Unwrap Yuletide Adventure with these DnD Holiday One Shot Adventures
Want to add a seasonal spin to your Dungeons and Dragons sessions? Whether you're gathering around the table with your adult friends or introducing the world of DnD to younger family members, these DnD Christmas One Shot ideas are designed to bring joy, excitement, and a festive feel to your game.
In this post, we share five DnD Christmas One Shot ideas from heartwarming quests to thrilling mysteries. If you’d like a complete, ready-to-run adventure you can also download our latest holiday one-shot Ghosts of Christmas Past.
Ghost of Christmas Past - A 5e Christmas Mystery One Shot
"Ghost of Christmas Past" intertwines the festive spirit with an intriguing mystery à la Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Your players arrive at a mansion brimming with diverse and intriguing characters, each harboring secrets and motives linked to a ghost that haunts the estate every Christmas Eve. With the clock ticking towards midnight, the players must unravel these mysteries before Santa once again passes over the village.
DnD Christmas One Shot Ideas 1: A Clockwork Krindle
Adventure Hook:In the frost-kissed lands of Nordland, the excitement for Yuletide is overshadowed by a mysterious predicament. The revered toymaker, Kris Krindle, known for his clockwork marvels and cherished Yuletide gifts, has failed to make his annual delivery to Hans Bergner's Gift Shop. Concerned about Krindle's uncharacteristic absence and the missing toys, the townsfolk enlist a group of adventurers to investigate.
Summary:The journey leads the party to the remote and wintry expanse where Krindle's workshop is hidden. Upon arrival, they discover a scene of chaos and confusion. Kris Krindle is being held captive by his own creations. The once harmonious workshop is now overrun by rebellious clockwork toys and intricate automatons, each exhibiting strange and erratic behavior.
The adventurers must navigate through the bewitched workshop, solving puzzles and confronting rogue automatons to uncover the cause of the rebellion. Their investigation reveals that a mysterious enchantment has corrupted the workshop's magic, turning the toys against their creator. This enchantment is traced back to a rare and ancient artifact that Krindle had recently acquired, intending to use it to enhance his toys.
Resolution:In a thrilling climax, the adventurers confront the source of the enchantment, a sentient clockwork entity that has merged with the artifact. They must use their wits, skills, and courage to deactivate the entity, free Kris Krindle, and restore order to the workshop.
DnD Christmas One Shot Idea 2: Krampus is Comin' to Town
Adventure Hook:In the serene, snow-draped town of Norden Stadt, nestled between frosty hills and dense evergreen forests, a chilling mystery unfolds. Every Winter's Night, the townsfolk share tales of Saint Nicholas and his ominous counterpart, Krampus. This year, however, the legend terrifyingly comes to life as children on the naughty list begin to mysteriously disappear. The townspeople, gripped by fear and uncertainty, turn to a group of brave adventurers for help.
Summary:The adventure begins with the party investigating the disappearances, delving into the lore of Krampus and Saint Nicholas. As they explore Norden Stadt and its surroundings, they encounter worried parents, secretive elders, and mysterious signs pointing towards the Enchanted Forest. The forest, a place of both beauty and danger, holds the key to unraveling the truth behind the ancient legends.
As they venture deeper, they discover that an ancient pact made between the town and Krampus has been broken, leading to the current crisis. This revelation brings them face-to-face with the malevolent Krampus himself, who seeks to claim the souls of the naughty children as retribution for the broken pact.
Resolution:The climax of the story involves a heart-pounding confrontation with Krampus in his shadowy lair to save the children by using either diplomacy or defeating Krampus once and for all.
DnD Christmas One Shot Idea 3: The Enchanted Hat of Everfrost
Adventure Hook:In the charming village of Everfrost, known for its enchanting winter celebrations, a crisis brews under the serene snow-covered landscape. A powerful magical hat, once safeguarding the village, has been stolen. This hat possesses the unique ability to bring any sculpture to life. Now, it has fallen into the hands of a mischievous villain who intends to use it to create an army of snow golems, threatening to turn the winter wonderland into a realm of icy terror.
