The Three Lost Runes (5e Quest)
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Adventure Background[edit]
This quest is recommended for 2-4 adventures of 4th to 5th level. Before the time of when the party came along a begins rune seeking, there was a legendary elf named Sokasworn (So-ka-sworn) that held these runes that has fallen into fables, this man after all, created them but he held great power and his subordinates envied him so, these group of 4 greedy subordinates devised a plan to kill Sokasworn, these men's names have been passed on but the closes one to ever reach their names were Kabashi a tabaxi (Ka-ba-shi), David a human (Dave-hid), Raz-you'll a dragonborn(Raz-you-ill), and keykeen a half-elf (Key-keen). When the dawn of the third night appeared these men went to Sokasworn's castle and chatted with him as they were chatting they asked of him to show them his runes, after many speeches on how they should see it he finally gave in and showed them, the men's eyes locked on to the runes and all they could see it power so when Sokasworn was distracted they all pulled out their daggers and stabbed the man 4 times and Sokasworn was muttering some weird speech upon his dead but when poor Sokasworn died they took the runes. David took the Rune Master's Pole, Kabashi took the Fiery Runic, Raz-you'll took the Windy Runic, and Keykeen took the Nature Runic, they all hid them in their castle vault they shared, when a couple of years had passed David died under some mysterious circumstances the other still living members of the heist fought for the Runic, jumping to all side everyday, until, when they were in the same vault rune, multiple mysterious vines grasped the body of the castles and a undead man was holding staff sent the runes towards his hands and inserted the runes in the staff and a strong and terrible wind entered the room, seemingly out of nowhere, slamming the men to the wall but Keykeen unlucky landed into a sword that somehow landed to the location where Keykeen would land, killing him. after the wind died out the last two men, filled with rage charged this man but the man with the staff made vine with thorns violently wrap around the men, Razyou'll overwhelmed by the thorns died, because of the thorns that wrapped around him. Kabashi, overwhelmed with rage charged him but a burning cloud had summoned over him, burning him to a crisp. The man obviously revealed as Sokasworn casts a magic that revivifies the three and never ended up saving David, after all of these events unfolded Sokasworn made them his guards for the vaults and split the runes and the staff in certain locations, the staff kept to Sokasworn, the fiery Runic is held by Raz-you'll, the windy Runic held by keykeen, and the nature Runic is held by Kabashi.
Overview[edit]
The adventures would arrive in a small town called Trence Nock, it's mostly known for its treasure hunters and as explained in the hook they should meet a deranged man and if they pursue this quest they will search all the vaults, below is all the parts and locations the party should be at and will be summarized but detailed later on.
Part 1: The players will talk to the man, reach the vault of fire and (Link provided here Fiery Runic). Afterward they will find more info about the next vault while searching the vault (no check needed to find).
Part 2:
The town's treasure hunters are mainly in the middle of the town, being based around the whole "rune" myth and the vaults are a little far from the town locations:
- Trance Nock (The Town)
- Set-In-Runes (A multipurpose trading shop inside Trance Nock (Can be used for weapons,adventuring gear etc but not a magic shop))
- Broken Runes (A tavern)
- Vault of Fire (Around CR 4)
- Vault of Wind (Around CR 4)
- Vault of Nature (Around CR 5)
- Castle of the Runes (Around CR 5)
Hook[edit]
A hook that the DM may want to take is a deranged man saying "I know the vaults! Oh i know the vaults, the vaults that hold the runes of greatness!" and the players might want to investigate this odd man or the DM can come up with something different.
Stage 1: Vault of Fire[edit]
Walking towards the vault they see a run down castle with a dreadful, burning stench, the castle littered with burn marks, death, broken stone lines the castle as it had seemed to be leveled by an invasion by some army of unknown strength the players can see that what used to be of a colossal size castle is now that of a small size castle with only of few rooms, and a broken gate, as they realize something destructive is here. Multiple adventures have been here and all have faltered but will the party break this curse?
- Before they start the adventure the man encourages to visit the "Set-In-Runes multipurpose trading shop" to get gear for the adventure as you might need it for the conditions that might come from the vaults.
Area 1 Part 1[edit]
Upon reaching the courtyard they see bodies littered here and fire burning rapidly but suddenly a giant roar of that of a dragon unleashes out of the castle making the ground shake, suddenly 3 scorched soldiers burning from the ground up, are set ablaze around them, the soldiers lifeless attack without thought, starting combat.
