A Christmas One Shot:

Marley’s Scrooge Case

A Retelling of A Christmas Carol for 2-5 Players
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
What do you need to play? 2
GM’s Overview 3
The rules of the game 3
Creating characters 4
Modifying for an existing campaign 4
Game Logic 5
Pairings 5
Pregame 6
Introduction 6
Past 8
Challenge: The Flight 10
Challenge: Fezziwig’s Christmas Party 10
Present 12
Challenge: Ghost’s Feast 12
Challenge: Alleyway Fight 14
Future 16
Challenge: Krampus Fight 17
Challenge: Saving Scrooge 18
Epilogue 18

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Introduction
Marley’s Scrooge Case​is light-hearted retelling of Charles Dickens' ​A Christmas Carol ​for 2-5
players to be played as a one shot in one evening.

In this adventure the player characters experience the events of ​A Christmas Carol​ firsthand. But
they’ll do much more than simply witness the major scenes of this famous Christmas story–they’ll
work to ensure that its plot unfolds as intended.

The players are all, sadly, newly arrived to Purgatory. As part of their penance they've been recruited
into the ​Holiday Cheer Special Projects (HCSP)​division. Their boss, Jacob Marley, has charged
them with helping to save Ebenezer Scrooge's soul. Players must ensure that the key events of A
Christmas Carol play out as they should, and that Scrooge has his fateful encounters with the Ghosts
of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

Opposing the player's efforts is the evil spirit Krampus, who seeks to interfere with Scrooge’s path to
redemption and thus strike a terrible blow against Christmas joy.

That’s right–the player characters are going to save Christmas!

GM's should note that this adventure is designed to be low prep and relaxed. Read through it once
and you should be good to go!

What do you need to play?

To play, you’ll need:

● One person to run the game (the GM), and 2 or more people to play through the scenario
● One or more sets of polyhedral “D&D dice”–a d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and d4

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 ● A character sheet for each player (pregenerated character sheets are included). Either share the
sheets ahead of time and have them pick, or print out a few copies of each class to keep things
moving the day of.

It’s helpful if both the GM and players are at least vaguely familiar with the story of ​A Christmas
Carol​, although detailed knowledge of the tale is not necessary. The encounters that comprise this
adventure are based on the most famous parts of A ​ Christmas Carol​. Relevant quotes from A ​
Christmas Carol​ are reproduced in each section for your reference.

Creating characters
To start playing, print or share the HCSP HR New Employee forms included in a separate PDF.
Players should follow the prompts on each character sheet to customize their characters. Then jump
right into the Prologue and start playing!

GM’s Overview
If you’re the GM, you will benefit from having experience with roleplaying games, preferably
Dungeons and Dragons​ or a similar system–we assume you have run at least a game or two in the past
and are comfortable making rulings to keep the game running. The purpose of this game is to have
fun, not to beat the players! Players, on the other hand, need not have any roleplaying experience.

Marley’s Scrooge Case​is intended to be played in one evening over the course of about three-four
hours:

Prologue: The Assignment (15-30 minutes)

The PCs are introduced to the scenario and receive their assignment from the ghost of Jacob
Marley.

Scene 1: Christmas Past (30 minutes-1 hour)

The PCs must follow Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past as they leave Scrooge’s
bedchambers and then ensure that Fezziwig's party goes as planned.

Scene 2: Christmas Present (30 minutes - 1 hour)

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 The PCs protect the Ghost of Christmas Present from being attacked by a blob. They must
then save Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit, both of whom are fellow agents on this unusual
mission, from Krampus.

Scene 3: Christmas Future (30 minutes - 1 hour)

The PCs must defeat Krampus, who is disguised as the Ghost of Christmas Future, and
convince Scrooge he is worth saving.

Epilogue (15-30 minutes)

The PCs check back in with a happy Jacob Marley and are rewarded with praise.

Modifying Marley’s Scrooge Case for an existing campaign

If your group would get a kick out of bringing their D&D or Pathfinder characters into A ​ Christmas
Carol​ as a dream sequence, cross-dimensional adventure, or other means, don’t let us stop you! We
don’t recommend this option unless you have experience adapting adventures to your campaign, but
it’s designed to easily work in any setting with some tweaks.

