Intro Quest – The Guild Trials and becoming a member!

Stage 1 – Combat

Players walk through a door into a room.
Randomly they will be matched with one of the other recruits. (there are 5 NPCs + however many players, only use enough NPCs to fill the ranks to a D6 roll.)
Some people will be matched with an NPC others with a real person, only play out the matches with a real player in them.

This room is a 60x60x60 ft room, with a 10ft wide, 10 ft deep lake running through the middle.
one side has 3 5x5ft rocks that provide half cover, 20ft tall trees taking up 5x10ft. The other side has a 10x15ft hut with 3 entrances and two sections of 5x10ft trees also 20ft tall.

Combatants start at opposite ends of the lake on a walled platform, with 2 doors, 1 leading to each sides of the lake. Once they step off the platform it vanishes. Players can both see through the walls to see the area, however they must decide which side of the platform to leave from before combat starts, and secretly so they do not know which side the other player has chosen. (roll for NPCs to decide)

Upon a player reaching 0 hp the environment disappears, and they find themselves in an empty room covers in magical symbols. (symbols are protection spells and illusion spells)

A representative of the guild comes in and heals both players to max health, gives some feedback then indicates for them to go through to the next room, as a door appears across from him in the wall.

Stage 2 – Puzzles

Room 1 – players walk into a room, the room appears empty, at the other side is a door, the friendly door speaks as they approach, asking them random questions such as What am I guarding? What colour is the sky? And other such things, the door is simply curious however and can be opened at any time. Whenever the players answer the doors questions, he ponders the answers and then thanks them. Then proceeds to ask another question. After a while have the door say thank you, I might sleep now and take a nap. The door is too heavy to be moved with mage hand.

Room 2 – the players enter a corridor, that looks normal, but ends in a dead end with a stone wall. There is no light in the room. When the party reaches the dead end and turns around there is a brick wall, essentially trapping them inside the corridor. The new brick wall has an inscription that reads “Keep your eye on the wall.” If they walk backwards while staring at the brick wall they will walk into the next room.

Room 3 – two pots sit upon a slab of stone, one is gold and labeled “the truth is golden” while pot 2 is silver and says “the key is in this pot” both written in black. If the players try the door without the key, darts fire from the walls, DC 15 dex save or take 1d4 damage. Upon placing a gold coin in pot 1 and putting the lid back on, they hear a clink in the second pot as they key appears in it. When a player uses the key on the door, they are the key vanish, as they enter the next room. Each player must place a coin in the pot and collect their own key to advance. Alternatively if the players melt some gold and paint over the words “the key is in this pot” the keys appear, enough for all the players to walk through. (decide which solution to use BEFORE they enter the room)

Room 4 – this room is decorated lushly, with cushions and beverages etc, however a gynosphinx blocks the door to the next room, she will let them pass after they answer 3 riddles correctly. every time a riddle is answered incorrectly 1 goblin for every 2 players appears behind the players (round up). Have them answer 3 correctly to pass the room. If the players answer incorrectly too many times, the sphinx will offer them to skip this riddle, but doing so counts as a wrong answer and makes a goblin appear. (goblins attack first then players by dex bonus, unless the players prepare themselves, then they may roll initiatives)

• What runs around a city but never moves? (A Wall.)
• I have rivers without water, forests without trees, mountains without rocks, towns without houses. What am I? (A Map)
• Two bodies have I, though both joined in one. The more still I stand, the quicker I run. What am I? (An Hourglass.)
• Double my number, I’m less than a score, half my number is less than four. Add one to my double when bakers are near, days of the week are still greater, I fear. (6)
• They have not flesh, nor feathers, nor scales, no bone. Yet they have fingers and thumbs, of their own. (Gloves)
• A box without hinges, key or a lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid. (Egg)

Room 5 – This room has a well in the center with symbols of weapons etched around the inside of it, and a big button with a hand print on it in the center and a void in-between. Upon entering the doors close behind them and numbers appear above the door ahead, 1-20. When the button is pressed the numbers begin counting down from twenty, changing from a green glow to a yellow glow at 10, then a red glow at 5, and the lights go out. At 3 the room starts shaking. Pressing the button again will reset the timer. Each time it is pressed the door moves slightly to the left. If they players let the countdown hit 0, then lights go back to normal and the door opens.

Here the players level up to level 2.

