FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE A tournament deathtrap dungeon for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game.

DR. DAVY JONES Design ROBERT WALUCHOW Cartography, Illustrations MATTHEW DIXON Editor SERSA VICTORY Manager, Layout C. STEVEN ROSS 5E Conversion Special thanks to: Brandon Reinert, Gavin O’Brien, Joe Nehmer, Jon Green, Matt Horam, and the many playtesters at Defy Danger, Defy Danger East, GaryCon, GenCon, and elsewhere

© 2015 DDE ADVENTURES ddeadventures.wordpress.com @ddeadventures

Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, place names, new deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, story elements, locations, characters, artwork, sidebars, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content are not included in this declaration.) Open Game Content: No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission. Sample

file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE INTRODUCTION

4

CRUSADE

BACKGROUND It is said that the gods tasked Death with keeping the secrets of magic locked behind his Black Gates. And so the fallen races remained blind to the ways of magic, until one man challenged and defeated Death in a battle of wits. In victory he claimed Death’s wand and became the first mortal to perceive the mysteries of the black art, only to be driven mad by the revelations. These half-remembered legends tell too of his sundering of the world and his construction of a dread Fortress. The Ur-Mage opens the doors of his Fortress once each decade, allowing the heroes and demigods of the realm to enter. Legend has it that a great prize waits within the Fortress, the Wand of Death itself, and a crusader bearing the wand could command the dead, shatter the planes, and slay gods. Today, the games begin. Today, the gates open.

HEAD-TO-HEAD MODE When the gates of the Fortress open, the boldest crusaders of the realm enter and compete to claim the treasures within. Although Fortress of the Ur-Mage can be run for one party of crusaders, teams of crusaders can compete directly against one another. The teams will play separate games at separate tables, and each party will need its own DM. Certain items in the Fortress are unique. Once one party claims a unique item, it is no longer available. Unique items are always accompanied by an announcement for the DM to shout. For example, if your party claims the giant key in Room 17, you are instructed to shout, “THE CYCLOPS KEY HAS BEEN CLAIMED.” The other DMs will take note of this and run the game as if that item no longer exists.

Head-to-Head Mode Announce to all groups playing

When the crusaders take the giant cyclops key, announce, “THE GIANT CYCLOPS KEY HAS BEEN CLAIMED!”

Parties will also have opportunities to set traps for other parties. Again, these are accompanied by announcements to be made by the DM. DMs are encouraged to make other announcements when fun and dramatic events occur in the dungeon, even if not explicitly instructed to by the adventure. At the end of the time limit, each party that has entered the final chamber teams up to battle the final boss. Only the team with the highest score (see “Tournament Scoring,” page 87) will claim the Wand of Death.

TIME LIMIT AND TPK The power of the Wand of Death can be felt throughout the Fortress, and its corrupting influence begins to take effect the moment the crusaders enter. After 5 hours of real time, a horde of summoned Spectral Death Knight Cavaliers atop fleshless horses ride through the Fortress and slay the remaining crusaders, ending the game. When played as part of a tournament, a total party kill ends the game. Sam

ple file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE INTRODUCTION

5

TOURNAMENT SCORING When the adventure ends, each party scores points based on the table on page 87. A party’s score determines their rank and what prizes, if any, those crusaders take home with them. If more than one party survives the final battle with the Ur-Mage, the party with the highest score wins the Wand of Death.

LEVELING Level gain is atypical in this adventure. For this reason, players need not record XP. Instead, whenever the crusaders claim one of the shards of true power, all crusaders immediately gain 1 level and recover as if they took a long rest.

TREASURES AND RELICS In addition to gaining levels, the crusaders gain power by uncovering the treasures and relics within the Fortress. When the crusaders find a treasure cache, each player rolls d% and gains the corresponding treasure from the Treasure Table on page 82.

Alternatively, you may print the deck of treasure cards provided with this adventure and deal 1 card to each crusader when they discover a cache. Players are encouraged to trade treasures with one another.

Treasure Cache Each crusader gains one magic item

When the crusaders enter this chamber, each receives one random treasure from the table on page 82.

Relics are unique items to be found at particular locations in the Fortress. Some relics are puzzle items, some are wondrous items with unusual properties, and a small few are weapons of plane-shaking power. Relics are separate from treasures and should be distributed only when instructed by the adventure. Relics are not destroyed upon the death of the crusader carrying them. Relics carried by a dead crusader pass to the player on their left.

DEATH Whenever a crusader dies in the Fortress, a portal of purple flame opens. The crusader’s soul and all magic items and treasures carried by the crusader are pulled through the portal and added to the treasure in the final room of the Fortress (page 78). However, a dead crusader does not lose any relics – those pass on instead to the player on the dead crusader’s left. That player may re-enter the game with a new level 3 crusader. The new crusader joins the party immediately.

