One Page Adventure: The Clock of Elementals

Our fifth one page adventure (OPA) – download bite-sized inspiration for your RPG sessions!

Escorting an unwilling creature through a hostile environment was the central idea we wanted to explore with this one-page adventure. It was supposed to be simple twist on the classical escort mission trope, but I think we overcomplicated it a bit. It takes a while to establish all the elements of the puzzle (pun very much intended) and even after everything is clear, the random nature of the dungeon might still foil the player plans. However, if it clicks and the players come up with cool strategies, this becomes one of the most tactical OPA so far.

Overview

Recommended RPG: Fantasy RPG with a deep magic system
Number of players: four
Duration: long (4-6 hours)
Difficulty: hard

The Story

Your life-long research has brought you all here: to the Temple of Elementals. The old hermit promised you, that in the middle of its intricate network of tunnels lies the apparatus which will allow you to bind the power of an Elemental to your will. However, first you must accomplish two tasks: Find your way into the heart of the temple and capture a living Elemental. You look down to the chain faintly glowing in your hand and smile. The latter shouldn’t be a problem.

In this one-page adventure, you and your party set of in search of forbidden magic – elemental magic. The Temple is not just a maze, but a puzzle for you all to solve. Can figure out how to call forth the Elementals? Why has nobody succeeded in reaching the temple’s middle so far? Are your lifes just ticking down on “The Clock of Elementals”?

Hints, notes and ideas for this One-Page Adventure

Like many of our one-page adventures, this one can serve as the beginning of a longer campaign. Either the players survive or they discover far greater power than they bargained for.
Summoning Elementals at the four pillars should come at a cost to the players – ideally one the can measure themselves. I.e if you were to run this adventure using D&D 5e rules, the players might decide how many spell slots they want to use summoning Elementals. The more magic the put into the pillar, the stronger the summoned Elementals will be.
Try to hide the inner workings of the clock of elementals from the players. If they don’t know what causes it to light up, it will make the entire temple a lot more menacing.