TEXT: “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 1 
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 1 
   
  Dungeon Age 
  “SAVING SAXHAM” 
  a 5e adventure for levels 1-3 
  Written and illustrated by Joseph Robert Lewis © 2018 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
  The village of Saxham has been struck by a 
  terrible curse! Or perhaps it’s being terrorized by 
  demons, ghosts, and the undead? Or… was there 
  a terrible storm? Maybe?  
  No one seems to know exactly what happened 
  here. But the villagers are terrified, bizarre 
  monsters roam the forest, and strange lights 
  strike the woods every night at midnight… 
   
   
   
  DESIGN NOTES 
  This adventure is intended for characters levels 
  1 to 3. It includes a small village, several 
  wilderness areas, and a simple network of 
  tunnels to explore. Each area contains various 
  encounters and unique magical items.  
  There are many opportunities for combat, but it 
  is possible for players to explore every area and 
  complete every interaction without any combat 
  at all, depending on their choices. 
  The DM’s read-aloud text looks like this. 
  Items that are explained in their own section 
  have [ brackets ] around them. 
   
  OBVIOUS NOTE IS OBVIOUS 
  The names and settings used in this adventure are drawn from the world of Dungeon Age. Obviously, you 
  can and should change whatever you want to fit in your campaign setting.  
  The creatures in this adventure range in challenge rating from easy (1/8) to challenging (4). Obviously, 
  you can and should adjust the stats and numbers of creatures to meet the skills of your players. 
  But you already knew that, right? 
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 2 
   
  CREDITS 
  “Saving Saxham” is published by Joseph Robert Lewis under the Open 
  Game License version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product 
  Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), 
  and are not Open Content: All trademarks, proper names (characters, 
  etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, and artwork. 
  Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content 
  are not included in this declaration. 
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see 
  above), the game mechanics of this game product are Open Game 
  Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). 
  No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open 
  Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written 
  permission. 
  “Saving Saxham” © 2018 Joseph Robert Lewis, All Rights Reserved. 
  Cover photo by Rangizzz (Dreamstime). 
  OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 
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  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 3 
   
  MAP OF SAXHAM AND ITS SURROUNDINGS 
   
   
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 4 
   
  BACKGROUND  
  The wealthy Sax family established the small 
  farming village of Saxham to produce grain to be 
  ground at the family’s grist mill. The village 
  stands at the border of an elven forest, and near 
  an abandoned elven holy grove that the village 
  uses as its cemetery.  
  Thirty years ago, a barrel of fruit was delivered 
  to the Sax Estate containing plague rats. The 
  plague killed all 317 people in the village in just a 
  few weeks. Most victims were hastily buried in 
  the cemetery. Most… 
  Five months ago, the ghost of the village cleric 
  Sister Anna rose from her tomb with a desire to 
  save the people of Saxham. She cannot leave the 
  cemetery, so she has captured several creatures 
  and uses them to dig tunnels outward from the 
  cemetery into the surrounding forest. The ghost 
  uses the tunnels to reach the roots of the living 
  trees.  
  Every night at midnight, the ghost steals the life-
  energy from the trees and uses that energy to 
  resurrect one villager. The blighted trees turn 
  black and ooze a reeking black oil. The villager 
  climbs out of their grave as a Clayskin (earth 
  zombie with glowing green eyes).  
  After three days of shambling and moaning, they 
  shed a layer of grave soil and become a 
  Woodwalker (bark zombie with green berry 
  eyes). After three more days of staggering 
  through the woods, they shed a layer of bark and 
  become a normal human villager. They then each 
  make their way back to the village, naked and 
  confused, with no memory of their death or 
  bizarre resurrection. 
  TODAY  
  There are now 138 villagers in Saxham. They 
  have no idea that they were dead, or that 30 
  years have passed.  
  They don’t know where the rest of the villagers 
  are, and are gripped by grief and fear. They are 
  baffled by the decayed and overgrown state of 
  the village and fields. They are terrified of the 
  creatures wandering the blighted forest.  
  Their only solace is that every day or so, one of 
  their lost loved ones stumbles out of the forest 
  and returns to them. 
   
  THE CATCH 
  The “catch” to this adventure is that if the party 
  does nothing at all, then the ghost cleric will 
  continue to resurrect the villagers until Saxham 
  is mostly restored. Then the ghost will be at 
  peace and there will be no more “undead”, and 
  the forest will recover from the blight naturally. 
  Probably. Hopefully… 
  But then, there would still be the three factions 
  of goblins, sprites, and elves in the forest to deal 
  with. 
  However, if the party stops the ghost or its 
  tunneling creatures, then the resurrections will 
  stop and the village will struggle to survive with 
  its current number of residents. 
  What to do? What to do… 
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 5 
   
