Publisher: Goodman Games
If you are looking for a thrilling adventure that will take you to a mysterious undersea tower that only emerges once every decade, then you should try DCC #79.5 Tower of the Black Pearl, a level 1 adventure for Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG. This adventure will challenge your wits, luck, and courage as you face the traps, puzzles, and secrets of a wicked wizard’s lair. You will also have to decide the fate of the Black Pearl, a powerful artifact that can grant your wishes, but at a terrible price.
The Story
The adventure starts with a legend about the Tower of the Black Pearl, a strange structure that rises from the sea when the moon is full and the tides are low. The tower was once the home of Sezrekan the Elder, a notorious wizard who sought to unlock the secrets of life and death. He created the Black Pearl, a dark orb that contains his essence and power. The pearl can grant any wish, but it also brings doom to anyone who possesses it. Many have tried to enter the tower and claim the pearl, but none have returned.
You and your companions have a chance to explore the tower and find the pearl, as it emerges again after ten years. You have only eight hours to complete your quest, before the tower sinks back into the depths. Along the way, you will encounter traps, puzzles, and secrets that will test your wits and luck. You will also discover the dark history of the tower and its former master. The adventure has multiple endings depending on your choices and actions.
What are the most interesting locations in this adventure?
There are many interesting locations in this adventure, but some of the most notable ones are:
- The Entrance Hall: This is the first room that the adventurers encounter when they enter the tower. It is a large and ornate hall with a mosaic floor depicting a map of the tower. The hall also has four statues of Sezrekan’s apprentices, each holding a key that unlocks a door to another part of the tower. The adventurers have to figure out which key belongs to which door, and avoid triggering the traps that guard them.
- The Library: This is a room filled with books, scrolls, and other documents that contain Sezrekan’s research and secrets. The adventurers can find valuable information and clues here, but they also have to deal with the librarian, a skeletal creature that demands silence and order. The librarian will attack anyone who makes noise or disturbs the books, unless they can appease it with a suitable offering or bribe.
- The Laboratory: This is a room where Sezrekan conducted his experiments on life and death. The room is full of strange and gruesome devices, such as vats of bubbling liquids, cages of mutated animals, and tables with dissected corpses. The adventurers can find some useful items and tools here, but they also have to face the horrors that Sezrekan created, such as zombies, flesh golems, and homunculi.
- The Observatory: This is a room where Sezrekan observed the stars and the planets. The room has a large dome with a telescope and a celestial map. The adventurers can use the telescope to see the night sky and the moon, which affects the tide and the time they have left to escape the tower. They can also use the map to solve a puzzle that reveals a hidden passage to the final chamber.
- The Final Chamber: This is the room where Sezrekan kept his most prized possession: the Black Pearl. The room is a circular chamber with a pedestal in the center, where the pearl rests. The pearl is a dark orb that radiates an eerie light and whispers to anyone who approaches it. The pearl can grant any wish, but it also brings doom to anyone who possesses it. The adventurers have to decide whether to take the pearl or leave it behind, and face the consequences of their choice.
What are the most interesting encounters in this adventure?
Some of the most interesting encounters in this adventure are:
- The Four Apprentices: These are the statues of Sezrekan’s apprentices that guard the entrance hall. Each statue holds a key that unlocks a door to another part of the tower. The adventurers have to figure out which key belongs to which door, and avoid triggering the traps that guard them. The statues also have some personality and backstory, and they can be interacted with in various ways. For example, one of the statues is a bard who likes to sing and tell jokes, and another one is a thief who likes to steal and lie.
- The Librarian: This is the skeletal creature that oversees the library. It is a former servant of Sezrekan who was cursed to remain in the tower and maintain order and silence. The librarian will attack anyone who makes noise or disturbs the books, unless they can appease it with a suitable offering or bribe. The librarian can also provide some information and clues about the tower and the pearl, if the adventurers can communicate with it peacefully.
- The Flesh Golem: This is one of the horrors that Sezrekan created in his laboratory. It is a massive creature made of stitched-together body parts from various animals and humans. It has a crude intelligence and a violent temper, and it will attack anyone who enters its domain. The flesh golem is a formidable foe that can deal a lot of damage and take a lot of punishment, but it also has some weaknesses that can be exploited by clever adventurers.
- The Celestial Puzzle: This is the puzzle that reveals the hidden passage to the final chamber. It is located in the observatory, where there is a large dome with a telescope and a celestial map. The adventurers have to use the telescope to see the night sky and the moon, which affects the tide and the time they have left to escape the tower. They also have to use the map to align the stars and planets in a certain way, according to a clue that they can find elsewhere in the tower. The puzzle is challenging but rewarding, as it requires both observation and deduction skills.
- The Black Pearl: This is the ultimate encounter of the adventure, as it is the goal and the danger of the quest. The pearl is a dark orb that radiates an eerie light and whispers to anyone who approaches it. The pearl can grant any wish, but it also brings doom to anyone who possesses it. The adventurers have to decide whether to take the pearl or leave it behind, and face the consequences of their choice. The pearl can also influence their minds and emotions, making them greedy, paranoid, or fearful. The pearl is a powerful and unpredictable item that can change the course of the adventure and the campaign.
Dungeon Crawl Classics #79.5: Tower of the Black Pearl on DrivethruRpg
