Ashold Hallow

The ancient cemetery known as Ashold Hollow has long been forgotten, its grounds overgrown and its dead left to slumber undisturbed. But now, rumors have surfaced of a cursed power rising from beneath the earth, and the dead no longer rest easy. Something stirs within the heart of the graveyard, beneath its ruined buildings. Your adventuring party has accepted the task of exploring the haunted grounds, discovering the source of the disturbance, and laying the restless spirits to their final peace—before the entire region falls to an undead horde.
Loot Studios Bundles

• Roar of the Everdeath
• Night Hunters (Trees)

Intro

As you step through the rusted gates, a chill in the air sends shivers down your spine. The graveyard stretches before you, a crumbling ruin of cracked gravestones, half-buried coffins, and skeletal trees whose blackened branches reach up like claws to the overcast sky. The air smells of damp earth and decay, and the occasional breeze carries the faint scent of something foul. At the center, a towering, dead tree looms over the graves, its bark charred and twisted.

The Tree

The twisted tree has blackened bark cracked and scarred as though struck by lightning. The skeletal branches stretch toward the sky, lifeless and barren. Sickly green mist seeps from deep fissures in the trunk, filling the air with the pungent scent of decay. The ground around its roots is loose, as if disturbed recently, and an unnatural chill lingers, making the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. The stillness here is oppressive, as though the tree itself is holding its breath, waiting for something.
When a player approaches the tree or any of the graves surrounding it Read the following:
Upon inspecting the trees surroundings, the ground begins to tremble around the cemetery, and from the disturbed earth, skeletal hands claw their way to the surface. One by one, five skeletons rise from their graves, their hollow eye sockets glowing faintly as they turn their heads toward you, weapons in hand.
Combat

• 5 Skeletons (or 1 per player)

Ruined Chapel

the decaying remains of a once-grand chapel, its walls crumbled into heaps of stone and its roof long gone. A weathered statue of a sorrowful figure still clings to the roof's peak, though its features are worn smooth by time. A single, shadowy doorway yawns open before you, leading into what was once an enclosed room, now nothing more than ruined walls and piles of rubble.
Searching the ruins will reveal a concealed opening beneath the ruins, leading to a hidden staircase to a crypt below.
Ruined Chapel Dungeon
Room 1: Forgotten Crypt

• Description: Stone walls slick with moss surround you, and coffins line the walls, some broken open, their contents long gone. The air is damp and cold.
• Loot: A simple brass key can be found in a coffin. DC 14 Perception/Investigation to notice it is trapped. Trap!: All creatures in a 20ft radius must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 Poison damage.

Room 2: Collapsed Tunnel

• Description: Rubble blocks part of the room, but a narrow crawlspace remains open, revealing another room on the other side.
• Challenge: A player may attempt to crawl through the rubble (DC 14) Dexterity. Failure: The player takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage and becomes pinned, requiring the others to work together to remove the rubble. The check can then be retried with a DC 12 as some of the rubble has been cleared away, making it easier to navigate.

Room 3: The Sealed Vault

• Description: A large stone door stands sealed at the end of the crypt. Beside it, a simple, wooden bowl, cracked and mended with iron staples sits on the floor with an ancient inscription above it, which reads:

"In shadows deep where silence lies, Offer a gift both plain and wise. Not riches bright or treasures rare, But a coin of little fare.".

• Challenge: Players must make an offering (a piece of copper) to open the door. You may ask a player to make a Religion check (DC 12), if they are struggling or if they ask if they know anything about the bowl, the inscription or the temple.
• The temple is of Solenin, The Sufferer and he is a god of charity.
• A successfull check will also reveal the requirement for the puzzle

Vault Loot: An armoury of +1 weapons/arrows/bolts (each player who deals physical damage gets one)

Ruined Bell Tower

This ruined bell tower rises above the graves, its once-proud structure now reduced to a crumbling, hollow shell. A door is sealed tightly shut and a faint hum of magic can be felt in the air surrounding the tower.
The sealed door can be opened with a successful DC 14 Athletics (Can be repeated, lower DC by 2 each time as the seal gets weakened after each failed attempt) check. Once open, it reveals a stairwell which descends into darkness.
Ruined Bell Tower Dungeon
Once the players descend, a door magically seals behind them, trapping them below the belltower.
The bell tower basement is circular and damp, with the sound of dripping water echoing around you. Around the room are 5 podiums with a brazier atop them and in the center of the room, a ghostly figure floats, looking down upon a large gem.
Elias Tornbuther: Elias appears as a translucent figure clad in tattered robes that billow as if caught in a gentle breeze. His features are gaunt, with hollow eyes that shimmer like fading stars. His hair floats ethereally behind him, resembling strands of mist. A sorrowful expression graces his face, and he carries an air of melancholy, reflecting the burdens of his past life.

