Shady Watchdog | Free 5e & PF2e Encounter

Written by Hana the Lorekeeper
Cartography by Sir Vicke

Whether you stumble upon them without warning or intentionally seek them out, there is no denying that devils and demons are not to be taken lightly. While demons revel in chaos and destruction, devils slip between the mental guards of adventurers and unwary individuals, tempting them with dark promises. One should be wary of rogue Diabris devils in a fight, but they are more likely to engage in dark deals that leave characters with regrets. Adventurers beware, for casually sharing secrets will get someone killed. . .

Versions for both 5e and Pathfinder 2e are included.

If you're looking for more encounters like this or other 5e and PF2e resources, check out our entire collection of Lair Magazine issues. This particular encounter came from the November 2023 issue, Fiends & Flames, where you can find even more fiendish creatures!

Shady Watchdog - 5e

Level. This encounter is designed for a group of four to six level-ten characters.

Creatures. This encounter features the following creature: umbral serpent.

Location. Near a garrison of the Infernal Lord in the infernal plane, a large metal statue of a red dragon stands on a stone bridge. While the metal statue glows red hot from the environment’s heat, its underside and base are shadowy black and drip like ink; the dragon’s eyes seem to follow creatures it can see. Attempting to fly over the crevasse is unsafe due to unpredictable blasts of hot air, so the only way to cross reliably is to walk past the statue.

Loot. The adamantine statue can be harvested or removed from its confines if both Toh and Paz are defeated.

Encounter Description

Several decades ago, a pair of umbral serpents were captured from Eiseth’s forces. They were made an example of and their forms were bound into the dragon statue and compelled them to act as a guard for his fort. Non-devils or Diabris devils attempting to cross the bridge will trigger a surprise attack as the seemingly inanimate statue comes to life.

Roleplaying Notes.

• Although Paz (pahz) and Toh (toeh) are two different entities for initiative and combat, they speak as one individual, using us/our pronouns. Time has driven them slowly insane and forced them to become a hive mind to control their shared form.
• While similar, they do share differences: Toh is rash while Paz is calm; Toh wants to “attack first, ask questions later,” while Paz prefers to speak before making a decision. Clever characters can cause the pair to start arguing, making the dragon freeze with indecision.
• The pair despise the Infernal Lord even though they are magically compelled to obey his commands. This has led to them unwillingly attacking their own allies, and the compulsion doesn’t stop them from insulting their captor in every sentence they speak.

Encounter Notes.

• When the party arrives at this location, roll a d4. On a roll of 1 or 2, the pair watches silently until a target is within range and then strikes, while on a roll of 3 or 4, the pair warns the characters against approaching.
• Paz is amicable unless the characters attempt to cross the bridge, while Toh just wants to fight.
• As Paz and Toh are two entities trapped in one body, their health can be tracked by which side of the dragon they control: Paz controls the right side, and Toh controls the left. Because the statue is metal, it cannot fly. Together, Paz and Toh can only grapple one creature at a time, and neither possesses their hidden strike ability.
• If either Paz or Toh dies, the survivor will fight to avenge them.

Statue. The magic binding the pair to the statue is of the abjuration variety, specifically a powerful, uncommon version of planar binding. Attacking the statue deals direct damage to Paz and Toh instead of the metal. The only way to separate either from the statue is to cast planar ally and summon them by name. Although they are not fused together, the statue cannot be further than 80 ft. from the base; attempting to move beyond this limit instantly teleports it back.

Secret. The capture and enslavement of Paz and Toh are part of the ongoing war between the forces of Eiseth and Asmodeus. Freeing the pair could allow the party to pay off a debt owed to the Diabris or put them in “good standing” with the rogue infernal group.

Shady Watchdog - PF2e [Moderate Encounter]

Level. This encounter is designed for a group of four level-10 characters.

Creatures. This encounter features the following creature: umbral serpent.

Location. Near a garrison of the Infernal Lord in the infernal plane, a large metal statue of a red dragon stands on a stone bridge. While the metal statue glows red hot from the environment’s heat, its underside and base are shadowy black and drip like ink; the dragon’s eyes seem to follow creatures it can see. Attempting to fly over the crevasse is unsafe due to unpredictable blasts of hot air, so the only way to cross reliably is to walk past the statue.

Loot. The adamantine statue can be harvested or removed from its confines if both Toh and Paz are defeated.

Encounter Description

Several decades ago, a pair of umbral serpents were captured from Eiseth’s forces. They were made an example of and their forms were bound into the dragon statue and compelled them to act as a guard for his fort. Non-devils or Diabris devils attempting to cross the bridge will trigger a surprise attack as the seemingly inanimate statue comes to life.

Roleplaying Notes.

• Although Paz (pahz) and Toh (toeh) are two different entities for initiative and combat, they speak as one individual, using us/our pronouns. Time has driven them slowly insane and forced them to become a hive mind to control their shared form.
• While similar, they do share differences: Toh is rash while Paz is calm; Toh wants to “attack first, ask questions later,” while Paz prefers to speak before making a decision. Clever characters can cause the pair to start arguing, making the dragon freeze with indecision.
• The pair despise the Infernal Lord even though they are magically compelled to obey his commands. This has led to them unwillingly attacking their own allies, and the compulsion doesn’t stop them from insulting their captor in every sentence they speak.

Encounter Notes.

• When the party arrives at this location, roll a d4. On a roll of 1 or 2, the pair watches silently until a target is within range and then strikes, while on a roll of 3 or 4, the pair warns the characters against approaching.
• Paz is amicable unless the characters attempt to cross the bridge, while Toh just wants to fight.
• As Paz and Toh are two entities trapped in one body, their health can be tracked by which side of the dragon they control: Paz controls the right side, and Toh controls the left. Because the statue is metal, it cannot fly. Together, Paz and Toh can only grapple one creature at a time, and neither possesses their hidden strike ability.
• If either Paz or Toh dies, the survivor will fight to avenge them.

Statue. The magic binding the pair to the statue is of the abjuration variety, specifically a powerful, uncommon version of planar binding. Attacking the statue deals direct damage to Paz and Toh instead of the metal. The only way to separate either from the statue is to cast planar ally and summon them by name. Although they are not fused together, the statue cannot be further than 80 ft. from the base; attempting to move beyond this limit instantly teleports it back.

Secret. The capture and enslavement of Paz and Toh are part of the ongoing war between the forces of Eiseth and Asmodeus. Freeing the pair could allow the party to pay off a debt owed to the Diabris or put them in “good standing” with the rogue infernal group.

Get More 5e and PF2e Resources!

If you're a busy game master looking to reduce your prep time--but still run amazing games your players will love--Lair Magazine has you covered. Every month my team and I create a new issue packed with GM resources such as adventures, puzzles, traps, encounters, maps, and more. What's more, it comes for both 5e and Pathfinder 2e.

For instance, Fiends & Flames, contains puzzles, new fiendish monsters, encounters, and a three-level adventure arc.

Of course, with Lair Magazine Bundle: Issues 34-36, you'll get Fiends & Flames and two other issues: Luna & Lycan and Festivities & Famine. That's nearly 200 pages of 5e and PF2e GM resources!

Get Access to 1000s of Free 5e Resources!

Now, if you're on a budget, we totally understand. That's why we also offer loads of free 5e resources for folks. Just sign up for the DM Lair Newsletter to instantly get access to our entire library of free 5e resources. We'll also send you new resources every week!

Yes, I'd like to join the DM Lair Newsletter!