Sample

file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE INTRODUCTION

6

DUNGEON

ENVIRONMENT Unless otherwise noted, the Fortress of the Ur-Mage has the following features: Walls. Massive basalt bricks that regularly

emit particles of ash.

Doors. Enchanted mithril embossed with an ornate “M.” Unlocked, unless a keyhole is noted (i.e. “silver keyhole”). Locked doors can only be unlocked with a matching key. Locks can be picked with a DC 15 Dexterity check, but each failure increases the DC by 5.

Floors. Non-Euclidian bronze plates

etched in the runes of an unspeakable forgotten language.

Illumination. Dimly lit by a faint prismatic

shimmer from the floors.

FRACTURED TELEPORTATION

CIRCLES There are six teleportation circles in the Fortress, located in Rooms 5, 10, 17, 20, 29, and 29. They have decayed and warped with time. They can be used to move to new locations within the Fortress, but risk is associated with their use. A crusader can power a fractured teleportation circle using their choice of either blood magic or magical prowess. That crusader makes a DC 13 Constitution (Arcana) check if the circle is powered by blood magic, or a DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check if the circle is powered by magical prowess. All crusaders in the party are then sent to another random teleportation circle in the Fortress. On a success, the teleportation circle works, but a mishap still happens. The DM chooses to either teleport an important item to a different random circle, misplace a crusader’s limb, drain a Hit Die from each of the crusaders, or open a portal to another dimension, spawning 1d4 interplanar Watchers. On a failure, 1d4 crusaders are telefragged and instantly killed.

Watcher Medium aberration, lawful evil Armor Class 12 Hit Points 22 (5d8) Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover) STR 8 (-1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 11 (+0) INT 18 (+4) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Damage Resistances cold Condition Immunities charmed Languages understands all languages Hypnotize. A creature that moves adjacent to the Watcher must succeed at a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or become stunned. The stunned creature must make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a successful save, this stunning effect ends. ACTIONS Arc Lightning. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 120 ft., up to 3 creatures in range. Hit: 10 (3d6) lightning damage. REACTIONS Discover Weakness. Reaction. When a creature misses with an attack against a Watcher or the Watcher succeeds on a saving throw against a creature's spell, all Watchers in line of sight analyze the creature. The analyzed creature becomes vulnerable to attacks from Watchers for the next 5 minutes.

Sample

file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE INTRODUCTION

7

RUMORS Every ten years the crusaders of the realm pour into the Fortress. While most never return, those who do carry with them strange tales of what lies within its walls. The stories change with each retelling. Before the game begins, each crusader rolls a d10 and learns the corresponding rumor from the list below (reroll duplicates).

1 Reliable. Slitting the throat of the electrum medusa will open a secret door. (T)

2 Unreliable. Drinking from the goblet atop the bloodstone altar restores perfect health. (F)

3 Reliable. Of the four inmates of the stasis prison, only one is truly the enemy of the Ur-Mage. (T)

4 Unreliable. Looking through the eyes of the portrait of the Ur-Mage will grant a vision of the future. (F)

5 Reliable. A secret lever on the statue of the dueling wizard casts a spell to slay a monster. (F)

6 Unreliable. The soul gems in the Shrine of the Girallon can be used to liberate trapped souls. (T)

7 Reliable. A rift in the inner ring of the Fortress opens onto the Black Gates of Death’s kingdom. (T)

8 Unreliable. The portal guarded by the dark queen leads to a hidden crypt under the Fortress. (F)

9 Reliable. The blank pages of the spellbook bound in tarrasque flesh answers questions with lies. (T)

10 Unreliable. The iron golem will forge a set of godshard armor if fed the correct scroll. (F)

The crusaders also learn whether or not the rumor is reliable. Four of the five reliable rumors are true. One of the five unreliable rumors is true. Make the crusaders aware of the odds of truth or falsity. If you printed the deck of rumor cards provided with this adventure, hand each crusader one random rumor card rather than rolling on the table.

ENTERING THE

FORTRESS The Fortress lies at the bottom of a crater near the end of the world. Standing atop the ridge of the crater, the crusaders can see the basic layout of the Fortress: an outer ring, an inner ring, and the innermost sanctum separated by moats. Show the crusaders Handout 1. There are three obvious entrances to the Fortress. The north, south, and west walls each feature a gigantic stone skull, their mouths opening as doors into the dungeon. Their eyes burn with colored flame: North skull: Blue flames. South skull: Green flames. West skull: Purple flames.

