Undersea Adventures! (3.5e, IRC)

[Aeolius]

I now have two openings in “Heirs of Turucambi”, my 3.5e undersea chat-based game, run Sunday nights via IRC from 8pm-11pm Eastern.

New PCs begin with 61,000 XP and must have a natural swim speed as well as the ability to breathe underwater without the use of magic. I allow the use of all WotC 3.5e books and supplements, so long as they are intended for the World of Greyhawk. No evil PCs, please.

My games tend to be role-play heavy and combat light, with an emphasis on story over stats. Entire game sessions may involve PC and NPC banter and exploration, without an instance of melee.

Set beneath the surface of the Solnor Ocean on Oerth, the World of Greyhawk, The campaign has visited many “Mysterious Places” of the region such as Turucambi, the Sinking Isle, and the Jungle of Lost Ships. Knowledge of the World of Greyhawk is not required, for participation in the campaign.

Be aware that life underwater has its limitations; typical potions are all but impossible to imbibe, paper scrolls will quickly disintegrate, and typical metal items are subject to corrosion. Many typical spells may not suitable for underwater casting. Treasure may be similarly altered, as many undersea races value rare corals, pearls, and shells far more than coins and gemstones.

The main protagonist is Xaetra, a benevolent night hag who recently ascended to the ranks of godhood, with the help of the adventurers. The antagonist is Diadema, the blackwater hag, an undead amalgamation comprised of the corpses of a sea hag and salt hag, and once the deathlock remains of Xaetra herself.

Diadema seeks to drain the sea itself, awakening three magical maelstroms created to drain water through a planar portal into the hollowed caverns of the lesser moon, Celene. There, imprisoned by Dagon, are the daughters he sired by his union with Olhydra.

 

[Aeolius]

A brief summary of the game thusfar: Having explored Turucambi Reef, the Sinking Isle, and the Jungle of Lost Ships the party acquired the third Tome of Apotheosis and a draught of Aqua Mortis, both required to restore life to the spirit hag Xaetra, who resided in an eidolon golem made of ambergris. In so doing, they hoped to weaken or destroy the blackwater hag Diadema, who held part of Xaetra's corpse in her amalgamated body.

Diadema sought to awaken three magical maelstroms, to drain the waters of the Solnor Ocean through a planar portal into a hollow cavern within the lesser moon Celene. There, the twin daughters of Dagon and Olhydra have been imprisoned by their father.

Moments after her restoration, Xaetra was called upon to ascend, to counter the influence of the Blue Coven, who in turn counseled Diadema at the bequest of Olhydra. Upon her resurrection, Xaetra’s unliving deathlock was pulled from the composite form of Diadema, leaving only the salt hag Salkt and sea hag blood magus Tempest behind.

The party learned of the covey of storm hags who sought control of the forgotten ruins and the altar upon which a sacrifice must be made, to awaken the maelstrom. The storm hags dwelt within the remains of a cloud giant’s palace on Cloudsea, a floating cloud island containing a stolen sea. WIthin the waters of Cloudsea, a leviathan known as the hydrimera had been imprisoned.

They also learned of the Ninety and Nine, a mysterious assemblage imprisoned upon a floating island, once home to the krampus, the male offspring of Xaetra. Though the krampus has recently abducted Xaetra’s last born child, the pearl-skinned Jariah, his whereabouts were unknown.

Through dreams and omens, the party learned of the Olio, a bizarre creature comprised of the dead, which now guarded the ruins below. Only the petrifying inks of the hydrimera or the killing song of the Ninety and Nine could defeat the beast.

In an epic battle, the party fought the Olio, with the aid of the hagshead eel. Though the melee was swift and fierce, they were then thrust into combat against the hydrimera, assisted by the amphisbaena eel that had assumed the mantle of Leviathan of the Devils’ Purse.

Having then faced the covey of storm hags, the party’s advance caused the stormfire hag and brimstone hag to retreat back to Cloudsea, after the death of the firewater hag at their hands.

Once the hags had been vanquished the party traveled west, to the undersea fortress of Drawmij, where it was rumored that the child Jaenan, Jariah, and a being known as the Living Song were now imprisoned. Diadema sought the Living Song, for it was the last shred of Xaetra’s physical existence, having formed from the sloughed ambergris infused with bardic magics.

Though the child Jaenan was freed, she was lost again into the Stream of Time. The Living Song was freed and befriended. The child Jariah was under the control of the unholy scion of Dagon himself and now kept company with the krampus and deathlock.

Currently the party rests in a merfolk village, in a tavern called the Highwater under the care of a salt hag known only as Mama Redfish.