Sinbad and the Roc of Serendib
One-Shot · 6 Players · Level 10 · ~3–3.5 Hours · Greek–Arabian Crossover · Boss: Roc
📜 Session Summary
| Style Greek–Arabian crossover — quick Cyclops toll (roleplay) → branching valley crossing → three-phase Roc finale (nest → descent → ship pursuit) |
| Win Condition Extract Sinbad’s crew, survive the Roc of Serendib’s pursuit, and end her hunt at sea — by mercy (Noon-Diamond finale) or by force |
| Players 6 × Level 10 · Duration 3–3.5 hrs (Enc. 1 ~20 min · Enc. 2 ~45 min · Enc. 3 ~90–105 min) |
| Guest star Sinbad the Sailor (ally from the start) · Maguffin: Serendib Noon-Diamond · DM secret: the egg in the nest is a poachers’ decoy — players must not learn this before Encounter 3 |
| Minis (optional) Cyclopean, Roc; griffin minis stand in for Giant Vultures (≤3); serpents/scorpions/ghul/Old Man may be tokens or description |
| Setting A black-sand shore where the Aegean's wine-dark water meets the spice-wind surf of the Sea of Serendib — a crossover islet that doesn't appear on any chart, where Greek and Arabian marvels share the same sky; cliff-valley interior, diamond-littered floor, and a sky-mountain nest 40 ft above sea-level. |
| Atmosphere High adventure with a pulse of genuine wonder — this is a world where stories from two traditions are both true simultaneously; the Roc is not a villain, the Cyclops is a toll-keeper, and Proteus is a nuisance rather than a monster; the tone is Argonaut energy filtered through One Thousand and One Nights. |
| Materials Black sand, warm fist-sized diamond, serpent scales glittering like coins, the smell of roc-feather (hot iron and high altitude), old rope, Sinbad's salt-stained silk, a pale unhatched egg half the size of a wagon wheel — describe it as cold and strangely still; never call it false in front of the players. |
| Tone Wondrous and kinetic — the fight against the Roc should feel like a myth being written in real time; the preferred win (drive-off, not kill) should leave players feeling they did something genuinely noble; Sinbad should feel like the best navigator you've ever sailed with, not a sidekick. |
Session Mural — The Valley of Diamonds
The Serendib gorge from rim to shore: the Roc brooding over her nest, the diamond floor and the things that guard it, and the merchant who walked out with a stone in his fist. Hover the thumbnail to preview it, open the table version in a new tab, or print the clean handout. All artwork lives in the Murals gallery.
Description
Misthaven's mist opens onto a black-sand shore where wine-dark water meets spice-wind surf — a crossover islet the charts refuse to name. Sinbad the Sailor is already waiting, bruised and grinning, with a Serendib Noon-Diamond that burns like a trapped afternoon. His crew was taken toward a cliff nest by the Roc of Serendib during the night. He needs help crossing the valley and is willing to trade the diamond for the crew — but he has a second reason he keeps quieter: the egg in that nest should have hatched seasons ago. He is convinced it is a dud, and that while it sits in her nest the Roc will never leave — not the island, and not his crew. Get the egg out, he reasons, and the mountain-bird finally flies. What even Sinbad does not know: the egg is a decoy, carved stone left by poachers who stole the real one. That is the session's big reveal — save it for Encounter 3.
The path there is a quick toll, a fork, and a mountain: a one-eyed giant who tolls the valley mouth (talk, don't fight — he is twenty minutes of story and an hour of pointless combat), then a choice between the rim path where the Old Man of the Sea waits to ride someone's shoulders, or the gorge floor where giant scorpions and serpents hunt by vibration. Above it all, the nest — and after the nest, the descent, and after the descent, a trireme running for open water with a sky-mountain in pursuit. The Noon-Diamond opens the toll, breaks the Old Man's grip, and — at the very end, on a heaving deck — can turn the Roc's fury into mercy.
This session is about two mythologies being equally true and finding the seam between them. The Cyclops and the Old Man of the Sea are shared creatures — Greek and Arabian — and treating them as neighbors rather than imports is what makes the crossover breathe. Handout DM payoff: when the diamond flashes over the wake and the Roc tilts her head back into the sky, read the handout inscription aloud — let players hear it as a lullaby for something that was never meant to be trapped.
Crossover Setting
- Tone: Jason-and-Argonauts energy meets One Thousand and One Nights — same wonder, two storytelling dialects.
- Shared creatures: Cyclops / one-eyed giant (Greek and Sinbad’s voyages), griffin, roc/rukh as sky-terror, Proteus / Old Man of the Sea (Fey–Fiendish Druid with Wild Shape).
- Map arc: Shore (~40×40) → valley mouth → rim path or gorge floor (80×40, cliffs) → nest ledge 40 ft above (30×40) → cliff descent → trireme under sail (~20×60 deck + open water). The trireme is not flavor this time — Phase 3 of the finale happens on her deck.
- Optional intro: Mist-Broker in Misthaven before the shore scene.
Major Beats & DM Notes
- Opening — Sinbad's Shame, and Sinbad's Theory. Sinbad is not asking for help easily. He tried to cross the valley twice. Insight DC 13 reads the bruises and the lack of crew as "he barely escaped both times." He frames the job as "my crew needs extraction" — but Insight DC 15 catches that he keeps circling back to the egg: "It should have hatched two seasons ago. It's a dud. She'll sit that nest until the stars burn out unless someone gets it away from her." His real plan is as much about removing the egg as rescuing the crew. A PC who calls him on either front (Persuasion DC 14 after reading him) gets the honest version and earns Advantage on one Persuasion check with Sinbad later in the session.
- Enc. 1 — The Toll is a scene, not a fight. Valley Cyclops toll — gift, riddle, or diamond flash; ~20 minutes and move on. The Cyclops recognizes Sinbad by smell ("smells like a man who ran from my cousin"). Lean into the recognition gag. Sinbad mutters: "I've paid this toll before. Badly." Combat is legal but discouraged — see the encounter for how to make that clear without railroading. Paying the toll earns a rough road-marker to the nest (+1 to Navigation checks up the cliff).
- Enc. 2 — The Fork. The valley splits and the party chooses: the rim path, where Proteus, Old Man of the Sea drops onto someone's shoulders and Layla can be freed (slower, social, both are recruitable) — or the gorge floor, a dead-straight run through giant scorpions and serpents (faster, bloodier, and nobody down there wants to be your friend). Proteus isn't evil — he's lonely and dramatic. After the ride ends, mild respect (not pity) plus Persuasion DC 14 recruits him: "I have been mistaken for a burden before. I was always a gift — it simply takes time to understand the difference."
