THE DARKEST NIGHT

A CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE FOR FIFTH EDITION

SHAWN ELLSWORTH

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 Table of Contents
The Darkest Night..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Background................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction and Hooks.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Starting Out.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Encounter 1.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

Encounter 2.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

Encounter 3.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Credits
Author: Shawn Ellsworth
Graphic Design: Dave Jumaquio
Poem: Edward McCulloch

The Darkest Night A Christmas Adventure for Fifth Edition 2.0 published by Tribality.com (Innovaworks Inc.);
Copyright 2016-2019 Shawn Ellsworth.

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 THE DARKEST NIGHT

Iceville was cursed to darkness The evil swore to slay him

In a time long ago But Kringle was so bold
Every nook and cranny He slew it with his power
There, no light would go Bringing light to defeat our foe
Fear and sadness for all As years passed he stayed near us
And the tears oh, they did flow In the forest to the north
For no relief in sight, His workshop full of magic
Did the dawn ever show Children toys do come forth
A stranger came to town He brings them down to Iceville
Coming up the road And slips from house to house
He said he wanted to free Iceville Leaving toys and eating cookies
From the darkness that took hold Not noticed by even a mouse
He said his name was Kringle This day is a thanks to him
A hero from afar away For bringing light to our town
He’d heard our plight in Iceville And he thanks all our children
Promising to hold the dark at bay With presents that abound
The evil feared the hero
And tried to trap him cold
But the children cheered for Kringle
And their love kept him from that hold

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 The Darkest Night is a holiday themed adventure where players battle an ancient
evil to save Kringlefest. This adventure can be used as an outline for any game
system, but the specific details are for four 1st-level adventurers using 5th edition
rules of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.

Background
has a much different plan for this year’s Kringlefest. Krampus
has enchanted Kringle and his helpers and is forcing them
to build an army of toys. This year, Krampus will finally return
Far to the north, the thriving mining town of Iceville survives
Iceville to the darkness that existed before his defeat to
long, cold and dark winters. When the nights are longest, the
Kringle centuries ago.
people of Iceville light up the darkness with candles, song
and the exchange of gifts during Kringlefest. The celebration
is named after the mysterious Kringle, who long ago brought Introduction and Hooks
light to Iceville, after the dark days. But Kringle is most loved,
for giving every child in town a gift during Kringlefest, that he The adventurers can arrive in Iceville the day of this year’s
made in his magical workshop. It is believed by many, that Kringlefest, or they can be locals from Iceville. Either way,
Kringle travels into town on a red sleigh full with presents, the adventurers should learn Kringle’s story from a bard
drawn by eight flying reindeer. Kringle silently enters each performing at the inn’s tavern, or in the town square. The
house without ever being seen by children, or their parents. song/story should detail the exploits of Kringle long ago and
In exchange for the gifts, the children leave treats for Kringle, his workshop full of magical wonders. The name of the evil
which are always gone when they awaken to find their gift. should be kept a secret from the players. Use the adventure
Kringle is actually a benevolent gnome, named Nicholas background as a base for your song/story.
Kris Klaas Kringle, who has made it his life’s work to bring One of the following hooks can be employed to entice
light to the people of Iceville. For nearly 500 winters, this your adventurers into action.
ancient gnome has spent each year creating gifts in his • A young gnome (one of Kringle’s helpers named Holly),
workshop with his helpers. Kringle’s workshop is said to be wearing a pointy green hat, red coat and green tights,
full of clockwork wonders and magical treasures, but it’s exact and red shoes, has stumbled into town and collapses at
location is a secret. the feet of the adventurers. She is in bad shape from the
Over the years, Kringle put on lots of extra padding, cold and only able to whisper “Must save Kringle” and
thanks to the treats, and he is no longer the young hero who points north, before collapsing unconscious to 0 HP. If
saved Iceville nearly five centuries ago. This year, an ancient the adventurers can stabilize Holly, one chance at DC 10
enemy has finally gained back his strength and decided it is Wisdom (Medicine), she stabilizes – otherwise she dies.
time for the darkness to return. Krampus, a monstrous evil,

