The Night of Open Jars

One-Shot · 6 PCs · Lvl 12 · 2 Acts · Halloween Haunt · ~3–3.5 hrs

Style: Festival → rescue fight → trapped descent → Boss | Win: Save the town, follow the dead home, close the Jar (Pandora need not die) | Setting: Elpida, Isle of Anemos, last night of Anthesteria.

Signature: the Lamp-Count — 6 grin-lamps (tea lights), 1 per PC, lit by Dios at the gate. Fear, traps and the dead snuff them; honesty and the Lantern of Elpis relight them. Each lit lamp in the sanctum = 1 Hope.

"Hope was the last light in the jar. Keep it burning through the dark. At the source, say the old words: Out, Keres." — Lantern note (23 words).

Major Beats

Invitation: Archon Kleio invites the party; Dios (Zeus) lights a lamp for each guest at the gate.
Act I · Festival: 4 games (Heroic Inspiration each); Phaedon's story, True Stories, Closing Words; Dios gives the Lantern to the kindest guest.
The Haunting: midnight — Shades, Wraiths, Keres (+ghouls rd 3) crash the feast. Save 20 villagers.
The Archon's Offer: 1,500 gp + 3,000 gp on success; the Jug of First Wine (steel bites spirits).
Act II · The Way Down: 2 clues → Acantha's ash grove → 3 traps → Kyros at the Door That Asks.
The Open Jar: Pandora + Twin Sorrows (Geras, Nosos) + 4 Hollow Heroes (statues; lamps decide how many wake); d12 each turn; Circles / Closing Words / appeals / force.

Creature List

Creature	Act	E	M	H	Notes
Hungry Shade	I	6	8	10	Takes villagers
Unfed Wraith	I–II	2	3	3	Breath snuffs lamps
Ker	I–II	2	4	4+	Haunting · Jar
Graveyard Ghoul	I	2	4	6	Round 3 backup
Kyros, Hollow Warden	II	1	1	1	Riddle / gift / show
Geras & Nosos	II	1	2	2	Twin Sorrows; return until sealed
Hollow Hero	II	0–1	1–2	4	Haunted armor; possesses
Shadow / Specter	II	—	2+	4+	Pandora's summons
Pandora	II	1	1	1	Boss; need not die
Jar-Wyrm (Dracolich)	II	—	0–1	0–1	Jar d12 = 12 only

Lamp-Count

Lit	State	Effect
6–4	Quiet	Cold only; no Omens
3–2	Hush	Roll d8 Omen each scene / each snuffed lamp
1	Haunting	Way Down: 2 Ker + 1 Wraith + 2 Shadow
0	Dark	+2 Ker; sanctum: 0 Hope, all awake

Unlit PC: disadv. on saves vs Frightened; undead have adv. to hit them; no Hope. Snuffed: fail Breath of the Grave · fail Dirge-Cry by 5+ · 0 HP · a villager group wiped · trap failed by 5+ · Lantern out of hands at round end · bad Omen. Relit: Lantern touch (action) · True Story (1/PC/Act) · offering (1/scene) · 18+ villagers saved · good Omen.

On the Table

Act I: 4 water elementals = Keres · 2 spectres + 1 ghost = Unfed Wraiths · 8 ghosts = Hungry Shades · 4 zombies/skeletons = ghouls · 4 villager tokens (groups of 5). Act II: minotaur skeleton = Kyros · 2 spectres = Geras & Nosos · 4 haunted armors = Hollow Heroes (all placed as statues) · humanoid = Pandora · ghosts = Shadows/Specters · water elementals = Keres · Huge figure = Jar-Wyrm.

