DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56:

ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
Zombie Farmhouse is a Fifth Edition plug-in ad-
venture for four characters with an average party CREDITS
level (APL) of 1, 3, 5, or 8. This document offers a The following creators made this adventure
general guideline on scaling the adventure for each possible:
level. Following a strong lead, the characters inves- Design and Writing. DMDave
tigate a recently abandoned farmhouse in a region Editing and Layout. Tony Casper
overrun by the undead. Soon, they find themselves Cartography. Tom Cartos
surrounded by ravenous zombies with no way to Artwork. Midjourney
escape.

RUNNING THE ADVENTURE say, “Hey, game master, make sure you get this
creature’s stat block ready—there’s going to be an
To run the adventure, you need the three Fifth encounter!” If the stat block appears in the appendix
Edition core rulebooks. You can access a free basic of this adventure, the text tells you so; otherwise,
ruleset from the official source if you don’t have a you can find the stat block in the core rulebook.
copy. Spells and non-magical equipment mentioned in
the adventure are described in the core manual for
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to players. Magic items are described in the core man-
be read aloud or paraphrased for the players ual for game masters unless the adventure’s text
when their characters arrive at a location or directs you to an item’s description in the appendix.
under specific circumstances, as described in
the text. Level Selection
Before playing, know the level at which you wish to
When a creature’s name appears in bold type, run the adventure. Overall, the adventure’s locations
that’s a visual cue pointing you to its stat block to and descriptions remain unchanged throughout the

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 1

levels. However, most encounters, hazards, traps, Of course, these undefended homes create an
and treasures scale with each level of the adventure. excellent opportunity for rogues. Now, the lands
The keyed locations will present the differences be- surrounding Medrok are ripe for the picking. So long
tween each level. as you aren’t worried about the undead hordes, of
Also, the adventure works for more than just the course.
listed levels. If you wish to run this adventure for
levels other than 1st, 3rd, 5th, or 8th, the chart Adventure Hook
below shows you which version of the adventure The Hofsteder family was among the first to leave
you should select for each level. A given adventure the Empire’s protected lands and try to make a new
version might be easier or more challenging for a life in the Balaspatak Kingdom to the east. Life was
given party. The adventure is designed to place the hard at first, but they quickly learned the best ways
characters in the middle of a significant threat, a to use the available resources. Eventually, what
zombie horde. Likely, characters of the 11th level or started out as a small wooden house with a couple
higher will not have the same thrilling experience as of sheds grew into the extensive ranch that stands
characters of a lower level. on the same site today. The Hofsteder clan success-
fully converted dozens of acres around the ranchable
Scaling the Adventure
land. Before the region fell into shadow, the farm
Recommended successfully supplied most of the local settlements
Average Party Adventure Relative with grain, cattle, milk, horses, and meat.
Level Version Difficulty Little did the Hofsteder’s neighbors know they
were more than just simple farmers. They were
1 1st-Level Deadly Imperial nobles fleeing old enemies and carrying
2 1st-Level Hard considerable wealth, much of it stolen from the
Emperor’s vaults. Those who know the Hofsteders’
3 3rd-Level Deadly secret identity theorize they may have over 100,000
4 3rd-Level Hard gp hidden somewhere on the farm.
All the Hofsteders were killed during the initial
5 5th-Level Deadly
shadow invasion, dying in their beds. Only their
6 5th-Level Hard farmhand, Gus, escaped. And while he knows (or
7 5th-Level Medium at least suspects) that the treasure is there, he isn’t
exactly sure where they hid it. Gus offers his infor-
8 8th-Level Deadly mation to any party willing to take the risk to recov-
9 8th-Level Hard er it, asking 20 percent of the take as a tip.
If the characters agree to help Gus, he gives them
10 8th-Level Medium
directions to the Hofsteder’s homestead.

