D&D 5E (2014) please help me develop this memorable scene (and reward)
- Thread starter pukunui
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pukunui
Legend
I haven't played either of those games, though I think the player in question has played Skyrim. I'd be happy for it to be obvious. That doesn't really bother me. What bothers me is that I'm drawing a blank on the details. I know what I want to do in broad strokes but can't seem to come up with the nitty-gritty. And I've been unable to find anything useful in any of my paper resources or online.
pukunui
Legend
Here's kinda what I'm thinking at the moment, though I'm still very much unsure:
1) There's the main crypt, with a sarcophagus in the center and a tapestry of the PC's ancestor hanging on the wall behind. The tapestry depicts the ancestor gesturing (at the sarcophagus) with her axe. The idea being that the PCs are supposed to take that as a clue to look inside the sarcophagus, which turns out to be more like a well, with a shaft leading down into the darkness.
2) At the bottom of the shaft is a room with old frescoes depicting the ancestor battling various monsters, including a minotaur. On one wall there's a frieze of the ancestor brandishing her axe. On the opposite wall is a pair of iron doors bearing the following inscription: "Voiceless I cry, wingless I flutter, toothless I bite, mouthless I mutter, what am I?"
3) When the correct answer is given, the doors blow open to reveal a 60-foot long corridor with a permanent gust of wind spell blowing down it. Everyone except the PC whose ancestor is buried here has disadvantage on their Strength save against the spell.
4) At the opposite end of the corridor is another chamber with a skeletal minotaur guarding it. Besting the minotaur allows access to the real tomb of the ancestor.
5) In the tomb is a statue of the ancestor in the same pose as the frieze, but without anything in her hands. The idea is for the PC to put her axe in the statue's hands.
I'm more or less happy with this, though I think some of the details - and maybe even the order - could do with some tweaking.
I'm still unsure as to whether or not I should make it so her current axe gets transformed into or replaced with a magical version.
If I go with the former, I could use the Last Crusade theme, and make it so she's supposed to pick the "correct" axe to put in the statue's hands. If she puts the right one in, it gets all magicked up.
I also figured out how to clue her in to the fact that it's meant to be the one she's already got: In the initial adventure hook, I had her brother mention that their father's research had suggested that the axe the PC carries is just a replica. So when she's looking around the earlier chambers, I'll make sure to mention that the axe she's got looks just like the one that her ancestor is depicted as wielding in the tapestry and the frescoes and such, whereas none of the other axes in the final chamber will look like it.
If I go with the latter, and make it so she replaces her current "replica" axe with the real original version, then I could just have it function as a key. She has to put it in the statue's hands and that unlocks the door to the ancestor's actual burial place, where she finds the real axe resting on top of her ancestor's body or something.
As for the axe itself: I'm still undecided on what exactly I want it to do as well. If I go with the ancestor's spirit inhabiting the axe thing, I might forego making it an actual sentient axe and just use some of the special properties in the DMG to emulate it (like giving it the Guardian and Confident properties, for instance).
I'm thinking, though, that for my own sanity, if nothing else, I should keep it simple to start with. So in addition to the above two properties, I'll either make it so she can throw it, make it so she can cast something like thunderous smite or thunderwave from it once a day, or give her a 1/day use of the tempest cleric's Wrath of the Storm feature.
As she gains levels, I can start powering it up more. So maybe I could upgrade the thrown property so it deals extra lightning or thunder damage (like a dwarven thrower), or make it so it can cast storm sphere or something from it as well.
Thoughts?
1) There's the main crypt, with a sarcophagus in the center and a tapestry of the PC's ancestor hanging on the wall behind. The tapestry depicts the ancestor gesturing (at the sarcophagus) with her axe. The idea being that the PCs are supposed to take that as a clue to look inside the sarcophagus, which turns out to be more like a well, with a shaft leading down into the darkness.
2) At the bottom of the shaft is a room with old frescoes depicting the ancestor battling various monsters, including a minotaur. On one wall there's a frieze of the ancestor brandishing her axe. On the opposite wall is a pair of iron doors bearing the following inscription: "Voiceless I cry, wingless I flutter, toothless I bite, mouthless I mutter, what am I?"
3) When the correct answer is given, the doors blow open to reveal a 60-foot long corridor with a permanent gust of wind spell blowing down it. Everyone except the PC whose ancestor is buried here has disadvantage on their Strength save against the spell.
