Souled Out | Free Adventure for D&D and PF2e

When the characters return to a town or visit a new town, they come to find a fully stocked market with produce, food, and drink, but no one in sight.

This short adventure features a mysterious event that has caused the townspeople to disappear. A hag has created a means to harvest souls for its own evil purpose. The characters must find the cause of the event and end it while being harried by the slowly malforming souls of the people that are made to protect their malefactor.

This short adventure may be a means to ingratiate the characters with a town or to present an attack on the character’s hometown by a villain they currently face. A grander threat may have sent the hag.

At just past midday, the harvest market should be bustling. Sounds of barter and shouts across the street are common, but it is eerily silent. The only sound that remains is the babbling water from a fountain. The only sense of normalcy that remains is the scent of market foods like various meats and stews.

Looking into the market, there is not a soul in sight. Barrels lay on the ground, spilling their contents. A few glasses lay shattered amongst numerous strange greying orbs spread throughout the market; their contents seem to swirl in contention. The only objects that show life in the area are pieces of paper nailed into various posts that crinkle with the wind.

 Roleplaying Notes.

·         After the necroswarm forms, it rushes toward the character, not knowing how it came to be, only that they want to rest. Its spirit swarm attack appears as restless spirits, grabbing and tugging at the target in different directions.

·         Two specters free themselves from the necroswarm. They scream in an attempt to communicate for help. They will immediately attempt to attack the orbs that keep them trapped, but they are incapable of doing so.

·         A character may try to calm either the necroswarm or either of the specters if they make clear their attempt to help and succeed on a DC 22 Charisma (Persuasion) check for the necroswarm or a DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check for either of the specters. A successful check will result in the respective creature halting its attacks for one round as it struggles with its newfound instinct to be aggressive. If the character maintains its attempt to calm the spirit, the character must attempt the same check. If successful in this second attempt, the creature’s mind is calmed, and the spirit(s) fade back into their respective orb, now colored a pearlescent white.

·         Once the first of these creatures is pacified, the DCs lower by 2 for the remaining creatures.

Encounter Notes.

·         The specters will focus their attacks on any character that displays divine magic or wears any religious iconography. Otherwise, they focus their attacks on the strongest-looking character in a vain attempt to ask for help since they cannot speak.

·         The necroswarm will swarm the nearest character, switching targets every round to the character who dealt it the most damage within melee range.

·         All of the creatures present will fight until their spirits return to their orbs, either by being pacified or defeated.

ANNIE’S ANIMALS OF A-NIGMA

Owl bet you haven’t seen a beast master such as she.

You won’t Bear to miss this show, you won’t be Boar’d.

We’re not Lion that you’ll be amazed.

There will be goats.

All are welcome! Bring your family, friends, and all who seek to be entertained.

Signs lead toward a small clearing set up for a communal gathering. Tables on the perimeter are brimming with food beside a big barrel ready to dispense drink. Two carts parked nearby hold fruits and vegetables.

In the center of the gathering area, beside a large stone, are a picnic blanket and a couple of greying orbs.

To the southeast, a cart with a banner marked “Annie’s Animals of A-nigma” sits beside a still roaring campfire. On its floor are several more orbs: a collection of pearlescent white orbs and black orbs.

Roleplaying Notes.

·         Ancient Annette Antlerhide hides within the Ethereal Plane, harvesting from the bodies of her victims to craft a new soul bag. She is still able to maintain vigil over the area through the bordering Ethereal Plane. After the characters have defeated and put the will-o’-wisps to rest, she will reveal herself and say the following;

o   “Oh, you meddlesome children! Why must you ruin the show? Leave my audience be; they paid good coin for this.”

o   “Is it coin you seek? Take it and leave!”

o   “Something more valuable? Hmm . . . I suppose I could give you but one and ONLY one of the souls I’ve worked quite hard to collect.”

·         Ancient Annette may offer more, but only if the party allows her to continue her evil act. If even one character shows an interest in her bribe, she will continue to increase her offering in an effort to sway them to leave her undisturbed.

·         If persuading the characters fails, she will threaten the characters with the following statement: “Kill me, children, and you and this pitiful waste-rag of a town will have to contend with my lovely sisters.”

Encounter Notes.

·         The will-o’-wisps are mindless and will attack the character that disturbed them first. Otherwise, they will pursue the character that last dealt them damage.

·         The night hag will begin by casting ray of enfeeblement at any melee combatants. She will then attack with her claws. If she is unable to hit, she will rely on her magic missiles.

·         She will direct the gloom shadow to attack characters that attack her from a distance.

·         The gloom shadow will spend its first round of combat extinguishing the campfire flames. After which, it focuses its attacks as directed by the night hag unless a character produces light or deals radiant damage.

·         If she is nearing defeat, the night hag will attempt to escape, using her plane shift ability. If the characters successfully prevent her from escaping, she will continue combat in an angered rage.

The heartstone and soul bag are hag-specific items. It is up to the game master to decide whether they have any character-relevant capabilities or if they can sell them to any merchants.

