The Crused Lake of Twin Peak Mountain

Area description:
A massive glacial lake nestled between the two peaks of a giant of a mountain

Key Locations:

Twin Peaks: a proud 8K behemoth of a mountain, standing tall among its peers. Its name comes from the iconic
split top that was the result of a cataclysm long past.

The Cursed Lake: In between the towering peaks, a deep lake has formed, fed by snow melts and rainwater.
The crystal clear water it holds has however undergone a mysterious change.

Old Mining Town: A town at the foot of the mountain whose inhabitants have lately been surpassed by
adventurer groups living in a hastily erected tent settlement surrounding the old town core once rooms
there were exhausted

Lakefolk Kingdom: A kingdom in the depths of the large glacial lake between the twin peaks.

Location background:

Twin Peak Mountain used to be popular for only one thing: its ore. The mining town near its split summit
has however extracted most of the easily accessible veins and many inhabitants have descended the
mountain again in search for new riches. Those that remain have in recent days been outnumbered by
adventurers, as something mysterious has happened to the large glacial lake.

Adventure hooks:

The Realm of the Lakefolk: The party receive news of a wonderful opportunity. A place ripe for the picking with rare riches to be plundered and adventures to be had. The kicker? It is underwater.

Some time ago something happened to the large and deep lake of Twin Peaks, about a day’s hike up the steep flanks of the mountain. It’s crystal clear and ice cold water has been made breathable! When now a land dweller enters it, it no longer feels like water but rather a thin syrup that can be inhaled without adverse effects. The water pressure likewise has disappeared and ascending through the waters has become quite easy. This allowed previous adventurers to descend to its dark bottom, revealing a small world of its own. Down here, beings akin to mermaids have settled, creating an idyllic kingdom under the waves. They call themselves the lake folk. Unique architecture encrusted in precious stones can be seen. The news beckons all to come and see despite the inhabitants of the lake clearly being against it. They are isolationists, fearful of outsiders and the sudden flood of land dwellers.

When the group reaches the banks of the lake, they notice several groups going in and out of the water. Some carry sacks of wet content and wide smiles.

If a mage is in the party, a sufficient skill check will tell him that the sudden change in the water properties is not
a spell but a curse. Negative energies are mixed in the water like an invisible oil sludge.

As you descend further you see the lake dwellers flee from you, hiding their children. You see a group of armed
adventurers break down the door of one of the homes, dragging the frightened inhabitants out by their hair.

If the group intervenes, they may convince the thugs to retreat for now with a sufficient skill check but it is obvious
that they will return later to finish what they started.

If the party decides to escalate, the thugs will attack. Two lightly armored swordsmen and a spearman will charge
you. Their skills are lower than that of the group and they rely on dirty tricks like throwing dirt to muck the water
around you and reduce the party’s accuracy. They will retreat quickly but vow retribution.
It is up to the party to let them go or kill them. The party also could try to capture the thugs alive, binding them.
What happens next will depend on which way the party chose.

1) The party convinces the thugs with words to leave (for now) –> the lake folk thank them but remain
scared of what will happen later. They fear it will get worse for them now. Players still receive a small reward and
the lake folk will act more positive towards the party going forward.

2) The party escalates to a fight, beating back the thugs but let them retreat -> the lake folk are glad that the
players showed these thugs that they are not the top of the food chain after all but are very worried that the thugs will return with more people later. They get a small reward and the lake folk will act more positive towards the party going forward.

3) The party escalates to a fight and after the thugs try to flee, they are all slaughtered by the players -> The lake folk are eying the party, worried at their violence but are too afraid to say more. They hurriedly shove a sizable rewards into their hands, hoping to appease the players with it. It will require a difficult skill check in persuasion to better their opinion of the party going forward.

4) The party escalates to a fight but capture the thugs alive -> lake folk guards will be called to take the prisoners away. Players are rewarded handsomely and their standing with the lake folk will increase noticeably.

