Nearby townspeople abandoned this salt mine decades ago, believing that it was haunted. The miremurk goblins were quick to move in once the humans left, burrowing and building down into the rock and salt of the earth.

---

Dungeon Features

• Ceilings. 8 feet high, made of roughly carved stone.
• Doors. Rooms are separated by tattered hanging curtains, offering little privacy.
• Light. None, as all goblins have darkvision. Light within the mine is a dead giveaway that intruders are near, and goblins that see a light source coming down a tunnel instantly prepare an ambush.
• Terrain. The interior of the cave is rough terrain , as the ground is made of broken stone and salt deposits.

Whenever the PCs move through a hallway between rooms, roll on the Random Mine Encounters table.

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Random Mine Encounters (1d12)

1–5. No encounter.

6. Three goblins stumble through the hallway drunk on stolen holiday wine (they have the poisoned condition). They don’t view the PC’s as a threat at first, instead trying to get them to solve an argument about human holiday carols.

7. 1d4 goblins and one yobbo march through the halls angrily, ready to fight.

8. Two goblins carry a live boar hogtied on a pole. The pig is loyal to the PCs if it is saved.

9. Three goblin concubines sashay through the halls trying to attract the attention of suitors. They see the PCs as possible suitors and try to seduce them.

10. A ghost of a salt miner stalks the hall. It attacks unless its desire for one last meal, willingly cooked and given, is satisfied. Satisfying the ghost instead of destroying it rewards double experience points.

11. A giant boar , dressed to be eaten, rampages through the halls. It attacks others on sight.

12. The goblin king and his retinue of 2d6 goblins and 2 nilbogs march through the halls. The goblin king orders the death of those unknown to him.

---

---

1. Mine Entrance

The ground is covered in dirty and yellowed snow. Rusted mining tools are buried in the snow, along with one rusted upturned mine cart. The entrances are held up by large weather worn wooden posts and arches.

A DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the paths around the mine entrances are muddied with small goblin footprints. Dozens, if not hundreds, of goblins have passed through here recently.

Characters who make a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check notice murder holes drilled into the stone walls between the two entrances. The 3 goblins in the Murder Hole Room (Area 4) are standing watch. Any creature who approaches the mine without succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check is shot at by the goblins with blowgun darts (see Area 4).

---

2. East Hallway

The walls are festooned with holiday wreaths and garlands. Looking closely at them reveals some have dead rats and squashed bugs tucked into them.

Pit Traps. At two points in this hallway there are 10 foot deep pit traps with spikes at the bottom. They require a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice. A creature that falls into one takes 3d6 piercing damage from the spikes, and must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw . Failure causes them to contract a random effect from the Goblin Poison table.

At the very end of the hall is a statue of a recognizable human deity (ideally, one that a party member worships). This statue is indestructible, but has been vandalized by the goblins with lewd graffiti. Any PC that takes the time to clean it up and restore its original appearance gains inspiration.

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3. Grub Pits

The room has several maggot-infested pits. Everything in the room smells awful.

A DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals something gleaming inside one of the pits: a magical sword of life stealing . Pulling this sword out is difficult because its blade is lodged in the head of a dead otyugh buried in the maggots. Pulling the sword out of its head sends a jolt of magic into the corpse, reanimating it for 1 minute. Now alive, the otyugh attacks until the magic fades.

Any combat in this room draws a random encounter from the hallway (roll twice, take the higher result).

---

4. Murder Hole Room

This stone room has holes carved in the walls, reaching outside. Three goblins stand guard here, ready to shoot trespassers outside with blowguns and darts coated with Goblin Poison.

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5. West Hallway

The walls are festooned with holiday wreaths and garlands. Looking closely at them reveals some have dead rats and squashed bugs tucked into them.

Bell Alarm. A tripwire has been set up along the floor at the entrance of this hall (DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice). Tripping it causes the attached holiday bells to ring, alerting the goblins in the Armory (Area 6), who come out and investigate.

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6. Goblin Armory

Racks and shelves of absurd goblin weapons and torture devices. Most are unrecognizable and unusable as weapons for Medium-size creatures.

Five goblins busy themselves tossing weapons onto the shelves. If attacked, two of them run away to the Feasting Room (Area 8) for reinforcements.

