Emerald Coast DnD

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 10)
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 10)
• Dave: Erevan the Half-Orc Fighter (level 9)
• Tom: Brox the human Slayer (level 9)

Welcome Back

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 10)
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 9)
• Kirk: Althea the Eladrin Feylock (level 8)
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 10)

The Fall of Thunderwind

BC 1 – Keltus Prime, Vebrendos Prime (now also a powerful Arkhin/Lich), and the Arkhin Omega rout the last of the remaining resistance. They turn their attention to Thunderwind Plateau, where the Eladrin, the last bastion of civilized society, are quickly fleeing to the Feywild. The world is overrun and falls into madness.

A Long-Awaited Rest

Vyrellis, Lyra, Mathis, and Rivaine addressed the PCs as their true identities – not as characters in Gateways of Hope. The ritual magic woven by the Opera had finally accomplished its goal and attuned the party to the exact moment of the collapse. Vyrellis opened Nairn’s Arkhin battery to reveal a Shard of the Living Gate. Using arcane energy and the blessing of Ioun, she created a powerful artifact the party could use to take control of the Arkhin hive mind and close off their connection to the Far Realm.

The Eladrin used their ritual magic to drop the Arcane Shield protecting Thunderwind and create a portal directly into what used to be the floating city of Naetyria. Expending the power of the Pocket Dimension created a safe haven out of time and space for the party to take some rest (and level up). When he leveled up and took a multi-classing feat to worship Ioun, John’s figurine transformed into an Ioun Blessed Symbol.

Omega

BC 0 – During the rout, a small band of survivors infiltrates the highest levels of what used to be Naetyria, but is now a great hive-mind Arkhin Omega. In a last desperate attempt to stop the rampaging Arkhin, they perform a ritual that leverages the very power that keeps the Omega alive. In a single, massive, Collapse, all portals are simultaneously destroyed. Their link to the Far Realm shattered, all but the most powerful Arkhin collapse. Those that remain are far weakened from their original state. The Sky City falls and the great storm begins. A massive earthquake tears through Coudreach, changing the landscape forever. Its ripples create what are now Fin Ridge and the Mudclan bluffs. No one knows what happened to the survivors.

After a mighty battle with Omega, (note: I ret-conned Omega’s Will to 32 on when I was balancing) the party took control and brought about The Collapse. While they dominated the powerful Far Realm entity, the party was able to move freely through time and space, from The Collapse itself to just after the end of Gateways of Hope.

In addition to a glimpse of a planet-sized Far Realm horror, the PCs have access to the following rituals (can learn them for free with the Ritual Casting feat and appropriate level):

• Fey Passage
• Shadow Passage
• Create Teleportation Circle
• Planar Portal
• True Portal

The Opera had a time-dilation effect – while the subjective time of the participants was 24 hours, to the outside world, three years had passed. Cloudreach was a very changed place. The PCs transported themselves to the road just north of Ratchet Tower, where we will pick up when the story continues…

Rewards

• Defeating Omega – 625 xp each
• Completing Gateways of Hope and bringing about The Collapse – 1,000 xp each
• Jon – Ioun’s Revelation
• Mr. White – The Raven Queen’s Shroud
• Althaea – Closed Mind

Note the new house rule:

Some characters have earned a Divine Boon, Legendary Boon, Battlescar, or similar. If there are multiple levels of that boon available, it will level automatically as the character levels (as long as the character stays in good standing with the power that awarded the boon). The higher level boon automatically replaces the lower level one once the character is high enough level (boon level minus 4). So, a character who has a level 8 version of a boon is automatically upgraded to the level 13 version once they hit level 9.

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9)
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 8)
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 8)
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 9)

A-Day: Battle in Sky Park

Battle on Marrowstrike Ridge

War, Arkhin Prime

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9)
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 9)
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 8)
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 8)

More history from The Collapse.

Smash the Arkhinworks

The PCs battled Grob, a massive Proto-Arkhin, Haps, his handler, and three Arkhinworks Technicians. With some clever application of the Wall of Fire spell, they destroyed a giant Artisanal crane and prevented 13 Proto-Arkhin Soldiers from being loaded onto an airship. This earned them another 13 opera points as well as 600 xp each.

