The Case of the Missing Marsh

Keys of Wonder Lore Guide

T C Q MK K I MCT is an
adventure in which the party is tasked with
History of the Ancient
unraveling a mystery in order to confront a Druids and a Key of Wonder
powerful creature responsible for strange
happenings around the swampy town. The IQLC
party must explore the village, investigate Many centuries ago, the swamp was a lush
townsfolk disappearances, battle fish-like ly- and vibrant landscape: flowers bloomed,
canthropes, and eventually decide to either slay trees flourished, and fauna abounded. During
the creature responsible, or release it from its the First Age, amidst the ancient elven sectar-
magical imprisonment. If you are playing along ianism, a small clan of elven druids chose this
with the Keys of Wonder campaign setting, this land as their home. They swore to protect the
lore guide places TTCQ MKI land, now located on the Northeastern edge
MCT inside Greenwold, as well as providing of The Starless Mire, and dubbed themselves
expanded lore, additional combat encounters, The Verdant Elves. For decades they preserved
a new plothook, and the opportunity to include this rich environment from the touch of civ-
a nefarious antagonist. ilization; with every passing year, the land
rewarded them with strong health and ampli-
fied magics. The most anointed Druids could
feel an energetic pulse from the land vibrating

KTLFQ W
TC Q
MK I C T
For more information on this adventure, the Greenwold, and
the rest of the Dungeon in a Box campaign, check out our site:

CQR T KI trttDW IQKCBL

Written by Tav i s Doucette. Edited by Dav id Cr ennen.
Dungeon In A Box is not affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Wiz-
ards of the Coast® or Hasbro®. Dungeons & Dragons®, and D&D®
are registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast®.

2
 the now swampy lands. Decades
later, Marina Marsh ascended to
her mayoral duties. Her and her
husband, Morin had conceived
their first born, with great ex-
pectations for their progeny. The
appearance of the new Maestro
Hewert Felix Reed, expanded
those expectations beyond their
wildest dreams.
Maestro Hewert received a
through every living organism. Undeniably, it vision from the Goddess of Music, and told the
was the music of The First Song. couple their child was a savior of the calliope
Eventually, news of the glade’s magi- - a veritable child of song and a living Key of
cal energy reached the welcome ears of a Wonder. With this remarkable news, Morin
Maestro of the Calliope of Wonder: Maestro and Marina named their daughter a very fitting
Veraldi. He traveled to the land and soaked in name: Melody.
the wonders of the territory’s riches. Maestro As a child, Melody sang like no other. Her
Veraldi had never experienced this musical cherubic tone inspired the townsfolk and
harmony before, and knew he must find a delighted her parents. She put on concerts
way for the calliope to preserve this magical in the town, and her musical renown spread
essence. He returned to the calliope, but far through the lands. But such talent and
unfortunately would never hear such beauty power also gained the attention of a nefar-
again, for such impressive power draws evil ious nature.
eyes…
C FTQ KD Q T IW C D T
WCÆ
Q CQTFDK The Daughters of Discordance are a cult of
Q’ovezula, an ancient entity of the abyss and chaos, claiming Q’ovezula as their patron (see
goddess of chaos, attacked the elven druids. She sidebar). Q’ovezula assigned her cult the duty
flooded the lands and toppled the flora, tearing of corrupting Melody’s gifts. The cult infiltrat-
apart the lands magical attunement to The First ed the Sunken Druid Glade and placed an altar
Song. In a last-ditch attempt, The Verdant Elves of corruption, spoiling the final powers of the
cast a preservation spell on a small section of lands and all who entered the sacred land. The
lands, sinking the glade below the floods and cultists posed as her friends, and convinced
encasing it in eternal stasis. her to swim in the dangerous waters of the
Having sewn discord, Q’ovezula continued marsh. Leading her to the Sunken Glade, the
her attacks across Greenwold. When Maestro cultists knew the curious young girl couldn’t
Veraldi returned, the Verdant Elves were gone, resist such mysterious wonders. Once there,
the land was ravaged, and the musical energy the altar of corruption took hold of Melody
was lost. He prayed to the first bard, the God- and enacted her transformation into becoming
dess of Music, and was struck with a vision of the opposite of a Key of Wonder: a Barb Of
the music returning to the lands… in the form Discord.
of a child. The cult faded into the shadows, allowing
the corruption to take hold. When Melody’s
Æ
MCT QF QFT WK father trapped her in the Sunken Glade, he
CIT only postponed the inevitable destruction of
Centuries later, the Marsh Family established his daughter and the addition of a new sol-
Marsh Town, and the civilization flourished in dier in the war of dissonance. The Daughters

