A Wild Sheep Chase

A 4th/5th Level Adventure for Dungeons & Dragons 5E

by u/TheRainyDaze

Summary Can the heroes put an end to Ahmed Noke’s

transmutational tyranny and restore an innocent
The party’s attempt to grab a rare afternoon of
wizard to his true form? There’s only one way to
downtime is interrupted by a frantic sheep
find out...
equipped with a Scroll of Speak to Animals and a
fierce determination to get their attention. With How to Use This Adventure
the aid of some magic, the creature reveals itself
to be no mere beast, but a wizard who fell victim The main text is divided into several distinct
to an embittered apprentice and a stolen Wand of scenes, each covering a location, encounter or
True Polymorph. major plot point. These usually have several
ways for the players to advance the story, but are
After two years imprisioned with nothing to eat by no means exhaustive. Other information,
but his own lawn, the ex-elf has escaped and is in enemy stat blocks and notes are highlighed in
dire need of aid. Transformed assassins are grey boxes.
looking to grab themselves a mutton dinner,
while the only object capable of restoring his This is followed by maps, detailed character
opposable thumbs lies in the hands of his former descriptions and roleplaying notes.
pupil and current nemesis. Fortunately, the While it is possible to run the game on the fly, it
wooly wizard has found new allies he can rely is recommended that you read the adventure in
on, right? its entirety before starting to play.
Adventure Hooks Answers to tricky questions
Getting the players into this adventure is pretty Why come to us and not the authorities?
straight-forward. All that is requires is that they Who would trust the word of a sheep over a
be walking down the street in a town or city respected and feared wizard?
large enough to host a wizard. If you want to Doesn’t Speak With Animals only last 10 minutes?
plant seeds in advance, you may wish to
The scroll uses a version of the spell modified by
introduce the character of Noke through rumors
Shinebright and can last up to eight hours.
or idle conversation with shopkeepers and
innkeepers, who view him with fear and awe. Why do you need the wand? Can’t any wizard turn
you back?
Scene 1: Baaaa-d News True Polymorph is a 9th level spell, so unless the
The game begins with the party idling away an town the adventyre is set in boasts an extremely
afternoon. They might be enjoying a drink at a prestigious magical university it's extremely
tavern, resting at their base of operations or unlikely that anyone nearby can cast it.
simply walking down the street without a care in
the world. No matter where they are, however, it Shinebright’s Story
soon becomes clear that something quite odd is
Until two years ago Finethir Shinebright
happening.
owned and worked out of a tower on the
There is a sound of clattering hooves, surprised outskirts of town. He was a wizard of no small
yelps and a frantic bleating, Before the party can talent, specialising in transmutation magic. His
react, a sheep bounds towards them. The beast most prized possession - and probably the key
appears to be a regular sheep in every way - to his success - was an incredibly rare Wand of
fluffy white coat, black face, curled horns - but it True Polymorph, which he used to work many
is carrying and elaborate scroll in its mouth. wonders on behalf of local officials, nobles and
The sheep tries to get close to the most merchants.
magically-gifted member of the party and waves However, one fateful night he ended from his
the scroll at them, letting them take it should meditative trance to find his apprentice,
they reach for it. Ahmed Noke, standing over him, clutching the