  STORY HOOKS 
  Here are a few ideas to get your players engaged. 
   On the road, the party finds an old grist mill 
  by a river, where two old men tell tales of the 
  village of Saxham. [ The Grist Mill ] 
   In the wilderness, the party finds a boy 
  fleeing from a Woodwalker. He describes 
  Saxham as a village cursed and threatened by 
  monsters. [ Isaac Dale ] 
   In the wilderness, the party sees a flash of 
  green light every night at midnight, and 
  choose to investigate. This allows the DM to 
  have the party enter the area from any 
  direction the DM wants.  
   A traveling merchant mentions to the party 
  that he's seen smoke coming from Saxham, 
  which is strange since it’s been abandoned 
  for 30 years… 
  ISAAC DALE 
  A painfully thin boy of thirteen staggers 
  forward, shaggy hair pasted to his sweaty face. 
  He collapses in front of you, gasping for breath, 
  begging for water, and babbling about a strange 
  creature in the woods. 
   “I was gathering sticks for the fire when one 
  of the Woodwalkers lunged at me, and I ran. 
  It kept following, so I kept running…” 
   “I’m from Saxham, just back that way. I live 
  with my ma and pa (Dathan), but ma’s 
  missing. Lots of folks are missing.” 
   “Everyone says the village is cursed. Our 
  house was all falling down. There’re weeds 
  all over the fields, and the goats are gone!” 
   “There’re monsters in the woods. Dead things 
  with green eyes. No one goes into the woods 
  anymore, it’s too dangerous.” 
  THE GRIST MILL 
  The cracked and mossy stone walls of the grist 
  mill lean precariously over the river. Its water 
  wheel has rusted solid and half its paddles have 
  rotted away, as the stream continues to pull 
  relentlessly at the decaying structure. 
   
  A tattered cloth hangs across the doorway and 
  fragments of glass cling to the window frames.  
   By day, two old men sit by the stream with 
  fishing rods. By night, firelight flickers inside. 
  The leathery-skinned, squinty-eyed old men are 
  Horace (with prodigious muttonchops) and 
  Jasper (with drooping mustache). 
   They have lived here as fishermen for the last 
  two years.  
   Horace remembers coming to the mill as a 
  little boy with his father (a baker) to buy 
  flour, but that was decades ago. He has no 
  idea why the mill stopped running. 
   Jasper remembers making trips to Saxham 
  with his father (a tinker) to sell forks and 
  spoons. He recalls the wealthy Sax family 
  having a large home full of art in gold frames, 
  musical instruments, and fancy jewelry. It’s 
  probably all still up there. 
   Both men have seen flashes of green light 
  late at night coming from Saxham for the last 
  few months. But nothing has ever come to the 
  mill, and the old men have never gone to 
  investigate.  
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 6 
   
  ROAD TO SAXHAM 
  Two dusty wheel ruts run north from the Sax 
  Grist Mill through grassy hills toward a line of 
  massive dark trees. The seedy grasses and blue 
  wildflowers shiver and rustle endlessly as 
  vermin explore the fields. The occasional rat 
  scurries across the road. 
   Dead couple. Sun-bleached bones lie tangled 
  in the weeds in the road. Human. One man, 
  one woman. Many years old. The bones have 
  been gnawed by small teeth. 
   Bone heap. Just 30 feet off the road is a bare 
  dirt mound 5 feet high and 10 feet across. 
  Two giant weasels sit on the mound, 
  watching the party. The sides of the mound 
  are littered with tiny bones. The weasels will 
  defend their nest if provoked. 
  Giant Weasel 
  25 xp 
  Medium beast  ▪  AC 13  ▪  9 HP  ▪  40 ft 
  +5 bite attack  ▪  1d4+3 piercing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +0 
  +3 
  +0 
  -3 
  +1 
  -3 
   
  OVERGROWN FIELDS 
  Wide open fields sweep across the hills into the 
  distance to the east and west of the village. The 
  crop rows are merely green grooves, covered 
  now in thick grass and weeds.  
   
  Far away, dozens of men and women kneel in 
  the fields, tearing out weeds by hand. Only one 
  small patch of one field is freshly tilled and 
  planted. The skeletal frames of small shacks 
  and barns dot the hills.  
  ENTERING SAXHAM 
  Weeds stand tall in the middle of the dirt roads. 
  Black rats dart boldly in the open, and fat 
  striped cats trot slowly after them.  
   
  Rotting beams and thatching lay heaped against 
  cracked stone walls, but cleared paths weave 
  around the debris from house to house. Half the 
  homes are ruined and half are repaired. 
   
  Ruined houses: The thatched roofs have 
  collapsed, the doors have fallen off, and the 
  windows are empty. Flies and gnats buzz over 
  stagnant puddles. Pigeons squawk from nests 
  in the chimneys. Spider webs sag, full of brown 
  leaves and dead flies.  
   Note: There is a 1-in-20 chance of finding a 
  human skeleton inside a ruined house. 
  Repaired houses: There are freshly thatched 
  roofs, newly stained doors, and tightly sealed 
  shutters. Knocking at the closed doors 
  produces no response.  
   
