Players! Want to play this quest? Stop reading and notify your DM. Save the fun for the game-table!Running this Quest
You can adjust any of the information below according to your campaign, preference or imagination. Feel free to experiment and let other visitors know what works for you in the comments below.
“Cling! Clang!” you hear from a distance. It sounds like bottles and jars made of glass are dangling together. You hear the noise coming from a small cart, that seems to be filled with all kinds of bottles, vials, jars, cups, flasks and the like. You can’t make out what is in them from a distance, but you can see the cart is being pulled by an old Tabaxi. He is wearing a leather tunic and a small green felt hat. As soon as you pass him and your eyes meet, he looks up. His face turns a little brighter, and he says “Hold up, fellas! You need something I have, and I have something you need!” He smiles and sets his cart on the ground. He walks to the side of it and pulls a cloth off of it, revealing all that is in there.
The party can stock up on the following items sold by the travelling alchemist:
| Item | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
Stimulating Salve | This salve, when applied to a wound, accelerates the healing process. | 50 GP |
Scented Smokestick | A stick that, when ignited, releases a fragrant smoke that can mask odors or create pleasant aromas | 20 GP |
Alchemical Lockpick Set | A set of specialized tools that assist in picking locks, granting a bonus to Dexterity (Lockpicking) checks | 100 GP |
Alchemical Ink | A specialized ink that glows under specific conditions, allowing for invisible or hidden messages to be revealed | 30 GP |
Exploratory Dust | A fine powder that, when sprinkled on surfaces, reveals faint footprints or traces of recent activity | 40 GP |
Revitalizing Tea Leaves | A collection of rare herbs that, when brewed as a tea, provide a temporary boost to energy and concentration | 60 GP |
Alchemical Smoke Pellets | Small pellets that, when thrown, create a dense cloud of smoke, providing cover or obscuring vision | 25 GP |
Fermentation Flask | A specialized flask that accelerates the fermentation process, reducing the time required to brew alcoholic beverage | 80 GP |
Cleansing Poultice | A poultice that cleanses wounds and prevents infection, providing a bonus to Constitution (Medicine) checks for treating injuries. | 50 GP |
Breath Enhancer Lozenges | Lozenges that freshen breath and improve vocal projection, granting advantage on Charisma (Performance) checks related to singing or public speaking. | 30 GP |
If you want; the alchemist might also offer some higher level items:
| Item | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
Elixir of Vigor | This potent elixir grants a temporary boost to the consumer's physical stamina, providing advantage on Constitution saving throws for 1 hour. | 100 GP |
Smoke Bomb of Concealment | When thrown, this small smoke bomb releases a dense cloud of smoke, granting advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks for anyone within its radius for 1 minute. | 75 GP |
Tonic of Elemental Resistance | This tonic, when consumed, provides resistance to a specific elemental damage type (such as fire, cold, acid, or lightning) for 1 hour. | 150 GP |
Alchemist's Fire Flask | A small glass vial filled with a volatile concoction that ignites upon impact, dealing fire damage to its target. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or take additional fire damage over time. | 50 GP |
Essence of Invisibility | This small vial contains a potent essence that, when consumed, renders the imbiber invisible for 1 minute. | 200 GP |
Essence of Healing | This vial of liquid, when consumed, instantly restores a moderate amount of hit points to the drinker, aiding in their recovery during dire situations. | 75 GP |
Acidic Vial | A small vial filled with a highly corrosive acid that can be thrown at enemies, dealing acid damage upon impact. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or take additional acid damage over time. | 60 GP |
Featherfall Tincture | When consumed, this potion allows the drinker to descend slowly and safely from great heights for 1 minute, negating any falling damage. | 100 GP |
Flash Powder | A small bag of finely ground powder that, when ignited, creates a blinding flash of light, causing creatures within a certain radius to be temporarily blinded. | 50 GP |
Tranquility Potion | This potion induces a state of calm and relaxation when consumed, granting advantage on Wisdom saving throws against being charmed or frightened for 1 hour. | 120 GP |
Potion of Harmony
When the party has finished its dealings with the tabaxi alchemist, he will propose the following.
