The Urn of Dreams lies somewhere within the Palace of Bones, and you’ve been tasked with

finding it. Along the way, you learn you aren’t the only ones in pursuit of the elusive artifact.
To have any hope of recovering the urn before your mysterious rival, you must discover the
palace’s secrets, and use them to your advantage.

The ninth adventure in the Ravenloft: Mist Hunters series of adventures.

An adventure for 6th-level characters.

CONTENT WARNING: nightmares, possession (loss of agency), gore (dismemberment), food (rot), abuse (stalking),
death (execution, mention), confined spaces, oppression (slavery).
Reference the Mist Hunters’ Safety Kit article and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft for tips and tools on running a safe and fun game.

Credits
Lead Designer: Travis Woodall Campaign Narrative Design: Chris Lindsay, Wes Schneider,
Designer: Kat Kruger Chris Tulach
Sensitivity Lead: Ma’at Crook
D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Brandy Camel, Chris Lindsay,
Editor: Ashley Michaela “Navigator” Lawson Chris Tulach

Art Director and Graphic Design: Stacey Allan D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Ma’at Crook,
Artists: CoupleOfKooks, Olga Drebas, Andrew Mar Amy Lynn Dzura, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Travis Woodall,
Cover Illustrators: CoupleOfKooks, Scott M. Fischer, Olga Drebas Bee Zelda
(inset illustration), Stephen Oakley (inset illustration background)
All art provided by Wizards of the Coast and used with permission Playtesters: Daniel Franco, Daniel Oliveira, Jia Jian Tin

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League,
all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses
are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork
contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.

©2021 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The
Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
 Adventure Primer
You tied your family to this twisted world and now one can’t
exist without the other.
Characters Hooks
The adventure picks up immediately after the events
—Agatha, WandaVision of RMH-07 The City of Dreams. The characters find
themselves at the gates of the Palace of Bones, having
his adventure can be played by three to five been tasked with finding the Urn of Dreams in the
6th-level characters and is optimized for four palace library.
6th-level characters.
The Palace of Bones occurs in I’Cath, a domain trapped Cloistered Scholars and City
in the dream of a Darklord.
Watch
Background Characters with the cloistered scholar background receive
preferential treatment at the library as a professional
Continuously impressed by their accomplishments, courtesy; they have advantage on Charisma checks
ALANIK RAY, an investigator hired by the ORDER OF made to interact with the Curator. However, because the
GUARDIANS, dispatches the heroes to I’CATH, a domain library is a place of such importance, these characters
of dreams and the pursuit of unachievable perfection. are highly suspect to the jiangshi agents patrolling the
The trail of clues found in KARTAKASS, FALKOVNIA, palace—imposing disadvantage on Charisma checks
and BAROVIA has led them to the URN OF DREAMS— made to interact with them. Characters with the city
which Alanik believes can be found within a library in watch background easily notice the jiangshi watchtowers
the PALACE OF BONES, the home of the domain’s around the palace. These characters have advantage
DARKLORD, TSIEN CHIANG. on Intelligence (Investigation) checks when searching
The doors to the Palace of Bones lie open before them. for Minister Suen and other jiangshi agents within the
palace. Unfortunately, their presence spells trouble for
Overview the minister; imposing disadvantage on Charisma checks
The adventure’s story is spread over two parts and takes made to interact with jiangshi.
approximately 3 hours to play. The adventure begins
with a Call to Action scene. “Extending Play” sidebars I’Cathan Characters
in the adventure provide guidance on how to expand the A character from I’Cath is someone who managed to
adventure to occupy a roughly four-hour time slot. These escape from the control of the Darklord Tsien Chiang, a
estimations don’t include time spent in pregame and perfectionist mastermind whose jiangshi agents carry out
postgame discussion: her work. Minster Suen, who leads the jiangshi, would
Call to Action: The Gates of Bones. The characters arrive find their escape unacceptable since all I’Cathan residents
at the Palace of Bones to find the gates mysteriously have the responsibility to strive for perfection within the
open. Their view is impeded by a spirit screen protected city. Such a character faces exceptional scrutiny under his
by a glyph of warding. watch and is surely marked for death if discovered.
Part 1: The Palace of Bones. Once inside, the characters
must search the grounds for clues to the library’s location
before Tsien Chiang returns at dawn. Not only are the
characters in a race against time, but they quickly come
to realize a competitor is also searching for the urn.
Part 2: Shhh! Entering the library, the characters are met
by the collection’s protector, the Curator. The construct
must be dealt with in one way or another before the Urn
of Dreams can be retrieved.

Story Awards
At certain points in the adventure, you may
see this glyph along with an entry describing
how the specified story award is earned or
how it impacts the story. Ignore the entry if
it refers to a story award none of the characters have. If
OLGA DREBAS

it refers to a story award the characters just earned, the

entry instead provides information for you and the players.

