The Fungal Cathedral
Publisher: Dungeon Masters Guild
This is a beautifully tragic concept that fits perfectly into the gothic, melancholic themes of Ravenloft and Jander Sunstar’s doomed existence. Blending his eternal grief with Evening Glory’s dogma—that true love is immortalized and perfected through undeath—creates a deeply compelling narrative.
Here is a basic plot outline bringing this tragic romance to life:
Act I: A Light in the Mists
The Meeting: Jander Sunstar, wandering the Demiplane of Dread and exhausted by his eternal guilt and bloodlust, discovers a hidden, forgotten shrine to Evening Glory, the Deathless Beauty.
The Connection: Evening Glory, manifesting through an avatar, is drawn to Jander's profound capacity for sorrow and love. Unlike others who see him as a monster or a tool, she sees his vampirism not as a curse, but as the perfect vessel for eternal devotion.
The Romance: For the first time in centuries, Jander feels seen and accepted. He falls deeply in love with the deity, finding solace in her cold, comforting embrace. She promises him a sanctuary where their love can exist untouched by the cruelty of the sun or the machinations of the Dark Powers.
Act II: The Harrowing Escape
The Ire of the Dark Powers: The realm of Ravenloft does not easily surrender its playthings. The Dark Powers—or perhaps a rival power like Lolth, given the Underdark connection—sense this divine intrusion and seek to destroy the avatar and chain Jander forever.
The Flight: Jander and Evening Glory flee the Demiplane, tearing through planar boundaries and descending into the deepest, most treacherous reaches of the Underdark of Toril (or a similar subterranean nightmare realm), hoping the oppressive dark will mask her divine radiance and protect him from the sun.
The Ambush: Deep within the lightless tunnels, they are cornered. A brutal conflict ensues against shadow-twisted horrors and agents of the Dark Powers.
Act III: The Collapse
The Grievous Wounds: In a desperate bid to protect Jander, Evening Glory expends vast amounts of her divine energy. Jander fights with feral desperation but is severely mutilated, his undead regenerative abilities failing against the abyssal magic of their pursuers.
The Cave-In: To end the pursuit, Evening Glory shatters the very pillars of the cavern, causing a catastrophic collapse. The pursuing horrors are crushed, but Jander and the weakened deity are sealed inside a tiny, inescapable pocket of stone miles beneath the surface.
Act IV: Forgotten in the Dark
The Starvation: Trapped in absolute darkness, Jander begins to succumb to the blood madness. With no way out and his body broken, final, agonizing death approaches.
The Ultimate Sacrifice: Evening Glory, her avatar broken and her connection to her divine realm severed by the collapsing rock and dark magic, makes a final choice. She uses the last sparks of her divine essence not to heal herself, but to sustain Jander. She replaces his need for blood with the pure, sustaining power of her love and lingering deathless magic.
The Eternal Embrace: The two are left in the suffocating dark—Jander held gently by the fading goddess. They are removed from the cruelties of the world, perfectly preserved in a state of agonizing but beautiful stasis. Centuries pass, the world above changes, and their names fade into myth, leaving them exactly where they wanted to be: alone, together, and forgotten until the day the Sovereign myconid finds his coffin and hears her plea to raise him from his slumber. her divine blood, his vampiric curse, and spores of a hive mind as old as both fuse to make the Vampire Sovereign lord, he dose awake but Jander is no more, forgotten to pain and madness and rot he calls himself Quarto Sepsiss and he wants to bring unlife to the masses and "save" everyone with his unending life. what will you do adventurers?
Act 1: The Pale Miracle
Focus: Mystery, Investigation, and the Uncanny Valley.
1. The Starting Location: Oakhaven’s Reach
Instead of a sprawling city, start in a claustrophobic frontier mining town or a small Underdark trading post. The atmosphere is heavy with the smell of damp earth and sickly-sweet nectar.
The Status Quo: The town was recently ravaged by "The Weeping Cough." Half the population was expected to die.
The "Miracle": Two weeks ago, a figure known as The Luminous Sovereign arrived. He performed "The Rites of Preservation." Now, the cough is gone, but the town is eerily quiet.
2. The Hook: "The Letter from the Unsaved"
The players are hired by Elder Vane, one of the few remaining "Unpreserved." He is terrified because his daughter was "cured" and now she spends all night standing in the town square, staring at the moon (or a specific tunnel ceiling), never blinking. He wants the players to find out what the Sovereign took in exchange for the cure.
KEY LOCATIONS
Location, Description, "The ""Clue"""
The Infirmary," A makeshift hospital filled with The Preserved. They sit perfectly still, skin the color of river clay.", "Players notice the ""cured"" have tiny white filaments growing under their fingernails and behind their ears." if they investigate
The Sovereign’s Grove,"A nearby cavern where the Myconid Sovereign ""prays."" It is filled with beautiful, glowing white orchids.", "These are Orchids of Rot. If a player touches one, they feel a fleeting sensation of Jander’s grief—a flash of golden hair and the smell of blood."
The Well of Silence, The town’s water source., "The water isn't poisoned; it’s sterile. The fungal spores have consumed all other bacteria, leaving the water unnaturally clear but tasting of copper." however drinking makes your stomach roll and if you fail a constitution save you vomit up the water. the ""cured"" don't get sick as far as you can tell.
The Trigger: The players attempt to perform a medical autopsy on a deceased "Preserved" or try to escort a "cured" person out of the town limits or investigate all three locations.
4. The Escalation: The First Spore-Zombies
The horror shifts from "weird" to "dangerous" when the players push too far.
The Conflict: The Preserved don't get angry; they simply move in unison to stop the players, they might plea for help or say they can't stop, it's not willing. Their movements are jerky, like puppets on strings.
Combat: Use Zombies but replace their "Undead Fortitude" with Spore Burst: When reduced to 0 HP, the creature explodes in a cloud of white dust. Nearby players must make a Con Save or be "Marked" (Quarto can now hear through them).
5. The Act 1 Finale: The Sovereign’s Departure
The players confront the Luminous Sovereign at the "Garden of Preservation."
The Twist: The Sovereign isn't the "Big Bad"—he’s a herald. He speaks with a voice that sounds like rubbing dry parchment together. He claims he is "saving" the world from the pain of mortality.
The Boss: A Myconid Sovereign boosted with legendary actions to summon Spore Servants.
The Reveal: Upon defeat, the Sovereign doesn't die. He melts into a puddle of white slime, and a spectral image of Quarto Sepsiss (the Grave-Tree) flickers in the mist. He thanks the players for "tending the garden" and invites them to follow the roots downward.
6. Leveling & Rewards
Level 1: Arrival and investigation of the town.
Level 2: The first skirmish with the Preserved and exploring the orchid-choked mines.
Level 3: Defeating the Sovereign’s Herald and discovering the map leading into the deeper Underdark.
Key Item: The Petal of Evening Glory. A single, unrotting white petal that hums when near the "Shards of Glory." It grants a +1 to saves against being Charmed but makes the user’s skin slightly paler each day. it is magically indestructible. requires attunement. it hums in proximity to evening glory's magics or spirit, can also find her lost heart.
don't rush here theres a whole town now free to talk however they might not be the only one listening. when your ready start by exploring the cave nearby.
ACT II
THE SEPTIC GROVE
The Ecology of the Sepsiss Grove
The transition from level 4 to 6 in the Underdark should feel increasingly claustrophobic. As the players descend, the environment should shift from natural stone to a "flesh-like" fungal landscape.
The Scent: Instead of the damp earth of a normal Myconid colony, the air smells of cloying lilies (Evening Glory’s influence) mixed with the metallic tang of old blood.
The Sound: A constant, low-frequency hum. This is the Rapport Spore network, but it’s no longer used for diplomatic communication—it’s a psychic broadcast of Quarto’s "perfected" grief.
The Corrupted Sprout: Combat Tactics
The stats you’ve provided make these creatures deceptively dangerous for a CR 0. While they won't kill a barbarian in one hit, they are transmission vectors.
Tactical Behavior
The Martyr Loop: Because of Distress Spores, hitting one Sprout alerts every Myconid in the cavern. They don't run away; they swarm.
