- - -- - -._-.-- --._.--,---,-._. _---.-- ,-. ARCHONS The disciplined soldiers of the disordered elements, archons require no sustenance and no comfort. Created in war, they live only for fighting. In the earliest days ofthe Dawn War, the primordials never considered the possibility ofdefeat. The gods were fewer in number, and the mortals who served them were easily slain. But as the gods learned to work together in a unified force, so did their angels, forming a highly skilled army that decimated the elemental hordes. The primordials, scarcely comprehending such organization, would never have thought to form a true army of their own without outside gUidance. Some scholars claim that the early djinns provided the idea; others maintain that it came from an angel or even a deity who turned traitor to the gods. Only then did the primordials study the nature of life in the Elemental Chaos and determined how to shape it for an ordered purpose. The primordials split apart wild elementals, separating their components and reshaping them into more controllable beings. They formed new shells from the inanimate material and then imbued their creations with sentience. These first archons were born with certainty of purpose, untainted by the flaw of free will. Those who followed remained as driven and inexorable as their predecessors. Archons sometimes arise spontaneously from accumulations of certain elements, known as archon forges. These events don't occur often, but when they do, great numbers of newborn archons appear. Many archon bastions are built around such locations. It is said that someone who knows the proper rituals can enforce the obedience of all archons who emerge from a given forge. ARCHON SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: The primordials shaped archons from elementals during the Dawn War in response to the angels ofthe gods. It is believed that outsiders guided the primordials in this task. Arcana DC 25: Archon society is based on rank, and each member knows its place in the hierarchy. Archons exist only for war and constantly train for the next conflict. They sometimes take slaves to perform manual labor or to serve as practice opponents in combat exercises. Arcana DC 30: Sometimes archons spontaneously arise in areas of intense elemental activity. These places, known as archon forges, are often the sites of archon fortresses. Arcana DC 35: Archons build fortresses all over the Elemental Chaos. The largest is the great stone pile ofThrak-Harda, but the threefold Mordram Bek poses the greatest threat to the natural world. LIFE AND CULTURE Archons of every sort exist now, whether ice or fire, air or iron. Although their phYSical makeup differs, their communities always have the same structure, dictated by the martial purpose for which they were created. Such collections of archons are not cities so much as strongholds. Rank determines every aspect oflife in an archon stronghold. A single archon leads, adjutants pass along its orders to battalion commanders, and so on down the line to the lowest foot soldier. Determining an individual's rank can be difficult for an outsider, since the archons themselves do not bother with titles: Each simply knows whether another outranks it. Archons have no personal ambitions; they do not compete for rank or challenge one another's authority. Each is satisfied with its station, knOWing that it best serves in that role. From the moment ofits creation, an archon is fully aware ofits physical capabilities and its innate skill at strategy and tactics. The leader in a given stronghold is the archon that has the greatest personal power and military acumen. When they are not engaged in warfare, archons spend their time sparring or engaging in tactical exercises. Practice improves their martial skills and prepares them for any conceivable situation they might face in battle. Primarily, though, such activity satisfies the archons' innate drive to make war, keeping them busy until the next real fight. On rare occasions, archons enslave other creatures. Such slaves endure a short and wretched existence. Some perform manual labor, and many are slain in practice combat, forced to fight to the death against their masters. The rest often die ofsimple neglect. Archons treat their slaves poorly, not out of deliberate cruelty, but because they do not under· stand how fragile creatures of flesh are. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION The chaotic evil alignment of archons. though not evident from their rigidly disciplined SOciety. is apparent in their outlook toward others. Created as instruments of war. archons have a Single, overriding goal-to kill nonelemental creatures. They exist for no other purpose, and they cannot be talked out of violence; it is a biological imperative, as irresistible as other beings' urge to reproduce. C HAPT E R 2 I Races of Chaos
III Other beings often mistake this drive for genocidal mania, but archons don't need to wipe out all other creatures. Ifthey did, what purpose would they serve? This point is the hardest aspect of archon psychology for others to grasp. Archons live for fighting, not necessarily winning. Victory allows an archon to survive and fight again but is not itself the goal. Rather than wait for enemies to come to them, archons might hire themselves out as soldiers, guards, and assassins. They work for any employer that can provide a fight-even one that is not elemental-but don't value material wealth. Archons might purchase weapons and tools with their payment, but most of what they earn for their service gathers dust in their bastions. Archons actually want outsiders to come to them and try to take their treasures. A fight is a fight, whether offensive or defensive in nature. MAJOR SITES Archons sometimes conquer settlements of other races and convert them to strongholds. Most such fortresses, however, are built new, for defense and for marshaling forces. Hundreds of archon strongholds are scattered across the Elemental Chaos; several are large or infamous enough to warrant special mention. IRDOC MORDA This bastion of the iron archons (presented in detail on pages 76-77) is well known as a place of power for these elemental soldiers. What is less well known is that it marks the birthplace of these iron warriors, the first time that any creature other than a primordial was able to alter the nature of an archon forge. Only a few entities within the Elemental Chaos are privy to this knowledge. As the Dawn War raged, the primordials and their servants observed that the creatures of the gods forged weapons for themselves-first primitive implements ofwood and stone, then stronger tools of bronze, and eventually iron. So the primordia Is, with the aid of their war leaders and followers, set about forging weapons of their own to strengthen elemental entities whose substance would be otherwise less sturdy or destructive. As the archons, galeb duhrs, and other elemental servitors mined the area that would become Irdoc Morda, their very presence began to influence and shape the Elemental Chaos around them. This influence produced an archon forge at the site, as is often the case where a great many archons are concentrated. Initially, archons of earth and stone arose from that forge. But as the miners dug deeper into the ore and crafted ever more iron weapons, the nature of the creatures emerging from the forge began to Z change. The first iron archons came into existence. o Not only was this event the first time that new J: U types of archons had arisen without the intervention C!:: of the primordia Is, but their emergence apparently « resulted from the thoughts and desires of those already present. As the archons ofIrdoc Morda focused on forging iron into potent arms, they also created living iron weapons. If this supposition is true, and the rise of the iron archons was not mere coincidence, the implications are staggering. Any elemental creature with sufficient numbers, intense focus, and access to an archon forge could potentially create new species ofthese elemental soldiers. MORDRAM BEK This mighty stronghold connects three different locations across two separate planes. Permanent portals connect Mordram Bek's center within the Elemental Chaos to two wings in the world: one in an isolated mountain range and one a thousand miles away from that location on an archipelago. The fortress's vast barracks hold thousands of archons, poised to catch the world in a pincer attack. THRAK-HARDA Thrak-Harda is a sprawling stone fortification built not only to house an enormous army of earth archons, but also to guard a mystical gem that legend dubs the Diamond ofDespair. Thrak-Harda is ruled by the stone titan King Brakkamul, to whose authority the archons have yielded in order to more effectively guard the gem. The powers of the Diamond remain unknown, but they must be fearsome, given that the archons are willing to override their instincts to defend it. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
-,-,-- --- -,--.-~.-- ~-.--.-.-.- DJ1NNS Creatures ofmercurial whim and capricious fancy, djinns once lived only to fashion shape and function out of nothingness. They were famed for crafts whose ingenuity, beauty, and design were matched only by their endurance. The raw stuff ofthe Plane Below was as clay in their hands. Legend says that many of the most beautiful objects in the world today are poor copies ofthe originals that still reside in efreet vaults or in lost djinn households. But the djinns' rich and proud cultural heritage was scattered to the winds long ago. The ancient djinns sided with the primordials against the gods and, as punishment, were bound to worldly objects of changeless form. The story of their fall is widely known, but scholars differ in their suppositions about what prompted it. The prevailing theory is that djinns, although not warlike by nature, saw the primordials' struggle as their own: At stake was their continued mastery over creation. Since today's djinns no longer have the nearly limitless power their race once held , that conjecture might be close to the truth. LIFE AND CULTURE Before the Dawn War, the djinns boasted the most advanced society of all the elemental races. It had none ofthe regimentation of efreet civilization, nor the militant fanaticism ofthe titans, but was a marvel ofsoaring inspiration, intellect, and creative power. As the lords of air and sky, the djinns considered themselves the born nobility ofthe Elemental Chaosboth literally and figuratively above all other beings. This attitude persists among the few who exist today. The sky citadels of the djinns were wonders of the previous age. Each was a vast cloud fortress that served as a seat ofrulership, a gallery ofmagnificent art, and a home to a tribe of powerful djinn warriors, led by a mighty caliph. The ruins ofsome sky citadels still float through the Plane Below, awaiting someone to restore them to their former glory. Djinns leave many such places abandoned, though, as cautionary reminders of their fall from power. D UNN SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: The djinns are an ancient elemental race that enjoyed unequaled mastery of air and cloud. They were imprisoned by the gods in punishment for their support ofthe primordials in the Dawn War. Arcana DC 25: Djinns believed themselves the natural rulers of the elemental realm, and they built magnificent floating palaces that are largely abandoned today. Ruled by a caliph, each cloud fortress was a breathtaking monument to art. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos Arcana DC 30: Djinns hold that their race was born with the first cloud, and there they built the First City. Some say that if an imprisoned djinn caliph can escape and find the First City, all the others will be freed as well. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION The djinns oftoday little resemble their once-mighty forebears in outlook. They have become a grim race in diaspora, desperate not only to shake off the yoke oftheir shameful punishment, but also to reclaim their lost glory-even if only an echo ofit. Instead of building grand cities, djinns exist in small clans or travel alone, sometimes with a handful of elemental allies or trusted servitors. Their numbers have increased since the Dawn War, but the great caliphs remain bound in penance for their subjects' deeds. Until those mightiest ofdjinns are freed, the others see little purpose in rebUilding their SOciety as it once was. MAJOR SITES Most of the djinns' ancestral homes were destroyed during the Dawn War or fell to ruin in the wake of their ensuing imprisonment. Yet one fabled location remains-one that could be the race's salvation. THE FIRST CITY Djinns rarely mention the origin oftheir kind, but any that could be induced to speak ofthe First City would recount the tale with a prideful expression and a far-offlook. The djinns believe that their race was born at the spot in the Elemental Chaos where the first cloud took shape. This cloud grew and grew until it stretched for miles in every direction. Upon it the djinns built the First City-a sprawling work ofliving art that was the ancestral home oftheir race. Here too the djinns developed the ritual practice of a!-buraj (see "Mapping Chaos," page 54) to better navigate the primordial realm. This First City continuously moved, as do many locations in the Plane Below, but so great was its presence that it warped the very essence of the Elemental Chaos where it passed. When the gods prevailed at the end ofthe Dawn War, even they were unable to destroy the city. Instead, they emptied it ofits inhabitants and left it to drift until the end of time-or until the djinns return in triumph. Some djinns believe that if even one ofthe imprisoned caliphs can be set free and somehow find the First City, the gods' punishment can be undone. That single act would release the remaining caliphs and restore their race to glory.
III -.--._-.-.--.-.-_.-.-.--.- _._-.-.--.-._-.--. fUJ UJ cr: u. UJ EFREETS The efreets are the most notorious and feared among the great elemental races. They are well known for their willingness to leave the Elemental Chaos at the behest of mortals-for a price. Arrogant and resentful of servitude, efreets strive to pervert any arrangement into which they enter, adhering to the letter rather than the spirit of the deal. Hence the axiom "Take care what you ask of an efreet, lest it take you at your word." Some efreets believe that they were the archetype for entities of flame crafted by the primordials and later by whatever malign will guided the formation ofthe Nine Hells. This origin theory explains not only the resemblance of the eldest devils to efreets, but the prevalence of flame among such beings. Such an outlook is typical of efreets, who see themselves as the first elemental race and the rightful masters of the Plane Below-an attitude that brought them into conflict with the ancient djinns. The race was nearly untouched by the Dawn War, unlike most other elemental creatures. Efreets cared no more for the primordials than for the upstart gods. They watched from the sidelines, content to shore up their own power base in the Plane Below while others ravaged the Plane Above (the Astral Sea). Rumors whisper of a faction of efreets that got involved late in the war, but only to help the gods punish the djinns for their participation. The truth ofthe story is unknown, as is the nature ofthe aid provided, but producing solid supporting evidence might well reignite active war between the two ancient races. LIFE AND CULTURE Ancient and conniving, efreets have developed an intricate social system. Their ancestral home, the City ofBrass, boasts over 200,000 efreets-and nearly twice that number ofslaves-and has evolved over millennia to its present structure. Spreading beyond the City ofBrass throughout the vast Elemental Chaos, the efreets take their sacred laws with them wherever they go. Efreet culture is a curious mix of sophisticated, time-honored tradition and free -flowing mercantilism. At the top ofthe social pyramid sits the Lord ofthe Efreets. Chosen from the most powerful and Barazhad script ' successful noble house, the lord holds supreme authority. Below the lord is a council ofviziers (known colloquially as the Ring ofSmoke), representatives from the other noble houses who outrank the rest of the efreet aristocracy. Below the nobility are the merchant class, then free residents of other races, and finally the slave caste. An entire slave army is sworn to the defense of the City ofBrass. The efreets' mercantile ways and bureaucratic social structure are Widely known, but no less important is their tradition of erudition and scholarship. The libraries of the City ofBrass are the envy of the literate universe, and even nonelemental sages credit the efreets with transcribing the Primordial language into the Barazhad script. Efreets have an unsurpassed understanding ofthe Elemental Chaos and ofthe movements ofbodies within it, through their mastery of an ancient divinatory practice called al-buraj. EFREET SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: The efreets are an ancient elemental race ofcunning and fire mastery. They remained neutral during the Dawn War and thus avoided the destruction that came to others. Efreets strive to make deals advantageous to themselves and adhere to the letter rather than the spirit of an arrangement. Arcana DC 25: Efreets hold that they, not the djinns, are the nobility of the Elemental Chaos. The two races are age-old enemies, and some stories say that the efreets gave the gods the means to imprison the djinns. Arcana DC 30: Scho'larship is as important to efreets as possessions and power. The City ofBrass holds vast libraries of knowledge, and efreets first transcribed the Primordial language into the Barazhad script. Efreets have perfected the elemental navigation of al-buraj, first invented by the djinns. Arcana DC 35: Efreet society is regimented, relying heavily on slavery, and each of their settlements is governed by their sacred laws. Aside from the famous City of Brass, the efreets have established cities and outposts throughout the Plane Below. The Smoldering Gate is a mighty fortress that guards the mouth of the Abyss itself. ~ol~~~T1>txtrY11~~ ~!~J)~f.G~¥~ ~1=,<J '1 f€~ f+ CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION The City ofBrass is a relatively welcoming destination within the inhospitable Elemental Chaos, offering safe harbor from the dangers of the plane. Since it is one ofthe few pOints there that stays in place, the city has become the center oftrade in the Plane Below and the cosmos beyond. The efreets, for all their arro· gance, are not so foolish as to turn away visitors-and the profit they represent. Although outsiders are tolerated in the city, they must abide by restrictive policies. Security is high, especially around the harbor and the Charcoal Palace (the lord's Citadel), and transgressions of the law are punished with varying periods of servitude. Those who don't cause trouble, though, are usually left alone. Slave labor forms a large part of efreet society, and the concept ofservitude is complex and longstanding. It is central to the efreets' worldview, perhaps even to their nature: Bondage to another efreet is the harsh· est punishment possible in the race's culture. Some 'MAPP1NG CHAOS eing stationary relative to the rest of the Elementa! Chaos, the City of Brass has obvious advantages. As well as offering safety from chaos storms (Manual ofthe PlanesI page 67) and other planar perils, this static vantage point allows inhabitants to study the tempest in detail. Efreets conduct this eternal investigation with a ritual form of "astronomy" called al-buraj. The djinns originally created the art, but since their diminishment at the end ofthe Dawn War, they have contributed little to its progress. The efreets chart patterns in the fluctuations of the Elemental Chaos, which they believe not only reveal what has occurred but also presage events to come. The practice of al-buraj combines seemingly incompatible outlooks: rigorous natural philosophy and intensely devotional ritual. An observer records precise measurements of elemental bodies' composition and movement through the plane relative to his or her location; the stable City of Brass provides a known reference point. This mathematical precision is combined with deep meditation to reveal metaphoric truths, often in a trance induced by powerful elixirs. The art's ritual practitioners, called sahaars, are important and respected members of efreet society. Oracle, climatologist, and security advisor, a sahaar predicts impending storms and tracks the movements of earthmotes and other elemental bodies that might threaten travel. Temple observatories grant all sahaars the ability to gaze into any area of the Elemental Chaos. The efreets claim that other beings are phYSically and mentally incapable of practicing al-buraj, or even ofgrasping its deeper cosmological underpinnings. Such a claim might be based on the efreets' secrecy and arrogance rather than on any real information. scholars claim that the efreets were once enslaved by the first primordial off1ame. MAJOR SITES The efreets oversee a classic empire that holds sway over people, places, and resources far beyond their home region . They maintain their dominance by means of an army of archon slaves and maintain holdings throughout the Plane Below. THE CITY OF BRASS The most famous location in the Elemental Chaos, the ancestral home ofthe efreets is described in detail in the Manual ofthe Planes supplement (pages 73-76). DAR E:L-HARIa The enlightened few who are familiar with the sahaars (see the "Mapping Chaos" sidebar), and their service to the efreets over the centuries, know that their temples are not limited to the City ofBrass. The practice ofal-buraj involves using multiple observa tories, each ofwhich can be located by any other, as markers in the ever-changing tempest. In this way the sahaars perform the arcane triangulation that is the basis ofthe ritual art. Over millennia, as the efreets spread through the Elemental Chaos, they established many satellite observatories, to better serve the sahaars of the City of Brass and the greater glory oftheir race. Dar el-Hariq was one such site, part of a former outpost on a massive block of elemental earth tumbling through the plane. The outpost was lost to attackers that emerged from a nearby chaos storm, but the temple observatory remained. Today, a group ofrebellious efreets reside there, performing their own al-buraj rituals and biding their time until they sense the perfect moment to act. THE: SMOLDE:RING GATE: The name of this massive fortress in the Elemental Chaos is misleading. Although it does have gates, the Smoldering Gate is named not for those but for its purpose. Millennia ago, the Lord of the Efreets sent an army of efreets, accompanied by a cadre of the most powerful constructs that their magic could sustain, on a one-way mission into the Elemental Chaos. The legion'S objective was to find the major portal to the Abyss nearest to the City ofBrass and build a watchtower on the most defensible position overlooking it. The result was a nearly impregnable fortress, populated by efreets and their unliving servitors. It has remained in roughly the same place ever since, at the very threshold of the Abyss. In all those long years, the soldiers of the Smoldering Gate have never
The Sultan ofBrass willingly entered the portal or even revealed the existence oftheir stronghold to outsiders. The guardians' movements are strictly regulated, and they remain ever vigilant despite the monotony. Always they watch, against the day when the mouth ofthe Abyss yawns wide to spill forth its horrors. THE TOWER OF DJAMELA Djamela's Tower is built on a steep-sided, floating island that juts up in the midst ofthe Sea ofFire. On the horizon, the distant spires of the City ofBrass shimmer above the haze ofthe lava sea. An ancient stone dike surrounds the island, bolstered by arcane rituals that help keep the lava at bay. The tower itself is a sheer obsidian monolith that dominates the island. Years ago, this island was home to Djamela, an eccentric efreet mage whose passion was the study of raw chaos. The mage was particularly interested in the mutability ofthe Elemental Chaos, which she sought to harness and control. Her research was so dangerous that she was driven from the City ofBrass, so she relocated to this remote location to continue her work. Djamela raised a monolithic tower filled with traps, and she conjured golems and spec tral defenders to defend against intrusion. Her enemies eventually found her, though, and managed to slay Vl the efreet mage. The creatures that Djamela had tu conjured were left to run free, preventing others from ~ continuing her research. L.L. Without its creator to maintain the strengthening LI.J rituals, the dike began to decay, and the island was nearly consumed by the Sea ofFire. A shadar-kai mercenary named Sarshan moved into the tower at some point and now apparently controls it. The shadar-kai has also established control over the mage's traps. CHANGE lN THE C1TY OF BRASS The Scales of War adventure path in Dun8eon magazine chronicles events that can affect the City of Brass, summarized here. If you are setting your own stories in the City of Brass, you could integrate some of the following material into your campaigns. Bashamgurda, lord of the Efreets for nearly four centuries, insulted and enraged the noble houses by allowing an outside force to use the City of Brass as a staging ground for an army, and the houses hold him responsible for the carnage that followed. Acting with the support of every key noble house other than Bashamgurda's own, a seasoned general named Estumishu stepped up to take the Brass Throne. The coup itself was nearly bloodless, costing the life of only Bashamgurda himself. The fallout was less pleasant. Enraged, Bashamgurda's house declared war on Estumishu's family and was destroyed for its blatant violation ofefreet law. Estumishu's palace guard, the Ring of Fire, massacred the males ofthe house and enslaved their wives and children to the new lord. Only a few escaped to a distant outpost, Dar el-Hariq. Not every house agreed with this draconian response, but all saw little choice but to fall in line. This upheaval at the highest levels ofefreet society has changed the sense of welcoming cultural openness once prevalent in the City of Brass. Today, anxiety oozes from the highest halls of power and permeates the city's mood. Ufe under Bashamgurda had been stable if unsatisfying for some among the nobility. But many who thought they knew who Estumishu was, and what he would represent once in power, are now doubting themselves. Recently Estumishu acqUired the nickname "the Smiling King," allegedly for the way his oversized teeth protrude even when he is silent. No one else seems to be laughing, though. As word of Estumishu's coup spreads throughout the Elemental Chaos, many of the other communities are holding their breath. The efreets are the largest and most organized power in the plane, and no one knows whether the Smiling King intends to maintain the status quo or steer efreet society to a new and unexpected course.
