Beginner Tier

One-Shot

Pasta Neety

the perpetually pleasant and the problem with the perplexed Population

All members of the party are in the Regional Support Brigade, an organization developed by the King and paid for by local lords. It is your mission to roam the countryside visiting various settlements and ensuring peace and order prevail in the kingdom. The party has not been to Brandborough Village before and has only heard of the village with the friendly invisible fey spirit called Pasta Neety.

fairy dragon, small creature looks like a fox/ferret with butterfly wings a stinger tail and rainbow color dragon scales

GM notes

All maps were made with assets purchased at Venatus Maps

Near Brandborough Village lives a fairy dragon named Pasta Neety. Pasta is a friendly spirit to the town and has been working with the village shaman Meera Maresh. The shaman is in the enchanted forest helping a young awakened tree grow until it can care for itself. The party comes to the village where some people are panicked because Pasta’s normally fun pranks have become violent and the shaman is believed missing.
What is actually going on is an invisible battle between Pasta and a quasit. The quasit has been summoned as part of a deal that Delaria, the merchant, has made with a demon to improve her failing business.
The party approaches the village from the west along a road south of an enormous forest and river. The party comes to a fork in the road, past a small bridge, where it continues into Brandborough Village Road to the north, and turns north east to a footpath that follows the river upstream and enters the deep enchanted forest. At this fork is an ancient oak tree.
- Have the party do a DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw . If a party member succeeds they are compelled to leave a small offering for the forest spirit. If anyone leaves a gift worth more than one gold or something sentimental trigger First Meeting. Otherwise let the players enter town and start the mission normally.
The road west narrows as the party crosses a bridge just large enough for one cart to pass. The road and river bend north where a footpath goes into the dep forest and the road continues to Brandborough Village. The first building in the village is the smith, it sits at the edge of the river at a point where the water cascades down a small waterfall before the river exits the forest.
The fifteen foot wide road continues into the edge of the forest where small plots on either side of the road are cleared for beautiful little cottages. Each cottage has it’s own quirk and a unique little garden. The road and cottages are bathed in the dappled mid morning sunlight coming through the forest canopy above the entire village.
About a hundred yards down this micro suburb there are four large wooden buildings flanking the road. On the east side is Tallwide the Dapper and Powrie’s Folly. On the west is Delaria’s, Dank Loaf, and Top Chop. The sun shines through stronger in this area because more trees have been cleared for the larger structures. The architecture is tall with flat rooves and contours that conform to the topography of the forest. The large timbers have complex joints, where they can be seen through the ivy and nightshade clinging to the buildings. The road ends at a small park and everything is beautiful and obviously enchanted.
People can be seen going about their business, most live or work here, and there are a few tourists. Roll 3d10+5 to determine how busy this area is. Any NPC the party talks to will inevitably direct the party to the folly where they can talk to the friendly mayor.
The edges of the enchanted part of this forest resemble the area around Brandborough Village.
The main footpath that follows the river deep into the forest is just outside the enchanted part of the for. If the players follow this path to the large waterfall that is the source of the river, they loose two hours of in-game time. If the players roll low on their survival checks while in the forest, say that they found the river. If they pick up on the hint that this is the wrong way and expressly choose to go away from the river reduce the DC to 12 for the “Get That Kid!” portion of First Meeting.
As the party goes deeper the forest canopy becomes so thick that almost no light gets through. The massive trunks of the trees can be seen in the dim light cast by the bio-luminescent fungi, lichen, orchid, fern, and other life that does not require much sunlight. The rich black soil is matted with thick moss in large patches and the leaves above blur together in various shades of dark green and black that form fractal patterns above. If a player looks up for more than a few seconds have them make a DC 18 Wisdom Saving Throw or suffer the effects of the Hypnotic Pattern spell.
There are no dangerous creatures in this forest but there should be an ominous tone about the place. The GM might want to discourage the party from eating the flora and fauna in the enchanted forest or they may get stuck in the fey.
If the party comes to the forest at the behest of any villager follow the rules laid out in the instructions for that section or follow the instructions below with DC 10-17 Survival checks at GMs discretion.
If the party goes into the forest without following Pasta, or some other proscribed method, have them make DC 23 Survival checks. After a player makes a check they can not roll again until every other party member rolls. To find Sakura Grove he party must fulfill one of the below requirements:
- Have 2 consecutive successes or they find themselves back at the river.
- Have 2 non-consecutive critical successes.
If the party has a critical fail or three fails in a row send them back to the entrance of the forest. If they continue back into the forest raise the DC to 25, have Pasta follow, hinder, and generally torment the party and reset the critical success count. Finding Sakura Grove by accident should be close to impossible.
- At the start of the story only Pasta Neety, Meera, and Delaria know about the quasit. Only Delaria and the quasit know that she summoned it.
- The party follows Pasta Neety, in young boy form, into the forest and finds Sakura Grove where they succeed in learning about the quasit.
- The party gets info from the mayor that leads them to Sakura Grove where the party learns of the quasit.
- The quasit reveals itself by setting off a trap left for it by Pasta Neety at The Falling Anvil. The party joins a battle between Pasta and the quasit.
- The party finds the quasit and destroys it without ever becoming suspicious of Delaria.
- The party becomes suspicious of, or finds evidence against Delaria, then finds a summoning circle and the quasit in her basement.

