 

Designers: Team Superhydra

Additional Design: GMBinder Map of Omeria 4
Story Creator: DMDave Adventure Primer 5
Story Consultants: Team Superhydra, Titan's Forge Background 5
Managing Editor: DMDave Overview 5
Proofing: Benjamin "Sarge" Gilyot Adventure Flowchart 5
Art Director: DMDave The Crash Site 6
Additional Art Direction: Team Superhydra, Titan's Forge GM's Map of the Skeleton Key 7
Graphic Designer: DMDave, The Griffon's Saddlebag
Cover Illustrator: Tithi Luadthong Chapter 1. Island Survival 8
Interior Illustrator: Team Superhydra, Titan's Forge Island Survival Rules Overview 8
Additional Artwork: Shutterstock (used with permission),
Paper Forge, Titan's Forge Island Survival Tasks 10
Cartographers: Cze/Peku Exploring the Island 13

Producer: Team Superhydra Chapter 2. The Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo 15

Project Manager DMDave Wrap-up: To The Temple 15
Character Rewards 15
Appendix 1. The Man and the Boy 16
Welcome to Omeria
Appendix 2. The Ruined Monastery 17
Omeria is the most populated and civilized
continent in all of Casar. It is home to over a billion Appendix 3. Survivors of the Crash 18
humanoids, the majority of which are humans. Appendix 4. Building Projects 19
Omeria is divided into three distinct regions.
First, there is Northern Omeria which consists of Appendix 5. Player Map of The Skeleton Key 20
the Nations of Man, Gar Wabrizz, and Olyothyr. The
Nations of Man are led by three city-states:
Knotside, Murktown, and Presson's Enclave. Gar
Wabrizz is home to the magic-hating goblinoid
tribes. And Olyothyr is a kingdom of the
xenophobic elves who are slowly dying out.
The second region is Central Omeria. Two
geological features separate Central Omeria from
Northern Omeria: The Basilisk's Spine Mountain
Range and the sea The Wound. Most of Central
Omeria is blanketed by the continent-spanning
desert, The Desolation of Ditimaya. Regardless,
there are three sub-regions in Central Omeria. The
Weysevain Coast sits to the northwest. At the
center along The Wound is Tadju Confederacy. And
The Contested Lands inhabit the grasslands
southwest of the fiend-filled, volcanic hellscape
The Obsidian Plain.
The third and largest region of Omeria is
Odonburg, also called Southern Omeria. Odonburg
is a single nation ruled by a powerful, magic-
wielding tribe called Dinzers. The Dinzers are
technologically superior to all other Omerians,
mostly thanks to the abundance of a magical
mineral in their possession called emerald
Odonburgite. Emerald Odonburgite powers
everything in Odonburg, from common magic
wands to their mighty warblimps.
If you would like to learn more about Omeria
and its history, check out the other adventures in
the Team Superhydra adventure path, Titan's Heir,
as well as the content on DMDave's Patreon.
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T
he Skeleton Key is a 2nd-level Fifth Edition adventure assumes that the characters survived the crash of
adventure for three to five characters. The The Predator from the first part of the Titan's Heir adventure
adventure is optimized for four characters path. However, there are two optional adventure hooks you
with an average party level (APL) of 2. can incorporate if this is not the case.
Characters outside this adventure range The Flight of the Predator. The adventurers were on
cannot participate in this adventure. This board the Dinzer warblimp The Predator when it crashed.
adventure occurs on the island of The The details of this event were covered in Titan's Heir Part 1:
Skeleton Key in the Omeria campaign setting. It can be The Flight of the Predator.
played as the kickoff for the larger adventure setting or as a Faction Agent (The Tip of the Spear). The Tip has
one-shot adventure for your players. discovered the location of the island and believe it might
contain lost treasure. While traveling to the island, the
 characters' ship was destroyed in a storm. The characters
find themselves washed up on the beaches of The Skeleton
The Dinzer warblimp, THE PREDATOR, crashed landed in Key.
the jungles of a mysterious, seemingly uninhabited island 700 Faction Agent (Secrets of the Righteous). The Dinzers
miles from civilization. The rare few from the mainland who have rediscovered a lost island in the center of the Ocean of
know of the island have named it THE SKELETON KEY, Warna. They believe that it may be where the infamous
although, it's unlikely the characters will learn the island's Dinzer mage, Odon, disappeared close to 450 years ago.
name this adventure. Those who survived the wreck must While traveling to the island, the characters' ship was
now face the reality that they could be stuck on the island for destroyed in a storm. The characters find themselves washed
a very long time. Not only will the survivors need to find food, up onshore.
potable water, and shelter, but they will also be tested against
the dangers of the wild terrain that surround them. 
The island is home to a tribe of all-female warrior known
as THE SERPENT WHISPERERS OF GRIHOO who This section provides a basic understanding of not only the
have long guarded the secrets of the temple that shares their flow of the adventure but also the outline of the different
name. paths that your players may take in reaching their stated
objective.

The adventure's story is spread over three parts and takes
approximately two hours to play. The adventure begins with
a Call to Action scene. It also contains two optional bonus
objectives—each taking one additional half-hour to play.
Call to Action: The Crash Site. The characters must
recover from the wreckage of The Predator and take a
survey of the other survivors, supplies, and resources that
they have.
Chapter 1: Island Survival. The characters and other
NPC survivors must survive on the island until they can
find a way off. This is Story Objective A.
Chapter 2: The Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo. The
characters meet the Grihoo and learn of their temple on
the Southern End of the Island. This is Story Objective B.
Bonus Objective A: The Man and the Boy. The
characters meet a pair of mysterious figures who are
holed up in an abandoned mine on the island. This bonus
objective is found in Appendix 1.
Bonus Objective B: The Ruined Monastery. The
characters discover an abandoned monastery in the
middle of a ravine. This bonus objective is described in
Appendix 2.