_ .---.-.-.-.-.-.- .- .-._.-.--.-.--- GENASl Although most genasi dwell in the world, substantial numbers yet inhabit the Plane Below. Genasi are strongly attracted to places ofstrong elemental power, and the Elemental Chaos calls to them despite its dangers. They are drawn to areas that share their manifested element; watersoul genasi, for example, feel safer in environments dominated by water. THE OR1G1N OF THE GENASl The story of the race's beginning is lost to history. but genasi have an astounding number of contradictory creation myths. Ma ny legends claim that the genasi were once humans who became infused with elemental power. The most popular and Widely accepted story states that a group of human wizards called sha'irs worked closely with powerful elemental beings and evenl tually became so steeped in elemental power that their children were infused with it-becoming the first genasi. Other stories abound. Perhaps the genasi developed from human agents ofthe primordials who were twisted by dark elemental energy, or they were brave champions who stole power from the primordials. Perhaps they were simply trapped in the Elemental Chaos and absorbed its ambient power. A number of genasi resent the implication that they must have grown from human stock. They seek to distance themselves from humans and establish themselves as a unique race. A popular tale claims that the genasi were the first humanoids created. The primordials made the cosmos long before the gods arrived, and as they spun the raw stuff of existence from the void, their great generative power gave life to some of it. Thus were the first elementals born. The primordials soon became aware of these bits of elemental conglomerate that did not act randomly or naturally. They were pleased with the results and experimented with creating additional forms of life. Many of these did not survive, but djinns, efreets, giants, and genasi are all results of the primordials' efforts. The merciless environment and fierce competition with the other children of the primordials weeded out the weakest ofthe genasi stock, so that only the cleverest remained. Even though the survivors were able to hold their own, their numbers were few, and as a group they were still no match for the other new races. Teetering on the brink of extinction, the genasi gathered together for one last desperate try at protecting their race: They struck at the primordials. Most died in this heroic attempt, but a few survived, clutching small fragments of their creators' power. Employing arcane means to harness this essence, they created the first archon forges. Then, with armies of elemental soldiers at their disposal, the genasi carved out domains for themselves and multiplied, until other servants of the primordia Is stole the forges, claiming them as their own creations. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos Genasi are as scattered in the Elemental Chaos as they are in the world, and few strong communities exist in either realm. Ironically, genasi cannot tolerate the extreme environments ofthejr ancestral home, so they must compete with other creatures such as githzerai, djinns, and giants for the limited habitable areas. Genasi rarely win such conflicts and so end up forming enclaves in other races' settlements. The elemental currents in the Plane Below strongly influence genasi who are native to the plane, making their elemental manifestations more extreme than those ofgenasi who were born in the world. For example, firesoul genasi are wilder and more destructive, while carthsoul genasi are more deliberate and implacable. Those native to the plane do not consider their extreme nature to be unusual and even exploit their elemental attunement by switching manifestations as needed. Thus, a stormsoul genasi might switch to earthsoul when patience is necessary. LIFE AND CULTURE The phYSical weakness ofgenasi limits their choices in the plane's hostile environment. Many are slaves in the City ofBrass or in settlements of other powerful beings; those who are not can barely scratch out a modest liVing. Others live among the githzerai, contributing to their communities and learning their ways. The few genasi settlements that do exist in the Plane Below are well-fortified areas with dedicated defenders, much like githzerai communities. Unlike the githzerai, who overcome the dangers of the plane through tight social bonds and intense martial training, genasi have a loose system ofgovernment. A council of experienced elders rules on important matters, but citizens work together for the sake of shared survival. Genasi crafters, farmers, and traders work with vastly different materials from those in the natural world. Their manufactured goods incorporate pulSing crystal, semisolid fire , or stranger substances; farmers grow mineral-rich crops in sludge-filled swamps or herd elemental beasts across lightning-flecked fields ofice. GENASI SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: Although genasi are elemental beings, they are not native to the Elemental Chaos and struggle to survive there. Conflicting legends claim they arose from humanoids imbued with elemental essence or were creations ofthe primordials predating other forms oflife. Arcana DC 25: Genasi who are native to the Plane Below manifest elements more intensely than genasi do elsewhere, and they are able to alternate between different manifestations.
Arcana 1/1 DC 30: Genasi legend holds that the race was instrumental in saving the world from the aftermath of the Dawn War, and the genasi still revere the hero Twenisto, called the Water Thief. Arcana DC 35: Some genasi of the Elemental Chaos form hunting bands called zar-son, which roam the Plane Below in pursuit of dangerous elemental monsters. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION Despite all their hardships, genasi as a whole have no quarrel with the other elemental races. They feel a kinship to all children of the elements, even ifindividuals mistreat them. Some genasi grow bitter about their race's lowly status and depart through portals to the natural world, but many are loath to leave their home plane, harsh as it is. A few such genasi form bands they caB zar-son, which loosely translates as "great hunters." A zar-son band consists offour to twelve genasi, usually exhibiting various manifestations, who adventure across the Elemental Chaos and fight powerful elemental creatures. Some bands exist only to gain experience and strength from these hunts, while others search for a hospitable place to call home. MAJOR SITES Genasi tend to congregate in small populations within the cities of other races but occasionally form communities oftheir own. GLOAMNULL This genasi trade city, struggling to survive in the Elemental Chaos, is detailed in chapter 3 (page 74). HATSNARL This genasi town (population roughly 4,000) is built on a cluster ofsmall earthmotes-the largest is a mere mile across. Rope bridges link every floating rock with at least one or two others, though the windsoul genasi who make up most ofthe population often just fly between them. The town is ruled by an enigmatic storm giant of unusual shrewdness named Aphyr. Through Aphyr's masterful diplomacy, the town has formed alliances with elementals and other storm giants, and an elite cadre of air archons defends it. The genasi of the city are particularly disciplined, and many study ritual magic at its extensive library. Other forces in the area are beginning to look toward Hatsnarl with some concern about Aphyr's goals. THRESHOLD The largest genasi city in the Elemental Chaos is also the most likely to attract visitors from the natural world. With a population of almost 10,000 genasi, Threshold is a bustling settlement built around an enormous portal that opens once each month for 72 ~ hours. Each time, the portal connects to a seemingly Z UJ random location in the world or, rarely, some other IJ plane. The genasi use this short window of opportunity to trade their wares, secure new materials, or contact long-lost kin. THE WILD QUARTER This area ofthe Iskalat district in the City ofBrass (Manual ofthe Planes, paBes 73 -76) is home to most of the city's genasi. Many are freed slaves who work to earn freedom for their kin. The genasi's elemental nature works against them, though; with so many firesouls living so close together, mad celebrations and rages continually break out, giving the quarter its name. The efreets, having little tolerance for chaos, must patrol constantly to break up the disturbances. Despite the genasi's noble aims, they have become a citywide joke. THE WAT ER TH1EF Genasi consider themselves to be resourceful and lever and nothing exemplifies this attitude better than the story of the Water Thief. During the long years of the Dawn War, life in the world was a struggle. The blasted landscape was unsuitable for growing crops or even rebuilding. Ash, salt, and scoria fouled streams and lakes. The creatures of the world had no choice but to drink the tainted water, shortening their lives and exposing them to horrible disease. A group of genasi scholars, who had long ago fled their primordial masters and taken up residence in the world, decided to solve this problem. They knew that the Elemental Chaos contained vast resources of pure water. Being elemental in nature, the genasi were best suited to secure a supply, but the scholars could find none willing to travel to the Plane Below. Fear of the war and of the primordials overwhelmed them. Finally, a watersoul genasi called Twenisto appeared at the scholars' doorstep. He didn't volunteer to travel to the Elemental Chaos to secure fresh water but simply grinned, claiming to have already done so. The scholars drew water from their well and were astonished to find it pure and sweet-as it was throughout the world. The genasi hailed Twenisto as a hero, calling him the Water Thief, and their mythic traditions credit the race with the survival of all natural peoples. The other races remained ignorant of his accomplishment. though some genasi note that stories exist in other cultures that echo Twenisto's tale. The hero did not linger in the world to enjoy the acclaim. He returned to the Elemental Chaos, his heart stolen by a beautiful lightning elemental. A prominent genasi family with the surname Waterthief claims Twenisto's lineage to this day. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
-.-.-.-.--.-.-.---.- .-.-.--.-.-. G1ANTS AND T1TANS In the beginning, giants of every kind labored long for their elemental overseers to construct a beautiful place of ever-shifting primordial wonder, in the perfect image ofthe Elemental Chaos that had birthed it. Then the gods interfered and changed everything. They made the world stable, predictable-mundane. New races spread swiftly through the hospitable new realm. Villages rose and became towns, towns became cities, and cities became nations. Dwarves disemboweled the earth, elves drowned dry places, and humans overran the whole. This ordered realm, ruled by gods-favored creatures, was an abomination to the primordials. They tried to restore it to its former perfection, but they were overthrown by the upstart gods. Giants and titans have served their own aims since the end of the Dawn War, but some remain loyal to the trapped primordials and see it as their duty to destroy what the gods created. They tear down buildings, burn crops, and soak the ground with the blood of the world's creatures, hoping to overturn the triumph of the gods and free the primordials to recreate the world they intended. THE BATTLE OF THE TORN PLA1N When the gods and the primordials waged their ancient! war. a great battle took place on a wide plain in the natural world. On one side were angels and other servants of the gods. led by the archangel Odamiel. On the other were elementals and archons commanded by the mighty earth archon Phaeron. The forces clashed repeatedly. tearing the ground and burning the sky, but the armies were too evenly matched; the battles always ended in stalemate. No giants were involved at the start of this battle, for they were fighting elsewhere. They soon prevailed in their other endeavors, however, and force-marched to reinforce their allies on the plain. The giants and the titans threw themselves into the fray, even though they were exhausted from their earlier battles and their march. In the midst of the desperate fight. the great storm titan lord Thoran paused. having slaughtered all before him. At that moment, Odamiel dispatched the elemental creatures facing her. The two mighty beings' eyes met across the ravaged land. Odamiel charged. Thoran turned his gaze to the heavens, and storm clouds bl'otted out the sun. With a crash of thunder that split the earth, an enormous stroke of lightning flashed down and blasted the archangel to ash. Thus did Thoran win the Battle of the Torn Plain. The archon Phaeron knelt and paid him homage. C HAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos GIANT SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: Since the end of the Dawn War, most giants no longer serve the primordials, but they still destroy the creations ofthe gods in an attempt to return the cosmos to its former primordial existence. Arcana DC 25: Giants rarely organize beyond small groups led by powerful leaders. Titans, however, are powerful enough to stabilize large portions of the Elemental Chaos. They create domains reOecting their nature and command giants and other elemental creatures. Arcana DC 30: Giants' and titans' territo· ries often contain portals connecting the world to the Elemental Chaos through areas of intense elemental activity. LIFE AND CULTURE Giants are barely civilized, forming loose bands if no leader directs them. Their motivations are simple: They like their own kind and creatures that share their base element, and they hate and destroy the rest-even other giants. When giants do form larger communities, their characteristics depend on the inhabitants' kind. Hill and earth giants group into clans under a chieftain, while stone giants live in more widely distributed tribes. Frost giants are tightly controlled by a jar!, who brooks no argument, and fire giants organize military units under one leader. Storm giants claim wide swaths ofJand as their domains, in which they establish courts of all giantkind. Titans take their elemental nature to the extreme. Rarely do they live in the natural world, which they consider beneath notice. They establish communities in the Elemental Chaos that resemble those of their kin but are more ambitious in scope. A powerful titan lord can carve out many square miles ofterritory in the Plane Below, and the titan's power draws followers to its banner: usually different titans and giants, as well as a few other elemental creatures. Each titan holding is a relatively stable area ofthe Elemental Chaos, dominated by its master's native element-fire in a fire titan's domain, water and wind in a storm titan's, and so forth. Such realms are sometimes transient because ofthe shifting nature of the plane. However, espeCially strongwilled titan lords can hold their territories together long enough for them to show up on some maps of the Elemental Chaos. Giants often hoard treasure, which is reason enough for adventurers to confront them, but their territories in the Elemental Chaos also harbor portals to the world. These open into inhospitable areas, such as the heart of a volcano or the center
of a raging storm. Sometimes a single community of giants spans both planes. Perhaps giants seek out such places, or their presence somehow opens portals. Regardless oftheir origin, these portals allow giants to wreak havoc in both planes. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION Giants are straightforward creatures. They like destruction and their favored element, and they gravitate toward power. Without leaders, giants are rampaging monsters. A strong leader can unite them to some degree, but generally only as a personal force oframpaging monsters. Most giants serve their own interests or those of their immediate masters. They have forgotten their ancient lords, ignore them, or pay them only lip service. A significant minority, however, still revere the primordials. These giants are better organized and focus on the long-term goal of destroying the gods and their servants. They rein in their reckless nature, making them more cunning than others of their kind. Most creatures that encounter giants have a fight on their hands. Skilled characters can sometimes negotiate with a giant or titan leader to secure safe passage or simply avoid a fight. Giants usually demand treasure in such an exchange. MAJOR SITES Because giants are so widespread and their communities so loose, few legitimate settlements exist. Those that do are titan realms and significant centers of power, though visitors find little but hardship. KALTENHEIM, KINGDOM OF THE HOWLING ICE Kaltenheim is the domain ofthe frost titan Thrym, who rules from a citadel of deep blue ice. His territory's frigid landscape includes iced-over seas, caves of ice stalactites, and bone-snapping storms ofsnow and hail. Thrym seethes with hatred of his opposite, the fire titan Surtur, and he constantly plots to destroy his enemy and freeze Surtur's kingdom, SakathMazim. Kaltenheim is the frozen reflection ofthat burning realm. THE RUNE-CARVED KEEP The eldritch titan Xantis rules this castle in a remote area ofthe Elemental Chaos. The keep is sparsely populated with eldritch giants, golems, and a few other creatures of an arcane bent. Githzerai explorers claim thatXantis did not build the keep but discovered it. Its original constructors are a mystery, as is the meaning ofthe runes inscribed on its surface. Xantis intends to find the answers to both puzzles and exploit them. SAKATH-MAZIM, KINGDOM OF THE ASHEN STORM The mighty fire titan Surtur rules this realm of burning ground and searing, ash-filled winds. Fire elementals of all types prowl the blistering landscape, slaying outsiders. In his castle of ever-flOWing lava, Surtur plots against his nemesis, the frost titan Thrym. TORRAKOR, KINGDOM OF THE BLACK WAVES The storm titan queen Ysaga rules this ravaged expanse of dark waters: a sailor's nightmare of huge waves smashing against each other, driven by ferocious storms. Thunder rolls constantly, and the only illumination comes from the lightning that continuously lances from the boiling clouds. Monstrous creatures reach up with maws or tentacles to catch any creature foolish enough to travel upon the waters. Ysaga has worked hard to ensure her solitude, even from other beings related to her favored elements. Some say she toils in search of a mystic remedy for some ancient curse or tragedy. Whatever the reason, she wants no company other than the storms, the waves, and the mindless beasts that dwell below. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
-~-.-- --.---.. -,--.-~.- -.-,.-.-. G1THZERAl Githzerai settlements are the most habitable byvisitors in the Elemental Chaos. They are more stable than genasi towns and less harsh than efreet cities. Howcver, githzerai are suspicious of strangers. Anything ncw brings change, which githzerai abhor; they study chaos only to control and avoid it. Grim and unfriendly as they are, though, they rarely turn away people in need. Gith.zerai are an introspective people who see themselves as the calm within the literal storm of the Elemental Chaos. They believe that by mastering the chaos ofthe universe, they can create perfect order, which leads to enlightenment. Others describe them as philosopher-monks, and githzerai culture is decidedly monastic. This structure is not imposed by rulers; it is a natural consequence of both the githzerai's outlook and. the reality ofsurviving in the Elemental Chaos. GITHZERAI SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: Githzerai settlements are rare points oforder in the Elemental Chaos. The githz erai are grim and focused on control, but they do assist travelers in need. Arcana DC 25: Perfection and discipline drive the githzerai, exemplified by their monastic traditions. Githzerai also value indiViduality highly and encourage all to follow their own paths. Arcana or History DC 30: After the ancient gith overthrew the empire of mind Dayers that enslaved them, a rift developed involVing their leader, Gith. Zerthimon, her most vocal critic, prevailed against her in a duel and led his followers to the Elemental Chaos. They became the githzerai. Arcana DC 35: Somewhere in the Elemental Chaos is the legendary Arsanith monastery. It is said to be a center of perfect order, cloaked from all who are not worthy. Anyone who has found enlightenment is welcome there. LIfE AND CULTURE Githzerai strive to perfect themselves and their culture, believing this practice to be the path to enlightenment. They have not forgotten the stories oftheir time as slaves, and thus their society is only loosely regulated. Nevertheless, a definite order and sense ofshared destiny emerges. Monastic traditions unite the githzerai in pursuit oftheir common goal. Their training emphaSizes the harmony ofsoul, mind, and body. Such intense focus unlocks impressive mental ability, honed further by the constant effort ofwill necessary to control the Elemental Chaos. PhYSical exercises incorporate martial C HAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos training as a means to mastering unarmed combatperhaps in recognition ofthe ancient duel between Zerthimon and Gith. Swearing never again to let tyranny quash their will, githzerai also pursue their own interests, from warfare to fine art. They aspire to perfection even in their hobbies and vocations: A githzerai works as hard to be the best crafter or farmer possible as to be the best warrior or wizard. THE OR1G1N OF THE G1THZERAl Eons ago, the mind f1ayers ruled a horrible empire that spanned planes. In the empire's early days, the iIIithids conquered a gaunt, yellow-skinned race of humanoids_ As the empire expanded, the mind f1ayers took many more peoples as thralls, slaves. and food. but that ancient race of humanoids remained the most populous_ After millennia of imprisonment, a powerful leader named Gith arose among that enslaved people. She led a sweeping rebellion against the mind f1ayers that ultimately collapsed the empire. The slaves were freed. The mind f1ayers fled into the deep places of the worlds, vowing to rebuild their strength and to wreak terrible vengeance. The race's original name has long been lost, but scholars named it8ith in honor ofthe great Iiberator_ The gith did not have long to celebrate their new freedom. Even before their wounds had been healed and the rubble cleared, problems arose. The gith were still strictly regimented and controlled by a leader who treated them as an army fighting a war, rather than as a free people ready to build a new society. Such discipline comforted many gith, but others chafed against it. Among the latter, Zerthimon was the most vocal in denouncing Gith: Although she had been an excellent leader in war, she had proved unable to lead a people in peace. He called for her to step down. Gith refused to relinquish her command, but Zerthimon and his followers would not tolerate another tyrant. Zerthimon challenged Gith directly. The two great gith leaders lifted their blades, stained with the blood of mind flayers, and met each other on the battlefield as the gith looked on. Although Gith's skill in battle was superior, Zerthimon gained an advantage over her and won the contest. He spared her life, but the conflict had created a deep division within the gith race. Zerthimon I'ed his supporters away from the ruined iHithid empire to make a new home in the Elemental Chaos. Gith and her followers also left the world, but they moved to the Astral Sea. The two halVes of the gith people developed along different paths, u'ltimately becoming separate raCes. Gith's followers in the Astral Sea became the githyanki, and Zerthimon's followers in the Elemental Chaos became the githzerai.
