Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)

[talien]

Chapter 60: Where the Ocean Meets the Sky - Introduction

This scenario is from the Dead Man’s Chest adventure “Where the Ocean Meets the Sky” by Necromancer Games, adapted to the Arcanis setting. You can read more about Arcanis at Onara Online. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!

Our cast of characters includes:

• Dungeon Master: Michael Tresca (http://michael.tresca.net)
• Beldin Soulforge (dwarf fighter/dwarven defender) played by Joe Lalumia
• Kham Val’Abebi (val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (Jeremy Robert Ortiz)
• Sebastian Arnyal (dark-kin sorcerer) played by George Webster

Alert readers will note that we already played half of this adventure in our heroes’ quest to return from Nyambe. Instead of making Coralis a long journey, we have the PCs traveling by glass whale powered by pseudonatural fihali—weird transportation, but fast nonetheless.

I tweaked the adventure so that exploring the sunken ship is a necessity to get the Moonsilver Orb. Then I threw out the not-so-interesting caverns/challenges and replaced it with all the neat challenges I never got to use on The Isle of Chaugnar Faugn. This turned out better than I expected, and the PCs were more than up to the challenge.

I also decided that if one of my PCs is going to have an amulet of the planes, then he’s gonna use it as a plot device to escape certain doom. Which he did. Of course.

This is also the last you’ll see of the k’n-yan and the fihali as they struggle to prevent the Cult of Leviathan gaining dominance. Or to put it another way, out with the old cult, in with the new!

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Prologue

Coralis rose from the Pale Sea, a sun unto itself, like a grand cathedral to Yarris, god of the depths. Tall spires captured the light of the sun, transforming the dawn into a multitude of gems floating in the sky. Four towers reached from their watery foundations up to the heavens, appearing to be made of precious stones: emerald, sapphire, ruby, and topaz. The reef of coral below the towers was clearly visible through the crystal waters, extending out of sight in either direction, effectively blocking further passage.

Numerous islands, sporting foliage, emerged along the reef. Fires burned on several of the islands, hinting that all was not well. The ruins of four other towers confirmed that a massive battle had occurred recently.

The black fihali turned as one to face Beldin, Kham, and Sebastian.

“This is where we get off,” said Sebastian after a moment of interpreting the thought-symbols the alien fihali relayed only to him. “They showed me an image of a buried ship, approximately one hundred feet below the surface.”

“And we’re supposed to do what, exactly?” asked Beldin, dubious.

“The fihali ship was trying to penetrate the defenses of the k’n-yan. In the end, they rammed the ship into the coral, but they died in the ensuing explosion. We must make our way through that opening and find the Moonsilver Orb.”

“K’n-yan, huh?” asked Kham. “I don’t suppose they’ll be surprised to see us?”

The glass whale rocked from an explosion. It was a testament to fihali engineering that the ship only shuddered.

“Never mind,” said Kham.

The fihali pointed. Slowly, the platform where Kham, Beldin, and Sebastian stood sank into the mouth of the glass whale. Water rushed in around their feet.

“How exactly are we going to breathe water down there?” asked Kham.

Beldin concentrated a moment. “There, you can breathe normally underwater now.”

The water was waist level. Although it was cooler than the air, the water of the Pale Sea was still temperate in comparison.

Kham looked at him sideways. “Just like that?”

Beldin crossed his arms. “Just like that.”

Kham took a deep breath. The water level reached his neck. He reflexively raised his chin.

“I don’t know if I trust Cho Sun’s ring,” Kham muttered.

“You don’t have a choice,” said Sebastian.

The water reached Kham’s mouth and then suddenly he was completely submerged.

“Relax now, Kham,” said Beldin, muffled beneath the water. “Sebastian and I have done this before. Just keep breathing as it fills...don't fight it. Take it in. Just let yourself take it in.”

Suddenly, there was nothing to breathe but water. Kham’s eyes went wide in instant panic. He started to thrash, chest heaving.

“This is normal,” said Beldin. “It'll pass in a second. Humans breathe liquid for nine months, Kham. Your body will remember.”

Kham looked at the dwarf in disbelief. He would have yelled at him if it didn’t mean giving up another breath.

His spasms subsided. Kham began to breathe normally. He was alive, alert and quite completely drowned inside the glass whale. He grinned and gave a thumbs up to Beldin.

“Now the real fun begins,” said Sebastian.

