The Dark Below

"Farnworth is a peaceful little village, but more importantly it is our home and I will protect it." - Sgt. Adeodotus Sulla, leader of the Farnworth garrison.

Huge thanks to Dylan Scher for the cover art!

Nightmares in Farnworth

In the village of Farnworth, it seems as though it will be another peaceful day; however, as the adventurers are relaxing in the tavern, it becomes clear that the town is in grave danger. An adventure of betrayal, dungeon delving, and moral quandries, the Dark Below is designed to take a group of 4 players from levels 1-5 in the world's greatest roleplaying game. It is designed to last 8 - 10 sessions, averaging 3 - 4 hours of play each; however, if the players pursue all of the side quests and explore the area of Farnworth, it could very well last much longer. Notes on that at relevant sections.

This adventure is run entirely in the world of Emaxus, specifically in the region of the Ioturan Heartland. If you are running this adventure, things you might need to reference would be the Pantheon of Emaxus, and the Ioturan Heartland article. On the other hand, feel free to adapt as much or as little of this adventure to your own world as you see fit!
Also, if you do not like the WorldAnvil format, then there is a Homebrewery link in the sidebar!

Overview

Nightmares in Farnworth is divided into four parts. In part 1, "The Herd's Vanguard," the adventurers are in the tavern of Farnworth, a village of a few hundred people on the southern border of the Steldurn Woods. It is as they eat breakfast when Lady Murel Heartcrown, a woman of nobility and power from Thouw Pren, comes in seeking aid: she has discovered a vanguard force of the Herd of Death has made camp nearby, and must be defeated before they can report back to the main force. The adventurers take up a bounty on the vanguard, and head to the nearby tomb where they have made camp. After clearing the camp, they discover a letter revealing that the Herd has already been notified of Farnworth's vulnerability, leading the adventurers to race back and warn the town.
In Part 2, "A Preemptive Strike," the adventurers join with Lady Heartcrown to prepare the town for a potential attack. After making preparations, the adventurers are sent to cut down the leader of the attacking force before they arrive. They discover the Herd's force to be camped in the ruins of an old fort, and can stealth, fight, or find another way through the defenses to reach the leader, Warmaster Blackblade. Slaying him and sending the force into retreat (or leaving them dead), the players discover his blade has magical properties. They return to Farnworth and speak to Lady Heartcrown, who reveals that the blade has some hidden properties that must be investigated more in-depth. She asks the party stay in town while she investigates the blade, and says that she will return upon discovering more.
If the party chooses not to stay, the adventure ends here for them, but the events of Parts 3 and 4 still take place, but without heroes to save Farnworth. If they decide to wait, the adventure moves into Part 3, "The Nightmares Begin." Between Parts 2 and 3, three weeks pass, so allow the players to do what they see fit during this time. Downtime activities and character adventures can work, or they can opt to simply "time skip."
In Part 3, "The Nightmares Begin," Lady Heartcrown returns to Farnworth with the blade, saying it is of great power, but is linked somehow to Farnworth. And the same day she returns, the people of Farnworth begin to tell of terrible new nightmares that are plaguing them. The party's investigation determines the source of the nightmares: a relic nearby is radiating a terrible corruption. The problem is that there are several locations nearby that could house the relic. This could lead them to hunting down goblins in the ruins of Old Fort Allakstand, parlaying with ogres in an old grove, or their true goal: a cave with a village of Kuo'toa worshipping something called "The Nightmare Everlasting". Clearing the cave of the insane worshippers, the party retrieves the relic, a strange reliquary of ancient design. Returning to Farnworth with these relics, Lady Heartcrown thanks them and explains her desire to descend into the Farnworth Crypt to purify the relics. She offers another reward should the party undertake this goal, and they then descend into the Crypt to purge it of the undead that have overtaken it. After this, she gives them the reward and descends alone.
In Part 4, "The Terrors from Beyond," a terrible creature is sighted in the Farnworth Farms, an aberration of tooth and tentacle. And by the end of the day, terrible spawn from beyond begin erupting from the Farnworth Crypts. Whether fearing for her safety or her treachery, the party must delve deep into the crypts they cleared before, whose undead residents have now been replaced with horrid eldritch horrors. At the darkest, deepest point of the tombs, they discover Lady Farnworth wielding Blackblade's sword, overwhelmed with dark energies. She is opening an awful maw to beyond, and they must strike her down and end her madness before she can summon more terrible star spawn.

Adventure Hook

You can have the players invent their own reason for being in Farnworth, or you can use the hook below.
A Bounty on Goblins. The party hears about a hefty reward being placed on goblins in a village called Farnworth. They depart immediately, and not knowing what to do, wait for the bounty poster in the tavern in town, the Little Belly Tavern. Once there, they meet Lady Murel Heartcrown, the bounty poster and a mage from Thouw Pren who seeks to protect the town.

Setting

This adventure is set in and based around the village of Farnworth. The settlement was founded several centuries ago by eager but ill-informed merchants who saw a grand vision of a bustling trade stop for their new creation; however, its geographic separation from the other settlements of the region and poor positioning in terms of trade routes led to the town's very slow growth and the rapid decline of the infrastructure its founder's created.
Now, the village itself is one of quaint and peaceful isolation, with the ruins of the Old Fort Allakstand nearby. The village is on the southern edge of the Steldurn Woods, and the Mayfair Plains stretch to the south. Of note in the woods nearby is an ancient grove that has become overrun with ogres and orcs from the Herd of Death, as well as a handful of caves and hut. On the plains to the south are several other locales of note, specifically the ruins of Old Fort Allakstand and the Cave of Winds.

Part 1: The Herd's Vanguard

the adventure begins with the player characters arriving in Farnworth and making their way to the Little Belly Tavern (see Farnworth for more details). Have them decide if they arrive together or separately (if the latter, have vignettes play out that bring them into the tavern), and why they are there (if they don't have a specific reason, give them the A Bounty on Goblins hook). Once they're all gathered, give them time to talk amongst themselves and RP.
Once you're ready to begin, read the boxed text below. If they aren't using the bounty adventure hook, skip the first paragraph.

Several days ago, whether by paper or by rumor, you all caught wind of a bounty that was being posted on goblins in a village by the name of Farnworth. Apparently a noble from Thouw Pren by the name of Lady Heartcrown had taken interest in the sleepy farming town, and had placed a bounty of a few silver per pair of goblin ears brought back to her. She wished to meet at the Little Belly Tavern in Farnworth on the 3rd day of Aprilis, 898 AT. After asking around to find out where the village actually is, you all made your way to Farnworth, arriving either this morning or last night. It is now the meeting day, a Lundas.
Seated in the Little Belly Tavern now, you are all eating and drinking various breakfast dishes. As the warm, morning light of spring spills in through the somewhat dirty windows of the tavern, casting long shadows across the wooden floor, you all hear the door open in the quiet inn. Through the ajar threshold steps a young woman of fair skin, pale hair, and strong temperament, whose green eyes shine with a determination that reads from across the room, robed in a fine, simple but elegant blue dress. She glances at the bounty board rapidly as if to confirm the location of something, nods curtly, and then scans the room.

If the party is not already together, she takes stock of their adventuring types and summons them to her table. If they are together, she notices the party and brings herself to their table. She will rapidly get to the point once the party is gathered, explaining how the Herd of Death is growing in strength on the Mayfair Plains and she is concerned for the safety of little villages like Farnworth. She notes that she is a noble from Thouw Pren of some political power, and a mage of Thouw Pren with some magical prowess.
Once she determines the trustworthiness and character of the party over the course of their conversation, she will reveal the true quest she has. While the goblin bounty still stands, the true reason she has taken an interest in Farnworth specifically is that she has received rumor that a vanguard of the Herd of Death is holed up nearby, a sign of ill things to come.

The Quest

Once the bounty comes up in the conversation, read the following text:

Lady Heartcrown's brow furrows as her green eyes trace over each of your faces. After a brief pause, "To be truthful, there is a more important bounty I have than goblins. I have received word from my informants that the Herd of Death has taken a keen interest in Farnworth itself. In fact, a vanguard scouting force has arrived and holed up in a nearby ruin. If my information is still good, they're scouting out the town for a larger force to sweep in and bring ruin to these people. So, I'm willing to reward you all handsomely in order to take on a sort of preemptive strike."
She looks around the empty tavern for a second, some sadness coming over her face. "I would hate for such a beautiful place to be lost."

If the party agrees, she describes the target to them:

• The vanguard is no larger than a half dozen or so members of the Herd of Death.
• They are currently holed up in the ruins of a tavern about six miles to the south east of Farnworth. It is shrouded by a small grove of trees.
• An easy way to navigate to the tavern is to follow an abandoned road that heads to it. Though it is overgrown, there are a handful of dilapidated markers that remain for wayfinders.
• Their leader is likely a hobgoblin, and the party should be on the lookout for scouts who may try to run away.
• More information could prove critical, so they should look out for missives or notes.

She is willing to offer them 200 gp total should they return with proof of their success. There could also be more incentives should they return with crucial info, and perhaps most importantly, they stand to gain a powerful ally.

