New Year's Dread
Description: Achillane, the wealthy merchant of Tandria blames his unfortunate losses during the New Year's celebrations on a reputedly cursed artifact, the 'New Year's Dread'. He seeks adventurers to retrieve said artifact from the 'Caster of Chaos' temple, deep within the Dreary Woods. The quest includes killing deadly undead, solving the mysteries of the temple, retrieving the artifact, ensuring immunity from the curse and safe return.
Retrieve the cursed artifact, 'New Year's Dread', from the perilous 'Caster of Chaos' temple, to ensure Achillane's immunity from the curse and his safe trade ventures in Tandria.
Long Description
Achillane, the once prosperous merchant of Tandria, blames his recent bout of misfortunes during the New Year's celebrations on a reputedly cursed artifact, the 'New Year's Dread'. Desperate for a solution, he seeks a group of daring adventurers to retrieve said artifact from the mysterious 'Caster of Chaos' temple, deep within the Dreary Woods. This arduous task involves navigating through the treacherously malign woods, quelling the undead minions guarding the temple, solving cryptic mysteries of the temple's interior, acquiring the artifact, and safely returning to Tandria. The adventurers must also ensure immunity from the curse that has befallen Achillane's trade, a true test of their mettle.
Dungeon Master Script
In the heart of the buying season, Tandria is marred by the regretful Achillane's sudden ruinous streak. Claiming the 'New Year's Dread' artifact cursed, he seeks adventurers to retrieve it from the 'Caster of Chaos' temple deep in the Dreary Woods. They must banish deadly undead, endure perilous trials, retrieve the artifact, lift the curse and guarantee Achillane's trade rebound. Can these blessed adventurers deliver?
Quest Objective
The adventurers are tasked with retrieving the cursed artifact, the 'New Year's Dread', from the 'Caster of Chaos' temple in the Dreary Woods. They must cleanse the temple of deadly undead, solve the cryptic mysteries inside, retrieve the artifact, ensure Achillane's immunity from curse and his revived trade, and safely return to Tandria.
Encounter Overview
The Dreary Woods present the first challenge where the adventurers face deadly undead horde to proceed to the temple's undecipherable crypt. Inside the temple, the adventurers must solve mystical traps, retrieve the artifact from a haughty guardian, ensure Achillane's immunity from the curse and the safe return to Tandria.
Main NPC
- Name: Achillane
- Description: Achillane is a portly and crestfallen merchant with a plump purse, receding hairline, and a bristling moustache. His worry lines suggest sleepless nights. He is a seasoned trader, but reputably stingy. His loss during New Year's celebration has rattled him.
- Role: Merchant
- His Secret: Achillane's recent loss was due to his greed of selling inferior goods to buyers during New Year's. But his pride prevents him from admitting his guilt.
- Story Involvement: Achillane is the quest giver, explaining his recent downfall due to 'New Year's Dread'. The adventurers need to help him understand the folly, retrieve the artifact, ensure immunity from the curse, thus safeguarding his trade.
Side NPC
1st Side NPC
- Name: Eldrida
- Description: A damsel in her thirties, Eldrida sports a leather chest-piece with a broomstick spear. Her silver hair, braided and adorned with flowers, complements her well-toned physique. She is the daughter of the forest, a skilled herbalist, and fortune teller.
- Role: Herbalist
2nd Side NPC
- Name: Taryth
- Description: Taryth, a retired priest now grim-faced, retells tales of combat and sorrow-filled loneliness. He is wrapped in tattered priest robes with a relic-tied cord around his wrist. Through the jaded lines on his visage, one can sense a prevailing wisdom.
- Role: Retired Priest
Enemies
1st Enemy
- Type: Undead
- Description: The Dreary Woods are infested with undead minions guarding the 'Caster of Chaos' temple. Slow but relentless, these undead swarm mercilessly once agitated.
- Role: Sentries
- Encounter Location: In the dreary woods, while heading towards the 'Caster of Chaos' temple
2nd Enemy
- Type: Construct
- Description: Inside the 'Caster of Chaos' temple, the adventurers face an animated stone guardian, imbued with magic and arrogance. This guardian, fueled by its only tenant, the 'New Year's Dread' artifact, brings brute strength and a deadly arsenal of spells.
- Role: Artifact Guardian
- Encounter Location: Inside the 'Caster of Chaos' temple, the last challenge towards retrieving the artifact
Rewards
- Short Description: Achillane hands out 500 gold pieces by reclaiming his prosperity and ensures 30% discount on future purchases. A tome with instructions to use the artifact, without suffering the curse, is an added knowledge boon.
- 500 gold pieces
- 30% lifetime discount on purchases from Achillane
- Instructions to safely use the 'New Year's Dread' artifact
Objective
- Title: Retrieve New Year's Dread
- Description: Retrieve the cursed artifact 'New Year's Dread' from the 'Caster of Chaos' temple and ensure Achillane's immunity from the curse and trade restoration.
Success Criteria
1st Condition
- Title: Artifact in Hand
- Description: Successfully retrieve the cursed artifact, 'New Year's Dread', from the 'Caster of Chaos' temple in the Dreary Woods.
2nd Condition
- Title: Curse Lifted
- Description: Ensure Achillane's immunity from the curse and the restoration of his prosperous trade ventures in Tandria.