- Enc. 3 — The Big Reveal. The egg is a poachers' decoy: carved cliff-stone, hollow, left in the nest so the Roc would keep guarding their diamond harvest while they sailed off with the real egg. Nobody at the table knows this — not even Sinbad. It comes out only in Encounter 3: if the egg is destroyed or rolled down the mountain (it cracks open on stone), or by a deliberate close study mid-fight (Investigation DC 18). Play the reveal loud: the shards are chalk-white rock all the way through, and the Roc's scream changes pitch when she sees them.
- Enc. 3 finale — Mercy on the Wake. The Roc is not a villain. She is a mother who has spent two seasons guarding a stone. The finale is a three-phase fight that ends at sea: when she drops to 0 HP (broken on the bow, not dead) or the party survives 5–6 rounds of pursuit, the Noon-Diamond moment triggers. Flash it, read the handout aloud, and let her remember sky. Sinbad follows her flight with his eyes as she goes: "Good. She'll nest somewhere the maps don't reach." Afterward he quietly notes the poachers' sail on the horizon of his memory — someone has her real egg, and Sinbad does not forgive that.
Session Rewards
Keepable prizes earned by completing (or excelling at) this session. One character claims each reward unless noted. Full cards are under Reward Cards.
| Reward | Description | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Serendib Noon-Diamond | Fist diamond that blinds with Serendib noon and softens sky-beasts. | Flash noon-mercy at the Roc and reunite Sinbad's crew without slaughtering the mountain-bird. |
Creature / Enemy List
| Creature | Easy | Med | Hard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Cyclops | 1 | 1 | 1 | Enc. 1 — roleplay scene; combat discouraged |
| Proteus (Old Man of the Sea) | 1 soft | 1 | 1 | Enc. 2 — Rim Path branch |
| Giant Scorpion | 1 | 2 | 3 | Enc. 2 — Gorge branch (1–3) |
| Diamond Serpent (giant snake) | 1 | 2–3 | 4 | Enc. 2 — Gorge branch (1–4) |
| Ghul | 0 | 0–1 | 2 | Optional — Gorge branch |
| Giant Vulture | 1 | 2 | 3 | Enc. 3 Phase 2 — nest guards (1–3) |
| Roc of Serendib | adj | 1 | 1 | Boss — three phases |
Encounter 1 — The One-Eyed Toll
Overview
A Valley Cyclops blocks the only path into the diamond valley — the same breed Sinbad fled on another voyage, and the same one-eyed hunger Greek sailors swear by. He isn't malicious; he's a toll-keeper with a job and a very empty stomach. Sinbad advises wit over steel, then mutters to himself: "Though I've lost three crews to the wit approach, so take that as you will."
Run it fast. This is a twenty-minute character scene, not a set-piece. Every path through it is a conversation or a single check — get the party laughing, hand out the toll reward, and move to the valley. If players reach for weapons, telegraph the cost before initiative: the Cyclops is 138 HP of wasted daylight, and the Roc's shadow crosses the valley mouth as a reminder that the real clock is up the mountain. Sinbad says it plainly: "We can spend an hour killing the doorman, or we can tip him."
🗺 Terrain
Valley mouth · 50×40 ft · boulder cover · cliff walls (climb DC 15). Cyclops stands in a 10-ft choke. Three large boulders provide cover (half cover; Cyclops can hurl one per Rock action).
Roleplay & Skill Paths (pick any)
- Guest-Gift. Offer wine, meat, or goods worth 25+ gp as a toll-payment. The Cyclops accepts with grudging respect and steps aside — hospitality law, which the Cyclops honors even if he hates it. No check required.
- Riddle Contest. Group Int/Performance DC 14 — 3 successes before 3 failures. Sinbad can contribute (Persuasion +6). Win: the Cyclops tells them the serpents are deaf above 10 ft. elevation, and the Old Man has been on the valley rim for three days — the party learns both Enc. 2 branches exist before choosing.
- Swap Stories. The recognition gag as a full path: a PC who plays up Sinbad's history with "the cousin" (Performance or Persuasion DC 13, Sinbad Helps) delights the Cyclops enough to wave them through in exchange for the story's ending.
- Diamond Flash. Flash the Noon-Diamond (action, 1/short rest): the Cyclops fails his Dex DC 13 automatically — his single eye is especially vulnerable. Follow with Athletics DC 13 sprint to clear the choke before he recovers. Works, but burns the flash and earns no toll reward.
Mechanics
- Combat is discouraged, not forbidden: if the party insists, the Cyclops fights to drive off, not to kill — and after 2 rounds he retreats into his cave mouth and hurls rocks (Poor Depth Perception: disadvantage beyond 30 ft.). Narrate the sun moving. If they persist to a kill, it costs the table ~30 real minutes and the toll reward; do not add reinforcements to punish them further.
- Toll reward: any peaceful resolution earns the road-marker (+1 to Navigation checks up the cliff in Enc. 3) and the Cyclops's parting warning: "Mind the little ones on the floor. Mind the old man on the rim. Mind the bird everywhere."
- Peaceful passage → Short Rest available in a shadowed alcove before Enc. 2. There is no time in this session's clock for a Long Rest — say so if players ask.
Creature Cards
Valley Cyclops (Greek / Sinbad voyage)
Large Giant, Chaotic Evil · CR 6 · Shared mythos · Mini: Cyclopean (scale up staging) or Large minotaur stand-in
AC 14 (hide) | HP 138 (12d10+72) | Speed 30 ft.
Senses: darkvision 60 ft. · Poor Depth Perception: disadvantage on attacks beyond 30 ft.
One-Eyed Toll. Demands a “guest-gift” — wine, meat, or a riddle answered (DC 14). Sinbad mutters that he has paid this toll before… badly.
Shared Legend. Same one-eyed giant family that haunts both Aegean caves and Sinbad’s third voyage — lean into the recognition gag.
Multiattack. Two greatclub attacks.
Greatclub. +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) bludgeoning.
Rock. +9 to hit, range 30/120. Hit: 28 (4d10+6) bludgeoning.
Sinbad the Sailor
Medium Humanoid (human), Chaotic Good · Quest Ally · Arabian legend in Greek mist
AC 15 (travel leathers) | HP 84 (13d8+26) | Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Saves: Dex +6, Wis +5 · Skills: Athletics +5, Acrobatics +6, Persuasion +6, Survival +5 · Languages: Common, Arabic (reskin), Greek
Seven Voyages. Advantage on checks related to ships, ropes, cliffs, and “impossible” escapes. Once per short rest, when he would drop to 0 HP, he instead drops to 1 HP and may move 15 ft. without provoking.
