CREDITS

Designer: Dr. Michael LaBossiere

Cartographer: Dr. Michael LaBossiere
Interior Artwork: Some artwork copyright William McAusland,
used with permission
Template: Simple Microsoft Word Template by Laura
Hirsbrunner
Cover Illustrator: Dungeon Master’s Guild

Contents
Credits....................................................................................... 1
Contents ................................................................................... 1
Introduction............................................................................ 2
History/Background .............................................................. 2
Getting the PCs Involved ....................................................... 2
Map Key ................................................................................... 2
Encounter ................................................................................ 2
Conclusion .............................................................................. 2
Hook? ....................................................................................... 2
New magic item ...................................................................... 2
Tenebris Unicornis Horn ....................................................................... 2
Monsters ................................................................................. 3
Free Stuff! ................................................................................ 5
Free Map Collections ............................................................. 5
Free Rules ................................................................................ 5
Free Encounters ..................................................................... 5
Free Encounters Collections ................................................. 5
Stuff to Buy! ................................................................................ 5
Adventures .............................................................................. 5
About the Author .................................................................... 5
MAP .......................................................................................... 6

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This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for
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All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com System Reference Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

1
INTRODUCTION
This is the 44th in an ongoing series aimed to provide the
overworked DM with ready-to run encounters. Will the bold heroes
be impaled by the Cornu Umbra or slay the corrupted unicorn?
It includes a history/background for the encounter, a map, and
monster stats.
The companion ZIP file contains JPEG versions of the maps
(with and without grid), a Hero Lab file, the Word file of the
encounter, and a PDF with character sheets for all the monsters.
the evilest would be able to hope to bargain with him for safe
passage. There would still be a price, of course.
The encounter difficulty can be increased by adding additional
monsters—the base encounter is Cornu and the difficulty can be
ratcheted up by adding mortuus satyro.
CONCLUSION
If the PC defeat Cornu the evil will gradually fade from his
corrupted wood. The PCs will receive whatever reward they were
promised for undertaking the task, assuming this was not a purely
random encounter.

HISTORY/BACKGROUND
In at least one of the infinite realities Durakor conquered the
world and transformed all living creatures into undead. These
included even the most noble of creatures, such as the unicorn.
While unicorns are generally resistant to corruption and there are
even some scholars who assert that unicorns can never become
undead creatures, there are realms in which unicorns become
undead horrors. Rather like Death Knights, their fall from exalted
grace takes them to depths of evil unplumbed by most other
creatures.
Cornu Auream was a stalwart guardian of the sylvan woods until
he was defeated and transformed into an undead horror. He now
patrols his corrupted wood, his decayed heart filled with naught but
hatred for the weak he once protected. Aiding him in his slaughter
are the mortuus satyro—once joyful satyrs who were warped and
corrupted into undead monstrosities.
Cornu Umbra now haunts the woods, slaying all who seek to
oppose his reign of evil.
HOOK?
Those who transformed Cornu are likely to have some evil
activities occurring in the forest, such as clear cutting the land to
gain lumber to construct siege engines or mining for metals to
forge weapons to equip evil forces.
There is, of course, also the matter of those who slew Cornu—
they are powerful servants of evil and pose a grave danger to the
area.
NEW MAGIC ITEM
The following is a new magic item.
TENEBRIS UNICORNIS HORN
weapon (dagger), rare
This dagger is a Magic Weapon. If you hit a target with the
weapon you can activate the evil within it up to three times per

GETTING THE PCS INVOLVED day. When activated the weapon does an additional 2d8 necrotic
damage and is affected by the contagion spell. The DC for the
There are a variety of ways to get the PCs involved in the
spell is 14.
encounter. A stock approach is the true random encounter—the
Made from the horn of a slain tenebris unicornis, this weapon
PCs blunder across the forest and combat ensues.
is prized by certain evil creatures.
Alternatively, the PCs could be tasked with cleansing the area.
Perhaps lesser adventurers have been slain when they entered the
forest or local authorities want the area cleared so that they can
gain access to the wood and other resources. The PCs could also
be contacted by druids intent on restoring the forest.

MAP KEY
The map shows the encounter area. It consists of a wooded area
with paths worn by Cornu—after he kills a creature, he spears the
corpse and drags it back to the center of the woods. He has
accumulated quite a
collection of bones and
corpses. The flies and vermin
of the woods praise him with
their buzzing and crunching.

