A Quick ESL Adventure Game: 2d6 Role-Playing

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Act 3:

The players reach the Forlorn Keep and find that its name is appropriate. The gate falls open with a touch and all the remaining structures look as though they are about to fall over. There is one clearly structurally sound building in the keep and it is the tower at the center. A magical character would feel the magic coming from the tower.

Trial One - The Gatehouse Riddle

Setting: The base of the Forlorn Keep's central tower. The tower is made of ancient, weathered stone, and its entrance is a large, imposing wooden door reinforced with iron. The door is slightly ajar, but seems stuck. Faint magical energy emanates from within the tower.

Introduction:

As the players approach the tower, they see that the entrance is a massive, heavy door. It looks like it hasn't been opened in centuries. The air around the tower feels thick with magic. Upon closer inspection, they notice a small, ornate plaque beside the door. It's covered in dust, but they can make out an inscription.

The Inscription:

The plaque reads:

"Seekers of secrets, draw near,

But entry here is not without fear.

To pass this gate, you must be keen,

For words unlock what’s unseen.

Speak the truth that lies within,

And let the journey then begin."

Below this inscription is a single line:

"What has an eye, but cannot see?"

The Encounter:

1. Initial Observation: The players will likely examine the door, the plaque, and the surrounding area. Allow them to make investigation or perception checks to find any clues or hidden mechanisms. A successful check might reveal faint magical runes on the door or a pressure plate hidden under some loose stones.

2. The Riddle: The players must solve the riddle: "What has an eye, but cannot see?" The answer is a needle. The GM may substitute a different riddle if desired.

3. The Solution: Once the players have the answer, they must speak it aloud clearly and confidently. They can try to speak it in different ways or even try other words they think might work.

4. Consequences:

- Correct Answer: If they say "needle" (or a very close variation that the GM deems acceptable), the door will slowly creak open with a groan of ancient hinges. A dim light spills out from within, revealing a spiral staircase leading upwards.

- Incorrect Answer: If they give a wrong answer, nothing happens at first. However, after a few incorrect attempts, the tower might react:

- A magical trap could be triggered, such as a burst of magical energy that deals minor damage or a sudden gust of wind that pushes the players back. It should get progressively worse the more wrong answers are provided.

- The door might become temporarily sealed, requiring the players to wait a short time before trying again.

- A ghostly voice could whisper from within the tower, giving them a cryptic hint of mocking their failure.

1. Additional Challenges:

- Time Limit: To add tension, you could introduce a time limit. If the players don't solve the riddle within a certain time, something unpleasant might happen, such as the appearance of a minor Fae creature or the collapse of part of the tower.

- Red Herrings: Provide false clues or alternative interpretations of the riddle to mislead the players and make the encounter more challenging.

- Environmental Effects: The magical energy around the tower could cause strange effects, such as flickering lights, distorted sounds, or illusions that disorient the players.

NPCs/Creatures: There are no NPCs or creatures in this encounter, but the tower itself acts as an obstacle.

Rewards:

• Successfully solving the riddle and entering the tower.

• Experience points for overcoming the challenge.

• Potential discovery of hidden items or clues around the tower's entrance.

Example Interactions:

• Player 1: "I think the answer is an eye\!"
  
  GM: "The door remains stubbornly shut. Nothing happens."

• Player 2: "Maybe it's a camera?"
  
  GM: "A faint humming sound comes from the door, and it seems to vibrate slightly, but it doesn't open."

• Player 3: "Wait a minute… what about a needle? It has an eye to thread, but it can't see."
  
  GM: "As you speak the word 'needle,' the door begins to groan and slowly swings open, revealing a dimly lit spiral staircase."

Trial Two - The Shifting Stairs

Setting: Inside the central tower, beyond the initial door, there’s a grand, circular chamber. The floor is mostly open, revealing a vast, seemingly bottomless pit. Staircases and platforms jut out from the walls and appear to be constantly shifting and moving, creating a dizzying and dangerous environment. Ghostly figures phase in and out on these platforms.

