#feywild dungeon

[dailyadventureprompts]

Monster Hunt: Nanny Knockthrice

A series of chilling disappearances has brought your party to the edge of the mist-haunted Greyspear Forest, as well as face to face with an enemy as ancient and enduring as the stones beneath your feet

Spoken of only in hushed voices, those who live on the edge of the wood tell of a terrible figure, cruel as the harshest winter, bent with age and the weight of the bulging sack she carries. They know no name for her besides the one handed down from elders, and that she appears at the door to each homestead once a year on the same moonless night to knock three times. Terrible fates are said to befall those who answer, so the locals keep to a tradition known as Opfernoct: laying out gifts for their unwelcome guest, keeping their homes dark and quiet until dawn.

Adventure Hooks:

The party venture into the village only to see one of the nearby houses with its roof partially torn off. Asking questions results in flimsy excuses and reproachful looks from strangers, until the truth comes out: A bookish boy named Verner was apparently snatched out of his home on the recent Opfernoct having snuck a candle to read in bed. His parents, who got the boy the book for his birthday have been shamed for not keeping a better leash on their child and kept from talking to the meddlesome party for fear their actions would bring even further reprocussions.

After impressing the local nobles with their adventurous antics, the party are invited to the marquess’s hunting lodge, an event sure to be filled with revelry and rife with opportunities to court both patronage and attractive strangers. Flouting local customs, the marquis has decided to keep her estate lit through ….  Ensuring the party will go on without interruption.  What a surprise then when a thunderous knock sounds at the door, only for a giant arm to shove through the entryway and snatch up a gaggle of guests (some the party despise, some they were quite getting on with) and drag them off into the night.

Recommended Reading: Check out my write up connecting giants & the feywild, which this draws heavily from.

Background: The legend of Nanny Knockthrice begins when the first woodsman sought to make a home within the boundaries of the primeval forest. The moment his axe had sunk into the trunk of a tree, an old woman stepped from the woods and demanded that a price be paid, for these were her lands and her trees, and the woodsman . The woodsman replied that he had nothing to pay the old woman with save the tools of his trade and the clothes on his back, and he would surely die without either. If she could defer payment for a year, until his labour had built his house and filled his larder, he'd gladly let her take her pick of rewards then. The old woman assented, vanishing into the forest just as soon as she'd appeared. Like any deal with the fey the weight of the bargain could not be understood until the woman returned a year later to take her pick of what the woodsman had filled his home with over the past year... snapping his new wife off the threshhold when she came to answer the door.

Challenges & Complications:

More than just her size, impossible strength, or her ability to fade in and out of the mist, the greatest threat Nanny Knockthrice presents is that she takes hostages and is not above using them as bargaining chips against meddling heroes. She will break the limbs of her victims in full view of the party to warn them against interfering, or lob them into freezing water to slow down her pursuers. When threats fail, it's time to open her bag of tricks, which can contain anything from a raging storm, captured feywild beasts, or even the animated bones of her previous tributes. She's liable to use these surprises in between uprooting entire pine trees to use as clubs, or throwing heroes like walnuts into the next valley over.

Stalking Knockthrice may prove the better option of rescuing her victims, but will require the party to venture into the feywild, passing through a veil of mist to a wilderness even more wild and foreboding than they left behind. Getting back might likewise prove an issue, and may require them to strike their own deal with a powerful fey to get home

Nanny's lair is a tumbledown stone cottage the size of a fortress known as the keening keep. Built into the top and side of a clearcut hillstead, it surveys the surrounding woodland like an owl looking for prey. The keep originally belonged to a tribe of batlike fey known as the gloamwing courterie, who now reluctantly act as the giant's servants after their forebearer swore an inverse deal to the woodsman: letting her store her tribute in their keep for a year save for the one night she must heap it on her back and wander the mortal world. While some gloamwings are loyal to Nanny, others resent being banished to the rafters of their ancesteral home, or having to share the darkened corners with all the morose mortals Knockthrice keeps like maltreated pets. The party may be able to strike a deal, keeping in mind the bats are all as sinister as any unseelie fae and might betray them at any point just to keep things interesting.

