Missing Students in Locktuse
An Adventure for 4-6 3rd-Level Characters
Players be Warned!
The following is intended for Dungeon Master eyes only. So if you are a player that does not want spoilers should this be ran for you, avert your attention elsewhere!
Introduction
With divination students from the Arcane League going missing, they call upon whoever is willing to aid the search. Unfortunately, these missing students found themselves a in a place where no living creature should ever be found.
Missing Students in Locktuse is a 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons adventure designed for four to six 3rd-level characters.
Adventure Summary
Missing Students in Locktuse starts as the characters are chosen to investigate where the Arcane League’s students could have gone in the Folkridge Woods on the island of Locktuse within Oceania. The characters then find a small path hidden along the main trail that leads to an abandoned and small hamlet. Surrounding the bell are ravens perched around a bell. Ringing it, the characters are sent to Etherius. Within this eerie land haunted by lost souls and undead creatures, they find the students in the hollow replica of Locktuse.
After fighting their way out of there and bringing the students back to Florenelle, the divination department then greets the characters to tell them they found where the students are, only to awkwardly realize the characters found them first.
Structure
Exposition
Terrinswell University, an Arcane League operated school for higher learning of the arcane arts, has been prepping their divination department for the task as search and rescue in the colony of Locktuse. Professor Ledrikiir (LG male elf Archmage) leads the training and divination department of the university.
Typically, these training sessions involve sending out students into the Folkridge Woods with a supervisor. After some time, diviners would then scry to find where this group went and guide the rescue teams to find them. During one session however, the diviners began to freak out. None of them could scry the latest team they sent out into the Folkridge Woods. Baffled, and not wanting to risk the harm of students and staff to find them, Ledrikiir seeks out whatever aid he can get to find the missing team.
Locktuse Island
The Island of Locktuse is a colony owned by the Kingdom of Trinidad. Governor Paget is the skittish ruler of the town who tries to appeal to Lord Newell of the Glenbrook Trading Company to ensure that the town thrives. The commoners loathe Lord Newell, as he is also part of the House of Lords, who are pompous, rich, and influential lawmakers back in the mainland.
The town’s populace is mostly made up of humans, dwarves, and a few altallen. Usually they make a living through fishing, sugar, selling sea shells, and other tropical goodies. They are also devoted Gregorians, a Silverran sect that is about protecting those you love.
There is a nivallen, or wood elf, village north on the island called the Stormeagles. They are indifferent to the Trinians so long as they don’t tamper with their totems. These 5-foot statues look like carved posts depict Ellakah Firandriir, the Grandest Mother of the elven lineage. These totems are designed to protect against evil spirits that may linger within the Folkridge Woods. These elves know they fascinate the Trinians so they’re not opposed to sending entertainers.
Conflict
A Commotion Going On
Read the following when the characters reach Locktuse at its docks. This assumes the party is entering during the day:
Hustle and bustle are about on the docks. Cargo is brought to and from various ships. As for within this island town, there are quite a lot of people. Where exactly? Shouting and raving outside a mage academy’s doors. “Where are our kids,” many cry out.
An altallen mage at the doors tries helplessly to ease the crowd, “I assure you, everyone, that the Divination Department is doing its utmost to find them!”
The commoners are raving mad, believing the Arcane League responsible for their missing children or failing to keep them safe. Should the party approach Professor Ledrikiir about the matter, he would prefer to do so within the academy’s walls to ensure whatever he says to the party doesn’t accidentally enrage the crowd further.
University of Terrinswell
Professor Ledrikiir explains to the party the following:
“While training our latest students in methods of search and rescue through their divination, they managed to somehow wind up lost instead. All attempts of scrying for their location has resulted in absolutely nothing. As if they had simply vanished. The likeliest places to search around for clues are further up north from here. There is a nivallen village up there, the Stormeagles, so do not be surprised if you catch them watching you in the trees.”
A character can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to discern that a flaw with divination spells is that there could be two factors going on. Either the students somehow got protection from divining spells or that they managed to wind up in another plane of existence.
Professor Ledrikiir is able to offer the party the following rewards for completion:
- 35 florens (gp) per character
- 1 Cloak of Protection
- 1 Potion of Healing
Rising Action
Folkridge Woods
Standing near the totems offers a sense of safety as they repel evil undead, as if the creature was heavily obscured from the undead. Desecrating these statues removes this benefit.
Storm Eagle Village
The nivallen are skeptical of the party but only the guards will question what they’re up to.