  Inside: The doors are unlocked. The floors are 
  swept clean and dry mattresses sit on wooden 
  frames smelling of fresh oil staining and 
  sawdust. Pots, spoons, and knives are neatly 
  hung by the hearth. No one is at home. 
  POINTS OF INTEREST 
   A lone two-story house with two brick 
  chimneys stands on the west side.  
  [ Sax Estate, p8 ] 
   A broad wooden dome stands on the north 
  side of town. [ Chapel of Saint Helena, p9 ] 
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 7 
   
  SAXHAM SQUARE 
  Voices and sounds of wood chopping and 
  sawing echo through the streets from the 
  village square. Seven men are working at a pile 
  of fresh lumber to repair yet another identical 
  house. The men are all thin and bearded. Six of 
  them wear patched linen shirts and trousers, 
  but the seventh wears a frayed blue suit.  
   Amos the carpenter 
   Barnabas the thatcher 
   Dathan Dale the farmer (father of Isaac) 
   Felix the farmer 
   Jesse the cooper 
   And… 
  EVERETT THE HUNTER 
  A gruff burly fellow. The last man to venture into 
  the woods, three days ago. He found no signs of 
  any game animals. While near the cemetery: 
   He heard chanting to the north. 
   He saw a strange white tree to the west. 
   He smelled a foul smoke to the east. 
  PHILIP SAX  
  A foppish brat of 27, he is the last scion of the 
  wealthy millers who founded Saxham. He wears 
  a faded blue suit, waxes his mustache, and sits 
  apart from the others, lazily sanding the edges of 
  a small board, sighing and rolling his eyes.  
   He is angry that the village isn't focused on 
  repairing his estate, the large house on the 
  west side of town. [ Sax Estate, p8 ]  
   He complains loudly about his father Martin 
  wasting money on rare trinkets and lavish 
  funerals instead of things like better security. 
  RUMORS/DIALOGUE OPTIONS 
  What happened to the village? 
   “We don’t know, we don’t know! Maybe an 
  evil spirit in the cemetery cursed us? Maybe a 
  storm destroyed our homes and crops?” 
   “I woke up alone in the woods, and can’t 
  remember how I got out there.” 
   “Only half of our people have returned so far. 
  But more people come home every week. 
  Hopefully everyone will be back soon.” 
   “We’ve been trying to rebuild the village and 
  restore the fields for months now.” 
  Have you looked for the missing people? 
   “We’ve gone into the woods to look for them 
  a few times, but the woods are full of 
  monsters. Zombies! Walking trees!” 
   “We are too busy trying to fix the village to 
  look for them. We need to grow crops if we’re 
  going to survive the winter.” 
  Tell us about the cemetery. 
   “It used to be a holy elven grove.” 
   “The forest around the cemetery is dead and 
  black, and smells of corpses.” 
   “Every night at midnight, there are flashes of 
  green light near the cemetery.” 
   “The cemetery is swarming with undead 
  creatures.” 
  Is there anyone special in town? 
   “We had a healer, Sister Anna, but she hasn’t 
  returned yet. No one’s been to her chapel 
  lately. It’s the domed building on the north 
  side of the village.” 
  [ Chapel of Saint Helena, p9 ] 
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 8 
   
  SAX ESTATE 
  This two-story mansion looms over the nearby 
  cottages. The collapsed roof and upper floor 
  have buried the interior. Splintered debris fills 
  the front doorway and windows. A flagstone 
  path leads through an overgrown rose garden 
  to the back yard. No debris blocks the back 
  door, which stands square in its frame.  
   Back door. Unlocked. Rats scurry out. The 
  kitchen lies buried in fallen debris (including 
  a huge gold harp, value 350gp, weight 
  200lbs) on the left side, but not on the right. 
  In the right corner is a closed trap door.  
   Trap door. Unlocked. A creaky wooden stair 
  leads to a dank cellar. There are five barrels, 
  two trunks, and a sleeping goblin. 
  Tosk the Goblin 
  50 xp 
  Small humanoid  ▪  AC 15  ▪  7 HP  ▪  30 ft 
  +4 sword attack  ▪  1d6+2 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -1 
  +2 
  +0 
  +0 
  -1 
  -1 
   
  This scrawny goblin wears yellow war paint 
  and tattered leather armor, and stinks of urine. 
  A saw-toothed scimitar lies beside him. 
   Tosk wants (1) to survive and (2) to steal his 
  brother Besk’s diamond ring. 
   He is looking for his grave-robbing brothers 
  Besk and Nikt. They have been missing for a 
  week. Tosk rewards good news about his 
  family, but attacks if given bad news. 
   He has 9gp.  
  TOSK’S RAT-GUTTER 
  This serrated scimitar deals +3 slashing damage to 
  all Tiny creatures. The handle is sticky with blood.  
  CELLAR STUFF 
   Barrels (5). Contain a black mush that reeks 
  of rat droppings, but with a hint of cherries. 
   Trunk #1. Unlocked. Contains: Two moth-
  eaten wool blankets, very itchy. Fine leather 
  boots, value 10gp. Silver ring, Sax four-point 
  star signet, value 50gp. 
   Trunk #2. Locked. DC 10 to open. Poison 
  dart trap. Dex ST 15 to avoid, 1d6 poison 
  damage. Contains a shiny black box. 
   Black box. Locked. DC 15 to open. This 
  polished ebony box has a red velvet interior, 
  and contains twenty-three broken wand 
  shards and one intact black ring. 
  MARTIN’S RING OF PRIVACY 
  A gleaming black ring set with a tiny ruby.  
  When worn and activated, this ring emits a dim 
  red light up to 10 feet and has the effect of the 
  Silence spell within that radius. The ring remains 
  active for one hour or until deactivated. The ring 
  can only be activated once per sunrise.  
  The ring smells faintly of patchouli. Always. 
  Value: 450gp. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 9 
   