Then the glass whale’s mouth dropped them into the ocean.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 1 – Black Hole

A vessel resembling an oblong sphere of seamless, shining metal jutted from the coral reef. A long gash marred the otherwise perfect exterior, allowing water and fish easy passage into the interior. Lengthwise along the equator of the huge ship, weapons and tools of all uses protruded from the hull, each near by a small porthole. The metal appeared unaffected by the water.

There was a jagged opening in the ship, one that obviously should not have been there. The explosion that brought the ship low left a gaping hole in its side. The edges were ragged and blackened, with strange conduits protruding from the mangled remains of the wall. They flashed with energy occasionally, all that was left of the magic that once powered the vessel.

Sebastian spread his wings and snapped his tail behind him, gliding like a manta ray in the ocean depths as if he had lived there all his live. Beldin wasn’t kidding, they had clearly practiced such a maneuver before.

Before Kham could get any closer to the ship, there was a rush of water around them. K’n-yan, their arms close to their sides, were launched downwards into the water as if they had been propelled by great force.

“Guess they know we’re here.” Kham reached for his pistols, then stopped. Firing the pistols would be impossible underwater.

Sebastian was already gliding like some deranged manta ray towards the k’n-yan. He said something, Kham couldn’t make out what, and suddenly the water before them was filled with superheated bubbles.

Some of the k’n-yan returned fire. Their strange rifles went wide. Others reached for curved swords. That gave Kham an idea.

Beldin swam forward, swinging his axe clumsily at his opponents. While he was certainly a devastating foe on land, without his footing Beldin was as ineffective as a fish on land. Every swing of his axe knocked him off balance.

Kham was not so encumbered. His ring bestowed the ability to move effortlessly in the water. He drew Talon and Coomb’s dagger.

Rays of energy spiraled through the bubbles and struck Sebastian again and again. He floated backwards, weakened from the attack.

Then they were upon him. Kham dodged sideways as one of the k’n-yan attempted to skewer him. It was so close he could see his reflection in its bronze exoskeleton…if it even was an exoskeleton. Whatever the actual nature of the k’n-yan’s armor, they didn’t need to breathe.

Kham plunged his dagger into the side of the k’n-yan and a chunk of ice cracked its way along the thing’s torso. Then the ice yanked it upwards, out of Kham’s field of vision.

Sebastian recovered his senses and another superheated blast of steam tore through their foes. When he was finished, the remaining k’n-yan floated in the Pale Sea like bundles of discarded straw.

“You okay?” Beldin asked Sebastian.

The dark-kin shook it off. “I’ll be fine.”

Kham swam to the opening of the ship…and was rewarded with a jolt of electricity as he passed through it.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 2 – Death’s Hold

The center of the ship was arranged like the spokes of a wheel, with each spoke containing eight doors off of the central hub opening onto eight identical rooms. On the other side could be seen sparks from the rent hull of the ship, the side that had penetrated the coral. Although the crew had died, their mission was a success…they had opened a path to the Moonsilver Orb.

“I don’t like this,” said Sebastian. “Too many doors and too far to swim.”

Beldin straddled the bottom of the tubular hallway. “I like it just fine. I can put my feet on the ground.”

They slowly made their way down the hallway.

“You do realize something’s going to jump out of those doors when we get about midway through,” said Kham.

Beldin hefted his axe, his beard floating in the gentle current. “Counting on it!”

Just then there was the terrible shriek of rusted metal, unwillingly being forced open. One after another the doors all around them were pushed aside to reveal bloated, clawed hands.

“The fihali who died here,” said Sebastian. “They still guard their ship.”

With a roar, Beldin slammed his axe down on one of the arms poking through the doorway, severing it. The arm floated and twitched.

“Got any tricks, Sebastian?”

The dark-kin looked sideways at Kham. “Your tactics gave me an idea.”

Sebastian extended a palm as if he were going to blow a kiss. But a withering blast of ice coated the entire corridor, freezing the doors in place.

The dark-kin, looking smug, spread his wings and continued down the corridor.

“Nice trick,” said Kham as he swam after him.

Beldin grumbled and followed behind.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 3 – Cave Entrance

The water of the Pale Sea dripped into the mouth of a darkened cave, but the magical seal between the shipwrecked fihali vessel and the coral reef held.

Kham dropped to his knees and doubled over as spasms wracked him. Water exploded from his lungs. He lay gasping and coughing on the floor, dragging in deep breaths of air.

Beldin and Sebastian spat up water, but with much less violence than Kham.

“Is it always like that?” asked Kham, catching his breath.

