A COLLECTION OF 20 ORIGINAL ADVENTURES

FOR 5TH EDITION DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS

Credits
Author Herder
Jessica Marcrum
Chief Art Maven
Jennifer Peig
Heads of Adventure Polish
Catherine Evans, Liz Gist
Layout Wizard
David Markiwsky
Authors
A. Kelly Lane, Alicia Furness, Alison Huang, Ally Sulentic,
Annamyriah de Jong, Cat Evans, Collette Quach, Jacky Leung,
Jamie O’Duibhir, Jessica Marcrum, Jessica Ross, Jessica Washburn,
Kristina Sisto Kindel, Lynne M. Meyer, Ma’at Crook, Miranda
Mels, Nemo Bueno, Oliver Clegg, Samantha Lavender, TK
Johnson
Editors
A. Kelly Lane, Alicia Furness, Annamyriah de Jong, Cat Evans,
Jacky Leung, Jessica Washburn, Leon Barillaro, Liz Gist, Megan
Irving, Natalie Wallace, TK Johnson
Artists
Alison Huang, Cat Evans, D.W. Dagon, David Markiwsky,
Gwendybee, Jennifer Peig, Kari Kawachi (Yutrio), Kosta Sidero,
Liz Gist, Luciella Scarlett, Ma’at Crook, Nichole Wilkinson, Sandy
Jacobs-Tolle, Wouter Florusse, Xan Larson
Playtesters
Adam Schwartz, Aleksandria Minmaximus, Alexander
Mirams-Harrison, Allen Engleson, Austin Sevier., B.K. Shaw, Caleb
Jones, Carolina Montero, CJ Rhamy, Corin Kumamoto, Daniel
Moller, Elijah Rocco, Emmanuelle Wombach, Griffin Butler, I.
Kindel, Ian Sullivan, Jace Young, James Brooks Tost, Kai Connelly,
Kate Jordan, Lyle Sterne, Mark Reed, Max Grafe, Michael
Mahoney, Morgan Bate, Olivia A. McCollum, Raichel Autumn,
Ross Mogerly, Rudolphous SamSquatch, Ryan Campbell, Shoshana Cover art done in collaboration by
Yaswen, SymbolicSunshine, Thomas Rhamy, Will Rowe, Zoë Pryce Jennifer Peig and David Markiwsky

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards
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This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community
Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by Jessica Marcrum and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon
Masters Guild.

2
 Table ofContents
Foreward 4

SUMMER WINTER
Tier 1 Tier 1
Without Rain 6 The Longest Night of the Year 86

Sea and Sand 14 Purls Before Swine 92

500 Days of Summer 22 Frostbite 98

Tier 2 Tier 2
Festival of the Burning Wreath 30 Before the Pitchforks Come 104

Large Paw Music Festival 38 The Coldest Revenge 112

Twisted Roots 46 The Spirit of Midwinter 120

Cruel Summer 52
Tier 3
Tier 3 Into the Ghosts Who Have Walked Here Before 130

House of Light, Children of Shadows 58 Revenge of the Forgotten 138

Holiday Ruined 148

Tier 4
Cult of the Summer Solstice 66 Tier 4
The Smiling Isles 76 Perverse Instantiation 156

Appendix A: Statblocks 162

Appendix B: Handouts 173

3
 Foreword INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Book of Seasons: Solstices, a volume of twenty
adventures featuring summer and winter themed adventures.
There’s something magical about the changing of the seasons.
The natural ebb and flow of color and climate have inspired
writers and artists for centuries. We’re lucky enough to
Volume Overview
Book of Seasons: Solstices features adventures designed for every
experience this in our real world, but exploring this concept
tier. The adventures are not connected, but some feature crossovers
through the lens of fantasy is a real treat for any creator. Such
of characters or locations. Game Masters are encouraged to weave
is the case with this book. Anthologies are one of my favorite
them together into a longer campaign. Each adventure is designed
ways to read and experience creative work. Collections like
to be a one-session module, playable in 1-5 hours.
these are a harmony of unique voices that have united around
a central theme, and these creators have embraced the catalyst
of seasons — the solstice — to form this beautiful euphony of General Notes and Safety
storytelling. As always, I’m delighted when esteemed creators DMs/GMs will need the Dungeon Master’s Guide (denoted as
collaborate. I look forward to being among the many gamers DMG) and the Monster Manual (denoted as MM) to run these
and readers whose gaming tables will be enchanted by this adventures. Some adventures feature items or creatures found
collection. in Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Mordekainen’s Tome of Foes, and
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything; these are denoted with VGtM,
MTF, or XGtE. Creatures/monsters that are bolded are found in
Ashley Warren the MM. Items that are italicized are found in the DMG. Stat
Founder and Producer of the Uncaged Anthology blocks are included for new or reskinned creatures. See Appendix
A, pg. XX, for a list of creatures in this volume.
Due to the nature of the anthology, some adventures are
preceded with a relevant content warning. We encourage you to set
clear boundaries and expectations at your gaming table, ensuring
PRODUCER’S NOTE that our hobby remains inclusive and inviting to all. Whether you
utilise the X card, lines and veils, or another tool, keeping everyone
safe while playing is paramount.
It’s incredible what can happen when a few driven people find Most of the adventures in this anthology rely on “theater of
each other. When Uncaged: Volume 1 was released, many of us the mind” and do not include maps. Blank player maps are found
involved wanted to continue to collaborate with one another. in Appendix B(?).
Ideas began flying in the discord: a book of diverse NPCs (Friends,
Foes, and other Fine Folk), a collection of anticapitalist adventures
(Eat the Rich) and...something with seasons? Maybe the fey rule Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or
the seasons...or a warlock who has a patron that IS a season... paraphrased.
or something celebrating a certain mood, festivity, or vibe from a
season? That was the beginning of Book of Seasons. Building on
the values of inclusivity, feminism, and ingenuity of the Uncaged
quartet, Book of Seasons is a two volume collection of Solstices
and Equinoxes created by an international team of hard-working
writers, artists, and editors. I’m so proud of what we have
accomplished and hope we help to fill your seasonal celebrations
with wonderment, fantasy, and adventure.

Jessica Marcrum
Producer
Twitter: @Miss_Jess03

4
Summer
 WithoutRain Written by A. Kelly Lane
Levels: 1 - 3 Content Warnings: Forest Fires, Tornadoes, Bigotry

sun beats down from above causing those working in the fields to
SYNOPSIS
The farming town of Britleberg has been undergoing major weather
collapse, and the winds swirl as tornadoes tear through the dusty
fields. A few days ago, a fire sprung up from the woods tearing
changes. A drought has caused the river to run dry, fires to start, through the outer settlements. The Mayor of Britleberg, a human
and tornadoes to appear at an alarming rate. When the dryad named Tye, will pay a great sum to any who can bring back the
Pryola tried to escape a fire in the woods, the residents of Britleberg water.
kidnapped her, hoping that she would provide answers. However, When the dryad Pryola emerged from the local woods seeking
Pryola has none to share. The Mayor of Britleberg, Tye, is at their aid, the townsfolk captured her, thinking she would be able to
wits’ end trying to manage the mob of townsfolk and is offering a provide answers. All Pryola knows is that her trees are dying. She
great reward to anyone who can bring back the rain. Adventurers doesn’t know about the mages in the woods who are draining the
must contend with formidable weather, monsters who lurk in the reserves of wild magic for their own benefit.
woods, and the bigoted anger of fearful people to learn what is Several months ago, two apprentice wizards, Stevius and
causing the climate to change. Without Rain is intended for 3-5 Bezeol, stumbled upon a font of wild magic and began to drain it
characters of levels 1-4. in order to create magical items to sell. They quickly made a large
profit from their wares and, even though they know the damage
they are doing to the local climate, they continue to drain the font.

ADVENTURE HOOK
Word of Britleberg’s misfortunes has reached far beyond the
The loss of wild magic has altered the local climate causing the
drought.

town. When adventurers stop at a local tavern, they may hear of

Britleberg’s troubles and choose to head to town on their own.
Alternatively, Mayor Tye has ordered postings placed at job boards
declaring a reward for anyone who can bring the water back to CHAPTER 1:
Britleberg. Finally, should they be traveling on the open road, the
adventurers may be forced to shelter in Britleberg to wait out a
tornado. THE WHIPPING WINDS
The party travels down a dusty road wide enough for multiple
carriages side by side. Fields of grain stretch on either side of the

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The small farming town of Britleberg is well known for its grain
road as far as the eye can see, but the grain seems dry and much
too short for this late in the summer. Wandering eyes easily notice
that a few fields have been burned and 100 feet off the road the
production; however, a major drought has struck the local area. ashes of a farmhouse still smolder. On a successful DC 10 Wisdom
The small river used for crop irrigation runs dry and there has been (Perception) check, the town of Britleberg is visible over the next
no rain for several months. Farmers’ crops are withered and dying, small hill.
leaving the town panicked about the fall harvest. The hot summer

7
 A townsperson slams down two heavy wooden doors
Run for Cover behind the party, closing the cellar. The party finds themselves
underground in a 15 foot square room lit by oil lamps. The
As you walk you cannot help but notice the sky darken with
townspeople are relatively calm as this is a regular occurrence.
greenish clouds and the wind begin to howl. Clouds swirl in
Either by asking around or listening to whispers the party can
the distance and seemingly out of nowhere a tornado touches
discover the following information:
down near the road. The dust whips up from an ashen field as
• The townsfolk are used to the tornadoes and these shelters were
the tornado slowly moves toward you.
built years ago; however, tornadoes are occurring much more
frequently than they ever have before and are occuring well into
summer, when they should be over by the end of spring
On a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check, it is obvious
that there are no ditches or low points in which to hide and • The river has run dry and a recent forest fire from the nearby
the ruined farmhouse is not sturdy enough. If the check fails, woods caught several fields ablaze. It hasn’t rained since early
it is unclear whether there are options for cover. However, on a spring and it is now mid-summer. This is causing local fields to
successful DC 14 Intelligence (History) or Wisdom (Survival) dry up and the farmers are afraid that their fall harvest will be
check the character realizes that Britleberg is likely to be prepared more limited than normal
for this kind of weather. Any creature caught in the tornado takes • Mayor Tye is willing to pay a large reward for anyone able to
15 (3d10) bludgeoning damage for every minute and is grappled bring back the water
by the storm. The tornado touches down 200 feet from town and
moves at 5 feet per second. The tornado lasts for three minutes. On a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check, the party
If the party chooses to make for Britleberg, they make it there overhears whispers about a dryad. If they ask for more information
before the tornado hits. Use the following to create a sense of the townsfolk are reticent but on a successful DC 18 Charisma
urgency. (Persuasion or Intimidation) check they inform the party that
• Call for a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check: If the check there is a captive dryad in town who they had hoped would tell
succeeds, the character is able to run swiftly down the road. them the cause of the drought. The townsfolk seem ashamed about
If the check fails, the character trips, taking one point of the dryad but say no more.
bludgeoning damage and slowing their speed by 10 feet
• If the party is traveling with horses, mules, ponies, etc. have Description of town:
every character managing an animal make a DC 15 Wisdom Britleberg is a small town built next to a small river about 15
(Animal Handling) check. If successful, they are able to calm feet wide, which is currently just a dry ditch. There are around
their scared steeds. If they fail, the animal bolts down the path one hundred residents, many of whom live on farmsteads
towards town, and the rider is thrown from the animal’s back or outside of the main town. There is a single inn called Just Plain
the cart it was pulling Good, a blacksmith, an herbalist, a butcher, and a general store
which primarily sells farming equipment and basic supplies.
The Role of the Tornado These buildings are all built around the town square, which
The aims of the tornado related checks are to induce a sense includes a small fountain that is also dry. The townsfolk seem
of urgency for the party rather than to trap them within to make a comfortable living from the local farms, either
the tornado. While running this chapter, only parties that through owning them or working on them.
completely ignore the danger of the storm should be caught
within it since the tornado should be deadly. The tornado may
angle away, slow, or speed up its movement to balance the Development
sense of urgency with little actual danger to the party. The tornado moves onwards and while some buildings are missing
shingles or thatching, the tornado missed Britleberg. As the
townsfolk emerge from the cellars, one human notices the party.
Lock the Cellar Door Mayor Tye (human veteran, MM, they/them, lawful good), a
sturdy individual with shoulder-length brown hair approaches
When the party arrives in Britleberg, they are immediately ushered
into one of four large cellars accessed from the town square. If the them. The mayor is desperate for help and hopes that the party has
party tried to weather the tornado without running for town, they come to answer their posted requests for aid.
arrive as the townsfolk are making their way out of the cellars. Skip
ahead to Chapter 2.

8
CHAPTER 2: You aren’t from around here are you? Then maybe you’ll
listen to me. I know just as little as these folks. The forest was
MOTIVATED BY FEAR burning and I had to run. I had to leave my tree behind. I
came here for help to hide from the lights and the heat in the
woods. But the people here… they were so scared of me. They
Just Plain Good believed all those old stories about dryads, that I must have
Mayor Tye offers the party a meal at the local inn, Just Plain Good. been punished for loving someone or doing something. I chose
While eating, the mayor informs them there is a reward of 100 gp this life. I chose to protect my forest because I love the trees
each if they can figure out what has caused this drought. Tye offers and I love my sisters. I swore to protect it and there is nothing
an extra 400 gp to anyone who can bring back the water in the I can do from inside this box.
river and shares the following information:
• The townsfolk believe that this drought has been caused by
magical means because most nights they see red and orange Pryola is aromantic and does not try to woo the adventurers in any
lights glowing above the forest across the river way. She appeals to their sense of justice and offers them a gift of a
• A dryad named Pryola recently fled from the forest during a wind fan if they free her, in addition to acting as a guide through
forest fire and sought shelter in the town. Instead of helping, the woods. Pryola knows the following information, and shares it if
the townsfolk locked Pryola in a cellar hoping to gain asked:
information from her about the drought. She has said very little • The forest is dying due to the lack of rain. Pryola herself is sick
because of it
Roleplaying Mayor Tye • She has seen the lights which seem to be coming from deep
Mayor Tye is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. They within the woods. She could lead the party towards the lights
can also be referred to by their name or title. The mayor but does not know what they will find
believed that the residents of Britleberg were incapable • Pryola is weak because her tree is dying. She does not think she
of something as aggressive as locking up a dryad and is could help defeat a substantial foe
disappointed in the folk that live here. Tye is wracked with
If the party tries to break Pryola out, they can pick the lock with
guilt over Pryola’s imprisonment. Now, they do not know what
a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check or break
to do about the dryad and secretly hope that the adventurers
the door with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check.
will talk to Pryola and find a solution to that problem as well.

Tye is obviously distressed and they hesitate before mentioning

Pryola. On a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check,
characters understand that Tye is saddened by the townsfolk’s
actions towards the dryad. Tye suggests that the party speak to
Pryola before heading into the forest.

I Speak for the Trees

Mayor Tye leads the party to one of the cellars and unlocks the
large padlock on the front. Tye motions for the party to enter
and chooses to remain outside while they speak with Pryola. The
dryad is huddled in the corner, sitting on the dirt floor. When the
party enters, she stands and tries to appear noble. Pryola does not
use her Fey Charm on the party because it is against her personal
values to force or manipulate someone into action. A successful DC
15 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that Pryola could charm
the party but chose not to try. Pryola shares the information in
the boxed text below, speaking honestly. She is clearly exhausted,
crying, and ranting. Read or paraphrase the following text said by
Pryola:

9
 Alternately, they can convince Mayor Tye to release Pryola with
a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a failure,
the mayor agrees to consider it if the party finds the cause of the
drought and can prove Pryola is not responsible. Tye worries that
releasing Pryola will enrage the townsfolk.

Development
As night falls, the red and yellow lights shooting out above the
forest look somewhat like firecrackers and are obvious to anyone
looking outside. On a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana)
check, characters understand that the lights are a release of magical
energy. The townsfolk look on nervously and anyone the party
interacts with thanks them for their help even if the party has not
yet decided whether to aid the town.

CHAPTER 3:
FONT OF MAGIC
Traversing the Forest
If the party freed Pryola, she waits for them near the edge of the
forest and escorts them to where she thinks the lights may be
coming from. With Pryola as a guide, the party navigates the
forest easily and does not have to make any of the rolls described
below. Pryola knows the forest so well that she is even able to point
out traps as they are obvious to her. They party encounters an
Awakened Tree, but Pryola convinces the tree to let the group pass
unhindered. This time can be used for roleplay and the party can
voluntarily seek out a forest encounter if they choose. Continue on
to Irresponsible Production.
If Pryola is not with the party, the party member in front
needs to succeed on three DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) checks to
navigate the forest and eventually come across the source of the
lights. For every failure, roll on the encounter table.

1d10 Encounter
1 1d6 awakened shrubs
2 1 fire snake
3 1 vine blight and 1d4 twig blights
4 10 feet deep Hidden Pit trap (DMG, Chapter 5:
Adventure Environments)
5 The party has been traveling through Extreme
Heat for one hour (DMG, Chapter 5: Adventure
Environments)

10
 1d10 Encounter Stevius and Bezeol, they learn that the wizards have been making
money by selling magical items. They do not discuss how the
6 The party member in front rolls a DC 18 Wisdom items are created, but they do know that it is causing the climate
(Perception) check. On a success they hear a twig problems. It is clear that Stevius and Bezeol do not care about the
snap. On a failure, they hear nothing. climate issues and intend to continue with production and nothing
will convince them otherwise.
7 Fire in the woods: Each party member has to
succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or
If the party takes Stevius and Bezeol’s deal and leave, once they
be trapped in the flames around them, taking 6
are away from the wizards, the party is attacked by 1d4 dryads,
(1d12) fire damage before escaping.
enraged by the characters’ abandonment of the trees. If Pryola
8 The trees are dry and dying. A massive tree is present, she joins the other dryads in attacking the party. The
begins to topple over. Those who succeed on a dryads have every intention of killing Stevius and Bezeol themselves
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw avoid the falling if necessary.
tree. Those who fail take 1d8 bludgeoning
damage. Characters who succeed on a DC 14 If the party attacks Stevius and Bezeol, the wizards fight to the
Wisdom (Perception or Survival) check notice the death, refusing to leave their money behind.
tree before it falls, and make the saving throw
with advantage. Characters who investigate the area and succeed on the relevant
checks learn the following:
9 The party finds a broken crate containing 2d6 gp • DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check: The pool of glowing
and 2d10 sp. On a successful DC 10 Intelligence liquid is actually a pool of concentrated wild magic. It appears
(Investigation) check, they are able to read the that Stevius and Bezeol have been syphoning off the wild magic
writing on the side of the box. It reads “Stevius to create magical items
and Bezeol’s Magical Exports”
• DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check of the pool: The
10 Another dryad appears from behind a tree. If the pool could hold more of the strange liquid, but it has been
party immediately reveals that they know Pryola drained significantly
and are trying to help her, the dryad helps them • DC 18 Intelligence (Nature) check: Only time will refill
traverse the forest and they do not need to make the pool with wild magic, and it could be centuries before it
any more checks. If the party does not share that happens
information, the dryad disappears into the forest
and cannot be seen or followed. • DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check of the bodies of
Stevius and Bezeol: They carried very little on them, but there
are order slips for jars filled with fire elementals, two rings of fire
After the party has navigated the forest, they can see a small resistance, and a necklace of fireballs. Bezeol also has a coin purse
clearing 30 feet ahead of them. Read or paraphrase the following: filled with 250 gp

Tucked in between the trees are two humanoids in rich robes

talking in quiet whispers. Surrounding them are empty crates For more advanced parties, you may wish to increase the
which read “Stevius and Bezeol’s Magical Exports.” They are difficulty of this encounter. Stevius and Bezeol may conjure a
standing beside a large, natural pool of magical liquid which fire elemental (MM) with half the usual hp (51) to aid them
glows with swirls of color, and they have a pile of arrows and and/or be accompanied by 1d4 thugs (MM). You can also use
containers next to them. the encounter table in Traversing the Forest to add encounters.
Encounters in the table can also have their difficulty increased
by adding additional creatures to any attack.

Irresponsible Production
Stevius (human, he/him, chaotic evil) and Bezeol (human, he/him, Development
chaotic evil) are both Apprentice Wizards (VGtM). However, they If the party survives, they can return to Britleberg to claim their
each have 25 hit points. Stevius and Bezeol initially try to bribe the reward.
party with 50 gp and a ring of fire resistance. If the party speaks to

11
CONCLUSION
If the party takes Stevius and Bezeol’s offer and survives the
Treasure Rewards
(Depending on Encounters and Party Choices)

dryad attack they return to Britleberg empty handed. If they share Encounter
the information they found, Tye gives them each 10 gp for their
trouble and sends them on their way. If Pryola was not already Wind Fan (DMG, Chapter 7: Treasure)
freed, Tye frees her and Pryola vows to seek vengeance on the town, Ring of Fire Resistance (DMG, Chapter 7: Treasure)
the party, and the wizards and then disappears into the trees.
50-250 gp from Stevius and Bezeol
If the party returns victorious, Mayor Tye gives them their reward
100 gp each from Mayor Tye
of 100 gp each; however, the water is still not flowing so they do
not receive the bonus. Mayor Tye immediately frees Pryola, if she
had not been freed already. Either way Tye apologizes profusely
and immediately declares new laws in town regarding the wrongful Author’s Notes/
imprisonment of individuals and the protection of dryads. If
the party realized that the water will not come back because the Acknowledgments
damage is already done, they can share this information with the Corporations and governments are the largest contributors to
Mayor. Upon learning this, Tye rounds up the townsfolk and they climate change. In this adventure, I wanted to play with fantasy
begin making decisions about packing up and abandoning the climate change and the production of goods that might impact it
town. At this time, if the party argued for Pryola’s freedom or freed and also highlight that the choices of key individuals--such as heads
her themselves, she gifts them with a wind fan specially made using of companies and the people who fight for better treatment of our
the bark of her favorite tree. planet—can have major consequences. I have also always been
drawn to wild magic in D&D and try to incorporate it in creative
ways in my games giving it a greater purpose in the structure of the
Rewards universe.
Note that gold and treasure rewards may be acquired in multiple
ways by the party. If the party stops Stevius and Bezeol either
through combat or more creative means, they receive the XP for Author Bio
defeating them. If, at the end of the adventure, Stevius and Bezeol Dr. A. Kelly Lane has a Ph.D. in genetics, works in science
are still operating in the woods, then the party does not receive the education, and has a passion for tabletop games. Her introduction
XP. into the world of published gaming was working as an editor
for the Uncaged Anthology on [Link]. She also edited
Friends, Foes, and Other Fine Folks. She often appears on tabletop
XP Rewards streaming channels as a player or a GM.
(Depending on Encounters and Party Choices)

Encounter XP
Dryad 200 each
Vine Blight 100 each
Twig Blight 25 each
Fire Snake 200 each
Awakened Shrub 10 each
Stevius and Bezeol 100 each

12
13
 Sea and Sand Written by Megan Irving
Level: 3

SYNOPSIS
The party’s beach holiday is set adrift when the fish in the area
CHAPTER 1:
mysteriously vanish. Urged by local fisherfolk to tackle the mystery,
the players trawl through sahuagin raiders, a merfolk clan, a sea
witch, and even a kraken. Can they reel in some answers, or are
FINS & FISHERFOLK
The characters are relaxing in the small fishing village of Mulgarrie.
they destined to be fish food? They’ve been there long enough to meet the notable figures and
explore the main locations.

ADVENTURE HOOK
The party is having a well-deserved rest at a beautiful fishing village
Mulgarrie
Mulgarrie is a small village on the coast. It has a small but thriving
on the beach. Their relaxation is disturbed when the locals ask population, mostly of fisherfolk. In warm months, some tourists
them to investigate a mystery: all the fish in the area seem to have visit for the beautiful, calm beach. Since the player characters
vanished. arrived, the mood in town has slowly soured. People now mutter
unhappily to each other on the street.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
This adventure takes place at a small fishing village. The residents
Locations of Interest
• A long beach stretches out from one end of Mulgarrie, past the
harbour at the other end
live in relative harmony with a local sea witch and a clan of cheeky • A large cabin on the cliffs above the beach
merfolk who live nearby; the merfolk live in a series of grottos
• The village, including houses, a few shops, and a small harbour
along the coast, and the sea witch in a small shack on the cliffs
where the fisherfolk keep their boats
above the beach.
At the start of the adventure, the fisherfolk are no longer • There are some larger houses on the beach slightly out of town.
able to catch any fish in the area. They suspect sahuagin magic is These are holiday homes for people who don’t live in Mulgarrie,
involved, but when the players investigate, they discover an upset almost all currently empty and containing small caches of
kraken is the culprit. The kraken’s child has been stolen by the valuable art objects for enterprising thieves
merfolk clan, and its frantic search has scared away the fish. • The locks can be picked with a successful DC 15
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check

The People of Mulgarrie

• The townsfolk are mostly humans, halflings or gnomes. Less
common are half-elves, half-orcs, and genasi

15
• A council of elderly halflings informally leads the town. Angus • If they don’t return, the townsfolk will all have to leave
(halfling commoner (MM), he/him, lawful good) and Moira Mulgarrie and try to find a new home
(halfling commoner, she/her, lawful good), two lifelong friends, • The townsfolk suspect sahuagin (MM) are somehow behind
are the heads of the council it, perhaps as a pre-raid tactic. sahuagin have raided Mulgarrie
• Orana (drow mage (MM), she/her, chaotic good) is a sorceress before, but Orana has always managed to fend them off
who lives in the clifftop cabin selling potions and charms to • If the players can solve the mystery and bring the fish back or
the townsfolk and protecting them from sahuagin raiders and scare the sahuagin off, Mulgarrie will be indebted to them
pirates
• If the characters agree to investigate, Moira offers them the use
• A friendly merfolk clan lives in nearby underwater grottos, of her fishing boat. She’ll show them how to drive it but won’t
led by a mermaid named Kekepania (merfolk (MM), she/her, come with them
chaotic neutral)
• Any characters who helm the boat while exploring gain
proficiency with vehicles (water)
The Adventure Begins • They haven’t approached the merfolk or Orana about the issue,
hoping the characters will investigate for them
While relaxing on the beach, you’re approached by two elderly
halflings that you recognise as Angus and Moira. They are • If the characters don’t know where to start, Angus suggests
members of the council of elders who lead Mulgarrie. they ask Orana, and Moira suggests they talk to the
merfolk
Angus wrings his hands as he nears. “Sorry to interrupt,” he
says sheepishly. “The last thing we want to do is interrupt your
holiday. But, er, I’m afraid we must ask for your assistance, if
Orana The Sea Witch
you’re willing to give it, of course...”
Perched on the cliffs overlooking the crashing waves on the
beach and Mulgarrie itself is a huge, beautiful cabin. To reach
Moira interrupts him. “We need your help, adventurers,” she
it, you climb up steep steps cut directly into the cliff face; a
says. “Plain and simple. If you can’t help, you need to go.”
climb that feels as precarious as the view is incredible.
“What Moira means to say,” Angus says, “is that we love
At the top, a tall woman draped in veils watches you, a basket
having you here, of course we do, but, er, we can’t afford to
full of herbs in one elegant, blue-black hand. Orana, the
have you stay in Mulgarrie anymore. We, er, seem to have run
mysterious drow woman who lives up here, seems surprised to
out of food...”
see you.
“There’s no fish,” Moira interrupts again. “Goodness knows
“Hello again,” she says, in her vague, dreamy voice. As she
how, but they’ve all just up and vanished. Poof. Like magic.”
speaks, her eyes drift away from you towards the ocean.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
“It’s those bloody sahuagin again, I’m sure of it,” Angus
mutters, and they share a dark look before turning to you
again.
Orana lives in the shack on the top of the cliffs overlooking the
beach. She spends her days experimenting with magic in her shack
“So you see,” Angus says, wringing his hands again, “we really
and exploring the area and is always easy to find. Orana is a female
do require your assistance. If it is those rascally raiders, we
drow (MM) who is always draped in veils and shawls, protecting
might be in serious trouble...”
her delicate skin from the sun.

Orana was once saved from an attack by a Mulgarrian, and so

Angus and Moira explain the situation to the characters in more
decided to settle here and protect them in turn. She’s not exactly
detail. They know the following:
sure how long ago that was - Orana doesn’t feel very connected to
• The fisherfolk’s hauls have slowly gotten smaller over the last
the here-and-now, which makes it hard for her to connect with
week or so, and now there seem to be literally no fish in the
other people.
nearby area

16
Orana’s Help
• Orana isn’t interested in helping the characters directly
• She understands the lack of food will impact the
CHAPTER 2:
townsfolk but is confident that they’ll solve it themselves
• If they can’t, they’ll leave, and that’s okay too
MAYHEM & MERFOLK
Make it clear to the players that they can directly approach the
• She promises to help if sahuagin attack Mulgarrie directly merfolk, or explore the ocean searching for the possible Sahuagin
• She offers to let the players have some of the potions and scrolls raiders and other clues.
she’s created and collected, giving them free access to her house
• She can tell the characters where the merfolk live, although she The Merfolk Clan
doesn’t know them well as she finds them too flighty The characters can only reach the merfolk grottos if they have some
way to breathe water or hold their breath for a long time. Orana
the sea witch has potions and spells they can use.
Orana’s Shack
When the players investigate Orana’s shack for helpful items,
they might find any of the following. Orana either doesn’t Deep below Mulgarrie’s beach is an interconnected web
notice or doesn’t care if they take more than they need. Players of grottos. As you swim down to them, you’re greeted by
can find each item once - if the same number is rolled, nothing two merpeople with colourful fins, glittering jewelry, and
of interest is found. welcoming smiles.

They guide you to the grotto entrance, where a group of

1d6 Shack Item merfolk are busy playing games and laughing together. The
mermaid laughing loudest is covered with the most coral
1 Potion of water breathing jewelry you’ve ever seen anyone wear at once and has a sea
2 Potion of healing snake woven into her curly hair.

3 Potion of poison Your guides introduce her to you as Kekepania, the leader
of the merfolk. She invites you to stay a while, forget your
4 Scroll of water breathing troubles, and play with them.
5 Scroll of identify
6 Luckstone The Merfolk Grottos
The grottos are mostly underwater, with caves and ledges here and
there where air-breathing characters can rest or spend time.
Development The first few caverns are huge, full of groups of brightly-
With the boat and the water-breathing potions and spells, the coloured merfolk (MM) playing games and gossiping. Large
characters are now able to venture into the wide ocean to explore. tunnels branch off to progressively smaller and smaller caverns
where the merfolk rest. The grottos are labyrinthine, and sound
echoes strangely off the slick rocks. It’s almost impossible for the
characters to keep track of the tunnels, but the merfolk are always
happy to escort their guests around.
One brightly-lit tunnel leading off from the main cavern is the
exception - the merfolk get annoyed if the characters try to explore
it, and press them to stay away from it. If the characters manage to
explore it, they find a small cavern blocked off with a fence made of
coral. Behind the fence is a strange creature that they can identify
as a baby kraken (juvenile kraken, Ghosts of Saltmarsh).

The Merfolk
The merfolk clan is made up of a few large family groups who live

17
in the same grotto system, pooling resources. The clan is led by a
young mermaid named [Link] has no guards or servants, as
The Sahuagin Raiders
leadership is a loose concept to merfolk. Kekepania holds court in
As you explore the ocean around Mulgarrie, you come across
the largest grotto, but “court” to them just means an endless series
a small island just off the coast, covered in huge old trees.
of games, feasts and parties. Merfolk constantly drift in and out of
Tucked into a small cove is a small gathering of boats. There
the grottos, rarely committing to any source of entertainment for
are no towns nearby, and they aren’t fishing boats.
long.
If there really are sahuagin raiders in the area, you’re pretty sure
The merfolk are all happy to talk with the characters, but they find
you just found them.
it hard to pay attention to a conversation for long and often just
drift away mid-sentence. They don’t want to talk about Mulgarrie’s
issues, although they’ll talk about how they love Mulgarrie and its
There are twenty sahuagin here, split across the three boats and
inhabitants. They have a cordial relationship with Orana - she’s
camping on the island. If the players encountered and defeated
much too serious for them.
a raider ship while exploring, there’s one less ship and five less
sahuagin. Two sisters lead them, Captain Blackgills (sahuagin,
If the characters intimidate, confuse, or charm the merfolk in
she/her, lawful evil) and Makani (sahuagin priestess, she/her,
conversation, they accidentally reveal they recently took a baby
lawful evil).
kraken captive to play with.
If approached aggressively, they respond in kind. Makani hangs
Exploring The Ocean back on the island with three sahuagin protecting her, while
Captain Blackgills, wielding a longsword, and the other sahuagin
Ocean Encounters attack on their boats.
While the characters are exploring the ocean in Moira’s boat,
they might encounter any or all of the following. As a rough If approached diplomatically, they speak to the players. Captain
guideline, roll on the table each time they explore, replacing Blackgills and Makani can be convinced to leave - Captain
the used entries with the sahuagin raiders and the kraken Blackgills is happy to duel a player character over Mulgarrie, and
encounters. Makani is happy to be bribed to leave with a successful DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the sahuagin situation is resolved
peacefully, the characters still get all the experience points for the
1d6 Random Encounter
encounter.
1 A young dragon flies overhead
However the characters approach the sahuagin, it’s clear that there
2 A shoal of multicoloured jellyfish float past are only a few of them in the area and they can’t possibly have eaten
3 Fishing boats from Mulgarrie all the fish.

4 A sahuagin raiding ship with five sahuagin

aboard. They don't attack unless approached
The Kraken
After dealing with the sahuagin raiders, the characters encounter
5 A quick rain shower the kraken (MM).

6 A giant shark circles the boat, then swims away

18
 It was a hot day, but a sudden chill is in the air. Dark clouds
drift across the sky, and the birds have all vanished. The water
CONCLUSION
The players know the merfolk have the baby kraken and need to
has a dark tinge to it, and something very deep and primal convince them to return it. As with the sahuagin, they can try
inside you is telling you that something’s coming, something either diplomacy or violence.
bad, and you need to escape. But it’s too late - it’s already here. Although Kekepania is technically in charge, when the
characters talk to her, other merfolk drift in and out, listening and
Your boat rocks as two huge tentacles rise out of the water, offering their own opinions. However, at the end of the discussion,
one on each side. Far away on the horizon, matching tentacles it’s Kekepania’s decision that counts.
splash out of the calm sea. You realise they’re from the same
creature - something unimaginably big that’s right under your The Diplomatic Solution
boat. Kekepania isn’t happy to be told she needs to let the baby kraken
go. She demands the characters make a good argument, and then
Before you can react, the tentacles sink back into the ocean. she and the other merfolk will decide.
The water gets lighter as the creature sinks into the depths, and
the warmth is returned to the day. A gull wheels above you in Characters can gain advantage in the conversation by:
the cloudless sky. • referencing the kraken they’ve seen and how upset it was
Whatever it was, it’s gone. • talking about the plight of Mulgarrie
• the people of Mulgarrie will be upset with the merfolk
• the people will leave if there’s no food, and the merfolk
love playing with the people
What’s Next
• The kraken is clearly what has eaten or scared away all the fish • the sea witch will leave, and she protects the merfolk from
the sahuagin raiders
• Unless the characters have seen the baby kraken, they don’t
know why it’s here • trading the merfolk something fun and shiny
• If told about it, the townsfolk don’t believe a kraken could be in
the area To convince Kekepania to return the kraken, the characters need to
succeed on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
• Orana believes the characters but doesn’t know why it would be
here
The Violent Solution
• If they tell her about the merfolk’s theft, she agrees that Alternatively, the characters can try to get the baby kraken back
they need to return the baby, but won’t talk to the merfolk through violence. The merfolk are largely peaceful and have a
with them pacifist society. Only Kekepania has a sword, and she’s not very
• If the characters still don’t know the merfolk have the skilled with it. If the characters attempt to fight the merfolk, they
kraken, Orana pushes them to investigate the merfolk beg for mercy and hand over the kraken immediately rather than
get hurt.

Development What Happens Next

The characters have discovered the merfolk are harboring a The characters and the merfolk return the baby kraken to its
kidnapped baby kraken. They now need to return the baby to its parent. How they accomplish this is up to them. The kraken won’t
parent. attack them when approached, recognising that they have its child.
Then they can return to Mulgarrie - and so do the fish.

19
 The fish slowly return to Mulgarrie over the next few days. Author’s Notes/
Once it’s clear the problem is resolved, there’s a feast in your Acknowledgments
honour. Everyone from Mulgarrie attends, even Orana. There’s I wanted to write a light-hearted adventure that feels like a summer
an abundance of good food and drink, laughter, and dancing. holiday away from the regular doom & gloom of an adventurer’s
When the hour gets late, the party gets quiet as Angus and life. Mulgarrie will hopefully be a peaceful holiday destination for
Moira approach you, holding a gleaming trident between your party (once they’ve dealt with the kraken).
them. Thank you to my D&D group and friends for cheering me on,
and Jess for organising this book.
“We can’t thank you enough,” Angus says. “We almost had to
leave Mulgarrie...it’s been our home for so long...”

“But we didn’t!” Moira cuts in. “And for that, we’re forever Author Bio
grateful. The council of elders has agreed to give you this Megan is an Australian software developer who writes and
ceremonial trident, the symbol of Mulgarrie, to represent that plays D&D adventures in her spare time. She’s contributed to
gratitude.” multiple anthologies including Uncaged, Beyond the Basics, and
Friends, Foes and Other Fine Folk, as well as published more
unconventional rpg zines and pamphlets on [Link]. Her
When the party inspects the trident, whoever has the highest twitter handle is @mogibeargames.
Arcana skill can sense magic in it. The trident is a trident of fish
command (DMG).
After the party, the players can return to their relaxing beach
holiday in Mulgarrie, or continue on with their adventures.

Rewards
Treasure Rewards
The main reward is the trident of fish command, and the friendship
with Orana, the townsfolk and the merfolk. Characters might also
return to Mulgarrie as a future holiday destination. They’ll always
receive a warm welcome in Mulgarrie, as well as room and board
for a night.
Characters may also end up with treasure from the Sahuagin,
and potions and spells from Orana. The characters who learned to
drive Moira’s boat also now have a new proficiency.

XP Rewards
Characters can gain experience from the sahuagin and merfolk.
The raiders and Captain Blackgills give 100xp each if fought, and
Makani gives 450xp if bribed. The merfolk give 200xp in total after
being defeated or convinced to hand over the baby kraken.

20
 500 Days ofSummer Written by Oliver Clegg
Level: 3 Content Warnings: Violence, Suicide, Mental Instability

SYNOPSIS
The town of Brightleaf is trapped in an endless recurrence of
CHAPTER 1:
Midsummer Eve, whereupon the residents wake each day to repeat
the same few hours over and over. Worse, the villagers have entered
a depraved moral spiral as a result of their endless imprisonment,
SUNRISE IN BRIGHTLEAF
You may have to replay this section more than once. When the
resulting in some unusual (or more accurately, homicidal) characters enter Brightleaf for the first time (and whenever they
behaviours. As the adventurers investigate, they are snared by the re-enter it as a result of the day restarting), read (do not paraphrase)
same insidious curse, forced to seek out the root and solve the the following:
problem lest they spend the rest of their (endless) days suffering the
same fate. This is an adventure for 4-5 characters of level 3.
The sun rises over a small town nestled between two foothills,
an idyllic picture of summertime. Birds sing to each other

ADVENTURE HOOK
The adventurers need a reason to pass through the town of
in the trees, and villagers open their windows to greet one
another cheerily. The bustle of the day is just beginning, and
the scent of fresh-baked bread drifts over to you on a gentle
Brightleaf, though this can be as simple as finding somewhere to breeze.
rest. The strange happenings in town are immediately apparent, as
is the sudden change in weather, unless the world outside is also in
the middle of summer. Either way, once the characters step over the
border into town, they are trapped in the adventure until they solve
it.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The town has fallen under the spell of an androsphinx, an ancient
guardian awakened prematurely from a long slumber when the
unfortunate Mrs. Doris Summers attempted to tidy her cellar for
the first time in living memory (or, indeed, the memory of her
family tree). The androsphinx, not an unfair sort, decided to give
Mrs. Summers as many chances at it took to solve a riddle. Several
thousand days later, the sphinx is only just beginning to wonder
if it perhaps acted a little rashly, as the cheery old woman shows
absolutely no signs of impending success.

23
 The elderly man is called Thomas (human commoner (MM),
The Rules of Brightleaf he/him, chaotic neutral), and he cuts his throat every morning
Adventurers are trapped in Brightleaf until they solve the riddle of
between 9am and 9:30am. The wound is always fatal unless he
the sphinx and free the town from the creature’s ire. The following
receives help or is prevented by force from harming himself. Unless
guidelines apply for the duration of this adventure, until the riddle
someone intervenes, Thomas cuts his throat and dies in 3 rounds
is solved at the end of Chapter Three:
from blood loss. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check
can stay the bleeding for a few minutes, but he remains unable
to speak. Magical healing can restore Thomas fully and heal his
Every Morning. Each day begins at 9am, progressing through wound, though he resists attempts to help him in this way.
to 11am when the town resets back to 9am. This reset includes
the adventurers, who find themselves walking into town
exactly as before, with whatever possessions and gear they
originally possessed. Only memories are retained between Talking off the Ledge
resets; wounds, damage, conditions, or newly acquired Characters might want to help the poor people of Brightleaf,
possessions are lost each time. The adventurers, like the convincing them not to harm themselves - at least for long
townsfolk, recall the previous hours/days they have spent in enough for the characters to figure out what is going on.
Brightleaf. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion or possibly
Intimidation) check can give a villager pause. Helping a
Leaving town. No-one can leave town. Attempting to leave by villager is hard, and given the suffering the villagers have been
any means simply sees the adventurer walking right back over through over the months since the loop started, many of them
that border into town, and meeting the same cheery boxed text are barely coherent. All villagers, when moved to words, have
they heard the last time. a wild look about them. They often repeat the same phrases
over and over in despair, or are simply too shellshocked to be
Death. Brightleaf is cursed to repeat the same few hours over of any use tracking down the source. A calm emotions spell (or
and over again. It’s possible this will result in death, purely similar magic) is enough to send affected villagers into a calm
out of boredom, an attempt to escape, or due to the maniacal trance until the next reset.
attitude of the villagers (see Chapter Two). Alas, death is no
reprieve. Characters who “die” simply return at the start of the
next reset walking into town alongside their companions as if Development
they were doing so for the first time. The villagers proceed to figuratively and literally throw themselves
off the ledge.

Entering Town
Brightleaf is a tiny hamlet, which subsists largely on local produce
and trade with larger settlements. There is little to recommend it
other than the scenery and its distance from anything important.
CHAPTER 2 — DÉJÀ VU
However the characters interact with the events below (and indeed,
As such it is inhabited largely by the elderly, growing families, and even if they do nothing at all, or spend a few time loops pillaging),
those with delicate nerves. In a more exciting story, it is the kind of at 11am the village resets to the beginning of the day and Chapter
place where an ancient magician harbouring a terrible secret might One begins again. Eventually the characters will probably decide to
be waiting to dole out some needlessly obscure prophecy before try and solve the problem.
carking it in advance of giving actionable specifics.
The Timetable of Events
Each day, the following tragic events occur at roughly the same
A sign posted above a dirt road leading into the hamlet reads time, give or take a few minutes.
“Brightleaf - Population 14”. Eight houses are spaced evenly
around what passes for a market square, lined with empty
stalls. The open windows, washing hanging from upper floors,
suggests the town is happily inhabited. Then, with a laugh, an
elderly man walks outside his house and slits his own throat
with a kitchen knife.

24
 THE TIMETABLE OF EVENTS The Brewer House
09:00 - The adventurers walk into town. Mr. Brewer is a notorious drunk, who is at his kitchen table
09:10 - Thomas Avery slits his own throat in the street. nursing a hangover from a late night drinking session. At 9:35am
09:15 - Mrs. Summers makes breakfast. the Carpenters enter his house via the front door and take saws
09:15 - The Weaver family barricade themselves in. to him, slowly taking him apart and neatly arranging the bits on
09: 16 - The Burns family set their house on fire. the kitchen table. After this, they sit down and enjoy Mr. Brewer’s
09: 30 - The Carpenter family take saws to their neighbour, large alcohol cabinet until the day ends. The Brewer House catches
Mr Brewer fire (see The Burns House) and explodes when the fire reaches
09: 45 - Mrs. Summers heads down to clean out her cellar. the large barrels of volatile, barely potable drink Mr. Brewer has
09:50 - The Brewer House explodes stashed away in every corner. This occurs at about at 9:50am. The
10:30 - The Apian family arrive in town with their swarms of Carpenters don’t bother to avoid the conflagration.
angry bees.
11:00 - Mrs. Summers fails her riddle and the Sphinx devours Mrs. Summers’ Habit. Mrs. Summers usually comes around to
her, resetting the day once more. make Mr. Brewer a late breakfast. If Mr. Brewer were to survive the
various lethal threats that assail him, and be sobered up a little, he
might be found to wonder where Mrs. Summers is, reflecting that
The Burns House in all the endless days since Midsummer Eve began, he’s not seen
Mr. and Mrs. Burns (human commoners, he/him and she/her, her once. He can even point the way to her house.
chaotic neutral) believe that they can save the town by destroying
it all. Each time, they get a little better and faster at setting fires,
which they ignite in their basement every morning in the hopes of
Disaster Carnvial
setting the village ablaze. They used to leave the house and watch
The curse of Brightleaf is a terrible blight on the villagers,
the village burn, but these days they just let the smoke take them
but has a very useful function for you as a storyteller. You can
- it’s a quicker death than fire, knives, poison or the other horrors
murder anyone and anything you like over and over again with
awaiting them outside the house. The state of the Burns house
almost no consequences. Allow disasters to occur and spiral
depends on when the characters arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Burns set the
into each other. Allow deaths to occur with no compunction -
fire in their cellar (easily accessible from the ground floor) at about
the people don’t really die, after all. Once the sphinx works its
9:15am each day, and die of smoke inhalation by about 9: 25am.
time magic, the village is reset, and the deaths never happened.
The house is fully ablaze by about 9:35am.
Use this as a comedic tool to stage unlikely disasters chaining
into each other like dominos the first few times the characters
Catching Fire. It’s a warm day with a gentle breeze. After 9:45am,
enter town and enjoy the results.
the blaze spreads to the Brewer House, sparks catching on the dry
wood.

