“The Music Box”
Difficulty: This adventure is for 4 to 6 level 10 characters with a run time of 2 to 3 hours.
Special Notes: There are multiple different victory conditions for this adventure.
Summary
An adventuring party seeks a magical music box that will help them remove a colony of phase spiders from a piece of land that is rich in resources, but a strange giant seeks to destroy the music box before it can be used.
Setup: Phase Spider Colony
Enemies: Phase Spiders(MM334)
While traveling through woods, the party is ambushed by phase spiders. PCs with a passive perception lower than 16 are surprised to start this fight. There are 6 spiders to start, and after 4 are killed have 3 more show up. Once the party seems to be losing the battle, another adventuring party(The Hawks) shows up and helps them fight the spiders. Mival Hawk(Archer VGtM210), Helena Belet(Swashbuckler VGtM216), and Rakgur Steadyhand(Minotaur MM223) with his pet giant scorpion(MM327) are trying to clear the phase spider colony out of the forest so that they can claim the forest for their own property. The fruits of the trees here have magical properties and are a valuable resource.
Investigation: The Hawks
The PCs can learn the following information from The Hawks: Mival is the leader along with his wife Helena. They discovered that the of the fruits of the trees in this region are imbued with magical entergy and can be used to substitue for expensive spell components. While it takes a huge amount of the fruit in raw form, Helena thinks she has devised a way to concentrate an extract of the fruit that will be viable for transportation and regular use. Such a concoction will fetch high prices and the group plans on turning the forest into an orchard and refinery. The only problem is the phase spider colony, which is the reason no one owns this property already. Rakgur has learned of a magical artifact, a music box, which will warp the Ethereal Plane in the area around it while it is open, forcing the Phase spiders to relocate. The Hawks plan on activating the music box in the heart of the forest. The only problem is that they are missing a piece. The music box has a figurine of a woman dancing in it, that spins when active. She is meant to be holding a parasol. The parasol is also the key that opens the lock on the music box. The Hawks don't have the parasol. The Hawks ask the PCs to recover the parasol from the Cabinet of Curiosities in the Ancient Temple to the Ethereal Gods.
Counter Attack: The Ancient Temple
The PCs can easily enter the temple to recover the parasol, it is not guarded, but when they exit with the parasol, Nyndreon the Dreamwalker(Stone Giant Dreamwalker VGtM150) and his pet Displacer Beast(MM81) meet them outside. He tells them that the music box must never be used. He has the lock for the box, and tries to convince the party to help him take the Box from the Hawks so that he can lock the key inside it forever so that it can never be used. He claims that it's effect on the ethereal plane threatens to destroy the reality itself.
Climax: Choosing a Side
If the PCs refuse to help Nyndreon, he follows them and confronts them when they try to activate the Music Box. If the PCs decide to help Nyndreon, the Hawks emerge from the trees and confront the party for betraying them. The PCs may choose to fight against either the Hawks or Nyndreon with the help of the other group. In addition, have 5 phase spiders join the battle after a couple rounds, attacking both sides indiscriminately. Nyndreon does not want to fight and can be reasoned with, as well as the Hawks. The party can negotiate an agreement between them, where the Hawks use the music box to drive out the phase spiders, and then allow Nyndreon to lock the key inside the box sealing it forever. Alternatively, the party may choose to attempt to kill both groups and take the music box and fruit orchard for themselves. This is the most dangerous option, and if they choose this, it would be okay to show no mercy in the fight.
Remember to roll charisma saves for Nyndreon's charming effect each round for each PC and NPC until they save. Nyndreon only uses Petrifying Touch on the spiders and scorpion.
Nyndreon will fight to the death to prevent the music box from being used. The Hawks will not fight to the death, and will surrender or retreat if the fight looks deadly for them. If Rakgur's pet giant scorpion is killed he will become enraged and fight to the death against whatever killed the scorpion.
If all the phase spiders are killed during the battle, then the next round roll a d6. On a 5 or a 6 have 1d4 more spiders arrive to attack the combatants.
During the battle have a conversation between Archer and Nyndreon taking place each round. Nyndreon will explain how dangerous the music box is and that it should be locked forever. Archer will explain what he wants to use it for. Hint at a peaceful resolution this way, but only let that happen if the PCs stop fighting and try to negotiate. If the groups agree to a peace, and there is time for more combat, throw 10 or so phase spiders at them so that the PCs, the Hawks, and Nyndreon can join forces and destroy the spiders together.
If, for whatever reason, the party is downed by phase spiders during the campaign, you can have them be rescued later by the Hawks or Nyndreon while they are paralyzed and wrapped in webs in the spider's lair.
Wrap-Up:
If the players helped the Hawks kill Nyndrean, then the Hawks activate the Music box in the forest and the phase spiders are driven away. If they helped Nyndrean kill the Hawks, or if they negotiated a peaceful solution then the giant locks the parasol in the music box, sealing it forever, thanks the party, and leaves, taking the music box with him. If the PCs kill both groups, then they have the music box, which is a magic item that prevents everything in a 100ft radius from entering or exiting the ethereal plane while activated.
Treasure: Music Box and Roll twice on Treasure Hoard: Challenge 5-10 DMG p.137. If the Hawks obtained the orchard, then they will sell juice that acts as spell components to the party for %50 of the component cost.
Find more adventures at
www.thesuperjacobshow.com