---

7. Prison

Five large cages made from reeds and thorns take up most of the room. Two of those cages are occupied. The cages can be easily broken apart with weapons, or their locks can be picked with a DC 10 Dexterity (thieves’ tools) check. However, the cages themselves are slathered in Goblin Poison. Any nongoblinoid creature that touches or interacts with them must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw . On a failure, that creature suffers a random effect from the Goblin Poison Effects table.

In the leftmost cage is a pair of raccoons (use cat statistics). They are starving and annoyed, and attack the nearest creature if freed. Giving them food calms them down and makes them stop attacking. If they are spoken to with magic, they will tell the PCs about the goblins , their goblin king , and the captured princess imprisoned with them.

When free, they want to escape back to the forest, but they can be convinced to follow the PCs.

In the rightmost cage is a teenage princess. She has dark skin, frizzy black hair, and is dressed in a stained, torn, yet somehow still voluminous green ball gown. She cries and wails, calling out for help. Her name is Princess Rentilda Ramanoska. She does not remember anything prior to this evening, other than that she’s a beloved princess from a land far away, and she has a torn up piece of wrapping paper and ribbons with her.

She woke up hours ago and was tossed into  this prison by the goblins . In truth, Princess Rentilda was a princess doll carved by a local toymaker, which was stolen by the goblins. When all the presents were tossed about the mine, the princess doll bumped up against an old fey bauble, which caused it to be made bigger and brought to life as a human teenage girl. If freed, Princess Rentilda will happily accompany the PCs, attaching herself to the kindest  member of the party. She is statistically identical to a noble , but with a Dexterity of 14 (+2), an AC of 12 (unarmored), and no weapons.

---

8. Feasting Room

Twenty goblins and 1 nilbog sit at a long wooden table loaded up with all the town’s stolen holiday foods. Shouting and cheering, the goblins feast on roast beef and turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, pies, and more. They make a tremendous amount of noise. There are 2 boars with the goblins , leashed with chains. The boars gnaw on turkey bones and whine for scraps.

The goblins can easily be snuck past, but these unusual goblin-bred boars have a passive Perception of 14 and advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that are based on smell. If they smell a non-goblinoid creature, they squeal to their masters to alert them to danger. If the goblins see the PCs, they release the boars, who charge forward and attack.

The stolen foods are not salvageable except for one pristine pumpkin pie with whipped cream. This pie is enough for eight humans, and anyone who eats from it gains inspiration. Inspiration cannot be gained in this way more than once in 24 hours. The rest of the food is half-eaten, soiled, or pulled apart into bits.

---

9. Garbage Hole

In the center of this room is a 50-foot-deep hole. It was originally dug as a mine shaft to a lower level, but the goblins now use it to throw their trash and waste into. It smells awful.

There is a single scrawny goblin guarding the garbage hole. She looks particularly small and sad, sniffling pitifully. If she spots the PCs coming from the southern hallway, she shakily demands they surrender. If the PCs start a fight in the Feasting Room (Area 8), or come from the hallway to the north, she is surprised and drops her weapon into the hole accidentally.

The goblin’s name is Wabs. She is a small but clever goblin whom the rest of the goblins  pick on and force terrible jobs on. She is cowardly and will surrender to the PC’s if hurt or threatened, promising that she can make herself useful. Wabs has no love for the rest of her kin, and aids the PCs if they promise to take her with them. She knows the layout of the mine, and can lead the PCs to where the stolen presents are being kept.

---

10. Smoking Room

This room is upside down. There are comfy armchairs, lamps, rugs, and end tables strung up to the ceiling. It looks like a fancy sitting room hanging upside down from the ceiling, suspended by wire and spikes.

Two yobbos sit in the chairs, upside down, smoking cigars and engaging in pleasant and intelligent conversation. If they notice the PC’s they chastise them for rudely interrupting them. They won’t attack unless attacked first. Instead, they’ll question the PCs about two of the subjects on the Inverted Yobbo Philosophy table (roll 1d4 for each column).

If asked about their seemingly high intelligence, the yobbos reply that being upside down does wonders for their intellect. That or it’s the effects of the cigars. They are uncertain.

Searching the room reveals 1d4 + 1 wrinkled green cigars. Smoking one grants a creature keen insight, giving them advantage on all Intelligence based ability checks and saving throws for the next hour.