BACKGROUND ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE

A little over a month ago, the nearby city of Medrok The Hofsteder Ranch is a 130-acre piece of land.
fell to a dark entity known only as the Queen of Most of the land is dedicated to the Hofsteders’
the Shadows. Balaspatak’s army clashed with the crops. However, a handful of buildings are close to a
shadows but quickly discovered that the shadows well-traveled dirt road. The tallest of these buildings
could convert the fallen soldiers into new shadows. are a pair of loft barns and a 30-foot-tall grain silo. A
Mages and priests in the area tried to fortify their one-story home featuring a wraparound porch stands
defenses during the day when the shadows couldn’t at the forefront, surrounded by smaller gardens.
operate, but the Queen’s army expanded to include There are zombies everywhere.
corporeal dead. She raised zombies and skeletons
from the cemeteries and reanimated the strength- General Features
drained corpses of her army’s victims. Even local Unless stated otherwise, the Hofsteder Ranch has
adventurers—what few there are—couldn’t stop the the following features.
all-consuming darkness. Architecture. The ranch consists of one home-
Recognizing defeat, Balaspatak’s cowardly king stead, two barns, a silo, and a couple of smaller
called for an evacuation of all the villages and towns outbuildings. All of these buildings are made from
within 50 miles of Medrok. Now, dozens of home- wood. Ceilings in the homestead rise 8 feet, while
steads across the country lie unoccupied. Most ceilings in the barn are 10 feet high to their respec-
Balaspatakians tried to gather their valuables before tive lofts and another 10 feet to the highest point of
they fled, hoping it could buy them passage into the the ceiling. The silo stands 30 feet high.
Empire, but many had to abandon even their most Doors and Windows. All of the doors around the
prized possessions. farm are made from wood and hung on iron hing-

2 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
es. Most of the doors were left unlocked but could Door Reinforcement
be barred or locked. A locked door requires a suc-
cessful DC 14 Dexterity check using proficiency in Break DC Reinforcement Check DC
thieves’ tools to unlock it or a DC 18 Strength check 10 or lower 10
to break it open. Barred doors can only be broken
open. A door has AC 15, 15 hit points, and immuni- 11–15 15
ty to poison and psychic damage. 16–20 20
Windows are unlocked but can be locked. A locked
21 or higher 25
window requires a successful DC 13 Strength check
to break open. A window has AC 13, 5 hit points, Optional: Zombies and Passive Break Checks. To
vulnerability to bludgeoning and thunder damage, simplify things, zombies that end their turn next to
and immunity to poison and psychic damage. a door or window automatically break the door open
Reinforcing Doors. A character can use their so long as their passive Strength score is equal to or
action to reinforce a door or window further. Do- greater than the DC required to break the door open.
ing so requires a successful Strength check using Individual zombies have a passive Strength score of
whatever tools the GM deems appropriate. The DC 11. If two or more zombies start their turn within 5
for the reinforcement check depends on the portal’s feet of the same door, they gain a +5 bonus to their
DC to break open. A successful reinforcement check passive Strength score for a total of 16. Zombie
increases the door’s break-open DC by 2 to a maxi- mobs have a passive Strength score of 19.
mum of 21. Creatures cannot open reinforced doors Fences. The fences surrounding the farm are
and windows by picking locks. approximately 3 feet tall. A character can move

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 3

past the fences without a check, treating them like minutes, roll a d20 and refer to the Zombies Appear
difficult terrain. table below, referencing the appropriate column
Illumination. No lights or fires are lit throughout depending on the adventure’s level. Whenever the
the home beyond what the characters bring them- characters do something loud—break down a door,
selves. Besides, characters would be wise to travel cast an explosive spell, cry out, etc.—roll another
during the day before the shadows rise. d20.
Optional: Timed Module. So long as the characters Creatures marked with an asterisk are new mon-
enter the forsaken lands of Balaspatak at sunrise, sters appearing in the appendix.
right as the shadows enter hiding, they arrive at the
Zombies Appear
Hofsteder Ranch by noon. This gives them approx-
imately four hours to search the farm for the lost Zombies
Hofsteder treasure and another four hours to make Appearing 1st 3rd 5th 8th
it out of Balaspatak before nightfall. Set a timer for
four hours. When the characters enter combat, stop None 1–15 1–12 1–10 1–7
the timer. After the four-hour mark, the characters 1d4 zombies 16–17 13–16 11–14 8–11
will need to leave the ranch, or they will get caught
in Balaspatak after dark. 2d4 zombies 18–19 17–18 15–17 12–15
Zombies Appear. During the day, the zombies that 1 zombie mob* 20 19–20 18–19 16–18
infest the land linger in and around the Hofsteder
1d4 zombie — — 20 19–20
Ranch. If the characters aren’t careful—and quiet—
mobs*
they may soon find themselves mobbed. Every 15

