GRYMM

HOUSE
Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2: The Snowstorm 3
Chapter 3: Exploring Grymm House 4
Downstairs 4
Upstairs 11
Outdoors 15
Dinner 18
Chapter 4: The Coach 19
Chapter 5: The Final Battle 23
Chapter 6: Conclusion 28

Credits and Legal 30

Note from the Author 31
Chapter 1: Introduction
When a group of adventurers become Cóiste Bodhar (koe-shta-bower)
lost in a heavy snowstorm which appears
In Irish mythology there are numerous tales
unexpectedly out of nowhere, they are glad
of ghostly chariots, headless horsemen
to take refuge at Grymm House. However,
and fairy spirits. The Cóiste Bodhar is one
everything is not as it seems and the
such legend; a black coach drawn by a
situation rapidly proceeds from unsettling to
team of black horses, driven by a headless
terrifying!
horseman called the Dúlachán (anglicized
Grymm House is a spooky one-shot D&D as Dullahan). The sight of the coach is the
5e adventure for 4-6 level 3 players. harbinger of death. The Cóiste Bodhar
is often associated with the Bean Sídhe
(Banshee), a female spirit who heralds the
Summary of the Adventure approach of death by screaming and wailing.
Grymm House begins with an unexpected According to folklore, once the Cóiste
snowstorm from which the adventurers are Bodhar has been summoned it cannot
rescued. They take refuge at a dilapidated return without collecting a soul.
house in the middle of nowhere. The owner,
Darrell Mordaunt, seems welcoming and The Grymm House adventure borrows the
is happy to assist them in catching the mail mythological concept of the Cóiste Bodhar
coach to proceed on their way. Unfortunately and inserts it into the world of Faerûn. In this
it turns out that the coach is actually the story, one who eludes the coach may escape
Cóiste Bodhar - the Death Coach - which death. A magical piano made of ancient
has come to take Darrell to the afterlife. He wood plays music for the Banshee to sing,
plots to have the party climb into the coach and thus the coach is summoned.
in his stead, thus setting him free from death
forever. The party manages to escape but Spirits
cannot avoid leaving one of their friends
The spirits of Darrell’s murder victims haunt
behind. The remaining party members must
Grymm House. A list of victims’ names are
defeat Darrell and re-summon the coach if
provided in the Secret Room; DMs should
they are to stand any chance of saving their
feel free to add more if required. Bear in mind
friend.
that although the name Ereon Rosegrove
appears on this list, he is not dead and so
The Villain will not appear as a spirit.
The DM should know from the beginning
that Darrell Mordaunt (otherwise known Attunement
as The Master) is the villain. Darrell has
Time is twisted inside Grymm House. Due
spent a number of years figuring out how
to the time constraints of this adventure,
to cheat death and has murdered hundreds
magical items which would normally require
of innocent people in the process. Now he
attunement do not.
has finally discovered how to live forever, by
summoning the Cóiste Bodhar and sending
someone else in place of its intended The Setting
victim. While it may initially appear that his The adventure is set in Icewind Dale, in the
servant Benrak is also part of this evil plot, far north of Faerûn. The party is heading
it eventually emerges that he is merely a from Easthaven to Bryn Shander, which is
pawn whom Darrell is magically controlling a 14 mile hike along a paved road called
and forcing to do his evil bidding. the Eastway. The fastest way to travel is
by dogsled - but dogs are expensive and
require food, water and shelter, so in most
cases adventurers travel on foot. In good

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 conditions the journey would be expected
The month was Uktar, and my friends
to take perhaps 7-8 hours. The party made
and I were following the Eastway road
it about halfway before a sudden snowstorm
across the snowy plains of Icewind
arose and slowed their progress.
Dale towards the town of Bryn Shander.
The adventure refers briefly to places in Our aim was to arrive by Moonfest and
Faerûn and the Calendar of Harptos, but spend the feast day in one of the city’s
these references can easily be changed many taverns, honoring the memory
and the adventure can be dropped into of our ancestors. The day was warm
any setting where it’s reasonable to expect for the time of year; there had been
snowy weather at that time of year. some light snow the previous day but
the air was calm and we were making
good progress along the road.
Equipment
The party members begin the adventure with Suddenly the wind began to blow
a set of cold weather clothing - a heavy fur sharply as we crossed the bleak wide
coat or cloak, a fur-lined hat or hood, fur- moor, our footsteps crunching on the
lined leather boots and gloves, and a pair earlier snowfall. Feathery flakes began
of snow goggles. The wearer of such attire to fall from the sky, fluttering down
automatically succeeds on saving throws heavily upon the heather as the dark
against the effects of extreme cold. This evening skies closed in all around. I
clothing can accommodate normal armor shaded my eyes and stared anxiously
underneath it if so desired. into the gathering darkness, but the
view was obscured by the increasingly
heavy snowstorm. There was nothing
Timeline for it but to walk onwards.
The story takes place over a single evening. The snow fell steadily and the cold
The first part of the adventure involves night came rapidly upon us. Our
roleplay, exploration and one optional prospects darkened along with the sky
encounter, and can be run more or less in and our hearts grew heavy. We began
real-time as the party explores the house; to fear that we would freeze to death
this should take about 3 hours and can be out here on the moor. The road we were
timed. The second part of the adventure following was notorious for travelers
involves two encounters and a puzzle, and becoming lost in bad weather and we
will take perhaps another 2 hours. were afraid we would meet the same
fate. Every now and then we stopped
Adventure Hook and shouted, but our shouts only
seemed to make the silence deeper.
Our story begins in a tavern, as so Then suddenly in the thickening night,
many stories do. This particular tavern a wavering speck of light appeared!
is warm and lit by flickering flames; a Filled with hope, we ran towards it,
fire burns in the corner of the room until out of the snowstorm emerged
and beside it sits a hooded figure in an elderly dwarf carrying a lantern.”
a long dark robe. The figure raises a
black-clad arm and beckons the other So, my friends: What happens next in
patrons to come and sit nearby. this story?

“The story I am about to relate to you

happened many years ago, though I The players find themselves within the story,
remember it as if it were only yesterday. which continues with them as participants.
Some call it a ghost story - however, it
was no ghost that set these events in
motion.

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Chapter 2: The Snowstorm
A strong wind blows wildly across the open blankly as dark red blood seeps out of deep
tundra, blasting icy cold snowflakes through wounds in their bodies.
the air in swirling gusts. It’s difficult to see
and even more difficult to walk as the snow He tells the party that Bryn Shander is a
grows ever deeper. The lantern bobs closer further seven miles north-west across the
and the dwarf carrying it yells “Hello?”. moor - a four hour walk on a good day but at
least twice as long in this snow, plus there’s
Snowstorm also the risk of getting lost. Many travelers
along this road have fallen foul of the
The snowstorm makes all outdoor areas weather and the party will likely not survive
difficult terrain and lightly obscured. the snowstorm if they attempt to continue
Movement speed is halved and creatures on foot. He says they should have taken the
have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) mail coach, which stops at Grymm House
checks that rely on sight or hearing. The every evening and takes perhaps two hours
howling wind quickly extinguishes small to reach Bryn Shander. He suggests the party
flames and erases tracks in the snow. could come home with him and get warm by
the fire, have some dinner and seek refuge
The Servant from the snow, then catch the mail coach
in a couple of hours time. He then stomps
Benrak is a small, stout dwarf with a brown off into the snow, leaving the main road and
beard that is turning gray. He is dressed in a heading toward Grymm House.
dark fur-lined cloak and is carrying a hooded
lantern. A dagger and a small handaxe hang The track heads north across the barren
on his belt and a longbow is slung over his moor. The snow seems to be getting even
shoulder. On his back he carries a large heavier and it’s becoming difficult to see,
sack. but Benrak knows where he’s going. With
his lantern held high he marches ahead,
dragging his blood-soaked sack behind
Roleplaying Benrak
him and leaving a red trail which is quickly
Benrak never quite makes eye contact; covered by the falling snow.
he always seems to be looking just
past the person he’s speaking to. He
also has a tendency to refer to people
as “it” and he refers to himself in
the third person. He is very grumpy
but every now and then he chuckles
randomly.

