Temptations of a Pilgrimage | Short 5e & PF2e Adventure

December 23, 2023
Posted by Luke Hart

Written by Zac Chaney
Cartography by Architect GM and Sir Vicke

This short adventure is designed for level 11 and can be dragged and dropped into practically any campaign. Versions for both 5e and Pathfinder 2e are included.

If you're looking for another short adventure like this or other 5e and PF2e resources, check out our entire collection of Lair Magazine issues. This specific adventure came from the December 2023 issue, Festivities & Famine.

Getting Started

This adventure is shorter than a standard adventure, comprising about half an adventuring day. Because this is not a full-length adventure, most adventuring parties one level below the adventure level should be able to complete them. However, as the adventures are not designed for parties of that level, they may find it more challenging than expected and even face the risk of defeat.

Because this adventure is intentionally designed to comprise only a portion of an adventuring day, it does not follow the traditional quest-giver-to-adventure-location structure. Instead, consider one of the following alternative options to start the adventure:

The characters stumble upon the first part of the adventure while on their travels. This may come as they travel to another adventure location or while exploring the wilderness. It may also be an alternative to a random encounter.
The characters hear rumors about the described location and want to check it out. This can be used either to set up a larger scenario going forward or as a welcome distraction from the main campaign.
A patron or NPC asks the characters to investigate the location, using the short adventure to gauge the character’s skill. This can be particularly useful as an “induction” mission with little chance of failure to ensure that the characters survive their first real mission from the patron.

When using any of these, keep in mind the nature of your group. As written, these adventures assume the characters are good aligned and will investigate wrongdoing of their own accord. If this does not apply to your group, consider adding incentives as appropriate.

The details needed for running this adventure are included below. However, the game master is encouraged to customize it slightly for their group and ongoing campaign. Consider questions such as the following:

Where will this adventure take place in your world?
Should you change the names of any locations to make them better fit your campaign setting?
Should you increase or decrease the loot it contains, including adding or removing magic items?
Should you adjust any of the encounters to better fit the power level of your players and their characters?

Temptations of a Pilgrimage - 5e

Game Master Notes

Level. This adventure is designed for a group of four to six level-11 characters.

Creatures. This adventure features the following creatures: erinyes, succubus, incubus.

Resting. It’s expected that the party will not need to take any long rests in this adventure, though a short rest may be needed if the characters encounter bad luck.

Loot. This adventure contains treasure from one roll on the Individual Treasure: Challenge 11-16 table in the Game Master’s Core Rulebook. It also includes one magic item, details of which can be found in the Game Master’s Core Rulebook.

Screams of Temptation

Read the following while the characters are traveling the countryside near a village:

A woman’s screams echo down the road, accompanied by a man shouting to run. They sound like they’re being attacked, and a sulfurous smell permeates the air and stings the eyes. The couple keeps shouting; the words are muffled and mostly incomprehensible, but one word stands out from the background: help.

A short distance up the road from the characters, a scuffle is taking place. It is trivial for them to locate the scuffle if they choose to, as they’re only a few hundred feet away.

P1. The Pilgrims’ First Temptation

A small building comes into view just up the road. It’s small, only big enough to house a few people, but it seems to be well-maintained. Next to the building is a small campsite with a few tents and a cart to carry provisions. It would be a perfectly normal sight if not for the four people standing nearby. Dressed in alluring attire wholly unsuited for travel, they stand over three people trembling at their feet.

The four standing are actually two succubi and two incubi. They are here to tempt the other three (nobles) and steal their souls. They’re currently shapechanged into beautiful and alluring humans.

Roleplaying Notes.

The succubi and incubi are trying to tempt the three travelers, pilgrims named Sebastian, Victoria, and Emanuel. They’re using their seduction and supernatural Charisma to lure the three into a dark fate.
One of the travelers attempted to fight back but was quickly put into his place by the significantly more powerful devils.
When the travelers see the characters, they yell for help, saying they’re powerless to resist on their own.
The devils try to convince the characters that they mean no harm. They tell the characters they’re here during the travelers’ pilgrimage. This is true, but with a DC 19 Wisdom (Insight) check, the characters can deduce that there is more to the story.
If the characters stay out of it, roll a d4 for each traveler. On a 4, they continue to resist the devils until the characters intervene or the pilgrims are killed (2 rounds). Otherwise, they succumb to temptation and are whisked away to the hells to live as lemures. Once this happens, the devils are perfectly forthright about what has happened and leave to tend to their new pets.

After the Devils Are Defeated.

The pilgrims explain to the characters that they are travelers undertaking a sacred pilgrimage. Their village venerates an old deity who occupies forests and is a shepherd of the people who live there.
Each villager must periodically pilgrimage to a tree in the forest known as the Tree of Wisdom. It’s considered a holy site, and meditation at the tree is supposed to divinely inspire the villagers.
It’s not unusual for villagers to encounter trials along the way to the tree. Temptation on the way is considered an essential component of the pilgrimage.
However, it’s unusual for devils and the like to get involved. Normally, ordinary mortal temptations like money appear on the path. That tells the pilgrims that something is amiss, and they ask for the characters’ aid to complete the journey.
They offer the characters 500 gp if they accompany them to the tree. It’s only a few hours away, but the security will be invaluable to the pilgrims.
If the characters agree to help, the pilgrims set out right away and head into the woods.

Encounter Notes.

At the start of combat, the devils shapeshift back into their true form if possible; otherwise, they remain in human form.
The devils use their charm ability on the characters if they can. They know the characters present the biggest threat and offer the best reward for turning them.
If they can, they will turn a character against their allies and disappear into the ethereal plane, giving themselves near immunity to harm.

The Church. This small church hasn’t been used in years, but pilgrims on the road maintain it. The book on the altar is a simple prayer book to the pilgrim’s deity.

roadside chapel map

P2. Travelling to the Tree of Wisdom

Travel Skill Challenge. At the game master’s discretion, traveling to the Tree of Wisdom may involve a skill challenge, as the path isn’t marked or is lightly traveled. In this case, apply the following:

The challenge requires 6 successes and has a base DC of 13.
Most skills are applicable here with proper consideration. However, Charisma-based skills, Arcana, and Sleight of Hand have +2 added to the DC.
Success in the challenge will lead the group to P3.
Failing to get 6 successes means the group fails to find the Tree of Wisdom despite many hours of searching. The pilgrims will continue in the morning but don’t expect the characters to help them any further and hold no ill feelings toward them if they leave. They still give them the 500 gp they promised. However, they will still appreciate it if the characters continue helping them.

Detailed rules about skill challenges can be found in Lair Magazine #18, Wish & Waste, June 2022.

If you choose not to implement a skill challenge, the adventure progresses directly to P3.

P3. The Tree of Wisdom

Finally, after traveling for about two hours, a remarkable sight comes into view: a large tree in the center of a flowing stream glowing brightly with divine radiance. It’s surrounded by unusual, almost alien flora that glows bright blue. Sitting in the tree branches is a group of four women. Three of them wear the same sort of alluring attire as the ones from the road, and the last is wearing armor but no less beautiful than the rest.

The four people in the trees are a trio of succubi and an erinyes. They continue to tempt the pilgrims to take their souls, but because of the defeat of the first four, the succubi have brought an erinyes as a backup.

Roleplaying Notes.

The erinyes sits back in any social interaction. It has little interest in the petty games of these succubi, but it will still help them in combat.
The succubi attempt to lure the pilgrims into temptation once again. This time, they’re using devilish magic to enhance their words, making resisting harder. Without the characters’ help, the pilgrims will fall into temptation.
If the characters wish to help, they must succeed at three skill checks before the pilgrims fail at three.
The three skill checks the characters need to pass are any Charisma-based skill checks to counter the words of the succubi. Each of these is DC 15.
However, the pilgrims will need to make DC 19 Wisdom (Insight) checks to see through the succubi’s lies. Success on these checks is not required to resist, but failing three before the characters succeed will make the pilgrims give in to temptation.
If combat begins before the pilgrims either give in to or resist the temptation, the succubi may continue trying to tempt the pilgrims but must use their action.

Encounter Notes.

