First Blush
A level one, introductory adventure for parties of 1 player
and 1 DM
Part One of the Crystalline Curse Trilogy
Introduction: This special adventure was designed to help you start your own duet game and
to introduce new players to 5th edition D&D. It’s the first in a three-part introductory trilogy
that spans from levels one through three and is perfect for beginning your own duet
campaign! We hope you enjoy it!
Art Credit: Adam Womersley of Bard & Lute, Wizards of the Coast stock art, and DesignCuts
resources
A one-shot adventure for one 1st-level character.
The adventure contains two possible sidekick characters to aid one-on-one and smallparty play.
by Jonathan Ball and Beth Ball
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other
Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards
of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the
express written permission of Wizards of the Coast.
©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square,
Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
First Blush: An Introductory One-on-One Adventure by D&D Duet
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Sidebar example
Introduction
Thanks so much for picking up this adventure! First
Blush is a two-part, level one adventure designed for
one player and their DM, a style we often refer to as a
duet! There are so many advantages to this style of
play, and we hope that you fall in love with it as much
as we have!
And, with that aim in mind, let’s get started! First, a
few adventure design notes:
Welcome to the world of D&D!
One of the primary goals of this adventure is to
introduce someone who has never played D&D before
or who is new to ttRPGs or 5th edition to the game.
With this goal in mind, the first part of the adventure
separates the three pillars of play—social interaction,
exploration, and combat—so that a new player (or a
new player and new DM) can learn these pieces of
game play one at a time. Then, in the second half of
the adventure, you’ll have the opportunity to mix
these three aspects of play together.
Because this adventure is intended not only to
introduce duet-style play but also to introduce new
players and DMs to the game, we’ve kept the
adventure very straightforward. For our veteran DMs
with experienced players, the beginning may feel a bit
slow for you. Please feel free to make tweaks as
necessary, though we encourage you to check out the
story aspects built into the pre-generated character
sheets as they pertain to the second half of the
adventure and the rest of the Crystalline Curse
Trilogy.
Navigating the Adventure
DMs, in addition to the pre-generated characters,
you’ll find stat blocks in Appendix A and maps in
Appendix B at the end of this adventure. As this is an
introductory adventure, you can find all of the stat
blocks you need in Appendix A and the 5e SRD.
Text box example: Text that appears in a box like this
may be read aloud, paraphrased, or omitted as you
prefer. It is intended to help describe scenarios and
environments.
Text that appears in sidebars is also optional and intended
to provide extra background information or lore that may
be helpful as you flesh out the adventure.
Creatures with stat blocks, magic items, or important
tables appear in bold with reference information
directly following in parentheses: 3x goblins
(Appendix A). This means that the party encounters
three goblins. The goblin stat block may be found in
Appendix A.
[DM’s note: tips on scale or RP appear in brackets.
You don’t have to follow these recommendations, but
we hope they help you keep an eye on places where
you might want to make adjustments for your
individual table.]
Adjusting Combat for 1-on-1
This adventure has been written and scaled for
parties of two (one PC [player character] and one DM
[Dungeon Master]), but one of the most important
responsibilities for DMs is making adjustments to
best suit their player and their player’s PC, especially
in duet games. There’s a great deal of variety between
all types of characters, especially at lower levels, and
you may need to make further adjustments for
running combats such as decreasing the number of
combatants or lowering a combatant’s hp.
At the end of the day, the goal is to enjoy your time
together, which might mean ignoring double-damage
on a nat-20 against your PC! Basically, the combat
should feel weighty but fun.
Running DMPCs, Sidekicks, and
NPCs in Duet-Style Play
One of the goals of this adventure in terms of both
story and mechanics was to set up a meeting between
the PC and a DMPC so the player’s character has
someone else to run around with and talk to. This,
we’ve found, makes play a lot more fun and allows the
player to remain in character as they have someone
to ask questions of inside the game world.
