fliprushman
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I attended PaizoCon this last weekend. On Sunday, I had a seminar about adventure submissions for the Pathfinder Society with Joshua Frost, and I learned quite a lot. My submission was rejected of course and for good reason. So I've edited a little and will post the draft I should have submitted, that way I'm not wasting your time and not embarrassing myself with that work any further. I'm open to your feedback as long as it's constructive. SO please, let me have it.
Introduction
Blakros Museum, once a famed museum in Absalom, now lies in ruin. After that fated day with the cursed idols of Mwangi, the place has been abandoned and forgotten to time.
The council of nobles have come to the decision that the museum should be restored to its former glory, despite the reputation the building has kept since the incident.
Now something lies deep within its recesses and has plans of its own. The curse has not disappeared completely. It has manifested itself into something more vile and cunning. It works its foul magics and calls in followers that share its same goals: to help gain control of the museum and eventually a foothold in the everyday workings of the city.
Workers from the site have begun to disappear and rumours have begun to spread. One of the more popular ones sounds almost like a dream: a shadowy creature calls out from the darkness to each of the workers.
The Pathfinder Society has been called in to investigate these strange happenings to keep the museums reopening on schedule.
Adventure
The PC's enter the museum and are greeted by the laborers foreman. He tells them about how the work is still going strong and they will still finish according to the schedule, despite the set backs. The foreman looks nervous as if he isn't telling the PC's something. A Sense Motive check (DC 15) will uncover that the foreman is under the effects of an enchantment. While the PC's are talking, the laborers will gather around and set up for an attack.
Encounter 1: The enchanted work crew
Monsters: 5 Dominated commoners and 3 Dominated nobles
Scaling the encounter: Tier 3-5, Add one Commoner and one adept. Tier 6-7, Add Two commoners, one aristocrat, and one adept.
After the encounter, the PC's may search through the workers belongings which will uncover a key and many daggers with strange symbols carved into the blades. The key will be used to unlock the first subterranean level of the museum. Moving down the stairs, they find narrow corridors and lots of debris. It looks like the workers still have a good amount of work to do, but the dust that covers the floor has been disturbed in a few places by something with clawed feet. The players pick up the faint smell of something foul. There are several door ahead on each side of the hallway. When the PC's move forward, the door will open and the Troglodytes will step out.
Encounter 2: Troglodytes!
Monsters: 2 Troglodytes
Scaling the Encounter: Tier 3-5, Add 2 Troglodytes. Tier 6-7, Add 4 more Troglodytes
These rooms are storage areas for displays that used to be featured in the Museum above. Nothing of worth can be recovered because of the stench of the troglodytes permeates them. At the end of the corridor, a set of wooden doors blocks access to the next room. The door is locked but untrapped. Once the Pc's have opened these doors(Strength Check DC 15 or Disable Device DC 20), they find a large room, that once served as a private showing area for the Museum, now is vacant of art and artifacts. The place isn't devoid of life though for several humanoids stand about guarding the hole in the back of the room. A single rope ladder seems to be the only way down it.
Encounter 3: Welcoming Party
Monsters: 2 Clerics, 4 Warriors.
Scaling the Encounter: Tier 3-5, Add 2 Warriors. Tier 6-7, As the previous tier, but bump the clerics up one level.
A voice calls out from below when all these humanoids are dispatched: "Come no further or your fate will be sealed."
Climbing down the ladder is easy enough but the passages down here are dark. Picking the right path will be important here because getting lost will result in fighting a native monster in the area. Tracking the paths will help guide the PC's to where they need to go next.
Encounter 4: Optional: Lost Party
Monster: Phantom Fungus
The party come across a burial chamber down in the depths. The voice speaks once more, much closer than before: "I see that you are a persistent but not very wise."
Many ancient works of art adorn the walls and tell the story of an evil being that once inspired terror into the hearts of men. The door leading in stands open. If the PC's enter the room and fail a perception check to spot the Choker, they will be ambushed.
Encounter 5: Lurkers
Monsters: 1 Choker
Scaling the Encounter: Tier 3-5, Add 1 Choker. Tier 6-7, Add 3 Chokers.
Finally the PC's encounter the source of the voice. Entering the next chamber, they discover a goblin with strange eyes. It grins at their prescience. "I shall not let you ruin my plans." It's shape contorts and it transforms into a hybrid of a wolf and it's original self.
Encounter 6: Final Encounter: Barghest (Maybe Mist Tainted)
Scaling the encounter: Tier 1-2, Halve the HD of the creature. Tier 6-7, Use Greater Barghest instead.
Conclusion
If the party is able to stop the evil creature, the museum will finally be clean of the evil taint brought upon it by those idols from mwangi and the museum can open on schedule.
If the PC's fail, the museum will not open and the prescience will remain dormant until the nobles attempt to open the museum again.