Each githzerai settlement is an oasis of calm in the seething Elemental Chaos, usually a walled city built on an earthmote. Cenobites and mindmages patrol the wall, watching for incursions. Other githzerai sit or stand in quiet meditation throughout the fortress· city, exercising their focused will to keep the turmoil at bay. Outsiders receive close scrutiny, often having cenobites assigned to keep track of their moves and moods. As mortal creatures, githzerai require food and water. They can direct the unstable plane's mutabil· ity to transform some ofthe local environment to ZERTH1MON'S FATE As with so many figu res of myth, Zerthimon's final fate remains unknown. Githzerai historians agree that after his duel with Gith, Zerthimon led his followers to the Elemental Chaos, where they established their monastic society. They also agree that he was an able leader for many decades, and that he trained the first githzerai monks. Then, apparently, he simply disappeared. Many stories purport to tell Zerthimon's fate. The most popular among githzerai is that he achieved a profound form of enlightenment, far deeper than that attained by the hermit liricosa {page 148)-perhaps even divine insight. Zerthimon transcended his mortal form to become an immortal being of pure energy, subtly gUiding his people in their quest to follow him to this supreme state. He is no longer troubled by thoughts of violence against his enemies, and those who sense his presence can feel his peaceful nature. Other scholars scoff at these tales, calling them existential nonsense. Zerthimon was a great leader and left a great heritage, but his end was no mystery. He simply died, as all mortals do; his followers held a grand funeral for him, and all knew of his passing. Only later, when Zerthimon's life and death became clouded from the passage of time, did historians and wishful thinkers invent more fantastic fates for him. A darker story, and one that offends most githzerai, is that Zerthimon did die-but only in part. Unwilling to abandon his people, he delved into forbidden arts to extend his life beyond death. He became a lich, just as Gith herself had done. However, after performing the rituals necessary to achieve this state, Zerthimon was horrified at what he had done. He realized that if his people saw him in this state, they wou'ld turn from his teachings and all his achievements would be for naught. He fled to some forgotten place in the Elemental Chaos, where he dwells still, wrestling with the evil of his existence and trying to guide his people without their knowledge. Interestingly, githyanki also take bitter offense at this tale, because they believe it would diminish Gith if their race's greatest traitor had managed to join her in immortality. elemental water, but food is harder to acquire. Crops and livestock are brought in from other planes, particularly the Feywild and the Astral Sea. Visitors to a githzerai settlement might be surprised by markets featuring ears ofsilver corn or hulking, red-skinned hogs. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION Githzerai are suspicious of outsiders, but they reserve true hatred for their ancient enemies: the mind flayers and their brutal kin, the githyanki. They kill such creatures on Sight, and they form special groups to hunt them down across the planes. Anyone who grievously wrongs the githzerai people might also be the target of relentless pursuit. MAJOR DOMAINS The githzerai boast more communities within the Elemental Chaos than most other races, but only a few are large or important enough to be known to outsiders. ARSANITH Arsanith is a legend among the githzerai, but a few planar travelers report having actually seen the place. Tales say that it is a small monastery deep within the Elemental Chaos, far from any other outpost ofcivilization, where only those who have touched enlightenment dwell. Arsanith's inhabitants are said to have such control over the surrounding chaos that they alter it purely by instinct, keeping out elemental beasts and demons. They Similarly notice any other creature that nears their monastery and cloak their existence ifthey do not wish to be found. However, the tales also say that anyone who has glimpsed enlightenment is welcome in ArsanHh-even githyanki. SANZERATHAD This githzerai settlement barely survives the wilds of the Elemental Chaos. For more information about Sanzerathad, see page 86. ZERTHADLUN The largest githzerai city in the Elemental Chaos is one ofthe best places for outsiders to enjoy some of the safety and comforts of civilization. Zerthadlun is described in more detail in Manual ofthe Planes, pages 77-78. CHA PTER 2 I Races of Chaos
-._.-.-._-.-.-._-- '---.-.-.-.-.-. SLAADS Embodying disorder and entropy, slaads claim all of the Elemental Chaos as their stomping grounds. They are not primordials, elementals, nor demons, but chaos made flesh, and they delight in the fury of clashing elements. Those slaads that prize knowledge and intelligence more highly than instinct know several hundred origin myths regarding their kind. Most such stories contradict each other, but one theme is shared by all of them: Slaads claim that they are the only sentient beings to inhabit the universe, and that all other creatures that believe themselves to be self-aware have that belief only in their own fevered imaginings. The conflict between the slaads' origin stories invalidates all of the tales, in the opinion of most sages, and is just one more example of the chaos that slaads embrace. However, one controversial theory claims that all the stories are true because many alternate realities exist-possibly even an infinite number. That individual slaads tell different stories indicates that these unique creatures descended from different universes and perhaps can yet see dimly into realms other than the one they occupy. Perhaps multiple universes collapsed into a Single cosmos, and only slaads still remember the infinite possibilities of other timelines. Now trapped in a single reality, they rebel against its strictures and embrace chaos as a way of breaking free into the wider multiverse. Scholars generally consider this idea ludicrous at best. Slaads' thoughts are clouded with maddening images, and they seem aware of things beyond the perception of other creatures, but these facts do not prove the existence of a wider reality. SLAAD SOCIETY LORE Arcana DC 20: Most slaads seem insane and distracted, as though they are aware of things that other creatures cannot perceive. Those capable of more reasoned thought claim that they are the only sentient creatures in the cosmos. Arcana DC 25: Slaads roam the Plane Below in search of areas ofspectacular chaos. This quest sometimes brings them into contact with demons, who share their taste for destruction, but the two groups do not cooperate. Arcana DC 30: Slaads have hundreds of conflicting origin stories, and one theory claims that all are true. The slaads see multiple realities at once. Their search for chaos is an attempt to tear down the walls that separate universes. They follow chaos storms in this pursuit, the largest ofwhich is the Great Red Tempest. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos Arcana DC 35: From time to time, slaads are drawn to a strange object known as the Spawning Stone. This huge artifact is needed for reproduction, but scholars also believe it might trap the slaads in their current form and reality. LIFE AND CULTURE A slaad's life is filled with constant bedlam; peacefulness and inactivity are torture to these frenzied creatures. Chaos is almost as vital as food for slaads-when tumult dies down, they suffer pangs of discontent. Slaads have no permanent home and never rest. They roam the Elemental Chaos in small packs, hunting for food and for spectacularly chaotic or violent phenomena. Slaads are sometimes encountered with demons, even though the two groups share no affinity, because both kinds of creatures are drawn to acts of devastation. Once the destruction is complete, though, the two groups might end up fighting each other. Just as hunter tribes ofthe world follow migrating herds, slaad packs trail chaos storms (Manual ofthe Planes, page 67). A storm might drag large masses of stony or watery debris in its wake, creating a temporary landscape that pursuing slaads briefly inhabit. Slaads relish these violent manifestations of chaos and seem to be immune to their effects. They fall upon creatures wounded in a storm's tumult or salvage interesting materials transformed by its reality-altering power. IfsJaads do perceive other worlds Simultaneously, they might be attracted to chaos storms because they believe the barriers between multiple realities are thinnest at a storm's center. OUTLOOK AND INTERACTION Slaads seem interested only in increasing entropy, both through violent actions and by growing their own numbers with the spread of chaos phage (page 142). Thus, their interaction with other creatures is rarely harmonious. Even demons and devils can be bound by pacts, however short-lived those agreements might be. Making a deal with a slaad is nearly impossible. Those who hold to the multiworId theory ofslaad origin believe that slaads act as they do for a deeper reason: Slaads spread chaos in an effort to break down the structured bonds of reality. Constrained to one existence, one time, and one rule of cause and effect, slaads rail against order because it is their prison, and they embrace chaos as the key to freedom.
MAJOR SITES Slaads wander most ofthe Elemental Chaos, but they are always found in some locations. THE GREAT RED TEMPEST The storms of raw chaos that sweep across the Plane Below threaten travelers and natives alike. Some are so large and long-lasting that they have acquired names. The Great Red Tempest is one such monster: a churning, blood-colored maelstrom that slowly rolls through the Elemental Chaos. A typical chaos storm (Manual of the Planes, page 67) is rarely more than a few feet in radius, but the Great Red Tempest extends for miles in all directions. Several slaad packs ride behind it on tumbling, burrow-riddled stones the size of mountains or swim in the miniature seas that spin in its wake. When the storm boils across an inhabited region, the slaads launch themselves out to tear into survivors who are still regaining their bearings. The tunnels that pierce the storm-lashed boulders are strewn with oddities collected from the storm, sometimes valuable but often merely shiny junk. Ruined structures sprawl across one rocky mass, apparently the remains of a compound founded by humans to establish a foothold for their explorations ofthe Elemental Chaos. Slaads come and go from the Great Red Tempest, but one is always at the storm's heart: a void slaad called Vinakr Abudn. The other slaads supply the ebony creature with food and water as it meditates constantly, seeking a way to use the power of the storm to tear down the walls ofcreation. THE SPAWNING STONE Drifting through the Elemental Chaos is a great whorled and multicolored sphere several hundred feet in diameter, cloaked by an enormous vortex of churning elemental fury. The whorls gradually mix across the sphere's face, and burning white runes gird it in three broad bands at, above, and below its equator. This huge structure is known to slaads as the Spawning Stone. Every few years, according to no predictable schedule, a subset of the slaad population feels an undeniable urge to travel to the Spawning Stone's location and procreate. The stone's power tugs relentlessly at slaads wherever they might be, aJIowing them to find it unerringly as it wanders the Plane Below. The slaads converge at the Spawning Stone in a mating frenzy. Some quality ofthe sphere quickens the egg sacs under their claws, enabling the growth oftiny embryos for implantation in prey; otherwise, slaads would produce no offspring. A few who visit the stone are transformed into slaad spawners (Monster Manual 2, page 185), which begin to bud and grow embryos beneath their skin rather than under their claws. The runes on the Spawning Stone are in no known script, but slaads that study the lore oftheir race believe them to be an arcane stricture. Whatever agency confined the slaads to a single reality seems also to prevent these beings of manifest chaos from developing new physical forms over generations. The offspring of slaads that congregate at the stone are limited to a handful oftoad like shapes. The most ancient living slaads, including Ygorl, Lord ofEntropy (page] 56), and Bazim-Gorag the Firebringer, might know the reason behind their limited forms. They might even be responsible for creating the burni ng runes. Ifso, none of these primeval slaads have ever revealed their knowledge. However, similar runes sometimes appear on the Pandemonium Stone (page 80), another curious artifact that could be the physical anchor for the slaads' imprisonment in just one existence. A powerful and long-lived slaad called the Guardian of the Stone remains always with the sphere. The Guardian sees to it that the sphere remains off limits to any creatures other than slaads. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
- -~- -.-.--.---- .. --,-- .--- ~---- -- -- -,--,-_. OTHER RACES Many other races also make their homes in the Plane Below, even if they are not as numerous or as influential as those described above. Demons, the native creatures ofthe Abyss, are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4. DAO These reclusive creatures ofearth occupy a unique place in the complex web of relations between the ancient elemental races. The dao took no sides in the Dawn War, remaining neutral even when the djinns begged them for help. The djinns blamed their refusal for the losses they suffered. Today, however, only the most hardened caliph still harbors acrimony toward that race, for the djinns' punishment was ultimately at the hands of the gods. The dao are masters of earth and stone, and they consider their property to be all that naturally occurs or grows within those materials. Their love ofgems puts dwarves to shame, and they might travel across planes to establish a new mine if the lode is promising. The possessiveness ofdao leads them to reclaim treasures of the earth from other beings who, in their opinion, do not deserve them. Dao have the most hierarchical society of all elemental races other than the efreets. The sharifis the supreme ruler, ensconced in the race's ancestral home in the Elemental Chaos. This place, called the Great Dismal Delve, is carved into a massive block of freestanding earth. Though the dao constantly bore through its interior, the stone constantly renews itself from within so that they can never remove it all. This cycle ofactivity spawns great earthquakes that rattle through the Delve. DEMONS Demons normally dwell in the Abyss, and their behavior is described in more detail in chapter 4. Since no strict boundary separates the Abyss from the rest ofthe Elemental Chaos, though, demons can be encountered anywhere in the plane. Demons in general don't form communities. They are living engines of destruction that slaughter everything in Sight; when other victims are unavailable, they readily turn against one another. They have no underlying reason for their chaotic rampage, as slaads might, but act simply out of their nature. On occasion, a more ambitious demon develops the urge to rule. The mightiest of these become demon princes, but the less powerful ones browbeat weaker demons into service and enslave other crea tures rather than destroying them. Such rulers are as instinctively destructive as other demons, but their devastation is slightly more organized and on a larger scale. Each demonic regime reflects the persona ofits ruler, but all share certain features. There are no laws beyond requiring instant obedience to the ruler's every whim, which is enforced through cruelty and torture. Daily life is nothing more or less than a struggle for survival: The strong literally prey on the weak. Their rulers constantly seek to expand by conquering neighboring settlements, and their demonic armies are made up largely of volunteers. Soldiers in the service of demon overlords receive slightly better treatment than most others-as long as they keep winning and don't irritate a foul-tempered superior. DWARVES Dwarves are not native to the Elemental Chaos, but a few dwell there nonetheless, hidden in the crags and caves of mountainous regions. Some are descendants ofthe giants' slaves from ages past who did not mutate into new races such as the galeb duhrs. Others arrived more recently, after delving so deep into the world that they were transported to regions of elemental earth in the Plane Below. Both groups are insular and heaVily suspicious of outsiders. Such dwarven communities must survive on scant resources, since few regions of the Elemental Chaos can support crops or herds. Their inhabitants rarely trade or interact with others except out of necessity, and their dour attitude only reinforces the worst stereotypes of a race that is already seen as standoffish. These communities develop strict and intricate codes oflaw, and the punishment for violating these traditions can be brutal-another disincentive for others to visit. However, the dwarves might lend a sympathetic ear to outsiders who seek aid to fight giants or to free an enslaved population, since they have never forgotten their long-ago servitude and still resent their former overlords. CREAT1NG ELEMENTAL BEASTS In addition to the elementals presented in the Monster Manuals and other publications, countless elemental beasts wander the Plane Below. You can translate a beast or magical beast of nonelemental origin into an elemental version with a minimum of work. A cave bear could become a stone-based predator simply by giving it the earth keyword and immunity to petrification; a nightmare can be made of pure fire and given the fire keyword and immunity to fire. Such beasts need not look like their natural counterparts- an elemental bear might resemble a hul king, rocky mass, while a shark might be formed of viscous water with teeth of ice. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
8 E LEMENTALS Elementals are the wild animals ofthe Elemental Chaos, as are other bestial elemental creatures, such as magma beasts, flame snakes, and rimefire griffons. Though some are more intelligent than natural beasts, they are creatures ofinstinct rather than intellect. They consume and reproduce, with no desire to form communities or even such loose groups as tribes. Elementals sometimes form packs or extended family units that hunt in a somewhat organized way. Such groups do not govern areas as sentient beings do, but they dominate a region through sheer numbers. More intelligent creatures of the Plane Below occasionally capture and train elementals as pets or servants. HUMANS The Elemental Chaos is home to a considerable number of humans. Some are new arrivals, but many groups of humans have been here for generations; like genasi, most humans dwell in communities dominated by other races. The City ofBrass has a large human population, made up mainly ofslaves, though freed servants, merchants, and craftsfolk are common as well. Genasi settlements, though rare, frequently include sizable human minorities. Several giant communities keep humans as slaves. A few human-dominated communities exist as well, from isolated, struggling villages to major trading centers. Becasue humans reproduce and spread more rapidly than other civilized races do, surviving in the Elemental Chaos is even more difficult for them. Few areas offer sufficient fertile soil and drinking water to support an expanding population while lacking hazardous elements or creatures, and many nascent human populations do not survive. Those human communities that do sustain themselves in the Plane Below are just as varied as those in the natural world. with an enormous variety ofcultures and governments. P HOELARCHS These natural humanoids (described in Monster Manual 2) share their souls with the elemental pho*ras, winged entities offire perhaps related to the wondrous phoenix. Although most phoelarchs dwell in the natural world, a few have become fascinated with exploring their dual nature. They travel to the Elemental Chaos, hoping to track down the pho*ras with whom they share their essence. Pho*ras, although intelligent. lack the desire to form communities, instead soaring through the heights of the Elemental Chaos alone or in flocks. Some phoelarchs join existing communities, but Vl IJ,J a few have established villages of their own. These U small societies have little interest in interacting with « outsiders. but neither are they innately hostile. Travel- 0:: ers in need ofshelter or assistance might be welcome ffi (or at least tolerated) for a brieftime. Phoelarchs are J: rigidly honorable, but their customs and sense of honor differ greatly from one community or individual to the next. Formerly affable hosts might turn on a visitor suddenly in response to the slightest offense, or for reasons the outsider never fully understands. PRIMORDIALS Those primordials who survived the Dawn \Var remain imprisoned or deep in slumber, scattered across the breadth of the Elemental Chaos. The presence of even a dormant primordial greatly influences the development of any nearby community, regardless of the races that populate it. Such societies drift toward the worship ofthat primordial, or of primordials in general, whether in hidden cults or open temples. Perhaps the primordial's resting place draws those already incJined to worship it, or its overwhelming presence slowly twists the minds of other beings. A primordial's influence is evident in a community's appearance and character, even ifthe worship itself is hidden. A settlement built on a primordial ofstone displays low, squat architecture. while one near an entity ofwater might have eurved streets and flowing artwork featuring soft lines. The regions surrounding such communities are home to concentrations ofe1ementals that share the nearby primordial's essence, and the citizens might consider such creatures to be holy. THOSE WHO ROAM Conventiona l wisdom and re ligiOUS doctrine maintain that all primordials were either slain or imprisoned by the gods at the end of the Dawn War. This is untrue. A scant few unchained primordials yet roam the cosmos-primarily the Elemental Chaos, but the other \planes as well. How beings of such immense power and such destructive instinct can remain hidden is unclear. Scholars hypothesize that the free primordials have either lost much of the power they had in their prime or are so subtle that they-and their terrible plots-are invisible to all. Even the most learned sages know the names of only two free primordia Is. One is Iktha-Lau the Ever Empty, the utter cold from the darkest voids. The other, Ulctilantilokla, is a creature only pardy real that is said to have germinated from the seed of the multiverse's first dream. CHAPTER 2 I Races of Chaos
CHAPTER 3 THE ELEMENTAL Chaos is infinite: Even the portion known to natural creatures dwarfs their world. You might lead the characters along ways wending through preconceived locales or fill previously unknown spaces with cultures and landscapes pulled from the peculiar, grotesque, and scintillating depths ofyour psyche. Whether you prefer examples of adventuring areas in the Plane Below, or want some details about its most important or infamous regions, we've got you covered. This chapter presents ten areas of the Elemental Chaos, some unique and others archetypal. By introducing variations to suit the strangeness of the Elemental Chaos as you perceive it, you can make them unique to your campaign. Each locale described in this chapter includes the following information. • Overview: Here you'll find a general description ofthe locale and its place in the Plane Below. • Inhabitants and Culture: If the area contains organized settlements, their nature is described here. Some areas are too wild to have an identifiable culture, but Significant inhabitants are discussed. • Major Areas: This entry summarizes important cities, fortresses, and other sites of note in the region. • Adventures: This entry includes a list of environmental hazards and notable terrain features in the locale, followed by several sample encounters to threaten the characters. Following those ten sections are three miniadventures, including tactical encounters, in a variety of interesti ng locations in the Elemental Chaos. You can run them as one-offs, plant them as seeds oflarger adventures, or use them as models for elemental encounters ofyour own design. C HAPT E R 3 I Elemental Locales
-._._._.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. THE BRAZEN BAZAAR It begins as a gleam in the distance, flickers of fire amid a black thunderhead rolling over the horizon. As the billows ofsmoke come closer, they solidify into an elevated highway stretching across emptiness. Atop this bridge ofsmoke, tongues offire take the shapes of azer and genasi riders upon horses of flame drawing ebony buggies, painted wagons, and brass-gilded carriages. Within those vessels, efreet merchants tabulate the value oftheir goods. Salamanders and fire giants march alongside, sculpting living shapes from smoke and flame. This is the Brazen Bazaar, a traveling marketplace and carnival originating from the City ofBrass. Lnitially one ofseveral caravans that supplied outposts, the bazaar has evolved into a market as great as any within the city that spawned it. It reaches deep into the Elemental Chaos and into other worlds. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE In full , the Brazen Bazaar includes thousands of merchants managed by a cabal of efreets called the Golden Hearth. Few individuals see the entire bazaar. Depending on the importance ofits destination, it manifests as anything from a handful ofwagons to a caravan stretching as far as the eye can see. Azers, genasi, and giants perform the physical labor ofmoving and maintaining the caravan. Workers of flame, such as salamanders and mystically inclined giants, provide side entertainment: flame sculptures, shows ofstrength, and acrobatics. But the largest crowds flock to peruse the rare and magical goods offered by the merchants. Though the Golden Hearth considers the City of Brass its home. it holds no allegiance to the Lord ofthe Efreets or to any noble house. All creatures, including efreets, must pay for the goods, services, and information that the caba] has acquired from distant places. MAJOR AREAS The Brazen Bazaar consists of wheeled vehicles and contraptions suited for easy transport across the bridge ofsmoke. The bridge coalesces a few dozen feet ahead ofthe first vehicle and dissolves a few dozen yards behind the last one. Sometimes the bazaar sets up shop on the ground or another solid surface. At other times, the drivers establish a platform of smoke accessible to patrons by ramps or stairs. Given a Significant enough location. the bazaar includes all the following structures. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales The Golden Market: This elite section ofthe bazaar consists of enclosed wagons that are larger inside than out, due to pocket dimensions such as those in baas ofholdill8. Lieutenants, such as other efreets and lesser creatures, run other market stalls, but the Golden Market is the exclusive province of the Golden Hearth efreets. In a Golden Market wagon, rows oftables and shelves line long hallways lit by brass chandeliers and by solid elemental fire. All manner ofmagic items and rare goods are sold here, though their prices are higher than those in the City of Brass. Portals link the Golden Market wagons to the City of Brass, enabling the Golden Hearth to replenish goods that go out of stock. Attendant's Carriage: Like Golden Market wagons, the homes-on-wheels ofthe Golden Hearth are larger inside than they appear. The greatest such carriage belongs to Attendant Hephrandiun, leader of the Golden Hearth. Its exterior is a large carriage, gilded in brass and draped in silks; inside, it resembles a mansion, replete with audience chambers, hidden rooms, and a shrine to the primordial Imix, Lord of Fire. The Tent: When the Brazen Bazaar remains in a place for more than a few days. its workers erect a canvas tent several hundred yards wide. Covered in Barazhad runes and stitched with trails of elemental fire, the tent protects the portion ofthe market within it from bad weather and the plane's randomness. ADVENTURES The characters might seek the Brazen Bazaar if they require a rare item, or they might hear of an ally or an enemy traveling with the caravan. They might even join the bazaar to travel under its auspices. The traveling market sometimes crosses regions offire and intense heat to appear in planes outside the Elemental Chaos, so the characters might encounter it in their world or in the Feywild (and follow leads from there into the Elemental Chaos). The bazaar's merchants are rigidly amoral. and their heartless profiteering sometimes inspires heroic intervention. An efreet might offer provisions to a poverty-stricken community-in exchange for the enslavement of all the community's firstborn. A desperate adventurer might acquire an artifact, but only in exchange for an open-ended favor or a long-term oath ofservice. Efreets ofthe Golden Hearth use rituals to ensure that such oaths are kept. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES The Brazen Bazaar travels above and across almost all kinds of terrain. Its only consistent environmental features are those that travel with it.