He is currently on his way back home after

hunting rabbits. A DC10 Perception check
will alert the party to blood smeared all over
his hands… if this is mentioned he will shrug
and evasively say “it’s nothing” then wipe
his hands on his clothing. However the party
will also notice red stains on the sack and a
trail of blood drips behind him on the fresh
white snow. The sack contains two bloodied
rabbit corpses which have clearly been shot
with the longbow. The rabbit corpses are still
warm and soft, and their glassy eyes stare

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 Chapter 3: Exploring Grymm House
In the distance a building looms out of the of the porch. The double doors inside are
snowstorm, illuminated by glowing lanterns made from heavy dark oak studded with
hanging on the front porch. Approaching iron nails like the doors of a prison. On both
closer, it becomes apparent that this is an sides of the doors are stained glass windows
old manor house which may once have which glow a deep blood-red as the light
been beautiful but is now sadly dilapidated. from within spills out into the night.
The dirty brickwork is crumbling and partly
covered by snow which has blown against Stepping inside reveals a hall with bare
the walls and lies in deep drifts. Above the stone walls and a tiled floor, lit by torches
door is a carved stone bearing the words held in brass sconces on the walls. Ahead
GRYMM HOUSE. is a double door flanked by two suits of
armor. These are Grymm Guardians which
were created to protect Darrell; their False
Appearance ability makes them appear to be
In the unlikely situation that the party
just ordinary suits of armor.
has killed Benrak, they can make
a Survival check to follow the track Benrak takes the party inside and shouts to
northwards by themselves, and the DM tell The Master that they have guests. He
will need to invent a replacement NPC invites the party to remove their outdoor
who will appear at the door and take clothing and leave it in the Entrance Hall. He
the servant role going forward. then leads them through into the Great Hall.

Jump Scare
DOWNSTAIRS When Benrak yells that they have guests,
shout loudly without warning!
Room 1: Entrance Hall
The porch of the house is large and imposing.
Heavy lanterns hang on ornately carved
stone pillars at both sides of the entrance. A
decorative wrought iron gate fills the archway

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Room 2: Great Hall lamp, A polished wooden cabinet stands
against the left wall and by the fireplace
As the double doors swing open a cold
is a side table bearing a green vase. Over
draft emerges. For a second there is a
by the window is a piano decorated with
faint sound, like a thousand voices all
detailed carvings of various animals.
whispering together... then silence.
The hall is wide and grand, with stone Benrak is still carrying the sack which
walls and gray porcelain floor tiles. On leaves a trail of bloody drips across the
the right a staircase with an ornate floor. He asks the party to wait here and
wrought iron handrail leads upwards excuses himself.
into the darkness. Looking up, the hall
is double height with a balcony running PCs who search the walls will notice
around the upper floor. It may once have skulls woven into the pattern of the
been grand but now it looks dusty and wallpaper. The polished cabinet contains
tired. Tattered blue tapestries hang on glasses and decanters of amber liquid
the walls and flames spill from torches which appear to be whisky and brandy.
which throw a flickering light that barely There is also a small crystal decanter
reaches the ceiling, which remains containing red liquid; this is a Potion of
veiled in shadow. The torchlight dances Greater Healing.
on weapon displays which decorate The piano is obviously very old judging
the walls; they are covered in dust and by the worn texture of the wood. It looks
look like they haven’t been touched for unlike any sort of wood the party has seen
decades. before and they are unable to identify
The hall is 30ft tall. The weapons on the it. The carvings on the piano depict a
walls are clearly for display purposes panther, a wolf, a displacer beast and a
only; the swords and axes have no edge dragon. Tiny flakes of paint suggest that
and the shields are just thin pieces of the panther and displacer beast were
painted wood with hangers fastened once painted black, and the wolf and
to the back. There is also an archery dragon were once painted white. If a PC
rack with two real longbows and twenty presses the piano keys they will discover
arrows arranged in a fan shape. A PC who that they make no sound.
succeeds on a DC13 Investigation check
will notice that one weapon doesn’t PCs who make a successful DC14
seem as dusty as the rest; this is a +1 Perception check will overhear a
weapon (DM’s choice of weapon). conversation outside in the Great
Hall. Darrell asks Benrak what on
earth is in the sack and tells him to
When the party first enters the
clean up the blood that’s all over the
Great Hall, Benrak immediately
floor. When Benrak tells him how
beckons them through into the
many guests are in the Drawing Room
Drawing Room.
waiting for the coach, he complains
that it was foolish to bring so many
people because the party could
Room 3: Drawing Room attack and overpower them. He says
The door opens into a warm, bright room he hopes they are good honorable
with a fire burning in the fireplace. The people who will just climb on the
walls are clad in peeling green wallpaper coach and leave. He tells Benrak to
and a large patterned green rug lies on light the fires in the guest bedrooms
the floor. The room is furnished with upstairs then go to the Kitchen and
comfortable chairs and sofa which are cook the rabbits. Then he heads into
arranged around a low table holding a the Drawing Room to meet the party.

5
 The Master If questioned about the mirror in the Dressing
Room upstairs, he will appear saddened and
Darrell Mordaunt is a tall human with a will explain that there were many travelers
hooked nose and a furrowed brow topped whose lives he was unable to save, so it
with a shock of white hair. He is dressed in a is possible that their spirits live on in the
faded red robe. house.
He is very welcoming and grants permission
for the party to stay and enjoy his hospitality
until the mail coach passes by in a couple If Darrell is attacked at any point
of hours on its way to Bryn Shander. He before the final battle, he will play the
invites them to rest in the guest rooms part of the defenseless old man who
upstairs until the gong rings for dinner; the kindly offered shelter to strangers,
mail coach will arrive shortly afterwards. The and will beg them to stop. If the party
Master Bedroom at the front of the house is persists in attacking him he will cast
private but they are welcome to make use of Invisibility and hide in the Drawing
the other bedrooms. He then returns to his Room. His goal is to get the party
study and closes the door. onto the coach; it would be imprudent
to kill them when he needs them as
human sacrifices.
Roleplaying Darrell
Darrell is very formal and polite,
with a soft voice which is almost a
whisper. He has a tendency to gaze
unblinkingly which makes people feel
uncomfortable. When he smiles it
doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Darrell is not keen to discuss his work, apart

from saying he is a researcher who has lived
out here in isolation for many years with only
servants for company, so that he may work
in peace. He has been studying the great
mystery of life for decades and feels he is on
the cusp of making a major discovery.
If confronted with further information about
the contents of his house, he will admit
that he is researching how to save lives. He
believes he is close to discovering the secret
to preventing death and nobody need ever
suffer or die again. However, in order to cure
death he needs to study it.
He claims he chose this house on the edge
of the remote moor because many passing
travelers get lost in the snow and end up
seriously injured. He attempts to save their
lives - and if he cannot, at least he is able to
study them as they die, with the goal of one
day being able to save the lives of others. He
freely admits that the deceased are buried in
the grounds outside.

6
Room 4: Dining Room The sideboard contains plates, silverware
and glasses. PCs who make a successful
The room is dark and lit only by the moonlight
DC12 Perception check will notice that it’s
reflecting from the snow outside. A large
suddenly very cold; their breath begins to
table with a dusty tablecloth and eight red
steam in the air and the glass of the door
leather chairs takes center stage. It stands
has frost forming on it in the shape of two
on top of a red rug which once upon a time
small handprints. If a PC looks closely at the
was finely woven with patterns made from
glass it suddenly cracks.
gold thread, but now it’s old and threadbare.
Nearby stands a heavy oak sideboard with
brass handles, and mounted on the wall Jump Scare
above it is a large painting of a hunting scene;
When the window cracks, use a prop to
painted dogs chase painted foxes across a
make an unexpected loud noise!
painted landscape. Beside it stands a large
gong. A chandelier filled with unlit candles
hangs from the ceiling. Glass doors look out If the party leaves the room and returns,
onto a snowy terrace with an ornamental the painting on the wall has changed. The
pool of icy blue water surrounded by snow- painted dogs have caught the painted foxes
covered statues. and started to rip them apart, and painted
The party may light the candles on the blood drips from their frothing jaws. Looking
chandelier which hangs easily within reach. closely the party will see that what looks like
actual blood is dripping from the side of the
frame and forming a small red pool on the
floor.

