Whispering Relics of Rivermark

Uncover the secret artifacts before a mythical beast awakens.

In the bustling urban heart of Rivermark, an ancient mystery lies dormant beneath its cobblestone streets. The recent discovery of peculiar relics hints at a long-forgotten nexus of magical power intertwined with the city’s medieval past. As scholars and fortune seekers converge, a dreaded prophecy resurfaces: the awakening of the Slumbering Wyvern, an indomitable beast bound to the relics. With only three days before the relics activate and possibly unleash the creature, players must uncover the truth behind the artifacts, navigating rival factions and hidden danger within the city's labyrinthine alleys.

The World

Context

Rivermark is a medieval city where rare magic lingers in forgotten corners. It's a society driven by craftsmanship and trade, with magic seen as a relic of the past, often feared or misunderstood. Few have the skill to harness it, making the race to control magical artifacts both hazardous and coveted, inciting intrigue and conflict in an otherwise industrious and practical environment.

Concept

Relics are artifacts of a forgotten magical civilization with ties to hidden power.

Impact

The scarcity and uncertain nature of these relics create intense rivalry, shaping societal power struggles.

The Plot

Summary

Upon discovering mystic relics in the old city district, the PCs learn they could awaken the formidable Slumbering Wyvern that once razed Rivermark. A secret manuscript in an ancient library details how the relics connect to the beast. With three days before the next full moon triggers the relics, players must decipher their function and stop the awakening. Players navigate tense relationships with the Order of the Gilded Key, a group claiming to protect the city's magical integrity, and a greedy guildmaster seeking personal gain. Solving puzzles, tracking relic locations, and contending with sabotage adds layers of difficulty. Each path taken reveals deeper connections between the relics and Rivermark's foundations, testing the players' abilities to think and act under pressure.

Complication

The Gilded Key seeks to destroy the relics, threatening valuable city knowledge.

Hook

Discovered relics threaten to awaken an ancient beast.

World stakes

Failure unleashes the Wyvern, potentially destroying Rivermark.

Personal stakes

Failure endangers the PCs, risking their lives and reputations.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

The PCs start at Rivermark’s ancient library, piecing together information from crumbling texts about the cryptic relics. As they delve deeper, they encounter guards of the Gilded Key safeguarding the relic site. Missteps risk alerting rival groups and losing their advantage. Clarity emerges: there's an impending threat linked to the full moon.

Location:

Rivermark's ancient library, echoing with whispers of magic.

Challenge:

Bypass Gilded Key's guards without raising alarm.

Objective:

Decode the relics' connection to the Wyvern.

Set Back:

A crucial manuscript page is missing.

Revelation:

Relics are linked to the city's foundations.

GM's Guide:

Emphasize the urgency and mystery. Use atmospheric descriptions for the library setting. Create interactions with NPCs that hint at deeper motives without revealing everything at once. Manage tension by occasionally allowing players to outmaneuver their rivals.

GM's Move:

The Gilded Key tightens security around relics.

Act 2

Summary:

The players venture into the city's bustling marketplace, followed discreetly by mercenaries hired by the greedy guildmaster. They must find and secure the missing manuscript page, now a hot commodity among black-market dealers. Successful negotiation or stealth secures the page, revealing a hidden path beneath the city's heart, crucial to the Wyvern’s awakening.

Location:

Rivermark's bustling marketplace with hidden artifacts.

Challenge:

Secure the page before rivals do.

Objective:

Recover the missing manuscript page.

Set Back:

Misleading rumors about relic locations spread.

Revelation:

Relics also form a trail to a hidden path.

GM's Guide:

Highlight the chaotic energy of the marketplace. Use diverse NPCs to create rich social encounters. Keep players on edge with the constant threat of being followed. Offer opportunities for creative problem-solving and show consequences for reckless actions to maintain stakes.

GM's Move:

Mercenaries intensify their pursuit of the players.

Act 3

Summary:

Players descend into the ancient catacombs beneath the city, racing against time and rival factions. The eerie chambers are filled with magical traps and guardian constructs. Using the manuscript, they navigate to the relics' core, where the imminent awakening looms. The final showdown against entities from the Gilded Key tests their resolve and ingenuity.

Location:

The ancient catacombs beneath Rivermark.

Challenge:

Navigate and counter the Wyvern’s awakening traps.

Objective:

Stop the relics’ activation before the full moon.

Set Back:

A Gilded Key ally turns against the party.

Revelation:

Stopping the relics requires a personal sacrifice.

GM's Guide:

Emphasize claustrophobic tension and the otherworldly atmosphere of the catacombs. Adjust the difficulty of traps and foes to match player choices and resources remaining. Encourage creative use of relics’ magical properties detected so far.

GM's Move:

Guardian constructs activate, threatening all intruders.

Climax:

Players prevent the awakening, saving Rivermark as relics are safely deactivated.