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Shamss01
Acolyte
1 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 01:00:24
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Level Range: 4-6
Setting: The High Forest in the northern reaches of Faerûn, near the town of Loudwater.
Adventure Hook:
While resting in Loudwater, the adventurers hear whispers of an ancient tower hidden deep within the High Forest. This tower, called Darkwatch, was once the home of a powerful wizard from the era of Netheril, a long-fallen magical empire. Rumors say that the tower has recently reappeared after centuries of being hidden by illusionary magic. Strange creatures now emerge from the forest, harassing local villages and stirring fear among the wood elves of the region.
The villagers plead for help, offering a reward of ancient maps and scrolls for those brave enough to investigate. Unbeknownst to them, the tower holds not only treasure but also a fragment of Mythallar, an artifact of immense power linked to the ancient Netherese flying cities.
Part 1: Into the High Forest
The party is tasked with traveling through the dense, mystical High Forest to find the location of Darkwatch Tower. Along the way, they must contend with:
Elven Scouts: The wood elves of the forest are suspicious of outsiders. The party must convince them that their intentions are noble or face ambushes from unseen archers and druids.
Forest Spirits and Guardians: Nature spirits and awakened creatures (like a wise old treant or a swarm of animated plants) may either aid or hinder the party’s journey depending on how they treat the forest.
The dense woods are full of magical creatures, including displacer beasts, faerie dragons, and quicklings. Strange magical anomalies affect the region, altering spells or causing sudden bursts of wild magic.
Part 2: The Tower of Shadows
The Darkwatch Tower itself is a towering, blackened structure that seems to bend and warp light around it, causing strange illusions. When the party arrives, they notice the tower’s top is shattered, suggesting a cataclysmic event in the past.
Key challenges inside the tower include:
Magical Traps: Left behind by the long-dead wizard, these traps test not just the party's strength but also their wits. Arcane symbols shift along the walls, requiring magical knowledge or puzzle-solving skills to avoid harm.
Haunted Echoes: The ghosts of the Netherese wizards still linger, bound to the tower by unfinished business. The adventurers may encounter these spectral beings in dreams or while exploring, revealing clues or riddles tied to the tower’s secrets.
Shadows of Netheril: As the party delves deeper, they uncover ancient Netherese constructs like shield guardians or magewrought golems, remnants of the wizard’s experiments.
Part 3: The Forgotten Artifact
At the heart of the tower lies the shattered remains of a Mythallar, a powerful magical artifact that once allowed Netherese cities to float. Its broken pieces still hum with latent power, and the party can feel magic pulse in the air.
However, a shadow drake, a malevolent creature infused with Netherese magic, guards the Mythallar’s remains. The drake has been corrupted by the artifact’s power and must be defeated to gain access to the Mythallar. The party also faces the risk of the Mythallar's unstable magic unleashing dangerous, reality-warping effects during the battle.
Part 4: The Dilemma
Once the shadow drake is defeated, the party must decide what to do with the artifact. While it is broken, the Mythallar still holds great potential. The wood elves, who arrive after sensing the disturbance, insist it should be destroyed to prevent further corruption of the forest. However, powerful factions—such as the Zhentarim, Red Wizards of Thay, or even the Harpers—may also have their eyes on this relic.
The adventurers must choose:
Destroy the Mythallar, earning the favor of the wood elves and nature spirits but losing the potential power it holds.
Attempt to repair the Mythallar, risking the wrath of the forest but possibly gaining access to ancient Netherese magic.
Sell it or give it to a faction, which could lead to dangerous future consequences or powerful alliances.
Aftermath:
The decision the adventurers make will ripple through the region:
If they destroy the artifact, the High Forest becomes more peaceful, and the adventurers gain lasting allies in the wood elves.
If they keep it or give it to a faction, they might face future threats from rival groups, and their decisions could affect the balance of power in the region.
As they leave the Darkwatch Tower, they feel a sense that their actions have reawakened something deep within the High Forest. The shadows of Netheril may have been quiet for now, but they will not remain silent forever…
Notable NPCs:
Elorathiel Amastacia: A wood elf druid who believes the tower is a blight on the forest. She distrusts outsiders but can be a valuable ally if convinced of the party's good intentions.
Valthrun the Prescient: A scholar and mage from Waterdeep who has been studying Netherese ruins. He offers insights into the Mythallar and Netheril's history.
The Shade of Karsis: A ghostly fragment of Karsus, the ancient Netherese archmage who once tried to seize the power of the goddess Mystryl. He appears in visions, offering cryptic advice to those who explore the tower.
Rewards:
Magical Items: The tower contains Netherese relics, such as a Wand of Wild Magic, a Ring of Spell Storing, or enchanted armor that still holds traces of ancient magic.
Historical Knowledge: If the party gathers the Netherese lore, it could be invaluable to scholars or factions.
Alliances: Depending on their choices, they could forge bonds with factions like the Harpers, Zhentarim, or the wood elves.
Themes:
Mystery and Discovery: The adventure revolves around uncovering the secrets of a lost age of magic and the lingering consequences of its hubris.
Nature vs. Magic: The High Forest and its denizens represent nature's balance, while the tower represents the corruption and power of unchecked magic.
Moral Choices: The party’s decisions about the Mythallar can lead to consequences far beyond the adventure, reflecting the recurring theme in Forgotten Realms lore of magic’s potential for both creation and destruction.
This adventure offers exploration, mystery, and moral dilemmas, tying into the rich history of the Forgotten Realms and the powerful magical legacy of the Netherese Empire.https://rpgguild.shop/collections/elf-5e
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
931 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2024 : 19:48:04
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| By "...holds traces of ancient magic...", were you thinking of a quasi-magical item that works with a mile or so of the Mythallar shards? The Netherese lore probably should be written in Loross. As far as the shadow drake is concerned, how about you have its lifespan prolonged from the days of Netheril? The archwizard who bound the drake gave it all sorts of extra arcane abilities. The PC's can fool around and find out the hard way what arcane abilities. |
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Echoes of the Darkwatch Tower