---

11. Harem

Six goblin concubines rest here, cackling to themselves as they preen and pose in front of mirrors on the walls. A pile of unwrapped presents litter the ground. The goblin concubines squirt themselves with stolen perfume and cake their faces in stolen makeup. A large feather bed fills the corner of the room, well made and decorated with weeds and dried flower petals.

The goblin concubines will demand some kind of gift. Gold is fine, but gifts of food, clothing, or sundries are preferred. Jewelry is prized above all. Once the trade has been made, the goblin concubines shoo the PCs out, giggling to themselves. If the PCs refuse to give the gift, the goblins attack them and yell for reinforcements.

---

12. Alchemy Lab

Tables piled high with strange tools and what looks like laboratory equipment line the walls of this room. In the center of the room is a large fire pit with hot embers burning away. A lone nilbog named Spunch works in this room. This lab is where the Goblin Poison is made.

In the room there are five corked vials of Goblin Poison left. Spunch knows how it’s made, and has all the ingredients to make more. He doesn’t have an antidote, but if threatened he is willing to try and make one. Crafting and distilling one dose of antidote takes 1 hour. Spunch only has enough ingredients to make four doses.

If the PC’s stop paying attention to Spunch at any time, he will try to escape to the Throne Room (Area 15) to warn the goblin king .

---

13. Kitchen

Big cauldrons and pots bubble over fires. Metal racks with spikes adorn the walls with animals and monster parts skewered on their points. Dead chickens and giant rats are strung up from hooks on the ceiling.

Three drunk goblins argue among themselves, fighting over stolen bottles of mulled wine and barrels of holiday mead. If the goblins are killed, or the room is abandoned, there are three bottles of wine, and two barrels of mead remaining.

---

14. Bedroom

Hammocks and cots fill the room. Five  goblins and 1 goblin concubine are drunkenly snoozing here, stuffed from feasting and tired from a night of thieving.

Tossing the room reveals the following treasures: 52 gold pieces, 2 pewter figurines with gems for eyes (200 gp each), 4 daggers, 3 unopened presents, and a magic golden rod with sigils carved into it. The rod is a spent rod of animate object, and is the same magic item that brought the princess doll in Room 7 to life. The rod is otherwise devoid of magical potential.

---

15. Throne Room

All the stolen presents from the town of Revelleschafte are stacked in an enormous pile in the center of the room, a mountain of colorfully wrapped boxes and parcels nearly 5 feet high and 10 feet across. 12 goblins  occupy the room, half of them jump around the presents, counting them all. The other half guard the entrances to the room.

At the back of the room is the goblin king . He sits on a carved wooden throne, covered in wax and mouse skulls. He is impeccably dressed, lounging on the throne. He waits for his goblin minions to finish their celebrating and counting.

The goblin king welcomes the PCs into the throne room if they are spotted or enter the room. He orders his guards to lower their weapons, and then orders the PCs to do likewise. He is intent on speaking with them and talking out the situation rather than fight them head on. In truth, he’s waiting for work on the pig balloon in Area 16 to be finished.

If (or when) the PC’s decide to attack the goblin king , there is a cry of “It’s ready!” from beyond the secret doors in the back of the room. Hearing this, the goblin king shouts to his fellow goblins . At this point, all remaining goblins in the mine (except for Wabs) rush to their king’s aid. Most of them will rush to pick up all the stolen presents and carry them through the secret doors to the Pig Balloon Room (Area 16). Up to 10 of them, if there are that many remaining, stay behind to fight the PCs and prevent them from following. The goblin king runs through the secret doors to his escape once the PCs are distracted and being fended off.

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16. Pig Balloon Room

Within this room is a huge dirigible: a 20-foot-long, 10-foot-wide craft cobbled together from disused wood and metal, being lifted off the ground by a tremendous balloon made of stitched together pig and cow skins. It is monstrous to behold. The  goblins toss the presents aboard, and the goblin king climbs onto it along with as many goblins can follow (up to 12, all awkwardly clinging to the craft for dear life).

The pig balloon is filled with a flammable, lighter-than-air gas. It rises to the ceiling, where the stone is thin and fractured just for this moment. Once the goblin king , the presents, and his surviving subjects climb aboard the pig balloon is cut free. It lifts off the ground at a rate of 30 feet every round. It smashes through the ceiling of the mine after one round.

