Tier 2 – The Shadows of Verenthia

**Tier 2 play**

In the heart of the vibrant realm of Eldoria, a mysterious fog has descended upon the once-gleaming city of Verenthia. It clings to the cobbled streets like a shroud, veiling the majestic spires and the bustling marketplaces. Whispers of disappearances have spread through the taverns, where worry lines mar the faces of its inhabitants. Townsfolk speak in hushed tones of eerie figures that lurk in the alleyways, and strange happenings during the night when the moon is highest in the sky.

Your party finds themselves summoned to the mayor’s office, a lavish chamber adorned with tapestries depicting the city’s storied past. A desperate mayor, his hands trembling, explains the situation: “People have been vanishing one by one. Last night, we lost Old Man Hargrove, the kindest among us, and I fear for my own daughter, Lily, who was last seen walking home from the market…”

The mayor hands the party a small trinket belonging to Lily—a silver locket with a shimmering blue stone embedded within it. “This is all I have left of her,” he implores. “Please, find her before it’s too late.”

### Investigation:

– The party begins their journey in the bustling marketplace, now empty and shrouded in an unsettling quiet. Here, they can gather clues by speaking with local vendors who claim to have seen shadowy figures darting between the stalls.

– They may discover a hidden entrance to a series of ancient catacombs beneath the city—once used by the ancient order of mages, now a rumored lair for a nefarious force.

### Exploration:

– As the party ventures into the catacombs, they encounter a series of traps and magical wards left by the mages. Each chamber they enter reveals murals that tell the story of a powerful sorcerer who was banished long ago. Sensing a connection, the players must solve puzzles that unravel the mysteries of the past to navigate further into the depths.

### Enemy Encounter:

As the party delves deeper into the catacombs, they come face-to-face with a shadowy figure—the remnant of the banished sorcerer, now a powerful wraith intent on reclaiming his power through the souls of the innocent.

**Boss Enemy: Wraith of Eldorath**

– **Health Points:** 70

– **Armor Class:** 15

– **Attack:** Shadow Strike (+6 to hit, 1d10 + 4 necrotic damage)

– **Special Abilities:**

– **Life Drain:** Touching a character drains 1d6 hit points and the wraith heals for the same amount.

– **Invisibility:** As a bonus action, the wraith can become invisible until it attacks or its concentration is broken.

During this encounter, the wraith taunts the players, its voice echoing through the chamber: “You can run, but you can't hide from your fate!”

### Conclusion:

Once the wraith is defeated, the energy in the catacombs shifts. The shimmering blue stone from Lily's locket pulses gently, guiding the party to a hidden chamber where she is held captive. The encounter ends with the party saving her and returning to Verenthia as heroes, their names forever etched in the city’s history.

As they step back into the light of the world above, the fog begins to lift, revealing the sun-dappled streets of Verenthia once more—restoring hope where despair once lingered.