Adventure
The Spirit's Up
by Eidolon Publishing
Synopsis
The players begin this adventure in Agnes’ Lodge, asleep in their beds after an evening of food, drink, and laughter on the eve of the Winter Solstice. But as the players sleep, they are visited in their dreams by the Scarlet Saint: a powerful fey who, in punishment for their failure to pay tribute under the laws of hospitality, afflicts them with the Curse of Coal—a malady that, by dawn, will turn their lungs into coal. When the players awaken, a knock at the door leads them into an encounter with the Beast of the Woods: an uncanny fey in the shape of a red-nosed deer that serves the Saint as its herald. The Beast warns the players that the Saint has cursed them in anger, and that only the Saint’s People—the lesser fey that dwell in the lodge—can help them find a way to lift their curse. Once the Beast departs, players who investigate the lodge can encounter the fey within, including Peppermint, an overworked brownie tormented by the awoken rat Abenezer; Holly and Juniper, a pixie and sprite searching for entertainment; and Mistletoe, a grumpy redcap hunting for his lost garrote. By helping some or all of the lodge’s fey, the players can learn how to calm the Saint’s anger and meet their obligations as guests—while also learning Great Aunt Agnes’ true history and legacy. If the players find one or both of the secret tunnels that descend to the Scarlet Saint’s hidden chamber—and bypass the Firethorn, a living pyracantha bush that protects the Saint’s sanctum—they can find the Saint’s sacred hot spring, at which they can leave an offering to the Saint—such as a fresh-baked batch of cookies—summon it, or both. If the players please or defeat the Saint, the Curse of Coal is lifted.
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A1a. The Saint's Greeting
Location: Master Bedroom, Guest Bedrooms
Characters: The Scarlet Saint
When this adventure begins, read:
‘Tis the night before solstice, and no creature is stirring.
The old timbers creak and the fire is roaring.
In your hands rests a letter, all wrinkled and creased,
That bestowed you this cabin from your great aunt, deceased.
A long snowy journey through wild northern lands,
Saw you safe to this shelter from winter’s demands.
As you sit by the hearth, your bellies well stuffed,
Your thoughts turn to details the letter discussed.
Your aunt’s written words gave you little advice,
Instead Agnes trusted one line to suffice:
“It’s yours now, my dears, but please keep in mind,
“Be gracious to those who belong here in kind.”
As the eve stretches on, your thoughts start to drift
To sugar-plums, dancing, and other sweet gifts.
At last, you retire and surrender to sleep,
While under the floorboards, a slow shadow creeps . . .
Invite each player to introduce themselves, including:
their name
their appearance
their relationship to Aunt Agnes (if any)
what they prepared for last night’s meal
whether they’re sleeping in the master bedroom or a guest room
how they’re currently dressed and sleeping (e.g., neatly tucked in, or sprawled across the bed)
When the players have finished introducing themselves, read or paraphrase:
You each drift in pleasant dreams, your thoughts warm and sluggish. Your minds flicker through joyful scenes: a crackling hearth; a gallant dance; a field of fresh-fallen snow.
But beneath it all, a shadow lingers.
One by one, tendrils of shadow wrap around your dreams, encircling and piercing them like roots around stone. Your dreams fracture, then snap. You feel yourself rising, thrust almost violently, toward a dim, bitter light.
Your eyes snap open. The bed lies beneath you, its comfortable plush suddenly icy and hard. Your muscles feel frozen—petrified, even—refusing to move even an inch at your command.
Then, you see it—the shadow crouched atop your bed.
It is lanky, wearing a loose blood-red cloak lined with white wool. A deep hood covers its face, enshrouding all features but a pair of glowing, unblinking eyes. Long sleeves cover its uncanny, too-long arms—until one lifts and reaches slowly toward you.
Your heart screams in your chest, but your muscles ignore your commands. A hand slips from the sleeve: blue-gray, with long, near-skeletal fingers. Slowly, the hand presses against your chest, radiating any icy chill like the Sun radiates warmth.
