- Grave Misgivings v1.1 | Published 12.10.

2023 -

Credits
Director, Co-Writer & Editor
Nadav Brand

Head Writer
Daniel Smith

Head 3D Sculptor
David Pereira

Graphic Design
Callum Dare

Co-Writer
Zane Messina

Battlemaps
GoAdventureMaps, RhasmusDnd

Content Consultants & Proofing

Rob Leonard, Brandon Hofmeister

Playtesters
Stacey Lewis, Kathryn Messina, Zane Messina, Kathryn Naughton, Robyn Smith
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Introduction

M urder! A pair of gravediggers, rural outsiders hired for

cheap labor, stand accused by locals of luring a fellow
citizen into the graveyard and murdering him. All of the
Unfortunately, they have been surrounded by the mob just
as they were leaving the cemetery. Making things worse, the
conflict’s instigator, a local tough by the name of Alain Lamont,
evidence makes this look like an open-and-shut case, yet the chose that moment to stumble out of the cemetery, bleeding
gravediggers strongly deny any such deed. That is because they heavily from a mortal stab wound. The mob accuses the
are, in fact, innocent, and the true culprit still lurks among the cousins of murder, though the true killer is far more deadly and
graves. If the characters cannot solve the mystery, this killing still on the loose. Drawn by the fresh crop of stinking corpses,
will be but one of many. a deathfang constrictor has taken up residence in the cemetery
and laid a clutch of eggs. She is the true murderer, and unless
Plug-in or Keep Playing the characters can locate her nest, two innocent men will hang
and more Merineaux citizens are likely to die.
This module is a 5e one-shot adventure designed for a party
of four level 2 characters. It can plug easily into an existing
campaign or be run as a short stand-alone adventure. Adventure Overview
Part I - Mob Justice (Investigation, Negotiation, Roleplaying).
Background The characters encounter the lynch mob and must stall for
time.
The city of Merineaux, once a struggling coastal outpost home
to more muskrats than men, has bloomed over the decades into Part II - The Cemetery (Combat, Exploration, Mystery). The
a cultural and commercial hub thanks to thriving maritime characters must search for clues and protect the life of their
trade. Recently however, torrential rain and flooding nearly only witness.
drowned the city. The damage has been immense, and many Part III - The Nest (Boss Battle, Tracking). The deathfang’s
citizens are without homes, even the dead. eggs are on the verge of hatching. Players must destroy her
and her nest, or else the city will be dealing with their snake
Raised from their graves by rising waters, coffins and corpses
problem for a long, long time.
have sprouted up all over the city, their diseased stink yet
another problem with which city leaders must contend. With
many locals looking to the repair of their own homes, few
residents have been willing to assist with the reinterment of
the dead.

Fortunately, recruits have been found in the nearby “swamper”

community, families who have lived for generations among
the bayous surrounding Merineaux. Rarely able to find work
in the city due to the perception that they are dirty, uncultured,
and inclined toward criminal activity, the swamp folk have
been happy for paying work, even if it is the unpleasant task of
gravedigging.

But local prejudice has led to tension which has now boiled
over. Two newly appointed gravediggers, cousins by the names
of Theo and Jhermaine, found themselves fleeing a
mob of locals after a game of cards gone bad.
Seeking shelter from the mob, the cousins
headed to the one place in the city familiar
to them: The Grand Cemetary. There,
they hoped to lose their pursuers in the
dark and fog.

4
 longshoreman simply named Khurt, demanding to know why
they’re hanging about. If the characters ask questions, he tells
Part I - Mob Justice them to mind their business. His challenge draws the ire of the
crowd, who then surround the characters. Khurt and seven
other townsfolk will attack the characters unless the characters
succeed on a DC 14 group Charisma (Intimidation) check. For
The characters discover the group of local vigilantes and must the purposes of combat, treat Khurt as a Thug (Basic Rules)
prevent the mob from killing the cousins there and then. and his gang as Bandits (Basic Rules) with no ranged attacks.
They are not brave, and any that are reduced to half of their hit
Hooks points will retreat back into the crowd.

