Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions

• An Adventure for 2nd-level Characters

• Developed by Hannah Rose & Christopher Perkins

• Edited by Hannah Rose

• Written by Alison Huang

A collection of essays called Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions was brought to Candlekeep only a few days ago. It was donated by Yalerion Highscroll, a scholar from Waterdeep who purchased the journal in the markets of Baldur’s Gate. Unbeknownst to the characters, the book is a monster in disguise and attacks them as they try to read it. Afterward, the characters discover that other books in Candlekeep have behaved similarly, suggesting there might be something more malevolent going on.

Finding the Book

Characters who have already gained admission into Candlekeep might come across Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions while researching topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Magic and the Weave
• Lycanthropy and its origins
• Demon lords of the Abyss

Book Description

Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions is seven inches wide and nine inches tall. The brown leather cover is worn from time and use. The name of the book and its author, Mazfroth Gethur, are elegantly written in cursive with black ink on the first page. The care put into the front page, however, does not apply to the rest of the book’s contents. Mazfroth’s handwriting is messy and hasty, as if they couldn’t write down their thoughts fast enough. Furthermore, the book’s 151 pages don’t all match, indicating that the author kept adding more pages. The book’s stitching is haphazard, and looks like it could come undone at any moment.

Essays and Ramblings

Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions contains a collection of eclectic essays, though not much is revealed or known about the author. Mazfroth’s essays often go on long tangents. Although the topics in the book are many and varied, it is clear that divinity, the denizens of the multiverse, and the nature of magic were subjects of particular interest to Mazfroth.

Helpful Knowledge

A character who scans Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions learns a piece of information relevant to their interests, such as one of these:

• All magic depends on the Weave, an interface between casters and raw magic that is governed by Mystra, god of magic. Arcane spellcasters access the Weave directly, while divine spellcasters are granted access to it by their deities and ideals. Damage to the Weave can cause unimaginable destruction, as evidenced by the Spellplague in 1385 DR, the Year of Blue Fire.
• Some scholars believe that Malar, god of the hunt, is responsible for lycanthropy. Mazfroth disagrees with this theory on the basis that not all lycanthropes are evil as Malar is. Werebears are an example of lycanthropes that are usually good.
• The Abyss is ruled by demon lords—Baphomet, Demogorgon, Graz’zt, Juiblex, Orcus, Yeenoghu, Zuggtmoy, and many others. Mazfroth ties the origins of several monsters to these demon lords (saying Juiblex created all oozes, for example).

After a character who reads Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions finds an essay pertaining to their interests, but before they can finish reading the passage, the book attacks them.

Gingwatzim

A gingwatzim is a peculiar form of life created by a spell or a ritual. The magic that brings it into being draws on spirit energy from the Ethereal Plane to give the gingwatzim its true form—that of a luminous (but not too bright) sphere of ectoplasm roughly 3 feet in diameter. A newly formed gingwatzim appears as near to its creator as possible and follows its creator’s commands without question, using telepathy to communicate.

A gingwatzim can assume two other forms that are determined by its creator at the time the gingwatzim comes into being. One is an exact duplicate of a Tiny nonmagical object that its creator is wearing or carrying. The gingwatzim’s other form is that of a specific Tiny beast.

When the gingwatzim that has taken the form of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions attacks the characters, it does so by assuming its true form and then using its Energy Drain action. A gingwatzim must feed on the life energy of other creatures to survive, but it can’t feed while in the form of a beast or an object, which is why it must revert to its true form first. Its other form is that of a bat.

This particular gingwatzim was instructed by its creator to remain in book form, but it hasn’t fed in days. Consequently, it tries to consume the characters' life energy and fights until destroyed. All the while, it terrorizes its prey with telepathic messages such as “Feed me!” and “Need life!” No trace of the destroyed gingwatzim remains, depriving Candlekeep of its copy of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions.

What’s Going On?