The "Kiss" of Sepsiss: They use Rapport Spores first, not to talk, but to force the adventurers into the hive mind. Once connected, the adventurers "hear" the agonizing love of Jander/Evening Glory, potentially causing the Frightened or Stunned condition (DM's discretion).
Bloody Vomit Strategy: The Sprouts will prioritize targets with low Constitution (Wizards/Sorcerers). Contracting Sanguinare Vampiris at level 4 creates an immediate ticking clock for the party, forcing them to find a cure while being hunted.
Modified Stat Highlight
The Bloody Vomit: Since this is a 5-foot cone, Sprouts will try to "pack" around a single target. If three Sprouts use this on a single Paladin, that Paladin has to make three DC 13 saves. Even with a high bonus, the "action economy of infection" is terrifying.
Interacting with Quarto Sepsiss
When the players finally meet the Sovereign, use the imagery you provided: the antlers of rot and the glowing blue staff.
The Twisted Logic: Quarto shouldn't see himself as evil. He believes he is "saving" the world from the pain of loss. To him, the Sprouts are "children who will never have to say goodbye."
The Jander Fragment: Occasionally, the "Sovereign" persona should flicker. His voice might drop from a fungal rasp to the noble, tired tone of a Sun Elf, begging the players to "burn the grove" before the "Goddess" takes control again.
Quest Hook / Next Step
To make the transition to Act II seamless, the players shouldn't just stumble upon the grove. They should find a "Bleeding Mushroom" in a local village's cellar. When crushed, it whispers a name: Jander.
DISCRIPTION OF AREA AND SIGNS TO LOOK FOR
Sensory Atmosphere: The "Perfect" Decay
1. The Visual "Glitch"
At a distance, the Grove glows with soft bioluminescence. However, as the party gets closer, they notice the light isn't coming from the mushrooms themselves, but from thin, pulsating veins running through the caps, resembling a circulatory system.
The Suspicion: Standard Myconids are fungal; these look like they have anatomy.
2. The Smell of "The Deathless Beauty"
Ditch the smell of rot. Instead, the air is thick with the scent of cloying lilies and expensive funeral incense. It is an unnaturally clean, floral perfume that sticks to the back of the throat.
The Suspicion: In a damp, underground cavern, the absence of the smell of dirt and mold is terrifyingly artificial.
3. The Sound of the Hive
Instead of the rhythmic puffing of spores, there is a faint, rhythmic thump-thump echoing from the walls. It sounds like a slow, subterranean heartbeat.
The Suspicion: If a player succeeds on a DC 14 Perception (Hearing) check, they realize the "heartbeat" is perfectly synchronized with their own pulses.
The Ghost of Evening Glory
The deity shouldn't appear as a monster, but as a flickering, tragic memory. She is the "white noise" of the Grove. you can find her by following the "hum of the petal of evening glory"
The Glimpse: A player with the highest Passive Perception sees a tall, elegant woman in tattered white silk turning a corner. When they follow, there is only a patch of shimmering white mold that feels warm to the touch.
The Interaction: She is often seen "cradling" a Corrupted Sprout. For a split second, the player sees a beautiful goddess holding a child; then the image flickers, and it’s a pale specter weeping over a mindless, twitching mushroom.
The Sound: She doesn't speak, but the party hears a faint, melodic humming—a lullaby that Jander used to know. It’s beautiful, but it forces a DC 12 Wisdom Save or the player feels an overwhelming urge to lay down and "rest" in the moss.
The "Smoking Gun" Moment
To truly raise the alarm, have the petal from act one hum as they close in on the "Garden of Remembrance."
They find several "statues" of past adventurers. At first, they look like beautiful alabaster carvings covered in vines. On closer inspection, these aren't statues—they are people who have been kept in a state of "deathless" preservation, their skin turned to a mushroom-like cork, their expressions frozen in a look of ecstatic, horrifying peace.
"They are not dead," the spores whisper into the party's minds. "They are simply... eternal."
end of act 2
your reaction matters here, quarto is watching
Act III: The Ascent of Ash and Spore
The Trigger: The Mourning Scream
When the party disturbs or inspects an "Eternal Statue," the Ghost of Evening Glory appears one last time. She doesn't attack; she lets out a silent, psychic shriek. Every Myconid in the grove—hundreds of them—snaps their heads toward the party. Their bioluminescence turns from calming blue to a angry, bruised violet.
The Pursuit Mechanics
Quarto Sepsiss doesn't just walk after them; he becomes the cave.
The Spore Cloud: A thick, toxic fog begins to rise from the floor, moving at a rate of 20 feet per round. If the party is caught in it, they take necrotic damage and must save against Sanguinare Vampiris.
The Relentless Stalkers: Groups of Corrupted Sprouts drop from the ceiling like fungal spiders, using their Bloody Vomit to slow the party down. They don't want to kill the players; they want to infect them so they "belong" to the Grove.
The Path to the Surface
The Underdark tunnels leading up to the surface town should feel like a gauntlet.
1. The Choke Point: The Veiled Bridge
The party must cross a narrow stone bridge over a chasm. Quarto Sepsiss manifests here—not his full body, but a wall of thrashing, antler-like branches and fungal limbs.
The Goal: They don't have to kill him (they can't yet); they just need to deal enough damage to make him "recede" for 2 rounds so they can sprint past.
2. The Final Stretch: The Shaft of Dawn
As they reach the upper crust, they find a vertical mining shaft or a natural chimney. They can see a pinprick of actual sunlight far above.
The Horror: The Corrupted Sprouts are crawling up the walls after them. The party hears Quarto's voice echoing in their minds: "Why run from a love that never ends? Why choose the rot of the sun over the perfection of the dark?"
The Sanctuary: Oakhaven (or your Surface Town)
The party bursts out of a hidden cellar or a dry well in the center of a peaceful surface town.
The Barrier of Light
The pursuers reach the edge of the darkness. The first Corrupted Sprout to hit the sunlight doesn't just retreat—it shrivels and hisses, its "Sun Sickness" kicking in instantly.
The Visual: The players stand in the town square, bathed in gold, while dozens of pale, red-eyed fungal horrors watch them from the pitch-black mouth of the well, unable to step forward.
The Town’s Reaction
The townsfolk are terrified. They’ve lived above this "well" for generations, unaware of the god-vampire festering beneath them. The party now has a temporary reprieve, but they are likely infected, exhausted, and have brought a subterranean plague to the doorstep of civilization.
Act III Climax: The Plan
Now in the safety of the town, the party has to figure out how to stop Quarto before he finds a way to "shade" the surface or spreads his spores through the town's water supply while trying to convince the townsfolk it isn't their fault (it is)
if you managed to convince the town, you need to seek medical aid and gear up. things will get hard from here on out and you have five game days before you just lose when Quarto takes the town in the night. (possible end)
(once you return to the point of escape)
The Encounter: The Blind Seer of the Well
As the party stands panting in the town square, the townsfolk keep their distance—except for one. A woman in tattered, raven-feathered robes sits by a fountain. She is blind, her eyes covered by a silk wrap stained with silver ink.
"Careful, [Player Name]," she says, her voice like cracking ice. "The spores on your breath smell like a tragedy that should have ended three centuries ago. Come here. Let me see the stain on your souls."
The Raven Queen’s Revelation
If the party engages, she reveals her true nature through subtle, chilling displays of power (shadows lengthening toward her, the sudden death and rebirth of a nearby flower).
Her Perspective:
On Evening Glory: She is a "divine thief" who has stolen souls from the natural cycle of passing. To the Raven Queen, "Eternal Love" is just a fancy word for stagnation.
On Jander (Quarto Sepsiss): He is an anomaly. A creature that should have turned to dust in the mists of Ravenloft but instead became a "root" for a parasitic goddess. She wants him erased—not out of malice, but because his existence is a "clog" in the stream of fate.
The Moral Nexus: Who is the Villain?
The Raven Queen presents the players with a choice that will define the end of the campaign. She offers them the tools to kill Quarto, but the "truth" is muddy.
Option A: Side with the Raven Queen (The Cold Order)
The Goal: Destroy Quarto and banish Evening Glory back to her lonely ivory tower.
