the sunless garden

By brendan Lasalle
5e conversion by Mihailo Tešić
Cover Artist: David Griffith • Editor: David Michael Williams • Cartographer: Aaron Kreader
Interior Artists: Joe Abboreno, Tom Galambos, Aaron Kreader, Will McAusland,
Brad McDevitt, Jesse Mohn, Stefan Poag, Del Teigler, Mez Toons, and Chuck Whelon
Developer: Chris Doyle • Art Direction & Layout: Matt Hildebrand
Publisher & Dark Gardener: Joseph Goodman
Playtesters: Mihajlo Veličković, Igor Vojnović, Kosta Todosijević, Stefan Ristić, Vladimir Perišić, Dimitrije Krnjajski
“Fifth Edition Fantasy” and “Original Adventures Reincarnated” are
registered trademarks of Goodman Games LLC. All rights reserved.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 1

 the sunless garden
By Brendan LaSalle

T
he Sunless Garden is a 5th edition adventure designed
for four to six 7th- or 8th-level characters. Although a
suitable mixture of character classes is recommended,
parties will benefit greatly from the inclusion of a rogue and
cleric. In addition, a ranger or a druid will find their skills
in demand in the treant Nockmort’s evil acres.

BACKGROUND
One night in an ancient and dark part of a great forest, a
bright streak of light appeared in the heavens and fell to
earth. Nockmort, an ancient and wise treant, saw the light
emerge from the heavens and land in a great fury of fire and
upturned earth. Fearing an attack against the untamed for-
est he called home, he investigated and found a crater near-
ly a half-mile across, where a strange meteorite had landed.
The meteorite had an enticing purple glow that made the
ancient treant feel strong and vigorous. He decided that the
meteorite was a significant and singular natural phenome-
na, one worthy of study and consideration. Nockmort took
a sliver of the great rock and wore it as a pendant.
Within days, the baleful effect of the meteorite’s strange
Here in his deep grove, the insane treant experimented
glow manifested in the unwitting treant. He grew hateful
with the unique mutant plants, creating many different
and angry and found himself seething with rage at human-
compounds to further his goal of mankind’s extinction.
ity and the other “despoiler” races. Even more curiously, he
The worst of these is a terrible concoction made from the
found himself at odds with sunlight; he craved the dark and
altered black moss that grows on the cavern walls— a toxin
sought it out whenever the sun was high.
that slowly turns its victims into plants. Nockmort recently
In time, the meteorite completely warped Nockmort until snuck into the tiny crossroads stop of Garland’s Fork and
not a shred of his original personality remained. He became tested his poison by introducing it to the town’s well. Three
a blackened and evil thing, bent on the destruction of all days later the entire village was turned to blackened plant
sentient life on earth, but he also found he possessed mysti- life. The twisted treant returned to his cavern, bent on cre-
cal powers over plants and creatures he had not believed ating a huge batch of the black moss powder—enough to
possible or moral before. First, he installed himself as the petrify the entire region.
ruler of a tribe of bugbears that plagued his forest. Then,
Then the characters arrived...
he found a deep, dark hole to hide in, the lair of a group
of smugglers. He destroyed some, enslaved the others, and
in their cave, he hid the bulk of the meteorite. Noting the ENCOUNTER TABLE
effect of the meteorite on mundane plant life, he grew him- To help the GM prepare, we have included a quick refer-
self a twisted, unnatural garden in his cave. The purple glow ence table showing all encounters at a glance. The location
of the meteorite fragments grew normal plants into unrec- number is keyed to the map for the encounter, listed by
ognizable monstrosities that could exist deep underground area and room number. Encounter types are abbreviated C
with no sunlight. for combat or T for trap).

2 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

Location Type Description Total Equivalent XP
3–5 Characters 6+ Characters
G-4 C Kuga the troll 2,300 1,150
1-2 C 6 mutated shriekers, 4 mutated violet fungi 1,150 920
1-4 C 13 stirges 975 812
1-5 T Exploding apples 0 0
1-6 C Tendriculous, 2 owlbears 7,400 5,550
1-7 C 3 mutated vines 4,200 3,150
1-8 C/T Earth elemental, Mutant tree 1,800 900
1-9 T Quicksand trap 0 0
1-10 C 7 giant rats, 1 dryad 937 750
1-11 C 2 mutated shambling mounds 5,400 3,600
1-12 C 2 otyughs 5,400 3,600
A-1 C 2 bugbears 600 400
A-3 C Ettin, wight 2,700 1,800
B-2 C 2 giant hyenas 600 400
B-3 C Spirit naga 3,900 1,950
C-1 C Bugbear 200 100
C-2 C 4 bugbears 1,600 1,200
C-3 C 3 bugbears 1,600 1,200
C-4 C Hill giant 1,800 900
C-6 C 14 bugbears 8,400 7,000
C-7 C 10 bugbears 5,000 4,000
C-8 C Mummy 700 350
C-10 C Kolaracht (bugbear warlord), 6 bugbears 5,750 4,600
T Poison needle trap
D-1 C 5 giant bats 500 375
D-3 C Nockmort the dark treant 7,200 3,600
2-2 C 2 giant boars 1,350 900
2-4 C 8 giant rats 500 400
2-5 C Damanteak (deadwood treant) 5,900 2,950
2-6 T Spiked pit trap 0 0
C 7 giant rats 437 350
2-7 C 6 bugbears 2,400 1,800
2-10 C 3 gargoyles 2,700 2,025
2-11 C 3 ghasts 2,700 2,025
2-13 C Shuderief (bugbear whip), 4 bugbears 3,000 2,250
2-14 T Underground river trap 0 0
2-15 C 6 bugbears 2,400 1,800
2-17 C Sea hag 450 225
2-18 T Poison gas trap 0 0
2-19 T Pendulum blade trap 0 0
2-20 C Herman (shield guardian) 2,900 1,450
2-21 C 5 phantom fungi 2,000 1,500

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 3

 • Kolaracht and his band of bugbear marauders have been
treasure making bold daylight raids along a well-used caravan
route. Feeling extremely secure in the protection provided
The clever adventurer can walk away from the Sunless by Nockmort, they haven’t bothered to hide their tracks
Garden extremely rich. The difficulty in many cases very well. The characters are hired to discover the source
will be moving and reselling the riches. Many of the of the raids and take appropriate action. They can follow
items leftover from the smugglers are bulky and dif- the bugbears trail directly to the entrance to area 2.
ficult to transport—for example, the timepiece from • A local farmer was attacked and nearly killed—by his
area 3-3 alone would take a team of wagons to move. turnip crop. His groundwater is downstream from the
In addition, most of the valuable items hidden here underground river system flowing through Nockmort’s
are black-market items. This means characters cannot cavern, which will eventually spread out and poison the
simply walk into a marketplace and sell them at will. entire agricultural region with unknowable mutations un-
They will have to find a buyer in secret and conduct less the characters can pinpoint the source of the problem
their sale quietly. and eradicate it. Characters with proficiency in Wisdom
Lawful characters might want to turn these items over (Survival) can pinpoint the source of the stain by follow-
to the local authorities. Doing so should earn an ex- ing the increasing traces of mutation to the center: the
tra roleplaying XP reward, determined by the GM but barren hill where the hollowed tree stands.
no more than the treasure’s value in gp divided by 10. • Tereza Greenstation, a local mendicant druid, tells the
(Don’t tell the players this before they do it, though!) characters of disturbing reports from the birds and beasts
of the forest regarding their former ally Nockmort and
the mischief he plans to create. He attempted to test some
ADVENTURE HOOKS kind of plant-based poison on a raven, which escaped to
The characters are on their way to Garland’s Fork. If you warn the druid. The druid is concerned for the natural
are stuck for an adventure hook, here are some suggestions: balance of the entire forest. If the adventurers agree to
help, she sends the raven to lead them to the hollowed tree
• The characters have been hired by the local baron to in-
and the entrance to Nockmort’s lair.
vestigate a den of smugglers led by a mysterious figure
known as Fob Renault. Nobody knows if this is a man or
a woman, a human or an elf, but the smugglers have been SCALING THE ADVENTURE
growing rich and bold from their plunder, and the baron The Sunless Garden is designed for four to six 7th- or 8th-
wants them dealt with. level characters. You can adapt the scenario to different level
• An associate of Fob Renault, Istvan the Lender seeks brave parties with a few simple modifications.
souls to collect a special delivery—a timepiece that accu- Weaker parties (three or fewer characters or characters
rately keeps the time and date and can be used for esoteric lower than 6th level):
speculation on future happenings, like weather patterns
• Make Kuga a normal troll.
and population fluctuations, by putting events into a
much larger millennial cycle. Fob had to deliver the item • Make Nockmort a normal treant. (Well, normal except
weeks ago, and Istvan has lost his patience. He knows that for the psychosis.)
Fob’s hideout is somewhere near Garland’s Fork. • Reduce all DCs by 2.
• One of the character’s relatives is from Garland’s Fork, • In any encounter with multiple creatures, remove one op-
and they have not been heard from in a while. When ask- ponent.
ing around, it seems no news has come from the town for
a couple of weeks. • Consider removing Damanteak entirely or making him
wounded, so he starts with half of his total hit points.
• Or Garland’s Fork could simply be on the way to some-
place the characters want to go. Stronger parties (seven or more characters or characters
higher than 8th level):
If you wish to exclude the Garland’s Fork stage of the ad-
venture, you can use the following plot hooks to get the • Give Kuga a companion, a normal troll (called Guka).
characters directly into the dungeon. • Give Nockmort resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and

4 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 EFFECTS OF THE BLACK MOSS
The black moss poison (described below) is what turned
the villagers into trees. Black moss poison is toxic when
inhaled or ingested, whether by itself or through a
neutral medium such as water. Tasting infected water
requires a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw
to avoid the effects of the black moss powder. It takes
Nockmort three weeks to make enough black moss
powder to affect up to 24 Medium creatures.
The moss must be carefully grown, harvested, and
boiled. The water must be drained off, and the dregs
buried for two weeks in moist soil. After two weeks,
the remnants turn a deep shade of purple and be-
come brittle to the touch. This residue is easily ground
PART 1: GARLAND’S FORK
into the deadly powder. Start the adventure by reading the following:

The process that makes black moss poison creates its As you travel down the cart trail, you spot a weather-beaten
own antidote. When the final powder is dug up from wooden sign reading, “Garland’s Fork.” It points down the
road in the direction you have been traveling. You continue
the ground, the soil around the remaining cavity turns
onward and are met with a strange sight as you clear the bend:
white and chalky. Just a pinch of this soil sprinkled on
a small strapping oak sits improbably in the center of the wheel
victims will restore them to their natural state in 1d4
ruts that define this road. It looks as if the tree grew up over-
+ 1 hours. The de-petrification process is painful and
night in the middle of the well-worn track.
debilitating. This takes 11 (2d10) days, during which
time, all Dexterity and Constitution saving throws are Hanging in the branches of the tree are a few articles of cloth-
at disadvantage. ing, including a green traveling cloak. A basket hangs over one
broad branch—you don’t see how it got over the tree limb’s
Carrying a pinch of this whitened earth on one’s per-
wide-spreading branches, unless someone intentionally wove it
son makes the carrier immune to the effects of the
into the tree.
refined black moss powder. Even the tiniest amount,
such as residue on one’s boots or garments, is enough This “tree” is actually Yonnith Olem, a young man from
to prevent petrifaction. Garland’s Fork who tried to escape in order to find help. If
the characters search the basket, they find a week’s worth of
dried rations, a waterskin, and a letter written in Common.
slashing that is nonmagical; one additional attack; and
The handwriting is stiff and forced, as if the writer were in
the spell conjure woodland beings (1/day, cast using a 6th-
pain, and gets more and more illegible as it goes. The letter
level spell slot), which summons two sea hags.
is depicted in player handout 1 (see appendix C).
• Add two more bugbears to every bugbear encounter, and
Read the following as characters make their way into the
give all bugbears 1d3 exploding apples.
trading outpost:
• Add one more attack to Kolaracht and Shuderief.
Garland’s Fork is almost too small to be called a village. It
• Give the ettin and the hill giant identical companions. seems to consist of two farm houses, a blacksmith’s shop, and
• Replace the sea hag in area 3-17 with a more dangerous a small inn. The inn is a two-story square building with a
hag, such as a green hag or night hag. thatched roof and what appears to be a small stable tucked
around back. There is a thick oak door, and hanging over it a
• Increase all DCs in the adventure by 2. sign reading, “Fork’s Rest.”
Garland’s Fork is a small trading village whose inhabitants
have been petrified. There are no wandering monster en-
counters, though characters who make a lot of noise may
draw the attention of Kuga (see area G-4).

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 5

 AREA G-2 – EVANS FARM
TRACKING IN GARLAND’S FORK This tiny farmhouse has only two rooms: a kitchen with a
small eating area and a bedroom. Two black trees seem to have
Characters searching for tracks will have an easy time
sprung from the very floorboards of the bedroom to overgrow
finding various tracks in and out of the hamlet. There the bed and nightstand. It looks like looters have taken every-
are two sets of recent prints. One undoubtedly belongs thing of value. The interior has been ravaged by the elements
to a gang of bugbears, who are being strangely non- for many days, and from the smell, it seems that vermin have
chalant about their comings and goings. The other set taken up residence in the cupboards. You hear the excited bark-
of tracks is extremely strange— it seems to be from a ing of a dog from the backyard.
treant, but if so, this treant walked with no regard for
preserving the natural forest; it has knocked down sap- The front door of this farmhouse has been torn off its hing-
lings, trampled bushes and flowers, and generally left es. The door itself lies in the yard, almost hidden by the
upheaval in its wake. A character that succeeds on a overgrown lawn.
DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check can follow these marks This is the home of Dar and Kelly Evan, a young couple
to the secret entrance to the Sunless Garden, 5 miles who recently established this small farm. The fields in back
away to the southwest. These are Nockmort’s tracks. have several garden patches of beans, corn, potatoes, and
onions, separated by hedgerows and beginning to grow
wild. The bugbears have searched this house thoroughly
KEY TO GARLAND’S FORK and have taken or spoiled everything of value.
This section includes encounter areas depicted on Map 1. In the clearing directly behind the house is a mutt chained to
a post in the ground. The dog is called Violet, and she is half-
AREA G-1 – FORK’S REST starved. The bugbears taunted her and left her to die. If she
The door to Fork’s Rest is unlocked. When the characters is fed and released, she will try to get the characters to follow
enter, read or paraphrase the following: her. If they do, she will lead them all the way to the entrance
to Nockmort’s cave by the scent of Kelly Evan’s distinctive
As you step inside the darkened inn, it is impossible to miss the wool blankets, which have been carted off to the cave.
trees that seem to have sprung up in the common room. Two
tables are present, some overturned chairs, and a few broken Speaking with the Dog. If the characters use speak with
mugs and bottles. There is a wooden stand for a keg behind the animals or a similar ability to communicate with Violet, she
bar but no keg. A narrow stairway is located at the back of tells them that “the man” and “the woman” got sick and laid
the room; a sign hanging on the wall past the banister reads, down, and there was no food, and the hairy, smelly things
“Additional Charge for Late Checkout.” Three full-grown trees came, and there was no food, and now she has been alone for
seem to be sitting at the tables. Each of them has piles of person- days with no food, but she can smell something familiar in
al items about them and articles of clothing threaded through the air she wants to find— after she gets food. She will then
their branches. attempt to lead the characters to the cave, as noted above.
After the black moss poison did its deadly work on the
town, Kolaracht’s bugbears came and looted at their leisure.
AREA G-3 – THE WELL
There are no items of any value in the inn; whatever the The outpost’s well lies in the very center of town. The mod-
bugbears couldn’t eat, drink, or carry off, they destroyed. est-sized well is made of stone with a wooden rain cover. A
There are broken mugs and glasses but no broken bottles. hand crank lowers or raises a bucket attached to a thick rope
up from the water. A large cornerstone is engraved with the
Astute characters can notice that the indoor trees are some- inscription “Tauragart Garland” and a date 40 years earlier.
how not suffering from lack of sunlight with a successful
DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Upstairs the Characters with a means of detecting toxins sense that the
characters find two private sleeping rooms, both unlocked. well has been poisoned. A successful DC 19 Wisdom (Sur-
One has a black tree in it. Both rooms have been looted and vival or Medicine) check lets characters who smell or oth-
vandalized. erwise examine the water itself know that it is somehow
tainted. Characters who taste so much as a drop from this
well are subject to the effects of the black moss poison (see
“Effects of the Black Moss” sidebar).

