8. Determining rewards

January 15, 2025 21:49

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So we have nearly all of our adventure pretty well fleshed out, and you are of course free to add and change whatever you like!

For this final part, we just want to put a nice bow on this to make sure we have some interesting rewards and potentially cliffhangers to end on.

While this is intended to be a one shot adventure, it never hurts to let your players end with having questions. If they really want to continue, then there is a natural throughline of what should follow and what you can prepare for!

If folks decide that the one shot was enough, then you can simply fill them in on the background info they might like to know about. With that in mind, here is what our final handout should look like, titled "The End"

Boss Encounter Loot
25 gold pieces
1 Iron Flask

Inside the flask is a Deva named Keda that was imprisoned by the lich Ril’Zoc centuries ago and was being used as a magical amplifier for the cultist leader’s ritual.
The Iron Flask has been enchanted so as to inhibit the ability to open the stopper unless a specific command is used.

1 Coded message in an unknown language

This message is written in Abyssal, if someone is familiar with Abyssal, they may recognize the script and letters but not discern the coded phrase.
To decipher the coded phrase requires a series of 10 successful DC 17 investigation checks with each check encompassing a single day.
Alternatively, finding the cipher key at another cultist hideout would allow for the code to be deciphered without a check.

1 Map outlining the location of another cultist cell

1 Electrum skull containing two rubies in the eye sockets.

The skull is worth 25 gold pieces
The eyes are each worth 100 gold pieces
The skull is actually a conscious but unmoving skull of a “living” skeleton which has been plated in electrum. The lich Ril’Zoc is able to perform the Scrying spell upon this skull utilizing another part of the skeleton’s body. The skeleton is named Davey and is a willing target of Scrying.
The nature of the skull can be discerned using an “Identify” but not that it is used for Scrying. The skull is unable to communicate.
The Scrying censor can still be detected through usual means.

Ending Results

Following the defeat of the cultists, the party informs Calmsdale that the grave robbings should now cease and they are safe. They then proceed to the Adventurer's guild to inform them of the results and their findings.

If the players wish to stop here entirely, then the adventure is pretty well wrapped up here.

If the players want to keep these characters and follow this adventure, then the guild will send them out to keep tracking down this cult. They should also receive a level to increase to 4th level at the end of this.

If the players don't want to keep these characters, but still want to follow the adventure, then the guild will send out a different group of adventurers. The players can then make new 3rd or 4th level characters to proceed with the adventure.

Next Article - 9. Creating your heroes

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