A Deep and Creeping Darkness (Patron)

Nearly 100 years ago the Village of Vermeillon was abandoned not long after an accident closed down their local mine. Now a group of investors are seeking adventurers to investigate the village for clues to what caused the shutdown and clear out the mine so that it can be reopened. If anyone can accomplish this task, they will be given a stake in the reopened mine. A task like this could set someone up for life, or provide the funds needed to sustain a group of adventurers if they can survive.

Room tip, if you'd like, you can double the size of the village map (from 26x18 to 52x36). That will make each square on the map be a 5 ft. square so that you can use it as one giant potential combat map.

This one is a really straightforward adventure and it can be run that way, or, if you're players are like mine, it can be run as a scooby doo mystery where a group of meddling adventurers stop the evil florist and innkeeper. (My players really didn't trust either of them.)

If you run it that way, then the florist and innkeeper are using a ritual to control and create more meanlocks. This is because if they can keep the mine closed for 100 years, then the investor group will lose ownership of the mine and it will be free for anyone to claim. They will either try to prevent the adventurers from going, if they seem strong, or encourage them to go, if they mistakenly think the party is weak. Either way they will try to gather as much information as possible about the adventurers, especially their backgrounds. The meanlocks are then instructed to kidnap the party members who will take them inside the mine where the two wait inside the mine to turn them. They provide the meanlocks with knowledge of the players so as to better manipulate them. 

You may also want to make at least one of them an Illusionist so as to provide more ways of messing with them in the village.

the meanlocks will only attempt to blow up the mine if the florist and innkeeper are incapacitated or killed. Either way will free the meanlocks who will destroy the mine as a last act of hate before being stopped by the adventurers. 

I hope your players enjoy!