The gingwatzim that attacks the characters was created by a jackalwere named Korvala, using a ritual taught to her by a now-deceased lamia named Nidalia. Korvala is the leader of the Amberdune Pack, a gang of jackalweres that sells books and scrolls in the markets of Baldur’s Gate. Korvala commanded the gingwatzim to take the form of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, one of the more valuable books in her collection. This ruse enabled her to sell a copy of the book without giving up the genuine item, which Korvala is loath to part with.

The Amberdune Pack remains fiercely loyal to Nidalia, even though she has been dead for months. Rather than corrupting individuals and acquiring slaves, Nidalia preferred to collect books and scrolls. Though she was peaceful and compassionate, she was nonetheless killed by a group of adventurers. The jackalweres that survived fled with Nidalia’s heart and what books and scrolls they could carry.

With Korvala as their new leader, the pack began working on a way to resurrect Nidalia. It soon became clear that wouldn’t be a simple task. After all, the resurrection spell requires both a diamond worth at least 1,000 gp and the services of a sufficiently powerful spellcaster.

The pack’s plan to sell books and scrolls, as well as gingwatzims disguised as books and scrolls, proved to be more challenging than they expected. Most of their profits are spent to help them survive in a city with more than its fair share of bribery and corruption. They’ve pinned their hopes on raising enough money to resurrect Nidalia before someone discovers their ruse, but they didn’t account for the possibility that some of their gingwatzims would end up in Candlekeep.

Monstrous Books

Characters interested in the mystery surrounding Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions might ask the Avowed of Candlekeep for information or conduct their own investigation.

What the Avowed Know

The following information can be learned from talking to Candlekeep’s monks and sages:

• Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions is the third book to transform into an ectoplasmic monster. The other two books were The Dark Hunger (about a powerful entity served by star-fearing warlocks) and Fallen Tethyamar (about a dwarf king named Ghellin who sought to reclaim his kingdom in the Desertmouth Mountains).
• All three books were used to gain entrance to Candlekeep in the past two months.
• The Avowed keep records of the seekers allowed into Candlekeep and the books they gifted the library. Two seekers who gained entry with monstrous books are still in Candlekeep: Yalerion Highscroll (who brought Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions) and Valor (who brought The Dark Hunger). The Avowed know where to find them.

If the characters talk to the Avowed about the incident they experienced involving Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, the monks offer them a helm of comprehending languages as a reward for finding out who is responsible for the deception.

Questioning Seekers

If the characters question Yalerion Highscroll or Valor about the books they used to gain entry into Candlekeep, use the following information to roleplay these NPCs.

Yalerion Highscroll

Yalerion is a 26-year-old human acolyte with an approachable demeanor and a relaxed posture. A scholar from Waterdeep, they have a never-ending thirst for knowledge, especially information concerning the history of Toril. They made the trip to Candlekeep because they’ve read all the books contained within the Font of Knowledge, a Waterdavian temple to Oghma, god of knowledge. Yalerion hopes to make the best out of their tenday-long visit by reading rare books and meeting likeminded people.

Yalerion can be found in the House of the Binder, socializing with other followers of Oghma. They sometimes read books in the Pillars of Pedagogy.

As long as the characters are friendly and not confrontational, Yalerion is happy to talk with them. They are surprised to hear that Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions was actually a monster in disguise.

If asked the right questions, Yalerion discloses the following information:

• Ten days ago, Yalerion bought the book they thought was Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions from a market stall in the Wide, a large and crowded marketplace in the Upper City of Baldur’s Gate.
• They remember that the stall’s name had “dune” in it, but nothing else about the place. The Wide was too noisy and hectic for their liking.
• They arrived at Candlekeep five days ago and intend to stay for five more.

Valor

With broad shoulders and a permanent scowl on her face, Valor is an intimidating, 24-year-old tiefling knight. Originally from Cormyr, a country to the east, she served as a Purple Dragon Knight in the Cormyrean army. Since leaving that life behind, she has taken up bounty hunting, which she greatly prefers. Valor is in Candlekeep to research a particularly elusive target. Her entrance gift wasn’t cheap, and she’s annoyed that it turned out to be a monstrous fake. She is helping the Avowed with various chores to make amends.