Brandborough Village

This small village is about a half day’s ride to the capital and near several other villages, but it goes unnoticed because it is tucked away near the edge of an enchanted fey forest. For as long as anyone can remember, the village has been prosperous and safe from the problems of the world. The village has been lucky to host a friendly fey spirit who brings joy to the Brandbourgians with small blessings. Pasta will do things like clean someone’s gutters or create the smell of lavender near the outhouses. Sometimes Pasta plays tricks like extinguishing lights or casting angry people into a “time out.” The party arrives to find that things have taken a turn in the village. The shaman is missing and there have been dangerous mishaps all over town.

The Enchanted Forest

The enchanted forest is a little-known twenty-acre area in a much larger forest. The area here grew so beautiful after generations of tending by the people of Brandborough Village that the veil between the fey world and the natural world has thinned. Many of the good fey spirits have been attracted to the area and extended their gratitude by allowing small groups into the fey world for vacations. The people who enter always return from the fey happy. Whether some come out after an hour or two claiming they were there for years, or don’t come back for decades thinking they were only gone for afternoon tea, they all agree that the experience was exactly what they needed. For the party, though, there is no time for a vacation. It is their duty to return the peace to Brandborough Village.

Places in Brandborough

**The Falling Anvil**

The Falling Anvil is the first building the party sees when entering the village. It borders the stream and has a mill that powers bellows which fires a forge on a long, wide porch that acts as a loading dock for carts and workspace for Rhogar. The party hears the clang of a hammer and anvil as they approach.
Rhogar is an average height, stockily built, red-scaled Half-Dragon. They are working on the porch, mending a plow, and wearing a brown leather kilt and apron. The hammer Rhogar wields has a dark gnarled polished haft, and the head seems to be made of glossy black stone. Rhogar has a deep, raspy voice and tends toward monosyllabic speech. Rhogar suffers from extreme illeism, so Rhogar always refers to Rhogar as Rhogar. Don’t let Rhogar’s way of speaking fool you. Rhogar is not dumb.

Rhogar assumes the party is here to trade goods and directs them to the mayor at Powrie’s Folly or Delaria the merchant.
If the party presses Rhogar for info, Rhogar is short and to the point with their answers but only about where the party can shop or eat. Rhogar does not gossip.
If the party show official documents and press Rhogar for more info, have the party roll DC 17 Skill Checks. If they do not show documentation, the DC is 20. A Performance check using Strength would lower the DC to 10 and they would be mildly impressed. Throw some hints to Tumeric if the players use the prebuilt character sheets.
On success, Rhogar grumbles something about these people being a bigger pain than Delaria and angrily directs the party to Powrie’s Folly where they can speak with the mayor because Rhogar believes he has some work for them. Or, maybe the party can go listen to Gary the tailor complain about nothing. Rhogar just hopes the party will shut up and leave.
If the party triggers the event Taking To Long and damage to the forge is kept to a minimum Rhogar rewards the party with a mastercraft weapon that can be used to craft a wondrous magical weapon.

