Encounter: Fixing a Magic Item

[Mistah J]

Hey everyone,

Here is the scenario: the PCs are in a town plagued by strange accidents and disasters. They have found the cause; a powerful magic item that is damaged, causing it to go haywire.

The goal is for the PCs to repair or otherwise fix the thing before it ruins or destroys the town.

What kind of challenge should I use here? None of the PCs in question have any Craft Magic Item feats (normally required to repair broken magic items) so I'm going to have to create some kind of puzzle that represents steps anyone could take to fix the thing.

This is all taking place in an uninhabited but fully-stocked wizard lab so the PCs will have access to all the raw ingredients or devices they will need.

The party will be around lvl 3 and since this is the climax of this particular adventure - I'd like this challenge to be around CR 6.

Please feel free to leave any brainstorms you may have!

 

[Onyx]

Think Dark Crystal

It would seem that an element not unlike the Dark Crystal could be used here.

The item is broken, missing some vital piece to be complete.

The aquisition/recovery of this item acts as a McGuffin quest in it's own right, and then it's just a matter of bringing the things together.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

If they haven't already, the first part of the challenge could be just figuring out what the problem is-- part RP, part Gather Info, Knowledge, etc checks, maybe a short investigation adventure.

They need to determine how to fix it-- again, part RP, part skill checks. Maybe a minor adventure/dungeon crawl to recover a ritual, device or missing part that will fix it.

Then they actually have to fix it:
- A little research might be in order here: Knowledge checks to discern the minor ingredients in the laboratory, maybe sidetrek (combat or RP) to get a missing bit.
- Do they have to disable it before they can fix? Depending upon what it is, that could work like a trap (weird magic effects make area difficult to work in; straight damage; etc) or a combat (vs a construct, animated objects, summoned beasties-- possibly have to limit PCs to subdual damage so they don't destroy it!).
- Then the actual repair job: a Craft check (not necessarily magical), or series of checks to accommodate more than one character, to do the physical repair; maybe followed up by Spellcraft or something to perform a ritual that "reboots" it or something.

You can just set RP and skill check DCs to whatever you think is appropriate for the level, and flavor it as you need. With a handful of level-appropriate combats, and a couple RP encounters, you've got a full story arc!

If you're looking for more specific suggestions, maybe give a few more details? I'm sure someone will have an idea or two.

 

[Runestar]

Do you want a skill challenge or a combat encounter?

If the latter, simply say the item has been corrupted or possessed by a demon, then have them fight it.

EL6...a babau or barbed devil should work nicely.

 

[Mistah J]

Heh,

Usually I am afraid to give more details cause I don't want to bore people but since you asked:

The item is a broken orb of storms. I think that the lab itself will have all sorts of random and adverse weather effects inside, so while it won't be a combat encounter per se, there will be an element of danger and probably damage (perhaps some lightning).

It is all taking place inside a pretty stereotypical wizard tower so the idea that all they need to fix it is inside is good. Perhaps what they need could be spread out in the various rooms? Each one has not only magic weather, but also the regular wards and traps one might find in an arcane lab?

Hope this sheds some more light on the subject

 

[Shin Okada]

Well, a damaged magic item causing unintended effect is already out of RAW. By the default core rule, magic items works as it is until it is completely broken (0 hp).

So, the way to solve this scenario does not need to go by RAW, IMHO.

"Find the missing part" seems to be a nice idea. Or, maybe the Lab itself has some kind of self-repair (magical) mechanism and the PCs must activate by visiting several rooms and, say, using switches and such.

Regarding the way to give information about "how to repair". You can put some wizard's note which can be read by using spellcraft or decipher script check. Or maybe it is just written in uncommon language such as draconic or auran. Or, you may let appear the ghost (of similar undead) of the former "owner" of the lab who tells necessary information to PCs.

Regarding encounters. Well, if that is a broken orb of storms which is causing random weather effects, you may include encounters against weather or element related monsters such as mephits, elementals or even element-related outsiders such as efreet or marid. Maybe the magical weather effects have attracted such monsters or even opened some planar rift to the inner planes.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Heh,

Usually I am afraid to give more details cause I don't want to bore people but since you asked:

The item is a broken orb of storms. I think that the lab itself will have all sorts of random and adverse weather effects inside, so while it won't be a combat encounter per se, there will be an element of danger and probably damage (perhaps some lightning).

It is all taking place inside a pretty stereotypical wizard tower so the idea that all they need to fix it is inside is good. Perhaps what they need could be spread out in the various rooms? Each one has not only magic weather, but also the regular wards and traps one might find in an arcane lab?

Cool, so sounds like a phase one could be "understand the wiz's notes", like Shin_Okada said.

Phase two could be gathering a few items for the repair, perhaps sthg tied to elements: fetch "keys" related to rain, wind and electricity from different parts of the tower, probably dealing with the wiz's own traps & wards.

Phase three could be using the "keys" in the lab itself, to stabilize the orb. If the lab is a big space, iI like your idea of lots of random weather effects. Perhaps each key needs to go to a certain device or portal in different corners of the huge room, sthg like:
- "close the water portal" with the rain key, basically a strength task, while battling water elementals;
- "shut down the dynamo", a disable device or trap disarming task, with dex-related checks, and lots of lightning, shocker lizards, etc to avoid.
- "adjust the air valve", with 'gust of wind' effects, cold damage, balance checks, etc to put that key wherever it belongs.
And throughout all this, of course, there's random lightning strikes and wind gusts off the Orb itself, rain & ice, random mephits appearing & disappearing.

Also, why is the Orb malfunctioning? If it was purposefully broken by a mini-bbeg (a demon? air elemental?), it can dog the party all throughout, trying to prevent them from stabilizing the orb for whatever nefarious reasons.