Printable guide sheet: The Lantern Night

Read this to your players to start

It is Lantern Night in Tumblebrook, and the pumpkin lanterns are floating off the doorsteps, one by one, toward the old mill. Somebody is borrowing them, and Granny Tansy thinks that somebody is sad. Follow the lights and find out who, and why.

Scenes (all session lengths — scene’s tag shows the shortest length it appears in)

1. Scene 1: Lantern Night from Quick Quest on

   Tonight is Lantern Night in Tumblebrook. Every doorstep has a pumpkin with a grinning face and a candle inside. The whole village smells of warm toffee. Then, one by one, the lanterns lift into the air. They bob down the lane like orange balloons. Whoosh. Little Ned Pocket stares at his empty step. "My pumpkin!" he says. Granny Tansy pats his head. "Somebody is borrowing our lights," she says softly. "And I think that somebody is sad."

   Goal: Find out who is taking the lanterns, and where they are going.

   • Follow the lanterns Brave, DN 8

     It works: You run down the lane after the bobbing lights. They float over a hedge into the pumpkin patch, slow and wobbly, like somebody carrying too many at once.

     It doesn’t: The lanterns zip round a corner and are gone. But a trail of tiny orange drops of candle wax leads down the lane. You follow it, just a little later.

   • Ask Granny Tansy No roll

     It works: Granny Tansy knows three things. The lanterns all go toward the old mill. The mill has been empty for years. And when she was small, the miller said goodnight to somebody in the mill every Lantern Night. "I never knew who," she says.

     It doesn’t: If nobody can think of a question, Tansy tells them the three things anyway, and gives each hero a toffee apple for the walk.

   • Cheer up Ned Kind, DN 8

     It works: Ned wipes his nose and grins. "I carved a bat on mine. It has wonky ears." He wants to come too, and holds a hero’s hand all the way down the lane.

     It doesn’t: Ned still sniffs, but he points down the lane. "It went that way. Bring it back, please?"

   Ask your players

   Ask each player in turn: Every hero carved a lantern tonight. What face is on yours? Whatever they choose can help later: a smiling face cheers up a shy ghost, a funny face makes it giggle.

   Lantern Night is the Vale’s autumn festival: pumpkins, toffee apples and a candle on every doorstep. Nobody is in danger and nothing is stolen for good. A shy ghost is borrowing the lanterns to light the dark mill, because it is looking for the name it lost. Granny Tansy is calm and twinkly, never scared. Ned is seven and would very much like his pumpkin back.

2. Scene 2: The Pumpkin Patch from One-Sitting Session on

   Over the hedge is the pumpkin patch. Hundreds of pumpkins sit in the moonlight, fat and round. Someone has scratched words on them with a stick. One says TOM? Another says MAY? Another says BOB? Each one has a sad little cross beside it. Crunch. Something behind the biggest pumpkin jumps. A small white shape peeks out. It has two round eyes like buttons. It sees you, squeaks, and hides again.

   Goal: Find out who is hiding behind the big pumpkin, without frightening it away.

   • Sit still and wait Kind, DN 8

     It works: You sit in the cool grass and wait. After a while the shape floats out. It is a little ghost, no bigger than a pillowcase. "Are you cross about the lanterns?" it whispers. Then it floats off toward the mill, looking back to see if you follow.

     It doesn’t: Somebody sneezes. The little ghost whooshes off over the field toward the old mill. It leaves one lantern behind, glowing on top of a pumpkin, as if to say sorry.

   • Read the pumpkins Clever, DN 8

     It works: They are all names. TOM, MAY, BOB, NELL, SID. Somebody is trying names, one by one, and none of them is right. Somebody has lost their name.

     It doesn’t: The words are too wobbly to read in the dark. But you count them: twenty-two words, each with a little cross. Somebody is looking for one word and has not found it yet.

   • Say hello No roll

     It works: The shape peeks out again, just one button eye. "Hello," it whispers back, very quietly. Then it floats away toward the mill, looking back to see if you follow.

