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Credits
Designer: Cameron Melka

Editors: Cameron Melka & Joanna Melka

Playtesters: Jorge Lopez, Michael Mauch, Thomas

Morgan, Lawrence Mueller, Kevin Wong,
Romulus Alvarado, Frank Sisco, Jarred Hart, Mary
Lin, Stephanie Tucker

Cover Illustrator: Cameron Melka

Interior Illustrators: Stains and splatters from “33
Coffee Stain Brushes” & gemstone from “25 Gem
Brushes” by soulspoison.
“Ybrithe” by Madi Fernandez.
All other art in this adventure is from DMs Guild Creator
Resource art packs available on DMs Guild.

Cartography: Cameron Melka

ON THE COVER: A lone will-o-wisp flickers and hovers

over the Crumbling Stair. What secrets lie below this
silent guardian? Is this wisp the soul of someone who
met their unfortunate end inside the cellar, or is it just a
curious ball of energy, drawn to the site by the haunts
contained within? Many more frightful sights await
those brave enough to venture down this beautiful
staircase.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron,
the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and 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.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such
material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon
Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Cameron Melka and published
under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

1
 thought that Ybrithe had a contingency spell in place
RUNNING THE ADVENTURE that triggered when the battle was lost, destroying the
House of Taeros and everyone inside. The only visible
To run this adventure, you’ll need the Player’s Handbook,
landmark of the once great mansion is a spiral staircase
Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Monsters
with 6 steps floating above the ground, each step held
from Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes also make an
aloft with only the residual magic of the house.
appearance in this adventure, so having that book
Now regarded as one of the most haunted places in
would be useful.
Faerûn, adventuring parties occasionally risk life and
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to limb to delve into the lower levels in an attempt to
be read to the players. recover trinkets for the wealthy nobles of Waterdeep.

Text that appears in a box like this are meant

to be notes for DM. They should not be read to
Adventure Hooks
players. Rich Noble. Plenty of nobles throughout the Sword
Coast love to show off collections of rare and interesting
Appendix A contains a modified wild surge table that artifacts, but many do not wish to delve into the
works a little more smoothly for any random surges that dungeons and ruins themselves. Thusly, they do
happen inside the dungeon. The table in appendix A is what any wealthy noble would do: they pay willing
merely a suggestion, and the table found in the Player’s adventurers to retrieve items for them.
Handbook can easily be tweaked to work with the Unless the adventurers are experienced, they rarely
surges that occur throughout the adventure. return with anything but their lives. As a result, a cadre
Spells and nonmagical equipment are described in of obsessed nobles now seek out stronger adventuring
the Player’s Handbook. Magic items are found in the parties by offering higher rewards. Consider having the
Dungeon Master’s Guide unless the text specifically noble regale a story of the last few adventurers’ failures,
points you to an item found in appendix B. and your players will surely take it as a challenge to
When a monster’s name appears in bold, reference return victorious.
that creature’s stat block. If the creature is not found A myriad of nobles might wish to pay adventurers to
in the Monster Manual, the source will be added retreieve items, but here are a couple examples from
in parentheses. (MToF) for Mordenkainen’s Tome of major cities on the Sword Coast:
Foes. Creatures unique to this adventure are found in
appendix C and are noted as such in the text. • Mirt the Moneylender. Mirt is an eccentric noble
in Waterdeep that also happens to be a Masked
Lord and member of the Harpers. He is also a
Synopsis fervent collector of various artifacts and trinkets.
Knowing the danger of the Crumbling Stair, he
The intriguing ruins of the Crumbling Stair have stood
for centuries, beckoning brave adventurers into its is willing to pay a great sum for items of interest.
haunted confines. Those that delve below seldom Mirt explains that he had seen “a magical rapier
make it back to the surface. Those lucky enough to whose magical properties changed at random” on
escape with their lives return with perplexing items display in another noble’s house. (Suggested item:
with uncertain magical properties. Anyone brave weapon of greater chaos)
enough to delve into this dungeon, full of traps, haunts, • Lady Abalea Caldwell. Lady Caldwell is a
and secrets, is sure to secure an immense wealth of member of one of the oldest and wealthiest
knowledge and treasure. Baldurian patriar families. The Caldwells own
This adventure is designed for four to five level 12 many of the art museums in Baldur’s Gate, and
characters and should take approximately four hours to as such, Abalea tasks the party with retrieving
complete. “anything of artistic value held within the depths
of the Crumbling Stair”. (Suggested item:

Adventure Background enchanted painting)

This adventure is set in a specific part of the Forgotten On the Road. If your party consists of dungeon-
Realms but can easily be added to any other setting. delving adventuring types, you can simply have them
The Crumbling Stair is an enigmatic ruin of an pass by the Crumbling Stair on their adventure. If they
old mansion located about a hundred miles east of camp nearby, they’re sure to be visited by the ghost of
Waterdeep in the Forlorn Hills. Previously known as a slain knight, eager to scare them away from the site.
the House of Taeros and home to a sorceress known as Usually, this is just the motivation a party needs to jump
Ybrithe, this abode was used as a school where young headfirst into a dungeon. (Suggested item: any)
women could hone their magical prowess. Turned Away at Candlekeep. Entry into the fortified
The building was abandoned after it was destroyed library that lies south of Baldur’s Gate usually requires a
in a massive spell battle with unknown assailants. It is renowned wizard’s seal and a tome of great significance,

