Sample file Credits Design & layout: R.M. Jansen-Parkes Sample file Maps created with Campaign Cartographer 3 Images sourced through Adobe Stock Images and the Dungeon Masters’ Guild. Special thanks to Lauren Jansen-Parkes Legal DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, , , the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, , ’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. elcome to Tales From the If it hasn’t already been made obvious, Tome! This 60-page book is YOU WILL NEED ACCESS TO A COPY OF W designed to give DMs and ‘’S TOME OF FOES‘ TO players alike the chance to test out some of USE THIS BOOK. the weird and wonderful new creatures In any case, I’ve had a great time writing features in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. these five adventures, and hope to update We have five adventures on offer, this title with a sixth one soon - hopefully spanning almost every level of the game. an epic-level encounter with some of the Several of these also offer advice on how to really deadly monsters in the book. bump the dificulty up to a higher level, or Thank you for picking this little turning it down a little so that less collection of adventures up. I hope you experienced parties can get a chance to enjoy it. play. R.M. Jansen-Parkes

Contents Heart of Stone Page 3 Level 1-2 Sample file When the Stars Align Page 13 Level 4-6

Death in the Dark Page 25 Level 7-10

Like Clockwork Page 37 Level 11-13

Upsetting the Balance Page 47 Level 14-16

1 Sample file Heart of Stone ~ A three-hour adventure for levels 1-2 ~

omething strange lurks within the stony confines of an abandoned wizard’s tower. Part One: Keeping S The sole surviving member of a forlorn adventuring party is desperate to find out what Hope Alive happened to his friends and is willing to provide a The adventure begins with the party meeting Kness generous reward to anybody willing to launch a Shatterbone. If they’re in a tavern she approaches second expedition. them after spotting their weapons and other Will the heroes uncover the secrets of the tower, equipment. Otherwise, they likely go to find her after or will they also disappear into the darkness? reading a note or being told about her need for stout- Summary hearted heroes. Part One: Keeping Hope Alive Kness is a fairly young female dwarf, only a few years into full adulthood. She looks tough, with In the wake of a disastrous trip to a local wizard’s broad shoulders and powerful arms, but it’s obvious tower, Kness Shatterbone is reconsidering her plans that she’s both bone-weary and deeply upset. to become an adventurer. However, she is still desperate to find out what happened to her erstwhile Any adventurer proficient in Medicine is fairly allies. certain she hasn’t slept in more than a day. Part Two: The Wizard’s Tower She explains that she urgently needs help from some people who know how to handle themselves in The adventurers explore the former tower of the a fight. The details are: egomaniacal wizard Millano the Magnificent. Along the way they find a band of insectoid Kruthik ● She is also an adventurer – or at least she was, as tearing through the walls, as well as hints that the she’s now reconsidering her profession. mage was planning to find a way to guard his tower ● Her group was formed of a band of friends from from beyond the bounds of death. Sample filetheir village. There were five of them all told, As they realise Millano’s plan to turn himself and all were very new to the adventuring life. into a living statue known as a stone cursed, the ● A couple of days ago they were hired to dispose former mage attacks of a band of Kruthik – large insectoid monsters – Part Three: Falling Down that had escaped the extermination of their nest and had been seen roaming some nearby After Millano is defeated the tower begins to sink moorland. into the earth. Will the adventurers be able to find Kness’ comrades in time? ● They tracked the monsters to an abandoned wizard’s tower Beginning the Adventure As with so many quests aimed at fresh-faced young Cast adventurers, Heart of Stone begins in a tavern. It is ● here that Kness Shatterbone begins her desperate Kness Shattbone: Female dwarf Guard. A search for anybody brave enough to find out what brand new adventurer, and the only one of happened to her friends. her party to escape the wizard’s tower. ● Alternatively, the adventurers could see a note Millano the Magnificant: Former male she has posted to a job board or hear about the human Wizard who had himself transformed dwarven woman looking for help from shopkeepers into a Stone Cursed in a bid to preserve his or other friendly NPCs. tower, and with it his legacy.

