Malfunctioning Teleportation Circle

“We put a lot of faith in magic, You expect things to always go right- but when you stop to consider just how many monsters are created by magical accidents… well it just puts things in focus.” - Ida Holly

The King, in gratitude for your heroism in protecting the castle, has allowed you to visit the court Archmage and use the Teleportation circle in her courtyard to expedite your trip back home. But when you arrive instead of the elderly woman you were told to meet a teenage boy in an ill-fitting floppy wizard hat greets you.

“Uhhh yes. I am the arch-mage. Uhhh I’m Polymorphed!” He lets out his voice cracking and beads of sweat dripping down his face. But you don’t care to unpack whatever THAT is, Stepping into the circle with your hard-won riches. The teenager begins saying the incantation, When again his voice cracks, and he gives you a look of horror as you begin to vanish to who knows where. You realize as the sounds of ocean sea and creatures climbing out of the waves to gobble up the treat that was teleported to their lair… Ah- an apprentice… Of course.

This map was kicking around in my head for ages and ages. The idea behind its design is an encounter that takes you on a trip through many different kinds of battle maps, Keeping the players on their toes and providing an opportunity for the players to fight monsters who might never be in the same encounter together.

I imagine the phases where the teleporting is happening to be in the Aetherial realm, Giving the beasts the players come across a chance to still get into the circle, keeping the fight on the move!