Thank you for purchasing "Tears of Stone".

Hopefully you will enjoy it and

that it will offer your campaign an added layer of fun for you and your players.

A R TWORK A TTRIBUTIONS
Maps, Artwork and Adventure Notes: By Harry Mouchos -
https://www.dungeonexpedition.com

C ONTACT D ETAILS
Published by Dungeon Expedition March 2020

www.dungeonexpedition.com
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C OPYRIGHT N OTICE
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censees may copy, distribute, display and perform the work and make
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if they give the credit to (DungeonExpedition.com)
C ONTENTS
Introduction 2
Adventure Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Adventure Summary - DM eyes only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
About this Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Meeting with Damron Rikkard 4

Durn Kuldor Mines 5

1. Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2. Chamber of Reflections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3. Ruined Chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Stone Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5. Guardian Tomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6. Medusa’s Lair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Homestead 12
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1. Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2. Living Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3. Main Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4. Master Bedroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5. First Bedroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
6. Second Bedroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7. Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
8. Bathroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Homestead Basement 17
1. Cellar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2. Damron’s Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Concluding The Adventure 21

C ONTENTS
1
 I NTRODUCTION
Figure .1: Facing off the snake headed monstrosity
Blinded by love, frozen solid and powerless to act. The only
thing I could do to save you was to hurt you... and for that I’m
deeply sorry!
A DVENTURE B ACKGROUND
Fifteen years ago Damron Rikkard moved to the remote
community of Pirn. He was a handsome and mysterious
man, and being the newcomer in a rather secluded soci-
ety he quickly became a person of interest and popular
with the ladies that wanted to monopolyze his attention.
Eventually he married a young girl, whose parents
wanted to marry her off to ensure her future. The girl’s
name was Michaella and for a moment she felt like the
happiest girl in the world.
But Damron had darker intentions. Long ago he had
found a ritual that would allow him to contact a creature
from the darkest and deepest layers of Hell, potentially
offering him unlimited power. Being an experienced
Summoner, Damron was aware of the price contracts
with Devils and Demons come with, but his greed
was too great a motivator. The price was to offer his
I NTRODUCTION
2
firstborn’s soul to his demonic master in exchange for
the power.
Soon, Damron and Michaella had their first child a
beautiful boy with grey eyes. Damron wasted no time
and while his wife was away he took his son to the
basement where he had his secret laboratory and started
the ritual that would offer him immortality and power
beyond his wildest imagination.
In his excitement, he made a mistake and left the secret
door to the basement slightly ajar. Michaella found it
and descended the stairs following his husband’s voice
chanting the arcane incantations, and in front of him, on
a stone altar, was her baby looking up into the glowing
gaze of a stone demonic head.
Trying to intervene and get her child away from her
husband, she triggered unforeseen and -even to Damron-
unexpected transmutation forces that changed her. First
her skin developing snake-like scales, fangs growing
sharp and then tufts of her hair sticking together and
turning into living snakes. Her transformation into a
medusa was complete in seconds. Damron started to
attack his wife-turned-monster but she grabbed her
child in her arms and fled while keeping her baby’s face
covered up so it doesn’t look at his mother’s horrific easily adapted to your own campaigns, player levels and
visage. game systems.

Michaella seeked refuge at an old abandoned Dwar-

ven mine in the mountains to the north of the village,
thinking she would be safe there until she found a way
to become human again.

After some self-inflicted wounds and injuries to make

it more convincing, Damron wandered into the village
shouting for immediate help from people to hunt down
the medusa that stole his child. He would pay hand-
somely to get his child safe and sound back.

A DVENTURE S UMMARY - DM
EYES ONLY
Tears of Stone is a small side-trek adventure that can
be inserted in any campaign. The story is situated in a
location that is cold, either in the north or during winter
time where there is a lot of snow.

The adventure begins while adventurers visit the

small community of Pirn. An injured person arrives into
town and seeks help to seek out a dangerous monster
that kidnapped his child and killed his wife. He would
pay handsomely to anyone who will bring the head of
the creature and his child back alive.

He provides details about the monster, that it is a

medusa and that the creature has taken refuge inside an
abandoned Dwarven mine further to the north in the
mountains. The adventurers will seek out the monster
and explore the ruined mine to search the child and get
the monster’s head.

After they find the child and the creature they could
also find out that the Medusa is his wife polymorphed
into the creature by her husband, and thus might bring
them in direct confrontation with their employer. If they
confront him about this turn of events, they will discover
that he is a wizard doing experiments on both child and
wife and that he has a secret lab under his house, where
the final confrontation will take place.

A BOUT THIS D OCUMENT

This adventure encounter, is a side adventure that can
be inserted in any campaign. It offers descriptions, plot
hooks and adventure ideas that can be used in your own
campaigns along with the maps included herein. The
NPC information, plot hooks and basic tactics can be

I NTRODUCTION
3
 M EETING WITH D AMRON R IKKARD
It is roughly two hours after the PCs wander into
town, looking to replenish supplies, or for a place to
spend the night, that their first meeting with Damron
Rikkard occurs. This encounter can occur either during
the day or after dark as it makes no real difference for
the adventure. The PCs could be either in the town’s inn
or in the market place when Damron Rikkard arrives
shouting for help.
Read the following to the PCs:
Figure .1: Damron Rikkard
Damron is speaking out to an audience trying to rile up
the people of this small community. Before he came to
town, he used a Stone Shape spell to fashion a facsimile
of his wife and then smashed it in case people started
asking about his wife’s whereabouts. If the PCs step in
and offer their services, he is willing to pay them 1000 gp
for bringing back his son. He really needs his son back
alive for his ritual, and he wants his wife-turned-monster
out of the picture for good.