3 The tower itself is built on the top of a low hill. ● The tower was weird. It didn’t seem as though As the adventurers approach, read aloud or anybody had been there in ages, but it was still paraphrase the following: clean and tidy. ● They had a poke around the place, and After having to push your way past thick bushes eventually discovered some of the monsters and weeds that threatened to overgrow the lurking in the upper levels. It was a tough fight, narrow path entirely, it comes as a relief when you and they made a bit of a mess of the tower, but enter the open ground surrounding the looming they killed most of the Kruthik. tower. The building is perhaps a little shorter than ● As they continued exploring, however, you expected, sitting at only three stories, but the something started picking her friends off. It sky-grey stones that make up its great bulk seem attacked from the shadows and before she knew much sturdier that the narrow, twisting spires that what was happening, Kness was the only one some mages seem to favour. remaining. Narrow windows dot the masonry here and ● Unsure of what to do, Kness fled the tower in a there, and over the wooden doorway you can panic. Now she’s trying to find people to head read the words “ etched back there, find out what happened to her into the stone. friends and destroy whatever or whoever The doorway is locked. It can be picked with a DC10 attacked them. Dexterity check using Thieves’ Tools or forced with a ● If the party help out, she is willing to pay the DC13 Strength (Athletics) check. 200gp down payment she and her friends received for the Kruthik disposal, as well as the The Gallery extra 100gp they will get from the town council As the adventurers open the door, read aloud or for a successful job. paraphrase the following: Details of the Tower You step into the building, feeling a comfortable If asked, Kness can provide a rough description of warmth as you move from the cold moorland to a the first two levels of the tower (see Part Two). She large, high-roofed chamber. Judging by the size also knows that: Sample file you’d guess that it takes up the entire ground ● The tower belonged to a mage known as Millano floor of the tower. the Magnificent. He was a human wizard who Just as Kness claimed, the tower radiates an died about 10 years ago. air of tidiness and well-scrubbed organisation that ● Nobody seems to have a claim on the tower, borders on the oppressive. There are no muddy ● He seems to be very proud of his work, and the footprints on the floorboards, nor any trace of the inside of the tower is stuffed with portraits and battle the dwarven woman claimed to have fought even a statue. here less than a day ago. ● The front door was locked, but her friend picked While there is little furniture in the room it. She did not lock it behind her when she left. beyond an expensive-looking table, the walls groan under the weight of paintings. All of them Part Two: the Wizard’s seem to show the same person – a pale human man in green robes – and in all of them he is Tower shows committing some incredible deed; The wizard’s tower is several miles from town, and communing with a god here, rescuing a child from Kness’ directions lead the adventurers down a trolls there. narrow trail that winds its way through thick At the rear of the room you can see a statue patches of heather and skirts around dark peat bogs. of the same man mounted on a plinth, and though he’s a little older than he is in the paintings he still bears the same knowing smirk.

4 Gaining an Ally? Magical Helpers Kness is emotionally and physically drained from The tower is attended to by a group of four her experiences over the past day. She is ‘unseen servants’ that clean and tidy the building. conflicted about whether she should return to the They sweep and clean up as necessary, and repair tower to aid her friends, but even at a glance it’s any damage caused to the walls or fixtures. clear that her exhaustion means she will be of The adventurers may notice the unseen very little use. servants working to clean up muddy footprints However, if you are running the game with tracked in when they first arrive. only a few adventurers, Kness could help to round out their numbers and provide examples Each of the paintings is enchanted with a magic for newer players. If so, she uses the statistics of a mouth spell (see PHB p.257) that triggers when a Guard (MM p.347). creature approaches it. Either randomly select or choose a result from the table below. The voice speaks in a measured, cultured tone, as A staircase to the right of the room leads up to the you might expect to hear in a famous art gallery or Living Quarters. show. Each description only triggers once. A similar staircase to the left heads down to the The statue at the rear of the room shows Millano Dungeon. There is no visible lock or even handle, the Magnificent and stands on a sturdy stone plinth. but it is protected with an arcane lock spell. It can be This statue is secretly a stone cursed (MToF p.240) opened by speaking the password ‘open before your created from Millano himself. Thanks to its False master’ or forced with a DC25 Strength (Athletics) Appearance ability, the adventurers will find it check. almost impossible to distinguish from a conventional statue.