The pig balloon has an AC of 15. It takes 40 points of damage to sever the balloon from the ship. If the balloon itself is hit with a fire spell or other source of flame, it explodes in a violent fireball, dealing the same amount of damage as a fireball spell to everyone aboard. Once airborne, it has a flying speed of 40 feet per round. There are shortbows, arrows, and weighted metal spike balls (+6 to hit, one target directly below the attacker, 2d6 piercing damage) aboard that the goblins use to defend themselves.

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<= Presents for Goblins | Conclusion =>

If the Goblin King Is Killed

Any remaining goblins suddenly get very nervous, wondering who of any of them should take their place. If the party has spared and befriended Wabs, she asks the PCs if they think she should take the job. If they think so, she pipes up and volunteers. This immediately starts the change, causing her to immediately transform into a gorgeous, androgynous goblin queen . Once Wabs gets over the shock, she grins and begins ordering the smaller goblins about. If she and the PCs are on good terms, she declares them Grand Royal Advisors and Very Smart People, and inquires as to what her first act as queen should be.

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If the Goblin King Escapes

He sails away with the presents and his remaining goblin retinue. The goblins left behind continue fighting until he is out of view, then they turn tail and run away as fast as they can. The PCs are welcome to chase after the pig balloon, but if this is being run as a one-shot and you are running out of time, you can end the adventure with him escaping the PCs grasp. He laughs into the sky while goblins croak out holiday carols. The townspeople in Revelleschafte are distraught over the loss of their belongings and food. They won’t pay the PCs any more for their time and losses, but the innkeeper offers them rooms for the night if needed. If the PCs are able and willing, the innkeeper encourages them to say something to the people in town; to lead them in a carol or a prayer, reminding them about the reason for celebrating this holiday in the first place. No matter what the PCs do, they can be sure the goblins are having the best holiday of their lives.

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If the Pig Balloon Explodes with the Presents Aboard

The presents are burnt to a crisp and destroyed unless the PCs can intervene and do something to save them. If this happens, combine the previous two results together, as this is a win/lose scenario.

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If the Presents Are Returned

The townspeople rejoice and welcome the PCs back as heroes. The mayor pays the PCs the agreed upon amount, and they are welcome to carouse and live the high life in Revelleschafte for as long as they like (or until the townsfolk begin to tire of their antics, whichever comes first).

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<= Presents for Goblins

Revellschafte is a small town on the Polyne-Trom River, in Allesund.

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Population: 348 (80% Humans, 10% Halflings, 5% Half-elves, 5% Other).

Mayor: Ilsa Revelleschafte. Human noble , wire thin, regally dressed, high-pitched voice. She has a human commoner aide named Maria, whom she gives edicts to write down all the time.

Innkeeper: Gaven Hidesbarrow. Halfling commoner , fat, well-dressed, big poofy hair. He gets into the spirit of the holiday by making sure his inn, “The Fattened Calf,” is as festive as possible.

Religion: Church of the Harvest. Run by Matron Doursbea. Human priest , tall, modestly dressed, warm smile, overly welcoming and friendly. She offers shelter to those in need, and healing magic to those who can provide a donation.

Shopping: There are several shops available selling common items at a 50% markup. The major shops in town are the Good Market, A.C. Copper, and Northenstorm.

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<= Presents for Goblins | The Abandoned Mine =>

There is a clan of strange goblins known as the miremurk goblins. Very little is known about them, even among goblinkind. They are said to move from place to place in a great big band, filled with strange goblins, reverse goblins, mutated goblins, and attractively fetching goblins. These miremurk goblins are led by the strangest creature of them all: a goblin king !

The goblin king  is not what he sounds like, for he is scarcely a goblin at all. Tall, angular, and androgynous, he is more like a fey monarch than a squat monster. He is perceptive, charming, and well and truly devious. He tempts humans and elves alike with his wiles, and intuitively understands what torments the hearts of men and women alike. He is every bit the sovereign that his title would suggest, and the goblins are his subjects.

This winter, what the goblins desire is a special kind of devastation upon the town of Revelleschafte. Not the kind of devastation that leaves homes in ruins or people dead, but the kind that leaves a soul devastated and hopeless. Their goblin king has come upon an idea as winter has settled over the land: they will steal all the holiday presents and food prepared by the humans while they sleep. Without the precious items and foodstuffs that make up All’s Giving Day, the townspeople will be utterly broken!

