Friday Encounter: Haunted Inn

This encounter is to be used if the PCs decide to stop at an inn, whether that be along the road or in a town. It should ideally be an inn that the party isn't familiar with.

When the party asks about rooms, the innkeeper gives their normal rates of 2 SP per room, but mentions that there is one particular room that guests can stay in for free. The reason? The room is said to be haunted, with guests reporting hearing strange whispers and feeling drafts that seem to come from nowhere. One guest even reported finding ectoplasm on the walls not too long ago. In addition to the strange phenomena observed in the room, it seems that anyone who stays in the room is stricken by misfortune; in the last year alone, two of the guests who stayed there fell ill and died, and a third was cut down by highwaymen. Regulars of the inn are also familiar with the rumors, and may have their own stories to tell, but none of them have ever stayed in the room - they wouldn't dare risk it.

Still, it's a free room, and it may well be something worth investigating. In my experience, dangling the prospect of a haunting in front of the PCs will encourage them to look deeper into it far more often than it will scare them away. If the PCs ask for the room, the innkeeper will allow them to have it for free, but not without attempting to talk them out of it.

The haunted room has two beds and meager amenities, with little more than a wardrobe for storing clothes, an end table with a lantern on it, and a rug strewn over the floor. Compared to other rooms in the inn, the haunted room is clearly unkempt - the sheets are askew, and there is dust built up on the furniture. The staff are wary of the haunting and avoid the room whenever possible.

The room is indeed haunted by the ghost of a tax collector named Uther von Gerholdt, who stopped at the inn some thirty years ago. The innkeeper, Holger Kunze, is a stingy, paranoid man who knew Uther's reputation as a shrewd professional who always collected his share, no matter how his clients attempted to get out of paying. Unwilling to part with his money, and feeling squeezed by the local nobles, Holger gave Uther a tankard of ale drugged with a powerful sedative, and, when he grew drowsy, offered him a bed at the inn so he could sleep off his stupor for the night. When Uther fell asleep, Holger stabbed him to death and buried his body under the cellar.

However, since Uther was fast asleep when he died, he doesn't actually realize that he's dead, or that years have passed since his murder. He believes it to still be the night that he visited the inn - and thus, he views guests as trying to barge in and invade his privacy. His anger subconsciously manifests as the effects observed in the room, trying to drive "intruders" out.

Uther's ghost cannot be seen or heard directly by those staying in the inn. However, using a see invisibility spell will detect the flickering figure of a man in fine clothes lurching about the room. One can perform a seance using a contact other plane spell, a spirit board, or other means to communicate with the ghost. Uther will tell them of the events leading up to his death, but admits his memory is hazy due to being so drunk.

PCs who spend the night in the room are able to gain the benefits of a short rest, but they hear shuffling, whispering, and moaning through the night, preventing them from getting the full benefits of a long rest. Additionally, the DM should have some form of misfortune befall any PCs that spent the night in the haunted room. This is up to their discretion, but it should target those PCs specifically - a powerful enemy might take a special interest in them, or they may be stricken with a mysterious illness with no apparent cause. Once this event occurs, they are no longer haunted and no longer suffer misfortune.

Holger suspects that the rumors of the ghost is related to the murder he committed years ago, but will adamantly deny any involvement and takes great pains to cover his tracks. In fact, he's deliberately played up the rumors of the haunting, making sure to tell any guests the story to try and scare them away from staying in that room just in case Uther gives them any clues. If the PCs are able to discover the truth, however, they may seek proof.

Holger keeps the basement of the inn locked at all times with a key he wears around his neck; it is a DC 15 check with thieves' tools to pick this lock. The basement has a rammed earth floor; if the PCs spend an hour digging in the basement, they will unearth Uther's skeleton, still wearing the signet ring of a tax collector in service to the local nobility. This task can be divided among multiple PCs - two characters digging will unearth the skeleton in 30 minutes, three will unearth it in 20 minutes, and so on.

If presented with the body, Holger will have no choice but to confess to his crimes, and will be hanged by the local guard. It is up to the DM what happens to the inn now that it has no owner. If the party needs a base of operations, this could be an opportunity to give them one.

With his killer brought to justice, Uther will move on to the Land of the Dead. He appears before the party one last time to apologize for any trouble he caused and to thank them for their aid before leaving them his signet ring. It can be sold for 50 GP, and could be used to forge official documents. Additionally, due to the residual ghostly energies permeating the ring, characters wearing it will automatically succeed on their next death save, but the ring breaks afterward and can no longer be used. Staying in the room from then on no longer carries any ill effects.

