Session Notes
Not yet played — notes will appear here after the session.
An Adventure for 1st-Level Characters
Unbeknownst to anyone but a disgraced academic, the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History is in grave danger. Archaeologists at a nearby dig site recently unearthed a curiosity: the Murkmire Stone. This object is actually an eldritch creature's egg, and it's about to hatch. The characters must infiltrate the museum, steal the egg, and return it to Dr. Cassee Dannell to be neutralized before it releases an eldritch horror.
Adventure Background
Dr. Cassee Dannell, a brilliant academic, long ago learned to hide her interest in the occult. She instead built a career gaining expertise in the peoples and cultures of the region surrounding Varkenbluff, continuing her occult research in secret. By age twenty-four, Dr. Dannell had earned her doctorate in anthropology from Varkenbluff University, a prestigious institution in her home city. Her ability to connect local archaeological objects with their cultural context was unrivaled, so after her graduation, Dr. Dannell became a Varkenbluff faculty member and field scientist, accompanying the university's archaeology crews on digs in the area.
On a recent expedition into the nearby Murkmire, the archaeologists unearthed a strange object. Light green, opaque, and with a gemstone-like sheen, this ovoid stone was covered in strange furrows. The stone seemed ritualistic in nature, but it matched no recorded historical practices, and no one could identify its composition. The more Dr. Dannell studied it, the more she became convinced this object, which the archaeologists dubbed the Murkmire Stone, was not created by any known civilization—and might be dangerous.
Dr. Dannell tried to convince the dig's archaeologists to isolate the Murkmire Stone until she could learn more about it, but word of the discovery spread quickly. When the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History offered a generous price for the stone, it was soon whisked from the dig site to the museum.
Dr. Dannell continued to research the strange stone. Her concern turned to dread when she found descriptions of similar objects in her occult tomes. These objects were, in fact, the eggs of eldritch creatures. She learned that such eggs lay dormant for generations, but once the eggs are unearthed, the creatures within rapidly develop and hatch. The resulting creatures are ravenous for raw meat and grow exponentially as they feed, eventually overwhelming entire villages. The eggs are nearly indestructible, but the tomes claim encasing them in crystal can neutralize them.
According to Dr. Dannell's research, the Murkmire Stone is due to hatch in a matter of days. She frantically presented her findings to the university's administrators, who deemed her work pseudoscience and refused to interfere with the museum's upcoming exhibition of the Murkmire Stone. Desperate, Dr. Dannell snuck into the museum after hours and tried to steal the stone, but she was caught. The university disavowed her actions and fired her. With mere hours left in the Murkmire Stone's gestation period, Dr. Dannell is nearly out of options.
Using the Golden Vault
If you're using the Golden Vault as a patron, a golden key is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. When the characters use this key to open their music box, the lid pops open and a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. The Golden Vault has learned that the egg of an eldritch horror has been mistaken for a historical object and is about to go on display at the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History. The anthropologist Dr. Cassee Dannell tried to warn officials about this egg, known as the Murkmire Stone, but none believed her. We do, and we know that if this egg hatches, many will die—or worse. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate the museum, steal the egg, and return it to Dr. Dannell, who will neutralize it. There's no time to waste; the egg could hatch at any moment. Start by meeting with Dr. Dannell. Good luck, operatives."
Closing the music box causes the golden key to vanish.
A Cry for Help
Time is short, and Dr. Dannell is desperate for help. She has exhausted all official channels and has turned to the characters.
The characters should have some connection to Dr. Dannell to explain why she reaches out to them. Have your players determine this connection before the adventure begins. Here are some possibilities:
- Dannell Family Friend. Dr. Dannell hails from a family of professors and scientists who have interacted significantly with Varkenbluff's intellectuals and nobility. One or more characters have rubbed shoulders with members of the Dannell clan, including Cassee.
- Museum Enthusiast. Dr. Dannell's research is cited liberally in the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History's exhibits, and she regularly corresponds with fans of her work, including one or more characters who have earned her respect.
- Varkenbluff University Student. Dr. Dannell has taught numerous anthropology and history classes attended by one or more characters and is impressed with their occult acumen.
Once the characters have determined their connection to Dr. Dannell, read the following out loud to get this adventure started:
No matter your business this morning, a grave halfling messenger finds you and hands you a sealed parchment.
"Meet me at the Sage's Quill today as soon as you can," the missive reads. "I beg your help in a delicate matter whose importance cannot be overstated. I shall await you in a purple hooded robe."
The note is signed, "Dr. Cassee Dannell."
When you look up, the halfling has wandered off.
The Clock Is Ticking
The Sage's Quill is a quiet, plush tavern that caters to the city's academics and intellectuals. It is located next to the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History, less than a mile from Varkenbluff University.
Once the characters arrive at the tavern, read the following out loud:
As you enter the Sage's Quill, soft light reveals mahogany furniture and luxurious carpets. A few genteel patrons murmur in the lounge. You soon notice a purple-hooded figure tucked into a corner booth.
