D&D 5E (2014) please help me develop this memorable scene (and reward)

[pukunui]

Hi all,

I've got what I think is an epic moment for one of the PCs in my Tyranny of Dragons campaign. The PC in question is a LG noble fighter from Baldur's Gate. The group just arrived there last session, where I had the PC's brother inform her that their late father had been doing some research into the family heirloom greataxe she carries around. The brother had continued the research and concluded that the PC's axe could be just a replica of the original - purportedly magical - greataxe wielded by the family's progenitor, who was buried somewhere in the necropolis beneath the cemetery in Tumbledown. So the PCs went to investigate and, of course, found undead.

Next session they should be able to get through the undead and make their way into the necropolis. All I've got so far is that the axe works as a key to open the tomb. I'm thinking maybe there's a statue of the ancestor, which bears a striking resemblance to the PC, that looks like it should be wielding something. The axe can then be slotted into the statue's hands, which opens the tomb doors.

Once this happens, the ancestor's spirit will manifest and talk to the PC about how she's been watching her progress for some time and wishes to help her in her quest (to defeat the Cult of the Dragon).

From here, I can either make it so that the axe is indeed a replica and the "real" one is in the tomb. OR I can make it so the axe *is* the real thing but it wasn't ever magical before ... but now the ancestor is going to make it magical by possessing it with her spirit, turning it into a sentient magic weapon.

Do you think that's memorable enough, or should I make accessing the tomb a bit more of a challenge?

I'm also having a little trouble settling on what exactly I want the axe to do. I'm thinking that the ancestor's spirit would want to help the PC fulfil her destiny. It might also act as a kind of guardian. Now, the thing is, there are heaps of different ways in which I could represent all that mechanically. Furthermore, the PC's family name is "Stormwind", which has also given me some ideas.

The simplest thing would be to give the axe the Guardian special property. I'd also like it to have the thrown property. But then I got thinking about that family name, and I think it could also potentially be fun to give it one or more of the following spells: thunderous smite, thunderwave, investiture of wind, storm sphere, warding wind. I could also potentially give it a 1/day use of the tempest cleric's Wrath of the Storm ability.

On top of that, I was looking at some of the sample sentient items, and I like how blackrazor can cast haste on its wielder, but it chooses when to cast it and it maintains concentration for the wielder. I was thinking I could have the axe do something similar, but with a spell like warding wind instead. That spell has some drawbacks, and I could potentially complicate matters by having the ancestor's spirit choose to put the spell up at an inopportune time. Maybe later, when the PC is a higher level, I could upgrade the spell to investiture of wind instead. (The PCs are only 4th level, so I'm not sure I want to give one PC the ability to fly just yet.)

I suppose I could even stick with blackrazor's haste spell and just describe the effect as the PC being imbued with the power of storm winds or something.

I could even potentially make it something of a trick, and have the spirit be not all that nice. Maybe the axe ends up becoming like a sword of vengeance, with the ancestor being a "vengeful spirit" that wants to use the PC to get revenge against someone. That might be a little mean, though. (I just like the idea that magic items aren't always 100% beneficial power-ups; some are dangerous and might backfire or have unintended side-effects or whatever. Be careful what you wish for and all that.)

I just can't make up my mind!

That's why I'd like some help. Has anyone got any ideas on fleshing out the crypt scene? Is having the axe function as a key work well enough, or should there be some other aspect to it? Should there be some other kind of puzzle or challenge to overcome before I grant access to the tomb? Should I include any other treasure besides the axe? Should I have it be that the axe is a replica and the real magical one is in the tomb, or should I make it so the axe is the real thing and have the ancestor's spirit transform it into a sentient magical weapon? And what should I have the axe be able to do, at least to begin with?

Please help! I'm suffering from some decision paralysis here.

 

[EdL]

An idea might be to have the real one in the crypt, along with some obvious treasure. If the PC asks for the axe, and doesn't take anything else, she is worthy of its full potential. Otherwise...

