Adventure idea for a dead gnome tinkerer

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

So I have been wanting to write an andventure for my players who are playing an EverQuest d20 game. Currently 5 characters ranging from level 2 to 3. Basic compliment of class types (caster, healer, rogue and two combat specialists). I wanted to give a basic overview of the adventure I had in mind and see what you guys thought. Any suggestions or comments, good or bad are very welcome. We don't play often, mainly because we don't have adventures to play. So I want what little time we do play together to be memorable and fun. I personally don't consider myself to be a great DM mainly because I don't have much experience at it, but no one else wants to do it. I am ok with it because I like it, but I just have to get more time in doing it to become better at it.

So here is the run down.

Part One

Our heroes come across a reason to travel to a small underground Gnome city called Blackdelve Reach (BDR). It is a very small place, rarely travelled to by anyone buy gnomes, but they are friendly and welcoming to non-gnomes. I was thinking that some of the residents are becoming sick and have sent word to a friend in the wood elf city since it was closest to Blackdelve. The guild leaders think this is a good opportunity for our heroes to not only sharpen their battle prowess should it be needed, but consider it a great opporunity to strengthen the neutral relations between the two towns that view each other with mutual respect.

So they get to BDR and find that numerous residents have been sticken with a curious sickness. One that doesn't appear to be treatable by conventional means. This is a city of peaceful folk, not a haven of adventurers, so they don't have a cleric or druid to heal them magically. Even if they did, this problem would persist due to the nature of it (which they don't know yet).

The affliction appears to be magical but no one in town can think of anyone who has a grudge against anyone in the town. The heroes can inspect local water supplies, food stuffs, and things like that but find nothing.

All of the people afflicted live in the same part of town. If they dig deep enough, they find out that there is a tunnel leading away from town that a recluse/hermit gnome tinkerer lives down, but they have no reason to suspect him as he has always been cordial, if not overly friendly, when he comes in to town for basic supplies.

 

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

Part Two

The heroes should at some point decide to go check out this tinkerer and see if he might have any ideas or clues as to what may be going on.

When they get to his place, which is not very far from town at all actually, they find his place empty. It is a typical gnomish tinkerer home, full of gears, and metal plates, and things like that. But they also find things that lead them to believe that he is more than just a simple tinkerer.

They find scrolls and papers, notes, powders, liquids, etc. that point to the gnome being a Necromancer also. This is something he kept hidden from everyone else he knew. He wasn't evil, but didn't want to draw unwanted attention to himself by revealing this info.

They find a large tarp covering something in his work room. It is a fully built clockwork that looks like a strange metal humanoid-shaped demon. In one of it's chest plates (which is open) is a strange looking stone that appears to be somewhat shiny but old and dirty looking at the same time.

Across the room is a desk that is cluttered with numerous papers and notes. Also, are two bigger books on the desk. A large book that looks like he was writing a story in, and a personal journal. According to the journal, he has been writing the history of a long-dead demon in the bigger book. But the book has been treated with various magical components and infused with necromantic mana and spells. The book a necromantic creation that he has mixed with the clockwork and the stone in its chest. As he writes the story of the demons life, it slowly brings the demon (who died many years ago) back to a semblance of unlife and binds it to the stone. The stone then acts like a power conduit with the clockwork body, thus giving the demon a new body. But the thing is, since he built the clockwork and the demon is in it, the effects are two-fold. He controls it to do his bidding, and it is weaker than it was in normal life because it is bound to the mechanical structure.

The ritual for giving the demon unlife and binding it to the stone was nearly finished, but the gnome died before he could finish the project. (I just assume the gnome died while on an adventure trying to find out more about the demon) Now, the demon's soul is trapped in a state of life and undeath and it is slowly leaking necromantic energy that is weakening the residents of the nearby town. The heroes can probably sense this a little, but have such little exposure to it, they feel almost nothing.