**Tallwide & Dapper**

Gary Tallwide, the tailor and owner of Tallwide & Dapper, is almost nine feet tall, large even for a half-giant. A young man of 27, he is easily one of the best-dressed people the party has ever met. He is wearing a black waistcoat with a fine silver Fleur de Lis pattern and black tapered slacks with no shoes or socks. His slim-fitting white shirt has black threading and his silk tie has the same silver threaded pattern as his waistcoat.
The shop is huge and has plain, premade clothing for all races, ages, and genders, but Gary is known across several kingdoms for his custom costumes. Gary is a reclusive artist and the location of this shop, just up the road from The Falling Anvil, has remained secret for decades. Everyone in town buys clothing here and they all look fly.

Gary is eager to talk to anyone who will listen because he is distraught that his friend Meera the shaman has gone missing. He believes the mayor knows more than he is letting on and is concerned that the “catastrophes” befalling the town are connected to his missing friend.
Gary’s hands have been shaking and he can not get any work done. Gary believes that the worry over his missing friend has been the reason he is unable to work.
The only thing that will cure Gary is Remove Curse or by getting rid of the quasit.
Casting Protection from Evil and Good will temporarily stop Gary’s hands from shaking.
Gary wants the party to get an explanation from the mayor or for them to find his friend the shaman. He believes either will put his mind at ease.
Gary believes his friend Meera Maresh has been kidnaped and that is causing him to lose concentration and fail as a tailor.
Gary believes that the mayor, Tongar Brewschläger, is in on the plot.
- Healing Ring
  - 3 charges regain 4d4 HP no recharge
- Masterclass Article of Clothing
  - Can be used to craft a wonderous magical item

Delaria’s

Delaria the merchant owns and runs Delaria’s. She is a stunningly beautiful half-elf of 5’4” with radiant blonde hair and alabaster skin. When the party enters her shop, the second-largest in town, they see her sitting on a stool behind a counter near the front of the shop. She is wearing a jewel-tone blue silk housedress under a thick red kimono with black-spotted patterns. She is casually playing the concertina and singing a somber tune.
Delaria’s was recently the only failing business in Brandborough, but that has changed in the last couple of weeks.

Delaria sells fine, premade clothing from the capital and adventuring gear. She was not doing well because few adventurers come through town and the clothing from Tallwide was of superior quality and style.
She was about to lose her business, and in a desperate effort to turn things around, Delaria made a demon pact. In exchange for her soul, Delaria got powers, her competition dealt with, and the quasit houseguest.
Soon after, Gary the tailor had to turn down a big deal with a theater troupe that passed through and Delaria made a big sale because of it, saving her shop.
Delaria is sitting on a stool that slightly obscures a trap door on the floor. With a DC 13 Investigation or Perception check, the party notices it and the faint smell of sulfur coming from it.
Delaria seems very cool and collected at first but the façade starts to crack with any scrutiny. She quickly gets nasty and accuses the party and Gary of being after her because they are jealous of her beauty and success.
Delaria makes wild and crazy accusations unless the party succeeds on a DC 25 Persuasion or Intimidation check or they present Delaria with evidence.
She then breaks down and begs the party to help her get out of the deal. This is a rouse, she will try to trap the party in the basement with the quasit. Trigger Locked In event.
- Tactical Control Wand (attunement)
  - +1 Spell Save DC
  - Advantage to maintain concentration
- Illusionist Duster (attunement)
  - The leather duster has 3 charges. and it gets 1d4 charges back at dusk.
  - 1 charge to change the shape and material of the Duster to match the wearer’s desire. It can look like any clothing or costume item, not armor.
    When in this form the duster appears ethereal when detect magic is cast and it does not work properly in an anti-magic field.
  - AC = 11 + (cha or int)
  - +1 to Spell Attacks and Spell Save DC for Illusion Magic
  - Can cast Mage Armor at the cost of 2 charges. The duster then returns to Duster form. AC = 14 + (cha or int)