2
though the rules have become lax in recent years. specific party member:
Now, visitors are required, at minimum, to provide a
book or tome not contained within the library. Should You feel the hair on your neck stand up.
any of your players wish to gain entry into Candlekeep, Suddenly, the ghostly image of a proud
consider having the guards mention a rumor of a knight appears in front of you, blocking the
magical stairway into a dungeon in the Forlorn Hills. path to the stairs. The spirit’s blueish form
(Suggested item: Lessons from Karsus) flickers in and out of existence. Hidden by
striking, archaic armor, the features of the
A Storyteller’s Tale. The Crumbling Stair is no secret.
ghost are indiscernible. Emblazoned on its
Its haunts are the stuff of legends, and as such, bards
breastplate is a flame surrounded by stars.
and other storytellers are sure to regale an adage about
As this manifestation shimmers in and out of
the alarming apparitions. If your players are in a tavern,
corporeality, you all feel a sensation that chills
inn, or similar gathering place, consider having them
you to the core.
overhear a bard telling the story of how a disembodied
sword attacked them near a floating staircase, and that Everyone within 30 feet of the spirit must succeed a
they barely escaped with their life. Of course, knowing DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1
most bards, there is sure to be some embellishment to minute.
their tale. (Suggested item: any) Attacks against the ghost have no effect, and it does
Appendix B lists several magic items that may not return aggression.
be found in the dungeon, but not all of them A DC 12 Religion check reveals that the symbol on
appear in the depths of the dungeon on every the knight’s armor is that of Mystra, and that the knight
playthrough of this adventure. Some of the likely belonged to the Knights of the Mystic Fire.
hooks presented have a suggested item, but If the party has the means of talking with the dead
don’t feel the need to stick to that. If your spirit through magic, they can learn the following
players are more likely to enjoy a different item, information:
then use that one instead.
• The knight’s name is Aethelwald Galdorskyld.
• He was a guard of the House of Taeros, hired by

Chapter 1 - A Haunting •
Ybrithe to protect students from outside attackers.
Many centuries ago, a band of Dark Justiciars
Arrival attacked the manor in the name of Shar. As the
tides of battle began to favor the attackers, a
The adventure begins once the party has made their massive arcane blast was set off, destroying
way to the Crumbling Stair. Ideally the party should everyone and everything in its path.
arrive at night, potentially influencing them to take a
rest. Once they’ve arrived, read the following aloud: • Even in death, he is bound to this post, and still
serves with great honor, trying to scare off would-
Peering through the encroaching darkness be adventurers from delving into the depths
of night, and the dense overgrowth ravaging below.
an old ruin, you see six steps spiraling out
of a circular shaft in the ground. Green veins • He cannot go below the stairs and has no
of some unknown mineral course through information on what specifically lies below.
the marble steps, which appear to be held If the characters seem determined to venture down
aloft by nothing at all. The rest of the steps the steps, Aethelwald does not stop them.
descend into the depths below. Flittering As the party starts their descent, Aethelwald flickers
around the staircase, you see an energetic, out of existence and the will-o-wisp attacks the party
glowing orb. member closest to the stairs.
The orb is a will-o-wisp that only attacks characters that
try to descend the staircase.

Turn Back Now

While the party sleeps, a ghostly apparition reveals
itself. If there are any party members keeping watch,
the ghost reveals itself to them; otherwise it will startle
a random character awake. If the party decided not
to take a rest before starting into the dungeon, the
apparition reveals itself as the party starts toward the
staircase. In any case, read the following, directed at a

