Night of The Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead
T
his is a relatively short adventure for four level
1 characters, or any party of roughly equivelant
strength. This adventure is intended for newer Roleplaying Ma and Blarg
DMs and players or groups who are just Ma is an 86 year old Human woman who has run
starting out. It is a good way to quickly level a this Inn for many years. She has numerous children
party to level 2. For higher level players pile on who have gone far afield or died. The only one who
the undead and/or make them stronger! stays with her is Blarg due to his simple nature. She
is grumpy but has a good heart, if not slightly
Introduction and Hooks tinged with pride for her Inn. Ideal: Enjoying the
company of good folk and running the Inn is all I
A group of travelers sits together as the only patrons at a rural need Bond: Blarg is the boy who didn't leave me and
Inn located between Yatar and Waterdeep. "Ma's Watering I love him for that. Flaw: My surly demeanor often
Hole" is a waypoint for merchants and travelers and is drives people away, but it's just who I am.
normally quite crowded in the evenings. This night the
adventurers find themselves as the lone group of patrons at Blarg is a burly half-orc and a simple man who can
barely, if ever, speak. He usually just says "Ma" and
the Inn. his own name, "Blarg". He doesn't enjoy violence
The hooks for this adventure involve the adventurers but plays the Inn's bouncer. If Ma is injured he flies
arriving at this Inn to stay the night, the why and how of them into a rage. Ideal: Blarg? Bond: Blarg. Flaw: Blarg!
arriving is irrelevant, just that they all are together inside.
A Player's Handbook (PHB) and Monster Manual (MM) are
required. A Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) is optional but The Undead
may be helpful. After the characters make their introductions, and perhaps
Important creatures or items will be bolded and any have some interactions with Ma and/or Blarg, a loud crash
numbered titles refer to a number on their corresponding map and shattering sound will be heard. Blarg will be knocked
below. unconcious for five minutes by something having crashed
Ma's Watering Hole through the window striking him in the head. Ma will
immediately grab a hand crossbow she keeps nearby.
Ma's Watering Hole is a relatively small Inn made for passing A Crawling Claw (MM P. 44) has attacked him and is
merchants and adventurers on their way to or from currently on the floor nearby. At this point it's clear that there's
Waterdeep. It's run by Ma (NG Commoner with a wisdom of no reasoning with an undead hand and a fight breaks out with
18), a human woman that looks older than an Elf and acts it. After the first turn, no matter whose it is, a Zombie (MM P.
surlier than a Dwarf. Her son -- who is perhaps adopted, no 316 or PHB P. 311) will crash through the front door of the
one really knows -- is an exceeding large Half-Orc named Inn and another Zombie will climb in through a different
Blarg (NG Berserker, MM P. 344). Blarg is a good natured window from the Crawling Claw. The Zombies will target the
man who acts as her security, usually by presence alone. He is characters, whichever are closest. Ma will stay as far from
a simpleton who follows any of Ma's commands and will go everyone as possible and should be made to survive the
berserk if Ma is injured in anyway. encounter. They will ignore Blarg entirely.
If players are struggling with the Zombie's "Undead
Fortitude", likely due to abnormally good DM rolls, just have
the Zombies die and don't worry about that ability. The
Zombies contain nothing of value.
After their defeat, Ma will urge the adventurers to find the
source of the undead imediately as they cannot be allowed to
spread; she will pay them in free lodging for up to a week and
two nights of free beer (the beer is incentive enough for most
adventurers). Ma will say that she suspects the abandoned
Cathedral to the north is the likely source of the undead as
she believes she had seen someone living out of it, which is
abnormal.
The Inn
1
This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used
are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
Ruins of a Cathedral
1. Main Hall
The characters will make their way to the Cathedral a short
distance away and emerge from the woods nearby the ruined
front entrance. Any characters who attempt to look for
anything out of the ordinary, or ask to look for traps, will be
rewarded at this point (regardless of perception rolls) by
noting abnormally thick spider webs about ankle height
across the main entrance into the cathedral.
Within the Cathedral's main hall resides an Undead Giant
Spider (Appendeix A) which is hidden in the blackness above
the church pew. If any characters trips on its webs it is alerted
to their presence regardless of stealth rolls, Otherwise, With
sufficiently high stealth and perception checks (player's
perception vs. the spider's stealth roll) the characters may be
able to surprise it, but more likely they will be surprised by the
hidden spider which will attempt to sneak attack them.
A DC10 Intelligence (Nature) check will allow the
characters to discern that this spider is not an ordinary Giant
Spider, but an undead one.
There is nothing of particular interest within the main hall
as it's mostly ruined and long ago has been ransacked.
There are two rooms in the back of the Cathedral, one is the
old priest's lodging, which is a small efficiency, and one is for
storage.
2. Storage
The storage room has long ago been looted and all that
remains of its past are some rotting barrels. Anyone within the
room will notice some recently dried blood on the floor.
Directly above it, roughly 20 ft in the air, is a man tied up in
spider web. He is moving slightly.
A siccessful DC15 Wisdom (Perception) check will allow
a character to see that he is in fact missing a hand. This
should be a tip off that it's actually a zombie.
If the characters leave him there, nothing happens. If he is
cut down, however that is accomplished, it is apparent that
this is a Zombie and it will attack (decide whether this should
give it a surprise round or not based on the circumstances at
hand). Note that if he fell down then the Zombie will come
back to life with 1 HP to account for fall damage.
This zombie has a Silver Ring worth 50 gp and a normal
dagger.
3. Priest's Lodging
Within the Priest's Lodging is a bed frame (though no bed), an
old worn lamp, and an empty fireplace. On the floor towards
the back of the lodging the characters can see a cellar door
with a very faint light coming through its edges.
This leads to the Cellar beneath the cathedral and is
unlocked. A successful DC10 Wisdom (Perception) check of
the room, or a DC10 Intelligence (Investigation) check of
the cellar door itself, will note that it is in fact booby trapped
in some manner.
If the trap goes unnoticed then any characters opening the
door triggers an alarm which rings a bell in the Cellar's Main
Room allowing its denizens to prepare for their entrance.
The Cathedral
2
The Cellar Red has a Ring of Necromancy (see below) that she can
use, to a much greater extent than a character could, for
The main hallway in the cellar has multiple branches, but they experimentation. She also has a dagger, a potion of healing
have long since collapsed leaving only one path. WIthin the (heals 2d4+2 HP) and a silver necklace with an inlaid
hall are interned bodies along the sides of it. There are bloodstone (worth 100 gp). Red, if subdued, will yield no
numerous skeletons within, but they are not undead nor do information other than she is working for someone who is
they have anything of value. much more powerful than the characters. No amount of
The tunnel is lit slightly by light coming through the cracks torture or intimidation will result in her divulging her
of a large door at the end of it. If the characters have alerted knowledge. She will bide her time and attempt to escape at
the occupants of the room of their arrival, they will attempt to any opportuen moment. She will be extremely hostile towards
ambush them at the door. the party.
Otherwise, the characters can approach the door and listen. The room itself contains a couple beds, a lot of rubble,
some dead people and animals in the corner who are
Dead End mutilated (likely the result of failed experiments), and a small
Within the room the characters can hear two people foot locker. The footlocker contains a Short Sword, 10 gp, and
discussing something at length. A successful DC10 Wisdom 14 days worth of rations.
(Perception) check will allow a character to ascertain that
they are discussing the best way to acquire more experiments
for a ring. Ring of Necromancy
Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
Roleplaying The Cultist and Red No characters will be able to fully make use of the ring (e.g.
These two are in an argument about the best way to create undead). However, once per day a character may, as an
procure experiments for the ring, of which Red has action, use the ring to summon a skeletal minion from another
learned how to use to resurrect corpses but not yet
plane. It's unclear whose skeleton it is or from what plane it
control. They are uncertain how secluded they need
to be, especially after their failure to control the last originates.
experiments. If they hear the bell ring they will wait
until the characters approach the door and surprise The skeleton follows all commands of the one who
them with an attack otherwise they will be clueless summons it and turns to dust at dawn each day. If it is
to the approach. They may try to capture characters summoned but given no commands, it will not defend itself
for further experimentation, or kill them for the
and will begin to dance until it dissolves.
same. What they know: Though they are unwilling to
divulge how, they have access to necromantic The skeleton has -5 on all saving throws and ability checks, 1
magic items. They received them from a cult leader,
named "Two", in the Cult of Orcus which worships HP, 10 AC, a Shortsword with +2 to hit and damage, and a
The Demon Lord Orcus. The cult does Orcus' and Shortbow with +2 to hit and damage. It also spawns with five
his underlings' bidding in exchange for power. arrows. Any items it spawns with dissolve with it.
The people in the room are a Cultist (MM P. 272 or PHB

