Dark bands of stain on crowns

Reddit's Goth Community

2009.08.17 03:34 epicRelic Reddit's Goth Community

Reddit's Goth Community, for goth music and subculture! Please check out our Wiki which features the rules and FAQ, and our sidebar which features many resources on goth music, (including recommendations and playlists) fashion, history, and scene. Anything relating to fashion when it's not Fashion Friday, please post in GothFashion and if you are looking for a subreddit which encompasses anything dark and spooky, please visit DarklyInclined. We have gothclub for any alternative tunes.
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2008.04.20 09:44 SHREDDIT

Shreddit: Heavy Metal
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2011.05.01 08:43 Melodic Death Metal - news, reviews, videos and discussion.

The place for news, song sharing and discussions on all things related to melodic death metal.
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2024.06.02 17:48 Silly_Attorney7863 Atlas: Daughter to Darkness

Atlas: Daughter to Darkness
(The girl stirs, fitful rest interrupted by a noise at the edge of her awareness…a voice, she realizes. She can’t make out the words, but it’s clear that someone is speaking nearby. She opens eyes that glow with an inner light of purest gold, snarls and bares fangs that were not there when she fell into slumber.)
(She is changed…)
(She is hungry)
“Oy now, was wonderin’ when you’d come out of it. Welcome back, lass.”
(The girl leaps toward the voice, rising from where she rests with little effort and hurling herself at the source with newly grown claws reaching for where a neck should be. She knows nothing, in this moment. Only that the hunger must be satisfied. The Thirst must be quenched…)
(A man stops her. He holds out one thin arm and snatches her out of the air, fingers closing around her throat. She claws wildly at him, desperate to tear into warm flesh and drink deep of the crimson waters which flow only in the veins of the living. She can smell the stench of blood; and it drives her into a deeper fury)
“Now now, calm down lass. I’ll not harm you, but neither will I allow you to harm me. Made that mistake myself, never lived it down.”
(She does not listen. Cannot listen. His words are just noise, carrying no meaning.)
“Let…me go!” (She manages, forcing the words out.) “LET ME GO!”
(The man before her smiles. He’s short, thin, but his strength is unbelievable. He holds her in place seemingly without exerting himself to the fullest extent; her thrashing an inconvenience, not a burden)
(He holds his free hand up to his mouth, and bites deeply into the wrist. Blood pools on his tongue, and he draws his wrist away swiftly before spitting it back out on to the floor. The waste angers her, but the rage is brief. Slowly, almost tenderly, he brings the bleeding wound up towards her mouth and allows a small trickle of his blood to fall upon her lips. She licks it, and the taste… indescribable. He does not allow her to grab his arm, to pull it close and latch on as she wishes, but the blood flow from his wrist remains constant, and she opens her mouth to accept it. She is in heaven; lost in the sensation of… satiation?)
(Why does his blood satisfy? Who is he? Where the hell is she? Question upon question, flooding her mind as the fog of the Thirst clears and allows her to begin thinking again.)
“There we go… drink up, now. Not too quickly, you’ll sicken yourself.”
“Who…” (her teeth are stained red, her tongue alive with the taste of his Vitae)
“Shhh, questions are for later. Right now, focus only on clearing your mind… you know yourself? Your name?”
“A…Amanda.”
“Last name?”
“I…I don’t remember”
(He moves his wrist away from her and licks it, cleaning the excess blood away. As she watches, the wound begins to close; skin reknitting itself until only a faint scar of teeth marks remains, before that too begins to fade. Slowly, hesitantly, he lowers her to the ground, allowing her to stand, but not removing his hand from her throat. His grip holds her in place, the strength of it enough to halt any attempt at movement)
“Think, lass. Find it, and I’ll let you go.”
(She struggles for a moment, searching through scattered memories in search of her own identity. She remembers a street corner, cold upon her skin, rain in her hair. She remembers begging, searching for succor among strangers…)
“Westenra.”
“Say again?”
“My name…I think…I think it’s Westenra.”
“Good lass.”
(He removes his hand from her throat. His fingers are tipped by claws, she notices)
“Now… you’ll be confused. Disoriented. Take a moment to steady yourself. Don’t push yourself too far too fast lass.”
“Where am I? Who are you? What are you?!”
“What are we, lass. Where you are…well, I found this little corner of nowhere during a hunt. It’s a warehouse on the edge of town, if you remember where town is. Who am I? I suppose I’m your Da. Call me Atlas.”
(He reaches for her, extending a hand as though expecting her to shake it. She doesn’t; she merely stares at him)
”What are you!?”
(He smiles. A predators grin, on the red bearded face of a man. In his eyes is the wisdom of one beyond his years.)
“You know what I am. What you are. Say it with me now, lass: vam…”
(Her eyes widen)
“No…no this isn’t real. I’m dreaming.”
“Aye, thought that myself when I drank the red. I could smack you, but me ma would do somersaults in her grave. Take me word for it: this ain’t a dream, and it’s very real.”
“I was…I was hiding. From you?”
“Possibly, but I doubt it. You’ve been on the streets for months, lass. Plenty of things to fear out there besides me.”
(She shakes her head in disbelief. This thing, this Atlas, is telling her that what’s happened to her is nothing less than a total transformation: mind, body, soul…)
“It’s not real…this isn’t real…”
“Oh it is. I assure you.”
(He takes a step forward and rests a hand upon her shoulder. The motion is comforting, despite the fear that consumes her core. Somehow, this man does not frighten her. He hasn’t hurt her so far…that she knows of.)
“How?”
“Gonna have to be more specific.”
“How did this happen?”
“Well, it’s a long story. You see, I’ve been watching you. I’ve had my eye on you for a long while now, and what I’ve seen upsets me terribly. You were living in an alleyway, sheltering in a cardboard box from the rain and the cold while men and women in fine clothes walked right past you, blind to your suffering. I don’t know how you came to be there… but it’s a crime that you were.”
“And…you saved me?”
“In a sense. You’re not human anymore, lass. Don’t think you were ever meant to be, either. You’ve got the spark of a killer in you…”
(She pulls away from him, eyes widening.)
“I am not a killer!”
(He doesn’t attempt to restrain her, he merely returns his hand to his side and meets her gaze. Hers is fearful; his unflinching)
“You are now.”
(Tears well in the corners of her eyes. She feels them racing down her cheeks and presses a hand to them. She notices the claws on her own fingers for the first time, and jerks her hand away. The fingertips are red)
(She’s crying blood)
“Now now, enough of that bollocks!”
(The man - Atlas - reaches for her. Past experiences barely recalled cause her to jerk away from the motion, but he presses on despite it, running his hand across her cheeks and eyes to clean the blood from them.)
“You sweat it too, before you ask. If you want to maintain some semblance of humanity, I suggest you halt that weeping.”
“You’ve killed me… you’ve murdered me…”
“Again, said the same thing when I was born. But in the end, I realized a very simple truth: my life was dogshite before. Probably why I’ve forgotten most of it. I’ve tasted the sorrow in your soul, the pain in your blood…I’ve a feeling our stories aren’t very different. You remember your life before now? How it turned to ash?”
“I was… I was in college. I dropped out. My dad…”
“Aye, shite Da’s, that’ll usually do it.”
“No…no my dad died. I couldn’t go home. I didn’t have a home.”
(This seems to give him pause. He runs his hand through his hair before beginning to pace.)
(He stops, and looks at her)
“As I said… not very different.”
(He places his hand upon her shoulder once more, slower this time so as not to startle her. She accepts the contact. His proximity calms the fear brewing at her core; his touch seems to quench it entirely)
“I don’t want to kill…”
(He reaches into his coat pocket and removes a flask. He shakes it; the liquid within sloshes audibly, sluggishly, as though it were filled with oil. He puts it back)
“You don’t have to. There are more ways than just one to walk the night, lass. I can show you…if you’re willing.”
“S-show me?”
“Oh aye. We may be monsters, but we don’t have to be killers. You can take what you wish without stopping a single heart, but to do so, you’ll have to learn. You can’t do that on your own, trust me.”
(She closes her eyes, willing fresh tears back. She draws in a shaky breath…only to realize that feels no need to continue doing so. Her heart still beats, her blood flows…but she can tell that she is dead. A walking, living corpse, animated…)
(Animated by what?)
(She hears his words, and knows that they are true. She feels his concern, and knows that it is sincere. She senses his pity, and knows that it is not false)
(She opens her eyes)
“You said you’re my ‘da…’ You mean father?”
“Of a kind. Not the one you were born with, obviously, but the one you need, certainly. So...”
(He removes his hand)
“Shall you learn, young one? Or shall I leave you to the sun?”
(At the mention of the sun, she feels a chill race down her spine. She’s certain that what she knows about his kind is far from the concrete truth…but the sun? That part is definitely true. She knows in her bones that to step out during the day now would be nothing short of a death sentence.)
“I…I will learn.”
(He grins, and moves toward her. She flinches away, but he takes her into his embrace despite it. His arms encircle her, and the contact heartens her. She is afraid. She is tired… she is thirsty…but somehow, she knows all of these things to be minor issues, for another time. For now, she returns his embrace)
“Welcome then, my Childe, my Daughter... Welcome to our World of Darkness…”
submitted by Silly_Attorney7863 to YourOriginalCharacter [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 17:45 awjeezrickyaknow Album of the Year 1997 Round 2 of 11

We say goodbyeeeeeeee to Third Eye Blind

VOTE

ALBUMS IN

  • Radiohead - OK Computer
  • Modest Mouse - The Lonesome Crowded West
  • Bjork - Homogenic
  • Elliott Smith - EitheOr
  • Portishead - Portishead
  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯A♯∞
  • Deftones - Around the Fur
  • Ween - The Mollusk
  • Built to Spill - Perfect from Now On
  • Janet Jackson - The Velvet Rope
  • Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Rank Song Votes Against Percentage Runner-up
12 Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind 13/51 25.5% 17.6% (9/51)
PREVIOUS AOTY WINNERS (Click to view full event)
PREVIOUS AOTD WINNERS (Click to view full event)
submitted by awjeezrickyaknow to music_survivor [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 17:36 silence-is-me 40[M4F] - #Brazil/Anywhere- I’m cool :)

Graduated in Geology and Masters
left-ish, lets save the environment, I don't talk much, I prefer to listen, friends consider me ironic, sarcastic and fun. I'm not into buying unnecessary things, I prefer the less. Less is more :)
I like watching media about Scandinavian design, wooden toys, I'm learning Swedish, I can communicate in English.
I like television shows and movies that are mostly sad or those that reflect the human condition in a satirical way, but I also watch crap like 90 day fiance. Examples:
The Royal Tennenbaum - Wes Anderson A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence - Roy Andersson 101 Reykjavik - Baltasar Kormákur Scener ur ett äktenskap - Ingmar Bergman Dancing in the dark - Lars Von Trier Alien Die hard
The Office Arrested Development Breaking bad Bron / Broen Lilyhammer
I love the work of Theo Hansen and his Stranbeest
My favorite cities: Copenhagen and Malmö
L Literature - Aldous Huxley, Agatha Christie, Stieg Larsson, Michael Crichton and Uncle Scrooge :)
Hobbies: woodworking, archery, Reddit, playing video games, but I wish I had more, maybe opening a little shop of wooden toys with you?
I have a PS4 (always multiplayer games, they make me feel more connected to humans) and I used to love playing Mario Kart, Mario Party and Mario Tennis.
Music: I like more specific songs than bands, but if I have to choose some artists:
The Cure Coldplay mozart Sigur Ros Explosions in the Sky The Tallest Man on Earth
Ah - I use a wheelchair, so possibly I'm not! Thanks 😊
Jag heter Matias
submitted by silence-is-me to r4r [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 17:14 kurl88 Refinishing Woes

I got a new table top from Home Depot for a new desk but wanted to re-stain it dark walnut.
I started with using Kleen Strip stripper to make the sanding easier ending with the instructed wipe of mineral spirits. Then with my hand disc sander I used 120, 150, 180 and 220 grits to seemingly leave no doubt that I removed the poly. I used pre-stain conditioner and then wiped on the stain. The result after staining shows sections of blotchiness. The darker spots absorbed more stain but I can't tell if that's the way this unfinished wood should look or if there some kind of damage. The lighter sections feel smooth so I don't know if that means there is still poly.
Table after staining g
Any suggestions for evening this out?
submitted by kurl88 to woodworking [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 17:06 dafunkz07 [Store] TI9 & TI10 Cache (big discount for big orders)

[WTS]Treasure Cache I & II 2019

 

- Huge Discount for bulk orders (>100$)

- Massive Discount for FULL set buyer (normal till very rare)

 

3 simple steps to deal

  1. Please add BOTH my main account , 2nd acc with more ES/gothic whispecincer sensei

    WARNING### KINDLY TAKE NOTE TO ONLY ADD THIS 2 ACCOUNT (There are active scammeimpersonator trying to scam you via fake account)

  2. Comment on my profile (eg: Added for Cache Set 2019 - Cinder Sensei)
  3. Wait for 30 days to complete the deal (I may or may not require deposits depending on scale of purchase)
 
----------Treasure Cache I 2019---------- --------Hero-------- Quantity Price(USD)
Echoes of the Everblack Abaddon 4 $14
Allure of the Faeshade Flower Dark Willow 8 $10
Paean of the Ink Dragon Grimstroke 13 $7
Scorched Amber Dragon Knight 10 $15
Priest of the Proudsilver Clan Chen 9 $5
The Arts of Mortal Deception Enigma 17 $10
Poacher's Bane Tidehunter 12 $7
Soul of the Brightshroud Death Prophet 11 $7
Curse of the Creeping Vine*only via full cache I purchase Undying 4 $24
Pursuit of the Ember Demons Huskar 13 $15
Appetites of the Lizard King Slark 7 $18
Forbidden Medicine Dazzle 12 $15
Riddle of the Hierophant Oracle 12 $5
Glimmer of the Sacred Hunt Drow Ranger 7 $29
Adornments of the Jade Emissary*only via full cache I purchase Earth Spirit 3 $29
Defender of Ruin (Rare) Disruptor 15 $19
 
----------Treasure Cache II 2019---------- --------Hero-------- Quantity Price(USD)
Sight of the Kha-Ren Faithful Drow Ranger 17 $15
Tribal Pathways Warlock 18 $7
Directive of the Sunbound Clockwerk 12 $7
Souls Tyrant Shadow Fiend 10 $19
Endless Night Abaddon 4 $9
Dapper Disguise Pudge 12 $14
Fury of the Bloodforge Bloodseeker 14 $9
Automaton Antiquity Broodmother 13 $5
Tales of the Windward Rogue Pangolier 5 $29
Grim Destiny Wraith King 14 $9
Distinguished Expeditionary Tusk 15 $10
Verdant Predator Venomancer 14 $7
Prized Acquisitions Batrider 19 $5
Fowl Omen (Rare) Necrophos 15 $19
Cinder Sensei (Very Rare) Ember Spirit 2 $99
 
----------Treasure Cache I 2020---------- --------Hero-------- Quantity Price(USD)
Origin of the Dark Oath*only above 100$ combined purchase Night Stalker 3 $24
Ravenous Abyss*only above 100$ combined purchase Underlord 2 $12
Apocalypse Unbound Ancient Apparition 9 $9
Beholden of the Banished Ones *only above 100$ combined purchase Warlock 1 $19
Fury of the Righteous Storm Disruptor 8 $7
Lineage of the Stormlords Juggernaut 4 $29
Silent Slayer*only via full cache I purchase Silencer 2 $14
Mindless Slaughter Pudge 7 $14
Heartless Hunt Bounty Hunter 5 $14
Herald of the Ember Eye Grimstroke 5 $7
Fissured Flight Jakiro 5 $7
Flashpoint Proselyte Huskar 9 $13
Signs of the Allfather*only above 100$ combined purchase Nature's Prophet 2 $15
Glory of the Elderflame Lina X $29
Songs of Starfall Glen*only above 100$ combined purchase Enchantress 2 $9
Ancient Inheritance (Rare) Tiny 10 $19
Forsworn Legacy (Very Rare) Mars 5 $59
 
