Rumors speak of a hidden basement beneath the ruined Blackthorn Manor, once home to the reclusive alchemist Lord Edric Blackthorn. Local villagers avoid the site, whispering of strange lights and eerie noises.
Adventure Hook Ideas:
- A local scholar hires the players to find a lost tome rumored to be inside the vault.
- A bandit leader seeks the hidden treasure, willing to ambush the party after their delve.
- A mysterious illness is spreading in town—was Blackthorn’s research the cause?
Room 1: The Collapsed Cellar
Description:
A crumbling stone staircase leads down into a damp, musty basement. The air is thick with dust and mildew. Broken barrels and shattered crates litter the room, remnants of the manor’s once-proud wine collection. A faint, flickering glow emanates from under a pile of debris in the corner.
Challenges & Features:
- Perception or Search Check: A faint shimmer of residual magic can be detected in the room.
- Trap (Falling Debris): Moving too fast near the debris triggers a cave-in (Dexterity check to avoid).
- Hidden Passage: A false wall behind the debris leads to Room 2.
Room 2: The Alchemist’s Workshop
Description:
A long-forgotten laboratory filled with rotting wooden tables, shattered glassware, and alchemical stains. The faint glow in the previous room originates from a still-active rune-covered alchemy circle in the center of the room.
Challenges & Features:
- The Alchemical Wraith: The ghostly remains of Lord Edric Blackthorn linger here, his obsession with eternal life gone terribly wrong.
- Combat or Diplomacy: Players can either battle the wraith or convince him to move on by completing his final experiment (Intelligence or Arcana check).
- Potions & Clues: A successful Investigation check reveals several aged potions and a key inscribed with an arcane sigil.
Treasure Ideas for the Alchemist’s Workshop
- Blackthorn’s Final Alchemy Notes – A worn leather-bound journal detailing his failed immortality experiment. Critical for solving the ghost’s dilemma.
- Philosopher’s Stone Fragment – A small, glowing red shard pulsing with unstable energy. Can be used as a powerful alchemical reagent or as a fuel source for magical devices.
- Elixir of Unstable Life – A murky green potion that restores HP but causes vivid hallucinations for an hour. If used improperly, it might even have undead-like side effects.
- Preserved Homunculus – A small, shriveled humanoid in a jar. If awakened, it whispers forgotten secrets or tries to escape.
- Glass Vial of Liquid Sunlight – A rare alchemical creation that emits bright light in a 30-ft radius for 24 hours. Can be used to repel certain undead.
- Tincture of the Void – A swirling black liquid that, when spilled, briefly creates a tiny rift into an unknown plane, sucking small objects into nothingness.
- Silver-etched Bone Wand – A brittle wand inscribed with alchemical formulas. Casts a random alchemical effect when activated (GM’s choice).
- Cracked Memory Phial – A crystalline vial containing the distilled memories of Lord Blackthorn, showing glimpses of his final days when inhaled.
- Alchemical Furnace Core – A still-warm metal sphere used to power golems or magical machinery. May be valuable to artificers or dangerous if mishandled.
- Aged Potion Rack – A collection of three random potions, each unlabeled and of uncertain potency due to age. A character with Alchemy knowledge may identify them.
Tactics and RPG Tips for Lord Edric Blackthorn, the Alchemical Ghost
Lord Edric Blackthorn was once an obsessive alchemist, consumed by his pursuit of eternal life. His failure left him trapped between worlds, neither truly alive nor fully dead. He is not immediately hostile but radiates melancholy, frustration, and regret. His voice is a hollow whisper, occasionally distorted as if speaking from two places at once.
- He does not attack on sight. Instead, he watches intruders silently, appearing at the edges of their vision or whispering cryptic warnings.
- His first words should be a riddle or a plea. Example: “Another set of hands, grasping at knowledge. Will you too be consumed?”
- He avoids direct answers. Instead, he nudges players toward the truth: “I sought to cheat death. Now death has cheated me.”
The Ghost’s Lingering Regret
Lord Blackthorn cannot rest because his final experiment remains incomplete. His goal was to create an elixir of immortality, but his alchemical process was flawed, leaving him forever between life and death.
To permanently end his existence, the players must:
- Find his Final Alchemical Notes. A hidden journal in his laboratory details his failed experiment.
- Complete the Ritual. The alchemical formula must be either perfected or completely destroyed, requiring Intelligence checks.
- Burn the Lab’s Heart. His experiments are bound to a philosopher’s stone fragment, which must be cast into a special alchemical fire.
If the players offer to help, Lord Blackthorn hesitates, then directly states the solution: “Only completion will release me. The knowledge must be corrected or erased. I can do neither.”
Tactical Use of the Ghost in Combat
If the players attack outright or refuse to help, Lord Blackthorn fights ruthlessly, knowing that he cannot die permanently. He does not pursue fleeing enemies, preferring to defend his domain rather than chase intruders.
- Frightful Moan is his opening move. He uses this to scatter or disable weaker foes.
- He glides through walls and objects. If players attempt to corner him, he simply drifts through the environment.
- He avoids prolonged combat. If reduced to low HP, he vanishes into the walls, forcing the players to continue the puzzle.
- He uses Corrupting Touch sparingly. He only directly attacks when intruders threaten his research.
Rejuvenation as a Warning
If the players kill Lord Blackthorn without solving his dilemma, he reforms in 2d4 days, angrier and more aggressive. The next time they encounter him, he no longer speaks, only attacking until he is freed properly.
Encourage the players to find another solution rather than wasting time fighting an enemy that cannot be permanently defeated by combat alone.
Room 3: The Black Vault
Description:
A reinforced iron door, locked with the sigil-key from Room 2, leads to a hidden treasure vault. Inside, shelves of ancient tomes, gold coins, and strange artifacts rest undisturbed—except for the cursed guardian.
