Sample file

Credits

Designer: Steve Hill

Editing: Andrew Allen D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay Dungeoncraft Seed Used: This Seems Familiar

Art Director & Graphic Design: Steve Hill, Mathew Moyle

D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Brandy Camel, Lea Helotis, Chris Lindsay, Chris Tulach

D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Ma’at Crook, Amy Lynn Dzura, Claire Hoffman, LaTia Jacquise, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick, Travis Woodall

Playtesters: Michael Balin, Brenda Cormack, Paul Cormack, Daniel Coro, Karl Kloden, Mathew Moyle, Tom Pursey, Bradley Stephens, Zbigniew Zdziarski

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©2019Sample Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Representedfile by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.

Adventure Primer

This adventure is designed for three to seven 5- 10-level characters and is optimized for five Adventure Hooks characters with an average party level (APL) The characters are travelling near the Reghed of 8. Characters outside this level range cannot Glacier, when an avalanche derails them. Here participate in this adventure. are a few suggestions for why they were there: This adventure occurs in the Spine of the Adventure Hook 1. The characters hope to World Mountains, near the Reghed Glacier, to meet with one or more of the Reghed tribes. the South-East of Icewind Dale. Characters with the Sage, Outlander, Uthgardt Tribe Member, or Anthropologist background Background may have a particular interest in the tribes. Adventure Hook 2. The characters are The wizard SMITHBROKE WYRMWOOD has set pursuing a criminal across the glacier. This could up a private preserve in MURDER VALLEY, suit characters with the Outlander, City Watch, where he kidnaps and hunts travellers for sport. or Urban Bounty Hunter backgrounds. He has gathered a collection of misanthropes, Adventure Hook 3. Characters are looking for devotees of Malar, and monsters to help him kill a treasure, or secrets, buried in the ice. This any who find themselves in his preserve. would suit characters with the Criminal or Meanwhile, the party is travelling towards the Archaeologist backgrounds. REGHED GLACIER, to the East of ICEWIND Adventure Hook 4. If characters are involved DALE, when a sudden avalanche – manufactured in the storyline of other Plague of Ancients by Smithbroke – crushes and nearly kills them. adventures, this adventure may take place on the They wake up in the sick game of an evil wizard; way to another adventure around the Reghed only by killing him can they hope to survive. Glacier. Overview The adventure’s story takes approximately 4 hours to play.

 Call to Action: This Seems Familiar A yetis’ cave is a bad place to wake, without weapons. The characters must get out, into the valley.  Part 1: The Forest of Doom! A forest takes up much of the valley, through which the party must pass if they hope to escape.  Part 2: The Tundra of Terror! Wide open tundra is perilous to cross, but the characters must cross if they hope to escape.  Part 3: The Cliffs of Despair! Smithbroke’s home lies here, and the party’s gear is inside. They must defeat the evil wizard and reclaim theirSample stuff. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 3 Call to Action: This Seems Familiar Estimated Duration: 15 minutes

The party wake, and find themselves hanging from the icy ceiling of a cave. Read the following: Stuck in the Ceiling Pulling free from the ceiling requires an action, You didn’t see the avalanche coming. There was and a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. A free no time for fear. There was no time for anything. character may use their action to help a trapped You were lost in white, then in darkness. character. The ceiling is about 15 feet high, and When you come to, you are hanging from the characters take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage ceiling of an icy cave, your feet frozen into the when they break free, unless someone readies an rime. There is a regular crunching sound from action to catch them. A yeti will enter the cave, 1 somewhere nearby, and the smell of slaughter minute after the characters wake up. fills your nostrils. The Letter The characters’ gear (including armour) has been stolen, leaving them with only the clothes A letter has been placed in the pocket of one on their backs. It’s up to you whether this character, they realise this automatically. It’s includes cold weather gear, or not. written on thick parchment, like a spell scroll. It is sealed with red wax, and has: ‘To My Guests’ Setting Information written in a neat hand on the outside. A copy can be found in Appendix 2. It reads: The cave is relatively warm, at least a few degrees above freezing. My dearest guests, Light. There’s no light inside the cave, and it’s midnight when the characters wake up. Unless I'm so glad to have you join me here in my valley. you’re tracking the cycle of the moon in your I hope the avalanche wasn't too onerous. I'm game, assume that it’s a new moon and quite afraid I took the liberty of removing your quaint dark. weapons and equipment. Your gear is safe in my Yetis. The cave is inhabited by yetis, and home, don't worry. smells strongly of blood, offal, and the peculiar As for you, I would like to welcome you to my scents of the creatures. little game. I will be looking for you shortly, as Cracks and Fissures. The cave is riddled with will a number of my friends. I hope you'll give us holes, some small and some huge, many of which good sport; you do look used to fighting for your a medium creature could use to sneak out. lives. But I have been disappointed before. Detritus. The floor of the cave is littered with There's a spot on the wall of my study, where I bones, most from deer, bears, wolves, and other think your heads would fit nicely. The last to die animals. But a scattering of humanoid bones, will get pride of place, of course. If you have any along with the broken remains of weapons and preferences in display, please scream them out armour, shows how diverse their diet can be. before you die. Tunnel. The cave extends from the lower One last thing: the spell on those yetis will slopes of the Spine of the World mountains, expire soon. Please don't linger overlong in their through to this hidden valley. There are two cave. ways out, though one is blocked by the yetis. If the party heads out, past the yetis, and back into Your gracious host, Icewind Dale; they are unlikely to ever recover theirSample equipment, and extremely likely to die of Smithbroke Wyrmwood, Esqfile exposure.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 4 Chased by Yetis An abominable yeti will emerge from a deeper part of the cave, 1 minute after the characters wake up. Any character that has gotten free from the ceiling can attempt to run from the yeti. The cave is full of fissures, cracks, and crawl spaces that are too small for an adult yeti to pass through. Characters who are trying to run must attempt a series of three group checks to get through the cave. Each player may choose to attempt either a Strength (Athletics) check to try to outrun the yeti, or a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to try to squeeze through small spaces where yetis can’t reach. The DC is 10, in either case. A player can choose either type of check, each time. The group may choose to eject the member with the lowest result, before they know whether the group check succeeds or fails. If they do, that player must roll on their own on this and subsequent checks. Three checks are required in total. Every time a lone character fails, they are struck by the yeti’s claws for 2d6 + 7 slashing and 2d6 cold damage. When a group check fails, each character is subjected to the yeti’s ice breath and must attempt a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 10d8 cold damage if they fail, half that on a success. Some players will want to fight the yeti. Without their gear, their chances are not that good. Don’t be afraid to let them fight a round or two before letting them run. If a player carries an unconscious teammate, they have disadvantage on acrobatics checks made to escape. Adjusting the Scene Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene:  Very Weak: Replace abominable yeti with two yetis; halve damage dice from failing acrobatics checks  Weak: The abominable yeti has 100 HP  Strong: Add a yeti and a yeti tyke  Very Strong: Add an abominable yeti and two yeti tykes; double damage from failing acrobatics checks When the party leaves the cave, show the players AppendixSample 3: Crude Items and Appendix 4: Map of file the Valley. The cave contains bones, but no other materials suitable for crafting.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 5 Survival Rules Estimated Duration: n/a

