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| Welcome to Old Bonegrinder |
Old Bonegrinder
Origin
- Curse of Strahd: The location was created specifically for the 5th edition adventure module published in 2016.
Lore in 5e
- The Windmill: It sits on the Old Svalich Road between the village of Barovia and Vallaki.
- The Hags: It serves as the lair for Morgantha and her daughters, who make dream pastries out of children.
My Experiences Running Old Bonegrinder in My Campaign
This location was indicated as “of interest” to the PCs because of a Tarokka card reading they received. The card suggested a location for a magic item they were seeking. I telegraphed the danger in a few ways. First, they learned of a dead body found at the crossroads of the Svalich Road and the path to Old Bonegrinder. Then, when they arrived, a raven told Tim about the Hags inside when he cast Speak with Animals on the bird.
The party spent two and a half two-hour sessions at Old Bonegrinder, so roughly five hours of play at the location. That leads me to think this could fit into a Halloween One-Shot for DMs looking for an alternative to Castle Ravenloft. Thematically, Hags baking “treats” in a manner that reminded me of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale gives me Halloween vibes. The Hags and their duplicitous friendliness baited my players into conflict quickly, another useful trait for any One-Shot game, IMHO.
When the Hags had sustained massive damage, they used spells to escape. I had them return about a dozen sessions after their initial encounter, to dramatic effect. They make excellent recurring villains in a campaign.
I tend to disregard level suggestions, and I did so with this adventure, which is suggested for 4th-level 5e characters. My PCs were higher-level Lamentations of the Flame Princess characters, ranging from 5th to 9th level, and the Hags were still formidable.
Here are the links to those sessions:
Why I Think This Works for a Halloween One-Shot
The adventure location is nicely contained to a four-level windmill. If you need to have a bit more to explore, there is also the nearby megalithic stone circle. The Hag coven baking psychoactive pastries out of children is horrific. The Hags make memorable and formidable NPC villains/monsters. Their only minions or companions are a Dretch and a Swarm of Toads.
The children still alive and held captive make for an emotional hook to the adventure. Their parents or guardians can be the quest-givers. If children in immediate danger aren't going to work for your group, then finding a dead adult body with a half-eaten pastry at the crossroads of the Svalich Road and the path to Old Bonegrinder might be a way to introduce the situation.
Consider introducing the Hags in their human forms and having them banter with the PCs before any combat; I particularly enjoyed roleplaying the Hags! They’re intelligent, powerful, and intent on their own survival. They should be brutal with their spell attacks, but also willing to bug out if the PCs are getting the upper hand.
After you defeat or drive off the Hags, the structure can be explored, and the children, Freek and Myrtle, can be rescued. Treasure is minimal, which was fine in my case because I added a magic item that was the main hook for my players. Treasure is tweakable; it’s also a great motivator or hook for some groups.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed running Old Bonegrinder in my campaign, and I would love to run it again. It works at the campaign level, but it is simple yet interesting enough to work well as a Short Campaign or Halloween One-Shot.
What I particularly like about Old Bonegrinder is that it doesn't require a lot of preparation or a complicated setup. You have a memorable location, a clear and horrific situation, dangerous villains, and children who need rescuing. If the Hags survive, you also have the beginnings of a recurring threat waiting for you later in the campaign.
A memorable location, a horrific situation, dangerous villains, and a potential recurring threat—all packed into one creepy old windmill.
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