Shadows of the Forgotten Keep (5e Quest)
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Adventure Background[edit]
Hundreds of years ago, the powerful wizard Zyrelthar arrived at the Stonehelm Hill , and in secret built a laboratory in one of that hill's caves. Obsessed with immortality, the wizard conducted evil experiments with necromancy, using at first small animals and other forest creatures, and at some point, even humanoids. Elves from the Eldertree Woods (or Aranya'lyndra as the elves call it) have myths about a cruel witch or monster who they call "Maelindra", which is just a generic term for boogeyman.
Zyrelthar at some point discovered the secrets of lichdom, but after his transformation was completed, his laboratory was discovered by a group of mages designated by the same arcane order he once belonged to, who were aware of the wizard's foul plans, and were set in preventing it. A great battle ensued, with Zyrelthar being defeated, but killing all the mages, and mortally wounding the last one. Aware of the undead nature of their foe, they brought with them a magical item, a Soul Box, that could entrap Zyrelthar soul and prevent it from returning to the phylactery. The soul box slowly spread the corrupt power of Zyrelthar soul through the whole keep.
Hundred years later, when the dark tales about the necromancer under the hill were considered nothing more than horror tales told to scare children into sleeping on time or avoiding playing in the woods, Lord Cedric Blackthorn, recently named Baron in the Verdant Hollows valley, decided to built a keep near the borders of his domains, and move there with his family. He built a castle on top of Stonehelm Hill, either unaware or uncaring for the histories about Zyrelthar.
The Baron had good relations with the elves in the woods, specially due to the protection he offered to them, since they were constantly harassed by the orcs threatening the border. With time, however, something changed in the Baron. The Baron grew mad, which many attribute to a curse present in the hill. Whispers of the evil wizard under the hill drove him to paranoia, leading him to at first close off his keep, isolating himself and his family from the world outside. And, with years becoming decades, the baron was assumed dead, and his keep became a somber presence in the valley, and a place to be avoided, feared, casting a shadow on the Eldertree Woods, and being always a chilling remembrance to the inhabitants of the nearby walled town of Misthaven.
Recently, an orc tribe invaded and occupied the keep, and became a bigger threat to both the elves and the inhabitants of misthaven, as well as for travelers of those regions.
Overview[edit]
This adventure is centered around Zenthar, a wizard banished from Misthaven for meddling with necromancy. He was punished for stealing corpses from the cemetery and conducting twisted studies on them. Zenthar was member of the lord's council, a group of influential bourgeois in Misthaven, inheriting the fortune of his deceased father. He was always considered strange, and never was too keen on the political and mercantile affairs of the town. Upon the discovery of his infraction, he was destituted from his post on the town, had his fortune confiscated and was banished from Misthaven.
Now, Zenthar, plots revenge against the city. To accomplish that, and having nothing to lose, he ventured inside the Stonehelm Keep to find a legendary secret passage to the hidden laboratory, and finish what Zyrelthar started: building an army of the undead.
Aventure Locations[edit]
Summary. The main goal of the adventure is for characters to defeat an evil wizard that discovered a passage to the hidden Laboratory of Zyrelthar, and stop him from raising an undead army.
This is a site-based adventure, centered on the exploration of the Eldertree Woods and it's seven main locations, which can be done in a mostly soft-linear fashion (there are linearity, but players can circumvent some of it).
The areas are:
Act 1: Arriving at Misthaven. This is the introductory section of the adventure, were the players can through role-play or skill checks gather information about the Eldertree Woods. Here they can find information on the keep's history, discover about the necromancer banished from the city and find clues about most major plot points in this adventure.
Act 2: Eldertree Woods. The characters meet with the elves, which can be done through peaceful or non-peaceful means. If the interaction goes well, they can be entrusted with a mission (a side quest) by them: recover Sylvannah, the elvish community priestess and healer, who have been kidnapped by the orcs.
Act 3: Stonehelm Keep. The Orcs made the keep their own fortress, repairing the construction and making it function once again. Now, they pose a threat to the neighboring communities, constantly raiding travelers, and villagers, being held at bay by the fierce opposition of the elves. Here characters can defeat the orc leader and disperse the rest of the orcish warband.