If the party pays attention when stories are shared around the fire, they might notice a loophole in the deal struck by the woodsman: namely that Knockthrice was not allowed to take either his tools, or his clothes. In the way of fairytales, tricking the giant into accepting either of these will break the cure, though the party might need to be clever about it. The woodsman's clothes are buried with him out back of the ruins of the cabin the party will keep stumbling across in their feywild wanderings. His axe was handed down to his extended family after he died of heartbreak, and could be anywhere by now... such as hanging over the mantle of a noble's hunting lodge, buried in an innocuous tree, or in the back of a creepy peddler's cart.

Art

[mooreaux]

Top four are discarded concepts and the bottom is the final design of my new dnd character, Gloria Wilde! It took forever to get her to look how I wanted but we finally got there lol.

[eldstunga]

She saw you.

[zephyrbug]

Heres an art fight piece I did a while ago for @kupadraws of their character Gruntilda! A Half-orc who was swept up into the Feywilds 💐💖⚔️ 

I keep forgetting to share my pieces from art fight here!

[disarmonia]

Yassified Yu Suffiad from Critical Role campaign 3.🙃✨

So. Survived the biggest so far combined russian attack on Ukraine two days ago, they of course bombed our energy infrastructure again so electricity is back to being very scarce, which means I am struggling to finish new art. So here’s this portrait I painted last year. Not very relevant at the moment, but I still love how they turned out.

Please consider sharing my work and following this new page, I am trying to grow my tumblr presence since twatter is so horrible now. MY TIP JARS HERE ❤️‍🩹

[awkwardosthe3rd]

More goats

[heybiji]

"It's almost like that dark is following me."

[misshartsart]

I’m a big Critical Role fan, so after finishing Vox Machina I had to paint everyone’s favourite fey, Artagan 💛👀

[ailustrarte]

Ligament Manor! Home of Nana Morri and Fearne, just an idyllic place in the middle of the Fey Realm.

Illustration for Critical Role

Thanks to Kyle Shire and Matthew Mercer for the opportunity and their guidance though both the new pieces revealed in tonight’s stream!

[oldschoolfrp]

In the Land of Faerie (Emmanuel, White Dwarf 37, GW, January 1983)

[dailyadventureprompts]

Villain: Mölbitur, the Undermiser

The boogyman of many a mining village up in the Talrrun Hills, it's said that this greedy giant lurks in abandoned mineshafts and snaps up the unwarry to toil for him forever beneath the earth. Mölbitur's abductions are often used to explain to small children why their parent(s) are never coming home after the all too common tragedy of a tunnel collapse.

The undermiser dwells not in any one depleted pit, but in the feywild, specifically a dizzying labyrinth of cavernous tunnels and collapsing supports known as the Bled Vein. Here the giant and his victims dig endlessly deeper, endlessly filling in the tunnels behind them with worthless rock and bodies of the exahusted. They seek a vast fortune that they will never uncover, and anything shiny they find in the meantime goes to fill Mölbitur's coffers.

Adventure Hooks:

The party are called to the Talrrun hills after sightings of strange creatures skulking through the night, rummaging through homes, pilfering supplies, and carrying off animals. The culprits turn out to be a band of Knackers, sent by the hill giant to return something that was stolen from him and maybe pressgang a few more workers along the way.

The people of the hills are suspicious of outsiders, but after the party prove themselves by ousting the mischevious mine fey and returning a few of the purloined people and possessions, they'll have more than earned the trust of Talrrun's folk. As the rumors go, some weeks back a youth appeared in one of the nearby villages, dirty and confused and carrying an emerald larger than her head. The girl said her name was Merita Hind, the same name as the eldest daughter of the Hind family who went missing almost two generations back. Before anyone could sort out the truth of the matter, the local count's men and sheriff appeared in town and whisked the girl ( and her riches) away.

Merita is the sort of brave and clever child you'd expect out of a fable, one who figured out a way to slip into fairyland for the explicit puproses of robbing a wealth hoarding giant all so that she could feed her impoverished family. Though she managed to acomplish this heroic and selfless task, what Merita failed to account for was the time and memory distortion that vexes so many feywild travlers. Robed of her own acomplishments by a whim of fate, she returns to a world where her parents are dead and her siblings have either moved away or become parents themselves, leaving the poor girl is in a state of utter confusion. This is not helped by the enterprising count, who has retained Merita as his "guest" in the hopes that she will get over her hysterics trust him enough to reveal the source of the treasures she carried. This is a girl in need of a heroic rescue, luckily there are some fellow heroes around.

