How would you... (Game challenge)

[Greenfield]

In our campaign, the bad guys have been using volcanoes to create a near-universal cloud of ash and smoke.

We're now at the stage where the PCs are going to try to shut them down.

So, as a DM using 20th +- level NPCs, and without using Wish or Miracle, how would you have someone awaken volcanoes to prolonged activity? Note that you want them to smoke, but stop short of completely blowing themselves.

As the counterpoint, how would a party of 16 to 17 levels, without access to Wish or Miracle, shut one down?

So far, the PCs know that at least one such enterprise involved binding an Efreet inside one. What else is in volved was never established.

Our valid source books, to date, have been the PHB/DMG, MM 1 through 5, the Completes (minus Complete Psionic), and the three environment books (Sandstorm, Stormwrack and Frostburn). We've also included Planar Handbook, and allowed a few items and spells from other sources. Not many.

Of course, as the DM setting off volcanoes, you wouldn't be so limited.

BTW: I already have a few ways this was done, so I'm not fishing for solutions. I'm just seeing what you can think of that I haven't.

 

[captnq]

Start a volcano? Uh, Epic Level Eldrich machine. No need to get fancy. Lots of knobs, levers, things you push and twist. Laugh a whole lot, "the FOOLS"

Stop a volcano... hrmmm... depends on cosmology.

I'd go with teleport circle or gate. Simply widen it and put it over the volcano. Shunt all the material somewhere else. The Sun for example. Sun people should like free lava.

Is the volcano considered one object? Get you ML up to abut 50 and you should be able to Mass Time Hop the volcano ahead in time up to 200 hours, if you play it right. You need to triple psionic focus, however. Some greater teleports and enough PPs, A psionic user should be able to throw every volcano on the planet a week into the future.

 

[Umbran]

Start a volcano? Uh, Epic Level Eldrich machine. No need to get fancy. Lots of knobs, levers, things you push and twist. Laugh a whole lot, "the FOOLS"

Stop a volcano... hrmmm... depends on cosmology.

If you use the Eldrich Machine angle, then stopping them is simple - destroy the machine.

Of course, you put the machine down in or under the volcano, guarded by fire elementals, magma constructs, or the like...

 

[Greenfield]

No psionics in the campaign, so psionic solutions are out.

Hopping a Volcano ahead a week just delays the problem by a week.

A Teleport Circle is up to 10 feet diameter. Widen it (a maneuver of questionable legality) and you get 20 feet across. Not nearly big enough.

Eldritch Machine is simply a physical manifestation of "Because the DM Said So", and while it would work, it's less than satisfying.

Here are some ideas I actually used (we're talking a lot of caster teams working a lot of volcanoes, so there was no reason to limit it to just one approach.)

Spoiler

One solution I went with was Earth Elements granted Energy Immunity, then set to work clearing a volcanic vent. Summon Planar Ally and Energy Immunity does the trick nicely. Simply physical manipulation.

Bending the rules just a little, Move Earth could be used as well. Then set a Fire Elemental down below, let him invite a few friends and throw a party.

Or, open a permanent Gate to the para-elemental plane of Smoke (where Air and Fire meet), and just let the the thing run. If all you want is smoke and ash, but no actual lava flow, that works.

 

[Umbran]

Here are some ideas I actually used (we're talking a lot of caster teams working a lot of volcanoes, so there was no reason to limit it to just one approach.)

You really want those in spoiler blocks? Makes them hard to discuss....

Spoiler

One solution I went with was Earth Elements granted Energy Immunity, then set to work clearing a volcanic vent. Summon Planar Ally and Energy Immunity does the trick nicely. Simply physical manipulation.

This, of course, requires that...

Spoiler

1) Real-world geology applies, and 2) Some bad guy knows real-world geology, and can find an active vent that he knows beforehand will spew ash and not lava.

Would it not be simpler to say that volcanoes are all the homes of superfigginhuge fire (or magma) elementals, and the bad guys just partially woke one up, so it starts to smolder? Fixing the problem is then either killing it, or putting it back to sleep...

Spoiler

Bending the rules just a little, Move Earth could be used as well. Then set a Fire Elemental down below, let him invite a few friends and throw a party.

Well, this solution didn't even need the volcano. Any particular reason to bother putting it in a volcano, when it will work pretty much anywhere that isn't underwater?

Spoiler

Or, open a permanent Gate to the para-elemental plane of Smoke (where Air and Fire meet), and just let the the thing run. If all you want is smoke and ash, but no actual lava flow, that works.

See above - the volcano is superfluous.

Also:

Spoiler

Does the RAW have a way to open a permanent gate? Gate, as written, doesn't speak to allowing a continual torrent of material from another plane.

If you're going to bend the rules to make it work, how is that functionally different from the Eldritch Machine angle? Why is it more satisfying?

 

[Grogg of the North]

How I would start a volcano:

Liberal use of Transmute Rock to Lava.

Some sort of planar binding with an Elemental Monolith (CArc).

Weaken the prison of Blackfire the great hellfire wyrm! The ash and smoke are but a sign of his awakening! (The foolish heroes! My death is the last step in releasing the creature from it's prison!)

Several uses of the Volcano spell in Sandstorm.

