The Herbalist’s Web
A one-page Shadow of the Demon Lord adventure for a group of novice characters.
Beware What
Lurks Above
This one-page adventure is written for a group of
three to five NOVICE players who are level 1 to 2. It
is designed to be played in one session during an
evening or afternoon of gaming with friends or as
an introduction to Shadow of the Demon Lord.
You will need a copy of the SHADOW OF
THE DEMON LORD core book available from
DriveThruRPG.
The Story
The characters arrive in the evening at a small
town and are in need of an herbalist’s services.
They are directed to a small cottage that is located
down the road on the edge of the woods just a
few hours travel. While the harvest moon rises
above the wind-swept hillsides, a creepy, one-eyed
beggar warns them that dangers lurk in the woods
at night.
The warning
As the players are making their way from the
local tavern, they are accosted by Julian Amaster
(commoner), a local, aged tramp seeking a few
coins. He has one wandering eye and only four
teeth. He skin is wrinkled and leathery from years
of the road and a hard life.
Requires Shadow of the Demon Lord from Schwalb Entertainment.
Distributed through the Disciples of the Demon Lord Creative Community at DriveThruRPG.
(Spoken in a high-pitched, raspy whine that only a
life-long wino can produce.)
I see death upon each of you. She
dances! Come and cut a caper with
her. Can’t you hear it? She will lash you
with her beautious music and make you
dance. The pale moon shines as she
smiles and you die! Beware the woods!
Death awaits you!
Journey to the
Herbalists Cottage
The journey to the herbalists cottage will take
approximately two hours of travel to arrive, there
will be no random encounters other than what is
contained within this adventure.
Trouble at the Stump
In a small grotto to the side of the road will be
seen a guttering fire. A hand cart is near the fire
along the side of a rather poor tent, patched and
tattered from long use. Easily seen in the shadows
of the fire is the outstretched, lower extremeties
of a man with hairy legs—one pant leg up and
one down, feet pointing downward with a single
shoe still remaining on the foot (the other shoe
is in the grasses nearby). Closer inspection in the
grasses will reveal the remainder of his body, face
down—his skull has been bashed in by a crude,
bludgeoning implement. A large downed tree
branch, broken from the strong winds is nearby
and will show signs of blood.
When looking upon the bloody wreck that is his
upper body, perform a Will challenge or become
frightened.
The body is that of Nestor Grawlford, a rather
scrawny and nervous little man who constantly bit
the nails on his long and thin fingers. He will be
found half undressed. A cookware merchant, he
is known in the area as one who traveled town-to-
town selling his wares. His clothing is threadbare
and tattered. His cart is thinly decorated with pots
and pans.
A nest of lash crawler (see Shadow, page 244) are
on the broken tree limb and several move about
his smashed skull, picking at his brain matter.
On his belt is a coin purse with 4 silver coins,
8 copper coins and 14 brass coins. In a brown
~Credits~
WRITING, Design and Layout:
Tom Robinson
Special Thanks: Robert Risko, Raul Enciso
Demonic Princess: Abigail Pippington
This product was created under license. Shadow of the Demon Lord
is a trademark of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
This work contains material that is copyright Schwalb Entertainment,
LLC. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content
Agreement for the Disciples of the Demon Lord CC.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by
Tom Robinson and published under the Community Content Agreement
for the Disciples of the Demon Lord CC.
paper-wrapped package tied with simple twine is
a small book of elvish poems that has three lovely
daisies pressed between the pages.
Ruts in the Road
As the group journeys down the road to the
herbalist’s cottage, they come across a lone but
modest house with a white painted door that
is wide open. A warm light is spilling out on a
tastefully flowered path of marigolds. A large
loaf of half eaten bread is smashed on the stoop.
Looking inside can be seen a nicely decorated
common room with two plates of food, one out on
the table and the other turned over on the floor, a
pitcher and cups of mead with a kettle completely
out of water on the hearth. This was the home of
Alison Newberry. She was having a meal with
Gerald Masonbridge when they were abducted
by the spiders.
