Players! Want to play this quest? Stop reading and notify your DM. Save the fun for the game-table!Running this Quest
You can adjust any of the information below according to your campaign, preference or imagination. Feel free to experiment and let other visitors know what works for you in the comments below.
Crimson Cave is built for a party of four level 7 characters – but should be considered dangerous.
The cave mouth agape before you, you see the rock smeared with blood. Pieces of flesh and organs decorate the ground, tangling between numerous human skulls. From the darkness deep within the cave, you hear a muffled, low whine – like something anticipates your entry.
The Littered Skulls
An Investigation check (DC15) of the area reveals the body parts seem to have been violently removed over the last few days. Additionally, there are body parts from around ten different people. If the check succeeds by 5 or more reveal the following information as well: The skulls have numerous teeth marks on them, and some are even missing parts of the bone. Whatever killed these people, did so with absolute ferocity. If a character is proficient in nature, or has a specialised understanding of
monstrosity type creature – allow them to make a DC13 Nature check to discern the following information:
The massacre before you is something you’ve heard or read about. It is something you wished to never come across, something that strikes fear in the hearts of many, including you in this moment. All around you, you see the signs of a Wendigo.
Into the Mouth of Hell
Minding your head as you duck into the dark tunnel of the cave, you smell blood and other bodily excrements. The loose, muddy ground beneath your feet squelches with what you hope is water. Beyond the reach of the outside light, darkness hides everything from your sight.
If some kind of light is used to illuminate the tunnel, read the following:
The light reveals the true horror within this tunnel, what was originally lost in the blackness now confronts you and tests your resolve to continue on. Eyes, teeth, tongues, pieces of bone, clumps of hair, plastered along the walls and floor.
Each creature that sees this, must make a DC 13Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they gag loudly breaking any stealth check they may have previously made. Additionally, they are considered poisoned for 1 minute.
It Waits
The tunnel soon ends opening up to a chamber about 20 feet high. Bits of rock are scattered around the place as stalagmites climb and stalactites hang from the ceiling. The gory scenery continues, with bones and blood cast randomly all around. The whining you heard before has stopped. However, the chamber is not silent. Instead, you hear a deep guttural sound – it seems like speech.
Any character that speaks Sylvan will recognise the speech. The creature said: “A new feast. The hunger never ends.”
The Wendigo will wait for the character to enter the room proper. Stepping more into the centre of the chamber. If the players seem reluctant to do this, the sound of person suddenly crying out rings out from behind a stalagmite, as the players see something shift in that direction. This is the Wendigo attemptingto lure the players to “help” the person.
If they go to the source of the noise, they will findthe upper open torso of a female half-orc, its internalorgans removed through shattered ribs. The Wendigothen
After the Battle
If the Wendigo is defeated, have the character who made the nature check understand the body of the creature as well as its shrines need to be burned -otherwise the creature will return. If no such player made the check, have a high ranking NPC from the village inform them of what needs to be done when they leave the cave.
Shrines. The Wendigo creates three shrines out of sinew and bone, which it then places in a triangle shape within its lair. The shrines are made by lashing together random pieces of bone taken from numerous bodies with sinew. It then vomits onto each shrine, imbuing them with the ability to bring it back from the dead. Burning the shrines, and the body of the Wendigo, negates this process.
Treasure. A search of the chamber reveals nothing much survived the rampage of the Wendigo. A smattering of coins might be salvageable. Otherwise, its all just bones and guts.
Wendigo Heart
The DM may decide to allow the players to take apiece of the Wendigo. If this is the case, have oddity of the creature’s heart emphasised. A Detect Magic spell will reveal the heart is magical.
Wendigo Heart
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
The heart of a Wendigo seems to be made of ice. Painful to hold with bare hands, the heart seems to vibrate whenever it’s causing harm to a creature. When attuned to this item you gain the following benefits:
- You gain resistance to poison and psychic damage, and immunity to cold damage.
- You can cast the following spells: blur, cause fear, and fear. Each spell can be cast once, and need to finish along rest before you can cast it again. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
- You gain blindsight out to a range of 30ft.
- Your sense of smell is heightened. Any Perception checkmade that relys on smell is made with advantage.
Curse. This heart is cursed. Attuning to it curses you until you are targeted by the Remove Curse spell or similar magic. Un-attuning from the heart fails to end the curse on you. You must consume at least one humanoid corpse each week, if you fail to meet this requirement you suffer one level of exhaustion at the beginning of each day. This exhaustion cannot be removed through any other means than the consumption of a humanoid corpse, which can be done over a short or long rest.
Conclusion
If the players defeat the Wendigo and burn its corpse and shrines, the village folk may choose to reward them with gold pieces. Perhaps a lord, lady, or someone of a high station gifts them a magical item. If so, consult the Magic Items table in the DMG.
Monsters and NPC's
Wendigo
Large monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor class 17 (natural armor)
Hit points 112 (15d8 + 45)
Speed 20 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 (+4) | 24 (+7) | 16 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 9 (-1) |
Saving Throws Dex +10, Wis +4
Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +5, Perception +7, Stealth+10, Survival +4
Damage Immunities cold; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered.
Damage Resistances poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses blindsight 60ft., darkvision 120ft., passive Perception17
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Boreal Camouflage. The Wendigo has advantage on Stealth checks made to hide in snow. When surrounded by snow or foliage, the Wendigo can hide as a bonus action.
Keen Senses. The Wendigo has advantage on Perception checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Percolate Projectiles. When a creature that the Wendigo can see hits it with a ranged weapon attack, the Wendigo can make a DEX saving throw with a DC equal to the attack roll’s total (the Wendigo automatically fails this saving throw if the attack was a critical hit). On a successful save, the attackmisses instead.
Rejuvenation. When the Wendigo dies, it returns to life 12(2d10+1) hours later and regains all its hit points, unless its body and its shrines are burned beforehand.
Actions
Multiattack. The Wendigo makes 3 attacks: one with its bite, and two with its claws. It can replace 2 of these attacks with its acid reflux, if available.
Acid Reflux (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit,range 20/60ft., one target. Hit 26 (4d12) acid damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 13 (2d8+4) piercing damage
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 11 (2d6+4)
Consume Flesh. Melee Weapon Attack: The Wendigo makes one bite attack against a creature that isn’t a construct, elemental, ooze, or undead. on a hit, the target takes an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the Wendigo regains a number of hit points equal to the amount of necrotic damage taken by the target; furthermore, the target can’t regain hit points until the end of its next turn.
Bonus Actions
Rejuvenating Delight. If the Wendigo uses Consume Flesh and the amount of hit points regained bring the Wendigo either to full health or brings it back over half health, the Wendigo can use its bonus action on its turn to make one claw attack.
Reactions
Gaze of Insanity. The Wendigo stares into the eyes of a creature that targets it as part of an attack or spell. That creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, the creature’s attack or spell fails, and it suffers from the following Long-Term Madness effect: The creature experiences a horrific vision, which over time can drive them mad with fear. The transition takes around 5 days, depending on the creature’s will. At the end of each day the creature can make a DC13 Wisdom saving throw, on a success, the transition is delayed by one day. This lasts until the Wendigo’s body has been immolated or with the use of a remove curse spell. How the curse mechanically effects the characters is decided by the DM.
Rollback. When a creature makes an attack against the Wendigo and misses, the Wendigo can move up to half its movement speed away from the creature, without provoking opportunity attacks. If the Wendigo is surrounded by snow or foliage, it can then immediately take the Hide action.
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