The Test of Valour
The Test of Valour is designed to test the parties fearlessness. Whether they want to take risks to bypass dangers, or if they want to go for speed. In fact, the party will be incentivised to do one or the other - but doing both will run the risk of getting neither.
Introduction
The Northern Wall of the city is still under construction, although a significant quantity of stone has already been assembled. A perfectly written sign points towards one side of the gate, where a tall automata stands by a hole. The heavy machine has a longsword belted at there hip and a shield on there back, and is covered by a white tabard. "Greetings, guild aspirants. You have chosen to face, now, the test of Valour. Woe be unto you who bravely undertake this challenge. Those with heart conditions are suggested to seek medical council before entering."
The machine pauses, as if to see if anyone has a heart condition, and then adds, "Victory can be achieved simply by reaching the end. There are five rooms. Additional rewards can be found for being fast or by pulling three levels within the rooms. Both rewards can be claimed, but attempting to do so may jeopardise. If the fear becomes too great each chamber has a panel which will warp you back to this location. We will now accept questions."
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Table of Contents
Introduction Player Guide Test of Skill - Guildmaster Green Test of Diplomacy - Guildmaster Red Test of Valour - Guildmaster White - Introduction - Time - Room 1 - Rot - Room 2 - Fire - Room 3 - Ice - Room 4 - Blindness - Room 5 - Death - Conclusion Test of Cunning - Guildmaster Grey Test of Knowledge - Guildmaster Blue Test of Grace - Guildmaster Violet Test of Survival - Guildmaster Black Additional Encounters Conclusion Consequences Non-Player Characters and Enemies |
If asked who they are, the Automata smacks themself in the forehead in a slow, mechanical way. "Ah, forgive me, please. I am Lumo kaj Ombra, also know as Guildmaster White."
Questions regarding the test will be met with the explanation that the chambers will feature the things that all mortals must fear.
If asked if the party can split up, to go for each prize, White will consider for a moment, a ticking noise heard, and answer with, "This is acceptable, but cannot be done at the same time. Two separate runs must be made."
If asked what the prizes are, they will explain he does not wish to incentivise one route or the other, so the reward will be a surprise.
Time
One of the challenges in this test is time. Keeping track of time in roleplay is a challenge. By default this will be based on the actions the party do - assume that talking and planning doesn't affect there planning, within reason, but certain actions will add +1 to the time. Each room will describe what actions can be taken and how much time
Alternatively, you can set a timer, out on the table, with your desired time in real life. The rooms should be easy enough to clear in an 45 minutes or so, if the party focuses on clearing each room quickly. Smaller groups will probably find it easier to do, as they can organize and move more easily, whereas larger groups may need a little more.
Room 1 - Rot
The ladder leads down - surprisingly deep, into the foundations of the walls. Moving into the long chamber is difficult, however, as the smell is almost solid. The sickly-sweet scent of rotting meat is nearly visible, with covered lamps along the wall - illuminating the piles of offal within. "It is well known that mortal meat-creatures," the voice of White announces, "Fear the ultimate fate. Behold the fate of flesh." The passage fades into the darkness.
Although it seems endless from here the chamber is, in fact, a 50m long stretch of currently under construction sewers. The door at the far end is unlocked, but the challenge is reaching it over the mounds of horrible, horrible flesh - several months of the waste from the markets and the cities restaurants have gone to making this a challenge.
That challenge for the faster thinking among the players is that the organic members of the party will need to make a Physical Prowess test at the end of each movement or be half as fast next turn. If a character throws up three times they come up empty - they can keep moving at half speed.
Every three failed Physical Prowess test adds 1 to the time they take to exit the room.
For those hunting for the lever to pull it's hidden fairly simply - under a pile of unwholesome - but that also means spending additional times, and taking more Physical Prowess tests, to hunt it down. The level is quite stuff and takes 3 AP to pull.
Time: 1 round of time to cross.
Decoys: Every three failed saves add 1 time to the crossing.
Decoys: Every three failed saves add 1 time to the crossing.
Room 2 - Fire
The metal door opens to another room that, thankfully, contains fresh air. Less comfortable is the fact that the air has been baked. The source is easy to spot, as the room beyond is extraordinarily hot. "The mortal form fears heat, the end of water and hope." A path to the door on the far end stands about 50m away, with a path splitting off to the left. A magic circle sits by the door. "If you fear this end too greatly then step into the circle."
Stepping into the circle will teleport the person back to the top of the ladder. This room is simple enough, and cross directly to the far end will cost 1 round of time.
The downside is that every turn in this room does 1 damage, ignoring armour, as the heat seeps into the target. If a person drops to 1 hit point then they get warped back to the start before they can fall on the, potentially, very hot floor.
The second lever is down the side passage another 30m, and takes 4 AP to pull. The challenge is simply doing it without getting too badly hurt, and for every 5 rounds the side trip takes it adds 1 to the time total
Time: 1 round of time to cross.
Decoys: Finding the lever will add significantly to the time, adding 1 for every 5 additional rounds taken.
Decoys: Finding the lever will add significantly to the time, adding 1 for every 5 additional rounds taken.
Room 3 - Ice
The next area is filled with a col, frigid mist that makes the heat of the previous chamber a rapidly fading memory. This room is larger than the others so far, and the floor is slick with ice. As with the previous room a magic circle glows by the door. The room has beep split in half, a deep trench splitting it in half.
"Life fears the cold that marks its end. Heat is life. Cold is its lack. Be wary not to slip and fall."
"Life fears the cold that marks its end. Heat is life. Cold is its lack. Be wary not to slip and fall."
