Side Quest and Storyline help

[drowjoe]

I’m running a campaign and the main overall plot is the Yuan-Ti are bringing back a Deity banished from the prime material plane some 2500 yrs ago during the Reptilian Wars. During these wars the races banded together to defeat this threat. Drow, Dwarves, Elves, Druegar, Humans, etc.. all fought together side by side to eliminate this threat.
In doing so they banished the Yuan-Ti god from the world and basically put a stop to the Yuan-Ti’s plans.
Now it’s today and this threat is again being awoken. The Yuan-Ti are again gathering in force and are currently bringing their deity back to the prime plane.
The party has learned about the Yuan-Ti and have received information about a weapon used to banish the Yuan-Ti 2500 years ago. This weapon was split into 3 parts and each part was given to the 3 races, Humans, Dwarves, and Elves. They have gotten clues as to the location of the items and also have 3 other clues which they can’t read. They are wriitten in a forgotten language.
They are currently entering the ruins of an old city that existed during the Reptilian Wars and is currently occupied by a thieves guild on the upper parts of the ruins. This is the minor obstacle that need to circumvent. They know they need to make their way to the lower levels of the ruined city. Down there is a Lich which has knowledge of this lost language. This Lich is a Good Lich and is there to protect the old tomes within these ruins.
Now my dilemma;
How do I handle the encounter with the Lich? I know he’s not just going to give the party the information they require, but what could I have him have them do in exchange for this information.
This party is level 5. This Lich is built from a level 17 Wizard.
Clearing out the thieves guild above the ruins is a given. But any other ideas of what I could have this Lich bestow upon the party.

 

[justinsluder]

Well, after such a long time the Lich could be growing tired of it's duties and want a chance to get out and do something different.

Or, it could have noticed that somehow, a volume is missing from the books and it tasks the party with retrieving the tome. The Lich doesn't care how the party gets the tome back, just that they do it.

With the Lich being 17th level it could easily incapacitate the party making the false assumption that they are the ones who stole the tome first.

Just some ideas. If you need anything specific for them to fight just make a request here.

Good luck,

Justin

 

[Tangent Loki]

You enter a well filled room. It has large volumes on shelves. Dusty glyphs marking the bindings.

In the center of the room is a chair, wherein is crusted a skeletal shape. Age has long worm the flesh from these bones. and it is clothed in a loose burgundy robe.

A sound of striking stones fills the room and a voice etched by age mumbles into your minds.

"I know why you are here. Do I not. I have been here for so long. So long. And I grow weary of the thieves guild above me. You are here for the sword are you not? You want the weapon that could banish a god? But why do you want it yes? Why. You have a test in three's to complete. If you are successful then return and I will read the scroll I wrote so long ago. Ages it seems. Ages. and if you fail return only to your doom."

the first test will be simple to retrieve a statuette stolen from the lich, one of his life's love (that is also his phylactery) it was stolen by the theives guild and sits in the head thief's den upon his desk thy are told.

it isn't there. it is in the side quarters clutched inthe arms of the theive's guid's leader's five year old daughter. Now convince her to give up her favorite toy. the one that reminds her of mommy.
--the test is actually to show a good heart, by either persuading the child, or leaving the toy in her care, and taking her from the thieves guild. If succeeded reward them with an item to help complete the second test. It rests on the mantle and luminesces faintly (it is a sphere of air well it creates one)

the second test is to answer the riddle of the sphinx in your ruins. It has long plagued the lich what the answer would be.

It lives on the far side through some water hazards and trapped in a grotto. the sphinx will tell the answer if you can get her out of the collapsed shrine, or if you guess it right.

She will also reward with the location of the shrines ancient vault wherein a lot of gold and gems are stored ( but hard to remove) and request that you each only take one of it's possessions out of respect to those who worshipped there. (there is a finely gilt sword, some burnished shields. Ceremonial knives. and a few helms with sphinx's carved on them. As well as one suit of armor.

The lich rewards you with a ring and the third quest.

Bring the witchfire which haunts the graves, you have seven nights to bring it or return having failed.

--the last test is courage there will be no witchfire but a willo-wisp. and you wont catch it.

But you will return because you are heroes and will return the ring. (which consequently only gives you see invis to see the wisp)

if they return without the wisp and offer humble apologies they are rewarded with the translation and a powerful ally.

A figurine of wonderous power to guard them and keep them safe on their journeys (two golden lions maybe?)

if they have failed these tests he will refuse to del with them and tells them to leave his place now.

and to not return on pain of death. to go see if 'Muddlewart' will help them for they will find no aid here.

Muddlewart can be an extreemely knowledgeable but tricky fey.

also. the skeleton is not the lich.

he just serves as a source for communication, if they try to attack the skeleton they will find thehir attacks rebuffed by a wall of force.

and then promptly heighten slept, enervated, exhausted, or whatever else you have.