The PCs are traveling through a shortcut pass along the mountains when a lost female adventurer is seen wandering through the forest. When the players approach the adventure she tells them that something strange is happening in a cavern a few miles from here after a strange arcane storm passed through the area days ago. With this mystery presented to the PCs can they solve the mystery at The Barrow of Bupilsu.
This is a one-shot adventure for four level 6 PCs.
Six W’s
Who are the enemies in this One Shot?
Adult Oblex, Deathlock Mastermind, Cultist, Gauth, Oaken Bolter, Stone Defender, Drow Mage Chitine, Dust Mephit, Traps
What has happened to cause the PCs to fight?
The PCs are traveling through a mountain range to get to a dwarven supply depot deep inside of a mountain range to the north. Along the way, they discover a shortcut through a series of switchbacks that can save them two days of travel. As the party travels this shortcut they notice signs of relatively recent use. A Survival 12 indicates the passage of several footprints five days prior as well as a relatively recent set of footprints that seems erratic. From there the PCs can track the erratic footprints easily until they notice a young woman dressed in studded leather wandering aimlessly in the distance.
If approached the young woman will frantically appeal to the PCs to save the rest of her party from a strange dwarven stronghold alongside this part of the mountain range. She will tell the party of her group’s travel to this dungeon to seek out treasures as well as some of the creatures that they fought along the way. She warns the PCs of strange magical happenings that happened roughly three days ago and ended up in her not remembering what she has been doing since that time. Her first new memories are of the PCs finding her in these very woods. With a Perception check of DC 15, the PCs will notice that she gives off a faint smell of sulfur. If the PCs ask her about it she will say that the dungeon has a strong smell of sulfur that seeps into every pore.
If the PCs want to know about the history of this dungeon they would need to make either a DC 15 History or Persuasion Check.
Where is this encounter happening?
This encounter is starting off on a well-traveled hiking trail along a forested ridge line up to a large dwarven supply depot deep in the mountain ranges to the north. Once the PCs agree to take the switchbacks they will encounter the female adventurer some ¼ mile from the actual dungeon.
The entrance to the dungeon is on the western side of the map. A rocky trail leads to the doorway entrance.
When did this happen?
The PCs meet Trista Lance a day after they have traveled along the switchback as they are looking for a place to set up camp. It is here where Trista tells the party of her adventuring party exploits some five days ago as they were exploring the dungeon. She remembers taking this same switchback as well as adventuring deep into the dungeon with her party some five days prior. It is around that time that a strange magical storm rolled through the area creating sparks of purplish energy throughout the dungeon. Her last memories were of her running towards the entrance. From the survival check from earlier, the footprints were two days old.
Why are the PCs here?
The PCs are here to help rescue Trista’s old party and delve into the depths of the arcane-infused dwarven stronghold.
How will the PCs deal with this problem?
Once the PCs decide to head into the dungeon they will enter via the western side of the map closest to Room 3. It is here where the PCs will enter the winding tunnel with glowing crystals lighting the way every 20 ft, giving the whole dungeon a dim illumination. As the PCs make their way through this dungeon they will encounter creatures that give off similar scents of sulfur to that of Trista. The humanoid creatures fought inside of this dungeon are various Sulfurous Impersonations that broke free from the two adult Oblexes in this dungeon. When the arcane storm passed through it gave life to the impersonations that were stuck inside of each Oblex. Trista was the first of the impersonations to regain their freedom and fled as far as she could to find help in clearing this dungeon. Room 4 is where the Adult Oblex with strange eldritch powers will reside. It will attempt to rejoin Trista back to itself unless the party intervenes and stops it from doing so.
During their battle through this dungeon, they will encounter all sorts of creatures that have an arcane touch to themselves.
NPCs of Note
Trista Lance– Is a female half-elven rogue with russet brown curly locks, tanned skin, and green eyes. She was the leader of a group of adventures known as The Wanderers. During their trek through this very dungeon, they would encounter the two Oblexes and ultimately lose their lives in battling them. Once the storm struck Trista managed to regain her form and separated from the Adult Oblex in Room 4. She ran from the dungeon and sought out help. Now that she has the help she intends on using her new lease on life to avenge her friends and defeat the horrors of this dungeon once and for all.
https://ddb.ac/characters/71151446/kw5sSt
Maps
The Barrows of Bupilsu (DM Map)
The Barrows of Bupilsu (PC Map)
Encounters & Treasure
Listed in the PDF
Epilogue
With the defeat of the eldritch Adult Oblex and the rest of the denizens of this dungeon, Trista will have the closure she wanted. She will gather the bones of her friends and herself and seek to give them a proper burial in the woods outside of the dungeon. Though she is no longer herself, Trista will still feel the urge to adventure but will need to find time to deal with everything that transpired in the dungeon for now. She will offer to aid the PCs in locating all of the treasure in the dungeon before heading off to bury her friends and herself.
Shoutouts as always to https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/ for being an amazing resource in creating this one-shot adventure!
