For 5 Characters Level 5

Klavekian Blood Runs Thick

Michael O. Holland

T
he Klavek Kingdom's conquest of Vikmordere Valley Mayor Igor Leonid of Rybalka is at a loss. His soldiers have been
was costly, heavily stained by the blood of its own unable to find the missing people of the village, or the culprit
soldiers. When the fishing village of Rybalka was taken, for that matter. Only bloody signs of a struggle are left behind,
the Klavekians spared those who did not oppose them and and no discernible tracks. The soldiers have failed to realize the
ruthlessly crushed all dissidents. They lauded their own mercy, dissimortuum is crawling up buildings and crossing rooftops
while many Vikmordere seethed in secrecy. Time tempered to traverse the village—if the characters check the rooftops it
the fires in many hearts, but not in all. Kamzu was a sage and only takes a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check to notice the trail.
devotee of the Ancestor Spirit, a deity of ancestors, nature, Mayor Leonid has recruited the adventurers to investigate and
wilderness, and wisdom worshiped by the Vikmordere. She hid put a stop to the murders, offering 500 gp to each adventurer for
innocents in her cellars while her husband and son died in battle the task.
against Klavekian soldiers above. In her grief, she abandoned the
teachings of the Ancestor Spirit. In time, the shadows began to If the party is stuck, the mayor can offer few clues. The murders
whisper sinister secrets to her, and she planned her revenge. are occurring once every tenday and only at night. Only those
of Klavekian ancestry are targeted. If he is correct, the next
Decades passed and Kamzu has constructed a special murder will occur in the next few nights. The party can explore
dissimortuum (ToB) to track and slay those of Klavekian and familiarize themselves with Rybalka while investigating
ancestry, the culmination of her necromantic studies. Since the the abductions. On the second or third night, the dissimortuum
beginning of the summer, Kamzu has released the dissimortuum emerges from Kamzu’s lair to hunt. If a character succeeds at a DC
to claim a new victim once a tenday, dragging the unfortunate 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, they spot the creature crossing
victim back to her lair to create more dissimortuum. the rooftops. With the mystery of the dissimortuum’s movements
revealed, it only takes a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Survival)
GM Note. The preliminary investigation can be used to check to track the creature to Kamzu’s hut. The hut sports an
introduce the party to Rybalka’s colorful characters, or it can be obvious trapdoor leading to a spiral staircase going down.
skipped entirely.

©2020 AAW Games, LLC.
Author: Michael O. Holland, Thilo Graf
Artist: Dean Spencer
Cartography: Dynamic Dungeons
Layout: Roxanne Thompson
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this AAW
version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (char- Games, LLC game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d).
acters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and trade dress. (Elements that have No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form
previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.) without written permission.
 For 5 Characters Level 5

1. Bloody Guardians 5. Room

At the bottom of the stairs, bones and fleshy scraps litter the Like Area 4, the blood from Area 3 pours itself into a large
floor. Kamzu knew the dissimortuum would eventually draw cauldron but this blood does not boil, and as such does not aid the
attention to her hidden lair. From the leftovers of its work, she crimson mists. Standing on the east and west sides of the room are
constructed three bloody bones (CC) and hid the creatures amidst two large statues, each a warrior in tribal clothing. With a DC 15
the decaying detritus here. It takes a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) Intelligence (History) check a character recognizes the statues as
check to notice the well-concealed undead. Vikmordere raiders. If the party has seen Kamzu’s journal (Area
6), they recognize the statues as her husband and son.
2. Abandoned Oratory
6. Hidden Library
A 15-foot stairway descends into the darkened confines of an
abandoned oratory. A fallen, stone pillar partially blocks the Kamzu (necromancer [CC]) hides here in her library when she
egress from the staircase. If a character succeeds at a DC 14 becomes aware of intruders. She uses her abilities to try to escape at
Strength (Athletics) check, they can climb over the pillar or roll an opportune moment—either by sneaking out (Stealth +2) or by
it far enough to no longer block the path. The room is covered in waiting until the party leaves. She only fights if she cannot flee and
a thick layer of dust and heavy cobwebs dance on a soft breeze refuses to surrender. If her hiding spot is not found, she waits until
from the staircase, with decayed and blackened flora underneath the party leaves and absconds to the Dark Woods to the north.
the layer of dust. If the adventurers search the chapel, they
uncover a relief carved into the western wall depicting a ghostly Nestled amidst the books of necromancy and spell components on
woman drifting over a field of flowers, surrounded by reindeer the shelves is a leather journal bound by braids of human hair. The
and elk. If a character succeeds at a DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) journal contains all the information about Kamzu’s background,
check, they recognize the depiction of the Ancestor Spirit of the including hints regarding the dark spirits whispering to her.
Vikmordere. Reciting a prayer to the Ancestor Spirit grants the
party the benefits of a bless spell for 1 minute. A character can only
benefit from this blessing once per 24 hours.

3. Altar
Standing in the center of this octagonal room is a bloody table
on a raised dais. The dissimortuum (ToB) towers over the
table, working to shape another of its kind from the corpses of
its victims. If the heroes previously injured or destroyed the
dissimortuum, Kamzu has restored it to full hit points.

Two narrow channels guide dripping blood to flow into Areas 4

and 5. The dissimortuum gains:

Crimson Call. The dissimortuum can use its action to touch the
bloody channel. If it does, it summons a crimson mist (CC) from
Area 4. It can control only one crimson mist at a given time.

Dealing a total of 10 or more fire damage directly to the channel

(hits automatically) evaporates enough blood to prevent the use of
Crimson Call.

If a character succeeds at a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation)

check, they find scratches in the floor revealing the secret door in
the east wall.

4. Blood Cauldron
The blood flowing into this room from Area 3 rolls up over the side
of a large cauldron of its own volition and pours into the boiling
cauldron. A faint, red haze fills the room, granting half cover to all
inside the room. When the first character enters the room, the haze
compresses into a final crimson mist (CC) and attacks.

Profane Cauldron. Any crimson mist that ends its turn in this room
regains 6 (1d8+2) hit points, as it visibly draws substance from the
cauldron. The cauldron can be tipped over with a DC 20 Strength
(Athletics) check, spilling the blood and ending the effect.

Tome of Beasts. Copyright 2016, Open Design; Authors Chris Harris, Dan Dillon, Rodrigo Garcia Carmona, and Wolfgang Baur.
Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, ToB = Tome of Beasts, CC = Creature Codex, Kobold Press
Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.
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