Friday Encounter: The Clueless Ghost

This encounter can be used in any dangerous environment - a dungeon, or perhaps a rough stretch of wilderness or a road occupied by highwaymen.

The PCs should first find a human skeleton that has obviously met a violent end. The exact details aren't important, and should be tailored to fit the context - for example, it may have its leg bones shattered as though it's fallen from a pit above, or it may be impaled or split in half, or perhaps the bones display teeth marks, as though it's been gnawed on by something big. You can use this to hint at a hidden danger or trap in the area if you wish.

If the PCs interact with the skeleton, nothing immediately obvious happens at first. However, shortly thereafter, a bedraggled man appears from the nearest hiding place. Again, this will depend on the environment - in a forest he could appear from behind a tree, or in a dungeon he might step through a doorway leading out of the room. He introduces himself as Urbano Bagnoli, a traveler who got lost and ended up here. He doesn't know how long he was here, but was too afraid to leave without being accompanied by some strong and capable friends to protect him from other dangers in the vicinity. He will explain that his home town is a short distance away, and asks to be escorted there; he greatly misses his fiance, Camilla, and hopes to be returned to her, afraid that she must be worried for his safety.

What isn't immediately obvious is that Urbano is long dead - in fact, the bones adorning the ground are his own. His wanderings took him to this site decades ago, and he soon found himself faced with dangers he wasn't prepared for. But he still had unfinished business in life, and his ghost clings to this site. Urbano doesn't realize that he's dead, and he doesn't realize the skeleton is his, citing that some other poor sap must have met an unfortunate end. He doesn't outwardly appear to be anything other than a normal living person, either. The players should ideally not realize that Urbano is a ghost unless they use Divine Sense or a similar ability, or until they start putting the clues together.

Urbano is familiar with the surrounding area and will give the party clues about dangers that may be up ahead, but as he's operating with information that's years out of date, this intel won't be as helpful as it might seem. He might describe a shortcut that has since become unusable, or warn about a monster that died ages ago. Should any danger show itself, he will withdraw from the situation until the PCs have it handled. He will join the party if they make camp, but won't eat anything, citing that he "doesn't feel hungry." In general, try to delay the reveal as much as you can with plausible excuses. Remember that Urbano doesn't know he's dead, and won't knowingly lie about anything. If the possibility of him being a ghost comes up, he'll laugh it off as a foolish idea that doesn't even deserve consideration, and question how anyone could even entertain the prospect. He will only be convinced if shown undeniable proof, such as if a solid object is phased through him.

If the PCs lead Urbano back to his hometown, they will discover that he doesn't recognize anyone there, as they've grown much older than he remembered. Meanwhile, everyone else is puzzled by how he hasn't seemed to have aged a day. Camilla, in fact, has moved on and married another man, and they have three children together. If Urbano hasn't been proven to be a ghost by now, this is when the revelation will hit him. He'll be shocked and aghast that the world has forgotten him - and he may just end up haunting the town unless the PCs can set things straight...

The Ruins of the Nuwapians

The genies were not the first civilization to rule over the deserts of Quel'Ahma. Long before the rise of Vardessy, before the Way of the Four Elements held sway, Quel'Ahma was ruled by a great empire of a bygone age, one remembered only by the eldest of the genies of Tasshen. This was the age of the Nuwapian Empire - one of the greatest of its day, and one that saw rise to great advances in the mystic arts - and one that lives on, in its own ways.

There is much that remains still unknown about the Nuwapians. There are many ruins and artifacts yet to be unearthed, and many inscriptions that have yet to be decoded. The Royal Archaeological Society of Quel'Ahma has made it its mission to retrieve as many Nuwapian artifacts as they can to better understand these mysterious people. What is known is that the Nuwapians came from a land far over the sea, settling Quel'Ahma, and there they established a great empire that stretched across the desert sands and as far as into Golnir, ruled by an emperor who was perceived by the people to be a living god, and they held power over the lands for more than three milennia.

The emperors of the Nuwapians were esteemed sorcerers, always seeking to further their power and rise above the common men they governed. It was through their magical aptitude that they cemented the legitimacy of their reigns, and earned fear and admiration from the lower classes. Through magic, the Nuwapians sought to surpass the limits of mortal men; to become stronger and more enlightened. Their ultimate goal was to conquer death itself - and of the ruins that remain among the deserts, there are many great mausoleums where the bones of ancient kings are buried amidst their wealth and the bodies of their retainers, in the hopes that they may one day rise from the dead and make use of such riches.