Since our original publication, Wizards of the Coast
has released official rules for sidekicks, which was so
exciting! We’ve updated the stat blocks for this
adventure with these guidelines in mind, but we still
want to add a few notes for you about how to run
NPCs, DMPCs, and sidekicks in a duet game.
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First Blush: An Introductory One-on-One Adventure by D&D Duet
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First, what’s the difference?
An NPC is any non-player character the player
character encounters. In duet games, there’s really
just one main character, the PC, and, as much as
possible, we encourage you to orient the story around
them.
A DMPC is a player character for the DM. We love
including DMPCs in duet games and encourage you to
develop a character for your campaign. As we said
above, having a buddy makes adventuring (and realworld gaming!) a lot more fun and immersive.
A sidekick is an adventuring companion whose stats
are more streamlined than a full PC’s might be. They
often play a support role for the PC and tend to be of a
complimentary class to help balance out the
character.
Why use a DMPC and/or sidekick?
Rules-as-written, creatures and challenge ratings [CR]
in D&D are designed for groups, so those of us playing
one-on-one have to make adjustments and stay on
our toes when we’re working with smaller sets of
adventurers. In the Crystalline Curse Trilogy, we scale
combats with the assumption that, after the initial
encounters in First Blush, the PC is travelling with
Garren (who they’ll meet at the end of the adventure).
You can find Garren’s stat block in Appendix A.
But as more people have played this adventure, we’ve
also found that there’s quite a bit of interest in
bringing Remmy Sullivan, the PC’s childhood friend,
along. Remmy makes for a great sidekick character,
and you can find his stat block in Appendix A as well.
Keep in mind that DMPCs and sidekicks are not
mutually exclusive, and be sure to play around with
what works best for you and your duet partner. In our
personal games, we tend to use both a sidekick and a
DMPC. In combat, the player runs the PC and sidekick
and the DM runs the DMPC. However, in role-playing,
the DM runs both the DMPC and the sidekick. Sidekick
stats were primarily designed for solo players
running a second character. So, DMs, it’s really up to
your personal preference if you want to run a full
character for your DMPC or if you prefer to use a
sidekick stat block. We also encourage you to make
changes to Garren’s personality, background, and
class—he’s your character!
For New Players
If your player is new, we suggest only asking them to
play their character and not giving them a sidekick
stat block to run in combat just yet. Until they’re
comfortable, you as the DM can run the DMPC and/or
sidekick on their behalf. After they’re comfortable
with their character sheet, they might want to try a
sidekick or an animal companion.
You can read more about these mechanics and RP
considerations on our website, dnddduet.com.
Adventure Setting
First Blush opens in Amn, a city-state to the south of
the Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms. However,
you should feel free to make whatever tweaks you see
fit if you’d prefer to set your campaign in a homebrew
setting.
Player Character Background
The setup for this adventure involves a PC with a
connection to one of Amn’s powerful noble families or
who is even a member of one of these families. We
recommend that you and the player sit down together
before running this session (sometimes called a
session zero) and discuss some of their character’s
history. You’ll find several backstory ideas in the
supplementary materials, though you should feel free
to run with a story of your own as well!
Adventure Overview
In the first part of the adventure, the player gets to
practice roleplaying with a few important NPCs
(another way to help them get comfortable in their
character and with their character sheet), and then
they run through a simulated dungeon and combat.
We recommend resetting their hp after this combat
before the second half of the adventure. Part two
brings these pieces together with the exploration of a
real dungeon with a hidden secret!
The PC is someone of importance—or connected to
someone of importance—and in the socially rigid
society of Amn, such a role comes with responsibility.
As the adventure opens, the PC’s learns that their
presence is required at the Fey Day festivities and the
Fleetswake celebration in Waterdeep. They should
prepare themselves for teleportation later that day in
order to participate. Depending on the PC’s backstory,
they may be reticent to go to the City of Splendors.
Finally, the PC possesses an amulet of great
sentimental value. They keep this amulet on their
person at all times. The beginning of the adventure
occurs in the sprawling palace the PC calls home. (If
they are not a character of a wealthy background,
connect them to a wealthy family who resides in the
castle.)
