What The Heart Wants (TOV)
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Dungeon Packers #7
February is often a month to celebrate love, but love can take a variety of forms. This month’s adventure presents two groups—a young couple and a trio of sisters—each trying to demonstrate love to each other. What happens when their goals are opposed to each other? And what happens when they cross paths?
The map for this dungeon comes from Dyson’s Dodecahedron, which is a great source of maps for your games. You can view the original map with Dyson’s flavor text here.
The following dungeon is written for Tales of the Valiant by Kobold Press, and uses the following resources: Player’s Guide, Monster Vault, and Game Master’s Guide. Links for monsters, spells, and magic items are provided by Open5e.com.
Adventure Prelude
Local legend tells of a pool of water sacred to the goddess of love, hidden within the caves that dot the rocky coastline. It says that if two lovers bathe in the pool together, their souls will be intertwined for all eternity.
Cuore Cave, and the sacred pool inside, are tended by the goddess’s faithful. Worshippers and lovers from miles around often make the pilgrimage to this cave to pay homage to the goddess.
A pair of such lovers recently ran away from home in search of the cave, but have not returned. The village elders, desperate to find the wayward youths, have agreed to compensate your party handsomely if you help return them safely.
GM Background
Young lovers Thurim and Phyra have run away together to Cuore Cave, hoping to bind their souls together forever by bathing in the sacred pool at the cave’s heart. Instead of being welcomed by the priests of Levandra that tended the shrine, they arrived to discover the cave had been overtaken by a pair of sea hags and their minions.
The sea hags have heard a different legend about the cave; they believe if they sacrifice a pair of young lovers by drowning them in the pool, they will be able to bring their sister back from the grave. Their preparations are almost complete, and they are desperate to perform the ritual they have meticulously concocted.
The adventure begins as the party prepares to enter Cuore Cave, having been tasked by the elders of Thurim and Phyra’s village to bring them home safely.
The Mad Sisters
Mad Mabel and Mad Myrtle are sea hags (see Monster Vault, pg. 212) that recently lost their sister hag, Mad Mary. The three sisters once formed a powerful coven that terrorized the coastline in this part of the world, but their power was broken when a party of adventurers stormed their lair and killed Mary.
Even in death, the sisters' bond was not shaken. Mabel and Myrtle have managed to reclaim Mary’s soul from the Faerie Realm, which now takes the form of a will-o’-wisp (see Monster Vault, pg. 322) that accompanies them. They hope now to sacrifice the captured lovers in order to bring Mary back to the mortal world permanently, and thereby restore their lost power.
Aqua-gobs/Aqua-hobs
Mad Mabel and Mad Myrtle are served by a gang of aqua-gobs and aqua-hobs, which are goblins (see Monster Vault, pg. 195) and hobgoblins (see Monster Vault, pg. 197) that the sisters have magically mutated to have aquatic features. Their stats are the same as presented in the Monster Vault, but they now have a swimming speed of 30 ft. and can breathe underwater, in addition to their regular abilities.
The hags have modeled these mutants on the ocean’s horrors, so feel free to get creative when describing them. Stretchable jaws, shark-like teeth, and glowing anglerfish organs all have their place here among these terrifying-looking goblinoids.
Recommended PC Level: 4-5
Number of Players: 4-5
Sessions: 1-2
Lighting: The interior of the cave system is in complete darkness, except for where otherwise noted. The descriptions of each of the areas below assume the Player Characters have a light source or way of seeing in the dark.
Doors: All doors are made of heavy carved stone, but are unlocked.
Area 1: Cave Entrance
The entrance to Cuore Cave is unmarked, but the empty torch sconces that sit just within the entrance indicate civilized folk come here frequently. Darkness alone emanates from the cave, seeming to beckon visitors into a void of empty space.
A series of natural stone steps lead up away from the rocky beach outside the cave to Area 2. Something doesn’t feel “right” here, and this is something the party should pick up on quickly.
Area 2: Tide Pool
The echoing sound of water gently lapping fills this part of the cave system. Natural stone steps lead down to a small pool filled with fresh seawater. The water is murky, but vague shapes can be seen below.