We recommend starting by picking new stat blocks for the monsters and Krampus that are tuned to
your player’s current levels. You should also take a look at the combat locations to make sure they
work for your player’s characters.

After that, you should still have your players answer the following two questions:

- Worst Deed: what’s the worst thing this character has ever done?
- Good Deed: what’s the best thing this character has ever done?

You’ll need those during combat with Krampus and when they’re trying to convince Scrooge he is
not a lost cause.

The rules of the game

This adventure uses the d20 system, albeit an extremely simplified version of it. If you’re familiar with
Dungeons and Dragons​ or other d20 system games, you know how to play–but you’ll be ignoring a

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 large chunk of the d20 system rules in favor of keeping things moving fast. Here’s what you need to
know.

When a player tries to do something difficult: s​et a difficulty number reflecting the difficulty of
the action (sometimes specified by the encounter), as described in the d20 rules. The player then rolls
a d20 and adds the most relevant ability bonus. If the total matches or beat the difficulty number,
they succeed. If you’re not sure which ability to use, ask your player what they think is appropriate.

Use only the statistics and abilities on the included character sheets. D20 system elements that aren’t
on the sheet–skills, feats, etc.–are not used in this scenario. You don’t need make them roll to move
across the room. You should make them roll if they are trying to leap out a window and swing on a
rope.

If the players get into a fight: u ​ se the normal d20 system combat rules, but for the sake of time,
don’t fret the details. Keep positioning, movement, and other details vague, and give yourself
permission to handwave complicated or unusual combat maneuvers.

If a player is defeated (reduced to zero hit points):​defeated characters are recalled immediately
to Marley’s office and vanish from the scene. They may rejoin the party at the beginning of the next
scene. Marley will add one hundred years onto their stay in Purgatory for his trouble.

The golden rule:​When in doubt about anything, have the player roll a d20. On a 10 or above, they
succeed at whatever they are trying to do. On a 9 or below, they fail or suffer a minor setback.

Be generous with players and go easy on their ideas–the point here is to tell a humorous Christmas
story together, not grind through a series of gritty, realistic holiday-themed tactical encounters.

Game Logic
This adventure casts the PCs as supernatural agents who must carry out their holiday mission
without attracting the attention of the living world. Throughout their mission, they and the entities
they encounter are governed by a strict set of supernatural rules:

● The PCs can interact with inanimate objects and features of the physical world–they can open
doors, build snowmen, rattle chains, etc.

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 ● The PCs cannot directly interact with Scrooge or other living NPCs. Living characters cannot
hear, touch, or perceive the PCs, except as a slight chill or a faint ripple in the air.
● The PCs can interact with ghosts (including Marley, Bob, Tiny Tim, and the Ghosts of
Christmas Past, Present, and Future) as well as with Krampus and his minions–and all of these
beings can interact with each other and the PCs.

That said, time itself follows a dreamy sort of Dr. Who logic. Don’t sweat the temporal details, just
progress through the story.

Pairings
To get in the right spirit for the game we’d suggest pairing the session with the following:
- Mulled wine, cinnamon tea, or hot chocolate
- Holiday cookies
- A fireplace, or a few candles (clever GMs may light or blow them out throughout the game for
added drama)
- Instrumental Christmas music in the background
- Christmas sweaters - the uglier the better
- Red and green dice sets (swap the d20s, d10s, and d6s and you’ll have two very Christmas-y
dice sets)

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Pregame
Send this to your players ahead of the game night. Or read it at the start of the night.

Welcome to purgatory!

You’ve recently died, and despite (or because of) your best efforts in life, you find
yourself in Purgatory. As part of your penance, you’ve been conscripted into the
Holiday Cheer Special Projects (HCSP) Division. Your boss, Jacob Marley, has
indicated he has an extra special mission for you.

You’ve received the following message from Marley: “Your first mission is an
important one. Screw it up and we’ll tack another millennium onto to your stay.
Report to HQ as soon as you can for details. No need to bring anything–not that you
have anything to bring.”