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Part One: Festival
Preparations
The adventure opens with the player character (PC)
studying with a trusted mentor. If possible, encourage
the player to speak and respond in the style of the
character they are role-playing. This is a low-stakes
social encounter.
[DM’s note: All of the NPCs have been designed with
flexibility in mind. Feel free to alter the names,
gender, or personality of any NPCs described here to
best suit you and your player’s needs or preferences.]
Read or paraphrase the following:
Warm afternoon sunlight pours through the large
windows of the library which, combined with the
droning voice of your mentor, Master Elias, creates an
intensely soporific effect. Eh-hem. A sharp but goodnatured reprimand startles you from your drowsiness.
Master Elias, mentor to the PC
Once Master Elias has explained the information
above, he reminds the PC that they are to meet him
later that afternoon to teleport to Waterdeep.
After the PC has concluded their conversation with
Master Elias, they should make their way to their final
training session with Lieutenant Bharmyr.
Put through the Paces
A massive stone room serves as Lieutenant Bharmyr’s
training area. In one area, castle carpenters have
erected a massive obstacle course to simulate a
variety of combat scenarios. Behind the structure, a
sand pit serves as a practice arena. In honor of the
PC’s upcoming trip, Bharmyr has designed something
special.
Bharmyr observes the PC as they navigate the course
and is available for advice and instruction as the PC
proceeds through the course.
[DM’s note: The goal of this mini-dungeon is to get the
PC familiar with rolling and adding modifiers. Their
progress through the obstacle course is more about
developing this familiarity and practicing problem
solving than it is a perfect execution of the course.]
Human male wizard, chaotic good; 112 years old, thin
white hair, hooked nose, piercing blue eyes, raspy voice
Ideal: The pursuit of knowledge and the education of
those that can continue that pursuit.
Flaw: Much can be forgiven in the name of progress.
Master Elias has been lecturing extensively on a
rather boring subject and is unsurprised that his most
promising pupil has dozed off. He has several pieces
of information to share with the PC about the
upcoming festivals in Waterdeep and how to prepare
for their journey:
• Between Fey Day and the Fleetswake celebration,
they’ll be gone almost two weeks, or a ten day plus
two days, according to the Waterdhavians.
• It’s important they help make a show of Amn’s good
faith relationship with the powerful, wealthy
families of the Sword Coast.
• The PC’s family went ahead. Master Elias and the PC
are the last of the court and their attendants to go.
• Lieutenant Bharmyr (the PC’s martial trainer) is
counting on the PC getting in one more training
session before the journey.
• The PC should pack a variety of gear. One never
knows what to expect in Waterdeep, especially
during the Fey Day and Fleetswake festivities.
Lieutenant Bharmyr
Dwarf male fighter, lawful good; 200 years old, thick
auburn hair and braided beard, stout and strong
Ideal: It is my sacred duty to defend the lord I serve.
Flaw: I fail to see the sins of my superiors and hold
them up as largely infallible.
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Lieutenant Bharmyr has long cared for the physical
education of the PC. He is gruff but well-meaning and
loyal.
He has the following information to relay to the PC
before they begin the obstacle course:
as the PC navigates the pool. [After three failures,
they may need to turn back and attempt the rope.]
After finding the opening, the PC finds a ladder
leading up and out of the obstacle course. They
emerge at the edge of the arena.
• The PC should be warned that this challenge may be
a little more intense than usual. After they navigate
the obstacle course, they should be ready for the
sudden arrival of (practice) combatants.
• Afterwards, the PC should go pack for the journey
and meet Elias to teleport.
• Also, the PC’s dear friend Remmy Sullivan was
looking for them. He believes Remmy was on his
way back to the kitchens.
The moment your feet touch the sand, you are on your
The Obstacle Course
You can find the battle map for the training arena in
Appendix B.