3
 CALL TO ACTION:
The Gates of Bones
Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Ravenloft: Mist Hunters adventure), Alanik promotes the
characters to lead field operatives within the Ray Agency.
he adventure beings exactly where RMH-07
While this means additional duties—such as searching for
The City of Dreams left off—with the characters
the urn—it also means opportunities for greater rewards
standing before the slowly opening gates to the
and other possible benefits, firsts and foremost being the
Palace of Bones.
removal of the gp limit on nonmagical equipment that the
The characters are in I’Cath, having been sent to locate
characters have access to.
the Urn of Dreams. After investigating the city, they spoke
with the Darklord’s daughters to gain more clues. After
accomplishing their goal, they must escape the domain—a
Outfitting for the Investigation
difficult task considering that the only way through the Before proceeding on this leg of their investigation,
misty borders is by the Four Trees Gate—which is never the characters decide what they brought with them on
found in the same place twice. Once there, the characters their journey:
have a Mist talisman keyed to Dementlieu, a tarnished Mundane Equipment. The Order of the Guardians has
silver shrimp fork, that they can use to return to Alanik offered the characters access to its substantial resources
Ray—hopefully with the urn in their possession. to aid in their investigation. Each character has access to
Themes: psychological horror any mounts and nonmagical equipment from the Player’s
Handbook, as well as the material components for any
I’Cath spell they have prepared (or known for casters who don’t
prepare spells). Following the characters’ promotion, the
Darklord: Tsien Chiang
Hallmarks: Endlessly changing labyrinth, inescapable gp limit on these acquisitions has been removed. The
dreamworld characters are still bound to the normal rules regarding
When the inhabitants of I’Cath fall asleep, they enter an carrying capacity and, at your discretion, may find them-
alternate version of the city they call home—a city dreamed selves in a situation that precludes being able to haul
into being by the domain’s Darklord. Over time, these poor around too much—while their resources are great, the
souls can’t remember which version of I’Cath is real and Order discourages frivolous requests.
which is the dream. Magical Equipment. As they adventure, the characters
In the physical world, I’Cath is a twisted maze of row houses “unlock” magic items for later use. The group begins
and windowless walls. It’s also hauntingly quiet; most of the this adventure with one copy of each of these unlocked
residents lie slumped against walls, in the street, or wherever
items and then decides who’ll use them. At the end of the
they may have succumbed to sleep. These unfortunate souls
adventure, each item is returned to the character who
are trapped in a collective dreamworld created by Chiang.
Within this shared dream, they labor without end—striving brought it with them. Magic items that are destroyed or
to create their Darklord’s impossible, perfect city. Jiangshi that lose their magic, such as a quaffed potion of healing or
emerge from their tombs each night to reshape the city and an exploded horn of blasting, however, are removed from
hunt down those who’ve woken from the dream. the character’s investigation journal and are no longer
For more information about I’Cath, refer to Van Richten’s unlocked; the character must find another one if they want
Guide to Ravenloft. to use it in a later adventure. The character who brought
an unlocked item to the table has ultimate discretion in
who gets to use it. They should, however, note that their
Character Introductions investigations require teamwork and cooperation.
Allow each character a minute or so to introduce their
character, describe their appearance and mannerisms, Example: Outfitting for Investigation
and the reason they’re here. Give everyone equal time in Peter’s character, Gregov the Fighter, is preparing for their
the spotlight and be prepared to gently stop people if they next adventure. He requisitions a greatsword, a longbow
run on. Character introductions are crucially important for and some arrows, and a suit of plate armor. He’s also heard
the players to understand who the other characters are, to rumors of werewolves, so he asks for a silvered dagger . . .
build a basis for roleplaying opportunities, and for you, the just in case. In his previous adventures, Gregov unlocked a
DM, to learn more about the characters so you can create horn of blasting and a potion of healing. The group decides
story elements that really speak to the characters. who should carry the horn and the potion. At the end of the
adventure, both items are returned to Gregov. However, if a
Award inspiration (explaining what inspiration is and
character uses the potion, or if the horn of blasting explodes
how it works) once everyone’s had a turn. during the adventure, Peter crosses it off the investigation
journal where it was unlocked.
Promoted!
Impressed by the characters’ investigation in previous
adventures (or by their reputation, if this is their first

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4 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
 Order of the Guardians Ring
Characters with this magical ring (more information
can be found in the Mist Hunters Safety Kit article) can
obtain another dose of the anti-charm tonic from Alanik—
provided the last dose they obtained has been used.

The Bagman’s Gambit

In addition to their own equipment, the characters were
lent the use of a magical container called the Bagman’s
Gambit (handout 1). This item is returned upon returning
to Dementlieu.

Entering the Palace

The palace wall stands high before you, an imposing
fortification with a decorated pavilion above. Five white
gates glint in the moonlight, constructed of polished bone.
The archway of the central gate is ornately engraved. A slow
creak breaks the eerie silence.

All five gates swing open as the characters approach.

The gate is divided into two levels: the fortress like base
structure, and the more elaborate, palatial upper level, all
made of bone. The upper-level pavilions have unobstructed
views of the city. The ground level has five entrances,
the central one of which is reserved exclusively for the
Darklord’s use and is decorated in a flame motif.
A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check notices well-worn footpaths in all but
the central passage, indicating that the other entrances
are more heavily trafficked. In fact, the central passage
is trapped.
The bone gates close behind the characters after the last
one passes through.

Central Passage Trap

When a creature other than Tsien Chiang or her daughters
moves 15 feet into the 30-foot-long corridor, they trigger
the glyph of warding engraved on the ceiling. The glyph
requires a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check to spot. Any creature that isn’t specifically
investigating the ceiling has disadvantage on the check.
The glyph contains a phantasmal force spell (save DC 15)
that creates an illusion of a collapsing roof made of bones.
A creature who fails the saving throw is knocked prone
and restrained (escape DC 15) under the perceived weight
Sleeping Dragon Trap
This haunted trap triggers when a creature other than
of the bones. At the start of its turn, a creature restrained
Tsien Chiang or her allies approaches within 5 feet of the
in this way takes 3 (1d6) psychic damage—which it
wall. The trap’s emanation manifests as a Gargantuan
perceives as bludgeoning damage.
ghostly gold dragon. When the dragon appears, any
The Gates of Bones creature that can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom
saving throw or become frightened of it for 1 minute. If
A 50-foot-wide, 15-foot-tall wall of bone blocks the a frightened creature ends its turn in a location where it
characters’ view upon reaching the end of the corridor. doesn’t have line of sight to the dragon, it can repeat the
The wall is detailed in exquisitely carved mountains with saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Each
a sleeping dragon nestled between them. The wall is creature within a 20-foot-radius sphere (use a point along
trapped. A character notices a haunted emanation coming the wall 5 feet from the triggering character) must make
from the wall with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) thunder
of 14 or higher. Regardless of whether they interact with damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
ANDREW MAR

the wall or not, characters may reach the inner court by successful one. The dragon doesn’t pursue the characters
navigating around the wall to the east or west. and disappears after 1 minute.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
5
 PART 1:
The Palace of Bones
Estimated Duration: 2 hours encounter occurs. To determine what the characters
encounter, consult the Random Encounters table below.
he characters must explore the Palace of Bones
in order to locate the library. If they treated
peacefully with Tsien Wai-Ching, Darklord Tsien Random Encounters
Chiang’s daughter, they already have a lead on where d8 Description
the Urn of Dreams might be located. They soon learn, 1 Many ghosts haunt the palace. This particular ghost
however, that they aren’t the only ones in pursuit of the was executed by Minister Suen and is searching for a
mysterious artifact. loved one.
Themes: Surprises around corners, dark shadows, “What 2 A horror trinket (see Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft).
was that?”
3 Minister Suen, a jiangshi, is heading out of the palace

