Waking of Willowby Hall (some resources for)

The Waking of Willowby Hall is very good. I might do a review of it later, but for now, you’ll have to take my word for it. I ran it using 5th edition because I’m a rebel like that. Perhaps you might find the following useful.

One-shots require premade characters

The big problem with running Willowby Hall as a one-shot is that there is no goal in the adventure. In a standard OSR campaign the goal is implicit (loot all the things!) but that’s only because gold turns into XP turns into progression. There is no progression in a one-shot anyway so even if we weren’t playing 5th edition all those Yoon-Suin vases would be useless.

The way I usually solve this when preparing adventures to be used as one-shots is by creating characters for the players and giving them some goals based on what’s in the module. In this case, I went with:

• Unraveling the secret of Elias Fenwick
• Finding the named treasures (Vases of Yoon-Suin, Hand of Yd)
• Looting as much as possible (hopefully edging that character on to steal the goose that lays the golden eggs – cuz it doesn’t get more loot than a goose that lays golden eggs!)

I played this game with 3 players. If I had to add a fourth I would’ve probably gone with a paladin on a quest to slay the death knight. I’ll leave that one to you if you happen to have four players!

Elizabeth Fenwick

From a young age, you’ve had a knack for the occult. Much to the displeasure of your parents, who sent you away at an early age hoping you’d make something out of yourself in the city.

Well, they’re dead now so what do they know.

When you went through their old papers, you found an aged deed to an old estate, belonging to a great-great-uncle by the name of doctor Elias Fenwick. After some study, you found a book describing Willowby Hall in its golden days – a retreat for The Circle of the Black Moon, a prestigious society of occultists.

You’ve gathered your two closest compatriots, the cunning Billy Hurst and dependable Runagar, and set off on an expedition to the old manor, convinced that inside awaits a trove of your great-great-uncle’s hidden arcane knowledge!

William Hurst

As a fellow literary enthusiast, you and Elizabeth hit it off pretty quickly after a chance meeting at the city library. Out of this friendship bloomed a profitable partnership, as Liz’s thirst for arcana uncovered ancient tombs and forgotten dungeons, ripe with plunder. When she approached you with a deed for an old manor house in the country, you did a bit of research of your own.

The house was the site of some prestigious society, and illustrations show all manner of valuable items and rare artifacts they were rumored to have collected, including ornate vases from Yoon-Suin and the Hand of Yd. A mummified hand which, if any rings are placed on it, animates and runs around on its fingers.

You accompany your friend to the manor in good spirits, already connected to eager buyers for these items back in the city.

Runagar

Raised in the streets, you know how to take care of yourself and are always looking for opportunity. Ever since the two book-nerds William and Elizabeth first approached you for one of their shady ventures, you’ve been working with them on and off, helping with the more… morally gray… parts of their adventures.

They’ve been lucrative so far, and to be honest, you’ve grown fond of those little tomb robbers.

Their latest scheme is to raid some old manor house somewhere in the boonies. It’s fine by you as long as there’s plenty of loot to go around!

NPC Conversions

Here’s the monsters I used!

Tom: Hill Giant

Death Knight: Wight

Skeletons: Skeletons

Elias: Oreioth (Princess of the Apocalypse)

Lavinia: Ghost

Owlbear: Owlbear

Helmut Halfsword: Pirate First Mate (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)

Lisbet Grund: Spy

• Rope, Marbles, 2x flask of oil, fake beard, turkey leg, poison (24h), smoke bomb

Apocalypse Ann: Pirate Deck Wizard (Ghosts of Saltmarsh)

• 2x Doomsday Staff (thunderwave 3d8)

Mildred: Vulture (lol)

You may not have PotA or GoS ready, in which case I got your back:

Elias Fenwick

Medium humanoid (human)

Armor Class 11 (14 with mage armor)

Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)

Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Wis +1

Skills Arcana +5, Investigation +5, Medicine +1

Senses passive Perception 9

Languages Abyssal, Common

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Grim Harvest. Once per turn when Elias kills one or more creatures with a spell of 1st level or higher, he regains hit points equal to twice the spell’s level.

Spellcasting. Elias is a 6th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): chill touch, minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp

1st level (4 slots): false life, mage armor, magic missile, ray of sickness

2nd level (3 slots): crown of madness, misty step

3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, vampiric touch

Swift Animation (Recharges after a Long Rest). When a living Medium or Small humanoid within 30 feet of Elias dies, he can use an action on his next turn to cast animate dead on that humanoid’s corpse, instead of using the spell’s normal casting time.

Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.

Helmut Halfsword

Medium humanoid (human)

Armor Class 16 (chain mail)

Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)

Speed 30 ft.

Skills Athletics +4, Intimidation +3

Senses passive Perception 10

Languages Common

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Multiattack. Helmut makes two attacks with its longsword.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands. If the target is a creature, Helmut can choose to deal no damage with the attack to disarm the target. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or drop one item it is holding on the ground.

Apocalypse Ann

Medium humanoid (human)

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)

Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)

Speed 30 ft.

Skills Arcana +5, Perception +3

Senses passive Perception 13

Languages any one language (usually Common)

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Spellcasting. Ann is a 4th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost

1st level (4 slots): disguise self, fog cloud, mage armor, witch bol

2nd level (3 slots): gust of wind, Melf’s acid arrow, misty step

Doomsday Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage.

Download

Here’s the files!