Extra Pair of Hands. Looters, of both the desperate and

greedy varieties, have been plundering city shops and homes.
Break It Up
Those citizens able to afford it have been hiring anyone who After one round of combat, the town guard appears.
looks like they’re able to sling a sword or a spell to protect their
property. The characters have heard about the need for hired Read out: “Shrill whistles pierce through the yelling of the
swords and are looking for work. crowd and groans of the injured. City watchmen wearing
We Take Care of Our Own. Alternately, the characters could the fish and flower of Merineaux use thick wooden poles
be locals recently returned from adventures abroad to help to literally beat back the crowd. A short, broad man with
family or friends recover, providing protection and labor in a neck like a tree trunk bellows at the mob, his voice
equal measure. forcing them back every bit as effectively as the guards’
staves. ‘Against the wall, all of you! Any of ‘em gives you
Dance the Hangin’ Jig trouble, boys, and you have my permission to draw steel. Now,
would someone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?’
Following the sounds of shouting, the characters discover the
He eyes the characters suspiciously. ‘Let’s start with you.’”
townspeople about to hang the cousins.
Conflicting Accounts. The bellowing senior officer is Devrin
Read out: “Ahead, the flickering light of street lamps Menare. He listens to the characters, then demands to hear
illuminate the walls of The Grand Cemetery. Shadows of Khurt’s side of things, making a point to spit on the ground as
men and women loom tall and waiver wildly across its Khurt describes Alain’s arrival and subsequent death.
surface. Two dozen townspeople surround a pair of men
Khurt’s Story. Khurt gives his name and recounts his version
standing back-to-back and wearing the rustic clothing of the night’s event.
of swampers. Like a pack of wolves closing in for the
kill, the townsfolk take turns lunging forward to swing Khurt’s Version of Events
or kick at the men, forcing them to constantly circle and
leaving them no room to escape. One of the townsfolk, Alain, Khurt, and friends were at a local tavern playing
cards. Not long after Jermaine and Theo joined the game,
arms covered in muscle and cheap tattoos, lands a punch
the two became the consistent winners at the table. Their
so hard it is audible even across the street, sending one luck was too good, and Alain accused the pair of cheating.
of the swampers to his knees. That sign of weakness is all
When Alain refused to pay, the younger cousin Theo drew
the crowd needs, and they pounce on the pair with fists his shelling knife and attacked Alain, injuring his hand as
and feet. he threw it up to protect himself (Lie). Theo and Jhermaine
then fled into the cemetery followed by the crowd of out-
Several other townsfolk are in the process of looping a raged townsfolk.
pair of ropes over the branch of a huge, moss-draped oak.
The fog was thick, and Khurt lost sight of Alain (Lie). Hop-
Lying at the foot of the cemetery walls just outside the ing to regroup, Khurt and several others made their way out
gate is a body in a pool of blood, seemingly forgotten in of the cemetery just before Theo and Jhermaine emerged.
the violent anger that has swept up the crowd.” Shortly after, Alain stumbled out and died. Enraged at
Alain’s death, the crowd got out of control and decided to
Just Keep Walkin’. The corpse used to be Alain Lemont hang the pair right there.
who recently staggered out of the cemetery to die in the street
from a deep stab wound. The mob believes Theo and his In addition to the theft of the gold, Khurt also points out that
cousin Jermaine to be the murderers. When the characters Alain is missing a silver pendant he always wore: a silver ship
arrive, the mob is viciously beating the cousins and are clearly on a long chain. He’s sure the cousins must have stolen it,
about to hang them. Even if the characters don’t intervene, too. If the characters were attacked, Khurt paints them as the
they will be confronted by one of Alain’s companions, a burly aggressors.

