Mike’s free Encounter #35

Wind Chime

A CR 9 Encounter

by Dr. Michael LaBossiere

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Copyright 2020 Dr. Michael LaBossiere

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MFE#35 1

CREDITS
Author: Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere
Cover Illustration: Jl071077
Cartographer: Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere
Additional Art:
Some artwork copyright Michael
C. LaBossiere
Contents
Credits ................................................................ 2
Contents ............................................................. 2
Introduction ....................................................... 2
History/Background ........................................... 2
The Three Sisters ............................................ 2
Getting the PCs Involved .................................... 3
Map Keys ............................................................ 3
Cabin Map ...................................................... 3
Encounter ........................................................... 4
Hook? ................................................................. 5
New Spells .......................................................... 5
Animate Stag .................................................. 6
Create Wind Chime ........................................ 6
Free Stuff! .......................................................... 7
Free Map Collections ..................................... 7
Free Rules ....................................................... 7
Free Encounters ............................................. 7
Free Encounters Collections .......................... 7
Stuff to Buy! .................................................... 7
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Adventures..................................................... 7
About the Author ............................................... 8
Maps .................................................................. 9
INTRODUCTION
This is the 35th in an ongoing series aimed to
provide the overworked DM with ready-to run
encounters. The intrepid adventures enter the
woods to hunt, or be hunted by, the wind chime—
an undead abomination crafted by vengeful
druids,
It includes a history/background for the
encounter, a map, and monster stats.
The companion ZIP file contains JPEG
versions of the maps (with and without grid), a
Hero Lab file, the Word file of the encounter, and
a PDF with character sheets for all the monsters.
HISTORY/BACKGROUND
The following provides the history and
background for this encounter.
THE THREE SISTERS
While nature lies in the middle of order and
chaos, it has three faces: good, evil and neutral.
These three faces are personified by the Three
Sisters, the primary goddesses of nature in my
campaign worlds. They are Ashalla, Darana, and
Shadash.
Ashalla, the Green Goddess, is the
personification of the good aspects of nature.
Her symbol is sheaf of wheat, representing the
bountiful and nurturing aspects of nature. She is
regarded as the provider of food, sunshine,
pleasant weather and other good natural things.
She is also the protector of mothers and
children.
Druids and clerics who worship her serve to
aid their communities by healing the wounded,
curing the sick and helping crops and animals to
flourish. While her followers are sometimes
MFE#35
stereotyped as peaceful huggers of trees, among
their number are far more militant followers
who take up arms and magic to defend what is
good.
Ashalla has strong connections with positive
energy and she maintains the Verdanfey—a fey
dimension infused with this power.
Darana, the Blue Goddess, is the
personification of the balanced and purely
neutral aspects of nature. These are the aspects
that bring both weal and woe without
discrimination. Her symbol consists of a series
of idealized waves, for water is the ideal
representation of nature’s neutrality. Water gives
life, but also takes it away. Water that once
quenched a child’s thirst can become part of a
flood that destroys a city and drowns that same
child. Darana is regarded as the impartial
bringer of weal and woe in the natural world.
Priests who respect the impartiality of nature
worship her. Like her, they seek to maintain a
balance and to ensure that the course of nature
is not swayed by good or evil. Her more militant
followers abide by the saying that nature is cruel
but fair. Darana often visits the Feywild and
considers it her second home.
Shadash, the White Goddess, is the
personification of the brutal and destructive
