The Pearl Tower has stood for centuries as a symbol of safety, its mother-of-pearl walls guiding sailors around the jagged cliffs. But tonight, the tower is dark, and a deceptive fire burns a few miles down the coast. Bad Light is a high-stakes D&D 3.5 adventure for 4th-level characters that pits the party against a sinister coalition of a green hag and a barghest. It is a classic “save the trade route” scenario that rewards tactical planning and decisive action.
Introduction: The Deception of the Pearl Tower
Originally released as a free web enhancement, Bad Light by Owen K.C. Stephens is a masterclass in straightforward but effective adventure design. The plot is simple: a green hag named Lykast and a barghest named Skrom have seized the Pearl Tower, extinguished its light, and set up a false beacon to lure ships into a lethal reef.
The adventure is perfectly tuned for a group that enjoys a mix of coastal survival, investigation, and a multi-level dungeon crawl through a unique, monolithic stone tower.
Narrative Core: A Marriage of Convenience
The heart of Bad Light is the shaky alliance between its two villains. Lykast has the connections to fence stolen goods to the undersea merrow, while Skrom provides the muscle through his goblin tribe.
However, they despise each other. This creates a fascinating dynamic for the players—they aren’t just facing a united front; they are entering a powder keg. If the players can eliminate just one of the leaders, the entire operation collapses as the other fled the tower within days.
Tactical Breakdown: Climbing the Tower
The Pearl Tower is a 4-story structure carved from a single spur of rock. Each level presents a distinct challenge.
1. The Shoreline (Area 1)
The adventure begins at the base of the tower among the shattered remains of a dozen ships.
- The Undead: Four ghouls—risen from the drowned crews—hide in the largest hull.
- The Atmosphere: The stench of rot and the sound of scratching wood set a grim tone immediately.
2. The Ground Floor: The Pet (Area 2)
The ground floor is a maze of abandoned living quarters, now the territory of a Grick.
- The Guardian: Lykast keeps this multi-tentacled predator here to ensure the goblins don’t sneak out. It uses the sandy floors to mask its drag marks, making it a perfect ambush predator for an unwary party.
3. Level 2: The Green Hag (Area 3)
This is Lykast’s personal sanctuary.
- The Tactics: Lykast is a Green Hag (CR 5) who uses Invisibility and Disguise Self to manipulate the party. She doesn’t just fight; she weakens foes with her touch and mimics animal sounds to lure players into traps.
4. Level 3: The Barghest (Area 4)
Skrom the Barghest (CR 4) rules this floor.
- The Threat: Unlike the deceptive hag, Skrom is a direct combatant who assumes his wolf form to hunt intruders. He views any attackers as assassins sent by Lykast, ensuring he fights with cornered-animal ferocity.
Mechanics & Hazards: The Tower Defenses
The tower is designed to be easily defensible.
- The Tower Top (Area 5): A dozen goblin warriors patrol the battlements. If attacked, they beat on the trapdoor to alert Skrom, potentially bringing the boss and his guards down on the party simultaneously.
- The Bad Light (Area 6): Located 3 miles away, the false bonfire is the source of the ships’ doom. Extinguishing this is a primary mission objective, but the 12 goblins guarding it will fight to the death out of fear of their barghest master.
System Conversion: 3.5 to 5e and OSR
Porting Bad Light to modern or old-school systems is a breeze due to its reliance on iconic monsters.
For 5th Edition (5e):
- The Bosses: Use the standard Green Hag and Barghest stat blocks. Both are CR 3 or 4 in 5e, making them a fair fight for a 4th-level party.
- The Grick: The 5e Grick is a perfect fit for Area 2.
For OSR (Old School Essentials/Shadowdark):
- The Green Hag’s Weakness ability (Strength damage) is particularly punishing in OSR. Consider making it a temporary debuff to avoid permanent character crippling.
GM Tips: Maximizing the Rivalry
- Exploit the Distrust: If the players capture a goblin or overhear a conversation, let them know that Skrom and Lykast are at each other’s throats. A clever party might use Disguise Self to frame one leader for an attack on the other.
- The Scent of Death: Describe the transition between floors. Lykast’s floor smells like rotting meat (her favorite meal), while Skrom’s floor smells like wet fur and filth.
- The Reward: Beyond the gold and gems in Lykast’s chest, the most valuable reward is the Pearl Tower itself. If the players clear it, they might be offered the roles of its new caretakers, giving them a perfect coastal base of operations for future seafaring adventures.
Conclusion: A Nautical Must-Play
Bad Light is an excellent example of how to build tension using NPCs. It takes a classic lighthouse mystery and adds layers of political intrigue and monstrous horror. For a 4th-level party, it offers a challenging combat experience and a highly satisfying “hero moment” as they relight the true beacon and save the merchant fleet.
[Claim Your Copy of Bad Light on DriveThruRPG]
Disclosure: If you pick up this adventure through my link, I’ll earn a few gold pieces to keep the lights on in the dungeon at no extra cost to you.