‘My 12 hours of uni each week are incredible value’
### One-Shot Adventure: “The Cursed Curriculum”
#### Adventure Overview
In the high-magic realm of Eldoria, a prestigious university known as the Arcane Academy has fallen under a dark curse. Students are mysteriously vanishing, and whispers of a sinister force manipulating the very fabric of knowledge echo through the hallowed halls. The party of four level 8 adventurers must investigate the academy, uncover the truth behind the curse, and confront the malevolent entity responsible for the chaos.
#### Setting the Scene
As the players approach the Arcane Academy, they are greeted by the towering spires of the ancient institution, their stone surfaces shimmering with arcane runes. The air is thick with the scent of parchment, ink, and the faint crackle of magic. A sense of urgency permeates the atmosphere, as frantic students rush past, their faces pale with fear. The once-vibrant campus is now cloaked in an eerie silence, broken only by the distant echoes of laughter that seem to come from nowhere.
#### Hook
The party is approached by a desperate student named Elara, her eyes wide with panic. “Please, you must help us! Students are disappearing, and the professors are powerless to stop it! I fear something dark is at work within the academy’s depths.”
#### Investigation Component
1. **The Library of Lost Knowledge**: The party can begin their investigation in the grand library, where they can search for clues. As they sift through ancient tomes, they discover a forbidden book titled “The Grimoire of Shadows,” which details a powerful entity known as the “Scholar of the Abyss.” The book hints at a ritual that could summon the entity, revealing that the missing students may have been drawn into a twisted realm of knowledge.
2. **The Enchanted Classroom**: The party can explore a classroom where the last known disappearance occurred. Here, they find remnants of a magical experiment gone awry. A successful Arcana check reveals a hidden portal that leads to the Shadow Realm, the domain of the Scholar of the Abyss.
3. **The Professor’s Office**: In the office of Professor Thalor, a once-revered scholar, the party uncovers a letter detailing his descent into madness as he sought forbidden knowledge. The letter mentions a “Cursed Curriculum” that binds the students’ souls to the academy, feeding the Scholar’s power.
#### Exploration Component
The party must navigate the Shadow Realm, a twisted reflection of the academy filled with shadowy apparitions of lost students. The landscape is surreal, with floating bookshelves and spectral classrooms. The players must solve magical puzzles and confront shadowy guardians to progress deeper into the realm.
#### Boss Encounter: The Scholar of the Abyss
At the heart of the Shadow Realm, the party confronts the Scholar of the Abyss, a once-great wizard corrupted by his insatiable thirst for knowledge. He is now a malevolent entity, commanding the shadows and wielding dark magic.
**Boss Stats: Scholar of the Abyss**
– **Type**: Undead (Wizard)
– **Armor Class**: 17
– **Hit Points**: 120 (16d8 + 48)
– **Speed**: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
– **Abilities**:
– **Strength**: 10 (-1)
– **Dexterity**: 14 (+2)
– **Constitution**: 16 (+3)
– **Intelligence**: 20 (+5)
– **Wisdom**: 18 (+4)
– **Charisma**: 12 (+1)
**Actions**:
– **Multiattack**: The Scholar makes two spell attacks.
– **Spellcasting**: The Scholar can cast spells up to 5th level (spell save DC 15). Known spells include:
– **Cantrips**: Eldritch Blast, Minor Illusion
– **1st Level**: Magic Missile, Shield
– **2nd Level**: Misty Step, Darkness
– **3rd Level**: Counterspell, Fear
– **4th Level**: Phantasmal Killer, Dimension Door
– **5th Level**: Dominate Person, Cloudkill
**Legendary Actions** (3 per round):
– **Shadow Bolt**: The Scholar makes a ranged spell attack against a target within 120 feet. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 necrotic damage.
– **Dark Grasp**: The Scholar targets one creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained by shadowy tendrils until the end of its next turn.
#### Conclusion
Upon defeating the Scholar of the Abyss, the party can free the trapped souls of the missing students, restoring balance to the Arcane Academy. As the shadows dissipate, the academy’s true beauty is revealed, and the grateful students and faculty offer the adventurers a reward of magical items and knowledge.
The adventure concludes with a celebration at the academy, where the players are hailed as heroes, and the promise of new knowledge awaits them. The echoes of laughter return, filling the air with hope and the thrill of discovery once more.