A Christmas Carol

A 5th edition D&D adventure for 5th level characters, based on a blog post by Mike “Gabe” Krahulik of Penny Arcade.

Credits

Thanks to:

Source material

Influenced for better or for worse by the always wonderful “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”

Introduction to the Crabapples

Your party has been away from the town of Mayfair for almost a month, collecting rare medical ingredients. The town clerk’s son is ill and getting worse, and since the town seems unable to keep a healer for more than a week, the boy’s father has turned to old women and their herbal remedies.

Since you think of yourselves as good neighbors, a sort of “neighborhood watch,” and if you’re honest, the only people in town capable of finding the required plants, you agreed to make the trip.

You have returned to town with the herbs late on Christmas Eve, and you encounter the town healer just outside the gates, leaving town.

“Ah, it’s you lot. Found the herbs, did you? Well, good thing. Young Master Crabapple is in a bad way.”

She is a plump halfling. She is leaving town due to the evil influence of Lady Avaricious, but expects the party to already know that.

What would you like to do?

As they give the herbs to Crabapple:

Robert: Thank you so much! I know these will help..

Martha: It’d help more if we could keep a healer in town for more than a week

Robert: Martha…

Martha (under her breath): Someone should do something about that wicked old miser Avaricious…

Robert: MARTHA! You won’t talk about my employer that way.

Since the players are likely familiar with A Christmas Carol, discovering the setting is a fun surprise. Do not immediately give the players the Crabapples’ names, let them discover them naturally. Similarly, let them learn about Lady Avaricious from the Crabapples.

The following information can be gleaned from the Crabapples:

A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check will reveal that Tim is very ill, with an unidentifiable wasting disease, and curing him is far beyond the ability of anyone in town, including the party.

Otherwise, this is a perfectly normal commoner’s house.

As they leave, they encounter a spirit.

Jacob Marley

As the party leaves Crabapple’s house, they encounter the ghost of Jacob Marley:

You step outside into the bitter wind. There is a light snow falling. In the distance you hear the town’s church bell begin to toll midnight, but another sound echoes through the deserted streets: a deep clanking, like someone dragging heavy chains across a row of empty wine barrels.

The sound is unnerving enough, but it’s what you see that truly chills your soul.

A ghostly figure materializes a few yards in front of you. It appears to be a man in heavy coats, carrying an enormous chain. The links are wound around his waist and drag behind him, rattling across the cobblestones.

He raises a spectral hand and points at you:

“You have done well this day,” the phantom says, “but before the night is over, much more will be required of you.”

In the distance the church bell continues to ring a fifth and then a sixth time. The spirit continues:

“Avaricious’ soul is in great peril, and should she fall into darkness, Mayfair will follow her. However, there is a way for you to save this town.

Tonight Avaricious will be visited by three spirits. She must heed these ghosts’ warnings if there is to be any hope for her redemption. The dark forces that hold her soul will fight to keep her from seeing the path toward light that these visions will offer.

You must get yourselves into Avaricious’ very bedchamber, and you must do it before the bell strikes one. Once there you must follow her on her journey and aid the noble spirits. Fight off the darkness that will come to claim her black soul. If you do not succeed, I fear there is hope for Avaricious, or for Mayfair.”

Optionally: Take these to help you on your journey.

As the spirit finishes speaking, he backs slowly away and begins to fade. In the distance the church bells tolls; ten, eleven, and as the twelfth stroke ceases to chime, the spirit before you vanishes, swept away by the chill wind.

What would you like to do?

If it seems that the party will need healing, the ghost can leave behind two Potions of Healing (DMG pg. 188) at the DM’s discretion.

As good citizens, the players should want to help Avaricious. If not, remind them that their town is in peril, and time is of the essence!

It is a 30 minute journey to Avaricious’ manor by foot.

The rush to Avaricious’ Manor

As the party moves toward Avaricious’ manor, the snow begins to fall harder.

Challenges:

  1. As the party encounters an intersection, the swirling snow confuses their senses, making it hard to recognize despite this being a familiar street. A DC 15 Intelligence check will allow them to remember the correct direction. Alternately, a resourceful use of tracking, etc may reveal the true path.

