Endless Night: The Library

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

First Floor Index

The Library

Description: The room is filled with hundreds of books in the bookcases along the walls.  There are comfy couches and end tables for pleasant reading.  A fire is going in the large fireplace.  There are shut curtains to the outside.  Once again, viewing the naked Astral Plane outside causes a DC 12 Will Save or driven catatonic for 1 turn.  Those saving are immune to this effect thereafter.

Status: This room is open to enter and exit.

Inhabitants: Two Hellhounds and the Poltergeist spirit of Magnus Creighton.

Objective: The party needs to come away with the Leaf Key from this room.  Delivering the Book of Shadows from the Trophy room will placate Magnus into revealing the key.  0 XP awarded.

Carter’s Introduction: “Meow.  Magnus Creighton loved his books.  He loved them to death.  Specifically, an infected paper cut from a magic book.  Meow.”

More than likely the party will enter this room cold (not knowing what’s going to happen).  Nothing will happen the first rd inside.  A disembodied voice will then ask if they’ve brought back his book.  It’s Magnus.  He’s looking for his Book of Shadows.  He remembers lending it out to his brother Orion, who usually resides in the Trophy Room.  Magnus will hand out all of this information, but only if asked directly.  Eventually or if not asked the right questions or any questions, he’ll become hysterical and start attacking the characters by throwing books at them.     

Magnus is not the most powerful ghost in the house.  The main problem in combating him is that he can’t be harmed.  His spirit is contained within all books.  There’s nothing to fight.  As long as the characters are in the room, he attacks, and the characters can only take damage until they’re scared off.  Magnus will start with the small attacks.  Those resistant to them are hit with the large attacks. 

Any characters immune to supernatural frights (Paladins, Occultists, etc) will hear a growl from the fireplace.  Suddenly, two large red dogs will leap out and attack.  If they’re defeated, they re-form in 2 rds, growling first as a warning before attacking again.  Hopefully, it will dawn on the players that this isn’t an encounter to be fought through.  (No, they can’t do a séance or exorcism, not while being bombarded by books.)  

When the party returns (or if they enter for the first time with it) with the Book of Shadows from the Trophy Room, Magnus will recognize it.  (By the way, any damage or loose books from a previous encounter will have been cleaned up.)  He’ll ask that they put it back in its place on the bookcase.  An empty spot will suddenly glow in a bookcase.

It won’t go into the slot however.  Something is blocking it.  If a character reaches in, they’ll find the Leaf Key to the Sun Room.  (No, the characters can’t find it by looking, not while being bombarded by books.)  Putting the book in place, Magnus will say, “Oh, that’s Nova’s key to the Sun Room.  She’s probably looking for that.  Thank you for returning my book.  Ta ta!”  The grandfather clock chimes. 

Magus Creighton (Poltergeist)

Ranged: Flinging objects, 4 attacks in rd at +10 to hit 1d6 (small books) + DC 12 Will Sv or panic and flee 1 turn.

Or 1 attack +5 to hit 1d10 (large book) + DC 18 Will Sv or panic and flee 1 turn.  (Paladins and some other classes are immune to this kind of supernatural fright.) 

Hellhound (2)

HD 4, Hp 20, AC 16 (natural)

Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4

Melee: Bite +5 to hit 1d8+1 + 1d6 fire, which continues until put out

Immune to fire attacks, but x2 damage from cold attacks