Chapter 1: The Flickering of the Eternal Flame
The peaceful village Eutheria near the ancient temple of warriors faces a dire threat when the temple is attacked by bandits and a sinister necromancer. The necromancer seeks to complete a dark ritual. The bandit leader, desperate to revive his fallen brother, has reluctantly allied with the necromancer. Players will start in the village, where they encounter a bloodied priest fleeing from pursuing bandits. After assisting the priest, they are asked to help clear the temple and stop the necromancer’s ritual before it’s too late.
Starting Adventure
We created this adventure to serve as your introduction to Elysium’s Door and possibly to TTRPGs as a whole.
This is a level 1 or 2 adventure suitable for any number of players. It should take approximately 2 to 5 hours to complete, though the duration can vary from group to group.
Consider this adventure a guide; feel free to modify it as you see fit. You can use it as a standalone adventure (also known as a ‘one-shot’ in TTRPG terminology) or incorporate it into a larger story.
Key NPCs:
Erebus, the Corpsecaller (Necromancer): A mysterious necromancer that is ambitious and power-hungry. Not much else is known about him or his true intentions.
Iros (Bandit Leader): Motivated by the promise of reviving his deceased brother, reluctantly working with the necromancer.
Demetrius (Priest): A scared but faithful individual who seeks the players’ aid.
Locations:
Village Eutheria: The players’ starting point, a peaceful village near the temple.
Temple of Callista, the Martyr of Eternal Flame: The primary setting where most of the adventure unfolds, full of undead guardians and bandit foes.
Ossuary under the temple: The underground chamber where the necromancer conducts the ritual.
Possible Enemies:
Summary
In the lands near the coast, the village of Eutheria lies near the foot of the abandoned Temple of Callista, the Martyr of Eternal Flame. The temple is a monument dedicated to warriors who once served the gods.
When bandits and a necromancer threaten the peace of Eutheria and the sanctity of the temple, a group of heroes must rise to defend the village and thwart the nefarious plans.
Act I - The Village of Eutheria:
The adventure begins as the players arrive in Eutheria during the weekly market. The mood is interrupted when a bloodied Priest, Demetrius, stumbles into the village square, screaming about an attack on the temple. Pursuing bandits arrive, and the players must fend them off.
Once the bandits are defeated, Priest Demetrius pleads with the heroes to help save the temple. He provides information about the bandits, their leader, and the dark necromancer.
Act II - The Temple’s Desecration:
As the party draws near to the Temple of Callista, known as the Martyr of the Eternal Flame, they are faced with choices for their next move:
- They can confront the bandit-guarded main entrance,
- Navigate the alternative passage defended by the dead guardians of the Eternal Flame.
- Attempt to discover the elusive secret entrance that Priest Demetrius vaguely heard about, but is unsure of it.
Act III - The Fight for the Flame
Descending into the temple’s depths, players find the ossuary where the necromancer, Erebus, the Corpsecaller is finishing the foul ritual. The bandit leader, Iros, watches with a mixture of hope and fear. Once the players confront them, chaos ensues.
Conclusion:
Once Erebus and Iros are defeated, the ritual fails, and the temple is restored. The grateful villagers of Eutheria shower the players with rewards, which include coins, items retrieved from the temple, and the undying gratitude of Priest Demetrius.
Motives for Character's Background
What is your character’s main drive? What is pushing them forward? Choose or roll 1d6 to see what they want.
Motives
| 1d6 | Motives |
|---|---|
|
1 |
I am an adventurer in search of money and fame. I want stories of me to be told after generations to come! |
|
2 |
I am an explorer of the Emperor’s Wand. After I heard that the Eternal Flame was found again, I had to visit it. |
|
3 |
I am part of the Emperor’s Sword. My mission is to make sure the region and the Empire is safe. |
|
4 |
I am part of the Emperor’s Chalice. My mission is to stop the Ever Night Cult and I had visions they would be around here… |
|
5 |
My ancestors were part of the Warriors of the Flame. I inherited the duty to protect the Eternal Flame! |
|
6 |
I am in search of vestiges of Prometheus Flames. Its knowledge and power will be very useful to me. |
- Dark Honeymoon: An Age where Persephone, the Goddess of Birth and Renewal, disappeared without a trace. Without her presence there were no births nor deaths, just decay and rot. The souls of the dead were trapped in their bodies, unable to move on, resulting in the end of times. Hundreds of years passed since its end, and now the mortals are rebuilding.