aspects of nature. Her symbol among humans
and elves is a white rose with thorns dripping
blood. Among the more brutal humanoids her
symbol consists of bloodied claws. Shadash is
the bringer of death, pestilence and destruction.
Priests who regard the furthering of death,
destruction and decay as desirable serve her.
Like her, they desire to maintain the balance of
nature through negative forces: life must be
countered by death, health by disease, growth by
destruction.
Shadash maintains the Ashenfey—a fey
dimension accursed with negative energy. Here
she is known as the Lady of Ashes.
While Shadash always has a strong
connection to negative energy, in some realities
she becomes corrupted by the undead demon
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lord Durakor leading to the creation of Nature’s
Undead and granting her druids power over the
undead. Such druids are known as Ash Druids
and are generally loathed and shunned even by
other evil druids. Sometimes they see
themselves as the true defenders of nature,
creating Nature’s Undead to slow the spread of
civilization or to even push it back.
One Ash Druid has decided that the time has
come to stop the incursion of humanoids into
their woods. To this end, they have undertaken
terrible rituals and created Wind Chimes to
slaughter intruders. This in accord with the
world view of her followers: nature is cruel but
fair. But mostly cruel.
GETTING THE PCS
INVOLVED
There are a variety of ways to get the PCs
involved in the encounter. One option is to have
the PCs simply run into the wind chime—a true
random encounter. An ideal time for this to occur
is at night while the PCs are resting.
Another option is that the PCs have heard of a
monster slaying hunters and loggers in a forest
near an expanding village. According to the
locals, when the corpse of the victim has been
found, it has always been mutilated in some
manner. Sometimes a headless corpse is found,
sometimes only the head is found. In all cases the
skin has been sliced into thin strips, with metal,
bone and wood tied into them. The PCs could be
hired to hunt for this monster, or they might
simply set out on their own.
MAP KEYS
Three maps are provided: a campfire map, a
lake shore map and a cabin map.
CABIN MAP
Acting on the command to kill intruding
humanoids, the wind chime called and killed the
hunters who lived in this cabin. The cabin can be
either a scene of carnage or can be a Mary
MFE#35
Celeste scenario with an uneaten meals on the
Actions
table.
1. Main Room: This room serves as the
kitchen and eating area. A fireplace Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature.
provide warmth and a cooking fire.
Hit: 4 (1d6+1) piercing damage.
2. Sleeping quarters: this room holds four
rough beds and four chests. Each chest Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature.
holds 1d20 cp and 1d10 sp as well as
Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.
various personal items.
3. Out House: An outhouse. Charge. If the jelenihlava moves at least 20 ft. straight
towards a creature and hits the creature with its gore
attack on the same turn, it inflicts an extra 1d6 piercing
ENCOUNTER damage.
The encounter begins when the PCs meet the Description: The creation of a Jelenihlava begins with the
wind chime or its companions. decapitation of a humanoid. The head is replaced with
Wind chimes are patient hunters and prefer to the skull of a horned deer and then the combination is
infused with a corrupted spirit of nature.
attack when they have an edge over their prey.
One strategy they use is ambushing a lone
Skeletal Stag
humanoid and using their charm and suggestion
Medium (nature’s) undead, neutral evil
abilities to use the humanoid to lure other
victims into danger. They often pose as benign Armor Class 14
Hit Points 11 (2d8+2)
forest spirits as part of this ruse, hiding their
Speed 50 ft.
true nature by whispering from concealment.
Another favored strategy is ambushing their STR 11 (+0), DEX 18 (+4), CON 12 (+1), INT 2 (-4), WIS 8
(-1), CHA 5 (-3)
victims while they rest. They typically start by
trying to call any alert guards out into the dark Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning
woods to be killed, then move on to the others— Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
using entangle, fear and their hypnotic dance to
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
neutralize some foes so they can deal with their Languages —
victims one at a time. Wind chimes also make Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
use of their companion undead to assist them.
Actions