Valor is reshingling the roof of the Hearth during the day, or pacing in the Court of Air at night. Agitated and restless, she’s wary of people who want to speak with her. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, or polite and persistent questioning, convinces her to talk to the characters, if only to get them to leave her presence sooner.

Valor can share the following information:

• Thirteen days ago, she arrived at Candlekeep with The Dark Hunger, a series of nearly incomprehensible notes about Hadar, a powerful yet inscrutable entity that lives among the stars.
• She purchased her book from a market stall in the Wide, a bustling marketplace in the Upper City of Baldur’s Gate. She doesn’t remember much about the stall because she didn’t want to stay in the Wide for too long. (If the characters ask why, she says, “It reeks of greed.") But she does remember it was in “not the most reputable” corner of the marketplace.
• After finding the information she needed, she prepared to leave three days ago. That’s when the Avowed informed her that her gift, The Dark Hunger, had revealed its true form, attacking and destroying a wizard’s homunculus. The wizard killed the monster before it could harm anyone else, but not before it turned into a spider and tried to scuttle away. When the monster died, no trace of it was left behind.

Journey to Baldur’s Gate

From Candlekeep, it takes five days of travel along the Coast Way to reach Baldur’s Gate. Bandits and thugs lurk along this road, waiting to ambush anyone carrying rare books or other valuables.

Lycanthrope Looter

On the fourth night of their journey, the party is attacked by the wererat Mushika and three Giant Rat. Mushika bears nasty scars from his time in the thieves' guilds of Baldur’s Gate, and has since turned to easier prey along the Coast Way. While the giant rats attack, Mushika stands back in hybrid form and uses his hand crossbow. He tries to flee if he’s reduced to half his hit points or fewer or if all three giant rats are defeated.

The Wide

The marketplace known as the Wide is located in the Upper City—home to the patriars, the wealthiest citizens of Baldur’s Gate. Visitors to this district find streets illuminated by magical lights, luxurious boutiques, and expensive restaurants. The elegantly dressed residents treat poorer people with great disdain. The Upper City is truly a place of exclusive decadence; a nightly curfew means that those who don’t live there must leave at nightfall each day unless they have a special token.

Almost anything can be found in the Wide. Vendors can operate here without official licenses and taxation, as long as their wares are legal. Even so, the Wide is not immune to corruption: hefty bribes and reputations determine where every vendor is situated in the marketplace.

The Watch

Ten Veteran of the Watch, a military organization that protects the citizens of the Upper City, patrol the Wide. Though their job consists mostly of watching out for pickpockets and thieves, they also break up disagreements and come to the defense of merchants being harassed by customers.

Finding the Stall

Packed full of vendors eager to make sales and customers clamoring to get good deals, the Wide is not the easiest place to navigate, let alone to find a specific stall in. If the characters spoke to Yalerion Highscroll or Valor, they’re able to find Amberdune Books with relative ease. Otherwise, they can make a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check to ask around the Wide. On a success, a customer or stall owner gives them directions to Amberdune Books. On a failed check, they eventually find the stall after 1 hour of searching.

Other stalls the characters might encounter in the Wide include:

• Autumn’s Breads, a street bakery with fresh pastries, breads, and cakes for 1 sp each.
• Coppers to Crowns, an “antiques” shop selling a miscellany of trinkets and oddities (roll 2d4 times on the trinket in the Player’s Handbook). Each trinket costs 2d10 cp.
• Gems for All, a shop with a variety of gemstones, all worth 50 gp or less.
• Heath’s Hot Drinks, a stall offering cups of mulled wine, hot cider, and strong teas for 2 sp each. In the summer, the sign is repainted to read “Heath’s Cool Drinks” and the stall serves chilled fruit juice and iced tea.
• Wizards of the Wide, a tent bursting with dozens of arcane foci and Spell Scroll, including scrolls of comprehend languages, detect magic, feather fall, find familiar, mage armor, magic missile, shield, and unseen servant (25 gp each).

Amberdune Books

Although it’s located in an out-of-the-way corner of the Wide, Amberdune Books always has a few customers perusing its wares. This market stall is stocked with legitimate but commonplace books (25 gp each), as well as illusory copies of rare and expensive books (250 gp each). The stall does not sell spellbooks.

