NIGHTMARE in the PUPPET SHOP

ENTER AN UNASSUMING PUPPET SHOP AND STOP A CULT FROM

UNLEASHING A TIDE OF ABERRANT HORRORS ON THE WORLD!
Adventure Primer
CREDITS RUNNING THE ADVENTURE Abbreviations
Cover Illustration: Stephane (Wootha) Richard To run this adventure, you need the Fifth The following abbreviations are used
Story and Mechanics: Torchlight Press Edition core rulebooks. throughout this adventure:

Map Layout: Dyson Logos hp hit points

Text that appears in a box like this is
Map Coloring: Torchlight Press AC Armor Class
meant to be read aloud or paraphrased
Special Thanks: None of this would be for the players when their characters DC Difficulty Class
possible without Wizards of the Coast and first arrive at a location or under a
their open license. specific circumstance, as described in XP experience points
the text. pp platinum piece(s)
Learn More
You can visit our website at gp gold piece(s)
The core 5th Edition monster book contains
CorvidsEmporium.com or scan the QR code stat blocks for most of the creatures found in ep electrum piece(s)
below: this adventure. Monster stat blocks created
specifically for this adventure will be included sp silver piece(s)
at the end. When a creature’s name appears in cp copper piece(s)
bold type, that’s a visual cue pointing you to
its stat block in the core monster book. If the NPC nonplayer character
monster is not included in the core monster LG Lawful good
book, it will be included in the appendices of
the adventure. CG Chaotic good
NG Neutral good
Adjusting Encounters
This adventure contains advice for adjusting LN Lawful neutral
encounters based on the number of characters N Neutral
in the party. You are empowered to modify
the number of enemies in an encounter and CN Chaotic neutral
their hit point totals as you see fit. If you need
LE Lawful evil
to adjust the difficulty of an encounter during
combat, you can alter hit point totals without CE Chaotic evil
the player characters ever knowing and have
NE Neutral evil
enemies retreat or reinforcements arrive as
needed.

2
Nightmares in the Puppet Shop
Nightmares in the Puppet Shop is a Fifth BACKGROUND ADVENTURE HOOKS
Edition adventure for 3 to 7 characters of 5th
level, and is optimized for 5 characters with A small sect of cultists worshipping an eldritch You can use the following adventure hooks to
an average party level (APL) of 5. god have been using a puppet shop as a guise key your players up for this adventure.
for their unholy activities. Now, after years of Lost Partner. A human woman named Winona
A cult is preparing a dark ritual to summon preparation, they are on the cusp of creating
their eldritch masters into the world. One is worried about her wife, a guard that’s gone
a portal to another realm, intent on letting missing, and pleads with the characters to find
of the town’s guards infiltrated their ranks aberrant horrors consume the world.
to learn about the ritual’s location. The her. She does not have anything she can offer
characters need to rescue the undercover One of the town guards, a tiefling woman in return for their help.
operative and stop the ritual before it’s too named Dancing in the Rain, had a hunch Cult Activity. The townmaster has discretely
late. something was amiss and spent some time offered 100 gp to the characters to find their
undercover working at the shop. They missing guard and follow-up on the cult they
This adventure is structured into two parts: discovered the cult’s plans and managed
pre-ritual and post-ritual. Pre-ritual, the were investigating.
to sneak out a word of warning to the
characters will explore the shop and fight past townmaster before being uncovered and
cultists to get to the room where the ritual is captured.
being performed. Post-ritual, the characters
must fight their way out of the dungeon
past eldritch horrors manifesting in puppets
throughout the shop.