When the characters return to a town or visit a new town, they come to find a fully stocked market with produce, food, and drink, but no one in sight.

This short adventure features a mysterious event that has caused the townspeople to disappear. A hag has created a means to harvest souls for its own evil purpose. The characters must find the cause of the event and end it while being harried by the slowly malforming souls of the people that are made to protect their malefactor.

This short adventure may be a means to ingratiate the characters with a town or to present an attack on the character’s hometown by a villain they currently face. A grander threat may have sent the hag.

At just past midday, the harvest market should be bustling. Sounds of barter and shouts across the street are common, but it is eerily silent. The only sound that remains is the babbling water from a fountain. The only sense of normalcy that remains is the scent of market foods like various meats and stews.

Looking into the market, there is not a soul in sight. Barrels lay on the ground, spilling their contents. A few glasses lay shattered amongst numerous strange greying orbs spread throughout the market; their contents seem to swirl in contention. The only objects that show life in the area are pieces of paper nailed into various posts that crinkle with the wind.

 Roleplaying Notes.

·         After the necroswarm forms, it rushes toward the character, not knowing how it came to be, only that they want to rest. Its spirit swarm attack appears as restless spirits, grabbing and tugging at the target in different directions.

·         Two specters free themselves from the necroswarm. They scream in an attempt to communicate for help. They will immediately attempt to attack the orbs that keep them trapped, but they are incapable of doing so.

·         A character may try to calm either the necroswarm or either of the specters if they make clear their attempt to help and succeed on a DC 27 Diplomacy check for the necroswarm or a DC 22 Diplomacy check for either of the specters. A successful check will result in the respective creature halting its attacks for one round as it struggles with its newfound instinct to be aggressive. If the character maintains its attempt to calm the spirit, the character must attempt the same check. If successful in this second attempt, the creature’s mind is calmed, and the spirit(s) fade back into their respective orb, now colored a pearlescent white.

·         Once the first of these creatures is pacified, the DCs lower by 2 for the remaining creatures.

Encounter Notes.

·         The specters will focus their attacks on any character that displays divine magic or wears any religious iconography. Otherwise, they focus their attacks on the strongest-looking character in a vain attempt to ask for help since they cannot speak.

·         The necroswarm will swarm the nearest character, switching targets every round to the character who dealt it the most damage within melee range.

·         All of the creatures present will fight until their spirits return to their orbs, either by being pacified or defeated.

ANNIE’S ANIMALS OF A-NIGMA

Owl bet you haven’t seen a beast master such as she.

You won’t Bear to miss this show, you won’t be Boar’d.

We’re not Lion that you’ll be amazed.

There will be goats.

All are welcome! Bring your family, friends, and all who seek to be entertained.

Signs lead toward a small clearing set up for a communal gathering. Tables on the perimeter are brimming with food beside a big barrel ready to dispense drink. Two carts parked nearby hold fruits and vegetables.

In the center of the gathering area, beside a large stone, are a picnic blanket and a couple of greying orbs.

To the southeast, a cart with a banner marked “Annie’s Animals of A-nigma” sits beside a still roaring campfire. On its floor are several more orbs: a collection of pearlescent white orbs and black orbs.

Roleplaying Notes.

·         Ancient Annette Antlerhide hides within the Ethereal Plane, harvesting from the bodies of her victims to craft a new soul bag. She is still able to maintain vigil over the area through the bordering Ethereal Plane. After the characters have defeated and put the will-o’-wisps to rest, she will reveal herself and say the following;

o   “Oh, you meddlesome children! Why must you ruin the show? Leave my audience be; they paid good coin for this.”

o   “Is it coin you seek? Take it and leave!”

o   “Something more valuable? Hmm . . . I suppose I could give you but one and ONLY one of the souls I’ve worked quite hard to collect.”

·         Ancient Annette may offer more, but only if the party allows her to continue her evil act. If even one character shows an interest in her bribe, she will continue to increase her offering in an effort to sway them to leave her undisturbed.

·         If persuading the characters fails, she will threaten the characters with the following statement: “Kill me, children, and you and this pitiful waste-rag of a town will have to contend with my lovely sisters.”

Encounter Notes.

·         The will-o’-wisp is mindless and will attack the character that disturbed it first. Otherwise, it will pursue the character that last dealt them damage.

·         The night hag will begin by casting ray of enfeeblement at any melee combatants. She will then attack with her claws. If she is unable to hit, she will rely on her magic missiles.

·         She will direct the gloom shadow to attack characters that attack her from a distance.

·         The gloom shadow will spend its first round of combat extinguishing the campfire flames. After which, it focuses its attacks as directed by the night hag unless a character produces light or deals vitality damage.

·         If she is nearing defeat, the night hag will attempt to escape, using her plane shift ability. If the characters successfully prevent her from escaping, she will continue combat in an angered rage.

The heartstone are hag-specific items. It is up to the game master to decide whether they have any character-relevant capabilities or if they can sell them to any merchants.