Work Shifts

Amberdune Books is always supervised by two Jackalwere in humanoid form. At sunrise, those on the first shift set up the stall with Korvala, and at sundown the workers bring their unsold wares back to the pack’s hideout in the Blackgate neighborhood.

Each work shift is four hours long, and Korvala checks in every two hours. The jackalweres return to their hideout when they are done with their shift. With the exception of Korvala, they always travel in pairs. You can decide which pack members are at the stall when the characters arrive (see “Amberdune Pack” below for names).

Speaking with the Manager

Korvala takes her duties as the owner of Amberdune Books seriously. She denies all accusations of deception with curt professionalism and threatens to call for the guards if characters are too aggressive. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Korvala isn’t being entirely truthful. To avoid making a scene, she invites characters who see through her lies back to the Amberdune Pack’s hideout as long as they are willing to talk peacefully.

Tailing the Jackalweres

The characters can also find the Amberdune hideout by following pack members after their shift. If the characters succeed on a DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check, the jackalweres don’t notice that they’re being followed. If they do notice the characters, they hurry to alert Korvala but don’t engage unless the characters do so first. See “Roleplaying the Jackalweres” below for more information.

Amberdune Pack

The jackalweres of the Amberdune Pack were the servants of Nidalia, an unusually kind and learned lamia. The jackalweres' alignment is neutral evil rather than chaotic evil, and their goals are self-serving, not actively malicious.

Because the pack originally resided in the nation of Amn, their humanoid forms have dusky brown skin, brown or blue eyes, and varying shades of brown hair, like many of the Amnian people. If a surname is required, they use Amberdune.

There are seven Jackalwere in the Amberdune Pack, including the leader, Korvala. The other pack members are as follows:

• Avani, a middle-aged jackalwere who considers it her duty to keep the rest of her pack from doing anything to attract attention from the Watch
• Inbar, a quiet, reserved jackalwere who wears spectacles in his human and hybrid forms
• Marliza, a petite jackalwere whose wide eyes and long braids belie her cunning
• Ramah, Inbar’s outspoken brother, who prefers to spend his shift at Amberdune Books loudly orating from a tome to entice potential customers
• Theryn, a young jackalwere with deft hands, good for repairing damaged books or liberating a few coins from wealthy pockets
• Zan, the oldest pack member, who hums quietly while they organize the books

Roleplaying the Jackalweres

While working as booksellers in the Wide, the jackalweres are confident and happy to talk with customers. If they’re unexpectedly questioned without Korvala present, they quickly become nervous. Though their innate ability to lie means that they can easily behave deceitfully, the pack doesn’t cope well without leadership. The presence of Korvala comforts the other jackalweres. They admire her strength and guidance, and they defend her as fervently as they would Nidalia.

The Amberdune jackalweres are not hostile unless provoked. They attack only as a last resort, preferring to use their Sleep Gaze to subdue foes, then flee. They are notably more reluctant to fight spellcasters and characters using silvered or magic weapons.

Korvala

Korvala is a 32-year-old jackalwere. A tall and imposing figure, she has been the leader of the pack since Nidalia died. She has an authoritative air that instills confidence in her allies and fear in her enemies. Though normally calm and composed, Korvala becomes angry and combative when recalling the struggles she and her pack have experienced, including Nidalia’s death. Though she is a capable leader in her own right, the burden of taking over from Nidalia is a heavy one.

While she was alive, Nidalia taught Korvala the ritual to create gingwatzims. The other members of the pack know of the ritual but are never present when Korvala performs it. Nidalia’s geas spell forced Korvala to keep the ritual a secret, and although she’s no longer under the spell’s effect, Korvala refuses to divulge information about the ritual.

Personality Trait

“When I have a goal in mind, I will do everything to be sure it gets completed.”

Ideal

“My pack should be able to live in peace.”

Bond

“Nidalia, I owe everything to you. I will bring you back, mark my words.”

