Premade Campaign 21: One Last Spell (3/3)
One Last Spell is intended for Epic level characters and is Part Three in a Three Part series.
Alright, so you followed my instructions and gave your players a dozen or so plot holes and are wondering why I would ask you to do it, right? Well, you are in luck, because not only was I not being a dick, but I had a plan all along. The party works their way through the different areas of the island, saving those who they can and messing with the space-time continuum enough to make Marty McFly do a back flip, now what? It is time to start wrapping up all of those delicious loose ends, and give the players their final goal.
In a flash vision from Marcelin, the party is told that he needs them to prepare an attack on the Barbarian base to give him time to make things right. He asks that they meet him in his cell, which is continently located on the highest hill on the island (in the middle of the Barbarian camp, no less). The encampment is guarded very well, so it would make sense for the party to tap into any friendships they have in order to successful complete a siege.
The Epic section, as well as the entire campaign, lead up to one, final battle atop the hill.
In their travels to find groups willing to aid them in their siege they will likely go back to the druids, the barbarians, and any others you have had them meet. Because time is as screwed up as it is (and is preparing to right itself), there are storms flashing throughout Tharsult. These storms do a number of things, from teleporting powerful beasts into the area that have been taken out of their own time to shooting the players back in time to where the island was inhabited by giants. When they get back to the druidic enclave they see a large group of barbarians riding towards the city of Urbeth. Heading to take them out, they see the town is being attacked again. Taking them out is only half of the battle, as they find a map on one of them with a marker on it of a small temple near the south. When they approach this building, their clock whistles wildly.
Stepping into the portal brings them back to the city on the first day that time was screwed up, as bugbears are attempting to assassinate the unsuspecting party. It would make sense for the group to split up and save themselves in the past from this threat from the future. If their past selves catch glimpses of their future selves give the player enough damage in shock to make them think twice before doing it again, and after slaying all of the would-be assassins they can make their way back to the future.
Several sessions later they may find themselves in a suitably situation to saving Marcelin, who guides them through the camp without being seen. None of the people they met and convinced to help have shown up as of yet, and they need to rescue him themselves. Once they slay the guards, Marcelin thanks them in person for the first time, and says that he needs to cast one more spell before they can leave, which will set things right. He pulls a sheet of paper from the book and says that the ritual will take five minutes to cast, and once he begins the barbarians catch wind of their intrusion and charge the hill. The party has to hold off the oncoming horde and protect Marcelin for 50 rounds, which should take an hour or two in real-time while defending him. If he is harmed and breaks concentration the ritual must begin again.
As he casts the spell he will occasionally lift slightly off the ground, spin slowly, and point at a member of the party. They will be out of the battle for several rounds, being sent back in time to make sense of the time-loop. Remember the plot holes I mentioned? The “arrow come from out of nowhere killing an enemy, an NPC in a cloak yelling out the location of their quarry, and the exploding?” This is where party members must go back in time and make this happen by shooting an enemy, donning a cloak, convincing a red dragon to attack the clocktower, and setting an explosive charge.
One of the party members should also be sent to the barbarian camp when Marcelin was first brought in, and be involved in the decision to put his prison on top of the hill. If anyone fails or dies during these segments, bring them back. Each time a party member successfully completes a goal, knock the total round count down by five, saying that one of the groups they tried to get to help finally came through with their end of the bargain and was able to distract the barbarians for a few seconds.
If all goes well, time should be restored and the party should have had a fantastic campaign. The prologue can be found here, part one is here, and part two is here.
Be sure to check back tomorrow for another heroic Premade campaign!