Damron, is very deceitful, and he is aware of potential

spells and magical abilities that may detect lies, so he
Suddenly, a man arrives in a frantic state. He is all
chooses his words carefully always telling the truth
disheveled, and his hands are almost turning blue from
but leaving the audience to fill in the blanks. He never
running through the snow. He is somewhat wounded
specifically says that his wife was turned to stone and
as if he has been in a fight and he is calling for help
smashed to several pieces, but he insinuates it.
between trying to catch his breath.
He will tell the PCs that it’s a Medusa that stole his child
"You’ve got to help me, PLEASE!. It took him, SHE
and that the last time he saw her, she was heading up
took him. Please somebody save him... save my baby!"
towards the mountains towards the Durn Kuldor mines.
Some of the people around him go to him and calm
him down, after which he starts making more sense by
saying: "Please, a monstrosity kidnapped my baby and
ran for the mountains. It turned my darling wife... oh
my god Michaella... ", he pauses and then brings up his
palms in front of his face holding pieces of what appears
to be a female statue and continues... " ... smashed to
bits. I need help to get him back, will anyone help me
before it comes back for others of all our children".

Figure .2: Michaella Rikkard

If the PCs decide to accept the task of retrieving the
baby from the Medusa, he genuinely urges them to go
immediately as time is of the essence. He really doesn’t
want anything to happen to the baby otherwise he won’t
be able to sacrifice it to his patron demon.