The sea water comes through a large grate set below the water line in the eastern wall of the pool. The holes in the grate are large enough to let small sea creatures pass through, but little else.
This pool was used as a natural waste disposal system for the priests of Levandra; food scraps and similar garbage was dropped here for the fish to dispose of. The bottom of the pool is covered with various sea life and the bones of small animals.
Additionally, the bones of half a dozen Medium-sized humanoids and the remains of their clothing can be found here. A DC 15 Investigation or Religion check reveals that these are the remains of the shrine’s caretakers. If the corpses possessed anything of value, it was destroyed by the creatures that cleaned the bones of flesh.
If a creature tries to enter the pool, two swarms of quippers (see Monster Vault, pg. 350) will coalesce and attack the intruder. If presented with multiple targets, they will attack PCs that have lost hit points or have already had their flesh shredded by a quipper’s Bite attack. The swarms dissipate when there are no more creatures in the water.
Area 3: Outer Shrine
Unlike the entrance to the cave, the stone walls in this tunnel begin to look more carved and uniform. More empty torch sconces can be seen in the walls, and two large stone doors stand at the northern end of the tunnel.
A small shrine sits in an alcove in the western wall of the tunnel. In the alcove, a statuette of a figure sits on an intricately carved stone pedestal, but both have been defaced by large claw marks. A shallow bowl in front of the statuette has been carved into the top of the pedestal, but is empty.
A PC who successfully makes a DC 12 Religion check (give advantage if the PC is proficient in either artist tools or construction tools) can identify the statuette as a depiction of Levandra, goddess of love and beauty.
The doors at the end of the hall are currently shut and guarded by two aqua-gobs. If they see the party, they attempt to stop them from entering while making as much noise as possible.
The stone doors are heavy, but unlocked. Upon entering, the party can either go left towards Area 4, or right towards Area 7.
Area 4: The Mushroom Garden
It is unclear what this wide open chamber was originally used for, as the floor is now covered in a layer of knee-deep water. Along each wall, mushrooms of several colors, shapes, and sizes grow in the dark.
Among the non-sentient mushrooms are six shriekers (see Monster Vault, pg. 173), three on each side of the room. If detected by the party, the shriekers will begin creating a loud and terrible noise, awakening the room’s other guardian, a giant octopus (see Monster Vault, pg. 348). The giant octopus targets the biggest party members first and attempts to restrain them with its tentacles.
A PC who makes a DC 15 Nature or Medicine check (give advantage if the PC is proficient in either alchemist tools or herbalist tools) will know that the mushrooms grown in this room are helpful for brewing potions and poisons. In total, the mushrooms in this room are worth 200 gp to the right buyer.
The stone door in the north wall leads to Area 5, and the steps at the southern end of the room lead to Area 7.
Area 5: Aqua-gob Barracks
The knee-deep water in this room and the previous areas makes it difficult to open the large stone doors. A DC 14 Strength check successfully opens the door if it’s unbarred. If the room’s inhabitants have been alerted to the party’s approach, they bar the doors, increasing the DC to 18.
The interior of this room bears evidence of it once being a shared living space of the priests of Levandra. Now the drapes have been shredded, and the wooden furniture broken apart and left to mold in the stagnant seawater.
There are eight aqua-gobs in this room. If they are aware of the PCs coming, they attempt to hide below the surface of the water and jump out to ambush them at the right moment. A PC who succeeds on a DC 16 Perception check notices the hiding aqua-gobs. The aqua-gobs are utterly loyal to the hag sisters and do not flee.
While the hags’ mutations have changed much about the aqua-gobs, their desire for shiny things remains. A PC who searches the room receives 24 cp and 19 sp on a DC 10 Investigation check, and if their check surpasses 15 they receive 7 gp and an ornate holy symbol of Levandra worth 15 gp. All of these items were looted from the dead priests.
Area 6: The Captured Selkie
The knee-deep water in this room and the hallway outside makes it difficult to open the large stone door. A DC 14 Strength check successfully opens the door.
