Shots in the Dark #1 · p.49-52 · 3p
Open source p.49Elemental Mistakes
A level 3-5 adventure by Samantha O’Brien
Three apprentices tried to summon elementals to overthrow their master, but lost control and blew a hole in the tower!
HOOK
Two letters magically appear. The first, signed by the mage Kalzamordek, offers his crystal ball if you help him save his tower! The second, unsigned, asks for help killing the master in return for his staff.
FEATURES & ENTRANCES
Light: red flickering lights (lit on 4+ on the encounter die), open areas match outside.
Doors: Self-repairing wood, DC 15 to break, close automatically. Floor/Walls: smooth stone bricks. Ceiling: 15 ft high.
• Front Door (lv. 2 / Area 7) on a cliff.
• Loading Door (lv. 1 / Area 3) by river.
• Holes in the sides (lv. 3 / Area 12, lv. 4 /
Area 16).
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
Details
1
Nearest Elemental (SD 215), on the hunt for other motes/elementals
2-3
Elemental Motes (p. 52)
4-5
Animated Brooms (p. 52)
6
Nearest Apprentice (SD 196)
Deadly. Check for encounters every crawling round. When encounters occur, roll for two — the groups are fighting!
Random Elemental. To determine type, roll : 1: water; 2: earth; 3: fire; 4: air.
No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.49
Rooms (16)
1 Soaring Column p.49
1. SOARING COLUMN
Dragonglass walls (translucent, invulnerable), zero-gravity and unearthly glow inside.
• Inside Glass (floating): golden amulet (50gp), 2 earth motes.
▶ Look through: vague outlines.
• To Enter: touch Pass Ring to phase through dragonglass.
10 Apprentice Workshop p.49
10. APPRENTICE WORKSHOP
Shattered wall (singed) and stairs
(rubble still floating), bookshelves, tables (wooden, scattered books).
• Examine Books: Contain info on
Elementals, including abilities.
Notes detail the failed ritual.
Apprentice: Jax studies how to regain control of the elementals!
• Master Ring . and 2 Pass Rings.
11 Apprentice Bedroom p.49
11. APPRENTICE BEDROOM
3 beds (simple, dirty) & footlockers
(beat up). Floating door (no wall).
• Under Beds: air mote (3 total), hiding from Fire Elemental in 12.
• In Footlockers: clothes, books, 13gp and 42sp.
12 Exploded Ritual Room p.49
12. EXPLODED RITUAL ROOM
Shattered floor (singed), floating door (no wall), Dragonglass hole
• Broken Stairs from #9, unstable!
Fire elemental (SD 215) trying to break the staff of the elements.
• Take staff: chases relentlessly.
• Destroy staff: dispel magic/etc.
Elemental becomes friendly!
13 Library p.49
13. LIBRARY
Bookshelves (orderly), table (plain wood, list of titles).
• Call a book’s name: flies to you!
• Title List: books for ritual (in #10).
• Search Shelves: if trained, find 1 scroll per round: floating disc, fixed object, levitate (1 of each).
14 Upper Bathroom p.49
14. UPPER BATHROOM
Locked (DC 21 or Pass Ring).
Toilet (gold), bathtub (gold), sink
(marble), shelf (toiletries).
• Search shelf: fancy soaps (50gp).
Apprentice: Rowan is trapped in the bathroom with no ring!
• If freed: Knows Jax stole Master
Ring, wants to give it back.
Kalzamordek the Keen
Mage (SD 231; arrogant, easily distracted, bibliophile). Preparing ritual to draw from the elemental plane to teleport to the moon!
15 Observatory p.49
15. OBSERVATORY
Locked (DC 21 or Master Ring).
Telescope (golden, massive), shelf and tables (notebooks, papers).
• Notes: triangulating stars for obscure teleportation ritual.
• Telescope: pointed at red moon.
Kalzamordek is trapped inside after someone stole his Master Ring!
Spare in the Storage Room.
16 Master Bedroom · Animated Broom,Elemental Motes p.49
16. MASTER BEDROOM
Locked door (DC 21 or Master Ring).
Bookshelves (overstuffed), chest
(locked, as door), planters.
• Search Shelves: trained, 1 scroll per round: dispel magic, magic circle, protection from energy.
• Unlock Chest: Trap! If you pick lock, DC 15 CHA or turn to Newt!
▶ Inside: crystal ball (SD 302).
Air Elemental (SD 215) trying to free itself of tangled bedspread!