The Carpenter House The Apian House

Mrs. Berta Apian and her sisters Baghilda and Bogislava (human
Mr. and Mr. Carpenter (human thugs (MM), he/him, lawful evil)
commoners collectively known as the Bee Sisters, she/her, lawful
have slowly realized there is nothing they can do to escape from
evil) live in a small house on the outskirts of town. They hate each
the endless loop they find themselves in. Fortunately, they don’t
other (naturally) - a poison that has only festered whilst trapped
mind all that much, as it allows them to indulge in vicious pursuits
reliving the same day over and over again. The three sisters keep
like they’d always wanted to, with no consequences. Each day at
bees, and as the days have repeated over and over, the sisters have
9:30am, they head next door to their most hated neighbour, Mr.
found it quite the game to see who can kill the most neighbours
Brewer, and decapitate him with their saws. They see this as a form
with bees. As such, the sisters don their beekeeping gear and
of divine justice for all the years they spent having to endure his
drag the largest hive down to the middle of the hamlet at around
late night violin recitals. The Carpenters can be swayed by threats
10:30am. By this point, some houses are usually ablaze, but the
or bribery (though not by any appeal to their better nature, which
sisters don’t let that deter them, taking the bulky hive to a random
does not exist). Though offers of gold or material gain hold little
house and hurling it inside. The Bee Sisters unleash three swarms
sway with the Carpenters due to their predicament, they eagerly
of insects (bees - use wasp statistics, MM) on the poor residents.
accept offers of any substance or magic that might render them
insensate.

25
 Brightleaf Houses
Houses in Brightleaf are simple wood and stone constructions.
Locks. Houses in Brightleaf have simple locks on the doors
and windows. A creature proficient with thieves’ tools can use
them to pick a typical lock with a successful DC 10 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check.
Doors. A wooden door can be forced open with a successful
DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check, or DC 15 if the door is
barred or reinforced in some other manner.

The Weaver House

Mr. and Mrs. Weaver are terrified of events unfolding in the town,
and spend each morning barricading themselves in their house for
fear of death by bees, saws, or fire. Every day has seen them fighting
desperately for their lives against their homicidal neighbours. As
good friends of Mrs. Summers, they are very worried about her, but
are too scared to leave their house and find her (having met grisly
deaths on every previous attempt). By 9:15am the Weaver house is
shuttered and barricaded against intruders.

The Summers House

The Mason House Mrs. Summers (human commoner, she/her, lawful good) is an
Mr. and Mrs. Mason (TN commoners) are not pleased to be elderly lady with curly white hair and piercing green eyes. She’s
trapped in this endless nightmare. They bear it with a quiet hunched due to a back problem, and walks slowly with the aid
fortitude, going through the normal routine as best they can until of a stick. She cannot currently remember her own name, so her
something inevitably claims them. Sometimes they are slain by identity is not obvious unless the characters have already figured it
swarms of bees. Sometimes their house burns down. Sometimes the out from talking to her neighbours. This is important for reasons
Carpenters come by and take them apart, just to make a change. that become apparent in Chapter Three.
They bear it all with a quiet stoicism that beggars belief. They are
resigned to their fate and advise the characters to just go along with Schedule. Mrs Summers awakens at 9am sharp every day. She
it, as this is their life now. makes breakfast, and wanders about the house blissfully unaware
of the fire and screaming from the street due to her poor eyesight
The Wyrd House and hearing. She heads down to her cellar at 9:45, a cellar inherited
Mr. Wyrd is a quiet little man (human noble (MM), he/him, from her father, and his mother before him, back through the
lawful good), retired from the adventuring life, where he was a generations of Summers to the ancient past. If the adventurers
medic. He places himself in a medically induced coma at the start arrive before she descends, she thinks they are her grandchildren,
of each day, poisoning himself at 9:20am, as soon as he’s had time and greets them as such, proving difficult to convince otherwise.
to make the elixir (which functions as a feign death spell lasting She mentions often how she’s going to clean the cellar today,
24 hours). If approached before taking the potion, or drawn from frequently pointing out that she’s been meaning to for a very long
his long sleep with magic, Mr Wyrd offers the same mercy to the time. A character who takes the time to humour Mrs. Summers
characters, which he repeats for as many days in a row as they might find out about her odd “dreams” (in actuality her vague
request it of him. memories of the days prior).

The old lady dodders over to her teapot and gives you a
charming smile. “I’ve had the strangest dreams lately,” she says
conversationally. “I keep thinking I see a monster in the cellar
which asks me questions, and then I end up right back where
I started in bed again. So strange. I really think I need to clean
that cellar.” She chuckles to herself.

26
If the characters arrive after Mrs Summers descends to the cellar,
they find the cellar door left wide open.

Development
When the characters finally make their way down to Mrs.
Summers’ cellar, move on to Chapter Three.

CHAPTER 3:
RIDDLE ME THIS
The creature Mrs. Summers disturbed in the ancient catacomb
under her house is an androsphinx (MM), a terrible and ancient
guardian of hidden secrets, blessed by a god of knowledge with
near-endless patience. Amongst its many gifts is the ability to
manipulate the flow of time, a trait it is using to reset Brightleaf as
many times as it takes for Mrs. Summers to solve its riddle.

Mrs. Summers’ Basement

You descend into the cellar, past assorted household junk
that seems to have been dumped here over the decades by
generations of negligent housekeeping. The stair bends at
the end, leading into an immense basement full of detritus,
stretching an impossible distance under an open sky full of
twinkling stars. A huge quadrupedal creature with the body of
a lion and the face of a man is watching you from inside. The Sphinx is interested only in getting Mrs Summers to solve its
riddle, and tolerate the adventurers so far as they seek to advance
this cause. If they question it and seem ready to listen, the Sphinx
Depending on the time of day, Mrs. Summers may or may not be deviates from its usual schedule to inform them thus:
alive when the adventurers descend. If they arrived before Mrs.
Summers headed down to the basement, she accompanies them
if allowed, broom in hand. At 11:00am, the Sphinx reluctantly “She disturbed my slumber,” the beast rumbles, and the room
eats or pulverises her due to her inability to answer the riddle, and shakes. “She must answer my riddle, or be bound here until
the day begins once more. This pattern (or something like it) has the end of time. The riddle must be solved.”
been going on for some significant time. If Mrs. Summers does not
appear in the basement by 11:00am for some reason, the Sphinx
resets the day anyway, assuming something must have happened to The Sphinx has a headache and is in a terrible mood. For the sake
her. of hilarity, and maybe because you’re just that kind of person, you
may choose to have the Sphinx kill the characters out of rage/
In Flagrante Delicto. If the characters bring Mrs Summers to the frustration/pettiness, only to have them walk right back into
Sphinx, or arrive whilst the two are mid conversation, read the town again as the day resets. More than anything, the Sphinx
following: want to return to its rest, which means the successful resolution
of the riddle, one way or another. On top of that, it must be Mrs.
Summers who answers the Sphinx, requiring her to be alive and
“And now, have you come with the answer to my riddle?” It able to vocalize the correct response.
almost seems exasperated. “PLEASE tell me you’ve come with
the answer to the riddle. Oh, and it has to be the old lady. She
woke me up, she has to answer it. Those are the rules.” The
old lady looks blissfully unaware of what’s going on, blithely
humming a tune to herself.

27
The Riddle of the Sphinx Author’s Notes/
Should anyone ask to hear the riddle, the sphinx obliges.
Acknowledgments
I had 24 hours to write this adventure, because despite the fact
The creature harrumphs a bit, and a little dust is dislodged that a Wizard is never late it is nonetheless true that I was cutting
from its throat. “What,” it says, in a tone of gross solemnity, it fine. I spent 14 of them asleep. I spent 6 of them watching
“is your name?” It smiles triumphantly and rather smugly. It cartoons. There was an hour where I opened a whisky bottle and it
sees your expression and acerbically remarks “Don’t look at me needed my proper attention and I don’t remember the rest but the
like that, I don’t set the questions.” adventure is here so let’s all be grateful we got this far.

Mrs. Summers is nonplussed by the question, and needs to be Author Bio

coached to the answer, which she doesn’t actually know. A character Oliver Clegg writes for the Dungeon Masters Guild because they
can lead her through it gently (presuming they have garnered the let him give kobolds laser cannons and because he can get paid for
old lady’s name from her neighbours or some other means) with a writing about 50 foot bikini werewolves without any consequences.
successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check. You can find him through Twitter (@deathbybadger) or through his
outrageous number of publications on the guild website.
Development
As soon as Mrs. Summers provides the correct answer to the riddle,
move on to Conclusion.

CONCLUSION
The riddle answered, the Sphinx is able to return to its rest.

“Ahhh,” the Sphinx sighs. “Finally. Thank you. I return to my

rest.” It slowly fades away, the stars above you dwindling until
only the stone ceiling remains. You find yourselves standing
in a dark cellar with Mrs. Summers. “Now,” she says, “would
anyone like some tea?”

With the sphinx returned to its rest, the hamlet is freed from
its torment, though the villagers are almost all scarred by the
occurrences, and most immediately leave town unless they have
already perished - any character that has died in the final loop are
not restored. As to Mrs. Summers, life goes on as it always has for
her, though she proceeds to live for an unusually long time for a
human, perhaps a parting gift from a grateful sphinx.

Rewards
The characters are no longer trapped in a murder-hell loop. Let’s
not look a gift-horse in the mouth.

28
Festival of the Burning Wreath
Written by Jacky Leung
Level: 6

SYNOPSIS
The coastal town of Larrena is known for its sunny climate, friendly
CHAPTER 1 — LARRENA
The party arrives at the coastal town of Larrena. The weather is
townspeople, wine, and tropical excursions. Near the Summer impeccably sunny with a cool sea breeze to keep the temperatures
Solstice, the town is decorated with wreaths of bright flowers for reasonable. The characters are greeted by passing locals and travelers
their Festival of the Burning Wreath. The adventurers are invited as they make their approach to the town limits; the people are
to partake in the celebrations, but strange occurrences begin to pleasant and exceptionally hospitable.
disrupt the jubilations, including unusual weather patterns.
Festival Preparations
Once the characters arrive in the heart of the town, they find
ADVENTURE HOOK
After the adventuring party’s successful exploits, their half-elven
the townsfolk busy with erecting decorations for the upcoming
festivities. Read or paraphrase the following:
friend, Pelas, suggests they visit the coastal town of Larrena for
some deserved rest and relaxation. The half-elf remarks on the A bright sunny day greets you, the backdrop of the soft blue
region’s excellent weather, friendly inhabitants, culinary delights, sky and cotton white clouds seem surreal and almost too
and plentiful activities available. perfect. An occasional coastal breeze cuts the warm tropical air
Alternatively, the party could be recruited by Pelas to venture and the sound of seabirds celebrate the immaculate weather.
to Larrena to survey their hospitality and delights for an upcoming
gazette the half-elf is writing. Pelas values the party’s opinions and
wants to treat them to the excursion as thanks for a previous favor. The characters can explore and interact with the locals, who
welcome newcomers and willingly educate tourists on the town’s
traditions concerning the upcoming festival. Many townsfolk invite

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The festival is a reference to a forgotten legend about the founding
the party to join in the activities at sundown. Characters with a
passive Perception of 15 or higher feel an odd presence around the
town, though it does not seem malevolent.
of Larrena, where a fire elemental duke, Pelemithras, and an air
elemental duke, Sirocca, fought for dominance within the region. Misfit Mephits
The fire elemental won and became an iconic figure for the town A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
and its appealing weather. Every few centuries, the two elementals (Perception) check reveals missing decorations, food, and wooden
hold a contest that determines the presiding elemental force over wreaths.
the area, which includes Larrena. Pelemithras has been the reigning A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals a trail
champion for several centuries, which has brought the hot, sunny of decorations that leads the party to a group of four smoke and
climate to the region. Both of the elementals’ servants and allies four magma mephits (MM) with various items stolen from the
are gathering to the spectacle, but their arrivals are causing trouble festival. Read or paraphrase the following:
for the residents of Larrena. If Sirocca becomes the dominant
elemental force, storms and dry winds will destroy the townsfolks’
livelihoods laying waste to the region.

31
 Your investigation of the missing festival decorations leads you Development
to a group of impish creatures arguing over the pile of missing Regardless of the outcome from the skills challenge, the townsfolk
items. They are focused on their squabbling and do not notice of Larrena will want to know why the mephits stole the festive
your approach. decorations in the first place. They hire the party to investigate the
matter. Alternatively, the mephits may have made off with an item
carried by a member of the party.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence
(Nature) check identifies the creatures as smoke and magma
mephits (MM).
Any characters who speak Primordial or Auran, determine that
the mephits are arguing about which items are worthy offerings,
CHAPTER 2: THE BURNING
which they need before the main event at sunset. If any characters
try to interact with the mephits, the creatures scatter taking
whatever items they have already pilfered. This starts the skills
WREATH OF PELEMITHRAS
The townspeople of Larrena want answers and resolution of the
challenge described below. Alternatively, if the characters are more mephit menace. They readily supply the party with a small rowing
combat-oriented, some of the mephits stay behind to stall the party boat to allow them to travel to the remote islands just offshore.
while the rest of the pack make off with the stolen items. If the characters already discerned the location where the
mephits escaped, they can row the boat directly to the island.
Skills Challenge Otherwise, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check
Use these guidelines for running the skills challenge: determines which island to track the elemental creatures. On
• Difficulty Class. The base DC for skill checks is DC 15. a failed check, the party is instead direct to one of the other
• Objective. Capture or corner the escaping mephits and retrieve neighboring islands. A thorough search of these neighboring islands
the stolen festival decorations. reveals there is nothing there. A successful group DC 15 Strength
(Athletics) check keeps the boat afloat while traveling between
• Making Ability Checks. On their turn, a character can make islands or risk capsizing.
one ability check using any ability score and skill proficiency
they like, as long as they can explain how this check could
reasonably help the party reach or corner the runaway mephits. Entourage Greeting
On each failed check, the party is attacked by four smoke or Once the party arrives on the island of the fire elemental
magma mephits. Pelemithras, a large pack of twenty magma and twenty smoke
mephits gather around them accompanied by a fire elemental
• Outcomes. If the party accumulates a total number of failures (MM). Read or paraphrase the following:
equal to the number of characters in the party over the course
of the skills challenge, the mephits manage to outmaneuver the
characters and run off with the stolen town decorations. As you disembark from the rowboat, a large group of mephits
If the party earns a number of successes equal to the number and a large fire elemental throw bright flares and waves
of players, the characters successfully retrieve the missing banners as if welcoming you. The mephits greet you in
decorations, but the remaining mephits escape and head to one Common, “Greetings, newcomers!”
of the remote islands, not off the shore.
“We finally have our new champions! Please tell us you are
Running the Skills Challenge our new champions,” they say hopefully.
In this encounter, the characters are passing through alleyways
and small avenues in town. The mephits will use the terrain to
impede and derail the party whenever possible. Any character The mephits speak Common with the adventurers. If the party
with an impeccable sense of direction or memory of where previously attacked the mephits, the mephits are on guard and
they have traveled have advantage on their ability checks. If demand reparations for the unjust assault. The mephits may share
the party fails the challenge, a successful DC 13 Wisdom any of the following information if questioned:
(Survival) or Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the • The region is currently under the stewardship of a powerful fire
mephits absconded with the decorations to a remote island elemental named Pelemithras
offshore of Larrena.

32
• There is another elemental plying for custody of the area: an air A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that
elemental named Sirocca the dukes of radiance are often good-aligned fire elementals and
• The two elementals have been holding a contest every few control the flames of rejuvenation. Pelemithras is willing to share
hundred years to determine custody of the region the following information:
• Pelemithras has joint custody of the region, which includes
• Pelemithras has won consecutive times Larrena, with an air elemental duke named Sirocca
• Pelemithras and Sirocca adore the region and its inhabitants but • Pelemithras and Sirocca (air elemental (MM), they/them, lawful
wish for different outcomes for them neutral) have fought over the dominance of the region for
• Pelemithras is the fire duke who brings countless days of centuries. Pelemithras has won all of his bouts against the air
sunshine and warm weather elemental
• Due to the party’s intervention, the entourage of Pelemithras • Pelemithras is the elemental force that brings sunshine and
is weakened and would be at a disadvantage in the upcoming warm weather to the region
contest against Sirocca’s flock • Pelemithras finds the adventurers intriguing and wants them to
• The mephits stole the town’s decorations to build the arena of join his side of the contest
the upcoming contest • The contest consists of two teams that are split between the
The mephits and fire elemental do not attack unless provoked. terrain (called the Arena). A large leather-wrapped ball must be
punted from the contestants into the opposing team’s wreath to
Arena of the Elementals score a point. The first team to score seven goals is declared the
The mephit entourage guides the characters through the forest on victor
the island to the center. If the party killed the mephits and fire If the party proves to be hostile, Pelemithras sends his entourage
elemental, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check shows the consisting of ten mephits, four fire snakes (MM), and four
party to the center of the island. On a fail, the party encounters azers (MM) to attack and detain the characters when reduced to
eight hostile mephits (smoke and/or magma). half of their hit points. Pelemithras will offer to spare the party
Once the characters reach the center of the island, read or in exchange for participation in the upcoming tourney against
paraphrase the following: Sirocca.

Once you breach through the humid island forest, bright Development
sunlight and a clear blue sky greet you. Your eyes are While the characters consider Pelemithras’s offer, Sirocca’s
immediately drawn to a sandy clearing with some of the entourage arrives.
missing festival decorations and more. A rectangular perimeter
is made out of small stones and wooden branches, a fishing net
is strung up between two wooden poles to divide the terrain,
and two wooden wreaths are propped up on smaller poles like
CHAPTER 3:
rings on opposite ends of the area.
You also spot a twelve-foot tall fire elemental adorned
with an iron crown and several elemental creatures adjacent
SUN AND THUNDER
Sirocca’s entourage arrives in a gust of wind. The wind duke is
to it. The jovial mood stops abruptly as the tall elemental also curious about the party and tries to recruit them to be their
approaches you with a soft but warm glow. champions for the upcoming contest. Each elemental offers boons
to the town of Larrena but also can adversely affect the weather.
The characters need to choose a side or find an alternative option.
The large fire elemental is Pelemithras (fire elemental (MM), he/
him, lawful good) and he is surrounded by a large procession of
mephits, fire snakes, and azers. They appear ready to receive guests, Arrival of the Wind Duke
the procession is initially curious about the characters and asks The wind elemental Sirocca arrives with an entourage of dust and
them to identify themselves. Pelemithras is a fire duke of radiance. ice mephits (MM), aarakocras (MM), and air genasi (EE). The
display is ostentatious and sudden.

33
 The adventurers have several choices available to them:
A gust of wind and the crackling of lightning announce the • The party may choose to side with Pelemithras’s team
arrival of a procession for the wind duke Sirocca and their • The party may choose to side with Sircocca’s team
entourage. Sirocca is surrounded by a cyclone, obscuring their
form except for two blue orbs for eyes. Pelemithras and his • The party may decide to form their own team and challenge
group arrange themselves to receive the challengers. The two both elementals
elementals approach to the middle of the side of the arena, Once their choices are made, the party is informed of the rules of
exchanging pleasantries and possibly competitive banter. the game:
• Two teams enter the terrain called the Arena
You are approached by the large wind duke with a similar
• Using a leather-wrapped ball, contestants punt the ball to
curiosity as the fire elemental.
the opposing team’s wreath without the ball touching the net
surrounding the arena
“Greetings mortals,” they bellow.
• If the ball successfully passes through a wreath, that team scores
a point. The first to seven points is the victor
Sirocca interacts with the party and convey any of the following • If the ball falls out of the boundary of the Arena or hits the net,
information: the team who last had the ball in their possession or touched it
• Sirocca longs to win custody of the region from Pelemithras, forfeits their turn and the opposing team gains the first toss
but begrudgingly accepted joint custody with the fire elemental
• Players can use physical and supernatural methods to deflect
• Sirocca believes the characters would do what’s right for the the ball either away from the wreath or toward the other team’s
people of Larrena, providing greater opportunities for trade and wreath. Players are not allowed to place any effects on the
crops wreaths themselves
• Sirocca’s influence would bring wind streams and milder • Teams decide which one will get the first throw of the match
weather to the region. A successful DC 20 Intelligence
(Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) check concludes that
Sirocca’s presence would also increase the likelihood of storms
and adversely affect Larrena’s reputation as a recreational
destination
• Sirocca wants the characters to join their team for the upcoming
contest to break Pelemithras’s winning streak
If the party proves hostile, Sirocca attacks with its entourage of ten
ice mephits, four air genasi acolytes (MM), and four aarakocra
scouts (MM). If Pelemithras is present, the fire elemental will
join with Sirocca in a united front against the party for the
transgressions. When either elemental is reduced to half their hit
points, they will return to their native planes of Elemental Air or
Elemental Fire.

Once the characters are finished with their interactions, the contest
is ready to begin.

Game, Set, Go!

The characters discover that the contest is a sports game between
two teams within the divided terrain.

34
Read or paraphrase the following:
Burning Wreath Ball Mechanics
You gather together on the arena for this elaborate contest and The “wreath ball” game is run similar to a skills challenge. All
game for the fate of Larrena. The elementals have chosen their characters are expected to participate in the tourney. Each
teams carefully and seek to claim dominance over the region. character rolls initiative. Creatures on the opposing team
Storm clouds encircle the island with a large gap of blue sky use their reactions to either Pass the Ball, Deflect the Ball, or
and sunshine hovering over the landmass itself. Attempt to Score.

Pelemithras and Sirocca in unison stand on the sidelines before Use these guidelines for running your skills challenge:
raising their hands into the air. Difficulty Class. The base DC for skill checks is DC 15.
Objective. Score seven points to win the game.
“Let the match commence.” Opposing Team Tactics. Pelemithras’s team likes to display
a show of force, frequently using Attempt to Score actions.
Sirocca’s team will use Pass the Ball actions often to boost their
odds with Attempt to Score while using their nimble features
Development to Deflect the Ball.
If the party wins and joined Pelemithras’s team, the weather in
Making Ability Checks. On their turn, a character can make
Larrena continues to be full of sunshine and warmth. Proceed to
one ability check using any ability score and skill proficiency
Conclusion A. (Alternatively, if the party loses while under this
they like to perform, as long as they can explain how this
option, proceed to Conclusion B.)
check could reasonably allow them to interact with the ball or
participate in the game, the following actions: Pass the Ball,
If the party wins and joined Sirocca’s team, the weather changes
Deflect the Ball, or Attempt to Score.
and trade winds begin to blow through the region. Proceed to
Pass the Ball. A character can use their action or reaction to
Conclusion B. (Alternatively, if the party loses while under this
pass the ball to a teammate. The teammate then has advantage
option, proceed to Conclusion A.)
on their Ability Check if they use the Attempt to Score action.
Deflect the Ball. A character can use their reaction to deflect
If the party chose to compete against both elementals, the
the ball. The character has advantage on this Ability Check
characters either broker a truce between the two elementals
if a creature used the Attempt to Score action. On a success,
(Proceed to Conclusion C) or banish both elementals and their
the ball is deflected and no points are awarded. The DM rolls
influence from the region (Proceed to Conclusion D).
a d20 to determine where the ball is deflected. On a roll of 5
or lower, the ball is out of bounds and the ball to the opposite
If the party fought against either or both elementals and forced
team. On a roll of 6 or higher, the ball is deflected to the
them to return to their native planes (Proceed to Conclusion E).
opposing team’s side of the Arena. On a roll of 15 or higher,
the ball goes to a teammate and they are granted the benefits

CONCLUSION of the Pass the Ball action.

Attempt to Score. A character can use their action to attempt
to shoot the ball through the opposing team’s wreath.
CONCLUSION A
Read or paraphrase the following:

With the final ball strike through the wreath, swells of

flame ignite and dance in the air to Pelemithras’s honor and
continued stewardship over the region of Larrena. The two
elementals exchange pleasantries and Sirocca remarks that they
will prevail in the next contest after some time. Sirocca and
their entourage depart within a swirling nimbus, flying high
into the evening sky as the sun sets and night falls on the little
island.

“Thank you, champions. With your aid, this region will

continue to be blessed by warm weather and sunshine. Please
return to the festivities with the people nearby.”

35
The party returns to Larrena after the contest and continues the Read or paraphrase the following:
Festival of the Burning Wreath with a newfound understanding of
its beginnings and its enduring legacy. You fought hard against both teams from the elementals and
now true peace has been struck between the two elementals.
CONCLUSION B Splitting their custody over one half of each year, creating a
cycle of new seasons for the region of Larrena and its people.
Read or paraphrase the following:
For centuries to come, bright and warm months during the
With the last ball strike through the wreath, you hear the summer solstice draw travelers and promote economic growth
bellowing of howling winds and the crash of lightning in the while more temperate winds and rain visit the islands in the
distance. Sirocca seems pleased and excited compared to the winter solstice to allow a variety of crops to grow and develop
lofty demeanor presented at the start of the game. The air trade ship routes.
elemental seems to boast substantially over Pelemithras. The
fire elemental bows at the victor and departs the island. Sirocca The people of Larrena will forever remember this story and
approaches the party, surrounding them with a cooling breeze. even consider renaming the festival.

“Thank you, my new friends. The people of this region will

be blessed by prosperous winds and weather to grant them CONCLUSION D
opportunities in their future. Please return to the people If the party chose to form their own team and they win the game,
nearby and help usher this new era.” they can demand that the elementals depart from the region and
never return. The two elementals may argue with the party but will
concede from their defeat. Once both elementals leave, the weather
The party returns to Larrena after the contest and continues the in the region becomes chaotic and storms erupt frequently for long
Festival of the Burning Wreath with a newfound understanding after the party leaves Larrena.
of its beginnings and its enduring legacy. Sirocca’s influence on
the region will bring rain and strong winds to the region, granting Read or paraphrase the following:
opportunities for new crops to be grown by the townspeople and
draws attention to prospective traders via ships and boats. The
favorable winds still be ideal for establishing Larrena as a trade port, You won the match and insisted that the elementals return
but the storms remove Larrena’s appeal as a retreat resort town. to their native planes. At first, they resisted, but, after further
convincing, they soon left and the region would no longer
CONCLUSION C know of their elemental influence. The townspeople thank you
Regardless of whether the party wins or loses against the teams of for your hard work and generosity, unaware of the changing
elementals, the party has an opportunity to broker peace between weather that would forever reshape the area. The distant
the elementals, potentially granting truly shared custody of the thunder clouds loom over the horizon, promising chaotic and
region between Pelemithras and Sirocca. A successful DC 15 uncertain times ahead.
Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check helps streamline
the deliberations. If the party won the contest, they have advantage
on the ability check.
CONCLUSION E
If the party chose to attack the elementals and forced them to flee
back to their native planes, the weather in the region becomes
chaotic and storms erupt frequently after the party leaves Larrena.
Future storms may make the area dangerous to live and send the
town into financial ruin. If you wish to continue this story thread,
it’s possible that the wounded elementals will combine their forces
and work together to exact revenge on the characters.

36
36
Read or paraphrase the following:
Author’s Notes/
The elementals depart for their native planes, shouting spiteful Acknowledgments
words in their native languages. You have the impression that This adventure was inspired by the Night of Fire (Festival of Sant
may not be the last you see of these elemental forces. You Joan) in Barcelona, Spain. The name Pelemithras was inspired by
return to the townspeople, who thank you for your hard work the Iranian sun god Mithras and Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire
and generosity, unaware of the changing weather that will and volcanoes. Sirocca is a derivative of a sirocco, which is a dry,
plague the region. A harsh wind blows from the coast and dark hurricane-force wind.
clouds lurk over the horizon when you leave - a portentous
farewell.
Author Bio
Jacky Leung is a freelance writer and RPG designer who has
contributed to various publications, including the Uncaged
Rewards Anthology and Artifacts of the Guild on the DM’s Guild. You can
Characters who complete this adventure may earn the following find his indie RPG creations at [Link]. Additionally,
rewards: you can find Jacky’s articles on D&D and other RPG inspirations,
reviews, and thoughts at [Link].
XP Rewards
Add the total XP of the creatures defeated by the party, then divide
by the number of characters to determine individual rewards.

Encounter XP
Misfit Mephits skills challenge 700 per
character
Smoke Mephit 50
Steam Mephit 50
Fire Elemental 1800
Magma Mephit 50
Fire Snake 200
Azer 450
Air Elemental 1800
Air Genasi acolyte 50
Aarakocra scout 100
Burning Wreath game challenge 700 per
character

37
Large Paw MusicFestival Written by Kristina Sisto Kindel
Level: 7 Content Warnings: Recreational Drug Use

SYNOPSIS
Adventurers attending a three-day bardic festival find themselves
CHAPTER 1:
looking for a strange mythical creature that supposedly lives in the
woods. Containing misty mountains, food carts, and...wait, were
those naked fairies riding bicycles? The Great Outdoors beckons!
FESTIVAL ANTICS
Winding down a canyon path, the smell of cooking food fills
the air. Aromas of highly-seasoned meats, fried vegetables, spicy
noodles, roasted coffee beans, and freshly baked bread permeate

ADVENTURE HOOK
• Characters hear about an incredible three-day festival happening
the area. Portable stalls for food and drink congregate tightly in a
square-shaped market, and there are three stages scattered around
the canyon, each with a competing act. Bards of all stripes have
in a remote canyon turned out to the festival, and music pulses throughout the area.
• Characters follow the raucous sounds of a party to a nearby Stalls of merchandise line the narrow paths, and crowds of creatures
canyon shop, dance, lounge, and just wander around the natural space.
Welcome to the LargePaw Music Festival! All the banners depict a
• A caravan that the characters are travelling in make a pit stop,
large hairy creature silhouetted against conifers.
and they see revelers wearing elaborate outfits traipsing towards
a canyon
Note for the DM:
A LargePaw is a large hairy forest dweller, use stone giant
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
This module, designed for characters at 7th level, is based on
(MM) stat block) The LargePaw Simeon (he/him)and his mate
Jondal (LargePaw, he/him) are big fans of The Hedgelords, a
band of Treant bards that are known for their emotional lyrics,
a music festival in the Pacific Northwest named after a local
aggressive stage antics, and bracing melodies. The LargePaws
legendary monster known as Sasquatch. The goal of this one-shot
case the campsite every night for the best vantage point, but
is to get your players laughing, having a good time, and embracing
are scared to upset the other festival-goers. Simeon and Jondal
the chaos that comes with outdoor music festivals. Let the
just want to see the band perform, but their friend Toregal
festivities begin!
(LargePaw, he/him) has other plans. He wants the LargePaw
group to storm the stage and take over a set, and he’s not above
kidnapping other musicians to do it!

This section is meant to build character personas and have fun

exploring the festival, so there should be no body count! If the
players do end up entering a fight and get caught killing an
NPC, there should be consequences.

39
 4. “Has anyone seen Cassius the Lute Fiend? I heard she was on
Rumors, Rumors! today, but no one has seen her. I want to catch her set. She’s
The following rumors can be picked up around camp to lead the
sooooo hot!”
adventurers into the wild.
1. “Food has been going missing from carts all over camp! And The players can find and talk to the coffee vendor. Her name is
the coffee vendor swore she brought more sacks of roasted Esperanza (she/her) and she swears to the players that she brought
beans with her, but she’s running out quick!” more coffee beans. There were strange tracks by her wagon this
morning, it looked almost like a dog...but way bigger. They led off
2. “I heard The Hedgelords are going to make an appearance at
towards the woods.
the final day of the festival! I’m so excited, I loved their newest
set I heard at the Splintered Mermaid in Farstone!”
Random Festival Events
3. “Someone thought that they saw huge footprints in the mud Roll a d6 for a random festival event throughout the adventure.
by the woods this morning. Could be nothing, probably just Some of these are pure flavor, others have encounters attached. You
some kids. But...what if it IS LargePaw?! He’s a mythical being can use them all, roll for a few them or mix and match as you see
that guards the woods, been here for centuries. Or so they say. fit!
Big bear-like creature...or was it troll-like? The stories vary…”

Random Festival Events Table

1d6 Encounter
1 A pack of pixies fly by, alighted on two-wheeled contraptions. The pixies are naked and laughing as they fly around the
heads of onlookers; some delighted, others insulted. A pair of gnomes that seem a little out of place in the festival
atmosphere complain loudly, asking, “How this is possibly allowed? Between hearing things in the woods at night
and having to look at, ugh, THAT, maybe this festival just isn’t for us!”
2 A dwarf named Laurent (they/them) sells bottles of an aromatic bubbling brown liquid beckons, a smile on their
face. As the group approaches, they attempt to sell their Elixir of Cheer for 2 sp a bottle. If the characters buy a bottle,
the shopkeep pulls on a tap and the liquid pours out into a glass container. Before they can seal it, something slimy
seems to shove its way out of the tap. A sentient kombucha monster has crawled from the barrel! Stat block is below.
3 A half-elf fortune teller, Madazzna (he/him) is seated on the ground under a tree, weaving tales of glory to come
to a teen group made up of a tiefling and two humans. As the group makes a fuss over the cards, a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check reveals a mage hand going through the bag of the fortune teller, searching for gold! If the party
confronts the thieves or follow them back to their tent, they put up a fight. Use stat blocks for a mage (MM) and two
scouts (MM).
4 As the party makes their way around the festival, they keep running into a sharply dressed halfling with a waxed
mustache who is incredibly cagey. He is selling hallucinogenic mushrooms at 5 gold a bag, and will sell to a player
that can convince him they are trustworthy by succeeding on a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If players ingest
the mushrooms, they are affected and must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to not be poisoned.
5 An incredibly enthusiastic air genasi named Valeria (she/her) wears her vendor booth on her back as a pack, and
seemingly dripping from her body are sticks that she has enchanted to glow with a soft light. She sells the sticks 5 for
2 sp, or 150 for a gold. Each stick glows in shades of yellow, blue, pink, and purple. If a stick is broken, colored sparks
fly into the air and disappear. If asked, she has had some merchandise go missing in the night. She figured it was
teenagers being stupid, but the players are welcome to check her tent out. It is next to the woods on the eastern side
of the camp.
6 A fight breaks out on the dance floor area of a side stage, the participants of the fight seem content in punching
each other in time to the music that is playing; a brutal staccato of drum beats pecked out by a ferocious-looking
aarakocra and a wailing pair of viols played by two gnolls. If the players join the brawl, the 30-odd participants all
have commoner (MM) stats, and players take 1d10 damage every minute they spend in the pit. A player succeeding
on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check overhears someone speculating about not being able to find Cassius the Lute
Fiend, a tiefling bard (she/her). She’s on tomorrow and no one has seen her today.

40
 CHAPTER 2:
INTO THE WOODS
This chapter reveals clues about the location of the LargePaw
group, and a daring rescue of Cassius the Lute Fiend, a rockstar
bard who was lured into the forest by a dryad and then promptly
got herself lost. Cassius is twitchy; she’s been hearing strange noises
coming from the mountains, and an eerie rustling in the trees.

Forest Encounters
Development Exploring the woods can lead to interesting territory! What kind of
If the players go check out the woods, succeeding on a DC 12 things will the adventurers face before finding Cassius?
Wisdom (Survival) check reveals pawprints leading into the woods
that ascend into mountainous terrain.
Rescue!
The character with the highest passive perception notices a
wriggling mass covered in leaves. If the players approach, it is
Climbing up toward the mountain passage, pine trees soon
revealed to be Cassius the Lute Fiend, a tiefling woman bound in
block the sounds and smells of the festival, overtaken my
ropes and vines and gagged with of moss.
birdsong and pine. Thick forest turns to rocky crags, and a
thin fog begins to form on the ground as the elevation grows.

Forest Encounters Table

1d4 Encounter
1 Dryads singing; this is what lured Cassius into the forest, but the LargePaw Toregar was passing by, and noticed her
lute. If the players investigate, they find eight dryads (MM) mourning the death of three of their siblings. A great
beast felled a tree while they slept, killing their sisters in the process. They are looking to take three mortal lives as
payment before they depart to the feywild for a more formal ceremony. They focus on three party members, and have
a particular revenge-fueled interest in large characters or melee fighter characters. Drag marks near the newly created
stump indicate that the felled tree was dragged up the mountainside by an incredibly strong individual: A DC 15
Wisdom (Survival) check reveals only one large set of prints. A total of 18+ reveals that these are from paws.
2 Rock trolls! Two trolls (MM) are trying to find a place to relocate to as the mountains have become far too noisy for
their liking. They will attack the party on sight.
3 Landslide caused by a Warlock of the Great Outdoors seeking a return of the forest to the wilds. The warlock,
Cascade (he/him/they/them) is unhappy that the LargePaw band has taken to playing music on the mountain, and
that the festival has moved in. He respects the historical significance of the LargePaws holding the mountain, so they
plan to take their anger out on the festival. If the players dawdle too long at the festival (eg: stay the night), Cascade
attacks the festival at first light with a pack of five twig blights (MM) in tow. If Cascade encounters the party on the
mountain, they will have only gathered two twig blights to fight with him.
4 Find ancient portals marked on trees that is an ancient magical obstacle course. The portals will take any player that
enters to the treeline, then automatically speed them down towards the ground, where a portal takes them back
up into the trees to a suspension bridge with a portal at the end of it, then to the top of a pine tree with a portal at
its base, which the players must dive into from the treetop. This portal returns the player to the start. The DC is a
Dexterity saving throw, and each portal scales up or down. The first is DC 10, the second is DC 13, the third is DC 8,
and the final is DC 15. Going through the portal course will earn the player two luck points from the fey that built the
course. The portals will close once each player has made an attempt to cross the course twice.

41
 A dark red tiefling woman in a deep red vest and tight black
leggings struggles against her bonds, and as the moss is pulled
CHAPTER 3:
from her mouth, she spits, “Those...complete hornstickers!
You’re never going to believe me: LargePaw is real! He’s here in
these woods, and apparently hates good music!”
THE LARGER THE PAW...
This is where the characters encounter the LargePaw Simeon and
his mate, Jondal, and the mastermind of the musician kidnapping,
She spits more moss onto the ground. a LargePaw named Toregal. They are Stone Giants reskinned as
hairy cryptids, covered in a thick pelt of hair, and they have been
“He caught me in the woods. I was supposed to go for a sneaking into the festival camp at night to steal instruments.
warmup set, but I heard this super enchanting song and there
was this hot chick that was wearing leaves...well, anyway.”
About the LargePaws
She sighs, wistfully frustrated. The trio is an aspiring musical act and Toregal wants them to
make their debut at the festival. They have one problem: all the
“Took my lute too, the numbtwist. No one takes the Lute instruments they try to make are a mess! Simeon and Jondal were
Fiend’s instrument!” perfectly happy to just listen from the woods as their favorite bards
serenade them, but Toregal just returned from a scouting mission
She is furious, and returns to the festival if pointed the way. with a real lute! The show is on!

“I know how to handle myself with little creatures, no need to LargePaw Encounter
worry. It’s that beast in the mountain I’m not going to mess After a long climb, the players see an outcropping from the
with! He went that way, and with my lute!” mountain that juts out like a stone disc. As they approach through
a rocky field, they must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth)
She points up the mountainside to where a small outcropping check to not send boulders tumbling down the mountain and
is visible, a thick drag mark sweeping a path up the side. alerting the three LargePaws that inhabit this stone area.
Someone very large has been here.

Cassius offers tickets to her concerts for life as well as a charlatan’s

die (XGtE) and 500 gp for saving her.

Development
If the players climb the mountain, they see boulders begin to get
larger as they approach the outcropping. The path is made by
the drag of a tree through earth. A successful DC 12 Wisdom
(Perception) check reveals bits of wood and twine strewn through
the rocks. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check
of the debris reveals it to be crude attempts at musical instruments.

42
 If the characters defeat the LargePaws in combat and return
As the group creeps nearer, the deep rumbles of the cryptids’ to camp with a trophy, they are the talk of the festival. LargePaw
voices begin to carry on the wind. Hearing scattered bits of have been a myth for centuries and to see evidence of one up close
conversation, the wind brings you the following in Giant… is astounding. Buyers will offer gold for any trophies collected, and
the festival goes on as planned.
“But what if they don’t like us?”
If the characters sneak the LargePaws in to see the show, they (as
“Fools, we should have been on stages like these for years!” a group) make DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) checks at disadvantage
to hide the cryptids from the watchful eyes of the guards (MM)
“Perhaps we didn’t need to steal away the horned one…” serving as festival bouncers.

“Off the beat, Jondal, off the beat! No one claps on one and
three!”
Author Notes
I never got to go to the Sasquatch music festival in the Pacific
Northwest before it closed down, so this is my ode to what could
“Toregal, don’t you think we should just listen?” have been! Biggest of flannel-clad high fives to my Nightseers
(Ashlee, Ciaran, Karla, Kim, Kelli, and Laura) for playtesting, as
“We can get those Treant guys next, they seem like more our well as Bonnie, Elena, Isaac, Morgan, and Peter. You are all the
speed to take on…plus, their instruments might actually fit heroes of what remains of my heart.
us!”

The players come upon these creatures in the middle of a band Author Bio
practice. One drums on the hollowed-out stump of a fallen Kristina lives in Portland, OR with her husband, Isaac, and her
tree, the other holds a lute in his paws, a tiny thing compared darling corgidor, Sansa. When she is not working with data or
to the rest of his body. The third LargePaw warbles a melody playing or running copious amounts of tabletop RPGs, she fills her
in Giant that curls around the mountaintop and echoes down time with other creative pursuits such as singing, acting, knitting,
into the edges of the canyon. A bag of coffee lies forgotten; the and cooking.
LargePaws thought it was an instrument!

Development
Depending on decisions the players make with the LargePaw, there
are a number of possible outcomes. Whether they fight and kill the
group, or help them realize their dreams of stardom, the players
return to the festival grounds.

CONCLUSION
Making their way back to the festival, the group begins to hear the
thrums of music, the deep bass notes resonating throughout the
canyon as the Hedgelords take the main stage. A crowd of dancing
revelers draws near to the stage, moving in a mass of gleeful bodies.
Limbs aloft, the dancers sing along to the emotionally charged
lyrics that emit from the stage.

If the characters help the LargePaws get a slot at the festival,

they will earn the eternal gratitude of the cryptids, who bestow
upon them a promise that they are only a Sending away should
the players need their assistance, as well as a Belt of Giant’s Strength
(DMG). The festival-goers are wowed, and a number of bards offer
to buy the tale from the heroes for 3,000 gp.

43
 Kombucha Monster
Large ooze, unaligned

Armor Class 6
Hit Points 79 (8d10 + 30
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 5 (-3)

Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, slashing

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
Languages -
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Cultured Creature. Brewed from a symbiotic culture of bacteria

and yeast, the kombucha monster is an awakened SCOBY.
Amorphous. The kombucha monster can move through a space
as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Spider Climb. The kombucha monster can climb through difficult
surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to
make an ability check.
Actions
Vinegar Spray. The kombucha monster targets one creature that
it can “see” within 60 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 14
Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (5d6) acid damage
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage

Reactions
Split. When a kombucha monster that is Medium or larger with at
least 10 hit points is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it
splits into two SCOBYs. Each SCOBY has hit points equal to half
the original’s rounded down. New SCOBYs are one size smaller
than the parent.

44
Warlock of the Great Outdoors
Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13 (15 with Mage Armor)

Hit Points 78 (10d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

11 (0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7

Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +4, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning damage from any wooden
weapons
Languages Common, Undercommon, Sylvan
Senses Darkvision 30 ft, advantage on Survival checks or
contests, passive perception 11
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is

Charisma. They can innately cast the following spells (spell save
DC 16), requiring no material components:
At will: animal messenger, cure wounds, entangle, hunter’s mark,
gust of wind, mage armor (self only)
1/day each: control weather, crown of stars, whirlwind
Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Their
spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with
spell attacks). They regain their expended spell slots when they
finish a short or long rest. They know the following warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): create bonfire, druidcraft, eldritch blast, firebolt,
gust, minor illusion, thorn whip
1st - 5th level (4 5th level slots): create food and water, dominate
beast, insect plague, guardian of nature, purify food and drink,
sanctuary, spider climb, stinking cloud, thunder step, web
Nature’s Blessing (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When
the warlock fails a spell attack, it can re-roll the attack and add a
d4 to the d20 roll. It can add this d4 to the next three attacks.
Actions
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

45
 TwistedRoots Written by TK Johnson
Level: 7 Content Warnings: Colonialism, Ritual Sacrifice, Themes of Infanticide

queen flees the kingdom.

SYNOPSIS
After suffering weeks of assaults by the undead, a noblewoman’s
Prior to this adventure, a Chultan village gave the baby to
Uluu Thalongh to appease it but Aralee took the baby. The village
young child will die on the night of the Solstice, unless adventurers died and the possessed tree was made into the crib. Now, having
intervene. This adventure is intended for a party of 4-5 7th-level traveled from Chult to the Sword Coast, the undead villagers have
characters arrived at the noblewoman’s home.

ADVENTURE HOOK CHAPTER 1: HOME IS

Lady Aralee is a childless noblewoman who has returned from
Chult after a year of missionary work. While there, she found
a baby nestled in the roots of a massive baobab tree and she WHERE THE HEARTH IS
understood this to be a reward from Chauntea for her faith and
good works. She took the baby and had the tree cut down and The leaves of the shrubs lining the town center have burst
made into its cradle. A year after she returned home to the Sword into bunches of glossy-green sheaves, leaning with each lazy
Coast, exactly one month before the Solstice, her home has been breath of the wind. Summer has danced into this village,
assaulted by undead and consultation with a cleric has revealed that beating down upon your brows and sticking your shirts to
the undead are trying to claim her child. The child is growing sickly your sweat-slicked skin. The roads are rough, pitted with loose
and weak, and the noblewoman is certain that her child will perish pebbles and gaping potholes, and the carts rattle and rock as
by the Solstice, unless the adventurers intervene. they pass the stalls of the marketplace. You hear the low buzz
of insects beneath the call for customers and the air is stifling,
heavy with humidity as you approach the massive doors of a

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
This adventure is inspired by the Yoruba legend of the Iroko Tree,
marble temple, blazoned with banners bearing the symbol of
Chauntea, the Great Mother.

the story of Olorunbi, and the story of Isokun.

