Cave of the Cyclops

 Cave of the Cyclops (level 4)

Your party was the crew of a ship set to explore the world in search of fame and fortune! That was until the ship you were on crashed into a mystical island. After some brief exploration of the coast revealed many more shipwrecks your surviving group decides to explore one of the many large and deep caves that you've spotted around the island. But this cave isn't as empty as you thought...

Plot Overview

1. When the party enters the cave, they see a large pin of cows and calves, a brazier lit with blue fire, an old looking scroll, a 10-foot long wooden greatclub, and a sizeable mound of gold and valuables. One of your surviving crewmates, Eurylochus (CG human gladiator), encourages that the surviving crew take their earned spoils and leave. The mouth of the cave also has a boulder next to it.
2. After only a few moments in the cave a tall, male cyclops enters the cave and rolls the rock into the cave entrance, trapping everyone inside, then the giant notices the adventurers (if they weren't hiding) and tells them "OH! LOOK WHAT I HAVE HERE! SOME PUNY SMALLFOLK TRIED TO PLUNDER MY CAVE AGAIN?! WELL NOT THIS TIME, I'VE BEEN HUNGERING FOR MORTAL FLESH FOR YEARS!!"
3. The cyclops (named Polyphemus) will laugh out of pride, snack on some cows, and falls asleep telling the people that he'll "eat them for breakfast". The party only has tonight until he wakes up to kill them and Eurylochus expresses his fear and desperation for a plan, but the party is strapped for resources in this cave.
4. However, there are only a couple ways for the party to have a chance of escape:
1. The Scroll. The old scroll at the bottom of the treasure pile can be identified as a fiendish item. A 7th level scroll of summon greater demon that reveals the true name of the hezrou, Gaalix. When the demon emerges from a sulfur cloud, he is weakened by his name being known and obeys any command from his summoner (his stench will affect the party, but they get used to it quickly). He's willing to help kill Polyphemus and move the boulder blocking the exit.
2. The Brazier. The blue flame brazier is an artifact made by the god Hephaestus and acts as a brazier of commanding fire elementals. The fire elemental is also willing to kill Polyphemus, but its burning form means it could burn through the boulder to make a pathway for the party.
3. The Greatclub. The cyclops' club is the trunk of a thick and hefty tree, so it is very blunt, but members of the party can sharpen the bottom of the roots to a point. Once that's done, they can poke out Polyphemus' eye. He'll howl in pain and call for other cyclops who show up after a minute and push the boulder open.
4. The Fight. The party could decide to combat Polyphemus directly by attacking him in his sleep. He has to get up and grab his club and he's surprised so he is at a disadvantage. He's still pretty strong so Eurylochus and the summoned creatures will have to carry their weight. After he's dead the party will have to come together to push aside the boulder with a combined strength check of 40.
5. The Fear. Cyclopes are infamously unwise and inexperienced in the ways of magic. If a player uses the scroll or the brazier or casts a sufficiently flashy spell in front of the giant he'll be terrified of eminent death and throw aside the boulder himself.
5. If the cave opens or an opening is made the goddess Circe (CN solar) will descend from the sky and quickly kill Polyphemus. Then she'll heal any injured party members while describing, "Your fate does not end here, mortals. You are destined for the fame that you seek, and I will help you reach it."
6. You can continue this into a full campaign or end the one-shot with a cliffhanger.