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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tinner" data-source="post: 2313998" data-attributes="member: 19667">The Broken Mirror BluesAn adventure for four PC’s of approximately 10th level.SUMMARYA xenophobic druid tests the PC’s for their suitability in defeating a legendary monster.BACKGROUNDThe druid Ayiana has a serious dilemma on her hands. With the recent demise of her mentor Tremayne, she inherited a great amount of responsibility she is not really prepared for. Her mentor had been instructing her in the arts of divination (Foresight) when he was struck down with a vision of impending doom throughout their domain. As her mentor’s life ebbed away he managed to pass his vision on to Ayiana, and charged her with seeing the matter resolved. Tremayne foresaw the arrival of a beast from the abyss, which would lay waste to the domain of the Broken Mirror. He also saw the arrival of a group of noble heroes who would be the only ones capable of destroying the beast and returning the surrounding area to balance.The beast Tremayne saw in his vision was an Abyssal Greater Basilisk. The Basilisk arrived in the Broken Mirror nearly one month ago, and since then, control over the area has rapidly slipped away from Ayiana. The local denizens of the Broken Mirror have had their life turned upside down. To make matters worse, after so many years of life in the wilds, Ayiana, must now confront her overpowering xenophobia if she is to locate the promised heroes and see the Broken Mirror set right.SETTINGThe Broken Mirror is a heavily forested chain of lakes. Seen from the high mountains surrounding the area, these bodies of water resemble nothing so much as a shattered mirror, it’s shards gleaming in the sunlight. Legends surround each of the “shards” attributing a wide variety of characteristics and properties to the waters. For example it is well known that those who risk a trip into the wilderness to drink from the Shard of Wealth will find their finances greatly improved. While several of these shards will be mentioned in this adventure, the exact number and effects of these shards is left for the DM to detail.SCALING THE ADVENTUREThis adventure can accommodate a fairly wide range of PC’s. DM’s can scale back the adventure by simply reducing the hit dice and class levels of all encounters by an appropriate amount. The adventure is even easier to scale upwards, by adding as many additional “Shard” encounters as desired. Suitable creatures to inhabit these shards include all kinds of aquatic creatures, fey, and animals, dire animals, as well as vermin. The presence and corrupting influence of the Abyssal Greater Basilisk could also warp many of the shards and their inhabitants. A swarm of fish or mosquitoes is no great challenges, but adding the Abyssal template to them could certainly add to the challenge.HOOKSGetting your PC’s into this adventure can be as simple as allowing a wandering group to discover this remote locale.Alternatively, it should be a simple matter to plant some rumors regarding the miraculous powers of the various Shards in the area. I can’t envision a group of adventurers that wouldn’t at least want a little sip from the Shard of Wealth. ;-)If the party contains a druid, they could be asked by other members of their faith to check on old Tremayne and his pupil.Divination magic could also give the PC’s the same vision Tremayne saw. Allowing them to believe themselves the only ones who can defeat this evil should serve as a powerful motivation to investigate this area.ENCOUNTERSThe Frightened DruidAyiana has never known another life aside from the wilderness. As such, she has never met another humanoid other than Tremayne. It is understandable then that she might be a little apprehensive around people. As such, when she learns of the presence of the PC’s within the Broken Mirror (Commune with Nature) she will be excited, and hopeful that they might be the promised saviors that will end the strife within the forest. Her excitement soon turns to dismay, when she realizes that her phobia is so strong, she is just unable to approach the PC’s.The solution she finds is two-fold. First, Ayiana can observe the PC’s with little risk of detection, by shadowing them in the misty form provided by the Wind Walk spell. Nestled in the bowl of the mountains, the occasional misty or fog should hardly be surprising to the PC’s.Ayiana also will manage to lead the PC’s through the trouble spots in the woods via the Animal Messenger spell. The PC’s can be lead to each encounter in turn by the arrival of various birds and beasts bearing scrolls. The DM should be aware of what animals he uses. If the PC’s are skittish, you could wind up with a series of dead messenger critters, and a group of PC’s with no idea where to go. The PC’s may be able to gain an ally if they are able to confront Ayiana without triggering her xenophobia. The Calm Emotions spell could be of great use here, as could an exceptionally good use of Diplomacy. Other spells that can help include Good Hope, Charm Person, or even