----------Treasure Cache II 2020---------- --------Hero-------- Quantity Price(USD)
Evolution of the Infinite Enigma 5 $9
Beast of the Crimson Ring Bristleback 4 $11
Clearcut Cavalier Timbersaw 3 $14
The King Of Thieves Keeper of the Light 5 $9
Horror from the Deep Tidehunter 3 $19
Ire of the Ancient Gaoler Arc Warden X $29
Talons of the Endless Storm Chaos Knight 9 $11
Carousal of the Mystic Masquerade Rubick 8 $9
Crown of Calaphas*only above 100$ combined purchase Shadow Demon 1 $9
Wrath of the Fallen Doom 9 $14
Blacksail Cannoneer Sniper 7 $14
Secrets of the Celestial Skywrath Mage 7 $9
Blaze of Oblivion Phoenix 8 $9
Master of the Searing Path Ember Spirit X $29
Steward of the Forbidden Chamber (Rare) Templar Assasin 8 $19
Claszureme Incursion (Very Rare) Faceless Void 3 $69
submitted by dafunkz07 to Dota2Trade [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:52 Iceler69 The Conflict Between Us: Winterjou Chapter 1

The Conflict Between Us: Winterjou Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Kinkajou POV(Royal Pavilion/Rainforest Kingdom 12:00 pm June 30th)
Kinkajou was hopping through the trees hastily. She had received a message from a fellow rainwing requesting her presence at the newly constructed Raining Pavillion.
Kinkajou was quite annoyed that a fellow rainwing dared to wake her up during her sun time. However, the messenger insisted that it was urgent. And Kinkajou knew better than to disobey Glory's orders. So she casually made her way through the trees like an orangutan.
When she arrived at the Pavillion she noticed the large line of RainWings and Nightwings on the rainforest floor in front of the pavilion. Since Glory requested her presence immediately she skipped the line and directly flew up to the Pavillion.
Queen Glory was sitting on her Rich mahogany throne wearing her signature flower crown.
"Ah Kinkajou you got here sooner than I thought you would," Glory said.
"Your majesty," Kinkajou said, as she bowed formally in front of the Rainwing Queen.
"Quit the formal talk Kinkajou, we've been friends long enough for you to stop bowing," Glory said, as she stood up and walked over to Kinkajou.
Kinkajou laughed and quickly turned out of her bow and walked forward to greet her royal friend.
"So, what can I do for you?" Kinkajou asked the Queen.
"Kinkajou, I have an assignment for you." Glory said.
Kinkajou's eyes lit up. "Of course, what can I do for you?" Kinkajou asked.
Glory sighed and flicked her tail. "I need you to go undercover at the newly constructed Jade Mountain Academy." Glory said.
Kinkajou looked at Glory with interest. Undercover? Why on earth would she need me to do that? Pyrriah's at peace, plus I don't think the other tribes would appreciate a spy at the very controversial multi-tribal school. Kinkajou thought.
"Your Majesty, your request is very odd. I do not understand why you would need me to go undercover there?" Kinkajou asked.
Even though Kinkajou and Glory were good friends, she knew if she was going to question her Queen she had to be as respectful as possible.
Glory started to walk away from Kinkajou. Kinkajou also started walking, so that the Queen and Kinkajou were walking side by side.
"You probably already know that five dragonets from every tribe will be attending the Academy." Glory paused then continued. "I'm concerned about the beef between the Nightwings and Icewings." Glory said, jumping right to the point.
Kinkajou looked with interest. "Beef? What kind of beef?" Kinkajou asked.
Glory sighed. "The feudal kind, the nightwings and icewings have a very bad rivalry between them. I don't know all of the details, but I know it goes back thousands of years." Glory explained.
Kinkajous eyes widened. "Thousands of years?! How can 2 tribes hold a grudge against each other for that long?!" Kinkajou asked, shocked.
Glory sighed. "I don't know, however I've been told the two tribes have always had a 'kill on sight' mindset, so I'm very concerned how they will act around each other." Glory said.
Kinkajou took a deep breath. "So why do you need me to go undercover there? If this is between the Nightwings and Icewings, why does a Rainwing need to go undercover there? " Kinkajou asked.
Glory tilted her head. "Did you forget that I'm also the Queen of the Nightwings?" Glory asked, surprised.
Kinkajou squeaked in surprise. "I actually did for a second there." Kinkajou admitted.
"Well since I'm Queen of the nightwings, it's my priority to keep them safe. And because you have experience with going undercover. That's why I've assigned you to go undercover at the Academy." Glory explained.
Kinkajou sighed. "So what do I do there? Send you letters every week, saying everything is good and dandy?" Kinkajou asked, dipping into sarcasm, at the end of her sentence.
Glory laughed. "Well, yes and keep a special eye on two specific targets." Glory said.
Kinkajou tilted her head. "What targets?" Kinkajou asked, curious.
Glory had a serious look on her face. "About a week ago, I received confirmation that two Icewing Royal members will be attending the academy. At first I thought they were sending members of their royalty to show that they are committed to the school and the overall peace of Pyrrhia. However, then I found out that one of the Royal members they were sending was Princess Icicle." Glory explained.
Kinkajou listened with interest. "So why is This Princess Icicle so Important?" Kinkajou asked.
Glory glared at Kinkajou, telling her to take this seriously.
Kinkajou nodded, understanding Glory's message.
"Princess Icicle was the royal responsible for the invasion of Mudsdale, and the mass execution of Mudsdale." Glory said dimly.
Kinkajou's eyes widened in horror.
"When the Icewings invaded the town of Mudsdale. The Mudwings fought hard to protect the town, but they were ultimately driven out by the Icewings. However, it didn't stop there, a lot of the local townspeople aided the Mudwing soldiers in fighting off the Icewings. Once the Mudwing army was driven back... Icicle ordered a mass execution of the entire town of Mudsdale. Over a hundred innocent lives were lost, due to her ruthlessness." Glory explained.
"And she's my age!?" Kinkajou asked, horrified.
Glory nodded. "Princess Icicle is only a teenager." Glory said.
Kinkajou took a breath. "What about the other Royal?" Kinkajou asked.
Glory relaxed. "The other Royal is Prince Winter, Icicle's brother. From what I've been told he has no military record and is not an extreme threat. However, don't underestimate him, he is still a threat due to his relationship with his sister." Glory said.
Kinkajou rolled her wing joints. Great so I'm going undercover to spy on a psychopath and her brother. What could go wrong? Kinkajou thought to herself.
"Anything else I need to know?" Kinkajou asked.
Glory stopped walking, Kinkajou stopped as well.
"Nothing else, information wise. I just need you to write to me every week, to inform me of your status. You will also have access to military backup, just send a letter regarding it and my troops will be there in 5 hours tops." Glory said.
Kinkajou grinned mischievously.
Glory saw Kinkajous grin and sighed. "Yes, you can do your little behavioral cover." Glory groaned.
Kinkajou looked elated."Thank you!" Kinkajou said, before she hugged the Queen.
When Kinkajou goes undercover, she always acts in a very childish manner to throw off her targets. Since most dragons haven't been around RainWings much, most would assume that this is normal RainWing behavior.
Glory sighed. "I'm regretting this already." Glory groaned.
Kinkajou laughed. "Oh come on, has my act ever failed?" Kinkajou asked jokingly.
"No, but it makes us RainWings look like absolute idiots." Glory groaned.
Kinkajou smirked. "That's the idea, they never expect me to be a spy. They always assume the quiet ones are the spies." Kinkajou said.
Glory sighed. "Just don't blow your cover and I won't have a problem." Glory said.
Kinkajou stood at attention and gave a playful solute.
Glory rolled her eyes. "You will leave in two days tops, I've already informed the Dragonets of Destiny not to interfere." Glory said.
That surprised Kinkajou. "Wait, you told them that I was going undercover? What did they say?" Kinkajou asked, curious.
"Starflight and Clay understood and thought it was a good idea. Sunny disapproved of it, and I had to fight with Tsunami about it; However, in the end I managed to convince her." Glory said, before walking to her throne and sitting down.
Kinkajou walked in front of the throne to face Glory.
The throne was made of dried woven vines. The woven vines were a light brown color, indicating that they were dried and dead. The exterior of the throne was decorated with many different types of flowers.
Glory sighed, as she squirmed in order to get comfortable on her throne. "You are dismissed Kinkajou." Glory said.
Kinkajou bowed to the Queen. She then walked to the edge of the Pavillion before jumping off into a glide to the rainforest floor.
A few RainWings stared at Kinkajou, as she walked at a normal pace, through the Rainforest floor.
Kinkajou sighed. Why do I have a feeling that this mission will go very wrong, Kinkajou thought to herself.
Kinkajou POV (Jade Mountain Academy 7:00 am July 1st)
Kinkajou was flying in the crisp, chilly morning winds as she flew through the Rocky, and jagged cliffs that made up the Jade Mountain Range. Kinkajou was flying with nine other dragonets, four RainWings and five nightwings. They had been flying for a couple of hours, so they were exhausted.
"How much further?" A Nightwing groaned. The Nightwing's altitude dropped a little.
Kinkajou turned her head to him. "We are about five minutes away. I know you're tired Bigtail." Kinkajou said.
"You have no idea." Bigtail said, as he recovered his altitude.
Kinkajou and the other Dragonets flew for a few more minutes before they came across the biggest mountain they'd seen so far.
"That must be Jade Mountain." Coconut said, eyeing the mountain in awe.
Kinkajou looked at Coconut with amusement. "Wow really? I didn't notice the giant mountain in front of me." Kinkajou said, sarcastically.
Coconut rolled his eyes. "Don't get cocky, just because you're close to the Queen, doesn't give you the right to talk down to the rest of us." Coconut said.
Kinkajou growled at him. "I'm not being cocky, and stop saying that I am." Kinkajou said, glaring at the male Rainwing.
Coconut rolled his eyes as he flew away from Kinkajou.
Kinkajou saw a bright light coming from a cave somewhat halfway up Jade Mountain. She could also see dragons flying in and out of the cave mouth.
"Guys, land there!" Kinkajou yelled to the other dragonets.
The other dragonets heard her call and slowed their speed so they could land in the cave.
Kinkajou also lowered her speed, and descended gracefully onto the cold rocky cave floor.
There were dragons from all the different tribes here. However, there were no Icewings present.
There are no Icewings here yet. Should I be concerned? Kinkajou asked herself, as she walked through the crowd of dragons.
She saw 2 Nightwings with emerald eyes talking to each other. One of them was considerably larger than the other. They also both looked female, mother and daughter perhaps. Kinkajou knew better than to start a conversation that didn't need to be started. So she just continued to walk into the cave mouth.
Kinkajou spotted a familiar Nightwing handing out scrolls to students. The Nightwing looked at Kinkajou, before her eyes narrowed at her.
It was clear to Kinkajou that she was aware of her current situation.
"Hello Kinkajou." Fatespeaker said awkwardly.
Now it was definitely clear that Fatespeaker knew that she was here to spy for Glory.
Here goes nothing. Kinkajou thought to herself, before giggling like a child.
"Hello! Fatespeaker it's so good to see you again!" Kinkajou said elated.
Fatespeaker laughed. "It's good to see you too, Kinkajou." Fatespeaker said.
Kinkajou laughed. "Were you trying to rhyme there?" Kinkajou asked jokingly.
Fatespeaker laughed. "I didn't realize I did until you told me." Fatespeaker said.
Fatespeaker handed Kinkajou a scroll. Kinkajou opened the scroll, then tilted her head. She then looked up at Fatespeaker with a confused look. "What's this for?" Kinkajou asked, holding the scroll out to her.
Fatespeaker smiled. "It's a map of the whole academy. I circled your winglets cave, so you could find it, take any bed you want." Fatespeaker said.
Kinkajou looked down. "I'm sorry but I can't read well." Kinkajou said, slightly ashamed.
Fatespeaker looked shocked. "What, really? I thought you could read becuase you are a sp- '' Fatespeaker said before Kinkajou used her tail to cover Fatespeaker's mouth.
Kinkajou hugged Fatespeaker with her wings suddenly, causing the Nightwing to squeak. "You almost blew my cover, you baboon." Kinkajou whispered into Fatespeakers ear.
Fatespeaker whined. "I'm sorry," Fatespeaker whispered softly.
"Just please don't let it happen again." Kinkajou whispered before breaking the hug.
Kinkajou faked a laugh. "It's great to see you, Fatespeaker. I hope we can talk again some time." Kinkajou said, trying to cover herself.
Fatespeaker faked a smile. "You too Kinkajou." Fatespeaker said, although less enthusiastic.
Kinkajou walked away from Fatespeaker. She unrolled the scroll, Fatespeaker gave her and tried to interrupt it. Ok, so I have to take a left here, pass by 4 caves and then my cave will be the fifth on the right. Kinkajou thought to herself.
The cave halls were expertly hallowed out so it could accommodate multiple dragons walking side by side. There were torches hanging from the topside of the walls.
Kinkajou walked by a cave mouth that led to an extremely large room with at least a dozen dragons in it. There was a sign, right outside the cave mouth probably telling what this spacious room was.
Kinkajou tried her best to interpret the sign. Goat space? Chicken dungeon? Food center? Oh prey center?! Kinkajou thought to herself.
Kinkajou decided to take a detour and walked into the prey center. She saw many different carcasses of animals and tons of dragons eating said carcasses. However the thing that really caught her eye was the group of Icewings huddled in the corner talking to each other.
Kinkajou looked at Icewings. Icewings! Perfect, one of my targets is bound to be in that group of freezing bodies, should I try and talk to them, or should I keep my distance, they may find it suspicious if a lone Rainwing is staring at them the entire time... I'll just go talk to them, what's the worst that could happen? Kinkajou thought to herself.
Kinkajou approached the group Icewings. A few of them noticed her approach and glared at her.
"Hello! I've never seen Icewings before you guys are so sparkly! Tell me what you guys eat to get that sparkly." Kinkajou said in her elated tone.
By now all of the Icewings were glaring at Kinkajou. Well, they sure have lovely eyes. Kinkajou thought to herself.
One of the Icewings stepped forward and growled at Kinkajou. "Get lost Rainwing!" An Icewing male shouted.
Kinkajou walked closer. "I don't mean any trouble, I simply want to know more about you guys, I've read a lot story's about Icewings, I'm just fascinated, nothing more." Kinkajou said.
Kinkajou continued to walk closer until the male Icewings tackled her to the ground.
"I warned you Rainwing. Now leave before I show you how cool my claws are." The Icewing said.
Kinkajou squeaked. "I don't w-want any trouble sir... I-I was just curious, was it really n-necessary to t-t-tackle me to the ground?" Kinkajou asked, pretending to be scared.
Another Icewing walked over to Kinkajou and the male Icewing on top of her. "Changbai, cease and desist, get off of the Rainwing at once." Another male Icewing called.
The Icewing on top of her turned his head to face the other Icewing. "I don't take orders from you Winter." Changbai said.
Winter as in Prince Winter?! He's my other target. Well I found one, now where's the other? Kinkajou thought to herself.
Another Icewing stepped forward. "You're right, he's not, but I Am. Now get off of the Rainwing." A female Icewing shouted.
Changbai grumbled. "As you wish, princess." Changbai said, as he got off of Kinkajou.
Kinkajou felt the weight of the Icewing recede as he got off of her.
Kinkajou stood up and stretched her wings. "Thank you, so much your majesty!" Kinkajou said, wagging her tail like a hatchling.
Icicle growled. "I didn't do it for you, now keep your voice down before I rip out your vocal cords." Icicle snarled.
Kinkajou nodded fearfully. "Right, sorry I get very carried away sometimes." Kinkajou said.
Icicle rolled her eyes as she turned away from Kinkajou. While turning Icicle hit Kinkajou in the face with her sharp tail. Creating a small cut.
Kinkajou squeaked. "Ow, could you please be careful with your tail, that thing is quite dangerous, it just cut my face." Kinkajou said, rubbing the small amounts of blood off of the wound.
Icicle growled and turned back to Kinkajou with a glare. "You don't tell me what to do Rainwing, now be quiet before I cut off one of your wings." Icicle said.
Kinkajou turned her scales to a dark blue, and began to fake cry. "I-I just wanted, to know more about y-you guys that's it." Kinkajou said, forcing the tears to roll down her face.
Kinkajou hoped that the Icewings would view her as weak, that would give her extra cover from being discovered.
All of the Icewings except Prince Winter looked with disgust. "Is she crying? Are you seriously that pathetic?" A female Icewing asked.
Icicle growled and stepped closer to Kinkajou. "Well, if you want to know something about us, let's start with this. Crying is seen as a sign of weakness in the Ice Kingdom. Icewings also don't associate themselves with inferior tribes such as yourself. Take that into consideration, or don't, I couldn't care less." Icicle said, as she flicked her tail indicating for the other Icewings to follow her.
Winter looked at Kinkajou before turning around and following Icicle.
Kinkajou simply just watched them as they walked out of the prey center. Well, that could not have gone any worse. Kinkajou thought.
Read more here
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2024.06.02 16:46 throwaway4fem A simp to Ashley and her family. [Chapter 2]