P. 310) and Red (Appendix A), who is a human woman with
flame red hair wearing a bright red cultist's outfit. On Red's
hand rests a large black metal ring with an inset purple gem.
Both Red and the Cultist will attack the characters as soon
as they are alerted to their arrival or presence. Red will
immediatley use her ring to materialize two Skeletons (MM Conclusion
P. 272 or PHB P. 310) to guard her. She will taunt the The immediate threat ended and the origination of the undead
characters and is overconfident in her ablities and the ring located, the characters may return to Ma's Watering Hole if
she has. Once defeated, whether killed or they so choose. The characters should be close to, or at, the
subdued/incapacitated (it is good to remind characters they XP needed for level 2, so it's advisable to let them gain a level
don't have to kill enemies), they may be looted. here (assuming four level 1 characters).
The Cultist has a dagger, 40 sp, and a bloodstone (worth 50 Ma will be delighted that they have dealt with the issue and
gp). Rather than be subdued or captured, he has a poison will offer them the agreed upon reward. Blarg, who is now
capsule in one tooth which will kill him. Before dying, he will fine, will give each character a hug and be quite thrilled that
mutter, "My Lord will return me to unlife". they are deat with.
Whatever nefarious plans the Cultist's were attempting to
enact may still be ongoing, however.
The Cellar
3
Appendix A: Creatures
Undead Giant Spider Red
Medium Undead, neutral evil Medium Human, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 13 (leather armor)

