Chronomancer/Lich's Time Tower - ideas?

[Ferox4]

The PC's found a ward token almost a year ago (camapaign time) and have jumped through numerous loops to find out what it is used for. It turned out to be a token of passage into a large, seemingly abandoned, mysterious tower. They have made it through the lower levels and are now working their way to the tower itself. They have encountered only one living creature, that being an Ibrandlin (from Monsters of Faerun) guarding the entrance to the upper levels of the tower. All of the other encounters have been traps, and various construct guardians.

Some background: This tower was once home to a small sect of Clerics whose deity has long since fallen into obscurity in this portion of their world. The only thing known about this tower in present day is that it is heavily warded and those who have come out (and only a select few have) spoke of impassable areas and of grave dangers. What the PC's don't yet know is that this is the home of a Chronomancer/Lich who uses his ability to move through time to unearth secrets and other items of power. At the present time he is not in the tower, but his phylactery is.

The PC's are now in a long hallway and can faintly hear the sound of water dripping at the far end. The dripping is a "Water" Clock that actually runs on blood.....The Clock itself contains the entrance to the tower. Here's where I would like some input.

I would like to set one or two doors in the hallway and ward them with time-based spells/magicks. Any ideas?

Also, what might be in these rooms? (the phylactery is in the tower)

The entrance to the tower is a tiny door set into the relief carvings of the Blood Clock. The Rogue will likely find it, but I don't believe the PCs have any way to shrink small enough to get in, which is good because they are not powerful enough to take on this Lich on his own turf. I want them to come back here later possibly. Always good to have an open ended riddle/mystery somewhere.

Any other critique/suggestion is more than welcome.

Thanks, F4

 

[Ferox4]

crickets.........

 

[Micar Sin]

Well, as to what is in the rooms.... Perhaps unstable ad possibly dangerous items from different time periods... experimental portals through time, prisons for creatures that exist out side of time that the Lich would like to study(think Hounds of Tindalos from Lovecraft/CD20), chambers for testing new and possibly dangerous items...

As far as warding the doors.. Wel it depends on what you want to do... Aging effects, being thrown across time, slow, plus the summoning of some sort of guardian... How deadly are you wanting to make these effects?

 

[the Jester]

What level is the party? It's hard to give suggestions without a little more detail.... although, given that it's a lich, there's prolly no reason to pull any punches.

 

[Pyske]

There should be an intelligent guardian construct before door #1.

Trap #1: On passing through this portal, time rewinds 10 minutes. Any items collected disappear, creatures slain are back, and the PCs are "teleported away" to wherever they were standing 10 minutes ago (don't tell them they went back in time). The only thing that remains unchanged is the knowledge of what happened over the last 10 minutes. Both PCs and creatures remember... better hope the PCs didn't ambush something recently. Similarly, the guardian is intelligent enough to adapt its tactics to what it learned about the party (who the casters are, etc.).

If you want to be really mean (but risk metagaming), hit them with a forgetfulness spell with a will save, so that the monsters remember them, but the PCs don't remember the monsters. Pass this info to those who fail on notes so that the rest of the party does not immediately brief them. Of course, have the monsters prepare ambushes ahead of the party. Of course, this undermines the initial assumption that they were just teleported away.

Bypassing Trap #1: The trap requires 10 minutes to recharge. Either bluff past the guardian (he remembers that you are allowed passage when time rewinds), or wait 10 minutes after killing him to go through the door.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Ferox4]

[COLOR=sky blue]Thanks for the replies.

The party consists of 6, 10th-11th level PCs. There is a sorcerer, a cleric, a rogue/fighter, a rogue/wizard, a rogue, and a fighter.

I don't want them to fight the Lich just yet, but I have another thought. Let's say the Lich (who, incidentally, doesn't need to be evil) has some task that he requires the PCs to accomplish in order for them to be released from the tower. If they comply they are rewarded with their freedom and if not they will be left in this time conundrum in the tower and die of old age and/or insanity.

The task is either in the past or the future and is going to be very trivial, but dangerous. I'm still working out the details for this sidebar quest. Any suggestions are, of course, welcome.

Thanks. F4[/COLOR]