The Screaming in High Hollow
The Screaming in High Hollow
Three unlikely adventurers arrive in High Hollow, a port town infamous for sheltering criminals and exiles, only to discover that the Shrine of the Thirteen Idols has been desecrated and one of the divine children—a guardian entity—has vanished. A cryptic cult mark discovered at the scene points toward the High Priestess of Solda, a mysterious figure whose heretical doctrine threatens to transform the Idols into monstrosities and steal the keys to the divine gates themselves. The party's investigation will uncover the cult's infiltration into the town's criminal underworld and set them on a collision course with forces far beyond their understanding.
Read Aloud
You crest the final hill on the dusty road and High Hollow sprawls before you like a scar across the coastline. The port town reeks of salt-rot and desperation—timber buildings lean precariously against one another, their paint peeling in strips that look like dead skin. Fishing nets hang from broken docks where rusted chains disappear into brown water. At the town's heart, partially visible through the tangled streets, rises a modest but elegant stone structure: the Shrine of the Thirteen Idols, its marble dome catching the afternoon sun like a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. As you descend toward the town gate, you notice something unsettling: the streets are nearly empty. No fishmongers, no dock workers, no guards—only a few shuttered windows and the distant sound of a bell tolling slowly, mournfully, from the shrine itself.
Description
High Hollow is a transient settlement serving as both a trading hub and a dumping ground for society's unwanted. The town's main thoroughfare runs from the docks uphill to the Shrine. Ramshackle buildings with weathered wood and salt-stained walls line narrow, crooked streets. The air smells of fish, tar, and desperation. The Shrine itself is the town's only structure of architectural distinction—built from pale marble decades ago, it features thirteen niches on its exterior (one for each Idol) and is currently the source of the doleful bell sound. A small crowd has gathered at the shrine's entrance, kept back by three town guards in dented armor. The party will arrive at this critical moment of low-key chaos.
DM Notes
This scene establishes atmosphere and gets the party to the core conflict. The guards will not immediately allow the party near the shrine—they are confused and frightened. Use this to introduce the town's fear and uncertainty. Encourage the party to introduce themselves and ask questions. If the party tries to push past the guards, a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) or Intimidation check will convince them to step aside temporarily (they are undermanned and spooked). The shrine bell continues to toll—this is intentional; later the party will learn it was triggered by the desecration and has been ringing for hours, unattended.
Read Aloud
The interior of the Shrine strikes you immediately as violated—not by crude destruction, but by methodical profanity. The circular chamber is ringed by thirteen marble pedestals, each carved with the likeness of an Idol and topped with an elaborate crystalline key. Twelve keys still gleam in their niches, but one pedestal—bearing the carved image of a blindfolded figure holding scales—stands empty save for pooling shadows that seem darker than they should be. Scrawled across the floor in what might be ash or something far worse are symbols of unsettling geometry: spirals within spirals, eyes that stare in multiple directions, and repeated phrases in a language none of you immediately recognize. At the center of the chamber, a simple stone altar has been upended. One of the town guards, an older man named Sergeant Thorne, turns to you with haunted eyes. "The Idol of Balance... Meridian... she's gone. And the key with her. Whatever did this..." He trails off, staring at the symbols. "We found the shrine like this three hours ago. The bell rang out on its own."
Description
The Shrine's interior is a perfect circle, approximately 30 feet in diameter. The floor is polished marble, now desecrated with ritual markings. The twelve remaining pedestals are arranged in a circle, each bearing the weight of a divine key—intricate artifacts of crystal and gold that hum faintly with residual divine power. The missing pedestal (the 8th position, bearing the symbol of an eye crossed by scales) is noticeably colder to the touch, with a thin coating of hoarfrost despite the warm day outside. The upended altar is made of dark stone carved with the likenesses of all thirteen Idols in profile. The ritual markings include elements of astronomical notation, corrupted prayer-script, and what appears to be a binding circle. A DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the script is attempting to "unmake the divine covenant"—a blasphemous magic with no historical precedent. A DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check suggests this was done with ritual precision, not desperation or chaos.