Canvas: The canvas of the protective tent is as tough as leather and immune to fire damage. It regenerates 10 hit points per round. Portals: A few ofthe Golden Market's wagons contain portals to the City ofBrass. Smoke: Squares filled with smoke are heavily obscured. Smoke, Solid: The solid smoke on which the bazaar travels has the consistency ofstone. ENCOUNTER GROUPS Efrects ofthe Golden Hearth leave the running of markets to servants when the Brazen Bazaar travels to small communities, so encounters can suit characters of a range oflevels. The Golden Hearth hires anyone who proves useful and can survive the environment. Level 11 Encounter (XP 3,200) + 1 azer foot soldier (level 14 soldier, MM 22) + 1 firelasher (level 11 skirmisher, MM 104) + 2 flame steeds' (level 13 skirmisher, MM 196) 'Treat flame steeds as nightmares, but with the elemental origin instead ofshadow and adding the fire keyword. a: « « N « o:! Z LoU N « a: o:! Level 17 Encounter (XP 8,000) + 1 azer beastlord (level 17 soldier, MM 23) + 3 azer warriors (level 17 minion, MM 22) + 1 firebred hell hound (level 17 brute, MM 160) + 2 salamander archers (level 15 artillery, MM 226) + 1 salamander noble (level 15 controller, MM 227) Level 22 Encounter (XP 22,600) + 2 efreet flamestriders (level 23 skirmisher, MM99) + 2 fire giants (level 18 soldier, MM 123) + 1 fire giant forgecaller (level 18 artillery, MM 123) + 1 fire titan (level 21 elite soldier, MM 124) Level 25 Encounter (XP 41,400) + 2 efreet cinderlords (level 23 artillery, MM 98) + 2 efreet flamestriders (level 23 skirmisher, MM99) + 1 efreet pyresinger (level 25 controller, MM 99) + Hephrandiun, efreet pyresinger demagogue (level 25 elite controller, MM 99 and DMG 178) CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
Hundreds ofmiles across, Canaughlin Bog drifts in chaos currents, bonding with other isles for hours or years at a time. Portions of Canaughlin are norma} fens, complete with trees and other ordinary plants. Other parts exhibit signs of chaos: hillocks of ice and stone protruding from waters that swirl in physics· defying currents over caustic mud. The swamp received its name two centuries ago from cladrin explorers of the Feywild. Its horrors and hazards have since defeated all manner of adventurers, other travelers, and enterprising elementals. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE The fen supports sporadic villages. The largest groups ofinhabitants are the Tinder-Takers and a fey community called Raenrirriel. Tinder-Takers: The Tinder-Takers are a revolving assortment ofgenasi fugitives from Threshold (page 57) and Gloamnull (page 74), githzerai too undisciplined for monasteries, and slaves escaped from the efreets. The Tinder-Takers' numbers and the environment protect them from pursuers. They spend their time battling swamp hazards, raiding vessels and mounts in a rickety but weU-armed airship called the Poison Storm, and hOlling and supplementing their skills in hopes ofstriking down their oppressors. Raenrirriel Fey: The fey ofRaenrirriel have dwelt in Canaughlin since the days of the first eladrin explorers. Over the years, they have mutated into uglier, more twisted creatures. A cabal of hags that have elemental powers leads the community. The hags have come to believe that they will master the plane. After all, the fey are creatures of nature, and what is nature but the elements? So far, however, the hags have not developed potent elemental rituals or gained a foothold in any elemental societies. MAJOR AREAS Terrain and other hazards make deadly combinations throughout the bog, so any part ofthe swamp can be lethal. Three infamous areas are described below. The Black Pool: Sinkholes and pits abound in Canaughlin. Among them is the Black Pool, normally an ordinary pit leading to a series ofmuddy underwater caves. At random intervals, it becomes a portal to Shedaklah, a festering, swampy layer of the Abyss overseen by the demon lords Juiblex and Zuggtmoy. Abyssal energy inundates the area around the pool. Elementals that die here rise as blight-born demons (page 132), and mortals rise as abyssal ghouls (Monster Manual, page 118) or other horrors. Flotsam: This village, the home ofthe Tinder-Takers, has buildings made of pieces of stone and wood that the Tinder-Takers have procured from a hundred different sources. Flotsam stands on a low, broad hillock of acid-tainted soil, surrounded by a palisade of jagged wood and bits ofbroken iron and glass. Raenrirriel: The fey settlement lies in a grove of petrified cypress trees protruding from a basin ofthin, watery mud. Bolts of diseased yellow and brUise-purple lightning flicker between the trees, illuminating bone, iron, stone, and wood structures built among the branches. Upper echelons of fey live in these structures, while lesser fey dwell in chambers formed beneath the mud by the trees' roots. The area of and surrounding Raenrirriel is more stable than most ofthe Elemental Chaos; for hundreds of yards in every direction, it seems to be part ofthe natural world. Creatures that can normally manipulate the plane'S turbulence are unable to do so here. ADVENTURES Of all the swamps throughout the cosmos, only the Fenreach in the world (Draconomicon: Chromatic Draaons, page 238), the Murkendraw (Manual of the Planes, page 45) and a few moors of the Shadowfell are larger than Canaughlin Bog. A soup of environments churns across Canaughlin, so that traveling across it is an adventure in itself. Canaughlin harbors portals that lead to swamps in other realms, including those mentioned above and the mud flats ofMinauros (Manual ofthe Planes, page 100). During the Blood War (Manual of the Planes, page 89), these last portals served the devils well. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Much ofCanaughlin is typical swampland: shallow water and difficult terrain. Hillocks protrude from the muck of the bog's shallows and in deeper areas. The water ends abruptly at the edges and underside ofthe isle. Chaotic Depths: Swamp water oozes among obstacles and through murky caves in the deeps. Elemental creatures, and fey who have dwelt in Canaughlin for generations, take advantage ofthese sluggish currents to move more freely through the swamp. As long as such creatures are swimming in water at least 5 feet deep, they can move without penalty through spaces one size smaller than they are and can squeeze through spaces two sizes smaller. Elemental Spouts: Boiling, freezing, caustic, or venomous swamp water can erupt in elemental spouts, as described on page 14. Energy Moss: Clumps of abnormally resilient moss hang from branches and float on swamp water. They absorb cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder energy from the chaotic environment. Each square of energy moss functions as a square of elemental seepage and as a square ofenergy crystals (Manual ofthe Planes, page 22). C HAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
Icy Crust: Swamp water can crust over with ice, forming difficult terrain. A character fa l1ling prone on the ice must make a saving throw or break through. Portals: Parts of the bog, both underwater and on land, mystically connect to other locations. Locations linked by portals generally lie within 20 squares of and in line ofSight to each other. A character ending its turn in a portal space teleports to the location linked to that space. Swamp Water: Canaughlin water flows chaotically. Each round, currents push an affected creature up to 4 squares (ld6 - 2, minimum 0) in a random direction. See "Underwater Terrain" on page 45 of the Dun8eon Master's Guide for more information. Swamp Water, Acidic: A creature that starts its turn in acidic swamp water takes Id6 acid damage. If the damage roll is 6, the creature is also blinded until the end ofits next turn. Bogs of acidic mire (page 12) occur near deep pools of acidic swamp water. Swamp Water, Boilin8: A creature that starts its turn in boiling swamp water takes Id8 fire damage. Swamp Water, Freezin8: A creature that starts its turn in freezing swamp water takes Id6 cold damage, and the Endurance check DC to avoid losing healing surges from suffocation increases by 2. Swamp Water. Thick: Thick water is difficult terrain for creatures swimming or walking through it. Trees: Swamp trees might be living or petrified. They are blocking terrain and provide cover. ENCOUNTER GROUPS Encounters that occur in normal swamps also happen in Canaughlin. but with elemental twists. Alien predators lurk in the waters, suspicious villagers turn on passersby, and the environment seethes with malevolent will. Create the hags ofRaenrirriel by using the frost adept and scion offlame templates (Dun8eon Master's Guide, pages 179 and 181) or the druid, shaman, or wizard class templates. The 15th-level encounter below provides examples using the frost adept template. Level 11 Encounter (XP 3,175) .. 1 Crushing Wave hierophant (level 10 artillery. page 154) .. 2 Crushing Wave initiates (level 8 soldier. page 155) .. 1 githzerai zerth (level 13 elite controller, MM 130) .. 5 human lackeys (level 7 minion, MM 162) Level 22 Encounter (XP 21,500) .. 2 ash-wrought soulburners (level 19 controller, page 133) .. 1 consumptive swarm (level 21 elite skirmisher, page 133) .. 1 field of everflame hazard (level 18 blaster, DMG 92) .. 2 hezrous (level 22 brute, MM 56) C HAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
_'-_'-'_'_-.-.--.--.-.-.-.-.-,--. THE CHOK1NG PALACE Far from the City ofBrass and the monasteries of the githzerai lies Fume, a duchy that swears fealty only to Ehkahk, the Smoldering Duke (page 146). In Fume's center, floating on roiling smoke, stands the Choking Palace, from where Ehkahk has ruled for more than a century. Winged shapes flit and soar behind veils of smoke and among clusters offantastically tall, spindly towers. The bastion's walls ofsteel-hard smoke resemble ash-coated iron. Its few windows weep tears offlowing smoke. The castle existed long before Ehkahk took possession ofit. The most widely accepted tale ofits creation claims that Ehkahk or a creature like him converted the cloudstuffofa djinn fortress into smoke. Other tales attribute the palace's construction to a rogue efreet, to a primordial, or to devils requiring an outpost in the Blood War. Both efrects and devils have occupied the castle at different times, but Ehkahk now holds it firmly in his grasp. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE The impoverished denizens ofFume love and fear their liege. Ehkahk offers gifts ofgems and magiC to those who please him and visits brutality upon any who offend or disobey him. The duchy comprises half a dozen city-sized landmasses and a few dozen smaller ones. vVhether of earth, stone, or swampland, they all contain mountains, fog, and smoke. The various races ofcreatures keep to themselves- elementals with elementals, humans with their kind, and so on-but all acknowledge the simple system of government: Do as Ehkahk's minions bid. Courtiers in the Choking Palace know their place based on where they stand in Ehkahk's favor. They jockey for position, surreptitiously disobeying and discrediting superiors. Ehkahk, in turn, makes few demands except to insist on respect for himself and to enforce security. MAJOR AREAS Medium and Large creatures move comfortably through the wide passageways and tall doorways of the Choking Palace, despite its narrow architecture. Countless staircases distinguish its interior from that ofmore horizontal structures. The Churning Emporium: In the courtyard in front of the palace's blackened gates buzzes a marketplace supported by chunks ofearth and paths ofsolid smoke. The stalls rise and fall like boats on a slow swell. Here, the peasants of Fume trade goods and news among themselves and with palace courtiers, CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales as well as with traders and merchants working along the trade routes passing through Fume. Ehkahk allows only one public teleportation circle in Fume, located in the center ofthe marketplace. (A few private and transitory teleportation circles exist inside the palace.) Dungeon ofAsh: Those who anger the Smolder· ing Duke, if they arc not slain outright, end up in the Dungeon ofAsh, deep in the bowels ofthe Choking Palace. Poisonous vapors fill the dungeons, making every breath agony: Those who inhale them suffer the pain ofsuffocation without lOSing consciousness or perishing from lack of air. Library: In the palace's central keep stands Ehkahk's library, an enormous repository ofwritings. Even the greatest temples ofIoun and Vecna OTHER MAJOR L OCAT10NS The Manual of the Planes supplement prOVides morl1 information on several of the best-known locations of the Elemental Chaos. The Abyss (pages 78-83): This section of Manual of the Planes briefly describes the realm of demons. Chapter 4 of this book proVides a more detailed overview of the Abyss's environment, inhabitants, and typical adventures. The City of Brass (page 73): The blaZing City of Brass, ruled by the lord ofthe Efreets, houses the efreet aristocracy and diverse servants and slaves. Canals of burning magma slice it into districts. Despite the heat, the marketplaces attract merchants, traders, and adventurers from across the planes. The Keening Delve (page 76): A great entity (some say perhaps the primordial Haemnathuun) rests in the Keening Delve, a network of howling, wind-blasted tunnels carved within masses of rock. The entity's power attracts a wide array of creatures, including slaads, demons, and efreet explorers. The Keening Delve also interests the mysterious dao (see page 64 of this book). The Ninth Bastion (page 76): long ago, knights of the fallen empire Mira created the Ninth Bastion, one of the few Elemental Chaos strongholds held by natives of the natural world. Inhabitants of the Ninth Bastion serve the deities Bane and Erathis. Though they are militant and suspicious of outsiders, they nonetheless take in extraplanar travelers seeking shelter. Zerthadlun (page 77): The largest githzerai community and the closest thing that far-flung race has to a societal center, Zerthadlun is both a city and a sprawling monastery. Through mental and physical labor, githzerai maintain its calm aura. Other githzerai monasteries model their philosophies after those practiced in Zerthadlun. Visitors, though rare, can find shelter here, as long as their presence harmonizes with the githzerai's ordered existence. The monastery suffers attacks from slaads, efreet saboteurs, and other forces threatened by the githzerai or by the cause of order.
lack some of the forgotten histories and mystical lore contained in the pages of the volumes here. Ehkahk strives to acquire every bit of recordable knowledge that exists throughout the cosmos. The Smoldering Duke spends much ofthe time in his library, perusing tomes and writing in his journals (or, according to gossip, falling asleep on the books he writes). He also scries on his palace through the smoke (see "Environmental Features"). The Shrouded Throne: The Smoldering Duke holds court in a hall in the central keep. He sits upon the Shrouded Throne, a seat of power formed of smoke and surrounded by eddies of black fumes. His audience can see only his eyes through the vapors. From here, Ehkahk can scry other parts ofthe palace through the smoke (see "Environmental Features") and teleport to any spot within Fume. Sooty Garden: Ehkahk's Sooty Garden produces a profusion of plants for pipes and braziers: various smoking herbs and incense. It rests in a courtyard between two of the castle's towers. Druids and trained e1ementals tend the scores ofdifferent plants growing in soil imported from the Feywild. Ash and smoke in the air coat the plants, giving them a sickly appearance despite their healthy condition. ADVENTURES Ehkahk seeks to maintain power in Fume and to protect his people from outside threats, but he keeps any other objectives secret. Why does he collect ancient lore? Why does he maintain diplomatic relations with the City of Brass and other communities? Because of his secrecy, Ehkahk can serve as any sort of adversary for the characters. They might have something he wants, or they might seek a magic item or lore that he also covets. Perhaps they are allied with someone he considers an enemy. Ehkahk could also help the characters. They might need to gain permission to enter the library or nego· tiate for the release of a prisoner in the Dungeon of Ash. They might even arrive in Fume by accident and have to navigate the duchy's laws and customs before continuing on their way. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Smoke and vapors pervade the Choking Palace. Only the stoutest ofrespiratory systems escape unscathed. Smoke: Smoke fills the chambers and hallways. Each creature other than Ehkahk and his minions must make a successful DC 26 Endurance check every 8 hours to avoid lOSing a healing surge (see "Environmental Dangers," Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 159). Smoke, Ma8ical: Nearly every room of the Choking LI.J Palace contains a brazier or an open flame that emits ~ magical smoke. Ehkahk and his servants can easily ..J see through this smoke. For everyone else, smoky ~ areas are lightly or heavily obscured, depending on i.J the smoke's density. While he is in the library, upon Z the Shrouded Throne, or in his chambers, Ehkahk ~ can scry on any chamber or creature through the 0 palace's smoke. 3 Smoke, Solid: The solid smoke that forms walls and furniture in the Choking Palace has the consistency of iron. Vapors: Each living creature that breathes the poisonous vapors of the Dungeon ofAsh must make Endurance checks as though suffocating (Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 159). A creature that has no healing surges left takes no damage from the vapors but suffers continuous, agonizing pain. Affected creatures must escape the vapors to regain any healing surges. ENCOUNTER GROUPS The characters might encounter any sort of entity within Fume, because Ehkahk welcomes all beings that swear him fealty; however, the Citizenry fights only ifit must. Ehkahk 's servants and soldiers, mostly elemental in nature, present the greatest danger. See "Ehkahk" on page 146 for other encounter suggestions. Level 13 Encounter (XP 4,600) .. 1 beholder eye offlame (Ievel13 elite artillery, MM32) .. 1 cloud ofelemental steam hazard (level 14 blaster, Manual ofthe Planes 67) .. 2 fire lashers (level 11 skirmisher, MM 104) .. 1 tempest wisp (level 13 controller, Monster Manual 2 102) Level 18 Encounter (XP 10,200) .. 3 air archon zephyrhaunts (level 16 lurker, Manual ofthe PIa nes 114) .. 1 cambion hellfire magus (level 18 artillery, MM39) .. 1 genasi elemental dervish (level 18 elite skirmisher, Monster Manua12 116) Level 21 Encounter (XP 18,375) .. 2 djinn thunderers (level 20 artillery, Monster Manual 2 71) .. 1 efreet fireblade (level 22 soldier, MM 98) .. 2 fire archon blazesteels (level 19 soldier, MM 19) .. 3 smoke hounds (level 23 minion soldier, page 147) CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
A genasi trade city, Gloa mnulJ welcomes visitors. Adventurers can find standard and esoteric wares in its rain-soaked streets. Beneath the superficial friendliness, though, lurks a dark secret. The people ofGloamnull have turned to the demon prince Dagon (Monster Manual 2, page 45) to keep their city intact in the Elemental Chaos-and Dagon demands sacrifices. Twenty years ago, an upheaval in the City ofBrass eliminated many members of an efreet noble house. Slaves ofthe house escaped, including some genasi who established Gloamnull as a village on a jagged earthmote. Patronage by a nearby githzerai monastery kept the village alive, so the place became known as a safe harbor. More genasi gravitated to it. Ten years ago, an efreet trading vessel arrived in town. The efreets found the genasi to be more tractable than githzerai. Thus, within a year, Gloamnull became a minor trade hub. It continued to swell, attracting more genasi and a few other creatures because ofits prosperity. Five years ago, clouds began to envelop the city. Over the course ofseveral months, the clouds blocked out all external sources oflight. Then a tainted rain-potable only iffiltered-began to fall. It filled a natural trough around GloamnuIl, forming a moat, and flooded the tunnels and caverns that riddled the earthmote. Attacks by giants and archons followed the arrival ofthe rains, which continued to pour. Elementals born ofthe swirling chaos converged upon the city. Trade withered and stopped. Buildings collapsed, and walls fell. Genasi died. In desperation, Gloamnull's inhabitants performed ritual sacrifices entreating Dagon to come to their aid. They swore their lives, their city, and their souls to him in exchange for his help. Thereafter, demonic fish appeared in the moat, and the attacks slowed. A trickle oftrade resumed. The citizens cheered, pushing their fear ofDagon deep into the recesses oftheir minds. The rains continue to this day. Floodwaters spill over the sides of the moat and spout from holes around the earthmote's base. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE Most ofGloamnuIl's citizens are genasi. They worship Dagon, or at least bow before the demon prince even if they do not swear him fealty. Though oppressed by gloom and rain, they struggle to put on cheery faces for outsiders and use firesoul and stormsoul manifestations (Monster Manual 2, page 118) to brighten the place. They long to escape Dagon's clutches but see no way to do so. CHAP T ER 3 I Elemental Locales Gloamnull's inhabitants take pride in their city's longevity, because genasi settlements are rare and typically short-lived. They welcome other genasi, indoctrinating them in Dagon's worship when possible. Those who resist indoctrination end up strapped to altars in the city's depths. Every thirty days or so, a wail pierces all corners of the city, compelling those disloyal to Dagon to drown themselves. Visitors who arrive at any other time are relatively safe; only a few genasi are true zealots. However, the inhabitants are even more prone to rage, depression, and mania than genasi in other places, which makes social and business interactions difficult. The chill and the damp prevail. Traders report weirdness but encounter few problems entering and leaVing the city. Genasi crafters have developed a means ofsolidifying water from elementals into a sludge with which to fashion wares. Such items rarely last more than a few days' travel from Gloamnull. The citizens drink an ale made from local water, fungus, and groundup elemental extracts. They eat porridge made from crushed minerals and the bulging-eyed, weird fish that suck sludge from the moat's bottom. MAJOR A REAS On its surface, Gloamnull is a trade city that has managed to survive the hardships ofthe Elemental Chaos. A closer look reveals its grimmer reality. Battlements: Gloamnull still faces sporadic assaults from giants, elementals, and other hostile creatures. (Perceptive observers might note that the attackers are never demons.) Warriors patrol the walls and watch for incoming ships. Firesoul genasi send Signal flares to patrols and to incoming travelers. Darmond's Tower: Darmond, a shadar-kai wizard, moved into Gloamnull not long ago and erected a tower. He resists the town's faith and seems unaffected by the periodic wailing. He keeps to his tower, pointing a spyglass at the clouds, or uses magic to fly up to them, where he might remain for hours. The Grand Cathedral: A temple to Dagon, the Grand Cathedral lies beneath the main market square. Waist-high water laps at a blood-soaked altar and at the feet of fishlike statues. Genasi and nastier creatures guard the hidden entrance against visitors' curiosity. Tunnels: Demons grow in Gloamnull's watery tunnels. Sacrificed creatures return as twisted, stinking versions ofthemselves, and servitors of Dagon swim or wade through the darkness. Even the genasi do not know what dwells in the deepest reaches, but
