The Weeping Maw
3.5-Hour Oneshot · 6 Players · Level 10 · Wilderness Crawl → Boss Fight
📜 Session Summary
| Style Wilderness Crawl / NPC Recruitment / Boss Fight |
| Win Condition Slay the Marsh Hydra at the cave entrance |
| Setting Dense frontier forest → boggy marshland → rocky cave entrance at dusk |
| Atmosphere Frontier grimness — creatures that should be myths still hunger; the road is not safe and everyone knows it |
| Materials Ash-wood, marsh clay, river-smoothed bone, iron torch brackets, oilskin rope |
| Tone Practical dread — no prophecy, no divine mandate; just a village elder with too many empty chairs and a monster that keeps coming back |
| Maguffin Scroll of Splashfire Blessing — given by Aldric at session start; 1 PC may keep it as quest reward |
Description
The village road has been emptying for three weeks. Travelers don't come back. Trade caravans detour fifty miles. Aldric Vane, the village elder, has run out of patience and coin for mercenaries who return with excuses — so he hires this party instead, pressing the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing into their hands and a sealed note into the pocket of whoever leads.
The note is for Old Lysander, the blind priest at the frontier shrine. Aldric doesn't explain what's inside. He says the shrine is on the way. He says Lysander will know what to do with it — and when the note is shown, Lysander explains the Hydra's fire weakness in full: fire on the same turn a head is severed prevents regrowth. Without that briefing, the scroll still works, but the party may not understand why until mid-fight.
The Hydra's territory begins at the Thornwood, where gnoll outriders have grown bold under the creature's dominance. Recruit trail hunters in Enc. 1, survive skeletal patrols at the ruined shrine in Enc. 2, then face the Marsh Hydra at the cave mouth — six heads (max nine), bog-lurker mud, and a hunger that has been feeding on this road for years. Fire is the answer. Steel alone keeps the heads growing back.
"Fire does not merely wound — it silences. What steel severs, flame must seal. Take the Splashfire Blessing — coat a bow before the cave. Ask the blind priest at the old shrine; he will know."
Trigger: When the party shows the note to Old Lysander — Blind Priest during or after Encounter 2.
Effect: Lysander recognizes Aldric's handwriting by touch — he consecrated this chapel twenty years ago, and Aldric's ink always ran heavy on the downstroke. He explains the Hydra's fire weakness in full: "Fire doesn't just hurt it. If you burn the stump while the head is still fresh off — it can't grow back. That's how you kill one. Permanently."
Mechanical payoff: He fully explains Head Regrowth (fire on the same turn a head is severed prevents regrowth), teaches Splashfire activation, and provides 2× Fire Flask as emergency backup. Without Lysander, the scroll still works from Aldric's brief instructions — but players may not know why fire matters until a DC 15 Nature/Arcana check (1/turn) mid-fight.
If the party skips the ruins: Lysander's briefing is the smooth path to the fire mechanic. The scroll is still functional without it.
Key NPCs
Aldric Vane
Aldric Vane · Quest Giver · Lawful Neutral — Short, grey-haired, with a forester's callused hands and a watchman's stillness. He has lost three cousins and a nephew to the road. He does not weep about it; he has already wept. He pays in advance and asks for nothing but proof — a scale, a claw, something the families can hold. He will not go himself. He knows exactly what he is not capable of, and respects the distinction. Secret: The sealed note is not new — he wrote it six months ago, after the priest at the shrine first warned him. He kept it. He waited too long. He is paying for that now.
Bryn & Cael
Bryn & Cael · Trail Hunters · Neutral Good — Bryn carries the longbow, Cael carries the weight. Both in their mid-twenties, both frontier-competent. They were escorting a merchant when the gnolls hit. Cael lost a hunting partner to the hydra six months ago — he mapped the creature's territory markers after and has not shared that map with anyone. He won't say any of this until someone notices his silence at the cave-mouth. Secret: DC 12 Insight — Cael has been here before. He will admit it if pressed with compassion, not authority. If he does, lower his recruitment check to automatic.
