Candlekeep Murders: The Deadwinter Prophecy

"I love the murder mystery set up here, and I really like Miss Hollypocket. The roleplaying notes for all the NPCs are very well handled, and involving Miirym is a nice touch. I LOVE the Flying Iron Owlbear and the Avowed and library generators are superb. I LOVE THIS ADVENTURE!"

Ed Greenwood, creator of Candlekeep and the Forgotten Realms. 

A Murder Mystery Adventure!

When the players arrive at the gates of Candlekeep in the dead of winter, they don't expect to find the doors barred and no Watcher to greet them. These are no ordinary times in the Great Library however. The Keeper of Tomes was murdered last night, and his body found mutilated at dawn. As the only people not present in Candlekeep at the time of the murder, the council of Great Readers vote to put the players in charge of the investigation.

As they try to solve this complex crime they will uncover many more secrets of the Great Readers, reckon with the Beast of Candlekeep and maybe even discover the fabled Vault of Secrets itself... an archive so powerful that if its tomes fell into the wrong hands civilisation as we know it would be plunged into depravity.

Candlekeep Murders: The Deadwinter Prophecy features:

• A complex murder mystery to solve, in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and Umberto Eco
• All Candlekeep locations and lore from Candlekeep Mysteries woven into the adventure!
• New lore on: the ranks of the Avowed, the Watchers, heating, sports, sayings (and improved lore on theft protection, Alaundo's prophecies) 
• A beautifully rendered cryptogram
• Three new monster stat blocks (Beast of Candlekeep, Flying Iron Owlbear, and Animated Crossbow)
• INSIDE THE GREAT LIBRARY supplement with 24 new Candlekeep locations
• CANDLEKEEP LIBRARY GENERATOR for creating infinite new library buildings within the Great Library. Generator includes 20 quirky Avowed librarians

About the Adventure

Candlekeep Murders can easily be dissected into two parts. The first part being a murder investigation carefully constructed from the actions of some 7 or 8 scheming personas on Deadwinter's Eve - this requires some prep and repeat reading to run (although more detail is given in the adventure than you need to get going! You needn't remember every last detail, but good running notes will be important). A second part revolves around a treasure hunt scenario around the Great Library, with less prep required and more chance for DMs to improvise and be creative. DMs can run one or both parts, depending on tastes. Everything within the adventure is described using theatre of the mind or the maps included in Candlekeep Mysteries. No original maps are included in the adventure. 

About the Author

Duncan Rhodes is the author of the best-selling Esquiel's Guide to Magic Weapons and the pulp action funathon DRAGONBOWL, amongst other titles. He is also the founder of the www.hipstersanddragons.com blog.