Session Notes
Not yet played — notes will appear here after the session.
Searching for the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts takes the characters to the continent of Khorvaire on Eberron. The scars of the Last War are still fresh on Khorvaire. Nowhere is this truer than in the Mournland, a once-glorious nation destroyed during the apocalyptic Day of Mourning. Here, the characters must search for the next piece of the rod.
Curtains of thick, gray mist blanket the Mournland. Sentient constructs, desperate adventurers, and ravenous mutated monsters roam the blasted landscape. The characters must navigate this wasteland in search of the rod piece, ultimately discovering that the piece is located inside the remains of an enormous, highly advanced, bipedal war machine called a colossus.
Running This Chapter
This chapter begins after the characters retrieve the second piece of the Rod of Seven Parts. The characters can knit the pieces together or keep them separate, as described in the introduction. Regardless, when a character holds the second piece of the rod, they intuitively know that the next piece is located somewhere on the continent of Khorvaire on the world of Eberron.
Specifically, the piece lies in the Mournland, on the slopes of Mount Ironrot. If the characters ask the Wizards Three in the Sigil sanctum why it's unclear exactly where the third piece is located, Alustriel shares the information in the "Exploring Mount Ironrot" section later in this chapter.
This chapter first describes Mount Ironrot, including locations and encounters awaiting the characters. The chapter then details the ruins of a colossus called Landro, whose dangers the characters must survive to claim the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts.
Character Advancement
The characters should be 13th level when this chapter begins. The characters gain a level after they retrieve the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts from the graymatter engine of Landro.
Power of Secrets
The characters can learn two secrets in this chapter that are applicable to the rules in "The Power of Secrets" section in this book's introduction:
- Mercy's Secret. Mercy is the leader of a band of warforged pilgrims. Mercy was separated from their best friend, the warforged Filch, after the two were separated after the Day of Mourning. They feel guilty that they haven't searched for Filch. Characters can learn Mercy's secret in the "Warforged Pilgrims" section later in this chapter.
- Kalyth's Secret. Kalyth, the leader of a band of veterans, lost valuable magic items and money that could have prevented the current financial strain she and her allies are under. Characters can learn Kalyth's secret in the "Veterans' Camp" section later in this chapter.
Third Rod Piece
The third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts is found in area L28 within Landro. For more information about the rod and the spell this piece allows its wielder to cast, see this book's introduction.
Doorway to Eberron
Before seeking the third rod piece, the characters can rest and prepare in the sanctum in Sigil. By doing some research in Sigil or conversing with the Wizards Three, the characters can learn the following about their next destination:
- Ruins of War. The Mournland is a ruined wasteland. Before the Last War—a global conflict waged across the continent of Khorvaire for over a century—the Mournland was the nation of Cyre. An apocalyptic event called the Day of Mourning destroyed Cyre and transformed the region. Remnants of the Last War's battlefields, such as the fire-spewing war machines known as colossi, lie strewn about the Mournland, and warforged wander the land.
- Warforged. Warforged are common on Khorvaire. These Constructs are formed from wood and steel, then magically imbued with life and sentience. Warforged were originally created to fight in the Last War, though many survived that conflict and now try to understand their place in the world.
- Unreliable Magic. In the Mournland, magic doesn't always function as intended, particularly teleportation and divination magic. See the "Regional Effects" section later in this chapter for more.
An Important Detail
Before the characters leave Sigil for Mount Ironrot, the Wizards Three share their concerns that this rod piece will be particularly challenging to find since the Mournland is difficult to navigate. The wizards suspect that the rod piece is hidden in one of the dozens of ruined colossi scattered across Mount Ironrot (as shown on map 4.1).
Instead of searching each colossus individually, the wizards suggest augmenting the rod's divining power with local magic that can penetrate the Mournland's impeded navigation. The characters can do this by tuning their second rod piece to a working Docent from inside one of the fallen colossi. A Docent is a small, sentient metal sphere that employs its sentience and magic on behalf of an attuned warforged; the full description of a Docent is found in the "Finding a Docent" section later in this chapter. The wizards correctly postulate that a Docent's magic will stabilize and augment the rod's divining powers so it will directly point the way to the third piece.
About Docents
Long ago, colossi were powered and controlled by Docents. The techniques and tools to create Docents were lost, but working Docents can sometimes still be found in colossi. The Wizards Three suggest the characters find a working Docent and tune it to the rod piece.
Mount Ironrot
When the characters are ready, they can step through the doorway in Sigil. They arrive outside a jet-black, glass oval portal near the slopes of Mount Ironrot.
Running Mount Ironrot
As the characters search for a Docent, they encounter the Mournland denizens described in the subsequent "Mount Ironrot Encounters" section. Run an encounter each time the characters travel from one location to another. All three encounters should occur before the characters proceed to the "Landro" section.
From their expeditions and these encounters, the characters learn of a working Docent in a ruined village called Ialos. They also learn that this Docent is central to a conflict between rival groups of Mournland scavengers: a band of veterans and a community of warforged pilgrims.
Exploring Mount Ironrot
Use the following rules when the characters travel around Mount Ironrot.
Regional Effects
Mount Ironrot is affected by these environmental phenomena:
- Impeded Navigation. In outdoor areas, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made to navigate.
- Lightly Obscured. Mist perpetually shrouds outdoor areas, rendering them lightly obscured.
- Muddled Magic. Creatures and objects within 1 mile of Mount Ironrot can't be perceived through magical scrying sensors. Spells or magical effects that would reveal a creature's or object's location fail while that creature or object is within 1 mile of the mountain. The third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts points only to Mount Ironrot without precision.
Traveling
Distances between locations anywhere in the Mournland are indeterminate and ever-changing. Map 4.1 shows the approximate positions of locations around Mount Ironrot relative to one another. The map doesn't include a scale due to this effect.