Trackers

Lamps lit True Stories Villagers saved ____ / 20 Wine
Hope Circles Pestilence Despair Strife Appeals Heroes awake
Jar d12 R1 ___ · R2 ___ · R3 ___ · R4 ___ · R5 ___ · R6 ___ Pitch Hope escapes

Difficulty

Tier	Adjust
Easier	APL 10: Pandora 160 HP; Sorrows 100 HP, DC 15; Heroes 75 HP; DCs −1; −1 Wraith; min 2 Hope
Library Std ★ (6 PCs, L8)	Act I 6 Shade/2 Wraith/2 Ker/2 ghoul; traps −2 DC, ½ dmg; Kyros 120 HP; Pandora 140 HP, DC 16; Nosos only (90 HP); −1 Hero; Circles 14; Persuasion 15 (12)
APL 12	As written: Haunting Hard · Open Jar Deadly
Harder	Pandora +20% HP; Sorrow cones recharge 4–6; +1 Wraith, +1 Ker; Circles 18; Hope max 4; Curiosity's Price too

ACT I — The Feast of the Dead

Hard · ~70–80 min | Agora 80×80 ft: hearth (bright 20 ft) · wine stalls (½ cover) · swings · procession cart (¾ cover) · temple doors (pitched: no dead cross) · cemetery gate

Games (winner: Heroic Inspiration + prize): Choes silent drinking, CON DC 12/15/18, WIS DC 13 to keep a straight face; fail by 5+ = Poisoned till midnight. Aiora swings Athletics/Acrobatics vs +6; top of the arc Perception DC 16 sees the dead coming = no surprise + 1 free round. Masked procession Performance/Deception DC 15 = Mask of the Revel (adv. 1 CHA check); Insight DC 15 spots a Ker walking early. Feeding the dead Religion/Survival DC 14 = pot of panspermia (6 portions); fail = Omen.
Lantern: Dios gives it to the kindest guest. Phaedon's story at the hearth: True Stories (relight own lamp, 1/Act; bearer relights 2) · Closing Words "Out, Keres! It is no longer Anthesteria!" work only at the Jar.
The Haunting (midnight): 8 Hungry Shades (2 per group) · 3 Unfed Wraiths (Breath on PC clumps) · 4 Keres (hunt the Lantern) · rd 3: 4 ghouls from the cemetery. Shades/Wraiths/Keres resist nonmagical B/P/S. Ends when all Wraiths fall or end of rd 6; the dead flee uphill.
Crowd: 4 groups × 5 (stalls, swings, hearth, cart). Round end: each Shade adjacent takes 1; Wraith/Ker may take 1 instead of attacking; ghoul drags 1 15 ft/turn to the gate. Taken = healing before fight ends saves them. Rally (action, 30 ft) Persuasion/Intimidation DC 14: group moves 30 ft; temple = safe. Guard: PC adjacent = no Shade takes. Feed (action): Shade eats instead. Group lost = snuff 1. Saved 18+ = +50% fee, relight 1 · 0–11 = snuff 1.
Archon's Offer: 1,500 gp now, 3,000 gp on success (Persuasion DC 16 +1,000). Jug of First Wine: 6 anointings, bonus action, until dawn: magical, ignores B/P/S resistance & immunity. Short rest. Insight DC 16: her drowned brother (relight 1).