6 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 Kuga the feral troll fights the characters to the death on
principle. He uses the alchemist’s fire from his bag in com-
bat if he has the opportunity to use a ranged weapon before
engaging in melee.
Treasure. Kuga wears rusted half-plate armor he looted from
several knights. He carries a long, wicked skinning blade, a
wineskin full of goblin blood, and a rawhide shoulder bag
containing six flasks of alchemist’s fire, six skunk pelts, and a
silver chalice inlaid with sapphires worth 450 gp.

KUGA, FERAL TROLL

Large giant, chaotic evil

Armor Class: 17 (natural armor and half-plate)

Hit Points: 84 (8d10 + 40)
Speed: 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR

20 (+5) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 2 (-4)

Skills: Perception +3
Condition Immunities: frightened
MAP 1 Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages: Common, Giant
AREA G-4 – BLACKSMITH’S SHOP Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
This one-room building is apparently a tiny blacksmith shop, Ferocious: If Kuga takes acid or fire damage, he falls into a
but it has been thoroughly gutted. The shop with only one win- frenzy. Until the end of his next turn, he deals an additional
dow and one other door leading to its back yard. The only +3 damage for all melee attacks; gains resistance to blud-
remnants are a large anvil, the fire pit, and an iron rack that geoning, piercing and slashing damage; and has advantage
once likely held tools. A hammock, cut in half, hangs from two on all Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution ability checks
beams in the back of the shop. and saving throws.
At the same time the characters enter the front door, a for- Keen Smell: Kuga has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
est-dwelling troll walks in through the back door, attracted checks that rely on smell.
to the smell of rotting meat. If the characters explore the Regeneration: Kuga regains 10 hit points at the start of
grounds of the blacksmith’s shop before entering, they spot his turn. If Kuga takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn’t
the troll making his way through the yard. function at the start of his next turn. Kuga dies only if he
There are two bodies on the floor—one is a burly human; starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
the other, a bugbear. Stout Hargar Freash, the blacksmith,
was the only inhabitant of Garland’s Fork to resist the black ACTIONS
moss toxin. He died defending his shop from the maraud-
Multiattack: Kuga makes three attacks, one with his bite,
ing bugbears just moments before he meant to go and find
one with his claw, and one with his skinning blade.
help. The shop has been picked clean by the bugbears.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
If the characters have not yet encountered the troll, read or Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.
paraphrase the following:
Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
Suddenly, the back door is thrown open. You see the silhouette get. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
of some great creature behind it, blocking out the sun. “Well, Skinning Blade: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5
well, well,” a strange, snarling voice says. “What have we here?” ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage. If the

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 7

 The Wakes Farm was a well-kept gentleman’s horse farm.
Now burnt-out and decrepit, the house is only half a struc-
ture. Kolaracht and his bugbears raided this house and
started the fire. If the interior is searched, the characters
find five victims of the black moss transformation in vari-
ous parts of the house, a few overlooked pots and pans, and
a journal, which belonged to the eldest Wakes daughter.
Most of the journal contains the fairly standard lovelorn
musings of a small-town teen, but the final three entries
hold clues to the fate of the inhabitants of Garland’s Fork
(see player handout 2; appendix C ).
Treasure. The massive fireplace and chimney still stand,
and a successful DC 21 Intelligence (Investigation) check
reveals a secret compartment in the hearth, hiding 55 pp,
four pieces of heirloom gold and ruby jewelry (worth a total
of 400 gp), and two potions of vitality.

PART 2: THE SUNLESS GARDEN

GENERAL FEATURES
This strange underground garden is the lair of Nockmort
the treant.
Spell Effects. Due to the perverse magics invading the earth
here, the following spells are hampered or altered when cast
in the garden or dungeon levels:
• Commune with nature: Allows the caster to know that
there are mutated plants in the area but cannot determine
target is a creature type other than undead or con- what base stock these plants come from or any of their
struct, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving unusual properties.
throw or lose 4 (1d8) hit points at the start of each of its • Locate animals or plants: Will not identify any mutated
turns due to bleeding. Each time Kuga hits the wounded plants, since they are unique and have no determinable type.
target with this attack, the bleeding damage dealt by the
• Speak with plants: Works normally, except mutated plants
wound increases by 4 (1d8). Any creature can take an ac-
seem confused and disoriented. They are unable to com-
tion to stanch the bleeding with a successful DC 16 Wis-
municate anything regarding their mutation or the me-
dom (Medicine) check. The bleeding also stops if the target
teorite.
receives magical healing.
A patchwork of plate armor covers the lanky, green-skinned gi- Walls. All walls on this level are generally unworked stone.
ant. Even more menacing than the baleful glint in its eyes is the Doors. A standard door in the Sunless Garden is made of
long, bloodstained blood clutched in its clawed fingers. stone and is 4 inches thick, with AC 17 and 25 hit points.
To break them, a creature must succeed on a DC 21
AREA G-5 – WAKES FARM Strength check, whether they are stuck or locked.
As you make your way to the huge white farmhouse, you can’t Hidden entrance. A hollow tree with a tunnel beneath it
miss the enormous hole burnt into the western wall. You can serves as the entrance to the Sunless Garden. If the charac-
see directly into what was once a full living space but is now ters follow Violet the dog, she comes to the base of the tree
only a charred shell. The house’s exterior is now overgrown and and barks, peering into the tree. However, she refuses to
trampled down. There is a large horse pen and stable in the descend into the dungeon. She becomes frightened by the
rear of the house, but you see no animals. Part of the fence has strange smells and eventually heads back to Garland’s Fork.
been knocked down.

8 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

If the characters follow the tracks from Garland’s Fork, the WANDERING MONSTERS
tracks lead into the hollow tree. Once the characters have Every 15 minutes on the garden level or whenever the char-
arrived at the location, read or paraphrase the following: acters make a significant amount of sustained noise, roll
You come to a clearing and a small hill. A lone tree dominates the 1d6. If the result is a 1, roll 1d4 to determine the creatures
landscape, huge and missing half its leaves. The base of the tree is encountered.
hollowed, with a lattice of roots loosely covering the outside. d4 Encounter
Characters can push past the roots and crawl into the hol- 1 Kolaracht’s scouts
lowed tree. The inside is tunneled out and goes down 7 feet
2 Mutated shambling mounds
into the ground. The end of the tunnel drops down into
the huge cavern that makes up the Sunless Garden. The 3 Stirges
root system hangs low and can be used like a rope ladder to 4 Phantom fungi
climb down to the floor of the cavern. When the characters
Kolaracht’s scouts. This group of 1d6 + 2 bugbears is
have descended, read or paraphrase the following:
equipped with one exploding apple each.
As you peer through the narrow hole at the end of the tunnel,
Mutated shambling mounds. 1d4 - 1 (rerolling 1s) mu-
you find yourself looking into a huge cavern. The entire area is
tated shambling mounds (see below) with strange colora-
infused with a dull purple light from an unknown source. The
tion and outgrowths attack. They seem faster and more in-
air has a spicy, pungent odor. From your position above, you
telligent than others of their ilk.
can see the floor 70 feet below you. The network of roots looks
like it could be used to climb down to the floor. The cavern is Stirges. This swarm of 2d6 stirges is hungry and fights to
huge, and from your angle, you can see what appears to be a the last creature.
patch of lush trees growing underground about 200 feet ahead. Phantom fungi. A group of 1d4 strange, mutated fungi
Characters can climb the roots down to the cavern floor appear. Their mutation has turned them into invisible,
with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. How- ambulatory plants called phantom fungi (see below) that
ever, metal tools and flatware stolen from the Garland’s feed on living flesh. When killed, its gruesome appearance
Fork smithy have been woven into the roots 10 feet from is revealed: a greenish-black mass with a cluster of sensory
the floor. Characters climbing below the 30-foot mark will nodules atop of it. The creature feeds and attacks with a
make the tools jangle against the roots. The sound has a gaping maw lined with rows of teeth in its mid-section,
50% chance of attracting a wandering monster. while four stumpy legs support it and provide an awkward
method for movement.
If the characters wish to avoid the root network, they can
use a rope to descend. A large central root at the top of the
narrow passageway through which they entered can sup- MUTATED SHAMBLING MOUND
port a silk or hempen rope. Large plant, unaligned

The blankets of Kelly Evan, which might have led Violet Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
the dog to the hidden entrance, have been stacked in a pile Hit Points: 136 (16d10 + 48)
under the roots like a doormat. They are filthy and worth- Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
less at this point.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
GM Note. Encounter areas 1-2 through 1-7 are landscaped
and sculpted plots of mutated vegetation. The dense vegeta- 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
tion in these areas counts as difficult terrain. Each area is a
Skills: Stealth +3
landscaped plateau raised 3 feet off the ground. The walls
of the plateau are made of decayed branches and roots held Damage Resistance: cold, fire
together by hardened mud. Characters who make a suc- Damage Immunities: lightning
cessful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check note that someone Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, exhaustion
has been tending the garden with exacting care. The soil
Senses: darkvision 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
is moist and aerated, and there are very few weeds. Some
Perception 10
plants are individually staked up.
Languages: —

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 9

Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
KEY TO THE SUNLESS GARDEN
Lightning Absorption: Whenever the mutated shambling This section includes encounter areas depicted on Map 2.
mound is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no dam- Note that the scale of map; this cavern is enormous.
age and regains a number of hit points equal to the light-
ning damage dealt.
AREA 1-1 – ENTRYWAY
ACTIONS The area where the tree root network touches down is heavily
traveled. Dozens of tracks are visible in the floor around the
Multiattack: The mutated shambling mound makes two roots. In the purple light of the cavern, you see what appears to
slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller tar- be an improbable underground garden southwest of your posi-
get, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the mutated tion. Directly south, you see what appears to be a small shack
shambling mound uses its Engulf on it. built into the earthen floor of the cavern. The weird purple
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar- glow makes strange shadows on the cavern floor. The aroma of
get. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. this place is even stronger here— a strange combination of peat
Engulf: The mutated shambling mound engulfs a Medium moss, guano, and unnaturally sharp cinnamon.
or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is There are dozens of tracks that go off in several directions
blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must suc- in the cavern. A successful DC 19 Wisdom (Survival) check
ceed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the start of reveals tracks in the far southwest corner of the cavern that
each of the mound’s turns or take 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning seem to lead directly into the wall—a secret door leading to
damage. If the mound moves, the engulfed target moves Nockmort’s work room (area D-1).
with it. The mound can have only one creature engulfed Characters who look up will see dozens of chunks of glow-
at a time. ing purple crystals set into the stalactites hanging from the
A large mass of strangely colored vegetation surges forward with roof. These are fragments of the purple meteorite, embed-
surprising speed, its long, appendage-like vines reaching out ded into the ceiling by Nockmort. The ceiling is extremely
threateningly. difficult to climb due to the stalactites, requiring a success-
ful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. If the characters start
PHANTOM FUNGUS prying out fragments, the treant will feel the disturbance in
Medium plant, unaligned energy flow and come running to investigate, alerting bug-
Armor Class: 14 (natural armor) bear sentries he passes on the way. If the characters manage
to destroy all 83 fragments, the garden will die out within
Hit Points: 22 (3d8 + 9)
1d3 + 4 days.
Speed: 20 ft.
Prying out a chunk of meteorite requires a successful DC
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR 16 Strength check (+2 bonus to check if the character uses
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) a crowbar). There are several ways to destroy the fragments;
chief among them is immersing them in the acid pool in
Skills: Stealth +2 area C-4.
Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, exhaustion Meteor Fragments. A total of 83 meteorites are embedded
Senses: blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive in the ceiling. Each is AC 18 and has 8 hit points. A suc-
Perception 10 cessful DC 25 Strength check also breaks a meteorite.
Challenge: 2 (450 XP)
AREA 1-2 – NORTHWESTERN PATCH
Permanent Invisibility: The phantom fungus is invisible This patch of earth is dominated by rows of huge vermilion
as long as it is alive. It becomes visible 1 minute after it dies. bushes, each standing 8 feet tall and covered in large veined
leaves that are almost perfectly diamond-shaped. Clusters of
ACTIONS
tiny red berries dot the entire patch. The thick foliage goes back
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar- as far as you can see. The ground smells very moist and rich
get. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison here.
damage.

