The Nerastrim Manor
A One-Shot Horror Adventure for Levels 1-3
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Adventure Synopsis
The party comes across a small town by the name of Serylim. There are only a few dozen people who still live here and they all live in terror of the haunting spirit that still occupies the Nerastrim Manor that overlooks the town. Three years ago, the perfect housewife that was Helen Nerastrim could no longer stand a life of subservience to a husband and being a slave to social standards. She slowly descended to madness until finally making a deal with a fiend who promised to free her . . . in exchange for a small favor.
Helen murdered her husband, her son, her daughter, and the family's two servants with a cleaver before taking her own life with the same weapon. Since then, her spirit has been bound to the house and the hatred that festers within its walls has attracted a multitude of evil entities. A few months ago, half a dozen brave souls attempted to cleanse the property with the help of a priest by the name of Father Oswyn . . . they never returned. Before they departed, Oswyn informed the town that the only way to force her spirit to move on from this world is to completely destroy her physical body within the manor.
Now the townsfolk are desperate for someone to help them, to cleanse the manor once and for all and to hopefully retrieve the bodies of those who died in that nightmarish place. The reward to the party will be any items that remain in the manor that could never be collected when the family perished – this includes the family’s wealth as well as magical items that they kept on display in their luxurious house on the hill.
Before Father Oswyn and his group left, he created a set of candles that would keep Helen’s spirit at bay while they searched for her body. He called them Repulsion Candles and they were crafted with strands of Helen’s own hair, producing a light source that repels her ethereal form. Father Oswyn took three with the group but left one behind in case they were not successful, and now this is all the party will have for protection against her unbounded rage. Unfortunately, the candle only burns for a single hour, so the party will need to move quickly or risk the wrath of this capricious phantom.
This adventure is horror-themed, with a great deal of suspense as the candle that keeps Helen’s spirit at bay burns lower and lower. She will torment your players the best she can by setting off traps around the house, leaving horrific decor for them to find, and taunting them as they progress. All manner of fiend now share the home as their own personal paradise, taking residence in the various rooms of the manor which they will defend via trickery, terror, and savagery. The dead will return to life and fight, but in this unholy place they cannot be killed permanently unless the body is destroyed with flame or brutality - but every moment spent dealing with a foe is another moment the candle burns.
This adventure uses the Average Party Level (APL) to scale the difficulty of encounters. This is simply the average of your player’s total character levels assuming you have 4 party members. If your group is larger than 4, increase your APL by 1 for each additional player. If your party is smaller than 4, decrease your APL using this same rule.
The Town of Serylim
The town of Serylim has been in a state of doom and gloom for the past year. For a while, simply leaving the Nerastrim Manor alone seemed to be enough, but over the past several months there has been notable effects on the town itself. The animals often refuse to eat and crops don’t seem to grow nearly as plentiful as they did before. Swarms of mosquitoes and locusts have visited the town, eating even more of their dwindling food supply and making the townsfolk miserable. They suffer from horrible nightmares when they manage to overcome their insomnia and find sleep. These people are malnourished, covered in bites, and their skin is pale and cracked. They look as if they could fall over dead at any moment.
Many people have already left town, and now less than half of the townsfolk remain - the ones too poor to be able to pick up their life and go or too stubborn to leave their family’s legacy behind. These people still cling to hope of a group of heroes coming through and freeing them from the blight that seems to be infesting their once quiet, peaceful town. For many, hope is the only thing that gets them out of bed in the morning . . . and hope is dwindling.
As the party makes their way down the road through the center of town they take notice of the smell of rotting meat in the air, the thick overgrowth of weeds, and the loud buzzing of insects. As they move past the local tavern, The Copper Mug, a man opens the door and looks to the party as if they were the greatest thing he had ever seen. “Heroes!” he says in a loud whisper, revealing a set of yellow, decaying teeth as he speaks the words. “Please, come inside!” he shouts and beckons them into the tavern.
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A Plea for Help
The man introduces himself as Torvaln Thompson, owner of The Copper Mug. He was once a hulking man with a thick black beard, but now he has shriveled to a scrawny husk of his former self. He tells them to have a seat and opens up a bottle of wine, one of the last in the entire town, and pours them each a glass.
He explains to them the situation - Helen Nerastrim and her murderous rampage, the town slowly decaying, Father Oswyn’s attempt to cleanse the Manor, and that their current desperation. Make sure to emphasize this man’s sorrow with personal anecdote about friends and family leaving, losing his livestock, his stock of alcohol going sour, of the children that have disappeared. Make sure your players empathize with this poor man and want to help him by the time he is done telling his tale.
When Torvaln’s story is done, he goes behind the bar and moves away some of the floorboards, pulling out a black candle. He walks it over to the party and explains that this was the Repulsion Candle that Father Oswyn left behind when he went to destroy Helen’s body. He slides it over to the party and tells them that the manor contains wealth and magical items that are theirs for the taking should they succeed in cleansing the town of this malevolent spirit. “Please, please help us . . . or there will be nothing left to be saved by the time someone else comes along.”
Repulsion Candle
This candle burns for one hour, during that time, the spirit whose essence was used to craft this item cannot pass through the light it produces. The candle produces bright light in a 5 foot radius and dim light an additional 10 feet.
Into the Manor
The Nerastrim Manor sits at the top of a large hill that overlooks the town. As usual in the town as of late, the sky is dark and overcast. A light breeze rolls through and causes dead leaves to dance across the party’s path as they make their way up to the iron gates that surround the structure. Fortunately, these wrought-iron gates hang broken off of their hinges.
Despite being unattended for three years, the manor itself appears to be in excellent condition. The beautiful gardens that used to line the property were not so lucky. They are now black with rot and produce a foul stench. The flowers have long since wilted and the hedges are nothing but thick tangles of dead wood. The windows of the manor have all been boarded up by the townsfolk to prevent anyone from entering and it seems the only way into the structure is the front door which has a sign hanging on the front that reads: Danger - Turn Back!
