The order of the moon phases (each represented by The skulls must be placed on the bodies in The other seven skulls are scattered throughout the It has a rune carved into theĪ character that makes a successful proficiencyĬheck on arcana or religion will recognize the symbolĪs a moon phase rune representing the third quarter Under seven of theĮight covers they will find nothing. The first instinct of the characters will likely be toĬheck under the dome covers. The eight sets of silver cutlery are worth 5 gp eachĪnd the candelabras are worth 25 gp each. Set out in front of each skeleton is a large Sitting in each of theĮight chairs around the table are skeletal The adventure you can include a Doppelganger as one of the creatures dwelling inside the manor.Ī long finely crafted dining table dominates In the event you need to increase the difficulty of In addition to the strange effects of the wand, Astabar’s familiar (Imp) and some poltergeists willĭo everything in their power to prevent the characters from succeeding. In order to escape they must find a way to cancel the magic zone of weirdness created Once the characters enter the manor they will be trapped inside. The fact that she is dead is one of the key twists in the adventure so you should try and keep it a secret for as long as possible. Rivana’s ghost will attempt to convince the characters to investigate the manor. Now her spirit haunts the area around Havehollow seeking adventurers who would finish what she started and unravel the secrets of the Mad Manor of Astabar.

Her fellow adventures fled leaving her body behind. She was killed by Astabar’s familiar, an imp. Exploring the manor was her first real adventure, and her last. One of these adventuring parties included a young bard by the name of Rivana Greywyre. On occasion the stories attracted adventurers looking to explore the manor and reclaim any magic left behind. The folk of Havehollow avoid the place at all cost. The manor lay abandoned and over the years gained notoriety for the many strange occurrences that took place on its grounds. Astabar himself was trapped in the Ethereal plane where he eventually died of starvation. An explosion of cross planar energy dispersed the magic of the wand throughout the structure of Astabar’s manor. If he could understand the wand, Astabar was certain he could uncover the secret to instantly transform spells from one school of magic to another. Fascinated by the many ways the magic inside the wand could manifest he attempted to magically deconstruct the device. His obsession with magic experimentation was all consuming.Īstabar came into possession of a Wand of Wonder. He was a collector of many magical artifacts and creatures. Twenty years ago the village of Havehollow was the home of a wizard name Astabar the Experimenter.

If you are not the game master for your group this is probably where you should stop reading

The story can be used as a standalone adventure or inserted into an existing campaign as the action takes place while the characters are passing through the village of Havehollow. Neither force nor magic seemed able to pry them, and the group began exploring the first rooms.This adventure can be used with any D20 rules system and is designed for low level characters although can be easily adapted for higher levels. The doors opened easily, but slammed shut when the last party member entered. Completely incongruous with the environment, the rhino was too formidable a foe and drove the party up the stairs and into the house as Laine LaBataille acted as rear guard. Charging through the growth was, surprisingly, a rhinoceros. The grounds were covered by unnatural growth determined to be magical, with grasses taller than the party obscuring vision and slowing movement.Īs the party entered the grounds, it became clear that they were not alone. The Manor’s wide front steps lead to a double door, and a smaller entrance was observed at the residence’s side. The property was surrounded by a crumbling brick wall with a rusted iron gate. The Manor rested on a rise in a small clearing. The woods grew denser as the maintained lumber concern was left behind and the open wood gave way to an ancient forest. The party, led by Rivana Greywyre, left Havenhallow in search of Astabar’s Manor.

The mad manor of astabar map