I NTRODUCTION
4
D URN K ULDOR M INES
Figure .1: The entrance of the Durn Kuldor Mines
Ages ago the Durn Kuldor mines used to be a great
trade hub in this region of the mountains. It attracted
a lot of surface dwelling creatures that formed minor
communities around the mines to also benefit from
the riches that were mined from the mountain by the
Dwarves.
For reasons lost in time, the mines suffered a terrible dis-
aster and has been uninhabited for almost two centuries,
and the minor communities around it eventually grew
and joined in what is now known as Pirn.
One of the entrances to the mines is well known to
the people of Pirn. It has been exposed to the public
for several decades, and due to the dangerous and
ruined condition it is now in, and the fact that many
would-be explorers never returned has caused massive
superstition regarding it to the citizens.
This hasn’t stopped the upper level of the mine to
be plundered over the years however, since excitable
youths challenge each other to explore the mine as a
rite-of-passage. The lower levels of the mine have been
blocked by glaciers and collapsed corridors, but there
are those who would argue that riches await below for
those who can manage to get through these obstacles.
If the citizens are questioned about the mines they will
get responses such as: "Oh dear Lord, poor baby not the
cursed mines!". The superstition will definitely give the
people of the community of Pirn pause, but a few hours
after the PCs, Damron will manage to instigate a small
witch hunt and get some people to the mines, if the PCs
do not return.
Michaella took advantage of the people’s fear of the
I NTRODUCTION
5
 mines and retreated with her baby in these upper layers
hoping she won’t be followed here until she thinks
of a way to reverse the curse that drove her to this
situation. However she had to make a horrible decision.
She couldn’t risk her baby ever seeing her face, so she
wrapped its eyes tightly to avoid ever meeting her gaze.
Unfortunately, while she was running the blindfold fell
off, and she knew then in her desperation that the only
way to save the little one for being petrified... was to
blind it.
Mutilating her baby’s eyes, nearly drove Michaella
mad, and she is currently a creature consumed by rage
towards her husband and anyone trespassing into the
mines she attacks immediately to protect her baby.
CONTINUING THE ADVENTURE
Only this small part of the Durn Kuldor mines have
been explored. The collapsed corridors and glaciers have
blocked further exploration. Additionally the locals’
superstition and numerous accidents left the deeper
layers of the mine ripe for exploration.
Allow players, at the conclusion of this adventure, to
come back, make an opening in the glacier and move
forward into uncharted territories.
1. E NTRANCE
This entrance to the mines of Durn Kuldor was well
known to the surrounding communities. Dwarves
would export their goods for sale through this gate, and
people would come through the gate to trade.
Read the following when the PCs reach this area.
After a couple of hours hiking through the snow-covered
hilltops you arrive at a plateau. The ruined cobblestones
of the mines of Durn Kuldor lie in front of you leading
towards an open gateway.
The arch in front of you has Dwarven markings dec-
orating what is left of the stone. The gate itself is
completely destroyed and some pieces lie scattered
around in front of you.
Looking beyond through the gate you can see a ruined
corridor leading into the darkness.
The markings actually read the name of the mines "Durn
D URN K ULDOR M INES
6
Kuldor" and the creed of the mine "Pride, Honor and
Mithril", perhaps signifying the values these Dwarves
once lived by.
As soon as they enter, the PCs will observe that the
mines are indeed in a dire state. Parts of the walls have
collapsed, ice covers portions of the floor and icy glaciers
have formed other natural walls within the mines.
Walking through these corridors is treacherous and
especially in the areas where there is ice, the terrain is
unfavourable and dangerous. See sidebar for rules on
the terrain. Unless otherwise mentioned, consider all
walls and glacier walls to reach all the way to the ceiling.
NAVIGATING THROUGH THE ICE
Areas shown on the map that are covered with ice are
slippery and dangerous. Treat this as if there is a per-
manent Grease spell effect on all areas where there is ice.
For 5e rules, this would mean that the terrain would be
difficult meaning that movement is halved. Additionally,
characters should roll dexterity saves or risk falling prone.
For past editions please refer to the relevant rules.
Read the following as the characters navigate through the
corridor beyond the gate:
You pass through the ruined gate into the dark chamber
in front of you. As soon as your eyes adjust you realise
that this mine might once have been a beautiful place
to visit.
However it is obvious that it has seen much better days.
Portions of walls have collapsed due to the spread of
glaciers which formed walls in their own right. The
floors are made of stone and in several places it is
covered with ice which makes walking on it difficult.
To the right there is a bridge that has collapsed leading
to an area beyond but now there is a tall wall of ice
blocking people from crossing that bridge by jumping
or flying.
If the PCs by some magic means, attempt to melt the
glacier blocking the bridge, then they risk the integrity
of the Cave itself. Parts of the ceiling collapse on their
heads and they should all roll a DEX saving throw with
DC 14 or suffer 5d6 points of bludgeoning damage.
Should they survive this, however they could jump or
even fly across the 10 feet chasm to area 4 (Stone Seal).
2. C HAMBER OF R EFLECTIONS
The Dwarves had named this chamber "the chamber
of reflections". The walls were covered by all kinds
of mirrors with sole purpose to catch sunlight as it
was coming in from the entrance and reflect it further
inwards of the cave system. The natural light of a sunrise
reflecting on the ice and mithril veins on the walls gave
a mystical aura to the mines themselves.
There were several chambers such as these inside the
mines all strategically placed, to reflect natural sunlight
as further inside as possible.
The existence of the Chamber of Reflections was well
known to the locals and over the last 200 years many
of the mirrors were stolen by local explorers as trophies
that they braved the cursed mines and survived. When
Michaella came here she averted her gaze when she
approached this room. She knew however that it posed
a risk for both her (if she accidentally glanced at her
own visage) as well as her baby which would be left
unattended during such a scenario. She dropped her
baby off somewhere safe and she came back to this
chamber and blindfolded she started smashing every
mirror and knocking everyone down on the floor.
STEPPING ON THE GLASS
The broken scattered glass on the floor has a double
effect in this area. First of all it makes moving silently
and stealthily significantly harder. Impose a disadvan-
tage to stealth checks (if you are using 5e) or a -10 to
move silently checks otherwise. Additionally, treat the
area covered with glass as if it is covered with caltrops
however, since glass is not actually designed to hurt
people as caltrops are it should be relatively easier than
walking through a caltrop-covered area.
Read the following to the PCs when they approach the
chamber:
When you approach this area, you notice several sparkly
reflections on the floor as the light behind you hits
fractions of what appears to be glass on the floor of this
chamber. The chamber itself is a simple stone chamber
with a gateway leading further inside to the north.
On closer inspection you realise that the glass on the
floor is actually shattered mirror fragments, and frames
from several mirrors which once adorned these walls.
If the PCs try to find large pieces of mirror to use against
the medusa, they will succeed in finding 2 large enough
pieces (around the size of a hand mirror) with an investi-
gation check of 15. Using these mirror fragments against
the medusa, requires the PC to be within 30 feet of the
medusa, but due to the fact the PC would need to face
the mirror without looking the DC for the Medusa to save
against her own gaze would be lower (DC 10). Addition-
ally, the mirrors require bright light to work, simple torch
light won’t be sufficient.
3. R UINED C HAMBER
This chamber used to be, in the past, a part of a larger
hall in the entrance of Durn Kuldor. Now, it is cut off
from the rest of the mine by a really thick glacier to the
southwest. Read the following description as soon as the
PCs pass through the snow-covered corridor.
You’re surprised to see, that this chamber is lit by a
brazier further up in front of you and the light falls
on three statues shaped like warriors in fight stances.
There are two pillars that support the ceiling and to
the southwest there is a glacier blocking any passage
towards that side of the mine.
There is a still-functional pit trap here which was acti-
vated by Michaella when she came in earlier. She hopes
that will deter any would-be thugs that may come in
to take away her baby. Her strategy is simple here, if
anyone falls into the pit, she will take advantage of the
confusion to approach and use her newly-found gaze
attack to petrify the invaders, like what happened to the
thugs found here as statues.
Allow users a perception check with a DC of 15, to realise
that the statues they are looking at are not covered with
snow or ice. This could lead them to the conclusion
that these statues are newly-added "decorations" to this
chamber. These are Damron’s first attempt to bring back
his baby. The first group he hired to fetch it and kill his
wife-turned-monster.
If the PCs manage to magically turn anyone of these
petrified people to flesh, they will gladly report that it
was a medusa that turned them to stone, and that they
were sent by Damron Rikkard to help his baby. These
guys are terrified of staying and fighting the medusa and
will immediately flee the scene, however there is a 10%
D URN K ULDOR M INES
7
 chance they will stay and join the PCs if they give him a
cut of the reward. To see if any will stay on roll a d100.
A second perception check DC 20, will notice a dead
Dwarf frozen solid inside the glacier wall to the south-
west.
Unbeknownst to Michaella, her transformation was
also infused with infernal power, that she cannot truly
explain. She realises this the first moment she petrified
these thugs found here in this room. Once she petrifies
some living creature she gains the power to see and hear
through the statues for a distance of 30 feet. In addition
to seeing and hearing she gains the ability to control
them as per the animate object spell. See the Medusa
description below for more details.
There are 4 petrified characters in this chamber. If
the PCs make noise the Medusa will observe via her
petrified victims to see who are the new invaders. She
will start controlling them to fight them off. If necessary
she will bring forth the petrified creatures from the Stone
Seal chamber (see below).
PIT TRAP
This Dwarves built several traps in Durn Kuldor in case
there were invaders, however most of them are now
disabled. This chamber however still has a functional
hidden locking pit. This pit has a cover constructed
from really shallow stones identical to the floor around
it. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check dis-
cerns an absence of foot traffic over the section of floor
that fomrs the pit’s cover. A successful DC 15 Intelli-
gence (Investigation) check is necessary to confirm that
the trapped section of floor is actually the cover of a pit.
When a creature steps on the cover, it swings open like
a trapdoor, causing the intruder to spill into the pit
below which is 30 feet deep. After a creature falls into
the pit, the cover snaps shut to trap its victim inside.
A successful DC 20 strength check is necessary to pry
the cover open. The spring can also be disabled from
the inside with a DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’
tools, provided the mechanism can be reached and the
character can see.
Unfortunately, the secret button that opens the trap
door, is destroyed and can no longer open the hatch.
D URN K ULDOR M INES
8
4. S TONE S EAL
The Stone Seal chamber, was the chamber where the
leaders of the Durn Kuldor mines greeted official foreign
delegates in the past. They used to present a small
force around the Seal in the center of the room trying
to impress any official visitors. Now the chamber also
suffers from decades of ruin and destruction as the rest
of the mine.
To the east there is a disabled trap right by the bridge.
There were emerging steel round saw blades coming
out from the floor as a defensive measure in case the
"official" delegates were in truth invaders. However
the trap’s blades are stuck outside of their sockets stuck
because of rust accumulation.
The Seal itself is not magical, but also acts as a secret
trap door leading to the next level below. To open the
the Seal they must press in the correct sequence 7 of
the runes decorating the Seal. Pressing any of the runes
gives no indication whether the sequence is correct so far.
CONTINUING THE ADVENTURE
Exploring the mines of Durn Kuldor could lead to a
whole new challenging adventure that is beyond of the
scope of this module. Allow players to experiment by
trying to press some of the runes, but "disappoint"
them by saying "Unfortunately, the sequence you have
entered doesn’t seem to have any effect".
The PCs should have now knowledge of how many
runes to press and in what sequence. Later if you
want to allow them to continue they can find notes in
Damron’s lab referring to a 7-rune sequence hinting at
the Seal unlocking.
As soon as the PCs reach this area read them the follow-
ing:
The first thing that catches your eye is a large round
Stone Seal, with Dwarven runes decorating its edge.
The engraving in the center must have been the
Dwarven clan’s emblem and it is reflecting some of the
light that is coming from the lit brazier.
Now the chamber is half covered with snow and ice and
there have been numerous ceiling collapses over the
years.
To the east you see some rusty saw blades sticking out
 from the stone floor, and to the north there is a bridge be knocked prone.
leading to a stone gate.