Unification Day

The next scene put the party in the role of an elite strike force, working with four newly-minted Arkhin Prime to assault Amaghana and wipe out the Bluemoss Army and its leader Nod Led. After a street-by-street battle against the well-fortified Bluemoss militia and Linebreakers, the party crushed Nod Led. The remnants of the Bluemoss army broke ranks and fled. 700 xp each.

• Thunder
• War
• Lancer
• Fleet

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9)
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 8)
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 9)
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 8)
• Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 8) accompanied as a companion character

Session Notes

• Mr. White hit Level 9
• The PCs used several Opera Points – see the current status.
• Moar Hiztory!
• General agreement that PC companion characters are problematic. In general, we will only use companion characters when the party wants to make up for a distinct tactical disadvantage. Otherwise, players who are not present can have their characters fade seamlessly into the background until the player returns to the table.

Assault the Arkhinworks

“Nod Led leads an attack on the Arkhinworks. The nascent Proto-Arkhin Soldiers are easily destroyed and the factory is smashed. Keltus Enfuse escapes in an airship with the remaining Proto-Arkhin.”

The Party was transported into two scenes from Nod Led’s epic assault on the Arkhinworks on the north shore of Union Lake. In the first, They train-jacked a lightning rail on its way to deliver ore and wood to the facility. After defeating the guards, the PCs set the throttle to maximum, causing it to smash through the iron gates. This gave access to Nod Led’s advanced force (308 xp each).

The second encounter placed the party as part of this advanced force, clearing the courtyard of the Arkhinworks. After a hard-fought battle amidst the rubble of the train crash, the party gained access to the inner-works of the facility. As they opened the factory door, Keltus Enfuse and an army of Arkhin met Nod Led and his Bluemoss army on the field before the factory (475 xp each).

• Proto-Arkhin Soldier
• Arkhin Handler

Players and Characters

(for current stats click here)

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9)
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 8)
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 9)
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 8)
• Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 8) accompanied as a companion character

Session Notes

• The Campaign advanced to level 9
• The Party turned in another 2 History books to Mathis for a total of 4 out of a possible 10
• Althea purchased Resplendent Gloves with party funds (750 gold with temporary 25% faction discount)
• Lyra gave the party 6 pairs of Silk Earplugs. Jon used one pair.
• See the Opera Rules section, below.

Myron Shelver

The party defeated Myron Shelver, a zombie working with Vyrellis to create the undead horrors wandering the library.

Rewards

• 627 xp each for Myron, 2 Stitched Horrors, 24 Zombie Librarians, and 8 Mob Ghouls
• Jon: one 500 gp gem, one painting worth 250 gp
• Mr. White: 400 gp, one 500 gp gem
• Lucan: History Book, 100 xp (Grillmaster achievement)
• Althaea: History Book, Warlock Bracers (11)
• 200 xp each for the History Books
• 100 xp each for three encounters without an extended rest

Gateways of Hope, Act 1

The Opera begins! As the Quenya played out scenes from their history, reality began to warp, until the party found itself sucked into the performance. New information about the Artisanals and the history of the Arkhin came to light and the PCs found themselves in the role of Amaghana town guards. With the help of their minions, the PC’s  defended the proto-Arkhin laborers from the enraged mob, the rabble, their lieutenants, and their leader, the famed bluemoss farmer Nod Led.

Opera Rules

• The Opera seems to be draining the PC’s energy somehow. It periodically makes an attack against Will.
• At any time, the PCs may choose to roll a saving throw. Success: advance the song. Failure: take a drink and 1d6 damage.
• Any time Elton John comes up it represents Rivaine. Rivaine allows the PCs to spend an Opera Point to spend a healing surge, recover a healing surge, gain 10 temporary hit points, or recover an Encounter or a Daily Power.
• Players may spend any number of Opera Points at the beginning and end of each play session.

