“The Deity Cup”
This is a portion of a full campaign arc entitled “Worm Crawl” that I am currently running for a group of 4 players.
A D&D 5th Edition Adventure for 3 to 5 level 3 characters.
Run Time: 4 to 8 hours.
After recovering a mysterious gem encrusted gold chalice from a group of cultist performing a ritual, the party must prevent the cultists from recovering it and find out how to destroy it.
Setup: The Chalice
The party recover a large gem-encrusted gold chalice from a previous boss battle. A prophet, named Zanzibar tells them that he has had visions about the chalice. Legends speak of ancient magic cups that can turn someone into a 'god' with the right ritual. He warns them that Vosrene, the goddess of recycling, and Ifrit, the god of cremation, were both recently created with it by a cult that was working with the previous boss. The two new demigods are persuing the party to recover the chalise. Zanzibar urges them to take his friend, Shelly's ship to sea to travel to learn more about the cup and how to destroy it. Zanzibar suggests going to Arken Island(Use BOM PORTO from Ordinary Towns p.30, but in an ocean instead of a desert.) but Shelly, a former pirate captain, suggests going to the Archipelago of Denisandra(Use Dusking-on-the-Sea from Ordinary Towns p.54).
Investigation: By Book
If the players go to Arken island, There is a book kept in the sacred Wind Temple of Arken Island that contains ancient legends. Padan Masiyas(OT p.32, Priest MM348) is one of the only people who know where the book is hidden. He will let the party read it if they discover who caused the airship crash that killed Eleganteiro, the previous governor. The crash was caused by faulty repairs made by Bertto Lubitti(OT p.32 Spy MM349). Bertto didn't do it on purpose but has evidence that Eleganteiro's election was fraudulent. The other person who knows where the book is hidden is Hermenegildo Montevideo, the owner of the casino and fighting pit. He'll tell the party how to steal the book if they each defeat one of his champions in the fighting pits. His champions are: Sebastiao Ryder(Meazel MToF214), Montauk(Half-Ogre MM328), Larynda Filifar(Grunk Wildling, VGtM156), and Xvart(VGtM200). The fights are not to the death, but they are 1 on 1 in a circular arena with a 50ft radius. If the players win at least 2 of the matches, Hermenegildo will tell them the secret loction of the book. It is hidden in a secret chamber at the base of the largest statue of the Wind Goddess in the Wind Temple(Dungeons p.45). A DC20 investigation check on the statues can reveal the location even if they don't talk to Hermenegildo.
Investigation: Or By Crook
If the players go to the Archipelligo then there is a 'treasure hunter' who can tell them where to find an ancient mural in an abandoned temple that tells the stories of the Deity Cups. He'll tell them where to find the temple for a price of 750 gold pieces. A DC17 persuasion or DC20 intimidation check can lower the price to 500gp. They can also hear about the temple if they listen to the bard in the tavern sing a song.
The song talks of a temple below the Great Bridge that spans between two islands of the archipeligo. The song tells of the temple being a hiding place for a Deity Cup in an ancient war, until the cup was moved to a safer location. The song says that the story of the cup was written on the walls of the temple.
Use Arador Gorge (Dungeons p.8) for the temple. The mural is in the largest artificial chamber around the black tree. The area is infested with giant spiders(MM328) that attack one at a time with a web on it's first turn, and then grapple and carry the target on it's second turn, if attacked it will bite the attacker on it's next turn. It will full retreat if reduced to 13 or less hitpoints and will not attack the party again. There are a total of 13 giant spiders that will try to attack the party by surprise.
Discovery: The legend
The mural and the book both tell the story of the Deity Cups. The legend says that the demigods who were created with the Chalice will try to use the chalice to make more demigods. A great wizard tried to destroy the chalice, but was killed before he could do so. The secret to how to destroy the chalice is somewhere in his ruined and magically dangerous wizard's tower, but the legend doesn't say anything about where the wizard's tower is other than he was across the sea. There is evidence of recent cultist activity around the mural, including a cultist's holy symbol and a leather satchel that has the insignia of a guild artisan of the Eastern Kingdom. The book gives the location of the wizard's tower as being in the Jorgas Mountains. The party's next goal is to journey to the Eastern Kingdom, to the Jorgas Mountains, and investigate the Wizard's Tower.
Counter Attack: Trecherous Seas
A giant beatle the size of their ship is seen in the water. It float and propells itself with it's legs under the water. It can extend it's wings upwards like sails, but can't fly. Captain Aysh Tuo(Water Wierd, MM299) and his crew are trying to take the chalice from the party. They were hired by a mysterious cult to retrieve it.
First Mate: Fishface McDeath(Kuo-Toa MM199) who has a Parrot-colored Pseudodragon(MM 254) on his shoulder.
Navigator: Ariel Triton:(Merfolk MM218)
3 Flying Snakes(MM322) named Larry, Curly, and Moe.
The beetle boat can shoot a jet of poison mucus that recharges on a 5-6. It can target an area of a 10x10 cube up to 80ft away. All creatures in the area make a constitution saving throw. On a failure they take 2d12 poison damage.
Wrap Up: Find the wizard's keep
By the end of the session the party needs to know that their next clue is in the Wizard's Keep. If the party fought and defeated Aysh Tuo's crew, then they roll once on the Treasure Hoard: Challenge 0-4 (DMG137). If they investigated the mural in Arador Gorge, they can roll a second time on that table for the loot found there. www.thesuperjacobshow.com