The Revenant is something that we came up with inspired by a song sent to us by Adam Fix. He loved the song and wanted to challenge us to see if we could come up with something. We loved the idea so much that we hit the ground running. We hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
This sidequest can be built into any homebrew world you already have or can be run as a one-shot. The big twist can not be known to the players! Only the DM! The way we built this side quest is for the big reveal to be at the end! Try not to spoil it for any of your players! The name of the towns can be changed to fit within any of your worlds. We are leaving a lot of creative freedom to you, such as encounters (how many and what they are), NPCs (how much info they give, how they act, etc) and the layout of the hideout.
The quest giver that gives your players details are dead and are ghosts, unable to rest due to being murdered by The Obsidian Man. The living people of the towns are sad when your players mention the dead characters, but don’t mention that they are dead. They also don’t know that The Revenant is dead due to them seeing his ghost around town. When the player's mention The Obsidian Man, have every character react differently. Some will be scared to death and some will be angry, but they all know of the horrors brought by the man.
Overview
Players come across a town where a horrible crime has been committed, just like in other towns. A monstrous man has been going from town to town, murdering people out of seemingly cold blood. The Revenant is in the town in front of a fountain where he tells the players about the man who terrorizing towns. He promises the players magic items that are hidden in his house (players won’t go there until the end) if they aid him in their help.
The Revenant sends them around the town to talk to different people. The living people in the town have heard rumors about the hideout and give up details hesitantly out of fear. Lead the players to the local library where they are to meet the head librarian (details about that encounter in the setting section).
The players head to the hideout where they are met with the real truth. The Obsidian man is a horrible man who is just pure evil. He just wants to rule the world and to establish himself as the ruler, he has been slowly gaining control out of absolute fear. He randomly goes to towns and murders people to establish the dominance of the towns. They learn this information by finding a manifesto written by him. The players are unaware that he has been behind him the whole time and engage in an epic battle. Let the players decide if they want to kill him or turn him into the government within Northbury.
Afterword, the players head back to the town, where they are greeted by The Mayor (if they brought The Obsidian Man alive, hand him over), who had heard from Octavia Quentin about how these players were wanting to save them from The Obsidian Man. The Mayor asks how they found out about him and tells them the tale of the Revenant. He was a man named Marcus Icewell whose family met the unfortunate fate brought on by The Obsidian Man. His entire family was murdered by the evil man in his house. The town official tells the players where the Revenant’s house is. If asked, he graciously gives them 50 gold apiece and thanks to them for saving his town.
The players are met by The Revenant who shows them where the magical items are (you as the DM decide what they are). He tells them the story of the fateful day, where his family was murdered. He tried to stop The Obsidian Man but he couldn’t do it on his own. He couldn’t save his family. He leads them into the backyard where there are headstones belonging to his wife and kid, There’s a third blank one with no writing on it.
“This is where we were all going to be laid to rest when we all passed later in life, together as a family. Guess it came sooner than we all expected.” He stands by the third one and gives thanks to the players with tears in his eyes.
“You have brought me and my family peace. Thank you for doing something I wasn’t strong enough to do on my own.” He says as he disappears into the ground. After a moment, the Revenant’s real name, Marcus Icewell, appears on the gravestone, revealing that he was dead this entire time and couldn’t rest without the help of the players. The other two gravestones read Scarlett and Vermillion Icewell.
The family has been laid to rest and the town has been saved. Congratulations!
Settings
Northbury
This town is a town built around nature. The outsides of the town are lined with thick trees and a dense wood area protects it. The terrain of the woods is very difficult to navigate in and people often get lost. The town is massive in size with miles of land built in a circle within the trees.
Northbury is a very wealthy town with hardly any poor people. Jobs are very plentiful in this town and they have a very strong middle class. The top of the town all live within or around a huge manor on the northside of the town. The manor acts as the town hall and is run by a mayor with a complex government system.
The streets are cobblestone with wildlife everywhere. Flowers and bushes line the streets and the buildings have sprawling gardens and large trees. Some houses are even built into the trees as a form of a treehouse. Most houses are made of either brick or deep-colored wood. The town is alive with vivid colors and rare fauna. The weather is absolutely ideal with just enough rain to keep the town going.
