**Forgotten Ruins: Secrets of the Relic Hunter**
Setting
The players find themselves in the heart of the Verdant Wilderness, an enormous and dense forest filled with ancient trees, twisting vines, and the echoes of wildlife. Deep within this unexplored region lies a crumbling ruin, known as the Temple of Verath, once dedicated to a long-forgotten deity of knowledge and secrets. This temple is said to house a powerful relic — the Eye of Verath — a gem said to grant visions of truth and insight, able to unveil lies and hidden paths.
As the players approach the temple, they are greeted by a mystic fog that hangs low in the air, obscuring their vision and enhancing the sense of foreboding. The atmosphere is charged with magic, and the sounds of nature fade into a whisper. The ancient stone structure, covered in creeping ivy and adorned with faded glyphs, stands half-buried in the earth as though the forest itself wishes to reclaim it.
Characters
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Thalion the Hunter: A local ranger who has seen the forest change over the years. With a deep knowledge of its secrets, he has set out to uncover the mystery of the Eye of Verath. Thalion may seem brusque, but his determination is genuine and he can provide guidance to the players unless they choose to betray his trust.
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Selara, the Spirit of the Temple: A spectral figure bound to the ruins, appearing when players first enter the temple. Selara is the guardian of the Eye and will initially view the players as interlopers unless they prove their worth. She can communicate through riddles and offers cryptic advice or challenges.
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The Guardian Constructs: Animated stone sentinels crafted by the ancients, these guardians are programmed to defend the temple from intruders. They will engage the party if provoked or if they try to take the Eye without solving the temple’s challenges.
Conflict
As players navigate the dense foliage and step through the cracked archway of the temple, they encounter the first barrier — a shifting maze of vines that alters its layout every few moments. The players must work together to solve the puzzle of the maze, discern its changing patterns, and reach the heart of the temple where the Eye of Verath is housed before time runs out. Failure to navigate the maze will lead to an ambush by the Guardian Constructs.
Navigating the Maze
Mechanics:
- The players must succeed in a series of Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) checks to spot the shifting patterns of the vines. If they can correctly guess the exit pathway, they navigate successfully.
- A DC of 15 is required for success, with a maximum of 3 checks available before the vines shift, requiring players to retreat and restart their traversal.
Consequences of Failure:
- If players fail to solve the maze, they trigger an ambush by 2-3 Guardian Constructs (use Stone Golem stats adjusted for appropriate challenge level). They will emerge from the stone decor in the walls of the temple, catching the players off guard.
Inside the Temple
Once inside the central chamber of the temple, the players are greeted by the sight of the Eye of Verath, resting on a pedestal beneath flowing beams of sunlight that penetrate through the cracks in the temple ceiling. However, Selara appears, her ghostly figure manifesting around them with an ethereal glow.
“You seek the Eye of Verath, but first, you must prove your worth,” she challenges.
Selara presents the players with a riddle based on the knowledge their characters might possess, requiring each character’s contribution to solve it.
Riddle:
“In the shadows I dwell, hidden from sight,
My voice is a whisper, sweet as the night.
I offer the truth, yet know I deceive;
Hold onto your memories, for they weave what you believe.”
Solution:
The answer is “Dreams” or “Thoughts.” Players need to have at least one character make a successful Intelligence (History) or Wisdom (Insight) check (DC 14) to piece together clues leading to the riddle’s meaning. If they answer correctly, Selara reveals parts of the relic’s powers and warns them about its potential dangers.
The Trial of Shadows
Upon successfully answering Selara's riddle, she leads the party deeper into the temple, unveiling the Trial of Shadows. In this trial, the players must fend off spectral shadows conjured by their own fears and insecurities.
Mechanics of the Trial:
- Players have to confront and defeat manifestations of their doubts: (fears of failure, imposter syndrome, or past regrets). Each shadow has hit points equivalent to the player’s level multiplied by two. Combat will involve rolling against the shadows’ AC of 12. If a player suffers damage from their shadow, they must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 15) or become frightened for one round.
- Each shadow’s defeat gives a player advantage on the next Wisdom saving throw, reflecting their triumph over their personal struggles.
The Relic Encounter
After overcoming the Trial of Shadows, Selara offers the players a final warning as they approach the Eye of Verath. “The relic grants insight and power but at a cost. Use it wisely.” She grants each player a boon, like advantage on their next Intelligence check, encouraging teamwork and strategy.
As the players reach out to claim the Eye, a wave of energy surges through the temple, awakening the Guardian Constructs again. This time, the constructs are empowered with shadows, acting as a particularly formidable challenge.
Combat Mechanics:
- 3 Guardian Constructs are animated and will attack not only to defend the Eye but to erase the players’ memories of the temple.
- As they are destroyed, players can discover the corrupted energy that can be harnessed for their own use or risk shattering the Eye altogether.
Resolution
Once the guardians are defeated, players can claim the Eye of Verath. Success means they will possess a powerful relic, capable of revealing lies and granting visions that could guide them in their future endeavors. However, the experience of facing their shadows will have imparted on them lessons on free will and the weight of their choices.
Possible Outcomes:
- Wise Choices: If players utilize the Eye responsibly, they may gain permanent enhancements to Wisdom or Intelligence scores, reflecting their growth.
- Echoes of Shadows: If they fail to confront their fears adequately, residual shadows threaten to haunt them, creating plot hooks for future encounters.
- Corrupted Power: If they allow the corruption to take hold and break down the Eye in haste, they could trigger dangerous magical phenomena — like gaining the attention of darker powers, represented by an eldritch entity threatening to seep into their reality over future adventurers.
As the players exit the temple, they carry not only the relic but also new insights from their journey within the forgotten ruins, perhaps becoming new guardians of knowledge themselves.