There are two statues in this room, one is a male

warrior holding a greatsword, and the other is some sort
of Drake-like creature.
5. G UARDIAN T OMB
This room is right outside the chamber Michaella
Michaella will use these petrified creatures to attack the picked to hide inside the mines. In the past this area
PCs as soon as they enter this room, or if the fight starts used to be the living quarters of a Dwarf responsi-
in the previous chamber with the rest of the petrified ble for leading the Dwarf warriors into battle in case of
creatures and she realises she is losing. emergency. This Dwarf used to be called "The Guardian".
Her strategy is to keep bringing these statues as re- Over the years, both the tomb and the chamber have
inforcements, not allowing time for the intruders to been picked clean by random intruders and there is
regroup and recuperate. nothing of real value here. However, Michaella has
spread some gold coins around the tomb to attract
greedy explorers, in order to give her an extra moment
P ETRIFIED B LUE G UARD D RAKE to position herself and attack.
Large Dragon, Unaligned
When the PCs enter this area read them the following
description:
Armor Class 0
Hit Points 60 (8d10 + 16)
Speed 30 ft; burrow 15 ft. armorclass=16 (natural
As you pass through the gate at the end of the bridge,
armor)
you see another open gate in front of you facing west
Initiative 0
and to your right there is a stone sarcophagus. The
sarcophagus itself is a few inches ajar and there are
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) Dwarven letters engraved all over the lid.

Saving Throws DEX +2, CON +4, WIS +2
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +2
Spells -
Senses Darkvision 60ft, Passive Perception 14
Languages Understands Draconic but can’t speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
A CTIONS
Multiattack. The drake makes two claw Attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: (2d8+4) piercing damage plus (1d6)
lightning damage.
Around the sarcophagus you see several gold coins
glistening from the lit brazier in front of you.
To your left through the other open gate, you can hear
a baby screaming and crying desperately.
If the PCs approach the sarcophagus and try to decipher
the engraved runes, they translate it as "Here Lies
Gornaer Brownmane, Guardian of Durn Kuldor, Wielder
of Nentor, Ensuring Peace for 175 years". Nentor was
a magical double edged great axe, which was burried
along with him, however it has been stolen a long time
ago. Feel free to add the quest for finding Nentor into
your campaign.
Around the Sarcophagus there are 14 gp.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: (1d6+4) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage and the
target must succeed on DC 13 Strength Saving Throw or
Moments after the Medusa will attack the PCs, as a last
attempt to protect her child from her husband’s thugs.
She is too scared to trust anyone, and she attacks imme-
diately. It would take considerable persuasion to stop
her from attacking. Use the stats of the Medusa found
below. Note that if a PC is petrified, then the Medusa
will use him against his friends to her advantage.