10 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 MAP 2

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 11

Characters venturing past the borders of this huge planter 100 feet of it. The shrieker continues to babble until the
and heading towards its center will disturb the six mutated disturbance moves out of range and for 1d4 of the mutant
shriekers and four mutated violet fungi that live in an shrieker’s turns afterward.
extended ring near the middle of the patch. These creatures The oversized bulbous mushroom emits a dull purple glow. You
are hunkered down in the bushes and are hard to detect un- cover your ears, bracing for the fungus’s telltale scream, but dif-
til someone passes close by. The shriekers have been mutat- ferent—and much more disturbing—sounds wash over you.
ed by the radiation of the meteorite— they still make noise,
but instead of shrieking, they now randomly mimic any MUTATED VIOLET FUNGUS
sound they have ever been exposed to. When intruders pass Medium plant, unaligned
nearby, they will babble like a crowd of bugbears, shriek
like bats, or rustle like a passing treant, all loud enough to Armor Class: 11
be clearly heard by anyone within 100 feet. If the charac- Hit Points: 18 (4d8)
ters speak or make noise near them, they will imitate their Speed: 30 ft.
sounds as well. The violet fungi have also been mutated by
the radiation, making them quicker and deadlier. The fungi STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
can now run as fast as a human and are much nimbler. 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
The violet fungi will charge once the shriekers sound the Skills: Stealth +2
alarm. The tiny berries on the vermilion shrubs are edible
Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, frightened
and taste like tart bananas. Characters who eat a handful of
them experience an odd side effect, gaining darkvision for Senses: blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
three hours. Nockmort is unaware of this effect, as every- Perception 6
thing he tested the berries on already possessed darkvision. Languages: —
The berries lose this property 48 hours after being removed Challenge: 1/2 (100 XP)
from the dungeon and the influence of the purple meteorite.
False Appearance: While the mutated violet fungus remains
MUTATED SHRIEKER motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus.
Medium plant, unaligned
ACTIONS
Armor Class: 5
Hit Points: 13 (3d8) Multiattack: The fungus makes 1d4 Rotting Touch attacks.
Speed: 0 ft. Rotting Touch: Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 10
ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR The bold purple hues of this mushroom might be described
1 (-5) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5) as beautiful were it not for the tendril-like roots that seem to
quiver with pent-up eagerness.
Skills: Stealth +2
Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, frightened AREA 1-3 – NORTHEASTERN PATCH
Senses: blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive The purple light makes the foliage in this patch of underground
Perception 6 vegetation alternately look black or blue. You see a stand of
Languages: — large, odd pine trees covered in moss, a small garden of what
might be herbs, and a few odd cacti towards the southeastern
Challenge: 0 (10 XP)
edge of this plot.
False Appearance: While the mutated shrieker remains This area is elevated 3 feet off the ground, like all of the
motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus. garden areas. The pine trees are just the growth medium for
Nockmort’s most important plant— the black moss he uses
REACTIONS
to make his petrifying potion. The pine trees themselves
have a shortened growth season and are stunted versions of
Babble: When bright light or a creature is within 30 feet
their base plants, but they are otherwise unremarkable. The
of the shrieker, it begins babbling loudly, producing any
cacti are likewise unremarkable.
sounds it has ever heard. The babbling is audible within

12 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

The herb patch contains, among other experimental growth, AREA 1-5 – SOUTHEAST PATCH
a variant on ragweed with bizarre properties on sleepers. There are two huge trees here, their branches laden with green
Anyone sleeping within 30 feet of this weed— fresh, cut, or and red apples. The ground within 10 feet of the trees is black-
dried— will have bizarre nightmares that haunt the characters ened, as if ashes have been introduced to the topsoil. There are
all day long. At the GM’s discretion, these nightmares can be also dozens of smaller plants – ferns and flowering bushes, and
so terrible that they prevent a good night’s sleep and, there- a few tall stalks that look like corn but bear no fruit.
fore, the benefits of a long rest. The mutant ragweed loses this
property after 48 hours away from the purple meteorite. This patch of vegetation is elevated 3 feet off the ground,
like the others.
Treasure. Characters who search the undergrowth in this
area find a corpse covered in cast-off leaves with a successful There are eight red apples and 26 green ones. The red apples
DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The body is that are extremely dangerous. If a red one is carelessly plucked
of one of the human smugglers who have been enslaved by off the tree, it explodes 3 seconds later, dealing 7 (2d6)
the bugbears. The smuggler has a thick money belt with 55 points of piercing damage to a target holding or struck by
gp hidden in its lining and a +1 dagger in an ornate scab- an apple (no saving throw). Creatures within 5 feet of the
bard worth 200 gp. explosion must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, tak-
ing half of the damage on a success. The only warning is a
AREA 1-4 – EASTERN PATCH faint hissing sound once the stem is removed.
This patch of vegetation is dominated by a stand of oversized The explosion is triggered by tearing the stem from the
poppies as large as sunflowers and resplendent with shades of fruit. The red apples can be carefully removed with their
aquamarine and blue. There are a few other odd plants, in- stems intact with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of
cluding a tall palm tree bearing green coconuts. An unpleasant Hand) check. An attempt takes 30 seconds. If the check is
musky scent of decay permeates the air. The ground is dotted successful, the character has removed the apple, and it can
with what appears to be guano. be saved and used as a projectile weapon later by plucking
the stem and throwing it. No one is proficient in throw-
This patch of vegetation is elevated 3 feet off the ground, ing apples, so this counts as an improvised thrown weapon,
like the others. which imposes disadvantage to the attack roll. Unlike the
Hidden amongst the poppies is a flock of 13 nesting stir- rest of the vegetation in the garden, the red exploding apples
ges. They are preparing to begin their spawning season. retain their properties for 1 month after they are removed
Characters investigating this patch of vegetation are certain from the influence of the meteorite. Eating an unexploded
to attract their attention. red apple seems to have no immediate effect, but the brave
The stirges attack relentlessly to protect their nesting grounds. soul who dares consume one will have violent gastronomic
Like all the vegetation influenced by the meteorite’s radia- episodes starting the next morning and lasting for 1d4 days
tion, the poppies have been transformed. These plants are afterwards. (This causes no damage per se, but the charac-
fully mobile, capable of pulling their roots up and walking ter will need to make many “pit stops,” usually at the most
up to 5 feet per round (they can’t use the Dash action) to inopportune times.)
find more advantageous position. If the characters battle the The green apples are not quite ripe and won’t be ready for
stirges, the poppies will move away from the fight, returning 2d6 days. If they are removed from the tree, nothing hap-
to their bed only after the battle ends. They will likewise at- pens, and they don’t ripen. They are, however, quite tasty
tempt to escape if characters pluck or otherwise molest them. and harmless to eat.
Treasure. If all the poppies run away, the characters notice The rest of the plants here are all mutated to some extent,
15 small gems (worth 25 gp each) on the ground. Other- but none have extraordinary properties.
wise, these are detected only with a successful DC 25 Intel-
ligence (Investigation) check. AREA 1-6 – SOUTHWEST PATCH
Once the poppies run away, the only plant left will be the The central feature of this raised planter is a solid hill of vegeta-
palm tree with its rotund green coconuts. There are fifteen tion, a green leafy mass with off-shooting vines and reaching
coconuts growing on the palm tree. Drinking their milk branches. It is situated in the center of the planter, surround-
restores hit points equivalent to 1 hit die. An entire coconut ed by short grass and patches of semi-luminous blue moss. At
must be drained to achieve this effect. the southernmost point of this planter is a vast tier of assorted

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 13

shrubbery, small trees, and large leafy vine stands. A patch clumsy, a creature is at disadvantage on all Dexterity ability
nearly 20 feet by checks and saving throws.
20 feet has been carefully staked to latticework stuck deep into The other shrubs and plans are all mutated and unique but
the earth. The staked plants look like rosebushes, but fat, un- lack any extraordinary qualities.
naturally blue fruits hang from each bud. In the center of this
patch is a large hedgerow covered in smallish yellow flowers. TENDRICULOUS
This patch of vegetation is elevated 3 feet off the ground, Huge plant, unaligned
like the others. Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
The hill of vegetation is a tendriculous (see below), which Hit Points: 105 (10d12 + 40)
patiently waits for prey. The mutated creature has developed Speed: 20 ft.
a breath weapon, a cone of wind it creates by expanding its
body like a bellows and forcefully exhaling. This functions STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
like a gust of wind spell. The creature may use its breath 22 (+6) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 3 (-4) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
weapon every round for up to 10 rounds. The tendriculous
is stationary. It can turn in any direction to confront at- Skills: Stealth +4
tackers but is rooted to its spot in the center of this planter. Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, frightened
The patch at the southernmost part of this room is a result Senses: blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
of Nockmort’s most unusual discovery; a mutant variant of Perception 11
forsythia that has a lulling effect on owlbears. This “owlbear Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
nip,” as he calls it, can be smelled clearly by the beasts from
miles away. They are both attracted to and pacified by its Regeneration: The tendriculous regains 10 hit points at
scent. There is a gap in the flowering hedgerow on the south- the start of its turn. If it takes acid or fire damage, this trait
eastern side. Characters who enter will see two full-grown doesn’t function at the start of its next turn. The tendric-
owlbears, rolling and frolicking in the patch of flowers. They ulous dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and
do not attack; indeed, they coo and purr and roll their eyes doesn’t regenerate.
sweetly at the characters. They will even submit to being pet-
ted or fed. If attacked, they will attempt to run away or will ACTIONS
fight if cornered, but defeating them yields no experience.
Multiattack: The tendriculous makes one bite and two ten-
Enterprising characters might try to gather up the owlbear dril attacks.
nip in a bid to be the first adventurer in their guild to own
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one crea-
a pair of tame owlbears. This will have limited success. A
ture. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage. If the target is a
character possessing owlbear nip can make a DC 18 Wis-
creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until the grapple
dom (Animal Handling) check once per day. On a success,
ends, the target is restrained, and the tendriculous can’t bite
the owlbears follow them. They will not fight while under
another target.
the influence of the bizarre weed, will expect their vora-
cious appetite to be fed by the character, and will want to Tendril: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
play and gambol at every opportunity. They also run from creature. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
hostile encounters and fight only if cornered. Because the Swallow: The tendriculous makes a bite attack against a
owlbear nip loses its amazing properties after 48 hours away Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack
from the meteorite, the characters could be in for quite a hits, the target takes bite damage, is swallowed and the
surprise if they elect to take the beasts out of the garden. grapple ends. While swallowed the target is blinded and
The owlbears know to avoid the tendriculous and rarely restrained and has total cover against attacks and other ef-
leave their patch of euphoric nip. fects outside of the tendriculous and it takes 7 (2d6) acid
The blue rosefruits have an insidious sort of toxin. Char- damage at the start of the tendriculous’ turn.
acters who consume them make all Wisdom ability checks If the tendriculous takes 20 damage or more on a single
and saving throws at advantage for 5 minutes. After this turn from a creature inside it, the tendriculous must suc-
time, a creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution ceed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the end of
saving throw or become clumsy for 7 (2d6) hours. While its turn, or regurgitate the target, which falls prone in a

14 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 The orange flowers (C) continuously twitch, shake, and
sway. They have no other remarkable properties, though
they are mildly toxic; anyone ingesting them gains the poi-
soned condition until they finish a long rest).
In the southern section of the patch stands a fountain cov-
ered in clinging vines (D). This is a magical fountain that
Nockmort has possessed since before his transformation.
The fountain appears to be a beautiful child standing in a
stone basin. The child holds his hands as if to be lifted from
the ground, and water magically cascades from the child’s
hands into the basin. The statue sits in a patch of mutated
vines (see stat block below), which attack characters who
come close enough to the fountain to investigate. The vines
bray with a noise like maniacal laughter as they attack. This
effect is unsettling but has no extraordinary powers.
If the characters throw a coin into the fountain, the party
will receive a magical boon as though they are the target of
the bless spell for one hour. This effect happens only once
per day to the first group that throws in a coin (up to eight
creatures). The basin is currently devoid of coins.

MUTATED VINE
Large plant, unaligned

Armor Class: 14
Hit Points: 72 (8d10 + 32)
Speed: 5 ft.
space within 10 feet of it. If the tendriculous dies, a swal-
lowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone. 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
A hulking mound of lush vegetation looms ahead. Gnarled
branches and twisted vines stretch forth in every direction, Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, frightened,
making it impossible to discern whether this is a solitary speci- prone
men or a mass of many interwoven plants. Senses: blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 10
AREA 1-7 – WESTERN PATCH Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
This patch of greenery has many amazing sights—a stand of
pine trees that seems to be growing red crystals, a swath of False Appearance: While the mutated vine remains mo-
acorn squash each nearly as large as a man, and a shrub of tionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary vine.
orange flowers that seems to dance to unheard music. You hear Rising Roots: The mutated vine can animate normal vines
the splash of water coming from somewhere within the patch. and roots on the ground in a 15-foot-radius within 30 feet
The entire area smells strongly of cinnamon and rich earth. of it. These plants in that space turn the ground into dif-
ficult terrain. A creature in that area when the effect be-
This patch is elevated three feet off the ground like the oth-
gins must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or
ers. The pine trees (marked A on the map) grow sugar crys-
tals. The crystals are safe to eat and taste extremely sweet. be restrained by entangling vines and roots. A creature re-
The acorn squash plants (B) grow vegetables weighing near- strained by the plants can use its action to make a DC 12
ly 100 lbs. each. These gargantuan veggies have become the Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a success. The
main food source for the bugbears and their slaves alike. effect ends when the mutated vine dies or uses the ability
on a different area.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 15

 Characters attacking the oak can make a DC 20 Wisdom
ACTIONS (Perception) check. On a success, they hear the screams of
the dryad in area 1-10.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one crea-
ture. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target Treasure. Some of the smugglers have buried a stash of
Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until treasure beneath the giant oak in an attempt to salvage what
this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 14 (4d6) was once an extremely profitable operation. Buried 3 feet
necrotic damage at the start of the mutated vine’s turn. down is a locked chest, which can be found with a suc-
cessful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Inside is
Something long and slim writhes within the tangle of vines.
2,895 gp, a potion of flying, and a map that seems to lead to
A brown snake? A long-tailed reptile? No, a strand of ropelike
a buried treasure 200 miles away to the west (GM’s discre-
plant extricates itself from its neighbors. As the vine lashes out,
tion as to whether its real or not).
the nearby undergrowth begins to stir.

AREA 1-8 – UNHALLOW GROVE AREA 1-9 – HUGE PLANTER

At the center of the garden area is a grove full of enormously You find a huge stand-alone planter nearly 40 feet across. It
tall trees. Each is nearly 100 feet tall, with a huge canopy of holds a giant single fern. The plant is nearly 15 feet tall, and
leaves spreading over this entire patch of green. There are also its slender green fronds branch off in all directions. The planter
four smaller broken trees near the northern section of the grove. is ringed by rough-hewn benches. The fern grows in a ring, and
Iron buttresses and scaffolding support these small trees, as if there is a clearing in its center.
they have been uprooted and replanted here. In the center of This fern has been mutated greatly by the power of the me-
the grove is a huge towering oak, unsupported and vital. It teorite. It has become cannibalistic, devouring any other
stands nearly 150 feet tall, and its leaves have a strange waxy plants placed nearby. It is only interested in eating plants
cast. Two men, hanged by the neck with knotted ropes, dangle that have been altered by the meteorite. If the characters car-
from a high branch 20 feet up. The purple light of the cavern ry any plants or plant substances, such as black moss powder
throws dark shadows across their faces. or exploding apples, it will animate and attempt to snatch
This area is guarded by an earth elemental, which hides plants away or grab at any containers or backpacks that hold
under the ground waiting for intruders. Anyone wishing to them. Treat this like a grapple check. The fern has +5 Ath-
pass into the grove must first say this passphrase: “Woe to letics. The fern has advantage on this roll the first time it
the enemies of the earth and sky.” Failure to do so causes the tries to snatch something. It does not damage to fauna but
elemental to erupt from the ground and immediately attack. absorbs plant matter using special glands in its leaves.