In Yoruba legend, iroko trees are trees full of malevolent spirits The Temple of Chauntea
that must be appeased. Olorunbi promised her baby to the local Despite the exterior, the Temple of Chauntea is a modest affair,
iroko tree outside of her village in exchange for ending a famine, lined with streams of handmade flower garlands and delicately
but later tricked and outsmarted the angry spirit in the tree and folded paper decorations in preparation for the Summer Solstice. It
kept her child. In Isokun’s story, a queen goes on a pilgrimage to is a flurry of motion and sound as penitents and petitioners flood
beg the orisa for children of her own. Each of the orisa turn her the pews, hoping to gain noon blessings before they return to tend
away and finally she steals a baby from a poor woman and presents the market and orchards.
it to her husband when she returns home. However, she can’t feed
the babe and it starts to grow ill while it’s birth mother desperately
searches for it. The birth mother eventually finds the child and the

47
The Priestess’ Request Development
A tall figure paces the aisles, waving their hand graciously to their After speaking with Mother Zal, the party may rest. The next
parishioners, and they approach the party with wide strides. This is morning they are hurried to the noble quarter of the town where
Mother Zal (zAHL, half-orc priest (MM), she/her, neutral good), the Rhava Estate awaits.
High Priestess of Chauntea, and she welcomes the adventurers to
the temple for rest, relaxation, and healing. In return, she asks that
they please check in on a member of her flock, Lady Aralee Rhava
(Air-ah-lee Rah-vah, half-elf commoner (MM), she/her, chaotic
good), who has not been seen for nearly a month.
CHAPTER 2:
“It is most unusual,” Mother Zal mutters, wiping sweat from
HOME, SWEET HOME
the thick column of her neck with a linen handkerchief. The Rhava Estate rests wearily at the end of the main thoroughfare,
shelf of her chin quivers as she tries to recall the events. “I am beyond staggering stone steps and cobblestone walkways. The
terrified for the High Lady… but I dare not leave the temple sprawling tongue of its gravel drive drowsily skims the stems of
so close to the Summer Solstice, with so many pilgrims in need tall weeds ringing an archway of grey ivy. If you didn’t know
of my services. Could you please look in on her and the baby, better, you would swear that this is where the wilderness met
and perhaps remind her of her child’s approaching nameday the town, the precipice of civilization.
ceremony?

Mother Zal imparts these facts upon the adventurers:

Entering the Estate
The manor is a two-story home with peeling paint and rotting
• Lady Aralee recently complained of sleepless nights and boards that have been visibly worm-eaten. If Mother Zal is present,
mysterious shadows in her large manor. When Mother Zal she claims that it was not in this state when she visited a month
offered to bless the baby’s room, Lady Aralee refused ago, however she is unsurprised by its appearance. The windows
• Nearly a year ago, Lady Aralee returned from a mission trip and doors are each flung wide open, and a greasy trail of muck and
to Chult, but declined to bring the baby in for a nameday debris leads into the main foyer of the home. In the crumbling
ceremony plaster walls and ceiling, there are pulsing black veins that are,
• If asked about the parentage or Lord Rhava at all, Mother Zal upon further inspection, writhing tree roots.
claims that she should not gossip. However, she says that Lady Mother Zal is hesitant to enter, but advises the adventurers on
Aralee often changed the subject on the baby’s father, claiming the rooms in which Lady Aralee is most likely to reside. Use a d6 to
only that it was a blessing bestowed upon her by Chauntea for determine which room Lady Aralee is in:
her good works and strong faith
• As the conversation continues, a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Insight) check reveals Mother Zal’s increasing unwillingness to
go to the manor herself. Prodding her further reveals her belief
that there is a genuinely malevolent force in the Rhava estate

Though Mother Zal is afraid, she is not unreasonable. If

asked, she provides each adventurer with a Potion of Healing
(2d4+4) and casts the aid spell upon the adventurers for their
protection. A successful DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check
convinces her to accompany the party to the estate, though she
does not engage in battle and must be persuaded once again to
enter the manor.

48
 1d6 Room A brown-skinned half-elf pushes past you and into the baby’s
room, wide-eyed and fearful. She immediately lays slender
1 Kitchen: The kitchen is in perfect order, beyond hands upon the child, checking its face and form as best she
the roots embedded in the walls. Every silver can before lifting her gaze. Her gown, once spotless silk with
utensil has been neatly stacked one on top of the richly embroidered leaping does and swooping doves, hangs in
other in a line that reaches the ceiling. tatters from her narrow shoulders and she drags the point of a
broadsword that is much too heavy for her along the floor as
2 Master Suite: Lady Aralee has trapped a bodak
she walks.
(VgtM) in the Master Suite. This bodak pleads to
be released and returned to its baby, scratching
against the door and weeping piteously in an
Distraught, she explains her situation as best she can:
unnatural voice. If the door is opened, the bodak
• A year ago, she returned from a missionary trip to Chult, where
attacks the party immediately, ready to kill anyone
she spread the gospel of Chauntea. While there, she found
who gets between her and her baby.
a baby abandoned beneath a massive black baobab tree. She
3 The Baby’s Room: The baby’s room is the source adopted this baby as her own and had the tree cut down so
of the black roots, which are originating from the that it could be fashioned into a crib, to remind the baby of its
base of a shiny, black crib. Around the crib, toys homeland
levitate and bob in midair, while inside, a brown- • A month ago, the crib was finished, however, the baby soon
skinned baby sleeps peacefully. grew colicky and irritable when she took it from the crib, as
though it were only happy there
4 The Cellar: The door to the cellar is latched
tightly closed with a silver lock. A successful • Soon after, poltergeist activity began. Furniture moved on its
DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or DC13 own, undead began to pull themselves up from her cellar, and
Strength (Athletics) check opens the lock. If the she felt afraid in her own home. Any attempts to remove the
adventurers open it, 2d8 Chultan yellow musk baby met with disaster,such as her carriage catching on fire and
zombies (ToA) climb out, attacking anyone they the stairwell collapsing, only to rebuild itself once she returned
see. the baby to the cradle

5 The Parlor: The parlor is in disarray, but the lush • As the Summer Solstice neared, she woke to the sound of a
furniture has all been upended and suspended creature crawling onto the edge of her bed. She fled in terror as
against the wall, as though some force were a creature that claimed it was the baby’s true mother cackled in
attempting to recreate the home on the ceiling. delight, swearing to swallow up the baby on the solstice
2d6 Chultan yellow musk zombies shuffle
aimlessly here, guided by wriggling black tree Exhausted, Lady Aralee begs the adventurers to keep watch for
roots. They attack anyone who enters the parlor the night, so that she might finally rest. Throughout the night, the
bodak wails and laughs with increasing volume and intensity.
6 The Attic: The entrance to the attic is nearly
covered with black, squirming roots. Removing
them will open the hatch and pour 3d4 Chultan
If Mother Zal accompanied the party, she will steadfastly
yellow musk zombies onto the adventurers. The
refuse to sleep in the manor. If she leaves, she does not
Yellow Musk Zombies will attack immediately,
return. Only a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) or
and the roots restrain any adventurers who fail a
Charisma (Intimidation) check convinces her to stay, but she
DC 13 Strength saving throw.
does not engage in any fighting until Uluu Thalongh shows
himself.
If you do not have access to the statistics for yellow musk zombies,
use the normal zombie (MM) statistics.

A Mother’s Love Development

Regardless of where Lady Aralee is hiding, if the adventurers enter After speaking with Lady Aralee, the adventurers are free to either
the baby’s room, she appears. investigate or rest in the manor.

49
 This is the voice of Uluu Thalongh (undead shambling mound,
CHAPTER 3: it/its, lawful evil), a malevolent spirit of Chultan legend who had
been promised the baby as a sacrifice to rescue a Chultan village
from disaster. Uluu Thalongh has possessed the body of the bodak.
OUR TWISTED ROOTS
As dawn breaks, any adventurers who attempted to rest in Rhava
If prompted, it elaborates:
• Its spirit was sealed in the baobab wood when Lady Aralee had
Estate must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw, or else the tree cut down and has waited a year to devour the child it
suffer a level of exhaustion, unless the bodak was defeated the day was promised
before. • Once Uluu Thalongh has devoured the child, it will use its
Yellow Musk Zombies to carry it deeper into the Sword Coast
As the Bough Breaks and spread its legend
Lady Aralee is exhausted, but wakes before the adventurers. She
is walking the length of the hall, patrolling for more Yellow Musk Lady Aralee has pried the baby from the cradle and will offer her
Zombies. Adventurers who leave the baby’s room find that the life in exchange for the child’s. The party has a decision to make:
roots have engulfed the windows and doors, effectively forming an • Allow Lady Aralee to sacrifice herself
impenetrable cocoon around the manor. • Insist that Lady Aralee sacrifice the baby--this option will ensure
Further investigation of the manor reveals the rooms are Lady Aralee attacks the party.
each filled with floating furniture and dining implements, vases
and bedding. Any Yellow Musk Zombies the party encounters (if • Defeat Uluu Thalongh. If the Bodak was defeated the day
they were not defeated the day before) will be staring blankly at before, its lifeless husk falls to the ground before the battle
the pulsing ceiling. The door to the Master Suite is open, and the begins. Otherwise, it joins the battle
bodak is nowhere to be seen.
Uluu Thalongh uses the undead shambling mound statistics
Cradle and All (Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage) with the following
When the adventurers return to the baby’s room, they discover changes:
Lady Aralee wildly hacking at the base of the cradle, desperately • Uluu Thalongh is immune to the Turn Undead ability.
trying to free the cradle from the writhing mass of roots on the • Uluu Thalongh uses the baby’s room as a Lair. On initiative
floor. The roots have grown over the lip of the cradle, cocooning count 20 (losing initiative ties), Uluu Thalongh takes a lair
the entirety of the baby’s bed. If the adventurers help, the cradle action:
comes away easily and Lady Aralee clutches it to her chest as best
• A sickening miasma rises, filling the room. Each creature
she is able.
in the room must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or take 2d10 poison damage and become
poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this
The walls tremble with the frenetic energy of the shivering
way, a creature is incapacitated
roots and suddenly the stale air is filled with an acrid stench
that sets your teeth swimming and your eyes watering. This • Roots erupt from the wall, floor, and ceiling. Each
miasma snakes through the room and carries with it a deep, creature in the room must succeed on a DC 13 Strength
melodious laughter, raising the hair on the back of your neck. saving throw or be restrained until the end of its turn
The limp body of the bodak hangs in the doorway, a root If you do not have access to the undead shambling mound
sharply embedded in the top of her shriveled head. statistics, use the standard shambling mound statistics (MM)
with the changes above, and replacing Lightning Absorption with
“A sacrifice I was promised,” an otherworldly voice echoes Necrotic Absorption.
from deep inside the bodak’s gaping maw, and the roots
shudder and dance in unison. “A sacrifice I shall have…”
Development
If the party sacrifices Lady Aralee, choose Conclusion A.
If the party sacrifices the baby, choose Conclusion B.
If the party defeats Uluu Thalongh, choose Conclusion C.

50
CONCLUSION Rewards
Characters who complete this adventure earn the following
rewards:
CONCLUSION A
XP Rewards
Lady Aralee gives a stern nod, head of curls bobbing with Use either the table below or milestones to determine experience.
every step as she crosses the room and gently deposits the
baby in your arms. She takes a deep breath, shoulders shaking, Obstacle XP
and walks into the embrace of Uluu Thalongh, allowing the
twisted roots of the earth spirit to envelop her. Her death is Yellow Musk Zombie 50 per zombie
silent, peaceful, but for the echo of wet chewing that follows
The Bodak 2,300
you out of the front door and through the town. The memory
remains as you hand the baby to Mother Zal, who wrings her Uluu Thalongh 1,800
hands and carefully averts her eyes. She instructs her fellow
priests to find an appropriate cradle for the child. If the adventurers appease Uluu Thalongh with a sacrifice,
Mother Zal offers them free rest and healing at the Temple of
Chauntea, but insists that they move on soon.
CONCLUSION B
If the adventurers rescue Lady Aralee and her child from Uluu
Lady Aralee is simple to dispatch, falling to the ground with
Thalongh, Mother Zal offers them free rest and healing at the
one swing. She gasps and shudders as the black roots engulf
Temple of Chauntea. Lady Aralee offser them 200 gp each and
her dying form and then the bundle of blankets that she’d
a wand of entangle (TFtYP, The Sunless Citadel). The party will
held so tightly in her arms. The floor gives way beneath you,
always have a room at Rhava Estate to rest and recuperate on their
swallowing you whole and spitting you into the yard of the
adventures.
estate. From there, you see the pulsing husk of the manor as
Uluu Thalongh indulges in its long-awaited meal, beneath the
blood-soaked sun of the Summer Solstice. Author Bio:
TK Johnson is a speculative fiction writer and part-time eldritch
horror. They can be found as a cast member of The Land Between
Two Rivers, Tales From the Mists, and Jace Beleren Must Die on
CONCLUSION C the WebDM and Dungeons & Dragons networks, respectively -
and as a contributor and editor in several Anthologies on Dungeon
Lady Aralee gives a tearful gasp as the roots shrivel and Masters Guild. Their spooky stories can be found at [Link].
wither, collapsing in great heaps of filmy ash. She sobs into
the swaddled form of her adopted child as you hear a raspy
whimper. The bodak, too, has begun to shrivel and the heart-
wrenching form of a Chultan matron reaches with the last of
her strength, no longer filled with the vengeful vigor that Uluu
Thalongh bestowed upon her. Lady Aralee leans down beside
her and listens intently as the dying woman whispers into her
ear, then collapses into a pile of soot and leaves.

You escort Lady Aralee from her home to the Temple of

Chauntea, where she and her baby bathe and begin the rites
for the baby’s nameday. When Mother Zal smiles widely and
asks Lady Aralee the baby’s name, she answers:

“Kora. Her mother wanted her name to be Kora.”

51
 Cruel Summer Written by Cat Evans
Level: 8 Content Warnings: Mob Violence

SYNOPSIS
Summer is hell. It’s unpleasant even when your city isn’t being
ADVENTURE HOOK
All the DM needs to do is get the characters into the island city
menaced by a vengeful fire elemental in dragon form reactivating of Caldera around midsummer. Caldera offers many lures for an
the dormant volcano beneath your feet. When that volcano adventuring party:
begins to rumble and threaten to erupt - just as the bicentennial • The city is famous for its hot springs, which are said to have
celebrations are kicking off - you really need that elemental dealt healing properties. Perhaps a party member or ally needs to lift
with. This adventure is for a party of 5 level 8 characters. a curse or heal a persistent wound or disease.
• Wealthy folk flock to the healing springs, so Caldera has a well
developed tourist industry, offering luxury resorts and holiday
homes. The characters might visit simply for pleasure - or even
have been rewarded with a home here by a grateful employer.
• The party might have been guards for noble family on the
journey to Caldera, and have recently arrived in town.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The city of Caldera, as the name suggests, stands in the crater left
behind from the last time the volcano Idoraia erupted. That was
hundreds of years ago. Everybody in Caldera believes the volcano is
safe now; the spirit that inhabited it was slain by brave adventurers,
and adventurers are never scam artists who might, say, banish a
powerful fire elemental to another plane for two-hundred years and
claim it was dealt with. No, wait. That’s exactly what they did. And
now the elemental is back, and extremely angry at the city that’s
sprung up in its domain.
It’s midsummer, and the city is celebrating its bicentennial
when the elemental (also named Idoraia) returns. When the
adventure begins, Caldera has already suffered a few days of
earthquakes. So far, the quakes have caused relatively little damage,
but people who can afford to leave are doing so, and city officials
are growing concerned.

53
CHAPTER 1: Blistering Heat
The heat in Caldera is unbearable and unnatural. Characters
who move around the city wearing armor, or who undertake

THE EARTH QUAKES

In this chapter, the adventurers explore Caldera, encounter
strenuous activity(e.g. manual labour), must succeed on a DC 13
Constitution saving throw each hour or take a level of exhaustion.
A short rest removes one level of exhaustion.
several important NPCs, and bear witness to the first signs of the
impending eruption. The Word on the Street
It’s impossible for the party to spend any length of time in the city
The City of Caldera without absorbing some information. No matter who they speak
To begin the adventure, read or paraphrase: to, they should learn the following facts quickly.
• Tomorrow, Caldera celebrates the bicentennial of its founding
• Minor earthquakes have been occurring for about five days. It’s
Caldera sprawls luxuriously out of the crater in which it was
unusual to have so many in a short time, but probably nothing
first built. Green parks and olive groves surround pristine
to worry about. Characters proficient in Insight understand that
white villas - the luxury abodes of visiting plutocrats - which
people are most definitely worried
jostle with more modest brick and tile structures that house
the rest of the population. Planned in concentric circles and • Caldera is built on top of an inactive volcano (Idoraia).
broken up by lakes and greenery, the city radiates tranquility. Characters proficient in Nature or History know this
automatically
Preparations are in full swing for a festival: workers bustle • The volcano is definitely inactive, because an adventuring party
about the more affluent areas decorating with wreaths and slew the elemental that dwelled there (Idoraia), 200 years ago.
garlands, and the central forum is empty except for people The bicentennial tomorrow celebrates both the founding of the
setting up attractions and stalls. But something isn’t right: city and the defeat of the elemental. Characters proficient in
there are ships leaving the harbour, but none entering, and few History know this automatically
people in the streets who aren’t at work.
As well as this general information, some locals have more to say.

The Shopkeeper
Cassia(human commoner (MM), she/her, lawful neutral)

Who She Is: Cassia is a middle-aged human woman with grey-

streaked dark hair and a kindly face. She’s well-mannered, and
a stickler for propriety. She runs a local shop (or inn, if need
be).
What She Knows: Cassia knows that the rich folk have started
to leave town, and generally when the rich people go, it’s
time to start worrying. She would leave too, except that her
husband, who is bed-bound after a stroke, wouldn’t cope
well with a journey. She also has children and grandchildren
to worry about, and she can’t afford to pay for travel for all of
them. Passage out of Caldera by sea is more expensive every
day.
How To Use Her: Place Cassia in any shop or inn the party
visits.

54
The Priest If the characters interact with Lucius and seem to be on his side,
Aian (halfling acolyte (MM), they/them, lawful good) he tells them what he knows, and asks them to go down into the
chambers beneath the city and investigate; perhaps Idoraia can be
Who They Are: Aian is a rotund, blonde, halfling who enjoys placated. He has a necklace of fire resistance (see ring of fire resistance,
tasteful jewelry and showing off their smooth, tanned, skin. DMG, Treasure) made of gold and garnets, which he offers as
They are the keeper of one of the many healing springs payment. It’s an old family heirloom, and obviously of no use to
throughout Caldera - i.e., they run a bath-house where him. He freely admits that he is terrified of the elemental, and
people can ‘take the waters.’ They’re curious, considerate, and believes she would kill him if he went down there; the party seems
talkative. powerful enough to stand up to her if need be.
What They Know: Aian understands the waters, and the land.
They know that the earthquakes are growing more frequent, The Politician
though not yet any more severe. They also know that the water Julia Servinia (human noble (MM), she/her, neutral good)
is heating up. They are absolutely certain that the volcano
beneath Caldera is stirring. They have tried to warn the city Who She Is: Julia is a spry, sharp-witted, dark-skinned, woman
authorities but they’ve been fobbed off. in her sixties. She is currently campaigning to be elected
How To Use Them: Caldera has many bath-houses. Some Consul (the highest office in the city; equivalent to governor
are grand and luxurious, some are humble. If the characters or mayor). She is one of the few senior politicians who have
choose to visit one, Aian runs the place; they strike up decided to stick around: her politics revolve around giving
conversation with the party, curious about new faces. local, working, people more voice in how Caldera is run, and
Otherwise, the characters see Aian outside the baths they run, her supporters are the ones stuck in the city now that the rich
having a fraught conversation with a city guard, asking them have fled and taken most of the ships.
to please tell Aian what’s going on. What She Knows: Julia is about to give the order to evacuate
Caldera, but she knows there aren’t enough ships in the
harbour to move everyone safely.
When Aian learns the party are adventurers, they ask the group if How to Use Her: If the characters have any noble contacts/
they will descend into the chambers beneath the city and deal with go to high-status districts, Julia encounters them in an
whatever is down there. Aian can’t offer much by way of reward, appropriate location. Otherwise, she quickly learns of the
but they can enchant the baths so that a dip in the waters grants arrival of powerful adventurers in the city, and asks them to
12 temporary hit points. If the characters take no damage, the visit her in a private pool in one of the bath-houses (use Aian’s,
temporary hit points remain until the end of the characters’ next if possible). Julia suspects that the volcano’s activity means the
long rest. elemental that dwelled there is not dead, as everyone believes,
and that subduing - preferably killing - it might be the only
The Descendant way to save the city. She contracts the characters to do just
Lucius (fire genasi commoner, he/him, chaotic good) that, initially appealing to their better natures but offering
them gold (or other non-magical treasures) up to 3,000gp. The
characters can haggle this up to 5,000gp: that is literally all she
Who He Is: A young genasi who runs a stall selling water or
can deliver, and it means including her home in the deal.
wine - or watered wine - to passers-by. He’s friendly, bordering
on flirtatious, but currently nervous and on edge. His left arm
ends at the elbow, terminating in flickering flames.
What He Knows: Lucius’ family are descended - in some way Development
nobody fully understands - from Idoraia, the elemental of the Aian, Lucius, and Julia all direct the characters to a secret passage
volcano and he’s been having dreams about her. Lucius knows hidden in an empty building in the City Forum. When the
she’s back, and angry. characters agree to investigate, move on to Chapter Two.
How to Use Him: The characters see Lucius being harangued
by other locals, calling him ‘demon’ and ‘cursed,’ and blaming
him for the unnatural heat and the quakes. If the characters
don’t intervene, the humans kick over his stall and beat him,
running off before anyone thinks to call the guards.
CHAPTER 2: THE SKY TEARS
The eruption begins and the city devolves into chaos. You may use
as many or as few of the following encounters as you wish to depict
the danger the volcano poses as the party makes their way to the
forum, but two encounters will probably be enough for a 3-4 hour
one-shot game. How many delays the characters suffer affects the
final encounter with Idoraia (Chapter 3).

55
The Beginning Sacrifice
To commence Chapter Two, read or paraphrase: A mob of panicking citizens, has decided that offering Lucius
as a sacrifice - throwing him into one of the fissures opening up
around the city - might somehow avert the crisis. They’re not
The earth shivers and the world tears itself apart. Tremors run entirely clear as to how or why, but they are desperate. A dozen
through the rock beneath your feet, bucking and lurching, human commoners (MM) are dragging Lucius closer to one of the
and stone crumbles off the corners of buildings. A statue of a rivers of lava, intent on throwing him into the crack in the earth
mounted soldier topples; people shriek and scatter. And then from which the lava vents. Characters can simply ignore this - or
it stops. they can intervene, either through combat or DC 16 Charisma
(Persuasion or Intimidation) checks. Doing so causes a delay.
For a while.

A few minutes later there’s another rumble, and somewhere

Development
When the party reaches the forum, Chapter Three begins.
towards the center of the city - the forum - a cloud of thick,
dark, smoke billows into the air. The stench of sulfur carries on
the breeze.
CHAPTER 3: THE AIR BOILS
Idoraia has already emerged from the depths when the party reach
the forum. The elemental, in the form of a young red dragon, has
Collapsing Building taken residence.
One of the grand, stone buildings near the characters begins to
collapse. Characters who succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving Idoraia
throw get out of the way; those who fail take 3d10 bludgeoning Read or paraphrase:
damage. 1d4 commoners (MM) are trapped in the rubble, as are
characters who fail the saving throw by 5 points or more (i.e. do
not achieve DC 12). Rescuing a trapped person takes five minutes A dragon of shimmering flame perches on a jagged peak of
(halved with a successful DC 15 Strength check) and causes a ruptured earth in the centre of the forum. Through its shape
delay (see Chapter 3). you see buildings and rocks, and a heat haze ripples around it.
Crimson eyes light upon all of you and this creature of living
Lava flame extends her graceful neck and hisses.
One of the hot springs boils and begins to vent lava through the
fissure. Rivulets of molten rock vomit between the stone columns “More adventurers. I will not suffer you twice.”
of a bath-house and through the streets. Characters take 5d8
fire damage, halved on a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw. The lava blocks off streets and forces people, including the If the party speaks with her, Idoraia talks enough to summarize
characters, to take alternative routes; this makes surrounding streets the information in the Background section, but has little interest
more crowded with people. After the ‘lava’ event occurs, moving in conversation. She has returned from centuries of banishment to
through the city is harder. Characters must make a successful group find humans have taken over her territory, and she is enraged and
DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation) or Strength check, or move at murderous. She fully intends to destroy the city and everyone in it,
half speed and be delayed. and dwell in the ruins.

Riot Delays
The city guard are doing their best to maintain order, but the If the characters suffered any delays in Chapter Two, Idoraia has
evacuation has driven people to panic. Every attempt to control been above ground long enough that the air is dizzyingly hot
traffic makes people more fearful, and the guards are losing control. and filled with smoke, stone dust, and ash. The Forum is Lightly
The characters walk right into one of these riots. They can skirt Obscured, and characters who fail a DC 11 Constitution saving
around it with a successful group DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) throw are Poisoned. Poisoned characters repeat the saving throw at
check, or bring the crowd under control with a successful DC 18 the end of each of their turns until they succeed or leave the forum.
Charisma (Persuasion) check - or be delayed by being caught up If the characters suffered two or more delays, Idoraia has nine
in the riot. magmin (MM) with her when they arrive.

56
The Forum Rewards
Broken statues, overturned stalls and carts etc. provide half cover The characters have the opportunity to earn:
for Small or Medium creatures. • 3-5,000 gp
• Necklace of fire resistance
The Volcano • Fireball beads (see Necklace of Fireballs)
Use Idoraia’s Lair Actions for the effects of the volcanic eruption.

Tactics Author’s Notes/

Make full use of Idoraia’s Lair Actions, and her ability to fly. She
stays out of reach as much as possible, swooping down to use her Acknowledgments
breath weapon. This was originally going to be a completely different adventure,
but there just aren’t enough big, angry, red dragons in D&D.
Thanks to Jess and Jenn for letting me write “Pompeii, but with a
As well as the normal statistics and actions of a young red dragon” and for letting me claim “sweltering heat and the world
dragon (MM), Idoraia can summon 2d4 magmin (MM) to is on fire” was summery. It’s what summer means to me, anyway.
a point within 60 feet of her, as a bonus action. This ability Thanks Alicia and the rest of the Coven for ongoing support when
recharges on a roll of 5-6 on 1d6, and Idoraia cannot use it in writing is hard.
the same turn as her fire breath.
Author Bio
Cat lives in the UK with her spouse and a whole pack of cute
but ill-behaved dogs. She writes things for the DMs Guild (as
Idoraia’s Death Catherine Evans) and other RPG places. She wants to be a Night
When Idoraia is reduced to 0 hit points, her form heats up
Hag when she grows up.
rapidly, streams of magma spread from her, and she contracts in
on herself. Three rounds after being reduced to 0 hit points, she
explodes as per a fireball spell cast at fifth level (10d6 fire damage
to all creatures in a 20 foot radius, halved on a successful DC 17
Dexterity saving throw).

Treasure
After Idoraia explodes, nothing remains of her except seven small,
intensely hot, red beads. Each one functions like a single bead from
a necklace of fireballs (DMG, Treasure).

Development
When Idoraia is defeated, the adventure is complete.

CONCLUSION
The volcanic activity subsides with Idoraia’s death. Caldera is
badly damaged and there are many casualties, but this is still the
best possible outcome. Julia Servinia takes control of the recovery,
and rewards the party for their role in saving the city (see Chapter
One).
If the characters do not defeat Idoraia, the volcano erupts,
causing massive damage and loss of life. Caldera, like Pompeii, will
become a historical tragedy and an archaeological curiosity.

57
House of Light, Children ofShadows
Written by Awkward Bard
Levels: 11 - 13 Content Warnings: Murder, Vampires, Werewolves

The short nights of summer are celebrated as vampire-hunting

SYNOPSIS
The party is invited to oversee the Summer Festival of Lorlea, a
season, though vampires are now so scarce many believe they are
gone for good.
town once known for its vampire hunting traditions. They arrive to

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
find a lively celebration but something doesn’t feel right. As They
are called upon to oversee a sacred ritual, the dark truth about
Lorlea comes to light. House of Light, Children of Shadows is an Delores Drafend: (vampire with modifications listed below), she/
adventure for 4 characters of 11th-13th level. her, lawful evil) A skilled monster hunter, and now a powerful and
ancient vampire.
Delores uses the statistics for a vampire with the following
ADVENTURE HOOK
The party is invited to oversee a sacred ritual in Lorlea, and
alterations:
• Proficient in Insight and Investigation.
promised a great reward for doing so. That invitation may come • Learns the hunter’s mark spell and can cast it twice a day on its
from an old friend, someone the party has helped in the past, or lowest level.
from a stranger who reached out to the party because they are Ghulla: (human necromancer (MM), she/they, lawful neutral) A
famed adventurers. young, arrogant acolyte training under Rainluar to become the first
full-fledged Hunter in over two decades.
Hosianna Breenan: (human priest (MM), she/her, neutral good)
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Centuries ago, the region surrounding Lorlea was overrun with
Current leader of the Hunter Order. Despite having conducted
the Staking twice before, she believes Delores is no longer a threat.
vampires and werebeasts. The people lived in constant fear for their Believes the Order has served its purpose and seeks to dismantle it.
lives, dreading the dark and the long winter nights. A few of them, Rainluar Vatoris: (half-elf priest; they/he, lawful good) Hosianna’s
tired of living in fear, took to hunting those beasts and founded the right hand and second-in-command of the Hunter Order. Despite
Hunter Order. The Drafend family were prominent in the Order, never participating in The Staking, they firmly believe it to be
dedicated to freeing the land from the vampires terrorizing it. necessary and wish to revitalize the Order at all costs. Also called
While they were successful in their endeavor, victory came at Lua.
a great cost. Delores, their matriarch, was turned into a vampire Emelyn: (human scout (MM), she/her, chaotic good) Loud and
herself. She was the most skilled huntress of the Order, and boastful, she is determined to join the Hunter Order and become
undeath only made her more powerful. Unable to defeat Delores, their greatest Hunter. She is best friends with Magna and Alastor.
her children drove a stake through her heart, paralyzing her. They Alastor: (tiefling thug (MM), she/her, chaotic neutral) Best friends
built the temple of Ûr Gal to keep her confined and dedicated their with Emelyn and Magna. Although she doesn’t believe in vampires
lives to guarding it. Over time, people settled nearby and Lorlea nor care about the Order, Alastor tags along with Emelyn because
came to be. To keep Delores dormant, they must replace the stake - it’s entertaining.
the ritual they call The Staking - every twenty years.

59
Magna: (tabaxi acolyte (MM), they/them, neutral) Best friends The pair are Rainluar and Ghulla. Rainluar is tutoring Ghulla on
with Alastor and Emelyn. Quiet and shy, Magna doesn’t believe Lorlea’s history. Unless Rainluar or Ghulla hired the party, Rainluar
in their potential. Regardless, they are always trying their best to asks them to leave before continuing the lesson. Ghulla stands in
support their friends. silence, occasionally asking about Delores or the sword..
Rainluar tells Ghulla:
• The sword is the Sunsteel Needle, a blade forged to slay vampires.

CHAPTER ONE: The blade was passed down to Morfran by his mother, Delores
• The coffin belonged to Delores. It used to be kept at Ûr Gal,
but Hosianna believes the museum can preserve it better
PRAISE THE SUN
When the party arrives at Lorlea, read or paraphrase:
Once noon approaches, Rainluar and Ghulla lead the party to Ûr
Gal.

Young Hunters
You are on the road to Lorlea and the sun burns bright above Magna, Alastor and Emelyn are dressed in silly costumes and
you. Not a cloud can be seen against the bright cyan, as if the playing Vampires and Hunters (hide-and-seek). The self-proclaimed
sky itself proudly announced the arrival of summer. Young Hunters tease the party and challenge them to play. Due to
their extensive knowledge of Lorlea and its underground tunnels,
A faint, lively melody fills the air and the smell of baked goods the teenagers have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide
surrounds you. In the far, you can see a large town painted or Wisdom (Perception) checks to ‘seek.’ If the party wins, the
and draped in warm colors. As you walk into town, people teenagers give them a sunburst pendant worth 120 gp, which they
greet you with wide smiles. Some of them play pranks on you, found in the tunnels.
pretending to be vampires coming to bite you, or jokingly
accusing you of being the vampires. Morfran the Vampire Slayer!
The main event of the morning is a play taking place in the town
The town’s narrow streets all lead to the central square, where square.
all the smells and music seem to originate.

In the main square, a lively crowd cheers and boos a group

Lorlea of actors telling the story of Lorlea’s founding by Morfran, a
Lorlea grew organically, with narrow streets connecting the celebrated hunter.
various locations in town, all of which have distinctive baroque The play depicts a hunter, Morfran, fighting alone against an
architecture. All paths lead to the town square. It is hard to navigate evil vampire to save his lover, Delores. After a long battle, he
the town without a map or a guide. vanquishes the vampire, but Delores has been inflicted with
The town has two important locations: vampirism. In a tragic ending, he kills her.
• Ur Gal: the oldest building, in the oldest part of town (Goitia, Morfran erects Ûr Gal, the House of Light, in Delores’
or Old Lorlea). A temple to honor the sun, and Delores’ prison honor and thus, gives birth to Lorlea. The play ends with the
following line:
• Morfran’s Rest: formerly the Drafend family home and home of
the Hunter Order, it is now a museum
“Although your life was stolen, this House shall be a testament
to our eternal love. I will be a father to any who come here,
The Town Square and treat them as children, mine and yours. Ûr Gal will be a
haven, and its people, your children.”
Morfran’s Rest

Of the several items on display in this manor house turned Elora, (human, she/her, lawful neutral) a travelling scholar, watches
museum, two catch your eye—a magical rapier and a well- with disapproval. She rants about the play’s historical inaccuracy to
preserved, although ancient, coffin. Two people stand in front anyone who will listen:
of the sword. One of them, a bulky half-elf with a beard, talks • Delores was Morfran’s mother, not his lover
in a low and patient voice. The second figure, a human woman
dressed in deep red robes, stares up at the sword with a glint of • Morfran was probably not straight, as per a “friend’s” journal
desire in her eyes.

60
• Delores was a skilled huntress, not a damsel-in-distress
• Morfran didn’t fight alone, he had siblings and friends The Order gather around the stone coffin. Hosianna and
Rainluar remove the chains that seal it shut while Ghulla
• Some accounts say Delores was not killed, and that Ûr Gal was blesses a wooden stake. The sound of chains hitting the ground
built to hold, not honor, her echo throughout the large chamber. Rainluar pushes the coffin
open, revealing the dried corpse of an old woman. As you look
upon it, a voice rasps in your head. “Delores”. The room falls
Ûr Gal, the House of Light silent.
The oldest part of Lorlea is on its outskirts, surrounded by
abandoned farmhouses reclaimed by greenery. Ûr Gal is home
Rainluar, with fear in their eyes, looks to Hosianna. She tries
to the Hunter Order and holds Delores’ paralyzed body in its
to hide her own fear as she reaches for the stake piercing the
innermost chambers.
vampire’s armor and chest. As she pulls it out, fresh blood
Its underground tunnels connect all of Lorlea and hold terrible
drips from it. A loud heartbeat echoes throughout the chamber
secrets.
and the vampire’s chest expands slowly. Hosianna seems frozen
in place. “This… Impossible. This can’t be…”
The Hunter Order
Rainluar guides Ghulla and the party through the temple. The size
“Ghulla, stake Delores. Now!”, Rainluar yells.
of each room makes it clear that this building once housed many
people.
Ghulla smiles and raises the blessed stake above her head. She
Hosianna and Rainluar are a few of the remaining Hunters.
drives it through not the vampire’s heart, but Hosianna’s neck.
The Order now consists mostly of priests and scholars dedicated
The cleric’s body falls over the open casket, her blood spilling
to studying the ancient texts, few knowing how to properly wield
all over the corpse that lies inside. Rainluar stares in disbelief
a weapon. Hosianna, believing Delores no longer poses a threat,
at their apprentice. Ghulla presses Hosianna’s neck against the
wants to disband the Order as it no longer serves its original
vampire’s mouth and says “time to wake up, Delores.”
purpose. Rainluar, however, is certain Hosianna is making a
mistake. Because of this, they have accepted Ghulla into the Order
The vampire opens her eyes.
despite knowing virtually nothing about her. They have been
training her to become the first full-fledged Hunter in over three
decades.
Delores drinks Hosianna’s blood and becomes revitalized. Her
The Staking dried and gray skin gains new life, although she is still pale, and
aged. The members of the Order reach for their heads, screaming in
As Rainluar guides the party to Ûr Gal’s innermost chamber, they pain. Two of them transform into werebears (MM) and 1d4 into
explain the Staking. Underneath the House of Light, lies the body werewolves (MM) and immediately attack the party, along with
of a powerful vampire, Delores. They don’t know how to kill her, 1d4-1 swarms of rats.
only how to keep her in this unconscious state. Every 20 years, the
stake that pierces Delores’ heart and keeps her paralyzed must be
replaced in a special ritual called the Staking. Hosianna is the only
current member of the Order to have witnessed the ritual before.
Ghulla accompanies the group, not saying a word.

61
 Development
Delores If Delores escaped Ûr Gal, proceed to Chapter 2.
Delores uses the statistics for a vampire with the following If the party destroyed Delores, proceed to Conclusion C.
alterations:
• Proficient in Insight and Investigation.
• Learns the hunter’s mark spell and can cast it twice a day
on its lowest level. CHAPTER 2: AND NEVER
Battle
Delores starts her turn with 72 hit points. She spends her first turn
AGAIN ROSE THE SUN
Delores’ return has awakened the cursed blood in her descendents,
drinking Hosianna’s blood while the werebeasts protect her. On her causing them to transform into werebeasts. The ones who haven’t
turn, Ghulla demands power from Delores, claiming she is the only transformed run to Ûr Gal seeking refuge. Delores makes her way
reason Delores is alive again. Delores laughs, thanks Ghulla for the to her coffin in Morfran’s Rest.
help, and uses one of her legendary actions to strike at her legs. On
her second turn, Delores uses her action to shapeshift into mist and
leave Ûr Gal. If defeated before she can make her escape, Delores’ “We are on holy ground, the beasts can’t come inside… I
uses misty escape to flee to her coffin in Morfran’s Rest. Ghulla tries hope.” Rainluar tells you.
to escape through the underground chambers, but if Delores’ attack
hit, she moves at half speed. Desperate Lorleans hammer on the door, begging to be let
Rainluar casts spirit guardians to protect themself and the inside. Rainluar rushes to the door and opens it, and maimed
party. They stay as far as they can from the beasts and favor healing townsfolk, covered in blood, rush into Ûr Gal, werebeasts close
injured allies over attacking. behind them.
Delores uses modified vampire statistics (see Appendix B).
Rainluar slams the door behind the last of the Lorleans and
turns to you, wide-eyed.

“You must stop her. Please, you’re the only ones who can.”

Several Lorleans have seen Delores heading to Morfran’s Rest.

Rainluar suggests the party travel there via the abandoned tunnels:
They should be safer than the streets, though slower. Rainluar
warns the group about the oozes in the tunnels, but believes they
shouldn’t pose a serious threat.

Lorlea
The fastest route to Morfran’s Rest is through Lorlea’s streets.

Stalkers
A group of two weretigers (MM) spots the party and stalks them,
letting the patrols ahead know the party is on their way. Characters
with a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 17 or higher realize they
are being stalked.

Patrol
Three different patrols walk the mists, each consisting of a
werebear, a wereboar, and three wererats (all MM). The party
may sneak past a group with a successful DC 16 Dexterity
(Stealth) group check. They automatically fail the check if a
weretiger is stalking them.

62
The Tunnels While navigating the tunnels, you hear familiar voices. A
Underground tunnels beneath Lorlea connect Ûr Gal, Morfran’s
young person screams in pain. Alastor’s shadow projects on the
Rest, and other locations - including interconnecting with the
halway, an ooze attacking her.
sewers, which gives the tunnels a foul stench. The tunnels were
sealed off due to an ooze infestation.
Alastor is currently under attack by two black puddings (MM).
The Old Library
A slithering tracker (MM) grapples Magna while Emelyn tries
After several minutes in the tunnel network, the party reaches this
to pull it off her. Magna becomes unconscious in one round if the
chamber.
characters do not intervene.

This large chamber is filled with shelves, and the shelves are Development
covered with books. Most are so decayed they’re unreadable, If the party saves the Young Hunters, Alastor helps Magna return
but maybe you can still find some useful information here. to Ûr Gal and Emelyn offers to serve as the party’s guide, leading
them to a secret entrance to Morfran’s Rest. She also asks that they
take her along to face Delores.
The library contains:
• A wizard’s spellbook, that gives off a slight glow. It is the only
intact book here. Its shelf is unstable, and a character reaching
for it must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) CHAPTER 3: LAST STAND
check, or the bookshelf crumbles, unleashing a cloud of devil’s
mold (see sidebar). The spellbook contains the dawn and
sunbeam spells AT MORFRAN’S REST
The party reaches Morfran’s Rest, where Delores recovers her
• A partially destroyed cope of Morfran’s Guide to Beast Slaying. strength. Their choices so far determine the difficulty of this
Found with a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) encounter.
check, made with advantage if the character is specifically
searching the pile of books. Characters who touch the pile are
exposed to devil’s mold The once welcoming manor is now enveloped in thick fog,
inside and out. Snow accumulates on the roof and around the
Devil’s Mold house, and it is bitterly cold here.
Named for its scarlet color, touching this mold causes terrible
rashes, and its spores cause Devil’s Mold sickness.
Characters who inhale the spores must succeed on a DC 14 If Delores was defeated, but not killed, in Chapter One, she has
Constitution saving throw or contract devil’s mold sickness. only 72 hit points.
They have disadvantage on Constitution saving throws until If the party came through the tunnels, Delores has had enough
cured. time to attune to sunsteel needle (Appendix A), and she uses it in
Symptoms. Coughing and sneezing, irritation to the eyes, nose combat.
and throat, and intense rashes. In more serious cases, fatigue,
debilitating headaches and blisters occur. Arriving from the tunnels
Delores sits in the main chambers, petting a werebear. She is not
expecting the party but has a passive Wisdom (Perception) of 17
A Young Hunter’s Cry For Help (14 in the fog).
While navigating the tunnels, the party is faced with a decision:
help Magna, Emelyn and Alastor, or ignore the teens, possibly Arriving from the streets
leaving them to their deaths. If the party alerted any werebeasts, Delores is aware that they
are coming. She uses spider climb to hide on the ceiling, hoping
to catch the intruders by surprise. She drops on the most fragile
looking member of the party, favouring spellcasters, and strikes.
Two werewolves and a werebear lurk in the fog, and try to confuse
and split the party.

63
Combat tactics Conclusion B
Delores uses her charm on the party’s physically strongest member. Delores is defeated but not killed. The fog and snow lessen, but do
When reduced to half her hit points, she uses children of the night not dissipate entirely. Who knows for how long she will be gone
and commands the swarms of rats to focus on the party member this time?
who seems closest to death. Delores attempts to bite physically People are grateful, but uneasy. Each member of the party
weaker enemies. If attuned to sunsteel needle, she activates and receives 500 gp as a reward. The party may join the Hunter Order
attacks with it; otherwise she uses her unarmed strikes. as initiates if they wish. Rainluar does not give them sunsteel
Werebeasts nearby are loyal to her and obey her verbal needle.
commands. They attempt to protect her at all costs.
When Delores drops below 20 hit points, she uses her The fog still lingers around Lorlea, and the sun’s warmth barely
shapechanger trait to escape as a bat. reaches your skin. You can’t help but wonder if will ever lift.

Development Rainluar thanks you for your help and apologizes they can’t
give you a greater reward Their hands are full, as they must
If the party destroys Delores, proceed to Conclusion A.
Otherwise, proceed to Conclusion B. tend to the dead and care for those still living.

If Ghulla was spared, she attempts to escape and continues her “If you wish to help, the Hunter Order needs new members…
quest for power. It is possible she will cross paths with the party now more than ever.”
again in the future.
Conclusion C

CONCLUSION The party defeats Delores, forever ridding the land of her shadow.
They would be considered heroes… had anyone seen this great feat.
Rainluar thanks the party and offers them 1000 gp — all the gold
Conclusion A the Hunter Order currently has. They praise the party’s abilities in
Delores is killed. The fog dissipates, the snow vanishes, and vampire slaying and invites them to join the Order in the hopes of
summer returns to the land. This day will not be easily forgotten, revitalizing it. Ûr Gal has living quarters they can use, should they
but the land is free of Delores’ shadow for good. Each member of feel like it.
the party receives 1000 gp, and a statue erected in their honor. If
any character chooses to join the Hunter Order, Rainluar also gives
them the sunsteel needle. The tragedy was avoided before it could even start! Sadly, no
one but you and a few others know of it.

With Delores gone for good, Lorlea can live free of fear! Rainluar and the remaining Hunters clean the chamber and
After mourning their dead, the people of Lorlea hold a small prepare the bodies for burial. They tell you to go and enjoy the
celebration in your honor. rest of the festival if wish, or stay for Hosianna’s last rites.

Rainluar proposes that the festival be renamed to celebrate “You know, the Order could use able adventurers like you. We
your victory, and asks if you have any names in mind. In can help people, rid the world of its darkness! With you on
addition, they invite you to take charge of the Hunter Order, our side, I’m sure the Hunters can go back to what we once
offering Ûr Gal as your base of operations. were. Even if you don’t want to become Hunters, Ûr Gal and
the Order are here for you. Whatever you need, we will do our
“Together, I am sure we can make the Order greater than it best to help. But please, consider my offer. Think of all the
ever was! Your names will be known in all corners of the land good we can do!”
and feared by all creatures of the night. You will go down in
history! I, and all of Lorlea, am at your disposal.”