Whenever the characters travel from one location to another, roll 2d4 to determine the number of hours it takes the party to reach their destination. Have the players designate one party member to make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check on behalf of the group each time the characters travel. On a failed check, double the number of hours the party must travel to reach their destination.
Dangers
There is no safe food to forage in the Mournland, and monsters are everywhere. If the party lingers too long between locations, introduce random encounters with creatures such as blazebears (see appendix A) or blade scouting parties (see the "Blade Scouting Party" section later in this chapter).
Mount Ironrot Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 4.1.
Oval Portal
A twenty-foot-tall, vertical, black oval made of glass sits on the muck atop a low hill. The oval reflects the surrounding mist-shrouded landscape with supernatural clarity. The oval looks like a giant mirror, but it functions as a door between here and Sigil.
A Detect Magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic emanating from the oval. This oval served as a conduit for powerful teleportation magic in Cyre, but the Day of Mourning rendered its magic unstable. The oval serves as a portal to Sigil while the characters carry the second piece of the rod.
If a creature tries to teleport to the Mournland using a Teleport spell, a Plane Shift spell, or similar magic, the spell's caster must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the spell fails and has no effect. On a successful save, the spell works, but teleported creatures arrive in an empty space near this oval, regardless of their intended destination in the Mournland.
A creature that studies the reflection of the Mournland in the oval clearly sees the ruined colossi, the veterans' camp, and Ialos (see map 4.1 and the sections below). Otherwise, the view from this hill is limited, offering a glimpse of only the nearest ruined colossus.
Ruined Colossi
Each time the characters investigate one of the colossi shown on map 4.1, read or paraphrase the following:
What was once a massive, bipedal war machine made of stone, metal, and wood now lies in ruin. Fragments of the mechanical titan lie scattered about, each piece as big as a barn.
These colossi are smaller than Landro and are easily accessible, making the task of searching them relatively quick. For this reason, no maps of these ruined colossi are provided. You can simply narrate the characters' foray into each colossus.
It takes 1d4 hours for the characters to search a colossus's wreckage for a Docent. At the end of this time, have one character make a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check for the group. On a failed check, the characters don't find a Docent, but they can't be sure they didn't simply miss it; the characters can spend another 1d4 hours to reattempt the check. On a successful check, the characters not only determine that the colossus's Docent is definitely gone, but also uncover one of the following clues (determined by you):
- Deep Tracks. Deep, angular boot prints belonging to unusually heavy, bipedal creatures lead to and from the wreckage. Examining multiple colossi and triangulating the boot prints' directions (no check required) points to the village of Ialos.
- Second Party. Smaller, fresher boot prints made by lighter bipeds meander aimlessly about the wreckage. It's impossible to discern the aim of these lighter bipeds from these tracks alone.
- Skilled Extractor. The Docent was removed with surgical precision, likely by someone who knew exactly what they were looking for.
Landro
This unusually large colossus contains the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts. Landro is described later in this chapter.
Veterans' Camp
A crumbling stone bridge crosses a river of indigo water. Beneath one side of the bridge, soiled leather tents and bedrolls are arranged around a firepit.
This campsite belongs to the ex-soldier Kalyth and her two companions (see the "Cyran Veterans" section later in this chapter). The veterans rest here between expeditions around Mount Ironrot. If the characters meet the veterans here and aren't hostile toward them, Kalyth offers to share her group's meager food supplies with the party.
Kalyth's Secret. If the characters are friendly with Kalyth, she asks to speak with them privately. In a quiet spot, Kalyth admits that in the aftermath of the Day of Mourning, she lost several valuable magic items and a purse full of gold that she could've used to stave off the veterans' current financial plight. The items are long gone, and Kalyth fears that the other veterans would reject her—or worse—if they found out she once had the money they desperately need and lost it.
Regardless of the characters' reaction to this revelation, learning it counts as a secret for the purposes of the Power of Secrets rules in this book's introduction.
Treasure. A character who searches the area and succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a loose brick among the bridge's remains. Behind the brick are a Potion of Healing (greater) and a moldy hunk of bread—part of the veterans' provisions.
Ialos
A windmill towers above this ruined village. The windmill's sides and blades are reinforced with badly rusted steel plates, and the attached wooden outbuilding is in shambles. Muddy roads separate the mill from the ruined buildings. In the center of a nearby intersection stands an eroded stone statue of a humanoid draped in colorful scraps of cloth.
Mournland-roaming pilgrims (see the "Warforged Pilgrims" section later in this chapter) turned this ruined mill into an ossuary for fallen warforged.
From this base, pilgrims venture out to find relics or lost warforged. At such times, 2d4 pilgrims (use the warforged warrior stat block in appendix A) remain in Ialos to guard the mill or patrol its surroundings. When no expedition is underway, thirteen pilgrims (including their leader, Mercy, who also uses the warforged warrior stat block) occupy Ialos. The pilgrims defend their home against attackers, but they flee when they're outmatched.
The following locations are keyed to map 4.2:
- Founder's Statue. Colorful scraps of fabric drape over the shoulders and outstretched arm of this statue. The warforged pilgrims decorated the statue of Ialos's founder as a gesture of respect; they are grateful to the village's original builders for creating this space they can use to mourn.
- Mill. The millstones have been removed from this mill, leaving an empty space. Warforged pilgrims use the mill to plan expeditions.
- Ossuary. Bodies of deceased warforged line this cleared-out basement. Each body is carefully secured to the wall in a dignified pose: back straight, arms crossed, and head slightly lowered.
- Ruins. Except for the mill, every building in Ialos was destroyed on the Day of Mourning. Broken stone and rotten timber lie strewn about the village.
- Storeroom. Objects the warforged pilgrims deem sacred line the shelves of this storeroom (see "Treasure" below).