Dank Loaf

The Dank Loaf is set back closer to the forest behind Delaria’s and Top Chop. The building is very small and would be easy to miss from the road if the smell of glorious fresh bread and everyone’s favorite pastries didn’t draw your attention.
The proprietor is at the oven taking bread out with a thick-hafted paddle that seems way too big for her to carry. Heqet, a 3’5” woman with long, straight black hair, ample build, green/blue mottled amphibious skin, and frog-like facial features is wearing an orange and yellow floral patterned saree and tube top with a canvas apron. She jumps at the party’s entrance, sending the bread flying, wielding the bread paddle as a defensive weapon.

Players close to large size make a DC 11 Acrobatics check or they can only get their head and shoulders into the shop, with difficulty. The party can convince Heqet to talk outside with a DC 15 Persuasion check.
Heqet is anxious and afraid these days. Two weeks ago the first incident with Pasta and the quasit occurred in Dank Loaf. Heqet was baking in the early evening when she heard rustling coming from the chimney above the big oven in the back. She stuck a broomstick up the flume and something, or things flew out and into her bakery. She couldn’t see what was causing it, but it wrecked her shop and was gone after it smashed through a window. She spent the night cleaning and had to keep the shop closed the next day.
If the players intimidate her for any reason, she retreats underground through a trap door. If the players pursue trigger, Frogger Event.
The party discovers claw marks on the oven or the window with a successful DC 10 Investigation check. A subsequent DC 20 Arcana or Survival check lets the party know that there were two creatures, one demonic and the other fey. A DC 15 on this check allows the party to recognize one of the two creature types and a DC 9 is a failure.
A DC 25 Investigation check while searching the shop for clues will find a long blonde hair.
A DC 25 Persuasion or Investigation when talking to Heqet will have her reveal that the shaman is up to something big in the forest. Hequet commutes to Brandborough Village from the fey forest.

Top Chop

The butcher/bodega sits on the main road next to Delaria’s. The front of the shop has floors and high counters made of cherry wood. The party can only stand two abreast on the customer side. Behind the counter are several workers cleaning the shop and preparing meat or fixing the many items on the shelves. A young gnome glides over on a sliding ladder built to get items off the twelve-foot-high shelves. He stops the ladder across from the party and asks what he can get for them.
A large, imposing human man with a potbelly stands out in the background. He appears to be around 65 years old with grey, thinning hair pulled back in a long ponytail. He is dressed in clean, white linen clothing and a bleach white canvas apron that is covered in blood. His hands move deftly, perfectly de-boning a whole chicken while never taking his eyes off the party.

Unless the party is trying to hide their identity, it doesn’t take long for Dino the butcher to cut off his employee in a friendly manner and address them. Otherwise, he continues de-boning his chickens because he never talks about town business with strangers. It is obvious, Dino and his staff are ready to throw down.
He can tell the party is on official business automatically unless the party is trying to hide their identity. Then Dino gets +5 on a Deception check against the player with the lowest Passive Deception = 10 + Deception Skill Score.
If Dino fails to understand that the party is on official business and they poke around too much, he will politely ask them to leave. If the party does not leave threaten them with violence and trigger Fighting Dino.
Top Chop had a crazy incident earlier in the week. Suddenly items started being ripped off shelves, it was as if a small animal was being pulled against its will from the front of the store to the back and it was trying to use the shelves and items to anchor itself. Then some of the butcher tables got knocked over, the ledgers in the office went flying and the back door flew open. It stopped, but the whole time he heard a deafening wail like a dozen squirrels in a blender.
Dino feels this is more than the normal fey strangeness, he doesn’t trust Delaria’s recent success and the fact that she found it soon after the shaman left town.
If Dino is friendly with the party he will allow them to look around for clues. With a DC 15 Investigation or Perception check, the party finds a small, burnt sulfur pile on the floor, at the front of the store, behind the counter, near where the incident started.
If the party found claw marks in Dank Loaf, they can find more here and recognize these as similar.