Dr. Dannell gestures for you to sit. You notice lines of worry etched into her normally cheerful face.
Dr. Dannell (neutral good, human commoner) has an Intelligence score of 18. She anxiously addresses the characters:
"Thank you for coming so quickly," she says. "A few weeks ago, I attended a dig in the Murkmire that unearthed a furrowed, light-green stone. I'll give you all the details, but the bottom line is that it isn't a stone at all—it's the egg of an eldritch horror. Moreover, my research indicates it'll hatch at midnight tonight.
"Trouble is, no one will listen to me. The university ignored me, and I was caught trying to steal the egg from the museum so I could contain it. Now I've been fired, the Murkmire Stone display at the museum opens tomorrow, and the egg is about to hatch.
"You've got to steal the Murkmire Stone and bring it back so I can save the city!"
What Dr. Dannell Knows
If the characters talk with Dr. Dannell further, she gives more information about their mission and what she has learned about the stone:
- Getting the Egg. The characters need to reconnoiter the museum in search of security measures, steal the Murkmire Stone at an opportune time (see "Stealing the Murkmire Stone" below), and deliver it to Dr. Dannell. She'll wait for them in an alley between the museum and the Sage's Quill.
- Traits of the Egg. The Murkmire Stone can't be damaged or destroyed. Unearthing the egg triggered the rapid development of the creature within, which will soon be ready to hatch.
- Containing the Egg. At this point, the only way to keep the egg from hatching is to encase it in a specially prepared crystal container. Dr. Dannell created a crystal box for this purpose. She still needs to seal cracks in the crystal, so the characters can't take the box with them on the heist.
- What's in the Egg. Dr. Dannell's occult sources indicate an extremely dangerous creature will hatch from the egg unless it can be safely contained.
Stealing the Murkmire Stone
The Murkmire Stone is going on public display tomorrow at the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History, Dr. Dannell explains. A private gala celebrating the new exhibition will occur tonight in the museum's second-floor Gemstone Wing.
The characters aren't required to attend the gala, but doing so is the only way to glimpse the stone—and the security measures around it—before their heist. Dr. Dannell has secured a gala ticket for each character, and she gives them the tickets now.
The characters must wear formal dress to the gala. Dr. Dannell has an appropriate outfit for each character in her heirloom bag of holding. Dr. Dannell lends the bag to the characters to store their adventuring gear, which they'll need while sneaking about the museum after hours.
Dr. Dannell's Tools
Before her unsuccessful attempt to steal the Murkmire Stone, Dr. Dannell scouted the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History. She pretended to be a patron and recorded the museum's layout, filling in what she knows about nonpublic areas, such as the basement.
Dannell's Map. Dr. Dannell gives the characters her sketch of the museum (see map 1.1) before they leave for the gala. Although she's a brilliant academic, Dr. Dannell is neither an architect nor a burglar. Her map is based on the public map of the museum's exhibits, so it is incomplete and lacks information about the museum's security measures. For instance, Dr. Dannell knows the museum is outfitted with alarms after it closes to the public, but she doesn't know where those alarms are located or how to bypass them.
Museum Staff
Dr. Dannell knows that the museum has twelve guards and that the museum curator—the elf Alda Arkin—likely has a record of the areas the guards patrol at night. Dr. Dannell suspects this information is in Arkin's office, located somewhere in the eastern wing on the first floor. Arkin herself will attend the gala.
The Reward
For bringing the Murkmire Stone back to Dr. Dannell, she offers her bag of holding plus 20 gp per character. If a character succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Dr. Dannell increases her offer to 30 gp per character.
The Opening Gala
The private gala celebrating the opening of the Murkmire Stone exhibition begins at 6 p.m., and the museum closes at 8 p.m. There's enough time for characters to prepare before attending, including retrieving or procuring formal attire if they don't wish to wear the clothes Dr. Dannell provided. Weapons and visible armor are not permitted inside the museum and must be stashed in Dr. Dannell's bag of holding or elsewhere.
Once the characters are ready to enter the museum, keep track of which character has the bag of holding that contains the group's adventuring gear. Then read the following aloud:
The facade of the Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History boasts enormous columns and elegant archways hewn from marble. Cosmopolitan visitors bustle about the entrance, including some clad in sleek formal wear.
The museum is open to the public today; only the Gemstone Wing on the second floor is closed for the ticketed gala. The Murkmire Stone is ensconced in the Gemstone Wing.
Scouting the Museum
The characters can explore the public areas of the museum while it's open. The entire museum is public except for its offices (areas V5–V7), basement (area V16), and attic (area V17).
The characters have about two hours to prepare for their heist before the museum closes. If the characters don't immediately go to the Gemstone Wing (area V13), museum guards notice their formal attire and periodically suggest they do so.
Information relevant to the characters' heist plan is below. More information about specific areas of the museum is included in the "Museum Locations" section later.