The middle of the circle of buildings is where the hustle and bustle are happening. Various vendors and attractive shops line the large center, encasing a large fountain in the middle. A large paved road heads north straight to the manor. Another one heads east to a large library and another one to the west to a school. Various other buildings such as an armory, a tavern, an inn, and a potion dealer are spread throughout the town (free to choose where those are).
People of all sorts of races live here and enjoy their lives. Everyone is friendly, hardly ever giving anyone trouble. Although, they now live in fear of The Obsidian man and have turned cold to strangers. There is a buzz in the air surrounding the new arrivals and rumors are flying about the murders and The Obsidian Man himself. Everyone in town leads the players to the library where the rumor of one of the librarians knows the whereabouts of The Hideout.
Feel free to replace this town with one already built into your homebrew world
If players mention The Revenant to anyone in town, they believe he is still alive. They have been seeing him around town but know that he is mourning his family's death. No one in town knows that he is dead yet.
The Library
The Library of Northbury is a very popular part of town for a good reason. The massive building is made completely out of marble, with massive windows scaling the 6 different floors. A grand staircase leads into the entrance with beautiful gardens that line either side. The inside is just as grand as the outside, with 6 different floors with thousands of books. There’s a special school within the library that trains students the ins and outs of the building for 4 years. The process to become a librarian here is extensive and grueling, with tests and classes, only accepting the top 1% grade-wise of their yearly students.
There are plenty of people milling about, relaxing or learning about the hundreds of topics covered within the library. The main librarian, Octavia Quentin, is the smartest person in the town. She watches over the library with eagle-like eyes and seemingly knows everything about any topic, including even the black market of the town. The rumor mill has her at the center, with whispers of her knowing the exact area of where The Obsidian Man can be tracked too.
But meeting with her takes a scheduled meeting that is full well into the next few months. But if the players can persuade the receptionist at the front desk that they are here to take care of The Obsidian Man, she will let them in to see Octavia. Or have them encounter a NPC who gives them a secret code to tell the receptionist, “The Watchful Owl keeps a close eye on its prey,” which she instantly leads them into the office where Octavia works.
The Hideout
To the west of the town, deep within the woods, lies a crumbling temple in a clearing shadowed by tall trees. The players will not be able to find this without the map given to them by the Librarian. What was once an opalescent temple was covered in thick vines, pieces of the roof caving in. It’s not as big as most temples are with only 6 rooms inside, The inside is a dump with bones and bloodstains everywhere. Hardly any natural light comes in here, making things fuzzy without a torch. The entrance leads into a large room with what was once pews to worship at. At the back of the room is a small landing with a large wooden desk in it. Here lies the manifesto that The Obsidian Man was written himself. Three doors on the right lead to various rooms, and three doors on the right lead to various rooms there as well.
Encounters here are picked by you as the DM depending on your player's levels
If there is no one else but The Obsidian Man here, the rest of the rooms are covered in dust. If not, place people and items in them as you see fit.
The Revenant’s House
At first glance, the outside of the house is well kept by the neighbors. The grass gets mowed by them and the flowers frequently watered as they try and tempt new buyers to move into the house. But after the murder, everyone believes that it’s bad luck.
It’s a simple one story house with brick walls on the outside with a black roof. When you first enter the home, the layout is very simple. The entryway leads to just a long hallway that ends at the kitchen. Off of the hallway are various rooms, such as a dining room, living room, bathroom and even another hallway off to the right that leads to two bedrooms. The kitchen opens up to the backyard where another luscious garden is blooming.
The inside of the home is nothing like the outside. The house looks like a disaster. Papers are thrown about, empty silverware that is collecting flies, and random items scattered the floor. When entering, the Revenant is sheepish, apologizing for the mess and how he hasn’t had any time to clean up. If the players enter the living room, a massive deep red stain is very noticeable on the hardwood floor. The Revenant won’t go into the living room.
The magic items are in the dining room locked in a safe. He gives the players the code to open the safe if that is the item they pick.
Try to not let the players go into the backyard without the Revenant. If they do, explain how the headstones are blocked by heavy foliage.