64
Items Morfran’s Guide to Beast Slaying (damaged)
A bestiary kept by Morfran Drafend. This book details several
Sunsteel Needle monsters faced by the Hunter Order and their combat tactics. Most
Weapon (rapier), very rare (requires attunement) entries have been partially or entirely destroyed. Luckily, the entry
on vampires is mostly intact.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this While you are holding this book, you can use an action to
magic weapon. consult it. You gain access to the vampire stat block (MM).
You can use a bonus action to speak the command word,
causing the blade to shed bright light on a 10-foot radius around Author’s Note
you. This light is sunlight. While this effect is active, you deal an House of Light, Children of Shadows is, above all, a product of
extra 1d10 radiant damage to undead. love. When you read this adventure, or play it with a group of
While an undead is attuned to it, the blade becomes friends, take a moment to appreciate all the hard work by the
corrupted. Speaking a command word causes it instead to deal people behind it. You fill the hearts of every artist, editor and writer
2d10 necrotic damage. (and many others!) with joy when you do so.

A huge thank you to all who made this adventure possible! Jenn,
Isis, Gabi, Bryan and my dear sisters, Ori and Lara, but above all,
Jess and Cat: thank you for your patience and for believing in me
even when I didn’t.

Author Bio
Awkward Bard, or simply Nemo, is a kind and gifted adventure
creator from Brazil. Nemo spreads joy and peace wherever they
play. They consistently strive to make the world a better, more
welcoming place. You can find them on Twitter at @awkwardbard.

65
Cult of the Summer Solstice
Written by Collette Quach
Levels: 17 - 20 Content Warnings: Mental Health, Fire

• Assist the cult: the party can turn on the mysterious figure and
SYNOPSIS
In a town nestled in the mountains, there are rumors of a cult that
assist in taking the power of the sun
• Unite the leaders: if the characters search the temple and find
scorned the sun. Hidden in the ruins nearby, the cultists plot to enough history to discern that Fangwei and Jiachen were one
steal the power of the sun on the day of the summer solstice. A person, they can attempt to fuse the two together back to their
mysterious figure (Fangwei) approaches the party asking for help original form
to stop their ritual. This adventure is intended for 4 17th level
characters.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ADVENTURE HOOK
The mysterious figure approaches the characters near the town.
The Mysterious Figure (Fangwei): They/them. One half of the
Suncaller. Righteous and driven, they dedicated their life to
stopping the cult.
They can simply be passing through the area or may have heard The One who Scorned the Sun (Jiachen): They/them. Leader of
rumors of an estate lost to time. the Cult of the Summer Solstice. Fanatical, yet charismatic. They
are the other half of the former Suncaller.
The Suncaller: They/them. A powerful shaman with a connection
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
This adventure draws from Chinese culture and many words can be
to the sun and spiritual leader to the village below. Due to a crisis
of faith and identity, the shaman split themselves into two beings.
looked up to provide a better visual when providing description.

PROLOGUE:
A successful DC 18 Intelligence (History or Religion) check
discerns that this cult was created centuries ago and lasted all these
years. They’re a secretive group that keeps their agenda close to

A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE
them.
The main theme for this module is the Yin Yang philosophy.
The basic understanding of the philosophy is that yin and yang,
while opposites, are interconnected and cyclical in the natural As you approach the mountainside, a beam of sunlight
order. For example, while day and night are opposites, day brighter than anything you have seen before lights the path
eventually becomes night and night becomes day. you walked. A figure materializes from the rays of sun. They
The conclusion is meant to be ambiguous. In the finale, are cloaked head to toe and wearing a white porcelain mask.
players are left with three possible courses of action: They stride towards you and say in a clear voice, “Finally. The
• Destroy the cult: the party assists the mysterious figure in adventurers I’ve been looking for.”
destroying the cult

67
 What the town knows
Meeting the Figure • The cult keeps to themselves in their estate outside town. While
Fangwei only refers to themselves as a wandering hermit concerned
a half truth, the cult’s reach doesn’t extend past the town
about the cult’s movement. They tell the party that this cult plans
to steal the sun’s power. • Townsfolk use the term “religion” over “cult”
• The estate has been abandoned for generations. The townsfolk
What Fangwei Knows: seldom go up the mountain, as there is nothing for them there
• The cult is led by a powerful cleric who despises the sun
• If characters enter a building they see a door guardian shrine at
• The cult uses the abandoned estate on top of the mountain as the entrance. This information will be useful in Chapter 2
their meeting grounds
• The ritual that is taking place needs to happen on the summer
solstice as the sun is in the sky the longest Development
Once the party has enough information, they can venture into the
temple.
Roleplaying Fangwei
Fangwei is covered by a black cloak and white porcelain mask,
thus they have no identifiable features, though they appear to be
humanoid. The figure is a determined individual with only one
goal in mind: to stop the cult. They do not wish to go into any
CHAPTER 2: THE ESTATE
After another hike up the mountain, the characters arrive in front
details about who they are. of the estate. While abandoned and showing signs of aging, the
building is surprisingly intact. Cultists take extra care in concealing
Development their movements within the area. A DC 20 Wisdom (Perception)
When players agree to the figure’s request, they are encouraged to check reveals the door and the path leading up to it has been
investigate the nearby village. disturbed. Otherwise they are not moving about the estate aside
from cultist rooms.

CHAPTER 1: THE TOWN

Adventurers may skip this chapter if they feel inclined to look for
Estate Layout
The estate is based on a traditional Chinese home, siheyuan, with
an entrance, courtyard and 4 doorways in the cardinal directions.
the estate themselves. However, they need to pass through the town
to reach the temple, so summarize the town layout briefly as they Door Guardians
pass through. The first room the characters enter contains an open cabinet
holding a shrine. Two humanoid figures are painted on the cabinet
Town Layout doors. They wear identical armor with one wielding a dao and the
The town has a single, narrow, main street that goes up the other a guandao.
mountain. Based on the Taiwanese town of Jiufen, buildings are A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals the
pressed side by side, separated by narrow alleyways that cut through room is dedicated to two door guardians. They protect the home
the town. The town has three levels; after the third level, a trail from harm and evil. If players ever entered a home in the town,
leads out of town to the cult’s estate. The town itself can function as they recall this information.
any regular town to buy supplies. Success on the above check also reveals that each character who
enters through these doors should make a prayer to the guardians
Conflicting Views by taking an incense stick, lighting it, and placing it at the shrine.
Many of the townsfolk are members of the cult. These commoners If any characters do not pray, two door guardians appear. One
(MM) hold a different opinion of the cult than Fangwei. of them is dressed in green and red, wielding a dao. The other wears
A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check shows that the black and white, wielding a guandao (halberd).
townsfolk, while truthful, are withholding specific information. If Use the deva and erinyes stats, respectively, to represent the
the characters explore homes without arousing suspicion, they can guardians with the following alterations:
discover the townsfolk’s hidden affiliation. • The deva and erinyes have a flying speed of 0
• The deva does not have its Shapechange ability
• The deva attacks with a longsword instead of a mace

68
• The erinyes’ Hellish Weapons ability does necrotic damage Handout 1
rather than poison damage
The door guardians attack those who do not place an incense when
entering. Their only goal is to kill intruders, disregarding their own
health.

Courtyard
The courtyard is the main atrium that connects to the other rooms
of the estate. At the center stands a large urn filled with murky
water.
There is a sub-room on the other side which can be entered
through the doors. There is a collapsable wall that combines the
two rooms. This room appears to be a meeting room, with chairs
against the walls and a small side table between chairs. At the
end of the room is two more chairs, much more ornate than the
other ones. Above these chairs is an old painting on the wall of an
enlarged red sun beaming down to the ground.
This sub-room leads to the gardens.
Players can use this area to take a short rest. Keep track of time
passing. Once the summer solstice has passed at 9 at night, the cult
succeeds in their task.

Library
Various bookcases have toppled over and dust fills the room.
Many of the books are moth-eaten and weathered, rendering them
illegible. Characters who take the time to search can salvage some
legible ones.

Book 1: The One who Bent the Sun

This book details various accounts of the Suncaller protecting the
town from the sun. For example, the Suncaller one time absorbed
the sun’s rays that would have otherwise burned the town. None
of these accounts are dated, and they seem to have taken place
centuries ago. Sunlit Bedroom
Various trinkets hang on the walls of this bedroom, all covered with
Book 2: Accounts of the Summer Solstice dust and rust. A large window illuminates the room with a warm
This book details various rituals and traditions observed during the glow from the sun.
summer solstice. There is a crude sketch of a mountaintop with With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check,
stone pillars erected in a circle. the characters find a small letter hidden in a table.

One of the rituals described is intended to absorb the power of the

sun. Alongside the ritual is a sketch of the pillars (see handout 1).

Journal
Many of the pages have been torn out or are illegible. Among what
remains, the party finds personal entries by someone named the
Suncaller, a shaman who previously inhabited the estate. They had
a connection to the sun that protected the town below from its
harsh rays.

69
 Fangwei Difficulty Adjustment
Cultists aren’t meant to provide a difficult fight but simply to
Why do you not understand my hatred of the sun? The sun exhaust players before the final encounter. DMs may add or
scorched the land for years, and we had to be worshipped to subtract rooms and place more or fewer cultists.
protect it. Our predecessor gave their life to the sun to remove
us from our duty. So that we may live free. All of this because
of the sun in the sky. It has given us nothing but suffering. Gardens
The area behind the home used to be a beautiful garden; the plants
The people who come to me have seen firsthand the power of that used to thrive here have long since died, replaced with weeds
the sun. I want to give them solace to their burnt homes and and brush.
scorched fields. There is a ripped journal page under some brush that
the characters can find with a successful DC 15 Intelligence
If you think we are still bound by duty to the sun then this is (Investigation) check or a Passive Perception of 18. The page is
what I must do. barely legible and shows considerable amounts of aging.

Eclipsed Bedroom
This bedroom contains the same items as the sunlit bedroom. The
difference is that the window is boarded up. The walls are painted
black with specks of gold.
With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check,
players find a letter placed under the mattress.

Jiachen,

It hurts my heart to be writing this to you. I’ve seen you

descend into madness, and I cannot bear to watch it any
further. We used to be so close. Remember when we first set
foot here? It was meant to be a new start in peace, but your
hatred got the better of you.

You gather your followers to a useless cause. We need the sun

as much as you scorn it.

Please listen to me.

Cultists’ Rooms
Various rooms throughout the estate have been repurposed for the
cult’s use. While the walls are untouched all the furnishings have
been replaced by newer ones. Windows have been boarded up and
a blackout curtain is placed in front of the door.
Within one of these rooms are five cult fanatics (MM). They
attack when they notice the party.

70
Handout 2 Revelation
If players read the two letters in the bedroom, the books in the
library, and the letter in the gardens make a DC 13 Intelligence
check. A successful one allows characters to piece together:
• Fangwei and Jiachen were not just siblings, but are the same
person named the Suncaller, a powerful being with a connection
to the sun
• Thousands of years ago the sun was much more powerful than
it was today. It scorched the village below. The villagers paid
tribute to this being who protected them from the sun
• The Suncaller grew conflicted about their task and split
themselves in two by using the power of the sun during the
summer solstice
• After the split Fangwei and Jiachen lived together in peace in
the estate for some time
• Jiachen succumbed to their own scorn and became fanatical
about bringing an end to the sun
This revelation allows the characters to perform a ritual that brings
the two together.

Development
Once the characters are done exploring and finding information
they can head towards the summit through the gardens. The trail
leads up the mountain all the way to the summit.

CHAPTER 3: THE RITUAL

The trails ends at an open plateau. If the players read Book 2 in the
library they recognize the plateau as the ritual site. At the center
is the leader of the cult, Jiachen. They look almost identical to the
I keep the sun from destroying the town, but it always comes mysterious figure in terms of build and height. Appearance-wise,
back. It is still my duty to protect the town. The more I they wear a white cloak and black mask.
struggle with this, the less effective I am in fulfilling my duty. Pillars are symmetrically placed around in a circle that is 60
feet in diameter. Ten cult fanatics stand inside the circle. All of
When the sun is at its most powerful I will head up to the them are wearing similar cloaks to Jiachen.
summit. I will use the power of the sun to divide myself in The sun is high in the sky standing center right above the
two. ritual circle. It is an abnormally large almost blinding in the sky.
Tendrils of light radiated out of the sun like flames.
Whoever these two become, I hope they find peace and solace
with one another. Fate of the Cult
The characters are faced with a choice: keep their word and side
with Fangwei, or side with the cult. The option to bring the
two figures together is only available if players collected all the
information needed.
If players side with Fangwei, the goal is to stop the ritual and
to defeat Jiachen. Details of the ritual are found in handout 1.

71
Otherwise Fangwei can inform the party. Disrupting the ritual If players choose to fuse the two together:
requires the pillars to be out of alignment for three minutes while As the last pillar is hit by the sun’s rays, a column of sunlight
the sun is large in the sky. descends from the sky, enveloping the two figures. In a bright flash
If the characters side with the cult, their goal is to complete the of light they disappear, leaving only a single fused mask. There
ritual. Jiachen spends three minutes channeling the sun and needs is an unnatural silence as the cultists stare in disbelief at the sky.
help defending themselves. Defeating Fangwei is optional but will One after another they lay down their arms and flee down the
give experience. mountainside.
If players decide to bring the two beings together, players must There is peace now… or what you hope is peace. What
reposition the pillars based on Handout 2. Fangwei and Jiachen could’ve happened to Fangwei and Jiachen? Did they want this?
also need to have their health at half for the ritual to be complete.
Fangwei assumes you are on their side and initially sides with you
but defends themselves once learning of the party’s intentions while
Adventure Tie-Ins
If the party defeated the cult, Fangwei takes up residence within
still fighting Jiachen. the estate. They keep a silent vigil, rarely leaving the area. If the
characters discuss their feelings, they note that they don’t feel any
sense of peace–but rather emptiness–now that Jiachen is gone.
Difficulty Adjustment Word of the ritual at the summit spreads throughout the cult. The
To provide more of a challenge, DMs may: village becomes hostile towards the party.
• Extend the duration of the ritual If the party sided with Jiachen, the power of the sun is
• Siding with Fangwei: add more cultists as enemies absorbed. At the DM’s discretion, the sun might be either
• Siding with the cult: require players to defeat Fangwei temporarily or permanently blotted out. If the sun is permanently
• Bringing the beings together: Fangwei and Jiachen’s health hidden, the party can find another solution to bring it back.
may be lowered If the party merges Fangwei and Jiachen together to become
the Suncaller they disappear for some time. The party may choose
to look for the figure who has relocated to the Temple of Radiance,
Playing Jiachen located far away dating the same time as the Suncaller. They are
Like, Fangwei, they do not refer to themselves by name. Jiachen still coming to terms with their reformed identity, having retained
speaks in a calm and inviting tone. They have strong and all of their memories as separate identities. Word spreads of the
unchanging scorn of the sun. They attempt to pull adventurers to ritual at the summit. Cultists who survived spread the word of what
their cause promising power and knowledge. happened. Over time the cult dissolves, returning to their lives in
the village.
Combat
Stat blocks for Jiachen and Fangwei are both at the end of this
adventure. Rewards
Jiachen attacks from afar using their magic but stays within the Players who complete the adventure receive one of the following
pillars. They rely on their cultists to defend them. rewards depending on whom they sided with.
Fangwei’s main target is Jiachen. If nothing is physically
stopping them they attack their other half. Conclusion A
Fangwei’s Sword

CONCLUSION
If players choose to destroy the cult:
Wondrous Item, Legendary. Requires attunement

This sword brought solar justice to the Cult of the Summer

With a final blow Jiachen falls to the ground. The mask on their Solstice. This sword acts as a Sunblade (DMG, Treasure) with some
face falls to the ground, revealing a simple humanoid. There is no altered effects:
hate in their eyes as they stare up at the sun. Only longing as they • Attacks with this weapon gain +3 to attack and damage rolls
slowly disappear into the wind, leaving no trace behind. • Twice a day the wielder can use Jiachen’s Solar Smite ability on
a hit with this weapon
If players choose to assist the cult:
Rays of light flow into Jiachen’s mask and into a locket around their
neck. As you look up into the sky you see the sun slowly eclipse,
and the sky turn blood red. A sense of dread fills you.

72
Conclusion B Author’s Notes
While the theme of Yin-Yang and cyclicality is the core concept,
Amulet of the Stolen Sun my initial inspiration for this adventure was the Camp Fire in
Wondrous Item, Legendary. Requires attunement California. The smoke from the fires came down to where I was
living and the smog clouded the sky. The sun became a silhouette,
This amulet contains the stolen power of the sun, and is given to occasionally turning red. This adventure discussed under those
the party by Jiachen. ideas under the guise of a cult who wanted to steal the sun. I hope
Twice per day, open the amulet to cast the spell Sunburst. you enjoyed playing this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also
The spell save DC is 20. When the amulet is used, there are two hope this brings up questions of right and wrong, morality, and
cosmetic options: duty.
• If the sun is currently blotted out, when the amulet is used a
column of light shines down in the radius stated in the spell
Author Bio
• If it isn’t, the sun is blotted out for the duration of the spell with Collette is a California based writer and game designer. She has
the column of light shining down on the point specified in the a strong passion for diversity and inclusivity either by creating or
spell inspiring others to get into creating themselves. Follow her on
Once closed, the amulet cannot be used for one whole day. Twitter @collettequach.

Conclusion C
Remnant of the Suncaller
Wondrous Item, Legendary. Requires attunement

The mask is a fusion of the two figures’ own masks: half Fangwei’s
and half Jiachen’s. The mask has a total of five charges. The wearer
of the mask gains the following benefits:
• +1 AC
• Resistance to fire damage
• Advantage on saving throws against Charm effects
• Expend 1 charge to cast dominate person or flame strike. The
DC for saving throws against these spells is 18
• Expend two charges to summon one of the two door guardians.
They follow the mask wearer’s command and act on the wearer’s
initiative
The mask regains 2 charges daily at dawn. If players expend its last
charge, roll a d20. If the result is 5 or less, they take 4d6 psychic
damage.

73
Jiachen Actions
Large humanoid, Lawful Evil Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit:
3 (1d4+1)
Armor Class 24 Faith (3/day). Jiachen inspires their allies within 30ft. They gain
Hit Points 300 +3 AC, and melee attacks do an additional 2d6 fire damage. This
Speed 30 ft. effect ends at the start of Jiachen’s next turn.
Indoctrinate (1/day). Jiachen attempts to indoctrinate a creature
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA they can see by uttering a couple of words only that target can
10 (0) 12 (+1) 10 (0) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) 22 (+6) hear. That creature must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom saving
throw or be charmed for 1 hour. Those with devotion to a deity,
doctrine, or any strong code of ethics have advantage on the
Saving Throws Cha +12, Wis +11 saving throw.
Skills Persuasion +12, Insight +11
Condition Immunities Charmed
Damage Resistances Fire, Radiant Legendary Actions
Condition Resistances Frightened Jiachen has 3 legendary actions choosing from the options below.
Senses Darkvision 30ft, passive Perception 15 Only 1 legendary action can be used at a time and only at the
Languages Common, Elvish, Celestial end at the end of another creature’s turn. Jiachen regains spent
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) legendary actions at the start of their turn.
Command Cultist. Jiachen commands their cultists to protect
Spellcasting. Jiachen is a 17th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting them. Cultists can move up to their full movement towards
ability is Wisdom(spell save DC is 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). Jiachen.
They require no components to cast their spells. Jiachen has the
Cast a Spell(2 actions). They cast a spell from their list of prepared
following cleric (light domain) spells prepared:
spells, using a spell slot as normal.
Cantrips(at will): Sacred Flame, Guidance, Toll The Dead, Thauma-
Sun Scorn (3 actions). Jiachen lets out a psychic wave filled with
turgy, Resistance
scorn. Those within 30ft. around them must succeed a Wisdom
1st Level(4 Slots): Guiding Bolt, Bless, Create or Destroy Water,
saving throw (DC 18) or take 2d10 psychic damage and lose their
Command
reaction until the start of their next turn.
2nd level(3 Slots): Zone of Truth, Scorching Ray, Hold Person, Aid
3rd level(3 Slots): Daylight, Fireball, Dispel Magic
4th level(3 slots): Wall of Fire, Guardian of Faith
5th level(2 Slots): Flame Strike, Dawn, Geas
6th level(1 Slot): True Seeing
7th level (1 Slot): Firestorm
8th level(1 Slot): Antimagic Field
9th level(1 Slot): Mass Heal

74
Fangwei Actions
Large humanoid, Lawful Good Multiattack. Fangwei makes 2 melee attacks with their
longsword.
Armor Class 26 Longword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit Points 300 Hit: 5 (1d8+3) slashing damage
Speed 30 ft.
Solar Smite (3/day). Fangwei smites the enemy with the power
of the sun while making a melee attack with their longsword. On a
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA successful hit Fangwei deals an extra 5d8 radiant damage.
18 (+3) 10 (0) 18 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) Wrath of the Sun (1/day). As an action, Fangwei channels a solar
aura 10ft around them. For 10 minutes, those chosen as Fangwei’s
Saving Throws Cha +11, Wis +11 enemy take 2d8 radiant damage if they begin their turn in the
Skills Persuasion +12, Insight +11 aura.
Condition Immunities Charmed
Damage Resistances Fire, Radiant Legendary Actions
Condition Resistances Frightened Fangwei has 3 legendary actions choosing from the options
Senses Darkvision 30ft, passive Perception 15 below. Only 1 legendary action can be used at anytime and only
Languages Common, Elvish, Celestial at the end at the end of another creature’s turn. Fangwei regains
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.
Solar Vengeance. Fangwei dashes to a target they can see. If
Spellcasting. Fangwei is a 17th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting target is an enemy they can make a weapon attack.
ability is Charisma (spell save DC is 18, +10 to hit with spell
Force of Will(cost 2 actions). Fangwei’s AC is increased by 3, and
attacks). They require no components to cast their spell. Jiachen
they have advantage on saving throws until the start of their next
has the following cleric (light domain) spells prepared.
turn.
1st Level(4 Slots): Compelled Duel, Wrathful Smite, Divine Favor,
Radiance (cost 3 actions). Fangwei radiates a bright light around
Searing Smite
them. Those within 15ft. around them must succeed on a DC 15
2nd level(3 Slots): Branding Smite, Daylight, Dispel Magic
Constitution saving throw or take 3d8 radiant damage and be
3rd level(3 Slots): Daylight, Crusader’s Mantle
blinded for 1 round.
4th level(3 slots): Staggering Smite, Guardian of Faith
5th level(1 Slots): Circle of Power

75
 The Smiling Isles Written by Jessica Washburn
Levels: 17 - 20
Content Warnings: deep water/thalassophobia/drowning.
These are elements that players and Dungeon Masters may find
uncomfortable and wish to exclude from their game. The Smiling Isles can be
tailored to omit these themes. Be considerate of those who sit at your table.

the process as a way to add to their fun. Giant’s Bank is a town of

SYNOPSIS
The town of Giant’s Bank has put out a call for adventurers to
retired adventurers (some old, some on the younger side); they are
all good friends with the sisters and in on the joke.
participate in their summer solstice tournament: to sail across the

CHAPTER 1 — THE TASK

fickle summer sea, capture an ice-white unicorn, obtain kelpie
scales, and bring back a token of a water beast’s might. The winning
party will receive tokens of gratitude from the town’s skilled (and
rumored to be divine-touched) silversmith. Upon entering the town of Giant’s Bank, you are greeted
with a breath-taking view of the ocean and peculiar basalt
formations that form a natural jetty. The town is alive with
ADVENTURE HOOK
The Smiling Isles is a 3-4 hour adventure intended for characters of
preparations and excitement for the summer solstice. Passersby
talk of the competition to fetch the ice-white unicorn
17th-20th level. The town of Giant’s Bank is hosting their annual and ritual ingredients from across the sea as they leave the
summer solstice festival and are looking forward to ushering the Whistlepig Tavern on the main thoroughfare of the town, and
next half of the year. The only things that are missing? An ice-white heading towards large ships docked in the harbor.
unicorn from the neighboring island of Lisay, kelpie scales, and a
token of a water beast’s might.
The party can learn more about the competition if they enter the
Whistlepig Tavern, a large, comfortable inn that is owned by the

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
This adventure is a high-level “fetch-quest” to entertain parties
middle-aged gnome Barnabas Costlefoot (he/him, neutral good)
It’s alive with talk of the competition from many adventuring
groups from out of town. Barbabas will greet the party and
of all types in celebration of the summer solstice. It includes a elaborate on the competition:
seafaring encounter and two search encounters on the isle of Lisay.
The adventurers will be given the task by Áine, a summer “Good day, adventurers! Have you come to try your hand at
eladrin who is the town’s silversmith. Áine is a trickster goddess capturing a beast of lore? Well… you’ll have a giant sea beast
in disguise; she is sending the party to ‘capture’ her sister, Gréine, to contend with - it attacks all shipping, unfortunately… Oh.
who has spent her summer on the Isle of Lisay frolicking as an That’s right. You’ll need to get one of its massive teeth...”
ice-white unicorn. The ‘capture’ is a ritual the two sisters maintain
as an exchange of duties for ruling the sky. They involve mortals in

77
The competition consists of:
• Sailing the sea to the Isle of Lisay and capturing an ice-white As you sail across the sea, there comes a great rumbling from
unicorn from Firgmar’s Field beneath the ship. Breaching the water is a long, powerful neck
• Bringing back kelpie scales from Loch Aer that ends in predatory eyes and sharp teeth.

• Obtaining a token of a water beast’s might (tooth of a

plesiosaurus)
• Returning to Giant’s Bank before sunset Loch Aer
Once arriving on the Isle of Lisay, the adventures take a winding
path that leads them first to Loch Aer. The path is strangely covered
in a mucusy substance that smells like stagnant water.
Development Loch Aer is a lake shaded by old, massive oak trees. When the
Barnabas directs the adventurers to pick up an item - the Chain
party rounds the last bend, they see ten pale unicorns by the edge
of Giant’s Bank - being handed out by the town’s silversmith, Áine.
of the lake, drinking water or lying down, about eighty feet away
Áine can be located in a smithy named The Brass Tacks.
from them. A successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check allows
Áine (she/her, chaotic good), an eladrin with fiery-red hair
an adventurer to capture a glimpse of dappled sunlight through the
and a smile as warm as the high-noon sun, will welcome the
seams of the seaweed, and determine that these creatures are not
adventurers. The Brass Tacks is full of other adventurers and brave
what they appear. They are Loch Aer kelpies (see Appendix) using
souls eager to catch a white unicorn and waiting to receive their
their Seaweed Shape ability.
own Chain of Giant’s Bank (see Appendix A).
The path continues around Loch Aer, to Firgmar’s Field.
Áine speaks in a lilting tone and encourages the adventurers to
carry out the tasks swiftly, as the summer solstice waits for no one.
She will collect the ritual ingredients from the group that returns Firgmar’s Field
with the unicorn in tow and grant them the ability to permanently In the middle of a wide wildflower field, an ice-white unicorn (she/
keep the Chain of Giant’s Bank. her, neutral good, MM) with blue streaks in her mane is asleep
inside a faerie circle. The mushrooms that make up the circle are
mushroom fey (see Appendix).

CHAPTER 2 — THE JOURNEY When the unicorn becomes aware of the adventurers, she flees.
The mushroom fey attack the party to cover the unicorn’s escape.
Should the unicorn escape, the party can track the creature through
The Water Beast the woods with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) check and
Roll 1d4 when the adventurers set out from Giant’s Bank. On a roll attempt to capture her again. On a failed check, they are lost in
of 1 or 3, they must fight the water beast, Plessie (see Appendix) the woods for 1d4 hours and may encounter more mushroom fey
on the way to the Isle of Lisay; on a 2 or 4, they fight the beast on at the DM’s discretion. Also at DM’s discretion - the ability to
the return trip. An encounter on the way to Lisay risks damaging encounter other competitors!
or destroying their ship; an encounter on the return voyage might
mean losing the unicorn. Plessie will try to wreck the ship by
ramming into it; it will also do its best to eat the adventurers. If
it is a return trip, Plessie will attempt to knock the unicorn off
the boat but will not harm her. Plessie ferries her across to Giant’s
CHAPTER 3 — THE RETURN
If the party did not encounter the water monster on the way over
Bank; DM can impose a skill challenge on the party to recapture
to the Isle of Lisay, it attacks on their return journey.
the unicorn.
Plessie will retreat from the fight when it reaches half-health;
If the ship is damaged on the voyage to the Isle of Lisay, the
adventurers can commandeer another in the town of Portnelle on
Lisay to return to Giant’s Bank.

78
CONCLUSION
When adventurers return to Giant’s Bank, Áine greets them on
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Jessica Marcrum and Jennifer Peig for organizing this
project and for providing me with the opportunity to participate;
the dock and leads them to the town square to perform the ritual. Cat Evans and Liz Gist for their unending patience in my frantic
In the event that a party tries to get one over on the silversmith last minute changes; to my spouse, Paul, for making sure I was
(example: using True Polymorph on a party member), she will well-hugged, well-fed, and well-caffeinated during this project; my
perform the ritual, but that party member is now stuck in this artist for doing a tremendous and wonderful job; this module is
unicorn form permanently and they do not get to keep the Chain lovingly dedicated to my sister.
of Giant’s Bank.
Author’s Notes
This module can also be adapted to a winter solstice module.
Áine breaks apart the tooth of the water beast and places the In such an adaptation, the winter solstice takes place on the isle
kelpie scales inside. She binds both sides of the tooth together, of Lisay, Gréine places the call for adventurers to capture a sun-
chanting words in Sylvan: touched unicorn (Áine), kelpie scales, and a token of a water beast’s
might; Gréine is a goldsmith for this iteration and the chain used is
A tooth, a trick; the Chain of Lisay.
Equine disguise.
A kelpie’s glic;
Divine, arise! Author Bio
Jessica is a writer and copy-editor who looks forward to releasing
more projects and supplements for D&D 5e as well as some
Before the townsfolk will appear Gréine, a winter eladrin who system-agnostic materials. She is the ENnie-nominated author of
appears younger than Áine. Áine erupts into laughter upon seeing Uncaged Anthology Volume 1 module: The Tale of Two Sphinxes,
Gréine. When she’s done, she introduces the party to her sister, the and author of The Halted March. You can find her on Twitter as @
goddess of the pale winter sun. They both thank the party for being HealthPakStream. She may or may not be a halfling bard.
‘good sports’ in their ritual, and they tell the group to keep the
Chain of Giant’s Bank.
The townsfolk are not surprised at the admission of gods in
their presence - they’re in on the joke from the beginning; a big
trick for those who are not from the area.

Chain of Giant’s Bank

Wondrous item, requires attunement

This 30ft. silver-wrought chain can ensnare large size or smaller

celestial creatures. All targets must succeed on a DC 25 Dexterity
saving throw or become restrained. This item can also be used to
tow or drag heavy items - up to 250 pounds.

79
Plessie Actions
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned Multiattack. The plesiosaurus makes three bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit:
Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 33 (5d8+10) piercing damage.
Hit Points 472 (27d20+189)
Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft.
Legendary Actions
Plessie can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at
30 (+10) 11 (0) 25 (+7) 2 (-4) 17 (+3) 5 (-3) the end of another creature’s turn. The plesiosaurus regains spent
legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Saving Throws Str +17, Dex + 7, Con +14 Breach (1 action). The plesiosaurus breaches the ocean to attack
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage sea-faring vessels, causing a sizable wave to crash onto their
from non-magical attacks decks. A creature must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving
Condition Immunities frightened, paralyzed throw or fall prone.
Senses passive Perception 13 Rock the boat (2 actions). Plessie swims quickly, causing a strong
Languages - current in its wake. Each creature on the deck of a boat must
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP) succeed a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and
drop any item in their hands. On a successful save, the creature is
Hold Breath. The plesiosaurus can hold its breath for one hour. either knocked prone or drops held items - creature’s choice.
Siege Monster. The plesiosaurus deals double damage to objects Treacherous bite (1 action). The plesiosaurus takes a bite out of a
and structures. crew member or ship. The target must succeed a DC 18 Dexterity
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the plesiosaurus fails a saving saving throw
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

80
Kelpies of Loch Aer Actions
Medium plants, neutral evil Multiattack. The kelpies can make two slam attacks
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit: (4d8+4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) creature, it is grappled, (escape DC 15).
Speed 10ft., swim 30 ft.
Drowning hypnosis. The kelpies choose one humanoid it can see
within 150 feet. If the target can see the kelpies, the target must
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 10 (0) while the kelpie maintains concentration, up to 10 minutes (as if
concentrating on a spell).
The charmed target is incapacitated, and instead of holding its
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 breath underwater, it tries to breathe normally and immediately
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage runs out of breath, unless it can breathe water.
from non-magical attacks If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away, the target
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion must move on its turn toward the kelpies by the most direct route,
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13 trying to get within 5 feet. It doesn’t avoid opportunity attacks.
Languages Common, Sylvan Before moving into damaging terrain, such as a lava or a
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) pit, and whenever it takes damage from a source other than the
kelpie or drowning, the target can repeat the saving throw at the
Amphibious. The kelpies can breathe air and water. end of each of its turns. If the saving throw is successful, the effect
Seaweed shape. The kelpies can use their actions to reshape its ends on it.
body into the form of a humanoid or beast that is Small, Medium, A target that successfully saves is immune to this kelpie’s
or Large. Its statistics are otherwise unchanged. The disguise hypnosis for the next 24 hours.
is convincing, unless the kelpie is in bright light or the viewer
is within 30 feet of it, in which case the seams between the
seaweed strands are visible. The kelpies return to their true form
if it takes a bonus action to do so or it dies.
False Appearance. While the kelpies remain motionless in their
true form, they are indistinguishable from normal seaweed.

81
False Chanterelle of Fly Agaric of Firgmar’s Field
Medium mushroom fey, neutral
Firgmar’s Field
Medium mushroom fey, neutral These red-capped fey creatures are known for hanging out in
fields, pretending to be faerie circles. Their bodies are pale white
These golden-capped fey creatures are known for hanging out or cream color and they stand about five feet tall. While gener-
in fields, pretending to be faerie circles. Their bodies are a more ally peaceful, they have been known to incite violence to protect
intense shade of orange than the caps that form their heads and something in their faerie ring from harm.
they stand about five feet tall. While generally peaceful, they have
been known to incite violence to protect something in their faerie
ring from harm. Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
Speed 30 ft.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2) Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
damage from non-magical attacks
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5 Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned
Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
damage from non-magical attacks Languages Common, Sylvan
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) False Appearance. While the fly agaric remains motionless, it is
indistinguishable from a mushroom.
False Appearance. While the false chanterelle remains Actions
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a mushroom. Multiattack. The fly agaric can make two slam attacks
Actions Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit:
Multiattack. The false chanterelle can make two slam attacks 22 (4d8+4) poison damage and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning damage
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: Spore Seam. The fly agaric can target up to three creatures in
22 (4d8+4) poison damage, and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning damage. range and unleash a spore seam. The target must succeed on a DC
18 Constitution saving throw or take 4d8+4 poison damage. On a
Rot Touch. The false chanterelle can use an Action to touch failed save, the targets are poisoned for 1d4 rounds and takes half
one target in melee range. The target must succeed on a DC 18 damage.
Constitution saving throw or take (4d8+4) points of necrotic
damage. On a success, a target takes half-damage.
The target is Poisoned for as long as the false chanterelle
touches it. If the target moves more than five feet away, it is
no longer poisoned; however, the false chanterelle can use
its Reaction to do 2d8+2 additional necrotic damage (DC 18
Constitution saving throw) to the creature as it moves out of
reach.

82
Shaggy Ink Cap of Firgmar’s Field
Medium mushroom fey, neutral

These black, shaggy-capped fey creatures are known for hanging

out in fields in faerie circles. Their bodies are pale white or cream
and they stand about five feet tall. While generally peaceful, they
have been known to incite violence to protect something in their
faerie ring from harm.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5

Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
damage from non-magical attacks
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

False Appearance. While the shaggy ink cap remains motionless,

it is indistinguishable from a mushroom.
Actions
Multiattack. The shaggy ink cap can make two slam attacks
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (4d8+4) necrotic damage and and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning
damage
Disintegration. When a shaggy black ink cap is destroyed, it
releases its dense, black spores into the air. The spores cover a
30 foot cube centered on the spot where the shaggy ink cap died.
Any creatures in this cube are blinded until they move out of the
affected area. This feature does not affect other mushroom fey.

83
Winter
The LongestNight of the Year
Written by Samantha Lavendar & Miranda Mels
Level: 0 Content Warnings: Child Death, Parental Neglect

SYNOPSIS
The night of Midwinter marks the darkest point in the entire year,
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The village of Afonwen is nestled deep in the mountains and
before the warmth and light of the sun begin to return. But as a although winters are cold and harsh, the villagers are used to
small mountain village prepares to wait out the longest night of pulling together to make sure everyone makes it safely through the
the year, every fire in the valley is stolen by a ghost who was left dark and snowy season.
out in the cold long ago. A group of brave villagers—would-be They haven’t always succeeded, however. Many decades ago, a
adventurers, perhaps—pursue her into the forest and help lay widower who lived near the outskirts of town died hunting in the
the lonely spirit to rest. This adventure is intended for level 0 thick forest surrounding the village. On a dark Midwinter’s Eve, he
characters. had ventured into the woods, determined to take down a boar on
his own. He left his only daughter, Isa, to watch over their camp
and told her not to leave it before he returned.

ADVENTURE HOOK
The characters begin the adventure without class levels, as ordinary
The boar killed him in the deep woods where he would never
be found, but Isa did as she was told and waited for him. Even as
the night grew cold and her fire died, her shivering gave way to
people attending a Midwinter festival in a small mountain village. stillness, she remained where she was.
They could have grown up in the village and have been fast friends Isa’s ghost has watched Midwinter in Afonwen for decades
since childhood, or they could be simply passing through and were now. She only manifests on the longest night of the year, so to
welcomed to enjoy the festivities. her it is always Midwinter and she is still waiting for her father to
return. But she is so very cold; this year, she steals into the village
0-level Characters and takes all of their fire in an attempt to keep the cold that she
Characters without class levels function very similarly to feels at bay.
1st-level characters, but they lack any proficiencies, features,
or equipment granted by a character class. They determine
ability scores just as 1st-level characters do, have a proficiency
bonus of +2, and have any proficiencies, traits, and equipment
granted by their race and background.
Characters without class levels start with 6 + their
Constitution modifier hit points, and can regain any lost hit
points by finishing a long rest.

87
 • Mutton-cider stew with potatoes, carrots, and winter radishes,
CHAPTER 1: along with small loaves of dark, crusty bread
• Fresh river pike, grilled with leeks in an elderberry glaze and

MIDWINTER’S EVE served over creamy garlic potatoes

• Juniper berry mutton chops with butter-fried apples and
cabbage sprouts
The Village Feast • Apple-rowanberry sauce with fresh yogurt and roasted chestnuts
To begin the adventure, read or paraphrase the following:
• Apple and persimmon pies topped with cold cream, along with
crumbly ginger cakes
It is Midwinter in the mountains, and night has fallen swift • Steaming mulled cider, spicy winter ale, and plenty of hot,
and cold over the snow-covered village of Afonwen. An green tea
explosion of stars light up the deep, moonless sky as villagers
Once everyone has eaten their fill, platters and plates are replaced
shuffle quickly from home to home, carrying steaming baskets
with conversation, games, singing, and dancing. Characters can
and trays through the freezing night air and into the tavern
spend time enjoying the feast in the following ways:
where the feast is being held.
• Helping the innkeepers Elias and Medran (he/him), who are
sharing a stool behind the bar, get their husband Galen (he/
him) to stop working in the kitchen and enjoy the festival
Inside, the normally spacious common room is packed with
people and tables heavily laden with food. The rafters ring with • Playing cards with Rowan and Rilsa (she/her), the carpenter
talk, laughter, and song. Behind the bar, the innkeepers have lit sisters (Rilsa is deaf, but most of the village can translate for
the large candle that will burn through the night to welcome the anyone who doesn’t know hand-signs)
lengthening sunlight of a new year. Celebrations have even spilled • Playing chess with Della from the orchard or Clemmie (she/
into the neighboring houses, where smaller groups of villagers have her) from the dairy, while their wives Elsa and Mariseth (she/
lit their own Midwinter candles. The whole village, as well as most her) give bad advice and try to swap out pieces when no one is
of the neighboring farms, have come together to wait out the last looking
and longest night of the year.
• Moving tables aside to make room for dancing, or helping to
Let the players describe what their characters are wearing to the provide the music once dancing begins
festival, and invite them to explore and join in the celebrations. The • Fetching food and drink for Rhea so she doesn’t have to
following foods are available for all to try: navigate her rolling chair around the crowded common room
• Steamed pork dumplings stuffed with green onions and • Helping Tei the baker (she/her) bring in fresh bread from across
mushrooms the village square, or Kareva the blacksmith (she/her) chop
• Buttered and roasted parsnips, carrots, and peas dressed with more firewood outside
rose hips, gravy, and sage

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There is plenty of time for each character to take part in multiple Shock and surprise at the sudden darkness turns to confusion
games dances and games (if you need statistics for the villagers, and dread when it is discovered that no fire can be lit. Tinder
they are human commoners (MM) with proficiencies and higher won’t catch, candle wicks refuse to burn, and even the coals in the
ability scores appropriate to their professions). Let characters fireplaces are cold. As the realization turns to fear, several villagers
make appropriate ability checks, even if they are not proficient begin setting out across the village to help those in need and the
in Performance or with particular games, for the chance to earn characters are enlisted to join them.
friendly thanks, hearty congratulations, or an extra slice of pie.
When the dancing has finished and a new round of drinks
have been poured, the room settles down for the singing of winter
carols, such as “Holly’s Luck,” “Winter’s Eve in the Last Home,” CHAPTER 2:
and “The Snow Elk.” Everyone in the village takes part, and the
characters may sing along as boldly or quietly as they like.
THE COLD NIGHT
The ghost of Isa, the young girl who froze to death in the woods
Winter Songs decades ago, has come down into the village and is stealing all the
If you’ve never tried singing during a game of Dungeons fire from the houses one by one. The only flames she leaves behind
& Dragons before, consider this a chance to add a musical is that of the Midwinter candles, which each household has lit as
element to the verisimilitude and emotional depth of your a symbol of the sun’s return after the solstice. There is too much
world. An easy way of beginning is picking a melody you faith placed into those tiny flames for a ghost to touch, but every
already know quite well and writing new lyrics that fit the other candle, torch, lamp, stove, and fireplace in the village is soon
stress and syllables of the original. Pick a song that your players rendered incapable of catching fire. Flint and steel do not even
know as well, and as soon as they pick up the words they spark in her wake.
might be willing to sing along too.
Helping the Village
The characters quickly discover that the rest of the village has
suffered the same fate as the inn. Although the Midwinter candles
Stolen Flame still burn, no new fire can be lit in Afonwen.
In the midst of everyone singing, every fire in the inn is
To prepare the village for the long night ahead, the characters
extinguished at once. The only exception is the tall Midwinter
must make a group ability check. Each character should make at
candle behind the bar, which still burns. Every other flame,
least one check to contribute to the group effort, but they don’t
including the kitchen cookfire, has gone out and cannot be relit by
all have to be the same checks. Some ability checks the characters
any means. Even magical attempts fail.
might try could include:
• Charisma (Persuasion) checks to keep people calm and
convince them to gather together in larger groups to share
body heat, or Charisma (Deception) checks to convince the
children that this is an exciting adventure and that there is no
need to be scared
• Strength (Athletics) checks to help carry anyone who cannot
make the trip through the snow on their own and Wisdom
(Perception) checks to notice people who may have fallen
behind
• Intelligence (Investigation) checks to gather as many coats,
blankets, and shawls as possible from around the village and
Constitution checks against the cold to distribute them evenly
to everyone
• Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks to corral livestock into
homes in order to share their warmth or Wisdom (Survival)
checks to shore up barns and stables against the weather and
make them comfortable for people to spend the night in

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Encourage the characters to try different things, and to come up
with their own ideas for what they could do to help. If ability
checks with a character’s skill proficiencies have already been
CHAPTER 3:
attempted, that character’s tool proficiencies might provide
inspiration instead.
For every result below 10, another hour passes as the characters
A LIGHT IN THE DARK
The forest at night is surprisingly dark; even with snowy tracks
struggle against the winter night. If every character rolls below 10, to follow there is a chance that the party will get lost. Following
they each gain a level of exhaustion by the time they are finished. Isa’s trail requires a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check,
but with only a dim light to guide them, the characters have
The Winter Girl disadvantage on any attempts to do so.
As the characters move from home to home, checking in on people If the party becomes lost, the cold begins to creep in as they
and consolidating households, they hear of a strange apparition push their way fruitlessly through the snow. Each character must
that a few of the sharper-eyed villagers, particularly children, caught succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level
sight of around when the fires went out. They describe seeing a of exhaustion from the winter chill. After about an hour, the party
very pale girl walking alone in the snow. She had white hair and is able to find Isa’s trail again and follow it back to her camp.
her cloak looked stiff with frost. No one recognized her, but if the
characters ask around they eventually hear that a child from one of Isa’s Campfire
the outlying farms saw the girl heading across the cow pastures and When the party catches up to Isa, read or paraphrase the following:
into the surrounding forest.
While investigating the mysterious sightings, characters with
a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check notice a strange The footprints lead to a small campsite in the snow, beneath
mixture of emotions cross Old Mabin’s face when she overhears the boughs of an old pine tree. A young girl, no more than
the winter girl’s description as it is told to the characters. Old ten or eleven years old, sits with her arms around her knees
Mabin was childhood friends with Isa when the girl and her father in front of a meager campfire. She looks deathly pale and the
seemingly vanished one Midwinter night, nearly a lifetime ago. If child’s cloak around her shoulders is frozen stiff.
pressed, Mabin will share what she knows but she is hesitant to
believe that this strange being and her long-lost friend could really The girl is a ghost (MM), and introduces herself as Isa if the party
be one and the same. approaches her. She is solemn but friendly, and tells the characters
If the characters decide to pursue the winter girl into the that she is waiting for her father to return from boar hunting. She
forest, they will need one of the still-burning Midwinter candles adds that she doesn’t want to miss Midwinter feast, especially the
from the inn or someone’s home to light their way through the singing, but her father told her to wait for him and not to move
moonless night. Once they have one, the ghost’s child-sized until he returns. If asked about stealing fire from the village, Isa just
footprints are not difficult to find in the freshly fallen snow. states that she’s cold. If pressed further, she protests that the carol
singing can’t start until her father returns. She doesn’t want to miss
the singing.

