Guests of Honor
The party are invited guests at Elder Tam's 60th birthday feast in the village of Bramblehollow. When raiders strike mid-toast, the party is the only group armed and able to respond.
Campaign Overview
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A beloved village elder's 60th birthday celebration is shattered when masked raiders crash the party, steal a mysterious heirloom gift, and leave behind a cryptic sigil. The party, gathered as guests, becomes the village's only hope — and their pursuit of the raiders reveals the first whispers of a far greater darkness.
Player Handout
A hand-drawn invitation to Elder Tam's birthday feast, smudged with cake frosting and, later, a single drop of blood.
Free Act I Preview
The Unbirthday Plot
Act I of The Unbirthday Plot covers the ruined celebration, the pursuit into the wilds, and the raiders' camp — culminating in the party's first confrontation with the villain, Vex Marrow, a cunning agent gathering relics for an unseen master.
Adventure Hooks
The Stolen Heirloom
Tam's gift — an old locket said to have belonged to a legendary adventurer — is snatched from the gift table. Tam privately begs the party to recover it, hinting the locket 'must never reach the Hollow Man.'
Act Structure
Act I: The Unbirthday Plot
Recommended level: 3-4A birthday feast is raided, a locket stolen, and the party pursues the raiders through the wilds to Hollowed Rock, where they face Vex Marrow and uncover the first hints of the Hollow Man.
Objectives
- Defend the feast and identify the raiders
- Track the raiders through the Old Forest Road
- Recover the locket and confront Vex Marrow at Hollowed Rock
Scene 1: The Feast Interrupted
Lanterns sway over Bramblehollow's square as Elder Tam raises a goblet. 'Sixty years,' he begins — and then the lanterns go dark, and the screaming starts.
Run the 'Raiders at the Feast' encounter. Let players interact with villagers first; Elder Tam privately begs them to recover the locket. One goblin flees north with the locket on turn 2.
Checks
- Wisdom (Perception) DC 13 to spot the locket-thief's escape route
- Charisma (Intimidation) DC 12 to make a captured raider talk
Clues
- Raiders paid in ancient coins
- A torn scrap of black cloth from a half-mask
Transitions
- Pursue the fleeing goblin north onto the Old Forest Road
Scene 2: Wolves on the Old Forest Road
The forest swallows the road. Somewhere ahead, something is already feeding.
Run the 'Wolves on the Old Forest Road' encounter. The dead raider carries the note signed 'V.M.' and a Coin of the Hollow Circle. Survival DC 12 to continue tracking to Hollowed Rock.
Checks
- Wisdom (Survival) DC 12 to track the raiders
- Wisdom (Perception) DC 14 to notice the wolves before combat begins
Clues
- Note signed 'V.M.' naming Hollowed Rock and the Hollow Man
- Black iron coin with hollow-circle sigil
Transitions
- Arrive at Hollowed Rock by nightfall
Scene 3: Showdown at Hollowed Rock
A crag like a broken tooth rises over the camp. Firelight. Laughter. And a woman in a half-mask, toying with a silver locket.
Run the 'Showdown at Hollowed Rock' encounter with Vex Marrow (villain_vex_marrow). Offer opportunities for stealth, negotiation, or a frontal assault. Vex flees or bargains below half hit points.
Checks
- Dexterity (Stealth) DC 13 to approach the camp unnoticed
- Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) DC 15 to bluff or bargain with Vex
Clues
- Vex's orders bearing the Hollow Man's sigil
- The locket's half-map pointing to a buried vault
Transitions
- Act I ends: the party holds the locket and the first thread of the Hollow Man's trail, leading into Act II
Milestone: Recovering the locket and learning of the Hollow Man advances the party to level 4.
Villain Character Sheets
Vex Marrow
Vex Marrow is a sardonic, theatrical raider captain who treats violence as performance and prefers escape over death. She fights at range w…
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Vex Marrow Character Sheet
Motivation
Vex collects relics and secrets for her masked master, the Hollow Man, in exchange for coin and power. The locket is her latest commission.
Personality
Sardonic, theatrical, and mercenary. She treats violence as performance and prefers escape over death.
Resources
- A crew of goblins and bandits
- Coin of the Hollow Circle (as above)
- Knowledge of the Hollow Man's sigil and dead-drop network
Battle Plan
Vex fights at range with thrown daggers, uses her crew as shields, and flees below half hit points, abandoning the locket if necessary.
Defeat or Redemption
If captured, Vex bargains: she reveals the Hollow Man's sigil and a dead-drop location in exchange for her life. If slain, her orders and satchel reveal the same clues.
Running Notes
Recommended party: 4-5 characters of mixed classes, balanced melee and spellcasting
Session Zero
Discuss tone (light adventure with dark undertones), why each character came to the birthday feast, and any connections to Elder Tam or Bramblehollow.
Scaling Guidance
For weaker parties, reduce goblin counts by one per encounter. For stronger parties, add wolves or goblins and have Vex drink a Potion of Healing mid-fight.
DM Advice
Keep the Hollow Man mysterious — sigils, coins, and secondhand mentions only. Vex Marrow is the ceiling of Act I's power; the true villain remains unseen. Attribution: This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd and licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
Secrets & Clues
- The locket contains half of a map to a buried vault — the Hollow Man seeks the other half.
- The raiders' ancient coins suggest the Hollow Man has access to a long-lost treasury.
- Vex Marrow knows a dead-drop where the Hollow Man's agents leave orders; she will trade this knowledge for her life.
- Elder Tam knew more about the locket than he let on — he recognized the sigil and went pale.
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Villain Character Sheets
Vex Marrow
Vex Marrow is a sardonic, theatrical raider captain who treats violence as performance and prefers escape over death. She fights at range w…
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
Vex Marrow Character Sheet
Motivation
Vex collects relics and secrets for her masked master, the Hollow Man, in exchange for coin and power. The locket is her latest commission.
Personality
Sardonic, theatrical, and mercenary. She treats violence as performance and prefers escape over death.
Resources
- A crew of goblins and bandits
- Coin of the Hollow Circle (as above)
- Knowledge of the Hollow Man's sigil and dead-drop network
Battle Plan
Vex fights at range with thrown daggers, uses her crew as shields, and flees below half hit points, abandoning the locket if necessary.
Defeat or Redemption
If captured, Vex bargains: she reveals the Hollow Man's sigil and a dead-drop location in exchange for her life. If slain, her orders and satchel reveal the same clues.
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Encounters
Raiders at the Feast
Suggested Level: 3-4
Masked raiders crash the birthday party, snatching the locket while others hold the crowd at bay.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Tables and stalls provide half cover; a toppled cake creates difficult terrain in a 10-foot square.
Treasure
35 gp in scattered coins, a silver goblet (25 gp)
DM Notes
One Goblin grabs the locket and flees on turn 2, leading to the forest pursuit.
Wolves on the Old Forest Road
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 3-4
Hungry wolves stalk the party as they track the fleeing raider through the darkening woods.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Dense trees impose Disadvantage on Perception checks; a shallow stream counts as difficult terrain.
Treasure
None, but a dropped raider token (a black iron coin stamped with a hollow circle) is found nearby.
DM Notes
The wolves are drawn by the smell of blood from a wounded raider; his body holds a note signed 'V.M.'
Showdown at Hollowed Rock
Encounter Builder
High
Suggested Level: 3-4
The raider camp beneath a craggy outcrop. Vex Marrow, the raiders' cunning leader, waits with her remaining crew — and the locket.
Creatures
Terrain Features
A 20-foot cliff, campfire providing bright light in a 30-foot radius, and two tents that can collapse (Dexterity save DC 12 to restrain a creature inside).
Treasure
The stolen locket, 120 gp, a Potion of Healing, and Vex's orders bearing the Hollow Man's sigil.
DM Notes
Vex Marrow is represented by the villain character sheet (source_ref villain_vex_marrow) with quantity 1. If reduced below half hit points, she attempts to flee, leaving the locket behind.
Magic Items
Locket of the Wanderer
Completed
Locket of the Wanderer
Uncommon
A tarnished silver locket containing half of an ancient map. While worn, the bearer has Advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to follow maps or tracks. Once per day, the bearer can cast Locate Object.
Location
Recovered from Vex Marrow at Hollowed Rock
Attunement
Requires attunement
Potion of Healing
Completed
Potion of Healing
Common
A red potion that restores 2d4 + 2 hit points when drunk.
Location
Raider camp treasure
Attunement
None
Coin of the Hollow Circle
Completed
Coin of the Hollow Circle
Uncommon
A black iron coin stamped with a hollow circle. When pressed to a closed door or container, once per day it casts Knock. The coin grows colder with each use, hinting at its darker origin.
Location
Found on the dead raider on the Old Forest Road
Attunement
None
Player Characters
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