The Witch of Aeaea

One-Shot · 6 Players · Average Level 8 · Greek Mythology · ~3.5 hrs / 3 Encounters

Style: Mythic Infiltration / Dungeon Crawl | Win Condition: Pour the Vial of Moly into Circe's Great Cauldron, or reduce Circe to 0 HP (she surrenders; cannot be slain by mortal hands) | Setting: Aeaea — a fog-shrouded island of black sand beaches, cedar forests, and a marble palace reeking of honey and rot.

Ships that sail too close to Aeaea do not return — only the animals swimming away hint at what became of their crews. A divine messenger gives the party one chance to end Circe's reign of transformations: a vial of moly sap that can destroy her power at its source.

"The stranger slides a clay vial across the table toward you — small, stoppered with black wax, a strip of papyrus tied round its neck. His sandals, you notice belatedly, barely touch the floor. 'Sailors are disappearing off Aeaea,' he says, as though remarking on the weather. 'They arrive. They do not leave. What comes back instead is worse.' He folds his hands. 'Pour the white sap in her fire. The gods are watching.'"

Major Beats

Misthaven Hook: Emeron (secretly Hermes) hands over the Vial of Moly and vanishes into the mist.
The Bewitched Shore: Transformed beast-men prowl the tree line — fight, flee, or calm them. Alpha war-wolf Demetrios is recruitable.
The Ritual Grove: A transformation ritual is underway on 4 captive sailors; a 5-round timer runs. Stealth, disruption, or combat can resolve it. Philemon is recruitable if freed.
The Palace Gates: Circe's bronze doors open at a touch — she already knows the party is here.
The Hall of Aeaea: Final confrontation. Pour the moly, fight her down, or both — Circe surrenders or is weakened. All transformed sailors on the island revert.

Creature / Enemy List

Creature	CR	Easy	Med	Hard	Encounter
Enchanted War-Wolf	1	2	4	6	1 (shore)
Enchanted Lion-Guard	2	1	2	3	1 (shore)
Ritual Naiad Sorceress	4	0	1	1	2 (grove)
Forest Nymph	1	2	3	4	2 (grove)
Circe, Enchantress of Aeaea	8	—		1	3 (boss)
Handmaiden Enchantress	3	1	2	2	3 (palace)

Difficulty Scaling

APL	Encounter 1 — Shore	Encounter 2 — Grove	Encounter 3 — Hall (Boss)
4–5	2× War-Wolves only; DCs −2	Remove Naiad; 2× Nymphs; 8-rd timer	Circe 90 HP, 1 Handmaiden, surrenders at 30 HP
6–8	Baseline as written	Baseline as written	Baseline; both allies strongly recommended
10+	+1 Lion-Guard; Demetrios HP 38	+1 Nymph; circle = Wall of Force; 4-rd timer	+2 Lion-Guards; Circe starts −1 Legendary Resist.

Papyrus Note (Vial of Moly, 17 words): "Against the witch's power: anoint thyself, pour the rest in her fire. The gods watch."

World detail: A corroded bronze signet ring found on a beast corpse (Enc. 1) hints Circe has been doing this for years. Circe's palace holds a library of transformation scrolls (Enc. 3 aftermath) — dangerous knowledge if looted. If asked, Circe offers one cryptic, accurate hint about a future danger as a hook for the next session.

Encounter 1 — The Bewitched Shore

Medium · ~30–40 min (combat) / ~15–20 min (non-combat) · ~4–5 rounds | Terrain: Black Sand Beach, 90×60 ft

Beach landing; shapes emerge from cedar tree line — 4× War-Wolves, 2× Lion-Guards, circling rather than charging. Win: drive off/destroy/calm the beasts or push past to the forest path.

