To Kindle A Life: A Homebrew Adventure

by Mina Guadalupe

Background

Every Curbita has a small flame within their body that is one with their soul. When a Curbita is born, their time on earth is limited without their flame. A normal flame is not enough to sustain a sproutling, they require a specific form of fire. This flame originates from an ancient, sacred flame found in the bonfires of Cyronus, the Curbita Goddess of Fire. Once given to a sproutling, the flame grows with them. 

As a nomadic people, when a sproutling is born, the Curbita must find the nearest sacred bonfire. It is the task of the sproutling’s patch members to retrieve the flame and give it to the sproutling before the sproutling begins to wilt.

Adventure Summary 

This adventure is designed for a party of three to six third level characters. It can be used as a stand alone one shot or a game between arcs to give the players a small respite from their usual adventures. 

This adventure follows the party as they venture through a valley filled with magical darkness. They must discover what within is killing those who enter and reach the sacred bonfire deep in the heart of the valley to capture a flame and bring it back to a family patiently waiting for them.

Adventure Hook

The party stumbles over a broken caravan belonging to a small family of Curbita. The Curbita were heading to a bonfire in the middle of a dark valley when their wagon broke down. They now need the party’s help completing the journey.

Arc 1: A Pump-kin in Need

Deep in the Shady Hollows, the party finds themselves walking through seemingly endless miles of woods. It has been days since they last saw any other living creature, even the forest around them has gotten strangely silent. 

Any party member who succeeds in a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check hears the sounds of construction and crackling fire in the quiet forest. 

If the party decides not to make their presence known, a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check to stay hidden in the trees will allow them to listen in to the strange scene in front of them. 

The Broken Caravan 

Ahead of the party, a small wagon is turned on its side. A Curbita male is crouched beside it fiddling with a large wheel that has popped off. He doesn’t appear to know what he’s doing but he’s trying his best. 

He attempts to cram the wheel back onto its axle. It stays for a second before with a sharp pop, it flies off. The Curbita ducks to avoid being hit and groans as the wheel flies off into the trees. 

On the other side of the wagon, six Curbita are together fussing over each other and fixing each other’s injuries. Each Curbita is named below:

• Rowan: the Curbita trying (and failing) to fix the wagon. 

• Juniper: A Curbita in a long button down dress holding a dark blue blanket protectively against her chest. 

• Aspen: the Curbita patch leader overseeing Rowan’s work. 

• Dimples: the injured Curbita

• Hollow: The Curbita tending to Dimples

• Redfield: A Curbita fussing over Juniper. 

When the party makes themselves known, the Curbita stand protectively in front of Juniper. The Curbita aren’t openly hostile but just being careful. Once the situation is diffused, Aspen steps forward to introduce them. 

The party is invited to sit and pass the time with the Curbita as they attempt to fix their wagon. 

Hollow is the patch medic and does his job looking over the party. He is also willing to attempt to heal any injuries the party may have from past adventures. His power is limited but he will help where he can. 

Once the Curbita have warmed up to the party and Juniper and Dimples have been healed, Juniper will show the party what is in the blanket in her arms. 

A small Curbita baby, fresh from the patch, sleeps nestled in the blanket. Its eyes are closed and its yellowish-green skin is gaining a brownish hue. 

The Curbita worry about their sproutling’s browning color but they’re currently stuck. The axle is broken beyond a simple Mending spell. They won’t be able to move anytime soon. 

Hollow explains what happened before the party got there. They were riding down the road when the wagon hit something. It scampered off into the forest afterwards but the damage was done. The wagon’s axle appears to be broken and Juniper and Dimples were injured in the crash. 

The group was on their way to a sacred bonfire that must be used to bring life to the newborn they’re carrying. However, with the injured patch members and the broken wagon, they don’t think they will be able to make the journey in time.

On top of all this, Renfield has heard word that this bonfire they are near is very dangerous. There are stories of creatures lingering in the darkness of the woods around the bonfire waiting for their next meal. The patch members have prepared for their fight against the Flame Guardian but the group is not prepared for anything more dangerous than that. Normally, they would find a safer bonfire to navigate to but their sproutling came early and they are now pressed for time. 

They ask for the party’s help and offer a reward, should the party come back in time. 

Mission Information 

The Mission:

• First, the party must navigate through the dark forest. 

• The party must defeat The Flame Guardian who protects the sacred bonfire and retrieve the flame.

• Finally, the party must return to the Curbita group and give the flame to the Curbita sproutling.

Retrieving the flame 

The Curbita are grateful for the help and offer the party a small hooded lantern with a magical pulsing flame. The party may have questions before they leave and the Curbita are willing to share what information they can. 