The Conflict: You are effectively acting as "Planar Bounty Hunters." You end the infection, but you also destroy the only thing Jander has left. The Raven Queen offers no mercy or "happily ever after"—only the silence of the grave.
Option B: Side with Quarto Sepsiss (The Eternal Rot)
The Goal: Help Quarto spread the "Septic Love" to the surface, perhaps by tainting the town's well.
The Conflict: You become the villains of the world. You "save" people from death by turning them into deathless, fungal thralls. It is a world without grief, but also a world without life.
Option C: The Ritual of the Sunless Rose
The Raven Queen will scoff at this. She believes Jander is a broken vessel. To prove her wrong, the party must find three "anchors" to Jander’s original soul before the rot took over.
1. The Three Components of Restoration
To cleanse the sepsis, the party must quest for:
The Tear of the Morninglord: A relic of Lathander (Jander's original deity). It represents his lost nobility and the sun he can no longer touch.
A Silver Thread of Fate: Stolen or bargained from the Raven Queen herself. This is used to "sew" his fractured mind back together.
The Heart of the Grove: The party must descend back into the Septic Grove, not to kill Quarto, but to plant the Tear of the Morninglord into the central fungal mass—the "brain" of the hive mind.
Option D: The Resonance of the Eternal Heart
The Goal: Sever the parasitic bond between the Goddess and the Grave. By liberating Evening Glory, you restore her agency, allowing her divine light to purge the madness from Jander’s soul rather than simply erasing him.
The Revelation
The Blind Seer’s expression shifts from cold indifference to a sharp, jagged smile. "You seek to unbind the thief?" she rasps. "A dangerous mercy. Her heart is no longer a seat of love; it has become the furnace for a nightmare. It beats at the center of the Mycelial Boneyard, fueling a garden of bone and rot that Quarto has grown to 'protect' her."
The Conflict: The Burden of Beauty
To choose this path, the party must reject the Raven Queen’s "Cold Order" and Quarto’s "Eternal Rot." You are betting on the hope that Evening Glory’s love, once freed from the corruption of the spores, is strong enough to heal Jander’s shattered mind.
The Risk: If you fail, you aren't just dying; you are feeding a Goddess's heart to a fungal wasteland.
The Reward: A chance to save Jander’s soul and restore the natural cycle without the "silence of the grave."
The Trial: Slaying the Guardian
To reach the Heart, the party must first use the Petal of Evening Glory—a shimmering, translucent artifact that pulses with a pale white light when near the corruption.
Tracking the Pulse: The Petal acts as a dowsing rod, leading the party to the most decayed part of the region, where the veil between life and undeath is thinnest.
The Mycelial Boneyard: A shifting labyrinth of calcified ribs and titan-sized femurs, all held together by glowing, rhythmic fungal veins.
The Boss: The Great Mycelial Sentinel: Quarto Sepsiss has fashioned a guardian from the remains of those who died seeking the Goddess. It is a towering monstrosity of bone and bloom.
The Mechanic: The Sentinel draws health directly from the Heart. The party must balance damaging the creature while using the Petal to "shield" the Heart from being drained, ensuring Evening Glory survives the extraction.
The Raven Queen’s Warning
"You play with a flame that froze long ago," the Seer warns, her silver-inked blindfold shimmering. "Free her, and you give a Goddess back her wings. But remember: a heart that has been caged for three centuries may no longer know how to beat for anything but itself. Are you certain Jander is what she wants to save?"
The Moral Question for the Party
The Blind Cleric (Raven Queen) leaves them with a final, haunting thought:
"The Goddess offers you a beautiful lie: that love can stop the clock. I offer you the ugly truth: that everything must end for anything to matter. Which poison will you swallow, little mortals?"
Act IV Preparation
The Raven Queen hands the party a Shard of Lethe—a crystal of pure shadow.
If used on Quarto: It severs his connection to the Goddess, making him mortal (and killable) once more.
If broken: It could potentially mask the grove from the Raven Queen’s sight, allowing the Septic Grove to grow unchecked.
IF YOU CHOOSE OPTION C
The Climax: The Exorcism of Madness
When the party confronts Quarto Sepsiss for the final time, the battle isn't about depleting his HP. It's a Skill Challenge disguised as a boss fight.
Phase 1: Breaking the Shell. The party must deal enough damage to crack his chitinous fungal armor, revealing the pale, elven form of Jander Sunstar underneath.
Phase 2: The Mental Bridge. While the frontline holds off the Corrupted Sprouts, the Cleric or Bard must use the Silver Thread to enter Jander’s mind. They will see his memories: the loss of Anna, the betrayal of Strahd, and the moment Evening Glory saved him.
Phase 3: The Choice. The party must convince Jander to let go of his "Sovereign" power. He has to choose to be a tragic vampire again rather than a fungal god.
The Result: A Divine Metamorphosis
If successful, the "Septic" elements burn away in a flash of white and silver light.
The Outcome: The rot vanishes. The Corrupted Sprouts turn back into normal, peaceful Myconids.
The Reunion: Evening Glory’s ghost solidifies. No longer a weeping specter, she regains her radiance. She and Jander are reunited—not as a monster and his parasite, but as two tragic lovers.
The Departure: They won't stay in the Underdark. They will likely depart for a private "Pocket Dimension" of the Bright Beauty’s making—a sanctuary far from the Raven Queen and the Mists.
The Raven Queen’s Parting Gift
The Raven Queen will be displeased that she didn't get her "debt," but she is a creature of respect. If the party succeeds, she might leave them with a warning:
"You have traded a predictable end for a chaotic immortality. You have saved a soul, but you have cheated Fate. Do not expect the Mists to forget his name so easily."
The Aftermath: The Town Saved
The well in the town square no longer leaks blood. Instead, a single, glowing White Rose grows from the stones. It never wilts, and its scent provides the Bless effect to anyone who prays there.
IF YOU CHOSE A OR B
Act V: Path of the Cold Order (Siding with the Raven Queen)
If the party accepts the Shard of Lethe, they become the Raven Queen’s "Sorrowsworn" agents. Their goal is to prune the anomaly from existence.
The Objective: The Grand Severing
The party must return to the Septic Grove. They are no longer running; they are hunting. The Raven Queen grants them a Cloak of Ravens, allowing them to pass through the spore clouds unharmed, but at the cost of their own emotions becoming muted and grey.
The Fight: You must battle Quarto Sepsiss in the heart of his hive. To win, you must drive the Shard of Lethe into his staff.
The Climax: As the shard pierces the staff, the blue light turns to a void-black. The memory of Evening Glory is violently ripped from Jander’s mind.
The Tragedy: Jander Sunstar doesn't die as a monster; he dies as a confused, lonely elf who can't remember why he was fighting. He reaches out for a goddess who has been forcibly pulled back to the Astral Plane.
The Reward: The Raven Queen claims the Grove. It becomes a silent, grey wasteland where nothing grows. The party is rewarded with Fate-Touched Boons, but they are forever haunted by the sound of a goddess screaming for her lost lover.
Act V: Path of the Eternal Rot (Siding with Quarto Sepsiss)
If the party rejects the Raven Queen and embraces the Sovereign, they become the Apostles of Sepsis. Their goal is to "gift" the surface world with immortality.
The Objective: The Tainting of the Well
Quarto Sepsiss grants the party a Vial of the First Spore. To complete the "salvation," the party must return to the surface town and defend the town well against the local militia and the Raven Queen’s vengeful avatars.
The Mission: This is a "Reverse Siege." The party must hold the town square for 10 rounds while the ritual completes. They aren't killing the villagers; they are infecting them.
The Transformation: As the spores enter the water supply, the villagers' skin turns to pale alabaster and red mushrooms sprout from their eyes. Their fear vanishes, replaced by a hollow, telepathic joy.
The Boss: The Raven Queen sends a Nightwalker or a flight of Steel Predators to stop the desecration. The party must fight them off while the "Septic Love" consumes the town.