Read or paraphrase the following to set the stage for
the obstacle course:
The smell of freshly worked pine greets your nostrils as
you step over the course’s threshold and enter your
trainer’s newest death-trap. Suddenly, the light from the
magic torches illuminating the room flickers and then
goes out. Darkness surrounds you. Bharmyr’s laugh
echoes across the training grounds.
Depending on the PC’s abilities, they should be able to
figure out darkness with a torch, magic, or darkvision.
Ahead, they see a corridor made of solid wood. After a
short hallway, there is a solid wooden door.
Trapped Door. The door is mechanically trapped. A
DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the
door is rigged with a wire that will drop sticky goo
over someone that opens the door without care.
Success on a DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
disables the trap. Failure results in a bucket of sticky
goo falling on the PC, but a successful DC 10 Dexterity
saving throw allows them to jump out of the way just
in time.
Beyond the door there are two choices: an unknotted
rope they can climb up or a dark pool of water.
Rope. The rope requires a successful DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check to climb. At the top there is a zipline
to the sand arena.
Pool. The pool is dark. A successful DC 10 Wisdom
(Perception) check allows the PC to traverse the
water and find an opening on the other side. Assume
twenty seconds for each check and narrate the search
toes for the combatants you know will arrive any
moment to test your skills. Most likely, Bharmyr will
send in Torvald as Dresik is probably still recovering
from your sparring yesterday.
The Practice Arena
Before combat starts, the PC should make a Wisdom
(Perception) check contested by Dresik and Torvald’s
Dexterity (Stealth). Dresik and Torvald each use an
adapted guard stat block (Appendix A). Dresik is
hiding across the arena while Torvald crouches
behind barrels closer to the PC’s point of arrival. The
spears they wield are non-lethal, and the PC
understands that they can use the blunt of their
weapon(s) in combat.
[DM’s note: Depending on your own comfort and the
PC’s Wisdom (Perception) check, you can have both
of the guards attack the PC at once or one at a time.
The purpose of this combat is to allow the player to
practice this part of game play.]
After the combat concludes, a castle healer
approaches and gives the PC a sparkly purple potion.
This potion restores their hit points and any spell
slots they may have used.
Farewell, My Friend
After the arena exercise, play out an interaction
between Bharmyr and the PC. The lieutenant
encourages them to prepare and cautions them to be
on guard during the journey. If the PC needs
encouragement, Bharmyr can prompt them to say
farewell to anyone they need to as the Festival runs for
two weeks.
Regardless of if the PC goes to their room to prepare
or if they go searching for Elias or their friend Remmy,
they encounter the latter.
The goal of this role-playing encounter is to introduce
more complexity and character development in the
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form of Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Deception)
checks. Additionally, this conversation encourages
the player to participate in shared world-building.
The information they create and provide contributes
to character development and the level of detail of the
story world.
understand this (in the mechanics and not just in the
RP) Ask the PC to make a DC 10 Wisdom (Insight)
check, with advantage for familiarity. A success
reminds them that Remmy is discouraged by the rigid
social structure of Amn and is scared of losing his best
friend.
Remmy Sullivan
When it is time to shift the scene, a servant or
messenger arrives to fetch the PC and escort them to
where Elias is waiting in the Teleportation Circle.
Human male commoner (expert if you’d like him to be a
sidekick), chaotic good; 17 years old, dirty blonde hair,
messy, tall and thin.
Ideal: I long to leave the environs of my low birth
behind and prove myself out in the world.
Flaw: I feel I am owed recompense for my lot and have
little problem taking it.
Remmy uses the expert sidekick stat block
(Appendix A).
Despite the differences of their age and birth, Remmy
is a dear friend of the PC. He is delighted to spend
time chatting with his friend though unhappy about
not being able to attend the festivals in Waterdeep.
The PC and Remmy have both been busy and haven’t
spoken in the last few days.
Remmy has the following topics to discuss with his
friend:
• What (if anything) are they looking forward to at
the festival. Are they excited to run into anyone in
particular? What usually happens at these things
anyway?
[DM’s note: Your player may need additional
encouragement to add these sorts of world details.
Assure them that nothing they say will be wrong and
that you’re curious to hear more about their
character and their character’s past.]
