see proof that dwarves and miners “dig too deep.” Others whisper of Beory’s displeasure with all mortals.

    Objectives

    • PCs can fight the mephits, dispersing them and quieting the whispers.
    • PCs can banish or consecrate the stones (Religion or Nature DC 14) to sever the fissures’ influence.
    • PCs can study the whispers (Arcana/History DC 15) to glimpse that these echoes may not be mere trickery, but the faint pulse of something far older and deeper.

    Scaling Encounters

    • Lv 1–2: 1 Mud Mephit.
    • Lv 3: 2 Mud Mephits.
    • Lv 4: 2 Mud Mephits + 1 Quasit (chaos ally).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed)

    Mud Mephit – AC 11, HP 27, Claws +3 (1d4+1), Mud Breath (DC 11, recharge 6). Death Burst (mud spray, DC 11 Dex save, 2d4).

    Quasit – AC 13, HP 7, Claws +4 (1d4+3), Shapechanger, Scare (DC 10 Wis).

    Rewards

    • PCs who banish instead of destroy may gain a blessing: Beory’s Harmony — advantage on one Wisdom (Nature or Survival) check daily for 1 week.
    • PCs who study the whispers learn fragments of prophecy about Zargon, though cryptic.

    Lore Payoff

    • Flan Faith Connection: Cerris tells PCs that the earth itself remembers — and balance must be respected. She warns that “when mortals take too much, the veins split open.” This underscores the Flan worldview of harmony vs. exploitation.
    • Zargon/EEG Foreshadowing: The whispers can be used later as breadcrumbs. When PCs face Zargon or EEG cultists, you can drop callbacks like: “The mephits spoke of this… the Horn stirring, roots withering.”
    • Political Tie: Miners from Highmere/Cragford could hear rumors of this quest and twist it — “See? Even Reedwatch admits Beory warns against digging.” → reinforcing prejudice until PCs expose the true cause.

    Great! Here’s a Prophecy Fragment Table you can use for the Bog of Whispering Stones (WH4.5) — cryptic whispers carried by the Mud Mephits and fissures. Each line can be rolled (d6) or chosen, depending on what mood or foreshadowing you want to drop at the table. They’re written so they work early (mystery) but also make sense later (reveal) when the PCs uncover more of the Zargon/EEG threads.

    Whispers from the Stones

    (d6 prophecy fragments from the fissures in Reedwatch)

    1. “The Horn stirs beneath the stone… broken, yet never silenced.”

      👉 Foreshadows Zargon’s shattered horn and lingering survival.
    2. “Roots wither, waters curdle, balance shatters when veins run red.”

      👉 Flan interpretation: Beory’s anger at exploitation. Cultist interpretation: prophecy of chaos veins.
    3. “A god forgotten hungers still. Feed it fear, and it wakes.”

      👉 Zargon/EEG cults thrive on fear, paranoia, and discord.
    4. “When stone splits and silver bleeds, blood will follow in its wake.”

      👉 Ties directly to Cragford/Highmere’s mining disputes → silver ore foreshadow.
    5. “Eight veins unravel, threads of chaos through earth and soul.”

      👉 Direct nod to your Unraveling Threads of Chaos lore (8 veins).
    6. “The river carries more than water… it carries whispers, waiting.”

      👉 The Zumker/Zumend rivers as channels of both trade and corruption. Foreshadows smugglers + deeper seepage of chaos.

    DM Usage Notes

    • At Reedwatch: delivered through eerie, half-taunting mephit voices. Villagers misinterpret them as Beory’s displeasure.
    • At Cragford/Highmere: PCs recognize echoes of these lines in cult runes or Duergar Mage ramblings.
    • At Zargon’s arc: prophetic callbacks (“You remember the whisper at Reedwatch: eight veins unravel…”) reward attentive players.

    WH4.6 – Reedwatch Errand: The Brewer’s Bargain

     

    (Errand / RP)

    Hook: Thane Alris (innkeeper) wants wild bog herbs for his Bramblebrew.

    • Objective: PCs must gather herbs in marshy terrain, avoiding hazards.
    • Challenge: 2 Survival checks (DC 12–13). On a fail, they blunder into 2 Giant Frogs.
    • Reward: A small keg of Bramblebrew (restores 1d4 HP and grants advantage on next saving throw vs. poison after drinking).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Giant Frog – AC 11, HP 18, Bite +3 (1d6+1, grapple).

    WH4.7 – Reeds of Destiny

     

    (Puzzle / Roleplay Ritual)

    Hook: During the solstice, Cerris invites PCs to help with the weaving of a reed effigy offered to Beory/Obad-Hai.

