A Place to Lay my Bones

by IllegalIris

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A Place to Lay my Bones
Random Encounter: Campsite

Synopsis

The ghost of a young girl reaches out to the players for help. The young girl's bones have been scattered by wildlife and she needs help collecting all her lost pieces. Bonus points if the players find her family, properly bury her, and perform burial rites.

"Find me a place to lay my bones...and to keep them from the foxes. I'm a long time finding home. The little creatures have scattered me, and I have become so lost. I am everywhere but home. I am tired, but I can't sleep." -ghost of the young girl

A Campsite Encounter

This encounter triggers at night once the players have made camp. You can either have the young girl appear in a dream, or physically to the character on watch.

The young girl is in the area because a part of her is at they character's campsite.

She is a playful and clever spirit who will try to play pranks on the players as a way of introducing herself. Once she has had some fun, she will open up and ask the players for help.

Though the young girl does not fully grasp the concept of death, she knows she's no longer a normal girl. Her spirit understands that she cannot move on until her scattered bones are brought together, and so the girl thinks that to be together is to return home. The girl yearns for her childhood bed, as her spirits yearns for rest.

Being scattered is mentally uncomfortable for the girl as she can feel where all her pieces are simultaneously. Through this sense, she can give players hints on the locations of her bones.

It is uncommon for someone who was properly buried to have their grave disturbed by animals. Though the young girl does not remember it, she drowned in a nearby river and her body washed up on the banks many miles downstream.

Another way to seed this story

A 'Lost Person' post can be found on a bulletin in a town the party has just come to visit. It advertises a modest reward. While a player character is reading the post, a towns person informs them that the girl disappeared almost a month ago and that her parents keep putting up the same post every few weeks once the old one gets tattered. The post says she was last seen going to fetch water from a nearby river.

Everyone gets to shine

To retrieve her pieces it's going to take ingenuity, creativity, and when all else fails... brute strength. Each item can be obtained through the solving of a simple puzzle, thinking non-linearly, or with nature/survival checks. But can also be solved through violence. This module gives ample room for your rangers and druids to take center stage, leaves plenty for your thinkers and dexterous to show off, and still gives your heavy hitters something to throw their numbers at.

Where she currently lies

The girl's body was disturbed by carrion and scattered over miles of forest. Each part is guarded by a different carrion creature:

Carrion Critter Part Hint
Raven Clavicle "I feel surrounded by many eyes and many caws, no claws. Looking up through the canopy, I see the sky, on the ground I lie."
Fox Finger bone "I'm home, but not my own. It's dark and cool, and I'm all alone. Small paws dug deep and put me here, small paws will be needed to get me out."
Coyote Mandible "I'm someone's favorite, and we're on the run. How fun! I cannot see this creature's face but he grinds his teeth on mine. I'm in his mouth, heading south."
Vulture Femur "I am in a lofty spot, though no safer can I be. My guards are comfortable at this height, and I am a guest in their family tree. "
Bear Ribcage "A large beast owes his life to me. My bones were his salvation. He's huddled, curled, fast asleep. A cave is our next location.""

The Raven

Players will find this piece hidden among a pile of clavicles of other creatures. A large murder of ravens have taken to collecting these particular parts and has placed them in a pile on the forest floor. Up in the canopy is the unusually large raven family, who are always either guarding or adding to the pile. There are about 10 swarms of them, ready to attack the moment a single bone is stolen from their precious collection. Use the Swarm of Ravens stat block. Finding the child's clavicle amongst the pile will take a DC18 medicine, investigation, or nature check.

The Fox

The girl's finger bone is hidden deep in a fox's den. Upon finding the den, a DC 10 nature check will reveal that it is currently unoccupied. The passage is so narrow that only a small sized creature would be able to fit. Additionally, thought the den is simply constructed, if a creature does not have a light source or darkvision, it will be difficult to navigate. The challenge to this is just finding/having someone who is able to traverse the den. Alternatively, there are plenty of spells that would work if used creatively.

The Coyote

The Coyote that has the girl's jawbone is currently on the move. The bone has become its favorite item, and though it will put up a fight to keep it, it won't risk its life for it. Finding the Coyote will take some tracking, and catching the creature will take a feat of dexterity or well placed traps. Use the coyote stat block.