5
Any character who succeeds on an opposed Wisdom (Insight) Read out: “Menare snorts, then says, ‘Tell you what I think.
check against Khurt’s Charisma (Deception) check can tell that I don’t think anyone is telling the whole story. But I’ve got a
Khurt isn’t telling the whole truth about some of the details. dead body and two bug-eaters with a conveniently missing
An inspection of Alain’s body does uncover a puncture wound
knife and a lot of someone else’s gold, and I can’t let that stand.
in his right hand, but a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine)
check will reveal it was not from putting it up in self-defense. So these two are coming with me, and I’ll present the evidence
Theo stabbed him in the hand when Alain angrily reached for to a magistrate in the morning. Imagine they’ll probably hang
Theo’s winnings. Also, Khurt lost sight of Alain not because of by noon. That’s it, everyone, back to your homes. Now!’ As the
the fog, but because he was too afraid to enter the cemetery at crowd disperses, Menare approaches the party and says, ‘I
all. A character who makes a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) can tell you don’t care for my decision. But you listen, order’s
check will notice that Khurt has no mud on his boots, unlike all
hard enough to come by in this city as it is and an example
the rest who entered the cemetery.
has to be made. I don’t care for hanging innocent men, though.
After hearing Khurt’s story, Menare orders a search of the Even degenerates like them. Tell you what. You find me some
cousins which turns up several damning clues: Theo’s shelling evidence to the contrary, and I’ll let ‘em go. It’ll have to be
knife is missing, and he has a pouch containing far too much
substantial, though. A witness and a murder weapon might do.
gold for a gravedigger. Neither of them has the missing
pendant, though. Better yet, find out who killed that fella, and I’ll make it worth
your while. Way things are right now, we’re stretched too thin
Read out: “Menare’s eyes narrow as the watchmen hands as it is.’”
him the bag of gold. “What’d I say? If you bring these bug-
While Menare doesn’t want to make any promises, he will
eaters into the city, there’s going to be trouble.” He hawks
offer the players 150 gp if pressed, though he will go up to 200
and spits again in the direction of the two battered and gp if a character succeeds at a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
bleeding men, now hauled to their feet, manacled, and check.
held tightly between pairs of watchmen. ‘Well, anything to
Haven’t Got a Clue. If the characters agree, Menare lets them
say for yourselves? Let’s start with your names.’”
question Jhermaine and Theo and examine the body. Their
The Cousins’ Story. Jhermaine and Theo give their names and story doesn’t change much, though there are a few notable
their account of that evening’s events. differences.

Jhermaine and Theo’s Version of Events Questioning The Cousins

Jhermaine does admit that he has a magical charm called a witch
They both agree that they were playing cards and that Alain bag that he was using to bring him and Theo luck.
accused them of cheating. But they’ve never cheated at cards
Theo admits that when Alain tried to take back a huge winning
in their whole lives. (Lie)
pot, he stabbed him in his hand , grabbed the winnings, and ran. He
After Alain suffered a particularly bad loss, he and his doesn’t know where the knife is now, though he thinks he probably
friends became violent and threatened the cousins. The pair dropped it when he was attacked in the cemetery.
scooped up their winnings and ran for the cemetery with the
Any character examining the body finds a single puncture
crowd behind them.
wound that passes down through Alain’s collar bone. A
Inside, the cousins split up to avoid detection, but Alain successful Intelligence (Medicine) or (Investigation) check
managed to discover Theo and attacked him. The two wres- reveals several things.
tled until Alain hit his head on a tombstone, giving Theo
time to escape. - Investigating Alain’s Body -
Theo and Jhermaine managed to reunite and head for an
Roll Result
exit where they were caught. They would have been dead if
not for the characters’ arrival. The wound was a downward thrust created by a
10 or less
smooth, non-serrated blade. Like a shelling knife.
Any character who succeeds on an opposed Wisdom (Insight)
However, the wound is deeper than Theo’s knife
check against one of the cousins’ Charisma (Deception) check 11 - 14
could inflict.
can tell that they too aren’t telling the whole truth about not
cheating. They were, but thanks to their witch bag (pg.13), In fact, it would be a difficult blow for a shorter man
15+
like Theo to land on someone as tall as Alain.
not in any way that could be discerned by Alain.

At this point, Menare will demand to know the characters’ part If this evidence is presented to Menare, he will tell the
in all of this, listening attentively as they explain their version characters that they’re speculating. Either way, he marches
of events. When the players are finished, read the following: Jhermaine and Theo off to jail. Before he leaves, Jhermaine
offers the characters his witch bag (pg.13) to aid them. It has
one charge remaining.

