The Elixir of Dawn's Renewal: An Adventure for a Cause

First published in 2023.

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

THE ELIXIR OF DAWN’S RENEWAL. Copyright © 2023. This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. If others modify or adapt the material, they must license the modified material under identical terms

Cover design and interior artwork by Sam Hamilton using Microsoft Bing Image Creator powered by DALL-E

The Elixir of Dawn’s Renewal

An Adventure for a Cause

By Sam Hamilton

For mom & dad

Overview

The Elixir of Dawn’s Renewal is an adventure for four to six 5th-level Characters.

Though written as a one-shot, characters in any ongoing campaign might hear stories of a nearby town and temple suffering from some kind of shadowy affliction. Characters might be directed to visit the Temple of Healing Shadows in search of one, some, or all of the Temple’s current occupants. For example, they might seek the wisdom of an Elderly Monk named Radios or the healing magic of a powerful cleric named Sylvea Lustra. They might be hired to locate and return a young boy, Celsior, or seek out a fabled adventurer named Thalan Stonebind.

Though the adventure affords plenty of opportunity for players to improvise and explore, owing to its design as a one-shot, it is written and presented as a linear adventure (pejoratively: “railroad”). More specifically, it makes use of Johnn Four’s Five-Room Dungeon model to provide a good mix of combat (Chapter 1 & 4), role playing (Chapter 2), puzzle solving (Chapter 3), and a sense of narrative conclusion (Chapter 5). That said, feel free to flesh out the mythos and history behind the region, the temple, the NPCs in the temple, the shadowy infection afflicting the region, and the Malignant Revenant.

Each chapter includes an overview description of the scene and the kind of encounter featured therein. The chapter also includes gray boxes that feature descriptions you can read to your players. In Chapter 2, these descriptions include some sample dialogue for each NPC that you might use when conversing with your players.

I have not included battle maps, but I have included a list of potential features that could influence battle tactics.

Prologue

Across the realms, an eerie stillness has descended. Fields once ripe with harvest stand withered, waters have turned murky, and a shadowy malaise grips the hearts of the people. Whispered tales speak of an ancient remedy lost to time, the Elixir of Dawn's Renewal, said to possess the power to reverse this creeping decay and breathe life back into the land. Its last known sanctuary? The enigmatic Temple of Healing Shadows, nestled deep within the Forbidden Valley Brave souls are now called forth to traverse treacherous terrains, solve the temple's mysteries, and retrieve the elixir. For in the balance hangs not just their fate, but the very essence of life itself.

Chapter 1: The Temple of Healing Shadows

Description

The foreboding temple doors through which outsiders can enter the Temple of Healing Shadows looms at the end of an ancient stone pathway. Guarding this threshold are two statues, once-glorious champions of a bygone era. As adventurers draw near, the statues come to life, not with the robust force they once held, but as figures ensnared and bound by sinuous, shadowy tendrils that emanate an unsettling chill. These tendrils seem to feed off the guardians, leeching their vitality, making them aggressive and volatile. The dark extensions move with a mind of their own, sensing the presence of intruders and preparing for battle. Defeating the guardians may grant temporary respite from the tendrils' grasp, but the real challenge is to free them from this consuming darkness altogether

Encounter

The Afflicted Guardians engage the party in combat. They are tough opponents, but when defeated, they revert to their statue form, grateful for the momentary release from their affliction. Their defeat also unlocks the temple doors.

Description of the Temple

The Temple of Healing Shadows looms ominously ahead, its ancient stone façade covered in a shimmering veil of silvery moss The scent of damp earth and aged wood fills the air, accompanied by the distant, resonant chime of a bell echoing from within the temple's depths As you step closer, the coolness of the ground seeps through your boots, and a gentle, whispering breeze carries a mixture of reverence and foreboding

Standing sentinel at the Temple's entrance are two statues As you approach, you see figures that appear to be trapped in a moment of anguish, their stone eyes eerily lifeless

DC 20 Perception/Investigation: Swirling around the statues are faint and wispy shadowy tendrils entwining and constricting the stone

Description as the Party Approaches

the

Entrance or Interacts with the Statues

As you approach Temple's entrance [or, “as you interact with the statue], the once-stoic statues quiver, the shadowy tendrils enveloping them pulsating with dark energy. With a sudden rush of movement, the statues' eyes blaze to life, and they step forward, the tendrils writhing and swirling around them. Roll for initiative.

