I occassionally DM for a group of friends, and I have started writing out some of the one-shots that I did. Feel free to use or share these. Feedback is also always welcome on the github discussions for this blog.

A different school of magic

All the kids in the village have started to exhibit magical abilities. This oneshot tasks a party of adventurers between levels 3 and 6 with exploring the village, and checking the current solutions that have been thought out. After all: specialized help already seems to be on location in the form of Ringo Ztarr. A dubious character that offers to control the kids’ powers for a price. It doesn’t take long to figure out that this price is not only gold, but also a rare material that can enhance one’s magic. A material that can make Ringo filthy rich. A material which extraction will surely also cost the village their peace, quiet and potentially children. Can the party bring some quiet back to this small town or will they fail to uncover Ringo’s hidden agenda and help unleash a terrible new resource on the world.

How to use the adventure

The adventure is split in a hook that you can use, along with a couple of locations that might invite a party to start asking questions. After that, there are a set of plot points that involve a choice between being deceived by Zingo, or helping Flora.
It is recommended that you read through the adventure first, so you can get a feel for the motivations of the two big sides: Flora and Zingo, and to see what their overarching goals are.

Hook

The party enters a village where some weird events seem to have unfolded. Some of the roofs are visibly charred, like they have been set on fire recently. Other buildings have spots of frost covering them. A couple of carpenters are demolishing a barn that looks like it was built out of gingerbread. There is only one building that looks like it has been spared. A small school with a clock tower in the middle of the village.
When asked what happened, the villager will grunt, or just plainly look irritated. Most will just point to a stately house on the other side of the village, near the well. The house of the elders.

Act 1: exploring the village

This section will describe a couple of the interesting buildings in the village, along with how they can push the party towards the next interesting location.

Ice-covered house

Dina and Boris, a couple of sleep-deprived parents,that are using hammers and saws to try and get rid of the most ice-formations that rip through their roof. When asked what happened,they mostly sigh aspirated. Sleep deprived they say that their kid, Rylai, suddenly started using magic, along with the other kids. While the elders are looking for a solution, the villagers decided to send the kids to the small school in the village center.

The school

A building with a small clock tower on the front. It is pristine, so it’s about the only building in the village that doesn’t have some sort of damage on it.
When the party enters the school all magical effects of everyone in the party get nullified, as if they were in an anti-magic field. Along with that they hear a group of jeering children, together with a female voice trying to calm them down. This voice belongs to the only teacher here: Flora. Flora is a tiefling cleric who took on the job of teaching these 18 kids. Her job just got a lot more complicated, but she feels confident that she can help the children control their powers.

The discerning eye can notice that the kids, nor the party, cannot use magic inside the school, and that the school has been spared of the chaos. Flora can explain that this is because of a pendant she made and hung inside the clock tower. This pendant is made of a rare material Inhibitum that projects an anti-magic field over the school.

When asked how the kids got their powers, Flora can explain that all kids suddenly got magic powers, but that they can’t control these powers. With her knowledge, and with more Inhibitium’ she says she can make more amulets to give to the kids and their parents. The issue is that none of the elders trust her with the money. With that, she just does what she can. And that is: keep the kids busy during the day, and help with happy little accidents involving the little sorcerers at night..

The elders of the village

The elders have pooled I all/their money together to get a renowed wizard from neverwinter to solve the special situation with the children. Zingo graciously accepted that with his special program, that coincidentally costs exactly the amount of money the village pooled together, he can organize a month-long bootcamp that will rid the kids of their powers. With his charm and a certificate showing his vast experience in the matter, he got the trust of the elders completely.
They don’t trust Flora half that much. It’s bad enough that a tiefling was the only one who volunteered to school the chilren, on top of that she asks money for baubles that could help the kids control their powers. Her focus of, in their view, short-term solutions irks most of the elders.

Other villagers

The other villagers relegate most responsibility to the elders.Other than that they don’t hate Flora. Most are very thankful for the service she renders, and for the schooling she provides. They don’t trust nor distrust Ringo. Most villagers feel like he is a bit on the expensive side, but they trust the qualifications that he says he has.