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

Jelenihlava
creature.
Medium (nature’s) undead, neutral evil
Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage.
Armor Class 10
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Hit Points 22 (3d8+9)
creature.
Speed 30 ft.
Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
STR 12 (+1), DEX 10 (+0), CON 16 (+3), INT 3 (-4), WIS
Description: The bones of a stag animated by a corrupted
6 (-2), CHA 5 (-3)
spirit of nature.
Skills Stealth +2
Damage Immunities poison Zvonenie (Wind Chime)
Condition Immunities poisoned Wind chime
Senses darkvision 60 ft. (including magical darkness), Medium undead, neutral evil
passive Perception 8
Languages Common
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

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Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8+18)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 16 (+3), DEX 12 (+1), CON 14 (+2), INT 10 (+0), WIS
12 (+1), CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Cha +5
Skills Perception +3, Performance +5, Stealth +3
Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Druidic
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Turn Resistance. The creature has advantage on saving
throws against any effect that turns undead.
Actions
Multiattack. As an action, a wind chime can attack with
its claws and either a bite or gore.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature.
Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature.
Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature.
Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.
Call (3/day). A wind chime can call living creatures to
their doom. When a wind chime uses this abilityall
creatures aside from other wind chimes within a 300-foot
spread must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or
become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is
not subject to the same wind chime's call for 24 hours. A
victim under the effects of the call moves toward the wind
chime using the most direct means available. If the path
leads them into a dangerous area such as through fire or
off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to
end the effect before moving into peril. Captivated
creatures can take no actions other than to defend
themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the wind chime
simply stands and offers no resistance to the wind
chime's attacks. This effect continues for as long as the
wind chime calls and for 1 round thereafter.
Charm Person. A wind chime can cast charm person
three times per day. Its casting ability is CHA and the
save DC is 13.
Companion (1/day). A wind chime can create either a
Jelenihlava or a skeletal stag from the remains of a stag
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and/or human. A wind chime can have a maximum of
three undead companions; if a fourth is created, then the
oldest of its companions is destroyed.
Entangle. A wind chime can cast charm entangle three
times per day. Its casting ability is CHA and the save DC
is 13. The plants conjured by the spell consist of diseased
vines and rotting weeds.
Fear. A wind chime can cast fear once per day. Its casting
ability is CHA and the DC is 13.
Hypnotic Dance. The wind chime engages in a hypnotic
dance. Each creature within 30 feet of the wind chime
who can see and hear it must make a Wisdom saving
throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed
for the duration. While charmed by this spell, the creature
is incapacitated and has a speed of 0. The effect ends for
an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone
else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.
The effect lasts up to a minute and wind chime must
maintain concentration to maintain it. This ability is CHA
bases and the DC is 13.
Suggestion. A wind chime can cast suggestion once per
day. Its casting ability is CHA and the DC is 13.
Description: The creation of a wind chime requires the
death of three creatures. A deer (or similar creature) is
slain and its skull is specially prepared by stripping away
the flesh. A wolf is slain, and its teeth and tail are
removed. Finally, a humanoid is killed and decapitated.
Its skin is cut into strips, with the ends still attached to
the body. Pieces of bone, metal, wood and glass are tied
into the strips. The teeth of the wolf are placed within the
jaw of the deer skull, the skull is placed on the neck of the
humanoid corpse and the wolf tail is stitched to it as well.
When the spell is cast to create it, a corrupted nature
spirit is called up from the rot and muck to enter and
infuse the remains. And thus, a wind chime is created.
The strips of flesh give the creature its name—they look
(and sound) like wind chimes. The creature can decide to
produce noise with these strips or move silently.
HOOK?
There are likely to be other creatures in the
woods serving the will of the Ash Druid. And, of
course, the Ash Druid presents a grave threat.
NEW SPELLS
The following are new spells. They can be
modified or ignored as desired. Allowing PC
druids to create undead can impact game balance.
MFE#35
 CREATE WIND CHIME
ANIMATE STAG 6th level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
3rd level necromancy
Range: 10 feet
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V S M (mistletoe and one 150 gp
Range: 10 feet
black onyx stone for each corpse)
Components: V S M (A drop of blood, a piece of
Duration: Instantaneous
flesh, and a pinch of bone dust)
Classes: Druid
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: Druid To cast this spell, you must have a specially
prepared corpse. A deer (or similar creature)