Terrain: Driftwood barricade (half cover); tide pools (DC 12 Athletics or prone); ship gangplank chokepoint (+2 AC).
Calm: No-attack round → Animal Handling: DC 13 wolf / DC 15 lion (advantage w/ moly vial shown or DC 12 Insight first).
Retreat: Back onto ship 10 min → beasts withdraw; slip via tide pools (DC 12 Athletics) — skips combat, no XP.
War-Wolves use Pack Tactics, target the moly-holder unless calmed. Lion-Guards Pounce round 2. 3+ downed/calmed → survivors check DC 14 WIS to flee.
Recruit Demetrios (alpha wolf, broken sword-hilt scar): DC 13 Insight to notice intelligence; DC 13 Animal Handling (w/ Insight) or DC 15 to calm. Fights as ally Enc. 2–3. Cannot calm if he took 10+ dmg.
Harder: +1 Lion-Guard; Demetrios 38 HP.
Easier: Lion-Guards removed, 3 wolves only; pack flees at 2 downed.

Encounter 2 — The Ritual Grove

Medium · ~35–45 min · ~4–6 rounds · 5-round transformation timer | Terrain: Moonlit Clearing, 80×80 ft

4 captive sailors bound to stakes mid-transformation; 1× Ritual Naiad Sorceress + 3× Forest Nymphs conduct the ritual. Win: free all 4 captives before the timer runs out, or down the Naiad (halts ritual).

Timer: Each round Naiad is alive/conscious, one captive advances; round 5 = lost until Circe reverses. Downing Naiad stops timer; disrupting circle pauses 2 rounds.
Stakes: AC 8/10 HP or DC 14 Athletics to snap (frees 1 captive). Altar: AC 17/30 HP — destroying ends ritual but 20 ft. DC 14 CON save or 6d6 psychic + Stunned (warned by DC 15 Arcana).
Stealth: DC 13 group Stealth → undetected, surprise round. Disrupt circle: Action, DC 11 per section, 4 sections pauses timer 2 rds (alerts Naiad).
Parley (risky): DC 20 Persuasion (DC 16 invoking Hermes/showing vial) halts ritual — but ends the session's path to Encounter 3, use sparingly.
Naiad stays at altar rounds 1–2 (disadvantage Perception), engages round 3. Nymphs drag PCs toward circle (disadvantage on enchant saves inside). 2+ Nymphs down → survivors flee.
Recruit Philemon (northeast stake, 20% transformed): auto-joins if freed, fights improvised (−1 to hit) until armed. Grants party +2 to first WIS save/round within 30 ft. in Enc. 3.
Sorceress-downed reward: bronze key to inner sanctum → surprise round in Encounter 3.

Encounter 3 — The Hall of Aeaea (Boss)

Hard · ~50–60 min · ~6–8 rounds · Deadly without allies — recruit Demetrios & Philemon | Terrain: Throne Room, 100×60 ft

Circe on her ivory throne, flanked by 2× Handmaiden Enchantresses, beside a 10-ft Great Cauldron. Win (A): reduce Circe to 0 HP (surrenders — cannot be slain). Win (B): pour Vial of Moly into the Cauldron (adjacency, full Action) — triggers Moly Vulnerability. Both combined is the most decisive resolution.

Terrain: Cauldron AC 17/60 HP (destroying = 8d10 force, 30 ft, DC 16 DEX — poured via vial instead = controlled, no explosion). Throne dais = half cover (Phase 1 only). Tapestries pullable (DC 12 Athletics) for difficult terrain/restraint (DC 14 STR escape).
Opening: Circe speaks first (no roll) — PC hiding vial: DC 14 Sleight of Hand vs. passive Perception 13, else she opens Transformation Curse on the vial-holder.
Phase 1 (Full → 65 HP): Throne dais, ranged Wand + Legendary Actions, Shadow Step between sconces, stays within 10 ft. of Cauldron (DC 18 spell save vs. 16).
Phase 2 (65 → 0 HP): Descends (loses cover), spams Cauldron Pulse (Cost 2). If moly poured: 10d10 psychic, loses Focus, can't re-use Transformation Curse; ≤30 HP → surrenders next turn.
Moly pour: No check unless Circe adjacent w/ unused Reaction (Counterspell, contested CHA +9 — success knocks vial away, DC 13 Athletics to retrieve).
Demetrios (init 15): Bite + Pack Tactics, immune to re-transformation. Philemon (init 10): Shield Bash to prone Handmaidens; allies within 30 ft. get +2 first WIS save/round.

Resolution: 0 HP or moly-poured (or both) → Circe surrenders, releases all transformations island-wide, grants safe passage (will not swear off magic or leave Aeaea). Reward: 5,300 XP combat / 2,650 XP moly-only.