zealots shiver with ecstasy at stories ofsentient slime and probing tentacles. The Warming Fire: Travelers frequent this inn, which has a fire elemental in the hearth to drive back the chill. Gar!, the proprietor and a Dagon devotee, sometimes poisons his guests' food. ADVENTURES Gloamnull can serve your campaign as a simple genasi trade city affected by the strangeness ofthe Elemental Chaos. Ifyou use it to introduce the cult ofDagon, though, you can overlay the area with per vasive despair and bloody sacrifices. The characters might need to escape the cult, resist a sporadic attack from outside forces, or investigate a disappearance. Enterprising characters (such as sympathetic genasi) might try to free the city from Dagon's grasp. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES The elemental and demonic influences on Gloamnull create a variety of bizarre terrain and environments. Moss and mildew grow everywhere. Blood Rock: Years ofsacrifice and random slaughter beneath Gloamnull have resulted in patches of blood rock (Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 67). Rain: The soul-deadening rain always falls. A square being drenched by the rain is lightly obscured. The constant rain extinguishes unprotected natural flames. Sacred Circles: Worshipers ofDagon have dedicated areas beneath Gloamnull and secret aboveground rooms to the demon prince. These function as sacred circles (Dunneon Master's Guide, page 68) for chaotic evil creatures. Some such areas also contain altars of zealotry (Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 92). Slides: Slime coats some ofthe sloping tunnels beneath Gloamnull, causing them to function as slides (Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 68). Traps: The genasi have littered Gloamnull (including the tunnels beneath it) with traps to prevent visitors from learning oftheir worship ofDagon. They primarily employ warder traps, preferring to deter visitors rather than kill them. Water: Water floods tunnels under the city. When knee-deep or waist-deep, water is difficult terrain. For water-filled tunnels, see "Aquatic Combat" on page 45 of the Dun8eon Master's Guide. ENCOUNTER GROUPS If the characters glimpse Gloamnull's sickly underbelly, they might contend with genasi cultists and Dagon's ilk. such as demons, water-dwelling monstrosities, and aberrations twisted by ancient, unspeakable evil. Foulspawn can represent sacrificed humanoids or genasi warped by Dagon's influence. Level 8 Encounter (XP 1,800) + 1 canoloth (level 7 sold ier, Manual ofthe Planes 120) + 2 death shards (level 8 artillery, Monster Manual 2 34) + 6 genasi lackeys· (level 7 minion, MM 162) + 1 gorgon mud hazard (level 8 obstacle, page 18) ·Use the statistics for human lackeys. Level 12 Encounter (XP 3,400) + 1 foulspawn berserker (level 9 soldier, MM 112) + 1 foulspawn grue (level 8 controller, MM 112) + 1 foulspawn hulk (level 12 brute, MM 113) + 2 foulspawn seers (level 11 artillery, MM 113) + 1 vrock (level 13 skirmisher, MM 58) Level 16 Encounter (XP 8,000) + 1 aboleth overseer (level 18 elite controller, MM 8) + 8 aboleth servitors (level 16 minion, MM 9) + 8 canoloth harriers (level 13 minion, Manual ofthe Planes 120) Level 20 Encounter (XP 13,900) + 1 gibbering abomination (level 18 controller, 1\1M 126) + 4 kuo-toa guards (level 16 minion, MM 172) + 1 larva mage (level 21 elite artillery, MM 175) + 1 void crust hazard (level 22 obstacle, page 22) CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
'--'-'-----'-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-._. lRDOC MORDA A stretch ofjagged peaks marks the edge ofa nationsized landmass floating in the Elemental Chaos. Towering from the sides ofthose mountains and the bottom ofthe earthmote, an array of iron protrusions juts in all directions like stabbing blades. Some protrusions gleam as brightly as stars ofthe Astral Sea; others are choked by rust. These are the towers of Irdoc Morda, bastion ofthe archons. Servants of the primordia Is have long used the rocky isle on which Irdoc Morda stands. In the latter days of the Dawn War, archons and other elemental soldiers began forging increasing numbers ofweapons, having learned the value ofsuch tools from followers of the gods. Thus, when other elemental beings discovered this isle, which was especially rich in iron but also in rare metals such as adamantine, they established a mining operation here. Earth and ice archons watched over giants and galeb duhrs, carving ever deeper into the stone. Primordials forged the first iron archons from the richest veins. As the mine came to supply not just the archons but also various elemental communities, more archons arrived as guards. They built fortifications, first ol"stone, then of iron, so plentiful was the ore. Now Irdoc Morda's tunnels run throughout the mountains, and its towers protrude hundreds offeet. After the Dawn War, elemental factions such as giant tribes, genasi, and efreets continued to mine Irdoc Morda's ore under the watchful eyes ofthe archon natives. FinaJJy, miners depleted the ore, leaving a hollow shell ofrock around a honeycomb oftunnels and caverns. They departed, seeking new resources. The archons remain. INHABITANTS AND C ULTURE Archons of nearly every variety inhabit Irdoc Morda. Earth archons patrol the tunnels and surrounding lowlands. Ice archons dwell in the extremities (up, down, or sideways, depending on the towers' orientation). Throughout it all, in the greatest numbers, live iron archons. Archons ofyet other types appear in smaller numbers, as emissaries ofother archon communities or ofelemental powers. Unusually for archons. iron archons feel a sense of proprietorship toward Irdoc Morda and claim leadership over all archons here. Even stranger. the other archons accept that claim. The leader ofthe iron archons. and thus of! rdoc Morda, is called the TwiceForged General. A crescent blade battle champion (page 130 and Dunseon Master's Guide, page 176) currently holds the position. Otherwise, archons in Irdoc Morda behave as they usually do elsewhere. They accept their ranks and positions based on their capabilities, carry out their duties, and pass along their orders. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
A small population ofslaves also dwells in Irdoc Morda. Primarily azers, eisk jaats (page 136), galeb duhrs, and genasi captured during the archons' military endeavors, they help to maintain the fortress. Few ofthem survive long; because the archons understand little ofother creatures' needs, many ofthe slaves starve or otherwise die of neglect. MAJOR AREAS The passages ofIrdoc Morda wind through the stone ofthe mountains and spiral up and down the towers' interiors. In a variety ofchambers, archons practice their techniques ofwar, study layouts of nearby elemental communities, meet with outsiders, and offer service to fallen primordials. Hidden and guarded chambers hold treasure that the archons have received as payment or taken from defeated foes. The Hollow: In the Hollow, a great cavern once rich iIi iron, the archons are building the largest spelljammer ever conceived. If they manage to complete it-a process requiring many years-they will own an iron-hulled, nearly unstoppable fortress from which to launch battles for their own or others' aims. The Vein: Legend tells of a deposit of ironlike metal, unknown to sages, that yet remains below Irdoc Morda. Ifthe legend is true, the Vein might hold a power that affects archons and other creatures-even making archons behave unusually. Watchtowers: Magic-wielders infused three of Irdoc Morda's towers with scrying and divination magic. Each of these watchtowers-one looming above, one hanging below, and one protruding from the side ofthe great mountains-contains a lens that allows an observer to see for miles, even through deep cloud cover. The lenses' creators also tuned them to three locations that even untrained observers can scry on. Rumors vary as to the identity of those locations. Are they other archon bastions, the resting sites of primordials, or regions of other worlds? ADVENTURES The characters might confront the archons ofIrdoc Morda as soldiers in a larger struggle, never navigating the fortress, or they might infiltrate the alien tunnels and passages that defy the rules ofarchitecture. Ifthey are troubled by something worse than archons, they might even consider taking shelter in Irdoc Morda, in which case they must consider what to offer the proprietors in exchange. ENVIRONMENTAL fEATURES Worked rock and iron define the terrain ofIrdoc Morda's passageways and chambers. Peaks and barren lowlands punctuate the surface landscape. Iron Walls: The walls of the towers and ofsome interior chambers are iron. Use the hard DC for the encounter level when determining the difficulty of climbing or clinging to them (Dun8eon Master's Guide, < page 42). ~ Loadstone: Patches ofloadstone (Dun8eon Master's 0 Guide, page 68) lace the corridors. ~ Magnetic Slope: Some tower passageways slope u sharply and have bits ofmagnetic ore smelted into o the iron. For a creature moving upward , such a slope Cl a:: is difficult terrain. A creature that is pushed, pulled, or slid downward on such a slope moves 1 square farther than normal. Metallic creatures and individuals wearing heavy metal armor are immune to these effects because of the magnetic pull. Rust Patches: Some spots ofIrdoc Morda's iron develop the same poisonous rust that covers injured iron archons. Any bloodied creature that starts its turn in a square ofthis rust takes 5 poison damage. Scrying Walls: Enchanted iron walls allow creatures on one side to see the room or passage on the other side. A creature that uses a standard action to concentrate on such a wall can see the opposite area superimposed over the creature's reflection. Such walls are unmarked, so only those who know which walls are which and creatures capable of detecting magic can make use of them. ENCOUNTER GROUPS Irdoc Morda is a fortification, so the place crawls with warriors. Related problems also threaten intruders, including trained elemental beasts, slaves, and traps. Level 14 Encounter (XP 5,800) .. 1 earth archon ground rager (level 14 controller, Monster Manual 2 14) .. 1 gates ofwinter hazard (level 16 lurker, page 19) .. 1 ice archon hailscourge (level 16 artillery, MM20) .. 2 iron archon interceptors (level 14 soldier, page 130) Level 17 Encounter (XP 8,800) .. 1 earth archon rumbler (level 17 brute, Monster Manual 2 14) .. 1 field of everfrost* hazard (level 18 blaster, DMG 92) .. 1 ice archon rimehammer (level 19 soldier. MM20) .. 2 iron archon crescent blades (level 16 skirmisher, page 130) *As a field of everflame, but dealing cold damage. Level 21 Encounter (XP 16,700) .. 1 earthwind ravager (level 23 controller, MM 104) .. 1 greater helmed horror (level 18 elite soldier, MM 155) .. 1 ice archon frostshaper (level 20 controller, MM21) .. 2 ice archon rimehammers (level 19 soldier. MM20) CHAPTER 3
'---'_._.-.-.-.-.-.-.--.-.-._. THE MOTESWARM A jumble ofsmall masses ofevery substance, the Moteswarm gives birth to strange effects and stranger elementals. Giants and githzerai are the only creatures other than elementals scratching an existence from the turbulence. When a band ofgithzerai arrived in the Moteswarm recently, they discovered a lost archon forge among the floating motes. They shaped plans to take control ofthe forge and tame the Moteswarm. Before they could act, giants learned of their plans and attacked the githzerai. Elementals native to the place considered both races to be invaders and reacted accordingly. Since that day, the three factions have struggled for control. When one faction gains the upper hand, the other two-and the chaos of the Moteswarmbring it down. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE Elementals, giants, and githzerai dwell in different parts of the Moteswarm. They interact with each other primarily as adversaries. Elementals: The Moteswarm's maelstrom attracts elementals from other places and churns new ones into existence. The elementals are territorial beasts, attacking other creatures on sight; unusually intelligent elementals organize groups to coordinate attacks. Giants and githzerai also force or trick elementals into service. Giants: When a storm titan named Kazzamir learned of the archon forge in the Moteswarm, he hatched plans to use its power to create his own kingdom. He gathered a hundred displaced giants to take up residence on a variety ofmotes that had been rejected by the githzerai. The giants' onslaught against the githzerai began. The battles have continued ever since. When some giants fall, the lure of power and conquest draws others to replace them. Githzerai: Most sane creatures would rather see the archon forge in the hands of the githzerai than held by the giants. The githzerai ofthe Moteswarm, though, are so intent on defeating the giants that they don't stop to think about what they would do with the forge. They simply accept that they must fight. Unlike other githzerai, those of the Moteswarm sometimes alternate their coolness toward strangers with welcome, depending on the state of the war. They need all the help they can get. The few hundred githzerai in this place live in one major monastery and in a few outposts, all under the leadership of the mindmage Glissa. Githzerai from elsewhere come to lend support and to keep their numbers up. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales MAJOR AREAS Tides ofthe Elemental Chaos hold together the diverse pieces ofthe Moteswarm. Three locations important to the current inhabitants are described below. Archon Forge: Built on a small mote of goldflecked marble, the archon forge resembles a keep carved from the stone. It produces air archons (Manual ofthe Planes, page 114). An individual who has access to the proper rituals could take possession ofthe forge and control the archons. The forge evades retention, capture, and even discovery. The Moteswarm is at its most chaotic in this area, which means it's a naVigational challenge even to alight upon the forge's mote. Whirling firemotes and icemotes, clouds ofsearing mist, spikes oflightning, and shifting gales bar entry. The githzerai that first reached the forge encountered ancient air archon guardians still defending it. PAGE FROM A BATTERED JOURNAL I sit now in a small oasis of calm in this insane dimension. After phasing into the Elemental Chaos, my ship ended up here. which must surely have given the plane its name. As soon as we appeared, the ship rocked beneath us and lightning flashed all around, accompanied by reverberating thunder. I rushed to the deck and looked about-just in time to see two great chunks of smoldering rock smash into each other. The superheated rubble burned down around us, slicing easily through the ship's hull. I shouted for Igram, but just then the wind rose in a shriek. My stomach dropped out as the wind flung our ship upward, and I knew we were doomed. Everywhere I looked, there were bits of ... stuff floating around. The scholars call them "motes": fragments of water, earth. and fire, and of stranger things. such as sheets of lightning, sprays of acid, and chunks of frost. As our ship sped upward, I saw hundreds of them, perhaps thousands, all around us. Some were the size of my fist, while others must have been a mile across_ And they were not floating serenely, as I had naively imagined; they heaved through the void. slamming into each other, breaking into pieces, and scouring each other's surfaces. Our ship would be ground to pieces by the hurtling elements. To my shame, my cowardice asserted itself. I jumped over the side. It was certain death-but far less horrible than staying on that ship as it fell upward into the maw of chaos. As Ifell, I watched it break apart, but mercifully the howling wind drowned out the screams of my friends. That's when a miracle occurred. I found myself arrested in my fall. I did not strike any surface-I was simply not fall ing anymore. I looked about, and to my astonishment saw one small ship with a handful of yellow-skinned humanoids skimming toward me.
They also found bits of bone littering the courtyard and huge claw marks marring the walls. Corehold: The major githzerai monastery of the Moteswarm, Corehold perches atop a large island of crystal. Though the githzerai built the structure in haste, its materials-brittle crystal, gold, silver, and iron-lend it great beauty. Outsiders who win their way into the githzerai's good graces can find shelter and food here. Glissa hopes to establish Core hold as a meditation center. For now, though, the monastery is anything but serene. Glissa focuses her efforts on securing the forge. The githzerai must continually rebuild walls destroyed by acid rains, impacts from flying rocks, and attacks by elementals and giants. Zahazrian: Kazzamir's center of power is an islet ofsolid lightning called Zahazrian. The storm titan's will keeps the mote manifest enough to support habitation. Only storm giants and a few lightning-related elementals spend time on its crackling surface. Kazzamir lives in a shack, formed by arcs of lightning, that he calls his castle. Seated on his chair, the only piece of furniture in the structure, he broods and plans. Sometimes he ventures forth to cleave enemies with his greatsword or to undertake a mission that he believes only he can accomplish. When he returns, he always finds-to his frustration-that he must recreate Zahazrian. A DVENTURES The Moteswarm is a microcosm of the Elemental Chaos, encapsulating its essence. It can showcase the Plane Below to an adventuring party that is new to the plane. Characters who pass through it should emerge with a sense of the danger of the Elemental Chaos. Those who spend time here can also become aware of the factions at work. The characters might travel to the Moteswarm to aid the githzerai, to hunt Kazzamir's giants, or to find the archon forge for an outside power. They might stumble upon the Moteswarm by chance or seek in it a prize unknown to the giants or githzerai. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES The Moteswarm contains every environmental feature presented in chapter 1 ofthis book or in Manual ofthe Planes. Creatures living here can predict the behavior ofmany such phenomena, including lightningstone fields, luminous nodes, multielemental transformation fields, skystone fields, and steel rain. This ability works to their advantage in combat against outsiders who are unfamiliar with such effects. The following types of terrain are also common in the Moteswarm. Choke Frost (Dunaeon Master's Guide, page 67): ~ A few areas are cold enough to support this heat- ex: stealing ice. ~ Fonts ofPower (Dunaeon Master's Guide, page 68): VI These features, keyed to every elemental keyword , UJ exist throughout the Moteswarm. 0 ~ Lightningstone Fields (page 22): These danger- ~ ous areas abound in the Moteswarm. UJ Pools J: (DunaeonMaster's Guide, page 65): Water I- and other liquids (such as liquid thunder) collect in pools. Whirlwinds (Dunaeon Master's Guide, page 69): Whirlwinds arise frequently in the Moteswarm's wild turbulence_ ENCOUNTER GROUPS Elementals, giants, githzerai, and natural hazards of the Elemental Chaos beset adventurers here. Char acters might also encounter other travelers, such as other adventuring parties or efreet scouts, but most intelligent creatures avoid the Moteswarm. Level 11 Encounter (XP 3,000) .. 1 ash frost assassin (level 12 skirmisher, page 138) .. 1 firelashers (level 11 skirmisher, MM 104) .. 1 luminous node hazard (level 11 blaster, page 18) .. 1 rockfist smasher (lcvell0 brute, Monster Manual 2 100) Level 15 Encounter (XP 6,000) .. 4 githzerai cenobites (level 11 soldier, MM 130) .. 1 githzerai mindmage (level 14 artillery, MM 131) .. 1 githzerai zerth (level 13 elite controller, MM 130) .. 1 steel rain hazard (level 15 blaster, page 19) Level 21 Encounter (XP 17,600) .. llightningstone field hazard (level 11 warder, page 12) .. 1 fire archon ash disciples (level 10 artillery, MM 19) .. 1 fire titan (level 11 elite soldier, iHM 124) .. 1 skystone field hazard (level 19 lurker, page 22) Level 27 Encounter (XP 53,000) .. 1 multielemental transformation field hazard (level 18 lurker, page 13) .. Kazzamir, storm titan (level 17 elite controller, MM 125) .. 1 storm gorgons (level 16 skirmisher, MM 143) CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
-'---'_._'-- 0--._.-0--0- .-._-.--.-. PANDEMON1UM STONE When the Pandemonium Stone exists, it appears only in the Elemental Chaos unless it is induced to materialize elsewhere by powerful wizards or sorcerers. A spire more than 100 feet in diameter and more than 500 feet tall, it consists of bone, flesh, ice, minerals, wind, wood , and other materials, always in flux. Rough carvings on it flare with roaring fire, crackling lightning, deafening thunder, and unbearable cold-and then die down. Blazing white runes in an unknown script sometimes march across the surface. The Pandemonium Stone manifests randomly; even efreets using al-buraj (page 54) cannot predict its appearances. It bursts into existence like a volcanic eruption in a spray offire, cold, lightning, or other energy, sending ripples in all directions through the Elemental Chaos. Neither the gods nor the primordials claim to have created the Pandemonium Stone. They knew ofit even before the Dawn War. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE When the Pandemonium Stone disappears, it drags nearby objects and creatures with it. Creatures that fail to distance themselves from the stone have disappeared with it. Some such creatures elect to stay with it even after it reappears. Residents have formed two groups and built two permanent shelters, one near the base ofthe spire and one near the apex. Staff ofThe Trackless House: A permanent holding near the base ofthe Pandemonium Stone is the Trackless House, an extraplanar sanctuary connected to other locations. The powerful beings that run it treat one another as family. They include a male earthsoul/watersoul genasi warrior named Altayar, a female phoelarch arcanist named Tarsa, and a male djinn called Farzan. Altayar tells visitors that Farzan established the inn, although rumor suggests that he cannot leave. Other staff members treat Farzan as a clan elder. He rarely interacts with visitors. As neutral ground, the Trackless House serves as a safe house for delicate information, dangerous items, and individuals seeking low profiles. It also hosts an elemental cabal that serves djinn interests, including those ofSirrajadt (page 150) and his warriors. The staff quells strife among guests. Watchers ofTomorrow: The other permanent shelter on the Pandemonium Stone, near the apex, is inhabited by the Watchers ofTomorrow. Mostly maruts, the group also includes angels sworn to no deities and a devil called the Breaker, who fled its kin's contract with Asmodeus. The Watchers ofTomorrow believe that the Pandemonium Stone is the cocoon of an entity developing toward maturity as the cosmos grows more CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales complex-perhaps a god ofgods. When this being hatches, the Watchers will either swear their allegiance to it or, ifit threatens them, try to destroy it. In the meantime, they defend the Pandemonium Stone if the need arises. Sometimes they seek company at the Trackless House, but the two groups do not work together or know each other's secrets. The Watchers also observe the activities ofslaads that are drawn to the stone whenever it appears. Slaads and Other Factions: Other creatures respond to some call of the spire, including demons, djinns, elementals, slaads, and titans-all with conflicting goals. Even the slaad lords attend; only Ygorl, Lord ofEntropy (page 157), holds back. After a few days ofwar, a slaad elder arrives, forcing any emerging victors to accelerate or cut short their plans. No creature powerful enough to stand against the elder has ever jOined the fray. The elder spares only the spire's permanent residents. Once the slaads chase away contenders, they begin to croak out a disharmonic racket. The Watchers ofTomorrow believe that this "song" aids in the gestation of the god growing inside the spire. Other thinkers suggest that the spire is itself an immense slaad kept asleep by the cacophonous lullaby. MAJOR AREAS The surface of the Pandemonium Stone constantly changes. The only two areas approaching permanence on it are the abode of the Watchers of Tomorrow and the Trackless House. Abode of the Watchers ofTomorrow: Near the apex ofthe spire, wreathed by inconstant energy, the Watchers ofTomorrow look out over the Elemental Chaos from a balcony of obsidian. Inside, several large communal chambers and smaller private chambers make up their home. The Trackless House: Like the Pandemonium Stone, the Trackless House evades easy location and winks out of existence for spans of time. It has adamantine double doors with its name inscribed on each ofthe panels in Barazhad and Davek script. A foyer leads to a common room where visitors and residents receive food and drink. Private rooms and a magic kitchen adjOin the common area. Behind the bar is series of private chambers accessible only to the proprietors and select patrons. In the common room and private rooms, visitors can safely watch slaads gather. Once the slaads begin to sing, the staff warns that the spire will soon shift. Anyone who remains at the inn catapults to the Pandemonium Stone's next location and time. Visitors searching for objects or individuals hidden within the Trackless House usually fail to find them. Farzan maintains portals to other locales and enlists powerful defenders to stymie access to them. He has also learned to summon slaads to defend the inn.
