Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
The situation:
A Band of Heroes (a.k.a. the PCs) have defeated Boss1 and Boss2. They are known to be sailing aboard a merchant ship towards Boss3, Boss4, and FinalBoss’s home. The remaining bosses meet to take counsel. All bosses have gained their power by consorting with fiends. They know the PCs have located a legendary weapon (a Sword of Fiend-Slaying) and are heading towards a Sword of State – possibly to spark a revolt in the land the bosses oppressively misrule.
The bosses’ plan is to summon an aquatic abyssal creature to attack and sink the merchant ship. They want to create a death trap for the PCs, similar to the IRL fate of the USS Indianapolis’ crew, but done on purpose.
The remaining Bosses understand the power of information. To make sure they are hitting the right target, several “fishing boats” form a picket line well off-shore, with orders to meet every incoming ship. There are legitimate fishermen aboard, who will attempt to sell fresh fish to the crew of the ship. This is honest cover activity; but meanwhile a Wizard (hiding out of sight aboard the fishing boat) uses a spell such as Arcane Eye to observe aboard the merchant ship. Or the Wizard might have a fiendish familiar that can be sent to spy out the ship. In both cases, the Wizard has been given a description of the PCs, and the PCs are believed to be so overconfident that they will not take precautions or be vigilant against the tracks and traces left by the observation method(s). When the ship with the PCs is located, the beast will be summoned against it as it nears the horizon, as seen from the fishing boat’s deck. (Mid-level Wizards are not expendable cannon-fodder, we don’t want to accidentally destroy one in the process of deliberately destroying the PCs.)
Considerations:
- The merchant ship and the fishing boat will be converted from 3e-era stats for size, crew, HP, &c.
- I do not yet know what level the PCs will be for this scenario; I anticipate L10 plus or minus 2. I need a range of potential encounters, based on what level they actually are (how tough they have become).
- The Wizard might perform the summoning with a Ritual rather than a spell slot. Ditto the scouting method (Arcane Eye requires a Wiz7 for a 4th-level spell slot). He will be equipped with whatever is needed within the rules to perform his task; he has a special job to perform and an organization backing him up, after all. 4e residuum, a 3e circle of casters, whatever can be plausibly explained is fair game.
Possible creatures to summon:
- Plesiosaur (“Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster)
- Megalodon (XL Great White Shark)
- Kraken, not intelligent
- Giant Squid, as in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- Use some big beast to deal with the ship plus a swarm/school of smaller monsters to deal with swimmers and lifeboats
My questions:
- Is there an aquatic layer of the Abyss? This will add to the lore (and the feel, I hope) of the campaign
- What denizens live in that layer?
- What other covert methods of spying out the ship could the hidden magic-user use?
- Is there any monster from the Elemental Plane of Water that would be appropriate?
- Are there other well-known sea beasts to use? From movies, books, TV shows, anything iconic.
- Is there a template to make a 5eMM monster into an Abyssal creature?
- Is there a guide to add / subtract levels or CR from published monsters?
Many thanks to all.
A Band of Heroes (a.k.a. the PCs) have defeated Boss1 and Boss2. They are known to be sailing aboard a merchant ship towards Boss3, Boss4, and FinalBoss’s home. The remaining bosses meet to take counsel. All bosses have gained their power by consorting with fiends. They know the PCs have located a legendary weapon (a Sword of Fiend-Slaying) and are heading towards a Sword of State – possibly to spark a revolt in the land the bosses oppressively misrule.
The bosses’ plan is to summon an aquatic abyssal creature to attack and sink the merchant ship. They want to create a death trap for the PCs, similar to the IRL fate of the USS Indianapolis’ crew, but done on purpose.
The remaining Bosses understand the power of information. To make sure they are hitting the right target, several “fishing boats” form a picket line well off-shore, with orders to meet every incoming ship. There are legitimate fishermen aboard, who will attempt to sell fresh fish to the crew of the ship. This is honest cover activity; but meanwhile a Wizard (hiding out of sight aboard the fishing boat) uses a spell such as Arcane Eye to observe aboard the merchant ship. Or the Wizard might have a fiendish familiar that can be sent to spy out the ship. In both cases, the Wizard has been given a description of the PCs, and the PCs are believed to be so overconfident that they will not take precautions or be vigilant against the tracks and traces left by the observation method(s). When the ship with the PCs is located, the beast will be summoned against it as it nears the horizon, as seen from the fishing boat’s deck. (Mid-level Wizards are not expendable cannon-fodder, we don’t want to accidentally destroy one in the process of deliberately destroying the PCs.)
Considerations:
- The merchant ship and the fishing boat will be converted from 3e-era stats for size, crew, HP, &c.
- I do not yet know what level the PCs will be for this scenario; I anticipate L10 plus or minus 2. I need a range of potential encounters, based on what level they actually are (how tough they have become).
- The Wizard might perform the summoning with a Ritual rather than a spell slot. Ditto the scouting method (Arcane Eye requires a Wiz7 for a 4th-level spell slot). He will be equipped with whatever is needed within the rules to perform his task; he has a special job to perform and an organization backing him up, after all. 4e residuum, a 3e circle of casters, whatever can be plausibly explained is fair game.
Possible creatures to summon:
- Plesiosaur (“Nessie” the Loch Ness Monster)
- Megalodon (XL Great White Shark)
- Kraken, not intelligent
- Giant Squid, as in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- Use some big beast to deal with the ship plus a swarm/school of smaller monsters to deal with swimmers and lifeboats
My questions:
- Is there an aquatic layer of the Abyss? This will add to the lore (and the feel, I hope) of the campaign
- What denizens live in that layer?
- What other covert methods of spying out the ship could the hidden magic-user use?
- Is there any monster from the Elemental Plane of Water that would be appropriate?
- Are there other well-known sea beasts to use? From movies, books, TV shows, anything iconic.
- Is there a template to make a 5eMM monster into an Abyssal creature?
- Is there a guide to add / subtract levels or CR from published monsters?
Many thanks to all.
