Mage-hunting soldiers encounter for parties of 1st-level or higher, with stat blocks for use in D&D 5e.
Auroras stretch across the forest’s sky. They coalesce where a shimmering tree towers over its fellows, its trunk an ascending spiral and its leaves a brilliant shade of pink. And at its base, ensconced in a cage of roots, is a blinding pool of raw magic that enriches everything and everyone around it. This site of power has been tended to by its adherents, both fey and mortal alike, for centuries. They aid in maintaining the tree, which in turn balances the font of magic by slowly and safely dispersing it into the forest. Without the tree, the magic may rage out of control.
Table of Contents
But there are those who see unsanctioned magic as an abomination that must be put to the sword. One particular sect has set its gaze upon the forest. They have named themselves the Purumortalis Inquisition and have dedicated themselves to the eradication of what they deem to be ‘unnatural magic’. These inquisitors intend to destroy the tree. They have launched a surprise attack, cutting through the magic of local druids and fey alike to arrive at the forest’s heart and finally end its ‘profane corruption’.
As silvered blades meet the tree’s enchanted bark, the local druids scramble for help. They cannot stand against the inquisitors’ antimagic but likewise cannot afford to lose the tree. They need outside help, and their only option may be the group of adventurers currently passing through their forest.
While the confrontation with the inquisitors is written as a request from the forest’s denizens, it also functions perfectly as a random encounter. The mana tree and the people destroying it are sure to grab the party’s attention as they pass by, and any inquisition scouts are also likely to notice the characters. Speaking with the inquisitors can then reveal what is happening, with tensions rising as the adventurers must decide what to do. If they leave the conversation unsure of what to do, a hidden druid or fey can then appear to them and explain the full situation.
The Mana Tree
Arriving during the day…
A colossal tree rises through and above the others, its trunk coiling in a grand spiral and its roots forming a cage around the light that pierces through the forest. This shimmering white originates from a pool at the tree’s base, though the brightness of its glow obscures whatever is projecting it. It cascades upwards through pink leaves and blossoms, bleeding out in auroras that fade across the span of the forest’s sky.
Arriving at night…
A colossal tree rises through and above the others, its trunk coiling in a grand spiral and its roots forming a cage around the light that pierces through the forest. This shimmering blue originates from a pool at the tree’s base, though the brightness of its glow obscures whatever is projecting it. It cascades upwards through boughs and blossoms, the tree shining back with blue-tinged bark and leaves that glisten with arcane moonlight. The radiance bleeds out in auroras beyond the canopy that fade across the span of the night sky.
The forest and its inhabitants are all blessed by an abundance of focused magical energy that permeates the land, flowing from a magnificent tree that grows from a glowing pool of water. No mortals remain who can tell the story of the tree, the pool, and the forest. Or perhaps those who could simply choose the path of the fey, who offer different tales with each retelling, each one labeling the forest with different names and titles. Sometimes it was their gathering that caused a coalescence in the forest’s heart. Other times it was the work of ancient druids protecting their home. Or perhaps it spawned from a lone seed that fell from another plane and grew to bless the surrounding flora with unbridled magic.
In the time since the tree’s forgotten advent, its forest has homed as many groups as it has stories for its origin. Its current adherents are a grove of druids who live alongside the illusive local fey and tend to what they simply refer to as the ‘mana tree’. These druids strive to maintain the magic’s balance and peace by both hiding their own existence and minimizing outside knowledge of the tree. In doing so, they hope to prevent its exploitation. Travelers in the forest may see the mana tree rising above the canopy, bursting with auroras and shining blue at night, yet often find any attempts to reach it futile, as fey magic distorts their path to keep the tree ever on the horizon.
The Inquisition’s attack has thrown the forest into disarray. Its druids are not soldiers and what battle magic they do wield was easily swept aside by the invaders’ antimagic. Fey illusions have likewise been cut through, leaving the mana tree unguarded, with its only natural defense being the volatility of the magic that pools at its roots and suffuses its wood.
