“Seasons of Change”
Difficulty: This adventure is for 4 to 6 level 5 characters with a run time of 3 to 6 hours.
Summary
A strange tower appears outside a town and is blasting buildings with lasers from it's spire. The party ventures inside to disable the terrible device before it destroys the town.
Setup: Obelisk of Light
When the PCs are in a town, suddenly a blinding flash of light incinerates a building near them. NPCs are disentigrated instantly and the building crumbles to a pile of ash quickly. The beam of light originated from a pyramid that has mysteriously appeared in the distance outside of town. Randal Gullscream(Commoner MM345) collapses in front of the party badly burned and dying. A DC20 medicine check or healing magic can save his life, leaving him terribly injured by able to talk. He can tell the NPCs that he 'stole from the gods' and 'judgement is coming to the town' because of him. He is delerious and won't explain much more.
Investigation: Mysterious Pyramid.
Each square is 10ft. Doors are 5ft with 2.5ft to each side. Here Amnon(Master Thief VGtM216) will join the party.
The doors are giant stone slabs that slide up and down to block the doorways. The secret door requires a DC20 perception or DC15 Investigation check to notice. Unlocked doors require a DC15 Athletics check to open. Locked doors require a DC25 thieves tools or DC30 athletics to open. Traps on the doors require an investigation check DC30 to see on the first door, and DC25 for subsequent doors. The traps require a DC27 theives tools check to disarm. When a trapped door is unlocked and whenever anyone passes through the trapped doorway, they and anyone within 5 feet of the door, including anyone holding the door open, make a DC20 dexterity check or take 2d12 damage. This damage is from beams of colored energy exploding from the door and is fire(red), cold(blue), poison(green), or necrotic(black) picked randomly with a d4. The wall between rooms 1 and 2 is a giant crystal slab that alternates glowing different colors. Room 1 and 2 each have two giant crystals in the center 10 feet apart. The 4 crystals are green, blue, red, and black.
Room 3 is half covered in plant growth on the south side, and half covered in ice on the north side.
Room 4 is covered in all sorts of plant growth, with vines covering the walls, floor and cieling. The entire room is difficult terrian for the party. The air in here is poisonous. Any PC in this room that isn't holding their breath makes a DC15 constitution saving throw. On a failure they gain the poisoned condition and take 1d12 poison damage. One a success they take half damage. There is a large green crystal in the center of the room. These crystals will shatter when struck enough. When this crystal is destroyed a Shambling Mound(MM270) attacks the party from under the floor.
Room 5 is extremely hot. The sandstone walls of the pyramid are like molten glass. Every round a player is in this room they take 1d4 fire damage. There is a red crystal here. When it is destroyed a Fire Elemental(mm125) appears and attacks the party.
Room 6 is covered in magical darkness created by the spell darkness. A black crystal is in the center of the room. A foul stench fills this room from the effect of a stinking cloud spell. Both the darkness and the cloud can be dispelled and are considered level 3 spells. When the crystal is destroyed a Wraith(MM302) emerges from it and attacks the party.
Room 7 is half covered in magical darkness on the north side, and the south sides walls are glowing like superheated metal.
Room 8 is covered in ice with blue crystal in the center. The floor is slippery and is difficult terrain. In addition, whenever a player takes their move action, they must roll an acrobatics check or fall prone. When the blue crystal is destroyed an Ice Elemental(Earth Elemental MM124, add immunity to Cold, remove earth glide, slam attacks do 1d8+5 bludgeoning plus 1d8 cold damage) attacks the party.
Climax: Awakened Mage
Enemies: Vaeril Elian(Conjurer VGtM 212)
After the 4th crystal is destroyed, don't have the enemy from the 4th crystal attack the party, instead the large crystal in the center of rooms 1 and 2 is deactivated and the pyramid begins to shake and collapse. Run a skill challenge starting at DC15 to have the PCs escape, dealing them 1d12 poison, 2d6 fire, 1d8 cold, or 2d4 necrotic damage randomly when they fail a check during the challenge. They escape after 5 successes. Raise the DC after a success, lower it after a failure. When the party exits the pyramid, it collapses behind them and Vaeril Elian appears before them. He curses at them for destroying his beautiful creation and attacks. It is actually a simulacrum and will fight to the death. He casts conjure elemental and teleports around, trying to keep his distance from the party while hitting them with high level spells like fireball while his elemental does the work. Use the 4th unused enemy from the pyramid as the conjured elemental. Try to have Amnon die in this battle if possible.
Wrap-Up: The town is safe!
The leaders of the town thank the adventurers for their brave deeds and reward them with treasures that they have found while excavating the ruins of the collapsed pyramid.
Treasure: Roll once on Treasure Hoard: Challenge 5-10 DMG p.137
Find more adventures at
www.thesuperjacobshow.com