But perhaps the greatest achievement of the Nuwapians came when finally they managed to unlock the secrets of immortality.

By all recorded accounts, it was the Nuwapians who were the first to discover the secrets of lichdom - the process by which the mortal soul could be separated from the body while still keeping the life force that sustained consciousness, allowing one to live forever. At the height of the empire, the Nuwapians' greatest emperors and nobles were liches, who underwent this process to transcend the very boundaries of mortality, and to become as gods, whose reigns could go untested by time or the sword. With this power, the Nuwapians sought to extend their reach even further, and realize their destiny as the masters of reality.

Ultimately, though, this would not come to pass. Over time, the once-great empire dwindled to a collection of warring city-states and petty kingdoms, before those too vanished. The downfall of the Nuwapian Empire is steeped in as much mystery as its rise. Some say that the emperors, in their pursuit of eternal life, overstretched themselves and lost sight of more earthly concerns, allowing their empires to fall into ruin right under their noses. Some say it was the people who rose up against their masters, tired of being at the whims of such powerful beings. Some even say that the fall of the Nuwapian Empire was an act of Morthanos himself, who sought to punish mortals for their hubris in evading his reach. In the end, the great cities and temples of the Nuwapians fell silent, and were buried beneath the desert sands.

Still, the influence of the Nuwapians was not lost. Their discoveries became a part of the canon of magic and mysticism, and many of their spells and rituals have been passed down and perfected over the ages. So too, the spirits of many great sorcerers of the Nuwapians live on, still standing guard over the ruins of the palaces they ruled from in life. Many Nuwapian ruins mark the burial places of ancient liches, resting in their sarcophaguses until the day comes that the Quel'Ahmans fall and they may once again reclaim their birthright. The traps, guardians, and mystic wards these magicians prepared to safeguard their phylacteries still stand against intruders to this day. And if any of these bygone emperors are released from their slumber, they are not likely to react well to the strange new worlds they discover...

Friday Encounter: Wispers on the Wind

If there's one D&D monster I don't think gets used to its full potential...it would be the peryton. I've already written extensively on this subject. But if I had to pick another, it would definitely be the will-o-the-wisp.

I think my issue with how people use wisps boils down to my issue with how a lot of monsters get used - people aren't able to look beyond the statblock. They assume that a wisp is there to be fought. That the wisp itself should be the danger. I mean, it has combat stats, you must be able to fight it, right? But perhaps more than any other monster, the will-o-the-wisp is one that deserves to be something more than a combat encounter. When the party encounters a wisp, it should not be a cue to draw swords and start fighting immediately. In fact, I would argue that the wisp's stats probably shouldn't come up at all. If you're fighting a will-o-the-wisp, you're doing it wrong. The wisp shouldn't be trying to pick a fight with the PCs - it should know it can't take them by itself. But it doesn't need to.

If you look at the folklore behind wisps, you'll notice that they're most commonly associated with leading travelers astray to fall victim to dangers in the wilderness. But you don't really see them attacking people directly. A wisp isn't an enemy, it's an omen. It should be a trap for gullible travelers to get themselves into trouble - or perhaps a warning sign for danger up ahead. And an effective will-o-the-wisp encounter should reflect that.

Wispers on the Wind

This encounter should occur at night, while the PCs are traveling - it can work if they are moving through the wilderness, ideally through a swamp, but it can easily fit in a number of different environments, even in a dungeon. Regardless, the PCs should notice a light out in the darkness, fluttering back and forth. It will do this to try and get the PCs' attention, lingering around until it's sure that they've noticed it - and then, it will shrink away, retreating back into the shadows.

This light is, of course, a will-o-the-wisp. But in the darkness, it should be hard to tell that for sure. It could be an unseen figure holding a torch or lantern, or, yes, even just a ball of swamp gas. PCs who pass a DC 15 Arcana check will be familiar with wisps, knowing that they are the lonely spirits of those who died in the wilderness far from home and civilization, and that they want nothing more than company. Unfortunately, they seek out such company by leading other travelers to their doom in the hopes that their spirits too may linger.

If the PCs follow the wisp in the direction that it retreated to, they will always see it in the distance - it will always seem to be one step ahead of them, staying back and darting around corners, but never staying in one place long enough for more than a passing glance. It's trying to lead them along, after all, and it hopes to do so by encouraging their curiosity, so once it knows that it's being followed, it won't let itself be studied easily. The wisp continues leading the party along a distance, until they're a good ways off from the path they were on originally.