Wizards tower

15 minutes out of the village, there is an abandoned Wizards tower. In this tower Zingo the Golemancer has taken his temporary residence. Zingo is a ‘distinguished’ scholar from Waterdeep, who promises a solution for the magical problems by curing the children from their magical predicament. In actuality he/she wants to use the kids as quick labour to mine the mineral ‘Catalonium. He plans to use the Catalonium to boost his own powers, and to show his teachers that he actually is a good golemancer that should have gotten the recognition he deserves.
Should the players choose to ask Ringo if they can help him at this moment, Ringo will welcome the help but will meet them outside, and will under no circumstance grant entry to his tower. Ringo will explain that he requires an amount of Catalonium from a nearby mine to set up his Summer Camp Aiding Magikids, and asks the players to travel with him to the location of the mine.

Act 2: wizards and clerics

By asking around it should be clear that there are two big options for the players:

A: Help Flora to find some Inhibitium

There should be a bit of inhibitum in one of the colleges of winterfell. The issue is price and timing. The other lead is that Flora suspects Zingo of having a small stash himself, but he keeps changing the subject when she presses him.
There must be an option to get this Inhibitum and use it. Flora is sure that there might even be some Inhibitium left in the wizards tower from the last resident wizard. After all, he is the original builder of the school, and the school has an Inhibitium ward.

B: Help Zingo find the catalonium he needs

When asked to help out, Zingo will be surprised, but he will lead the party towards the mines to help him find and stabilize the Catalonium. He will advise any mages to exercise caution, and he will forbid sorcerers and paladins full access to the mines, since he feels they can’t control themselves. The slightest disturbance could set the mine off and blow everyone, including the nearby town, to smithereens according to Zingo.

About Zingo

Zingo has a flair for the dramatic, so feel free to play him with some ‘panache’. It is up to you as a DM to decide how much he embellishes his own accomplishments, but also the disasters he talks about. For example: while catalonium is volatile, it might still be stable enough to not go nuclear, or it might just lead to unforeseen effects in the region.
The wild magic table in the Sorcerer chapter in the PHB gives good ideas for possible effects.

The wizards tower

Whatever choice the players make, life goes on. This chapter tries to explain what the different parties in the story do in the next day, as to provide for some options to further the goal of the party.

In the early afternoon, Zingo closes up the door of his wizards tower. The tower itself is locked, and there is a sentry-golem behind the door that will zap anyone who opens the door without deactivating it. Activating and de-activating the sentry is done with a simple device that Zingo carries around and that emits a soft ‘beep-beep’, not unlike a wireless car lock. When the sentry is triggered, Zingo will be alerted. Depending on how far he is from the tower, he’ll take between 5 to 60 minutes to get back to the tower.

The tower itself has five levels.

First floor - entry

The first floor contains the sentry, along with the start of a spiral staircase that is constructed against the wall. In the center part there is a long, wooden beam that keeps the structure and it’s flooring up.

Second floor - kitchen

The second floor has a small kitchenette that has been recently used. The kitchen has recently been used to make some grilled cheese sandwiches, and dirty dishes are piling up in a small sink.

Third floor - main storage

This floor is segmented in 3 different, smaller storerooms. One storeroom is a pantry, that contains various cheeses, wines, olive oil and spaghetti strands.
A second store-room has more minerals. Pieces of a bright, red glowing mineral are strewn about. This is catalonium, a mineral that enhances magical ability.
The third storeroom contains a couple of healing potions, along with some unidentified potions. A yellow potion with swirling electrical clouds in it is a potion against paralysis.

Fourth floor - sleeping quarters

The fourth floor contains sleeping quarters. A search of the room will provide some backdrop on the true agenda of Zingo, as well as a clue that the real research happens in his study. The study is available by using a ladder, and unlocking a trap door.