Introduction
The players start in the waiting room of the Holiday Cheer Special Projects (HCSP) offices. Read the
following:

You’re in a bland waiting room. A Christmas Muzak medley plays softly through a
crackling loudspeaker. A hint of cookie-scented air freshener hangs in the air. A
plastic wreath on the wall sports a layer of dust, and every other light in the string of
colored lights along the ceiling is burned out. The clock on the wall is stopped… or
did it just tick backward?

A door crashes open down a hallway, and you hear a length of heavy chain clang
against the floor. Something drags it along the linoleum floor, closer and closer. A
grotesque spirit emerges from the hallway emanating blue light and dragging chains
behind him.

A name badge hanging from his clothes says, “Jacob Marley, Assistant Director of
HCSP”.
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 Marley barks at you in a strong voice: “New recruits?! Get in here.” He turns and
makes his way back inside his office.

Marley’s office is shaped like a Christmas tree from above. The room is bare except for his desk
towards the apex of the tree and a table that holds all of the PCs’ equipment (see their character sheets
for their starting equipment).

Beneath Marley’s desk is a long coiled length of chain sitting in a box. As the players enter, he is
dumping excess chain into it.

Marley grunts at you, “All of eternity, and they only give me my crew a half hour
before I need them. Look, I need to go get this show started. This is a simple job.
We’ve dispatched a team of specialist Ghosts to scare Ebenezer Scrooge into realizing
the folly of his ways. We need you to hang out and be on hand just in case something
goes haywire. Think you can handle that? Don’t answer that; just keep your mouths
shut and make sure Scrooge gets scared straight.

Anyway, sundries are over there on that table. Why don’t you introduce yourselves to
each other? I need to take care of something.”

With that he rises up, his chains weightlessly levitating as a black portal opens up
behind him. It slurps him inside, his chains trailing him as it closes.

If you haven’t done so already, have each player choose a character to play. Once they’ve reviewed
their character sheets, ask the players to introduce their characters and describe their appearance and
equipment.

Everyone receives the basic adventuring gear listed on their character sheets including a Stone of
Farspeech (a fantasy bluetooth earpiece) for communicating with Marley. Each stone has a note on it
instructing the PCs to insert them in their ear, where they’ll lock into place.

Once the party is ready, Marley appears in the same manner that he left–but now, instead of surly,
he’s extremely pleased.

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 “That went exceedingly well! You should have seen the look on his face! We’ll get
him, team, he was terrified!”

Marley then explains the mission. The PCs’ job is simply to observe and do whatever the Ghosts of
Christmas Past, Present, and Future need them to do.

Allow the PCs a few minutes to question Marley further if they wish. He can tell them the following:
● Each of the three Ghosts will confront Scrooge with a key lesson: Past reminds him Christmas
used to be good, Present that it is already good, and Future shows him what’ll happen if
Scrooge doesn’t change. That should be enough to scare him straight.
● Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim are special Ghostly agents already assigned to the Scrooge case.
They’ve been embedded and unsuccessful for the past 10 years, which is how this one landed
on Marley’s desk.
● Every chain represents a hardship that Marley created in life. The more good he does as head of
HCSP, the shorter his chains get.

Keep the briefing scene brief so the PCs can jump right into the action. When players are ready to go,
read the following:

As you’re talking, the clock strikes one. Marley yells, “Past is up soon!” He moves his
hands in the air and a portal behind you opens. “Stay brave and remember the HCSP
motto, ​Everyone Can Be Merry!​”

As the portal sucks you in, he yells one last reminder, “Remember, you’re new here!
Follow orders and that’s it. Do well and you might see your sentences reduced.”

Past
The PCs arrive in Scrooge’s living quarters through the portal. Have each PC make a Dexterity check
(difficulty of 10) to see if they fall down when they exit the portal or not. This will give your players a
chance to roll a die and let them roleplay.