As you are describing the grounds, have the party make a group Wisdom (Perception) check with a DC of 13. On a success, they notice movement at one of the windows on the second floor of the manor. Just a few moments later, the thick wooden door that leads into the house swings open ever so slightly on its own. They hear a whisper rush past their ears as the wood creaks loudly. It is a woman’s voice, low and haggard but clearly a woman’s voice. With each line, the voice grows angrier and angrier until the final line she is all but snarling the words:
Ladies don't speak that way, Helen
You need to learn your place, Helen
Don't you dare speak back to me, Helen
What are you doing with that cleaver, Helen?
The moment she finished speaking, the door swings wide open, smashing loudly against the side of the house.
A Classic Jump Scare
Clap your hands just as you finish Helen's chant to give your players a nice jump as the door slams.
The Entryway
Peeking in through the front door, the party sees that the interior of the house is coated in dust. From outside, nothing seems to be suspicious . . . at least at first. As the first player starts to approach the doorway, a head pokes out from around the corner. It is clearly Helen's spirit, a middle-aged woman with lovely clothes on (though mostly translucent at this point). She would be quite beautiful if not for the huge, terrifying grin spread across her face.
Hello, Helen
"I'm afraid we aren't ready for guests right now. As you can see the house is a mess! If you don't feel like waiting, you can always throw yourself on top of one of the fence spikes out front and slowly bleed to death." She gives a small wave of her hand to shoo them away before the disappears back around the corner.
Smiling Devil
Anytime you speak as Helen, maintain the largest smile you can manage and keep your eyes wide open and fixed on the person to which you are speaking. Helen is a lunatic and it is up to you to show off her playful, murderous demeanor.
An Unkillable Threat
At this point your players should probably be lighting the candle, but if they try to enter the house without doing so, Helen goes on the offense. She will fly through one of the nearby walls, screeching loudly as she swings an ethereal cleaver at whatever creature entered the house. "I . . . told . . . you . . . no . . . guests!" she screams, managing one word between each swipe of the blade.
Make an attack roll with a +5 bonus to hit against the creature that entered the home. On a hit, they take 7 (1d8 + 3) psychic damage and must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of Helen.
Until Helen’s body is destroyed, she cannot be killed. Ordinary attacks phase right through her and magical attacks seem to daze her at best. The party’s only option for survival is the candle, and if the candle burns out, they will need to retreat.
Lighting the Flame
When the players enter the house with the candle lit, her voice echoes through the entire house, "Oh, another of these candles. Didn't go so well for the last bunch. They are still busy rotting away in my home!" As her words finish, all sources of light the players are holding are snuffed out except for the candles themselves. Any attempt to create a new light source fails as some unnatural force seems to prevent light from being cast. Even spells such as the Light cantrip have no effect here.
Throughout the adventure, the players will need to stick together in the candle light. If any of them leave its protection, Helen will appear in an instant and begin laying into them with her cleaver. Constantly remind your players of the time remaining on their candle (1 hour total!) and try to build tension as the candle burns lower. When you players propose an idea, be sure to tell them how much time it will take.
Moving into the hallway, the party sees a doorway on the left leading to the den, a doorway on the right heading to the dining room, and a hallway directly ahead of them that leads to the study. Off to the left of this hallway is also a stairwell that leads up to the second floor. The smell of rot and death is present in the air, but it is accompanied by potpourri and other sweet scents that are a pitiful attempt to mask the odor. Somehow this only makes it worse.
Dangerous Decorations
A few steps into the hallway, a string intersects the hallways one foot above the floor. If the creature at the front of the party has a passive Perception of 11 or higher, they notice this string. It goes over to a small hook on the wall and runs up the side of the wall up to a chandelier that hangs ten feet up.
If the players do not notice this string, they will hit the tripwire and cause the chandelier to come crashing down on top of the creature that triggered it. Have that creature and any other creatures within 5 feet make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d4 piercing damage on a failed save. Glass scattered across the hall as the chandelier explodes and Helen calls out, “Look what you’ve done! You’ve made such a mess!”
Alternate Routes
If the players don't want to face the devilish spirit directly, they can take a look around the grounds first. They find a back entrance to the manor that has been liberally boarded up. If they choose to pry these boards free and proceed into the manor via this doorway, they find themselves in the hall containing Marcy and Gwen's rooms.
There is also a work shed in the backyard. It is quite well crafted and kept shut via an old lock that has started to rust a bit. Players can make a DC 10 Thieves' Tools check to pick the lock or simply strike it with a blunt weapon to shatter it. Within the shed are a number of tools that are used for groundskeeping – shovels, hedge clippers, rakes, etc... as well as a large workbench off in the back of the spacious shed.
In the center of the room is a thick black rug that has turned deep brown from years of dirt and dust collecting atop it. If the players pull back this rug, they can see the subtle outlines of a trap door in the wooden floor but there does not appear to be any latch or handle to open it. These outlines are too thin for fingers to fit, but if they leverage a thin blade such as a dagger they will find the door is clearly locked from the other side.
A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check in the work shed reveals that the mounted vice grip on the workbench has a strange mechanism attached to it that runs into the floor. If they spin the device to the left to loosen the vice, there is a subtle click and the trap door pops up half an inch, just enough for someone to grab hold and pull it open to reveal the path below.
There is a ladder that descends ten feet into a five foot wide tunnel that leads towards the house. It is pitch black within the tunnel and a number of spiders have taken up residence here. Numerous roots protrude through the sides of the tunnel, the result of many years of neglect on the pathway and of the plants above. The tunnel continues for eighty feet before reaching a fine stone wall with a handle on it. This door is not locked and opens up to the basement, exiting just next to the fully stocked bar.
If the players take this route, Helen will still attack them the moment they enter the home if they do not have the candle burning. She will not be able to get to them in the tunnel for it is not part of the manor itself, a fact that the players can use to their advantage if they'd like, but she will immediately attack the first person through the threshold of the door should they do so without protection.
Main Floor Storage Room
Description
Walking into this room there is the scent of leather in the air, and it becomes obvious looking around that this is because of the dozens of pairs of shoes scattered about. This room is filled with overcoats, hats, shoes, and other clothing items that one might need on their way out the door depending on the weather and their destination. There is also a shelf that is covered in various supplies needed to keep a home tidy. The final item of note is a ladder going up the wall that seems to lead up to the second story of the manor.
The clothing and shoes are moderately valuable, worth a total of over one hundred gold for the lot, but it is of course difficult to transport. Once the players have cleansed the structure of Helen, they can come back and gather these goods and sell them in a larger town if they wish.