Act 4: Laboratory of Zyrelthar. Eventually, the characters discover the hidden passage to the Lich’s laboratory, in which the vengeful wizard have been operating, little by little building an undead army to lay siege against misthaven.
In addition to those four acts, there are two optional ones, that work as both side quests and mini-dungeons, that can serve as a way to level the characters further, if you feel they are not strong enough to face a certain act, or as a means to playing with an incomplete party, without sacrificing your weekly rpg session: Mini-dungeon 2: Redfield Manor.
Mini-dungeon 2: Warg Den. In this session, players can fight of the Wargs brought by the orcs, and that have been causing trouble for the elves.
Mini-dungeon 3: Baron's Crypt. In this session, the heroes can free the baron's ghost from the material plane, and recover his personal treasure as a reward.
Hook[edit]
As a DM, i would encourage you to find hooks that are related to the character's background. However, here are presented some general hooks that can fit most adventurers, regardless of their personal stories:
Lost Treasures of the Baron: Adventurers can be drawn to the keep due to the reputation of the keep’s lord, the Baron, of being an extremely wealthy, who had no living heirs and whose treasure remains hidden within the walls of the keep.
Slaying The Orcs: The town burgomaster hired the heroes to hunt orcs. He is committed to pay 10 golden pieces for each orc head, or 5 golden pieces for orc ear brought to him. Also, he is willing to pay 100 golden pieces of they can bring him the orc’s chief head. The Burgomaster of the City is sympathetic to the elves in the forest, so he had pledged with the city lords the funding to hire mercenaries to drive off the orcs from the forest.
Searching for Tomb Robbers: They heard that the town's cemetery has been pillaged for a while, with tombs being found empty of corpses. The City Guard suspects that there’s a tomb robbing gang operating in the city and decided to hire adventurers to help in investigating the issue. This hook will ensure that the adventurers uncover the dark secret of the lich beneath the keep, and the history of the banished mage from the city for forbidden experiments.
Act 1: Arriving at Misthaven[edit]
back to overview
Misthaven is a town funded by the Merchant League, with the authorization of the valley's Baron. Originally the settlement was nothing more than a fortified trading outpost, created with the goal of protecting traders and merchants who used the to protect merchants and travelers crossing the valley from south to north.
- Government
The town's rule is split by two powers: the Burgomaster and the Lord's Council. The burgomaster is the leader appointed by the Baron to rule the city under him, while the Lord's Council is the government body designated by the Merchant League to represent its interests in the town.
- NPCS
- Lady Antoinette Blackthorne is one of the chairman in the Lords Council. She lives in the Blackthorn Manor, alongside with her consort Philip Blackthorne (actually an elf called Fyliel, who adopted a human name to be accepted amongst humans) and her butler, Theodor Husk.
- Glickwood: A gnome, former lawyer for the Redfield family.
A.1. Urban Exploration[edit]
While in Misthaven, the players can explore the city, searching for clues that can aid them in their mission, depending on their initial hook. Below are the information that can be revealed to the players, the NPC that can deliver that information and where the NPC can be found. Some information require a skill check to be collected, which is informed in front of it. The questions with general knowledge written in parenthesis can be revealed by any NPC.
A.2. Cemetery[edit]
Act 2: Eldertree Woods[edit]
back to overview
<- A stage is a chapter, or an important phase of the story. In a dungeon crawl, a stage would be one floor of the dungeon. In a more episodic, story-like adventure, a stage would be a series of connected scenes. ->
B.1 The Dishonored Guardian[edit]
B.2 Tree Tower[edit]
There are a couple of tree houses that serve as elvish outposts spread through the forest, usually camouflaged by the foliage.
Inhabitants[edit]
Elven archers keep guard on these towers. Each tower will typically have a two elven guards, and one of them is a bloodhawk tamer. The elven guards will be indifferent towards travelers unless provoked.
The interaction doesn't require checks to succeed, as long as the players are respectful, unless there are orcs and goblinoids amongst them, which will require a Charisma (Persuasion) DC 15 to convince them the players are not a threat.