Roleplaying Lady Murel Heartcrown

Lady Murel Heartcrown was born poor, and studied magics to grow to the position she's in today. As such, she is a bit of philanthropist. She is strong-willed and fiery (at times), a result of the cutthroat politics of Thouw Pren, but she remains compassionate and patient, with a strong penchant for empathy.
She can offer hefty sums of gold to the party for their continued work, but perhaps more importantly, the party can stand to gain much in the form of alternative rewards. These come up later. Generally, consider the following when roleplaying Lady Heartcrown:

• She is empathetic, but with a seemingly indominable will (this is crucial, as this will make later events more impactful).
• She is well aware of her power, as well as her beauty. She will use these, but only when needed.
• She is very perceptive, and very blunt.

Going Forward

Next, the party could do two things: head around town and prepare for their mission, or head straight out. If the former happens, jump to Farnworth. If the latter happens, jump to A Blow Unseen.

Farnworth

As has been said, Farnworth is a small, peaceful village of farmers, merchants, and a barebones garrison of soldiers in Fort Farnworth. Below is detailed the locales of Farnworth and many of the major NPCs your party may end up interacting with. For reference, see the Map of Farnworth at the bottom of this section (maps are also compiled at the very end of the adventure, in the footer).

Important NPCs

Here is a quick summary of the most important NPCs in Farnworth, and their relevance to the adventure.

• Marinus Digby. Innkeeper of the Little Belly Tavern.
• Sgt. Adeodotus Sulla. Commander of the garrison at Fort Farnworth. Can offer bounties and quests.
• Vignette Ranswell. Runs Ranswell's Elixirs. Is an alchemist and has quests.
• Monica Dudley. Blacksmith of Anvil N' Hammer. A vendor and needs help finding an old set of armor.
• Odelette Dudley. Wife of Monica Dudley.
• Able. Gravetender. Needs help cleansing the lower levels of the Crypts.
• Avella. Host of Lady Heartcrown. Member of the Elven Acquisitions Guild in Eswa.
• Lady Murel Heartcrown. Visiting mage from Thouw Pren. Core ally of the party.
• Keldan. A travelling cleric who is currently staying at the Little Belly Tavern. Has quests and a potential alliance for the party.

Town Description

1. Fort Farnworth

If the players are heading to Fort Farnworth, read the following text:

As you approach Fort Farnworth, you can see a set of three tents sitting along the path leading to the closed, wooden gates of the palisades. A group of three guards are talking in a circle to the right of the gate, each clad in simple, leather gambesons with tabards of varying degrees of quality, each emblazoned with a faded heraldry of a coat of arms emblazoned with a sword placed vertically behind a shield. They have simple, well-made spears, which most are using to lean on currently.

The fort, though small, is run pretty tightly. The commander of the garrison, Sgt. Adeodotus Sulla, takes his job seriously, and lives to ensure the safety of Farnworth. The fort itself is on the smaller side, surrounded by 12' tall wooden palisades, and consisting of only 4 tents.
The central tent is the command tent, while the other three are barracks. The soldiers of the garrison are expected to keep all their gear clean and put together, so there is no unified armory. The tents on the road outside the inner fort are additional barracks for the newest recruits.

Sgt. Adeodotus Sulla

Sgt. Sulla is an Imperial, and recently immigrated to Iotura from Aitreas after the Collapse. He was a soldier in the Imperial Legions, and was eager to continue his career in the military. While some of the soldiers in the fort chafe under his seriousness, all of Farnworth knows it's better off with someone who cares deeply for their safety in command.

Quest

Sgt. Sulla would be willing to pay 50gp to anyone who can head to the nearby Hascarres Overhang and deal with the goblin stragglers that have holed up inside. He could also provide them recommendation with one Falx Anzione, an old friend of Sulla's and an Imperial veteran who has risen to some command in the Dawnguard of Kaer Nyssen.

2. Little Belly Tavern

If the players return to the Little Belly Tavern, read the following text (and if they've already visited Ranswell's Elixirs, omit the third paragraph):

As you all approach the two story, brick and mortar structure of the Little Belly Tavern once more, you can see the inn's sign hanging from above the front door, rocking slightly in the wind. You push open the slightly squeay, dark wooden door and enter the building, casting your gaze over the first floor.
Of the half dozen or so tables, you can see that one is taken up by a handful of farmers eating and drinking together, and another has a few guards on break. Marinus Digby's large form is at the bar, cleaning a number of tankards lined up on the counter.
Also at the bar is a human woman, clothed in brown leathers with a maroon cloak on her back, hood down. She has shoulder length auburn hair and a grin as she chats with Marinus Digby.

The Little Belly Tavern is an inn of decent size (relative to the size of Farnworth). It can seat up to around fifty people, and has four rooms upstairs of moderate quality (one of which is currently rented by Keldan.) Marinus Digby is the owner, chef, and barkeep of the tavern, an Ioturan man of imposing stature, hefty width, and kind heart. Just as common as the hair on his arms is a grin upon his face, as he makes it his duty to get to know all patrons of his establishment. He is welcome to adventurers, and will share rumors and bounties he knows when asked.

Rumors

Digby has heard rumors of some magical armaments stached away in a mysterious cache in the woods to the north. But he's only telling the party because he thinks they can handle the strange reptilian creature that guards it. He's also heard that the cache itself is guarded by way of some puzzle, so they should be ready with brain and brawn. Avella may know more.

Menu

If you want an in-depth menu for the Little Belly Tavern, see below:

Beverages

Wine List: House Chardonnay - A house-made white win with a bouquet that is buttery and full. Bottle price: 1 gp, 7 sp. Glass price: 5 sp, 8 cp. Fevered Chimera Cabernet Sauvignon - A finely made red wine with a bouquet that is green, dry, and okay. Crown Top Dark Red - The pride of the inn, shipped from Agrad. Rich red wine with a bouquet that is smooth and full. Bottle price: 35 gp. Glass price: 5 gp. Lagers and Ales: Unsoiled Dwarf Ale (6.64% ABV) - An imported light brown golden ale. Described as a crisp golden ale with a sweet finish. Gallon price: 5 sp, 5 cp. Pint price: 1 sp, 1 cp. Toasted Polyhedral Malt (5.45% ABV) - A microbrewed brown malt. Described as a dry malt with a pleasant finish. Gallon price: 3 sp, 8 cp. Pint price: 7 cp Moose and Hippogriff Porter (6.82% ABV) - An imported medium brown porter. Described as a pleasantly bitter porter with a sweet finish. Gallon price: 4 sp, 8 cp. Pint price: 9 cp. Blue Mare Pilsner (5.18% ABV) - A microbrewed light brown pilsner. Described as a refreshing pilsner with a rich finish. Gallon price: 4 sp, 8 cp. Pint price: 9 cp. Liquors: Bludgeoning Lute Rum - A locally produced molasses rum. Bottle price: 1 gp, 9 sp. Shot price: 3 sp, 2 cp. Sickly Ogre Gin - An imported gin. Bottle price: 2 gp, 7 sp. Shot price: 4 sp, 6 cp. Cloth Rust Monster Gin - A locally produced gin. Bottle price: 1 gp, 8 sp. Shot price: 3 sp, 1 cp. Metal Mare Vodka - A poorly made sorghum vodka. Bottle price: 8 sp, 5 cp. Shot price: 1 sp, 4 cp.

Food Menu

Starters: Deep-Fried Potato Wedges - Potato wedges fried in cottonseed oil. Served with a creamy sauce. Price: 1 sp, 9 cp. Bread Bowl - A bowl of day-old whole wheat bread. Served with olive oil for dipping. Price: 9 cp. Deep-Fried Onion Rings - Onion rings fried in butter. Served with a mustard sauce. Price: 2 sp, 5 cp. Loaded Red Peppers - A platter of red peppers loaded with a blend of herbs and bacon. Price: 2 sp, 5 cp. Soups & Salads: Ham Soup - A tasty soup with chunks of ham, assorted grains, turnips, and onions. Price: 1 sp, 7 cp. Roasted Chicken and Romaine Salad - Leaves of romaine tossed with baby kale. Topped with roasted chicken and sliced orange. Price: 1 sp, 6 cp. Iceberg Salad - Leaves of iceberg tossed with radishes. Price: 1 sp, 6 cp. Entrees: Herb-crusted Sausage - Herb-crusted bits of pork sausage in garlic sauce served over rice with a serving of artichoke. Price: 3 sp, 1 cp. Ofubana Buns - A Heartland staple, fresh buns filled with venison or rabbit (customer's choice, supplies permitting), served with fruit jam. Price: 4 sp, 5 cp. Roasted Lamb - Roasted lamb in red sauce alongside bread and mushrooms and radishes. Price: 3 sp, 1 cp. Blackened Sausage - Blackened pork sausage in a vodka sauce on a bed of noodles and kale. Price: 3 sp.