Flaw

“If I can’t benefit from it, I’m not interested.”

Blackgate

The jackalweres live in the northern neighborhood of Blackgate, not far from the Wide. This district is part of the Outer City, a sprawl of settlements that stretch beyond the city’s actual walls. The Outer City is home to Baldur’s Gate’s poorer inhabitants, who live in ramshackle huts and flimsy tents—a stark contrast to the opulence of the Upper City. Merchants with wares too meager—or too illicit—to sell in the Wide make do with unregulated back alley markets here. The stench of stabled horses and other beasts of burden permeates the air.

Wererat’s Revenge

If the characters allowed the wererat Mushika to escape earlier in the adventure, he tries to get his revenge as they make their way through Blackgate toward the Amberdune hideout. But if the characters are accompanied by one or more members of the Amberdune Pack, Mushika leaves them alone. He knows Korvala and her associates are jackalweres, and he’s heard rumors that they serve a more powerful creature called a lamia.

Mushika has assumed humanoid form and is accompanied by a swarm of rats and two human Thug named Alaspar and Sufeni. Mushika has promised to turn both thugs into wererats, but first they must prove their worth by helping him slay the characters. If either the swarm or the two thugs are defeated, Mushika tries to flee the battle. Neither he nor the thugs have any treasure.

Amberdune Hideout

The Amberdune hideout, a dilapidated hovel with wooden walls, is located on a narrow street tucked away in a corner of the Blackgate district.

Time of Day

Between dawn and dusk, two of the jackalweres are on their shift at Amberdune Books. During other times, use the following information to help determine what the jackalweres are doing.

• Once Amberdune Books is packed up for the day, and all the jackalweres have returned to the hideout, the whole pack shares a meal together in area area A1.
• The jackalweres spend their evenings as they wish, before going to sleep in area area A3. Korvala sleeps in area area A4.
• They all sleep for eight hours. Korvala and the two jackalweres on first shift wake up just before dawn so they can set up the stall.

Friends

If Korvala invited the characters to have a civil talk with her, she brings them to her office (area A4). Understandably, the jackalweres are uncomfortable with strangers in their home. Unexpected visitors are met with with trepidation and readied weapons, but the jackalweres are not hostile unless the characters attack.

On the subject of the monstrous books, the other jackalweres nervously defer to Korvala. If she’s in the hideout, the jackalweres bring the characters to her office. If Korvala is not present, they ask the characters to wait in area A1 until she returns.

Foes

When fighting in their hideout, the jackalweres stand their ground instead of running away. When possible, the jackalweres gang up on one enemy at a time. They aim to kill only if the characters are also displaying lethal intent.

Hideout Locations

The following locations are keyed to the map of the Amberdune hideout. Some of the jackalweres described in the earlier “area Amberdune Pack” section are present in certain rooms, but you can easily change this information to suit your story.

A1. Common Room

The hideout’s front entrance opens into this room.

Seven mismatched chairs are scattered around this homely common room. A couple of mugs and plates sit on a small circular table in the center of the space. A tattered and faded rug decorates the wooden floor.

The jackalweres like to relax and chat with each other in this room, particularly during and after meals together. The faded rug is actually a rug of smothering friendly to the jackalweres, which defends them if they command it to. If no jackalweres are present in this area, the rug attacks intruders. It stops fighting if one of the jackalweres commands it to.

Development

Noise from fighting the rug of smothering causes Marliza, a jackalwere in hybrid form, to run into the room from area A2, scimitar at the ready. This jackalwere is willing to command the rug to stop if the characters explain themselves.

A2. Kitchen

This kitchen is small but clean and organized. A shelf holds a row of pots and pans. On one side of the fireplace, a cutting board and knife rest on a counter. Clean plates and utensils sit on a matching counter on the other side.

The Amberdune Pack cooks meals in this kitchen before eating in the common room (area A1). There are currently two Jackalwere in the room, Marliza and Theryn (see “area Amberdune Pack” earlier in the adventure for more information on the pack members). Theryn, in his humanoid form, chops vegetables for a soup with a cleaver (which functions as a scimitar), while Marliza leans against a wall in hybrid form. They are happily chatting together. Noise in area A1 prompts Marliza to investigate.