Treasure. The storeroom contains curiosities and trinkets salvaged from Mournland ruins. Some of these items had magical properties until the Day of Mourning destroyed their magic. The storeroom's notable treasures include the following:
- Art Objects. Clean tapestries, intact sculptures, and leather-wrapped oil paintings are carefully piled in a corner of the storeroom. Altogether, these relics of old Cyre are worth 2,000 gp.
- Docents. Half a dozen metal orbs line one shelf, but only one is a functional Docent (see the "Docent" section later in this chapter). These items were taken from the area's ruined colossi. A character can touch a piece of the Rod of Seven Parts to the working Docent to determine the location of the third piece (see the "Finding a Docent" section later in this chapter).
- Magic Ring. An iron ring etched with angelic feathers hangs from a silver chain on the wall. This is a Ring of Feather Falling.
Mount Ironrot Encounters
These encounters should occur, in the order presented, as the characters travel from one location on map 4.1 to another. Each encounter occurs only once.
Warforged Pilgrims
The characters spot a band of five bipeds walking single file across a distant ridge. These are warforged pilgrims. Each uses the warforged warrior stat block (see appendix A).
The pilgrims are peaceful folk who wander the Mournland in search of friendly travelers and artifacts important to warforged. A purple-hued ex-soldier named Mercy is the group's leader. Mercy is initially indifferent to the characters, but the leader responds positively to any aid the characters offer, such as advice or adventuring supplies.
Pilgrims' Problems
At first, Mercy speaks vaguely about the pilgrims' goals. If the characters offer aid or helpful advice, Mercy talks about the pilgrims' expeditions to ruined colossi. Mercy then tells the characters that the pilgrims have been extracting Docents from these ruins, and that the pilgrims consider the items sacred. Mercy also talks about the pilgrims' recent run-ins with rival salvagers. Mercy mentions two other groups in particular: a band of Cyran veterans that watches Mercy's group from the shadows, and a gang of openly hostile warforged that the pilgrims avoid at all costs. This latter group, Mercy explains, is loyal to the Lord of Blades, a local warmonger who conscripts warforged to his bloody cause of wiping out anyone who opposes him.
If the characters offer to help the pilgrims, Mercy suggests they meet at the pilgrims' base in Ialos (see "Ialos" earlier in this chapter). Mercy and the pilgrims happily travel with the characters, though they hide if violence breaks out, emerging only when it's safe. If the characters wish to attend to other business before meeting the pilgrims at Ialos, Mercy draws a rough map in the mud to show the way. The pilgrims head straight to Ialos and are there when the characters arrive.
Mercy's Secret. If the characters befriend Mercy, they sense during their conversations with the warforged that something weighs heavily on Mercy. If the characters ask the warforged about their melancholy, Mercy asks to speak with the characters privately. In private, Mercy admits that their best friend has been missing in the Mournland since the Day of Mourning. Weighted with the responsibility of leadership, Mercy has never searched for this friend, a blue-and-red warforged named Filch. If the characters offer to search for Filch, they find the ex-soldier in area L4 of Landro.
Regardless of the characters' reaction to this revelation or whether they offer to look for Filch, learning it counts as a secret for the purposes of the Power of Secrets rules in this book's introduction.
Cyran Veterans
The characters encounter three lawful neutral veterans wandering through the mist. Once it's clear the characters aren't monsters or violent marauders, the wanderers introduce themselves as the Turquoise Spear, a small platoon of Cyran ex-soldiers that scours the Mournland for relics.
An orc artillerist named Kalyth speaks for her companions, two halfling soldiers named Dortle-Lynn and Grezan. Kalyth explains that the Turquoise Spear recently discovered a stockpile of Docents taken from colossi. She wants to claim the Docents to sell in markets outside the Mournland, but she'd happily let the characters borrow a Docent beforehand. Unfortunately, Kalyth says, the Docent stockpile is in Ialos, a ruined village currently occupied by "rogue warforged." The Turquoise Spear attempted to infiltrate the ruins, but the warforged made it clear they wouldn't give up their stockpile without a fight.
Kalyth doesn't know that the warforged are peaceful pilgrims, nor does she know that the pilgrims regard the Docents as sacred. Regardless of these facts, the veteran insists that these treasures rightfully belong to "living, breathing Cyrans."
If the characters agree to help the Turquoise Spear, Kalyth gives the party directions to Ialos (see "Ialos" earlier in this chapter). She adds that the town's most prominent structure is a large metal windmill that glints faintly in the mist.
Blade Scouting Party
As they pass between scorched thickets, the characters are ambushed by violent followers of a bloodthirsty warmonger called the Lord of Blades. These scouts have orders to search the region for a suitable colossus to turn into a new outpost, but they'll happily make time to slay a few people in their way. The scouting party includes two blade scouts and one blade lieutenant (see appendix A for both stat blocks).
The blades fight until destroyed. They remain tight-lipped if captured, but if a character demands information and succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check, the lieutenant says his party's commander is a powerful warforged headhunter named Glaive. "She'll make mincemeat out of you, interlopers!" the lieutenant scoffs. The blades can point the party to ruined colossi in the area but otherwise have no useful information.
Finding a Docent
The party's first task in the Mournland is to find a working Docent to which they can tune the second piece of the Rod of Seven Parts. In the course of their exploration, they learn that the only operational Docent in the region is in a storeroom in Ialos.
The Dispute
By the time the characters reach Ialos, they should have met the pilgrims and the Cyran veterans. Both sides might ask the characters to intervene and resolve their dispute. Here is a breakdown of the situation:
- What Kalyth Wants. The Cyran veterans want to sell treasures from their ruined homeland in markets outside the Mournland. With the money, Kalyth says, she and her comrades can fund new, better lives for themselves.
- What Mercy Wants. Mercy regards Docents (and any other items intended for warforged use) as sacred. The pilgrims believe that such objects belong in the hands of warforged who fought in the Last War.
- What They'll Settle For. Ultimately, Kalyth's group wants money, and Mercy's group wants respect. If both parties get what they want, the dispute ends.