The Den
Description
This comfortable living space is coated in dust after years of neglect. A large fireplace on the far side of the room comes to life as you step through the threshold of the entryway. There is seating for a dozen people, but the main attraction is a large comfortable armchair that sits directly in front of the fire. On a small table next to the chair is a still open bottle of wine and an empty glass. On the carpet around the chair are deep red stains. There is also two bookshelves in the room as well as an assortment of still sealed bottles of alcohol.
Nathaniel Nerastrim
Though it is obscured from the hallway entrance, the skeletal remains of Helen’s husband, Nathaniel, still sits in his favorite chair in front of the fire. He is dressed in fine garments, though they hang a bit loose without flesh on the body. Whenever a creature gets close enough to the body, a blue shimmer sweeps over it and Nathaniel’s skeleton lashes out. As he does so, Helen’s voice whispers through the room, “He had no trouble laying hands on his own wife, so I’m sure he will have no issue ripping the flesh from your body.”
The type of enemy you use to represent Nathaniel in his skeletal form depends on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL.
- APL 1 - 1x Ghoul
- APL 2 - 1x Ghast (No Stench trait)
- APL 3 - 1x Wight
In addition, Nathaniel gains the following traits:
- Vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
- Spiritual Regeneration. This creature regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. Throwing this creature into fire, dealing an amount of damage equal to (10 * APL) to it in a single turn, or some other equally devastating environmental effect ends this regeneration permanently. This creature only dies if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
A Persistent Foe
Be sure to give subtle clues to your characters about the fact they will need to do more to Nathaniel’s skeleton than just pass off basic attacks to kill him. Mention how he seems to have a supernatural persistence, that the blue shimmer keeps sweeping through him and giving him the drive to keep fighting, or perhaps have Helen scream out at him to keep himself together. The large fireplace should be the obvious target for the players to throw the enemy to prevent regeneration, but simply dealing brutal amounts of damage is just as effective.
Once Nathaniel is dead, they can search his body and they will fine a golden key in his pocket. This opens a lockbox in the master bedroom that contains a reward for the players should they find it. He also has a beautiful silver wedding ring that is worth 50 gold they can take. Sitting on the ground near the chair is a book that he was reading. The bookmark seems to be some sort of code - these are the clues from the Colored Marble Lock puzzle found in the Puzzles section.
The Dining Room
Description
This elegant dining room could seat sixteen guests comfortably. Plates, silverware (made of actual silver), and cloth napkins are all prepared neatly on the table as if someone were about to sit down for dinner. A large cupboard on the left side of the room is empty, but is clearly used to store all of these lovely dishes. A rancid smell quickly strikes your nostrils, the smell of rotting flesh and it is obvious what is to blame. Off in the far corner of the room is a still decaying corpse of one of the townsfolk who came here with Father Oswyn. He has a dozen knives and half a dozen forks sticking out of his body. On the ground next to his body is a brass candle holder with the wax melted down all the way to the base.
An Explosive Entry
As the party rounds the table and moves through the room, one of them notices movement over by the cupboard. It is the movement of a large black rat, which is quite difficult to see in just the light of the candle. It stares at the party for a moment with pure black eyes before leaping at the player holding the candle. Just as it is about to reach them, the rat explodes in a shower of blood. The player holding the candle will need to succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or the candle is extinguished. It can still be relit just fine, but Helen will immediately rush into the room to attack. In this encounter, rather than using the cleaver, she will levitate silverware and launch it at players for 2d4 piercing damage per attack with a +5 bonus to her attack rolls.
Once the first rat has exploded, the sounds of more can be heard running beneath the table and along the beams near the top of the room. They blend in almost perfectly with the shadows and the sounds of their scurrying echoes throughout the room, making it incredibly difficult to pinpoint their location. A total of 5 more rats will attempt to extinguish the flame in an equally grotesque fashion.
Guard the Candle!
The party can defend the candle from these rats in a number of ways. If they try to spot the rats, have them make Wisdom (Perception) checks against the rat’s Dexterity (Stealth), rolling with disadvantage if they do not have darkvision. If they spot the rat, they can use their action to make an attack against it. Players could also try to protect the flame from the blood with a piece of fabric or even just their hand. If that is the case, have them make the Dexterity saving throws against the rat’s explosion with advantage. There are other creative solutions the party could use, simply have them make the appropriate checks for the scenario and be sure to reward creativity!
The Kitchen
The door to the kitchen is locked, but the door is made of old splintered wood. A DC 10 Thieves’ Tools check can pick the lock or they can use the bronze key found in the Servant’s Quarters if they have been to that portion of the manor. Otherwise, they will need to smash down the door with a DC 10 Strength check.
Listening against the door, the players can hear the sound of something cooking on a range and someone humming a nursery rhyme. The sound of cutlery being used and the occasional footsteps can also be heard, but never any conversation.
Description
On the other side are skeletal versions of two of the former servants of the Nerastrim family. There is a light fire burning in the range and the smell of cooked meat now filled the air. It actually smells quite nice, but a glance over and you see that it is slices of large rats that is being seared at the moment. The door to a pantry hangs open and is filled with rotted perishable goods. The floor is a fine natural wood, but it has been almost entirely stained red with blood.
Some Humanity Remains
“Ok Marcy, Gwen, why don’t you show our guests a good time!” whispers Helen’s voice. Have the party roll for initiative. Despite your party’s APL, this encounter is simply two ordinary skeletons. No matter what your party rolls, have the first move go to the skeletons. Marcy turns and grabs a large knife off the counter while Gwen is already holding a cleaver . . . but they do not wish to fight. Marcy will turn and attack the nearest player, but Gwen simply stands there holding the cleaver and visibly shaking with resistance.
If Gwen manages to survive until a second round of combat, she drops the cleaver to the ground and begins to hum a lullaby once again. Her body continues to shake even more intensely. Helen’s scream tears through the room, “You work for me! You cut our guests into tiny pieces!”, but she continues to resist. The skeleton of Gwen looks to the party and touches hand to a pendant that hangs around her neck.
On the third round of combat, Helen shrieks out again. The walls of the manor shake and causes many glasses to fall from their resting places and shatter against the ground. “KILL THEM!” Whatever humanity Gwen was exhibiting disappears as she grabs the knife and attempts to go after the nearest party member.