Up In The Tree
Hanging prominently in a tree that adjoins a
rather modest cottage with a wooden fence just off
the road, are three humanoid bundles wrapped
tightly in spider webs. They are positioned
six yards in the air and tied securely to sturdy
branches. The players must find a way to cut them
loose and gently lower them to the ground.
• Alison Newberry (very dead)—A lone widow
who has succumbed to the spider poison
and has already been partially consumed.
She wears a bronze bracelet with a small bell
charm (12 copper value).
• Gerald Masonbridge (near death and
unconscious)—A local veteran who was
visiting Alison when the spiders attacked
them. The spiders are waiting for him to “juice
up”. He has a belt pouch with 28 copper coins
that he will give his rescuers gladly.
• Hyacinth Picklepear (very much alive; she
will vomit jets of orange and red bile when
freed from the webs)—A rotund halfling
farmer. She was traveling down the road when
she was attacked by the spiders. She will
complain loudly and continuously vomit bile
at inopportune times.
A nesting of spiders (see Shadow, page 243) are
here and prepared to attack any player that climbs
the tree to free the victims.
The Forest Path
As the gentle, rolling hillsides turn to forest,
the characters will notice that small webs are
appearing in the brush. Birds and clumps of
insects have been captured along the many webs
that line the foliage along the road.
Players who touch the webs bring out several
skittering spiders. If players venture off the path
into the forest, or continue tempting fate by
touching the webs they will encounter a grouping
of small spider swarm.
SMALL SPIDER SWARM DIFFICULTY 1
Size 1/4 animal
Perception 12 (+2); darksight
Defense 12; Health 10
Strength 6 (-4), Agility 12 (+2), Intellect 3 (-7), Will 6 (-4)
Speed 8; climber
Immune charmed, dazed, deafened, frightened,
grabbed, immobilized, prone, slowed, stunned
Multitude A swarm takes half damage from effects that
use an attack roll and double damage from effects
that require it to make a challenge roll.
Revulsion Creatures that are not swarms are impaired
while they remain in the swarm’s space or within 1
yard of it.
ATTACK OPTIONS and a small journal detailing the growth patterns
Stinging Bites (melee) +2 (1d3, or 1 if the swarm is
injured)
END OF THE ROUND
Swarm Each creature that isn’t a swarm and that is in
the swarm’s space or within 1 yard of it must make an
Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the creature takes
1d3 damage and becomes slowed for 1 round.
The Herbalist's Cottage
As the moon climbs in the night sky, the group
arrives at their destination. They will see that the
gentle trees and shrubs surrounding the cottage
are covered in a heavy layer of thick and sticky
webs.
The entirety of the herbalist’s cottage is wrapped
up in strong and thick webs. Hundreds of tiny
spiders crawl along the webs and are launching
themselves into the wind. Through an open
window covered in webs can be seen a shining
light.
The Night Stalker
Nearly every surface of the inside of the cottage is
covered in a fine, silky sticky webbing.
Hunched over a table is the dried out husk
of Huberic Bithclump, the herbalist. Open
containers as well as crushed and chopped herbs
are scattered across the work table and floor.
Anyone inspecting the body will notice that the
chest of the herbalist has been burst open and tiny
spiders crawl about it and throughout the sunken
eyes and agape mouth. Perform a Will challenge
or become frightened.
Suspended in the rafters of the cottage above
the central room lurks a vile shadow weaver (see
Shadow, page 254). The spider’s body ripples with
hundreds of newly hatched tiny spiders crawling
over it in childlike affection. They will soon free
themselves to the blowing wind outside.
If searched, found among the belongings of the
herbalist will be 1d6 + 2 potions, a healer’s kit, a
small wooden cask containing 6d6 copper coins,
and types of seasonal herbs in the vicinity of the
cottage.