Surviving in hostile conditions is an important don’t have to be in the same skill or tool), to theme in this adventure. This section gives meet exceed the requirement. This doesn’t guidelines for surviving the cold and new rules decrease the crafting time. Crude items may also for crafting and using Crude Items. require a tool: as long as the characters have access to that tool, they can craft the item. These Surviving the Cold tools can be crafted, and since they are required for many items they must be crafted before At the end of every hour the characters spend in characters can make more complicated items. the cold, they must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or suffer a level of Materials exhaustion. If a character is resistant to cold, adapted to cold temperatures, or wearing cold There are several types of material which may be weather gear; they don’t need to make this required for crafting gear. This includes: stone check. (mostly flint), bone, wood (branches through to In general, it takes 5 minutes to cross through heartwood), hide (with or without fur), sinew one of the map squares. This is done for the sake (for tying things together), and feathers. The list of simplicity, and you may wish to use more is intended to be short, and manageable, but also realistic marching speeds. allow DMs to make things feel more complex if A character cannot regain exhaustion gained they wish. from cold exposure, during a long rest, unless Finding the right materials, or hunting animals, they are kept warm throughout. Fires, and other while moving through a map square, requires a forms of heat, may be visible from a distance successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. If because of smoke or melting of ice and snow characters stop in an area for an hour, they make around them. the roll with advantage, but there is a significant risk of encountering enemies. Crude Equipment Generally this gives 1d4+1 units of whatever material is available – enough to make that many If they want to survive the valley, the party will items from the list. However, you might decide to almost certainly need equipment. Crude items be more generous, if your players aren’t enjoying can be improvised from bone, wood, stone, this aspect of the adventure. leather, sinew, feathers, and the like. The purpose of the roll, is to determine Crude items sit somewhere between regular whether a character can find suitable materials items and improvised ones. A crude weapon uses for crafting. This is sometimes a matter of finding the character’s full proficiency bonus to attack, the material, for example finding flint among but breaks if the player rolls a 1 on their attack other stones; and sometimes about whether the roll. A crude item can be repaired with 1 minute character can get a good piece of material, like of work. finding the right tree to make a spear, while in Appendix 3 lists everything needed to make a the middle of a forest. Different materials are variety of crude items. The list is not exhaustive, best obtained in different areas: and DMs may allow anything else they feel is reasonable.  Wood is found in the forest and dead forest. It takes 30 minutes to make a crude item, and  Stone is best found at the edges of the valley. each one has a required skill modifier which  Bone, hide, sinew, and feathers, are best found Sampleby hunting in the forest . file characters must meet. Multiple characters can work together to combine their modifiers (which

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 6 Looting Equipment Characters may also find equipment in the hands of their enemies, or in hidden places. Several monster statblocks, in the Creature Statistics section, have sidebars listing the items they carry. But you may wish to add more if your party is really struggling. Spell Components Characters may discover material components for their spells while travelling around the valley. They will have a difficult time finding components with a cost in gp, but others may be discovered at the DM’s discretion. Some (like fleece, or white cloth) could be taken from character’s own clothing. Some (like mistletoe, feathers, bark, root shavings, etc) may be found in the forest. Some (like sulphur, phosphorus, powdered iron, etc) may be discovered in the wizard’s tower in the forest. It’s up to you what can be found where. If a character is looking for a specific material, and you aren’t sure whether or not there is any there, they should succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find it. On a failure, there isn’t any of that material in the area. Otherwise you can simply award any items on the list you feel would be appropriate. Adventurers’ League Legal Note This adventure is intended to fully comply with the rules of the Dungeoncraft program, in order to be playable in Adventurers’ League games. As such the following point needs to be made clear: No gear that is crafted or looted in this adventure, may be kept after the module ends. Only items called out in the ‘Treasure’ subheadings can legally be taken by characters in Adventurers’ League games. Likewise, the crude item crafting rules should not be used in any other module. These restrictions only affect Adventurers’ League playSample. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 7 Part 1: The Forest of Doom! Estimated Duration: 75 minutes

The forest stretches for as far as the eye can see, the sheer walls of the valley rising even higher Hunters! above them. For mile upon mile, the forest Smithbroke and his friends employ a large stretches. Once it took up most of the valley, but number of beaters. Their job is to make noise, the long winter has taken a toll on the deciduous and try to scare the characters out into the open. trees in the Southern part of the valley, and only Clever players may avoid them, and they are not pines and other evergreens make up the living much of a threat. You may choose from the forest. following three scenarios, when you roll the Setting Information hunters encounter: Pine trees make up the majority of the forest, Beaters and are mostly unaffected by the long winter. A berserker leads a group of six tribal Light. It is overcast, just after midnight, and warriors, and three wolves. The tribal warriors the moon is dim. A darker night could hardly be carry torches, the light from which can be imagined. spotted from a hundred feet away through the Pines. The snow lies thick among the pines. trees. Only run this encounter once, if time is a There’s no bushes, no creepers, no grass. The factor. pines have strangled out all but the hardiest of other trees. A single, lonely oak stands here and Adjusting the Scene there, its naked braches hanging over the eternal Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: pines. Messages. Here and there someone has carved  Very Weak: Remove a wolf and the berserker  something into the bark of a nearby tree. Weak: Remove four tribal warriors  Sometimes these are arrows that lead nowhere, Strong: Add a wolf  Very Strong: Add a wolf and a berserker or cryptic words in a random language, or woodcraft symbols known to rangers or druids. Sometimes they even give useful information. Fire Hunger. The animals here are skinny, mangy, The beaters have set a portion of the forest on and afraid. Starving squirrels watch from fire. Because of the permanent winter, this branches, while here and there a lone wolf waits doesn’t turn into a completely uncontrolled for easy game. forest fire, but it does burn rapidly through a square of the map. The party must outrun the Whenever the party enters a forest square, or flames, or risk smoke inhalation or even burns. stays in a place that isn’t safe to rest for 10 The party should make three DC 12 group minutes or more, roll a d6. If the result is 1, they Strength (Athletics) checks. After each check, the encounter a party of hunters, on 2 they party may abandon the lowest rolling character encounter wild animals, on a 3-6 they get lucky from the total, by literally leaving them behind. and don’t encounter anything. The encounters From this point on, that individual makes their are described below. Characters may attempt to athletics rolls independently of the group. This avoid detection, in the forest, even while moving. choice should be made before the party knows Compare the result of a group Dexterity (Stealth) whether they succeed or fail. check, against the Passive Perceptions of the On their first failure, a character must make a enemies. The following encounters may occur, in DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain a level Sampleof exhaustion. file the forest:

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 8 On their second failure, a character must make will surge over and around trees, heading a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, or gain the straight for the party. poisoned condition for 1 hour, due to smoke Each character on the ground must make a DC inhalation. 12 Dexterity saving throw to swing up into a On their third failure, a character takes 4d8 tree, or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage as they’re fire damage, as the flames close in on them. knocked down and trampled. After the third athletics roll, whether If a stampede occurs while the party is resting, successful or not, the party reaches a natural or crafting crude items, they make the save with firebreak, such as a rocky outcropping, a frozen disadvantage. clearing, or similar, and escapes the flames. Cache Snares Hidden away, in the roots of a tree or under a big Hunters have left traps lying around the forest. obvious rock, is a small collection of useful goods As the party passes into this area, they see the that some previous adventurer trapped in the skinned body of a rabbit hanging from a branch. valley must have hidden away. Different caches A character may succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence may contain different items, but could include: (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check, to spot a net hidden under the snow. When anyone  A tinderbox, dagger, and a pair of snowshoes. touches the bait, the net rises 30 feet, restraining  A holy symbol of Tyr, three torches, and a net. all creatures within 10 feet.  Five days of rations, and 50 feet of hemp rope. A character can escape from the trap by  A woodcarver’s kit, a shield, and a blowgun. succeeding on a DC 10 Strength check, or by dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10). This is a good way to give the party items they need, but be careful not to make things too easy. Wild Things! River The hunters are disrupting and scattering the local wildlife. Choose one of the following three The river is completely frozen over, but still encounters, whenever a wild encounter occurs. flows beneath the ice. Trees grow so thickly near the river, that their branches intertwine in places Bears and a light person can walk from branch to A family of bears is searching for food. Gaunt and branch as easily as on the ground. This makes it sickly from starvation, they are more focused on easy to hide from pursuit, and the party can take a short rest without risk of random encounters. eating than fighting. There are two polar bears. Unfortunately, there are things that live in the Only run this encounter once, if time is a factor. thickest parts of the forest, that will eventually find the characters if they linger here. If the party Adjusting the Scene stays in this area for an hour or more, they will Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: be attacked by a grell and two chokers. They  Very Weak: Remove one polar bear work together to attack vulnerable creatures and  Weak: Replace a polar bear with a brown bear have no interest in drawn out combat, preferring  Strong: Add a brown bear to drag a lone victim away to be devoured.  Very Strong: Add a polar bear Adjusting the Scene Stampede Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: The hunters have disturbed animals that remain  Very Weak: Remove two chokers in the forest. A torrent of creatures, from mice  Weak: Remove one choker andSample rabbits all the way up to deer and moose, file  Strong: Replace a choker with a grell  Very Strong: Replace two chokers with grells