The following plot hooks provide some possible ways for the
characters to get involved in this adventure. Most of the

5
 
Estimated Duration: 15 minutes Small fires are frequent but hardly spread thanks to the
Music Suggestion: Shipwrecked on The Skeleton Key damp environment. The animals and monsters that survived
(Adventure) by Music d20 the crash flee into the darkness of the forest.
Light. It's the middle of the day when the characters start
After The Predator crashes into the forests of The Skeleton to pull themselves from the wreckage. However, the tall trees
Key, the characters must get their bearings, discover who else and deflated envelope blot out much of the sun. When they
has survived the crash, and what resources they have to help find the beach, they will get a better glimpse of the sun
them survive on the island. overhead.
A map of The Skeleton is on page 7. Sound & Smells. Wood fires fill the air as the wrecked
warblimp burns. The screams of fleeing animals and
bewildered survivors are heard all around.
The Skeleton Key
The Skeleton Key is a 3,000-square foot island in
the center of the Ocean of Warna. Although some Emerald Odonburgite Core
old maps locked in ancient, dusty tomes kept in The engine of The Predator was powered by a
dark libraries reveal its location, overall, the massive hunk of emerald Odonburgite, a magic
location of the island has been long forgotten by gem that supplies power to Dinzer inventions. If
the people of Omeria. The Predator was destroyed in the wreck, the core
All manner of strange and dangerous fauna was tossed from the wreckage. Otherwise, it
inhabit the island. In addition, a race of all-female remains where it was. The 1-ton core itself is
warrior known as the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo stable; only overchanneled negative energy can
lives on the island. Within the bowels of their disrupt it. Still, it's important to note that it is there
massive, pillar-like temple, they guard ancient as it may be important later in the adventure.
secrets.
One of the most unusual encounters that the
characters are likely to face on the island are the
Grihoo serpents. The serpents rise from large holes
in the ground, strike their prey, and then drag them
underground. The tails of the serpents are never 
seen; even if they are killed, they retract back into The characters weren't the only ones who survived the crash
the interior of the island.
of The Predator. A variety of NPCs from the first adventure,
The Flight of the Predator, may also have survived. Each NPC
has their own agenda and knowledge that they can offer the
characters. These NPCs, from here on referred to as
 "survivors" are detailed in Appendix 3.
The Skeleton Key has the following features. 
Dimensions & Terrain. Overall, The Skeleton Key is a It's likely that many of the survivors will have wants/interests
subtropical island. Palms, colossal banyans, and eucalyptus conflict with the characters. As the game plays out, focus on
trees are common throughout the island. The forest floor is how these survivors will react to certain actions that the
overgrown with creepers, flowers, and other dense foliage. At characters take.
the center of the island, visible within 12 miles, stands a large
nameless mountain range. 
The Crash. The warblimp is in tatters. Bits of the large, Once the characters get an idea of what has happened to
blue envelope smother the trees, creating a secondary them, they must make preparations to survive on the island
canopy. while they seek a method to escape.

6
 
Estimated Duration: 1 hour 
Music Suggestion: Shipwrecked on The Skeleton Key
(Calm) Surviving on a remote island is no easy task. A subtropical
by Music d20 island, The Skeleton Key can get crushed by powerful storms
or a devasting disease could wreak havoc among the camp's
 survivors.
Some of the hazards require the characters and survivors
 to perform group checks. Group checks are detailed in
Chapter 7 of the PHB. There are four levels of success. A
Until the characters start to unravel some of the mysteries of success is if at least half of the survivors/characters making
the island, this adventure is very much a game of survival for the check succeed. Inversely, a failure is if more than half of
the characters. The following rules help adjudicate survival the survivors/character making the check fail. A total success
on the island. Each day on the island should play out as occurs when all of the characters and survivors pass their
follows: check. And a total failure occurs when all of the survivors and
1. At the start of the day, check for any potential hazards that characters fail.
the characters must face. To determine hazards at random, roll a d20 at the start of
2. Throughout the day, encourage roleplaying and each day. On a 20, the camp faces a hazard that day. Use the
interaction with the characters and surviving NPCs. Use following two tables to determine the nature of the hazard.
your discretion when deciding how the NPCs react to the After the table are descriptions of each hazard and what
characters, potentially using the optional loyalty rules island survival tasks the characters and survivors will need to
described below. take in order to handle the threat.
3. The characters collect any supplies and goods produced Hazard Type
or gathered by building improvements. See below for
details. d20 Hazard Type
4. The characters determine their island survival tasks for 1-3 Conflict
the day. See below for details.
5. At the end of the day, deduct the food and water 4-6 Fire
resources from the camp's supplies. Then, all characters 7-9 Monster Attack
and survivors take a long rest (if possible). 10-12 Infestation
 13-20 Storm
Surviving on the island is Story Objective A.
8
 The DC for the saving throw is 2d6 + 1 for each character
The island life makes for tense situations. Resentments can and survivor that is in the camp. On a failed saving throw, the
grow strong and sometimes, the other survivors may need to character or survivor is poisoned for 24 hours. While
step in to squelch bad feelings. poisoned, a character/survivor cannot perform island survival
Effect. As long as a conflict is going on, NPCs cannot tasks.
participate in island survival tasks. Resolution. One or more characters or survivors can
Resolution. A character can end the conflict by spending a spend a day handling an infestation by making a group check.
day raising morale. At the end of the day, the character must There are three different checks that must be made by a
make a DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. single character or survivor: Intelligence (Medicine),
On a success, the conflict ends and things go back to normal. Intelligence (Nature), and Constitution using proficiency in
cook's utensils. If no one can or will make one of the checks
 involved, a failure is contributed to the group check.
Lightning strikes, mislaid torches, or just plain freak Determine how many of the checks succeeded then consult
accidents can lead to fires in the camp. Fires are just as the Infestation Check Results table.
destructive at camp as they are anywhere else. Infestation Check Results
Effect. A fire has the potential of destroying the camp. In Result Value
addition, it could draw the attention of monsters in the forest
as well as the Serpent Whisperers. Total Success The infestation ends.
Resolution. The characters and survivors all must make a Roll a d6. On a result of 1, the infestation
group check. Roll a Strength (Athletics) check for each Success
continues. Otherwise, the infestation ends.
character and survivor at the camp, to a maximum of five
rolls. The DC is 2d10 + 5. A survivor NPC can use their own Roll a d10. On a result of 4 or less, the
ability check modifier to determine success. Alternatively, the Failure infestation continues. Otherwise, the
survivor NPC can use the check modifier of a character infestation ends.
overseeing the firefighting and giving the survivors direction. Roll a d12. On a result of 12, the
Total Failure infestation ends. Otherwise, the
Fire Check Results infestation continues.
Result Value
The fire is extinguished with nothing 
Total Success
beyond cosmetic damage. A small island in the middle of the Ocean of Warna, a
powerful storm can significantly batter The Skeleton Key and
Success
The fire is extinguished, but one random its inhabitants. Storms are the most difficult hazard for the
building project is destroyed.
survivors to deal with as it's likely they will be unequipped to
One random building project is destroyed handle its effects.
Failure
and the fire continues to burn. Make Effect. Overall, there is no way to deal with the effects of a
another set of checks but now against a storm; it's simply a matter of surviving until it passes. All
DC of 3d10 + 5 ability checks to resolve hazards and perform island survival
The fire completely destroys the camp. In tasks are made with disadvantage. In addition, each day of
addition, each character and survivor must the storm, roll a d20 for each building project. On a result of
succeed on a Dexterity saving throw 7 or lower, the building project is destroyed.
versus the fire DC. A character/survivor Resolution. Unless a character can magically alter the
takes 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed weather, a storm continues for 1d4 days.
saving throw and half as much damage on
Total Failure
a successful one. A survivor NPC whose 
hit points are reduced to 0 dies. A
character whose hit points are reduced to 
1 is considered to have succeeded on all Survival on the island is a grueling dilemma that could
of his or her death saves, but must spend stretch a survivor's patience to its limits. Certain events such
the next day resting.
as casualties, poor weather, a lack of food, or constantly being
hunted by dangerous monsters could affect an NPC's loyalty
 to the characters.
One or more deadly creatures come from the forest and Consider using the optional loyalty rule from the DMG,
attack. Choose or roll randomly for a monster on the keeping track of the loyalty scores of all of the survivor NPCs.
Random Encounters table below. All of the characters and To determine an NPC's starting loyalty, roll 1d6 and add the
survivors present at the camp can fight the monsters. Charisma modifier of the character with the highest
Charisma score.