To end this, they cannot simply destroy the stone and body, as the stone is nearly indestructible. They can't just move it and leave it somewhere else, that would be immoral. The only option is to finish the book, bring the demon back to (un)life in the clockwork body and destroy it. All of this is written in the journal if they care to read all of it.

To do this, they must finish the story in the book. The journal says that there is only one chapter left in the book to write. And the only person that he can think of that that lives close to here and knows the true story behind the demon's adventure is a bard who lives in Kelethin. So, while the heroes could try going to any major city and doing research, the best bet would be to try and find the bard and get his story.

 

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

Part Three

They can explain to the residents of BDR what is going on, or go straight to Kelethin. Once back in Kelethin, they visit the bard's guild and find that the person they are looking for was a good friend of one of the higher ranking members. But about four years ago, he moved to the city of Freeport (on another continent). They can try to look in the story books and history books in this city or any of the surrounding ones, but nothing turns up info they need. The only option is to go to Freeport and find this guy.

Once they get there, they can visit with the bard guild there. They find out that the bard got married and not long after, his wife was killed in a caravan raid by orcs near the Serpent Spine Mountains outside of the city. Now he lives in the commonlands beyond the edge of the city, a crazy hermit. The guild leaders always had much respect for him and haven't heard from him in months. If asked about the story, none of them have heard about the demon, but they are willing to have someone go through a few books they think might have something on it. The books in question however are on loan to a class at the wizards training academy on the other side of town. The books are not due back from loan for nearly a week. They can't just recall them back but the heroes are more than welcome to wait until they are back and use them at their leisure.

In the mean time, he suggests visiting the old bard and perhaps he could remember the story and tell them. He also would like to know how his old friend is doing these days and asks to give him an update before they leave town if they find him.

The bard lives well outside of town in a shoddy building nearly a day's walk from the closes village. When they find his place, it is empty and from the looks of it, he has been keeping tabs on many of the orc clans in the area for many months. To some it might appear he is methodically tracking them, but to others he appears to be a man obssessed. Further investigation of his place reveals that it appears to have been empty for days and the only things missing are things like food/provisions, weapons, clothes, and basic adventuring gear.

If the group looks for the right clues they can discover he has gone off to hunt down a certain group of orcs that are in the foothills of the Serpent Spine Mountains. In his notes, he calls the leader White Scar and vows to get revenge. Apparently he was the orc who delivered the killing blow to his wife according to one of the few victims who managed to escape the raid with his life. He has been tracking this group for months, learning their habits, etc. Now he has gone out for one mission, kill White Scar.

 

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

Part Four

What the heroes don't know is that the bard has been caught by the orcs. If they wait a few days and he doesn't return, they should go looking for him. They can use some of the maps and notes he has written to find their camp.

In actuality, the camp is pretty small, but a simple bard stands no chance against them. He knew this, but he only cared about killing White Scar, not his own life. If the heroes manage to find the camp, and do some scouting of their own, they discover the bard is still alive but being held prisoner along with another person. This other person is of no importance story-wise, but it might make the idea of rescuing people fun for the players. They need to devise a way of rescuing them. Once they do, the bard refuses to help the heroes unless they help him kill White Scar, then he will tell them "whatever stupid stories" they want to know. He is a bitter person since the death of his wife but not evil.

Once they help him and the other guy escape, and then help him kill White Scar (the orc leader actually), he returns home with them and recounts the story of the demon to them.

Now they can return home. After talking to the bard guild leader first of course!

 

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

Part Five

Now they can return to BDR and finish the book. Once they do, the clockwork stone gets fully imbued with the soul of the demon and a final showdown can commence.

Some options to make the fight more fun is the demon escaping and making his way to BDR, causing havoc in town.

Having the demon escape BDR and the pcs having to track him down, etc.

---

So that is the basic gist of the story. Of course there may be other scenes that can add flavor to the story, but that is the basics of it.

