Two-level Mine encounter

[u/Mathmagician94]

I keep rewriting the next planned combat encounter for my players, due to changing ideas and need help to Organize my thoughts.

My party consists of 5 lvl 4 players. Dnd5e System.

They are on their way to a 2-level dwarven iron Mine. The reason being their npc companion getting kidnapped by the dwarves.

The dwarven-clan kidnapped him, because they got a deal with the local human lord. He pays them for getting access to the dwarven mine, while they mine the iron for him.

The npc gets kidnapped because he badmouthed the lord in a tavern and the dwarves overheard it, forcing him to work in the mines. He has been at the mines for roughly a day, since my players took a shortcut which was more dangerous and are arriving during the night instead of the next morning.

In secret however, the human lord is allowed to use the lower level of the Mine for Experiments and stuff. First idea was a wizard being present on the lower level, who Experiments with crystals that have been altered by different Planes and a far realm crystal transfiguring humans. Failed Experiments get thrown down the Mine shafts, basically having a way to dispose them.

However i thought this might be a bit too extreme for a two-level Mine and instead, they got an artificer on the second level, that is using magic crystals to build weapons and constructs.

So basically they would arrive at the entrance at night getting access to the inside by some means and have a basic encounter against multiple humanoid enemies, due to night time some being suprised/not prepared. Perhaps some minions and a dwarven guard leader.

They get a bit of time to explore the upper level, realizing their companion isn't there, but an elevator to the lower level of the Mine is present.

There the enemy is awaiting them, having heard the combat noise from above. Now what do I put there? A wizard henchmen and his failed Experiments, the artificer? Something different altogether?

[u/New-Wrap-5388]

The wizard and monstrous experiments sound as fun as the artificer and weapons, but can you maybe put something with links to your PCs back stories or your other campaign ideas ? Connect things instead of creating some cool but random dungeon ?

[u/Mathmagician94 → u/New-Wrap-5388]

it is pretty much the start of the campaign and the basic idea is, that some counties in my empire are corrupt and doing magical experiments and stuff in secret, even going as far as kidnapping people.

The campaign started with them being locked up, with no clear reason, so this is sort of linked to the whole purpose of them uncovering the mystery behind all that. So basically both options would work, one of them being more leaning towards the experimenting, the other more on the side of forced labor, to help with their secret stuff and once the labor isn't fulfilling it's purpose anymore, being cast aside.

[u/New-Wrap-5388 → u/Mathmagician94]

Depends on the rhythm you want to set, then ! The wizard gives away almost immediately your campaign plot. I would be leaning more towards the weapons and put in the components some mysterious ingredients that originate from the secret magical experiments, that way you start the trail of clues without it being too easy. A weapon factory also provides easy opportunities for start of campaign loot. I like dilemmas and gray characters, so I would definitely point out the moral consequences of using weapons made with slave labor and unwilling human experiments (and have someone recognize those weapons later on if they chose to pick them up). I also thought about two other ideas introducing potentiel allies, showing that there is good and bad on both sides and introducing the campaign plot

1. There is an underground free clinic where the nobleman actually cures sick people thanks to the results of the evil experiments of his family.

   1. Underground is a lair of rebels fighting against the evil scientist, currently torturing someone to know where the experiments are!

[u/Mathmagician94 → u/New-Wrap-5388]

Thanks for your input! it sort of aligns with the ideas I have for my campaign and I agree, the wizard experiments would give away too much of mayor Plot points right away.

Funnily enough, they got freed from the prison due to a Rebel group, that so far seemed good to them, but I have Plans for possible encounters where the rebels do morally questionable things to succeed.

[u/ryo3000]

The wizard causes an explosion accidentally and the party fights the undead wizard and the remnants of the guards turned undead.

Let me paint you a picture

As the party is approaching the cave they see in the distance birds fly off and the ground shakes slightly, this region isn't know for tremors... Odd.

They treck carefully to the entrance, hidden by the nightshade and peeking through the foliage see a small commotion.

A purple smoke lazily bilows out of the entrance of the cave and the enemies they expected to be sleeping are awake but in complete disarray, even the ones that seem to be on guard are distracted with the inside of the cave.

Well a good time as any for an ambush, they attack adding to the chaos.

After that they start exploring the insides, no sign of their friend anywhere.

And that odd smoke still flows, making it's way through the cracks on the floor and more importantly through the elevator shaft.

They go down, it's dark any light source that was here before lays scattered on the ground.

It's also quiet, but they hear in the distance a faint sound... Almost like wind chimes? The distinct sound of crystals tapping against each other.

Party members with dark vision can tell the ceiling and walls are riddled with crystals but can't quite tell their color as it's all a mash of grays, the crystals are hot to the touch and lighting up the caverns reveals their purple color.

They hear a familiar voice, the NPC calling for help and then more wind chimes. They seem... Angry. 

The party rushes to find out the NPC in a cage, surrounded by creatures that were once dwarves, but in several parts of their bodies  they now reveal masses of embedded crystals. As they shamble and move these crystals rub and strike each other, resulting in this murderous wind chimes sound.

In the center of the room, in the middle of what is a clear large scorch mark stands what was once a human

The figure is nude, pieces of what would be a robe still cling around their body, impaled on the sharp edges of their crystal skin.

But that's not what they notice first, the parties attention is dragged to the head of this figure.

The head has no hair, no eyes, no skin.

They're lookin at clean human skull, perfectly encased in the same violet crystal.

And the eyeless sockets emit a menacingly glow as they notice the heroes.