ENCOUNTER
The encounter begins
when the PCs encounter
Cornu and/or mortuus
satyro. Cornu and his allies
will attack almost any living creature that enters the wood—only

2
 MONSTERS
These are the monsters for the encounter.

Large undead, chaotic evil

Legendary Actions. The unicorn can take 3 legendary actions,
Armor Class 12 choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action
Hit Points 76 (9d10+27) option can be used at a time and only at the end of another
Speed 50 ft. creature's turn. The unicorn regains spent legendary actions at
the start of its turn.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Hooves. The unicorn makes one attack with its hooves.
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16(+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) Shadow Shield (Costs 2 Actions). The unicorn creates a
shadowy, magical field around itself or another creature it can
Saving Throws see within 60 feet of it. The target gains a +2 bonus to AC until
Skills the end of the unicorn's next turn.
Heal Self (Costs 3 Actions). The unicorn magically regains 11
Damage Resistances
(2d8 + 2) hit points.
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Celestial, Elvish, Sylvan
Regional Effects. Transformed by the creature’s undead
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
presence, the domain of a unicorn might include any of the
following magical effects:
Charge. If the unicorn moves at least 20 feet straight toward a
• Open flames of a nonmagical nature are dimmed in the
target and then hits it with a horn attack on the same turn, the
unicorn’s domain. The radius of the light they cast is halved.
target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a
For example, a torch would provide bright light in a 10-foot
creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
knocked prone.
• Creatures native to the unicorn’s domain have an easier
Magic resistance. The tenebris Unicornis has advantage on time hiding; they have advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth)
saving throws against spells and other magical effects. checks made to hide.
Magic Weapons. The creature’s weapon attacks are magical. • When an evil-aligned creature casts a spell or uses a magical
effect that causes necrotic damage to a good-aligned creature,
the caster can reroll any 1s or 2s on the dice but must take the
reroll.
Multiattack. The unicorn makes two attacks: one with its
hooves and one with its horn. • Undead have advantage on saving throws against effects
that turn undead.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: If the unicorn dies, these effects end immediately.
Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage Description: A tenebris unicornis is the moral opposite of the
unicorn it once was. While unicorns protect the weak, heal the
Horn. Melee or ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one injured and comfort the sick, a tenebris unicorn delights in
target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage trampling the weak, killing the living and inflicting sickness on
the healthy.
Diseased Touch. (3/Day). (3/day). The unicorn touches another
Unfortunately, the tenebris unicornis is as powerful and
creature with its horn. The target takes 11 (2d8 + 2) necrotic
magical as it was in life, though its abilities are almost all
damage and is the target of the Contagion spell. The unicorn’s
warped versions of its original virtues.
casting ability is Charisma and the DC is 14.
In battle a tenebris unicornis is a savage and brutal
Innate Spellcasting. The unicorn's innate spellcasting ability is opponent; should they drop an opponent they will pause to
Charisma (spell save DC 14). The unicorn can innately cast the trample the fallen foe and celebrate by biting away the face of
following spells, requiring no components: their victim.
At will: detect evil and good, pass without trace, poison spray
1/day each: dispel evil and good, entangle, hold person

Teleport (1/day). The unicorn magically teleports itself and up to

three willing creatures it can see within 5 feet of it, along with any
equipment they are wearing or carrying, to a location the unicorn
is familiar with, up to 1 mile away.

3
medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (leather armor)

Hit Points 44 (8d8+8)
Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

12 (+1) 16(+3) 12(+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)

Saving Throws
Skills Perception +2, Performance +5, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted , poisoned
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
Hit: 6 (2d4+1) bludgeoning damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage

Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

target. Hit: Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.

Frightful Fluting (1/day). Each creature within 30 feet of the

Mortuus Satyro that hears it play must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or become Frightened of it for 1 minute. If it wishes,
all creatures in the area that aren't Hostile toward it automatically
succeed on the saving throw. A creature that fails the saving throw
can repeat it at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
itself on a success. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is
immune to the effect of the fluting for 24 hours.

Description: A mortuus Satyro is a twisted undead version of the

joyful satyr—it is a depraved creature that seeks only its own
pleasure from the fear and suffering of others.