D6 Painting Description

1 Millano looking thoughtful as a robed This painting shows the moment Millano the Magnificent woman explains something to himSamplereceived thefile wisdom of the weave from , Goddess of Magic herself

2 Millano casts a spell at a troll with one Here we see Millano the Magnificent singlehandedly hand while using the other to clutch a rescue the grateful folk of Snudbury from fearsome trolls crying child

3 A heavily muscled Millano squares up This piece captures the mighty Millano the Magnificent to a devilish figure in burning armour just before his boxing match against one of the famed fire generals of the nine hells

4 Dwarves crowd around Millano with Millano the Magnificent’s skills extend far beyond mere awe on their faces as he forges a magic, and here we see him demonstrate his legendary sword smithing skills

5 Millano stops a frightened drawing As well as great power, Millano the Magnificent also a sword while reaching out to an possesses great heart, as seen when he saved the life of a injured bear cave bear threatened by an elven ranger

6 A young human boy watches with Millano the Magnificent has always been keen to share his admiration and love as Millano gifts with the world, as seen with his work helping to lectures from an open book teach less gifted students, such as his apprentice Texolo.

5 Living Quarters A. Passageway Once the adventurers climb the stairs up to the living quarters they emerge in a passageway. There are three doors leading off to side- rooms and it continues around to the left. There are a handful of marks on the walls where the mortar is a slightly different colour, or the woodwork seems to have received fresh paint. A DC12 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows an adventurer to work out that the repairs all seem to have happened in Gallery N the last day or so. Adventurers with a passive Perception of 14 or greater will be able to hear movement nearby, as rolls and Dexterity saving throws while all attack though something is scuttling about in the rooms. rolls against them have advantage). The passageway eventually leads to the SampleB. fileApprentice’s Room Laboratory. This small chamber is rather dull compared to the Kruthik Attack rest of the tower, with a narrow bed and small desk. As soon as they begin to open any door, the There is a plain, empty chest in the corner. adventurers hear a horrible scratching noise. On the desk, however, is a leather-bound journal. Moments later four young kruthik (MToF p.211) The name on the cover indicates that it belongs to burst through the nearby walls, leaving roughly 2½ ‘Texolo’. ft. holes in their wake. A Strong Kick In total there are eight young kruthik in the living quarters. Four of them burst through the walls If the adventurers manage to break their way at the start of the combat, with the rest joining after into the dungeon without exploring the rest of at least two of their comrades are defeated. the tower, you may need to re-arrange some of The insectoid monsters use their ability to the encounters. burrow through the walls to keep themselves safe Rather than battling the young kruthik in the until they can launch an attack on their target. Small living quarters, the adventurers find them creatures can travel through the holes they leave lurking in the basement, while the stone cursed behind, but medium creatures must squeeze (need to Millano attempts to ambush them as they move expend double movement to move through the gap, back through the gallery. and when there they have disadvantage on attack

6 It contains many pages detailing the life of a piece of parchment in his desk drawer – but this wizard’s apprentice, listing the routine tasks Texolo morning he confided in me that he is almost out of time. carried out and occasional grumblings about his He says there is one final thing he wishes me to do master. The part that attracts the most attention is before he dies. I’m not sure what it is quite yet, but I’m the final entry, which is dated from around 10 years guessing it’s something to do with the creatures he has ago. It reads: locked up in the specimen room upstairs. This shall probably be the final entry in this journal, as I For all his boasting and his bizarre obsession with don’t think I’ll be taking it with me when I leave. his legacy, Millano hasn’t been too bad a teacher. He’s I’ve known for some time that Master Millano’s certainly a better wizard than he thinks he is, once he health is failing, as has his memory – he forgot the drops the whole ‘magnificent’ act and actually gets some password for his treasure chest completely, so now he’s work done… taken to keeping the password to the old dungeon on a This time tomorrow I expect I shall be off home to Waterdeep.

