By now the PCs have fought planar threatening threats and are now some of the greatest living legends in all of the realms. Yet one loose end has been lingering in the background and now is the time to finish it off once and for all. Duke Galentine Ba’Roche has one final hunt planned and are in need of the PCs to help finish this fight.
https://ddb.ac/characters/59827829/PakUsT
The heroes are asked for by name with sending spell asking for their aid in defeating The Shadow Orphan once and for all. After defeating the Dracolich Akutant and recovering information from its skull, Galentine has gathered the information necessary to find T.S.O.. T.S.O. has a secret base deep in the plane of negative energy surrounded by sphere’s of annihilation. Luckily, with all of the resources taken from T.S.O. have funded plans that will allow access to their abode . Galentine will need the PCs help one more time to put this horrible chapter to rest and ensure the protection of not only Ba’Rayne but the whole material plane.
This is a mission for level 20 PCs
Six W’s
Who are the enemies in this One Shot?
Mimics w/ eldritch powers, Mind Flayers, Star Spawn Larva Mage, Cultist, Mind Flayer Arcanist, Intellect Devourers, Yuan-ti Purebloods, Yuan-ti Pit Masters, Mind Flayers, Quaggoths, Grick Alpha, Gricks, Spirit Naga, Troglodytes, Grimlocks, Balhannoth, Gibbering Mouthers
BBEG Fight-Mind Flayer Lich w/ 2 Shadow Mastiffs
What has happened to cause the PCs to fight?
The PCs are requested by name from their favorite noble in the last fight against T.S.O.. It is with this last venture that the threat that The Shadow Orphan poses to the material plane. While the PCs were completing their various acts of heroism, Galentine was using their talents to extract the information from the henchmen of T.S.O. From what Galentine discovered that for four hours on a particular day in the year a silver cord activates as a path through the Astral Plane that leads to the entrance of T.S.O’s hidden temple called The Cacophony of Defeat.
This time instead of gold as a retainer the PCs will be offered powerful magical items as well as the spoils that come from looting the dungeon.
Where is this encounter happening?
This encounter is happening in a planar dungeon created by kuo-toa called The Cacophony of Defeat. It is here where The Shadow Orphan uses their innumerable resources and network of villainous creatures to afflict the world in a chaotic agenda from the far realm. The dungeon is created from a planar travel resistant marble reinforced with magic maintained by The Shadow Orphan. Each door in each room is a separate plane divided by a gate like entrance. Once the creatures in the room are killed then the magic in the doorway goes away and a regular door is left in its stead. The hall ways are filled with roving bands of lower level monsters.
When did this happen?
It has been half a year since the last time the PCs have been on a hunt with Galentine. During this time Galentine has been preparing for this final battle. The day of the assault is a solar eclipse where the light is filtered through a line of progressively smaller lens directed to the front of the airship. The PCs will use the specially designed airship to rocket through the astral plane and breech room one of the dungeon.
Why are the PCs here?
The PCs are specifically chosen due to their history of defeating the previous cult’s actions and their kingdom know fame. Galentine and the PCs have been fighting this diabolical force for sometime, now is the final push needed to rid the planes of this evil force once and for all.
How will the PCs deal with this problem?
Once the PC’s meet with Galentine at the venerable Constance Manor, the main bulk of the mission’s details will be delivered to them per the last hunts. This time the rewards are purely item based with the standard clause of keeping whatever gains are in the dungeon. The initial offerings are Orb of Dragonkind Blue Dragon, Cubic Gate, Robe of the Archmagi, and a Ring of Water Elemental Command. The Shadow Orphan has teamed up with two star spawn larva mages to corrupt the affairs on the material plane, specifically the Duchy of Ba’Rayne.
The PCs are given a day to prepare for the coming battle and a small feast of heroes spell will be held in honor of the PCs to get them ready for the battle. From there the PCs will board the Airship Delta to prepare to rocket through the Astral Plane, following the silver line until the ship appears in the negative energy plane and beachheads into room 1.
From there the PCs have a time limit of four hours to clear the dungeon. Eventually, the party will battle The Shadow Orphan in room #6. Once they overcome the Shadow Broker and what’s left of its forces, the only thing left is the destruction of the dungeon. Galentine will make the PCs aware that in order to destroy this dungeon properly someone has to stay and properly undo the enchantments used to hold up this location. Galentine will then give away their equipment to the fellow PCs and exchange farewells before using the ring of wishes to strip the enchantments from the building and destroying the structure itself. The structure is the phylactery of this lich along with the star spawn larva mages.
The PCs will head back to the ship and use the Cubic gate or whatever spell they have to travel back home. Once the PCs get back to the Duchy of Ba’Rayne they will be greeted by the freshly clothed clone of Galentine. Galentine had to shed their old form since it was corrupted by the far realm’s, hence why he insisted on being the one to stay and finish the deed. The items given to the PCs are for them and he will decline being given back the items he gave away.
NPCs of Note
Duke/Duchess(?) Galentine Ba’Roche- the noble in charge of the Duchy of Ba’Rayne. Galentine is always eloquent, respectful and rarely crass when it comes to dealing with others. Having to represent the Ba’Roche family is a heavy burden yet, Galentine does so to the best of their ability.
The Shadow Orphan- the original form of this mind flayer was an archanist who decided to become a lich using a new technique found in a tome. During the final steps to become a lich, a breach from the far realm came forth and influenced the final ritual. A corrupted mind flayer lich left his original colony and began to amass his own fortune and influence to further spread the far realms corruption.
Maps
Hily’s Bank
Constance Keep
The Cacophony of Defeat-Dungeon
Encounters & Treasure
Listed in the pdf.
Epilogue
With the final death of T.S.O. and the destruction of the dungeon, peace has finally been gifted to the Duchy of Ba’Rayne. Galentine will shift their attention to properly running the Duchy and assist the PCs in any endeavor they would need help in.
Shout outs as always to https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/dungeon/ and https://watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator for being amazing resources in creating this one shot adventure!
