Shots in the Dark #1 · p.35-38 · 3p
Open source p.35The Blackbridge Labyrinth
A level 1-3 adventure by Connor Ludovissy
Children are going missing in the village of Blackbridge. Their tracks lead to a secluded ruin, an ancient labyrinth, and a timeless sentience...
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS
Details
1
Moan. Low, echoing.
2
2 Skeletons (SD 251). Scratching at the walls, unaware of party.
3
Silver. A PC knocks into something, revealing 1sp.
4
Sourceless Whisper. “closer...”
5
Child’s Scream. Far away.
6+
Fairy (SD 216). Tries to put someone to sleep.
Unsafe. Check for encounters every 3 crawling rounds.
BLACKBRIDGE VILLAGE
Read the following to your players.
The village of Blackbridge faces hard times. Rot infests the fields, and there is little work to be found.
Now, two boys have gone missing and everyone assumes the worst:
everyone but a man named Leofric.
He begs you to find his brother, Wyot, and the lost boy Bille.
Leofric should come to the party soon after they arrive, recognizing them as adventurers. He has no money, but offers the party his bronze shield should they find his brother, Wyot. If the party tries to persuade him to come along, guilt compels him to join them and search for his brother and Bille.
A local ranger, a woman by the name of Grimma, has found child- sized tracks leading north to
Western Wood. There is a ruin known to be abandoned there, but the locals avoid it out of superstition. No one knows the history of the ruin, nor why children might be heading there.
LEOFRIC
Pale, young human man driven to save his brother, Wyot. Wields a club and bronze shield which he purchased from Quaro.
AC 13 HP 3 ATK 1 club () MV near S+2 D C I W C
AL L LV 1
RUMOURS
Details
The local barkeep thinks slavers are taking children
(false).
1
The children who disappeared are young, and were not known to wander
(true).
2
Western Wood is full of werewolves, and no one who wanders there returns alive
(false, though mundane wolves inhabit it).
3
The merchant Quaro is more than he appears to be (True, he is in fact a traveling LV 3
Wizard searching for artifacts).
4
TO THE LABYRINTH
The forest itself is easy to find, due west of Blackbridge.
2:6 chance the party is ambushed by 2 wolves (SD 264) during the journey. If the party flees, the wolves do not leave Western Wood to pursue.
No matter what direction the party heads, they find the ruins after an hour or two. If Leofric accompanies the party, he feels that they are being led there—almost as if the ruins want to be found.
No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.35
Rooms (12)
1 Entrance p.35
1. ENTRANCE
Archway (runed inscription, orcish):
“ALL HAIL MIGHTY XARAXUTHRUC.”
▶ Enter. DC 14 WIS check or you feel good about this place, that it must be explored, and should not be left. This is not a restriction, just a feeling.
10 S. Sacrificial Chamber p.35
10. S. SACRIFICIAL CHAMBER
Identical to area 9, but its table has no body. Blood mars its surface.
11 Cavern Hall p.35
11. CAVERN HALL
Carved Stone (crude), violet glow
(pulsing, periodic) offers no light, scraping and muttering ahead.
12 Construction Site · Leofric,The Caretaker p.35
12. CONSTRUCTION SITE
Large central platform (stone) lit by magical braziers (blue light)
surrounded by a 5-foot trench full of writhing workers (SD 242 peasants).
At the platform center a boy is among broken boxes before a pedestal (brass) on top of which floats a purple gem: The Caretaker.
• Leofric identifies the boy as Bille.
▶ Search Boxes. Scroll of
Protection From Evil (SD 68), scroll of Acid Arrow (SD 54), and two rolls on treasure table 0-3
(SD 270).
▶ Interact With Bille. Refuses to leave or answer questions, insisting The Caretaker won’t let him. After some moments, combat begins.
COMBAT
• The Caretaker attacks the party.
• 1 worker per PC climbs onto the platform and attacks the party.
• Every 3 combat rounds, workers climb onto the platform at the furthest point from the party and attack them.
• If The Caretaker dies, so do the workers.
• Loot workers. Find Penitent’s
Mace, which deals plus an additional damage and always drips blood.
THE CARETAKER
A once-powerful ruler left this magical automaton to oversee the construction of his fortress. It resembles a hovering amethyst.
AC 17 HP 15 ATK 1 magic missile , MV near (fly) S-3 D C I W
CH AL C LV 2
Evasive. Darts away, avoiding close contact whenever possible but will not leave the platform.
AFTERMATH
If Bille is returned safely to his family, his parents will give the PCs
50 GP worth of gems. (2 XP)
If Leofric survives and Wyot’s body is returned to his family (or at least the story of his end), Leofric gives the party his bronze shield. His parents mourn, and offer no thanks to the party. (2 XP)
2 Corpse p.35
2. CORPSE
Corpse (long-decayed, shortsword).
▶ Search Corpse. Shortsword, caved-in helmet, 2sp.
3 Stalls p.35
3. STALLS
Stalls (wood, dusty), toadstools
(green spots) in floor cracks.
▶ Eat Toadstool. damage, stomach ache.
▶ Crush Toadstool. If applied to a weapon, damage on a single strike.
4 Small Cavern p.35
4. SMALL CAVERN
Violet light (dim, pulsing), dripping ceiling, goblin corpse (shriveled).
• Giant Leech. (SD 229). Hidden on ceiling above the corpse.
▶ Examine Corpse. Wearing pearl necklace worth 5gp. Leech drops on party
5 Dead End p.35
5. DEAD END
Wall writing (scratches, common):
“I don’t want to build no more. He’s not coming back.”
6 Trapped Hallway p.35
6. TRAPPED HALLWAY
Sack (canvas, inner glimmer) at far end.
• Tripwire (ankle-height) over second tile. Fires darts at first and second tile for damage.
• Pressure Plates on fourth tiles.
Causes a scythe to fire at first PCs in the marching order. DC 15 DEX or damage.
▶ Search Sack. Polished chainmail worth 80gp.
7 Skeleton p.35
7. SKELETON
Two Skeletons (in pieces).
▶ Search Bones. Runed amulet: max HP, cursed to smell faintly of death. If not found, a skeleton wears this upon assembly.
▶ Pass Room’s Center. Skeletons
(SD 251) assemble into creatures and attack the party.
8 Statue Room p.35
8. STATUE ROOM
Five statues (robed figures) line alcoves along the walls, holding implements .
• Implements. From North to
South: hoe, plow, scythe, spear, net.
9 N. Sacrificial Chamber · Leofric p.35
9. N. SACRIFICIAL CHAMBER
Central table (ceremonial, stone)
with a child’s corpse (male, abdominal wound).
• Examine Corpse. Liver is missing.
▶ DC 17 INT to know Human liver is used in some forms of necromancy.
Wyot’s Body
If Leofric is present, he weeps and throws himself at his brother’s body. Leofric is despondent, but thanks the party for their help. He rewards the party with his shield, and encourages them to rescue Bille who must be deeper in.