B D Sample file A

C F

E

Living Quarters

7 A DC13 Wisdom (Nature) will be able to identify C. Master Bedroom these as belonging to a cockatrice and a basilisk Light and airy, this bedroom clearly belonged to respectively. Both creatures are well known for their someone who lived comfortably. Everything is tidy, abilities to turn their enemies to stone. with clean, crisp sheets covering the bed and a stack C. Millano’s Lab of neatly folded reen robes in a cupboard. This large room is clearly a laboratory. Bookshelves D. Storeroom and a fine desk, while a huge workbench fills much This small room contains a few crates and boxes of the southern end of the room. In the far corner is containing various household supplies such as spare an ornate chest. bed linen, blankets and cleaning products. Two large bony claws sit on the wall, in the same If the adventurers cause damage or a mess way that crossed swords might be used to decorate a around the house, this is where the unseen servants noble manor house. A DC13 Intelligence (Nature) find the appropriate tools. check will allow an adventurer as belonging to a E. Kitchen monster known a hook horror. The Desk A warm, friendly kitchen with everything neatly stowed away. There is no food in the cupboards, but The opulent desk in the corner is neatly organised, there are a handful of bottles of high-quality wine with a slim book sitting alongside various writing that are worth 3gp each, as well as a set of silver tools and pieces of magical paraphernalia. cutlery worth 2gp. The book is entitled Guardians of the Mage and F. Bathroom includes summaries of several creatures wizards can use to protect their towers and laboratories. These The walls are painted sky-blue and the floor covered include: in tiles, while a large tub sits in the centre of this ● Bound elementals – Forces of nature controlled chamber. The water it contains is gently steaming by magic and is kept magically warm. ● Spectator – A floating eyeball with magical A doorway to the left of the chamber leadsSample to an filepowers, related to beholders inside privy. ● Bound demon – A creature from the abyss, Laboratory forced into service ● Stone cursed – A petrified creature who has A. Landing been magically animated A note scribbled in the margin of the opening page Once they climb the stairs, the adventurers find reads: “My spells shall ensure that my tower stands firm themselves standing on a wide landing with two against the ages, but it needs a guardian – but what doors. One to the east leads to MILLANO’S LAB, while creature do I trust to defend my legacy as well as the door to the south leads to the Specimen Room. myself?” The door to the Specimen Room is barred from If the adventurers guess that Millano had this side, but otherwise neither door is locked. himself turned into a ‘stone cursed’ – or realise it at a B. Specimen Room later junction – they can flick through the book to Several old cages sit on the floor, with smaller ones learn about the creatures, including a rough being stacked on top. summary of the information on p.240 of Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes. The cages are all empty, but two of them are open. Adventurers examining these find that one has Inside the desk drawer is a scrap of parchment. a handful of iridescent feathers lying at the bottom, The phrase ‘open before your master’ is written out while the other has a bright red quill stuck between in spidery handwriting. This is the password to the the bars. dungeon door.

8 A C

B

Sample file Laboratory

The password for the chest is “display your The Workbench wares”. The only way to retrieve this password is by successfully using the cryptic whispers property of The workbench is covered in the remnants of the stone cursed’s obsidian skull. complex ritual magic. A DC13 Wisdom (Perception) The chest contains a Headband of Intellect (see check will allow an adventurer to spot a small vial DMG p.173 or the DM’s Basic Rules) and a Wand of labelled ‘basilisk blood’ while a wooden box is marked Magic Detection (see DMG p.211 or the DM’s Basic ‘cockatrice feathers’. Both creatures are well known Rules), which may be replaced by any uncommon for their abilities to turn their enemies to stone. magic items you wish. The Chest Millano Attacks In the far corner of the lab is an ornate chest decorated with golden filigree. By the time they have explored the lab, the The chest is sealed with an arcane lock spell. It can be adventurers should have guessed that Millano the picked with a DC30 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Magnificent had himself turned into a stone cursed