4 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
 If the characters spend 8 hours without making start of each of their turns so long as the mob has
a sound or taking any actions, you may halve the at least 1 hit point remaining; this regeneration-like
zombies present on the board. effect represents new zombies joining the mob.
New zombies appear from a random side of the
board. Roll a d4 to determine which side—1 for Shaking Things Up
the north, 2 for the east, 3 for the south, and 4 for If you find that the characters are having an easy go
the west. Zombies always move toward any living of stealing the treasure at the farm and dealing with
creature that they can see. If they can’t see any the undead hordes, introduce some of the complica-
living creatures, they move toward the last loud tions below. Roll a d4 to determine the complication,
sound they hear. If there are no living creatures in or choose the one you like.
sight and no recent sounds, the zombies move in the
direction of other zombies, becoming mobs when 1 – Cloudy Day
appropriate (see below). A storm rolls in, blotting out the sun. The shadows
The Shadows Return. The zombies are the least lingering in the dark corners of Balaspatak start to
of the characters’ worries. When night falls over the rise from their hidey-holes, ready to find fresh vic-
lands surrounding Medrok, shadows rise from the tims. This complication works best with parties that
dark recesses of the land, hungry for fresh victims. aren’t evil-aligned.
In addition to the zombies that appear (which roam
day and night), shadows arrive, too. When you roll
2 – Competition
for Zombies Appear, if the result is 15 or higher, 1d4 Another group of treasure hunters—possibly anoth-
shadows appear, too. Balaspatakian shadows are er posse sent by Gus, the farmhand—arrive at the
only interested in draining strength from good- and farm. The nature of this group depends on the level,
neutral-aligned creatures. They ignore evil-aligned as shown in the table below.
creatures. Competition
Optional: Zombie Mobs. When six or more zom-
bies start a round within 10 feet of each other, you Adventure Level Competition
can replace them with a zombie mob. Using the
1st 1 thug, 1 acolyte, 1 spy, and
zombie mob will help you streamline the adventure
1 druid
a bit.
Additionally, an individual zombie within 5 feet of 3rd 1 veteran, 1 priest, 1 spy, and
a zombie mob can use half of its movement to join 1 druid
an existing zombie mob. When it does, the individual 5th 1 gladiator, 1 priest, 1 spy, and
zombie disappears, and the zombie mob regains 10 1 mage
hit points.
The zombie mob is a new creature included in the 8th 1 gladiator, 1 priest, 1 assassin,
appendix. and 1 mage
Optional: Zombie Horde. When there are six or The competition is evil-aligned and able to avoid
more zombie mobs on the board at the end of a the shadows. This gives them a decided advantage
turn, you no longer need to roll for Zombies Appear. over neutral- or good-aligned groups. It also means
Instead, all zombie mobs regain 10 hit points at the they aren’t up for negotiating.
3 – Giant Problem
A giant stumbles onto the farm, smashing through
fences and even walls. Three zombies cling to the
giant’s feet, trying desperately to down the hulk.
This ruckus causes two zombie mobs (see the ap-
pendix) to investigate the farm.
The nature of the giant depends on the level of the
adventure.
Giant Problem

Adventure Level Giant

1st 1 ogre
3rd 1 troll
5th 1 frost giant
8th 1 storm giant

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 5

4 – Fire
A fire breaks out in one of the barns. Roll on the
table below to determine where the fire starts. If the
characters don’t deal with the fire, it could spread
across the farm and make finding the treasure im-
possible. Plus, it could attract even more undead.
Treat the fire as a Medium object with AC 12 and
50 hit points. It is immune to all forms of damage
except cold. It also has the following traits.
Regeneration. The fire regains 5 hit points at the
start of each of its turns so long as it has at least 1
hit point remaining. If the fire starts its turn with 0
hit points, it is destroyed.
Snuff It Out. A creature within 5 feet of the fire
can use its action to cover the fire with a blanket,
bucket of sand, or another object capable of com- Area 2 Encounter
pletely covering it. The creature makes a DC 12
Adventure Level Encounter
Strength (Athletics) check. The check is made with
advantage if the fire has only half its hit points or 1st 1 zombie bull
fewer. On a successful check, the fire is destroyed.
3rd 2 zombie bulls
Spread. There is a chance that the fire will spread.
Roll a d20. Make this check with advantage if the 5th 3 zombie bulls
fire is within 5 feet of flammable objects, such as 8th 4 zombie bulls
cloth, dry hay, lantern oil, etc. On a result of 15 or
higher, the fire spreads. A new fire appears in an 03 – Cow Shed
unoccupied space within 5 feet of the fire. This large barn boasts eight wide stalls. Bones,
Water Susceptibility. For every gallon of water bloodied leather, and glistening hay are all that
splashed on the fire, it takes 10 cold damage. remain of the cows that the Hofsteders once stored
Fire Starting Location here.

