May Freebies!

Encounter Level: 5th-7th

When traveling through a swamp, the party will be spot some light sources up ahead, like if someone was carrying torches. If they go in the direction of the light, they hear someone calling them, almost whispering: “Pssst, hey”. In case they go in another direction, the lights follow them and they hear the mentioned whispers. 

A man dressed with green clothes and covered in foliage makes a “shussh” movement by putting his index finger on his lips and then indicates through movement for the party to get down and crouch just as he’s crouched behind a tree. He then proceeds talked to the party by whispering, warning them about the light being dangerous and that he’s hunting a dragon that lurks in these waters, though he’s avoiding the lights. The man is called Pektor and is a veteran. He knows the below information about the dragon and he’s there to collect the dragon’s head to add it to his hunting collection:

Pektor knows that gilador lurks in these waters but is currently unaware of its position. The characters can try to spot it in the main, central pond with a Perception check against gilador’s Stealth result. It’s lying still close to the border in order to get the jump on any character passing by.

If a fight erupts, two will-o-wisps (three if the party is level 6 and four if the party is level 7) join the fight.

Pektor fights with a +1 longsword and will focus his attacks on the gilador. The sword stands out and you can describe it with having a pristine blade and elaborate pommel. If the party notices that their attacks aren’t being effective against the will-o-wisps, they can convince Pektor with a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion, Deception) check to attack them instead of the dragon, but he shouts: “The head is mine!”.

Searching the pond where the swamp dragon was reveals an adamantine chainmail at the bottom of the pond, which was clearly not enough to save the poor warrior’s life from the gilador and its will-o-wisp fellas. 

If the party kills all enemies and Pektor is still alive, he offers them 50 gp for the help and goes onto beheading the dead creature.