ACT II — The Way Down

Hard · ~30–40 min | Fail a trap save by 5+ = lose your lamp

Find the Jar (2 clues): follow the frost trail Survival/Perception DC 15 (auto if seen from the swings) · ask Phaedon · question a fed Shade Religion DC 15 · archive (Kyros, 400 yrs ago) Investigation DC 16 · Lantern leans uphill Arcana DC 14. Extra clue = adv. once; <2 = Omen.
Ash Grove — Acantha: 1-hr lull (no snuffing, short rest). 1 buckthorn leaf each (bonus, 10 min: resist necrotic, adv. vs Frightened); 1 pitch pot, 3 marks (line/door/trap/Circle; no Ker, Shadow, Specter, Shade crosses, 1 hr). Sprig of Asphodel if warm. Secret DC 15: "If the Jar closes — I can leave."
1 · Weeping Stair: notice DC 16 (hinged treads). DEX DC 16 or slide 60 ft, 4d10, prone. Bypass: rope (Athletics DC 14), fly, pitch the hinge.
2 · Breathing Jars: group Stealth DC 16; fail = CON DC 16, 5d8 necrotic + Poisoned 1 hr (half). Buckthorn adv.; Silence auto; pitch seals 30 ft.
3 · Hall of Bronze Faces: false floor Investigation DC 17/Truesight/Phaedon. WIS DC 17 or walk in: 4d6 fall, Athletics DC 15 out. Speak to the face (True Story / goodbye) = auto + relight.
The Door That Asks — Kyros: riddle (Pandora's Jar) History/Arcana/Religion DC 15 · a gift that costs (relight 1) · a show Performance DC 16 · Persuasion DC 16 · Lantern or Sprig = auto · Deception DC 17 (fail: he attacks with adv., snuff 1). Fight: + surviving Wraiths (max 2); <40 HP offers riddle. Peaceful: Amulet + warning (Sorrows return until their Circles are sealed; need the wine).
Dark Between the Lamps (Lamp-Count 1): 2 Ker + 1 Wraith + 2 Shadow (+2 Ker at 0). Ends at 3 lit. Lantern relight, True Story (bonus action), pitch lines.

START OF THE SANCTUM

Lit lamps = Hope. Always: Pandora + Geras + Nosos. 6–5: Heroes stay statues · 4–3: +1 Hero +1 Shadow · 2–1: +2 Heroes +2 Shadows · 0: +4 Heroes +2 Shadows +2 Keres, 0 Hope.

ACT II — The Open Jar (Pandora)

Deadly · ~60–75 min | 60-ft round sanctum, dim · Jar AC 13 / 25 HP (destroyed = 6d10 psychic, 30 ft, CON DC 18 half; Path D only)

Hope: spend 1 (once/round, no action): a PC within 30 ft of the Lantern rerolls a failed d20 Test. Spend 2: Pandora rerolls the Jar. Regain 1 per successful appeal / True Story to Pandora.
Twin Sorrows: act after Pandora; each guards its Circle (Geras → Despair, Nosos → Pestilence), first targets whoever works it. Immune to unanointed B/P/S. Destroyed = re-forms at the Jar with half HP at the start of Pandora's turn until its Circle is sealed. Geras halves healing within 15 ft; Nosos blocks healing, spreads poison.
A — Circles (1 action each; pitch mark = auto): Pestilence Medicine DC 16 (Shadows disadv.; Nosos stays dead) · Despair Arcana DC 16 (no Shade / Exhale; Geras stays dead) · Strife Athletics DC 16 (no Incorporeal). All 3: Vessel off, Lamentation, lid rises (set with Athletics DC 16).
B — Return the Flame: Lantern bearer within 30 ft, ≥1 Hope, speaks the Closing Words (action): Keres vanish, summons dismissed, Sorrows pulled in, Jar shuts; Pandora WIS DC 18 (fail: Stunned 1 rd → non-hostile).
C — Three appeals: Persuasion DC 17 (DC 14 Lamentation). 1st: skips legendary; 2nd: skips turn; 3rd: she closes the Jar. Fail = lamp + Jar's Ward/LA at speaker. True Story = adv. Phaedon = adv. once.
D — 0 HP: she does not die; the Jar seals around her. Weaker reward.
Hollow Heroes: True Story (action, 10 ft) = kneels until attacked. At 0 HP its spirit leaps into nearest armoured PC within 15 ft: WIS DC 15 or attacks nearest ally next turn (ally's True Story ends it).
Lamentation at 40 HP, all 3 Circles, or Closing Words. The Jar Exhales (LA 2): a Ker rises (max 2).