90
 If the characters aren’t sure what to do next, a DC 11
Intelligence (Religion) or Wisdom (Insight) check might suggest
Author’s Notes/
that Isa’s spirit can be laid to rest by singing winter carols with her Acknowledgments
around her campfire. Although her father is still “missing,” Isa is The first time we played this adventure, Sam and Miranda were
relieved and overjoyed to have this part of the Midwinter festival both in tears before the end of the game. Dungeons & Dragons
finally brought to her after so many years alone. The characters can be a powerful way to explore serious or heartbreaking subjects,
have to begin the caroling, but once they do Isa joins them in song. if you are willing to approach the experience with open and honest
vulnerability.

CONCLUSION
Tears sparkle on Isa’s face like ice in the firelight as the party finishes Author Bio
singing, but she wipes snot from her nose like any living child. She Samantha Lavender has been playing Dungeons & Dragons for
soon grows incredibly weary and wishes her new friends goodnight most of her life, starting with the 2nd edition introduction box and
and thank you before pulling her cloak around her and laying including every edition since. She can occasionally be found on
down in the snow. As she does, her form fades into nothingness as Twitter as @RainyRedwoods.
she sinks down through the snow to her bones.
Although the characters can’t know until they return, in that Miranda Mels began playing Dungeons & Dragons at Sam’s table
moment all the stolen flames flicker back to life in the village. Isa’s during the D&D Next public playtest. She now runs multiple
campfire starts burning down to coals, but the characters can take games of D&D every week. She isn’t really on Twitter, not even @
torches from it to help light their way back. Once they exit the MelsCommaMira most days.
forest, they can see the many lights of the village burning beyond
the pasture before them, and the sound of singing drifts through
the night.

Rewards
The experience of bringing peace to a cold, lonely child and
bringing light back to the village settles in the characters’ chests like
a tiny flame. Any character that sang with Isa and helped lay her to
rest receives the following charm:

Charm of Warmth. This charm allows you to give yourself the

benefits of a potion of cold resistance as an action. Once you
do so, the charm vanishes from you.

Because they do not have class levels, characters do not earn

experience points for completing this adventure. However, their
encounters with mystery, magic, and excitement over the course
of the night may be enough to push them towards developing the
skills of a true adventurer.

91
 Purls Before Swine Written by Ally Sulentic
Levels: 2 - 4

could find into harmless animals, sparing only the village children
Synopsis
A small hamlet is suffering from a strange curse that is turning
and those adults who showed respect to Nanny Moonfall’s gifts.

CHAPTER 1
villagers into animals, and the local priest is certain the nearby
woods witch is to blame. He hires a band of adventurers to get to
the bottom of the curse and figure out how to break it before the The party is greeted by a beautiful view of the wintery village of
entire village falls victim. Sweetwater laid out below them as they crest the hills surrounding
it. The image is marred, however, by the following sight:

ADVENTURE HOOK
• The party comes across a flyer tacked on the local tavern’s wall, As you admire the quiet, snowy village laid out before you,
asking for adventurers to come to the village of Sweetwater to a distant shout of help distracts you from the idyllic sight.
help its new priest exorcise dangerous spirits from the town Coming down the road leading to the village is a middle-aged
man running as fast as he can, his voice hoarse as he calls to
• While traveling, the party passes near Sweetwater and witnesses you for help. Before you can act, a brightly colored afghan
the transformation of a fleeing farmer into a small pig soars up and drops over the man’s head, covering him as he
falls to the ground and writhes around. A moment later, a
small pink pig emerges from beneath the blanket. It squeals as

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The village of Sweetwater is small, with most villagers making a
it runs away back down the road toward the village. Phantom
giggles fill the air, though the source can’t be seen.

living tapping maple trees from the nearby forest and refining the
syrup to sell down the river. For as long as the village has existed, The giggles quickly dissipate, leaving behind the blanket on the
the woods witch ‘Nanny’ Agatha Moonfall has lived nearby, road. Examination reveals a small tag attached to the afghan with
keeping to herself unless a sickness in the village or a difficult the words ‘Handmade with Love’ embroidered on it. The entire
childbirth draws her attention and help. blanket is infused with faint abjuration magic.
This Midwinter, Nanny Moonfall sent gifts to every villager in
Sweetwater as a show of friendship: Hats, scarves, mittens, blankets,
and sweaters, all hand-knitted and infused with a little bit of her
Sweetwater Village
Despite the festive Midwinter decorations and the fresh snow
chaotic fey magic. The villagers, particularly the children, were
on the ground, Sweetwater is a dour place. The streets are almost
initially happy with the gifts, but before any of them could thank
abandoned save for a few adults hurrying from place to place with
Nanny Moonfall for her thoughtfulness, the local priest encouraged
their heads down, avoiding eye contact. Faces peer out from frosted
the adults to throw away the gifts, angering the local fey that work
closely with Nanny. The fey chose to punish the adults for their
ungratefulness, invisibly tormenting them and turning those they

93
windows, warily watching the newcomers walk through their town.
Any interaction with the villagers earns the party terse directions to
the village chapel, where Paulus Burne, the new priest, resides.
CHAPTER 2
The following scenes can be run in any order as the party makes
its way around the village of Sweetwater. Most adult villagers react
The Chapel with suspicion unless the party flashes the holy symbols given
The village chapel is located in the center of town, just off the
by Paulus. Children and visitors to the village react with friendly
village common. The building looks like it was recently renovated
caution. Any townsperson can direct the party in the direction of
into a more austere style; colorful wall murals were whitewashed
Nanny Moonfall’s house east of the village, if asked.
away, and a blank piece of stone barely covers a mosaic in front
of the chapel’s doors. Inside, the scents of incense and wax fill the
small building, joined by the sound of solemn chanting. Farmer in Distress
The party comes across a woman being menaced by a pair of
Paulus Burne (human priest, he/him, lawful neutral) is a serious mittens and a scarf (two invisible pixies (MM) wielding the items.)
man, his stony face betraying no signs of smile lines or wrinkles She’s trying to drive off the floating objects with a heavy stick. The
despite his graying hair. He speaks in a deep voice, never saying pixies flee if they are threatened with actual weapons. The farmer,
more than he needs to, but seems pleased to see the party, especially Selene (human commoner, she/her, neutral good) thanks the
if they are answering his call for heroes. party, explaining that she is looking for medicine for her gravely
ill daughter. Her wife Juna was attacked and turned into a rabbit
two days ago while trying to get to a healer, so Selene was forced to
The priest speaks tersely. leave the safety of their home to continue the search. She is heading
toward the eastern woods, hoping to speak to Nanny the woods
“A week ago, the village was struck with a curse that turns witch about her daughter’s illness, but is terrified that she too will
whoever it touches into a wild animal. So far, it seems to only fall victim to the curse.
affect the adults of the town--my prayers of protection have
kept the children safe, but I don’ t know how long that will Do You Want to Build a
last. With my time taken up by prayers here, I need you to
find the source of the curse and stop it before it consumes the Snowman?
entire village. I can’t be sure, but I think that witch might be A lone child plays in the snow, wearing a pair of brightly colored
behind it all. You should use caution if you go near her home-- mittens and singing softly to himself. He waves to the party,
she’s played tricks like this before.” introduces himself shyly as Runek Cotter, age 9, and asks if they
want to help him build a snowman. If questioned, he says the
He hands each of you a simple wooden holy symbol that mittens were a Midwinter gift from ‘Nanny’ that his parents made
matches his own. him throw away, though he went back and got them after his
parents were turned into pigs. His elder brother corralled them into
“The townsfolk are unlikely to speak with you if you don’t the barn until the curse is broken. As the party leaves, they catch
have these--they will ease your passage through the village.” sight of several snowballs forming on their own and rolling toward
Runek--two invisible pixies are helping him build his snowman.

If asked about payment, Paulus offers the party a total of 80 gp Handmade With Love
upon breaking of the curse, grudgingly acknowledging their On the outskirts of the village, the party finds a snow-covered
mercenary status as he does. pile of discarded knitwear, all bearing the same ‘Handmade With
Love’ tag described above. Four invisible sprites (MM) carefully
Development dig each piece of clothing out of the snow, dust them off, and lay
With the task in hand, the party is free to canvas the neighborhood them reverently in a neat line as the party watches. They continue
looking for clues to the curse. doing so until they’ve laid out every item in the pile and then flit
away. The sprites attack anyone that stops them from doing their
job, but anyone that chips in to help clean the knitwear earns their
respect, which could be helpful later on in the adventure. A DC 10
Wisdom (Perception) check notes that almost all of the discarded
items are sized for adults.

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Traveling Merchant Development
The party meets a merchant from out of town in the almost- The party should have enough information to lead them to Nanny
abandoned marketplace, packing up his wears to take home. He Moonfall’s home in the eastern woods, as well as having an idea of
introduces himself as Derrik (half-elf commoner, he/him, neutral what might have led to the curse.
good). He makes the trip to Sweetwater about once a month. At
the moment, he is distraught after watching a villager fall victim
to the curse. He tried to help before it was too late, but came away
from the experience with only a handful of sparkling dust and a CHAPTER 3
Nanny Moonfall’s cottage is about half a mile from the edge of the
bite from a newly-transformed squirrel. A DC 10 Intelligence
(Arcana) check identifies the dust as pixie dust, and a DC 10 forest, set in a snowy clearing surrounded by old pines. The cottage
Wisdom (Medicine) check assures Derrik that his bite isn’t itself is small, bearing weathered shingles and a roof that sags just
infected or dangerous. a bit from the snow piled on the eaves. In a wicker rocking chair
on the front porch sits Nanny Agatha Moonfall (human warlock
of the archfey, she/her, chaotic good), a spritely elderly woman
Debate in the Dark with white braided pigtails and small reading glasses perched
As the party comes near a closed cellar door, they hear the sound of on her upturned nose. The only concession she makes to the icy
adult voices raised in argument. Several voices claim that the ‘witch temperature is a brightly-colored patchwork quilt tucked around
of the woods’ is the source of the curse and, and declare someone her knees. She is currently knitting a bright red scarf, murmuring
should march over to her hut at the edge of the woods and force something under her breath as she does. In addition, two invisible
her to fix everything, with only a few voices arguing against that sprites lurk on the roof of Nanny’s front porch keeping an eye on
course of action. Despite this, no one in the cellar seems eager to any visitors, and a dryad (MM) emerges from its tree to eavesdrop
actually put their plan into play. quietly, remaining peaceful as long as Nanny remains unthreatened.
Nanny looks up from her knitting if the party approaches
I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay close to her cottage, smiling genuinely at her visitors and inviting
As the party nears the border of the town, they catch sight of a them to approach closer so she can get a good look at them. She
tall woman walking out of the nearby woods, wearing a bright red peers into each of their eyes as she makes pleasant small talk about
and yellow knitted hat and dragging a trio of freshly cut logs on a the cold weather and local fauna, trying to discern their motivation
sledge. She cheerfully greets the party if they approach, introducing for visiting her home. If the party treats her with respect and
herself as Cherry (human scout, she/her, chaotic good), the local remains non-violent, she invites them inside her cottage for tea and
lumberjack. She is unconcerned about the so-called ‘curse;’ having cookies; otherwise, Nanny’s fey allies spring to her defense if she is
spent much of her life in the woods learning the lay of the land, threatened.
she recognizes fey mischief and suspects their handiwork in the
troubles affecting the village. She says, rather flippantly, that she Inside the Cottage
doesn’t belief in Paulus’ nonsense about the gifts being cursed. She’s The interior of Nanny’s cottage is cozy and colorful, lit by several
wearing her hat out of protest, and also because it’s damn cold glowing lanterns. A fire flickers merrily in the hearth. Herbs hang
outside and the hat keeps her nice and warm. from the ceiling, filling the air with their fresh scent, and a large,
fluffy blue-gray cat lounges on a pile of afghans, watching Nanny’s
Satyrs and Snowballs guests with luminous green eyes. An intricately crocheted ivory
As the party reaches the woods, they stumble into an ambush set tablecloth covers her rustic table with several chairs pulled around
by a pair of young satyrs (MM) itching for a snowball fight. Their it, each one bearing a different colored cushion.
snow fort affords them 3/4 cover, and they throw their snowballs Nanny encourages the party to find seats around the table
with force at any adults they see in the vicinity, regardless of their and sets a full kettle over the hearthfire before asking what brings
affiliation with the town. Their snowballs are thrown with a ranged them to her humble home. She continues to knit as she talks
attack and deal 1d3 - 1 damage on a successful hit. The satyrs fight with them, hardly looking down at her stitches as she does. She
fiercely against armed opponents until they are reduced to half remains cheerful and friendly until the party brings up the curse,
of their hit points, at which point they turn and run. If the party after which she grows serious and puts down her knitting, listening
chooses to fight them with snowballs of their own, they instead carefully to their words. She takes no offense to any accusations the
surrender when reduced to half of their hit points and acknowledge townsfolk levy against her, understanding that they’re scared, but
the party’s superior snowball skills. affirms that she’s done nothing to the town. In fact, she just sent
her fey friends to the village a week ago with Midwinter gifts for
everyone!

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 If any party member makes the connection between the Despite being saved from a goat-y fate, Paulus is furious at
discarded gifts, the fey messengers, and the mysterious ‘curse,’ read the ‘deceitful witch’, insisting that she set the fey on him and
the following section aloud: demanding she lift the curse before it destroys the entire village.
Nanny calmly explains that her fey allies were simply playing
tricks that went too far. Cedar interrupts and retorts that Nanny
Nanny huffs and throws open her front door. “All right, my worked so hard on the gifts, infusing them with a little of her own
little troublemakers, it’s time we had a talk!” she calls, holding fey magic to keep the villagers warm and safe, and they just threw
open the door as she waits for her friends. Over the next few them away over the priest’s lies.
minutes a collection of fey trickle into her cottage: Seven Paulus wants the curse lifted and Nanny to leave Sweetwater
sprites, eight pixies, three satyrs, and a lone dryad. Nanny forever; Cedar wants the village to pay for their careless disregard
crosses her arms over her chest and speaks calmly. “Explain for Nanny’s hard work, though he also insists that only the adults
yourselves, dearies, if you please.” After a few glances between that threw away the gifts will face the fey’s wrath. Nanny simply
the fey, one of the pixies pipes up and begins to explain. wants things to go back to how they were before she delivered the
gifts. The townsfolk have assembled in front of the chapel in the
“We took the gifts to the village to deliver them like you asked, meantime, as have the fey; If the party doesn’t do something, the
Nanny. Some of us stayed behind to watch the villagers open entire village might become a warzone of misinformation.
them so we could tell you about it, but that mean old priest The party can diffuse the potentially violent situation with
came out and made everyone throw them away!” The other a well-spoken argument; good talking points are Nanny’s rescue
fey murmur in agreement with the pixie’s outrage. “He said of Paulus from Cedar, and the villagers that kept their gifts being
they were cursed by ‘that insidious woods witch’ and would safe from the curse. If the party helped the sprites clean the
‘infect the whole town with her dangerously chaotic magic,’ discarded gifts, helped Runek build his snowmen, or joined in
which is not true at all! All of the villagers threw away your the satyrs’ snowball fight, the fey back up the party’s arguments.
presents, except the children and a few of the smarter adults. Soon, the villagers realize their mistake in blaming the witch and
Then Cedar said we should make the villagers appreciate your apologize to Nanny for throwing away the gifts. She graciously
gifts…” The pixie hangs her head. “We didn’t mean to hurt accepts, causing Paulus to fume and stomp away to his chapel
anyone, Nanny.” in stony silence. Several pixies flitter by and drop off all of the
discarded knitwear for the townsfolk to claim. The fey deposit the
remaining unclaimed gifts at the party’s feet, asking them to find
Nanny scolds the assembled fey, disappointed that they would go the polymorphed townsfolk and put the items on them to break
to such extremes over something she considers trivial, and asks the spell.
Cedar to come forward. The assembled fey exchange nervous The party must track down seven polymorphed animals:
glances, and the pixie spokesfey reveals that Cedar is at the village; three pigs (boars), a badger, a cat, a goat, and a rabbit (weasel).
having found a loose window latch at the town chapel, he plans to Tracking the animals is a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check
‘goat-ify’ Paulus. per animal; they must put the knitwear on them with a DC 10
Nanny’s eyes widen and she looks to the party, appealing to Strength check while they struggle to free themselves. After the
them to stop Cedar from making the problem infinitely worse. spell is broken, the newly de-cursed villagers are greeted by their
friends and family with tearful smiles.
Stopping Cedar
The party arrives at the chapel to find Paulus sweeping the nave, his Development
stony expression unchanged. He is surprised to see the party but With the curse lifted, the party returns to the village common to
unconcerned about any warning they give, assuring them that the conclude the story.
gods will keep him and the rest of the village safe. He continues
to rebuff their warnings even as Cedar (sprite, he/him, chaotic
neutral) appears behind him, wielding a blanket sparkling with
pixie dust. The pixie throws the blanket at Paulus, attempting to CONCLUSION
The entire village is thankful that the Midwinter curse is over.
transform the priest into a ‘grumpy old goat’.
Cedar resists attempts by the party to stop his attack on Paulus The children run around in their colorful gifts chasing the playful
by summoning three orange faerie dragons (MM) to attack them. fey as the adults look on with cautious smiles. Nanny Moonfall
He continues to follow Paulus with his enchanted blanket until approaches the party, taking each of their hands and squeezing
the faerie dragons are defeated, unable to catch the priest, at which them with her strong, calloused fingers.
point Nanny bursts into the chapel and demands Cedar stop his
foolishness.

96
 Treasure Rewards:
“My dears,” Nanny Moonfall says, smiling up at each of you If you break the curse, you receive 80 gp and Nanny’s Midwinter
with twinkling eyes, “you have done a great service in sorting Gift.
out this misunderstanding. I’m just happy that my gifts were
returned to their intended owners.” Nanny’s Midwinter Gift
Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)
She gestures for several pixies to come toward her, each
This brightly-colored knitted item (a hat, mittens, or a scarf ) fits
carrying brightly colored knitted garments for each of you.
perfectly and almost radiates warmth.
• You have resistance to cold damage
“Please, take these as a late Midwinter gift, and with my
thanks.” • You ignore difficult terrain created by ice or snow
• You can tolerate temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit
without any additional protection. If you wear heavy clothes,
The party is invited to stay in Sweetwater as long as they like. If you can tolerate temperatures as low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit
anyone investigates the chapel, they find it empty and dark; Paulus
left in the early hours of the morning, eager to get away from a
place he considers beyond help. True to his word, he left a bag of Author’s Notes/
80 gp for the party for getting to the bottom of the curse.
Acknowledgments
As someone who spends a lot of time knitting, I hate when I
Rewards see a lovingly-crafted blanket or sweater at a thrift store or yard
sale being sold for pennies--when you understand the work that
XP Rewards: goes into a handmade craft, it’s heartbreaking to see that work
Add the total XP earned through play, then divide by the number unappreciated. Nanny Moonfall’s mischievous fey friends are my
of characters to determine individual rewards. solution to that problem.
Thanks, as always, to my wonderful family for the constant
Obstacle XP support, and particularly to my aunts Judy and Jean and late
grandmother Julienne, the inspiration for the ever-cheerful, loving,
“Farmer in Distress” encounter 150 xp
and generous Nanny Moonfall. And an extra-special apology to my
“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” 150 xp best friend and name-twin Ally--your handmade socks are almost
encounter done, promise!

“Handmade with Love” encounter 400 xp

Author Bio
“Traveling Merchant” encounter 75 xp Ally Sulentic is a nerd from Massachusetts who lives in a tiny
apartment with her husband Tom and their two annoying cats,
“I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay” encounter 100 xp Pratt and Sherlock. She’s been gaming for most her life and writing
for even longer, though she only recently combined the two into
“Satyrs and Snowballs” encounter 300 xp
something more. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram (@
Visiting Nanny Moonfall’s cottage and 1100 xp theuselessbard) and the Dungeon Masters Guild, where she’s
discovering the fey’s involvement contributed to Uncaged and Friends, Foes, and Other Fine Folks,
as well as writing for Pelgrane Press and The Onyx Path.
Convincing the townsfolk to apologize to 150 xp
Nanny
Freeing the polymorphed villagers from the 475 xp
curse

97
 Frostbite
Written by Jessica Ross
Level: 4 Content Warnings: Child Imprisonment and Potential Harm to Children

Over the past two tenday, strange things have occurred in

SYNOPSIS
For many prosperous generations, the town of Resting Star
Resting Star—stranger than the first snow in generations or the
unfamiliar chill of winter. Ice sculptures the townsfolk built started
unknowingly sat atop a former shrine to Auril, the goddess of coming to life to attack them, and children have gone missing in
winter. Now, Resting Star experiences a winter unlike any they the night.
have before: they see snow for the first time and try to celebrate the Merin, a young boy who liked to explore the ruins outside
change. Things turn dark, however, when the children of the town of town, stumbled upon a box containing a cursed object, which
go missing and the creatures they built out of snow come to life brought Auril’s wrath down on the town. The spirit released by the
and attack. This adventure is optimized for five 4th-level characters. boy’s curiosity spreads its cruelty through Resting Star, hypnotizing
the town’s children to assist it as it tries to wipe out the entire
population.

ADVENTURE HOOK
Shortly before Midwinter, the characters receive an anonymous
letter that simply states, “The Resting Star is waking. Please help.” CHAPTER 1:
They find this letter with their belongings upon waking, and it
includes a map to a small town far off any main road.
Alternatively, a friend of the party delivers the letter. The friend THE RESTING STAR WAKES
As the characters enter town, they pass by a large stone column that
received the letter, but they have urgent business elsewhere. The
friend provides the map and asks the party to look into this matter. seems to mark the border to Resting Star. All along the old road
They have no insight to offer about what it could mean, but they are creatures carved from snow. They appear to have been made
have no reason to suspect it isn’t genuine. by people of varying talents. Some of these creatures look lifelike
while others look like vague outlines of the creatures they’re meant
to represent. Though it’s not currently snowing, it’s clear this town

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The town of Resting Star doesn’t experience winter, and they
sees a lot of snowfall.
If the characters attempt to investigate these snow creatures
or the stone column, one of the creatures, a wolf, springs to life. It
celebrate Midwinter as Greenwinter—a time of harvesting and appears to be made entirely from snow and uses the winter wolf
celebrations. (BR) stat block (with the addition of vulnerability to fire damage).
What many do not know is the town was first built as a shrine After they defeat the wolf, Luhida (drow priest (MM), she/
to Auril, the cruel goddess of winter. But many generations ago, her, neutral good) comes to the road.
the region stopped experiencing winter, and all traces of Auril were
erased. Now, Resting Star stands on the remains of that original
shrine.

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Read or paraphrase the following: tradition of running between pillars in the dead of winter required
six.
Luhida’s house isn’t large, and she can’t offer them more than
“Welcome to the town of Resting Star, travelers. You should cots on the floor, but if they’re willing to help find the missing
come inside.” children and figure out what’s causing the snow and the snow
As she speaks, several howls rise up in the distance, and she monsters, she offers to let them stay there for free. If they agree, she
glances over her shoulder. offers them more hot cocoa, and this second cup grants resistance
“It only gets worse at night.” to cold damage for 24 hours.

Starry Inn
If the characters lie to or anger Luhida, she sends them to the
Call of the Midwife Starry Inn where they are greeted by a quiet tabaxi named Rustling
Luhida leads the characters to her home, a small dwelling behind Leaves (tabaxi scout (BR), she/her, chaotic neutral). This is a small
the clinic, and offers them hot cocoa as she lights a fire to warm but pleasant inn. It looks clean and well cared for, and if it weren’t
them. She asks the characters what brings them to such a small, out for the boarded-up windows and heavy iron locks on the door, it
of the way place such as Resting Star. would look like a typical inn.
If the characters lie, Luhida presses her lips together in a tight A room with two beds is 1 gp per night, and she locks the
smile and wishes them a safe visit. She explains how to find the inn down tight before nightfall. If they want to stay, they must
local inn where they might secure lodgings to wait out the night. be inside before dark or they’ll be locked out. Rustling Leaves is
If asked about what happens at night, she only tells them not to let immovable on this.
themselves be caught outside after dark. Continue on to Starry Inn If questioned on this policy, she looks toward the boarded-up
below. windows and says: “It’s dangerous outside at night. You don’t want
If the characters show her the letter they received, she seems to be caught by the snow. And I won’t risk my life for you.”
surprised at it but hands it back. With a successful DC 12 Wisdom If asked about the columns, she only shrugs and says the six—
(Insight) check, the characters can tell she seems a little scared of and she corrects herself to five—columns have been in the town
the letter. With a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check, longer than she has.
she reveals the letter is in her own handwriting, but she doesn’t
recall ever writing that letter. Development
Even if they do not find out Luhida wrote the letter, she As night falls, birds made of snow using the stat block of ice
still explains that something evil is happening in town. Resting mephits (BR) break into the building where the characters are
Star hasn’t seen snow in generations, and no one has been able and attack. There is a number of snowbirds equal to the number
to figure out the cause of the heavy snowfall this year. While the of characters. When only one bird remains, it tries to escape to the
town celebrated the unexpected snow at first, even holding a snow south, leading the characters to an old, stone building that looks
sculpture competition, they quickly learned to fear it. Some of the like a ruin.
sculptures seemed to come to life on their own and attack people. If the characters defeat all the snowbirds, a successful DC 14
It’s dangerous to be out after dark, and worse, several children in Wisdom (Survival) check allows the characters to quickly and
town have gone missing over the last tenday—which is also when easily follow the path that brought the snowbirds to them. On a
the mysterious snow first began to fall. fail, the characters can still follow the path, but must make a DC
She doesn’t volunteer information about the stone column the 17 Constitution saving throw or take 2d4 cold damage.
characters passed at the edge of town, but if they ask, she tells them
the six columns—and she corrects herself and says five—have been
part of the town for years. She suspects they were once part of some
sort of festival, but no one who lives here now seems to remember. CHAPTER 2: WINTER’S KISS
As characters approach the old ruins, a successful DC 20 Wisdom
A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that mention
of the pillars makes her uncomfortable, but even if pressed she can’t (Perception) check reveals another stone column near the ruins.
explain why. All she can say is that she feels a vague sense of unease If they point it out to any of their party members who failed the
around them, but she has never been able to figure out why. check, they can try again to see it. On another fail, they don’t see
A character who makes a successful DC 18 Intelligence the stone pillar, even if they’re looking directly at it. The illusion
(Religion) check recalls information about Auril, the goddess of magic hiding this column can be broken with dispel magic or
winter, who is associated with a six-pointed snowflake. However, similar spells. Alternatively, if a character touches the column, they
Luhida mentioned there are only five pillars, not six, and Auril’s are able to see it.

100
 A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check reminds In the back of this room is a tapestry similar to the one in the
the character of a ritual to worship a winter goddess. If they last room showcasing a six-pointed snowflake. This one, however,
succeed the check by 3 or more, they recall the goddess’ name is has been pulled aside to reveal a staircase leading below the temple.
Auril and her symbol is a six-pointed snowflake. With a successful
DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check, they see a six-pointed Ice Tunnel Traps
snowflake made of rusted metal at the top of the pillar, deeply worn As the characters travel through the ice tunnels, the
along the bottom points. temperature slowly drops. They’re hit with cold blasts of air
As the characters turn to face the temple, read or paraphrase the 1d4 times as they walk along the tunnel. They must make a
following: DC 13 Constitution saving throw to avoid being hit with the
cold damage, and the DC goes up by 1 after each blast of cold
air.
The ruins of a temple stand surrounded on all sides by deep
mounds of snow. A cleared path leads to the front entrance—
shards of old and rotted wood are all that remain of the door. Snow Chamber
Beneath the temple, the characters find themselves in a large, frozen
chamber full of snow, though there is no clear exit to outside aside
If characters attempt to enter the temple, the snow on the ground from the tunnel they took—it’s not clear how snow made its way
forms up into a humanoid creature using the yeti (BR) stat block. all the way down here.
If they don’t attempt to enter the temple and instead continue to As soon as the characters enter, they see twelve children
look around it, the snow creature attacks as soon as the characters sleeping in the snow in the center of the chamber surrounded by
explore the area, but it seems to be guarding the temple. more snow creatures. There’s another humanoid snow creature
using the yeti stat block and twelve smaller snow creatures like
Frozen Temple birds and cats which use the ice mephit stat block. Half of the
The temple is old and looks like it hasn’t been used in decades. smaller creatures immediately circle around the children, guarding
The only sign anyone has been inside here are a few small, dirty them, while the other six follow the humanoid creature into battle.
footsteps inside the door. There’s a faded rug covered in dirt a few The humanoid creature stays out of range as much as possible,
steps inside and then the footsteps disappear. A successful DC 11 letting the smaller creatures go in first. If the characters attempt to
Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the footprints appear to target the larger creature, it moves farther out of range.
be child-sized and the child wiped their shoes on the rug to avoid The snow creatures do not attempt to harm the children,
tracking dirt inside the temple. On a successful DC 15 Wisdom though they do try to keep the characters away from them. Each
(Survival) check, the characters identify faint footsteps in the dust time the characters defeat another of the smaller creatures, one of
and dirt the temple has collected over its many years of disuse and the children wakes.
can follow them. Characters can attempt to lower the number of ice creatures
If they don’t find a trail to follow, they may wish to explore by waking one child at a time with a successful DC 19 Wisdom
the temple. They originally entered into a large antechamber with (Medicine) check if they can get close enough or with a successful
three doors around the edge: one to the left and two to the right. DC 17 Charisma (Performance) check by making loud noises to
The door to the left hides a flock of small snow creatures (one per get their attention. If characters have other creative ways to attempt
character) that use the ice mephit stat block and attack when the to wake the children from a distance, it becomes DC 17. The DC
characters open the door. decreases by 1 for every two children the characters successfully
The first door on the right is a mostly empty room with an old wake or for every two small snow creatures they defeat.
and faded tapestry of a six-pointed snowflake. If characters haven’t For every child that wakes up, another of the smaller ice
already identified this as the symbol of Auril, a successful DC 10 creatures drops to the ground and melts. When the children wake,
Intelligence (Religion) check reminds them of Auril’s name: a they don’t run or fight as they’re too scared. Once there are more
cruel goddess of winter, known for the harsh rituals she demands of children awake than there are small ice creatures, the children rally,
her worshippers. and they can help wake the remaining children.
If the characters damage the larger ice creature during this
Ice Tunnels time, it immediately sends a child back to sleep, and a new ice
The final door from the antechamber opens easily, and as soon as creature forms out of the ice: a wolf, using the winter wolf stat
it does, a blast of frigid air hits the characters. Characters must block. The wolves don’t join the fight immediately and instead stay
succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 cold back to protect the large ice creature.
damage as they’re hit with a blast of frigid air.

101
 If any children are awake and see the characters attempting to
damage the large snow creature, they say “Please don’t hurt him! He
needs our help.”

Development
Once all the children wake, the humanoid snow creature finally
steps up to fight, but the newly awoken children refuse to let the
characters near the last snow creature. “This is our friend,” they say.
“Don’t hurt him—wake him up.”

CHAPTER 3 — THE MID-

WIFE’S MESSAGE
Characters can try to restrain the children to defeat the final snow
creature or promise they won’t hurt it and try to “wake” him. If
they fight the creature, the snow starts to drop away with each hit
it takes. At half health, the characters can see a child inside the
If the characters didn’t already learn that she was the one who
creature. His eyes are closed, and his lips and limbs are blue from
wrote the letter calling them there, she tells them now.
the cold.
Read or paraphrase the following:
Without fighting him, they can only trust that the children
know what they’re doing, and if characters hesitate or don’t seem
to know what to do, one of the children suggests melting the snow
“After you left my home, I communed with my goddess,
away.
Chauntea. I wrote the letter in a trance and sent it to a trusted
Once the characters see the boy inside the creature, they can
friend, which is why I didn’t remember sending it. But as soon
attempt to wake him. Attempting to wake the child is DC 15.
as I remembered this, I knew I had to find you and followed
For every attempt the characters make to wake him, the DC lowers
your trail here. Chauntea allowed me to see the column
by 1. After three successful checks, the remaining snow melts away
outside and revealed to me the dangers of this place—of Auril’s
and the child wakes.
temple.”

A Friend Indeed
When he finally wakes, Merin’s (elf commoner (BR), he/him, Luhida can also explain the new information her goddess provided
neutral good) eyes are cloudy white, and he can’t seem to hear about the temple and pillars if the characters haven’t already figured
or speak. He wears a metal amulet with a six-pointed snowflake it out. Many generations ago, Frozen Star was a town built on a
that must be removed. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) snowy tundra to worship Auril. The six columns around the town
check reveals the danger. If he keeps it on for longer than 1 hour, were a harsh ritual in which worshippers of Auril trekked between
he again becomes the large snow creature. If the transformation them in the dead of winter to show their devotion. Something
occurs again, any magic user can determine the amulet is the cause happened, and snow stopped falling in Frozen Star. The town was
without a check. renamed to Resting Star, and many generations later, Luhida came
Once the amulet loses its hold on Merin, he shares his story. to be a midwife here and brought with her a love and worship of
Out of curiosity, he decided to explore the old ruins and discovered Chauntea.
the hidden tunnel. In this snow chamber, he found this metal Though Luhida can’t explain it, she knows some force
amulet. It spoke to him, promising to be his friend for as long as protected the sixth column outside the temple to prevent people
wore it and to welcome all of his friends into an eternal game. from seeing or remembering it. The supposed absence of a sixth
column meant no one associated this temple with Auril, and over
Answers from Auril the generations, the townsfolk forgot the origins of this place.
The secret tunnel to the temple above it is the only way in or out She suspects someone buried the amulet that allowed them to
of this chamber. Back up the stairs and inside the temple, Luhida commune with Auril in an attempt to bring an end to the harsh
is looking curiously around the antechamber. She is startled at the winters, and when Merin went exploring, he found it by accident
sight of the children and the characters but receives them happily. and summoned her wrath.

102
Development Items
Luhida thanks the characters for their help and asks for one last Event Item
favor: to help her escort each of the children back home.
Befriend Luhida in part I Ring of Warmth
Save Merin without hurting or Spell scroll Control
CONCLUSION
This is a small farming village, and the people who live here don’t
restraining the other children
Save the children and restore
Flames
2sp each and 2 potions
have much. Still, the villagers are happy to provide what they the weather of healing
can to the characters in thanks for their help. If they befriended
Luhida when they first met her, she rewards them now with a ring
of warmth (BR). If they saved all of the children without hurting Author’s Notes/
or restraining any of them, Merin tentatively approaches the Acknowledgments
characters and hands them a spell scroll for control flames he found Thank you to everyone who supported me and helped me make
during his exploring. this adventure happen, including my coworking buddies Jen
The snow melts away by morning, and the town welcomes the Vaughn and Kat Kruger, my brainstorming friend Robin Michele,
characters to join them for an afternoon feast and celebration. and my playtesting group at Outsider Comics.
If the characters don’t offer to take and destroy the amulet,
Luhida offers to take it to a friend and wizard she knows in a
nearby city who can destroy it. Luhida suggests characters should Author Bio
not attempt to use it, as it is a cursed item. If characters choose to Jessica is an editor, writer, podcaster, and recovering procrastinator.
keep it anyway, it allows the wearer to cast ice storm twice per long She spends most of her time working because she’s a freelancer
rest. Because it’s cursed, the caster always takes damage from using and that’s what freelancers do, but when she’s not working, she’s
it—each time the caster uses the amulet to cast ice storm, they also watching bad movies (and live-tweeting them) and learning and
suffer the effects of it (i.e. they must make the same saving throw as playing every game she can get her hands on. She has adventures
their target and take damage). and work in Uncaged Volume I, Beyond the Basics, Morty Corgi’s
The characters have returned the town’s children and restored Scroll of Mysteries, and more. You can find all of her work on her
the weather. They have made allies in the town of Resting Star, and website [Link] and you can follow all the daily nonsense she
these people won’t soon forget them. They reward the characters gets up to on Twitter @writejessr.
with a free stay at the inn for as long as they’d like, as well as 2 sp
each and 2 potions of healing.

Rewards
XP Rewards
Event XP
Defeat ice mephit creatures 100 per
creature
Defeat winter wolf 700
Defeat yeti 700
Wake the children and avoid harming them 50 per
child
Save Merin 700
Befriend Luhida 500

103
Before the Pitchforks Come Written by Alison Huang
Levels: 6 Content Warnings: Misogyny, Xenophobia, Witch Hunting

Having heard that there were giants on top of Mount Spitsber, at

SYNOPSIS
Days before Midwinter, two children have gone missing from
the foot of which sits Koelheid, Gerda started to daydream about
living with them. With the help of Kai, she gathered supplies to
the frozen city of Koelheid. Fingers are being pointed at people. venture up Mount Spitsber. Together, they fled the city.
Or rather, one person in particular: the woman living on Mount On the mountain, they encountered a manticore. Their
Spitsber. journey would have ended there, had it not been for a silver dragon
A woman who’s nearly 8 feet tall. A woman who’s undeterred that swooped down and killed the creature. Alarmed that there
by the freezing cold. A witch no doubt, who probably wants to were two children on the mountain, the dragon brought them
sacrifice the children for some dark ritual if she hasn’t already. to the safety of her lair. There, Gerda and Kai told the dragon,
But Ida, the grandmother of one of the missing children, Snedronningen, their tale. Quickly becoming attached to them,
insists that she’s not the culprit. She’s asked you to rescue them and Sned vowed to be a better mother to them.
find out what really is going on. Unaware of the truth and fueled by their xenophobia,
Before the children die of exposure. Koelheid’s inhabitants quickly decided that Mechteld, a goliath
Before the pitchforks come. woman living alone up the mountain, was responsible. Ida, Kai’s
This adventure is written for four 6th-level characters. grandmother and guardian, doubts this is the truth.

ADVENTURE HOOK CHAPTER 1:

No matter their reason for being in Koelheid, the characters
quickly realise that there is a feeling of unease and anger in the city.
As Koelheid is wary of strangers, Ida soon hears about their arrival.
A HOSTILE CITY
The tension in Koelheid is palpable; you could cut it with a

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Systemic misogyny and xenophobia has always existed in Koelheid.
knife. Around you, pitchforks are being sharpened and torches
are being assembled. Everyone eyes you suspiciously as you
pass. The only friendly face is the one leading you to her
Isolated from the rest of the world and subject to the unrelenting home, Ida, an old dwarven woman.
cold of their surroundings, many of the city’s inhabitants wouldn’t
even think of questioning these values.

Gerda, a human girl, was however frustrated with Koelheid’s

bigotry, something she told her best friend, a dwarf boy named Kai.

105
If there are any goliaths in the party, address the following to them: Ida informs the party that she will pay the party 1000 gp if
both children are returned safely. If only one child is recovered, or
You seem to be garnering more hostility than the rest of your the children are discovered to have died, she instead pays 500 gp.
group. People whisper to each other behind your back. You She offers an additional 500 gp if the woman on the mountain
can faintly make out the word “witch.” survives the ordeal.
If the party accepts, Ida brings them down to her rental store
and lends them all sets of cold weather gear.
Ida
Ida (dwarf commoner (MM), she/her, neutral good) ushers the Jasper
party into her house, which is situated above a store renting cold Soon after exiting the store, and bidding farewell to Ida, the party
weather gear. She invites them to sit by the fireplace. encounters Jasper, Gerda’s father. He stands on the street before
them, arms crossed.
Roleplaying Ida
Both Ida’s age, and time in Koelheid, clearly weigh down on her. Roleplaying Jasper
She is resigned and tired, and tries to keep her head down. This A blacksmith, Jasper (human commoner, he/him, lawful neutral)
allows her to go unnoticed, but also means the rest of Koelheid is a tall and muscular human man with a dominating presence. He
doesn’t take her seriously. embodies the xenophobic and misogynistic values of Koelheid. He
This weariness is evident when Ida speaks with the party. speaks bluntly and without hesitation.
Naturally, she is quite worried not only for the children, but also If there are any men in the party, Jasper addresses them,
for the ‘witch’ on the mountain. ignoring anyone else. If the party only contains people
of marginalised genders and women, he acts even more
A Grandmother’s Plea condescendingly.
Once everyone is warm and comfortable, she explains why
Koelheid is so hostile at the moment, providing the following A Father’s Warning
pieces of information:
• Two children went missing about a day ago “So you’ve chosen to believe Ida huh?” he comments bluntly.
• The children were Kai, Ida’s grandson, and Gerda, the “Well, as long as you don’t stand in my way, you can pursue
blacksmith’s daughter that useless theory of hers. But if you do stand in my way...”
he moves his hand to the sword by his hip threateningly. “We
• Kai is a dwarven boy. He is 11 have a problem. Clear?”
• Gerda is a human girl. She is 12
• Jasper, Gerda’s father, realised that she was missing first. After
He shoulders past the party once his warning is acknowledged and
not finding her or Kai in Koelheid, he accused the ‘witch’ of
disappears down the street. If the party asks him if he would pay
stealing both children
the party for Gerda’s safe return, he offhandedly says he would pay
• “The witch” refers to a woman living on Mount Spitsberg. them 500 gp. He clearly does not expect them to succeed.
Koelheid’s inhabitants don’t trust her due to her unusual height
and ability to withstand the cold
Development
• Jasper is planning on climbing up to the witch’s house with Once the party is ready to ascend Mount Spitsber, proceed to
some other civilians to lynch her Chapter 2.
• Ida does not believe that the woman on the mountain is
responsible or malicious
• In addition, two of her smaller sets of cold weather gear were
taken, leading her to believe the children chose to leave

She begs the party to go find both children before they die of
exposure, and before the woman in the mountains is killed by
angry civilians.

106
CHAPTER 2: Rocky Path
No check is required to ascend the rocky path. It leads to a ledge
that has two sabre-toothed tigers (MM) prowling around. A

MOUNT SPITSBER character with a passive Perception of 12 or higher notices that

there is a frayed scarf half buried in the snow here.
They can scale down to the cabin from here without any
checks.
Mount Spitsber towers over Koelheid and stretches up into
the clouds. You can’t see its peak at all. The mountain itself Mechteld’s Cabin
is cloaked in snow and covered with various kinds of trees. The scent of roast boar drifts towards the party as they reach the
Looking up, the only notable feature you can spot is a small cabin. Mechteld, the woman Koelheid’s inhabitants describe as
wooden cabin some ways up, chimney smoke billowing up being a witch, chops firewood outside. She is surprised to see the
into the air. party, but is friendly towards them. She invites them inside her
cabin.

Roleplaying Mechteld
Beginning The Climb Mechteld (goliath commoner, she/her, neutral good) is a goliath
The foothills of the mountain are relatively easy to navigate, woman. Her skin is light blue due to her frost giant heritage. Even
making the first hour of travel uneventful and somewhat relaxing. though Koelheid’s inhabitants consider her a witch because of her
Wind rustles through the trees. 2d4 Giant Elk (MM) graze appearance, she does not have any magical powers.
peacefully nearby. As evidenced by her secluded home, she keeps to herself and
Eventually, however, the mountain’s terrain becomes more minds her own business. She does not harbour any malicious intent
vertical than horizontal. towards Koelheid, even though the city treats her poorly.

An Innocent’s Decision
Traversing The Mountain After serving the party portions of roast boar, she asks them why
At around 5 miles (or 26,400 feet) tall, Mount Spitsber is huge. they’re there. If she is told that people from Koelheid are blaming
The party should be acutely aware of how much time and effort it her for the disappearances of two children and they plan on killing
takes to scale it. her, she is alarmed. However, because she isn’t responsible, she
Due to the tedious and repetitive nature of climbing such a decides to stay and stand her ground, even if it kills her.
large mountain, this process is treated with a level of abstraction. Mechteld also comments that the name Gerda is familiar.
This means that the areas and encounters on the mountain are not After thinking it over, she remembers that she met Gerda when she
necessarily close to each other. came to Koelheid a few years ago. Gerda was interested in learning
about her homeland. Mechteld used to live on Spitsberg Peak above
The Real Climb Begins the clouds with other goliath and giants before she chose to leave.
There are two clear routes to Mechteld’s cabin: climbing the cliffs Koelheid’s attitudes led Mechteld to establish her home between
up to her or navigating up a natural rocky path. This path leads the two civilisations.
away from the cabin, but reaching it is easier. The slopes near Mechteld’s home are all fairly easy to climb.
A DC 20 Wisdom (Survival) check is needed to locate any When the party wants to ascend further up the mountain, they can
remaining signs of the children in this location. A successful check do so without any checks.
reveals that there are some strands of fur clinging to a nearby tree
near the easier slope. It matches the fur on the gear borrowed from
Ida.
Freezing Lake
The party eventually reaches a large ledge with a freezing lake
surrounded by trees. A waterfall streams down a cliff face.
The Direct Route A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check is required
Characters need to make a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) to notice that there is a skeleton wearing a belt of frost giant
check to climb the cliffs safely. Characters that fail this check still strength is at the bottom of the lake. The lake is filled with frigid
manage to climb up, but take 3d6 bludgeoning damage while water.
doing so.

