Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
Misanthropic halfling
Unsteady ground
Amulet of the planes
Aquarium
Battlefield
Diseased paladin
OVERVIEW
The adventurers are hooked into this adventure by a powerful but otherwise seemingly insignifant item, the Amulet of the Planes. This particular Amulet is an intelligent item, created originally as a cursed item, but eventually awoken to sentience-- and a conscience. The amulet seeks now to redress certain wrongs for which it feels responsible (to wit, leaving folks stranded on various planes), and like any intelligent item worth its salt, is happy to use the unwitting PC's as its agents.
The adventure can be sprung on PCs of any level, though their ability to use plane shift and other such magic on their own can impact how they perceive the amulet’s value when it is first discovered. It will also be helpful if the party has access to legend lore or bardic knowledge, either through their own party members or through hired help.
Placing the amulet in their possession is left to the DM. Once the PCs have this item, the (rat bastard) DM can unfold the adventure upon them at his leisure. You may need to take steps to keep the players from out-and-out selling the amulet (see below).
Final note: Certain game effects/descriptions have been updated to 3.5.
DISCOVERY
The first likely interaction the PCs will have with the amulet is in trying to discover its powers. The center of the amulet is a stone of jet black with golden specks, but those who stare long enough will begin to see the image swirl, like the center of a constellation. This may give some clue to the amulet’s powers.
Detect magic reveals powerful conjuration (teleportation) magic (due to the innate plane shift power of the amulet). An identify spell will reveal that the item’s most powerful power is plane shift.
In addition to revealing the command word and the basic function of the amulet, a bardic knowledge check or a legend lore will also reveal the following odd couplet:
This the Eighth Scion's twisted opus,
Conceit of success, now seeks redress.
In truth, this couplet is all that the amulet wishes to be revealed at this time. A second inquiry at this time or later, if gleaned by another method—if they used bardic knowledge the first time, require legend lore the second—may reveal another snippet:
Lion-Heart, ravenous, stripped, caught;
Set all to rights and gate is wrought.
USING THE AMULET
The first time, perhaps even the second time that the amulet is used, make sure that you require the intelligence check to use the amulet successfully, and furthermore make sure that you make this roll yourself, in secret. It is suggested that you “arrange” for the amulet to work flawlessly a time or two. Ere long the amulet will start to awaken again and assert its will on the PCs.
Once the amulet begins to awaken fully, it will take the PCs to their first unexpected destination. The character holding the amulet will feel a powerful empathic sadness—and with a Sense Motive check, perhaps a bit of guilt?—as soon as they arrive.
RAVENOUS
Instead of arriving at their expected destination, the amulet will take them on a little detour. It is time for them to meet the diseased paladin.
The PCs suddenly find themselves on shifting, cracked, red and black earth. The wind howls deafeningly in their ears, whipping them with wind and hot ash. There is no sky; only grey. And all around them, as far as the eye can see, corpses stretch off into the distance, mostly mummified—there are no scavengers here to remove the dead.
The PCs should realize fairly quickly that they have arrived on the battleground of Acheron.
After a few moments, the players may Spot a figure rising slowly to its feet not far from their position. This unfortunate soul was one of the early victims of the cursed amulet: A paladin who hoped only to find battle against evil. For him, the amulet provided a one way trip to Acheron. There were enemies aplenty here to fight—both living and dead; there was precious little to eat. The paladin succumbed eventually to hunger; and from that desperation to cannibalism. Thus (perhaps unrighteously) stripped of his paladinhood by this outrage, he eventually succumbed to ghoul fever. The paladin is tall, gaunt, covered in filth. His armor hangs in tatters; his weapons are pitted and rusty. The rampant lion on his tabard is nearly obliterated with gore.
The diseased paladin no longer has any of his paladin abilities, and he is essentially a fighter. Fortunately, the addition of the Ghoul template, in conjunction with his high Charisma, makes him a formidable foe. The save DC for his paralysis is 10 + half his level + his Charisma bonus—and remember that the Ghoul template should add Charisma to his already impressive total. In addition, the terrain favors him. Spellcasters should have to make Concentration checks to cast spells with a verbal component. The shifting ash beneath the characters’ feet counts as unstable ground and requires frequent Balance checks to avoid falling down when moving at over half speed.