3
MERRILL’S PUPPET EMPORIUM 1 - Shop Floor Post-Ritual
Merrill’s Puppet Emporium is a modest shop The shop floor is where customers are The torn shreds of puppets and stuffed
that sells puppets and stuffed animals. The permitted to browse and purchase puppets. animals litter the floor. A slimy residue snakes
single-store stone building hides a network of When the characters arrive, read the following across the floor.
rooms and halls in the ground beneath it. information: Encounter: Aberrant Puppets. There are two
aberrant purple worm puppets (grick) among
General Features the scattered merchandise. They wait until a
There are three corner shelves filled
Unless otherwise noted, locations in Merrill’s with a wide variety of puppets and a creature is in the center of the room before
Puppet Emporium have the following features. cashier’s desk. A bored woman sits at attacking.
Ceilings. The ceilings are 9 feet high. the counter inspecting a small brown-
and-white puppet with large ears. 2 - Hallway
Floors and Walls. The floors and walls are
made of stone. This long L-shaped hall is 10 feet wide and
connects to every room in the building.
Doors. The doors are made of stone. They Encounter: Cultist. There is one female human
have AC 17, 18 hit points, and unless otherwise cultist named Eda that works the front desk. Locked Doors. The doors to room 4, 5, and 7
noted they are unlocked. A locked door can She can be convinced to abandon her post are locked.
be opened by inflicting psychic damage or with a successful DC 11 Charisma (Persuasion)
succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) or Charisma (Intimidation) check. Post-Ritual
check. A creature that is proficient with Merchandise. The shelves are lined with Encounter: Shambling Puppet Mound. There
thieves’ tools can pick a locked door with a puppets of every shape and size. Consult is a shambling mound of puppets at the north
successful DC 17 Dexterity check. the following table for random puppets and end of the hall. It’s blindsight is reduced to
Light. The puppet shop and the dungeon stuffed animals: 5 feet; it chases down sounds but does not
beneath are poorly lit by spaced-out lanterns. squeeze through doors unless it keeps getting
d10 Creature hit through a door.
Puppets. All of the puppet aberrations have the
following changes: 1 Walrus (tiny, 6cp) Door to Area 3. Garbled shouting can be heard
• Their creature type is aberration. coming from this room.
2 Young Blue Dragon (tiny, 10cp)
• Wieldable. A creature that is grappling Door to Area 6. Nonsensical gibbering can be
3 Blink Dog (tiny, 14cp) heard through this door with a successful DC
an aberrant puppet can use an action to
force the puppet to attack a target of their 4 Balor (small, 6sp) 11 Wisdom (Perception) check.
choice. The puppet makes this attack with
5 Fire Giant (small, 8sp)
its reaction.
6 Mimic (small, 6sp)
KEYED LOCATIONS
7 Hippogriff (small, 8sp)
The following locations are keyed to the map
of Merrill’s Puppet Emporium. 8 Tarrasque (medium, 14sp)
9 Winter Wolf (medium, 16sp)
10 Purple Worm (medium, 4gp)

5
3 - Repair Room tendril on its next turn. When the creature 5 - Back Room
gets within 10 feet of the puppet for the first
Read the following: The door to this room is locked.
time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or Encounter: Thug. There is one thug sitting in a
The walls of this room are fitted with be grappled and thrown in a random direction, chair guarding the entrance to the basement.
shelves holding a variety of tools for taking 10 (2d10) damage from 6 (2d6) sharp They defend the entrance to their death.
carving wood and cutting, sewing, and tools scattered around.
stuffing fabric. In the center of the Post-Ritual
room is a long wooden table with a 4 - Stockroom Hazard: Shrieking Puppet. There is one
puppet strapped down. The door to this room is locked. When the human-sized crab puppet (shrieker) sitting
characters enter, read the following: at the northern end of the hall. A creature
Hazard: Restrained Puppet. A character that that is ascending up the hatch in the floor
inspects the puppet notices that it has sharp that has a passive perception of 12 or higher
Tall wooden shelves wrap around the notices the shrieker without alerting it. If
teeth made of a white material. A DC 12 north, west, and south walls of this
Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the the puppet shrieks, the shambling puppet
elongated room. They are filled with mound (shambling mound) in Area 2 begins
teeth are made of bone. A DC 10 Intelligence puppets, stuffed animals, and various
(Arcana) check reveals that the puppet is lumbering toward the room.
crafting supplies.
enchanted with transmutation magic. A
creature that puts their hand in the puppet’s 6 - Supply Room
mouth must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving Stock. Refer to the merchandise table in Area 1 This small room contains crates filled with
throw or take 5 (1d10) piercing damage and for the items that can be found here. crafting supplies.
have disadvantage on melee weapon attacks
Treasure: Supplies. There is 50 gp worth of
for 10 minutes. Post-Ritual sewing and woodworking supplies stored in
Encounter: Aberrant Puppets. There is one the crates.
Post-Ritual
aberrant teddy bear (mimic) and two squid
Read the following: puppets (darkmantels). When creatures enter
the room, one squid crushes their prey while
the other plunges the area into darkness.
Long fleshy tendrils coming from a
The creatures attack hungrily and give chase
puppet strapped to the table whip and
greedily.
writhe, haphazardly knocking carving
and sewing tools around. The puppet
is screaming discordantly.

Encounter: Restrained and Enraged Puppet.

The puppet is an aberration with AC 15, 20 hit
points, and immunity to poison and psychic
damage. It can have up to six tendrils at a
time. Each tendril can be attacked (AC 20; 10
hit points; immunity to poison and psychic
damage). The puppet extrudes a replacement