Pyrrha
Pyrrha · Ruin Survivor · Neutral — Young, sharp-faced, pragmatic. She was mapping the old shrine for an academic commission when the skeletons rose. She has been sleeping in the bell-tower for three days, not because she is trapped but because she is waiting for someone capable. She has catalogued everything in the ruins she can reach without provoking the dead. Secret: The sealed urn near the cave steps has three vials in it, not two. She moved the third there from the crypt alcove herself, intending to use it as a bargaining chip. DC 14 Persuasion earns all three and her assistance locating the bronze mirror.
Old Lysander
Old Lysander · Blind Priest · Neutral Good — Seventy at least, lean and very still, with white fog where his eyes should be. He lost his sight years ago after looking too directly at something divine — he says the god he served required it, and he does not seem to regret it. He hears more than most people see. He will recognize Aldric's note by touch before anyone reads it to him: the weight of the ink, the pressure of the hand. Secret: He consecrated this shrine two decades ago and has been drawn back to it twice since — once during the last bad winter, once when the hydra first claimed the cave. He knows the cave has been occupied by something enormous before.
Session Rewards
Keepable prizes earned by completing (or excelling at) this session. One character claims each reward unless noted. Full cards are under Reward Cards.
| Reward | Description | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Scroll of Splashfire Blessing | BA 1/LR: coat a ranged weapon in splashfire for 10 minutes. | Slay the Marsh Hydra; one PC keeps the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing. |
Creature / Enemy List
Hostile creatures and enemy NPCs by difficulty. Medium = baseline encounter counts; adjust Easy/Hard using encounter scaling notes.
| Creature / Enemy | Easy | Medium | Hard | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gnoll Hunter | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| Gnoll Pack Lord (Alpha) | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Marsh Hydra | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Skeletal Hoplite | 8 | 8 | 10 | Enc 2 (Harder: 10) |
| Skeletal Minotaur | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Major Beats
- The Village Contract. Aldric Vane pays in advance, hands over the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing and his sealed note, and gives a single warning: seek allies before the cave. Investigation DC 14: seventeen disappearances in three seasons, all within a mile of the cave entrance. DC 16: the shrine ruins still have survivors — someone has been feeding fire in the bell-tower at night. DC 17: the hydra's territory extends three miles upriver; it has never come to the village, but it has never needed to.
- Enc. 1 — The Thornwood Ambush. The forest road narrows an hour out. The party hears the ambush before they see it — a man's sharp cry, a cart horse rearing, gnolls in the undergrowth. Two hunters (Bryn and Cael) are bound near the overturned cart. Freeing them earns recruits for the finale; failing the recruitment check still frees them to flee. The Pack Lord flees at low HP — he carries nothing of value, but he knows where the hydra's territory begins.
- Enc. 2 — Old Frontier Shrine. The shrine ruins stand at the edge of the marshland, collapsed columns and a half-buried altar. Skeletal hoplites patrol in shield formation; two survivors shelter in the bell-tower. Pyrrha knows the ruins; Lysander knows fire. Show him the note and the whole hydra fight opens up. The wave 2 skeletons signal what lies beyond: something has been raising these dead for months.
- Enc. 3 — The Hydra's Maw. The cave entrance is a black mouth in the cliff, the ground churned for thirty feet in front of it, bones scattered along the approach. The Hydra emerges from the cave at encounter start — it has six heads and a hunger that has been feeding on this road for years. Fire is the answer. Without it, the heads keep growing back. One PC may keep the scroll after. Aldric pays full price when they return.
Act 1 — The Thornwood Ambush
The forest road narrows an hour out of the village. The canopy closes overhead and the light turns grey-green and cold. The party hears the ambush before they see it — a man's short, sharp cry, a cart horse rearing, something circling in the undergrowth. Then the gnolls emerge. They are mid-feed, and the hunters are still alive.
Encounter 1 — "The Thornwood Ambush"
Overview
Creatures
- 8× Gnoll Hunter — CR 1 (200 XP ea.)
- 1× Gnoll Pack Lord (Alpha) — CR 7 · 2,900 XP · 140 HP
- Wave (round 3): 4× Gnoll Hunter from the treeline
- 2× Trail Hunter — NPC Ally — bound near the cart; not fighting until freed
🗺 Terrain & Features
Forest Trail — 80 ft. × 60 ft.