DM Notes
Allow the party to investigate freely. Sergeant Thorne is helpful but visibly frightened—he will answer questions about the timeline (discovered at midday when the bell began ringing), the missing Idol Meridian (a guardian entity tied to balance and justice, said to walk the mortal realm in disguise), and the fact that the town has no resident clergy (the last shrine keeper died six months ago and was never replaced due to budget constraints—a critical detail). The ritual markings are not immediately dangerous but exude an unsettling aura. Award inspiration or advantage to any player who makes a particularly clever observation. This is an excellent moment to engage the Bard's social skills or the Cleric's religious knowledge (DC 13 Religion check reveals Meridian was one of the oldest and most powerful Idols, and her theft is catastrophic).
Read Aloud
The High Hollow Guard House sits a short walk from the shrine—a squat stone building with barred windows that could just as easily be a prison as a place of law enforcement. Inside, you're led to a austere office where a broad-shouldered woman in her fifties, scarred across one cheek, sits behind a desk stacked with ledgers. This is Warden Kess, and she looks like she hasn't slept in days. "Sit," she commands, then gestures to a locked cabinet behind her. "I'm telling you this because it's going to come out anyway, and I'd rather you hear it from me than from the street gossip. Three weeks ago, a woman arrived in High Hollow. Called herself Mother Ixia. She rented a house in the Tangles—that's the worst part of town, where we store the worst of our prisoners in houses instead of cells. She was... persuasive. Three of my officers visited her. Two came back babbling about visions. The third never came back." Warden Kess's jaw tightens. "I should have arrested her. Should have thrown her out. But she wasn't technically breaking any laws. And..." she pauses, her voice dropping, "I was scared. The way people talked about her. It was like they'd been touched by something from outside this world."
Description
Warden Kess's office is utilitarian and emotionally cold. The walls bear notices about prison schedules, criminal records, and theological texts left by previous wardens. The most prominent item is a wanted poster dated from fifteen years ago, showing a younger Kess with a significant burn scar down her neck—she's earned her position through grit. The cabinet behind her contains confiscated items from prisoners: lockpicks, forged documents, and ominously, a journal written in the same script the party saw in the shrine. A DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check will convince Kess to show the party this journal. A DC 16 check will make her reveal the true reason she was hesitant to act: Mother Ixia offered her information about the cult's wider movements across the realm, and Kess made a gamble that cooperation would yield intelligence. The gamble failed.
DM Notes
This is the session's primary exposition scene. Use Warden Kess to deliver critical lore: the High Priestess of Solda has been constructing a cult network across multiple towns, targeting the Idols one by one. The journal (confiscated from one of the corrupted officers) contains references to the "Soldan Covenant"—a ritual to transform the Idols into Solda's twisted servants and extract the thirteen keys. The player's investigation here should feel like uncovering a real conspiracy. Kess is remorseful and will be a helpful ally going forward. She can direct the party to the Tangles and provide a description of Mother Ixia (see NPC card). If the party seems suspicious of Kess, they're right to be—she made a calculated but deeply flawed decision. A DC 13 Insight check reveals she's being honest about her regret but not fully honest about her current state of mind. She's also worried the corruption might spread further—there are still prisoners and guards she hasn't accounted for.
Read Aloud
The Tangles live up to their name. Narrow alleys wind between buildings so close you could almost touch both walls at once, and the smell—rotting fish, human waste, and something else, something sweet and wrong—hits you like a physical blow. This is where High Hollow puts its failures: debtors in indentured servitude, minor criminals doing time in rented cells, addicts, and those with nowhere else to go. As Warden Kess described, criminals are housed in converted dwellings rather than a centralized jail, each watched by a town guard. You locate the address she provided—a two-story wooden building with a crooked chimney and a door painted a sickly pale blue. But something is wrong. The windows are empty, the door hangs open, and most disturbingly, there are scorch marks around the frame and burn patterns that suggest something has been deliberately scorched—not violently, but with eerie precision. Inside, the house is abandoned. Overturned furniture, scattered religious texts (some corrupted, some torn), and on the back wall, a massive symbol in ash: an eye within an infinite spiral, ringed by Solda's corrupted prayer-script. A makeshift shrine has been constructed around a candle that still burns with an unnatural violet flame.