D URN K ULDOR M INES

9
 Damron and her newly formed family. The last entry
however is a bit more harrowing immediately shown as
the rumblings of a mad woman.
6. M EDUSA ’ S L AIR
This chamber is the chamber Michaella picked to spend DIARY
the night. She made a makeshift cot for her baby. "I am sorry my baby... my child... he made me do it.
Michaella picked this room because of the natural hot It’s him who is the monster, not me... never me. I had
spring it has in the north-western corner. The steam to do it please understand, you can never see me like
keeps this room warm enough and she managed to this. It’s dangerous for you. You need to understand...
compile some materials that she found here and there in I’ll protect you... always... even from me."
the mine.

By the time the PCs reach this room it is unlikely

the Medusa is still alive. She wouldn’t have exposed
her child in danger and she would have engaged the
intruders earlier. Michaella will always fight to the death.

To reason with her is a very difficult task, if they attempt

to converse with her, allow them to roll for persuasion
checks. They will need to try persuasion three times over
three rounds (during which she keeps fighting) with a
DC of 22+. If all are successful, then she will calm down
and she will open up about what happened to her and
what she did to her baby.

Award the PCs full XP for defeating the Medusa plus

a bonus 500 XP if they manage to calm her down. It is
possible they will then attempt to heal the baby and turn
its mother back to human form.

Read the following to the PCs once they enter this room:

After the bellowing cries of the baby you can feel

the humidity that permeates this room. You can
immediately locate the source which is a hot-spring in
the north-western side of the room. The room itself
is supported by three pillars, and the cries of the baby
come from a make-shift cot in the center of the room.
Figure .2: Michaella as a Medusa
When you approach the cot, you bear witness of a
horrific view, since you now know the reason of all this
crying. The baby is clearly in pain, since its eyes are I NFERNAL - M EDUSA
mutilated with burnt sockets where its eyes should be. Medium monstrosity, lawful evil
You can immediately tell that this baby requires urgent
attention. Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 51)
Speed 30 ft
If the PCs perform an investigation check with a DC of Initiative 2
20 or higher they will discover a diary wrapped around
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
with a locket and golden chain. If they open the locket 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
they will see a painting of a blonde woman with blue
eyes on one side and what looks like this baby on the Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth
other. The diary is mostly bland descriptions of a mother +5
describing her feelings since her child was born and Spells -
it mostly describes her happy life with her husband

D URN K ULDOR M INES

10
Senses Darkvision 60ft, Passive Perception 14
Languages Common
Challenge 6 (2300 XP)

Petrifying Gaze. When a creature that can see the

medusa’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the
medusa, the medusa can force it to make a DC 14 Con-
stitution saving throw if the medusa isn’t incapacitated
and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5
or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise,
a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone
and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat
the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming
petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success.
The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the
greater restoration spell or other magic.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid
the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature
does so, it can’t see the medusa until the start of its
next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the
creature looks at the medusa in the meantime, it must
immediately make the save.
If the medusa sees itself reflected on a polished surface
within 30 feet of it and in an area of bright light, the
medusa is, due to its curse, affected by its own gaze.

Animate Objects. The Infernal Medusa has the power

to animate her petrified victims as per the spell of the
same name with the following differences. She can an-
imate only animate 2 + INT modifier of medium sized
creatures, or 1 + INT modifier of Large sized creatures.

A CTIONS
Multiattack. The medusa makes either three melee at-
tacks - one with its snake hair and two with its shortsword
- or two ranged attacks with its longbow.
Snake Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus
14 (4d6) poison damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing dam-
age plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.

D URN K ULDOR M INES

11
 H OMESTEAD
Figure .1: Damron and Michaela’s homestead
Damron and Michaella’s house was a short distance
away from the community of Pirn, to allow Damron to
perform his experiments and arcane rituals in relative
privacy from the rest of the villagers. This is actually, the
house the couple lived in and where they were going to
raise their child together (or so Michaella thought).
Since this is a residential house, it doesn’t hide extreme
defensive measures against intruders. However, since
his child’s birth, Damron has brought in several mimics
training them to attack upon command. Additionally,
he has set up several Alarm spells around the house’s
entrances to alert him in case anyone attempts to ruin his
efforts.
When the PCs leave to find his child, Damron Rikkard
returns to the homestead and set up all his defences. If
the PCs arrive holding his baby, then he assumes that
D URN K ULDOR M INES
12
they are there to deliver it to him safe and sound and
they are unaware of his plans for it. To avoid suspicion
he will come out to pick his baby running towards
the PCs. However, he is not reckless, the moment he
suspects that he is about to be attacked he will cast
Dimension Door to teleport himself directly into his lab
to finish his ritual, allowing his mimics to take care of his
assailants.
If the PCs do not arrive with his child (perhaps they will
drop it off to someone more trustworthy at the village),
he will attempt to escape, in order to steal it back from
them. Damron in this case will strive to escape, he fights
smart and lays low until he finds an opportunity to steal
the baby back. He will be patient, as he truly needs
the baby to complete his plan. If he manages to escape
consider making him a recurring villain against the PCs
in the future.