ADVENTURES Wherever characters roam in the Elemental Chaos, the Pandemonium Stone can come to them. Because it can appear anywhere in the multiverse, it can also introduce adventurers to other planes. The characters might encounter the singing slaads, visit the Trackless House, or meet the \Vatchers ofTomorrow. Someone might require the party's escort to the Trackless House, or the characters might need to retrieve something from the inn or hide there from an enemy. The Watchers ofTomorrow offer adventures based on their experience with the spire and with slaads. Adventurers might earn their trust by doing an appropriate service-and thus learn their philosophy. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Every sort ofterrain and environmental hazard in the Elemental Chaos and in the Abyss might occur on the slopes ofthe Pandemonium Stone. Two special fea tures trigger upon specific events. Reentry Squall: When the Pandemonium Stone . appears, an intense elemental disturbance ripples out 600 feet in all directions. Each creature caught in the blast must succeed on a DC 23 Acrobatics or Athletics check, or that creature slides 2d20 squares, falls prone, and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends). Creatures on the surface and adjacent to or within the spire feel no effect from a reentry squall. Slopes: The surfaces ofthe Pandemonium Stone continually change shape and substance. In some places they slope gradually, qualifying as difficult terrain. Elsewhere, the slopes are so steep that creatures must make Athletics checks of varying difficulty to climb them, up to a DC of27. ENCOUNTER GROUPS Slaads swarm around the Pandemonium Stone, but groups ofother creatures also arrive to investigate it. Level 8 Encounter (XP 1,950) + 1 death shard (level 8 artillery, Monster Manual 2 34) + 3 flux slaads (level 9 skirmisher, Monster Manual 2 184) + 2 slaad tadpoles (levelS lurker, MM 237) Level 17 Encounter (XP 9,400) + 2 blue slaads (level 17 brute, MM 238) + 1 gray slaad havoc (level 15 artillery, page 143) + 1 green slaad (level 18 controller, MM 238) + 1 white slaad (level 16 elite lurker, page 145) Level 21 Encounter (XP 17,750) + 2 black slaads (level 20 skirmisher, MM 239) + 2 green slaad spawners (level 18 elite controller, MM 238 and Monster Manual 2 185) + 1 void crust hazard (level 22 obstacle, page 22)
Immense pillars are scattered throughout the Elemental Chaos. Some of these so· called Pillars of Creation stand straight; some lean. All extend out ofsight in both directions, through thick clouds and empty sky, through crashing oceans and solid rock. Each is unique. Scholars know ofthe existence of more than half a dozen pillars; only the gods and the primordials know them all. According to legend, these columns support the world. Each pillar rests upon the floor ofthe Elemental Chaos, from which all substances spring, as well as e1ementals, primordials, and more ancient forms oflife. Each pillar reaches into the natural realm, infusing the place of intersection with the essence of its dominant material. Yet the Elemental Chaos is also thought to be infinite, with no floor and no ceiling. Reconciliation of that idea with the concept ofthe columns as supports lies in the realm oftheologians and philosophers. Suffice it to say that the Pillars ofCreation have existed since before the world's genesis, and that all efforts to reach the end of any pillar have failed. Every elemental substance, as well as combinations thereof, might have a corresponding pillar. Planar explorers and powerful denizens ofthe Elemental Chaos know the following Pillars ofCreation best: the Obelisk ofIce, the Raging Storm, and the Torrent of Magma. The Obelisk ofIce: Formed ofmany-hued ice, the ramrod-straight Obelisk of Ice averages a few hundred yards in diameter. It shows signs ofintelligent influence: runes a few feet in height that resemble the Barazhad script. The Raging Storm: Spongy, semisolid clouds encase the Raging Storm, a funnel of howling winds, pelting rain, and lightning. This pillar leans a few degrees from vertical and ranges in diameter from a few hundred yards to a couple of miles. See below for more information. The Torrent of Magma: An undulating mass two to five miles wide, the Torrent ofMagma flows as if under the influence ofgravity. Fissures erupt from its center; pyroclastic islands whirl on its surface. Some ofthe islands can support the weight ofexplorers. Others break apart under the slightest pressure. Other Known Pillars: Explorers have spotted other pillars, including a jagged tree ofcrystalline minerals, a beam of pure radiance, and a column of muck. Further piUars, if they exist, await discovery. THE RAGING STORM Due to their variety, their mystic nature, and their embodiment ofthe deepest essence ofthe Elemental Chaos, the Pillars of Creation are far from fully C HAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales documented. The text beIow details what is known about one ofthe better-known pillars: the Raging Storm. You must delve into your own Elemental Chaos to create your vision ofthe other Pillars ofCreation. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE Few creatures linger in the proximity ofthe Raging Storm. Nevertheless, clusters ofinhabitants have arisen there. The largest, at the heart ofthe storm, is Tharag Thryr. Once a community ofstorm titans and giants, Tharag Thryr grew into a center ofworship of two primordials: Mual-Tar the Thunder Serpent and Solkara the Crushing Wave. Elementals, a few djinns, genasi cultists ofSolkara, and air, water, and storm archons have so far established populations there. MAJOR A REAS The semisolid contours ofthe Raging Storm form caves, passages, and even a few eyes ofthe storm: clearings free ofwind and rain. Chunks of earth swirl at the clouds' perimeter, swept by gusts. The Cloudfield: A certain area ofclouds attracts bestial creatures ofstorm: rime fire griffons, storm gorgons, and the like. The same area produces stormrelated elementals such as thunderblast cyclones, tempest wisps, wind fiend furies, and dust demons (page 132). These e1ementals rove with the other predators in search ofprey, rather than attacking them. Stormheart: A region of cloud-walled canyons and valleys, Stormheart exists Simultaneously in the heart of all storms everywhere. Rains oflightning sweep across it, on rare occasions teleporting each struck creature into the midst of a lightning storm elsewhere in the Plane Below or in another world. ADVENTURES Characters might visit the Raging Storm to tap its lightning, thunder, or water magic. They might hunt cultists dedicated to primordiaIs, search for a spelijammer or an airship that vanished in the vicinity, or seek a better understanding ofthe Elemental Chaos and of the Raging Storm's link to the natural realm. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Clouds: Ordinary clouds float in air currents and passageways. A cloud's space might be lightly or heav· i1y obscured, depending on the cloud 's density. Such clouds mix indistinguishably with areas ofsemisolid and solid c1oudstuff, forming hidden pit traps. Clouds, Heavy: Hints ofcloudstuff can infuse normal clouds to create heavy clouds. Their thick substance impedes movement: Whenever a creature enters a square of heavy cloud, it takes a cumulative -1 penalty to speed. The creature can remove this penalty as a move action. Air and water creatures are immune to the effect of heavy clouds.
Cloudstuff: Solid and semisolid surfaces in the Raging Storm- including the ceilings, Ooors, and walls ofchambers and tunnels-consist of a substance known as cloudstuf( CloudstufJ, Semisolid: Semisolid cloudstuff comprises most of the landscape. Any creature that starts its turn in a square ofsemisolid cloudstuff takes a -1 penalty to speed on that turn. Creatures that lack a burrow speed can burrow through cloudstuff at a speed of2 or one-halftheir normal speed, whichever is lower. The spongy material offers easy hand holds and footholds; any Athletics check to climb a vertical surface ofsemisolid cloudstuff gains a +2 bonus. Cloudstuff, Solid: Solid cloudstuff is as strong as stone. It looks identical to semisolid cloudstuf( Extreme Weather: Weather in some regions reaches supernatural ferocity. Primordial storms, primordial winds, and primordial cold frequently occur. Heavy Air: Water or other vapors can supersaturate air, making it preternaturally thick. Any living creature in an area of heavy air must hold its breath or suffocate as if underwater. Lightning Mist: Lightning in some clouds condenses into a charged fog, forming lightning mist (page 16). Lightning Seepage: This crackling form of elemental seepage (Manual ofthe Planes, page 22) can occur anywhere. Rain: Areas oflight rain are lightly obscured. Places where the rain pours in sheets might be heavily obscured instead. Rain extinguishes unprotected natural Oames. Wind: The Raging Storm swirls with severe winds. Any creature that enters a square ofstrong wind slides 1 to 3 squares (or more, for extremely high winds) in the wind's direction. Otherwise, these winds behave like whirlwinds (DunBeon Master's Guide, page 69). In a few locations, these blasts grow severe enough to become strangling wind (page 17). ENCOUNTER GROUPS Storm-related monsters abound on this pillar. Aquatic creatures dwell in rive;:s and in cataracts fed by the rains (which can fall in any direction). Other kinds of creatures might survive in calm areas or, with magical aid, in caves of cloudstuf( Level 20 Encounter (XP 14,000) .. 1 elder tempest dragon (level 18 solo soldier, Draconomicon: Chromatic DraBons 193) .. 2 primal storms (level 20 artillery, Draconomicon: Chromatic DraBons 228) Levell7 Encounter (XP 63,000) .. 1 primordial blot (level 26 solo artillery, page 140) .. 2 thunderblast cyclones (level 26 elite artillery, MM 105)
.-.-._.-.-.-.--.--.-.-._-.-.-. THE R1VERWEB The Elemental Chaos contains bodies ofwater and other liqUids, forming oceans, rivers, and falls that plunge for miles into emptiness. A number ofrivers support trade and travel. Boats and planar dromonds supply waterside communities for lower fees than those charged by captains of flying vessels. Several thousand miles from the City of Brass, more than a dozen major rivers and a hundred streams converge in a network called the Riverweb. This nexus offorks, convergences, and other watery features stretches hundreds ofmiles. vVhiripools mark some junctions; ponds, lakes, and even seas form at others. Squalls erupt frequently. A few seas and rivers have banks ofstone or crystal, but most flow suspended in space on different horizontal planes. Islands, mostly ofstone but also ofother substances, emerge from the waters. All long-distance aquatic travel through mapped regions of the Elemental Chaos passes through the Riverweb sooner or later. INHABITANTS AND CULTURE Communities exist throughout the Riverweb: on land, on water, and underwater. Below are descriptions of the busiest, most notorious, and deepest, respectively. Rheilvaltans: The city of Rheilvalt (see below) throngs with several thousand inhabitants, primarily humans and genasi but also members ofother humanoid races. A ruling mercantile council maintains the community's status as the center oftrade for all oceanic commerce in the region. The council offers a reward to anyone who shatters the River Spiders' organization (see below); however, the council also pays tribute to the pirates, lest trade suffer. River Spiders: Numerous pirates ply the rivers and byways ofthe Riverweb. The term "River Spiders" applies to all ofthem but most accurately refers to a flotilla of seven vessels armed and enchanted against the magic and extreme weather ofthe plane. A favorite River Spider tactic is to come up alongSide a vessclnear the edge of a river or lake and threaten to ram it over the side unless its crew submits. The pirates' leader, a watersoul genasi barbarian named Thalku!, rules the band from the largest vessel, the Drowned Widow-a spelyamrner, according to rumor. The River Spiders have several hideaways throughout the Riverweb and in other lakes and oceans ofthe Elemental Chaos. Their center ofoperation is a hidden village called Widow port. Underfolk: In the deepest parts of the deepest watersoul genasi or sahuagin. Sometimes they demand bribes for safe passage, sometimes they trade rare undersea treasures for magic items, and sometimes they attack without provocation. Theories about the origin of the Underfolk abound. Some say they are elementals that have developed abnormal intelligence. Others claim they are storm giant cultists of Solkara, aquatic fey stranded in the plane, or elemental water spirits called marids. MAJOR AREAS Given its expanse and variation, the Riverweb can host any kind of aquatic adventure. The follOWing areas draw the most attention. Castle Torrent: Castle Torrent literally rises from the rapids of a large river. Currents harden into the forms of an outer wall, half a dozen towers, and connecting structures, holding shapes as constant and impermeable as stone in the course ofthe flow. Dark shapes sometimes move behind the walls. Though observers cannot see deeper into the castle, investigations suggest that water fills it entirely. Decktown: In an area called the River's Fangs, where dozens ofships have wrecked, a small community called Decktown has developed among the rocks and shattered hulls. Parts of the town float, anchored to the rocks. Bridges, decks, and other structures narrow the channel but also line safe routes for passing vessels. Crews rest and conduct minor trade here. The Landing: Near where a wide river feeds into a lake lies a low, stone island called the Landing. Floating rocks connect it to two other islands in adjacent streams. Regional trade vessels disembark at the Landing. Adventurers traveling to other places in the Riverweb might find transport here. Rheilvalt: The largest surface community of the Riverweb, Rheilvalt rests on a series of islands linked by arched bridges. One island, in a passing river that never meets the lake, connects to the city center by a bridge that soars over empty space. ADVENTURES With its concentration ofdiverse communities and factions, the Riverweb offers the best opportunity for water-based adventures in the Elemental Chaos. Adventurers might travel through the region toward other destinations or investigate the mysteries of Castle Torrent or the Underfolk. Characters might deliver goods to Decktown or Rheilvalt, rout a sect of Solkara, or fight (or jOin) the River Spiders. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Currents: Rivers and streams, and even some bodies ofRiver web water dwell beings known to air lakes and seas, have Significant currents (Dun8eon breathers as Underfolk. When Underfolk interact Master's Guide, page 45). with surface-dwellers, they do so through interme Edges: Some rivers and streams flow independent diaries-usually water elementals but sometimes of banks, and some have no beds. A creature or vessel C HAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
3 a:l UJ " UJ > " UJ :I rthat falls over the edge, or a dense object that sinks through, plummets until it strikes something solid. Mist: Mist covers much of the Riverweb. Misty squares are lightly obscured. Riverbanks: 'Vhere they exist, riverbanks can slide and sink unpredictably. Their shifting surfaces are difficult terrain. Steam: Parts of the Riverweb give off steam when they flow near fire or magma. Squares ofsteam are lightly obscured. Any creature that starts its turn in a steam square takes Id6 fire damage per tier. Water: Much ofthe Riverweb's water is clear and harmless, but it can hide dangers. Water, Boilin8:Any creature that starts its turn in bOiling water takes IdS fire damage per tier. Water, Freezin8:Any creature that starts its turn in freeZing water takes Id6 cold damage per tier, and the Endurance check DC to avoid losing healing surges from suffocation increases by 2. Water, Solid: Some water in the Riverweb forms solid objects even at temperatures above freeZing. Such water is not ice but has the consistency ofstone. Waterfalls: Riverweb waterfalls can fall scores of feet or more. A current near a waterfall slides creatures 2 to 5 squares farther than a normal current. Whirlpools: Whirlpools are aquatic versions of whirlwinds (Dun8eon Master's Guide, page 69). ENCOUNTER GROUPS The Riverweb seethes with pirates and water-based elementals. Islands and open sky present the possibility of encounters with other kinds ofmonsters as well. Level 10 Encounter (XP 2,900) + 2 Crushing Wave hierophants (level 10 artillery, page 154) + 3 genasi stoneshields (level 10 soldier, Monster Manual 2 117) + 1 jet ofsteam* hazard (level 9 blaster) *Treat as an elemental eruption (page 20) that has only the fire effect. Level 15 Encounter (XP 6,800) + 1 storm archon squallshield (level 17 soldier, Monster Manual 2 16) + 3 water archon shoal reavcrs (level 13 brute, Monster Manual 2 IS) + 2 water archon waveshapers (level 16 controller, Monster Mal1ual2 IS) Level 25 Encounter (XP 42,350) + 1 elder sea worm* (level 24 solo soldier, MM 214) + 2 storm giants** (level 24 controller, MM 124) *Treat as an elder purple worm, but add the aquatic keyword, decrease base speed and burrow speed to 2, and add a swim speed of S. **The giants are mounted on the sea worm. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
__ . --_. __ . ______ ..__ . ____ .--0·--'--.---- . . _ ._. __ SANZERATHAD Successful githzerai monasteries are beacons of order and stability in the Elemental Chaos. In such centers of meditation and contemplation, githzerai peacefully learn to control internal and external chaos. Sanzerathad is not one ofthose monasteries. The ascetics who founded Sanzerathad selected the worst oflocations: an earthmote at the exact confluence of multiple chaos currents. Perhaps they sought a challenge, or they failed to notice the dangers ofthat spot; maybe some other imperative motivated them. Not even the utmost of martial and mental skill can completely hold offthe ultraviolent forces that constantly assault the monastery. Every day, the tides of chaos crash more viciously against Sanzerathad's walls; every day, the githzerai lose ground. No outsider knows why the Sanzerathad githzerai continue to fight. Only in the strictest confidence do M1ND OVER MATTER Most creatures believe that the Elemental Chaos Is the ource of everything out ofwhich reality is made. Time, the soul, and certain aspects of life might have been shaped by the gods above, but all else emerged from the Plane Below. What, then, of thought itself? Ideas and dreams, urges and emotions-all of these existed in the primordials and the earliest efreets. Uncountable numbers of intelligent elemental creatures lived before the first mortals walked the world-indeed, before the world took form. Is thought another element that churns beneath the skin of reality? The notion rarely occurs to most people. When it does, it is treated as nothing more than an interesting philosophical conundrum. To the githzerai, though, thought is a very real quantity. They would no sooner omit it from the list of elements than they would fire or water. This belief forms the core of the practices of many oftheir monasteries, including Sanzerathad. The githzerai are not guarding against just chaos but against madness. Perhaps this idea is the truth, or it might be a delusion to which the githzerai cling. If true, the concept has interesting ramifications. Did the Plane of Dreams develop from the Elemental Chaos, just as the world did? Could corrupt thoughts and maddened dreams be the seed around which the Far Realm grew? Travelers might come across literal pools of thought and gain knowledge, dreams, or delusions from exposure. Thought elementals could roam the plane, and structures might exist that are formed of pure idea. Perhaps what lies in the Room with No Doors is a thought so terrible that its release would eventually corrupt all existence. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales they speak ofa room with no doors, and never do they divulge what the room might contain. The size of a large town, Sanzerathad squats behind stone walls on a landmass a few dozen miles across. The buildings were raised by sheer mental effort and then reshaped and adorned by physical craftsmanship. Now they hunker against the chaos in the pleasant geometric patterns typical ofgithzerai architecture. INHABITANTS AND CUl.TURE Because they devote their efforts to holding the rOiling chaos at bay, Sanzerathad githzerai barely function as a SOCiety. Insofar as they acknowledge tradition, they follow standard githzerai customs. A few maintain gardens and food stores. All others fall into two groups: the Blades of Discipline and the Hands of Order. The Marshal ofthe Blades of the Discipline and the Custodian of the Hands of Order share authority over Sanzerathad. When they disagree, the monastery's oldest and most revered instructor, the male bard Master Arzendreth, makes the decision. Blades of Discipline: Employing magic, martial arts. mental acuity, and weapons, the Blades of DiScipline protect Sanzerathad's physical grounds. Under the leadership of Marshal Issithertha, a female swordmage, the Blades stand at the gates ofSanzerat had to battle demons. elementals, slaads. and worse. They patrol the streets to slay creatures that randomly manifest from the chaos. They live in violence and die early. Hands of Order: A githzerai needs only to have a strong will to join the Hands ofOrder. The Hands spend hours in intense concentration, working in shifts to mentally hold Sanzerathad together. Custodian Zitholt, a male mind mage, leads the group. MAJOR AREAS Sanzerathad has the typical sleeping cells. dining halls, and dojos of a githzerai monastery. It also has the follOWing unique areas. Chapel: The chapel chamber near the center of the monastery can house scores ofmeditators. Its architecture directs one's gaze from wall to wall and then upward, and an interplay oflines and angles in the ceiling focuses meditation. Otherwise, no adornments distinguish the chamber from other rooms. At least a dozen Hands ofOrder meditate here at any given time. Orchard: A combination garden and pasture, the orchard grows near the chapel. Six githzerai, including at least two Hands of Order, tend crops and some livestock.