3
 into the adventure, adding subterfuge, danger,
The Daughters of the and chaos. Some of these suggestions increase
Discorance the overall danger of combat encounters. Con-
sider reworking based on your party’s level and
The Daughters of the Discordance are a experience.
group of cultists in servitude to the ancient
deity of the abyss, Q’ovezula. Q’ovezula is Q KIT C
a goddess of chaos, whose sole purpose While the party has the opportunity to
is destroying the calliope of wonder and investigate the town (see T C Q
bringing bedlam to all of Greenwold. MK I CT , pg. 4) in search of answers
Q’ovezula imbues her followers with to the strange happenings around Marsh Land,
chaotic magic, outside of the First Song’s a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals
control, and wishes to flood the material that the party is being closely watched and
plane with her chaos arcana. followed by a hooded figure. This mysterious
Having worked in secret for centuries, person is Sister Apprentice Garmon Heverbee
the Daughters of the Discordance sow (human cultist), an apprentice in the Daugh-
chaos and darkness through political in- ters of the Discordance. He has been sent to
filtration, spiritual ritual summoning, and Marsh Land with a party of other followers
planar tampering. They have infiltrated to assist in the releasing of the Marsh Fury
the worlds of academia, arcana, and reli- onto the lands.
gion. The Daughters of the Discordance Should the party pursue Garmon, he at-
are scouring Greenwold for any leads on tempts to flee. If the party catches him, Garmon
finding the keys of wonder, and follow the attempts to deceive the party and says he is in
bidding of their deity no matter the cost. town trading paper and writing implements.
The hierarchy among the cult is a A DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals he is
“master and apprentice” relationship. Each lying.
master has one apprentice, whom they Garmon is young and aggressive, but eas-
groom in the ways of deception, magic, and ily frightened. A successful DC 13 Charisma
chaos. The members refer to one another (Intimidation) check reveals that Garmon
as “sister” despite their gender identity, came with a larger group of members. He
or rank. A master is a “sister master”, an knows very little of the overall plans of the
apprentice is a “sister apprentice”. Daughters, and was only assigned to gather
reconnaissance. He reports to the leader
of the infiltration, Sister Master Evelynn
Wesper.
of Discordance bided their time, planning to
return once Melody’s transformation was KFW CW
complete, and discord would smother the Should the party explore the surrounding
lands again. regions (see The Case of the Missing Marsh,
pg. 7), a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception or Survival)
Sinister Hands Make or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals
a small, foot-trodden path heading into tall
Sinister Plans reeds along the water. This path eventually
leads to a make-shift camp for the Daughters
The Daughters of Discordance are actively of Discordance.
involved in the events of T C Q There are roughly five bedrolls, ten days
MK K I MCT . The following are ways to worth of provisions, and an extinguished
incorporate the Daughters of the Discordance campfire. A successful DC 17 Intelligence

4
(Investigation) check reveals a small satchel cult fanatic to the battle. Should the party
that has been hidden in one of the bedrolls. keep any of these Daughters of the Discor-
Inside the satchel are two potions of great- dance alive and interrogate them, a DC 16
er healing, 52 gp, and a letter reading as Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check
follows: makes the cult members reveal their overall
sinister plot.
Sister Master Evelynn Wesper,
My trust in you only goes so far. Do not fail me CBWTQKF AD
in releasing the Marsh Fury onto The Starless In this adventure, the party is given a choice:
Mire, as so many before you have failed me. help to release the Marsh Fury (Melody Marsh)
Our goddess grows impatient, and her wraith from her entombment in the Sunken Glade, or
is excruciating and everlasting. battle the Marsh Fury (The Case of the Missing
In chaos, Marsh, pg. 8).
High Priest Voltar Blackstone Should the party free the Marsh Fury and
walk her through the gates of the Sunken
Upon discovering the campground, the party Glade, they are met by four cultists, two cult
remains at risk of running into members of fanatics and Sister Master Evelynn Wesper
the cult. After roughly ten minutes, roll a d100. (cult fanatic with 55 hp, AC 15, as well as the
On a 60 or higher, 1d6 cultists arrive at the invisibility and guardian of faith spells [1/
campsite. day]). She applauds the party for releasing the
Marsh Fury, and encourages the Marsh Fury
STK CM to join the Daughters of Discordance in their
Should the party explore Marina’s Shrine (The quest for chaos. Much to Evelynn Wesper’s
Case of the Missing Marsh, pg. 7), and succeed dismay, the Marsh Fury refuses, and wishes
on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check, the to do no more evil on these lands. Evelynn
party notices a small etching in the left side Wesper chastises the creature, and all of the
of the statue’s neck. The engraving is of a ru- Daughters of Discordance attack. The Marsh
dimentary eye with a blood stain at the pupil. Fury fights alongside the party.
A DC 17 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals Should the party battle and defeat the
this is a tagging symbol of the Daughters of Marsh Fury, upon leaving the Sunken Glade
Discordance. the party is approached by Sister Master Ev-
If the party does have access to a greater elynn Wesper. She congratulates the party on
restoration spell, and Marina is returned to her defeating the evil creature. She warns the party
unpetrified state, the engraving stays on her they are meddling in things far too great for
neck, carved into her skin. Marina now suffers their naive minds, casts invisibility on herself,
from headaches and nightmares of chaos, and retreats into the swamp, fleeing back to
unless the remove curse spell is used on the her cult.
engraving.

RTCKWF
During the battle on the docks (TCQ
MK I MCT , pg. 7), the swampfolk
attack the village with the intent of kidnapping
Meredith, the current mayor and descendant
of Melody. To add additional challenge and
stakes, consider adding two cultists and one

5
 Alternate Plot Hook
The following is an alternate plothook
to help place the party on their quest in
Marsh Land

MKIQCT
While exploring Slew, Fort Pratchett,
or the Starless Mire, the party hears
the sounds of rushing water and winds
whipping. They notice a small but fervent
water elemental coming towards them.
Before a party member can attack, the
amorphous elemental shifts into the body
of Maestro Hewert Felix Reed. Happy to
see his friends, the watery visage of the
Maestro burbles and giggles. Read the
following aloud:
My dear friends! It is wonderful to see
you alive and well! I greatly appreciate all
of the work you have done in restoring the
Keys to the Calliope of Wonder! You have
succeeded where many have failed. I have
a request: please visit the town of Marsh
Land. I sense a growing evil of a discordant
nature in the area. I have a history with
the Marsh family, and much tragedy has
fallen upon them in the past. Their current
leader is Meredith Marsh, a descendant of a
once promising instrument of the Calliope.
See how you may be of assistance, and try
to root out the Discord. Sing music, fair
adventurers, and the calliope shall sing
with you!
The party now has the opportunity
to meet Meredith, and assist her in her
search for the townsfolk.