3. Town Square

When the party enters the town square for the first time, read the following text:

Ahead of you is the town square of Farnworth. A simple circular plaza no more than 100 feet across, rimmed with flower bushes and with a fine stone well in the center, which is similarly flanked by some decorative bushes. Along the southern side, in the direction of the farms, there are some bales of hay and a cart full of hay, and you can see a huge pile of hay just down the road to the east, in a smaller sister square flanked by homes. Along the northern side of the plaza, on the opposite end of the Little Belly Tavern, is a brick building with a smoke stack atop it billowing a thick plume of black smoke, likely a forge.
At the well in the center is an elven man, armored in chain mail with a sword at his side and a shield on his back. He is kneeling, with some religious items arrayed on a cloth in front of him. He is clearly praying, though to what god, you've no idea.

The only thing of note in the town square is, depending on the time of day, Keldan. He is a young cleric of the Dawnfather, and has come to Farnworth on a quest. He is a member of the Order of Sunrise, and has been travelling around the Ioturan Heartland for several months to root out rumors of corruption. He has been in Farnworth for just under a week, staying in the Little Belly Tavern, and finally has a lead. The problem is that he needs aid.

Quest

Keldan has discovered a lead on a potentially dangerous group of undead festering within a grotto about a day to the west of the village. He believes they have been awoken by some power, and that the power must be banished or cleansed.
He was planning on dealing with it himself, but he would likely die if he went alone. He is willing to offer 50 gp and a writ of recommendation to the Order of Sunrise headquarters in Kubrington.

4. Ranswell's Elixirs

When the party heads to Ranswell's Elixirs, read the following text:

As you approach the wood and stone building ahead of you, you see a finely varnished wooden sign posted above the similarly fashioned door that reads "Ranswell's Elixirs." You peak through the glass windows and see a well-organized, if not dense, shop inside. Opening the door, you see that this alchemical shop is of quite nice quality relative to the size of Farnworth. Ingredients line both stone walls, along sets of wooden shelves, while elixirs and potions of all kinds are on the single long table that runs the length of the store in the center of the shopping area.
At the back of the room is a wooden counter, behind which stands a human woman, clothed in brown leathers with a maroon cloak on her back, hood down. She has a look of concentration on her freckled face, her hazel eyes focused on a vial she is cleaning in her hand, as she pushes a strand of shoulder-length auburn hair out of her face. At first, she doesn't notice you all enter.

Ranswell's Elixirs is a quaint, but well-equipped alchemy shop full of both alchemical ingredients and completed potions. Generally, Ranswell can be counted on to have potions of healing and most other uncommon potions.
Ranswell herself is a kind, fiercely intelligent, and energetic alchemist. She is helpful, but self-respecting. She herself has no need for help, but if the party is looking for quests, she will mention that the handsome elf that has been staying in town needs help with some holy mission.

5. Anvil n' Hammer

If the party heads to the Anvil n' Hammer, read the following text:

You approach the stone building, its once-grey stones caked with ashen dust the divots between each block. The red wooden roof is of similar state, well-maintained but dirty, and the stone smoke stack at the left side of the precipice of the roof is almost blackened by the smoke it spews.
You push open the greying wooden door, and enter into an open room that likely dominates most of the building. Along the right side of the far wall is another door, likely to a living quarter, next to which there is a counter. The left wall is dominated by a forge, with billows, grindstone and all, in front of which a heavily muscled human, their brown hair kept in a ponytail and caked with dust, as is their face, greyed from dust aside from their emerald eyes peering at the anvil they work over. A few more loud clangs of their hammer ring out before they realize your presence, and they turn to you all. "What do ya need?"

The Anvil n' Hammer is run by the Dudleys. Monica is the blacksmith, and they function as the chief merchant as well, while Odelette handles the town affairs and such, as well as food. Most metal adventuring equipment can be found in their store, and Monica can forge any mundane weapon or armor, if given the proper money and time (generally, a 5% uptick in price and a few days to a week of time).
If the party asks, or if they ask about armaments, Monica will offer them a quid-pro-quo.

Quest

Monica will reveal that they were supposed to receive high-quality steel and the materials to enchant it two days ago, but the caravan never arrived. With rumors of the Herd of Death rising, they have reason to believe that it might have been taken by goblinoids. They don't know the exact location of the materials, but if the party finds them, Monica would be indebted to them if they brought them back.
If the materials are returned, Monica would be willing to craft one weapon or set of armor of +1 quality.

6. The Crypts

If the party approaches the crypt, read the following text (if this is before Lady Heartcrown is sending them down, ignore the last paragraph):

Just down the path ahead, you can see a small home to the left, and just past that is the wrought-iron, semi-rusted fences surrounding the large mausoleum of the Crypts. How far down below it goes, you've no idea. The mausoleum itself was once a large, opulent structure, but has fallen to delapidation. Likely a sign of what awaits below.

If the party decides to head down into the Crypts, head to Part 3 and run "The Crypts" dungeon. If they speak to Able first, he will warn them that there are dangers below that many have failed to cleanse.

7. Able's Home

If the party approaches Able's home, read the following text:

Coming down the path to the Crypts, you stop and turn to the simple wooden home on the left. Above the stone archway that contains the front door is a simple wooden sign that reads "Gravetender."

Able is an elven man of over five centuries of age. He is only five and a half feet tall, and has a typically lithe elven form, with shoulder-length blonde hair. He has tended the Crypts since the founding of Farnworth two centuries ago. He's unsure as to why, but over the past decade the Crypts have become more and more hostile, to the point where he can hardly head down into the depths.

Information

If asked, Able will share the following information about the Crypts:

• Undead first rose about a decade ago.
• For several years, the undead's numbers were small enough to be dealt with by the garrison.
• Two years ago, there were enough undead to kill a soldier, and since then the garrison has been unwilling to send men down, considering the rise of the Herd of Death.
• Able is far too old to handle the undead himself.

8. Avella's Home

If the players decide to head to Avella's home, read the following text:

Heading out the road to the south, you see a fine stone house to your left. Bordering it against the road is a fenced-in pen, in which a handful of pigs are drinking water. From the home, an elven woman in simple green robes comes out and waves at you all. "Hey! You're Murel's friends, right?"

Avella is a close friend of Lady Heartcrown. She is a proprietor of the Elven Acquisitions Guild in Eswa, and has a potential job for the characters based off what she's heard from Murel.
Avella is an elven woman of almost 300 years of age, and is a calm, kind person. Her emerald eyes are most often glimmering with compassion and a quiet empathy, and she uses this to her advantage. She knows what she wants and what she needs, and she has a way of convinving people to see her side.

Quest

Avella is in Farnworth to locate an ancient tome interred with the dead in the Crypts. She would be willing to pay handsomely (200 gp) for it to be retrieved, but she doesn't know it's exact location. She'd also be willing to put in a good word with the Elven Acquisitions Guild in Eswa if the party helped her.
If asked, she can give the following information:

• It is some sort of a spellbook.
• Though she doesn't know the exact location, it should be in one of the lower levels.
• It was buried with Lord Haron Farnworth, the original founder of the village.

Map of Farnworth

A Blow Unseen

Once the players decide to leave Farnworth and head to the target given to them by Lady Heartcrown, read the following text:

As you all decide to head out on Lady Heartcrown's quest, you depart out the southern road out of Farnworth. You pass for about an hour through farms which stretch out as far as the eye can see before the band of homesteads surrounding Farnworth eventually coming to an end. Just past this point, the road has a faint fork to the southeast, which you all assume is the trail that Lady Heartcrown told you about.

They could continue walking on the road at this point, at which point feel free to take the reins and do what you see fit. Eventually, should they find their way onto the trail, either immediately or later, consider rolling a random encounter if you wish. They could also run into the vanguard patrol, seen below.
If you do decide to run a random encounter, read this text after. If you don't, read it immediately:

Heading onto the much less well-defined trail, you all make your way through the open fields of the Mayfair Plains. Around three hours of relatively boring marching passes, before you all see a small grove of tree beginning to come into focus ahead. Likely no more than a mile across, the trail seems to head directly inside.

From here, the party's path is their own. Refer to the map of the tavern ruins below for reference, and see the information ahead to understand what is present in this encounter, then adapt to what the players do.
If they stealth, run stealth rules. If they run straight in, go in for combat. Take what they do, and adjust accordingly.

The Tavern Vanguard

Within the tavern is a small vanguard force of the Herd of Death who are scouting out Farnworth and it's surroundings so as to alert the larger force behind them of when to strike and what to expect. The vanguard consists of six goblins, two orcs, and their hobgoblin leader, Gravunor.

Enemy Forces

Below is the composition and location of the enemy vanguard:

• Gravunor and one of his orc bodyguards are always within the ruins of the tavern.
• The two orcs take turns leading goblin patrols, with one orc and three goblins each, which alternate every two hours. They scout the nearby area to ensure the safety of the vanguard.

The Infantry

When the party is facing off against the goblins of this force, consider why the goblins are even there: is it a legitimate belief in the Herd of Death, or a fear of what happens if they're not "in?" It is more than likely the second, but consider nevertheless.
Based off your decision, consider how unlikely it is the goblins would fight to the death. While the orcs would be willing to lay down their lives for Gravunor due to their honor and loyalty, the goblins could, perhaps, be coerced into spilling what information they know.
Below is information that any goblin in the vanguard force could know:

• A goblin messenger was already sent two days ago to alert a larger Herd of Death force of Farnworth's weakness.
• The main force is under the command of one Warmaster Blackblade, a fearsome orc warlord of noteriety and infamy within the ranks of the Herd of Death.
• No one but Garvunor knows why Blackblade is interested in Farnworth, but it must be important.

