The Eternal Abyss: Trials of the Forgotten Guardians
Setting: The Abyssal Caverns
In the heart of a cursed mountain range lies the Eternal Abyss, a vast network of caverns said to be the resting place of ancient guardians. Echoes of their heroic deeds still reverberate through the dimly-lit tunnels, but whispers of dark forces disturbing their slumber have spread like wildfire. Travelers have begun disappearing, and the air feels thick with unfulfilled promises and trapped spirits.
This encounter takes place deeper within the caverns, where natural rock formations twist and spiral, creating an almost maze-like structure. Bioluminescent mushrooms illuminate the shadows with an eerie blue glow, and the sounds of dripping water create a rhythmic undertone. The deeper the players travel, the more they feel the weight of the guardians’ sorrow and the insidious presence of an unknown evil.
Goal: Release the Forgotten Guardians
Players must navigate through the Abyssal Caverns, facing trials that test their wisdom, courage, and teamwork. Their ultimate goal is to confront the malevolent force disturbing the guardians’ peace—a monstrous corruption known as the Umbra Wraith—and free the guardians from their torment, who may aid the players against the greater evil threatening the realm.
The Approach
As players enter through a massive stone archway adorned with fraying tapestries celebrating the guardians’ past victories, they are met with a sense of anticipation. The air shimmers with magic, and the players can feel energy coursing through the cavern walls. However, an ominous chill reminds them of the trials ahead.
The First Trial: The Riddles of Echo
Upon entering a grand chamber, players notice enormous stone statues lining the perimeter, each depicting one of the forgotten guardians. At the center rests a vast pool of still water reflecting the shimmering light above. As players approach, the statues awaken, their voices melding into a haunting harmony. They pose riddles to the party, and only those who speak the truth may pass.
Riddles Example:
- "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?" (Answer: An Echo)
- "I run but never walk, I have a bed but never sleep. What am I?" (Answer: A River)
For each riddle solved, the statues animate and part ways, allowing players to progress while granting a blessing that boosts one ability of their choice for the following encounter. If players fail to answer a riddle correctly, the statues animate to attack. These Statues of Remembrance use their strength to knock players back into the pool, which acts as a damaging trap—players take 1d8 bludgeoning damage due to the force and risk drowning if left too long.
The Second Trial: The Maze of Shadows
The victorious party moves deeper into the caverns, entering a twisting maze composed of darkness, depicted by ethereal wisps moving through the air. Here, players must rely on their skills and cooperation to escape. Dark, shadowy figures lurk within, attempting to mislead or separate the party members. Players must succeed in a series of DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks to recall the correct paths, while also watching out for clues hidden in the darkness.
As players fumble through the maze, they might encounter spectral duplicates of themselves, the Shadow Reflections. These illusions can mimic the players’ actions and can deal psychic damage equal to half the players’ level when they fail to overcome the shadows' deception.
Reaching the exit of the maze requires a combination of successful checks and teamwork, with players needing to use spells or skills that encourage collaboration, such as using light to dispel the shadows or drawing on one another’s abilities.
The Confrontation: The Umbra Wraith
Finally emerging from the maze, the players find themselves in a cavern bathed in a sickly purple light. The air is thick with despair, and at the center, hovering above an ancient altar, the Umbra Wraith takes form—an amalgamation of nightmares, with tendrils of shadows stretching out towards the guardians’ resting places.
Encounter Statistics:
- Umbra Wraith (CR 7): An incorporeal being resistant to all damages except radiant. It can inflict necrotic damage and drain hit points, but has a weakness to radiant and light-based spells.
The Umbra Wraith attempts to weaken and isolate players, using shadowy tendrils to restrain and siphon their life force. Players quickly realize they must work together to free the guardians—each guardian has a unique strength that can temporarily manifest if players call on their names correctly, invoking them with a DC 18 Charisma (Performance) or Intelligence (History) check.
The Guardians’ Aid
Once enough players successfully call upon the guardians, their ethereal manifestations appear, inflicting the following effects:
- Guardian of Valor: Grants a temporary +2 to AC for 3 rounds.
- Guardian of Wisdom: Allows one character to reroll a failed saving throw or attack roll.
- Guardian of Protection: Shields a player, absorbing the next attack against them.
As the battle rages on, the Umbra Wraith’s tendrils lash out; players must keep an eye on the shadowy forms attempting to drag them away. A player can use their action to strike down one of the tendrils, allowing a captive player to escape.
The players must find a way to banish the Umbra Wraith through coordinated attacks, radiant spells, and helping one another resist its unnerving powers. Once successfully defeated, the Wraith dissipates into darkness, releasing a wave of light and energy that reverberates through the cavern.
The Resolution
With the Umbra Wraith vanquished and the guardians liberated, a sense of calm washes over the Eternal Abyss. The long-lost guardians, in their spirit forms, offer their gratitude to the players. They vow to protect the realm against the looming darkness, offering tokens of their appreciation—relics that bestow unique boons or abilities.
As the players prepare to leave, the caverns begin to shift, the path back illuminated with newfound brilliance as bioluminescent flowers bloom in the light. They may also find an ancient artifact among the remains of the Wraith that, if deciphered, could lead them to further adventures or even hint at ominous threats still lurking in the shadows.
With the guardians at their side and newfound strength in their hearts, the party emerges from the depths of the Abyss, ready to bring tales of their triumph back to those who remain untouched by darkness.