“Yes,” said Sebastian. “But it’s tougher on humans.”

“Since when didn’t you consider yourself human?” asked Kham.

Sebastian let his twitching tail speak for him.

The cavern dripped water all around them, but it was not submerged. A shallow depression ran through it, a river beneath the ocean, forged through magic. A wider path of black volcanic led into the cavern.

Kham took a few steps in, then stopped. He bent down to inspect something he had kicked.

It was a skeleton, half-buried in silt, with its arm outstretched towards the strange river. There was a rotting pouch in one skeletal hand, a rusted cutlass in the other.

“That’s strange,” said Kham. “Looks like this guy’s bones were broken around his neck and shoul…”

There was a rumbling overhead. Beldin shoved Kham aside, shield over his head.

“Down!”

A huge boulder slammed into Beldin’s shield, pounding him into the sand, before it bounced off and careened down the cavern.

More rumbling followed.

“Go!” shouted Beldin. “Go! Go!”

Kham and Sebastian ducked ahead as another massive boulder landed. Beldin rolled to his feet just in time.

The boulder, larger than the first, wedged itself in the cavern opening. Rock and debris fell down around it, sealing their only exit.

“No choice to go but forward,” said Kham.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 4 – Shot Trap Loading Chamber

Beldin smashed open the rusted iron door at the top of a natural staircase. Beyond the door was a large cave with a wooden and iron rack built around the outside of the wall. Several k’n-yan moved about the room, lifting the large boulders from a pile and loading them onto the rack. The rack led to a circular pit in the center of the floor.

Kham drew his pistols. “Now we know who was running that trap.”

Beldin’s pent-up frustration was unleashed. The dwarf bellowed and waded into the thick of the bronze creatures, hacking and bashing. Kham fired a few shots, but it was more to give Beldin some breathing room until Sebastian could…

A blast of flames tore through the k’n-yan ranks. More beams of light sizzled towards them, but the k’n-yan’s resistance was token at best.

When it was all over, Kham kicked one of the bodies into the hole. He watched with satisfaction as it rolled over on itself and slid out of sight.

“Is it just me, or do the k’n-yan seem weaker than before?”

Sebastian nodded. “Like you and I, they have been cut off from their lord—“

“Stop calling him that. He’s not my lord.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Whatever you call him, the King in Yellow’s influence has waned. These pathetic beings are all that were left of his legacy here on Arcanis.”

The room shuddered, a reminder that a war was raging overhead with far more powerful weapons.

“Not sure how we’re helping,” said Beldin. “We should be up there, fighting.”

“I was given the impression that retrieving the Moonsilver Orb will weaken the k’n-yan further. Perhaps it is central to their defense.”

“Or maybe it’s central to the defense of Leviathan,” said Kham, “and the k’n-yan are just trying to prevent us from getting to it first.”

Sebastian peered into the hole. “What makes you say that?”

Kham pointed. “Uh…that thing.”

On the opposite side of the cavern was a large green statue. It represented a monster of vaguely anthropoid outline, but with an octopus-like head whose face was a mass of feelers, a scaly, rubbery-looking body, prodigious claws on hind and fore feet, and long, narrow wings behind.

One of the tentacles moved.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 5 – The Elder Eidolon

The world spun, as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Beldin and Sebastian staggered as if drunk, their minds scrambled from the awesome force that emanated from the statue. Kham stood alone, his mind accustomed to dealing with such mind-rending attacks since his first encounter with the Unspeakable One.

The thing, which seemed indistinct with a fearsome and unnatural malignancy, was of a somewhat bloated corpulence, and squatted evilly on a rectangular block or pedestal covered in undecipherable characters. The tips of the wings touched the back edge of the block, the seat occupied the center, whilst the long, curved claws of the doubled-up, crouching hind legs gripped the front edge and extended a quarter of the way down toward the bottom of the pedestal. The cephalopod head was bent forward, so that the ends of the feelers brushed the backs of the forepaws that clasped the croucher's elevated knees.

It slowly unfurled, stretching its wings as it rose to its full height. Kham was overcome with fear. The thing thundered one step forward at a time, advancing on Beldin and Sebastian.

Kham knew he had to do something. The thing's blasphemous tentacles reached for Beldin’s face. Kham suddenly came to the realization that it knew he was there, but was ignoring him. He was insignificant to its existence, as relevant as a fly assaulting a castle.

But he had to try.

“Skiz!” He yelled down to his talking pet rat. Skiz’s head popped up.