A positive interaction will result in the elves agreeing in bringing the players to an audience with the elven queen. One of them will send the tamed hawk with a message, and few minutes later, one of the queen's personal guards will escort the players.
B.3 Herbalist Garden[edit]
The players encounter a cabin in the woods, and a vast garden in a clearing. This is the place were Sylvanna, the herbalist, grows the raw materials for her healing concoctions. The place is found unkempt since she was captured.
- Footprints
A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, or a DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check, will reveal footprints of orcs, that can be followed to the secret entrance to the keep, passing through the cave below the ravine. The cave below the ravine also serves as the entrance for the Wolf's Den mini-dungeon.
B.4 The Stone Circle[edit]
B.5 Elven Village[edit]
B.6 The Eldertree[edit]
"A gigantic tree can be seen in the middle of the clearing, so big that his branches tower over all plant forms in the woods. The Eldertree, the tree that gives the woods their name, and that it is considered the source of life in this region. On his trunk, shaped with magic, a throne of wood, vines and leaves blend itself with the tree as if it had grew naturally on that form. A gorgeous elven lady, with hair with straw colored hairs that grew to her feet, rests there imposing."
Inhabitants[edit]
In the throne, the queen of the Eldertree Woods and of the elves is generally found, Sylvanna (she is a Dryad). A white wolf can always be found at her side, as a guardian and companion. Sylvanna is diplomatic, and will always attempt to negotiate or solve conflicts in a peaceful manner, but she turns hostile if characters have been needlessly cruel with woodland beings, or with the elves she considered her protegees.
Below are the answers she have for some questions the players might have by now:
B.7 The Stone Bridge[edit]
A stone bridge offers passage to the keep, crossing over the ravine. Both elves and orcs keep strict guard over the bridge, to ensure that enemies never cross each other's territory.
- Catapult
Most siege weapons in the old keep weren't useful anymore, but the orcs keep a catapult aimed towards the bridge, in case any invasor attempts invading through it. Elves are aware of the siege weapon, and alert the adventurers about it if they meet in good terms.
Inhabitant[edit]
<- Describe them. If they're supposed to fight, give them a stat block, link to a creature entry, or give a page reference to the MM. ->
Developments[edit]
<- List how the scene can change over time due to character actions. ->
Treasure[edit]
<- List any treasure the players might acquire, and how they would acquire it. ->
Act 3: Stonehelm Keep[edit]
back to overview
C.1. Walls of Stonehelm[edit]
" The once imposing walls of the Stonehelm Keep are decayed, but still hold strong despite their age. It is possible to see patches of rocks and wood in the places were the original wall crumbled - a crude work that shows the presence of orcs."
- Inhabitants
"It is possible to hear the sound of orcs training in the courtyard. there are splinted shields and cracked helmets spread through the ground, and in the middle of a circle drawn in the dirt, two orcs degladiate, in a training that resembles a fight to the death. The main building of the castle, and two of its four towers are visible from the entrance, as well as some auxiliary buildings and some tents. "
C.2. Courtyard[edit]
C.3. Prison[edit]
C.4. Barracks[edit]
Three out of the four keep towers serve as barracks for the orc troops.
C.5. Tower's Cage[edit]
One of the cages were converted in a special prison for the elven princess Sylvannah. This tower is guarded by a Black Dragon trained by the orcs.
