Gandelgrin and Swallowsnek
Adventure Briefing
A rival fey, Gandelgrin the Hurtcap, is attempting to steal the holiday of Nobbletot. With the help of their enchanted giant python, Swallowsnek, Gandelgrin has taken children from local villages and trapped the parents in a magic slumber. Swallowsnek grows larger and stronger with every child it swallows and now threatens to become unstoppable. The characters are hired (or demanded) by Rimpsmeat & the Gobble Goat to stop the usurper.
Level Range: 6-7
Tags: Boss-Fight, Fey, Mischief Connections: Nobbletot, The Otherwyld, Rimpsmeat & the Gobble Goat
Monsters: Gandelgrin, Hurtcap, Swallowsnek Download PDF: Ko-fi, DriveThru RPG
Tags: Boss-Fight, Fey, Mischief Connections: Nobbletot, The Otherwyld, Rimpsmeat & the Gobble Goat
Monsters: Gandelgrin, Hurtcap, Swallowsnek Download PDF: Ko-fi, DriveThru RPG
Hired by Rimpsmeat
Territorial fey tied to the Nobbletot tradition, Rimpsmeat & the Gobble Goat see Gandelgrin’s actions as an insult that must be corrected. The encounter occurs in a temporary, surreal hazy forest conjured by Rimpsmeat’s magic. The tone should feel like it is torn from a dark story-book. A fairy tale you wouldn’t believe unless you have fey origins. The logic is bizarre and unsettling, but is absolutely real.
Read Aloud. Read Aloud. The air thickens with the smell of sugar and meat as your sight fades into a hazy twilight. From nothing, a massive goat appears, its round eyes wide and staring. Beside it stands a small, red gremlin-like figure in bright yellow, jabbing a silver pitchfork into the ground.
“MY night. MY goat. FIX THIS!”
Encounter. Rimpsmeat demands action. The characters are instructed to eliminate both Gandelgrin and Swallowsnek. Rimpsmeat will not aid them directly but will heighten the drama as things unfold. The village lies 10 miles to the west.
- Insight. Rimpsmeat is more angry than desperate.
- Nature. Feed the Gobble Goat something odd to impress it.
Rimpsmeat. Erratic, territorial, and theatrical. Speaks in short, barked sentences, repeating words for emphasis. Gobble Goat. Growls, snorts, and chews objects noisily. Occasionally nudges Rimpsmeat when they get too wild. Sweet Meat Help. If the encounter goes well, Rimpsmeat hands over 3x candies that smell like sugared meat. They all look the same. Each candy takes an action to eat. The candies are only good for 24 hours before melting.
- Candy 1. You immediately gain the benefits of a short rest.
- Candy 2. For 1 round you are immune to all damage.
- Candy 3. You permanently gain Telepathy up to 1 mile.
Wake of the Goat
Read Aloud. Rimpsmeat snaps its fingers and the Gobble Goat snorts. You are back where you began.
Hurtcap Trouble
The 10-mile journey to the village is not quiet. Drawn by the scent of Rimpsmeat, a pack of hurtcaps stalk the characters. Encounter. Out of 6x hurtcaps, send in two or three at a time to use up resources. Use these encounters to hint at Gandelgrin’s reach and his attempt to turn Nobbletot into something worse.
The Combat: Swallowsnek & Gandelgrin
The encounter begins in the village square, where a shimmering dome of magical force protects Gandelgrin and the paralyzed adults. Swallowsnek roams freely, using chimneys for ambush attacks. Gandelgrin remains hidden until the dome collapses or some children are freed. The battle shifts as players discover the dome’s source, locate hidden tunnels, and adapt to movement.
Read Aloud. The village is silent, as if the world has been paused. Chimneys puff out slow tendrils of smoke, curling unnaturally. A flicker of movement from something enormous shifts through the rooftops, vanishing before you see it. The air smells faintly of vinegar and nuts.
- DC 18 Athletics. Push the cart far enough to disrupt the magic.
Read Aloud. With a final hiss, the snake collapses, smoke curling from its maw. The village stirs. Rimpsmeat’s voice echoes, “MY night. MY goat. WELL DONE.”
Reference Page
Rewards
Rimpsmeat’s Promise. Rimpsmeat swears to never again take anyone from a character’s family line. Rimpsmeat & Gobble Goat Magic. Adult creatures without fey heritage will forget Rimpsmeat over time.
Dryad Finger
Wondrous, rare This gnarled, petrified finger appears to have been severed from an ancient dryad. While holding the dryad finger, you can cast the reincarnate spell once. When used, the finger crumbles. Curse. The dryad finger reincarnates the creature as a goblin. The curse is only detectable by a legend lore or wish spell.
Scary Teary
Weapon (Dagger), uncommon (requires attunement) This jagged, oversized knife purrs faintly with unsettling whispers when held. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. If you are a fey creature you can cast the phantasmal force spell (DC 14) as an action and the vicious mockery spell (DC 14) as a bonus action at will. Any other attuned creature can cast each spell once per day.
Somnolent Stone
Wondrous, rare (requires attunement) This solid stone, roughly the size of a standing barrel, is carved with swirling fey inscriptions that pulses when touched. Weighing 1,000 pounds, the stone creates a clear, shimmering dome of force with a 20-foot radius when placed and activated over 10 minutes. The dome is stationary, holding up to 30 Medium creatures, and does not extend underground. Creatures and objects inside the dome chosen by the user can move freely in and out, but nothing else can pass through, including spells and magical effects. Air, sounds, and teleportation effects bypass the barrier. The atmosphere inside remains comfortable and dry regardless of external conditions. The effect lasts 8 hours, until the stone is removed, or the attuned user deactivates it as an action.
