TEXT: NIGHTFALL IN 
  REMMISH
  An Adventure for 5th Edition
  By Graham Ward
  
  2
  Written by Graham Ward
  Illustration by Jonas De Ro and Wacław Wysocki
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  System Reference Document 5.0. Copyright 2016, 
  Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, 
  Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, 
  Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. 
  Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based 
  on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave 
  Arneson.
  
  3
  Background
  Remmish, the capital of Chayrshellech, lies on the 
  northern coast of the Schothred Sea, in a plain far 
  below the highlands that make up the bulk of the 
  country. It’s a region of violent winds, heavy rainfall, 
  and constant mercantile traffic.
  Remmish is a very old city, founded around 4,000 
  years ago by the first heathfolk that descended from 
  the mountains. Its location and low elevation place it 
  on the easiest road from Trentsmund to the regions 
  eastward. Despite being the capital of the largest 
  heathfolk nation, it isn’t a pristine representation of 
  that race’s culture, having been “sullied” (as many 
  heathfolk see it) by human contact.
  The heathfolk are a people whose circle of 
  intelligentsia includes even the poor. Literacy and 
  education are so common among them that even 
  the homeless and destitute are capable of penning 
  an extrapolation of the most current aesthetic and 
  philosophical movements. Most crude labor is 
  performed by the sarrow, a diminutive race that was 
  long ago folded into heathfolk society as a servant caste.
  For centuries, a group of dissident heathfolk 
  called the Yaelcar have waged a secret war against 
  arcane spellcasting, which they see as a dark art. 
  Often their activism takes violent turns. Not three 
  days ago, Professor Falbonnach, one of the foremost 
  Transmutation specialists in the world, was assassinated 
  under mysterious circumstances. Many fear what 
  further bloodshed this event might inspire.  
  Overview
  Nightfall in Remmish is a brief adventure for 2nd-level 
  characters, meant to be played in a single sitting. It 
  begins at a poetry reading in Remmish, which quickly 
  spirals into a race against the very fabric of time.
  Adventure Hook
  The characters should be participants, guests of honor, 
  or audience members at the annual Coudhiuhain 
  University Writer’s Conference. They’ve been here for a 
  day or two and are familiar with the important figures 
  and locations on the academy campus.
  The adventure is framed around a reading by 
  Dhoinnach Barrobayrn, the famed national poet 
  of Chayrshellech. Characters might be onstage as 
  participants or administrators in the conference, or 
  they might be seated in the crowd. However you choose 
  to get them there, make sure it’s clear where precisely 
  they’re seated: stage, orchestra, balcony, or box seats.
  OBACH HALL
  The reading takes place in Obach Hall, a lavish theater 
  that seats nearly 3,200. The floor of the hall is gently 
  sloped so that the orchestra pit is 10 feet lower than the 
  entrance doors at the back. Wide aisles hug the right 
  and left walls of the hall, stretching 100 feet from the 
  entrance doors to the edge of the stage, where a wide 
  orchestra pit is nestled. Three box seats hover over 
  each side of the orchestra pit, accessed from hidden 
  corridors.
  A balcony with additional seating is set about 
  30 feet above the entrances at the back, and 35 feet 
  above the midsection of the orchestra seating, where a 
  narrow rail marks the edge of the overhang.
  Outside the hall is a 40-foot by 120-foot lobby. Stairs 
  lead from the sides of the lobby up to the balcony and 
  box seats.
  On the stage is a row of about 20 chairs, set behind 
  a single oaken podium that, although heavy, is mobile.
  Arrival and Seating
  As you set the scene, begin with the player characters 
  arriving at Obach Hall. They hear the university bell 
  toll seven, and make their way to their seats. Take note 
  of where the characters are each located 5 minutes 
  before the event begins.
  During the next 5 minutes, a local scholar steps up 
  to the podium and grins at the bustling crowd that has 
  filled the hall. He stutters in nervous glee:
  Dhoinnach Barrobayrn is a red-haired heathfolk 
  mage (15 hit points) with pale grey facial markings in a 
  thorny patch beneath both eyes. Those eyes are a striking 
  blue, even against the light markings that frame them. As 
  the national poet of Chayrshellech, she is haughty and dry 
  in her interactions. Despite her obvious pride, Dhoinnach 
  is impossibly charming.
  She takes the stage with grace, bowing her head 
  gently to the giddy man who made the introduction. 
  He shuffles back to the row of chairs to watch the 
  “My good people...I—I cannot express...That is...
  Welcome to this wonderful eve—ah...this occasion 
  of—of—well, it should be quite a treat for us all.
  “I need not tell you how...beloved...er...the 
  esteemed, inimitable poet...We—we thank her for 
  sharing a special reading with us tonight. Please, 
  please give...show her our adoration. I give you the 
  poet of our nation, Dhoinnach Barrobayrn!”
  
  4
  reading from behind the podium. Nineteen others are 
  seated there beside him, all with eager attention on 
  Dhoinnach as she takes the podium.
  “Well, I’ll try not to sully that introduction,” she says. 