- Eternal/ Prometheus Flame: A primordial flame given by the Titan Prometheus. It’s said it gave the mortals the power of knowledge. Nowadays, it’s used to protect the realms, from all evil that approches.
- Emperor’s Wand: An order of those who study the arcane and occult arts. Most members are mages and philosophers, but some warriors are also part of the order to help with expeditions.
- Emperor’s Sword: A military force responsible to keep the peace in the nation.
- Emperor’s Chalice: The religious sector of Kartelles. Responsible for the divine work, visions and prayers, from most gods.
- Warriors of the Flame: An old order of heroes that fought to protect the Eternal Flame during the Dark Honeymoon. Nowadays, they are only a myth…
- Ever Night Cult: A secret and mysterious organization seeking the Eternal Flame. There are records of them causing problems since the Dark Honeymoon, and a necromancer named Erebus is always involved somehow…
Content Download
Here you can find the downloadable content:
Act I: A Day in Eutheria
Description: A Serene Village
Eutheria is a small village nestled in a short distance from the sea. Simple mudbrick buildings, each painted in different colors, grace the landscape.
In the heart of Eutheria lies its fish market. The market comes alive at dawn, with the arrival of fishermen bringing in the day’s catch. The air is filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their prices, the chatter of locals haggling, and the occasional squawk of seagulls hoping for a stray morsel.
Starting the Adventure
Once you describe the village, you should introduce the characters, allowing the players to describe their characters’ appearances and mannerisms.
You can start them in the middle of the market, in a tavern, or on the road, just as they are arriving at the village, for example.
The characters may or may not know each other; this will be up to you and the players. The important part is that all of them are introduced before the events of the game start.
Scene 1: A Desperate Arrival
The peace is abruptly disturbed when a bloodied figure, Priest Demetrius, rushes into the village square, gasping for breath. He urgently speaks of an attack on the temple and the threat of bandits and a sinister necromancer. Villagers gather, and tension fills the air as Demetrius pleads for help.
Scene 2: Bandits Descend
Before the players have a chance to respond, a group of ruthless bandits storms into the village square, intent on capturing Priest Demetrius. Combat ignites as the players defend Demetrius and the villagers from the bandit incursion.
Describe the bandits’ aggression and their relentless pursuit of Demetrius.
- Combat: Use Bandits (Tier 1) with Challenge Points equal to the combined player’s level. If players are in danger, the Town Priest (Tier 1) – Demetrius can heal them.
Village Battle Map:
Scene 3: A Cry for Assistance
With the bandits defeated, Priest Demetrius, though still shaken, implores the heroes to aid in saving the temple.
He provides vital information the entrances to the temple:
- The main entrance (Guarded by Bandits)
- An alternative passage (Defended by the Dead Guardians)
- A secret passage he vaguely heard about.
Demetrius will also recommend checking the village’s tavern, which his daughter Petra owns. He says she could provide them with some supplies to help.
Examples of what to do in the Village:
- The owner of the tavern and Townmaster, Petra, is willing to help the players by giving them a Minor Healing Potion. If the players succeed on a Bargain Check (DC 10), they can gain 2 more additional Minor Healing Potions.
Players with a Passive Insight of 14 will notice an old woman named Rhea that is more disturbed than anyone else. If they ask her, they will learn that she is the mother of the bandit captain Iros and she will tell them about his deceased brother Timos. (They then gain advantage on Checks to influence the Bandit Captain Iros in the future.)
The Smith of the village, Anva Shortfuse is a proud dwarf that is willing to bargain for a Metal Helmet (Common Helmet). If the players succeed a Bargain Check (DC 10), they can get the Helmet for free in exchange for something inside the temple or more information about it.
In Anva’s Smith shop, there is also an old and blind veteran hunter. His name is Osias, the old Owl. If the players convince him with a Persuasion Check (DC 10), he can give them a Sturdy Pommel Weapon (Common Weapon) as a gift.