6
7 - Office 8 - Bathroom 10 - Secret Room
The door to this room is locked. When the This bathroom has a basin and a single toilet. Read the following:
characters enter, read the following: Encounter: Veteran. There is one human male
veteran reading a poorly drawn comic in the There are several boxes and barrels in
This rectangular room features a desk bathroom. They are carrying 5 gp and a brass this roughly-hewn room. Two suits of
with a wheeled, wooden chair toward key that unlocks all of the doors on the ground armor are standing in front of a tiefling
the eastern wall. floor. woman that is tied up and manicled on
the ground.
Post-Ritual
Desk. There are detailed financial reports on
merchandise sales laying on the desk. Various Encounter: Swarms of Balors. There are Encounter: Animated Armors. There are two
letters with other merchants and suppliers can two swarms of tiny balor puppets (swarms animated armors and a restrained tiefling
be found by inspecting the desk. A character of snakes). If the veteran was left here, the (female guard). When the doors to the room
that succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence (History) veteran’s body has been torn to shreds by the open, the suits take an offensive stance and
check notices ritual supplies — candles, salts, puppets. They attack any creature that enters prepare to fight. They do not surrender the
and bloods — carefully spaced out between the room. tiefling woman under any circumstances.
deliveries. Restrained Guard. The guard is a tiefling
9 - Waiting Room
woman named Dancing in the Rain. She is
Post-Ritual This room has several cushioned mats on the undercover agent that leaked information
the ground for sitting and a heavy curtain about the ritual taking place in this shop.
Encounter: Aberrant Puppets. There is one
concealing the eastern wall.
mangled walrus puppet (gibbering mouther)
and two squid puppets (darkmantels). The Muffled Noises. A character that succeeds on 11 - Central Chamber
mangled walrus is sitting in the wooden chair, a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check or walks Read the following:
spinning it incessantly. The squids are flitting within 5 feet of the eastern wall can hear
back and forth through the air. When the muffled noises coming from the other side.
characters enter, the mangled walrus makes Hidden Door. There is a hidden door in the A staircase spirals down the edges
alarmed garbled noises and the trio attack. eastern wall behind the curtain. A character of this large square room, leaving
can find the door with a successful DC 13 a platform in the center. There are
Intelligence (Investigation) check. braziers at each corner of the platform
illuminating large tapestries on each
Trap: Cushioned Mats. There are four wall.
cushioned mats on the ground. A creature not
aligned with a chaotic evil otherworldly power
that rests on a mat must succeed on a DC 16 Tapestries. The tapestries depict a sacrifice
Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the being made, an eldritch god entering the
target is driven insane for 1 minute. An insane world, and the world being consumed.
creature can’t take actions, can’t understand Stairs. There are two doors connected to the
what other creatures say, can’t read, and stairs which go to Area 12 and Area 14. The
speaks only in gibberish. The GM controls its door to Area 14 is locked. The bottom of the
movement, which is erratic. stairs connect to Area 15.

7
12 - Hallway South Door. The south door leads to a rough- Post-Ritual. After the encounter is concluded,
There are two green statues in this short hewn corridor that’s still in the process of the characters must begin the second phase
L-shaped hall depicting tentacle-faced gods. being dug out. of the dungeon: getting back out. The shop
above has been fundamentally changed by
Statues. Each statue is made out of solid 14 - Bedroom the portal’s opening and there are aberrant
copper worth 2,500 copper and weighing 50 creatures that will threaten them.
pounds. This room features a large bed, dresser, and
other furnishings.
Muffled Noises. A character that succeeds on CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE
a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check or walks Encounter: Rug of Smothering. The bed
covering is a rug of smothering. It attacks At the end of the adventure the characters
within 5 feet of the eastern statue can hear have closed the cult’s portal and escaped
muffled noises coming from through the any creature that lays in the bed that is not a
cultist. or destroyed the aberrant puppets that its
northern wall between the two statues. opening created.
Hidden Door. There is a hidden door in the 15 - Planar Junction
northern wall between the two statues. A Adventure Hook Resolutions
character can find the door with a successful Read the following:
There were three adventure hooks mentioned
DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check. in the introduction. Here is the resolution for
This square room features four each adventure hook:
13 - Chapel glowing altars placed in alcoves at the Lost Partner. If the characters find and
Read the following: center of each wall. In the center of return the missing guard to her wife, they
the room six cultists are chanting in are rewarded with a place to stay and a warm
a guttural, chaotic language. Before meal.
Two rows of seats run down either them, a portal into a pitch black space
side of this room, leaving a thin isle has opened. Large writhing tentacles Cult Activity. The townmaster pays the 100 gp
running from the northern door to the are pouring out of the portal, grasping reward as promised.
southern door. There are two small for anchors to pull itself through by.
altars tucked into alcoves on the east
and west walls and a short pedestal set
aside to the south. Encounter: Otherworldly Horror. A mass of
tentacles (roper) is reaching through the
portal. It attacks indiscriminately, targeting
Encounter: Quasit. There is one quasit sitting the creatures closest to it first. The tentacles
on the pedestal at the southern side of the can be attacked, but the roper itself cannot be
room. The quasit is invisible and attempts to damaged from the material plane.
engage the characters in conversation to buy
time for the ritual in Area 15 to complete. The Portal. It is too late to disrupt the ritual by
quasit is nonplussed by the threat of death, killing the cultists. The glowing altars are
although it would be an inconvenience to be made of bone and have AC 15 and 10 hit points.
sent back to the abyss. If the ritual has already Each time an altar is destroyed the portal
been completed, the quasit is gleeful and shrinks and the roper permanently loses one
gloats about the coming end of the world. of its tentacles. When the portal is closed, any
creature that was pulled through the portal by
the tentacles is spit back out at the center of
the room.

8
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