Characters investigating the smaller broken trees discover If characters make their way to the center of this fern,
that they are actually lifeless treants. Each one was de- which they can do with little or no trouble, they find a
stroyed by Nockmort and planted here in an attempt to 15-foot-radius circle of sandy ground. Characters who walk
create more deadwood treants. If the characters do not de- across the space are in for a surprise— overwatering has
stroy the carcasses of these treants, they will eventually rise, turned this bare patch to quicksand. The quicksand can be
infused with the awful power of the purple meteorite. This noticed with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check.
entire grove is unhallowed, and the air seems colder here The quicksand is 15 feet deep.
than in any other part of the cavern. If blundered into, a creature sinks 1d4 + 1 feet and becomes
The two hanging victims were the smuggler leaders, hanged restrained. At the start of each of its turns, the creature
here as an example to their crew. Their bodies have been sinks another 1d4 feet. As long as the creature is not com-
stripped of all possessions save clothing. The towering oak pletely submerged, it can escape with a successful Strength
has been fully mutated by the power of the meteorite. It check. The DC is 10 plus the number of feet the creature
has the ability to draw water directly from its surround- has sunk into the quicksand. A creature that is completely
ings, dehydrating living beings through its bark and leaves. submerged can’t breathe and must hold its breath or begin
Any creature who makes unprotected contact with the tree to suffocate. Another creature can pull a trapped creature
must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or suffer level to safety by succeeding on a Strength check with a DC 5 +
2 exhaustion from dehydration. If the characters attack, the the number of feet the target has sunk into the quicksand.
tree, treat it as a treant with speed 0 feet, and no actions.

16 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

AREA 1-10 – HAYSTACK AND CRATE hanging from the interior of each door, can be detected
At this spot is a small pile of filthy, rotting hay, with a strong when the door is opened with a successful DC 17 Intel-
organic stench. There are small holes bored into it, like tiny ligence (Investigation) check and disabled with a success-
caves. Two worn-out rakes are discarded in the pile. To the ful DC 17 Dexterity check and thieves’ tools. An external
northwest of the haystack is a wooden crate, obviously home- examination reveals nothing unusual.
made and of poor craftsmanship. The crate is wrapped with Once the characters enter the shack, read or paraphrase the
chains secured with a huge, rusty padlock. following:
The haystack is the nest of seven giant rats. They stay hid- The interior of this shack is a cramped, musty space lined with
den until the haystack is disturbed, at which time they at- garden tools. Two shelves are filled with ceramic and wooden
tack the interlopers. They are not suicidal, and if half their flowerpots, bulging sacks, and boxes. There are three small ta-
number are defeated, the rest scamper off. bles covered in soil; each one has a small shovel and trowel on
The padlock on the crate would normally require a success- it, and one holds a candelabra with three unlit candles. Four
ful DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools, but rust in- barrels with tight-fitting lids rest along the south wall.
creases the challenge to DC 18. Inside the crate is a dryad, Two mutated shambling mounds hiding here, one be-
the spirit of the giant oak that stands in the center of area neath the table with the candelabra, the other behind one
2-8. She has been imprisoned here by Nockmort, who de- of the long shelves parallel to the west wall.
manded but did not receive her allegiance. As her tree has
The radiation has mutated them, making them faster and
been mutated, the dryad’s appearance has changed. She is
somewhat more intelligent. Characters familiar with these
lanky and tall and much too thin, as if her bones have been
creatures will notice that their eyes seem livelier and quick-
stretched but not her flesh.
er and their movement faster. These mutated shambling
If the giant oak in area 1-8 still stands, the dryad lives. She mounds have been trained to attack intruders.
is very embarrassed about her current appearance and begs
The interior door leads to the prison (area 1-11a).
observers not to gaze upon her. If the oak has been de-
stroyed, the dryad will be found dead in her box. Treasure. Characters looting this shed can find the follow-
ing equipment: two wheelbarrows, 11 long-handled shov-
Development. If freed, the dryad will be grateful and ask
els, eight short-handled shovels, six rakes, four rock pick-
characters to escort her back to her tree. If they need moti-
axes, seven hoes, 20 ceramic pots in good condition, eight
vating, she will reveal the location of the buried treasure in
bags of cave soil, a rusty pair of shears, six small gardening
area 2-8 in exchange for walking her back and sparing the
shovels, four trowels, and a 15-foot pole with a serrated
life of the giant oak. She will try to charm characters who
blade lashed to the edge, used for pruning high limbs (15-
refuse. If attacked, she will attempt to flee to the safety of
foot reach, 1d4 slashing damage, automatic disadvantage
her grove. She knows that all of the plants in the Sunless
to attack rolls).
Garden have been mutated, and she knows that the purple
glow is the cause of the changes, but she does not under-
stand what causes the glow. AREA 1-11A – THE PRISON
This room contains eight figures lying on mats of straw. The
The earth elemental in area 1-8 ignores the dryad but will group of haggard-looking human men have scrubby beards
attack anyone escorting her unless she tells them the pass- and filthy hair. They wear dirty rags and have the half-starved
phrase. look of prisoners. They barely stir when you enter.

AREA 1-11 – GARDENER’S SHACK This 10-foot-by-20-foot side room is attached to the gar-
dener’s shack. It can be entered from the shed’s main room
This 40-foot-by-30- foot shack was once a lookout post
(area 1-11).
and storage area for the smugglers who resided in this cave.
The exterior of the building is simple and utilitarian, with The men are former smugglers, now slaves of Nockmort.
no windows and only a front and back door. Nockmort The evil treant has an ingenious way of keeping them in
has converted it into an oversized shed to house the garden line: every night, he poisons them with black moss powder,
tools his slaves use. Both doors are secured with padlocks and every morning he feeds them the antidote with their
that can be picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC rations. If they run away, they will wind up turning into
15 Dexterity check. An alarm in the form of a tiny bell black trees in some random location, never to receive aid.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 17

The demanding physical labor, poor nutrition, and strain after characters enter their realm. They are extremely well-
of being repeatedly poisoned and cured for months has left hidden under the mulch, so the characters are likely to be
them in terrible physical condition. They are unresponsive, surprised for the first round of combat. Roll a Dexterity
slack-jawed, noncommunicative, and spent (suffering level (Stealth) check with advantage for both otyughs against the
2 exhaustion). The bugbears have to physically threaten highest passive Perception of the party.
them to get them to work in the garden each morning. Treasure. Characters who undertake the disgusting task of
Slaves roused admit that they were once part of a smuggler searching the refuse must succeed on a DC 10 Constitu-
gang, which ran illegal liquor, religious artifacts, and other tion saving throw or become incapacitated for 1d6 rounds.
contraband between local cities. They have been slaves for 3 When searched, the refuse reveals the body of a thief who
months, working under the punishing whips of their bug- was keen to rob the smugglers, unaware that Nockmort had
bear overseers. They have seen Nockmort but do not realize taken over the cave. He carries a pair of bracers of defense,
he is the leader. While they believe that the purple glow is a +2 shortsword, two potions of healing, a set of masterwork
causing the strangeness of the garden, they do not know thieves’ tools (see appendix B), 55 pp, and two leather dog
the source of the glow. If they can speak, they will beg to be collars studded with emeralds worth 400 gp each. How-
rescued, pledging to pay the characters handsomely for re- ever, finding the body in the muck is no easy task, requiring
leasing them. (Truthfully, Nockmort now controls all of the a successful DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
riches these slaves once had access to.) If the characters help
them escape (none of them are healthy enough to make the AREA A–THE BUGBEAR PRISON
climb up the roots unassisted), they will run away. The smugglers long ago carved out a side cave from the
The smugglers are human commoners with an evil align- main cavern, which the bugbears now use to keep their
ment (roll a d4 for specific alignment: 1, lawful evil; 2, neu- prisoners. The door to this cavern is iron-shod and locked
tral evil; 3, chaotic evil; 4, reroll) and 2 levels of exhaustion. (DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to pick the lock or DC
19 Strength check to break it). There is a sliding peep-hole
AREA 1-12 – MULCH PIT 4- 1/2 feet off the ground that allows the guard inside to
As you make your way towards the south end of this cavern, check on what’s outside. Characters who make a lot of
you smell a horrible, rank odor. It is like the stink of an open noise outside this door will likely be heard and spied upon.
grave combined with rotting garbage. The ceiling inside is 15 feet high and arched, with visible
masonry rafters.
Nockmort has been throwing all of his waste material into
this large pit, including clippings, diseased plants, and dead Area A is depicted on Map 3.
slaves. It is now the lair of two horrible otyughs, which feed
on the decaying matter. Every so often, Nockmort and his AREA A-1 – GUARD POST
bugbears haul up some of the rotting mess to be used as Two bugbears stand guard here. They are armed with hal-
fertilizer for his garden. Characters will notice the stink of berds. They have passive Perception 12 for noises made out-
this pit up to 200 feet away. side the door. If they detect intruders, they attack if they
believe they can win or, more likely, fall back to area A-3 if
Characters can safely walk to the edge of the pit and peer
they think they are outmatched.
in. Read or summarize the following:
The opening of this pit is 100 feet across. The bottom looks to AREA A-2 – HALLWAY
be at least 40 feet down. Peering inside, you see a mound of
The door to area A-3 is locked from the inside with a heavy
organic refuse—a green and brown pile of vegetable matter.
crossbar. This makes both bashing the door and picking the
The smell this close to the edge is nauseating.
lock extremely difficult. The lock requires thieves’ tools and
The organic material is too moist to light on fire by drop- a successful DC 22 Dexterity check to pick, and the door
ping a torch or other combustible inside. Characters may requires a successful DC 23 Strength check to break down.
try to climb inside, which is possible but dangerous. With- However, the ettin in area A-3 has been ordered to open
out a rope, the characters must climb the inside of a dan- the door for the bugbears when they knock. This ettin is
gerous and slippery overhang to reach the actual walls of not very smart; anyone knocking on the door will have it
the pit, requiring a successful DC 24 Strength (Athletics) opened for them by the ettin, who automatically assumes
check. Lowering oneself down by rope is much easier and the bugbears have returned.
requires no check. The two otyughs attack 1d4 + 2 rounds

18 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

AREA A-3 – PRISON
This appears to be a prison with several cells. A two-headed
giant sits on a large stump in the corner. One head watches
you as you come in; the other is amusing itself with a cage full
of mice. There are four sturdy cell doors, each one with a tiny
barred window. A ring of keys hangs high on the west wall.
Suddenly, the giant stands and approaches.
The ettin has traveled with the bugbear troop for his whole
life. When the bugbears came into Nockmort’s service, they
made him the jailer, a position he enjoys for the opportuni-
ties for cruelty it presents. He fights to the death, though if
sorely pressed (reduced to 25% of his hit points or less) and
offered the chance to surrender, he might take it.
All of the cell doors are locked (the keys hanging on the
west wall open these). If for some reason the locks need to
be picked, thieves’ tools and a successful DC 20 Dexterity
check does the trick. The contents of the four cells are as
follows:
Cell A: Rootshaker, a young treant, is stuffed into this tiny
cell and can barely move within. He has been sorely abused.
His limbs are nailed together, and iron spikes have been
driven into him at random points. Nockmort lured him
to the cave hoping to force him to be a new ally, but the
young tree herder has proven extremely resistant to the ef-
fects of the meteorite. After several refusals, Nockmort and MAP 3
his crew attacked him and left him here to rot. Once he
dies, the evil treant plans on reviving him as another dead-
wood treant. He is currently at half of his maximum hit find a pair of skeletal legs— the unfortunate inmate got
points and suffers from level 2 exhaustion. caught in a cave-in as he attempted to tunnel his way out. If
Rootshaker knows that the meteorite is the cause of the mu- he is removed and searched, the characters find a concealed
tations and that Nockmort has a workshop hidden some- wand of secrets in one of his boots, and a makeshift knife in
where nearby. He also knows about the deadwood treant and the other.
the Dark Garden below (see area 2-5) but not where to enter Cell C: A bugbear is imprisoned here for cheating at cards.
it. He implores the characters to allow him to leave so that he His compatriots are letting him live until they can think
may warn the rest of the treant community before any more of an appropriately gruesome way to kill him. If released,
can be captured and destroyed by Nockmort. He urges the he will try to escape and certainly not aid the characters,
characters to continue on their quest and regrets that he can- but he will give up the location of the bugbear cavern and
not join them. If the characters heal him and aid his escape, their approximate numbers. A successful DC 15 Charisma
he will become an ally for life. He escapes by animating the (Intimidation or Persuasion) check motivates the prisoner
tree roots in area 1-1 and having them lift him out. to share the location of a secret door he has seen Nockmort
Cell B: This cell is empty. The back wall appears to be ce- use southwest of area 1-6, which leads to area 2D.
mented stones like all the other cells, but an earlier, enter- Cell D: A wight is trapped in this cell. Nockmort had the
prising prisoner of the smugglers had carved a small tunnel deadwood treant Damanteak place him here to save him
concealed with a group of loose rocks. A successful DC 18 for experimentation later on. The wight hides in the shad-
Intelligence (Investigation) check finds the narrow tunnel. ows to the left of the door, waiting for an opportunity to
The tunnel is 2 feet across and 20 inches high, just wide attack and kill. The jailers and bugbears know about him
enough for a Medium humanoid to squeeze through. If the and avoid getting too near to the window, which is small
tunnel is followed all the way to its end, the characters will enough for him to snake a hand through.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 19

AREA B – CHAPEL OF ENTROPY Carved into the back of the altar and viewable only from
Nockmort has renounced the wilderness deities he revered the pulpit is the following phrase in Common: “Woe to the
his entire life and now devotes himself to an unholy demi- enemies of the earth and sky.” This is the passphrase that
god representing blight and decay. This rough-hewn area allows individuals to enter area 2-8 without being attacked
is the chapel Nockmort is building for his new patron. A by the earth elemental.
large iron double door, easily opened, leads from the main The secret door on the south wall can be found with a suc-
cavern into the chapel. cessful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. It is designed to
Area B is depicted on Map 4. look like part of the relief sculpture— pressing the smallest
branch on the tree causes the globe to swivel aside, reveal-
ing a 4-foot-diameter passageway to area B-3.
AREA B-1 – ENTRYWAY
Every square inch of this large, rough-hewn alcove is carved The secret door built into the northwest floor is a concealed
with odd symbols and drawings. The reoccurring motif seems trapdoor (discoverable with a successful DC 18 Intelligence
to be a cosmic event wherein a being of great power fell from (Investigation) check) that leads to area 2-1 on the second
the heavens and began destroying mankind. The carvings are level. The door opens to a stairway with excessively wide
crude but explicit; there is no mistaking their evil intent. There stairs, going down 30 feet to the lower level. The door is
is a single door in the southwest corner of this chamber. not locked or trapped.