If the players ask for more help from the Priest Demetrius, he will refuse to enter the temple out of fear. However, he will give the players a Blessed Talisman (Common Accessory) to compensate.
- Upon finishing Act I, players should level up to level 2.
List of Names:
- Demetrius: Priest that was in danger and warn the players about the necromancer
- Petra: Townmaster and owner of the tavern and daughter of Demetrius
- Rhea: Old woman, mother of the Bandit Captain Iros
- Osias, the old Owl: Old and blind veteran hunter who lives in the village
- Anva Shortfuse: Proud Dwarf and the smith of the village.
Act II - The Temple's Desecration
Description: A Forgotten Bastion
As you approach, the Temple of the Warriors of the Eternal Flame looms before you like a haunting relic of a bygone era. Its once-majestic pillars, adorned with intricate carvings of divine beings, now bear the weight of time and abandonment.
Its facade, marked by stone pillars adorned with intricate carvings of divine beings, now wear the scars of ages. The once majestic bronze doors reveal an expansive atrium, a faint scent of incense as the sole reminder of its storied legacy.
Background:
During the era of the Dark Honeymoon, the Temple of Callista, the Martyr of the Eternal Flame, was a beacon of bravery and protection. People gathered around this temple in search of protection from the waves of undead monsters haunting the world.
Among the folks gathered there, a group of brave heroes emerged, known as the Warriors of the Flame. They protected the temple and its people using the Flame of Prometheus that reside inside for years. They had many great victories, but with each fight their numbers slowly but surely diminished.
With not enough warriors left, they decided to leave the temple behind to take the people to a safer place. But before they left, they sealed Prometheus’s Flame in a secret chamber with the bodies of their companions, so they could guard the flame forever.
Today, the Temple of Callista stands as a haunting shadow of its past. It was completely abandoned and forgotten, like many other places after the Dark Honeymoon ended. The temple is only now being restored, and the flame, which was sealed away for centuries, has been found again, drawing rumors and all sorts of people to come after it…
Pathways
On reaching the temple’s, a crucial choice lies ahead, presenting three distinct paths that will dictate the course of their journey:
Main Entrance Standoff:
The main entrance stands guarded by the bandits, a formidable challenge for those who favor a direct approach. Battle-hardened foes await, and the battle may be inevitable.
Combat: Use Bandits (Tier 1) with Challenge Points equal to the combined player’s level.
Player’s can attempt to sneak by with a Group Stealth Check (DC 14). If they succeed, they can pass through them, listen to their conversation or ambush them. The conversation shows that they are unsettled, and don’t like being inside the temple and freaks them out.
However, bandits will patrol inside the temple. If they try to just pass trough them without any fights, then they must then succeed on another Group Stealth Check (DC 14) to avoid them again. If the player’s defeat the bandits on the entrance, then there is no patrol left.
Main Entrance Battle Map:
Ossuary Entrance:
An alternative passage beckons, revealing an eerie path through the temple’s catacombs, guarded by the ancient skeletal protectors known as the Skeletons of the Eternal Flame. The path ahead is narrow and guarded by the undead, but is a shortcut to the Ossuary below the temple, where the ritual is happening.
Combat: Use Skeletons (Tier 1) with Challenge Points equal to the combined player’s level.
Player’s can attempt to sneak by with a Group Stealth Check (DC 14). If they succeed, they can pass through them, or ambush them. However, the players have disadvantage on this Stealth Check, since it’s a narrow path ahead.
Ossuary Entrance Battle Map:
Seeking the Secret Entrance:
With only the cryptic mention of a hidden ingress by Priest Demetrius, the players can embark on a quest to uncover the elusive secret entrance, shrouded in rumor and legend. Infiltration and exploration become their allies as they venture into the temple’s mysteries, piecing together fragmented tales of its concealed path.
Skill Challenge: To find the secret entrance, the players will need to make a Skill Challenge with 4 successes (DC 14), before 3 fails. On a success, they find the secret passage. On a fail, they the Skeletons (Tier 1) from the Ossuary Entrance find them and combat starts.
This Skill Challenge represents the party investigating abandoned ruins for hidden symbols, searching for openings in the cliff face, noticing subtle signs like a faint draft or unusual moss growth, recalling legends or stories that describe the entrance, etc.