Gravunor

Gravunor is an ambitious hobgoblin who hopes to secure his place at Blackblade's side after securing success for the main force at Farnworth. He has no care for any member of his vanguard force, seeing them as stepping stones on his path to glory.
He is a normal hobgoblin, and has a strong sense of command in battle. He refuses to relinquish any details about his mission, but if his life is truly in danger he could be pressured into revealing information with a successful Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check. The DC varies based on his health and how many troops Gravunor knows he has remaining, but it'd likely be in the 10 to 15 range no matter what.

Important Info

Below is important items/info the party might discover in the camp, either confirming what they already know from other sources or giving them new details:

• There is a missive on the broken table that details how the main force will arrive within two days.
• Gravunor has a letter on him that details where the main force will make camp: a place known as the "Silent Burrows."
• Stashed under the broken stairs is a chest, which can be found with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Inside is 15 gp, 25 sp, 8 cp, an iron brooch (25 gp) and two potions of healing.

Map of Tavern Ruins

Upon returning to Farnworth, the party can bring the information that they have gathered, as well as any goblin ears they've collected, to Lady Heartcrown. She will be at Avella's home.
She will be deeply thankful for the party's help, and give them the payment in full. Based off what information they bring back (the more the merrier), she may recommend that they speak to Monica Dudley at the Anvil N' Hammer and try and get new equipment, should they desire it.
If the party finds out about the main force coming, then she will be deeply concerned and tell them to prepare themselves, and say that she is going to speak to Sgt. Adeodotus Sulla.
Either way, figure out what the party wants to do, and then have them take a long rest. Here, they level up to 2nd level. And, when they awaken the next morning, they will now be in Part 2: A Preemptive Strike.

Part 2: A Preemptive Strike

After taking a much-needed long rest, and leveling up, the party can go about their business for the morning. Allow them to eat breakfast and do any errands they need around town (this could be a good time for them to pick up the quests around town).

If they go about doing a lot of stuff, read the following text at noon. If they don't, skip straight to noon and read the following text:

It is now around midday, and the spring sun hangs high in the sky, a temperate heat bearing down on you all. And as you all are going about your business, you hear a scream and a crash from afar, seemingly in the direction of Ranswell's Elixirs.
Making your way over rapidly, you see that the house just to the left of Ranswell's shop has had the front window smashed in, and its heavy wooden door has been entirely removed from its hinges.

Inside, an orc and a bugbear have attacked the home, and have butchered everyone (the Dayberry family).

The Fight in the Dayberry Home

Should the party go inside, they will see the slaughtered Dayberry family (David and Orsola, with their young daughter Brianne) in the main room of the home. The orc and the bugbear behind the attack have retreated into the back room kitchen, where they are hiding waiting for more people.
A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a series of bloody, huge footprints leading into the backroom. Upon entering the room, the bugbear and orc immediately attack the party. If they discovered the footprints and have their guard up, then they are not surprised. Use your own judgement to determine whether or not the enemies get the drop on the party.
Both the orc and the bugbear will fight to the death, and upon being defeated, a note can be found on the orc's body with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If the note is found, read the following text:

You find a folded piece of parchment, stained with blood and caked with bits of dirt, tucked into the boot of the orc. Unfolding it, you see that it is a note, inscribed in orcish.

If they translate it somehow, then read the following text:

The words seem to shift and blur before becoming Common, and the note reads: "Go and create chaos. If the vanguard was wiped out, they likely know we are coming, so make them fear us. You will not be returning to camp. - Warmaster Blackblade"

If your party lacks morals, a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check allows them to find the Dayberry stash, which has 12 gp, 23 sp, and 35 cp.

Bringing the Note to Lady Heartcrown

Bringing the note to Lady Heartcrown will prompt her to consult Avella and ask her about what divination magics she could use, and then head to Fort Farnworth in order to consult Sgt. Sulla on where the force might be camped out. She will ask the party to follow her, and together they will talk to the Sgt. He will tell them that the only place they likely could camp out, depending on the size of their force: the Ruins of Old Fort Allakstand.

Bringing the Note to Sgt. Sulla

Should they bring the note to Sgt. Sulla, he will immediately mobilize the garrison to begin defensive preparations. As he does so, he will call forth Lady Heartcrown, and together they will surmise that a preemptive strike to kill this "Warmaster Blackblade" would be most effective. He has no hard proof, but based on his experience the most defensible and sizable place for them to make camp would be Old Fort Allakstand.

Moving Forward

From here, the party has a few options:

• They can wait until the main force arrives, in which case take all but a handful of goblins from the Fort Allakstand encounter below and have them assault the village. The party will be aided by the garrison, Lady Murel Heartcrown, and Avella.
• They can make some preparations around the village, in which case refer to Farnworth. Think of ways they could help the village prepare, such as building barricades, evacuating citizens to Fort Farnworth, etc.
• They can head to Fort Allakstand, in which case see below.

Fort Allakstand

Old Fort Allakstand was built several centuries ago by the founders of Farnworth, and was intended to be used to protect Farnworth and its territories when it grew into a center of political power. That never happened, and when the money to maintain the fort and its garrison disappeared, so too did the men stationed there. And so, over two hundred years, the fort has fallen to disrepair and been slowly reclaimed by nature.
Most recently, Warmaster Blackblade and his forces from the Herd of Death have holed up in the ruins of the fort. In a twisted fate of irony they intend to use the fort to annihilate that which it was built to protect.
Refer to the two maps at the end of this section when the party is making their way through the fort.

General Features

The centuries have not been kind to Old Fort Allakstand. All that remains of the battlements and structures are delapidated walls and a well.
Floors. The floors of the fort have been lost to decay and nature's reclamation. Instead, it is all dirt and grass now, with the occasional bush and such.
Light. Given that there are no ceilings anymore, the light of the fort matches whatever the natural lighting of the day is.
Walls. The walls are 5 feet thick, with 3 feet of mortared fill sandwiched between 1-foot-thick courses of hard stone blocks.

Approaching the Fort

As the party approaches the fort, the range from which they can see the fort varies based off if they approach from the plains or from the woods. Ensure you have their marching order. Have the person in the front make a Wisdom (Survival) check with a DC of 12. Should they succeed, they make it to the fort unmolested, and you can read the following text (adjusted based off what direction they approach from):

As you all begin to come within a couple hundred feet of the ruins of the fort, you can see that they have indeed fallen to dilapidation and desolation.
Along the eastern side are the ruins of two towers, whose walls are now barely fifteen feet tall, connected by what may have once been battlements but is now a skeleton of stone walls.
The southern side of the fort has almost nothing remaining, save for a few large stones that were perhaps once walls, leaving the southern flank of the courtyard relatively open to assault, were it not for the three large ballistae that are placed just behind the ruins of the walls.
The western side is the most intact, with the ruins of the walls of one large building that was both wall and structure, though several large gaps in the stone could allow for entry.
The northern side is a mostly intact stone wall, with a the ruins of a tower in the center, with a large chunk of its corner missing for potential entry. Inside, you can spy barrels and crates.
The courtyard has a massive tree within it, whose roots are surrounding and perhaps even entering the stone well at the center. Aside from the ballistae and a handful of humanoids, the courtyard is simply a clearing of grass and a few trees.
The fort is surrounded by a handful of trees and some foilage along the ground, by no means dense or obstructive, but perhaps obscuring.

Should they fail the Dexterity (Stealth), they encounter a patrol of three goblin scouts, two of which attack while the third reports back to the fort.

A1. Arsenal

This once grand armory now serves as the barely functional arsenal of the warband staying here.

This large, open "room" serves as some sort of arsenal for the warband. Two piles of crates are in the northwestern and southeastern corners of the room. Huge chunks of wall are missing from the northern, southern, and eastern sides of the room.

Two orcs are within the arsenal, checking over supplies and shooting the shit. They aren't paying the best attention, but it would be difficult to sneak by in the room. When they see characters enter the room, they draw their greataxes and attack.

Developments

Any loud noises or visible, eye-drawing combat attracts the attention of the goblins in A2. If they hear something, they send one goblin to check it out. If he sees combat, he yells for the rest of them, but if they see something initially, they all come.

Treasure

Within the northwestern pile of crates is a stash of loot. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals it. Within it is 9 gp, 13 sp, and 5 cp, alongside one potion of healing. A DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a cache of stolen metals and enchanting materials in the southwestern crates. These are the materials that Monica needs for her quest.

A2. Lounge

What was once likely a command structure of some kind is now the makeshift lounge of the fort's new inhabitants.

Most of the northern wall is missing here, and the southern wall curves in a semicircle. A half wall separates part of the room, past which there is a small circular table with four chairs arrayed around it.

Three goblins are playing cards in here. They have their shortswords at their sides, and will draw them if they notice a character enter. They have disadvantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice the characters.

Developments

Any loud noise or visible combat will attract the attention of the orcs in A1.

A3. Courtyard

This open courtyard was once stone and training dummies.

