House of Pain - A Side Trek for PCs of 8th to 10th Level

Oct 5, 2026

House of Pain is a side trek adventure for PCs approaching the paragon tier, presenting a calibrated challenge for 10th-level characters and also serving as a climactic encounter for lower-level adventurers. It centers on kidnappings of eladrin from lightly protected Feywild settlements, linked to a “dark man” connected to the Shadowfell. The PCs investigate traces leading to the Underdark and confront the Lords of Pain cult led by Vandariel, featuring two encounters including the hazard known as The Teeth.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time12 min

AccessFree to download

Adventure Background

Adventure Synopsis

The Teeth Encounter

Setup

Perception Check

Tactics

House of Pain A Side Trek for PCs of 8th to 10th Level by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes Illustration by Ryan Barger Cartography by Rob Lee Your PCs are reaching the upper end of the heroic tier. New worlds are opening up to them—they might have already ventured to the Feywild, for example, and made contacts with inhabitants of that magical plane. Now they are ready to take their ﬁrst steps into the darkness. The Shadowfell awaits . . . January 2 0 0 9 | DUNGEON 16 2 4 House of Pain This Side Trek can serve as an introduction to the dangers ofthe shadow realm. It works well for PCs who are approaching the paragon tier, since it presents a reasonable challenge for characters of 10th level. It is suitable as a climactic encounter for lowerlevel adventurers, as well. ADVENTURE BACKGROUND Someone has been kidnapping eladrin from settlements in the Feywild. The victims have nothing in common other than race and the misfortune to live in lightly protected dwellings at the edges of habitation. They are ordinary folk, not wealthy or noble, and no ransom demands have been issued. The kidnappingstake place at night, and the victims disappear without a trace. None have seen them since. This time, though, a young member of the family swears she saw “the dark man” walk right through the walls of the house as he escaped the scene. This being clearly has a connection with the Shadowfell, but its motives are as mysterious as ever. Preliminary investigation with a Consult Mystic Sages ritual suggests that the shadow-dweller emerged from the Underdark, which has openings near several of the villages that suffered abductions. The PCs have ventured into the glittering depths in search of an answer to this mystery. These caverns are the territory of the fomorians and their cyclops servants, who are dangerous enemies but not allies of Shadow as far as the PCs know. Dodging the evil giantkin, the PCs searched the depths for a trace of the kidnapper. Now the PCs stand before a gloomy icon in a threatening grotto. You can use a number of hooks to get the characters involved in this adventure. The easiest way is to have a friend or relative of an eladrin character bethe latest abductee. The ties of blood and family duty alone ought to draw the party into the story. If your PCs are more mercenary, however, they might be induced to seek the answers for a reward. The mission can be a major quest, as described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, perhaps with a monetary reward as well. The party might travel directly from the Feywild, if they have contacts there, or if they are hired by theeladrin authorities. Alternatively, they might find their way to the Feywild Underdark through a passage in the natural world, such as is rumored to lie beneath the Curna Mountains in eastern Faerûn. You can also drop this location into an existing Feywild Underdark adventure, with or without a related quest. ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS Vandariel, a shadar-kai witch who calls herself the Voice of Pain, is a fanatic devotee of the Raven Queen. She has founded and become the self-proclaimed high priest of a bizarre cult, the Lords of Pain, whose purpose is to bring more fey into the shadow pact with that goddess of death. Although the original shadar-kai entered this pact voluntarily, and the race breeds true, Vandariel is consumed by what she sees as a divine mission to reveal the mystery to all fey—whether they wish it or not. Those who do not come voluntarily to the truth are brought against their will. Dark stalkers move like the night, seeking out and abducting suitable subjects. This adventure consists of two encounters. The first is a hazard, designed to ensure that only the worthy pass. If the characters fail this challenge, they can still proceed but lose the advantage of surprise. The second encounter takes place in the Shadowfell, where the characters confront the cult in its sinister temple. February 2 0 0 9 | DUNGEON 16 3 5 House of Pain

FAQs

What sets the adventure in motion?

Someone has been kidnapping eladrin from lightly protected Feywild settlements at night, with victims disappearing without a trace. A family member claims to have seen “the dark man” pass through house walls as he escaped.

Who is Vandariel and what is her cult trying to achieve?

Vandariel, a shadar-kai witch calling herself the Voice of Pain, is a devotee of the Raven Queen. She leads the Lords of Pain cult, aiming to bring more fey into a shadow pact through coercive abductions and a “divine mission” to force revelations on unwilling targets.

What is The Teeth encounter and what does it do?

The Teeth is a 10th-level magic hazard that protects the approach to the Shadowfell portal. It slows and weakens intruders and can alert cultists, with passage freely granted only to shadar-kai and creatures sworn to the Raven Queen.

Oct 5, 2026

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