d6 Fire Starting Location

04 – Dung Burner
The Hofsteders used this sizable outdoor oven to
1 Area 1 burn dung.
2 Area 3 Investigation: Furnace Key. A character who
spends at least 15 minutes investigating the dung
3 Area 9
burner and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Inves-
4 Area 10 tigation) check discovers that one of the four silver
5 Area 13 keys needed to access the Hofsteder treasure is
buried under a stone right in front of the furnace. If
6 Area 15 the characters have the embroidered cloth clue from
area 25, they make this check with advantage.
Keyed Locations 05 – Chicken Coops
The following locations are keyed to the maps of the These three chicken houses are empty.
Hofsteder Ranch on pages 3 and 4. Encounter: Engorged Zombie. A zombie with a
grotesquely extended stomach sits against the barn
01 – Grain Silo
wall. Chicken feathers and blood cover its face and
This 30-foot structure holds the farm’s grain stores. chest, clues to its most recent meal. The zombie’s
02 – Corral speed is reduced by half. Two rounds after the zom-
bie notices the characters, its stomach bursts open,
This corral was used for grazing cows, horses, and
and its guts tumble onto the filthy soil. An undead
sheep and training young horses.
chicken leaps out and attacks. The chicken uses
Encounter: Zombie Bulls. A few zombie bulls are
the same statistics as a giant rat except its type is
“trapped” within the corral’s fence. Although the
undead, and it is immune to poison damage and the
bulls seem trapped, inevitably, they discover that
poisoned condition.
they can leap over the fence. The number of zom-
bie bulls depends on the level of the adventure, as 06 – Bee Hives
shown in the table below. Zombie bulls are a new The bees that live in this hive pay no mind to the
creature featured in the appendix. existence of the undead.

6 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
07 – Water Pump Mill an “X” on the map). A creature that steps on a trap
This wind-powered pump pulls water from the must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw
ground. A creature can quickly climb to the platform or take 2 (1d4) piercing damage and stop moving.
surrounding the windmill via the mill’s wooden base. After that, until the creature breaks free of the trap,
its movement is limited by the length of the 3-foot-
08 – Water Tank (Base) long chain attached. A creature can use its action
This small water tower holds approximately 50 to make a DC 13 Strength check, freeing itself or
gallons of water. A character must succeed on a DC another creature within its reach on a success. Each
10 Strength (Athletics) check in order to climb the failed check deals 1 piercing damage to the trapped
tank’s post to the platform surrounding the tank. creature. A character can spot one of the traps in
advance with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Percep-
09 – Horse Stables tion) check.
A horrible stench comes from this large horse barn.
All eight stalls hold desiccated horses drained of 12 – Vegetable Farm
their strength. A ladder near the western door leads Already starting to turn to rot from neglect, this gar-
up to area 24. den seems to hold vegetables used as animal fodder.
Hazard: Stench. The first time a creature enters A scarecrow stands proudly at the garden’s center.
the barn or starts its turn inside the barn, it must Investigation: Scarecrow Key. A character who
succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or spends 15 minutes searching the ground near the
become poisoned until the start of its next turn. A scarecrow’s post and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelli-
creature that succeeds on its saving throw becomes gence (Investigation) check discovers one of the four
immune to this stench for 1 hour. silver keys needed to access the Hofsteder treasure.
Encounter: Shadows. The shadows use this barn The characters make this check with advantage if
to hide from the daylight. The number of shadows they have the embroidered cloth clue from area 25.
present depends on the level of the adventure, as
13 – Porch
shown in the table below. Creatures marked with an
asterisk are new monsters featured in the appendix. This massive outdoor area wraps around the west-
ern and southern sides of the house. Planters on the
Area 9 Encounter south side offer more herbs and small vegetables,
while crates contain extra flour and grain. A small
Adventure Level Encounter doghouse leans against the western railing.
1st 1 shadow Investigation: Dead Dog. A character who looks
inside the doghouse discovers the broken remains of
3rd 2 shadows the family’s household dog.
5th 5 shadows
14 – Herb and Vegetable Garden
8th 1 shadow swarm*
This small plot against the southern fence offers
10 – Workshed simple root vegetables and herbs.
Encounter: Skeletons. A character with a passive
Shelves choked with tools, nails, and kits for making Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher who
repairs around the farm cover the walls of this dark, comes within 20 feet of this area notices that there
dusty shed. are two skeletons half buried in the garden. The
Treasure: Tools. The shed contains carpenter’s skeletons animate whenever a target comes within
tools, leatherworker’s tools, mason’s tools, painter’s 5 feet of them. The skeletons are armed with gar-
supplies, potter’s tools, smith’s tools, tinker’s tools, dening tools (+2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target; 1d6
and woodcarver’s tools. bludgeoning damage) and don’t wear armor (AC 12).
Investigation: Hammer Key. A character who They have a CR of 1/8 (25 XP).
spends at least 15 minutes searching the shelves
and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) 15 – Dining Area
check discovers one of the four silver keys needed The dining area features a table big enough for six
to access the Hofsteder treasure hidden in a bucket people and a couple of shelves to hold plateware
of nails. The characters make this check with advan- and utensils.
tage if they have the embroidered cloth clue from Encounter: The Hofsteders. The deceased Hof-
area 25. steders lurk in this area. They attack anyone who
11 – Wheat Farm comes into the room. Any noise here summons the
crawling arm from area 16 (see below).
Larger crops like corn and wheat grow here, likely The nature of this encounter depends on the level
for household use. of the adventure, as shown in the table below.
Trap: Hunting Traps. To deter gophers, the farm- Creatures marked with an asterisk are new creatures
ers set up a few hunting traps here (marked with featured in the appendix.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 7