The Inner Court to deliver blueprints to the jiangshi agents who build
Chiang’s perfect city. (See “Dramatis Personae.”)
This area can be accessed via the east and west walkways
4 2d6 crawling claws skitter around the area. One wears
around the entrance screen.
a signet ring belonging to a wealthy former resident of
I’Cath.
The palace’s inner court is enclosed on all sides by a 5 1d4 I’Cathan commoners search for rations and a
fortified wall made of bones. Watchtowers loom in darkened means of escape while hiding from jiangshi.
corners. A pale bridge leads over a shimmering moat toward 6 A wizard’s rat familiar attempts to hide in a character’s
the palatial halls. The elaborate architecture is hauntingly backpack. It makes a Dexterity (Stealth) check contested
beautiful, yet ancient and unmaintained. by the character’s passive Wisdom (Perception) score.
If the rat loses the contest, the character sees the rat
The palace walls and supports are built from the bones crawl into the backpack. If the rat wins the contest, it
of those who died as a result of the Darklord’s harsh waits until the character takes a short or long rest before
governance over her homeland. A 20-foot-high wall stealing a magic item and scurrying away.
encloses the inner court. Within the walls are rooms that 7 A scrap of ghost hair silk.
can be accessed by doors leading from the inner court or 8 See “Competing Interests, below.”
connected by hallways. Pavilions top the watchtowers on
each of the four corners. At the center of the court, wide
steps lead up to a two-story building with arched bridges Competing Interests
that connect the upper level to smaller buildings to the As the characters explore the palace, they’re occasionally
east and west. made aware of a presence lurking nearby. Roll a d10 on the
Competing Interests table and read the descriptive text aloud.
Area Features
Although the palace grounds retain some of their former Competing Interests
splendor, everything has deteriorated with age. The blue- d10 Description
tiled curved roofs were once colorfully glazed but are now 1 You catch a glimpse of a humanoid silhouette.
dull and faded. Ornamental columns at entryways are
carved with exquisite floral designs now worn by time. The 2 The sound of footsteps patter on a tiled roof nearby.
following features are common throughout the palace: 3 You have an uncanny feeling you’re being watched.
Ceilings. Unless specified otherwise, ceilings in the 4 A set of footprints on the ground ends abruptly.
palace interior and fortification walls are 8 feet high in 5 An unseen presence sneezes nearby.
corridors and 12 feet high in rooms.
6 Something moves past you, but you don’t see it.
Lighting. All areas of the palace are unlit unless noted
otherwise. 7 An unknown shadow is cast on the floor, but it
Staircases. Stairs in the palace are made of bone. The disappears just as quickly as you see it.
skulls of dead enemies fill niches along the walls of each 8 The character closest to the exit feels a breath against
staircase. their skin.
9 You hear someone stumble.
Random encounters
10 The sound of furniture scraping across the floor
The first time the characters enter an area of the palace
resounds briefly.
that isn’t otherwise occupied, roll a d10. On a 1, a random

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
6 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
 The same entity that possessed Radaga and Sheyleth
now controls Vaira, a resident of I’Cath, and is also
The Sleeper has Awoken
searching for the Urn of Dreams. For every 40 minutes You’ve awoken Tsien Chiang, the Darklord
the characters explore the palace, Vaira makes a DC 16 of I’Cath.
Strength (Acrobatics) check, a DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth)
check, and a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Keep track of how many successes and failures Vaira Vaira’s Search
accumulates. Vaira’s number of successes determines who Successes Outcome
retrieves the Urn of Dreams during part 2 (see the Vaira’s
0–3 The characters beat Vaira to the urn.
Search table, below). If Vaira accumulates five failures,
they cause too much of a disturbance searching the palace. 4–6 The characters and Vaira arrive simultaneously.
Tsien Chiang (a mage) wakes up and the characters earn 7+ Vaira beats the characters to the urn.
the The Sleeper has Awoken story award. Add one failure
to Vaira’s total whenever the characters trigger a trap in
the palace. Don’t Awaken the Sleeper
While exploring the palace, there’s a possibility the characters
might accidentally awaken Tsien Chiang. Should this happen, she
dispatches jiangshi to investigate and to guard the watchtowers.
Note: If any character has the Family, Reunited story award
from RMH-07 The City of Dreams, Tsien Chiang woke before the
characters arrived at the palace and is in the city itself, attempting
to quell the chaos following the collapse of her dream.

Palace Exterior Locations

The palace exterior has the following locations:

1. Servants’ Room
The north-facing room is located by the eastern access
point to the inner court. The remains of a half dozen beds
are crammed into a plainly furnished room which contains
nothing of value.

2. Watchtowers
Four 30-foot-tall watchtowers overlook the inner court, one
on each corner of the fortification wall.
Creature Information. Although unoccupied when the
characters arrive, Tsien Chiang dispatches one jiangshi
to guard to each tower if she’s awoken, to oversee the
inner court and deal with intruders. Other jiangshi patrol
the grounds, but are only encountered when specified
within the adventure. The guards work in 12-hour shifts,
retreating to the crypts below the mausoleum during the
day. A creature stationed in a watchtower has advantage
on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to notice activity
in the inner court. Each watchtower can be accessed by a
staircase from the first floor.

3. Bridge of Abundance
An arched bridge crosses a 40-foot-wide moat filled with
murky, 15-foot-deep water. Drainpipes from the palace
walls fill the moat, passing under the 2-foot-tall wall that
lines it. Gemstones litter the bottom of the moat—invisible
from above the surface, but a character probing the
moat with a pole or jumping in and groping through the
muck can find them with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. Any character who splashes around in
the moat attracts the attention of carnivorous bone-white
fish (six swarms of quippers).

4. Storehouse and Kitchen

The deserted palace storehouse is attached to the kitchen
by an open archway, through which drifts the sickeningly

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RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
7
 sweet stench of decay. Clay pots and metal cauldrons filled 7. Mausoleum
with moldering, unidentifiable food lay abandoned around The mausoleum is located near the garden within the
the room alongside barrels and crates filled with rotted fortification wall. Inside, a dust-covered statue stands on
provisions such as rice, millet, salted eggs, fruits, and the wall opposite the entrance. Several incense burner
vegetables. Characters who move objects around to search lanterns are knocked over on the floor.
them must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check A character who inspects the statue and makes a
or their noisy activity attracts the attention of Minister successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that
Suen (a jiangshi) in area 5 (unless he has left the palace). it’s built atop hidden stone rollers and can be moved to the
side. A subsequent successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics)
5. Secretariat’s Office
check reveals a 5-foot-square hole in the floor with a steep
The doors to this office are ajar; within the rustling of
staircase that leads down to a crypt roughly the size of
papers can be heard. A character who makes a successful
the inner court. Two stone pillars engraved with “Loyalty
DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check is able to peer into the
rewarded eternally, likewise must treachery be punished”
room unnoticed and sees that it is kept in perfect order.
mark the entrance to the crypt. The crypt houses hundreds
Creature Information. Minister Suen (a jiangshi) sits
of the Darklord’s former soldiers—each represented by a
at a black-lacquered writing desk bent over drawings and
tomb effigy that stands as if awaiting a command.
blueprints; an inkstone, an inkstick, and a brush at his side.
The crypt is suffused with chaotic magic. Any spell cast
If undisturbed, he eventually gathers the documents
within the crypt has no effect and triggers a Wild Magic
and leaves the palace. Otherwise, if the characters
Surge (see the Sorcerer in the Player’s Handbook).
are detected, they must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma
Creature Information. One of the statues—the general of
(Deception or Persuasion) group check to convince him
the army that once invaded I’Cath—is now a stone cursed.
that their presence is of no concern. The minister is
The stone cursed doesn’t leave the crypt and can’t move
privy to many of Chiang’s machinations, but he doesn’t
beyond the stone pillars that mark its entrance.
know the Urn of Dreams’ purpose. He also knows the
A character who destroys the stone cursed or otherwise
library’s general location and that it’s protected from
rids it of its curse is, themself, cursed:
divination magic.