3
 This room contains 3 shadows, hidden in the dark
Chapter 2 - The Descent corners of the room. Players with a passive Perception of
16 or higher notice the shadows immediately.
After dealing with the wisp, the party can descend the
Unless noticed, the shadows wait patiently for an
staircase. Read the following aloud:
opportune time to strike. Usually this is when a player
The air gets noticeably colder as you descend tries to take a gem from one of the frozenfalls (see E1.
the elegant spiral staircase. After two Frozenfalls).
revolutions, the stairs split into a left and right
path. In front of you hovers a pair of spectral
hands, cupped together with translucent
E1. Frozenfalls
gems spilling over the side. The hands quickly Unbeknownst to the players, the “fountains” are the
float down the left set of stairs. remnants of frozenfalls, sculptures of floating gemstones
to resemble the likeness of a waterfall. Frozenfalls were
The stairs on the left lead down to Echofall, the once said to be minor mythals, responsible for changing the
great hall of the house, while the right staircase leads function of magic within a small area.
to area C1 of the cellar, where the students practiced There are 1d8 gems spread across both frozenfalls.
magic. Each are enchanted with a magical defense against
The battle at the House of Taeros left a massive scar theft. If a character tries to take one, roll a d10 and
on the Weave and the magic in the surrounding area. consult the following table:
Unless otherwise noted, whenever a spellcaster casts a
spell inside the cellars or Echofall, there is a five percent d10 Effect
chance that a Wild Magic Surge is triggered. If any 1 The gem explodes with a bright flash. Creatures
party members are Wild Magic Sorcerers, this chance within 25 feet must succeed a DC 16 Dexterity
increases to twenty percent. Appendix A has a modified saving throw or take 4d6 radiant damage.
Wild Magic Surge table for use with this adventure.
2 The gem lowers your Intelligence score by 1d4.
3 The gem lowers your Dexterity score by 1d4.
Echofall 4 The gem lowers your Strength score by 1d4.
If the players take the left set of stairs, read the 5 The gem lowers your Wisdom score by 1d4.
following:
6 The gem magically ages you 5d6 years and you
As you descend the left staircase, following must succeed a DC 14 Constitution saving throw
the path of the floating hands, you quickly or take necrotic damage equal to the number of
find yourselves in a dilapidated ruin of a years you aged.
once great hall. Parts of the walls and ceiling 7 The gem changes your race as per the
have caved in, marring the beauty of the reincarnate spell.
once grandiose hall that must have welcomed
many to this abode in the past. 8 The gem turns all gp you carry into cp.
9 The gem glows brightly. Roll on the Wild Magic
On the north and south walls, you notice large
Surge Table.
crystal basins that were likely once fountains.
Laying inside each are a small handful of 10 The magic on this gem has faded over time and
lustrous gemstones. it is inert.

4
The Cellar Cellar: General Features
Cave-ins. Several hallways have collapsed
The cellar was where most studies took place in the
completely, blocking the path with rubble and
House of Taeros. Various rooms served different stone. A DC 15 Strength check can move the
purposes, and each one was nearly always occupied by debris out of the way in about 20 minutes, or
at least one student. the debris can be attacked with weapons. It has
The labyrinth-like layout of the cellars is a result of an AC of 17 and 35 hit points.
a tear in the Weave from the battle. The frozenfalls in Doors. Doors in the cellar are closed and made
the main hall were mythals that caused the rooms to of stone, unless otherwise noted. They are all
exist in the same space. Spellcaster could tune the main unlocked.
door to a specific room. When Ybrithe’s contingency Light. The hallways and rooms are dark unless
spell rocked the building, the magic affecting the rooms otherwise noted.
failed, spreading them about below the remnants of the
house. Walls and Ceiling. The walls and ceiling are
made of rock and about 12 feet high, unless
otherwise noted.

5
 Analeithla’s Sword
Analeithla’s sword is a random event that the party can
stumble upon while exploring the cellar. There are five
piles of rubble containing an illusory sword keyed on
the Cellar Map.
The first time the party comes across one of these
locations, read the following:

In front of you lies a striking longsword thrust

halfway into some rubble on the floor.
The pommel of the sword is inset with a
greyish-green stone. Inside this gem appears
to be a small piece of bone, no larger than the
tip of a finger.

Any character that grabs the sword to remove it from the

rubble has their vision obscured by a bright flash.

As you grasp the hilt of the sword and pull,

your vision goes white. A soft voice penetrates
your head, “Free me” it whispers. The pommel of Analeithla’s sword
As your vision returns, you are not holding
a sword, but rather a vaguely sword-shaped
rock. C1. Entrance
Any characters that did not try to take the sword must
succeed a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or lose all The right staircase flows deeper below ground
memory of the sword being in the rubble. before opening into a narrow hallway. Debris
Each time characters subsequently stumble upon a and grime litter the ground alongside a trail
sword location, a similar effect transpires. of glowing, thick slime that leads further up
For example, the character that grabs it could feel an around a corner.
overwhelming sense of loneliness, a cold chill in the air, Occasionally, you hear the echo of stone and
or they could hear a woman pleading to be set free, or rubble falling to the ground from somewhere
even a woman longing to see the world. deeper.
Each time someone tries to take the sword, it turns
out to be a rock, and everyone who hasn’t yet tried The glowing slime is a remnant of two oblex spawns
to take the sword previously must again succeed a DC (MToF) located in area C4.
18 Intelligence saving throw or lose all memory of the Characters with a passive Perception of 16 can hear a
sword. faint weeping coming from the halls toward area C2.

Analeithla was a student of Ybrithe who held

strong ambitions. She believed herself better C2. Herbarium
than Ybrithe and hoped to one day replace her.
She had begun experimenting with sentient
weapons shortly before the spell battle that This ruined room was likely once a garden
destroyed the school and had just implanted for magical botanicals. Cracked stone troughs
part of her little finger in the pommel of a litter the walls of the room. Much more dirt
sword. When she was killed in the blast, her covers the ground than in other rooms.
soul latched onto the sword. She seeks to guide
Broken vials adorn the floor next to a liquid-
adventurers to her sword so that she may see
the world. stained, stone table.
There are several char marks around the room.

There is nothing of value in this room as it has been

picked clean by centuries of adventurers.
Characters curious about the char marks can make a
DC 14 Investigation check or a DC 12 Medicine check to
determine that an explosion vaporized at least 3 people
in this room at some point.