The open courtyard is entirely grass, with a huge tree dominating the northwestern side, whose roots spread for almost twenty feet out from the trunk. Some of them surround the stone well in the center of the courtyard. In the nothwestern, northeastern, and southwestern corners are smaller trees, and three huge ballistae are arrayed on the southern half, facing out onto the plains.

A hobgoblin is bossing around three goblins that are cleaning the three ballistae.

Developments

If they come under attack, the hobgoblin will send a goblin to retrieve the orcs in A6. If the goblin fails to reach A6, the orcs may still come due to any loud noises or things such as that. Loud diversions may even cause A2 to come.

Treasure

A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a glimmer a the bottom of the well, and a rope tucked away just inside. A DC 10 Strength (Athletics) allows them to pull the chest inside up. Though it is waterlogged, inside is two potions of healing and 40 gp.

A4. Storehouse

This abandoned, ruined building's original purpose has been lost.

This small, square structure has a gaping hole in its southern and northeastern walls. There are a two piles of barrels in here.

This room has no creatures inside. The five different barrels have rations, bread and dried meats. They are of passable quality.

Treasure

There are 20 days of rations in the crates.

A5. Northern Tower

This old watchtower has fallen to dilapidation.

This ruined tower is nothing but barely standing stone walls, with a campfire in the center and some sacks on the eastern wall. The campfire has a small, crackling fire in it.

One bugbear is cooking in here. He is not paying too much attention, so simply use his passive perception.

Treasure

The bugbear has 2 gp and 7 sp on him.

A6. Barracks

This old structure may have once been a barracks, but it definitely is now.

This rectangular room has six bedmats packed into it, three on side. In the center of them all, along the eastern wall, is a wooden trapdoor.

Two orcs are resting inside. They are not asleep, but they are recovering from there wounds. They will fight if necessary, but have half health and just use battleaxes.
The trapdoor leads to A8.

Developments

If the combat within the barracks is loud and prolonged, it could alert the inhabitants of the undercroft below. If this happens, Warmaster Blackblade will lock the trapdoor, meaning it would take a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) or a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.

A7. Southern Tower

The southern watchtower once protected against those inhabitants that infest it now.

This tower has two gaping holes in its masonry, one on the southern side and the other on the northeastern. A dead campfire rests in the center, with a pile of sacks next to it.

There are two orcs in this tower. They are keeping vigilant watch, and thus have advantage on any Wisdom (Perception) check.

Developments

They will immediately attack any characters they see, while shouting for help. If they succeed in calling for help for more than one round, they will attract the hobgoblin and goblins from A3.

A8. Fort Allakstand Undercroft

The old undercroft of Fort Allakstand was once a storage room. Now, it is a command center.

Descending the wooden ladder, you come to a musky, damp stone undercroft. Here, the stone floor is caked with dust and moss, as are the walls. In the corners and along the walls are different storage barrels and ancient, shattered furniture, but directly across from the ladder is a table, with two chairs on either end. Atop this table are several papers and scrolls, and under is a chest, all of which is illuminated dimly by two torches on either side of the room.

Within this room is Warleader Blackblade. He is an Orc Red Fang of Shargaas with an acheron blade, and he has a hobgoblin tactician with him. He immediately attacks the characters if they enter. He is willing to lay down his life for the Herd of Death.

Roleplaying Warleader Blackblade

Blackblade is a fiercely intelligent, powerful orc warrior. He believes that everything he does is for the Herd of Death, but in reality his mind has been subtly bent by the blade he wields.
The reason he has come to Farnworth is to die, and for the blade to transfer into the hands of a more powerful mage. He believes that Farnworth would be a valuable and easy grab for the Herd of Death's growing power. In a twisted way, the blade is essentially speaking through him now.

Treasure

Warleader Blackblade's sword is a cursed acheron blade (longsword). Its curse is not readable with identify or a similar spell. Inside of the chest is 1000 cp, 750 sp, 70 gp, 2 x Hematite (10 gp), Lapis lazuli (10 gp), Malachite (10 gp), Bag of Holding (uncommon, dmg 153), 2 x Potion of Healing, and a fortune's favor (spell scroll).

Map of Fort Allakstand

Map of Fort Allakstand Undercroft

Ending the Attack

Even if the characters don't kill all of the force, upon Warleader Blackblade being killed the majority of the forces will disperse and flee (if enough flee, this could be a side quest for them to deal with between Parts 2 and 3).
The players can then return to Farnworth with report of their success. Upon returning, read the following text:

As you all approach the village proper once more, Farnworth seems relatively empty. Entering the square, you can see some black and red blood stains the dust and dirt, coagulating in small pools. Looking up the road to the fort, you see about a dozen orc and goblinoid corpses littering the path, alongside a handful of humanoids, mostly guards. Heading to the fort with more than a little concern, you can see the gates are open, and inside is what seems to be most of the village.
Sgt. Sulla and Lady Heartcrown are standing in front of them, the former with gore drenching most of his chestplate, his sword similarly smeared. Lady Heartcrown looks at you all with concern, spellbook glowing in hand. "Is it done? Is Blackblade dead?"

She will be very relieved when they inform them, and Sulla will thank them deeply. He will tell that they should still be on guard for survivors, but the danger has passed for the most part, and sends the villagers back home. He also gets the guard on clean-up duty and, for their fallen, grave duty.
Lady Heartcrown approaches them and asks how the fight went. If asked, she will explain a small warband assaulted them, clearly meant to harry and weaken before Blackblade arrived. If Blackblade's sword is out, she will ask them to see it. She immediately notes the mysterious influence she feels from it.
She will offer them 400 gp for their work, and a continued partnership. If allowed, she hopes to take the sword and study it in Thouw Pren. She tells them she will return within three weeks, and if they would like to wait for her, they can see the true nature of the blade. If they agree, she notes that there is plenty to help with around town, if they want work, or they can simply rest for the time.

The Interlude

Between the end of Part 2 above and the beginning of Part 3 below, three weeks pass. Decide if the party wishes to do side quests or just "time skip." This can also be a good time for the party to split up and do character quests, with only one or two members. See Farnworth for the various side quests they can choose to pursue, then run accordingly. Depending on how many adventures they do, or if they pursue character asides, consider giving the party 4th level (only if they do a healthy amount of adventuring, as past this point leveling up becomes much slower).
Depending on when she leaves, she will return three weeks (30 days) later. Run whatever adventures and side quests the party desires (prepping as you see fit off the hooks provided or what they choose to do), and once Lady Heartcrown returns, begin Part 3.

Part 3: The Nightmares Begin

Whether by way of time skip or a good three weeks of adventuring, once the date of Lady Heartcrown's return comes, have the players do what they need to for that morning. Once they're ready, read the following text:

As you all purchase and begin chowing down on some eggs and ham for breakfast, a calm, hazy light comes through the front windows of the tavern, casting long rays of sunshine across the door. After a few minutes of peaceful quiet and small talk, you hear the door swing open, and the sounds of boots on wood.
Turning to the door, you see Lady Heartcrown, only she is changed. Her flowing blue robe has now been cinched tightly by a leather chestplate, and a single leather shoulderpad covering her right torso. At her hip is the sword you all recovered from Blackblade, recognizable by its signature black blade. Her blond hair is tied up in a low ponytail, and she scans the room. Upon noticing you all, she briskly walks over, taking a seat at the table.

Lady Heartcrown has returned from Thouw Pren with little in the way of true answers. She knows only that something about the blade desires wholly to be in Farnworth, and that some entity is trapped within. She believes it is a tormented soul that was taken from the Crypts, and desires to be returned to its resting place. She also knows it has some power, though the depths of it she knows not.
On a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check, the characters can discern that she is disheveled, and somewhat off-kilter. If pressed on this, she will say only that the soul trapped within truly does suffer.
She will offer the players a handful of magical items she brought with her: a +1 magical rapier and three potions of healing.
Once the players decide to face the crypts, either as part of this quest or earlier, refer to The Crypts below.

The Crypts

When the players descend into the crypts, read the following text:

You pull open the wrought iron gates of the mausoleum, a bit of rust sticking to your hand as it swings open with a screech. The dilapidation of the outer structure is mirrored inside, once grandiose opulence mired by entropy. Before you, cracked stone stairs descend into darkness.

For maps of the Crypts, refer to the end of this section.

General Features

Despite Able's best efforts, the Crypts of Farnworth have long fallen to decay, as much of Farnworth's old glory has.
Floors. The floors of the Crypts are dilapidated cobblestone. While old and decrepit, they are still entirely functional.
Ceilings. The ceilings of the Crypts are smooth stone bricks. While cracked and sometimes missing, they are near impossible to hold onto.
Light. Without Able to tend the torches, darkness has claimed the Crypts, in light and in spirit. The entirety of the Crypts are in complete darkness, and light will be needed for those without darkvision.
Walls. The walls of the Crypts are, for the most part, stone bricks. While some rooms may be riddled with inlaid tombs and such, they are mostly smooth, if not dilapidated, stone brick walls. As such, a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics).

First Floor

The first floor of the Crypts is merely a receiving/offerings area. Thus, it is only one room.