“We out of the water yet, boss? You’ve got to warn me about these things sometimes…”

“You’re breathing air, aren’t you? When I say so, you give me the Ladies and you keep giving them to me until I say otherwise, got me?”

“Sure, boss, but—“

“Now Skiz!”

The rat shoved two pistols to the top of the haversack.

Kham drew them both and fired. The bullets ricocheted off the back of the bizarre idol. It didn’t even react.

“Now!”

He drew two more pistols and fired. The two pistol blasts sparked off the idol’s head.

“Now!” Kham’s voice faltered, but Skiz gave him the pistols anyway.

He took careful aim and fired twice more. The sound was deafening and smoked filled what little air was in the cavern.

There was a new sound of stone grinding on stone. The idol turned to face him.

“Well, at least I’ve got your attention,” said Kham.

The thing took slow, shuddering steps towards him. He could feel its disgust, its utter superiority, as a palpable presence. That it was toying with them, he was certain.

Skiz was busy trying to reload the pistols. It was difficult for the rat to do it, but he had learned over time. They had never encountered a situation where so many pistols would be needed so quickly.

Kham drew Talon and Coomb’s dagger.

The idol came closer. Its tentacles waved obscenely in the air, feeling in all directions. And yet two long ones stretched toward him with the careful motions of a lover’s grasp.

There was a bellow of rage. Beldin struck the idol so hard that he elicited a chip from its foot. Knocked off balance, the idol whirled to face an opponent it thought defeated.

Sebastian hurled a pale blue orb. The blow struck true, and spreading cracks of rime snaked through the statue’s body. There was the distinct sense of a presence withdrawing…and then the statue crumbled, collapsing in on itself, until there was nothing but powder.

“What in Illiir’s name was that?” asked Beldin.

“That,” said Kham, “was Leviathan.”

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets the Sky: Part 6 – Riddle of the Wheel

The idol’s movement revealed a hidden passageway beyond. Kham stepped gingerly through the hallway, rattled from the encounter with the incarnation with Leviathan.

He heard a click.

“Guys, there might be a trap—“ was all he got out.

The walls slammed together, smashing into Beldin just behind him. The dwarf was saved only by his shield and armor. The force was so quick and so powerful that it left Beldin stunned. Sebastian shoved him forward as the walls retracted and reset.

“Sorry,” said Kham. “I’m not really the trapfinding type.”

Sebastian shot him a glare. “We noticed.” He fed a healing potion to Beldin.

The dwarf wiped blood from his nose. “I should have caught that,” he growled.

The danger temporarily passed, they took in their new surroundings.

A large set of scales flanked an altar made of soapstone, covered in dried blood. Chains that ran through holes in the ceiling supported the scales. The altar was carved in the shape of Leviathan. Standing behind the altar was another statue, with four of its tentacles grasping four of the six handles of a huge, bronze ship’s wheel. There was bizarre writing on the floor of the chamber.

“On the altar give to me that what sets a pirate free,” read Kham.

“Pirate?” asked Beldin. “What do pirates have to do with a place like this?”

Kham pursed his lips. “I think this is Captain Wendron Krubach’s real treasure. The one you found was only part of it.”

“So that’s why k’n-yan possessed him,” said Sebastian. “They were manipulating a minion of Leviathan, a sweet revenge.”

“Which means the k’n-yan forced Krubach to erect these traps so that the Moonsilver Orb could not be found,” said Sebastian. “If we resolve this riddle, we should have the Orb.”

“Sure, easy enough,” said Kham. “What sets a pirate free?” He smirked. “Death, of course.”

“But what represents death that we can put on the scale?” asked Beldin.

They tried water. They tried dirt. They tried one of Kham’s pistols.

Sebastian thought of Bijoux. “I know.” He took the noose that he had torn from Bijoux’s neck.

“What’s that?” asked Beldin.

“A noose.” Sebastian placed it on the scale.

“More importantly,” said Kham, “why did you hold onto it?”

The balances moved and the statue’s tentacles lifted from the ship’s wheel. Upon being released, the ship’s wheel rotated one turn to the left with a loud, grating clank.

After the wheel made one turn, the tentacles dropped back down upon the handles of the wheel, although only barely touching it.

Kham looked down. “The writing on the floor changed: If pirate be, then stand ye ground and face the awful, stirring sound of ocean’s riddle with six to grasp. Choose ye well or breathe ye last. The first, a damsel, loved and lost. Two, a pirate, who paid the cost. Three, a wheel, and captain’s gold. Four, sharp adventure for the bold. Five, eighteen graves tell every story. Six, a burning, molten glory.”