6
 The two slimes are oblex spawns (MToF). It has taken
C3. Study the form of one of the many adventurers it has killed
over the years. The oblex spawns immediately attack the
The first time either door is opened by a character,
characters, but the elder oblex bides its time, waiting to
read the following:
attack a character that attempts to “free” its simulacrum.
The door creaks loudly as it opens. As you A character trying to free the elf simulacrum from the
attempt to glimpse the interior of the room, a rubble must succeed a DC 15 Strength check to move
ghostly spirit of a woman appears in front of the rubble.Characters close to the simulacrum notice a
you. She lets out an ear-piercing scream and faint sulfur smell.
charges. As her ethereal form passes through Once the oblex spawns are defeated, the elder oblex
you, it dissipates into a thin mist. attacks through the simulacrum as its main body moves
through the rubble in the hall. The oblex’s body arrives
The spirit charges through the nearest character and in area C4 after two rounds.
vanishes as it does so. That player must then roll on the
Wild Magic Surge table.
C5. Scribing Chamber
If characters enter the room after the encounter with the
spirit, read the following: This large room is in far better shape than
some of the earlier rooms, though it still
This magical study is in utter disarray. shows the ravages of time. Parts of the wall
Splintered, rotting remnants of table decorate are crumbling and cracked. Dozens of scroll
the floor amid pieces of stone, wood, and cases, dried ink, and worn paper decorate a
glass. The walls are charred and cracked, save shelf toward the back of the room. There are a
for a small patch near the south door. couple of unfinished scrolls on the desks.
As you survey the room, a pile of rubble
begins to shift. A smooth, greyish hand One of the unfinished scrolls can be identified as an
emerges from the debris. unfinished clone spell with a successful DC 16 Arcana
check. The other scroll is an unfinished transcription of
The emerging hand is that of a clay golem tasked by a spell called Aumvor’s fragmented phylactery, and as
Jalastra with protecting the study. It attacks intruders on such has incredibly complex magic formulas and arcane
sight. runes. If a character wishes to decipher the scroll, they
Characters curious about the charred wall can make a must make a DC 25 Arcana check. If they are successful,
DC 14 Investigation check to ascertain that the unburnt they can understand the main purpose of the spell: to
patch was caused by something blocking a massive create multiple phylacteries for a lich.
explosion. If a character succeeds a DC 12 Medicine The shelf contains many empty scroll cases, but 1d6
check, they are certain the shape on the wall is from a contain a spell scroll of a random 1st-5th level spell. The
body placed between the wall and explosion. ink and paper have spent too long in the dungeon to be
of any worth to a mage.

C4. Dining Room

C6. Teleportation Room
Following the sparse trail of slime, you come
to a long room. A broken table sits at the Destroyed sigils surround a tarnished
center of this ruined dining room. Glowing teleportation circle in the center of this small
slime coats much of the walls. As you glance room. As you glance around, a shadowy
across the room, you see a young, elven man hooded figure, wreathed in dark wisps of
in tattered leather armor, partially trapped smoke, appears inside the circle, sword drawn.
under some rubble. As he spots you, he calls It brandishes the blade, and you catch a
out: “Oh, thank the gods! I thought I was done glimpse of a pale green gem inset in the hilt.
for.” The gem contains a small bone fragment. After
a moment, the apparition vanishes.
This room is dimly lit by the glowing slime.
The elf is a simulacrum from an elder oblex (MToF) This is another of Analeithla’s manifestations and it seeks
that resides in the hall just past the rubble. to tempt the characters with another vision of her sword.
If a character gets within 10 feet of the elf, read the Trap. The teleportation circle is trapped and the first
following: creature that steps within its bounds is teleported to a
40 ft. by 40 ft. magically dark demiplane, facing north
As you approach the elf, two glowing slime (solution info in area C8). To everyone else in the room,
creatures slither out from debris in the room. it appears as though the teleportation circle worked.
The elven man screams in fear as he sees them. After a moment, read the following:

7
 As you watch your companion disappear though its voice is flat and monotone.
from the circle, the sigils around it begin to Stirling is thrilled to see anyone this deep in the
glow and revolve. Slowly, letters and words in cellars. It has not seen a humanoid in several centuries.
Common emerge. The circle reads: It will gladly answer almost any questions the party asks
“Your friend for now about the school, battle, or anything else it might know.
is safe don’t cry, Here is some of the information that Stirling might
Their release may come impart:
though tough you must try, • Stirling’s creator was a mage named Jalastra.
No more clues in this room • Stirling was tasked with keeping the library in
for them you must scry.” order.
In order to bring a person back from the demiplane, that • Its legs were damaged in the spell battle, and
person must be guided blindly to the correct spot in the Stirling eventually resigned to staying on this
demiplane. Area C8 has more information on escaping table.
the trap. • Stirling does not know who attacked the school
If a character is successfully saved from the demiplane, originally.
they appear inside the teleportation circle, which is then
deactivated. • Stirling saw little of Ybrithe for a few days leading
up to the attack.
• Ybrithe had been researching undeath before the
battle.
• It is convinced that most of the apparitions
throughout the cellar are all from Analeithla, an
ambitious apprentice of Ybrithe.
Stirling has little information about any of the other
rooms, but if pressed, it explains that it occasionally
hears a shrill scratching sound from deeper in the cellar.
Feel free to add tidbits for Stirling to impart,
especially if this adventure is being run as part
of a larger campaign.