My next chapter. I made this one a little "spicy", but the following chapters will probably get back to your regularly scheduled simping. Aw, poor Davey, lol
I made my way up their steps and into Ashley’s bedroom. It was far from my 1st time here at this point. I’d often be called over to “hang out”. At the best of times, this involved me down on my knees, rubbing Ashley’s tired feet or painting her toenails as she controlled the conversation. Mostly just her venting about her day, sometimes about some recent party she went to that I was never invited to. Or just tidying up as she relaxed on her large bed and played with her phone or watched tv. I loved any opportunity to be around Ashley. Plus her room had an electric energy to me. I could take a deep breath and smell her very essence through the air. Not to mention the perks of being her little “simp”. Last time I was over I found a loose stay hair on her pillow as I was fluffing it up after making her bed. I was able to sneak that little strand of hair in my pocket and take it home. OMG, I lasted for weeks with that being my main source of masterbation material!!
Tonight I was actually hoping for a quick cleanup. Between this, helping Mrs. Smith and Ashley’s homework, time always seems to get away from me and I spend the next day dragging myself like a zombie. As soon as I walked in her room, I knew I would be a while. Ashley has many great qualities; tidiness isn’t one of them! She had old plates of food sitting on her desk. Chocolate wrappers just tossed on hr floor. Her clothes! She had a mix of worn and dirty clothes thrown about and hanging off of every chair, banister, and littering the ground. I’d have to inspect each item to confirm if they were clean or dirty before finding the appropriate place for them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her hamper with bra dangling out. It must have been worn. And I could touch it. Maybe even get a chance to smell it! I felt myself get hot and got those same butterflies in my tummy.
"There you are. What took so long?" Ashley had removed her makeup and decided to make herself more comfortable. She changed out of her trendy day clothes which still followed all school guidelines, which included form-fitting jeans and a slight midriff-baring top, that had a swooping neckline to show off her chest proudly, though they needed no help showing off. Her body often even had some teachers drooling. Those sexy clothes were gone now that it was just us. Now she wore her grey sweatpants, her socks and an old cami top. I know the look wasn't "sexy" but knowing she had removed her bra and only a thin piece of fabric separated us was almost too much to think about. Butterflies in my tummy again.
"Oh, i'm so sorry, Ashley! Your Mom just a-asked me to help with some, um, washing up, in the laundry room after."
"See! Her and my Dad complain about me not doing my own chores, but then she goes and has you scrubbing dirty underwear like some 1950's bimbo housewife! It's because she doesn't wanna do that gross boring shit either! And can you believe my Dad!? Building character!? Like, really? And another thing- Oh, Davey, didn't you hear? My mom gave the okay. You can start on my room.” She gave me an expectant look and I took the hint and grabbed my cleaning spray and rubber gloves.
"Here, start here-“ She remained standing but pointed at a stain with her socked foot. "I spilled some soda I guess and it's like, sticky or something."
"Y-Yes Ashley, right away!"
And I got started cleaning the disaster of a room as Ashley finished venting and then relaxed at her desk. "I'll help in a sec. Just want to check insta 1st..."
Off I went scrubbing and dusting and tidying and primping and promping the teenage girl's room while I was for the most part ignored. I’ll save the boring details of scrubbing and tidying up a teenage girl’s bedroom. About and hour or so later, my fingers ached and my back was starting to hurt from being bent over so much.
"Okay, I think I pretty much got everything in a place your parents would approve, um, Ashley?"
She was now relaxing on her bed, reclined against the pillows. She was still over the sheets with her laptop on her stomach. I remember thinking how it must be hard to see the screen over her rising chest.
"What's that?" She looked up from her laptop for the 1st time in maybe an hour. "Oh sorry, I was messaging with Ryan. I must have got distracted".
Ugh, Ryan. Classic jock jerk! And of course her on again off again boyfriend. Honestly these days he mostly just treated her as friends with benefits. I have no idea why she puts up with him! He's crude, rude and just flat out doesn't treat her like the princess she is!! I have had her cry on my shoulder more times than I can count from this brute, but then the next weekend she is behind the bleachers sucking his cock!! Yuck, hard to imagine my sweet, confident princess getting on her knees for some brute! It's only a matter of time before she realizes she actually prefers sweet and caring types, and then maybe she even finds them sexy, and would even get down on her knees for someone like, like m-"
"Davey! This room looks great. What would you say to a little reward?"
Remember when I said the lines were blurred in the relationship. This is one of those blurred lines.
"A, r-r-rreward? You mean like-"
"OMG, look at your face. I really am too good to you, aren't I. God it's been what, a couple weeks since I let you eat me out, huh?"
"Uh, yeah, um, uh, yes, it-it's been um, yea, uh 3 m-m-months now, um, uh, A-Ash-l-ley..."
"Wowwwww, aw, that's a long time for you. Yea, I was gonna hop in a quick shower before bed, it was a long day. But then I started talking to Ryan and well, now I'm in the mood. Plus, you really, really deserve it. Just look at this place." she gestured to her now sparkling room. "You have been SO sweet lately. Anyway, nothing crazy. Just kinda want to grind one out to help me sleep, you know?"
"Oh, uh, um, y-y-yes, th-thank you-u, I- I, uh, um yes, I unders-s-stand Ashley".
"Good boyyyy. K, in you go". She got under the covers and held the blanket up for me to crawl in. She pulled her sweatpants down, and then threw her underwear off the side of the bed. Under the dark heat of the covers, all I could see are the most beautiful golden tan and toned legs rising out of her ankle socks, and climbing until they met the most perfect, tight and perfectly trimmed pussy. When I got close I could smell her excitement and I could see a slight slickness by her folds. She must have been getting wet while talking to Ryan, ugh, yuck!
"Here!" she said as she ripped the covers off me temporarily blinded by the light. "Open!"
Instinctively my body naturally obeys any command from her lips, and I opened my mouth wide. A second later I saw her reach for a tube and she squirted it in my open mouth.
"It's lube. Swish it around to warm it up for me. Plus it’ll get your tongue all extra slippery.” I obediently opened my mouth wider and stuck out my tongue as she took one hand and grabbed my face, squeezing my cheeks slightly to push open and out my lips into a dramatic ‘O’ shape with my tongue hanging out. I tried not to imagne what I must look like. With her other hand she squeezed the bottle with an undignified glorrp right into my mouth. I gently swished the off-tasting, gloopy mess around my mouth as Ashley instructed. "Mmmmmmmm, that's hot. That's gonna feel so good. K, ready?"
I tried to mumble something back, but warmed lube only crept out the side of my mouth. Luckily I think it was rhetorical as she threw the blanket down on top of me as I began gently licking. Just like that I was in heaven. She tasted of natural feminine juices with a slight hint of the day’s perspiration. My poor Ashley must have really had a long day! Her moans and grinding of her hips urging me on, as well as her little comments of direction here and there.
"Mmmmmmmm, slower. Flick it. Higher. Oh yes, Ryan. Mmmmmmm, fuck. Oh Ryan, Oh Ryannn, mmmmmm”
Ugh, really, him?
It was only a few minutes before her 1st orgasm. I could feel her thighs gently tighten with a delicate moan. I guess she changed her mind about a quick cum, as when I went to get up for air after her 1st release, her hand roughly grabbed my hair by the scalp and re-positioned my face so it was firmly mashed against her pelvis.
My aching erection was painfully pushing against my bikini bottoms and pants. I could feel my poor little penis throb and starting to leak. It was so hot seeing her as she took out her vibrator and pleasured herself as I licked wherever there was space around her movements. Desperate to please her and be useful. This was my chance to impress her, I thought as I licked so hard it ached. It was so cute seeing her comments getting more intense as she got more lost in her own pleasure.
"Fuck yes. Lick me, slut! Uuungh, deeper, I SAID LICK DEEPER! Oh fuck, yes, bitch, just like that. Fucking lick right there. Now lower, LOWER, SLUT”
Sure, I've heard the names the other kids call me at school. Simp, loser, cuck, her bitch. But who else but me gets to see her in these most intimate of moments when she really loses herself.
After another 10 min her thighs clamped down on my head. I could no longer hear anything, I could barely breathe and was trapped in a conjuncture of her sweaty flesh, lube and natural juices. Just as I was preparing to tap out, or succumb to her body, she relaxed. I heard the sound of her vibrator switch off.
Next thing I knew, the sheets were ripped off and I felt the flat bottom of her somewhat sweaty foot on my forehead, pushing me away as I desperately tried to get 1 more glimpse of her most intimate area.
“Mmmm, that was nice.” Ashley rolled off the bed. Still in a daze, I had the most amazing view of her golden, toned ass cheeks. “Well I’m off to shower and then I need some sleep. I’m beat. Did you enjoy your little treat, Davey? You owe me one now!” she said with a wink. "No problem having my history homework done by tomorrow, ya?"
I went to confirm I’d stay up late but my sore and achey tongue just flopped out of my mouth with a “Yeth Asthley. Thatth no pwobrum".
Ashley giggled as she walked out of the room. I watched her butt cheeks bounce as she called over her shoulder “rinse your mouth after you finish whatever my mom needed. That lube stuff might be toxic or something. Can’t have anything happen to my little puppy. But it feels great! I’d get used to that lube taste."
My heart swooned as I drifted downstairs before I continued my night of drudgery. But nothing else mattered. Ashley was happy with me. And she must be satisfied with my oral servitude! She wants to keep it a regular thing!!! She must have really loved it. You know what they say, 1st comes love, then comes marriage!!
submitted by throwaway4fem to cuck_femdom_tales [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:31 Fact0ry0fSadness Do people really hate Scaled and Icy that much?

I know everyone is in full Clancy mode right now, but I wanted to take a moment and see who else appreciates SAI as a great album. I was at the recent show in Columbus, and so many people I talked to in line said they skipped the last tour or haven't been as interested in the band because they didn't like SAI. It seemed like everyone I talked to disliked the album. It kinda made me sad, because while it isn't quite as dark or introspective as Trench and Blurryface, I still think it's an excellent, cohesive album in its own right.
It's a perfect summertime album. I'll still throw it on in the car or when I'm chilling outside and listen to the whole thing. Choker, Shy Away, Mulberry Street, No Chances, and Redecorate are amazing and up there with their best songs. The Outside and Never Take It are fun bops. I understand the criticism towards Saturday for being a "generic pop song" but even that one is a nice jam that isn't too heavy. No all of their songs need to be super deep and introspective, after all.
One thing I really love about the album is it's production, too. It's so cohesive, vibrant, and layered. I love the use of the full band on a lot of the songs and how polished it is.
One of my favorite things about Clancy is that it carries some of that lush and polished production from SAI over while sticking to some of the "darker" feel of Trench/BF. But I'll always have a soft spot for SAI. Does anyone else feel this way or does most of the fanbase think the album is trash like the namesake dragon?
submitted by Fact0ry0fSadness to twentyonepilots [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:27 Sweet-Count2557 Fun Things to Do in Galveston at Night