  After a laugh from the crowd, she clears her throat and 
  says, “I thought I’d read a new one for you all.” A hush 
  comes over the hall, and she begins.
  Her reading is entirely in Roccurish, the native 
  language of the heathfolk. If characters don’t speak 
  the language, they’re simply struck by its mellifluous 
  natural ease. It reminds them of winds in the trees. For 
  those characters that do speak Roccurish, the poem 
  begins with these lines:
  A character familiar with heathfolk culture (who 
  understood the poem) notes that it references Ruethas, 
  the primordial being who commands the threads of 
  time. With a successful DC 12 Intelligence (History) or 
  Intelligence (Religion) check, they catch the following.
  According to legend, Ruethas was imprisoned with 
  the other primordials when, at the creation’s end, they 
  disputed the gods’ claim of dominion over Vinramar. 
  During Ruethas’ imprisonment, the heathfolk say time 
  itself became warped. Many creatures experienced the 
  moment of their death or saw visions of the end of the 
  world. The poem refers to these legends.
  A Shot from Nowhere
  After these first few lines, three rapid gunshots 
  suddenly ring out in the hall. The crowd goes berserk 
  as the curtain falls down over the stage, and many 
  people leap from their seats to reach the exits.
  A character with a passive Perception of 12 or 
  higher notices Dhoinnach fall behind the podium, 
  cracking her head on the floor of the stage. If their 
  passive Perception is 16 or higher, they notice a rope 
  trailing upward into the catwalk above the stage as the 
  curtain falls.
  A character in Box G sees a strange woman, clad 
  all in black from neck to wrists or ankles, enter the 
  box and suddenly draw a flintlock pistol. She fires it 
  twice at Dhoinnach, then jumps down to the orchestra 
  seating and blends into the crowd. The DC for spotting 
  her amid the press that follows is 17.
  The Press
  The panic quickly becomes dangerous. Each round 
  that a creature remains in the orchestra searing or the 
  balcony, it must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving 
  throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone 
  as the crowd presses and tramples them.
  If a character in the balcony fails three of these 
  saves, they must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving 
  throw or fall 35 feet into the orchestra seating, taking 
  3d6 bludgeoning damage on impact.
  To avoid these hazards, the party may attempt to 
  pass through the stampeding crowd out of danger. For 
  every 5 feet a creature moves, it must make a Strength 
  (Athletics) check. On a failure, it loses its remaining 
  movement that turn. Characters can aid another to 
  make this check with advantage, but doing so imposes 
  disadvantage on the aiding character’s next saving throw. 
  A creature reaches safety once it moves to an exit or 
  succeeds on this check 3 times, whichever happens first.
  Stage or Box Seats. Characters seated onstage or in a 
  box seat aren’t required to make the check unless exiting 
  their seating area to join the crowd. Each box seat has a 
  single door that leads into a hallway outside the theater.
  The stage and box seats leave creatures exposed. 
  If one or more player characters is located in such 
  an area, choose up to 3 of them to be shot at by the 
  hidden gunmen. Characters can shelter from the attack 
  by ducking beneath the seats (half cover), or dropping 
  to the floor of the box seat (full cover). If a character 
  exits the theater, they are safe from attacks and from 
  the press of the crowd.
  The Fallen
  Early Deaths
  This adventure revolves around the early death 
  of a major NPC, and using a powerful artifact to 
  reverse time and save her.
  If a player character dies in the opening scene, 
  don’t panic. The party has a way to jump back in 
  time and try again. Be sure to drop clear hints.
  “Last in the heavens I admitted defeat, hanging
  Proud but broken on the altars of gods;
  Though blood and stars and time ran their ring
  By howling night, I tended them not for years.
  And when the skein unfurled you choked upon 
  your dreams
  And saw the eyes of death in misted streets, and
  No comfort would you accept. Your bones 
  groaned in dismay
  And babes spat your blood back into your throats
  Before the skein ran true and the world-end fled 
  away —”
  
  5
  Dhoinnach remains onstage, crumpled behind the 
  podium. A character that inspects her condition 
  fi nds three bullet wounds—one in her chest, one in 
  her shoulder, and one in her thigh. A successful DC 
  14 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers that 
  the bullets came from three diff erent directions—two 
  angled from the front and one from behind.
  If the characters escape the hall and show no sign 
  of concern for Dhoinnach, she limps out among the 
  last stragglers, attempting to hide among the crowd. 
  Characters outside automatically recognize her, despite 
  her attempt to cover her face with a hood. If they 
  follow her away from the hall, she limps to a nearby 
  alley and then collapses.
  Wherever Dhoinnach ends up, make it clear that 
  she is quickly dying from her wounds. As a player 
  character reaches her, she hands them the crumpled, 
  bloody page of her poem. “Finish it,” she pleads. 
  “Finish the reading before—” With that, she passes out 
  and begins making death saving throws.
  At this point, characters with healing spells or items 
  may begin to treat her. Use this as the trigger for the 
  events described in the following section: Th e Agent.
