Town Graveyard | Free Location for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 2e

Designed by Gabriel Ribeiro
Cartography by Architect GM and Oliver Bogler

This level-eight short adventure challenges players to survive the horrors of a necromantic swamp, navigate treacherous terrain haunted by ghostly legionnaires, and confront the violent, blood-soaked rituals of the ancient Blood Coliseum. Will they triumph over the undead and unlock the dark secrets of the Blood Coliseum, or succumb to its sinister allure?

By the way, if you're looking for even more puzzles and other GM resources, check out Lair Magazine #46, Tyranny & Trepidation. It includes two short adventures for levels 3 and 8, five horror-inspired locations, five puzzles, two full-length adventures designed for levels 2 and 17, and an article detailing how to create your own horror adventures! Or check out the bundles and yearly subs to learn how you can get more resources and save big.

Town Graveyard - D&D 5e

Large graveyard

“The graveyard used to be normal, but then something happened—got the spirits all riled up, and now they just won’t sleep. Why won’t they just sleep?”

—Amadilla Bones, local

When visited during the day

When visited at night

Description. During the day, the town graveyard is a peaceful place. There are trees, flowers, and benches scattered amongst the rows of gravestones, and the grass is unusually thick in places; the trees aren’t properly manicured, and there are many patches of upturned dirt. The graveyard is several hundred years old and covers over 10 acres. Some tombstones are sharp-edged and fresh, while others are so worn by the elements and time that only family tradition can identify them. Certain prominent families and groups have their own mausoleums scattered across the landscape.

At the center of the graveyard is a small sanctuary dedicated to the local god. Though small, the sanctuary radiates an aura of safety and warmth, even on the stormiest days when the trees rattle and rain pours down. Worn oak pews sit on either side of the walkway, and an altar holds several offerings from the town’s locals. Under the ground floor are several basements that contain extra tables and chairs, old religious materials, and numerous unlabeled boxes. These basements are rarely used, covered in a thick layer of dust.

The groundskeeper lives in a wooden shack attached to the sanctuary. Inside are a small kitchen, work area, washroom, and bedroom. While homely, a stack of unwashed dishes lay piled up in the sink. A storage room contains a scythe, shears, shovels, and other ground maintenance tools. A second shack stands apart, closer to the graveyard entrance; this is where the town’s coroner works. When someone dies and will be buried in the sanctuary, the town coroner will examine the body and store it in the magically chilled basement until the burial. The building, while stinking of medical herbs and death, is well-kept. All the tools sit in their proper locations when the coroner’s work is complete.

At night, all of the warmth seeps out of the area as something unsettling takes over. The once rustling trees now sound like clanking bones; tombstones appear to move in the moonlight like hunched-over soldiers, and flickers of light can be seen from within mausoleums. Faint sounds of “scritch-scritch” can be heard above each grave as something underground tries to claw its way out; if you’re unlucky, you’ll see the dirt above graves begin to move aside. However, this isn’t the work of an innocent gopher—no, something has roused the dead, and rest is the last thing they want.

Legendary Protection. The sanctuary at the graveyard’s center is known to be shielded from undead and other unnatural creatures, and many believe it is the work of a forbiddance spell or similar divine magic. However, a legendary weapon lies buried in the sanctuary’s basement, and the aura it produces shields the building. The only one who knows of its existence is the groundskeeper, a secret that gets passed along with the title.

The Walking Dead. For several months, the groundskeeper’s nights have been anything but restful. Driven by an unknown force, the dead have been crawling out of their coffins and back into the land of the living randomly once per week. If the groundskeeper does nothing, the dead will shamble into town, attacking anything they come across, so every night, he has to patrol the grounds with his weapons to break them into pieces. At dawn, all the dead will go limp and crumble into piles of flesh or bone, and the groundskeeper will return them to their graves. The only way to stop them from returning is to burn the corpses, but that is against the local dogma. Only a handful of people know the true depths of this problem, and they are worried about the spirits returning in less controllable spectral forms if they burn their physical forms. Among the people who know about this problem are the mayor (or other leader), the captain of the town guard, the town coroner, and a few others.

Location NPCs

Zotir Dukir, Groundskeeper

Male human (knight), neutral good

Description. Normally a genial man, Zotir Dukir has been pushed to his absolute limit. With sunken eyes and a slumped posture, he looks like one of the undead he wrangles every night. His goatee is limp, and his red tunic is stained with blood, mud, and other fluids. Zotir is a martial master and can make a pair of bush shears as deadly as a longsword. He is dating a woman named Clai Jorok, but their relationship has become strained due to Zotir focusing his attention on his job.

Occupation. Zotir is normally responsible for keeping the graveyard in decent repair, but this task is on hold due to the restless dead wandering at night. As a result, the graveyard is in less-than-ideal shape. Most townsfolk are unaware of his nightly adventures and worry about his health.

Secret. Zotir is a former paladin (the specific god is up to the GM) who left the church due to disagreements over its traditions. Although he knows it was the right decision, recent events have caused him to doubt himself.

Zac Beltrogh, Town Coroner

Male half-elf (assassin), chaotic neutral

Description. Although appearing middle-aged, it is impossible to know Zac’s exact age due to his elven heritage. He stands of average height and keeps his dark brown hair braided back tightly. Zac is a perfectionist and won’t rest until he completes his assigned tasks perfectly. He has no known family and first arrived in town a decade ago. He has a very steady hand and carries a dagger or two on his person for emergencies.

Occupation. Zac is the town coroner, advising the town guard in cases of suspicious death and performing autopsies. Because of his work, he has a +6 to all checks related to identifying injuries and causes of death, whether they are Nature, Medicine, Investigation, or some other skill. Recently, he has taken to helping the groundskeeper return the dead to their graves after they break free at night.