Description
The Tangles occupy the eastern quarter of High Hollow, a warren of streets that were never planned but rather accumulated over decades. The target house is centrally located and has become a focal point for dark activity. The interior is divided into a main room (where the shrine has been erected) and a back room with two cots. The violet candle burns without consuming itself and produces no heat—a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check identifies it as a magical focusing object. The prayer-script, when examined closely, is different from the shrine's markings: it's unfinished, as if interrupted. A DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals fresh footprints in the ash, suggesting multiple people have been in this building recently. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers a hidden compartment beneath one of the floorboards containing: the missing shrine key (a crystalline artifact radiating faint divine energy), Mother Ixia's personal journal (written in her hand, containing her horrifying endgame plans), and a list of thirteen names—the Idols to be corrupted, with Meridian marked as CLAIMED.
DM Notes
This is the party's first real investigative challenge. Encourage them to search methodically. The violet candle can be extinguished (causing it to release a pulse of necrotic energy that deals 1d4 damage to anyone within 5 feet), left burning (it will continue to serve as a beacon for cult agents), or studied (a ritual to understand it requires a 30-minute examination and a DC 14 Arcana check). The hidden compartment is genuinely difficult to find—it's under the leftmost cot's wooden slats. If the party finds the key and journal, they've scored a major victory. The journal contains: (1) confirmation that Mother Ixia is the High Priestess of Solda in this region; (2) a detailed plan to corrupt each Idol in a specific order (Meridian was first as a test); (3) references to cult cells in at least five other towns; and (4) a personal note suggesting Mother Ixia will move on to the next Idol (the Idol of War, "Vel'Karan") within a week. This creates urgency. The list of names should be treated as a treasure for future session hooks.
Read Aloud
Your investigation leads you back to the Guard House, where Warden Kess helps you gain access to one of the three guards who visited Mother Ixia's house—a young man named Garrett, currently confined to the barracks' infirmary. His eyes are unfocused, his hands trembling. When he sees you, he flinches as if struck. "You're here about Mother Ixia," he whispers. "I can feel her still... in my head... whispering about the beauty of the Unknown, about the Idols being chains on the divine..." Garrett suddenly clutches his head, and dark veins appear across his temples. "She promised us we could be part of something greater. She said the Idols were... were abominations keeping the true god locked away. She showed us visions—other worlds, other versions of High Hollow where everything was better, where we didn't have to serve the old system anymore." His voice becomes almost reverent. "She touched me, just once, right here..." he points to his forehead, "and I saw Solda's eye opening. Infinite. Endless. All-knowing." Then his voice cracks: "But I'm scared. I'm scared I can still hear her."
Description
The infirmary is a small room with four cots. Garrett occupies one, restrained with leather straps that he doesn't resist against. His condition is clearly magical in nature—the dark veins appear and recede in a pattern, almost as if responding to invisible stimuli. The Cleric may recognize this as a form of psychic corruption or divine blight. A DC 14 Medicine check confirms Garrett is physically healthy but psychologically compromised. A DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals Garrett is genuinely conflicted: part of him still craves Mother Ixia's visions, but another part recognizes them as corrupting. A DC 15 Religion check uncovers the blasphemous theology Garrett is expressing—it inverts standard beliefs about Solda (traditionally a god of mystery and hidden knowledge) into a doctrine that frames other deities as oppressors.
DM Notes
This scene is crucial for understanding the cult's appeal and the extent of Mother Ixia's power. Garrett is a tragic figure—not evil, but corrupted. If the party approaches him with compassion, they may gain valuable intel: (1) Mother Ixia spoke of going to the coastal town of Saltmere next, to target the Idol of Tides; (2) there are at least two other corrupted individuals in High Hollow whose names Garrett can provide; (3) the visions she gives are not simple delusions—they're glimpses of something genuinely alien and vast, suggesting Mother Ixia may have made contact with something beyond mortal understanding. The party might attempt to help Garrett (a DC 14 Religion or Arcana check and a successful lesser restoration spell—which the Cleric can prepare—might temporarily ease the corruption). If they do, Garrett becomes a grateful NPC who can provide ongoing assistance in future sessions. If they ignore him, Warden Kess will see this as a sign the party lacks compassion, affecting future negotiations.
