“The Balance” – Out of the Box # 24 D&D Encounters
October 14, 2016
Introduction:
A good use of an encounter is to force the players to make a choice based on what they value. Furthermore, different characters will always have different motivations, so those choices can be rooted in the very basis of the character. The right encounter might flush those motivations to the surface. This can often lead to heated discussions, but can also serve to really clear the air on where characters stand with each other. That can only lead to character development.
Additionally, it has been said before that any treasure or magic items in the possession of a villain should be used by that villain. Previous “Out of The Box” Encounters have followed that mantra, and this will follow that trend.
“The Balance” is intended as an extension of both concepts, as well as an opportunity to reward players with a form of treasure that cannot be bought – a rare companion or familiar. To date, if we follow the official rules, only Chain Pact Warlocks can earn such companions. However, when we research the Monster Manual, there are several chances to win such an ally – if only the opportunity arises and the players act correctly.
Inspiration for this encounter came from, of all places, the “Trinket” table in the Player’s Handbook (p.160), #46 – “Dead Sprite in a Jar.” I asked myself, “how did it get there?”. I remembered the “Iron Flask” entry in the DMG (p. 178) where another creature could be held in a container, and combined the two. Adding a dramatic element, it becomes a balance – between saving a potential ally and acquiring a magic item. Which will the players choose…?
“The Balance” – Out of the Box # 24 D&D Encounters
Environment: Dungeon or any appropriate lair.
Suggested level: 4 (but really, by changing the contents of the Iron Flask, you can scale the level of this encounter upwards)
Entering a large circular chamber, the players are immediately greeted by two things. The string acrid bite of the odor of strong acid, and the appearance of the strangest scale they have likely seen.
A wide pool, perhaps 20’ in diameter sits in the center of the room. Balanced upon a hemispherical stone is a stone platform perhaps 10’ in diameter. A central vertical pole rises from the center of the platform to a height of 8’. The top of the pole has a cross-member of wood as well, giving the structure the appearance of a letter “T” upon the platform. Suspended from the each end of the cross-member is a container on the end of a thin chain.
One container has the appearance of an iron jug, perhaps a foot tall, covered in markings, and suspended by it’s stopper. The round base of the jug rests upon the stone platform. A successful Perception or Investigation (DC:15) will indicate that the jug is resting perfectly straight up because the chained stopper, and stopper will not move so long as the balance of the platform is not disturbed. A successful Arcana (DC: 20) check might allow the players to learn that this container is an Iron Flask.
The other container is made of heavy glass, and is also suspended by a thin chain attached to it’s stopper. Within the container is a tiny humanoid creature with insect wings. She is nearly immersed in a strange translucent red fluid, and her neck is craned to keep her face above the surface. With a Perception or Investigation (DC: 15) of her, one could tell that her hands and feet are bound. A Successful Insight (DC:10) will show she’s in distress. A further successful Nature (DC: 12) might determine to the wiser in the group that this creature is a Sprite.
Herein lay the challenge – The platform is perfectly balanced so long as both containers rest upon it. If one is removed in some way, or disturbed in any way, the balance might be thrown off and one or both containers will have their stoppers pulled. The container(s) will then fall into the acid.
If the stopper is pulled on the Sprite, and the platform tilts, the round bottom of the glass jar will allow the jar and it’s contents to fall into the acid. The Sprite will suffer a gruesome death as the bottle fills with acid.
If the stopper is pulled on the Iron Flask because of a loss of balance, then the Succubus from within will issue forth in a cloud of smoke and appear on the outside of the pool. Because the stopper was not pulled by someone in possession the flask, but by the trap, the Succubus will not be under anyone’s command but her own. Because of that, she will appear in the form of a terrified slave girl. Since she can appear in the guise of any Small or Medium Humanoid, pick a race that would be the most attractive to your player-characters, be if Elf, Teifling or whatever. She will act afraid of the party at first, but it is only a ruse. When she has drawn the party close enough, she will Charm the character whom either looks the strongest, or whom is giving the orders in the group. It’s best if you take the player aside when this effect is used and have them roll their saving throw in private – just to remove the meta-gaming. Anyone charmed will be asked to give the Iron Flask to the Succubus so that she cannot be so contained again.
She will, of course, attempt to sway and coerce the character, and the party in general, into heinous acts out of “revenge for her capture”. The DM may want to keep track of any actions performed by a charmed individual.
If the Charm fails, she might simply go Ethereal and escape – only to tempt and try to Charm another character again at a later time.
If the party can solve this puzzle and rescue the Sprite, the Sprite will automatically use it’s “Heart Sight” to read the alignments of the group, and form a bond with a good-aligned rescuer. If the Sprite is rescued, but no good alignments are within the party, she might simply divulge a secret of her original captor (a great way to plug information into the encounter), then turn Invisible and try to escape on her own. Optionally, she may stick around while Invisible to judge the actions of the party. Should they perform good deeds consistently, she may reconsider bonding with a particular character.
With regard to resolution to this puzzle, I cannot offer many solutions. Players always act randomly and can also come up with genius solutions to the most complex problems regardless of any DM input. A Fly spell would certainly help in rescuing the Sprite or acquiring the Iron Flask. Flying brooms or other magic items of the same vein might also prove useful.
Keep in mind that the edge of the platform is a full 5’ away from the edge of the pool of acid. The pool is 5’ deep. Contact with the pool will do 4d10 Acid damage. If the Iron Flask falls into the pool, the flask will be ruptured in 1 round. It will be destroyed when it has taken 25 points of damage. If the flask falls into the acid and the stopper comes out in the process (50% chance), the Succubus will still be released and will be hostile from the start. She will still try to Charm a character, but will waste no time in turning a Charmed character on his allies. A Succubus is a very intelligent foe (Int: 15), so she is well within her means to charm fighters or rogues and turn them on the spellcasters.
Monsters: “Ophelia” – Succubus – ( p.285 of the Monster Manual)
“Elwynn” – Sprite – (p. 283 of the Monster Manual)
Treasure: Iron Flask – p. 178 of the DMG
Possible Sprite companion, see above.
Complications: There are many. This is a complicated puzzle, so the most obvious complication is the amount of time that may go into it’s solution. DM s should allot a large chunk of time for this. If you have little planned for an evening, and want to make the players think more than roll dice, you have an opportunity here.
Furthermore, the Acid is deadly. Falling into it will likely be lethal to characters with fewer hit points, and will certainly destroy any non-acid-proof non-magical gear.
The death of the Sprite can be quite traumatic, and might cause good-aligned characters to respond accordingly.
The chaos that would ensue from a Charmed adventurer at the hands of a Succubus has a wide aray of complications all on it’s own.
One the rare chance that the players can rescue both the Iron Flask (with the Succubus intact) an the Sprite, and Elwynn decides to stay with the party, her “Heart Sight” will see through the fiend’s ruse immediately, and the fiend will know it. Ophelia will try to kill the Fey at her first chance, with or without the Charm.
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