Adventure Notes his adventure is designed for a party of 4-6 Attack Boosts (Swords) adventurers of around fourth level. If your Roll 1d8 Power-Up Duration group contains six heroes, add one additional monster of the weakest type in the room to 1-4 Advantage on attack rolls 1 min. balance the encounter. For battles against a 5-7 Extra attack 1 min. single opponent, increase the creature's HP by 8 Bypass damage resistances 30 sec. T20%. In this series of encounters, the party finds themselves Master Damage Maxed 3 rounds trapped in a domain of dread presided over by their Ghostly Host which they must battle their way through to win their Attack Boosts, expanded escape. It is designed to be a simple, fast-paced "hack and Advantage on attack rolls: For one minute, any melee, slash" adventure in the style of games like Diablo or Gauntlet. ranged, or spell attack roll made by the affected character is Make a note of what color clothing the characters are made with advantage. wearing, and have the Ghost Host call out when one of them is injured ("Black Rogue needs food!"). Extra attack: For one minute, whenever the character takes the Attack action on their turn, they may make one additional attack as part of the action. Alternatively, if the character did not use the Attack action, they may make a single melee To facilitate the dynamic, and to help balance attack as a bonus action (they may not do both). the scales when the characters are forced to face multiple battles without the opportunity to rest, this adventure Bypass damage resistance: For 30 seconds, the affected employs the Tarokka deck from Curse of Strahd to simulate character's attacks or spells ignore any damage resistances Loot drops in the form of power-ups or magic items. held by their targets. Creatures which would normally be Whenever a monster is killed, or a destructible environmental immune to the character's damage are instead considered feature (crates, boxes, barrels, piles of bones, etc) is broken, resistant (this resistance is not bypassed). flip one card from Tarokka's Common Deck over. The card drawn determines what, if any, power-up is found from that Damage maxed: For 3 rounds, treat all weapon or spell drop. If the card value is five or higher, the player rolls 1d8 on damage rolls by an affected character as though all dice had the appropriate loot table, below (you can increase or rolled their maximum value. decrease the requisite card value to make power-ups more or less common for your own players). Arcane Effects (Stars) Before the game, divide out the High Deck and add each of Roll 1d8 Power-Up Duration the Master cards of their suits (the Warrior, Priest, Rogue, 1-4 Expeditious Retreat 1 min. and Wizard) from the Common Deck to it, - place the Donjon card behind your DM screen when you do this, as it will be 5-7 Breath Weapon 1 use played on its own. Madam Eva will use these 18 cards in a 8 Invisibility ≤ 1 min Divining ritual after the first encounter; any undrawn Masters Master Invulnerability 3 rounds of their suits can be shuffled back into the Common (Loot) Deck. Should a Master card be drawn, no Loot roll is made; instead award the "Master" item listed on each chart. Arcane Effects, expanded Expeditious Retreat: For one minute, the affected character A character can collect and activate a power-up as part of gains a "Turbo Boost" and can Dash as a bonus action on their movement; when a character collects a power-up the their turn. During this movement, attacks of opportunity Ghost Host shouts the ability's name ("Turbo Boost!", made against the character are made at disadvantage. "Invulnerability!", etc). A power-up lasts for the listed duration (typically 1 minute) or until it is expended, with the exception Breath Weapon: The affected character gains a random of Death Ward, which lasts until used or dispelled. Any Loot breath weapon as though they were a Dragonborn obtained in the form of gold, scrolls, potions, or magic items (Dragonborn characters gain an extra use of their own breath function as normal. weapon). This power-up lasts until used or the character's next long rest. Substituting Playing Cards Invisibilty: As per the Invisibility spell, an affected character If you do not have access to a deck of Tarokka cards, see vanishes from sight until they attack or cast a spell. This Appendix C: The Tarokka Deck for rules on using a deck of invisibility bypasses any special senses possessed by any normal playing cards to complete Madam Eva's reading and creature in this adventure except the of death. generate Loot. Invulnerability: For 3 rounds, an affected character is Sampleimmune to all forms of ph ysical ofiler magical damage.

3 Food (Glyphs) Scrolls Roll 1d8 Power-Up Duration Roll Scroll 1d8 Level Spell 1-4 Apple Instant 1-5 2 Lesser Restoration, Invisibility, or 5-7 Drumstick Instant Shatter 8 Ham Instant 6-7 3 Revivify, Daylight, or Fireball Master Meal Instant 8 4 Polymorph, Banishment, or Ice Storm

Food Effects, expanded The character selects which of the three scrolls they would Apple: The character regains 1 hit point plus 1d10 like to recieve once they've rolled for the scroll's level. temporary hit points. Rare Loot Drumstick: The character gains 1d10 hit points plus the Roll 1d8 Loot benefits of a short rest. 1-5 Elemental Gem Ham: The character regains all of their hit points plus the 6-7 Figurine of Wondrous Power benefits of a short rest. 8 Ghost Lantern Meal: The character gains the benefits of a long rest. Rare Loot, expanded Elemental Gem: (DMG p.168) Either choose a gem or roll A Note on Timekeeping randomly to determine the type of gem found. Should the characters draw The Priest card either as a loot reward or as part of Madam Eva's divination ritual (see below), Figurine of Wondrous Power: (DMG p.169) Either choose one or more party members will have the opportunity to an appropriate figurine or roll one randomly. benefit from more than one long rest in a short span of time. Ghost Lantern: (ToA p.206) See Appendix B: Magic Items " Consider these rests magical, and outside the normal one for the Ghost Lantern's abilities. long rest per day" maximum.

