Written by: James S.
A Shambling Mound is a formidable creature encountered in various tabletop role-playing games, including Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. When preparing for an encounter with this monstrous plant-like entity, keep the following elements in mind while utilizing the "Depths of the Festerwood" Czepeku battlemap for an engaging experience:
- A storm in the swamp. The humid air makes everything feel surreal.
- Infected thralls act as eyes for the creature; they entice prey to where it lies buried.
- Its skyward tendrils search out lightning to heal itself.
- Increasing tension builds to a cinematic crescendo.
An approaching electrical storm has roused a shambling mound from its dormancy. Now it looks for prey. Much like an angler fish sits utterly still, dangling its lure above needle-like teeth, and parasitic cordyceps alter their host's behavior, the Shambling Mound prepares its trap. The key here is to draw the players into a vulnerable position and wait until the perfect moment to reveal the true predator. Ambush them. It could be an interesting culmination to a missing persons investigation.
The swamp is quiet. Slow, deep rolls of thunder break the silence. Darkness falls, and the players make camp. During the night, a pale face appears from behind a rock, just beyond the firelight. Its lips are blue, shivering.
“Help me,” it whispers, flat and expressionless. “Come here, I need help.” It ignores the players’ responses, simply repeating itself in various forms. It extends a thin-fingered hand. “Please.” It won’t go away.
Unless the players follow it, more will appear, all saying the same thing:
“Help… help me.”
If the players approach, the pleading figure carefully takes their hand and leads them into the swamp. On the way, more of the thralls appear until the players are almost crowded by them, all asking for help over and over.
Before battle, try to freak the players out. The closer they get to the shambler, the more desperate the pleas become, the more emphatic. The thralls could start saying, “Closer.” Their gentle grip hardens. The swamp deepens until they’re wading up to their knees in thick muddy water. They should know they’re getting into big trouble. Make them check to see if they stumble and fall into the stagnant murk. Have them hear another, louder voice from deeper in the swamp – a groan of pain that also says, “Help me.” Make them want to run. But keep the thralls calm until the players decide to turn around. When the players resist, when you reach the peak of tension like an elastic band about to snap, have lightning crash nearby. The storm breaks. Rain pours.
This encounter is one of increasing tension and escalating danger:
- The storm heightens the atmosphere. Players should feel wary.
- Next, the thralls appear. Things become strange.
- The players are led slowly into difficult, swampy terrain.
- If the players resist, get forceful. The thralls grab the players and drag them to the hidden Shambling Mound.
- Once the players are within reach, the shambler’s mouth opens in the earth, and its arms emerge from the swamp with a crash of lightning. The ambush. The players understand the peril they are really in.
- After taking damage, the Shambling Mound pulls itself fully from the ground and sends whiplike tendrils into the air like lightning rods. This is the final desperate stage, the crescendo of the storm.
During battle:
- The thralls will only grapple and drag the players towards the mound. You could even give them a single hit point each. Call them minions. Keep them coming.
- They also act as the creature’s eyes. If they are all killed or cannot see the players, the Shambling Mound is effectively blind to them as well. Don’t use blindsight here.
- The Mound’s roars are all its victims screaming in unison.
- Have lightning strike at random (e.g., a roll of 1 on a d6).
- Its skyward tendrils can be severed, stopping its rejuvenation.
If the players are investigating missing people, have them appear in the crowd. Don’t be afraid to offer seemingly overwhelming odds, but the players should understand that if they don’t sort this monster out somehow, it will continue to feed and grow.
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