The Ending: The town becomes the first "Surface Grove." The sun no longer hurts the inhabitants because the sky is permanently choked with beautiful, glowing spores. The party becomes the Generals of the Rot, ruling over a world that will never know the pain of death—or the spark of true life—again.
IF YOU CHOSE D
alt.boss fight
1. The Atmosphere: The "Silent Cathedral"
The Mycelial Boneyard shouldn't just be a cave; it should feel like a living, breathing tomb.
The Visuals: Dust motes in the air aren't dust—they are spores. The walls are lined with "perfect" statues of lovers, but upon closer inspection, they are corpses preserved by a thin, translucent layer of fungal wax.
The Sound: Total silence, punctuated only by the rhythmic, wet thumping of a distant heart (the crystal).
The Hazard: The Spore Haze. Players must find a way to breathe (magic, specialized masks, or a blessing from the Raven Queen) or risk becoming part of the collection.
2. The Encounter: The Mycelial Boneyard
This isn't just a skeleton; it’s a Gargantuan Undead/Plant Construct. ### Phase 1: The External Shell
The dragon skeleton uses its massive bone-claws to keep the party at bay.
Lair Action: The fungi "knit" the bones back together. Every turn, the dragon regains a small amount of HP unless hit with Fire or Necrotic damage (representing the Raven Queen’s touch).
The Weak Point: Players must realize the crystal isn't just "in the chest"—it’s protected by a ribcage reinforced with iron-hard fungal stalks.
Phase 2: The Heart Extraction
Once the "ribs" are broken, a player must physically enter the chest cavity to retrieve the crystal.
To make Evening Glory's presence felt even while she's imprisoned, use these environmental effects:
The Heartbeat Aura: While the crystal is inside the Boneyard, the dragon emits a "Pulse of Devotion." Any healing spells cast within 100 feet of the dragon also heal the dragon for half that amount. Love, after all, is shared.
The Choice: Removing the crystal causes the dragon to collapse, but it also releases a massive burst of psychic energy from Evening Glory’s trapped essence. The person holding the crystal might see visions of Jaren’s former love for her, momentarily stunning them.
3. The Confrontation: Jaren Sunstar's Madness
Jaren shouldn't just attack. He should be heartbroken.
The Reveal: He believes he is saving her. He thinks the Raven Queen wants to "end" her (death), while he wants her to "last" (stagnation).
The Mechanic: Jaren is a Vampire Lord, but give him Mycelial Regrowth. If he is standing on fungal terrain, he is nearly impossible to kill. The players must use the crystal (Evening Glory’s Heart) to "purify" the ground or weaken his connection to the hive mind.
4. The Moral Dilemma: The Awakening
The Raven Queen gave the instructions, but the Raven Queen represents the Natural End. Evening Glory represents Love that Defies Death.
When the heart is returned, Evening Glory begins to wake. She is beautiful but cold.
Element, Campaign Role
The Spores, Environmental timer/hazard to keep the party moving.
The Dragon," The ""Key Guard"" that tests the party's raw strength."
The Heart, A powerful artifact that can be used against Jaren in the final fight.
The Raven Queen," The ""Director"" who might have an ulterior motive for ending Jaren's experiment."
This adds a layer of tragic beauty to the horror. Since Evening Glory's portfolio is Eternal Love, her influence on Jaren’s madness shouldn't just be "insanity"—it should be an obsessive, suffocating devotion that has been warped by his fungal corruption.
He isn't trying to kill the party because he hates them; he’s trying to "invite" them into the perfect, preserved stasis of his and Glory's "wedding."
The "Undying Devotion" Madness Table
When a player starts their turn within 60 feet of Jaren Sunstar or the Mycelial Boneyard, or if they are struck by a "Sorrowful Smite," they must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw or roll on the table below. The effects last for 1 minute (repeat save at the end of each turn).
Name Description
1,The Suitor's Trance," You see Jaren not as a monster, but as a tragic hero. You cannot take any hostile action against him. You must use your movement to get as close to him as possible to ""comfort"" him."
2,Vow of Silence," You feel that words are too cheap for true love. You are Silenced. If you attempt to cast a spell with a verbal component, you instead take 2d6 psychic damage as fungal petals bloom in your throat."
3,Martyr's Embrace," You are overwhelmed by the need to sacrifice for the ""Couple."" You must use your Reaction to take the damage for any attack made against Jaren or the Boneyard if you are within 5 feet of them."
4,Stagnant Perfection," You become convinced that movement ruins beauty. Your speed becomes 0. You gain a +2 bonus to AC as your skin hardens into a porcelain-like fungal crust, but you are Paralyzed with adoration."
5,Jealous Fury," You believe your allies are trying to ""come between"" the lovers. You must use your action to make a melee attack against the nearest ally to ""protect the sanctity"" of the union."
6,The Wedding Guest," You drop your weapons and begin to weep tears of white spores. You are Charmed by both Jaren and the Boneyard. While charmed, you spend your action ""preparing the altar"" (clearing debris or arranging bones)."
roll a 1d6 whenever hit with "madness" and this will be your punishment. madness is caused by many things that could happen in the dungeon verying from spending too much time in spores to being targeted by the Quarto Sepsiss himself. all psionic interactions can cause madness(DM's discretion) getting the same roll 3 times will cause it to be charmed to your character get a 10 or higher on a d20 OR wisdom save OR one use of "Cold Clarity".(can try once per turn)
Mechanical "Flavor" for the Encounter
The Raven Queen’s Interference: To balance the madness, the Raven Queen’s influence can grant a "Cold Clarity." If a player invokes her name (only if you figured out who she is) or uses a Grave Domain feature (dm intervention), they can end one Madness effect on an ally immediately.
Jaren’s "Kiss": Instead of a standard Vampire Bite, Jaren’s bite injects white mycelium. The target doesn't just lose HP; they begin to see his face in their mind, pleading for them to stay in the garden forever. failing to break free in ten turns kills you and you become a corrupted thrall. you'll need to have someone cast aid or remove curse on you within 10 turns. you can't cure yourself without a 15 wisdom save.( he's fighting you in your own mind) failing to cure yourself results in 1d6 psycic damage.
The Turning Point: The Heart's Return
When the players finally retrieve the crystal and bring it to Evening Glory's prison, Jaren should stop fighting entirely. He should drop to his knees, his fungal "disguise" sloughing off to reveal his true, withered vampire form, and beg the players to let him be the one to place the heart back in her chest.
This creates a final choice for your players:
Grant him the mercy: Let the corrupted lover wake his goddess, potentially redeeming him or allowing her to consume what’s left of him.
Deny him: Force him to watch as "mortals" perform the sacred rite, potentially driving him into a final, suicidal berserker rage.
Here is a path to the "Apostle of the Undying Rose" alternate ending.
1. The Requirement: "The Three Proofs"
To even get Evening Glory to look at a mortal instead of her "Eternal Suitor," the player must build a "Resonance" throughout the dungeon.
Proof of Sacrifice: During the Boneyard fight, the player must take a blow intended for another, or willingly offer their own life force (HP) to the crystal to "warm" it.
Proof of Aesthetics: Evening Glory loathes the "rot" of the Mycelium. A player who uses magic or items to clean her cage, or who speaks of her beauty in a way that ignores the fungus, catches her fading attention.
The Raven Queen’s Paradox: The player must hold the Crystal Heart and refuse to give it to Jaren OR the Raven Queen. They must claim it as their own burden.
2. The Final Confrontation: "The Heart's Choice"
When Jaren is defeated or brought to his knees, and the player stands before the imprisoned Goddess with her heart in hand, the "Romance" check begins. This isn't a single Persuasion roll; it’s a Social Skill Challenge.
Stage,The Challenge,The Goal
I: The Comparison, Charisma (Persuasion/Performance),"Contrast Jaren’s ""Stagnant Love"" (rot/decay) with your ""Vital Love"" (growth/passion)."
II: The Promise, Wisdom (Insight),"Understand her fear of being alone. Convince her that your soul is a ""vessel"" that will never wither."
III: The Integration, Constitution OR Charisma Save,"To love a deity of preservation is to be preserved yourself. You must endure the ""Cold Kiss"" as she merges her essence with yours."