C.6. Storage Room[edit]
C.7. Chapel[edit]
C.8. Main Hall - Orc Encampment[edit]
C.9. Lord's Hall[edit]
Step or Location[edit]
<- This is one scene in an adventure. In dungeon crawls, each room is a scene. ->
Features[edit]
<- List everything which has actual mechanical importance, like traps, lighting, climb DCs for walls, hidden stuff, etc. ->
Inhabitants[edit]
<- If the step is also a location, list the things that live there ->
Inhabitant[edit]
<- Describe them. If they're supposed to fight, give them a stat block, link to a creature entry, or give a page reference to the MM. ->
Developments[edit]
<- List how the scene can change over time due to character actions. ->
Treasure[edit]
<- List any treasure the players might acquire, and how they would acquire it. ->
Act 4: Laboratory of Zyrelthar[edit]
back to overview
<- A stage is a chapter, or an important phase of the story. In a dungeon crawl, a stage would be one floor of the dungeon. In a more episodic, story-like adventure, a stage would be a series of connected scenes. ->
D.4 Dark Library[edit]
D.5 The Ebon Door[edit]
D.6 The Necropolis[edit]
The putrid stench of death reach up to your noses. In front of you, a grim scene: dozens of corpses are spread out through the ground, prepared to be reanimated by the foul necromancer
D.7 Nerull Shrine[edit]
Features[edit]
<- List everything which has actual mechanical importance, like traps, lighting, climb DCs for walls, hidden stuff, etc. ->
Inhabitants[edit]
Inhabitant[edit]
<- Describe them. If they're supposed to fight, give them a stat block, link to a creature entry, or give a page reference to the MM. ->
Developments[edit]
<- List how the scene can change over time due to character actions. ->
Treasure[edit]
<- List any treasure the players might acquire, and how they would acquire it. ->
Mini-Dungeons[edit]
Mini-Dungeon 1: Redfield Manor[edit]
back to overview <--andrew jackson manor for reference-->
The Under Rats gang is a tomb robbing gang that have been financed by Maximilian Redfield, and have been working by stealing corpses from the cemetery when they can find it, or producing bodies by killing solitary travelers when they can't. Maximilian had a good fortune inherited by his father, and have been using it to gather the maximum amount of corpses possible for his undead army.
E1. Manor Entrance[edit]
A) Entry Hall: Upon arriving at the entrance hallway, players can immediately see a pair of staircases leading to the upper floor, and the west wall filled with the portraits of the former patriarchs of the redfield family.
B) Front Parlor: C) Back Parlor D) Garden E) Kitchen F) Garden J) Side Hall K) Store Room L) Stairway to the Top Floor M) Wine Cellar (Secret Passage to the Bandits Hideout)
E2. Top Floor[edit]
A) Upper Hall B) Mezzanino C) Lord and Lady Redfield Bedroom D) Zenthar Bedroom E) Library F) Office G) Dining Room H) Sophia Redfield Bedroom I) Office J) Guest Rooms K) Music Room (Secret Passage to the Hidden Laboratory)
E3. The Hidden Laboratory[edit]
A) Secret Entrance B) Long Starway C) The Laboratory
E4. Bandits Hideout[edit]
E5. Underground Passage[edit]
Conclusion[edit]
<- What happens when the adventure is completed? ->
Rewards[edit]
This is a transcript of everything to be awarded the players, and the conditions attached to those rewards, at the end of the adventure. Think of it as a sort of checklist to make sure everything was covered.
Experience[edit]
- Adventure Awards
| Adventure Act | XP per Act (total, not per player) |
|---|---|
| Act 1 | 200 xp |
| Act 2 | 1000 xp |
| Mini-Dungeon 1 | 600 xp |
| Act 3 | 1600 xp |
| Mini-Dungeon 2 | 1200 xp |
| Act 4 | 2200 xp |
| Total for the Adventure | 6.800 xp |
- Non-Combat Awards
| Task or Accomplishment | XP per Character |
|---|---|
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
The minimum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.
The maximum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.
Treasure[edit]
The characters receive the following treasure, divided up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up however the group sees fit. If more than one character is interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards permanent magic items.
- Treasure Awards
| Item Name | Sale Value |
|---|---|
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
[[<- Unique Magic Item ->]][edit]
<- If the magic item exists only on this page, remove the header brackets, otherwise make the title a link to the page containing the item. <- Duplicate this section as many times as needed. ->
Enmity[edit]
<- This is an actual effect generated by you doing something that hurt people who still exist in the setting. Think of it is a boon, but absolutely horrible. ->
Renown[edit]
<- In games which contain factions, this is where you would award renown for completing faction-related activities. ->
Downtime[edit]
Each character receives <-X-> downtime days at the conclusion of this adventure.
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