• Remmy is also curious about how the PC has been
lately. How is their family or others they’re close
to?
• He reluctantly laments not being “important
enough” to attend the festival. He’s frustrated by his
station in the castle, his lack of opportunity, and his
separation from his friend. Remmy says all of this
genuinely, confiding his frustration to the PC.
• Depending on the PC’s backstory (see
supplementary character sheets for ideas), he may
be worried that they will not be able to return from
the festival or that their stay will be prolonged
beyond the two weeks.
As the conversation develops, Remmy becomes
increasingly withdrawn. To fully notice and
A Mind of Its Own
Read or paraphrase the following as the PC goes to
meet Master Elias at the Teleportation Circle:
You wind your way down a spiral staircase enclosed
within thick stone walls. At the bottom, a narrow
hallway leads to a tall iron door. The two guards
standing watch over the Teleportation Circle nod at
your approach and open the door. Inside the gray
ancient chamber, Master Elias fusses about the edge of a
circle of intricate lines. Arcane runes pulsate in rhythm
to his utterances.
Master Elias greets the PC somewhat absentmindedly
while he finishes preparing the teleportation spell. He
informs the PC that their family will be anticipating
their arrival and should have someone waiting there
to receive them. Pride glimmers behind bright blue
eyes as he asks if the PC is ready.
Master Elias lifts his arms overhead, chanting the final
phrases of his incantation. A warm glow spreads across
your chest as he speaks. In defiance of gravity, your
amulet rises up in front of your face! Before you can
react, your teacher finishes his spell, and a garnet flash
bursts from inside your amulet. A sharp scream erupts
beside you, and the full-body compression of
teleportation begins.
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Part Two: Hidden
Flame
The goal of this chapter is for the PC to put into
practice everything they’ve learned thus far in a
situation in which there are real stakes.
Read or paraphrase the following as the PC arrives in
the Cloud Peak Mountains in southwestern Faerun
rather than in Waterdeep as they expected:
A howling wind greets your ears, and the shocking cold
whips your eyes open, revealing the stark reality that
you are not at the Fey Day celebration in Waterdeep.
Instead, you stand in the middle of a snowstorm on a
tall mountain peak. An evergreen forest huddles a halfmile plunge below. The piercing cry of a wolf echoes
through the trees.
Judging by the height of the peaks above, you must
have teleported to somewhere along The Cloud Peaks.
A short way behind you, the faint outline of fallen
rocks beckons, offering shelter from the icy mountain
blasts. There, you should be able to find safety, at least
temporarily.
As the PC approaches the pile of rocks, they find,
instead, the remains of an ancient edifice riding
toward the mountaintop. Carved into the side of the
peak stands a smooth stone entryway, layered over
with ages of packed frost. Within the recess, the PC
finds a wooden doorway covered with runes.
Runes. The runes above the door are written in an
ancient language with Elvish roots. A successful DC 12
Intelligence (History) check allows the PC to read,
“The Lonely Hold: Show the Sign and Enter.”
Door. Intricate designs weave across the door’s
surface and meet at the center in a shape familiar to
the PC—it matches the design on their amulet. If the
PC shows their amulet, the door opens and grants
access to Area 1.
The Lonely Hold
The descriptions that follow correspond to the Lonely
Hold dungeon map in Appendix B. You’ll find a DM’s
version and player’s version of the map to help you
set the stage for this part of the adventure.
1. Receiving Room
The wooden door creaks open to reveal a large stone
chamber. On the far side of the room, a partial cave-in
emits sunlight and snow among the piles of boulders.
Icy white tendrils stretch across the carved stone floor,
offset by intricate, faded frescoes that adorn the walls of
this long-abandoned space.
The ceiling in this room is about 20 feet high. The
room is ages old and has stood untouched until
recently when the wall caved in.
Chasm. A ten-foot-wide chasm stretches across the
center of the floor, caused by the weight of the cavein. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check
reveals a lower floor twenty feet below.