While he is all too used to letting others search for riches on his behalf, Mölbitur cannot abide a thief, so when his minions return empty handed (or don't return at all) he'll have to settle things personally. It's shortly after the party rescue Merita that a rumble will shake the ground (or if you're feeling extra spicy, have this mini earthquake occur just as the party is mid way through making their escape) as the giant claws his way out of a nearby hill and begings rampaging through villages demanding the return of his treasures.

Defeating the undermiser is easier said than done, especially with a magical pickax in hand capable of rending the earth or ripping down a castle's battlements. When the party do eventually winnow down his health to 0, Mölbitur will go mythic, cracking open the earth benith them and dragging himself, the party, and all their surroundings into the feywild. Awakening in the dreadful depths of the Bled Vein, the heroes will need to navigate its twisting halls to finish off their quarry, then find a way out that won't have them meeting the same fate as poor Merita

There are many treasures of the earth in Mölbitur's horde, but perhaps most perplexingly is a pair of genasi siblings kept in an iron cage to act as the undermiser's eternal hearth, one of the few sources of true warmpth in the chilling depths. They've been poorly treated in their time, but know many of the giant's secrets, such as the convoluted path he uses to pass to and from the mortal plane. They're willing to share it if the party helps them get home, some distant place called the Ashmourn where tides of fire wash the land.

Artists

[lyannatropes]

Ipomoea in her feywild dress ~ Today is my birthday, so reblogs are double as much appreciated!

[spicyspell]

Isolde doodle from a little while ago!

[systemic-dreams]

I made a map of the Feywild because I could not find one I liked.

Feel free to use for your own personal needs.

4K version under the cut:

The Fae take things very literally, especially promises. They can take names, hands and unborn children from unsuspecting visitors with loose lips. Eating and drinking Fey food can ensure that you never leave the Feywild again. But as chaotic and unpredictable as the Fey may be, they abide by the rules of Hospitality and the Rule of Threes. Three Queens, Three Wishes, Three Questions, Three Answers and so forth. They have noble and powerful beings called Archfey which rule from the Summer Court and Winter Court. The Courts of Spring and Autumn are usually subservient or less important and their whole society tends to have a matriarchal dominance. The Queens are the true rulers while the Kings are merely consorts or generals in their armies. You may also find Maidens, Ladies, Mothers and Crones of incredible power here.

Notes:

The Feywild is a plane of existence adjacent to the mortal world we call home. It is a more vibrant and colourful version of our plane where supposedly, the dreams of mortals can shape the terrain. The spirits that pass on when we die become the spirits that inhabit the Feywild, eventually transforming into Faeries and Fae creatures of many different shapes, sizes and temperaments. This has stagnated in more recent years due to religion drawing souls out beyond the Astral Sea. Now the plane is ruled by Archfey who have had countless time to practice their magics. But as beautiful and enigmatic as the Fey and the Feywild may seem, they are a crooked mirror of the real world, much like one you might find in a circus funhouse.

The Feywild seasons are locked geographically and regions grow stronger or weaker depending on the time of year in the mortal world. It is always summer in the Summerlands, etc. And in the Vale of Long Night, it is always night. Some places slip in and out of the Feywild like the city of Astrazalian, and the terrain is constantly changing. Distance is measured by a place's spiritual connection to another, or sometimes by rules the Fey make up themselves. For this reason, it supposed to be unmappable.