Scrooge’s room is a 20 by 20 by 12 foot high room containing a four-poster bed, a nightstand, a

fireplace, and a huge window facing the street. The clock is striking 1 as the PCs arrive, and the Ghost
of Christmas Past is explaining to Scrooge that they must leave via the window. Describe the Ghost of
Christmas Past. Here is how he is described in ​A Christmas Carol​:

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 It was a strange figure—like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through some
supernatural medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded from the view, and being
diminished to a child’s proportions. Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was white
as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The
arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were of uncommon strength. Its
legs and feet, most delicately formed, were, like those upper members, bare. It wore a tunic of the
purest white; and round its waist was bound a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It held
a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and, in singular contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its
dress trimmed with summer flowers. But the strangest thing about it was, that from the crown of its
head there sprung a bright clear jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was doubtless the
occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its
arm.
Even this, though, when Scrooge looked at it with increasing steadiness, was ​not its strangest
quality. For as its belt sparkled and glittered now in one part and now in another, and what was light
one instant, at another time was dark, so the figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness: being now a
thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a
head without a body: of which dissolving parts, no outline would be visible in the dense gloom
wherein they melted away. And in the very wonder of this, it would be itself again; distinct and clear
as ever.

Alternatively, you may read the following:

The Ghost of Christmas Past is an ethereal floating being wearing white, with
features that seem to shift whenever you look at them. Somehow, it simultaneously
looks like both a child and an old man. The Ghost catches your eye and winks before
continuing to coax a terrified Scrooge nearer to the window.

Marley grunts over the Stones of Farspeach in your ears: “You see Past? Good, just
stay close to them. Past will talk some sense into Scrooge.”

Past and Scrooge move immediately to the window to depart.

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 Challenge: The Flight
Past and Scrooge leave by opening the window and flying off into the the night. The PCs must find a
way to follow them. Past and Scrooge fly across the London sky at a steady clip faster than your
player’s walking speed. Let the players solve this however they’d like to.

Potential solutions if your party is getting stuck:

- Run after them on foot
- Rent a hansom cab and follow them
- Lasso the spirit and hitch a ride with rope
- Assault the spirit and make it take them. Marley will add 1000 years to their stay in Purgatory
although the spirit will relent and find a way to take you along (remember: Scrooge can’t see
the players!)
- Convince the Spirit to take them along (remember: scrooge can’t see them)

Whatever method the PCs choose, it’s fine to simply declare that they’re successful. However, you
may wish to ask for a few dice rolls (Constitution, Dexterity, or Intelligence checks, perhaps) to keep
up with the speeding flyers. Failing a check might mean the PCs arrive at the next scene late or
exhausted.

Challenge: Fezziwig’s Christmas Party

Past’s destination is a large warehouse where the gregarious Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig race around a
growing crowd preparing for a big holiday party. An anxious young Scrooge trails them, petulantly
reminding them how much this is all costing them. The Fezziwigs repeatedly wave him off, telling
him to enjoy the party and that Christmas is a time for merriment and generosity.

The warehouse is a two-story structure held up by a series of heavy beams and rafters. There’s a loft in
the rafters that’s not immediately visible unless the players look up there. When the PCs arrive, Past
and Scrooge are wandering around the warehouse; Past is pointing out how good Scrooge’s life used
to be–Fezziwig was a kind employer who shared his wealth freely.

A group of people on a makeshift stage against the far wall is having a hurried conversation that the
PCs overhear:

“What do you mean, you ‘do not know’ where they are!”

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 “Blimey, they were here, I swear! Then I turns around and they’re just gone!”

“Dash my wig, I can’t believe you lost our instruments! Fezziwig’s a good chap, but he
ain’t going to be happy to hear that his band can’t play the big party!”

The band for the night can’t find their instruments, which will ruin the night’s festivities. The
instruments are in the warehouse rafters being held by ​coal monsters​(one coal monster for each
PC). The coal monsters are trying to hide the instruments and spoil the party. If monsters notice that
the PCs have spotted them, they stop trying to hide the instruments and instead attempt to destroy
them by dropping them from the ceiling.

The players must recover the instruments and return them to the band, so that the party can continue
as planned. Allow the players to come up with their own creative means of doing so.

Here are a few possibilities:

● The PCs might attack the monsters and recover the instruments. (Use the coal monsters’
combat stats to play out a chaotic fight in and around the warehouse.)
● The PCs might sneak up and steal the instruments before the coal monsters know what’s
happening.
● The instruments might be destroyed–in which case the players must quickly find replacements
or somehow fashion new instruments out of objects in the warehouse.