 Area 15 Encounter old 10), and immunity to acid, cold, fire, lightning,
necrotic, poison, psychic, and thunder damage.
Adventure Level Encounter The best way to open the safe is to use the four
silver keys hidden around the farmstead. The keys
1st 3 zombies
are located in areas 4, 10, 12, and 18.
3rd 2 zombies and 1 poisoned one* Treasure: Hofsteder Treasure. The safe contains a
5th 3 poisoned ones* single bag of holding. However, the bag of holding is
stuffed with the Hofsteder’s impressive fortune:
8th 2 poisoned ones,* 1 evil
▶ 50,000 gp
entrails,* and 1 floating head*
▶ 25,000 pp
Investigation: Bad Dates. A strange aroma rises ▶ 125 gems worth 100 gp each
from a bowl of dates on the table. A character who ▶ 10 art objects worth 2,500 gp each
inspects the bowl and succeeds on a DC 10 Wis- ▶ 10 pieces of jewelry worth 1,000 gp each
dom check using proficiency in the poisoner’s kit
▶ 1 armor of invulnerability
recognizes that the dates were laced with assassin’s
▶ 1 +2 longsword
blood, a deadly poison.
▶ 1 helm of brilliance
16 – Living Room ▶ 1 rod of rulership
This living area features comfortable furniture, a
fireplace, and an upright piano. 18 – Bathroom
Encounter: Crawling Arm. One of the Hofsteder’s This impressive bathroom features a large clawfoot
severed arms hides under the coffee table at the tub, vanity, and full-length mirror. An ornate wooden
center of the room. It attacks any creature entering privacy screen divides the bathroom into two sec-
this area or joins any combats in area 15, using the tions.
crawling arm stat block featured in the appendix. A bloodied handaxe lies on the floor a few feet
from the tub. Blood splatters cover the nearby walls
17 – Kitchen and the wooden privacy screen.
The door to this room is stuck shut. The door won’t Horror: Tub Corpse. A headless, one-armed female
open because a zombie is pressed against it (see corpse “rests” in the tub, the water darkened by its
below). To shove it open, a creature must succeed blood. It is a terrifying sight to behold. A character
on a DC 13 Strength check. who sees this must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving
This large kitchen features a large stove area, a throw or become frightened of it for 1 minute. If the
sizable pantry, and plenty of counter space for food character fails the saving throw by 5 or more, they
preparation. scream or otherwise cry out, drawing attention to
Encounter: Tangled Zombie. The zombie here is themselves.
tangled in the rope that used to hold the pots and Investigation: Bathtub Key. A character who
pans above the stove. The rope doesn’t affect the searches the bottom of the bathtub (yes, it’s gross)
zombie’s movement or actions but does cause a and succeeds on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation)
considerable racket every time it moves or takes an check discovers one of the four silver keys needed
action, potentially drawing other zombies near. to access the Hofsteder treasure hidden in the tub’s
Investigation: Claw Marks. A character who suc- drain. The characters make this check with advan-
ceeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check notic- tage if they have the embroidered cloth clue from
es scrape marks on the floor near the piano, made area 25.
from constantly moving it. If the characters move
the piano out of the way, they discover a hidden 19 – Master Bedroom
compartment masked by a removable floor section. This comfortable-looking room features a large, four-
The compartment contains a large floor safe with post bed, desk, and ornate armoire.
four keyholes. Encounter: Shadow. A shadow lurks here. It
Obstacle: The Safe. An effect similar to an im- attacks any non-evil creature that enters the room.
movable rod keeps the safe stuck in place; the lead Otherwise, it remains hidden.
lining prevents dispel magic from disabling it. Pick-
ing the locks requires four successful DC 25 Dexter- 20 – Second Bedroom
ity checks using proficiency in thieves’ tools made Two small beds, toys, and other clues hint that this
within 1 round of each other. If a lock picker fails on room once belonged to children.
one of the checks while trying to open it, all of the
checks fail, and the safe won’t open for 1 hour. 21 - Outhouse
The safe is made from magically treated adaman- These two privies haven’t been cleaned since the
tine; it has AC 21, 100 hit points (damage thresh- invasion; they reek.

