The Tavern of Trials

About the adventure

When the adventure begins, each character enters The Tavern of Endless Trials with nothing but their wits, their class, and 1,000 gold pieces. They start at level 1, regardless of their backstory, as the gods strip all who enter of past glories to see what they can truly become. The tavern serves as the party’s hub, a place to rest, plan, and prepare before each descent into the crystal’s trials. Robert, the goblin proprietor, acts as both merchant and guide. He is capable of acquiring any mundane or magical item the players request, provided they can afford it, though prices may fluctuate as the gods interfere. Likewise, Robert will purchase anything the party brings back from the crystal’s domains, from weapons and relics to monster parts and cursed trinkets, converting their victories into gold and future power. At the heart of the tavern stands the towering crystal, which activates when four worthy adventurers touch it. Doing so transports the party into one of the ten deadly terrain-domains, where they must battle through multiple encounters, collect loot, and search for the exit crystal that will return them to the tavern. Each run is dangerous, unpredictable, and designed to test the party’s endurance, teamwork, and tactical skill. As players complete runs, they gain experience, level up, and unlock new opportunities both inside and outside the dungeon. Stronger foes, rarer loot, and hidden paths begin to appear, allowing the party to shape how their journey unfolds. Over time, what begins as a simple hunt for gold becomes a deeper exploration of the tavern’s secrets, Robert’s curse, and the divine forces that turned survival into a game.