The Great Northern Elf City Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 Adventure

8/11/2019 The Great Northern Elf City Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 Adventure

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The Great Nor thern Elf City

Background

The City of Amontum known for its great library and being generally open to all intelligent

humanoids is the second oldest city in the elf kingdom, while many more were been built

between Amontum and the Oldest Elven City Gundthas, Amontum has outlasted them. This isthanks to three unique properties of Amontum, its location, where many drifting Icebergs sink

unprepared ships, Amontums great wall standing at 50ft tall and connects to the sides of the

cliff the city is built on. The third unique property is the overhanging land above the city

protecting it from air raids. Because of the Icebergs only ships with a well trained magic user

onboard are able to enter the great walls lock, any ship that tries unprepared is sunk by the ice.

Once inside the city a magical spell keeps the inside at a perfect temperature for most

humanoids (72F) those who require hotter temperatures for rest are able to request rooms at

inns at their preferred temperature. Because of the warm temperate water ways, grass, trees,

and shrubs line the streets in a decorative fashion. At night magical lanterns are lit to illuminate

the walkways in a blueish light. The city has been well known to be open to all intelligenthumanoids however the last few weeks a series of books have gone missing from the great

library and all common non-elves have been put into a state of lockdown unable to leave their

homes. The common citizens do not understand why such measures have been taken over a

few book, but a look of worry and concern can been seen on many of the elves as well as the

non-elven heroes not part of the city lockdown.

ADVENTURE SYNOPSIS

The PCs arrive aboard an elven ship that has been sailing north, they arrive during the

lockdown due to a few missing books, the PCs must make their way to the library after clearing

themselves of suspicion by either being in an recognized registered guild, or showing they are

not commoners. Once the PCs reach the library they must find out what was taken and figureout how it was taken, chase the culprit down, and recover the stolen books.

What the PCs do not know is that these books were protected by the most powerful protection

magic the elves could create. The books themselves hold dark secrets that can be used in

necromancy and the dark arts. The only reason the books still exist in the first place is they are

required to create counterspells to the practices inside, they are the only known copy to exist in

the world. The books were taken through a hidden tunnel under a tapestry on the second floor

of the great library, a DC 15 detect magic, or trap check will show that the wall is actually a

removable column that can be pulled out with 10 mages using mage hand.

ADVENTURE HOOKS

As DM, you know best how to involve your PCs in an adventure. In this case, the simplest hook

is that the PCs are not allowed to leave the city until the books have been found for fear of them

being smugglers. Other options include a formal guild request, or the books hold a grave threat

to the world and their PCs are in great danger unless the books are found.

THE SHIP

The adventure begins here unless they arrived in the city by some other means.


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It has been almost two weeks since the ship left port, each day the air on deck seems to get

colder as you continue to sail north, Each morning the deck is covered with ICE. Captain Jack

says there is nothing to worry about and he has done this trip countless times. The ships elf

mage Suiauthon is down stairs studying his spell book in preparations to move or destroy the

ICE as your ship continues to sail north. The crew says you will arrive in Amontum by daybreak.

This is the players chance to gather information about the city (none of the crew knows about

the lockdown or the missing books) study their spells for the day, eat, heal, etc. perhaps even

give them work aboard the ship before reaching the city. Give the Players plenty of time to

explore the ship and find out information about the city. When ready read the S2 portion to the

PCs.

GATHERABLE INFORMATION

The city is made up of three tiers, the lowest or tier 1 is home to many of the residents,

as well as basic supply shops, inns, and the farmers market.

Tier 2 is home to the weapons shops as well as the weapon smiths homes.

Tier 3 is home to the magic users, many magic shops can be found there, it is also

home to Amontums city leaders as well as the cities great library.

The City has a counsel of six leaders, each tier of the city has two representatives.

As you look off into the distance you see a blueish light reflecting off the ice around it making

the light source look almost like a magical crystal among a sea of ice. The Crew or the Ship

begin to work with a new vigor that was lost sometime ago during the voyage. Suiauthon

relieves the night mage who is capable to dealing with the smaller ICE but is not ready to guide

the ship into Amontum great wall lock. As the ship nears Amontum the sun begins to risecasting dim glow across the ships deck, the ice built up on deck begins to sparkle.

The PCs may now do as they wish to 2 turns.

The ship is now close enough to see Amontums great 50ft wall, you can see the cities tiers as it

climbs the cliff side. Birds not native to this part of the world can be seen flying about around the

wall. As the ship enters the lock the giant lock door shut with a loud gong, above the birds circle

around the vines growing down from the natural overhanging ceiling eating the berries they

produce. As the lock begins to fill with water the air around the ship seems to grow warmer as it

rises. When the ship finally stops rising and enters the port and blast of warm air sweeps across

the deck many of the crew take off their thick coats and enjoy the warm weather. Several patrol

boats are dispatched from shore and escort your ship to the docks.

At this point it is up to the DM to decide if the guards recognize them and let them move freely

or if they are escorted to an INN as the crews of all recently arrived ships have been. If they are

moved to an INN find a way to make their weapons not useable.


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If the PCs go to a Inn go to E1, if the players go to the Library go to E2.

E1

As you are escorted through the city to the only INN with an opening you notice that many of the

cities Flora have not been maintained and have begun to overgrow from their usual trimmedshape.

The PCs and Crew Arrive at the Morkotum Inn, a small inn near the great wall, it is neither the

most expensive nor the cheapest inn in the city. (This is also the DMs chance to describe how

he pictures the INN) Inside waiter gnomes are busy trying to be good hosts to the crews of

ships that have been put into lockdown, however most of the ships crews are angry at not being

able to leave. It is also notable that none of the ships mages have been put into lockdown.