A3. Corridor Dormitory

More like a wide corridor than an actual room, this long and crowded space is occupied by six narrow cots.

Unless she is awakened by sounds of combat, the jackalwere Avani (in humanoid form) is taking a nap on one of the cots. Characters moving through this room must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check or wake her up. This check is made with disadvantage if characters made a commotion elsewhere in the hideout. Beneath each cot is an unlocked trunk full of personal belongings. Nothing of value can be found here.

Development

Combat in this room alerts Zan, the jackalwere in area area A5, who enters with their scimitar drawn. At your discretion, Korvala might also investigate a ruckus in this room.

A4. Korvala’s Office

A large wooden desk takes up most of this room. Atop the desk, a quill and a bottle of ink sit next to a leather-bound journal. A pair of decorative swords hangs on the wall behind the desk. There’s a single bed tucked against the western wall.

Unless she is with the characters, at Amberdune Books, or elsewhere in the hideout investigating a commotion, the jackalwere Korvala sits at the desk in her humanoid form: a woman with brown skin, sun-streaked brown hair, and piercing hazel eyes. If she has been alerted to the characters' presence by the other jackalweres or from a disturbance in the hideout, Korvala is expecting them. Otherwise, she is shocked but keeps her composure, silently assessing how to best take out the characters in a fight if it comes to that.

The decorative swords on the wall are actually two Gingwatzim (see the area stat block) that assume their true forms and attack intruders unless Korvala is present. If she is attacked in this room, the gingwatzims defend her. In addition to appearing as swords, these gingwatzims can turn into bats.

The journal on Korvala’s desk is a ledger documenting all of Amberdune Books' sales, including Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, The Dark Hunger, and Fallen Tethyamar.

Development

If she is in the room and the characters are willing to hear her out, Korvala explains the Amberdune Pack’s motives to them. She believes in her plan and doesn’t feel the need to omit anything. Both her pain and her determination are evident in her steady voice and careful words.

If the characters ask Korvala about the monstrous books that wound up in Candlekeep, she shares the following information:

• Using a ritual taught to her by Nidalia, Korvala can create creatures known as gingwatzims. (Korvala claims to be under the effect of a geas spell cast by Nidalia that prevents her from sharing this knowledge. This is a lie. Regardless, Korvala will not divulge the ritual.)
• Korvala can empower a newly formed gingwatzim to assume two other forms, allowing it to duplicate a specific object and a tiny beast. As an object, a gingwatzim can hide in plain sight. As a common beast, it can move about without attracting too much attention.
• A gingwatzim isn’t particularly bright, but it obeys the orders of its creator. The ones Korvala creates are instructed to remain in book form, but a gingwatzim must occasionally feed on the energy of the living to survive.
• Korvala has created eight gingwatzims so far, six disguised as books and two more to guard her office.
• Korvala never intended her gingwatzims to show up in Candlekeep. As reparations, she’s willing to surrender the original versions of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, The Dark Hunger, and Fallen Tethyamar so that the characters can deliver them to Candlekeep. (Korvala keeps these books along with three others in area area A6.)

Trapdoor

A trapdoor leading down into the hidden vault (area area A6) is concealed beneath the bed.

A5. Storage Room

Except for a corner with two stacked wooden trunks, the walls of this room are lined with half-empty bookshelves.

This room contains all the legitimate and commonplace books that the Amberdune Pack sells, as well as a small portion of the money it has obtained. Zan, a jackalwere in hybrid form, is looking through the bookshelves to decide which books should be sold at the market the following day (see “area Amberdune Pack” above for more information on the pack members).

False Storage Trunk

The top wooden trunk is actually a mimic that used to live in Nidalia’s lair, protecting her from intruders. The mimic has a symbiotic relationship with the Amberdune Pack and a sense of kinship toward its fellow shapechangers. The jackalweres feed it leftovers, but it has become hungry from the lack of substantial meals in Blackgate. Unless a jackalwere tells it not to, it will attempt to eat any character who touches it.

