Tier 2 – Aether Wraith at the Celestial Market

**Tier 2 play**

In the vibrant city of Eldoria, where iridescent towers scrape the sky and magical energies hum in the air, your party finds themselves drawn to the renowned Celestial Market. Here, vendors hawk enchanted wares, potions bubble with arcane properties, and the air is filled with the tantalizing aromas of exotic foods. It is a place where dreams and desires intertwine, but today, something feels amiss.

As your adventurers meander through the bustling crowd, a flicker of movement catches your eye. A hooded figure, cloaked in shadows, slips through the throng, leaving a trail of unease in their wake. Just as you begin to follow, a sudden commotion erupts at a nearby stall. A vendor screams, pointing at the sky, where a swirling vortex of energy materializes, drawing the attention of everyone around.

The vortex pulses ominously, and from it emerges an ethereal being—an Aether Wraith, a creature born from the raw energies of the cosmos. With its translucent form and haunting visage, it sends shivers down the spines of all who gaze upon it. The wraith lets out a chilling wail, echoing through the market, causing panic to spread like wildfire.

**Objective:** Your party must confront the Aether Wraith before it wreaks havoc on the market and the surrounding city.

**Investigation Component:** As the party engages the wraith, they must also gather clues about its origin. The vendors and townsfolk are terrified and may have seen something unusual leading up to the wraith's emergence. Players can interact with them to learn about strange occurrences, such as flickering lights, odd whispers in the night, and a series of thefts involving magical artifacts.

**Exploration Component:** The players can explore the market for clues, delving into the hidden nooks and crannies where secrets lie. They might discover a hidden chamber beneath the market, filled with remnants of an ancient civilization that once harnessed the power of the Aether. Here, they can uncover a tome that describes the wraith’s weakness—a rare crystal, known as the Aetherstone, that can be found in the depths of the nearby Crystal Caverns.

**Boss Enemy: Aether Wraith**

– **HP:** 80

– **AC:** 15

– **Attack:** Ethereal Touch: +7 to hit, 2d10 necrotic damage.

– **Special Ability:** Wail of the Void: Once per encounter, the wraith can unleash a terrifying wail that forces all creatures within 30 feet to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute.

As the adventurers prepare to face the Aether Wraith, they must decide whether to confront it directly or seek the Aetherstone to weaken it first. The choices they make will dictate the flow of the encounter and the fate of the Celestial Market.

Will your party save Eldoria from this otherworldly threat, or will the wraith's chilling grasp envelop the city in darkness? The fate of the realm hangs in the balance!