Crossover Guest. Treat as a living legend, not a god — killable but the world persists if he falls; prefer him standing at the end.
RECRUITMENT. Already allied at session start if the party accepts his bargain. If Enc. 2’s Old Man claims a PC (Rim Path), Sinbad auto-Helps the escape once. In Enc. 3 he frees penned crew, throws rescue ropes, and helms the trireme in Phase 3.
Multiattack. Two scimitar attacks, or one scimitar and Storyteller’s Feint.
Scimitar. +6 to hit. Hit: 7 (1d6+3) slashing.
Throwing Knife. +6 to hit, range 20/60. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing.
Storyteller’s Feint. One creature within 5 ft. Wis DC 14 or disadvantage on its next attack; Sinbad or an ally of his choice may move 10 ft. without provoking.
Roc-Lore Tip (1/encounter). Bonus action: grant one ally advantage on their next attack or check against the Roc or a serpent.
Serendib Noon-Diamond
Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
Appearance: fist-sized rough diamond, warm; flashes even under cloud
Handout (24 words). "When the mountain-bird stoops for its stolen moon, flash Serendib’s noon — nest remembers sky, and sky remembers mercy."
Enc. 1–2. Action (1/short rest): flash — one creature within 30 ft. that can see you Dex DC 13 or blinded until end of its next turn (serpents & cyclopes hate this).
Enc. 3 (Finale). During Phases 1–2 a flash works as normal (Con DC 15 or blinded 1 round; no Snatch or Nest Quake that round). The Diamond solution: in Phase 3, when the Roc drops to 0 HP (downed on the bow) or the party survives 5–6 rounds of pursuit, the light comes right and the diamond hums — flash it (auto-succeeds). If the egg’s secret hasn’t surfaced yet, it does now: she cracks the decoy in her talon, sees carved stone, and remembers sky. Read the handout aloud; she departs.
Encounter 2 — The Valley Fork
Overview
Past the toll, the Valley of Diamonds splits around a spine of rock. Sinbad lays out the choice from a boulder top: the Rim Path — a switchback ledge above the glitter, longer, and haunted by the Old Man of the Sea, who has been squatting up there for three days; or the Gorge Floor — dead straight across the diamond field, where Giant Scorpions nest under the gem-drifts and Diamond-Valley Serpents hunt by vibration. Both routes end at the cliff base below the nest. Let the party choose with incomplete information — Sinbad has survived neither route cleanly.
The trade: the Rim Path costs more table time and a piggyback ride, but it is where allies are found — Proteus can be recruited and Layla is tied up in the poachers' abandoned rim camp. The Gorge is faster and simpler — pure claws and venom — but nothing on the gorge floor can be recruited. A party that takes the gorge climbs the cliff alone.
🗺 Terrain
Valley floor 80×40 with a rim ledge running the north wall (10 ft wide, 15 ft up) · diamond difficult terrain on the floor · two serpent dens + scorpion burrows under gem-drifts (Gorge) · abandoned poacher camp mid-rim: cold firepit, cut ropes, Layla bound to a stake (Rim).
Branch A — The Rim Path (social · allies possible)
- The Old Man Drops. Mid-rim, Proteus, Old Man of the Sea lands on a PC's shoulders — Arabian classic and Greek shape-shifting sea-elder in one. He Wild Shapes at least once before the ride ends. While riding: target Restrained, speed halved, 7 (2d6) psychic at the start of each of its turns; Proteus has half cover.
- Settle Him Without Fighting. He must be shaken (Athletics contest DC 15), lulled (wine + Performance DC 14), or flash-blinded (diamond flash, auto-releases once). Sinbad automatically Helps the first attempt. Ending the ride without damaging Proteus: immediate Persuasion/Insight DC 14 to recruit him — he joins Enc. 3 and Wild Shapes again.
- Free Layla. At the poacher camp, Athletics DC 12 (action) cuts her loose. She joins Enc. 3 with Help actions. She saw the poachers working near the nest before they caught her, and says only: "They spent two nights up there and left heavier than they came." DM note: she does not know about the decoy — do not let this line spill the reveal; it should read as loot-hauling until Enc. 3 recontextualizes it.
- Rim hazards. The ledge narrows twice: Acrobatics or Athletics DC 12 or slide 15 ft down to the gorge floor (2d6 bludgeoning, prone among the diamonds — one serpent stirs).
Branch B — The Gorge Floor (combat · no recruitment)
- Opposition: 1–3 Giant Scorpions and 1–4 Diamond-Valley Serpents, scaled to taste — Easy 1+1, Medium 2+2, Hard 3+4. They erupt from burrows and dens in two waves (scorpions first at mid-crossing, serpents when anyone Dashes or falls prone).
- Serpent Stealth. Group Stealth/Survival DC 14 (each party member contributes) to cross without waking the dens. Mixed success (half the party fails): one wave only — the scorpions stir but the serpents sleep. Full failure: both waves.
- Glitter Lure. Diamond drifts are difficult terrain; a creature that Dashes across them makes a Dex DC 12 save or falls prone (the noise wakes anything still hidden).
- No recruitment on this route. Proteus stays on his rim, Layla stays staked at the camp — the party does not encounter either. They reach the cliff base faster (bank ~10 minutes of table time toward the finale) but climb without allies.
- Optional Hard: +1–2 Ghuls scavenging corpses among the gems — they attack whichever party member is at lowest HP (Grave Hunger).
Mechanics
- Both branches converge at the cliff base below the nest. Allow a Short Rest here regardless of route — the finale is long and the party should enter it with resources.
- RECRUITMENT (Proteus, Rim only): after the ride ends without killing him — Persuasion/Insight DC 14 (Sinbad Help). He joins Enc. 3 and Wild Shapes again.
- RECRUITMENT (Layla, Rim only): free her (Ath DC 12) → joins Enc. 3 with Help actions.
- APL 10 note: Serpents are CR 3 (60 HP each), Scorpions CR 3 (52 HP each). For Hard pressure on the gorge, boost serpents to HP 85 and add the Ghuls.
Creature Cards
Diamond-Valley Serpent
Huge Beast, Unaligned · CR 3 · Giant snakes of the gorge floor (run 1–4, Enc. 2 Branch B) · No mini required
AC 14 | HP 60 (8d12+8) | Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Skills: Stealth +4 · Senses: blindsight 10 ft.
Glitter Lure. Diamonds on the valley floor are difficult terrain. A creature that Dashes across them makes a Dex DC 12 save or falls prone (noise attracts a serpent if any remain hidden).