With a thrust, the figure pushes its hand into your chest, moving through fabric and flesh like putty. You feel its bony fingers wrap around something inside you, and your insides erupt into burning pain. Your chest rises, its insides suddenly hard and brittle.
The figure slides its hands upwards through your neck, your skull, and your face, until it reaches your eyes. It withdraws its fingers, then—with a gentle, near-tender motion—draws your eyelids closed.
When you open them again, the figure is gone.
All of you awaken at once. Your muscles unfreeze, your bodies able to move once more—but each of you is suddenly wracked by vicious, thundering coughs, expelling clouds of black dust into the air as something within your chests still burns.
A heartbeat later, three knocks echo from the lodge’s front door.
Any player sleeping in the Master Bedroom also notices that the locks on Agnes’ strongbox have begun glowing a faint silver, and that small inscriptions have appeared on them.
Investigating the Coughs. A player who succeeds on a DC 5 Wisdom (Medicine) check can trace the pain in their chest to their lungs.
Investigating the Room. A player who inspects any of the players’ beds and succeeds on a DC 5 Wisdom (Perception) check finds a small lump of coal wrapped in the bed’s linens.
Investigating a Window. A player who looks out one of the windows finds a blizzard roaring outside, the limbs of the forest’s nearby trees lurching in the storm’s fierce winds.
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If the players investigate the knocking, proceed to A1b. The Visitor at the Door.
If the players decline to investigate the knocking, it repeats one minute later—but this time, as a fierce pounding on the door.
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If the players investigate, proceed to A1b. The Visitor at the Door. Otherwise, proceed to A1c. The Visitor at the Window.
A1b. The Visitor at the Door
Location: Master Bedroom, Guest Bedrooms, Dining Room and Hearth
Characters: The Beast of the Woods
The lodge is quiet, its only other light the faint orange glow from the hearth’s dying embers. The floorboards creak softly beneath your steps as, just outside, the blizzard batters the lodge’s sturdy walls.
You leave your bedchambers behind, departing the small, circular corridor that connects them, and exiting into the larger space beyond. To the left, a set of steep wooden stairs leads up to the loft, which—from the evening’s exploration—you recall holds a small storage area.
Beyond the base of the stairs, the dining room is just as you left it, with chairs pushed in and dishes stacked neatly. To the left, a door leads to the empty kitchen, which stands dark and quiet. Ahead, the lodge’s front door waits in silent stillness.
If the players linger without opening the door, the knocking repeats soon thereafter as a fierce pounding on the door.
If a player looks out one of the windows, they find the blizzard roaring outside, the limbs of the forest’s nearby trees lurching in the storm’s fierce winds. They also observe a faint, glowing red light flickering in the icy darkness before the lodge like a coal. (A player with darkvision can see that the light seems to be emitted from a tall silhouette standing before the lodge, though it’s difficult to make out any features amidst the blizzard.)
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If the players open the door and speak with the Beast, proceed to A1d. The Questions of the Beast
If the players leave the door closes, proceed to A1c. The Visitor at the Window
A1c. The Visitor at the Window
Location: Master Bedroom, Guest Bedrooms, Dining Room and Hearth
Characters: The Beast of the Woods
If the players disregard the knocking, a player closest to a window notices a flicker of movement in the snow outside, joined by the brief flare of a small, red, ember-like glow.
A moment later, words appear upon the window pane, written in crackling frost:
You are in grave danger. If we cannot speak, all may be lost.
Immediately after the words are read, an additional three knocks echo from the door.
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If the players investigate the knocking, proceed to A1b. The Visitor at the Door
A1d. The Questions of the Beast
Location: Dining Room and Hearth
Characters: The Beast of the Woods
Upon greeting the players, The Beast informs them that it “has questions for you,” and gently warns them that they “have little time.”
The Beast will not cross the threshold into the lodge, even if invited. (“I cannot act within the Saint's hall,” it says, with sincere regret. “My presence would offend him more deeply than your arrival.”)
If permitted, the Beast attempts to confirm the players’ identities and whether they have offended the Scarlet Saint, asking one or more of the following questions:
“How was it that you came to this place?”