Note on the Afflicted Guardians

The Afflicted Guardians are protector statues that have been infected with the creeping shadows. Mechanically, they have two forms: first, a Doppelganger stat block, second a Shadow stat block. Both forms of the Afflicted Guardians want nothing more than to destroy anyone who intrudes.

The Afflicted Guardians start with the Doppelganger stat block (without the Read Thoughts ability.) If the adventurers do not pass the Perception/Investigation check above, the first round attack is a surprise round for the Afflicted Guardians. If they do pass the Perception/Investigation check, roll standard initiative.

After the first forms of the Afflicted Guardians are defeated, they are replaced by the Shadow stat block.

Optional Terrain Features

The battle between the adventurers and the Afflicted Guardians takes place at the entrance of the Temple of Healing Shadows. The land is currently cast in shadows, so visibility might be challenging. Perhaps the entrance to the temple is high on a mountainous cliff, in which case adventurers would have to be wary of the edge of this cliff Perhaps the exterior walls of the temple are crumbling and the combatants need to dodge falling debris.

Description of the Party Defeating the Guardians

As the final blow lands, the shadowy tendrils enveloping the guardians recede and dissipate like mist under the sun. Before you, the statues, now free from their dark bindings, return to their original inert state, an aura of peace and gratitude emanating from their stone forms

Chapter 2: Chamber of Whispers

Description

The inner sanctum of the temple is a massive dome with stained glass that tells tales of ancient healers and their divine interventions. The room is filled with priests, priestesses, and survivors

all who have dedicated their lives to understanding the cure.

Encounter

The adventurers must gather information from the various NPCs about the nature of the monstrous villain and the possible location of the cure They learn that the cure is held within the Heart of the Temple, but it's protected by the monstrous villain, known as the Malignant Revenant. The priests share cryptic riddles and prophecies that hint at the way to overcome this creature.

Stepping into the Temple of Healing Shadows, the cool, dimly lit expanse envelops you, the air thick with the scent of burning incense and ancient, musty tomes. To your left, an elderly monk methodically tends to a flickering row of candles, their light casting dancing shadows on the walls, while a priestess chants softly nearby, her voice weaving a haunting, mesmerizing melody. Further ahead, a young acolyte with curious eyes carefully grinds herbs into a fine powder, the pungent aroma mingling with the ambient sounds of whispered prayers and the distant drip of water from some unseen source.

Elderly Monk: Master Radios

Name: Radios

Description: Before you stands a tall, lean figure with sharp, penetrating blue eyes, a voluminous silver afro, and robes that shimmer with an otherworldly hue, hinting at arcane knowledge and power.

Useful Information: Knows that the Malignant Revenant is currently hiding out in the Heart of the Temple, and knows that access to the Heart of the Temple can only be gained by passing through the Temple’s ancient security system, the Hallway of Illusions

Prompting Dialogue: "What brings you to this temple? Are you seekers of truth, or merely treasure hunters?"

"Have you felt the shadow's chill? The growing darkness in these lands?"

"Legends tell of a great malevolence sealed within the temple's core Do you seek to confront it or flee from its grasp?"

"There's an ancient heart to this temple, guarded by tricks and illusions. Do you think yourselves wise enough to tread there?"

"There are places in this temple where shadows dance and twist reality. Have you braved such places?"

"I've seen many adventurers venture into the Heart of the Temple, but few return from these depths. Indeed, only one such adventurer still lives, though the shadow’s embrace promises to cut his time in the light short even as we speak. No doubt you heard the bell signaling the death of his compatriots. What makes you different?"

Master Radios will provide the adventurers the information they seek if they demonstrate themselves to be righteous, noble, brave, and competent seekers of truth.

