CurseQuest: A 1st Level Adventure for 5th Edition

The land of Lodeon was once a prosperous kingdom centuries ago. It was ruled by the benevolent King Octavian and his council of advisors. Chief among them was Radomir, the king’s court magician. It was through his magics that Octavian was able to maintain peace throughout the kingdom and with neighboring kingdoms. But Radomir wanted more than to be the king’s right hand… he wanted to rule himself.

So, in secret, the archmage sought out a way to usurp the throne. Through countless rituals and castings he eventually made contact with a dark, malevolent force from beyond the mortal realms. This creature whispered offers of boundless power in exchange for the very souls of the people Radomir wished to rule over. With the flick of a quill and a few drops of blood a deal was struck, and the fate of Lodeon was sealed forever.

First came the fog, rolling in from all sides. It sealed the kingdom off from the outside world, and any who dared brave it either turned back in fear or simply disappeared. Then the clouds blocked out the sun, casting the kingdom into eternal darkness. Finally, from the shadows came monsters the likes of which the people had never seen before. They began preying on the people, rich and poor alike, dragging them away from the safety of their torches and campfires and into the darkness beyond.

King Octavian tried to save his people, bravely riding into the darkness with his closest warrior guards, but alas, the darkness consumed him and he was never seen again. Radomir, at the behest of the council took his place upon the throne as Lodeon’s new king regent. His coup complete, Radomir settled into his new role. From high above the common folk, he enjoys the perks of power while the people he rules over suffer at the hands of dark creatures. All seems lost for the people of Lodeon.

Fortunately, there is still hope. Octavian, in his attempts to find the source of the darkness and save his kingdom, managed to fight his way through the fog. Weary, injured, and on death’s door, he arrived in the small town of Hollow’s Cross. With his last breaths he spoke of his kingdom, the way back, and the darkness that had taken over everything. He beseeched the small group around him to save his people before it’s too late.

Now, the group of travelers present for this last act have a choice: Seek out Lodeon and try to lift whatever curse has befallen the land saving its people, or turn their backs on a kingdom cloaked in shadow, dooming it forever.