This room looks like it used to be the personal residence of one of the higher-ranking priests, but the ornate mirror on the eastern wall has been smashed, and the western half of the room has been converted into a makeshift prison. The bed, however, remains intact, though it sits only a few inches above the surface of the water.
The sea hag (see Monster Vault, pg. 212) Mad Myrtle resides in this room, and is currently intentionally knotting her hair when the PCs enter. She attempts to use her pipes of haunting (see Player’s Guide, pg. 183) to frighten the PCs and escape to Area 12. If Mad Myrtle has been alerted to the PCs approach, she is not here.
The makeshift cell in the corner holds a captured female selkie (see Monster Vault, pg. 291) named Geranna. Geranna migrates along the coast this time of year and was captured by the hag sisters. Mad Mabel took Geranna’s magical sealskin cloak, and she desperately wants it back. Geranna will agree to fight alongside the party if they agree to help her get the cloak back, though she can only fight in her fey form while not possessing the sealskin.
The padlock on the cell is old, and can be opened with a successful DC 13 Dexterity check made with Thieves’ Tools. The cell can also be broken down with a DC 17 Strength check, but is very loud.
Area 7: Inner Shrine
The stone doors open to reveal a long hall with ornately carved walls and a high arched ceiling. The bas-reliefs along the walls depict scenes from classic love stories, both modern and mythological. Each PC sees the carved scenes as depicting characters that share their species. Beautiful bronze braziers sit unlit in the corners of the hall. It’s hard for one to believe that they’re underground in a natural cave while in this chamber.
The stone walls are slightly magical, emanating an aura that accents the most beautiful features of a creature, even when in near-darkness. Because of this, the sea hags and their minions avoid this hall, and it remains untouched.
At the southern end of the hall is a marble figure of the goddess Levandra. Unlike the statuette in Area 3, this statue is unmarred. A stone table with a slight, bowl-like indent in the surface stretches from wall to wall, preventing creatures from being able to touch the statue. Any creature who attempts to remove the statue or deface it in any way becomes afflicted with the mummy rot curse (see Game Master’s Guide, pg. 133).
Levandra’s Blessing: PCs that place an offering of a beautiful object (jewelry, gemstones, etc.) worth 25 gp or more can cast the Charm spell as a 1st-Circle spell without expending a spell slot. The save DC for this spell is 15, and it doesn’t require any components to cast. Additionally, when the spell ends, the affected creature does not know it was charmed by the caster. A PC can only receive this blessing once before casting the spell, and they must offer another offering to Levandra in order to receive the blessing again.
Area 8: Aqua-hob Barracks
If the inhabitants of this room have been alerted to the PCs approach, the door is barred, requiring a successful DC 16 Strength check to open.
This room doesn’t appear to have changed much with the violent change of occupants. Three stone tables (one along the eastern wall, two along the western wall) stand about waist-high off the ground. Small, simple mirrors hang in front of each table, but they are all currently covered with dirty rags. Several similarly ragged cots lay strewn on the floor. An open passage to the north leads to Area 9.
The room is occupied by three aqua-hobs and an aqua-hob conjurer (see “hobgoblin conjurer” in the Monster Vault, pg. 198). They attack as soon as the party enters, with the conjurer using its spells and Harrying Specter bonus action to cause difficulty for any melee combatants. When two of the aqua-hobs are killed or the conjurer’s hit points drop below half of its maximum, the remaining hobgoblins attempt to flee to Area 9.
The aqua-hobs remain spartan despite their mutations and carry little of value. The conjurer’s staff is worth 10 gp to the right buyer, but has little use besides as an arcane focus.
Area 9: Faithful Dead
This small room can be freely approached from the north and the south. Along the eastern walls, four matching stone coffins sit in short alcoves. Along the wall opposite the coffins are the remains of four paintings, but their subjects have been completely ruined by water damage.
The four coffins contain some of Levandra’s faithful priests that have passed, but the hag sisters have infected the corpses to create four sporeborn (see Monster Vault, pg. 302) to serve as mindless guardians. If any of the coffins are disturbed (especially by the aqua-hobs fleeing from Area 8), the sporeborn exit the coffins and attack the nearest PCs. They fight until destroyed.