Master Radios’ Confession (DC 17 Persuasion or Intimidation)

Master Radios draws himself up, his posture dignified even in his remorse "There is a weight I have carried silently within these walls. In an attempt to fortify the temple's defenses, I delved into arcane practices that were beyond my comprehension. My intentions were pure, but my actions weakened the barriers that held the Malignant Revenant at bay The very shadow that now threatens us was given opportunity because of my miscalculations. I have lived with this truth, hoping to right my wrongs before they came to light." [Reward one 1d6 proficiency dice]

Young Acolyte: Celsior

Name: Celsior

Description: A broad-shouldered youngish man with a handsome face and cunning eyes, clad in leather armor adorned with mysterious symbols, studies you intently from across the room.

Useful Information: Knows a secret passage that will help the adventures bypass the first trial in the Hallway of Illusions. Knows that Sylvea Lustra can make a healing salve

Prompting Dialogue: "Do you always take the path most trodden, or are you open to... shortcuts?"

"The Hallway of Illusions is known to test even the bravest souls. Not all challenges need facing head-on; some walls have whispers of another way."

"Do you believe every obstacle has only one solution, or might there be hidden doors where we least expect?"

"Have any of you felt the chilling touch of the shadows? For there are remedies, if you know who to ask."

"Shadows leave their mark, but there's a balm in this place that counters their chill."

If the Adventurers ask for information about the shortcut: "Master Radios has a private journal, detailing the arcane secrets of this temple. I'm keen to read its contents. Bring it to me without his knowledge, and the passage's secret is yours."

If the Adventurers ask for information about the balm: "Sylvea Lustra and I have a... complicated past. She holds a letter I wrote her years ago Retrieve it discreetly, ensuring she remains oblivious to its absence, and I'll speak of the salve."

To gain access to either Master Radios’ or Sylvea Lustra’s quarters, adventurers will need to complete a series of checks, all with Medium to Hard DCs. First, Survival to determine where the rooms are. Then Stealth to sneak into the rooms undetected. Then Investigation to locate the hidden item. Then Sleight of Hand to pocket the item. Finally Deception to return the item to Celsior.

Cleric: Sylvea Lustra

Name: Sylvea Lustra

Description: A graceful figure with shimmering silver hair and piercing green eyes, draped in robes that seem to capture the essence of moonlight, offers you a gentle, yet inquisitive smile.

Useful Information: Can make a healing salve that, when applied, mirrors the effects of a short rest.

Prompting Dialogue: "Have any of you felt the chilling touch of the shadows? Their grasp can linger, but there are ways to mend such wounds. Alas, not all those who have felt the shadow’s touch can recover No doubt you heard the bell that sounds when another is lost to the shadow’s embrace.”

"There are ancient remedies I've come across that can rejuvenate even the most weary souls, especially after a brush with the dark."

"If one were to know where to look, there are secrets in this temple that can mend in moments what would usually take hours of rest."

If the Adventurers ask for the healing salve:

"Master Radios once made an error in his teachings that put many in danger. If he confesses this mistake openly, it would restore faith in the balance he often speaks of Can you make him see the light?"

Patient: Thalan Shadebind

Name: Thalan Shadebind

Description: An older warrior, bearing the scars of countless battles, lies weakened on a cot, with ethereal, shadowy tendrils slowly coiling around his limbs, attempting to consume his very essence as he fights to stay conscious

Useful Information: Knows how to traverse the Hallway of Illusions (has done it before). Knows that successfully traversing the Hallway of Illusions allows you to gain access to powerful artifacts that might assist you in destroying the Malignant Revenant.

Prompting Dialogue: "In the company of brave souls, I once sought answers within the temple's depths. Do you seek answers, or simply an end to the shadow?"

"There are tales, whispers really, of relics beyond the Hallway of Illusions, said to be gifts for those who truly understand its mysteries."

"The last time I ventured near that hallway, it was not alone... but not all paths treaded are paths returned from."

"Once, with companions by my side, we faced the illusions. Yet, shadows of the past can be as haunting as those of the present."