WHAT COMES OUT OF THE JAR (d12, start of Pandora's turn)

Each sealed Circle steps the die down: d10 → d8 → d6. Spend 2 Hope = reroll. Skipped turn = lid stays shut. Effects last to her next turn. Variant (Curiosity's Price): first creature to attack her each round rolls instead.

Hope escapes: free short rest in stopped time; relight all lamps (+Hope). 1/enc.
Feast of the dead: PCs regain 4d8+4 HP; Frightened ends.
Lid slips: no Vessel / legendary actions.
Long shadows: all creatures enlarged.
Silence, 20 ft on the Jar (no appeals or Closing Words inside).
Darkness, 15 ft on the Jar (Lantern light suppresses).
Whispers: WIS DC 17 or Frightened of the Jar.
A Hollow Hero wakes (all awake: 2 Shadows rise).
Grave-rot: 30 ft, CON DC 17, 6d6 poison + Poisoned.
Possession: WIS DC 17 or reaction-attack nearest creature.
2 Keres rise (ignore cap).
Jar-Wyrm (dracolich): claw on the lip; emerges next turn unless the Jar closes first.

CREATURE STAT BLOCKS — ACT I & THE DOOR

Hungry Shade — Act I

Medium Undead (Unfed Dead), Neutral Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)

AC 12 | HP 33 (6d8+6) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 30 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	6 −2 −2	14 +2 +2	12 +1 +1	6 −2 −2	10 +0 +0	8 −1 −1

Resistances: Cold; nonmagical B/P/S · Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 · Languages: understands Ancient Greek

The Unfed. One of the town's own dead, come for the honey-cakes and panspermia every Anthesteria — and this year the Jar is open, so they came hungry. At the end of each round, a Hungry Shade adjacent to a villager group takes one villager (see Act I: The Crowd). Offered food (an action), it eats instead and does nothing else that turn.

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Actions

Starving Touch. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) necrotic, and the target can't regain HP until the start of the shade's next turn.

Unfed Wraith — Acts I–II

Medium Undead, Neutral Evil · CR 5 (1,800 XP)

AC 13 | HP 67 (9d8+27) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 60 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	6 −2 −2	16 +3 +3	16 +3 +3	12 +1 +1	14 +2 +2	15 +2 +2

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; nonmagical B/P/S

Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12 · Languages: Ancient Greek

Lord of the Unfed. The town's oldest unburied dead. Hungry Shades within 30 ft. of it have advantage on attack rolls.

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks in sunlight.

Actions

Life Drain. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 21 (4d8+3) necrotic. The target makes a DC 14 CON save or its HP max is reduced by the damage taken until it finishes a long rest.

Breath of the Grave (Recharge 5–6). 15-ft cone. Each creature makes a DC 14 CON save, taking 18 (4d8) necrotic damage on a failure (half on a success). A PC who fails has their grin-lamp snuffed.

Graveyard Ghoul — Act I · round 3

Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)

AC 12 | HP 22 (5d8) | Speed 30 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	13 +1 +1	15 +2 +2	10 +0 +0	7 −2 −2	10 +0 +0	6 −2 −2

Immunities: Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 · Languages: Ancient Greek

Backup Wave. Clawing up out of the old cemetery at the edge of the festival from round 3. They go for the villagers first.

Actions

Multiattack. One Bite and one Claw.

Bite. +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) piercing.

Claw. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) slashing. A creature other than an undead makes a DC 10 CON save or is paralyzed for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns.

Ker — Acts I–II

Medium Undead (Fate-Spirit), Chaotic Evil · CR 4 (1,100 XP)

AC 15 | HP 104 (16d8+32) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 50 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	8 −1 −1	18 +4 +4	14 +2 +2	8 −1 −1	14 +2 +2	12 +1 +1

Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +6

Vulnerabilities: Radiant · Resistances: Cold, Necrotic; nonmagical B/P/S

Immunities: Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 · Languages: understands Ancient Greek, cannot speak

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Suppressed while the Circle of Strife is sealed.

