Abandoned Wizard's Tower Encounters

[joca4christ]

A friend of mine has asked me to put together a low-level adventure that sort of revolves around a library. We came up with the seed of having the players needing to obtain a rare tome located in the library of an abandoned wizard's tower.

Besides the obvious animated object stick, what would some good/fun/not too challenging but challenging enough encouters be?

Aaaaannnd GO!

[John Longarrow]

joca4christ

What level party? Also, how many characters?

7th level wizard reincarnated as an orangotang would be fun to start... That is unless they've met the librarian before.

[Afgncaap5]

Maybe the wizard invented some kind of creature?

After all, the MM suggests that a lot of aberrations are caused by wizards trying to invent things (and The Chuul is a good example of that.) However, most of them still wind up being from a "far realm" or "outside of space" or something else that tries to be terrifying through vagueness.

"Living Spells" would be good at most levels. Also: if it's around CR 7, might I suggest a Chaos Beast?

How about a room near a sundial that changes depending on what time of day it is (which, when figured out, can be changed to "Why don't we just get a bright candle and move it around the sundial to figure out where all the rooms go?) Wizards don't need to be bound by spatial limitations. Especially NPC wizards who don't need to follow the same rules that players do.

[AlanBruce]

There is an abberation swarm in MMIV that feeds on magic (away from books at the moment), however, you could have one or two individual critters roll around the tower and watch the party before slipping through the cracks only to launch a massive attack later on.

As for the wizard, he may have researched some transmutation spell that went horribly awry and as a result, became a thought stealer (MM2), which would allow him to slip through tiny inch wide cracks in the twoer without the need for doors.

[With a box]

A wizard who take a nap in basement of the tower?
Well, he doesn't use the upper floor due to broken stairs :)

[Morrolan]

I recently had a similar area in my campaign. Extremely similar actually, my players were going to retrieve a rare book from a research wizard's mansion, which turned out to be abandoned.

I designed an area of terrariums/enclosures for all sorts of exotic plants and animals, all of which had broken free after the magical protections had not been renewed. Now you can put anything you like in here, but here are a couple of things I had:

- A flower that spreaded a strong sweet scent (will save or forced to go close to the flower) which can force anyone smelling it up close to sleep (fort save).

- Shocker lizards that had escaped their enclosure and made a nest in the library. Not hostile to start with, but any loud noises or sudden movements in the library would make them aggresive.

- Darkmantles that escaped and were hanging on the hallway ceiling. They drop down when someone walks under them.

- An assassin vine that broke its glass cage. The body of an apprentice wizard (with a key to one of the rooms in the building) is in the middle of the vines, that don't move at the start.

- A tree with white flowers and bark that is the habitat of a certain spider species (the bark is white due to the spiders webbing).

And ofcourse you would have the players roll knowledge for each thing mentioned.


Here are some other tips:

Many wizards protect their spellbooks. If this rare tome is important, maybe it has been protected like a spellbook would be.

Magically animated weapons or suits of armor. Homebrewed golems or gargoyles. Maybe some minor extraplanar creatures, small demons or imps etc.

Puzzle! Places like a wizard's tower might hold a puzzle somewhere.

Hope this post helps :smallsmile:

[Azoth]

I had fun barring a few doors with mechanical locks that had no external mechanism to lock or unlock. The wizard simply used Knock to open them and another spell to relock them. I used them anywhere the Wizard would want to keep private.

Had a few animated doors with Disk of Silent Portals on them. Party walks past them and suddenly the last guy in line get's smacked HARD by a door with no listen check to notice where it came from. Door used its move action to go back to position and just stand there like it had never moved.

A Pseudodragon enclosure can be fun. Getting telepathic messages to leave are creepy. Then being swarmed by the little buggers when you don't listen.

Mostruous spiders can be great challenges when you use the web spinning and hunting varieties together.

For bigger creature's, a Chaos Drake or two can be a blast.

If not a fan of dragon themes, you can use some Mineral Warrior Hellhounds to look like statues set at the entrance ways to certain areas.

[Brunks]

A clockwork mender swarm(MM4) combines the immunities of a swarm with those of the construct type. Combined with any other construct they do really well. It also makes sense to have some sort of custodial constructs there like that, doing the upkeep.

[joca4christ]

Playgrounders! Good stuff so far! Actually saw some suggestions I plan on trying to work in.