Frescoes. The frescoes around the room depict an
ancient, desperate battle between the forces of good
and ill. Demons fight side-by-side with chromatic
dragons against an increasingly dwindling and
desperate group of celestials and heroes, struggling in
vain against the overwhelming forces of their
enemies. Spending time studying the frescoes grants
the PC advantage on the Wisdom (Perception) check
to see the secret stairwell leading down.
Secret Stairwell. A successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check
reveals a slight inconsistency in the floor tiles. Upon
closer inspection, the PC discovers a 10x10 foot
pressure plate that, when triggered, reveals a secret
staircase that opens along the wall of the room. The
stairs proceed down to the lower level.
[DM’s note: Use the map in Appendix B to help set
the stage for the PC’s exploration of this room.
Encourage their curiosity and questions. However, if
they’re having trouble or growing frustrated, guide
them with added clues in the room. Perhaps a
glimmer on the floor draws their eyes to the pressure
plate for the secret stairwell, or they accidentally trip
on the leather satchel described below.]
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Treasure
If the PC searches among the rubble, a successful DC
13 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence
(Investigation) check uncovers an abandoned leather
pack containing 50 feet of hempen rope, a potion of
healing, a potion of cold resistance, and 1d10 gp.
2. Antechamber
This chamber also has 20 ft. ceilings but only has dim
light.
Read or paraphrase the following after the PC has
descended to the lower level, either via the secret
stairwell or by rappelling down the chasm.
• What is this place? “Well, I’m not too sure, but I
know that beyond me, my creators were trying to
contain something that they thought was very
dangerous.”
• How do I get past you? “Given my friendly
personality, my creators decided it would be best if
I didn’t know. I’m a natural people pleaser and
really bad at keeping secrets.”
• What do the paintings upstairs represent?
“What paintings? Oh! The big fight? Why, that’s the
ancient war that my makers won of course!”
• Who were your makers? “Hmm, that’s a good
question. They didn’t tell me their names, but they
almost never smiled and when they did, it seemed
mean and creepy. I like you much better”
You pause as your senses adjust to the darkness of the
lower level. Ahead, you perceive two imposing
silhouettes from the fallen stone column. A long
hallway stretches beyond the rubble, leading to a door
carved to resemble a face.
Columns. The massive pillars have brought down the
ceiling but can be scrambled over without too much
difficulty. Hiding on the other side of the pillars is an
ice mephit (Appendix A) waiting in ambush. It
attacks as soon as the PC clears the obstruction.
A DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check of the
rubble around the columns reveals a skeletal hand
upon which lies a ring of protection.
[DM’s note: If your PC did not reset all of their scores
and abilities as though they’d taken a long rest, be
sure they do so now. During this combat, you may
need to adjust some of the damage rolled, especially if
the mephit is hitting often and the PC is not. We
suggest not doubling any damage rolled with a nat 20
on an attack. If the PC is struggling or at low health
near the end of the fight, consider adapting its death
burst or adding it only for flavor and the PC not taking
damage from it. The PC may also need to take a short
rest before proceeding into the next room.]
Magical Door. At the end of the hall, a magical, talking
door inhibits further access to the underground
chambers. The door is extremely gregarious and
beside himself to have someone to talk to after all these
years. Over the door are the words “Open Says Me” in
Elvish. The PC must get the door to say the word
“Open” to access Area 3. The door knows some things,
but not how to open himself. Example responses to PC
questions include:
3. Holding Room
This circular room is in complete darkness, rendering
even darkvision useless without a light source. Four
unused torches hang along the stone walls beyond
the door.
As you say the word “open,” the door exclaims in
surprise and slides into the wall. Beyond him, a short
flight of stairs leads down into utter darkness, the likes
of which not even darkvision can penetrate. The faint
light reflecting off of the collections of snow behind you
casts faint, torch-shaped shadows against the wall on
either side of the stairs.
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After the PC acquires a light source, they see the
outline of a gigantic stone statue towering over a
humanoid figure.