Hit Points 22 (4d8+4) Hit Points 16 (2d8)
Speed 40ft., Climb 40 ft. Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14(+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses passive Perception 12

Senses passive Perception 13, Blindsight 10ft., Languages Common
Darkvision 120 ft. Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Languages None
Damage Immunities* Poison Spellcasting. Red is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its
Challenge 1 (200 XP) spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12,
+4 to hit with spell attacks). Red has following
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, Wizard spells prepared:
including upside down on ceilings, without needing
to make an ability check. • Cantrips (at will): Acid Splash, Chill Touch, Mage
Hand • 1st level (3 slots): False Life, Witch Bolt, Ray
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider of Sickness
knows the exact location of any other creature in
contact with the same web. Actions
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft.,
restrictions caused by webbing. one target. Hit 4 (1d4 + 2)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the spider to 0
hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw
with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the
damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success,
the spider drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one
target. Hit 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. The target
must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw,
taking 5 (1d8+1) necrotic damage on a failed save,
or half as much damage on a successful one.
Creatures
4
Appendix B: Maps
All Maps Can Also Be Found Here
Inn
Maps
5
Cathedral
1: The Main Hall is the larger room in the middle.
2: The Storage Room is the small right side room.
3: The Priest's Lodging is the left side room. The Cellar
door is the wooden door in the center.
Maps
6
Cellar
Maps
7
Credits
T
his adventure was written in The
Homebrewery. It's a great tool for any DMs
wanting to make their homebrew look cool. You
can see my public homebrews here.
UPDATE: Homebrewery may be going out of service, if so

this will be updated to GM Binder
For balancing purposes I highly recommend Kobold Fight
Club, which really helped me get a feel for what players could
take.
The maps were made by me in Dungeon Painter Studio
Thanks to Aeron Drake for the help with formatting
Image credits:
Crawling Claw: D&D Beyond Webstie by Wizards of the
Coast. Artist Unkown.
Cathedral: Xavier Coelho from polycount
Ring of Necromancy: Black Gold Filled Winged Skull Ring
with Purple Cubicic Zirconia on Rebels Market
Red: Jason Manley on conceptart.org
Undead Giant Spider: TyphonArt on DeviantArt
Credits
This document was lovingly created
using GM Binder.
If you would like to support the GM Binder developers,

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The people in the room are a Cultist (MM P. 272 or PHB

Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 13 (leather armor)

Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses passive Perception 12

UPDATE: Homebrewery may be going out of service, if so

If you would like to support the GM Binder developers,

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