A Mother and Her Son
When the party kills/disables Gwen, they can take a look at the amulet around her neck. It contains a sketch of her (with a bit more flesh) and a younger version of the man lying dead in the kitchen filled with cutlery. It reads Gwen and Edgar in a ribbon beneath and it is clear she was his mother. If the party returns the remains of both of these bodies to town, the wife of this dead man – Beth - breaks down into tears. Give the party some bonus experience, inspiration, or wealth to reward them for their kindness.
The Study
Description
On the far side of the room is large oak desk. It is finely crafted and seems to be holding up wonderfully through the years. There are six large bookshelves and they are completely packed with various writings. In between some of these books are carved animal statues, decorative candles, and other metalworks. There is a small table in the center of the room with a candelabra and a few empty glasses. One item in particular is more prominent than others, a large iron safe that rests embedded into the stone wall directly behind the desk.
When the party enters the room, Helen’s voice whispers through the air, but this time it is filled with sadness more than hate. “He loved his books more than he loved his wife.”
Secrets
In one of the drawers of the desk is a note that reads. “Helen has been acting strange as of late. She is less obedient than normal, less than a proper wife should be. She’s spending abnormally long amounts of time in the basement, but refuses to tell me what she is doing down there. I worry for her sanity.”
Plot Hooks
The Nerastrim family was powerful and influential in this area and had connections with many powerful entities. If you are using this as part of an existing campaign and not simply a one-shot, consider adding an additional secret note in one of these drawers that holds a secret about someone. Perhaps he has information for blackmailing a local lord or perhaps he was dealing with a group of bandits that the party has already encountered. The details are up to you!
Cracking the Safe
In one of the drawers of the oak desk is a collection of colored marbles. The safe itself has a 3x3 grid on the front that is clearly made to hold these marbles. The players must use the clues they found on Nathaniel Nerastrim’s body in the Den in order to open this lock. See the Colored Marbles Lock puzzle at the end of the module for more details on this.
Novelty Protectors
When the safe is opened, a glyph on the inside triggers and sends light shimmering throughout the room. This causes a few books along the shelves to begin to glow and they float out of their positions on the shelf and the sound of paper tearing fills the room. Moments later, these books all open simultaneously and small paper figures leap out and take a fighting stance. Roll for initiative.
The type of paper warriors your party faces depends on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL. (The stat blocks for these custom monsters are at the end of the advenutre!)
- APL 1 - 2x Paper Knight, 1x Paper Archer
- APL 2 - 2x Paper Knight, 2x Paper Archer, 1x Paper Mage
- APL 3 - 2x Paper Knight, 2x Paper Archer, 2x Paper Mage
Once the paper foes are dealt with, the party can look within the safe where they find 500 gold in coinage and jewelry as well as a note that reads "The Perfect Wife by Ronan Stewart" (See the Basement Passage section for details on this note.)
Basement Passage
The bookshelves in this room seem unsuspecting from a distance, but a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a book that has a bit more wear and tear around the edges than the others. It is clear this book is moved with more regular frequency. The name of this book is The Perfect Wife. If this book is removed from its spot on the shelf, the bookcase swings open and reveals a stairwell that leads to the Hidden Basement Passage.
Gwen’s Room
Description
This room is bright and happy. The style clashes with the rest of the house with its bright yellow curtains, its painted white walls, and an entire collection of assorted tea cups. These tea cups cover an entire table in the room and were clearly one of Gwen’s most prized possessions. There is a small twin-sized bed, also with yellow sheets, and covered with a dozen throw pillows. Sitting on the bed is a small mirror.
Peer Beyond
This mirror has been in this place of horrors for far too long. The manor contains such extreme hate and violence that creatures from other realms are attracted and have made their way onto the property. Helen, no longer in a sane mind, does not seem to find these additional guests or even seem to notice them. One of these visitors has possessed Gwen’s mirror.
If a player picks up the mirror and looks in it, they see a set of smiling razor sharp teeth and glowing red eyes over their shoulder in the reflection. If they turn to look for the creature, there is nothing there and when they look back into the mirror the image has disappeared. If they sweep the room to look to see where it has gone, they will see this same set of horrifying, demonic eyes looking out from just behind another member of the party. (Keep in mind their only source of light is a single candle, so all of this is shrouded in nearly perfect darkness and these glowing eyes and shimmering teeth make a stark and jarring contrast.)
As long as the mirror remains intact, the creature within the mirror cannot actually hurt players. They may feel something tickling near their ear as it runs a black claw along their throat or their vision might go dark for a moment as it waves an invisible hand in front of their face that still somehow obstructs the light of the candle. The creature will follow them for the rest of the time they are in the manor.
Breaking the Mirror
If the players decide they are not fond of their new demon friend, they can smash the mirror in an attempt to rid themselves of this presence, but it does not work as intended. A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that breaking the mirror would likely release whatever is lurking within the mirror and that information may influence their decisions. A holy symbol used by a paladin or a cleric may be able to drive it off temporarily, as it does not wish to deal with holy magic (this entity is still quite weak in the grand scheme of things).
If they smash the mirror, a black smoke rises up from the mirror and the party will need to roll for initiative as the creature attacks them.
This creature is a Shadow, but will gain additional abilities and statistics depending on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL.
- APL 1
Legendary Actions
The shadow can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The shadow regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Throw Cup. One of the tea cups in the rooms launches at a target within 15 feet. Make an attack roll with a +4 bonus to hit. On hit, the target takes 1d4 slashing damage as the cup explode in a shower of glass.
- APL 2
- The Shadow gains 20 additional hit points.
Legendary Actions
The shadow can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The shadow regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tea Cup Barrage. The shadow launches a barrage of tea cups at a creature within 15 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d4 slashing damage as the cups explode in a shower of glass.
Strength Drain (Costs 2 Actions). The shadow uses its Strength Drain attack.
- APL 3
- The Shadow gains 40 additional hit points, the attack bonus for its Strength Drain becomes +5, and its AC increases to 14.
Legendary Actions
The shadow can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The shadow regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tea Cup Barrage. The shadow launches a barrage of tea cups at a creature within 15 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d4 slashing damage as the cups explode in a shower of glass.
