5E Mini-Dungeon #182: Secrets of the Silver Mountain Sage

Mini-Dungeon adventure for 4 characters of levels 8-9

The wizard Yinan, the Silver Mountain Sage, did not want his disciples to dwell on the past, but to prepare for the future. He designed the foremost part of his crypt with public spaces for meditation and learning. To reach the back of the crypt, where Yinan’s memorial and tomb lie, one must traverse a series of hallways intended to confound any spirits that might try to enter or leave the tomb. Rumors persist that a treasure is hidden in the crypt, despite assurances from the caretakers that this is untrue.

The necromancer Jaoxia has discovered the treasure’s location, but not the magic mantras to reach it safely. Earlier today, she infiltrated the crypt and broke the seal on Yinan’s tomb, hoping to find the incantation inside. This desecration caused Yinan’s corpse to rise as a jiangshi (or hopping vampire), but Jaoxia used her necromantic powers to enslave the creature. This act of covert impiety has angered the spirits of the crypt, who proceeded to start attacking visitors, running off many and leaving a few trapped inside.

The characters are called in to rescue those people still within the crypt and to determine what has enraged the spirits, so that they may be placated.

Mini-Dungeons are short, setting-agnostic adventures for 5th Edition which can be easily inserted anywhere in your campaign.