The Helm of Radiance

Design Team
Written By: Cody Leigh

Additional Development & Writing: Jason Duff

Edited By: Jason Duff & Jennifer Ward

Art Direction & Layout: Jason Duff

Art Team: Camille Kuo, Dean Spencer, Kues1 @ Freepik

Cover By: Anton Karlik

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2
 Introduction
The Cavern of Whispers lies tucked away in the countryside.
Rumors abound that the cave holds a rare treasure known as
the Helm of Radiance, a helmet with wondrous enchantments.
However, the Helm is supposedly guarded by malevolent
spirits. A party of adventurers decides to investigate the cave to
recover its treasure and must brave the dangers hidden in the
Cavern of Whispers to succeed.
The Helm of Radiance is a single session adventure for Basic Tier
characters. This is a great starting adventure for a new party
or side quest in low-tier games. The Helm of Radiance can be
used in any Zweihander campaign, or as a standalone one-shot
adventure.
The Cavern of
Whispers
The Cavern of Whispers is housed by an ominous entrance
flanked by makeshift spears with skulls. A clearing is formed
around the cave as many of the trees and even grass is cleared
away from the surroundings. Depressing mud stymies the earth
and an air of oppression resonates from the cave. The Cavern
of Whispers is marked on many maps of the region, but no
one has ventured to the cave on account of the hauntings. The
surrounding countryside is relatively civilized other than the
forest that shelters the cave, and the cave itself is a mere half
hour walk from the nearest major road.
The player Characters can investigate the surrounding area
around the cave with a (Challenging - 10%) Awareness
Test to note that the surroundings have been purposefully
manipulated. Not much of interest rests immediately
outside of the cave otherwise. Once the players proceed, the
nightmare begins.
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Scene I
The Spirit’s Warning
Upon entering the cave, the player Chaacters are met with a
distressing sight. Bones are strewn along the entryway all along
the pathway, some still clutching weapons and tools in their
bony fingers. A gust of wind blows hard enough to assault
the senses and cause player Character’s eyes to tear before a
shrouded figure appears further down the pathway. A hollow
voice will echo in the cavern as the shrouded figure warns the
player characters to turn away or face their demise. Another
gust of wind blows as the being seems to fade away.
Player Characters may press forward without any further
investigation if they wish. If so, proceed to Scene II. However,
some strange discoveries can be made upon studying the cave.
GMs may have the player Characters make a (Challenging
- 10%) Coordination Test when the wind blows the second
time. Failure simply means that they cannot keep focus on the
apparition and must turn their heads away from the gusting
winds. Anyone that succeeds the Test is able to peer between
their fingers at the apparition, which seems to sidle off the side
of the path rather than disappear.
The Bones
If the player Characters choose to investigate the bones,
generate 1d10x2 copper coins worth of loot. Most of the tools
and weapons will be broken beyond repair. Any usable weapons
or armor they find will be comparable to what is already being
worn. However, player Characters investigating the bones may
make a (Challenging - 10%) Awareness Test. On a success,
they discover a few inconsistencies with the bones. First, the
bones are not all human. Some animal bones are mixed in
among the piles. Second, the bones appear to have been planted
rather than acting as remains of where someone fell. The way
the bodies are positioned do not seem natural. The joints on the
bones appear to have been manipulated.
There are no other inconsistencies that can be noticed in this
scene. The player Characters may continue to Scene II.
 Scene II
Many Doors
As the player Characters continue through the cave, they are
assaulted by wailing, screaming and ominous noise throughout.
Each player character should make a (Standard +/- 0%)
Resolute Test against Fear. A failure will result in 2d10+2
mental Peril and 6 Corruption.
The cavern will open up into a strange half-spherical room.
The room is clearly of mortal-made design as stonework and
sconces are carved into the cavern. There are six doors in total
available to the player Characters. The colors of the door are
red, blue, black, green, orange, and white.
Player Characters may make a (Challenging - 10%) Awareness
Test or a (Challenging - 10%) Tradecraft Test to search for
any signs of use on the doors. A success reveals that the red
door’s hinges are worn, and faint tracks lead into the doorway.
Failure reveals nothing.
The Black Door
If the player Characters open the black door, a strange sucking
energy attempts to pull them into the door way. Players must
make a (Standard -/+ 0%) Athletics Test or a (Standard -/+
0%) Coordination Test to remain on their feet. Whatever
player Character opened the door may shut it if they succeed.
Afford all players two opportunities to succeed in this Test.
Two failures will suck the player Character into the doorway
where they disappear into a vortex to be shredded by the
pulling energy. This player Character is dead. If any players
succeed their first Test, they may attempt to use their second
Test to support another character. If the door is closed after the
first Test by the player Character that opened it, then no further
Tests are needed.
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The Blue Door
If the player Characters open the blue door, a wave of water
with aggressive sea creatures will wash over the characters. A
(Challenging - 10%) Athletics Test or a (Challenging - 10%)
Coordination Test is needed to avoid the wave. Failure causes a
player Character to suffer 1d10+1 Damage as the teeth and fins
of the sea creatures' damages them in the passing tide. Nothing
of note exists beyond the doorway after this tidal wave.
The Green Door
If the player characters open the green door, a barrage of seeds
fire out from the doorway. Players must make a (Challenging
- 10%) Athletics Test or a (Challenging - 10%) Coordination
Test to dodge the bullet-like seeds. Failure causes a player
character to suffer 1d10+1 Damage as the seeds bruise and
batter their bodies. A few plants twist and writhe in the
room after the barrage, but do not harm the players further.
A (Challenging - 10%) Awareness Test reveals healing
properties on the leaves of the plants which can be harvested in
a single bunch of five leaves. Each leaf can be consumed for to
grant a +10% on any Healing Test.
The Orange Door
If the players open the orange door, the sound of a snapping
rope can be heard as a massive blaze of fire gouts forward from
the open doorway. Characters must make a (Challenging -
10%) Athletics Test or a (Challenging - 10%) Coordination
Test to move out of the way of the flame. Failure causes a player
character to suffer 2d10+2 fire Damage as they are scorched
by the fire. Investigating the room reveals a makeshift cannon
that contained the fire as well as a snapped rope connecting the
inside door handle.
The White Door
If the players open the white door, a blinding flash of light
assaults their eyes. Player Characters must make a (Standard
-/+ 0%) Athletics Test or a (Standard -/+ 0%) Coordination
Test to either weather the assault or avert their eyes respectively.
Failure will cause the players to suffer the Blinded condition for
the rest of the day. Blinded characters may rest away from the
other doors and thus avoid their effects with the exception of
the black door as its energy affects the entire room.
 The Red Door
Once the player Characters enter the red door, they may proceed to the next scene.