- Rewards: 600 XP
Area 1 Part 2[edit]
After the battle, the entrance to the throne room is locked and the players must make an investigation check to find it (DC 15), if the players find it, they will find that the level is in a burning pit but the level seem to haven't burned yet, if the players touch the fire, they take an automatic 2d8 fire damage per turn whilst in it as it somehow locks on to the player while touching it. The players also will have to find a way to extinguish the fire, there is a well nearby (investigation, DC 10) that could extinguish it with enough labor or smarts to get it done. After the players extinguish the fire they must drop down the 15 ft tall pit to open the gate, doing so unlocks the gate and now the players can move onto a new area of the castle.
- Rewards: 100 XP
Area 2[edit]
When the players enter the room and see a broken throne room with crown laying rusted, behind it a unique door that is opened and more roars come from it and it also has two hallways that are destroyed but only one stands firm and is not crumbled, if the players follow the uncrumbed hallway their will be the only 4 rooms left in the castle, the four title below are the last rooms left and the boss room will be the last one described on this page.
Hallway 1, Room 1[edit]
When the players reach this room they meet a crumbled statue that honors a king, this king stands about 6 ft tall, is a Dragonborn of the metallic lineage, wears a crown similar to that of the one in the throne room, and is neatly dressed.
If the players wish to investigate this room they must be at a intelligent (investigation) check (DC 20), if the players find it they would see a small button placed on crown of the statue, pressing the button would unlock the statue and the players would hear a loud click. The players would then need to move the statue, (no check needed) when moved, they see a small box that is filled with 250 gold pieces and a they also see a well preserved box of assorted cookies or one thing from magic table B.
- Rewards: 250 XP
Hallway 1, Room 2[edit]
When the players enter this room they see a guest room that is messy and corroded with a large hole that leads to a 30 ft drop out of the castle and they also see a skeleton gripping a sharp weapon, after the description the players may want to a approach the sword but when they get 20 ft within the sword's range, one Scorched Soldier and one Scorched mage arise from a flaming magically created whole, beginning combat.
- Rewards: 400 XP and a +1 weapon of the DM's choice that is gripped by the skeleton.
Hallway 1, Room 3[edit]
When the players reach this room it is in terrible condition, uneat bed, painting fallen, dust everywhere, and is just ruffed up but this place gives the players a feeling of "safety", If the players sleep in here they get 15 temporary hit points if they take a short or long rest in here, the temporary hit points last for 24 hour and the room no longer gives the feeling of "safety" but dread now, if the players sleep in here again they must make a constitution saving throw (DC 20) or take 2d10 psychic damage and they also gain no benefits from the sleep if they failed the constitution saving throw.
Hallway 1, Room 4[edit]
When the players enter this room it has no decoration, no furniture, nothing just an unoccupied room with an old paper in dragonic and it says "My husband, Raz-you'll, You have been acting odd.... Your always praising Sokasworn every since your last battle with your former friends, you emit this dreadful arua and it just frightents me, it feels like a curse that creeps into my spine and stops me dead in my tracks, you beautiful black face is peeling, you smell and I cant bear it! You never spend enough time with the kids and don't even look my direction any more, so I have decided to leave with the kids, you will always be in my heart till death, your love, Peranna. (Per-anna)"
Boss Room[edit]
When the players reach this room they walk down the dark and gloomy stairs to Raz-you'll's lair, the lair has multiple dead bodies with bones littered across the room with Raz-you'll sitting on top of a throne of bones, after monaloging with Raz-you'll, he summons 4 Scorched Soldier's and 2 Scorched Mage's that summon next to him, starting the battle. If Raz-you'll is defeated, the remaining scorched around or in the castle dies.
- Rewards 2,800 XP, Fiery Runic, Raz-you'll's Dreaded Greataxe that he was carrying as his personal weapon, and rolls on magic table D per party member.
Conclusion part 1[edit]
After the battle, when Raz-you'll is defeated and after looting, the castle begins to shake and a great power tremors, the castle somehow returns back to its former self, as the bones disappears and the castles stone become remade, everything that was crippling the castle is remade and the players no longer feel a dread among this place as it has been restored. The castle then forms a great bubble that encases the castle, teleporting the players out of the castle. If the players stay around the castle for a day or come back, the castle will be destroyed once more but doesn't have the dreadful, burning stench, with the castle littered with burn marks, no more death, broken stone no longer lines the castle. The castle just feels "safe". when looting the players will find a map to the next vault. After the fight the players may want to take downtime. If the players wish to take downtime then Each character receives 7 downtime days at the conclusion of this stage.