Treasure (Coins) Roll 1d8 Treasure Duration 1-4 Potion (see chart) n/a 5-7 Scroll (see chart) n/a 8 Rare Loot (see chart) n/a Master Anti-Death Halo Special

Treasure rewards, expanded Potion: Roll on the Potion chart, below. The treasure also includes 1d10x10 silver pieces.

Scroll: Roll on the Scroll chart, below. The treasure also includes 1d10x10 gold pieces.

Rare Loot: Roll on the Rare Loot chart, below. The treasure also includes 1d10x5 platinum pieces.

Anti-Death Halo: The affected character gains the benefits of the Death Ward spell, which lasts until it is dispelled (assume a 7th-level spell slot was used to cast it) or triggered. Neither resting nor leaving the Shadowfell ends the effect. Potions Roll 1d8 Potion 1-5 Minor Healing Potion 6-7 Greater Healing Potion Sample8 Superior Healing Potion file

4 The characters exit the shadowy passage 60 away feet from A Familiar Reception the pillar in the center of the room. Those who wish to The characters begin the adventure having just entered a inspect the chamber further may attempt a DC 12 Wisdom boarded-up, abandoned tavern they have been told is haunted. (Perception) check, made at disadvantage if they lack As they step inside, the doors swing shut - and blend Darkvision with sufficient range to see the opposite wall (90 seamlessly with the outer wall. feet from them). Should they succeed, they will observe several hunched figures picking through the scattered bones along the edges of the room. If the characters are carrying a "When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and light source, these four ghouls will also notice them and strange and frightening sounds echo through the begin running towards the party. Roll initiative! halls... whenever candlelights flicker where the air is As the ghouls charge forward and combat begins, the bust deathly still — that is the time when ghosts are on the pillar speaks in the Ghost Host's voice: present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight! Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted "Oh, how dreadfully embarrassing. These residents Tavern. I am your host, your... ghost host. Kindly asked that I 'bring guests for dinner,' and it seems I step all the way in please, and make room for misunderstood. Do teach them a lesson, won't everyone. There’s no turning back now. you? Show them the terror of their ways." This deserted house of spirits was once part of a thriving franchise; upon the walls you'll see paintings of some of the most renowned patrons of this Orcs! Orcs! Orcs! tavern hall. If you please, In addition to the ghouls, within the room are 3 piles of bones do drag your bodies away from the walls and into which can be destroyed for a potential Loot drop (see "Loot," the dead center of the room. above), as well as one skeletal chest, which is hidden in a Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of column of bones arching up the wall. Picking the lock on the foreboding, almost as though you sense a chest requires a DC 13 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check (if disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted the any characters have a "skeleton" key from any source it taproom actually stretching? Or is it your will open this chest), but unlike the bone piles, opening the imagination — hmm? And consider this dismaying observation: this alehouse has no windows, and no chest guarantees Loot (draw cards until one provides a doors… which offers you this chilling challenge: to reward), as does breaking the marble pillar the Ghost Host is find a way out! resting on. If the pillar is destroyed the Host complains about Of course, there’s always my way..." their clumsiness as it floats in the air, unaffected by the The candles and torches burning in the tavern all pillar's destruction. snuff at once, plunging the room into darkness as a For each ghoul killed by the party, a mote of shadowy crack of thunder peals outside. An instant later, the energy escapes the corpse and clings to the wall opposite flames sputter to life once more, now dimly where the characters entered. When all four ghouls have glowing an ectoplasmic blue/green. Along the been slain, the motes convalesce and open a new shadowy western wall, the shadows seem to deepen, and passage. The Ghost Host looks pleased. stretch inwards, forming a passageway through the darkness to some unknown realm beyond. The voice speaks again: "My deepest apologies, honored guests. Such "Oh, I didn’t mean to frighten you prematurely. ghastly business, that, but it seems it was The real chills come later. Now, as they say, “look necessary Behold! Their spirit energy has opened alive,” and we’ll continue on our way. There are the Shrouded Path once more. Go forth, I shall some residents here who are simply dying to meet meet you in the next chamber." you. With that, the statue floats through the tunnel, But first, I must issue you a grave warning: these vanishing in the darkness. lost souls have not had company in what feels like a lifetime, forgive them if their manners are somewhat... ghoulish." As you step through the shadowed passageway, Before they continue, the group can search the room for any the floor beneath your feet gradually changes destructible objects they didn't find during the battle. Except texture from the wooden boards of the tavern floor for scrolls and potions, power-ups take effect immediately to an uneven carpet of shifting, crunching bone. upon picking them up (though they will be suspended during Ahead, the passageway widens into a small ossuary, the next scene). Once they are satisfied they've discovered with a marble plinth erected in the center. Atop the everything in this room, they should step into the Shrouded pillar is the bust of a well-dressed man, which nods Path. atSample you as you approach. file

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