The Stolen Radiance of Acrocelis

In a city of magic and medieval intrigue, prevent a sacrificial calamity while embarking on a daring heist.

In the sprawling magical city of Acrocelis, a young paladin confesses to the theft of a sacred hobgoblin artifact by his order, setting off a race against time to return it and avert disaster. The heist must be pulled off from the Hallowed Archive guarded by a formidable orc, but players soon discover that the situation is more dire — the town's mayor is under the influence of a malevolent spirit planning a sacrificial rite. As alliances are tested, the players must strategize swiftly to save the town, employing both magic and cunning to unravel this layered plot within 24 hours.

Campaign Image

The World

Context

Acrocelis thrives in a world where high magic pervades a medieval-styled society. Streets bustle with enchanted wares, and towering edifices hum with spellsongs. Magic crystals light the city, but the dependence on sorcery births conflicts over power, ethics, and safeguarding ancient traditions against technological stagnation and misuse of arcane forces, especially among racially diverse factions like humans, elves, and orcs. In this setting, clandestine heists and spiritual manipulations weave the fabric of intrigue and adventure.

Concept

Magic-infused medieval society relying on enchantments rather than technology.

Impact

Daily life revolves around magic; spellcasting guilds wield power, creating guild rivalries and societal friction.

The Plot

Summary

Acrocelis, a city where magic reigns, is thrown into disarray when a young paladin confesses that his order has wrongfully taken a sacred hobgoblin artifact. Tasked with righting this wrong, the adventurers must stealthily reclaim the artifact from the Hallowed Archive, guarded by an indomitable orc warrior. Simultaneously, a mysterious sending stone reveals a more sinister plot — the mayor, under the influence of a possessing spirit, plans to sacrifice the entire town. The adventurers must balance the urgency of retrieving the artifact with uncovering clues about the mayor’s malevolent intentions. As tensions escalate, the team faces ethical dilemmas and physical trials under the pressure of a ticking clock; they must exploit the intense magical backdrop of Acrocelis to succeed. Each decision sways the city’s fate, with failure risking a devastating catastrophe. Will the adventurers restore balance and thwart the spiritual threat in time?

Complication

A sending stone reveals the mayor's dangerous sacrificial plan.

Hook

Retrieve the hobgoblin's sacred artifact within 24 hours.

World stakes

Failing, the town is sacrificed, unleashing chaos.

Personal stakes

Failure brands PCs as criminals and derelict saviors.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

The players learn about the stolen artifact and meet the young paladin-in-training who confesses his order's misdeed. They need to infiltrate the Hallowed Archive, but first, they must deal with the formidable orc guard blocking their path. As they strategize to enter the secure area and outsmart the orc with magic or diplomacy, they receive a message through a sending stone warning about the mayor's malicious intentions, adding urgency to their mission.

Location:

Hallowed Archive guarded by magic-resistant orc.

Challenge:

Overcoming the paladin-trained orc.

Objective:

Infiltrate Hallowed Archive to secure the artifact.

Set Back:

The orc guard's challenge causes a delay.

Revelation:

The mayor’s sacrificial plan.

GM's Guide:

Emphasize the tension as PCs decide how to deal with the orc — combat, distraction, or negotiation. Use environmental descriptions to hint at the heist’s stakes and foreshadow the mayor’s impending threat.

GM's Move:

The sending stone message introduces an urgent new threat.

Act 2

Summary:

Inside the Hallowed Archive, players navigate through enchantment-laden defenses, using ingenuity and spellcraft to retrieve the sophic lens — the true name of the artifact. Meanwhile, the danger escalates as the mayor’s possessed antics become apparent in the city, manifesting through increasing paranoia among citizens and magical disturbances. The adventurers find crucial lore linking the mayor to ancient sacrifices, further complicating their mission as allegiances within the Archive reveal opposing factions.

Location:

Mystical layers of Hallowed Archive.

Challenge:

Navigating traps and politics within.

Objective:

Acquire the artifact amid Archive’s magical challenges.

Set Back:

Internal Archive factions create distrust.

Revelation:

Mayor possessed by sacrificial spirit.

GM's Guide:

Balance exploration with urgency; encourage creative spell use and highlight internal tensions. Amplify suspense with sudden magical effects reflecting the mayor’s rising influence.

GM's Move:

Mayor’s influence causes magical disruptions citywide.

Act 3

Summary:

With the artifact secured, the adventurers rush to confront the mayor at a secretive site of ritual power beneath the city. Faced with loyal city guards under the mayor's control, they must choose between stealth or direct confrontation to reach the possessed mayor. Leveraging the artifact’s magic, they aim to disrupt the ritual. A climactic showdown tests their resolve as the boundary between ally and foe blurs, culminating in a confrontation where saving the city demands both physical and moral sacrifices.

Location:

Ritual chamber beneath Acrocelis City.

Challenge:

Evade or convince possessed loyalists.

Objective:

Circumvent ritually-bound guards to stop the mayor.

Set Back:

Artifact sabotage momentarily nullifies its magic.

Revelation:

Ritual hinges on artifact’s magic.

GM's Guide:

Highlight intense choices and character motives. Maintain high stakes by displaying the city’s gradual degradation, and stress the urgency of stopping the ritual.

GM's Move:

Loyalists block paths as ritual reaches peak.

Climax:

Disrupt ritual, freeing town from dire fate.