Page 8 - Tales from the Yawning Portal

,:TARTING THE STORY
• eking off a dungeon adventure can be as simple as
~axing a mysterious stranger offer the characters a
..,. est while they are at the Yawning Portal (or some
·her tavern). This approach is a cliche, but it is an effec-
·e one. Use the following two tables to generate a cou-
e of details, then tailor the particulars of the quest and
e quest giver to suit the adventure you plan to run.

MYSTERIOUS STRANGER OFFERS A QUEST
8 Objective
Recover a particular item
Find and return with an N PC or monster
3 Slay a terrible monster or NPC
Guard a person while they perform a ritual
5 Create an accurate map of part of the dungeon
5 Discover secret lore hidden in the dungeon
Destroy an object
3 Sanctify part of the dungeon to a god of good
OTHER DENIZENS
HE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER'S SECRET The Yawning Portal is host to a variety of regular visi-
tors, most of whom offer services to adventurers. Chap-
d8 Secret
ter 4 of the Dungeon Master's Guide provides plenty
Intends to betray the party
of resources for generating nonplayer characters. The
2 Unwittingly provides false information
following table provides some possibilities for why an
3 Has a secret agenda (roll another quest)
individual is visiting the Yawning Portal.
4 Is a devil in disguise
5 Has led other parties to their doom DENIZENS OF THE YAWNING PORTAL
6 Is the charmed thrall of a mind flayer
dlO Denizen
7 Is possessed by a ghost
Devotee ofTymora, encourages adventures to seek out
8 Is a solar in disguise
quests, can cast bless
2 Bored, retired adventurer, claims to have explored
DURNAN
dungeon of note and can describe first few areas (20
The proprietor of the Yawning Portal is something of an percent chance of an accurate description)
enigma. Blessed with a seemingly limitless life span by 3 Heckler, mocks cowards and makes bets that adventur-
rreasures he brought back from his expedition nearly ers won't return from an expedition
vo centuries ago, he is as much a fixture in the tap-
4 Con artist, selling fake treasure maps (but a 10 percent
room as the well. chance that a map is genuine)
Durnan is a man of few words. He expects to be paid
for his time, and will offer insight and rumors only in 5 Wizard's apprentice, carefully making exact sketches of
return for hard cash. "We know the odds and take our various curios at her master's command
chances," he says, whether he is breaking up a card 6 Spouse of a slain adventurer, who pays the toll for any-
game that has turned violent or refusing the pleas of ad- one wanting to exit Undermountain and plots against
venturers trapped at the bottom of the well who are un- Durnan
able to pay for a ride up. Despite his stony heart, he is an 7 Zhentarim agent, seeks rumors of treasure, tails any
excellent source of information about Undermountain folk who return from Undermountain and notes their
and other dungeons, provided one can pay his price. home base for future robbery
Personality Trait: Isolation. It's a cruel world. All
8 Agent of the Xanathar, ordered to "steal the hat worn
people have to fend for themselves. Self-sufficiency is
by the eighth person to enter the taproom this night"
the only path to success. 9 Magically preserved corpse in a coffin leaning against
Ideal: Independence. Someone who can stand alone
can stand against anything. the bar; if asked about it, Durnan says, "He's waiting
for someone," and nothing more
Bond: The Yawning Portal. This place is my only
10 El minster, incognito; 10 percent chance he is on an
home. My friends and family are long gone. I love this
place, but I try not to get attached to the people here. I'll errand of cosmic importance; otherwise, he's pressing
outlive them all. Lucky me. Durnan for gossip
Flaw: Heartless. If you want sympathy, the Temple of
Ilmater is in the Sea Ward. No matter how bad things
are, you'll be gone in a blink of an eye.

INTRODUCTION
7