Thursday Quick Adventure - Wizard's Tower Floor 1

Welcome to the first real section of the Wizard's tower, the first ongoing adventure by the Master Of Dungeons blog. This adventure will have the players scaling a large tower, that they first encountered in the introduction (you should check it out if you haven't already).

The map was generated using the amazing generator at DonJon. I edited it in paint, took out some rooms and changed the numbers and such around. All of the encounters are original, not the generator however.

This adventure is designed for 3-6 Level 1 adventurers, using Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition rules, but it could easily be adapted to any system. At the end of this adventure your players will likely be level 2, and if you use milestone achievement you should level them up.

Feel free to increase or decrease the difficulty, based on number of players or player skill. You are the Master of Dungeons, these are just ideas and inspiration. Let me know if you have any questions or comments either on social media (Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter) or email me at MasterODungeons@gmail.com

MM stands for Monster Manual, I've included a purchase link here and at the bottom of the page.

Map generated using tools at http://donjon.bin.sh

Room 1 - Reception

Monsters: 2 Goblins (CR: 1/4 XP: 50 MM: p. 166) Total XP: 100

Treasure: n/a

This room has four hall ways leading off of it, serving as the main hub of the labyrinth of the first floor of the wizard's tower. Two goblins were alerted to guard the door by the goblin carrying the young girl, but if the players take too long then they quickly get bored, going back to their favourite idle-hobbies, nose-picking and attempting to juggle. If they see anyone attempt to enter the room they will attack on sight, saying no one is supposed to be here. Unfortunately for them, neither of them is smart enough to shout for help.

Room 2 - Meat locker

Monsters: 7 Ponies (CR: 1/8 XP: 25 MM: p. 335) Total XP: n/a

Treasure: n/a

This room is kept private with a flimsy lock, from both sides. To pick the lock is a DC 8 Lockpicking check, it is also made of fairly flimsy wood that could be broken down fairly easily. Within the room are 7 small ponies, used for food by the bugbear in Room 3. The ponies are docile, but visibly afraid. If the players free the ponies, two of them will stay in the woods near to the tower, willing to help by carrying supplies or small humanoids. In the corner of the room is a small stage that looks to be built for children's puppet shows.

Room 3 - Kitchen

Monsters: 1 Bugbear (CR: 1 XP: 200 MM: 33) Total XP: 200

Treasure: 22 sp, 3 gp, polished "Tony" puppet.

A large, angry bugbear thinks himself the chef of the first floor, and none of the others are brave enough to suggest otherwise, regardless of the bugbear's lack of culinary ability. He absolutely despises anyone entering his kitchen, anyone except for Tony, his prized possession and best friend. Tony is a small, polished wooden puppet, once a popular toy among noble children in a nearby city. The bugbear somehow found himself with the toy, talking to it as he cooks. He will defend his kitchen violently, but he will defend Tony to the death. The coins are sitting in a coin purse, next to the puppet.

Room 4 - The Dining Hall

Monsters: 6 Drunk Goblins (CR: 1/4 XP: 50/2 =25  MM: p. 166) Total XP: 150

Treasure: 10 bottles of assorted cheap wine (5 cp each)

Six drunk goblins are alternating drinking cheap wine and attempting to stomach the chef's mystery meat. The goblins are drunk, so all of their attacks are done with disadvantage, as well, they are so ill-prepared for combat that even if the players walk in and talk to them, they will still be surprised by combat (Missing their first turn). These goblins award half XP (reflected in the totals above), since they are so inept. If he hasn't been dealt with already, after four rounds of combat the bugbear from room 3 enters with a plate of food. If he sees fighting he shouts at the goblins, sobering them up (and removing their drunken disadvantage and returning their XP to normal), before joining the fight.