6
Part II - Whistling Past The Graveyard

State of Decay. The Grand Cemetery was once three square

- NPC Paths -
blocks of manicured greenery, shade trees, and a shallow,
whispering creek leading to a reflection pond where visitors Alain Theo
could grieve in peace. In all Merineaux’s bustle and noise,
the cemetery was a place of quiet and reflection. Now, the Gremy Dumanell Gremy Dumanell
cemetery is a putrid morass of mud and rot. Coffins poke out The Crime Scene A Brief Tussle
of the mud everywhere. Many of the smaller, middle-class
A Brief Tussle
tombs have toppled, and even some of the stately mausoleums
of Merineaux's wealthy elite tilt at off angles or sport collapsed
fencing. Corpses, whole or partial and in varying states of After each destination, players attempting to continue
decay, are scattered throughout. following the trail must succeed on another DC 14 Wisdom
(Survival) check.
Light. There is only dim light in the cemetery, and characters
without darkvision will require a light source to see. If a character attempting to follow a trail is unsuccessful, they
spend an hour searching after which roll a d6 and proceed to
Read out: “As you pass through the cemetery gates, you a random encounter from the table below. If an encounter is
are plunged into darkness, the high walls guarding rolled for a second time, the players fruitlessly spend one hour
against even the light. Fog rises from the stinking mud searching.
like corpse breath, the displaced tombstones so many
- Grand Cemetery Random Encounter Table -
crooked teeth. The flood waters have played havoc with
the graves, dragging coffins to the surface and dragging Roll Encounter
even the thousands of tombs from their usual resting 1 Watch Your Step
place. As you step around the side of a fallen tomb
2 Gnawed Bones
wall, something crunches under your feet. Aiming your
light downward, you realize you've stepped in a human 3 Grick Burrow
ribcage.” 4 Shed Skin

Retracing the Steps. Characters that succeed on a DC 14 5 Gremy Dumanell

Wisdom (Survival) check are able to locate and follow the 6 Roll Again
trail of either Alain or Theo. Their trails lead to a series of
encounters in the order below. Watch Your Step. In addition to forcing coffins out of the
ground, the flood also eroded away the earth underneath in
places, leaving behind potential sinkholes. As the character is
searching, the ground gives way under their feet. They must
succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6)
bludgeoning damage from falling. If Gremy is currently with
the players, she has warned them about these sinkholes and the
save is made with advantage.

7
 Gnawed Bones. The characters stumble upon human remains An Exciting Night. If asked about what happened to Alain that
scattered across what once was a path. Scraps of putrid flesh night, she tells the characters she only saw part of the conflict
still cling to the bones in places, but otherwise they have been and not Alain’s death. She did see Theo and Alain fight, though
picked clean. Teeth marks are evident. A successful DC 13 she’s sure that Theo didn’t kill Alain. According to her, both
Wisdom (Survival) check indicates they were gnawed by a dog men fell and Alain hit his head on the side of a tomb, stunning
or wolf. him and giving Theo time to escape. Alain not only survived,
but Gremy saw him get to his feet and set off in a different
Grick Burrow. A coffin has been forced out of the ground, direction while cussing up a storm. She’s happy to show the
though this time not by flood waters. The coffin lies next to party where the fight took place (in exchange for a few coins),
a pile of dirt which marks the entrance to a tunnel. Clearly though she isn’t keen on bearing witness. She will only agree to
something has burrowed into this grave and pulled the coffin do so if a character succeeds on a DC14 Charisma (Persuasion)
out. A search for tracks turns up a series of winding tracks like check. This check is made with disadvantage unless the players
those of a large snake. Before the arrival of the deathfang, a offer to pay Gremy at least 10 GP. A character that succeeds at
young Grick (Basic Rules) dug into several graves, including a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check spots a silver necklace in
the sunken mausoleum the death fang is using now. the grimy folds of Gremy’s clothes that matches the necklace
Shed Skin. Plastered to a tombstone by the wind and humidity missing from Alain. She discovered it after the fight and plans
is a large sheet of shed reptilian skin. The skin is very large, to pawn it. If pressed about it, she will lie and say that she’s
much larger than any reptile you’ve ever seen. No pattern can always had it. She is neither brave nor a good liar, and she does
be clearly discerned from the soggy remains, so the species not put up a fight to keep it.
is indiscernible. If the players have already found the grick
burrow, it should be noted that this skis is far larger than
whatever made the previous tracks.

