Introduction Planar Tourists or Faerie Locals? Never trust the fey. They speak only truth. When Seasons of Faerie was originally written, it was – Penny Son, The Fellowship of the Toe assumed the characters were fey adventurers banished from the Feywild for various transgressions (which they may or Welcome to Seasons of Faerie, a D&D adventure may not have actually perpetrated). This published version of the original adventure is more generic, but if your party providing access to the Feywild (sometimes called happens to be a group of exiled eladrin, here is the original Faerie in this adventure) without needing to cast text of the poem found in the letter at the beginning of the plane shift or similar magic. It was originally created adventure: in 2018 for a charity live stream benefiting The Trevor Project. The place you seek is very close at hand. This adventure is designed for three to five 6th- Return you shall to that forbidden land. 7th level characters and is optimized for four But first you must transcend the trials four: characters with an average party level (APL) of Through Winter, Summer, Spring, and Fall, your chore six. Shall be to prove your worth to Faerie’s fold, Unless otherwise noted, stat blocks for the And wipe away your sins both new and old. creatures referenced in bold can be found in the fifth edition Monster Manual, and all spells referenced in Tonight at Sana’s fête you shall obtain italics can be found in the fifth edition Players’ A map to lead you to your home again. Handbook. Complete the tests, survive fair Faerie’s might, And then prepare to face the final fight. Defeat your foe and none may bar your way, And homeward bound you’ll be, fore’er to stay. Adventure Overview The adventure is broken into two parts. If you are This particular portal to the Feywild granted travelers a boon: looking to shorten the adventure, there are portions by proving their worth, past misdeeds were largely forgotten, of Part 1 that can be truncated or omitted. and any mandate of exile expunged (though the noble who Instructions for shortening Part 1 can be found in levied the exile still remembered the crimes and their ire still Section A on page 3. remained sharp). This boon might or might not work for your story. If not, feel free to give the players a different reward for passing the tests (chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Part 1: Maps and Masquerades Guide has a list of blessings, charms, and boons). The adventurers find a note pointing them to a local Alternatively, free and safeguarded access to the Feywild lady’s where they meet with an might be boon enough. emissary of Faerie who possesses a map to a Feywild portal. A powerful fey noble sends agents to stop the exchange.

Part 2: Trials of Faerie Once the adventurers obtain the map and locate the portal, they find themselves facing four trials – one for each . In facing all four tests, the adventurers gain access to the portal and the Feywild. If they are found wanting, their fates are sure to be less pleasant.

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Part 1. Maps and A. Invitation Only Sana’s masquerade can take place whenever you like. Masquerades If you want to press forward with the adventure The characters return home one evening, finding a more quickly, the event can take place the same sealed envelope awaiting them. Whoever delivered night the characters receive their invitations. In this the envelope left neither trace of their presence nor case, skip ahead to Section B below. If you would like sign of how they entered. to give the characters more time to prepare, the Inside the envelope is a piece of parchment that masquerade can take place any evening within the appears to be made out of a large, pale pink flower next few days. In this case, allow the characters to petal. As the poem written on the parchment is read, make ability checks and grant them social benefits at the parchment changes from its original pale pink to the masquerade accordingly. Below are some brilliant green to dull brown. When the final line of possible checks and benefits: the poem is read, the parchment becomes extremely cold before disintegrating into a small flurry of Crafting. If a character wishes to build a snowflakes. mask, sew a costume, or put on elaborate makeup, they can make a Dexterity check, adding artisan’s The place you seek is very close at hand. tools proficiencies where appropriate. A character A door you’ll find to that forbidden land. spending 10gp or more on the outfit gains advantage But first you must transcend the trials four: on the check. Through Winter, Summer, Spring, and Fall, your chore • If the result of the check is less than 5, the Shall be to prove your worth to Faerie’s fold, character’s outfit is so unacceptable that they are And beg to use the hidden roads of old. denied entrance to the masquerade and may need to find an alternate way inside. If the character At Sana’s ball awaits an ally who eventually enters the ballroom with that outfit on, Will give a map of Faerie’s doors to you. they have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Complete the tests, survive fair Faerie’s might, checks, as their terrible outfit becomes the talk of Arrive prepared to face the final fight. the evening. Defeat your foe and none may bar your way, • If the result of the check is between 5 and 9, the Thus Faerie-bound you’ll be by end of day. character has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in the ballroom, as their subpar outfit becomes the talk of the evening. Also included are invitations to Sana’s • If the result of the check is between 10 and 14, the masquerade ball. The invitations indicate the theme character puts together an acceptable look for the of the upcoming masquerade is “The Seasons of party but gains no additional benefits. Faerie.” A character succeeding on a DC 10 • If the result of the check is 15 or more, the Intelligence (History) check has heard of Sana and is character puts together a stunning outfit for the familiar with her parties. Characters with the evening and has advantage on all Charisma checks entertainer or noble background automatically made to interact with guests in attendance. succeed on this check. Sana is part of the local nobility, and is best known for her elegant Costume Purchasing. Characters can seek out masquerades where are mandatory. tailors and other craftspeople to make costumes for