Elias is actually responsible for the doorway being sealed, preventing the party from leaving

He is bound to the chamber beneath the Bell Tower by a ritual, a result of the crimes he committed in his past life(Made a deal with a demon for power but the demon used his body to wreak havoc on a town). The bindings can be broken to free his spirit, however, it requires interaction with enchanted gems, which he is unable to interact with as a result of his incorporeal form. An added, psychological torment to his punishment, that the key to his freedom is right before him, but still outside of his grasp

He is deceiving the party into believing the seal he placed on the door is linked to the magic binding his spirit to room, so the party will solve the puzzle and release his spirit

If prompted he will tell the party that he was a labourer at the graveyard and was in this room when he heard rumbling outside. The next thing he remembers is waking up as a ghost

If the party shows signs that they suspect he is lying, Elias will attack (Use the Ghost stat block but he is unable to benefit from his incorporeal movement and is unable to use posession).
The Puzzle: To solve the puzzle, the players must first locate the 5 gems. When a gem is placed inside its corresponding podium, its brazier will begin to glow. Each brazier is activated only by its corresponding gem. Once the party has determined which gem goes with which brazier, the braziers must be activated in a specific order. When a gem is placed in the correct order, instead of the brazier glowing, it will ignite. Activating the wrong brazier will cause all braziers to extinguish, and the process will need to be restarted. The correct order of the gems is as follows:

1. Green
2. Blue
3. Red
4. Yellow
5. White

Upon completing the puzzle read: As the final gem is placed into its podium, a blinding glow envelops the braziers, filling the room with several, blinding coloured lights. As the light begins to subside, the podiums begin to sink gracefully into the floor, each leaving behind a faint, glowing stream that converges on Elias. In that moment, Elias's spectral form flickers briefly, as he stands, arms at his side with his head tilted to the sky. He tilts his head slightly in your direction, and as he does the seal on the door fades away, opening the path up the stairs once more.
Elias will thank the party for breaking the seal on the door. As the party turns toward the stairs, Elias will attempt to possess one of them. Pass or fail, he will attack the party (Use the Ghost statblock with no restrictions

Mausoleum

If the party approaches the mausoleum before venturing into the bell tower basement, omit the etchings above the doorway. The door is sealed shut and will not budge. A DC 12 Arcana, Investigation or Perception check can reveal that the door is sealed by magic, which appears to be linked to something else within the cemetry.
The large mausoleum looms before you, its marble walls are cracked and weathered, and an old magical seal covers the entrance. Strange runes glow faintly in the fading light, and the air feels thick with the weight of ancient magic. Above the door, etched in an ethereal glow the words "Amidst death's final embrace, knock thrice where roots hold firm"
To gain entry, the party must knock 3 times on the tree in the middle of the cemetery. Upon doing so, read: As the third knock sounds, the magic seal covering the entrance to the mausoleum flickers and shifts, revealing several entwined roots which begin to unravel before retreating into the dirt, leaving the door to the mausoleum open.
Room 1: The Entrance Hall. The air is cold, and the stone walls echo your footsteps as you step inside the mausoleum. Rows of crypts line either side of the chamber, with engraved names worn by time. A faint layer of dust covers the floor, and the smell of mildew hangs in the air. At the far end of the room, a cracked stone archway leads further into the depths.

• Prominent Feature: The walls bear faded carvings of ancient burial rites. The crypts are sealed, but a careful inspection (DC 12 Investigation) reveals a loose panel on one, hiding a small chest containing 2 healing potions.

Room 2: The Preparation Chamber. This chamber is sparse, with a large stone slab at its center, likely used for preparing the dead. Old, rusted tools litter the ground. A broken brazier lies on its side, cold and unused for ages. The walls are cracked and crumbling.

• Prominent Feature: On a dusty shelf, an assortment of ancient herbs and dried flowers lie scattered. Among them is a preserved piece of grave moss (DC 13 Nature check identifies this as a rare herb used in necromantic rituals but also has healing properties. A creature which ingests the moss takes 1d6 necrotic damage, then gains twice that amount in temperary hit points).

Room 3: The Ritual Chamber. A circular chamber with runes etched into the stone floor. In the center, an altar stands, stained with what looks like ancient blood. There is a thick, eerie silence in the air, as though the room itself is holding its breath.

• Prominent Feature: A few candles are still unlit, placed around the altar. If the players investigate the runes (DC 14 Arcana check), they discover they are tied to necromantic magic. In a small crevice beneath the altar, they can find a Wand of Magic Missile (3 charges) and 10gp hidden in a locked compartment (DC 13 Dexterity check to pick the lock).