You can decide here on the amulet’s goals. The most straightforward approach is to simply have them slay the paladin and consecrate his corpse, giving him a proper burial. If they fail to slay the paladin, or fail to give him a burial to suit the amulet, they may soon find themselves right back in the same place again to finish the job. The amulet will bring them back here until it is satisfied—and its empathic abilities will show anger and frustration the longer it takes. As a twist, you may wish to require the players somehow “cure” the paladin, or at least return his soul to life. The paladin will thank them and may even join them, if they have caught on to the fact that the amulet is pursuing some greater goal of vengeance and can explain this to his satisfaction.
FOR RAT BASTARDS ONLY
The DM has the option now of sending the PCs on a “Quantum Leap” like crusade to right as many wrongs as the amulet chooses. The amulet should grow in sentience and in power as the PCs adventure—at some point it may even begin to communicate telepathically or through speech, instead of merely empathy. The amulet will definitely seek to impose its Ego over its wielder, and may even have a dimensional anchor power to help enforce its will and pursue its special purpose, seemingly indefinitely.
The players may enjoy these occasional side jaunts, or they may seek to rid themselves of the amulet. Remember, the amulet is not only cursed, it is a powerful magic item in its own right, and will do everything in its power to enforce its will.
Only one task, if completed, will satiate the amulet, unlocking all of its powers along with all of its cooperation and gratitude.
THE WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Through further investigation, the PCs may eventually discover the creator of the amulet. Whether or not they can track him to his remote domain, once prompted, the amulet will take action to deliver them to the proper place.
Depending on the PCs power level, you can make this as hard or as easy as you like. The wizard’s domain is safe on the Elemental Plane of Water. If the PC’s can survive the journey, you may have them journey towards (and through) the wizard’s coral castle. The wizard hates visitors and trusts no one; his castle is amply trapped.
The inner sanctum is a large, round room with many wooden platforms extending to the top. The entire exterior of the inner sanctum is transparent glass; the ocean inhabitants can be seen swimming around outside. The bottom of the room gives way to an open-topped pool or aquariumwithin the larger aquarium—and it is filled with angry ocean creatures: vicious sea bass or somesuch.
The wizard is a misanthropic halfling by the name of Ix (though we will henceforth simply call him “the halfling”). To be precise, he is the eighth (and most demented) clone of the original wizard—who may or may not have even been a halfling. Other clones can still be seen floating in large tanks here and there on the various platforms, each seemingly smaller and more evil looking than the last. Half the size, twice the evil, as they say.
In addition, there are weapon racks, trunks full of items, tables covered in potions—all cursed. Whether this particular brand of misanthropy was passed on from the first wizard, or is merely a byproduct of many years of cloning, is hard to say. What is clear is that this little halfling prick loves to spread misery. After the players have spent some time suffering at the hands of his traps or cursed items (even if only from the amulet itself) they should be ready to dispense some frontier justice. The halfing wizard is in no mood to parlay with interlopers and will cut loose as soon as possible—from the safety of a projected image or somesuch.
The fight here should be appropriate to the level of the PCs. At the most basic level, it seems to require a wizard capable of creating the amulet, but there is no reason that Ix had to be the original creator. You can scale him to taste. A particularly evil angle is to make him an arcane trickster (why not? It’s a twink class, perfect for halflings…) with enough rogue levels for evasion and uncanny dodge—a little survivability in combat. Beef him up as necessary with golem servants (no living servants—after all, he hates everybody). The halfling will use illusion and subterfuge, free use of Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, though eventually falling back on threats (such as smashing the exterior aquarium and drowning everyone) and pathetic pleading for his life. The amulet will not be satisfied with anything short of his death and at any rate, he will attempt to escape as soon as possible if he is not handled with finality.