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 You can choose to have the adventurers cure the stabilized Roll initiative and start a battle against four snow people.
Holly and have her act as a guide, but it may be better The snow people will often choose to hide and drift to get
for her to remain behind and give the adventurers a map. to weaker enemies. Adjust the number of snow people up or
Either way, Holly provides them with a rough, hand drawn down for groups that are larger or smaller than four players.
map to Kringle’s workshop.
• A crazy hermit (Knecht Ruprecht) wanders into town SNOW PERSON
talking of the return of a dark evil. The hermit is a human
Medium construct, neutral
with a long white beard and is wearing a brown robe. If the
adventurers talk to the hermit, he hands them a tattered Armor Class 14
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
map to Kringle’s workshop and tells them that only they Speed 30 ft.
can save Iceville from an ancient, unspeakable darkness.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Further questioning of the hermit can result in nonsense,
more details such as revealing his name, punching, 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) 8 (-1)
screaming or other fun. The crazy hermit could be the Damage Immunities Ice
avatar of a God of light. Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened
Skills Stealth +5

Starting Out
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 8
Languages Understands languages of its creator but can’t
A DC 15 Intelligence (History) check with allow your players speak
to also find out that 480 years ago Kringle defeated a demon Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
that enslaved the people of Iceville. The unspeakable evil Snow Drift. The snow people gain advantage when hiding in
had placed Iceville under a spell of eternal darkness, allowing a snowy environment. Once hidden, a snow person effectively
becomes invisible and can drift up to 15 feet per round as part
it to feed off the fear and sadness of the people. The
of its move until it surfaces. While drifting, a snow person can
monster’s name has been lost to time. If their check is a close not attack.
failure, let them know the same details, just don’t specifically
ACTIONS
mention the monster is a demon.
Ice Claw. Melee Attack: +4 to hit, Hit: 8 (1d6+4) slashing
damage
Encounter 1 Snowball. Range Attack: +2 to hit, Hit: 5 (1d4+2), Range
30’/60’ bludgeoning damage

As you leave town, you find the winding path through a pine
forest to Kringle’s Workshop. After traveling through scattered
pine woods for an hour, the forest thins and you enter a large
clearing lit by the partial moon. Suddenly four piles of snow start
to rise into humanoid shapes that are 30 feet in front of you.

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 Encounter 2
TOY SOLDIER
Having survived the advance guard, the adventurers make it
to the workshop without further incident. Small construct, neutral
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 9 (2d6+2)
On the far side of the clearing you find the path again. After a
Speed 30 ft.
few minutes your group reaches the top of a small hill, you see
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
a large building (120 feet wide by 40 feet deep) on the edge
of a woodlot 200 feet away. Moving around the outside of the 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
building are six short, silhouetted shapes that appear to be on Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened
patrol. On the front right of the building you can make out a Senses Blindsight Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius)
door that appears to serve as the main entrance. passive Perception 10
Languages Understands languages of its creator but can’t
speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Your adventurers have a variety of options available to them
to avoid a tough head-on battle with the toy soldiers. Some Antimagic Susceptability. Toy soldiers are incapacitated
while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel
obvious choices are: magic, the construct must save on a constitution saving throw
Dexterity (Stealth) against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1
minute.
• DC 13 You keep to the treeline and are able to get close False Appearance. While an animated toy solider remains
to the front door. The closest toy soldier is just over 50 feet motionless it is indistinguishable from one of its non-animated
away, patrolling between the adventurers and the building. cousins.
• DC 16 You find a way around all four of the patrolling ACTIONS
soldiers and get to the back of the building. You find a Tiny Musket. Range Attack: +4 to hit, Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing
small entrance at the back of the building which is locked. damage. Ammunition (range 30’/90’) loading
To get past the door requires a DC 13 Dexterity (Thieves’ Bayonet. Melee Attack: +4 to hit, Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing
Tools) check to pick the lock or DC 13 Strength (Athletics) damage.
to break the door open.

Intelligence (Arcana)
• DC 13 The guards are actually toy soldiers animated by
transmutation magic.
Intelligence (Investigation)
• DC13 Four of the toy soldiers appear to be patrolling the
building in a clockwise fashion at regular intervals.
Wisdom (Perception)
• DC13 The figures appear to be soldiers. Two of them are
guarding the front door.
• DC15 The figures are actually toy soldiers.
If they do not find a way to avoid a head-on battle, have
them face six toy soldiers. The toy soldiers should simply
attack their closest enemy or continue to patrol. The toy
soldiers will detect anything that comes within 60 feet using
their blindsight.

