d20 Expeditious Retreat Press 1 on 1 Adventures 05 - Vale of the Sepulcher.pdf - Expeditious Retreat Press - R5700

1 on 1 Adventures #5

Vale of the Sepulcher

By Suzi Yee

1 on 1 Adventures #5: Vale of the Sepulcher

Something is amiss in the remote mountain town of Zuria. The head priest has not i led

a report in months, and traders following the winding road into the high-altitude valley

do not i nd their way back home. The Church of Palnor, benefactor and watchers of the

Tomb of Kings, are greatly concerned. Can the PC discover what has happened in this

isolated mountain town before events turn disasterous?

An adventure designed for 1 GM and

1 player (Level 9-11 Cleric)

Requires the use of Dungeons & Dragons, Third Edition Core Books, published by

Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

This module includes 20 adventure-packed pages, complete with detailed maps and descriptions,

forming a ready-made adventure. It has been crafted for one player and one GM so even the

smallest gaming group has adventures suitable to their needs with minimal preparation time. With

some minor scaling, Vale of the Sepulcher is suitable for use with a traditional four-player party.

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If you enjoy this module, look for future releases in the One on One Adventures line from

Expeditious Retreat Press.

Expeditious Retreat Press

One on One Adventures #5

Vale of the Sepulcher

by Suzi Yee

An Adventure for One Cleric level 9-11

Something is amiss in the remote mountain town of Zuria. The head priest has not iled a report in months,

and traders following the winding road into the high-altitude valley do not ind their way back home. The Church

of Palnor, benefactor and watchers of the Tomb of Kings, are greatly concerned. Can the PC discover what has

happened in this isolated mountain town before events turn disasterous?

Credits

Table of Contents

Adventure Synopsis...............................................2

The Tomb of Kings and Zuria...............................2

Traveling to Zuria...................................................3

Ambush Outside of Zuria......................................3

Entering Zuria.........................................................4

Wandering Encounters in Zuria...........................5

The Church...............................................................6

Silvery Moon Inn.....................................................8

Kargol, Greater Barghest........................................9

Harold the Addled................................................11

Tomb of Kings.......................................................12

It’s the end of the world as we know it..............17

Wrapping up the Adventure...............................17

Sample PC..............................................................18

Author: Suzi Yee

Cover Artist: Claudio Pozas

Interal Artist: Claudio Pozas

Editing: Joseph Browning

Layout: Suzi Yee

One on One Adventures are for one player and one

GM. However, they are easily modiied for a traditional

party of four players and one GM. There are many One

on One Adventures available so look for more of them

at a FLGS near you!

Adventure Synopsis

Something is amiss in the remote mountain town of

Zuria. The head priest has not iled a report in months,

and traders following the winding road into the high-

altitude valley do not ind their way back home. The

Church of Palnor, benefactor and watchers of the Tomb

of Kings, are greatly concerned. They have sent the PC

to investigate the matter, giving him a wide latitude

within the parameters of faith to discover what has

happened and to contain problems.

Integrating the Adventure

This adventure is designed for 1 Game Master and 1

player, cleric level 9-11. The PC may be a cleric from

the Church of Palnor, a cleric of a sympathetic cause

or church, or a hired professional cleric that “solves

problems.” There is a sample PC provided, and it is

highly recommended that the PC be a cleric that chooses

to turn undead rather than control undead. While a

background is provided, this adventure can take place

in any world, so long as the city is in a remote area in

the mountains. Vale of the Sepulcher is episode-based,

where places, events, and creatures are presented with

options for PC interaction, depending on the choices the

PC makes.

The Tomb of Kings and Zuria

An ancient civilization once ruled these remote peaks, a

civilization that has long since faded from memory. They

chose this sacred vale to hold their fallen elite deep within

the mountain. While eternal kings lay in their eternal

sleep, treachery from within brought this civilization

down to its knees. A budding master of the planes who

had a penchant for the dark arts went deep into the earth,

conducting experiments that tested the very boundaries

between realms. During one such experiment, the wizard

opened a doorway into the Abyss.

In a cruel irony, the doorway deep within the

Tomb of Kings opened into an Abyssal graveyard in

whose heart stood a massive, ebon crystal column

radiating malicious, unholy power. The dark energy

lowed through the sepulcher, returning life to things

that should no longer be. One by one, the rulers of the

kingdom rose from death, and in their evil rebirth,

cut down the descendents of their once-realm. The

mountain fell fallow, and monstrous events of the past

became little more than horror stories whispered on

cold blustery evenings around the hearth.

Until one day, when the Church of Palnor entered

the realm and saw it sullied by the grip of undeath. The

church began a regimen of cleansing until they found

the true source of evil deep within the earth. Unable to

close the doorway into the Abyss, the Church of Palnor

magically created a white crystal radiating positive

energy, mirroring and countering the negative energy

emanating from the ebon crystal of the Abyss. The

white crystal pierced through the upper layers of the

sepulcher, and its domed top soars through the roof

of the church. The church also placed protective runes

on the entrances of the sepulcher’s top levels, the most

powerful ward on the stairwell leading beyond the

white crystal, warding off undead creatures.