They may also make a (Challenging - 10%) Awareness Test or a (Challenging - 10%) Tradecraft Test if they triggered at least
one of the trapped doors. Success on the Tests allows the player character to use deductive reasoning as they wonder why ghosts
or spirits would need to make traps to protect anything, or how an incorporeal spirit would manage to construct a physical trap in
the first place.

Scene III
The Helm of Radiance
As the players proceed down the red door’s path, they come to an open room with a pedestal dominating its center. Resting on a
fixture atop the pedestal is a brilliant golden helm that shines a bright light illuminating its surroundings. As the players approach
the pedestal, a gust of wind precedes another appearance by the shrouded figure.

The shrouded figure will berate and threaten the player Characters with each step. If the
player Characters continue to approach, the voice of the figure begins to lose composure and
plead with the characters rather than threaten them. Once the players are within 10 yards of
the helm. The shrouded figure moves forward and stumbles over to reveal the contents beneath
the robe.

A trio of kobolds moan discontentment as they stand and look to the player Characters. Another
pair of the little beasts appears behind a nearby boulder idling in the cave. The leader kobold, with
a headdress of feathers to distinguish him from the others, pleads with the players not to take their
treasure and offers to pay them forty gold coins instead on the condition the kobolds are allowed to
leave the cave with the helm.

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 The Kobolds
Player Characters may question the kobolds on several topics. If prompted on why they
were pretending to be spirits, the kobold will explain that the races above ground are
superstitious. Spirits scared people away and the story of the ghost protected their
treasure. If prompted on the traps, the kobold will explain that some treasure
hunters require more convincing than others. If prompted on the bones, the
kobold will say that they did a fair bit of graverobbing to trump up the danger
of the cave. If questioned on the black door trap, the kobold shrugs and says
it was already in the cave when they got here. If questioned on the gusts of
winds, the kobold will snap his nailed fingers at a kobold in robes that
appeared from behind the rock. The kobold will blow harmless gusts of
wind at high speed towards the players with a chuckle.

Deal!
If the player Characters decide to agree to the kobold’s deal, two kobolds
will quickly take the helm and scamper off into the darkness into an unseen
exit. The leader kobold will provide a pouch of forty gold coins to the nearest player
character and thank them for their generosity before scampering away. Players will later discover upon making a (Standard -/+ 0%)
Awareness Test that half of the gold coins are actually repainted copper coins.

No Deal!
If the players do not agree to the deal, they will face off against the kobolds as the small creatures draw their weapons to protect their
treasures. Generate six kobolds, as an additional hidden kobold will join the initiative and trigger a 1d10+1 Damage ceiling trap on
the players on their turn in the initiative.

If the players are defeated, the leader kobold will mock the players and leave them in cages until they meet their eventual fate from
repeated torture and starvation. A grim ending should lead into a group of adventurers discovering their bones at the entranceway
to the cave.

If the players are victorious, they may loot the kobolds and
discover the pouch of forty “gold” coins in addition to poorly
maintained and nearly worthless equipment. However, the
players then receive the Helm of Radiance. The Helm may be
used from that point forward or sold. Please refer to the boxed
text for the statistics of the Helm of Radiance.
Kobolds
Stat blocks for Kobolds can be found in the Zweihander core
rulebook. They are Basic (Low) tier challenges suitable for
this adventure.
The Helm of Radiance
Enchanted Helm: The Helm of Radiance generates light
while worn that pierces magical darkness in a 10 yard radius
around the wearer. The Helm also provides a +10% bonus to
any Awareness Tests to notice hidden enemies or invisible
enemies within this radius. Wearing the helm causes an
automatic failure on any Stealth Tests to remain hidden
for anyone within its radius as the brilliant light prevents
any sneaking. Wearing the helm also negatively impacts
the wearer’s psyche, as an artifact such as this is not to be
taken lightly. When donned, the wearer must take 1d10+1
Corruption.