Long arrow, to answer your questions, the party size and level are at this point undecided.

Background on the idea: my friend in question is a librarian at a local library. I've been GMing for him and a few others for almost a year now and I've gotten him good and hooked. He wants to start an RPG day at his work, and thought it would be cool to have a "Raid the Library" theme at first.

Consequently, we've no idea of who or how many will turn up. It is scheduled for next month and we are still ironing out the details. We may have all new players. We may have all veterans. Or a mix. Thus, I am cobbling together something that could be used and adjusting depending upon those factors. Thanks all!

[Jergmo]

Tiny animated object containing a Living Alarm spell to alert other tower monsters.

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608039490890436015&pid=15.1

"WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"

That's semi-serious.

But more seriously, a pet otyugh which was used to dispose of waste.

Permanent Unseen Servants which still carry out tasks throughout the tower, programmed to repeat simple phrases/questions which trigger different tasks. "Would you like a drink, sir?" *Attempts to pour an old, dusty broken bottle*

A boss or mini-boss encounter: A Gauth beholder which has taken up residence in the tower in order to absorb some of the power of artifacts still within, or read from the wizard's library.

If they're inquisitive enough just for something of interest, a dried, staining spot of ichor on a table which dripped onto the floor from a table, which from what they may be able to make of the lumpy remains, was once a homunculus.

A minor demon which was bound with magical runes, which the wizard performed experiments on.

[Afgncaap5]

How about a decoy book that's actually an animated object that tries to attack anyone who reaches for the real book?

[Ravens_cry]

Wouldn't that negate the usefulness of a decoy?
Hmm, abandoned experiments that have escaped their cages, and called creatures that are on the verge of escaping their bonds as the magic that holds them fades, would be my idea. Environmental hazards like leaking tubs and casks of alchemical regents, mutated goblins and kobolds that have made a home here but have being twisted by the local magic, runaway magical reactions that are about to go kaboom are other ideas. Oh, and half mad spirit advisors and bound genie who have gotten . . . bored over the years.

[joca4christ]

Great ideas so far! Definitely cribbing Afg's sundial, Morrolan's room/creature ideas, Azoth's silent doors, Brunk's clockwork constructs, Jago's unseen servants, and Ravencry's lab experiment's gone wrong.

On another forum I frequent, someone suggested having the tower itself be "alive", perhaps having the interior serve as an immune system against invaders.

Still trying to flesh out the entire adventure, so keep those ideas coming!

[Afgncaap5]

Does the wizard have a specialty or particular method to his magic? That might open up some ideas. A wizard with a passion for astrology will likely have different specialized equipment than a wizard with a passion for alchemy. I mean, no reason why your wizard couldn't be both, of course, but a theme outside of the kinds of spells that the wizard casts might be helpful.

(Then again, I'm a bit weird like that. I'd almost argue that Willy Wonka is a borderline wizard from a literary standpoint since "wizard" in my games generally means "one who knows" rather than "one who can use the spell-things.")

Another question: would the wizard have had a familiar in life? And would the wizard have made provisions to keep the familiar alive and entertained after he or she passed away? An Awakened former familiar (ignoring the fact that typically only Druids have the Awaken spell) could make an interesting RP encounter if it got stuck or trapped somewhere in the tower and needs help to escape (either the tower itself or just that one part of the tower that trapped it.) A talking owl, raven or snake might know useful things about the library.

[joca4christ]

Not settled on a "theme" as of yet. Sell me on one.

Definitely not opposed to any particular school. Would rather avoid necromancy just because I feel that's a little overdone.

Something fun. The wizard isn't the BBEG. We're just borrowing a book he/she left behind.

Thought of the whole "two statues, one lies, one tells the truth" bit to get into the tower itself. Is that overused? As a player, would that be fun?

[ericgrau]

Golem librarians. Hate noise. Shush players, attempt to throw out those that repeatedly won't shush. Otherwise non-intelligent machines. They could also attempt to put books back on the shelf once left unattended. If a book leaves the library and is not checked out by a certified wizard of the library, the golem demands the book back, attacks and attempts to get the book back forcefully. No wizards of the library are still around. Other than that one attacks if himself or another golem is endangered and ask the attacker to desist. All speech is preprogrammed and repetitive.

