Twin Summits

Rules of the Race

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The race is split into two stages, each with obstacles. Success means progression, failure consequences, and Wild Cards may be interjected at any time. The race begins at the base of the first summit moving through the mountains, to the lodge in the center, and onto the second summit.  

• Goal. Reach both summits first and plant your flag.
• Fair Play. No long-range flight or teleportation.

The Daring Dynamos

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Dynamos are official members of the Daring Dynamos, known for demolition and their use of dynamite. Reckless yet skilled, they are wildcards on the battlefield, capable of turning any situation sideways. There are 3x Dynamos that are being led by Tempo. They are willing to bend the rules.   Names. Tempo (M, Dwarf), Lyle Cooper (M, Gnome), Audrey Rosenfield (F, Elf), & Briggs the Hawk (F, Dwarf)   Tempo. (C/G, Male, Dwarf Guild Leader)
Co-founder of the Daring Dynamos, Tempo balances explosive adventure with his unique condition. His presence is driven by the competition and the supernatural elements.   Extra Quest. Tempo’s connection is deeper than the race. His strange state pulls him toward the peaks, driving him to uncover their mysteries. Tempo cannot die, being brought back similar to a revenant. Making a connection between the azer and treant helps him understand what is binding him.   Implementing the Dynamos
During each stage, execute one of these disruptive actions:   Explosions. Charges trigger rockslides. DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Failure: 6d6 bludgeoning damage and delay. Failure by 5 or more, gain an injury.   False Trails. The Dynamos create deceptive paths. DC 15 Wisdom (Insight or Survival). Failure means delays. Failure by 5+, enter into dangerous terrain and trigger an obstacle.   Sabotage. Traps trigger mid-challenge. DC 15 Wisdom (Perception). Failure means a creature is restrained during the challenge. Failure by 5+, gain 1 level of exhaustion.

Progression

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Assume the Dynamos successfully overcome each stage’s challenges unless the characters succeed at a major task to stop them or exploit a Wild Card to delay them. If the Dynamos are delayed, escalate their recklessness. Use the Dynamos’ actions to keep the pressure on, ensuring the characters remain vigilant. Their interference should challenge rather than oppress. Adjust the severity as needed.

1d6	Injury
1	Bleed. At the start of each turn, take 1d4 damage. DC 15 Medicine check or magical healing.
2	Weak. Disadvantage on weapon attack rolls and Strength checks. DC 15 Medicine check or short rest.
3	Disoriented. You cannot take reactions and have disadvantage on Wisdom checks. Lasts until a short rest.
4	Concussed. You cannot maintain concentration on spells for longer than 1 round. Lasts until a long rest.
5	Limp. Speed is reduced by 5 feet. After a Dash, make a DC 10 Dexterity save or fall prone. Magical healing.
6	Shock. At the start of your turn, make a DC 10 Intelligence save or be incapacitated until the end of your turn. DC 10 Medicine or short rest.

Stage One: The First Summit

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The summit is a jagged, windswept peak with latent magic. Ledges and unstable rock faces make climbing treacherous.   Terrain. Loose shifting rocks. DC 15 Acrobatics or Athletics. Failure, take 4d6 bludgeoning damage and delays. Failure by 5 or more, means a 20 ft. fall, 2d6 damage, and gain an injury.   Wild Magic Storm. Arcane energy crackles. DC 15 Intelligence save. Failure, take 3d6 psychic damage and have disadvantage on your next check. Failure by 5 or more, the creature is afflicted by the feeblemind spell for 1 hour.   Wild Card: Hallucinations. The mountain tests the characters’ minds with disturbing visions. DC 15 Wisdom save or fall under the effects of the confusion spell for 1 minute. Save each turn.   Encounter: Azer From Another Place. At the summit, a weak fiery, one-armed azer offers one truthful answer to each person. Forbidden info requires a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or suffer 4d6 psychic damage and 1 level of exhaustion.

The Lodge

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A stone structure clings to the mountainside. Driving rain forces the characters toward shelter. If the Dynamos are present, the space brims with tension and increases the doppelgangers.   Encounter: Tulpas. During rest, characters are confronted by copies of themselves, using doppelganger stats. The movements are jerky, words backward, and motives unclear. They reveal secrets pulled from the character’s minds with their Read Thoughts ability. If ignored or provoked, they attack.

Stage Two: The Second Summit

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The land is scorched and gnarled. Unseen voices whisper, shadows move on their own, and oppressive heat fills the air.   Possession. One at a time a spirit attempts to inhabit the living. DC 15 Charisma save or lose control for 2 rounds – GM control.   Heat Flares. DC 15 Con save or suffer 1 level of exhaustion.   Wild Card: Ghosts. Former climbers appear. If interacted with, DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer 6d6 psychic damage.   Encounter: The Arm. The final guardians are 1x treant and 1x fire elemental. The treant has no Fire Vulnerability and awakens nearby trees. When the treant dies it becomes Josie the Banshee. 1x banshee emerges and immediately uses its Wail ability.

Rewards

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The Payment. Guild rate appropriate for the level.   The Prizes. 1st: rod of security. 2nd: wand of secrets.   At the Summit. Elemental gem: red corundum.   The Dynamos. Stat block loot and 1x dynamite each.

NPCs

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Tempo
C/G, Male, Dwarf Guild Leader   A dwarven man who lives a life of danger. Tempo laughs in the face of death because he’s already touched it. Something at the summits calls to him, pulling at a thread he hasn’t yet named. He faces unease with bravado.   He doesn’t know why he can’t die, only that he’s supposed to be here. He wakes from fatal wounds with memories missing.   Roleplaying Tempo
Personality Trait. "You can't let somethin' small like the fear o' death an' injury stop ya from having a good time!"
Ideal. "Skill. Any explosion larger than a house needs plannin', you can wing the rest of 'em."
Bond. "The Dynamos wouldn’t be the same without me. They'd be far too sad for this old dwarf to be off anytime soon."
Flaw. "I rarely factor in the odds of survival for any mission."

The Guilds of Tor

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A network of adventuring guilds, with distinct motivations and values. Characters may belong to or be hired by guilds.   Huntress. Beasts and the prize. If there is something to win.   Knights of the Saber. Protection and martial prowess.   Misfit Adventure Party. Oddball adventurers and underdogs.   Sticky Fingers. Cunning and acquisition. Uncover secrets.

Dynamos

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Since the guild’s inception, adventurers with a thirst for danger and excitement have sought to join their ranks. Trained in both combat and demolition, they are tougher than most adventurers, capable of shaking off injuries that would fell others. Their intent varies widely, dictated by either their personal nature or direct orders from the guild’s leadership.   Tactics. Dynamos favor explosives as their first line of defense, often using dynamite and spells like shatter to collapse structures or disrupt footing. At range, they rely on crossbows to pick off foes, but when the enemy closes in, they fight wildly with rapiers, throwing caution to the wind. While they are not suicidal, a Dynamo will defend their guildmates with ferocity, retreating only when survival demands.

GM Advice

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This adventure is a tribute to Twin Peaks. Lean into the weird. The mystery doesn’t need to resolve cleanly, and the players don’t have to understand everything they experienced. What matters is tone: unsettling, strange, and not grounded in truth.   Through it all, remember the race. The climb, the obstacles, and the rival team are the spine of the adventure. Tempo’s story can sit quietly in the background or take center stage depending on player’s interest. His connection to the summits adds emotional weight but does not need to be solved.