True Storage Trunk

The bottom wooden trunk, which is unlocked, is empty except for 50 gp worth of assorted copper, silver, and electrum coins scattered across the bottom. This money is used by the jackalweres to buy provisions for the pack.

A6. Hidden Vault

This vault is accessible from area area A4.

A narrow, descending passage ends in a circular chamber containing two padlocked wooden trunks.

Korvala has the keys to the padlocks. A character using thieves' tools can use an action to try to pick a lock, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. A character can also use an action to try to smash a padlock with a blunt weapon, doing so with a successful DC 17 Strength check. The trunks are lined with lead to ensure that the locate object spell cannot be used to find their contents:

Trunk 1 contains Nidalia’s desiccated heart, wrapped in a black silk cloth and resting atop a bed of 450 gp (saved up for Nidalia’s resurrection).

Trunk 2 contains six books: Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, Fallen Tethyamar, The Dark Hunger, Castanamir’s Guide to Gingwatzims (describing what gingwatzims are but not how to create them), Wanderings of a Humble Aasimar (a treatise on the Outer Planes), and Daughters of Graz’zt (about the origin of lamias).

Resolving the Mystery

The characters' interactions with the Amberdune Pack affect the resolution of this section, but they can discover what happened to the real books and find the original versions regardless of their approach.

Bloodbath

It’s possible to kill or defeat the Amberdune Pack without ever hearing their side of the story. With no one to stop them, characters in this situation can search the Amberdune hideout for the real books and any treasure they can find.

If the party has difficulty finding the hidden vault in area area A6, any of the characters can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a success, they arrive at one of the realizations from the following list. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, they come up with all three:

• There are keys on Korvala’s person. This means that there must be locks somewhere.
• The hideout is square. If there are any secret nooks between the walls, they would be very shallow. It is unlikely anything would be kept there.
• Two gingwatzims defend Korvala’s office. Were they guarding something else as well?

Characters who choose this violent path might never uncover the pack’s motives, but they can find the real Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions and see the book safely back to Candlekeep, if they so desire.

Nidalia

The true leader of the Amberdune Pack, Nidalia is a lamia who delights in hoarding books rather than in corruption and torture. Though she is kind to her servants, this doesn’t necessarily mean she’s altruistic or generous. Ultimately, she cares only about herself and her pack. If she’s treated with respect and loyalty, Nidalia won’t betray her allies.

Restitution

Even if the motives of the Amberdune Pack are revealed, the party might not excuse the jackalweres for their actions. If characters insist on bringing the real books back to Candlekeep without offering a compromise, the jackalweres put up a fight, though they’ll surrender rather than fight to the death. Losing the books is a great setback to the jackalweres, but they can’t revive Nidalia if they’re all dead.

If the jackalweres are slain in this battle, and the characters don’t know where to find the vault, see “Bloodbath” for assistance.

Negotiations

The characters can reach a peaceful agreement with Korvala and the Amberdune Pack through civil conversation. For example, the party could help the jackalweres come up with another way to raise money, offer assistance with their goal to resurrect Nidala, or pay a fair price for the real books. (Korvala expects at least 250 gp for each book, but she’ll settle for less if the characters are tough negotiators.) If they agree on a deal, the jackalweres let the characters take the real books back to Candlekeep.

Conclusion

If characters return to Candlekeep with the books, the Avowed reward them with a helm of comprehending languages. Valor and Yalerion are grateful for the party’s efforts to solve the mystery. Both seekers could be useful allies in the future.

Characters who successfully negotiated with the Amberdune Pack gain the support of Korvala and the other jackalweres, as long as the characters hold up their end of the bargain. Furthermore, if the party is able to assist the pack in reviving Nidalia, such as by helping the jackalweres amass the money they need, they’ll also have a lamia as an ally.

Characters who fought, but didn’t kill, any members of the Amberdune Pack have a potential enemy once the jackalweres finish licking their wounds. If the Amberdune Pack becomes a recurring adversary, consider having Korvala learn other rituals or spells better suited to fighting the characters to reflect this grudge.