    • Skill Challenge: Weaving reeds (Dexterity DC 12), chanting the rite (Performance DC 12), drumming/dancing (Athletics/Performance DC 13).
    • Success: PCs earn Beory’s favor → each regains 1 spent spell slot (up to 2nd level) or gains +1 Inspiration.
    • Failure: Ceremony falters; locals whisper the gods disapprove.

    WH4.8 – Marsh Predator

     

    (Combat)

    Hook: Several oxen from Oxenford (driven here for trade) go missing; tracks vanish into a bog.

    • Truth: A Giant Constrictor Snake has made a lair among half-sunken logs.
    • Scaling Encounters:
      • Lv 1–2: 1 Giant Constrictor Snake (CR 2, but toned down HP).
      • Lv 3–4: Snake + 2 Giant Frogs.
    • Reward: Hide can be used to make waterproof cloaks (worth 50 gp).

    Stat Blocks (Condensed):

    Giant Constrictor Snake – AC 12, HP 60, Constrict +6 (2d8+4, grapple/restrain).

  • Reedwatch (WH4)

    (Hamlet, pop. ~55–65)

    Fishing-farming hamlet along the Zumkend River, southern Wolfsward.

    Places to Go (Locations & Services)

    The Bent Willow Inn (Tavern/Inn)

    • A long, low inn with willow beams and reed thatching, smelling faintly of river smoke and herbs.
    • Proprietor: Thane Alris, half-elf innkeeper, known for calm hospitality and riverballad songs.
    • 4 private rooms + a common loft (8 beds). Serves fisher’s stew, smoked eels, and cider.
    • Signature Drink: Reedwatch Bramblebrew — cider spiced with wild berries and river herbs, lightly intoxicating.

    River Docks & Fish Market

    • Small plank docks line the Zumkend River. Boats are shallow, flat-bottomed punts.
    • Market square sells fresh fish, smoked carp, eel, crayfish, and woven reed baskets.
    • Woodwright’s Shed
      • Haren Brookfell, human carpenter, produces boats, oars, plows, and light furniture.
      • Often consults druids on treating wood to last in damp conditions.
      • Haren is often talking with Freddie when he’s not working.
    • Freddie’s Fishbait & Tackle
      • Freddie’s shop is a crooked little shack on the east end of the docks and nestled beside a few well worn, but river-worthy fishing boats. The walls are plastered with old fishing nets, drying hooks, carved lures, and scraps of local notices. Inside, bins overflow with:
        • Live bait: nightcrawlers, river leeches, fat grubs in jars of leaf mold
        • Lures: carved wooden poppers painted with beetle-shell polish
        • Tackle: line, sinkers, poles, hooks, spears, and even gnome-sized rods
        • Rumors: whispered news of unusually large catfish, shimmering trout seen upriver, or strange lights out near the reedy isles…

    Shrine of Obad-Hai & Beory

    • A dual shrine maintained by Cerris Fenwild, Flan druidess.
    • Circle of standing reeds bound with willow branches, used for seasonal rites and fishing blessings.

    Reedweavers’ Guild

    • A loose group of halflings (extended family of 7–8) who weave mats, baskets, and fishing nets.
    • Trade their goods downriver to Hodnet.

    People to See

    • Freddelric Tangleweed (called “Freddie” by locals), proprietor of Freddie’s Fishbait & Tackle
      • Small humanoid (halfling), chaotic good
      • AC: 13 (leather vest), HP: 18 (3d8 + 3), Speed: 25 ft.
      • STR: 8 (–1) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 12 (+1) INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 13 (+1) CHA: 14 (+2)
      • Saving Throws: DEX +5, INT +3
      • Skills: Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7, Insight +3, Persuasion +4, Deception +5, Perception +3, Thieves’ Tools +6
      • Senses: Passive Perception 13
      • Languages: Common, Halfling, Thieves’ Cant
      • Abilities
        • Halfling Nimbleness, Brave, Lucky (as standard)
        • Cunning Action (bonus action Dash, Disengage, or Hide — rarely used now, but instinctual)
        • Thieves’ Reflexes: Advantage on Sleight of Hand checks when under pressure (used reflexively)
        • Rogue’s Caution: Can detect disguised individuals or hidden objects within 10 feet with a DC 12 Perception check, as if unconsciously evaluating the scene.
      • Freddie is a sandy-brown-haired halfling with tousled curls that never quite dry, slate-blue eyes full of mischief, and skin tanned from long hours in the sun. He’s always smiling, his laughter like a bubbling brook. He’s happiest when elbow-deep in a basket of wriggling worms or chatting about river eddies and eel runs.
      • He has a knack for knowing just what bait to recommend based on what the customer hopes to catch—or avoid.

    Things to Do (Sidequests)