Entering Nonpublic Areas
The doors to the museum's offices (areas V5–V7) and basement (area V16) are locked at all hours, as described in the "Interior Doors" subsection of the "General Features" section. Curator Alda Arkin, whom the characters might meet at the gala, carries a master key, while the museum's guards have keys that grant access to specific areas (see "Circumventing Security" and "Curator Alda Arkin").
Encountering Museum Guards
As long as the characters aren't caught entering a restricted area or causing a public incident, the museum's guards ignore them during the gala.
If one or more characters are spotted in a restricted area or cause a public incident, a guard approaches them. Roll on the Museum Guards table to determine which guard arrives. Characters in formal dress are escorted to the Gemstone Wing, while characters who are improperly dressed for the occasion are told to leave the museum at once. If the characters protest, the guard becomes hostile and shouts for backup. At the end of each of the guard's turns, an additional 1d4 guards arrive until all the museum guards are accounted for.
Provided a guard hasn't shouted for backup, a character can take an action and use trickery or intimidation to convince a guard to leave. The character must make a DC 10 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the character convinces the guard to look for trouble elsewhere. If the check fails, the guard becomes hostile and behaves as described above, and the character can't repeat the check on that particular guard.
Museum Guards
| d12 | Guard Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Darrison Blackwaters (neutral human), a former soldier who takes everything literally |
| 2 | Franceena Van Lictor (neutral good elf), a sarcastic newbie who respects history |
| 3 | Billie Quartermile (lawful neutral halfling), who loves policy and procedure |
| 4 | Milanova Wumplestocking (lawful good gnome), who is very serious but loves a good pun |
| 5 | Garent Millaneff (neutral evil human), a bully who loves money and bragging rights |
| 6 | Violet Pendergilt (neutral good human), a wistful dreamer who plans to quit soon |
| 7 | Sureth Dhanvhal (neutral human), a reserve soldier who is always pressed for time |
| 8 | Brendara Valindril (lawful neutral elf), a graduate student in history at the university |
| 9 | Grendor Battleaxe (neutral good dwarf), a wanderer paying off a debt to the museum |
| 10 | Clark Jonathan Vanth (lawful good human), a young and naive individual |
| 11 | Sareena Shu (chaotic neutral tiefling), an overeager lover of history and learning |
| 12 | Maryam Bikram (lawful neutral human), a city watch veteran who rigidly enforces the rules |
Investigating Security Measures
The museum is protected by several security measures after it closes at 8 p.m.
Alarms. Audible alarm spells have been cast in areas marked (A) on map 1.2. The museum's guards and the curator have pass cards that allow them to bypass these alarms, and spare pass cards are kept in area V7 (see "Bypassing Alarms" below for more information). The alarms are located as follows:
- The front doors to area V1
- At the bottom of the stairs in area V1
- In each hallway leading from area V1 to area V3
- On the doors leading from area V1 to areas V5, V6, and V7
- In the hall leading from area V11 to area V12
- On the door leading from area V12 to the hallway to area V13
If an alarm is on a door, touching the door sets off the alarm. If an alarm is on a 5-foot square, entering that square sets it off. The alarm on the front doors in area V1 extends 10 feet, covering the entire width of the doorway. When an alarm sounds, any guards in the area plus 1d3 other guards from that floor hear it and investigate.
The characters can find a record of the museum's payment for these spells, including their specific locations, by searching the records room (area V6); the alarms can also be detected using detect magic. The alarms aren't armed while the museum is open to the public.
Animated Statues. The statues that flank the front desk in area V1 and the statue next to the stairs in area V12 can animate after hours to attack intruders. These statues use the animated armor stat block. Causing a statue to animate alerts any guards in that area.
A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around each statue. A character who becomes aware of the statues' magical nature can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. If the check is successful, the character realizes the statues can animate.
Gemstone Wing. If the characters don't carefully remove the Murkmire Stone from its pedestal in area V13, arcane lock spells cause all doors leading to the room (including secret doors) to close and lock. As an action, a character can either try to unlock a door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open the door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The characters can learn about this security measure by attending the gala (see the "Attending the Gala" section).
Guards. After hours, Maryam Bikram is stationed at the entrance to the gala. Eleven other museum guards watch the areas indicated in the Guard Locations After Hours table. Guards have keys to certain areas. Guards also have pass cards that allow them to bypass the museum's alarms (see "Bypassing Alarms" below).
If the characters get into a noisy fight with one or more guards, an additional 1d4 guards arrive each round until all the remaining museum guards are accounted for.
If the guards incapacitate a character or a character surrenders, the guards haul that character to the nearby city watch headquarters. If all the characters are caught, their mission is unsuccessful and the adventure ends.
Guard Locations After Hours
| Area | Guards |
|---|---|
| V1 | 2 |
| V3 | 1 |
| V4 | 1 |
| V8 | 1 |
| V9–V10 | 2 |
| V11 | 1 |
| V12 | 2 |
| V13 | 2 |
Circumventing Security
Characters who discover the museum's security measures can find ways to circumvent them. A few suggestions are provided below:
- Avoiding Statues. Characters can keep the statues from animating by staying more than 5 feet away from them.