Rewards

• 13 Opera Points (shared across the party) for rescuing 15 Arkhin Laborers and only losing two civilians
• 320 xp each

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9). 53 hit points, all dailies, all surges, 1 AP
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 8). 50 hit points, 8 surges, all dailies, 1 AP
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 9). 78 hit points, 12 surges, all dailies, 2 AP
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 7). 55 hit points, 11 surges, used staggering weapon, 1 AP
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 7). 55 hit points, all surges, used crown of stars, 1 AP

Session Notes

• The party has all of the reagents they need to attempt to create an antidote to Sahlfruit addiction
• The undead who haunt Thunderwind are there because the spirits of the Eladrin cannot escape to the Feywild. Until an escape is found, the spirits will continue to return.
• Vyrellis, the former head of the Eladrin College of Arcane Magic is a ghost who haunts the depths of the library. Death has left her in a half-awake dreamworld, with little memory of her former life. She seems aware that Mathis is attempting to open a Fey Crossing and implied he’s consulted with her. But, with her scrambled memories and faded consciousness, this could have been yesterday or 50 years ago.
• In death, Vyrellis has been studying Necromancy, and is at least partially responsible for the undead abominations wandering the Library. She’s working with someone named Myron.
• Erevan revealed that he may be to blame for Vyrellis’s death.
• From the Library’s history books, the PCs learned some of the history of the Collapse.
• Jon’s Ioun idol seems to be driving him on toward something. His questions and curiosity make it warm with a heat only he can feel and glow with a light only he can see.
• Erevan hit level 8.
• Masterwork armor can only be crafted if the PCs find the right components and/or a craftsman capable of doing so (e.g. Githweave can only be crafted by the Githzerai). Complete masterwork armor can still be found as part of treasure hordes.

Undead Dread

After one encounter in Piper’s Orchard, the party returned to Thunderwind to rest and level up.

• They sold the Anchor Webs to a weaver for 4,500 gold
• Jon purchased a Cloak of Distortion (9) with party funds (3,150 gold with 25% temporary faction discount)
• The Brooch of No Regrets (3) was disenchanted for 136 worth of residuum
• The party traded their gems for gold

After their rest, they fought their way back through to the Library through the Academy District. Rivaine again accompanied them.

Rewards

• 225 xp each for 1 Ghost of Despair and 4 Corpses of Despair (1350 total)

Stitched Horrors

Another hour in the library netted some more loot and introduced a new type of undead.

Rewards

• 250 xp each for 2 Stitched Horrors, 1 Wraith, and 8 Mob Ghouls (1500 total)
• Jon: Recipe – Master’s Wand of Magic Missile (8), Recipe – Lightning Wand (8)
• Mr. White: Scroll of Brew Potion, Recipe – Starlight Goggles (8)
• Lucan: Recipe – Gloves of the Healer (12)
• Erevan: Recipe – Badge of the Berserker (12), 700 gold
• Althaea: Recipe – Shadow Warlock Armor (10)

Vyrellis

The former head of the College of Arcane Magic was discovered haunting the deepest levels of the library. The PCs attempted to communicate with her, but her mind appeared to be too far gone.

Rewards

• 175 xp each for Vyrellis RP
• Erevan: 175 xp for facing a ghost from his past, 1 History book.
• Jon: 70 xp for walking the path of Ioun, 1 gem worth 500 gp, 1 statue of Ioun worth 250, 1 statue of Corellon worth 250 gp
• Mr White: 70 xp for his secret mission, 1 gem worth 500 gp, a suit of Bloodthread Armor (10)
• Lucan: Recipe – Versatlile Armor (13)
• Althaea: 1 History Book

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 9). 46 hit points, 9 surges, all daily powers available, Item dailies: used Brooch of No Regrets, 1 AP
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 8). 43 hit points, 9 surges, all dailies available, 1 AP
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 9). Pristine, untouched, and pure as a half-elf maiden. 1 AP
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 7). 59 hit points, 10 surges, used driving attack daily, Item dailies: used Staggering Weapon, no AP
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 7). 22 hit points, 6 surges, all dailies, 1 AP

Session Notes

The Party finished one more encounter in the library before heading back to town to rest. The Eladrin were amazed and impressed that the party made it back in one piece, and Mathis gratefully accepted the History books.

• The PCs discovered that Rivaine and several Eladrin have a trading relationship with the Terena Elves. They secretly trade fish, spices, mead, and other supplies. The Terena are considered dangerous savages by Mathis and those loyal to him, so Rivaine and his ilk keep this a secret.
• The party gained Rivaine as a companion character.
• Some Eladrin speak of a Traitor who closed the Fey Crossing during The Collapse before everyone could get through. There is some debate as to whether this person really existed. On learning that the library fire may have been deliberately set, Mathis immediately suspected The Traitor.
• The next encounter will mark a Milestone.
• Both of Uldor’s scrolls were retrieved.
• Two (of a possible 10) History books have been turned in to Mathis.
• Mr. White hit level 8.
• Jon hit level 9.
• Lucan hit level 9.