Gremy Dumanell.

Read out: “From out of the dark comes the sound of

whistling and a woman’s quiet, off-key singing. You
follow the sound to a muddy stream that cuts across the
cemetery. A ragged figure leans against a modest tomb
near the bank, greasy gray hair plastered to her head by
the damp, swaying in time as she conducts an invisible
band with the wine bottle she holds. Her mismatched
clothes swish through the air to her off-beat cadence.”

Gremy is deep into her second bottle and does not notice the
party at first, even if they have a light source. Though startled
by their appearance, she quickly warms up to the characters
and will happily tell them about tonight’s exciting events.

8
Fresh Meat Getting Warmer
The characters’ presence has inadvertently saved Gremy’s life, If Gremy dies:
at least for now. A pack of dogs looking to feast on exposed
corpses made the mistake of entering the deathfang’s lair. Should the worst happen, the players have lost their star
She killed the intruders, and the necromantic properties of witness. Their only choice is to discover the deathfang’s lair,
her venom has reanimated them. They now instinctively kill it, and present it as the killer. There are two ways they
act as drones, looking for fresh meat they can drag back to might do this. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check
the deathfang. The pack was about to pounce on old Gremy finds Gremy’s trail, and a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check will
when the characters arrived. Being fearless undead, they are lead the characters to A Brief Tussle. If the players do not talk
undeterred by the characters’ presence and will not give up to Gremy before her death, the stolen ship pendant should
on the possibility of a fresh kill. Using their Stealth, they will clue the characters into the fact that she knows something. If
attempt to ambush the characters, concentrating on reaching all else fails, for every 2 hours spent searching the cemetery,
Gremy (Commoner, Basic Rules). If she is knocked prone, one one character may make a DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check or
dog will attempt to drag her away while the others try to drive Intelligence (Investigation) check to notice the entrance to the
off the characters. Even though they are just dogs, their undead deathfang’s lair. If this roll fails, they must continue searching
nature makes them significantly tougher. and waste valuable time.

Treat the pack as if they were 4 Wolves (Basic Rules) that are If Gremy survives:
immune to poison. Players with a passive Perception of 13 or A Brief Tussle. Once the dogs have been put down, Gremy is
higher, or who inspect the dogs at all, discover their undead only too happy to help the characters. After a few false starts,
nature as well as stab wounds similar to Alain’s on each of the Gremy is able to bring the party to the location where she
dogs. is mostly confident the altercation took place. It is here that
she witnessed a fight between Alain and Theo and also found
Alain’s pendant. A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check discovers Theo’s knife. While it has a
small amount of blood on it, there’s not as much as one might
expect from a mortal wound. Also, there is no blood on the
surrounding grass. A DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check locates
Theo and Alain’s tracks, which do indeed lead off in different
directions. Following Alain’s footprints leads to the lair of the
deathfang.

Fresh Meat - by GoAdventureMaps

If Gremy is reduced to zero hit points, she will begin making

death saving throws. If she survives and the players were
unable to persuade her to act as a witness before, she will now
agree to do so.