1.1 The Entrance

This once grand room served as an offering area.

You descend the stairs, immediately feeling the air become somewhat stiff, bearing on it the faint scent of decay. You discover a rectangular room of statues greeting you. No more than 30' by 20', a 10' wide pathway across the dilapidated stone floor stretches out in front of you, cloistered on both sides by two pairs of stone statues.
The statues to your immediate right and left are of weeping angels, haunting in visage and decaying demeanor. And further on both sides are stone statues of warriors, identical and abreast from one another, swords held with both hands atop the pommel and tip against their stone pedastals.

This room is empty save for the statues that define it. Atop their pedastals are long decayed offerings to the dead here, the last ashes of flowers and the like. Each pedastal has a rusted, metal plaque, but any words or identification engraved is long since faded.
No patrols come to this room, and no traps or monsters are present. The light here is dim, but still present from the light outside.

Second Floor

The second floor of the Crypts is much larger, much more dangerous, and much darker. A portent of things to come, to be sure.

Second Floor Patrols

One pair of ghouls roams the tombs of the second floor. They travel from 2.2 to 2.4 every two hours, searching for food. One of them is half health, being riddled with blowdarts. This hints to the 2.2a Blowdart Trap. They will immediately attack any characters they come upon, and can be attracted by combat.

2.1 The Grand Hall

Once, this hall was a place for funerals.

You come down the stairs to a large, rectangular room, maybe 30' wide and 50' long, which may have once been a grand hall for funerals and the like. Now, its only denizens are cobwebs which crowd the corners and the four statue alcoves along the walls. There are two hallways immediately to your right and left, and it is difficult to see across the room in the darkness, but you can faintly make out another exit directly in front of you.

Three zombies make this hall their home. They are merely shambling about, and may not immediately notice a character entering. If stealthing, the DC is 8 (their passive Perception).

Developments

For one, the ghoul patrol may come by at any time. Keep track of their location. Also, particularly loud combat may attract one of the shadows from 2.3.

Treasure

Revealed by a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, there is a small leather bag. In it is a potion of healing, 20 sp, and a note that reads "Fear your nightmares."

2.2 The Western Tombs

This burial site's inhabitants have awoken from their rest.

This small, 30' by 20' room has four large, stone coffins within it. Three are arrayed on the wall across from you, and one is sideways next to you. Three of them have had their lids removed, several of which are scattered across the floor in large stone chunks.

Two zombies and a skeleton inhabit this room.

Developments

Keep track of where the ghoul patrol is. This is one of their main stops.

Treasure

A successful DC 15 Strength check will open the fourth, closed coffin. Within, atop the rotting corpse, is a small tribute of 3 gp, 16 cp, and a note that reads "You shall be missed, Elisa."

2.2a The Blowdart Trap

A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check can reveal a slightly different tile at 2.2a. A successful DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check can disarm the trap. When a character of sufficient weight (a non-halfling or gnome) walks over the 2.2a spot, read the following text:

As you step forward, you feel the tile sink with your weight. Alongside it, you here stones move rapidly in the walls on either side of the hallway as darts begin to fly!

All characters within 5' of the trap when it is triggered must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the character takes 1d4 piercing damage and must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they take an additional 1d6 poison damage.

2.3 The Shrine

This shrine once served to sanctify the dead.

Passing through a short, 10' hallway from the grand hall, you enter a smaller, 30' by 20' shrine of sorts. To the right and left are two pairs of ancient, decaying stone pillars, barely maintaining whatever weights they bear. Directly in front of you is an ancient altar, likely once used to sanctify the dead. Now, it has fallen to disrepair.

This room is inhabited by two shadows. They immediately attack any characters who enter the room.

The Altar

If a character investigates the altar closer, read the following text:

This stone altar, chipped and desecrated as it may be, still holds an echo of its ancient holiness. On the center of its wide surface, atop its torn, faded red cloth is a dirty, but still recognizable, statuette of the Raven Queen, patron of the dead and the dying.
You think for a second of how disappointed she must be of these restless dead rising from their sleep, looking at the closed tome in front of the statuette and the necklace bearing the holy symbol of the Matron of Ravens atop it as you ponder.

The tome is a faded prayer book that holds every funeral date and name of those interred within the Crypts, as well as the standard fare prayers of the Raven Queen, alongside her commandmants. The necklace is a holy symbol, and the tome can be used as a cleric spellbook. The statuette could be sold for 10 gp, but taking it would be a slight against the Raven Queen.

2.4 The Eastern Tombs

Like their western siblings, these tombs' inhabitants have become restless.

As you approach the next room, you can hear the sounds of something ravenously devouring flesh echoing from inside the room. As you enter, the stench of death hits you like a sucker punch, a thick, tangible odor hanging over the area. This room is surprisingly large, being only 20' long but nearly 45' wide. Along the wall across from your entrance are five coffins, evenly spaced. All but one are still closed, and the furthest one to the left has its lid on the ground, leaning against the coffin itself.
While you can't see what is next to the open coffin, as the one next to it obscures your view, you do hear one loud rip and see a skeletal hand almost entirely bereft of flesh fly across the room and crash against the stone wall with enough force to send bone shards scattering.

One ghast is in this room, feasting on the corpse of the inhabitant of the open coffin. It is enamored with its meal, and will thus not notice any movement and such made outside its field of view, save for particularly loud interactions.

Developments

The patrol of ghouls can come to this room and stop here. This will be an extremely dangerous encounter for a party of 3rd level characters, so consider ways to help your players break the group up, such as luring the ghouls out.

Secret Room

A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check can reveal that there is a secret room in the northeastern corner of the room. If it is discovered, read the following text:

You run your hands along the wall, feeling for anything out of the ordinary, when you notice the slight difference in depth of one particular brick. Giving it a testing shove, it gives under your pressure, and so you press harder and hear mechanisms deep in the wall click.
You then hear grating and the screeching of stone on stone as a 10' section of wall sinks into the floor, revealing a small 10' by 10' secret room, with two old wooden chests on the opposite wall inside.

This noise will attract the ghoul patrol if they haven't already been dealt with.
Inside the chests are 45 gp, 224 sp, and 795 cp, as well as a coin of delving and a potion of healing.

2.5 The Stairwell

This stairwell descends even further into the dark.

This room is a mere 20' by 20', dominated by the circular staircase descending to the next floor in its center. Aside from the staircase and the pillars in the other three corners, this room is empty.

This stairwell leads to 3.1. It is dilapidated and falling apart, so combat and such on the stairs may be tricky, but there is no particular difficulty in merely walking up or down them.

Third Floor

The deeper one goes, the more impermeable the darkness becomes. Depravity and decay await those who descend here and beyond.

3.1 The Stairwell

A broken stairwell, leading to the levels above.

Descending the dilapidated stairwell, you come to a room nearly identical to the room you descended from, save that the orientation is different. A hallway in front of you leads out of the room, and three pillars fill the other three corners of the room.

This room is empty, save for the stairwell that leads from 2.5.

3.1a. The Cave Entrance

Here, the wall has been broken, and the creatures of the depths come forth.

Leaving the stairwell room, you see the hallway turns to the right just 15' ahead; however, the wall just ahead on this corner has collapsed, revealing a dark cave past it. In front of this hole, you see nearly a half dozen corpses strewn across the stone, bloodied and brutalized. Hunching over them is two zombies.

3.2 The Cave

A natural extension to an artificial structure.

Through the collapsed section of wall is a small, natural cave, only about 20' wide at its widest point and 20' deep. Pieces of the stone wall litter the entrance to the cave, but past that it is bare dirt and rock.

A wounded chuul is within this cave, with only 40 health remaining.

Treasure

The chuul has collected some treasure from the undead that have attacked it. In the furthest southeast corner of the cave is a small pile of 8 gp, 9 sp, and 15 cp.

3.3 The Procession Area

Once, this place served to honor the dead.

You enter into a massive room, so big you can hardly see the other walls. You would guess it's close to 50' wide and 40' long, and its large open area is dominated by two rows of five pews, some of which have been moved or broken. There is a staircase along the wall to your left that descends to unknown locations, and the vague outline of another hallway across the room.
But as you enter, an overpowering scent of decay and rotting flesh slams into your face like a putrid wave, almost causing you to double over. The source is easy to spot: several desiccated and brutalized corpses are strewn about the floor, some hidden by the pews. Across the room, a shattered table sits in front of the pews, leading you to think this room may have once served as a visitation area.

When a character enters this room, they must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute from the stench. The stairs in 3.3 lead to 4.1.
Two zombies amble about this room, and one ghoul is feeding on the corpse in the northwestern corner.

3.4 The Tombs of the People

This large set of coffins once served as the resting place for the commonfolk.

You enter another large room, maybe 55' wide and 30' long. And rapidly, the source of the corpses in the room before are revealed. A dozen stone coffins protrude from the walls of this room, six on each side. Almost all of them are open, some with their lids flung aside and shattered, others' resting on their sides. A half dozen more corpses fill the walkway between the coffins ahead of you, most already picked clean and left to dry.

Five skeletons are lying in wait in this room. They are indistinguishable from corpses, but will awaken and attack when a character has entered the center of the room.