If the Adventurers ask for Thalan’s knowledge about the Hallway of Illusions and the artifacts located therein: Thalan Stonebind, his eyes dimmed with pain and years of wisdom, looks upon the adventurers with a deep, introspective gaze. "There's a heavy burden I've been carrying, and maybe, just maybe, you can help me with it. Sylvea Lustra, in her kindness, treats my affliction and prolongs what life remains in me. But every breath I take now feels like a borrowed moment, a stolen glimpse of a world from which I should've departed. If you could... subtly ensure that I receive no more of that medicine, I would rest, and in turn, I would offer you all the knowledge and secrets I've gathered in my lifetime. It's a weighty request, I know, but I trust that you'll understand my longing for a dignified end."

Chapter 3: The Hallway of Illusions

Description

A long corridor, with walls made of mirrors, stands before the adventurers. Each mirror reflects not the present but potential futures, some showing the adventurers healed and triumphant, while others display a harrowing end.

Encounter

As they make their way through the corridor, the adventurers must resist the allure of these false futures, for some are traps that threaten to ensnare their minds, making them believe they've already won or lost the battle. Resisting these illusions requires willpower, wit, and teamwork.

The ground beneath the Temple of Healing Shadows suddenly shudders, causing ancient carvings to tremble and dust to fall from the high ceilings. A deep, ominous rumble echoes throughout the hallowed chambers, and an unsettling feeling of urgency grips your senses. It's clear that whatever force threatens this sacred place is growing in power, compelling you to delve deeper in search of the Elixir of Dawn's Renewal before it's too late.

A sense of urgency in his eyes, Master Radios approaches you, “"Do not be swayed by the mirages of the Hallway of Illusions. Beyond its deceiving veils lies the heart of this temple and the hope we seek. Be steadfast and let your resolve guide you through."

Group Skill Challenge: Traversing the Hallway of Illusions

The Hallway of Illusions presents up to seven complications to the adventuring party To successfully navigate the Hallway of Illusions, the party must accumulate a total of five successful skill checks (DC 14) before accumulating three failures.

The Temple will reward the adventuring party based on the number of successes and failures they accumulate (table below).

The party can choose who attempts each challenge, but a member cannot attempt a second challenge until everyone in the party has attempted at least one challenge. The players should be encouraged to describe the action they take to try to overcome the challenge (rather than simply declaring “I’d like to roll an athletics check,” for example).

Other players can assist whomever is attempting the challenge with buffs (Guidance or Inspiration) or by describing how they assist. A player may not buff their own character. At the DM’s discretion, the player attempting the challenge can roll an additional d6 Proficiency Dice to their roll. Each player has only one proficiency dice they can “give” to another player during the Skill Challenge.

The Complications

# Description

1 Sinking Floors: The ground beneath your feet betrays you, feeling as though you're being swallowed by quicksand. Every step threatens to drag you deeper [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. You must either muster your strength to pull yourself free or deftly leap to surer footing.]

2 Phantom Voices: Whispered promises and threats seem to drift from the very walls, beckoning you off the path. A chilling feeling tells you that not all is as it seems [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. You must either discern the true nature of these voices or rally your comrades against the siren calls.]

3 Mind Maze: Ancient hieroglyphs and arcane symbols sprawl before you, their patterns offering a cryptic puzzle. As you gaze upon them, you realize that decoding these enigmatic signs is the key to moving forward.

Suggested Skills Penalty for Failure

14 Athletics or Acrobatics

2d10 bludgeoning damage

14 Insight or Persuasion or Performance

Attack one of your party members

14 Investigation, History, or Arcana

2d10 psychic damage

The Mind Maze

Trace the path to find the path.

The hawk sees with the eye from atop the obelisk that the ribbon brings life and the sun dispels the shadows and heralds the dawn.

The Complications (continued)

# Description DC Suggested Skills Penalty for Failure

4 Veil of Despair: An oppressive heaviness weighs on your spirit, clouding your thoughts and sapping your will. The urge to give up is strong. [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. You either find the strength within to persevere or inspire hope among your party.]

5 Shifting Gravity: Without warning, an invisible force yanks you sideways, the walls becoming the floor beneath your feet. [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. With the world turned askew, you must either land gracefully and navigate this disorienting terrain or use sheer might to pull yourself along the once familiar path.]

6 Deceptive Reflections: Mirrors embedded in the walls show not your reflection but twisted versions of your past. [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. You must sift through these illusions, using either intuition to spot the lies or logical deduction to discern the patterns that will guide you through.