Eventually, the wisp will hang in the air above a certain spot, staying still and waiting for the PCs to approach it. But the spot it's stopped at holds some danger for the party, in one way or another - the wisp has led them into a trap! Feel free to tailor this situation for the environment you're using the encounter in. If the wisp was encountered in a swamp (as is traditional), for instance, it could be leading them into a mass of quicksand. Or it could be encountered on a high mountain pass, where it could try to lead them off a ledge, or onto a rickety bridge that will surely give way if the PCs aren't careful (and in the dark, they may overestimate the stability of the bridge). In a dungeon, it might stop over a concealed pit or another trap. Or it could just lead the PCs into the path of hostile enemies. Whatever the case will be, the wisp will not try to engage them directly in combat. That's not what it's there for. It's already brought its targets to their doom - now, it's up to whatever other dangers are in the area to do the hard part for it.

Even if the PCs manage to escape whatever danger the wisp led them to, however, they'll likely be a good ways off their path. This is the wisp's backup plan. Whether by leading them into danger or just waiting for them to succumb to the elements, it's determined to have a new friend, one way or another...

Friday Encounter: Ghost Town

This encounter is best used when the PCs are traveling by road. There are two very different ways to kick things off, which will depend on whether the party triggers it by day or by night. As we all know, you cannot have a meaningful campaign if strict time records are not kept, so it may be helpful to keep in mind what time of day the party comes upon this encounter to play things accordingly. Or just fudge things so that the party happens upon it at the right time of day for the scenario that most interests you.

You may want to mark the location of this encounter on a hex or point map, if using one, to keep note of it in case the PCs revisit it. They may find new developments if they do so by both day and night!

Background

The village of Tedansk has a problem - everyone is dead. An alchemist by the name of Teodosija once lived a few miles away from town, where - like many of her kind - she devoted her studies to decoding the secrets of life itself. She sought the ultimate goal of any alchemist - the fabled Elixir of Life, which could grant her immortality. As part of the process or creating this elixir, Teodosija managed to create a Philosopher's Stone, and with that, she began a ritual that would allow the elixir to be distilled from a bit of the Stone mixed in wine.

The only problem was, Teodosija discovered a little too late that her Philosopher's Stone was unstable, and the ritual did not go as planned. When she dissolved the Stone, it set off a magical reaction that vaporized her instantly and sent a wave of force through the land, affecting Tedansk. No physical structures were damaged, but everyone in town immediately dropped dead on the spot. Teodosija did, however, manage to imbue the Stone with the power of life - but not quite as she intended.

Now, the entire town of Tedansk is cursed with undeath. By day, their bones lay moldering wherever they fell, but at night, the ghosts of the villagers arise, going about their lives as though nothing ever happened.

To further complicate matters, Teodosija had previously constructed a shield guardian to guard her tower against intruders, but shortly before the event, she came to town to announce her "successful" creation of a Philosopher's Stone - and in the process, the village's resident ne'er-do-well, Milenko, pickpocketed the amulet she used to control it, believing it to be nothing more than a gold necklace. He was later caught for an unrelated crime and placed in the town lock-up, but before the town council could figure out what to do with him, the wave struck. Teodosija never figured out what happened to her amulet before her death, either - and, as she never reported it missing, it went unnoticed when he was apprehended.

The Encounter

If the PCs come upon Tedansk during the day, they will find it eerily still and quiet, with no signs of life. The buildings are undamaged, but no one walks the streets; everyone, from shopkeepers at their desks to the children gathered around a hopscotch track in the town square to even the animals in the fields, have fallen dead and long since rotten away to skeletons, and everything is covered in dust and cobwebs. Even the trees surrounding the village are dead.

As soon as the sun sets, however, the skeletons and dead plants disappear, and in their place the spirits of the townspeople, their livestock, and the vegetation arise, with the people going about their day-to-day business as normal. They do not acknowledge the fact that it is night, or the amount of dust on everything, and they will interact with the PCs as any living person would. If the PCs say anything to them that references them being dead or ghosts, the townspeople will be confused and likely offended; pressing this line of questioning will make them run the party out of town as lunatics.

Tedansk consists of a few houses, a shrine to Solenna, a blacksmith's shop, and an inn. All of them operate as normal, though any food served by the inn will have long since gone rotten and withered away (the villagers do not notice this). In addition, there is a lock-up where Milenko is being kept. A guard stands outside and will explain that he is being held for the crime of theft (he stole a cask of ale from the inn). Milenko will deny having stolen Teodosija's amulet, but if coerced, will eventually admit that he did pickpocket a necklace from the alchemist, which he gave to his fiance, Savitza, two months ago. Savitza is also a ghost in the town; she does not know that Milenko stole the amulet, and will be alarmed (though not entirely surprised) if she learns the truth. Neither of them know of the amulet's true nature, and Savitza will be unwilling to part with the amulet - it was a gift from Milenko, after all, and even if he is a thief and a cad, she remains loyal to him nonetheless, as their love is true.