Treasure

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal a series of caches tucked away in one of the coffins. Within is a potion of healing, 12 gp, 38 sp, and 170 cp, as well as a note that reads, in hastily scrawled Common, "Rest easy, Jonathan. Perhaps you can escape the nightmares in restful death, Raven Queen be praised."

Fourth Floor

This floor is only two rooms. One is a staircase, the other a monument.

4.1 The Monument

This room was once grand. Once.

You descend the stairs into a large, rectangular room, maybe 50' wide and 60' long. In the center of the open stone floor is a tall, marble statue, its once opulent design marred by dust and grime. It is the visage of a man in armor, kneeling with his head down and his arms up, hands towards the sky as though holding something. As of right now, however, they are empty.

In each corner of the room is a fountain, the once flowing, clear water now stagnant and covered with algae and mold.
This room is a monument to Lord Haron Farnworth. If someone inspects the statue further, read the following text:

Upon closer inspection, you see a plaque is engraved into the stone pedastal. Though faded, you can still make out the words "Lord Haron Farnworth." The detail of the statue was likely impressive back in its day, but decay, like many things in these crypts, has claimed it.

The Statue

The players can likely piece together that the statue requires a sword, but the exacts are more complicated. The actual blade of Lord Farnworth must be reclaimed, but he will need to be defeated on the Seventh Floor. Once placed in the statue's hands, read the following text:

As you place the sword upon the statue's hands, you can see the sword glow faintly as dust begins to shake free of the statue and fall in large clouds. You hear grinding and the sliding of stone on stone as the several ton statue slides backwards, revealing a hollow stash beneath.

Within this stash is 1800 cp, 900 sp, 80 gp, Carnelian (50 gp), Chalcedony (50 gp), Chrysoprase (50 gp), Moonstone (50 gp), 2 x Onyx (50 gp), Quartz (50 gp), Spell Scroll (Sacred Flame) (common, dmg 200), Spell Scroll (Shocking Grasp) (common, dmg 200), Spell Scroll (Longstrider) (common, dmg 200), Spell Scroll (Branding Smite) (uncommon, dmg 200), and 2 x Potion of Healing (common, dmg 187).
Afterwards, the sword can be reclaimed, but the statue will move back to its original position, sealing whatever is left within.

4.2 The Staircase

These dilapidated stairs lead even further into the depths.

Passing through the threshold from the statue room, you enter a room identical to the rooms that brought you from the second floor to the third. Once again, a decrepit, circular stone staircase descends into the darkness, and three pillars fill the corners of the room.

From down the stairs, you can faintly hear the echoing sound of a dripping liquid.

Fifth Floor

Here is the beginning of the nobles' crypts. Here is the beginning of depravity.

5.1 The Staircase

The entrance from above to below.

As you descend the ruined stone stairs, a stench of unrequited death and decay begins to set in, before you come into a room identical in look and make to the one you just came from. Here, the stench is nearly overpowering, though it's hard to ascertain the source in the darkness. Here, the dripping liquid is louder, echoing, and it is clear that more than one thing is dripping based off the different sounds.

This room is empty, merely serving as the path from the fourth floor to the fifth, and vice versa.

5.1a The Effigy

This terrible creation of metal and flesh is a warning to those who come this deep.

Moving out of the room and into the hallway, you see the source of the dripping. In the corner where the hallway bends is a terrible effigy of flesh and metal. At least three separate corpses are strewn and skewered upon metal bands and rods, blood still dripping from their mutilated forms. Various arms, legs, and heads have been severed from the main bodies, and placed elsewhere on the effigy, a grim totem of striking complexity.
Whoever placed this, they took time and put thought into this macabre creation.

This totem of flesh and metal was created by Lord Farnworth and his undead servants as a warning.
A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal that the left hand and eye of all the corpses are removed, nowhere to be seen.

Developments

Movement and torchlight will prompt the two shadows in 5.2 to hide in wait and ambush the party when they enter their room.

5.2 The Nobles' Crypts

This place was once where the "nobles" of Farnworth rested.

You pass from the terrifying effigy and come to a room of maybe 25' by 30', lined with three fine stone tombs on either side. Ahead of you is a staircase that descends further into the crypts. Along both the right and left wall are the tattered remains of what may have once been banners.

Two shadows inhabit this room. They will immediately attack anyone who enters the room, so if they were prompted to hide and ambush the party, they get a surprise round if their Dexterity (Stealth) check is higher than the highest Passive Wisdom (Perception) of the party members.

Treasure

A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal a variety of caches in the different tombs. One has 8 gp, 26 sp, and a potion of healing, another has 5 gp and 19 cp, and the final one has a rope of mending.

Sixth Floor

Here, the decadence and depravation of the undead nobles is shown fully.

Changing Atmosphere

Something important to note going forward is that the party is now in the "noble tombs." To achieve this sense of change, think of ways that the atmosphere and the monsters should change. Maybe zombies are now clad in the remnants of fine clothing, or undead now seem to bear the faintest glimmer of narcissistic intelligence. Find ways to show, not tell, that the dungeon is changing.

Sixth Floor Patrols

One ghast patrols this floor, roaming from 6.4 to 6.3 every four hours. It will go to any room where it hears an abundance of out-of-the-ordinary noise, such as combat. Unlike the ghouls of the second floor, it is not hunting for food, but is instead on a concerted mission to protect Lord Farnworth on the seventh floor.

6.1 The Feast

Here, a feast of depravity rages.

Coming down the short staircase to the next floor, you come to a large room, maybe 50' by 30', which the torch struggles to illuminate entirely, leaving the left and right ends of the room darkened. As you enter, the first thing you notice is the sound of your boots squelching. Looking down, you see bits of gore and blood dashed across the stone floor, and looking about see much of the rest of the floor in a similar state.
In the center of the room runs one long wooden table along the length of the floor, and you can see in the torchlight that it is covered in long rotten food, some sick parody of a feast. Entire rotting pigs, ripped open and flayed, rest upon the table, alongside molded piles of sausage, pies, and the like. Similar, smaller tables are in the corners of the room, framing the northern and western exits.

3 zombies and 2 skeletons inhabit this room. The former three are spread about the room feasting on the rotting food, while the latter two are standing in the southeastern corner "chatting."
The zombies will not break their current action unless something catches their attention, while the skeletons will immediately note any non-stealthed characters entering, and move towards them. They are not planning on engaging, but will instead silently (not stealthily) watch the party from about 15' away.

Developments

Loud noises such as prolonged combat or the secret room threshold opening will alert Lady Amber Farnworth in 6.2. If she notices an intrusion, she will retreat to 6.3, where she rallies the undead within and begins raising additional zombies. Every minute she is allowed to do so, she raises another zombie, which she keeps in the room as a holdout against the intruders.

6.1a The Secret Room

With a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the party may discover the hidden room, in which case read the following text:

Looking about the feasting hall, you notice something in the southeastern corner of the room. Hidden behind the corner table is some sort of alcove, and pulling the grime and waste covered furniture away, you see a small lever tucked into a tiny divot. You scan the wall next to the lever, and can now see the faintest outline of where the wall could give way.

Should they pull the lever, the wall falls away and reveals this small, 10' by 10' room, inside of which are two chests. One is locked (which can be unlocked with a DC 14 Thieves' Tools check) and the other is not. In the former is 26 gp, 48 sp, and 35 cp, alongside a potion of healing and a spell scroll (Tasha's hideous laughter), while in the latter is 15 gp, 70 sp, 248 cp, and a note that reads "I'm so glad we're finally awake again. Lord Farnworth actually kept his promise."

6.2 The Laboratory

Here is where the fusion of metal and flesh occurs, all under the somber gaze of the Raven Queen.

Entering this room, you see even more blood and bits of gore dashed upon the cracked stone floor. This room, only about 20' wide by 30' long, has two hallways on its eastern and western walls, and another on its northern. A large, stone statue is centered on the southern wall, covered in blood with intestines wreathed and sagging from its outstretched arms. A small circular table is next to the eastern exit, covered in blood with a set of gore-drenched tools atop it, and a long table sits in the northwestern corner, with a severed head and several other body parts atop it as well.

Lady Amber Farnworth (deathlock wight) resides in this room (unless she was alerted by activity in 6.1 or 6.4), actively experimenting on the body parts atop the northwestern table. She will immediately attack the party upon their entry, animating the piecemeal, incomplete flesh golem atop the table to aid her (use zombie stats but with 30 HP and 14 strength).

Roleplaying Lady Amber Farnworth

Despite being undead, Lady Farnworth still has a sharp intellect and sultry charisma (though she rarely employs this due to her decayed form). And more than this, she is fiercely devoted to both her and her husband's plans, and the entity who allowed them to work after death: the Defiled One.
She knows how important maintaining the secrecy of their true intentions is, and as such she will not hesitate to die again rather than give away information about who she serves or what their goals are; however, she still has a sense of self-preservation, and if things become dire she will flee, though not to her husband. Instead, she will seek to buy time.
Things to consider:

• She is a noblewoman, undead or not, and believes herself far above the "peasantry."
• She seeks to achieve recompense for her husband's failures in life with the crash of Farnworth.
• She sees the Defiled One as a way to become strong and beautiful again, and claim her rightful place as a powerful figure on the world stage.