  CHAPEL OF SAINT HELENA 
  This circular building’s high domed roof is 
  mossy but intact. Inside, four cracked and 
  yellowed windows dimly light the chamber. A 
  dozen stone benches form two curving rows 
  around a bubbling fountain in the center of the 
  space. Opposite the entrance is a short red 
  altar. Behind the altar is an iron-bound door.  
  FOUNTAIN OF SAINT HELENA 
  Carved from white marble to resemble a single 
  life-sized rose, clear cold water spouts up from 
  the fountain, and spills down into a rusty grate 
  in the floor.  
   Note: Drinking the fountain water restores 
  1d6 HP and the drinker is unable to tell a lie 
  for one hour. A creature can only gain this 
  benefit/effect once per sunrise. 
  ALTAR OF SAINT HELENA 
  This low dusty altar of red stone veined in 
  golden flecks glitters in the half-light.  
  On the back is an open shelf containing: 
   Three fragile scrolls that all disintegrate 
  when touched. 
   One moldy Book of Saint Helena bound in 
  blue leather, written in Old Common. Hidden 
  between the pages is a folded letter. 
  FOLDED LETTER  
  Sister Lydia writes to Sister Anna that a plague in 
  the Kingdom of Kalahar may be spreading toward 
  Saxham. Victims are covered in painful weeping 
  sores, and then go blind before dying. The disease 
  spreads easily and kills quickly. Some clerics 
  believe the plague is spread by rats. The letter is 
  dated exactly 30 years ago. 
  IRON-BOUND DOOR 
  This unlocked door leads to a small 
  bedchamber lit by a single narrow window. To 
  the left are the mildewed remains of a cot. To 
  the right is a small wooden trunk bound in 
  rusty iron bands. 
   Cot. Underneath is a small brown leather 
  bundle covered in dust and spider webs. 
  Inside the bundle are several faded letters.  
  FADED LETTERS 
  These six letters are too faded and tear-stained to 
  read, but they are all addressed to “My dearest  
  Anna” and are all signed “Love, Abel”. The letters 
  are all dated 32 to 35 years ago. 
   
   Trunk. Unlocked. Inside are decaying clerical 
  vestments of white and red silk bearing the 
  rose emblem of Saint Helena, and a golden 
  reliquary necklace. 
  RELIQUARY OF SAINT HELENA 
  Attunement. This glass vial contains a single 
  human finger bone. When worn, the wearer is 
  resistant to poison damage and immune to the 
  Poisoned condition.  
  As an action, the wearer can cure one creature of 
  the Poisoned condition by feeding them three 
  drops of the wearer’s blood. This feature can be 
  used once per long rest. 
  Value: 250gp. 
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 10 
   
  INTO THE WOODS 
  A dense forest looms over the village to the 
  north. Ancient yews tower over alders and 
  rowans, deep greens slashed by pale brown and 
  silver trunks. Three faint footpaths lead to the 
  north-west, the north-east, and due north. 
  ENCOUNTERS 
  For every hour spent in the woods, there is a 1-
  in-4 chance of an encounter with a wandering 
  creature. Roll a d6 to select a creature below: 
  1) A confused villager, naked and filthy. They 
  have no memory of how they got out into the 
  forest, and beg for help getting home. 
  2) A Clayskin. These clay-skinned zombies have 
  glowing green eyes. They cannot speak, wear 
  no clothes, and carry no weapons. They 
  attack anyone they see within 30 feet. 
  3) A Woodwalker. These bark-skinned zombies 
  have green berries for eyes. They moan but 
  cannot speak, wear no clothing, but carry 
  rocks and sticks as weapons. They attack 
  anyone they see within 60 feet. 
  4) A swarm of ants devouring a dead animal. 
  The body is dry and partly skeletonized. 
  Thousands of black ants swarm over the 
  remains. The ants attack anyone who touches 
  the corpse. 
  5) A starving bear. The beast’s ribs press out 
  clearly against its hide, and it limps on one 
  crooked leg. Still it roars and charges the 
  party on sight. When it dies, a poisonous 
  fume erupts from its belly. 1d6 poison, 5ft. 
  6) A rabid wolf. The mad beast’s red eyes never 
  blink, and the foam around its maw is pink 
  with blood. It attacks on sight. 
   
