The Order of the Monastery has promised a future based on survival of the fittest. To even enter the monastery, new recruits must first venture into the sewers and emerge with a great treasure.
In this deadly session designed for lower levels, the adventurers must navigate a dark sewer system, evade dangerous monsters, and slay a red toad monster1.
Please note: This session contains imagery and themes likely not suitable for younger audiences2.
Setting:
This narrative takes place on the outskirts of Brugnot, a medieval city of canals and danger. It is known for the ferocity of the monsters surrounding it, which has led to a grim outlook by the people who live within its stone walls and has given rise to warrior orders such as the Order of the Monastery.
Specifically this session takes place in the sewers below the city proper.
Story Beats:
Traversing the sewers
Navigating the lair
Taking down the red beast
Traversing the sewers:
We begin as the initiates (The players/adventurers) are led by members of the Order through an overgrown ruin on the outskirts of the city. A cool wind blows as Dastma, the group leader brings everyone to a stop at a rusted metal grate in the ground.
He informs the initiates that their first trial is to descend into the sewers, locate a red toad monster, and bring back the jewel embedded within its body. He then warns that there are other lumbering toads infesting the sewers, and that any of them will kill the initiates without breaking their stride.
With that he opens the gate, bids the party enter, and closes it again behind them.
Initially the sewers are dark, cramped, and linear. However soon the initiate’s eyes adjust to the gloom and they see many branching paths. Their first task is to locate the lair of the toad monsters. This can be accomplished several different ways:
Through the tunnels frequented by the toads the walls and floor are scratched, giving some possible indication to which direction they came. Other signs include broken mushrooms, and slime if a toad monster is close by. If navigating by this method, the initiates will emerge into the top middle of the next map.
The echoes of croaks bounce through the narrow tunnels as the initiates draw near to a hunting party of five blue toad monsters with several bound prisoners. While these foes are far too strong for the initiates to fight, they may be able to hide and follow them back to their lair. If navigating by this method, the initiates will emerge into the top right of the next map.
Some tracks disappear into a stinking waterway. If the initiates are able to assemble some way to float on the surface then they may be able to follow it to the lair. Else they may attempt to swim, although will need to make a save to see if their body can stomach it. If navigating by this method, the initiates will emerge into the top left of the next map.
Navigating the lair:
Drawing close to the lair of the toad monsters the noise levels increase dramatically as a celebration is apparently being held on a small dock in the western (left) waterway. If the initiates enter this way, then they’ll need to find a way to hide or disguise themselves so they aren’t noticed by the toads.
Entering through the middle, the initiates emerge into a quiet inlet that is unguarded. There are 3 paths, with the right path (from their point of view) taking them to the large river tunnel, straight ahead to a sleeping toad monster leaning on a locked door, and to the left a they see the returning hunting party who continue on straight down.
Following the hunting party (Either through entering this way, or from one of the other entrances) they continue straight down on the map along a dried waterway which kicks up dust. Along here is where the toads dispose of their rubbish and contains crates, decomposing food, and other detritus. The hunting party venture down and enter into (A3), closing the door behind them.
From here, the lair contains 3 main areas:
(A1) - The leader of the toads is old and grey, and relaxes in its own private lair filled with comfortable cushions and scented candles to ward off the unwholesome smell of the outside. If it detects the smell of any creature nearby it summons the other toads in a frenzy and sets out to hunt them down.
(A2) - The “kitchen” is where the bottom of the pack hierarchy, the red toad, spends its time preparing meals and other odd jobs for the rest of the toad monsters. It is rarely left alone as there are others constantly picking on it, and so they will need to be drawn away first before it can be taken out
(A3) - The “nursery” is where future toad monsters are created. Hunting parties bring prisoners back here where they are locked inside and infected with tadpoles that are left to grow inside them, starting the cycle anew. Among the prisoners the initiates recognise the clothing of the Order; presumably being a failed party who came before. Releasing any still living prisoners would be enough to distract the toads who do not want their presence detected yet.
Taking down the red toad:
Creating a distraction, or otherwise dragging the toads away from the kitchen will open up an opportunity to strike at the red toad. Although be warned, this will still be a tricky fight for any initiate and so prior preparation and planning is advised.
There are a few ways to gain the advantage in this fight if they so choose:
The toad works over a steaming hot cauldron of stew, which is hot enough to burn anything it comes into contact with
Attempting to assert at least some authority, it is more likely to order around any prisoners it sees, rather than kill on sight.
If no other toads are around, it is disposed toward laziness and taking naps (Note: It will not do this if there is general excitement from escaped prisoners or the thought of prey being around).
Defeating this toad through any means and cutting open its chest to reveal the jewel grants the initiates their passage into the Order, assuming they can make it back out alive.3
Returning through the sewers to Dastma, he is pleased to see so many initiates survived and trusts they will be strong additions to the Order. He’s almost delighted at the fact as well that they managed to find the previous group of initiates who went missing, and promises to take them all back to the monastery where they will be clothed and fed in preparation for the next trial at sunrise.
What did you think? Any ideas, feedback, or do you intend to use this in a session? Let me know!
This session was originally written with D&D in mind, and the original prompt for this session was the initiation test of the Dark Angels in Warhammer 40 000.
Cowritten/Edited with the assistance of Alsanna.
This session was originally written with D&D 5E in mind, and the intended monsters are Slaad. In the interests of keeping the session system agnostic, I’ve referred to them as Toad Monsters here.
Slaad have always given me the heebie jeebies. I assume they would to a younger audience as well.
If the initiates very quickly dispatch the toad, then maybe the rest of the toads come back earlier than anticipated forcing the initiates to run?