Rats, creepy crawlers, or even a major illness—an infestation 
at camp is tough to deal with. Moreover, an infestation can
last for more than one day, disabling a vulnerable camp for Each day, the characters and survivors must eat one pound of
days on end. food per day and drink one gallon of water each. Certain
Effect. Each day the infestation continues, each character strenuous island survival tasks such as Exploration and
and survivor must make a Constitution saving throw. Hunting require more food and water.
9
 Characters and survivors suffer levels of exhaustion as survival task must be provided by the characters.
normal if they are unable to eat or drink their normal
allotment of food and water. See Chapter 8 of the PHB for 
details on food and water requirements. When a survival task requires an ability check, a survivor
 NPC can use their own ability check modifier to determine
success. Alternatively, the survivor NPC can use the check
The crash site itself is somewhat uncomfortable. If a modifier of a character overseeing the task and giving the
character or survivor sleeps in a shelter, then they can sleep survivors direction. Ultimately, this helps encourage a
without issue. Otherwise, to enjoy the benefits of a long rest stronger bond between the characters and the NPC survivors
without a shelter, the character/survivor must succeed on a through roleplay.
DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw,
the character/survivor is unable to finish a long rest and 
gains no benefits from their rest. Furthermore, they must Although these rules are put into place to simplify the
make a second DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If the survival aspect of the game, overall these tasks help create a
second Constitution saving throw fails, they suffer one level narrative for survival. Think of them as a "montage" of sorts.
of exhaustion. After the first sleepless night, the DC increases With the players, you can work to create distinct scenes.
by 5 for each night that the character/survivor goes without a Before creating the scenes, first determine the goal of the
long rest. The DC resets to 10 when the character/survivor characters. What do they hope to accomplish as an outcome
finishes the long rest. of the island survival task? With those considerations in
mind, start developing the scenes, typically in three parts: an
 opening scene, a performance scene, and a concluding scene.
The island survival phase can continue for as long as you and The opening scene describes the beginning of the task
the characters like. However, it's recommended that once the activity and sets the stage for survivor NPC actions. Next, the
characters discover the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo, the performance scene describes what's happening as the
adventure switches over from exploration and survival to survivors use their ability checks to reach their goals. Finally,
conflict and traditional adventuring as detailed in Chapter 2 the concluding scene describes the end result of the task.
of this adventure. Be sure to weave the tasks into one another so they all gel.
Although the discovery of the Serpent Whisperers of In fact, certain tasks might have ramifications on others. For
Grihoo is added in as a random element of the game, if the example, if the survivors tasked with building a shelter fail
players are not enjoying the island survival portion of the their check, the successful group of hunting survivors may
game, feel free to introduce the hook much sooner. Likewise, have nowhere to cook their fresh kill during the coming
you can extend the island survival phase as long as you like if storm.
the players enjoy it. 
Sometimes, complications arise while survivors are
performing a task. Complications may affect future tasks or
Escaping the Island present ongoing threats that the survivors have to deal with
while they are trying to survive on the island. In almost all
Although the adventure assumes that the situations, complications arise from a failed task. However,
characters must fight to survive on the island until complications can come up even when a task is successful.
they discover the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo,
particularly clever characters may find a way to
You decide how to invoke complications as the adventure
escape an island via a method for which you did unfolds.
not plan. When this occurs, pivot as necessary and
be sure to reward creativity—even if it ends up 
derailing the entire adventure path. The following island survival tasks are available for the
characters and NPC survivors to undertake. Each activity
takes 8 hours to complete and requires the survivor to spend
that time engaged in that activity for the time to count toward
the activity's completion. The one exception to this rule is
 that any costs for an island survival activity are paid for by the
characters, even if survivor NPCs are executing the task.
When implementing the island survival task rules, each
character can choose their own task (or assist with another 
character's task). Three is the maximum number of tasks that Much of the action in The Skeleton Key is driven by the
the NPCs following the characters' orders can take. characters and other survivors exploring the eponymous
For each available island survival task slot, players can island.
allocate one or more survivor NPC to a chosen island Resources. Exploring the island requires a gallon of water
survival task. The tasks that they can take are described and half a pound of food for each survivor participating in this
below. task. The task takes 8 hours of effort.
NPCs allocated to an island survival task are no longer Resolution. Exploration works a little differently than the
available for other needs, including other island survival other island survival tasks as it involves the characters hex-
tasks. Any costs or resources associated with an island crawling over the island. When the characters take this task,