Challenges & Features:
- The Guardian: A rust-covered iron golem lumbers to life when intruders enter.
- Combat or Cleverness: It can be defeated in combat or disabled using alchemical knowledge (Intelligence check to use a potion from Room 2).
Iron Golem
Large Construct, Unaligned
Armor Class: 18 (Reinforced Alchemical Plating)
Hit Points: 85
Speed: 20 ft.
| Strength | Dexterity | Constitution | Intelligence | Wisdom | Charisma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +5 | -1 | +4 | -4 | 0 | -5 |
Damage Immunities: Fire, Poison, Non-Magical Weapons
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Damage Vulnerabilities: Acid
Notice: 10
Languages: Understands Alchemical Commands but does not speak
Abilities
Unstable Alchemical Core:
When the Alchemical Guardian is reduced to half HP or lower, it begins leaking volatile alchemical vapors. At the start of its next turn, it detonates, dealing 4d6 fire and poison damage in a 15-ft radius. Any creature in range must make a Dexterity check to avoid damage. After exploding, the Guardian is stunned for one round, then resumes fighting.
Arcane Absorption:
If the Guardian is targeted by a low-level spell effect, instead of taking damage, it absorbs the energy and regains 1d8 HP. High-level spells may still affect it normally, but an Intelligence check (DC 15) can reveal this ability.
Runic Override (Puzzle Element):
The Sigil-Key from Room 2 can disable the Guardian if inserted into a slot in its chest. A character within melee range must succeed on a Dexterity check (DC 14) or Intelligence check (DC 12) to disable the construct. If successful, the Guardian immediately shuts down.
Actions
Smash – Melee Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 2d10 + 5 bludgeoning damage.
Alchemical Spray (Recharge 5–6).
The Guardian releases a corrosive alchemical mist in a 15-ft. cone.
- Creatures in the area must make a Dexterity check (DC 15) or take 5d6 poison or acid damage (determined by the GM).
Tactics & Combat Behavior:
- The Guardian attacks the closest intruder first, relentlessly smashing opponents.
- If it detects a magic-user, it will focus attacks on them aggressively.
- When reduced to half HP, it prepares to explode but is left stunned for one round after.
- A clever party can disable it with the Sigil-Key or exploit its acid weakness.
Treasure:
- Runed Alchemical Plate: A fragment of its armor, reforged into magical armor.
- Blackthorn’s Alchemy Notes: Valuable schematics on construct creation.
- Core’s Essence: A bottle of unstable alchemical energy, functioning as a dangerous explosive or fuel source.
Treasure in the Black Vault
- Ornate steel longsword +1, its hilt wrapped in ancient, brittle leather. A past adventurer’s weapon, still carrying the faint scent of burnt metal from a failed battle against the Iron Golem.
- Alchemical lodestone, a fist-sized chunk of dark stone that glows faintly when near magical constructs. Grants advantage on Intelligence checks to disable golems or magical traps.
- Potion of molten skin, a thick orange liquid that, when consumed, grants resistance to fire for one hour. Originally crafted to protect alchemists from accidental lab explosions.
- Bag of crushed emerald dust, a rare and expensive spell component used in crafting powerful enchantments. Worth 250 gold if sold to the right buyer.
- Charred knight’s shield +1, blackened from a previous battle. Once belonged to an unlucky warrior who tried to block the golem’s Alchemical Spray. Grants resistance to acid damage while equipped.
- Ring of tempered will, an iron band infused with protective magic. Once per day, it allows the wearer to reroll a failed Constitution check against exhaustion or alchemical effects.
- Tattered spellbook, bound in cracked blue leather. Contains a selection of arcane formulas, including one designed to disrupt constructs. A wizard may copy the spells with a full day’s study (see below).
- Flask of quicksilver, a rare liquid metal often used in high-level transmutation spells. Can also be thrown as an improvised weapon, dealing 1d6 acid damage to constructs and magical creatures.
- Rusted warhammer, its handle engraved with dwarven runes. If restored, it functions as a warhammer +1 and deals an additional 1d4 damage against constructs.
- Alchemical fuel vial, a volatile, glowing green substance sealed in reinforced glass. Can be used to power ancient machinery or thrown to create a 10-ft explosion dealing 3d6 fire damage.
Spells Found in Lord Blackthorn’s Spellbook
- Acid Arrow (2nd level) – A concentrated bolt of acid that deals ongoing damage, perfect for exploiting the golem’s acid weakness.
- Stone to Mud (5th level) – Temporarily softens stone into thick mud, making it useful for collapsing walls, creating difficult terrain, or weakening constructs.
- Repair Damage (3rd level) – Originally used to maintain constructs, but clever players could disable the Iron Golem by overloading it with energy.
- Fireball (3rd level) – A classic explosive blast, ideal for wiping out groups of enemies or destroying unstable alchemical components.
- Wall of Fog (2nd level) – Conjures a thick fog that can obscure vision, useful for avoiding ranged attacks or escaping combat.
- Animate Object (6th level) – Temporarily brings objects to life, allowing the caster to animate laboratory equipment, weapons, or even failed homunculi.
- Protection from Elements (4th level) – Grants temporary resistance to fire, acid, or poison, helping the party survive the Iron Golem’s alchemical attacks.
- Resist Energy (2nd level) – A more focused version of Protection from Elements, shielding against a single damage type, such as acid or fire.
- Dispel Magic (3rd level) – Can suppress magical effects, including temporary enchantments on constructs, making it valuable when fighting arcane-infused enemies.
- Polymorph Self (4th level) – Allows the caster to change their form, which could be used creatively to bypass obstacles, evade enemies, or squeeze through tight spaces in the ruined manor.