Powrie’s Folly

Powrie’s Folly is actually a complex of small cabins at the end of the road at the edge of the woods. At the center of the complex are the tavern and a medium-sized theater in the round. There are about fifteen structures in total and each looks like a living entity that has grown in the shape of a building. Enormous maple trees grow their branches wide and provide roofs for the tavern and theater. The walls of the tavern are thick, intertwined ivy branches with all the leaves turned outward. One of the cabins looks like bamboo tightly packed and contoured to the shape of a pagoda.
Tongar Brewschläger, the jolly owner of Powrie’s Folly and mayor of Brandborough Village, is standing outside the tavern and paying for the delivery of bread and ham for the evening meals. He is almost as wide as he is short, and his hair, beard, and complexion are all bright red. The effect makes him look like a four-and-a-half-foot tall red brick. He is wearing a fur-trimmed, autumn maple printed velvet smoking jacket. He is carrying a wicked shillelagh.

Tongar is a genuinely happy guy who does not have too many troubles. He is disinterested in talking about what happened to the shaman and brushes off the only two minor anomalies at Dank Loaf and Top Chop. He is surprised that Delaria was able to turn her shop around but glad they did not have to bring in someone new to run the mercantile, and he is not at all concerned for the village shaman, Meera is capable and keeps her own councel. This is all normal gossip for Tongar, but if the party shows official documentation Tongar will reveal that Meera is in the forest caring for a newly Awakend Tree in Sakurra Grove.
Have the party make a series of rolls to get to the bottom of what Tongar is not seeing. Start with a low DC 5-9 and move up. You can start releasing info from Tongar as they have success. Lower all the rolls by 3 if the party presents official documents.
Have them start with a low check to gain his trust that they won’t tell the townsfolk or guests, then he can reveal that the shaman is in the forest looking after a young awakened tree. It is just learning to defend itself from powrie attacks.
The young boy the party met at the enterance to the forest is actually a fairie dragon in disguise. Pasta Neety stays invisible or in human form most of the time. He is probably just angry that the shaman is spending so much time in the forest now.
If presented with evidence against Delaria, Tongar will start to become suspicious of her and confirm that the change in her demeanor, and success may not be natural.
Tongar can be used to confirm or deny any wild ideas the party comes up with, but he gets impatient and sends the party away after they fail three checks.
If the party goes straight to the tavern have Tongar send them to Tall Wide & Dapper. Tongar is frustrated that Gary won’t accept any of his excuses about where the shaman went. But he must keep the shaman’s secret. Nobody want’s the awakened tree to become a tourist attraction.
If the party fails to many checks from the previous section, have Tongar get frustrated and tell the party to ask the butcher about it, he seems to know everything that is going on.
If he trusts the party and accepts their offer for help he gives them directions to Sakura Grove and tells the party “Don’t let Meera scare you, she’s a big teddy bear!” then laugh and refuse to explain further before going back to work.

First meeting

A disheveled human boy swings from his knees on a tree branch. He does a backflip before dropping down and landing in a hero pose in front of the party. He is dressed in tattered rags with dirt on his face, and his shoulder length brown hair tangled and messy. He jumps up and addresses the party with a smile before going about his business.

After the boy drops in he is crazy excited about the gifts the party left for them. While speaking he picks up whatever offerings the party left for him and thanks each of the characters that left him something in a mildly condescending way. If a character left a sentimental item he expresses true gratitude and magically knows about the item’s backstory.
He then casually walks away into the forest and disappears behind a tree fifteen to twenty feet down the path.
The kid does not introduce himself and the characters that left a gift feel euphoric and get a d4 to add to attack rolls and saving throws. Characters that left a sentimental item get 2d4 to be used together or separately.
The party can now choose to follow the boy or continue into Brandborough Village.
If the party try to physically stop Pasta from leaving do whatever it takes in Pasta’s power to get away and turn invisible or polymorph into one of his favorite shapes.
If the party decide to follow Pasta into the forest they will have to pass two DC 15 Survival checks before failing three. The same player can not make a check twice.
If any party members tried to grab Pasta Neety or made him angry with them, he can cast Hallucinatory Terrain to try and force one failure.
If the party succeed they catch up to Pasta in Sakura Grove.