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 Room 5: Library If the party attempts to enter the room while
Darrell is present, he is not keen to let them
The library is a large room with shelves
into his private study. If they persist he
reaching up to the ceiling. Numerous dusty
becomes quite indignant and tells them how
tomes fill the shelves, covering all manner of
rude they’re being. If they insist on forcing
subjects including history, alchemy, religion
their way in he will leave, using his Misty
and magic. The window are dressed with
Step or Invisibility spells if necessary.
faded blue velvet curtains. In the center of
the room stands a long table with various The books piled on the floor are mostly
books scattered across it. Alongside it are history books about people who lived
two chairs with worn blue velvet seats. exceptionally long lives; a few are alchemy
books describing how to make healing
The books on the table describe a variety
potions and elixirs. The drawings on the
of different things. A magic book describing
wall are a complete mish-mash of different
a spell called Death Ward; a history book
arcane symbols; a PC who makes a
about a group of powerful druids who age
successful DC14 Arcana check may notice
very slowly; stories of paladins and monks
that some are summoning runes, some are
who are able to remain on the verge of
banishing runes, some are transmutation
death when they should have died. All of
runes… it’s apparent that Darrell has been
these books have been tossed aside with
experimenting with a variety of magical
ONLY STOPS DEATH TEMPORARILY scrawled
spells. The laboratory equipment is the sort
across the pages.
of thing which a PC who makes a successful
DC12 Arcana check would be able to identify
Room 6: Study as potion making equipment.
The room is small and cozy, and a heavy The papers scattered on top of the desk
black velvet curtain has been drawn across include the following (see Appendix 4 for
the window. A fire burns in the fireplace and printable papers):
an upholstered chair stands next to it. There
is a small table holding a glass goblet and • A receipt for the purchase of five sacks of
a jug of wine. Opposite the fireplace are flour and three sacks of rice.
shelves containing a number of books and
a variety of laboratory equipment including • A receipt for 30 bottles of wine.
crucibles and flasks. The floor is covered with • A bill for the delivery of a wagon of
piles of books and paperwork of all kinds. In firewood.
the corner is a desk which is also covered in • A letter from the Vault of the Sages
books and papers. It all looks normal except library in Silverymoon, saying
for the fact that the walls are whitewashed unfortunately they do not have the
and scrawled with strange diagrams. requested papers in their collection.
• A letter from Candlekeep library
The DM can choose to have Darrell near Baldur ’s Gate, apologising for
leave the study at any point, leaving being unable to acquire a copy of the
the door invitingly open as he heads documents.
over to the Drawing Room. In an ideal • A letter from the Bard’s Wisdom library in
game this would happen towards the Calimport, stating that they have never
end of the exploration when the dinner heard of the requested music.
gong sounds. However if the party is
very persistent the DM may choose to • A letter from the Black Library in Hudid,
have Darrell leave earlier. stating that they believe they have the
required item.
• A receipt for the purchase of a broken
antique piano from a shop called Curious
Past in Waterdeep.

8
• A riddle scrawled on a small piece of The most recent entries in the books are:
paper
Gralmir Lightfront: Poisoned. Attempted
• A clipping from the “Ten Towns Times” to save the subject using Death Ward spell.
newspaper. The party will be aware that FAILED.
Bryn Shander is one of the Ten Towns
in Icewind Dale. The newspaper notes Meldus Lorak: Stabbed. Attempted to save
that more people have disappeared in the subject using Potion of Resistance.
bad weather on the moors near Grymm FAILED.
House; this time a human named Ereon Lidza Strongspark: Drowned. Attempted
Rosegrove and his wife Eilana. to save the subject using Potion of
Invulnerability. FAILED.
The receipts are irrelevant and are just to add
flavor; however smart PCs may realize that Elduin Fagella: Hanged. Attempted to save
these food items are nowhere to be seen in the subject using Glacial Ring. FAILED.
the Kitchen. The newspaper clipping reports
Ereon Rosegrove: Lament of the
the disappearance of Ereon Rosegrove,
Voiceless. Attempted to save the subject
who is imprisoned in the Cellar. The riddle
by sending his wife instead. SUCCESS!
is the password to free trapped PCs from the
Secret Room. PCs who make a successful DC12 History
check will recognize some of the names in
The letters are evidence that Darrell has
the books as travelers whose names they
been searching for a piece of music called
have seen on missing persons posters.
“Lament of the Voiceless”. PCs who make a
successful DC14 History check would know The chest contains several valuable items
that the institutions named in the letters are which were taken from murdered travelers.
various libraries in Faerûn. The Black Library These are Cloak of the Bat, Thieves Tools,
is thousands of miles away in Zahkara, south Gloves of Thievery and Stone of Good
of Faerûn, and is a repository for the safe Luck (see Appendix 6). There is also a pouch
keeping of foul tomes and evil dangerous containing 18 gold pieces.
writings.
A PC who makes a successful DC12
Investigation or Perception check will see
scuff marks on the floor where the shelf
unit swings open to reveal a secret room.
Examining the books on the shelf closely
will reveal a black leather-bound book with
a blank spine; this opens the secret door.

Room 7: Secret Room

The room is small and contains shelves
and a chest. The shelves contain a number
of black books marked with dates on their After a few seconds the floor of the room
spines; the books on the top shelf have glows slightly and the door suddenly swings
dates that go back at least fifty years, while closed. A PC who makes a successful DC10
those on the bottom shelf are more recent. Arcana check will realize that the floor is
These are Darrell’s records of people he has inscribed with magical runes which identify
murdered. The books contain lists of names who is in the room and use an Arcane Lock
and what look like causes of death. to trap anyone who is not authorized to be
there. The PC will also know that an Arcane
Lock usually has a password.

9
 Room 10: Kitchen Corridor
Jump Scare
The single-storey corridor leading away from
Make a loud bang when the door the main house is dark and cold. Open shelves
swings closed! stand on either side of the door, stocked with
basic homewares such as blankets, towels,
soap, buckets and scrubbing brushes.
A PC who makes a successful DC10
Perception check will be able to see the Room 11: Kitchen
locking mechanism on the back of the
door which connects to the book, and will A fire burns brightly in a large stone fireplace,
notice a faint purple glow which implies illuminating a sparsely furnished kitchen.
it’s locked with magic. They will also see The once neatly tiled floor has obviously
a gap under the door which is about half been given a basic scrubbing but years upon
an inch tall; enough to pass a small item years of grime have built up in the corners
underneath. where the floor meets the walls. Benrak
is sitting on a small stool by the fireplace
Pulling the book again will not work. If the roasting rabbits on a spit. A large kitchen
party has solved the riddle they can say table stands in the corner and next to it is a
the word “Piano” to open the door. Other tall cupboard. Cured hams and bunches of
methods of escape include the Knock spell dried herbs hang from the ceiling and pots
(which suppresses Arcane Lock), Thieves and pans are stored on a wall rack nearby.
Tools or brute force (successful DC20 Opposite the fire is a wooden bench with
Dexterity or Strength check respectively). a tattered cushion on top. In the corner a
Using the Gloves of Thievery and Stone spiral staircase leads up into the darkness.
of Good Luck will add +6 to a Dexterity
check when attempting to pick the lock. As the party enters Benrak will ask if they’ve
come to find out where their dinner is, and
he assures them he will bring it to the Dining
Room 8: WC Room and bang the gong when it’s ready.
This small dark room contains an empty
Searching the room reveals that the cupboard
chamber pot and a small wooden table
contains serving dishes and other basic
with a bowl and a jug of water on top.
kitchen implements. On top of the kitchen
table is a large knife and a plate holding a loaf
Room 9: Rear Hall of bread, as well as a large smear of blood
The tiny hall has a parquet floor which is which a DC10 Medicine check will identify as
scuffed and clearly hasn’t been polished rabbit blood. Both doors are unlocked and
for years. There is a heavy back door Benrak’s cloak, longbow and quiver hang
which is locked but can be picked with on the wall by the left-hand door.
a successful DC14 Dexterity check with
Thieves Tools, or burst open with a Benrak is not keen to let the party
successful DC14 Strength check. go upstairs into his room; a successful
DC15 Persuasion check will be
required in order for him to agree, or a
DC15 Stealth check to sneak past him
unnoticed. He will not resort to violence
however; if attacked he will flee into the
main house, returning when the coast
is clear.

