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5e Side Quests

First time running a 5e Side Quest?

Read over everything carefully before running a 5e Side Quests. There is information on the characters, setting, and
plot of each side quest. Use the information, and the actions of your player’s characters, to determine how the
scenario plays out. Will Greta be caught? Will the loose amphibians reign supreme? Will Lily catch a clue to what’s
happening and intervene? Will Greta try to escape with the gold? That’s for you to decide. The stage is set, and you
are the director. Lead your player’s characters through the most fun route you can come up with.

Thank you for playing! Have fun?

Keep a lookout for the physical release of the whole book. It will contain this adventure and at least five others. 5e
Side Quests will be launching on Kickstarter in May.

Email [email protected] to be reminded of the release.

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 Spying on the Barmaid
Level Requirements. 3-4 Level 2 Characters
Experience. 400 XP
The Job. Mr. Willow needs adventures to keep a
watch for suspicious activity around his bar, The
Tilted Flagon, and find who has been stealing from
him. Ever since hiring the new barmaid, his coffers
have been emptier than usual. Catch the thief in the
act and report them to the authorities. Reward: 100
gold pieces and a jeweled quarterstaff worth 200 gold
pieces from Mr. Willow.

DM Notes. Greta has not only been stealing but is

using the extra money to purchase special
transmutation potions from a local wizard (see
Appendix). She has been doing this for the past week.
She mixes the potions into customer’s drinks if they
are rude or don’t leave a tip. At first, the potion
causes the victim to become very tired. Once they are
nice and tired, Greta leads them to an open bedroom
to rest. After an hour, the victim transforms into a
Giant Frog. Greta then collects them and hides them
in the basement, in an ale barrel. She keeps a large jar
of insects in the storage closet of the basement.
If the frogs are released, they will attack anyone in
their way, especially Greta. There will be one Giant
Toad amongst the frogs. I recommend the encounter
include x1 Giant Toad and x1 Giant Frog per
character.
The effects of the potion last two weeks, giving
Location. The job takes place at The Tilted Flagon one of the frogs enough time to transform into a man
bar. It is located on the outskirts of town. Residents 24 hours after the character’s arrival. Should Greta
recognize it because of the large metal sign of a flagon question Martucio about this, he will claim that he
above the door. The building has three bedrooms on didn’t state the effect was permanent.
the second floor and a basement for brewing ale. Greta will attempt to flee if she is found out.
Characters. Greta the barmaid (Human, 67), Mr.
Willow the owner (Human, 45), Martucio the
Alchemist (Human, 81), Lily the cleaner (Human, 17).
See the “Appendix” for stat blocks.

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W = Window

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1. First Floor – Tavern Potion of Giant Frog Transformation. Under the
clothes in her storage trunk, hides her journal. Almost
There are between six and ten customers in the every page has rantings about rude customers.
tavern at any one time until closing time at midnight. After the effects of the potion take hold, Greta
Crowds alternate between soldiers, miners, and takes her sleepy victims to rest in bedroom 2. By the
traders. The special is a dark brown liquid that time Greta takes them to the bedroom, they will
bubbles called Bugbear’s Brew. It’s a secret recipe that transform into a frog roughly 1 hour later. At that
is brewed in the basement. Greta is usually navigating time, Greta will wrap the frog in a blanket and
drink orders while Lily tends the carrot and roast deposit it in the southeast ale barrel in the basement.
stew. Lily works the morning shift and Greta works She will dump the blanket in the storage closet in the
the night shift, with some overlap in between. basement. It may have slime residue.
Greta and Lily have access to the metal safe
embedded in the floor behind the bar. It is used to
collect customer funds and make change. Willow
collects the coin at the end of every night. Opening
the safe requires a key that all three employees have.
After midnight, only Greta remains to watch over
the inn guests and look after the tavern. She will
occasionally sneak down to the basement and let the
frogs jump around. This amuses Greta. She has to
clean the frog slime aftwards. Only after midnight
does Greta meet Martucio the Alchemist to purchase
more potions. She lets him in through the kitchen
door. After midnight, the doors to the kitchen and bar
are locked. A character my unlock the doors by
succeeding on a DC 14 Dexterity Check using
Thieves’ Tools. The windows are locked and can be
unlocked by succeeding on a DC 12 Dexterity Check 3. Basement – Ale Barrels
using Thieves’ Tools.
The door to the basement is locked. One may unlock
2. Second Floor - Bedrooms the door by succeeding on a DC 15 Dexterity Check
using Thieves’ Tools. Only Greta and Mr. Willow
There are usually two open bedrooms at any one have the key to this door. This room has a dozen
time. Greta stays in bedroom 1. The door to her wooden storage boxes containing various dry
room is locked. It can be unlocked by succeeding on a ingredients for stews. It also contains three large
DC 14 Dexterity Check using Thieves’ Tools. wooden barrels that contain Bugbear’s Brew (ale).
Opening the door halfway activates a pull string trap The barrel in the southeast has been emptied and
that drops a bucket of frog slime on the character that contains x1 Giant Toad and x4 Giant Frogs. The
opened the door. The character can evade the slime barrels can be opened by the wooden lid at the top.
by succeeding on a DC 14 Dexterity Saving Throw. The amphibians remain silent until after midnight.
A character that succeeds on a DC 15 Investigation They will jump out and start attacking if the lid is
Check may find Greta’s coin stash of stolen register opened.
funds that total 700 gold pieces. There are emptied
vials hidden under her bed that contain traces of the