Rumors in town may lead the PCs in the direction of Teodosija's tower, which sits further back in the dead woods to the southwest, about half an hour from town by foot. The townspeople know her as an alchemist of great power. Many of them respect her knowledge, and even more fear it; about two months ago she came to announce her success in creating a Philosopher's Stone, but she hasn't been heard from since. Some suspect that she was destroyed by her creation, while others wonder if she's up to something more nefarious.

Further Developments

If the party decides to investigate Teodosija's tower, they will find it to be a squat two-story stone construction deep in the woods. The first floor is guarded by Teodosija's stone guardian, which will attack anyone it is unfamiliar with; however, it will not attack anyone wearing the amulet, and will respond to their commands. This floor also contains Teodosija's living quarters; nothing of value is to be found there.

A flight of stairs leads up to the second floor. The shield guardian will not let anyone up the stairs without a fight. However, a DC 15 Investigation check outside the tower will determine that there are enough loose stones and patches of moss along its walls to allow someone to climb up to the second floor and enter through a window. A DC 20 Athletics or Acrobatics check, or the use of rope, pitons, or other tools, is required to do this.

The second floor serves as Teodosija's laboratory and office, with many tools for brewing and distilling, jars of ingredients and reagents, the obligatory taxidermied alligator, and so on. On a table in the center of the room is set a large red stone - this is Teodosija's Philosopher's Stone. Nearby is a hammer and chisel and a mixing bowl in which some wine is placed, left over from her failed experiment. Teodosija does not have a ghost, as she was consumed in the center of the reaction; all that is left of her is some dust scattered about the floor.

Also placed here is Teodosija's journal, where she has recorded her notes and a log of her experiments. In it, she notes that she has mastered the Philosopher's Stone, and intends to use it to create the Elixir of Life by dissolving a piece of it in wine. She also discusses coming to town recently to reveal the news. In the next entry, she notes that she can't find the amulet for her shield guardian anywhere, but won't let it distract her from her progress. It is evident from a glance at her notes that Teodosija was a passionate and perhaps exuberant woman, but one who let herself get carried away in the pursuit of knowledge and didn't take proper precautions, and was easily distracted. Looking through previous entries will reveal that she often boasted of making a breakthrough on an experiment, only to curse her lack of foresight on some important matter the next day (for example, one report describes her brewing a potion, only for it to quickly evaporate because she left the burner under the flask running while she was doing something else).

In particular, a DC 15 Arcana check will be able to determine that according to what her notes describe, Teodosija did not properly perform the phase of multiplication. The crucible that would form the Philosopher's Stone should have been continuously fed with quicksilver; instead, she describes adding quicksilver at intermittent intervals, apparently feeling the proper procedure was too much work. This indicates that the Stone was not properly stabilized. A character with a background in alchemy will know this automatically upon reading this report.

Teodosija has enough alchemical equipment to comprise a set of alchemist's supplies, if one wishes to take them. However, there is too much in the laboratory for any one person to carry in a single trip. If one uses the complete set of equipment (which cannot easily be moved from the room) to perform alchemy, they will receive Advantage on all applicable rolls. Proficiency bonuses still apply.

Of course, the bold might be willing to take Teodosija's Philosopher's Stone. Any alchemist would be willing to pay a hefty price for such a treasure - though if they realize how volatile it is, they will not be happy, and may seek retribution against the PCs.

If the PCs wish to use it themselves, it can turn lead into gold if applied to it using a ritual that takes five hours to set up and perform, but due to the instability of the stone, there is a 75% chance that it will instead cause the lead to combust, destroying it. If a chunk of the stone is broken off and dissolved in wine, roll 1d100 for the effects: 

1-10: The combination sets off another violent reaction. All living creatures in a 10-foot radius must make a DC 25 Constitution save or suffer the effects of a disintegrate spell. Constructs, undead, and inanimate objects aren't affected - this is specifically a reversal (as above, so below) of the Stone's effects on life. In addition, all living beings in a 90-foot radius around that must make a DC 25 Constitution save or drop dead instantly. They will rise as ghosts at nightfall, and will have no memories of dying.

11-50: The reaction produces a potion of poison.

51-90: Nothing happens. 