- Bypassing Alarms. The curator and guards each carry a palm-sized pass card embossed with the museum's logo. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of divination magic around each pass card, which allows the bearer to bypass any of the museum's alarms. The characters can find a stash of extra pass cards in area V7. A character who is hidden and within reach of a guard can try to steal that guard's pass card without the guard's knowledge, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
- Sneaking Past Guards. The characters can find a document in the curator's office (area V5) that outlines the guards' stations after hours. During the gala, the curator keeps this document on her person (see the "Curator Alda Arkin" section). Characters who spend at least 1 minute studying the document have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to sneak past guards after hours.
- Stealing Keys. The curator carries a master key, while each guard carries a key that unlocks all doors to the area in which the guard is stationed. Guards in area V1 also have a key to the break room (area V7). A character can steal a guard's key in the same way as they can steal a pass card, described in "Bypassing Alarms" above.
Hiding in the Museum
The characters can hide in numerous locations while the museum closes. Below are good options, which are detailed in the "Museum Locations" section:
- Cleaning Supply Storage. Short hallways that hold cleaning supplies are concealed behind secret doors in areas V3, V4, V8, V9, V12, and V13.
- Privies. The guards nominally check area V15 before closing, but anyone who hides here avoids detection.
- Attic or Basement. The guards don't enter areas V16 or V17 before the museum closes.
Reentering the Museum
The characters might decide to leave the museum when it closes and sneak back inside after hours. Below are some strategies they might use:
- Front Doors. The characters could pick the lock on the front doors to area V1, use pass cards to bypass the alarm (see "Bypassing Alarms"), and contend with the falling net trap just inside the doors while remaining a safe distance from the animated statues.
- Attic Skylight. The characters could pick the lock on the skylight to enter the building. Grappling hooks and ropes are required to scale the building. By the end of the gala, it is dark enough to allow characters to enter through the attic skylight without being seen.
- Basement Doors. The characters could pry open the loading dock doors or prop open the secret door if they find it.
Attending the Gala
If the characters approach the private gala in the Gemstone Wing (area V13), they encounter Maryam Bikram (lawful neutral, human guard). The captain of the museum's security force, Maryam is a serious woman and a veteran of the city's watch. She admits any character who is dressed for the occasion and has a ticket. Others are turned away.
When the characters enter the gala, read the following aloud:
The Gemstone Wing's oak doors open into a luxuriously appointed ballroom. Crimson tablecloths and fine china adorn dining tables, and chandeliers sparkle overhead. Cabinets with glittering gemstones surround the space. At the wing's center is a marble pedestal bearing a peculiar, light-green stone.
Twenty other gala attendees (unarmed and unarmored nobles) mill around the event. All are dressed in elaborate finery, and most are long-time donors to the museum.
When a character interacts with an attendee, roll on the Gala Attendees table to determine whom they meet. The attendees know nothing about the Murkmire Stone beyond basic details about its discovery. However, if the characters fish for information about the stone or the museum and succeed on a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check, an attendee reveals one random piece of information from the Museum Gossip table.
Gala Attendees
| d4 | Attendee |
|---|---|
| 1 | Captain Frankheim Walters (chaotic neutral human), who never served in the military but implies he did |
| 2 | Georgina Lucina Vandylarahal (neutral evil elf), a sneering heir to a mining fortune |
| 3 | Countess Helene Danforth (neutral good human), a member of an ancient, titled family with little actual wealth |
| 4 | Dr. Horthnar Stonecrusher (lawful good dwarf), a surgeon who loves natural history and gemstones |
Museum Gossip
| d4 | Juicy Tidbit |
|---|---|
| 1 | The curator has been fidgeting with her clutch all night. Has she gotten some sort of bad news? Maybe she's about to fire someone! |
| 2 | Sometimes the museum keeps displays hidden in the basement at night. The curator must think her own guards might steal something! |
| 3 | It's unfortunate that the museum has fallen on hard financial times. If only they sold all those ore and gem samples they keep in the basement. I've heard there's a fortune down there! |
| 4 | The curator adores oversized vintage dolls. I've heard she keeps one in her office that's as big as a grown human! |
Curator Alda Arkin
Mingling with the gala's attendees is Alda Arkin (neutral evil, elf noble), the museum's curator. During the gala, the curator is unarmed and unarmored. A retired university professor, Alda is responsible for the museum's close ties to Varkenbluff University's anthropology and archaeology departments.
When she notices the characters, she assumes they're wealthy museum donors, welcomes them, and engages in chitchat. Alda is familiar with Dr. Dannell. She deeply dislikes the anthropologist due to Dr. Dannell's interest in the occult. If the characters mention Dr. Dannell's fears about the Murkmire Stone, Alda snorts, dismisses their concerns, and leaves to mingle with other attendees.