Any thoughts or ideas as to things that might make the adventure come alive better for the DM and the players? You like it, it has potential, it's merely ok, it sucks, i suck as a story writer, you want to use this as the basis for an adventure too?

 

[fba827]

Over all it sounds doable. A lot of the particulars will come out during the session itself as to how it narrates together and "feels" to your players.

One thing I did notice (and it is neither good nor bad and may simply be a side effect of having to write a summary) it is a fairly direct path of events that you want and/or expect the players to follow.

Specifically, with the books being on loan for a week already so "they may as well seek out the bard and hear his version." I emphasize that I don't know your group and what your style is/isn't - but the way it's written here is slightly heavyhanded to direct them exactly where the DM wants them to go as opposed to where the players think they should go.

If someone is coming up with another way to accomplish something (such as asking to research) they may feel shut-down if the opportunity is "completely closed" (and repeatedly getting shut down may make someone resigned to 'why bother deciding left or right in the passage, what way did the DM tell us to go?' -- perhaps some book is there and they find some details but it seems there are gaps in the story... or something so that their 'outside the box' ideas aren't squashed from the get go.

So at the game session don't be afraid to offer a couple "bones" when a player thinks of something outside of what you considered. It can give a partial clue but they still need more ... or perhaps it is "enough" and it will lead them to the same conclusion.

When they want to see/visit those who are sick, the mayor (or whomever) tells the PCs he has no idea why they're sick.. he knows of nothing cmmon between them, and gives them the names and addresses. As they visit from house to house, to toss out a sentence (without being overly obvious) that "to visit the next sick person you just have to walk across the street..." "the next name is right next door .. " and then after visiting about 3 or 4 people "After visiting a few people you realize everyone you visited is in this corner of town." That, in a round about way, points out the player action (deciding to visit people that are sick) with the reward (learning something new).

And maybe the journal doesn't spell everything out -- perhaps it has part of the story on what the gnome was trying, but then tell the caster that he/she realizes from his arcane knowledge what was being attempted based on the clues found in the room (magical runes and the types of components used are often related to summoning and necromancy and what not). Or maybe tell one of the other characters that they know of a bard school considered to have some of the best bards over yonder. And once they get there and ask around someone suggests that they speak to the crazy bard who knows some of those older stories of that type. Just little things like that to involve the players in the unfolding of the plot rather than having it all spelled out for them at the start.

You can give them the choice of left or right but the players don't need to know that either way will eventually lead them to the same place.

Having said that, again, this is neither a good nor bad thing, it really depends on your group. Just don't be scared of things your players will try that you did not account for -- as someone that has DMed before, I can tell you it's pretty much guarenteed that players ALWAYS do something you didn't account for. Just have to accept that so you can "roll with it" as transparently as possible.

The framework for the story is good. It should work out fine. Don't get nervous or stress and remember, have fun!

Good luck at the session!

 

[Evil_Dead_Jedi]

fba827

Thanks for the input. Honestly, it really sheds some light on ways to make the game not feel so rail-roady. And I really felt like it was. But my experience being a dm isn't truly that extensive even though I've played on and off for about 15 years.

I really like some of the things like letting THEM look for clues as to the story rather than have the journal tell them where to go look. And not to mention having them discover they may need more help after exhausitng numerous resources investigating the history of the demon rather than me telling them they need to go talk to Mr. X or the adventure comes to a screeching halt.

The whole idea of them actually getting little snippets of information here and there but not being able to fully fit the pieces together is much, much more intriguing than having a book tell them where to find out exactly what they need to know.

And not having the journal specifically spell out what is going on with the project, it can help people use some skills and knowledges and make them feel like they are figuring something out rather than being TOLD something. I like.

This makes the story feel more dynamic and organic already. It still needs a LOT of work to give it that "feel" but I am excited to have your input. This is really cool and makes me more excited about working more on the story. Thanks again!!!