By way of interrogation, Lady Farnworth would be nigh-impossible to crack. She fears few things more than the Defiled One's wrath. If the party were to try speak with dead or some other means to pry information out of here, this is what they could glean:

• Lord and Lady Farnworth serve a grand plan, and are only one piece in an infinite puzzle.
• The ritual Lord Farnworth is performing could cause permanent damage to Farnworth and the surrounding countryside.
• Lady Farnworth was charged with learning necroficy and building stronger undead with it, and she was nearing a breakthrough, even with her extremely limited supplies (i.e. scavenged armor from the dead soldier, etc.).

6.3 The Lady's Shrine

This is where Lady Farnworth once rested.

Passing into the next room, you come to a square room of 30' by 30'. The left and right walls are lined with pillars, though two on the right have come down and lie in rubble, and directly ahead of you is what appears to be some sort of shrine, or maybe a tomb. Either way, it has been defiled, and instead of any holy symbols or the like, a totem of flesh and fused metal sits atop it, long dried of blood and gore.

A specter inhabits this room. It is the soul of Lord and Lady Farnworth's only son, Regill, brought back and forced into a cruel state of undeath by his parents. He will fight any intruders to the death, and will not retreat as he seeks release from his imprisonment.

Treasure

A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal a stash of loot within Lady Farnworth's tomb. Within is an arcane grimoire (+1) (this is the spellbook Avella is looking for), as well as 36 gp, 25 sp, and 95 cp.

6.4 The Lord's Statue

A monument to Lord Farnworth once stood here, but it has followed its lord's example and fallen.

You enter a medium-sized room, about 20' by 35', with three exits: one in the southwestern corner, the other in the southeastern, and the final in the northwestern corner. The latter is a 10' wide staircase down, from which a faint, sickly teal light radiates, occasionally flickering. In the center of this room is a large statue that has fallen over and cracked into several pieces. When it was whole, it was perhaps a likeness of a human man, likely a noble.

This room is empty, save for perhaps the ghast patrol. This is a good place for the party to perhaps take a short rest before descending to the seventh floor, where Lord Farnworth awaits them.

Seventh Floor

This floor consists of one room: Lord Farnworth's tomb.

7.1 The Tomb

Lord Farnworth has awoken from his eternal rest. Someone should lay him to rest once more, lest his master's plans come to fruition.

Descending the some 60' of stairs, the light gets more intense as you descend, though never becoming too bright. Instead, it becomes more steady, and of a deeper, darker green. Coming to the base of the stairs, you come to a massive room, perhaps 50' by 50'. Four pillars are by each corner of the room, and a single, large coffin sits across the room from the stairs.
In front of this coffin is the source of the sickly light. In the center of the room is a withered, male human, clad in caked and musty nobles' robes, covered in dirt and decay. His hands are splayed in front of him, as he channels necrotic energies into a swirling vortex of sickly green and teal energy, which is occasionally displaced and shifted by dark black threads of violent magics.

Here, Lord Farnworth (deathlock) conducts a heinous ritual for his dark master, the Defiled One. If the party is stealthing, they must roll Dexterity (Stealth) checks against his Passive Perception. If at least three quarters of the party succeeds, they are stealthed and can get a surprise rounds against Lord Farnworth. (Note: this is IMMENSELY powerful. It could give the party the ability to kill Lord Farnworth, AKA the boss of the dungeon, before he can even act.)
If they do not succeed, he will immediately engage in combat, commenting on how he was waited far too long to be snubbed by wannabe heroes.

The Battle

Unless surprised, Lord Farnworth will cast mage armor before combat begins. During combat, he must maintain concentration on his ritual (meaning every time he takes damage, he must make Constitution (Concentration) checks. This also means he can't cast concentration spells, such as hunger of Hadar.
Tactically, Lord Farnworth will focus on locking down those he perceives as the greatest threats (i.e. spellcasters). Also, if he sees any characters heal one another, he will focus down the healers to the point of burning spell slots to try and incapacitate or maim them. He will not bother trying to escape, as he knows that doing so will result in great anger from his master.
Roleplay-wise, Lord Farnworth is haughty, arrogant, and believes himself far above the capabilities of the party. He will be talkative and condescending, repeatedly trying to berate the party for their "foolishness," and how they "can't possibly defeat him." Once he begins to get low on health (especially if it is rapidly or from one large blow), he will begin to threaten the party, saying that if they kill him, they will draw his master's ire. He will grow increasingly desperate, as he knows that he is not honestly all that valuable to the Defiled One; however, nothing will make him betray his lord, and he will die before committing treachery.

The Ritual

The ritual Lord Farnworth is casting is not actually one to aid himself at all. In fact, it is channeling the souls of the crypts to the Defiled One, to add fuel to his eventual rebirth. Lord Farnworth does not know this, and believes he is summoning a "Hand of the Defiler" to aid him in his goals of reconquest.
A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that the ritual is funneling souls, but to where to what aim remains a mystery. If the ritual is interrupted, whether by Lord Farnworth falling or failing his Concentration checks, the soul funnel becomes unstable and detonates, forcing every creature within the room to make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 2d4 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful one.

Victory

Should the party defeat Lord Farnworth, the ritual will immediately collapse (see The Ritual above) and he will burn away to dust with one final plea to his master: "I have worked too hard and too long to fail, please!" Within his tomb is a mass of treasure: 1500 cp, 900 sp, and 60 gp, as well as 6 gems worth 50gp each (star rose quartz, 2 sardonyx, chalcedony, chrysoprase, and jasper), a javelin of lightning, an arrow-catching shield, and a rapier (+2). (This is a huge treasure hoard, and for good reason. The party likely spent anywhere from 2-4 sessions in this dungeon, and as such, rewards like this are well-earned!)

Defeat

Depending on the way the dice fall, or how stingy the party was with rests, defeat is a very real chance with this boss fight. If a TPK does occur, consider ways for the story to not just end here. The rest of the events of this adventure will still take place, and as such, Farnworth will be wiped out. And, while Lord Farnworth is just a pawn, his master, Krathum the Defiled One, could maybe use new undead adventurers to do his biding. Find ways for the story to continue in the face of a TPK.

Rewards

With the defeat of the Farnworths, any remaining undead that were not slain are unbound, returning to their eternal slumber. The Crypts are cleansed, and a multitude of quests could be claimed at this point:

• Talking to Able will see him thank the party profusely, though he has no way to pay them as he is not the most wealthy man.
• The party may well have found the spellbook Avella sought. If they don't return it to her within a few days, she will come looking for it (especially if your party has a wizard trying to keep it). She will press them for it, and subtly threaten that she has connections and she needs that book. If the party gives it, they get the reward from earlier (see Avella's Home) and if they don't, they would've soured their relations with the Elven Acquisitions Guild (and you can decide if they are truly what they say they are).
• If the party cleared the Crypts per request of Lady Heartcrown, they can receive her rewards before she heads down into the Crypts to begin "researching." If they did it before for one reason or another, she will give the rewards proactively upon hearing that they have cleared the Crypts, commenting how "it's like they read her mind."

The Aftermath

With the Crypts cleared, the party has secured their names in the minds of the people of Farnworth. They can take their rest, as they have earned it. If they cleared the Crypts before Lady Heartcrown's return, then refer back to The Interlude. If Lady Heartcrown has returned, and has descended into the Crypts, then continue.

Farnworth Crypt Maps

First and Second Level

Third and Fourth Level

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Level

Maps

Here are all of the relevant maps, organized by part.

Part 1:

Farnworth

Tavern Ruins

Part 2:

Fort Allakstand

Fort Allakstand Undercroft

Part 3:

Farnworth Crypt Level 1/2

Farnworth Crypt Level 3/4

Farnworth Crypt Level 5/6/7

Background

Farnworth is a small village that sits several days from any major city, resting on the southern edge of the Steldurn Woods. While today it is (little) known as a peaceful village of warm summers and fresh vegetables, Farnworth's founders had big plans for the village. These plans went nowhere, leading to a handful of ruins around and even within the village that have today fallen to dilapidation and even infestation, from the Farnworth Crypts to the ruins of Old Fort Allakstand.
Many evil powers in the region know of this growing weakness, and seek to capitalize on it. The growing threat of the Herd of Death in the Mayfair Plains to the south has not gone unnoticed, but none of the nearby cities have moved to help. But while the Herd of Death presents the most obvious threat, the warband moving toward Farnworth is of a much more sinister nature: their leader, Warmaster Blackblade, has been corrupted by his namesake weapon, a corrupted acheron blade infused with the power of an Elder Evil seeking to establish a foothold in Farnworth.
The blade seeks to come into the hands of a powerful mage who it can corrupt and control. Once it achieves this goal, it uses its power to manifest the minions of this Elder Evil; however, if its wielder is defeated and its summoned minions are destroyed, the power within the blade is used and it becomes cleansed of the corruption.

Homebrewery

I originally designed this adventure on Homebrewery, and then adapted the formatting for WorldAnvil. If you would like the original formatting, here is the link.