Gandelgrin the Hurtcap Roll Initiative
Small Fey, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 72 (11d6 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.
Skills Athletics +7, Investigation +5
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Sylvan
Proficiency Bonus +4
Death Prophet. If a hurtcap witnesses the death of another hurtcap, it consumes the misery of the dying creature, invigorating itself and gaining glimpses into the future. For the next 8 hours the hurtcap has advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. Power through Misery. The first time a hurtcap successfully hits with its bite attack on a turn, it gains +4 to its AC and +2 to saving throws until the end of its next turn.
Small Fey, Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 72 (11d6 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 (+4) |
12 (+1) |
16 (+3) |
14 (+2) |
12 (+1) |
10 (-) |
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Sylvan
Proficiency Bonus +4
Death Prophet. If a hurtcap witnesses the death of another hurtcap, it consumes the misery of the dying creature, invigorating itself and gaining glimpses into the future. For the next 8 hours the hurtcap has advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. Power through Misery. The first time a hurtcap successfully hits with its bite attack on a turn, it gains +4 to its AC and +2 to saving throws until the end of its next turn.
Multiattack. Gandelgrin the Hurtcap makes two attacks with any combination of either his bite or Scary Teary. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 ( 1d4 + 4 ) piercing damage. Scary Teary. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/40 ft., one target. Hit: 10 ( 2d4 + 5 ) slashing damage. Spellcasting. Gandelgrin wields Scary Teary, allowing him to cast the following spells at will, spell save DC 14:
- Bonus action: vicious mockery
Action: phantasmal force
Gandelgrin can take 3 legendary actions, ordering Swallowsnek. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Gandelgrin regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Order Swallowsnek. Swallowsnek may use Child Scream.
GM Advice
This is a boss fight built on pacing and pressure. Swallowsnek is strongest at the start, forcing the characters to stay mobile and act fast. As children are freed and the dome collapses, the momentum shifts. Let the mechanics do the work. Each piece exists to change the flow of combat. Gandelgrin wants the holiday. He isn’t here to kill or take hostages but to replace Rimpsmeat by proving Swallowsnek is the stronger symbol. If needed, he may threaten the sleeping adults, but this should feel like posturing, not cruelty. As always, do not put children in real danger. Swallowed children are safe and recover immediately once freed. This is a dark fairy tale, not meant to make people feel uncomfortable.
Swallowsnek Roll Initiative
Huge Fey Beast, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
Saving Throws DEX +8, CON +9
Skills Stealth +8
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Blinded, Grappled, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Proficiency Bonus +4
Amorphous Movement. Swallowsnek can squeeze through spaces as narrow as 1 foot wide without squeezing. Chimney Transit. Swallowsnek can enter a chimney costing 5 ft. of movement. It may exit any chimney within 300 ft. It must exit by the start of its next turn. While inside a chimney, Swallowsnek cannot be targeted, as if in another dimension. Children in the Belly. Swallowsnek has swallowed 10 children. For every 15 damage it takes from a single attack, it spits out a child, reducing its maximum hit points by 10. Swallowsnek cannot be killed until all children are released. Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Swallowsnek fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. Swallowsnek makes two attacks, one with its bite and one with its fey venom. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 ( 3d12+5 ) piercing damage.
Huge Fey Beast, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20 (+5) |
18 (+4) |
20 (+5) |
8 (-1) |
14 (+2) |
12 (+1) |
Skills Stealth +8
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Blinded, Grappled, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Proficiency Bonus +4
Amorphous Movement. Swallowsnek can squeeze through spaces as narrow as 1 foot wide without squeezing. Chimney Transit. Swallowsnek can enter a chimney costing 5 ft. of movement. It may exit any chimney within 300 ft. It must exit by the start of its next turn. While inside a chimney, Swallowsnek cannot be targeted, as if in another dimension. Children in the Belly. Swallowsnek has swallowed 10 children. For every 15 damage it takes from a single attack, it spits out a child, reducing its maximum hit points by 10. Swallowsnek cannot be killed until all children are released. Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Swallowsnek fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. Swallowsnek makes two attacks, one with its bite and one with its fey venom. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 ( 3d12+5 ) piercing damage.
Fey Venom. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 ( 2d6 ) poison damage. When Swallowsnek hits with its fey venom, roll 1d8 to determine the effect. The target must succeed on a DC 15 saving throw as listed. 1. Reduce Age. Constitution save. Reduce age by 1d6 years.
2. Invisible. Charisma save. Become invisible to everyone but Gandelgrin and Swallowsnek for 1 minute.
3. Memory Steal. Intelligence save. Lose 1 spell slot (randomly determined) and a memory of a loved one.
4. Mortal Enemy. Wisdom save. You consider your nearest ally to be your enemy for 1d6 rounds or until Swallowsnek is dead.
5. Soft Bones. Dexterity save. Disadvantage on Strength attacks, ability checks, and your movement is halved. This effect lasts until you drink milk.
6. Shrink. Constitution save. Shrink by 1 size category for 24 hours. Disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and -1d4 damage (this can’t reduce damage below 1)
7. Sleep. Wisdom save. Fall unconscious for 24 hours. Can be awakened by taking damage or an action by another creature.
8. Blight. Constitution save. The target takes 32 ( 8d8 ) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success.
Legendary Actions
Swallowsnek can take 3 legendary actions, using Child’s Scream. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Swallowsnek regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Swallowsnek can take legendary actions only when Gandelgrin orders them. Child’s Scream. All creatures within 30 feet of Swallowsnek must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 8 ( 2d8 ) psychic damage and subtract 1d4 from their next attack roll.
Maps
Village Map
Village Map - GM View
