Little D&D: The Song of Many-Eyes

This is the adventure I wrote up for the second session of "Little D&D" that I ran at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library last month in Williston, VT. Like the first sessions, this game was aimed at players age 6-8. It was designed to be self-contained and last for about an hour.

The Player Characters are visiting a small town named Conifer. They’re resting in the village inn and it’s getting late. Just as everyone’s settling down for the night, however, they all hear a horrible sound: a rhythmic whining and screeching.

The townsfolk just sigh and reveal that it’s just “Many-Eyes” again. They share that there’s a monster living in a nearby cave that likes to sing. Unfortunately, its singing is terrible and it mostly likes to sing at night.

The next morning, the restless mayor of Conifer asks the PCs if they’ll venture to the monster’s cave and find a way “to shut the creature up!”

Assuming the PCs take the job, they’ll adventure to a cave, face off against subterranean threats and beasties, and come face-to-face with a surprisingly friendly (albeit tone-deaf) Beholder.

To get started the Game Master can read the following:

After long hours of marching and travel, you and your friends decide to spend the night in a small village named Conifer. The village isn’t very big and the food’s not the best, but it has warm beds and that’s all you need.

Shortly after you all settle down for bed, you hear the echo of a distant and strange sound. (Make a silly/annoying singing sound.)

You sit up in your bed. What in the world could it be? You hear a knock on the door of the room you’ve rented. It’s the innkeeper.

“Hello in there! Sorry to bother you. I imagine the noise woke you up. Try not to mind it. That’s just ol’ Many-Eyes. He’s a beastie lives near here. Likes to sing (finger quotes). He usually quiets down after a little while. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

The innkeeper leaves you and you wait, but the noise doesn’t stop. For hours and hours the “singing” continues. You try to plug your ears, but it doesn’t help. You cover your head with your pillow, but you can still hear it! No matter what you do, the sound of the creature’s song won’t go away!

Then, hours later, just as the sun is starting to come up, the sound stops. You’re finally able to get some rest, though not nearly as much as you were hoping for.

After the introduction, the PCs wake up and head out into the inn’s dining room. The innkeeper, a gnome-ish woman named Minxis, will greet them and apologize again for Many-Eyes. She’ll ask them if they want breakfast.

After the PCs eat, the doors to the inn will fly open and a the mayor, a dwarf named Bergunmeister, will stomp in. He’ll tell the PCs that he heard they were adventurers and ask them if they’d be interested in helping the town with its “musical problem.”

Once they agree, he’ll lead them to a nearby cave where they can find Many-Eyes and figure out a way to silence him. A “bag of treasure” will be waiting for them when they return. Once the PCs enter the cave, they’ll potentially encounter several obstacles.

The PCs enter a room with a strangely sticky floor. If they touch their boots/the floor, they’ll find sticky strands of a web-like substance. Have the PCs perform a Perception DC. If anyone rolls 15 or higher, they’ll notice beady red eyes gazing down at them from above. Giant Spiders! If everyone fails the DC, the Spiders will drop down and ambush the PCs. Each Giant Spider picks a target and performs a surprise attack dealing 1D4 damage.

The PCs enter a wide-open cave chamber. Have the PCs perform a Perception DC. Anyone who rolls a 15 or higher will notice a thin rope stretched across the floor. If any of the PCs cut or trip over the rope, it will trigger a trap: falling ceiling boulders! Have every PC roll a Dexterity save. Anyone who rolls 10 or higher will dodge out of the way. Anyone who fails will take 1d6 damage.

The PCs enter a chamber, at the center of which is Many-Eyes. Many-Eyes will greet the PCs, ask them what they’re visiting for, and apologize for “any troubles they’ve encountered on the way.”

Many-Eyes will be receptive to hearing what the PCs have to say, but he’s very attached to making music. He also prefers to sleep during the day. That’s why he sings at night.

It will take some serious convincing for him to agree to a change in his schedule or to give up music. He might be agreeable if the PCs offer an alternative to singing. Either way it will take a high Charisma DC to succeed. 15 or higher.

If the PCs decide to fight Many-Eyes, they’ll be in for quite a battle. Once his health drops below 10 percent, he’ll surrender and agree to their terms.

Once the PCs resolve the situation with Many-Eyes, they can return to the village to get their reward. If by any chance, Many-Eyes defeats the PCs, the mayor will still give them “a little something” as thanks for their efforts.