A wax seal purports that it is a Scroll of Speak With wand. Shinebright demanded to know what
Animals (Modified). If a character says this out the boy was doing, but the only noise he could
loud - to explain to other party members, for produce was an angry ‘baaaaah’. It was already
example - the sheep appears to nod and bleat too late.
enthusiastically. With the wand representing his only chance of
Should they use the scroll, all of them hear the salvation, the wizard became a virtual prisoner
sheep’s baaing instantly morphs into cultured, in his own garden. He was forced to graze on
elven-accented Common, albeit with a slight hint nothing but grass and buttercups while hungry
of a bleat. wolves and other beasts - actually
After establishing that the player can understand polymorphed guards - looked on.
what it’s saying, the sheep introduces itself as Last night he felt hope for the first time in
Finethir Shinebright, a wizard in dire need of many months when Noke left his home
aid. If the players are willing to listen, he without closing the door. Shinebright snuck in,
explains that he recognises them as adventurers made his way to an old bookshelf and stole the
and that he is in dire need of their aid. Scroll of Speak to Animals.
Specifically, he wants them to help take back an He then rushed into town with the scroll
extremely powerful magical artifact from a clenched between his teeth, and was searching
dangerous, possibly insane wizard. desperately for the aura of magic that would
He will attempt to tell his story, but shortly after indicate someone able to activate the spell
he starts the sound of howling fills the air… when he found the party.
Scene 2: Shepherds, Crooks If he feels like he's not making progress, Guz will
simply attack without warning. The wolves will
If the party is in public a huge Half-Orc swaggers follow him up, while the cloaked figure will let
towards them, pushing through the crowd its hood fall, revealing that it is in fact a
without a care for angry yells left in his wake. polymorphed Brown Bear (MM p319).
If they are in their base of operations or
anywhere private, he settles for violently Combat Tactics
hammering on the door. The exact details of any battle that breaks out
He's accompanied by trio of collared wolves (MM will depend on the location. If it takes place in an
p341) with strangely intelligent eyes and a inn, tables and overturned chairs litter the floor.
shadowy, hulking figure that stands at least eight In a street, you may wish to have frightened
feet tall wearing a dirty brown cloak. passers-by form zones of difficult terrain.
The half-Orc, Guz, demands that he be given All of the beasts still have an intelligent human
"Master Noke's sheep." He says it escaped, and is mind contained within them, and act
of great sent-ee-ment-all value to his master. intelligently. Guz is happy to charge into the
Any mention of Shinebright's true nature is met front line and take on any heavy hitters
with hollow, mirthless laughter. alongside the Brown Bear.
Guz is not a bright fellow, but he is very loyal and Meanwhile the Wolves will aim to cut round
determined to complete his task. His trackers behind the party in a bid to grab Shinebright
know that Shinebright is there, no matter how (use the statistics of a Pony (MM p325) but with
well the party tries to hide him, and he will not INT and WIS scores of 18 and 14 respectively.
take no for an answer. While he would prefer to They intend to capture Shinebright, not kill him.
work through violence and intimidation, he is
also willing to offer bribes and promises of After the Dust has Settled
magical favours if that looks like the best option.
Once Noke's goons have been defeaated,