Minister Suen Curse of Moments. At the start of combat, the cursed

creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or,
Jiangshi bureaucrat
for 1 minute, it can’t use reactions, its speed is halved, and it
Minister Suen (SOO-en) has served Tsien Chiang faithfully
can’t make more than one attack on its turn. In addition, the
since she assumed control of I’Cath, overseeing the orders
creature can take either an action or a bonus action on its turn,
for the execution of invaders and the insurrectionists that
rebelled against Chiang’s control. The minister now oversees not both. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
I’Cath’s reconstruction based on the Darklord’s ever- each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
changing plans.
What They Want. The minister wants to retain his position
of power at Chiang’s side, as her chief advisor. The curse can be ended by performing an act of loyalty to
Official Business. Suen is a stoic executor of Chiang’s the Darklord Tsien Chiang or with a remove curse spell.
vision who values orderly conduct and obedience to the
Darklord’s will. He is ruthless toward those who stand
in the way of these plans. Additionally, anyone within 10
The Palace Halls
The palace halls stand in the center of the inner court.
feet of him can hear the wails of those he has executed
in Chiang’s name.
Wide steps lead up to the main palace hall where two worn
statues of animals crouch by the columned entrance. At
6. Scholar’s Garden the top of the steps, a sundial stands between two bronze
This garden fills the entire area behind the palace halls.
A small reflective pool in the center is surrounded by cauldrons. Above, two wings are attached to the second
overgrown foliage and weeds. The garden features peony, story by way of arched bridges.
chrysanthemum, plum, rose, bamboo, almond, peach, and
persimmon.
The statues are guardian animals of some sort but are too
An intricately carved white bench sits by the pool
worn by age to be identifiable. The palace has two visible
with an open book—entitled Four Trees—lying face
wings, each accessible by exterior bridges. The characters
down on it. If the characters treated the daughters with
may enter the palace halls through the open archways at
kindness in RMH-07 The City of Dreams, Man-Yi has left
each of the cardinal directions. To do so, they must walk
a handwritten note in the book that reads “Look to the
up a wide set of steps that surrounds the main building.
stars.” From the garden, the characters have a full view
A walkway surrounds each of the three buildings with a
of view the rear of the palace. A character who makes a
guardrail. The cauldrons are filled with rainwater.
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that
Inside, the grimly beautiful palace displays its splendor
the windows on the back of the upper floor are shuttered.
with elaborate architecture and bone murals, while
The window frames are decorated in constellation motifs.
revealing its neglect with disrepair and emptiness. Areas
1, 2, and 3 are on the first floor while the hidden library
and areas 4, 5, and 6 are on the second floor.

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8 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
 On the northern wall of the gallery is a scroll with a
Palace Interior locations poem entitled Daughters of Emptiness. It reads as follows:
The palace interior has the following locations:

1. Front Hall Four seasons move uninterrupted,

This ceremonial hall once served as the main area for Until another year comes to an end.
hosting foreign ambassadors during diplomatic exchanges. Winter brings cold winds from the north,
Faded and deteriorating scrolls hang from the walls.
Crying plaintively through the mountains.
Treasure. If the characters investigate the scrolls, they
find one that they identify as a spell scroll of haste. Spring thaws the snow into the earth,
Bringing forth the beauty of fresh flowers.
2. Middle Hall Summer heat burns brightly through midyear,
I’Cath was once a radiant center of learning and art, and While autumn ushers in cool days.
the performance hall held many concerts. This hall is open
Then turn to winter once again.
to the gallery above (area 4) with staircases leading up
from the west and east. An ancient zither is placed atop a O light the way to a future unknown.
plinth in the center of the room; it’s trapped. A character
notices a haunted emanation coming from the instrument
Additionally, the northern wall of the gallery is windowless.
with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher.
Characters who noticed the shuttered second-story
Nightmare Trap. When a character approaches within
windows from the garden below, may wish to investigate
20 feet of the zither, the sound of distant, mournful music
further. On closer inspection, the walkway around the
plays for 1 minute. A moment after the music starts,
building leads to the rear of the palace, where false
illusory jiangshi block the exits. Any creature that enters or
windows mark a hidden room. The room is accessible by a
starts its turn within 20 feet of the zither must succeed on
secret door in area 4a.
a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or take on the appearance
of a jiangshi and be forced to dance for 1 minute (per the 4A. Secret Door
seeming and Otto’s irresistible dance spells respectively). The poem in the gallery is a puzzle. Following the words of
If either effect ends before the song finishes, the illusory the riddle, players should light the lanterns in front of the
jiangshi hiss menacingly. If a creature’s saving throw to portraits in this order:
resist the trap or to stop dancing is successful, the creature
is immune to the haunted trap for the next 24 hours. Winter: Tsien Lei-An is dressed in furs with a mountain in
While the music plays, creatures outside the haunted the background.
trap’s area can use an action to inspect a target affected Spring: Tsien Wai-Ching is seated in the scholar’s garden,
by the trap and make an DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) by the pool surrounded by flowers.
check. On a success, it becomes aware that the target is Summer: Tsien Man-Yi poses with a parasol to protect
disguised. When the zither stops playing, all creatures against the summer sun.
affected by the haunted trap are freed from its effects and Autumn: Tsien Seu-Mei stands on the Bridge of Abun-
the illusory jiangshi disappear. dance feeding fish in a moat where red and yellow
leaves float.
3. Rear Hall Lighting the lanterns in this order opens a secret door in
Tsien Chiang once entertained loyal guests in this banquet the northern wall that leads to the library in part 2. If your
hall, throwing lavish feasts and dances with her daughters. players are having trouble solving the riddle, consider
These banquets occurred during a time when her empire alluding to the importance of the weather in the poem
flourished under almost perfect conditions. and that its reference to “lighting the way” may have
The hall hasn’t seen use in recent times and stands some greater meaning. If the characters light the lanterns
in a state of abandonment. Two large ebony tables with in the wrong order, two ghosts appear—likely to attack
elaborately carved dining chairs stand in the middle of the the characters. If the characters are able to placate the
room. The red-and-gold-lacquered walls are chipped and vengeful spirits, the ghosts have information about the
covered in grime. Porcelainware wrought in animal shapes library that the characters may find useful:
and lavish utensils of exquisitely crafted bronzeware can be
found in wooden cases in a nearby bureau. • The library is protected against divination magic from
the outside.
4. Gallery • To navigate the stacks, a character must know where
This area features art collected during Tsien Chiang’s rule: they want to go.
painted urns, ceremonial swords, and paintings—among • A guardian protects the library.
which are four portraits of the Darklord’s daughters. • The library is much larger than it appears from the outside.
Each has an unlit lantern made of fine wood set overhead, Treasure. When the secret door opens, the characters
decorated with spun silk and glass with colored drawings discover a wǎn of fiery spirits.
or patterns. The portraits are situated as follows:
• Tsien Lei-An’s portrait hangs on the northern wall.
5. Western Wing
• Tsien Man-Yi’s portrait hangs on the eastern wall. In this wing of the palace, characters find the residences of
• Tsien Wai-Ching’s portrait hangs on the southern wall. each of the Darklord’s four daughters.
• Tsien Seu-Mei’s portrait hangs on the western wall.

