4-5

Characters

Levels
13-14

Dungeon

Curse Our Luck

Stephen Yeardley

Introduction 1. Basement Jackanapes

Recently, archaeologists and artifact collectors suffered The in-swinging door reveals stairs leading down. “HE’S E.S.P.” is
misfortune after handling trusted items found around Corshex written on the slabs at their base (a clue to open the barrel rack -
Castle, a site razed during a fiendish war decades ago. While the “HEar, SEe, SPeak”). The southwest barrel holds fifteen, six-inch
ruins are historically important, museums and merchants are now diameter lead discs with holes in their centers. The three on the
worried. The characters are hired to investigate and are promised rack are four feet across. A demonic face is on each one, with nails
the first choice of anything found plus 500 gp each. in the eyes, ears and mouths. The northeast barrel feels empty if
Mini-Dungeon #271: Curse Our Luck

rocked, but does not move otherwise.

Overview
The rack hides a secret door which is uncovered by correctly
Although an unremarkable castle, Corshex’s defenders seemed placing the discs on the nails. A character that succeeds at a
blessed with good luck when fighting a rearguard battle that DC 20 Intelligence check recalls lore suggesting “Hear No Evil,
turned the war’s tide. As the walls were razed, the troops held the See No Evil, Speak No Evil.” Anyone reading the writing at the
dungeon’s final room until reinforcements arrived and routed the stairs’ base makes the check with advantage. Facing the rack,
enemy. Since then, excavating the place has revealed important discs must be put on: the left barrel’s ear nails (hear); the center
items and rewarded diligent searchers. Until now... barrel’s eye nails (see); the right barrel’s mouth nail (speak).

For deep in one chamber, a gate to Pandemonium was left in a Placing discs on incorrect nails releases silver gas from the
hollow-but-sealed iron statue. Designed to randomly activate, it is northeast barrel. Creatures in the cellar must succeed on a
now open, spewing Chaos and cursed material into the region. DC 22 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 hour. A
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
While remote, Corshex is familiar; the party arrives there next two turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Failing all
trouble-free. Searching the grounds finds nothing unusual or three leaves the creature paralyzed for the full hour. If all party
noteworthy. Rubble almost blocks the basement entrance; only members fail, they wake a mile from the castle, minus their old
Tiny-sized creatures can enter. It takes four Medium humanoids gear but each holding two items from Area 2.
an hour to clear.
If done correctly, the northeast barrel rotates to align with
the rack, which now pulls from the wall. Making a successful
DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check finds 5. Confusional Booth
the secret door. It opens with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check with
thieves’ tools or after taking 20 hit points of bludgeoning or force A tall iron statue stands open; a chill wind escapes from its
damage. A twisting latch releases it from within. pitch-black depths. If a creature enters it, plane shift sends
them to Pandemonium. The table is an arcane scavenger from
2. Curses Confined Pandemonium. It repurposes magical items and returns them to
the world. The desk holds attachments for ground excavation or
The cells hold fourteen cursed items. From top left: armor of dismantling equipment, even if worn.
vulnerability, a cursed ioun-stone of mastery (proficiency bonus
decreases by 1); a cursed chime of opening (makes locks unlockable), 6. End of it All
a cursed ioun-stone of insight (Wisdom score decreases by 2); a
berserker axe, a cursed ioun-stone of Strength (Strength score Twelve misty, gold-flecked columns are in this room. At the start of
decreases by 2); a cursed robe of useful items (items break at a a turn, three pulse randomly. Each creature within 5 feet of a pulsing
crucial points), a cursed ioun-stone of intellect (Intelligence score column must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or fall prone
decreases by 2). Bottom left: a bag of devouring, a cursed ioun-stone in fits of laughter, becoming incapacitated and unable to stand for 1
of sustenance (eat and drink four times as much); cursed boots of minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of
speed (speed halved, opportunity attacks against you made with its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
advantage), a cursed ioun-stone of agility (Dexterity score decreases
by 2); cursed eyes of charming (casts bane on wearer), a cursed ioun- Three large carvings of trees have a wooden owl in them. These
stone of leadership (Charisma score decreases by 2). “owls” are wicked skulls that aim to distract the characters
with Petty Mockery while hiding in the branches. On the west wall,
Cells have distinctly colored metal bars and 5 upright levers to their what looks like a wood golem is a chaos creeper around a statue,
left. Bars open if the levers are lowered in order, using a code based tempting creatures with the benefits of its Wondrous Cornucopia
on the alphabetical letter position of the colors. From top left: Coral, before lashing them with the maul-like Vine Whip.
24513; Amber, 14235; Straw, 34215; Olive, 43251. Bottom left: Azure,
15432; Mauve, 31452; Grape, 35142. Incorrect attempts reset the
levers. Success also releases the items in the cell.
Conclusion
If the party nullifies everything in the basement, all misfortune halts
Two invisible veritigibbets follow the party from here. If
until the next new moon. If the remains are placed in the gate to
characters do badly, both ask, “How much worse could you do?”
Pandemonium and the statue closed, it ceases entirely.
Characters not replying “truthfully and completely” suffer the effects
of the creature’s Blather action AND their trousers catch fire as per
the Liar, Liar reaction.

3. Dozens of Flyting Extemporizations

These beds hold grotesque humanoids, who are disguised
gibbering mouthers stuck in this form. These Chaos-infused
aberrations have lost their Blinding Spittle action, instead casting
vicious mockery (succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw to
resist). If a mouther succeeds with this action, foes within 10 feet
must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be struck by
hideous laughter.

4. No Laughing Matter
This door has “Nola, Fing, Mata” written one word above another,
forming a 4-x-3 letter grid. Creatures able to speak two out of
Dwarvish, Elvish, Primordial and Sylvan recall “nola” means “zero” or
“bell” (signifying death), “fing” means “feign” or “catch out,” and
“mata” means “sharp point” or “to kill.”

The heavy blanket on the bed matches a jester’s outfit's gaudy colors
and tassels. It is a Chaotic rug of smothering with all the features and
abilities of a grim jester . It bitingly belittles characters even as it
tries to smother what it calls the “weakest and most hopeless” one.

© 2023 AAW Games, LLC.

Author: Stephen Yeardley, Artist: Mates Laurentiu, Cartography: Sean MacDonald Tome of Beasts, Tome of Beasts 2,
Publisher: Jonathan G. Nelson, Editor: Stephen Yeardley, Layout: Roo Thompson
Tome of Beasts 3, Kobold Press
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) at adventureaweek.com/ogl, and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered
trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public
domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this AAW Games, LLC game product are Open Game Content, as defined
in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d) No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Tome of Beasts. © 2016,
Open Design LLC; Authors Chris Harris, Dan Dillon, Rodrigo Garcia Carmona, and Wolfgang Baur. Tome of Beasts 2. © 2020, Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Celeste Conowitch, Darrin Drader, James Introcaso, Philip
Larwood, Jeff Lee, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham. Tome of Beasts 3. © 2022, Open Design; Authors Eytan Bernstein, Celeste Conowitch, Benjamin L. Eastman, Robert Fairbanks, Scott Gable, Basheer Ghouse, Richard
Green, Jeremy Hochhalter, Jeff Lee, Christopher Lockey, Sarah Madsen, Ben Mcfarland, Jonathan Miley, Kelly Pawlik, Sebastian Rombach, Chelsea Steverson, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham