Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 4979838" data-attributes="member: 94">Iron DM R2M2Invisible TavernGolden ZipperForgetful ApprenticeContest WinnerFlying goblinArrow of Evil UndoneThis adventure is for low-level PCs; in a “points of light” type campaign; this may be their first excursion outside the comfort zone of their home base. Certain elements of the adventure can be  played from fairly frivolous to more darkly humorous, as the DM desires.The Invisible TavernThe adventure “begins” when the PCs are traveling, as the sun begins to set. They will first notice a glow on the horizon, which they will eventually make out as a roaring fire. Coming closer, they will see that the fire appears to be free-standing in a field, surrounded by dozens of folks sitting on barstools, gathered around tables, drinking and so forth. In fact the whole scene looks like a typical tavern scene—except, of course, that the tavern is invisible.As the PCs investigate, entering the tavern and conversing with the folks inside, they will be approached by Wizen the Wizard who will answer their questions, explain the tavern, and enlist their help.Wizen will explain to the PCs that the tavern was not meant to be invisible—it is in fact an unfortunate side effect of what should have been a standard abjuration spell. He was forced to give the proprietor a substantial discount. The mishap was caused by Wizen’s Forgetful Apprentice, a goblin named Skink, whose forgetfulness has caused the ruin of many of Wizen’s spells. The Invisible Tavern is simply the most visible (?) and lasting testament to Skink’s forgetful screwups.Certainly it is unusual to have a goblin apprentice, Wizen will explain, but it was part of a peace agreement between the townspeople and a neighboring tribe of goblins: apparently Skink is a goblin of some stature or repute in his own village. Wizen has tried to rid himself of Skink and negotiate some other arrangement, but Skink’s tribe is not willing to take him back until Skink is a full-fledged wizard. (Which, perhaps not coincidentally, might never happen.)Wizen believes that he has found a solution and will try to enlist the PCs to his aid. In his research, he has discovered the existence of Worgheart’s Academy. Worgheart, an aged goblin wizard of considerable talent, has established his academy on another plane (Feywild, Shadowfell-- Shadowfey?-- etc.) and he accepts only monstrous students who can pass his test. Each semester, there is a contest of skills, and the contest winner is accepted into the school. Unfortunately, Skink is an idiot, and he’ll need some help if he is to win the contest and gain acceptance to Worgheart’s Academy. If the PCs accept, Wizen will invite them back to his tower (where they will meet Apprentice Skink) and transport them to Worgheart’s Academy.Wizen will give the PCs one item to help them: an Arrow of Evil Undone. This arrow—meant to be a powerful but rather typical goblin slaying arrow—has instead been transformed by one of Skink’s “ accidents.” An evil creature struck by the arrow is affected by a powerful curse (Will DC17 negates): each time the affected creature rolls a d20 check, it must roll two d20’s and take the worst result. A goblin struck by the arrow receives no save. The arrow itself has proven nearly indestructible and can be retrieved after each combat, but its magical power is only usable once per day.Wizen will explain privately that he’d hoped to use the arrow on Skink’s own warchief, but they’ve  been at peace for many years and now he has no use for it. He might mention, perhaps wistfully, that it’s too bad the arrow couldn’t have been used on Worgheart—he’d even gladly keep Skink on as apprentice if it meant an end to Worgheart training up monstrous wizards…Finally, Wizen will give the PCs a special token that they can snap or break to be instantly transported back to his tower.Worgheart’s AcademyWorgheart’s Academy is what one expects from wizard’s academies these days—shifting stairways, talking portraits, headless goblin ghosts, and other strange creatures roaming the halls—except in a dark-humored, bizarro, shadow-fey version of the good-natured halls of such human institutions. The DM is free to flesh out Worgheart’s as he sees fit, but the action here is on Apprentice Skink’s Big Chance, a game the goblins call “Quittits” because of the frequent cries of protestation (and other profanities) that arise from the participants.The Game of QuittitsThe DM will want to prepare a dry erase board and 16 “columns” for the Quittits match. (see attached image).The playing field is a grid of 9 squares by 9 squares (45’ x 45’). The grid is broken up like a chessboard with multiple black columns, each a cube about 5’x5’x5’. The ceiling is 20 feet high.The game is won in one of two ways: either by eliminating the opposing team (an option preferred by the wicked goblin team) or by simply catching the “Golden Zipper,” in which case you win the game immediately. The goblin team is far more interested in the first option and they will largely ignore the “Golden Zipper.”Unfortunately for the PCs, Apprentice Skink will forget to mention most of the “rules” and will only mention them after the fact—after the opposing goblin team takes advantage. In fact it may simply seem that the goblins are making up the rules as they go along.The TeamsEach team is composed of 1 or more Wompers whose job is to eliminate the opposing team, and 1 Brain Fuggler (an arcane caster) whose job is to harass and annoy the opposing team. The Brain Fuggler is given his choice of annoyances at the start of the game: a wand containing 10 charges of one  of the following spells: ray of frost, daze, mage hand. The goblins will graciously allow the PCs to “choose first” and then they’ll take the remaining two wands. (Skink will apologize for forgetting to mention that rule.)The goblin team’s Wompers are all “shifty” and will use a spring attack-like ability to move around and among the columns to harass the players. They will jump out, strike, and move away, with a full movement of 6 squares each round. Given the right circumstances (flanking, or the Golden Zipper’s dazzling shadows) they also get