- 3× fallen logs (half cover); 2× large boulders (three-quarter cover)
- 1× overturned merchant cart (the hunters were escorting it) — half cover, blocks movement
- Thick undergrowth on the eastern edge — difficult terrain (10 ft. wide strip)
- Dappled light through dense canopy; no darkness penalties
Harder: Wave arrives round 2; Pack Lord uses Incite Rampage on turn 1.
Mechanics
- Stealth approach: DC 14 group Stealth along the eastern undergrowth — success grants surprise and lets the party free Bryn & Cael before gnolls engage (still Hard if alarm is raised).
- Recruitment path: See Skill Checks below — hunters join Enc. 3 if persuaded after combat or during a parley pause.
- 🎲 Recruit the Trail Hunters (Bryn & Cael) — after combat. The hunters are grateful but shaken; the cave ahead has a dark reputation.
- DC 12 Persuasion — appeal to duty, village safety, or honor
- DC 14 Intimidation — demand their assistance (they comply; −1 to their attack rolls in Enc. 3 due to resentment)
- DC 11 Insight first → reveals one of the hunters lost a companion to the creature. Auto-success on Persuasion if this detail is addressed
- No check needed if a PC belongs to the same hunters' guild, is from the same region, or personally knows the hunters (offer this option to your players)
- Gnolls are mid-ambush when the party arrives — hunters are bound with rope near the cart (DC 12 Athletics or Dexterity to cut/untie ropes, or one attack on the ropes).
- Freeing a hunter allows them to join combat immediately with their own initiative on the following turn.
- Pack Lord starts behind a boulder directing gnolls. Flees at 15 HP or fewer if the pack is mostly dead.
- 2 Gnoll Hunters guard the cart — they attack any PC who moves adjacent to the bound hunters.
- Rampage warning: Gnolls chain-bite downed PCs. Keep an eye on unconscious characters — a Gnoll that drops a PC can immediately bite again with its Rampage bonus action.
Resolution
Creature Cards
Gnoll Hunter
Medium Fiend · Chaotic Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)
AC 14HP 32Speed 30 ft.
Rampage. When the gnoll reduces a creature to 0 HP with a melee attack, it can move up to half its speed and make a Bite attack as a bonus action.
Bite. +5, 1d6+3 piercing.
Spear. +5, 1d8+3 piercing (thrown 20/60 ft.).
Gnoll Pack Lord (Alpha)
Medium Fiend · Chaotic Evil · CR 7 · 2,900 XP
AC 17HP 140Speed 30 ft.
Rampage. When it reduces a creature to 0 HP with a melee attack, it can move up to half its speed and make a Bite attack as a bonus action.
Frenzied (≤70 HP). Gains an extra Spear attack as part of its Multiattack while below half HP.
Multiattack. 4 attacks (Bite + 3× Spear), or 5 while Frenzied.
Bite. +8, 2d8+5 piercing.
Spear. +8, 2d8+5 piercing.
Incite Rampage (Recharge 5–6). Up to 2 gnolls within 30 ft. each use their reaction to make a Bite attack.
Trail Hunter — NPC Ally
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · Bryn & Cael
AC 14HP 38Init 12
Longbow. Ranged +5, 150/600 ft. Hit: 1d8+3 piercing.
Shortsword. Melee +5. Hit: 1d6+3 piercing.
Hunter's Mark (Bryn, 1/enc). Mark Hydra; +1d6 per hit vs. marked target.
Act 2 — Old Frontier Shrine
The ruins appear as the sky purples toward dusk — a collapsed bell-tower, tumbled columns, and a shrine to some boundary god whose name has worn off the lintel. The courtyard beyond is too quiet. One of the stone shapes moves. Then another. The skeletons have been here long enough to form patrol patterns.
Encounter 2 — "Ruins of the Old Frontier Shrine"
Overview
Creatures
- 10× Skeletal Hoplite — CR 1 (200 XP ea.)
- 4× Skeletal Minotaur — CR 3 (700 XP ea.)