Room 5 - Sleeping Quarters

Monsters: 3 Goblins (CR: 1/4 XP: 50 MM: p.166)
                 2 Kobolds (CR: 1/8 XP: 25 MM: p.195) Total XP: 200

Treasure: Lessiroth's Amulet of Beauty Sleep

Two goblins and two kobolds lie sleeping in bunk beds, in a row filled with a large number of beds, stacked three high. One goblin is sitting awake at a table, sharpening his sword. If the awake goblin notices anything out of the ordinary he shouts the others awake, or if he is killed too loudly.  One of the goblins will not wake under any condition. He has a beautiful amulet around his neck. Upon inspection it is noticed that the goblin has none of the normal warts and scrapes that are normal for goblins, and looks incredibly youthful. The amulet falls off the goblin if he is killed, but otherwise will not come off. The amulet is Lessiroth's Amulet of Beauty Sleep, and if it is removed the goblin's body will age into an incredibly old and gray version of his former self.

Room 6 - Rec Room

Monsters: 2 Hobgoblins (CR: 1/2 XP: 100 MM: p. 186) Total XP: 200

Treasure: n/a

Two hobgoblins are sitting on a moldy looking sofa, arguing about whether little girls can be eaten. They know nothing about any girls brought into the building, other than a goblin named Gripp was seen bringing one into the building, and they weren't allowed to eat her. They don't know why she was brought to the tower, just that she was brought upstairs. The sofa is facing away from the doors, but they eventually notice anyone in the room and, upset at the earlier missed opportunity for a meal, try to kill and eat them.

Room 7 - Abandoned Crypt

Monsters : 3 Skeletons (CR: 1/4 XP: 50 MM: p. 272)
                  1 Goblin (CR: 1/4 XP: 50 MM: p. 166) Total XP: 200

Treasure: 2 Health Potions

Three skeletons lie around the room. A frightened goblin is tiptoeing around the skeletons, late for dinner in Room 4, when he eventually notices the party (unless they are sneaking). When the goblin notices that players he lets out a blood-curdling scream. The drunk goblins in Room 4 are too preoccupied to notice, however the three skeletons in the room take notice, rising from their  rest to attack anyone within reach. The skeletons will attack whoever is closest without discrimination, the goblin included. One of the skeletons has two health potions stuck in his rib cage.

Room 8 - Mirror Room

Monsters: n/a

Treasure: n/a

This room is coated on every surface: walls, floor, ceiling, and doors with mirrors. Despite the decrepit, old appearance of the rest of the tower, the mirrors in this room are in perfect condition. It is quite disturbing, but doesn't appear to be dangerous.

Room 9 - Stairs to Second Floor

Monsters: n/a

Treasure: n/a

This room is empty. A door in the south side of the room leads to a staircase to the second floor. The door is locked, but the door knob is sentient. The door knob is happy to see some friendly faces, being quite unhappy with the rough sort of creatures who have made this place their home of late. He isn't very knowledgeable about the tower, saying that "Nobody ever explains what's going on to the door knob", although he did notice a crying girl carried by a goblin go up the stairs. He would definitely like to help the adventurers to save the girl, but he can't open unless they have the key. He says there are a few keys carried by different dangerous looking people, but he knows that a map exists to a backup key in the map room on the west side of the building.

Room 10 - Map Room

Monsters: 1 Bugbear (CR: 1 XP: 200 MM: 33) Total XP: 200

Treasure: Map to the Backup Key to the second floor.

A bugbear is looking through the many piles of maps in this room, giggling to himself. The bugbear likes to come in here while others are busy to pretend to be an adventurer in a faraway land. He gets embarrassed if watched, and tries to kill any witnesses. In the center of the room is a large map with the title IN CASE 2ND FLOOR KEY IS LOST.

Room 11 - Library

Monsters: n/a

Treasure: 2 Spell Scrolls (Level 1) Sleep and Thunderwave

The library somehow seems unappealing to the residents of this floor. The room is filled with a thick layer of dust. Some of the books appear to have bite marks in them. If the books are flipped through for any amount of time, it is likely the players will notice two spell scrolls (listed above), stuck in one of the books.