Guz distracted or otherwise dealt with, Shinebright

pleads with the party. Without their help, he is
Medium half-orc, chaotic neutral doomed. Noke still has many guards still working
for him and eventually they will find him.
Armor Class 14 (leather armour)
Hit Points 67 (9d8 +27) If they’re feeling mercenary, he reminds the
Speed 30ft. party that in his true form he is a powerful and
wealthy wizard and promises great rewards. He
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA is more than willing to commit to deals that he
16(+3) 12(+1) 17(+3) 8(-1) 11(+0) 8(+1) knows he can't actually fulfill.
In any case, in order to turn back into his
Skills Intimidation +2 original form Shinebright needs another dose of
Senses passive perception 10 True Polymorph. Which means he needs access to
Languages Common, Orc his old wand.
Challenge 2 (450 XP) The sheep explains that his former apprentice
still dwells in his old home, located just to the
Reckless. Guz can choose to gain advantage on southeast of town. He keeps the wand on him at
all melee weapon attacks for during his turn, but all times and only leaves if he absolutely has to.
in return all attack rolls against him also have
Shinebright knows his old home’s layout (see
advantage until the start of his next turn.
Scene 3) intimately, and is more than happy to
describe it in endless detail.
Actions
Whirling Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to If Guz captures him, he and his allies will set off
hit, reach 5ft., two targets. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) for Noke's home. The party will have to decide if
slashing damage. they follow, potentially launching a chase scene.
Scene 3: The House The middle platform is the largest, with a
diameter of roughly 60ft. It is about 20ft above
in the Woods the ground and is fully enclosed with branches
The path to Noke’s Tower cuts off from a main with a roof of woven twigs. There are around a
road a few miles out of town, darting off betwen dozen evenly spaced, window-sized gaps, as well
a gap in the bushes. It is a well-trodden route as what appears to be a door at the point closest
that soon begins to weave its way between tall to the garden platform.
oak trees Entry to the platform is provided by branches
Anyone who cares to examine the path for tracks that grow to link it with the garden platform
will easily see the impression of many feet and when the passphrase is spoken. The passphrase
paws, with the most fresh sets appearing to is ‘Mae Tref Cathode,’ the name of Shinebright’s
match up with the group led by Guz. ancestral home in a local dialect. The bridge can
be activated from both ends.
The track co ntinues through sparse woodland
for perhaps a mile without any sign of Inside it is divided up in to three sections. One
habitation. Unless they know what to look for, contains a combination library and lab, one a
the party may be surprised bu the view that sitting room and one dining room/kitchen.
awaits them when Shinebright's old house Untidy bookshelves line much of the outer walls
appears through the treetops. and worktables are covered with stacks of ink-
spattered notes and complicated anatomical
Tree House diagrams of various beasts and monsters. At
night it is warmly lit by a series of enchanted
Rather than stone or glass, Shinebright
lamps set in sconces.
fashioned his home from the living branches of
four sturdy oak trees. These have been shaped The final, tallest platform is roughly 30ft above
and woven to create three thick platforms. the ground, and is accessible by another branch
slope from the second platform. It is only about
The lowest of these platforms is roughly 40ft
15ft across, and functions as a bedroom for Noke,
across and sits about 10ft from the ground. The
containing little beyond a wardrobe, a large
only obvious route up is a gentle slope formed of
wooden bed and a cluttered dressing table.
roots and branches that connects roughly with
the main path. Scattered beneath the platforms are two small
huts, apparently also fashioned from enchanted
The branches that form its base are roughly
wood, and a large outhouse. The huts contain
bowl-shaped, and from the floor it’s possible to
one or two beds each, a few of which are
see flowers and small trees growing around its
oversized, as well as the general detritus of the
edge. The rest is forms a garden with a well-
common men who occupy them.
trimmed lawn ringed bisected by a stone path.