107
 Frigid Water
A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number
Development
Once the party is ready to climb up from the Manticore’s Grave,
of minutes equal to its Constitution score before suffering
proceed to Chapter 3.
any ill effects. Each additional minute spent in frigid water
requires the creature to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution
saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with
resistance or immunity to cold damage automatically succeed
on the saving throw, as do creatures that are naturally adapted
CHAPTER 3 — SNOW
to living in ice-cold water.
QUEEN’S DOMAIN
Up The Cliff The air becomes colder and colder as you climb further up
Scaling the cliff face is certainly possible. A successful DC 10 onto the mountain. While the whole mountain is covered in
Strength (Athletics) check is enough to climb most of the way up snow, the amount of it is piling up. Ice coats any visible rocks
safely. Characters that fail this check take 2d6 bludgeoning damage with a slippery sheen. Your ascent grows more difficult, and
on the way up. there aren’t any obvious paths to make it easier.
Some of the rocks near the top of the cliff are loose. The
character who is the furthest up the cliff must successfully make
a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall down onto a lower
ledge and take 2d6 bludgeoning damage. Other characters can
Getting Colder
The party is now within a mile of Snedronningen’s lair. There are
successfully make a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot
no longer any choices as to how the party ascends the mountain.
safer ways up. If they fail this check, they must make the same
However, optional encounters may be used to make this final climb
Dexterity saving throw.
more interesting.
Hunting Grounds A Glimpse of the Queen
Further into this slope, there is a tree-filled nook where 2d6 boars
While scaling the mountain, the character with the highest passive
(MM) wander around. The slope at the back of the nook has a lot
Perception notices Snedronningen, an adult silver dragon (MM),
of outcroppings to hold onto. However, halfway up, two griffons
flying through the air. The dragon does not seem to be headed
(MM) swoop down from a nest at the top of a cliff.
towards the party.
Once the griffons are dead, climbing up to the nest is possible,
requiring a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. 100 gp
Avalanche
worth of coins from unfortunate victims are scattered amongst the
Climbing these ice covered slopes is challenging due to how
twigs and bones.
slippery they are. A successful DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check is needed to keep a grip on the ice outcroppings. Partway up,
Hidden Cave an avalanche rushes down the slope. Characters must succeed on a
A character that makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to get out of the way, or get carried
check discovers that there is a cave at the back of the lake, behind
by the avalanche down to the bottom of the slope, taking 2d6
the waterfall. A character passing through this waterfall must make
bludgeoning damage and 2d6 cold damage.
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 cold damage on a
failed save, or half as much on a success.
Winter Wolves
A makeshift campfire has been set up in here. A successful DC
As they ascend, the party reaches a ledge obscured by cold fog.
10 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals that it was last used about a
Ranged attacks are made with disadvantage in this area. Three
day ago.
winter wolves (MM) lay waiting, camouflaged by their snowy
environment. They ambush the party once they get close.
Manticore’s Grave
After some climbing, the party reaches a ledge with a manticore’s
corpse lying on it. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)
Home
Eventually, the party reaches a cliff face with a large cave in its side.
check reveals that it was crushed to death by something large and
The sound of children laughing happily echoes from within.
with claws. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Medicine) check
Before they can approach the cave, Snedronningen swoops
confirms that it was killed recently.
down from the sky, barring their way. She uses her Frightful

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Presence action to intimidate the party. It should be clear that if the The Truth Revealed
party were to fight her, their chances of winning are incredibly slim. Sned asks the party why they’re there. Having heard the
commotion, Gerda and Kai peek out curiously from inside the
Roleplaying Sned, Gerda and Kai cave. If their names are mentioned, they join Sned, hiding behind
Sned (adult silver dragon, she/her, neutral good) is kind and her back.
protective, especially to children and people without friends If the party accuses Sned of kidnapping the children, Gerda
and family. She is selfless, and not as concerned about her own explains that she and Kai chose to leave Koelheid due to its
wellbeing, though as she is a powerful dragon, there are few things rampant bigotry, and that if Sned hadn’t saved them from a
she needs to worry about. manticore, they’d be dead. She also declares that, despite the short
Gerda (human commoner, she/her, neutral good) is amount of time they’ve been together, Sned is already proving to be
headstrong and brash. She quickly jumps to the defense of Sned a better parent than her father ever was.
and Kai if she feels that the party is falsely accusing them of Kai agrees with Gerda’s statements, though a successful DC
anything. 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that he is slightly hesitant. A
Kai (dwarf commoner, he/him, neutral good) is patient and successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check is needed to
attentive. Compared to Gerda, he doesn’t speak up much, but realise that he misses Ida, his grandmother.
when he does, it is obvious he has put thought into it. The party should be reminded that if the children remain
there, Mechteld will be lynched by Koelheid’s inhabitants.
There are many ways to resolve this dilemma, such as asking
Gerda and Kai to come down to Mechteld’s cabin prove that they’re
alive or urging Sned to assist Mechteld.
In most cases, convincing them requires a successful DC 20
Charisma (Persuasion) check. This DC can be reduced by 5 by
appealing to Gerda’s hatred of her father, Kai’s of his love for his
grandmother, or Sned’s motherly personality.
If the children willingly decide to go with the party, Sned
allows them to do so on the condition she accompanies them.
As long as the party remains on good terms with her and the
children, Sned offers to fly the party down.

Development
Once the party has come to a decision with Snedronningen, Gerda,
and Kai, proceed to the Conclusion.

CONCLUSION
As you descend, specks of light come into view, then the gleam
of steel and a swarm of angry people. They climb the cliffs up
to the cabin where their innocent target resides. The woman
herself, Mechteld, stands ready, holding a hatchet with both
hands.

Depending on the plan, the ways this adventure can end are
drastically different.
If Gerda and Kai were brought down Jasper commands the
mob to stop. However, he insists on bringing Gerda back home.
Gerda tells her father that she won’t, no matter what. Provided that
the party supports her, Jasper is forced to leave without her.
If Sned came to defend Mechteld, the mob flees.

109
 If the party fails to resolve the situation in a way that would
keep Mechteld alive, Mechteld is killed by the mob.
Author’s Notes/
Otherwise, if Mechteld survives, Sned offers to bring her into Acknowledgments
her home, which she accepts. If Kai is also present, he requests that In Hans Christen Andersen’s The Snow Queen, Kai became full of
Sned goes down to Koelheid and brings Ida up to her home as well. hate because of a shard of magical mirror. I’ve always felt that that
If the party returns to Koelheid, Ida gives them their reward as cheapens Kai’s decision to go with the Snow Queen. This adventure
promised. If he was asked and he is still alive, Jasper begrudgingly arose from me asking myself the following question: What if the
gives them his reward as well. source of hate was instead something closer to home like bigotry?

Rewards Author Bio

Characters who complete this adventure may earn the following Alison Huang is an Australian-based writer and illustrator. She
rewards: is deeply interested in queer and feminist narratives that subvert
expectations. She contributes to many other D&D projects, such as
XP Rewards: the Uncaged Anthology, and Friends, Foes and Other Fine Folks.
Add the total XP of creatures defeated by the party, then divide by Her twitter handle is @Drazillion.
the number of characters to determine individual rewards.

Obstacle XP
Giant Elk 450
Sabre-Toothed Tiger 450
Boar 50
Griffon 450
Climbing the Harder Routes 900
Winter Wolf 700

Negotiating with Snedronningen 1,800

Saving Mechtel 1,800

Treasure Rewards
Item Value
Ida’s Reward for saving Kai 500gp
Ida’s Reward for saving Gerda 500gp
Ida’s Reward for saving Mechteld 500gp
Jasper’s Reward for saving Gerda 500gp

110
 The ColdestRevenge Written by Alicia Furness
Levels: 7 - 9 Content Warnings: Death of Children, Stillbirth,
Winter Dangers, Sexism

Suddenly, on the eve of this year’s winter festival, the yetis have
SYNOPSIS
The town of Frostsveld has always had an uneasy relationship with
made their way down the mountain to attack Frostsveld.
The yetis have been commanded by Auntie Hesla, the Bheur
the yetis that live in the mountain above. Monthly offerings to the Hag who lives at the top of the mountain. Years ago, Auntie Hesla
gods have kept the peace, but suddenly, on the eve of the worst was an elderly woman who lived in Frostsveld. She served as the
storm of the century, things fall apart. What incited the yetis to local midwife and nurse. After overseeing the birth of the mayor’s
violence? The answer lies on the dangerous mountain. Can the first child, who didn’t survive, Auntie Hesla was accused of being a
adventurers survive the elements and climb the mountain to find witch and chased out of town. Bitter and angry at her betrayal by
answers and keep Frostsveld safe? This adventure is suitable for a the town she loved and served, Auntie Hesla made a pact with a
party of 4-5 characters of levels 7-9. dark power and became a hag. She has been plotting her vengeance
ever since, and the howling winds of the winter storm signal that it
is time to begin.

ADVENTURE HOOK
This adventure works best if the characters are already town
residents. They might be renowned adventurers, members of the CHAPTER 1:
town watch, or enthusiastic volunteers.
If the characters are not from Frostsveld, they might be
spending time there before going to explore the mountains, or elect ATTACK ON FROSTSVELD
The characters must defend the town from attacking yetis, then
to stop there to wait out the impending storm.
attend a meeting with the town elders who ask them to undertake a
dangerous mission.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Frostsveld is nestled at the base of a huge mountain, on a continent
Surprise attack
Begin the adventure with the group together in a tavern or inn, or
covered by snow and ice for most of the year. Frostsveld is beautiful in different areas of the town each making their own preparations
and peaceful, but residents know the dangers of near perpetual for the impending storm.
winter. The town has perfected year round greenhouses and food
preservation in order to survive the harsh winter weather. A portion
of that food is given as offerings to the mountain god every month,
so that Frostsveld will be spared the violence of the yetis who live
on the mountain. These offerings have worked for three decades.

113
 offer each of the characters a special magical item from the town’s
The town of Frostsveld is buzzing this afternoon, as residents collection of artifacts retrieved from the mountain over the years
hurry to and fro making preparations for the impending (see Conclusion).
storm. The temperature is dropping by the hour, and frost
crackles across the windows of the buildings. It’s the worst The elders give the following information:
storm of the century, and you feel it in the air. Suddenly, • The yetis came down from the mountain for the first time in
you hear yelling from the northern edge of town, and people almost 50 years
shouting for help. • If the yetis come again during the storm, the town won’t be able
to defend itself
The northern edge of Frostsveld has the schoolhouse and a rustic • The mountain god is suspected to live near the mountain peak
playground. School has finished for the day due to the storm but • The offering must be brought up in a sled
some children remain, playing on the playground. The shouting
is in response to a group of yetis (one abominable yeti (MM)
and two yetis (MM)) that have come down the mountain and are Development
attacking buildings and people. If the characters agree to the task, the elders send them to The
If the characters do not investigate the sounds, or if they Frosty Boot to outfit for the trip (continue to Chapter 2: The
choose not to stop the yetis, the yetis eat 1d4 children, and move Frosty Boot). If not, the elders banish the characters into the storm
further into town. If the characters still do not engage with the (the adventure ends here in this case).
yetis, the town watch manage to drive them out of town but the
death toll is high. If the characters visibly failed to step in, the
residents blame them for the resulting deaths, and the elders use
this as leverage in the next encounter. CHAPTER 2:
If the characters engage with the yetis, they flee when the
abominable yeti is reduced to 50 hit points or less. After the yetis
are defeated, the town elders summon the characters to a meeting UP THE MOUNTAIN
The characters equip themselves, and face the dangerous mountain.
by one of the town guards.
At the top they don’t find the mountain god, but a horrifying hag.

They Came from the Mountain The Frosty Boot

The characters are summoned to the mayor’s residence in the
middle of town.
The shop is warm and inviting. It’s filled to the brim with
outdoor expedition supplies. There are sleds, piles of furs,
Servants hurry to and fro as the mayor’s household prepares rations, ice picks, and snowshoes. Yolanda shouts out above
for the storm. You are led through the busy house to a cozy the noise of the shoppers, “Oh good! Marilla told me you were
room on the first floor, the mayor’s study. The room features coming in! Come in!”
oversized chairs, large bookcases, and a large ornate desk. A
fire roars in the fireplace. Three humans are inside the room.
An older woman looks up at you and says, “Thank you for Yolanda Glitterstick (gnome commoner (MM), she/her, chaotic
coming, please sit, we have something important to discuss.” good,) a chubby, friendly gnome, has a pack ready to go. It contains
a sled, pitons and rope, snowshoes and ice picks for each character,
a hooded oil lamp, a stack of furs, rations, and warm coats and
The woman is Marilla Halloran ( human veteran (MM), she/her, boots. These items are provided at no cost.
lawful good), the mayor of Frostsveld. The other two elders are
France Laskin (human priest (MM), he/him, lawful good), (the Yolanda provides the following advice:
religious leader, and Ohana Okoyo (human veteran (MM), they/ • There are two paths up the mountain: one is quicker but much
them, lawful good), leader of the watch. The elders jointly make all more dangerous, the other longer but more frequently travelled
decisions for Frostsveld. and safer
The elders ask the characters to venture up the mountain to • The storm will arrive near midnight, and will make the journey
bring another offering to the mountain god. In return, the elders more treacherous

114
• One week ago, an adventuring party attempted to climb the trying to push them off the ridge. For rules about sliding off the
more difficult ascent. They have not returned ridge, refer to Slippery Ridge, below. The mephits fight to the
The trek up the mountain is divided into three areas: the ridge, the death.
pass, and the summit. Each area has specific dangers. The route the
characters take determines how many encounters occur.
Abandoned Cave
The characters come across a cave, which contains an old fire pit,
The temperature on the mountain drops as the characters
ripped clothes and furs, and an abandoned knapsack. Characters
ascend. Any character not properly outfitted for the cold must
who investigate the knapsack find five days’ worth of stale rations
succeed a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take one level of
and an old pan flute. Playing the pan flute releases a djinni (MM),
exhaustion for each area of the mountain they traverse. Characters
trapped there by a cruel wizard. The djinni can be persuaded to
who are naturally adapted to cold climates are not required to make
accompany the group on their travels as an ally in exchange for a
this check.
gift worth at least 250 gp. The djinni does not grant wishes.

The Ridge Slippery Ridge

The characters’ first obstacle is the ridge that makes up the bulk of A portion of the ridge is slippery. The next sixty feet is considered
the slope. The ridge is narrow at the top and unstable. difficult terrain. Characters must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
It takes two (short route) or four (long route) hours to saving throw or fall prone and begin sliding down the ridge.
ascend the ridge during which time a number of ridge-specific Characters can prevent themselves from sliding too far with
encounters occur. Characters taking the slower, safer route have their ice picks with a successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics)
two encounters. Characters who have chosen the more difficult check, otherwise they slide fifty feet before smashing into rocks.
long route have three encounters. These encounters can occur at Characters who fall onto the rocks take 5d6 bludgeoning damage.
the same time (for example, an environmental hazard may happen
concurrently with a combat encounter). Roll 1d4 or choose from
the table below.

1d4 Hazard
1 Blizzard
2 Ice mephits
3 Abandoned cave
4 Slippery ridge

Blizzard
The storm winds bring a localized blizzard to the ridge. The
blizzard reduces visibility, giving creatures in this area disadvantage
to Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Additionally,
the strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack
rolls. The wind extinguishes any open flames and disperses fog. The
blizzard lasts for 1d4 hours.

Ice Mephits
A swarm of 1d10 +4 ice mephits (MM) emerge out of the ice
and snow. Perceiving the ice mephits before they swarm requires
a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check or Passive
Perception 16+, otherwise the characters are surprised. The
mephits surround the characters and work together to push them
off the ridge. Characters must succeed on an opposed Strength
(Athletics) check against the combined strength of the mephits

115
The Pass Young White Dragon
After the ridge, the characters reach the pass. The pass is a gap Two-hundred feet up the western rock that looms over the pass is a
between two 300 ft high peaks in the mountain ridge, which occurs small cave, in which lives a young white dragon (MM). Freezing
just before the summit. rain falls in a three mile radius around the dragon’s lair, imposing
disadvantage to Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Characters who make a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception)
You can see the pass from a distance, but as you get closer check or who have Passive Perception 13+ notice the cave. Below
you fully appreciate the height of the crags on each side. the lair, a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check
The rocks are snow covered, and passing through them feels reveals a number of frozen, dead, humanoids and other creatures
claustrophobic. buried in the snow. This is where the dragon preserves their food.
A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that this
is a dragon lair. Any attempt to reach the lair causes the dragon to
If the characters have taken the slower, safer route, the storm arrives attack. The dragon is named Avne. Characters who reach the lair
while they traverse the pass. Increase the difficulty of ability checks can find assorted gems worth a total of 1000gp, a set of snow shoes,
and saves by 1. and a carpet of flying (DMG, Chapter 7).
It takes one hour on the short route/two hours on the long
route to ascend the pass. As characters are making their climb, Avalanche
they have a number of pass-specific encounters. Characters who The ground rumbles as a wave of snow and ice chunks comes
are taking the slower, safer route have one encounter. Characters cascading through the centre of the pass. The avalanche lasts 1d6
who have chosen the more difficult path have 2 encounters. Roll or rounds. Characters must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving
choose on the table below: throw to get out of the way. Characters who fail are swept up in
the avalanche, dragged for one-hundred feet, and buried in the
snow. A buried character takes 1d10 cold damage and must succeed
1d4 Hazard on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to dig themselves out.
1 Young White Dragon Alternatively an ally can dig them out, after they succeed a DC
14 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check to
2 Avalanche locate the character.
3 Frost Giant
4 Deep Snow

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Frost Giant
A horn bellows as two frost giants (MM) rappel down the peaks,
one on each side of the pass. They are enraged that the characters
It takes one hour on the short path or two hours on the long path
have entered their territory. The frost giants engage in battle, or
to ascend the summit. The following environmental hazards are in
chase the characters until they leave the pass and enter the summit.
play on the summit:
If the characters defeat the giants, they find a war horn (horn of
silent alarm (DMG, Chapter 7)), dried meat, and a necklace of
bone on the bodies.
Blizzard. The blizzard reduces visibility, giving creatures
Deep Snow in this area disadvantage to Wisdom (Perception) checks
The wind has blown a huge snow drift across the pass. The snow is that rely on sight. Additionally, the strong wind imposes
almost five feet deep in this area and is difficult terrain. A character disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls. The wind also
without snowshoes becomes stuck and cannot move. They must extinguishes any open flames and disperses fog
succeed a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to move at all, and if
successful can move only 5ft. A character with snowshoes does not Slippery Ice. The slippery ice is difficult terrain. Each time the
become stuck, but follows the usual rules for difficult terrain. character moves for the first time on a turn, they must succeed
on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone. For
long periods of travel, use periodic checks to remind players of
The Summit the danger.
The summit is the highest part of the mountain leading to the
peak.
After navigating the environmental hazards, the characters
encounter six yetis. The yetis stalk the characters up the summit,
As you leave the pass you can see the final challenge, one last
but do not engage unless the characters engage first. In this case,
ascent up the summit to the peak. The storm has arrived in
the yetis defend themselves. If the yetis are reduced to half their hit
full, and you can tell the last push will not be easy.
points they flee towards the peak and seeking refuge with the hag.

117
Development Peculiar Objects Table
When the characters successfully navigate the summit, they reach 1d6 Object
Auntie Hesla.
1 A kenku skull with two false crystal eyes in its
sockets. The skull repeats the last word spoken

CHAPTER 3 — THE WITCH

The characters confront Aunite Hesla, learn her story, and are 2
to it
A large charcoal coloured wax candle whose
forced to make a difficult choice. flame burns sapphire blue. It smells slightly of
At the peak of the mountain, the characters find a cave. cinnamon
Milling around the outside of the cave are five yetis and one 3 A hanging basket holding a veritas plant. If the
abominable yeti (if the yetis fled from the summit encounter, these smoke from the leaves of this plant is inhaled a
are the same yetis). The yetis take no action against the characters character must make a DC 18 Charisma saving
unless they attempt to harm Auntie Hesla. throw or be compelled to tell only the truth for
three minutes. A character who succeeds a DC
20 Intelligence (Nature/Arcana) check recognizes
A warm glow emanates from the cave. The scent of apples the plant
and allspice floats on the wind and entices you inside. A voice
calls out, “It’s taken you long enough. You should never keep 4 A glass globe with blue smoke swirling within it.
Auntie waiting. Come in, weary travellers, so we may talk If one stares at the smoke for one minute, the
about what you want.” viewer sees a vision of that which they fear most
5 A small wooden box with a snowy owl engraved
The cave feels warm, but all the furniture is made of ice and snow. on the lid. The box emits a high pitched screech
Ice crawls up the sides of the cave and forms twisted screaming (as per the alarm spell) if opened by anyone other
faces frozen in terror. A large glass cauldron bubbles with the than the owner
appealing scent that helped lure the characters in. Peculiar items are 6 A small, ornate, medicine cabinet with bottles
strewn about the cave. Use the Peculiar Objects table to determine labeled as various potion or ritual components.
what players can find. One bottle labeled “a child’s teeth” is empty
Standing near the bubbling cauldron is a grotesque, twisted,
blue figure. She invites the party to have a seat and listen to her
story.

Auntie Hesla.
Auntie Hesla was once a human midwife and healer of Frostsveld.
As she aged, people began to gossip about her state of mind. Forty
years ago she delivered mayor Marilla Halloran’s baby, but it was
stillborn. Auntie Hesla was accused of being a witch who had killed
the baby on purpose, and she was chased out of town. She spent
ten years alone in the frozen winterlands, growing bitter, until she
met an odd old woman in the middle of the woods. The woman
promised her great power in exchange for her loyalty. She gave
Auntie Hesla a potion that froze her to her bones. The next day,
Auntie Hesla awoke as a bheur hag (VGtM), and began plotting
her revenge on Frostsveld using her new powers. She is using the
yetis as minions to do her dark bidding, eating children and laying
waste to the town.
Auntie Hesla’s primary goal is to inflict pain on the townsfolk
in revenge for the way they treated her, but that doesn’t have to
mean more yeti attacks. Auntie Hesla offers a deal: she will leave
the town alone in exchange for a child, sent to her lair each year on
the coldest and longest night of the year.

118
 Characters keep any of the Peculiar Objects they take from
The Cave. The floor of the cave is covered in ice, and is therefore Auntie Hesla’s lair. Additionally, if the town is saved (either by
slippery. The cave is difficult terrain. Each time a character defeating Auntie Hesla, or by convincing the town to sacrifice
moves for the first time on a turn, they must succeed on a DC 10 children to appease her), characters choose one uncommon magic
Dexterity (Acrobatics) save or fall prone. item each (DMG, Chapter 7), provided to them from Frostsveld’s
Auntie Hesla’s cave has the following lair action: on initiative collection.
count 20 (losing ties), one of the screaming frozen faces animates.
A wraith (MM) floats from the frozen face and enters combat,
fighting alongside Auntie Hesla. A total of five wraiths will enter
Author’s Notes/
the battle. Acknowledgments:
Being a Canadian, I have a serious relationship with winter. It can
Auntie Hesla Tactics. Auntie Hesla prefers to keep the characters be beautiful and peaceful, but it can also be deadly. I wanted to
talking in an effort to trick them into making the deal. If they do, capture the deadliness in this adventure. This adventure is intended
Auntie Hesla makes no more moves against the town, unless they to be very difficult. There is a high likelihood the characters will
fail to deliver the children they promise. not survive, and if they do, they have to make some very tough
If the characters make an aggressive move against Auntie choices. Auntie Hesla is of course a villain, but I hope your group
Hesla, she summons her yetis into battle to protect her. The yetis will reflect on why she is the way she is. She isn’t necessarily
and the wraiths from the lair fight to the death in Auntie Hesla’s sympathetic, but I hope that it’s clear that her choices are made
defence. If Auntie Hesla is reduced to 20 hit points, she tries to flee within a particular set of circumstances. If treated differently, would
on her staff. If Auntie Hesla flees, the yetis and wraiths stand down. Auntie Hesla still have turned to evil? It’s hard to say.

Development
Once the characters have made a deal, defeated Auntie Hesla, or Author Bio
died in battle, move to the conclusion. Alicia grew up in rural Ontario, Canada. She actually loves the
winter a lot. She makes games about queerness, sexism, and
feminism. She is also the producer of SideQuestRPG, a twitch

CONCLUSION
If the characters accepted Auntie Hesla’s deal, they must report
channel where she streams TTRPGs with cool people. Find Alicia
on twitter @aliciafurness where she will be happy to talk about hags
with you.
back to the town. The elders are furious, but can be convinced that
the plan is in the best interests of the town with a successful DC
16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the characters are successful,
Frostsveld sends a child up the mountain each year, as requested,
and the characters are celebrated as heroes. If they cannot
successfully convince the elders of the plan, the town does not send
the first child, and Auntie Hesla leads an attack on the town (this
could be a way to continue the adventure).
If the characters kill Auntie Hesla, the town holds a celebration
in their honour for defeating the witch and saving Frostsveld from
certain destruction.
If Auntie Hesla killed all the characters, or escaped, she
regroups, and waits one year before beginning the process of her
revenge again. The town never sends anyone to search for the
characters’ bodies, and Auntie Hesla inters them in her ice wall to
become wraiths as part of her defence team.

Rewards
If using the XP system, characters should gain relevant XP for each
creature they defeated on the adventure.
If using the milestone system, characters level up if they
survive the adventure and bring it to a peaceful conclusion for
Frostsveld.

119
 The Spirit ofMidwinter Written by Lynne M. Meyer
Levels: 8 - 9 Content Warnings: Attempted Child Kidnapping, Depression

into the woods outside Bereysk on the night of the darkest moon.
SYNOPSIS
The local Midwinter celebrations culminate every year with
In this beautiful, snow-covered forest, a fey crossing had opened,
and through it entered a winter eladrin drawn to the silence and
Grandfather Frost and the Snowmaiden bringing gifts to the town’s pristine wilderness before him. Soon, however, he discovered the
residents, particularly children. However, this year, something is people of Bereysk and saw the great happiness they possessed as
amiss. Someone is spreading gloom where there should be joy. The they prepared for the upcoming holiday. To the sad and lonely
gifts that Grandfather Frost has been preparing? Disappearing. And eladrin, their laughter, warm fires, colorful decorations, were a
to make matters worse, the kind-hearted winter wizard is starting mockery of his pain. With the fey crossing now closed, and unable
to get a bad reputation, as people are mistaking the imposter for to leave, Eryn Ereglind turned his bitter heart towards the town.
the real thing! As Grandfather Frost and the Snowmaiden continue
to prepare for what should be a joyous holiday, they hire the
characters to solve the mystery and restore the spirit of Midwinter Note: To run this adventure, you should have, in addition
before it’s too late. to the Monster Manual, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and
the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion (a WoTC resource
available for free on their website). Xanathar’s Guide to

ADVENTURE HOOK
The Spirit of Midwinter is intended for 4-5 characters of 8th - 9th
Everything is helpful, but not required.

level. The party may be returning from another adventure, or

perhaps on their way to Midwinter celebrations, when they arrive
in Bereysk and decide to take respite from the cold in the only inn
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
available for miles. Grandfather Frost/Alinar Agathaess
(Ah-lin-ahr Ah-gah-thay-yes)
CG male elf modified evoker (VGtM, pg 214)
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Deep in the forests outside the modest town of Bereysk lives an
A powerful winter wizard who came to this forest so long ago that
no one remembers his true name any more. Initially aloof, he came
to love the people of the Bereysk as he watched the town grow. He
ancient wizard known to the locals as Grandfather Frost, and delights in bringing joy to them each year during Midwinter.
a young druid they call the Snowmaiden. Grandfather Frost
has brought joy to the children of Bereysk every Midwinter for The Snowmaiden/Beriadhwen Beithe
centuries, becoming a beloved fixture of the remote community’s (Bear-ee-ath-wehn Bayh)
celebrations. When the Snowmaiden - whom some suspect to be CG female half-elf modified druid
his granddaughter - arrived many years ago, she quickly became The guardian of the forest and Grandfather Frost’s assistant during
his trusted assistant, guiding him on his rounds in a troika full of Midwinter. She carries the Staff of the Snowmaiden (see Rewards).
presents and caring for their arboreal home.
One tenday ago - unnoticed by wizard or druid, both so busy
with their holiday preparations - a new resident made his way

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 CHAPTER 1:
A CREEPING GLOOM
The characters begin to realize that something is amiss with the
Midwinter spirit in Breysk. They meet the Snowmaiden and get
their first indication of what’s causing trouble for this peaceful
community.

Warm Welcomes
Read or paraphrase the following:

Shaking off the cold and the snow, you push open the doors
of The Better Apples Inn. A trio of young children are placing
Midwinter decorations in various places around the common
room, disagreeing with each other somewhat on the right
way to do so. One of them, a little boy, scurries past you with
an evergreen branch in his hand as his sisters tell him to find
more ribbon. A woman whose smile is as warm as the hearth
she’s tending looks up at you. “Welcome, travelers! What can I
get you?”

This is Celestyna Varkova, quite happy to see guests arrive.

Characters engaging her in conversation over the course of the
evening can learn the following:
• The three children are her daughters Elena (age 7) and Sofiya
(age 4), and her son Viktor (age 3).
• She and her husband inherited the inn from his father; it’s been
Eryn Ereglind
a part of the community for many years.
(Eh-rin Eh-eh-glind)
CN male Winter Eladrin (MToF, pg. 197), wearing Gloves of • They’re preparing for Midwinter celebrations. Normally at this
Frostbite (see Rewards) time of the year, they would have far more customers; for some
White hair tipped in blue cascades past his shoulders. His skin is reason this year, the mood in the town is more subdued. She
the palest of blues, and his eyes the color of a frozen lake. He’s clad insists on trying to keep the spirit up anyway.
in shades of dark blue, white, and silver.
Read or paraphrase the following:
Vitaliy Filippovich Varkov (Veh-tah-ly Feh-lip-oh-vich Var-kohv)
NG male human commoner
35 year old co-owner of The Better Apples Inn, he has short, wavy, As you settle into your rooms, Vitaliy approaches you with
brown hair, green eyes, and a medium-length beard. Vitaliy is adept bundles in his arms. “Excuse me, but I believe that these are
at defusing tensions, well-known for his optimism and talent for for you. They arrived last night. Oh, and this.” He gives you a
making others smile. Husband to Celestyna. single note, sealed with wax.

Celestyna Olegovna Varkova

(Seh-leh-steen-a Oh-eh-gohv-nah Var-koh-va)
NG female human commoner
34 year old co-owner of The Better Apples Inn along with her
husband, blue-eyed Celestyna keeps her long blonde hair up in
intricate braids. She is generous and kind, and often gives food to
those in need.

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Each character discovers a beautifully wrapped package with their If informed of the note and asked about the castle, they answer
name on it; inside is a common but fun magic item that seems that yes, they know it. They tell you:
perfectly tailored to that character’s personality. • Castle Moroz (Moh-rohz) is the home of Grandfather Frost and
the Snowmaiden. No one alive has ever actually been inside, but
stories exist of some who had visited. It’s said to be beautiful.
DM Note: A perfect selection of items for this purpose can be • This is where Grandfather Frost makes the presents that he gives
found in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. each year at Midwinter.

The unsigned note is written in flawless calligraphy. The sender To the Castle
offers Midwinter tidings, and asks the characters to meet him at his The next morning, the promised transportation arrives, ready to
castle in the morning. Transportation will be provided. take the party to Castle Moroz.
If asked about the sender’s identity, Vitaliy and Celestyna tell
you that they do not know, but the packages and note appeared Read or paraphrase the following:
in the inn last night. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check suggests
that they know who it was, but are hesitant to say; Celestyna seems You awaken from a good night’s rest, and head downstairs to
to fear she won’t be believed, but Vitaliy appears irritated with the see what the innkeepers are preparing for breakfast. Celestyna
individual in question and doesn’t want to speak ill of them. On a bids you all a good morning as you arrive. “You’ve got a
DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check, you learn: visitor,” she says excitedly as all three of her children look out
• The gifts were almost assuredly sent by Grandfather Frost. the window in amazement. Celestyna continues, “I’ve been
told that you’ll have breakfast at your appointment, so you
• Some say he’s a wizard; others say he’s something more like a
best not delay.”
god.
• Each Midwinter for hundreds of years, Grandfather Frost has An ornately carved sleigh drawn by a team of three horses
brought presents to good children and joy to the adults of abreast awaits you outside. It is large enough for all of you to
Bereysk. He is helped in his work by a beautiful young woman fit comfortably. The driver is a radiant young woman with
called the Snowmaiden, who also cares for the animals of the bright blue eyes, and light brown hair hanging in a loose braid.
forest. She wears a long white and silver coat trimmed in white fur,
• It’s unusual to receive presents before Midwinter. But then with a round cap to match.
again, this year, Grandfather Frost appears to be acting
strangely. The Snowmaiden is friendly and eager to meet the party. If for any
reason the characters decline Grandfather Frost’s offer, she attempts
to persuade them herself. If that fails and they insist on leaving
Bereysk, she follows them at some distance, knowing that they are
about to run into some trouble and could use additional help.
Should that happen, adjust the following encounter so the
party is the first to arrive on the scene, with the Snowmaiden
coming upon them to speak with the villagers, and offer insight
and assistance.

Making your way out of Bereysk, you’re quickly reminded that

it will be many miles before you come across another town.
Snow crunches beneath you with your every movement, and
the icy air fills your lungs with every breath you take. Did it
get colder overnight?

Your thoughts are interrupted by the sounds of an argument

up ahead.

123
Two commoners, one with a sleigh similar to the Snowmaiden’s Suddenly, one of the men realizes who’s in front of him.
(but more modest in detail and construction), are embroiled in a “You’re the Snowmaiden! What was this? Some kind of cruel
fierce argument. The 3 draft horses are visibly distressed. trick from your boss?” He spits the words out like venom.
The Snowmaiden stops her sleigh, and approaches the men “Living in a castle’s not enough for him now? Instead of
to assess and calm the situation, using a combination of Wisdom giving, he’s decided to start taking?” He grumbles and
(Animal Handling) and speak with animals to put the horses at clambors into the remaining sleigh with his brother, still angry.
ease before they can hurt themselves or others. Genuine pain and concern washes over the Snowmaiden. “It
Characters wishing to talk to the men must succeed on a DC wasn’t him! I’m so sorry, but it wasn’t him. He would never -”
20 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check to calm them
down. Otherwise, they glean the following from the argument The brothers leave in a huff, ignoring her words.
which continues:
• The two men are brothers. They were traveling together when She steels herself, and looks to you. “This is why we need you.”
they were approached by an elf in blue robes, who seemed to be She climbs into the sleigh, and readies the horses.
in need.
• As soon as they got close, one of the men started acting “Come.”
strangely and attacked the other, stealing his parcels from his
sleigh and giving them to the elf.
• The two brothers started to fight, only to look up and see that Development
the blue elf had disappeared along with one of the sleighs and On to Castle Moroz.
all their items.

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 • It started just over one tenday ago, and with every day that
CHAPTER 2: passes, the harassment gets worse. What started off as seemingly
mere pranks have become serious, even dangerous. Parents
speak of their children acting as if charmed by an outside force,
MIRROR, MIRROR
The party meets their benefactor and learn that, for all his power,
and starting to wander away into the cold on their own. People
aregetting angry, sad, and scared, and they think Grandfather is
this winter wizard has a problem and needs some assistance. to blame.
• A few days ago, someone broke into Grandfather Frost’s
Are You a Good Wizard? workshop and stole a bag full of presents that were to go to the
Read or paraphrase the following: town’s children. Grandfather Frost is working hard to replace
the lost items and ensure that every child still has a present in
You’ve been traveling some distance when you realize that time for Midwinter.
the composition of the forest has changed. Instead of a • They need you to find the imposter and put an end to all this,
preponderance of evergreens, here you’re in a thick grove of tall and to do so before Midwinter.
birch trees. The white bark amidst the glistening snow creates The presents he gave the characters are theirs to keep whether
an almost ethereal effect as you glide by on the sleigh. At or not they take the job. However, if the party agrees to help
first, you’re not sure if your eyes are playing tricks on you, but Grandfather Frost, he gives them each one additional item: a
another moment or two passes and you clearly see it up ahead: Talisman of Endurance (see Rewards).
Castle Moroz. The stories were right. Constructed of gleaming After breakfast, Snowmaiden takes them back to the village or
white stone with pale blue rooftops, it’s a stunning contrast to wherever they decide to go first.
anything you’ve seen in or near Bereysk.

Before long, the Snowmaiden is leading you inside. “He’s ...Or Are You an Evil Wizard?
probably in his study,” she explains. You make your way up a Time for the party to figure out next steps, based on what little
flight of stairs and down a hall, and she respectfully knocks. they know. Going back into Bereysk and talking to various
“Alinar! We’re here. Come down for breakfast and meet your townspeople can help them get an idea for where to look for, and
guests.” You hear a shuffle of papers, and the quick mewing of how to potentially lure, their target. For example:
a cat being disturbed from its napping place. “Coming! Hold • On a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check while
your horses, Beriadhwen.” The doors fling open, and you see talking with a group of parents, the party convinces them to
Grandfather Frost standing there with a twinkle in his eyes as share what they know about what appear to be attempted
he realizes his unintentional joke. He laughs; she smirks. kidnapping by way of magic. In each case, it was a child under
the age of 7. All the children love to sing, but since then have
Seemingly ageless, he somehow appears both old and youthful, been shy to do so.
with his long, white beard and sparkling sapphire eyes. He • When back at the inn, on a DC 15 Intelligence
wears a long, light blue coat trimmed in white fur and richly (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check the party
detailed in silver stars and swirls. On his head is a matching realizes that some of the holiday decorations are now missing.
round cap. He looks at you all, as if recognizing old friends. If asked about them, neither Celestyna nor Vitaliy knows what
“Welcome! Let’s have breakfast, shall we?” happened. On a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Persuasion)
check, the youngest child, Viktor, however, tells the party what
he saw: a man dressed in blue took them and then popped out
Grandfather Frost and the Snowmaiden explain that they were of the room.
excited to find capable adventuring folks coming to town, because
• Merchants readily tell the party that they’re having a harder
they have a problem but no time to attend to it themselves with
time than usual selling their Midwinter festival goods. Every
Midwinter being just days away.
time a family comes in to buy, something seems to inexplicably
make one or all of them suddenly grumpy or sad, and they leave
They tell you:
without buying anything.
• Someone has been impersonating Grandfather Frost -
intentionally or otherwise, they’re not sure - and harassing the The primary takeaway should be this: Displays of happiness,
residents of Bereysk. joy, and anything to do with the Midwinter spirit trigger the
appearance - and the wrath and spite - of this imposter. The

125
 through which he came. He’s not going back, though. At first he
was content to just spoil the fun. But now he has bigger aims - to
replace Grandfather Frost and quell the joyful spirit of Midwinter
here forever.

Into the Wilds

Read or paraphrase the following:

The path through through the woods is arduous. You’re

grateful for the Talisman that hangs around your neck,
knowing that without it, you may very likely freeze to death.
This is not a place to get lost. But of course, the cold isn’t the
only danger out here...

A pack of 5 winter wolves watch silently from behind some fallen

trees. Characters must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity (Stealth)
check or be surprised at the start of the encounter.
If the fight is going badly for the party, have the Snowmaiden
appear and aid them, using her Staff of the Snowmaiden.

A Fey Crossing

Pressing forward, you find the tracks again and follow them
to their source: A beautiful ice cave at the mouth of a river
more that characters can convince the townspeople to keep up that cuts through the forest. Everything that the winter
the Midwinter Spirit, the more assuredly they’ll draw out their eladrin stole is here: Wrapped presents from Grandfather
target and make him reveal himself to them. If the party is having Frost’s workshop; the sleigh; household decorations; food for
a difficult time coming to this conclusion, feel free to have the Midwinter parties; finery; and so much more. But you do not
suggestion come from Celestyna or one of the children. see the eladrin himself.

Tactics: If confronted, Eryn first uses his Sorrowful Presence

ability and Fey Step, and only after that will attempt his spells. His Eryn Ereglind uses Fey Step and appears behind the party at the
longbow and sword are absolute last resort for him. cave opening. His eyes are full of sadness and rage.
Once they lay eyes on him, the party may identify him as a
Winter Eladrin, and attempt to track him as he escapes into what Tactics: Eryn realizes that the party is here to stop him, and will use
he sees as the safety of the forest. every means to his avail to ensure his success.

Development The party has a few options: While they could simply fight to
Eryn flees to the forest. If the party is to complete their task, this is kill, astute or empathetic characters may discern another possible
their best and perhaps only chance to find him. outcome.
On a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check, they realize
that at his core, Eryn is sad and wants to go home; if that’s not

CHAPTER 3: possible, he could at least go somewhere that isn’t filled with all of
this Midwinter festivity that’s causing him so much pain.
Characters may attempt a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana)

PREY IN THE SNOW

To prevent the characters from thwarting him, Eryn enlists the aid
check to ask Eryn how he arrived - if he has not mentioned it - and
determine the next time that the portal will likely be open - one
month to the day from when it first appeared, i.e., the next new
of various wintery animals and monsters. Tracking him through the moon.
forest, the characters finally find the Eryn at his makeshift home - a
beautiful icy cave at a river. Somewhere here was the fey crossing

126
 He may be willing to listen - particularly if he’s on the losing
end of the fight, and if the party is truly sympathetic to his plight.
Author’s Notes/
A successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) Acknowledgments
check can convince him to wait for the next new moon and go When I was a child, I fell in love with what I thought was simply
home, or leave this town alone and never come back. Santa Claus as depicted in a Russian forest; the imagery was
beautiful and captivated much of what I love about winter. It
wasn’t until much later in life that I realized that I was actually

CONCLUSION
If the Winter Eladrin has been defeated or sent home, the mood in
seeing a distinct figure - Grandfather Frost, or Ded Moroz, who
is usually accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka, the
Snow Maiden. For this story, I wanted to pay homage to some of
Bereysk lifts almost immediately. With the truth of the imposter’s the traditional aspects of Grandfather Frost, while also giving more
deeds now known, Grandfather Frost’s reputation is restored, and depth and agency to the Snowmaiden. In his earliest iterations in
the townspeople celebrate Midwinter in especially robust spirits. Slavic lore, Ded Moroz was depicted as a snow demon or winter
As a thank you for your aid, Snowmaiden gives the party her wizard; sometimes kind, often cruel, the ambiguous nature of Ded
Staff. Moroz seems reflective of winter itself. Today, he is a beloved figure
associated with New Year celebrations and the giving of presents. I
Rewards honor his historical dual nature by introducing an adversarial polar
opposite as the “true” origin for the conflicted tales told over the
Gloves of Frostbite centuries. The Snow Maiden, a later addition to the Grandfather
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) Frost lore, is here given a greatly expanded role. Still a “helper” to
Grandfather Frost, she now has her own skills, talents, and history,
These elegant white gloves are decorated with small silver and provides essential care to the forest in which they dwell.
snowflakes. While wearing the gloves, you can use an action to cast Notably, both she and Grandfather Frost are given proper names,
the frostbite cantrip on one creature that you can see within range. not just titles. The Snow Maiden’s surname is derived from the
Irish word for birch, a tree of tremendous religious and cultural
significance to the Celts. In Russia, the birch tree is the very symbol
Staff of the Snowmaiden of winter and Russia itself.
Staff, rare (requires attunement)

This lightweight birch staff is elaborately adorned with symbols

Author Bio
Bisexual interfaith and diversity educator and activist Lynne
evoking the beauty of winter. Half the normal weight, it can be
M. Meyer holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard
wielded as a magic quarterstaff that grants a +1 bonus to attack and
Divinity School, and a Master of Jewish Studies from Spertus
damage rolls made with it. While holding it, you gain the following
Institute. An advocate for inclusivity in gaming, Lynne brings her
additional benefits:
professional background to her work as a game designer. Named a
• +1 bonus to Armor Class
2019 New Voices in Gaming scholar, she is best known as a writer
• Resistance to cold damage and editor for the acclaimed Uncaged anthology, a collection of
• Advantage on Constitution saving throws myth- and folklore-themed adventures written for Dungeons &
Dragons 5th Edition. Lynne is a chronic illness warrior, devotee of
• Advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks Hekate, and lover of cats and good coffee. Connect with Lynne on
Imbued with the Guardian property, the staff whispers warnings Twitter at @Lynne_M_Meyer.
to its bearer, granting a +2 bonus to initiative if the bearer isn’t
incapacitated.

Talisman of Endurance
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

Stars and swirls matching the pattern of Grandfather Frost’s coat

are etched into this shiny silver disc-shaped amulet, which is
imbued with the Temperate property. While wearing it, the bearer
suffers no harm in temperatures as cold as -20 degrees Fahrenheit
or as warm as 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

127
Grandfather Frost The Snowmaiden
(Alinar Agathaess) (Beriadhwen Beithe)
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral good Medium humanoid (half-elf), neutral good

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Armor Class 12 (17 with barkskin)
Hit Points 66 Hit Points 27
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (0) 10 (0) 12(+1) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 11 (0)

Saving Throws Int +7, Con +5 Skills Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4
Skills Arcana +7, History +7 Senses passive Perception 14
Senses passive Perception 11 Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish
Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Spellcasting. Grandfather Frost is a 12th-level spellcaster. His Spellcasting. The Snowmaiden is a 4th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell
spell attacks. Grandfather Frost has the following spells prepared: attacks). The Snowmaiden has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): frostbite,* light,* prestidigitation, ray of frost* Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, mending, shillelagh
1st Level (4 slots): comprehend languages, mage armor, identify 1st Level (4 slots): animal friendship, cure wounds, longstrider,
2nd Level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, snilloc’s snowball speak with animals
swarm* 2nd Level (3 slots): barkskin, pass without a trace
3rd Level (3 slots): counterspell, leomund’s tiny hut, sleet storm
4th Level (3 slots): conjure minor elementals, ice storm,* Ability. While attuned to and wielding her staff, the Snowmaiden
5th level (2 slots): cone of cold,* scrying has advantage on Constitution saving throws, advantage on
6th level (1 slot): investiture of ice, wall of ice* Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks, and +2 to initiative.

Sculpt Spells. When Grandfather Frost casts an evocation spell Actions

that forces other creatures it can see to make a saving throw, it
Staff of the Snowmaiden. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit (+5
can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. These
to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1)
creatures automatically succeed on their saves against the spell.
bludgeoning damage, 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage if wielded
If a successful save means a chosen creature would take half
with two hands, or 7 (1d8 +3) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
damage from the spell, it instead takes no damage from it.

Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 - 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 - 1)
bludgeoning damage if used with both hands.

