This flat wood-plank bridge, which spans an arm of the lake, is lined on one side by rows of bullywug heads on wooden spikes.
At the center of the bridge, a small figure sits with its feet dangling over one side. The figure appears to be talking to itself in bemoaned tones. But then the severed bullywug heads nearby erupt in a cacophony of voices—some indignant, others sympathetic. A few in a more distant row yell, “What? I couldn’t hear what they said!”
The bridge is in decent condition and safe to cross.
Beheaded Bullywugs. Deposed bullywug monarchs of the Soggy Court often lose their heads during violent changes in leadership. The severed heads are impaled on rows of spikes north of the bridge, and they verbally accost anyone who steps onto the bridge, each one speaking of its own glorious rule and how the Soggy Court has become a mockery since its reign came to an end. In conversation, a head might share one or more of the following pieces of information:
All the heads belong to former monarchs who were deposed and killed by usurpers. Many of the former monarchs were betrayed by others whose rotting heads now also sit on spikes.
The current monarch is King Gullop XIX. All the heads agree he is a weak ruler. They’ve heard rumors of yet another coup in the works.
Sir Talavar, Bavlorna’s escaped prisoner, had help from bullywugs of the Soggy Court. One of his accomplices languishes in prison, awaiting trial.
Bavlorna is a distrustful shut-in who loathes her sisters, especially Skabatha Nightshade.
Bavlorna has a pool in her cottage that’s very important to her. She spends a lot of time bathing in it.
In Search of a Skull. The figure chatting with the severed heads is Clapperclaw the scarecrow, who is 3 feet tall. Created by Granny Nightshade using a tormented child’s soul she found in Gehenna, it ran away from home so that it wouldn’t have to perform evil tasks for her. After fleeing Thither, Clapperclaw was waylaid by Agdon Longscarf and his harengon brigands, who stole its head, which the scarecrow describes as a most glorious stag skull. It desperately wants its head back, and it’s a bit self-conscious about its replacement head: a hollow gourd that now sits askew on its shoulders. Eight copper coins are sealed inside the gourd, causing the head to rattle whenever Clapperclaw nods, turns, or shakes its head.
Clapperclaw knows the way to Thither from Hither and will guide the characters there if they help it recover its head. If the characters accept its offer, the scarecrow does its best to stay out of harm’s way while the characters continue to explore Hither. It fears Bavlorna Blightstraw too much to enter her cottage, but it will patiently wait for the characters outside the cottage if they choose to enter it. The scarecrow has a similar aversion to the other hags of the Hourglass Coven.
When the characters arrive, Clapperclaw is telling the severed bullywug heads the story of how Agdon Longscarf stole its original head and how its current head is a poor substitute. Unknown to Clapperclaw, Agdon gave the skull to Bavlorna, who now keeps it in her cottage’s treasure room (area B19).
Clapperclaw carries a sailcloth sack filled with moldy straw. If the scarecrow gets hurt, it heals itself by stuffing itself with replacement straw or similar plant matter.
Additional roleplaying notes can be found in the bio for Clapperclaw.
D6. His Royal Majesty Gullop XIX
A grand marble gazebo stands atop a mound of soggy earth, its white stone streaked green with algae. The support pillars have sunk into the muck unevenly so that the domed canopy now sits askew.
Short steps ring the gazebo, leading to a raised floor where bullywugs dressed in shabby clothing lounge on pillows. Among them, a harpist sends forth delicate notes that mingle with the murmured croaking of the gathered nobles. On a dais, a flabby bullywug wearing a crown of woven lily flowers sits on an ornate throne with his legs folded under him. He has a large leather-bound book open across his lap and is mouthing the words he reads on the pages. Without looking up, he says, “Have you no herald to announce your presence before King Gullop the Nineteenth?” He slams the book closed as if to punctuate his question, regarding you for the first time.
Sleepy bullywug guards standing around their monarch snap to attention and ready their weapons.
King Gullop XIX, a bullywug royal (neutral) is accompanied by a baby crocodile (a Small noncombatant) named Snoodle and protected by five bullywug knights (neutral). The knights are stationed around the edge of the gazebo’s interior. Eight unarmed bullywugs (noncombatants) lounge at the king’s feet, eating insects from platters as they gossip among themselves. The king treats visitors as honored guests in accordance with the rule of hospitality (see “Rules of Conduct” earlier in the chapter), but he expects a measure of kindness in return. If a fight breaks out, Gullop XIX flees to area D11 and makes his final stand there, counting on the bullywug knights to cover his escape. As the king flees, Snoodle and the unarmed bullywugs jump into the lake and swim to safety.
Scheming King. The king has only recently come into his position, but already his reign is a troubled one. Sir Talavar’s recent escape through the theft of one of Bavlorna’s prized balloons has left many of the king’s subjects questioning his ability to manage a crisis. He has grown paranoid over the prospect of incurring the hag’s wrath, a suspicion confirmed in the pages of the book in his lap—Bavlorna’s Big Book of Bad Blood—in which the hag’s displeasure with her enemies is spelled out in detail. He procured the book from a darkling merchant (see area B10), who stole it from Bavlorna a few hours ago.
King Gullop is looking for a way to avoid Bavlorna’s ire, and the characters might be his way out. He wants them to return the book to Bavlorna and assure her that Gullop didn’t steal it, but merely ensured its safekeeping.
If the characters portray themselves as allies (perhaps by presenting the brooch they received from Duke Ickrind in area D4), Gullop explains that only members of the Soggy Court are allowed to speak with Bavlorna (a falsehood he knows to be untrue), and he invites the characters to join the group. If they accept, he instructs them to proceed to the palace in area D11 to be fitted with the proper attire. Once they are appropriately garbed, Gullop gives the characters the Big Book of Bad Blood and encourages them, as duly appointed emissaries of the Soggy Court, to return it to the hag with great haste.
If the characters show hostility or refuse to join the Soggy Court, Gullop commands his guards to seize them. Captured characters are taken to the holding cell in area D8.
Secret Note. As the king addresses the characters, one of the bullywug noncombatants passes a wine goblet to one randomly determined character. Inside the cup is a scrap of parchment with words written on it in Sylvan. The message reads, “Find Illig, the Baron of Muckstump, at once. The revolution lives!” Illig is an ambitious noble looking to take Gullop’s crown by force, and conspirators are gathering at his home in area D16. Whenever a character asks a friendly bullywug of the Soggy Court about Illig’s whereabouts, roll a d8. On a roll of 1–3, the bullywug doesn’t know where Illig is. On a roll of 4–6, the bullywug assumes (incorrectly) that Illig is somewhere in the Sinking Palace (area D11). On a roll of 7 or 8, the bullywug knows and shares Illig’s actual location.
D7. Murky Lake
Downfall is built around a 20-foot-deep body of standing water called Murky Lake. A blanket of thick fog and a layer of pond scum cover the lake’s surface. Heavily obscured by the fog are 2d6 bullywugs (noncombatants) spread out across several large lily pads and relaxing in rowboats. Some read to each other, and others nap or play music. When they see the characters, they wave in a friendly manner. If the characters ask for directions, one of the bullywugs tries to be helpful while the others gaze about listlessly. If the characters require any further assistance or information, the helpful bullywug suggests that they speak to King Gullop XIX and points the way to his Royal Majesty (area D6). Each lily pad can hold up to 250 pounds without sinking.
Bavlorna’s Cottage. The hag’s cottage (area D12) looms over the middle of the lake on thick wooden stilts. The cottage is heavily obscured by thick fog, though characters within 20 feet of it can discern its shape.