Most of the books in this room are destroyed, but a DC

15 Investigation check reveals a spellbook containing
the following spells: alarm, charm person, sleep, unseen
servant, crown of madness, hold person, suggestion,
catnap, clairvouance, charm monster, and confusion.

C8. Scrying Room

This small room houses a stone pedestal with
a large, dark crystal inset. The crystal has
been cracked, and some of the pedestal is
crumbling. Light appears to be absorbed into
the crystal, rather than reflected as you would
expect.
C7. Library This pedestal was originally used as a focus for the
scrying spell but now serves as the key to anyone
Only a few bookcases still stand in this library, trapped by the magic circle in area C6.
rife with ancient writings caked in dust. If no one has been imprisoned by the trap in area C6,
Across the room on a table sits a thin, wooden and a character glances into the scrying stone, read the
creature, missing its legs. A carved walrus following:
mustache adorns its pointed face.
Darkness fills your vision as you peer into the
This room is lit throughout by simple iron wall sconces. gemstone. A faint, glowing “X” appears to
The creature on the table is Stirling (appendix C), a the right side of your vision. Suddenly, arcane
wooden nimblewright. It is not hostile unless threatened. sigils flash before your eyes.
Stirling can speak through a magical enchantment,

8
If a character has been imprisoned by the trap in area This long room has decorative columns
C6, read this instead: flanking the walls. Lining the floor are various
weapons and items that were likely once
Darkness fills your vision as you peer into the mounted as decoration. The room is lit by
gemstone. A glowing “X” fades into the right several candles, recessed between the pillars.
side of your vision, followed by a glowing
circle toward the bottom of your vision. Toward the back of the room lurks a hulking
Suddenly, words fade into your vision: undead creature. Its flesh is rotten, and bones
protrude at odd angles. Its proportions seem
“Go west twice, off, and large claw-like fingers adorn its
but not before taking a step north. massive hands.
Take one step east,
but not until you have taken two steps north. Suddenly, all the candles flicker out one
Three steps north is the way to go, by one, plunging the room into complete
but only after you take one step south, darkness.
prior to taking two steps east. The boneclaw uses the darkness to its advantage and
The end is near, tries to keep the players from getting beyond this room.
be rid of your fear, If the boneclaw is defeated, its body reconstitutes in
take one north-eastern step, 1d10 hours in area C12, unless Ybrithe is dead.
and you’ll be here.” Treasure. All of the weapons and trinkets in this room
The instructions are meant to be spoken aloud to the are mundane, save for Analeithla’s sword (appendix B)
imprisoned character, who can magically hear anyone mounted on the wall at the back of the room.
in the scrying room. It may also be helpful to repeat the If any characters approach the sword, it randomly
instructions or write them out for your players. attunes to one of them, preferring spellcasters.
If a character deviates from the path, they take 2d4 Analeithla calls out to her new wielder, asking for help
force damage as a magical energy teleports them back to “defeat the evil in this place”.
to the starting square, facing north. Secret Door. The secret door to area C12 can be
Upon reaching the “X”, the character reappears in noticed with a DC 16 Perception check, or if a character
area C6. has control of Analeithla’s sword, Analeithla’s soul gladly
There is little else of interest in this room. points out the secret door and urges that character to
“finish off Ybrithe”.

C9. Enchanting Room

A plethora of weapons and items are strewn
about this room. Shelves hold an assortment
of materials likely used for enchanting these
items. On the workbench sit two unique
objects, and an impressive suit of armor
resides in the corner of the room.

The two items on the workbench are two random items

from appendix B. The suit of armor is a helmed horror
that animates when one of the items on the workbench
is touched, and 1d4 flying swords also animate from
the items littering the room. These constructs attack the
closest character.

C10. Boneclaw Lair

This room is a red herring created by Ybrithe to trick
adventurers into thinking this is the end of the dungeon.
A boneclaw (MToF) that is a splinter of Ybrithe’s soul
guards this room. When the players enter, read the
following:

9
 two books stick out from the rest:
C11. Bedroom • One is a spellbook containing the following
spells: false life, ray of sickness, witch bolt, catapult,
Several weathered beds rest along the walls in blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement, vampiric
this room. A Small footlocker rests at the foot touch, clairvoyance, phantasmal killer, blight, geas,
of most beds. Some furniture has been shifted dominate person, magic jar, contingency, finger of
or damaged due to cave-ins. death, delayed blast fireball, and clone.
Footlockers. If characters search the footlockers, they • The other is a Lessons From Karsus (appendix B).
find 45 gp, 120 sp, and 523 cp. Additionally, in one A quick glance through this book along with a
footlocker they find a notebook titled “Analeithla’s DC 16 Arcana check reveals that it is a guide on
Notes on Sentience”. recreating spells of immense power, thought to be
This book has arcane scribblings and notes about impossible after the events of Karsus’s Folly.
creating a sentient magic item. Much of it cannot be
understood.
Escape
After Ybrithe’s defeat, the magic holding the rooms
C12. Ybrithe’s Study together fades completely.