Strength Drain (Costs 2 Actions). The shadow uses its Strength Drain attack.
Marcy’s Bedroom
Description
This room is muted in color with whites, grays, and faded pink dominating the furniture and paint. Even the walls, which are covered in paintings, all seem to be from the same artist who has a conservative style with no vibrant colors to be seen. There is a twin sized bed and a rocking chair in the corner for decoration. Sitting on the dresser is an urn, the only thing that is decorated any sort of color in the entire room. On the wall, directly behind the urn, is a piece of framed canvas, “Without you, the world has lost its color.”
A Woman in Mourning
Marcy was an older woman whose husband died a few years ago and she was never the same afterwards. After his death, she moved into the Nerastrim Manor permanently, as the thought of being in her home without Louis (her husband) was unbearable. She began to paint in her spare time, making displays of the world as she saw it after Louis’s death. On the stand next to the bed is a diary that describes this to the players, but be sure to remind them that flipping through a diary takes time.
If the players take the time to read the diary, also note the following. I saw Josh coming down from the attic yesterday. He had a guilty look on his face and I made him confess to me what he had done. Turns out the Nerastrim family sword wasn’t stolen after all, Josh has been using it to pretend he is a great hero. The poor boy is too afraid of what his father will do if he ever finds out where it really went (for good reason!) and so he keeps it hidden beneath the box of maps in the attic. His secret is safe with me!
Fading Light
Unfortunately, this place of sorrow attracted its own demons since Helen took over. As the characters stay in the room, the artwork begins to change. The already muted colors begin to fade even further. Shadowy figures begin to appear in the backgrounds - faceless and unmoving. As even more time goes on, the paintings become totally black and white. This happens if the players spend at least five minutes in the room. Once this happens, the players will need to succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or they become cursed until they take a short or long rest outside of the manor.
While cursed, a creature is color blind and has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws. They are also filled with a deep sadness, as if there is a void in their heart that can never be filled.
Inspired by Sorrow
While the feeling of sadness has no mechanical impact, it is a good opportunity for your players to show off their role-playing skills. If they make a decision that goes against their normal ideologies or perhaps gets into a deep conflict with another player, be sure to give them inspiration as a reward for going above and beyond and embracing the spirit of the curse.
Guest Bedroom
Description
This room is elegantly decorated and has anything a guest might want when staying at a place of such luxury. There is a king-sized bed with royal purple blankets and large, fluffy pillows filled to the brim with feathers. Next to each side of the bed is a stand with a pitcher and glasses for water, an assortment of books, and a candle. There is a large window in the room that would ordinarily fill the space with natural light, but the boards on the outside of the manor prevent that. It would all be quite lovely if not for the dead body lying on the floor near the bed.
A Valiant Effort
This body belongs to one of the young men who entered the home with Father Oswyn. His body is covered in deep, vicious cuts and the carpet around in him stained red with dried blood. Lying on the floor next to his body is half of a candle that the players can reclaim. It has a strange slime on it that makes it sticky to the touch and it is fairly obvious the candle was prematurely snuffed out, allowing Helen to attack. That being said, the candle could be used and burned for another thirty minutes.
On the wood near the window and on the glass itself are deep cuts. The man is still holding a hatchet clenched tightly in his hand long after death. He tried to cut his way out of the manor, but clearly his efforts were in vain.
Beyond the body on the ground, there is nothing else of note in this room.
The Master Bedroom
The door to the Master Bedroom is locked. Father Oswyn found it on his first journey to the manor, sitting on a table in the kitchen, but died before he had a chance to go inside. The key is still on his body. The door is made of strong wood reinforced with iron for both decoration and security. The lock is well made and requires success on a DC 15 Thieves’ Tools check to pick. Alternatively, it takes 5 minutes of work to cut a hole large enough to fit a person through (and that is assuming they have the right tools to do so), so it is up to the party if they want to take the time to cut their way in or to go and find the key.
Description
The jewel of the manor is the master bedroom of Nathaniel and Helen Nerastrim. Their bed cost as much as some smaller homes with an astounding frame hand carved from wood that can only be obtained overseas. Each piece of furniture was custom made by a master craftsman and it shows in the quality of the work. Colors that are not commonly used in fabrics because the dyes are harder to create cover the entire room - royal purple, an elegant royal blue, and a beautiful red the color of a blooming rose. Off to the right is a massive window that would pour light over the couple first thing in the morning, but the shutters currently block all light. A rug fifteen square foot rug is at the center of the room and on its own would cost 75 gold. This is the sort of room any commoner would hope to one day even be able to visit.
As the party moves into the room Helen begins to chant once again, the words filled with seething hatred:
Certain things are expected of a wife, Helen
A man’s needs come first in this household, Helen
Don't scream or the children will hear you, Helen
Cover up those bruises or people will talk, Helen
Nathaniel’s Lockbox
Beneath the bed is a small hidden panel. Sliding the wood aside reveals a steel lockbox. On Nathaniel’s body is a key that can open this lockbox, otherwise it requires a DC 20 Thieves’ Tools check to figure out how to open it up. Inside of this box is an old family heirloom - a sapphire necklace that belonged to his grandmother. It is worth 400 gold.
A Place to Call Home
If you are using this in an existing campaign and not as a one-shot, you could consider adding a deed to a plot of land to the lockbox as well. Give your group a small farm or an abandoned shop that they could funnel money into and call their own. This could act as their new base of operations going forward.
Helen’s Diary
In the top drawer of Helen’s dresser is a small black diary. She was using it for multiple years and examining the texts her slow descent into madness is reflected in the writings. She can no longer handle being a “proper” lady and wants to break free from this life but sees no way out. On some of the last few pages the text becomes jagged and scribbled, barely legible. It is almost as if another person were writing it.
In these final pages, Helen mentions a book she found in town from a shady looking fellow. It was called “Demons and Devils - A Summoner’s Guide.” The diary details her efforts, first summoning an imp that nearly got loose before she managed to beat it to death with the book itself. Taking a life awoken something within her, and the demon’s blood awoke something in the book. The book spoke to her and told her of a special crawl space off the Hidden Basement Room.