Light-Shy. While in the bright light of the Lantern of Elpis, the Ker has disadvantage on attack rolls and cannot use Dirge-Cry.

Scent of Ending. Advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened or at half their HP or fewer.

Bound to the Jar. When the Jar is sealed, or the Closing Words are spoken at the Jar, every Ker within 120 ft. vanishes.

Actions

Multiattack. Makes two Rending Claws attacks.

Rending Claws. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing plus 3 (1d6) necrotic.

Dirge-Cry (Recharge 5–6). 20-ft cone. Each creature makes a DC 14 WIS save, taking 10 (3d6) psychic damage and becoming Frightened until the end of the Ker's next turn on a failure, or half damage and no Frightened on a success.

Kyros, the Hollow Warden — Act II · the Door

Large Undead (Cursed Revenant), Lawful Neutral · CR 8 (3,900 XP)

AC 17 (Natural Armor) | HP 161 (17d10+68) | Speed 40 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	20 +5 +5	11 +0 +0	18 +4 +7	12 +1 +1	16 +3 +6	12 +1 +1

Skills: History +4, Insight +6, Perception +6

Resistances: Necrotic · Immunities: Poison; Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16 · Languages: Common, Ancient Greek

Hollow. A scholar cursed into a minotaur's body, who went down to close the Jar four hundred years ago, died at its door and kept standing. Lamplight shows through his ribs; his own bones hang on him like armour, and his voice comes from somewhere behind them.

Charge. If Kyros moves 10+ ft. straight toward a target and hits with a Gore attack, the target takes an extra 13 (3d8) piercing and must succeed on a DC 17 STR save or be pushed 10 ft. and knocked prone.

Guardian's Challenge. On first contact, Kyros asks for a riddle answered, a gift, or a show rather than attacking. The lit Lantern of Elpis or the Sprig of Asphodel also makes him stand aside. If reduced below 40 HP, he offers the riddle again.

Unquiet (1/day). When reduced to 0 HP, Kyros makes a DC 10 CON save. On a success, his bones pull themselves back together and he drops to 1 HP instead.

Actions

Multiattack. Makes one Gore attack and two Greataxe attacks.

Gore. +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing.

Greataxe. +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 18 (2d12+5) slashing.

Reactions

Intercept. When an ally within 10 ft. of Kyros is targeted by an attack, he moves up to 10 ft. (no opportunity attacks) to interpose himself, becoming the target instead.

OMEN TABLE (d8, at Hush)

Voice behind you: WIS DC 15 or Frightened.
Cold breath: CON DC 14 or 2d10 cold.
Wrong shadows lean toward Unlit PCs.
Pale child: offering relights 1; ignored = gutters.
Corpse-candles: Stealth DC 16 or no surprise.
Open jar: pitch it = relight 1; leave it = snuff 1.
Silence: DM relights 1 (or Lantern +10 ft).
Hungry guest: Ker sits ahead; go around 30 ft.

KEY ITEMS & ALLIES

Lantern of Elpis · Jug of First Wine

Lantern: bright 20 / dim 20; relight a lamp (action); Shades/Shadows/Specters/Keres disadv. in its light; shown to Kyros = pass; Return the Flame (Path B, single use); Flare ends Frightened 30 ft but loses Path B.
Jug: 6 anointings (bonus action), magical until dawn, ignores B/P/S resistance & immunity.

Sprig · Amulet · NPCs

Sprig: Kyros pass; adv. vs undead charm. Amulet (attune): adv. vs Charmed/Frightened; Never Lost 1/day.
Phaedon reads the pedestal; adv. once on an appeal. Zeus reveals himself on A/B/C. Acantha stays above.

Remember

Blow out a real tea light when a lamp goes out. Pandora is grief, not a villain. Never kill a god. Closing Words work only at the Jar. Dawn: Kleio pays 3,000 gp (+50% at 18+ saved).

