TOTLK 004 - Bronze Linings

"As we struggled through the blackness, our minds began to fail. Though we trusted that we had each other, our memories were slowly stripped, until we could not even remember the names of our sisters."

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The entire floor of this cavern is covered in a layer of thick, oozy mud that feels uncomfortably warm to the touch. Near the North wall is an empty 4-foot high stone pedestal, with script engraved along its base in Elvish.

"To advance, take these, but leave your name."

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There is no object to "take" in this room. Each character must spell out their first name in footsteps (psuedonyms will not work). A hidden exit reveals itself once all character make their name in their native tongue. 

- DC 15 Perception reveals mud fills in quite slowly after their footstep, about 1 minute

- Subsequent DC 12 Survival indicates mud of this temperature and viscosity should fill in 5-10 second normally

- DC 15 investigation shows drawing mud with hands, objects, or magic causes it to refill near-instantly

- The purpose of this room, including its lead-up, is to set fear of weird traps, then relax that fear by having them be fake. However, the fake traps become real to a frightened character, and might lead to their death

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The muddy tunnel soon hardens to rugged earth then hard stone, making walking far more pleasant. The air around you is slightly colder now, feeling still and lifeless, and you continue for another half-mile. [party leader], you notice a tablet rising inches above the stone floor. A passage is chiseled onto it in old Elvish:

"Our draconic might had once inspired a natural fear in all lesser creatures; such was the hierarchy of our world. We muddled on without power, without sense, and without thought, but in place of these things was fear. We had been reduced to meek creatures, pitifully relying on our basest instincts to survive."

Beyond the tablet, the tunnel continues some sixty feet, where it opens to a larger cavern

- DC 13 perception check spots a tripwire with an electrical current running through it, six inches off the ground. Trodding on the tripwire or failing to disarm it results in 1d10 lightning damage. The wire can be safely cut using a DC 13 thieves' tools check - rubber clamp can secure the wire in place and prevent shock when attempting cut.

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"As you approach the opening, you hear the sound of running water, and smell both saltwater as well as the rot of dead flesh. The narrow tunnel opens to thirty foot cavern in a cylindrical shape. A fifteen-foot river runs through the width of the cavern, rushing rapidly between rocky openings. A bridge made purely from gleaming bronze crosses crosses atop the river in the center of the cavern, five feet wide and fifteen feet long; it seems very out-of-place in this otherwise natural space. Two open doorframes flank either side of the bronze bridge, adorned in various magical runes.

The doorframes perfectly frame an obvious exit on the other side of the cavern. Before the bridge, a rotting body lies facing toward you, clutching its head."

- The cultist died clutching her head, and clearly bears two stab wounder puncturing her leather armor. Under the cultist's tattered robes, she has one hundred twenty four silver, forty eight gold, a masterwork shortsword, two daggers, a set of thieves' tools, potion of magic, potion of greater healing, and two potions of water breathing

- Attempts to investigate the bridge reveal it to be utterly immaculate. Minor transmutation magic covers the bridge, which allows it to keep its sheen. The rocks around the river are slippery, and water that flows under it is saltwater; characters that enter the water may attempt a DC 12 Athletics check to pull themselves up onto the nearest side. Otherwise, in one round, they are pulled into an underground cavern in 1 round, where the ceiling lowers to meet the surface of the river. Any creature swept past this point by the current is trapped in an airless underground channel that deposits them into the underwater chamber. In addition, the creature must make three  successful DC 12 Strength saving throw each round or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for each one, as it is battered around in the chamber.

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- A waist-high tripwire trap (passive perception 12 to spot) is at the threshold of the far exit. Attempting to disable the tripwire or setting it off reveals it to be an illusion.

"As you bypass the tripwire and look on toward the next tunnel, you instead you see an inky black void. Your face is reflected in it, a dark mass of shadow and pitch. The moment you make eye contact with yourself, you see your reflection start to shift. [read fear]"

DC 17 Wisdom Saving Throw

- While frightened by this effect, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the source of its fear by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. At end of each turn, the target takes 2d10 psychic damage and can re-roll the save. Once passed, they realize the source of their fear is only an illusion.

- If they are afraid, they must make a DC 15 acrobatics check to avoid the tripwire at the entrance, which becomes real in their mind, or take 1d10 lightning damage, fall prone, and have disadvantage against the next saving throw. 

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"Our journeys had been long and perilous, but our sisterhood had persevered. To shed the curse, we had to shed everything that made us.

I was armourless, but had found that vulnerability begets courage.

I was apterous, but had found that freedom required leaps of faith.

I was ailing, but had found that some developments require reversion."

A long black hole dominates a central cavern, magical darkness. Devil's sight reveals stony walls (seemingly climbable) on the side, but even 120 feet does not show anything but blackness down.

- If players jump down unarmored, feather fall is cast before they hit the bottom 150ft below. Otherwise, they take 15d6 damage.

