The Oriq Infiltration: A Level 1-2 Strixhaven Adventure
Overview
The PCs are on a tour of Strixhaven, this will likely be the first or second session of a Strixhaven game, but the bones of this adventure could be used at any point with alterations. As designed, this is for a party of 3 to 4 level 1 or 2 players. While on the tour, the Oriq attack the Bibloplex with Mage Hunters and Mage Hunter Larva (Stat Blocks are included).
This adventure would transition to a longer campaign to investigate what the Oriq was searching for and how they made it onto campus despite the security.
The adventure begins with an Orientation Tour, heads into The Library, and ultimately ends in the Dean's Office.
Orientation Tour
Orientation Introduction
"So you got your basic robes, please try them on as soon as you are back in your dorm. In a few years, you'll get the uniform specific to your college, but everyone starts as a generic Mage Student. That student, the one in black & green robes wrestling a small wurm, is in Witherbloom. Those two over there, both wearing white and black having an impassioned conversation, or argument it’s hard to tell -- are Silverquill. Please keep up, we have a lot left to see. If you look up as we walk, you can see around us right now the torches of enlightenment - these flames burn eternally and guide us toward our next destination -- the Bibloplex."
This flavor text can be read by any NPC. Ideally, they will be an upper class student with some experience from the college. My suggestion is that you use a student from a college one (or more) of your players may be interested in joining; you could do the opposite as well, where the head of the tour is from an otherwise lesser explored college.
The players will tour from the opening gates of Strixhaven, through campus, to the Bibloplex. The table below can be used to generate useful sites along the tour - details can be found here.
| d8 | Noteworthy Site |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Mage Tour Field (likey from a distance) |
| 2 | Statues of the Founding Dragons |
| 3 | Mage Student Dorms |
| 4 | Silverquill Main Building: Grandloft Hall |
| 5 | Prismari Main Building: Conjurot Hall |
| 6 | Witherbloom Main Area: Sedgemoor |
| 7 | Lorehold Main Area: Effigy Row |
| 8 | Quandrix Main Building: Torus Hall |
At The Bibloplex & the Ambush
The Bibloplex is where the attack will occur. Specifically, the Oriq will be aiming to target the Mystical Archive, the top levels of the library where copies of ever spell in the multiverse are stored.
Library Flavor!
“So this is the Bibloplex, the center of the University. Our destination, specifically, is the Hall of Oracles - a chamber lined with monuments. If we were to venture up a few flights, we would be headed toward the Mystical Archive. That area is restricted, but holds records of every spell in the Multiverse - pretty potent stuff. From here, though, at the center of this hall you can see the Strixhaven Snarl - a magical core (at this point, the speaker is cut off witht he sound of commotion as the attack begins)...”
After the attack breaks out, the tour guide turns to the PCs and suggests they hide between the shelves. They aren't going to go far, but they are going to help defend the floor (along with the other upper class students and faculty).
The narrow rows are overflowing with books and the PCs crowd into the back, hiding from the Mage Hunters as they swarm the Bibloplex. The tour guide runs, about 50 feet away, to fend off the major attack. Meanwhile, the PCs are attacked by Mage Hunter Larva. Statblocks for both Mage Hunters and Larva can be found on Page 2 and 3.
While fighting, the PCs are welcome to be creative. They have all of their spells and items available, but they could also use books, or the shelves themselves as improvised weapons.
After the Fight
After the fight, once the Mage Hunters are dealt with, the PCs are gathered by their original guide as well as a dean from one of the colleges - this can be determined by party composition or random roll. The PCs, given that they dealt with the Mage Hunter Larva while most of the other under classmen did not, are welcomed into the Dean’s office.
The Dean explains that the Oriq are a secret society trying to break into the Mystical Archive because of philosophical disagreements with how the college is structured. The problem is, it’s currently unknown how they made it on to campus, especially with so many Mage Hunters. If the PCs are willing to work with the Dean -- they can investigate this Oriq Intrusion. Meanwhile, the deans are going to ensure nothing of note was stolen.
On the next page there are random tables to determine who the Oriq Informant is, as well as what may have been stolen.
Random Tables Moving Forward
Informant
| d6 | Oriq Informant/Contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | A groundskeeper or other non-teacher faculty who was working with the Oriq for the promise of power and esteem |
| 2 | Disillusioned underclassmen who hasn’t been accepted to a college |
| 3 | A student from one of the five Strixhaven colleges |
| 4 | A well esteemed teacher from one of the five Strixhaven colleges |
| 5 | A Dean other than the one who contacted the players |
| 6 | The Dean who contacted the players after the attack |
Stolen Goods
| d6 | Stolen Goods |
|---|---|
| 1 | Luckily, nothing |
| 2 | A handful of common magic items |
| 3 | Two Deans' spellbooks |
| 4 | A prized magic tome, there are examples in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything |
| 5 | A bundle of prized spell scrolls (you can generate three to five 3-5 level spells) |
| 6 | A spell scroll for Gate and a book about demons, specifically one known as "The Blood Avatar." |
Mage Hunter Larva
Medium, Evil
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 20-25
- Speed 30ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 6 (-2) 5 (-3)
- Arcane Resistance The Mage Hunter has +2 on saves against magic
- Senses Advantage on Perception Checks pertaining to magic; Passive Perception 8
Actions
Claw. Melee attack; 5ft reach; +3 to hit; 1d4+1 damage piercing damage and the target has to roll a DC 10 Strength Save or be GRAPPLED
Bite. Melee attack; 5ft reach; +3 to hit; 1d6+1 piercing damage + 1d4 necrotic damage
Mage Hunter
Large, Evil
- Armor Class 15
- Hit Points 110-125
- Speed 35ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) 5 (-3)
- Arcane Resistance The Mage Hunter has advantage on saves against magic.
- Afflict the Arcane Whenever a spell successfully damages a Mage Hunter, the caster must roll a Constitution saving throw (DC 15) on a failure, they take half damage.
- Senses Advantage on Perception Checks pertaining to magic; Passive Perception 9
Actions
Multiattack. The Mage Hunter makes 2 claw attacks or 1 claw and 1 bite.
Claw. Melee attack; 10ft reach; +4 to hit; 1d8+2 damage piercing damage
Bite. Melee attack; 5ft reach; +4 to hit; 1d6+2 piercing damage + 1d6 necrotic damage. A creature that takes damage from a Mage Hunter's bite makes a Constitution Saving Throw (DC 13), on a failure they are poisoned for one minute.
Credits:
- D&D and MTG credit to Wizards of the Coast
- Cover Art, "Bury in Books" - Zoltan Boros
- Page 2, "Mage Hunters' Onslaught" - Lie Setiawan
- Page 3, "Mage Hunter" - Mathias Kollros