- Wave 2 (round 3): 4 additional Skeletal Hoplites from the cave
🗺 Terrain & Features
Ruined Shrine & Courtyard — 120 ft. × 90 ft. (ruins + overgrown courtyard)
- Broken columns throughout (half cover); 3× fallen stonework areas (difficult terrain)
- Overgrown vines on the eastern wall — DC 13 Athletics to swing or climb
- Inner courtyard with collapsed altar; cave entrance steps visible beyond the inner temple area
- Sun-bleached stone under grey sky; strange stillness hangs over the ruins
Harder: Wave 2 on round 2; +1 Skeletal Minotaur; hoplites gain +4 HP each.
Mechanics
- Stealth ambush: DC 13 Stealth (group) to bypass outer patrol and reach Pyrrha/Lysander before combat — advantage on initiative if combat follows.
- Recruitment: Pyrrha (scavenge intel) and Lysander (fire lore, blindfolds, flasks) via checks below — both aid Enc. 3.
- 🎲 Ruin Survivors & Scavenging — before or after combat. Pyrrha and Lysander shelter near the outer wall and can aid the party if approached.
- DC 14 Persuasion (Pyrrha — Ruin Survivor) — reveals locations of the Polished Bronze Mirror and Stonechill Water vials
- DC 15 History or Religion — party learns Skeletal Hoplites reform unless damaged by radiant, fire, or bludgeoning while prone
- DC 12 Perception (approaching ruins) — notice patrol pattern; planning an ambush grants advantage on initiative
- Show Aldric Vane's note to Old Lysander — Blind Priest → DC 13 Insight: he goes quiet, then says "Fire does not merely wound — it silences. What steel severs, flame must seal." He fully explains the Hydra's fire/regrowth weakness, coaches Splashfire activation, and drops recruitment-style aid to DC 8 for any follow-up request
- DC 13 Insight (Lysander, without note) — he senses the party heads toward the cave and offers his Blindfolds freely if told they're going in
- Patrol Routes: 5 hoplites in the outer courtyard; 5 hoplites + 2 skeletal minotaurs near the cave entrance steps
- Shield Wall: Hoplites within 5 ft. of one another gain +2 AC. Separating them with pushes or forced movement removes this bonus
- Hoplite Reformation: When a Skeletal Hoplite drops to 0 HP, it falls prone but does NOT die. On its next initiative count it rises with 5 HP — unless it took radiant, fire, or bludgeoning damage while prone
- Minotaur Charge: Skeletal Minotaurs line up charge lanes through groups of PCs. Charged target makes DC 14 STR save or is knocked prone and pushed 10 ft.
- Wave 2 (Round 4): 4 additional Skeletal Hoplites emerge from the cave entrance — posted inside. Signals escalating danger below
- Pyrrha — Ruin Survivor knows where 2 scavengeable items are hidden — DC 14 Persuasion or offering rescue unlocks locations
- Old Lysander — Blind Priest is blind; he knows the cave layout and carries Blindfolds he gives freely if the party intends to enter
Polished Bronze Mirror — under collapsed altar (inner courtyard). Gaze deflection via reflection; bonus action to angle at reflective surfaces (DC 14 Sleight of Hand).
Vials of Stonechill Water ×2 — cracked urn near cave steps. Throw (range 20 ft.): halve target speed; disadvantage on next save vs. breath effects.
Blindfold of Apollo ×3 — on Old Lysander — Blind Priest. Blindsight 15 ft.; immune to gaze-based effects while worn.
Oil of Stonecleansing ×1 — sealed pouch on dead adventurer, outer wall (DC 14 Investigation). Reverses petrification (<24 hrs) over 1 minute.
Fire Flask ×2 — provided by Old Lysander — Blind Priest when Aldric's note is shown (clay flasks of pitch-fat; 2d6 fire, bonus action throw 10 ft.).
Resolution
Creature Cards
Skeletal Hoplite
Medium Undead · Lawful Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)
AC 15HP 32Speed 30 ft.
Shield Wall. +2 AC within 5 ft. of another hoplite.
Reformation. Rises with 5 HP unless radiant/fire/bludgeoning while prone.
Spear. +5, 1d8+3 piercing.
Shield Bash. +5, 1d6+3; DC 13 STR or prone.