Arcane scribblings adorn this magnificent A low rumble hums throughout the cellar.
study from ceiling to floor. Two large cages Tremors begin and bits of the walls and ceiling
on the east wall each hold massive bones of start to crumble.
unknown creatures. Workbenches, cabinets,
The players have 2d4 minutes to escape the dungeon
and shelves are full of a myriad of magical
before the cellar, and the stairs leading out, crumble
ingredients and items.
and collapse in on themselves.
As you glance around the room, you notice If the players make it out of the dungeon, read the
a faint shimmering. A woman clad in rotting following:
flesh and tattered robes appears, with chunks
of her body still translucent and shimmering. Ascending the spiraling stairs that led you into
this labyrinth, you finally see the safety of the
She screams, “This ends now!” as the skeletal
sky. As you find yourself on the grass outside
remains in the cages begin to animate.
of the staircase, the rumbling gets stronger,
Ybrithe (appendix C) fights to the death because she and you watch as the floating stairs drop, one
believes that the party is just another wave of mages by one, into the darkness below.
sent to destroy her and the other mages she trained. She
The shaft fills with dirt and rubble, making re-entry nigh
does not know it has been several hundred years since
impossible.
the spell battle that destroyed her home.
The creatures in the cages are skeletal experiments
(appendix C) that were Ybrithe’s attempts at animal
hybrids. They follow her command. Conclusion
If Ybrithe is defeated, read the following: For Glory. If the party decided to explore the
Crumbling Stair of their own volition and curiosity, then
As you deal the final blow to this undead the adventure is over, and they can keep everything
horror, her entire body becomes nearly they found!
translucent. Her erratic movements cease, For Gold. If they were tasked by a collector to find an
and you can see a smile form on her lips. item, that collector pays 1000 gp for the item, and 250
“Freedom at last,” she whispers, before additional gp for any other items the players don’t wish
disappearing into a light mist. to keep.
For Knowledge. Players wishing to gain entrance to
Treasure. Searching the room yields a pile of magic Candlekeep are welcomed in if they provide Lessons
items in one of the cages. The pile has 2d4 magic items from Karsus or the unfinished fragmented phylactery
from Magic Item Table F in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, scroll.
and one or two magic items from appendix B. For Me. The players may wish to keep the items
• If the party was tasked with finding a specific item they retrieved from the dungeon. That’s fine too: if
for a collector, that item is in this pile. they had promised items to a collector, they can ghost
• If the party came of their own volition, choose a the collector, who might assume the party died in the
magic item from appendix B as you see fit. dungeon. Then again, if the collector paid up front, they
may go searching for the party.
A small bookshelf rests along the wall near a workbench. If a player keeps Analeithla’s sword, Analeithla’s soul
Many of the books are general research on spells, but becomes less insane after a week of travel with the party.

10
Appendix A: Wild Magic Surge Table
The following table should be used whenever the text calls
for a Wild Magic Surge. It can also be used in place of
the regular table for Wild Magic Sorcerers. If a character
without the ability to cast spells casts a spell through a
Wild Magic Surge, their spell save DC is 15, and they have
a +7 to hit.