Important Information: 

• The sacred bonfire steals all the light around it, leaving the forest of the valley in a magical darkness. The party will need this lantern’s light in order to navigate their way. 

• The light itself inside of the hooded lantern is made from a Curbita’s flame (specifically Apsen’s flame). It will not go out in the magical darkness like other fires will. 

• The light needs to be protected because other lights and flames will not work in the magical darkness. If this light goes out, the party will not be able to replace it and will stumble around in the darkness. 

• They have two days until the Curbita child begins to wilt. They must return before he fully withers.

With all this in mind, once the party takes the lantern and finishes asking questions, their journey can begin! 

Arc 2: A Fire In the Distance

Now that the party has been given their mission, they can start moving forward into the valley of darkness in front of them. The lantern itself is not magical but the light inside of it is. The light seems to burn bright even in the presence of the Darkness spell. 

The lantern itself has an armor score of 10 and 5 hit points. While carrying the lantern, the creature holding it can choose to take the damage that would otherwise be inflicted on the lantern when the lantern is targeted. 

The Dark Forest

When the players set off on their journey, they immediately notice that the darkness around them is more unsettling than normal. The only source of light comes from their lantern and the small bit of light in the distance they assume is the neverending bonfire. 

In the darkness, the sounds of the forest have vanished too. Anyone who succeeds in a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check can tell that the forest has the Darkness spell on it. As the players travel through the woods, tell them about just how empty and quiet the world around them has become. 

The path ahead is just as dark and the players must pass a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check to avoid any of the dangers within the forest. The party can be SURPRISED by The Wailing Darkness at this point if you want to initiate a combat. 

This adventure includes many fun traps that could be set in the forest to impede them. The player holding the lantern has advantage on discovering the traps because they can see better. Here are a couple of suggestions: 

• Bear Trap: (DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) to notice) Anyone who steps into it takes 2d4 piercing damage. It takes a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to pry the trap open. The hurt player’s speed is halved until they are healed. 

• Spike Pit: (DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) to notice or DC 13 Dexterity saving throw to avoid) Anyone who falls into the pit takes 2d6 piercing damage. Without help, it takes a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to get out of the pit. 

• Circles: (DC 14 Intelligence check to notice) The party notices an odd tree that they’re pretty sure they walked past an hour ago. 

After stumbling around in the darkness, the party finds a small unlit campfire that they can stop at. The party can stop here for a rest. If the party decides not to stop, skip ahead to The Dark House. If the party doesn't take precautions when resting (such as having a lookout) then they won't be ready for…

The Ambush 

The party’s rest is interrupted by the monsters lurking in the forest. With a lookout, the lookout can make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice something coming their way. Otherwise, the party will be SURPRISED and a fight against the Shadow Lurkers can begin! 

The Lantern’s Light: The flame in the party’s lantern is hearty but not immune to damage. It can be snuffed out accidentally by the party or intentionally by the enemy.

After defeating the Shadow Lurkers, the party is free to attempt to sleep again but that does not mean the monsters of the valley won’t attack again. A long rest here out in the open is not encouraged. If the party attempts to stay at the camp too long, they will be attacked by Assassin Vines.

The Dark House

Moving forward, anyone who succeeds in a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check navigates through the dark woods well enough and finds their way to a small house. 

As they approach, the party can tell that the house has seen better days. They can investigate the outside of the house and anyone who succeeds in a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check can find that the house is empty (for now). 

This is a good place to have a short or long rest if the party is hurt after the fights they’ve encountered. The party can also try to find out more about the people who used to live in the house. With a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check the party finds several clues as to what happened to the old residence. 

The Bones We Stand On 

The house has several small rooms within it. There is a small living room, parlor, dining room, and kitchen in the front of the house and a bedroom and a bathroom in the back of the house. Part of the back half of the house has a large hole in it with a large nest of disheveled leaves and twigs. 

• Living Room: In the living room, several large bags sit around half-opened. It appears as if someone had been making camp in the house at some point. With a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the party finds two sets of fine clothes, a silver wedding ring (worth 5 sp), a small pouch of 34 gold pieces, and a tiny music box with a mechanical horse inside (worth 10 sp).
  

• Parlor: The parlor has a lot of damage to it. There are large holes in the back wall and everything is dusty. There is a large table with two books of your choice on it. Behind the counter of the bar are two undamaged bottles of liquor/mead. There are also 1d4 iron nails, a torch, and an empty vial. 
  

• Dining Room: The dining room reeks of old food and the smell of copper is heavy in the air. An unfinished meal sits on the table along with the shattered or scattered remains of cutlery and plates. Along one of the walls are several boxes and crates filled with three rations, a silk handkerchief, a tooth of an unknown beast, and a small crossbow.
  