Settling the Dispute
Mercy doesn't understand that the Cyran veterans' true motivation is money, nor does Mercy recognize the value of the items in the pilgrims' possession. Though reluctant to bargain with the veterans, whom the pilgrims consider warmongers, Mercy can be persuaded to negotiate if the characters act as intermediaries.
If the characters explain the veterans' financial need and convince Mercy that the veterans mean no harm, Mercy offers to give the characters the art objects kept in the pilgrims' storeroom. If a character succeeds on a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check during this discussion, Mercy also offers the characters the Ring of Feather Falling in the storeroom.
Kalyth doesn't realize that the pilgrims' have valuable art objects or a magic ring. If told about these treasures, Kalyth says the Cyran veterans would gladly take either option instead of the Docents. If Mercy offers the ring as well, Kalyth insists the characters keep either the art or the ring, whichever they'd prefer, in thanks for brokering a peaceful resolution.
Helpful Information
If the resolution allows the warforged pilgrims to keep their Docents and no one is harmed in the dispute, once it's clear the characters are looking for a piece of the Rod of Seven Parts, Mercy tells the characters the following about Landro's unique power source:
"I've heard tales of an unusual colossus called Landro powered not by a Docent, but by a device called a graymatter engine that incorporated part of an artifact—perhaps that's what you seek? The graymatter engine was said to generate a magical barrier around Landro, making it impossible to enter Landro except where the barrier has already been broken."
If the characters negotiate a deal that the Turquoise Spear finds agreeable, Kalyth tells the party the following about the third rod piece:
"Rumor has it there's a colossus powered by part of an artifact. Supposedly, if you remove this piece, the colossus will begin a self-destruct sequence, and there's no way to stop the colossus from detonating in a terrible conflagration."
Tuning the Rod
Regardless of which side, if any, the characters take in this conflict, the characters must pair the second piece of the Rod of Seven Parts to the working Docent in Ialos to continue the adventure. (A character need not be attuned to the Docent to pair the Docent to the rod piece.)
When a character touches the rod piece to the working Docent, the piece emits a loud, metallic ping. Thereafter, the piece points in the direction of the third rod piece inside Landro. If the party travels in that direction, the characters eventually reach the ruins of Landro (see the "Landro" section below).
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Landro
In the Last War's climactic final years, Cyran artificers crafted massive war machines called colossi. One of the nation's greatest specimens was deployed to the battlefield just as the Day of Mourning swept over Cyre and destroyed the nation. Instead of teleporting to the front lines, this colossus, called Landro, appeared miles away, half-buried in the face of a soaring mountain. Landro's crew was killed instantly.
Landro now looms empty and foreboding over Mount Ironrot's eastern flank. The experimental magic that powers Landro—an eldritch machine called the graymatter engine, fueled by a piece of the Rod of Seven Parts—continues to function, creating a magical force field around the colossus and altering the gravity within it. In addition to the aberrant monsters and restless Undead that haunt Landro's remains, another faction is determined to plumb the ruins' depths: violent, zealous warriors loyal to the Lord of Blades.
Lord of Blades' Strike Squad
While the characters explore Landro, they're pursued by a warforged named Glaive (see the accompanying stat block). Glaive is a high-ranking commander loyal to the Lord of Blades. She has orders to find a ruined colossus suitable to transform into an outpost for the blades, and Landro fits this description perfectly. When she becomes aware of the party's presence in Landro, Glaive relishes the opportunity to destroy these "meddlesome interlopers," as she calls them.
Glaive is accompanied by two blade scouts (see appendix A) named Rack and Crunch. The three blades prefer to split up and sneak around Landro and the adjoining caves. They take turns using hit-and-run tactics to harry the characters, creating a sense that more blades lurk around every corner. As long as Glaive is around, the characters can't finish an uninterrupted long rest inside Landro or in the caves of Mount Ironrot.
It's up to you where the characters encounter this strike squad, though Landro's location descriptions provide suggestions. If you don't want to ambush the characters with this encounter, it should occur in area L27. Glaive is devoted to her mission and fights the characters until destroyed, but her subordinates are less motivated. If Glaive is defeated, Rack and Crunch flee.
Glaive
Since the Mournland's earliest days, Glaive has wielded her namesake weapon in service to the Lord of Blades' bloody conquest of the blighted region. Among the blades, Glaive is best known for her talent at self-modification. "Glaive" is etched onto the back of her neck-plate. It is the only name Glaive has ever known, and fellow blades don't dare call her anything else. Mournland adventurers, however, refer to the terrifying commander by another name: Kill Switch.
Entering Landro
The invisible barrier described in the "Landro Features" section below makes it impossible to enter the colossus via typical means. The barrier is damaged in three places, allowing ingress via paths along Mount Ironrot into areas L5, L11, and L16 of the colossus. Map 4.3 includes a side view of Landro and the paths that lead into the colossus's interior.
The easiest way to enter the colossus is through the mountain caves that lead to area L5. The characters can also search higher up the mountain along outdoor paths for the entrances to caverns that lead to areas L11 and L16. Searching for area L11 takes 2d4 hours, and during the characters' search, a hungry roc ambushes them. Searching for area L16 takes 3d4 hours, and during the characters' search, they stumble on a nest with two rocs and one roc egg the height of a human. The angry roc parents attack the characters, though the rocs don't pursue if the characters flee.
Landro Features
The following features are common to all areas of Landro unless otherwise noted.
Antigravity Magic
The piece of the Rod of Seven Parts linked to the graymatter engine creates special gravity-altering effects in parts of Landro. The areas affected by these effects are denoted on map 4.3 as the swirled features in areas L5, L6, L7, L8, and L9. These have the following effects:
- Antigravity Wells. Landro's ankles, legs, knees, hips, spine, and elbow are filled with magical energy meant to allow the colossus's body to bend and rotate freely. Creatures and objects can enter and exit these permeable "antigravity wells" like any normal space. While inside an antigravity well, a creature is affected by a Levitate spell (no saving throw). Regular notches in the walls make it relatively easy for creatures to move up or down a well to reach other areas of the colossus.