  Th e page on which the poem is written is soaked 
  with blood, but legible, as long as the character 
  examining it can read Roccurish. If none of the PCs 
  
  6
  speaks Roccurish, most of the heathfolk nearby do. But 
  as you’ll see, it’s not exactly safe to run out waving the 
  poem in the air and asking for volunteers.
  A detect magic spell reveals that the page on 
  which the poem is written has a powerful aura of 
  chronomancy magic. Identify reveals that, if read, the 
  page will rewind the timestream back to the exact 
  moment when the poem was infused with magic.
  For more infomation, see the section below entitled 
  The Poem.
  The Agent
  Soon after the characters find Dhoinnach, her hot-
  headed agent Pollas rushes the scene demanding if 
  anyone has seen her. Pollas is a dark-haired heathfolk 
  who wears a dark, knee-length jacket and a silver-
  embroidered waistcoat. Unlike the other heathfolk, he 
  lacks jewelry of any kind. His black mane is cropped to 
  about a two-inch length, an uncommonly conservative  
  style for his people.
  If she’s conscious, Dhoinnach sighs with relief and 
  waves Pollas over, uttering, “Pollas will know what to 
  do.” Unfortunately, as soon as he comes within 15 feet 
  of Dhoinnach, Pollas pulls an ivory-handled pistol 
  from his jacket and shoots her in the neck—even if 
  she’s unconscious. She dies instantly, and can’t be saved 
  from this.
  If Pollas kills Dhoinnach, or if she’s dead by the time 
  he appears, he calls out for help, setting a small corps 
  of officers from the university constabulary against the 
  party. He says whatever is necessary to frame them for 
  the killing.
  The officers are five guards with flintlock pistols 
  (range of 30 ft., 1d10 piercing damage) and no armor. 
  They attempt to apprehend the “murderers” as best 
  they can, but will shoot to kill if they feel threatened.
  One of the officers carries a 5 gp bank note with a 
  hastily scrawled message in Roccurish on the back. It 
  reads “It’s tonight. Remember where not to look.”
  The Poem
  At this point, the adventure might go several ways. 
  The characters might be captured, killed, escape, or 
  any combination of the three. The most important 
  thing is that they end up with the blood-stained poem. 
  This item is the key to correcting the past and saving 
  the lives of whoever may be dead or captive. If the 
  character holding the poem is captured, be sure to have 
  it escape the guards’ notice. Let it stay with a player.
  If the party manages to defeat or escape the guards, 
  they might find a safe spot to hide. It could be an inn or 
  club where they’re residing while at the conference. It 
  might instead be the house of a local who can be trusted.
  If the players don’t immediately read the poem 
  aloud, feel free to drop clear hints. You might point out 
  to spellcasting characters (or those proficient with the 
  Arcana skill) that they felt an odd magical sensation 
  while the first lines of the poem were being read. 
  Perhaps a character has a vivid dream of Dhoinnach 
  begging her to read the poem aloud before it’s too late.
  Whatever the context, the players should be coaxed 
  into reading the poem aloud in its entirety. When this 
  occurs, a strange blue haze creeps over the vision of 
  anyone within earshot of the words. You may read the 
  following description:
  THE HIDDEN SHOOTERS
  With some investigation the players can attempt to 
  find whoever fired the gunshots at Dhoinnach. As they 
  explore backstage, they discover the following areas in 
  whatever sequence matches their path of movement: 
  the Loading Door, the Wings, the Catwalk, 
  Dhoinnach’s Dressing Room, or the Roof.
  If at any point they read the poem in its entirety 
  again, creatures within hearing of the words jump 
  back to the same moment about 5 minutes before 
  the reading began. Affected creatures always return 
  to the exact place and state they were in at that time. 
  Characters cannot go back in time and interact with 
  themselves. They are their past selves. Only their 
  consciousness is being transported backward.
  By using the poem this way, the party might go 
  through the events just before the shooting several 
  times, experiencing moments identically or in an 
  adjusted way, depending on their choices.
  The catch is that each time the poem is used to 
  travel, one line of the writing disappears. To continue 
  using it, a character must remember the missing lines 
  Reality seems to peel back, revealing a whirling 
  stream of glowing threads all around you. You 
  have the feeling that an unseen intelligence—
  something that yearns to harm you—is screened 
  by this tapestry of light, but before it reveals itself 
  the timestream interlaces around you again. The 
  dazzling lights fade, and you are suddenly back 
  outside Obach Hall. The university bell tolls seven. 
  It’s 5 minutes before the reading began.
  
  7
  in order to speak the entire poem. To do this, the 
  character must make an Intelligence check, where the 
  DC is 5 + the number of missing lines from the poem. 
  A natural 20 automatically succeeds in recalling the 
  exact wording. Once all 50 lines are gone, however, 
  success becomes impossible.
  Each additional area is listed in the following pages, 
  with a breakdown of what happens each minute after 
  the time travel. Keep track of how many minutes pass 
  in each area to capture the urgency of the investigation, 
  and to accurately portray events. For the purposes of 
  the game, it takes 1 minute to travel to an area from 
  anywhere else in the theater.