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RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
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 5A. Tsien Lei-An’s Room To Sleep Is to Dream
Many fine but moth-eaten clothes and tarnished
As a bonus action, Tsien Chiang (a mage)
accessories can be found in this room.
causes a creature with this story award that
5B. Tsien Man-Yi’s Room she can see to make a DC 15 Wisdom saving
Beautiful vases adorn the room, each filled with dead throw. On a failed save, it falls unconscious
flowers from the gardens. for 1 minute. Another creature can awaken the creature by
using an action. The creature can repeat the saving throw
5C. Tsien Seu-Mei’s Room at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on
This room is decorated with fish motifs. a success.

5D. Tsien Wai-Ching’s Room

Several toys can be found in this room as if abandoned in
the middle of play.

6. Eastern Wing
The bridge that connects to the palace’s eastern wing
leads to Tsien Chiang’s residences. A statue of a snarling
hell hound rests on the railing in the center of the bridge.
The statue is trapped. If the characters cross the bridge,
they find the doors to this wing locked by powerful
magic beyond their ken. A character notices a haunted
emanation coming from the statue with a passive Wisdom
(Perception) score of 16 or higher.
Vermilion Hell Hound Trap. When a character
approaches within 10 feet of the hell hound statue, the
trap triggers—filling the area with the sounds of distant
snarling and a rush of warm air. Any creature within 10
feet of the statue must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving
throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed in
this way, the creature is incapacitated—content to stare
into the moat below—until it takes damage, or another
creature uses an action to shake it. If the creature remains
charmed for the full minute, it is subjected to the magic jar
spell—their soul entering the statue and being replaced
by the spirit of an angry fiend (save DC 15). Aside from
dispel magic, the spell ends early if the statue is destroyed.
The statue has AC 17, 15 hit points, resistance to piercing
and slashing damage, and immunity to poison and
psychic damage.
OLGA DREBAS
 PART 2:
Shhh!
Estimated Duration: 1 hour
Creature Information
he characters find their way to the library. There,
The Curator (an iron golem) mills about the library,
they find a mysterious creature—the library’s
reading books about dreams and dream interpretation.
curator. Within the library, they find the urn
Another, more malevolent creature may be lurking around
and convince the Curator (through persuasion, guile, or
based on the characters’ progress through the palace—
combat) to release it into their custody. Hopefully, their
Vaira (see “The Possessed Seeker”).
competition hasn’t gotten to it first!
While the characters search for the Urn of Dreams, they
Themes: labyrinth, solving a mystery must contend with the Curator—who is wholly determined
that the characters shouldn’t be there. The Curator wakes
The Library when an intruder takes a wrong turn and fails a Dexterity
saving throw. At that point, the Curator searches the stacks
Once the characters uncover the library, they may enter
for the intruders, who must make a Dexterity (Stealth) group
without obstruction.
check contested by the Curator’s Wisdom (Perception) check.
Treasure. If destroyed, one of the iron golem’s eyes is
Sturdy, floor-to-ceiling shelves made of opalescent stone a magical gem. If crushed in the hand, the gem acts as a
stretch as far as the eye can see. Row upon row of reading potion of stone giant strength.
materials fill an expansive space. The Possessed Seeker
As detailed in part 1, a competitor has also been searching
Only Tsien Chiang’s library sees regular use within the for the Urn of Dreams, using Vaira, a possessed I’Cathan
palace. The Darklord spends her days here, drawing up commoner. Depending on the result of Vaira’s rolls
new plans for her city and analyzing mysterious forces and (see “Competing Interests”), the following outcomes
mystical fortunes in pursuit of the ultimate harmonious are possible:
design. Tsien Chiang’s library in the Palace of Bones holds
secrets about the border between dreams and reality. The Vaira’s Search
characters must find the urn and the information they need Successes Outcome
to leave the domain before Tsien Chiang returns at dawn. 0–3 The characters beat Vaira to the urn.

Area Features 4–6 The characters and Vaira arrive simultaneously.

7+ Vaira beats the characters to the urn.
Tsien Chiang built the library in pursuit of knowledge
that could help her create the perfect city. It has the
following features: Library Locations
Magical Maze. After I’Cath was pulled into the Mists the The library has the following locations:
library was expanded from the smaller, existing one.
The magic the Darklord used to create the library affects
1. The Stacks
perceptions of reality for all intruders within its walls. Tsien Chiang has assembled an impressive library and
Though divination magic works normally within the has acquired books covering a broad range of subjects.
library, divination can’t be used outside the library to It contains over one thousand books, quartos, and
discover any creature, object, or location within it. manuscripts covering the history of I’Cath, illusion and
Bigger on the Inside. Much like I’Cath itself, the library transmutation magic, war, art, and more.
interior continually expands as content is added to it. If the characters search for Tsien Chiang’s study and
Although the library takes up a small portion of the succeed on their Wisdom check (see “Classification
palace’s upper level, the magic stretches it out over many System”) they find an area of the library where a lantern
floors and rooms. enchanted with a continual flame spell hangs above a
Classification System. The library has a unique rosewood table. Intruding into this area alerts the Curator
classification system that relies on a visitor to determine (an iron golem), who confronts any trespassers. Searching
the topic they wish to locate. Whenever a character the table, characters find another poem on a sheaf of paper
searches for a specific location or topic in the library, with an image of an urn in the corner. It reads as follows:
they must make a successful DC 15 Wisdom check to
find that location. On a failure, the character takes a The dragon’s heart breaks
wrong turn and must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving
For the ghosts who stand in ruins
throw to avoid waking the Curator.
Wishing on three stars.