  2. A crying child appears from an alley, saying that she is lost, the city guard has been disbanded, and she can’t find her way home in the storm.

    sniff I don’t know how to get home! I was shopping with my mother, but then the snow started, and I stopped to look in a shop window, and she was gone. My mother always told me to ask a city guardsman for help, but they’re all gone, and I’m lost.

    This is a mugger’s ambush, and within moments three thugs slip in from behind, immediately grappling the party. If the players quickly interrogate the girl, a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that she is lying. All four of these characters are bandits (MM pg. 343), and will run when injured.

  3. A water cistern has burst and leaked, turning an entire street into ice. It takes a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) save to make it across without slipping and taking fall damage.

  4. The party finally arrives at Avaricious’ manor. The house is a forbidding two-story building made of dark stone. There are no lights in the windows. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal three Lemures (MM pg. 76) patrolling the shadows around the house. If not discovered, the Lemures will ambush the party as they approach. If not silenced quickly, they will begin to summon a Spined Devil (MM pg. 78), which will also attack the party.

Avaricious’s Manor

The doors and windows are trapped, as if by some Victorian security system.

The manor is a forbidding two-story structure made of dark stone. It’s not too large, but it is larger than the houses around it. The windows are dark, there is no smoke coming from the chimney - the house appears to be asleep. The front door of the manor is flanked by a pair of gargoyles.

Front door: The door knocker is in the form of a human face, scowling at the viewer. If not disarmed, a spectral wolf will leap forward out of the door knocker, biting at the opener for 2d6+3 piercing damage. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will determine that the door is trapped, and DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) will disarm it.

Kitchen (back) door: The door is barred from inside, and is magically sealed. A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal the spell: the door will not open unless the spell is dispelled or the door is broken (AC 13, 40 hit points).

Windows: Simple mechanical locks, disabled with a DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) will bypass these locks.

The bottom floor is a normal Victorian house consisting of a hallway with a dining room to the left, a parlor to the right, and a kitchen in the back. There is nothing on the first floor except a normal house.

The second floor consists of Avaricious’s bedchamber and workshop, plus a connecting bathroom.

Whichever room the party enters first is the workshop. There is a magic circle on the floor, the worktables are covered in arcane miscellany, and the walls are lined with bookcases full of obscure texts.

A DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that this equipment is used as part of the process of becoming a lich.

Outside the bedchamber, they can hear muted conversation between the childlike Ghost of Christmas Past and Avaricious. They then hear the sound of wind, as if blowing through an open window. The ghost says “Come, time grows short.”

As you enter Lady Avaricious’s bedchamber, you see her disappear through a swirling portal, tucking a pocket watch into her nightshirt as she does so. As she disappears, she notices you and exclaims “Wait! What are you doing in my house?!” but a childlike hand reaches out from the portal and pulls her through.

In the distance, you hear the town clock begin to chime.

What would you like to do?

The players must enter the portal to follow Avaricious before it closes.

The players must “keep up” with Avaricious. If they are reticent to open the door to her bedchamber or to follow her through the portal, have them make a Wisdom check, and the high rollers hear Marley’s voice whisper in their minds: “After them, before the bell tolls one!”

Haunting 1: Christmas Past

The players come through the portal to find themselves just inside the door of a one-room schoolhouse. As they appear, a pack of squealing children run directly through them, out the door. The players don’t feel a thing. The walls and floor feel solid enough, but the people here are insubstantial.

They see Avaricious and the Ghost of Christmas Past, but cannot interact with them. If they continue to attempt to do so, the ghost will acknowledge their presence but otherwise remain non-interactive. They also see a young woman speaking to the headmaster regarding her entry into the business world. They cannot interact with these figures either.

Headmaster: You have almost completed your studies, Avaricious.

Young Avaricious: Yes, headmaster.

Headmaster: It is time for you to enter the world of business. You will like business.

Young Avaricious: Yes, headmaster.

Headmaster: You must uphold the reputation of our esteemed institution! Be tough, but fair, honest yet firm, and advance the cause of humanity!

Young Avaricious: Yes, headmaster.

As this unfolds, a Bearded Devil (MM pg. 70) and two Imps (MM pg. 76) appear and attempt to disrupt the vision by attacking the ghost. The ghost cannot react for fear of spoiling the effect on Avaricious, and implores the party for help. The players must intervene, and defeat the devils.

The ghost turns to you, and in her chiming voice whispers: “Help me! I MUST concentrate on the vision!”