Unsteady ground
Amulet of the planes
Aquarium
Battlefield
Diseased paladin
OVERVIEW
The adventurers are hooked into this adventure by a powerful but otherwise seemingly insignifant item, the Amulet of the Planes. This particular Amulet is an intelligent item, created originally as a cursed item, but eventually awoken to sentience-- and a conscience. The amulet seeks now to redress certain wrongs for which it feels responsible (to wit, leaving folks stranded on various planes), and like any intelligent item worth its salt, is happy to use the unwitting PC's as its agents.
The adventure can be sprung on PCs of any level, though their ability to use plane shift and other such magic on their own can impact how they perceive the amulet’s value when it is first discovered. It will also be helpful if the party has access to legend lore or bardic knowledge, either through their own party members or through hired help.
Placing the amulet in their possession is left to the DM. Once the PCs have this item, the (rat bastard) DM can unfold the adventure upon them at his leisure. You may need to take steps to keep the players from out-and-out selling the amulet (see below).
Final note: Certain game effects/descriptions have been updated to 3.5.
DISCOVERY
The first likely interaction the PCs will have with the amulet is in trying to discover its powers. The center of the amulet is a stone of jet black with golden specks, but those who stare long enough will begin to see the image swirl, like the center of a constellation. This may give some clue to the amulet’s powers.
Detect magic reveals powerful conjuration (teleportation) magic (due to the innate plane shift power of the amulet). An identify spell will reveal that the item’s most powerful power is plane shift.
In addition to revealing the command word and the basic function of the amulet, a bardic knowledge check or a legend lore will also reveal the following odd couplet:
This the Eighth Scion's twisted opus,
Conceit of success, now seeks redress.
In truth, this couplet is all that the amulet wishes to be revealed at this time. A second inquiry at this time or later, if gleaned by another method—if they used bardic knowledge the first time, require legend lore the second—may reveal another snippet:
Lion-Heart, ravenous, stripped, caught;
Set all to rights and gate is wrought.
USING THE AMULET
The first time, perhaps even the second time that the amulet is used, make sure that you require the intelligence check to use the amulet successfully, and furthermore make sure that you make this roll yourself, in secret. It is suggested that you “arrange” for the amulet to work flawlessly a time or two. Ere long the amulet will start to awaken again and assert its will on the PCs.
Once the amulet begins to awaken fully, it will take the PCs to their first unexpected destination. The character holding the amulet will feel a powerful empathic sadness—and with a Sense Motive check, perhaps a bit of guilt?—as soon as they arrive.
RAVENOUS
Instead of arriving at their expected destination, the amulet will take them on a little detour. It is time for them to meet the diseased paladin.
The PCs suddenly find themselves on shifting, cracked, red and black earth. The wind howls deafeningly in their ears, whipping them with wind and hot ash. There is no sky; only grey. And all around them, as far as the eye can see, corpses stretch off into the distance, mostly mummified—there are no scavengers here to remove the dead.
The PCs should realize fairly quickly that they have arrived on the battleground of Acheron.
After a few moments, the players may Spot a figure rising slowly to its feet not far from their position. This unfortunate soul was one of the early victims of the cursed amulet: A paladin who hoped only to find battle against evil. For him, the amulet provided a one way trip to Acheron. There were enemies aplenty here to fight—both living and dead; there was precious little to eat. The paladin succumbed eventually to hunger; and from that desperation to cannibalism. Thus (perhaps unrighteously) stripped of his paladinhood by this outrage, he eventually succumbed to ghoul fever. The paladin is tall, gaunt, covered in filth. His armor hangs in tatters; his weapons are pitted and rusty. The rampant lion on his tabard is nearly obliterated with gore.
The diseased paladin no longer has any of his paladin abilities, and he is essentially a fighter. Fortunately, the addition of the Ghoul template, in conjunction with his high Charisma, makes him a formidable foe. The save DC for his paralysis is 10 + half his level + his Charisma bonus—and remember that the Ghoul template should add Charisma to his already impressive total. In addition, the terrain favors him. Spellcasters should have to make Concentration checks to cast spells with a verbal component. The shifting ash beneath the characters’ feet counts as unstable ground and requires frequent Balance checks to avoid falling down when moving at over half speed.