Even so, when Noke leaves he will take all of his

Clever Girl... remaining bodyguards with him and will be
Noke is naturally paranoid and Shinebright’s extremely quick to suspect the party of betrayal
recent escape hasn’t exactly improved his if there is any hint of a double-cross.
outlook. This makes luring him away from the He will, of course, have his wand to hand at all
safety of his tower an extremely difficult task, times. Should he be given enough time to cast it,
though not an impossible one. Noke will use a charge of True Polymorph to
Noke's lust for fame and power slightly transmute some nearby item into a Wyrmling
outweighs his fear of being unseated, for the that uses roughly the same stats as the Bed
time being at least. This means that a very, very Dragon Wyrmling (see p5).
skilled set of liars with a sufficiently devious Depending on what it was made from, it may not
plan and a good helping of luck may be able to have the same flavour and might need to have its
tempt him with the offer of a particularly resistences/vulnerabilities tweaked slightly.
prestigious, lucrative contract.
Showdown? Bed Dragon Wyrmling
When the party arrives at the compound, there is Large dragon, chaotic neutral
a pair of Wolves either sleeping or playing with
an oversized pair of dice on the lawn, marking Armor Class 16 (natural armour)
scores on a slate with claws. A Brown Bear is in Hit Points 70 (10d8 +20)
the outhouse, taking care of business. Speed 30ft., climb 30ft., fly 30ft.
Noke will be in the central platform, working
furiously on new spells. If he notices the party as STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
they approach he will order them to "return the 19(+4) 14(+2) 17(+3) 8(-1) 8(-1) 4(-3)
sheep and in return I will not destroy you all."
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
If they talk, he will reveal his reasons for hating Senses passive perception 12
Shinebright and boast disjointedly of his own Damage Vulnerabilities fire
achievements. He will also ask if they killed ‘my Languages
man, Guz,’ and be visibly upset if they have. Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Should they refuse to return Shinebright despite
his pleas, orders and attempts at bribery, he will
order his men to attack.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft.,
one targets. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) piercing damage.
Combat Tactics Splinter Breath (Recharge 5-6). The Bed Dragon
The most important part of this fight is Noke, Wyrmling send out a shower of wooden splinters in a
who is offensively weak but can buff up his allies 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a
dramatically. Once the Brown Bear emerges DC13 Deterity Save, taking 24 (7d6) piercing damage
from the outhouse he will cast Enlarge/Reduce on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
(PHB p237) on it in a bid to increase its damage. successful one.
He will supplement his minions’ damage with
Ray of Frost (PHB p271) but that’s about it, as he
The Wyrmling is not that smart and will use its
will focus on keeping up concentration.
Splinter Breath as often as possible, simply trying
The two wolves will act intelligently, darting to attack the closest target when it is not
around to attack casters and other weak targets available. It will, however, prioritise enemies
while the bear blocks the path up towards Noke. that use fire against it. While riding the
However, the polymorphed guards are not likely Wyrmling, Noke will simply use Ray of Frost to
to fight to the death and will flee once they fall slow down any party members trying to retreat.
below half health.
Once it becomes clear that the fight is lost, or a A Messy End
player simply gets too close to him, Noke will Should the Wyrmling be lost – either to damage
cast Haste (PHB p250) or Expeditious Retreat (PHB or because Noke loses concentration – it will turn
p238) flee into the central platform, locking the back into a a plain old bed.
door behind him and retracting the bridge. He
Desperate and unwilling to let his old master
will move to his bedroom as fast as he can and
win, a babbling Noke will attempt to use the
casts True Polymorph on his bed, which is the
wandl on himself, intending to transmute his
largest thing he can find.
form into that of some monstrous creature.
Three rounds after he runs away he burst from
However, the over-used wand will crackle, fizz
the roof of his bedroom riding the Bed Dragon
and malfunction with a loud bang, turning Noke
Wyrmling., a beast that looks like a dragon
into a misshapen pile of flesh. For a few moments
carved from wood, with billowing bedsheets for
the steaming, oozing meat will twitch and moan.
wings and a tail that ends in a soft pillow. If the
Then the ruined mess of the thing that was Noke
party are in the main living ares he will crash
will sag, never to move again.
through the ceiling and attack.
Not Like This... allow it to develop naturally. The character
descriptions at the back of the adventure should
While the chain of events set out in Scene 3 allow you work out how Noke and Shinebright
cover the most likely outcomes, remember that may react when they come face-to-face.
nothing is not set in stone.
One thing that you must do, however, is try to
A stealthy party may be able to steal the wand provide at least a hint of the dangers associated
while Noke sleeps, while a combination of lucky with the modified wand before the players try
roles and inventive tactics may allow a player to and use it. Possibly it sparks unnaturally when a
disarm the wizard before he gets the chance to character touches it, drawing attention to the
transmute his bed, let alone himself. cracks running its length, or Noke himself may
Should this happen, don’t force the story back feel honour-bound to warn them.
towards the ‘ideal path’ presented above, but