10
refer to the rules outlined below. Complication. A result of 0 successes indicates that the
failed hunting trip resulted in a complication. At your
 discretion, even a successful outcome might have unexpected
It should become obvious pretty quickly that food supplies side effects. You can choose a complication or roll on the
will run out unless the survivors make an effort to find more. Hunting Complications table.
See the rules for food and water earlier in this chapter for
details. The best way to find food is through hunting. Of Hunting Complications
course, it is also one of the most dangerous island survival d6 Complication
tasks as all manner of dangerous creatures live on the island. An accident occurs. Have each task participant make
Resources. Hunting requires a gallon of water for and half a special DC 10 Constitution check with a bonus
a pound of food for each survivor participating in this task. equal to the number of hit dice that they have. On a
The task takes 8 hours of effort. 1 failed result, the participant takes 7 (2d6) damage
Resolution. Characters or survivors that are hunting make from the accident. If a survivor NPC's hit points are
three ability checks. First, a character or survivor must reduced to 0 or less, the survivor dies. A character
succeed at either an Intelligence (Nature) check or a Wisdom automatically passes his or her death saves.
(Survival) check. Then a character or survivor must make a The hunting party becomes lost and must stay the
Wisdom (Perception) check. Finally, a character or survivor night in the jungle. One of the characters or
must make an attack roll using the character or survivor's survivors must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival)
weapon. 2
check. On a failed check, the hunters have an
The DC for each check is 2d10 + 5; generate a separate DC uncomfortable night in the jungle. Each participant
for each one. Each check gains a +1 bonus for each character gains one level of exhaustion.
or survivor beyond the first two participating in the task. The hunting party finds a rotten animal carcass that
Consult the Hunting Results table to see how the survivors offers up 1d6 + 1 pounds of food. One of the
did. characters or survivors must make a DC 13 Wisdom
(Survival) check. On a successful check, the
Hunting Results 3
character can preserve half the food. On a failed
Result Value check, the food is unsalvageable. A creature that
eats it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
0 successes The hunters return with no bounty.
saving throw or become poisoned for 24 hours.
The hunters return with 1d6 + 1 pounds of
1 success The hunting party scares off fauna in the immediate
food and 1 hide.
4 vicinity. All ability checks related to the hunting task
The hunters return with 2d6 + 2 pounds of are made with disadvantage for the next 1d4 days.
2 successes
food and 2 hides.
The hunting party attracts the attention of the
5
The hunters return with 4d6 + 4 pounds of Serpent Whisperers. See Chapter 2 for details.
3 successes
food and 4 hides.
The hunting party attracts a monster. Choose or roll
6 a monster from the Skeleton Key Random
Encounters table detailed below.

11
  Building Complications
It's likely that the survivors of the wreck will be stuck on the
Skeleton Key for some time. In the meantime, the survivors d6 Complication
will need to build a shelter plus other amenities to help them An accident occurs. Have each task participant make
survive the long, hard days, and dangerous nights on the a special DC 10 Constitution check with a bonus
island. equal to the number of hit dice that they have. On a
When a group of characters and/or survivors takes the 1 failed result, the participant takes 1 (1d4) damage
building task, they must choose what they plan on building. from the accident. If a survivor NPC's hit points are
They can choose from the list of projects in the Appendix 4, reduced to 0 or less, the survivor dies. A character
or at your discretion, they might be able to create something automatically passes his or her death saves.
else. One of the builders grows frustrated with the
Resources. Building requires a gallon of water and half a 2
project and refuses to work on it any further. If the
pound of food for each character and survivor participating in builder is a survivor NPC, they refuse to take any
this task. In addition, each building project has its own island survival task other than Rest the next day, too.
building supplies cost of resources described below. Building Issues with the current project lead to issues with
supplies used to create a project that is successful are other building projects around the camp. Choose or
consumed at the end of the task. Pass or fail, the task takes 8 randomly select a building project. Its benefits cease
hours of effort. 3
to function. The characters or survivors can use the
Resolution. One character acts as the lead for the activity, build task to repair the damaged project, requiring
making an Intelligence (History) check to plan the project. A no building supplies in order to do so; all skill and
character or survivor must then make two ability checks to ability checks made to do so are made with
complete the project, using either Strength (Athletics) or an advantage.
Intelligence check using appropriate tools. With your The work causes the camp to develop a quirk, such
approval, a different ability and skill appropriate for the as strange noises, unwelcome smells, weird
project can be substituted for any of the checks. Each check 4
vibrations, etc. resolving. The effects of this quirk
receives a +1 bonus for every two characters or survivors are up to you.
participating beyond the first. The number of successes is The builders attract the attention of the Serpent
compared to the Building Results table. 5
Whisperers. See Chapter 2 for details.
Building Results The builders attract a monster that attacks the camp.
Result Value 6 Choose or roll a monster from the Skeleton Key
Random Encounters table later in this chapter.
The project is a total failure and all of the
building supplies used in its development
0 successes
are ruined to the point where they cannot 
be used again. When all else fails, a survivor can turn to the bountiful
supplies offered by the jungle to help improve the camp. This
The project fails and half of the building activity represents collecting goods, felling trees, picking
1 success
supplies used in the development are edible fruits and berries, and even fishing.
ruined to the point where they cannot be
used again.
Resources. Gathering resources requires 8 hours of effort.
Resolution. To determine the resources that the character
Although the project was not successful, or survivor finds, the character/survivor makes an ability
2 successes
all subsequent checks made to build the check: Strength (Athletics), Intelligence (Nature), or
same project are made with advantage. The Intelligence using a set of tools. In addition, the character or
building supplies can be reused. survivor must target a hex within 1 hex of the camp. The
3 successes The project is successfully built. target hex determines the type of resources and supplies that
the character or survivor finds. If a hex has more than one
Complication. A result of 0 successes or 1 success type of resource that the character can find, the Consult the
automatically creates a complication. At your discretion, even Gather Resources Results table to see how many resources
a successful outcome might have unexpected side effects. were generated according to the total of the check.
You can choose a complication or roll on the Building One food resource counts as 1 pound of food and one
Complications table. water resource counts as 1 gallon of water.
Gather Resources Results
Check Total Resources
9 or lower No resources were found.
10-14 1 resource was found.
15-20 2 resources were found.
21+ 4 resources were found

