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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 205431" data-attributes="member: 11">ExampleBy our very own Pielorinho!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------IngredientsCarnivalManticoreCrystal Hypnosis BallStirgesCon GamesGiant SnakesThis adventure is suitable for seventh-level characters, roughly.Background: Twenty years ago, Nipazir the manticore nearly made a fatal mistake: the cavern complex he decided to make into his new lair turned out to be the home of Kyrchthi the lich. Just before Kyrchthi snapped her fingers and disintegrated the intruder, she thought of a use for him. Years ago, she’d created a crystal hypnosis ball to snare a particularly meddlesome rival. It had worked, but since then it had fallen into the hands of a band of traveling gypsies, and was being used by a third-rate wizard for whom she could care less. She’d thought of reeling in the wizard and using him for experiments, but it seemed worthless. Now, she had an idea.These days, the more-powerful wizard travels with the gypsies and participates in their carnivals as “Oliman the All-Seeing”. He’s reasonably famous for his divinatory powers, but he doesn’t let everyone access them: instead, he tests the prowess of questioners, and only answers questions for those he deems worthy. The worthy ones are shown the crystal hypnosis ball, which always “answers” their questions by directing them to the nearest cave (and suggesting they go posthaste). Nipazir then eats them and brings their valuables to Kyrchthi to add to her hoard.The PCs need help from a sage, but they’re out in the boondocks. Lucky for them the carnival’s in town! It’s a sad carnival: a few flabby dancing bears, ripped-up tents, a chained goblin displayed as a baby hill-giant, that sort of rot. The main event Oliman’s Contest of Brains and Brawn, will attract some local toughs, but none of them will be able to defeat the various creatures summoned by Oliman. For the PCs, he’ll cast Summon Monster V twice, summoning giant fiendish constrictors.Assuming they beat the constrictors, he’ll take them into a small tent and reveal the crystal ball to them. It’ll show a nearby [edit: everything after here was typed after the deadline, just to show that I DID have a complete idea]cavern, intimating that it contains an altar on which there's something the players have been seeking; the only monsters it shows in the cavern are a hive of rust monsters. Simultaneously it'll suggest that the PCs not take any steel weapons or armor into the cavern, and that they leave for the caverns immediately.Nepizir, now a 12 HD manticore, is waiting in the depths of the cavern for victims to be sent to him. He chose a cavern infested by stirges, on the hopes that they would finish off any visitors and save him the trouble. Besides, he likes his meat dry. If he hears people effectively fighting the stirges, he'll come flying out and join the fray.Oliman is not expecting the PCs to return; if they do, he'll do his best to parley his way out of trouble. He is completely unaware that his cooperation with the manticore is magically compelled, but effective diplomacy can convince him of this.</blockquote>

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