Summary:The adventurers arrive in Everfrost to find the village on the edge of chaos. The once peaceful snow sculptures adorning the village are now animated, patrolling the streets under the villain's command. The party must navigate through this frosty maze, contending with the animated snow golems and uncovering clues to locate the stolen hat.
Their investigation leads them to a reclusive sorcerer, known for his envy of Everfrost’s joyous winters. Seeking to cast a shadow over the village's festivities, he has used the hat to execute his icy plan. The adventurers must confront the sorcerer, who has fortified his lair with intricate ice puzzles and snow golems guarding every corner.
Resolution:The climax of the adventure sees the adventurers battling their way through the sorcerer's icy stronghold. They must outsmart the sorcerer and his snow golem army, retrieve the magical hat, and reverse its enchantment to return the snow golems to their inanimate state.
DnD Christmas One Shot 4: Santa’s Secret: A Holiday Heist
Adventure Hook:In a daring twist on classic holiday lore, Santa’s Secret: A Holiday Heist offers a Christmas-themed DnD One Shot heist. The players are approached by a group of distressed Christmas elves who believe Santa Claus has been replaced by a doppelganger! The elves seek the adventurers' help to break into the North Pole and steal Santa's Magic Hat, the source of his power, and uncover the fate of the real Santa.
Summary:The adventure begins with the players formulating a plan to infiltrate Santa's workshop, now a stronghold of the doppelganger. They must navigate through a labyrinth of enchanted defenses, outwit the doppelganger's minions, and avoid detection by the imposter Santa himself. The players discover that the fake Santa is enchanting the toys to come to life on Christmas, intending to use them to take over the realm.
Clues lead the players to the real Santa's whereabouts: he's been hidden in a portable hole within the doppelganger's bed chamber.
Resolution:
In a thrilling climax, the adventurers must outsmart the doppelganger and his enchanted minions to retrieve the portable hole and Santa's Magic Hat.
DnD Christmas One Shot 5: The Reindeer Rescue
Adventure Hook:Reindeer Rescue is a classic dungeon crawl with a Christmas twist. In this thrilling Christmas DnD One Shot, adventurers face a race against time. On the Day before Christmas Eve, Santa’s reindeer have been kidnapped by a tribe of hungry ogres, who have taken them to their icy cave. Santa sends an elf to ask the players to rescue the reindeer before Christmas is ruined.
Summary:The adventure starts with the players learning about the disappearance of the reindeer and the ogres' involvement. They must journey to the Frostfang Mountains, battling the harsh winter elements and and reach the ogres' icy cave where a classic dungeon crawl begins.
As the adventurers delve deeper into the cave, they find that the ogres are not the only threat. A powerful yet misunderstood Ice Witch also calls the cave home.
Resolution:The climax of the adventure features an unexpected twist where the players learn that the Ice Witch, once a guardian of the winter realms, has lost her magical amulet to the ogre chieftain, leading her to lose control over the tribe. The players can choose to retrieve the amulet and return it to the Ice Witch, thus gaining her gratitude and ensuring the safe return of the reindeer. Alternatively, they might opt for a more direct confrontation to free the reindeer.
There's Nothing Like A DnD Christmas One Shot To Bring Your Adventurers Together In The Spirit Of Camaraderie And Cheer
Whether you're planning a cozy game night with family or an epic session with friends, these DnD Christmas One Shot ideas are perfect for bringing a touch of holiday magic to your tabletop. They're designed to be adaptable, allowing you to tailor them to your group's style and preferences, ensuring that each adventure is as unique and memorable as your own holiday traditions.
Want to Kickstart Your Holiday Party with a Ready-to-Play Adventure? Download "The Ghost of Christmas Past," a 5e Holiday One Shot.
Every Christmas Eve, a ghost haunts the Abendroth family estate, which is owned and overseen by the last living member of the family, Gottfried Abendroth. But this year will be different. Gottfried is having a holiday party and he can’t have the spirit of his father, Kaspar, ruining everything.
Of course, no ghost-hunting job is ever simple or easy. Unravel the mysteries, confront the ghostly challenges, and save Christmas.