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 Encounter 3
KRAMPUS
Now that the adventurers are inside the workshop, the
time for the final battle is near. Trying to sneak into the Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
workshop from the storage warehouse without the notice Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
of Krampus will be difficult and only possible if the group Hit Points 30 (4d8+12)
avoided fighting in Encounter 2. Each PC will need to pass Speed 30 ft.
a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If the majority of them STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
are successful, then award a surprise round to the players. 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 8 (-1)
Otherwise, Krampus is waiting for them.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Opening the double doors on the west side of the Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 15
warehouse, you find the main area of the workshop. The main Languages Common, Gnomish, Abyssal
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
workshop area is 60-foot wide and 40-feet at its deepest
with a 30-foot high ceiling. The room is filled with a dozen Charge. If Krampus moves at least 15 feet straight toward a
target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the
gnomes, in pointy green and red hats, methodically working target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.
away on toy soldiers. At the far end of the workshop sits a
Darkness. Magical darkness spreads out in a 20-foot-radius
six-foot tall monster covered in dark fur with cloven feet, a tail, sphere around Krampus. The demon can cast this spell only
two horns, pointed ears and a long tongue. once and it lasts until he is hit by a successful attack or three
rounds pass. Like the spell darkness, darkvision can’t see
through this darkness and nonmagical light can not illuminate
Roll initiative and begin the battle. The players will face it. His innate spellcasting ability is Constitution (spell save DC
13).
off against two toy soldiers and Krampus. Krampus will
use darkness early on and then focus on charging with his Enchant. Krampus is already using this power to control
Kringle and his helpers. His enchant ability will end once he is
horns to gore them. The toy soldiers should simply attack
knocked unconscious or is killed.
the closest PC. If the battle is too tough for you players, you
ACTIONS
could have one or two gnome helpers (commoner) wake
up from the enchantment using whatever they can find as Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, Hit: 9 (2d6+2) piercing
damage.
weapons (using the stats for club) or throw a healing potion
to a player. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, Hit: 6 (1d6+2) slashing
damage.

The monster turns and looks right at your group and lets out a
huge roar. The roar extinguishes the candles and plunges the
large workshop into near darkness.

• Only the fireplace to the north provide dim light in a 20

foot radius, casting long shadows that end in the darkness
beyond.
• Encourage your players to use pillars, crates, tables, and
desks around the room for cover.
Have Krampus throw out some quotes each round.
• “I am Krampus and Iceville will live in darkness forever.“
• Before casting Darkness: “Are you afraid of the dark?”
• “I will grow in power from the pain and sorrow of the
children trapped in eternal darkness.“
• “The children will be getting no presents this year, only
pain.“
• “I have been planning my return for centuries. What is a
few moments to destroy all of you?”

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 Conclusion
Congratulate your players on saving Kringlefest. As you leave the workshop, you notice a crew of gnomes are
Most of the gnomes, no longer enchanted, cheer and readying the sleigh out front, loading it with bags and parcels
thank each of the adventurers with hand shaking, pats on and hitching eight reindeer to it.
the back and hugs. The rest of them work to open a crate
and an old bearded gnome is pulled out and untied. He
introduces himself to the players as Kringle. Kringle is an old
Some ideas for Kringle’s presents:
gnome with a kind, jolly looking face. Kringle is wearing a red
coat and hat trimmed in white fur. He is tall and plump for a • a living clockwork of their favorite animal
gnome and strokes his long white beard while talking. • a “robot” companion… could be an owl, dog or even as
Have Kringle thank each of the heroes by name and give large as a flying mount.
them all a personal gift for their part in stopping Krampus. • a box with a lid, that when opened will fill with their
Try to make it special, magical and tailored for each player, favorite food (once per day)
like Kringle knew they’d be visiting him. You could have • a musical instrument that plays on its own
Kringle ask the PCs leading questions such as what is your • any magic item that ties into a PCs backstory
favorite animal, hobby, or food to get ideas before you
reveal the gift.

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The Darkest Night A Christmas Adventure for Fifth Edition 2.0 published by Tribality.com (Innovaworks Inc.); Copyright 2016-2019 Shawn Ellsworth.

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