Spellcasting. Noke is a 7th level spellcaster. His

Ahmed Noke spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC
Medium Human, Neutral Evil 14, spell attacks +6 to hit). He has the following
spells prepared:
Armor Class 12 Cantrips (at will): Ray of Frost, Mending,
Hit Points 35 (7d8) Prestidigitation, Message.
Speed 30ft. First level (four slots): Expeditious Retreat, Jump,
Thunderwave.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Second level (three slots): Enlarge/Reduce,
9(-1) 14(+2) 16(+3) 17(+3) 12(+1) 10(+0) Levitate
Third level (three slots): Haste, Slow..
Saving throws Int +5, Will +4 Fourth level (one slot): Polymorph.
Skills Arcana +6
Senses passive perception 12 Actions
Languages Common, Elven, Dwarven, Draconic Dagger. Melee or ranged weapon attack: +5 to hit,
Challenge 2 (450 XP) reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4
(1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Scene 4: Big Choices trouble when the local nobles try to pay Noke a
visit and find him missing…
Should the players recover the wand it becomes
immediately obvious that it is damaged. Anyone If the party refuse to perform the spell,
proficient in Arcana can tell that it has been Shinebright accepts but will not give up his
modified so it can be used more often, but hopes entirely. He will take back his old home
overuse has rendered it extremely unreliable. and work towards a way to remove his curse. In
any case, he heads to the bedroom and slips on
If they wish to speak to Shinebright, a quick one of his old robes, which he wears until he is
search of the central platform will allow them to transformed back to his natural shape. Though
find another Scroll of Speak with Animals. At the he will be upset with them, Shinebright will
sight of his former apprentice's ruined corpse, acknowledge that he owes the party a large debt.
Shinebright may even undergo some realisation
of how poorly he treated his former apprentice Modified Wand of
and turn somber despite his triumph.
Shinebright is willing to risk his own death in
True Polymorph
order to be turned back into an elf. However, he Formed of a long, thin twig taken from an oak
is also open to persuasion if the party try to talk tree, this wand holds 1d4-1 charges of True
him out of it. Polymorph, with a minimum of 1. These can be
cast by anybody with a spellcasting ability who
Before undergoing the risk of having the spall
has spent at least one hour attuning to the wand.
performed on him, Shinebright will ask that if
The amount of charges resets at dawn each day.
he does die, the party give word to his old
college. In order to increase the amount of times the
spell has been case, the wand appears to have
Consequences been fitted with a bulbous, rune-inscribed iron
If the party decides to go ahead with the spell band and has cracks running along its length.
and it succeeds, Shinebright congratulates the If inspected with a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana)
party heartily. He will have to be reminded of check, reveal that the modifications have left the
anything he actually promised them while he wand extremely unreliable. Each time a charge is
was still a sheep, and cannot actually pay any used the user must pass a DC 17 Intelligence
financial reward, as Noke was virtually bankrupt (Arcana) check.
and had sold most items to pay for research If they succeed, the spell casts normally and the
materials and guards. DC needed to use it permenantly increases by 1.
He will, however, be willing to perform If they fail by five or less, the spell will
transmutations of up to 5th level for them, transmute the target into a hideous lump of
charging just ehough to cover the components. seemingly random limbs, organs and facial
He will also take in any polymorphed guards features that is unable to act and dies once 1d4
who fled, promising to work towards returning rounds have passed, not returning to its original
them to their natural shapes. form.
If the party decides to go ahead with the spell This transformation cannot be undone by any
and it fails, Shinebright dies permanently. The spell lower than 9th level and cannot be
party is free to honour his final wish and leave cancelled by ending concentration. The target
the tower more-or-less intact, or loot to their can make a saving throw against this effect in
hearts’ content. The tower is surprisingly empty the same way they would against a regular
of anything of benefit to non-transmuters, casting of True Polymorph.
however, with valuables restricted to expensive
If they fail by more than five, in addition to the
lab equipment and arcane paraphernalia
above consequences the wand explodes
estimated to be worth around 1,000gp. If the
violently, dealing 1d12 force damage to all
players wish they can also take the entire tower
creatures within 10 ft for each charge remaining
complex as their own, though this may cause
in the wand. This destroys the wand.
Characters He left home at just 14 to study the wonders of
arcane transmutation, but found college didn’t
Finethir Shinebright challenge his abilities. Instead, he abandoned his
Arrogant, self-obsessed and filled with an scholarship and travelled to visit Shinebright,
inflated sense of his own ego, Finethir who agreed to take him on as an apprentice.
Shinebright is one of the people worst suited to Though Noke hero-worshipped the legendary
be transformed into a sheep. Still, no matter his Shinebright, the years dragged on and on
form the former elven wizard manages to exude without any change in their relationship.
an air of fussy, bookish intellectualism. Decades passed and still the master transmuter
Left to his own devices, Shinebright will talk at treated him like a child, expected to cook, clean
length about himself, his achievements and his and recite answers by rote. When Noke pressed
study of the arcane. He shows a staggering him on it, Shinebright would explain that his was
inability to notice anybody's needs or desires and how he had been taught, and didn’t seem to
is perfectly capable of ruining friendships or register Noke’s claims that, as a human, he
professional relationships completely by couldn’t spare a century to serve out an
accident. apprenticeship.