You can decide here on the amulet’s goals. The most straightforward approach is to simply have them slay the paladin and consecrate his corpse, giving him a proper burial. If they fail to slay the paladin, or fail to give him a burial to suit the amulet, they may soon find themselves right back in the same place again to finish the job. The amulet will bring them back here until it is satisfied—and its empathic abilities will show anger and frustration the longer it takes. As a twist, you may wish to require the players somehow “cure” the paladin, or at least return his soul to life. The paladin will thank them and may even join them, if they have caught on to the fact that the amulet is pursuing some greater goal of vengeance and can explain this to his satisfaction.
FOR RAT BASTARDS ONLY
The DM has the option now of sending the PCs on a “Quantum Leap” like crusade to right as many wrongs as the amulet chooses. The amulet should grow in sentience and in power as the PCs adventure—at some point it may even begin to communicate telepathically or through speech, instead of merely empathy. The amulet will definitely seek to impose its Ego over its wielder, and may even have a dimensional anchor power to help enforce its will and pursue its special purpose, seemingly indefinitely.
The players may enjoy these occasional side jaunts, or they may seek to rid themselves of the amulet. Remember, the amulet is not only cursed, it is a powerful magic item in its own right, and will do everything in its power to enforce its will.
Only one task, if completed, will satiate the amulet, unlocking all of its powers along with all of its cooperation and gratitude.
THE WIZARD BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Through further investigation, the PCs may eventually discover the creator of the amulet. Whether or not they can track him to his remote domain, once prompted, the amulet will take action to deliver them to the proper place.
Depending on the PCs power level, you can make this as hard or as easy as you like. The wizard’s domain is safe on the Elemental Plane of Water. If the PC’s can survive the journey, you may have them journey towards (and through) the wizard’s coral castle. The wizard hates visitors and trusts no one; his castle is amply trapped.
The inner sanctum is a large, round room with many wooden platforms extending to the top. The entire exterior of the inner sanctum is transparent glass; the ocean inhabitants can be seen swimming around outside. The bottom of the room gives way to an open-topped pool or aquariumwithin the larger aquarium—and it is filled with angry ocean creatures: vicious sea bass or somesuch.
The wizard is a misanthropic halfling by the name of Ix (though we will henceforth simply call him “the halfling”). To be precise, he is the eighth (and most demented) clone of the original wizard—who may or may not have even been a halfling. Other clones can still be seen floating in large tanks here and there on the various platforms, each seemingly smaller and more evil looking than the last. Half the size, twice the evil, as they say.
In addition, there are weapon racks, trunks full of items, tables covered in potions—all cursed. Whether this particular brand of misanthropy was passed on from the first wizard, or is merely a byproduct of many years of cloning, is hard to say. What is clear is that this little halfling prick loves to spread misery. After the players have spent some time suffering at the hands of his traps or cursed items (even if only from the amulet itself) they should be ready to dispense some frontier justice. The halfing wizard is in no mood to parlay with interlopers and will cut loose as soon as possible—from the safety of a projected image or somesuch.
The fight here should be appropriate to the level of the PCs. At the most basic level, it seems to require a wizard capable of creating the amulet, but there is no reason that Ix had to be the original creator. You can scale him to taste. A particularly evil angle is to make him an arcane trickster (why not? It’s a twink class, perfect for halflings…) with enough rogue levels for evasion and uncanny dodge—a little survivability in combat. Beef him up as necessary with golem servants (no living servants—after all, he hates everybody). The halfling will use illusion and subterfuge, free use of Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, though eventually falling back on threats (such as smashing the exterior aquarium and drowning everyone) and pathetic pleading for his life. The amulet will not be satisfied with anything short of his death and at any rate, he will attempt to escape as soon as possible if he is not handled with finality.