The main danger here is the ice all over the floor - a Simple (+10) Agility test must be made to move at full speed or the character falls on there rear. Moving slowly and being careful will be possible, but adds +1 to there time. Standing up from a fall costs 2 AP.
The gap is 5m across, and seemingly bottomless from the player perspective - any item that falls vanishes into the dark. If the players are observant they will notice these items appear a few moments later at the start to the room, however. Falling in will mean the player essentially have to restart - adding +1 time.
The lever in this room is hidden on the far right, in the trench. A Perception test will reveal it - or a savvy player thinking to check the trap for such. It can be reached from the ledge and takes 2AP to pull.
Time: 1 round of time to cross, or two if the 'slow and steady' approach is taken.
Decoys: Every three failed saves add 1 time to the crossing, falling in the trap starts them back at the beginning.
Decoys: Every three failed saves add 1 time to the crossing, falling in the trap starts them back at the beginning.
Room 4 - Blindness
The entry into this chamber is odd - a pair of doors linked by a 5m passage. A note on the wall instructs that only when one door is closed can the other be opened in several languages. Once the previous door is closed and the next opened the room beyond is...black. Only the familiar glowing magic symbol reveals any light, and the darkness seems to swallow it rapidly. "Many mortals do not fear the dark. They can see in it, hunt it. Still, even they fear what lives within the darkness."
The first response by most will likely be light. This will, unfortunately, be of limited use. The room is coated in a material that simply absorbs light, making it exceptionally difficult to see anything in here even with a light source.
If not playing in the theatre of the mind then making a 20m by 20m room with no features will be a good way to represent the challenge. The door out is on the wall to the left of the entrance, next to the rear wall - not directly across as it has been in the other rooms. Once found and opened it's very easy to see.
The other issue is five pillars, coated with glue, dot the chamber. Mentally not where these are on the map for players to bump into. Alternatively, in playing in the theater of the mind without maps, blindly reaching out has a 10% chance or running into one, after which a Simple (+10%) Physical Prowess test must be made to break free.
The lever is on the central pillar, painted with the same material. Locating the pillar gives a 50% chance of accidentally finding it during the struggle. Otherwise, once the door is opened, it is a Difficult (-20%) Perception check to spot it.
Time: Determinate.
Decoys: Locating the lever may take extra time. The sticky pillars will also be a problem.
Decoys: Locating the lever may take extra time. The sticky pillars will also be a problem.
Room 5 - Death
The door opens into another dark tunnel. After a moment torches ignite to the sides revealing a horde of undead to either side of the narrow tunnel behind a barrier of what looks to be glass. Once more, a small magic circle sits on and 50m away a door sits, this one made rather more spectacularly with shaped brass hinges and a handle. "If there is one thing mortals fear more than the end, it is what li- apologies, on moment." The voice gets quieter. "Explain the situation. Oh. That is not a good situation." Getting louder, Guildmaster White continues, "Circumstances dictate the end of the test, please move to the exit." The undead paw at the glass mindlessly.
Nothing else happens, and there is sign of another lever - which may not bother the party, as they only needed to find 3 and the chance to find 4 so far means they could well have already done it, and speed is now for the best.
Halfway down the passage, the party hears, "Hello?" To the left-hand side, in a clear patch among the undead, a young teen boy holding a short sword in trembling hands, looking worried, stares at the party. "Um, I think I went the wrong way? I was trying to find the test" Several of the undead start looking for the source of the noise.
The party may continue to the exit, adding one to there time and completing the test of Valour. They may feel this is a trick (and they're correct) or they may not care about a dumb kid. If they've seen Lumo's teleporting they may assume that he can do that, and there's no need to worry.
However, if they wish to save the child, then the party can smash the glass and go get him. The zombies - illusions - are not too close, but the party can attack them if they wish. If the party attacks them then any successful attack will cut one down, and the zombies will keep missing - but more will keep coming. Still, in the moment, there are no zombies between the party and the child.
Once they reach the child, or make the child come to them, the kid grins. "Interesting," and changes, becoming a floating lever. If they instantly came to the rescue, it only takes 1AP to pull. If they argued about it then it takes 2AP. If the person pulling it argued to leave the kid then it takes 5AP.
Time: One to get to the end.
Decoys: An additional +1 to time if they go to the rescue, and every 3 rounds of 'combat'.
Decoys: An additional +1 to time if they go to the rescue, and every 3 rounds of 'combat'.
Conclusion
Exiting the test brings them back to the start - which makes no logical sense whatsoever. Guildmaster White turns. "Ah, congratulations. What did you think of my test examining the many fears of organic life?"
Lumo will accept any feedback - positive or negative, before giving them there rewards. If they pulled three levers then they get an additional 50sp each. If they pulled all five - something that wasn't mentioned - then this number is doubled to 100sp each. And if they came in under the time - either with a time count of 10 or under the time the GM sets - then they each get a small silver ring with a strange symbol on it. White explains that they're a prototype for a magic item a friend is making - Once per day they can move 1 meter for no AP.
In addition, they might impress or annoy the Guildmaster depending on there actions. For every 5 points of reputation they gain with White they gain +1 reputation with the Guild, and the opposite holds true.
Levers - +1 for each lever pulled.
Coming in under the time - +1
Finding a way through the rooms that White did not expect, like teleporting or using barriers as bridges - +2
Giving solid feedback - +2
Breaking any of the test - -1 per random destruction.
Coming in under the time - +1
Finding a way through the rooms that White did not expect, like teleporting or using barriers as bridges - +2
Giving solid feedback - +2
Breaking any of the test - -1 per random destruction.