  Clayskin 
  50 xp 
  Medium undead  ▪  AC 12  ▪  15 HP  ▪  20 ft 
  +3 bash attack  ▪  1d6 bludgeoning 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +1 
  -2 
  +3 
  -4 
  -2 
  -3 
   
  Woodwalker 
  75 xp 
  Medium undead  ▪  AC 10  ▪  20 HP  ▪  20 ft 
  +3 bash attack  ▪  1d6+2 bludgeoning 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +1 
  +1 
  +3 
  -2 
  -1 
  -1 
   
  Swarm of Ants 
  100 xp 
  Medium swarm  ▪  AC 12  ▪  30 HP  ▪  20 ft 
  +3 bite attack  ▪  3d4 piercing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -4 
  +1 
  +0 
  -5 
  -2 
  -5 
   
  Starving Bear 
  25 xp 
  Medium beast  ▪  AC 10  ▪  10 HP  ▪  20 ft 
  +3 claw attack  ▪  2d4 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +2 
  +0 
  +2 
  -4 
  +1 
  -2 
   
  Rabid Wolf 
  50 xp 
  Medium beast  ▪  AC 12  ▪  20 HP  ▪  40 ft 
  +4 claw attack  ▪  2d4+2 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +1 
  +2 
  +1 
  -4 
  +1 
  -2 
   
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 11 
   
  OBSERVATIONS 
   If watched for one day, a Clayskin sheds a 
  layer of clay to become a Woodwalker.  
   If watched for one day, a Woodwalker sheds 
  a layer of bark to become a naked and 
  confused villager. 
   
  THE EASTERLY PATH 
  The old hunting trail winds up into the hills 
  among verdant alders and rowans. Ferns cover 
  the ground, hiding the forest floor. Locusts 
  chirp incessantly. A falcon cries out. After an 
  hour of walking, the trail fades away.  
   
  The scent of smoke wafts from the north, 
  smelling of burnt meat. Another hour’s walk 
  north brings you to a circle of gray boulders. A 
  campfire burns inside the ring.  
   
  A goblin sits by the fire, roasting two rats on a 
  spit. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Grazler the Goblin 
  100 xp 
  Small humanoid  ▪  AC 16  ▪  18 HP  ▪  30 ft 
  +5 sword attack  ▪  1d6+3 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +2 
  +3 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  +1 
   
  This cruel-eyed goblin elder wears yellow war 
  paint and has a bronze helmet covering some of 
  his wild white hair. His scarred arms bulge with 
  corded muscle. A rusty scimitar stands thrust 
  into the ground beside him. 
   Grazler wants (1) respect and (2) food. 
   He fears losing his three sons, who provide 
  both respect and food. 
   If attacked, he fights to the death. 
   If offered food or trinkets, he reveals he is 
  waiting for his three sons to return. Besk and 
  Nikt went to the cemetery, but never 
  returned. Then Tosk went to find the others, 
  but also has not returned. 
   If the party gives him bad news about his 
  sons, he attacks. If the party gives him good 
  news about his sons, he flips them a gold coin 
  in thanks. 
   He has 22gp. 
  GRAZLER’S HELM 
  This dented, rusty bronze helmet can only be 
  worn by Small creatures. The wearer has 
  advantage against being Stunned. 
  Value: 50gp. 
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 12 
   
  THE WESTERLY PATH 
  The old woodcutter’s path strikes a nearly 
  straight line up the hillside through massive 
  pine trees and granite boulders. After an hour, 
  you reach the edge of the Blight-wood. 
   
  A ragged line of ash divides the healthy forest 
  from the dead zone. The soil is black and dry. 
  Fir trees stand bare of needles or bark, the 
  trunks all black and cracked like scorched 
  skeletons.  
   
  There is no sound of life. Black oily residue 
  drips from the knots in the dead trees, reeking 
  of rotten vegetation and copper.  
   If anyone comes within 5 feet of the oil, tiny 
  black tendrils reach out from the slime 
  several inches and paw at the air, trying to 
  touch the creature.  
   If anyone touches the oil, tiny black tendrils 
  quickly slither over its body to suffocate and 
  digest it. [ Dolorous Ichor, p16 ] 
  After another hour on the trail, the party can see 
  a lone white tree standing perfectly straight 
  about 300 feet to the west.  
   
  At 60 feet from the tree, the party sees thirteen 
  sprites emerge from the far side of the white 
  tree, led by an armed warrior.  
   