  In order to arrive at an area during Minute 1, a 
  character must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) 
  check to sprint there. This activity draws the attention of 
  2d4 officers, who begin following. On a failure, they arrive 
  at the beginning of Minute 2. Characters that can Dash as 
  a bonus action have advantage on this check. Those who 
  can teleport 60 feet or more automatically succeed.
  Note: The party should fail to save Dhoinnach at 
  least twice. That’s the fun of the adventure: jumping back 
  in time again and again to try and solve the puzzle.
  Loading Door
  Around back of the building, there’s a large swinging 
  door that opens into a room for loading in sets and 
  large-sized freight.
  Minutes 1-3. Inside are two 4-foot tall sarrow 
  thugs moving crates to the edge of the open doorway. 
  Unless the party interrupts them or they see that 
  they’re being watched, the crewmen talk about “the 
  chief” being ready for the job. “He says it’s time to put 
  her down before she finishes the last one.” They seem 
  to think that “this last one is an abomination.” “It’s 
  unnatural, and he won’t stand for her finishing it.”
  If they realize they’ve been spied on, the two 
  crewmen will try to teach the characters a lesson.
  Minute 4. The loading dock is empty except for 
  an assembly of large crates lining the doorway. The 
  crates contain wooden beams, iron hinges, and other 
  building materials.
  Minute 5-6. Three gunshots are heard from inside 
  the theater. A few people stream into the loading dock 
  looking for an exit, including two crewmen.
  The Wings
  Just offstage on each side, there’s a 10-foot by 20-foot 
  area with hanging “legs,” or curtains to mask waiting 
  performers from the audience. On the walls opposite 
  the entrance to the stage, there are weighted ropes that 
  hold the curtains and other rigged equipment above the 
  stage. An iron-skeleton staircase, similar to a fire escape, 
  climbs sharply up from each wing into the Catwalk. The 
  staircases provide half cover from creatures below.
  Minutes 1-2. The party finds Pollas pacing 
  impatiently in the left wing. He’s waiting for 
  Dhoinnach to come down to the stage, and he’s got his 
  ivory pistol hidden in his jacket. He tries to shoo away 
  the characters, but won’t become hostile unless they 
  act aggressively toward him. If a struggle breaks out, he 
  will head for the stage to draw the attackers out of the 
  shadows, or call the constabulary like before (or after, 
  depending how you look at it).
  Minute 3. Dhoinnach appears in the right wing, 
  her poem in hand. The stuttering scholar gives his 
  introduction, and Pollas motions for her to go out and 
  begin. She takes a deep breath and walks onstage.
  Minute 4. The audience roars with applause as 
  Dhoinnach makes her joke. She begins to read.
  Minute 5. The shots are fired. If Pollas isn’t aware 
  he’s being watched, he fires at Dhoinnach from 
  behind with his ivory pistol. Otherwise, he attempts 
  to hide. The audience erupts into chaos. Pollas makes 
  his getaway by cutting a rope from the rigging. The 
  counterweight is severed, and he rides the rope up to 
  the catwalk as a curtain falls onstage.
  Minute 6. Dhoinnach hides wherever the PCs 
  found her in the opening scene.
  The Catwalk
  Above the stage, there’s a catwalk made of iron 
  bars, where the ropes that hold the curtains up feed 
  through their pulleys before going back down to the 
  counterweights in the wings. The catwalk is accessed by 
  a stairway from the wings, a door to the roof, and a door 
  to Dhoinnach’s dressing room on the stage left side.
  A DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check is required 
  to climb onto the catwalk. Characters that are pushed 
  or damaged while on the catwalk must succeed on a 
  DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall 60 feet to the 
  stage, taking 6d6 bludgeoning damage.
  Minutes 1-4. The catwalk is empty, but it affords 
  a good view of the audience. A successful DC 14 
  Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the location—but 
  not identity—of one of the shooters (Box G).
  Minute 5. The shots are fired, the one from Box G 
  visible to anyone looking in that direction. Suddenly 
  a rope starts to slide and the curtain goes down. 
  Characters on the catwalk must succeed on a DC 10 
  
  8
  Dexterity saving throw or be pulled down to the stage 
  with it, taking 6d6 bludgeoning damage.
  When the curtain hits the stage, the rope that 
  held it is pulled up to the catwalk, revealing Pollas at 
  the other end of it. He pretends to be looking for the 
  shooter, and will try to frame the player characters by 
  calling the constabulary.
  Minute 6. Pollas leaves the catwalk through the door 
  to the roof and circles back down to the main doors.
  Dhoinnach’s Dressing Room
  The stairway in the left wing leads to the catwalk, and 
  contains a door to Dhoinnach’s dressing room. At the 
  top of the staircase is a door to the roof. The dressing 
  room is small, with a mirror and an ornate lamp that’s 
  lit with a light spell.
  A dresser near the mirror contains a set of stage 
  makeup and brushes, a sealed envelope, and an ancient 
  book inscribed with Chronomancy spells (Darkplane: 
  A Campaign Setting, pp. 145-149). Many are illegible, 
  but a wizard can attempt to copy the following spells 
  from it: axis of eternity, chronal shift, delay, haste, time 
  dilation, and timelike curve.