them. A quality costume costs a minimum of 20 gp.

Characters purchasing costumes should make a DC

12 Intelligence (History) check to determine the

authenticity of the costume (characters with the Fey

Ancestry trait automatically succeed). A character

that fails on the check may be sold an appropriative

and vaguely offensive costume.

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Intelligence Gathering. If a character wishes to B. Masquerade learn more about who and what they can expect at the masquerade, they can make a Charisma Once inside, the characters see Sana’s manor in all (Persuasion) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. its decorated glory. • If the result of the check is less than 5, the The main ballroom has been partitioned into quarters, character obtains a piece of False Information about one guest at the masquerade. each appointed lavishly in the style of one of the four seasons. Winter is covered in realistic snow, spring is a riot of • If the result of the check is between 5 and 9, the character is unable to find any useful information colorful flowers, autumn is blanketed in fallen leaves, and on the upcoming masquerade. summer is full of the white sand of an ocean shore. • If the result of the check is between 10 and 14, the At the center stands an enormous tree, somehow divided character learns the names of the six guests listed into four seasons. Green leaves of summer, blossoms of in the “Who’s Who of the Masquerade” sidebar. spring, barren branches of winter, and orange foliage of • If the result of the check is 15 or more, the learns autumn all coexist simultaneously. The scurrying servants are the names of the six guests listed in the “Who’s each dressed for a particular season, serving themed food Who of the Masquerade” sidebar and a piece of and drink. Useful Information about one of the individuals on the list. A character that succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence

(Arcana) check recognizes the tree as a facsimile of a Making an Entrance. If a character wishes to Seasons Tree (see Appendix B – Guardians of make an impression upon arrival at the masquerade, Seasons for more information). they can make any of the following checks. The room is full of revelers, mostly human, in full • Characters wishing to skip ahead in the sizeable fey regalia…or rather poor facsimiles thereof. Any line to get into the masquerade can make a DC 13 character with the Fey Ancestry trait or that Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (History) check check to convince the other guests to let them by. knows most outfits in this room are poor imitations at best and actively offensive stereotypes at worst. • Characters not properly dressed for the event must make a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check Apparently, the populace here doesn’t treat with fey to convince the doorman to allow them inside. often. The characters can mingle with the guests, looking • Characters wishing to make a particularly memorable entrance to the event can make a DC for the ally mentioned in the note. It is quite 15 Charisma (Performance) check. Success on this crowded in the ballroom, and the whole area check grants them advantage on their next functions as difficult terrain. Characters deciding to mix and mingle could meet Charisma check made to interact with a guest. any of the individuals in the “Who’s Who of the Masquerade” sidebar or any other individuals of your own creation. Roll a d4 to determine in which season a particular guest can be found. Lady Lianna Rodigan. A visiting noblewoman from a far-away Who’s Who of the Masquerade land, Lianna says little, but notices much. Unbeknownst to Sir Tarrus Colland. The third son of a minor house, Tarrus the characters, she is an emissary of the Winter Court and uses heartfelt flattery to make anyone he speaks with feel the contact they seek. like the most important person in the room. Useful Fact: She is said to be quite the accomplished mage Useful Fact: He has been seen walking hand in hand with a in her homeland, though none have seen her cast so much as noblewoman from a nearby city and some believe he plans to a cantrip since her arrival in this city. marry her to improve his position. False Information: She is a fiend from one of the Nine Hells False Information: He is plotting to remove his older and avoids prolonged contact with humanoids lest they brothers so he can be the heir to his family’s meager fortune. detect her true nature. Costume: He is dressed as a blink dog complete with a tail Costume: She wears one of the few authentic costumes at and gloves resembling paws. the masquerade. She is dressed as a Winter Court noble, with delicate swaths of silver and black fabric draped artfully over

