Empress#
Empress of the Waves
Ghost ship adrift in the rainy mist. P87.
The Emperor of the Waves owned by Merchant prince Aubreck Drallion one of the richest traders from Luskan. Separated in a storm, merchant lost all hist promissory notes and deeds.
Ship stuck on an island with evil-doers. Lolth/Yog-Shothoth cultists boarded the ship.
gwyn] stole this ship.
Thoughts#
if doing old one style for ramp-up, then how does hjarka fit in?
ARTEMIS STAYS AWAY 500FT FROM EMPEROR
TODO: PRINT MAP 89
Gwyn wants to fix ship with lovecraft magic and oozes. BUT NOT TRIVIAL TO CONTROL. HUGE ELDER OCTOPUS. Hjarka can potentially help appease it.
2000 gold left
rueathym
Hook#
-Notes of adrift ghost ship passed by raven from Aubreck. Proceeds to party for helping.
-Find it in mist after storm
-Make it obvious that they have to do it for new player
-Detect magic on the huge strongbox in the center
-YuanTi warlock looking for it. Clues found on ship to lead them to lighthouse.
Yog#
Y'AI'NG'NGAH
YOG-SOTHOTH
H'EE-L'GEB
F'AI THRODOG
UAAAH
Gwyn reason#
He's on top of a powerful rift (not the same as Syrgaul's via Tammerut's one)
Crew#
Skeleton crew?
Led by high level Great Old One Warlock
Gwydwalker (TODO: why he not get level2-4 spells?)
http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/warlock:great-old-one
TODO: BEEF HIM UP! WOMBO COMBO IS THERE
NB: Plot can't be charmed + held.
Worships Yog. Octopus shrines.
Attack happens because of the intruders.
Features#
Angled and/or slime (difficult terrain)
1.grate on main deck#
Rusted, but CON save on touching it vs poison DMG.
Below it's dark and damp
2.CaptainsRoom Shrine to Yog#
A ball of small tentacles appear floating in the air. Rotten stench.
3 strange Lights floating around to keep it illuminated. If they touch the lights or the altar, lights go out:
2x Chuuls + 3x Will o Wisp attack (wisps fade first).
Inside altar: Huge diamond packed inside the center. 1000gp.
Won't notice the trap door to 11.
Captain's Log. As is. Except:
-records show last recorded log was a pit stop at a lighthouse marked on a map
-went there to get drinkable water (place was uncharted)
MADNESS if speaking to it (high dc chance).
But will see a vision of an underwater city (3 rift points?)
Above one of them. Another 2 intersects with
3.Navigators room#
Tons of webs, but tons of chittering. Once they're a little bit in: 4 swarm of rats seen feasting on a mostly eaten away corpse.
4.Slimed up hallway#
Purple goo everywhere.
5.Slime nest#
Purple slime. CC307. 3x? If they defeat it Gauntlets of Ogre Power.
Can see the movement on towards south part on PER 15.
6.storage#
Something tied to the walls with rope. Can be freed to help fight.
Spawn of Kyuss. X 2.
7.Cabin of Gwyn#
Empty cabin with bed. Was attacked by kraken via Umberlee. He things Yog is master. Now praying in 10.
8.Firstmate cabin#
Slime and water. Fish flapp about. Tiny herring.
9.Empy chambers#
Water cover the bottom. Wade through. For door.
10.Unholy shrine#
Yog shogoth resurrection runes that can light up when he dies (half-orc style).
Gwyd sits here on top of a of the dry side, chanting. Once inside and he notices you.
But he is ready. Magical protection clearly visible.
MOTIVATION:#
power as already retrieved via old ones. Unfortunately he's crazy as fuck.
HISTORY:#
He created the original storm. TP'd in. Killed the leaders. Drove the ship into the heart.
Trying to align with underneath power point. Will respawn if killed with the runes (feeds madness).
"NO. YOU MUST NOT INTERFERE. THE KEY IS WITHIN MY GRASP."
"I alone will pass through the Gate, but upon my ascension,.. You.. Shall be spared."
"Your words are meaningless and empty.
Multi-Madness:
-"My skin is made out of stone. My flesh rapidly heals! I am unstoppable."
-"Wants to eat something strange. (Take bite out of players if doing too well.)."
Bring out glowing green magical saber. Then Thunder Step.
"THE GATE...IS MINE."
LINES:#
"SHE WON'T FLOAT FOREVER, BUT WE WILL MEET OUR MAKERS SOON."
Can be persuaded with DC20 Persuasion checks to win confidence.
He'll still be mad though... Will try to eat the shrine or octopus below.
But he will slip away, maybe stealing the one rowboat.
Beat him for his adamantine half plate.
Can also take the hilt of his pact weapon (whispers mysteriously).
Beef up his HP a bit since he's solo. Drop his AC a little accordingly.
15AC, 16 Spell save. Immune to crits.
Gwyd here with 2 SKUM (254 Appendix C). Tactics:
Preparatory Hexblade setup with Hex on first creature
Control: Fear + Hold. Leap at will (pact). Confusion once against 10ft cluster.
Attack: Thunder step into Synaptic Static. Agonizing Blast (Eldritch + CHA modifier)
Can rely on DISADV on wisdom saves if Skum hit him.
Skum rise up from the knee deep water and can go from corner to corner.
Trident attack + mindbreaking tuouch on them all the time.
One corner is not underwater (the untilted side)
11.galley#
Now just corpses (mostly consumed by Gwyn). Mouldy trapdoor to cargo hold. Dead eel.
12.HOLD#
Undead creatures covered in barnacles.
Deep Scion x 5 (CR4)
Giant Coral Snake (CR4)
Skeletons with barnacles tied up in the corner.
Treasure: silver bracelet on one undead (200gp) + gem studded belt (600gp)
Swarm of pirhannas? Slaad tadpoles?
Aubreck's box here. Heavy .
OCTOPUS. FAST MOVES.
EXTRA SHIT#
Need smaller aqwuan creatuers
Star spawn mangler + grue?
Mindwitness?
TODO#
hook for lighthouse. Some undead ship already capsized for orcus.
How to tie that in?
Yog is the gate :shrug:
Maybe we just don't do orcus, but some other old one with a pirate ship.
City rising out of the ocean instead of island of bones..