Read Aloud
As evening falls and you prepare your findings, one of Warden Kess's officers arrives with urgent news: one of the corrupted guards is attempting to flee High Hollow by ship. You race to the docks and find chaos. A merchant vessel is being loaded hastily, and at the dockside stands a figure you'll immediately recognize from Kess's description—a woman in her late thirties, pale as bone, with eyes that seem to contain impossible depths. This is Mother Ixia herself, and she's preparing to leave. Around her stand three dockworkers, their movements sluggish and synchronized, clearly under her influence. She notices you immediately and smiles—a smile that contains pity and something far colder. "The Warden sent you, I presume. How quaint. You're attempting to stop something you cannot possibly comprehend. I have walked between the stars, felt the gaze of the Infinite Eye. Your Idols are already falling. Meridian was merely the key that opens all the others." The corrupted guard, a man named Harrett, steps forward with a rapier drawn, blocking the path to Mother Ixia and the ship.
Description
The docks extend 200 feet along High Hollow's coast, lined with mooring posts and stacked cargo. The merchant vessel (a small caravel) is docked 60 feet away, with its gangplank partially raised. Mother Ixia stands on the central dock, flanked by three dockworkers (one male, two female) who are clearly enthralled. Harrett, the corrupted guard, positions himself as a buffer 20 feet from the party's entry point. The docks have scattered cargo crates that provide half-cover, and several idle dockworkers have fled the area upon seeing the confrontation. The sea is calm, but the evening light is fading—within the hour, darkness will fully set. Mother Ixia herself remains aloof and confident, showing no sign of physical combat capability. She will not engage unless the party specifically targets her; instead, she will continue loading the ship and attempting to depart, treating this as a negotiation rather than a fight.
DM Notes
This encounter serves two purposes: (1) give the party their first meaningful combat encounter and (2) introduce Mother Ixia as a threat they cannot yet defeat, forcing a tactical retreat or negotiation. The party should win the combat against Harrett and the dockworkers, but Mother Ixia will depart via ship before they can prevent it. This is intentional—she is far beyond their current power level, and the party needs to feel the vastness of the threat they're facing. If the party seriously tries to prevent her escape (boarding the ship, casting spells), she will use her action to activate a magical artifact (a corrupted key that opens a portal briefly) and vanish mid-conversation, leaving a lingering sense of dread. Her final words should be: "You are no longer irrelevant. The Warden should be flattered. But you are also no longer safe. High Hollow shelters the unwanted. Soon, there will be nowhere for you to hide." This directly sets up the session's conclusion and hooks future sessions.
Monsters
Tactics
Harrett acts as a tactical defender, positioning himself between the party and Mother Ixia's path to the ship. He uses his Spear for both melee and ranged attacks, trying to create distance and delay. The enthralled dockworkers are less coordinated and serve primarily as obstacles; they attack with improvised weapons (dock hooks, cargo bars) and try to grapple rather than deal damage. Their goal is to keep the party occupied while Mother Ixia prepares the ship for departure. They will not pursue the party if Harrett falls, instead attempting to help Mother Ixia escape. Harrett fights intelligently but without the cunning of a true soldier—he relies on the fact that the party has no reason to kill him, attempting to leverage guilt and hesitation. He will surrender if reduced to 3 or fewer HP, at which point he becomes a valuable source of information.
Terrain
The docks are a 200-foot-long pier with scattered cargo crates (providing half-cover), coiled rope, and open water on both sides. The ship is moored 60 feet away with its gangplank partially raised. Difficult terrain includes slippery wooden planks near the water's edge (DC 10 Acrobatics check to avoid falling prone). The surrounding area is mostly empty due to evening hour, with idle rope and cargo providing potential obstacles. The fading daylight imposes no mechanical penalty yet, but it creates atmosphere. If the encounter extends into darkness (after more than 3 rounds of combat), dim light conditions apply, imposing disadvantage on perception checks beyond 60 feet.