A successful DC 17 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals

AREA B-3 – SACRIFICE CHAMBER
that whatever power is being revered here is not a stand-
ard deity of any known pantheon. With a result of 20 or This room has stone floors and smells of death and decay. The
higher on the check, the character recognizes that some of walls are unadorned, and there is no light source. A large pit oc-
the symbols belong to a mostly forgotten entropy cult, but cupies the southeast corner of the floor. You hear a loud slither, as
not all of the symbols belong to this religion, and many are if the mother of all snakes was waiting in the pit ahead of you.
obviously recent inventions. The pit is 10 feet deep. Hidden in its shadows is a spirit
naga coiled atop a pile of marrowless bones. Prisoners and
AREA B-2 – THE BLACK SANCTUARY disobedient servants are thrown into this chamber as sac-
This chamber is diffused with a more intense version of the rifices to the dark powers of entropy. Nockmort believes
purple light that fills the cavern. The space appears to be some he has this creature cowed, but in truth the naga remains
sort of shrine. At the far south wall is a raised dais with an only because she believes that she can eventually control the
8-foot-tall altar. Set in the wall behind it is a huge bas-relief garden and turn this situation to her advantage. She plays
sculpture of a giant, horrifying tree with roots expanding to along with the treant’s scheme for now. She knows of the
encompass the entire globe. The room has a dank, musky smell secret entrance to the level below in area B-2 and may give
to it, like an unclean animal pen. it up, as along with the approximate location of the secret
entrance to area D, if there is a risk of her being reduced to
The source of the light is the largest piece of meteorite, 0 hit points.
which is embedded in the ceiling. Characters who look up
will note a 3-foot-deep indentation holding a huge chunk of The naga attacks simply out of spite. She can loom out of
glowing purple rock in the center of the ceiling. It is a dif- the pit and cast spells without leaving it; this provides her
ficult climb, requiring a successful DC 23 Strength (Athlet- with half cover (+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saves). She
ics) check without a rope or comparable, which grants char- wears a mantle of spell resistance.
acters advantage on a roll. Once characters reach the rock, Treasure. Underneath the bones in the pit is a large leather
it can be pried out with a successful DC 18 Strength check. sack containing all the tributes the naga has collected from
The stone stairs leading up to the altar are freestanding, Nockmort and his followers: 11,908 sp and 4,898 gp.
rather than an embedded part of the natural wall. Under-
neath the stairs lurk two giant hyenas that Nockmort has AREA C – THE BUGBEAR REFUGE
charmed and stationed here as guards. They are hungry and The bugbears have taken over what used to be the smugglers’
half mad from the confinement and constant, oppressive quarters. They are extremely comfortable and quite dug in.
glow of the meteorite. Once they realize that intruders are While they do have guards posted, they are not expecting
present, they rush and attack fearlessly. intruders to get this far into Nockmort’s lair and are thus

20 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

not particularly wary. Suspicious happenings, such as dead
creatures turning up, missing guard patrols, or blatant signs
of combat or insurrection, will put them on a higher level of
alert. If adventurers are spotted in the compound, then the
bugbears will be fully armed at all times and ready to raise an
alarm at the slightest sign of intruders or an ambush.
The bugbears carry 3d6 gold pieces each, unless noted
otherwise. Each one also has a 25% chance to be carry-
ing a scrap of paper with Nockmort’s passphrase written
in phonetic Goblin: “Woe to the enemies of the earth and
sky.” Characters who sound out the phrase, which reads
as gibberish in Goblin, will be able to decipher its hidden
meaning. Bugbears with unusual stats are presented in the
specific area entries.
Area C is depicted on Map 5.

GENERAL FEATURES
Ceilings. Unless otherwise noted, the ceilings in this sec-
tion are 8 feet tall and raftered with old timber. The place
is generally dry but has that hard-to-ignore bugbear funk
permeating every square inch.
Doors. All doors are stone, as are walls (behind the timber
rafters).

AREA C-1 – SENTRY POST MAP 4

The door to area C-1, a corridor leading north to south,
is locked and requires a successful DC 18 Dexterity check
and thieves’ tools to unlock). Beyond the door is a long The four bugbears attack any foes who enter the room. If
hall with a bugbear guard armed with a warhammer, which two of these brutes are defeated, the others flee, but they
it wields two-handed, two javelins, and two exploding ap- refuse to surrender to the heroes.
ples (from area 2-5). Hanging on the west wall of the hall, Treasure. All the furnishings and accouterments in this
directly across from the door, are several knotted ropes in- room are damaged beyond repair save one: an antique table
terwoven with metal objects, including frying pans, bro- inlaid with ceramic tiles that form of a map of the region of
ken shields, and rusted weapons. The knots are hung from Garland’s Fork. Judicial applications of mending and pres-
hooks screwed into the rafter just above the door. If the tidigitation could make this a salable item worth 600 gp to
bugbear sentry has an opportunity, it will use an action to a collector.
make a terrific racket by striking the jangling things with
its warhammer. This will bring the bugbears from areas C-2
AREA C-3 – GUARD OUTPOST
and C-3 to investigate.
This was likely once a cloakroom. Pegs line every wall, and a
smashed mirror hangs jauntily askew from its fastenings on the
AREA C-2 – GUARD ROOM
west wall. There are three bugbears lying here on mounds of old
This room was once a comfortable parlor, though it has fallen clothes. Each one has weapons nearby.
into complete disarray. Tattered tapestries hang along the walls,
fancy sofas sprout feathers from dozens of tears, and valuable Unless these bugbears have been disturbed by the sentry in
antique tables lie battered and smashed about the room. Sit- area C-1 or another noise, they are fast asleep. One of them
ting in chairs around a half-demolished table in the southeast carries a ring of keys in addition to whatever coins he may
corner are four bugbears sharing a bottle of wine. They rush to have. The three keys unlock the doors to areas C-1, C-4,
grab weapons as you enter. and C-10.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 21

AREA C-4 – GIANT’S ROOM AREA C-6 – DEN
This room is 20 feet by 20 feet with a vaulted 15-foot ceiling. This room is a beehive of activity, clearly some sort of kitchen
The space is bare save a lone sentry— a giant dressed in bear- area. Three ovens line the south wall, and all the other walls
skins and carrying a huge club. He peers down at you, amused. are covered with shelves that hold various cooking items and
Boorf the hill giant is an especially stupid specimen of his foodstuffs, all knocked about in disarray. Several female bug-
kind who has befriended Kolaracht, the bugbear chieftain. bears are here shouting commands to numerous young bug-
The creature is just a touch too foolish to surrender if the bears. From the looks of the mounds of straw about the room,
fight goes badly for it. (Besides, how could he ever be de- this place is their living quarters as well.
feated by a bunch of runts?) A total of 14 female bugbears here, differing from males
A secret door is cleverly blended into the masonry, which only in their somewhat lighter build and in being armed
characters can find with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Per- with random kitchen implements (treat as improvised
ception) check. weapons that deal 1d4 damage). There are also 22 young
bugbears (non-combatants). The young bugbears cower
Treasure. The hill giant carries a bag with two bearskin and attempt to flee from intruders, but the females fight if
blankets, 354 gp, and two jugs of rotgut corn liquor. they have no choice.
On the shelves here is the equivalent of 22 days of standard
AREA C-5 – THE STASH rations. However, some of it is so old and moldy that any
You open the door to find a large room filled with what must non-goblinoid eating it must succeed at a DC 11 Consti-
be the spoils of many, many raids. The room is dominated by tution save or contract food poisoning, suffering from the
a huge statue of a horse made of ivory and rare wood. Half a poisoned condition for 1d10 + 10 minutes.
dozen torches hang on brackets around this room, and they all
shed an unnaturally bright light. A path through all of the loot AREA C-7 – MALE QUARTERS
leads to a door on the south wall.
GM Note. There are 10 bugbears here. If the tribe is not on
The torches are magical and have the same effects of the alert, they will be lazing about, eating or resting, and won’t
continual flame spell. be prepared for intruders. Each bugbear takes 1 round to
Treasure. This room contains the whole of the smugglers’ get up and gather his equipment before rolling initiative. If
haul six barrels of banned brandy from an unfriendly neigh- the tribe is on alert, they will have two guards posted at the
boring country (300 gp each), 18 barrels of wine (150 gp door (interior), and all will be ready to fight at a moment’s
each), six paintings stolen from a famous master (10,000 notice.
gp each on the black market or can be returned to their If the fight goes extremely poorly for them, one of the bug-
rightful owners for a reward of 15,000 gp), nine masterwork bears will shout a warning to the troop and then open the
saddles inlaid with gold and various precious gems (800 gp secret door to area C-8 (requires a successful DC 14 In-
each), a dissembled two-horse surrey of rare inlaid wood and telligence (Investigation) to find) to let the mummy out.
iron (2,000 gp), a crate full of religious artifacts of an illegal Opening the secret door is accomplished by giving one of
doomsday cult (entire collection worth 500 gp to a collector the rocks that make up the masonry wall a twist and push,
or cultist), a dinosaur skeleton stored in two crates (2,000 an action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
gp), 22 rolled-up fancy carpets (150 gp each), an armoire
containing masterfully hand-crafted silver dinner settings
for six (armoire is worth 100 gp, settings are worth 1,500 gp
total), and a suit of ornate antique +1 plate armor contain- too much treasure?
ing the propped-up skeleton of an ancient king.
The hoard contained in this chamber is too large for a
Development. With a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) party of 7th level characters, especially the paintings.
check, a character can determine which items are contra- The GM should carefully consider giving this reward
band. The horse statue weighs several tons but could be without “strings” attached. Perhaps some of the loot
worth up to 5,000 gp to the right collector. The smugglers is cursed, or gains the attention of another nefarious
employed a wizard to help move booty in and out of the band of brigands. Or, the GM can just decide to reduce
cave; his body lies at the end of the tunnel out of cell B in the value according to the dynamics of the campaign.
area 2A-15.

22 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 MAP 5

AREA C-8 – SECRET WEAPON mirror in area C-9 reflects is seen in its companion in area
The secret door can be opened only from area C-7. This C-10. The bugbear guards watch this mirror and will see in-
room is a rotted, debris-strewn cesspool. The mummy truders as they make their way past it unless they take some
inside was discovered wandering around the lower level. precaution. The mirror cannot detect invisible objects, nor
Nockmort forced it into this secret chamber. The bugbears does it have any special power to work in the dark— like a
in area C-7 will free it if they feel they are in a losing battle. normal mirror, it needs light to function.
The mummy attacks indiscriminately, targeting the clos- Medium and smaller creatures may be able to crawl along
est living creature each round. The bugbears are aware of the corner of the corridor to avoid being seen in the mir-
this tendency and will clear out as fast as possible once it ror. Make a contested Dexterity (Stealth) against the passive
is loose. Perception of the observer at another mirror. If the mirror
Treasure. The mummy is adorned with a pair of gold ear- is smashed, its companion is destroyed as well.
rings dotted with amethyst (worth 200 gp). These mirrors could be taken down and moved, but they
are extremely delicate. Removing them and carrying them
AREA C-9 – MAGIC MIRROR any significant distance without destroying them requires a
The stairs in this hallway go down 20 feet to a landing successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. The
around the bend from area C-10. mirrors are AC 10 and have 5 hit points.

Built into the north wall of this landing is a magnificent mir- Once the guards in area C-10 have spotted intruders, they
ror. The mirror is 8 feet long and 4 feet high and set into a warn Kolaracht and prepare for the intruders.
wrought-iron frame.
AREA C-10 – KOLARACHT’S CHAMBER
The mirror is flanked by two continual flame torches, iden-
tical to the ones in area C-5. The mirror is part of a set of Read or paraphrase the following if the characters’ approach
magical artifacts, a prized possession of the smuggler chief. was detected by the mirror at area C-9.
The mirror’s twin hangs inside area C-10. Whatever the Like much of the bugbears’ caverns, this room must have been

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 23

luxurious and opulent in the past. In the middle of the south KOLARACHT, BUGBEAR WARLORD
wall is a huge four-poster bed with tattered sheets and curtains. Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
A number of divans in various states of disrepair line the walls,
as does a once-fine dresser with drawers and two Armor Class: 16 (13+2+1)
Hit Points: 75 (10d8 + 30)
huge oak tables—which have been overturned to make a bar-
rier between you and the occupants of this room. There are Speed: 30 ft.
seven bugbears here, and one of them is obviously their leader.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
His armor is finer than the others’, and his weapon is a beauti-
ful piece of craftsmanship. 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

The creatures here are Kolaracht (see below), two of his Skills: Intimidation +3, Stealth +6, Survival +4
mates, and four bodyguards. All of the bugbears here are Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
willing to fight to the death. The mates are armed with
Languages: Common, Goblin
chair legs (treat as clubs), and the bodyguards have STR
16 and CON 14 for 5 more maximum hit points and a +1 Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)
bonus to hit and damage. Brute: A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage
The bed is covered in now-worthless furs and silks, and when Kolaracht hits with it (included in the attack).
underneath it are two spare shields, four javelins, and two Heart of the Brute: Kolaracht has advantage on saving
morningstars. The chest of drawers contains tattered clothes throws against being charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poi-
and bits of unidentifiable boiled meat. soned, stunned, or put to sleep.
Treasure. Kolaracht carries two potions of greater healing, a Surprise Attack: If Kolaracht surprises a creature and hits
+1 morningstar, a +2 handaxe, and wears a +1 chain shirt. it with an attack during the first round of combat, the tar-
There is a secret cubbyhole built into the wall behind the get takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.
chest of drawers that can be discovered with a successful
DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The compart- ACTIONS
ment is locked, but can be picked with a successful DC Multiattack: Kolaracht makes three melee attacks, two
21 Dexterity check and thieves’ tools. Anyone opening the with his morningstar and one with his handaxe.
compartment without first disarming the trigger mecha-
nism of lock’s trap with a successful DC 20 Intelligence +1 Morningstar: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5
(Investigation) check will be pricked in the hand by a hid- ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.
den poisoned needle. This causes 1 piercing damage and +2 Handaxe: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
the target must make a successful DC 15 Constitution one creature. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage and become Javelin: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5
poisoned for 1 hour. Inside the cubbyhole is 2,356 gp and ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing
4,788 sp in a huge leather backpack, a set of high-quality damage in melee or 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage at range.
thieves’ tools (worth 50 gp), a potion of superior healing, a A warrior bedecked in fine armor and wielding a masterful-
potion of gaseous form, and oil of sharpness. ly crafted morning star takes an aggressive stance. This is no
Development. If the characters have managed to avoid knight, however, as the face taking measure of his opponents is
being detected by the magic mirror, the bugbears will be clearly goblinoid.
milling about and won’t be prepared for a fight. Each will
require 1 round to find their weapons and prepare for com- AREA D – NOCKMORT’S WORKROOMS
bat. If the characters have been noticed, Kolaracht will lay Nockmort has claimed this area as his personal workspace.
down his morningstar, greet them with a grin, and ask if Here he experiments with plants he has grown in the Sun-
they have come to rid him of that stark-raving-mad treant. less Garden, trying to find new exotic properties to further
If the characters begin to parlay, he strikes with his hidden his diabolical plans. Ironically, his search for new and dead-
handaxe at the least-armored character in reach. Roll initia- ly compounds has led him to the discovery of penicillin,
tive, but all characters are surprised the first round. toothpaste, and peanut butter, but he has discarded each of
these innovations, lest they accidentally improve the world
for mankind.

24 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 to six individuals, a set of treant-sized garden tools (two
shovels, a rake, a hacksaw, a hoe, a scythe and an adze),
17 crates of various inert plant byproducts, and one locked
coffer that contains a large chunk of the glowing meteorite.
The coffer’s lock can be picked with thieves’ tools and a suc-
cessful DC 23 Dexterity check.

