Printable guide sheet: The Morning in a Jar

Read this to your players to start

The roosters crowed at nothing. The baker’s dough sat pale in the bowl. Somewhere west of the city a last warm gleam still hangs in the air, and it leads to the old watchtower on the hill.

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

1. Scene 1: The Grey Square from Quick Quest on

   Cock-a-doodle... doo? A rooster crows, then stops, puzzled. It should be morning. Everyone in Spucularum is up and dressed. But the sky is still grey, like old dishwater. Mrs Crumb the baker stands in her doorway with a bowl of flat dough. "The sun came up," she says, "and then it went away again." She points west. On a far hill, one tiny gold light twinkles in a tower window. "Somebody should go and ask it what it’s doing."

   Goal: Work out where the morning went, and set out after it.

   • Ask around the square Kind, DN 8

     It works: The night-watch saw it. "The sun peeped up, then whoosh! It went backwards, like water down a plughole. Toward the old tower on the hill."

     It doesn’t: Everyone is too sleepy to make sense. Then a little boy tugs your sleeve and points west: "The light went THAT way."

   • Follow the gold light No roll

     It works: You head west out of the city, keeping the tiny gold light in front of you like a star.

     It doesn’t: If the heroes lose it in the fog, the light blinks again, just once, as if somebody is peeking out of the window. Off you go.

   • Look at the stars Clever, DN 10

     It works: The stars are still out, and every one of them leans toward the hill, like flowers toward the sun. Something up there has their light.

     It doesn’t: The stars make no sense. But a sleepy moth flutters past, then another, all flying west. Follow the moths.

   Ask your players

   Ask each player in turn: Mrs Crumb gives each hero one thing from her bakery for the trip. What does your hero take? A roll, a bun, a cake. Food helps with the lost fox later.

   Mrs Crumb knows two useful things and says both if asked. The light did not fade slowly: it went backwards, all at once. And the gleam on the hill is the only warm thing left in the Vale. Let the children work it out: this is not weather. Somebody took the morning.

2. Scene 2: The Gloom-Meadow from Short Session on

   West of the city, the meadow should be bright gold. Today it is dull and grey. The night animals have not gone to bed. A fox sits in the middle of the path, blinking. She looks lost. Above you, moths as big as saucers drift round and round. Flap, flap, flap. They all face the same way: toward the hill, and the gold light in the tower.

   Goal: Cross the meadow, and decide what to do about the lost fox.

   • Walk around the fox No roll

     It works: The fox blinks at you and shuffles aside. She is lost, not hungry for heroes. You pass.

     It doesn’t: If anyone rushes, the fox yips and snaps at the air, then hides in the grass. Nobody is hurt. Walk on quietly.

   • Help her home Kind, DN 8

     It works: A crumb of bun and a soft word, and the fox’s ears go up. She trots off toward the city, tail high. Up in the tower window, the gold light flickers, as if someone is watching.

     It doesn’t: The fox backs away, too scared. Then she sniffs the air, smells home, and runs off by herself. At least she knows the way now.

   • Follow the moths No roll

     It works: The moths lead you along the quickest path, straight to the tower door.

     It doesn’t: The moths flutter round your lantern instead and will not leave it alone. Pop a hat over it, and they drift off toward the hill again.

   Ask your players

   Ask the quietest player: The fox looks at your hero with big sad eyes. What does your hero say to her?

   Nothing here needs to be a fight. The fox is lost because the morning never came, and the moths are a free compass: they always face the bottled dawn. If the heroes help the fox home, Lumen sees it from her window, and talking to her at the top of the tower gets +2.

3. Scene 3: Three Lanterns from One-Sitting Session on

   Hearthwatch Tower is a stubby stone tower on the hill. It is older than the city. Its door is shut tight. Beside it hang three iron lanterns in a row: left, middle and right. They all look cold and dark. But the moths flutter around one of them, and only one. Pinned under the middle hook is a scrap of paper. The writing on it is still a tiny bit warm.

   Goal: Work out which lantern opens the door.

   • Touch the lanterns Brave, DN 8

     It works: Left: cold. Right: cold. Middle: warm as a mug of cocoa! Pull it, and the door clicks open.

     It doesn’t: Your fingers are too cold to feel anything. Then a moth lands on the middle lantern, and it will not leave.

   • Watch the moths No roll

     It works: The moths circle the middle lantern and nowhere else. Moths love light, even a tiny scrap of it. Pull it, and the door clicks open.

     It doesn’t: If a hero pulls the left or the right lantern, nothing happens except a rusty squeak. Try another.