O VERVIEW
As soon as the PCs arrive near the Rikkard residence,
read them the following description:
You’ve been following the chimney smoke for quite a
well before you finally see the house. This is a beautiful
’L’ shaped house in the middle of a snow covered apple
tree grove. One side there is a covered veranda and all
rooms have glass doors leading into the garden. On the
eastern side of the house there is a cellar door.
The kitchen is consisted of three countertops with cup-
boards in a Pi shape. On the western countertop there is
cooked food and cured meats right next to a stone oven.
The other two countertops are very clean. The kitchen
has a side door, a window over the north counter top
and a glass door leading to the veranda to the south.
The stone oven is in fact a mimic. In the embers inside
the oven, there appears to be a shiny locket. This is quite
obvious in order to attract curious intruders so that the
mimic can attack.
S TONE O VEN M IMIC
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral

Armor Class 12 (Natural Armor)

If the PCs carry the baby with them continue as follows: Hit Points 58 (9d8+18)
Speed 15 ft
Initiative 1
During the hike to the residence, the baby hasn’t
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
stopped crying. It is clearly in distress. You don’t know 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 5 (-3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
if the baby is hungry or in pain, or just plain tired,
and the assumption that it is desperate for its parent’s Skills Stealth +5
embrace formulates in your mind. Damage Immunities Acid
Condition Immunities Prone
Several hundred yards in front of you, you see Damron Spells -
opening the Veranda Window and stepping out hesi-
tantly, with an expression that indicates anticipation Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., 11 Passive Perception
and simultaneous disbelief. Damron extends his arms Languages -
while running towards his child. Challenge 2

Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to poly-

If the PCs arrive without his baby, then he calls to them morph into an object or back into its true, amorphous
from his Veranda, asking what happened to his baby. If form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any
he suspects that they are here for him, he locks himself equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It
in and retreats into his underground lab. reverts to its true form if it dies.

It is important to note that the house is the actual house
Damron lives in and therefore it’s not a death trap
dungeon. He added his defences to it though and if
intruders come in, if his mimics don’t get rid of them,
he will almost certainly be alerted of their presence. The
entire house has been protected with Alarm spells set to
alert Damron mentally and silently.
Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to
anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature
adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC
13). Ability checks mare to escape this grapple have
disadvantage.
False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the
mimic remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an
ordinary object.

1. K ITCHEN Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls

against any creature grappled by it.
Read the following to the PCs if they enter the Kitchen of
the house: A CTIONS

H OMESTEAD
13
 Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If
the mimic is in object form, the target is subjected to its
Adhesive trait.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus (1d8) acid
damage.
2. L IVING A REA
This is the living room area of the residence. Read the
following to the PCs when they enter the area:
The northern wall of this room is covered top to bottom
with a bookcase. The bookcase wraps around two win-
dows that overlook the grove. A grey corner sofa faces
a marble fireplace and a dining table is situated behind
it. On the north-western side there is wooden sliding
door, and on the south-western side there is an opening
leading to a corridor.
The bookcase contains only mundane books, as Damron
kept a secret his arcane occupation. There is a wide-
range of books, covering topics like history, geography,
religion, however there are books with poetry, novels
and other tales. An investigation check with a DC of
15 would help a PC find a book that can prove helpful
in some kind of knowledge skill check (providing an
advantage).
The north-western door leads to a small storage space.
The couple stored here canned food and barrels of water
and wine. There is nothing of real value in this storage
area.
Two mimics are in this room, the sofa and the fireplace
(see previous section for more stats).
S OFA M IMIC
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Armor Class 12 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 68 (9d8+18)
Speed 15 ft
Initiative 1
H OMESTEAD
14
F IREPLACE M IMIC
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Armor Class 12 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 60 (9d8+18)
Speed 15 ft
Initiative 1
3. M AIN E NTRANCE
This is the main entrance of the house. To the north there
is a door leading to the house’s restroom. There is a small
hall leading to the Living Room to the east and to the
long corridor to the west. Right before the corridor there
is a door to the south leading to the Master Bedroom in
area 4.
The main door of the house is also defended with an
Alarm spell, but if Damron suspects that intruders are
coming for him he will enable the trap right behind the
door.
TRAP
This trap is activated when an intruder steps on an
arcane symbol drawn on the floor right behind the main
entrance, releasing a magical gout of flame from a
lantern on the opposite wall.
The DC is 15 to spot the arcane symbol. A spell or
other effect that can sense the presence of magic, such
as Detect Magic, reveals an aura of Evocation magic
around the lantern.
The trap activates when more than 20 pounds of weight
steps on the arcane symbol, causing the lantern to
release a 30-foot cone of fire. Each creature in the fire
must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22
(4d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one.
A successful Dispel Magic (DC 13) cast on the lantern
destroys the trap.
4. M ASTER B EDROOM
To avoid exposing himself as a wizard, Damron rarely
every brought anything of interest to the Master Bed-
room since he was sharing this with Michaella. The
Master Bedroom is simply a room with glass doors and
another window overlooking the garden. To the West
there is a walk-in closet and to the south there is a small
storage area.
On the dresser to the west of the bedroom, the PCs can
find an older diary of Michaella’s with an Investigation
Check of 12. There is nothing of interest in this Diary
apart from the rumblings of a young woman in love
and lots of declarations of adoration towards her new
husband. What the PCs can take from this however is
that the penmanship looks surprisingly identical with
the one found at the mines.
If the read this diary (or if they skim through it - Investi-
gation DC - 12) read them the following excerpt:
FROM MICHAELLA’S DIARY
Dear Diary,
my darling Damron is a wonderful husband. I feel
so lucky, now that our family has grown. Damron is
helping around the house as well. He never lets me
change our baby’s sheets. He says "you should spend
time with the baby, or resting".
Gods! I love them both so much.
S TORAGE
This storage space is empty. There is a secret trap door
on the floor leading to an underground corridor leading
to his lab. To find the trapdoor a successful Investigation
check DC of 18 or higher is required. However, since
Michaella’s transformation he put an explosive Glyph of
Warding on the trap door.
TRAP
Explosive Runes: When triggered, the glyph erupts with
magical energy in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on
the glyph. The Sphere spreads around corners. Each
creature in the aura must make a Dexterity saving throw.
A creature takes 5d8 lightning damage on a failed saving
throw, or half as much damage on a successful one.
5. F IRST B EDROOM
This is the first of two bedrooms the couple intended to
have for their children. This has been prepared earlier
for the arrival of their firstborn. It has some toys, and
baby-related items but there is nothing of real value here.
Read the following to the PCs if they enter this room.
This is obviously, a baby’s room. There are some stuffed
animals and wooden toys scattered around the floor.
There is also a baby cot in the corner and a small blue
carpet that decorate this small bedroom.
If the PCs read the excerpt from Michaella’s diary and
they lift the baby cot’s mattress, they will see some arcane
circles and symbols etched on the planks of the bed. It is
clear that Damron has been preparing his baby for his
ritual from the day it was born.
6. S ECOND B EDROOM
In Michaella’s mind the second bedroom was always go-
ing to be the bedroom of a future second child. For the
time being it was reserved for guests or relatives that
spent the night at the residence. This room is practically
empty apart from an empty closet, a lamp that illumi-
nates it and a bed.
7. C ORRIDOR
This long corridor links the Living room, Master Bed-
room with the two other bedrooms and the bathroom
at the end. It’s a very long corridor and it can get quite
dark as the only source of light here is the window on
the edge to the North. The residents of the house walk it
with a lamp to illuminate the path.
The corridor itself is decorated with a long red carpet and
on the western wall there is a long series of cupboards
where the couple stored more clothes, linens, blankets
and other items.
Towards the end between the two bedroom doors there
is a smaller closet. This closet is in fact another Mimic
and it will immediately attack anyone who approaches
towards the bathroom upon Damron’s command.
C ORRIDOR C LOSET
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
Armor Class 12 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 70 (9d8+18)
Speed 15 ft
Initiative 1
H OMESTEAD
15
 If the PCs search all cupboards in this corridor, with an
investigation check DC of 15 they will find the following
items: 260 gp, 30 pp, 130 sp., a small necklace with a
golden chain (worth of 75 gp) and some silk cloth fabrics
that could get about 65 gp in the market.

