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Message: <blockquote data-quote="carpedavid" data-source="post: 1387120" data-attributes="member: 6971">Final Round - First Match-Up: Enkhidu vs. CarpeDavidIngredients-----------------The Edge of the WorldElven ShipBlood MoonTarrasque EggsFire NewtsDespairWhen Elaliulu, the Lord of the Sea and creator of all, cast down his brother, Innulu, the Lord of Flame and devourer of all, he cleft the ocean in two and sent the defeated god's molten body hurtling into the abyss. A great mountain of smoke and fire marks the spot of the destroyer's prison, and it is as awesome to behold as it is terrible.…When the moon shines red once, the seeds of the devourer will be sown. When it runs red twice, Innulu's children will awaken, and the world will be no longer.From the Elven Book of WisdomBeyond the SeaAn adventure for medium to high-level PCs.Every few hundred years, on the Isle of Fire, a clutch of tarrasque eggs is created by the imprisoned sprit of the fire god Innulu, in an attempt to destroy the world. For as long as history has been recorded, the elven kingdom of Amalara has sent its armada to destroy the eggs before they have had a chance to hatch.Fifty years ago, though, Amalara went to war with the dwarven kingdom of Ironhelm, and their armadas are currently engaged in battle with each other. King Kilithia of Amalara has no choice, then, but to turn to a group of adventurers to complete the epic journey instead.This is a fairly straightforward adventure, with not much intrigue, but lots of opportunity for cinematic combat and problem solving. Ideally, the group should consist mostly of elves and humans, but it is possible to run it with a group comprised of mostly of dwarves (see hooks section, below).NPCsKilithia of Amalara - king of Amalara. At 950, he is a slight wisp of his former self. He used to be a charismatic leader, beloved by his people, but now his breath comes weakly, and his will is no longer strong. While he is still responsible for establishing he policies of the kingdom, his son, Prince Jesia, handles the daily administration.Jesia of Amalara - prince of Amalara. Jesia is a headstrong, but not terribly bright. He is a competent administrator, but does not inspire the type of loyalty that his father does.Macidus - captain of the Siralumu. Macidus is young, brash, and bold, having received his commission in the king's navy through political means (his father is a duke in the king's court). He is willing to take risks that his crew does not always approve of, but has thus far managed to avoid catastrophe. He believes that the successful completion of this mission may earn him an admiralty, and may be willing to sacrifice some of his crew for possible glory.Roan - first mate of the Siralumu. Mean and loud, Roan takes no pity on his crew. He administers all of the punishment aboard the ship himself, and takes some amount of pride in the fear that he inspires. He does not trust the captain, believing that his inexperience and risk taking will get the crew killed. If things get rough, he is not above trying to seize power for himself, and is likely to be able to intimidate the crew into following him into mutiny.Gilius Ironhelm - king of Ironhelm. He believes that the tarrasque eggs might be of use militarily, and has assembled his own group of adventurers to retrieve them before the elves destroy them.Aarugash Stonecutter - dwarven captain of the Windrider. He is cunning, but reserved, preferring to let opponents trip themselves up, then swoop in for the kill. He treats his crew with respect, but is careful to always maintain his distance.HooksDepending on the racial composition, and/or political alliances, the PCs may be contacted by either the elven or dwarven rulers.1. King Kilithia believes adamantly in the necessity of the journey to destroy the tarrasque eggs, and will give the PCs his own personal ship, the Siralumu for the duration of the journey. He will provide them with a crew, and can offer wealth and title if they return successfully.2. If the PCs are dwarves, or aligned with the dwarven kingdom, they may be contacted by King Ironhelm or someone in his court. The offer is much the same as that of the elven king: a boat (the Windrider), a crew, and lots of gold and land upon a successful return.Regardless of which banner the PCs adventure under, the obstacles they face will be nearly identical, likely including having to face the other party.EncountersThe appearance of the blood moon in the sky above Amalara signals the appearance of the tarrasque eggs on the Isle of Fire. From that day, the PCs have 60 days until the blood moon shines again, at which point the tarrasque eggs hatch. A successful DC 20 Bardic Knowledge, Knowledge (Religion), or Knowledge (Arcana) check will reveal that this timeline has been consistent throughout recorded history.A successful DC 25 check will give the PCs some idea of what they're in for: a basic description of the edge of the world and the Isle of Fire.From port, the journey to the Isle of Fire takes approximately 20 days under full sail.1. The Kraken Sea - Five days from port is an area of the ocean known as the Kraken Sea. The giant