   
  Twiglet the Sprite 
  50 xp 
  Tiny fey  ▪  AC 15  ▪  4 HP  ▪  40 ft 
  +6 bow attack  ▪  1d4 piercing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -4 
  +4 
  +0 
  +2 
  +1 
  +0 
   
  A fierce young sprite with a bright green 
  Mohawk flies toward you, carrying a tiny bow 
  with poisoned arrows. She bares her teeth in a 
  terrible grimace of rage. 
   She wants to save the forest from the blight. 
   She fears that the forest and sprites will die. 
   She reports that the blight began about half a 
  year ago. Shortly thereafter, she discovered 
  two elves camped out to the north of the 
  cemetery. They believe that the elves are 
  causing the blight because they want their 
  holy grove back from the humans.  
   If attacked, the sprites all vanish into the 
  trees. They fly directly to the elves’ camp to 
  attack, and all die in the attempt. 
   If the party is friendly, then Twiglet will offer 
  to lead them to the elves’ camp to get rid of 
  the elves by any means necessary. 
   If the party leaves without making any 
  arrangement with Twiglet, then the sprites 
  proceed to the elves’ camp to attack, and all 
  die in the attempt. 
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 13 
   
  THE NORTHERLY PATH 
  Rough flagstones covered in moss draw a 
  ragged little road along the gully floor between 
  the eastern and western hills. Towering yews 
  shade the grassy ground. Squirrels chatter from 
  above.  
  An hour’s walk brings the party to the cemetery. 
  [ Cemetery Grove, p14 ] 
  The area inside the cemetery’s low stone wall is 
  green. Tall grasses and flowers threaten to 
  engulf the grave markers. But outside the stone 
  wall to the west and north, the soil is black and 
  dry without any undergrowth. Trees stand bare 
  of leaves or bark, their trunks all black and 
  cracked like scorched skeletons. 
  The flagstone path circles around the cemetery 
  and continues on due north. Another two hours 
  of walking brings the party to the campsite of 
  two elves. [ Elf Camp ] 
  ELF CAMP 
  Two circular tents made of silk stand in a small 
  cluster of dead rowan trees. The silk is dyed to 
  blend in with the greens and browns of the 
  forest, but here they are easily spotted against 
  the blacks and grays of the Blight-wood. 
  DM NOTE: If the party did not make a deal with 
  Twiglet, then there are thirteen freshly killed 
  sprites arranged on a stone between the tents. 
  Two kelenkens stand guard outside the tents. 
  These nine-foot-tall war birds have small 
  wings, but powerful legs and massive beaks. 
  Their saddles rest on nearby rocks. They shriek 
  and kick up dust when they see you approach. 
  An elf emerges from each tent when they hear 
  the birds, or the party calls out to them. They 
  wear forest-green robes and carry quarterstaffs. 
  Kelenken 
  50 xp 
  Large beast  ▪  AC 11  ▪  18 HP  ▪  50 ft 
  +4 claw attack  ▪  1d8+2 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +2 
  +1 
  +1 
  -4 
  +0 
  -3 
   
  Elf Druid 
  450 xp 
  Medium humanoid  ▪  AC 14  ▪  27 HP  ▪  30 ft 
  +4 staff attack  ▪  1d8+2 bludgeoning 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +0 
  +1 
  +1 
  +1 
  +2 
  +0 
   
  Spellcasting. Spell save DC 12, +4 to hit.  
  Spells: produce flame, shillelagh, entangle, 
  thunderwave, barkskin, animal messenger 
  HYACINTH  & HAWTHORN 
  An ageless woman with proud eyes and 
  frowning mouth glares at you, but stays close to 
  her kelenken. The woman’s twin often raises an 
  eyebrow and smirks, as though amused.  
   They want to heal the blighted forest. 
   They know the blight began when the 
  villagers returned, so they are considering 
  burning down Saxham to end the blight. 
   They are forbidden from physically entering 
  the holy grove because they are druids and 
  not holy elven priests. 
   They have 157gp. 
  ELVISH CANTEENS (X2) 
  These silver flasks, decorated in leafy etchings and 
  damascene patterns, produce an endless trickle of 
  clean, cool drinking water. Value: 250gp each. 
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 14 
   
  CEMETERY GROVE 
  Once an elven holy grove, this 300-foot wide 
  circle in the forest is surrounded by a knee-high 
  wall of white stone and a ring of slender elm 
  trees. In the center of the circle stands a 
  perfectly cylindrical white stone pillar 20 feet 
  tall with a stone likeness of an owl atop it. 
  SOUTH AND EAST 
  On the southern and eastern sides of the circle, 
  there are hundreds of graves marked by small 
  crooked gray stones, with dates going back 
  over 100 years. Ivy and weeds reach up to 
  smother the stones. 
   
  In the southern area there is a simple gray 
  stone mausoleum. [ Humble Tomb, p15 ] 
   
  In the eastern area there is an elaborate marble 
  crypt. [ Sax Family Crypt, p15 ] 
  NORTH AND WEST 
  In the northwestern area, there are hundreds of 
  graves marked only by simple wooden posts. 
  Many posts are broken, pecked by birds, 
  chewed by insects, or consumed by lichen. Only 
  a few are intact enough to read the names. All 
  are dated 30 years ago.  
   
  There are nearly 300 graves in this area. 
  Dozens of them are disturbed, the dirt freshly 
  churned and rent with deep clawing humanoid 
  prints. 
   