In combat, the erinyes acts as a front-line fighter, dealing heavy damage and taking hits from the characters.
The succubi keep their distance and, like the first group, will try to charm the characters into their service.
This will likely be a tough fight for the characters, but the pilgrims do their best to stay out of the way so the characters can focus on fighting.
The erinyes is armed with a flame tongue instead of its ordinary longsword. On the first round of combat, it will ignite its weapon. After the erinyes is defeated, the characters can loot the flame tongue.

The Tree of Wisdom. This is indeed the tree the pilgrims were searching for, and it is plainly clear from its appearance that it is a holy tree. The pilgrims will meditate at its base for several hours while they try to absorb its wisdom. It is left to the game master’s discretion if the characters can gain any benefits by doing the same. Plot hooks, hints about another quest, or the location of hidden treasures can all be good options. Otherwise, the characters will feel the spiritual nature of the place but won’t gain any special benefits.

old wise tree map

Conclusion

Pilgrims Fall. If the characters choose not to help or cannot stop the succubi in P3, the pilgrims will eventually give in to the devils’ temptations. Their souls become forfeit, and they are sent to the hells to live out the rest of eternity as lemures.

Pilgrims Complete Their Pilgrimage. Alternatively, if the characters successfully prevent their fall and the pilgrims complete their journey, they will return to their village successfully. While they may not share the exact nature of their revelations, at least one of the pilgrims will be divinely inspired to offer the characters aid in the future. The exact nature of this aid is left to the game master, but it may be in the form of reinforcements from the village, secret knowledge that needs to wait to be revealed, or some other option that suits the campaign.

Temptations of a Pilgrimage - Pathfinder 2e

Game Master Notes

Level. This adventure is designed for a group of four level-11 characters.

Creatures. This adventure features the following creatures: glabrezu, succubus.

Adventure Difficulty. The party can expect to encounter one low and one severe encounter.

Loot. The characters have the opportunity to loot a flame tongue from one of the creatures in this adventure, as well as collect a small monetary payment from the pilgrims.

Screams of Temptation

Read the following while the characters are traveling the countryside near a village:

A woman’s screams echo down the road, accompanied by a man shouting to run. They sound like they’re being attacked, and a sulfurous smell permeates the air and stings the eyes. The couple keeps shouting; the words are muffled and mostly incomprehensible, but one word stands out from the background: help.

A short distance up the road from the characters, a scuffle is taking place. It is trivial for them to locate the scuffle if they choose to, as they’re only a few hundred feet away.

P1. The Pilgrims’ First Temptation [Low Encounter]

A small building comes into view just up the road. It’s small, only big enough to house a few people, but it seems to be well-maintained. Next to the building is a small campsite with a few tents and a cart to carry provisions. It would be a perfectly normal sight if not for the nine people standing nearby. Dressed in alluring attire wholly unsuited for travel, six women stand over three people trembling at their feet.

The six standing above the others are a group of six succubi. They are here to tempt the other three (nobles) and steal their souls. They’re currently shapechanged into beautiful and alluring humans.

Roleplaying Notes.

The succubi are trying to tempt the three travelers, pilgrims named Sebastian, Victoria, and Emanuel. They’re using their seduction and supernatural Charisma to lure the three into a dark fate.
One of the travelers attempted to fight back but was quickly put into his place by the significantly more powerful devils.
When the travelers see the characters, they yell for help, saying they’re powerless to resist on their own.
The devils try to convince the characters that they mean no harm. They tell the characters they’re here during the travelers’ pilgrimage. This is true, but with a DC 28 Perception check, the characters can deduce that there is more to the story.
If the characters stay out of it, roll a d4 for each traveler. On a 4, they continue to resist the devils until the characters intervene or the pilgrims are killed (2 rounds). Otherwise, they succumb to temptation and are whisked away to the hells to live as lemures. Once this happens, the devils are perfectly forthright about what has happened and leave to tend to their new pets.

After the Devils Are Defeated.