Bite. +6 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing + 7 (2d6) poison (Con DC 12 or poisoned 1 min).
Constrict. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning + grapple (escape DC 14).
Giant Scorpion
Large Beast, Unaligned · CR 3 · Gorge floor ambusher (Enc. 2 Branch B) · Token or description
AC 15 (natural armor) | HP 52 (7d10+14) | Speed 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Senses: blindsight 60 ft. · Tremorsense through the diamond drifts
Gem-Shell Ambush. Buried under a diamond drift it is indistinguishable from the glitter (Perception DC 15 to spot). It erupts when a creature crosses within 10 ft. — that creature makes the first-round Dex saves at disadvantage.
No Parley. Cannot be recruited, bribed, or befriended — the gorge route offers speed, not friends.
Multiattack. Two claws and one sting.
Claw. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) bludgeoning, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12; two claws = restrained).
Sting. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing + 22 (4d10) poison (Con DC 12 half).
Proteus, Old Man of the Sea (Shaikh al-Bahr)
Medium Fey / Fiendish Druid, Neutral · CR 4 · Old Man of the Sea · Proteus · Wild Shape
AC 14 | HP 71 (11d8+22) | Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Skills: Athletics +7, Deception +4 · Magic Resistance
Riding Burden. If it hits with Slam against a Medium or smaller creature, it grapples (escape DC 15) and rides the target’s shoulders. While riding: target is restrained, speed halved, and takes 7 (2d6) psychic at the start of each of its turns. Proteus has half cover.
Fey / Fiendish Druid. Proteus is the Old Man of the Sea and the Greek shape-shifting sea-elder in one stubborn body. He can Wild Shape (see below).
Wild Shape (2/encounter). Bonus action: assume a beast form of CR 2 or lower (shark, seal, serpent, lion, eagle, etc.) for up to 1 hour, or until he drops to 0 HP in that form. He retains Riding Burden only in humanoid form. DM must: have him Wild Shape at least once during Enc. 2. If recruited for Enc. 3, he Wild Shapes again on the nest (prefer a Large flying or climbing beast).
Non-combat end. Athletics contest DC 15 (group help), wine + Performance DC 14 to make him sleep/release, or diamond flash while grappling (auto-ends ride once).
RECRUITMENT (Enc. 2 Rim Path → Enc. 3). Only met on the Rim Path branch. After the ride ends without killing him: Persuasion/Insight DC 14 (Sinbad Help) or a fair guest-gift. Recruited Proteus joins Enc. 3 as an ally and Wild Shapes again in that fight. On any successful Enc. 3 resolution, he also pledges to answer a future call (Victory Unchained / campaign finale).
Slam. +5 to hit. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning + Riding Burden attempt (humanoid form only).
Salt Curse (Recharge 5–6). One creature within 30 ft. Con DC 13 or poisoned and speed 0 until end of its next turn.
Wild Shape (Bonus Action). See trait. Beast attacks use that form’s natural weapons (DM: pick a CR ≤2 beast stat block).
Layla of Basra (Sinbad’s Crewmate)
Medium Humanoid, Neutral Good · CR 1 · Recruitable
AC 13 | HP 32 | Speed 30 ft.
Found staked at the poachers’ abandoned rim camp in Enc. 2 (Rim Path branch only)
RECRUITMENT. Free her (Ath DC 12 vs. ropes) without harm → she joins Enc. 3 with Help actions. She saw the poachers descend “heavier than they came” but does not know what they did in the nest — she cannot spoil the reveal.
Scimitar. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Helpful Shot. Shortbow +4; or Help as a bonus action once per round while adjacent to an ally.
Ghul Scavenger
Medium Undead (or Fiend), Neutral Evil · CR 2 · Arabian · Optional clutter
AC 13 | HP 45 (7d8+14) | Speed 30 ft.
Shapechanger (hyena or jackal form — travel only) · Resist necrotic
Grave Hunger. Advantage on attacks vs. creatures at half HP or lower.
Optional. Use 0–2 on a Hard Gorge crossing (Enc. 2 Branch B); skip on Easy.
Claw. +4 to hit. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing.
Grave Howl (1/day). Each creature of its choice within 20 ft. Wis DC 12 or frightened until end of its next turn.
Encounter 3 — The Roc of Serendib (Boss · Three Phases)
Overview
Climb or Sinbad's rope-ladder to the nest ledge. The Roc of Serendib — rukh, sky-mountain, thief of masts and moons — broods over a pale egg half the size of a wagon wheel. Sinbad's crew is penned behind the nest pillars. As the party climbs, Sinbad says the quiet part: "That egg should have hatched two seasons ago. It's a dud. Get it out of her nest — steal it, roll it, I don't care — and she'll finally leave this rock. Then my crew walks free."
The secret (DM only): the egg is a decoy — carved cliff-stone, hollow, chalk-white all the way through. Poachers stole the Roc's real egg weeks ago and planted this one so she would keep guarding their diamond harvest. Nobody at the table knows, including Sinbad. Describe the egg as cold and strangely still, and let players draw wrong conclusions until the reveal lands in Phase 2 (or by Investigation DC 18 mid-fight). When it lands, play it loud — the shards are stone, and the Roc's scream changes pitch.
This is half the session. Budget ~90–105 minutes: Phase 1 in the nest (2–3 rounds), Phase 2 flight, vultures, the egg decision, and the descent (~4–5 rounds plus a skill challenge), Phase 3 aboard the trireme (5–6 rounds). The Roc's 198 HP pool spans all three phases — track it continuously.
🗺 Terrain
Phases 1–2: nest ledge 30×40 · 40 ft drop (4d6, Ath DC 14 arrest) · egg center-nest (AC 12 / HP 20; carrying it needs two hands or Str 13+) · two nest pillars (AC 14 / HP 25; crew penned behind them) · Sinbad's rope-ladder at south edge. Descent: 40 ft of switchback scree — skill challenge, not a map. Phase 3: trireme deck ~20×60 under sail · mast (AC 14 / HP 50) · hull (AC 15 / HP 80) · open water on all sides.
Phase 1 — The Nest (rounds 1–3)
- As written: the Roc stays grounded in the nest, fighting with Beak, Talons, Snatch Creature, and Nest Quake. She positions herself between the party and the egg; she is defending, not hunting.
- Free the crew: Sinbad's four penned crewmates can be released (Athletics DC 12 to break the woven-branch pen, or 10 HP of cutting). Freed crew scramble down the rope-ladder and ready the trireme — this is what makes Phase 3 possible, so make sure it happens (Sinbad prioritizes it if the players don't).