Within this hidden space, she constructed a runic circle and made a deal with a demon to give herself the strength needed to put an end to all of the things holding her back, but she would have to take her own life afterwards and offer her body as a vessel for this demon to pass into this world. For Helen’s disturbed and crazed mind . . . it was an easy deal to accept.
A Cursed Glyph
On the final page of the diary is a strange runic glyph that appears to be written in blood. If a character touches this glyph, their vision turns black. Moments later they see Helen’s body lying within a similar glyph in a small stone room, writhing in agony with blood pouring from the sides of her mouth. After a few second of watching her struggle and scream, she freezes and falls to the ground.
After 5 seconds of motionlessness, her eyes snap open once again, staring directly at the player having the vision. There are blood red and glowing slightly. A manic smile crosses her face as she seems to float from her feet, being lifted right off the floor without needing to use her hands to push herself up. This is where the vision ends. The character that touched the glyph must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take (1d4 * APL) psychic damage from the incident.
Joshua’s Bedroom
Description
On every single surface in this room is some sort of decoration related to adventuring and heroism. On the stand next to the bed is a finely carved wooden knight. Fake weaponry is scattered across the room - from sword to battle axe to flail. Paintings hang on the wall of dragons and of great, far-off cities. This is clearly the room of a child with dreams of being an adventurer someday. There is a closet in the room that is ever so slightly opened, but it is impossible to tell what lies beyond without getting closer. Resting on the bed is a large book with a knight fighting a green dragon on the cover and large text that reads - “Slaying Shyldaran”.
A Lingering Spirit
When the party walks into the room, a voice calls out from the corner near the bed. “Be careful, there’s a monster in the closet.” It is a meek voice, and when the party looks over they see the ghost of Joshua huddled in the corner. “It already killed the other guy. I tried to warn him.”
The party can now talk to Joshua to get information about what happened. He speaks without much emotion, even when talking about his own murder. “My mom chased me with a big knife. I jumped off the balcony to get away and hurt my legs real bad. Then she came and cut me up until I died.”
Whenever Joshua stops talking to the party, he starts muttering over and over again, “Knock knock . . . knock . . . knock.” The first two knocks are swift and then a long break between the third and fourth. Make sure that you emphasize this action as it is their clue to unlock the secret room in the basement! Keep coming back to the muttering between each line he speaks.
Depending on what the party asks, they can get the following information from Josh:
- The location of the Blade of Nerastrim in the attic.
- The man dead in the closet is Father Oswyn (Josh describes a man in robes with a candle).
- The creature in the closet can go invisible, but it has glowing orange eyes and flies around!
- There is a secret part of the basement that he is not allowed to enter.
- His sister left but he is still stuck here. Sometimes a bigger monster shows up and he feels dizzy afterwards.
The reason Joshua is still trapped in the home as well because Helen offered up the soul of her son as well in exchange for power. The create has kept him here and feeds off his essence which is why he is still so weak and without emotion or hope, but he can be freed if the party defeats the demon in the basement of the manor.
Monster in the Closet
If the party tries to move to the closet to investigate, Joshua will warn them again. “It has scary orange eyes . . . don’t look at it!”
If the party peers into the closet, they find Father Oswyn’s surprisingly undecayed dead body. He is curled up in the corner with his hands up in a defensive posture and appears to be frozen in this position. The eyes has been plucked from his head and the expression on his face make it seem as if he were literally scared to death. On the ground next to him is a small bag and within is a single unused candle, a healing potion, and a brass key which opens the Master Bedroom.
If a character looks around the closet, they will see nothing but the body and supplies. The creature that lurks here is a Terror Spirit. It is invisible and waiting patiently near the top of the closet for someone to come into its domain. As soon as a creature touches Father Oswyn’s body or any of his supplies, the spirit will attack, getting a surprise round before the party needs to roll for initiative.
This terror spirit uses the stat block of an Imp, but will gain additional abilities and statistics depending on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL.
- APL 1
Terrible to Behold. When a creature starts its turn within 15 feet of the terror spirit and is able to see the terror spirit’s eyes, the terror spirit can magically force it to make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, unless the terror spirit is incapacitated.
On a failed save, the creature is frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target it immune to the terror spirit’s Terrible to Behold for the next 24 hours.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the terror spirit until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the terror spirit in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
- APL 2
- The terror spirit gains 10 additional hit points.
- The terror spirit gains the Terrible to Behold ability from above, but its DC is increased to 12.
- APL 3
- The terror spirit gains 25 additional hit points.
- The terror spirit gains the Terrible to Behold ability from above, but its DC is increased to 13.
- The terror spirit gains Multiattack and can make two attacks each turn.
Run in Fear!
Keep in mind that the players still need to remain in the light of the candle to be safe from Helen’s attacks. If they become frightened by the terror spirit, it is possible that fear will cause them to flee from the safety of the candle and into the “welcoming” arms of Helen.
Nora’s Room (Daughter’s room)
Description
This room has a strong sky blue theme with the curtains, bed, and walls all being this color. The far wall has been painted with a mural of the outdoors complete with a beautiful field of multi-colored flowers and adorable wildlife. There are shelves mounted all along the walls and resting upon these are beautifully crafted dolls. These are clearly expensive dolls made with fine fabrics and rare wood. On the floor, at the foot of the bed, is a dead body. The man is wearing a white shirt, but it has turned almost entirely red from blood stains. The smell of the exposed corpse is awful.
One of These Things is not like the Others
There are at least thirty dolls on the various shelves and stands in the room, but one of these dolls is a bit different than the others. While the other dolls have smiles on their faces and bright inviting eyes, this particular doll has a curved, terrifying grin on her face with sinister eyes. Her white dress still has blood stains upon it and hiding behind her back is a large pair of sewing scissors. This is a Grinning Marionette (Nerzugal's Extended Bestiary (Links at end of the module)).
Fortunately this doll is on commands from its master (a Grim Puppeteer, also from NEB 1, which you can have pulling strings elsewhere in your world) to simply observe what creatures come through the house and only strike out if they interfere. So as long as the players never touch the doll, she will simply stare out at them with that chilling visage.
