**Cavern of the Celestial Beacons: Trial of the Void**
Setting: Cavern of the Celestial Beacons
The party finds themselves at the entrance of a vast cavern, hidden away deep within the Mistveil Mountains. As they push aside the thick vines obscuring the entrance, they catch glimpses of phosphorescent crystals embedded in the stone, illuminating the walls in an array of colors that dance across the cavern's surface. This cavern, known as the Cavern of the Celestial Beacons, is said to house artifacts of incredible power, meant to keep the balance between the material plane and the void.
In the center of the cavern lies a large, circular chamber dominated by a shallow pool of water that reflects the brilliant light above. Floating above the pool are five celestial beacons, each representing a different cosmic element: Flame, Frost, Stone, Shadow, and Wind. Thrumming with energy, the beacons pulse in time with the ebb and flow of the celestial tides outside.
The party has come to retrieve the Beacon of Balance, an artifact that has recently begun to lose its power, causing disturbances between worlds. Rumors have spread that a cult, known as the Void’s Embrace, seeks to seize the beacons' power to unleash the void upon the material realm. To obtain the Beacon of Balance, the players must navigate through various trials, each designed to test their resolve, ingenuity, and teamwork.
The Trial of Primordial Elements
As the players step deeper into the cavern, they find a series of stone pedestals spaced around the central pool, each holding a small crystal representing one of the beacons. Between the players and the beacons loom immense, ancient statues that come to life as they approach. These sentinels, formed from the very elements they guard, speak in unison, their voices echoing like a chorus of thunder.
Sentinels' Riddle: "Only those who embrace the elements can claim the celestial light. Answer us this or face our might: In the heart of the storm, where winds carry fate, what shields the brave from the void’s open gate?"
The players must answer the riddle correctly to proceed. The answer is "Courage." If they guess incorrectly, the sentinels will initiate combat.
Sentinel Combat:
- The two sentinels are each attributed to one of the cosmic elements: Flame and Frost.
- Flame Sentinel: Fire-based attacks, including a line of fire that sweeps across the battlefield and ignites players.
- Frost Sentinel: Cold spells that slow down players and create difficult terrain with icy patches.
Tactics: Players need to work together to find the weakness amid the elemental onslaught. Each sentinel has a specific vulnerability; the Flame Sentinel is weak to cold damage, while the Frost Sentinel is susceptible to fire. Once both are defeated, the sentinels crumble into dust, granting the party access to the beacon chamber.
The Tempest Trap
Upon defeating the sentinels, the players can access the beacons; however, a sudden tremor shakes the cavern, and a swirling vortex of energy appears above the pool of water. They must cross the pool to reach the Beacon of Balance, but the vortex acts like a tempest that shifts the environment constantly.
Navigating the Tempest:
- The pool's surface is treated as difficult terrain, with unstable water jets erupting at intervals.
- Players must make Acrobatics or Dexterity saving throws (DC 15) to avoid being hurled backward into the walls.
As they tread carefully, they notice strange runes glowing along the edges of the pool, cycling through time-based elemental shifts (e.g., Water -> Earth -> Fire). The players must interact with these runes to stabilize the environment by performing a series of skill checks to align the runes in the correct order.
Puzzle Solution: The correct order is to touch the runes in the following sequence: Water, Earth, Fire, Wind, Shadow. Each successful touch stabilizes an element of the tempest. Upon completion, the storm disperses and the players can safely cross to the central area.
Confrontation with the Cult
As the players near the Beacon of Balance, they are met with the primary antagonist, a hooded figure surrounded by several cultists of the Void’s Embrace. This villain, known as Aranthos the Voidbinder, possesses dark powers drawn from the depths of the void.
Dialogue: “You fools! You believe you can stop the inevitable? The void hungers, and I will feed it with the light of the beacons!”
With a wave of his hand, shadows stretch and coalesce, gaining forms that resemble former adversaries the players have faced, eliciting memories of past encounters. These shadow copies will charge the party, hoping to sow doubt and despair.
Combat Strategy:
- Aranthos himself has powerful spells, including Darkness, Horrid Wilting, and Shadow Conjure.
- He can summon two Shadows (from the Monster Manual), using them to drain players' strength and create chaos on the battlefield.
- As the players engage, the beacons’ energies begin to swirl around the room, summoning bursts of elemental magic aligned with the players (if used and activated correctly through previous interactions).
Cultist Tactics:
- The cultists will continually try to disrupt the players through tactics such as flanking, spreading debilitating effects, and using ranged attacks to wear them down.
- They will attempt to initiate grappling maneuvers to take control of the battlefield, moving players away from their strengths.
Achieving Balance
Once the party overcomes Aranthos and the remaining cultists, the room quiets. The vibrant light from the beacons illuminates the chamber. With Aranthos defeated, they turn their attention to the Beacon of Balance, which lays before them, pulsing softly.
Upon interacting with the beacon, the party must perform a final skill check (Arcana DC 16) to understand its power, using moments of reflection from their previous trials as guidance. If they succeed, they restore its energy. If they fail, a surge of void energy lashes out, dealing damage, but they can still attempt again until they succeed.
As the Beacon of Balance regains its light, a powerful wave of energy washes over the cavern, cleansing the area of void influences and restoring harmony within the celestial energies. The players feel a sense of accomplishment, having protected not just the beacon but the very fabric of their world.
While leaving the cavern, the players will see that the mystical crystals glow even brighter, signaling a restored equilibrium. However, a lingering trait of shadow sweeps across their path, hinting that the Void’s Embrace is not entirely defeated, teasing future adventures yet to come.
In this encounter, players not only gain an invaluable artifact but also strengthen their bonds as a party, and discover the importance of balance amidst chaos.
