A Deadly Disturbance

_ Deadly Disturbance_ is intended for four

characters with an average party level (APL) Adventure Hooks
of 5. Characters who complete this
Close to Home. The characters are either residents of
adventure should earn enough experience
Blackthorn or a nearby village. Hearing stories of the
to reach halfway to 6th-level. Spirits have
undead rising so close to home has them worried. They
been assailing the village of Blackthorn. This
head to Blackthorn to investigate.
campaign takes place in Arden, although it
can be set in your own world. Any party composition
A Legacy of Death. The characters know the story of
should be able to finish the adventure with intelligent play. Zathus and his attack on Blackthorn. When they hear that
the undead have returned to the village, they fear his

Background return and seek out the village to investigate.

A Call to Arms. The characters heard that the
Many years ago, the village of Blackthorn was laid waste to magistrate of Blackthorn has put out a call asking for help
by an evil necromancer named Zathus. He summoned the with dealing with their undead problem. Eager to collect
town's own dead to rise up and attack them, and the the reward, the characters go to investigate.
villagers had to look on in horror as their lost loved ones
clawed and tore them to pieces. The small zombie horde
would've roamed the countryside unchecked had it not
Blackthorn
been for a group of adventurers who arrived and slew
Zathus. With their master gone, the dead ceased to The village of Blackthorn is oddly empty at
animate and were returned to the crypts outside the this time of day. The normal hustle and bustle
village. One of the adventurers, a wizard by trade, placed has been replaced with the silence that comes
protective wards on the crypt to prevent such an when the townsfolk are afraid to leave their
occurrence from happening again. Zathus himself was homes. The only living souls present are the
interred in the deepest depths of the crypt, forced to
various town guards currently disposing of
spend eternity in darkness should his spirit refuse to pass
various corpses scattered about the town
square. As you survey the damage caused by
on. Generations passed and the village was slowly rebuilt.
the previous night's attack, one of the guards
The stories of the massacre became distant memories,
approaches you.
and the tale of Zathus was used to frighten small children
into behaving.
Recently, despite the efforts of adventurers past, the
The guard greets the characters. He asks them if they were
dead have begun to rise again. Spirits haunt the streets of
injured in the attack and if they need any medical
Blackthorn at night and the villagers fear that Zathus may
attention. Once the characters make it known that they're
have returned. Unbeknownst to most, a treasure hunter
adventurers, he asks them to wait while he fetches the
named Lazarus and his thug cronies made their way deep
local magistrate. After a few minutes, the guard returns
into the crypts tripping the arcane wards. Trapped inside,
with a man dressed in noble attire. His name is Reginald
they had no choice but to delve deeper into the crypts
and he's the town's magistrate. He's responsible for the
seeking another way out. Only Lazarus made it to the
operations of Blackthorn as well as its safety. He discloses
tomb of Zathus alive, but he soon fell to the dark influence
the following to the characters during conversation.
of the necromancer's spirit and rose as a wraith. Disturbed
from his eternal slumber, the necromancer reached out The town has been under siege recently by incorporeal
with his remaining power and began raising the spirits of undead coming from the crypts outside of town.
the dead and sending them out to drain life force from the They believe it to be the work of the long dead
living in order to restore himself to life. necromancer Zathus.
Time is of the essence now as the lives of the villagers The town's priest, Father Dumont, went to investigate a
are at risk. The local priest, Father Dumont disappeared few days ago. He has not returned.
into the crypts to try to stem the tide of undead and never The town can offer 2,500 gp as a reward for whoever
returned. He's trapped inside the crypts hiding from the can stem the tide of undead.
awoken undead. The necromancer's spirit is almost ready
to rise from death, and the town will be destroyed should If the characters agree, the magistrate asks them to seek
he return to the land of the living. out the crypts immediately as he expects the dead to
come again when the sun sets. The road to the crypts
should be safe until nightfall.
It takes the characters about an hour to reach the crypts. The man on the ground is Father Dumont. He
The journey there takes them down a cobblestone road to accidentally triggered a magical trap when he tried to
a path that diverges off into the woods. As they move enter the crypt. He's now bound to the magic circle and is
further and further down the path, the trees slowly begin slowly dying of starvation and thirst. He uses the priest