The Body
This body has had an accelerated rate of decay due to the necrotic attacks of the marionette. The smell is terrible and any creature that gets close enough to examine it will need to succeed on a DC 8 Constitution saving throw or vomit. Next to the body are the remnants of a candle - nothing left that could be used by the party to buy themselves more time unfortunately. He has 7 gold and 37 silver in a pouch tied to his waistband and a dagger, but nothing else of note.
The Attic
Description
Climbing up the ladder, the edges of the room are still cast in darkness as it is quite a large room. There are numerous boxes stacking up, most of which are covered in sheets and all of which are coated in dust. Along with these boxes are some old paintings, broken furniture, and other such sundries. Off to the left is set of beautiful double doors that leads to the balcony that expands out over the front door. A tiny bit of light manages to bleed into the room despite Helen’s best attempts to keep the place cloaked in shadows.
The Blade of Nerastrim
For many generations a magical longsword was passed down through the family despite none of them being fighters of any sort. Joshua took this sword and was using it upstairs to pretend he was a brave adventurer, but when his father noticed it was missing he lied about having seen it and it was assumed stolen (You can see more details about this incident in the diary found in Marcy’s Bedroom).
Joshua was afraid that his father would kill him if it was ever discovered, but he didn’t want to bury it out somewhere it could be damaged or stumbled upon by the townsfolk, so he searched the house for a place to hide it and eventually found a loose panel in the back of the attic beneath a box of old maps. The players can find this loose panel with a success on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Otherwise, the players will need to read Marcy’s diary to find it. This is a +1 Longsword.
The Balcony
The large double doors that overlook the balcony are sealed shut magically, but a bit of light still manages to find its way through. If your players are ever in desperation mode to get out of the manor, a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check can pull them open even through the dark magic.
As the players are moving through the attic, they will notice that the bits of light bleeding through start to become obstructed as if someone were out on the balcony. Looking through one of the cracks in the doors they see Joshua (he will be recognizable from the family portraits all over the manor) or from his bedroom if they have already been there. His eyes are wide and filled with fear and he appears to be whimpering, but no sound comes out.
Helen appears out on the balcony a moment later, fading into view but still translucent. She has a bloody cleaver in her hand and begins to sluggishly shamble towards her son. Joshua pleads with, folding his hands together and begging, but when he sees there is no reasoning with her he decides to jump. Moments after he leaps over the stone railing, about the time you would expect to hear him hit the ground, a beam crossing the room cracks and drops down on the party. Choose characters in a line that are not standing near the window if possible. Each of these characters will need to succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take (1d6 * APL) bludgeoning damage.
The Basement
Description
There are two finely crafted poker tables in this room as well as two additional large wooden tables designed for dice games or general drinking. Off to the right is a full sized bar that is still stocked with every sort of liquor. Next to the bar is a wine rack that extends from floor to ceiling and is six feet wide. Over half of this is still stocked with wine, each bottle being worth anywhere from 1 gold to 25 gold. Scattered about the room are also half a dozen stuffed animals, ranging from a badger all the way up to a bear.
Stuffed with Rage
When the party moves down into this area, they are overwhelmed by the feeling they are being watched. It persists no matter where they go, just a feeling that makes the hair on the back of their neck stand up. Have your players make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, they notice that the bear’s head has definitely moved from when they first entered the room. If the party retreats immediately, they can get out of this place without any further trouble, otherwise the animals in the room all spring to life to attack the party, their eyes glowing light blue in the darkness. Roll for initiative.
The type of animals your party faces depends on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL.
- APL 1 - 1x Black Bear, 1x Badger, 1x Blood Hawk
- APL 2 - 1x Black Bear, 1x Badger, 1x Boar, 1x Wolf
- APL 3 - 1x Brown Bear, 1x Badger, 1x Boar, 1x Wolf
Hidden Treasures
If the party takes the time to scour the room, have them each make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a result of 10, they find a hidden compartment behind the bar that holds an incredibly old and valuable bottle of whiskey. This is worth 100 gold to the right buyer. On a result of 20 or higher, they find the whiskey as well as a secret compartment in one of the poker tables. Within this is a set of golden dice with gemstones for the pips. These are easily worth 150 gold to the right buyer. Searching for these items takes a total of 5 minutes, so be mindful of the burning candle.
Hidden Basement Room
Description
Scattered across this room are various wooden cabinets, each with a combination lock keeping them shut. On the walls are various paintings, some of these risque and others or foreign leaders that would not do well in polite company. Sitting out in the open are a few books dedicated to topics that wouldn’t belong in your ordinary library - Taking Advantage of the Poor, The Basics of Blackmail, Counterfeiting Currency, etc…
Panic Sets In
When the party reaches the bottom of the stairs to this secret room, Helen begins to panic. “Get out of my home!” she shrieks. Loose documents fly into the air, paintings falls off the wall, and the candle the players hold even gives a small flicker. She continues to ramble on about how she is going to kill them, tearing them slowly limb from limb as soon as that pesky candle finally burns out. Regardless, it is clear she is growing afraid.
Damning Documents
The locks to these cabinets can be easily broken with a blunt weapon as they are quite old. Some are already falling apart. It is clear the Nerastrim family thought that these being hidden away in a secret room was security enough. Within these cabinets are additional works of stolen art, documents of bribery of powerful figures, and other such items that could have easily taken down the family.
If the party takes time to examine all of these cabinets it will take ten minutes, but if they do so they will find an additional magic item. Have this be a usable magic item of your choice - perhaps a bag of holding, a decanter of endless water, or a driftglobe.
Trespassers Beware
If your players need an additional challenge, consider adding some traps to this room. This is the location of all of the Nerastrim family secrets so it is quite appropriate for there to perhaps be a pitfall trap under the rug in the center of the room or a poison dart that fires out of a cabinet if it is opened without disabling the lock. Perhaps taking a picture from the wall causes a blast of flame or poisonous gas to spray out into the room.
Choose traps and damage appropriate to your party’s level.
The Secret Passage
On the far wall of this room is a single brick that is slightly darker than the rest of them. Players might be able to identify there is something off about this stone, but they will need to figure out that it is the knocking pattern that Joshua kept repeating that opens the passage - two swift knocks and then a long break between the next two. When these actions are performed, the stone begins to fold and slide away, making a three foot tall doorway appear in the wall. What lies beyond is what Helen refers to as The Crawl Space.
