Hyza's Magic shop is one of the city's best stocked, and one of the most memorable. Owned by an old man named Hyza, it stands as much of a tribute to his glory days as an adventurer as a place to buy wondrous items.
It's after hours and the customers have left. The only living thing you see in the shop is Hyza himself, snoozing in the chair behind a counter (B).
By the front door, you can easily spot a very small Alarm Construct. He doesn't fight, but serves simply to alert Hyza at the approach of any outside. If the front door is forced or the perimeter of the store otherwise breached, it wails a warning, which brings Warning Tollers running up the stairs (S).
Hyza himself is an accomplished mage in his own right. You can play him any way you like, from a warrior to a doddering old man. He may be played best if he appears frail, but is in fact deadly.
The stuffed creatures do not animate, but are there for decoration and to bring tourists into the shop. Atop shelf (M) is a stuffed turtle and large spider. On shelf (P) is a stuffed giant rat.
The hexagonal bookshelf (D) is filled with countless dusty tomes, some of value, many just curiosities. On the west side of the hexagonal shelf, with a Thievery check of DC25, one finds a latch behind some books. Pulling the latch will free that side of the shelf to swing open, revealing a 15' wide staircase leading downwards.
At the bottom of the staircase (S) are 4 Warning Tollers. If the Alarm Construct sounds the alarm or if any of the 8 roof glass sections gets broken, they charge up the stairs and into battle.
If the Alarm Construct can be killed before it gets the chance to take an action, it does not sound the warning. To avoid detection when inside the magic shop by it requires a successful Stealth check of DC25.
To avoid waking Hyza while inside the magic shop, one must make a Stealth check of DC18.
The Warning Tollers on the stairs (S) work best together, in close proximity. Their sonic attacks play off each other, becoming stronger when others of their kind stand nearby.
If one of them uses their Concussive Blast ability, one of the glass ceiling panels shatters, raining glass down on those below it. Those caught in the rain of shards take 2d10 (save reduces damage by half). Roll a d8 to determine which ceiling panel shatters. Re-roll if the panel indicated by the die has already shattered.
North
NorthEast
East
SouthEast
South
SouthWest
West
NorthWest
Consider all squares under a fallen panel as difficult terrain.
If their sonic attacks do not seem to be doing much damage, they will switch to their Hammer Attack ability.
Area Features
Dome Ceiling
The shop is made up of a clear glass dome with 8 support beams leading from ground to the ceiling's peak. Use the material for these beams that you feel fits your setting best:
Wood
Metal
Crystal
Floor
The floor is of polished marble. If it is covered with glass, it is considered difficult terrain.
Stuffed Creatures
Hyza brought home many creatures during his days of adventuring, especially as he began to age, seeing his days of dungeon crawls were coming to a close. These creatures he had stuffed, partly to remind himself of his glory days, partly to bring in tourists and adventurers.
His mischievous nature caused him to have them enchanted. When someone approaches within one square, their eyes light up and they make a sound like the creature they once were. Children especially have endless fun with them, which never fails to make Hyza laugh from his chair behind counter (B).
Shelves
The shelves hold all sorts of curiosities, though few of them are truly valuable. Rare magical components are stored in jars, strange-smelling powders and odd oils. If you're looking for unusual components, Hyza almost certainly has what you're looking for.
Display Counters
The most valuable magic items are stored behind glass in the display counters (B) and (C). During the day, these are well stocked. At night, however, the valuables are taken downstairs, where a portal connects with a nearby bank vault. Unless a keyword is spoken, the portal won't activate.
Conclusion
When the glass begins to fall, if you place the magic store within a city, within rounds, city guards will begin to blow their whistles to announce their approach.
The characters can decide whether they want to climb downstairs and close the shef door after them, run away, or do some fast talking to try to explain the disturbance and destruction all around them.
Expanding the Delve
Hyza's Magic Shop makes a perfect entrace to a below-city dungeon, sewers, or maybe it was built atop the foundation of an old temple.
This delve is meant as the gateway to something more, though you can certainly use it as a standalone encounter. Perhaps the players are meant to retrieve something from the shop, to find a clue, or to discover evidence of Hyza's past.
Adjusting the Delve's Level
If you you're hosting an adventure for higher or lower-level adventurers, feel free to make the Warning Tollers more or less powerful. You can also increase their numbers for even greater challenge, since they get more powerful the more that stand together.
The dropping ceiling could deal more or less damage.
Hyza may turn out to be either a sleepy old fool or a wizard whose body has grown frail, but whose magic has only grown stronger with the years.