Stage 2: Vault of Wind[edit]
When reaching the castle, this castle has no 2nd or 3rd floor as it had been level in some unexplained way, the players will feel a strong wind that makes a bang against rusted metal, clatting against the wind. The gate to this crumbled castle is also destroyed but the castle is also less crumbled than the last one, this castle has less bodies here but the bodies that are here are mutilated, the bodies having holes in them, some at the heart, others at the head, whoever did this is either sloppy with its work or is just brutal. This castle also seems leveled by an invasion but restored in some ways, being held up by the wind.
Area 1[edit]
When the players reach the front of the gate, they see the inner ate compared by some strong force then, the wind picks up, summoning three force soldiers, one force mage, and one force cleric by sheathing themselves into the wind. At first, the creatures stare blankly into the players eyes, one of the soldiers that carry a flag says in a terrible common dialect, "ruhhhn ahwaaay ohhor pairrrr-ishhhhh" (It said "run away or perish"), if the players do not, the creatures attack. When the players defeat the creatures (hopefully) the inner gate that was compacted slowly dissipates into a small pile of rubble that doesn't get in the way of the players from entering.
Rewards: 1,000 XP and a Flag of Strategic Advantage
Area 2[edit]
When the players reach the main room they see a throne, presumably the king's throne, the room seems like a tornado went through here, pictures that lined the halls no longer hang, beaten, rusted, battered armor lays scattered in the room with skeleton rotting within, in this throne room their are four hallways, one of which is destroyed, the players can enter any hallway of their choosing, granting them rewards, lore, etc in the rooms and behind, a door lays open, strong swirling wind comes from below.
- For the DM: There are currently 3 hallways, the 1st hallway has 6 rooms, the 2nd hallway has 3 rooms and the 3rd has 1 room, when describing out of the script (description for each of the areas/rooms/hallways) add some destructive details when going down the 1st hallway and rooms then, in the 2nd add more destructive details than before and so on to detail that each room somehow becomes more messed up in ways that I don't describe.
- Rewards: A number of 1d4 rusted armor of any type which has a -2 to its AC.
Hallway 1[edit]
When the players enter this hallway, few paintings are scattered, little to no stone has fallen apart, and a small amount of dust, moss, and wind amounts to this area. There are 6 rooms that are in this hallway with stairs that lead to a 2nd floor.
Hallway 1, Stair 1[edit]
This small 5 ft sized spiral staircase leads half way up to the 2nd floor and the player see that the other half is destroyed, in a moment of realization, the players realize the 2nd and 3rd floor were leveled when they had first gotten here...
- Secret: If at least one player makes a successful DC 18 Investigation check to find a loose stone, when a player grabs and removes this stone they find a 3rd level scroll of Snap of Radiance.
Hallway 1, Room 1[edit]
When the players enter this room they see that this room is mostly untouched besides a little smudge on the mirror, it's mostly never touched by the wind, the bed is neat, the wallpaper is not tattered, no armor is scattered along the floor, nothing. When entering the room it is important to mention that a magical recorder is on the bed, along with a well preserved body firmly gripping it, when the players take the recorder they hear the following: "My Dear Wife, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it I swear! The curse! The curse, it whispers to me IT WHISPERS, it was calling to me, I couldn't control it! It told me, it needs me to serve! It wanted me to kill you! It was too STRONG. I love you, I love you! These urges are stronger than my love to you! NO! it's not because I would relinquish my position for you! Others claim I'm insane but you tell me I'm mentally well, others say I stink, I rot, I am thirsty for the suffering and death of others but you tell me I smell well, that's just your foes flesh, and I cause suffering and death because it's needed when for the well being of others! You are my candle of hope but this curse extinguishes that hope! I've lost control and I kill anyone who despises me or Sokasworn! I will bring this castle to ruin! I will rip the life from anyone I feel needs it taken from them and when I'm done I will raise a few to serve us!" With that, the tape ends.
Hallway 1, Room 2[edit]
When the players reach this room they see
[[<- 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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