The Crawl Space
Description
As soon as the stone slides away and this room is revealed, a red light pours out into the basement. Looking inside you see a set of glowing runes on the floor eight feet in diameter. Lying at the center of these runes are both Helen’s and Jacob’s bodies. Both of them are clearly deceased, but there doesn’t appear to be any decay or rot, as if they had only just been killed - not left here years ago. The ceiling in this room is much shorter than the rest of the house at only five feet high, so most creatures will have to duck if they wish to enter.
The Lurking Devil
Shortly after the doorway has been opened, the crawl space begins to fill with black smoke and a voice cries out in Infernal (even if it is not language normally known by that creature type), “Leave this place or be destroyed.” This is a gutteral, horrifying language that is offensive to the ears regardless of the message. Even without knowing the language it is clear it belongs to a creature beyond this world and that it is angry. As soon as the party makes any sort of aggressive move, have them roll for initiative.
The smoke fills the entire room, but as soon it is the creature's turn, the smoke vanishes and it strikes the creature nearest the bodies of Helen and Jacob. The beast will continuously try to put out the candle and allow Helen to fly in and attack the party.
If the demon does manage to extinguish the flame and Helen enters the room, allow the players to talk her down. This is of course all up to your players, but if they point to her dead son and try to reason with her it actually works and her ethereal form fades away.
The type of enemy your party faces depends on your party’s APL. See the beginning of the module for information on determining your party's APL.
- APL 1 - 1x Quasit
- APL 2 - 1x Ghast
- APL 3 - 1x Bearded Devil
Destroying the Bodies
Once the creature that has been guarding over Helen’s body is defeated, the party can work on destroying the body once and for all. The easiest way to do this is with fire. There are plenty of wooden cabinets that can be pushed into the room and used as fuel. They could also simply take weapons and destroy the bodies completely through pure brute force, through this is quite gruesome as Joshua is only ten years old. A final option is to desecrate the runes here. It will need to be done by cutting the stone itself, but when enough of them have been broken and destroyed, her spirit will be released.
Helen shrieks in protest all the while, shouting obscenities and threats at the party. When she realizes that there is no point and that she has lost, the anger turns to sadness as she speaks on final poem. It is slow and methodical, filled with the sorrow of a broken woman.
You are a monster, Helen
You killed your own family, Helen
You will never be happy, Helen
You deserve this, Helen
Once this is done, the house falls silent. Many of the evil creatures that have taken refuge in this house still remain, so the party’s job may not be done just yet, but they will no longer have to worry about Helen’s vengeful spirit hunting them down. The magic preventing light from being cast is lifted so they can use torches once again as they search the rest of the house for bodies, treasures, and threats.
The Aftermath
With the town free of the curse of Helen, things return to normal over the next few weeks. Even if the party did not fully clear out the mansion, without her influence they all take their leave shortly after. With all of the rightful heirs to the family dead, the party is free to use the Nerastrim Manor as a base of operations for the rest of their adventures. Regardless, the town will be rejoiced with the party's accomplishments and celebrate them as heroes for generations to come (unless of course they died within the manor in which case they will be remembered as the arrogant adventurers that doomed their town for eternity.)
Custom Enemies
Paper Knight
Tiny construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 4 (3d4 - 3)
- Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (-4) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 4 (-3) 8 (-1) 1 (-5)
- Senses passive Perception 9
- Languages ---
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Damage Vulnerabilities fire
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Paper Form. The paper construct can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1/8 inch wide without squeezing.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the paper construct moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Nimble. The paper construct has advantage on Dexterity saving throws and can disengage as a bonus action.
Actions
Paper Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Paper Ranger
Tiny construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 14
- Hit Points 6 (4d4 - 4)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (-4) 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 1 (-5)
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages ---
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Damage Vulnerabilities fire
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Paper Form. The paper construct can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1/8 inch wide without squeezing.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the paper construct moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Nimble. The paper construct has advantage on Dexterity saving throws and can disengage as a bonus action.
Actions
Shred. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 slashing damage.
Paper Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
Paper Mage
Tiny construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 12 (8d4 - 8)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (-4) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (-5)
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages ---
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Damage Vulnerabilities fire
- Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Paper Form. The paper construct can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1/8 inch wide without squeezing.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the paper construct moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Nimble. The paper construct has advantage on Dexterity saving throws and can disengage as a bonus action.
Actions
Shred. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 4 slashing damage.
Ink Barrage. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and the creature must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.
Literary Eruption (1/Day). The paper mage causes a book within 30 feet to violently explode, blasting high speed scraps of paper in a 15-foot cone from the books location. Each creature in this area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) slashing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The book is completely destroyed by this process.
Colored Marbles Puzzle
The Setup
The players are presented with a safe or locked door with a 3x3 grid on the front of it. This door is opened when marbles are placed in a particular order in the slots of the grid. The colors of these marbles are as follows: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Orange, Violet, White, and Black. There are 8 in total for the 9 slots. Make sure to have these marbles be separate from the lock, hidden away somewhere in your dungeon or in someone's personal belongings.
Instructions
In order for the players to know the order for these marbles they must also find the instructions. Have these also be hidden away in a separate location in your adventure so the players will not be able to proceed until they have found all of the pieces. The instructions for the marbles are as follows:
Orange is below Blue
Blue is right of White
Black is right of Green
Green is right of Violet
Violet is below Black
Red is left of Yellow and above White
Yellow is left of Orange and below Violet
White is below Green and above Yellow
Solution
With these instructions there should be only a single possible outcome for success and it is as follows:
| Red | Green | Black |
| Violet | White | Blue |
| Yellow | Orange |
Happy Halloween!
I hope you enjoyed this Halloween adventure! This adventure will be included in my next book: Nerzugal's Dungeon Master Toolkit 2 which I hope to launch by the end of the year. You can follow me on Twitter at @Nerzugal if you want updates on the progress of the book.
If you would like to try out my other adventures, (including Halloween adventures from the pervious three years), you can download my books at the links below: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/202858/Nerzugals-Game-Master-Toolkit http://www.dmsguild.com/product/188626/Nerzugals-Dungeon-Master-Toolkit
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5 - Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6 - Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7 - Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8 - Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9 - Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10 - Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
11 - Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
12 - Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13 - Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
14 - Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15 - COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.