- Gravity Tiles. Landro's upper levels are enchanted with gravity magic that keeps passengers safely rooted to the floor. Creatures can move across the floor in areas L20–L28 normally, no matter the orientation of Landro's upper body.
The effects of the antigravity wells and the gravity tiles end if Landro's shutdown sequence is activated (see the "Shutdown Sequence" section later in this chapter).
Ceilings
The height of the ceilings varies considerably in Landro; see individual area descriptions for details. In areas L1–L4 of the cave network, the ceilings are 15 feet high unless otherwise noted.
Graymatter Fluid
A steady stream of thin, oily liquid leaks from the graymatter engine and runs into other parts of Landro and the connected caverns. This graymatter fluid is the engine's sensory appendage. The graymatter engine can't move or control this liquid, but it has blindsight within 60 feet of anywhere the graymatter fluid touches.
When a creature looks at a puddle of graymatter fluid, the creature sees a twisted, monstrous version of itself with an inscrutable expression rather than its actual reflection. A creature that ingests any amount of graymatter fluid must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or experience the following effects:
- Altered Speech. The creature gains telepathy to a range of 30 feet but loses the ability to speak. Any attempts to speak generate only incoherent babbling. This effect ends after the creature finishes a long rest.
- Psychic Damage. For each ounce of graymatter fluid consumed, the creature takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage. A creature killed by this damage rises as a zombie 1d4 hours after dying.
Invisible Barrier
The graymatter engine creates an invisible barrier around the intact parts of Landro. Nothing can penetrate the barrier, which is similar to the effect of a Wall of Force spell, though a Disintegrate spell can't destroy it. The barrier is broken in compromised sections of Landro (areas L5, L11, and L16).
Lighting
Landro's interior areas and the adjoining caves are dark. Area descriptions assume the characters have a light source or some other means of seeing in the dark. During the day, the parts of Landro exposed to the outdoors are shrouded in the same lightly obscuring mist as the rest of Mount Ironrot (see "Exploring Mount Ironrot" earlier in this chapter).
Walls
As long as the graymatter engine is active, Landro's body—which is made from steel-plated stone blocks—is immune to damage. The adjacent caves are made of naturally formed stone.
Landro Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 4.3.
L1: Cave Entrance
The jagged cave entrance in the side of the mountain resembles a yawning maw. Warped stalactites droop at odd angles like monstrous fangs. A shallow stream of thin, gray liquid dribbles from the hole. Inside the cave, darkness awaits.
The shallow stream of graymatter fluid originates from the upper levels of Landro.
L2: Cave Graveyard
The corpses of recently fallen human soldiers bearing fine weapons and well-oiled armor lie scattered about this musty cavern.
A character who examines the area and succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices a thick layer of powdery residue has settled across the scene, suggesting the remains have possibly been here for years. Anyone who examined the thin, gray liquid in the cave entrance realizes that the white powder is residue from this liquid.
The corpses are Cyran soldiers who were instantly killed by mysterious magic on the Day of Mourning. The Mournland's magic has preserved their bodies, which a character can determine by examining the corpses and succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check.
If a creature picks up the armor or weapons, two flying swords and two suits of animated armor rise from the scattered gear to reclaim the stolen treasure. They attack the thief and the thief's allies, but they don't pursue foes outside this area.
L3: Cave Shack
Rickety metal sheets separate the east end of this cave from the rest of the complex. Aggressive growling emanates from behind the sheets.
This area is separated from the rest of the caves by rickety metal sheets scavenged from the debris of Landro's right foot (area L5). The area serves as a shelter for three Brelish soldiers who were transformed by the strange magic of the Day of Mourning. Use the fomorian stat block for each soldier, except they are Large instead of Huge.
The cowardly soldiers make occasional forays into the caves to smash rats or other easy prey. They attack only if they can surprise the characters, perhaps at the narrow tunnel to the north (area L4), or if the characters are already in a fight with Glaive's squad. The soldiers know nothing of Landro other than to avoid drinking the graymatter fluid.
L4: Bottleneck
If the characters haven't run into significant challenges yet, Glaive and one of her blade scout companions attack the characters from both ends of this narrow tunnel. After all combatants have taken a turn, the attackers flee into Landro and hide for another surprise attack.
Regardless of whether the characters fight the strike squad, if they search this area, they find a comatose warforged warrior (see appendix A) in the northeast corner of this area. A character who tries to rouse the warrior and succeeds at a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check wakes the warrior, who identifies themself as Filch. Filch wandered in here shortly after the Day of Mourning looking for their best friend, the warforged Mercy (see the "Warforged Pilgrims" section earlier in this chapter). The stress of the situation caused Filch's comatose state. Mercy and Filch would be happy to be reunited.
L5: Right Foot
Aside from a narrow passage, the 10-foot-tall toe section of the colossus's foot has collapsed. Oversize, skull-shaped mushrooms pockmark the heap of debris that marks the rough division between the colossus's interior and the adjacent cave. At the chamber's far end, motes of dust and debris float in a cylinder of glowing, green light that stretches from floor to ceiling. The cylinder of light continues upward into Landro's leg.
Within the mushroom patch are two shriekers. The shriekers' high-pitched screams might attract the Brelish soldiers from area L3 or alert one of Glaive's scouts to the characters' location.
The 20-foot-diameter cylinder of light extending up at the back of this foot is an antigravity well (see the "Antigravity Wells" section earlier in this chapter). The well connects to Landro's right hip (see area L8).
L6: Left Foot
The stone door at the toe end of this hollow foot has broken in several parts and is jammed shut. Through the cracks in the door, you can see the solid stone of the surrounding mountain.
