The Bog Tyrant

What’s Going On?

The Bog Tyrant assumed power after an outbreak of necromantic disease destroyed a massive portion of the Crabman Warrens, killing half the population and transforming them into horrid abominations called Huskwalkers. These mindless, undead monstrosities that seek new flesh to incorporate into their mass and the Bog Tyrant does little to combat them. The Crabmen are gullible and easily fooled. Most Crabmen serve the Bog Tyrant out of fear alone.

Quest hooks

1. The Explorer’s Guild’s most valuable caches have been unearthed and raided by the Bog Tyrant’s soldiers. They need adventurers to breach the tyrant’s horde and steal back their valuables.

2. The Necromancers wish for the Bog Tyrant’s demise so that they can reanimate its corpse as a weapon to wield against the witches.

3. The Prince of Blackreed, leader of the Crabman rebels, seeks to dethrone the Bog Tyrant and free his people from the tyrant’s claws.

4. The Witches see the Bog Tyrant’s hunger as a dangerous imbalance of natural hierarchies. Sadly, culling the mad crab is the only way.

TreaSures!

Crablord’s Crown. A diadem made from the shell of a colossal crab, adorned with barnacles and seaweed. The wearer can command lesser Crabmen.

Crabman Claw. Can cook and eat to recover 2 Hit Dice worth of HP during a Field Rest, or use as a Greatmaul (spoils after 1 week if not somehow preserved).

Seaglass Idol. Common collectible item. Worth 20 gp/ hero.

Enchanted Navigator’s Lens. VERY Valuable (to the right person). 20 pg – 140 gp/hero.

Old Gulf Wand. A preserved Crabman eyestalk imbued with the magic of the bog. It can cast the utility spell “Bogify” 1/day (like “Beautify” but bog-related: can conjure mud, small crabs, reeds, and bugs).

Spell Scroll. Roll 1d20:

• 1–9: Scroll of Snowblind
• 10–16: Scroll of Shatter
• 17–19: Scroll of Cryosleep
• 20: Scroll of Arctic Blast

Dare to defy the BOG TYRANT

in this swampy adventure for Level 5 Heroes!

The Bog Tyrant’s power grows. With each pound of flesh he consumes, his size increases. In time, the crab king’s strength will outmatch even the mightiest of the Growling Marsh’s necromancers or witches.

cLaTteR

iN FeAr!

Design: Evan Diaz

Traveling Encounters

Swarm Scouts. You spot a swarm of Giant Bog Hornets droning overhead, coming your way (4/hero).

• Attempt to lay low in the reeds (will get SOAKED), hide in a great hollow log by the water’s edge, Something else?
• DC 12 Naturecraft: They’re scouting for new hive locations. Hiding in the log is a BAD idea.

Adventure Locations

Warrens Entrance. Large, crab-shaped hole in the ground, guarded by Crabmen (1/hero).

• The Crabmen here will attack unless the heroes are overtly friendly. They can be fooled into thinking the heroes are here to pay tribute to the Bog Tyrant.
• “YoU hEre tO pAy MeAt TriBuTe tO kiNg cRab?“

Encourage Creativity and Teamwork! Reward exploration with treasure or information. Humorously punish ill-thoughtout choices with consequences (but think “FUN”, rather than “PAIN”).

Warrens Proper. Large cavern, ~200 Crabmen.

• The Crabmen here peer curiously at the heroes, then go about their business (unless told otherwise, they assume that the heroes are meant to be here).
• If combat occurs, 3 Crabmen/hero fight while the rest burrow into the mud and flee.
• They are happy to openly tell the heroes everything they want to know (to the best of their crabby ability).

Make it your own! Embellish areas your players are having fun with, or cut sections you think won’t be as much fun.