Vault of heroes

Party is greeted by a faceless spirit at the entrance to the vault. A watcher/vanguard. They speak in a dual toned voice (male and female simultaneously) they confirm the intentions and allegiances of the party before allowing entry. Unlike the previous delves into the tomb this would not be so much a physical trial as a spiritual one. (Mainly cause the party is quite young/non-osronian).

The vault is old but not unkept, braziers are lit with a cold golden flame that sparks up as they pass, leading them down in an almost labyrinthian area, twisting stone paths cross and intersect. The guide informs them that it has foreseen their intentions and that this is the first trial. There are four entrances ahead, one for each party member, however the trick is that they cannot go alone, doing so will simply return them to the entrance and repeats of this will have consequences. The first being a curse that will slow them (add
temp weight to their gear). The second is a curse that will magically age them (temp reduced vit for the dungeon.) And the third failure will result in a part of their body decaying, resulting in a permanent injury (10 vit).

To solve the first trial they must proceed in pairs, one looking forwards and one looking backwards. The spirit will provide hints towards this and there will also be murals alluding to examining the past to improve the future. A test of knowledge, wisdom and faith. Unless the players are super stubborn they can solve this before the third curse will activate (the first failure will not trigger a curse).


The Second trial will have them before two plinths with divots in the centre of them. One of them is shaped like a left hand, the other a right hand. They are slightly too far apart to have one person place both hands onto them. There is a metal spike in the middle of the divot and in order to full rest your hand in, it must pierce you. This will be excruciatingly painful, more so than expected and their hands must remain in it for a certain length of time. After the time period has passed, their hand will be petrified, turned to stone (temporarily for the event.) Failure to put up with the pain will leave them with just a wound (temp -10 vit).

Once both plinths have been used (with a stone hand or no) they will retract and the door ahead will be revealed. Its handles are made from a draining material (likely refined tyrium but I can add some other fluff thing) and only a stone hand will be able to grasp it without permanent injury. The trial is to prove that sacrifices must be made even when the outcome is uncertain, a test of devotion and sacrifice. Only one stone hand is required so the party may feel a little dumb if two people have it happen to them. Failing to use a stone hand will result in a small permanent injury for whoever uses the door (5 vit).


The Third trial is a trial of strength. Simple EC fight against an animated suit of armour. (Throw me the name of a famous hero and possibly some sprites and I can have it be their armour and have the party believe they have to fight said hero.) If they try to take the armour after defeating it, it will punish them for their greed and bind to them, forming hand/ankle cuffs that will remain there for the rest of the dungeon.


The final "trial" will involve the spirit guide transforming into the "spirit of the lake" (an EC from the last vault event). They will simply as each party member why they are here and what they really want. Cue melodramatic RP from the party and they will be bestowed gifts based on the responses.

Crystik's char, Nicholai Ventris, wants a phoenix/fire based dev item and some Arcanium.
Shadovarn's char, Elwin, wants some dev items for making agi armour
Folian's Char, Elias Soleis, wants Caledfwlch
Prinny's char, Auxis, wants something sirenian/water based

Depending on who sacrifices themselves in the second trial depends on what they get.

If Nicholai sacrifices themselves, they will obtain "Phoenix fire loop" a self containing flame ring that cannot be extinguished (+15 fire pow ring). Otherwise they will be given a "Phoenix feather" which can be developed into the fire.

If Elwin sacrifices themselves, they will gain an hourglass amulet with a lot of agi/negative vit (out of the loop with balancing, was thinking -5 vit, +20 agi, +40 crit). Otherwise they will be given "sands of time", time magic sand that can be devved into a agi improving alloy.

If Elias sacrifices themselves, they will get Caledfwlch straight away. Otherwise they will need to make a sacrifice for it (he wants to inter a family heirloom, will have him destroy it instead to get the sword)

If Auxis sacrifices themselves, they will obtain a "Shard of the sea" (+15 water pow ring). Otherwise they will obtain the "Pearl of prosperity" a valuable water artifact that was to be a gift for the rulers of Atlantis.

Players will black out, find themselves outside the vault with it sealed in stone/no visible doorway. Curses lifted/hands not fully restored from stone (temp injury).