The PERFECT Christmas one shot

[@daisyflores2273]

The group I play in just had our Christmas special! We got trapped in a magic snow globe where we had to battle an evil Santa that kidnapped and ate the children from the village inside the globe. Turns out it was nearly impossible to fight him and every time a sacrifice was made, time reversed, and we had to live the day over again. The ending was really cute because the only way we could save the village and leave was to spread Christmas cheer. I’m actually running Witchlight with a different group and thinking about giving them a Christmas episode with the Bullywugs since that’s where they last left off.

[@elvacoburg1279]

As for who, or what the "old man" is, a lot depends on the level / power of the party. 1) My first thought would be that he is an arch-fey trying to take over the Green-Knights realm, though this would require a fairly high level party to have a chance of defeating him. 2) My second thought would be that he is a Fomorian. In this case a lower level party could handle him, though the DM might want to give him a few allies to make it more of a challenge, either other Fomorians, Goblins and/or other fey of the Unseelie Court - just because the party have not seen anyone else in the castle when they arrived at the great-hall does not mean that there are not any. In either case, I would modify the Green-Knight's promise not to hurt the "old man" so that it only applies to the great hall or maybe ground floor of the castle, hence the reason that the "old man" is trapped in these areas, and also why the Green-Knight is in the lower levels. This also opens things up for some of the Green-Knight's servants having also retreated to the lower levels, and can be used as possible encounters before the players get to the Green-Knight himself. Also, there could be an encounter that is two groups of fey fighting each other, one fighting for the Green-Knight, and the other for the "old man", how can the party decide who to help and who to attack? Of course if they watch the fight for some rounds, then the Unseelie fey might do something despicable (killing a badly injured opponent who tries to surrender, etc), which might sway the party.

[@feywildfiend]

Really good ideas! Having two groups of fey still skirmishing in the castle also lends more life to the conflict, makes it feel ongoing rather than stagnant.

[@Usneasan]

I was going to suggest a similar encounter(s) with two groups of fey stuck in the castle, but there's no need. You've said it here! I think this concept for a session/dungeon crawl is amazing. What stood out to me most was the idea of different types of fey in each room, so having the party choose a side (or not) is a simple yet genius conflict to revolve around. And who doesn't like having allies? The continuity of this one shot, though simple in theory, works quite well for a single session. I also love bottle episodes in shows (or a single setting in any story), so this plot for a dungeon crawl is, again, really cool. Edit: some ideas below because this video makes for great inspiration. 1 - The old man/winter king could be a frost giant wizard (ignoring 5e lore because I forgot if they do magic or if they're smart). I imagined the throne room/banquet hall having massive, frosty walls and floor. I also can't say this and not mention In the Hall of the Mountain King playing at the end of the video. Trolls/grand throne room is all I know about that song's meaning. 2 - A frozen ballroom where the already smooth floor is slick with ice (both as a fun visual and maybe as a territory marker for the fey/servants of the winter king). Could make for an interesting mechanic of sliding around during a fight. Like an ice rink. 3 - I had a thought for this, but not really. I like the visual of a forest within a castle's walls, so in addition to the Christmas trees in the banquet area I think a fun addition would be a room dedicated to an entire grove of fir trees. Complete with snow and everything inside the castle. It can even be a shortcut area between parts of the castle halls. Even though it looks peaceful; it's probably a battleground for skirmishing fey. Some verticality could be added with some roots/branches stretching up as bridges, and tunnels going below this "room" to the castle depths. This room could also just be meant for a puzzle (I've got nothing for that) or "saferoom" of sorts.

[@laurengray7010]

I'm running the Wild Beyond the Witchlight campaign. I like to make alterations to sessions that are close to holidays to make it more on theme, so I'm planning to have the party stumble through a mirror portal when they are in Skabitha's toy workshop, which takes them to Santa's workshop. I'm thinking that going to be in the material plane because the feywild is a mirror world to that plane. Also they already used a mirror portal to get there. They meet Santa and his gnome helpers (I think dnd gnomes seem more like Christmas elves than dnd elves do). If they ask for help on their quest, they get the response Santa and the gnomes are too busy with Christmas to interfere with this directly, but they will give them gifts that are useful magic items to help them, since they would also like the hourglass coven to be defeated, and especially for the children that Skabitha has enslaved to be free. I think the gifts might be the gifts that Nibs is supposed to be give them, although I may tailor it more to the character's classes or what the players want, and of course, the what would actually be useful in the campaign. I just need to figure out why exactly Skabitha has allowed the portal to be there. Maybe she is unaware that it is a portal, but then how do the characters figure that out or accidentally go through it?