Sakura Grove

After about an hour-long hike and potentially some setbacks, the party arrive at a beautiful clearing where sensitive party members can feel the borders between the fey and natural world are at their thinnest. At the center is a beautiful young sakura tree in full bloom. The branches sway slightly, entrancing the party, when suddenly something big comes crashing out of the forest.

However the party has arrived at the Awakened Tree and Meera, the shaman comes out of the forest in the form of a Brown Bear. Meera’s intention is to scare the party away and will not attack except to defend herself, the Sakura, or Pasta. The party should be able to realize on their own that there is no danger, but have the party roll a DC 5 Insight check to tell them this outright.
DC Challenge - baseline DC 13 various skills to determine if Meera trusts the party and gives them aid. The party need 3 wins to get Meera on their side or Meera sends them away with nothing with 3 failures.
If the party was brought by Heqet she is apologetic to Meera and begs forgiveness for her weakness in bringing the party here. Add 2 to all difficulty checks in this section.
If the party followed Pasta here before going into the to town, Pasta can weight in to advocate for or antagonize the party based on the party’s disposition.
- If the party were friendly, Pasta may talk to the shaman and assure her that they have good intentions. Subtract 5 from all difficulty checks in this section.
- If they were indifferent he may play coy and switch between advocating for and antagonizing them. Alternate between adding and subtracting 2 for all difficulty checks.
- If the party were mean to Pasta he will bad mouth the party anyway he can. Add 5 to all difficulty checks in this section.
If the party were sent here by the mayor there is no DC Challenge and Meera will ask the party to return to town and find what has been released and by whom. She should tell them to banish or destroy it, if it is evil. She would like the creature returned to her if it is from the fey. She gives the party all the aid she has.
If the party have not gone into town Meera has little insight into who is causing the problem or what is going on. She asks the party if they will return to Brandborough with Pasta and investigate. Pasta tried to wrestle with and then trap the thing but has been unsuccessful.
Meera can not join the group because whenever she leaves the Awakened Tree gets attacked by Powries. Also, the tree attacks everything else out of fear if Meera is not around.
If the party found the grove after an investigation in town you can reveal the following things.
- Meera is surprised to find out that Delaria is doing well. She was about to be thrown out of town because of her terrible attitude and failing business.
- The townsfolk can’t be trusted to keep a secret. Not out of malice, they are just not practiced and let clues slip that may lead others here.
If the party sufficiently impress Meera and Pasta they receive the following:
- Pasta Neety joins the party
- Staff of the Woodlands
- A Spell Scroll of Banishment

Taking too long

The party seems to be getting nowhere with the investigation after a full day of work. Suddenly, they hear a loud eruption that sounds like a small mudslide. The ground trembles slightly. It sounds and feels like it’s coming from The Falling Anvil. The villagers are crowded at The Falling Anvil and they are in a tizzy.

Pasta has not felt it necessary to tell anyone but he has set traps all over town for the quasit. The incident at Top Chop was a Snare trap set near the kerosine and the bang at The Falling Anvil now was a glyph set on the Rhogar’s porch. Rhogar’s anvil was set on a granite podium and Pasta set a Glyph of Erupting Earth to go off if any demons got near the furnace. Pasta knows that low-ranking demons tend to be firebugs.
This is potentially the first time the party encounters Pasta or the quasit, but is available anytime the encounter needs an action boost or plot mover.
If the party is in view of The Falling Anvil you would reset the scene appropriately.
If the party comes to this event from the Frogger event they are sucked up from the underground and thrown into the air by the Erupting Earth spell. There is No Saving Throw the party take 3d8 bludgeoning damage each.
If Pasta is with the party when this happens he will run off excitedly saying “I bet I got it with that one!” Pasta goes to The Falling Anvil to check the wreckage for a body when he gets attacked by the quasit.
If Pasta is not with the party he is already engaged in combat with the quasit.
When the party arrives on the scene they see every key villager, have them roll DC 17 Perception or Investigation. On success they notice that the only shop owner not present is Delaria.
The party succeeds in impressing Rhogar if they manage to end the combat in less than one round.
The party may believe that getting rid of the quasit will restore order to the town. If this is their belief have the party do one final DC 15 Insight, Arcana, or History check. On failure do nothing to dissuade them and on success a player can remember that demons need to be summoned by someone to enter this world.
If the party is on to Delaria, continue to locked in.