Skeletal Minotaur
Large Undead · Chaotic Evil · CR 3 (700 XP)
AC 14HP 85Speed 40 ft.
Charge. +2d8 piercing; DC 15 STR or pushed 10 ft. and prone.
Multiattack. Greataxe + Gore.
Greataxe. +7, 2d12+5 slashing.
Gore. +7, 2d8+5 piercing.
Pyrrha — Ruin Survivor
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · NPC
Role Knows scavenge locations. DC 14 Persuasion for mirror and vial locations. Patrol intel grants advantage on initiative.
Old Lysander — Blind Priest
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · NPC Ally
AC 11HP 36Init 10
sacred flame — 1d8 fire/radiant (+5)
cure wounds — 2d8+3
bless† — 3 creatures +1d4 attacks/saves
3× Blindfold of Apollo
2× Fire Flask (if note shown)
Teaches Splashfire activation + full Hydra fire/regrowth lore
Act 3 — The Bilewyrm's Maw
The cave entrance is a black mouth in the cliff face, wide enough for two carts abreast. The ground near the threshold is churned — not trampled but dragged through, again and again. Bones are scattered along the approach: cattle, deer, and three sets that are unmistakably human. The cave exhales cold air and the smell of marsh and rot. Then the ground shudders. Something large shifts in the dark. The Hydra emerges.
Encounter 3 — "The Bilewyrm's Maw" (Boss)
Overview
Creatures
- 1× Marsh Hydra — 6 heads (max 9), CR 11 · 7,200 XP · HP 250, emerges from cave at encounter start
- Optional allies: Trail Hunter — NPC Ally & Trail Hunter — NPC Ally (if Enc. 1 recruited), Old Lysander — Blind Priest (if Enc. 2 recruited)
🗺 Terrain & Features
Cave Entrance — 120 ft. × 90 ft.
- Wide arena with flanking routes along stone cliff walls
- Cave mouth: 30×25 ft., darkness beyond (60 ft. deep) — Hydra will not retreat inside
- 4× large boulders (three-quarter cover, 5 ft. tall) — useful for hunters to perch on
- 2× muddy bog pools (20×20 ft. each, 1–2 ft. deep) — difficult terrain
- 2× bone piles (difficult terrain, 10×10 ft.) — remnants of previous victims
- Stone cliff walls on north and south edges (30 ft. high, climbable DC 14 Athletics) — high ground advantage for ranged PCs
Harder: Raise max heads to 9. Mud Thrash affects 20 ft. radius. Add Venomous Bite poison condition on all bites (not just on save failure).
Mechanics
- The Hydra was sleeping at the cave mouth. It is not surprised — Wakeful trait applies. Roll initiative normally.
- The area within 30 ft. of the Hydra is difficult terrain at all times (Bog Lurker trait) — mud and disturbed groundwater.
- A head is severed when the Hydra takes 30 or more damage in a single turn from one or more melee attacks. DM marks severed heads on the tracker below.
- At end of each Hydra turn: 2 new heads grow per head severed since its last turn, up to max 9 — unless fire damage was dealt to the Hydra this turn.
- Hunters (if present) act on init 12, fire longbows from boulder cover. Bryn uses Hunter's Mark on the Hydra on turn 1.
- Lysander (if present) opens with Sacred Flame on init 10. His radiant fire provides reliable fire damage each round — even if the party can't deal fire damage, Lysander alone may be enough to hold back regrowth.
- Mud Thrash (recharge 5–6): anyone within 10 ft. risks being prone + restrained — particularly dangerous for melee fighters who are already in difficult terrain.
- The Hydra has 4 additional reactions beyond its standard reaction (one per head beyond the first) — each usable only for opportunity attacks. Players moving out of its 10 ft. reach will trigger these.
- Core rule: If the Hydra took any fire damage this turn, no severed heads regrow at end of its turn.
- Primary fire source — Scroll of Splashfire Blessing: Activate (BA, 1/LR) before or during Enc. 3. For 10 minutes, a coated ranged weapon deals 2d4 fire to the target (and splash) on a hit, or 1d4 fire even on a miss — enough to seal regrowth most rounds if one archer stays on target.