Room 4: The Research Chamber. The final room opens up into a surprisingly well-preserved study. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with old tomes and papers. A central desk, covered in scattered documents and old writing implements, dominates the room. A thick layer of dust covers everything, but it’s clear someone was working here recently.

• Prominent Feature: This room contains various documents detailing the necromancer's research (see Necromancers Notes Section). On the desk lies a peculiar orb glowing faintly with green light. The orb radiates faint necromantic magic.
• Description for the Orb: On the desk lies a faintly glowing green orb. Its light is soft but seems to pulse with an eerie rhythm. As you approach, the air around it feels colder, as if the very energy it radiates is sapping the warmth from the room. (Touching the Orb will activate it - read below)
• Description After Activation: As you touch the orb, the light pulses once, and a cold wave washes over you, almost like a distant shiver. The magic dissipates into the air, leaving the room silent once more. For a moment, it feels as though nothing has happened, then there is a sudden rumbling from above you, seemingly coming from the cemetery outside.

The Gravedigger

As you step out of the mausoleum, a towering figure looms over a cluster of disturbed graves. A towering Cyclops, with matted brown fur and curled horns, grips a massive shield in one hand and a large sword in the other. Strapped to his back are caskets, shovels, and pickaxes, necromantic energy seeps from his hulking form into the ground below, pulsing with a faint, sickly glow, as the soil beneath him begins to stir.

Player Characters

1. Berynd Stonebough - Firbolg Barbarian (Path of the Storm Herald)

• Backstory: Raised in the dense forests of a secluded tribe, Berynd lived harmoniously with nature, learning its ancient ways. However, when a mysterious blight began to spread through his homeland, threatening the delicate balance, he left the forest seeking a way to save his people. Now, he adventures in the hopes of finding the source of the corruption.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivation: To find a cure for the blight and restore his homeland.
• Personality Traits: Gentle protector, deeply connected to nature, can be stubborn.

2. Rylith Longstride - Harengon Bard (College of Eloquence)

• Backstory: Rylith grew up in a nomadic Harengon clan, always moving and trading stories through their music. His love for the fiddle blossomed when he met a traveling musician who taught him the instrument. Now, Rylith travels to gather more tales and melodies, playing for anyone who will listen, while seeking to reunite with his long-lost clan.
• Alignment: Chaotic Good
• Motivation: To become a legendary bard and find his missing clan.
• Personality Traits: Optimistic, quick-witted, impulsive.

3. Elira Dovestone - Human Cleric (Peace Domain)

• Backstory: As a child, Elira witnessed a devastating plague that swept through her village. The clerics of The Keepers saved her life, inspiring her to devote herself to healing, peace and protecting others from such suffering. Her faith is unwavering, and she wanders the world, offering aid to the sick and guiding lost souls.
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Motivation: To help the sick and uphold the teachings of her deity.
• Personality Traits: Compassionate, disciplined, self-critical.

4. Thorbek Ironhelm - Dwarf Fighter (Champion)

• Backstory: Thorbek hails from a mountain hold renowned for its warriors, but a falling out with his family left him seeking redemption and honor elsewhere. Though he left his clan behind, he still carries their values of loyalty and duty, channeling his rage into battle.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivation: To regain his honor and prove himself worthy of his clan.
• Personality Traits: Brave, fiercely loyal, short-tempered.

5. Kyla Farwatch - Human Monk (Kensei)

• Backstory: Trained in a remote monastery, Kyla devoted her life to mastering her mind and body. After a vision warning of a great imbalance, she left her temple to explore the world and fulfill the prophecy by finding the source of the disturbance. She values inner peace but faces temptation in the chaotic world outside.
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Motivation: To bring balance and peace, both internally and externally.
• Personality Traits: Disciplined, calm under pressure, overly detached at times.

6. Qyron Drakathorn - Dragonborn Paladin (Oath of Devotion)

• Backstory: A former soldier of a fallen kingdom, Qyron took up the oath of devotion after surviving his homeland's destruction. Now a wandering knight, he seeks to protect the innocent and defeat those who would spread tyranny, hoping to restore justice in a world that has lost it.
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Motivation: To uphold justice and rebuild his fallen kingdom.
• Personality Traits: Honorable, resolute, can be rigid in his ideals.

7. Y’reth Skalefang - Dragonborn Ranger (Hunter)

• Backstory: Y’reth grew up as a hunter and scout on the frontier, patrolling the wildlands to defend his clan. After an orc horde decimated his home, Y’reth swore to track them down and stop the threat from spreading to other lands. His wilderness skills and sharp instincts have kept him alive in his pursuit of revenge.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivation: To eliminate the orc threat and protect the frontier.
• Personality Traits: Resourceful, independent, vengeful.