     It doesn’t: If nobody says anything, the shape peeks out, waves one floppy hand, and floats away toward the mill.

   Ask your players

   Ask the quietest player: The little shape is shy. What could your hero do so it is not scared of you?

   Ask the table: Who do you think is scratching names on the pumpkins?

   The ghost is shy, not scary. It cannot hurt anyone and does not want to. Loud heroes make it hide; gentle ones make it curious. However this goes, it floats off toward the mill and the heroes can follow. If a child says "It is looking for its name!", that is exactly right: tell them so.

3. Scene 3: Who? Who? from Full Session on

   The lane to the mill runs under tall, bare trees. The leaves crunch under your feet. Something sits on a branch above you. Two big golden eyes blink. "Who?" it says. "Who? Who?" It is a white barn owl with a heart-shaped face. "Oh, I am sorry. I am Gilly," she says. "I always say that. It is how owls say hello. But the little ghost thought I was asking its name. And it cried and cried."

   Goal: Learn what the owl knows about the ghost and the old mill.

   • Introduce yourselves No roll

     It works: Gilly hoots happily at every name. "Lovely names. Everyone should have one." She tells you the ghost has lived in the mill for a hundred years. The old miller said goodnight to it every Lantern Night, by name. "But the miller moved away, and nobody has said it since."

     It doesn’t: If nobody wants to say their name, Gilly guesses silly ones, "Turnip? Bucket?", until somebody laughs. Then she tells you what she knows anyway.

   • Climb up to her Brave, DN 10

     It works: You climb up beside her. From here you can see the old mill, dark and quiet, with a ring of orange lights inside. "It took the lanterns so it could look for its name," Gilly whispers.

     It doesn’t: Your foot slips and you slide down with a bump, laughing. Gilly flutters down to a fence post instead. "Much easier," she says, and tells you what she knows.

   • Ask about the miller Clever, DN 8

     It works: "The miller wrote a riddle on the big millstone," says Gilly. "The answer is the ghost’s name. But the ghost is no good at riddles. And I am an owl. I cannot read."

     It doesn’t: "Hmm," says Gilly. "I forget. Who? Who?" Then she remembers one thing: there is writing on the big millstone inside the mill.

   Ask your players

   Ask each player in turn: Gilly wants to know: who are you? Tell her your hero’s name, in your hero’s voice.

   Gilly is a kind, slightly muddled old owl. She says "Who? Who?" at the start of everything, and she is very sorry it upset the ghost. This scene is where the heroes learn the heart of it: the ghost has lost its name because nobody has said it for years. Give the heroes that, however the scene goes.

4. Scene 4: Bonus: The Misty Millpond from Epic Session on

   Beside the old mill is a still, round pond. Mist lies on top of it like a blanket. Floating in the middle, in a ring, are some of the village lanterns. Each one bobs on the water like a little boat. Plip. Plop. Stepping stones lead across. As you look, a cold little breath tickles the back of your neck. You spin round. Nobody is there. Then, from the mist, comes a very small voice. "Boo?"

   Goal: Bring the lanterns back from the pond, and make friends with the voice in the mist.

   • Cross the stepping stones Brave, DN 10

     It works: Hop, hop, hop. You reach the ring of lanterns and gather them up, still glowing. On the last stone sits the little ghost, hugging its knees.

     It doesn’t: SPLOSH. One foot goes into the cold water, right up to the ankle. The little ghost gasps and floats over to help, holding out a floppy hand. Now you are face to face.

   • Say "Boo" back, gently No roll

     It works: There is a tiny giggle. "Nobody ever says it back," says the voice. The little ghost floats out of the mist and pushes the lanterns to the edge of the pond for you, one by one.

     It doesn’t: If the heroes would rather not, the ghost tries again: "BOO?" It is so small and polite that somebody giggles, and it floats out to see who.

   • Fish them out Clever, DN 10

     It works: You hook each lantern by its handle and pull it to the bank. Not one candle goes out.

     It doesn’t: One lantern tips and fizzles out. From the mist comes a sad little "oh no", and the ghost floats out to light it again with a puff of cold, glowing breath.