  In a dresser near the mirror is a sealed envelope 
  addressed from Dhoinnach to a person named Huori 
  (the text of the letter clarifies that it’s her sister). A 
  handout of the letter can be found on page 15. The 
  letter reveals the following information:
  • Dhoinnach has been experiencing profound 
  depression. She’s taken to late-night walks and is 
  contemplating suicide as an escape.
  • She is planning to infuse her poem with powerful 
  magic from an arcane tome.
  • The magic will transport the entire audience 
  of the reading back in time as a way to express 
  and heighten the sense of time distortion in the 
  poem’s story.
  • She believes that this effect will set in motion an 
  infinite timeloop within the area that the reading 
  can be heard.
  • In her mind, it will be a magnificent experimental 
  art piece.
  • She also intends it to be a statement against 
  the Yaelcar, a group of political dissidents who 
  recently murdered a prominent arcane scholar.
  • Pollas caught her examining the tome’s spells. 
  She doesn’t think much of it, but he seems 
  uncomfortable with her use of magic.
  Minutes 1-6. Dhoinnach’s dressing room is 
  strangely empty. She’s not onstage and she’s not here.
  The Roof
  A door leads from the catwalk onto the roof of Obach 
  Hall. A wide view of the city stretches out, and in the 
  distance the yellow moon glimmers in the Schothred Sea.
  Minute 1. Dhoinnach stands at the edge of the 
  rooftop, contemplating suicide. She’s visibly upset. After 
  a moment, she steps back, reaches into her handbag, 
  and takes out the poem. Reading, almost singing it, she 
  rocks her head back and forth as faint, spectral arms 
  grasp at her from the dark night. After a moment she 
  puts her heels on and heads down to the right wing.
  If she’s confronted at this moment, she may open up 
  to the characters if they succeed on a DC 14 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check. On a success, she tells them about 
  her fits of depression and anxiety. Strange spirits have 
  followed her ever since she first read the Hidden Book 
  of Ulmhasa—a grimoire of bizarre spells from the days 
  before the timestream was guarded by planar wardens 
  called the yuriphim.
  She intends, as they may already know, to make 
  this reading very special. She won’t tell them just what 
  will happen, but “it’s going to change everything you 
  ever knew about poetry.” If the characters tell her 
  what’s really going to happen, she’ll follow them if they 
  manage to sway her with a Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check of DC 14 or excellent roleplay.
  Minutes 2-4. The rooftop is empty.
  Minute 5. Shots and cries can be heard from the hall.
  Minute 6. Pollas bursts through the door and 
  climbs a fire escape to the front of the building, where 
  he reenters as if looking for Dhoinnach.
  The Yaelcar
  If the characters or players aren’t already familiar 
  with the Yaelcar, the letter is a good place slip in 
  some exposition. A character proficient in the 
  History skills can recall the following information.
  The Yaelcar are a sect of heathfolk that 
  rebelled and separated from the nation of 
  Chayrshellech in its early history. They’re firm in 
  the fundamentalist belief that arcane magic is evil 
  and shouldn’t be practiced in any form. They’re 
  culturally at odds with the northern heathfolk, 
  who commonly use small forms of folk-magic. 
  Several murders of arcane scholars in this area 
  have been attributed to Yaelca dissidents.
  A Yaelca often wears all black, abstains from 
  cutting the hair, and keeps his or her body 
  covered from neck to wrist to ankles.
  
  9
  THE YURIPH
  There are many ways this adventure might go, but 
  hopefully the players will be able to rinse and repeat 
  until they find Dhoinnach and manage to convince her 
  that she is going to be assassinated. Alternatively, the 
  players may decide that her plan is too dangerous, and 
  that the Yaelcar are right to put a stop to it.
  If the players remove all three shooters from the 
  building before the assassination occurs, Dhoinnach 
  completes the poem. Barring any further interference 
  from the players, the entire building and everything 
  within 30 feet of it falls under a recurring loop from 
  which no one inside can escape or prevent.
  Players can watch from the outside (without 
  fear of being affected) as the audience is repeatedly 
  transported from their moment of rapture at the 
  poem’s completion to being outside the hall 5 minutes 
  before the reading begins. This time, however, the bell 
  does not toll for them, since they are outside the effect 
  of the spell.
  Each time the loop repeats, a threatening presence 
  lurks behind the threads of the timestream, as if 
  waiting to emerge. A silhouette of eight grasping claws 
  becomes clearer and clearer with each repetition. If 
  the party sticks around for 5 repetitions, they hear 
  (and perhaps barely see) a terrifying aberration burst 
  through the timethread and begin to devour the 
  time-imprisoned souls within the hall. As it feasts, the 
  creature releases a telepathic cry, heard in the minds 
  of the entire city: “Insolent anomalies! You shall all 
  be ground to paste for weakening the integrity of the 
  planes. The yuriphim will bring misery upon your 
  heads!”