d100 Effect d100 Effect

01-02 Roll 1d4 times on this table, ignoring this result on 57-58 Your hair turns into a writhing mess of snakes for the next
subsequent rolls. minute. You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation)
checks for the duration.
03-04 You can see invisible creatures in your line of sight for the
next minute. 59-60 For the next minute, you must shout every time you speak.
05-06 A shadow controlled by the DM appears in an unoccupied 61-62 A spectral shield hovers near you for the next minute,
space within 5 feet of you, then disappears 1 minute later. granting you a +2 bonus to AC and immunity to magic
missile.
07-08 You cast fireball as a 3rd-level spell centered on yourself.
63-64 You look like a ghost for the next minute.
09-10 You can cast magic missile as a 5th-level spell once within
the next minute. 65-66 Each creature within 30 feet of you becomes invisible for
the next minute. The invisibility ends on a creature when it
11-12 You grow 1d10 inches.
attacks or casts a spell.
13-14 You shrink 1d10 inches.
67-68 A random creature within 60 feet of you becomes poisoned
15-16 You cast confusion centered on yourself. for 1d4 hours.
17-18 You regain 4d4 + 4 hit points. 69-70 You become charmed for 1 hour by the next creature you
see. If the creature is of a species and gender you are
19-20 You take 4d4 + 4 necrotic damage.
normally attracted to, you regard it as your true love while
21-22 You grow a long beard made of feathers that remains until you are charmed.
you sneeze, at which point the feathers explode out from
71-72 You gain resistance to all damage for the next minute.
your face.
73-74 You gain vulnerability to necrotic damage for the next
23-24 You cast grease centered on yourself.
minute.
25-26 You have advantage on your next saving throw.
75-76 You cast polymorph on yourself. If you fail the saving throw,
27-28 Your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue. A remove curse spell you turn into a toad for the spell’s duration.
can end this effect.
77-78 Illusory spirits swirl around you for the next minute.
29-30 An eye appears on your head for the next minute. During
79-80 Each creature within 30 feet of you takes 1d10 necrotic
that time, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
damage. You regain hit points equal to the sum of the
checks that rely on sight.
necrotic damage dealt.
31-32 You cast haste on yourself.
81-82 You cast mirror image.
33-34 You cast slow on yourself.
83-84 You become invisible for the next minute. During that time,
35-36 You teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space of your other creatures can’t hear you. The invisibility ends if you
choice that you can see. attack or cast a spell.
37-38 You are transported to the Ethereal Plane for the next 85-86 If you die within the next minute, you immediately come
minute. back to life as if by the reincarnate spell.
39-40 If your next attack hits, it is a critical hit. 87-88 Your size increases by one size category for the next minute.
41-42 You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. 89-90 Your size decreases by one size category for the next
While a plant, you are incapacitated and have vulnerability minute.
to all damage. If you drop to 0 hit points, your pot breaks,
91-92 You and all creatures within 30 feet of you gain
and your form reverts.
vulnerability to piercing damage for the next minute.
43-44 You get 1d10 years older.
93-94 You are surrounded by faint, ethereal music for the next
45-46 You get 1d10 years younger. minute.
47-48 1d10 flumphs controlled by the DM appear in an 95-96 One of your parents becomes a flumph for the next minute.
unoccupied space within 60 feet of you and are If you have no parents, you become a flumph instead.
frieghtened of you. They vanish after 1 minute.
97-98 You gain 5d6 pounds, which are lost again through the
49-50 For the next minute, you can teleport up to 20 feet at a course of 1 day.
bonus action on each of your turns.
99-00 For the next minute you are both in the Ethereal Plane
51-52 You can’t speal as your mouth disappears for the next and the plane you are currently in. Effects or attacks
minute. originating from either plane can target you, and you can
see anything in either plane.
53-54 You cast levitate on yourself.
55-56 You cast darkness centered on yourself.

11
 Appendix B: Magic Items Notes on Analeithla’s Sword
Analeithla’s soul resides inside this sentient
weapon, and thusly the weapon can regale
Analeithla’s Sword tales of the spell battle. It will only do this to an
Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires attunement) attuned user that has gained trust by taking
This finely crafted longsword has a small piece of bone the sword on adventures. If it chooses to share
set inside the pale green pommel stone. information to a character, here is some insight
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made it might impart:
with this magic weapon. It has the following additional • Analeithla is almost certain that the
properties. attacking mages were followers of Shar
Arcane Focus. Analeithla’s sword can be used as an carrying out a random attack in the name of
arcane focus. their goddess.
Astute Sentinel. While the weapon is on your person, • She can confirm that Ybrithe was
you and any of your companions within 30 feet of experimenting with magic far beyond
you can’t be surprised, except when incapacitated by the normal reaches. Ybrithe wanted to
something other than nonmagical sleep. The weapon understand how Karsus had ascended to
godhood, and hoped to learn from his
magically awakens you and your companions within mistakes.
range if any of you are sleeping naturally when combat
begins. • Lichdom was just a stepping-stone on the
Inherent Arcana. Analeithla’s sword has 12 charges. It way to pursuing that knowledge.
regains 1d8 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. While • Ybrithe had hastily attempted her ritual
holding it, you can use an action to expend one or more into lichdom when the school was attacked.
of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it Unfortunately, the ritual didn’t take, and
a massive blast of arcane energy surged,
(spell save DC 16, spell attack +8): alter self (2 charges),
killing all within and destroying the house.
blink (3 charges), finger of death (7 charges), flesh to
stone (6 charges), mage armor (1 charge), and major • The ghost in one of the studies, that screams
image (3 charges). and phases through people, is that of
Jalastra Bluenthal, who was meditating at
Sentience. Analeithla’s sword is a sentient weapon
the time of the attack. Analeithla feels sorry
of chaotic neutral alignment, with an Intelligence of 19, that Jalastra’s soul is trapped down there.
a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 15. It has hearing
and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon Feel free to add or remove things from the list as
you see fit. Perhaps certain insights don’t fit in
communicates telepathically with any creature within your homebrew world and could be replaced by
30 feet and can speak, read, and understand Elvish and things that tie into a storyline you’re running.
Common.
Personality. Analeitha’s sword speaks quickly
and often trails off on a thought. Being trapped in a
dungeon for several centuries has driven Analeithla’s
sword a bit mad, but it still retains Analeithla’s longing
for adventure. If taken on adventures, Analeithla’s sword
slowly become less mad, and its alignment changes to
neutral good after 30 days of adventuring.