10
 UPSTAIRS Room 14: Master Bedroom
The double doors to this room have molded
Room 12: Balcony brass handles shaped like skulls. The doors
are closed but as the party approaches they
The stairs lead upwards onto a dark balcony. swing open by themselves with a CREAK.
The only light here is what little spills upwards Again they hear the murmuring noise they
from the Great Hall below; it’s dim but heard when they first entered the house; as if
sufficient to illuminate five doors arranged a thousand voices were whispering together.
around the walls.
The room inside is dark and cold. Just
inside the door is a small table holding an
Room 13: Green Bedroom unlit lantern. The room also contains a four-
This room has a fireplace with a roaring poster bed with a worn red velvet cover and
fire and a large bed with green silk covers. tattered curtains. The fire is unlit and beside
A deep green rug lies on the floor. Next to it stands a sofa and two chairs.
the fire are two soft green armchairs and a
sofa with numerous cushions. In the corner The whispering noise continues; it seems to
stands a closet and a small table near the be coming from the door in the corner.
door holds a lit lantern.
The closet smells slightly musty but is
Room 15: Dressing Room
The red windows from the Entrance Hall
empty. If a PC looks out of the window into
below continue up into this room and the
the darkness, the reflection is slightly out of
lights outside shine in through the glass
sync; a brief delay as if it were copying rather
than reflecting. with a blood-red glow. Along one wall are a
number of closets which contain a variety
Suddenly the bed covers begin to move, of robes which might once have been of
as if there’s something underneath them. fine quality. A large mirror hangs on the wall
Something breathing… heaving… and a wet between the windows... and the whispering
ragged sound which chokes and gurgles. is coming out of the mirror.
If the bed covers are pulled back the sound
stops abruptly and a large dried bloodstain
is revealed on the mattress. This is where
Meldus Lorak was stabbed to death.

11
 A PC who gazes into the mirror will see a
crowd of spirits filling the room. These are Jump Scare
the spirits of people murdered by Darrell.
Make a loud noise when the book falls
The ones closest behind the PC match the
off the wardrobe!
descriptions of recent murder victims: there
is a dwarf who has vomited down his beard
(Gralmir Lightfront was poisoned), a gnome
whose chest is soaked with blood (Meldus The book is a copy of the Book of Helm
Lorak was stabbed), a halfling who appears (a holy book venerated by followers of the
to be soaking wet (Lidza Strongspark was god Helm). Inside the front cover a name is
drowned), and an elf with rope around his written: Ereon Rosegrove. In the back of the
neck (Elduin Fagella was hanged). If the PC book a prayer for Guidance is written: this
has seen any of these ghosts in the house provides one use of the Guidance cantrip.
they will recognize them. There is no way There is also a prayer for Life which provides
for the party to interact with the spirits and one use of the Revivify spell, and a prayer
they are only visible in the mirror; the room for Healing which provides one use of Mass
appears to be empty. Cure Wounds.

The first PC to look into the mirror doesn’t

recognize themselves and cannot recall
their own name. They do however know the
names of those reflected in the mirror. Their
eyes turn white and a voice issues from their
throat as the lips of each spirit move in turn:
I am Gralmir Lightfront, I am Meldus Lorak,
etc. They will continue to do this until they
are dragged out of the room or the mirror
is smashed, at which point the PC stops
reciting names and their memory returns. If
the mirror is smashed the whispering stops.

Room 16: Blue Bedroom

This room is slightly smaller than the Green
Bedroom but similarly furnished. There is
a roaring fire in a fireplace surrounded by
chairs and sofa, a bed with blue satin covers
and a furry blue rug. A small table holding a As the PC reads the book, they hear a THUMP
lit lantern stands near the door beside a large outside in the hall. Only the PC holding
closet. The closet is empty and everything the book will hear this. If they run outside
seems normal. they see an elf with a rope around his neck
hanging from the opposite handrail outside
As the party looks around the room, the blue the Green Bedroom. He twists and chokes as
curtain hanging across the window moves as he dances on the end of the rope; his eyes
though something brushed against it. Then bulge and his tongue pokes out. This is the
there is a quiet tapping sound, as if someone ghost of Elduin Fagella. The PC may rush
were knocking on the window. Looking out to help but before they can reach him he
of the window reveals it’s just tree branches disappears.
blowing in the wind and tapping on the glass.
Suddenly a small blue book falls off the top
of the closet! Jump Scare
Make a loud noise when there’s a
THUMP outside in the hall!

12
Room 17: Red Bedroom If the party has not run away screaming by
now, the light dies a third time... and when it
This is the smallest of the guest bedrooms.
returns the closet is closer still but the doors
A fire burns in the grate and a single chair
are closed... and the PC nearest to the closet
stands beside it. A knitted red blanket is
is missing.
thrown over the bed and a threadbare red
rug covers the floor. Two small closets stand The closet is a portal to the grounds of
either side of the window. Grymm House. A PC who is sucked inside
will find themselves outside in the snow next
Suddenly the fire flickers and begins to die
to the shallow grave of Elduin Fagella.
as if it’s going out, but there is no discernible
breeze or any obvious reason why this
should happen. As the light gets lower there Remember that the area outdoors is
is a rushing sound, as if the darkness were dimly lit up to 30ft from a lit window,
rushing in to fill the void left by the light. and is also difficult terrain and
Then suddenly the fire roars back to life and lightly obscured.
lights up the room. The right-hand closet
has moved closer in the brief darkness. If the PC removed their cold weather
clothing and left it indoors they will
feel bitterly cold. They can re-enter
the house through any of the doors,
or even break a window (successful
DC15 Strength check) if they’re so
inclined. A PC who is not wearing
cold weather clothing and who does
not immediately rush back indoors
will need to make a successful DC10
Constitution save or gain one level of
exhaustion.

Room 18: Bathroom

The bathroom is small and dark. An empty
bathtub stands in the corner next to a rack
holding a damp towel. There is also a chamber
pot and a small table with a bowl and jug on
top. A DC14 Investigation check will show
slight traces of blood on the bathtub.
Whilst in this room a random PC feels a
brush on their sleeve and notices a bloody
handprint appear. There is nothing obvious
which has caused it; everyone’s hands are
clean.

If the party does not leave the room

immediately, they see the flames beginning
to die down again, and they hear the rushing
sound... this time the closet moves even
closer and when the light returns the doors
are wide open.

13
 Room 19: Kitchen Landing Room 21: WC
This small dark landing serves to access the This small dark room contains a full bucket
servants’ quarters above the kitchen. This and nothing else. It smells terrible; the smell
area of the house is not well maintained; seems to permeate this entire upstairs area.
the paint on the walls is chipping and the
slightest touch sends brown scabs falling to
Room 22: Benrak’s Room
the floor. The first thing that is apparent is
the smell: it reeks of a stench that’s like a The room is small and bare. A worn rug lies on
combination of sweat and sewage. The smell the floor underneath a dwarf-sized bed with
has no obvious source. a straw-stuffed mattress. A rough wooden
closet stands in the corner. The wardrobe
contains several items of threadbare dwarf-
Room 20: Empty Room sized clothing.
The room is dark and has a pile of straw on the
floor. A successful DC14 Investigation check A dark shape scuttles out of the shadows
will reveal a lock on the outside of the door, and races under the bed. It’s a rat, which if
although it is not currently locked. It would caught or killed (successful DC10 Dexterity
be reasonable to assume that someone - or check to catch, or attack roll higher than
something - was locked in here. Of course AC10 and 1 damage to kill) is revealed to be
Darrell will deny any knowledge of this, carrying a human finger in its mouth.
while Benrak will say he was keeping rabbits
in there so he didn’t have to go out and hunt
them. In actual fact this is where Eilana
Rosegrove was previously imprisoned.