The flicking light cast by your torch struggles to force
back the thick, almost physical darkness of this
chamber. As you continue inside, you find the fully
sculpted outline of a frost giant statue against the back
wall. It looms menacingly over another statue, an
equally detailed though much smaller human at the
giant’s feet. Half of the human statue is covered in rock,
lending the sense that the sculptors did not complete
their work.
As you approach, motes of light and fire from your
torch break free, darting into the complex array of runes
etched in a circle on the ground around the human
statue. The glyphs glow brighter as the circle fills in. It
emits a distinct pulse as the last rune is lit.
With a great cracking sound, the rock around the
human statue falls away, cascading out from the
trapped figure. As the echoes fade, the body slowly
animates. The statue figure glances down at his
destroyed bonds and turns to stare at you.
The statue is not a statue at all, but Garren, an
imprisoned crystalline warrior from a past age. His
stat block can be found in Appendix A.
Garren and the PC’s Amulet
If Garren falls to 0 HP and is within 1000 ft of the PC’s
amulet, instead of falling unconscious, Garren is
teleported into the amulet with 1 hp. The PC can release
or contain Garren as an action. This is not immediately
apparent to either party, but the connection can be hinted
at, perhaps by mentioning that the amulet hums or feels
warm.
Garren Bronson
Crystalline male paladin, lawful good; sharp, angular
features, strong and tall build
The Giant Awakens
Before the PC has time to ask too many questions of
the disoriented Garren, 1x ice mephits (Appendix
A) attack from behind the frost giant statue. [If you
would like to add more of a challenge for the PC and
Garren, use two mephits instead of one.]
After three rounds, the frost giant statue (Frost
Giant Escape Table) animates and immediately
crushes the ice mephit if it is still alive. Then, it
pursues the party.
As it comes to life, Garren shouts, “Run!” He stays
behind to shield the PC from the frost giant statue. If
Garren is crushed by the statue (a relative likelihood),
he returns to the PC’s amulet as described in the
previous sidebar.
Who runs the sidekick?
If your player is new to D&D, we suggest the DM running
Garren’s character during this and future combats until
the PC is comfortable with running their character during
combat.
Flaw: I overestimate my abilities from time to time.
If your player is familiar with D&D and comfortable
running multiple characters during combat, feel free to
share Garren’s stat block with them.
Garren uses an adapted protection warrior sidekick
stat block (Appendix A).
In either case, we suggest having Garren roll his own
initiative and the DM playing Garren during RP scenarios.
Ideal: I must fight or disrupt the forces of evil.
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We do not have specific stats for the frost giant
statue—it represents only a force to be escaped.
Fighting is certain death.
With a mighty roar, the frost giant closes the distance
Instead, to escape, run a skills challenge to help the
PC make their way back through the dungeon. After
three successes, they make it free of the Lonely Hold
and back onto the mountainside. Encourage the PC to
describe how they make their escape, and allow their
ideas to inspire the checks you ask for.
toward you when suddenly, a pulse of warmth spreads
For each failed check, the frost giant statue swings
its club at the PC or Garren (+5 to hit, 1d4+1
bludgeoning). Use the following table for the skill
challenge and running the escape:
Frost Giant Escape Table
Event
Dodge a frost giant swing
Climb a rope
Vault over an obstruction
(such as rubble)
Maintain
footing/momentum
Roll and Success DC
Dexterity saving throw, DC 12
Strength (Athletics), DC 10
Strength (Athletics), DC 10
Dexterity (Acrobatics), DC 10
Once the PC is safely outside, allow only a moment of
rest before the frost giant statue reappears, crashing
through the ruins and racing toward the PC.
between you with incredible speed, no longer confined
to the icy prison’s ruins. The giant’s massive club swings
across your chest—Garren is there before you!
The crystalline warrior knocks you out of the way, shield
high, and deflects the ice giant’s blow. The club strikes
the ground, and the ice and snow beneath your feet
shake in the aftermath…
Over the giant’s shoulder, a shelf of ice falls free from its
rock formation. Avalanche!