Outer Wall: Made ofstone several feet thick and inscribed with runes and icons symbolizing order and strength ofmind, Sanzerathad's outer wall stands against the physical dangers of chaos. Two steel gates engraved with runes break the wall's continuity. The Blades ofDiscipline walk the wall and stand sentry at the gates at all times. The Room with No Doors: Somewhere deep within Sanzerathad hides its most important chamber. The thickness ofthe room's walls rivals that of the monastery's outer wall. No doors allow entrance. Only sheer force ofwill (which must defeat the combined efforts ofthe Hands of Order) can open a passage through the rock. None but the githzerai know what the room contains. Does it house a holy object? A repository of lore? The heart of a slumbering primordial? A relic ofthe mind flayers from whom the githzerai escaped long ago? A portal to the heart ofZerthadlun, through which chaos would flow ifleft unchecked? Interested parties can only speculate-or wait until chaos finally overwhelms Sanzerathad. ADVENTURES Adventurers could end up in Sanzerathad as castaways from a chaos storm or after an attack. They might be following rumors about the Room with No Doors, coveting whatever legendary wonders they believe to be housed within. They could try to convince the githzerai to accept their help, whether oftheir own accord or in response to a plea from a githzerai monk acting without consent ofsuperiors. The characters might arrive on behalfof another community plagued by chaos, in hopes that the githzerai ofSanzerathad might offer advice on how to ward it off. ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES Inside Sanzerathad's walls are ordinary stone streets (with the exception ofrandom surprises born ofthe swirling chaos currents). The terrain outside the walls is a different story. Changing Terrain: Outside Sanzerathad proper, tides of chaos wash over the terrain without pattern, transforming the land from one moment to the next. Any sort ofterrain or environmental hazard can manifest there. Chaos Outbreaks: Inside Sanzerathad's walls, outbreaks of chaos sometimes occur. A normal hallway might become a passage ofswamp muck. A stone wall might turn to ice. Doors and hallways could suddenly lead to new locations in the monastery. (You can either map out the monastery in several sections and shuffle them or simply treat a door as a portal to elsewhere in Sanzerathad.) Chaos Storms: Chaos storms (Manual ofthe o Planes, page 67) frequent the grounds, constantly <C J: altering the terrain there. ~ ct: ENCOUNTER GROUPS UJ N Encounters around Sanzerathad generally involve Z demons, elementals, slaads, and other creatures <r: naturally given to chaos. The randomness can Vl spawn chaotic or elemental variants of any creature, particularly aberrations and undead. Some such chaos-spawn remain in existence; others vanish after a short time. Most ofthem appear outside the outer wall. Sometimes, when the Hands of Order falter, warping walls and changes in the environment signal a new arrival inside the compound, which any available Blades ofDiscipline-and perhaps the characters-rush to exterminate. Level 13 Encounter (XP 4,600) • 5 canoloth harriers (level 13 minion, Manual ofthe Planes 120) • 1 chaos storm hazard (level 16 blaster, Manual of the Planes 67) • 2 foulspawn hulks (level 12 brute, MM 113) • 1 gray slaad (level 13 skirmisher, MM 238) Level 19 Encounter (XP 13,200) • 1 Avernus cinderstorm hazard (level 18 elite blaster, Manual of the Planes 23) • 2 gibbering abominations (level 18 controller, MM 126) • 13 slaad spawns (level 17 minion skirmisher, Monster Manual 2 185) Level 21 Encounter (XP 18,600) • 1 black slaad (level 20 skirmisher, MM 239) • 1 chaos storm hazard (level 16 blaster, Manual of the Planes 67) • 1 consumptive swarm (level 21 elite skirmisher, page 133) • 2 rot harbingers (level 20 soldier, MM 223) • 1 skystone field hazard (level 19 lurker, page 22) CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
-.-._-.-.-.-.-.-.-,--.-.-.-.-. THE GL1TTER1NG M1NE An adventure area for five 8th-level adventurers The Elemental Chaos has a little of everything. As in other worlds, however, the valuable bits of everything-such as certain ores and minerals-run in short supply. Hak Karlum, the Faceted Plain, is one repository ofsuch valuable bits. This small isle consists primarily of a peculiar crystal that develops rare gems in its depths. Thus, mining the crystal pays offin diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, as well as arcane treasures such as mirror crystal and phase crystal. B ACKGROUND Arcana or History DC 14: Archons once held Hak Karlum as a fortress. They knew that the crystal on which they dwelled contained valuable gems, but they took no interest until the gems drew the attention of other beings: humans, efreets, xorns, and giants. Then the archons fought as many defensive battles as offensive ones. Arcana or History DC 16: The demon prince Graz'zt sent a battalion ofdemons to raze the archon bastion so he could loot its riches. The demons outnumbered the archons and forced them from their demesne. Being not particularly determined workers, the demons gathered what gems they could easily pry from the caverns and departed. For a long time, the Faceted Plain then lay forgotten by all but the occasional peck ish xorn. Arcana or History DC 19: The Maldrookt tribe of hill giants dwells in both the Elemental Chaos and the natural world, thanks to a portal the tribe members found in an unexplored cave. They discovered Hak Karlum and put their galeb duhrs to work excavating a deep mine that yielded great riches. The Maldrookt tribe thrived because its members were clever enough not to reveal the location oftheir mine. The tribe's population grew to the point where the giants threatened the lands around their home in the natural world. Every few weeks, the Maldrookts and their galeb duhrs depart the mine to dispense the fruits oftheir recent labors among the tribe members and to trade with allies. They have just embarked on such an expedition, so the mine lies dormant. HOOK: MINE THE TREASURE OF H AK KARLUM While the characters are searching for clues about their ongoing quests, they learn ofHak Karlum's gems and arcane crystals, and possibly rituals CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales requiring those components. They could seek the crystals for their own purposes, or retrieve samples on behalfof an employer. They might also want to disrupt the hill giants that are threatening to overrun their homeland by stealing some ofthe mine's wealth and disrupting its operation. Quest XP: Ifthe characters obtain samples ofthe mine's crystals, they earn a minor quest reward of 350XP. ENVIRONMENT The size ofa small island, Hak Karlum consists of rocky crystal with pits, hills, and other contours. The characters might engage in several encounters-perhaps including a giant or two-before reaching the mine. Expand on the area surrounding the mine as you see fit, or allow the characters to locate the mine directly ifyou just want to get to the action. AREA 1: ACCESS FROM ABOVE A large opening on the surface ofHak Karlum allows access to the mine in its interior. The edge ofthe opening is 100 feet above the floor. Fasteners for rope ladders at the lip hang empty. (The giants that remain enter and exit the mine by climbing the walls. Gargoyles carry galeb duhrs.) Rather than waste space with ropes and pulleys, the mine overseers levitate amounts ofcrystal and gems too heavy to carry up the shaft. Tactical Encounter: "Over the Edge," page 90. AREA 2: LEDGES Three ledges protrude from the walls ofthe opening at various heights. The elevation markers on the map indicate the ledges' distance above the floor ofthe mine; thus, the ledge marked "65 ft." is 55 feet above the floor. Tactical Encounter: "Over the Edge," page 90. AREA 3: MAIN CAVERN Sound echoes strangely in the main cavern, and light glitters off the crystals. The floor slopes down away from the shaft until it reaches its lowest elevation in the northwest corner. Tactical Encounter: "In the Pits," page 92. AREA 4: JAGGED WALL A jagged wall bears recent slashes from picks and other tools. Gems gleam inside it. Tactical Encounter: "In the Pits," page 92. AREA 5: SIDE PASSAGES Side passages either dead-end, where miners found no point in continuing, or lead to other chambers (if you wish to expand the mine).
Encounter Level 9 (2,200 XP) The experience reward is adjusted for terrain advantageous to the galeb duhrs and gargoyles. SETUP 2 galeb duhr earthbreakers (£) 3 gargoyles (G) Galeb duhrs and gargoyles guard the opening into the mine to ensure that the mine remains undrsturbed until the workers return from their delivery run. When the PCs approach the opening, read: The crystal tosses rej1ections. l11ira8es, and shadows before you like a puppet show. As you near a lar8e shadow. YOll see chat it is the uneven maw ofa larBe openin8. Nearer still, you can estimate its span at a hundred feet. It plul1aes deep into the crystal landscape. Its walls rej1ect liaht at stranAe anlJles and cast a web ofshadow. Three led8es protrude from the walls at various depths. Perception Check DC 14 A stone boulder on th e middle ledae shifts, revealinA its hllmanoid shape. A similar boulder sits all the j100r at the bottom ofthe open ina. DC 19 Three more rocklike fiat/res. concealed in the shadows. wiflll·l willas alld.f1ex claws. You also notice that patches ofcrystal on the j100r and ledaes appear different from the rest. A couple ofthe patches look especially trans· parent. Others just seem a bit . .. odd, as thou8h they are made ofa different substance al,t08ether. Arcana or Dungeoneering Check A character who becomes aware of the patches ofdifferent crystal can make this check. On a success, read the passage below and then describe brittle crystal and mirror crystal as given in "Features of the Area" below. DC 19 After a moment of study. you reco8nize the unusual crystalline patches as brittle crystal and mirror crystil!' TACTICS All the monsters attack as soon as the intruders reach the level of the highest ledge. They try to force characters onto brittle crystal. Since they lack ranged attacks, they keep away from mirror crystal when possible. The galeb duhrs begi n with hurl stones. When an intruder draws near to the galeb duhr on the ledge. that creature attempts to knock the character off the wall or the ledge with its shock wave. Both galeb duhrs fight to the death. 2 Galeb Duhr Earthbreakers (E) Level 8 Artillery MediulTl e le n,.'nt,]1 hUlllanuid (e,lIth ) XP 350 Initiative +4 Senses Perception +12; tremorsense 10 HP 73; Bloodied 36 AC 22; Fortitude 23, ReRex 18, Will 20 Immune petrification, poison Speed 4 (earth walk), burrow 6 CD Slam (standard; at-will) +13 vs. AC; 1d8 + 6 damage. i~ Hurl Stones (standard; at-will) Area burst 1 within 10; +13 vs. AC; 1dl 0 + 6 damage. All squares in the area become difficult terrain. The earthbreaker can create stones to throw when none are present. Shock Wave (standard; recharge IliD Close burst 2; +12 vs. Fortitude; 1 d6 + 6 damage, and the target is pushed 1 square and knocked prone. Alignment Unaligned Languages Owarven, Giant Skills Stealth +9 Str 23 (+10) Dex 10(+4) WIs16 (+7) Con 19 (+8) Int 12 (+5) Cha 12 (+5) 3 Gargoyles (G) Level 9 Lurker Medium element.,1 hUlllanoid karth) XP 400 Initiative +11 Senses Perception +12; dark vision HP 77: Bloodied 38 AC 25; Fortitude 21, Reflex 19, Will 19 Immune petrification Speed 6, fly 8; see also Jlyby attack CD Claw (standard; at-will) +14 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage. -\- Flyby Attack (standard; recharges after using stone form) The gargoyle flies up to 8 squares and makes a melee basic attack at any point during the move without provoking an opportunity attack from the target. If the attack hits, the target is knocked prone. Stone Form (standard: at-will) The gargoyle becomes a statue and gains resist 25 to all damage, regeneration 3, and tremorsense 10. It loses all other senses and can take no actions in stone form other than revert to its normal form (as a minor action). Alignment Evil Languages Primordial Skills Stealth +12 Str 21 (+9) Dex 17 (+7) Wls 17 (+7) Con 17 (+7) Int 5 (+1) Cha 17 (+7) GARGOYLES IN FL1GHT Since the gargoyles stay in flight as much as possible, keep the follOWing rules on flight in mind as you play out this encounter. • While in flight. a gargoyle cannot make opportunity attacks or shift. • A gargoyle crashes if it does not fly at least "1 squares on its turn and does not end its turn on the ground. • A gargoyle that is knocked prone in midair crashes. • Crashing means that the gargoyle falls 40 feet safely. If falling that distance puts the gargoyle on the ground. it takes no damage. If it is still above the ground, the gargoyle falls the rest of the way and takes falling damage.
The gargoyles take to the air and engage injlyby attacks. They focus on climbers, making bull rush attacks to push characters offledges. Not the most intelligent ofmonsters, they stand on any type of crystal if given the opportunity to land beside their foes_ If onily one bloodied gargoyle remains, it attempts to flee deeper into the mine to join up with the hill giant. f EATURES OF THE A REA Sheer Walls: The walls ofthe opening offer few handholds and footholds, requiring a DC 19 Athletics check to climb. Illumination: Daylight brightly illuminates the upper 20 feet ofthe opening and dimly illuminates deeper areas. Due to the crystal's reflectivity, the radius of characters' light sources increases by 2 squares. Brittle Crystal: A creature can move across or stand on squares of brittle crystal normally. (These areas are represented by purple shading on the map.) If a creature takes damage while standing on such a square, the crystal shatters, the creature is knocked prone, and the square becomes difficult terrain_ ~O Mirror Crystal: Mirror crystal twists space. A W creature standing on mirror crystal can look down L.U and see all other mirror crystal spaces within 20 J: Isquares ofit. A creature can make ranged attacks a: through mirror crystal, targeting a creature on or L.U adjacent to another square ofmirror crystal. The > o range to a creature attacked through mirror crystal is I square. (These areas are represented by blue a: L.U squares on the map.) IPhase Crystal: This translucent, silvery crystal Z :::l can be induced to discharge its extradimensional o energy and shunt a creature out of phase for a short U time. \Vhen a creature ends its move in a square of Z L.U phase crystal, it gains phasing until the end ofits next turn. That square cannot affect another creature until the end ofthe encounter. (These areas are represented by orange squares on the map.) Rubble: Bits of broken crystal are difficult terrain. (These areas are represented by pink squares on the map.)
Encounter Level 9 (2,000 XP) The experience reward is adjusted for terrain advantageous to the hill giant. SETUP 1 capture crystal hazard (C) 1 hill giant (H) One hill giant overseer remains in the mine to help the galeb duhrs and gargoyles protect it. Unless the characters battled the guardians in the previous encounter in complete silence, they cannot surprise the giant. As a precaution against intruders and against the hill giants' own servants stealing from the mine, the giants' shaman has converted some ofthe mirror crystal in the cavern into capture crystal. When the pes reach the floor ofthe opening, read: The cavern slopes down and awayfrom you to crystal walls dozens of yards off. Crystal stalactites and stalaalJlites aleam. Unitt bounces this way and that. and sound falls flat. A hillaiant thuds toward you. dub swin8in8. Hill Giant (H) Level 13 Brute I .lIg<' 1I.IIIII.II 11IJlI1.II.O;.I (g;.IIII) XI' H()O Initiative +5 Senses Perception +7 HP 159; Bloodied 79 AC 25; Fortitude 27, Reflex 21, Will 23 Speed 8 CD Creatclub (standard: at-will) • Weapon Reach 2; +15 vs. AC; 2d10 + 7 damage . .. Sweeping Club (standard; encounter) • Weapon The hill giant makes a greatclub attack against two Medium or smaller targets; on a hit, the target is pushed 2 squares and knocked prone. =t Huri Rock (standard; at-will) Ranged 8/16; +15 vs. AC; 2d6 + 5 damage. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Clant Skills Athletics +16 Str 21 (+11) Dex 8 (+5) Wis 12(+7) Con 19(+10) Int 7 (+4) Cha 9 (+5) Equipment hide armor, greatclub When the hill giant is adjacent to a stalactite or a stalagmite, the giant can shatter it in a spray of crystal by hitting it with an attack. The stalactite or stalagmite is destroyed. Shatterin Cr stal Sill ,it' lhl' It·II ,lill The siant's 8reatdub smashes into the crystal, and rubble hurtles toward you. Minor Action Requirement: The giant must be adjacent to a crystal stalactite or stalagmite. Check: The giant makes a melee basic attack against the crystal (AC 5). Success: The stalactite or stalagmite shatters and makes an attack, which is a close blast 3 or close burst 1 (giant's choice) centered on the stalactite's or stalagmite's square. Target: Each creature in the blast or burst Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude Hit: ldlO + 3 damage. Effect: The blast or burst becomes an area of difficult terrain that lasts until the end of the encounter. Capture Crystal (C) Level 13 Lurker 11.11.11.1 XI' H()O The cryslallinejloor emits a resonant hum, and then absorbs the creature above it with a painful.flash ofli8l1t. Hazard: When triggered, capture crystal absorbs a creature near it, trapping it in a small crystalline prison from where it can only look out helplessly. Pe rception .. DC 18: The character recognizes that the patches of capture crystal are made ofthe same material as mirror crystal. Additional Skill: Arcana or Dungeoneering • DC 23: The character determines that a patch of capture crystal is a different sort of hazard from mirror crystal. Trigger The hazard tries to capture any creature that ends its turn in or adjacent to a capture crystal square that does not currently contain a trapped creature. Attack Opportunity Action Close burst 1 Target: The triggering creature Attack: +16 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 2 radiant damage, and the target is captured in a crystalline prison (save ends). While captured in the crystalline prison, the target is immobilized in a crystal chamber beneath the attacking square of capture crystal. It has just enough space to stand but cannot leave the chamber. It can see out of any square of capture crystal or mirror crystal within 20 squares of it. The target has line of effect to no creature and no creature has line of Sight or line of effect to the target (although its image appears in other squares of capture crystal). When the effect ends, the target reappears adjacent to a square of capture crystal within 20 squares of the space it vacated. It cannot be captured again until the end of its next turn. Countermeasures .. A character can make a DC 18 Arcana or Dungeoneering check as a standard action against an adjacent square of capture crystal to disable that square until the end of the encounter. .. A square of capture crystal can be attacked. It has AC 5, Reflex 3, Fortitude 8, and 20 hit points. Once it is destroyed, that square is disabled.
TACTICS The hill giant charges into melee-perhaps taking a round to throw a chunk of crystal ifit cannot reach the characters-and smashes the toughest-looking target. The giant knows to avoid the brittle crystal and knows how to lise mirror crystal, but it cannot use phase crystal. It lures its enemies near stalactites and stalagmites so it can hurt them by shattering the crystal into sprays ofshards_ FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: The area is dimly illuminated_ Due to the crystal's reflectivity, the radius of characters' light sources increases by 2 squares_ Ceiling: The ceiling is 15 to 20 feet high. Thin Crystal Walls: These features are represented by dark areas halfa square wide or less. These walls are transparent, so they don't impede line of sight, but they do block line of effect. Thin crystal is as fragile as glass; the crystal in a square has AC 5, Fortitude 10, and 5 hit points. Breaking the thin crystal wall in a square does not bring down the wall in adjacent squares. Thick Crystal Walls: These features are represented by dark areas mOre than half a square wide. A square containing thick crystal is opaque, blocking both line ofsight and line of effect, and as strong as stone (AC 4, Fortitude 12, hp 80). Brittle Crystal: A creature can move across or stand on squares of brittle crystal normally. (These areas are represented by purple shading on the map.) If a creature takes damage while standing on such a square, the crystal shatters. the creature is I.IJ knocked prone, and the square :r r- becomes difficult terrain_ Mirror z Crystal: Mirror crystal twists space. A creature standing a: on mirror crystal can look down LIJ r and see all other mirror crystal 2 spaces within 20 squares of it. A ::::> creature can make ranged attacks 0 U through mirror crystal, target- 2 ing a creature on or adjacent to w another square ofmirror crystal. The range to a creature attacked through mirror crystal is 1 square. (These areas are represented by blue squares on the map.) Phase Crystal: This translucent, silvery crystal can be induced to discharge its extradimensional energy and shunt a creature out of phase for a short time. \Nhen a creature ends its move in a square of phase crystal, it gains phasing until the end ofits next turn. That square cannot affect another creature until the end ofthe encounter. (These areas are represented by orange squares on the map.) Rubble: Bits of broken crystal are difficult terrain. (These areas are represented by pink squares on the map.) Stalactites: These features are depicted by spikes pointing downward. Because of the height at which the stalactites hang, they are difficult terrain only for Large and larger creatures and for creatures flying at an altitude of more than 5 feet. Stalagmites: These formations, depicted by spikes pointing upward, are relatively short. They count as difficult terrain only for Medium and smaller creatures. CONCLUSION Having overcome the mine's few guardians, the characters are free to pry some ofthe precious gems from its crystal. Each member ofthe party who spends at least 1 hOllr digging in the mine acquires gems worth a total of 80 gp (one-fifth of a level 8 treasure parcel)_ You could expand this adventure into a longer one in a number ofways. Ifthe mine has been rigged to signal the hill giants about intruders, the giants might send a larger war party to investigate_ You can put time pressure on the party by making the trading group's return imminent Further quests could involve seeking additional samples ofgems, planning an ambush against the giants' trading party, or following the traders back to the tribe and assaulting the giants' settlement.