The priests of Palnor then founded the town of

Zuria in the high-altitude valley. The settlement grew

as people saw the power of Palnor and the safety Zuria

offered. This haven in the heart of the mountains became

a prospering town while the priests of Palnor keep close

watch on the Tomb of Kings.

Today, the Church of Palnor sits in the heart of

Zuria, and its radiant crystal gives the small town a

permanent soft glow. Zuria is covered in soft light even

on moonless nights. Most of the buildings are made

of wood due to the verdant valley below, although

important structures are often plastered or made of

stone. There are 1,300 inhabitants in Zuria, and the

much of the town’s population revolves around the

operation of the church.

Story arc for the GM

The Church of Palnor had all its bases covered until

a new creature pierced through the ward: the abyssal

wight. Although it looks undead, it is actually aligned

with the Abyss and technically an outsider.

On one of his cleaning ventures, Father Nichols was

ambushed by the abyssal wight deep in the sepulcher.

After draining Father Nichols’ life force, the abyssal

wight corrupted this servant of Palnor with its abyssal

touch, aligning Father Nichols with the Abyss. After

his transformation, Father Nichols discovered three

things. First, the white crystal repels him with its holy

energy, and he is incapable of coming within 200 feet

• The Church of Palnor in Zuria sits on the Tomb of

Kings, a vast sepulcher that was the root of an undead

infestation in the past.

• There is a massive magical crystal around which

the church in Zuria was built. It radiates positive energy

and a soft white glow.

• Due to the massive size and magical nature, the

white crystal disrupts the normal functioning of certain

spells, especially higher level spells and spells that

transport objects, people, and information. Any spell

6 th level of higher simply does not function within ive

miles of the crystal. Any spell transporting knowledge,

people, or objects ( dimension door , sending , teleport , etc.)

does not function properly within ive miles of the

crystal. If a caster tries to cast such spells within ive

miles of the crystal, the spell simply izzles and the spell

slot is spent. Effects of such spells stop working when

the recipient of the spell enters within ive miles of the

white crystal of Palnor.

• Father Nichols, the head priest of the church in

Zuria, has not iled a report in months.

• Recent supply trains headed toward Zuria have

gone missing, and communications from Zuria have

ceased altogether.

The Church of Palnor

Palnor, the god of light, is neutral good. His titles

are the Bringer of Light, the Argent Defender, and

to those who violate his will, the Searing Dawn.

Palnor stands for that which is good and protects

all from evil forces. His domains are Good, Healing,

Protection, and Sun. His favored weapon is the

morningstar. His holy symbol is a depiction of the

sun or a dome of light.

of the crystal. Second, to his surprise (and the abyssal

wight’s), undead formed by the ebon crystal can no

longer hurt him. Third, the ebon crystal speaks to him

telepathically, making its wishes known and supplying

certain information.

Father Nichols delved deeper into the sepulcher,

fearing he was trapped in the tomb. Fortunately, Harold

the Addled inadvertently left Father Nichols the path

to the surface, bypassing the white crystal and all the

wards. Now Father Nichols has a new mission. He

wants to join the ebon crystal and the white crystal in

an unholy rite and turn the white crystal into an ebon

crystal, opening the gateway to the abyssal graveyard

and bringing life to unlife.

Zuria is home to 1,300 souls, and Father Nichols

is uncertain how many souls he needs to complete his

unholy ritual. He thought he would have enough when

he loosed a barghest upon the unsuspecting populace.

Unfortunately, Father Nichols did not realize the

barghest fed on souls, and all those souls did not enter

the ebon crystal as he planned. Having lost favor with

the fallen father, the now greater barghest is hiding in

the city, leeing the undead minions who serve the ebon

crystal and its new agent. After the barghest’s slaughter,

the undead in the city have regrouped in the eastern

section, centered upon the Silvery Moon Inn. Father

Nichols’ created undead have been keeping traders at

bay and refugees from informing the outside world.

Despite being short on souls, Father Nichols

managed to capture a pure creature who will serve as

the inal sacriice to the ebon crystal-a unicorn magically

caged in the basement of the Silvery Moon Inn. Now

all he needs is the instrument of sacriice, the Dagger of

Juren, buried deep in the sepulcher. Upon investigation,

Father Nichols now believes the dagger is in Harold the

Addled’s possession, but how do you steal a dagger

from a master thief, even if he is insane?

Traveling to Zuria

Assuming the PC is traveling by horse, it takes him six

days of travel to reach Zuria. If the PC does not have a

steed of his own, the Church of Palnor will requisition a

heavy horse for him. If the PC decides to travel by foot,

the journey will take 10 days. Much of mountain travel

is navigating up and down on curved switchbacks

that wind and writhe along the rocky slopes. If the PC

decides to use magic to expedite travel, keep in mind the

nature of the crystal and the lay of the terrain. Although

the area of magical interference is only a ive mile radius

from the crystal, that is roughly a day’s travel on foot to

leave the area of magical interference due to the terrain.