Remember:​the PCs, the coal monsters, and the ghosts can see each other, but are all invisible to the
living partygoers. The partygoers will, however, notice blatant attempts to manipulate the
environment, such as floating instruments or flying furniture. Be sure to play up the confused,
amused, and/or terrified reactions of the partygoers if the PCs or monsters do anything to affect the
warehouse environment. (If the players make too much of a ruckus Marley can radio in to chew them
out.)

Coal Monsters Stat Block:

AC 13
HP 8
Movement: 20 feet

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 Actions:
- Coal Shot:​the coal monster pulls a chunk of coal off itself and hurls it at a target. +3 to hit. 1d6
damage.

The coal monsters work for Krampus. They are three feet tall and comprised of large chunks of coal, with
maliciously gleaming obsidian eyes. They’ve been told to mess up the party and when they become aware
of the players will try to both attack them and destroy the instruments.

If questioned, a coal monster can relate in a gravelly voice:

● They’re working for Krampus. Krampus sent them to make a mess of the party in order to
show Scrooge that life wasn’t even that great back then.
● Krampus wants Scrooge’s soul and is personally involved.
● Coal is, of course, better than Christmas presents. Everyone knows that. Krampus gives them
all the coal they want.

Present
After the Christmas party, a portal opens and takes the players back to Scrooge’s room. Scrooge is
back asleep in his bed.

Marley’s voice comes in over your Stones of Farspeech: “Something is really wrong
here. This should have been an easy in-and-out mission. What did those coal monsters
look like? …”

He listens as you describe the coal monsters to him, and waits a beat before
exclaiming, “Oh no… K ​ rampus​. It has to be him. He can’t leave well enough alone!
Quick, time is ticking and Present should already be in the next room. He’s a bit
flighty, but you must let him know that Krampus is involved. And see if Cratchit
knows something he hasn’t been telling us!” The Stones of Farspeech cut out.

On the other side of the door to the living room you hear a large voice swearing,
“Back, you beast!”

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 Challenge: Ghost’s Feast
Entering the living room, you see the Ghost of Christmas Present watching as an Ochre Jelly eats his
feast. Here’s how ​A Christmas Carol​ describes the Ghost of Christmas Present:

It was his own room. There was no doubt about that. But it had undergone a surprising
transformation. The walls and ceiling were so hung with living green, that it looked a perfect grove;
from every part of which, bright gleaming berries glistened. The crisp leaves of holly, mistletoe, and
ivy reflected back the light, as if so many little mirrors had been scattered there; and such a mighty
blaze went roaring up the chimney, as that dull petrification of a hearth had never known in Scrooge’s
time, or Marley’s, or for many and many a winter season gone. Heaped up on the floor, to form a
kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, great joints of meat, sucking-pigs, long
wreaths of sausages, mince-pies, plum-puddings, barrels of oysters, red-hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeked
apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense twelfth-cakes, and seething bowls of punch, that made
the chamber dim with their delicious steam. In easy state upon this couch, there sat a jolly Giant,
glorious to see; who bore a glowing torch, in shape not unlike Plenty’s horn, and held it up, high up,
to shed its light on Scrooge, as he came peeping round the door.
“Come in!” exclaimed the Ghost. “Come in! and know me better, man!”
...
“I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,” said the Spirit. “Look upon me!”
Scrooge reverently did so. It was clothed in one simple green robe, or mantle, bordered with white
fur. This garment hung so loosely on the figure, that its capacious breast was bare, as if disdaining to
be warded or concealed by any artifice. Its feet, observable beneath the ample folds of the garment,
were also bare; and on its head it wore no other covering than a holly wreath, set here and there with
shining icicles. Its dark brown curls were long and free; free as its genial face, its sparkling eye, its open
hand, its cheery voice, its unconstrained demeanour, and its joyful air. Girded round its middle was
an antique scabbard; but no sword was in it, and the ancient sheath was eaten up with rust.

Modify the above as you see fit, or read the following:

Inside the living room is a massive giant of a man in a simple green robe bordered
with white fur. Perched on his head is a holly wreath decorated with icicles. He is
using a glowing torch shaped like a cornucopia to fend off what looks like a massive
sentient custard, which is attempting to absorb and devour the sausages, pies, oysters,
fruit, cakes, and bowls of punch that occupy every spare surface in the room.