14
OUTDOORS Room 24: Garden
To the rear of the house lies a garden filled
The grounds of Grymm House are dimly lit with twisted leafless trees and shrouded in
within 30ft of a window with a light inside. fog. It feels wrong somehow but it’s difficult
Beyond is darkness. to say exactly how. It takes a second to
Remember that the ground outdoors is realize that the garden is completely silent.
difficult terrain and lightly obscured No animal noises. No birds. No sounds in
due to the snowstorm. Movement speed the distance. Nothing but the snow falling in
is halved and creatures have disadvantage soft silent drifts.
on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely A PC who examines the snowy ground will
on sight or hearing. If a PC is not wearing discover that an area near the house has
their cold weather clothing they will feel been recently disturbed; digging down a
extremely cold and if they don’t hurry back few feet will reveal the corpse of an elf in
indoors they will need to make a successful a shallow grave. The elf has a rope around
DC10 Constitution save or suffer one level of his neck. This is Elduin Fagella, the most
exhaustion. recent murder victim who was strangled to
death. Anyone who saw the ghost of the elf
Room 23: Stable Yard hanging from the balcony earlier will realize
that this is the same elf. The corpse has a ring
The cobbled yard is dark and covered in
on its finger which shimmers with blue light;
snow. In the center of the yard is a well
this is a Glacial Ring. A PC who puts it on
with a bucket tied to a rope. At one side is
will immediately feel warm and experience a
a lean-to containing a mountain of firewood
bizarre sensation of time suddenly slowing
and several agricultural implements such as
down.
spades and sickles. The yard also contains
an empty stable with dusty old straw; there
has not been a horse here for a very long
time.
The first PC who peers into the well will feel
an overwhelming urge to throw themselves
in. They must succeed on a DC14 Charisma
saving throw or be compelled to leap into
the well. They will fall 20ft before they hit the
water and take 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
They can use their reaction to make a DC15
Athletics or Acrobatics check to hit the
surface head first. On a successful check,
any damage resulting from the fall is halved.
Other PCs who are within 10ft will also be able
to react; making a successful DC14 Athletics
or Acrobatics check will allow them to grab
the PC a split second before they leap. A PC
who survives the fall may climb back up the
rope with a successful DC12 Athletics check
(assuming the bucket and rope are lowered
down to them). Alternatively they can hang
onto the rope and be winched back up by a
PC at the top who makes a successful DC12
Strength check.

15
 Room 25: Terrace After this incident the party hears
a scraping sound - when they turn
At the side of the house is a paved area
around the snow-covered angels have
fenced off from the rest of the garden
dropped their hands from their faces
with a pool of icy water in the center.
and are staring right at them with arms
There are wooden seats alongside the
outstretched. Their eyes gaze blankly
pool. Near the house stand four snow-
but their mouths are open and they’re
covered statues of weeping angels, their
baring sharp icy teeth.
faces buried in their hands.
These are Snow Angels created by
The falling snow lands on the pool and
Darrell to protect Grymm House. Their
floats in a translucent slurry. PCs who
job is not to prevent people getting in,
make a successful DC10 Perception
but to prevent people getting out. They
check will faintly see something orange
patrol the grounds and attack anyone
under the water. Disturbing the slurry on
who looks like they might be trying to
the surface reveals the face of a female
escape.
halfling wearing an orange tunic… her
mouth is open and she is screaming… The party may examine the angels;
and drowning. This is Lidza Strongspark they seem to be ordinary sculptures
who was drowned by Darrell. A PC who made from snow and ice, and they do
plunges in to rescue her will find that not radiate any magical aura. They will
she disappears and there’s nothing to however react if attacked. If the party
be found in the water. They may however attempts to depart from the Terrace in
recall seeing her among the spirits in the any direction other than through the
mirror in the Dressing Room. glass doors into the Dining Room, the
angels will assume they are attempting
to escape and will immediately respond.
Jump Scare
When describing the drowning ghost,
let out a sudden scream!

16
SNOW ANGEL ACTIONS
Medium Construct, Unaligned Multiattack. The angel makes two attacks: Chill,
Freeze, Grapple or Shove. The angel can also make
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor) a Bite attack against a grappled target as a bonus
Hit Points 25 (3d8+12) action. After a successful Bite the angel can choose
Speed 30 ft., fly 30ft. to keep its teeth firmly in the target’s neck and the
target has disadvantage to escape the grapple.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16(+3) 8(-1) 18(+4) 10(+0) 8(-1) 3(-4) Bite. Melee weapon attack +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
grappled target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage plus
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire 2(1d4) cold damage.
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Chill. The angel lashes out at one creature it can
Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks see within 5 feet of it. The target must make a DC10
Damage Immunities Cold, Poison, Psychic Dexterity saving throw to dodge the angel’s hand. On
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, a failed save the angel touches the target. An icy chill
Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned spreads from its fingers as the target’s flesh begins to
Senses Blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this turn to ice and it takes 3(1d6) cold damage.
radius), Passive Perception 9
Languages Understands the languages of its Freeze. The angel targets one creature it can see
creator but cannot speak within 30 feet of it. Snow whirls around the target,
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 chilling them to the bone. The target must make a
DC10 Constitution saving throw against this magic.
Immutable Form. The angel is immune to any On a failed save, the target begins to freeze, becoming
spell or effect that would alter its form. restrained.

Magic Resistance. The angel has advantage on A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0 and it
saving throws against spells and other magical cannot benefit from any bonus to its speed. Attack
effects. rolls against the creature have advantage and the
creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage. The creature
Magic Weapons. The angel’s attacks are magical. has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Snow Step. Difficult terrain composed of snow or The target can repeat the saving throw at the end
ice does not cost the angel extra movement. of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Cold Remedy. When the angel is hit by an attack
that deals cold damage, it takes no damage and
instead regains 1d6 hit points.

The angels’ goal is not to kill, but to

restrain the party and prevent them from
escaping. They will use their Freeze ability to
immobilize the party and will then attempt
to grapple and bite. A successfully grappled
PC will be dragged back towards the glass
doors leading to the Dining Room and
thrown inside. However if the party persists
in attacking the angels they will retaliate with
their Chill ability and additional bites (they
may use their bite on a PC who is grappled
by another angel).
If the party retreats inside the house and
stops attacking the angels, they will freeze
in position again. But they will be watching...
and waiting... for anyone who ventures
outdoors again.

17
 DINNER On the dining table is a bottle of Exeltis
wine, a platter holding a loaf of bread and a
When the exploration of the house is knife, and a skinned and cooked rabbit with
completed, Benrak summons the party to the head still attached and the roasted eyes
the Dining Room by banging the gong. If they staring blindly.
don’t appear within a few minutes he will go
looking for them and bring them back to the All PCs must make a successful DC14
Dining Room. Constitution check or they begin to feel
nauseous and vomit lumpy green bile all
over the table. The vomit drips onto the
Jump Scare floor and smells bizarrely like flowers; it
take a moment for the party to realize that
The gong can be very loud!
it’s the scent of decay. Looking up, they
see a white-bearded dwarf standing beside
the table… he retches and vomits into his
hands. The vomit drips through his fingers
If the party has not yet explored the onto the floorboards and runs slowly down
Study, as they walk past they will see his beard. Then he looks directly at them
that the door has been left wide open and fades away… and the vomit disappears
and the room is empty. The party too. They may recognize the dwarf from the
doesn’t know this but Darrell is in the mirror in the Dressing Room: this is Gralmir
Drawing Room preparing to play the Lightfront who was killed by poisoning.
piano to summon the Death Coach.
At a suitable moment the party hears a
loud scream! Unknown to them, this is the
Banshee outside. They are unable to tell
exactly where the scream came from or who
made the sound.

Jump Scare
Do a loud Banshee scream!