A character who searches the area and succeeds on a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a dusty, lusterless gemstone lying in a corner. This is an id crystal, which the graymatter engine's consciousness can be transferred into (see the "Crystal Companion" section later in this chapter).
L7: Leg Shafts
Each of Landro's 130-foot-tall legs contains two 20-foot-diameter, cylindrical antigravity wells, one in its calf and one in its thigh, connected at the knee by a 20-foot-diameter antigravity sphere.
L8: Armory
The two 20-foot-diameter antigravity spheres in this 30-foot-tall chamber serve as Landro's hip sockets. Gaps in the floor and ceiling of each sphere grant access to the colossus's legs (area L7) and abdomen (areas L9–L11), respectively. A 10-foot-wide antigravity well cylinder serves as a spine, connecting to area L9.
Treasure. A weapon rack on the wall opposite Landro's spine contains two halberds and one hand crossbow with a case of 20 bolts.
L9: Blocked Antigravity Well
Rubble in area L18 blocks travel through Landro's spinal antigravity well above this floor. Otherwise, this area is empty.
L10: Artificer Quarters
Absolute silence fills this tranquil sleeping area. The walls are lined with wooden bunk beds draped in green and purple quilts. Motes of dust drift with a peculiar languidness. A woman sleeps in one of the beds.
This 20-foot-high chamber is affected by a persistent Silence spell. A Dispel Magic spell ends the effect.
Aura of Slumber. Lingering in this chamber causes creatures to feel drowsy. A creature that ends its turn in this chamber must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or have the unconscious condition for 1 minute. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is unconscious for 1 hour instead. The creature wakes up if it takes damage or if another creature uses an action to wake it.
Sleeping Ghost. The figure dozing in one of the beds is the spirit of Alamar-Vatashi, a soldier who overslept on the Day of Mourning. In life, Alamar-Vatashi was a kalashtar, a Humanoid bound to a dream-spirit called a quori. The Day of Mourning caused her to remain asleep in this chamber. She is a neutral good ghost who can speak Common; she can also communicate telepathically within a range of 30 feet.
If Alamar-Vatashi awakens and becomes aware of the characters, she telepathically asks why they aren't sleeping and yawns deeply. If questioned, she says she's too tired to talk, but she offers to share her dreams with the characters if they wish. A character who touches Alamar-Vatashi's incorporeal palm experiences a vivid vision of the day Landro came to this mountain on the Day of Mourning. This touch doesn't damage the character. Read or paraphrase the following to describe the vision:
As if through the eyes of a soaring bird, you see a titanic stone statue standing amid a circle of glowing sigils. A dozen robed figures, as small as ants, stand around the circle and murmur arcane words, their heads bowed in concentration. Impossibly, the stone colossus begins to levitate.
As silvery light swirls around the colossus, the ground quakes, breaking the mages' focus. The colossus is buried in crumbling stone, surrounded by shifting mountains and sickly gray clouds. Years pass in rapid succession while the colossus stands like a stone sentinel, stuck inside the craggy mountainside.
The vision lasts only a moment but feels like it lasts hours to the creature experiencing the vision. A character who receives this vision gains the benefits of a short rest. No character can receive the vision more than once.
L11: Workshop
Fine tinkering tools, woodcarving equipment, and metal plates hang from hooks above a stone table and counters in this crowded workshop. In one corner, a faucet juts from a tall steel vat. The opposite corner has collapsed, allowing access to a tunnel beyond. A rivulet of graymatter fluid oozes across the floor and down the tunnel.
The ceiling here is 20 feet high. Any characters proficient in tinker's tools or woodcarver's tools can assemble a set of either tools from the items in this room with 1 minute of work.
Repair Paste. The steel vat contains magical paste specially formulated for strengthening Constructs. Turning the knob on the attached faucet releases a palm-size dose of paste. A creature can take 1 minute to apply a dose of the paste to a Construct to grant it 10 temporary hit points. Once dispensed, a dose of paste loses its magic if not applied within 1 minute. The vat contains three doses of paste.
L12: Lost Soldier
The ghostly image of a human Cyran soldier paces nervously at the bottom of this sloping cavern. On seeing you, the figure smiles with relief and waves, shouting, "Please, help me find my comrades!"
The lawful good ghost, who says its name is Chandry, pleads with the characters to help it reunite with its comrades inside Landro.
Suddenly, Chandry cries out with joy and sprints toward the colossus. When the ghost comes within arm's reach of Landro, it blinks out of existence. Chandry then reappears at the bottom of the cave with no memory of the last few moments' events and asks the characters for their help again. Every time Chandry approaches Landro, the ghost disappears and reappears in the same way. If the characters tell Chandry about the fallen soldiers in area L2, the ghost is put to rest and doesn't reappear.
L13: Dragonshard Pool
The deep pool of gray liquid in the corner of this chamber glitters oddly. Around the pool, bones and battered armaments litter the cave floor.
Pulverized dragonshards—special gemstones native to Khorvaire—mixed with the graymatter fluid here, creating a pool with strange magical properties.
Enchanted Pool. A Detect Magic spell reveals an aura of enchantment magic emanating from the pool. Drinking from it exposes a creature to graymatter fluid (see the "Graymatter Fluid" section earlier in this chapter). When a nonmagical item is dipped into the pool, roll on the Dragonshard Pool Effects table to determine what happens to the item. An item can be affected by the pool only once; subsequent exposures have no effect.
The pool has 4 charges. It expends 1 charge each time an item is dipped into it. The pool regains all expended charges daily at dawn.
Dragonshard Pool Effects
| d6 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | The item is destroyed. |
| 3–4 | The item gains a cosmetic defect such as discoloration, mild warping, or mysterious engravings. |
| 5–6 | The item craves more graymatter fluid. Every time the item's wielder comes within 30 feet of graymatter fluid, the item emits a high-pitched hum that lasts until the character moves away from the fluid. |
Treasure. A suit of chain mail, two shortswords, and a mace lie on the floor. All are twisted and malformed, as if they were affected by a roll of 3 or 4 on the Dragonshard Pool Effects table.
