### _THE QUIET PLACE WHERE SHE PRAYS_ **System:** D&D 5e **Party:** 4–6 PCs, level 8–12 (scaling notes included) **Theme:** Necromancy, Grave magic, Vecna corruption **Goal:** Locate Anora Lynn, stop or resolve her corruption. **Dead Zone Aura (entire dungeon)** - First time per room a PC regains HP: they regain **half** and take the rest as necrotic damage. - Speak with Dead, Revivify, Gentle Repose auto-fail. **Vecna Pressure (tension meter)** Each time a PC casts necromancy/divination or fails a Wis save, add 1 pressure. At 3 pressure: undead gain +1 to attacks. At 5 pressure: Anora gains a new lair action. At 7 pressure: Vecna manifests for 1 round in final fight. --- ### 🕯️ AREA 1 — SILENT GROUNDS ##### ⚔️ Combat Encounter: The Returned **8 Returned Dead** (use Zombies but remove Undead Fortitude, add: _Taskbound – will not leave area unless attacked_) **Terrain features** - Open graves (Dex save or restrained) **Twist:** Each Returned holds a gravestone tool. If reduced to 0 HP, it crawls to a grave and attempts to bury itself unless stopped. **Win condition:** defeat or calm them. **Clue drop:** Anora’s prayer ribbon tied to a grave marker. --- ### 🕯️ AREA 2 — RUINED CHAPEL ##### 🧩 PUZZLE: The Split Altar The altar is split: Left side = Grave symbol Right side = Vecna-like eye/spiral Four braziers sit unlit. Each is engraved: - Birth - Memory - Death - Secrecy Scattered around the room are items: - a baby’s carved bone charm - a prayer scroll - a funeral bell - a locked black box **Correct solution:** |Brazier|Item| |---|---| |Birth|Bone charm| |Memory|Prayer scroll| |Death|Bell| |Secrecy|Closed black box| Lighting them incorrectly triggers: ⚔️ **Combat:** 2 Bone Wardens (Animated Armour + necrotic damage) Correct placement causes the altar to descend, revealing stairs and granting the party **Advantage on first saves vs Anora.** --- ### 🕯️ AREA 3 — PREPARATION HALL ##### ⚔️ Combat: The Hollowed Attendants **Enemies** - 1 Hollowed Embalmer (Wight with cleric spells) - 4 Hollowed (Ghouls, no paralysis) **Room mechanic** Three soul braziers glow. At initiative count 20, one destroyed Hollowed reforms unless a brazier is deactivated. **Brazier puzzle (during combat):** - Religion / Arcana / Medicine DCs to disrupt - Each successful disruption removes reforming and deals 2d10 radiant or necrotic. **Loot** - Anora’s cracked holy symbol - **Bone Key** (campaign artefact) ### 🕯️ AREA 5 — FONT OF STILLNESS ##### 🧩 PUZZLE: Soul Reflection Black mirror-pool. Four stone faces around rim: - Fear X - Hope X - Regret X - Faith X Each player chooses a face and gives a sentence in character. DM secretly notes them. Mechanically: - At least 3 sincere answers = party gains inspiration + boss disadvantage first round. - If not: Vecna Pressure +2. Bone Key activates and unlocks final chamber. --- ### 🕯️ AREA FINALE — TERMINAL CATHEDRAL ##### ⚔️ BOSS FIGHT: Anora LYNN, CORRUPTED GRAVE CLERIC **Phase 1 – Grave Cleric (100–60% HP)** - Spiritual Weapon - Blight - Blinding Smite - Summons 1 Hollowed per round **Lair actions** - Extinguish light - Bone grasp (restrain) - Steal healing --- **Phase 2 – Anchor Form (60–0%)** Gains: - Necrotic Aura - Reaction: redirect damage to undead - Legendary actions - Bone wings / floating movement --- **Phase 3 – Vecna’s Glance (if Pressure ≥7)** For 1 round: - A random PC’s spell becomes necromancy - A shadow attacks its owner - A secret is spoken aloud (disadvantage aura) ---