~.- --.-.--.-.-._.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. THE BODY LUM1NOUS An adventure area for five 15th-level adventurers Stormy masses snarl across the high reaches ofthe Elemental Chaos. One ofthem is the Body Luminous, a vestige of a future apocalypse that materializes in the present. Its mysteries beckon adventurers, explorers, and foul creatures alike. BACKGROUND Arcana or History DC 18: The Body Luminous resembles a coma oflightning-lit thunderheads, miles in diameter, that streaks across the Elemental Chaos. Observers at a distance presume it is nothing more than a fireball burning its way to extinction. Arcana or History DC 20: The speed ofthe Body Luminous makes it difficult to locate; however, the wizard Torhana Inksoul has created a dozen compasslike devices that point toward it. Locating such a compass presents a challenge because of the compasses' value and rarity . .. and because Torhana has been missing for two decades. Arcana or History DC 23: Expeditions that have intercepted the Body Luminous and pierced its stormy shroud have found a nucleus of chalky stone containing fossils of creatures and artifacts. One story describes an entire preserved city ofbizarre architecture, filled with forms of unidentifiable beings. Arcana DC 26: According to Torhana Inksoul's writings, the Body Luminous is an apocalyptic vestige thrown back from the future, so it holds knowledge of events to come. She could not say whether its appearance is a warning or a mere accident offate. HOOK: F IND TORHANA A female human named Gaija Meloran contacts the adventurers. She has discovered the papers of her missing great-aunt, Torhana Inksoul, along with a compass that points to something in another world called the Body Luminous. Gaija never knew her great-aunt and wants to find her. Quest XP: If the characters find Torhana Inksoul and report her fate to Gaija Meloran, they earn a minor quest reward of 1,200 XP. H OOK: SLAAD STOMPING A band ofslaads has been seeking the Body Luminous in hopes offinding a way to pierce the barriers between realities. In their search, the slaads have left a path of destruction through the cosmos. The characters, having heard of or witnessed a slaad rampage, want to bring the slaads to justice. Alternatively, they are hired by a patron or a community leader to stop the rampages. Quest XP: Ifthe characters are able to defeat the slaads and return with proof of their success, they earn a major quest reward of 6,000 XP. ARR IVAL The characters must contend with the storm shroud and a rainbow ofslaads before they can reach the heart ofthe Body Luminous. When the pes see the Body Luminous from afar, read: Thunderheads roll into view, tumblina in an arcina trajec tory. Flashes o..ffire and liahtnina draa thunder in their wake. A rent in the clouds reveals a cha.lky core littered with irreaularities. The rent closes, and the storm boils past. The characters must catch up with the Body Luminous and breach the storm shroud to reach the core. ENVIRONMENT The core of the Body Luminous is a few miles in diameter. The surrounding thunderheads extend another mile above the surface, with only a few hundred feat of clear space beneath their churning bases. Speed: Treat the Body Luminous as having a speed offly 10. It is small enough that intersecting its trajectory requires calculation. Gravity: Creatures within 200 feet ofthe Body Luminous sense it as "down" and fall toward it. Storm Shroud: The storm clouds sheathing the core are violent and dangerous. When any creature passes through the clouds and enters an adjacent clear square beneath the shroud, the storm makes an opportunity attack against it: +18 vs. Reflex; IdlO + 10 fire and lightning damage. ON THE SURFACE When the PCs reach the surface ofthe Body Luminous, read: An suffuse silized expanse bones the stone, of of chalky animals, interminaled stone humanoids stretches with , centuries to draaons the hori , of and zon ruins . titans Fosand the occasional chunk ofa colossus. The ruins span a range of architectural styles, but the degree ofdecrepitude prevents identification ofthe cultures that built them. The stubs of four broken towers define a concave courtyard 300 feet across. Offset from the center of the courtyard stands the body of a mostly petrified CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
slaad; all but a partly fleshy area around the mouth and chest is stone. The slaad guards a shaft that leads to the interior ofthe Body Luminous. Perception Check DC 11 Other visitors have left Sian5 oftheir presence, includina partial excavations and litter in the form of tent stakes, water skins, broken tools, and buried refuse. DC 18 Loose scales ofvarious colors, larae footprints made b)' webbed feet with clawed toes, and firebird car casses slwwin8 wide-mouthed bites pepper the landscape. DC 23 The fossils and ruins lie alona rouah lines that con verae toward a distant point. Creatures that succeed on the DC 23 check can trace the convergence to the courtyard. Arcana Check A character who notices the scales, webbed footprints, and firebird carcasses can make this check. DC 18 These sian5 resemble those left b)' slaads. When the PCs can see the courtyard's broken towers, read: The remains offour pillars risefrom the landscape. As you draw near, )'ou see that they form the four corners of a courtyard several hundred yards wide. The court),ard slumps. creatina a. concaVity. Near the center ofthe bowl hulks afroalike statue ofa differcnt stone than the rest ofthe landscape. It shows no sian5 oferosion. Next to it, chalky mbble rinas the mouth ofa shaft. A freak occurrence turned one ofthe exploring slaads partially to stone. The slaad's new state of existence is a unique condition, making its goals and desires even harder to figure out than usual. However, it can warn its companions below ofintruders. It responds slowly enough that the characters have the chance to disable it or win it to their side. When the PCs near the petrified slaad, it calls out in Primordial: uCome no doser, or I will warn the seekers below. Oh, see what they have done to me." PETRIFIED SLAAD GUARDIAN The characters can appease or defeat the petrified slaad by succeeding on this skill challenge. Level: 15 (XP 4,800). Complexity: 4 (requires 10 successes before 3 failures). Primary Skills: Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate. dard Arcana action): (requires The character the Ritual uses Caster knowledge feat; DC 23, ofritual stanmagiC to advance the process that partially petrified VI ::l the slaad. On a successful check, the slaad moves a closer to complete petrification. A success with this z skill counts as two successes toward the skill chal ~ lenge. A failed check counts as two failures. ::l Bluff(requires the Primordiallanauaae; DC 23, stan...J dard action): The character lies to and cajoles the > Q slaad. On a success, the creature is intrigued enough a that it would rather continue interacting with the IXl characters than warn its comrades. Diplomacy (requires the Primordiallanauaae; DC 23, standard action): The character attempts to placate the slaad, perhaps offering a certain food or follOWing a nonsensical line ofreasoning. Intimidate (reqUires the Primordiallanauaae; DC 18, standard action): The character threatens the slaad with boredom, violence, or something else it fears so that it will remain silent. Secondary Skills: InSight, speCial. Insiaht (DC 23, standard action): The character attempts to follow the slaad's maddening logic. On a success, each character gains a +2 bonus to subsequent Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate checks in the skill challenge. A success does not count as a success toward the skill challenge. The characters can attempt this check as many times as they like but can succeed only once. Ritual (special): The Remove Affliction ritual ends the slaad's petrification. The blue slaad digester (see the statistics block below) calls down to the slaads in the upper vestibule to warn them ofthe characters' presence, then attacks the characters. The skill challenge automatically fails, although the characters do receive experience for defeating the slaad. Success: The slaad allows the characters to pass down the shaft without alerting the creatures in the upper vestibule. Failure: The slaad emits a constant, loud croaking sound that alerts the others. AREA 1: UPPER VESTIBULE Torhana Inksoul's expedition excavated the shaft that is being guarded by the partially petrified slaad. A few days ago, a group ofslaads opened the passage and gained access to a vestibule with a scaled valve. which they have not managed to budge. Tactical Encounter: "Upper Vestibule," page 96. AREA 2: INNER LOCK Beneath the valve in the upper vestibule, a vertical passage drops to an inner lock of hard, smooth material unlike the chalky stone encountered so far. The back of a humanoid skeleton partly protrudes from a translucent wall. Tactical Encounter: "Inner Lock," page 98. CHAPTER 3 I Elemental Locales
Encounter Level 16 (7,600 XP) SETUP 1 blue slaad digester (D) 1 gray slaad havoc (H) 1 green slaad madjack (M) 1 white slaad (W) When the pes peer into the shaft, read: A vertical shaft drops 40feet to a white floor. The walls ofthe shaft can be climbed with a De 18 Athletics check. I f the characters have the ability to fly, they can descend in that fashion. When the pes reach the chamber floor, read: In this cllClmber. a series of IS:foot terraces descend east· ward to a wound floor. Cave·ins have reduced the area to afractiol1 ofits oriBillal size. In the section that remains, lar8e statues ofhumanoids clad in elementallJarb pose in idealizedwandeur. A8ray creature with a wide,flat head works at a valve set in the floor on the lowest level. Ifthe slaads know of the pes' approach, add: Tl1ree creatures resemblinB the 8ra)' one, ofvarious colors and sizes, leap toward you. Ifthe slaads do not know of the pes' approach, add the following instead: Three creatures resenrblin8 t11e way one, ofvarious colors and sizes, louIl8e in various places. Ifthe pes attempt conversation, read: The 8ray creature looks at JOU and replies ill Primordial, "Did dreams lead Y0lt here, as us? Dreams offutures past and histories solvent? Ofworlds that are not this world? Can JOU Imlid the eye oftomorrow that vexes us? Are you succulent and filled with jllic)' blood?" The gray slaad continues to work or to spew questions until the heroes move within 5 squares of a slaad, or until they attack the slaads. Then all the slaads attack. TACTICS The digester and the madjack move forward first. The madjack tries to disorient foes, while the digester moves in and grabs anyone it can. The gray slaad havoc stays back and uses havoc bolt to keep enemies within reach of the others. The white slaad looks for opportunities to exploit combat advantage, splitting into its temporal replicas only ifit is hard·pressed. Blue Slaad Digester (D) Level 14 Elite Soldier Llrgc "I"I11<'l1tJI hUI1l,l l1 oid XP 2,000 Initiative +14 Senses Perception +13; low·light vision HP 332; Bloodied 166 AC 28; Fortitude 27, Reflex 26, Will 26 Immune chaos phage Saving Throws +2 Speed 6. teleport 4 Action Points 1 CD Grasping Claw (standard; at-will) + Disease Reach 2; +19 vs. AC; 1 d8 + 9 damage. and the target is grabbed and exposed to chaos phage (page 142). The blue slaad digester can grab up to two Medium or smaller creatures at once. Acidic Spew (minor: at-will) + Acid One creature grabbed by the blue slaad digester takes ongoing 10 acid damage (save ends). Caustic Tongue (opportunity. when a creature grabbed by the blue slaad digester escapes the grab: at-will) + Acid Reach 2; targets the triggering creature; +17 vs. Fortitude; the target is knocked prone and takes ongOing 10 acid damage (save ends). ~ Covetous Claws (standard: at·will) The blue slaad digester makes two grasping claw attacks. Digestive Spray (minor: recharge [li) + Acid Close blast 5: +15 vs. Fortitude: 1 d8 + 6 damage. and ongoing 10 acid damage (save ends). Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common, Primordial Str 23 (+13) Dex 20 (+12) Wls 13 (+8) Con 16 (+10) Int 4 (+4) Cha 20 (+12) Green Slaad Madjack (M) Level 13 Elite Controller Ldlgl' t'll'1l1l'lltal humanoid XP 1,600 Initiative +8 Senses Perception +16; low·light vision HP 268; Bloodied 134 AC 27; Fortitude 26. Reflex 23. Will 25 Immune chaos phage Saving Throws +2 Speed 6. teleport 4 Action Points 1 CD Claw (standard: at-will) + Disease Reach 2: +18 vs. AC; 2d8 + 5 damage, and the target is exposed to chaos phage (page 142). Maddening Croak (standard: recharges when first bloodied and again when the green slaad madjack spends an action point) + I Psychic Close blast 5; +16 vs. Will; 2d12 + 5 psychic damage. and the madjack slides the target 3 squares and knocks it prone. Until the end of the target's next turn, the target must take a standard action to stand up. Maddening Visions (minor 1 /round: at·wllI) • Charm Close burst 2: targets one enemy in burst; +16 vs. Will; the target must make a melee at·will attack as a free action against one of Its allies within its reach. The green slaad madjack chooses the attack and the target ally. ,.. Mind Spasm (Immediate reaction, when an enemy moves adjacent to the green slaad madjack: at·wlll) +Psychic Close burst 1: +13 vs. Will; 2d6 + 5 psychic damage. If the attack hits the triggering enemy, it is also dazed (save ends). Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common. Primordial Skills Athletics +15, Stealth +13 Str 19 (+10) Dex 14 (+8) Wls 21 (+11) Con 22 (+12) Int 16 (+9) Cha 14 (+8)
Gray Slaad Havoc (H) Level 15 Artillery (Leader) Me diulll "'('nw nt,,1 U Ill l1 id XP 1.200 Initiative +10 Senses Perception +11; low-light vision HP 116; Bloodied 58 AC 27; Fortitude 27, Reflex 28. Will 26 Immune chaos phage Speed 6, teleport 6 G) Havoc Claw (standard; at-will) + Disease +22 vs. AC; 1 d8 + 6 damage, the gray slaad havoc slides the target 2 squares, and the target is exposed to chaos phage (page 142). :r Havoc Bolt (standard; at-will) Ranged 20; +20 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 6 damage, and the gray slaad havoc slides the target 3 squares. If the attack scores a critical hit, the gray slaad havoc can repeat it once as free action. (0 Fog ofChaos (immediate Interrupt, when hit by a ranged attack; recharge [;:; [;:;,: fUl) Close burst 20; targets the triggering attacker; +20 vs. Will; the triggering attack instead targets one of the target's allies of its choice. (0 Reality Shift (move; at-will) +Teleportatlon Close burst 10; targets one creature in burst; +20 vs. Will (no attack roll required against an ally); the gray slaad havoc teleports the target to any space within the burst. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common. Primordial Skills Athletics +14. Stealth +15 Str14(+9) Dex17(+10) Con 20 (+12) Int 23 (+13) White Slaad (W) Med iulll (,lplll(' ntd l hU l11anoid Wls19(+11) Cha 16 (+10) Level 16 Elite Lurker XP 2,800 Initiative +16 Senses Perception +14; low-light vision HP 248; Bloodied 124 AC 29; Fortitude 29, Reflex 27, Will 26 Immune chaos phage Saving Throws +2 Speed 6, teleport 4 Action Points 1 G) ProbabJllty Claw (standard; at-will) + Disease +21 vs. AC; 1d6 + 5 damage, and the target is dazed until the end of the white slaad's next turn and is exposed to chaos phage (page 142). Temporal Split (standard; recharges when first bloodied or when the white slaad spends an action point) The white slaad splinters into six white slaad temporal replicas, each appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 squares of the white slaad's previOUS space. The white slaad disappears, and it cannot attack or be attacked until it reappears. The temporal replicas thereafter act on the white slaad's Initiative count. When the last temporal replica has been reduced to 0 hit pOints. the white slaad reappears within 5 squares of the space occupied by that replica and can act normally on its next initiative count. See also advantage af time. Advantage ofTime Whenever a white slaad reappears after its temporal replicas have been reduced to 0 hit points, all enemies it can see grant it combat advantage until the end of its next turn. Combat Advantage A white slaad deals 1d6 extra damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it_ In addition, that creature is dazed (save ends) instead of dazed until the end of the slaad's next turn. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common. Primordial Skills Athletics +18. Stealth +17 Str 20 (+13) Dex 19 (+12) WisH (+9) Con 22 (+14) Int 7 (+6) Cha 14 (+10) White Slaad Temporal Replica Level 16 Minion Lurl<er Med lUIll ('1"1111' 11 1.11 hUlll.lIlold XP 0 Initiative +16 Senses Perception +14; low-light vision HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. AC 29; Fortitude 29, Reflex 27, Will 26 Speed 6, teleport 4 <D ProbabJllty Claw (standard; at-will) +21 vs. AC; 8 damage, and the target is dazed until the a: beginning of the white slaad temporal replica's next turn. u.J Combat Advantage ~ A white slaad temporal replica deals 2 extra damage against any ::> creature granting combat advantage to it. Alignment Chaotic a: evil Languages Common. Primordial UJ Str 20 (+13) Dex 19 (+12) WisH (+9) f Can 22 (+14) Int 7 (+6) Cha 14 (+10) Z ::> o F EATURES OF THE A REA U Illumination: GlOWing rods sticking up rrom the ~ top or each statue shed flickering light that dimly illuminates the chamber. Ceiling Entry: The entry shart leads down rrom a ceiling roughly 40 feet above the highest terraces and 85 reet above the ground floor. Statues: The three Large statues are made orstone (AC 4; Reflex 4, Fortitude 12; hp 80). They provide cover. A character can make a DC 18 Athletics check to climb onto a statue. Floor Valve: This metallic dome (the octagonal feature on the map) has large clamps and the word "Inksoul" etched on one side. For nonclcmental creatures, the valve requires a DC 28 Strength check or Thievery check to open. Subtle magic imbued in the valve bars elemental creatures entirely; however. the slaads' persistence has nearly exhausted the magic.
Encounter Level 15 (6,500 XP) SETUP 3 oblivion wraiths (W) 1 spirit ooze (0) Torhana, spirit vampire (V) Beneath the valve, a rough shaft descends 15 feet to the ceiling ofthe inner lock. Torhana's attempt to discover the secrets ofthe Body Luminous ended here, on the brink ofsllccess. When the PCs see the chamber, read: The floor and all but one wall ofthis chamber are smooth and silvery, like cloudy mirrors. Crystalline obelisks protrudefrom the floor. Misty f08 swirls at ankle hei8ht, too th in to conceal anythin8. Crates are piled in a distant corner. Radia nce leaks in throu8h an unusual wall to the east, outlinil18 the back of a humanoid skeleton on this side and ha zy silhOLLCttes on the other side. RadiatiJ18from the skeleton, scars f racture the wall and floor. Religion Check DC 23 Nec romancy itifuses the mist on the floor but seems harmless in its currentform. 3 Oblivion Wraiths (W) Level 14 Brute large .,hJdow humanoid (undead I XP 1.000 (,deh Initiative +13 Senses Perception +7; darkvlsion Nihil (Necrotic) aura 2; each enemy that starts its turn within the aura takes 10 necrotic damage and cannot spend a healing surge until the start of its next turn. HP 116; Bloodied 58; see also death blast Regeneration 10 AC 26; Fortitude 25, Reflex 27, Will 24 Immune disease, poison; Resist 15 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerable radiant (if the oblivion wraith takes radiant damage, regeneration is negated until the end of its next turn) Speed fly 6 (hover); phaSing; see also shadow slide CD Nihil Strike (standard; at-will) + Necrodc +15 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the oblivion wraith is invisible to the target until the end of the oblivion wraith's next turn. +Obllvlate (standard: recharge [;] ll]) + Necrotic +15 vs. Reflex; 2d8 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target takes ongoing 15 necrotic damage and a -2 penalty to saving throws (save ends both). ,.. Death Blast (when reduced to 0 hit points) + Necrotic Close blast 3; targets enemies; +15 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 7 necrotic damage, and the target loses two healing surges. Miss: Half damage, and the target loses a healing surge. Shadow Glide (move: encounter) The oblivion wraith shifts 6 squares. Spawn Wraith Any humanoid killed by the oblivion wraith rises as a free-willed oblivion wraith at the start of its creator's next turn, appearing in the space where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). Raising the slain humanoid (using the Raise Dead ritual) does not destroy the spawned wraith. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common Skills Stealth +18 Str 20 (+12) Dex 23 (+13) Wls 10 (+7) Con 16 (+10) Int10(+7) Cha 18 (+11) When the PCs come within 5 squares of the skeleton, read: A spirit steps out ofthe skeleton and coalesces into the shape ofaf emale human. She turns to you and says, "So many thin8s to see and learn! Are you here to see beyond the pale- to see what I've seen? Come, take a look with mel" Torhana's spirit continues to whisper disjOintedly to the characters. Because she never saw what she spent her life trying to see, however, she tires ofspeech. Hunger for life overwhelms her and ripples through the mist, stirring the memories of her companions' souls. They congeal from the fog into oblivion wraiths and a spirit ooze. TACTICS The oblivion wraiths attempt to envelop characters in their nihil aura, while the spirit ooze attacks the nearest target mindlessly.
--- ...l Spirit Ooze (0) Level 16 Elite Lurker L.l rge na tura l a nima te (hlind, 00](', lIn d(,,,d) XP ],800 Initiative +20 Senses Perception +10: blind sight 10 HP 166; Bloodied 83: see also split AC 32; Fortitude 27, Reflex 32, Will 31; see also s/ipperyphasin8 Immune disease, gaze, poison: Resist 10 necrotic, insubstantial; Vulnerable 10 radiant Saving Throws +2 Speed fly 6 (hover); see also spirit sink and phose away Action Points 1 ®Spirit Sink (standard; at-will) + Necrotic Reach 2; + 19 vs, Fortitude; 3d6 + 5 necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends), The spirit ooze gains phasing until the end of its next turn, Split (when first bloodied; encounter) The spirit ooze splits into two Large oozes, one occupying the original ooze's space and the other in a space adjacent to it. Each of the creatures has hit points equal to half of the original creature's current hit pOints. Both creatures act on the original creature's initiative count. Effects applied to the original creature do not apply to either individual after the split. The spirit ooze cannot split if reduced to 0 hit points by the attack that bloodied it. If left alone, at the end of the encounter the two individuals combine into one spirit ooze, which has hit points equal to the individuals' total. Combat Advantage A spirit ooze deals 2d6 extra damage against any creature granting combat advantage to it. Phase Away (minor; while the spirit ooze has phasing; at-will) The spirit ooze shifts 1 square. Slippery Phasing (while the spirit ooze has phasing) The spirit ooze gains a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex. Alignment Unaligned Languages Skills Stealth +21 Str 16 (+11) Dex 26 (+16) Wls 15 (+10) Con 17 (+11) Int 2 (+4) Cha 11 (+8) Torhana drifts about in combat, making spirit touch attacks when she can. She moves to possess dead or unconscious characters as they become available. FEATURES OF THE AREA Illumination: Light leaking through the translucent wall dimly illuminates the chamber. Entry Shaft: The light-colored circle represents a lO-foot-diameter hole in the ceiling beneath the valve that the characters opened in the previous encounter. Ceiling: The ceiling is roughly rS feet high. Obelisks: The obelisks block line ofSight. They extend from floor to ceiling. An obelisk can be climbed with a DC 23 Athletics check. Cracks: Squares containing cracks that radiate from the skeleton are difficult terrain. Translucent Wall: Any living creature that touches the eastern wall is restrained (save ends). First Failed Savina Throw: The creature is restrained and knocked unconscious (save ends both). Second Failed Savina Throw: The creature is petrified as a crystalline mineral and fuses to the wall (no save). Crates: The crates contain foodstuffs, rope, water, and other gear, all magically preserved. A chest in Torhana. Spirit Vampire (V) Level 11 Lur ker I\\c(liUIIl shadow hUfIldl1Uid (u ndead) XP 700 -:0 HP 66 (99 if in a possessed body); Bloodied 33 Initiative +14 Senses Perception +11; darkvlsion a: AC 24; Fortitude 23, Reflex 24, Will 26 UJ Immune disease, poison; Resist 5 necrotic, insubstantial (spirit Z form only); Vulnerable 5 radiant Z Speed 6 (possessed body only), fly 6 (spirit form only); phasing (spirit form only) a: UJ ®Claw (standard; possessed body only; at-will) + Necrotic ~ +17 vs. AC; 1d6 + 4 damage plus 1d6 + 4 necrotic damage. Z ® Spirit Touch (standard; spirit form only; at-will)" Necrotic ::J +15 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 6 necrotic damage. o +Blood Drain (standard; requires combat advantage; possessed U Z body only; recharges when an creature adjacent to Torhana UJ becomes bloodied) .. Healing +15 vs. Fortitude; 2d12 + 8 damage, the target is weakened (save ends), and Torhana regains 16 hit points. +Possess Body (minor; at-will) Torhana can possess the body of a dead or unconscious Medium or smaller humanoid. While in a possessed body, she has the follOWing traits: + She loses fly 6, phaSing, and spirit touch. + She gains speed 6, claw, blood drain, and a +7 bonus to Strength-based checks. + She loses the insubstantial quality and gains 33 temporary hit points. When she loses the temporary hit points, the body falls prone in its square and Torhana resumes spirit form. + While possessed, the body cannot regain hit points or awaken. A dying creature is considered stable while Torhana possesses its body. Healing the possessed creature deals damage to Torhana equal to the hit points regained. + Melee and ranged attacks can target Torhana only. Close and area attacks target both the possessed creature and Torhana. +Torhana can leave a possessed body as a minor action. When she does so, she resumes spirit form and the body falls prone in the square Torhana occupies. + Once Torhana leaves a body, she cannot possess that body again until the end of the encounter. Vulnerable to Sunlight IfTorhana starts her turn in direct sunlight, she is dazed and cannot use possess body until the end of her turn. Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common Skills Bluff +17, Stealth +15 Str 6 (+4 or +11) Dex 18 (+10) Wls 10(+6) Con 16 (+9) Int 10 (+6) Cha 22 (+12) one of the crates holds the expedition's remaining funds: two level-IS treasure parcels. CONCLUSION The characters have discovered the horrible truth of what happened to Torhana's expedition: The Body Luminous is a death trap. Ifyou want to expand this adventure, you can connect the mysteriOUS body to a fiJture catastrophe in your campaign world. An entire campaign arc could be devoted to learning the secrets that Torhana failed to find, or finding a way to sec the visions that she saw without being destroyed by the deadly walls. The final event of the campaign might be the characters' desperate attempt to prevent the foreseen apocalypse from occurring.