4) At the opposite end of the corridor is another chamber with a skeletal minotaur guarding it. Besting the minotaur allows access to the real tomb of the ancestor.
5) In the tomb is a statue of the ancestor in the same pose as the frieze, but without anything in her hands. The idea is for the PC to put her axe in the statue's hands.
I'm more or less happy with this, though I think some of the details - and maybe even the order - could do with some tweaking.
I'm still unsure as to whether or not I should make it so her current axe gets transformed into or replaced with a magical version.
If I go with the former, I could use the Last Crusade theme, and make it so she's supposed to pick the "correct" axe to put in the statue's hands. If she puts the right one in, it gets all magicked up.
I also figured out how to clue her in to the fact that it's meant to be the one she's already got: In the initial adventure hook, I had her brother mention that their father's research had suggested that the axe the PC carries is just a replica. So when she's looking around the earlier chambers, I'll make sure to mention that the axe she's got looks just like the one that her ancestor is depicted as wielding in the tapestry and the frescoes and such, whereas none of the other axes in the final chamber will look like it.
If I go with the latter, and make it so she replaces her current "replica" axe with the real original version, then I could just have it function as a key. She has to put it in the statue's hands and that unlocks the door to the ancestor's actual burial place, where she finds the real axe resting on top of her ancestor's body or something.
As for the axe itself: I'm still undecided on what exactly I want it to do as well. If I go with the ancestor's spirit inhabiting the axe thing, I might forego making it an actual sentient axe and just use some of the special properties in the DMG to emulate it (like giving it the Guardian and Confident properties, for instance).
I'm thinking, though, that for my own sanity, if nothing else, I should keep it simple to start with. So in addition to the above two properties, I'll either make it so she can throw it, make it so she can cast something like thunderous smite or thunderwave from it once a day, or give her a 1/day use of the tempest cleric's Wrath of the Storm feature.
As she gains levels, I can start powering it up more. So maybe I could upgrade the thrown property so it deals extra lightning or thunder damage (like a dwarven thrower), or make it so it can cast storm sphere or something from it as well.
Thoughts?
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Andor
First Post
I like the set-up although I wouldn't straight up steal a riddle from the Hobbit, it's too much of a gimmie. Does it make sense that her ancestors would have put a minotaur skeleton down there?
For a bloodine test, you can't beat drawing real blood, although what should draw the blood is up to you. Thorns are a classic. Perhaps the PC must spill some of her blood on a small altar to some form of storm spirit (which might be confused with a demon if the party is lacking in identification skills, hilarity should ensue.)
As far as the Axe goes, maybe the Spirit imbues it with the Vind rune if you're a fan of the latest Unearthed Arcana. That even gives the PC the opportunity to pursue a PrC related to her families legacy. (And makes her the potential target of other would be Rune Lords trying to complete their "gather a rune" quests.)
For a bloodine test, you can't beat drawing real blood, although what should draw the blood is up to you. Thorns are a classic. Perhaps the PC must spill some of her blood on a small altar to some form of storm spirit (which might be confused with a demon if the party is lacking in identification skills, hilarity should ensue.)
As far as the Axe goes, maybe the Spirit imbues it with the Vind rune if you're a fan of the latest Unearthed Arcana. That even gives the PC the opportunity to pursue a PrC related to her families legacy. (And makes her the potential target of other would be Rune Lords trying to complete their "gather a rune" quests.)
Tanaka Chris
First Post
I'm thinking combine a few ideas.
1) Party goes for the quest to the Crypt, battles undead, sees a statue with open hand. (Greataxe is a key)
2) Secret door to tomb opens but the Greataxe is returned without the door closing.
3) Puzzles and challenges leading up to boss fight (Minotaur)
4) However in the FINAL chamber, a force field blocks all but those who are able to prove their bloodline.
5) Other PCs can watch as the Fighter solves the final puzzle.
6) The is a better statue in a similar pose to the first one outside, but this room is filled with all kinds of axes. Again the PC should (hopefully) figure out that the easy answer is right, she's already holding the axe. Her axe gets a magical upgrade, with potential for future upgrades, ancestral visitations etc at key points in the story to unlock more power.
1) Party goes for the quest to the Crypt, battles undead, sees a statue with open hand. (Greataxe is a key)
2) Secret door to tomb opens but the Greataxe is returned without the door closing.
3) Puzzles and challenges leading up to boss fight (Minotaur)
4) However in the FINAL chamber, a force field blocks all but those who are able to prove their bloodline.