8. B ATHROOM
Finally, this is the bathroom of the house. There is noth-
ing of real value here. If the PCs search this room they
will only find, a bathtub, some towels and soap.

H OMESTEAD
16
H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT

Figure .1: Damron’s secret lab

Damron kept his arcane lab close. He always wanted to

be able to slip in and out without his wife realising what
he is and what his purpose truly was. There are two en-
trances to the lab. The first is through the cellar door.
The second is from the secret trap door in the closet in
the master bedroom.

1. C ELLAR
The cellar can be accessed from the cellar door outside,
behind the kitchen wall. The cellar door is always kept
locked, and it is not trapped. Read the following if the Figure .2: The Homestead Cellar
PCs walk in:

H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT
17
 The musty smell of the Cellar reaches your nostrils as
soon as you open the door. The room is illuminated by An investigation check of 20 will reveal the secret door
four torches and you can see that this is a narrow cellar but not how the door itself opens. The secret door is
full of wooden barrels and boxes. Unlike a typical cellar, trapped with a glyph of warding trap as in the storage
this is mostly used as storage apparently rather than a area in the master bedroom. The trap was put after
wine cellar. Michaella run off with the baby and it was Damron’s
anticipation that caused this oversight. He has learnt his
lesson since and he won’t repeat the same mistake.
There is nothing of real value here. If the PCs search the
boxes and barrels, they find items that are usually stored
in a cellar. Water and salted meats and certain bottle of
wine and ale as well. However there is a secret door
leading to the lab, which is accessible by rotating the far
2. D AMRON ’ S L AB
left torch which is opposite the lab itself.

Figure .3: Damron’s secret lab

When the PCs enter the lab itself read them the following:
This very large square room is full of Arcane appara-
tuses, bookcases that adorn the four walls but the first
thing that catches your eye is a large stone demon head
overlooking the room from the southern wall where its
situated. The demon bust has two large horns that
almost reach the ceiling and its eyes seem to follow you
eerily wherever you are within the room.
The room itself is illuminated by torches around the
walls, two large braziers on both sides of the Demon
bust and there is also illumination coming out of a large

H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT
18
 cauldron to north-eastern side of the room.
Right in front of the Demon bust there is stone altar,
and on top of that there is a dagger. By the western
wall in between of two bookshelves lies a wooden chest,
and on the north-western corner of the room there is a
wooden door with a lever right in front of it.
On the eastern table there are also three glowing potions
right next to a lantern and a human skull. The entire
sight makes your skin crawl, and it doesn’t take more
than a few seconds to realise that you stepped in a very
sinister room.
As soon as the PCs enter the room, Damron attacks. If he
has the baby allow everyone to roll initiative. Damron
attacks the baby to sacrifice as his very first action. If he
is aware of the PCs approach then he will be prepared
and he will have cast any protection spells like mage
armor and invisibility, after which he will summon an
elemental to fight in his stead.
cast by the PCs that inflict Fire, Electricity, or Cold
damage, the bust will instead absorb it. The effect is
visible as flames, or electricity will be drawn into it. The
maximum number of spell levels the bust can absorb is
5. Once it has absorbed it, it can release it the following
round as follows:
It inflicts 1d8 points of elemental damage per spell
level it has absorbed thus spending it. It can split the
elemental damage as it likes but it can only use up to
two levels per opponent and no more.
If a spell is cast at it directly, it will absorb it if it has the
capacity otherwise it will suffer half damage automati-
cally (no Saving Throws).
Spell Immunity. The Demon bust is immune to mind
influencing spells and effects.
Weapon Weaknesses. The Demon bust has a weakness
to bludgeoning weapons.