The east wall features a similar stone skull, but its eyes do not burn and the mouth is shut. If the crusaders light the skull’s eyes with a magical flame, they ignite in black fire and the mouth opens to permit passage. Additionally, the crusaders find a stud in the stone tongue floor of this entrance – it is a shard of true power (page 81).Sam

ple file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE INTRODUCTION

8

Crusaders can light a torch with the magical flames from any of the skull entrances. Doing so creates a skullflame torch that will be of use in certain rooms within the Fortress. The towers of the Fortress house magical trebuchets that fire heaps of tar-covered flameskulls at the crusaders if they take too much time in selecting an entrance. Crusaders attacked by the trebuchets must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. Crusaders who fail take 6d6 fire damage, while those who succeed only take half damage.

STARTING GEAR In addition to normal starting gear, each player may choose an uncommon magic item (DMG, p. 150 – 214) for their first crusader. Respawned crusaders do not get a bonus starting treasure.

FILL IN THE BLANKS There are two blank rooms in the Fortress, in addition to the miniature pyramid in Room 6, that have been left unwritten. These areas will be populated by suggestions from the party before the game begins. Or, if the game is to be played before an audience, they may be populated by audience suggestions. Give each player one of the fill-in-the-blank cards provided with this adventure. The players should be thinking dark, dangerous, and awesome. Inform players that the greater and more evocative the dangers described, the greater the potential rewards.

Head-to-Head Mode Affects all groups playing

If multiple parties are delving this dungeon at once, tell the players that the answers to their fill-in-the-blank questions will be used to populate the blank rooms in an enemy group’s dungeon.

Sample

file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE 1. BANQUET FEAST

9

1. BANQUET FEAST A tempting feast has been laid out for the crusaders in a faux gesture of welcome.

FEATURES OF THE ROOM A long table is spread with a magnificent

feast. Ask the crusaders to describe what foods are on the table.

Some food has been placed on the floor surrounding the table.

Two corpulent and open-mouthed gargoyles stand flanking the entrance to this chamber. Motionless, they feature carved entrails and limbs hanging from their open lips.

A mural behind the table depicts the two gargoyles and a band of crusaders merrily feasting.

Among the goblets of wine at the table, one is made from gold and set with an ornate “M.”

The food is all freshly prepared and baked. The baked goods are warm.

An ornate silver candelabra, unlit, sits at the center of the table.

EXPLORATION Food Close examination of the food on the floor

reveals that they look strangely like faces. Intelligence (Investigate) DC 5: Some of

the foods on the edge of the table have single bites taken out of them, while those on the floor appear untouched.

Eating or drinking any of the food in this chamber instantly transforms the crusader into that food.

Drinking from the golden chalice transforms the crusader into a goblet. However, the effect ends if he is brought outside the chamber, for it is a chalice of dilution (page 80).

Mural Lighting the candelabra causes the

mural to come alive in the flickering light of the candles. Noiselessly, the scene changes, and the crusaders in the image pick up two of their own number, and feed them to the gaping mouths of the gargoyles.

Sam

ple file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE 1. BANQUET FEAST

10

Gargoyles Feeding the gargoyles any of the food

in the room causes them to animate. One flies to the southern door of the chamber and perches on its frame. It speaks a new reliable rumor (though do not tell the crusaders its reliability). Afterward, it freezes, a smile on its grotesque face.

The second gargoyle, when fed,

perches atop the northern door, speaks a new unreliable rumor (again, keep this information hidden), and freezes with a scowl on its face.

Gargoyles (2) Medium elemental, chaotic evil Armor Class 15 Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21) Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. STR 15 (+2) DEX 11 (+0) CON 16 (+3) INT 6 (-2) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 7 (-2) Damage Resistances nonmagical weapons that aren't adamantine Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, petrified, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft. Languages Terran False Appearance. While the gargoyle remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate statue. ACTIONS Multiattack. The gargoyle makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.

Sample

file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE 2. THE SEVENTH SPELLBOOK

11

2. THE SEVENTH

SPELLBOOK One of the Ur-Mage’s thirteen spellbooks is housed in this small shrine, waiting for those mad enough to speak its arcane scribblings.

FEATURES OF THE ROOM The walls of this small shrine are marred

by objects half-phased through them, scorch marks, missing chunks, and a variety of other signs of wayward spells.

Points of many-colored light drift through the chamber.

A spellbook, thousands of pages in length and bound in dully-shimmering scales, rests upon a pedestal.

A long red feather sits in an empty bottle on the floor next to the book.

Two emaciated, gray-fleshed undead form the pedestal. The crushingly heavy spellbook rests on their thin, crooked shoulders.

The eyes of the undead are missing and their mouths are stitched shut.

The spellbook is huge, measuring four feet long, three feet wide, and one foot tall.

The book is closed and locked. Its cover features the faces of the Ur-Mage and Death facing each other in profile.

