🗺️🎲⚔️ “The Bones of Saint Ulwen” - A D&D One-Shot Adventure:
A One-Shot Adventure by Charlie Stayton
Adventure Hook
Centuries ago, Saint Ulwen the Gentle died defending the helpless in a time of great plague. Her bones, resting beneath the chapel in the village of Galen’s Hollow, are said to possess healing magic. A nearby temple, desperate to protect their region from a new spreading blight, hires the characters to retrieve her relics and bring them back for sanctification.
But Galen’s Hollow was abandoned long ago… or so it seems.
Adventure Summary
The party must travel to the remote, overgrown ruins of Galen’s Hollow and find the crypt beneath the chapel. However, they find the village inexplicably inhabited—not by ordinary folk, but by ghostly villagers bound to the land. These spectral figures will attempt to convince, deceive, or threaten the party into leaving the relics undisturbed.
When diplomacy fails, the villagers become violent. The adventurers must weigh their mission against the wishes of the dead. Removing the relic may cure the living—but at what cost to the sanctity of the dead?
Act I – Arrival at Galen’s Hollow
Scene: The Withered Path
A winding trail through a dense, fog-laden forest leads to the overgrown village. The trees part to reveal crumbling cottages, moss-choked wells, and a crooked chapel on the hill.
Features
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Strange silence: No birdsong.
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Faint bells ringing from the chapel (unexplained).
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Scattered signs of life: a warm kettle, recent footprints, but no people.
Encounter: Unseen Eyes
Passive Perception 14+ reveals movement behind windows. A successful DC 16 Insight check reveals something is wrong—the villagers never blink, cast shadows, or breathe.
Optional Combat:
If players begin looting or desecrating homes, 1d4+2 Restless Spirits (see stat block below) materialize to confront them.
Act II – The Village of the Dead
NPCs: The Villagers
All the villagers are ghosts. They don’t know they’re dead or choose to ignore it. They act polite but evasive when asked about the saint.
Key figures:
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Mayor Ellis Grent – Kindly but insistent the party leave.
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Mother Brielle – The priestess of the chapel, cryptic and overprotective of the relic.
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Tarn the Blacksmith – Hostile and mutters “You’ll bring the blight again.”
Skill Challenge: Gaining Access to the Chapel Crypt
Players must succeed in 3 of 5 checks to locate and gain access:
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DC 14 Religion (recall rituals of relic recovery)
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DC 16 Insight (identify ghostly behavior)
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DC 14 History (remember tale of the saint's martyrdom)
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DC 15 Persuasion (convince Brielle or Ellis to grant entry)
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DC 17 Stealth (sneak into the chapel at night)
Failure results in the villagers rallying together to stop the intrusion—leading into combat.
Act III – Conflict of the Faithful Dead
Scene: The Crypt Beneath the Chapel
Lit by flickering ghostlight, the crypt holds the gilded reliquary of Saint Ulwen, enshrined in an alcove carved with prayers and petals.
As the party nears the relic:
Combat Encounter: Defenders of the Saint
Villagers arrive as Guardian Spirits (custom stat block below) to stop the theft. Reinforcements include:
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Mother Brielle, Spirit Shepherd (use Mage stat block with necrotic-flavored spells)
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2–4 Restless Spirits (custom stat block)
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Optional: If desecration occurs, Saint Ulwen’s Spirit manifests—not to fight, but to plead.
Moral Dilemma & Resolution
Choices:
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Take the Relic: The spirits become hostile. Removing the relic destroys the enchantment keeping them bound, but they fade in torment. The relic heals the plague elsewhere.
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Leave the Relic: The villagers thank the party. Saint Ulwen’s spirit appears and blesses them with a single-use holy miracle (choose: Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds, or Revivify).
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Negotiate with Ulwen’s Spirit: A high-level option. A DC 20 Persuasion or Religion check allows the party to take a fragment of the relic with her blessing, satisfying both sides.
Stat Blocks
Rewards
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Relic of Saint Ulwen: Can be used as a holy focus. Once per long rest, cast Aura of Vitality or Remove Curse.
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Saint’s Favor (if negotiated): One-time casting of Revivify without material component.
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XP Award: Treat as 2–3 Medium encounters and one Hard encounter. Include bonus XP for clever roleplay or resolving without full combat.
Optional Handout (Chapel Inscription):
"She gave her breath to the breathless, her warmth to the cold. In her rest, let none disturb her. Her sacrifice shall not be taken, but remembered.”
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