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 9 octopus tentacle, phosphorus, salt, soot, sulphur, Mage’s Tower and any other materials you like might be found. The top of this ruined tower can be seen above the trees for miles in all directions. When it was Shrine of Malar new, an entire village grew up around the tower. But nothing remains now. Run this section if the This glade is strung with entrails. Bones (many party decides to explore the old tower. of them humanoid) are hammered into tree The area around the tower is filled with the trunks, and the trees are marked with claw translucent forms of humanoids: most dressed in marks that constantly weep sap. An altar to common clothes, some dressed like adventurers, Malar is carved out of a massive tree stump. and others are painted with claw marks and holy A Chwinga resides in this section of forest, and symbols of Malar. These are not real ghosts, but is distraught at the pollution of the trees. A psychic projections created by the inhabitants of character who helps heal the claw marks, repair the tower. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 damage, or bury body parts; could earn the Intelligence (Investigation) check, realises this. favour of this elemental spirit. You can award a The stairs inside the tower seem to crumble charm, as per the chwinga statblock, or give that underfoot, and characters who want to climb it character the benefit of a short rest. will have to scramble, climb, and jump their way up. A successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) Leaving the Forest! check, is required to climb to the top. Those that fail will fall, and take 5d6 falling damage. The As the party emerges from the cover of the shattered bones of a forgotten adventurer lie on forest, they are spotted by the archer Jor Moline, the floor, by the foot of the stairs. They were one of Smithbroke’s many guests. He’s followed carrying a set of thieves’ tools and a dagger. by two spies. All three had their brains replaced The tower is very fragile: walls, floors, and by intellect devourers after an incident in the ceilings caught in area of effect spells collapse. Mage’s Tower a few days ago. Characters caught in a collapsing section, must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, or Adjusting the Scene take 6d6 bludgeoning damage and be restrained Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: under stones until they succeed on a DC 16 Strength check to escape.  Very Weak: Remove two spies and two intellect At the top of the tower is an old alchemy lab, devourers with six human brains floating in glass jars.  Weak: Remove two intellect devourers Among these, are two brains in a jar and an  Strong: Replace a spy with an archer intellect devourer. The brains carry out an  Very Strong: Add an archer and an intellect devourer ancient scheme for power, trying to put intellect devourers in the bodies of anyone they can. Jor and his retinue are experienced hunters, and will chase the party into the forest if necessary. Adjusting the Scene Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: Jor Moline Neutral evil, human archer  Very Weak: Remove one brain in a jar  Weak: Remove intellect devourer The man that Jor used to be is dead, all that remains is  Strong: Add two intellect devourers the intellect devourer that impersonates him.  Very Strong: Add a brain in a jar and two intellect What they want. To capture humanoids alive and devourers take them to his masters in the ruined tower. Hidden Agenda. Jor is desperate to hide his current TheSample lab is full of jars, beakers, vials, and tubes allegiances from the other hunters,file and will go to any of preserved spell components. Eye of newt, lengths to protect his secret. grave dirt, iron filings, lodestone, mercury,

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 10 Part 2: The Tundra of Terror! Estimated Duration: 1 hour

As the party breaks free from the forest, they see Malarite Murderers a wide expanse of snow stretching before them. A large number of the valley’s residents worship In the distance, high on the cliffs at the foot of the Malar, god of hunting, brutality, and predators. valley, stand buildings whose lights twinkle in Groups of cultists move in packs, descending on the clear night air. There seems to be only one anyone they see in a killing frenzy. Sometimes safe way up, guarded by a set of squat buildings they are accompanied by some of Smithbroke’s wrapped in a wooden palisade. more accomplished guests and servants. One of these, a veteran leads a group of two cultists, Setting Information and a cult fanatic. Only run this encounter once, if time is a factor. The snow offers little cover, and the lights of torches can be seen in the distance. It is possible Adjusting the Scene to move unseen by using snowdrifts, fallen trees, Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: and other natural features, but it’s difficult. Stealth checks to move unseen should be made  Very Weak: Remove the veteran and one cultist with disadvantage, due to the lack of suitable  Weak: Remove the cult fanatic cover.  Strong: Add four cultists Light. Whether day or night, it is dark enough  Very Strong: Add a cult fanatic, and four cultists that the hunters still feel the need for torches. Snowdrifts. Snow lays unevenly, here and Fireball! there, some spots deep enough to bury an ogre With a whizzing sound, something passes high upright. Patches of especially thick snow are overhead and a bead of red light falls to earth, marked on the map with the snowdrift symbol. blossoming into a fireball. It only catches 1d4 – 1 Wind. There is no protection from the biting, characters of your choice, as Smithbroke is only arctic wind that howls across the valley, bringing trying to scare the party and doesn’t take the frost in its wake. time to aim properly. Affected characters take Howls. Wolf packs howl to each other across 8d6 fire damage, or half that with a successful DC the tundra, but no matter how they look the 15 Dexterity save. characters can find no signs of wolves. The wizard doesn’t hang around after casting the spell, and doesn’t go back for another pass. When the party enter a new tundra map square or spend more than 10 minutes in one Pit Trap place, roll a d6. On a result of 1, they encounter a Over the last few years, hunters and the hunted party of hunters; on a 2, they encounter local have placed traps throughout the area. As the wildlife; and on 3-6, they encounter nothing. party enters this square, the first character in While on the tundra, the party may encounter marching order must succeed on a DC 12 the following challenges: Dexterity save, or fall 10 feet onto a set of crude spikes, taking 1d6 bludgeoning and 1d6 piercing Hunters! damage. The hunters in this area are searching for the Wild Things! characters. They are not well organised, though, and may be outflanked, surprised, or avoided The tundra is filled with dangers, some living, Sampleothers environmental. If youfile roll this result, use entirely. When you roll the hunters, you may choose one of the following options: one of these encounters.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 11 Winter Wolves Deep Snowdrifts! Howls fill the night air, and before the characters can do anything to prepare themselves they see Marked here and there on the map, are areas of glowing blue eyes in the darkness. A winter wolf deep snow. Whenever the party moves into one leads a pack of five wolves, all ravenously of these areas, they are pursued by two hungry. If you wish, the party may encounter the burrowing young remorhaz. Furrows in the wolves as they gather around the body of a fallen snow move at 40 feet per round, as the creatures cultist, if you do – treat the wolves’ Passive dash towards the party, steam bursting from the Perception as 5 lower than normal. Only run this ground as they move. Most player characters can encounter once, if time is a factor. outrun the remorhaz, which chase the party until the deep soft snow ends and rocky outcroppings Adjusting the Scene thrust free from the powder. If they choose to Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: run, don’t run a chase scene, just have each character attempt a DC 12 Constitution saving  Very Weak: Remove a winter wolf and a wolf throw – gaining a level of exhaustion on a failed  Weak: Remove three wolves save. If they choose to fight, the remorhaz will  Strong: Replace a wolf with a winter wolf focus on whichever character looks most injured.  Very Strong: Add a winter wolf and a wolf Remorhaz Burrows Adjusting the Scene A sudden blizzard whips up, the night suddenly Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: so thick with snow that characters cannot see  Very Weak: Remove a young remorhaz more than ten feet in front of them. The blizzard  Weak: young remorhaz only deal 1d6 fire damage lasts for 30 minutes (during which time random when attacking or hit. encounters don’t occur), and characters who  Strong: young remorhaz now deal 3d6 fire damage don’t find shelter in the first minute must when attacking or hit. succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, or  Very Strong: Add a young remorhaz gain a level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance to cold make the save with advantage. Frozen Lake The character with the highest passive Perception notices a slight depression in the The lake is covered with a thick layer of ice that snow, which seems large enough to fit all of the is mostly strong enough to take the weight of a party. It turns out to be the entrance to an icy group of adventurers. However, there are some cave that goes directly down into the snow dangers to travelling across lake squares: below. The cave is perfectly circular, 10 feet in Firstly, the ice is slippery, and characters that diameter, and curves back and forth here and move faster than half their normal movement there. The walls are smooth, and it looks like the speed must pass a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) ice has dripped downwards, as though check, to avoid falling prone at the end of their something incredibly hot passed through here. movement. Eventually, if they continue exploring, Secondly, sections of ice are treacherously characters will encounter a massive bug-like thin. Have one character attempt a DC 13 carapace, like a massive centipede. A DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check, every time the group Intelligence (Nature) check, recognises it as the enters a new lake square. On a failure, that exoskeleton of a remhoraz. There are no live character steps on a thin patch of ice, which specimens in this area, and these tunnels are cracks underneath them. They fall into the many months old, as a character that succeeds freezing lake water, and must succeed on a DC on a DC 18 Intelligence (History or Nature) check 10 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of realises. exhaustion. Sample In addition to these dangers,file normal tundra encounters may occur.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 12 Dead Forest Leaving the Tundra! Most of the forest has enough pines, and other As the characters begin trying to make their way evergreens, to keep it green and lush. This part, up the mountainside, they are spotted and however, is filled with deciduous trees: elms, attacked by Ver’iln Verdiss – another of ash, oaks, and many other species. Their barren Smithbroke’s guests. This haughty high elf branches provide little cover from detection knight, rides a warhorse skeleton, and is from the air, and creatures of the tundra roam accompanied by a retinue consisting of a cult freely inside. fanatic and six cultists. Ver’iln is arrogantly Smithbroke dumps most of the bodies of his convinced of her own invulnerability, and will kills here, where the evil that pervades the valley not offer quarter or run away – regardless of twists whatever remains of their souls, and what happens. Depending on which way the raises their bodies into a horrific imitation of life. characters choose to climb the cliffs, they may A deathlock wight, a ghoul, and two skeletons, encounter Ver’iln on a level path or a rise from their resting places under the snow. treacherous slope. Clever players may work out Each is missing their head, trophies taken by ways to use the terrain to their advantage; if Smithbroke for his walls. They can still see, hear, Ver’iln somehow tumbles off a cliff assume it’s a and understand Common, however. They attack fatal fall. out of anger and pain, but can be reasoned with: if a character offers to retrieve their heads, or to Adjusting the Scene kill Smithbroke, they let the party go. No check is Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: required.  Only run this encounter once, if time is a factor. Very Weak: Remove cult fanatic and six cultists  Weak: Remove three cultists  Strong: Add two cult fanatics Adjusting the Scene  Very Strong: Add a knight, a warhorse skeleton, and Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: a cult fanatic  Very Weak: Replace deathlock wight with two If a character decides to don her plate armour, skeletons no enemies find the party until they’re finished.  Weak: Replace deathlock wight with two ghouls Her armour is coloured blue and gold, with a  Strong: Add two ghouls crimson stripe down the middle.  Very Strong: Add a deathlock wight and a ghoul After running this encounter, or if you’re running Ver’iln Verdiss low on time, consider running the below instead: Lawful evil, elven knight