Fifth floor - Hidden study

The hidden study is available by using a straight up ladder from the sleeping quarters. The person who opens up the study first activates the ’trap door’ and gets zapped.
The trap activates when someone attempts to pick the lock, or open the door without disarming the trap. Along with falling down the ladder, they need to perform a DC20 constitution check. On fail, the victim is paralyzed for 30 minutes and takes 14 (4d6) electric damage.

It’s to DM discretion if the paralysis can be fixed with items in the pantry.
The study contains a book with the current research notes on Catalonium, as well as the interactions of Catalonium with Inhibitium. There is a small experiment set up here with a red glowing mineral (catalonium) and a deep black mineral. Whoever holds this mineral is incapable of casting a spell or using any magic. The study contains another small book with Zingo’s diary. This diary contains notes on how much Catalonium is mined every day, as well as personal notes on what Zingo’s hidden agenda is.

The idea of this layout is to constrain or trap the players in the wizards tower. The party will have to either lure out Zingo, or wait until he leaves for the mines.
The tower should be time-consuming enough to keep the party occupied, but still give Zingo a possibility to return while the party is still inside. This is especially the case if the alert system is triggered. This will practically guarantee that Zingo will get back before the party has solved the whole tower.

The catalonium mines

If the party decides to follow Zingo, they will be led through the forest, towards a cave. In front of this cave, away from a couple of barrels with deep red minerals, an Earth Elemental keeps guard. The elemental has strict orders to stay away from the mine itself, because his magical energies might interfere with the Catalonium.
The mines themselves are a random sprawl of small corridors. Small creatures can wriggle through with relative easy, but medium creatures have a harder time getting through and might get stuck. Early enough in the caves the party will encounter kids who will just ask who the party is, and if they are there to save them. All kids carry a jet-black bracelet that is skin-tight. This bracelet inhibits their magic.
In the lower levels of the mines there is more raw Catalonium. If a spell gets cast near the catalonium, it will explode and lead to the collapse of that arm. An explosion of that size will also call down anyone in the vicinity, and will alert the village. After an explosion, Zingo will attempt to load whatever catalonium he can on a cart using a pulley-system nearby, and will try to make his escape.

Act 3: Zingo’s hidden agenda

The three big sources of backstory on Zingo are:

• His diary in his sleeping quarters
• His research notes in the study
• Zingo’s own inflated sense of self-worth

Zingo is a Golemancer-in-training who flunked his last year in Neverwinter. He himself attributes it to bad teachers who had it out for him. The truth is that, while magically gifted, his research in unethical uses of magic got him expelled. After stealing a couple of the more forbidden tomes in the neverwinter library, the late fees increased so much that he now is a wanted man. You don’t mess with a librarian from the Neverwinter House of Knowledge.

After conning some other small villages and merchants on the way, he found the jackpot. A small village near a catalonium mine, and some inconsequential problem with a couple of sorcerer kids. Some small inhibitum bracelets that he pilfered in an earlier theft will easily solve that problem. Furthermore: you can’t cook an omelette without breaking eggs, and you can’t mine a highly volatile substance without some risk to the kids who he forces to mine it. When and even if the village notices, he’ll be long gone with his haul.

Act 4: Resolution

Zingo will keep going until he has enough catalonium to strike it rich, or until something bad happens at the mines. At that point he has prepared his escape with a couple of horses in a nearby forest from the tower.
If Zingo encounters the party in the tower while they are breaking in, he will confront them. If the party tries to appeal to his superior intellect, or show an interest in geology, he might be persuaded to let them go, but if anyone drops the smallest clue of his diary, or about the fact that they know he is a fraud, he will attack.

In a battle Zingo will summon Earth Elementals and Air sprites. The Air Sprites will try to keep the party away from Zingo, or will try to slow down players for the Earth Elementals. The Earth Elementals are the pure strength here, and will assault the party. If the players are holed up in the tower, the earth elementals will start demolishing the tower.
Zingo is a coward at heart. In the beginning he will use magic to hold down or slow the party. He might even gloat at the party. After a couple of hits he’ll start attacking from range himself. If he feels threathened, he will attempt to escape in a nearby forest.

