Race to the Ruins

If the party haggles, Vlad will offer an artifact recovered or 25 coin extra. He will ask twice if the party can leave in the night. This increases the chance of getting lost but could save time. If they leave right away have them do a survival or tracking skill check. Each player that fails significantly could be exhausted from the trip.

Use each characters ideal skill checks to dig and find relics (pottery, engraved bricks, lore, or metal crafted items). Include all players. Any player that fails a check or is not engaging, Vlad starts a conversation about their background and what they think about Etonia. He is curious how inclusive to immigrants the city has been and if regular houses have access to magic like the Inn. Insert Optional Ruins Encounters here.

Vlad knew the surface level ruins were not the target. He had information that a larger structure would be underneath. If the party won't enter with him, give them options that keep the story moving. For Example, they could spot the competing party in the distance, working on another entrance. If they follow the competing party bring the party in by the arched door in Chapter 2. Vlad rushes down the hall to the Repository rooms instead of through the arch.

Read map and room descriptions as players explore. Vlad will instruct party members to do rubbings of inscriptions and collect artifacts. Be mindful of players with different language backgrounds (two ancient civilizations overlap in the ruins). Use history and investigation related skill checks to find Trinkets and Lore. Perception other skill checks reveal Vlad's mixed emotions with taking artifacts for profit and what traps the competing party set. Use performance skill checks to share ideas about how the place was used. Vlad should engage at least one character at this time, sharing that he is disappointed the world won't be able to know more about this discovery. Include Optional Repository Encounters as the party explores.

In the last cell is a fey spirit, a cabbit named Kibber. It will use it's Charm Ability to try to convince the party to free it, if they don't try to help first. It was searching for a friend when it was captured by the competing party. Its friend is a nature spirit, it knows her just as "friend". Her name is Lavani. The cabbit does not know where she is. It knew her long ago. She worked at a library and would tell it stories.

If the party does not continue with him, they encounter the competing party outside for the final battle. If there is more than an hour left, when the party surfaces they find a door has been uncovered. Use the encounter in Chp 3 Scene 2 to open the door. If they enter they are teleported to the final battle underground. If they don't enter, they will spot the competing party returning to the Inn. They do not have to fight the competing party but can gather information on what they are doing.

Any character that touches the skulls gets an electric shock anyone within 5 feet also receives the shock. If everyone describes proceeds carefully, no saving throw is needed. However, if anyone has a polearm or heavy armor they will need to make a roll to avoid the arcs as they walk down the hall.

This door speaks Elvish or Orcish. It will speak kindly but always talking down on the party as lessor beings. It does not have any knowledge of events outside of this room. It can share that the competing party has already entered. When the door is approached, players that understand it hear, "Even gentle minds are permitted to tour the magnificent monolith held within my doors but you must show some ability to learn or it is not safe to let you enter."

Bartholomew will not stay to fight. He opens a portal the first round, levitates the crate through in the 2nd round, then steps in for the 3rd round. He can cast shield to block attacks. The skeletons lumber across the bridge. The assassin attacks with a crossbow. Use the local guides (Zehra and Thom) to interfere with the assassin if he causes too much trouble for the party. On the 4th round the assassin will step through the portal unless the party can take him down first. If he has the upper hand he will stay to finish off the party. Dee will recover their bodies and they wake in the Inn to complete the ending.

The local guides accompanied Bartholomew to other ruins and had started to get suspicious of his plans. They won't go through the portal unless the party is actively fighting them. They will ask the party to report Bartholomew to Ranon in Etonia. She is a well-respected member of the Etonia Council. The guides need to lay low and ask not to be mentioned.