8 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
 Encounter: Giant Rat. A diseased giant rat is Encounter: Ravens. A swarm of ravens gathers
sniffing around the seat of the westernmost stall. It here. When a character comes within 10 feet of the
attempts to bite whoever comes through the door, ravens, the birds shriek and flutter, creating consid-
then flees. erable noise.
22 – Farmhands Break Area 25 – Lead Farm Hands Lodging
The trapdoor leading up to this area is barred shut Extra supplies, tools, and other resources crowd this
(see “General Features”). section of the loft. The small, uncomfortable-look-
This loft section boasts a small table covered in ing bed where the farmhand Gus slept stands in the
playing cards, a tankard of mead, and a few tools corner, still unmade.
crammed onto a shelf. The farmhands used to gath- Encounter: Zombie. A female zombie stumbles
er here on their breaks. around this section of the loft. A scythe sticks out
of her neck. She holds an embroidered piece of cloth
23 – Additional Household Stores in her hand.
Nonperishable food items and general homewares Treasure: Embroidered Cloth. The cloth in the
the farmers couldn’t store in the main house are zombie’s hand is the same one Gus described. Show
kept here. the players the “Gus’ Clue” handout from the appen-
Encounter: Eli. A local farmboy named Eli hides dix. The cloth shows the location of the four keys
here; a character with a passive Wisdom (Percep- needed to access the Hofsteder treasure.
tion) score of 14 or better spots him. Eli’s family
was killed by the Queen of the Shadows’ undead. Eli
managed to survive thanks to his evil streak—he is a
AFTERMATH
neutral evil spy armed with only a dagger. When the If the characters manage to secure the Hofsteders’
characters find him, he pretends to be terrified and impressive wealth and escape before the shadows
mute, driven mad by the undead. He will follow the return, they could almost retire. Of course, things
characters and use them to keep himself safe from never go that well. The characters aren’t the only
the zombies. However, as soon as he learns about ones who know about the Hofsteders’ fortune.
the treasure hidden on the farm, he will do whatev- Soon, they will find themselves hunted by other
er he can to dispose of the characters and take the treasure hunters and rogues who know that killing a
treasure for himself. handful of adventurers is much easier than dealing
with the Queen of the Shadows’ minions. Ω
24 – General Supply Storage
Sacks of flour, bales of hay, unweathered lumber, APPENDIX
barrels of mead, and several other general supplies
are stored here, hoisted up via the winch. The following pages contain the handout for the
adventure and statistics for new monsters.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 9

 Gus’ Clue Handout

10 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
Crawling Arm Evil Entrails
Small Undead, Neutral Evil Small Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 8 Armor Class 12
Hit Points 6 (1d6 + 3) Hit Points 13 (2d6 + 6)
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft. Speed 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 6 (−2) 16 (+3) 3 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3) 6 (−2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 2 (−4) 6 (−2) 2 (−4)