Alda's Clutch. Characters who watch Alda closely notice a fancy clutch she holds behind her back. Inside the clutch is a map of the museum guards' after-hours stations, a master key to the museum's locked doors, and a pass card that allows Alda to bypass the museum's alarms (see "Investigating Security Measures" earlier in the adventure for details).
Examining the Murkmire Stone
The Murkmire Stone sits atop a pedestal in area V13, flanked by informational placards about the stone's discovery and theories about its use—though Dr. Dannell's occult theory is missing.
Gemstone Wing Security Measures. A character who spends at least 1 minute studying the pedestal during the gala realizes it has an elaborate defense mechanism (see area V13).
Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History
Once the Murkmire Stone exhibition gala ends, the museum closes. Its staff members activate the protections listed in the "Investigating Security Measures" section.
General Features
The Varkenbluff Museum of Natural History has stone walls and tiled floors. The building's other features are described below:
- Ceilings. The museum's ceilings are 30 feet high.
- Interior Doors. The interior doors are closed and locked, with the exception of the privies in area V15. A character can use an action to try to unlock a door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check unless otherwise noted. Attempting to use thieves' tools to unlock a door with an enabled alarm spell triggers that alarm.
- Lighting. On the first two floors, most areas are lit with continual flame spells placed on sconces. The grand entrance (area V1), Prehistoric Predators exhibit (area V12), basement (area V16), and attic (area V17) are areas of dim light. Guards in areas V1 and V12 carry hooded lanterns.
- Secret Doors. A secret door can be found by any character who takes an action to examine the surrounding wall and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Museum Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 1.2. The descriptions assume the characters are exploring the museum after it's closed to the public.
V1: Grand Entrance
Statues depicting robed human women flank the sides of this public mingling space, which boasts a marble column in the center. The museum's information desk is situated just inside the front doors. To the north is a grand staircase draped in rich carpet.
Two guards patrol this area. The two statues flanking the information desk animate if a character comes within 5 feet of either of them. The statues use the animated armor stat block and fight until destroyed.
Alarms. An alarm spell has been cast on the bottom of the grand staircase. Another such spell has been cast on the front doors.
Front Doors. The museum's front doors are locked from the inside. As an action, a character can try to pick the lock using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check.
Trap. The 5-foot-by-10-foot section of floor immediately north of the museum's front doors (marked T on map 1.2) contains a pressure plate hidden under a rug. Lifting the rug or pushing it aside reveals the pressure plate, which is activated and deactivated by a toggle switch hidden under the nearby information desk. The trap is normally activated while the museum is closed to the public and deactivated while the museum is open to the public.
The first time a creature steps on the pressure plate while the trap is activated, a weighted net drops from a secret compartment in the ceiling, covering the 10-foot-square area between the front doors and the information desk. Creatures in that area are restrained by the net, and those that fail a DC 10 Strength saving throw are also knocked prone.
A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. The net has AC 10 and 12 hit points. Creatures are no longer restrained by the net once it drops to 0 hit points.
V2: Museum Shops
Display racks here are filled with tunics, bandannas, books, and bric-a-brac, most emblazoned with the museum's logo. Plush benches serve as seating areas.
The eastern shop sells cheap souvenirs and bears a sign that reads, "The Historian's Gifts." The western shop sells books and artifact replicas and is labeled "The Archaeologist's Spade."
Treasure. Each shop includes a small back room with a locked door. As an action, a character can try to unlock either door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check. Inside each shop's back room is a till containing 1d6 gp, 2d6 sp, and 3d6 cp. Additionally, one set of thieves' tools can be cobbled together from the supplies in the back rooms.
V3: Ancient Plants Exhibit
Artificial plants made of wood, silk, and other materials sprout from artfully arranged planters. Tall ferns, bushes with strange berries, and slender trees are represented alongside placards about ancient plant life.
One guard patrols this area. Hallways to the north and south connect to area V4.
Alarms. The short hallways that connect this area to the grand entrance (area V1) have alarm spells cast on them.
Secret Doors. The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the west wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V4.
V4: Ancient Cultures Exhibit
Glass display cases boast objects related to life in ancient Varkenbluff. Clay pots, stone tools, and scraps of leather clothes are interspersed with informational placards about their historical use.
One guard patrols this area. Hallways to the north and south connect to area V3.
Secret Doors. The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the east wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V3.
V5: Curator's Office
A solid oak desk stands on a plush carpet in the center of this office. In the southeast corner, a strange, human-sized doll is posed in an elaborate silk dress.
Alarm. An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Deadly Doll. After hours, the curator enables her office's defense mechanism: a five-foot-tall doll with the name "Marigold" sewn onto its vintage dress. When a creature other than Alda enters the room, the doll animates and attacks. Marigold uses the scarecrow stat block and fights until destroyed.
At your discretion, a noisy fight might attract the attention of the guards patrolling area V1.
Guards' Patrol Routes. If the characters didn't snatch Alda's clutch during the gala, they can find a copy of the guards' after-hours patrol routes on the desk under some other loose paperwork (see the "Curator Alda Arkin" section).