to encroach on them more and more until they need to stat block and is currently suffering from three levels of
start pushing them out of the way to proceed. Finally, the Exhaustion. If freed, he can offer the characters his
path opens up and the characters find themselves spellcasting services. He refuses to leave until the undead
standing outside the gate to the graveyard where the are dealt with and promises to remain in this chamber if
crypts are located. the characters need him.
Trap: Magic Circle. In order to free the priest, the
The Crypts characters must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana)
check to determine how to dispel the magic containing
him. This involves gathering four key fragments, one from
The gate to the graveyard is slightly ajar. It each of the four alcoves leading off from the main
appears as though someone broke the latch chamber, combining them, and using them to unlock the
recently. keyhole in the altar beneath the book. This will dispel the
circle and free the priest. If anyone tries to approach him
or enter the circle, they must succeed on a DC 12
If the characters survey the graveyard from afar, they Constitution saving throw taking 1d12 radiant damage on
don't see any movement or signs of life... or undeath. As a failure or half as much on a success. Either way, they are
they enter the graveyard proper, they find it desolate and pushed back five feet.
void of life. Even the trees and plant life seem to have
wilted and died recently. At the center of the graveyard, a 2. Treasured Tomb
large stone building can be seen. Inside, a stairwell leads
down into the crypts.
The crypts are ancient and full of cobwebs. The dead Behind iron bars, an ornate sarcophagus lies
interred here have not been disturbed in many against the far wall. A small chest sits before it
generations. The complex has the following features surrounded by coins of various sizes and
unless noted otherwise. colors.
Ceilings. The ceilings are made of stone and rise 10 ft.
above the floor.
Floors and Walls. The floors are made of neatly cut This tomb belonged to a noble who perished in the attack
stone while the walls are made of a cobbled granite. on Blackthorn. He was greedy in life and remained so in
Doors. The doors are made of solid oak with metal death, his will demanding he be buried with his wealth.
reinforcements. They're all unlocked unless otherwise Trap/Encounter. The treasure is cursed. Anyone who
stated. picks it up causes the spirit of the dead noble to rise as a
Iron Bars. There are iron bars blocking the way in some specter and attack. The specter gets a surprise round due
of the chambers and hallways. They can be forced open to the character being focused on the treasure. As long as
with a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. the character has the cursed treasure on them, the
Lighting. The entire complex is mostly lit, however specter has advantage on any attack rolls made against
them.
some areas lack light entirely.
Treasure: Buried Wealth. The treasure consists of 258
1. Entrance Hall gp, 372 sp, and 190 cp. Inside the chest, sitting on a pillow
of velvet, are a pair of ornate spectacles. They function as
eyes of minute seeing.
Sconces light this chamber flanking a large
iron barred door. In a glowing circle in front of 3. Hall of Statues
it, a man can be seen lying on the ground.
He's wearing tattered robes and doesn't
appear to be moving. This long hallway is lined with small, dark
alcoves. Each contains a statue of a warrior.
Halfway down the hall, a body can be seen
In the center of the chamber is a small altar, upon which lying next to a flickering lantern. At the far end
rests a book. Hidden beneath the book is an ornate
of the hall, a sarcophagus rests against the
wall flanked on either side by two lit sconces.
keyhole. The book itself details the attack by Zathus on
Blackthorn and the efforts of the brave adventurers who
slew him and sealed him inside the crypts.
The body on the ground is one of Lazarus' thugs. He was
slain by the shadows hidden in this hallway. He has the
key on him to open the door to area 4.
Encounter: Shadows. There are six shadows hiding Treasure: Sunstone & Pack. The glowing orb is a
behind the six closest statues to the body on the floor. As sunstone. The pack contains a Burglar's Kit and two
soon as someone disturbs it, they come out and attack. As potions of healing.
they do, the light from the lantern is extinguished plunging
the middle of the hallway into dim light. Sunstone
Treasure: Burial Shroud. The sarcophagus at the end Wonderous item, uncommon
of the hall contains an ornate burial shroud worth 250 gp. This item glows with 5 feet of bright light and another 5
feet of dim light. As an action, a creature can command
4. Chamber of the Honored Dead the orb to glow brighter extending the reach of the light by
10 feet of bright and dim light each. A creature can also
command the light to return to normal as an action. The
Four alcoves flank a larger chamber, at the light generated by this stone is considered to be sunlight.
center of which lies an ornate sarcophagus
surrounded by lit candles. 7. False Tomb

