D&D Campaign One: Scalebreakers - 007
Deep in the vault
Deeper than ever before, the adventurers descended into the belly of the abandoned villa. A newly erected wall crumbled under their pressure, clearing the way to the second basement level. There, a strangely symmetrical room awaited them with decorative floor patterns and three doors: one wooden, one stone, and one with an old, rusted mechanism.
A poem on the stone-sealed door challenged their wits, while an inconspicuous wooden door to the left led into a trap: Arrin fell into a pit, caught in a bear trap, while water slowly filled the chamber. Through the group's teamwork, they managed to save him, and in the room, they discovered a strangely glowing seal surrounded by copper stones. Opposite it stood a stone altar with a book embedded into it. An improvised ritual was enough to free the stones, providing the puzzle pieces for the poem riddle on the stone door.
Another corridor led to a chamber where four Terracotta Warriors and a promising chest awaited. The supposed treasure revealed itself to be a biting Mimic. The surprise attack left wounds, but also yielded the last missing copper stones. With these, the riddle was finally solved, revealing another staircase leading deeper. Keithara also discovered a hidden mechanism that granted the group two well-earned healing potions.
In the third basement level, the pattern revealed itself: four chambers, four elements, and three matching keys that needed to be inserted into an ancient stone gate. With clear minds, the group chose Earth, Water, and Air—summoning as their final battle. Elementals burst forth from stone archways, each an embodiment of the chosen powers. The fight was long and bitter; Skarn fell but was brought back to life by his companions. In the end, they stood victorious. Exhausted, but alive. As the dust settled, one of the archways transformed: where there was once only cold stone, a warm, golden light now shimmered, and a portal revealed itself. Where it leads remains unknown.
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