Harbinger of Death
This exploration challenge is particularly appropriate for use with the Corrupted Region template, first introduced in Gate Pass Gazette Issue # 32.
As the party settles in for the evening, an unusual owl, its talons and beak the color of bone, alights on a nearby branch. Its eyes are like twin moons and its hoots sound like cruel chuckling. The more one looks at it, the larger its eyes seem to get, until it seems that one could fall into them forever.
Natural Lore. An Arcana or Nature check can be made to realize that this is not a natural animal, but neither is it a dangerous monstrosity.
Ominous. A History or Religion check can be made to recognize that the owl is often seen as a bad omen that presages death. Care must be taken, lest it pronounce your doom.
There are numerous ways to deal with the owl, although only one individual check is needed.
Harming or killing the owl triggers a critical failure, while casting dispel evil and good on it triggers a success.
- Animal Handling to mollify the owl with a treat.
- Arcana or Religion to offer something to the owl to fulfill its need for death.
- Deception or Persuasion to convince the owl to seek a different target.
- History or Religion to recall the correct lay ritual (such as a nursery rhyme) that would cause the owl to move elsewhere.
Critical Failure. The owl hoots menacingly, its eyes flash, a chill wind blows, and the adventurer is cursed. Until this curse is lifted, the adventurer has disadvantage on death saving throws, and a result of 1–3 on a death saving throw counts as a critical failure. The nature of lifting this curse is determined by the Narrator. Each member of the party also suffers a level of strife.
Failure. The owl shows its displeasure and curses the adventurer. They are rattled until they finish a short or long rest and have disadvantage on the next death save they make this week.
Success. The owl seems content and closes its eyes, apparently to go to sleep. Sensitive PCs (as determined by the Narrator, but primarily those with spellcasting ability) get the feeling that the owl has decided to let them be.
Critical Success. The owl flies away, apparently satisfied. The next time that week the adventurer is in battle with a major foe (a Hard or Deadly encounter or the most powerful creature in such an encounter), the foe has vulnerability to the damage inflicted by the adventurer’s first successful attack against it. This does not apply to damage types the foe is resistant or immune to.