The Vulture

The girl's femur is buried in a vulture's nest. The nest is large, and covered in the bones of many different creatures. It is occupied by 3 sleeping juveniles. Should they wake, they will make alarm calls to their parents and try to peck any intruders. Should they stay asleep, there is a 25% chance that either parent bird will return to the nest. If they do, they will attack any intruder. To reach the nest, the characters will have to scale a 50ft tree. The nest itself is also perilous as there are shards of bone and rotting meat. Should a character obtain even a slight open injury, they must pass a DC 12 Con check or become poisoned. Use the Vulture stat block.

The Bear

Under the paw of a sleeping brown bear is where the players will find the young girl's ribcage. The bear is old, scarred, and ill. The morsels he scavenged were the best meals he's gotten in a while, and he hasn't had one since. The old bear is blind, and easily startled. Though he will be aggressive should he be awoken, the bear would easily settle down should he be offered food or water. Use the Brown Bear stat block and the blinded condition for this creature.

Short and Sweet

Feel free to cut down the number of pieces to be retrieved to one or two. This greatly shortens the module and allows your players to get back to your main story.

The Fey Child Variation
A lighthearted spin on a dark story

A Little Less Macabre

For tables that find collecting the bones of a dead child unsettling, use the following table instead. In this version of the story, a young fey touched girl has had her favorite bobbles and trinkets stolen by her animal friends. Because each trinket holds a memory and a bit of her magic, she can't return to the Feywild until they are returned. Play up her desperation and fear of never being able to return home. The creatures in this version are stronger and more of a challenge since they are fey touched animals. Unlike the original story, the fey child knows precisely where her trinkets are and will lead the characters directly to them. It will be up to the characters to advocate for the little girl and convince the creatures to return the items.

Fey Critter Trinket
Two Headed Raven Jade Earring
Giant Fox Ivory Music Box
The Weave Elk Children's Silk Cape

The Two Headed Raven

The Two Headed Raven looks no different than a normal raven, except it stands 4ft tall and has two heads. It is a spy, messenger, story teller, and a 10th-level spellcaster. Each head has a unique temperament. With each head having so unique a personality, the creature can easily be fooled into distraction and made to fight with itself. The bird's right head is talkative, anxious, LG, honest, and can cast detect good and evil at will. The left head is melancholy, forlorn, mischievous, CN, has the ability to lie, and casts detect thoughts at will.

The player characters will encounter the raven already deep in a philosophical debate with itself over the morality of petty theft. The left head has stolen the girl's jade earring, finding it beautiful, shiny, and sparking a joy it hasn't felt in years. The right head is pleading with the left to return the stolen item, and has started waxing philosophical about virtue and what is right and wrong.

The Two Headed Raven was once a pair of novice sorcerer twins that were tricked into a poor deal with a fey. If asked, this form is the only form they have ever known.

Giant Fox

Foxes of the fey wild continue to grow as they age, and from the size of this one, it is ancient. When it lays to sleep, if it weren't for its tawny fur, you could mistake it for the hillside. The old creature has stolen the girl's music box out of envy. It cannot recreate it's beautiful sound. The fox is open to sharing its motives with the player characters. It will return the music box under two conditions: Firstly, that the music box be played one last time, and secondly; that a player character learn the song and come visit the fox for a yearly recital. If a player character agrees, a contract appears in front of the player while the fox looks on with smiling eyes. Once signed, the player gains the Lucky feat. Failure to appear for the performance will result in a curse which permanently reduces the number of items a player character can attune to by one slot.

The Weave Elk of Many Eyes

The Weave Elf was once a normal Elk who wandered into the fey wilds. It is now burdened with nearly unbearable wisdom. Soon after becoming lost, it found a cool spring and knelt down to take a drink of water. It opened its eyes and stared too long into the strange reflection. Frozen in fear, it watched as more and more eyes opened and looked back at him. He turned to run in horror and found himself feeling as if he was running through sand and thick air, though his surroundings hadn't changed. The poor creature had run through a crack of the feywild and through raw weave. Its massive antlers have become entangled in the threads of the weave which can be seen with the naked eye. Each tine of his mighty rack drips with beads of raw magic. The Elk has stolen the girl's silk cape and is using it to cover its eyes. He discovered during a game of peek-a-boo with the child that when his eyes are covered by silk, he no longer feels the weight of The Weave on his head.

The Elk can be found sleeping under a tree, the silk garment wrapped tightly around its eyes. While asleep and covered, it has a passive perception of 13. If startled, he will run. It will take a swift footed tracker to keep up with him.