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CREATURE STAT BLOCKS — THE OPEN JAR

Pandora, the Opened One — BOSS

Medium Humanoid (Divinely Crafted, Haunted), Chaotic Neutral · CR 13 (10,000 XP)

AC 17 (Veil of Sorrows) | HP 190 (20d8+100) | Speed 30 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	10 +0 +0	14 +2 +2	20 +5 +10	16 +3 +3	14 +2 +7	22 +6 +11

Skills: Arcana +8, History +8, Insight +7, Persuasion +11

Resistances: Psychic · Immunities (cond.): Charmed, Frightened (while the Jar is open within 30 ft.)

Senses: Truesight 30 ft., Passive Perception 12 · Languages: All

Two Thousand Years in the Dark. She is not dead; she has only forgotten how to be alive. Her feet do not quite touch the floor, her hair drifts as if under water, and in the wall of jars her reflection is a skeleton.

Vessel of Sorrows. While the Jar of Pandora is open and within 30 ft., Pandora can use her Bonus Action to summon one Shadow or Specter in an unoccupied space within 30 ft. Suppressed if all three Sealing Circles are sealed.

Sorrow's Embrace. Pandora has advantage on saving throws while she can see at least one summoned creature or Twin Sorrow within 30 ft.

Relentless Grief. When first reduced to 40 HP or fewer, Pandora enters her Lamentation Phase: she pleads aloud each turn but may still summon; the Persuasion DC drops from 17 to 14.

The Lid Lifts. At the start of each of her turns while the Jar is open, Pandora lifts its lid (no action) and the DM rolls on the What Comes Out of the Jar d12 table (Act II). Each sealed Circle steps the die down (d10, d8, d6). If she skips her turn, the lid stays shut that round.

Actions

Multiattack. Makes two Lament Bolt attacks, or one Lament Bolt and casts one spell of 3rd level or lower.

Lament Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack +11 to hit, range 90 ft. Hit: 22 (4d8+4) psychic. The target makes a DC 18 WIS save or is Frightened until the end of their next turn.

Spellcasting (CHA, DC 18, +11 to hit). Cantrips: Toll the Dead (3d12 vs. wounded), Vicious Mockery (3d6 + disadv.). 1st (4 slots): Charm Person, Inflict Wounds. 2nd (3): Hold Person, Misty Step. 3rd (3): Bestow Curse, Counterspell, Dispel Magic. 4th (3): Banishment, Compulsion. 5th (1): Hold Monster.

Bonus Actions

Vessel of Sorrows. Summons one Shadow or Specter in an unoccupied space within 30 ft. (see Trait; suppressed by all three Circles).

Reactions

Jar's Ward. When targeted by an attack or spell, if Pandora has a summoned creature or Twin Sorrow within 5 ft., she redirects the attack to that creature, which becomes the new target.

Legendary Actions (3 per round)

Lament (Cost 1). Makes one Lament Bolt attack.

Shade (Cost 1). Summons one Shadow in an unoccupied space within 30 ft. Only available while Vessel of Sorrows is active; unavailable if the Circle of Despair is sealed.

Wail of Ages (Cost 2). All creatures within 30 ft. make a DC 18 CON save. Fail: 14 (4d6) psychic damage and disadvantage on saving throws until the end of their next turn.

The Jar Exhales (Cost 2). A Ker rises from the Jar in an unoccupied space within 10 ft of it. No more than two Keres can exist at once. Only available while Vessel of Sorrows is active; unavailable if the Circle of Despair is sealed.

Shadow — Sanctum

Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil · CR 1/2 (100 XP)

AC 12 | HP 16 (3d8+3) | Speed 40 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	6 −2 −2	14 +2 +2	13 +1 +1	6 −2 −2	10 +0 +0	8 −1 −1

Skills: Stealth +4 · Vulnerabilities: Radiant

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; nonmagical B/P/S

Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Amorphous. Moves through spaces as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing.