AREA D-3 – NOCKMORT’S WORKSHOP

This is a huge laboratory, scaled to a large creature. The ceil-
ing averages 30 feet high, with a few spots rising as high as 40
feet. The floor is covered with a carpet of tiny roots and vines of
strange colors. Against the southeast wall is a large table crowd-
ed with glasswork of all conceivable sizes and shapes. Several
tiny oil burners produce flames under a cluster of large, round
beakers, all filled with a bubbling fluid. There is a smaller
table with similar equipment on the north wall, but not lacks
any flame. On the west wall is a stack of ancient books in
outward-facing crates—at least 50 large volumes. Standing by
the worktable is a treant covered with fearsome symbols, ap-
The secret door to the entry chamber can be found with parently applied to it in some kind of purple paint. As you
a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The enter, the treant snatches up a large sickle and cries out, “You
door is 12 feet wide and 15 feet tall and unlocked. It slides have come to worship at my roots, or you have come to die. The
open easily to reveal the chamber within. choice is yours, fleshlings!”
Area D is depicted on Map 6. Nockmort is raving mad and will attack at the least provo-
cation, including a threatening gesture, impoliteness, or
AREA D-1 – WINGED WATCHERS lack of deference. If he has heard the bats make noise, he
This darkened chamber is cold and damp, and the sound of will have prepared for the encounter by drinking his potion
dripping water echoes off its rough stone. As you enter the of flying and conjuring phantom fungi (if time permits).
room, you hear the flapping of great wings and loud, screeching Half of the books stacked against the wall are Nockmort’s
echoes. own journals and records of his experiments.
Five giant bats flit about the ceiling 30 feet above the cav- They are written in druidic. Anyone reading this material
ern floor. They are Nockmort’s guardians. They have been will find his rambling ravings extremely difficult to follow,
trained by the awful treant to attack light sources, and when but after taking the time to read them thoroughly for a
the fight begins, they make knocking out light sources their minimum of 30 hours, they gain advantage on all Wisdom
first priority. Unless they are somehow silenced, their racket (Survival) checks when investigating the special properties
will draw the attention of Nockmort in one round. of the plants found in this chamber and the dungeon below.
Nockmort will summon as many creatures he can, starting
AREA D-2 – STORAGE CHAMBER with his Conjure Plants ability and then using Plant Growth
The smell of peat moss and cinnamon is as strong here as it is to make the carpet of vines and tiny roots on the floor trans-
in the center of the dark garden itself. This large, irregular cav- form into a huge mass of plants and trees covering the en-
ern is stocked from floor to its 20-foot-high ceiling with crates, tire chamber, hoping to bog down the characters while he
boxes, and barrels. In a natural alcove in the rock is a cord of animates the trees. If the outcome of the battle looks grim,
firewood, stacked vertically to make a pile 18 feet high. There he will try to flee, drinking a potion of flying (if he didn’t con-
is also a set of large garden tools—shovels and the like sized for sume it prior to the battle) to move unhindered through the
an extremely tall gardener. overgrown plants. He will attempt to regroup with his bug-
Treasure. Characters raiding this room for materials will bears in the dungeon below and attack the characters from
find the following: four barrels of the black moss antidote, a position of strength. In no circumstances will he abandon
a small box with enough black moss powder to poison up the garden—he will die protecting it.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 25

 MAP 6

Treasure. Nockmort carries a +2 giant sickle on his person NOCKMORT, THE DARK TREANT
and wears the original meteorite fragment around his neck Huge plant, chaotic evil
on a thick leather cord. A leather messenger bag around his
neck containing two potions of flying and two potions of supe- Armor Class: 19 (natural armor)
rior healing. He also has a well-rendered topographical map Hit Points: 162 (12d12 + 84)
of the surrounding territories, with marks indicating the lo- Speed: 30 ft.
cation of the garden and the area where the meteorite fell.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
The bubbling mixture Nockmort is currently experiment-
24 (+7) 10 (+0) 24 (+7) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2)
ing with is a reduction of several types of plants from the
garden. He uses beakers full of this concoction as bombs in Saving Throws: Int +7, Wis +8
combat. Drinking the foul mixture causes 21 (6d6) poison
Damage Resistances: acid, cold, lightning, thunder;
damage, but if the character succeeds at a DC 20 Consti-
bludgeoning and piercing
tution save, they gain immunity to poison damage for 22
(4d10) hours. Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
The glassware in this chamber could be sold to a big-city al- Languages: Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
chemist for 4,000 gp. However, the equipment is extremely Challenge: 11 (7,200 XP)
fragile and difficult to transport.
Siege Monster: Nockmort deals double damage to objects
and structures.

ACTIONS
Meteorite Effects Multiattack: Nockmort makes two melee attacks with his
Meteorite mutations have given Nockmort not only giant sickle or throws two beakers. Alternatively, he can
a tougher bark and increased ability scores, but also make one melee and one ranged attack.
power over plant and animal life as well as resistance +2 Giant Sickle: Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10
to damage of several elemental types, including fire. ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 9) slashing damage.
Being a treant, which are naturally vulnerable to fire, Beaker: Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 60/180
Nockmort therefore takes normal fire damage. ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage plus 21
(6d6) poison damage

26 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

Animate Trees (1/Day): Nockmort magically animates
one or two trees he can see within 60 feet of it. These trees PART 3: THE DARK GARDEN
have the same statistics as a treant, except they have In- The 2nd (lower) level is accessed from the secret passageway
telligence and Charisma scores of 1, they can’t speak, and in the black sanctuary (area B-2).
they have only the Slam action option dealing 16 (3d6 +
6) bludgeoning damage. An animated tree acts as an ally of GENERAL FEATURES
Nockmort’s. The tree remains animate for 1 day or until it Ceilings. Unless otherwise noted, ceilings are 12 feet high,
dies; until Nockmort dies or is more than 120 feet from the arched and buttressed with embedded masonry rafters.
tree; or until Nockmort takes a bonus action to turn it back
Construction. These caverns are the work of capable stone-
into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if possible.
masons. Characters with the Stonecunning trait or proficien-
Conjure Plants (3/Day): Nockmort summons two phan- cy with stonemason tools recognize it as the work of humans.
tom fungi, which appear anywhere within 60 feet from
him. The summoned creatures are friendly to Nockmort
and obey any verbal commands that he issues to them (no
KEY TO THE DARK GARDEN
action required by him). Roll initiative for the summoned This section includes encounter areas depicted on Map 7.
creatures as a group, which has its own turns.
Dominate Animal (3/Day): Nockmort whispers to a beast
AREA 2-1 - LOWER-LEVEL ENTRYWAY
that is within 30 feet of him. It must see and hear Nock- The stairs descend 30 feet to a large passageway. The ceiling
mort. If the beast’s Intelligence is 3 or higher, it is immune in this room is 15 feet high, and the walls are made of smooth
to this effect. Otherwise, the beast must succeed on a DC stone. There is a dank, musty smell. Two doors exit this room—
16 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by Nockmort un- a large double door going north and a smaller one headed
til it dies or he dies. south. The room itself is empty.
Plant Growth (1/Day): This ability works the same as The dank smell the characters detect basically permeates the
plant growth, except Nockmort can only use the 1 action entire lower level. There is nothing else of interest here.
version of the spell, and it always produces 1d4 trees.
AREA 2-2 – GREAT HALL
LEGENDARY ACTIONS This huge, dark entry chamber has a vaulted ceilings and a
Nockmort can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the colorful mosaic design built into the walls. The mosaic looks
options listed below. Only one legendary action option can like a garden trellis, though dust and grime make the pattern
be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s hard to see in places. This hall is empty. Two dark alcoves head
turn. Nockmort regains spent legendary actions at the start off east and west.
of his turn. There are two giant boars, one hiding in each of the al-
Aura of Vitality: Nockmort causes one creature within 30 coves. They are charmed and will attack characters with
feet (including himself ) to regain 2d6 hit points. no regard to their own safety. The giant boars have been
Entangling Vines: Nockmort causes grasping weeds and commanded by Nockmort to occasionally patrol the entire
vines to sprout from the ground in a 20-foot radius around level. If the characters encounter them as a wandering mon-
ster, this room will be empty.
him. For 1 minute, these plants turn the ground in the area
into difficult terrain. The double door leading to area 2-3 is locked but can be
Any creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength picked with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 17 Dexterity
saving throw or be restrained by the entangling plants until check or a successful DC 20 Strength to break open.
the spell ends. A creature restrained by the plants can use
its action to make a DC 15 Strength check. On a success, AREA 2-3 – TIMEPIECE
it frees itself. Wooden crates are stacked floor to ceiling in this large room.
Reap: Nockmort makes a melee attack with his giant sickle. There are more than 50 that you can see, each one large enough
An ominous purple glow emanates from a gnarled tree, origi- two require two humanoids to carry. They are piled against the
east and west walls, leaving a 15-foot-wide path between the
nating from a series of sigils carved into the bark. The trunk
stacks. The path leads between the two sets of double doors, one
swivels with a cringe-inducing creak, revealing the creature’s
in the northwest corner and one in the southeast corner.
malicious visage.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 27

 wandering monsters in the dark garden
Every 5 minutes or whenever the characters make a sig- MUTATED SHAMBLING MOUND
nificant amount of sustained noise, roll 1d6. If the result is Large plant, unaligned
a 1, roll 1d4 to determine the creatures encountered.
Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
d4 Encounter
Hit Points: 136 (16d10 + 48)
1 Bugbear patrol
Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
2 Damanteak, deadwood treant
3 Giant boars STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
4 Mutated shambling mounds 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
Bugbear Patrol. A patrol of 2d4 bugbears, armed with a Skills: Stealth +3
mixture of warhammers and morningstars appear. Each
Damage Resistance: cold, fire
carry 1d4 exploding apples.
Damage Immunities: lightning
Damanteak. Damanteak, the deadwood treant (see ap-
Condition Immunities: blinded, deafened, exhaustion
pendix A), looks like a dead tree animated from within
by an evil purple light. He is in constant pain and finds at Senses: darkvision 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), pas-
least a momentary relief while inflicting it on others (see sive Perception 10
area 3-5). This encounter only occurs once. Languages: —
Giant Boars. Two giant boars (from area 3-2), charmed Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
by Nockmort, are patrol the level. They attack on sight. Lightning Absorption: Whenever the mutated sham-
This encounter only occurs once. bling mound is subjected to lightning damage, it takes
Mutated Shambling Mounds. 1d4 - 1 (rerolling 1s) mutat- no damage and regains a number of hit points equal to
ed shambling mounds (see below) with strange colora- the lightning damage dealt.
tion and outgrowths attack. They seem faster and more
intelligent than others of their ilk. ACTIONS
Multiattack: The mutated shambling mound makes two
slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller tar-
get, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the mu-
tated shambling mound uses its Engulf on it.
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Engulf: The mutated shambling mound engulfs a Me-
dium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed
target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and
it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw
at the start of each of the mound’s turns or take 13 (2d8
+ 4) bludgeoning damage. If the mound moves, the en-
gulfed target moves with it. The mound can have only
one creature engulfed at a time.
A large mass of strangely colored vegetation surges forward
with surprising speed, its long, appendage-like vines reach-
ing out threateningly.

28 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

These crates contain the smugglers’ greatest take: an an- This treant is slimmer and less dense than a typical treant
cient, disassembled timepiece discovered by explorers and and somewhat quicker. It glows from within with an evil
hijacked by the smugglers on its way to a local monarch’s purple light. Nockmort calls this creature Damanteak. It is
palace. The timepiece is an amazing contraption of iron, the corpse of a dead treant reanimated and transformed by
wood, and copper wire. When fully assembled, it looks like the power of the purple meteorite, becoming a new crea-
a great collection of hundreds of interlocking gears, wire- ture entirely: a deadwood treant (see appendix A).
bound and in perpetual motion. The creature is a hateful killing machine that can be con-
It would take a troupe of scholarly-types months to reas- trolled only by Nockmort. Damanteak attacks and fights
semble it and learn its secrets, an adventure in and of it- to the death. It has enough reach to strike at targets on the
self. Once fitted together, the timepiece accurately keeps ground while it hangs from the ceiling. Damanteak has a
the time and date and can be used for esoteric speculation fragment of the original meteorite tied tightly to one of his
on future happenings, like weather patterns and population uppermost branches with a leather thong.
fluctuations by putting events into a much larger millennial Treasure. This room is dusty and debris-strewn because the
cycle. If the characters could find a buyer and a way to get deadwood treant lashes out at anything near it. However, a
it out of the Dark Garden, it could be worth a king’s ran- sharp-eyed character searching the room that succeeds on a
som—its original construction cost was 200,000 gp, and its DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check or a DC 12 Intelligence
subsequent theft makes it even more valuable, if the charac- (Investigation) check discovers a single magic item left be-
ters manage to find a buyer. hind by an earlier adventurer killed by Damanteak: a magical
The timepiece is stored in 27 custom-made crates, each belt buckle with the same properties as a brooch of shielding.
weighing between 100 and 500 lbs. All of the crates have
built-in handles to facilitate moving. AREA 2-6 – PIT TRAP
The secret door leading west from the hallway can be detected
AREA 2-4 – HALL OF PORTRAITS with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
This long passageway is lined on either side with portraits set There is a hidden pit trap in the floor further east. Indi-
into antique frames. Every one of the pictures has been slashed viduals walking across this section of floor instantly set off
and torn apart, and now they hang in tatters. Shreds of gaily the counterbalance that recesses the floor into the north
colored canvas line the walls and collect in the corners. wall, dropping characters into a 30-foot-deep pit filled with
Nesting in the corners of this room is a pack of eight tena- spikes. The trap requires a successful DC 15 Intelligence
cious giant rats, which eke out an existence feeding on the (Investigation) check to discover. If triggered, a target can
shreds of the paintings (all slashed by Damanteak) and the avoid falling into the pit with a successful DC 15 Dexterity
occasional intruder. If the party seems weak enough, they saving throw. Otherwise, a fall causes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning
bound from their hiding place in the northeast corner and damage, and the target lands on 1d4 spikes, each dealing 9
attack. Otherwise, they remain hidden and silent until they (2d4 + 4) piercing damage. A successful DC 12 Dexterity
are discovered. check with thieves’ tools can disarm the trap.
Position A is the location of a tripwire strung across the Adding disease to injury, a group of seven giant rats dwell at
floor. If it is tripped, a tiny bell will chime in area 3-5, alert- the bottom of the pit, feeding on its victims. Characters can
ing the deadwood treant that intruders are nearby. Charac- bypass this pit by inching along the 6-inch-wide ledge to its
ters looking for traps can find and disarm the alarm with north or south. Make a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check
ease: a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check re- for the bugbears in area 2-7 if this trap is sprung. If they hear
veals the location of the trap, and a successful DC 11 Dex- it get set off, they will rush out to investigate and attack.
terity (Sleight of Hand) check disables it.
AREA 2-7 – BUGBEAR GUARDS
AREA 2-5 – LAIR OF THE DEAWOOD This antechamber has been turned into an impromptu guard
TREANT chamber. Six bugbears sit here on sections of ruined marble pil-
There is a strange scent of organic decay here. When you open the lars, eating. When they see you, they leap to their feet to attack.
door, you see an amazing sight—a treant hanging upside down These bugbears are guarding this wing of the dungeon. If
from the 20-foot-high ceiling. As you enter it starts to walk across the they hear the pit trap get triggered, they rush out and at-
ceiling towards you, flailing its limbs and making a fearsome noise. tack. They each have four javelins and hurl them at anyone

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 29

stuck in the pit. If they run out of javelins and there are still The sewing dummy has a secret compartment that can be
living victims in the pit, three bugbears reset the pit, which found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation)
takes 3 full rounds, sealing in the intruders, while the rest check. It holds a ring of keys, a pouch of rare uncut blue
run for help. Climbing the interior walls of the pit require aventurines worth 300 gp, 55 pp, and a diamond ring with
a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Characters a perfect three carat stone worth 5,000 gp.
stuck in the pit can try to disable the trap from the inside
with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 19 Dexterity check AREA 2-10 – SPY CHAMBER
to open the pit from within. Otherwise, a successful DC This secret chamber allowed Fob’s guardian creatures to
22 Strength check is required to break through. This, of watch the corridor leading to his room. There are two tiny
course, assumes the characters can make their way up the slits in this secret door, requiring a successful DC 20 Wis-
30-foot-shaft to reach the trap door at all. dom (Perception) or DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) to
discover, 3 feet off the ground.
AREA 2-8 – ABANDONED OFFICE
Three gargoyles have lived in this hidey-hole for years,
This empty room might have once been someone’s small office. guarding Fob’s lair. At all times, one of the gargoyles is
The space is littered with a smashed desk and chair, piles of watching the hallway for intruders. If characters pass by
garbage, and debris. There are blobs of candle wax all over the this point without noticing the secret door, the creatures
walls and floor. will allow them to pass and then sneak through the door to
This room is empty, save for the secret door leading to the attack the intruders with surprise.
north passage, which can be found with a successful DC 17 There are three 2-foot-tall stone pedestals in this room that
Intelligence (Investigation) check. the creatures perch on, but other than that, the room is empty.

