If you’re like many dungeon and dragon players during the holidays chances are you’re taking a break from playing until the new year. But don’t let that stop you! While you’re surrounded with friends and family during the break, we at Fandom have created a Holiday Themed one-shot. What better time to introduce friends and family to D&D and test out your own Dungeon Master skills. No map or character tokens required! We recommend using the sugar laced goodies, gingerbread houses and other decorations to liven up the gameplay. But first, you’ll need some characters. Head on over to Dndbeyond.com’s character creation to get started, this one-shot is designed for 4-5 players at level 5. No account? No problem just make a free one here.
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Santa and his reindeer Comet are kidnapped by three elves, “Gantar, Keya and Randal”. These naughty elves found the Krampus staff and their minds have become twisted with evil thoughts of kidnapping Santa and trying to turn the world into a giant snowball. With the power of the Krampus staff they have turned the North Pole Elves against Santa. Can your party save the day?
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The first scene the party will meet up with Donner, Blitzen and five of the other reindeer after Santa and Comet have been kidnapped by three rogue elves. Donner is a bit pompous but has good intentions, Blitzen is a devoted follower to Santa who wants to prove himself. Here’s the reindeer stat block.
The scene opens to a family sitting around a crackling fire, sipping hot chocolate and eating gingerbread cookies when suddenly there’s a crash outside. A cluster of shadows can be seen darting across the windows in the moonlight. DC 13 perception check to identify the shadows are in fact from reindeer!
As the family looks to investigate, they will see a large red sled in shambles and 7 reindeer slightly banged up, but not seriously hurt. Donner and Blitzen take a defensive stance to protect the rest. DC 10 animal handling or persuasion check to allow Donner and Blitzen to let the family help. Any that fail will have the reindeer nip at their hands or back away. If they pass the check and ask what happened Donner responds, “Three green blurs came out of nowhere and knocked us out of the sky!” Blitzen interjects, “They grabbed Comet, Santa and his magical bag and were gone instantly! They seemed to be heading back to the North Pole!” The party can ask if there’s a way to repair the sled or how to get Santa back. The reindeer will look at the broken sled in hopes one of Santa’s inventions may be of some use.
The party can rummage through the remains of the sled, DC 13 investigation check to find three important items:
- 1d4+1 of Santa’s Cookies – made by Mrs. Claus herself for Santa and the reindeer to give them energy on the long night, but if anyone else eats them the cookies restore 2d4 hit points
- 1d4 of North Pole Snowballs – made by the elves in the north pole for Santa to use to help fiend off anyone that might try to attack Santa on his trip around the world. When thrown the target must make a DC 14 charisma saving throw or dance uncontrollably for one minute.
- Santa’s Hat – The magical hat worn by the man himself. No one knows what it does when Santa isn’t wearing it. Not even the reindeer. If anyone puts it on they must make a DC 15 Charisma Saving throw, upon a success they will be able to open a portal to the North Pole on the outskirts of Santa’s Village. Failing the portal will open automatically and everyone in a 15 foot radius is also teleported and must make a DC 15 constitution saving throw or suffer a level of exhaustion. Santa’s Reindeer are immune to this.
DC 13 intelligence checks for any of the reindeer to recall that Santa has used the hat to travel long distances in the past but is unsure how it works. They think a humanoid needs to put it on.
If someone succeeds in putting on Santa’s hat and passing the charisma save the portal that opens will help everyone adjust to the cold automatically, failing they will make the con save and have to repeat the save every hour they are outside Santa’s village.
Once in the North Pole (and after the con save if needed) have the party make a DC 12 stealth check or a group of 2d4 North Pole Elves will attack, all of the reindeer scatter, Donner and Blitzen must make a DC 13 wisdom save or be frightened and paralyzed in fear for this fight, if they fail the save by more than three they also run away. The North Pole Elves have this stat block.
The elves can be killed, knocked out or captured. If all the reindeer ran away, DC 12 survival check to find Donner or Blitzen, they will not be able to find the other reindeer; they have retreated to the caves of the North Pole. Only Santa can call them back.
- If killed, they explode into magical snow to reform in 12d6 years.
- If knocked out the elves will use their once a day misti-step to get away to warn the others
- If captured the elves can be questioned. If they were knocked out to get them to talk the DC intimidation or persuasion check is 11 if they were not knocked out the DC is 15. If the party fails by 5 or more the save goes up by 1 each time.
Donner and Blitzen can help with interrogation if they aren’t frightened. The party learns, “Three elves, Gantar, Keya and Randal found the Krampus Staff and are trying to turn the world into a giant snowball. The three elves are in Santa’s Workshop alone trying to get Santa and Mrs. Claus to tell them how to unlock the full power of the Krampus Staff. The rest of the elves are partying hard. There is one way hidden into the village but the party must truly believe in the Spirit of Christmas.” Those that enter this small gate must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or forget who they are for 1d4 hours.
As the party approaches Santa’s Village they hear loud Christmas music being played, yelling and laughing. The normally twinkling Christmas lights are flashing like strobes. DC 11 stealth check to get around the partying elves unnoticed. Any failures the party can attempt a DC 12 persuasion check to get the elves to leave them alone and return to partying. They party needs to slip past 5 partying elves to get to the workshop.
In the middle of Santa’s Village is Santa’s workshop. As they enter they see Santa, unconscious and missing his coat and Mrs. Claus also unconscious, both tied up. Comet is tied up and over a lit spit but not dead, he’s muffled with an apple in his mouth. Suddenly a large figure in a big red coat turns around. “HO HO HO, I’M SANTA WHO GOES THERE?”
The party can make a DC 13 perception check to tell this isn’t Santa but three elves in Santa’s coat holding a blackened staff. The three elves in Santa’s Coat have this stat block.
Once they have been defeated and Santa has woken up, he grants the party one wish. No matter what happens after, at the end of the night everyone wakes up in their bed on Christmas morning with the fainting memories of what happened the night before. But on the mantle in the living room where the events started, is a lone figure of three elves in Santa’s coat.
Have a Happy Holidays Everyone!