The golems could be too strong for the players to beat all at once in an a straight fight, but manipulating the system and picking them off one by one could give victory. A golem doesn't remember who destroyed a golem after he leaves and comes back, only when he sees one attacked right in front of him. He might even give a friendly whispered greeting. They are peaceful when not provoked. They always follow the same patrol path. Once they get a book back they cease attacking, put it back, and give a friendly whispered greeting if they see the thief again. Even if players are healing and preparing for a new strike right in front of them. They don't normally kill for a book, they grab the book directly (disarm check) or knock the thief out if possible. Etc. Remember originally it was expected that humans would handle it from there, but there aren't any. So they don't even imprison.

Oh and secret passages behind bookcases are a cliche but a must. As are randomly magical books, if only to give illusory pictures to children.

[Afgncaap5]

Not settled on a "theme" as of yet. Sell me on one.

Definitely not opposed to any particular school. Would rather avoid necromancy just because I feel that's a little overdone.

Something fun. The wizard isn't the BBEG. We're just borrowing a book he/she left behind.

Thought of the whole "two statues, one lies, one tells the truth" bit to get into the tower itself. Is that overused? As a player, would that be fun?

For me? Probably only if it wasn't obvious at first that I was doing it. If this is a game for a library intended to introduce some people to D&D, though, that's the kind of archetypal scenario that a new player might appreciate playing out in action. It might be worth thinking of some sort of twist in case the players figure out the stock solution to that problem quickly.

As for selling you on a theme, well... I dunno. If the wizard was a plant enthusiast, a few of the rooms inside the tower might be artificially generated natural environments. A few gardens, or a hedge maze, living topiary's always fun.

If you'd like the theme to be a "magical librarian", a bookshelf maze is a natural place to go with that. If the wizard was a book enthusiast, there might be a gallery where, if a book is placed onto a lectern a person can step into a picture frame to "live the book", as it were.

A stargazing wizard might have all sorts of fun with rooms that change based on the phases of the moon(s) (with possible lycanthropy research). This could tie in easily if you wanted to focus on divination. (Taking cues from real world astrology lore might give some fun material, though some new players might not have as much fun if it steers too far from the more stylized fantasy with real world things.)

The one thing I'd like to stress, though, is to consider how many players you'll have and how long the session'll run. I saw some advice once that suggested that, after roleplaying and such, it takes about four hours to get to, handle, and wind down from the first encounter. That can be sped up a great deal in a controlled session, but it might be good to find a cut-off point, only worrying about two or three encounters with the rest being flavor. (Granted, we're still just pitching ideas to be selected for later, but still. Thought it'd be good to mention.)

[Coidzor]

Haunt Shifted (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9061.0) Undead on various tomes or other significant objects.

[Ketiara]

You could use sinister spike campain and use the necromancers spire inthere its about lvl 6-7 for 4 ppl.

[VoxRationis]

Thought of the whole "two statues, one lies, one tells the truth" bit to get into the tower itself. Is that overused? As a player, would that be fun?

Just be careful of this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i99jMtnE4vw). [Scene starts at 3:30]

[joca4christ]

We're starting to build the encounter for this. We're talking now about getting into the tower itself. How would you make the entrance?

Know that we could have some people new to rpgs so I'd like to make it more exciting than a locked wooden door that can be broken down or unlocked with a successful check. We're thinking puzzles/riddles here.

[Zombulian]

7th level wizard reincarnated as an orangotang would be fun to start... That is unless they've met the librarian before.

Orangutan* but that does sound like it could be pretty fun.
OP have you ever watched Avatar the Last Airbender? The library episode seems like it could give you some ideas.
Have an eternal protector of the knowledge held within the tower greet the adventurers, and eventually fight them. As he starts to lose the fight, have him cause the library to collapse and the party has to find their way out before it's too late.

[Gildedragon]

A social encounter that could turn combat:
A fiend of sorts trapped within a magic circle. Offers the PCs rewards if set free. Can become a recurring villain.
The circle is broken if something iron based goes through it, so if the PCs attack with weapons they break the circle and the fiend strikes back.

[Klarth]

We're starting to build the encounter for this. We're talking now about getting into the tower itself. How would you make the entrance?

Know that we could have some people new to rpgs so I'd like to make it more exciting than a locked wooden door that can be broken down or unlocked with a successful check. We're thinking puzzles/riddles here.

