The Orb of Golden Death: A Mage’s Betrayal
The key to unlocking the Elemental Nodes is within the Temple of Elemental Evil—but two rival mages, Senshock and Falrinth, are playing a deadly game to control it. Will the players aid one, betray both, or claim the Orb for themselves?
Quest Overview
The Orb of Golden Death (or Yellowskull) is the heart of Senshock’s plan to seize ultimate power within the Temple. However, the rogue wizard Falrinth already possesses the artifact, keeping it hidden from the Greater Temple for his own ends. Senshock does not yet know this, and Hedrack assumes the Orb was lost long ago.
The players enter a dangerous web of intrigue, deceit, and power struggles, where Senshock, Falrinth, and even Zuggtmoy and Iuz all seek the legendary artifact.
Quest Hooks
How the Players Get Involved
- A Desperate Summons – Senshock, suspecting that the Orb has resurfaced, enlists the players to track it down, promising wealth, magical boons, or power within the Temple if they deliver it to him.
- A Whisper in the Shadows – Falrinth, operating in secrecy, contacts the players via his quasit familiar, Kriitch. He offers them knowledge of the Orb’s power—but only if they help him secure the gems first.
- An Ancient Prophecy – An elven sage or captured prisoner within the Temple reveals that the Orb’s full power can only be realized when all four Elemental Gems are restored—but that to do so will risk awakening an even greater evil.
- The Will of Zuggtmoy – If the players have encountered Zuggtmoy’s influence, she may appear in dreams or visions, demanding they retrieve the Orb and return it to her cultists—with the promise of terrible rewards if they do.
Act 1: A Race Against Time
The players must locate the Orb—but do they deliver it to Senshock, Falrinth, or keep it for themselves?
Paths the Players Can Take
- Senshock’s Offer: Senshock believes Hedrack’s power must be challenged and sees the Orb as a way to control the Elemental Nodes before his rivals.
- He instructs the players to locate Falrinth’s lair (Area 337) and retrieve the Orb at any cost.
- If they succeed, Senshock will send them into the Elemental Nodes to claim the four Elemental Gems, making them his elite champions.
- Falrinth’s Deception: Falrinth, a servant of Lolth, views the Orb as his ultimate bargaining chip. He tells the players that Senshock is a fool and that Hedrack and Zuggtmoy must be overthrown.
- He offers them access to his Escape Tunnel—but only if they agree to work with him.
- If the players betray Senshock and side with Falrinth, they must safeguard the Orb from the Temple’s leadership, ensuring neither Zuggtmoy nor Iuz can sense its location.
- The Third Path: Stealing Power for Themselves – If the players refuse to work for either mage, they may seek to unlock the Orb’s true potential and restore its gems—but this risks drawing the attention of Zuggtmoy, Iuz, or even the Elder Elemental God.
Act 2: The Hunt for the Elemental Gems
If the players or Senshock seek to fully empower the Orb, they must venture into the Elemental Nodes to recover the missing gems.
The Elemental Nodes (Each houses a Gem of Power):
- Air Cavern – A storm-wracked maze of floating islands and lightning-wielding djinn.
- Earth Burrows – A labyrinth of tunnels where sentient stone guardians hunt intruders.
- Fire Pits – A volcanic battlefield where fire elementals and demons protect their domain.
- Water Maze – A vast, drowned ruin where krakens and water spirits stalk those who dare enter.
Challenges:
- The players must face monstrous guardians, navigate deadly terrain, and outwit rival factions.
- Falrinth may try to manipulate them, secretly following their progress to claim the Orb for himself.
- Hedrack, suspecting treachery, may dispatch assassins to eliminate Senshock and his allies.
Act 3: The Power Struggle
Once the Orb is fully restored, the true battle for control of the Temple begins.
Potential Endings
1. Senshock’s Triumph
- If Senshock gains the Orb, he uses it to overthrow Hedrack, ascending as the new master of the Temple.
- The players become his enforcers, gaining dark rewards—but risk becoming pawns in a greater game of gods and demons.
- However, Iuz and Zuggtmoy will not tolerate Senshock’s defiance, and vengeance will come.
2. Falrinth’s Gambit
- If Falrinth claims the Orb, he betrays all sides and escapes into the shadows, seeking his own rise to power.
- The players may attempt to stop him, or he may manipulate them into fighting his enemies while he vanishes.
- If he escapes, Lolth gains a terrifying advantage in the war for the Temple.
3. The Players Keep the Orb
- If the players claim the Orb for themselves, Iuz and Zuggtmoy will know instantly.
- They must either master its dark power or seek the means to destroy it before it corrupts them.
- If they attempt to destroy it, they must follow the ancient ritual—but this risks collapsing the Temple and awakening something far worse.
4. The Orb is Destroyed
- If the players succeed in the destruction ritual, the Elemental Nodes collapse, and Zuggtmoy takes immense damage.
- The Temple is thrown into chaos, and its forces scatter.
- However, Hedrack and Iuz will hunt those responsible, ensuring that their war is not yet over.
Final Consequences
| Player Actions | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Deliver the Orb to Senshock | He overthrows Hedrack, but Iuz seeks revenge. |
| Aid Falrinth | He betrays the Temple and vanishes, leaving chaos in his wake. |
| Keep the Orb | Zuggtmoy and Iuz immediately begin hunting them. |
| Destroy the Orb | The Temple collapses, but the players gain powerful enemies. |
Conclusion: The War for the Temple
No matter what path the players take, the Temple of Elemental Evil will be forever changed.
- Will Senshock seize power, or will he fall?
- Will Falrinth escape with the Orb, vanishing into the night?
- Will the players claim ultimate power—or destroy it before it’s too late?
The fate of the Temple is in their hands.
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