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 Appendix
Greta the Barmaid (Human) Martucio the Alchemist (Human)
AC 10; HP 8; Speed 25 ft AC 10; HP 8; Speed 25 ft
STR 8 (-1); DEX 8 (-1); CON 10 (+0); INT 13 (+1); STR 10 (+0); DEX 10 (+0); CON 10 (+0); INT 14
WIS 14 (+2); CHA 14 (+2) (+2); WIS 8 (-1); CHA 14 (+2)
ACTIONS ACTIONS
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4
(1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Personality. Grumpy. Spiteful.
Personality. Curious. Bold.
Motivations. Wants payback against rude
Motivations. Earn money for his new alchemical
customers.
creations.
Appearance. Wrinkled skin and curly gray hair. Age
Appearance. Wears a thick blue robe. Long white
67.
beard. Age 81.
Movements. Spends her time tending the bar,
Movements. Travels all over the region but takes
monitoring the second floor, and tending to the ale
the same routes across popular trading spots.
barrels. She purchases potions for Martucio after
midnight when the tavern is closed till morning. She
lives in the big bedroom on the second floor. She Lily the Cleaner (Tiefling)
will try to wait till after midnight to transport the AC 10; HP 8; Speed 25 ft
amphibians. STR 10 (+0); DEX 12 (+1); CON 14 (+2); INT 12
(+1); WIS 12 (+1); CHA 10 (+0)
Mr. Willow the Owner (Human) ACTIONS
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
AC 11; HP 9; Speed 25 ft
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4
STR 10 (+0); DEX 10 (+0); CON 10 (+0); INT 14
(1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
(+2); WIS 8 (-1); CHA 14 (+2)
ACTIONS
Personality. Impatient. Authoritarian.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
Motivations. Earn money for a trip to the beach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
with her sister.
Appearance. Blue silk skirt. Red skin. Two horns
Personality. Annoyed. Determined.
on her head curled backward. Age 17.
Motivations. Catch the thief and see his tavern
Movements. She works the last 6 hours of the
succeed.
night and sticks to the first floor. She can be found
Appearance. Wears a red jacket. Carries a jeweled
cooking stew behind the bar or cleaning dishes in
quarterstaff. Age 45.
the kitchen. She is occasionally asked to take out
Movements. Frequently leaves to purchase supplies
the garbage or help Mr. Willow stock the kitchen.
for the tavern. He will occasionally tend the bar.

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Potion of Giant Toad Transformation Potion of Giant Frog Transformation
Potion, Rare Potion, Uncommon
Four hours after drinking this potion, you start to Four hours after drinking this potion, you start to
lose consciousness and take on the form of a Giant lose consciousness and take on the form of a Giant
Toad for 14 days, or until your HP drops to 0 while Frog for 14 days, or until your HP drops to 0 while
in this form. At 0 HP, you will instantly revert to in this form. At 0 HP, you will instantly revert to
your normal form. While in this form, you retain no your normal form. While in this form, you retain
memories from your normal form and assume all no memories from your normal form and assume
aspects of the new form, include intelligence, all aspects of the new form, include intelligence,
language, and other abilities. language, and other abilities.

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5e Side Quests. Copyright 2019, Cameron Wright