D&D Tomb of Annihilation

ancientdead.Thecompanytrackedthejeweltothetomband
perishedwithouteverfindingit.
ThespiritoftheStarfallenhasweakenedovertimeand
grownforgetful.Sherememberslittleofherpastorhertravels
withtheCompanyoftheYellowBanner,butcertainthings
mightjoghermemory.Iftheplayersgetstuck,youcanusethe
Starfallenasameanstoprovidehintstokeeptheadventure
ontrack.

28 .Withers’sOffice.................................................................................................................................................................

Candlesdimlyilluminateaclutteredoffice.Askeletal

songbirdraspsatyoufromafilthycageinonecorner.

Otherfurnishingincludeawoodenwritingdeskanda

tall-backedchair.Anatomicaldrawingssketchedin

charcoalhangonthewallbehindthedesk.Seatedinthe

chairistheshriveledcorpseofahumanoidwearing

moldyrobesandabronzemasksculptedtolooklikea

frowningvisage.Aroundthefigure’sneckhangsablack

skull-shapedamulet,andanumberofseveredhands

crawlonthedeskandflooraroundhim.

Beforehewasturnedintoanundeadcreature,Withers
wasanOmuanengineernamedGorra.LikeallofOmu’s
citizens,Gorrawasenslavedandputtoworkconstructingthe
tomb.WhenAcereraksacrificedhisworkerstotheirown
dungeon,Gorra’strapsperformedthebest.Thispleasedthe
archlichenoughthathetransformedGorraintoawight,with
thesechanges:
 WithershasanIntelligenceof 16 (+ 3 ).
 Hewearsanamuletoftheblackskull(seeappendixC)
anddoesn’tcarryalongbow.
 HehastheSpellcastingfeaturedescribedbelow.
 Hehasachallengeratingof 4 ( 1 , 100 XP).

Whenthecharactersarrive,Withersisworkingathisdesk.
Sevencrawlingclawsfollowhimaroundandobeyhis
commands.
WithersisfiercelyloyaltoAcererak.Hispassionfor
learningfollowedhimintoundeath,grantinghimarare
chancetostudyforeternity.Thewallsofhisofficearecovered
inpapersonnaturalhistoryandanatomy,andheusesthe
scryingpoolinarea 25 tostudythenaturalworldthroughthe
eyesofOmu’sgargoyles.

Whenheencountersthecharacters,Withersiskeento

learneverythinghecanbeforekillingthem.He’sparticularly

interestedincurrentaffairsinChultandinthehistoryof

foreignlands.Ifthecharactershumorhim,hebehaves

cordiallywhiletheyanswerhisquestions.Thenwithsome

regret,hefinallyannouncesthatit’stimeforthemtodie.

Witherswouldratherescapethanbedestroyedorcaptured,

soheuseshisspellstoretreatifthebattlegoesagainsthim,

savingwalloffiretocutoffpursuerswhenheflees.

Journals

Withersisadiligentscribe.Hismoldyjournalstrackthe

historyofOmuandtheTomboftheNineGods,anddetailthe

arrivaloftheatropalandtheconstructionoftheSoulmonger.

Anycharacterwhospends 10 minutesflippingthroughthe

journalsfindsanentrythatstandsout.Givethatcharacter’s

playeracopyofhandout 22 inappendixE.Tofleshoutthe

Spellcasting.Withersisa 9 th-levelspellcaster.His

spellcastingabilityisIntelligence(spellsaveDC 13 ;+ 5 tohit

withspellattacks).Hehasthefollowingwizardspells

prepared:

Cantrips(atwill):acidsplash,magehand,minorillusion,

prestidigitation

1 stlevel( 4 slots):detectmagic,expeditiousretreat,featherfall,

thunderwave

2 ndlevel( 3 slots):darkness,holdperson,ropetrick

3 rdlevel( 3 slots):dispelmagic,lightningbolt

4 thlevel( 3 slots):blight,walloffire

5 thlevel( 1 slot):telekinesis