#10 : The Crimson Ceremony: A D&D 5e One-Shot Adventure for 2-3 Players - Political Thriller with Demon Summoning, Investigation & Moral Choices

THE KING WILL BURN. YOU HAVE THREE HOURS TO STOP IT.

A coded warning. A demon summoning. A noble conspiracy. The royal family will die at sunset during the Crimson Ceremony—and nobody believes you. Captain Helena Vex intercepted the message: "The crimson flame rises at sunset." Someone plans to assassinate King Aldric and his family during tonight's festival—in front of thousands of witnesses. She needs operatives who can work fast, work quietly, and stop a demon summoning before the sun sets. You have three hours. The clock is ticking.

WHAT MAKES THIS ADVENTURE SPECIAL

🔍 INVESTIGATION WITH REAL CONSEQUENCES Three locations. Five ritual components. Every item you destroy weakens the final battle. Miss them all? Face a full-power demon. Find them all? The ritual collapses. Your choices directly scale the difficulty.

⚖️ MORAL DILEMMAS WITHOUT "RIGHT" ANSWERS • A head cook's son is held hostage—destroy ritual supplies or save the boy? • Capture the Duke alive for public trial, or kill him and risk political chaos? • Record evidence of treason, or let the kingdom tear itself apart over the truth?

🏰 POLITICAL THRILLER MEETS DEMONIC HORROR This isn't a dungeon crawl. Interrogate suspects. Gather evidence. Infiltrate a Duke's secret laboratory. Uncover a conspiracy years in the making. Then race to the Bell Tower for a showdown 100 feet above a packed festival crowd.

⏰ TIME PRESSURE THAT MATTERS The ceremony begins at sunset. Every investigation scene advances the clock. When the sun touches the horizon, the portal opens—ready or not.

👥 THE UNSUNG HEROES Save the kingdom. Stop the demon. Prevent civil war. Get absolutely no public recognition. That's what it means to work in the shadows. "The King survives. The realm stays stable. And you... you get paid. Well."

WHAT'S INCLUDED COMPLETE ADVENTURE CONTENT:

• 3-Act Structure: Briefing → Investigation → Bell Tower Showdown

• 3 Investigation Locations (any order): Chapel Crypts, Royal Kitchens, Duke's Chambers

• 5 Ritual Components to find and destroy (directly affects final battle difficulty)

• Variable Boss Fight: Full Demon (CR 4), Weakened Demon (CR 2), or Partial Manifestation (CR 1/2)

• Multiple Endings based on capture vs. kill decision and components destroyed

READY-TO-RUN MATERIALS:

✓ 4 Pre-Generated Level 2 Characters (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Cleric) with full personality, quirks, and party relationships

✓ Complete stat blocks for all enemies (Cult Fanatics, Thugs, Elite Guards, Duke, 3 Demon variations)

✓ NPC personalities and interrogation DCs

✓ Loot tables and treasure tracking

DM SUPPORT:

✓ Pacing guide for 2.5-3 hour sessions

✓ Component tracking system

✓ Tactical advice for small groups

✓ Troubleshooting common player questions

✓ 5 campaign hooks for future adventures

DESIGNED FOR SMALL GROUPS & BUSY SCHEDULES

• 2-3 Players, Level 2 • 2.5-3 Hour Runtime (perfect for one evening session)

• Streamlined Prep (read once, run immediately)

• Investigation + Combat (balanced gameplay)

• Moral Choices (players debate decisions, not rules)

PERFECT FOR:

★ DMs who want political intrigue, not just dungeon crawling

★ Small groups (2-3 players) looking for optimized encounters

★ Busy schedules needing complete one-shots

★ Players who want choices to matter mechanically

★ Groups tired of being thanked—embrace being unsung heroes

Read the Review: https://anvilnink.com/crimson-ceremony-dnd-political-thriller-2-3-players/

Get the Paperback: https://amzn.to/4511663