Shadow Stealth. In dim light or darkness, takes the Hide action as a Bonus Action.

Sunlight Weakness. Disadvantage on attacks, ability checks, and saves in sunlight.

Actions

Strength Drain. +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) necrotic; the target's STR is reduced by 1d4. STR 0 = death. The reduction lasts until a short or long rest. Humanoids slain rise as new Shadows at next dusk. (Disadvantage on attack rolls while the Circle of Pestilence is sealed.)

Geras, Old Age (Twin Sorrow) — Twin Sorrow

Medium Undead (Evil of the Jar), Neutral Evil · CR 8 (3,900 XP)

AC 15 | HP 136 (16d8+64) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 40 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	6 −2 −2	16 +3 +3	18 +4 +8	12 +1 +1	16 +3 +7	16 +3 +3

Skills: Perception +7

Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from attacks not anointed or magical; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 17 · Languages: understands all, speaks in the voice of whoever the listener lost

First Out of the Jar. One of the evils Pandora let out, the shape of every old age that ever came too soon — a stooped grey figure whose face is always a little familiar.

Returns to the Jar. While the Jar is open, Geras re-forms beside it at the start of Pandora's next turn with half its HP after being destroyed — unless the Circle of Despair is sealed.

Weight of Years. Creatures within 15 ft. of Geras regain only half as many HP from any healing.

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Actions

Multiattack. Two Withering Touch attacks.

Withering Touch. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic. The target makes a DC 16 CON save or gains 1 level of Exhaustion as its hair greys and its hands spot.

Years upon Years (Recharge 5–6). 30-ft cone. Each creature makes a DC 16 CON save, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failure (half on a success). On a failure its speed is halved and it has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks and saves until the end of its next turn.

Nosos, Sickness (Twin Sorrow) — Twin Sorrow

Medium Undead (Evil of the Jar), Neutral Evil · CR 8 (3,900 XP)

AC 15 | HP 136 (16d8+64) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 40 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	6 −2 −2	16 +3 +3	18 +4 +8	12 +1 +1	16 +3 +7	16 +3 +3

Skills: Perception +7

Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 17 · Languages: understands all, speaks in the voice of whoever the listener lost

First Out of the Jar. The other evil that left first: every fever and plague the world has known, a sweating, coughing shape that smells of a sickroom.

Returns to the Jar. While the Jar is open, Nosos re-forms beside it at the start of Pandora's next turn with half its HP after being destroyed — unless the Circle of Pestilence is sealed.

Contagion. A creature poisoned by Nosos that ends its turn within 5 ft. of an ally makes that ally roll a DC 16 CON save; on a failure the ally is poisoned too (same duration).

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Actions

Multiattack. Two Fever Touch attacks.

Fever Touch. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (3d8) poison plus 9 (2d8) necrotic. The target makes a DC 16 CON save or is poisoned until the end of its next turn; while poisoned this way it can't regain HP.

Plague Breath (Recharge 5–6). 20-ft cone. Each creature makes a DC 16 CON save, taking 36 (8d8) poison damage and becoming poisoned for 1 minute on a failure (save again at the end of each of its turns), or half damage on a success.

Specter — Sanctum

Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil · CR 1 (200 XP)

AC 12 | HP 22 (5d8) | Speed 0 ft., Fly 50 ft. (hover)

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	1 −5 −5	14 +2 +2	11 +0 +0	10 +0 +0	10 +0 +0	11 +0 +0

Resistances: Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; nonmagical B/P/S

Immunities: Necrotic, Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Prone, Restrained

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Incorporeal Movement. Moves through creatures and objects as difficult terrain; takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Suppressed while the Circle of Strife is sealed.

Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attack rolls and sight-based checks in sunlight.

Actions

Life Drain. Melee Spell Attack +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (3d6) necrotic. The target makes a DC 10 CON save or its max HP is reduced by the damage dealt until a long rest. It dies if its max HP reaches 0.