Hallway A

This long winding staircase is locked off by the door to Room 11. The door is locked shut with powerful magic, not opening for anyone without the proper magic key (To make an appearance in a future adventure).

Where to go from here?

The next section of this adventure is up to you. The players need to follow the map to get the key to the second floor. It should be guarded by some monster or enemy, but whoever has it doesn't know what they have. The players should be level 3 before returning to the tower. The Dungeon Master's Guide can help you with creating encounters and daily XP schedules. Make sure to pick up the Monster Manual if you haven't already, and each of your players should have their own Player's Handbook. (Plus if you follow these links you'll help support Master Of Dungeons. 

Next you should follow Master Of Dungeons on social media (Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter) to make sure you don't miss the next installment of the Wizard's Tower.

Thursday Quick Adventure - Wizard's Tower Introduction

The Mysterious Wizard's Tower: Introduction

An Adventure for 5e D&D

Overview 

The tower is designed as a framing device for all sorts of adventures and fun. Hopefully, many floors will be published for many different levels here on Master Of Dungeons, but, as with all adventures posted here, if you feel inspired to go off in your own direction then go for it!

This post is just an introduction to the tower. Next week the first floor of the dungeon will be posted. As with everything posted at Master of Dungeons, feel free to take this in your own direction, let us know on Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter (and follow us while you're there) how you've run this yourself without waiting for future updates.

I aim to release more updates about this tower, but that doesn't mean that every encounter the players will have will occur inside of the tower. Some keys and relics will need to be sought after in distant lands, experts will need to be found and consulted, you don't want the party to feel confined to the tower. 

These adventure updates will be different than those in the past, as they will include full encounters and maps for the tower, as well as loot, gold, and NPCs. 

Background

The Wizard's tower can be seen from a great distance in every direction. It isn't surprising then that dozens of myths and legends exist about the tower. Some believe that an evil lich resides at the top, others that it is a pathway to the heavens. No one knows the history of the tower, even the best historians of the area are only certain that it is unbelievably ancient.

The tower, while being a popular talking point in the area, hasn't been considered worthy of much attention for centuries. It's location is so far off the beaten trail that no one bothers to approach it, at least no one has returned to talk about it. There are many monsters, villains, dungeons and dragons in the area for adventurers to test their might against, none are willing to risk getting lost in the dense woods

Involving the Party

Your party of adventurers are likely all from within a close enough area to the tower to have grown up seeing it, as it can be seen from so far away. It has been a minor curiosity to many in the area, but one or more party members may have been particularly interested in it. Most people however had to interest in discovering its secrets, as it is so far away in a dense forest, and most believe that it is probably empty anyway.

While minding their own business in a small village, shouting is heard from the distance. A goblin is seen scrambling out of a small crowd, carrying a small human girl of about five years old. The crowd is screaming for someone to save the girl.

If the adventurers are too selfish to take this bait, have the mother offer money, anything to get her daughter back, (although this would reflect very poorly on the party to the villagers). 

The goblin is too agile for any pursuers, having a good head start on the adventurers he ducks and dodges into the dense thicket, easily escaping. Tracking the goblin is easily done, the girl was carrying a big bag of candied peanuts, and either through the clumsy flailing of the goblin, or clever placement by the girl, a clear trail of peanuts goes deep into the forest.

The trail ends abruptly in the center of a fairy ring, a circular arrangement of sparkling mushrooms and pixie dust.

Anyone who steps within the fairy ring, instantly disappears. They reappear in an identical fairy ring, right at the base of the Wizard's Tower. The trail of peanuts continues up the steps and in the front door.

This has been a sort of Teaser Trailer for the Wizard's Tower, a (hopefully) ongoing adventure posted on Thursdays at Master Of Dungeons. To make sure you are kept up to date on the latest posts, make sure to follow us on your Social Media network of choice (Google Plus, Facebook, and Twitter). If you'd like to support Master of Dungeons, please click the banner below and buy something awesome, a small amount of the proceeds will go to support this blog!

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