- Other fire sources: Old Lysander's Sacred Flame (1d8/turn), party fire spells, or Fire Flask ×2 (2d6, BA at 10 ft.) as emergency backup.
- Ideal carrier: A PC archer, or a recruited Trail Hunter (hand them the scroll). Activate as the ridge is crested so the full 10 minutes covers the fight.
- Without understanding the weakness (skipped Lysander / no Nature-Arcana discovery): players may forget to activate Splashfire — Hydra can still cap at 9 heads. Scroll in hand is not the same as scroll used.
- If fire is inconsistent, heads partially regrow — manage that tension. Misses with Splashfire still count.
| Ally | Source | Role | Initiative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trail Hunter — NPC Ally | Enc. 1 | Ranged DPS — Longbow +5, 1d8+3; Hunter's Mark +1d6 (1/enc) | 12 |
| Trail Hunter — NPC Ally | Enc. 1 | Ranged DPS — Longbow +5, 1d8+3 (consistent damage) | 12 |
| Old Lysander — Blind Priest | Enc. 2 | Fire damage (Sacred Flame) + Bless + emergency healing | 10 |
| With Splashfire active on a PC or Hunter bow: fire coverage is usually reliable even without Lysander. Hunters deal ~10–14 piercing/rd plus Splashfire if they hold the scroll. With no NPCs and scroll unused: significantly harder — Hydra likely reaches 7 heads. Still winnable with spells/flasks. | |||
Resolution
- Aldric Vane pays the party's bounty in full once they return to the village and confirm the Hydra's death.
- Quest reward: One character may keep the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing (still 1/Long Rest).
- Any recruited NPCs (Trail Hunter — NPC Ally, Old Lysander — Blind Priest) remain available as frontier contacts for future adventures.
Creature Cards
Marsh Hydra
Large Monstrosity · Unaligned · CR 11 · 7,200 XP
AC 16HP 250Heads 6 (max 9)STR 22 (+6)CON 20 (+5)Perception +8
Head Regrowth. 2 new heads per severed at end of turn (max 9), unless fire damage dealt this turn. Sever threshold: 30 damage in one turn from melee.
Multiple Heads. Adv. on saves vs. blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, unconscious.
Reactive Heads. 1 extra reaction per head beyond first (OA only). Max +8 reactions.
Bog Lurker. 30 ft. radius difficult terrain; DC 14 Dex or −10 ft. speed.
Venomous Bite. DC 16 Con or +2d6 poison + poisoned condition on each hit.
Multiattack. Bites = current head count.
Bite. +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 2d10+6 piercing + DC 16 Con (poison).
Mud Thrash (Recharge 4–6). 15 ft., DC 16 Str or prone + restrained (DC 14 Athletics escape).
Detect (Cost 1). Perception check with advantage.
Bite (Cost 1). One Bite attack.
Mud Surge (Cost 2). Each creature within 15 ft. makes DC 16 Dex save or takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning and speed halved until end of next turn.
Trail Hunter — NPC Ally
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · Bryn & Cael
AC 14HP 38Init 12
Longbow. Ranged +5, 150/600 ft. Hit: 1d8+3 piercing.
Shortsword. Melee +5. Hit: 1d6+3 piercing.
Hunter's Mark (Bryn, 1/enc). Mark Hydra; +1d6 per hit vs. marked target.
Old Lysander — Blind Priest
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · NPC Ally
AC 11HP 36Init 10
sacred flame — 1d8 fire/radiant (+5)
cure wounds — 2d8+3
bless† — 3 creatures +1d4 attacks/saves
3× Blindfold of Apollo
2× Fire Flask (if note shown)
Teaches Splashfire activation + full Hydra fire/regrowth lore
⚔️ Head Tracker (Click to toggle severed / regrown)
NPC Recruitment Tracker
Check off allies as the session progresses.