Locked In

The party has raised their suspicions or confronted the villian who has broken down into a series of confessions and pleas for help. They seem to sincerely regret all the pain and suffering they have caused the town. All they want now is for the party to help them get rid of the thing they have summoned and remove the curse on their life. They tell the party that they performed the rituals down in the back room of the storage cellar. That is where their unwelcome guest has been in the daytime.

All Maps

Delaria admits that she made a demonic pact to save her business. She tells the party that Gary Tallwide’s performance issues are due to a curse, the quasit has been content so far pulling pranks and scaring people but she feel it’s gaining power and may do something terrible soon and that the she thinks Dino the butcher suspects her. She is becoming hysterical in an attempt to make the party feel pity and let their guard down. So she can make a surprise attack.
Delaria will agree to go down into the basement and show the party where she performed her demonic ritual and where the quasit lives. She has no expectation of the quasit defeating the party but she does think the chaotic demon will give her the upper hand when she makes her move.
Have Delaria close the front of her kimono and lead the party into her cellar. She casts Mage Armor using her duster when the party’s backs are turned, attempting to get a surprise attack.
She will use her lair action to trap the party then have them deal with the quasit while stumbling over the traps she set and dodging her spells.
Find the Storage Cellar Map Here
Delaria’s Cellar should have 1d4+2 traps scattered around. The traps should be magically triggered and not set off by Delaria or her quasit.
Find a list of traps and how they work here.

Frogger

Heqet has had enough of this rough, disrespectful treatment that she is getting from the party. She commutes to Brandborough from the fey forest daily using the thousands of interconnected burrows that exist under the village and forest. She takes off and dives down into a small open pit just outside the back door of Dank Loaf. It goes down about fifteen feet but it is only about six feet wide. The party is going to have to do some work if everyone wants to chase Heqet.

The party should be discouraged from taking this course of action. There is little benefit. If the party insists on following, they can use mold earth to clear the beginning of the passage. They party descend down the fifteen feet and find themselves in an underground world of small and tiny creatures. Foomsh and The Dutchess look like Godzilla and Rodan carefully making their way through downtown Tokyo while trying not to knock any buildings over.
There are hundreds of inhabitants of the woodland critter variety running around minding and going about their own business. If a player uses speak with animals, the burrow dwellers are of little help because they are all pretty dumb and not at all perceptive. If the party gets advice this way it’s likely to be bad intel.
Have the party do a series of DC 20 Survival, Perception, or Investigation checks. If the party has 3 successes before 3 failures, crits count as 2, they catch up to Heqet and she agrees to take them to the Sakura Grove. If they fail, the party wander the Brandborough Barrows until they are caught up in Pasta’s trap for Taking Too Long.

Messing with Dino is a big mistake.
There are currently 1d4-1 Butchers, 2d4 Clerks, and Dino himself working at Top Chop.
Clerks start by using Pack Tactics and Improvised Thrown Items to hinder the players before moving in to attack with knives. Butchers will put themselves within 5 ft. of Dino but between him and the party. This allows Dino to use Cleaver Throw multiple times and his maneuvers with great efficacy.
All of his employees are great with a knife and cleaver. The fight starts in the shop area but it can move down to a cellar or either of the yards in the front or back.
Dino will send his employees home after one-third of them are knocked out. Then he retreats to Powrie’s Folly to raise a militia.
Click here for a map of Top Chop
This is the best chance the party has for survival. Once the party leaves Top Chop, Dino and his crew will stop fighting.