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On Different Goblins

Presents for Goblins introduces new types of goblinoids, including yobbos ,  nilbogs , and the  Miremuck goblin king .

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Goblin Poison

Goblins are hated not because they’re especially dangerous or threatening; fantasy worlds have orcs and dragons and zombies for that. No, ordinary folk revile goblins because they introduce chaos and mischief into an otherwise peaceful world. They are the flies in the ointment of civilized folk. Nothing represents this better than Goblin Poison; a strange and magical mixture known for unravelling the lives of adventurous people.

Every time a creature is hit by a weapon coated with Goblin Poison (or otherwise exposed to it through ingestion or similar means), they must roll on the Goblin Poison Effects table. Victims add their Constitution modifier to this roll (negative modifiers are ignored). The effects last until the creature takes a long rest. The apothecary in Revelleschafte has one dose of the antidote (which ends the effects immediately) and sells it for 200 gp. More antidotes cannot be brewed until the requisite herbs bloom in the springtime.

Goblins are immune to Goblin Poison.

---

Goblin Poison Effects (1d20 + Constitution modifier)

1 Goblin Blind. You cannot see goblinoid creatures. You have disadvantage on all checks made to interact with them.

2 Two Heads. You grow a second, smaller head from your neck. This head is your opposite self. Once per day, on an action of the Game Master’s choosing, the smaller head takes control of your body and does the opposite of what you say you do instead of your action.

3 Rotting Aura. All foodstuffs within 10 feet of you immediately spoil.

4 Wild Water. All liquids you drink are intoxicating.

5 Uncontrollable Hiccoughs. You can’t stop hiccoughing. Whenever you roll initiative or when you attempt any strenuous physical activity you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw . On a failure, you suffer disadvantage on all Strength and Dexterity checks and saving throws during the combat, or disadvantage on rolls made to succeed at the physical activity you are attempting.

6 Hallucinations. You see strange monsters that aren’t there. You have disadvantage on Wisdom checks and saving throws .

7 Fish Face. Your skin becomes wet and scaly, and gills appear on your neck. You can now breathe underwater, but you can no longer breathe air. Consult the core rules on suffocation for how long you can breathe out of water.

8 Reddish Pallor. Your skin turns completely red, like a tomato. This is very distracting to other creatures around you. A person who sees you in this state suffers disadvantage on all ability checks for the hour after they first saw you. After that hour passes, they can no longer be distracted by your unusual appearance.

9 Truth Toxin. You cannot tell lies in any way. You cannot shape or bend the truth, and feel compelled to share secret information if asked, even casually.

10 Terrible Swells. Your body bloats with lighter-than-air gas, and you begin to float upward until you reach a height of 500 feet, or hit the ceiling. You can be weighted down to the ground only if you are laden with weight equal to your maximum carrying capacity (a number of pounds equal to your Strength score multiplied by 15).

11 Bioluminescence. You emit a soft glow, illuminating everything around you for 20 feet with dim light . You have disadvantage on all Stealth checks.

12 Choking Foam. Foam rises in your throat every time you speak, threatening to suffocate you. You, the player, can no longer speak aloud in character.

13 Boiling Pustules. Your body erupts in pustules, which cover you. You immediately take 1d4 points of poison damage as the first few pop. Your Charisma score is also reduced by 4 points.

14 Glass Limbs. Your arms and legs turn to glass. They function normally but are incredibly brittle. Whenever you are reduced to 0 hit points, one of your limbs shatters.

15 Awful Smell. You reek of fish and garbage. Nongoblinoid creatures must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw whenever they get within 10 feet of you. On a failure, they are poisoned for 1 minute while they retch and vomit.

16 Enormous Tongue. Your tongue grows in your mouth until it is 1d4 feet long. You have disadvantage on rolls to speak eloquently.

17 Terrifying Hunger. You are compelled to eat your weight in food every day. Failure to do so confers disadvantage on all Constitution checks and saving throws until you sate your hunger.

18 Mucus Overload. Thick mucus flows incessantly out of your nose and mouth. You take a –2 penalty to all rolls until you can staunch the flow.

19 Gooble Gobble. You transform into a goblin yourself. Your stats, abilities, and attacks remain the same, but your small body means your armor and weapons may no longer fit you.

20+ Feeling Fine. The poison runs its course through your system and you are unaffected.