9 to protect his tower. They may have also realised that the statue in the gallery was no mere artwork. Retrieving the Password At the point when the adventurers realise what If the adventurers have missed the signs indicating Millano has turned himself into, the stone cursed where they can find the password for the dungeon, mage appears at the doorway and launches his they can attempt to retrieve it from the obsidian attack. He is joined by the two claws mounted on the skull found within the stone cursed Millano. wall, which begin soar through the air and are This follows the rules presented in ‘Cryptic treated as flying swords (MM p.20). Whispers’ on MToF p.240, but with the DC reduced to As the stone cursed falls apart, one of its fists 10. Using the skull in this way destroys it, and opens to reveal a shining silver key. This is used to ensures that the adventurers cannot open the unlock the cell in the Dungeon. treasure chest in Millano’s Lab.

Sample file

Dungeon

10 There is just enough time left to either loot the treasure chest in Millano’s lab, or to rescue the Part Three: Falling prisoners held in the dungeon. Any adventurer that remains to help with either of these – or who is Down lingering inside the tower for some reason – must As soon as the stone cursed Millano is destroyed, the make a DC12 Dexterity saving throw as the tower tower begins to rumble underfoot. Adventurers able collapses around them. If they fail, they take 10 (3d6) to make a DC13 Intelligence (Arcana) check would bludgeoning damage as they are struck by falling guess that the mage himself was tied into the magic masonry. holding the tower together. Any adventurer reduced to 0 hit points by this is It takes just over an hour for the building to trapped in the falling building, and unless their allies collapse. This is enough time for one adventurer to can quickly save them they are killed when the attempt to access memories from the stone cursed’s structure comes down completely. obsidian skull. Ending the Adventure The Dungeon Kness is grateful to the adventurers for bringing her Like the rest of the tower, the dungeon is spotlessly either news of what happened or returning her clean. There is a single large cell to the east of the comrades alive. In either case she pays the gold room, containing four injured adventurers – two reward to the adventurers, with the rest of her party humans, a and a dwarf. chipping in an extra 100gp if they were saved. These are Kness’ comrades. They remember little Even if they are rescued, the dwarf and her beyond being attacked and waking up in the dark. friends are shaken by their experience in the tower They are extremely grateful of the heroes’ aid, and are unsure of whether the life of wandering though they are a little embarrassed by the need. heroes is right for them. The door can be unlocked with the silver key The adventurers can try to persuade them either held by the stone cursed Millano, or by a DC14 way, either encouraging them to get back on the Dexterity check using Thieves’ Tools. road and seek out more adventure, or return home The adventurers are too injured to be capableSample of to safety.file This may result in them gaining some allies fighting, though if magically healed they use the that might crop up in future adventures, or a safe statistics of a Guard (MM p.347). place to rest and/or hide out. The Tower Collapses Scaling the Adventure If the adventurers retrieve Kness’ comrades shortly Heart of Stone is suitable for level 1 and 2 after defeating the stone cursed Millano and flee parties, but with some minor modification can be the shaking tower, it collapses behind them as soon made an appropriate channel for level 3 and 4. as they reach a safe distance. ● Living Quarters encounter: If they need to wait an hour while attempting to Add 1 Adult Kruthik (MToF p.212). read the memories contained within Millano’s ● Millano’s Laboratory encounter: obsidian skull, the structure becomes increasingly Add 2 Animated Armor (MM p.19). unstable and dangerous as time passes. It becomes To increase the challenge, you may also add an obvious that everything is going to collapse within encouter with 2 Adult Kruthik (MToF p.212) and 2 the next few minutes. Young Kruthik (MToF p.211) in the dungeon.

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