Difficulty: Level 2

In the library there's a book that describes a powerful wish-granting god that can be summoned by collecting four artifacts. They're hidden, one in the swamp to the east, one in the mountains to the west, one by the lake to the north, and one in the forest to the south. There are further clues to the exact locations.

Follow up:

The first artifact is hidden in the Slugslick swamp under a spider-shaped root.

Encounter 1: Swamp (Magic)

Roaming One cautiously approached a scary weathered shack made of blackened wood and clay, a pale purple glow leaking from its windows. Suddenly, the front door flew open and therein appeared a witch whose very skin crackled with age and power.

Roaming One made an Intelligence check with a difficulty of 12 . . . and rolled 4

Full of fear and lacking understanding, Roaming One charged the witch, weapon ready to strike her down. The witch cackled and, with the flick of her wrist and wave of her wand, lifted Roaming One into the air. She tumbled him slowly end over end, completely helpless. After a brief lecture on politeness and something about paper wrappings around tomes, she tossed Roaming One to the ground and let him go his merry way.

Roaming One took 4 damage.
Roaming One gets +3 Charisma for 3 encounters.
Roaming One received 20 XP.

Encounter 2: Swamp (Traps)

Roaming One was making good progress through the swamp.

Roaming One made an Intelligence check with a difficulty of 10 . . . and rolled 14

He was using a ten-foot pole to probe the ground in front of him. Suddenly the pole plunged deep below the surface. Swishing it left and right to clear the leaves out of the way, Roaming One revealed a pit trap! He decided to roll a big rock into the trap and hide nearby to catch whoever set it. When the brigands came to check on their trap, he was ready for them.

Roaming One received 68 XP and 10 gold.
Roaming One received a Potion of Healing.

Encounter 3: Story Encounter

Roaming One saw a tree with roots that looked exactly like a gigantic spider. He walked up to it and peeked under its legs.

Roaming One made an Armor Class check with a difficulty of 26 . . . and rolled 20

That was when the mass of roots -- which actually was a giant spider -- bit him. Roaming One crushed it twice before it went down. Then he noticed the tree's real roots also looked like a giant spider. Hidden beneath them was a sack of gold and an engraved silver bookmark.

Roaming One took 3 damage.
Roaming One received 26 XP and 5 gold.

The second artifact is in the Coilspine Mountains, under a rock with a handprint carved on it.

Encounter 4: Mountain

Roaming One's crossing through the mountains was slow and difficult, so the sight of a inviting cottage with smoke coming from the chimney was a welcome sight.

Roaming One made a Charisma check with a difficulty of 13 . . . and rolled 17

Roaming One knocked on the door, and was taken in by a kind old woman who tended his wounds, and gave him a nice meal and place to rest.

Roaming One got healed for +7 Hit Points.
Roaming One received 76 XP.

Encounter 5: Mountain

Roaming One approached an old man guarding a rickety bridge spanning a deep ravine. The old man refused to let Roaming One pass until he answered a riddle.

Roaming One made an Intelligence check with a difficulty of 15 . . . and rolled 17

Roaming One tricked the old man into answering his own riddle incorrectly -- which sent the old man flying into the gorge by the power of his own magic. Roaming One strolled easily across the bridge.

Roaming One received 64 XP.

Encounter 6: Story Encounter

After examining exactly eight hundred and fifteen rocks, Roaming One found one with a handprint in it.

Roaming One made a Wisdom check with a difficulty of 13 . . . and rolled 4

Roaming One pushed and pulled, but could not move the rock. Exhausted, he leaned on the rock, putting his hand right into the handprint. With a loud click, the rock slid over on its own, revealing a small pouch of gold and a pair of silver rimmed glasses.

Roaming One gets -5 Strength for 3 encounters.
Roaming One received 22 XP and 3 gold.

The third artifact is buried in the sand by Whitemist Lake, where the sun honors the moon.

Encounter 7: Lake (Undead)

The zombified corpses of drowned fishermen lurched forth from the lake!

Roaming One made an Attack Bonus check with a difficulty of 16 . . . and rolled 13

Roaming One took a couple hesitant attacks, but the terrifying sight of the undead proved too much to bear -- Roaming One fled to safer ground.

Roaming One took 3 damage.
Roaming One received 22 XP.

Encounter 8: Lake

Roaming One crossed a shallow inlet, wading through the cool lake. Telltale ripples in the water warned him of a rather large snake coming his way! The fisher's guild was offering a small reward for each poisonous sea snake removed from their lake, so Roaming One continued in.

Roaming One made a Constitution check with a difficulty of 12 . . . and rolled 17

The snake bit Roaming One, but he resisted its poison and wrung the vicious reptile's neck.

Roaming One took 2 damage.
Roaming One received 83 XP and 7 gold.
Roaming One received a Crystal Orb.

Encounter 9: Story Encounter

After hours of poking around the lake, Roaming One still had no idea what "the sun honors the moon" meant.

Roaming One made an Intelligence check with a difficulty of 13 . . . and rolled 10

Roaming One collapsed beside a tall rock. After an hour, two goblins popped out of the nearby underbrush and attacked. Roaming One defeated them, but was injured. Just then the sun came out. It shone through a hole near the top of the tall rock and made a moon shape in the sand at Roaming One's feet. He began digging and soon he had a pouch of gold and a small silver rod. Pushing a button on the side of the rod made one end glow brightly.

Roaming One took 7 damage.
Roaming One received 22 XP and 4 gold.

The fourth artifact is secreted in the forest, in the crown of a tree.

Encounter 10: Forest

Roaming One was getting tired of walking along the seemingly endless road through the forest when he heard a horse approaching. Hoping to hitch a ride, he struck up a conversation as the man approached.

Roaming One made a Charisma check with a difficulty of 12 . . . and rolled 18

The rider was glad to meet a friendly adventurer and even happier to have the company of such a charming traveler on the lonely road. They rode together on the horse for several miles before their paths diverged at a fork in the road. For Roaming One, it was also pleasant company and even more so pleasant to get off his feet for a while.

Roaming One gets +3 Constitution for 2 encounters.
Roaming One received 41 XP.

Encounter 11: Forest (rare)

Exploring a particularly dark and unnerving part of the woods, Roaming One came across a three-foot tall toadstool. It seemed like the sort of thing you should stay away from, so he decided to go around it. As he did, he slipped and fell, kicking the fungus as he went down. A foul cloud of spores filled the air.

Roaming One made a Constitution check with a difficulty of 11 . . . and rolled 17

The spores made him feel nauseous for a few hours, but no lasting harm was done. It was worth it because, deeper in this accursed grove, he found abandoned treasure.

Roaming One received 82 XP and 17 gold.
Roaming One received a Potion of Burnshield.

Encounter 12: Final Encounter

Roaming One knew immediately which tree he was supposed to be looking for -- the thing's branches were shaped just like a giant crown, complete with flowers in full bloom that looked just like jewels.

Roaming One made a Constitution check with a difficulty of 14 . . . and rolled 14

Roaming One climbed up. It wasn't easy as the branches were far apart in some places and the smooth bark was rather difficult to hold onto. After searching every bough, he finally found a camouflaged box containing a silver-bound book and a pouch of gold. By this time it was dark, so he used the rod for light, put on the glasses and read the book, marking his progress with the silver bookmark. It was an illuminating experience.

Roaming One received 150 XP and 56 gold.

Having successfully completed the adventure, Roaming One headed home to rest.