Secret Entrance Battle Map:
Important Notes
- A player can attempt to make 1 Investigation Check (DC 13) to learn the story of the last stand of Callista and her warriors that fought for the Eternal Flame. They then discover that this is one of the many sparks of the flame that Prometheus gave to the mortals.
- Regardless from where they entered, the players can explore the temple. If they succeed on an Investigation Check (DC 15), they find a secret room, which contains a Talisman of Guardians (Uncommon Accessory) and 1 Artemis Kykeon (Magical Potion).
- A player can attempt to pray the gods. If they succeed on a Religion Check (DC 10), one of them becomes affected by the Bless (Level 0 Spell) while inside the temple, without needing to use Concentration. Only 1 player can attempt this.
Act III - The Fight for the Flame
Description: Confronting Shadows and Restoring Hope
Upon reaching the Ossuary, the party is met with the tormented screams of undead skeletons. The walls are adorned with depictions of epic battles centered around the protection of the eternal flame. The pillars, ceiling, and ornaments are crafted from the skulls and bones of fallen warriors.
The ever-burning pyre, a beacon of Prometheus’s defiance, sits at the chamber’s core, casting eerie, dancing shadows that make the battles depicted on the walls seem alive. In the center of the room, Erebus is chanting cursed incantations and using the corpses of priests as fuel for his magic.
His dark ritual sends waves of energy through the chamber, agitating the souls of the fallen and forcing their skeletal forms into frenzied unrest and agony. With every scream, the Eternal Flame flickers.
Combat: Use Erebus, the Corpsecaller (Tier 1) that is performing the ritual in the center of the Ossuary, and 1 Bandit Thug (Tier 1) for Iros, the Bandit Leader. If the combined Challenge Points are not enough to match players’ combined levels, you can add a couple of Skeletons (Tier 1), and say that they are the dead warriors arising from the dead.
The player’s can try to use the Influence Free Action to make Iros to join and fight on their side. If they talk to his mother Rhea in the village and know about his brother and reasons, they gain advantage on Checks to Influence him.
Ossuary Battle Map:
Important Notes
The temple has traps on the way to the Ossuary. Anyone with a Passive Perception of 14 or higher notices the trap. When the trap triggers, they need to succeed on a Reflex Save (DC 12), or take 1d4 fire damage and become Ignited (1d4).
Eberus body burns aways when he dies, and the only remain is his Black Skull (Rare).
Before Erebus dies, he will laugh and claim that he is immortal, and will never truly be defeated.
Upon finishing Act III, players must level up to level 3.
Epilogue
Erebus Wins
In the mere hours following the confrontation with Erebus, the Corpsecaller, an ominous gloom settled over the village. The necromancer’s triumph was evident, not just in the defeat of those who opposed him, but in the rising tide of the undead that began to spill from the temple’s entrance.
As the sun set, casting the world into darkness, it mirrored the village’s descent into despair. The once familiar streets now teemed with a shambling horde of the undead, brought to life by Erebus’s dark magic. The haunting screams from the temple were now joined by the moans of the newly risen, solidifying the Corpsecaller’s reign of terror. Whispers of resistance were quickly silenced, as the region came under the cruel dominion of Erebus.
Erebus Loses
With the necromancer dead, the haunting screams that once emanated from the temple’s depths became whispers of gratitude, and soon enough, the spirits of the Warriors of the Flame came forward as smoky shadows.
They appear to the players and thank them for their efforts but also warn them that Erebus is not truly defeated. They explain that they met the necromancer long ago at the beginning of the Dark Honeymoon while they were still alive and killed him. They seem worried once they learn that he was still alive and that he may returned yet again…
They warn the players that there are other locations where pieces of Prometheus’ Flame reside and ask them to go there before Erebus. They mention three other locations:
- The Great Forge Temple of Hephaestus
- Poseidon’s Everbright Lighthouse
- Artemis Hidden Moonflame Temple
Before disappearing, they give 1 broken piece of an Oil Lamp, that can be used to carry the flame if completed. The other locations might help rebuild the lamp.
If you and the players want to continue this adventure they can decide where to go next at the start of the next chapter here!