Aftermath
As the adventure closes, we suggest a fade to black for
a dramatic session close before you continue on to
Second Glance, part two in the Crystalline Curse
Trilogy. So the player can be thinking ahead about
next steps for their character, inform them that the
next adventure will start after they’ve been found.
They wake up in a small village at the base of the
mountain, and from there, their adventure continues!
Authors’ Note
We really hope that you’ve enjoyed this adventure! If
you have any questions, feel free to leave us a note
under the adventure comments on DMsGuild or get in
touch with us at dndduet.com, where you’ll find
additional adventures and lots of duet-ing tips. You
can also find our adventures on DriveThruRPG.
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Appendix A: Stat
Blocks
Ice Mephit
Ice Mephit
Small elemental, neutral evil
Armor Class 11 (studded leather)
Hit Points 21 (6d6)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
Dresik
Dresik uses an adapted guard stat block.
Training Guard, Range
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
Armor Class 10 (cotton shirt)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
11 (+0)
12 (+1)
12 (+1)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
ACTIONS
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Torvald
Torvald uses an adapted guard stat block.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
7 (-2)
13 (+1)
10 (+0)
9 (-1)
11 (+0)
12 (+1)
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +3
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, fire
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Aquan, Auran
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Death Burst. When the mephit dies, it explodes in a burst
of jagged ice. Each creature within 5 feet of it must make
a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) slashing
damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful
one.
False Appearance. While the mephit remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from an ordinary shard of ice.
Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The mephit can innately cast
fog cloud, requiring no material components. Its innate
spellcasting ability is Charisma.
ACTIONS
Training Guard, Melee
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold
damage.
Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
13 (+1)
12 (+1)
12 (+1)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
10 (+0)
Skills Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Frost Breath (Recharge 6). The mephit exhales a 15-foot
cone of cold air. Each creature in that area must succeed
on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) cold
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
ACTIONS
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
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Garren Bronson
Remmy Sullivan
Garren uses an adapted warrior sidekick stat block.
Remmy uses the expert sidekick stat block.
Garren Bronson (Level 1 Amulet-Bound
Protector)
Medium humanoid (human), lawful good
Armor Class 18 (chain shirt, shield)
Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
15 (+2)
13 (+1)
14 (+2)
10 (+0)
12 (+1)
10 (+0)
Saving Throws Con +4
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Dwarvish
Amulet’s Binding. So long as Garren is within 1000 feet of
the PC’s amulet, when he falls to 0 hp, his body
disappears and retreats into the amulet, where Garren has
1 hp. So long as the PC is not incapacitated, Garren
cannot remove himself from the amulet. The PC can use
their Action to call him out. If the PC falls to 0 hp or is
incapacitated while Garren is in the amulet, he can expel
himself from it.
ACTIONS
Flametongue Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or
7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 4
(1d8) fire damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150/600
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
REACTIONS
Protect. Garren imposes disadvantage on the attack roll of
a creature within 5 feet of him whose target isn’t Garren.
Garren must be able to see the attacker.
[DM’s note: Many PCs decide to take Remmy with
them on their quest instead of leaving him behind in
Amn, though of course this preference is up to you.
There is a similar expert character in Second Glance
who can aid the PC on their journey, so don’t force
Remmy’s presence if it doesn’t seem natural and/or
if you’d prefer for the party to just be the PC and
Garren.]
Remmy Sullivan (Level 1 Expert)
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic good
Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
10 (+0)
15 (+2)
12 (+1)
13 (+1)
10 (+0)
14 (+2)
Saving Throws Dex +4
Skills Acrobatics +4, Performance +4, Persuasion +4,
Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
Helpful. Remmy can take the Help action as a bonus
action.
Tools. Remmy has thieves’ tools and a musical instrument.
ACTIONS
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320
ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
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Appendix B: Maps
You’ll find a full-page copy of each of these maps at the end of the adventure.
Bharmyr’s Arena
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The Lonely Hold, DM’s Map
The Lonely Hold, Player’s Map
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