Hook 01
Coin for the Missing
Mara Quill offers 10 gp each, half up front, to find three diggers who went down at dusk and whose lanterns came back burning blue. She wants proof before Hollowrest Camp empties.
The adventure ahead
Campaign Overview
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The Lantern Below
Hollowrest Camp clings to a hillside above an old mine that should have been dead. Three diggers went down at dusk. Only their lanterns came back, burning blue.
Mara Quill, the camp boss, needs answers before her people abandon the dig. Below the camp lie the Collapsed Gallery, the Sunken Vault, and a drowned shrine older than the hill. Something in the dark is harvesting echo-salt, a blue mineral that hums with bad dreams.
The trail leads to Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow, a patient cultist who speaks of a Deep Choir beneath the hills. Stop her ritual, and you will learn that Hollowrest is only the first lantern of many.
Tone: claustrophobic dungeon crawl, blue-lit horror, mining-camp grit, and small victories in very dark places.
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Player Handout
Player Handout
Setup: You have come to Hollowrest Camp, a rain-soaked mining camp above an old silver mine. The dig has hit a strange blue seam, and the camp is nervous.
Hook: Last night, three diggers went into the upper tunnel. Their lanterns came back alone, burning blue. Mara Quill, the camp boss, is offering coin for anyone who will go down and bring her people home.
Tone: tight tunnels, flickering light, wet stone, and the sense that something below is listening. Expect dungeon exploration, tense negotiations, and a villain who would rather talk than fight — until she wouldn't.
Starting Question: Why do the lanterns burn blue, and who is the woman in the salt-stained veil?
Free Act I Preview
The Lantern Below
Behind the screen
DM Overview: Act I
This preview runs levels 1–3 across four key locations. The party begins at Hollowrest Camp, follows missing diggers into the Collapsed Gallery, frees the surveyor Halden Voss in the Sunken Vault, and confronts Veska Mourn in the Echo Shrine.
Veska is the act's antagonist, not the campaign's ultimate evil. She is a lieutenant of the Deep Choir, a dreaming collective beneath the hills. Her ritual is incomplete; stopping it saves the camp and reveals the larger threat. Play her as calm, maternal, and utterly certain. She offers work before she offers a grave.
The act's spine is investigation under pressure: blue lanterns, echo-salt dust, cultist chalk marks, and a pump draining an old shrine. Side quests from Brannoc Tallow and Sister Ivel add local color and secrets. The finale should end with Veska defeated, captured, or fled, and with the name of the Deep Choir spoken aloud.
Adventure Hooks
Hook 02
The Widow's Whisper
Sister Ivel asks the party to trace the blue lantern oil and a veiled stranger buying echo-salt dust. Her portable shrine was cracked, and she fears the old stair beneath it has been opened.
Act Structure
Act I: The Lantern Below
Recommended level: 1–3The party arrives at Hollowrest Camp, follows missing diggers into the Collapsed Gallery, frees the surveyor Halden Voss in the Sunken Vault, and confronts Veska Mourn in the Echo Shrine. Stopping her ritual saves the camp and reveals the Deep Choir, a far greater threat beneath the hills.
Objectives
- Learn why the diggers fled the upper tunnel.
- Clear the Collapsed Gallery and rescue any survivors.
- Recover Halden Voss's survey map and shut down the cult's pump.
- Stop Veska Mourn's lantern ritual in the Echo Shrine.
- Learn the name of the Deep Choir and carry the warning back to Hollowrest Camp.
The Mine That Breathes
Read aloud
Rain hammers the canvas. Mara Quill spreads a charcoal map on a crate and pins it with two picks. 'Three diggers went down at dusk,' she says. 'Only their lanterns came back, burning blue. I need proof of what's down there before this camp empties.'
Running this scene
Mara hires the party for 10 gp each, half up front. The upper tunnel is a short crawl with fresh boot prints and a dropped pick. Near the first bend, 2 Giant Rat gnaw at a spilled food sack. The diggers are not dead; they fled deeper to the Collapsed Gallery. Mara does not know Veska's name yet.
Checks
- DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) to notice fresh boot prints leading deeper.
- DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) to read the mine map and spot an unmapped side passage.
- DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) to calm a panicked digger hiding near the shaft.
Clues
- The lanterns burn blue only near echo-salt dust.
- A cultist's chalk mark is scratched beside the first bend.
- The missing diggers whisper about a woman in a salt-stained veil.
Where next
- The boot prints lead to the Collapsed Gallery.
- Mara offers 20 gp more if the party brings her people home.
Blue Lanterns, Dead Air
Read aloud
The tunnel narrows, then opens into a chamber of broken beams and blue light. Lanterns hang from the rubble, burning without heat. Somewhere under the tapping, a voice is praying.
Running this scene
Mara walks the party to the gallery mouth, then returns to camp. In the chamber, 3 Giant Rat and 2 Stirge attack from the rubble. The diggers are hiding behind a fallen beam; they saw cultists with salt charms and heard them speak of the Lantern Widow. The tapping is Halden Voss, pinned in the Sunken Vault.
Checks
- DC 13 Strength (Athletics) to shift rubble and free the diggers.
- DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to cross the slick beam without falling.
- DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) to follow the tapping to the Sunken Vault.
Clues
- A cultist's salt charm lies in the rubble; it is cold to the touch.
- The diggers describe a woman in a salt-stained veil.
- The tapping is a surveyor's code: three taps, pause, two taps.
Where next
- The tapping leads to the Sunken Vault.
- The freed diggers return to camp and tell Mara what they saw.
The Surveyor's Price
Read aloud
Halden Voss leans over the ledge, his leg pinned, his map case clutched to his chest. 'You're real,' he says. 'Good. The pump is cultist work. Shut it down before they drain the whole shrine and wake what's under it.'
Running this scene
Halden directs the party to the pump and the ledger. 2 Cultist arrive to protect the pump, with 3 Skeleton rising from the flooded niches. The pump can be jammed, broken, or reversed. Halden cannot walk but can read the ledger aloud.
Checks
- DC 14 Strength (Athletics) to turn the pump wheel and jam it.
- DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) to read the cultist ledger.
- DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to jam the pump mechanism quietly.
Clues
- The ledger names Veska Mourn as the Lantern Widow.
- Halden's map shows a stair behind the waterline leading to the Echo Shrine.
- A note in the ledger reads: 'One more night, and the Choir will dream awake.'
Where next
- The drained stair leads to the Echo Shrine.
- Halden asks the party to carry his map to Mara Quill if he cannot walk.
The Widow's Lantern
Read aloud
Blue light fills the drowned shrine. Veska Mourn turns from the altar, her veil stirring in the still air. 'You've come a long way for a camp,' she says. 'Put down your weapons. The Choir is already dreaming.'
Running this scene
Mara Quill arrives with two camp guards and holds the stair. Veska offers the party safe passage if they leave. If refused, she fights with 4 Cultist. She uses lantern smoke and echo-salt dust, retreats at half hit points, and reveals the Deep Choir's name if captured or cornered.
Checks
- DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to cross the slippery shrine steps.
- DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) to disrupt the lantern ritual.
- DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation) to make a cultist hesitate.
Clues
- Veska names the Deep Choir as a power beneath the hills.
- She admits she is only a lieutenant.
- The echo-salt vein runs deeper than the shrine.
Where next
- Veska's flight or capture points toward the deeper Deeps and the Deep Choir.
- Mara Quill seals the shrine and sends word to the surface.
Milestone: Level 2 after clearing the Collapsed Gallery; level 3 after stopping the Echo Shrine ritual.
Villain Character Sheets
Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow
Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow, is a tall, patient woman whose presence arrives before she does: the smell of cold salt, the hush of a veil…
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Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow Character Sheet
Motivation
She seeks the echo-salt vein beneath Hollowrest to fuel a ritual that will wake the Deep Choir, the greater power she serves, and earn a place beside it.
Personality
Soft-spoken, patient, maternal; treats violence as tidying. She offers the party work before she offers them a grave, and she never raises her voice.
Resources
- A cell of cultists in the flooded vaults
- Echo-salt dust that lets her see in darkness
- The drowned shrine of the Lantern Below
- Knowledge of the old mine roads
- A hidden escape skiff
Battle Plan
Veska opens with lantern smoke and a calm offer to leave. If refused, she sends cultists forward, uses echo-salt dust to blind and confuse, and retreats at half hit points toward the deeper Deeps. She never fights to the death unless cornered.
Defeat or Redemption
Veska can be killed, captured, or bargained with. If spared, she reveals the Deep Choir's name and the location of a deeper shaft. If killed, her ledger and last words carry the same warning.
Running Notes
Recommended party: Four characters of 1st level; a healer and a character with darkvision are helpful.
Session Zero
Establish safety tools before play: claustrophobia, drowning, body horror, and mind-affecting horror are all present. Use lines and veils, the X-card, and open-door policy. Confirm the table wants a tense dungeon crawl with blue-lit horror and mining-camp grit. No PvP without consent. Keep Veska's violence off-screen against noncombatants. Agree that the Deep Choir is a distant threat in Act I, not a foe to fight now.
Scaling Guidance
For three players, remove one official monster from each encounter and let Veska retreat early. For five or six players, add one Cultist to the Sunken Vault and Echo Shrine, and give the gallery rats maximum hit points. If the party is 1st level, avoid running the Echo Shrine as a straight fight; let Veska bargain, use the lantern smoke as a hazard, and have Mara's guards absorb one round of attacks. Use milestone leveling: 2nd level after the Collapsed Gallery, 3rd after the Echo Shrine.
DM Advice
Keep the blue lanterns as a recurring signal: bright near cultists, dim near safety. Let Mara, Brannoc, Ivel, and Halden carry the camp's stakes. Play Veska calm and maternal; she offers work before a grave. Use the pump and lantern ring as terrain, not just scenery. End Act I by naming the Deep Choir and showing another blue lantern burning somewhere it should not.
Secrets & Clues
- The blue lanterns burn blue because echo-salt dust reacts to the Deep Choir's dreaming; they brighten near cultists and dim near the pure of heart.
- Veska Mourn is only a lieutenant of the Deep Choir, buying time for something far older and deeper beneath Hollowrest.