an additional +1d6 sneak attack damage.The goblin team’s Brain Fuggler—a goblin named Mouth-Oil, an aspiring applicant himself—will quaff a potion of flying just as the match starts, so that he can fly above the fray to provide maximum annoyance—err, assitance.There are no set team sizes, and if the PCs look particularly imposing, Mouth-Oil will announce, “I demand First Right of Overwhelming Whomping!” and recruit additional Wompers out of the crowd at the last minute. There will be no volunteers to join the PCs team. (“I forgot about that rule…”)Neither Apprentice Skink nor the DM should feel obligated to mention the “Golden Zipper” instant-win rule to the PCs; the chances are pretty good they’ll figure that out on their own.The enemy Brain Fuggler Mouth-Oil should be a tempting target for the Arrow of Evil Undone.The Golden ZipperThe Golden Zipper is a tiny, golden flying ball, covered in short, curly hairy feathers. Who knows where it came from?—nobody’s asking. The Golden Zipper moves each round on its own initiative count, but (a) it never goes ‘first’ in the round and (b) its initiative count changes each round. When the Golden Zipper crosses the playing field, roll 1d20 to determine where it starts and which column it will zip down. The Golden Zipper crosses the entire playing field in a flash.The Golden Zipper will either “zip” or “unzip” a path of dark faerie dust through the column that it crosses. If the squares in the column are  clear, the Golden Zipper will “zip up” the column, leaving behind a cloud of cloying dark shadow in every square it passes through. Any creature caught in this shadowstuff loses its move action (but can still move by using its remaining standard action, or take a standard action by not moving).If the Golden Zipper crosses a square that already contains shadow, it will “unzip” the shadowstuff, leaving behind a square full of golden dust and fluttering, ash-like shadow particles. Any creature caught in this stuff is partially dazzled and/or blinded—they suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls and are subject to sneak attacks as if they were blind.If the Golden Zipper strikes one of the solid columns, it always makes a left turn and continues moving in that fashion until it reaches the edge of the playing field.A creature that is actually in the path of the Golden Zipper takes damage (scaled if necessary for the Adventure Level—1d6 per two levels is a good rule of thumb). A creature with a Ready action can try to catch the Golden Zipper as it enters its square. The Golden Zipper has an AC of 20 based on its small size and speed. The game does not end until the “top of the round” when the Golden Zipper has a chance to “acknowledge” that it has been caught. If the creature holding the Golden Zipper is knocked unconscious, it will zip off on its way.The ColumnsThe columns are 5’ x 5’ x 5’ and composed of some shadowy substance that mostly behaves like stone. They cannot be physically damaged or moved through, but you can easily push the blocks around. As a standard action, a PC can push a column five feet directly away from his own position (assuming there is nothing blocking the column, such as another column or the edge of the  playing field). A Brain Fuggler with a wand of mage hand can push a column in any direction desired. (“Oh yeah! I forgot you could do that!” says Apprentice Skink).A medium-sized creature can climb or jump onto the top of a column as a move action. A small-sized creature (such as any of the opposing goblins) requires a full-round action to climb onto the top of a column. Creatures on the top of a column are “above the fray” and not subject to any of the effects of the Golden Zipper, which only moves at the ground level.Skink VictoriousAssuming that the PCs manage to overcome the Golden Zipper and the flying goblin Mouth-Oil to win the Quittits match for Skink, he will be declared the contest winner and accepted into Worgheart’s Academy. At any rate, as honored guests, they will be invited by Worgheart himself to stay for a feast the following day and to avail themselves of the facilities, including any of the classrooms (where they may be able to craft some magic items, reduce magic items to their component residuum, etc.) and particularly to use the Great Library.If it occurs to them (and Skink will inadvertently drop hints if it does not) the PCs may be able to use the facilities of Worgheart’s Academy (beginning with the Library, then the Magical Component Storage, then the appropriate Classroom, etc.) to “repair” the Arrow of Evil Undone. Of course Skink has no interest in helping the PCs on this particular task but he is so hapless that the PCs may be able to use him nevertheless.The Arrow of Evil Undone is a potent magical item even in its unintended altered state. If the PCs desire to alter the arrow, they should be successful in that task. The PCs will have an opportunity to use the arrow on Worgheart himself, during the feast in their honor. Worgheart sits at the head of a long table full of goblin apprentices of varying skill. If a fight breaks out during the feast, it may take some time for the goblins to realize that it is anything other than the usual dinner pastime—indeed the DM may have a fight break out before the PCs act to give them cover for their actions.DenouementAssuming the PCs have seen some measure of success in their task, they will have made a useful ally in Wizen, who can provide them with the usual “friendly wizard” services. If the PCs were unsuccessful, Wizen will still be disposed to help them from time to time, but they may not get exactly what they bargain for if Apprentice Skink is still around to muck up the works.IngredientsInvisible Tavern-- the "visible" testament to the forgetful apprentice's mishapsGolden Zipper-- the "zippy" golden ball that is the object of the Quittits match, it zips and unzips shadowstuff in its pathForgetful Apprentice-- SkinkContest Winner-- Skink (hopefully)Flying goblin-- the opposing team's Brain-Fuggler, Mouth-OilArrow of Evil Undone-- another of the forgetful apprentice's "accidents" and a useful tool to win the match and (perhaps) end Worgheart</blockquote>

Verification