Stage 3 – Maze

The players enter a maze, patrolled by minotaur, basilisk or other CR 3 monster (in the case of basilisk remove petrifying gaze by saying its eyes are missing or something, do similar for other abilities that have the potential to end the scenario immediately). A voice tells them, this challenge is simple. Just find the guild signet and get it back to this platform. As soon as one person does this, all shall appear in the guild hall.

The maze is rife with traps, locked doors, secret passages. And in each of the rooms there is either a giant rat or a kobold. The idea is to not fight the minotaur/monster, instead to avoid him and work together to bait him away from the flag. the minotaur/monster will only spend 1 movement per turn moving in a random direction, until he catches wind of a player, then will pursue them until they are unconcious or they lose him.
3 items of interest can also be found, a crystal, a statue and a well. 1 of these locations will have the signet, 1 will provide healing equivelant to that of a healing potion and 1 will show images in the users mind of each of the other items of interest and of the other player (activating this is a bonus action), the players realise they can teleport to any of these locations (activating teleport takes an action) however if they try to go to the signet they will feel a barrier block them from arriving and they appear back where they were. (tavelling via the portal takes a movement)

Upon completing this stage they each recieve 300 gp and are sent to their rooms for the night to rest. The trials are over.

Stage 4 – Obstacle Course

This isnt a trial to enter the guild, more a chance to win a cool item and as some sport.
The players and NPCS (equal level, make it so there is 5 people total), start standing together. A boom sounds and they are off.
Note 1 – If anyone dies during this they appear at the beginning of the race.
Note 2 – Players may perform these checks “carefully” granting them advantage on their roll, however to do so requires a full round.

Challenge 1
The players come across a 15ft wide river, the river has a strong current DC 15 athletics to swim or jump.
There is a rope bridge going across the river also, DC 15 acrobatic will get you across.
It takes a full movement action to get across via any of these means unless you have a swim speed.
If you fail any of these you end up at the start of the water swimming. 3 failed checks in the water in a row result in you drowning and dying.

Challenge 2
You stand at the foot of a cliff, climbing it requires a DC 15 Athletics.
Alternatively there is a balance beam heading up there. a DC 15 Acrobatics is required.
A success on either gets you half way, two successes and you make it to the top. (a nat 20 counts as 2 successes). A failure however drops you to the ground, to begin your ascent again.

Challenge 3
At the top there is a door each that is locked and trapped with a d4 blade trap. Lock is a DC 15 pick, or the door can be broken down with a strength check of DC 15. The save for the trap is a dex save of 15 also. The trap resets itself immediately. DC 20 to disable it permanently. However upon opening your door you find another behind it. opening both these doors gets you through. Doors lock behind you (if you knocked it down it reappears behind you first).

Challenge 4
Flames line the far wall, there is a table of potions, all appear the same, though smell different. a DC 15 survival or medicine check will reveal which one is which. if they fail the player makes a DC 15 con save on a fail they are stunned for their next turn, then their vision swims and the correct potion glows when they look at it, if they pass the correct potion just glows without the being stunned. drinking the correct potion will make you fireproof for long enough to walk through the wall of flame. (attempting to cross the wall without a potion means they take 5d8 damage, half if they pass a DC 25 dex save)

Challenge 5
This room is split in two, 1 corridor has animals moving, with a DC 15 animal handling you can pass through at half speed. otherwise you must move at quarter speed. the second corridor is filled with a poison gas, either hold breath DC 15 Con save, or make a DC 20 Con save if breathing, if you fail the breathing save suffer 3 levels of exhuastion, each round you recover a level.

Challenge 6
A guard asks you a question about history, you must either roll a DC 15 history check to know the answer, or a DC 15 deception to trick him into thinking yours is the correct answer. He will ask each person a different question, and each time he asks it will be a different question.

Challenge 7
A Cleric waits to ask you a question, he can not be decieved. but can be intimidated to let you pass DC 15 intimidation check to pass. or a DC 15 religion check to answer his question. He will ask each person a different question, and each time he asks it will be a different question.

Challenge 8
120 ft long room 25ft wide. filled with 6 zombies (evenly scattered), get passed them. the center 20ft is difficult terrain, move quarter speed. or move half speed and take 1d4 damage each square. at the back is a portal. first there wins.

Winner gets a Least Iron Ward Armour augment. (at your discretion this may be changed for an augment of equal value and power)