The Black Memory
🎭MQ1 – "Gathering Storm"
PCs meet in the canteen and await deployment orders.
Optional RP/Side Quest: “What’s Your Story?”
Encourage players to roleplay, ask questions about one another's background, prior missions, or even rumors about Bastion Thorne.Side Hook: “Eyes in the Mess Hall”
A suspicious NPC (spy, rival, or future ally) is seen watching the group — but vanishes before the mission begins.
📜 Background / Opening Scene
Captured. Hooded. Drugged? Maybe.
The PCs awaken to the sounds of mechanical whirring, hissing gas, chatter in an alien tongue… and the stench of chemicals that stings the nose. They're seated, hands bound, hoods still on.
Then—footsteps. Measured. Elegant. Mocking.
Dr. Aurion Lanoir enters. The hood is removed. Cue theatrical intro:
“Ahhh, my darling little strays. Welcome to my—what shall we call it—labour optimization zone? Sounds so… sterile. Let’s call it home, shall we?”
He explains the deal:
They work for him, they may live.
They fail, rebel, or try anything funny… well, the last guy did, and his head popped like a grape.
BOOM. Another hostage’s head explodes on cue. Dr. Lanoir sighs, wipes off blood.
“Welp… there goes my discount intern. Tragic.”
He outlines the mission:
A black Arcanum Vitae crystal—the only one of its kind.
Said to be soaked in grief, sorrow, and anguish.
Last known rumors? Somewhere in Drachenhalt, possibly the capital, Braukstahl.
“Get it before Velika does. That bony, self-important, tree-fondling witch. If she gets her pretty elven paws on it first, we’re all doomed to poetry readings and gluten-free suffering.”
And just to keep them motivated:
Each PC has a rune bomb inside them.
“Don’t worry, it’s non-invasive! Unless you invade my patience.”
🧭 Setup Before Drop
Before the drop:
He assigns a hovering AI drone to the party—acts as both guide and snitch.
The AI is sweet, bubbly, and passive-aggressively cheerful. Think: GLaDOS x Clippy.
“Hi there! I’ll be your emotionally-unsupportive assistant for this mission. Try not to die too soon! 💖”
Dr. Lanoir:
“Oh yes—Bon voyage und bonne chance, as my great-great-granddaddy used to say, before someone fed him to a Voidshark.”
Airship ramp opens.
Parachutes engage.
Drop begins.
⚔️ One-Shot Structure: “The Black Memory”
🎯 Act 1: Arrival in Braukstahl
PCs land outside the grimy, frostbitten city.
They must infiltrate or blend into local society (post-apocalyptic Germany vibe).
Gather clues about the rumored black crystal.
🕵️♀️ Act 2: Rumors & Run-ins
Leads take them to:
A deranged Ardrathi cultist who speaks in dreams.
An old smuggler who’s seen the black crystal—paid the price.
A grieving mother who claims her daughter’s soul was “swallowed” by a gem.
💀 Act 3: The Vault
A hidden ruin beneath a war-torn cathedral.
Puzzle, traps, and nightmare guardians protecting the crystal.
Optional boss fight with Velika’s elite scout who also wants the crystal.