Apart from Damron, however, the PCs will also have to Weapon Resistances. It is resistant to Slashing
fight the demon bust itself. It acts on its own initiative Weapons.
count every round as long as it has absorbed enough
spell levels (see description below).

NOT SAVING THE BABY

D AMRON R IKKARD
Male (human) Conjurer 10 CE Medium, +4 Proficiency
If things went wrong and the PCs haven’t realized Dam-
Bonus
ron’s evil purpose and they handed over the baby to him,
he will immediately take it down and place it upon the
Armor Class 12
altar to complete his ritual. To make the encounter more
Hit Points 62 (10D6)
challenging, you could have the PCs arrive in this lab,
Speed 30 ft
right when Damron completes the ritual and sacrifices
Initiative 2
the baby. The result could be anything at the DM’s dis-
cretion but as a suggestion you could allow a gate to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
open and a demon or devil to step through and fight the 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 13 (+1) 9 (-1)
PCs themselves.
Saving Throws STR +0, DEX +2, CON +2, INT +9,
WIS +5, CHA -1
Skills Acrobatics +2, Animal Handling +1, Arcana +9,
D EMON B UST Athletics +0, Deception -1, History +5, Insight +5,
Demon-imbued stone bust Intimidation -1, Investigation +9, Medicine +1, Nature
+5, Perception +1, Performance -1, Persuasion -1,
Armor Class 13 Religion +9, Sleight of Hand +2, Stealth +2, Survival
Hit Points 52 +1
Speed 0 ft Spells 5th Level (2 slots) – Cloudkill, Conjure Elemental
Initiative 0 4th Level (3 slots) – Dimension Door, Evard’s Black
Tentacles 3rd Level (3 slots) – Sleet Storm, Fly 2nd Level
(3 slots) – Cloud of Daggers, Invisibilty, Scorching Ray
A CTIONS 1st Level (4 slots) – Mage Armor, Find Familiar, Grease,
Absorb Spells. The Demon bust will attempt to protect Detect Magic, Charm Person, Fog Cloud Cantrips –
Damron from elemental attacks. Every time a spell is Blade Ward, Fire Bolt, Friends, Message, Minor Illusion

H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT
19
 Senses 11 Passive Perception
Languages Common, Dwarvish, Orc, Infernal
Challenge 10

Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach

5 ft. Hit: 1d6 bludgeoning damage. (If used two-handed
in melee does 1d8 damage). Dagger. Melee or
Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. 1d4+2
piercing damage. (If thrown, normal range to 20 ft.;
disadvantage long range 21 to 60 ft.).

A CTIONS
Fire Bolt Cantrip. Ranged Spell Attack: +9
to hit, targets one creature or object within
120 ft. range. Hit: 2d10 fire damage and
unattended flammable objects catch on fire.

Wizard Class Features (PHB p. 112). Spell Attack

Modified +9
Spell Save DC 17

1. Ritual Casting
2. Arcane Recovery (regain spell slots totalling 5 levels
after short rest once per day)
3. Conjuration Savant (copy such spells in half the time)
4. Minor Conjuration (create an object that lasts one
hour)
5. Benign Transposition (teleport 30 feet or swap places
with another within 30 feet)
6. Focused Conjuration (damage cannot disrupt concen-
tration on conjurations)
7. Acolyte Features: Shelter of the Faithful (PHB p.
127)
Equipment. Dagger, Staff of the Python (uncom-
mon, dmg 204), Set of Common Clothes, holy symbol,
amulet, spellbook (contains additionally Alarm and Glyph
of Warding Spells), 5 sticks of incense, vestments, Ring
of Water Walking (uncommon, dmg 193).
Figure .4: Damron Rikkard
TREASURE CHEST - TRAP
A Poisoned needle is hidden within the treasure chest’s
lock. Opening the chest without the proper key causes
the needle to spring out, delivering a dose of poison.
When the trap is triggered, the needle extends 3 inches
straight out from the lock. A creature within range
takes 1 piercing damage and 11 (2d10) poison damage,
and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or be Poisoned for 1 hour.
A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check al-
lows a character to deduce the trap’s presence from al-
terations made to the lock to accommodate the needle.
A successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools
disarms the trap, removing the needle from the lock.
Unsuccessfull attempts trigger the trap.

TREASURE IN CHEST
700 cp, 10000 sp, 1700 gp, 150 pp, Bolt of Fine Steel
Cloth (250 gp), Ebony Dice (pair) inlaid with Silver (250
gp), Jet Dice (pair) inlaid with Bronze (250 gp), Small
Carpet (250 gp), Small Tapestry (250 gp), Fine Steel
Cloth Coat (250 gp), Diamond (250 gp), Fine Leather
Sash (250 gp), Boots of Striding and Springing (uncom-
mon, dmg 156)

H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT
20
C ONCLUDING T HE A DVENTURE
If the PCs defeated Damron and saved the baby, allow
them to find a safe family for it in the town of Pirn. They
can find perhaps an older couple that didn’t manage to
get their own and the child could inherit the Rikkard
residence when it grows up. Alternatively perhaps the
baby will grow to become an adventurer or magic user
in its own right after being exposed to such mystical
energies. All this is at the DM’s discretion.

H OMESTEAD B ASEMENT
21