🗺️🎲⚔️ “The Tollkeeper’s Curse” - A D&D One-Shot Adventure:

 By Charlie Stayton | Behind the Die

Adventure Summary

A haunted bridge deep in the forest exacts a terrible toll. Travelers vanish or reappear changed—if they return at all. When a local merchant’s child disappears crossing Old Mournbridge, the desperate villagers turn to the adventurers. But not all is as it seems: the bridge’s ancient guardian has been corrupted, and its toll no longer buys safe passage—it buys souls.

Adventure Hook

The PCs arrive in the hamlet of Brindleway, where terrified locals plead for help. A young boy named Aemon went missing after crossing Old Mournbridge with his father. His father returned... but cannot speak, and his eyes glow faintly in moonlight. The townsfolk whisper of a "Tollkeeper" who demands more than coin.

Key Locations

1. Brindleway Village

• Rumors point to the bridge as cursed.

• The boy’s father, Harvin, is comatose but mutters phrases in an ancient tongue (Comprehend Languages reveals: “He didn’t pay the toll. So I did.”).

• Villager Lira, a retired priestess, mentions a forest spirit once bound to the bridge to protect travelers, named Dregahl.

2. Old Mournbridge

• An ancient stone bridge shrouded in mist.

• A spectral toll booth with no visible collector.

• PCs feel watched. If they cross without paying (1 silver per person), a chill runs down their spine.

• The bridge's midpoint shimmers with ethereal energy—a rift between realms.

3. The Tollkeeper’s Realm (Pocket Dimension)

• PCs may be pulled in if they linger or investigate the shimmer.

• The realm is a twisted forest with ghostly versions of the bridge.

• Dregahl, once a guardian fey, is now The Tollkeeper, a corrupted spirit bound by a shadow curse.

Main Encounter: The Tollkeeper’s Bargain

Dregahl the Tollkeeper (CR 4)

• Ethereal fey spirit, demanding a toll in “memories, blood, or breath.”

• He will trade Aemon’s release... for a cherished memory (WIS save or lose a personal bond), 1 HD from each party member, or a single life.

• A battle can be triggered if negotiations break down.

Resolution Options

• Combat Victory: Slaying Dregahl severs the curse, and trapped souls are released (including Aemon).

• Bargain Struck: PCs can sacrifice something meaningful (a magic item, memory, hit dice, etc.) to end the curse.

• Spiritual Cleansing: If Lira is brought to the bridge and leads a ritual (with a Religion check), Dregahl can be purified.

Treasure & Rewards

• Memory-Infused Locket: Allows the wearer to relive a single important memory for inspiration (1/day, add 1d6 to a roll).

• Ghostsilver Blade: A shortsword that deals +1d4 damage to ethereal or undead creatures.

• Reputation in Brindleway and a heartfelt feast from the grateful townsfolk.

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Adventure Tip: Customization Hooks

• Replace Dregahl with a shadow dragon or night hag for higher levels.

• Tie the bridge’s curse to a PC’s backstory—maybe they’ve crossed it before.

• Include physical toll “tokens” (coins or cards) as player handouts for immersion.