If the party decides to give the Inhibitium to Flora, she’ll craft small anti-magic amulets from it to give to the children. She promises to educate the children on using their powers responsibly, and will send them back home later. If she can’t craft the amulets, she’ll just thank the party for saving the children from the mines, and will guarantee she’ll do her best.
Either way: her name is cleared. The elders and the community will also pitch in. The difference is that the people without kids might leave the village after a couple more magical mishaps.

Stat blocks

Earth Elemental

Large Elemental, neutral

Armor Class :: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points :: 126 (12d10 + 60)
Speed :: 20ft, burrow 30ft.

Damage Vulnerabilities:: thunder
Damage Resistances :: bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from
nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities :: poison
Condition Immunities :: exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses :: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60ft., passive Perception 10
Languages :: Terran
Challenge :: 5 (1,800 XP)

Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. : Siege Monster. The elementa l deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

Multiattack. The elemental makes two slam attacks. : Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target
hit 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage

Air sprite

Small elemental, chaotic neutral

Armor Class :: 15 Hit Points :: 66 (12d6 + 24) Speed :: fly 50ft. (hover)

Damage Vulnerabilities:: thunder
Damage Resistances :: bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities :: poison
Condition Immunities :: exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses :: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages :: Auran
Challenge :: 2 (450 XP)

Air Form. The air elemental can occupy the same area as another creature. It can squeeze through small cracks and reform

Actions

Strong headwinds. A creature you occupy a space with gets very strong headwinds. The creature needs to succeed on a 16DC Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature’s speed drops to a maximum of 5ft. On a save the creature only loses half their movement. While in or near the sprite, all ranged attacks from creatures near the sprite have disadvantage on their attack rolls. : Whirlwind. A creature in the elemental’s space must make a DC13 Strength saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 15 (3d8 +2) bludgeoning damage and is flung up 20 feet away from the elemental in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creaturem that creature must succeed on a DC13 Dexterity Savingthrow or take the same damage and be knocked prone. If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t flung away or knocked prone.

source: air elemental DMG p.124

Zingo the flunked golemancer

Gnome, chaotic neutral

Armor Class :: 12
Hit Points :: 40 (9d8)
Speed :: 30 ft.

Saving Throws :: Int +5, Wis +4
Skills :: Arcana +6, Performance +6
Senses :: passive Perception 11
Languages :: Common
Challenge :: 5 (1,800 XP)

Spellcasting. Zingo is a spellcaster. Since I have no idea on how to actually make a spellcaster, I’ll just modify a default mage.
The spellcasting ability is Intelligence (Spell save DC 14, +4 to hit with spell attacks). Zingo hasd the following spells in his spellbook:

Cantrips (at will): Friends, Minor Illusion, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand
1st Level: Charm Person, Alarm, Expeditious Retreat, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
2nd Level: Ray Of Enfeeblement, Suggestion
3rd Level: Stinking Cloud, Magic Circle
4rd level: Conjure Minor Elemental

Actions

Magic Wand. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 2 (1d4)

Rewards

Endless jug of mayonaise

Wondrous item, rare

A seemingly normal jar of mayonaise, with the label ‘100% mayo’ slapped on it.
It produces an endless amount of mayonaise when spooned out of. If the bottle is broken, mayo will gush out and encompass the space the jar was at. About 100 gallons of mayonaise will flood the area, after which the rate of new mayo will start to lower.

Catalonium

Mineral, very rare

A small, glowing red mineral, that is brittle to the touch. When interacting with a magical spell, this mineral will absorb the spell and cast a point-blank fireball.
This mineral can be shattered with a hand and smeared over an arm. The small shards of mineral will create a lot of small cuts that will absorb the rest of the pieces. When absorbed this way the mineral will supercharge the next spell. You can cast a spell on one spell level higher then the spell slot that was used.

Inhibitium

Mineral, Legendary

A jet-black mineral that is cold to the touch. This mineral creates a field that makes all kinds of magic impossible. For all intents and purposes, this serves as a portable Antimagic Field-spell, with the exception that magic created from an artifact or from a deity also temporarily lose their power here.