“Thank you, kind adventurers, for your business.” the alchemist says. He looks up at you while pondering a thought. “Actually, may I interest you in one more thing? It’s a potion, the rarest of sorts.” He starts rummaging around in the cart and finds a small box. Inside it are many small flasks, containers and some small leather pouches. He takes a couple of items from the box and holds them in one hand. “This will make the very powerful Potion of Harmony,” he says with a serous look on his face. “However, I’m missing the last ingredient, petals of a Serenity Lily.”
Any partymember can make a Arcana or Wisdom check to see if they know the effects of this potion. If not, the Tabaxi will share if asked. Upon consumption, the Potion of Harmony has the following effects:
- Calming Presence: The imbiber gains advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed for the duration of 1 hour.
- Balance of the Mind: The potion grants advantage on Wisdom saving throws, helping the imbiber resist mental manipulations or illusions during the next hour.
- Renewed Vitality: The potion heals the imbiber for 4d4+4 hit points, rejuvenating their body and mending minor injuries.
“It grows in a cave right over there! But I can’t trust my old legs to make it there and back again.” he says and he points towards some trees a little further up a sloping hill. “The cave is like a maze. I’ve marked the way some years ago, not sure if you can still see the etchings in the stone. Also, there are some challenging bits, but I’m sure you can master them like I did.” he says and smiles at you. “If you get me 5 of these Serenity Lilies, I will brew a Potion of Harmony for you worth 600 gold pieces.”
If players inquire about the challenges, the alchemist will act somewhat reticent in telling the actual danger of the cave, not to discourage them from accepting the job. Succeeding a DC15 Persuasion check will make the alchemist share the following:
- When rolling 15-19:
- The maze has two layers
- Be careful of the bugs
- When rolling 20 or more:
- There are pockets of gas
- The lily stings put you to sleep
The party accepts the job.
“Very good” the tabaxi says, as he puts his stuff neatly back in the cart and then folds the cloth and places it on top. He then pulls one of the sides of the cart upwards. It appears to have some kind of unfolding wooden lid that covers the cart. He then locks it with a key. “Off we go!” he says, “Over there!” He points to some bushes some way up the side of a hill and gently pushes all party members into that direction, making sure he’s last.
Robbing the Cart
If any player decides to rob the cart, they will first have to stealth away from the group by succeeding a DC20 Stealth Check, as the tabaxi is actively checking whether no one will stay behind to rob his cart. Also, they will have to succeed a DC20 Intelligence check to spot the trap on the lock. It can be disarmed by using Thieves Tools and succeeding a DC25 Dexterity check. If they fail, the cart will explode, destroying all contents and delivering 5D10 bludgeoning damage to the player.
If this happens, the tabaxi will hear it and run back. When he discovered that what he feared is true, he’ll demand a repayment of 5000 GP for damages, or fight you for it (see Fighting the tabaxi below). Also, any deal with the party is off.
The Cave
The cave has three natural challenges to clear before reaching the middle, where the Serenity Lily grows.
The opening of the cave appears to be a hole in the ground. It looks like a natural shute, with a trickle of water running down into it. “This is where you enter.” the alchemist says. “It will take you to the lower level. Make sure to go to your right.”
If any player inquires, this would be eastwards. The party might want to use a compass in the cave.
One by one you drop into the shute. You slide down a bumpy slope, turning an twisting, before landing on a rocky cold floor. Around you you see sloped edges, with cracks leading down into the darkness. You’ve landed on a flat area, and some kind of natural pathway to your left and right the pathway
The Maze
The structure of the cave is that of cracks and crevasses, where there is not always much of a path to stand on. It’s easy to get disorientated. Think of the layout as two layers of a 3×3 grid of ‘spots’ connected through passages:
- You enter the system at the blue arrow, and can only exit at the green arrow.
- You enter at the bottom level, and can climb to the top level at the white arrow.
(succeed DC10 Investigation check or simply look up to find this passage from the lower level) - The black arrows indicate one-way passages.
(for instance a drop down, or spikey rocks that work like barbs) - The black dots indicate where arrows are carved in the rocks, pointing the right way to go.
(succeed a DC10 Investigation check to find them) - The red dots indicate natural obstacles or challenges.
- The white dot indicates the place where the Serenity Lily grows.