V6: Records Room
Filing cabinets stand in this records room.
Alarm. An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Records. This room contains records about past and current exhibits as well as the museum's financial records. A character who searches this area also finds information about the placement of the building's alarm spells (see "Investigating Security Measures" earlier in the adventure).
V7: Break Room and Storage
Boxes of display supplies are stacked into this room's corners. Chairs surround a circular table in the middle.
Alarm. An alarm spell has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Pass Card Stash. Characters who take a minute to search the boxes find a small, partially open box in the southwest corner. Inside are three palm-sized pass cards, each stamped with the museum's logo. A scrap of paper inside the box reads "spare alarm pass cards." Each pass card allows its bearer to bypass the museum's alarms, as described in the "Bypassing Alarms" section earlier in this adventure.
Treasure. Tucked between supply boxes in the northwest corner is a vial containing a potion of vitality.
V8: Creatures of the Past Exhibit
Fossils of small prehistoric creatures are arranged here, some as fully reconstructed skeletons. The exhibit includes microraptors, ornithopods, dwarf elephants, and an ancestor of the cockatrice. Informational placards tell the stories of these creatures and their bones' discovery.
One guard patrols this area.
Secret Door. Between two of the 15-foot-square exhibit rooms is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door opens to reveal area V12.
V9: Underground Wonders Exhibit
Glittering ore and gemstones are arranged in velvet-backed display cases. Informational placards explain local geologic history.
Two guards patrol this exhibit and area V10, moving from one room to the other every 5 minutes.
The gems on display here hold little value; precious stones are reserved for display in the Gemstone Wing (area V13).
Fake Murkmire Stone. A character who examines the stones on display in the easternmost room realizes the central display cabinet includes a chunk of jade similar in size and weight to the Murkmire Stone. The display case is locked, but a character can take an action to try to open it using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. Smashing the display case's glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.
Secret Door. Between this exhibit and area V10 is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal area V13.
V10: Archaeology Display
Picks, trowels, brushes, and other archaeological tools are on display here. Informational placards label them as tools famous local experts used to dig up the wonders found in the museum. Murals along the south wall depict famous digs.
Two guards patrol both this exhibit and area V9, moving from one room to the other every 5 minutes.
This exhibit tells the story of the infamous Rogerson dig, where most of the creatures in the Prehistoric Predators exhibit were found. The placards dismiss local legends that claim the excavators were subsequently cursed.
Treasure. A character who studies the exhibit and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check realizes the items on display include two flawless weapons: a +1 dagger and a +1 handaxe. The weapons are inside a glass case with a jammed lock, so the characters must break or cut through the glass to access the weapons. Breaking the glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.
V11: Unearthed Café
This space holds a mix of cafeteria-style tables and lounge furniture. A counter in the northeast corner sits underneath a sign that reads, "Unearthed Café."
One guard patrols this area.
Treasure. A small lockbox is stashed under the counter. As an action, a character can try to open the lockbox using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. The lockbox contains 15 gp, 7 sp, and 24 cp.
V12: Prehistoric Predators Exhibit
The intact skeletons of several large prehistoric monsters are on display here, including the museum's most famous display: the beautifully preserved body of an allosaurus, its leathery skin appearing supple to the touch. An informational placard next to the dinosaur explains it died in the Murkmire millennia ago and was naturally preserved. Display cases along the room's walls hold fossils of other ancient local predators.
Two guards patrol this area.
The statue west of the stairs depicts a winged satyr. If a character comes within 5 feet of the statue, it springs to life. The statue uses the animated armor stat block and fights until destroyed.
Alarms. An alarm spell has been cast in the hallway leading to the Unearthed Café (area V11). Another alarm spell has been cast on the door in the middle of the east wall (which leads to area V13).
Allosaurus. The allosaurus looks like a preserved specimen, but the museum hired rock gnomes to transform it into a harmless animatronic display. A character who examines the display's base notices a small hatch covering a panel of buttons. A character can use these controls to turn on the animatronic display, which alerts not only the guards in this area but also the guards in areas V11 and V13.
As an action, a character can use tinker's tools or thieves' tools to try to overload the magic that powers the controls, doing so with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check. This causes the animatronic creature to break free from its display base and rampage for 10 minutes before becoming inert again. The creature stomps through the area, then heads down the grand staircase, causing mayhem in area V1. While it rampages, the creature uses the allosaurus stat block, with these changes:
- The animatronic allosaurus is a Construct.
- It is immune to poison and psychic damage, as well as the charmed, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions.
Vent. The east wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to area V13. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.
V13: Gemstone Wing
Chairs surround several tables cluttered with crystal and silver tableware. Against the east wall, a light-green stone rests atop a marble pedestal.
Two guards patrol this area.
Staff members plan to remove the tables and restore the normal gemstone exhibits in the morning before the museum opens. For now, the contents of those exhibits are in the basement (area V16).