- Free Snatched Allies. When the Roc Snatches a PC (grappled, lifted 30 ft.), Sinbad uses his next action to throw a rope (Athletics +5) — on a hit, the snatched PC may attempt Athletics DC 15 or Acrobatics DC 13 to grab it and arrest the lift. Layla can Shove from below with Help if adjacent.
- Phase transition: at the end of round 2 or 3 (DM's feel — when the party has engaged and the crew is moving), the Roc launches skyward with a downblast that staggers everyone: Str DC 13 or knocked prone. Go to Phase 2.
Phase 2 — Wings, Vultures, and the Egg
- The Roc circles. Airborne at 80–120 ft., she passes every 2 rounds: on a pass she makes one flyby (Beak + Talons against one target, or Snatch) and is out of reach again before melee can answer. Between passes, ranged attacks at long range only.
- The Carrion Court descends. The moment she lifts off, 1–3 Giant Vultures (Easy 1 / Med 2 / Hard 3) drop onto the ledge and guard the egg — they've waited weeks for the nest to open and they defend the prize like it's theirs.
- The egg decision. After a few more rounds (once the vultures are handled or bypassed), the party must leave the ledge — and choose what to do with the egg:
- Take the Egg: it needs two hands or Str 13+ to carry; the carrier makes all descent checks at disadvantage. The Roc sees it leave the nest and her passes now target the carrier exclusively. In Phase 3 she is after the egg.
- Leave the Egg: the Roc dives to the nest and mantles over it — the party gains two free rounds of descent before she realizes the intruders who bloodied her are escaping, and comes for revenge.
- Destroy the Egg (THE REVEAL): AC 12 / HP 20. It doesn't crack like a shell — it shatters like a statue. Chalk-white stone all the way through, hollow at the center. Layla goes pale: "That's cliff-stone. Someone carved this." Sinbad, one beat later: "…Then where is her egg?" The Roc sees the shards from the sky and her scream changes. In Phase 3 she is out for revenge — but the party now holds the truth that can free her.
- Roll the Egg down the mountain: Str (Athletics) DC 13 to heave it over the rim. It bounces down 40 ft of scree and bursts on the valley floor — same reveal, at a distance (anyone watching sees stone shards, no yolk, no glister of life). The Roc dives after it, buying the party two free rounds of descent; she lands among the shards, understands nothing except loss, and rises again in a fury.
- The Descent (skill challenge). Each PC makes two checks from Survival, Athletics, Acrobatics (or a justified alternative — rope-work, Guidance, feather fall auto-passes) DC 13, scrambling down switchback scree while the Roc's shadow strobes over them. Each failure: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning from a slide. Two failures: the PC also starts Phase 3 prone on the beach as the trireme loads. Sinbad's road-marker from Enc. 1 gives +1; the egg carrier rolls at disadvantage. Narrate this fast and loud — it's the connective tissue, not a full scene.
Phase 3 — Wrath over the Wake (rounds 1–6 at sea)
- Set sail. The crew (freed in Phase 1) has the trireme moving as the party boards. The Roc comes in low over the water behind them. If the egg is aboard, she is after the egg — she targets the carrier and anything between her and it. If not, she is out for revenge — she targets whoever hurt her worst.
- Her tactics: knock crew into the water (Talons hit: Str DC 17 or swept overboard — swimmers need Athletics DC 13 and a thrown rope to reboard), and cripple the ship (Siege Beak vs. mast AC 14 / HP 50 or hull AC 15 / HP 80 — she double-damages objects; a downed mast halves escape speed and the deck becomes difficult terrain).
- The Perch. Once per 2 rounds she lands on the mast-top or the bow-post and flaps a mighty gust (Wing Gale): every creature on deck Str DC 15 or pushed 10 ft. toward the rails and knocked prone; unattended objects fly; anyone at a rail makes a second Str DC 13 or goes overboard. While perched (1 round) she is in melee reach of the rigging — this is the party's best window to hurt her.
- The finale trigger: when the Roc drops to 0 HP (she crashes onto the bow, broken-winged but alive — this is staged, not death) or the party survives 5–6 rounds of pursuit, the Diamond solution triggers: the light comes right, the diamond hums, flash it (auto-succeeds in this moment). If the reveal hasn't happened yet, it happens now — she seizes the egg in one talon and it cracks against her grip into carved stone. Read the handout aloud. She looses the shards into the sea, takes one long look at the people who showed her the truth, and turns for open sky.
- Refusing mercy: a party that executes the downed Roc may — it's pyrrhic, and Sinbad won't stop them, but he goes quiet. Either way he finds the poachers' trail in the nest debris afterward: someone has her real egg, and that ship has a head start. (Sequel hook — and a Roc-mount seed if the campaign continues.)
Mechanics
- One HP pool, three phases: 198 HP total, LR 2/day. Nest Quake is Phase 1 only; flyby passes are Phase 2 only; Wing Gale and ship-wrecking are Phase 3 only. If she enters Phase 3 above 75% HP, give her +1 pass per 2 rounds — the party should feel the clock.
- Reveal discipline: the egg's falseness surfaces ONLY via destroy/roll (automatic), Investigation DC 18 up close mid-fight, or the Phase 3 finale. Layla and Sinbad cannot identify it — they sell the mystery, not the answer.
- APL 10 Deadly check: Roc CR 11 + 1–3 vultures + terrain across three arenas is Deadly for APL 10. If it runs easy, add a fourth vulture in Phase 2 or have the Roc hole the hull early in Phase 3 (each PC spends an action bailing or the deck lists — attacks at disadvantage next round).
- Sinbad: Roc-Lore Tip (1/encounter) + rope rescues + helms the trireme. Layla: Help actions + hauls swimmers aboard. Proteus (if recruited): Wild Shapes this fight — a shark form in Phase 3 that shoves swimmers back to the hull is a delight; pledges a future call on any Enc. 3 success.
- Persistence: no gods die; Serendib and the Aegean both keep their horizons.
Creature Cards
Roc of Serendib (Rukh)
Gargantuan Monstrosity, Unaligned · CR 11 · THREE-PHASE BOSS (nest → flight → ship) · Mini: Roc · Arabian rukh / Greek sky-terror
AC 15 | HP 198 (12d20+72) staged | Speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft.
Saves: Dex +4, Con +9, Wis +5 · LR 2/day · Keen Sight mile+
Stolen Moon (DM SECRET). The pale egg in her nest (AC 12 / HP 20) is a poachers’ decoy — carved cliff-stone, hollow; they stole her real egg weeks ago. Nobody knows, including Sinbad. The truth surfaces only in Enc. 3: destroying or rolling the egg (automatic), Investigation DC 18 up close mid-fight, or the Phase 3 finale when it cracks in her talon.
