This adventure is designed for a party of four, 1st-level D&D 5th edition characters. It is a supplement to my Better Monsters – Vegepygmy article and uses the Power Alignment system for describing monsters.

Sickness has spread like wildfire through town and wherever it springs up, the sick seeming to disappear before the clerics can arrive. This sickness is being caused by a patch of russet mold down in the towns well, and the disappearing bodies are being carried down there by the vegepygmies that the mold has created.

Aspects of the well.
Walls. All walls are made of natural stone and dirst that has been dug through by the vegepygmies.
Paths. The paths between each room are sized for small creatures, meaning that creature of medium size must squeeze through them while creatures large or larger cannot get through.
Light. There is no light down here except for the well, leaving the area in darkness everywhere else.
Smell. Areas 1, 2, and 3 all carry a feintly sweet, iron smell from the russet mold. Areas 4 and 5 however stick from the dead bodies.

Down The Well.
“This well show few signs of age as there are no plant life growing along its stone and its gable style roof still shone with a fresh coat of paint. The structures prestine nature is only ruined by a large hole in the roof.”
Inspecting the Well.
A DC 12 Intelligence (investigation) skill check recognises that the hole in the roof was created by something falling through it. [A vegepygmy budder was shot by a hunter and feel through the roof and into the well last week. It was quickly removed, but not before it created a patch of russet mold.]
A DC 13 Wisdom (survival) skill check will find footprints around the well. These footprints belong to sized creatures carrying something heavy. [These are the vegepygmy footsprints left behind as they carry their dead hosts down the well.]
Scaling the Well.
The well is 26 feet deep from lip to waterline and the water is a further 7 feet deep.
Climbing down without a rope is difficult, though not impossible. The vegepygmies have created small grooves from climbing up a down making it easier for a small creature to do so. If a creature is medium sized or larger its a DC 13 Dexterity (acrobatics) or Strength (athletics) skill check. If the creature is small sized or smaller the DC is lowered to 11.
With rope, the well can be easily absailed using a DC 5 Dexterity (acrobatics) or Strength (athletics) skill check. If the rope has been knotted, which reduces the ropes total length by half, no skill check is required. There are numerous sturdy locations to tie a rope off on.

1. The Well
“The thin well terminates in a 10 foot wide, cylindrical basin. The walls to the north and east have been pulled apart, revealing twin tunnels.”
A DC 10 Wisdom (survival) skill check will reveal that these holes have been recently dug by an animal with claws. A dwarf’s stonecunning ability will apply to this check.
Hazards.
Entering the water at the bottom of the well is a loud activity, even with a rope. Unless precautions are taken, the creatures in area 2 will be alerted and attempt to set an ambush.

2. Guard Dog.
“A veritable forest of ferns and mushrooms has grown over the floors and walls of this small chamber. Small tunnels have been dug into the east and south walls.”
Creatures.

Plants.
In this area the plants are thick enough for vegepygmies to use their plant camoflague ability. If the plants are inspected, a DC 13 Intelligence (nature) skill check will reveal that they have been fertalised with bone meal. [From the bones of villagers the vegepygmies have kidnapped, but not infected with russet mold.]

3. Rust Room.
“The floor of this chamber has a bizzare layer of rust coloured, hair like growths covering it. A pair of thin tunnels lead to the north and east.”
Hazards.
The growths along the floor is russet mold. Since the air in this chamber is filled with the mold’s sweet smelling spores any character that enters will be expsosed to it. A DC 13 Intelligence (nature) skill check will identify the russet mold along with its deadly properties. A DC 12 Wisdom (perception) skill check will notice that the mold has grown over some animal bones. [These are the bones of a few sheep and birds the vegepygmies have taken for food.]

4. Sleeping Chamber.
The entrances to this chamber are covered by a curtain of animal furs to dampen the sound outside.
“Animal skins and plant fibers have been used to transform rocky chamber into a somewhat cozy space. Lines of meat are air drying over woven baskets of tattered clothing and jewlery. Animal skins have been draped over the walls and primitive painting have been drawn over them. And a communal pile of bedding furs has been placed in a corner. Fur covered exits sit on either end of the east wall.”
Creatures.

Treasure.
The basket of jewlery in this chamber contains 112cp and 4 pieces of plain silver jewlery worth 31sp. Interestingly, amongst the jewlery is a magical ring with three, detachable, seed sized garnets set into it. Each of these garnets can be put into the mouth of a willing creature as a bonus action. If put inside someone, they will rapidly melt and bestow the effects of a potion of healing. Once all three gems are consumed the ring becomes nonmagical.

5. Nest.
“The mutilated bodies of several humans have been laid over a stone altar. Fetishes and offerings have been placed at the foot of the alter and the sour tang of burnt blood fills the air a bone censer. The only exit to this chamber is a tunnel to the south.”
Creatures.

Treasure.
The shaman is holding a wand of growth, crafted from the bones of its host. This wand has 3 charges and regains 1d3 charges during a full moon. A wielder can use one charge to cause all plants with 30ft to rapidly mature, making them go through a years worth of growth in just 24 hours. This has no effect on creatures with the plant subtype.

Conclusion
If the PCs approach the vegepygmies peacefully, they will not be attacked on sight and the creatures will attempt to communitcate in their clicking language. If they are give a reasonable offer to leave, the vegepygmies are happy to do so the next night.
With the vegepygmies stopped and the russet mold removed the town can return to normal.
Side Quests are quick, 3-5 room dungeons that can be thrown into any fantasy game.