91-100: The reaction produces the Elixir of Life, which will remove all disease and other negative status effects from anyone who drinks it, in addition to healing any injuries (including regrowing lost limbs or other body parts) and cause the person consuming it to become 1d6 years younger.

Friday Encounter: The Undying Prophet

Similar to the previous encounter The Relic Thieves, this is an encounter themed around the phenomenon of traveling holy men. As such, it may be used on the road, preferably in a settled area in between towns, or in a settlement visited by the holy man in question.

Background

Long ago, a monk named Isard was a devout follower of the most prominent and powerful religion in these lands (in the Lunar Lands, this would be the cult of Voltan; it will work best if you use whichever cult holds this position in your campaign setting). Though he belonged to a nearby monastery, he was entrusted with tending to a small roadside shrine. However, he attracted the ire of the gods when the shrine was robbed by bandits, and instead of standing in its defense, the cowardly monk traded a holy relic to the robbers in exchange for his safety (and a heavy coinpurse). For his faithlessness and greed, he was cursed with eternal life, becoming a huecuva. Now, he must wander the world, eternally barred from joining his divine masters in the afterlife.

Such a curse only filled Isard with resentment. He believed he was only doing what he needed to do in order to save his life, so that he could continue to serve the gods and bring aid to those who needed it in this world, rather than throwing his life away out of blind faith. As the years passed, Isard's hatred for the pettiness and ingratitude of the gods grew and grew. Even if he had the life he savored, he knew the gods spurned him for it. In time, he came to desire revenge - and began to style himself as a prophet to lead the faithful astray and breed discord in the cult.

The Encounter

Some way or another, the PCs should come upon a congregation of worshipers gathered around an unkempt man in simple robes preaching strange revelations - perhaps standing on a rock by the side of the road, or in the center of a village. If the encounter is used near a large town or city, the prophet will set up shop outside the walls or on the outskirts of town, so as not to attract too much undue attention. The people are enthralled by the man's words, watching his every move as though in a trance; they will not react to the PCs approaching them as though they don't notice, though they will respond if attacked or spoken to.

The prophet - Isard in the guise of a mortal man - makes bold claims, stating that his former faith has lost its favor with the heavens, and that only he speaks the truth of what the gods desire. He claims that the law of the land fears him for the upheaval he will bring, but that the teachings of the church are falsehoods forged by greedy men - perhaps even led astray by demons! Only he can lead the people to once again attain the favor of the divine!

After his sermon, Isard will invite anyone who wishes to learn more to meet him at the ruins of a shrine some distance from his present location (the shrine that he tended to in life). If questioned by the PCs, he will relate the same information as in his sermon, taking care to conceal his true nature.

If the PCs follow Isard to the shrine, they will find it consists of an circle of crumbling pillars along a track that has long grown overgrown with time. During the day, there are 2d10 members of the cult (stats as commoners) gathered here, listening to Isard preach further revelations. Once his followers are in the cult, he is willing to share "revelations" too risky to speak of among civilization - namely, that the corruption in the church reaches far too deeply for the gods to sort out on their own. The only way to restore order as the gods desire is to overthrow the church - starting with the same monastery that Isard belonged to in life!

Isard's cult meets every week, gathering at noon, when the sun is at its highest (this is because he is capable of appearing as a living human in the sunlight). There, they listen to his sermons and prepare for an uprising, training and stockpiling weapons. In two weeks, they plan to launch their attack, where they will overrun and sack the monastery, killing everyone in their path.

Further Developments

Perhaps PCs will seek to investigate Isard's claims, or perhaps they will fall under his sway and join the attack on the monastery themselves. Whichever it is, Isard himself does not believe himself to be a prophet or his words to be divinely inspired - he thinks the gods are right, he just doesn't like that. Rather, he believes that the people can be led astray by claims of divine inspiration, and that this will gather the support he needs to overthrow the monastery, in addition to spreading confusion and doubt among the faithful to sabotage the church.

The cultists do not know that Isard is a huecuva, and he takes precautions to ensure that he is not discovered. During the night, he retreats to a cave not too far from the shrine so that no one sees his true undead appearance; he keeps the location of the cave secret from everyone, even his followers. Also in the cave is a cache of 3d12x10 GP's worth of gold and jewels provided by Isard's followers as "donations for him to buy food with" - he doesn't ask for any such thing, but accepts it anyway to throw off suspicion. If asked, no one in town has ever seen him buy anything at the market.

If Isard's true nature is revealed to the cultists, most of them will be horrified and realize they were being deceived by an unholy creature. However, for each cultist who discovers the truth, there is a 25% chance they will instead believe that their prophet's immortality is a divine miracle, and this will only further convince them that he speaks the truth!