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Compass of Magic Item Detection Weapon of Greater Chaos
Wonderous item, uncommon (requires attunement) Weapon (any), rare (requires attunement)
This brass compass has ornate carvings across the casing. You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made
As an action, you can speak the command word to with this magic weapon.
have this compass point in the direction of the nearest Chaotic Enchantment. This weapon has 1 minor
magic item. The compass itself counts as a magic item. beneficial property, 1 major beneficial property, and
3 minor detrimental properties from the Artifact
Enchanted Painting Properties section in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s
Wondrous item, very rare Guide.
Every day at dawn, the properties change (either at
This gorgeous painting depicts a serene valley, full of the DM’s choice, or randomly).
trees and hills.
The painting changes colors to accurately represent
the current time of day.
Up to ten willing creatures may step into the painting,
bringing any gear they are wearing or carrying.
Creatures hostile to those inside the painting are unable
to enter at all.
The painting expels occupants after 10 hours, to the
nearest open space.

Lessons from Karsus

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement by a
spellcaster)
This tattered leather-bound tome is filled with arcane
formulas and incoherent notes.
If you can attune to this item, you can use it as a
spellbook and an arcane focus.
This tome has 10 charges. As a bonus action, you can
expend any number of charges and regain a spell slot
equal to the number of charges used.
This item regains 1d4 charges at dawn each day.

Longbow of Explosions
Weapon (longbow), rare (requires attunement)
Flames are etched onto the reddish wood of this
longbow.
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made
with this magic weapon.
When you roll a 20 with this magic weapon, the bow
also casts fireball centered on the target (spell save DC
14).
Curse. When you roll a 1 with this magic weapon, the
bow casts fireball centered on you (spell save DC 14).

Weapon of Lesser Chaos

Weapon (any), rare (requires attunement)
You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made
with this magic weapon.
Chaotic Enchantment. This weapon has 1 minor
beneficial property and 1 minor detrimental property
from the Artifact Properties section in chapter 7 of the
Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Every day at dawn, the properties change (either at
the DM’s choice, or randomly).

13
 Appendix C: Creatures
Skeletal Experiment
Large undead, neutral evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hitpoints 66 (7d10 + 28)
Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 5 (-3) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)

Saving Throws Str +6

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunitites poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Stirling
Languages — Medium construct (nimblewright), neutral
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Rampage. When the skeletal experiement reduces a Hitpoints 45 (6d8 + 18)
creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the Speed 60 ft.
skeletal experiement can take a bonus action to move up
to half its speed and make another attack. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
29 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 5 (-3) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)
Actions
Saving Throws Dex +6
Multiattack. The skeletal experiement makes two claw Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +2
attacks and one bite attack. Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage. from non-magical attacks
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, petrified,
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
poisoned
target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Magic Resistance. Stirling has advantage on saving throws

against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Stirling’s weapon attacks are magical.
Repairable. As long as it has at least 1 hit point remaining,
Stirling regains 1 hit point when a mending spell is cast on
it.
Sure-Footed. Stirling has advantage on Strength and
Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would
knock it prone.

Actions
Multiattack. Stirling makes three attacks: two with its
rapier and one with its dagger.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 8) piercing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d4 + 8) piercing
damage in melee, or 10 (1d4 + 8) damage at range.

Reactions
Parry. Stirling adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack
that would hit it. To do so, Stirling must see the attacker
and be wielding a melee weapon.

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Ybrithe Actions
Medium undead, chaotic evil Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be para-
Hitpoints 272 (32d8 + 128) lyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw
Speed 30 ft. at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on
a success.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 21 (+5) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) Legendary Actions
Saving Throws Con +9, Int +10, Wis +7 Ybrithe can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
Skills Skill Arcana +15, History +15, Insight +7, Perception options below. Only one legendary action can be used
+7, Religion +10 at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
Damage Resistances cold, lightning Ybrithe regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
Damage Immunitites necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, turn.
piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks Cantrip. Ybrithe casts a cantrip.
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). Each non-undead creature
stunned within 20 feet of Ybrithe must make a DC 18 Constitution
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 saving throw against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic
Languages Common, Draconic, Elvish, Giant, Infernal, damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Undercommon successful one.
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). Ybrithe uses her
Paralyzing Touch.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Ybrithe fails a saving Spell Glyph (Costs 3 Actions). Ybrithe activates one of
throw, she can choose to succeed instead. the following glyphs of warding in the room: blink, blur,
Semi-Corporeal. Unless Ybrithe is under the effect of the eyebite, fly, invisibility.
blink, etherealness, or similar spell, she can target creatures Each glyph may only be activated once.
on the current plane as well as the Ethereal Plane, and she
can be targeted by a creature or effect originating from
either plane.
Spellcasting. Ybrithe is a 20th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +10
to hit with spell attacks). Ybrithe has the following wizard
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, mage hand, ray of
frost
1st level (4 slots): magic missile, shield, witch bolt
2nd level (3 slots): blur, hold person
3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, counterspell
4th level (3 slots): banishment, blight, phantasmal killer
5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold, geas
6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, flesh to stone
7th level (1 slot): delayed blast fireball, finger of death
8th level (1 slot): feeblemind
9th level (1 slot): weird
Turn Resistance. Ybrithe has advantage on saving throws
against any effect that turns undead.
Weave Mastery. Ybrithe’s spells do not trigger Wild
Magic Surges unless she wants them to.

15