Play this by ’rounds’ where you go from dot to dot, where players choose their next direction at each dot, even if the only option is to proceed. Describe how they are climbing through narrow passages, sometimes climbing up or down, squeezing themselves through the cracks, sometimes getting stuck. Make it a claustrophobic experience. See if the players are able to form a mental map of the route. If not; they might end up going in circles. Alternatively, let them draw it out.
Toxic Gas
The first natural obstacle on the eastern side of the bottom level is a pocket of gas, emanating from cracks in the rocks below. If players succeed a DC15 Perception check before moving through it, they will spot it. In turn they can hold their breath to negate some of the gas’ effect.
- When moving through the gas each player takes 2D6+3 acid damage to their skin and eyes
- When breathing the gas, each player takes 2D8+4 psychic damage and is considered poisoned for the next 5 minutes.
Bioluminescent Bugs
The second natural obstacle on the western side of the bottom level is a pocket of bioluminescent insects resting on the wall.
The path ahead of you is lit up in a faint green glow. When you move closer you can see thousands of little green specks littered across the ceiling and walls in front of you.
Succeeding a DC15 Investigation check, the players discover the ground is shiny from a sticky layer of excrement from these insects. If players step into this they will be glued to the ground.
- All players must succeed DC15 Stealth checks in order to stay unnoticed or be attacked by a Swarm of Cave Bugs.
Waterfall
The third natural obstacle on the southern side of the top level is a waterfall.
As you turn the corner, you find the path cut off by a deep chasm. Across the chasm, which is very narrow at only 5 feet, a thunderous waterfall is pouring thousands of gallons of water further down the underground cave.
- To jump through the waterfall, players must succeed a DC20 Athletics check or be swept down the cave system (to end up at the starting position) and take 3D10 bludgeoning damage.
Serenity Lily
When you enter the inner caverns, you are greeted by sunlight that enters through an opening high up, creating a magical ambiance. Stalactites cover the ceiling, and water drips down them into puddles on the floor. All around the puddles you see flowering lilies, some of which seem to give off a faint glow.
- When the players touch the flowers with their bare hands, make them roll a DC15 Constitution Saving throw, or fall unconscious for 1D6 hours.
- Optionally, players can make a DC15 Investigation check to find different kinds of crystals. You, the DM, can decide what effect or value these have.
Player Options
The players might decide to kill the alchemist. In that case he will fight back, defending his cart, until his health drops below one third, at which point he will try to flee. But not before throwing a grenade onto his cart to try and explode it.
Otherwise, players may try to collect all the lilies for themselves and sell them on a market somewhere, as there are about two dozen of them and their worth is about 10 GP a piece when fresh.
Monsters and NPC's
Swarm of Cave Bugs
Medium Swarm of Tiny Beasts, Unaligned
Armor class 12 (natural armor)
Hit points 30 (7d8)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 (-4) | 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 1 (-5) | 7 (-2) | 1 (-5) |
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 8
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Actions
Multiattack. The swarm can make two attacks each turn, targeting the same or different creatures within 5ft.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Alchemist Lvl 9
Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment
Armor class 12 (leather tunic)
Hit points 45 (7d8 + 14)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) |
Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception17
Languages Any one language (usually Common)
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency bonus +4
Spellcasting Ability: Intelligence: Spell Attack +7, Spell Save DC 15
Spell Slots: 1st (4), 2nd (3), 3rd (2)
Prepared Spells (7). Cure Wounds (lvl 1), Fog Cloud (lvl 1), Acid Arrow (lvl 2), Barkskin (2), Invisibility (2), Fireball (lvl 3), Slow (3)
The alchemist is carrying 3 Fire Bombs and 5 Grenades.
Actions
Short sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 slashing damage.
Fire Bomb. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 60 ft., multiple targets in a 5 ft radius must succeed a DC12 Dexterity Saving Throw, or take 3D6 fire damage (halved on success). The fire will burn until the end of the round. Any creature that ends its turn in the area of effect takes 2D6 fire damage.
Grenade. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 60 ft., multiple targets in a 20 ft radius must succeed a DC15 Dexterity saving throw or take 5D6 piercing damage (halved on succes).
