Tier 2 – The Dark Sorcerer’s Ambition
**Tier 2 play**
In the heart of the bustling city of Eldoria, whispers of a dark sorcerer begin to circulate among the taverns and marketplaces. Once a renowned paleontologist, Dr. Alaric Thorne has embraced the arcane arts with a singular purpose: to unearth the secrets of life and death. His obsession with the ancient creatures of the world has twisted into something far more sinister. Now, he seeks to harness the power of long-extinct beasts, raising them as undead minions to serve his dark ambitions.
The party finds themselves drawn into this web of intrigue when a series of bizarre events unfold. Livestock in nearby villages have gone missing, and witnesses report seeing shadowy figures roaming the night. As they investigate these peculiar happenings, they uncover clues leading to Dr. Thorne’s hidden laboratory, a crumbling fortress nestled deep within the Whispering Woods.
**Setting the Scene:**
As the party approaches the fortress, the air grows thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. Gnarled trees twist overhead, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. A chilling wind carries the distant echoes of unnatural howls, and the ground is littered with bones—remnants of creatures once thought to be long gone.
The fortress itself looms ahead, its stone walls overgrown with creeping vines and dark moss. The entrance is marked by a pair of massive double doors, etched with arcane symbols pulsating faintly with a sickly green light. The air crackles with magic, warning of the dangers that lie within.
**Exploration Component:**
Inside, the party discovers a series of chambers filled with eerie artifacts: preserved fossils, bubbling potions, and cages filled with undead creatures—twisted mockeries of life. The deeper they venture, the more they unravel Dr. Thorne's dark experiments. They may encounter animated skeletons of ancient beasts, remnants of his failed attempts to harness their power, which can serve as both a challenge and a source of valuable information.
**Investigation Component:**
Scattered throughout the fortress are journals and notes detailing Dr. Thorne’s research. The party must piece together these fragments of knowledge to understand his ultimate goal: to create a monstrous amalgamation of the most fearsome prehistoric predators, a creature that could threaten all of Eldoria. They will need to find a way to stop him before he completes his dark ritual.
**The Confrontation:**
Eventually, the party reaches Dr. Thorne’s inner sanctum—a grand chamber dominated by a massive altar surrounded by flickering candles and dark tomes. Here, they find him in the midst of a ritual, calling forth the spirits of ancient beasts. As the party interrupts, he turns, revealing a gaunt figure cloaked in tattered robes, his eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
**Boss Enemy Stats: Dr. Alaric Thorne**
– **Armor Class:** 15
– **Hit Points:** 75
– **Speed:** 30 ft.
**Actions:**
1. **Necrotic Blast:** Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 3d10 necrotic damage.
2. **Summon Undead:** Dr. Thorne can summon 1d4 skeletal beasts (use stats for Skeletons) to aid him in battle.
3. **Arcane Shield (Recharge 5-6):** Grants him an additional +2 to AC for one round and absorbs the next 10 damage dealt to him.
**Conclusion:**
As the party battles Dr. Thorne, they must also contend with the summoned undead and the chaotic energy of the ritual. If they succeed in defeating him, they can either destroy the remnants of his experiments or choose to contain his research for their own purposes, leaving the world of Eldoria forever changed.
With the fate of the realm hanging in the balance, will the party emerge victorious, or will they become the next victims of Dr. Thorne's unholy ambitions? The choice is theirs to make.