   Ask your players

   Ask the table: Something cold tickles your neck. Is your hero spooked, or curious? Either is fine. Let a child who likes a little shiver have it, then let the ghost’s tiny voice make everyone laugh.

   Play this scene only at the Epic length. It is the spookiest moment in the adventure, and it is still gentle: the cold breath is the shy ghost trying to say hello. If a child is scared, have the ghost say "Sorry! Sorry!" straight away. However it goes, the lanterns come back to the bank, and the ghost leads the way to the mill door.

5. Scene 5: The Riddle on the Millstone from Short Session on

   The old mill is tall and dark. Its big wheel has not turned for years. Creeeak. The door swings open by itself. Inside, the borrowed lanterns glow in a circle. In the middle lies a huge round millstone. Words are carved around its edge. A little ghost floats beside it, wringing its floppy hands. "I can’t work it out," it whispers. "And I think the answer is my name."

   Goal: Read the riddle on the millstone and work out the answer.

   • Solve it together Clever, DN 8

     It works: A pumpkin! The little ghost’s button eyes go wide. "Pumpkin," it whispers, trying the word. Its edges glow, just a little, orange. But it is too shy to be sure. Not yet.

     It doesn’t: The riddle is tricky. Look around, though: the answer is glowing in every lantern in the room. The heroes get one more look, with the hint that it is something they carved tonight. That look needs no roll.

   • Ask what it remembers No roll

     It works: The ghost thinks hard. "I remember the miller’s voice. Every Lantern Night he said, Goodnight, P... and then it goes fuzzy." It starts with P!

     It doesn’t: The ghost is too shy to say much. It only points at the lanterns, then at its own round middle, and sighs.

   • Look closely at the millstone Clever, DN 10

     It works: Under the dust, someone has carved a little picture too: a round fruit with a curly stem and a smiling face. That is a big clue.

     It doesn’t: Dust gets up your nose. ACHOO! The dust whooshes off the stone, and now every word is easy to read.

   Ask your players

   Ask the table: Read the riddle out loud together. What do you think the answer is? Hand over the riddle card now. If they guess early, wonderful: the ghost glows a tiny bit orange, but it is too shy to be sure yet.

   Hand out the Riddle on the Millstone card here. The answer is "pumpkin", and it is the ghost’s name: the village called it Pumpkin because it glowed orange every Lantern Night when the miller said goodnight. It forgot because nobody has said it for years. Any answer about a pumpkin lantern counts. Solving the riddle is not the end: the ghost still has to believe it. Go to the climax.

6. Scene 6: The Name in the Mill from Quick Quest on

   Up the creaky stairs, at the very top of the mill, a round window lets in the moon. The little ghost floats there, among the dusty beams. It is no bigger than a pillowcase. It glows a soft, sad grey. "Everybody has a name," it whispers. "Ned has one. Granny Tansy has one. I had one once. But nobody has said it for so long." It looks at you with two round button eyes. "Could you help me find it?"

   Goal: Help the little ghost believe its name, and give it back.

   • Say its name together No roll

     It works: Everybody takes a big breath. "Goodnight, Pumpkin!" Read "If you said its name."

     It doesn’t: If the heroes do not know the name yet, the ghost points at the riddle, carved on a beam by the round window too. Read it together first. After that, saying the name needs no roll.

   • Bring the whole village Brave, DN 10

     It works: You race down the lane and knock on every door. Soon a long line of lanterns is wobbling up the hill. Read "If the whole village came."

     It doesn’t: You trip on a root and land in a pile of leaves. But Granny Tansy has already seen the lights in the mill, and the village is coming up the lane anyway. Read "If the whole village came."

   • Carve a lantern for the ghost Kind, DN 8

     It works: With a spoon and a stick you scratch a big smile into a pumpkin, and the name across the top. Read "If you carved its lantern."

     It doesn’t: The smile comes out crooked and one eye is much bigger than the other. The ghost loves it anyway. It loves it more, actually. Read "If you carved its lantern."

