TEXT: The Weight of Glory
  The Weight of Glory
  The Weight of Glory
  The Weight of Glory
  The Weight of Glory
  
  T
      
      
  his adventure is one piece of a movement within the D&D community to invite, encourage, and include those who have not been
  both in the RPG community and nearly everywhere in real life. Wyrmworks Publishing is dedicated to using RPGs
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  other free tips and resources!
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    
    
  This adventure includes death and violence, undead, disapproval by parents, and death of parents.
  2
  
  ’        
  ’        
  D
  ad was a hero but died without the glory he
  desired and deserved. Can you help bring
  reconciliation to his grieving child?
  This one-shot sidequest adventure is designed
  for 4-5 characters, level 5-7, with a total of 20-22
  levels.
    
    
  Maledos, a tiefling sorcerer, is looking for help. Their father
  died in the battle, and they wish to give him a proper burial,
  but the battlefield is haunted by sword wraiths who prevent
  the battlefield from being disturbed. What the players don’t
  know is that Maledos was the one who ended the battle with
  a fireball that also killed their father, who is one of the sword
  wraiths.
  The adventure begins when the party is traveling along a
  road through the woods and encounters a cottage with a
  dying couple. As the party comes to their aid, they learn that
  the couple had traveled to a nearby town to visit their
  daughter as she gave birth to a new granddaughter. Because
  it took longer than expected, they were away and missed the
  monthly “Valor Day” ritual that would appease the sword
  wraiths of the nearby battleground. When they returned
  home, the sword wraiths attacked them. They begged for
  mercy, explaining about their granddaughter, the sword
  wraiths decided that the granddaughter doesn’t deserve more
  glory than they, so she must die, so they intend to go to the
  town the next night. The couple begs the party to go to the
  battlefield and stop the sword wraiths before they kill their
  family.
  As the party heads to the battlefield, they encounter
  Maledos, who had come to help the couple with their
  observance but left when they weren’t there. They witnessed
  the attack but knew they didn’t have the power to protect the
  couple and hid. They want to put the undead to rest,
  especially their father.
  The party sets out for the battlefield and arrives to discover
  the sword wraiths about to head out for the town. During the
  battle, the party notices that the crests represent both sides
  of the battle. The Sword Wraith Commander is Maledos’s
  father, and he (correctly) blames Maledos for his death and,
  more importantly to him, his loss of glory.
  If the party destroys the sword wraiths, they will come back
  the next night, as they are subconsciously being raised by
  Maledos’s guilt. This will repeat until the party helps Maledos
  and his father reconcile with the promise of building a
  monument there, after which the sword wraiths instantly
  crumble.
   
   
  The party will begin this side adventure when they encounter
  the broken house. If they ignore it and pass by, the couple
  within will call out, “Is someone out there? Help!”
    
    
  This adventure takes place near a forest between two large
  towns, one of which is about a day’s walk away. It could take
  place in nearly any fantasy world, and while it’s designed for a
  forest setting, it could take place nearly anywhere. It could
  also fit well into many Ravenloft settings as a side adventure
  or even to treat Maledos as a dark lord.
     
     
  As the players travel along the road through the woods on the
  way to the next town, they pass a cob cottage with smashed
  walls and a torn thatch roof. All the windows are broken in.
  Any investigation indicates that the destruction is recent.
  While the party is investigating the cottage or as they pass by,
  they hear a weak cry: “Is someone there? Please help us!
  We’re trapped!” Under the rubble, the party finds a middle-
  aged couple, Torsten & Anika, trapped and barely alive,
  covered in bruises and slash cuts. The party can use
  whatever means they have to stabilize the couple.
  Once stabilized, the couple will tell the party what
  happened:
  We should’ve known better. We should’ve just waited until
  after, but we wanted to be there for our daughter, and we
  didn’t know it would take so long!
  Our Lorena was going to have a baby soon, and we knew Valor
  Day was coming, but we thought there would be enough time.
  But then the baby didn’t come, and she didn’t come, and once
  she finally came, it was too late. There was no way we could be
  back in time. But we thought, “Maybe if we’re not there, it
  won’t matter. They won’t need to be honored, because there
  will be nobody there to forget them.”
  We were wrong. When we got back, they soon found us. We
  tried to explain to them why we were gone, but it didn’t
  matter. They decided that Lorena and the baby would need to
  be sacrificed so we wouldn’t forget them anymore. They
  attacked us, destroyed our home, and left us for dead, and we
  would’ve been if you hadn’t stopped to help.
  When asked for clarification, they will tell the party about
  the soldiers who died on a nearby battlefield, but because
  some wizard (They don’t know who.) ended the battle
  abruptly with an explosive spell, the warriors died in disgrace.
  Every year on the anniversary of the battle or anytime their
  remains are disturbed, they arise to get glory for themselves,
  so we hold a celebration called “Valor Day” to remember
  them and their mighty deeds.
  3
  
  This year, they were away on Valor Day, visiting their
  daughter, Lorena, who was having a baby, but she gave birth
  later than expected, so they were delayed. (They will get
  sidetracked talking about how beautiful their new
  granddaughter, Yasmina, is.) But now, the soldiers are angry
  and planning to exact their revenge on Lorena and Yasmina.
  They plead with the party to stop the soldiers and save their
  daughter and granddaughter and give directions to the
  battlefield, which is about a mile from their home.
  If asked why they don’t just move away from the battlefield,
  they will say that someone must remain to honor them, or
  they’ll lay waste to the nearby towns.
   