 

[pukunui]

An idea might be to have the real one in the crypt, along with some obvious treasure. If the PC asks for the axe, and doesn't take anything else, she is worthy of its full potential. Otherwise...

That's an interesting idea.

"Choose wisely ..." and all that.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

The axe can literally cut the wind - when thrown, the PC is able to be 'sucked along' this frictionless space where it's blade has cut the air and gives the effect of (a) a ranged attack up to, say 30'? and (b) the PC being sucked along can immediately grasp the weapon again now at close quarters without using up any movement to do so. Can also double as an emergency escape route if thrown across that pit trap etc.

Or - more colour than anything else, on a crit, it makes it rain for 1 minute. Even underground.

 

[pukunui]

Hmm. I had considered letting the wielder teleport to where the axe ends up when its thrown, but I dunno. I think just letting it function as a boomerang is good enough. I don't want it to be too fiddly.

In terms of the tomb: I think I want some sort of test designed to prove that the PC is a member of the family and not just some tomb robber who happens to have gotten her hands on the family axe. It needs to be something that only she can do because of her bloodline.

If that's too tricky, then maybe I could run with the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade theme but have a room full of axes instead of grail cups. Perhaps the ancestor's spirit appears and commands the PC to choose the right axe to place in the hands of the statue. Some of the axes will be old and rusty, others will be plain but serviceable, while others will be encrusted with gems or whatever. The trick - which I would need to telegraph somehow - is that the correct axe is the one the PC has already got.

Once she places her axe into the statue's hands, it becomes magical.

 

[Herobizkit]

Sentient/possessed axe that can be hurled (like a Dwarven Thrower) and generate warding wind?

Sign me up. If your player wants anything more than that, they're greedy.

 

[pukunui]

My player doesn't know anything about my plans for her PC's axe. It's a surprise!

 

[jayoungr]

To verify bloodline, how about a door that can only be passed by offering a few drops of blood? The door itself will know if the blood comes from one of the ancestor's descendants and won't unlock for anyone else. Add a cryptic inscription to hint at what needs to be done.

A fancier variation that I remember hearing in a podcast a few years ago is to have a hollow key that has to be filled up with blood before using it. Again, it only works if the blood comes from the proper bloodline.

BTW, do you envision this being a solo side-quest for the PC, or do you expect the rest of the party to come along as well?

If you decide to use the "choose wisely" idea, then one thing that could happen is that anything except the axe the PC asks for will animate and must be defeated before the PC can take the axe. You can scale the difficulty of the animated items based on how many in the party will be fighting them.

 

[pukunui]

To verify bloodline, how about a door that can only be passed by offering a few drops of blood? The door itself will know if the blood comes from one of the ancestor's descendants and won't unlock for anyone else. Add a cryptic inscription to hint at what needs to be done.

A fancier variation that I remember hearing in a podcast a few years ago is to have a hollow key that has to be filled up with blood before using it. Again, it only works if the blood comes from the proper bloodline.

Hmm. Yeah, I suppose something like that could work. I suppose I could also do something like have a magic field in the door that blocks anyone who isn't a member of the family from entering.

BTW, do you envision this being a solo side-quest for the PC, or do you expect the rest of the party to come along as well?

I'm not sure. I think if I were to go with the above and make it so that only the family member PC can enter the crypt, then it'd have to be a solo thing, and it'd have to be short, so the rest of the group isn't twiddling their thumbs for too long.

If you decide to use the "choose wisely" idea, then one thing that could happen is that anything except the axe the PC asks for will animate and must be defeated before the PC can take the axe. You can scale the difficulty of the animated items based on how many in the party will be fighting them.

Are you suggesting that would happen no matter what they choose? Or only if they choose the wrong one?

 

[jayoungr]

Are you suggesting that would happen no matter what they choose? Or only if they choose the wrong one?

Only if they choose wrongly. The greedier they are, the harder the fight. (This is as an alternative to "You chose wrongly, so you don't get the axe.")