Fun Things to Do in Galveston at Night
Fun Things to Do in Galveston at Night Are you ready to let loose and have a blast in Galveston once the sun goes down? Well, buckle up because we've got the ultimate guide to the most thrilling and exciting activities to do in Galveston at night.Get ready to dive into the rich history of Ashton Villa, test your swing at Magic Carpet Golf, and be captivated by live performances at The Grand 1894 Opera House.And when it's time to let loose, we've got the best nightlife spots for you to dance the night away or sip on delicious margaritas.Get ready to experience freedom and create unforgettable memories under the starry skies of Galveston.Key TakeawaysAshton Villa is a historical and architectural attraction with unique Victorian Italianate style.Magic Carpet Golf offers fun golf activities for kids under 21 with colorful courses and a view of the Gulf of Mexico.The Grand 1894 Opera House hosts live theater, music, and dance performances, including literary classics.Galveston offers a vibrant nightlife with spots like Tin Cups Caddy Shack, Envy Dance Club, Sharkys Tavern, and Buckshot Saloon.Historical and Architectural AttractionsLet's explore the rich history and stunning architecture of Galveston's historical and architectural attractions.One of the notable attractions is Ashton Villa, the first mansion ever built on the island. This beautiful mansion holds immense historical value and is a testament to the island's past. With its unique Victorian Italianate style, complete with deep eaves and ornate windows, Ashton Villa is a sight to behold.Preservation efforts have been put in place to ensure that this historical gem is maintained for future generations to enjoy. The preservation of Ashton Villa is a testament to the island's commitment to preserving its rich history and heritage.Another attraction that's worth mentioning is the Magic Carpet Golf. Located on Galveston's West End, this golf facility offers two courses with 18 holes each. It's a fun activity for kids under 21 and provides a colorful and engaging course with twists and moving elements. The best part is the incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico that you can enjoy while playing a round of mini-golf.Recently, Magic Carpet Golf has undergone renovations to enhance the overall experience for visitors. These renovations have breathed new life into the facility, making it an even more enjoyable destination for families and friends looking for some fun and friendly competition.Whether you're interested in historical preservation efforts or looking for a fun round of mini-golf, Galveston's historical and architectural attractions have something for everyone. So come and explore the rich history and stunning architecture that this beautiful island has to offer. You won't be disappointed.Golf ActivitiesLet's talk about golf activities in Galveston at night!Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just looking for a fun nighttime adventure, Galveston offers a variety of options.From challenging courses with different difficulty levels to unique nighttime experiences, golfing in Galveston is a great way to spend your evenings.Course Difficulty LevelsThe Magic Carpet Golf offers two courses with 18 holes each, providing a fun activity for kids under 21 and an incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or just looking for a leisurely game, these courses offer something for everyone.The colorful course is filled with twists and moving elements, adding an element of excitement to your game. As you make your way through the course, you'll be able to take in the breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico. With the sound of the waves crashing in the background, it's a truly unique experience.Nighttime Golf ExperiencesWe can enjoy a fun round of nighttime golf at Magic Carpet Golf, a golf facility located on Galveston's West End. This unique golf experience allows us to play glow in the dark mini golf under the stars.The facility offers two courses with 18 holes each, providing plenty of opportunities for excitement and friendly competition. As we make our way through the colorful course, we'll encounter twists, turns, and moving elements that add an extra level of challenge and fun.And let's not forget about the incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico that we'll have while playing. Whether we're seasoned golfers or just looking for a fun activity to do with friends or family, nighttime golfing at Magic Carpet Golf is sure to provide a memorable and enjoyable experience.Theater and Live PerformancesLooking for some live entertainment in Galveston at night? Well, you're in luck! The city offers an array of theater and live performances that are sure to keep you entertained.From the historic Grand 1894 Opera House, which hosts live theater, music, and dance performances, to Saturday night entertainment featuring an orchestra or jazz band, there's something for everyone to enjoy.Live Theater ExperiencesOne of our favorite live theater experiences in Galveston is the Grand 1894 Opera House. Built in 1894, this historic theater is a must-visit for theater enthusiasts. The Grand 1894 Opera House offers a diverse range of live theater shows, music performances, and dance productions. On Saturday nights, you can enjoy the entertainment accompanied by a talented orchestra or jazz band. The shows at the Grand 1894 Opera House include literary classics like Pride and Prejudice, bringing these beloved stories to life on stage. It's the perfect way to immerse yourself in the local theater scene and witness some of the best theater shows in Galveston. To give you a glimpse of the theater's offerings, here's a table showcasing some of their upcoming performances:ShowDateTimePride and PrejudiceJuly 15, 20217:30 PMChicagoAugust 5, 20218:00 PMThe NutcrackerDecember 10, 20217:00 PMLes MisérablesJanuary 20, 20227:30 PMImmerse yourself in the captivating world of live theater at the Grand 1894 Opera House and create unforgettable memories in Galveston.Music and Dance PerformancesLet's check out the vibrant music and dance performances happening at theaters and live venues in Galveston at night. Galveston has a thriving local music scene, with various venues offering a wide range of genres to suit every taste.From intimate jazz ensembles to high-energy rock bands, there's something for everyone.The Grand 1894 Opera House is a popular spot for live theater, music, and dance performances. They often have Saturday night shows featuring an orchestra or jazz band, providing a perfect opportunity for a night of entertainment.In addition to enjoying performances, you can also take part in dance classes offered in the area. So whether you're a fan of live music or looking to learn some new dance moves, Galveston has plenty to offer in terms of music and dance performances at night.Saturday Night EntertainmentWe can enjoy a night of theater and live performances on Saturday in Galveston.The Grand 1894 Opera House, built in 1894, offers a captivating experience with its live theater, music, and dance performances. On Saturday nights, the theater comes alive with the enchanting melodies of a jazz band or the grandeur of an orchestra.Imagine being transported back in time as you enter the theater's Victorian Italianate style building, with its deep eaves and ornate windows. Inside, you can immerse yourself in literary classics like Pride and Prejudice or be captivated by the talents of the performers on stage.The Grand 1894 Opera House is the perfect place to spend a Saturday night, indulging in the freedom of artistic expression and entertainment.Nightlife SpotsTin Cups Caddy Shack is a golf driving range near Scholes International Airport that offers outdoor seating and a full-service bar. It's the perfect spot to unwind after a long day of exploring Galveston. As we sat on the patio, sipping our drinks, we couldn't help but appreciate the relaxed atmosphere and the cool breeze coming off the nearby golf course.But Tin Cups Caddy Shack is more than just a golf driving range. It also offers a variety of dining options to satisfy any craving. From juicy burgers to fresh salads, they've it all. We decided to try their famous loaded nachos and weren't disappointed. The generous portion size and flavorful toppings made it the perfect snack to share with friends.After enjoying our meal, we couldn't resist the urge to hit a few golf balls. The driving range was well-maintained and had plenty of space for everyone. We grabbed a bucket of balls and took turns teeing off, competing to see who could hit the farthest. It was a fun and friendly competition that brought out our competitive spirits.As the sun began to set, the atmosphere at Tin Cups Caddy Shack transformed. The outdoor seating area became a lively hangout spot, with music playing in the background and laughter filling the air. We decided to take a break from golf and challenge each other to a game of pool. The friendly competition continued as we tried to sink the balls in the pockets, cheering and joking with each other along the way.Fishing ActivitiesThe Galveston's 61st Street Fishing Pier is a perfect place for a date night, as it offers 24/7 fishing opportunities and a viewing deck to enjoy the gorgeous views of the Gulf of Mexico. This popular nighttime fishing spot provides a unique and exciting experience for fishing enthusiasts.Here are some reasons why you should consider fishing at this pier:Breathtaking Views: As you cast your line into the water, you can take in the stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico. The moonlight reflecting off the water creates a serene and romantic atmosphere that's perfect for a date night.24/7 Fishing: Whether you're an early bird or a night owl, the 61st Street Fishing Pier is open around the clock, allowing you to fish at any time that suits your schedule. You can enjoy the freedom to fish whenever you want without any time restrictions.Snack Spots and Bait Shop: The pier is equipped with convenient snack spots where you can grab a quick bite to eat while enjoying your fishing adventure. Additionally, there's a bait shop available for fishing equipment rentals, so you don't have to worry if you don't have your own gear.Excitement and Relaxation: Fishing at night can be an exhilarating experience. The thrill of reeling in a big catch under the starry sky adds an extra element of excitement to your fishing trip. At the same time, the peacefulness of the surroundings provides a sense of relaxation and tranquility.Amusement ParkLet's explore the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, where you can enjoy a night full of family-oriented attractions, retail shops, and food spots. This amusement park, opened in 2012, is the perfect place for kids and adults alike to have a blast.As you step onto the pier, you'll be greeted by the vibrant lights and the sounds of laughter and excitement filling the air.One of the main highlights of the amusement park is the thrilling roller coaster. Get ready to experience an adrenaline rush as you zoom through twists, turns, and loops high above the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico. If you're not a fan of roller coasters, don't worry! There are plenty of other attractions to keep you entertained. Take a ride on the 5D Theater and immerse yourself in a shark attack experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat.In addition to the rides, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier offers a variety of outdoor park activities. Take a leisurely stroll along the pier and soak in the beautiful views of the ocean. Enjoy the cool ocean breeze as you explore the different retail shops and find the perfect souvenir to take home. And when hunger strikes, you'll find a wide range of food spots offering delicious treats and snacks.So, if you're looking for a night full of fun and excitement, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier is the place to be. Whether you're a thrill-seeker or just want to enjoy a leisurely evening with your family, this amusement park has something for everyone.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat Are Some Popular Restaurants or Dining Options in Galveston at Night?For a late night dinner in Galveston, you can't go wrong with the best seafood spots in town. Indulge in fresh catches and delicious flavors at these renowned restaurants.And if you're looking for stunning views, head to the rooftop bars that offer breathtaking panoramas of Galveston. Sip on your favorite drinks while taking in the beauty of the cityscape.These dining options are perfect for those seeking freedom and a memorable night out.Are There Any Museums or Art Galleries Open in the Evening in Galveston?Sure, there are museums open late in Galveston.You can explore the rich history and culture of the island at the Galveston Railroad Museum, which offers evening hours for visitors.Another option is the Galveston Arts Center, where you can immerse yourself in contemporary art and enjoy evening exhibitions.Where Can I Find Live Music or Concerts in Galveston at Night?Looking for a night filled with live music and concerts in Galveston? Look no further!One popular spot for live music is The Balinese Room, a historic venue known for hosting famous musicians.With its beachfront location and outdoor stage, you can enjoy the sounds of your favorite bands while feeling the ocean breeze.Grab a drink, dance the night away, and make unforgettable memories at this iconic live music venue.Are There Any Ghost Tours or Haunted Attractions to Visit in Galveston After Dark?Yes, there are ghost tours and haunted attractions to visit in Galveston after dark. Experience ghostly encounters and delve into the city's haunted history with haunted history tours.Discover the chilling stories and paranormal activity that surround Galveston's historic sites. These tours provide a thrilling and immersive experience, perfect for those seeking a spooky adventure.Explore the dark side of Galveston and uncover the secrets that lie within its haunted past.What Are Some Unique Nighttime Activities or Events That Take Place in Galveston?Unique nighttime activities in Galveston include exploring historical and architectural attractions like the Ashton Villa, with its Victorian Italianate style.For a fun activity, try Magic Carpet Golf, offering two colorful courses with an incredible view of the Gulf of Mexico.The Grand 1894 Opera House provides live theater and music performances, while Tin Cups Caddy Shack and Envy Dance Club offer vibrant nightlife experiences.Fishing at Galveston's 61st Street Fishing Pier and enjoying the amusement park on Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier are also popular options.ConclusionIn the enchanting nights of Galveston, immerse yourself in the rich history of Ashton Villa and marvel at its architectural beauty.Challenge your putting skills at Magic Carpet Golf while being captivated by breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico.Experience the mesmerizing live performances at The Grand 1894 Opera House and dance the night away at Tin Cups Caddy Shack or Envy Dance Club.Whether you're exploring the historical attractions, enjoying the vibrant nightlife, or indulging in thrilling outdoor adventures, Galveston offers endless excitement under the starry skies.
submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:25 Candid-Garlic1248 27F Perimenopause symptoms, Doctors stumped

Hi everyone, I am just looking for others who have experienced this as I feel really alone in my own community of friends. I am 27 and I have one 4 year old son. When we conceived I got pregnant right away with zero problems. When I was pregnant I had a lot of trouble with antenatal depression, severe weight gain of 110 lbs, mood swings (those were probably normal), etc. We had a traumatic birth which was handled quickly and I'm very grateful to my midwives for their care of my son who's a healthy and happy kid. I noticed around 6 months I was dealing with severe post partum anxiety and depression. I was afraid to talk to my doctors about it and let it go so far that I started having paranoid delusions until I snapped and called her on the emergency line cause I thought I needed to go to jail/would hurt my son/his life would be ruined if I didn't commit suic*de. We got all that taken care of, she supported me immensely and talked me through what I was going through and made me feel normal again. I am a good mom and my sons my best friend and I was very lucky to have her as my doctor. 1 year post partum I was losing all libido. Like none. This is not normal for me and never has been the case. I have been on 200 mg of lamictal and 50 of pristiq for years and still was able to have sexual desire, maybe not as much as pre medicine but still enough to feel content. Over the next 3 years she and I tried so many things to try and counteract this but even when altering my meds there was no significant change other than mental struggles. I have a therapist who is also amazing and these 2 women together have seriously improved my quality of life more than words can credit them for. We have come to the conclusion that this isn't a mental health related sexual problem. Although over time it has become one in the sense that my view of myself has plummeted and I feel like less of a woman. This isn't something my medication can be messed around with to fix. So it was suggested that I go see a gyno to talk about my options for sexual health. I was excited to do this because I thought that it would be the thing to cure all my issues. Unfortunately I have never had a lot of luck with gynos. I've felt dismissed so many times I stopped going to them until I was pregnant. I looked for help from friends to find a good one and went with someone suggested to me. He gave me the run around about how it's normal for women to not want to have sex after having a child, even if it's literally not ever. Men and women are different. Have you tried therapy? Is this trauma related or some deep rooted problem I haven't uncovered. Questions that frustrated the hell out of me. They did a blood panel which was the only thing I think was helpful in the entire visit and discovered that my AMH levels were "really low for a 27 year old" and after a physical exam he told me I have atrophy. Now this makes a lot of sense to me because I have struggled a lot in the last few years feeling like sex became different and I couldn't put my finger on why. I came in with one problem and left with two. He told me he didn't know enough about this to help me and referred me to a woman who he considered sooo knowledgeable. I went to her and talked about everything. When it came to libido she told me that I should try watching porn or reading smut and if I ever used lube before. If I had known that over the last 8 months waiting to see two different doctors that I was given suggestions I could have googled I would have never bothered. I was furious and I told her that I don't personally do these things and that doesn't help my underlying problem which is some kind of physical limitation. When I asked her why I'm having the atrophy and low AMH I got a bunch of I don't knows. I talked to her about hormonal imbalance and she told me that she wanted to have me come back in 6 months to redo the same testing before considering any of that. I told her that for the last 3 years I have had virtually no energy, I could sleep all day if my life style allowed it. I have constant problems with memory, focus, being in the moment of a conversation. I have wondered if I was dealing with some sort of brain damage the last 3 years because it's gotten SO bad. I have had night sweats frequently to the point that you can actually see my body imprint of old sweat stains in my matress. I went to a PCP 2 years ago to talk about concerns I had about my hormones and excessive hairless and she assured me I'm just still going through PP even though my son is two and I trusted that and moved on. So this is really an ongoing issue. Everywhere I turn I feel like I'm circling the drain, I feel so misunderstood and alone. I cry so much about this it feels like I'm not myself and I don't know how to get back there. None of my friends have experienced this. My mom had all this happen at 57 years old when she went into peri menopause. I feel like my body is out of wack and I have had to do all my own digging. I feel like its pointless to yest my hormones because it's so fluctuating, but I wonder if testosterone could help me with the energy, libido, focus. Maybe estrogen would. I'm so at a loss I feel like I'm walking alone in the dark and reaching out in every direction for a solution. I don't know if there's a certain doctor I should be looking for. I have another appointment with a different gyno a month from now that was suggested to me by a nurse and I'm driving an hour to see her because I am so desperate. Can someone please give me some sort of confirmation that I am not crazy or jumping to conclusions because I feel like I have munchausens when doctors talk to me the way they do. I just feel so alone.
submitted by Candid-Garlic1248 to Menopause [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:25 thebookphoenix [QCrit] THESE POISONED HEARTS - YA High Fantasy (99k/Third Attempt + First 300)

I am back, once again seeking help from one of the best subreddits on Reddit! I sent out a handful of queries a few weeks ago, and while I haven't received responses for all of them, I have only received rejections so far (around 8). They were all pretty fast replying agents so I could get a feel for if my package is working. While I know that rejection is part of the process, I decided I'll start to look at my pages/query letter again, since I obviously can't change my premise at this point 😂 Here was my second attempt, which also has a link to the first!

Dear [AGENT],
When the king of Advani is assassinated by the enemy, eighteen-year-old Illari intends to keep her head down and move on with her life. As a mage working the gambling tables at a circus, she knows she has no business in politics and war. So when the kingdom announces a ritual will choose the next ruler of Advani, Illari pays it no mind, though she wishes she could participate.
But her wish comes true. On her way to a circus performance, Illari is caught in the ritual. A strange magic tethers everyone in place, preventing them from leaving. The only way out is to have their blood judged by the king’s sword, so Illari is forced to participate—and she’s deemed worthy. Branded as the next soul in line for the throne, she sets out to prove that she deserves her crown and can stop the war plaguing Advani, a dream of hers since she arrived in the kingdom.
Advani itself stands in her way, though, deeming her unfit to become queen because of her lack of experience. To add, the military general Aleksandr is hellbent on seizing the crown for himself, using power he gained from his familiarity to the late king. With Advani’s army at Aleksandr’s back, he elects himself as Advani’s next ruler, stripping Illari of any power she had. He offers for her to become a servant of the castle, and Illari plays along, intending to work her way to the top.
While Illari struggles to navigate a war-torn kingdom, dark, mysterious magic blossoms in her heart, twisting her desires and allowing her to manipulate the blood of others. Illari must balance her goal of becoming queen and saving her kingdom with the struggles of her forbidden magic, or Advani will fall to the enemy.
THESE POISONED SOULS is a 99,000 word YA high fantasy novel. It is perfect for fans of the societal opposition and political intrigue in Mara Rutherford’s Crown of Coral and Pearl, and the dark magic and power struggles in Amanda Joy’s A River of Royal Blood. It is a standalone with series potential.
[BIO]
Thank you for your consideration,
[NAME]

Every night at the circus was a new game, and it was Illari’s job to ensure she never lost.
She shuffled her deck of gold-threaded cards, the paper morphing into a blur. She kept her gaze trained on the four men sitting at her table. She didn’t trust them to play fair, especially while drunk, and judging by the way their glares drilled into her set of cards, they thought the same of her.
Since arriving in Advani, Illari had spent years honing her skills at gambling tables, using illusion magic and her wit to protect herself. Her time had given her a sixth sense for deception. Every flicker of a glance, every sneer of the lip, every twitch of a finger crafted a showing of deceit Illari could read as clearly as the cards in her hands.
She surveyed her kingdom: mounds of silver coins scattered across the oaken gambling table, framed by pooling fallen ale gathering on the surface. She knew she needed to tread with caution tonight, especially given the way some of her customers fidgeted with their wooden mugs. It was obvious they were seasoned gamblers, with rough exteriors and calloused hands indicative of living life in the Slums. They had come to the Silvercrest Circus both for entertainment and to test their luck against one of the best in the business—yet they had no issue downing drink after drink of sweet ale. Their trust in their senses was inflated. Illari smiled to herself.
A customer at her table belched, pointing an unsteady hand at the performers spinning ahead on a makeshift platform. “You’re telling me that soldiers on the war front dress like that? If that’s the case, then sign me up!”
Laughter rippled across the oaken table. One man banged his fist against the wood, shaking the surface, and Illari pulled back with a grimace.

