Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

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G

A B C
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Coldwater Town – GM reference

Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

2F
2E

2D
2C
2B

2A

Winterwood Forest – GM reference

Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

Story overview for GM

The party of players are a newly formed group of adventurers who have answered the Mayors summons
to the town of Coldwater (Named so from being built next to Coldwater Lake) deep in the Winterwood
Forest.

The Mayor has hired the adventurers to go north into the heart of the Winterwood to seek out the
Dryad Agnes. For centuries Agnes, Queen of Roots, has protected the townsfolk during the harsh
winters. This year, however, winter has come and the Dryads protection is nowhere to be found. 5
children have been found drowned in the lake of Coldwater, with the most recent being the night of the
parties arrival. With the dead of winter approaching fast, time is running out to seek the Dryad - soon
the path to her cave will be impassable and many more children will die before winters end if she is not
found.

The players will discover, however, that the Dryad Agnes has been fully possessed by a Witch who has
been using the spirits of drowned children to seek out and drown other children, slowly starving the
town of new life until one day she claims the forest all to her own.

GM Map Index:

Coldwater Town

A – PC start – The party arrived in Coldwater the previous night and was escorted to their room by
guards. The mayor could not greet them as he was busy with the newest case of child drowning. The
next morning, players wake here and are free to explore.

B – Blacksmith/Shopkeep – The blacksmith/shopkeep of the town can sell the players supplies. His
useful supplies include a Tonic of Health (Heals 6 wounds) and a scroll of “Thornburn” which can be used
in a later encounter. He has many trinkets, odds and ends but his weaponry and armor is likely too
expensive for the new adventurers.

C – Hovel – A town drunkard lives in this hovel next to the Church of Agnes. He will ask the players if he
can accompany them in return for 1gp per day (skill 1 hireling). If the players decline his offer he can be
found dead in his hovel when they return from their quest, frozen stiff in a pile of vomit. Bottle in hand.

D – Church of Agnes – Upon entering the front door the players will notice green vines on the floor,
along with a golden tree sigil imprinted onto the stone floor. The holy symbol of Agnes. When entering
through the door to the main church the players will be greeted by warm, humid, air. The sound of birds
and insects chirping, flowing water, lush green grass and beautiful vegetation. The inside of the church is
untouched by winter. A statue of Agnes can be found at the back of the church in a fountain. There is a
Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

chest which contains a small golden tree symbol as seen in the floor of the entrance room. Players can
use this trinket later. Any player inspecting the fountain will hear a childs laugh come from the flowing
water.

E – Town Storage – A room full of odds and ends. There is not much of use to adventurers but a player
who spends 5 minutes scrounging can be awarded 1 extra “supply” – can only occur once.

F – Mayors house – This is where the mayor of the town lives. When entering they will notice the
fireplace, bearskin rug, and bath. When spoken to – the mayor will explain the drownings and say the
child from last night’s mother has run north into the forest to seek the dryad herself. He will urge the
players to find the Dryad quickly before winter makes the path entirely impassable. Anyone who
inspects the mayors bathtub will see the face of a drowned child under the surface. This is an illusion
and will disappear when the player loses concentration or looks away. If they continue to look at the
figure it will open its eyes and scream (only the player looking will hear) and remove 1 inventory space
to stress.

G – Old Guard Tower – the tower has long fallen into disrepair as Agnes has looked after all the towns
needs and protection for many years. On the first floor players can find 1 blunt shortsword. The stairs
leading up are rotted away and cannot be used, if the players make a plan to get up to the second floor
they can find 1 bow+ammo, 1 repaired shortsword and 1 set of leather armor.

H – Coldwater Lake – this is where the drownings of the 5 children have occurred. Any player who walks
up to the lake hears whispers and giggles of children coming from the water.

I – Empty House – the empty house of the most recently drowned child and the mother who ran into
the forest looking for Agnes. There is an outdoor entrance to the basement that links to a trapdoor in
the house. In the basement can be found various childrens toys. If players pick up one of the toy dolls
they feel it is still cold and wet.

J – Road out of Coldwater – players will travel north to journey to the heart of the Winterwood – the
Dryads cave.

Winterwood forest

2A – Thorny Pass – Here the players encounter their first enemy: Icethorn. As the players come into the
middle of the pass they are assailed by thorny vines from all directions. 1 vine will attack each player
present but they all share the same HD. During melee combat, if the player attack wins – they do
damage as normal but the vine automatically deals 1 wound in return as the players struggle to swing
through the thorns. If the vine wins, it still only deals 1 wound. During the middle of combat the players
can notice the dead body of the drowned childs mother, twisted and frayed bare by the thorns. This is as
far as she got. If the players purchased a scroll of Thornburn they can use it to instantly repel the thorns.