- The old mine was sealed after miners broke into a shrine older than the hill, not because the silver ran dry.
- The cult's pump drains the stair to the Echo Shrine; stopping it opens the way down and reveals the lantern ritual.
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Villain Character Sheets
Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow
Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow, is a tall, patient woman whose presence arrives before she does: the smell of cold salt, the hush of a veil…
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign generations include one villain sheet. Additional villain, NPC, and player-facing module character sheets are available in premium campaigns.
Subscribe NowMonsters & Enemies
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign encounters use official monster sheets, plus the campaign villain character when referenced. They do not include generated custom monster sheets. Subscribe to create custom campaign monsters and enemy stat blocks.
Subscribe NowVillain Plans
Veska Mourn, the Lantern Widow Character Sheet
Motivation
She seeks the echo-salt vein beneath Hollowrest to fuel a ritual that will wake the Deep Choir, the greater power she serves, and earn a place beside it.
Personality
Soft-spoken, patient, maternal; treats violence as tidying. She offers the party work before she offers them a grave, and she never raises her voice.
Resources
- A cell of cultists in the flooded vaults
- Echo-salt dust that lets her see in darkness
- The drowned shrine of the Lantern Below
- Knowledge of the old mine roads
- A hidden escape skiff
Battle Plan
Veska opens with lantern smoke and a calm offer to leave. If refused, she sends cultists forward, uses echo-salt dust to blind and confuse, and retreats at half hit points toward the deeper Deeps. She never fights to the death unless cornered.
Defeat or Redemption
Veska can be killed, captured, or bargained with. If spared, she reveals the Deep Choir's name and the location of a deeper shaft. If killed, her ledger and last words carry the same warning.
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Level Up to Premium!Encounters
Blue Lanterns, Dead Air
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 1–2
Mara Quill walks the party to the gallery mouth, then returns to camp. In the chamber, vermin have been drawn by spilled food and the smell of salt. The missing diggers are hiding behind a fallen beam.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Broken pit props create difficult terrain and half cover. Blue lanterns shed dim light and make Stealth harder near the center. A slick beam crosses a shallow sump; crossing it requires a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Treasure
A cultist salt charm lies in the rubble, cold to the touch. The hiding diggers carry 5 sp and a scrap of chalk-marked cloth. Brannoc's old supply cache is nearby with three barrels of oil.
DM Notes
For a stronger party, add 1 Giant Rat and 1 Stirge. For a weaker party, remove 1 Giant Rat and have the stirges arrive on round 2.
The Surveyor's Price
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 2
Halden Voss directs the party to the cult pump and ledger. Cultists arrive to protect the pump while skeletons rise from flooded niches. Halden cannot walk but can read the ledger aloud.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Black water is difficult terrain and hides the skeletons until they rise. The pump wheel is a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check to jam or a DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to sabotage quietly. The ledge gives Halden half cover.
Treasure
The cultist ledger names Veska Mourn and mentions the Choir beneath the salt. Halden's map shows the stair to the Echo Shrine. The cultists carry 12 gp and two salt charms.
DM Notes
For a stronger party, add 1 Cultist and 1 Skeleton. For a weaker party, remove 1 Skeleton and let the pump jam after one successful check.
The Widow's Lantern
Encounter Builder
High
Suggested Level: 2–3
Mara Quill arrives with two camp guards and holds the stair. Veska Mourn offers the party safe passage if they leave. If refused, she fights with her cultists and uses the lantern ring as cover.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Slippery shrine steps require a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to cross quickly. The lantern ring creates dim light and smoke; a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check can disrupt the ritual. The salt-crusted fissure is difficult terrain.
Treasure
Veska's salt-stained veil, a ledger fragment naming the Deep Choir, and 30 gp in cult offerings. The lantern ring holds three usable blue lanterns.
DM Notes
For a stronger party, add 1 Cultist and give Veska one extra escape route. For a weaker party, remove 2 Cultist and have Veska retreat at the first sign of serious injury.
Magic Items
Blue-Vein Lantern
Completed
Blue-Vein Lantern
Uncommon
A brass miner's lantern with a cracked blue glass pane. It burns steadily near echo-salt and flickers when cultist chalk marks are within 30 feet.
Location
Act I: found in Brannoc Tallow's stall or the old supply cache in the Collapsed Gallery.
Attunement
False
Salt-Charm of the Quiet Step
Completed
Salt-Charm of the Quiet Step
Uncommon
A cold salt-charm on a leather cord, scratched with a faceless choir. While worn, it muffles footsteps in flooded tunnels and dims blue lantern light around you.
Location
Act I: taken from a cultist in the Sunken Vault or the Echo Shrine.
Attunement
True — by a creature that has touched echo-salt
Surveyor's Echo Compass
Completed
Surveyor's Echo Compass
Uncommon
Halden Voss's brass compass, its needle replaced by a sliver of echo-salt. It points toward the nearest salt vein and pulses warmly when cultists are near.
Location
Act I: in Halden Voss's map case in the Sunken Vault.
Attunement
True — by a surveyor, miner, or spellcaster
Player Characters
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