Light-Green Stone. The light-green stone on the pedestal is the Murkmire Stone, which is described at the end of this adventure. As Dr. Dannell fears, the stone is indeed an eldritch creature's egg. At 10:30 p.m., the effects described in "The Murkmire Stone" begin, and at midnight, the egg hatches. See "Museum Feeding Frenzy" to learn what happens when the egg hatches.
Rigged Pedestal. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation magic around the pedestal, which is attached to the floor and can't be moved. A character who examines the pedestal notices tiny glyphs carved into its base and can make a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, the character realizes that all doors leading to the room will lock if the stone is removed from the pedestal.
If the Murkmire Stone is removed from the pedestal, arcane lock spells activate on all doors leading to the room (including secret doors), causing them to close and lock. As an action, a character can try to open a locked door using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open a locked door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The arcane lock spells don't prevent the curator or the museum guards from opening the doors.
Replacing the Murkmire Stone with a fake can prevent the trap from triggering. A suitable fake can be found in area V9. Swapping it for the real Murkmire Stone without activating the arcane lock spells requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Vent. The west wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to area V12. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.
Secret Door. The south wall contains a secret door that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the far end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal the hallway between areas V9 and V10.
V14: Access Hallway
This hallway connects the Unearthed Café (area V11) to the Prehistoric Predators exhibit (area V12) and the privies (area V15).
V15: Privies
This area holds five stalls. A simple latch allows the door of each privy to be locked from the inside. East of the privies is a staircase to the attic (area V17).
V16: Basement
Boxes and crates are piled here in groups. Enormous warehouse doors take up much of the basement's northern wall.
Objects formerly on display or not yet prepped for display are stored here. The area is infrequently visited, and a mimic recently took up residence in the centermost pile of boxes. The mimic waits to attack until a character moves within 5 feet; it then fights until destroyed.
Loading Docks. The warehouse doors open onto an underground ramp that leads to street level. A character who has observed the whole building from the outside can easily find where the ramp exits at ground level. The doors are locked, and their hinges are stiff. Unlocking them requires a successful DC 14 Dexterity check with thieves' tools; after that, shoving the doors open requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. This is noisy and attracts the attention of one guard patrolling the grand entrance above (area V1).
Secret Door. In the basement's northwest corner, a secret door opens into a 50-foot-long tunnel that emerges in a copse of trees near the museum.
Treasure. Most of the items in the boxes would be nearly impossible to sell, as they would quickly be identified as stolen museum property. However, the boxes in the southeastern corner contain the items from the Gemstone Wing that were stored to make room for the Murkmire Stone gala: gemstones and chunks of raw silver ore, all found locally. The 20 pounds of gems and ore are worth 150 gp total.
V17: Attic
A winding staircase leads up to this cramped space filled with haphazardly stacked boxes. Starlight pours into the space through a large skylight.
Supplies for events—such as lecterns, linens, and tableware—are stored here.
Skylight. The skylight overhead is locked. A character can use an action to try to unlock the skylight using thieves' tools, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. Lifting the skylight to open it then requires a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check.
Loose bricks are scattered on the roof near the skylight. A character could use a brick to prop the skylight open.
Conclusion
If the characters escape the museum with the Murkmire Stone, they can deliver it safely to Dr. Dannell. The anthropologist locks it in a box made of crystal, whereupon the stone becomes inert and its effects stop immediately. Dr. Dannell assures the characters that the egg will be safe in her care for the time being. The characters receive their rewards, and Dr. Dannell tries to regain her position at the university while making provisions to ensure the Murkmire Stone remains in its crystal box. At your discretion, Dr. Dannell might ask the characters to help (see "Reinstate Dr. Dannell" below).
If the characters don't bring the Murkmire Stone to Dr. Dannell by midnight, it hatches into a nascent eldritch horror. Additionally, Alda Arkin might be revealed as a syndicate head. These outcomes are discussed in the "Further Adventures" section.
For the Golden Vault
If the characters are working for the Golden Vault, they must deliver the Murkmire Stone to Dr. Dannell by midnight. Once they do, the organization rewards the characters with an uncommon magic item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
Further Adventures
Once the heist ends, the adventure's story might continue. Use the following hooks for a successful or an unsuccessful mission.
Mission Is Successful
If the characters bring the Murkmire Stone to Dr. Dannell before it hatches, use the following adventure hooks to continue their story.
Another Stone. After the Murkmire Stone is neutralized, Dr. Dannell hears from a colleague that another expedition in the Murkmire has unearthed a similar object. This time, however, the egg is closer to hatching, and strange happenings are befalling the excavation crew. With Dr. Dannell still discredited, it's up to the characters to venture into the dangerous Murkmire, locate the crew, and contain the egg. But when the characters arrive at the dig site, the egg has hatched—and now the characters must defeat the hatchling before it causes more harm. The hatchling uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage.
