Arcane College One-Off Ideas

[mwnrnc]

This board is always a great source of ideas, so I figured I'd try here with this. I'm running a 3.5 one-off session with my usual group and new girlfriend. I am trying to get her into gaming and she really likes Harry Potter, so I figured I would set the game in an arcane college.

I've decided to set the school in the middle of a frozen waste protected by magical fields. It's a typical spire/castle setup with deep Dwarf-built vaults below the surface. Golems patrol the school to keep order, but the school is otherwise morally neutral.

I want the big bad to be a wizard, formerly of the council that governs the school, who's powers were stricken from him by a mysterious magical curse that removes arcane spell casting ability. In order to gain power again, he makes a pact with a devil (also a council member, though he appears human and his true nature is not widely known) to gain Hellfire magic. I was thinking perhaps a murder of some kind that sets the PCs on the trail?

Any ideas, for plot or encounters, would be helpful.

 

[steeldragons]

How to get rolling...I'm not sure, give me a minute...

But as for "once the party is on the hunt/trail" I'd say a first attempt of a "deterrent" would be a hex/malfunction of some of the security golems to attack the party.

Final encounter/climactic battle should be deep within the dwarven vaults against the devil character (or the devil and big-bad-wizard-guy if the party hasn't stopped him yet).

I would sayyyy....to get rolling...place some Celestial creature or, better yet, a room that is protected or sealed by "Celestial magic." The artifact/device/spellbook....YES, a spellbook with Celestial magic inside contains a spell that will be able to REMOVE the CURSE on this big-bad-evil-wizard-guy (heretofore "BBEWG")!

The fact that someone broken into the vault containing the grimoire (which was also defended by golems that lie in charred bits all around the entrance) means they MUST have been using Hellfire magic to break the Celestial seals.

Only the headmaster/head of the council (I presume you're having a Dumbledore kinda figure) knows the contents of the book and is able to surmise that, despite the abundance of powerful magics, the only thing someone might want the book is its god-like abjurations...BBEWG is trying to get his powers back!

Might even be a nice bit of plot to have the devil council member lead "Dumbledore" or the party to that conclusion...which could serve as a tell/give away for the party, since according to the headmaster, Devil-wizard-council-guy shouldn't know what's in the celestial tome.

Now, the hunt is on for this wielder of fiendish power AND retrieving the spellbook before BBEWG can perform the ritual to return his powers!

Howzzat?

--Steel Dragons

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

possibly this particular ritual, be it the summoning or gaining of the power, requires a human sacrifice, so someone dies (or disappears, if the powers are to be stopped) and the PCs have to figure out what happened, possibly an intro along these lines, feel free to change as appropo.

You have been recruited by the city (state, whatever) to investigate the murder of this person, they disappeared around this time last week around this place (points to a map) we'll arrange transport and we would like you to go in there and see what happened.

maybe something like that, I dunno, it's just an idea of how to get the ball rolling.

Also what steeldragons said is good too.

 

[anest1s]

Her best friend transforms into the pit-fiend, which day after day killed everyone else except the PCs.

After having this vision she wakes up, only to hear the cries in the next bedroom. Someone died last night...


Oh, make sure that she cares about the said friend. (Or instead of a friend, make it her the one who is the pit-fiend... )

Also, maybe everyone had a similar vision, but is unwilling to reveal it...

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

Her best friend transforms into the pit-fiend, which day after day killed everyone else except the PCs.

After having this vision she wakes up, only to hear the cries in the next bedroom. Someone died last night...


Oh, make sure that she cares about the said friend. (Or instead of a friend, make it her the one who is the pit-fiend... )

Also, maybe everyone had a similar vision, but is unwilling to reveal it...

springboarding:
In a sad twisted way for that character, it seems to be a twisted thing similar to lycanthropy, every night she goes out and kills someone, and she needs someone to stop her, but she doesn't know it. Or she does, both are equally depressing.

 

[Lendro_Furioso]

The "investigate a disappearance" idea is great. Now, Hellfire magic should probably leave a telltale sign of some sort (charred remains and maybe a hint of sulfur?). This leads to a trip to the library, or a specialist within the school to discover. Of course no mystery is complete without a false positive on the suspect, so have someone else within the school smell like sulfur, but for unrelated incidents. Just don't make it look like the potions teacher did it and you're safe.


Have the demon in disguise be the one appointed to brief/help the PC's on what's happened. Have him/her be extra nice and helpful, while guiding them in all the wrong directions. If they grow fond of the NPC the revelation will be all the more dramatic.


Regarding the course of the adventure itself, I'd go with the headmaster at first calling in the authorities because he is concerned about the reputation of the school (maybe even more concerned about that than the safety of its students and faculty members). There could be more disappearances, at first a student, then another, and then a faculty member. Make it so the best and brightest are chosen (even among the students), since the ritual would work better if the sacrificed parties were more powerful. The demon would hint otherwise, but if questioned on the subject he would simply say he is not familiar with the report cards of all the students...

I would make it so the disappearances also touch a bit on school pride in a way, such as defiling banners, and even the places the attacks took place. This would lead the PC's into investigating people with grudges with the school, and I'd link the evil wizard's loss of powers here. Bear in mind that other candidates should be present. Maybe whoever takes care of the golems also has something in it for the school (they could want a better position, simply). If the party is attacked by golems, they'll assume it's him. Then, through subterfuge, the PC's should find the evil wizard, and race to stop him.


One last thing, if you want to spice up the endgame, have the demon actually help them find the final clue. In reality he never intended to give the evil wizard his powers, as that would cost him favours in the outer planes, so he came up with this plan to collect his dues and get rid of the evil wizard. In this case, he would need some leverage to stop the PC's from uncovering his true nature.


Hope it helps.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Borrowing from shows like Law & Order would seem appropriate, as would yoinks from myth and legend:

1. A new student shows up, only to be found dead shortly after the first big student/faculty social event of the year. (Said student, for whatever reason, is aware of the true ID of the Devil)
2. A ceremony to dig up a time capsule goes awry when its opened, revealing a _____________
3. Ordinarily dependible rituals and spells start malfunctioning... (Either something the BBEG has done is messing things up, or more darkly, there's a Wicker Man vibe going on, and a sacrifice is required...

 

[HeavensThunderHammer]

If you have the funds, [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Redhurst-Matt-Forbeck-Shaun-Absher/dp/1932488006/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1290459620&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Redhurst: Academy of Magic (9781932488005): Matt Forbeck; Shaun Absher: Books[/ame]

Redhurst, the Academy of Magic might be useful.

 

[GandalfMithrandir]

Another strong reccomendation for redhurst

 

[Quartz]

This is a one-off so don't make the plot too complex.

I do like the idea of the devil helping the PCs; it could make for a great ending as the devil-mentor claims the EG's soul but you'll have to be very careful to not make it look like a railroad or devil ex machina.