Bear Traps A knight of Waterdeep, a paladin of Tyr, and a noble and Among the bodies of dead adventurers, lie old steady hand against evil; this is the woman Ver’iln once and rusted traps placed many years ago. The was. If she had not been so driven to kill, to hunt, and character in the lead must attempt a DC 13 occasionally to eat those she killed; she may have Dexterity save, or be caught by a bear trap and remained among the most noble of knights. take 1d4 piercing damage. A character damaged What they want. Ver’iln has only ever been good at by the trap must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution killing, at combat and violence. She uses it to prove to herself that she has value, and to be defeated or to flee save or be poisoned for 1 hour. would be to betray everything she values about herself. A character can escape from the trap with a Twisted Honour. Despite her violent nature, Ver’iln is successful DC 13 Strength check, taking 1 not without a sense of justice. It’s just that, in her mind piercing damage on a failure. at least, the characters are guilty of uncounted sins, as is Sampleeveryone in this misbegotten Dale.file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 13 Part 3: The Cliffs of Despair! Estimated Duration: 90 minutes

The entire valley is hedged in by sheer cliffs, whose impossible climbs are marked by the Hunters! broken corpses of fallen mountain goats, and A large number of hunters swarm this area. covered with snow that threatens to collapse at Many are wizards trying to gain Smithbroke’s any moment. To the North, the valley rises to a trust, and mentorship. The following encounters higher shelf, on which a traveller may find a may occur when the party enters a new square. passage out of the place. Imposing cliffs mark the ascent between the Wizards lower and higher areas of the valley, and there An illusionist, who is trying to get into are several ways up. A wide trail, obviously Smithbroke’s good graces, stumbles across the travelled by many pairs of feet, rises to a fortified party. They are accompanied by a cult fanatic, camp built in the style of mercenary companies and two cultists. If time is a factor, only run this everywhere. The cliffs themselves can be encounter once. climbed, although the ascent is dangerous, especially without proper gear and harnesses. Adjusting the Scene Setting Information Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene:  Very Weak: Remove cult fanatic and two cultists The cliffs are sheer, and covered with frost and  Weak: Remove cult fanatic snow. They lead towards a hunting lodge, and  Strong: Add a cult fanatics out of the valley entirely.  Very Strong: Add a cult fanatic and two cultists Light. Darkness pervades the valley, but the light of torches twinkle like stars in the forest Roaming Nightmare below. The cliffs have been tainted by the magic of many Danger. Steep, sheer cliffs are not a safe place wizards, and the deaths and tortured spirits of to live. Wind, ice, and a long drop are a terrible many humanoids. The magic takes the form of combination. the deepest fear of the first character to enter Magical Residue. Strange shapes hang in the this map square. All characters must attempt a air a moment and vanish. Every now and then DC 13 Wisdom save, against fear. Since this is a you’ll see a colour from outside the visible personal fear everyone, except the character spectrum staining a rock or a bush. Voices ring who spawned it, may attempt the save with out, speaking words of silence. advantage. If a creature fails, they take 2d6 psychic damage and are paralysed with fear for 1 When the party enters a new cliff square on minute. the map, that doesn’t have a specific event tied to it, roll a d6. Also roll a d6 whenever the party Forgotten Illusion remains in one place for more than 10 minutes. As they go around the cliff area, the illusionist On a result of 1-2, the party encounter a group of wizards practice their magic. As a result, the hunters, who are much more common up here characters may come across illusions that near their base camp; on a 3-6, no encounter conceal hazards. Have the first character in line happens. There are no significant populations of attempt a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, or fall wild animals up here, certainly nothing that off the cliff. They take 2d6 bludgeoning damage, might attack a group of humanoids. and fall 20 feet – onto a ledge, or a bush growing Sampleout of the cliff face. The characterfile must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, to climb back up.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 14 If a character is actively looking for traps, narrow gate, wide enough to allow a single hazards, enemies, etc, they may attempt a DC 13 mounted soldier, is the only way through Intelligence (Investigation) check, to discover without climbing the sheer cliffs. The doors lie the illusion. If they fail, they must attempt the open, and the camp is visible beyond. Dexterity save, as before. The camp is built into a wide, flat portion of path, but the space is no wider than fifty feet at Climbing the Cliffs its broadest. A mess hall with a single long table, a temple to Malar covered in bloody handprints, The cliffs are extremely dangerous, and the climb and a hut crowded with sleeping mats, are the is long and difficult. A character who attempts only buildings in the camp. Another open gate the climb must succeed on a DC 15 Strength lies at the far end. (Athletics) check every round to make any Most of the camp’s garrison have gone out to progress. If they fail the check by 5 or more, they hunt the party. Only a berserker, and four tribal slip down 20 feet, taking 2d6 damage before warriors remain, playing cards in the mess hall they’re able to grab a hold of something and – when they’re supposed to be watching the steady them self. mountainside. A spy, the sergeant on watch, is The top of the cliffs are 200 feet above the praying alone in the temple. valley floor. If characters are able to use or improvise climbing gear, you may choose to Adjusting the Scene allow advantage on the Athletics check. Or to Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: allow characters to steady themselves so they  Very Weak: Remove berserker don’t fall on a failure.  Weak: Replace berserker with a spy Additionally, every two to four rounds of  Strong: Add a spy climbing, something should happen to liven  Very Strong: Add a berserker things up. Choose from the following list:

 A character of your choice puts their hand into Hunter’s Lodge an old bird’s nest. It contains scraps of egg, and The lodge is built and positioned to overlook the a single rusted piton. rest of the valley. Although built in a rustic style,  A wind whips up, right as the party are it is constructed of only the finest materials. Its moving. Every character makes their climbing chalet-style roof descends sharply from the top check with disadvantage this turn. of the second floor, to within a few feet of the  The foremost character accidentally disturbs a ground – giving the building a triangular shape. stone. The rearmost character must attempt a Inside, every wall on the ground and first floor DC 13 Dexterity save, to avoid being hit in the holds stuffed and mounted humanoid heads on face, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a plaques. They are posed in snarls, grimaces, or failure. roars: exposing all of their teeth. Here and there,  A patch of ice lies above. Characters must larger specimens like a dragonborn or goliath, spend two turns going around it, or attempt a have had their entire body stuffed and posed climbing check with disadvantage to climb the with their arms out as though ready to grab sheer, slippery surface. anyone who walks too close.  A leering, illusionary face suddenly appears The ground floor of the chalet is dominated by before the foremost character. They must a large living room, with a couple of modest succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom save, against fear, bedrooms at the far end. There is little furniture, or lose their grip and fall. in these rooms, but what there is looks expensive and tasteful. The Camp The first floor is dominated by a massive Samplebalcony that overlooks thefile valley. A study takes A wall, made of logs driven into the gravel and up one end of the building, with a couple of stone of the mountainside, blocks the path. A

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 15 bookcases filled with relatively common arcane and most of the taxidermy heads have also been tomes (the magical equivalent of light reading), treated to resist fire, so he has no qualms about and pulpy action novels. Under an exquisite rug, unleashing area of effect spells in his own home. with sigils for each of the eight schools of magic, He will sculpt his spells, where possible, around lies a teleportation circle. Anyone who wishes to Billings, the servant trusting him implicitly. can attempt to memorise the sigils on the circle, as per the spell teleportation circle. Adjusting the Scene The cellar is relatively large, and contains a Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: kitchen, pantry, store room full of taxidermy heads, and a workroom with a couple of heads  Very Weak: Remove evoker partway through the taxidermy process. There is  Weak: Replace evoker with a mage a small cot set up in the workroom, right under  Strong: Replace mage with an evoker  the heads of a tiefling and a halfling. Very Strong: Replace mage with an archmage Treasure As the party enter the house, they are greeted by Smithbroke has left an arcane grimoire +1 in the manservant, Billings. This elderly half-elf, his study, surrounded by pulpy novels. He also leads the characters to their gear, which has keeps meticulous records of every kill he ever been arranged in neat piles. He shows no sign of made, including names (or descriptions where hostile intent, his master’s hobby being no he doesn’t know it), time and date of death, how business of his. He is a spy, and will fight only if long they lasted, and how they died. It could be attacked. worth as much as 200gp to a collector of the Billings will inform the characters that his macabre. The 118 heads in his collection could master has been summoned (once they step also be sold for 10gp each, and the 5 full-body through the door and activate the alarm spell), trophies for 100gp each, though finding a buyer and will return soon. If the characters are polite, interested in that sort of thing won’t be easy. he offers them wine and little sandwiches, and In the cellar, Billings keeps a potion of healing generally treats them as honoured guests. in the kitchen, next to the tomato sauce. There is also a needle which contains an illuminator’s Billings tattoo, sitting in the bench in the workroom. True neutral, half-elven spy Smithbroke Wyrmwood The trusted right hand of an evil wizard. It’s only a job, Chaotic evil, human evoker though, and he takes no pleasure in doing it.

What they want. Dependable work for a master who Smithbroke is a man of contradictions. Well, not really. pays well and gives him adequate time off. But he’s at least civil about his over the top villainy. Professional. Has nothing personal against the party, What they want. Power, fame, and immortality. The or any other adventurer whose head he stuffed for his killing people in a secret valley is more of a weekend master. Treats everyone in a polite manner, and is getaway kind of deal for him. He does it to unwind and discrete about his master’s foibles. destress from the grind of wizarding. Smithbroke arrives 5 minutes behind the Sportsman. He believes in a weird sort of fairness, characters (or after they’ve put on their armour, giving the party time to run, and even recover their whichever takes longer), cradling his wizard’s gear. He wants the best fight, the best story he can get; and if that includes his death and resurrection via clone staff in the crook of his arm like a heavy he can accept that too. crossbow. He is an evoker, who is accompanied by a weakened simulacrum of himself (use mage stats). Smithbroke considers the characters to be far more valuable trophies, since they’ve proved howSample tough and resourceful they are. There are file charms in his house that reduce the risk of fire,

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 16 Conclusion

When Smithbroke dies, a clone he prepared will instantly awaken in one of his other homes somewhere in Faerun. Because the hunting lodge is only an occasional retreat for the evil wizard, it may be some time before he chooses to return. In the meantime, the manservant Billings will try to ingratiate himself to the party. He is well aware that his master will return to life, but is careful not to mention this without lying. If the characters move on, Smithbroke will not pursue them. After all, they won his game, and he is a good sport about the whole thing. But if they decide to stay in his house, or ruin it – well that’s breaking the rules, and that means playtime is over.

If this was run as an Adventurer’s League legal game, any crude items that were crafted in the valley break apart, or are discarded, and the rules for crafting them only function in other modules if the DM running them chooses to allow it. Any other items taken from enemies (those mentioned in their stat blocks, or not explicitly called out in ‘Treasure’ sections), also disappear. If this was not AL legal, those items are fair game.

Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 17 Rewards At the end of the session, the characters receive rewards based upon their accomplishments.

Character Rewards Dungeon Master Rewards The characters earn the following rewards: For running this adventure, one of your characters gains a level. That character receives Advancement gold based on their tier prior to advancement: Upon successfully completing this adventure, each character gains a level. At their discretion, Tier GP Earned 1 80 gp they may choose to decline advancement. 2 240 gp Remind your players that the amount of gold 3 1,600 gp that their characters can earn per level is 4 6,000 gp limited; declining advancement means that they may reach a point where they earn no gold. You may also complete DM Quests for running this adventure. See the Adventurers League Gold Dungeon Master’s Guide for more information. Award each character gold for each hour of the session. Adventures typically features cues for this, but you can add it where you see fit. The maximum gold that you can award a character per hour is determined by their tier, as follows:

Tier Hourly GP Award GP Limit per Level 1 20 gp 80 gp 2 30 gp 240 gp 3 200 gp 1,600 gp 4 750 gp 6,000 gp

Magic Item(s) If found during the adventure, the characters can keep the following magic items; these items are described in Appendix 1:

 Arcane grimoire +1  Illuminator’s tattoo  Potion of healing Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 18 Creature Statistics

Abominable Yeti Archer Huge monstrosity, chaotic evil Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armour Class 15 (natural armour) Armour Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 137 (11d12 + 66) Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 24 (+7) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 9 (-1) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)

Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4 Skills Acrobatics + 6, Perception +5 Damage Immunities cold Senses passive Perception 15 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages any one language (usually Common) Languages Yeti Challenge 3 (700 XP) Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Archer’s Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer can Fear of Fire. If the yeti takes fire damage, it has add 1d10 to its next attack or damage roll with a disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the longbow or shortbow. end of its next turn. Actions Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its longbow. Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Actions Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range Multiattack. The yeti can use its Chilling Gaze and 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. makes two claw attacks. Items Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one The archer carries a longbow, quiver with 20 arrows target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) (minus any used in combat), shortsword, studded cold damage. leather armour, cold weather gear, and 50 ft. of hemp Chilling Gaze. The yeti targets one creature it can see rope. They have 1d6 platinum, 1d8 gold, and 1d10 within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the yeti, the electrum pieces. target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw against this magic or take 21 (6d6) cold damage and then be paralyzed for 1 minute, unless it is immune to cold damage. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the target’s saving throw is successful, or if the effect ends on it, the target is immune to this yeti’s gaze for 1 hour. Cold Breath (Recharge 6). The yeti exhales a 30-foot cone of frigid air. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successfulSample one. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 19 Archmage Berserker Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any chaotic alignment Armour Class 12 (15 with mage armour) Armour Class 13 (hide armour) Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18) Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)

Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +6 Senses passive Perception 10 Skills Arcana +13, History +13 Languages any one language (usually Common) Damage Resistance damage from spells; nonmagical Challenge 2 (450XP) bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (from stoneskin) Senses passive Perception 12 Reckless. At the start of its turn, the berserker can gain Languages any six languages advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. Magic Resistance. The archmage has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Spellcasting. The archmage is an 18th-level spellcaster. Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. to hit with spell attacks). The archmage can cast disguise self and invisibility at will and has the following wizard Items spells prepared: The berserker carries a greataxe, and a deck of playing cards. They carry 1d6 gold, and 1d8 silver pieces. Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, mage armour*, magic missile 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, misty step 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly, lightning bolt 4th level (3 slots): banishment, fire shield, stoneskin* 5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, wall of force 6th level (1 slot): globe of invulnerability 7th level (1 slot): teleport 8th level (1 slot): mind blank* 9th level (1 slot): time stop *The archmage casts these spells on itself before combat.

Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Items Smithbroke (as an archmage) carries a spellcasting focus (staffSample), dagger, and cold weather gear. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 20 Brain in a Jar Brown Bear Small undead, any alignment Large beast, unaligned Armour Class 11 (natural armour) Armour Class 11 (natural armour) Hit Points 55 (10d6 + 20) Hit Points 34 (4d10 + 12) Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover) Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 13 (+1) 7 (-2)

Saving Throws Int +6, Cha +4 Skills Perception + 3 Damage Immunities poison Senses passive Perception 13 Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralysed, poisoned, Languages – prone Challenge 1 (200 XP) Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom Languages the languages it knew in life (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Challenge 3 (700 XP) Actions Detect Sentience. The brain can sense the presence and location of any creature within 300 feet of it that has an Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks: one with its Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing bite and one with its claws. barriers, unless the creature is protected by a mind Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one blank spell. target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The brain’s innate Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: At will: chill touch (see “Actions” below), detect thoughts, mage hand, zone of truth 3/day each: charm person, hold person 1/day each: compulsion, hold monster, sleep (3rd level version), Tasha’s hideous laughter Magic Resistance. The brain has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magic effects. Unusual Nature. The brain doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Chill Touch (Cantrip). Ranged Spell Attack: + 6 to hit, range 120 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) necrotic damage, and the target can’t regain hit points until the start of the brain’s next turn. If the target is undead, it also has disadvantage on attack rolls against the brain until the end of the brain’s next turn. Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The brain in a jar magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or take 17 (3d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,Sample ending the effect on itself on a success. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 21 Choker Chwinga Small aberration, chaotic evil Tiny elemental, neutral Armour Class 16 (natural armour) Armour Class 15 Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3) Hit Points 5 (2d4) Speed 30 ft. Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) 1 (-5) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)

Skills Stealth +6 Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +7, Stealth +7 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages Deep Speech Languages – Challenge 1 (200 XP) Challenge 0 (0 XP)

Aberrant Quickness (Recharges after a Short or Long Evasion. When the chwinga is subjected to an effect Rest). The choker can take an extra action on its turn. that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw or take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it Boneless. The choker can move through and occupy a succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it space as narrow as 4 inches wide without squeezing. fails. Spider Climb. The choker can climb difficult surfaces, Innate Spellcasting. The chwinga’s innate spellcasting including upside down on ceilings, without needing to ability is Wisdom. It can innately cast the following make an ability check. spells, requiring no material or verbal components: Actions At will: druidcraft, guidance, pass without trace, Multiattack. The choker makes two tentacle attacks. resistance Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10ft., Unusual Nature. The chwinga doesn’t require air, food, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 or drink. When it dies, it turns into a handful of flower (1d6) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller petals, a cloud of pollen, a stone statuette resembling its creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple former self, a tiny sphere of smooth stone, or a puddle ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can’t use of fresh water (your choice). this tentacle on another target. The choker has two tentacles. If this attack is a critical hit, the target also Actions can’t breathe or speak until this grapple ends. Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a humanoid it can see within 5 feet of it. The target gains a supernatural charm of the DM’s choice. See the Dungeon Master’s Guide for information on supernatural charms. Natural Shelter. The chwinga magically takes shelter inside a rock, a living plant, or a natural source of fresh water in its space. The chwinga can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect while inside this shelter, and the shelter doesn’t impair the chwinga’s blindsight. The chwinga can use its action to emerge from a shelter. If its shelter is destroyed, the chwinga is forced out and appears in the shelter’s space, but is otherwise unharmed. Items SampleThe chwinga collects pretty rocks,file and may offer them to characters if it feels they need help.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 22 Cult Fanatic Cultist Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment Armour Class 13 (leather armour) Armour Class 12 (leather armour) Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) Hit Points 9 (2d8) Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)

Skills Deception +4, Persuasion + 4, Religion +2 Skills Deception +2, Religion +2 Senses passive Perception 11 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any one language (usually Common) Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. throws against being charmed or frightened.

Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its Actions spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks). The fanatic has the following cleric Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., spells prepared: one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage. Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy Items 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of The cultist carries a scimitar, leather armour, cold faith weather gear, and two torches. They carry 1d6 copper 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon pieces.

Actions Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Items The cult fanatic carries a holy symbol (amulet) of Malar, dagger, leather armour, cold weather gear, and a tinderbox. They have 1d6 silver, and 1d8 copper pieces. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 23 Deathlock Wight Evoker Medium undead, neutral evil Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armour Class 12 (15 with mage armour) Armour Class 12 (15 with mage armour) Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15) Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12) Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)

Saving Throws Wis +4 Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +5 Skills Arcana +4, Perception +4 Skills Arcana +7, History +7 Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, Senses passive Perception 11 and slashing from nonmagical attacks Languages any four languages Damage Immunities poison Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcster. Its Languages the languages it knew in life spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to Challenge 3 (700 XP) hit with spell attacks). The evoker has the following wizard spells prepared: Innate Spellcasting. The wight’s innate spellcasting Cantrips (at will): fire bolt*, light*, prestidigitation, ray ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast of frost* the following spells, requiring no verbal or material 1st level (4 slots): burning hands*, mage armour, magic components: missile* At will: detect magic, disguise self, mage armour 2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step, shatter* 1/day each: fear, hold person, misty step 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball*, lightning bolt* 4th level (3 slots): ice storm*, stoneskin Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wight has 5th level (2 slots): Bigby’s hand*, cone of cold* disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 6th level (1 slot): chain lightning*, wall of ice* (Perception) checks that rely on sight. *Evocation spell Actions Sculpt Spells. When the evoker casts an evocation spell Multiattack. The wight attacks twice with Grave Bolt. that forces other creatures it can see to make a saving throw, it can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the Grave Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 ft., spell’s level. These creatures automatically succeed on one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) necrotic damage. their saves against the spell. If a successful save means a Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., chosen creature would take half damage from the spell, one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage. The target it instead takes no damage from it. must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to Actions the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 – 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 its hit point maximum to 0. (1d8 – 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands. A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under the wight’s control, unless the Items humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed. The Smithbroke (as an evoker) carries an arcane focus wight can have no more than twelve zombies under its (staff), quarterstaff, and cold weather gear. controlSample at one time. file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 24 Ghoul Grell Medium undead, chaotic evil Medium aberration, neutral evil Armour Class 12 Armour Class 12 Hit Points 22 (5d8) Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10) Speed 30 ft. Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 6 (-2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)