Have the tower surrounded by a hedge maze, with long forgotten constructs still patrolling the beaten paths. The twist is that there are no exits from the maze to the tower entrance, and the players need to find some other way of circumventing the hedges: either up and over, cutting through the walls, or spotting someone else's attempt at burrowing under. Alternatively, part of the maze has collapsed into the undercroft allowing the players to enter via the basement.

[joca4christ]

Have the tower surrounded by a hedge maze, with long forgotten constructs still patrolling the beaten paths. The twist is that there are no exits from the maze to the tower entrance, and the players need to find some other way of circumventing the hedges: either up and over, cutting through the walls, or spotting someone else's attempt at burrowing under. Alternatively, part of the maze has collapsed into the undercroft allowing the players to enter via the basement.

Yes! I like this idea.

[John Longarrow]

As its a library, there is a sentient door knocker in one of the dragon mags that may be really useful. To get the door to open, they need to talk the door into letting them in.

For fun things in a library, having a few ghosts around would make sense. Also a lectern that "Read" any book placed upon it. NOTE: Mechanically mix the spell that lets you read a book/round with magic mouth.
Other fun items in a library are continual flame lights that float around and follow people. Likewise a "Tray" (Unseen servant + Floating Disk) that puts unattended books away.

You can also have some real fun with non-standard books. Magic item that looks like a book but has a permanent image that replays a stage performance.

In all, I'd have a lot more puzzle/figure things out that combat for a library. Now once they leave with the book, have an inevitable come looking for it a day later as it is now overdue.

[Gildedragon]

A construct with the swallow whole ability:
A successful Kn Arcana check recognises runes for gate
A successful Spot check notes a door inside of its massive maw

Getting swallowed takes one to a hostile (elemental damage) belly, and after a couple rounds to a door... that puts one in a dungeon cell
A DC 20 climb check allows one to climb (10') out to the mouth, tumble DC 20 past the teeth and one is out

Deactivating the construct (HP=0, or through a command word (UMD or Bluff or spending a few rounds studying the runes (spellcraft? linguistics?) ) allows one to enter the mouth and find the door instantly, but now it leads into the foyer

[TuggyNE]

A social encounter that could turn combat:
A fiend of sorts trapped within a magic circle. Offers the PCs rewards if set free. Can become a recurring villain.
The circle is broken if something iron based goes through it, so if the PCs attack with weapons they break the circle and the fiend strikes back.

Note that the standard magic circle against X trap is not broken by "iron", but by the circle itself being disturbed; attacking across it will do nothing as long as no one carelessly brushes the diagram/silver with a foot or weapon. Changing the expectations of the D&D rules here is possible, but not advised.

[Shining Wrath]

First of all, there's the library, and then there's the LIBRARY.

I think it was Gary Gygax who said the best way to hide gold from high level adventurers was to bury it under copper coins. So there's a large, well equipped, well-trapped library, which contains many valuable books, but not The Book. That one, and the other Extra Valuable books, are in the LIBRARY, which is not near the library, and in fact can only be entered by first realizing that it exists, and then finding clues to its location (one per floor of the tower), and then performing an opening ritual in front of the door.

For added fun, the crazed wizard was a mountain climber in his youth, and part of the opening ritual is free climbing (no ropes, pitons, and especially magic) a challenging wall. The door knows if you cheat on the climb check in any way. That includes buffing the climber - there's an inherent anti-magic field embedded in the wall. If you touch the wall, magic cast on you is dispelled, and magic items stop working. No, you can't fly / levitate / Dimension Door instead of climbing.

Who puts ranks in Climb? MWAHAHAHAHA. And watch the party Tier 1 characters fume as they realize that nothing they can do can help at all.

For atmosphere, Magic Mouths throughout the tower that denounce the PCs as thieves and interlopers. Loudly. Bringing roaming monsters.

Perhaps the wizard has a theme creature type - he likes centipedes, or birds, or whatever.

No wizard's tower is complete without traps that teleport you outside the tower and force you to retrace your steps.

[Gildedragon]

Note that the standard magic circle against X trap is not broken by "iron", but by the circle itself being disturbed; attacking across it will do nothing as long as no one carelessly brushes the diagram/silver with a foot or weapon. Changing the expectations of the D&D rules here is possible, but not advised.

I meant it as a magic circle not a magic circle. The description and cause (magic item or the result of an Incantation) would suffice to not produce false expectations. "You find a ring of skittering runes dancing off the floor" vs "you find a circle of silver etched into the stone".
But yes, the standard magic circle is safe against normal attacks.