12
 Complication. A result of 9 or lower automatically creates 1. Using the player's map of The Skeleton Key in Appendix 5,
a complication. At your discretion, even a successful outcome identify the hex in which the party is currently located
might have unexpected side effects. You can choose a (likely, they all start at the crash site). Don't share this
complication or roll on the Gather Resources Complications information with the players if the party is lost. Otherwise,
table. show the players the party's location by pointing to the
appropriate hex on their map of The Skeleton Key.
Gather Resources Complications 2. Let the players determine which direction the exploration
d6 Complication party wants to go and whether the party plans to move at a
The resources in that area are depleted. All future
normal pace, a fast pace, or a slow pace. One of the
1 checks to gather resources in that hex are done so characters must be the navigator.
advantage. 3. Each day, make a Wisdom (Survival) check on the
navigator's behalf to determine if the party becomes
The resources gathered are of poor quality (the lost.
gatherer finds at least 1 resource even if the check 4. Also, roll for random encounters throughout the day and
says otherwise). The gatherer must succeed on a DC check for food consumption.
2
10 Intelligence (Nature) check to recognize the 5. Optional: The forest is relatively easy to forage in,
poor quality. On a failed check, the next time a
group performs the build task, the skill and ability
requiring a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check to secure food
checks made to build the project are made at and water (see chapter 5 of the PHB for details).
disadvantage.

The gatherer becomes lost and must stay the night
in the jungle. The gatherer must make a DC 15 On the map of the Skeleton Key, each hex measures 3 miles
3 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a failed check, the across and is considered difficult terrain.
gatherer experiences an uncomfortable night in the Normal Pace. Characters moving at a normal pace can
jungle and gains one level of exhaustion. travel 4 hexes per day.
An accident occurs. Have the gatherer make a
Fast Pace. If the characters move at a fast pace, you can
special DC 10 Constitution check with a bonus increase the number of hexes they are able to move by 1 per
equal to the number of hit dice that they have. On a day. Characters moving at a fast pace take a -5 penalty to
4 failed result, the gatherer takes 1 (1d4) damage their passive Wisdom (Perception) scores, making them
from the accident. If a survivor NPC's hit points are more likely to miss clues and walk into ambushes.
reduced to 0 or less, the survivor dies. A character Slow Pace. If characters set a slow pace, they can only
automatically passes his or her death saves. travel 3 hexes per day. Characters moving at a slow pace can
The gatherer attracts the attention of the Serpent
move stealthily. As long as they're in the open, they can try to
5
Whisperers. See Chapter 2 for details. surprise or sneak by other creatures they encounter.
Tracking Miles. If you prefer to track miles, you may do so.
The gatherer attracts a monster. Choose or roll a Travel times are then 18 miles per day at a normal pace, 24
6 monster from the Skeleton Key Random Encounters miles per day at a fast pace, or 12 miles per day at a slow
table later in this chapter. pace.
Flying Speeds. A character with a flying speed of 30 feet
 can travel 4 miles per hour.
Any characters or survivors that don't perform tasks are
considered resting. A resting character or survivor only needs 
half of the normal food and water for the day without fear of At the start of the task, the GM makes a Wisdom (Survival)
suffering exhaustion. check on behalf of the navigator. The result of the check
determines whether or not the explorers become lost over
 the course of the day.
The Skeleton Key is an island of mystery that boasts all Difficulty. The DC of the check is based on the day's most
manner of adventure, intrigue, and yes, danger. While many common terrain:
of the encounters are tailored to characters of 2nd level, there DC 10 for fields and coasts
are a few that may be more dangerous than others. Choosing DC 15 for the forests and mountains
to fight or flee can make the difference between life or death Apply a +5 bonus to the check if the group sets a slow
for the party. You can play the encounters as hardcore as you pace for the day
like, pulling no punches, or you can withdraw where needed. Apply a -5 penalty if the group is moving at a fast pace.
Exploration is one of the island survival tasks detailed in
later of this chapter of the adventure. For each day that the Success. If the check succeeds, the navigator knows
party explores the island, follow the rules detailed below. exactly where the explorers are on the player's map of The
Skeleton Key throughout the day.
 Failure. If the check fails, the party becomes lost.
Follow these steps to explore the island. Each hex on the map is surrounded by six other hexes;
whenever a lost party moves 1 hex, roll a d6 to randomly
determine which neighboring hex the party enters, and do
not divulge the party's location to the players.
13
 While the party is lost, players can't pinpoint the group's Random Encounters
location on their map of The Skeleton Key. d100 Encounter
The next time a navigator succeeds on a Wisdom
(Survival) check made to navigate, reveal the party's actual 01-05 1d6 + 2 giant bats
location to the players. 06-09 1d2 panthers
 10-15 1d4 poison snakes
All of the hexes on the map of The Skeleton Key provide 16-19 2d8 baboons
some sort of resource depending on the type of terrain it is. 20-28 1d6 + 3 hyenas
Coast hexes provide food, reeds, and water. 29-34 1 hawk
Forest hexes provide wood, and reeds, and up to one 35-39 1d4 + 1 giant lizards
water.
Mountain hexes provide stones. 40-49 Grihoo serpents*
50-54 1d6 + 2 boars