Thanks y'all! This subreddit has been so useful in the process of querying.
submitted by thebookphoenix to PubTips [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:07 productivecagedpiggy 33M - struggling to breath. Inflamed Symptoms changing- 12+ days

33M - Inflamed feeling, tightness, very weak - Left breast & left lat/rib area 10 days+ - but has now mostly dissipated. Instead having fairly extreme shortness of breath. Worried I might me having mild reactions to Amoxillin
Doctors are not sure
33M, 92kg, exercise ~5 days/week, Stable, looking for help with potential diagnosis.
Doctors are struggling to understand my issues. At this point my symptoms are improving but I want to understand what happened. Any help is really appreciated.
19/05/24
-mildly uncomfortable, but otherwise unaffected. Nervous as its in the heart region.-Continues more or less the same for a few days.
22/05/24
-then on May 22 woke up at 4am extremely dizzy & faint. Pain in chest. I've never felt like this. Could feel heart but I don’t think it was racing. Went to hospital. X-ray/urine/blood/trompoid/ekg all checked out. Was held for 8 hours, rerunning tests
-started getting light "thudding" pain in left upper chest region that came and went & burning sensantion. Tightness remains
-since then have been unable to sleep except sitting up or on my left side. Any other resting position causes burning and increased tightness that keeps getting worse rapidly as I stay in that position.
24/05/24
-on Friday 24 drove to town nearby as we had weekend plans which was 300m higher elevation. condition worsened while there.
25/05/24
26/05/24
27/05/24
28/05/24
29/05/04 - Took 2 Naproxen and napped around 11pm. Woke up very groggy, brain fog rest of day. - Lowered dose to 1 in the evening (7pm) - Went to bed sitting up. - Around midnight feeling a lot of tightness in left breast & top of diaphragm. Felt like tightness but could still breathe decently. - Very rarely get sharp pain if breathe in deep quickly (maybe 3-4 times in 6 hours) - Took another Naproxen - fell asleep around 2. - Woke up with same tightness ~7:30am. Easier to manage once walking around. - Very comfortable 9:30-11. - 11:30 symptoms worsened, Diaphragm very tight. Pressure band on upper left chest returned (mild tightness) - 12:30 Felt better, took 250mg (1 pill) Naproxen. By 1:30pm feeling almost normal with light diaphragm pressure while sitting and light discomfort in right chest while walking. When I sit down I can feel tightness in left chest area. - 9pm took naproxen (1.5 pills). went for walk to dinner at 8.. Symptoms worse, tight chest/diaphragm and burning sensation/tightness on left breast and lat :( right breast is fine. - 9:50: pain gone but groggy. Assume Naproxen kicked in
30/05/24 - 5am: woke up to little discomfort for once, bit of chest tightness, pain in top of left foot~5am - 8:45am: Had a bit of coffee+honey+cacao. Sat down to work, light thudding pain in left breast felt. Not sure if related to coffee. Light tightness across rib lat has returned. We are now 12hrs from last dose, Naproxen should be gone. - 9:30 - Naproxen - 16:30 - Started to deteriorate- chest tightness - 17:00 - Took amoxicillin. Around 18:30 chest feeling very tight around sternum and at bottom of each breast. - 8pm, feeling quite stable. Will take naproxen at 9. Accidentally ate so will not take lanzoprazole. - 10:30 first time in a long time able to lay on my chest for a little while.
31/05/24
01/06/24 - 7:40 - woke, took Amxilin. no pain or Inflamed feeling on breast, chest a bit tight - 11 - took lanzó chest starting to feel a bit inflamed - 11:40 - not feeling pain. took 1.25 naproxen. - 3:50pm - Tightness worsening from ~3. Very light discomfort in left breast. Took amx - 7:30 take lzprn. Feeling a little groggy. - 8:15pm felt light thud pain in lbreast and left rib cage but now fine. Took 2xNaz @ 8pm - 9:30 chest tightness - Last amx ~ 11. Struggling to sleep - intense chess tightness, particularly behind ribs. Different from before where it was higher up - Salbutamol at 12:40 1 puff - Fell asleep around 3am. Felt like my body kept jolting me awake due to lack of breathing.
02/06/24 - 8am - slightly tight chest - 9:45 am - took amoxicillin, took ventolin - 10:40 - took lanzoprazone. Chest tightness is very significant. left side thudding chest pain appearing in area under armpit - intermittent. I’m very tired. Took ventolin - 11:40 - took nazoprene 1.25. walk to pharmacy. Slightly dizzy. Lower chest/diaphragm tightness is intense. Had to sit to calm down/ feel like I was getting air. Still very tight. Now have diarrhea - 1:12 - ventolin. Very tight lungs. Head feeling tight as well. Bleak.
submitted by productivecagedpiggy to AskDocs [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 16:07 Drakos8706 Powerless (part 68)

First. Previous.
‘Ri woke up in the hotel room to the sound and smell of cooking meat, as well as what she knew to be pancakes. Opening her eyes, she looked ‘down’ to see Kyle cooking on the small grill he packed with him in his subspace shadow, one of his near-silent air purifiers directly overhead, as he was using wood to cook with; the smell of fire-grilled meat was making her ravenous, and it was with a happy stretch that she sat up, Kyle turning to smile at her.
“Morning, beautiful,” he said as she smiled back, “Figured I’d make you breakfast-in-bed; we got dragon steak and eggs - chicken eggs - and I just got done with a bunch of dragon bacon. Pancakes were done a few minutes ago, and I’ve been letting the butter melt in; syrup’s over…” he looked around, spotting a metal container that looked somewhat like a drink pitcher. He set all of this down on a large tray, which he carried over to her, setting it down on the bed lengthwise between the two of them. He went back to the table he’d been working at to retrieve plates, flatware, and two glasses, floating a pitcher of what turned out to be gor’ahm juice, a sweet - yet slightly tart - berry that grew on verem’jiose, and also cost quite a bit, as it was difficult to get enough berries to mass produce, so it wasn’t ‘readily available’ outside of her homeworld.
All-in-all it was a rather enjoyable breakfast - whether or not he had any ‘professional’ training, Kyle sure did know how to cook. After they were done eating - and Kyle had moved their dishes over to the kitchenette their room came with - they took a shower, taking their time in the hot water, just enjoying each other’s presence. When they were done, they dressed in the robes that came with the room - they had gone with black all around - and went to sit together in the main room, putting on some soothing music as they sat together, tails and arms wrapped around each other. After a while of them just sitting there, Kyle stirred slightly.
“I, uh… I got a surprise for you.” He sounded a bit nervous as he said it, but she put that to the side; surely he was just hoping she’d like whatever it was. He smiled slightly, and said,
“Close your eyes.”
Doing as he asked, she shut her eyes, knowing full well that whatever he was ‘retrieving’ was in his subspace shadow, but she went along with the act. When he gave her the okay, she opened her eyes, and it seemed like her stomach dropped out from under her heart, and into oblivion; there in his hands was a thin, perfectly square - but not ‘cubed’ - black box. She looked up at him, unable to say anything, as he opened the lid, and she let out an involuntary gasp; it was difficult for her mind to process what she was seeing, as it appeared to be a round piece of the void cut out to look like a tiara. Or, at least it looked like the shape of one, seeing as she couldn’t really make out any details, though there obviously were details carved into it, as the little sparkles of what she knew to be black hole diamonds - she had seen the pendant Kyle had retrieved from the pirates - seemed to appear and disappear, depending on what angle she looked at it from. The big 8-point star in the middle - reminiscent of the shape their pupils took when observing peoples’ life-blood, and Gift - was always visible however, no matter the angle it was viewed from.
“I had to have Kay’Eighty sketch out the basic outline of where to cut to fit you,” he said, drawing her out of her stupor, “And I had the lead sehr’chtahb fit the diamonds on it, as part of the payment for bringing back the pendant, along with the diamonds themselves, of course. The actual tiara is made from the bone of the first dragon I killed, and I used the kath’loo’s Gift to turn the bone so black that it absorbs all light. I had to turn the bone behind the diamonds silver, because there’s only so much that refraction can do.” They both gave a little chuckle at that; finally, he pointed to the inside of the tiara.
“And here I put a strip of crysthril all the way around it,” she knew that he’d gotten the Gift from one of the sehr’chtahb before they’d left the planet, “Which you normally wouldn’t need, seeing as you’ve got a literal ton in your subspace; but this is different. While we can’t transfer our Gifts to anyone else, we can transfer them into the crysthril, and it stays enchanted with the Gift, no matter how much of it you use. It’s basically limited by your own power, and how much of each Gift was put into the crysthril. Right now, this has all the Gifts that I have right now, and I can always add more in later, when I get ‘em… So, will you wear it?”
The last part was said with a palpable level of nervousness, and she was unable to say anything at that moment. After a few seconds, she finally was able to nod her head yes, tears leaking down her face. Kyle’s face lit up in a wide grin, and she saw his eyes shimmer with unshed tears as he reached forward to grasp the tiara, showing her how to disconnect it at the sides. She leaned her head forward as he reached up to put it on for her, it fitting snugly not just around her head, but perfectly resting around her horns, so as not to be squeezing them, nor to be loose, and wobbly.
She reached forward, pulling him into a deep, passionate kiss, too happy to actually say anything; they sat there for a while, basking in their shared love, until she started getting a bit antsy. Kyle obviously noticed this, as he laughed, and said,
“Go look; I know you’re just dying to see it.”
After a smile, and a quick kiss, she ran into the bathroom, looking into the mirror, marveling at the dazzling headpiece that was now her’s. She sat there for a good few minutes, turning her head this way and that, admiring the craftsmanship Kyle had so lovingly put into it. It honestly looked like something a professional jeweler would be proud to call their own work, and she reveled in that fact as well. This was a testament to his love for her, and it was done through Kyle’s own handiwork; and where it wasn’t, it was small enough to excuse away, especially with having had the diamonds placed as payment for his actual work.
Eventually she was able to tear her eyes from the beautiful piece, and she returned to Kyle’s side, both of them grinning like children. After a few minutes of making out, and cuddling, Kyle insisted that they get dressed.
“I know you wanna show that off, and we can go look around the shops, see if there’s anything that we want. Then we can grab lunch somewhere, and later we can have dinner with your parents and ‘Lana. Tomorrow I’m gonna go back to the ship and get some brisket started up; Kohr’Sahr and the others’re gonna be here in a couple days, and I wanna have a party when we give them the news.”
“Do they know?” she asked.
“About me proposing? No,” he replied, “About everything else? I gave ‘em a brief rundown, but I didn’t go into too much detail. The suun’mahs representative got in touch with me yesterday: the broadcast is gonna come out later today, and anything that they need cleared up after that, I’m happy to be the one to tell ‘em… You’re sure you’re okay with them posting your general location to the public? I don’t want you to have to deal with any ‘fanclubs’ from back home.”
She smiled warmly at him, running her fingers through his hair.
“They’ll know that I’m taken, and that they have no chance; anyone who tries anything after that, no one will blame us for… teaching them a lesson. Besides, they already know not to bother me if they see me abroad; the secrecy was just an added measure.”
He bowed his head concedingly, as he got up, pulling her to her feet with him.
“Come on,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth, “Let’s get dressed.”
She got dressed in a simple black pleated skirt that came about ⅔ down her thigh, along with a teal button-up shirt. Kyle was wearing his black and red pants, with a silk purple shirt; he had decided to forgo his boots. Kyle applied a simple light layer of purple eye shadow, and simple black liner, with a reverse of that on his lips, having purple liner and black filler. She went with the same pattern, except she used a luscious red in place of her natural purple. Once they were ready, they were about to head out when she thought of something; she held out her hands, and pulled a certain large, flat box from her subspace shadow. Smiling, Kyle opened it, and gently removed the necklace he’d bought her the last time they were on this station. After he’d secured it in place, she dismissed the box, and they left the room arm-in-arm.
The payoff was near-automatic, as it only took as long as getting into the elevator before they encountered another person; this one turned out to be none other than the Captain, as the station leader had put the entire crew up in the station’s best hotels, save for a decent amount of the security, all of whom had gotten to leave the ship last time they were on this station. As soon as the doors opened, they saw her standing next to what appeared to be a golden drahk’mihn, with horns that protruded from his forehead, sweeping back over the top of his head, only to slightly curl upwards just as they reached the back of his head. He wore light blue shorts, and a matching vest, while the Captain wore her customary jacket; her eyes widened when she saw the two, going straight to the tiara on her head.
"By the Gods, man; do you do anything normal?"
"Define 'normal'," Kyle countered, which brought about a round of laughter.
“Were y’all gettin’ off?” Kyle asked, hooking his thumb over his shoulder; the Captain cleared her throat,
“Well, that’s really none of your business,” she replied, to more laughter, “But we can take another ride, either way.” She had barely taken her eyes off the tiara the entire time, much to ‘Ri’s delight. As Kyle pushed the button for the lobby, Golden asked how Kyle had made it, to which he obliged, occupying the time it took them to reach the ground floor; the Captain couldn’t keep her eyes off the headpiece the whole time, at which ‘Ri couldn’t help but smile with pride.
After they reached their floor, they bid the other two farewell, at which point the Captain seemed to remember herself, and gave a hasty - yet obviously sincere - congratulations to the two, which Golden echoed. After thanking the two, they disembarked the elevator, ‘Ri acutely aware that the Captain was still staring at the tiara, even without looking back at her.
The rest of the day passed in a similar manner, with the general crowd around them either going silent, or - less common, but still frequent enough to be noticeable - lightly gasping; all eyes were on her, which made her smile and cling to Kyle’s arm all the more. It was funny: she had never really cared about ‘tradition’, and had always simply wanted someone who saw her as her. Sure, there were several ‘high-born’ men who’d hunted dangerous beasts - even to a drahk’mihn - to turn into tiaras, all of them trying to ‘win her hand’. But none of that had ever mattered, no matter what they’d hunted, or whether they’d used their Gift, or not; none of them even knew who she was, so their efforts meant nothing, but whatever standing they could achieve by marrying ‘the girl who stopped the war’.
But here was Kyle, a man from another species entirely who saw her as a person, in a way that no non-insectoid ever had in her entire life. A man who’d had no problem whatsoever showing his anger at her - very much deserved, she had to admit; that was a rather rude wake-up call - before he really even knew her, not afraid to call her out on any toxic behavior she might display. And who had taken the fruit of his labors to produce a symbol of his commitment to her, fully embodying the true symbolism of the traditional way, not by simply trying to impress her by buying her affection, as the others had. And for the first time since she was a little girl, she felt a distinct pride in that tradition, and all the more love towards Kyle for it.
They didn’t really have any place in particular that they had in mind to visit, simply walking around, enjoying each other’s company, and the reactions of the various passersby. Among the obviously astonished expressions, there were quite a few jealous ones on a few of the women they passed by, which brought her no end of satisfaction; not that she had anything in particular against any of those women, it just felt good to have something that others wanted so badly. And though she doubted that many of them actually wanted her man - whom she still valued more than the headpiece he’d given her - what they wanted was a product of his work, and so either way - whether they knew it or not - it was him that they wanted; too bad for all of them that she’d gotten her claws in him first, and she was never letting him go of him again.
She had made sure of that, seeing as he could now issue orders to the Captain, and change protocol on a whim; she had also gotten him to give her authorization to take a shuttle planetside if she deemed it necessary, though he’d made her promise to exercise that authority only in cases of an actual emergency, and not for a small ‘threat’ that he could obviously handle. They had come to the agreement that the wild cats from Cheshire’s homeworld were the cutoff point: anything much bigger than those were enough to warrant her presence on the planet. She didn’t really like even that, but she had to agree that at that point it was almost insulting to his own abilities, especially since he had plenty of Gifts to help him out, including her own.
At one point, they were passing by a furniture shop when they spotted her parents and ‘Lana going in; it was her sister who noticed them, calling out,
“‘Ri, Kyle; hi!”
They both smiled and called back in greeting, waving as her parents turned around, their faces immediately breaking out in smiles as they saw the two of them; the looks on their faces - coupled with not a bit of surprise - told her that he’d already shown them the tiara, not that she minded. If he was going to show anyone before her - aside from those who helped him create it in the first place - she could accept her parents being the ones, and ‘Lana by extension.
They spent around an hour walking around the shop - Kyle having to encourage them to pick out the more ‘luxury’ goods - as her parents picked out a new mattress for their bed, along with a few comfortable chairs. They all went their separate ways, her and Kyle promising to meet up later for dinner together. As they had just come back from eating themselves, they went to do more shopping - Kyle reminding them not to worry about the price of anything - while she and Kyle went to go find somewhere to eat.
They decided on a unique shop setup, wherein there was an herbivore side, and a carnivore side; both were technically their own shops - separated by a wall, and everything - though there was no problem with an herbivore sitting with carnivore friends to go nextdoor to get a plate made, and bring it over, or vice versa. They decided on sitting in the carnivore section, and Kyle would go over to the herbivore side to get a bit of roughage for the both of them. After they had taken their seat - the keen’yhong waitress staring in awe at her tiara - Kyle excused himself to the shop next door; after he’d left her line of sight, she immediately got up and hurried to the restroom, eager to get another look at herself in the mirror.