Ambush Outside of Zuria

When the PC is within a day’s travel from Zuria, he will

be ambushed. Father Nichols has been creating undead

with the aid of the ebon crystal’s negative energy. These

undead have been ambushing travelers heading out

and toward Zuria for sport with a little guidance from

Father Nichols.

The winding road takes another curve, bringing you

higher up the mountain. You chance a look over the

ledge and see the patches of the sprawling landscape

below through the clouds and fog rising up from the

valley. The path ahead levels as you make your way

around massive rock, and your nostrils ill with the

familiar stench of unnatural death.

Background for the PC

The adventure begins in a village in the foothills of the

mountains. Zuria is six days travel from the village, and

the village is equipped with basic supplies for travelers.

Before embarking into the mountains, the PC will have

some background knowledge concerning the Tomb of

Kings and Zuria.

• Zuria is a Small Town situated in a remote area in

the mountains.

• The town of Zuria was founded by the Church of

Palnor in one of its expansionistic phases.

The PC can smell the ghasts from around the corner

and is therefore not considered surprised. The road is 10

feet wide. To the left and right are cliffs requiring a DC

20 Climb Skill check to scale. When the combat begins,

Skills and Feats : Balance +7, Climb +9, Hide +8, Jump

+9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8; Multiattack, Toughness

Language : Common

Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 15,

incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghast’s bite or claw

attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be

paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Even elves can be affected

by this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Stench (Ex): The stink of death and corruption

surrounding these creatures is overwhelming. Living

creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 15

Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A

creature that successfully saves cannot be affected

again by the same ghast’s stench for 24 hours. A delay

poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from

a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison

are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive

their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC

is Charisma-based.

Treasure: Beyond the ambush point is the ghasts’ stash

of treasures, sundries the ghasts kept after the bodies of

the newly dead were delivered to Father Nichols. A DC

15 Spot check draws the PC’s attention to an indention in

the rock’s face behind one the crates. Read the following

text when the PC rounds the corner of the ambush.

the ghouls and ghasts are 40 feet away from the PC. The

ghouls are the irst wave of attackers, closely followed

by the ghasts.

Ghoul (16): CR 1; Medium Undead ; HD 2d12; hp

13; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 12, lat-footed 12;

Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk or Full Atk Bite +2 melee

(1d6+1 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d3 plus

paralysis); SA: Ghoul fever, paralysis; SQ: Darkvision 60

ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance; SV Fort +0, Ref +2,

Will +5; Abilities Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14,

Cha 12; AL CE

Skills and Feats : Balance +6, Climb +5, Hide +6, Jump

+5, Move Silently +6, Spot +7; Multiattack

Languages : Common

Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 12,

incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

An aflicted humanoid who dies of ghoul fever

rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who

becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities

it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other

ghouls, but it hungers for the lesh of the living and

behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid

of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, not a ghoul.

Paralysis (Ex): Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw

attack must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be

paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to

this paralysis. The save DC is Charisma-based.

You ind a collection of four crates, the sort used

for shipping bulk goods. Each one is roughly four

feet long, two feet wide, and two feet high. The lids

are torn, and their contents have been tossed and

handled, no doubt sorted by the foul ghasts in order

of importance.

There is a crate of grains and dried foodstuffs (25 gp),

a crate of rotting fresh fruit and vegetables, and a crate

with three bolts of ine linen (50 gp a bolt) and a bolt of

red silk (300 gp). The inal crate is illed with gems, coins,

decorative pieces, and other shiny objects valuing 500

gp. Within a small carved niche is a gold ring (50 gp) and

a string of pearls (2,000 gp). If the PC rummages through

the crate of rotting vegetation, he will ind various papers

and journals from travelers and merchants, including a

discarded holy symbol of Palnor.

Entering Zuria

Read the text below as the PC enters Zuria.

The streets of Zuria are barren, and debris dancing

in the wind is all that stirs. Many houses bear the

signs of fear and violence with boarded shutters and

busted doors. However, there are no bodies on the

streets. The gleaming dome of the church casts a

glow across the city, but in the gloom of the empty

streets, you only seem to catch the shadow it casts in

the narrow alleyways. Nearby, the squeak of slow

wheels breaks the silence.

Ghast (4): CR 3; Medium Undead ; HD 4d12+3; hp

29; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 12, lat-footed 14;

Base Atk +2; Grp +5; Atk or Full Atk: Bite +5 melee

(1d8+3 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+1

plus paralysis); SA: Ghoul fever, paralyis, stench; SQ:

Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance; SV

Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +6; Abilities Str 17, Dex 17, Con —,

Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16 AL CE

d20 Expeditious Retreat Press 1 on 1 Adventures 05 - Vale of the Sepulcher.pdf

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