Mini-Dungeon #279 Mournful Machinations

Mournful Machinations at a Dwarven Funeral

Mournful Machinations is a 5E adventure for 4–6 characters of levels 9–10. Clan Brightforge gathers to honor Lord Hargod, a beloved ruler and master smith. At his funeral, his daughter unveils his final work: a Huge clockwork model of the lord himself.

However, Hargod’s enemies choose this moment to strike. Four derro brothers attack the stronghold from several directions. As the guests flee toward protected shrines, Lady Lodra asks the party to defend her family and preserve her father’s legacy.

Take the Helm of a Clockwork Goliath

The party must protect the mourners while facing fire, ambushes, and a monstrous tunneling beast. Each shrine offers a temporary refuge, but its magical barrier can fall. The heroes have to decide where their help will do the most good.

Meanwhile, the abandoned Hargod Goliath offers a way to fight back. Up to five characters can enter the machine and work its helm, weapon arms, and legs. The adventure supplies the goliath’s statistics and station actions so the group can coordinate its defense.

An Underworld Encounter for Your Campaign

Introduce Mournful Machinations through a character’s friendship, trade ties, or shared battles with Clan Brightforge. The funeral invitation brings the party naturally into the stronghold. It also gives the attack personal stakes before the first enemy appears.

Use the encounter during a visit to an underground dwarven settlement. The six keyed locations place the action around a molten river, shrines, a bridge, and the gallery. Saving the guests can earn lasting friendship as well as a reward from Lady Lodra.

Adventure Features

• A funeral celebration interrupted by a coordinated derro assault.
• Six keyed locations in an underground dwarven stronghold.
• A crew-operated clockwork goliath with five action stations.
• Mourners to protect and rewards shaped by how many groups survive.

Included in the PDF Edition

• The complete 5E adventure PDF, GM and player maps in TIFF format, and a VTT map in JPG format.

Enhanced Edition

Bring the adventure to your table with the following complete package:

• The complete adventure PDF and thirteen static maps: eleven JPGs and two TIFFs.
• Six Dynamic Dungeons M4V moving-map files, with gridless, 40-grid, and 50-grid versions of two scene states.
• Five Underworld soundtrack MP3s: ambient, exploration, combat, and two blended tracks.

An AAW Games × Dynamic Dungeons collaboration. Adventure by AAW Games. Moving maps by Dynamic Dungeons.

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