3. The Mechanics: "The Grafted Heart"
If the player succeeds, Evening Glory does not just wake up and leave. She infuses herself into the player.
The Transformation: The player’s skin takes on a pale, pearlescent sheen. Their heartbeat slows to once per minute. They no longer age.
The Cost: Jaren Sunstar becomes the player’s eternal shadow. He doesn't die; he becomes a Wailing Wraith bound to the player, forever mourning the love they "stole."
The Power: The player gains the "Aura of the Undying Glory." Once per day, they can prevent an ally within 30 feet from dropping to 0 HP, "preserving" them in a golden stasis for 1 round.
4. The Narrative Twist: The "Golden Cage"
Winning the heart of a Goddess of Preservation has a dark side. Evening Glory is jealous.
The player may find that their "undying love" makes it impossible for them to ever leave the pocket dimension, or that Evening Glory begins to "preserve" the player's friends (turning them into statues) so they can never leave the player's side.
The Final Description
"As you press the crystal to your own chest instead of the altar, the mycelium screams. Jaren reaches out, a withered hand trembling, but the light from the heart ignores him. It finds you. Evening Glory’s eyes open—not with the madness of the fungus, but with a terrifying, absolute focus. She sees the spark in you that Jaren lost to the rot. 'He sought to keep me in a tomb,' she whispers, her voice like ice on silk. 'Will you keep me in a throne?'"
By stealing Evening Glory’s heart and romancing a goddess of Undying Love, you have committed the ultimate heresy against the Raven Queen, who governs the Natural End. To the Raven Queen, your "romance" is a cancer—a stagnation of the soul that refuses to move on. She will not just send a representative; she will descend to prune this "rot" herself.
1.
The Trigger: "The Shivered Veil" The moment the player successfully binds Evening Glory’s heart to their own, the pocket dimension of Ravenloft begins to fracture.
The Visuals: The sky turns to a shattering mirror. The fungal spores of the boneyard freeze mid-air and turn into black ice.
The Proclamation: A thousand ravens coalesce into a towering, monochromatic figure. She doesn't speak with a voice, but with the sound of a closing tomb: "You have stolen a soul from the cycle. To keep her, you must become the end of the End."
2.
The Mechanics: "The Apostle's Burden" Because you have romanced Evening Glory, she acts as a Living Artifact attached to your soul. You are no longer just a player; you are a Co-Deity.
Buffs from Evening Glory:
Immutable Form: You are immune to any spell or effect that would alter your form or instantly kill you (like Power Word Kill). Love does not allow you to change.
Shared Essence: You can use your bonus action to tether your life force to an ally. For 1 round, you both share a single HP pool.
The Rose’s Thorn: Your attacks deal an extra $3d8$ Radiant damage as crystallized petals flay the shadows of the Raven Queen.
3.
The Final Boss: The Raven Queen (Aspect of Lethe)This is a three-stage cosmic battle. You are fighting a force of nature that wants to make you forget and fade.
Phase 1: The Winter of the Soul: The Raven Queen fights with Memory Siphon.
The Mechanic: She targets players and attempts to "erase" their abilities. A player might "forget" how to use their highest-level spell slot or their Proficiency Bonus for 1 round unless they can tether themselves to the romanced player’s "Eternal Memory."
Phase 2: The Flock of Sorrows: She dissolves into a swarm of 10,000 ravens.
The Mechanic: You cannot hit her with standard attacks. The player romancing Evening Glory must use an action to "Exert Divinity," emitting a 60-foot pulse of golden light that forces the Queen to solidify.
Phase 3: The Final Harvest: The Raven Queen wields a scythe made of "The Absolute End."
The Stakes: If a player dies in this phase, they cannot be resurrected—not even by Evening Glory. Their soul is claimed instantly.
The Finishing Blow: To kill her, the romancing player must land the final strike while Jaren Sunstar (now your Wailing Wraith) holds her shadows in place, sacrificing what's left of his existence to let you keep the goddess he lost.
4. The Epilogue: "The New Order"With the Raven Queen dead/dissipated, the cycle of life and death is broken in your corner of the multiverse. The World: Death becomes optional, but beauty becomes mandatory. The Player's Fate: You and Evening Glory sit upon the Porcelain Throne. You are perfectly preserved, eternally young, and deeply loved—but you can never leave. You have become the new "jailer" of the Pocket Dimension, where nothing ever dies, but nothing ever truly grows again. The Final Vow (The Ritual of Binding)To initiate this path, the player must recite this to Evening Glory while the Raven Queen’s shadows close in: "I deny the Grave its due. I deny the Crow its feast. Let the seasons halt and the stars go cold, for in your eyes, I have found the only moment worth repeating. I bind my breath to yours; let the world rot, so long as we remain." speaking this at the end IS victory
after if your a dm that likes carry over lore you can keep this new god in your pantheon. this can also apply to the last battle(dm discretion) domain is for cleric and classes.
The New Divinity: "The Alabaster Constant" Alternatively: The Sovereign of the Still Heart This name reflects that you are no longer a person who changes, grows, or decays. You are a Constant—a fixed point in reality that refuses to yield to time or death. The Domain: The Domain of Eternal Stasis This domain replaces the natural cycle of Life and Grave. It is characterized by porcelain-white light, the scent of lilies and ozone, and an eerie, breathless silence. Divine Domain Features: If the player is a Cleric or Paladin, these replace their existing subclass features. If they are another class, these are granted as Epic Boons for the final confrontation and the epilogue.
1. Channel Divinity: Preservation’s Command As an action, you present your holy symbol (the Crystal Heart). You emit a ripple of golden-white energy. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, the creature is suspended in time until the end of your next turn. While suspended, the creature is Incapacitated, its speed is 0, and it is immune to all damage. Usage: This is used to "save" allies from a killing blow or to freeze an enemy in place while you deal with the Raven Queen.
2. Aura of the Unfading Rose: You emit an aura of perfection in a 20-foot radius.
The Beauty of Stasis: Allies within the aura cannot be blinded, deafened, frightened, or poisoned. Their "form" is perfect and cannot be marred.
The Price of Devotion: Any enemy that starts its turn in the aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be overwhelmed by a desire to bask in your presence, granting them Disadvantage on attack rolls against anyone other than you.
3. Gift of the Still Heart (Passive)You no longer need to breathe, eat, or sleep. You are immune to necrotic damage and the Exhaustion condition. Your heartbeat has stopped, replaced by a low, melodic hum that resonates with Evening Glory’s essence.
4. Ultimate Feature: The Glass Wedding: Once per long rest, you can transform the battlefield into a literal "Golden Cage." For 1 minute, a 60-foot radius around you becomes a sanctuary of glass and white petals.
Death Denied: No creature within the area can drop below 1 Hit Point.
Recursive Love: Whenever you deal damage to an enemy, you can choose one ally in the area to regain hit points equal to half the damage dealt. The "Wrath of the Queen" Counter-Measures During the fight with the Raven Queen, the Alabaster Constant gains one specific reaction to counter her "End of All Things":
Deny the Veil: When the Raven Queen attempts to use an ability that would instantly kill, banish, or erase a creature's memory, you can use your reaction to tether that creature to your own soul. The effect is negated, and you take $10d10$ psychic damage that cannot be reduced in any way, as you "hold" their existence together through sheer force of love.
Phase 1: The Resurrection of the Heart
Once the Mycelial Sentinel falls, the party uses the Petal of Evening Glory to touch the pulsating fungal heart.
The Transformation: The grey, septic rot sloughs off like dead skin, revealing a core of pure, blinding white marble and frozen roses.
The Healing: As Evening Glory’s presence manifests, she doesn't just kill the spores in Jander; she cauterizes the "tragedy" the Raven Queen mentioned. Jander’s eyes clear, the fungus retreats from his skin, and for the first time in centuries, he breathes without the sound of rattling bone.
Phase 2: The Raven Queen’s Wrath
The temperature around the boneyard drops to absolute zero. The silver-inked blindfold of the Seer (who has manifested at the edge of the arena) begins to bleed.
"You have stitched a wound that was meant to be fatal," the Seer whispers, her form expanding into a towering shadow of feathers and winter wind. "You have denied the Grave its due. Now, you shall become the vacancy you refused to create."