If the monastery is questioned, no one knows anything about Isard - he was cursed long before anyone currently in the monastery was alive. However, they do know of the shrine, and that the relics held there were stolen long ago. A perusal of the monastery's records will bring up that Isard belonged to the order centuries ago and cared for the shrine at the time it was robbed, but the records are not available to the public and may require persuasion (or stealth) to obtain.

If the party brings forth the story and manages to win the trust of the monastery (such as by repelling the uprising), it is possible the monks will send them to find out what happened to the relic, and if possible, to recover it. If so, the sanctity of the shrine might be restored, and it may have some benefit to grant to the PCs...

Friday Encounter: The Cursed Monastery

This encounter may be used on a lesser-traveled road or in the wilderness, preferably reasonably close to civilization. It is best used if the PCs are traveling and in need of shelter, perhaps as darkness creeps in, or else in adverse weather conditions.

Background

Those traveling long distances will of course need places to stay, restock, and rest their heads. Of course, there are roadside inns and villages that will house travelers, but these aren't the only option. Knights and nobles might make pleas to their peers to allow them shelter in their castles for a night, and if all else fails, there are many monasteries and convents whose doors are open to the needy free of charge, though the visitors may be expected to assist with chores or partake in the communal meals of the faithful in lieu of payment.

Mengrenath, a demon, knows that. Like many demons, he delights in leading the servants of the gods astray and creating discord, and just recently he hatched a scheme to do just that. Posing as a hermit in the woods, he encountered a foolish young initiate from a nearby monastery who was out foraging for food and offered him a bushel of mushrooms, instructing him to place them in the stewpot but cautioning him not to tell anyone what he'd done or where the ingredients came from.

The mushrooms were, of course, cursed - and when the monks consumed their dinner that night, they were all stricken with a poison that wasn't just deadly, but afflicted them all with unlife. Mengrenath was tickled to know that his plan was such a success...but, emboldened by it, he wanted to go further. Now, he schemes to claim more lives by taking advantage of the monks' vows of hospitality, directing weary travelers into the jaws of the dead!

The Encounter

The PCs should first encounter Mengrenath, still in the guise of a hermit - he appears as a tall, thin man in a long and weather-beaten cloak with the hood pulled over his brow. As he comes upon the party, he notes they look weary, and offers to lead them toward a nearby monastery where they will surely find a place to rest. He will not under any circumstances reveal his name or his true nature, simply calling himself "a stranger" and that the PCs "don't need to know," and using circuitous answers that don't lead anywhere if the PCs insist. He will lie to the party to assert that the monastery is safe, and if they seem hesitant he will state that the monastery has a hermitage he stays at occasionally before deciding, apparently on the spot, that he might as well stay there tonight, as "it feels like rain."

If the PCs agree to let the hermit lead them to the monastery, he will take them down a route that will get them there in about half an hour. He stops at the gates before telling the PCs he had something to attend to, and that he'll find his way back to the hermitage to meet them there. The next time the entire party takes their eyes off the hermit, they will find he has vanished without a trace.

Entering the monastery, the PCs will find no sign of any monks, not even if they ring the bell by the door. It is only if they push deeper into the monastery that its true nature will be revealed.

There are a total of 36 undead monks (stats as zombies) in the monastery. Use the map below as the party explores the area. Five monks are wandering monsters - every 10 minutes the party spends in the monastery, or any time they make noise, roll 1d6; on a 6, 1d4-1 of the monks, assuming they are still intact and undead, appear.