   
  4
  
  
  Medium humanoid (tiefling sorcerer), neutral good
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 32
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  8 (-1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Con +4, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +3, Deception +6, History +3, Intimidation
  +6
  Damage Resistances fire
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Celestial, Common, Infernal, Sylvan
  Challenge 0 (10 XP)
  Cramps (Severity Degree 3, Periodic). You experience
  sudden painful tightening of muscles in your body with
  little or no warning. This tightness makes the cramped
  part of your body completely unusable and distracting.
  This cramp may always be in the same body part or
  travel around the body, typically in the same region. The
  cramp lasts (Severity Degree)d4 minutes. At the end of
  the duration, you must succeed on a DC 8 + (Severity
  Degree) Strength saving throw or the cramp moves to a
  different part of the same region of the body, such as
  lower abdomen to upper abdomen or from calf to shin
  or from left leg to right leg for another (Severity
  Degree)d4 minutes, after which you must succeed on a
  DC + (Severity Degree) Strength saving throw or
  continue the process, the DC decreasing by 1 each
  time. Any action that requires concentration (e.g.
  maintaining a spell) requires a successful DC 10 +
  (Severity Degree) Constitution saving throw per round
  to maintain concentration. 
   
      It will recur in 1d20 days.
  Spellcasting. Maledos is a 5th-level spellcaster. Their
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to
  hit with spell attacks). Maledos has the following
  sorcerer spells prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, lightning lure,
  mage hand, mending, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): expeditious retreat, mage armor,
  magic missile 
  2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, darkness, misty
  step
  3rd level (2 slots): fireball
  Sorcery Points. Maledos has 5 sorcery points that you
  regain when you finish a long rest.
  Metamagic - Distant Spell. When Maledos casts a spell
  that has a range of 5 ft. or greater, Maledos can spend 1
  sorcery point to double the range of the spell (or make
  the range 30 ft. for a spell with a range of touch).
  Metamagic - Empowered Spell. When Maledos rolls
  damage for a spell, Maledos can spend 1 sorcery point
  to reroll up to 4 of the dice. Maledos must use the new
  rolls and Maledos can use this option even if Maledos
  has already used another Metamagic option.
  Strength of the Grave. When damage (that isn't radiant
  or from a critical hit) reduces Maledos to 0 HP,
  Maledos can make a CHA saving throw (DC 5 + the
  damage taken). On a success, Maledos instead drops to
  1 HP (and can't use this feature again until finishing a
  long rest).
  Infernal Legacy. Maledos knows the thaumaturgy
  cantrip. They can cast the hellish rebuke spell as a 2nd-
  level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to
  do so when they finish a long rest. They can cast the
  darkness spell once with this trait and regain the ability
  to do so when they finish a long rest. Charisma is their
  spellcasting ability for these spells.
  Actions
  Actions
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
  damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 +
  2) piercing damage.
  
  5
   
   
  
  
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (breastplate, shield)
  Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
  Skills Perception +4
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing,
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened,
  poisoned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Proficiency Bonus +3
  Martial Fury. As a bonus action, the sword wraith can
  make one weapon attack, which deals an extra 9
  (2d8) necrotic damage on a hit. If it does so, attack
  rolls against it have advantage until the start of its
  next turn.
  Turning Defiance. The sword wraith and any other
  sword wraiths within 30 feet of it have advantage on
  saving throws against effects that turn undead.
  Actions
  Actions
  Multiattack. The sword wraith makes two weapon
  attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or
  9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two
  hands.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing
  damage.
  Call to Honor (1/Day). To use this action, the sword
  wraith must have taken damage during the current
  combat. If the sword wraith can use this action, it
  gives itself advantage on attack rolls until the end of
  its next turn, and 1d4 + 1 sword wraith warriors
  appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it.
  The warriors last until they drop to 0 hit points, and
  they take their turns immediately after the
  commander's turn on the same initiative count.
    
    
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)
  Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  18 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 6 (-2) 9 (-1) 10 (+0)
  Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing,
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened,
  poisoned, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Proficiency Bonus +2
  Martial Fury. As a bonus action, the sword wraith can
  make one weapon attack. If it does so, attack rolls
  against it have advantage until the start of its next
  turn.
  Actions
  Actions
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5
  ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or
  9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two
  hands.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing
  damage.
  