Investigate the Hatchling. A strange creature has appeared in the crocodile enclosure at the Varkenbluff Zoo. The creature hatched from an egg similar to the Murkmire Stone and is now nearly 8 feet long. The zoo's baby crocodiles have disappeared, and animals near the crocodile enclosure have become violent. Headaches plague zookeepers who have tried to capture the creature. While Dr. Dannell tries to convince the zookeepers of the creature's nature, it's up to the characters to stop the hatchling. It's growing bigger by the hour as more animals disappear or act erratically. The hatchling uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage.
Reinstate Dr. Dannell. Now that she knows her theories about the Murkmire Stone were correct, Dr. Dannell seeks to regain her position at Varkenbluff University. She has assembled proof that the Murkmire Stone is an eldritch creature's egg. But the museum's curator blocks her reinstatement bid—and then goes missing, casting further suspicion on Dr. Dannell. Dr. Dannell offers the characters a share of her future earnings for their help tracking down the curator and convincing her to reverse her vote against Dr. Dannell. The characters follow Alda's trail through Varkenbluff's high society and discover the curator is the head of an illegal syndicate fencing stolen objects. The characters must confront her and her minions to save Dr. Dannell's reputation and prevent stolen historical objects from being sold illegally.
Mission Is Unsuccessful
If the characters don't retrieve the Murkmire Stone in time, use the following adventure hooks to continue their story.
A Stolen Stone. Shortly after the characters' unsuccessful heist, Alda Arkin steals the stone herself. The secret leader of an illegal syndicate that fences stolen historical objects, the curator believes she can get a high price for this strange piece. Using an arcane ritual, the curator renders the egg unable to hatch, but its dire effects persist. When the egg's eldritch energy transforms the curator into a Monstrosity, she holes up in her manor with the egg, unable to think straight. The characters must confront the warped creatures within Alda's manor—including the curator—before the stone can cause more mayhem.
Museum Feeding Frenzy. The Murkmire Stone hatches into an eight-foot-long, nascent eldritch horror, and the stone's effects cease. At first, the museum's staff assumes someone stole the stone and closes the building. But the hatchling terrorizes and eats the guards one by one. Curator Alda Arkin admits Dr. Dannell's theory might be correct and hires the characters to stop the eldritch creature. The wily monster is now the size of a pony and uses the ankheg stat block, except its bite deals poison damage instead of acid damage. It has set traps using the slime it secretes while metabolizing its food, and the entire museum is its nightmarish habitat. The characters must stop this creature before it outgrows the museum.
If the eldritch horror isn't defeated within a few days, it rampages through the museum's front doors, bolting toward Varkenbluff University. Now grown to enormous proportions, the juvenile eldritch horror uses the behir stat block but speaks no languages and has an Intelligence score of 18. It also has the following additional action option:
Spellcasting. The eldritch horror casts one of the following spells, requiring no components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (save DC 14):
2/day each: blindness/deafness, blur
1/day: project image
The city needs heroes to track down the horror and incapacitate it before it causes even more carnage.
The Murkmire Stone
Recently unearthed from the Murkmire outside the city of Varkenbluff, the nonmagical object called the Murkmire Stone is the egg of an eldritch creature. The opaque, light-green stone weighs 10 pounds and has abstract furrows on its surface.
The egg's removal from the Murkmire rapidly accelerated the development of the creature inside it. Starting at 10:30 p.m., the egg's stony shell becomes translucent, revealing the horror inside, and it begins to emit a pulse of magical energy every 10 minutes. Whenever a pulse occurs, each creature within 20 feet of the egg must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, and a creature holding the egg has disadvantage on the roll. If the egg is placed in a bag of holding or some other portable extradimensional space, the effect radiates from the container instead. Any creature that fails the saving throw is subjected to an effect determined by rolling on the Murkmire Stone Effects table. When a creature rolls for a new effect, the previous one ends. The effects end when the egg hatches or when the egg is encased in the crystal box Dr. Dannell provides.
Murkmire Stone Effects
| d12 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Harsh whispers in an unknown language assault your consciousness. You gain vulnerability to psychic damage and can't maintain concentration on spells. |
| 2 | Adrenaline courses through your veins. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. |
| 3 | Your limbs feel leaden, and your body responds sluggishly. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws. |
| 4 | Your skin takes on a weird sheen. You gain resistance to piercing and slashing damage. |
| 5 | Your walking speed increases by 5 feet. |
| 6 | Your mind is pulled in a thousand directions, making it difficult to focus. You have disadvantage on attack rolls. |
| 7 | Ripples pulse underneath your skin like vermin are skittering inside your flesh. You have disadvantage on Charisma checks and Charisma saving throws. |
| 8 | Your joints stiffen. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws. |
| 9 | You receive premonitions of attacks made against you. Attack rolls against you have disadvantage. |
| 10 | Your thought processes are sluggish, as if you just awoke from terrible nightmares. You have disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws. |
| 11 | Your senses are dulled, as if an invisible barrier sits between you and reality. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. |
| 12 | A shimmery film covers you. You gain a +2 bonus to AC. |