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The PCs must defeat the custard and help Present prepare the feast before Scrooge enters.

Present does nothing to aid the party unless the PCs specifically request his help. He’s forgetful and
easily distracted; every turn he remarks anew that someone is eating his feast and greets the PCs again.
If requested, he can magically create any food, liquid, song, or merriment the players want.

Sentient Custard Stat Block:

AC 10
HP 40
Movement: 10 feet

Actions:
- Gross Touch​: +5 to hit. 2d4 damage. Halves target’s movement speed and gives it -5 to attack
rolls for one round.
- Split​: if the custard takes slashing damage it splits into two custards each with half the hit points
of the original custard.

The Custard is approximately 5x5x5 glob of yellowish custard that leaves a trail of itself on every surface
it touches.

After the custard is defeated, Present quickly cleans up the mess and recreates the feast. Encourage the
players to roleplay assisting him in doing so.

Present embraces Scrooge and deftly covers Scrooge’s ears. He stage-whispers to you in
a booming voice, “I’m going to show Scrooge the good side of Christmas. You go find
Cratchit!” Laughing, he opens a portal and shoves you in. The last thing you see is
him clapping Scrooge on the back and offering him a massive turkey leg and saying
“Come in and know me better, man!”

Challenge: Alleyway Fight

The PCs emerge into an alleyway where the Cratchits live. ​Krampus​is here, and has cornered Bob
Cratchit and Tiny Tim.

At the end of the alley, a hulking figure laughs maniacally at the two cowering forms
of a small child and his father. The menacing figure grabs the crutch the child is

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 leaning on and uses it to smash the adult into the wall. The crutch breaks and the
father goes limp. The hulking figure roars with laughter and starts to advance on the
child.

Players must take care of Krampus and revive Cratchit before Present and Scrooge arrive.

Krampus Stat Block:

AC: 16
HP: 40
Movement: 40 feet

Actions:
- Tail Whip​: +5 to hit and 1d8 damage.
- Claws​: +5 to hit. 2d4 damage.
- Coal Dust​: a cloud of coal dust covers a 10x10x10 cube around Krampus making him hard to
hit. Take -5 to any attack rolls against him if you and Krampus are within the cube.

Krampus is a 10-foot-tall demon with red skin, a long tail, and huge horns. He has a permanent
maniacal grin fixed on his face. Anything cheery (like the player’s Christmas Spirit Cantrips) angers
him. Krampus finds suffering and darkness hilarious. Play up his twisted nature by having him laugh
when taking damage or crushing the player’s cookies to dust if they try to give him one.

Encourage the players to make the most of their creativity and ideas in confronting Krampus.

Potential solutions:

● Attack Krampus. Krampus retreats after being hit as many times as there are PCs. The PCs
cannot kill Krampus at this juncture; if he somehow drops to below 0 hit points, he simply
teleports away.
● Harass him with Christmas Cheer. If every player casts a Christmas Spirit Cantrip at him,
Krampus is overwhelmed with Cheer and leave.

After Krampus is gone, Tiny Tim and Bob Cratchit will speak with the PCs. Bob is woozy from
being smashed up against the wall. They are part of the Holiday Cheer Special Projects division and
have been working the Scrooge case for years. They’ve been trying everything they can to get him to
change his ways. They’ve been unsuccessful, which is why Marley has gotten involved.

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 When they are “out of character” it’s recommended you play them as rough-and-tumble New York
or Chicago cops. Ham it up.

What Tiny Tim knows:

● He’s just put together that maybe the reason Scrooge has been such a difficult case is that
Krampus is involved. “This is probably why Scrooge has been such a tough nut to crack.”
● He knows that Krampus craves despair and hates cheer. Maybe give him a taste of that HCSP
magic?
● He’s sick of pretending to be a frail boy. Seems like he never gets the good assignments
anymore.