Vohr’Sin - a light blue drahk’mihn with horns that curved back, down and around, so that the tips pointed forward, just under his ears - was having a bit of trouble, as the restaurant was currently too full to seat them.
“There’s nothing you can do for the drahk’mihn ambassador to the humans’ system?” he asked jokingly, “She should be on her way any minute.”
“Sorry, sir,” the black gah’rahtoe replied to him, his face showing genuine regret, “It’s the lunch rush, right now. You’re welcome to wait for someone to finish up, if you like.”
“No,” he responded, “She had to skip breakfast this morning to attend a virtual meeting, so I doubt she’ll be up to waiting… Well, thanks anyway.” As he turned to find somewhere else to eat, he nearly walked right into another person; it took him a moment to realize who it was.
“My apologies,” he said, “I should have been paying more attention to where I was going… Forgive me for bothering you, but aren’t you Ambassador Redding?”
The human was easily recognizable, the ‘scars’ across his face and the horns - which the Empress herself had expressed to his wife were not to be commented upon - that were in a very unique shape. Personally, he wasn’t too comfortable with the human getting a pass at imitating their race - especially Kah’Ri’s horns, of all people - but if the service that he’d provided to their race by coming up with the idea of how to find the slavers was enough for Empress Ella’Ven to excuse it, he had to accept it, as well. The man was carrying a tray with a few plates of vegetables on them, including two baked tass’guds.
“I am,” the human replied with a smile, “Sorry for eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation: if you like, you can come sit with me and my fiance; we’re out celebrating our engagement.”
“Oh,” he began sheepishly, “I really wouldn’t want to intrude…” but the human waved him off.
“I’m sure it’ll be no problem; you know how women like to show off their jewelry. It’s just us, so I’m sure it’ll be fine. Besides, I can answer any questions your wife may have about humans, and any social customs she might need to be aware of. Well, any that I know of, anyway.” He finished with a slight chuckle, and Vohr’Sin was torn between not wanting to intrude, but also not wanting to insult the Ambassador by refusing; it was at this time that his wife Vir’Ell walked up.
“I see you’ve met the human Ambassador, love.” He turned to see the yellow-tinted woman that he’d pledged his life to, wearing a light purple tube-top, and matching shorts. Her slender horns swept backward, ending halfway down the back of her head, pointing down.
“I’m Vir’Ell,” she said, directing her attention to the human after exchanging a kiss with Vohr’Sin, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And you, as well,” he replied, “I was just telling your husband that y’all can join me an’ my fiance, if you like. We just got engaged this morning, and I’m sure she’d just love the chance to show off. Of course, I don’t wish to interrupt your own time, if you’d rather eat alone, but it seems that we took the last free table, here.”
“That sounds lovely,” she replied easily, lightly squeezing his tail with her own, “I look forward to meeting your betrothed.”
The human - Kyle, as he asked them to call him - led them inside, and over to an empty table, where they all took their seats.
“I’m sure she went to freshen up,” he said as they all sat down,
“So,” he continued as they all settled down, “I hear you’re on your way to Sol?”
“We are,” Vir’Ell replied brightly, “Several factors have come together to convince the Empress to send an envoy to your system; the two biggest factors being - of course - your own contribution to freeing those enslaved, but also from the fact that even through the outcasts of your society, it is entirely obvious that humans had nothing to do with the enslavement of our people. There are obviously other reasons - ones that she wishes to keep close to her wings - but she has decided that humans will be the first race to whom she will reach out a hand of open friendship. Obviously, this will have to be taken slowly, but we’re hopeful that this could open new avenues of trade and friendship that we’ve been so sorely missing all these years.”
“Well,” Kyle began, “I hope we can come together as peoples, especially since our introduction to the wider galaxy came about in quite similar circumstances.”
“Yes,” Vohr’Sin replied seriously, joining the conversation, “That is something that we - as separate races - can relate to, you more so than others, I’m sure. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to endure the mahn’ewe’s captivity, and I commend you on your mental fortitude to be able to make it through all of that relatively unscarred. I won’t claim to know how you’ve dealt with it since your escape, but the fact that you came out of it without any noticeable xenophobia is exemplary.”
“Yeah, well,” Kyle began a bit darkly, looking off to the side a bit as his mind wandered those detestable halls, “I’m kinda used to misfortune, and holding it against those who brought it on, specifically. As a matter of fact, the mahn’ewe look human enough that it doesn’t even translate the same when looking from even the drahk’mihn to them. And everyone else just looks like ‘humanoid animals’, or ‘insects’, so it’s less of a comparison to the mahn’ewe, and more so towards our own myths and legends. And I guess I can’t really complain about my lot in life, ‘cause if I hadn’t been abducted, it’s likely I never would’ve met my future wife… Who seems to finally be done admiring herself in the mirror.” This last part he raised his voice slightly, obviously addressing someone over Vir’Ell’s shoulder, who was on Vohr’Sin’s right side. Before they could turn to look, a surprisingly familiar voice rang out, the smile audible in her voice.
“Can’t you go anywhere without ingratiating yourself with whatever drahk’mihn may be in the vicinity?” Looking around at the woman who had just walked past them to sit next to Kyle, his heart seemed to stop in surprise, both at who was talking, as well as the tiara she was wearing; and looking at her now, he fully understood why the Empress had directed them to ignore Kyle's choice in horns. Kah’Ri Mih’Rell wrapped her tail around Kyle’s waist - even as he wrapped his around her - and even hooked her right wing on his right shoulder, a wide grin on her face. On her head was what appeared to be the void itself, elegantly wrapped around her head, twined gracefully over her horns so as to appear as if the void really had inserted itself onto her head.
“‘Ri,” Kyle began, obviously enjoying their reaction just as much as Kah’Ri was, “I’d like you to meet Vohr’Sin, and his wife Vir’Ell; they’re heading to Sol, as she’s been appointed the Ambassador to humanity.”
“Oh,” she replied, obviously surprised, “I honestly didn’t expect that, though I suppose Ella would have ample reason to reach out to humans, of all peoples.” Obviously it was common knowledge that the Empress had taken Kah’Ri in when she’d lost her own parents, but somehow it had never occurred to him to imagine anyone being ‘close’ enough to her to call her by a nickname.
“I’m sorry,” Vir’Ell cut in, “But that tiara is absolutely stunning.” Mixed in with the pleasure at such an extravagant praise, there was an obvious strain of pride in their faces as they both grinned, Kah’Ri leaning closer to Kyle.
“Thank you,” she replied, “He made it according to tradition.”
“You made that?!” he couldn’t help but exclaim, causing them to smile even wider, “From what? I recognize the black hole diamonds, but the material that the rest of it is made of…”
Kah’Ri gave Kyle a knowing look, and - still smiling - said,
“Show them.”
Kyle gave her a conceding nod of his head, and fiddled with the small monitor that was strapped to his wrist. Soon enough, a small hologram appeared on the table between them, depicting Kyle in a strange white tree, looking down at a - comparatively - giant red reptile of some kind. There was a seemingly one-sided conversation where he was obviously speaking with the razum’yilahn that was partially wrapped around his neck, the rest of their body disappearing beneath his shirt. They were still able to catch the gist of what they were saying, mainly that he couldn’t kill that creature until they were sure it wasn’t sapient, which would require them going into its mind.
What followed was an epic battle between man and beast, his uplifted canine companion joining the fight once it was clear that it was indeed a fight. And though it fended off any attacks the canine - Cheshire - threw its way, it seemed intent on finishing the one that had invaded its mind. It eventually had Kyle pinned on his back, both claws - and most of its weight - braced on the staff of the spear he wielded, while Cheshire continued to draw its attention. One such attempt resulted in the reptile shifting its mass, causing one of its paws to slip off the staff, producing what would obviously eventually become the tattoo across his face, though his eyes were destroyed beyond repair in the process.
He managed to catch the claw back on the staff again - obviously using the razum’yilahn’s eyes to operate - soon after which a shuttle appeared, its door open, and what looked like an automated weapon hanging out the side. It fired once, catching the reptile in its backside, and doing little more than making the beast angrier. As it hissed at the shuttle, the weapon fired again, and caught it in the throat, opening up a shallow cut, which Kyle wasted no time in exploiting. Bracing the staff between the arches in his boots, he reached down and drew another knife from his boot, and quickly used it to open the cut wider, rolling out from under the monster to avoid the spray of blood. As the hologram cut out, Kyle began speaking.
“I used the skull plate to grind out the tiara itself, though I had to use nanobots to carve out the clasp to hold the two pieces around her horns. The diamonds were a reward for returning a pendant to the ory’lagus who run the black hole mining company, and the sehr’chtahb who originally crafted the first black hole diamond shaped and set ‘em for me, and I used the Gift I took from the Kath’Loo who was holding her father to change the bone so that it absorbs all light; I also had to turn the bone behind the diamond - and every flake of diamond dust - to silver, to have some light reflect back.”
Vohr’Sin was quite taken aback by everything that had gone into making that tiara, and he was beginning to see possibly a bit of what Kah’Ri must have seen in him in the first place. He was only just realizing that Kyle hadn’t seemed phased to have seen a drahk’mihn; which now it was obvious as to why, but it should have been something that he noticed when they first met. Perhaps it was the horns, and his eyes, of course; another thing the Empress had instructed them to ignore. He was also acutely aware of how… desirable that course of events made him.
“Goddess, man,” he said, putting an exaggeratedly jealous arm around Vir’Ell’s waist, “Save some for the rest of us.” That got a good laugh out of the table, shortly after which their waitress showed up to take their orders. Luckily, they all knew what they wanted, and they were soon talking back and forth, sharing anecdotes from their home world, and asking questions about his. They learned a few things that weren’t easily discernible by simple study of their culture through text, or even video. Kah’Ri stayed quiet, mostly, letting them do all the talking about Verem’Jiose; probably since she had been - intentionally - absent from there for so long, it wasn’t like she would have any idea of more recent news, or trends.
All-in-all, it was an enjoyable lunch, with the time slipping by as they ate and talked the meal away. Towards the end of the meal, the women excused themselves to the restroom, and while they were gone, he took the chance to ask Kyle about the possibility of being allowed to hunt one of those lizards himself, as Kyle had informed them that he owned that planet.
“Well,” he began after a bit of thought, “If you do hunt one, you’ll firstly have to do it without your Gift,” that took him by surprise, but Kyle didn’t stop there, “You also have to fight without any kind of ‘modern’ weapon. Which is mostly just saying that you can’t use guns, though nanoblades are not only acceptable, but also needed. And I’ll even make sure that you’re supplied with some mithril to use, as well. And just so you know: not only will you have a guide with you at all times to make sure you stick to the rules I set out, but they can see if you use your Gift.”
He flexed his eyes for a moment, having already explained how they worked - as far as he knew, anyway - to them earlier, when they revealed that that was why Kah’Ri’s eyes were red, instead of purple.
“I understand,” he replied seriously, “I wouldn’t want to disrespect your world.” Kyle nodded once, saying,
“Well then, I think we can work something out. If y’all’re gonna be here for a couple days, I might be able to get in touch with someone who can set up a way to get you there ‘n back.”
“That would be most appreciated.” As Kyle nodded his acceptance of his thanks, an idea came to his mind.
“You know,” he started in a conspirator's tone, “Before we left home, I managed to get my claws on a crate of krav’ashah wine; it’s a ‘luxury’ berry on Verem’Jiose, as it’s hard to farm, and doesn’t produce a very high yield, even when done correctly; aged twenty years. I would be willing to gift a couple bottles to the two of you, in celebration of your engagement.”
Kyle smiled knowingly, and replied with,
“Well, that would also be much appreciated; I’d definitely owe you a lot… You know, the ory’lagus gave me a lot of extra diamonds, not just enough for ‘Ri to make my circlet. Once you get the piece you wanna make for Vir’Ell, I can shape and set a decent-sized one for you.”
“I think we have an understanding,” he said, smiling.
“As do I,” Kyle replied, a smile of his own on his face.
Their other halves came back shortly after that, and after they all said their goodbyes - he had insisted on paying for the meal - he made his way back to the ship with Vir’Ell, already planning the shape of the new tiara he would be carving for her. And while the one he had bought her would always be special to him - a simple golden band, with a blue diamond in the center of her forehead - he wanted to make this one even better; perhaps he could find a way to incorporate her old one…
[Next.] Patreon
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2024.06.02 16:05 BedGroundbreaking975 Staining Question

Staining Question
I just finished building some pantry shelves using 2x2s and sanded plywood. Originally we were planning on painting the top and bottom shelves and staining middle shelf ( counter height one only) a dark colour. (Varthane stain + polyurethane)
But now looking at it we really like the natural look of the wood and were thinking going polyurethane clear coat only.
Trouble is we have lots of areas that are slightly discoloured because of wood filler used to hide nail holes.
How can we hide the wood filler stains and still keep the natural look of the wood?
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2024.06.02 15:54 thatoneboyaiden Daily Song Discussion #310: Haunted Floating Eye