Roll initiative

During the fight, the scenery shifts around the party. The schoolhouse is the same, but it now contains Avaricious in her late teens and a young woman. The woman turns with tears in her eyes and rushes out the door, and Avaricious just watches her go.

As the enemy is defeated, Avaricious begins to question the path she has taken, acknowledging that this is her past:

With a look of thanks, the ghost opens a new portal and ushers Avaricious through it, gesturing for you to follow.

You hear Avaricious saying “Spirit, I recognize that this is my past, but why show me this? Surely not my promise to the headmaster - that was a child’s promise, wasn’t it? And Belle? Some things are not meant to be.”

Haunting 2: Christmas Present

If it seems that the players need it, you may tell them “As you exit the portal, you feel the effects of a short rest.”

The players come through the second portal and find themselves inside Crabapple’s house. The previous ghost is nowhere to be seen, but in its place is a large, jovial, bearded man: the Ghost of Christmas Present.

The ghost and Avaricious peer through the windows from outside the house as the Crabapples celebrate Christmas, Robert toasting his employer as his wife and daughter reluctantly agree. Tim is visibly ill.

As before, the players cannot interact with these figures.

This time a Barbed Devil (MM pg. 70), a Spined Devil (MM pg. 78) and a pair of Imps (MM pg. 76) appear outside the house and attempt to destroy it, along with the ghost.

The ghost once more asks for help.

Roll initiative

As the devils are defeated, the ghost once again opens a portal and ushers Avaricious through it. As she disappears, Avaricious, visibly shaken, asks “Must Tim die?” This ghost actively holds open the portal for the players and gestures for them to follow.

With a wave of his arm, the spirit produces a familiar-looking portal, and ushers Avaricious through. As she passes, you year Avaricious asking: “Crabapple’s son doesn’t look well. Why doesn’t someone heal him?” to which the spirit replies “No healer will remain in this place for long, Avaricious, as well you know.” On Avaricious’ face, you can see a look of dismay, as her hand strays to the pocket watch around her neck.

The spirit holds open the portal for you, beckoning you to follow.

Haunting 3: Christmas Future

The portal deposits the players in the churchyard overlooking the city. They are slightly disoriented but eventually realize where they are.

A pall of foul darkness hangs in the air, and they can see the town below them, looking derelict.

Further investigation reveals that the town is almost deserted, the buildings marred by broken windows and crumbling chimneys.

They see Avaricious and a tall, gaunt, black-robed Ghost of Christmas Future ascend the hilltop. This time, the party CAN interact with Avaricious, although the ghost is inscrutable.

Avaricious again asks the party what they are doing here. She asks the ghost if this is the future, but receives no response. The ghost gestures down the hill as:

Another thin, cloaked figure appears, walking straight toward you. As it walks, you see it glance toward a particular stone (marked “Avaricious”)

As it approaches, you can see the figure’s face is drawn and emaciated, like leather wrapped tightly across its skull. An aura of palpable evil surrounds it.

A DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation or Arcana) check reveals that this is a Lich (MM pg. 202), and it is Avaricious.

Avaricious, seeing this figure, recognizes it and howls “No! I will not be the person I was. I will not become this monster!”

As she says this, her hand once again grasps the pocket watch around her neck.

A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that the pocket watch is her phylactery.

The lich (for that is obviously what it is), approaches, moving directly into your midst.

As the lich passes, it turns and makes a sudden sniffing noise, like a dog catching a scent on the breeze. Its dry lips crack into an evil smile as it makes a gesture in the air, as if parting a curtain. Its red eyes find yours, and a thin cackle breaks the air.

Roll initiative

At this level, the players cannot defeat a Lich, and it will likely kill some of them - this is intentional. Avaricious must must destroy it (and herself) by destroying the pocket watch. She knows this, and will all but suggest it.

The players must help her make the right choice: a few DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) checks will convince Avaricious; she wants to make the right choice.

If Avaricious does destroy the phylactery, the lich will disappear, the party will appear on the street outside Avaricious’ house on Christmas morning. Avaricious throws open the shutters and exclaims about not “missing it.”

If Avaricious does not destroy the phylactery, the Lich will destroy the party. It will grab Avaricious and open a corrupted portal to the past, intending to ensure its own existence.

Version 1
© Copyright 2017 Keith Barrette