When Darrell summons the Death Coach

he speaks his own name, so the coach
intends to take him. Then he retreats back
to his study to peer out of the window, and
when the coach arrives he uses his legendary
Powerful Illusion ability to make the coach
look convincingly like a mail coach. His plan
is to persuade the party to climb on the
coach in his place.

18
Chapter 4: The Coach
Benrak informs the party that the mail coach The coach departs, jolting and shaking along
is outside and it’s time for them to leave. the road as it goes. Then suddenly it begins
They will need to put on their cold weather to travel more smoothly. A successful DC10
clothing and pick up their backpacks. Perception check will reveal that the coach
has left the ground and soared into the air!
As they step outside it’s still snowing heavily. The windows and doors cannot be opened
The air seems even colder than before and or broken, but the party will notice that the
it’s difficult to breathe. In front of the house handles snap off and the glass is covered with
stands a sturdy carriage harnessed to four mildew. The coach is not just in a poor state
thick-coated horses which stamp in the of repair; it’s actually decaying. Looking out
snow and snort out steam. The lights on of the windows it is apparent that whatever
the front of the carriage glow warmly and illusion had previously concealed the coach
it looks cozy and inviting. PCs may make a has dissipated. The Coachman is no longer
Perception check if they request to do so (at wrapped in furs, but instead wears a long
disadvantage due to the falling snow) but black cloak and appears to be completely
seeing through Darrell’s legendary Powerful headless! The carriage is also black, as are
Illusion ability requires a successful DC22 the horses.
roll, so they are unlikely to perceive anything
other than a normal mail coach. A successful DC10 History check suggests
that this is the Cóiste Bodhar - the Death
The Coachman is wrapped up in thick fur Coach. According to legend, the coach is
clothing from head to toe. He does not speak the harbinger of death; it comes to claim
but merely gestures to the door of the coach. a mortal soul and it cannot return from
If the party is not keen to leave, Benrak will whence it has been sent without a passenger.
beg them to get into the coach. Recalling the scream that was heard earlier,
the party will recollect that the arrival of the
coach is always heralded by the screams of
The party must climb into the coach
a Banshee.
in order for the story to progress.
If the party does not want to enter the The passengers move their heads slowly and
coach, Darrell will use his legendary look at the party. Their eyes glow with a fiery
Compel ability to make them feel an unnatural luster and their faces are as white
overwhelming desire to put on their as corpses. Their bloodless lips draw back
outdoor clothing and climb on board in the agony of death to reveal the gleaming
in order to get away from this terrifying teeth within. They are Coach Zombies and
place as soon as possible. they attack the party at close quarters. Until
they are defeated the doors and windows of
the coach will not open.
Riding the Coach The coach is only 10ft wide and movement
The interior of the coach is clad with dark red is limited. The zombies have a reach of 5ft
leather and tasseled red silk shades decorate so only the PCs in the furthest seats are safe,
the windows. When the party climbs inside and only these PCs will be able to make
the coach they note a further chill in the air ranged attacks without disadvantage. Moving
and an unpleasant damp smell. The only out of attack range permits the zombie to
light comes from the lamps on the front of make an attack of opportunity. Tactically
the carriage which shine dimly through the the zombies will prefer to attack the closest
windows. Two passengers already occupy target, but if a target is prone they will take
the vehicle, both sitting silently, absorbed in the opportunity to bite!
their own thoughts.

19
 COACH ZOMBIE If the coach is a-rockin, don’t come a-knockin!
When the zombie takes 10 or more damage in a
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil single attack the impact rocks the coach. All creatures
including zombies must succeed on a DC10 Dexterity
Armor Class 11 (Natural Armor) saving throw or fall prone.
Hit Points 42 (5d8+20)
Speed 20 ft. Turn Resistance. The zombie has advantage on
saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
ACTIONS
18(+4) 7(-2) 16(+3) 8(-1) 10(+) 6(-2)
Multiattack. The zombie makes three attacks: one
Saving Throws DEX +0, WIS +1 Bite and two Claws.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned Bite. Melee weapon attack +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage.
Languages Understands Common but cannot
speak Claw. Melee weapon attack +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) slashing damage.

20
After the fight is concluded, a successful Suddenly the moon briefly shines out from
DC14 Strength check or a DC14 Dexterity behind a rift of stormy clouds and it becomes
check with Thieves Tools can open the doors, apparent that the snow has stopped! A
but the coach is still plunging through the mountain ridge can be seen below, with
sky into a dark gulf of night. a deep drift of soft snow piled alongside.
A fall from 40ft would usually cause 4d6
Climbing across to the driving seat of the bludgeoning damage, but PCs may leap
coach is very dangerous and requires a out into the deep snow which will halve the
successful DC20 Athletics or Acrobatics falling damage.
check. A PC who fails this check will fall from
the coach. The catch is this: The last PC to attempt to
leave the coach will find themselves unable
The Coachman will not respond to any to do so, as if some sort of force prevents
requests to stop the coach. If he is attacked them from leaping out. The Cóiste Bodhar
or an attempt is made to seize the reins, cannot return from whence it has been sent
he will use his Haunting Laughter ability to without a passenger!
cause the party to leap from the coach. As a
last resort he will use his Dark Dream ability
to strike them unconscious and make them
fall from the coach.

THE COACHMAN ACTIONS

Multiattack. The Coachman makes two attacks
Medium Fey, Lawful Neutral
with his whip.
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
+2 whip. Melee weapon attack +10 to hit, reach
Hit Points 85 (10d8+40)
10 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) magical piercing
Speed 30 ft.
damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage. A target
struck by the whip is blinded for one minute.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18(+4) 14(+2) 18(+4) 16(+3) 14(+2) 10(+0) LEGENDARY ACTIONS

Saving Throws STR +6, CON +6, WIS +5 Legendary Resistance (3/day). If The Coachman
Damage Immunities Bludgeoning, Piercing, and fails a saving throw he can choose to succeed
Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks instead.
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Haunting Laughter. The rotted head which
Frightened, Incapacitated, Paralyzed, Petrified, The Coachman carries under his arm laughs
Poisoned hideously. All creatures within 30ft must make a
Senses Blindsight 120 ft., Passive Perception 13 DC15 Wisdom saving throw or be haunted for one
Languages All languages minute. A haunted creature cannot move within
Challenge 10 (5900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 10ft of The Coachman and must spend its turns
trying to move as far away from The Coachman as
Headless. The Coachman carries his head under possible. The Coachman’s horses are immune to
his arm. The only time he speaks is to say the this effect.
name of the person whose death is imminent.
Dark Dream. The Coachman can command one
creature within 30ft to fall into a dark dream.
The target appears to fall asleep and becomes
unconscious.

21
 PCs who have fallen to the ground will see It’s freezing cold, the party has no idea where
the coach soaring away into the sky and they are and there are no visible landmarks.
will hear the screams of the PC who is still They can however see the signpost and
trapped inside. There is a distant rumble follow the fence along the farm track to reach
of thunder and a sudden flash of lightning Grymm House. This will take approximately
which illuminates a signpost: “Grymm 20 minutes.
House, ½ mile”. A farm track leads off into
the darkness in the direction indicated by Attempting to head in any direction other
the sign. than along the farm track will leave the party
struggling through deep snow. They will need
to make a successful DC15 Constitution
saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion
(a PC wearing Glacial Ring is immune to this
effect). At each level of exhaustion they will
circle back to the signpost and have another
opportunity to head back to Grymm House.

22
Chapter 5: The Final Battle
The party returns to Grymm House. If the
Grymm Guardians in the Entrance Hall had B: So it’s finally over now Master?
previously been moved or attacked, they M: Yes, it’s over. The Cóiste Bodhar
have been repaired and returned to their has departed and taken the souls of
original positions. Upon entering the front the living.
doors, the party hears voices which they
easily identify as Darrell (The Master) and B: But the coach came for you Master?
Benrak. The player who remained trapped in
M: Yes, the coach came for me. But it
the coach now becomes Benrak and reads
has taken a living soul and its duty is
the script on the right.
fulfilled. I have escaped death! Now I
The Master then begins to chant magical cannot die - I will live forever! I have
words which PCs who make a successful finally done it! After all these years - I
DC10 Arcana check will recognize as a have done it!
Control Person spell.
B: But those people Sire… those poor
people… you’ve killed them! The
coach took them instead of you! It’s
not right!
M: Hush! You will obey me!
B: No Master, please… not again…
don’t make me!