Dominate Person. Ultimately this is up to the individual DM, but there is little to be gained by making the xenophobia “unbeatable” and the role-playing opportunities inherent in dealing with a druid who is literally terrified of the party, but unable to just let them go their merry way promise to be interesting.Vision of DoomThe first message Ayiana sends the PC’s will instruct them to travel to the Shard of Faeries. Ayiana will explain that since the arrival of the legendary beast (the basilisk) the local fey have been agitated. She will request that the PC’s act as her envoy to the local pixies and recruit their help in dealing with the basilisk. As usual in her messages, Ayiana will flatter the PC’s as “the promised champions of destiny”.Upon arriving at the Shard of Faeries, the PC’s will be met by ten very angry pixies, as well as their leader. Alert PC’s will notice that the leader is wearing spectacles.The Pixie leader Hucklepie (Male Pixie/Sorcerer 7, with Irresistible Dance) will immediately accuse the PC’s of being responsible for unleashing the “fell beastie” and dooming the Pixies to a life of plague and destruction. He will curse them for all sorts of hideous maladies his people are now suffering, and rattle of a litany of miseries he claims the PC’s are responsible for, including wasting sicknesses, leprosy, stillbirths, and any other horrible afflictions the DM cares to mention.  A simple Heal check will reveal that none of the pixies visible here are suffering from any of the aforementioned maladies, and yet the leader will continue to point to his people and decry the PC’s for the vile tortures each pixie is suffering.Detect Magic reveals that the glasses the pixie leader wears are both magical and radiate necromancy. In reality, the goggles are a pair of cursed Eyes of Doom. While they do function normally as Eyes of Doom, these glasses also curse the wearer with visions of decay and despair. Couples that with the leaders own distrust of “big folk” and the PC’s have their work cut out for them.Ideally, the PC’s will detect the magic glasses and seek to break the curse, freeing the pixies and gaining a valuable ally against the basilisk. If the PC’s falter here, they may be dealing with a battle against some well armed fey (they have sleep arrows) on the faeries’ home turf. The pixies will fight at the greatest range possible, to get the most benefit from their small bows and sleep arrows.  Ideally, they will fire down on the PC's from the treetops at extreme range. A simple matter in a forest filled with towing trees. This tribe specializes in distance fighting, and makes good use of the Far Shot Feat. If push comes to shove, the pixies attempt to immobilize the PC’s for later sacrifice to the “fell beastie”. The DM can then allow them a fighting chance against the basilisk, or let their capture be reason enough for Ayiana to defeat her xenophobia and come to their rescue.The BasiliskAfter the PC’s have passed through whatever other shards the DM chooses to use as tests for them. (See Scaling the Adventure above.) They will eventually be led/directed to the Shard of Poisons. One of the more shallow shards, this lake is filled with brackish water, and choked with large stumps and sticky waterweeds. The battle with the basilisk will be made more treacherous by the environment. Tripping roots and hidden underwater obstacles, as well as the basilisks spell resistance and natural hiding ability will hinder the PC’s in battling this enemy. To tweak this final encounter feel free to modify the encounter based on what help the PC’s have been able to recruit. If they have helped Ayiana overcome her xenophobia, or cured the madness of the pixies, they will have some powerful allies aiding them. It’s only fair then that the DM should make the single Basilisk a mated pair, or even adding Hit Dice to the monster.WRAPPING IT UPDepending on how the PC’s handle the events in this adventure, a number of branches can be spun off. Obviously if the basilisk is not driven off, it will continue to prey on the creatures of the Broken Mirror. Even if the beast is destroyed, the pixies will continue to suffer until the curse is broken. If the PC’s were forced into a fight with the pixies, other inhabitants of the Shard of Faeries may be out for a little revenge. And if Ayiana never manages to overcome her xenophobia, the Broken Mirror will continue to lack a strong defender, leading to more opportunities for adventure.INGREDIENT SUMMARYAbyssal Greater BasiliskThe final foe the PC’s face in the adventure, the legendary beast seen in Tremayne’s vision.Eyes of DoomA cursed pair of these is the cause behind the current state of unrest in the Pixies of the Shard of Faeries.Far ShotThe specialty of the pixies of the Shard of Faeries.Broken MirrorBoth the name, and the appearance of the lakes and forest that comprise the adventure's setting.Wind WalkThe spell Ayiana uses to follow the PC’s at a distance undetected.XenophobiaThe irrational and overwhelming fear of strangers that Ayiana suffers from.</blockquote>

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