Drill down through the world's crust to it's center and release the long captive society of Magmins. In gratitude for their release they will blacken the skies!

Align the three crystals of powers after bathing them in virgin tears while the moon is in full eclipse.

Make a very poorly worded wish and this is what happened. (All I wanted was a little shade!)



How I would stop a volcano:*

I would probably try stopping the volcano from spewing ash and smoke into the air first. Move Earth probably wouldn't help since it can't affect rock formations. Transmute Rock to Mud and collapse the conduit, crater or vent. If that doesn't work, I'd probably try Earthquake as well.

A permanent wind wall at the top would stop the ash/smoke. Control Weather to attempt to either blow the ash down to the ground or stop it from rising. Could also use the spell to make rain storms and see if that helps.

Commune with Nature or maybe Stone Tell would be able to tell you if there is something in the magma chamber responsible for all the volcanic activity. Use your new knowledge an plan accordingly.

Summon a Fire or possibly an Earth Elemental and send it into the volcano to scout and report. You could also try magma or fire mephits.

Open a gate to somewhere else (plane of air?) and let someone else deal with it.


Hope this helps. I would love to hear what your group does!


*Please note that as an evil DM I would allow some of these to work and then force the players to deal with the environmental impacts. Yes, you collapsed the conduit of that volcano. Unfortunately, there's all this pressure under ground and it has to get released and that city over there is now in the path of a very large, fast moving ash cloud / lava flow. Good job breaking it heroes.

 

[Greenfield]

I put it in spoilers because I wanted to hear other people's solutions, rather than simply discuss my own.

Our game world is a Greco-Roman setting and mythology. Maybe I/we should consider the mythology and cosmology of that world.

Volcanic vents that were approachable by people were often considered to be passages to the Underworld, as in the realm of Hades/Pluto.

The name Thermopylae translates literally as "Hot Gates", for example, and contains hot sulfur springs.

So, do we separate underworld passages from volcanic activity?

The island that the name "Volcano" came from is called "Vulcana" (it was for sale a few years ago IRL), and was said the the site of Vulcan's forge. (The god of smiths, not Spock's home world).

Obviously then, I was doing it wrong. As far as the mythology/cosmology of the ancient world, volcanoes were associated with gods, the next life, and supernatural power. Mechanical methods of opening and closing passages and vents are completely out of place. (Thanks Umbran, for making me think this through).

That suggests divine or fiendish activities, with Elemental associations running a close second.

The gods have an "enemy of my enemy" sort of alliance going with hell at the moment. At least, the lawful gods do. The common enemy is the abyss.

That leaves chaotic gods, or those who think they can use use abyssal forces and powers to their own ends, then deal with them later.

We've played up an Illumian Cabal as the mortal agents behind the chaos, as part of a competition to see who can rule the world. (Advancing to a leadership position is one common trait attributed to Illumians in general, in Races of Destiny, so this kind of fits.)

Illumians as "mortal agents" doesn't preclude some immortal sponsor using them. They're canny enough to know that any deal with a Demon, be it a common fiend or one of the princes, is good and valid only as long as it serves the fiend's interest.

So to fire up a volcano it would take the power of a deity or a major demon. Deity manipulating mortals dealing with demons? Demons scheming with mortals to manipulate gods? Mortals playing demons and deities off against each other? However you play this sort of thing, it's got "grand epic tale" painted all over it. Which doesn't help me at all with the immediate issue.

So, starting from the other end...

Deep inside the mountain is a fissure that goes down forever. Lava oozes from walls in slow-motion waterfalls. Inscribed on the walls of the crater, all around this fissure, are symbols arcane, divine, and daemonic. The fissure rumbles with a sound deeper than thunder, and a solid column of toxic smoke pours up from below.

Guardians and wards of variosu types are appropriate, as are traps. Poison saves once a minute are appropriate. So are Con checks. Suffocation rules apply on a failed Save. Anyone entering needs some form of protection against poison, or a good Fort save, to even make it inside. Heat resistance is good, more than a simple Endure Elements can give. Some kind of air supply is essential.

And that's just to get in the door. <He he he...>

 

[Empirate]

My first thought for both causing volcanic activity and stopping it are rifts to elemental planes: obviously, to cause volcanic activity, open and stabilize a portal to the elemental plane of fire that's juuuust big enough (maybe the Efreet's job was just monitoring the portal and its effect on the volcano's activity, and adjust the portal's size as needed). To counteract the effect, portals to the paraelemental plane of ice, to Cania, Ocanthus, or to just any old really cold plane might work. Or just closing the original portals, of course.

 

[Deset Gled]

To stop an active volcano:

1. Go to the volcano.

2. Use Sovereign Glue to affix a Decanter of Endless Water to the top rim (or other suitable formation, use Wall of Iron if needed), pointed downward at the center of the hole.

3. Turn on the Decanter to "geyser" setting.

4. Wait.

5. Enjoy your new above ground seamount

 

[Greenfield]

Seems like a great way to make steam.

In terms of actually stopping the volcano? Kind of like spitting on a forest fire. Talk 10 of them dumping 36,000 gallons a minute, and you might have an impact, depending on the volcano.