I prefer to know my enemy. Be it a valiant knight, or a demon. Because it is easier when you know whose side they’re on. Neutral hearts are dangerous.
Old Warrior’s Saying
Many believe that everything in the universe can be categorized with one of two labels: evil or good. Wise men and powerful wizards understand the world is more complex. Countless individuals are kindhearted and possess honest, good souls. Others prefer chaos and mayhem. Nevertheless, the world is full of neutral examples. Concepts that are part of a gray spectrum and that are hard to judge.
Pushing Boundaries
Hundreds of years ago, a wizard named Yinjan became obsessed with the concept of evil and good. He thought all conscious beings ultimately possessed either a kind soul or a rotten heart. He believed that neutral characters and individuals were just weak of mind and unsure of their core beliefs. Thus, he spent his life perfecting a magical device with one goal in mind: to judge and show everyone’s true face and colors.
It took many years, but he still had some good years in him when he finally built the Doors of Hope and Guilt. His creation is a large chamber within an underground compound. Yinjan lives no more, but his creation shall be always protected by the immortal guardians and defense mechanisms he implemented before his death.
The Present Day
The Doors of Hope and Guilt stayed hidden and forgotten for a long time. But in a world of magic, they were bound to be found sooner or later because of the great power they hold. Alas, not everyone has the prowess or skill to stand before Yinjan’s creation and learn what they seek. Who shall become the next visitor?
Adventure Hook
- Finding the Truth. The characters need to confirm someone’s intentions. An NPC following them, an important guild member, or even a nobleman. The mission is to place this person before the doors to read their soul and determine if they are good or evil. This shall expose liars, traitors, and deceivers. The GM is free to decide who the characters’ contractor is. They offer a good reward regardless of the mission’s target (5 XP, 100 gp).
- Seeking Guidance. It is said that the Doors of Hope and Guilt have the power to provide insight and clear thoughts about someone’s life, goals, and wishes. The characters need to learn an ultimate truth, or perhaps the location of a place. The heroes come here to learn what they need to continue a greater quest.
Setup
This location is best employed as the final chamber of a larger dungeon compound. It is strongly suggested to have the characters traverse a large dungeon or an underground compound with varied rooms before reaching the Doors of Hope and Guilt. Consider the following:
Level 8 Adventure
- Danger. Risky. Check for a Random Event every 2 crawling rounds and after loud noises (4-in-6 chance).
- Light. The entire chamber is magically illuminated. Everything and everyone is visible within this room.
- Magic. There is an overwhelming arcane aura here. Casting a detect magic spell within this room causes the caster to experience a strong headache (1 damage).
| RANDOM EVENTS d6 | Details |
| 1 | There are three alcoves on each side of the room fostering a statue each. The six scions of truth start singing a soothing melody. |
| 2 | The arcane energy held within this chamber is too much and it often looks for a way to be released. The characters see lightning bolts zap around the room. All creatures in the area take 1d10 damage unless they jump away on time (DC 14 DEX check). |
| 3 | The ghost of a past visitor appears. It seems this person’s life ended here and now their soul haunts whoever roams the area. |
| 4 | The characters experience a vision. They see a past visitor stand on the Circle of Judgment. Before any of the doors open, a large winged humanoid materializes above the circle. With a massive mace swing, the guardian ends the visitor’s life. |
| 5 | One of the characters at random hears one of the scions of truth ‘speak’. They hear: “You shall be judged,” in their minds. |
| 6 | For 1 crawling round, bright light sneaks into the room from the white door while red smoke filters from the other one. |
The Six Scions of Truth
The chamber’s alcoves foster statues. Each has a different face and wears unique clothing. A rune-scribed circle lies before each of them. An eerie magic glow that mesmerizes beholders is barely visible.
The King, the Peasant, and the Priest are on the eastern wall. The opposite side hosts the Jester, the Speaker, and the Smith. The walls beside each statue bear ancient symbols that represent wisdom, strength, and other core characteristics cherished by mortals.
Each character is drawn to the statue of their choosing (or the GM’s). If they spend a crawling round meditating in front of any of them, they learn the path and the hidden ways associated with that archetype. This grants a luck token and a permanent +1 to the highest ability of that character. It is suggested to describe how the characters acquire this knowledge via memories, experiences, and visions during their meditation time.
Interrupting this meditation time in any way breaks the link between the user and the statue’s magic. This causes deep confusion. In this state, they make all checks with disadvantage until they receive any form of magical healing or take a long rest, whichever comes first.
The Circle of Judgment
The mage Yinjan made sure only the strongest and rightful would make use of his creation. Regardless of the characters’ reason for being here (see Adventure Hooks), a primordial judge appears above the circle someone stands on it. The characters must prove their worth and reduce the judge to half its Hit Points. Only then, will they be able to use Yinjan’s magical doors.
Development
The characters pass the judge’s trial and can use the Doors of Hope and Guilt to fulfill their needs:
- Finding the Truth. The characters have brought someone to be judged by the doors. The person placed before the doors shall be branded a liar or traitor after Yinjan’s magic reads the pureness of their soul. This superior scrying cannot be fooled by mortals. Liars, deceivers, and evil hearts shall be disclosed. And so, the truth is revealed. What will the heroes do with this crucial information? That is an adventure for another day…
- Seeking Guidance. The characters have a greater mission but are stuck and do not know what to do next. They came here to clear their thoughts and learn the missing piece of their mental puzzle. The Doors of Hope and Guilt shall be their guide. After they find what they seek, a tattoo in the shape of a door appears on their skins. This is a reminder that one day, they must return to pay the favor. But that is an adventure for another day…
Primordial Judge
An immaculate armor with fiery red eyes visible through the helmet’s visor. It swings a blazing mace.
AC: 18 (+3 plate mail)
HP: 75 LV15
ATK: 3 flaming mace +10 (2d8)
MV: Double near (fly)
S:+5 D:+2 C:+4 I:+3 W:+3 Ch:+4
Judgment. Hostile spells targeting the primordial judge are extreme to cast (DC 18).
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707 Doors of Hope and Guilt – LV-8 Shadowdark Adventure was first posted on November 17, 2023 at 2:57 pm.