128
Into the Ghosts who Have
Walked Here Before Written by Annamyriah de Jong
Level: 10

SYNOPSIS
A silent city sits on the outskirts of civilizations, long ago
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Hiemal is usually as still as the grave. For about the last month,
abandoned. The local communities have used the space as a resting it has been much more lively. Ghosts roam the buildings and
place for their dead for hundreds of years without issue. But now, streets, causing the the events that people in the nearby towns have
something seems to have woken the spirits resting inside, and the noticed.
silence of the city has been broken. Living statues and gargoyles protect the city from graverobbers
Into The Ghosts is a mid-level adventure intended for 3-6 and the like. They are still unless there is a threat to the city’s peace.
10th level characters, but could be easily adjusted for slightly higher With these recent developments, they’re far more active than usual
or lower levels by adjusting the amount of enemies involved in and can be found roaming the city searching for the cause of the
combat. disturbance.
It can be easily placed into any campaign where the party is The cause of this disturbance is a poltergeist wreaking havoc
doing some amount of long-distance travelling and can hear about on her surroundings because she wasn’t buried according to her
or stumble across the city. wishes.
In life, she was Elyse Greene, a warlock who took a vow of
solitude to serve her patron. This vow led her to live in a small

ADVENTURE HOOK
Either the adventurers stumble across Hiemal themselves, or are
cabin nestled in the nearby hills, where, eventually, she met
Laurel Hartel. Laurel was a cartographer who stumbled across
Elyse’s home while mapping the local area. The two hit it off and
asked by members of one of the communities that utilize it as continued writing letters to each other through the years. They
a graveyard to investigate the strange occurrences that they’ve fell deeply in love, but Elyse’s vow kept steady. They promised
noticed: loud sounds and screams coming from the city, a feeling of each other that while they couldn’t spend their lives together, they
being watched or followed from people that enter it, and more. would spend their deaths together, buried beside each other. Laurel
If a member of a local community asks them to investigate passed away first and was buried in Hiemal some years ago. About
or deal with the disturbances, they promise that they’ll provide a month ago, Elyse passed away as well, and was also buried in the
some sort of monetary reward of at least 10 GP per party member. city as anyone who dies in the area is - though not beside Laurel as
They also promise to ask around town to see if anyone else will the two had wanted. She never spoke her wishes to anyone, and so
contribute to the reward. it was never carried out. She has roamed the city at night ever since,
searching for her love and leaving destruction in her wake.
To end the chaos and return the city to its usual quiet, the two
must be buried together.

131
CITY HISTORY
At one point Hiemal was decently populated, but a series of bad
harvests, famine, and sickness led to everyone fleeing to nearby
CHAPTER 1
When the party enters Hiemal, read or paraphrase the following:
towns.
Since then, it has been used as a cemetery for those
civilizations. Over the years it has filled up, and they’ve gone from The city looks like it may have been something notable at
burying bodies in parks to burying bodies in any scrap of dirt, to some point in time, but now the elements and years have
turning the buildings themselves into makeshift mausoleums. taken their toll on it. Once-tall buildings lay in crumpled,
snow-covered heaps against the ground, and dark red vines
GRAVE NAME GENERATOR have crept their way up the wreckage. Any clear patch of
The city is filled with gravestones. Some of the names on them are land has been haphazardly used as a burial site; flat stones
still readable. If you need a name, roll 1d10 twice - once for the engraved with names, wordless makeshift markers, and proper
first name and once for the surname. The dates on any gravestones, headstones litter the landscape. The snow that lays like a heavy
if the party can read them, vary from decades old to within the past blanket over its features give everything an unnatural softness
year. and stillness - like the city is simply on pause, waiting for
something.
First Name Surname
Rebekka Pruitt
Darragh Juarez Watchers Among The Snow
If the party enters the city during the day, the character with the
Celyn Morin
highest passive Perception notice that they’re being watched by
Cassius Walton various stone statues and gargoyles who seem to be following
them as they walk. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that
Ewen Burch the statues, for now, are simply keeping an eye on the party.
A DC 17 Intelligence (History) check allows a character to
Donnic Stonebreaker
know the information in the City History section.
Elaiana Bellamy Neither move while they’re being actively looked at, but are
capable of it. When they move, they leave heavy trails through
Ophelia Voci the snow, scraping up the dirt and grass beneath. If the party
purposefully damages any part of the city or any of the figures, the
Sufyaan Moretti
statues and gargoyles attack the party, but otherwise they are non-
Jamie Rowley combative.
See City Encounters for other optional events that can
happen at this time.
MONSTER STATS
• Elyse uses the the poltergeist variant specter (MM) statblock. City Encounters
Statues. In the event that the party draws the ire of the statues by
• Laurel uses the ghost (MM) statblock. damaging any structure in the city, combat proceeds with a group
of 5 to 7 statues and gargoyles attacking the party (scaled for
A NOTE ABOUT LAUREL desired difficulty and party level/size.) They don’t fight intelligently;
It is possible for the party to encounter Laurel’s ghost or grave at they’re little more than enchanted hunks of stone, and go after
any point in this adventure. It is written as occurring in chapter what they perceive to be the target that threatens the city the
2 (see Encountering Laurel for details), but any grave they come most. They cannot be reasoned with, but might be dissuaded from
across could be hers, and they can see her ghost near her grave. combat if the party fixes whatever they interacted with to gain the
attention. The city’s guardians do everything they can not to further
harm the city, so it is possible to trap them.
The statues use the default gargoyle (MM) statblock, with
the following adjustments: The Bite attack is removed and replaced
with another Claw attack. Instead of dealing damage, the statues

132
can grapple the target (escape DC 13). An Incoming Chill
The gargoyles also use the default gargoyle statblock, but gain When the sun entirely sets, Elyse (human ghost (MM), she/
Spider Climb as an ability. The gargoyle can climb difficult surfaces, her, chaotic good) begins her wreaking of havoc around the city
including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an as she searches for her lover’s grave. The party hears sounds of
ability check. destruction - shattering windows, collapsing buildings, horrifying
shrieks and screaming - off in the distance, but coming closer to
Will-o’-Wisps. The city contains a handful of brightly colored them by the minute. Eventually the party and Elyse end up in the
lights (Will-O’-Wisps (MM)) who do what they can to lure the same area. When they do, the gargoyles and statues that have been
party into trouble; they employ their blinking lights or speak in following her, aware of the destruction but unaware of its invisible
repetitive, pleading whispers from off in the distance to do this. perpetrator, assume that the characters are responsible for the
They lead the party into buildings that collapse upon entering broken windows, thrown bricks, and shattered (non-living) statues
(DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being hit, taking 3d6 that she creates. They attack.
bludgeoning damage on a failure), guide them deeper into the city Use the statue encounter information from City Encounters,
and try to get them lost (DC 17 Wisdom (Survival) check to find but do not allow the statues to be dissuaded from their attacks.
a familiar area in a timely manner), or attempt to split the party. Elyse tries not to involve herself in the combat, and continues her
They may also lead them under large, precariously hanging icicles path of destruction away from the party. If she is involved, she will
which will fall as the result of any average or louder sound - normal leave before she is defeated. Destruction follows in her wake.
speaking, etc, will trigger them. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to
avoid being hit, taking 2d6 piercing damage on a failure.
If one of the party is injured as a result of the wisp’s actions,
Development
If the party follows after Elyse, continue onto chapter two,
the wisps Shock the party member until the wisps are defeated,
Following Elyse.
driven away, or until the party member is unconscious - in which
If the party returns to rest, they continue to hear the
case, the wisps use their Consume Life ability.
poltergeist storming through Hiemal until it nears dawn. At this
point, Elyse returns to her resting place. Continue onto chapter
Ghosts. The ghosts (MM) are not usually as active as they currently
two, Encountering Laurel.
are - their long sleep is being interrupted by the chaos that Elyse
is causing. The party may see them in windows of buildings,
travelling listlessly down the downtrodden roads, or trying to carry
out various tasks they did in life.
Some may outright attack the party, thinking that they’re the
cause of the trouble, others may simply watch the party, and others
yet may try to speak to the party, incoherently begging them to sort
out whatever’s going on, pass messages onto family members, or
offer warnings that may or may not be useful - typical unsettling
ghost communication.

A Decorated Grave. The party stumbles across a grave (which a

DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals to have been
dug within the past week or so) that has been decorated with
holiday trappings. A garland of evergreen boughs and holly berries
rests across the top of the gravestone, lightly dusted with snow. A
small pile of wrapped presents sits in front of it, also lightly covered
with snow. Within these presents are:
• A warm knitted sweater
• A small collection of gemstones worth 20 gold
• A cheap romance novel
• A small raven statuette (a Silver Raven Figurine of Wondrous
Power (DMG))

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CHAPTER 2
These two events can happen in any order. Once both are
completed, or when it feels natural to do so, move on to chapter 3.

Following Elyse
Elyse continues to storm through the city searching for her lover’s
grave for the rest of the night. The invisible force of destruction
pauses occasionally to violently clear the snow from graves. When
it doesn’t bear the name of Laurel, she is furious and lashes out
against something in the city.
As the first bits of daylight fill the sky, the party reaches
Elyse’s resting place. It is contained within a brick building on the
southern edge of the city. Read or paraphrase the following.

A snow drift nearly covers the entire left wall where wind has
pushed it. Red vines stretch across the front of the building
like crawling veins. The area around the entrance to the
building Elye’s coffin is easily the most destroyed section of the
town. Shattered window glass glints against disturbed snow,
gravestones lay in pieces, and the door lies in splinters with
only a small part of it clinging to the hinges in the broken
door frame.

Inside the building is in no better repair. It was at one point a

Hopefully the party has learned not to mess with the coffins at
home - there is a ruined and damp couch pushed against one
this point, but if not, see Statues in City Encounters.
wall to be forgotten, a fireplace that has seen more rat nests
Elyse heads down the hallway, kicking up broken furniture
than fire in the past decades, and a bookshelf that once held
and scraps of wallpaper in her wake. Once she reaches the edge of a
books but now only holds slumping and unreadable heaps
doorway, she vanishes. She’s oblivious to the party’s following her if
of paper. Among all these things are four coffins, all seeming
they do.
decently new.
Elyse’s Resting Place
This room is much like the rest of the house - in poor repair and
Near the coffins on the floor of the room is Stoneslayer.
looking like a heartbroken poltergeist swept through.
The one coffin inside sits on the remnants of a bedframe. It
looks like someone picked up the dead person’s entire life and
Stoneslayer shoved it into this room - papers and journals fill every surface,
This adamantine weapon has gone unused since its owner’s uncluttered and heaped. Unlabelled boxes line the far wall, covering
burial here. What weapon it is depends on the party’s needs: it the window in this room. A DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation)
is either a greatsword, a collection of two daggers, or a quiver check allows a character to surmise these items have been here for
of 10 arrows or crossbow bolts with adamantine-coated tips. about a month.
The weapon is otherwise book standard (PHB). An inspection of the boxes reveal them to be full of personal
belongings, such as clothing. On a successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, a wooden box with two unlabelled and
A hallway that branches from the east of this room, and an open experimental potions is found.
door sits on the south wall. The door leads to a kitchen that is in a • A potion of cold resistance held in an old wine bottle. It’s partially
similar state of disrepair, and also has a handful of coffins - much crystallized, but still consumable
like the rest of the house.
• A potion of healing contained in a dented metal flask

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An inspection of the coffin or a successful DC 12 Intelligence
(Investigation) check on the room in general reveals that this
Development
After both of these events have occurred, the party should have
coffin belongs to Elyse Greene.
enough information to realise they need to move one or both of the
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check on
coffins. When they reach one of the graves with the intent to move
the journals reveals them to be Elyse’s personal journals. They’re
the coffin, continue on to chapter 3.
primarily filled with accounts of her uneventful and lonely days,
but some pages mention Laurel. Local flowers are pressed between
these pages, staining the paper, but the text is still able to be read.
The overall information is the same as what can be found in the
letters. On a failure, the journal pages are worn from time and
CHAPTER 3
This is the very thing that the statues are here to guard against.
illegible. They’re not pleased.
A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check on the
papers reveals some of them to be mundane things - shopping lists,
notes on wildlife, to-do lists - and some of them to be love letters
A Horrible Thundering...
Nothing seems to happen until the party interacts with the coffin.
between Elyse Greene and Laurel Hartel. On a failure, the papers
Almost immediately after they change anything about it (open it,
are too destroyed to make out any of the writing.
move it, etc,) a deafening rumble can be heard heading directly for
the party’s location.
This is a Statue Abomination - a shambling collection of
The Letters
statues and gargoyles that have formed one terrible mass. The
These letters span Laurel and Elyse’s relationship. They include
abomination is at least twelve feet tall. It is a hunched-over, hulking
notes from the time they met and a handful of unsent letters
form, made up of a dozen or so fused stone beings. It cannot move
written after Laurel’s apparent death. More or less, they explain
quietly or gracefully, and has no desire to do so.
what was written in the Adventure Background between these two
The characters have only a few moments to prepare themselves
characters.
for the fight before the abomination is smashing into the area.
Provide them with one action of preparation each (i.e., cast a
The important information in these letters are:
protection spell, hide, etc.)
• Elyse and Laurel were in a romantic relationship
• Circumstances kept them physically apart
• They promised to be buried near each other to be together in Statue Abomination Encounter
death The statue abomination uses the default stone golem (MM)
statblock.
• Laurel died unexpectedly
This monster functions much in the same way as the other
• Elyse learned that Laurel had passed away, but didn’t find out constructs do. It is narrow-minded, focusing only on making
where in the city she was buried sure that whoever caused its formation is defeated - whether
• Elyse didn’t have a chance before her own death to go to the city that is run from the city or killed, it doesn’t care. Where it
and find Laurel’s grave differs from the other constructs, though, is that it will destroy
parts of the city if it has to. It does not want to, but it will if
forced to do so.
Encountering Laurel If the party has not harmed the city before this point,
This encounter occurs during the day. reversing whatever they did to invoke the abomination’s wrath
As the party journeys around Hiemal, a successful DC 17 (moving the coffin back to its place, closing the lid, etc.) causes
Wisdom (Perception) check allows them to notice the ghost of it to pause until they attempt to move the coffin again. This
a woman lingering near a grave. She seems confused, like she is only works once.
looking for something. Attempts to talk with her are met only with If the party has harmed the city and was previously attacked
the question of “Where is she?” This is Laurel, and this is Laurel’s by the constructs, this does not work. They’ve already proved
grave. themselves troublemakers.
If the party goes out looking intentionally for her gravestone,
they have a 25 percent chance to find it.
Have them roll d100. If the number is 25 or below, the grave
that they find is Laurel Hartel’s. If it is higher than 25, it is a
random grave. You can apply the two seperate d10 numbers to the
gravestone name table.

135
With the abomination defeated, the party is free to do what they If the party encountered the ‘A Decorated Grave’ encounter and
want to or need to with the bodies. The other constructs may still took the gifts that were left at the grave, they gained:
bother them (see City Encounters, and reduce the amount of • Assorted gems worth 20 GP
constructs by one or two if you add in this encounter,) but another • A Silver Raven Figurine of Wondrous Power (DMG)
abomination doesn’t form.
• A very warm sweater
Development • A bad romance novel
Laying Elyse and Laurel to rest near each other ends this section of If the party looked through the boxes in Elyse’s room, they gained:
the story. • A potion of cold resistance
• A potion of healing

CONCLUSION
With the poltergeist sated, the city quiets down once more. The
If the party ventured into the city on request of someone in a
nearby town, upon returning and assuring them that the problem is
dealt with, they gain:
statues still defend it if anything is willfully harmed, but are less • 250 GP, pooled together by members of the town
vigilant in their surveillance. The feeling of being watched is nearly
• An invitation to a warm, hearty meal
entirely gone.

Rewards Author Bio

Annamyriah is currently a student in the PNW, where she lives
XP Rewards with her cat, Yam, and plays a lot of games. Other D&D work
Add the total XP obstacles overcome by the party, then divide it of hers can be found [Link] under the same name, other
evenly amongst the characters to find individual earnings. games can be found at [Link], and she can be
reached on Twitter at @annamdejong.
Event XP
Statues/Gargoyles - Combat 450 XP per 1
Statue Abomination - Combat 5,900 XP
Will-o’-Wisps - Combat 450 XP per 1

Item Rewards
If the party picked up the adamantine weapon, they gain
Stoneslayer.

Stoneslayer
This adamantine weapon has gone unused since its owner’s
burial here. What weapon it is depends on the party’s needs: it
is either a greatsword, a collection of two daggers, or a quiver
of 10 arrows or crossbow bolts with adamantine-coated tips.
The weapon is otherwise book standard (PHB).

136
 Revenge of theForgotten Written by Jessica Marcrum
Level: 10
Content Warnings: Possession, References to Harm and Death of Children, Undead, Vore

SYNOPSIS
A diverse mountain town has forgotten its roots until one solstice
CHAPTER 1:
night when they are attacked by nearly all of their folklore monsters
at once. Adventurers must find the cause of these attacks and end
them one way or another. This is an adventure optimized for 4 level
AN UNQUIET EVENING
It is the darkest night of winter. A light snow falls over
10 characters. Schneedorfen. The moon rises and townsfolk either head home or
to the Yeti’s Rest for a quick drink.

ADVENTURE HOOK
Characters may be Schneedorfen residents or merely passing
Combatants and Non-Player Characters of Note
Appleblossom Brandywine - (halfling CG commoner (MM),
through on a mountaineering or hunting expedition. she/her), proprietor of Yeti’s Rest
Algernon Blackclaw - (half-elf N ghost (MM), he/him),
deceased adventurer and Yeti’s Rest’s former owner
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Schneedorfen is a small but diverse village perched high in
Ghosts - (any race N ghosts, any pronouns)
Jólakötturinn, aka The Yule Cat -- (see Appendix), loves eating
the mountains. Many mountain climbers passing through the unfashionable
Schneedorfen for a quick drink and warm meal were so charmed by Kimiko van der Hynde - (human NG commoner, they/them),
its rustic hospitality that they ended up settling down and building proprietor of Frosted Fashions
a life instead of returning to their valley homes. Each settler Mari Lwyd - (see Appendix), an undead horse who enjoys
brought their traditions and gods, and now a large crop of fey, riddles
mythological beasts, and deities live in the mountains overlooking Tachibana Ayumi - (human LG ghost, she/her), Kimiko’s
Schneedorfen. Over the centuries, the cultures have merged and great-grandmother
beliefs are no longer as potent as they once were. The worshipped The Hostler - (tiefling CN ghost, they/them), Mari Lwyd’s
beings have begun to starve and have chosen this midwinter to caretaker, loves alcohol
remind Scheedorfen of their power. Yule Lads - (smoke mephits (MM), he/him), they love pranks

139
The Yeti’s Rest is bustling with a diverse group of patrons.
Appleblossom happily serves drinks to adventurers and, if asked,
explains that due to happy coincidence, she took over Yeti’s
Rest from an adventurer also initialed A. B. Appleblossom
is knowledgeable of Schneedorfen’s history and gladly tells
adventurers that her grandmother and aunt used to take all sorts of
precautions in the winter to ward against witches, monsters, and
ghouls, but she views the old stories as silly superstition.
Most patrons of the Yeti’s Rest are there to enjoy their drinks
but, if asked, are happy to share that they believe most of their
ancestor’s superstitions are nonsense. No one can remember the
last time anyone in town left out food, clothing, or offerings to the
winter spirits.
Kimiko is drinking at the tavern, wearing up to the minute
wintery couture. Adventurers who succeed on a DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check convince Kimiko to share that business is
slower than usual, and they almost wish people were still afraid
of Jólakötturinn, at least. Characters who succeed on a DC 10
Wisdom (Insight) check see that Kimiko’s statements are purely
based on financial gain and that they don’t believe in Jólakötturinn,
either.
Adventurers with passive Perception 15+ notice four areas of
the tavern (up to the party, but ideal sports are a corner of the bar,
an empty corner of the room, a table, and a strangely cold spot near killed, adventurers make this check at disadvantage. If successfully
the fire) that feel colder than others. Characters must succeed on a persuaded, Kimiko immediately leaves to begin dispensing clothing
DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana, Investigation) check to ascertain the to townsfolk.
bar is haunted.
Adventurers with passive Perception 18+ feel the ground Tactics. Yule Lads want to cause chaos and are more interested in
begin to tremble and hear a shriek from outside. Any characters breaking things and irritating patrons than fighting. If reduced to 8
who go outside continue directly on to Riddles and Snacks. hit points, they attempt to flee by dashing up the fireplace.
Ghosts are here to warn, not to fight. If attacked, they
Pranks and Ghost Stories attempt to scare their attackers off and continue to press their
With a cackle of laughter, six of the Yule Lads (smoke mephits) point, utilizing possession to open the tavern doors and reveal the
tumble out of the fireplace. Algernon Blackclaw, Tachibana Ayumi, chaos outside. If reduced to 10 hit points or fewer, they utilize
and two additional ghosts appear in the previously noted haunted etherealness and flee.
locations. Adventurers with the Entertainer or Sage background or Once the situation with the Yule Lads and ghosts has been
who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana, or History) check dealt with in some way, there is a loud knock at the tavern door.
know that these are only half of the Yule Lads. Adventurers who have not previously gone outside the tavern now
The ghosts want to warn the town of impending doom. feel the ground shake beneath their feet.
Algernon despairs that it is far too late to feed Gryla and “the three
are furious.” If asked, he shares that no one follows the rituals and
the creatures are starving. If pressed, he reveals that he does not Note: If adventurers split their party, choosing to answer the
know the identity of “the three,” only that they are powerful and door while also speaking to the ghosts, the Yule Lads leave
are leading the other creatures. “The attacks won’t stop until they’re once Mari Lwyd enters The Yeti’s Rest.
satisfied.”
Ayumi begs Kimiko to provide free clothing to the townsfolk
before “that dreadful cat eats them all.” Kimiko is shocked at seeing Riddles and Snacks
her dead great-grandmother, but agrees to heed her warning and Mari Lywd, accompanied by The Hostler, paws impatiently at the
provide free clothing to the townsfolk if characters succeed on a ground in front of the door. “Tell us a riddle / sing us a song / give
DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If Ayumi’s ghost has been us a drink / you may yet live long,” the Hostler intones. Just behind

140
them, a sign for Frosted Fashions hangs on a closed building deliver a set of clothing to a family based on their walking speed.
across the street. In the distance, Jólakötturinn is seen devouring Each building is approximately 40 feet door to door, so the houses
townsfolk, the ground trembling with every step he takes. next to Frosted Fashions are 40 feet away, two houses away are 80
Mari Lywd and The Hostler want to get inside Yeti’s Rest feet, and so on. When crossing the street, add an additional 20 feet
and “drink” their fill of alcohol. They cannot enter until they first to travel distance.
engage in a riddle battle with those at the door. Each character Jólakötturinn walks to a new home and devours an
at the door must exchange riddles or songs with Mari Lywd and unfashionable family every 5 minutes until he has eaten 20
The Hostler. Mari Lywd and The Hostler attack anyone they families. He refuses to fight anyone wearing clothing purchased in
notice pushing past them without first engaging them in a riddle the last year unless directly attacked. Once 20 families of townsfolk
contest, including bar patrons. Once each character at the door has are either given new clothes or eaten, Jólakötturinn goes home to
exchanged a riddle, song, or joke with Mari Lywd and The Hostler, Gryla’s cave.
the duo enter the tavern and proceed to remember the effects of If previously convinced to give away her wares, Kimiko passes out
alcohol. new clothing to one family every 10 minutes

Tactics. Jólakötturinn only wants to eat the unfashionable, but

Sample Riddles and Songs for The Hostler concedes to eat any who bother him. If reduced to 25 hit points or
1. Three doors stand afore ye. One leads to a pit of boiling lava. fewer, Jólakötturinn flees home.
One leads to a team of armed assassins. One leads to a cage of
winter wolves wot haven’t been fed in months. Which do you
choose? Be wise! (A: The third door, the winter wolves are dead Scaling for Difficulty
if they’re caged and haven’t been fed in months.) For weak parties, reduce Jólakötturinn’s claw attacks by 1.
For strong parties, add the following condition: Jólakötturinn
2. Ye be in a cold, dark house in the winter. Ye have but one
shakes the ground when he walks. Characters must succeed
match. There is a candle and a wood burning stove. Which do
on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) or DC 10 Dexterity
ye light first, ken? (A: The match)
(Acrobatics) check or be knocked prone.
3. What bites ye with no teeth? (A: Frost)
4. A trio made of frigid hearts who laugh at your desires / They
curse the town of Schneedorfen and put out all her fires / The Development
kiddies ‘et by trolls and cats, parents smothered by their grief / The attack of the winter beasts survived, the adventurers must find
And Mari and her Hostler getting drunk beyond belief! out why these attacks suddenly began and how to stop them.
5. Knock knock! (Who’s there?) Icy! (Icy who?) Icy a great big cat
o’er there, now hurry up with your jokes afore it eats the whole
bloody town!
CHAPTER 2: A STEEP CLIMB
The remaining townsfolk gather to mourn their losses. Some share
Tactics. Mari Lywd does not attack anyone who uses their turn
that they forgot how to prevent winter monsters from coming
to tell a joke, riddle, or song. The Hostler responds to each joke,
in the first place and blaming themselves, mourn the loss of
riddle, or song with one of their own. They only fight if they feel
connection to their cultures as well as the deaths of their friends.
cheated out of a riddle. If Mari Lywd or The Hostler are reduced to
10 hit points or fewer, they fly away together.

If Kimiko is bringing new clothing to townsfolk, Frosted Fashions Combatants and Non-Player Characters of Note
is left unlocked, otherwise, adventurers must succeed on a DC 15 Dorotea “Granny” Holle -- (wood elf CN evoker (MM), she/
Dexterity (Thieves Tools) check to pick the lock. Alternatively, the her), the town’s oldest resident and healer
door or windows can be smashed. The door has an AC of 15 and Yule Lads -- (ice mephits (MM), he/him), they love pranks
27 (5d10) hit points. The windows have an AC of 13 and 4 (1d8)
hit points. Adventurers who go through a broken window must
succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) saving throw or take
2 (1d4) piercing damage from broken glass. The shop is packed
with fashionable and warm winter clothing.
Once adventurers have acquired clothing, each adventurer may

141
 An older woman begins to laugh mirthlessly. “I bet you
An Icy Escapade
The ground is icy and should be treated as Difficult Terrain. Any
thought they’d bring candy, right? My gods. You’re lucky to
character not wearing warm clothing or otherwise immune to cold
escape with your life when Frau Perchta comes calling! She’s
weather effects must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
the one behind this, you can be sure of it.”
throw every hour or suffer one level of exhaustion. Adventurers
not wearing boots or utilizing hiking gear must succeed on a DC
15 Strength or Dexterity save every 3 hours to stay aloft. Those
Dorotea, an ancient elf, approaches the party. She reveals herself
who fail fall several feet down the mountain onto icy rocks, taking
as the daughter of one of the town’s founders. She presses that
10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall plus 4 (2d4) piercing
the party must go up the mountain and stop Frau Perchta and
damage.
her companions before all Schneedorfen is destroyed. If asked,
With Dorotea’s directions, or possibly with her guidance,
she shares that she herself was once revered as a goddess, though
it is easy to find the way up the mountain, though the journey
now she is seen as little more than the town’s mad old woman.
is lengthy. After the first hour, seven Yule Lads appear to pester
She founded the spinning industry in the town, paving the way
the characters on their journey. Laughing throughout, they are
for their profitable clothing line centuries later. She shares that
intent on dissuading them from climbing the mountain and want
she provided gifts to children who struggled in the winter and
adventurers to lose their footing.
painlessly killed those who were too far gone to starvation, sickness,
and frostbite.
Tactics. The Yule Lads avoid melee engagement and only utilize
Succeeding on a DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that
claws in attempts to shove adventurers off the mountain. If reduced
she truly believed the children she killed would die, and she has no
to 8 hit points or fewer, they cast fog cloud and flee. If present,
regrets about easing their pain. Succeeding on a DC 18 Wisdom
Dorotea fights on the party’s side.
(Insight) check reveals that Dorotea feels immense guilt and fear
regarding Frau Perchta. Adventurers must succeed on a DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check for her to reveal that she believes Development
her family brought Frau Perchta to Schneedorfen in the first place. Having survived their climb, the adventurers reach a massive cave.
If asked for information about Frau Perchta, she shares they once The glow of a fire dances before them.
bonded over spinning, but she quickly learned Perchta’s true joy is
slitting open a lazy person’s stomach, filling it with rocks, and then
sewing them back up. She suspects that as the town has grown, the
Frau has gathered like-minded friends.
CHAPTER 3:
Dorotea knows Frau Perchta lives higher
up the mountain. She warns the party that
“bad things come in threes.” If asked to
A WINTRY RECKONING
The wind turns bitter, and it becomes difficult to breathe. A
guide them, Dorotea refuses to accompany
massive troll walks to the front of the cave, arms crossed in front of
the party on their journey, claiming she
her chest. She smiles hungrily.
is too feeble to make it up the mountain.
Adventurers must succeed on a DC 25
Charisma (Persuasion) check to
convince her to accompany them. Combatants and Non-Player Characters of Note
If adventurers do not wish to La Befana -- (annis hag (VGtM), she/her), gives candy to
further investigate the problem children to encourage bad behavior
at this point, Appleblossom and Frau Perchta -- (bheur hag (VGtM), she/her), slits children’s
Kimiko offer to pay each party throats and stuffs their bodies with rocks
member 500 gp each for solving the Gryla -- (troll (MM), she/her), guards the coven, mother of
problem. the Yule Lads, owner of Jólakötturinn
Yuki-Onna -- (bheur hag, she/her), freezes adults with snowy
illusions of children

142
Gryla is accompanied by Jólakötturinn, if alive, and any remaining Those who succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check
Yule Lads. She is only fluent in Giant, but has learned a few words see assorted humanoid bones in the corners of the room.
in Common from various travelers she has eaten over the centuries. Frau Perchta explains she was brought to Schneedorfen at its
Her favorite snack is children, and she can speak a few halting founding. Gryla and her family soon followed. She and La Befana
words of Common, utilizing a horrific approximation of a child’s were initially wary of one another, but quickly came to a mutually
frightened voice. To pass Gryla without a fight, adventurers must beneficial arrangement, and she rejoiced when Yuki-Onna came
succeed on a DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check. If they are to town. If asked about Mari Lywd, she scoffs that she keeps far
communicating in Common, they make this check at disadvantage. away from “that ridiculous horse.” If asked about Dorotea, Frau
Otherwise, she fights. Perchta grows solemn and shares that she once held high hopes
for Dorotea. Now, in her eyes, Dorotea is facilitating the coven’s
Tactics. Gryla summons Jólakötturinn and the Yule Lads to assist starvation. If present, Dorotea silently stares daggers at Frau
her if they are alive. If Jólakötturinn or Gryla are reduced to 20 hit Perchta.
points or fewer, Gryla becomes distraught and concedes the fight. If asked her goal, Frau Perchta replies that she and her friends
thrive on belief and rituals, and if no one believes, there is no
reason for them to exist. They want to remind everyone how
Scaling for Difficulty powerful they are and terrify them into reestablishing the old ways.
If the party is particularly strong and Jólakötturinn has Adventurers can convince the coven that new traditions are
previously been killed, Gryla is accompanied by her husband being formed by succeeding on a DC 25 Charisma (Persuasion)
Leppaludi, a troll (MM). check or through exceptional roleplay. The coven has reminded
Schneedorfen they exist, but they, in turn, must accept that things
change. Yuki-Onna asks the party to act as their ambassadors and
Past Gryla, the cave is paved with cobblestones and lit with establish acceptable terms between the coven and the town.
lanterns. Snow falls, despite being indoors. Characters reach a
snow-covered cottage with frosted windows. Tactics. If adventurers prefer to attack the coven, they fight back.
La Befana ends her disguise and melee attacks, aiming for magic
users first. If reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, she casts fog cloud a
The Forgotten Three final time and flees.
La Befana, disguised as a kindly old woman, opens the door and Frau Perchta mounts her greystaff, striking at a distance. If
beckons the adventurers inside to get warm. reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, she flees through the chimney.
Yuki-Onna mounts her greystaff, striking at a distance. She
“Come in, come in, my dears! You must be freezing. I’ve just has major image instead of wall of ice and uses it to cast images of
brewed up something lovely and warm to take the chill right crying children asking for help. If reduced to 20 hit points or fewer,
off of you! I do hope you like hot chocolate.” she flees through the chimney.

The interior of the cottage appears cozy and feels warm. It is Development
approx. 40 ft. high, and the cave outside of it is about 100 ft. high. Now that Gryla and the coven have been dealt with, the party must
Frau Perchta and Yuki-Onna are sitting in rocking chairs, drinking return to the town with the results of their journey.
out of teacups. Adventurers with passive Perception 15 or higher If the coven has been killed or dispersed, go to Conclusion A.
notice icicles forming around the cup in Frau Perchta and Yuki- If the party agreed to act as ambassadors, go to Conclusion B.
Onna’s hands.
Yuki-Onna apologizes for Gryla’s harsh demeanor and Frau
Perchta adds that Gryla and her family are a necessary evil for
their safety. If asked who they are, they respond that they are three
forgotten deities who now live on the brink of starvation. La Befana
shares that she loves nothing more than the laughter of children,
and misses hearing that sound. Characters with passive Insight 14
or higher notice a subtle smile from Yuki-Onna in response.
Adventurers who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check notice that the chimney expels outside of the
cave. The cave itself is 50 feet by 50 feet with 20-feet high ceilings.

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CONCLUSION Rewards
XP Rewards
Conclusion A: Death of Tradition Add the total XP of creatures defeated or compromised with,
then divide by the number of characters to determine individual
The trip down the mountain is treacherous, but otherwise free
of monsters. The party is celebrated in Schneedorfen upon their rewards.
return. Adventurers receive any previously agreed upon payment.
Appleblossom, if alive, provides spiced cider to the entire town and Creatures XP
free lodging for the party whenever they are in the area. Kimiko, if
Commoners 10 each
alive, offers the best of her shop. Only the ghosts appear anxious.
The destruction of the coven sends a shock through the Ghosts 1,100 each
local magical populace. Without the manipulative guidance of
Frau Perchta, Schneedorfens spirits are unsure how to proceed. Yule Lads (smoke mephits) 50 each
Over time, sightings of magical creatures become so scarce in
Mari Lywd 700
Schneedorfen that it’s as if they never existed at all. The culture
of the town becomes homogenized and the old ways are lost Jólakötturinn 10,000
completely. A new culture with Schneedorfen-specific cultural
celebrations emerges. Within a century, “the night the Forgotten Yule Lads (ice mephits) 100 each
came to dine” is merely a children’s fable and a century after that,
Gryla (troll) 1,800
completely forgotten.
Frau Perchta (bheur hag) 2,900
Conclusion B: A Shaky Peace La Befana (annis hag) 2,300
The party is transported on the backs of Mari Lywd and
Jólakötturinn, if alive. The coven’s terms are as follows: Yuki-Onna 2,900
1. All spinning must be completed by Solstice Coven (all three hags) 5,000
2. Every resident of Schneedorfen must have new clothing by
Solstice
3. Everyone stranded on the mountain belongs to the coven Treasure Rewards
4. Riddles and songs must be answered in kind, followed by food Creatures XP
and drink Town payment 500 gp per adventurer

If the terms are agreed to, the town celebrates the adventurers. Item Rewards
Adventurers receive any previously agreed upon payment.
Appleblossom, if alive, provides spiced cider to the entire town and
Item
free lodging for the party whenever they are in the area. Kimiko,
if alive, offers the best of her shop. In the future, the town and Coven candy
magical creatures forge a shaky peace, creating new traditions while
maintaining ties to the old. Free fashionable winter wear
If the terms are not agreed to, the adventurers are paid any Free housing and food
previously agreed payment but are accused of working for the
coven and asked to leave quickly. They are no longer welcome in Coven Candy
Schneedorfen. The attacks continue until one day, Dorotea vanishes Food item, very rare
into the mountains. The town wonders if she was working with the
coven all along. These icy blue candies are cold to the touch and taste of
Adventurers find coven candy (see Appendix) in their pack the peppermint. Anyone who eats the Coven Candy must succeed on
following morning. a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) cold damage
and are frozen solid, acquiring the Petrified condition, or take half
damage and are not frozen on a success.

144
Author’s Notes/ Author Bio
Jessica Marcrum is a lifelong fan of fairy tales, mythology, and
Acknowledgments fantasy. A former opera singer and current licensed social worker,
I love winter traditions and all the inherent creepiness we have she has had the good fortune to GM for several fantastic groups
pasted over with good cheer. Obviously, this takes some inspiration of adventurers over the last several years. A contributor to several
from Neil Gaiman. I love the concept that we bring our gods with DMsGuild supplements including the Uncaged Anthology,
us wherever we go and then abandon them when we no longer Grandmother Crookbesom’s Book of Hags, Bearthazar’s House of
need them. What might happen if they decided they will no longer Familiars, and she has also created the College of Caterwauling and
be ignored? I absolutely loved researching this project and I regret the Cat Burglar. She is thrilled to finally bring The Book of Seasons
there wasn’t room to include Hans Trapp and Père Fouettard. Next to light. Though Chicago-raised, she currently lives in Pittsburgh
time, gents! with her spouse and their three fat cats. She can be reached at @
Miss_Jess03 on Twitter, angrynerdgirl on Twitch, or at www.
[Link].

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 Mari Lwyd
Large Undead, Chaotic Neutral

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24)
Speed 60 ft., fly 90 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)

Damage Resistance necrotic

Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed,
poisoned
Senses Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Abyssal, Common, and Giant, but can’t
speak. Can communicate telepathically with the Hostler.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Confer Frost Resistance. Mari Lwyd can grant resistance to cold

damage to anyone riding it.
Magic Resistance. Mari Lwyd has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.

Actions
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) frost damage.
Ethereal Stride. Mari Lwyd and up to three willing creatures within
5 feet of it magically enter the Ethereal Plane from the Material
Plane, or vice versa.

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Jólakötturinn Actions
Huge Monstrocity, LawfulNeutral Multiattack. Jólakötturinn can use its Frightful Presence. It then
makes three attacks with either its Bite or Claw.
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit Points 150 (12d12 + 72) Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage and
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. the target is swallowed if it is a Large or smaller.. The swallowed
target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and other effects outside Jólakötturinn, and it takes 14 (4d6) acid
22 (+6) 18 (+4) 22 (+6) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) damage at the start of each of the Jólakötturinn’s turns.
Jólakötturinn’s gullet can hold up to two creatures at a
time. If Jólakötturinn takes 25 damage or more on a single turn
Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +11, Wis +6, Cha +6 from a creature inside it, Jólakötturinn must succeed on a DC 20
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +5 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all
Damage Immunities Cold swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a space within 10
Senses Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 21 feet of Jólakötturinn. If Jólakötturinn dies, a swallowed creature is
Languages Understands Common, Giant, and Sylvan, but cannot no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10
speak feet of movement, exiting prone.
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit:
13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Ice Walk. Jólakötturinn can move across and climb icy surfaces Frightful Presence. Each creature of Jólakötturinn’s choice that
without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult is within 120 ft. of Jólakötturinn and aware of it must succeed on
terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra moment. a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute.
Pounce. If Jólakötturinn moves at least 20 ft. straight toward A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature’s saving throw
that target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to
knocked prone. If the target is prone, Jólakötturinn can make one Jólakötturinn’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Powerful Haunches. Jólakötturinn’s high jump is up to 60 ft., with
or without a running start.

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 HolidayRuined Written by Ma’at Crook
Level: 13
Content Warnings: Hunting Fauna, Vomit, Spider-like Creatures

SYNOPSIS
The most senior frost giant organizes the prize hunt for the winter
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
Thrym’s Coat is many frost giants’ favorite holiday; it is the first day
festival, but she is sick. The celebrations will be ruined unless the of a weeks-long celebration, lasting until the winter solstice. The
adventurers help. This adventure is written for five 13th-level festivities begin the day following the first heavy snow, as if Thrym,
characters. the god of cold, laid his coat over the land. While frost giants
prepare their homes for more comfortable weather, their most
senior leader hunts. They look for remorhaz eggs to hatch and raise,

ADVENTURE HOOK
Holiday Ruined begins with the adventurers on a mountain
and they watch for white dragons (Thrym’s creature representation).
The leader returns to the community at night, hiding what they
gathered. On the morning following their return, everyone in the
range. They could be travelers or from nearby communities like community searches for the hidden prizes, cooks, and plays games.
the Sunfury Hills village or Koelhied city. They could be between This morning, the frost giant leader, Bearhonna, set out with
missions, hunting, or are in the area for other reasons. If they her remorhaz, Frostbite, on the Thrym’s Coat hunt. While in the
played Heart of the Mountain (Seasons of Uncaged: Equinoxes), wilderness, she drank from a polluted river. She is ill, cannot hunt,
use the below hook in addition to the general hook, Wails of and worries about disappointing her loved ones.
Despair.
Heart of the Mountain. The characters spotted two metallic
green, beetle-like constructs running through the forest. Their
distinctive tracks are easy to follow further into the mountain
range.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Wails of Despair Hook. The altitude makes breathing labored. Bearhonna (frost giant (MM), she/her)
Orange dappled leaves and crisp air announce oncoming winter. A senior, cisgender frost giant woman with deep blue skin, dark
The first heavy snowfall slowed yesterday’s travel, but this morning’s blue looped braids, and a twenty-eight-foot, pear-shaped body. She
sun makes the snow glisten. Ahead the characters hear wails of is the most senior leader in her community and has chronic food
despair. allergies.
Ideals. Listening, fair compromise, and shared joy build a balanced
community.
Bonds. I’ll do my best to make this a wonderful celebration.
Flaws. I need reminders to have as much compassion for myself as
I do for others.

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Frost Giant NPCs time of unity and celebration of life. Finish the hunt, and I’ll invite
1. Kade – (they) you to my home for games, prizes, and the finest party.” Bearhonna
2. Rook – (he) explains:
3. Engar – (she) • She needs a minimum of eight packs filled, for a scavenger
4. Ootie – (she) hunt, and additional packs, for feasts and food storage
5. Safe – (they) • The giants need proof of a white dragon sighting, such as a shed
6. Sahnah – (he) scale, for the celebrations
7. Nyah – (they)
• The giants raise and train remorhaz, so the characters can collect
8. Alon – (she)
eggs they find
9. Baya – (he)
10. Mayvah – (she) • She loans them her remorhaz, which is festooned with thirty-
11. Tah’Oh – (zie/zim/zir) two packs, “This is Frostbite. He won’t fight, but he’s stealthy
12. Tee’Air – (he) and good at keeping his packs safe from predators and agitated
13. Rostom – (he) game. He’ll hide underground if needed.”
14. Jaya – (they) • It may take a few days to fill eight or more packs
15. Mechteld – (goliath, she)
16. Ah’Day – (he)
17. Goldara – (she) Investigate Bearhonna’s Illness
18. Rin – (they) Bearhonna ate goodberries and drank river water for breakfast but
19. Shar – (ey/im/eir) had no luck fishing (unknown to her, the river is polluted). She
20. Yaz – (ve/ver/vis) moved on to this valley, where she experienced terrible nausea,
cramps, itchy skin, dizziness, and fatigue. Investigations find the
following:

CHAPTER 1: • Healing magic makes her stomach feel briefly better

• A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check diagnoses
Bearhonna as being poisoned
NOT FEELING TOO COOL
The party finds Bearhonna. Read or paraphrase:
• If the check succeeds at DC 15, the character knows Bearhonna
is affected by multiple poisons
• A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds no
bites or stings, suggesting the toxins were ingested, possibly
You enter a shaded valley clearing; towering above you is a food allergies
prone, miserable frost giant and a remorhaz harnessed with
large packs. She wipes the vomit from her mouth. Snow • She’s not allergic to goodberries or water
crunches under her weight and sticks to her blue skin. She • Finding the source of the poisonings indicates the correct
does her best to keep her ultramarine braids from tangling in treatment
the trees. Bloodshot eyes plead, “It’s the Thrym’s Coat holiday.
• Restorative ointment, a potion of vitality, Keoghtom’s ointment,
I’ll disappoint everyone if I return empty-handed from the
or fifteen castings of lesser restoration or protection from poison
hunt. Will you help?”
remove all traces of poison
• Even if the characters heal her, Bearhonna still needs to rest and
The characters may help or fight her. See the appropriate headings recuperate, and cannot complete the hunt herself
below.
Combat
Speaking with Bearhonna If the characters choose to attack the vulnerable frost giant (MM),
Local characters or those knowledgeable about giants have her remorhaz (MM) fights to defend her.
advantage on checks to recall information about the Thrym’s Coat Tactics. Bearhonna continues asking for help. As an action,
holiday. With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check, Bearhonna may vomit in a ten-foot-square area, making it difficult
characters know the information from the Adventure Background. terrain. Creatures within twenty feet of the vomit must succeed
If asked, Bearhonna says, “Thrym’s Coat is a reminder that on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or spend their next turn
someday he will cover the world in a persistent freeze. Those who vomiting.
cut themselves off from others will succumb to the ice. This is a

150
Objective Random Hunt Table
Fill a minimum of eight packs and bring evidence of a white roll 1d4.
dragon sighting. Each successful encounter fills 4 packs
Bonus objective. Collect remorhaz eggs
1d4 Encounter
Development 1 two behir (MM)
Once the characters agree to hunt, proceed to Chapter 2.
2 four wyvern (MM)

CHAPTER 2 — THE HUNT

In the forest, the characters gather flora (plants), hunt, sight a white
3
4
two remorhaz (MM) & 1d6 eggs
White dragon sighting,
dragon, and look for the cause of Bearhonna’s poisonings. Refer to
the headings below. Driving Hunt
Use the Gather Flora, Hunt Encounters, and Driving Hunt The characters may hunt other game without combat rounds by
tables to fill the packs with food. How many checks characters using the Random Driving Hunt Table and the information below.
make are dependent on the amount of playtime available and how
Random Driving Hunt Table
many of the thirty-two packs the characters wish to fill. Within
each table is the possibility of a white dragon sighting. If rolls do
not produce a sighting, add it before they return to Bearhonna. 1d4 Number & Environment Packs
Creature filled
Name per
Gather Flora creature
Use the Random Gather Table to decide what and how much flora
a character finds. 1 1d8 giant Making their home in 1
Random Gather Table owls underground burrows
Characters roll a Wisdom (Survival) check (MM) with three exit mounds
and 1d6. about 100 feet apart
2 1d12 Living in the ruins of 1
1d6 1d20 Result ( 1d20 Result (11-20) owlbears a tower with the first
1-10) (MM) two floors buried by an
age-old avalanche
1 nothing 3 packs, snowcap
mushrooms 3 1d20 giant Grazing a lush valley 2
elk (MM) clearing at the base
2 1 pack, pumpkins 4 packs, coolcumbers
of cliffs, surrounding
3 1 pack, acorns 4 packs, chocolate willow them on three sides. A
bark buck stands watch

4 2 packs, cherries 5 packs, goodberries 4 White See “White Dragon

dragon Sighting” below
5 2 packs, carrots 5 packs, corpse flower sighting
root-tubers
6 3 packs, rosehips White dragon sighting, After describing the information above, ask the party to plan how
see below they hunt, capture, chase, or drive the creatures. To gauge their
success, ask for an appropriate ability check; for example:

Hunt Encounters • Smoke them out, leaving one exit: DC 10 Charisma

Choose one encounter per long rest from the Random Hunt Table. (Deception) check

151
• Imitate a predator or prey call: DC 12 Charisma • DC 1-9: a chipped piece of dragon eggshell
(Performance) check • DC 10-15: a shed pearlescent scale caught on the bark of a pine
• Scare them with noise and movement: DC 10 Charisma tree used as a scratching post
(Intimidation) check • DC 16+: they find a broken dragon tooth, the size (and stats)
• Chase them into a trap: DC 15 Dexterity check of a dagger. The tooth remains cold, no matter how long it sits
near a campfire

White Dragon Sighting

Characters need one sighting of the white dragon; any further rolls Cause of the Poisonings
that result in a sighting are rerolled for different results. Read and The characters come across the cause of Bearhonna’s illness, two
paraphrase: retrievers (MToF). Read or paraphrase:

You hear a rumble. Experience tells you to watch for an You approach the river Bearhonna spoke of and find it as bare
avalanche on the highest, snow-covered summit. From behind as she described. Movement atop a ten-foot waterfall catches
the peak, the slender neck, muscular body, and translucent your eye; it’s a large, green, metal, beetle-like construct with
wings of a gargantuan, ancient white dragon ascend into the bright, mechanical eyes and eight long limbs. The construct
gray sky followed by a smaller silver dragon. They circle each bends down, nudging a damaged and leaking duplicate at their
other playfully, singing shearing screeches. Snowflakes land feet. Their fallen friend’s legs twitch, but they cannot rise from
softly on your cheeks. the water.

