Devlin is a deceased human wizard who was part of the Company of the Yellow Banner, an adventuring party that entered the Tomb of the Nine Gods approximately one year before the current adventure. His body can be found in the tomb’s circular corridor (area 19).
Background & Fate
Devlin’s journal chronicles the Company of the Yellow Banner’s journey through Chult, including:
- Landing at Kitcher’s Inlet
- Following the River Olung to Lake Luo
- Traveling southwest through the jungle to Omu
- Searching for puzzle cubes while avoiding yuan-ti
- Discovering the true entrance to the Tomb of the Nine Gods
The journal’s final entry describes the party’s initial experiences in the tomb but makes no mention of his cursed staff.
Party Composition
Devlin’s journal mentions his companions:
- Lord Brixton - Cormyrean knight
- Bravus Boulderborn - Gold dwarf cleric of Moradin
- Seward - Chondathan human ranger
- Sephirius (“Seph”) - Dragonborn paladin
Mirror Tomb Connection
Devlin’s body serves as a landmark for navigating the tomb’s planar mechanics. At the halfway point of area 19’s circular corridor (directly opposite the intersection), an invisible planar gate transports travelers to the “mirror tomb” - a demiplane containing a copy of the tomb as it existed one year ago. When characters pass through this gate, they notice Devlin’s body is no longer present, indicating they’ve entered the mirror reality.
Possessions
Spellbook contains:
- 1st level: alarm, comprehend languages, detect magic, expeditious retreat, identify, illusory script, sleep, Tenser’s floating disk
- 2nd level: arcane lock, cloud of daggers, flaming sphere, knock
- 3rd level: dispel magic, fireball
Other Items:
- Ink pot that never runs dry (100 gp value)
- Staff of striking (cursed - see below)
Cursed Staff
Devlin’s staff of striking carries a dangerous curse. Any non-tiefling who attunes to it transforms into a goat-humanoid hybrid over 3 days:
- Day 1: Shaggy fur grows over body
- Day 2: Eyes become goat-like, stumpy horns sprout
- Day 3: Fingers/toes meld into double digits, horns reach full length
The transformation doesn’t prevent spellcasting or weapon use. Remove curse or greater restoration reverses the effect, but only wish can permanently remove the staff’s cursed property.