“Four,” said Sebastian. “We seek adventure.”

Kham shook his head. “Krubach killed his crew after discovering the most precious treasure of all. There must have been eighteen of them. Pick five.”

“Are you sure?” asked Beldin. The dwarf had paid for Kham’s mistakes before.

“No,” said Kham. “But if we were sure about anything we sure as hell wouldn’t be here now would we?”

Beldin crossed his arms and said nothing. He looked to Sebastian.

The dark-kin nodded and turned the handle to the fifth position.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Part 7 – The True Orb

The cavern floor was made of black volcanic sand and earth. Eighteen graves were marked with rusted cutlasses sticking from the ground, each with a dusty, wide-brimmed felt cap or rotted bandanna tied around its cup-shaped hilt. Beyond the eighteen graves was an underground portion of the river. A small island sat in the center of the water and rapids, with a series of six moldy stepping-stones that led to the island.

Upon the island was piled several treasure chests and broken sacks, spilling gems, jewelry and various coins, and a large glowing orb that sat atop the glittering booty. Jeweled cutlasses, rapiers in ivory scabbards, and finely crafted crossbows and bandoleers of daggers rounded out the tableau.

Kham and Sebastian exchanged glances. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Sebastian nodded.

Kham and Beldin collected up the cutlasses and hats. When they were done, Sebastian flapped his way over to the pile of treasure. Kham and Beldin hopped from stone to stone to reach him.

Above them, the sounds of ship-to-ship combat and massive magical cannonfire grew louder.

“Ready?” asked Kham.

“Ready,” said Sebastian.

Kham scooped up the orb. “Now!”

The graves exploded as the remains of Krubach’s treacherous crew clawed their way to the surface. Sebastian chanted an incantation.

Dozens of black, rubbery tentacles erupted from the ground over the graves, as if they had sprung from the graves themselves. They grabbed the outstretched arms and claws and sucked them back into the graves.

Beldin picked up two fistfuls of treasure just as a massive explosion rocked the cavern.

“Time to go!” shouted Kham.

“Go where?” asked Sebastian in disbelief. He stooped to pick up something for himself.

“Anywhere but here.” Kham put one hand on Beldin and Sebastian’s shoulders and concentrated.

They disappeared in a flash just as the entire cavern collapsed.

 

[talien]

Ocean Meets Sky: Conclusion

They appeared in front of the Temple of Cadic.

“That’s the last time you do that,” Sebastian said sternly. “I didn’t give you permission to hurl us across Arcanis. We could have ended up in the center of a mountain for all you know.”

Kham looked hurt. “I got us out of there, didn’t I?”

“And with some booty to boot,” said Beldin appreciatively. “I picked up a fine rapier and cutlass.”

Kham grinned. “And I got an eyepatch. And a box that folds out into a boat. I’m a regular pirate now.”

The old pirate priest, Peg-Leg Peligro, greeted them personally. “Did ye get it?”

Sebastian gave the pirate priest a wary look. “Get what?”

“Don’t be coy! Th’ Moonsilver Orb! Did ye get it?”

Sebastian nodded.

The old man sagged in relief. “Aye, then all is not lost.”

“You seem troubled, Father,” said Kham. “What’s up?”

“I was makin’ me devotions last evenin’, when thar was the strange feeling…”

“Feeling?” asked Beldin.

“Aye. Like I lost Cadic’s protection for a moment, as if ‘is gaze had been distracted. It returned, but I fear somethin’ terrible and unnatural occurred. Maybe ‘tis just an old sea dog lettin’ his superstitions get th’ best of ‘im, but thar’s more than a whiff of death in th’ air. Yar, and maybe more t’ follow.”

“You think this has to do with Hell’s Triangle?” asked Beldin.

Peligro nodded. “Ye missed the window to open the Hell’s Triangle portal, but with th’ Orb, ye just might be able to open it again. Ye just need the Key. And I fear th’ Key has gone missin’.”

“I hear that a lot,” said Kham. “Speaking as a former Key himself, who is it this time?”

“Cadic may have other sailors to tend to, but ye don’t. I warned yet not to let harm come to Carthy, and ye won’t be keepin’ your end of the bargain chewin’ the blubber with me!”

Kham slapped his forehead. “Carthy! I forgot all about him.”

“Let’s hope he doesn’t remember us,” said Sebastian. “As I recall, we didn’t leave on good terms last time.”