After players have spoken with Tiny Tim and revived Cratchit, read the following:

The Ghost of Christmas Present arrives at the end of the alleyway with a bewildered
but smiling Scrooge. Seeing them, Cratchit and Tiny Tim dash into the house to get
set for their big Christmas Eve family dinner. While you’re watching, Marley comes
over the Stones of Farspeech:

“Something is very wrong. We haven’t heard anything from Future and I’m getting
worried. Clear out of there now and go find Future.

“...Scrooge might be a lost cause...”

Inside the house Tiny Tim says loudly, “God bless us, every one!” He pointedly looks
out the window with wide eyes and mouths the word “HELP.”

Scrooge is crying and pleading with Present to spare him. You feel yourself pulled
into a portal as the Cratchit family starts singing “Away in a Manager.”

Future
The players arrive out of the portal into a spooky graveyard. Fill the graveyard with as many over-
the-top graveyard features as you want: a mausoleum, creepy sculptures, wilted flowers, broken
tombstones, etc.

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 You land in a graveyard. The half moon struggles against dense clouds above. A fog
obscures your vision and a chill wind swirls around you.

A new voice booms over your Stones of Farspeech, “Hahaha, well t​his i​s how you’ve
been talking! Scrooge will be mine this night! There’s nothing you no-good
do-gooders can do to stop me! It’s a Christmas Disaster and I’m the cause! Hehehe!”
Your Stones of Farspeech shatter. The graveyard is silent.

If the PCs explore the graveyard, they see a massive tree at the far end. PCs who search the area find
the Ghost of Christmas Future tied up and unconscious. If they release him, he leads them to Scrooge
and Krampus.

On the opposite end of the graveyard from the massive tree they find Scrooge weeping in front of his
own tombstone. A large figure in a black cloak is holding him down. Read the following description
of the Ghost of Christmas Future from A​ Christmas Carol​:

It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing
of it visible save one outstretched hand. But for this it would have been difficult to detach its figure
from the night, and separate it from the darkness by which it was surrounded…

Or read the following description:

You see a figure hunched over Scrooge. It’s wearing a deep black garment that fully
conceals its head, face, and form. You can only make out a single outstretched hand
pointing at the gravestone in front of Scrooge.

Challenge: Krampus Fight

This fake Ghost of Christmas Future is actually Krampus, who in this disguise is forcing Scrooge to
look into his own empty grave. The False Future repeats the litany of Scrooge’s deeds: “Orphanages
closed! Men and women ruined! A stranglehold on the city! Tiny Tim, dead as a doornail! No one
can save you, Scrooge. You are doomed, Scrooge. Doomed!” And so on.

To stop Krampus, the PCs must inflict enough damage to knock him down and then overwhelm him
with Christmas Spirit. On Krampus’ turn, he reminds the PCs of their evil deeds in addition to

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 attacking them with his claws and tail. When he drops to 0 hit points, he falls down hurt but
continues to hurl insults at the PCs.

The true Future is too disoriented to assist the PCs directly in a fight against Krampus. However, if
the PCs have found and freed him, Future aids them in the fight by casting a spell called “The Night
Before Christmas” that clears the sky of clouds and gives the players a 1d4 bonus to all of their d20
rolls.

Challenge: Saving Scrooge

After the fight, the PCs must convince Scrooge that he can be saved. Encourage your players to
role-play this to the hilt. Allow the players to use whatever arguments or encouragements they can
think of to convince Scrooge to change his ways and redeem his life of miserable deeds. After
everyone has had a chance to entreat Scrooge, he begins to cry happily and say things like “It’s not too
late! I can be a better man!” The Ghost of Christmas Future will then appear and opens two portals:
one for the PCs leading back to Marley’s Office. and another for him and Scrooge to return to
Scrooge’s room.

Epilogue
Back in Marley’s office:

You emerge from the portal and are greeted by a grinning Marley. He’s holding
something in his hand. As you arrive, he looks up and shows you a broken chain link.

“You did it! You actually d

​ id ​it! One more down... a few thousand to go.” he solemnly
opens a drawer in his desk and drops it in. You hear it clink against two others.

“This was the toughest case we’ve had yet, but there’s no rest for the wicked. One day
of celebration is in order and then we have to prepare for our next case. It should be
simple compared to this one.”

He pulls a file from the top of his desk, “looks like it’s some sadsack in America…
name of George Bailey.”

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