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<= Presents for Goblins | The Town of Revelleschafte =>

The adventure begins as the player characters first arrive in town, either on the eve of the holiday or the holiday morning.

If they arrive in Revelleschafte on the holiday’s eve, the PCs have the chance to enjoy the festivities, learn about the town and its people, and spend the night in the inn—and it is filled with happy travelers and good cheer. The next morning, however, they awake to the news that the town has been pillaged by goblins , and (if willing), they can answer the call to adventure and trek down to the Abandoned Mine. PCs that insist on staying up at night may have the chance to encounter a small goblin raiding party amidst the night’s chaos, or may be so drunk on mead and spiked eggnog that they sleep through the whole attack anyway.

If they arrive on the morning of the holiday, they enter Revelleschafte only to find a despondent scene, bereft of holiday cheer. The town has just been pillaged by goblins on the eve of All’s Giving Day, and people are struggling to find the holiday cheer without their food, drink, and presents. As soon as the PCs make their presence known, some townsfolk grow eager to retaliate. “Our stuff!” they cry, “Please save our stuff!”

The mayor of the town will offer a reward of 150 gp per PC if they return with most of their belongings and proof the goblins have been killed. The mayor will offer half as much if the PCs only return with one or the other.

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All's Giving Day

The adventure is based around the winter solstice, recognized in the Allesund town of Revelleschafte as All’s Giving Day. This is an Allesund holiday where on the eve families gather together to drink, be merry, and sing carols and hymns about the importance of togetherness during the long winter. All’s Giving Day can, of course, be easily replaced by another setting-appropriate winter holiday.

The following morning, families and friends exchange wrapped gifts with each other in the spirit of altruistic giving. These gifts are often toys and chocolates for children, clothes and jewelry for adults, and sundries shared between couples. That evening, families share in a large feast of roasted poultry with a variety of vegetables and side dishes.

All’s Giving Day is a holiday that many townspeople prepare for months in advance, making sure their gifts are bought or made, and that enough food is readied for the feast.

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<= Presents for Goblins | The Miremuck Goblins =>

The winter solstice brings with it a desire for warmth, good company, and good food. The longest, coldest day of the year often coincides with holidays celebrating light, family, thankfulness, and generosity. This is no different for medieval fantasy peoples.

The snow-covered town of Revelleschafte prepares for its holiday of All’s Giving Day (or another fantasy holiday appropriate to your campaign setting), a day where all folk feast and exchange gifts with one another. For many, it’s the happiest day of the year. But this year, it’s a nightmare. This year, goblins want that holiday. Goblins want the feasts, the drinks… and especially the presents.

Note: This adventure is a humorous romp, and may not be suitable for all campaigns.

Presents for Goblins, by Kiel Chenier, is a holiday romp: an adventure that takes the winter holiday season and pairs it with vicious and strange little monsters hell-bent on ruining everyone’s fun. It takes inspiration from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) and Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984), as well as a little bit of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1986).

An adventure for characters of 3rd-5th level.

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• Beginning the Adventure
• The Miremuck Goblins
• The Town of Revelleschafte
• The Abandoned Mine
• Conclusion

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Beginning the Adventure =>

Spillage

Should the party act to remove the cauldron from the scaffolding, it must be both lifted and balanced. Lifting the cauldron requires a DC 13 Strength check, and balancing it requires a DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

On a failure on either check, roll a d% to determine the amount spilled. For each 10% (rounded down) spilled up to 50%, add 1 month to a base 6 month time period for the effect to dissipate. A character who fails one of the two checks can still hold onto the cauldron, but failing both causes the character to drop it.

If 50% or more of the cauldron is spilled (including if the cauldron falls into the river), the Trom will forever bear a minor love effect and become a local legend. In time, it may grow to attract love-seekers and potion makers from near and far. This does little to resolve the supply shortages, which may cause a regional famine unless Lanidor is brought to its senses.

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If Hermia Is Spared

Hermia can be forced to create an antidote if she is left alive. “The original potion was based on the essence of voles, because they find true love and mate for life. The opposite of the vole is the praying mantis, as they only mate once … and there’s no romance at all there,” she explains. The potion she makes will cure the effect of the love potion, but if she’s left to her own devices she’ll add a bit of magic (DC 15 Intelligence [Arcana] to notice) that will create uncontrollable mutations, turning the townsfolk into hideous aberrations that proceed to plague the countryside and will require extermination.