| NPC | Encounter | Skill Check | Enc. 3 Bonus | Recruited? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail Hunter — NPC Ally & Trail Hunter — NPC Ally | Enc. 1 | DC 12 Persuasion (or alt) | +~14 ranged damage/round combined; Hunter's Mark 1d6 | |
| Old Lysander — Blind Priest | Enc. 2 | DC 13 Insight; DC 8 with note shown | Sacred Flame, healing, Splashfire coaching, 2× Fire Flasks, fire knowledge | |
| 0 NPCs: Deadly fight, likely 9-head hydra for multiple turns. 1 NPC: Depends which — Lysander is higher impact than the hunters alone. 2–3 NPCs: Moderate, fire coverage reliable, fight should feel winnable but tense. |
0 / 3 | |||
⚖️ Difficulty Scaling
As Written ★ — 6 Players, Average Level 10
- Baseline for this guide. Encounter 1–2 are Hard; the final encounter is Deadly for six PCs at average level 10.
- XP budgets (6×L10 thresholds): Hard ≈ 10,800 · Deadly ≈ 16,800. Skill DCs baseline 14–16 (bump to 15–17 for a harder session).
Library Standard — 6 Players, Average Level 8
- Dial back: reduce boss HP ~20–25%; cut one legendary action option or recharge breath to 6 only; Favor/track thresholds −1 where present; skill DCs −1; drop one minion wave or −2 CR1–2 creatures from Hard openers.
Easier
- APL 8–9: use the Library Standard (6×L8) box, then shave one more minion wave or remove one recharge ability.
Harder
- APL 11–12: boss HP +20%; +1 legendary; final encounter gains one extra elite or lair pulse; skill DCs +1.
📋 Appendix — Cards
Full stat blocks for every creature, NPC, and item in this session (including optional / difficulty-adjusted entries).
Creature Cards
Gnoll Hunter
Medium Fiend · Chaotic Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)
AC 14HP 32Speed 30 ft.
Rampage. When the gnoll reduces a creature to 0 HP with a melee attack, it can move up to half its speed and make a Bite attack as a bonus action.
Bite. +5, 1d6+3 piercing.
Spear. +5, 1d8+3 piercing (thrown 20/60 ft.).
Gnoll Pack Lord (Alpha)
Medium Fiend · Chaotic Evil · CR 7 · 2,900 XP
AC 17HP 140Speed 30 ft.
Rampage. When it reduces a creature to 0 HP with a melee attack, it can move up to half its speed and make a Bite attack as a bonus action.
Frenzied (≤70 HP). Gains an extra Spear attack as part of its Multiattack while below half HP.
Multiattack. 4 attacks (Bite + 3× Spear), or 5 while Frenzied.
Bite. +8, 2d8+5 piercing.
Spear. +8, 2d8+5 piercing.
Incite Rampage (Recharge 5–6). Up to 2 gnolls within 30 ft. each use their reaction to make a Bite attack.
Marsh Hydra
Large Monstrosity · Unaligned · CR 11 · 7,200 XP
AC 16HP 250Heads 6 (max 9)STR 22 (+6)CON 20 (+5)Perception +8
Head Regrowth. 2 new heads per severed at end of turn (max 9), unless fire damage dealt this turn. Sever threshold: 30 damage in one turn from melee.
Multiple Heads. Adv. on saves vs. blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, unconscious.
Reactive Heads. 1 extra reaction per head beyond first (OA only). Max +8 reactions.
Bog Lurker. 30 ft. radius difficult terrain; DC 14 Dex or −10 ft. speed.
Venomous Bite. DC 16 Con or +2d6 poison + poisoned condition on each hit.
Multiattack. Bites = current head count.
Bite. +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 2d10+6 piercing + DC 16 Con (poison).
Mud Thrash (Recharge 4–6). 15 ft., DC 16 Str or prone + restrained (DC 14 Athletics escape).
Detect (Cost 1). Perception check with advantage.
Bite (Cost 1). One Bite attack.
Mud Surge (Cost 2). Each creature within 15 ft. makes DC 16 Dex save or takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning and speed halved until end of next turn.
Skeletal Hoplite
Medium Undead · Lawful Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)
AC 15HP 32Speed 30 ft.
Shield Wall. +2 AC within 5 ft. of another hoplite.
Reformation. Rises with 5 HP unless radiant/fire/bludgeoning while prone.
Spear. +5, 1d8+3 piercing.