55-59 1 ape
Each day, the party will need to return to camp if they wish to
gain the benefits of the camp such as food supplies, building 60-63 1 tiger
materials, shelters, and defenses. If the explorers do not 64-65 3d6 flying snakes
return to camp, they must commit themselves to explore
again the next day. If all of the characters are explorers, the 66-70 4d4 kobolds
players can still delegate the actions of the survivor NPCs. 71-74 1d3 constrictor snakes
 75-80 1d10 + 5 giant rats
Outside of a few major locations noted on the GM's map of 81-85 1d8 + 1 giant frogs
The Skeleton Key, The Skeleton Key is an open sandbox for 86-87 3d6 stirges
the characters to discover monsters, hidden locations, and
other interesting hooks during their time on the island. 88-00 Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo*
Check for a random encounter in the morning, afternoon,
and evenings (only check for the latter if the characters are Grihoo Serpents. When a result comes up where the
away from the camp at the end of the exploration day). Roll characters encounter a Grihoo serpent, read the following:
1d20; an encounter occurs on a 16 or higher. Place the
encounter at a range that makes sense. The majority of the The trees break, revealing a small clearing. All over the jungle
encounters described are fierce monsters and creatures who floor, you see a dozen or more strange, 1-foot diameter holes
have evolved to become hunters. Encounters marked with an spaced roughly 5 feet apart.
asterisk are described after the table.
The holes are deep; potentially hundreds of feet or more.
Unless the characters somehow reduce their size to Tiny,
they won't be able to go into the holes. When the characters
find the holes, there is a 20% chance that 1d4 + 2 Grihoo
serpents emerge from the holes and attack.
A Grihoo serpent is a giant poisonous snake except that it
cannot move more than 15 feet from the hole from which it
emerged and its lower half is always inside the hole. If the
serpent is killed, the dead serpent retracts into the hole, as if
pulled away by something deep within the earth.
A character who wishes to stop the snake from retracting
can use its action to grab the serpent; he or she must then
succeed on a DC 27 Strength check. On a successful check,
the character stops the serpent from retracting. Otherwise,
the serpent retracts into its hole and vanishes.
The mystery of the Grihoo serpents are detailed further in
Part 3 of the Titan's Heir adventure path, Grihoo.
The Serpent Whisperers. When a random encounter or
island survival task complication arises that triggers the
introduction of the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo, refer to
Part 2 of this adventure for details on how to run the
encounter.

14


Estimated Duration: 45 minutes
Music Suggestion: Shipwrecked on The Skeleton Key
(Combat) by Music d20 Playing the Serpent Whisperers
Here are some suggestions for this encounter.
The characters discover that the island is inhabited by a tribe Combat. If the characters choose to fight the
of warrior women known as the Serpent Whisperers of Serpent Whisperers, the Whisperers prove to be
Grihoo. The Serpent Whisperers have guarded the island for dangerous warriors. However, they are easily
close to 500 years. frightened of magic. If the battle turns against the
characters, use their Fear of Magic trait to end the
 combat early.
Exploration. The characters might deny the
Meeting the Serpent Whisperers is Story Objective B. Serpent Whisperers' request. However, the Serpent
Whisperers, somewhat stubborn and brazen, make
 no efforts to hide their trails. A party navigator can
The meeting with the Serpent Whisperers can happen follow the path left by the Serpent Whisperers by
making a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival)
anywhere on the island. However, it's likely that the Serpent check each day until they reach the Temple of
Whisperers have had time to scout the area in advance. Grihoo.
Dimensions & Terrain. The Serpent Whisperers will not Social. Ykyope is not supposed to kill the
confront the characters unless they have plenty of places to characters but learn what she can about them.
hide and a clear route of escape if necessary. As humans Ultimately, she wants to bring the characters to
without darkvision, they need to see, so it's likely they attack meet the high priestess Viothye. So long as the
during the day. characters do not attack or act rude, the Serpent
Sounds. The Serpent Whisperers are eerily quiet and only Whisperers will gladly take the characters to their
speak when they feel they need to. None of them speak leader.
Common.

Ykyope (LN female human amazon warrior with 55 hit 
points) leads a squad four Amazon warriors.
What Do They Want? Likely, the Serpent Whisperers The characters earn the following rewards:
want to learn more about the characters and their intentions.
They are dangerous, and likely more than the characters can 
handle, but they will not kill unless pressed. Upon completing this adventure, each character gains a level.
What Do They Know? Naturally, the Serpent Whisperers If the adventure is particularly combat-heavy or the
know most of the secrets of the island. However, they will not characters spend a longer time than suggested surviving
share what they know. If asked, they feign ignorance. Instead, on the island, you may reward more experience if necessary.
they challenge the characters to travel to their temple to meet
Viothye, their high priestess. 
Multiple magical items can be found in the adventure,
 especially in the Bonus Objectives outlined in the
Ykyope wields a brutal macuahuitl. Appendices. The first two items are described in the Magic
Items of The Skeleton Key supplement by The Griffon's
Saddlebag.

Brutal macuahuitl
One way or another, the characters should realize that there Gloves of amphibios
is a tribe of warrior women who live somewhere on the +1 longword
island. Whether they find the Temple of Grihoo themselves or
are escorted by the Serpent Whisperers, they will eventually
find the Temple.
The characters' arrival at the Temple of Grihoo ends this
adventure. The campaign then continues the third part of the
Titan's Heir adventure path, Grihoo.

15
 

Estimated Duration: 30 minutes
Music Suggestion: Shipwrecked on The Skeleton Key "I do not wish to fight. Boy and I only wish to escape the
(Adventure) by Music d20 Serpent Whisperers."

While the characters are exploring the island near the A boy steps out from the darkness behind the man. No
nameless mountain range, they discover a mine, abandoned older than 10, the boy is thin and exhausted-looking wearing
for a century or longer. Hiding inside the mine are two only a tan loincloth. He has dark eyes, dark skin, and a mess of
mysterious people. kinky, black hair on top of his head. If you didn't know any
better, you'd guess he was a Dinzer.

