------
·.qOuter Fringe. The outermost reaches of the Dread-
wood are as lightly wooded as those of any other forest
and extend five to ten miles into the woods. This part of
the forest is as safe as any other woodland, thanks to
frequent ranger and elf patrols that keep the denizens
of the deeper forest at bay if they try co encroach here.
Owlbears, wolves, and a few bandit gangs that elude
the notice of the patrols represent the most common
threats to explore rs or travelers.
Middle Reaches. Inside the outer fr inge, the forest
takes on an increasingly sinister character. Even on the
brightest days, the thick canopy of greenery threatens to
devour the sunlight. Throughout this middle area, bright
light extends no more than 20 feet from any source of
illumination, with the normal area of bright light beyond
that range reduced to dim light and dim light turned to
darkness. Those who travel without a source of light
during the day find that the thick canopy casts every-
thing in dim light, and in some areas the growt h over-
head is so thick that the area below is dark.
Dreaded Deeps. In the heart of the forest, natural
light is unknown. Each step a traveler takes when mov-
ing through the middle reaches toward the center seems
to dim the sun's light a little more. until one enters the
dreaded deeps, where the forest growth is so heavy that
it blots out the sky. Sources of bright light shine out to
only a JO.foot radius. with any normally bright illumina-
tion beyond that turned to dim light and dim light made
dark. Even darkvision suffers. since it functions here at
a maximum range of 30 feet.
Dark Dreams. Taking a long rest anywhere in t he
Dreadwood carries with it the risk of drawing Granny
Nightshade's attention. Each resting character must
roll a d20. On a roll of 1. the character suffers horr ible
dreams that leave them marked by the forest. Creatures
of the Dreadwood gain advantage on all attacks against
them for the next day and know the character's name
and personal details, calling to them to journey deeper
into the forest and serve beside their mistress.
Random Encounters. The Dreadwood Random En-
counters table provides ideas for the sort of encounters
that can take place here. Check for an encounter once
per day by rolli ng a d20. On an 18 or higher, t he c ha rac-
ters have an encounter at some point during the day or
night (equal chance of each). The nature of the encoun-
ter depends on which region of the forest the characters
are located in.DREADWOOD RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
d20 Outer Fringe Middle Reaches Dreaded Deeps
1-3 2d6 goblins 2d6 skeletons^4 d6 skeletons
4-5 2d6 elf veterans ldlO zombies 3d10 zombies
6-7 3d6 bandits 2d6 hobgoblins 3d 4 ghouls
8- 9 2d4 jackalweres ld6 bugbe ars 2d6 s pecters
10 3d6 stirges 2d4 ghouls 2d4 wights
11 ld3 vine blights l d6 s pecters ld6 vampire
s pawn
12 2d4 hobgoblins ld4 green hags ld6 wraiths
13 ld3 dire wolves l bans hee 2d6 mummies
14 1 d4 green hags 1 night hag 2d4 + 2 shadows
15 1 d3 treants l lamia ld3 vampiresen Al' 1 r.R 1 I s \t rM ·\R"H~
d2 0 Outer Fringe Middle Rea ches Dreaded Deeps
16 2d4 kobolds ld3 wraiths ld3 night hags
17 1 unicorn ld3 gorgons 2d4 s hambling
mounds
18 1 troll ld3 mummies ld4 oni
19 2d6 hobgoblins 1 d4 + 1 s had ows 1 adult green
d ragon
20 l d 3 ogres l vampire l death knightDROWNED FOREST
Perched at the edge of the Hool Marshes, the Drowned
Forest was once a verdant region. A few decades ago.
the marsh began to encroach on this area. As the wa-
ter level rose, the forest was transformed into a more
foreboding place. Shambling mounds and blights
appeared in the forest in increasing numbers while the
water rotted away the trees themselves. In time, strange
mushrooms a nd fungus sprouted throughout the woods.
Today, t he Drowned Forest is perhaps the most dan-
gerous location in the region. The trees remain stand-
ing, but they long ago lost their foliage and are little
more than dead, rotting timbers projecting out of the
mud. Mushrooms and other fungi sprout everywhere. A
thick cloud of spores fills the air and blots out the sun.
allowing the unnatural growths to fiourish.
Abyssal Incursion. The Drowned Forest is the site
of an ongoing Abyssal assault. Years ago. a group of
cultists dedicated to Zuggtmoy shambled into the for-
est. They had long ago succumbed to the fungal spores
that made t hem into thralls. and Zuggtmoy had a plan
in mind for them. The cultists possessed a twisted de-
canter of endless water that tapped into the seas of the
Abyss. By shattering the vessel. they created an unstable
portal to that awful realm. Luckily for the folk of the
region, Zuggtmoy was imprisoned in the ruins of the
Temple of Elemental Evil before her plan was complete.
Without their mistress's direction, the cultists fell to
infighting. Today, Abyssal portals still sometimes draw
demons to the world, and the fungal spores spread by
the cult have transformed the forest into a deadly realm.
Fungal Spores. The air in the forest is thick with
sickly-colored fungal spores that make breathing diffi-
cult at times. Characters who expend Hit Dice while in
the forest regain only half their normal hit points, and
after each long rest a character's maximum hit points
decrease by 1 per Hit Die. This reduction ends the
next time a character completes a long rest outside the
Drowned Forest.
Male volent Fungi. A variety of strange, twisted fungi
grow among the rotting trees of this region. If a fight
breaks out, roll a d20. On a 15 or higher. ld6 violet
fungi erupt from where they are hidden around the area
among debris and mundane plants and mushrooms.
The perpetually soggy fungi tend to attack the loudest
interlopers.
Shriekers' Call. it's difficult to travel unnoticed in this
place because of shriekers that are found throughout
the forest. Rather than check for random encounters as
normal. once per day have each character make their
choice of a Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Nature)
check. If any character's check total is 20 or higher, the