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RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
11
 As the characters explore the library, they may
cross paths with the possessed seeker, Vaira, if they
The Urn is Ours!
haven’t already fled with the urn. Vaira pretends to be a You and your companions reclaimed the Urn
librarian and greets the characters cautiously. While the of Dreams from the library.
characters are still seeking the urn, Vaira attempts to
glean information about the object from them including
what they know about its whereabouts. If Vaira’s ruse is
discovered, they flee until the urn is discovered, at which Investigation Journal
point, they attempt to wrest the urn from the characters. Provide each player with a copy of the Investigation
Journal (handout 2). Before the session is over, each
2. Library Vault player must choose which of the items found during the
If the characters can convince the Curator to reveal the adventure they’d like to keep and line out others.
urn’s location, they send the characters to the library vault.
As a guardian of the library, the Curator doesn’t know how
to access the urn. If the characters fail to convince the
Curator, they must continue to search for clues to the urn’s
whereabouts, which they can find in the Darklord’s study
or by outwitting Vaira.
The vault is a 30-foot-square room with a mirror in each
corner and a driftglobe in the middle. On the floor are stone
tiles, some of which have constellations etched on them.
Constellations. The constellation runes in room are as
follows: dragon, basket, plough, ox, ancient ramparts, net,
three stars, well, ghosts, chariot.
Secret Door. Following the poem found in “1. The
Stacks,” the players must turn the mirrors to light the
runes in the correct order with the driftglobe. Once lit, the
runes glow and a secret door opens in the floor revealing
the Urn of Dreams. The correct order to light the runes is:
dragon, ghosts, ancient ramparts, three stars.
To escape from the palace undetected by the Darklord,
the characters must stash the urn in the Bagman’s Gambit.

Wrap-Up: The Four Trees Gate

If the characters defeat Vaira, they discover that Vaira, like
the ranger Sheylyth in RMH-06 Amber Reclamation and
Radaga, had been possessed by forces unknown (the same
entity in fact). If captured, the entity ends its possession,
restoring Vaira’s mind. They recall nothing of their
possession but the word “Valachan.”
If Vaira escapes with the urn, the Curator relates that
they heard Vaira speaking to themself. The only thing of
note that Vaira mentioned was the word “Valachan.” If
Vaira escapes with the urn, the characters earn the story
award The Urn is Ours!
In either case, the characters are now faced with the
task of finding a way out of I’Cath. Always reluctant to let
her subjects escape her clutches, the Darklord keeps the
misty borders of I’Cath closed at all times. The only way
out of the city is the Four Trees Gate. The Curator knows
of the gate, but not where it is. Search as the characters
may, the only souls who know where the gate can be
found are Tsien Chiang’s daughters. Assuming that the
characters were kind to them earlier, they happily provide
the characters with the gate’s location.
COUPLEOFKOOKS

12
 Dramatis Personae
The following NPCs feature prominently in this adventure:
Tsien Chiang
Minster Suen Darklord of I’Cath
Jiangshi bureaucrat Tsien Chiang rules over a divided domain: a blighted
waking city and a radiant, beautiful city that exists only
Minister Suen (SOO-en) has served Tsien Chiang faithfully
in her dreams. She doesn’t suffers dissent, and is quick to
since she assumed control of I’Cath, overseeing the orders
quell disobedience through the jiangshi that root out the
for the execution of invaders and the insurrectionists
waking residents in attempts to return them to their sleep
that rebelled against Chiang’s control. The minister now
where they serve their Darklord in her pursuit of perfection.
oversees I’Cath’s reconstruction based on the Darklord’s
ever-changing plans. What They Want. Tsien Chiang wishes to see that every
plan is executed to perfection.
What They Want. The minister wants to retain his
Always Renovating. Each evening, Tsien Chiang
position of power at Chiang’s side, as her chief advisor.
dispenses orders for her underlings—and is always
Unliving Majordomo. Suen is a stoic executor of Chiang’s
disappointed when the following night arrives.
vision who values orderly conduct and obedience to the
Darklord’s will. He is ruthless toward those who stand
in the way of these plans. Additionally, anyone within 10
feet of him can hear the wails of those he has executed
in Chiang’s name.

The Curator
Construct librarian
The Curator was created by Tsien Chiang to protect the
ever-expanding library and has guarded the stacks since
the Darklord magically enhanced the library.
What They Want. During its time protecting the stacks,
the Curator has developed an interest in dreams because
they are themself incapable of dreaming.
Bookish Brute. The Curator has knowledge of all parts
of the library and is concerned with the preservation of
the knowledge contained within. Any attempt to destroy
books or other information inside the library is met with
brute force.
OLGA DREBAS

OLGA DREBAS

13
 Creature Statistics
Commoner Ghost
Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment Medium Undead, Any Alignment

Armor Class 10 Armor Class 11

Hit Points 4 (1d8) Hit Points 45 (10d8)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (−2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)

Senses passive Perception 10 Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning,
Languages any one language (usually Common) piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Actions Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages any languages it knew in life
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 60 feet into the Ethereal
Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through other
Crawling Claw creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5
Tiny Undead, Typically Neutral Evil (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Armor Class 12 Actions

Hit Points 2 (1d4) Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) necrotic damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 5 (−3) 10 (+0) 4 (−3) Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane
while it is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet it can’t af-
Damage Immunities poison fect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Horrifying Visage. Each non-Undead creature within 60 feet
Perception 10 of the ghost that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
Languages understands Common but can’t speak saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If the save fails by
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 5 or more, the target also ages 1d4 × 10 years. A frightened
target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
Turn Immunity. The claw is immune to effects that turns, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success.
turn Undead. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it,
the target is immune to this ghost’s Horrifying Visage for the
Actions next 24 hours. The aging effect can be reversed with a greater
restoration spell, but only within 24 hours of it occurring.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning or slashing damage Possession (Recharge 6). One Humanoid that the ghost can see
(claw’s choice). within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving
throw or be possessed by the ghost; the ghost then disappears,
and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body.
The ghost now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target
of awareness. The ghost can’t be targeted by any attack, spell,
or other effect, except ones that turn Undead, and it retains its
alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to
being charmed and frightened. It otherwise uses the possessed
target’s statistics, but doesn’t gain access to the target’s
knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.
The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, the
ghost ends it as a bonus action, or the ghost is turned or forced
out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the
possession ends, the ghost reappears in an unoccupied space
within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to this ghost’s
Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw
or after the possession ends.

