Encounter: The Haunted Inn

Encounter Level: 4

Background: The village of Duskwood has an old inn called “The Weeping Willow” that has been abandoned for decades. Recently, the inn has been the source of eerie lights and ghostly sounds at night. Villagers are too frightened to investigate, and rumors of a curse have begun to spread.

Encounter Setup: The party arrives in Duskwood and hears rumors about the haunted inn. A local villager, an elderly woman named Marla, approaches them. She explains that her late husband, Edwin, owned the inn, and she believes his restless spirit is causing the disturbances. She begs the party to investigate and put his spirit to rest.

Description: As the party approaches the Weeping Willow, they see the dilapidated building covered in creeping vines and an aura of unease. The front door creaks open ominously as they draw near.

Encounter: Upon entering, the party encounters various supernatural phenomena, including cold spots, flickering lights, and spectral whispers. These are caused by a poltergeist and a group of malevolent spirits trapped in the inn. The spirits were once bandits who died in a fire they started while trying to rob the place.

Combat Encounter:

Poltergeist (1): CR 2
Specters (3): CR 1 each

Tactics: The poltergeist will use its ability to throw objects and create chaos, while the specters attempt to drain the life force from the party. The spirits are bound to the inn and will fight fiercely to protect their haunting grounds.

Resolution: Once the party defeats the spirits, they discover the remains of Marla’s husband, Edwin, holding a locket with her picture. When they return the locket to Marla, her husband’s spirit appears briefly to thank them before passing on to the afterlife.

Treasure:

Marla’s Gratitude: The party receives 100 gold pieces as a reward from Marla.
Hidden Safe: In the ruins of the inn, the party finds a hidden safe containing 50 gold pieces, a silver necklace worth 25 gold pieces, and a Potion of Greater Healing.