Arcane instability. The mana tree’s brimming magic has begun to escape as a result of damage inflicted by the inquisitors. Any time the tree takes damage, roll a d6 and consult the table below to determine the effect, which originates from wherever the tree was damaged:
d6 | Effect |
---|---|
1 | A lightning bolt arcs at a random creature within 15 feet. The bolt then leaps from that target to a random other creature within 15 feet of the first target. It repeats this, leaping to further targets until none are available. A creature can only be targeted by the bolt once. Each of the bolt’s targets must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d8 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
2 | A field of miring magic fills a radius of 15 feet for 1 minute. Any creature that begins its turn in the area or that enters the area for the first time on its turn is slowed as if affected by the slow spell. The effect ends on a creature if it leaves the area. |
3 | Each creature in a 30-foot radius must roll a d6. On an odd result, they vanish from their current plane of existence and appear in the Ethereal Plane, as if affected by the blink spell. The effect ends at the end of a creature’s next turn, returning it to an unoccupied space of the creature’s choice that it can see within 10 feet of the space it had vanished from. If no unoccupied space is available within that range, the creature appears in the nearest unoccupied space (chosen at random if more than one space is equally near). |
4 | Each creature in a 30-foot radius is teleported to the space of a random other creature within the area. A creature cannot be teleported to the same space as another affected creature. |
5 | Entangling ivy grows to cover every surface in a 20-foot radius. This area is difficult terrain. Additionally, any creature in the area when the ivy grows must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the vines. A creature restrained by the ivy can use its action to make a DC 12 Strength check, freeing itself on a success. |
6 | Each creature in a 30-foot radius must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the tree. While charmed in this way, a creature cannot willingly move further away from the effect’s point of origin. A creature charmed in this way can repeat its saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. |
Map & Asset Downloads
This encounter was inspired by our recent battle map, the ‘Mana Tree’, which comes with stunningly different day and night versions and also has a set of optional other variants. But the tree is not the only place the Inquisition might appear, and we have a number of other maps that would be perfect places for the party to encounter them…
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Mana Tree Pack$5.00
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Mana TreePWYW: $1 or FREE $1.00
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Fairy GladePWYW: $1 or FREE $1.00
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Fairy Glade Pack$5.00
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Sacred SpringPWYW: $1 or FREE $1.00
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Sacred Spring Pack$5.00
Manabark Armaments
Those who rush to the mana tree’s aid and successfully repel the inquisitors are compensated with a gift of its bark. Small fragments peel away to drop at its saviors’ feet. These strips are infused with the tree’s magic, shimmering with veins of blue sap. They can be forged into enchanted items by either the nearby druids or another skilled craftsman.
Manabark Talisman
Wondrous item, rare
This talisman can be used as a spellcasting focus. Once per day, you can speak the talisman’s command word as part of casting a spell of 3rd-level or lower, enhancing the spell’s effect as if it had been cast using a spell slot one level higher than the spell slot used to cast it. To do so, you must have access to spell slots of the level that the spell is being raised to.
Manabark Shield
Armor (shield), rare
Once per day, you can use your reaction to give yourself advantage on a saving throw made to resist a magical effect. Additionally, if you succeed on the saving throw, you may choose one of the following effects to occur:
- If the saving throw was made to avoid taking damage, you gain resistance to one of the effect’s damage types for 1 minute.
- If the magical effect originated from a creature, such as from a spell, the creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, taking 2d6 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Manabark Weapon
Weapon, rare
This weapon has 3 charges. When you hit a creature with an attack made with this weapon, you can expend a charge to imbue the strike with volatile magic. Roll 2d8 and choose one of the d8s. The attack deals additional damage equal to the result of that die, while the number rolled on the other die determines the additional damage’s type, as shown below:
d8 | Damage type |
---|---|
1 | Acid |
2 | Cold |
3 | Fire |
4 | Force |
5 | Lightning |
6 | Poison |
7 | Psychic |
8 | Thunder |
Additionally, the target then becomes vulnerable to the additional damage’s type for 1 minute, provided that it does not have resistance or immunity to the damage type. If the creature is resistant to the damage type, it instead loses its resistance.
The weapon regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.
The Purumortalis Inquisition
In shining armor and resplendent crimson, the inquisitors are as funded as they are zealous and well-trained. They are soldiers built for the singular purpose of expunging magical threats, driven by the belief that magic is an impurity that tempts and corrupts mortal beings. This great task requires dedication and specialized training but is not limited to the mundane, for the most faithful inquisitors do not shy from using the tools of their enemies. Experienced members wield strange, antimagic sorceries to enhance their allies and deny their targets any chance of incanting. These abilities have earned them a growing reputation, as increasingly powerful spellcasters and magical beasts fall to the silvered blades of the Purumortalis Inquisition.
This encounter is only with a single group of inquisitors, giving ample room for adjustment when it comes to the Inquisition and its origins. They might be a religious order, a rising movement among regular people without magic, or even the agents of a particular nation or a single, charismatic leader. You can change these details to fit your own world and the scale at which you wish the Inquisition to operate.
Inquisition Soldier
CR 1/8
The soldier wears chain of impressive quality and wields a spear and heater shield, while a number of javelins are slung to their back. They are decorated with white and red cloth that wraps their neck and covers their mouth, uniting them and their allies in a pristine uniform.
Though not privy to the order’s advanced techniques, its footsoldiers are still trained to oppose magical threats. Inquisition soldiers have fortified their minds and learned to respond in the moment they see a spell being prepared, exploiting the opening to strike the caster. Even should the mage survive, the blow disrupts their focus with the intention of ending any spell they are maintaining.
Inquisition Scout
CR 1/2
A leather hood and mask hide their identity. The neutral tones of their gambeson and leather armor similarly disguise them against their surroundings, broken only by a white and red sash that is tied into the belt around their midsection, and the glint of an arrow knocked in their bow.
To combat magic, one must first know where its vile influence has spread. This is accomplished by inquisition scouts specialized for detecting and tracking magic and its practitioners. They act as outriders for larger groups, moving ahead and maintaining raised positions to watch for any possible threat, with abilities that aid in doing so. The scouts continue this role in combat, remaining hidden and out of reach to track targets’ movements, relay them to their allies, and strike when there is an opening.