23
 Fighting The Master At the start of each round The Master may
use his lair action to summon forth the
The Master will not concede that what
spirits of Gralmir Lightfront or Meldus
he has done is wrong. He believes he has
Lorak to attack his opponents. He may
finally thwarted death and can use his
also summon Lidza Strongspark to
knowledge to save the great and good,
make the ground difficult terrain in
who need never die. He thinks the end
the hope of preventing melee attackers
justifies the means and the hundreds of
reaching him; this is a particularly good
people he has killed are a worthwhile
tactic if he is upstairs and this effect is
sacrifice.
used on the stairs. If a melee attacker
If the party rushes through the door and is running towards him he may summon
attacks without talking first, they will get Elduin Fagella to restrain them. He will
a surprise round against The Master. also use his legendary Grymm Ghosts
He is already connected to his Grymm ability to summon spirits which can
Guardians so his AC is boosted and shield him from attacks.
they will absorb any damage he takes.
If The Master is hit with an attack the
The Master’s goal during the battle is Guardians will absorb the damage; the
to stay away from the party as much party will see a glow as the attack fails to
as possible. He has very low hit points cause any damage to The Master, and
and armor class, although the latter is a corresponding glow appears on the
boosted by his Guardians. Guardians. On his turn he will cast an
attack spell or cantrip; however if he is
As soon as the fight begins, the being directly attacked he will cast Misty
Guardians will enter the Great Hall Step or Invisibility to escape.
and attack the party. The Master will
immediately get as far away from the
fighting as possible by using his Misty
Step ability to blink up onto the balcony
surrounding the hall. The Guardians will
position themselves at the bottom of the
stairs to prevent access. The hall is 30ft
tall so the balcony is roughly 15ft from
the ground with a 3ft handrail around it;
a PC wishing to jump, climb or fly up to
the balcony would need to clear a height
of 18ft. The ground level of the hall is
brightly lit by three torches so Cloak
of the Bat cannot be used unless the
torches are extinguished. The balcony
remains in shadowy dim light.

24
THE MASTER Compel (1/day). The Master can compel up to six
creatures to do an action of his bidding. This allows
Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil him to force the party to get into the coach. He will
not use this spell for any other purpose.
Armor Class 12 (Unarmored)
Hit Points 22 (5d8+0) Powerful Illusion (1/day). The Master can cast an
Speed 30 ft. illusion which requires a successful DC22 Perception
check to see through. He uses this to make the Death
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Coach look like a normal mail coach. He will not use
10(+0) 14(+2) 10(+0) 18(+4) 12(+1) 10(+0) this spell for any other purpose.

Saving Throws INT +6, WIS +3

LAIR ACTIONS
Damage Immunities Poison On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), The
Condition Immunities Poisoned Master takes a lair action to cause one of the following
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11 effects; he can’t use the same effect two rounds in a
Languages Common, Elvish row:
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
He calls the spirit of Gralmir Lightfront, who
ACTIONS projectile vomits onto one creature that he can
see within 5ft. The target must succeed on a DC14
Unarmed Strike. Melee weapon attack +1 to hit, Dexterity saving throw, taking 6 (2d6) acid damage on
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 (1d3-1) bludgeoning a failed save, or half as much on a success.
damage.
He calls the spirit of Meldus Lorak, who pulls a
Spellcasting. The Master is a 4th-level spellcaster dagger from his own bleeding chest and stabs one
who uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability creature that he can see within 5ft. The target must
(spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell attacks). succeed on a DC14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 6
The Master knows the following spells from the (2d6) necrotic damage on a failed save.
wizard’s spell list:
Cantrips (at will): Fire Bolt, Mind Sliver, Shocking He calls the spirit of Lidza Strongspark, a drowned
Grasp spirit who drips water in a line 20ft long and 5ft wide.
The area becomes difficult terrain for one minute.
1st Level (4 slots): Shield, Magic Missile When a creature enters the spell’s area for the first
2nd Level (3 slots): Invisibility, Misty Step time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a
DC14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it falls
LEGENDARY ACTIONS prone.

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If The Master He calls the spirit of Elduin Fagella, who wraps
fails a saving throw he can choose to succeed the rope used to hang him around the neck of one
instead. creature that he can see within 5ft. The target must
succeed on a DC14 Strength saving throw or be
Move. The Master moves up to his speed without restrained until the top of the next round.
provoking opportunity attacks.
REGIONAL EFFECTS
Grymm Ghosts. The Master calls forth the spirits
of 1d4 creatures that died in Grymm House. These The region containing Grymm House is warped by
apparitions act as his allies and obey his spoken the sheer force of evil surrounding The Master, which
commands. They do not attack; their purpose creates the following effects:
is to create a wall to protect The Master. The
apparitions remain until destroyed or dispelled, or The Master can alter the weather in a 5 mile radius
until The Master is defeated. On each of his turns centred on Grymm House. The effect is similar to
The Master may move any or all of his Grymm the Control Weather spell except it lasts for up to 12
Ghosts up to 60ft. in any direction. hours and The Master does not need to be outdoors.
If a snowstorm has been invoked the ground in this
Extended Control Person (1/day). The Master area becomes difficult terrain and lightly obscured.
can cast Control Person and make the spell last
for 24 hours. This allows him to keep Benrak The souls of The Master ’s murder victims gather
permanently under his control. He will not use this around Grymm House, causing Scary Events (see
spell for any other purpose. This spell does not Appendix 2) to happen at random.
require concentration. If the spell is interrupted
If The Master is defeated these effects end immediately.
it is wasted.

25
 GRYMM GUARDIAN
Medium Construct, Unaligned

GRYMM GUARDIAN Bound. The shield guardian is magically bound to its

creator. If the guardian is within 60 feet of the creator,
Medium Construct, Unaligned any damage the creator takes is transferred to the
STR Class
DEX 18 (Natural
CON INT WIS CHA guardian.
Armor Armor)
14(+2) 11(+0)
Hit Points 13(+1)
34 (4d8 + 16) 1(-5) 3(-4) 1(-5) Shield. When a creature makes an attack against
Speed 25 ft. the creator of the guardian, the guardian grants a +2
bonus to the creator ’s AC if the guardian is within
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 60 feet of the creator. This effect stacks if there are
14(+2) 10(+0) 18(+4) 6(-2) 8(-1) 4(-3) multiple guardians.

False Appearance. While the guardian remains

Saving Throws INT +0, WIS +1 ACTIONS
motionless it is indistinguishable from a normal suit
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic of armor.
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Multiattack. The guardian makes two melee attacks.
Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, ACTIONS
Punch. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Petrified, Poisoned
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this one target. Hit:
Multiattack. The5 (1d6 + 2) makes
guardian bludgeoning damage.
two melee attacks.
radius), Passive Perception 7
Languages -- Punch. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage.

GRYMM GHOST Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move

through other creatures and objects as if they were
Medium Undead, Unaligned difficult terrain. If it ends its turn inside an object, it is
shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and takes 5
Armor Class 10 (Natural Armor) (1d10) force damage.
Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40ft. Solid as a Rock. The ghost solidifies itself in position
until the spellcaster controlling it tells it to do
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA otherwise. It forms a 6ft tall barrier and nothing can
6(-2) 6(-2) 16(+3) 4(-3) 6(-2) 12(+1) physically pass through it.