7 Choking Fog: A dense, suffocating fog envelops you, obscuring vision and making each breath a labor [Read if the players are stumbling/grasping for a solution. As you trudge through, you must either rely on your hardy constitution to fend off dizziness or tap into a deeper awareness to find pockets of clarity amid the haze.]

14 Athletics or Persuasion or Performance

Frightened Condition; WIS Save DC 14 after encountering a shadow

14 Athletics or Acrobatics 2d10 bludgeoning damage

14 Survival or Investigation Attack one of your party members

14 Constitution or Survival Poisoned Condition; CON Save DC 14 after encountering a shadow

The Reward

Successes & Failures Reward

5 successes, 0 failures

● 3 potions of Luminosity

● Lantern of the Last Eclipse

● Shadowweaver’s Cloak

5 successes, 1 failure

5 successes, 2 failures

3 failures

● 2 potions of Luminosity

● Lantern of the Last Eclipse

● 2 potions of Luminosity

● 1 potion of Luminosity

Potion of Luminosity

Potion, rarity: rare

When you drink this potion, you gain the ability to emit a radiant, healing light. Roll 1d6. For 1 minute after consuming the potion, you gain the following benefits, depending on your roll:

1-2 Radiant Aura: You emit bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. Creatures of your choice within the bright light regain a number of hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of your turn.

3-4 Dispelling Touch: Your touch dispels illusions and reveals truths. When you touch a creature or object, you can choose to end one spell or effect causing it to be charmed, frightened, invisible, or hidden in some other manner.

5-6 Searing Strike: Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d6 radiant damage to the target.

Lantern of Last Eclipse

Wondrous Item, rarity: very rare (requires attunement)

This mystical lantern has a glass chamber in the center, which holds a dimly flickering flame that never goes out. It is said the flame was captured from the last eclipse, binding the sun and moon's power together.

Guiding Light: While holding the lantern, the user can use an action to cause it to shine bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light for an additional 60 feet. This light lasts for 1 minute or until the user extinguishes it (no action required).

Shadow Bane: Any shadow or illusion-based creature or effect within the radius of the bright light has disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Illusions of 3rd level or lower are immediately dispelled when coming into this light.

Eclipse Mode: Once per long rest, as an action, the wielder can activate the lantern’s special mode: merging both sun and moon's power for 1 minute. During this time:

Any healing spells or effects cast within the light's radius heal for the maximum possible amount. Undead and fiends within the radius take 2d8 radiant damage at the start of each of their turns.

Moon's Protection: As a reaction when the holder is targeted by a direct spell or ranged attack, they can dim the lantern to grant themselves a +2 bonus to their AC or saving throw against that attack or spell.

Shadowweaver’s Cloak

Wondrous Item, rarity: very rare (requires attunement)

Fashioned from the fabric of the very night itself, this dark and ethereal cloak is always cool to the touch and seems to absorb light, turning its hue ever deeper shades of black. Wisps of shadow perpetually dance and sway around its edges.

Cloak of Shadows: While wearing this cloak, the wearer has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in dim light or darkness

Shadow Step: Once per short or long rest, as a bonus action, the wearer can step into one shadow and emerge from another shadow within 60 feet. The entry and exit points must be in areas of dim light or darkness.

Evasion from the Abyss: When subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the cloak grants its wearer the Evasion ability, taking no damage on a successful save, and only half damage on a failed save If the wearer already has the Evasion ability, they gain a +2 bonus to the Dexterity saving throw instead.

Shadow Shield: As a reaction, when the wearer is hit by an attack, they can momentarily become shadowy and intangible, granting resistance to the damage of that attack. After using this feature, it can't be used again until the wearer finishes a short or long rest.

Blinding Darkness: Once per long rest, as an action, the wearer can cause the cloak to unleash a swirling cloud of impenetrable darkness in a 20-foot radius centered on themselves. The darkness remains for 1 minute or until dismissed by the wearer (no action required). This magical darkness can't be penetrated or dispelled by light-based spells of 2nd level or lower

Once attuned to the Shadowweaver’s Cloak, a character is afflicted with the Curse of the Evernight.