4
FREE STUFF!
Mike’s Free Encounter #43: Necrokyrie

FREE ENCOUNTERS
I regularly make free D&D stuff available, including map
collections and encounters.

COLLECTIONS
FREE MAP COLLECTIONS Mike’s Free Encounters #1-10 (pay what you want)
Mike’s Free Encounters #1-20 (pay what you want)
Mike’s Free Encounters #21-30 (pay what you want)
Mike's Free Maps Collection #1 Mike’s Free Encounters #31-40 (Pay what you want)
Mike's Free Maps Collection #2
Mike's Free Maps Collection #3
Mike's Free Maps Collection #4
Mike's Free Maps Collection #5
STUFF TO BUY!
Mike’s Free Maps Collection #6
I also sell stuff for D&D:
Mike’s Free Maps Collection #7
Mike’s Free Maps Collection #8
Mike’s Free Maps Collection #9

ADVENTURES
FREE RULES Arrogo's Tomb
Belmey (pay what you want)
Broken Mine 5E
Mob Rules
Dragon Hunt
Tower of Zakelana

FREE ENCOUNTERS
Mike's Free Encounter #1: Necromancer's Stash
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike’s Free Encounters #2: Worg Riders Dr. Michael LaBossiere is a gamer/runner from Maine who went
Mike’s Free Encounter #3: Haunted Stones to school in Ohio and ended up a philosophy professor in Florida.
Mike’s Free Encounter #4: Kobold Emissary While acquiring his doctorate in philosophy at Ohio State
Mike’s Free Encounter #5: Gnark Horse University, he earned his ramen noodle money by writing for
Mike’s Free Encounter #6: Ghost of Kella Thar Chaosium, GDW, R. Talsorian Games, and TSR. After graduate
Mike’s Free Encounter #7: Capraemortu school, he became a philosophy professor at Florida A&M
Mike’s Free Encounter #8: Bonewalkers
University. His first philosophy book, What Don't You Know?, was
Mike’s Free Encounter #9: Alena Trel the Eye Piercer
Mike’s Free Encounter #10: The Bog Witch published in 2008. He continues to write philosophy and gaming
Mike’s Free Encounter #11: Shadow Fang Gnolls material. He is also a blogger, but these days who isn't?
Mike’s Free Encounter #12: Shadowed Fields When not writing, he enjoys running, gaming and the martial
Mike’s Free Encounter #13: River Pirates arts. Thanks to a quadriceps tendon tear in 2009, he was out of
Mike’s Free Encounter #14: Bad Mercenaries running for a while, but returned to the trails and wrote a book
Mike’s Free Encounter #15: Dwarven Guard Post
about it, Of Tendon & Trail. He can be contacted at
Mike’s Free Encounter #16 Necrolossi
ontologist@aol.com.
Mike’s Free Encounter #17: Frostcursed Guard Post
Mike’s Free Encounter #18: Death Captain
Mike’s Free Encounter #19: Corporagelida
Mike’s Free Encounter #20: Frostcursed Headless
Mike’s Free Encounter # 21: Frostcursed Forge
Mike’s Free Encounter #22: Frostcursed Docks
Mike’s Free Encounter #23: Frostcursed River Diamond
Mike’s Free Encounter #24:Dividuicorporis
Mike’s Free Encounter #25: Frostcursed Queen
Mike’s Free Encounter #26: Cult of the Bat
Mike’s Free Encounter #27: Burning Beasts
Mike’s Free Encounter #28: Sting of Drenlak
Mike’s Free Encounter #29: Sand Gnark Horse
Mike’s Free Encounter #30 Ghul Caravan
Mike’s Free Encounter #31 Fallen Desert Outpost
Mike’s Free Encounter #32: Ancient Aqueduct
Mike’s Free Encounter #33: Tomb of the Desiccated
Mike's Free Encounter #34: The Bath of Pelthonus
Mike’s Free Encounter #35: Windchime
Mike’s Free Encounter #36: Molodus
Mike’s Free Encounter #37: The Pool of Pelthonus
Mike’s Free Encounter #38: Sea Tiger Island
Mike’s Free Encounter #39: Sanguinem Volant
Mike’s Free Encounter #40: Gladiomortuus
Mike’s Free Encounter #41: A Princess Met on the Road
Mike’s Free Encounter #42: College of the Damned

5
MAP

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