Damage Immunities poison Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6 Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned Damage Immunities lightning Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Condition Immunities blinded, prone Languages Common Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Challenge 1 (200 XP) passive Perception 14 Languages Grell Actions Challenge 3 (700 XP) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage. Actions Multiattack. The grell makes two attacks: one with its Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tentacles and one with its beak. target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage, and the minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving end of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The poisoned target is paralyzed, and it can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The target is also grappled (escape DC 15). If the target is Medium or smaller, it is also restrained until this grapple ends. While grappling the target, the grell has advantage on attack rolls against it and can’t use this attack against other targets. When the grell moves, any Medium or smaller target it is grappling moves with it. Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 25 Illusionist Intellect Devourer Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Tiny aberration, lawful evil Armour Class 12 (15 with mage armour) Armour Class 12 Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7) Hit Points 21 (6d4 + 6) Speed 30 ft. Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +2 Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 Skills Arcana +5, History +5 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Senses passive Perception 10 from nonmagical attacks Languages any four languages Condition Immunities blinded Challenge 3 (700 XP) Senses blindsight 60ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12 Spellcasting The illusionist is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its Languages understands Deep Speech but can’t speak, spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to telepathy 60 ft. hit with spell attacks). The illusionist has the following Challenge 2 (450 XP) wizard spells prepared: Detect Sentience. The intellect devourer can sense the Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, minor presence and location of any creature within 300 feet of illusion, poison spray it that has an Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of 1st level (4 slots): colour spray*, disguise self*, mage interposing barriers, unless the creature is protected by armour, magic missile a mind blank spell. 2nd level (3 slots): invisibility*, mirror image*, phantasmal force* Actions 3rd level (3 slots): major image*, phantom steed* Multiattack. The intellect devourer makes one attack 4th level (1 slot): phantasmal killer* with its claws and uses Devour Intellect. * Illusion spell of 1st level or higher Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. Displacement (Recharges after the Illusionist Casts an Illusion Spell of 1st Level or Higher). As a bonus action, Devour Intellect. The intellect devourer targets one the illusionist projects an illusion that makes the creature it can see within 10 feet of it that has a brain. illusionist appear to be standing in a place a few inches The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving from its actual location, causing any creature to have throw against this magic or take 11 (2d10) psychic disadvantage on attack rolls against the illusionist. The damage. Also on a failure, roll 3d6: If the total equals or effect ends if the illusionist takes damage, it is exceeds the target’s Intelligence score, that score is incapacitated, or its speed becomes 0. reduced to 0. The target is stunned until it regains at least one point of Intelligence. Actions Body Thief. The intellect devourer initiates an Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 Intelligence contest with an incapacitated humanoid ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 – 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 within 5 feet of it that isn’t protected by protection from (1d8 – 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands. evil and good. If it wins the contest, the intellect devourer magically consumes the target’s brain, Items teleports into the skull, and takes control of the body. The illusionist carries an arcane spell focus (wand), While there, the intellect devourer has total cover quarterstaff, and cold weather gear. They carry 1d8 against attacks and other effects originating outside its gold, 1d10 silver, and 1d12 copper pieces. host. The intellect devourer retains its Intelligence, SampleWisdom, and Charisma scores,file as well as its understanding of Deep Speech, its telepathy, and its traits. It otherwise adopts the target’s statistics. It knows

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 26 everything the creature knew, including spells and Knight languages. Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment If the host body dies, the intellect devourer must leave it. A protection from evil and good spell cast on the Armour Class 18 (plate) body drives the intellect devourer out. The intellect Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) devourer is also forced out if the target regains its Speed 30 ft. devoured brain by means of a wish. By spending 5 feet of its movement, the intellect devourer can voluntarily STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA leave the body, teleporting to the nearest unoccupied 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) space within 5 feet of it. The body then dies, unless its brain is restored within 1 round. Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Brave. The knight has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Actions Multiattack. The knight makes two melee attacks. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, the knight can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand the knight. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. The effect ends if the knight is incapacitated.

Reactions Parry. The knight adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the knight must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. Items The knight carries a greatsword, heavy crossbow, quiver with 20 bolts (minus any used in combat), plate armour, and cold weather gear. She carries 1d4 platinum, 1d6 Samplegold, 1d8 electrum, 1d10 silver,file and 1d12 copper pieces.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 27 Mage Polar Bear Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Large beast, unaligned Armour Class 12 (15 with mage armour) Armour Class 12 (natural armour) Hit Points 40 (9d8) Hit Points 42 (5d10 + 15) Speed 30 ft. Speed 40 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 13 (+1) 7 (-2)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Skills Perception +3 Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Senses passive Perception 13 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages – Languages any four languages Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Keen Smell. The bear has advantage on Wisdom Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its (Perception) checks that rely on smell. spellcasting ability is Intellignece (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following Actions wizard spells prepared: Multiattack. The bear makes two attacks: one with its Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, bite and one with its claws. prestidigitation Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armour, magic target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage. missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm 5th level (1 slot): cone of cold

Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Items Smithbroke (as a mage) carries an arcane spell focus (staff), a dagger, and cold weather gear. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 28 Skeleton Spy Medium undead, lawful evil Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armour Class 13 (armour scraps) Armour Class 12 Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) Hit Point 27 (6d8) Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Damage Immunities poison Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +4, Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Stealth +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Senses passive Perception 16 Languages understands all languages it knew in life but Languages any two languages can’t speak Challenge 1 (200XP) Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a Actions bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., action. one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the spy deals an extra 7 Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the spy that isn’t Items incapacitated and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage on The skeleton carries a shortsword, shortbow, and a the attack roll. quiver with 10 arrows (minus any used in combat). All other gear is too rotted to be of use. One skeleton in the Actions group has a ruined shield, with a holy symbol (emblem) Multiattack. The spy makes two melee attacks. attached (the god chosen by the DM). Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Items The spy carries two shortswords, a hand crossbow, a quiver with 20 bolts (minus any used in combat), and cold weather gear. They carry 1d8 silver, and 1d10 copper pieces. Billings carries two kitchen knives (shortswords), a handcrossbow, and 5 bolts. All of which are hidden in his Samplesuit. Billings carries no money onfile his person.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 29 Tribal Warrior Veteran Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armour Class 12 (hide armour) Armour Class 17 (splint) Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) 11 (+0) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)

Senses passive Perception 10 Skills Athletics + 5, Perception + 2 Languages any one language Senses passive Perception 12 Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 3 (700 XP) Pack Tactics. The warrior has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the warrior’s Actions allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t Multiattack. The veteran makes two longsword attacks. incapacitated. If it has a shortsword drawn, it can also make a shortsword attack. Actions Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) 3) slashing damage if used with two hands. piercing damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Items Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, The tribal warrior carries 5 spears, hide armour, two range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing torches, cold weather gear, and dice. They carry 1d4 damage. copper pieces. Items The veteran carries a longsword, shortsword, heavy crossbow, quiver with 20 bolts (minus any fired in combat), splint armour, cold weather gear, and a half- full flask of whiskey. They carry 1d6 gold, 1d8 electrum, 1d10 silver, and 1d12 copper pieces. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 30 Warhorse Skeleton Winter Wolf Large undead, lawful evil Large monstrosity, neutral evil Armour Class 13 (barding scraps) Armour Class 13 (natural armour) Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6) Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20) Speed 60 ft. Speed 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 8 (-1) 5 (-3) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3 Damage Immunities poison Damage Immunities cold Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses passive Perception 15 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages Common, Giant, Winter Wolf Languages – Challenge 3 (700 XP) Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Actions Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., smell. one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is Items within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t The warhorse skeleton is equipped with tack, bridle, incapacitated. harness, and saddle. Snow Camouflage. The wolf has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.

Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The wolf exhales a blast of freezing wind in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 31 Wolf Yeti Medium beast, unaligned Large monstrosity, chaotic evil Armour Class 13 (natural armour) Armour Class 12 (natural armour) Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18) Speed 40 ft. Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Damage Immunities cold Languages – Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Challenge 1/4 (50XP) Languages Yeti Challenge 3 (700 XP) Keen Hearing and Smell. The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or Fear of Fire. If the yeti takes fire damage, it has smell. disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of its next turn. Pack Tactics. The wolf has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t (Perception) checks that rely on smell. incapacitated. Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity Actions (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Actions target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a Multiattack. The yeti can use its Chilling Gaze and creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving makes two claw attacks. throw or be knocked prone. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage. Chilling Gaze. The yeti targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the yeti, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against this magic or take 10 (3d6) cold damage and then be paralyzed for 1 minute, unless it is immune to cold damage. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the target’s saving throw is successful, or if the effect ends on it, the target is immune to the Chilling Gaze of all yetis (but not abominable yetis) for 1 hour. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 32 Yeti Tyke Young Remorhaz Small monstrosity, chaotic evil Large monstrosity, unaligned Armour Class 11 (natural armour) Armour Class 14 (natural armour) Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2) Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33) Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) 5 (-3) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3)

Damage Immunities cold Damage Immunities cold, fire Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Languages Understands Yeti but can’t speak Perception 10 Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Languages – Challenges 5 (1,800 XP) Keen Smell. The yeti has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Heated Body. A creature that touches the remorhaz or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes Snow Camouflage. The yeti has advantage on Dexterity 7 (2d6) fire damage. (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain. Actions Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold fire damage. damage.

Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 33 Appendix 1: Character Rewards If found during the adventure, the characters can keep the following magic items; it’s suggested that you print off enough copies of this page to be able to give one to each of your players (crossing out rewards they didn’t receive during the session):

other than you and the named creature for the Arcane Grimoire +1 next 24 hours. Either of you can dismiss the Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement invisibility by touching the script (no action by a wizard) required). Once used, this action can’t be used again until the next dawn. This item is found in While you are holding this leather-bound book, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your This bone needle is inscribed with some sort of wizard spells, and you gain a +1 bonus to spell unfamiliar writing. The first time a creature attack rolls and to the saving throw DCs of your attunes to it, the tattoo will be drawn entirely of wizard spells. blood red ink. If ever attuned to again, it will use You can use this book as a spellbook. In a full colour palette. addition, when you use your Arcane Recovery feature, you can increase the number of spell slots you can regain by 1. This item is found in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. This spellbook is bound in red dragonborn hide. The new leather smell never goes away, no matter how old it gets. It never seems to get dirty, and the pages and cover don’t tear or crease. Illuminator’s Tattoo Wondrous item (tattoo), common (requires attunement) Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo features beautiful calligraphy, images of writing implements, and the like. Tattoo Attunement. To attune to this item, you hold the needle to your skin where you want the tattoo to appear, pressing the needle there throughout the attunement process. When the attunement is complete, the needle turns into the ink that becomes the tattoo, which appears on the skin. If your attunement to the tattoo ends, the tattoo vanishes, and the needle reappears in your space. Magical Scribing. While this tattoo is on your skin, you can write with your fingertip as if it were an ink pen that never runs out of ink. AsSample an action, you can touch a piece of writing file up to one page in length and speak a creature’s name. The writing becomes invisible to everyone

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 34 Appendix 2: Letter

Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 35 Appendix 3: Crude Items Characters may need to improvise weapons,  Two or more characters can co-operate to armour, or other gear to help them survive. The make a single item, as long as their total bonus quality of crude items is somewhere between in appropriate skills exceeds the requirement. normal items, and improvised weapons. They don’t have to use the same skill.  If an item lists a tool requirement, you must Crude Items have that tool to attempt to craft it. You may make a check with a different skill, but must A crude item is identical to another item of its have the tool available. type, except for the following:  It takes 30 minutes to create a crude item.  It’s made of stone, bone, wood, hide, or any Encounters may occur during this time. other easily obtained material. Characters can also craft one item during a  When making an attack roll with a crude short rest. Cooperation doesn’t decrease weapon, if the player rolls a natural 1 it breaks crafting time. and must be repaired before it can be used  Finding the right stone and wood for crafting again. Repairing a crude weapon requires 1 requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) minute of work. check. Just because there are trees all around, doesn’t mean your character can find a good Making Crude Items piece for making a spear, for example. The group may only make one attempt, per map The table below lists the skills and materials square. required to create various crude versions of  Finding bone, feathers, hide, and sinew, usually common items. requires hunting animals. This also requires a  Characters require a bonus to a required skill DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check, and can only equal to the number listed. This is not a DC; be attempted once per map square. you don’t have to roll anything. Item Skill Bonus Tool Skill Material Tools Leatherworker’s Tools - – – Stone or Bone Woodcarver’s Tools - – – Stone Weapons Club +3 – Athletics, Survival Wood Sling +3 – Sleight of Hand, Survival Hide Sling Bullets (20) +3 – Athletics, Survival Stone Arrows (20) +3 – Sleight of Hand, Survival Wood, Feathers Dagger +5 – Athletics, Survival Stone Hand Axe +5 Woodcarver’s Athletics, Survival Stone, Wood, Sinew Spear +5 Woodcarver’s Athletics, Survival Stone, Wood, Sinew Shortbow +6 Woodcarver’s Sleight of Hand, Survival Wood, Sinew Armour Shield +6 Woodcarver’s Athletics, Survival Wood, Hide Leather Armour +8 Leatherworker’s Sleight of Hand, Survival Hide, Sinew Hide Armour +8 Leatherworker’s Sleight of Hand, Survival Hide, Sinew Equipment Cold Weather Gear +6 Leatherworker’s Sleight of Hand, Survival Hide, Sinew Snowshoes +6 – Athletics, Survival Wood, Sinew Druidic Focus +8 – Nature, Survival Wood HolySample Symbol +10 Woodcarver’s Religion fileWood or Bone Arcane Focus (Wand) +12 Woodcarver’s Arcana Wood

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 36 Appendix 4: Map of Murder Valley

Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 37 Appendix 5: Lodge Maps

Ground Floor

Sample First Floor Cellarfile

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 38 Appendix 6. Dungeon Master Tips

To DM an adventure, you must have 3 to 7 nothing looks out of order. If you see magic players—each with their own character within items of very high rarities or strange arrays of the adventure’s level range (see Adventure ability scores, you can ask players to provide Primer). Characters playing in a hardcover documentation for the irregularities. If they adventure may continue to play too, but if they cannot, feel free to restrict item use or ask them play a different hardcover adventure, they can’t to use a standard ability score array. return to the first if they level beyond its level Point players to the D&D Adventurers League range. Players Guide for reference. If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of New to D&D Adventurers an adventure or episode, they can declare their activity and spend the days now, or they can do League? so at the end of the adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and http://dnd.wizards.com/playevents/organized- other daily options prior to the start of the play adventure, unless the adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the adventure Preparing the Adventure description to help give players hints about what they might face. Before you start play, consider the following:

 Read through the adventure, taking notes of Adjusting This Adventure anything you’d like to highlight or remind To determine whether you should consider yourself of while running the adventure, such adjusting the adventure, add up the total levels as a way you’d like to portray an NPC or a of all the characters and divide the result by the tactic you’d like to use in a combat. Familiarize number of characters (rounding .5 or greater up; yourself with the adventure’s appendices and .4 or less down). This is the group’s average handouts. party level (APL). To approximate the party  Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid strength for the adventure, consult the table you in running this adventure—such as below. notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and battlemaps. Determining Party Strength  Ask the players to provide you with relevant Party Composition Party Strength character information, such as name, race, 3–4 characters, APL less than Very Weak class, and level; passive Perception score, and 3–4 characters, APL equivalent Weak anything the adventures specifies as notable 3–4 characters, APL greater than Average (such as backgrounds, traits, and flaws). 5 characters, APL less than Weak 5 characters, APL equivalent Average Players can play an adventure they previously 5 characters, APL greater than Strong played as a player or Dungeon Master but may 6–7 characters, APL less than Average only play it once with a given character. Ensure 6–7 characters, APL equivalent Strong each player has their character’s adventure 6–7 characters, APL greater than Very Strong logsheet (if not, get one from the organizer) with SAFETY TOOLS their starting values for level, magic items, gold Safety tools ensure players aren’t pushed beyond their comfort and downtime days. These are updated at the levels. They let your players know you want them to have a positive experience. conclusion of the session. The adventure A broad range of safety tools are available for you and your information and your information are added at players online, but for more information reach out to your Event the end of the adventure session—whether they Organizer or to [email protected]. completedSample the adventure or not. file Each player is responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet. If you’ve time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-PoA-SH-01 Escape from Murder Valley (v1.0) 39