• Remove bedspread: 2 slots/100 gp. Elemental bebcomes friendly!
MASTER RING
Benefit. Works like a pass ring. In addition, the bearer can control personal gravity within the tower.
STAFF OF THE ELEMENTS
Benefit. Wand of Summon Mote (as animate dead (SD 54) but summons elemental motes) and
Summon Extraplanar (SD 72, but only elementals).
Curse. Each time your spellcasting check fails, take constitution damage. If your constitution reaches 0 from this effect, you burn to death from the inside out.
ANIMATED BROOM
Magically sweeps trash… like you!
AC 11, HP 4, ATK 1 brush () + dust, MV near (fly), S , D , C , I , W , Ch , AL N, LV 1
Dust. When hit, the target makes
DC 9 Con or has disadvantage on their next action as they cough.
ELEMENTAL MOTES
Blobs of raw elemental energy!
AC 13, HP 10, ATK 1 slam () or
Special,* MV near, S , D , C , I -
4, W , Ch , AL N, LV 2
Air Elemental. Fly speed + Gust.* All within close DC 12 DEX or flung feet in random direction.
Fire Elemental. Fly speed + Pyre.*
All in close DC 12 DEX or dmg.
Earth Elemental. Burrow speed +
Quake.* All within near DC 12 STR or prone (½ speed to stand up).
Water Elemental. Swim Speed +
Ripple.* All within near ½ speed.
- Animated Broom AC 11 HP 4 LV 1 N 1 brush +1 (1d4) + dust
- Elemental Motes
2 Stairs p.49
2. STAIRS
Stone (sealed “top”, hole in floor on upper level), reversed gravity.
• Step on “Top”: fall to ceiling for
damage!
• Approach “Bottom”: gravity shifts to keep you from falling.
3 Loading Dock p.49
3. LOADING DOCK
Double doors (wooden, unlocked), crates (food) and barrels (wine), rubble (from small hole in ceiling).
• Listen at Doors: Area 4: rushing water, Area 5: gentle muttering.
4 Storage Room p.49
4. STORAGE ROOM
Crates (food) and barrels (wine), rubble (ceilling hole/wall crack).
Water Elemental (SD 215) tries to flee through crack! (glimmer inside)
• In Elemental: spare Master Ring.
• Give path out: flees to river.
There Can Be Only One
Every hour, 2 elementals fight!
Whenever one dies, the victor fully heals and they all get stronger.
• 4 left. Level 6 with 10 less HP.
• 3 left. Level 6 elementals.
• 2 left. Level 6 with 10 more HP.
• 1 left. Level 9 elemental!
Order of Battle. Full elementals attack if provoked (break doors if necessary), but only chase other elementals. Motes want chaos, not conflict. Trapped in near distance to tower.
5 Kitchen p.49
5. KITCHEN
Cooking fire, tables (wooden).
• Approach Fire: it’s a fire mote!
• Listen at Doors: Area 4: rushing water, cracking wood.
Apprentice: Sylvie scheming to get the Master Ring from Area 4.
6 Dining Room p.49
6. DINING ROOM
Table & Chairs (sturdy wood).
• Listen at Doors: Area 8: stomping.
7 Entrance / Foyer p.49
7. ENTRANCE / FOYER
Red carpet (plush), glass pillar
(translucent), glowing flowers (in planters), ceiling hole (east).
• Step on Carpet: magically stuck!
Touch a Pass Ring to unstick.
(note: carpet isn’t stuck to floor)
• Search Planters: Western one hides a spare Pass Ring.
• Listen at Doors: Area 8: stomping, heavy. Area 9: splashing.
The Wizard’s Apprentice(s)
3 apprentices (SD 196) tried to summon and command an elemental, but lost control!
• Sylvie (calculating, mischievous, chatty). She delights in chaos.
• Jax (cold, intellectual). He wants to kill the others & take charge.
• Rowan (anxious, caring, quiet).
They want to fix things so
Kalzamordek won’t be mad.
Order of Battle. Fight only as a last resort. Escape through the
Soaring Column (#1).
8 Bathroom p.49
8. BATHROOM
Toilet (closed top), sink (faucet drips), bathtub (dirty), no ceiling.
• Open Toilet / Turn Faucet: each holds water mote! (2 total).
9 Ruined Lounge Area p.49
9. RUINED LOUNGE AREA
Earth Elemental (SD 215) smashes ruined couches, bedposts, and pillows into a nest. Half a ceiling.