  This catastrophe may cause the players to charge in 
  for a climactic showdown. Others may leave the poor 
  trapped souls to their fate. In the former case, stage 
  a combat encounter with the yuriph (see page 13) in 
  the concert hall. The yuriph will be exhausted from its 
  efforts to break through the temporal prison. It has 4 
  levels of exhaustion and only deals half damage with its 
  attack and spells.
  WRAP-UP
  There are many ways this adventure might go, but 
  hopefully the players will be able to rinse and repeat 
  until they encounter a satisfying conclusion. Once 
  they’ve saved Dhoinnach’s life, they might try to 
  expose the true murderers, or simply get away before 
  Pollas comes for them. In either case, they’ll have made 
  a loyal friend of Dhoinnach.
  The page that has transported them back in time will 
  only ever take them to the moment 5 minutes before 
  the murder, and always to the place where they were 
  when the spell was inscribed—just outside the concert 
  hall. If they use it again once Dhoinnach’s life has been 
  saved, they will undo any progress on that front.
  To that end, Dhoinnach may ask for the poem 
  back to ensure her own safety. It may very well mean, 
  though, that she will go through with her devastating 
  plan. If the players have gathered enough information, 
  they may turn on her to prevent this tragedy.
  Whatever happens, the page containing the 
  poem cannot be destroyed by any mundane means. 
  Dispelling the magic causes the timestream to revert to 
  the original version of events where Dhoinnach (and 
  any other casualties) fall victim to the circumstances.
  Saving Dhoinnach is a minor quest worth 250 XP. If 
  the players decide to turn on her after discovering her 
  plan, they receive 800 XP instead.
  
  10
  
  11
  HEATHFOLK
  The heathfolk are a technologically advanced race native 
  to the moors and highlands that once belonged to their 
  maahiset forefathers. They’re descended from the original 
  maahiset aristocracy who, when the demon-spawn attacked, 
  elected to flee into mountain sanctuaries rather than live 
  underground.
  As the highland settlers prospered, these sanctuaries 
  developed into vast cities perched on remote precipices. 
  They grew taller, hardier, more scientific, and their numbers 
  swelled. Today the heathfolk continue to thrive as a result 
  of their political neutrality and characteristic charm. Most 
  have a love of learning and art instilled in them from a 
  young age.
  Folk magic is a fundamental part of heathfolk culture. 
  With the exception of the Yaelcar kindred, most of 
  them treasure the arcane as part of their heritage. Their 
  universities are the only formal institutions for magical 
  instruction in the world.
  Artistic and Open-Minded
  Among the heathfolk, enlightenment is everything. 
  Children are assigned personal tutors at age four, and their 
  education continues until they come of age at 22. Most 
  heathfolk are inculcated with an open mind and a passion 
  for art and learning. Their high literacy rate and quality of 
  life set them apart from other cultures.
  Heathfolk often practice simple forms of arcane magic, 
  which perhaps contributes to their fascination with that 
  which they don’t yet understand. While most cultures 
  are eternally suspicious of the arcane, heathfolk tradition 
  embraces it as both a science and an art. The handing down 
  of ancient folk magic practices defines traditional heathfolk 
  society. Indeed, Ruethas—their racial deity—is a patron of 
  arcane secrets.
  Marks and Manes
  Heathfolk usually stand just shorter than humans, and their 
  natural build is slim above the waist. They tend to have 
  muscular legs, and heathfolk women are often curvy with 
  petite shoulders. Green and brown eyes are common among 
  them, but some have eyes of amber or dark grey.
  A heathfolk’s face has earth-toned markings, often 
  centered on the eyes like a raccoon. This trait is genetic—
  usually children’s marks resemble those of their parents, but 
  each is as unique as a fingerprint. They can be light or dark, 
  intricate or subtle. These markings commonly appear in 
  muted hues of green, grey, brown, yellow, red, and blue. The 
  heathfolk usually have an olive or light brown skin tone.
  Heathfolk have very thick, bushy hair that grows long. 
  The men have lion-like manes that surround their heads. 
  The mane grows in one mass, covering the entire head, 
  neck, shoulders, and upper chest, leaving only the face 
  visible. They have high foreheads, and their facial hair 
  stops at the corners of the mouth, the lack of mustache 
  further suggesting the appearance of a lion. Females grow 
  strong, thick hair commonly worn past the waist, but theirs 
  doesn’t grow from the shoulders and chest. Heathfolk hair 
  colors tend to be shades of red and brown. Black hair is 
  particularly predominant among the separatist heathfolk of 
  Yarcarrach, causing neighboring humans to nickname them 
  the Black Heathens.
  These secular dissidents call themselves the Yaelcar. 
  Their men have a strict cultural practice of shaving their 
  manes below the ears, giving them a more distinctly human 
  look. For both men and women, the hair on the top of the 
  head is often braided or beaded, but never cut. Their clothes 
  are made of plain black cloth, covering the wearer from the 
  wrists to the ankles.