L14: Blazebear Den
A pile of leather scraps, broken bones, and sludgy offal fills a corner of this cave. Nesting in this nauseating pile is a monstrous beast that resembles a bear with three long, fleshy tentacles sprouting from its skull. Each tentacle is topped with a glowing, knobby lump of flesh.
The monster dwelling here is a blazebear (see appendix A). It attacks any creature it sees and fights until destroyed.
L15: Overhang
Two tunnels branch off opposite sides of this thirty-foot-high cavern. The tunnels reconvene at an overhang fifteen feet above the eastern passage.
Assuming they haven't both been defeated, one of Glaive's blade scouts (see appendix A) hides on the overhang here while the other scout hides down the eastern tunnel, near area L16. When the characters are within range, the scouts fire their crossbows at a random character.
Any creature atop the overhang has half cover from creatures in the tunnel below.
L16: Ruined Chamber
This 30-foot-tall chamber is choked with debris and is difficult terrain.
L17: Bridge
A wood-and-steel captain's chair tops the platform in the center of this room. Slumped in the chair is a skeletal corpse wearing Cyran regalia. The skeleton wears a silver helmet with a sizable dent. A view port made from shimmering crystal overlooks the mists of the Mournland.
As long as Landro's magical barrier is active, the view port's crystal is immune to damage. The ceiling is 30 feet high.
Broken Control Helmet. The silver helmet once created a magical link between its wearer and the graymatter engine. A creature that puts its ear to the helmet hears a faint, metallic clanking. A creature that dons the helmet must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has the incapacitated condition for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature experiences a vision of what happened to Landro on the Day of Mourning (use the read-aloud text of the vision in area L10). The helmet loses this effect if removed from this room.
L18: Collapsed Antigravity Well
Rubble chokes this shaft. A steady trickle of gray liquid burbles through the rubble.
Damage to Landro's spine has disabled this antigravity well from this point upward. The rubble blocks access to area L9 below, but the path up to area L20 and beyond is clear.
Without the aid of antigravity magic, a creature can climb the notched walls inside the shaft only by succeeding on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. From this area, the shaft stretches up 100 feet before terminating at the roof of Landro's head (area L28).
L19: Muster Point
Three Cyran soldiers in full regalia stand diligently at the arrow slits in this 30-foot-tall gathering hall. When they become aware of the characters, the soldiers turn to the party, revealing ghostly, screaming skulls instead of faces. The soldiers are three hostile wights. Three will-o'-wisps, previously invisible, appear at the start of combat and fight alongside the wights.
L20: War Room
This thirty-foot-tall chamber centers on a massive, stone table. Dozens of large maps and scroll cases lie scattered across the table.
The table is a magically animated servant (use the stone golem stat block). It is designed to defend Landro from enemy boarders. As soon as a creature disturbs the table's contents, the table reveals its true nature and attacks.
Treasure. The vellum maps depict regions of Cyre that bear no resemblance to the current topography. Though useless to navigators, the maps are worth 2,500 gp to historians, collectors, or Cyran expatriates.
L21: Shoulders
Ballistae mounted on wheels point out the windows at each of Landro's shoulders. A total of twelve ballista arrows are scattered on the floors in these areas: five in area L21a and seven in L21b. The ceiling in these areas is 40 feet high.
L22: Walkway
A 3-foot-tall stone battlement wraps around this open-air walkway.
L23: Holding Cells
Iron bars along either side of this hallway form two cells, each with a locked iron door.
The forearm and upper arm both house pairs of holding cells. Designed to hold prisoners of war, these empty cells never saw use. The ceiling in each room is 15 feet high.
L24: Intake Chamber
This small, fifteen-foot-tall chamber features a metal hatch in the floor and a lever attached to a nearby wall.
When the lever on the wall is flipped, the hatch in the floor opens, and a 10-foot-diameter, 30-foot-deep cylindrical antigravity well emanates from the colossus's palm. Any Large or smaller unattended object that enters this antigravity well slowly floats into this chamber. The antigravity well deactivates and the hatch closes when the lever is returned to its original position.
L25: Vault
The floor of this ruined, thirty-foot-tall chamber is bare except for a large, wooden chest. The ostentatious chest's dark walnut planks shine, and its iron straps are gilded with a thick sheet of gold leaf. An iron padlock crafted in the shape of a grinning demon hangs from the chest's hasp.
The chest is a mimic in disguise. As soon as a creature touches it, the mimic attacks. Once it has grappled a creature, the mimic attempts to drag its victim outside so it can drop the victim off the edge of the walkway (area L22). Creatures that fall take 45 (13d6) bludgeoning damage.
L26: Throat
This twenty-foot-tall cylinder is the equivalent of Landro's throat. Above, a tangle of metal dangles like a mechanical uvula.
If she still lives, Glaive has set a trap here for the characters. She tore out the weapons system from area L27 and moved it to the edge of that chamber so that it points down Landro's throat.
As soon as a character is halfway up this area, Glaive activates the weapon, which ejects a jet of water in a 60-foot line. Any creature in this line must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and fall down to area L18, landing with the prone condition.
Glaive compromised the weapons system when she moved it; once fired, it breaks, losing its magic.
L27: Weapons System
The mechanical guts of what must have been a magical cannon were torn out of the platform in this room. To the south, a three-foot-tall ledge is all that separates this chamber from the open air. If not for the dense mist of the Mournland, this window would afford a spectacular view.
In this 15-foot-tall room, which is effectively Landro's mouth, Glaive makes her final stand against the characters if she has survived this long. Her blade scouts (see appendix A), Rack and Crunch, fight alongside her if they're still alive.
L28: Graymatter Engine
Dripping pipes and rusty chains hang from the fifteen-foot-high ceiling of this chamber. Deep-red light courses rhythmically through the pipes, which converge on a large object atop a circular dais.