This track was featured on the They Might Be Giants Podcast, and later released on the compilation, Cast Your Pod To The Wind, released as a bonus disc with The Else. How do you feel about this song? What are some of your favorite lyrics? Are there any live versions or demos you like? How would you rank it among the rest of the band's discography? How would you rate it out of 10 (decimals allowed)?
https://youtu.be/31Pv85p-J_k?si=NInpGVzVnse2mEMU
SUGGESTED SCALE: 1-4: Not good. Regularly skip. 5: It's okay, but I might have to be in the right mood to listen to it. 6: Slightly better than average. I won't skip it, but I wouldn't choose to put it on. 7: This is a good song. I enjoy it quite a bit. 8-9: Really enjoyable songs. I rank them pretty high overall. 10: Masterpiece, magnus opus, or similar terminology. A perfect piece of music.
Rating Results
  1. I'm Impressed: 8.26
  2. Take Out The Trash: 7.24
  3. Upside Down Frown: 7.64
  4. Climbing The Walls: 9.52
  5. Careful What You Pack: 8.91
  6. The Cap'm: 9.08
  7. With The Dark: 7.83
  8. The Shadow Government: 7.25
  9. Bee Of The Bird Of The Moth: 8.63
  10. Withered Hope: 8.54
  11. Contrecoup: 7.19
  12. Feign Amnesia: 6.68
  13. The Mesopotamians: 7.83
  14. Put Your Hand On The Computer: 6.38
  15. I'm Your Boyfriend Now: 8.09
  16. Why Did You Grow A Beard?: 7.20
  17. We Live In A Dump: 8.20
  18. Brain Problem Situation: 8.92
  19. Sketchy Galore: 6.11
  20. Microphone: 6.81
  21. Vestibule: 8.33
  22. Greasy Kid Stuff: 6.17
  23. Employee Of The Month: 6.94
  24. Homunculus: 6.75
  25. No Plan B: 6.97
  26. Morgan In The Morning: 3.70
  27. Kendra McCormick: 4.25
  28. Yeah, The Deranged Millionaire: 6.65
  29. My Other Phone Is A Boom Car: 6.89
  30. I Hear A New World: 7.64
  31. (She Was A) Hotel Detective In The Future: 8.07
  32. Haunted Floating Eye:
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2024.06.02 15:18 DeadMetroidvania May 2024 Metroidvania recap: The golden spring (also, important news about nine sols)

Hey everyone, we have reached the end of the spring high season! I think that with all the stuff that came out this spring, we can confidently conclude that it has been the biggest spring season ever for the genre! In regards to May, things have not quite turned out as expected as genopanic ended up not being a metroidvania and Gestalt ended up getting postponed. However, one indie game, Pampas & Selene, did end up being a metroidvania. Let's get to it:

Extremely positive reception

Generally positive reception

Mixed reception

Negative reception

Aside from these releases we have a few stories in the indiesphere: Experimental time-trial retro FPS MULLET MADJACK has been a huge success and metroidvania Cosmic: a Journey Among Shadow has entered early access. Furthermore, a top-down open world puzzle game inspired by zelda came out to a very warm reception. Vampire survivors also got DLC and finally a monochrome link's awakening inspired zeldalike came out in the form of Master Key
And that's it! With spring over we enter the summer low season.. although I am not so sure it can be called a low season seeing as July is turning out to be such a huge month (more details on that later). Nonetheless, June is expected to be small so I think it still applies. If you are interested in past recap lists as well as other useful lists make sure to check out the index which contains them all. The upcoming metroidvania list for June is coming in a few days.
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2024.06.02 15:15 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
submitted by Pyro979 to DungeonMasters [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 15:14 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
submitted by Pyro979 to DMToolkit [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 15:14 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
submitted by Pyro979 to DungeonsAndDragons [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 15:13 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
submitted by Pyro979 to DnD5e [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 15:11 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
submitted by Pyro979 to DMAcademy [link] [comments]

2024.06.02 15:10 Pyro979 Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)

[PWYW] Red Mask Inn: a scalable horror one-shot (levels 1-10)
This is my favorite thing I've written so far. My players who play-tested the adventure had a blast so I hope you all will enjoy it as well.
Upon entering a seemingly innocuous tavern, players quickly realize it’s not the refuge they expected. The innkeeper and his ‘daughter,’ the serving girl, are not what they seem. Beneath their facades lie malevolent beings with a taste for their guests. Facing both mental and physical trials, the players must outwit these monsters before they become the evening’s special.
The players will start their ordeal facing terrifying nightmares. Upon awakening, they must navigate a series of horror-themed rooms intended to weaken them before the ultimate showdown with the “hosts.” Victory over them will not be the end, as they must then escape the crumbling pocket dimension in which they’re trapped.
This module can serve as a standalone one-shot adventure or seamlessly integrate into an ongoing campaign. It’s adaptable to any location or setting and offers scalability for various levels. While the default tone leans toward the darker side, feel free to adjust it to suit your campaign’s ambiance.
This adventure may last between 3 to 6 hours, varying based on the extent to which you utilize the module’s content and your players’ decisions.
Includes:
  • 10 nightmares for your PCs
  • 10 horrifying rooms
  • An epic showdown with an action-oriented final boss "Red Mask" as well as his companion "The Hunger".
  • Instructions for scaling the adventure.
  • Helpful DM tips that will make prep and running a breeze
  • 3 battle maps created in Inkarnate
  • Custom Monster stat blocks and tokens
Art attribution:
Created in homebrewery

Previous Work:

What other DM's have said:

  • Tossed this lil adventure in our D&D world and the players had a blast with all the twists and turns. As a DM I enjoyed the fact that it was well written and easy to run, I didn't have to flip through a lot of mess to run it like I've had to do on some other adventures. Highly recommended. -Jason T via DMsGuild
  • Incorporated this last night into our campaign and had a blast. Biggest hits were the dream sequences, the library lore, bar potions, and the dynamic of having a family of commoners to protect. Players were also impressed with the lair and villain actions. I would recommend this to other DMs as it was easy to prep for, fairly simple to run, and the party had fun! -Ty R via DMsGuild
  • I gave my party trauma and trust issues with this one! It was great time! Chibi_Disaster

Preview

Adding what I could fit into this post - had to cut some info to fit into the limit:

NPCs

  • Redd Traskin - At first glance: The welcoming face behind the bar, always ready with a drink and a story about his culinary adventures. Lurking beneath is a creature known as Red Mask: a malevolent being who ensnares victims with harrowing dreams, rendering them helpless before he claims and cooks them.
  • Nara Traskin - On the surface a seemingly aloof barmaid, introduced as Redd's "daughter", with a penchant for keeping to herself and often notably reserved. But beneath that exterior she is The Hunger, a fearsome entity with a singular, overpowering mission: to satiate her eternal appetite.
  • (Optional) Other guests - a young couple with a child
    • Brent Haskill (26) - Husband of the young couple, blacksmith, friendly, introverted
    • Raida Haskill (25) - Wife of the young couple, leatherworker, gregarious, warm
    • Breeni Haskill (7) - Daughter

Scaling the Adventure

Effect & Trap Damage

Level Light Damage Medium Damage Serious Damage
1 1d4+1 (3) 1d6+2 (5) 1d10+2 (7)
2 1d6+2 (5) 1d8+3 (7) 2d6+3 (10)
3 1d8+2 (6) 2d6+3 (10) 2d8+4 (13)
4 1d10+2 (7) 2d8+3 (12) 3d6+5 (16)
5 1d10+3 (8) 2d10+3 (14) 3d8+5 (19)
6 2d6+3 (10) 3d6+4 (17) 4d6+6 (20)
7 2d6+4 (11) 3d8+4 (18) 4d8+6 (24)
8 2d8+4 (13) 3d10+4 (20) 5d6+7 (27)
9 2d10+4 (15) 4d6+5 (19) 5d8+7 (31)
10 3d6+5 (16) 4d8+5 (23) 6d8+8 (35)

DCs

Level Easy Medium Hard
1-3 10 14 18
4-6 12 16 20
7-10 14 18 22

The Inn at the Cross Roads

At the crossroads, a quaint inn catches your eye. Its simple two-story structure, with walls of weathered wood and a stone base, exudes a rustic charm. A single horse is tethered to a wagon nearby, hinting at the presence of other travelers.
A wooden sign, hand-carved and swinging in the evening breeze, reads "Red Mask Inn" in neatly scrolled letters. Below the name are two theatrical masks, the smiling Comedy and crying Tragedy.
DM Notes
For a one-shot adventure, consider giving the one-shot a different name than "Red Mask Inn" to serve as a red herring. Whether you're running a campaign or a one-shot, you can utilize the classic trope of the characters either meeting at the inn or using it as a place to rest and gather information.
Describe the inn as an unassuming, typical roadside establishment, creating an atmosphere of a routine stop for travelers. In a campaign, it's ideal to introduce this inn after the group has already faced some encounters in the days before. This timing helps to set the stage for what follows, making the inn seem like a normal, much-needed, resting point in their journey.

Inside the inn

As you push open the creaky door of the Red Mask Inn, you're greeted by the comforting warmth of a crackling fireplace and the rich aroma of hearty stew. The inn's interior is cozy, with wooden beams and a few round tables scattered across the room.
Behind the bar stands Redd Traskin, the owner and bartender of the inn. He's a robust man with a warm smile, busy polishing glasses but always ready to strike up a conversation. As you approach, he greets you with a jovial voice, "Welcome, travelers! You must be famished. Our stew today is particularly good, made with fresh herbs from the garden!"
Moving between the tables with a tray in hand is Nara, Redd’s daughter. She seems to be in her own world, efficiently serving patrons but with a distant look in her eyes. If players attempt to interact with her, she responds politely but briefly, maintaining a professional distance.
Seated at a corner table is a young couple with their child. The man, Brent Haskill, has the sturdy build of a blacksmith, while his wife, Raida, radiates warmth and friendliness. Their daughter, Breeni, is a bundle of energy, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looks around the inn. Breeni seems particularly interested in the adventurers, especially if there's a female-presenting member or someone who looks like a seasoned adventurer in the group. This presents a great opportunity for roleplaying and helps to engage the players with these NPCs.

Going to bed

Each room costs 3 sp per night. If your players are cautious, they may decide to set a watch. Ask for the watch order. For the first person on watch: if they ate or drank at the inn, they must make a CON saving throw against the HARD DC ___. Failure results in them falling asleep during their watch.
After some time if a player is not asleep because they (1) did not eat or drink at the inn, (2) succeeded on their Constitution saving throw, or (3) are immune to magical sleep (e.g. due to a feature like Fey Ancestry), they notice something peculiar. The lights in the tavern, if any were lit, suddenly dim, and the normal nighttime sounds from outside the tavern abruptly stop.
This player may try to help wake up the other players as they have their nightmares (see next section). This gives the players advantage on their saving throws.

Dreadful Reveries

Party members who fall asleep will experience nightmares. You can create unique nightmares (plumb your player's back stories or campaign events for ideas) or use the provided list for inspiration. Each dream culminates in a save attempt, allowing players to choose between a WIS, INT, or CHA saving throw, depending on their character's mental strengths. End each nightmare description with "Roll a mental save using your preferred stat." If they fail to wake up, they suffer LIGHT, or MEDIUM if they fail the check by more than 5, non-lethal psychic damage. If they roll a Natural 1 on their save, they gain one level of exhaustion. Either way on a failed save they slip into another dream. The initial save DC is set at HARD and should decrease by one level for each subsequent attempt. It is recommended to do not more than 3 nightmares. If another character is attempting to wake them or if they have abilities that aid in resisting mental effects, they may make the save with advantage.

Nightmares

  1. It's night. You are running through the woods. Brambles and thorns rip at your skin. Something is chasing you, and it's gaining. You hear it coming closer and closer. You stumble, fall, and it's on your back, ready to strike…
  2. You are on a ledge of a narrow cliff. The wind howls, and the rain buffets you. Lightning briefly illuminates the world, revealing jagged rocks hundreds of feet below. Your foot slips, your fingers lose their grip. You begin to fall…
  3. [Not for characters with water breathing] You are underwater. Seaweed tangles around your legs and feet as you try to orient yourself. There is no up, no down. Your lungs burn, and when you can no longer hold your breath, brackish, dirty water rushes down your throat…
  4. You are in a coffin. You don't know how long you've been here. You push up on the lid but the weight of the dirt above renders your effort futile. Your fingers bleed as you scratch through the wood, trying to reach the freshly dug earth. The air grows heavier, and you feel yourself slipping away…
  5. The stars above are beautiful. You try to keep fear at bay, hoping your ship will return. But deep down, you know they won't find you in the vast, uncaring ocean. As you hear a splash to your right, you turn to glimpse a notched fin that was heading in your direction submerge under the water...
  6. The reflection in the mirror isn't you. You chant this mantra, yet the creature in the glass tilts its head mockingly and whispers, “No, not you. Not yet!” Its gnarled hands creep forward, attempting to breach the barrier of the silvered glass...
  7. The cave-in is a minor setback. You've found an exit after an hour. A set of hand-holds lead up towards the surface. In your haste, you squeeze through a narrow ledge. Suddenly, you're stuck, the pressure on your chest blurring your vision and clouding your mind, fresh air just out of reach…
  8. You walk through city streets, unnoticed by the teeming crowd. A growing sense of wrongness intensifies as the figures turn toward you. You only have a moment to dread as you see their faceless heads, when they all then converge on you as one…
  9. After leaving the warm tent, the cold seemed bearable. But a stinging wind and swirling snow soon disorient you. It feels warmer; you shed layers, mistaking deadly cold for heat. You stumble into the soft snow, deciding to rest, just for a minute…
  10. It's twilight in the woods. A dead tree in a clearing, covered in birds, crows or ravens, hard to tell. More cawing, flapping wings, and suddenly, the birds take flight, sharp beaks and claws going for your eyes…

Players Awaken

Once all the players awaken, they will likely attempt to figure out their situation. Should they look out the window, they will see the outside world; however, this view is merely an illusion. Efforts to break through walls, floors, and ceilings will prove futile. Furthermore, utilizing teleportation magic, such as dimension door and plane shift, appears ineffective, except for local effects like misty step or dimension door to a visible location.
Upon opening the door, the players will discover themselves in a long corridor, extending hundreds of feet. The only doors in this corridor are those leading to the PCs' rooms, the room of a young couple, and a black door at the far end of the hallway. Horrified moans and screams emanate from the young couple’s room. If the players choose to intervene and break in, they will find the couple and their daughter inside, all of whom are also experiencing nightmares and can be awakened by the players.
As the PCs make their way down the hallway, they come across a collection of strikingly realistic portraits. Each one captures a different being - humans, dragonborn, gnomes, and more - from a wide spectrum of ages, genders, and races. The subjects are dressed in everything from opulent clothes to plain rags, and some are even armored, weapons in hand. But there's one unsettling similarity across all these portraits: every face is frozen in an expression of sheer terror.
At the end of the hallway, they find the black door, which is unlocked.