5) Other PCs can watch as the Fighter solves the final puzzle.
6) The is a better statue in a similar pose to the first one outside, but this room is filled with all kinds of axes. Again the PC should (hopefully) figure out that the easy answer is right, she's already holding the axe. Her axe gets a magical upgrade, with potential for future upgrades, ancestral visitations etc at key points in the story to unlock more power.
pukunui
Legend
I think I'm OK with that. The player may have been named after a character from LotR, but I'm not sure she's got every little detail from the books memorized. She may not remember that little riddle. And even if she does? Meh. It's not really meant to be hard. It's meant to be a riddle that her character probably *would* know, given her family history.
That being said, if anyone's got a better idea, I'm open to alternatives.
I dunno. She's a 4th level PC. There aren't a whole lot of thematically appropriate (or CR-appropriate) monsters in the MM. I mainly just wanted something she would have a decent chance of beating in single combat (but that wasn't a push-over) ... and the fact that minotaurs are frequently depicted wielding greataxes was another draw. It could just be the reanimated remains of a minotaur the ancestor once bested in single combat perhaps. And there could be some lore to that effect in the father's/brother's research.
I was thinking of skipping the bloodline test, but this is actually a neat idea. I could go with Akadi maybe, the air elemental primordial. Or, if I wanted to make the ancestor a little sinister, maybe Talos or even Auril. Umberlee fits with Baldur's Gate, but she's more to do with watery storms than windy ones. I could also work in the little phrase my wife came up with: "Blood of my blood, breath of my breath". Maybe she needs to cut herself and put a few drops of her blood in a censer and then blow on it to make it burn away as smoke or something.
Some of those simple properties for the vind rune are pretty neat. I'm not sure I want to go the rune magic route, especially since it's still essentially a playtest idea, but I might steal a property or two for the axe.
Hmm. Maybe. That's kind of what I was going for with the gust of wind corridor. I'm anticipating that the fighter will be the only one to successfully get through it, but there is a possibility that the others might as well (especially since the druid is both a goliath and can turn himself into a bear).
As for the weapon, you reckon I should go with upgrading her existing weapon rather than replacing it?
Tanaka Chris
First Post
Well, I've seen people get mighty attached to their weapons that they've even rejected weapons that were technically better.
So a constantly upgrading weapon has a certain appeal and draw, especially seeing as you've introduced it as some sort of family heirloom.
pukunui
Legend
Yeah, fair enough. I think one could argue that the replacement is still technically just an upgrade, since the two axes would technically look identical, but I know what you mean. It's better to let her keep the actual physical thing she's already got and just make it better.
I think in terms of what it can do, I'll keep it very simple to start with. I'll give it the Guardian special property, which grants a +2 to Initiative, and the Confident quirk, which is really just fluff. These are, as I said above, to represent that little spark of sentience in the axe from the ancestor's spirit.
On top of that, I would like to either give it the basic thrown property (range 20/60 ft; instantly returns to you), or give it a limited number of charges that can be used to throw it with an extra effect (like +1d8 thunder damage or something).
What do you guys think?
At the moment, the PC is just chucking javelins when she can't reach an enemy. But she's very much built around swinging that greataxe. She's got Strength 18, the Great Weapon fighting style, and the GWM feat. (As an aside, it's worth noting that I can't recall the player ever using GWM's "power attack". Just the "cleave", and then only when she remembers or is reminded.) I thought it would be cool if she could throw her axe (not to mention thematic, given her surname).
I think in terms of what it can do, I'll keep it very simple to start with. I'll give it the Guardian special property, which grants a +2 to Initiative, and the Confident quirk, which is really just fluff. These are, as I said above, to represent that little spark of sentience in the axe from the ancestor's spirit.
On top of that, I would like to either give it the basic thrown property (range 20/60 ft; instantly returns to you), or give it a limited number of charges that can be used to throw it with an extra effect (like +1d8 thunder damage or something).
What do you guys think?
At the moment, the PC is just chucking javelins when she can't reach an enemy. But she's very much built around swinging that greataxe. She's got Strength 18, the Great Weapon fighting style, and the GWM feat. (As an aside, it's worth noting that I can't recall the player ever using GWM's "power attack". Just the "cleave", and then only when she remembers or is reminded.) I thought it would be cool if she could throw her axe (not to mention thematic, given her surname).
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