Saving Throws Wis +0 Skills Stealth +4

Skills Stealth +0 Damage Immunities poison
Damage Immunities poison, psychic Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fright-
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, poi- ened, poisoned, prone
soned, prone, unconscious Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
Perception 8 Languages —
Languages — Challenge 1 (200 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
Unusual Nature. The entrails don’t require air, food, drink,
Turn Immunity. The arm is immune to effects that turn or sleep.
undead.
Unusual Nature. The arm doesn’t require air, food, drink, or ACTIONS
sleep. Multiattack. The entrails make two lash attacks.
ACTIONS Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is a
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature, the entrails attach to it. If the
target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage. If the target is entrails had advantage on the attack roll, they attach to the
Medium or smaller, the arm attaches to the target. If the arm target’s head; the target is unable to breathe while the en-
had advantage on the attack roll, it strangles the target; the trails are attached.
target is unable to breathe while the arm is attached. While attached, the entrails can make this attack only
While attached, the arm can make this attack only against against the target, and they have advantage on the attack
the target, and it has advantage on the attack roll. The arm roll. The entrails can detach themselves by spending 5 feet
can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. A crea- of their movement. A creature, including the target, can use
ture, including the target, can use its action to detach the arm its action to detach the entrails by succeeding on a DC 12
by succeeding on a DC 13 Strength check. Strength check.
Acid Spray (Recharge 6). The entrails spray acid in a 15-
foot cone. Each creature in the cone’s area must make a DC
13 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 7 (2d6) acid
damage on a failed saving throw or half as much damage on a
successful one.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 11

Floating Head Poisoned One
Tiny Undead, Neutral Evil Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 Armor Class 8
Hit Points 45 (10d4 + 20) Hit Points 51 (6d8 + 24)
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (−4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 5 (−3) 14 (+2) 6 (−3) 15 (+2) 6 (−2) 18 (+4) 3 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3)

Saving Throws Wis +4 Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Immunities poison Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned, Condition Immunities poisoned
prone Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages understands the languages it knew in life but
Languages the languages it knew in life can’t speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2 Challenge 2 (450 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
Eyes of Hate. When a creature that can see the floating Poison Splash. A creature that touches the poisoned one
head’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the floating head, or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7
the floating head can force it to make a DC 12 Wisdom saving (2d6) poison damage.
throw if the floating head isn’t incapacitated and can see the Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the poisoned one to
creature. A creature that fails its saving throw is charmed by 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a
the floating head for 1 minute. The charmed creature’s speed DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or
drops to 0 and it is incapacitated and visibly dazed. The effect from a critical hit. On a success, the poisoned one drops to 1
ends if the floating head moves more than 30 feet away from hit point instead.
the creature, the creature can neither see nor hear the float-
Unusual Nature. The poisoned one doesn’t require air, food,
ing head, or if the creature takes damage from any source
drink, or sleep.
other than the floating head.
Once the effect ends, or if the creature succeeds on its ini- ACTIONS
tial saving throw against this effect, the creature is immune to
the floating head’s Eyes of Hate for 24 hours. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar-
get. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) poison
Magic Resistance. The floating head has advantage on sav-
damage.
ing throws against spells and other magical effects.
Spew Poison (Recharge 6). The poisoned one spews poison
Unusual Nature. The golem doesn’t require air, food, drink,
in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC
or sleep.
14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature
ACTIONS takes 7 (2d6) poison damage and is poisoned for 1 minute.
On a successful save, the creature takes half as much dam-
Multiattack. The floating head makes two necrobolt attacks. age and isn’t poisoned. A creature poisoned in this way can
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one tar- repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
get. Hit: 1 piercing damage. the effect on itself on a success.
Necrobolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
Voice of Fear (Recharge 4–6). The floating head chants
dark words. Each creature of the floating head’s choice within
30 feet of the floating head that can hear it must make a DC
12 Wisdom saving throw. A creature takes 14 (4d6) psychic
damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a suc-
cessful one.
Spellcasting. The floating head casts one of the following
spells, requiring no components and using Wisdom as its
spellcasting modifier (spell save DC 12).
At will: bane, mage hand, prestidigitation
2/day each: enthrall, hold person
1/day: confusion

12 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
Shadow Swarm Zombie Bull
Huge Swarm of Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil Large Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 12 Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 82 (11d12 + 11) Hit Points 38 (4d10 + 16)
Speed 40 ft. Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
6 (−2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 6 (−2) 10 (+0) 8 (−1) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 2 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3)

Skills Stealth +5 Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant Damage Immunities poison
Damage Resistances acid, bludgeoning, cold, fire, light- Condition Immunities poisoned
ning, piercing, slashing, thunder Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison Languages —
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled, Challenge 2 (450 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +2
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the bull to 0 hit
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC
Languages —
of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +3
from a critical hit. On a success, the bull drops to 1 hit point
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space instead.
and vice versa, and the swarm can move through a space as Unusual Nature. The bull doesn’t require air, food, drink, or
narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. The swarm can’t sleep.
regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Disband. If the shadow swarm is reduced to 0 hit points, ACTIONS
two shadows rise from its remains. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the swarm target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the bull moved at
can take the Hide action as a bonus action, and its Dexterity least 20 feet straight toward the target immediately before
(Stealth) modifier is +8. the hit, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage,
Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the swarm has disad- and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving
vantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. throw or be knocked prone if it is a creature.
Unusual Nature. The swarm doesn’t require air, food, drink,
or sleep.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The swarm makes two Strength Drain attacks.
If the swarm starts its turn with half its hit points or fewer, it
can’t use this action..
Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0
ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) ne-
crotic damage, and the target’s Strength score is reduced by
1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Other-
wise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or
long rest.
If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a new shadow
rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.

DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 13

Zombie Mob More From DMDave
Gargantuan Swarm of Medium Undead, Neutral Evil ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #1: Skeleton Tomb
Armor Class 8 ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #2: Kobold Tunnels
Hit Points 150 (20d8 + 60) ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #3: Archmage Stronghold
Speed 10 ft. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #4: Animated Objects
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #5: Banshee Tower
28 (+9) 6 (−2) 16 (+3) 3 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3) ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #6: Basilisk Canyon
Saving Throws Wis +1
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #7: Aboleth Cave
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #8: Crawler Chasm
Damage Immunities poison ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #9: Mummy Lord’s Pyramid
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, para- ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #10: Depth Watcher’s Pool
lyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #11: Dread Knight’s Oubliette
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands the languages it knew in life but ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #12: Shadow Cat Gully
can’t speak ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #13: Dragon Turtle Shipwreck
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)  Proficiency Bonus +3 ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #14: Fey Dragon Forest
Mob. The mob takes up its entire space. Other creatures can ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #15: Fungus Grotto
enter the space, but a creature that does so is subjected to ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #16: Ophidian Monastery
the mob’s Engulf and has disadvantage on the saving throw.
Creatures inside the mob have three-quarters cover against
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #17: Night Hag Gallery
attacks made from outside the mob. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #18: Darkmantle Space Freighter
A creature within 5 feet of the mob can take an action to ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #19: Griffon Nest
pull a creature or object out of the mob. Doing so requires a ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #20: Lich Tower
successful DC 20 Strength check. If the target fails the check
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #21: Werewolf Village
by 5 or more, it is pulled into the mob’s space and is subject-
ed to the mob’s Engulf. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #22: Haunted Castle
The mob can hold only one Large creature or up to four Me- ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #23: Ethereal Plane
dium or smaller creatures inside it at a time. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #24: Flesh Golem Laboratory
The mob can move through any opening large enough for
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #25: Pazuzu’s Aerie
a Medium zombie. The mob can’t regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #26: Vampire Church
Disband. If the mob is reduced to 0 hit points, four zombies ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #27: White Dragon Cavern
rise from its remains. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #28: Ninja Clan Hold
Unusual Nature. The mob doesn’t require air, food, drink, or ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #29: Minotaur Maze
sleep. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #30: Owlbear Wood
ACTIONS ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #31: Mimic Museum
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #32: Oni Palace
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 23 (4d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #33: Rust Monster Mine
Engulf. The mob moves up to its speed. While doing so, it ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #34: Revenant Ghost Ship
can enter Large or smaller creatures’ spaces. Whenever the ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #35: Sphinx Pyramid
mob enters a creature’s space, the creature must make a DC ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #36: Shadow Hotel
20 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (the target’s choice).
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #37: Salamander Forge
On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed
5 feet back or to the side of the mob. A creature that chooses ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #38: Treant Grove
not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #39: Troll Bridge
throw. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #40: Unicorn Island
On a failed save, the mob enters the creature’s space, and ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #41: Water Weird Ruins
the creature takes 23 (4d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage and is
engulfed. The engulfed creature is restrained and takes 37 ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #42: Wyvern Motes
(8d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #43: Vampire Undercroft
mob’s turns. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #44: Xorn Tunnels
An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #45: Cultist Cathedral
to make a DC 20 Strength or Dexterity check (the target’s
choice). On a success, the creature escapes and enters a ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #46: Noble Tower
space of its choice within 5 feet of the mob. ▶ Dungeons & Lairs #47: Mage Cube
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #48: Assassin School
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #49: Green Hag Forest
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #50: Doppelganger City
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #51: Hobgoblin Hideout
▶ Dungeons & Lairs #52: Fire Giant Mine
14 ZOMBIE FARMHOUSE
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this Li-
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No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content
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DUNGEONS & LAIRS #56 15