  Noblesse Oblige
  Self-centered thinking is a mark of ignorance to most 
  heathfolk, while cultural awareness and an open mind are 
  the marks of nobility and intelligence. It’s common for them 
  to travel the world, not only to become cultured, but to 
  share that enlightenment with those they meet. This love of 
  travel is greatly facilitated by their unique talent for learning 
  languages. Paradoxically, many heathfolk believe they 
  are superior to other races because they think themselves 
  the least self-interested. They love playing the role of 
  mentor, and they love to be the only heathfolk in a crowd.
  Remote Universities
  All three heathfolk political bodies are bound together 
  in an Imperial Order, which only truly exists in name. In 
  reality these nations interact very little. Each is governed by 
  a council of political academics called fellows who preside 
  over the government while maintaining positions at their 
  respective educational institutions. Three post-graduate 
  degrees are required to sit on the governing councils, and 
  many of their members have far more than that.
  At the center of most heathfolk communities is 
  at least one university. Life in these remote cliff-cities 
  revolves around such institutions, and few heathfolk live 
  beyond the city walls. Most subsist on fruit, fish, and 
  sheep, though more luxurious food is imported for those 
  who can afford it. The Yaelcar live along the verdent 
  southern coast of the Chayrshellech region, where they 
  can farm and herd in communities less cramped than 
  those of their northern kin.
  Enlightened Adventurers
  Heathfolk characters are likely to be pleasant in an 
  adventuring party. They may be dismissive of those they 
  consider ignorant, but are quick to follow a good leader. 
  When fortune falls on them, they are usually more than 
  willing to assume command.
  Every land in Vinramar has seen heathfolk travelers, 
  usually speaking the local language. Their pursuit of 
  enlightenment draws them on extensive voyages through 
  
  12
  foreign countries, which helps their amicable relationships 
  with neighboring races. Th ough most heathfolk prove to be 
  quite versatile, the northern kin have traditionally preferred 
  vocations that involve the arcane. Th e Black Heathens of 
  course avoid such pursuits at all costs.
  Heathfolk Names
  A heathfolk has a given name, usually taken from the 
  mother’s family history, and a clan name, usually the 
  father’s. Genealogy is very important to the heathfolk, and 
  their clan allegiance comes before almost any other.
  Male Names: Aillourath, Archolloch, Bretham, Chuyrdash, 
  Fayruch, Garaym, Jennam, Laithscael, Lothanser, 
  Nassach, Pollas, Siorash, Shouthan
  Female Names: Antayleach, Bureas, Ciaynhain, Dassacha, 
  Hanlayr, Hulmara, Ishath, Kenshayloch, Maralash, 
  Roshalya, Sheleach, Seairsha, Yessas
  Clan Names: Athelshoth, Barrobayrn, Beal, Falbonnach, 
  Iulainn, Margeynnach, Mararchtach, Marenchella, 
  Obaech, Umiurthar
  Heathfolk Traits
  Th e heathfolk share an array of traits that refl ect their 
  education and cultural aptitudes.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases 
  by 2.
  Age. Heathfolk have a lifespan just longer than that of 
  humans. Th ey commonly live to 100, but rarely 120.
  Alignment. Moderation goes hand in hand with 
  enlightenment, and the heathfolk value their ability to ride 
  the middle of the road. Neutrality is oft en a compelling 
  alignment choice for them.
  Size. Most heathfolk have a height around 5 feet, with a 
  particularly short individual dipping to as low as 4 feet, and 
  a very tall heathfolk reaching 6 feet. Your size is Medium.
  Speed. 30 feet.
  Heathfolk Weapon Training. You have profi ciency with 
  the fl intlock pistol, longsword, and rapier.
  Incidental Knowledge. If you miss an ability check’s DC 
  by a margin of 1, you still succeed. Th is trait does not apply 
  to saving throws or attack rolls, but it does allow you to win 
  contests that result in a tie.
  Less Sleep. When taking a long rest, you only need 
  to spend 4 of the 8 hours sleeping. You can spend a week 
  concentrating on a single downtime activity during the 
  remaining 4 hours of each long rest. Aft er a week, you gain 
  the benefi t of 1 day engaged in that activity.
  Languages. You can speak, read, and write  Roccurish 
  and two extra languages of your choice. If your Intelligence 
  score is 13 or higher, you learn another additional language. 
  Roccurish is the native language of the heathfolk. It has 
  many unique sounds that can be diffi  cult for other cultures 
  to learn. It’s a whispery, smooth-sounding language thought 
  to be closely related to that spoken by the ancient maahiset.
  Subrace. Choose a subrace. Two are described here: 
  black heathen and northern kin.
  Black Heathen
  Th e Black Heathens, also called the Yaelcar, separated from 
  the heathfolk nation of Chayrshellech several millennia ago. 
  Th ey are vehemently secularist, denying the usefulness of 
  both magic and religion. To outsiders, the black heathens 
  seem somber and plain-thinking, but they have all the 
  intelligence and tenacity of their northern kin.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
  Secular Training. You gain one of the following:
  (a) profi ciency in two tools or weapons of your choice
  (b) profi ciency in one additional skill from your class's 
  skill list
  Northern Kin
  Th e northern kin are the traditionalists among the 
  heathfolk, representing the majority in their culture. Th ey’re 
  oft en raised around the use of simple folk magic, but not all 
  of them go on to study arcane practices in depth.
  Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases 
  by 1.
  Folk Magic. You learn two cantrips from the following 
  list: blade ward, dancing lights, light, mending, message, 
  minor illusion, prestidigitation, or true strike.
  The Company of Fools
  It’s common for heathfolk to look down on 
  religion, especially large churches that devote 
  themselves to one god. For the northern kin, this 
  is because they believe in the superiority of arcane 
  magic—though many of them casually worship 
  Ruethas, the patron god of time and spells. For the 
  Black Heathens of the south, it’s because of their 
  strict secularist beliefs. In the company of religious 
  characters, a heathfolk might have a terrifi c time 
  making light of their zealotry.
  
  Yuriph
  In the dark gaps between dimensions swim the yuriphim, 
  deformed celestials who wield the supernal signs of planar 
  travel. Wherever beings traverse the boundaries of reality, 
  these sentinels watch in vigilant silence. Th eir existence 
  in the Darkplane has left  the yuriphim with a haunting 
  appearance: sallow skin, misshapen faces, and eight 
  twisted arms.
  Servitors of the Ivory Keys. During the creation, 
  these creatures were imbued with the light of the Ivory 
  Keys, celestial artifacts that reinforce natural reality and 
  can open or close passages between the planes. As bound 
  minions of any who holds the keys, the yuriphim can 
  transport themselves and others anywhere in existence 
  with a simple gesture.
  Th e yuriphim seldom appear alone. In groups, they 
  can easily overpower most planar threats, though they are 
  always beholden to the Keys (and whoever controls them) 
  as the source of their power.
  Celestial Captives. Sowm fi rst created the yuriphim as 
  celestial guardians of the planes, sentinels tasked to ensure 
  that all living things remain in their proper dimensions. 
  When Gallister wrested the Ivory Keys from Loragg, 
  however, he carried the yuriphim into the Darkplane, aft er 
  which they became known as the Pinioned Keepers—
  merciless aberrations pressed into Gallister’s service.
  Wardens of Planar Travel. Th e yuriphim  continue to 
  carry out their duty as cosmic gatekeepers. Creatures that 
  travel between the Realms of Existence are oft en observed 
  or escorted by these stoic fi gures (whether they know it 
  or not), and those that threaten the laws of dimensional 
  integrity should expect swift  and stern reprisals.
  Yuriph
  Medium celestial, lawful neutral
  Armor Class 14
  Hit Points 125 (22d8 + 26)
  Speed 30 ft .
  Saving Th rows Int +7
  Damage Resistances radiant
  Damage Immunities cold
  Senses truesight 120 ft ., passive Perception 12
  Languages all (see Innate Spellcasting below)
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Aberrant Gatekeeper. Th e yuriph is considered an  aberration as 
  well as a celestial.
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). Th e yuriph’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no verbal or material components:
  At will: gate, levitate, light, telepathy
  Actions
  Multiattack. Th e yuriph makes eight fi st attacks.
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
  Superior Invisibility. Th e yuriph turns invisible until its 
  concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment 
  the yuriph wears or carries is invisible with it.
  Void Stare. Th e yuriph targets one creature it can see within 60 
  feet of it. If the target can see the yuriph, it must succeed on a DC 
  15 Intelligence saving throw or take 28 (5d10) psychic damage and 
  become stunned until the end of the yuriph’s next turn.
  STR
  12 (+1)
  DEX
  18 (+4)
  CON
  13 (+1)
  INT
  20 (+5)
  WIS
  15 (+2)
  CHA
  15 (+2)
  
  14
  My Dearest Huori,
  Times are dark, and I know little of what lies in 
  store for me. The Yaelcar are gaining power in the city. 
  Only last week, they murdered Professor Falbonnach in 
  his own Arcanum. How they could have caught him 
  so unawares is sheer mystery to me, but it bodes ill for 
  the rest of us. I  fear tonight will be my last reading.
  Pollas caught me looking over the old tome. He 
  wouldn’t normally object to a little arcane demonstration, 
  but what  I  have something a bit more in mind.
  The mood swings have returned. I  spend entire 
  nights walking the dim streets as a lamb awaiting the 
  cut of the butcher. I  feel that Despair herself pursues 
  me. Who could guess it? The most celebrated woman in 
  the North would sooner dash herself against the riverbed 
  than live? I  fear there is no escape.
  The fourth spell should do. A fold in time, a wave 
  that crashes and roils upon itself for eons immemorial. 
  If  I  am to die, then this final act, this last poem 
  will be my eternal, living monument. And the souls 
  encased within, my pall bearers evermore. We all shall be 
  entombed in time itself, like Ruethas of old.
  I  know you will grieve me. I would say do not, 
  but in truth  I  wish you to. Remember me, sister.
    With ageless love,
     Dhoinnach
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Darkplane/Darkplane - Nightfall in Remmish A One-Shot Adventure.pdf