In the Specials, the characters Idol and Brixen face a massive gap where they previously battled a pain beast and met Scrie and Adelia. Idol must jump across the gap with Brixen using her forceful push ability to help him, which costs her stress. Idol successfully lands on the other side after rolling a 22 with fear. They then tie a rope to their posts to cross safely. After crossing, they hear a pain beast following them and must run again, with Idol using a bolt beacon to hit the beast with hope and blast it off the rampart into the water below. The western sky turns to complete darkness, and the Umbra approaches during this tense sequence.

The Specials focus on five members of the community of Desperloch. These characters fight together to protect their community from the Umbra and the horrors of the Halcyon Domain. The main players include those portrayed by Riegel, Ray, Jaffe, Willingham, and Johnson, with Bailey and O'Brien joining partway through the adventure. Their story is set in a grimdark, survivalist fantasy world where death is permanent and the land is corrupted by the Umbra.

Sacred Pyres are crucial in the Age of Umbra Specials as they protect communities from the corrupting influence of the Umbra. These pyres allow small, insular communities like Desperloch to survive in the godless, dark world of the Halcyon Domain. The characters’ efforts to protect their community often revolve around maintaining or defending these Sacred Pyres against the encroaching darkness and nightmarish creatures.

The pain beast is a recurring threat in the Specials. It is a nightmarish creature that the characters previously battled at the location of the massive gap. During the crossing, the pain beast follows them, forcing the characters to run and fight for survival. Idol uses a bolt beacon to hit the pain beast with hope, which helps to blast it off the rampart and into the water below, temporarily neutralizing the threat. This encounter highlights the constant danger the characters face from the corrupted creatures of the Umbra.

In the Specials, characters like Idol and Brixen manage their stress and stamina carefully during dangerous moments. For example, before crossing the gap, both drink stamina potions to reduce their stress by one point. Brixen uses her forceful push ability, which costs her stress, to help Idol jump across. Managing stress is vital as they have limited stress slots left, and the approaching Umbra and other threats increase their stress levels. This mechanic reflects the grimdark survival aspect of the campaign frame.