Curse of the Evernight

This cloak is not only a tool but also a tether to the shadow realm, and those who dare to don it risk being consumed by the very darkness they command.

Soulbound Shadows: Once attuned to the Shadowweaver's Cloak, the wearer cannot remove or unattune from the cloak unless they are targeted by a remove curse spell or similar magic The cloak feels as if it's almost grafted onto their skin.

Whispers in the Dark: Every night when the wearer attempts to sleep, they hear faint, indecipherable whispers. These haunting murmurs make it difficult to get a good night's rest. The wearer must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC increases by 1 for each consecutive night the saving throw is failed.

Shadows' Hunger: For every use of the Shadow Step or Blinding Darkness abilities, the wearer must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 necrotic damage as the shadows leech life from them. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented.

Eclipse of the Soul: If the wearer is reduced to 0 hit points while wearing the cloak, their soul is temporarily trapped within the shadow realm. They cannot be resurrected by any means unless the cloak is first destroyed or the curse is lifted.

Trust in the Obscure: Over time, the wearer becomes increasingly distrustful of light and open spaces. They develop a preference for darkness, often seeking out dimly lit or shadowed areas even when it's not necessary. This can manifest as an irrational fear of well-lit places or a compulsion to snuff out sources of light.

Chapter 4: The Heart of the Temple

Description

A grand chamber, illuminated by an ethereal light, houses a crystal pedestal where the cure – a vial of radiant liquid – stands. Guarding it is the Malignant Revenant, a creature made of swirling dark mists and malignant growths. It roars in defiance, prepared to defend the cure at all costs

Encounter

The Malignant Revenant is a formidable opponent. It can strike multiple targets at once, regenerate, and uses the shadows to its advantage The lessons learned from the Chamber of Whispers, however, provide the adventurers with insights into the creature's weaknesses. The battle is fierce, but with determination and unity, the Revenant can be defeated.

As you step into the heart of the temple, an immense chamber opens up before you. The dim light of a pulsating, ethereal glow intermingles with strange otherworldly shadows

Resting in the chamber's core, a resplendent pedestal of intertwined silver and gold vines cradles a vial, its contents gleaming with a promise of hope.

As you step into the heart of the temple, the ambient shadows begin to churn and coalesce, drawn from the very stones and shadows of the chamber towards a singular point in the chamber's center What once was dispersed darkness starts to rise, amassing into a towering and formidable form a swirling mass of darkness and fury, intent on consuming all that stands before it.. From its central mass, several swirling, head-like appendages emerge, each one seeming to scan the room with an otherworldly intent.

Roll initiative.

Optional Terrain Features

The battle between the adventurers and the Malignant Revenant takes place in the large underground chamber known as the Heart of the Temple. The temple could have vaulted ceilings supported by massive and crumbling pillars There could be a variety of smaller outcroppings in which adventurers might hide, as well as one or two broken pillars that could provide an adventurer a high-ground position. As the battle between the Malignant Revenant and the adventurers rages, some events could put the pressure on the battle. Maybe several of the NPCs from Chapter 2 have descended into the Heart of the Temple and are immediately attacked by a tendril from the Malignant Revenant. Maybe the intensity of the battle is causing the massive chamber to collapse, and bits of falling debris force characters to make Dexterity saving throws. Perhaps some of the

torches lining the wall catch some of the ancient tapestries on fire, filling the chamber with smoke and flames

Optional Combat Notes

The Malignant Revenant is a formidable opponent modeled after a hydra. If the party looks as if it might lose the battle (an unsatisfying conclusion!), you may elect to read the following description below at the end of the current combat round.

As the battle rages on, you all hear a bell ring in the temple above you, and a luminous glow breaks through the dimness of the chamber. Turning your gaze, you see the spectral figure of Thalan Stonebind, now bathed in a breathtaking radiant energy, descending from above. His ethereal form hovers above the ground, eyes filled with determination and hope. "Choose now," he calls out, his voice echoing with power, "be healed by my light or let your weapons shine with its might!" The energy around him pulses, waiting for your decision, ready to either mend your wounds or empower your strikes.

Thalan’s Boons

Players may elect to receive Thalan’s Radiant Healing or Thalan’s Radiant Might:

Thalan’s Radiant Healing

You emit bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. You regain a number of hit points equal to 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of your turn.