A divine artifact stolen from the Shrine. It is a key crafted from pure crystalline material that hums faintly with power. It radiates an aura of divine magic (Detect Magic will reveal it as strong abjuration magic). The key cannot be used at the party's current level, but it is critically important as proof of what was stolen and a symbol of the Idol's corruption. Warden Kess will secure it once recovered. It is worth approximately 500 gp to a collector, but its true value is beyond measure.
A leather-bound journal containing Mother Ixia's personal writings, theological notes, and most importantly, her operational plans. The journal reveals: (1) a list of the thirteen Idols marked with status (Meridian: CLAIMED, others: PENDING); (2) the location of the next target (Saltmere, home of Vel'Karan, Idol of War); (3) names and descriptions of five other cult cells in distant towns; (4) references to 'The Infinite Eye' and hints that Solda is not merely a deity but something far older and stranger; (5) Mother Ixia's personal theories about opening the divine gates. This journal is the party's most valuable asset going forward and will provide quest hooks for the entire campaign. A DC 13 Intelligence check is required to fully decipher the theological notation, but the operational information is clear.
Recovered from Harrett after the encounter. Standard currency useful for purchasing supplies and information.
Story Hooks
The journal's revelation of the list of thirteen Idols and other cult cells creates multiple hooks: (1) The party may decide to pursue Mother Ixia to Saltmere to prevent the corruption of Vel'Karan; (2) They may seek out other Idols to warn them and fortify their shrines; (3) They may investigate the other cult cells mentioned in the journal, trying to dismantle the organization from within; (4) The mysterious references to 'The Infinite Eye' and the nature of Solda invite deeper theological research, potentially leading to ancient temples or scholarly institutions. The recovery of Meridian's key is bittersweet—the Idol herself is still missing, corrupted, and transformed into something monstrous. This suggests a future redemption arc where the party must find Meridian and attempt to save her.
Conclusion
Wrap Up
As the dust settles on the docks, you watch Mother Ixia's ship disappear into the darkness, taking with it the corrupted Idol of Balance and the High Priestess's physical form. Warden Kess arrives moments later, surveying the aftermath. She thanks you grimly and retrieves the crystalline key and journal, securing them in the town's vault. Garrett, back in the guard house, begins to show signs of stabilization—your actions have earned him a chance at recovery. The town of High Hollow, though shaken, begins to slowly return to normal. Merchants reopen their stalls, and fishermen prepare evening lines. But the weight of what you've learned settles upon you: thirteen divine entities are marked for corruption, and a priestess claiming to serve an ancient and unknowable god is actively working toward that goal. You have prevented nothing—you have merely delayed the inevitable and proven yourselves worthy of becoming obstacles to greater plans. The real adventure is just beginning.
Cliffhanger
As you prepare to rest in High Hollow, a messenger arrives from the neighboring town of Saltmere with urgent news: Three days ago, the town's shrine to Vel'Karan (the Idol of War) was attacked. The Idol's key still rests in its pedestal, but witnesses report seeing Vel'Karan herself—once a magnificent warrior entity radiating divine might—fleeing the shrine in monstrous form: a twisted, bestial thing with too many limbs and eyes that burn with alien hunger. She has vanished into the nearby Ironwood Forest, corrupted beyond recognition. Worse, the witnesses describe a tall, pale woman standing calmly at the shrine's center as the transformation occurred. Mother Ixia is already two steps ahead. And if the pattern holds, she will move on to the third Idol within a week. The race has begun, and you are already falling behind.
Next Session Hooks
- The Hunt for Vel'Karan: The party must pursue the corrupted Idol into Ironwood Forest, attempting to locate and potentially save her before Mother Ixia can fully extract her divine key. This quest will involve tracking, combat against monstrous creatures, and the moral dilemma of fighting a corrupted goddess.
- The Third Idol's Location: Using the journal's reference to the list of thirteen Idols, the party must identify which Idol is next in Mother Ixia's plan. Research at a library, temple, or with divine scholars will be necessary. Alternatively, they might attempt to defend the Idol's shrine before Mother Ixia arrives, creating a siege scenario.
- The Broader Conspiracy: References in Mother Ixia's journal to other cult cells in distant towns create opportunities for the party to send agents (or travel themselves) to dismantle these operations. Alternatively, cult agents from other cells might begin hunting the party, knowing they possess the journal.
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