9
Part III - Those Who Kill Snakes…

Alain’s tracks lead the characters to the collapsed roof of what Read out: “The smell of putrescence physically assaults
was once a stately mausoleum. The rains created a sinkhole your nostrils the moment you enter this cavernous
beneath it, collapsing it into a muddy pit and reducing the roof space. The interior of the mausoleum has completely
to rubble.
collapsed into the muck below. A steeply sloped shelf of
Read out: “The trail leads to what was once a massive overlapping granite flooring, all that remains of several
mausoleum clearly meant to house generations of well- floors, jut out of the mud. Water still trickles in from
to-do dead. Unlike so many other graves that have risen numerous cracks in the walls, creating a shallow pool
up or been washed away, the floods seem to have carved below. The bones of countless bodies protrude from
a sinkhole beneath this particular tomb and turned it into the muck. Whether they belong to the mausoleum's
just another muddy grave. A 7-foot-tall bronze statue rightful inhabitants or they were carried in on the flood
of a sailfish jutting from the rubble is the only vestige of is impossible to discern. In two sections where the walls
pride remaining.” have partially collapsed, two tunnels have been bored
into the walls, one to the north and the other in the
The Crime Scene. Alain’s tracks approach the mausoleum,
southeast corner. Both have a diameter of approximately
then stumble away, a trail of blood clearly marking his
passage to even the most novice tracker. That is because five feet.”
Alain stumbled upon the lair of the deathfang, who is fiercely
guarding her clutch of eggs. They are very close to hatching
and after Alain’s earlier intrusion, her instinct is to stay close,
otherwise she would emerge and attack the players as well.
Characters will likely find it strange that there are no more
footprints, only several looping paths of crushed grass and
smoothed mud, as if something were dragged across them.
These mark the deathfang’s passing and lead to the collapsed
rubble. At the edge of the rubble heap is a muddy opening
beneath the wreckage. Before the characters enter, read the
following:

Read out: “Mud squelching under booted feet alerts

you to the presence of someone approaching. The dark
silhouette of a man stumbles and lurches toward you,
moaning in pain.”

The figure is not another vagrant but Alain, reanimated by

the deathfang’s necromantic venom. The venom compels him
to return and act as a guard and eventual food source for the
deathfang’s brood. Alain will attack the characters on sight.
Treat him as a zombie (Basic Rules).

Den of Snakes. There is no light under the rubble, and

characters without darkvision will require a light source to see.
When a character enters, read the following:

Den of Snakes - by RhasmusDnd

The flooring is very steep and quite slippery. A character

standing still can maintain their balance, but any character who
attempts to move at more than half their speed must succeed
on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or slide into the mud
below.

10
 The mud is difficult terrain, and any creature who has entered An exploration of the southeast tunnel reveals that it extends
it and doesn’t have a climbing speed can only climb back out if for 40 feet. Only small or medium characters can fit thanks
they succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. As soon as to the low ceiling, and medium characters must crawl at half
a character enters the mud, read the following: speed. The tunnel ends in a circular chamber 35 ft across and
carved out of the mud. Curled in the middle of the chamber
Read out: “You land feet first and immediately sink up to is the rotting carcass of a young grick (Basic Rules). One of the
your calves in stinking muck. Bending down to pull your deathfang’s fangs protrudes from its side, likely snapped off by
leg out, you notice a set of skeletal fingers protruding the flailing legs. A clutch of eggs is piled in the middle of the
from the mud suddenly spasm and jerk. All around you, coiled crawler. A player may spend an entire round to crush the
eggs.
the rattle of bones fills the air as every bit of the exposed
corpses begins to twitch and thrash violently, sending up
sprays of water. Those nearest you blindly grope for your The Truth Will Set You Free
legs, while the rest all twitch toward the southeast corner Menare will be presenting evidence against Theo and
of the chamber. Jhermaine shortly after dawn. If the characters completed
the mission in time, they can still save the cousins. The more
A hiss, audible even above all of the rattling and evidence they have, the better. Consult the table below. A
splashing, precedes the titanic, wedge-shaped head of a snake fang and a living Gremy are worth two points each. The
snake emerging from the southeast tunnel. The creature dagger, a retelling of Gremy’s account by the characters, or
rises up, taller than any man, and then darts forward with their findings while tracking are worth one point each.
its mouth agape. A single fang, long as a scimitar, flashes
out. Where the other should be, there is only a jagged, Charisma (Persuasion) DC to Save the
# of Points
Cousins
broken stump.”
1 point DC 18
The deathfang is defending its nest and will fight to the end.
2 points DC 16
After 6 rounds (or if disturbed), the snake’s eggs hatch, forming
3 points DC 14 with advantage
a swarm of poisonous snakes that emerges from the deathfang’s
nest. Fresh from their eggs, they are starving and will move to 4+ points Automatic success
attack the nearest living creature that is not their mother.