AREA 2-9 – SEWING ROOM AREA 2-11 – GHAST CHAMBER

The door to this room is locked. It can be unlocked with The door to this room is nailed shut with several strips of
a successful DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools or sturdy timber. Characters wishing to enter this room will
broken down with a successful DC 19 Strength check. have to pry the nails out of the wall and pull the boards
This room seems to have avoided whatever ravaged the rest of down, an action taking several minutes and likely making
this level. This dusty chamber holds a small bed covered in a enough noise to require a wandering monster roll. While
patch quilt, a tiny table, a freestanding clothes rack laden with characters work on getting through, they will become
many fine garments and several different hats, a large trave- aware of a horrible stench coming from inside this room,
ling trunk, a sewing dummy wrapped in what appears to be a reminiscent of a mass grave.
half-finished velvet coat, a square table with four chairs, and When the door is opened, read or paraphrase the following:
a wine rack with four bottles left in it. Dust rises from every
surface from the small wind caused by opening the door. This room is dark and smells like a charnel house. As you open
the door, a group of hideous creatures rush the exit at once.
This chamber once belonged to the smuggler leader, Fob Re- Their gray skin and loathsome forms give them the appearance
nault. He kept the entrance to this lair a secret even from his of lurching corpses.
closest advisors, lest they discover his secret passion for sewing.
The three ghasts were trapped here by the smugglers. Once
Treasure. Under the bed are eight pairs of fine shoes and upon a time, the smugglers would throw captives in here to
one pair of fine riding boots. The clothes and the hats are be destroyed by the horrible things. The ghasts have been
all finely tailored, if musty, and the lot could be sold to a left alone since the coming of Nockmort, and after being
second-hand clothier for 300 gp. A successful DC 17 Wis- hungry for a very long time, they have recently begun tak-
dom (Insight) check reveals that all of the garments were ing matters into their own hands. Characters searching this
made by the same person, though there is nothing to indi- room will find the beginnings of a tunnel being dug into
cate who made them. the solid rock of the east wall. The ghasts have managed to
The trunk is unlocked and filled with fine fabric, sewing get nearly a foot into the earth using only their claws.
needles, shirt and coat patterns, leatherworking tools, and a Treasure. This room is filled with bones and the detritus of
notebook with sketches of fashionable outfits for men and combat. There are eighteen +2 arrows scattered about the
women. room amongst the garbage and grotesque remains.

30 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

MAP 7

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 31

AREA 2-12 – WINE CELLAR preventing intruders from making it to the lower levels.
The stairs outside this room go down 20 feet to a small Shuderief is overconfident and arrogant, and he has no fear
landing. The stairs are filled with cobwebs. The door to this of adventurers. He will not surrender, although if sorely
room is locked but can be picked with a successful DC 15 pressed, he may try to escape to regroup with his brethren
Dexterity check with thieves’ tools. Alternatively, a char- to launch a counteroffensive.
acter can break down the door with a successful DC 15 The doors leading out of this room to the west are set 3 feet
Strength check, or it can be unlocked with one of the keys off the ground. Four stone steps lead up to them. The floor in
hidden in the sewing room (area 2-9). the corridors beyond is at the same level as the floors in area
When this room is entered, read or paraphrase the following: 3-13, and there are four stone steps leading down to them.

This room is filled with tall wooden wine racks, creating a se- Treasure. All of the bugbears in this room have 3d10 gp.
ries of extremely narrow aisles. The racks are about one-quarter Shuderief himself carries 390 gp, wears a belt of stone giant
full with dusty green bottles. Cobwebs cover every corner, and strength, and carries a +1 shield.
every space between the racks is strewn with dusty webs.
SHUDERIEF, BUGBEAR SUBCHIEF
Some of the webs in this room are the work of mundane
Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
spiders that infest this quarter of the lower level. The wine
bottles are all illegal imports from an unfriendly kingdom— Armor Class: 18 (chain shirt and +1 shield)
the local magistrate has banned their sale or consumption Hit Points: 65 (10d8 + 20)
under pain of imprisonment. Speed: 30 ft.
Treasure. There are 124 bottles left, and they could fetch
up to 25 gp each on the black market, provided the charac- STR DEX CON INT WIS CHR
ters can transport them and find a buyer. 23 (+6) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Skills: Intimidation +3, Stealth +6, Survival +4

AREA 2-13 – GUARD OUTPOST
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
There is a subtle alarm outside this room at the position
marked A. Several of the tiles have been pulled up and Languages: Common, Goblin
replaced with ill-fitting ones. Characters walking casually Challenge: 3 (700 XP)
across this area will make a great deal of racket as the stones
collide. It is relatively easy to pull up the loose tiles or to Brute: A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage
avoid stepping on them entirely, if they are discovered with when Shuderief hits with it (included in the attack).
a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check or a DC 12 Heart of the Brute: Shuderief has advantage on saving
Intelligence (Investigation) check. The door to this room is throws against being charmed, frightened, paralyzed, poi-
not locked. soned, stunned, or put to sleep.
When the characters enter, read or paraphrase the follow- Surprise Attack: If Shuderief surprises a creature and hits it
ing. The text assumes the bugbears heard the characters’ with an attack during the first round of combat, the target
approach. takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.

This room has been converted into an impromptu sleeping ACTIONS

chamber. Six mats of straw are lined up around the corners of
the room. There is a pile of furs on the ground and a large chest. Multiattack: Shuderief makes two melee attacks with his
Five bugbears glare at you. One wears the pelt of an owlbear morningstar.
and seems incredibly strong. The rest hold javelins. They stand Morningstar: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
behind a low barrier consisting of several overturned desks with one creature. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage.
shields leaning against them. The leader speaks one word in Javelin: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5
Common: “Yield!” ft. or range 30/120 ft. one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) piercing
The leader of this outpost is Shuderief (see below), a wily damage in melee or 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage at range.
bugbear loyal to his cousin Kolaracht. He is charged with

32 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

AREA 2-14 – DOWNWARD PASSAGE AREA 2-15 – LOWER GUARD ROOM
The corridor transitions into an extremely long stairway lead- The floor here is made of black and white tiles. A long stone
ing down into darkness. There is a mosaic built into the west bench runs the entire length of the room. The ceiling constantly
wall of the corner depicting a man on a prancing horse, giving drips, and the air smells musty and damp. It is much colder
a salute with a cavalry saber. He seems to glare down at you here than in the rest of the caverns.
with disdain. There are six bugbears here, each armed with a morning-
The mosaic is a distraction. The third step down from the star, three javelins, and two exploding apples. If they heard
landing is trapped. It can be detected with a successful DC 15 the water trap go off, they take defensive positions near the
Intelligence (Investigation) check and disabled with thieves’ door to ambush intruders. If they are surprised by the en-
tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check (jamming the counter, they will be found lazing about on the benches,
valve so it can’t open). If a character steps on it, the trap is sharpening weapons or eating.
triggered with an extremely loud click. Give your players 6 The bugbears attack all intruders on sight. If the fight goes
seconds to react to this news as the trap, once triggered, is set poorly for them, they flee if the opportunity presents itself.
in one round. This is enough time to run back into area 2-13
if they do so immediately and have high enough speed.
AREA 2-16 – THE WELL
One round after the trap is triggered, a huge torrent of wa- The secret door to this room is locked, requiring a success-
ter is loosed above the door leading out of area 2-13. This ful DC 20 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to unlock or
section of the dungeon is built beneath an underground a successful DC 23 Strength check to break.
river, and the trap opens a tremendous valve for 15 sec-
onds, letting thousands of gallons of river water in. In addi- When the room is entered, read or paraphrase the following:
tion, the door to area 2-13 slams shut and must be battered This room has a 7-foot-tall ceiling, giving it the low, cramped
down to reopen it; it cannot open normally until the trap feel of a prison chamber. In the center of the room stands an
resets. Bashing the door down requires a successful DC 18 8-foot-diameter well. There is a winch mechanism on the wall
Strength check. The water crashes down, throwing charac- that pulls a chain through a pulley hanging above the well and
ters down the stairs and into the corridor that turns east, a large bucket on the end of the chain.
heading to area 2-16.
The winch has a total of 45 feet of chain coiled in it. It can
When the water first hits the characters, each one can make be used to lower the bucket into the well and draw water
a DC 10 Dexterity save to grab hold of the wall or floor out. The well is only 30 feet deep, and at the bottom of it is
before they are washed down. If this save fails, the char- an underwater passage leading to area 2-17.
acters are washed down the stairs, a process which takes
The passage at the bottom of the well is almost completely
3 rounds. If they make this save, they must succeed on a
filled with water. Its ceiling is just above the water level: it
DC 18 Strength save to keep from being washed down the
is 10 feet tall, and the water is 8 feet deep. The stairs at the
stairway. This Strength save must be made every round the
bend in the hallway lead up out of the water.
characters are caught in the torrent for a maximum of 3
rounds. After 3 rounds, the water is turned down to a trick-
le, then stops flowing. Characters take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning AREA 2-17 – PARTIALLY FLOODED
damage for each round they are splashed down the stairs. CHAMBER
Treasure. At the bottom of the stairway is a metal drain. The stairs lead up out of the water and into a long chamber.
It can be peeled back like a manhole cover with a success- The stench of rotting fish and rank river water are very strong
ful DC 12 Strength check. Underneath is a 4-foot-wide, here. The walls and floor of this chamber are made of extremely
60-foot-deep shaft. When the trap is discharged, the water smooth stones. The walls are 20 feet high, and there are iron
drains into this shaft and then back into the underground rungs set in four places along the south wall, leading up to the
river system through drains at the rocky bottom of the shaft. ceiling. A motionless body is manacled by the wrists to one of
The shaft is strewn with river waste but is otherwise empty. the iron-rung ladders. It appears to be a tall woman wrapped
Springing the trap litters the stairwell with flopping fish, in wet, swaddling robes. She is covered in seaweed, as if she was
seaweed, and (only the first time this trap is triggered) a dead recently submerged in the water of the river. The only feature
gnome in green swim trunks, carrying a small trident and you can make out on her is a silver holy symbol, gleaming bril-
wearing a small homemade snorkel, and a ring of swimming. liantly, untarnished by its exposure to the river.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 33

The hanging figure is Huelga, a sea hag. She normally 30-foot sphere. A creature that starts its turn inside the gas
dwells in the underground lake but was sucked in acciden- cloud takes 36 (8d8) poison damage, or half that amount
tally by the trap in area 2-14, and while she is stuck in the with a successful DC 18 Constitution saving throw.
dungeon, she has decided to feast on whatever victims she Half of the bottom drawer is a complicated alchemical de-
can find. The bugbears would rather leave her alone, so they vice that combines two chemicals to create the poison gas.
haven’t tried to clear her out. In the remaining space is a black velvet ring box containing
Have characters roll a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. two magical rings: a ring of swimming and a ring of dryness
On a success, they notice wet footprints leading to her, (see appendix B).
proving that she is not actually imprisoned. Her manacles The padlock on the oversized closet is extremely tricky,
are a ruse; once she hears intruders coming up from the requiring thieves’ tools and a successful DC 25 Dexterity
well, she uses her false manacles to appear imprisoned. She check to open. Inside is a bewildering array of exceptional
can slip her wrists out of the irons as a free action. She waits clothing (also like the garments found in area 2-9), except
until intruders are nearby before attacking. there are women’s garments here as well, all fancy and well-
The silver holy symbol is of a locally worshipped, good- made, if somewhat large. Leaning against one corner of the
aligned deity. Huelga doesn’t know where she got it from; closet is a wand of magic missiles. There are dozens of pairs
she just coughed it up after a meal one day. The secret door of shoes and a stack of hat boxes containing a dozen fancy
leading west is extremely narrow and well-disguised as a hats. One of the hat boxes has a pouch of 29 pearls worth
section of masonry wall. If discovered with a successful DC 25 gp each. The clothes in this closet can be sold in a large
20 Intelligence (Investigation) check, it is easy to push back city for up to 1,000 gp (not including the pearls). The tap-
and slide open. estries can be sold for a total of 400 gp. The rugs are fairly
common and worth a total of 15 gp.
AREA 2-18 – HIDDEN QUARTERS
This room is remarkably dry and cozy compared to the rest of AREA 2-19 – PENDULUM BLADE TRAP
the dungeon. The floor is piled with carpets, and tapestries are What appears to be a standard underground stone hallway is
on the wall that depict serene mountain scenes. There is a tall actually a gauntlet of lethal traps. The corridor is 40 feet long,
chest of drawers, an oversized freestanding closet with a heavy and there is a pressure plate every 8 feet, for a total of four
padlock, a comfortable-looking sofa with an end table, and a triggers. Each pressure plate can be discovered with a success-
hanging crystal chandelier that glows with magical light. ful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. Every time one of
This was the secret sleeping quarters of the smuggler leader. these plates is triggered, a sharp pendulum blade swings out
He used it very little, since getting here involved diving into from its recessed hiding place in the ceiling. Treat this as an
the well and swimming through the flooded chamber (area attack with +12 to hit, dealing 16 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage
2-17), but it provided him with protection and solitude on a hit. In addition, once the first pressure point is triggered,
from his men. a variety of other blades start automatically swinging in a
lightning-fast pattern. Nimble adventurers may be able to
The secret door leading out of this room is both covered by time the swinging of the blades and tumble past them one at
a tapestry and camouflaged to look like a normal section a time with a successful DC 22 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
of wall, requiring a successful DC 22 Intelligence (Inves- On a failure, the character is struck taking 16 (3d6 + 6) slash-
tigation) to find. It is also locked but can be opened with ing damage. The traps can be disarmed before the blades start
thieves’ tools and a successful DC 21 Dexterity check. to swing with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 19 Dexterity
Treasure. The chest has four drawers in it. The top three check, but after the blades are triggered, the only way to stop
hold fine clothing in the style of the garments found in them is with the lever in area 2-20.
area 2-19, toiletries, and other personal items. The bottom
drawer conceals a trap, which can be discovered with a suc- AREA 2-20 – GRAND DISPLAY ROOM
cessful DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The trap This is a trophy room, lit in several places by magical torches
can be disabled with thieves’ tools and a successful DC 14 hanging in wall brackets. There is a mounted and stuffed polar
Dexterity check. If it is opened before the trap is discovered bear on a stand, several suits of antique armor, and a rack of
and disarmed, a hidden jet in the top of the chest releases ancient weapons. In the center of the room is a large table with a
a cloud of poisonous gas. The cloud initially fills a 10-foot miniature castle. If it were a real castle, the scale would be enor-
sphere but increased another 10 feet per round until it fills a mous, but the model’s walls are a mere 6 inches high. Tiny sol-