Secret. Zac is responsible for stirring the dead. As a grave robber, he has several fences and other influential contacts who would pay good money for hands, skulls, and other body parts in addition to the treasures that people are buried with (such as jewelry). After stirring the dead and having to rebury them, no one would think twice about seeing recently turned grave dirt. The exact nature of how he stirs the dead is ambiguous, and he would rather take the secret to his own grave than share it.

Town Graveyard - Pathfinder 2e

Large graveyard

“The graveyard used to be normal, but then something happened—got the spirits all riled up, and now they just won’t sleep. Why won’t they just sleep?”

—Amadilla Bones, local

When visited during the day

When visited at night

Description. During the day, the town graveyard is a peaceful place. There are trees, flowers, and benches scattered amongst the rows of gravestones, and the grass is unusually thick in places; the trees aren’t properly manicured, and there are many patches of upturned dirt. The graveyard is several hundred years old and covers over 10 acres. Some tombstones are sharp-edged and fresh, while others are so worn by the elements and time that only family tradition can identify them. Certain prominent families and groups have their own mausoleums scattered across the landscape.

At the center of the graveyard is a small sanctuary dedicated to the local god. Though small, the sanctuary radiates an aura of safety and warmth, even on the stormiest days when the trees rattle and rain pours down. Worn oak pews sit on either side of the walkway, and an altar holds several offerings from the town’s locals. Under the ground floor are several basements that contain extra tables and chairs, old religious materials, and numerous unlabeled boxes. These basements are rarely used, covered in a thick layer of dust.

The groundskeeper lives in a wooden shack attached to the sanctuary. Inside are a small kitchen, work area, washroom, and bedroom. While homely, a stack of unwashed dishes lay piled up in the sink. A storage room contains a scythe, shears, shovels, and other ground maintenance tools. A second shack stands apart, closer to the graveyard entrance; this is where the town’s coroner works. When someone dies and will be buried in the sanctuary, the town coroner will examine the body and store it in the magically chilled basement until the burial. The building, while stinking of medical herbs and death, is well-kept. All the tools sit in their proper locations when the coroner’s work is complete.

At night, all of the warmth seeps out of the area as something unsettling takes over. The once rustling trees now sound like clanking bones; tombstones appear to move in the moonlight like hunched-over soldiers, and flickers of light can be seen from within mausoleums. Faint sounds of “scritch-scritch” can be heard above each grave as something underground tries to claw its way out; if you’re unlucky, you’ll see the dirt above graves begin to move aside. However, this isn’t the work of an innocent gopher—no, something has roused the dead, and rest is the last thing they want.

Legendary Protection. The sanctuary at the graveyard’s center is known to be shielded from undead and other unnatural creatures, and many believe it is the work of powerful divine magic. However, a legendary weapon lies buried in the sanctuary’s basement, and the aura it produces shields the building. The only one who knows of its existence is the groundskeeper, a secret that gets passed along with the title.

The Walking Dead. For several months, the groundskeeper’s nights have been anything but restful. Driven by an unknown force, the dead have been crawling out of their coffins and back into the land of the living randomly once per week. If the groundskeeper does nothing, the dead will shamble into town, attacking anything they come across, so every night, he has to patrol the grounds with his weapons to break them into pieces. At dawn, all the dead will go limp and crumble into piles of flesh or bone, and the groundskeeper will return them to their graves. The only way to stop them from returning is to burn the corpses, but that is against the local dogma. Only a handful of people know the true depths of this problem, and they are worried about the spirits returning in less controllable spectral forms if they burn their physical forms. Among the people who know about this problem are the mayor (or other leader), the captain of the town guard, the town coroner, and a few others.

Location NPCs

Zotir Dukir, Groundskeeper

Male human, neutral good

Description. Normally a genial man, Zotir Dukir has been pushed to his absolute limit. With sunken eyes and a slumped posture, he looks like one of the undead he wrangles every night. His goatee is limp, and his red tunic is stained with blood, mud, and other fluids. Zotir is a martial master and can make a pair of bush shears as deadly as a longsword. He is dating a woman named Clai Jorok, but their relationship has become strained due to Zotir focusing his attention on his job.

Occupation. Zotir is normally responsible for keeping the graveyard in decent repair, but this task is on hold due to the restless dead wandering at night. As a result, the graveyard is in less-than-ideal shape. Most townsfolk are unaware of his nightly adventures and worry about his health.

Secret. Zotir is a former paladin (the specific god is up to the GM) who left the church due to disagreements over its traditions. Although he knows it was the right decision, recent events have caused him to doubt himself.

Zac Beltrogh, Town Coroner

Male half-elf, chaotic neutral

Description. Although appearing middle-aged, it is impossible to know Zac’s exact age due to his elven heritage. He stands of average height and keeps his dark brown hair braided back tightly. Zac is a perfectionist and won’t rest until he completes his assigned tasks perfectly. He has no known family and first arrived in town a decade ago. He has a very steady hand and carries a dagger or two on his person for emergencies.

Occupation. Zac is the town coroner, advising the town guard in cases of suspicious death and performing autopsies. Because of his work, he has a +6 to all checks related to identifying injuries and causes of death, whether they are Nature, Medicine, Perception, or some other skill. Recently, he has taken to helping the groundskeeper return the dead to their graves after they break free at night.

Secret. Zac is responsible for stirring the dead. As a grave robber, he has several fences and other influential contacts who would pay good money for hands, skulls, and other body parts in addition to the treasures that people are buried with (such as jewelry). After stirring the dead and having to rebury them, no one would think twice about seeing recently turned grave dirt. The exact nature of how he stirs the dead is ambiguous, and he would rather take the secret to his own grave than share it..

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