Death Rattle. An adult deathfang contains a substantial

amount of negative energy. Add to that the necromantic
Conclusion
energy brewing within its eggs, and the area has now become Justice Is Served. If the characters bring sufficient evidence to
saturated. This has caused limited animation in the corpses free Theo and Jhermaine, the pair are immediately pardoned
littering the deathfang’s lair. Mostly they react to the snake’s and released. Menare is impressed and, in addition to the
emotional state, lying dormant when she’s at rest and rattling 150 gp reward, he offers the characters permanent inspector
convulsively when she’s agitated. They are, however, drawn positions within the Merineaux guard. Theo and Jhermaine
to the energy of any living creature near them, instinctively sing their praises within the swamper community, providing
grasping and tearing at nearby life in an attempt to snuff it out. a large pool of contacts should the characters accept Menare’s
Any character who begins their turn in the pit must make a DC offer.
12 Dexterity save. On a failed save, roll a d6 and consult the
table below. To The Gallows They Go. If the characters are unable to free
the cousins, their execution is set two days hence. Players might
Roll Result want to stage a rescue, at which point they would become
fugitives from the law. Should either Theo or Jhermaine
The undead limbs attack. +3 to hit; 2 (1d4) dam- survive the jailbreak, the swamper community does everything
1-2
age. possible to hide them.
The character is grappled. They may use either
their standard or move action to make a DC11
3-5
Strength (Athletics) or a Dexterity (Escape Artist)
check to free themselves.
The character is grappled and takes 2 (1d4) dam-
age. They may use either their standard or move
6 action to make a DC11 Strength (Athletics) or
a Dexterity (Escape Artist) check to free them-
selves.

11
NPCs
Khurt
Jhermaine Read out: “Everything about the man before you
hints at cruelty and violence. Cheap blue tattoos
Read out: “The family resemblance between crawl up his hairy arms, including what appears
Jhermaine and Theo is so strong that they to be crudely inked skulls on his knuckles. His
could easily be brothers. Both are in their mid- thinning hair has been cropped close to his scalp,
twenties, thin with dark skin and curly, black hair. and his thick jaw juts out beneath an oft-broken
Jhermaine, taller and thinner than his cousin, nose.”
wears a gold stud in his nose and wears a small Background. Khurt is the epitome of a bully. A dock
pouch tied to a cord around his neck.” foreman by trade, he loves nothing more than to
belittle, cuss, and cheat the workers under him. Those
Background. The marshlands around Merineaux are
that put up an argument are often found behind dock
dotted with clusters of stilt-pole shacks, fanning out
warehouses badly beaten and suspiciously forgetful as to
through the swamps and bayous and perched above
the perpetrator.
the dark waters like herons. Fishing and hunting
are the primary occupations, and river piracy is not Alain was his partner in crime, equally cruel but with
unheard of. Though considered poor by their urbane a smidge more charm and intelligence. He worries that
neighbors, these communities are fiercely proud of his loss of face to the cousins might have ripple effects,
their independence and ability to live off the land. exposing his true cowardice to others and exposing
Indeed, swampers look down their noses at the “citified” himself to some much deserved payback.
folk and their inability to stomach some of the native
cuisine. Mud bugs, large isopods as big as a bread loaf, Equipment. Homespun clothes, 9 sp, dagger
are an especial favorite in swamper communities.

Jhermaine is one of these proud swamp folk, perhaps

even more so since his grandmother is a witch much
revered in the community. Still, his youth drives him
to excitement, and there are few places as exciting as Gremy Dumanell
Merineaux.
Read out: “Despite her ragged clothes, stiff with
Equipment. Homespun clothes, 34 gp, Witch bag, grime, the woman sports a gap-toothed smile that
Shelling knife
is as genuine as it is rotten. Her grey hair is pulled
back into a greasy bun, and her eyes are bloodshot.
Her slurred speech is punctuated by jabs and
swipes of the wine bottle held tightly in her hand.”

Background. Gremy Dumanell has been on and off the

streets of Merineaux for decades. She is a well-known
face in this district, and the citizens often take pity on
her.