“What did you dream this night?” (The Beast knows that the players have dreamt of the Saint, and will not accept lies or evasion. “I beg of you—do not attempt to conceal the truth,” it insists kindly. “Your very life may depend upon it.”)
“What gift did you bring to honor the hearth?” (If the players reply that they brought no gift, the Beast’s nose flares in alarm. “Not even a token?” it says softly. “This bodes terrible ill.”)
“Did Agnes leave you no instructions? No words by which to follow the winter rites?”
“Do your hearts ache with your breath? Was your place of rest stained with soot?”
When The Beast of the Woods has asked and answered questions to its satisfaction, it pauses and tilts its head, as though listening to the howl of the wind. Its ember flares sharply, and its eyes widen. “He listens,” it murmurs. It then bows deeply and adds, “Go. Earn your mercy.” It then steps backward into the storm, the snow closing around it without touching it, as its ember-light slowly fades into the darkness.
After The Beast departs, the "Saint’s People" return to the lodge:
Peppermint, Abenezer, and the remnants of the fey feast manifest in the Kitchen. (Players elsewhere in the lodge can hear the sound of clinking dishes and silverware from beyond the Kitchen’s door.)
Holly and Juniper manifest in the Loft. (Players elsewhere in the lodge can hear the sound of tinkling glass and high-pitched giggling from up the stairs, followed—a few moments later—by the sound of something ceramic smashing against the floor.)
Mistletoe manifests in the Suite. (Players elsewhere in the lodge can hear the sound of heavy, stomping footfalls from the bedrooms.)
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If the players investigate the Kitchen, proceed to A1e. The Guest in the Kitchen
If the players investigate the Loft, proceed to A1g. The Guests in the Loft
If the players investigate the Suite, proceed to A1h. The Guest in the Suite
A1e. The Guest in the Kitchen
Location: Kitchen
Characters: Peppermint, Abenezer Skrewyu
Background: Two days ago, the fey of the lodge and nearby woods gathered for Agnes’ annual tradition of a potluck Solstice feast. This year, in Agnes’ absence, a mourning Peppermint forgot to bring anything at all—and was condemned by Mistletoe and Juniper to clean up after the feast alone. She has been cleaning the lodge ever since—beginning with the suite, loft, and dining room, and now ending with the kitchen—and surviving on scraps of sleep in a nest of rags while fighting off the territorial Abenezer. Now, facing her final and largest task, she is exhausted, bitter, and desperate for help.
When the players enter the kitchen, read or paraphrase:
The neat, tidy kitchen you left is gone. In its place is a scene of chaos incarnate.
Carved ham bones lie scattered across the counter, their meat stripped clean and piled with congealed fat. A turkey carcass, stripped to the bone, dangles from the chandelier, a decorative orange hanging from its shoulder like a crown. Empty dishes teeter in precarious stacks, shattered eggshells cover the floor, and flour handprints climb the walls like desperate ghosts. By the window, a half-filled mixing bowl stands quietly upon the counter beside an overturned glass, a pile of small, metallic implements lying tumbled between them. Beneath the mess, a few feet from a shut pantry door, the hearth spits and crackles, casting wild shadows that seem to dance across the walls.
Near the water basin, a broom tied with a swooping red ribbon sweeps in slow, tired lines. Nearby, a dishrag works through a soup bowl in rough, slouching circles. Between them, a scrub brush attacks a stubborn stain on the floor, though it’s clear that its heart is only halfway in it.
And there—darting between crusty gravy boats and toppled soup tureens—is a figure no taller than your boots. Her red jacket blazes with gold trim, her white pants somehow pristine, and her tall cap sits at a jaunty angle, a tiny bell jingling at her collar below. She scrubs frantically at a casserole dish crusted with burnt cheese—nearly tripping over a gnawed turkey leg as she does—and hums a nervous, jittery tune, her tiny hands moving in twitchy, abrupt patterns.
If the players call out to her or otherwise make themselves known to her from afar, Peppermint freezes, then uses her invisibility to vanish.