The door to this chamber is locked. The key is on the body This appears to be an ornate tomb meant for
in the hallway to area 3. The door can also be picked with a a person of importance. Corpses lie scattered
successful DC 16 Dexterity check with Thieves' Tools. about the floor and a partially open
Encounter: Ghoul & Ghasts . As soon as someone sarcophagus can be seen against the far wall.
reaches the candlelight, the sarcophagi all open and the
undead within emerge. The alcoves contain a ghoul each
and the sarcophagus against the northern wall contains a This room is a red herring. It appears to be the
ghast. They swarm one target at a time if possible. necromancer's tomb at first glance, but it's actually the
Secret Door. There is a hidden passageway beneath resting place of one of his minions. The bodies lying about
the northern sarcophagus. It can be moved aside with a were Lazarus' lackeys who fell to the wight in the
successful DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. sarcophagus.
Encounter: Wight & Zombies . If anyone approaches
5. Mushroom Chamber the sarcophagus, the wight inside rises and attacks along
with the four zombies. The zombies try to grapple and
push targets prone while the wight uses its sword and Life
Drain attacks.
This chamber is cast in an eerie blue glow
emanating from a cluster of strange
mushrooms against the southern wall. 8. Side Tomb
Resting against it is a fresh corpse.

Three sarcophagi line the walls of this small

The corpse belongs to one of Lazarus' lackeys. He was chamber. A lantern rests atop one of them
injured by some undead and fled here to recover but with a sheet of parchment.
eventually died from his wounds. The glow of the
mushrooms repels incorporeal spirits. They must succeed
on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to approach within 5 The parchment details Lazarus' search for the
feet of someone holding one. A plucked mushroom glows necromancer Zathus' resting place within the tomb, how
for 1d4+1 hours after being picked. his men died one by one, and his growing fears that he'll
Treasure: Longsword. The sword next to the body is a die before he finds it.
+1 longsword Secret Door. The eastern wall conceals a secret door. If
a character succeeds on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check
6. Collapsed Chamber to slide the eastern sarcophagus over, they can then
attempt a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find
the right brick to push to open the secret door in the wall.
This appears to have once been another After the wall has been open for one minute, it slides shut
burial chamber, however, the ceiling has and the sarcophagus slides back to its original position.
recently caved in crushing someone beneath
the rubble. A small orb glows brightly within
reach of the corpse and a backpack lies next
to it.

The body was one of Lazarus' lackeys. He was crushed to

death when the ceiling collapsed on him.
 If the characters choose to save Father Dumont,
9. Necromancer's Tomb they can only watch as Zathus vanishes through a magic
portal as the crypt continues to fall down around them. A
successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check can extricate
A lone torch burns low illuminating a Father Dumont from the rubble, though the way back is
sarcophagus at the far end of the chamber. A now blocked. A successful DC 16 Intelligence
pile of ash and soot rests at the foot of it
(Investigation) check reveals the secret door in the
along with a small chest.
southern wall. As soon as the characters open it, the
ceiling begins to crack and fall above them. They have
three rounds to race through the adjacent passage and
The ash pile are the remains of Lazarus. He was
jump into the river before the entire complex collapses on
overpowered by the spirit of the necromancer Zathus and
them killing them. Father Dumont shows no hesitation and
has been turned into a wraith.
quickly makes his way down the passage and into the
Encounter: Wraith & Specters. As soon as someone water.
disturbs the ash pile, a wraith rises up from it and two
If the characters choose to chase Zathus, Father
specters emerge from the north and south walls beneath
Dumont looks on in horror as the characters leave him to
the unlit sconces. They seek out the closest living creatures
die. The portal spits the characters out on the banks of the
and try to used their Life Drain abilities on them. If
river near Blackthorn. Zathus is surprised that the
someone wields the sunstone from area 6, the spirits
characters left the old man to die, but not so surprised so
actively try to avoid them.
as to not prepare to defend himself.
Treasure: Wand of Fear. The chest contains a wand of Encounter: Necromancer. Zathus the necromancer
fear resting on a black velvet pillow. begins combat by casting blight on whoever he deems to
Secret Door. A successful DC 16 Intelligence be the biggest threat. He then follows up with insect
(Investigation) check reveals the secret door in the
plague, trying to capture as many characters within it as
southern wall. possible. If reduced to 8 hit points or less, he surrenders,
begging not to be put back in the ground again.
10. Underground River
Aftermath
An underground river rushes past here to If the characters saved Father Dumont, they return to
locations unknown. town as heroes, albeit with bad news regarding Zathus'
return. Father Dumont thanks them profusely and offers
them free spellcasting services as well as room and board
Anyone who jumps into this water is swept downstream, at the temple of Burus whenever they require it. The
underground, and eventually out into a river that flows magistrate will also pay the characters the agreed upon
near Blackthorn. reward.
If the characters pursued Zathus and defeated
A Desperate Choice him, then they return to town as heroes, albeit with bad
news regarding the priest. A local acolyte of the temple of
When the characters slay the wraith and the specters, the Burus receives the characters and is saddened to hear of
whole crypt begins to shake violently. Father Dumont the loss of Father Dumont. The magistrate then arrives
appears in the doorway and is quickly buried under the and pays the characters the agreed upon reward.
rubble from the waist down. At the same time, the If the characters pursued Zathus but were
sarcophagus opens and the resurrected necromancer defeated by him, the necromancer immediately returns
Zathus emerges. He thanks the characters for breaking the to Blackthorn and begins to lay waste to it, exacting his
wards sealing him within the crypt. He then opens a portal revenge after generations of imprisonment.
and begins to walk into it.
At this point, the characters have to make a choice: Save
Father Dumont or pursue Zathus.
Necromancer
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)

Hit Points 40 (9d8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

9 (-1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4

Skills Arcana +6, History +6
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages any four languages
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Dark Devotion. The Necromancer has

advantage on saving throws against being
charmed or frightened.
Spellcasting. The necromancer is a 9th-level
spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence
(spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks).
The necromancer has the following spells
prepared:

Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand,

prestidigitation

1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor,

magic missile, shield

2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion

3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly

4th level (3 slots): blight, greater invisibility

5th level (1 slot): insect plague

Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit:
4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
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 COPYRIGHT NOTICE Open Game License v 1.0a
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Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of
the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford,
Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James
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and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E.
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. &RS\ULJKW
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