Characters
The Revenant
Name: Marcus Icewell
Race: Human
Age: 25
The Revenant, also known as Marcus Icewell, lived a mild life. When he became an adult Marcus took over his Father's magic item Store. When he turned 21 he met Scarlett Keye. Before long the two fell in love and got married. One year later, the two had their first child Vermillion. The two lived a happy life with their daughter. Their life was dramatically changed one night when they were attacked by the one known as the Obsidian Man. He broke in and attacked Scarlett and Vermillion while Marcus was in town closing the store. Marcus arrived shortly after to see his loved ones dead in their home. He became terrified and attempted to find any remnants of his life intact. The only clue he was able to find was a crude drawing of a skull on a tattered paper, stabbed into the wall with a large knife. Not long after the event, living alone became too difficult and Marcus took his own life.
How to RP Marcus ‘The Revenant’ Icewell
Marcus needs to feel hopeless, distraught, and very angry. The extent of his knowledge on the Obsidian Man is his name, the drawing, and that he is notorious for many murders in their town. When he gives the quest, it should be less of a request, but more of a plea or beg for help. He would have access to his store where he would be able to reward the players with gold and or magic items. When the players finish the quest and meet him in his home is demeanor should be a bit more bright. Marcus will be very thankful to the players and should no longer be angry. Once the quest is over and he returns to his grave he will no longer be available to interact with the players.
The Obsidian Man
Name: Unknown
Race: Human
Age: Unknown
The Obsidian Man’s true identity is unknown. Much of his past and life is an enigma. What he is known for is his ideology that he should be the true ruler of the Country. He has worked to achieve this goal by murdering random citizens, spreading fear, and gaining followers through intimidation. His appearance consists of a full outfit of all black. His face is covered by a wooden mask carved into a skull. Behind the mask is a pale skinned human man. He has short dark black hair and dark blue eyes. Only the people he killed know what his face without the mask looks like.
How to RP the Obsidian Man
The Obsidian Man is very maniacal and evil. There should be little sense when he speaks and should be very animated when fighting or killing. If he is taken alive, he will not answer questions directly. If the party speaks with him, he will only ramble on about wishing he could kill them.
Stats and Abilities for the Obsidian Man
HP: 75 (Scale to your Party)
AC: 17 (Scale to your Party)
Speed: 30
Strength: 19 (+3)
Dexterity: 19 (+3)
Constitution: 13 (+1)
Wisdom: 8 (-2)
Intelligence: 8 (-2)
Charisma: 15 (+2)
Languages: Common, Under Common, and Goblin
Immunities: The Obsidian Man cannot be charmed or frightened
Senses: Sight- 60 ft. Passive Perception- 13
Weapons: Short Sword x2 (1d6+1 Piercing), Dagger x4 (1d4+2 Piercing)
Spells: Chill Touch as a cantrip. Add any others as you see fit!
Special Actions:
Strangle- If a player becomes grappled, they must make a Strength saving throw. If they fail they take 1d6 Bludgeoning damage. If they pass, play as if they were simply grappled.
Bite- If his mask is broken, The Obsidian Man, will attempt to bite players if they get too close. If a player is hit by a bite, that player takes 1d4 acid damage.
The Librarian
Name: Octavia Quentin
Race: High Elf
Age: 680
Octavia is the town’s scholar and head librarian. The community holds the position in very high regard. In order to obtain the position, you must practice Librarian history, knowledge, and culture for 5 years. After that, only the top 1% will be fit to take the roll. She has lead this position since she was 100 years old, surpassing even most of the government officials. Octavia is an older elf woman. She stands at 5’1, with wrinkled gold-olive skin. She wears large glasses and long white hair that reaches down to her lower back that is clipped up neatly. She is heavily known as the smartest person in Northbury. She has spent much of her recent free time plotting and gathering information on the murders. She will be the main liaison for the party when it comes to getting information.
How to RP Octavia “The Librarian” Quentin
Octavia should be a very shrewd and aggressive person. The players will have to talk her into giving out information, and the whole time she should be rushing them around. She holds the true location of the hideout. When giving out this information, she should explain she would do it herself but she’s become too old for that sort of job. If persuaded she will give the party a map on how to find the Hideout. She will explain to the party that it will be very dangerous and they need to be on their guard.
The Mayor
Since he is only in this towards the end of the campaign, roleplay him as you seek fit! The town folk does love him and what he has done for the town. He is so gracious to the party that he is willing to give them 50 gold a piece for their troubles. Create him as you please!
The original idea was requested by Adam Fix. Inspired by The Revenant - A Dungeons and Dragons Inspired Original Tavern Song. It was revised and edited it by us, Bards of Lore. We take no credit in creating this world or the ideas listed above!
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