The silver dragon is Snedronningen, from Before the Pitchforks The characters can choose to fight the constructs.
Come. Tactics. The damaged construct’s speed is zero and does not
The dragons are too far away for combat to be an option, and have multiattack; only one foreleg is in working order. The standing
the frost giants would view attacks as disrespectful. The party’s construct protects their friend.
highest Intelligence (Investigation) check finds one of the
following: Alternately, characters may help the two retrievers and remove the
pollution to this river.
• A successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check convinces
the constructs to accept help
• A character with proficiency in tinker’s tools has advantage
on checks to diagnose the issue and repair the construct.
With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence
(Investigation), or Wisdom (Medicine) check, a character
counts fifteen different toxins leaking from the damaged
construct. With one casting of mending or a successful DC 15
Dexterity check, a character repairs the damaged construct.
• Six castings of a spell, like purify food and drink around the
area, cleanses the pollution

Treasure
If the characters help, a door opens in the side of one retriever. A
clockwork amulet (XGtE) drops out of the hatch—the constructs’
thanks to the characters.

152
 4. Each player looks at their game grid
Return to Bearhonna
The characters return to the valley where Bearhonna rests. She is a. If the DM called out a letter and number matching where
content if they filled at least eight packs. They can heal her now, or they hid a prize, they call out, “Found it!”
she can travel home for healing. b. If the DM called out a letter and number corresponding
Bearhonna’s community makes their home inside a yawning with a square next to where they hid a prize, they call out
cavern, atop a mid-height mountain. The giants decorated with “Close.”
artfully placed icicles, dyed ice sculptures, a large stone table,
and massive bone chairs, cushioned by snow. Soft snores drone c. If the DM called out a letter and number two squares from
from linked chambers and Bearhonna motions for the characters where they hid a prize, they call out “Too far.”
to be quiet as they enter. An adjoining cavern holds a kitchen d. If the hidden prize is further than that, the player remains
with abundant cold storage. Bearhonna prepares a room for the silent
characters. Before retiring to bed, they hide what they gathered, in 5. Repeat 3 and 4 until all the prizes are found
preparation for the morning’s Prize Hunt and celebrations.
With players calling out “found it,” “close,” and “too far” in unison,
Objective 2 this game creates fun and challenging chaos.
Help prepare for and celebrate the holiday.

Development Thrym’s Dragon

Estimated Playtime: 10 minutes
Proceed to Chapter 3 to prepare and participate in the games and
celebrations.
The characters present proof of their white dragon sighting.
Each year the proof is hidden, and the giant who finds it is

CHAPTER 3:THRYM’S COAT

crowned “Thrym’s Dragon.” The entire frost giant community
is in agreement; this year, they’d like to crown one of the player
characters as Thrym’s Dragon, in gratitude for their help.

CELEBRATIONS
These are examples of games to celebrate Thrym’s Coat.
How to Choose Thrym’s Dragon
To determine who finds the proof, characters roll contested
Intelligence (Investigation) checks, as outlined below.

Prize Hunt 1. Have all players roll the check. The four players who rolled
Estimated Playtime: 10 minutes the highest (or two, for smaller tables) are the winners of this
round
Using the Prize Hunt handout found in the appendices, characters 2. Split the four winners into two teams. Each team rolls
hide the prizes they gathered during their Thrym’s Coat hunt. contested checks. In each team, the one person who rolls the
The handout has four grids (in case the players want to play more highest is the winner of this round
than once). Each grid is numbered, one to ten along the top, and
3. Those two winners go head-to-head against each other. The
alphabetized along the side, “A” to “J.”
frost giants crown the final winner from this contested check,
Thrym’s Dragon
How to Play the Prize Hunt In the Conclusion, the character named Thrym’s Dragon receives
The goal of the game is for the frost giants (i.e., DM) to find the
the Thrym’s Dragon reward.
hidden prizes. This game is similar to a hide-and-seek naval strategy
game and a mine-sweeper tile puzzle.
1. The players keep their handouts hidden from the DM
2. Each player “hides their prizes” by marking the appropriate
number of squares on the grid
a. A table of 1-2 players hides three prizes each, 3-4 players
hide two prizes each, 5-7 players hide one prize each
3. The DM tries to guess which squares the prizes are hidden in
by calling out a letter and number

153
 4. At any time during the game, with a successful DC 15
Blizzard Intelligence check, each team may earn two peeks at the
Estimated Playtime: 30 minutes
recipe, for five seconds each, to recall a bit more information.
How to Play Blizzard a. Characters with the Keen Mind feat automatically succeed
The goal of the game is for Thrym’s Dragon to amass Blizzards from in these checks.
the opposing team. The goal of the opposing team is to avoid being 5. Additional challenges apply, due to the size of the cookware
hit by snowballs for five rounds. It is against the rules for Thrym’s and utensils:
Dragon or the Blizzards to use magic or weapons; they only throw
the provided snowballs. The opposing team may use magic and a. Succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to climb
abilities to avoid being hit but may not attack or cast spells on to the top of the bowl/pot.
Thrym’s Dragon or the Blizzards. This game is similar to Red Rover b. Succeed on a group DC 15 Constitution check to stir the
and dodgeball. tree trunk spoon or operate the churner.
1. To set up, Thrym’s Dragon stands with a stack of snowballs. 6. Check how many of the ingredients, instructions, and checks
The other players join hands to form a circle surrounding each team achieved. The team following the recipe most
Thrym’s Dragon. When they release one another’s hands, the accurately wins the taste test.
first round begins
2. At the start of the round, Thrym’s Dragon throws a snowball Treasure
at one of the surrounding players. The snowball is considered The winning team’s prize is a chef ’s apron and hat with the
an improvised weapon, and the appropriate roll and bonus are properties of studded leather armor of resistance (fire) (DMG). This
used to determine if it hits the target’s AC. Snowballs cause no chef ’s attire helps protect them from the rising heat in any busy
damage kitchen and announces their mastery of the cooking flame.

3. On a hit, the target joins Thrym’s Dragon in the center of the

circle as a Blizzard. On each of the next rounds, each Blizzard Development
throws one snowball at a surrounding player After the characters celebrate the Thrym’s Coat holiday, go
to Conclusion, below. If the group plans to play Heart of the
4. Step 2 is repeated five times in total Mountain, read both Conclusions.
5. At the end of the fifth round, the frost giants praise Thrym’s
Dragon and the Blizzards for making Thrym proud. The
giants congratulate the remaining players for surviving the five
rounds of attacks, much like surviving five months of winter CONCLUSION
Read or paraphrase:

Cooking Contest On the day of the solstice, the community watches the sunrise
Estimated Playtime: 30 minutes above Mount Spitsber peak. The day is filled with competitive
foraging, laughing about the foibles of the year, making wishes,
The day before the winter solstice, the community has a cooking and singing songs about the protection and purification of
contest. This game is a test of the players’ and characters’ memory ice. As the sun sets, everyone sits quietly outside. A single,
skills and the characters’ ability skills. Buff and debuff spells are costumed, and unidentified frost giant exits the cavern, dressed
acceptable before cooking, but during the contest, characters are as a glorious white dragon. Parents shield their children’s
too busy for spellcasting or sabotage. peripheral vision; everyone obeys an unspoken rule not to look
amongst themselves to find who is missing. For a year, this
How to Play the Cooking Contest person worked in secret, making this stunning costume. As the
1. The player characters break off into teams of two or three. If sun vanishes, they silently pass their audience, down the slope,
possible, keep teams identical sizes. into the snowfall and deepening night, bringing winter to the
valley.
2. Each team is shown one recipe from the included Recipe
Handout found in the appendices. They look at the recipe
for a total of one minute before the recipe card is accidentally
burned and made illegible.
3. Each team must try to “cook their recipe” to the best of their
recollection by listing ingredients and instructions, out loud or
in written form.

154
Heart of the Mountain Additional Author’s Notes/
Conclusion
Days later, as the characters travel within the surrounding forests, Acknowledgments:
they meet a group of acolytes, cooking their hunt. They ask if the Thank you to the playtesters and editors who helped make this
characters have seen anyone wandering the woods; some of their happen: Griffin Butler, Kai Connelly, Cat Evans, Megan Irving, CJ
neighbors fled, believing their village is cursed. Before the acolytes Rhamy, Thomas Rhamy, Mark Reed, Elijah Rocco, Austin Sevier,
head home to the Sunfury Hills, they ask for help learning why Jace Young
their village’s fires provide no heat.
Author Bio
Rewards Ma’at (ma ought) Crook is a writer and illustrator of D&D
Characters who complete this adventure earn the following homebrew and Adventurer’s League modules. She also plays in a
rewards: Pathfinder actual play. Web: [Link], Twitter:
@MaatCrook
Experience Points
Add the total XP of creatures overcome by the party, then divide by
the number of characters to determine individual rewards.

Encounter XP
Frost Giant 3,900
Remorhaz 7,200
Behir 7,200
Wyvern 2,300
Retrievers 11,500

Objective 1, Hunt & Dragon Sighting 1000 per

player
Bonus Objective, Collect Remorhaz Eggs 500 per
player
Objective 2, Celebrating 1000 per
player

Thrym’s Dragon Reward

The frost giants crowned you “Thrym’s Dragon.” The morning
following the winter solstice, you find the beautifully crafted
dragon costume, reduced to fit you, folded neatly inside your
pack. A sizable note reads, “This gift is handed down from the
Maker to this year’s Thrym’s Dragon. Never ask who gifted it to
you. Children sometimes play in their costumes, but most Thrym’s
Dragons save them for special occasions. On the year they are
chosen to be the Maker, they add to and alter the costume, in
secret. They perform during the next winter solstice, as you saw last
night, and covertly gift the costume to that year’s Thrym’s Dragon.”
Roll 1d4; on an even number, the note says you were chosen to
be next year’s Maker. If you were not selected this year, continue
making alterations to your costume and roll 1d4 again next year.

155
 Perverse Instantiation Written by Jamie O’Duibhir
Level: 15 - 20
Content Warnings: Gruesome Violence, Gore, Death, Graphic Depictions of Disease

SYNOPSIS
This adventure is intended to be an endgame scenario. The
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
The city of Iouernia lies in ruins, mostly covered in ice and snow.
story can be incorporated as a last hurrah for the heroes who It suffered a great and terrible tragedy some years ago. Those who
have done all that they set out to do and want to go on one last survived moved far away and weren’t heard from again. What’s left
adventure together. It can also be used if the DM wishes to have an of the once-great city leaves more questions than answers. Travelers
impossible task for the heroes to complete. Whatever the case may who pass by have reported hearing wailing, screaming, and crying,
be, this adventure is designed to be tragic. The heroes may lose one but no one dares go too close. The poor souls who are foolish
or more of their comrades before reaching the story’s conclusion. enough to try to take a ‘shortcut’ through the ruins either never
DMs should adequately prepare their players for the possibility that make it out or are too disturbed by what they saw to say much
they will lose their characters. more than things like, “I can still hear those voices,” and, “Won’t let
The adventure is intended for characters between levels 15-20 them go, can’t let them go…”
with a skew towards 18-20. Expect a total party kill if characters are The city has always remained covered in insurmountable layers
at 15 and only do this after discussing it with the players. of compacted snow and ice, even in summer. It is always coldest
near the ruins in winter. The mystery of the ruins was thought to
be forever a blight on the surrounding people, a place best avoided

ADVENTURE HOOK
The characters are hired to find and destroy a crystal gem, which
even though the most direct routes in the region go straight
through or close by the ruins of the frozen city, until now…
A businesswoman hired a few people to scout the city, and
is believed to be the source of the plague on Iouernia. Little else is while many did not make it back, one reported seeing a dais upon
known about the ruins of this metropolis, though plenty still live which a glowing crystal gem set in ice seemed to radiate a marrow-
who remember it as a bustling trade hub due to its roads being a stilling chill. The scout was certain that the crystal gem was a
direct route to other parts of the world. Nobody speaks of it; the magical item responsible for the perpetual winter in the ruins. Now
memories are too horrible, and many who were there when the the businesswoman is hiring an expedition team to destroy the
calamity destroyed the city have wandered far away from both the crystal gem in order to free the roads, which have been impossible
city and other people. to travel thus far.

157
CHAPTER 1: Managing Large Numbers of NPC Combatants

ETZEM MITZRAYIM
To make dozens of zombies manageable, try using a single
roll for each batch of 10 zombies in the initiative and rolling
As the adventurers approach the ruined city of Iouernia, a cold for their attacks as a group. Keep the zombies’ movement
chill ripples through the group. Each creature must make a grouped together even if it means they are susceptible to a
successful DC 10 Charisma saving throw or become frightened well-placed fireball. You could go so far as to combine the
for 1 minute. The walls that stood for centuries, designed to HP of 10 Zombies and make it one creature called a Zombie
manage the flow of traffic from traders passing through, now feel Horde. This may result in a less challenging encounter, as a
claustrophobic. Anyone treading the paths are forced to walk single NPC of that sort would only get 1 action per round
through knee-deep snow. The ground is considered difficult terrain instead of 10 actions per round.
for movement.

Development
The icy snow-laden walls of the city stand ominously white As the adventurers move onto the next corridor, a single figure of
against the grey skies above. There is foul magic in every breath a woman comes up from behind them and grabs the shoulder of
you take, like the stench of all things rotten on the tip of your whomever is last in the marching order. She is but a rotten corpse
tongue. This is a place of death. This is a place of sorrow. Hope of her former self, her clothes dirty and ragged. She screams, “Have
bravely marched into these lands and died horribly. you seen my wife?!” Combat begins against a banshee (MM) with
the following changes: her armor class is raised to 14, and her HP
is doubled. After she is defeated, the faint sound of her voice on
the wind echoes softly, “She was here just a minute ago… I-I lost
Frozen Marrow track of her. She was trying to help us…” The adventurers continue
Once all the adventurers have begun their journey through the down the corridor until they come to a T with two directions they
winding passages towards the main city area, have everyone make can go.
a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Upon one person failing, the
icy snow breaks and the combat begins against 10 zombies (MM).
In addition to being immune to poison damage, these zombies are
also immune to cold damage. Multiply the number of failed saves CHAPTER 2:
with the number of zombies (e.g. 3 failed saves = 30 Zombies).
At the end of each round of combat, have all the characters make
another DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Each time they fail, more BEST LAID PLANS
At the T, there are signs in Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Gnomish,
zombies are introduced until the characters have made the 300ft.
journey to the next corridor using the same formula of 10 zombies and Halfling that give directions. To the left is the financial district,
per failed save. The rough terrain ends once they reach the end of and to the right is the residential district. Seen from the vantage
this corridor. of where the signs are, the financial district corridor is littered
with broken down carts, stalls, and rotten or destroyed goods
The White Window all captured by the freezing temperatures that engulf the entire
As the adventurers move into the next corridor, have them make perimeter of the city. The corridor leading to the residential area
a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw . Those who fail slip, fall to the is significantly narrower and darkened by the imposing walls on
ground, and are prone. As they regain their footing they see that either side. There are notches in the wall where torches would have
what they are standing on is a frozen pile of bodies with grotesque aided travelers caught after dark.
sores and pustules across their faces and exposed skin. The eyes
of the dead suddenly open, and a sickeningly pale light shoots up The Road Best Not Taken
from their bodies. They see the wispy image of people wandering Should the adventurers try to take the route through the financial
through this corridor and hear ghostly cries for help. There is a district, they encounter 2 abominable yetis (MM) around a sharp
mother desperately asking if anyone has seen her child. An elderly corner. If they succeed in defeating the first one, the remaining yeti
man leans against the wall gasping for breath. A moment later the howls loudly. Another five yetis (MM) appear from around another
images of a long-forgotten event disappear, the bodies are still, and corner, blood icicles hanging from their fur. Repeat this process
their eyes are closed. until the adventurers decide to go back towards the residential
route or are completely destroyed.

158
 The adventurers are drawn to an interaction between two women.
One is talking about how they must return to the council chambers
and the other urges her to advise the council to take the new illness
seriously as there are four more people who turned up seeking
help. The two exchange a parting kiss and touch foreheads. The
adventurers never see the other woman except for her long black
hair, but the first woman looks like a perfectly healthy half-elf
version of the banshee seen earlier. Her brown hair is tied in a tight
bun with streaks of stress-greys running from her scalp to into the
neat bundle at the back of her head. Her eyes are warm with hazel
and a glint of sunlight. She appears to be walking straight towards
the adventurers but then walks right through.

Development
The entire scene changes once the woman walks right through the
adventuring group. Now there is nothing but cold, dark grey skies.
The city that for a moment looked alive and thriving is hollow and
still. Buildings are covered in snow. There are bodies on almost
every corner; some lay flush against a building wall while others sit
in eternal frozen misery. Up ahead, beyond the rows of weather-
beaten homes, is a bright blue light pulsing upwards like a spring
bursting forth from the ground.

CHAPTER 3:
Shattered Glimpses
SABOTAGED INTERVENTION
The adventurers tread through the ruins of the residential district.
The path to the residential district is eerily quiet, though not As they pass by dilapidated structures, signs can be seen posted
without its own horrors. There are corpses frozen solid sitting atop on homes that say in multiple languages, “Quarantine! Keep out.”
stretchers. If inspected, a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) Upon reaching the entrance to the markets and the city’s main
check reveals that many of these bodies froze to death almost thoroughfare, they hear a heavy fluttering of wings, and a large
instantly, before whatever disease their bodies were riddled with shadow is cast overhead.
could kill them. As they round the corner reaching the entrance
into the residential district, the following happens as an illusory Festering Wounds
effect: Landing unceremoniously atop several snow-laden carts and
crushing them in the process, an ancient white dragon-like creature
roars in defiance of the adventurers’ advance. This is no ordinary
Your whole body shivers in shock as you are hit not with dragon; its flesh is torn and missing or even frozen in places.
cold, but with the warmth of a beautiful spring day. You can Its eyes are blank white with green and black like a gangrenous
smell the flowers… Flowers? The city is bustling with various infection has set in around the sockets. There is a pale glow coming
people going about their day. There some who are attending to from those white empty eyes. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
laundry hanging on lines, others who are making their way to (Arcana) check reveals this is in fact an ancient white dracolich
or returning from the markets. There are smells from midday (MM).
meals being prepared. The ground beneath your feet has been
carefully tended to with dry dirt to fill in what might have
been a hazardous step.

159
The Healer Who Couldn’t Save Them All
Past the wreckage of residential sector and the dracolich carcass, the The air becomes less biting, and the cold recedes as the magic
pulsing light pierces through the grey sky. It is not a long journey that kept the land in a perpetual winter fades. The woman falls
and the adventurers merely pass by more of the same as before. to her knees. As she clamors to her feet, the adventurers notice
The bodies that lined previous throughways are not as common as that she has aged significantly. Her hair is now an ash grey and
they approach a courtyard opening. Standing over a glowing orb her face is wrinkled from stress and sorrow. She walks with a
is a woman, a half-elf with jet black hair and eyes as green as fir hunch.
trees. She doesn’t look at the adventurers but speaks as though she
knows they are present. She says to them, “I can save them all… Grabbing a large broken wheel axle for a makeship cane,
I just need more time, more power. He’s giving me everything he she lurches forward towards the adventurers and speaks in a
promised and more. I can still fix this.” raspy voice, “My love, the light of my life, Arialla, believed in
Though she does not pose an immediate threat, the me. We were separated in the chaos as people heard that the
adventurers must decide what to do with her. A successful DC 10 Council was locking down the city… Most of the people were
Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the glowing sapphire orb too sick by then to leave anyway. I was so close… There was an
is the Dracolich’s phylactery, and it must be destroyed, but they answer somewhere. I knew it could be found.”
can’t get to it. They must either convince her to stop or destroy
her. If they decide to destroy her, the combat begins against a She pauses to look around, and tears begin falling from her
necromancer (VGtM). If the characters make a successful DC face. “What have I done? They’re all gone? I killed the very
19 Charisma (Persuasion) check trying to make a convincing people I tried to save… It was all for nothing. Immortal gods,
and non-judgmental plea for her to end the curse over the city, what have I done?”
she destroys the phylactery herself. Use the read-aloud text if the
woman survives.
Development
The now-old woman sits at the base of the dais upon which the
phylactery had been resting. She does not accept comfort and
winces at the mention of returning to the world. Her world ended
the day her wife died. Perhaps she died that day, too, even if her
body remained. The adventurers have nothing left to do but return
and report on their success.

CONCLUSION
The weeks that followed drew large crowds, not of opportunistic
traders, but mourners who came to dispose of the bodies of loved
ones and acquaintances according to their cultural traditions.
A garrison of troops from the nearest city was sent to burn the
bodies of those unclaimed by family and friends. The old woman
reportedly returned to her home and spends her days in bed
weeping. Her name has been forgotten by the outside world, and
she refuses to give it. Children sing songs while playing games
about “Granny Grim,” who killed an entire city.

The skull of the ancient white dracolich is kept in a vault. The

shards of the phylactery were smashed to bits and melted into
tiny glass balls, which were then sent to every part of the known
world to be dropped in the deepest bodies of water. The rest of the
skeleton was crushed and the bone dust incorporated into the new
streets so that the new citizens of Iouernia may trample upon the
dracolich who poisoned the mind of their once-great healer.

160
Rewards
500,000 gold pieces
1 set of white dragonscale armor per adventurer (+3 magical armor)
1 key to the city of Iouernia

Author’s Notes/
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank our production manager, Jess, who continually
encouraged me. To the artist, David, who excels in everything he
does yet remains humble and always ready to help and encourage
others. To the editors who turn my smelly, god-awful, grease-
stained writing into something that people actually like. To all the
other contributors who keep the positive and encouraging energy
going. To the reviewers who check out our materials and give us
honest yet loving feedback on our work. To the D&D community
members who purchase these products and share their thoughts on
social media.
To my spouse who believed in me from the start. Nicole, you
are the Ruby to my Sapphire and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather
make Garnet with than you. I love you.

Author Bio
Jamie O’Duibhir is an author, environmental insurrectionist,
atheistic-Satanist minister, and performer. She cries at the end of
Mass Effect 3 every time. Her favorite actual-play is Friends at the
Table and she loves Matt Colville’s YouTube channel. She wants a
dog and hopes to have one within a year.

161
Appendix A: Stat Blocks
False Chanterelle of False Appearance. While the false chanterelle remains
motionless, it is indistinguishable from a mushroom.
Firgmar’s Field Actions
Medium mushroom fey, neutral
Multiattack. The false chanterelle can make two slam attacks
These golden-capped fey creatures are known for hanging out Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
in fields, pretending to be faerie circles. Their bodies are a more 22 (4d8+4) poison damage, and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning damage.
intense shade of orange than the caps that form their heads and
they stand about five feet tall. While generally peaceful, they have Rot Touch. The false chanterelle can use an Action to touch
been known to incite violence to protect something in their faerie one target in melee range. The target must succeed on a DC 18
ring from harm. Constitution saving throw or take (4d8+4) points of necrotic
damage. On a success, a target takes half-damage.
The target is Poisoned for as long as the false chanterelle
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
touches it. If the target moves more than five feet away, it is
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27)
no longer poisoned; however, the false chanterelle can use
Speed 30 ft.
its Reaction to do 2d8+2 additional necrotic damage (DC 18
Constitution saving throw) to the creature as it moves out of
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA reach.
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5

Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
damage from non-magical attacks
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

162
Fangwei Actions
Large humanoid, Lawful Good Multiattack. Fangwei makes 2 melee attacks with their
longsword.
Armor Class 26 Longword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit Points 300 Hit: 5 (1d8+3) slashing damage
Speed 30 ft.
Solar Smite (3/day). Fangwei smites the enemy with the power
of the sun while making a melee attack with their longsword. On a
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA successful hit Fangwei deals an extra 5d8 radiant damage.
18 (+3) 10 (0) 18 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) Wrath of the Sun (1/day). As an action, Fangwei channels a solar
aura 10ft around them. For 10 minutes, those chosen as Fangwei’s
Saving Throws Cha +11, Wis +11 enemy take 2d8 radiant damage if they begin their turn in the
Skills Persuasion +12, Insight +11 aura.
Condition Immunities Charmed
Damage Resistances Fire, Radiant Legendary Actions
Condition Resistances Frightened Fangwei has 3 legendary actions choosing from the options
Senses Darkvision 30ft, passive Perception 15 below. Only 1 legendary action can be used at anytime and only
Languages Common, Elvish, Celestial at the end at the end of another creature’s turn. Fangwei regains
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) spent legendary actions at the start of their turn.
Solar Vengeance. Fangwei dashes to a target they can see. If
Spellcasting. Fangwei is a 17th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting target is an enemy they can make a weapon attack.
ability is Charisma (spell save DC is 18, +10 to hit with spell
Force of Will(cost 2 actions). Fangwei’s AC is increased by 3, and
attacks). They require no components to cast their spell. Jiachen
they have advantage on saving throws until the start of their next
has the following cleric (light domain) spells prepared.
turn.
1st Level(4 Slots): Compelled Duel, Wrathful Smite, Divine Favor,
Radiance (cost 3 actions). Fangwei radiates a bright light around
Searing Smite
them. Those within 15ft. around them must succeed on a DC 15
2nd level(3 Slots): Branding Smite, Daylight, Dispel Magic
Constitution saving throw or take 3d8 radiant damage and be
3rd level(3 Slots): Daylight, Crusader’s Mantle
blinded for 1 round.
4th level(3 slots): Staggering Smite, Guardian of Faith
5th level(1 Slots): Circle of Power

163
Fly Agaric of Firgmar’s Field Grandfather Frost
Medium mushroom fey, neutral
(Alinar Agathaess)
Medium humanoid (elf), neutral good
These red-capped fey creatures are known for hanging out in
fields, pretending to be faerie circles. Their bodies are pale white
or cream color and they stand about five feet tall. While gener- Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
ally peaceful, they have been known to incite violence to protect Hit Points 66
something in their faerie ring from harm. Speed 30 ft.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (0)
Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Int +7, Con +5

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Skills Arcana +7, History +7
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2) Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Elvish
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Spellcasting. Grandfather Frost is a 12th-level spellcaster. His
damage from non-magical attacks spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned spell attacks. Grandfather Frost has the following spells prepared:
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) Cantrips (at will): frostbite,* light,* prestidigitation, ray of frost*
Languages Common, Sylvan 1st Level (4 slots): comprehend languages, mage armor, identify
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 2nd Level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, snilloc’s snowball
swarm*
False Appearance. While the fly agaric remains motionless, it is 3rd Level (3 slots): counterspell, leomund’s tiny hut, sleet storm
indistinguishable from a mushroom. 4th Level (3 slots): conjure minor elementals, ice storm,*
5th level (2 slots): cone of cold,* scrying
Actions 6th level (1 slot): investiture of ice, wall of ice*
Multiattack. The fly agaric can make two slam attacks
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: Sculpt Spells. When Grandfather Frost casts an evocation spell
22 (4d8+4) poison damage and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning damage that forces other creatures it can see to make a saving throw, it
Spore Seam. The fly agaric can target up to three creatures in can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. These
range and unleash a spore seam. The target must succeed on a DC creatures automatically succeed on their saves against the spell.
18 Constitution saving throw or take 4d8+4 poison damage. On a If a successful save means a chosen creature would take half
failed save, the targets are poisoned for 1d4 rounds and takes half damage from the spell, it instead takes no damage from it.
damage.
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 - 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 - 1)
bludgeoning damage if used with both hands.

164
Jiachen Actions
Large humanoid, Lawful Evil Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit:
3 (1d4+1)
Armor Class 24 Faith (3/day). Jiachen inspires their allies within 30ft. They gain
Hit Points 300 +3 AC, and melee attacks do an additional 2d6 fire damage. This
Speed 30 ft. effect ends at the start of Jiachen’s next turn.
Indoctrinate (1/day). Jiachen attempts to indoctrinate a creature
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA they can see by uttering a couple of words only that target can
10 (0) 12 (+1) 10 (0) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) 22 (+6) hear. That creature must succeed on a DC 25 Wisdom saving
throw or be charmed for 1 hour. Those with devotion to a deity,
doctrine, or any strong code of ethics have advantage on the
Saving Throws Cha +12, Wis +11 saving throw.
Skills Persuasion +12, Insight +11
Condition Immunities Charmed
Damage Resistances Fire, Radiant Legendary Actions
Condition Resistances Frightened Jiachen has 3 legendary actions choosing from the options below.
Senses Darkvision 30ft, passive Perception 15 Only 1 legendary action can be used at a time and only at the
Languages Common, Elvish, Celestial end at the end of another creature’s turn. Jiachen regains spent
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) legendary actions at the start of their turn.
Command Cultist. Jiachen commands their cultists to protect
Spellcasting. Jiachen is a 17th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting them. Cultists can move up to their full movement towards
ability is Wisdom(spell save DC is 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). Jiachen.
They require no components to cast their spells. Jiachen has the
Cast a Spell(2 actions). They cast a spell from their list of prepared
following cleric (light domain) spells prepared:
spells, using a spell slot as normal.
Cantrips(at will): Sacred Flame, Guidance, Toll The Dead, Thauma-
Sun Scorn (3 actions). Jiachen lets out a psychic wave filled with
turgy, Resistance
scorn. Those within 30ft. around them must succeed a Wisdom
1st Level(4 Slots): Guiding Bolt, Bless, Create or Destroy Water,
saving throw (DC 18) or take 2d10 psychic damage and lose their
Command
reaction until the start of their next turn.
2nd level(3 Slots): Zone of Truth, Scorching Ray, Hold Person, Aid
3rd level(3 Slots): Daylight, Fireball, Dispel Magic
4th level(3 slots): Wall of Fire, Guardian of Faith
5th level(2 Slots): Flame Strike, Dawn, Geas
6th level(1 Slot): True Seeing
7th level (1 Slot): Firestorm
8th level(1 Slot): Antimagic Field
9th level(1 Slot): Mass Heal

165
Jólakötturinn Actions
Huge Monstrocity, LawfulNeutral Multiattack. Jólakötturinn can use its Frightful Presence. It then
makes three attacks with either its Bite or Claw.
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit Points 150 (12d12 + 72) Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold damage and
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. the target is swallowed if it is a Large or smaller.. The swallowed
target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and other effects outside Jólakötturinn, and it takes 14 (4d6) acid
22 (+6) 18 (+4) 22 (+6) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) damage at the start of each of the Jólakötturinn’s turns.
Jólakötturinn’s gullet can hold up to two creatures at a
time. If Jólakötturinn takes 25 damage or more on a single turn
Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +11, Wis +6, Cha +6 from a creature inside it, Jólakötturinn must succeed on a DC 20
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +5 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all
Damage Immunities Cold swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a space within 10
Senses Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 21 feet of Jólakötturinn. If Jólakötturinn dies, a swallowed creature is
Languages Understands Common, Giant, and Sylvan, but cannot no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 10
speak feet of movement, exiting prone.
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit:
13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Ice Walk. Jólakötturinn can move across and climb icy surfaces Frightful Presence. Each creature of Jólakötturinn’s choice that
without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult is within 120 ft. of Jólakötturinn and aware of it must succeed on
terrain composed of ice or snow doesn’t cost it extra moment. a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute.
Pounce. If Jólakötturinn moves at least 20 ft. straight toward A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature’s saving throw
that target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to
knocked prone. If the target is prone, Jólakötturinn can make one Jólakötturinn’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Powerful Haunches. Jólakötturinn’s high jump is up to 60 ft., with
or without a running start.

166
Kelpies of Loch Aer Actions
Medium plants, neutral evil Multiattack. The kelpies can make two slam attacks
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) Hit: (4d8+4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) creature, it is grappled, (escape DC 15).
Speed 10ft., swim 30 ft.
Drowning hypnosis. The kelpies choose one humanoid it can see
within 150 feet. If the target can see the kelpies, the target must
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 10 (0) while the kelpie maintains concentration, up to 10 minutes (as if
concentrating on a spell).
The charmed target is incapacitated, and instead of holding its
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 breath underwater, it tries to breathe normally and immediately
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage runs out of breath, unless it can breathe water.
from non-magical attacks If the charmed target is more than 5 feet away, the target
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion must move on its turn toward the kelpies by the most direct route,
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13 trying to get within 5 feet. It doesn’t avoid opportunity attacks.
Languages Common, Sylvan Before moving into damaging terrain, such as a lava or a
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) pit, and whenever it takes damage from a source other than the
kelpie or drowning, the target can repeat the saving throw at the
Amphibious. The kelpies can breathe air and water. end of each of its turns. If the saving throw is successful, the effect
Seaweed shape. The kelpies can use their actions to reshape its ends on it.
body into the form of a humanoid or beast that is Small, Medium, A target that successfully saves is immune to this kelpie’s
or Large. Its statistics are otherwise unchanged. The disguise hypnosis for the next 24 hours.
is convincing, unless the kelpie is in bright light or the viewer
is within 30 feet of it, in which case the seams between the
seaweed strands are visible. The kelpies return to their true form
if it takes a bonus action to do so or it dies.
False Appearance. While the kelpies remain motionless in their
true form, they are indistinguishable from normal seaweed.

167
 Kombucha Monster
Large ooze, unaligned

Armor Class 6
Hit Points 79 (8d10 + 30
Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 5 (-3)

Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, slashing

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion,
frightened, prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
Languages -
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Cultured Creature. Brewed from a symbiotic culture of bacteria

and yeast, the kombucha monster is an awakened SCOBY.
Amorphous. The kombucha monster can move through a space
as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Spider Climb. The kombucha monster can climb through difficult
surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to
make an ability check.
Actions
Vinegar Spray. The kombucha monster targets one creature that
it can “see” within 60 feet. The creature must succeed on a DC 14
Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (5d6) acid damage
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage

Reactions
Split. When a kombucha monster that is Medium or larger with at
least 10 hit points is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it
splits into two SCOBYs. Each SCOBY has hit points equal to half
the original’s rounded down. New SCOBYs are one size smaller
than the parent.

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 Mari Lwyd
Large Undead, Chaotic Neutral

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24)
Speed 60 ft., fly 90 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)

Damage Resistance necrotic

Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed,
poisoned
Senses Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Abyssal, Common, and Giant, but can’t
speak. Can communicate telepathically with the Hostler.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Confer Frost Resistance. Mari Lwyd can grant resistance to cold

damage to anyone riding it.
Magic Resistance. Mari Lwyd has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.

Actions
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) frost damage.
Ethereal Stride. Mari Lwyd and up to three willing creatures within
5 feet of it magically enter the Ethereal Plane from the Material
Plane, or vice versa.

169
Plessie Actions
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned Multiattack. The plesiosaurus makes three bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit:
Armor Class 18 (natural armor) 33 (5d8+10) piercing damage.
Hit Points 472 (27d20+189)
Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft.
Legendary Actions
Plessie can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at
30 (+10) 11 (0) 25 (+7) 2 (-4) 17 (+3) 5 (-3) the end of another creature’s turn. The plesiosaurus regains spent
legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Saving Throws Str +17, Dex + 7, Con +14 Breach (1 action). The plesiosaurus breaches the ocean to attack
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage sea-faring vessels, causing a sizable wave to crash onto their
from non-magical attacks decks. A creature must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving
Condition Immunities frightened, paralyzed throw or fall prone.
Senses passive Perception 13 Rock the boat (2 actions). Plessie swims quickly, causing a strong
Languages - current in its wake. Each creature on the deck of a boat must
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP) succeed a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and
drop any item in their hands. On a successful save, the creature is
Hold Breath. The plesiosaurus can hold its breath for one hour. either knocked prone or drops held items - creature’s choice.
Siege Monster. The plesiosaurus deals double damage to objects Treacherous bite (1 action). The plesiosaurus takes a bite out of a
and structures. crew member or ship. The target must succeed a DC 18 Dexterity
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the plesiosaurus fails a saving saving throw
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

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Shaggy Ink Cap of Firgmar’s Field The Snowmaiden
Medium mushroom fey, neutral
(Beriadhwen Beithe)
Medium humanoid (half-elf), neutral good
These black, shaggy-capped fey creatures are known for hanging
out in fields in faerie circles. Their bodies are pale white or cream
and they stand about five feet tall. While generally peaceful, they Armor Class 12 (17 with barkskin)
have been known to incite violence to protect something in their Hit Points 27
faerie ring from harm. Speed 30 ft.

Armor Class 17 (natural armor) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) 10 (0) 12(+1) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 11 (0)
Speed 30 ft.

Skills Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Senses passive Perception 14
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 10 (0) 8 (-2) Languages Common, Druidic, Elvish
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities necrotic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Spellcasting. The Snowmaiden is a 4th-level spellcaster. Her
damage from non-magical attacks spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell
Condition Immunities blinded, exhaustion, poisoned attacks). The Snowmaiden has the following spells prepared:
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius) Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, mending, shillelagh
Languages Common, Sylvan 1st Level (4 slots): animal friendship, cure wounds, longstrider,
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) speak with animals
2nd Level (3 slots): barkskin, pass without a trace
False Appearance. While the shaggy ink cap remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a mushroom. Ability. While attuned to and wielding her staff, the Snowmaiden
has advantage on Constitution saving throws, advantage on
Actions Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks, and +2 to initiative.
Multiattack. The shaggy ink cap can make two slam attacks
Slam. Melee weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Actions
Hit: 22 (4d8+4) necrotic damage and and 12 (2d8+2) bludgeoning
Staff of the Snowmaiden. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit (+5
damage
to hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1)
Disintegration. When a shaggy black ink cap is destroyed, it bludgeoning damage, 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage if wielded
releases its dense, black spores into the air. The spores cover a with two hands, or 7 (1d8 +3) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh.
30 foot cube centered on the spot where the shaggy ink cap died.
Any creatures in this cube are blinded until they move out of the
affected area. This feature does not affect other mushroom fey.

171
Warlock of the Great Outdoors
Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13 (15 with Mage Armor)

Hit Points 78 (10d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

11 (0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7

Skills Arcana +4, Nature +4, Survival +4, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning damage from any wooden
weapons
Languages Common, Undercommon, Sylvan
Senses Darkvision 30 ft, advantage on Survival checks or
contests, passive perception 11
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is

Charisma. They can innately cast the following spells (spell save
DC 16), requiring no material components:
At will: animal messenger, cure wounds, entangle, hunter’s mark,
gust of wind, mage armor (self only)
1/day each: control weather, crown of stars, whirlwind
Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Their
spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with
spell attacks). They regain their expended spell slots when they
finish a short or long rest. They know the following warlock spells:
Cantrips (at will): create bonfire, druidcraft, eldritch blast, firebolt,
gust, minor illusion, thorn whip
1st - 5th level (4 5th level slots): create food and water, dominate
beast, insect plague, guardian of nature, purify food and drink,
sanctuary, spider climb, stinking cloud, thunder step, web
Nature’s Blessing (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When
the warlock fails a spell attack, it can re-roll the attack and add a
d4 to the d20 roll. It can add this d4 to the next three attacks.
Actions
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

172
 Appendix B: Handouts
Cult of the Summer Solstic: Handout 1 Cult of the Summer Solstice: Handout 2

173
Holiday Ruined: Handout - Cooking Contest Recipes
Holiday Ruined: Handout - Prize Hunt
ARTIST BIOS: Jennifer Peig
Jennifer Peig is a freelance illustrator and artist who specialises in
fantasy, folklore, and mythology. She resides in Chicago with her
Alison Huang ever-exuberant gremlin of a pup. You can often find her scribbling
Alison Huang is an Australian based artist who loves to use furiously and consuming copious amounts of pastries under piles of
her skills to bring more diversity and representation into the blankets.
world. When she’s not making illustrations, she’s writing, and [Link]
participating in too many game jams. She can be found on Twitter
at @Drazillion. Kari Kawachi
Kari Kawachi is a freelance illustrator who currently lives around
Andrew Ferguson Seattle, WA. Originally hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, she has
Andrew Ferguson is a Canadian artist and hobby game-maker. been obsessed with art, storytelling, and role-playing for as long as
Dude’s been working on cartoons for over a decade, and one day she’s been alive. She enjoys painting characters, scenery, and just
he snapped. Started calling himself Chaotic Good Games, making about anything that sparks the imagination.
board games and TTRPGs ‘n stuff...like some Zen epiphany She can be found on twitter under the handle, @yutrio.
knocked his psyche back to childhood. He believes the root
of all suffering is a need to prove you’re an adult. And the fix is Liz Gist
collaborative storytelling and Play. Don’t wait....Create! Liz is a hobbyist, artist, and freelance editor. They grew up
Instagram: @[Link] fascinated with mythology and look for any excuse to burrow into
Youtube: Ferg’s Art that part of their psyche. Follow them on Twitter @crit_liz for
Email: chaoticgoodgames@[Link] puppy photos, mini painting, and far too many tiefling PCs.

Cat Evans Luciella Scarlett

Cat lives in the UK with her spouse and a whole pack of cute Luciella Elisabeth Scarlett is an aromantic and asexual author and
but ill-behaved dogs. She writes things for the DMs Guild (as illustrator based in Naarm (Melbourne) Australia who obnoxiously
Catherine Evans) and other RPG places. She wants to be a Night publishes under a name the length of an entire alphabet. You can
Hag when she grows up. follow her on Twitter @luciellaes or at [Link].

David Markiwsky Ma’at Crook

David Markiwsky is a writer, artist and graphic designer in Ma’at (ma ought) Crook is a writer and illustrator of D&D
Edmonton, Canada, with a moderate to unhealthy obsessions homebrew and Adventurer’s League modules. She also plays in a
with horror and all things Fey. You can find all his other D&D Pathfinder actual play. Web: [Link], Twitter: @MaatCrook
content on the DM’s Guild and can reach him on Twitter @
DavidMarkiwsky. Nichole Wilkinson
Nichole Wilkinson (mostly known as Dendral @tcfdendral on
D.W. Dagon Twitter) is an illustrator and a 3D modeler. She primarily focuses
D.W. Dagon is a trans non-binary creator with a love for on characters, but has been taking time to explore environmental
speculative fiction and weird fantasy. They love to dabble in artwork. She’s most often found talking too much about Star Wars
illustration, adventure writing, and designing game mechanics. If and coming up with game ideas.
they had one thing to say to a dear reader it would be, “Get weird.
Stay kind. I love you.” Sandy Jacobs-Tolle
Sandy Jacobs-Tolle got into video gaming with an Atari 2600,
Gwen Bassett tabletop gaming with AD&D 2nd Edition, and art since she
Gwen (“gwendybee” across the web) is a freelance fantasy illustrator ate a blue crayon in the first grade. She’s done illustrations for
who will take any excuse to paint bright colors, flashy magic, and Uncaged Anthology vols. 3 and 4, Choice of Games, Threadbare,
dramatic lighting. In her spare time, she likes to eat inadvisable Motobushido, Circle of Hands… too many indie games to count.
quantities of dessert and pet other people’s dogs. She’ll also knit you a pair of socks if she likes you well enough.
Portfolio at [Link] twitter:
@racerxmachina

176
Wouter Florusse
Wouter Florusse is a freelance illustrator with a passion for history,
fantasy and nature. He lives in Rotterdam, the Netherlands with
his wife and two sons. In his spare time he engages in Historical
European Martial Arts, plays ttrpg’s and can be found wantonly
drawing trees anywhere.
[Link]

Xan Larson
Xan Larson is an illustrator, comic artist, mythological creature
enthusiast, DM, and more. Artist of If Dragons Were Horses,
SVN, Deep False Waters, and creator of the teacup almiraj and
teacup wolpertinger. Follow on Twitter @PaleWhiteRabbit or
Instagram @[Link]

177
Every season has its
rituals, each celebration its
deeper mysteries...
Book of Seasons: Solstices
features 20 original
adventures for Tiers 1-4,
each featuring unique art.
Solstices features
adventures based on
Summer and Winter
themes.