Out of lore, I've found this makes for a frustrating experience to navigate. However, I've played the Descent into Avernus DnD module by Wizards of the Coast. It came with a glossy foldout map of Hell and told the DM that the mapmaker went insane while creating it so some of the landmarks might not be accurate. For this reason, I think it wouldn't be unreasonable to tell your players that the person who made this map of the Feywild is certifiably insane. (This will save you grief as a DM when/if complicated questions crop up. Just say a madman did it! since this is not entirely inaccurate ( ͡• ͜ʖ ͡• )

DnD Lore Locations you can look up for modules/story:

Winter Court

Summer Court

The Lake of Frozen Tears

The Vale of Long Night

The Howling Forest

Shinaelestra

Cendriane

The Murkendraw

Mithrendein

Nachtur

Plains of Echoing Thunder

The Summer Forest

The Temple of Leaves

Senaliesse

Maze of Fathagn

Brokenstone Vale

Astrazalian

Harrowhame

The Court of Stars (floating over Autumn next to a mountain)

Other locations are inspired by Faerie Lore or Grimm Fairytales and their derivatives.

Powerful NPCs from DnD lore:

Queen Titania/Tiandra and King Oberon (the Green Lord) are seated in the Summer Court.

The Queen of Air and Darkness/Mab in the Winter Court.

The Pale Prince lives in a fortress on the Lake of Frozen Tears.

Baba Yaga could be anywhere. She fast-travels by flying around in her mortar and pestle/big wooden bucket with a broom. She lives in a Hut on Chicken Legs that moves around by walking and can be found in any forest. Caution to those who enter the Hut when she is not home.

Cernunnos, the Lord of the Hunts may also be seen riding through any of the forests with a big pack of hunters. He is frequently joined by Oberon in the Summer Forest.

Nachtur is the goblin capital and is ruled by the nasty hobgoblin named Great Gark (I have placed this inside a volcano for flavour and dungeon material. You're welcome).

The Murkendraw is a massive endless swamp and can be host to any number of nasty critters including Pfilosfyr the Carrion King, known for his many fungal clones and mycelium minions.

In Brokenstone Vale, you will find lycanthropes and shifters that depend upon the moon, hence their proximity to winter and night. This place is ruled by Viktor Kazan, the Lycan Lord.

Nearby, the island city of Astrazalian spends half the year in the mortal plane and is ruled by Lady Shandria.

The Silver Lake is home to the Lady of the Lake if you want to reenact some Arthurian myth like they did with Geralt in Witcher 1.

The Floating Forest is home to the Pegasi and Lurue the Unicorn Queen (Alicorn). I have put a little tower there for some Eladrin Pegasus Keepers/Servants depending on how intelligent you make the winged horses.

In the Gardens of Pleasure, you will most likely find satyrs, including Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools.

I have left the White Well purposefully off the map. You can place it anywhere in the Winterlands. Should your players find it and the Lady of the White Well, she may grant them a boon. Those she falls in love with, become enamoured with her and earn her blade. They become champions who seek to free her from banishment by becoming her true love. All have died in the attempt.

Additionally, some places may cross over into other planes. The Vale of Long Night and The Dark Forest cross into the Shadowfell where the latter becomes the Dead Forest. The endless swamps of the Murkendraw may also cross into the Shadowfell or The Grey Wastes, while Nactur is closer to the plane of fire. The Feysea leads to Fey islands and the Court of Seafoam and the Court of Coral and continues into the plane of Water. The Primeval Forest spills over into Arborea and Brokenstone Vale spills into the Beastlands.

The Isle of Dreams is made up. If you ever reach it, your players will find the world of their dreams and can choose to stay (and become thrall to the Dreamlord/lady/monarch) or go back with a single-use stone. Breaking it grants one use of the Wish spell. Make them roll a wisdom save.

Honeysuckle Lake is made of honey which makes all the water in the Feywild taste sweet. However, running water is very dangerous to Fey and can wash away their magic. You can see it creating artificial boundaries in the form of rivers. The honeywater in Honeysuckle Lake however, does not flow so quickly and is very viscous and sticky. Dipping a hand into it may not remove a Fey's magic but it can be just as dangerous. The honey is stronger than concrete and has known to pull unsuspecting honeyguzzlers into its grasp.

This is all based on my own reading and research and imagination, so feel free to change it up!

Happy hunting

[kbeescraft]

My dm, unaware that he’s about to drop the BEST npc in our campaign: “Behind the bar you see a dandelion mixing some drinks.”

[zephyrbug]

This was one of my last attacks (made in those scary crunch time hours), a villain called 'The Hag Mother' belonging to Emalyn-Freya on Art Fight! 👁️��🌙