[@feywildfiend]

Okay, that is so precious. Since Skabatha has that mirror in her office, you could force the side trip by having it suck the party in. The mirror could be a portal to any number of places in the Material Plane. Its magic recognizes their intentions and needs, so it decides they need to take a trip to Santa's workshop!

[@MagiCarpet88]

Just a note. The old man has given them a gift, and they agree to free the castle from the threat that lies beneath. It would be a fantastic plot twist if once the adventure was over it was made clear that they didn't keep their word. Being a Christmas oneshot, you could end it with a nursery rhyme that talks about this and the creature's return to look for them, because they are in his debt.

[@hadynnthecreater4641]

I just stumbled upon this video and was wondering if you could somehow convert the 12 days of Christmas into the rooms and encounters in the dungeon.

[@dnandez79]

Santa is being held captive by Frosty. Frosty wants the big mans job and he just needs the suit to get it. Frosty and his cohorts have invaded the north pole, locked up the reindeer, and he threatening to kill all the elves if he doesnt get the suit. Mrs. Kringle needs the party of adventurers to rescue her husband. She only knows one man that might be able to get us to the north pole, her 3rd cousin on her mother's side, Eddie. Cousin Eddie is ree tii erd but he has some friends that are still in the business he is willing to introduce you to. Meet Harry and Marv, a pair of Tabaxi burglars known as the Wet Bandits. The first part of their plan to break into Santas Workshop is real simple. Catch the Whoville Express (feel free to throw in an encounter here, maybe its Hans Gruber and the gang from Die Hard or Skut Farkus & Grover Dill from A Christmas Story) to Whoville because Harry and Marv plan on stealing the Grinch's sleigh to get into the North Pole. (Ride it down the mountain and through the Path of Giants, where theres really giants, throwing snowballs as the team barrels towards the ski jump.....hope you make your landing. Now that your in there is only one problem, theres Gremlins every where and Shelf Elves are patrolling the streets alongside Abominable Snowmen. Have fun storming the castle.

[@crystalstorms880]

I LOVE this!!!!! Thank you. I am going to use this! Your a GENIUS I am going to twist this up a little and the first guy you meet is a red nose reindeer who struck up a deal with a Fey to trap Santa clause cause he was tired of getting bullied

[@GravesRWFiA]

I likehtis, the issue could be both are lying green and jolly, each has a motief they are following. the oak king and the holly king in eternal conflict

[@Plaugus_Screenz]

Your discription of the jolly old mage reminds me of the Fairy Gentlmen from Limbus company im disposition jolly and useing trinkets,food and drink to lure people innto do his bidding but the fairy gebtlmen usualy eats the people like its relitives Fairy long legs,fary festival and Titiana which residenin outher related material.

[@Plaugus_Screenz]

I am planning on doing a extreamly bloated DND campaign with all the homebrew with stuff tooken from all over the internet and online media

[@Plaugus_Screenz]

Bye for now I'm at work and must let my playlist go on

[@carmichaelthrashback7196]

Hell yeah

[@feywildfiend]

😎

[@johnheaton2545]

This is a pretty cool idea. I like taking the Christmas Holiday back to its heathen roots, and Santa Claus is already an elven king in my homebrew. I think that adventure module B3 Palace of the Silver Princess is ripe for adaption to a Fairy-themed Christmas Castle adventure. Also module X3 Castle Amber is definitely in need of some TLC and would work. And as a veteran gamer and adherent to the OSR movement, your decision to use the AD&D1e DMG intrigues me. Can't wait to see next video!

[@feywildfiend]

I’ll have to look those up! Love the idea of an elven king Santa.

[@artie9940]

I love it! Quick question tho, is the debt caused by the gifts simply lifted once the person/creature is dealt with?

[@feywildfiend]

That’s what I was figuring. They’d also be attacking the one who gave them gifts, which isn’t the best repayment, but you could also say that the gifts actually belonged to the Green Knight. The who owes who what can get a bit tangled!

[@artie9940]

​​@@feywildfiend I think I know how I'm gonna go about it. "My friend, I thank you for these good times. What's mine is ours, and may our courtesies extend among ourselves. I would never lay hands on you, less you did it to me first" If the quote as a whole took place, any debt or benefit would be shared between them, and the idea of the gift being the Green Knight's things falls into place. It also gives an extra reason for the creature to want to keep the knight down there until dealt with. And the deal for "I need you to deal with a creature that found it's way into my castle" is also shared among the main NPCs