Exploring the abandoned mine and meeting Man and Boy is
Bonus Objective A. Once the characters meet Man and Boy, they will soon
confront the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo who hope to
 capture the pair. The Serpent Whisperers are detailed in Part
2: The Serpent Whisperers.
This area has the following general features. What Do They Know? Man and Boy both know the
Dimensions & Terrain. The abandoned mine is included location of the Temple of Grihoo. While they will not travel
in the Abandoned Mine Map supplement for this adventure. with the characters to that end of the island, they can provide
When the characters find the mine, read: directions. They warn that there are nearly one hundred
warriors that live at the Temple of Grihoo. In addition to the
Pushing past trees, you come upon what looks like an old warriors, the Temple is guarded by massive, intelligent apes
mining fort in the side of a cliff, probably a few decades old, known as the Heirs of Kong.
consumed by the aggressive flora of the jungle. The crude,
timber portcullis that once blocked entry into the mine rests

against the stone pillars at either side of it. You doubt that it's Among the building supplies found in the abandoned mine,
still operational, but it looks like one can squeeze between the the characters can discover gloves of amphibios.
timbers were one so inclined.

Lighting. If the characters approach in the day time, the

entrance to the mine itself is well lit by the sun above.

Hiding inside the mine are Man and Boy. Unless the
characters were particularly stealthy as they approached the
mine, Man is waiting inside the mine, standing just a few feet
to the north of the entrance into the mine. Meanwhile, Boy is
hiding closer to the northern tower. See the sidebar for Man
and Boy's details. The stats for Man and Boy are detailed in
the Monsters of The Skeleton Key supplement included with
this adventure.
Objectives and Goals. Man and Boy are on the run from
the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo. Once Man recognizes that
the characters are not the Serpent Whisperers, he will
attempt to make a truce with the characters. Read the
following:
The man backs away and lowers his weapon. You get a good
look at him. His clothing is a hodgepodge of random armor,
leather, and animal furs. The exposed parts of his flesh reveal
dark, scarred skin. He hides his face behind the cowl of a
bronze helmet. His beard is dark and kinky, touching his chest.

16


Estimated Duration: 30 minutes
Music Suggestion: Shipwrecked on The Skeleton Key
(Adventure) by Music d20 Ambush
Cutting through the jungle like a scar was a canyon
While the characters are exploring the island, they discover over a hundred feet deep, its bottom concealed
an ancient monastery. with thick, clinging mist. The party traveled along
its edge for four hours before they discovered a
 pair of statues rising from the canyon. Both statues
faced one another. The statues were humanoid,
Exploring the abandoned monastery and discovering some of certainly, but had avian faces with large, feathered
the clues of The Skeleton Key is Bonus Objective B. wings sprouting from their back. They were
dressed as monks, hands pressed together before
 their chests in prayer.
The ruined monastery is built onto a pillar that stands at the "Birdfolk?" asked the knight to the mage.
center of a chasm that is 60-feet wide and 100-feet deep. "Yes," said the mage, digging through his pack.
He pulled a journal and flipped through it before
Dimensions & Terrain. Atop the pillar is an ancient stopping, "Ah!"Not just any birdfolk. The Disciples
monastery flanked by two, 120-foot tall statues of bird- of Ze." His journal was turned to a page with a
humanoids. An ancient bridge of thick vines once connected drawing that perfectly matched the statues before
the monastery to the southern end of the chasm. The bridge them.
is now broken. If the characters make it to the other side of Between the two statues, a bridge woven from
the bridge, they find three abandoned pagodas. A map of the thick vines spanned the chasm. At the other side,
temple is offered in the Maps of The Skeleton Key lightly obscured by the mist, stood a pillar of stone
supplement from Cze & Peku. upon which were three pagodas.
Light. Mist obscures the majority of the temple itself. "Allow us to investigate first, my lord."
Otherwise, the amount of light in the area depends on the The knight and four of the other explorers
time of day and weather carefully crossed the vine-bridge to the other side.
Lizards skittered over the weed-stricken plateau. A
Right & Left Pagodas. Both the leftmost and rightmost hawk watched carefully from a tree above. The
pagodas are empty. Anything of value that was once within wind whistled through the trees.
the buildings have long since been removed. First, the leftmost pagoda was checked: empty.
Central Pagoda. The center building is empty as well, Same for the rightmost. Finally, the third, center
except large, broken stones litter the floor. revealed itself empty of life, too. However, at the
Broken Tablet. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 center stood a large, stone tablet. Carved upon the
Intelligence (Investigation) check identifies that the stones tablet was a strange design. The design looked like
had once made up a tablet and the tablet once bore a symbol a sun but instead of rays extending from its curved
that looked like a star made of tangled serpents. If a edges were the heads of snakes, over a dozen in all.
character spends 10 minutes trying to reassemble the tablet Writing, unidentifiable to the Pressonian, was
and succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence check to do so, they also written at the base of the tablet.
The knights waited another minute or two
recognize that there had once been a secret compartment before they relaxed their stance and turned back to
hidden in the center of the tablet. Whatever was there is now the mage.
gone. "My lord," called the knight to the other side of
Dead Knight. Ancient, rusted breastplate armor bearing the chasm, "It's all cl—"
the sigil of the god Ilwyn (a helmet with a sunrise behind it) There came a whistle. The knight winced. He
can be found in the sand in front of the pagodas. Just a few looks down at the ground. There was a fragment of
feet from the armor is a sword of Pressonian make. A something near his feet that looked like part of a
character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (History or thick eggshell covered in blood. Before he could
smith's tools) check recognizes that the sword is probably at reach for it, blood dripped into his eye. When he
least 400 years old. took his hand to wipe the blood from his brow he
could feel a hole in his head right where the sling
 stone had entered his skull.
"My lord?" he gasped before falling to his knees.
The ruined monastery is the perfect location for an ambush The last thing the knight saw before falling
from the Serpent Whisperers of Grihoo. See Part 2: The unconscious was the camouflaged tribal warriors
Serpent Whisperers for details on how to run this encounter. crawling up the sides of the canyon wall, howling.


The discarded sword found in the sand is a +1 longsword.
17
 
The following NPCs may have survived The Predator's crash What She Wants. Pseudo wants to get off the island and
onto The Skeleton Key. Likely, a few were killed during The bring Orner to justice. She is not above killing Orner Wreros
Flight of the Predator adventure. You can include all, some, if she needs to.
or none of the NPCs. Each NPC has the potential to vastly Prove Them Wrong. Most Omerians are distrustful of
change the dynamic of the adventure. doppelgangers. Pseudo hopes to prove naysayers wrong by
performing good deeds.