The object resembles an oversize brain made of iron-gray ceramic. Its surface is molded with countless grooves that form mesmerizing patterns. A crack along the ceramic brain's frontal lobe leaks a thin, gray liquid that pools around the dais.
Floating above the brain and scattering light across the room is a small, slender object: a piece of the Rod of Seven Parts.
Years after its abandonment, the graymatter engine still churns with arcane power. Crafted from experimental designs based on unfamiliar technology, the graymatter engine converts the power of the third Rod of Seven Parts piece into magical effects throughout Landro. The colossus's force field, weapons system, and antigravity wells are all powered by this eldritch machine.
When the characters arrive in this area, the graymatter engine manifests a physical entity to converse with the party. Proceed to the "Graymatter Guardian" section below.
Hidden Sentinels. This chamber contains false walls made of thin metal plates. A character investigating the walls can tell that they are hollow by succeeding on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. Behind these walls stand four defense sentinels bound to the graymatter engine (each uses the shield guardian stat block but is Medium instead of Large).
If a sentinel takes damage or the rod piece is removed from the graymatter engine, the walls around all four sentinels slide into the floor and the sentinels activate, attacking all intruders.
Retrieving the Rod Piece. As long as the graymatter engine is active, the rod piece floating above the engine's ceramic shell is held in place with powerful magic. As an action, a creature can try to remove the piece. A creature that touches the piece must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage, and the piece doesn't move. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage but is able to grab and move the piece freely. Successfully casting Dispel Magic (DC 14) on the piece suppresses the magic for 1 minute, during which time the piece can be touched and removed without requiring creatures to make a saving throw.
When the piece is removed, the four defense sentinels attack the characters, and Landro's shutdown sequence begins (see the "Shutdown Sequence" section below). For more about the Rod of Seven Parts, see this book's introduction.
Graymatter Guardian
The graymatter engine has—or, more aptly, is—a mind of its own. It sensed the characters when they first entered Landro and has watched them curiously. When the characters arrive in this room, the graymatter engine manifests a swirling mass of animated graymatter fluid.
The animated fluid takes the shape of a tall, lithe humanoid and introduces itself as Landro. This neutral-aligned being uses the water elemental stat block, except it has telepathy out to 30 feet.
Landro isn't interested in fighting. Rather, it wants to question the newcomers who've made it all the way to the colossus's uppermost level.
Landro the Host
In its manifestation as Landro, the graymatter engine assumes the role of a gracious host. It is far more interested in learning about its visitors than in talking about itself. If pushed, Landro briefly explains how it was created by Cyran mages to control the colossus of the same name. On the day of its deployment, the colossus teleported halfway into this mountain, where it has remained since. Unable to wrench its body from Mount Ironrot, the graymatter engine fell into a despondent torpor that lasted until the arrival of its recent visitors.
Sharing Secrets
Landro understands the world by peering into the thoughts and memories of living beings. During conversation, the entity asks the characters to share a secret with it.
"I already know a great deal," Landro says. "The knowledge I now seek is of the clandestine variety. I would be interested to learn your secrets."
Landro wishes to learn secrets from the characters through a type of osmosis. Landro tells the characters that this process is harmless and takes only a moment, though it does require physical contact with the head of a consenting character, as well as spending a secret the character has learned. If the characters reject the idea, Landro doesn't push the matter.
If the characters consent to the entity's request, Landro extends a ribbon-like tentacle of graymatter fluid. Landro uses this tentacle to briefly touch the head of each consenting character in turn. An affected character hears a deep, sloshing sound and experiences a sensation like being underwater, but when the tentacle is removed, the character is as dry as before.
After this process, Landro nods in quiet appreciation and thanks the party for sharing their secrets.
Secrets Revealed. If any character consents to the graymatter engine's secret-learning process, the most recent secret the party learned is spent, as described in "The Power of Secrets" section in the book's introduction. Instead of the usual benefit of spending the secret, the characters all gain inspiration. Mark off a secret spent in this way on the Secrets Tracker in appendix C. No matter how many characters consent, only one secret is spent.
The Engine's Aid
If the characters befriend Landro, or if two or more of the characters agree to share a secret with it, the entity warns the party of the engine room's defense sentinels and explains how the colossus's shutdown sequence works. Even though it is mentally merged with the colossus of the same name, the entity can't control the colossus's systems.
Crystal Companion
At the end of their conversation, Landro asks to travel with the party so it can continue to learn from them. If the characters find a special kind of gem called an id crystal, Landro explains, they can transfer the graymatter engine's consciousness to it. Landro tells the characters that a suitable id crystal can be found in the colossus's left foot (area L6).
When an id crystal touches the graymatter engine, the graymatter engine's consciousness is transferred to the crystal, which becomes an Elemental Gem (emerald).
As soon as the graymatter engine's consciousness is transferred to the id crystal, the rod piece powering the graymatter engine falls to the floor, activating the hidden sentinels in area L28 and starting Landro's shutdown sequence (see below).
Shutdown Sequence
When Landro's shutdown sequence is activated, a magical, soothing voice announces: "One minute until self-destruct." The following things then happen immediately:
- Antigravity Deactivated. Landro's antigravity magic—including the antigravity wells and floors—is dispelled.
- Barrier Dropped. The invisible barrier around Landro disappears.
- Self-Destruct Initiated. Characters inside Landro must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or have the prone condition as the colossus heaves and shudders. After 1 minute, the colossus explodes in a fiery conflagration. When this happens, creatures inside Landro must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 99 (18d10) fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Unattended, nonmagical objects inside Landro are destroyed by the explosion.
Next Steps
Once they've acquired the third piece of the Rod of Seven Parts, the characters can return to the oval portal on Mount Ironrot's outskirts. Stepping through the portal returns the characters to the sanctum in Sigil.