The corpses still wear the ornate vestments and holy symbols of Levandra that they were buried with. A set of undamaged vestments is worth 10 gp, and each holy symbol is worth 5 gp.
Passages extend from this room south to Area 8 and north to Area 10.
Area 10: Preparation Room
This open space northeast of the sacred pool looks like it was a preparation room for Levandra’s priests before they performed rites at the pool. The room is empty, except for a pair of matching wooden mannequins, but they are empty.
If any of the aqua-hobs from Area 8 were able to flee, they make their final stand in this room.
Passages extend from this room in every direction: north to Area 11, east to Area 9, south to Area 12, and west to Area 13.
Area 11: Steps of Prayer
This set of stone stairways seem to loop endlessly. Despite their seeming pointlessness, they seem to be well worn.
The priests of Levandra would walk this looping passage while they prayed to the goddess. A small cache of items important to the shrine’s operations are hidden here. A successful DC 20 Perception or DC 17 Investigation check reveals a gap beneath one of the stairs, revealing it to be hollow. If a PC walks the loop of the stairways three times or more, the cache springs open automatically.
The cache contains two holy symbols (5 gp each), 4 flasks of holy water (25 gp each), and a mace of disruption (see Player’s Guide, pg. 180).
Area 12: The Sacred Pool
The ceiling of the tunnel lifts and expands into this large, central cavern. The stone floor rises naturally in large tiered plates leading to a heart-shaped pool of water in the center of the room. The pool is fed from a natural hot spring, and is full of fresh water.
The sea hag known as Mad Mabel is here, crouched over the huddled forms of Thurim and Phyra. Mabel is joined by the spirit of her dead sister, Mad Mary, currently in the form of a will-o’-wisp (see Monster Vault, pg. 322), and two aqua-hobs. If Mad Myrtle successfully escaped from Area 6, she is here as well.
When the PCs arrive in this room, Mabel lets out an unearthly screech and shoves Thurim and Phyra’s heads beneath the water. She can take no other actions while doing this, but if she is able to hold them under for three consecutive rounds of combat, they die and the spirit of Mad Mary becomes a sea hag with maximum hit points (if all three hags are still alive they rise in power to that of night hags).
The spirit of Mad Mary and the aqua-hobs try their best to prevent the PCs from interrupting Mabel, and any living minions within the cave system rush to Mabel’s aid in 1d4 rounds. If Mabel takes any damage, she must make a Concentration check (as if concentrating on a spell) to keep the two youths under water.
Mabel wears Geranna’s sealskin cloak, which she has bewitched to act as a cloak of protection for her (see Player’s Guide, pg. 169). This effect ends when she dies. Mabel also wears a ring of mind shielding (see Player’s Guide, pg. 187).
Waters of the Pool: Two creatures that bathe in the pool together have their souls bound by Levandra. For the next seven days, the two creatures are immune to the charmed and frightened conditions.
Area 13: Hag's Workshop
This small room looked like it used to be the residence of one of Levandra’s priests, but it has been converted into an alchemical workshop. The mirror on the western wall has been smashed to pieces, and the mattress has been shredded and tossed in the corner. Instead, a series of tubes and beakers bubble on the stone table and bed frame.
A PC that succeeds on a successful DC 15 Arcana check (give advantage if the PC is proficient in alchemist tools) can determine that the hags are attempting to replicate the effects of a polymorph spell (see Player’s Guide, pg. 301), but have so far been unsuccessful.
The stone table also has 4 full potion bottles on it. Three are potions of healing (see Player’s Guide, pg. 185) and one is a potion of hill giant strength (see Player’s Guide, pg. 185).
A stone door in the eastern wall leads to Area 10, and a similar door in the southern wall leads to Area 12.
We hope you and your players enjoyed this dungeon adventure! Which type of hags do you find most interesting? How do you handle romance in your games? Please send your feedback to feedback@shatteredlabspress.com or message us on social media.
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