Equipment. Half a bottle of wine, locket with a

portrait of a young woman, 6 cp

12
 Magic Items
Senior Inspector Devrin Menare
Read out: “Though a head shorter than most of
the men under his command, the inspector seems Witch Bag
to dwarf every one of them. Shaved head down
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
and shoulders hunched, he shoves through the
assembled bodies like a bull, his piercing eyes This small brown leather bag, which smells of damp
scanning the crowded faces for a hint of guilt.” earth and pungent herbs, is stuffed with an assortment
of bones, dried leaves, metal filings, and sundry other
Background. Inspector Menare is a grizzled veteran of seemingly random ingredients. However, each addition
Merineaux’s police force. He’s straight as a razor and to the witch bag is actually carefully chosen to repel bad
with a mind just as sharp. Even though he has seen the luck brought on by harmful spirits.
worst that Merineaux has to offer, from serial slashers
to monster incursions, he still firmly believes that he’s Each bag comes with 3 charges. Anyone wearing a
making a difference and will not tolerate any threat to witch bag can spend a charge to reroll a failed saving
the safety of his people. throw. Additionally, the wearer may spend a charge
to gain advantage on one Deception, Insight, or
Equipment. Steel baton (club), bladed gauntlets, badge Perception check. Using a charge permanently depletes
of office, 13 gp the bag’s contents, and the bag does not automatically
regain charges. Once per day, a character may attempt
to recharge the bag by making a DC 14 Intelligence
(Arcana) check. If successful, the character acquires the
proper ingredients and the bag regains 1 spent charge.

Theo
If the check is unsuccessful, the bag permanently loses
1 charge. If the last charge is spent, then the witch bag
loses all magical properties.
Read out: “Where Jhermaine looks the dashing
rogue, Theo looks every bit the backwoods
brawler. Shorter and broader than his cousin,
it looks as though he might burst the seams of
his homespun clothing. His imposing figure is
somewhat diluted by a roguish twinkle in his deep
brown eyes and a quick smile.”

Background. Theo is a swamper and proud of it. He

loves hunting, fishing, and most of all, laying into
a freshly caught mud bug. Like many swampers, he
carries a long metal spike, known as a shelling knife, at
all times, just in case he spots one of the giant isopods
burrowing in the mud.

While he’s friendly and loyal to a fault, he also has a

quick temper and does not tolerate insults.

Equipment. Steel baton (club), bladed gauntlets, badge

of office, 13 gp, Shelling knife

13
 Monster Lore
Deathfang Constrictor Snake
Huge Beast, Unaligned
—
Deathfang Constrictor
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 60 (8d12 + 8) Deathfang constrictors infest marshes and swamps, twisting
Speed 30 ft. their way through the foetid waters in search of prey. Such
— creatures are born from death – the swamps that make up
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA their hunting grounds are the sites of ancient battles or long
19 (+4) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)
forgotten atrocities. Slithering through corpse-clogged waters
—
Skills Perception +2
and basking in generations of rot bloats these deathfangs
Damage Resistances Necrotic to truly monstrous proportions, filling their venom-sacs
Condition Immunities Prone with a potent necrotic poison. These creatures can live for
Senses Blindsight 10ft., Passive Perception 12 centuries, often slumbering for years on end and only stirring
Languages -- when something large enough disturbs the nearby waters. A
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 deathfang awoken from its slumber reacts with instinctive
— violence, snapping out at the source of the disturbance to coil
Actions around it before delivering a deadly bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must make Inured to Death. Deathfangs are rightly feared for the potency
a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) necrotic of their venomous bite, but their resistance to necromantic
damage. If a creature reduced to 0 hit points by this necrotic
energy can be just as deadly a surprise for an overconfident
damage dies, its body is reanimated as a zombie after 6 hours.
The zombie does not obey the snake’s commands, but does adventurer. A Deathfang’s diet of corpseflesh transforms them
not attack it. not only on the outside, but the inside as well, allowing them to
shrug off spells that would wither a mundane serpent to dust.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 13 (2d8 +4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is Nature’s Necromancer. The venom of a fully grown deathfang
grappled (escape DC 16). Until the grapple ends, the creature is a potent necromantic soup.
is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.

Read out: “An immense, black-scaled snake, the creature

opens its fanged maw wide enough to swallow a pony
whole and lunges toward you, a foul, acrid stench
spewing from its open mouth…”

14
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