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Bones N' Roses | 5th-level Heliana's Monster Hunt

Added 2023-01-06 19:09:55 +0000 UTC

Hey, everyone! Today we have the third installment of the Motes of the Divine series that I have been writing for Heliana's Monster Hunts! Just as a reminder, these are multi-level adventures and the version I can share with all of you includes everything you need to play at 5th level. To get the the entire adventure with the additional monster stat blocks, spells, and magic items, head over to Loot Tavern!

Hope you all enjoy and have a great weekend!

~ TJ

Bones N’ Roses

Introduction

Bones N’ Roses is a 5th edition hunt for three to seven characters and is optimised for four characters with an average party level (APL) of 5, 10, or 15. Characters who complete this adventure should earn enough experience to progress one-third of the way to 6th, 11th level, or three-fifths of the way to 16th level. The characters must navigate a corrupted bogland and defeat the source of the marsh’s decay.

At the heart of the Bonefields is an ancient burial site, the Sepulchre of Sorrow, which until recently was home to the black dragon, Asterax. Despite the dragon’s demise, the bog’s corruption has not lifted—something lingers. After trudging through marsh and mist, the party finds a hostile ooze knight who, once defeated, melds the bones and armour that litter its lair into an ooze dragon. A means of resisting acid damage and the ability to fly will be useful in this epic hunt.

Background

The ultimate test of any knight’s mettle is to pit their bravery and blade against the might of a dragon. Some choose this path for gold and glory, others simply to prove their strength, but those of the Platinum Fist wish only to unshackle the innocent of tyrannical evil. And so it was that the Rose Knight, a native of the Dullowmarch, pledged themself to the Platinum Fist’s purpose: to defeat the vile and wicked dragon, Asterax the Black.

The Dullowmarch is a drab place, and nothing portrays this misery more poignantly than the Bonefields, a marsh that finds itself the final resting place of the many misguided animals that wander into its foggy bogland. Asterax’s corruption of the area made this already inhospitable land downright hostile—fouled water, withered livestock, and repeated raids by a malicious drake. Before long, the Platinum Fist heeded the call of the Dullovians and strode forth against the dragon, breaking their blades against her ebony scales.

The sun rose, set, and rose again as the battle between the legion and the dragon raged. Though the knights’ armour was enchanted against corrosion, corpses bearing the caustic burns of Asterax’s breath filled the swamp, forcing the living to fight while standing on the backs of their slain comrades. The last standing, the wounded Rose Knight fled the sepulchre to the hut of a canny woman known to help forlorn lovers and angry spouses… for a price. The Rose Knight begged Gabby Calo Gnatfeet for the power to resist the dragon’s acidic bile and quaffed her tar-like draught without question. After a night of bone-breaking cramps, the knight emerged from Gabby’s hut with a flinty determination.

The Rose Knight surprised Asterax, who was licking her many wounds in the depths of her lair. Though the dragon doused the valiant knight in acid, she managed only to strip the knight’s skin, revealing the black, viscous substance that now comprised their body. Crushing the dragon’s skull with their flail, the Rose Knight’s horror at their transformation was short-lived; there would be no fanfare, no celebration, naught but a mindless existence as the knight’s viscera dissolved into that of a formless ooze.

But something persisted. The odious rage and cruelty of Asterax found a home in the ooze knight and the corruption of the Bonefields did not end.

This adventure is Part 3 of a 5 part story arc with all parts able to be played individually. These hunts are connected to Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting by the awesome folks over at Loot Tavern! Each hunt is designed to be played across 3 different levels of play, and include new mythic monsters, spells, and magic items!

NOTE: This hunt has been edited down to include everything needed to play at 5th level. To get the full adventure with all the monster stat blocks, spells, and magic items, head over to Loot Tavern and become a patron!

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