Tier 2 – The Chronomancer’s Curse
**Tier 2 play**
**Party Details:**
– Party Size: 5
– A: 6
– B: 30
– Party Level: 5 (30 divided by 6, rounded up)
**Adventure Title: "The Chronomancer's Curse"**
**Setting:**
In the vibrant realm of Eldoria, where magic flows like a river and ancient secrets lie beneath the surface, your party of five adventurers sets out on a quest that intertwines fate, time, and the bonds of friendship. The air is thick with the scent of blooming azura flowers, and the sounds of distant laughter echo through the bustling marketplace of the city of Verenthia.
**Hook:**
As the only human in your party, you have begun to feel the weight of years more than your companions. Your skin has started to wrinkle, and your hair has turned silver, despite your youthful spirit. Your companions, a nimble elf rogue, a stoic dwarf cleric, a charismatic tiefling bard, and a wise dragonborn sorcerer, notice your plight and vow to find a way to halt your aging. Rumors of a powerful Chronomancer, known as Zareth, who resides in the nearby Whispering Woods, reach your ears. It is said that he possesses the ability to manipulate time itself and may hold the key to your salvation.
**Objective:**
Your party must venture into the Whispering Woods, locate Zareth, and either persuade him to help you or defeat him if he refuses. Along the way, you’ll uncover the mysteries of time and the dangers that come with it.
**Exploration Component:**
As you journey through the Whispering Woods, the trees seem to whisper secrets, and the very air shimmers with temporal energy. The path is fraught with challenges:
1. **Temporal Anomalies:** Pockets of time distortions cause strange effects. Roll a d20 every hour; on a roll of 1-5, a random party member ages or de-ages by 1d4 years temporarily.
2. **Fey Guardians:** The woods are home to playful fey creatures who may aid or hinder your progress. They can be persuaded to help if you entertain them with music or stories.
**Encounter:**
Upon reaching Zareth’s lair, a crumbling tower entwined with vines and glowing with ethereal light, you are met with a guardian: **Temporal Wraiths** (use stats of Wraiths but add a time-manipulating ability).
**Temporal Wraiths Stats:**
– HP: 70
– AC: 13
– Attack: Life Drain (melee attack, +6 to hit, 2d8 + 3 necrotic damage)
– Special Ability: Time Shift (once per encounter, can force a party member to reroll an action or save, taking the lower result).
**Boss Encounter:**
When you confront Zareth, a tall figure draped in flowing robes that seem to ripple with the passage of time, he reveals his true intentions. Zareth is not simply a guardian; he is a being who has suffered the consequences of his own meddling with time.
**Zareth Stats:**
– HP: 90
– AC: 15
– Spell Slots: 5 (3rd Level)
– Spells: Time Stop, Slow, Haste, Counterspell, and a unique spell, Temporal Paradox (causes a party member to relive their last turn, repeating their actions but at disadvantage).
**Resolution:**
Depending on your approach, you can either negotiate with Zareth, revealing your plight and appealing to his sense of empathy, or you can confront him in battle. If you succeed in either case, Zareth may grant you a boon that halts your aging or provides a temporary solution, allowing you to cherish more time with your friends.
**Conclusion:**
As the adventure draws to a close, the bonds between you and your companions are strengthened, and you emerge from the Whispering Woods with a deeper understanding of the value of time and friendship. Whether you have defeated Zareth or negotiated peace, you will leave the woods forever changed, with stories to tell and memories to cherish.
Prepare to guide your players through this journey of magic, challenge, and the exploration of what it means to age in a world where time is both a gift and a curse.