8. Nira Quickfoot - Halfling Rogue (Swashbuckler)

• Backstory: Nira grew up in the bustling streets of a large city, using her quick hands and sharper mind to survive. However, after a job went wrong, she was forced to leave her home and now roams the world, seeking a new purpose while using her skills to stay one step ahead of trouble.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Motivation: To find her place in the world while living on her own terms.
• Personality Traits: Clever, resourceful, distrustful.

9. Zaris Stormrend - Dragonborn Sorcerer

• Backstory: Born during a violent storm, Zaris discovered his natural affinity for magic at a young age. However, his powers have always been unpredictable, and after an accidental catastrophe in his home city, he left to learn to control his abilities. His thirst for knowledge has driven him to seek ancient sources of magic.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivation: To master the gift of magic he was granted.
• Personality Traits: Ambitious, inquisitive, occasionally reckless.

10. Orro Shellbreeze - Tortle Druid

• Backstory: Orro spent most of his life in the tranquil coastal marshlands, communing with nature and safeguarding its delicate ecosystems. Recently, however, unnatural disturbances have begun plaguing the region, and Orro has taken to wandering far from his home, seeking the source of this corruption.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Motivation: To preserve the natural balance and stop the corruption of the wilds.
• Personality Traits: Wise, calm, slow to take action.

11. Silarieth Nightwhisper - Elf Warlock

• Backstory: Silarieth made a pact with an enigmatic fey entity in exchange for power after being exiled from her elven homeland for breaking ancient laws. Now, she walks the line between the mortal world and the fey realm, working toward earning the trust of her patron while seeking her own redemption.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Motivation: To prove her worth and understand the deeper mysteries of her pact.
• Personality Traits: Curious, bold, often secretive.

12. Velyndra Myrreth - Drow Wizard

• Backstory: Raised in the shadows of the Underdark, Velyndra always felt out of place among her ruthless kin. She fled to the surface, where she discovered her passion for arcane knowledge. Now, she seeks to distance herself from her dark heritage while mastering the magic she was forbidden to practice.
• Alignment: Neutral
• Motivation: To uncover lost magical secrets and prove her value outside the Underdark.
• Personality Traits: Intelligent, determined, aloof.

Character Creation

The ancient cemetery known as Ashold Hollow has long been forgotten, its grounds overgrown and its dead left to slumber undisturbed. But now, rumors have surfaced of a cursed power rising from beneath the earth, and the dead no longer rest easy. Something stirs within the heart of the graveyard, beneath its ruined buildings. Your adventuring party has accepted the task of exploring the haunted grounds, discovering the source of the disturbance, and laying the restless spirits to their final peace—before the entire region falls to an undead horde.
Edition: 5e (2014)
Level: 3
Stats: Point Buy, Average HP
Gear: Starting gear plus 300gp for mundane weapons and armour

Magic Items: 3 points

• Potion of Healing - 1 point
• Uncommon magic - 2 points (No +1 Weapons, for reasons you will see)

Running the Adventure

This adventure is designed for players who have little to no experience with dungeons and dragons, and works best with a party of 4-6, third level players. Difficulty will vary depending on party size and composition. A short rest should not be necessary, but could be afforded to the party if needed.
A necromancer has awoken a creature he calls The Gravedigger (If you are using Loot Studios Mini's, you can substitute The Gravedigger for the Grave Scavenger) to aid him in creating a force of undead body guards which he is using to exact revenge upon those who have wronged him. The Gravedigger is a large, undead Cyclops with the ability to raise and control the dead around him. By controlling the Gravedigger, the necromancer is able to expand the capacity of his body guards since he need only control the Cyclops, who in turn controlls the undead. On his last venture however, he lost control of the Gravedigger, who raised more than what the necromancer could contain and keep a secret from the surrounding towns, leading his plans to be discovered. The necromancer fled, leaving the orb required to summon the gravedigger behind in his lair below the mausoleum at Ashold Hallow.
The players begin the adventure at the entrance to the cemetery and can explore any feature of the cemetery. The adventure can be driven by the players, and you can reference the module for the various features, as needed.
Anything written in Italics is read to the players. When the players wish to explore a particular feature of the cemetery, read its corresponding description and lead the players from there.

Encounters

Large Cemetery Tree - Skeletons

• 5x Skeletons

Bell Tower Basement - Ghost

• 1x Ghost

Final Encounter - The Gravedigger

• 1x The Gravedigger

Necromancer's Notes

Maps

Cemetery Background for the map is a homemade grass map using XPS foam and flocking. 

Belltower Cellar I put prop gems on the pillars to indicate they are the "Braziers". I do not currently have any braziers printed so used the homemade pillars. Walls are also homemade.

Stat Blocks

The Gravedigger