The Boss Fight: The Aspect of Fate
The party must now defend the weakened Evening Glory and the recovering Jander from the Raven Queen’s fury.
The Mechanic: "The Shroud of Lethe": The Raven Queen attempts to pull the party into the Shadowfell. To resist, players must stay within the Aura of Persistence emitted by Evening Glory. outside it you take 3d6 per turn
Jander’s Role: No longer a monster, Jander acts as a glass-cannon ally, using his knowledge of the Mists to disrupt the Raven Queen’s teleportation abilities. protect him because he can be "one-shot"
Phase 3: The Banishment (The Ritual of Eternal Noon)
To win, the party isn't trying to "kill" the Raven Queen (which is impossible)—they are trying to sever her anchor to this plane. this is done by chanting a banishment spell (one player must maintain concentration for 3 turns without moving.
The Aftermath: A New Covenant
With the Raven Queen banished, the town is no longer under the threat of the "Cold Order," but the "Eternal Rot" is also gone.
The Result: Jander is alive and sane, though he remains a creature of the night. Evening Glory stays as a guardian of the town, but her "love" is now tempered by the party's intervention—it is no longer a stagnant obsession, but a protective light.
The Cost: The Raven Queen is a patient goddess. The party has been marked with "The Raven’s Debt." They have saved a soul, but the Shadowfell will eventually come to collect what is owed.
STAT BLOCKS
Jander Sunstar/Quarto Sepsiss
Large plant/undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 68)
Speed 30 ft.
STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA
18 (+4),18 (+4),18 (+4),17 (+3),20 (+5),18 (+4)
Saving Throws Dexterity +9, Wisdom +10, Intelligence +8, Charisma +9
Skills Perception +10, Stealth +9
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Common, Celestial
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
Special Traits
Distress Spores. When the Vampire Sovereign Lord takes damage, all other myconids within 240 feet of it can sense its pain.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Vampire Sovereign Lord fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Regeneration. The Vampire Sovereign Lord regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If it takes radiant damage or damage from holy water or fire, this trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn.
Spore Burst Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the Vampire Sovereign Lord bursts into a cloud of spores causing 1d4 necrotic damage to all creatures within 5 feet, instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn't in sunlight or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed. While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can't revert to its vampire form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to a giant mushroom form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point and rips out from within the giant mushroom.
Sporechanger. If the Vampire Sovereign Lord isn’t in sunlight or running water, it can use its action to polymorph into a Tiny walking mushroom or a Medium cloud of spores, or back into its true form.
Shroom Form: While in shroom form, it can’t speak, its walking speed is 30 feet, and it has advantage on Stealth checks. Its statistics, other than that and its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Mist Form: While in mist form, the Vampire Sovereign Lord can’t take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there, causing one of its three spore actions (Hallucination, Pacifying, or Rapport). If air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can’t pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight and fire.
Spellcasting. The Vampire Sovereign Lord is an 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, resistance, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bane, bless, cure wounds, detect magic, inflict wounds
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, enhance ability, hold person, silence, spiritual weapon
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, dispel magic, spirit guardians
4th level (3 slots): divination, freedom of movement
5th level (2 slots): contagion, hallow, planar binding
6th level (1 slot): blade barrier, forbiddance
Spider Climb. The Vampire Sovereign Lord can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the Vampire Sovereign Lord has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.
Vampire Weaknesses
The Vampire Sovereign Lord has the following flaws:
Forbiddance. The Vampire Sovereign Lord can’t enter a residence without an invitation from one of the occupants.
Harmed by Running Water. The Vampire Sovereign Lord takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Chest Full of Spores. If stabbed through the heart with anything other than a burning weapon, its Spore Burst Escape is activated. The Vampire Sovereign Lord is paralyzed until the stake is removed unless Spore Burst is activated, causing the object to be blown out.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The Vampire Sovereign Lord takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
Actions
sorrowful smite: a action where your struck with the weight of jander's sorrow and must make a wisdom save of 15 or take 1d6 psycic damage and take a effect from the madness table:
1,The Suitor's Trance," You see Jaren not as a monster, but as a tragic hero. You cannot take any hostile action against him. You must use your movement to get as close to him as possible to ""comfort"" him."
2,Vow of Silence," You feel that words are too cheap for true love. You are Silenced. If you attempt to cast a spell with a verbal component, you instead take 2d6 psychic damage as fungal petals bloom in your throat."
3,Martyr's Embrace," You are overwhelmed by the need to sacrifice for the ""Couple."" You must use your Reaction to take the damage for any attack made against Jaren or the Boneyard if you are within 5 feet of them."
4,Stagnant Perfection," You become convinced that movement ruins beauty. Your speed becomes 0. You gain a +2 bonus to AC as your skin hardens into a porcelain-like fungal crust, but you are Paralyzed with adoration."
5,Jealous Fury," You believe your allies are trying to ""come between"" the lovers. You must use your action to make a melee attack against the nearest ally to ""protect the sanctity"" of the union."
6,The Wedding Guest," You drop your weapons and begin to weep tears of white spores. You are Charmed by both Jaren and the Boneyard. While charmed, you spend your action ""preparing the altar"" (clearing debris or arranging bones)."
roll a 1d6 whenever hit with "madness" and this will be your punishment. madness is caused by many things that could happen in the dungeon verying from spending too much time in spores to being targeted by the Quarto Sepsiss himself. all psionic interactions can cause madness(DM's discretion) getting the same roll 3 times will cause it to be charmed to your character get a 10 or higher on a d20 OR wisdom save OR one use of "Cold Clarity".(can try once per turn)
Multiattack (Vampire Form Only). The Vampire Sovereign Lord makes two attacks, only one of which can be a bite attack.
Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the Vampire Sovereign Lord can grapple the target (escape DC 18).
Bite (Shroom or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature that is grappled by the Vampire Sovereign Lord, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the Vampire Sovereign Lord regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the Vampire Sovereign Lord’s control.
Charm. The Vampire Sovereign Lord targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the Vampire Sovereign Lord, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by it. The charmed target regards the Vampire Sovereign Lord as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the Vampire Sovereign Lord’s control, it takes the vampire’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can, and it is a willing target for the Vampire Sovereign Lord’s bite attack. Each time the Vampire Sovereign Lord or its companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the Vampire Sovereign Lord is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Snuff Light. Using its control over spores, the Vampire Sovereign Lord blasts a ring of spores outwardly from itself like a strong wind, blowing out any torch or candle or uncovered flame in 20 feet. However, magical flames can ignite the spores for a 2d6 burning effect to all in range.
Rot of the Night (1/Day). The Vampire Sovereign Lord magically calls 2d4 swarms of bats, rats, or myconid sprouts, provided that the sun isn’t up. While outdoors, the Vampire Lord can call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the vampire and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the Vampire Sovereign Lord dies, or until it dismisses them as a bonus action.
Spore Actions (Mist Form Only)
The Vampire Sovereign Lord can use one of the following spore actions when it enters a hostile creature's space in mist form.
Animating Spores (3/Day). The Vampire Sovereign Lord targets one corpse of a humanoid or a Large or smaller beast within 5 feet of it and releases spores at the corpse. In 24 hours, the corpse rises as a spore servant. The corpse stays animated for 1d4 + 1 weeks or until destroyed; if not destroyed it becomes a corrupted sprout.
Hallucination Spores. The Vampire Sovereign Lord ejects spores at one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned target is incapacitated while it hallucinates. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Pacifying Spores. The Vampire Sovereign Lord ejects spores at one creature it can see within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Rapport Spores. A 30-foot radius of spores extends from the Vampire Sovereign Lord. These spores can go around corners and affect only creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or higher that aren't undead, constructs, or elementals. Affected creatures can communicate telepathically with one another while they are within 30 feet of each other. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
Legendary Actions
The Vampire Sovereign Lord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Vampire Sovereign Lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Fathomless movement. The Vampire Sovereign Lord moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
undead strength. The Vampire Sovereign Lord makes one unarmed strike. (Deals 2d6 extra damage.)
Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The Vampire Sovereign Lord makes one bite attack. (Deals 1d6 bleed damage for 5 turns if uncured. Death results in becoming a corrupted sprout.)
WONDERIOUS ITEM:
## **Sunstar's Scepter of the Mycelial Void**
*Wondrous item (staff), legendary (requires attunement)*
This staff is carved from the petrified heart-root of a sentient fungal colony. A jagged, pulsing azure crystal is lashed to the crown with bioluminescent vines. While holding it, you feel a faint, rhythmic thrumming against your palm—the heartbeat of the hive.
---
### **Passive Properties**
* **Antimagic Pulse:** While holding the staff, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
* **Fungal Symbiosis:** You are immune to the poisoned condition and have resistance to poison damage. Additionally, Myconids and other non-hostile fungal creatures recognize you as a "Sovereign" and are generally friendly toward you.
### **Activated Abilities**
The staff has **10 charges** for the following properties. It regains $1d6 + 4$ expended charges daily at dusk. If you expend the last charge, roll a $d20$. On a 1, the crystal dims and the staff becomes a non-magical quarterstaff until it is bathed in the blood of a magical creature.
* **Rapport Spores (1 Charge):** As an action, you release a cloud of spores. For 1 hour, you and any creature within 30 feet of you can communicate telepathically with each other, provided you share at least one language.
* **Pacifying Spores (3 Charges):** As an action, you eject spores at a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
* **Mycelial Infestation (5 Charges):** As an action, you strike the ground. Fungal tendrils erupt in a 20-foot radius centered on you. The area becomes difficult terrain. Any enemy that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the vines and take $3d6$ necrotic damage.
* **The Null-Point (7 Charges):** You channel the crystal's power to create a localized dead-magic zone. As an action, you cast *Antimagic Field* centered on the staff’s tip. The spell lasts for 1 minute (no concentration required), but the radius is reduced to 5 feet.
---
### **Curse: The Hungering Hive**
The staff thrives on the very magic it suppresses. Every time you use the **Null-Point** ability, your maximum hit points are reduced by $1d10$ as the staff siphons your life force to stabilize the antimagic field. This reduction lasts until you finish a long rest.
> **Lore Note:** It is said that the Sovereign who first carried this staff didn't die; they simply stopped being flesh and became the first mushroom in a new garden.
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Mycelial Boneyard Huge Undead (Monstrosity), chaotic nutral
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)Speed 30 ft.
movment speed: 20 feet walking 60 feet flying
STR20 (+5)
DEX10 (+0)
CON20 (+5)
INT5 (-3)
WIS14 (+2)
CHA5 (-3)
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9Damage
Vulnerabilities Fire-Damage
Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities Poison Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
Languages none
—Challenge 11
(7,200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4TraitsAmorphous Bone-Mass. The boneyard can move through a space as narrow as 5 feet wide without squeezing.
Toxic Mycelium. A creature that touches the boneyard or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) poison damage.
Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the boneyard has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the boneyard to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the boneyard drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The boneyard makes two Bone Bludgeon attacks.
Bone Bludgeon. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Engulfing Spores. The boneyard moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can enter Large or smaller creatures' spaces. Whenever the boneyard enters a creature's space, the creature must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a successful save: The creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet back or to the side of the boneyard. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw. On a failed save: The boneyard enters the creature's space, and the creature takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and 14 (4d6) poison damage and is engulfed. The engulfed creature is restrained, and takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of the boneyard's turns. When the boneyard moves, the engulfed creature moves with it. An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 17 Strength or Dexterity check. On a success, the creature escapes and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the boneyard. Hallucination Spores (Recharge 5–6). The boneyard violently vents a cloud of vibrant, glowing spores in a 20-foot radius. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature is incapacitated and spends its turn hallucinating, babbling incoherently and swatting at phantom terrors. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Animating Spores (1/Day). The boneyard targets up to three corpses of Large or smaller creatures within 30 feet of it. The fungal roots burst from the boneyard, plunging into the corpses. The corpses immediately animate as Spore Servants (use the statistics of a zombie, but it is a Plant instead of Undead, and immune to the frightened and poisoned conditions). The servants act on the boneyard's initiative but take their turns immediately after it. Running the Encounter Tactics: The boneyard is a brute-force terrain hazard. It should use its movement to aggressively Engulf the squishiest party members (like wizards or rogues), trapping them inside its mass where the constant poison damage will melt them. Synergy: It will use Hallucination Spores when surrounded by martial characters to lock them down, then spend its subsequent turns dealing auto-damage to anyone it has engulfed. The Fire Weakness: Because the dried bones are bound together by highly flammable, dry fungal fibers, it is vulnerable to fire. This rewards players for exploiting the classic plant weakness, but watch out—hitting it with fire spells might force it to rely on its powerful Animating Spores to overwhelm the party with numbers!
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Meet the **Fungal Blood-Sovereign**.
---
## Fungal Blood-Sovereign
*Large undead (plant), lawful evil*
**Armor Class:** 18 (Plate)
**Hit Points:** 168 (21d10 + 63)
**Speed:** 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
| 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 16 (+3) |
**Saving Throws:** Dex +8, Wis +10, Cha +8
**Skills:** Perception +10, Stealth +8
**Damage Resistances:** Necrotic, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
**Senses:** Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 20
**Languages:** Common, Celestial, Telepathy 60 ft. (Rapport Spores)
**Challenge:** 16 (15,000 XP)
### Traits
**Regeneration.** The Sovereign regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or running water. If it takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of its next turn.
**Sunlight Hypersensitivity.** The Sovereign takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
**Legendary Resistance (3/Day).** If the Sovereign fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
### New Actions
**Mycelial Infusion (Recharge 5–6).** The Sovereign releases a cloud of necrotic spores in a 20-foot radius centered on itself. Each creature in that area must make a **DC 18 Constitution saving throw**. On a failure, a creature takes 35 ($10d6$) necrotic damage and is **Poisoned**. While poisoned in this way, the creature is also **Incapacitated** as it suffers from horrific hallucinations of its own decay. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
**Spore-Linked Sanguimancy.** The Sovereign targets one creature it can see within 60 feet that is currently affected by its *Rapport Spores* or *Mycelial Infusion*. The Sovereign forcibly draws blood and nutrients through the fungal connection. The target must make a **DC 18 Wisdom saving throw**. On a failure, the target takes 21 ($6d6$) necrotic damage, its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken, and the Sovereign regains hit points equal to that amount.
### Standard Actions
**Multiattack.** The Sovereign makes two attacks, only one of which can be a Bite.
**Fist.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. *Hit:* 13 ($2d8 + 4$) bludgeoning damage plus 9 ($2d8$) poison damage. If the target is a creature, the Sovereign can grapple it (escape DC 18).
**Bite.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature grappled by the Sovereign, incapacitated, or restrained. *Hit:* 7 ($1d6 + 4$) piercing damage plus 14 ($4d6$) necrotic damage.
**Animating Spores (3/Day).** The Sovereign targets one corpse of a humanoid within 5 feet. In 1 minute, the corpse rises as a **Vampire Spawn** that is also a plant. it obeys the Sovereign's telepathic commands.
### Legendary Actions
The Sovereign can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below:
* **Move.** The Sovereign moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
* **Fungal Burst.** The Sovereign uses **Pacifying Spores** (DC 18) against one creature within 10 feet.
* **Consume Essence (Costs 2 Actions).** The Sovereign makes one **Bite** attack or uses **Spore-Linked Sanguimancy**.
---
### Strategy Notes
* **The Synergy:** This creature uses its **Rapport Spores** to establish a telepathic link with the party, then uses **Spore-Linked Sanguimancy** to drain them from a distance.
* **The Horror:** Unlike a standard Vampire, this Sovereign doesn't just want blood; it wants to turn your body into a garden for its spawn.
* **Balance:** I lowered the AC slightly from the Vampire Lord (18 instead of the Plate-heavy 20+ sometimes seen) because its hit point pool effectively doubles through its regeneration and life-drain actions.