Click to enlarge

1. Stable: There is a live horse in one of the stalls. It is noticeably thin, like it hasn't eaten for a few days. This horse belonged to Fernando Moran, a merchant who was staying at the monastery when the zombie plague struck (see cloister below). His wares, totaling 500 GP in textiles, grains, and other trade goods plus 300 GP in coinage, are kept behind a locked door that leads into a warehouse; the key is carried by one of the monks in the chapter house (see below).
2. Chapel: There are eight zombified monks standing amongst the pews (for extra fun, make sure they have their backs turned to the PCs when they enter to make their true nature less apparent). One of the elder brothers is carrying a silver censer that in his mindless undead state he has taken to using as a flail, and deals 1d8+1 bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. The censer is worth 30 GP if sold. Also here is a golden candelabra on the altar worth 25 GP. Behind the altar is a large scroll case inlaid with silver; it is worth 200 GP, but will be difficult to transport (it weighs 100 pounds and is 6 feet tall).
3. Cloister: There are four zombified monks lurching around the cloister and into and out of the cells. Each cell is shut by a door with a narrow window to the inside and contains a bed, desk, and chamber pot, but no valuables. One cell is barricaded from the inside, but the light of a flickering candle can be seen from the window, and the sound of knocking can be heard from within; if the PCs approach, they will hear a man calling to them from the inside. This is Fernando Moran, a merchant who was staying at the monastery when the zombie plague struck. If the PCs seem friendly, he will introduce himself and explain the situation as best as he knows - he notes that the monks began acting strange and attempted to grab him about three days ago, and he has barricaded himself in the cell ever since. He notes that he didn't feel well the day before then and stayed in the cell during the communal meal - unbeknownst to him, this saved his life. He will pay the PCs 100 GP each if they escort him to safety, and he has contacts in the nearest town that he will pass their names onto, allowing them to get more favorable prices at the shops there.
4. Dining Hall: There are ten zombified monks gathered around the table, currently devouring an entire pig.
5. Scriptorium: There are two zombified monks here. On one of the tables is an illuminated manuscript worth 30 GP. On another is a half-finished scroll of bless. Because of its half-finished state, attempting to cast it requires a DC 10 Intelligence save, with a failed save triggering a scroll mishap.
6. Library: The door to this room is locked, and the key is carried by one of the monks in the chapter house (see below). The shelves contain eight rare books, each worth 1d6x10 GP, as well as two spellbooks, three scrolls of bless, two scrolls of healing word, and a scroll of branding smite.
7. Infirmary: There are enough herbs, bandages, and other supplies here to comprise a healer's kit. In addition, there is a locked box that contains four potions of healing. The key is carried by one of the monks in the chapter house (see below).
8. Storage: There is nothing of value in this room, but there is a zombified monk in the corner of the room furthest from the door, hiding in the shadows and behind a stack of boxes. Any creatures that rummage through the supplies will alert the monk to their presence.
9. Chapter House: This building is home to the three eldermost brothers of the monastery, who meet in the common room downstairs to discuss the administration of the facility. The upper floor contains the living quarters for these monks, one of whom has a silver holy symbol containing the finger bone of a saint underneath his bed. When the PCs arrive at the monastery, there are two zombified monks downstairs. One monk carries a key ring on his belt with keys to all the locked doors in the monastery.
10. Almonry: The door to this room is locked, and the key is carried by one of the monks in the chapter house (see above). This is where the monks keep wealth to be donated as alms to the poor. The room currently contains 500 GP in coins, as well as clothes, shoes, blankets, and the like. Removing any treasure from this room, however, will cause the PCs to attract the wrath of Marseah, goddess of mercy and hospitality, who will punish them with rainstorms and cause their rations to spoil until appeased by an act of penance.
11. Kitchen: This is a separate building to reduce the risk of fire. There are four zombified monks here, one of whom was once the initiate who brought the curse on the monastery. He carries a bag around his shoulder that contains a thick, heavy ledger. Inside, he has made records of his conversations with "the kind hermit in the woods" and has jotted down a map leading to where he found him harvesting mushrooms. He states that he should return there if the mushrooms prove tasty enough.
12. Hermitage: This is a small cabin set aside for any visiting hermits to take up residence in. There are currently no hermits present, and no valuables.

In addition, the monastery is surrounded by a stone wall that also encloses some farmland, beehives, and animal pens, not included on the map. Nothing of value is found there.

Further Developments

If the PCs return to where they met Mengrenath, they will find no sign of him. However, a DC 15 Investigation check will reveal a trail of footprints in the shape of hooves in the earth. If the PCs follow the trail, they will come upon the mushroom patch the demon harvested his cursed mushrooms from. Alternatively, if the PCs found the initiate's map, they can follow it to the mushroom patch.

Art by Critical Meltdown

There is no sign of Mengrenath at the mushroom patch, either - but it sits beneath the boughs of a large, dead tree, from whence the ground sprouts a nest of pallid toadstools that drip a thick black slime. A close inspection will reveal the mushrooms have markings on the stalks that resemble a ghastly face.

A DC 12 Arcana check, or a DC 20 Nature check, will reveal that these mushrooms are the Fungus of Lamentation. Said to sprout from the grave of a murderer, these mushrooms carry a poison so strong, it is capable of killing those who eat it and animating their bodies as undead.

If a creature eats one of the mushrooms, it must make a DC 17 Constitution save or immediately drop to 0 HP. Any death saves made afterward are made with disadvantage, and any creatures that die as a result rise as zombies three hours past midnight 1d4-1 days later.