   • Read the note Clever, DN 8

     It works: It says THE WARM ONE IS THE KEY. Give the heroes the scrap of sky-script.

     It doesn’t: The writing is loopy and hard to read. Only one word is clear: WARM. Give the heroes the scrap of sky-script anyway.

   Ask your players

   Ask the table: Three lanterns. Which one would you pull, and why? A wrong pull only squeaks. Let them try again.

   One answer, and every way through reaches it: the MIDDLE lantern. The left and right are cold, empty glass. The middle one is warm, because Lumen used a drop of dawn as a lock. A wrong pull just squeaks, and nothing opens. Never hand over the answer: hand over one more clue.

4. Scene 4: The Weather Stair from Full Session on

   Inside, a twisty stair climbs up and up. On the steps sit glass jars. One holds rain, still falling inside the glass. Pitter, patter. One holds a little wind that hums. One holds a grumbly grey cloud. On the top step is a note in careful, wobbly letters. It says: I PUT THE LOUD ONES AWAY. THE QUIET ONE IS UPSTAIRS. PLEASE DON’T BREAK IT.

   Goal: Reach the top of the tower without making the weather worse.

   • Climb past the jars No roll

     It works: You tiptoe past every jar. The rain patters, the wind hums, and nothing spills. Upstairs, someone holds their breath.

     It doesn’t: If an elbow knocks a jar, it wobbles... and stays put. Phew. Keep climbing, carefully.

   • Open a jar No roll

     It works: WHOOSH! A tiny storm fills the stairway: rain, wind, a rumble of thunder. Then it blows out of a window and is gone. Your hair drips. Upstairs, a small voice squeaks, "Who’s there?"

     It doesn’t: If the heroes would rather not get wet, they can screw the lid back on halfway: one sneeze of rain, and it is over.

   • Read the labels Clever, DN 10

     It works: Every jar is labelled in the same careful hand: RAIN. WIND. GRUMBLY CLOUD. And on an empty hook: THE STORM. I LET IT GO. Whoever lives here is scared of storms.

     It doesn’t: The labels are too high to read. But one empty jar has rolled onto the step. It says STORM, and someone has drawn a sad face on it.

   Ask your players

   Ask each player in turn: Which jar would your hero most like to keep, and why? Just for fun. Nobody needs to open one.

   This scene is about temptation. Opening a jar is exciting and does no lasting harm: a wet stair, a slammed shutter. But Lumen hears it. Heroes who leave every jar sealed arrive as guests, and talking to her gets +2. Heroes who open one arrive as weather, and she hugs her jar a little tighter.

5. Scene 5: Bonus: The Cloud Loft from Epic Session on

   A little side door opens into a room full of cloud. It is soft and cool, and it floats just above the floor. Something tiny and bright is stuck in it. It is a star, no bigger than a button. Twinkle, twinkle. It blinks at you, as if it has been holding its breath all night. It wants to go home. But first, it wants to help.

   Goal: Find a little light that Lumen could keep, so she does not need the whole morning.

   • Carry the star No roll

     It works: It is warm, not hot, like a sleepy kitten. It snuggles into your hands, ready to go upstairs.

     It doesn’t: The star wriggles free and bobs up to the ceiling. Hum it a little tune, and it floats back down.

   • Ask the star Kind, DN 8

     It works: The star twinkles a story at you. Lumen is scared of storms, and scared of the dark. "Give her me," it chimes. "I’ll be her night-light."

     It doesn’t: The star only twinkles. But it floats after you when you leave, like a balloon on a string.

   • Leave it and remember No roll

     It works: You leave the star twinkling in its cloud. Now you know it is here, and you can tell Lumen.

     It doesn’t: As you close the door, the star squeezes through the gap and follows you anyway.

   Ask your players

   Ask the quietest player: If your hero had a star of their own, what would they use it for?

   Play this scene only at the Epic length. However it goes, the heroes now know about a light Lumen could keep for herself. Finding the star means giving her a light of her own needs no roll at the top of the tower.

6. Scene 6: The Lantern Room from Quick Quest on

   The room at the top of the tower is all windows. In one window sits a sky-sprite no taller than a kettle. Her name is Lumen. She is hugging a big glass jar. Inside it, the morning swirls round and round, gold as honey. Outside, the whole Vale is still grey. "I kept it safe," Lumen whispers. "The storm was so loud. I thought it would blow the morning away. So I caught it."

   Goal: Get the morning out of the jar, and settle what Lumen keeps.