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The Concept: The Preserved, The Preserved look beautiful from a distance—their skin has a pearlescent, alabaster sheen, and they often weep glowing, golden spores. Up close, you can see the fungal filaments stitched through their tear ducts and under their fingernails. The "Silent Scream" Mechanic When a player character is within 5 feet of a Preserved, they don't hear a growl; they hear a desperate, telepathic whisper or a muffled sob. Roleplay Hook: A Preserved might be forced to swing a mace at a Paladin while crying out, "Please, parry this! I don't want to hurt you!" Stat Block: Preserved Colonist Medium Plant (formerly Humanoid), Lawful Evil (under Quarto’s control)Armor Class: 13 (Natural Armor)Hit Points: 22 ($3d8 + 9$)Speed: 25 ft.
STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA
14 (+2),10 (+0),16 (+3),10 (+0),10 (+0),12 (+1)
Saving Throws: Con +5Damage Resistances: Piercing, Radiant Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10Languages: Common (can only speak to beg for death)Challenge: 1/2 (100 XP)
TRAITS
Luminous Regret: The Preserved sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. Any creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the Preserved must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be Saddened (disadvantage on the next attack roll) as the creature’s mental anguish leaks into their mind.
Undying Devotion: If damage reduces the Preserved to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is Fire or Necrotic. On a success, the Preserved drops to 1 hit point instead.
ACTIONS
Sepsiss Touch: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 ($1d6 + 2$) bludgeoning damage plus 3 ($1d6$) radiant damage.
Gasping Spores (Recharge 5–6): The Preserved is forced to exhale a cloud of spores in a 10-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, a creature can hear the telepathic static of Quarto Sepsiss’s hive mind.
Regional Effects: The Spore-Choked Hub To start your campaign, we need a location where the players first encounter these "miracles."
Location Name: Oakhaven (formerly), now renamed The Gilded Rot. It was once a mining town at the edge of the Underdark. Now, the streets are cleaned by the Preserved. There is no crime, no hunger, and no freedom.
The Atmosphere:
The Smell: It smells like expensive perfume and damp earth.
The Visual: Golden vines (Evening Glory’s influence) wrap around the buildings, but they are slowly strangling the structures.
The Interaction: The town "Speaker" is a Preserved who speaks with two voices: his own (hoarse and terrified) and Quarto's (booming and benevolent).
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Corrupted Myconid Sprout
Small plant/vampire , chaotic evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 10 (2d6)
Speed 15 ft.
STR
10 (0)
DEX
10 (0)
CON
10 (0)
INT
8 (-1)
WIS
11 (0)
CHA
5 (-3)
Senses darkvision 120 ft.
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Distress Spores. When the myconid takes damage, all other myconids within 240 feet of it can sense its pain.
Sun Sickness. While in sunlight, the myconid has disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. The myconid dies if it spends more than 1 hour in direct sunlight.
Actions
Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d4- 1) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) poison damage.
claws. melee weapon attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. hit 1 (2d4-1) slashing damage + chance to curse (bane) if roll 1d6 getting 5 or higher.
Rapport Spores (3/Day). A 10-foot radius of spores extends from the myconid. These spores can go around corners and affect only creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or higher that aren’t undead, constructs, or elementals. Affected creatures can communicate telepathically with one another while they are within 30 feet of each other. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
Bloody vomit. a hole rips open in it's face-(breath weapon)-cone 5 feet-red liquid spews from the myconids face from the tear, Targets hit with this attack must also succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 13) or contract Sanguinare Vampiris.(1 per day)
Cantrips
Infestation, Chill Touch, Frostbite, Blade Ward, Minor Illusion
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## **Mycelial Thrall of Sunstar**
*Medium Plant (Undead), Lawful Evil (Body) / Chaotic Good (Mind)*
* **Armor Class:** 17 (Natural Armor/Breastplate)
* **Hit Points:** $136 (16d8 + 64)$
* **Speed:** 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) |
* **Saving Throws:** Dex +7, Wis +6, Cha +7
* **Skills:** Perception +6, Stealth +7
* **Damage Resistances:** Necrotic, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
* **Condition Immunities:** Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
* **Senses:** Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16
* **Languages:** Common, Elvish (mostly used to beg for death)
* **Challenge:** 10 (5,900 XP)
---
### **Traits**
**Trapped Consciousness.** The thrall can speak freely but has no control over its body. At the start of its turn, the thrall can use its bonus action to offer a "Glimmer of Resistance." One creature of its choice has Advantage on the next saving throw it makes against the thrall before the start of the thrall's next turn.
**Sunlight Hypersensitivity.** While in sunlight, the thrall has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. It takes 10 radiant damage if it starts its turn in sunlight.
**Regenerative Spores.** The thrall regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If the thrall takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the thrall's next turn.
---
### **Actions**
**Multiattack.** The thrall makes three attacks: two with its Fungal Rapier and one with its Spore-Cursed Touch.
**Fungal Rapier.** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* $8 (1d8 + 4)$ piercing damage plus $9 (2d8)$ poison damage.
**Spore-Cursed Touch.** *Melee Spell Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. *Hit:* $13 (3d8)$ necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a **DC 16 Constitution saving throw** or be infected with Myconid spores. While infected, the target can't regain hit points, and its max HP decreases by the amount of necrotic damage taken.
**Sovereign’s Command (Recharge 5–6).** Jander’s will flares through the fungal network. Each creature of the thrall's choice within 30 feet must succeed on a **DC 16 Wisdom saving throw** or be forced to use its reaction to make one melee weapon attack against a target of the thrall’s choice.
---
### **Reactions**
**Unwilling Parry.** When a creature hits the thrall with a melee attack, the thrall adds 4 to its AC against that attack. If the attack misses, the thrall's mind cries out a warning, giving the attacker Advantage on their next attack against it.
---
### **Roleplay Hook: The Dual Dialogue**
When running this encounter, use two different tones for the Thrall:
* **The Body (Jander’s Will):** Cold, tactical, and commanding. *"Your stance is weak. The Sovereign requires your marrow."*
* **The Mind (The Thrall):** Desperate, weeping, and helpful. *"The purple gems... they are the anchors! Strike the gems and I might... please, just aim for my heart!"
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this is Sunstar's staff as depicted on the cover
Scepter of the Mycelial Void Wondrous item (staff), legendary (requires attunement)This staff is carved from the petrified heart-root of a sentient fungal colony. A jagged, pulsing azure crystal is lashed to the crown with bioluminescent vines. While holding it, you feel a faint, rhythmic thrumming against your palm—the heartbeat of the hive.
Passive Properties:
Antimagic Pulse: While holding the staff, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Fungal Symbiosis: You are immune to the poisoned condition and have resistance to poison damage. Additionally, Myconids and other non-hostile fungal creatures recognize you as a "Sovereign" and are generally friendly toward you.
Activated Abilities:
The staff has 10 charges for the following properties. It regains $1d6 + 4$ expended charges daily at dusk. If you expend the last charge, roll a $d20$. On a 1, the crystal dims and the staff becomes a non-magical quarterstaff until it is bathed in the blood of a magical creature.
Rapport Spores (1 Charge): As an action, you release a cloud of spores. For 1 hour, you and any creature within 30 feet of you can communicate telepathically with each other, provided you share at least one language.
Pacifying Spores (3 Charges): As an action, you eject spores at a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
Mycelial Infestation (5 Charges): As an action, you strike the ground. Fungal tendrils erupt in a 20-foot radius centered on you. The area becomes difficult terrain. Any enemy that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the vines and take $3d6$ necrotic damage.
The Null-Point (7 Charges): You channel the crystal's power to create a localized dead-magic zone. As an action, you cast Antimagic Field centered on the staff’s tip. The spell lasts for 1 minute (no concentration required), but the radius is reduced to 5 feet.
Curse:
The Hungering Hive: The staff thrives on the very magic it suppresses. Every time you use the Null-Point ability, your maximum hit points are reduced by $1d10$ as the staff siphons your life force to stabilize the antimagic field. This reduction lasts until you finish a long rest.
Lore Note: It is said that the Sovereign who first carried this staff didn't die; they simply stopped being flesh and became the first mushroom in a new forest.
Price: $0.75