Shield Bash. +5, 1d6+3; DC 13 STR or prone.
Skeletal Minotaur
Large Undead · Chaotic Evil · CR 3 (700 XP)
AC 14HP 85Speed 40 ft.
Charge. +2d8 piercing; DC 15 STR or pushed 10 ft. and prone.
Multiattack. Greataxe + Gore.
Greataxe. +7, 2d12+5 slashing.
Gore. +7, 2d8+5 piercing.
NPC Cards
Trail Hunter — NPC Ally
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · Bryn & Cael
AC 14HP 38Init 12
Longbow. Ranged +5, 150/600 ft. Hit: 1d8+3 piercing.
Shortsword. Melee +5. Hit: 1d6+3 piercing.
Hunter's Mark (Bryn, 1/enc). Mark Hydra; +1d6 per hit vs. marked target.
Pyrrha — Ruin Survivor
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · NPC
Role Knows scavenge locations. DC 14 Persuasion for mirror and vial locations. Patrol intel grants advantage on initiative.
Old Lysander — Blind Priest
Medium Humanoid · Neutral Good · NPC Ally
AC 11HP 36Init 10
sacred flame — 1d8 fire/radiant (+5)
cure wounds — 2d8+3
bless† — 3 creatures +1d4 attacks/saves
3× Blindfold of Apollo
2× Fire Flask (if note shown)
Teaches Splashfire activation + full Hydra fire/regrowth lore
Aldric Vane
Medium Humanoid · Village Elder · Questgiver (hook only)
Role Hires the party to stop disappearances along the forest road. Gives the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing and a sealed note at session start (see Handouts). After victory, allows one PC to keep the scroll.
Item Cards
Scroll of Splashfire Blessing
Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique · Scroll · Keepable (1 PC)
Description A soot-edged vellum sealed with pitch-wax. Reading the blessing once coats a ranged weapon in luminous marsh-fire for 10 minutes.
Activate (1/Long Rest). As a bonus action, the creature holding the scroll coats one ranged weapon they are holding or touching with the Splashfire Blessing for 10 minutes.
Splashfire (while coated). When you make a ranged weapon attack with that weapon:
• Hit: The target takes an extra 2d4 fire damage, and each other creature within 5 feet of the target also takes 2d4 fire damage.
• Miss: The intended target still takes 1d4 fire damage.
Hydra payoff. Any fire from Splashfire counts for Head Regrowth prevention. A dedicated archer can keep the stump sealed most rounds — even on a miss.
Quest reward. After the session, one character may keep the scroll (still 1/Long Rest).
Fire Flask
Improvised Weapon · Provided by Lysander · 2 Available
Description A clay flask of rendered fat mixed with marsh-pitch and a striker-wick. Shatters on impact, igniting in sticky flame.
Action Use Throw up to 20 ft. (+PB Dex to hit). On hit: 2d6 fire damage.
Bonus Action Use Throw up to 10 ft. (+PB Dex to hit). On hit: 2d6 fire damage. On miss: 1d6 fire splash to target anyway.
Special Any hit counts as fire damage dealt to the Hydra this turn — preventing head regrowth at end of the Hydra's turn.
Reward Cards
Post-session keepables. Reward is the first tag. Mechanics below are for ongoing use after this oneshot.
Scroll of Splashfire Blessing
Reward · Scroll · 1/Long Rest
Mechanics. This blessed scroll does not vanish when used; one designated PC keeps it. Once per long rest, as a bonus action, you coat one ranged weapon you are holding for 10 minutes. While coated, when you hit a creature with that weapon, the target and each other creature within 5 feet of it take 2d4 fire damage. When you miss with that weapon, the intended target still takes 1d4 fire damage. The coating ends early if you coat a different weapon.
Appearance. A soot-edged vellum scroll smelling of pitch-fat and sacred oil, edges singed but never crumbling.
Lore. A frontier chapel blessing carried from the village into the Maw — fire that rides an arrow as readily as a flask.
Quote. "Fire does not merely wound — it silences. What steel severs, flame must seal." — Aldric Vane
Earn when: Slay the Marsh Hydra; one PC keeps the Scroll of Splashfire Blessing.