• Kitchen: The kitchen is mostly wood and there is a soft homey feel to it in the soft light of the lantern. Anyone who succeeds in a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check will find cabinets are mostly empty but contain two rations, mess kit, iron pot, and a small dagger. 
  

• The Bedroom: One of the rooms all the way in the back of the house has a strong smell of vegetables before the door is even opened. There is a large scene of carnage in the room. There are yellowing stains throughout this room amongst the broken furniture. With a DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the party can find a well knit blanket, a deck of playing cards, a bit of cloth that, when unfolded, turns into a stylish cap, and a potion of healing. 
  

• Bathroom: In the bathroom, the smell of rotting flesh is heavy. The party finds a large Curbita male floating in the bathtub. A Wisdom (Medicine) check will reveal that he has been there for several months slowly fermenting in the water. His cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma from the pieces of debris from the wall collapsing beside him. A DC 12 (Investigation) check will have the party find a small idol of an unknown goddess, a pair of bronze scissors shaped like a bird, and a large body of a Curbita floating in a bathtub with a golden necklace on (worth 12 gp).
  

• The Nest: The back of the house is completely caved in as if something broke through it. The players can find a small area near the nest filled with old pieces of clothing tossed around in large heaps. In the clothing, with a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check, the party can find a compass, 13 gold pieces, and an old bullseye lantern. The clothing itself looks vintage and is covered in old orange and yellow stains. Everything smells vaguely like old molding vegetables. 

The Pumpkin Eater

As the party investigates The Dark House, they hear the sounds of something heavy moving around outside of the house. Those that investigate discover a large creature just out of view. When they shine the lantern over it, they discover The Pumpkin Eater, a large beetle monster that has taken the territory around the sacred bonfire and made The Dark House its base. The Pumpkin Eater will initiate a fight and the party must defend themselves or end up like the last group that entered the valley. 

After defeating the Pumpkin Eater, the players can continue forward with another DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check to avoid traps and navigate toward the bright light of the bonfire in the distance.

Arc 3: Fire is life 

The bonfire comes closer and closer into view. The sacred bonfire itself gives off 15 feet of bright light and an additional 10 feet of dim light. The bonfire size is 20 feet by 20 feet. Everything around the bonfire seems to beat with the pulse of the flames. 

The party finds that there are no monsters around the area. It’s almost as if the creatures in the darkness refuse to come closer to the light. They are safe from monsters here but the monsters are not the only creatures that will attack them.

The Flame Guardian

From within the fire itself, the flame begins to shake harder and harder. As the party gets closer, they can see the image of a creature beginning to take shape. The Flame Guardian steps out of the bonfire itself in his black metal armor wielding his flaming greatsword. He will not let them pass to the bonfire itself without defeating him first. It’s time for the final fight! 

The Way Back

When The Flame Guardian is defeated, he will step aside and let them pass. They have won their right to the flame. 

The fire within the lantern the Curbita gave them can now be put out and replaced with the new magical flame from the bonfire. Alternatively, the party can use the bullseye lantern they found in the Dark House to hold the new flame for the sproutling. The new flame has the same AC (10) and hit points (5) as the previous flame. 

After they have retrieved the flame, The Flame Guardian will return to the bonfire and dissolve into it once more. The party can return back the way they came with the new flame. 

As they walk, they see the bonfire’s light is brighter than their previous flame. It dissolves the darkness around them and nothing seems willing to engage them while they’re close to it. They can make a peaceful journey back.

A New Soul 

As they reach the opening of the valley, the light of day is blinding. They find the Curbita family huddled together near the wagon. When they bring the lantern over, they see the ritual of bringing the sproutling to life. 

The bonfire’s light pulses in time with the rest of the patch, beating as one. Aspen opens the glass panel and brings the light closer to the small browning sproutling in Juniper’s arms. The second the flame is close enough, the candle within the sproutling’s head catches fire and the little sproutling’s eyes flutter open. It gives a little cough and all of the Curbita all let out a sigh of relief.

As the Curbita all move closer to get a look at the new sproutling, they coo and cheer over the new life. Aspen speaks to Juniper in low whispers and when she nods, he goes to the party. Aspen thanks the party generously and offers them two gifts: a bag of beans and a name. He offers to let the party name the child. 

After the party has decided on a name, they hear a sharp thunk and Rowan tells the group that the wagon has finally been repaired. 

The Curbita are heading to the next town over and they offer the party a ride. The party climbs into the back with the other Curbita who are all cooing over the confused and curious little sproutling. And thus the game concludes, as Rowan guides the wagon down the road. The party will be off again ready for their next adventure and this time with friends to accompany them to the next town!