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If Hermia Is Killed

Without Hermia’s knowledge of the potion’s contents, creating an antidote will be quite an undertaking and require many far-off components and a great deal of arcane knowledge.

A DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the first component is a live praying mantis—this at least can be found in any trade city.

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Dealing with Two-lips

Whether the party punishes Two-lips for the trouble he’s caused, or how they exact retribution, should be left for them to decide. Was it an honest (if poorly conceived, researched, planned, and executed) mistake, or was it something more nefarious? GMs should reward creativity when dealing with Two-lips.

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<= The Business of Emotion

The Mouth of the Cave

After traveling for several hours, you find a dense forest on the edge of the small mountain range, marking the end of the valley. The canopy of the forest before you is ominously thick, allowing little light through.

The lazy, meandering river gains pace as you exit the valley and follow it to a nearby mountain. At the base of the mountain you find the mouth of a large cavern, and the roar of water echoes from within.

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Intelligence (Investigation) checks outside the cave find the following:

• DC 10: Large, bear-shaped footprints in the mud along the river bank.
• DC 15: Tracks showing that whatever left the footprints dragged a large animal. These tracks can be followed to the corpse of a horse in the bushes. 

The horse was attacked, dragged, and partially eaten by a large beast. Further Intelligence (Investigation or Nature) checks reveal:

• DC 10: Deep, parallel claw marks along the horse’s flank.
• DC 18: A single owl feather in a nearby bush.

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The Throat of the Cave

As the players enter the cave, they soon find themselves standing above the river as it has cut its way through the stone.

The ground along the river’s edge (marked on the map) has been partially eroded by the river’s rapid waters. The first Medium or larger creature that steps in this area causes a five-foot patch to crumble. The player must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to avoid falling into the river below, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall, suffering a severe exposure to the love potion (Odds and Ends) and being carried downriver 1d6x5 feet.

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The Cauldron Chamber

You round the bend and enter a large chamber. Along the far wall, a roaring waterfall pours from the depths of the mountain. Near the edge of the platform, a cast iron cauldron rests upon a wooden scaffold overhanging the river. A pinkish light glows from the open top of the cauldron, and occasionally, a single fuchsia drop leaps into the churning source of the River Trom.

Directly in front of you, lying upon a nest of trampled grass and bones is a large, feathered mass whose glowing yellow eyes stare from the darkness. It remains motionless, watching and breathing loudly.

The owlbear smelled the PCs when they entered the cave, but obeys Hermia’s orders, and dutifully guards the cauldron chamber. It watches the PCs, but attacks if they get within 10 feet of the cauldron.

On the second round of combat, Hermia ( witch ) arrives on the scene, having invisibly watched the party from beside her owlbear . She remains under her magical disguise as she approaches.

Hermia will not attack immediately, and momentarily calls off her owlbear to parley with the PCs. However, she instantly retaliates if attacked, if the players attack her owlbear  after she arrives, or if she overhears the party discussing plans to destroy her potion setup.

If Hermia attacks or is attacked:

The beautiful female form before you dissolves, leaving a thin wisp of magical essence hanging in the air. A hideous, green-skinned monster now stands in her place. Her mouth opens wide as she cackles wickedly, revealing the sharp points of many shattered teeth. Her long arms and sharp claws drag behind her as she approaches. “You dare to disrupt my experiments?” she cries out. “This cave will be your grave!”

The scaffolding supporting the cauldron has 15 hit points and AC 10. It is resistant to piercing damage. It automatically fails saving throws against spells with an area of effect, like fireball. Its wood is damp from the river water, and it ignores the first 5 points of fire damage it takes each day.

If inspected, the scaffolding upon which the cauldron of love potion rests is obviously rickety. A DC 11 Investigation check reveals the structure is slightly off level, likely leading to the overdosing.

If the scaffolding is destroyed, the cauldron drops vertically towards the riverbank, pausing momentarily as it spins on its edge above the  ledge. Attempts to stop it from falling in will require a PC’s reaction and should be judged based on a DC 16 Dexterity check (to catch it) and DC 13 Strength check (to hold onto it). Otherwise, it slowly rotates (for maximum drama) before toppling over the ledge, spilling the entire contents of the cauldron into the river—see the Spillage section of Resolving the Adventure.

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<= The Business of Emotion | Resolving the Adventure =>