  DAY TIME 
  Wind blows. Locusts chirp. Birds and chipmunks 
  move through the trees. Nothing strange here. 
  NIGHT TIME 
  Every night at midnight, a flash of green light at 
  the edge of the Blight-wood accompanies the 
  sudden visible deaths of three trees, their leaves 
  and bark instantly incinerated.  
  Moments later, a faint white ghost appears from 
  the Humble Tomb with a ball of bright green 
  light in its hand. The ghost appears to be a 
  human woman with a rose emblem on its chest.  
  It goes to a grave in the northwest area and 
  deposits the green light in the ground. One 
  minute later, a Clayskin erupts from the grave to 
  shamble out into the forest. The ghost then 
  returns to the tomb. 
  Ghost of Sister Anna 
  1,100 xp 
  Medium undead  ▪  AC 11  ▪  45 HP  ▪  40 ft 
  +5 touch attack  ▪  3d6 necrotic 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -2 
  +1 
  +0 
  +0 
  +1 
  +3 
   
  A pale, wispy image of a woman in clerical 
  robes glides through the air, her eyes vacant, 
  her voiceless lips gaping. Frost covers the 
  ground as she passes. 
   If the ghost sees the party, it attempts to 
  grapple the smallest member (DC 13 Str ST) 
  and phase them through the wall of the tomb 
  to put them in the Wailing Tunnels. 
   If the party attacks the ghost, it fights. If 
  reduced to half HP, it phases through the 
  tomb wall. The party can pursue the ghost 
  into the tomb, and down into the tunnels to 
  continue the fight. 
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 15 
   
  SAX FAMILY CRYPT 
  This white marble structure has iron bars 
  protecting tiny glass windows, an iron gate 
  protecting an iron door, and a roof covered in 
  wrought iron spikes and turrets to resemble a 
  tiny castle. Above the door is the name: “Sax”. 
   Iron gate. Locked. DC 10 to pick or DC 15 to 
  force open. 
   Iron door. Locked. DC 12 to pick or DC 17 to 
  force open.  
   Pressure plate trap. Located immediately 
  inside the iron door. One charge. DC 10 to 
  detect. DC 15 to disarm. 3d6 poison damage.  
  Built into the walls are 50 small alcoves. Eleven 
  alcoves contain blue porcelain urns, all 
  containing human ashes. The other alcoves are 
  empty. In the center of the crypt is a cedar table 
  with a lace runner, all covered in dust.  
   Under the table is a hidden compartment (DC 
  15 to find) containing a pink corset and a 
  brass bell. 
  CONSTANCE'S CORSET OF CONTORTION  
  This pink corset allows the wearer to squeeze 
  through Tiny gaps at full speed, but the wearer is 
  unable to hold their breath at all. The item is 
  cursed and cannot be removed without the 
  Remove Curse spell. Value: 300gp. 
   
  BERTRAND'S BROKEN BRASS BELL  
  This mangled brass bell’s discordant clanging 
  drives away any Beast within 10 feet for 1 minute, 
  and attracts any Ooze within 100 feet for 1 
  minute. Value: 120gp. 
  HUMBLE TOMB 
  The only feature on this gray stone mausoleum 
  is the iron-bound door. Above the door are the 
  words: “Here lie the sisters of Saint Helena”.  
   Iron door. Unlocked. Rusted and overgrown. 
  DC 15 to force open. 
  Inside the tomb there are three shallow shelves 
  cut into the walls on each side. Two shelves on 
  the left side contain shrouded remains: Sister 
  Ruth and Sister Anna. The others are empty. 
   DM NOTE: If the party blesses, burns, or 
  removes the remains of Sister Anna from the 
  cemetery, then the ghost will stop rising. No 
  more villagers will return. The blight will 
  fade. Eventually. 
  At the back of the tomb, in the center of the 
  floor, the stone tiles are pried up to reveal a 5-
  foot-wide dirt hole descending into the 
  darkness. The darkness smells of rotten 
  vegetables and copper. Faint sounds echo up 
  from below. It almost sounds like countless 
  people wailing in pain… 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 16 
   
  WAILING TUNNELS 
  The dirt hole drops 15 feet straight down to the 
  tunnel floor, which is entirely covered in a 
  black oily fluid. [ Dolorous Ichor ] There is no 
  light. Roots dangle like webs. Screams echo 
  endlessly from every direction. From the hole, 
  there are tunnels extending to the west, to the 
  north, and to the east. 
   DM NOTE: If the party frees or kills all the 
  creatures digging in the tunnels, but leaves 
  the ghost intact, the resurrections will stop 
  until the ghost can find more creatures to dig 
  in the tunnels. And it will. 
  DOLOROUS ICHOR 
  Every footstep that falls on the Ichor causes this 
  living mass of black slime to moan and shriek 
  with a hundred tiny voices, which can be heard 
  300 feet away. It is impossible to walk through 
  the tunnels without stepping on the Ichor. 
   If a creature stands still on the Ichor for one 
  minute, dozens of slender black tendrils will 
  rise up to weakly paw at the creature’s feet. 
  There is a 1-in-12 chance that the Ichor will 
  trip the creature and it will fall prone. 
   If a creature falls prone in the Ichor, the black 
  tendrils will immediately smother its eyes, 
  ears, and throat, rendering it Blind, Deaf, and 
  Suffocating. DC 12 Str ST to escape. 
   
