A 16-page, 3 session adventure to a timeless demiplane for 4-5 level 3 characters, including roleplay encounters, puzzles, a custom creature for the final battle, and an artifact magic item that could lead to an entire campaign.
This adventure takes place in a demiplane that exists outside of time, so characters of any realm, both official and otherwise, could feel at home here. Fill it with strange races from other properties. Fill it with anachronisms. Have fun with it!
This is my first published adventure, started while working through Ashley Warren’s amazing RPG Writer Workshop, now part of the Storytelling Collective. This course was extremely helpful in converting what I built for my players into something I could share with the rest of the community. If you are considering publishing adventures, or already publish and would like some extremely valuable advice, I highly recommend checking it out!
With the exception of marked sections, there are no major spoilers on this page. If you will be playing this adventure, you should still check with your DM before reading anything further though.
About the Adventure
In the beginning, the Primordials saw that some aspects of reality were too bright while others were too dark, so they split reality into three parts, establishing the Feywild and the Shadowfell as independent mirror planes of the Prime Material plane. Everywhere, that is, except a tiny, timeless demiplane. This adventure takes place there, where the Material Plane, the Feywild, and the Shadowfell exist simultaneously as one. Because of this, the world around the characters will not behave as they expect: long distances are covered momentarily while short distances take hours, the insides of buildings are far bigger than they have any right to be, and trees appear seemingly overnight.
The party awakens to find themselves isolated in an unknown, populated demiplane. Any means of escape are forgotten to time, but a strange old man tells them of a book, The Tome of the Forgotten, which contains the secrets of escape. Together, they must survive an escape room, open a portal, and defeat the guardian!
NPCs
Madrel Niv
Despite his frail appearance as an older white man with his bald head, receding grey hair, and deceptive cane, Madrel is a capable fighter. Though its primary purpose is aesthetic and the head is very intricately carved, his cane also doubles as a sword when needed. He is known to be a generally helpful, if quiet, person.
Tally Berryfizz (Mechanic)
An eclectic gnome mechanic with pink hair and a bubbly personality, Tally loves the work that she does; this is evident nowhere more than her appearance: her pale skin and brown overalls are perpetually covered in grease and dirt from her workshop. There isn’t really anything here that needs fixing, but that won’t stop her from working on it anyway. She is excited and scatterbrained, and her workshop is filled with unfinished projects.
Keppuc Un (Librarian)
Vibrant greens and blues of Keppuc’s youth have faded to grays and browns with only a hint of their previous vigor. They are an extremely old and wise tortle librarian. They have so much wisdom to share, but are saddened that so few seek it. They have copious amounts of free time, and spend all of it writing down as much as they can. They collect all forms of knowledge, but their favorite is fiction.
Violett Hildegard (Tavern Keeper)
Violett, a short, black human woman, loves her tavern more than anything else. She takes very good care of it and her patrons, happily meeting all reasonable requests. While she is well-respected by the townspeople, occasionally a traveler will be less than civil. Should any issues arise, Violett simply and politely calls out, “Dallas, get them out of my tavern,” and Dallas Carver will make it very clear that they are no longer welcome.
Dallas Carver (Troublemaker)
A human gunslinger with olive-toned complexion and a traditional "wild west" look, Dallas is more often drunk than not. He lives above Violett’s tavern, receiving room and board in exchange for his muscle, and his pastimes include shooting, drinking, fighting, alcohol, gambling, and guns.. While he enjoys the drinks a little too much, he is very careful to hold to the policy, as he would say, “Don’t shit where you eat.”
Ulana Qilynn (Guard)
Qilynn is a tall dragonborn woman with vibrant yellow scales who wants nothing more than to help others. The town watch was the perfect role for her, and she now runs it. When not keeping guard, she can be found helping out around town, helping Tally with heaving machinery, helping Violett rearrange the tables (again!), or refurbishing the dilapidated town buildings.
Spoilers: Wardens of the Tome
People expecting to play this adventure should not read this section.
This unusual realm was not an accident or oversight on the part of the Primordials, it exists for one purpose: to contain the Tome of the Forgotten so that its knowledge does not fall into the wrong hands. This tome has existed as long as time itself; it contains all knowledge that was once known but has since been forgotten, even the secrets of the dead gods.
While the Tome of the Forgotten has no wardens, it rests in the Forgotten Garden, awaiting the next set of worthy heroes to claim it. The process to do so is lengthy, and tests physical and mental prowess, rewarding those with an earnest desire for knowledge, and smiting those who would seek personal gain. If at any point there are no current wardens, by death or by choice, the tome immediately vanishes and returns to its resting spot in the Forgotten Garden, awaiting the next set of worthy heroes to claim it.
When the tome is claimed by a mortal or group of mortals who have proven themselves worthy, they all become Wardens of the Tome. But as the saying goes: “with great power comes great responsibility.” In the interest of that responsibility, a single rule has been placed on the wardens: In order to maintain their title, they must remain in this demiplane; neither they nor the tome may leave.
Interactive Puzzle
One of the puzzles included with the adventure has a physical component. The players may use this digital version in lieu of printing or drawing a physical one. (It even includes checks for the success conditions!) In the interest of avoiding spoilers, however, no further details will be given here.