The pilgrims explain to the characters that they are travelers undertaking a sacred pilgrimage. Their village venerates an old deity who occupies forests and is a shepherd of the people who live there.
Each villager must periodically pilgrimage to a tree in the forest known as the Tree of Wisdom. It’s considered a holy site, and meditation at the tree is supposed to divinely inspire the villagers.
It’s not unusual for villagers to encounter trials along the way to the tree. Temptation on the way is considered an essential component of the pilgrimage.
However, it’s unusual for devils and the like to get involved. Normally, ordinary mortal temptations like money appear on the path. That tells the pilgrims that something is amiss, and they ask for the characters’ aid to complete the journey.
They offer the characters 50 gp if they accompany them to the tree. It’s only a few hours away, but the security will be invaluable to the pilgrims.
If the characters agree to help, the pilgrims set out right away and head into the woods.

Encounter Notes.

At the start of combat, the devils shapeshift back into their true form if possible; otherwise, they remain in human form.
They will attempt to cast dominate on half the characters, turning them against the other characters.
The devils use their embrace and passionate kiss abilities on non-dominated characters.

The Church. This small church hasn’t been used in years, but pilgrims on the road maintain it. The book on the altar is a simple prayer book to the pilgrim’s deity.

roadside chapel map

P2. Travelling to the Tree of Wisdom

In this challenge, the characters must accumulate 5 victory points (Gamemastery Guide pg. 148).
Each character acts in turn to attempt to accumulate a victory point. The DC for tracking-oriented skills (acrobatics, athletics, survival, etc.) is 20. The DC for non-tracking skills (stealth, applicable lore, etc.) is 25. The DC for unrelated skills (Perception, Performance, etc.) is 30 but may automatically fail on anything other than a critical success at the game master’s discretion.
A success gains one victory point, a critical success gains two, and a critical failure loses one.
If the characters make 10 attempts but fail to accumulate 5 victory points, the group fails to find the Tree of Wisdom despite many hours of searching. The pilgrims will continue in the morning but don’t expect the characters to help them any further and hold no ill feelings toward them if they leave. They still give them the 500 gp they promised. However, they will still appreciate it if the characters continue helping them.

If you choose not to implement a skill challenge, the adventure progresses directly to P3.

P3. The Tree of Wisdom [Severe Encounter]

Finally, after traveling for about two hours, a remarkable sight comes into view: a large tree in the center of a flowing stream glowing brightly with divine radiance. It’s surrounded by unusual, almost alien flora that glows bright blue. Sitting in the tree branches is a group of four women and a strange looking monster. The four women wear the same sort of alluring attire as the ones from the road, but the other is a misshapen and terrifying monster.

The four women are a group of succubi who are being accompanied by a glabrezu. They continue to tempt the pilgrims to take their souls, but because of the defeat of the first six, the succubi have brought the glabrezu as a backup.

Roleplaying Notes.

The glabrezu sits back in any social interaction. It has little interest in the petty games of these succubi, but it will still help them in combat.
The succubi attempt to lure the pilgrims into temptation once again. This time, they’re using devilish magic to enhance their words, making resisting harder. Without the characters’ help, the pilgrims will fall into temptation.
If the characters wish to help, they must succeed at three skill checks before the pilgrims fail at three.
The three skill checks the characters need to pass are any Charisma-based skill checks to counter the words of the succubi. Each of these is DC 25.
However, the pilgrims will need to make DC 28 Perception checks to see through the succubi’s lies. Success on these checks is not required to resist, but failing three before the characters succeed will make the pilgrims give in to temptation.
If combat begins before the pilgrims either give in to or resist the temptation, the succubi may continue trying to tempt the pilgrims but must use their action.

Encounter Notes.

In combat, the glabrezu acts as a front-line fighter, dealing heavy damage and taking hits from the characters.
The succubi keep their distance use tactics similar to the first group of succubi.
This will likely be a tough fight for the characters, but the pilgrims do their best to stay out of the way so the characters can focus on fighting.
One of the succubi is armed with a flame tongue in addition to its standard weaponry. On the first round of combat, it will ignite its weapon. After it is defeated, the characters can loot the flame tongue. The succubus armed with the flame tongue has this additional attack added to its stat block:
- Melee [one action] flame tongue +16 (evocation, fire, magical, versatile P), Damage 3d8+4 slashing and 1d6 fire damage, plus 1d10 persistent fire damage on a critical hit.

old wise tree map

Conclusion

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