The Elk would rather die than give up the peace it has found, and he says as much. There seems to be a magical property to silk, and so any silk material would be a good trade. Otherwise, the creature begs for death. Should a player character attempt to ressurect the elk after destroying it, it is restored to its original normal elk form.

More of a Challenge

The CR for these fey creatures are 7,10, and 9 respectively. This means these encounters range from medium to deadly for 4 level 6 characters.

The Two Headed Raven

Medium beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 45 (10D8)
  • Speed 30ft, fly 45ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
  • Saving Throws DEX, INT, CHA
  • Skills Arcana +6, Deception +5, Perception +4, Persuasion +5
  • Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages Common, Sylvan
  • Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Special Traits

Fey Ancestry. The Two Headed Raven has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put them to sleep.

Two Minds. The bird's right head can cast detect good and evil as a cantrip. The left head casts detect thoughts as a cantrip.

Uncanny Mimicry. With its fey magic, The raven can look into an enemies memories and mimic complex sounds they have heard, such as a person talking, a baby crying, the sounds of church bells, or even the cacophony of war. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check.

Metamagic. When casting a spell that requires a saving throw, the Two Headed Raven can cause one target to make its first saving throw against the spell with disadvantage. It can only use this 3/day.

Spellcasting. The Two Headed Raven is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It knows the following spells:

Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, message, mage hand, poison spray, ray of frost, detect good and evil, detect thoughts

1st level (4 slots): charm person, shield, mage armor, magic missile, witch bolt,

2nd level (2 slots): invisibility, suggestion, alter self, misty step, web

3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, lightning bolt, bestow curse

4th level (3 slots): Evard's black tentacles, greater invisibility

5th level (2 slots): cloudkill

Actions

Multiattack. As a bonus action, The Two Headed Raven makes two beak attacks per round. It can also make two beak attacks as an attack of opportunity.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (3d6) piercing damage.

Giant Fox

Gargantuan Beast, Chaotic Good

  • Armor Class 15
  • Hit Points 170
  • Speed 50ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 23 (+6)
  • Saving Throws Dex,Cha
  • Skills Nature +6, Deception +10, Persuasion +10, Insight +10
  • Damage Vulnerabilities Non-magical weapons
  • Damage Resistances Magic and magical weapons
  • Condition Immunities Charmed, Grappled
  • Languages Common, Sylvan
  • Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Special Traits

Fox's Charm. An enemy that starts its turn within 30 feet of the giant must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is charmed by the Giant Fox. A creature charmed in this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, endings the effect on itself on a success. Once it succeeds on the saving throw, the creature is immune to being charmed by the fox for 24 hours.

Keen Hearing and Smell. The fox has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Magic Resistance. Giant Fox has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting. The Giant Fox's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At Will: minor illusion, message, mage hand, poison spray, ray of frost, detect good and evil, detect thoughts

3/Day Each: charm person, shield, mage armor, magic missile, witch bolt,

1/Day Each: invisibility, suggestion, alter self, misty step, web

Actions

Bite and Shake. +4 to hit, 5ft, one target. Hit: 2d10 piercing damage. On a successful bite attack, the Giant Fox will shake and toss it's prey up to 30ft. A creature bitten is also grappled and must make a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity saving throw to get out of the Giant's jaws before they are tossed. On a failed save, they are tossed and also take appropriate falling damage.

Reaction

Elude. Giant Fox adds 2 to it's AC against one opportunity attack that would hit it.

The Weave Elk

Huge beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

  • Hit Points 100

  • Speed 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 25 (−2) 20 (+2) 10 (+0)

  • Skills Perception +20,

  • Senses passive Perception 25

  • Languages understands Common, Elvish, and Sylvan but can’t speak them. Telepathy 120ft.

  • Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Special Traits

Fast and Furious. The Weave Elk is able to take two actions if one of them is a dash action.

Charge. If the elk moves at least 15 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

An Object in Motion. If the elk is charging for more than 15 feet straight toward a taget and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes the regular charge damage (extra 7 (2d6) damage) with an additional 4 (1d6) damage per 5 feet the elk traveled.

Actions

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

My Inspiration

and

Credits

I love to flex my creative muscles while composing new homebrew content. More often than not, the inspiration for my homebrews comes from another source. Sometimes significantly. Other times just as a spark.

This adventure was inspired by the first few lines of a song called "These Bones" written and performed by Azrai.

They are a prominent larper and immersive story teller on youtube, tiktok, and twitter.

Song: These Bones

WWW.GMBINDER.COM

Art Credits