squid commonly attack ships as they sail through these turbulent waters. Each day spent crossing this section of ocean (it takes 10 under normal circumstances) sees a 50% chance of being attacked by a kraken. The PCs can use their own abilities to fight off the creatures or may take command of the ship's ballistae to aid the crew.In addition to the monstrous obstacles, the Kraken Sea is notorious for its storms. Huge waves will toss the ship to and fro, necessitating many Balance and Rope Use checks, as the PCs help the crew secure the boat. If any character has Profession (Sailor) as a skill, he may substitute that skill instead.If the combination of kraken attacks and storms results in the loss of 20% or more of the crew, whether through misfortune or PC inaction, Roan, the first mate, may attempt to rally the crew to mutiny.2. The Edge of the World - Upon emerging from the Kraken Sea, it is five days to the cleft in the ocean that the sea god, Elaliulu, rendered when he smote his brother. 2,000-foot-high cliffs tower over an expanse 10 miles wide. The roar from waters of the ocean as they spill over the edge and race into abyss below is deafening. From this point on, it will take a Listen (DC +20) check to understand any attempt at verbal communication.A giant stone outcropping hangs over the edge of the cleft, and this is where the ships will moor. The PCs now need to find a way to travel from the moored ship to the Isle of Fire. The journey over the edge is not as easy as it looks. The Isle itself is 5 miles across and sits squarely in the middle of the cleft. The water between the cliffs and the isle is far too turbulent to allow a ship to cross, let alone swim.Arrowhawks make their nests on the various stone outcroppings along the edge, and will attack any creature they see flying through their territory. Additionally, a flight of huge wyverns inhabits the Isle of Fire, and will make their presence known as the PCs draw near.3. The Isle of Fire - This giant volcanic island is in a constant state of flux. The continuously active volcano rebuilds and reshapes the island, even as sections are broken off by turbulent waters and carried to the depths. Other than pockets of vegetation that sit at the base of the volcano, the island is devoid of mundane life.The corrupting influence of Innulu's body permeates the Isle of Fire, however. The raw magical and physical energy in this area prevents teleportation magic from functioning, and all fire-based magic is considered maximized when cast on the island. The island also presents the following obstacles:A family of salamanders and fire newts infest the island, living off of the lava and cinders produced by the volcano. They are loyal to Innulu's sprit, which communicates with them in ghostly portents and visions, and will act as defenders of the tarrasque eggs when the PCs approach.An active volcano is an incredibly dangerous place, with steam vents, landslides, lava flows, and poison gas acting as natural traps.The most dangerous feature of the island though, is the result of the fire god's sprit having had an eternity to reflect on his imprisonment. A palpable aura of despair infects any creature that visits the island. For every hour spent on the island, a visitor must make a Will save (DC 20) or lose 1d4 points of wisdom and become fatigued. As the visitor's wisdom is drained by the island, he will become despondent and grief-stricken, in sympathy with the imprisoned god.4. Cave of the Devourer - Halfway up the side of the volcano is the entrance to the cavern where the tarrasque eggs were created by Innulu. The eggs themselves are 10 ft wide and weigh well over a ton, and there are 2d4 of them. The thick, leathery shells share the same qualities as the tarrasque's carapace, including the damage reduction and spell resistance. They do not otherwise possess any of the other immunities of a tarrasque, nor do they possess the regenerative abilities.If Captain Macidus is present with the party, he will suggest that they could bring glory to the kingdom and possibly aid in the war with the dwarves by bringing back an intact egg.ResolutionThere are several possible resolutions:1. The PCs make it to the eggs before the opposing group, and destroy them.2. The PCs make it to the eggs at around the same time as the opposing group, and then have to battle them to determine the fate of the eggs.3. The opposing group makes it to the eggs first, and takes an egg back with them. In this case, the PCs will likely have to chase the group down, to destroy it before the second blood moon.Ingredient RecapThe Edge of the World - the cleft in the ocean where the sea god imprisoned the god of fire.Elven Ship - the Siralumu, which carries the PCs to the Edge of the WorldBlood Moon - both an omen and a timeline, the blood moon signals the arrival of the tarrasque eggsTarrasque Eggs - Innulu's children, an attempt by the imprisoned god of destruction to wreak havoc on the worldFire Newts - inhabitants of the Isle of Fire, where Innulu restsDespair - the imprisoned god's primary emotion. It is strong enough to affect those that set foot on the island</blockquote>

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