Creature Stat Blocks

Enchanted War-Wolf

Medium Beast, Unaligned (enchanted) · CR 1 (200 XP)

AC 13 | HP 26 (4d8+8) | Speed 40 ft.

STR 14 (+2) DEX 15 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 8 (−1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 7 (−2)

Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +4 | Senses: Darkvision 30 ft.

Pack Tactics. Advantage on attacks vs. a creature with a non-incapacitated ally within 5 ft.

Echo of Humanity. DC 12 Insight → advantage on DC 13 Animal Handling to calm; showing Vial of Moly also grants advantage.

Bite. +4, reach 5 ft. 7 (2d4+2) piercing. DC 12 STR or prone.

Enchanted Lion-Guard

Large Beast, Unaligned (enchanted) · CR 2 (450 XP)

AC 12 | HP 44 (8d10) | Speed 50 ft.

STR 17 (+3) DEX 15 (+2) CON 13 (+1) INT 8 (−1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 8 (−1)

Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +4

Keen Smell. Detects Vial of Moly at 60 ft. Pounce. 20+ ft. charge + Claw hit → DC 13 STR or prone (Bite as bonus action if prone).

Echo of Humanity. DC 14 Animal Handling to calm (advantage w/ vial).

Multiattack. Claw +5 (7, 1d8+3 slashing) + Bite +5 (8, 2d4+3 piercing).

Ritual Naiad Sorceress

Medium Humanoid (Nymph), NE · CR 4 (1,100 XP)

AC 15 | HP 65 (10d8+20) | Speed 30 ft., Swim 30 ft.

STR 10 DEX 16(+3) CON 14(+2) INT 16(+3) WIS 14(+2) CHA 18(+4)

Saves: INT +5, CHA +6 | Resist: Psychic

Ritual Focus. Disadvantage Perception while ritual active; damage → DC 12 CON or ritual interrupted.

Enchanting Presence. Init 20: 15 ft. DC 15 WIS or Charmed.

Multiattack. 2× Arcane Bolt +6, 60 ft, 12 (2d8+3) force. Charm Person (2/day) DC 15. Ritual Surge (recharge 5–6) 20 ft cone, DC 14 CON, 14 (4d6) psychic+Poisoned. Misty Step (2/day, BA) 30 ft.

Forest Nymph

Medium Humanoid (Nymph), NE · CR 1 (200 XP)

AC 13 | HP 22 (4d8+4) | Speed 30 ft.

STR 10 DEX 16(+3) CON 12(+1) INT 12(+1) WIS 13(+1) CHA 14(+2)

Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +5 (forest)

Forest Camouflage. Advantage on Stealth in forest terrain.

Thorn Lash. +5, reach 10 ft, 7 (1d8+3) piercing, pulls 10 ft. Glamour Gaze (recharge 5–6) DC 12 WIS or disadvantage next attack/save.

Circe, Enchantress of Aeaea

Medium Humanoid (Demigoddess), CN · CR 8 (3,900 XP)

AC 16 | HP 130 (20d8+40) | Speed 30 ft.

STR 12(+1) DEX 16(+3) CON 14(+2) INT 18(+4) WIS 16(+3) CHA 20(+5)

Saves: INT +8, WIS +7, CHA +9 | Immune: Poison, Charmed, Frightened | Truesight 30 ft.

Legendary Resistance (3/day). Sorceress's Focus: DC 18 within 10 ft of Cauldron, else 16. Moly Vulnerability: vial poured within 20 ft → 55 (10d10) psychic, loses Focus & Transform. Curse; ≤30 HP surrenders next turn.

Multiattack. 2× Wand +9, 60 ft, 16 (2d10+5) psychic, DC 16 WIS or Charmed. Transformation Curse (recharge 5–6) DC 16 WIS or pig 1 min. Enchanting Goblet (1/day) opposed CHA vs Ath/Acro, lose→pig 1 hr.

BA: Shadow Step 30 ft from sconce/Cauldron. Reaction: Counterspell (3/day). Legendary (3/rd): Whispered Hex (1), Command Thrall (1), Cauldron Pulse (2) — 20 ft, DC 15 WIS, 21 (6d6) psychic+Frightened.