Inside the INN lanterns line the walls emitting a soft warm glow across the INN, a large fire is

burning in the fireplace and many irritated sailors sit at tables making demands for food and

drink. A guard shoves you through the main door and you hear it lock behind you.

This is another chance for PCs to gather information.

GATHERABLE INFORMATION

This lockdown has been going on for weeks, there's not enough food in this INN to keep

feeding every new ship that arrives.

None of the Ships Elf Mages have been moved to the inns but allowed to go to their

homes

Many of the non-elven sailors have homes in the city they are not allowed to return to

If you can prove you are in a guild or are a hero they will let you move about the cityescorted.

The lockdown is because a few books are missing from the library.

It is now up to the DM to decide how the time in the INN will proceed and how the PC will prove

they are in a recognized guild or are heros. When they have gained the ability to move around

the city and reach the library go to E2.

E2

The PC stand outside the great library.

the library is the home to many last of their kind books, if they were lost the information inside

would be gone forever. The front of the building has a central courtyard and two roofed areas to

each side, the building itself is massive and has a stone face with many stone support pillars

going up all four floors. The middle of the building has a set of two massive oak doors that lead

to the inside of the building.


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Typically the courtyard would be filled with many different humanoid races but right now it is

deserted. Read the next part after the PC have entered the building.

You enter the great libraries main door on the other side is a massive circular room with 4 floors

balconies that circle the room, you see shelves and shelves of books on each balcony. If you

look up you see a large stained glass ceiling that depicts the history of the city and the elvesthat built it. At the back of the room their is a large archway that leads to the rest of the library.

Many guards stand on each floor.

A PC can get knowledge that the books were taken from a restricted wing on the second floor

that the back of the library but talking to a guard and getting a Diplomacy DC10.

You walk up the stairs to the second floor, there are many guards here, you can see the

restricted area at the back of the floor, it has metal bars surrounding it and an iron gate that has

the word restricted on it.

Once on the second floor they can gain access to the restricted wing by talking with the guard

captain and convincing him they are here to help. The guard captain will show them where the

books were and explains that this area usually is only accessible by console members and is

protected by magic. Using a DC 15 detect magic, or trap check will show that a hidden tunnel is

under a tapestry, the wall is actually a removable column that can be pulled out with 10 mages

using mage hand but is otherwise immovable. When the PCs get the column out go to E3.

E3

With the column removed you find a hole that goes down at a steep angle, it would require

climbing gear to climb up but you should be able to slide down no problem.

Read after PCs have reached the bottom

You come crashing into a room carrying

more speed than expected and knock

over a table with a metal cauldron on it,

the loud clang draws the attention of two

hooded figures who appear to have been

standing guard.


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1. This room is

very bare, it

appears to be

the only way

back to the

library (climbinggear needed) by

the size of it you

would say

whoever built

this place has

been here for a

while. Monsters:

2 Dwarf Mages

2. You reach

the end of the

hallway, to your

left is a prayer

altar, to your

right appears to

be a large room

down a short

hall.

Monsters:1

Cult ist Mage

3. This rooms

seems to be


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some kind of room where worship is lead, three columns of benches sit behind an altar and two

statues. there also appears to be doors on either side of the room.

Monsters:12

Cult ist: 11

Cult ist Berserker:1

4. Someone has been exhuming bodies and bringing them here, but from where or to what end

you have no idea, there appears to be 4 bodies, one has already been removed from its casket,

a cultist mage is attempting to pry open a second when he spots you.

Monsters:1

Cult ist Mage:1

5. A pool is in the center of the room, it appears to have an unknown mark at the bottom in it

floats a dead body that appears to have been exhumed. Two more of the statues seen in the

worship chamber are also found in this room. A few cultists see you

Monsters:5

Cult ist:5

6. This appears to be an office or a research area of some kind, many documents and book are

on the desk. A dwarf mage is sitting at the desk upon your arrival reading something he may not

have noticed you yet.

On Desk

Protective Ward Breaking Book

Sealing Spells Scroll

Stolen Book from Library

Letter from Traevus Key to Locked Room

Letter From Traevus Reads: I have the Skull, some adventures found out about it but they

shouldnt be a problem, Master wants you to get the information from the books before I arrive,

we can not delay any longer.

7. (locked room make sure they have the key) The key taken from the dwarf mages desk slides

easily into the iron door three cult mages are casting some kind of spell surrounded by magic

circles, you can see the last library book on the floor, climbing equipment is sticking out of two

crates, there also seems to be a collapsed tunnel on the far side of the room. suddenly all three

cult mages stab themselves. The spell they were casting suddenly sends them flying to the

center of the room and they fuse into a Zombie Abomination. A magic wall seals you into the

room, this cult clearly intend to kill you.

Monsters:1

Zombie Abom ination

E4.


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You climb back up the hole with the books in hand using the climbing gear, the mages and

guards look very pleased.

Grand Mage:

I am the grand elf mage, I am very grateful that you retrieved these books, however the

protective ward that was used to seal the books has been broken. These books are two of themost dangerous books to ever be created, whatever information they wanted from them they

got. You can take as much time as you need in our city to resupply, then I would like you to go

after this cult, I would go myself but without me here these books could fall into the wrong hands

again

Thanks for Playing, its up to you how you proceed from here.


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Documents

The Great Northern Elf City Dungeons and Dragons 4.0 Adventure