Dollar Dangers are Pay What You Want quests & encounters you find yourself doing in between adventures. They can be obtained from bounty boards, tavern patrons, local law, etc. Each Dollar Danger is broken down into digestible information:

• The Overview - What is this task or encounter about? Mostly information the Game Master needs to run it.
• Setting - Where does it take place?
• Objectives - These are the requirements to complete the encounter.
• Enemies - How many enemies are there and what are they?
• Encounter Start - Sometimes this is a hook, other times just a drop into the action.
• Traps/Puzzles - Are there any traps or puzzles? If so, here they are.
• Tactics - Suggestions for how the adversaries should behave.
• Aftermath - Tells you how things may go based on the party actions.
• Treasure - What do they get?
• Conclusion - Now that it's over, what's next?

You can read it here for free, or pay for the print-friendly PDF download.

Sometimes the rules change or our understanding of them does. If that happens, we may update the file. When that happens, you will receive an email letting you know and you can download the updated copy for free.

The Haunting of Gloomshade Keep

Strange occurrences plague Gloomshade Keep, and villagers are disappearing. Will the party uncover the keep’s dark secrets and face the spectral menace lurking within?

A 1-Hour Mini-Adventure for 9th - 12th Level Characters

INTRODUCTION

In the shadowy depths of a forgotten crypt, a wraith hovers ominously. Its form is ethereal, a translucent figure shrouded in a tattered, dark cloak that seems to whisper and writhe with a life of its own. The wraith’s face is a haunting void, with hollow, glowing eyes that pierce through the darkness. Long, skeletal hands extend from its sleeves, each finger ending in sharp, claw-like tips that seem to suck the warmth from the air.

The wraith’s body appears to be made of swirling, dark mist, with faint, ghostly chains trailing from its wrists and ankles, clinking softly as it moves. Around its head, a faint halo of dim, blue light casts an eerie glow, giving it an otherworldly presence. The ground beneath it shows signs of decay and withering as if its very presence is a blight on the living world.

In the background, ancient, crumbling tombstones and twisted, dead trees can be seen, partially obscured by a thick, creeping fog. The entire scene is bathed in a pale, cold light, adding to the foreboding atmosphere.

ENCOUNTER OVERVIEW

The adventurers are tasked with investigating Gloomshade Keep, an ancient and abandoned fortress rumored to be haunted by evil spirits. Recently, locals have reported strange occurrences and disappearances near the keep. The party must enter the keep, uncover the disturbance's source, and end the spectral threat.

SETTING

Gloomshade Keep is a crumbling structure with ivy-covered walls and a gloomy, oppressive atmosphere. The interior is filled with narrow, winding corridors, decaying tapestries, and eerie silence, occasionally broken by the distant wails of tormented souls.

OBJECTIVES

• Enter Gloomshade Keep

• Uncover the source of the disturbances

• Put an end to the spectral threat

ENEMIES

• 4 Shadows

• 2 Specters

• 4 Wraiths

ENCOUNTER START

AREA 1: THE COURTYARD

As the party approaches the keep, they pass through a desolate courtyard. The air is thick with the stench of decay, and shadows seem to move unnaturally.

• Creatures: 4 Shadows

• Tactics: The Shadows will use the dark corners and rubble for cover, launching surprise attacks to drain the party’s strength. They attempt to weaken the adventurers before they enter the keep proper.

AREA 2: THE GREAT HALL

Inside the keep, the party finds the Great Hall. Once a place of grandeur, it is now a tomb of despair. Faded banners hang from the walls, and shattered furniture lies scattered across the floor.

• Creatures: 1 Wraith with 2 Specters

• Tactics: The wraith and its Specters wait in the shadows, emerging to attack when the party is in the center of the room. The wraith will use its Life Drain ability while the Specters flank and harass the adventurers.

AREA 3: THE THRONE ROOM

At the heart of the keep lies the Throne Room, where the malevolent spirit of a long-dead lord lingers. The room is eerily cold, and an unnatural darkness pervades the area.

• Creatures: 1 Wraith

• Environment: The room is filled with difficult terrain from broken furniture and debris. The Wraith can move through these obstacles.

• Tactics: The wraith uses hit-and-run tactics, phasing through walls and the floor to evade attacks and reappear in advantageous positions. If cornered, it uses its Life Drain to heal itself and weaken the party.

FINAL CONFRONTATION: THE CRYPTS

The source of the hauntings lies beneath the keep in the ancient crypts, a maze of narrow passages and burial chambers.

• Creatures: 2 Wraiths with 4 Shadows

• Environment: The crypts are dark and confined, providing ample opportunities for the wraiths and Shadows to ambush the party.

• Tactics: The wraiths coordinate their attacks, with one drawing the party’s attention while the other flanks. The Shadows use the darkness to their advantage, targeting the weakest members of the party.

TREASURE

In the Throne Room, the party finds an ancient, magical longsword imbued with radiant energy (Sun Blade) and a cache of gold and gems worth 1,500 gp.

CONCLUSION

Once the wraiths are defeated, the haunting of Gloomshade Keep will end. The grateful villagers will reward the adventurers with 300 gp and offer them hospitality in their village.