Any player can hear her jingle bell softly tink-tink-tinking across the floor, then see a sponge begin to cautiously scrub at a dish near the hearth a few moments later.
However, Peppermint can’t help but tend to their needs while invisible, cleaning up any messes they make, stoking the hearth or pushing a stool if they seem to be cold or tired, or arranging a plate of bread and cheese if they seem to be hungry.
If the players creep up to her and address her from nearby, Peppermint freezes, whispering audibly to herself that the “Big Folk can’t see me if I’m standing still.” (If disabused of the notion, Peppermint squeaks and uses her invisibility to vanish.)
See Influencing for more information on how the players might convince Peppermint to speak with them.
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If the players enter the pantry, proceed to A1f. The Guest in the Pantry
If the players investigate the Loft, proceed to A1g. The Guests in the Loft
If the players investigate the Suite, proceed to A1h. The Guest in the Suite
A1f. The Guest in the Pantry
Location: Pantry
Characters: Peppermint, Abenezer Skrewyu
When the players first look inside the pantry, read or paraphrase:
You find a hunched, narrow pantry, its shelves crammed with jars, sacks, and cartons. Bundles of dried herbs hang from exposed rafters, and the air carries the distinct scent of cinnamon. Near the back, the pantry wall radiates a steady, unnatural chill, frost creeping along the wooden shelves beneath a dark bottle of molasses and a jug of fresh milk.
If a player has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or more, add:
Something creaks along one of the top shelves above you.
If a player steps inside the pantry, Abenezer shoves a bag of flour off the top shelf toward them, forcing them to succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be covered in flour. (On a failure, Abenezer chitters with laughter from the shadows overhead.)
If the players continue to explore the pantry without obtaining Abenezer’s consent, he continues to use his action each round to push a food item off the high shelf, such as:
a bag of sugar
an additional bag of flour
a wheel of hard cheese
a jar of pickled beets
a jar of pickled herring
A player must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw to evade or catch one of Abenezer’s “attacks.” (A player who fails to evade a falling jar takes 1 bludgeoning damage from the impact.)
Each time Abenezer pushes an item off the shelf, any player in the pantry can see a squat, furry shadow scampering behind the next item in line.
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If the players return to the Kitchen, proceed to A1e. The Guest in the Kitchen
A1g. The Guests in the Loft
Location: Loft
Characters: Holly, Juniper
Background: When the players arrive, Holly has just pushed over a statuary bust that Agnes collected in one of her adventures many years ago. Meanwhile, Juniper is searching the boxes for his pewter mirror, which Agnes gifted him before he died.
When the players enter the loft, read or paraphrase:
The stairs ascend to a rectangular loft, topped with a steep-sloped ceiling that angles with the roof overhead. Dim light filters through a frost-covered window on the far wall, its view half-obscured by faded drapes.
Wooden boxes, a trunk, and two cobwebbed chairs stand silently along the perimeter. Across the floor between them lie fragments of a broken statuary bust—the head of a stately-looking man, now shattered into a dozen pieces.
A foot-tall figure, clad in a green tunic, white tights, and a conical red hat, drifts through the room on fluttering blue butterfly wings, casting his gaze from box to box and muttering to himself. A few feet away, something shimmers briefly in the air—and then vanishes.
If the players watch Juniper quietly from afar, he pauses to admire his reflection in a glass ornament hanging from an open box—and is rudely interrupted when the invisible Holly flings the ornament from the box and dashes it against the floor, shattering it beside the statue. (“Oh, very mature,” Juniper retorts, as Holly appears seated along the edge of the box. She then retrieves and shatters another ornament along the ground, claps and giggles as Juniper rolls his eyes, and vanishes using her invisibility as Juniper resumes his search.)
A1h. The Guest in the Suite
Location: Master Bedroom, Guest Bedrooms
Characters: Mistletoe
Background: When the players arrive, Mistletoe is stomping around the corridor outside the players’ bedrooms, hunting for his Wreath Garrote—a gift from Agnes. He (wrongfully) believes the players stole his garrote, and is hungry for blood.