This spell creates a skeletal stag. Choose a pile
must be slain and its skull is specially prepared
of bones or a corpse of a stag (or similar
by stripping away the flesh. A wolf must be slain,
creature) within range. Your spell imbues the
and its teeth and tail need to be removed.
target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an
Finally, a humanoid must be killed and
undead creature. The target becomes a skeleton
decapitated. Its skin is cut into strips, with the
(the GM has the creature’s game statistics). On
ends still attached to the body. Pieces of bone,
each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to
metal, wood and glass are tied into the strips.
mentally command any creature you made with
The teeth of the wolf are placed within the jaw of
this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you
the deer skull, the skull is placed on the neck of
(if you control multiple creatures, you can
the humanoid corpse and the wolf tail is stitched
command any or all of them at the same time,
to it as well. Upon casting the spell on the
issuing the same command to each one). You
corpse, it will become infused and animated with
decide what action the creature will take and
a corrupted nature spirit (The GM has game
where it will move during its next turn, or you
statistics for this creature.) As a bonus action on
can issue a general command, such as to guard a
each of your turns, you can mentally command
particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no
any creature you animated with this spell if the
commands, the creature only defends itself
creature is within 120 feet of you (if you control
against hostile creatures. Once given an order,
multiple creatures, you can command any or all
the creature continues to follow it until its task is
of them at the same time, issuing the same
complete. The creature is under your control for
command to each one). You decide what action
24 hours, after which it stops obeying any
the creature will take and where it will move
command you’ve given it. To maintain control of
during its next turn, or you can issue a general
the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast
command, such as to guard a particular
this spell on the creature again before the
chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands,
current 24-hour period ends. This use of the
the creature only defends itself against hostile
spell reasserts your control over up to four
creatures. Once given an order, the creature
creatures you have animated with this spell,
continues to follow it until its task is complete.
rather than animating a new one.
The creature is under your control for 24 hours,
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell
after which it stops obeying any command you
using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you
have given it. To maintain control of the creature
animate or reassert control over two additional
for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on
Undead creatures for each slot above 3rd. Each
the creature before the current 24-hour period
of the creatures must come from a different
ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control
corpse or pile of bones.
over up to three creatures you have animated
with this spell, rather than animating new ones.
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At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell Mike’s Free Encounter #17: Frostcursed Guard Post
using a 7th-level spell slot, you can animate or Mike’s Free Encounter #18: Death Captain
reassert control over two wind chimes. When Mike’s Free Encounter #19: Corporagelida
Mike’s Free Encounter #20: Frostcursed Headless
you cast this spell using an 8th-level spell slot,
Mike’s Free Encounter # 21: Frostcursed Forge
you can animate or reassert control over three Mike’s Free Encounter #22: Frostcursed Docks
wind chimes. When you cast this spell using a Mike’s Free Encounter #23: Frostcursed River
9th-level spell slot, you can animate or reassert Diamond
control over four wind chimes. Mike’s Free Encounter #24:Dividuicorporis
Mike’s Free Encounter #25: Frostcursed Queen
Mike’s Free Encounter #26: Cult of the Bat
Mike’s Free Encounter #27: Burning Beasts
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Mike’s Free Encounter #6: Ghost of Kella Thar
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Mike’s Free Encounter #11: Shadow Fang Gnolls
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Mike’s Free Encounter #15: Dwarven Guard Post
Mike’s Free Encounter #16 Necrolossi
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Michael LaBossiere is a gamer/runner from
Maine who went to school in Ohio and ended up
a philosophy professor in Florida.
While acquiring his doctorate in philosophy at
Ohio State University, he earned his ramen
noodle money by writing for Chaosium, GDW, R.
Talsorian Games, and TSR. After graduate
school, he became a philosophy professor at
Florida A&M University. His first philosophy
book, What Don't You Know?, was published in
2008. He continues to write philosophy and
gaming material. He is also a blogger, but these
days who isn't?
When not writing, he enjoys running, gaming
and the martial arts. Thanks to a quadriceps
tendon tear in 2009, he was out of running for a
while, but returned to the trails and wrote a book
about it, Of Tendon & Trail. He can be contacted
at ontologist@aol.com.
Michael LaBossiere’s Amazon Author Page
Michael LaBossiere’s Paizo Page
Michael LaBossiere’s DriveThru RPG Page
Michael LaBossiere’s Dungeon Masters Guild Page

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MAPS

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