   • Talk to Lumen Kind, DN 10

     It works: Lumen looks round at last. Her lip wobbles. "You’re not cross?" She lets you sit beside her in the window. Read "If you talked her round."

     It doesn’t: Lumen hugs the jar tighter. "The storm will come back!" The heroes get one more try with a different idea: a promise, a song, a hug. A kind idea on the second try needs no roll.

   • Give her a light of her own Clever, DN 10

     It works: Lumen stares at the little light in your hands. "For me? To keep?" Her face glows. Read "If you gave her a light."

     It doesn’t: Lumen shakes her head. "Too small. The storm will blow it out." But she looks at you properly for the first time. Talking to her gets +2 now.

   • Take the jar No roll

     It works: Lumen gasps, and a gust whooshes round the room. Use her card. She lets go the instant anyone speaks to her kindly, or at 4 Heart Points. Read "If you took the jar."

     It doesn’t: If the fight goes badly for the heroes, Lumen lets go anyway, and the jar rolls to your feet. "Take it, then," she sniffs. Read "If you took the jar."

   Ask your players

   Ask the table: Lumen is scared of the storm. How could you help her feel brave? Any kind idea counts: a promise, a song, a light to keep, someone to sit with her when it thunders.

   Ask the quietest player: Lumen asks your hero, "Are you ever scared of storms?" What does your hero say?

   Talking: roll with +2 if the heroes helped the fox home or left every weather jar sealed (+2 once, however many are true). Giving her a light: no roll if the heroes bring the star from the cloud loft; without it, a hero must think of a light she could keep, like the warm middle lantern from the door. If the heroes take the jar, tell it kindly and never scold them: nobody is hurt, and morning comes back just the same. Short on time? Every length gets the twist: Lumen tells the heroes why she caught the morning the moment they walk in. When it is over, read the ending that happened, then the homecoming.

   How it ends

   Read the ending that happened, then the homecoming.

   If you talked her round. Lumen takes a big breath and unscrews the lid. The morning pours out like warm honey, and the whole Vale turns gold. Lumen squints in the sunshine. "Can I watch it?" she asks. "Just from up here?" You tell her she can watch it every single day. She smiles so wide her ears wiggle.

   If you gave her a light. Lumen holds the little light close. It glows on her face. Then she unscrews the jar, and the morning spills out over the hills, gold and warm. She puts her new light in the tower window. "My own," she whispers. "Nobody can blow this one out." It twinkles back at her, happy.

   If you took the jar. Pop! The lid comes off, and the morning floods out of the window, gold and bright. Nobody is hurt. Lumen sits in the corner, small and quiet. Then the sunshine touches her face, warm and gentle. She did not expect that. Very slowly, just a little, she smiles.

   Homecoming

   Every ending: home to Spucularum. Cock-a-doodle-DOO! Every rooster in the city crows at once. In the square, Mrs Crumb’s dough puffs up like a pillow. She gives each of you the first warm bun of the day. "Breakfast," she says, "at last." Far away on Hearthwatch hill, something small waves from the tower window.

Player handout — show this to your table

A Scrap of Sky-Script

A torn scrap of pale paper, pinned under the middle lantern. The ink is still a tiny bit warm. In careful, loopy letters: THE WARM ONE IS THE KEY. I ONLY TOOK A LITTLE. SORRY ABOUT THE GREY. LOVE, L. Under that, smaller: PLEASE KNOCK. I GET SCARED WHEN THE DOOR BANGS.

Monster stat blocks

Rewards

• Morning: real gold light on the Vale, and every rooster in Spucularum finally answered.
• If you helped Lumen: a little clay lamp that holds a drop of dawn. Once in your next adventure, it lights up somewhere dark, and no wind can blow it out.
• Mrs Crumb’s first warm bun of the day, for every hero, and the whole square’s thanks.
• A real-world bonus, if you like: get up early one day this week and watch the sunrise together.

Tips for running this one

• This is the library’s wonder adventure. When the children get stuck at the three lanterns, never hand over the answer: hand over one more clue, and let them have the moment of working it out.
• Lumen is not a baddie, so do not play her as one. She is a small, frightened sprite who made a mistake that felt like keeping something safe. Play her quiet and wobbly. Mrs Crumb is warm and floury. The fox and the moths have no words.
• Short on time? The Quick Quest is the grey square and the lantern room, and it still has the twist: see the lantern room’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.
• Keep the danger in muddles, never in hunting: a lost fox, moths that love light, a sprite who thought she was helping. Nobody in this adventure wants to eat anybody.
• Every roll here says what happens when it works and when it doesn’t. A failed roll never stops the story; it only changes what happens next.