When the players approach the bedroom hall, read or paraphrase:
The sound of stomping, metal boots echoes from the corridor—joined by a low, ornery grumbling and the rhythmic clang of sharp metal against the walls.
If the players call out to him, Mistletoe bellows in rage and bursts around the corner toward them.
If the players linger in the doorway or otherwise enter Mistletoe’s sight, Mistletoe brandishes his sickle and roars, “So you’re the ones who stole my garrote!” If the players fail to calm him, he attacks. (See Influencing for more information on how the players can calm Mistletoe.)
In combat, Mistletoe fights with blind fury, targeting any player that taunts him and otherwise targeting the nearest player first.
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If the players investigate or return to the Kitchen, proceed to A1e. The Guest in the Kitchen
If the players investigate or return to the Loft, proceed to A1g. The Guests in the Loft
If the players find and descend into the secret tunnel in the closet, proceed to A1i. Beneath the Lodge
A1i. Beneath the Lodge
Location: Firethorn's Tunnel
Characters: The Firethorn
When the players enter the Firethorn's Tunnel, read or paraphrase:
The air grows hotter and muggier with each step forward. Soon, the chill of the air outside is all but forgotten, replaced with a sweltering heat that wouldn’t be far afield in a greenhouse.
As the players proceed, continue:
As you round a final bend, you find the way before you blocked. A massive bush stands before you, its small, tapered, deep green leaves filling the tunnel from floor to ceiling. Dozens of small clusters of bright red berries dot its limbs, their scarlet skin seeming to glow with heat.
The leaves rustle, as if in a wind that only they can feel—and the bush unfolds itself, protruding four growths that resemble limbs. A round, shapeless head rises from its crest, bearing two small, glowing coals for eyes. Its gaze snaps forward—and, slowly, it begins to lumber toward you.
If the players attack or threaten The Firethorn, it attacks, bellowing and trumpeting in anger.
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If the players continue past the Firethorn, proceed to A1j. The Saint's Judgment
A1j. The Saint's Judgment
Location: Hot Spring
Characters: The Scarlet Saint
Leaving an Offering
If the players leave an offering for The Scarlet Saint:
If the offering carries little effort or care, the berries upon the vines dim, and the coal veins along the wall smolder like embers, indicating the Saint’s displeasure.
If the offering carries meaningful effort or care, the berries upon the vines glow brighter, and the coal veins along the walls shimmer with glints of silver and gold, indicating the Saint’s satisfaction. The bowl in the Saint’s arch then magically fills and overflows with a warm, sweet-smelling, reddish-purple liquid—spiced mulled wine—that flows down into the pool below. A player who drinks the wine is cured of the Curse of Coal.
Ringing the Bells
If a player brings the bell three times, its clear chimes ring across the cavern. The lights of the non-red berries wink out a moment later, plunging the chamber into a deep, scarlet light.
The water in the pool begins to boil and churn, the steam that rises from its surface forming a humanoid shape: tall, slender, and lanky, wearing a wool-lined coat the color of blood on snow, with glowing red eyes that burn beneath the shadows of its hood.
If the players bullied or harmed the fey of the lodge, but left or brought a meaningful offering for the Saint, it briefly considers their offering, the temperature abruptly plunging to freezing.
“You have some manners,” the Saint observes, “yet you display no care for your lessers. None would survive the dark nights of winter alongside your wretched souls.”
The Saint promises to lift The Curse of Coal only if the players first depart the lodge and woods—never to return. “Abide my mercy, and live to suffer another day,” the Saint intones, “but know that if you return to my woods, the morn shall find your remains buried in the snow.”
If the players do so, and remain true to their word, when they pass the boundaries of the wood, they are wracked with coughing fits, expelling coal dust in clouds of smoke. When their fits end, the Curse of Coal is lifted.
If the players refuse to depart, the Saintsummons two lodge lantern wisps and attacks. If the players defeat the Saint, the Curse of Coal is lifted—but the players cough coal-dust for the rest of their lives.