Three Phases (one 198 HP pool). P1 Nest (rd 1–3): grounded, defends the egg — Beak/Talons/Snatch/Nest Quake. P2 Flight: airborne, one flyby pass every 2 rounds while 1–3 Giant Vultures guard the nest; ends when the party makes the egg decision and descends. P3 Ship (rd 1–6): pursues the trireme — after the egg if aboard, out for revenge if not — sweeping crew overboard, wrecking mast/hull, perching to unleash Wing Gale.
Persistence. Iconic sky-mountain bird — at 0 HP she is downed on the bow, not dead (staged). Dropping her to 0 or surviving 5–6 rounds of Phase 3 triggers the Diamond finale: flash, handout, reveal (if not yet landed), and she departs for open sky. If executed while downed: pyrrhic — Sinbad goes quiet, then finds the poachers’ trail; someone has her real egg (sequel hook / Roc-mount seed).
Siege Beak. Double damage to nest pillars / cliff anchors (objects).
Multiattack. Beak and talons.
Beak. +13 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 26 (4d8+9) piercing.
Talons. +13 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 23 (4d6+9) slashing + grapple Huge or smaller (escape DC 19).
Snatch Creature (Recharge 5–6). One grappled Medium/Small creature is lifted 30 ft. vertically (or dropped 2d6 bludgeoning if released).
Nest Quake (1/day · Phase 1 only). Wing buffet on the ledge: each creature on nest terrain Dex DC 17 or 14 (4d6) bludgeoning and knocked toward the diamond valley (Ath DC 14 or fall 40 ft. for 4d6).
Flyby Pass (Phase 2 · every 2 rounds). She swoops through the ledge: Beak and Talons against one target (or Snatch Creature if it’s available), then climbs out of reach without provoking. Between passes she is at 80–120 ft. — long range only.
Wing Gale (Phase 3 · while perched on mast or bow). Each creature on deck Str DC 15 or pushed 10 ft. toward the rails and knocked prone; creatures at a rail make a second Str DC 13 or go overboard. Unattended objects fly. She may perch once per 2 rounds; while perched (1 round) she can be reached in melee via the rigging.
Detect (1). Perception check.
Talon (1). One talons attack.
Wheel (2). Fly up to half Speed without provoking; reposition above nest or valley.
Serendib Noon-Diamond
Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
Appearance: fist-sized rough diamond, warm; flashes even under cloud
Handout (24 words). "When the mountain-bird stoops for its stolen moon, flash Serendib’s noon — nest remembers sky, and sky remembers mercy."
Enc. 1–2. Action (1/short rest): flash — one creature within 30 ft. that can see you Dex DC 13 or blinded until end of its next turn (serpents & cyclopes hate this).
Enc. 3 (Finale). During Phases 1–2 a flash works as normal (Con DC 15 or blinded 1 round; no Snatch or Nest Quake that round). The Diamond solution: in Phase 3, when the Roc drops to 0 HP (downed on the bow) or the party survives 5–6 rounds of pursuit, the light comes right and the diamond hums — flash it (auto-succeeds). If the egg’s secret hasn’t surfaced yet, it does now: she cracks the decoy in her talon, sees carved stone, and remembers sky. Read the handout aloud; she departs.
Sinbad the Sailor
Medium Humanoid (human), Chaotic Good · Quest Ally · Arabian legend in Greek mist
AC 15 (travel leathers) | HP 84 (13d8+26) | Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Saves: Dex +6, Wis +5 · Skills: Athletics +5, Acrobatics +6, Persuasion +6, Survival +5 · Languages: Common, Arabic (reskin), Greek
Seven Voyages. Advantage on checks related to ships, ropes, cliffs, and “impossible” escapes. Once per short rest, when he would drop to 0 HP, he instead drops to 1 HP and may move 15 ft. without provoking.
Crossover Guest. Treat as a living legend, not a god — killable but the world persists if he falls; prefer him standing at the end.
RECRUITMENT. Already allied at session start if the party accepts his bargain. If Enc. 2’s Old Man claims a PC (Rim Path), Sinbad auto-Helps the escape once. In Enc. 3 he frees penned crew, throws rescue ropes, and helms the trireme in Phase 3.
Multiattack. Two scimitar attacks, or one scimitar and Storyteller’s Feint.
Scimitar. +6 to hit. Hit: 7 (1d6+3) slashing.
Throwing Knife. +6 to hit, range 20/60. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing.
Storyteller’s Feint. One creature within 5 ft. Wis DC 14 or disadvantage on its next attack; Sinbad or an ally of his choice may move 10 ft. without provoking.
Roc-Lore Tip (1/encounter). Bonus action: grant one ally advantage on their next attack or check against the Roc or a serpent.
Giant Vulture
Large Beast, Neutral Evil · CR 1 (run 1–3) · Enc. 3 Phase 2 nest guards · Mini: griffin stand-in
AC 10 | HP 40 (6d10+7) | Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
Skills: Perception +3 · Keen Sight and Smell · Pack Tactics
Carrion Court. They have shadowed the Roc for weeks waiting for scraps. When she takes flight in Phase 2, 1–3 of them drop onto the nest ledge and defend the egg as if it were their own prize.
Egg Wardens. A vulture within 5 ft. of the egg imposes disadvantage on checks made to move, study, or strike the egg (it harries the attempt).
Multiattack. One beak and one talons.
Beak. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) piercing.
Talons. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing.
⚖️ Difficulty Scaling
As Written ★ — 6 Players, Average Level 10
- Baseline for this guide. Encounter 1 is a quick roleplay scene (combat discouraged); Encounter 2 is Hard on either branch; the three-phase finale is Deadly for six PCs at average level 10 and fills about half the session.
- XP budgets (6×L10 thresholds): Hard ≈ 10,800 · Deadly ≈ 16,800. Prefer adding elite pressure, legendary actions, or terrain danger over bloating minion counts past the choke.
Library Standard — 6 Players, Average Level 8
- Dial back: reduce boss HP ~20–25%; cut one legendary action option or recharge breath to 6 only; Favor/track thresholds −1 where present; skill DCs −1; drop one minion wave or −2 CR1–2 creatures from Hard openers.
Easier
- APL 8–9: use the Library Standard (6×L8) box, then shave one more minion wave or remove one recharge ability.
Harder
- APL 11–12: boss HP +20%; +1 legendary; final encounter gains one extra elite or lair pulse; skill DCs +1.