34 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

diers of tin stand guard around its miniature battlements. Lean- will be difficult to find a buyer for it. The weapons are as-
ing up against the far west wall is a huge copper piece at least sorted polearms and spears, all masterwork antiques. Only
18 feet across, a perfect replica of the normal coin of the realm. one is exceptional: a vicious halberd.
There are a total of 15 continual flame torches mounted
around this room, providing bright illumination. One of AREA 2-21 – UNSEEN GUARDS
the suits of armor is actually a shield guardian named Her- This is a 30-foot-by-30-foot chamber that might have once
man. It will not reveal itself or attack as long as intruders do been a meeting room. The faint odor of sulfur tickles your nos-
not touch or otherwise bother any of the displays. If any- trils. A smashed table and a dozen small benches are piled in
thing is touched, it will attack everyone in the room, stop- the southwest corner. You see strange smudges in patterns all
ping for nothing except for the secret command phrase: over the walls.
“Easy, Herman.” The smudge patterns are the work of the five phantom
Hidden behind the huge copper piece is the lever that fungi (see Part 2) that have been placed here by Nockmort’s
switches off the traps in area 2-19. One trophy not appar- order. The fungi have been altered by the power of the me-
ent when the characters first enter the room is the skull of teorite. They can now cling to walls and ceilings effortlessly.
a giant horned dragon, set above the door leading in from Currently, all five of the fungi are hanging upside-down,
area 2-19. Characters must look up from the door to notice but when the characters pass underneath them, they drop
it. The skull once belonged to a fearsome beast but now is down and attack.
adorned with a party hat and a brightly colored drape hung The secret door is a 3-foot-wide round passageway set 2
about it, giving the appearance of a cravat. feet off the ground. It requires a successful DC 20 Wis-
Treasure. The giant copper piece is mostly composed of a dom (Perception) check to notice and a successful DC 17
base metal with a thin copper coating. It weighs more than Dexterity check with thieves’ tools to unlock. Characters
1,000 lbs., and if the characters can find a way to bring it lingering outside this passage will recognize it as the source
to market, it would be worth up to 2,000 gp to a collector of the strange scent in the room.
of such oddities. The polar bear might bring 400 gp, but it

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 35

AREA 2-22 – ACID PIT
The scent of sulfur is much stronger here than it is in its an-
CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
techamber. The room is bare except for what appears to be a You may elect to award bonus XP to the party for excep-
3-foot-high well, the source of the odor you detect. tional action and heroic accomplishments. Use the table
below as a guideline for awarding bonus experience points
Characters looking over the side of the well see what appears to the party.
to be clear water but is actually acid. It will eventually eat
through anything dropped into it, with the exception of nor- Action XP Bonus
mal rock and stone. It will effectively and permanently de- Freeing the dryad in area 1-10 450 XP
stroy any pieces of meteorite dropped inside. The smugglers Freeing Rootshaker in area 450 XP
used this acid well for a variety of nefarious purposes (most A-3 (cell A)
painful to their captives), but Nockmort has decided to keep Destroying all remnants of 2,400 XP
it protected, lest the bugbears get any ideas. Anyone daring the meteorite
to enter the pit takes 10 (3d6) acid damage per round.
Curing the inhabitants of 2,400 XP
Garland’s Fork
Turning in black market items XP equal to gp value
to authorities divided by 10

The characters actions and exploits during this adventure

could have further effects, at the discretion of the GM.
Consider the following:
• If the body of Nockmort is not destroyed or is left within
120 feet of a remaining fragment of the purple meteorite,
then it rises in 1 week as a deadwood treant. He could
conceivably start the entire garden again in a new under-
ground location with new plants that could have even
more baleful effects. And, of course, he probably wants
revenge against the fleshlings that ruined his first attempt.
• Despite the characters’ best efforts, one of the bugbears
escapes with the last existing fragment of meteorite. He
plans to create a new garden somewhere nearby. Once au-
thorities suspect that the meteorite has started to pollute
the land again, the heroes are summoned as “experts” on
dealing with such situations.
• A criminal gang associated with the smugglers discovers
the carnage left behind in the wake of Nockmort and
the subsequent invasion of adventurers. They blame the
characters, being too shrewd to believe in talking trees
and magic sky rocks. The thugs seek out the characters to
dish out bloody revenge.
• The evil meteorite was no accident—some terrible power
of entropy, chaos, evil, or similar concept sent it to the
planet to wreak mayhem. Its schemes stymied, the power
sends another meteorite to another part of the land, hop-
ing to turn more plants and their guardians to its evil
will. The characters hear rumors of a second purple streak
in the sky, landing in some remote place to sow the land
with evil once more.

36 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

 APPENDIces
APPENDIX A: NEW MONSTER Siege Monster: The deadwood treant deals double damage
to objects and structures.
Sunder: If the deadwood treant hits a target with a slam
DEADWOOD TREANT
attack, it can make an additional attack against the target’s
The deadwood treant is a unique creature that occurs when weapon or armor as a bonus action. An armor has the same
the corpse of a treant is exposed to the glow of a specific pur- AC as the creature wearing it and a weapon has an AC 13
ple meteorite. It is somewhat similar to an undead creature; plus the Dexterity of the wielder. If hit, a weapon takes a
its trunk becomes rotted and hollow, though the remaining
cumulative -1 to damage, and armor takes a cumulative -1
body achieves a state something like petrifaction. It loses al-
to protection. Weapons reduced to a -5 penalty or armor
most two-thirds of its mass but retains its strength and vital-
reduced to AC 10 is destroyed. Magical items are immune
ity, and its body glows from within with an evil purple light.
to this effect.
Deadwood treants are befuddled and hateful. They tend to
follow suggestions from their own kind and react favorably ACTIONS
to treants who possess a bit of the meteorite that brought
Multiattack: The deadwood treant makes two slam at-
them to life. Left on its own, a deadwood treant seeks to
tacks.
destroy and harm everything it can get its branches on.
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
DEADWOOD TREANT creature. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Huge plant, chaotic evil A fully grown tree appears to have sprouted upside-down from
the cavern ceiling, its rotting bark surrounded by a hazy violet
Armor Class: 21 (natural armor) glow. The purple light burns brighter in the creature’s eyes as its
Hit Points: 174 (12d12 + 96) wickedly sharp branches swipe at you.
Speed: 30 ft.

STR DEX CON

26 (+8) 10 (+0) 26 (+8)
INT
9 (-1)
WIS
16 (+3)
CHR
4 (-3)
APPENDIX B: NEW MAGIC ITEMS
Skills: Athletics +14 MASTERWORK THIEVES’ TOOLS
Damage Vulnerabilities: fire Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing These enchanted tools are often wrapped with fancy leather
damage grips, and possibly adorned with tiny gemstones. They do
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened, paralyzed, not radiate magic. These magic tools have 7 charges. At
poisoned, midnight, the tools regain 1d6+1 charges.
Senses: darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 By using 1 charge, the user can add 1d4 to any Dexterity
ability check to disable a trap, or pick a lock. By using 3
Languages: Common, Druidic, Elvish, Sylvan
charges and uttering a command word, using these tool’s
Challenge: 10 (5,900 XP) grants advantage on a Dexterity check to disable a trap or
Charge: If the deadwood treant moves at least 20 feet pick a lock.
straight toward a target and then hits it with its slam attack
on the same turn, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) bludg- RING OF DRYNESS
eoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed Wondrous item, common
on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
This enchanted ring is a silver band with swirling air cur-
Creep and Cling: The deadwood treant uses the tips of its rents engraved on its surface. When the ring is worn, a crea-
branches and roots to find the tiniest cracks in any wall or ture immersed in water leaves it perfectly dry. The ring also
edifice, granting it a climbing speed equal to its walking protects all of the equipment the character wears as well.
speed and allowing it hang upside-down on ceilings, with-
out needing to make an ability check.

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 37

 APPENDIX C: PLAYER HANDOUTS

To whom it may concern: If you discover

this it most likely means that Garland’s
Fork and our messenger have succumbed
to the curse that has been afflicting
us for these past three days. We are
horribly transformed, and are desperate
for your aid. Please help us; the pain is -

PLAYERS’ HANDOUT 1
This printing of Fifth Edition Fantasy #23: The OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a ments, creatures, equipment, magical or or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights distributed under any version of this License.
Sunless Garden is done under version 1.0 of the The following text is the property of Wizards of supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, conveyed by this License. 10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a
Open Gaming License, and the System Refer- the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of or graphic designs; and any other trademark 6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update copy of this License with every copy of the Open
ence Document by permission from Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. or registered trademark clearly identified as the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License Game Content You Distribute.
the Coast, Inc.Designation of Product Identity: 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the Product identity by the owner of the Product to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT 11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not
The following items are hereby designated as copyright and/or trademark owners who have Identity, and which specifically excludes the NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are market or advertise the Open Game Content
Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means copying, modifying or distributing, and You using the name of any Contributor unless You
of the Open Game License, version 1.0: Fifth Edi- Material” means copyrighted material includ- the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs must add the title, the copyright date, and the have written permission from the Contributor
tion Fantasy #19: Denizens of the Reed Maze, ing derivative works and translations (including that are used by a Contributor to identify itself copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT to do so.
all proper nouns, capitalized terms, italicized into other computer languages), potation, or its products or the associated products NOTICE of any original Open Game Content 12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for
terms, artwork, maps, symbols, depictions, and modification, correction, addition, extension, contributed to the Open Game License by the you Distribute. You to comply with any of the terms of this
illustrations, except such elements that already upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridg- Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use License with respect to some or all of the Open
appear in the System Reference Document or ment or other form in which an existing work use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, trans- any Product Identity, including as an indication Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or
have been released as Open Content. may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Dis- late and otherwise create Derivative Material of as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed governmental regulation then You may not Use
Designation of Open Content: Subject to the tribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means in another, independent Agreement with any Open Game Material so affected.
Product Identity designation above, such sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or the licensee in terms of this agreement. the owner of each element of that Product 13 Termination: This License will terminate
sections of creature and NPC statistics as derive otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility automatically if You fail to comply with all
from the SRD are designated as Open Gaming means the game mechanic and includes the Game Content that contains a notice indicating or co-adaptability with any Trademark or terms herein and fail to cure such breach within
Content. methods, procedures, processes and routines that the Open Game Content may only be Used Registered Trademark in conjunction with a 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All
Some of the portions of this book which are to the extent such content does not embody under and in terms of this License. You must work containing Open Game Content except sublicenses shall survive the termination of
delineated OGC originate from the System the Product Identity and is an enhancement affix such a notice to any Open Game Content as expressly licensed in another, independent this License.
Reference Document and are copyright © 1999, over the prior art and any additional content that you Use. No terms may be added to or sub- Agreement with the owner of such Trademark 14 Reformation: If any provision of this License
2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remainder clearly identified as Open Game Content by the tracted from this License except as described by or Registered Trademark. The use of any is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall
of these OGC portions of these book are hereby Contributor, and means any work covered by the License itself. No other terms or conditions Product Identity in Open Game Content does be reformed only to the extent necessary to
added to Open Game Content and, if so used, this License, including translations and deriva- may be applied to any Open Game Content not constitute a challenge to the ownership of make it enforceable.
should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “Fifth Edi- tive works under copyright law, but specifically distributed using this License. that Product Identity. The owner of any Product 15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
tion Fantasy #23: The Sunless Garden, copyright excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” 3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Identity used in Open Game Content shall Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000,
© 2022 Goodman Games, all rights reserved, means product and product line names, logos Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
visit www.goodman-games.com or contact and identifying marks including trade dress; the terms of this License. Product Identity. System Rules Document Copyright 2000 Wiz-
info@goodman-games.com” artifacts; creatures characters; stories, 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game ards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet,
Fifth Edition Fantasy #23: The Sunless Garden is storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, agreeing to use this License, the Contributors Content You must clearly indicate which por- Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original
copyright © 2022 Goodman Games LLC. Open incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, tions of the work that you are distributing are material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
game content may only be used under and in depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of Open Game Content. Fifth Edition Fantasy #23: The Sunless Garden,
the terms of the Open Game License. themes and graphic, photographic and other this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its desig- copyright © 2022 Goodman Games LLC, all
Goodman Games LLC is not affiliated with visual or audio representations; names and de- 5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: nated Agents may publish updated versions rights reserved, visit www.goodman-games.
Wizards of the CoastTM. Goodman Games LLC scriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, If You are contributing original material as of this License. You may use any authorized com or contact info@goodman-games.com
makes no claim to or challenge to any trade- personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and Open Game Content, You represent that Your version of this License to copy, modify and
marks held by Wizards of the CoastTM. special abilities; places, locations, environ- Contributions are Your original creation and/ distribute any Open Game Content originally

38 FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden

Friday
When I awoke this morning I meant to dress and take my
walk past the stables to see (and be seen by!) dear Yon-
neth. How I hope that one day he will take notice of a plain
farm girl like myself. Aye, me. I have changed my plans – I
do not feel quite myself and I fear to be seen less than per-
fect. Indeed, I feel thick as a pot of soup. Best I stay home
today anyhow – father complains of pains in his back and
I must help him feed the horses. My destiny must be ruled
by the darkest of stars for such a fate to be mine.

Saturday
I fear this might be my last entry, dearest friend journal,
as I plan to hide myself away to the highest cliff I can
find and throw myself off. I would rather die than live with
whatever curse has been inflicted upon me. This morning
I awoke to find my hair had turned to leaves. I look like
some mad oak tree! Oh, to find whatever witch hexed me
thus! I am certain it is Quella, the barmaid – she is jealous
of the bond that she sees growing between Yonneth and
myself. Aye me, what shall I do?

Sunday
Oh Yonneth – what has become of all of us? I see that now
my fate is the fate of everyone in the Fork – we are a vic-
tim of the same terrible curse. I can take no food or drink,
and not even water comforts me – the water from the well
tastes strange. Will I die? Will I dream? Oh Yonneth –

PLAYERS’ HANDOUT 2
The Last Three Days of the Journal of Caralee Wakes

FIFTH EDITION FANTASY the sunless garden 39

Stand-alone, world-neutral adventure modules compatible with 5E. All print editions also include a
code for free PDF edition. Look for them at your local game store or www.goodman-games.com!

Original Adventures Reincarnated are an homage to the origins of our

hobby! Each volume contains high-quality scans from multiple printings
of the original first edition adventure modules, plus commentary by
gaming legends. Full fifth edition conversions are included, as well as
brand new adventure material that adds new encounters and expands the
original encounters.