Endless Night: The Tower Observatory

ENDLESS NIGHT

A Fantasy Core Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Adventure Overview Index

Second Floor Index

The Observatory

Description: Climbing up the pull-down ladder, the first character up will see a messy, steam-punkish lab, along with an overhead dome and a large telescope.  The dome is currently slit open, revealing nighttime stars outside.  Blocked from view, the sounds of incomprehensible chattering can be heard.

Status: There’s no door.  The ladder can only accommodate one person at a time.  The characters will be screened from viewing all of the lab upon entry (but they are also screened from the occupants).

Inhabitants: Four creepy Squidheads and their Robot

Objective:  Defeat the Squidheads and restore Copernicus’ brain to his body.  The characters all gain 2 XP.  They also gain the Brain Lashers’ blaster guns.  (after they learn to use them). 

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Professor Copernicus Creighton always looked up at the stars.  He wondered what was out there and cried out to them every night.  One night, they answered him.  Their reply drove him mad.  Meow.”

What happened to Copernicus is up for debate, but we’ll never know.  The reality of it is that there are four squid-headed aliens from the Astral Plane in his observatory.  Copernicus’ body is lying on the floor with his skull chopped open and his brain removed.  Currently, said brain is residing inside the clear top dome of a large crude robot that the aliens are working on.  The robot is not finished yet.

With a DC 12 Stealth check, a character can spy the rest of the layout and the inhabitants.  The character will hear a whispering voice in their head, “Put my brain back.”  If the characters are undetected, the Squidheads suddenly stop working.  They stand in a circle, hold up their hands, and start emitting a loud hum.  A careful character will be able to sneak around them with a DC 12 Stealth check each rd.  Trying to get the brain out by stealth will require two Stealth checks and a DC 12 Climb check to get across the room and climb up robot, pop the dome (simple latch), and grab the brain.

If the brain is taken out, the aliens will suddenly be aware of the characters’ presence and attack, wanting to get the brain back.  (They can use minor telekinesis to re-insert it.)  Under this scenario, the robot never activates.  Otherwise, as soon as the aliens detect the characters, three of them will attack, while the fourth mentally controls the robot.  The robot will only work with them controlling it.  Busting the clear dome on top will also shutdown the robot.  The first Squidhead death causes a DC 12 Will Sv to the rest.  Failing it, they teleport away.  Each death after that is a DC 18 Will Sv.

If the brain is put back into Copernicus’ skull, it will immediately disintegrate.  The grandfather clock chimes again.  If somebody wants to look through the telescope, it’s a DC 18 Will Sv.  Failing it, they go hopelessly insane and attack the rest of the party, before running off (to reappear in the last act).  Activate a replacement.  Success, the character gains +2 to their Will Sv and +1 to their Spellcheck, if appropriate.       

Searching the observatory, if this adventure is part of an on-going campaign, this would be a good place to find a journal detailing various planets that Copernicus saw in his dreams.  There should be a map to a place that would possibly allow transport to these places. 

Squidheads (4)

HD 4, Hp 16, AC 14 (natural), Enhanced Init +3

Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6

Melee: None 

Ranged: Blaster +4 to hit 2d12 single shot, DC 12 Ref Sv ½ damage

Counts as a magic weapon, DC 12 Int check to figure out how to use (uses one charge to test, fail take ½ damage), has 1d4 x 5 charges

Mind blast DC 12 Will Sv or Stun 1 rd, Anyone failing that save, next rd DC 18 Will Sv or controlled for 1d4 rds.  Lasher may not attack while controlling, any hit will disrupt their control.

(The Squidheads will usually try to Mind Blast and control opponents first, using their Blasters on anyone who is able to resist.)

Robot

HD 9, Hp 65, AC 18* (armored, Magic to hit), Always last in Init

Brain dome AC 12 (Called Shot DC 12), Hp 10  

Fort +10, Ref +0, Will +0

Melee: 2 Shock Tentacle attacks +9 to hit 1d6 + DC 18 Fort Sv or stun 1d4 rds

Ranged: Not yet installed, thankfully