My personal recomendation for fiend in this circle: an Achaiearai. Funny looking, vicious, Lawful, will probably never use the four legged Large bird ever again...

Or a Marrash (MM2) which has the neat spawn creating ability. Treasure includes a cool fiendish bow and 2 magic arrows... which are unknowingly (unless they have Kn. The Planes ranks) tainted to make more Marrashi. See mayhem occur when they kill something with them.

Or a half fiend Durzagon (MM2) which might be confused for the wizard trapped in his own spell...

The 1st and 3rd are CR 5, the Marrash is CR 7. Probably a bit high, but they work as final dungeon bosses/optional encounter

[firebrandtoluc]

I always prefer a twist on the truth/lie riddle. Have two frogs, each big enough to swallow a party member hole, hop out of the moat and do the whole routine. When the party figures out the riddle have the "honest" frog say "You may enter. The gate lies within. One at a time please." Then he opens his mouth to let them in. Once half the party is swallowed the frogs attack. If the party doesn't fall for the obvious trap they attack with backup.

[Svata]

How about a decoy book that's actually an animated object that tries to attack anyone who reaches for the real book?

Or two that bite you if you pick them up, and try to eat your hand. Maybe have the real one animate some skeletons. :smalltongue:

[firebrandtoluc]

You could have the actual book be animated. The party has to find a way to subdue it without damaging it.

[joca4christ]

Two weeks to go until we have our event. So far, I have a hedge maze (made up of primarily illusory walls) "guarded" by pixies the mage had befriended many years ago.

The tower itself is one huge room containing a sundial atop a spinning pedestal on top of a six pointed star. Depending on what "time" it is on the dial, and which star point the shadow is facing, a different "room" will be revealed. The mechanism is in fact an inter dimensional gateway, attached to some pocket dimensions (one holding a library) the wizard has created. Others are actual dimensions/planes/places. I want the shadow to reveal on the wall a glimpse of where the star point leads.

Still trying to nail down exactly what I want for the librarian. Teetering between some sort of evil outsider trapped to do the wizard's bidding, and some sort of creature/outsider that actually wants to be there.

[chaos_redefined]

The other twist to add to the truth/lie thing is to add a third guardian.

Whenever a guardian is asked a question, you flip a coin/roll a dice/etc...

The first two act as usual, regardless of the result. The third one answers truthfully half the time, and lies the other half.

[Gildedragon]

For librarian: a grisgol with a small army of paper golems
Oooor...
A legendary dire fiendish ape of legend

[Runestar]

There's a free dnd adventure called tower of deception. Maybe it can give you some ideas? Or at least some maps to plagi adapt. :small tongue:

http://www.freegamemanuals.com/pdfrpg/TSRDungeons&Dragons3.5TheTowerOfDeception.pdf

[Blackhawk748]

If our still looking for some cool creatures, i would use a Murder of Crows Hivemind (just be REALLY careful with this as Hivemind can be insanely abused, but as the DM you are totally capable of self control :smalltongue:) But ya, use that crazy Lawful Evil bird...... seriously it needs some love, i doubt it has ever been used................ like ever.

Also if you dont want a full blown constructs running around, you could just have some Warforged Warriors with low mental stats, they are still constructs after all.

Oh Rot Grub Swarms, those things are friggin creepy.

Other fun things, Dungueonbred well anything, Guardian Creatures. Oh i had an idea for a Dungueonbred Acidborn Guardian Giant Squid. The room it was in was simple, the acid the squid was in had watered down over the years, it only did 1d4 damage a round, but the walls in the hall had broke so it could swim into two adjoining rooms. Originally the trap just filled a low point in the hall, a set of steps led down to two doors and then steps continued up into the hall on the other side this was the original trap the rooms had nothing in them and the hall was a very long way around to the main room, a secret door led there much quicker. So feel free to swipe this and tell me how it worked out.

[Gildedragon]

For traps, to emulate uber-good climate control: the books are kept in quintessence flows, maintaining perfect, timeless preservation.
Getting them out is a challenge onto itself.

[Ranting Fool]

Thought of the whole "two statues, one lies, one tells the truth" bit to get into the tower itself. Is that overused? As a player, would that be fun?

Well I once did This (http://xkcd.com/246/) was a good laugh.