Damage Resistances Acid, Fire, Lightning, When the ghost reaches 0HP or is dispelled by the
Thunder, Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing Remorse cantrip it disappears with a sigh of relief.
from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Cold, Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion,
Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified,
Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Any languages it knew in life
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

26
Benrak Defeating The Master
The Master was interrupted while casting When The Master is defeated, there is
the Control Person spell so Benrak is a brief blast of wind and snow around
friendly and fights alongside the party. Grymm House. Then it stops abruptly.
His clothing is scale mail and he has his For a moment the silence is deafening.
dagger and handaxe on his belt; he can Then there is a sound like a thousand
easily grab a longbow and arrows from faint footsteps. The air gradually
the wall displays in the Great Hall. coalesces into the form of spirits… not
one, or ten, but a thousand of them.
The player whose PC remained trapped
in the coach will play Benrak in the final They crowd together as they stream out
battle. Provide them with the character of Grymm House into the still night air. A
sheet and text from Appendix 7. Benrak dwarf wipes vomit off his beard and nods
is a Ranger with the Cure Wounds spell as he walks away. A gnome rubs blood
which might be useful to the party if they off his chest as he follows. A halfling
lack healers. He also has a Remorse brushes back her wet hair and smiles.
cantrip which he can use to dispel An elf removes a rope from around his
Grymm Ghosts. neck and throws it on the floor where it
fades and vanishes.

If a PC died during the battle and

was not revived, their soul marches
out with the rest.

If the party did not destroy the

Snow Angels earlier and they head
outside to look for them, they find
four large piles of rapidly melting
snow beside the front door.

27
 Chapter 6: Conclusion
After the Final Battle Ereon Rosegrove
Suddenly there is a gasping noise! The Ereon is a human with thin dark hair and
severed head of The Master chokes and pale skin. His clothes hang on his skeletal
wheezes, his eyes blink and blood runs from frame and he is slumped in the corner of the
his mouth. The coach came for his soul and filthy cage. One of his fingers is missing and
departed without him… which means he his hand is covered is dried blood. PCs may
is now immortal. So he continues to live, correctly surmise that this is the finger which
no matter how many pieces he has been they earlier retrieved from a rat.
cleaved into. His hands twitch and claw at
the ground, and his broken body jerks as his He is so weak he can barely speak, but he
innards spill out onto the floor. His lips move is able to gasp out an explanation of what
imperceptibly as he begs for mercy... mercy happened to him. He and his wife Eilana
which the party cannot grant because he has sought shelter during a snowstorm and The
finally succeeded in his quest for eternal life. Master imprisoned them. Then he played
a piano to summon Death. A dark coach
Benrak explains that The Master has killed came, and Ereon felt drawn to it and knew
hundreds of passing travelers in an attempt it was meant for him. But The Master forced
to find a way to prevent death. He has been Eilana into the coach and sent it on its way.
murdering people for decades, and has Now Ereon lives… and lives… and lives…
used his magic to keep Benrak prisoner
and force him to do his bidding. There are To prove that the experiment had been a
diaries which describe everything that has success, The Master starved Ereon, and
happened; Benrak will happily show the watched with glee as he became a living
party where the diaries are kept. skeleton but could not perish. The Master
declared this to be a great success, but
Ereon suffers. All he wants is to die and be
Room 26: Cellar with his beloved Eilana.
Benrak leads the party to the Kitchen and
pulls a lever which is concealed inside the Diaries
fireplace. A flagstone at the foot of the spiral
staircase slides aside and the stairs continue The diaries explain that for many years The
down into the darkness. As the party enters Master used a Control Person spell to force
the Cellar they see numerous large crates Benrak to assist with his evil experiments.
and barrels containing supplies such as He would create a magical snowstorm and
flour, rice and wine. make Benrak lure a traveler to the house
for shelter. Then he would apply magic to
Walking past these food stores reveals a the traveler and kill them to see if it could
scene of carnage. The light of three flickering prevent them dying. He inevitably failed,
candles illuminates various magic circles then he forced Benrak to bury the body.
drawn on the floor. A bottle of poison labeled
with a skull and crossbones rests on a desk Finally he came across the ancient legend
in the corner alongside various knives and of the Cóiste Bodhar and hit upon the
instruments of torture. There is a chair with idea of sending a replacement instead of
remnants of rope tied to it which has been the person who was supposed to die. After
knocked over and broken. Dried blood is lengthy research he was able to track down
everywhere. a legendary piano which was said to be able
to summon the coach, and he located the
In the corner is a cage containing a man who sheet music which had to be played upon it.
is not just thin but skeletal. This is Ereon He tested his theory on Ereon, and when it
Rosegrove. was successful he planned to repeat it with a
new victim to make himself immortal.

28
If the party does not realize that they can play
the piano to re-summon the Cóiste Bodhar “And that is the end of my tale, dear
and free their friend, Ereon can request them listeners.” Suddenly we are back in the
to summon it to set him free from immortality. tavern, where the fire has burned low
When the party summons the coach (see and the darkness has drawn closer.
puzzle in Appendix 3), the trapped PC is still The black-cloaked figure reaches out a
inside. They have increasingly deteriorated gloved hand and takes a coin proffered
and their flesh is beginning to rot. Putting by one of the patrons. As the hood slips
another individual into the coach (Ereon, or back slightly there is a brief glimpse of
the pieces of The Master, or possibly both) a skeletal face and sunken eyes. “Of
will release the PC. The horses stamp their course, nobody lives forever. Eventually
silent hooves and the Cóiste Bodhar rises they all died, as tends to happen to the
into the sky. living. Myself of course - I was dead
to begin with. The dead - the UNdead
Unfortunately nobody recovers from a ride in - cannot die again. So I suppose in a
the Cóiste Bodhar: the rescued PC is now way, the only one to whom The Master
Undead. granted eternal life… was me.
At this point it becomes clear that the hooded
figure telling the story is the Undead PC.

29
 Credits and Legal
Illustrations created by Kelly Smith.
Maps created by Kelly Smith with RPG Map Editor 2. https://deepnight.net/tools/rpg-map/
Tokens created by Kelly Smith using Token Stamp 2. https://rolladvantage.com/tokenstamp/
Parchment backgrounds, snow backgrounds and clip art from Adobe Stock https://stock.
adobe.com/
Appendix 3: Sheet music image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alain-le-
Renard_(Alan_al_Louarn).svg
Appendix 3: Piano keyboard from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Musical_
keyboard.png

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eber-
ron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names,
and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other
countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such
material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon
Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by Kelly Smith and published
under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

30
Note from the Author
Some might say that storytelling is in my blood. I have Irish heritage and I love all of the
traditional folk tales, so it was a natural choice for me to incorporate these myths and
legends when creating my own adventure. Some of these legends (such as the Banshee)
already appear in D&D, while others are my own adaptations of stories that have been told
and retold for centuries.

The story is divided into two main parts; firstly the exploration of Grymm House including
a brief encounter with the Snow Angels, and secondly the two main encounters with the
Coach Zombies and The Master. DMs who wish to extend the duration of the game may
wish to insert additional encounters during the exploration section. This will of course
mean that additional time must be allowed for that part of the adventure.

Whilst writing this adventure I realized that a ghost story itself is not enough; you also need
to know how to tell it. For some this comes naturally, but others may appreciate the guidance
provided in Appendix 1. To add to the atmosphere, Appendix 2 contains suggestions for
Scary Events which can be slotted into the story as the DM sees fit. Appendix 3 contains
a puzzle; if your players aren’t keen on such things feel free to remove it and just ask for
a Performance check to play the written music. Appendix 4 contains a variety of printable
papers, not all of which are essential to the story, but they create a feeling of realism. DMs
who are particularly enthusiastic may wish to lay out “The Master’s Desk” on the gaming
table, complete with the papers and additional items such as a candlestick, paperweight,
pen, books, tankard, etc.

Some may find it controversial that a PC’s character is removed from their control in Chapter
4; however I tend to think that a one-shot should be different from a normal campaign and
should offer roleplay options that wouldn’t normally be available. If your players would not
enjoy this then I suggest the DM should play Benrak as a NPC in the final battle and the
immortal character in Chapter 6 should become Ereon Rosegrove. This is also a useful
tactic to bolster a small party which would benefit from an extra player.

The spelling throughout the Grymm House adventure is American English in order to align
with the style of the official D&D books. My nationality is British/Irish so I apologize if any
non-American spellings have slipped through unnoticed!

31