Introduction:

After solving the riddle at the tower's entrance, the players enter a large, circular chamber. A gaping pit fills most of the space, with staircases and platforms appearing and disappearing at random. Ethereal figures, clearly ghosts, manifest on the platforms, each seeming to guard a section of the shifting stairs. The air hums with magical energy, making the environment feel unstable.

The Encounter:

1. Initial Observation: Upon entering the chamber, the players will see the chaotic movement of the staircases and platforms. Allow them Perception or Investigation checks to try and discern any patterns or predict the movement. A successful check might reveal a faint magical glow on platforms about to materialize or a subtle shift in the air just before a staircase moves.

2. The Ghosts: On each platform, a ghostly figure will appear. These ghosts will challenge the players to pronounce difficult phrases clearly. These phrases can be a mix of made-up words, complicated tongue-twisters, or even phrases in an invented language relevant to the game's lore.

3. The Challenge: The ghost will speak the phrase, and then the player must repeat it back clearly and loudly (see examples at the end of this section).

• Success: If the player's pronunciation is deemed clear and successful (the GM's judgment), a new staircase will materialize behind the ghost, leading to the next platform.

• Failure: If the player's pronunciation is unclear or incorrect, a staircase will still appear, but it will lead nowhere. Their current platform will begin to shimmer and fade, and the player must make an Athletics roll to scramble and jump to a nearby stable platform.

4. The Ascent: The players must successfully navigate five of these shifting staircases and ghostly challenges to reach the top of the chamber. With each success, they feel a surge of magical energy and get closer to their goal. Each failure sets them back a bit.

5. Consequences:

• Falling: If a player fails the Athletics roll to jump to another platform, they fall into the pit. However, instead of taking damage, they are magically teleported back to the entrance of the chamber, having to start the trial again.

• Ghostly Tricks: The ghosts themselves could also use minor illusory magic to trick the players, such as creating fake staircases or making platforms appear closer or further away than they actually are.

• Increasing Difficulty: With each successful ascent, the ghosts' phrases become progressively more difficult to pronounce, requiring greater focus and skill.

6. Additional Challenges:

• Time Pressure: Add a sense of urgency by making the platforms shift and fade at an increasing rate, forcing quick decisions.

• Environmental Hazards: Include random bursts of wind or shimmering illusions that momentarily obscure the staircases, making navigation more challenging.

• Teamwork: Players can assist each other. One player could try to translate the phrase, while another attempts the pronunciation.

NPCs/Creatures: The ghosts are the only entities in this encounter. They are not hostile but act as gatekeepers, testing the players' verbal skills.

Rewards:

• Successfully navigating the shifting stairs and reaching the top of the chamber.

• A sense of accomplishment and overcoming a challenging magical trial.

• The potential discovery of faint magical runes or inscriptions on the platforms that provide further lore about the tower.

Tongue Twisters (Focus on repetition and similar sounds):

Choose phrases of appropriate difficulty for your players. Feel free to come up with your own.

1. "Six slippery snails slid swiftly southward."

2. "Fuzzy was a Wuzzy? Fuzzy was a Wuzzy. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, was he?"

3. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?"

4. "She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells."

5. "Betty Botter bought some butter, but the butter was bitter, so Betty Botter bought some better butter to make the bitter butter better."

6. "Truly rural, truly cruel."

7. "Less red, less said."

8. "Near an ear, a nearer ear." 

9. "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood." 

Example Interactions:

• Ghost 1: "Repeat after me: 'Blorpity-blorp, flibber-gibbet.'"

• Player 1: "Blorpity-blorp, flibber-gibbet\!"

• GM: "The ghost nods approvingly, and a new staircase appears behind it."

• Ghost 3: "Say this: 'Theophilus Throckmorton thought he throttled three thieves.'"

• Player 2: "Theophilus...uh...Throckmuffin?...thought he...throtled...three...thieves?"

• GM: "The ghost shakes its head. The platform beneath you shimmers and begins to disappear\! Roll Athletics to jump\!"

The players will need to make their way up five flights of stairs in the manner to reach the top.