Handmaiden Enchantress

Medium Humanoid (Nymph), NE · CR 3 (700 XP)

AC 14 | HP 52 (8d8+16) | Speed 30 ft.

STR 10 DEX 16(+3) CON 14(+2) INT 14(+2) WIS 12(+1) CHA 18(+4)

Saves: WIS +3, CHA +6 | Resist: Psychic

Enchanting Aura. Start turn within 10 ft: DC 14 WIS or Charmed (can't attack her).

Multiattack. 2× Charming Touch +6, 9 (1d10+4) psychic, DC 14 WIS or Charmed. Slumber Draught (recharge 6) +6, DC 14 CON or Unconscious 1 min. BA: Disengage.

Key Item

◈ Vial of Moly

Wondrous Item · Session MacGuffin

Note (17 words, given at Misthaven): "Against the witch's power: anoint thyself, pour the rest in her fire. The gods watch."

Anoint (Bonus Action, no depletion): touch a willing creature, advantage on WIS saves vs. enchantment/polymorph for 24 hrs.

Calm Beast: holding it near enchanted beasts grants advantage on Animal Handling to calm them.

Pour into Cauldron (Action, depletes, adjacency): triggers Circe's Moly Vulnerability — see Encounter 3. All transformed creatures on Aeaea revert immediately; Cauldron cracks and goes cold.

NPC Quick Reference

🪶 Emeron (Hermes in Disguise)

Quest Giver · Misthaven Tavern

Appearance: silver-tongued merchant; winged sandals that float above the floor; a caduceus-shaped walking stick that vanishes when he departs.

Secret: he is Hermes. DC 20 Insight or Religion notices the divine tells. He will neither confirm nor deny if pressed.

If confronted: "A merchant? Yes. That is what I am. Now — do you want the vial, or would you prefer to debate my footwear?"

Gives the party: the Vial of Moly, with the parting line "Pour the white sap in her fire. The gods are watching."

🐺 Demetrios, Wolf-Bound Hoplite

Medium Beast (enchanted) · Optional Ally, Encounter 1

AC 13 | HP 32 | Speed 40 ft.

STR 15(+2) DEX 15(+2) CON 14(+2) WIS 13(+1) — understands Common, can't speak. Darkvision 30 ft.

Motivation: a former Achaean hoplite (broken sword-hilt fused to a forepaw scar), unusually intelligent for the pack — recognized with DC 13 Insight.

Recruit: DC 13 Animal Handling (advantage w/ Insight or vial) — cannot calm if he took 10+ damage.

Traits: Pack Tactics; immune to re-transformation; Loyal Guardian (advantage on attacks + immune Charmed alongside his calmer). Reverts to human when Circe is defeated/cauldron destroyed.

Bite. +4, 8 (2d4+3) piercing, DC 12 STR or prone.

Aftermath: reverts to a broad-shouldered man in his forties, offering sincere tearful gratitude — little material reward.

⚔️ Philemon, Freed Hoplite

Medium Humanoid, NG · Optional Ally, Encounter 2

AC 16 (armed) / 12 (improvised) | HP 38 (7d8+7) | Speed 30 ft.

STR 16(+3) DEX 12(+1) CON 13(+1) — Athletics +5, Perception +3.

Motivation: Athenian hoplite, only 20% transformed (slight hand fur) when freed — articulate, composed, visibly furious at Circe. Joins automatically once freed, no check needed.

Traits: Brave (advantage vs. Frightened); Grateful Resolve (advantage first attack/rd; allies within 30 ft. +2 first WIS save/rd).

Spear. +5, 6 (1d6+3) piercing (−1 if improvised). Shield Bash. +5, 5 (1d4+3), DC 13 STR or prone.

Aftermath: safely leaves Aeaea with any other freed sailors once the session resolves.

Session Aftermath & Hooks

Circe's palace holds spell components, rare herbs, and a library of transformation scrolls (DM discretion on loot — the knowledge is dangerous in the wrong hands).

If asked about other threats at sea, Circe offers one cryptic but accurate hint as a hook for a future session.

Reward totals: 5,300 XP (full combat resolution) or 2,650 XP (moly-only resolution), plus palace loot at DM discretion.