The Jar-Wyrm (Dracolich) — Jar roll of 12

Huge Undead (Dragon), Chaotic Evil · CR 14 (11,500 XP)

AC 18 (Natural Armor) | HP 225 (18d12+108) | Speed 40 ft., Fly 60 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	25 +7 +7	10 +0 +5	23 +6 +11	16 +3 +3	15 +2 +7	19 +4 +9

Skills: Perception +12, Stealth +5

Resistances: Necrotic · Immunities: Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned

Senses: Blindsight 60 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 22 · Languages: Ancient Greek, Draconic

The Oldest Thing in the Jar. A dragon that crawled into the Jar to die before the first woman was made. It appears only on a roll of 12 on the What Comes Out of the Jar table, climbing out at the start of Pandora's next turn.

Bound to the Jar. It cannot leave the sanctum. When the Jar closes, or the Closing Words are spoken at the Jar, it collapses into bone dust.

Undying While Open. If reduced to 0 HP while the Jar is open, it falls apart into bones. On a later roll of 12 it rises again from those bones with half its HP instead of a new one coming out.

Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If it fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Burned by Hope. When it takes radiant damage, or starts its turn in the Lantern of Elpis's bright light, it cannot use Grave Breath until the end of its next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. Uses Frightful Presence if available, then makes one Bite and two Claw attacks.

Bite. +12 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 18 (2d10+7) piercing plus 14 (4d6) necrotic.

Claw. +12 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 14 (2d6+7) slashing.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of its choice within 120 ft. that can see it makes a DC 17 WIS save or is Frightened for 1 minute, repeating the save at the end of each of its turns. A creature that succeeds is immune for 24 hours.

Grave Breath (Recharge 5–6). 60-ft cone. Each creature makes a DC 19 CON save, taking 63 (14d8) necrotic damage on a failure or half as much on a success. If any PC fails, the party loses 1 Hope.

Reactions

Tail Lash. When a creature it can see moves within 15 ft. of it: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) bludgeoning, and the target makes a DC 20 STR save or is knocked Prone.

Hollow Hero — Sanctum

Medium Undead (Haunted Armor), Lawful Neutral · CR 5 (1,800 XP)

AC 18 (bronze panoply) | HP 93 (11d8+44) | Speed 30 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
sc md sv	18 +4 +4	11 +0 +0	18 +4 +4	6 −2 −2	12 +1 +1	5 −3 −3

Resistances: Necrotic; nonmagical B/P/S · Immunities: Poison, Psychic; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned

Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond), Passive Perception 11 · Languages: understands Ancient Greek, cannot speak

Those Who Came Before. The empty panoply of a hero who came to close the Jar and failed. Four of them stand around the sanctum walls. Until one moves it is indistinguishable from a statue; a DC 15 Perception check catches lamplight moving behind the eye-holes of its helmet.

Possessor. When it drops to 0 HP, its spirit leaps into the nearest PC within 15 ft. who wears medium or heavy armor (or the nearest PC, if none does). That PC makes a DC 15 WIS save or is possessed until the end of its next turn: on that turn it attacks the nearest ally with its weapon. An ally who tells the possessed PC a True Story (action) ends it.

Stand Down. A PC within 10 ft. who tells it a True Story (an action; one to three honest sentences) reaches whoever is left inside: the Hollow Hero lowers its spear and kneels, and takes no actions until someone attacks it. Pandora watches every time.

Laid to Rest. When the Jar closes, every Hollow Hero kneels and falls apart into dull bronze.

Actions

Multiattack. Makes two Rusted Spear attacks.

Rusted Spear. +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10+4) piercing plus 7 (2d6) necrotic.

Reactions

Shield Wall. When it is hit by an attack while another Hollow Hero is within 5 ft. of it, it adds 3 to its AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.