No matter the path the party choses, they will be escorted to meet with the ruler by guards. How polite they act with the party depends on your prior deeds. The party is told that Outsiders had begun to not only damage their homes and steal their property but also capture their females, dragging them up to an unknown fate. The party is lead into a large room, heavily decorated in shimmering gems and illuminated by large pearls shining with inner golden light. The mage can however confirm that they are non-magical. Some natural process must make them, glow. An old lake folk woman is sitting atop a throne of gold and silver.
Her hair, once a bright red now only has hints of color with the rest being white. Her face remaining unreadable and regal as
the party enters. The group is welcomed but warned to abide by local rules or face consequences.

You are offered a task with a handsome reward. Break the curse and return the lake to how it once was. The queen explains that a dark wizard had cursed the lake since she had refused to give her only remaining daughter to him. He enchanted a creature to guard the source of the curse. A large black sphere of unknown stone. The creature would devour any who attempted to take or damage the stone but it had one weakness. At the cost of his life, her husband, the late King, alongside their royal guard, had managed to damage one of the creature’s eyes, leaving it blind on the right side. Its many tentacles still pose a serious threat for any would be heroes.

The party may take the quest and is then given directions to its lair. At the lowest point of the lake was a cave. Within
the creature dwells. The party may approach this however they want.

If the creature is killed, the party may attempt to deal with the curse. The source of the curse is, as described by the
queen, a smooth sphere of black stone, about the size of a human head. Approaching it will cause dizziness and
nausea. The party may retreat and formulate a plan of moving or destroying the item from afar. Should a player
decide to push through the discomfort and touch the stone, the effects on the group vanish while the player who
touched the stone receives a light wound.

Players may choose to take the stone to the queen or deal with it themselves.

If players destroy the stone with blunt impacts, the curse is lifted and the water returns back to normal.

As a reminder, if the party destroyed the item where they found it, they are 200 meters below the surface of a
glacier lake that turned back into regular icy water in an instant, while having their lungs likewise filled with water.
The result should be no surprise…

If the players return the item to the lake folk, they will be warned about destroying the item here, as it endangers
them. They will be escorted to the surface, where the party can exit the water, empty their lungs and then
destroy the item, lifting the curse.



Creatures:

Adventurers: The adventurers that are trying to profit from the lage cover all known races and classes but usually are below the Party’s level. They are more brutes than an actual danger and will attempt to flee if pushed too hard.

Lake Folk: A race, similar in look to merfolk. It is unknown how their ancestors have gotten into the lake but the lake now is home to a sizable kingdom. If attacked, the lake folk will defend themselves with claws and their own style of weapons. The few royal guards still remaining will prioritize protecting civilians however and won’t chase the Patry. The changes to the lake’s water seem to adversely affect these creatures. While they are able to survive, they all seem somewhat feverish.

The Boss:

The Orb Guardian: A massive squidlike beast that has been placed here to guard the source of the curse. While it is
clearly not native to the waters of the lake, it likewise does not suffer any adverse effects from the curse.

A straight up fight will be very hard but possible with some luck and good tactics.

Luring the creature outside or to a place of ambush is possible. The party may ask the lake folk for bait. Depending
on your standing with them, the bait is given free or may be bought.

When baited, the creature may be struck with a free critical hit.

Should the party attempt to fully blind the creature by attacking its remaining eye, this likewise is easier when the
creature is lured.

The creature will lash out with its tentacles, trying to grapple and then crush players. Tentacles may be cut with
bladed weapons but will regenerate after a short while. The creature is weak to lightning.

Lightning does automatic AOE damage here, making it dangerous to other party members. Lightning
infused weapons cannot be used or deal 1d4 damage per round to the user. They do however massively
increased damage. Fire attacks do not work at all here.

The creature will go into a blind frenzy if blinded, lashing out randomly in all directions. The party can with high
enough skill checks, evade these blinded attacks and retreat outside the reach of the creature.

Challenges and Rewards:

Weapon material:
The Guardian’s beak can be fashioned into a magical focus or a bladed weapon by a sufficiently skilled artisan. The lakefolk will let you have it as trophy.

Depending on your standing with the lake folk, the reward will be better or worse but in any case given.

Treasure:
Part of the guaranteed module reward are a small chest of multicolored gems that may be sold for a good sum of money.

Equipment:
One of the ever-glowing pearl lamps per player to be used in future adventures.

If the standing is ideal, the party will be offered to leave the gems behind but receive each a weapon of your choosing made in the style of the lake folk and of the highest quality.