   Ask your players

   Ask the quietest player: The little ghost is very shy. What would you say to make it feel brave?

   Ask the table: What do you think its name is? If nobody knows yet, show them the riddle card: the riddle is carved by the round window too. The answer is "pumpkin".

   Three endings and no wrong one, and nobody fights anybody. Saying the name needs no roll once the heroes know it. If they have not solved the riddle, because the length skipped that scene, the same riddle is carved on a beam by the round window: hand over the riddle card here. If Ned came along, let him be the one who shouts the name first. Short on time? Every length gets the twist: the ghost tells the heroes it has lost its name the moment they arrive. When it is over, read the ending that happened, then the homecoming, and give every borrowed lantern back.

   How it ends

   Read the ending that happened, then the homecoming.

   If you said its name. "Goodnight, Pumpkin!" The little ghost blinks. Then it starts to glow. Not grey any more, but warm and orange, like a lantern. "Pumpkin," it says. "PUMPKIN! That is me!" It whizzes round the beams, giggling. Flour dust falls like snow. Then it hugs every hero, one by one. It feels like a cool, soft pillow.

   If the whole village came. Up the lane comes all of Tumblebrook, lanterns swinging. Granny Tansy stops at the mill door. Her eyes go bright. "I remember now," she says. "The miller called you Pumpkin." Then the whole village says it together: "Goodnight, Pumpkin!" The little ghost glows orange from top to bottom. It is so happy it does a loop the loop.

   If you carved its lantern. You set the new lantern in the round window. Its candle shines through the carved letters: PUMPKIN. The little ghost floats close and reads it, slowly. "Pumpkin," it whispers. "That is my name." It glows orange, as warm as the lantern. "Now I can never forget," it says. "It is written in light."

   Homecoming

   Every ending: home to Tumblebrook. Back in the village, every lantern is home on its doorstep. Ned hugs his wonky bat pumpkin. Granny Tansy hands round hot toffee apples. And up on the hill, in the mill’s round window, a small orange light waves goodnight. From now on, every Lantern Night, the whole village waves back. "Goodnight, Pumpkin!"

Player handout — show this to your table

The Riddle on the Millstone

Carved round the edge of an old millstone, under the flour dust, in big careful letters: "I start as a seed, as small as a bean. I grow round and orange, with a stalk that is green. Cut me a smile and give me a light, and I keep the dark cheerful all through the night. Say what I am, and say it out loud: it is the name of my friend in the flour cloud. Goodnight, little friend. Abel Grist, miller."

Monster stat blocks

Rewards

• Every lantern home on its doorstep, and Ned’s wonky bat pumpkin back where it belongs.
• A toffee apple for every hero, from Granny Tansy, and a place by the Lantern Night bonfire.
• A friend in the old mill: once, in your next adventure, Pumpkin floats in to help, glowing bright enough to light a dark place.
• A real-world bonus, if you like: carve or draw a lantern face of your own, and say goodnight to it at bedtime.

Tips for running this one

• This adventure is spooky the way a bedtime story is spooky: a dark lane, a creaky door, a cold breath on your neck, and then a giggle. Lean into the little shivers and always let them end in a laugh.
• Nothing in this adventure fights. If a child reaches for a sword, the ghost squeaks and hides, and the sword goes swish through the air. Let the scene stay gentle.
• Play the little ghost small and polite, with a whispery voice: it says "sorry" a lot. Gilly the owl is muddled and kind and starts everything with "Who? Who?". Granny Tansy is twinkly and calm.
• If a child is truly scared, say it out loud: "This ghost is shy and friendly, and it cannot hurt anyone." Then let that child be the one who says hello first.
• Short on time? The Quick Quest is Lantern Night and the mill loft, and it still has the twist: the ghost tells them it lost its name, and the riddle is carved by the round window. See the climax’s DM notes.
• Playing with 5- and 6-year-olds? Take 3 off every DN and skip the roll for anything kind. For 9- and 10-year-olds, add 2.