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14 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
Iron Golem Jiangshi
Large Construct, Unaligned Medium Undead, Typically Lawful Evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor) Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100) Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
24 (+7) 9 (−1) 20 (+5) 3 (−4) 11 (+0) 1 (−5) 18 (+4) 3 (−4) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic; bludgeoning, Saving Throws Con +8, Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +5
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
adamantine paralyzed, poisoned
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Languages any languages it knew in life
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10 Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t
speak Jiangshi Weaknesses. The jiangshi has the following flaws:
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6
Fear of Its Own Reflection. If the jiangshi sees its own reflection,
it immediately uses its reaction, if available, to move as far
Fire Absorption. When the golem is subjected to fire damage,
away from the reflection as possible.
it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points
Susceptible to Holy Symbols. While the jiangshi is wearing or
equal to the fire damage dealt.
touching a holy symbol, it automatically fails saving throws
Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect against effects that turn Undead.
that would alter its form. Unusual Nature. The jiangshi doesn’t require air.
Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects. Actions
Multiattack. The jiangshi makes three Slam attacks and uses
Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical.
Consume Energy.
Actions Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Multiattack. The golem makes two melee attacks. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Consume Energy. The jiangshi draws energy from a creature
Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage. it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 16
Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) necrotic damage
Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage. The jiangshi regains hit points equal to the amount of necrotic
damage dealt. After regaining hit points from this action, the
Poison Breath (Recharge 6). The golem exhales poisonous gas
jiangshi gains the following benefits for 7 days: its walking
in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19
speed increases to 40 feet, and it gains a flying speed equal to
Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on
its walking speed and can hover.
a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
A Humanoid slain by this necrotic damage rises as a
wight (see its entry in the Monster Manual) at the end of the
jiangshi’s turn. The wight acts immediately after the jiangshi in
the initiative order. If this wight slays a Humanoid with its Life
Drain, the wight transforms into a jiangshi 5 days later.
Change Shape. The jiangshi polymorphs into a Beast, a
Humanoid, or an Undead that is Medium or Small or back into
its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in
each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed
or borne by the new form (the jiangshi’s choice). It reverts to its
true form if it dies.

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RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
15
 Mage Stone Cursed
Medium Humanoid (Any Race), Any Alignment Medium Construct, Typically Lawful Evil

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 40 (9d8) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (−1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 5 (−3) 14 (+2) 5 (−3) 8 (−1) 7 (−2)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Damage Immunities poison
Senses passive Perception 11 Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
Languages any four languages petrified, poisoned
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Senses passive Perception 9
Languages the languages it knew in life
Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to
hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard Cunning Opportunist. The stone cursed has advantage on the
spells prepared: attack rolls of opportunity attacks.

Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation False Appearance. While the stone cursed remains motionless,
1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic mis- it is indistinguishable from a normal statue.
sile, shield
2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion Actions
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly
Petrifying Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm
target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage, or 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing
5th level (1 slot): cone of cold
damage if the attack roll had advantage. If the target is a creature, it
Actions must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, or it begins to
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or turn to stone and is restrained until the end of its next turn, when it
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. must repeat the saving throw. The effect ends if the second save is
successful; otherwise the target is petrified for 24 hours.

Rat Swarm of Quippers

Tiny Beast, Unaligned
Medium Swarm of Tiny Beasts, Unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 1 (1d4 − 1) Armor Class 13
Speed 20 ft. Hit Points 28 (8d8 − 8)
Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (−4) 11 (+0) 9 (−1) 2 (−4) 10 (+0) 4 (−3) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 16 (+3) 9 (−1) 1 (−5) 7 (−2) 2 (−4)
Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages — Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled,
paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Keen Smell. The rat has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
Languages —
checks that rely on smell.
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions Blood Frenzy. The swarm has advantage on melee attack rolls
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
enough for a tiny maggot. The swarm can’t regain hit points or
gain temporary hit points.
Water Breathing. The swarm can breathe only underwater.

Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 14 (4d6 piercing damage, or 7 (2d6)
piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

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16 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
Vaira
Medium Humanoid (Elf ), Neutral

Armor Class 14 (17 with mage armor) Cantrips (at will): chill touch (3d8 damage), eldritch blast
Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32) (3 beams, +4 bonus to each damage roll), minor illusion,
Speed 30 ft. prestidigitation
1st–5th level (3 5th-level slots): armor of Agathys, blight, contact
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA other plane, darkness, dream, fear, hypnotic pattern, invisibility,
11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) major image, vampiric touch, witch bolt
Actions
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +6
Damage Immunities necrotic Multiattack. Vaira makes two spear attacks and casts one spell
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion that takes 1 action to cast.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Shadow Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Languages Common, Elvish one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 8 (1d8 +
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
4) piercing damage if used with two hands, plus 26 (4d12)
necrotic damage.
Burden of Time. Beasts and Humanoids, other than sha-
dar-kai, have disadvantage on saving throws while within 10
Reactions
feet of Vaira. Invisibility (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When Vaira
takes damage, she turns invisible and remains so until the start
Fey Ancestry. Vaira has advantage on saving throws against of her next turn or until she attacks or casts a spell.
being charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep.
Innate Spellcasting. Vaira’s innate spellcasting ability is Legendary Actions
Charisma (spell save DC 16). She can innately cast the Vaira can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
following spells, requiring no material components: below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time
and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Vaira regains
At will: arcane eye, mage armor, speak with dead
1/day each: arcane gate, bane, compulsion, confusion, true seeing spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Vaira fails a saving throw, she Attack. Vaira makes one attack.
can choose to succeed instead. Misty Escape (Costs 2 Actions). Vaira, along with any objects
she is wearing or carrying, teleports up to 60 feet to an
Spellcasting. Vaira is a 12th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting
unoccupied space she can see. Each creature within 5 feet of
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell Vaira before she teleports takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
attacks). She regains her expended spell slots when she finishes Shadow Strike (Costs 3 Actions). Vaira makes one Shadow
a short or long rest. She knows the following warlock spells: Spear attack. After the attack hits or misses, Vaira can
teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space she can see.

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 Venom Troll
Large Giant, Typically Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 94 (9d10 + 45)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 13 (+1) 20 (+5) 7 (−2) 9 (−1) 7 (−2)

Skills Perception +2
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Giant
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Keen Smell. The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)

checks that rely on smell.
Poison Splash. When the troll takes damage of any type but
psychic, each creature within 5 feet of the troll takes 9 (2d8)
poison damage.
Regeneration. The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of
each of its turns. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this
trait doesn’t function at the start of the troll’s next turn. The
troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t
regenerate.

Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and
two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage, and
the creature is poisoned until the start of the troll’s next turn.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Venom Spray (Recharge 6). The troll slices itself with a claw,
releasing a spray of poison in a 15-foot cube. The troll takes 7
(2d6) slashing damage (this damage can’t be reduced in any
way). Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Constitution
saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 18 (4d8) poison
damage and is poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save,
the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t poisoned.
A poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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Handout 1: Bagman’s Gambit
The Bagman’s Gambit
Wondrous item, rare
This backpack has a central pouch and two side pouches, each of which is an extradimensional space. Each side pouch can
hold up to 20 pounds of material, not exceeding a volume of 2 cubic feet. The large central pouch can hold up to 8 cubic feet
or 80 pounds of material. The backpack always weighs 5 pounds, regardless of its contents.
Placing an object in the haversack follows the normal rules for interacting with objects. Retrieving an item from
the haversack requires you to use an action. When you reach into the haversack for a specific item, the item is always
magically on top.
The haversack has a few limitations. If it is overloaded, or if a sharp object pierces it or tears it, the haversack ruptures
and is destroyed. If the haversack is destroyed, its contents are lost forever, although an artifact always turns up again
somewhere. If the haversack is turned inside out, its contents spill forth, unharmed, and the haversack must be put right
before it can be used again. If a breathing creature is placed within the haversack, the creature can survive for up to 10
minutes, after which time it begins to suffocate.
Placing the haversack inside an extradimensional space created by a bag of holding, portable hole, or similar item
instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane. The gate originates where the one item was placed
inside the other. Any creature within 10 feet of the gate is sucked through it and deposited in a random location on the
Astral Plane. The gate then closes. The gate is one-way only and can’t be reopened.
Anything put inside Bagman’s gambit is magically concealed and can’t be detected, divined, or scried upon. Additionally,
it’s been filled with a variety of useful consumables. At any time, as an action, a character may reach inside and pull out one
of the following magic items:
• One dose of Keoghtom’s ointment
• One potion of greater healing
• One potion of heroism
• One potion of vitality
When a character pulls any item out of the haversack, they must roll a d10. On a 1, the Bagman (use the venom troll stat
block) comes out of the haversack and attacks the characters. If the Bagman is defeated, he reforms inside the backpack the
next day, ready to wreak havoc again. For more information about the Bagman, see Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.
Bagman’s gambit functions as a Heward’s handy haversack, which is found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

19
 Handout 2: Investigation Journal

Choose one item from the list below by checking the box next to it.
Spell scroll of haste
Potion of stone giant strength
Wǎn of fiery spirits*
*A wǎn of fiery spirits functions as a brazier of commanding fire elements, which is found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
This large bowl is made of finely glazed ceramic painted with various depictions of malevolent arson. Old cracks have been
filled in with gold, creating an impeccably beautiful spiderweb of contrasting art. When used, thick, acrid smoke fills a
10-foot-radius sphere around the bowl, heavily obscuring vision.

Story Awards
The Urn is Ours
The Sleeper has Awoken

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20 RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
Appendix A: Dungeon Master Tips
To run this adventure as a DM, you must have three,
New Players? No Problem!
four, or five players, each with their own character within
the adventure’s level range (see the “Adventure Primer” With starter adventures like this one, it’s possible you might
have players new to D&D, or new to fifth edition D&D. As the
section at the start of the adventure).
DM, it’s up to you to ensure these players have fun with the
game, and that they learn the basics of how to play. At this
New to D&D Adventurers League? level, having fun is more important than learning every rule
Information about the Adventurers League, including exactly right. Be gentle with new players who make mistakes.
finding places to play, organizing events, and a list of Make sure to keep your players smiling and rolling dice. Be
supporting resources and documents, can be found here: positive and enthusiastic when describing the action, and
https://dnd.wizards.com/ddal_general you’ll notice the players will quickly follow suit.
If you’re a new DM, then welcome—and thank you! New
DMs are the lifeblood of the D&D community. To help you
Preparing the Adventure run your game, some adventures include sidebars like this
Before you start play, consider the following: one that provide an explanation of the game’s rules as they’re
used in the adventure.
• Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything
you’d like to highlight or remind yourself of while
running it, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC
or a tactic you’d like to use during combat. Familiarize Adjusting This Adventure
yourself with the adventure’s appendixes and handouts. To determine whether you should consider adjusting the
• Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you in adventure, assess the party strength by consulting the
running the adventure, such as notecards, a DM screen, table below.
miniatures, and battle maps.
• Ask the players to provide you with relevant character Determining Party Strength
information, such as name, race, class, and level;
Party Composition Party Strength
passive Wisdom (Perception) score; and anything the
adventure specifies as notable (such as backgrounds and Three characters Weak
story awards). Four characters Average
Players can play an adventure they previously played as a Five characters Strong
player or ran as a DM, but they can do so only once with a
specific character. Ensure each player has their character
sheet (if not, get one from the organizer)
Safety Tools
Preparing the Characters Safety tools help ensure players aren’t pushed beyond their
comfort levels. These tools let your players know you want
The adventure is designed to be played with characters them to have a positive experience. Some common safety
of a specific level; characters of a different level should tools are provided below, each with a summary of how they
be modified accordingly. If necessary, the characters work. An article about one such safety kit is provided to help
should be afforded the time needed to adjust their with further information. Ensure that you discuss these tools
characters to suit. with your players before the game:
If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s • Code of Conduct. This is a group agreement for play. It
character sheet to ensure nothing looks out of order. If you outlines desired and prohibited behaviors, confidential
see magic items of very high rarities or strange arrays of reporting, and possible consequences.
ability scores, you can ask players to provide documentation • Pregame and Postgame Discussions. Use time before the
for the irregularities. If they can’t, feel free to restrict item game to explain content warnings, set boundaries, and
collaborate on a safety plan. Then decompress and discuss
use or ask them to use a standard ability score array.
improvements at the end of the game.
Characters that died during a previous adventure return • Be Welcoming. Welcome and encourage respectful and
to life, free of any conditions, curses, or other effects that open conversations about issues as they arise. Show that
would remove them from play—such as vampirism or you’re listening by avoiding defensive responses.
lycanthropy. They keep any story awards they have, as any • Confidentiality. Provide contact information for private
spells they might have copied during their adventures. and confidential conversations between players and DM.
During the Call to Action, the characters are likely to Only disclose another player’s name if that player gave
review their available magic items among themselves and unpressured permission for you to do so.
determine who is carrying what. Make sure they have a • Safety Tools. Learn about the safety tools that TTRPG
few moments to outfit one another. community members have created and compiled. A
broad range of such safety tools are available for you and
your players online, or you can get more information by
reaching out to your event organizer or community@
dndadventurersleague.org.

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RMH-08 The Palace of Bones (v.1.0)
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