The Red Knight is waiting for the players on top of his tower with two storm elementals with him. He will tell the players that he was abandoned, and that he must punish the people of the surrounding towns.

Trial Three - The Red Knight's Fury

Setup:

• Location: The top of a ruined tower in the Forlorn Keep. The tower is exposed to the elements, with a crumbling parapet and a wide view of the stormy landscape.

• Enemies:

• The Red Knight: Level 5 Warrior.

• Two Storm Elementals: Level 3 Mages (with a focus on Water & Ice/Fire & Lightning).

• Conditions: The remnants of the storm still rage outside, with strong winds and occasional lightning strikes. This can add environmental hazards or advantages/disadvantages to certain actions.

Encounter Details:

• Initial Interaction: As the players reach the top of the tower, they find the Red Knight waiting for them. He is clad in crimson armor, and his eyes glow with an eerie red light. The two Storm Elementals hover beside him, crackling with energy. The Red Knight speaks in a booming voice: "You dare trespass upon my domain! I was abandoned, betrayed\! Now, I will unleash my fury upon the towns below!"

• Red Knight's Stats (Level 5 Warrior):

Athleticism: +3, Will: +2, Charm: -1, Intelligence: +0

Health: 18 (damage reduction 1 / 2 if raged)

Combat Stat: Athleticism

Abilities: Strong Attack, Improved Defense, Cleave, Iron Will.

Equipment: Great Axe (3 base damage), Heavy Armor (-1 damage, +1 to water, cold, fire & lightning).

Special Ability: Rage (once per day).

Storm Elemental Stats (Level 3 Mage):

Stats: Will +3, Intelligence +2,

Health: 9

Combat Stat: Will (magic), Athleticism (physical)

Abilities: Arcane Knowledge, Spellcasting (Tier 2), Mana Control (5 Mana).

Spells (Example - mix and match as you prefer):

Water & Ice:\*

Tier 1: **Create a small ball of water, Freeze a small amount of water.

Tier 2: **Conjure wave of water, Create sheet of ice.

Fire & Lightning:

Tier 1: Create a small flame, Shoot sparks.

Tier 2: **Hurl fireball, Conjure bolt of lightning.

Note: Each elemental has 5 Mana Points.

• Challenge for Level 3 Characters:

• The Red Knight is a formidable opponent with high health, strong attack, and good defense. His Rage ability makes him even more dangerous.

• The Storm Elementals can use their magic to control the battlefield, hindering the players with ice or damaging them with lightning.

• The environment adds another layer of challenge. Strong winds could make ranged attacks difficult, and lightning strikes could create hazards or even damage players.

Possible Encounter Flow:

1. Dialogue and Intimidation: The Red Knight tries to intimidate the players with his words and presence. The Storm Elementals make threatening gestures and unleash small bursts of energy. 

2. Combat Begins: The Red Knight attacks with his Great Axe, while the Storm Elementals cast spells. The players must decide how to focus their attacks: take down the Red Knight first or deal with the Elementals? 

3. Environmental Effects: The GM can introduce environmental effects:  

    Have the players roll a die at the start of their turns, if they roll a 1, have a sudden gust of wind force a player to make an Athleticism roll to avoid being pushed off the tower. (or) Have a lightning strike hit the tower, dealing 2 damage to anyone nearby. 

1. Red Knight's Rage: When the Red Knight is reduced to half health, he uses his Rage ability, becoming even more dangerous. 

2. Elemental Tactics, The Storm Elementals use their spells strategically: One Elemental creates an ice sheet to make it difficult for players to move.  

    The other Elemental hurls fireballs at the players.

1. Victory or Defeat: The players win if they defeat the Red Knight and the Storm Elementals. They lose if all their characters are reduced to 0 health. 

ESL Integration:

• Descriptive Language: Encourage players to use descriptive language when describing their actions.

• Roleplaying: Encourage players to roleplay their reactions to the Red Knight's threats and the Storm Elementals' magic.

• Strategic Thinking: Encourage players to discuss and plan their tactics in English.

The End! The players may return to town to collect their rewards!