- At bottom of hole is a crumpled, bloated Fold alchemist wearing broken scale mail. His body contains many broken magic flasks, and he carries 30 gp, a quarterstaff, and a dagger of venom

- 500 feet down is a wizard who has eaten all his rations, and carries a spellbook plus the rope of entanglement taken from the fighter in the illusion room

- The cavern below is coated in illusion magic; any steps forward feel correct, but in actuality, the cavern is endless. If they turn back, they are never more than 1000 feet from the first hole, or 500 feet from wizard's body. Party must climb back up through the hole to reach the Springs.

"Everything the curse had taken, the waters accepted. They washed away our bronze, our magic, and the lives we had known, returning us to the world in forms neither draconic nor of flesh, but worthy all the same."

Spring of the Eldest Sister

Spring of the Middle Sister

Spring of the Youngest Sister

"Our blessings were borne from suffering, not from abundance. Accept but one, for those who grasp at every gift soon discover that many boons carry curses of their own."

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Eldest) As an Action, you can cause translucent bronze dragon scales to grow from your body. These scales remain for one hour and grant you temporary Hit Points equal to five times your Proficiency Bonus. While you have these temporary Hit Points, you are resistant to Lightning damage. Once you transform, you can't do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

Middle) You gain the ability to sprout two translucent bronze dragon wings from your back as a Bonus Action. This transformation lasts for one minute, and until it ends, you gain a Fly Speed equal to your Speed. You can use transform a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Youngest) A small magical blood vessel forms in a reservoir next to your heart, allowing you to invoke a draconic Breath Weapon. When you take the Attack Action on your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with an exhalation of magical energy in a 15-foot Cone. Each creature in that area must make a Strength saving throw (DC 8 plus your Charisma modifier and Proficiency Bonus) or be pushed up to 30 feet straight away from you and knocked Prone. You can use this Breath Weapon a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

"As you bypass the tripwire and look on toward the next tunnel, you instead you see an inky black void. Your face is reflected in it, a dark mass of shadow and pitch. The moment you make eye contact with yourself, you see your reflection start to shift. [read fear]"

A well-to-do aasimar boldly walks out towards you; somehow, Evrart Lychstager Senior has found you here, in the midst of your adventure. A natural angelborn, your father's radiant eyes and youthful appearance bely an advanced age. It is difficult to regard him; by the time you are an old man, Earnest, your father will have barely visibly aged, such is the power of his holy blood.

Dressed in finery and wielding a cane, your father looks at you disapprovingly. 

(transatlantic accent) "I've finally found you, Earnest. Always traipsing across the world on my dime. I figured I owed you this message in person: I have, finally, denounced you from the Lychstager family. My fortune will go to your brother. A son who who was actually born with the Lychstager Light within him, and did not have the gall to be born with a common human's blood.

I strip you of the name Lychstager. But, now that you are excommunicated, you simply know too many secrets of our company. "

Your heart begins beating rapidly in your chest. Your father approaches, an radiant light begins to pill from his eyes. He hates you, and intends to be the one who kills you.

Please make a Wisdom saving throw."

"As you bypass the tripwire and look on toward the next tunnel, you instead you see an inky black void. Your face is reflected in it, a dark mass of shadow and pitch. The moment you make eye contact with yourself, you see your reflection start to shift. [read fear]"

A powerful dwarf monk with an incredible wild black beard covering most of her back and body, steps out, looking gaunt and pale. Dark circles surround Edrin's eyes, as if she's been up for days. Behind your master emerges a group of powerful-looking monks, each wearing masks of mercy.

(scottish accent) I told you not to follow me Kig... I told you not to follow! You idjit, your actions have us kicked from the Hand!"

Your heart begins beating rapidly in your chest. To be expelled from the Outstretched Hand means death. A member steps forward, grabs Edrin's head in both her hands, and twists, snapping your master's neck. As Edrin falls lifeless to the floor, they silently advance towards you.

Please make a Wisdom saving throw."

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"As you bypass the tripwire and look on toward the next tunnel, you instead you see an inky black void. Your face is reflected in it, a dark mass of shadow and pitch. The moment you make eye contact with yourself, you see your reflection start to shift. [read fear]"

Emerging from the blackness are two lizardfolk hatchlings. They amble toward you happily, but with every step they take, their scales begin to melt from their body. Like ooze, their skin, muscle, and organs fall of their bones, until only their skeletal figures unnaturally amble forth. Behind them, a mass of lizardfolk skeletons slowly emerge from the blackness. Some shiver silently, but most yell out cries of anguished pain.

"Mulokha! You were our spirit! We needed you, and you failed us!"

As you recognize that your people have already died due to your inaction, your heart begins to beat rapidly. Both of the hatchlings stumble over themselves and are reduced to lifeless bones, scattering in front of them. Beyond, the horde of your lifeless tribe march forth, pleading for life that cannot return to them.

Please make a Wisdom saving throw."