📋 Appendix — Cards
Allies / Item
Sinbad the Sailor
Medium Humanoid (human), Chaotic Good · Quest Ally · Arabian legend in Greek mist
AC 15 (travel leathers) | HP 84 (13d8+26) | Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Saves: Dex +6, Wis +5 · Skills: Athletics +5, Acrobatics +6, Persuasion +6, Survival +5 · Languages: Common, Arabic (reskin), Greek
Seven Voyages. Advantage on checks related to ships, ropes, cliffs, and “impossible” escapes. Once per short rest, when he would drop to 0 HP, he instead drops to 1 HP and may move 15 ft. without provoking.
Crossover Guest. Treat as a living legend, not a god — killable but the world persists if he falls; prefer him standing at the end.
RECRUITMENT. Already allied at session start if the party accepts his bargain. If Enc. 2’s Old Man claims a PC (Rim Path), Sinbad auto-Helps the escape once. In Enc. 3 he frees penned crew, throws rescue ropes, and helms the trireme in Phase 3.
Multiattack. Two scimitar attacks, or one scimitar and Storyteller’s Feint.
Scimitar. +6 to hit. Hit: 7 (1d6+3) slashing.
Throwing Knife. +6 to hit, range 20/60. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing.
Storyteller’s Feint. One creature within 5 ft. Wis DC 14 or disadvantage on its next attack; Sinbad or an ally of his choice may move 10 ft. without provoking.
Roc-Lore Tip (1/encounter). Bonus action: grant one ally advantage on their next attack or check against the Roc or a serpent.
Layla of Basra (Sinbad’s Crewmate)
Medium Humanoid, Neutral Good · CR 1 · Recruitable
AC 13 | HP 32 | Speed 30 ft.
Found staked at the poachers’ abandoned rim camp in Enc. 2 (Rim Path branch only)
RECRUITMENT. Free her (Ath DC 12 vs. ropes) without harm → she joins Enc. 3 with Help actions. She saw the poachers descend “heavier than they came” but does not know what they did in the nest — she cannot spoil the reveal.
Scimitar. +4. Hit: 5 (1d6+2).
Helpful Shot. Shortbow +4; or Help as a bonus action once per round while adjacent to an ally.
Serendib Noon-Diamond
Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
Appearance: fist-sized rough diamond, warm; flashes even under cloud
Handout (24 words). "When the mountain-bird stoops for its stolen moon, flash Serendib’s noon — nest remembers sky, and sky remembers mercy."
Enc. 1–2. Action (1/short rest): flash — one creature within 30 ft. that can see you Dex DC 13 or blinded until end of its next turn (serpents & cyclopes hate this).
Enc. 3 (Finale). During Phases 1–2 a flash works as normal (Con DC 15 or blinded 1 round; no Snatch or Nest Quake that round). The Diamond solution: in Phase 3, when the Roc drops to 0 HP (downed on the bow) or the party survives 5–6 rounds of pursuit, the light comes right and the diamond hums — flash it (auto-succeeds). If the egg’s secret hasn’t surfaced yet, it does now: she cracks the decoy in her talon, sees carved stone, and remembers sky. Read the handout aloud; she departs.
The Mist-Broker (Optional Hook Face)
Medium Fey (Hermes-touched) or Genie-touched Merchant · Optional
Only needed if you want a Misthaven intro before Sinbad speaks
Line. "Two seas are arguing over one sky. The sailor already knows the mountain’s name."
Handoff. Pushes the party through mist onto Serendib’s black shore; Sinbad is waiting with the diamond.
Creatures
Valley Cyclops (Greek / Sinbad voyage)
Large Giant, Chaotic Evil · CR 6 · Shared mythos · Mini: Cyclopean (scale up staging) or Large minotaur stand-in
AC 14 (hide) | HP 138 (12d10+72) | Speed 30 ft.
Senses: darkvision 60 ft. · Poor Depth Perception: disadvantage on attacks beyond 30 ft.
One-Eyed Toll. Demands a “guest-gift” — wine, meat, or a riddle answered (DC 14). Sinbad mutters that he has paid this toll before… badly.
Shared Legend. Same one-eyed giant family that haunts both Aegean caves and Sinbad’s third voyage — lean into the recognition gag.
Multiattack. Two greatclub attacks.
Greatclub. +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 19 (3d8+6) bludgeoning.
Rock. +9 to hit, range 30/120. Hit: 28 (4d10+6) bludgeoning.
Diamond-Valley Serpent
Huge Beast, Unaligned · CR 3 · Giant snakes of the gorge floor (run 1–4, Enc. 2 Branch B) · No mini required
AC 14 | HP 60 (8d12+8) | Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Skills: Stealth +4 · Senses: blindsight 10 ft.
Glitter Lure. Diamonds on the valley floor are difficult terrain. A creature that Dashes across them makes a Dex DC 12 save or falls prone (noise attracts a serpent if any remain hidden).
Bite. +6 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing + 7 (2d6) poison (Con DC 12 or poisoned 1 min).
Constrict. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning + grapple (escape DC 14).
Proteus, Old Man of the Sea (Shaikh al-Bahr)
Medium Fey / Fiendish Druid, Neutral · CR 4 · Old Man of the Sea · Proteus · Wild Shape
AC 14 | HP 71 (11d8+22) | Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Skills: Athletics +7, Deception +4 · Magic Resistance
Riding Burden. If it hits with Slam against a Medium or smaller creature, it grapples (escape DC 15) and rides the target’s shoulders. While riding: target is restrained, speed halved, and takes 7 (2d6) psychic at the start of each of its turns. Proteus has half cover.
Fey / Fiendish Druid. Proteus is the Old Man of the Sea and the Greek shape-shifting sea-elder in one stubborn body. He can Wild Shape (see below).
Wild Shape (2/encounter). Bonus action: assume a beast form of CR 2 or lower (shark, seal, serpent, lion, eagle, etc.) for up to 1 hour, or until he drops to 0 HP in that form. He retains Riding Burden only in humanoid form. DM must: have him Wild Shape at least once during Enc. 2. If recruited for Enc. 3, he Wild Shapes again on the nest (prefer a Large flying or climbing beast).
Non-combat end. Athletics contest DC 15 (group help), wine + Performance DC 14 to make him sleep/release, or diamond flash while grappling (auto-ends ride once).
RECRUITMENT (Enc. 2 Rim Path → Enc. 3). Only met on the Rim Path branch. After the ride ends without killing him: Persuasion/Insight DC 14 (Sinbad Help) or a fair guest-gift. Recruited Proteus joins Enc. 3 as an ally and Wild Shapes again in that fight. On any successful Enc. 3 resolution, he also pledges to answer a future call (Victory Unchained / campaign finale).