Cage is the captain of the Predator. The real Cage is not 
actually there but thousands of miles away. Instead, a Halim is Buman's partner and a zoologist. Like Buman,
surrogate suit of animated armor known as a remote Halim accompanied the creatures recovered from Qola on
traveler takes his place. Cage's remote traveler does not The Predator. Halim Saleem is 6 feet tall and weighs 160
require air, food, drink, or sleep. pounds; he is a LG male Ditimayan human veteran with
What He Wants. Cage is trying to contact the Dinzers so proficiency in the Animal Handling and Nature skills.
they can send a recovery ship for the other survivors. What He Wants. Halim wants to help out the camp as
Sometimes Here, Sometimes Not. Because Cage is a much as he can. Having survived three near-death
remote traveler, sometimes he is manually operating the suit encounters since becoming involved with the creatures, he's
and other times the remote traveler is on auto-pilot. started to believe that he is not destined to work with the
animals.
 Wise and Friendly. No matter how difficult things get,
Erune was The Predator's cook. Efune is 5-foot 5-inches and Halim is always a voice of reason and optimism.
weighs 125 pounds. She is a LG human Dinzer noble with
proficiency in cooking tools. 
What She Wants. Erune is ultimately loyal to the Dinzers Tohaku is a shungmo (pandafolk) from the distant nation of
and Captain Cage. Her first objective is to always ensure the Meiyo-ken. He is Cage's first mate. Tohaku is 7-feet tall and
health of the other survivors. weighs 400 pounds. As a shungmo, he is covered from head
Very Superstitious. Moreso than most Dinzers—who often to toe in thick fur that alternates between black and white.
come off as cold and logical—Erune is exceptionally For Tohaku, use the werebear stat block except without its
superstitious. She is terrified of the number 8. Shapechanger feature (always in hybrid form) and remove its
lycanthropy curse.
 What He Wants. Tohaku values all life. He wants to make
Originally one of the crewmen of The Predator, Ivoxar sure that the survivors get off the island.
revealed himself to be an accomplice of Orner Wreros'. Lovable Lug. Overall, Tohaku is a foil to Cage's negativity.
Ivoxar stands 6 feet tall and weighs a little over 200 pounds. He welcomes the survivors—including the characters—with
He is a LE human Dinzer thug. large, fuzzy arms.
What He Wants. Above all, Ivoxar is a coward and wants
to survive. He'll try to ingratiate himself with whomever he 
feels gives him the best chance of getting off the island. Orner Wreros is a wildly intelligent gnomish inventor and
No Allegiances. Ivoxar is quick to turn on anyone whom wizard. His actions led to the crash of The Predator.
he feels won't further his agenda. Orner's stat block is included in the Monsters of The
Skeleton Key supplement.
 What He Wants. The crash has not stopped Orner from
Kizahr of Odonburg is a fiercely patriotic third-generation his mission; he wishes to rig the emerald Odonburgite core of
navy man from the Dinzer province of Boscos. He says very The Predator to explode. And if he can't do so in Odonburg,
little, almost never smiles, and prefers to keep to himself. he'll settle for doing it on the island as a show of power.
Typical for a Boscosi Dinzer, Kizahr is short. He stands only 5 False Reformer. Orner pretends that he has learned the
feet and 2 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. Kizhar is a LN error of his ways. He knows that the others won't trust him
male Dinzer human noble, except he prefers to fight with a regardless and keeps his distance.
pair of daggers named Red and Blue.
What He Wants. Kizahr knows he has the skills to 
survive on the island and doesn't want to be held back by the Buman Zenor is a zoologist who accompanied the creatures
others. He may even disappear to create his own camp. recovered from Qola on the Predator. Buman Zenor is 5-feet
Justice. If Ivoxar, Estar, or Orner Wreros survived the and 8-inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. Zenor is a LG male
crash, Ivoxar hopes to bring justice to the villains. He hopes Knotsider human noble with proficiency in the Animal
to get them apart from each other so he can kill them one by Handling and Nature skills.
one. What He Wants. Buman wants to survive, but he also
wants to rescue the creatures from The Predator that
 disappeared into the forests of The Skeleton Key.
Pseudo is a doppelganger who posed as Orner's henchman, Animal Lover. Buman talks about animals more than he
Kilbin. She correctly suspected that Orner was responsible should.
for serial bombings across Omeria.
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When the characters use the building island survival task, Building supplies. There are various types of building
they must designate which building project they wish to supplies that the characters can find while performing island
complete or what tool they wish to create. The following survival tasks. Some must be found while gathering
projects and tools are available for the characters to create. resources. Others are discovered while hunting. And others
still must be created through building tasks.

Building Projects
Project Costs (Building Supplies) Benefit
furnace 4 stone Ignore the infestation hazard.
Each character or NPC
moat Ignore the monster attack hazard.
participating must have a shovel.
rowboat 2 hide, 3 wood Creates a raft (same as a rowboat).
One character or survivor does not have to succeed on a Constitution
shelter, basic 1 reed, 2 wood
saving throw to gain the benefits of a long rest.
shelter, improved 6 stone, 2 wood As a basic shelter, but cannot be destroyed during a fire or storm.
snare 1 rope During the production phase, the snare produces 1d4 pounds of food.

Tools
Project Costs (Building Supplies) Benefit
arrows 1 stone, 1 wood Creates 10 arrows.
backpack 1 hide Creates 1 backpack.
Creates 1 bedroll. Characters with a bedroll have advantage on checks to avoid
bedroll 1 hide
discomfort during a long rest.
club 1 wood Creates 3 clubs.
dagger 1 stone Creates 2 daggers.
hammer 1 stone Creates a hammer.
handaxe 1 stone Forests produce double wood.
healer's
1 reed Creates a healer's kit.
kit
hide
2 hides Creates hide armor.
armor
ladder 1 wood Creates a ladder
pouch 1 hide Creates 3 pouches.
rope 1 reed Creates 50 feet of rope.
shortbow 1 rope, 1 wood Creates a shortbow.
shovel 1 stone Creates a shovel.
spear 1 stone, 1 wood Creates 2 spears.

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