     
     
  
  
  As the party heads toward the battlefield through the woods,
  they come upon an old abandoned shack. Anyone with a
  passive Wisdom (Perception) of 10 or greater will hear the
  sound of crying coming from the shack, and the words, “Too
  late,” and, “I’m so sorry,” through the crying.
  Regardless of whether the party attempts stealth or not
  (Attempts will have advantage due to the crying.), they will
  find a tiefling sitting on a broken crate in the shed who, when
  noticing the party, will jump up defensively, ready to attack.
  The crying stops suddenly as the tiefling jumps to their feet
  and grabs a staff which starts glowing. “What do you want?!”
  they yell, “Why are you desecrating this sacred land? Get out
  while you can!”
  Once the party calms the situation and gains Maledos’s trust
  that they only want to help, Maledos will tell the party that
  they were planning to help the couple with Valor Day, but
  when they were clearly not home, they left. They witnessed
  the attack but hid, because they knew they were no match for
  the soldiers and would be killed. They ask whether the party
  would be willing to help destroy the soldiers once and for all.
     
     
  The party sets out for the battlefield and arrives to discover
  the sword wraiths about to head out for the town. During the
  battle, the party notices that the crests represent both sides
  of the battle. The Sword Wraith Commander is Maledos’s
  father, and he (correctly) blames Maledos for his death and,
  more importantly to him, his loss of glory.
  If the party destroys the sword wraiths, they will come back
  the next night, as they are subconsciously being raised by
  Maledos’s guilt. This will repeat until the party helps Maledos
  and his father reconcile with the promise of building a
  monument there, after which the sword wraiths instantly
  crumble.
  When the party arrives with Maledos at the battlefield, they
  witness the undead soldiers, a sword wraith commander
  and 5 sword wraith warriors, rising from the ground, a
  sword wraith commander and 5 sword wraith warriors,
  leaving toward the town to exact their revenge. The
  commander suddenly stops and raises a hand, which halts
  the rest of the soldiers. The commander turns and faces
  Maedos and points a finger at them saying in a low raspy
  voice like a growl, “The source of our ignominy. Comrades,
  our vengeance has been usurped by a greater requirement.”
  They turn to the party and move to attack.
  During the fight, Maledos and the commander are
  screaming at each other over the din of battle. Maledos keeps
  apologizing, and the commander speaks of Maledos stealing
  the glory. Maledos will refer to the commander as “father,”
  and the commander will respond with, “You are not my child.
  My child is dead to me. My child died when my glory died.”
  They will hear hints in the argument that Maledos ended the
  battle with a fireball that wiped out both armies. The party
  might also notice that the sword wraiths wear the tattered
  colors and emblems of two different armies, as Maledos
  wiped out both, but now both have united for vengeance and
  glory.
  If the party defeats the sword wraiths, Maledos suggests
  that they go back to Torsten and Anika’s to check on them,
  help them, and get some rest. The next day, the sword
  wraiths will attack them at the cottage before they leave.
   
   
  No matter how many times they’re defeated, the sword
  wraiths will keep returning every day no matter how much
  damage they receive unless the party finds a way to
  permanently banish them. Unknown to anyone, Maledos is
  subconsciously raising them as their guilt combines with
  their sorcery. This will continue until Maledos makes
  restitution by building a monument on the battlefield in their
  honor. Once Maledos promises to build the monument, the
  sword wraiths crumble to dust but will reform the next day if
  the promise is not kept.
  The Dungeon Master may want to invite the players to help
  Maledos design and build the monument from the ample
  stone in the area.
   
   
  Once the monument is built, Torsten and Anika decide to
  leave instead of rebuilding their destroyed home. They gather
  what belongings they can salvage and carry, and if the party is
  heading toward the same town, they’ll ask to journey with the
  party. If not, Maledos will escort them.
  6
  
  Credits &
  Credits &
  Credits &
  Credits &
  Credits &
  Copyright
  Copyright
  Copyright
  Copyright
  Copyright
  Lead writer, editor & developer: Dale Critchley
  Artwork public domain illustrations by Jim Cooper, Yuri_B,
  Artie_Navarre
   
   
  Dale Critchley is the owner, lead writer, and chief
  tea drinker at Wyrmworks Publishing. He’s been
  playing tabletop role-playing games since 1982
  and launched Wyrmworks Publishing as a hobby
  in 2001 to share his homebrew resources with
  the world. In 2021, after seeing the power that a
  TTRPG group can have to change the lives of the
  participants for the better, he rededicated
  Wyrmworks Publishing to focus on using
  TTRPGs to intentionally improve the lives of
  others and turned a hobby into a full time
  pursuit.
    
    
  
  
  What happens when people decide to level up
  their play by using the game to improve the lives
  of others? And how can YOU do the same with
  your game? Subscribe via YouTube / Podcast
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/D&D 5E Adventures/Accessible Adventure of the Week/Accessible Adventure of the Week - The Weight of Glory.pdf