FIGHTING THE
FACELESS LORD
Under normal circumstances,Juiblex (see appendix
D) would be an overwhelming foe. Fortunately for the
adventurers, the Faceless Lord's battle with Zuggtmoy
has weakened it. The characters might also have aid
from allies, the newly freed myconids, and Araumycos
in overcoming the demon lord.
Apply the following penalties to j uiblex:
Irs current hit points are 200.
It has no more uses of Legendary Resistance for the day.- Its Eject Slime action has been used and
must recharge. - It has no lai r actions or regional effects.
Basidia rallies thirty myconid adults and thirty-two
drow spore servants (see appendix C) to tight a longside
the characters. Their attacks are incapable of harming
juiblex. However. as they swarm around the demon
lord, one time per round (as agreed upon by the players).
a character who would be hit by an attack can have a
myconid or a spore servant hit by the attack instead.
The myconids can also fight off oozes, allowing the
adventurers to focus their attention on the demon lord.
If the adventurers freed it from Zuggtmoy's influence,
Araumycos aids them by releasing spores into the
cavern, granting all living creatures in the area
immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
VICTORY OR DEFEAT
The c ha racters might overcome two demon lords if
they are successful in this chapter. If they fail, terrible
consequences unfold for the myconids and other
creatures of the Underdark, though the adventurers
will get another chance to take the fight to Zuggunoy,
Juiblex, and all the othe r demon lords in chapter 17.
ESCAPING DEFEAT
If the characters lose their battle againstjuiblex, their
best hope lies in Vizcran DeVir's ritual. ln the worst-
case scenario where one or more heroes fall in the fight
against the Faceless Lord, their allies might be able
to carry them to safety so that they can be healed or
restored to life.
If the adventure rs flee from Juiblex, the de mon lord
pursues them. However. Araumycos (or its death throes)
triggers a cave-in, al lowing defeated characters to barely
escape.juiblex then turns its attention to feeding on
Araumycos and is one of the demon lords drawn into
battle by Vizeran's ritual in chapter 17.
ACHIEVING VICTORY
If the adventurers succeed. they achieve a great victory
with two demon lords banished back to the Abyss. T he
c reatures under the demon lords' influence e ve ntually
re turn to normal. Neither Zuggtmoy nor Juiblex is truly
destroyed. however. Each demon lord reforms on its
layer of the Abyss, never forgetting those responsible for
its defeat.
CHAP'T'ER 16 I THE FJ::TJO WEDDlNG
The elim ination of the Demon Queen of Fungi wins
the adventurers the eternal gratitude of the surviving
myconids of Neverlight Grove. Basidia quickly assumes
leadership of the grove, taking steps to heal the minds
of those myconids afflicted by demonic corruption. The
myconids also declare their intention to cleanse their
home of Zuggtmoy's linge ring influence.
The removal ofjuiblex from the Underdark causes
most oozes a nd related creatures to revert to their
normal state. If the Pudding King survived this long,
he retreats to Blingdenstone, but it's a far easier matte r
for the deep gnomes to deal with him and his oozing
minions withoutjuiblex around.DEVELOPMENTS
Eve n if Araumycos survives, its fate is unclear. The
entity's mind has clearly been damaged by both
the necessity of cutting away its corruption and the
buffeting force of the psychic wind that followecl. Basidia
and the myconids offer to meld with Araumycos to try
to heal it and guide it back to wholeness. Though not as
serious as death, the trauma still causes a significant
amount of fungal die-off in areas of the creature's
domain, potentially uncovering lost ruins or other
hidden sites.
In addition to possible victory over one or two demon
lords, the adventurers receive one last bequest from
the mind of Araumycos. A puff of rapport spores or a
lingering psychic connection informs them of one or
more of the secrets of the Underdark gathered during
th e entity's vast existence. If you want to provide
the players with any remaining information about
virtually anything in the adventure, this is an excellent
opportunity to do so.TREASURE
ln addition to (or instead of) providing information to
the adventurers, the last connection to the surviving
Araumycos can bestow a charm of heroism to all the
playe r characters (see "Other Rewards" i n chapte r 7 of
the Dungeon Master's Guide).
Additionally, the thirteen timmask mushrooms on the
list of required components that Vizeran needs to create
his dark heart talisman (sec c hapter 12) can be found in
the aftermath of the failed wedding ceremony. sprouting
in locations touched by Zuggtmoy or juiblex.
Tf the characters didn't collect traces of Yecnoghu's
blood from the fallen goristro in chapter 14, any
successful weapon a ttack againstjuiblex in this
chapter leaves traces of th e Faceless Lord's blood on a
character's weapon. Collecting this blood for Vizcran
De Vir provides another component he needs to craft his
dark heart talisman.XPAWARDS
Tfthe characters rid Araumycos's mind of its demonic
infection, award each of the m 2.000 XP. If the party
delive rs to Vizeran all of the components he needs to
c raft his dark heart talisman, award each character an
additional 2,500 XP.