Despite his flaws, however, he is generally good- At the same time, Noke began to realise that
hearted. Assuming he notices them and it doesn’t much of Shinebright’s acclaim came not from his
inconvenience him too much he will try to help own abilities - extensive as they were - but from
others where possible, though he will loudly the Wand of True Polymorph he wielded.
complain of their inability to grasp concepts as He finally cracked on the night of his 40th
simple as poly-planal transweave theory. birthday, when Shinebright ignored his request
Once upon a time the local nobles, merchants to advance his studies, saying he was too young.
and arcanists spoke the name of Finethir After polymorphing his master, Noke began to
Shinebright with respect, awe and grudging set himself up as a master wizard. However, a
admiration. A master of transmutation, he would combination of guilt and suddenly unstoppered
regularly be called upon to carry out grand tasks ambition spelled bad news for his mental state.
such as clearing blocked roads by turning He is paranoid that someone will attack him as
massive boulders into rabbits. he attacked Shinebright and rarely sleeps. This
Two years as a sheep have taught him very little paranoia has led him to invest in a troop of
about humility, but a lot about grass. guards, many of whom he has transmuted into
stronger, more bestial forms.
If he returns to his natural form, Shinebright is a
willow-thin high elf with straw-coloured hair With expenses rising and determined to exceed
and an extremely long nose. He favours loose the fame of his former master, Noke is keen to
blue robes and almost always wears slippers. take on even grander projects, even if this means
pushing the wand to its very limits.
Key Characteristics:
Ahmed is a relatively short, dusky-skinned
- Arrogant, snobbish and self-absorbed middle-aged man with untidy salt-and-pepper
- Kind at heart hair. He wears Shinebright’s old blue robes,
- Incapable of reading social situations which have been badly altered and drag along
the floor. He has a nervous habit of gently
- Desperately wants his wand back
pinching his left earlobe when under stress.
Ahmed Noke Key Characteristics:
The youngest child of a blacksmith, Noke has - Determined to prove his brilliance
always been fascinated by the transitory
- Still burns with anger for Shinebright
properties different materials could adopt -
metal that was soft as treacle one moment could - Paranoid of losing the wand
be hard as stone the next. - On the edge of madness
Guz Credits and
A hulking brute of a half-orc, Guz views violence
and intimidation as the only sensible methods
Acknowledgments
for achieving his goals and assumes that most - Cover image taken from animation created by
people feel the same way. Blizzard Entertainmant.
Though to most outside observers he may appear -Map created using Pyromancer's Dungeon
wholly reprehensible, he is incredibly loyal to Painter (www.pyromancers.com).
Noke - who genuinely doesn’t care what a - Dungeons & Dragons is the property of
creature looks like on the outside - and owes him Wizards of the Coast.
unswerving devotion.
Any feedback on this adventure or any adventures
Guz isn’t particularly intelligent and can be you'd like to see can be sent as a message to
easily confused by quick-talking foes, though this u/TheRainyDaze on Reddit or to
usually just makes him angrier. [email protected]
In person he stands well over six feet tall, wears
tattered but clean leather armour and wields an
enormous greatsword that he is more than
capable of wielding with a single hand.
His hair is woven into a single plait that reaches
to the small of his back. He is also fond of trying
to use long, complicated words he has picked up
from Noke - though the extent to which he
actually understands what they mean is up for
debate.
Key Characteristics:
- Incredibly loyal to Noke
- Works through violence and intimidation
- Tries to emulate Noke by using long words
- Not very intelligent