Icethorn: Skill (-1) HD (2) no armor. ML (-)

2B – Bridge – A collapsed bridge to the path leading up to the Dryads cave. There is a rock beside the
bridge with a symbol of a golden tree. Players who notice this can touch the symbol from inside the
Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

chest at the church to it will be blasted back by divine light but learn the spell “Minor Teleportation” –
The caster, and anyone he is holding, can teleport to a place no more than 100’ away. The place being
teleported to must have the floor where their feet will land clearly visible. The caster must focus intently
on the spot for 5 minutes before the teleport takes effect. Players can attempt other ways to cross the
gap using roleplay and “supplies” left up to the GM’s discretion.

2C – Thorny Pass – The players can choose to travel along 2C and will face another Icethorn when going
along the ledge. If the players purchased a scroll of thornburn and did not use it earlier they can use it
now to instantly repel the thorns and pass safely.

2D – Icy river – The players can choose to avoid the thorns and travel along 2D. This is a steep frozen
river which is extremely difficult terrain. Players who wish to scale along the river will receive a “break”
dice to their check. If failed the players will slip down the ice and take 2 damage from the fall. If a player
rolls a natural 1 here they slip all the way down and tumble off the cliff into the ravine.

2E – Dryads cave – when entering the mouth of the cave players will hear running water from inside.
Once inside they will begin to hear the faint laughter of children. There are 3 fountains in the cave that
will spawn 1 spirit of drowned child each. When a drowned spirit enters combat – any damage they take
will make them splash into a puddle of water – they will then rise out of the water at the fountain they
originally came from. The only way to stop them respawning is for players to interact with the fountains
in any way. This will cause them to crumble and stop the flowing water.

When the spirits win a round of melee combat the affected player does not take wounds but instead
loses 1 inventory slot to the stress of being touched by the spirit of a dead child.

Drowned Spirit: Skill (1) HD (-) ML (-)

2F – Agnes, Queen of the Roots

When players first enter this round cave room they can see the resemblance it bears to the church, but
everything is frozen over instead of green and lush. Agnes is sitting perfectly still in the center of the
shallow lake – an unmoving husk of Dryads wood. Once all players enter the room the doorway and
edges of the cave are covered in Icethorn so as to prevent escape. If the players purchased a scroll of
thornburn and did not use it earlier they can use it now to instantly repel the thorns and open the
passage out. The dryad begins to creek and move and announces the players have made a mistake
challenging her. As combat starts she will summon 2 more drowned spirits who behave like the ones in
2E, but these ones will not respawn. Combat should continue until Agnes is defeated, victorious, or the
players run away. If Agnes fails a Morale check she will attempt to bargain with her pendant (See:
Victory)

Agnes: Skill (3) HD (2) 5 armor. ML (10)

Melee: Thorny swipe: Inflicts 2 wounds | Icy touch: Player must make STR save or have the tissues in
their body partially frozen causing any action to receive “break” dice for the next (D4 - STR) turns.

Ranged: Drowning gaze: Agnes looks into a players eyes filling them with the uncontrollable urge to
drown themselves. Player must make WIL save or collapse face-down into the shallow lake for 4 rounds
– if they are not recovered or turned over by the 4th round they drown.
Into the Winterwood – Durf rpg oneshot – horror adventure for 3-4 1HD pC’s

Victory:

If the players defeat Agnes, the spirit of the witch leaves her body. Unfortunately Agnes the dryad will
still die from her wounds – the Town of Coldwater will have to endure harsh winters from now on – but
at least they will not have any more drownings. The players can find a necklace on Agnes: “Pendant of
Dryads stasis” – this item is rumored to prevent death. Any player wearing this pendant upon death will
instead be encased in dryads wood. They will be unconscious and unable to take any action by
themselves but their allies will have a chance to recover the husk and return the friend inside. When
emerging from the shell the players skin is now made of dryads wood and the necklace is gone.

Defeat:
If the players are defeated or run away from the fight with Agnes, she wins. When they return to town
they will find everyone missing and the inside of the church frozen and covered in snow. Generations of
adventurers, scholars and learned folk will come to Coldwater and never know why the town is empty –
and why laughter can be heard from the lake.