Should the party meet with Elder Ofandriin, he hints where the students have gone…
Look for death’s black messenger, as they like gathering around portals to hear their mistress.”
Abandoned Hamlet
The crows and ravens are lycanthropes that use the Wereraven stats found in Curse of Strahd and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. They scatter if attacked.
At the instance of the ringing, the color of the hamlet and foliage turns to black, white, and other shades of gray. As for the ravens, they take on a more taller and humanoid shape as they flutter over the forest trees. You hear whispers, a lot of subtle voices linger. Many are concerned, anxious, scared, and confused. It seems focusing on one voice improves on its clarity until another voice draws your attention away.
Climax
Etherius
The party has entered Etherius, the ethereal plane, and can ring the bell again to return back to Florenelle.
Once they step outside of the abandoned hamlet’s clearing while in Etherius, they encounter four violent lost souls (Unaligned Specters). They attack if they detect the party or succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check. If they run for the nivallen totem (which radiates a 15-foot aura), the souls are quick to retreat as they can no longer sense the party’s presence.
Return to Locktuse
A DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check or focusing on the voices to hear Roland Bell’s mother worry about him suggests they are within Locktuse.
Reaching the town again but in this foreboding alteration, it is silent of any active life. A few lost souls lurk around the area, prowling about the skies and empty streets. Though, there are now cloaked creatures draped in ragged black cloth. When both of these figures meet, they occasionally skirmish a few seconds before quickly separating apart.
A DC 14 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals these are hungrists. They are foul undead predators that like targeting lone prey. The hungrists and lost souls clash but only briefly before swiftly splitting away as they aim for the same victims.
The students and supervisor are barricaded within the Silverran church of Saint Gregory, hoping to stay hidden somewhere both sacred and safe. They are grateful for any rescue attempt to be had. The students use Apprentice stats from Volo’s Guide to Monsters (pg. 209).
The students explain that they couldn’t go back to Florenelle due to the clapper being ripped off when they tried going back. So with the party being back should mean they can go back with it being restored.
While fleeing, 2 hungrists and 3 lost spirits pursue the fleeing party.
Falling Action
Read once the party is out of Etherius:
At the yank of the bell, all is quiet. The peace of birds and occasional noisy bugs returns as color restores.
The students and LeClerc are eager to leave and return to Locktuse.
Resolution
As agreed on their safe return, Professor Ledrikiir provides the party their reward:
- 35 florens
- Cloak of Protection
- Potion of Healing
Components
Hooks
Bringing the adventurers to Locktuse is fairly easy, especially when magic items are a promised reward by the League. Getting them to Locktuse is quite simple with universities strung about all over Florenelle to teleport them.
Conjuration Department’s Assistance
In this hook, Professor Ledrikiir informs the party about the divination department’s call for aid, even offering 50 florens (gp) per character, a bag of holding, a cloak of protection, and a potion of healing. Should the characters and Ledrikiir come to an agreement, he then urges them to the nearest Arcane League university so as to teleport them to Locktuse through the help of the conjuration department. Ledrikiir prefers teleporting there, as travel at sea would take weeks that cannot be afforded.
Letter for Help
Ledrikiir himself writes up this letter whether as invitation to the party or on a quest board.
Calling any Adventurers,
The Arcane League is requesting your service in finding a group of missing students in Locktuse, Trinidad. They went missing during a routine search and rescue training exercise with the divination department. Magic items will be rewarded for finding them.
If you are interested, please head to the nearest Arcane League university for further information and agreements.
-Ernivest Ledrikiir, Head of the Locktuse University Divination Department
Relations
Neutrals/Bystanders
Missing Students and Staff
- Candace Wembley
- Whitney Benton
- Arnold Beckham
- Roland Bell
- Adran Ordimiri
- Savina Vicario
Backdrops
Encounters
Here’s the linear expected path of this adventure.
Ledrikiir’s Call for Aid
The party and Professor Ledrikiir coordinate terms and conditions for finding the students and what leads they currently have.
Search for the Students
Into the Folkridge Woods, the party searches around for a bit before they find a path slowly becoming reclaimed by nature. There they find a bell and circle of ravens, waiting for them to be transported to Etherius.
Finding the Students
Within these shadowy lands, the party traces their steps back to the town, dodging or fighting lost souls. They find the students having fortified themselves inside the Gregorian church.
Return
The party returns through the ringing of the bell and ease Ledrikiir’s mind about any further paperwork.
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