Slam. +5 to hit. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning + Riding Burden attempt (humanoid form only).
Salt Curse (Recharge 5–6). One creature within 30 ft. Con DC 13 or poisoned and speed 0 until end of its next turn.
Wild Shape (Bonus Action). See trait. Beast attacks use that form’s natural weapons (DM: pick a CR ≤2 beast stat block).
Ghul Scavenger
Medium Undead (or Fiend), Neutral Evil · CR 2 · Arabian · Optional clutter
AC 13 | HP 45 (7d8+14) | Speed 30 ft.
Shapechanger (hyena or jackal form — travel only) · Resist necrotic
Grave Hunger. Advantage on attacks vs. creatures at half HP or lower.
Optional. Use 0–2 on a Hard Gorge crossing (Enc. 2 Branch B); skip on Easy.
Claw. +4 to hit. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing.
Grave Howl (1/day). Each creature of its choice within 20 ft. Wis DC 12 or frightened until end of its next turn.
Giant Scorpion
Large Beast, Unaligned · CR 3 · Gorge floor ambusher (Enc. 2 Branch B) · Token or description
AC 15 (natural armor) | HP 52 (7d10+14) | Speed 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Senses: blindsight 60 ft. · Tremorsense through the diamond drifts
Gem-Shell Ambush. Buried under a diamond drift it is indistinguishable from the glitter (Perception DC 15 to spot). It erupts when a creature crosses within 10 ft. — that creature makes the first-round Dex saves at disadvantage.
No Parley. Cannot be recruited, bribed, or befriended — the gorge route offers speed, not friends.
Multiattack. Two claws and one sting.
Claw. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) bludgeoning, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12; two claws = restrained).
Sting. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing + 22 (4d10) poison (Con DC 12 half).
Giant Vulture
Large Beast, Neutral Evil · CR 1 (run 1–3) · Enc. 3 Phase 2 nest guards · Mini: griffin stand-in
AC 10 | HP 40 (6d10+7) | Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
Skills: Perception +3 · Keen Sight and Smell · Pack Tactics
Carrion Court. They have shadowed the Roc for weeks waiting for scraps. When she takes flight in Phase 2, 1–3 of them drop onto the nest ledge and defend the egg as if it were their own prize.
Egg Wardens. A vulture within 5 ft. of the egg imposes disadvantage on checks made to move, study, or strike the egg (it harries the attempt).
Multiattack. One beak and one talons.
Beak. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) piercing.
Talons. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing.
Roc of Serendib (Rukh)
Gargantuan Monstrosity, Unaligned · CR 11 · THREE-PHASE BOSS (nest → flight → ship) · Mini: Roc · Arabian rukh / Greek sky-terror
AC 15 | HP 198 (12d20+72) staged | Speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft.
Saves: Dex +4, Con +9, Wis +5 · LR 2/day · Keen Sight mile+
Stolen Moon (DM SECRET). The pale egg in her nest (AC 12 / HP 20) is a poachers’ decoy — carved cliff-stone, hollow; they stole her real egg weeks ago. Nobody knows, including Sinbad. The truth surfaces only in Enc. 3: destroying or rolling the egg (automatic), Investigation DC 18 up close mid-fight, or the Phase 3 finale when it cracks in her talon.
Three Phases (one 198 HP pool). P1 Nest (rd 1–3): grounded, defends the egg — Beak/Talons/Snatch/Nest Quake. P2 Flight: airborne, one flyby pass every 2 rounds while 1–3 Giant Vultures guard the nest; ends when the party makes the egg decision and descends. P3 Ship (rd 1–6): pursues the trireme — after the egg if aboard, out for revenge if not — sweeping crew overboard, wrecking mast/hull, perching to unleash Wing Gale.
Persistence. Iconic sky-mountain bird — at 0 HP she is downed on the bow, not dead (staged). Dropping her to 0 or surviving 5–6 rounds of Phase 3 triggers the Diamond finale: flash, handout, reveal (if not yet landed), and she departs for open sky. If executed while downed: pyrrhic — Sinbad goes quiet, then finds the poachers’ trail; someone has her real egg (sequel hook / Roc-mount seed).
Siege Beak. Double damage to nest pillars / cliff anchors (objects).
Multiattack. Beak and talons.
Beak. +13 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 26 (4d8+9) piercing.
Talons. +13 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 23 (4d6+9) slashing + grapple Huge or smaller (escape DC 19).
Snatch Creature (Recharge 5–6). One grappled Medium/Small creature is lifted 30 ft. vertically (or dropped 2d6 bludgeoning if released).
Nest Quake (1/day · Phase 1 only). Wing buffet on the ledge: each creature on nest terrain Dex DC 17 or 14 (4d6) bludgeoning and knocked toward the diamond valley (Ath DC 14 or fall 40 ft. for 4d6).
Flyby Pass (Phase 2 · every 2 rounds). She swoops through the ledge: Beak and Talons against one target (or Snatch Creature if it’s available), then climbs out of reach without provoking. Between passes she is at 80–120 ft. — long range only.
Wing Gale (Phase 3 · while perched on mast or bow). Each creature on deck Str DC 15 or pushed 10 ft. toward the rails and knocked prone; creatures at a rail make a second Str DC 13 or go overboard. Unattended objects fly. She may perch once per 2 rounds; while perched (1 round) she can be reached in melee via the rigging.
Detect (1). Perception check.
Talon (1). One talons attack.
Wheel (2). Fly up to half Speed without provoking; reposition above nest or valley.
Reward Cards
Post-session keepables. Reward is the first tag. Mechanics below are for ongoing use after this oneshot.
Serendib Noon-Diamond
Reward · Wondrous · 1/Short Rest
Mechanics. Once per short rest, as an action, flash the diamond at one creature within 30 feet that can see you. It must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn. Once per long rest, when you flash it at a Huge or larger beast or monstrosity that can fly, on a failed DC 15 Constitution save it is also unable to use grappling or nest-quake style lair actions until the end of its next turn.
Appearance. A fist-sized rough diamond that flashes as if noon lives inside it, even under cloud.
Lore. Sinbad's noon-bright mercy-stone, kept after the Roc remembered sky instead of a false egg.
Quote. "Flash Serendib's noon — nest remembers sky, and sky remembers mercy." — Noon-Diamond
Earn when: Flash noon-mercy at the Roc and reunite Sinbad's crew without slaughtering the mountain-bird.