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Who’s Who of the Masquerade (Continued) Sana herself prefers to arrive fashionably late to her masquerades and will likely not make an appearance Peer Jax Browning. A bubbly, enthusiastic individual, Jax before the characters have left. sometimes continues talking even after their conversational Lady Lianna has hidden the map in the woods just partner wanders away. Useful Fact: Their favorite topic of conversation is the outside the city and has been instructed to lead the history of gnomish technology. characters to it. The characters should search the False Information: They suffered an accident when they masquerade and talk to guests to help identify their were young and lost most of their hearing. They talk contact. If they are having trouble and making a incessantly because it is less embarrassing than constantly spectacle of themselves, Lady Lianna may present mishearing people. herself to them after a time. She would rather not Costume: They are dressed in a mishmash of fey items have the entire ballroom knowing of their activities. including a pair of pixie wings and a redcap’s . They also Finding the Contact. Each of the six guests saw carry a small, nonfunctional shortbow with “heart scent” something the characters might find helpful in their engraved on it. attempts to identify their ally. A character asking about one of the other guests or any suspicious Lord Alexei van Warden. Heir to the van Warden house and activity and succeeding on a DC 12 Charisma local playboy, Alexei drives his parents mad, and men and (Persuasion) check learns one of the following bits of women wild. He is rarely seen without at least one or two information. If a character makes use of a Useful Fact hangers-on, each hoping for some alone time with the young they have learned, they have advantage on the check. lord. Useful Fact: He has developed a taste for an extremely fine If they make use of False Information they have elven wine, which he hoped would be served at Sana’s learned, they have disadvantage on the check. masquerade. Unfortunately, she is keeping it in reserve for • Lord Alexei arrived only a few minutes before the the moment. characters and has been surrounded by people False Information: He and Lord Tarrus (see above) are ever since. He is barely moved from the entryway. carrying on a secret affair, which the van Wardens would not approve of were they to discover it. • Lady Lianna was one of the first to arrive and has Costume: He is dressed as a satyr, sporting goat horns, spent most of the evening observing the guests as spats resembling hooves, fur pants, and, much to the delight they enter but speaking to no one. of many, no . • General Kairn has been eyeing the exit for some time. Apparently, she would rather be elsewhere General Kairn Nills. A battle-hardened veteran, Kairn never and is anxious to pay her respects to the hostess uses two words where one suffices. Unless, of course, she is and leave as soon as possible. given leave to share her war stories. • Earlier tonight, a woman was seen lurking about Useful Fact: She loves her memories of her time in the the winter quarter of the enchanted tree. When a army almost as much as she loves her granddaughter, Kip. servant approached to offer food and drink, there False Information: After a harrowing encounter during her was no sign of the person. army days, she is deathly afraid of dogs and wolves. She • Sir Tarrus and Peer Jax have been speaking with never speaks of the encounter. each other most of the night. Or rather, Jax has Costume: She is in her . The only acknowledgement of the evening’s theme are two wooden been speaking and Tarrus has been drinking. clothespins she is using to make her ears appear pointed. • Robban’s theme-inappropriate costume is also weather inappropriate for the colder seasons. He Robban Heff. An elderly dowager count, Robban often has been keeping mostly to the summer and mistakes people (men and women alike) for his late wife, spring areas of the ballroom to keep warm. Countess Natalinda. Useful Fact: When he is at his most lucid, Robban Development remembers that his wife passed away but not where she was buried. He longs to find her resting place so he can say Once the characters identify Lady Lianna as their ally, goodbye. she tells them to follow her to the mostly empty False Information: He is actually a mischievous, Winter Quarter (it is quite cold) so that she can shapeshifting pseudodragon posing as an elderly human. retrieve the map from its hiding place. Then, when Costume: He mistakenly wore a costume for Sana’s last no one is looking, she pulls a wooden stylus out of theme, Carnival of Fools. He is dressed as a jester. her and scribes the final sigil in a teleportation circle sequence in the snow. The circle activates, and Samplethe characters are transported to a wood fileed grove.

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