EXPLORATION Intelligence (Investigate) DC 5: Traces of

red ink remain in the bottle. Pedestal Cutting open the mouths of the

undead causes them to move their mouths noiselessly. The crusader who cuts open the mouth hears a word whispered in her mind. The undead to the left whispers, “PORTALIS.” The other whispers, “TEK.” Immediately after, the undead begin heaving. The crusaders must act quickly before the undead belch out a zombifying disease to those within 5 feet. Those affected must succeed at a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be permanently transformed into a ghoul if they ever roll a natural 1 on an attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw.

A silver key can be found in the vomit. Attacking the undead causes them to

instantly crumble into a billowing cloud of toxic dust. All creatures in the room must succeed at a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or permanently lose a hit die.

Sam

ple file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE 2. THE SEVENTH SPELLBOOK

12

Massive Spellbook Intelligence (Arcana or History) DC 15:

The book is bound in the impenetrable scales of the tarrasque.

The book can be removed from the room, however it is incredibly heavy. The book starts weighing 100 lbs. and gains 50 lbs. weight for every additional room it is brought into until it is immovable.

Speaking the passwords from the undead pedestal into the ears of the Ur-Mage and Death unlocks the book.

A crusader can attempt to unlock the book with a Dexterity DC 10 check.

On a success, the book is unlocked. On a failure, a random harmful spell

(roll d8) is cast from the book. The spellbook features endless pages

written in a forgotten arcane language. When the book is opened, each crusader may, if they choose, read one spell at random from the book. If they do, roll a d20 on the table to the right to determine the effect, rerolling duplicate results. Multiple attempts from the same crusader have no effect.

The spellbook, if carefully examined, also features two blank pages.

If the crusaders use some kind of makeshift ink (blood, for instance), they can write a question on a blank page. The spellbook will then write an answer,

however the spellbook always lies. Because there are two blank pages, crusaders who have heard a rumor about the spellbook’s nature might use one of the blank pages to test its truthfulness.

1-2 Turn to Magic Item. The crusader must make a Charisma saving throw and succeed or be transformed into a magic amulet engraved with their face. Ask the transformed crusader what their amulet protects the wearer from. Crusaders wearing this amulet gain resistance to an appropriate damage type as determined by the DM.

3-4 Conjure Sentient Fireball. The book summons a rolling fireball. All crusaders must make a Dexterity saving throw and take 8d6 fire damage, half damage on a successful save. The crusader who triggered the spell takes disadvantage to the saving throw. Afterward, the fireball rolls out of the chamber, wandering the halls of the Fortress. Make the announcement shown on the next page.

5-6 Curse of Tears. The crusader is cursed with bad luck. The crusader takes disadvantage on all attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws.

7-8 Weight of Sins. One or more of the crusader’s items become too heavy to carry. He must shed at least 3 items before moving on from the room.

9-11 Summon Monster. The crusader summons a monster to serve her until dismissed or killed. A monstrosity of Challenge Rating 2 or lower appears in a location designated by the crusader within 60 feet and serves the crusader willingly until it is slain. The creature has its own initiative and actions.

12-14

Change Size. The crusader can immediately cast the spell Enlarge/Reduce (PHB p.237) on herself only, but the duration is permanent.

15-17

Enchant Weapon. The crusader can immediately cast the spell Elemental Weapon (PHB p.237) as a 5th Level spell, but the duration is permanent.

18-20

Reverse Transformation. The crusader can immediately cast the spell Greater Restoration (PHB p.246). Sam

ple file

FORTRESS OF THE UR-MAGE 2. THE SEVENTH SPELLBOOK

13

Massive Spellbook (Continued)

Head-to-Head Mode Announce to all groups playing

When the crusaders trigger the Conjure Sentient Fireball spell, announce, “A SENTIENT FIREBALL WANDERS THE FORTRESS!” The next group to enter this chamber must then encounter the Sentient Fireball.

Sentient Fireball Large ooze, unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40) Speed fly 40 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 14 (+2) CON 20 (+5) INT 1 (-5) WIS 6 (-2) CHA 1 (-5) Damage Vulnerabilities cold, thunder Damage Resistances magical weapons Damage Immunities fire, nonmagical weapons, poison Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned Senses blindsight 60 ft. Roiling Cataclysm. The sentient fireball takes up its entire space. Other creatures can enter the space, but trigger the sentient fireball’s Meltdown as a bonus action and take disadvantage to the saving throw. Death Throes. When the Sentient Fireball is reduced to 0 HP, it performs a Meltdown attack as a bonus action the moment before death. Ignition. When a crusader drops to 0 HP from one of the sentient fireball’s attacks, the DM destroys one combustible treasure carried by the crusader. ACTIONS Flare. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. Meltdown. Each creature within the space of the sentient fireball takes 8d6 fire damage, DC 13 Constitution saving throw for half. Sample

file