   The Ichor can only be dissolved by acid. It 
  does not burn or freeze, or react to physical 
  attacks. Acid will clear a small area for a few 
  moments, before the rest of the Ichor oozes 
  back over the cleared space. 
  NORTH TUNNEL 
  The north tunnel snakes along for 300 feet and 
  then splits to the left and to the right. 
   Left fork. 60 feet to a giant badger. 
   Right fork. 120 feet to a gnoll. 
  Giant Badger 
  50 xp 
  Medium beast  ▪  AC 10  ▪  13 HP  ▪  30 ft 
  +3 claw attack  ▪  2d4+1 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +1 
  +0 
  +2 
  -4 
  +1 
  -3 
   
  A giant badger labors in the darkness to extend 
  the tunnel. It does not notice you approaching. 
  It ignores the party unless attacked. It can be 
  commanded in Sylvan or Druidic to peacefully 
  leave the tunnel through the tomb. 
  Hesheg the Gnoll 
  25 xp 
  Medium humanoid  ▪  AC 8  ▪  5 HP  ▪  10 ft 
  +1 pickaxe attack  ▪  1d4+1 piercing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  +0 
  +0 
  -2 
  -2 
  +0 
  -2 
   
  Emaciated, eyes sunken, limbs shaking, a gnoll 
  labors to extend the tunnel using a rusty 
  pickaxe. Hearing you approach, he cowers 
  against the dirt walls. 
   If attacked, he howls but does not fight back. 
   If asked, he claims to have come to the 
  cemetery to dig up and eat a body, but he was 
  captured by a ghost and forced to work in the 
  tunnels. He has been here for weeks. 
   If freed, he will flee into the forest to the 
  north and be killed by the elves. 
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 17 
   
  WEST TUNNEL 
  The west tunnel runs 200 feet and then splits to 
  the left and right. 
   Left fork. 30 feet to a dead goblin. 
   Right fork. 120 feet to a live goblin. 
  BESK THE (DEAD) GOBLIN 
  The tunnel ends in a particularly pungent pool 
  of the Dolorous Ichor. Rising above the surface 
  are the decaying remains of a goblin, as well as 
  a rusty shovel, a bent knife, and one small 
  leather boot.  
   
  The black tendrils of the Ichor continuously 
  caress the dead flesh, gently licking it away. 
  Two thin arms of the Ichor reach up through 
  the goblin’s empty eye sockets. 
   Somewhere under the Ichor is a diamond 
  ring. DC 18 to find it. Value: 100gp. 
  Nikt the (live) Goblin 
  50 xp 
  Small humanoid  ▪  AC 15  ▪  7 HP  ▪  30 ft 
  +4 shovel attack  ▪  1d6+2 slashing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -1 
  +2 
  +0 
  +0 
  -1 
  -1 
   
  Sweating and swearing, a wiry young goblin 
  works to extend the tunnel, digging with a 
  shovel too large for him to handle properly.  
   If asked, he claims he followed his brother 
  Besk to the cemetery to rob some graves, and 
  they were both captured by a ghost and 
  forced to dig in the tunnels. Sometimes he 
  sees the ghost in the tunnels, sucking the life 
  from the exposed tree roots. 
   If freed, he flees east into the forest to join his 
  father Grazler. 
  EAST TUNNEL 
  The east tunnel curves a bit to the north and 
  ends 90 feet from the hole. The walls here shift 
  and glitter as thousands of black ants swarm 
  over the bones of a giant mole. 
   
  Next to the ants is a partly open coffin that has 
  fallen out of the wall. The walnut lid is askew. 
  Inside is a glint of gold.  
   The swarm attacks if the coffin is touched. 
  SILAS’S GOLDEN CRAVAT 
  Attunement. This extravagant neckwear allows 
  the wearer’s speech to be understood by any 
  creature that can hear it and that can understand 
  at least one language. It does not allow the wearer 
  to understand other languages. Value: 200gp. 
   
  Swarm of Ants 
  100 xp 
  Medium swarm  ▪  AC 12  ▪  30 HP  ▪  20 ft 
  +3 bite attack  ▪  3d4 piercing 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  -4 
  +1 
  +0 
  -5 
  -2 
  -5 
   
   
   
   
  
  “Saving Saxham” 
  A Dungeon Age Adventure 
  Page 18 
   
  MAP OF THE WAILING TUNNELS 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Copyright © 2018 Joseph Robert Lewis  ▪  Artwork and maps by Joseph Robert Lewis  ▪  Edition: November 2018  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. 
  Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.  
  www.dungeonage.com   |   www.josephrobertlewis.com 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Dragon Age/Dungeon Age - Saving Saxham v2.pdf