### Labyrinth of Shattered Time: Echoes of the Past
Setting: The Labyrinth of Shattered Time
Nestled deep within the Sylvan Cascade Mountains lies an ancient structure known only as the Labyrinth of Shattered Time. Legends say it was built by an eccentric archmage who sought to manipulate time itself, creating a maze that reflects fragmented moments — echoes of the past continuously reverberating in its winding halls. The entrance to the labyrinth is hidden within a thicket of twisting trees, marked by a stone archway inscribed with cryptic runes that murmur soft echoes of history when one draws near.
As the party traverses through the overarching foliage, they feel the temperature drop significantly. The once vibrant forest is drowned out by an ambient hush, contrasted by the distant sound of clocks chiming. When the players step through the archway, they find themselves enveloped by the dampness of moss-covered stone coursing with iridescent veins of magic. Flickering wisps of light drift around them, like trapped souls waiting to be freed.
The labyrinth consists of several winding tunnels, split halls, and shifting rooms that challenge the boundaries of perception and reality. Various temporal anomalies ripple through the air, causing strange visual distortions and altering the flow of time intermittently. The very essence of history weaves into the labyrinth's fabric, allowing for interaction with echoes of figures long forgotten or beastly creatures trapped between past and present.
Goal: Retrieve the Chronomancer’s Amulet
Deep within the labyrinth lies a powerful artifact known as the Chronomancer's Amulet, imbued with the ability to control time itself. The amulet is sought after by many but guarded by the temporal remnants of the archmage's creations. The party's goal is to retrieve the amulet to help restore balance to the time stream, which has begun to fracture and distort realities across the realm, causing chaos in the lives of many.
Exploration and Puzzle: The Shifted Hallways
As the party begins their exploration, they will encounter a series of hallways and chambers that frequently shift and change orientation, making navigation within the labyrinth a challenge. To advance, the players must solve an intricate puzzle governed by temporal logic.
Puzzle Structure:
- Time Tokens: Players find the remnants of a sundial in the first chamber. There are five distinct time tokens scattered around (represented as small hourglasses). Each token corresponds to a different hour of the day (1-5 hrs).
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Hourglass Mechanism: At the center of the chamber stands a large sundial with slots for matching time tokens, but the positions are out of sync. Players must figure out the correct sequence based on clues around the chamber:
- “Dawn awakens hope, while dusk deepens dreams. One must flow into the other.”
- “Only the middle of the day speaks the truth’s name.”
Players will determine that dawn is early hours (1 hr), dusk late (5 hr), while the midday token (3 hr) must be in between the two. Tokens must be placed in a specific order around the sundial.
- Consequence: If players incorrectly slot the tokens, they trigger a temporal anomaly, creating phantasmal duplicates of themselves that act with altered motivations and objectives (phantasmal versions of them, use statistics of shadows or weaker echoes based on your choice).
Confrontation: The Echoing Guardian
Upon correctly solving the puzzle, players can access a doorway leading to an expansive chamber with a massive clockwork structure at its center. Here, they face the Echoing Guardian, a mechanical being composed of clock gears and the remnants of warriors whose voices resonate through the chamber.
The Echoing Guardian
- Statistics: CR 6 construct with 1,200 HP, immunity to psychic and necrotic damage.
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Abilities:
- Time Slip: Once per round, the guardian can shift its position before an attack lands, granting it a +2 to AC.
- Temporal Blast: It emits waves of greenish energy every three rounds, dealing 4d10 force damage (DC 16 Dexterity save for half).
- Reverberating Echo: It mimics one powerful spell or ability used against it (up to a 4th level spell). This happens every fifth round, and the echoed spell will be cast as if by a wizard of the same level as the caster.
During the battle, the room’s shifting walls alter the spatial relationship between players. Every round, players must succeed at a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be thrown from the encounter area and into a temporal distortion, affecting action choices for the next round (slowed movement, halved attack rolls).
Environmental Hazards
The chamber is also filled with erratic time streams that affect player actions. There are two “Time Pools,” concentrated areas of time energy throughout the chamber. Stepping into one can have benefits or penalties based on what the player rolls on a d6 — anything from gaining an extra action to not being able to take a turn that round.
Resolution: The Amulet Awaits
After defeating the Echoing Guardian, the glory of vibrant light surrounds the players, and the clockwork mechanisms begin to unravel, revealing the hidden pedestal upon which the Chronomancer's Amulet rests. As the party approaches, they can see visions escaping the artifact — moments from their past adventures or glimpses of allies they may have lost.
Final Guardian: The Echo of the Archmage
As players can now reach for the amulet, an echo of the archmage manifests itself, ethereal in nature but powerful. The figure appears distressed, pointing towards the amulet and stating, “Only those who face their past shall wield the power of time.” Players are prompted with choices reflecting on their journey before claiming the amulet. Each must voice a significant lesson learned or a sacrifice made during their adventures.
Once this is done, they gain the power to wield the amulet and will receive a boon depending on what lesson they reflect on (e.g., gaining an extra spell slot, increased initiative, advantage on a future saving throw based on thematic choices made).
Departure from the Labyrinth
With the amulet in hand, players will witness the maze shudder and warp, revealing a portal back to the surface. They will need to decide whether to exit immediately, or delve further into the labyrinth for additional treasure and lore (leading to side adventures). However, doing so may come at the cost of additional encounters with wandering echoes, other phases trapped within the loops of time, each encounter with potential consequences to their very essence.
As the party exits, they bring with them not only the amulet of power but the added wisdom gained through confronting the past, setting themselves on a path toward shaping time as they wish — even as their own past echoes continue to follow.