Rooms

Upon entering, the PCs have a series of rooms you will guide them through. You can either craft your own rooms or use those included in this adventure. Players might attempt to take a Short Rest in some rooms, and it's up to you whether to allow it or not. You want the PCs battered, but not spent for the final confrontation. If you choose to deny them the rest, narrate psychic pressure to move out of the room - leading to psychic damage on refusal.
The Library
As the party steps into a dimly lit room, they're surrounded by towering bookshelves. The books around them seem to be whispering secrets of forbidden knowledge. Each player needs to make a MEDIUM WIS saving throw to avoid taking MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage from the eldritch knowledge trying to worm into their brain, with the damage halved if they succeed. Those players naturally drawn to knowledge, like Wizards and Bards, will find this more challenging and must make the throw at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, those less inclined towards books, like Barbarians or Fighters, will have advantage. It's up to you as the DM to decide these advantages and disadvantages based on your characters' proclivities.
DM Notes
  • Use this section as a chance to weave in some of your world's lore. It's a perfect opportunity for players to uncover hidden aspects of your campaign's universe.
  • While the books in this room can be physically taken, to avoid players hoarding countless volumes, consider describing how some books disintegrate into ash as soon as they're opened.
The Memory Gallery
In this sparsely furnished room, the walls are adorned with striking paintings of landscapes, ranging from mountain vistas to sunsets over the ocean, and serene forest clearings. As the PCs explore these paintings, focus on one PC and bring a distressing memory from their backstory to life, using the painting they are viewing as the backdrop. This scene then animates before the players. The PC at the center of this memory is faced with a HARD WIS saving throw, with the risk of taking SERIOUS non-lethal psychic damage upon failure, or half the damage if they succeed. Meanwhile, other PCs witnessing this scene must make an EASY WIS save to avoid LIGHT non-lethal psychic damage, suffering no damage on a successful save. Breeni’s past interactions with the affected PC could play a role here. Breeni may hug the PC, granting them advantage on their saving throw.
The Mirror Chamber
In the mirror chamber, walls lined with ornate, grimy mirrors reflect distorted and grotesque images of the adventurers. The air is thick, filled with the unsettling scent of iron and decay. Suddenly, their reflections lunge out of the glass, materializing into tangible, malevolent doppelgängers that attack, forcing the party to confront twisted versions of themselves.
Choose a character's favorite or iconic attack or spell and use it against each player. A single hit on the mirror version or the mirror itself is enough to destroy it.
The Dining Hall
The long wooden table is laden with rotting food: fruit covered in mold, meat moving with maggots, and bread so stale it looks fossilized, all set among goblets filled with a murky, clotting liquid that might have once been wine. Nearby, a platter holds what appears to be a human hand, its skin cooked to a crisp and its fingernails garnished with sprigs of wilted herbs. The foul stench of decay and spoiled meat permeates the room, mingling with the unsettling, almost palpable aura of dread. Players must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw. On a failure, gain the poisoned condition, lasting for 1d4 rooms.
The Hospital Room
Several linen-covered beds on the far side of the room are splattered with dried blood. Bone saws with jagged teeth and other cruel implements are neatly arranged on a side table, gleaming ominously in the torchlight. Drawers with various medical supplies are left half-closed. Several vials labeled as "Healing Potions" sit on a nearby shelf. A MEDIUM Arcana or Medicine check will determine these are actually poison (1d4+1 poison damage). The party may choose to remain here and use some of the supplies to heal up - can be used as a Short Rest opportunity.
The Bathroom
A decrepit wooden bathtub sits in the corner, filled with a stagnant, dark liquid that occasionally bubbles as if something lurks beneath the surface. Next to the bathtub, a stone toilet fixture stands as if hewn directly from the chamber's walls, its bowl filled with an unidentifiable, viscous substance that seems to churn of its own accord. Faint, grotesque sketches are etched into the stone around the toilet, depicting unsettling scenes that make you question the sanity of previous occupants. Blood spatters mar the cracked tiles, leading to a cracked tarnished mirror that reflects a distorted image of anyone who dares to look.
If anyone gets within 5 ft of the bathtub, tentacles will try to grapple them (MEDIUM Escape DC). The tentacles will also deal MEDIUM amount of bludgeoning damage on a successful grapple. Any damage to the tentacles (AC 12) will release the PC.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse is a labyrinth of overgrown, twisted plants, their leaves unnaturally dark and thorns menacingly sharp. A misty, almost phosphorescent fog hangs low, casting a sickly green glow over everything, and making it hard to see what lurks in the corners. Amongst the flora, the party can spot several cages containing withered remains of animals and, disturbingly, a few humanoid shapes — all twisted in expressions of agony, as if the plants themselves had consumed them.
Monster encounter, balance for your party:
Level Range Monster
1-3 Twig Blight (MM 32)
Needle Blight (MM 32)
Vine Blight (MM 32)
4-6 Shambling Mound (MM 270)
Wood Woad (VGtM 198)
Yellow Musk Creeper (TftYP 248)
Animated Tree (VGtM 207)
Assassin Vine (MM 22)
7-10 Corpse Flower (MToF 127)
Tree Blight (CoS 230)
To make things more difficult for the players, you can also add an additional MEDIUM CON saving throw against the fog's effects, with the players taking LIGHT poison damage on failure. Altering the number of monsters is another effective method for adjusting the challenge level. Additionally, if you're looking to incorporate different types of monsters, don't hesitate to use homebrew or reflavored monsters.
The Bar
The barroom is dimly lit by tarnished chandeliers that cast ghostly flickers across worn wooden floorboards. A long, decaying bar counter dominates one side of the room. Its surface is stained and pockmarked, lined with bottles containing strange, discolored liquids. The stools around the bar are unsteady, emitting ominous creaks under the slightest pressure. Notably, one stool bears an unsettling stain, reminiscent of dried blood.
If players choose to consume any of the bottles, roll on the table below to determine the effects. Generally, it's not recommended to allow more than one potion per player (drinking more than one results in vomiting). If an effect doesn't apply to a character, or another player already drank the potion rolled, roll again. The effects last until the end of the adventure. A MEDIUM DC Alchemist Tools, Herbalist Kit or Arcana Check will reveal the properties of the potions. An EASY DC check may reveal partial properties.
# Name Liquid Description Effect Description
1 Reckless Fury A swirling red potion with fiery sparks. [Primary Melee Classes] Every melee attack is treated as reckless (attack is rolled with Advantage, but any attack against the player is rolled with Advantage as well until their turn).
2 Luck be a lady tonight A two-layered liquid, gold over silver. Grants inspiration to the player, and GM gets to force disadvantage at a time of their choosing.
3 Unstable Teleport A misty, shifting blue and gray potion. Gain the ability to cast the Misty Step spell at will. Roll 1d20 for uncertain destination, appearing in a location of DM's choice on 1-10.
4 Size Shift A violet fluid with bubbles. Changes creature size from Medium to Small. No effect on Small creatures.
5 Spell Rejuvenation A glowing, pulsating emerald drink. [Primary Spellcaster Classes] Restores one highest level spent spell slot but causes causes one level of exhaustion.
6 Speed Surge A quicksilver potion with streaks of lightning. Doubles speed but causes jitteriness, disadvantage on Dexterity checks and saves.
7 Painful Retaliation A dark crimson liquid with a thorny vine motif. As a bonus action you can choose to harm a creature at will, causing MEDIUM psychic damage, but take half the damage yourself.
8 Statue Defense A solid gray potion with flecks of stone. As a reaction to taking damage, you can choose to become an invulnerable statue to negate the triggering damage. You are invulnerable and petrified until the end of your next turn.
9 Charge of the Bull A red potion with a swirling vortex. Gain a powerful charge attack: If you can move at least 10ft in a straight line, you can make an attack. If the attack hits, it is treated as a critical hit, and the target is knocked prone. If the attack misses, the player takes MEDIUM bludgeoning damage, is knocked prone, and lands 10 feet past the target.
10 Clumsy Might A creamy potion with bubbles. Advantage on Strength checks and saves but disadvantage on Dexterity-based tasks.
The Stalking Statues
The room is a vast, dimly-lit chamber with four stone statues positioned in various states of distress; their faces contorted in silent screams or buried in their hands as if weeping. The flickering light from a dying chandelier dances across their features, casting ominous shadows that seem to move. Describe the chandelier as flickering in and out. In the darkness, the statues seem to move closer and closer.
You can treat this room narratively to unsettle the players, or turn it into an encounter. For an encounter, roll initiative (the statues always act at the end of the initiative order, and only on rounds when the lights are out). Every other round, either cover the map if playing in person, switch to a blank map on a VTT, or, if using theater of the mind, simply narrate the lights going out. The statues can only move in darkness, which is magical. Some players may have the ability to see through magical darkness. In such cases, the movement of the statues is visible to those players. Players who cannot see in the darkness can move but must declare their directions and distances. The door at the end of the room is unlocked when all statues are destroyed or by using the Knock spell.

Stalking Statues

Medium Construct, neutral evil
Armor Class :: 18 (natural armor) Hit Points :: 3 MEDIUM hits Speed :: 20 ft (can move only in darkness)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 3 (-4) 1 (-5)
Damage Immunities :: poison, psychic Condition Immunities :: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses :: Blindsight 60 ft. Languages :: None
Antimagic Susceptibility. The statue is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the statue must succeed on a CON saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. : False Appearance. While the statue remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal statue. : Dark Step. The statue can only move in darkness. It moves silently. It may not take the dash action. All attacks automatically hit.

Actions

Multiattack. The statue makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM bludgeoning damage. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: automatically hits, reach 5ft., one target. Hit MEDIUM piercing damage. : Grapple. Roll Contested Athletics vs Atheltics or Acrobatics. The statue rolls with Advantage. Reach 5ft., one target. MEDIUM escape DC to break free.

Final Confrontation

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone: : You walk through the door to find yourself in a vast, open kitchen. The air is heavy with the scent of pots boiling over low flames, their contents a mystery. Shadows flicker and stretch across the walls, animated by the dim firelight.
Above, cured meats hang from hooks, swaying slightly in the draft. The countertops are littered with a variety of sinister-looking knives and butchery tools, their edges catching the light with an ominous glint.
At the center of this daunting scene stand Redd and Nara. Redd greets you with a malicious smile. “Now that you’ve been properly tenderized, it’s time for the main course!” he says. In a chilling display, he reaches for his face and peels it away as if it were a mask, revealing the ghastly sight of raw muscles, pulsing veins, and exposed nerves.
Next to him, Nara stands with an unsettling calm. Her hands begin to unnaturally stretch and contort, transforming into deadly claws. As she grins, her mouth widens unnervingly, unveiling a row of sharp, predatory teeth.

Monstrous Hosts

Redd Traskin, also known as Red Mask, and Nara Traskin, known as The Hunger, have hidden their monstrous nature for years by disguising themselves as the friendly innkeepers of the Red Mask Inn. They lure travelers with warmth and hospitality, only to ensnare them in a nightmarish trap. Through their powers of perception and emotion manipulation, they torment their victims in an alternate dimension, relishing the fear and suffering they create. All the while, they maintain their facade as ordinary innkeepers, continuing their sinister feast on unsuspecting guests.

Lair Actions

Initiative :: At initiative order 20, use one of the lair action options
Scalding Water: Boiling water erupts from pots in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Slippery Floors: The floor becomes slick with oil and grease. For the next round, any creature moving across the floor must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw or fall prone. You can avoid this by moving at half speed, but you must declare this before moving. : Whirling Blades: Blades whirl in a line 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. : Flour Explosion: A cloud of flour ignites in a 30-foot radius centered on a point within the lair. Each creature in that area must make a MEDIUM DEX saving throw, taking MEDIUM fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
DM Notes
HP: The HP listed in the stat blocks are simply a guideline. Balance to your party, making sure that the combat lasts some time, but doesn't drag on too long. : Villain Actions: Red Mask utilizes villain actions. This is an action he can take at any point after a PCs action, but limited to one per round.

Red Mask

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 30 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: fire, acid, poison, necrotic Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Terrifying Unmasking. When the mask comes off, each creature within sight must make a WIS or CHA saving throw against an EASY DC. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. : Magic Resistance. Red Mask has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. :

Reactions

I think not! (3/day) As a reaction, Red Mask can choose to succeed on a failed check. However, this requires mental fortitude, so he takes MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage to do so.

Actions

Multiattack. The Red Mask makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Misty Step. Red Mask can cast Misty Step at will as a bonus action. : Butcher’s Knife. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target.
APL to hit bonus damage
1-3 +4 LIGHT
4-6 +6 MEDIUM
7-10 +8 MEDIUM

Villain Actions

How's My Cooking? Any creature that ate food in the tavern must make a MEDIUM CON saving throw or be incapacitated with retching as rotten, maggoty food comes back up. The effect lasts until the end of the affected creature's turn. : Time to Eat! Nara can move up to her speed towards a target and make a bite attack as part of the same action. : See What Awaits You! Red Mask unleashes a wave of mental horror, showing the victims horrific images of previous guests being butchered and eaten. Each creature within sight must succeed on an EASY WIS saving throw or take MEDIUM non-lethal psychic damage.
Tactics
The Hunger prefers hit-and-run tactics, targeting the least armored or most injured characters. If the characters try to focus fire on Red Mask, narrate The Hunger turning it's attention to the Haskill family.
She will try to Bite as at least one of her attacks to keep regenerating hit points.

Nara, The Hunger

Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
APL AC HP
1-3 14 30±10
4-6 16 60±10
7-10 18 90±10
Speed :: 50 ft
APL STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1-3 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
4-6 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
7-10 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0)
Condition Immunities :: frightened, charmed Damage Resistances :: necrotic, piercing, bludgeoning, slashing Senses :: darkvision 60 ft. Languages :: Common, Deep Speech
Voracious Perception. Once The Hunger has tasted the flesh of a creature, it can track the creature by smell, effectively gaining blindsight with a range 30 feet for that creature. : Wall Crawler. With spider-like agility, The Hunger adheres to terrain, crawling along walls and ceilings to approach its victims. : Fleet-footed The Hunger's rapid movements give it a speed of 50 feet, and enemies trying to make opportunity attacks do so with a disadvantage.

Reactions

Bloodthirsty Pursuit. If a creature within 30 feet of The Hunger uses a teleportation ability or spell to escape, The Hunger can use its reaction to immediately teleport to a space adjacent to the escaping creature.

Actions

Multiattack. The The Hunger makes two melee attacks if the APL is 4+, and three melee attacks if the APL is 7+. : Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 10ft., one target. If target not armored, or on a critical hit, add bleed damage for 1d3 rounds. This damage does not stack on multiple hits, instead use the highest rolled value for damage and rounds rolled. This effect can only be removed by magical healing. : Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: reach 5ft., one target. On a successful hit, deal damage as normal, and The Hunger regenerates half of the damage dealt as hit points.
APL to hit bonus damage bleed from claws
1-3 +4 LIGHT 1d2
4-6 +6 MEDIUM 1d4
7-10 +8 MEDIUM 1d6

The Collapse

With the death of its hosts, the reality of this pocket dimension begins to unravel. This is a perfect time to deploy a Skill Challenge. Choose any of the following room descriptions, and let the players decide which skills they want to employ to navigate through the room. The focus here is on the Rule of Cool.
Ideally, these should be rooms the party have already encountered, but you can also introduce new rooms they haven't seen yet. The players can to select any Skill for their roll, as long as it fits the narrative context. Set the DC based on what they're attempting to achieve and its level of feasibility. Spells and other actions taken by the players should also have an impact, provided they logically align with the situation at hand.
Achieving one or two successful outcomes should be sufficient to pass through a room. In case of failure, introduce a complication, such as a character sustaining an injury, acquiring a level of exhaustion, or suffering a temporary condition like being frightened, poisoned, or even blinded. In such scenarios, other party members may need to assist the affected player.
DM Notes
Here you should aim to instill a sense of urgency and desperation. Monitor your players closely. As they approach their limits, consider making that room the final challenge. Remember, they don't need to complete every room you've planned.

Time to Run

Suggested flavor text - read in your own voice / tone:
As you land the final blow, a momentary stillness ensues, briefly allowing you to reflect on your victory. But there's no time for celebration. A low hum begins to resonate through the space, growing louder with each passing second. Around you, the walls and ceiling start to crack and splinter. Suddenly, a wall in front of you collapses, revealing one of the rooms you passed through earlier. Behind you, the ceiling is collapsing. The way forward is through...
[Note, I had to cut the descriptions of rooms on the way back to fit into char limit - see PDF]

Conclusion

As you burst through the door, you're back in the long corridor you first encountered as you woke up. At the far end, you glimpse the outside world. You sprint towards freedom as the corridor crumbles behind you, the destruction nipping at your heels. In a desperate leap at the last possible moment, you escape... and the sudden tranquility of the night envelops you. The quiet, so starkly contrasted with the preceding chaos, strikes you with its intensity. Surrounded by the serene sounds of the forest, the peace feels almost otherworldly, a surreal end to your harrowing journey.
You stand at a crossroads, where an old structure looms, clearly long abandoned. It leans precariously, a silhouette against the night sky. Moonlight filters through its collapsed roof, casting ghostly shadows across the crumbling walls. The scene, bathed in a silver glow, is both haunting and strangely serene.

Loot

Tucked away behind the inn, the adventurers might notice something peculiar about the compost heap — it seems to occasionally sparkle with the glint of metal and the shimmer of gemstones. Upon closer inspection and a bit of rummaging, they'll discover that this isn't just any old pile of refuse; it's a resting place for treasures that once belonged to the inn's unfortunate previous visitors.
You can use the rules for Treasure Hoard Tables from DMG p133 to see what the players can find.
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