Inquisition Bannerman
CR 1
A knight stands in half-plate, with a tabard of red-trimmed white and a helmet molded in the visage of a refined gentleman. Their left hand holds to a tall banner, flowing with the same colors as their clothing and emblazoned with their order’s crest. In their right is a longsword with a blade that glints with a silver sheen.
Though smaller strike forces are often sent for less clandestine operations, larger Inquisition groups do not hide their presence. They announce themselves proudly, marching and proselytizing to any who might listen and think of joining them. Key to this are the inquisition bannermen. But their role is not limited to holding flags as they march. The bannermen wield their standards alongside their blades, reinforcing allies with energizing words and guiding them with tactical commands. In turn, their allies protect them, bolstered by the inspiring presence of the bannermen.
We’ve included a separate token for the bannerman’s battle standard to keep in place when they use their Inquisition Standard action. The open space on the banner is also perfect for adding an emblem for whatever faction you are using the tokens for, whether they are inquisitors or something else entirely.
Inquisition Speaker
CR 2
A figure stands enshrouded in white and red robes with reinforcing chain and a breastplate. Their visage is hidden by a silver-trimmed metal mask formed in the shape of a blindfolded face, only their mouth visible below. From their hand hangs a thurible, three chains suspending a censer that glows orange from within and leaks silvery mist that drifts outwards.
Those who wholly commit to their ideals are willing to sacrifice for them. And those who display the most loyalty to the Inquisition are afforded the prestige of being named an inquisition speaker. The speakers are the clerics of their faith, devoting their very identities to its dogma by hiding their faces behind masks and dedicating their voices to speaking nothing but the Inquisition’s tenets.
But these words are not for recruitment, as the bannermen’s are. They form incantations, combining with the motions and incense of the speakers’ thuribles to produce potent, antimagic-infused fumes that choke the voice from their enemies’ throats. And though the speakers lack some of the durability of their martial compatriots, they can defend themselves by forming simulacra from their mist, sacrificing their copies to protect themselves. These considerable powers make them vital to the Inquisition’s operations, as opposing magic fizzles and fades in the speakers’ smoke.
Inquisition Accuser
CR 4
The knight’s armor is trimmed in silver and draped in a white and red shoulder cape. Its plates shift and clank with each weighty step and the drawing of a long halberd. Whoever is inside is completely hidden within the thick plate, save for the piercing eyes that stare out from within their helmet.
The Inquisition seeks to recruit others into its tenets by positioning itself as the only defense against the growing tide of magical dangers. They garner sympathy and support by promoting fear while framing themselves as heroes. Much of this is bluster and fearmongering, but there are times when a threat’s severity truly matches the Inquisition’s stories, when a mage’s sins are beyond any hope of redemption, and they must dispatch their most fervent knights: the inquisition accusers.
The accusers are dogmatic champions who lead their forces in the hunt for magical artifacts, spellcasters, and sites of power. They are driven by nothing but the pursuit and eradication of these targets and have trained for such a purpose, with abilities that render them nigh inescapable for those they hunt. Those who stand accused by the Inquisition may even feel the wrath of an accuser’s brand, which poisons their target’s spellcasting, wracking the victim with pain should they attempt to call upon their magic.
Balancing the Inquisitors
The fight at the mana tree is a single combat without a named enemy character. This means that there are no required units and you can simply select a variety of inquisitors to fulfill your desired Challenge Rating. The word ‘variety’ is key in this regard, as a diverse selection of enemies is needed to show off the Inquisition’s abilities and tactics. If doing so would raise the encounter’s CR beyond the party’s capabilities, consider having them face an advanced patrol before reaching the mana tree, allowing you to split the higher-CR creatures between the two groups.
Of course, the encounter’s difficulty can shift depending on how heavily the characters rely on magic. A spellcaster-heavy party will have significantly more trouble fighting the Inquisition than one comprised of martial classes. This difference increases based on each creature’s antimagic abilities, making the strong stronger, and should be factored in when selecting the inquisitors. The same goes for their positioning, as units like the speakers and accusers are more dangerous when close to their target spellcasters, while bannermen are more effective when surrounded by their allies.
Fortunately, the mana tree itself provides a very interesting opportunity to bolster the party’s force. Having the tree manifest a dryad in its own defense provides a support-oriented ally for the party to work with, giving you slightly more space to raise the enemy group’s CR. You might also consider trading the dryad’s goodberry spell for cure wounds or healing word to make it more effective in combat. The dryad can then speak with the party afterward, granting them their reward of manabark armament.
Here are some examples of creatures you can use to achieve different CR values for encounters with the inquisitors (without the assistance of a dryad):
CR 1: 1 inquisition scout, 4 inquisition soldiers
CR 3: 1 inquisition speaker, 1 inquisition scout, 4 inquisition soldiers
CR 5: 1 inquisition speaker, 1 inquisition bannerman, 1 inquisition scout, 4 inquisition soldiers
CR 9: 1 inquisition accuser, 1 inquisition speaker, 1 inquisition bannerman, 1 inquisition scout, 4 inquisition soldiers
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