Thalan’s Radiant Might

Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d6 radiant damage to the target.

Malignant Revenant

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 195

Speed 50 ft, divided between is main body and tendrils

Actions

Multiattack The Malignant Revenant makes as many attacks as it has tendrils.

Skills. Perception +8, Stealth +7, Survival +5 Damage Immunities. Poison Condition Immunities. Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned Senses. Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 18

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Multiple Tendrils. The Malignant Revenant has five tendrils that can move independently of its main body (using the shared 50 feet of movement). Whenever the Malignant Revenant takes 28 or more damage in a single turn, one of its tendrils dissipate. If all its tendrils dissipate, the Malignant Revenant dies

At the end of its turn, it grows two tendrils for each of its tendrils that dissipated since the last turn, unless it has taken radiant damage since its last turn. The Malignant Revenant regains 10 hit points for each tendril reformed in this way.

Reactive Tendrils For each tendril the Malignant Revenant has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks.

Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target's Strength score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.

Legendary Actions

The Malignant Revenant can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The lich regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Strength Drain. The Malignant Revenant uses its Strength Drain attack.

Shadow Jump. (Costs 2 Actions). The Malignant Revenant teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it teleports from and the space it teleports to must be in dim light or darkness.

Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). Each creature within 30 feet of the main body of Malignant Revenant must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one

Chapter 5: The Echoing Silence

Description

With the Revenant vanquished, the temple becomes silent. The Elixir of Dawn’s Renewal on the pedestal glows even brighter

Encounter

As the adventurers approach to claim their prize, they realize that the vial contains just a single dose of the Elixir of Dawn’s Renewal. But then, the whispers from the Chamber echo in their minds, and they recall a prophecy that spoke of "unity in healing." Combining their strengths, knowledge, and essence, the adventurers are able to amplify the cure, creating enough for all and more to help others

However, as they leave the temple, they are met with a twist: The valley and forest surrounding the temple are filled with people from various lands, all seeking the same cure The challenge now is not just battling the disease but also ensuring that the cure reaches those who need it most, teaching them that the real battle against such an ailment goes beyond just a singular fight.

The adventure concludes with the heroes having not only secured the cure for themselves but also standing as beacons of hope for all those affected.

As the final blow lands, the Malignant Revenant emits a piercing, otherworldly shriek, the very shadows that comprise it starting to unravel and dissipate. It writhes and contorts, the dark tendrils that once seemed so formidable now disintegrating into wisps of smoke. The oppressive atmosphere that once choked the chamber lifts, replaced by a palpable sense of relief and triumph.

In the aftermath of the battle, a soft, ethereal glow forms at the edge of the chamber Slowly, the specter of Thalan Shadebind emerges, his once strong form now translucent and entwined with the shadowy tendrils that had plagued him in life. His gaze, though sorrowful, holds a glimmer of hope as he addresses the party, "Brave adventurers, though I have succumbed to the shadow, I nonetheless revel in your success Your valor has given the world a weapon against this blight. Remember, countless souls across the land still suffer The true challenge lies not just in vanquishing the darkness but in ensuring this cure reaches every corner, every heart in need. Your battle, our battle, goes beyond this moment."

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The Elixir of Dawn’s Renewal: An Adventure for a Cause is a free adventure module published under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Creative Commons license I hope that you are able to use the module either as a standalone one-shot adventure or as a chapter in an ongoing adventure The module was written and is shared in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you would like to make a donation as a show of gratitude for this adventure, you can click on the link below to make a contribution to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of my mother, Pamela Rae Zuidema, who died on April 25, 2023 from complications related to metastatic breast cancer:

https://fundraise.nbcf.org/fundraiser/4991253

Additionally, you might consider make a charitable donation in support of one, some, or all of the following charities and organizations:

American Cancer Society

https://www.cancer.org/

Living Beyond Cancer

https://www.lbbc.org/

BreastCancer.org

https://www.breastcancer.org/

Susan G. Komen Foundation

https://www.komen.org/

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

https://www.bcrf.org/

Young Survival Coalition

https://youngsurvival.org/