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DM Drops

Drops / Oct 31, 2026

Encounter

The Shattered Sanctum

Low fight for 4 level-4 characters on another plane

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A1 × Bearded DevilB6 × Dretch1party1 square = 5 feet
XP
1,000 of a 1,000 XP low budget
Party
4 characters of level 4
The ground is glass, and far below it something vast is moving. Wind howls without moving a single hair.

Setup. Six dretches led by a bearded devil have been bound to guard the Shattered Sanctum and resent every minute of it.

Terrain

  • Burning ground: a creature that ends its turn on the cracked, glowing ground takes 2d6 Fire damage.
  • Wild magic: a creature that casts a spell of 1st level or higher must roll a d20; on a 1 the spell targets a random creature instead.

Tactics. They try to grapple or drag a single victim away rather than fight fair.

Twist. The creatures are under a curse, and breaking it is worth more than killing them.

Adjust on the fly

  • Easier: Remove one dretch (−50 XP).
  • Harder: Add one more dretch (1,050 XP total, moderate for this party).

Treasure. 250 gp and 750 sp; Potion of Climbing.

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