The Magic Book
The adventurers get a bit of happy news. They get a sheet or two of a grimoire that was copied by one of the most powerful dangerous grimoires in history, the dreaded Book of Eibon. It was found on the body of a cultist who tried using the pages in the forest and was known to have came from the western side of the Central Massif.
Plot points/Scenes
The group is given information by the Burgeaters. A squad had been out on patrol near the fort in the north west. They have found the remains of a cultist who had passed the fort a few hours before. He had been speaking to the guards before travelling onwards, saying that he was going to the other side of the Central Massif to a tower of a powerful wizard. He wanted to learn to summon creatures.
If they decide to follow any instructions they will make their way through to the other side and be pointed by locals to a tower high on a rocky outcrop about a couple of hours. There they will have to scale the side as nowhere to enter at the bottom. This will involve climbing the outcrop's side. Altogether it will be around 50 feet high. Anyone who falls will take 20 5d6 bludgeoning damage from the fall if they fail an Athletics proficiency roll. The can help each other gaining advantage on the Athletics roll.
When they reach the top they are greeted by the tower itself. There is an entrance that is unlocked. If opened they are greeted by a corridor leading into the complex at the back of the tower. There they find the stairs and doors leading up into the tower, and deep down into the forbidden tunnels.
This appears as a general kitchen / dining area with a well & cistern attached at the back. To one side is a set of small bedrooms for servants and/or guests. At any one time they may set off a portal trap attracting 3 1d6 Star S[awn Grue. This can trigger if they decide to spend the night here in the rooms.
Any sleeping may cause them to have strange dreams of eyes, and tentacles, and gibbering suckerlike mouths with sharp teeth. They will wake up as normal.
A corridor on the other side will reveal to have small libraries on each side, three on either side. Magical, religious. and folk tales will dominate. There is a chance of finding 2 1d4 spells of 1st level here. Also, any tampering or too much handling of the books may cause a portal to open and an Elemental or Star Spawn creature to appear.
At the end of the corridor is a large room used for alchemy and spell experimentation. Any messing here can cause the same problem with the Star Spawn or Elementals, and two armour suits are Animated Armours. Also, by entering the room they may trigger a trap that when opens in the middle of the room will open a trap door and causes a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, or drop the player 50 feet to the surface below causing 20 5d6 bludgeoning damage.
It is easy to find the tower itself and the will consist of four floors, and a spiral stair case running the wall of the tower. Four full armoured suits are found in each. and are actual Animated Armour.. Any extra searching here may trigger the Aminated Armours, Star Spawn or Elementals to awaken or appear. Certain items placed around may also trigger traps if tampered with such as causing a block on the roof to fall on a player on a To Hit roll of 15 or higher and causing 6 1d12 bludgeoning damage. A few will cause a spike to shoot out of the ground or wall changing the damage to Piercing, or a blade causing Slashing instead.
In the centre of the room is huge ritual designs carved & glowing in strange colours. Deep Speech, Primordial and the Elemental languages has been used to embellish them. Anybody trying to read them will reveal they are spells to attract different creatures from different Planes and bind them to these spots. Damaging them is impossible.
The fourth floor contains a dais with the Book of Eibon, and the Wizard of the Book is here beside it. He can be bargained with for the book but the price may be one of the characters lives or to act as a vessel for a summoned creature. These are just the basics he may request. They could also be asked to take the word of the Star Gods to other regions spreading belief in it. In any situation the price will be steep for the characters.
They can also ask for some things in response though they may not get exactly what they are after. He will mention that the time is close to confront the sisters.
He is likely to ask for the heads of the three Hags.
Or he could look for the adventurers to clear out a section of the tunnels below the tower. If they do they will find skeletons, zombies, Star Spawn, and Elementals randomly here. They will find that one of the lower tunnels has partially caved in and needs bolstered with tough wooden beam lying there.
The sound of water can be heard beyond it, and when they clear it and strengthen the walls & roof, they can look on down. There is the heart of the tunnels and a huge pool of water is found. Something can barely be made out in the gloom but it appears that a blubbery mess of tentacles, strange eyes and suckerlike mouths move in the waters.
If they go on in, they are as good as dead, but if they leave they can make their way back up and get the Book of Eibon. Then they can leave.
They can leave empty handed but return later if they make some other type of deal such as the heads of the Hags.
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