Updated 10/27/2026, 11:22:04 PM
Human • Ranger
Role: guide
HP 10 • AC 12
A young salvage scout who leads the party through the marsh, knows the safe route to the temple steps, and later becomes the person who can point the group back toward the sealed passage.
Event 1
Read Aloud
Rain beads on the watchtower railings while the marsh fog presses close around Brackenfen. Ilya Reed stands by the stairs with a lantern in hand, watching the reeds with worried eyes.
Details
Ilya Reed is anxious but determined and asks the party to escort her to the temple steps before the marsh alarm draws worse things in. She says, "If we move now, we can still reach the stones before nightfall." Let the scene open with conversation, gear checks, and a clear commitment to the journey. The watchtower map is only the opening space; once the party agrees, the route to the marsh approach is fixed and direct. No monster is present here. Treasure placement: The NPC provides 12 Gold Pieces to help the party with the adventure.
Event 2
Read Aloud
The lower boardwalk sags over black water and clotted reeds. A pale lantern glow flickers somewhere below the planks, half-swallowed by mud and roots.
Details
Attached monsters (use these exact stat blocks): - Quantity: 1; Monster: Swarm of Rats. Room guidance: A Swarm of Rats has gathered around the dropped lantern, worrying at the cord and churning the muck while Ilya points helplessly from the boardwalk. The Swarm of Rats is immediately visible, noisy, and aggressive if the party tries to snatch the lantern without care; it is here because the food scraps and wet cover make the boardwalk an easy nesting spot. The party can drive them off, distract them, or push through quickly to recover the lantern. Searching after the rats are dealt with reveals Ilya's lost lantern. A successful Spot check can also reveal a drier footing along the board edge that avoids the worst slime.
Event 3
Read Aloud
A washed-out span breaks the route ahead, where stone blocks jut above the water and reed-rope hangs slick with mist. Beyond the gap, the temple stones loom closer through the fog.
Details
Attached monsters (use these exact stat blocks): - Quantity: 1; Monster: Wolf. Room guidance: The crossing is the only way forward, and the broken span must be handled before the party can continue. A Wolf waits in the reeds beside the gap, tense and ready to spring at anyone who slips or pauses too long; it belongs here because the ruined crossing gives it cover and a clear ambush point. The Wolf is aggressive and threatening, but it may hesitate if badly wounded or if the party keeps firm footing and does not give it an easy target. The main task is to cross the gap safely while the predator pressures the party from the side. After the scene, the party finds torn reed-rope, wet pawprints, and the temple approach continuing straight ahead. Treasure placement: After the encounter, the party can recover Elixir of Swiftness from the guarded area or the creatures' belongings.
Event 4
Read Aloud
Inside the first outer chamber, damp stone walls catch the lantern's pale flame and throw back a weak gold glow. A sun-carved mark is visible on one wall, half-hidden by age and water stains.
Details
This chamber is quiet, but it is not empty of purpose. The recovered lantern now reveals a clear sun-carved door-mark and the outline of a sealed side passage that was hard to notice in the dark; this is the key clue that points deeper into the temple. Let the party inspect carvings, old mortar, and the seam of the hidden passage. If they search thoroughly, they also find scraps of old incense, broken tile, and a dry ledge where they can rest briefly. The chamber offers a clear discovery and a simple forward lead, not a branching choice.
Event 5
Read Aloud
The sealed passage stands beneath a cracked arch, its stones damp and dark with age. As the temple lanternlight reaches the threshold, something stirs inside the narrow way and rises to block it.
Details
Attached monsters (use these exact stat blocks): - Quantity: 1; Monster: Zombie. Room guidance: A Zombie shambles up from the sealed passage to defend the way forward. The Zombie belongs here because the sealed passage is an old tomb-like threshold, and its duty is to stop intruders from forcing deeper entry. It starts immediately hostile and can be confronted, turned aside, or destroyed; if the party presses hard, it fights until defeated, but if they find a way to overwhelm or outmaneuver it, the passage can be secured. When the Zombie falls or is driven back, the immediate temple threat is resolved. After the encounter, the party can search the threshold for a cracked seal, old burial nails, and signs of what lies beyond. Treasure placement: After the encounter, the party can recover 63 Gold Pieces, Oakcleaver Axe +1 from the guarded area or the creatures' belongings.
No DM map cards yet.
Medium Beast | Unaligned | L1
HP
24
AC
10
Speed
30 ft.
Init
+0
STR 9 | DEX 11 | CON 9 | INT 2 | WIS 10 | CHA 3
Actions
Bites: Hit +2 | 7 (2d6) piercing damage, or 3 (1d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Magic
No spells
Medium Beast | Unaligned | L1
HP
11
AC
13
Speed
40 ft.
Init
+2
STR 12 | DEX 15 | CON 12 | INT 3 | WIS 12 | CHA 6
Actions
Bite: Hit +4 | 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Magic
No spells
big undead | L1
HP
10
AC
12
Speed
30 ft
Init
+0
STR 10 | DEX 10 | CON 10 | INT 10 | WIS 10 | CHA 10
Actions
No actions
Magic
No spells
Item Handout
wondrous | common | L1
Value: 75 GP
The Broken Reed Span
Description
A fizzy tonic that sharpens reaction speed.
Spells
No spells.
Item Handout
weapon | uncommon | L1
Value: 170 GP
+1 to hit and +1 damage when using this weapon.
The Sealed Passage Guardian
Description
A balanced hand axe with a faint glow.
Spells
No spells.
The zombie guardian finally falls, and the sealed passage goes still. With the immediate threat ended, the temple’s outer chambers are quiet enough for the party to catch their breath, tend wounds, and gather what they can carry from the marsh-wet stone. Ilya Reed thanks the group with visible relief and helps sort the recovered loot, including the coins and the claimed relics, before the party has the chance to rest, return to Brackenfen, or trade and sell their spoils if they wish. The ruined approach to the temple is now secure, and the objective of this excursion is complete. There is no more danger pressing at their backs, only the damp hush of the marsh and the sense of a hard-won victory. Congratulations, you are now Level 2! The party leaves the temple steps with the lantern lit, the marsh behind them, and a clean ending to the day’s work. The people of Brackenfen can breathe easier for now, and the heroes can decide their next move from a place of safety and success.