Fuck You, Zombies!

The PCs faced 4 Dread Scholars and 2 Ghosts of Despair. The Scholar zombies required some kind of Religious trick to kill that the PCs couldn’t figure out, so they cast them into a deep pit instead. This was an epically frustrating four hour fight.

Rewards

• 300 xp each for the monsters (1500 total).
• 100 xp each “grind bonus”
• 100 xp each bonus for three encounters without an extended rest.
• Erevan: 75 xp bonus for throwing out several zombie-killing strategies and shouting ”50 gold! 50 gold! 50 gold!”
• 200 xp each for turning in two History books.
• 50 xp each for informing Mathis that sections of the library dealing with portal magic appear to have been deliberately destroyed.
• Jon: Recipe for Mordenkainen’s Forbidden Tome, 800 gp, 500 gp gem.
• Erevan: Recipe for Marauder’s Hide Armor, and a suit of Eladrin Finemail +3 (13).
• Mr. White: Recipes for a level 8 and level 14 Mordant Fullblade.
• Lucan: Recipe for a Vigilant Blade (14), 500 gp gem.

Aggravating Arachnids

After a well-earned rest and some tasty contraband food from the rebel Quenya, the PCs took the Piper’s Orchard route back toward the library. There, they  battled a group of Phase Spiders, a Feyspitter spider, and their old friend the Hammerhand Arkhin. After routing the spiders, they deactivated the Arkhin by casting it into a batch of lethal Phaseweb. Rivaine accompanied the party on this leg of the journey for a total of six characters.

Rewards

• 225 xp each for 3 Phase Spiders and 1 Feyspitter Spider (1350 total).
• 83 xp each for the Arkhin (500 total).
• 117 xp each for the Phaseweb obstacle (700 total).
• 3 Anchor Webs worth 1,500 gold each.
• 1 pound of Sahlfruit worth 1,000 gold.
• 1 Arkhin Battery.
• 2,500 gp worth of residuum.
• Erevan: Mark of the Tembo MVP bonus.

Quenya Library upper entrance

Players and Characters

• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 8). 55 hit points, 5 surges, all daily powers used, Item dailies: used Brooch of No Regrets, no AP
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 7). 49 hit points, 4 surges, used Twilight Assassin daily, 2 AP
• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 8). 70 hit points, 5 surges, all daily powers used, Item dailies: used Amulet of Life and Mithril Scale armor, 2 AP
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 7). 58 hit points, 3 surges, no daily powers used, Item dailies: used Staggering Weapon, no AP
• Kirk: Althaea the Eladrin Feylock (level 7). 55HP, 5 surges, used level 1 daily, 1 AP

Encounters

The PCs searched the library for two hours and faced two encounters.

Hour 1

• 340 xp each [4 corpse of despair (1000 xp),  2 poltergeist (500 xp), 1 wraith (200 xp)]
• 1 control pylon scroll for Uldor, Raise Dead Ritual, Rushing Cleats, History Book for Mathis

Hour 2

• 350 xp each [1 Arkhin Scythearm killed (500), 1 Arkhin Hammerharm sent down river (500), 3 Fel Taints (750)]
• 60 xp Jon for starting down the path of Ioun
• Book of Ioun, Arkhin battery, 2500 gp worth of residuum.

Key Plot Points

• Althea discovered that all sections of books on portal-related magic appear to have been burned.
• She also recalled that Vyrellis, head of the College of Arcane Magic and gifted singer, ran into the library to try and save it from the fire. She was never seen again, though many of the Quenya claim they can sometimes hear her singing.

Rule Updates

I goofed on the gold rewards for Sahlfruit and Anchor Webs (I wrote those areas a long time ago without paying attention to how rewards scale). Instead of the paltry 50 gp, a bag of Sahlfruit is now worth 1,000 gp and an Anchor Web 1,500 gp. The Quenya have more money than they know what to do with.

The current skill checks aren’t providing as much treasure as I’d intended. The risk for staying in the library isn’t worth the reward. Next session we’ll make the following changes.

• All PCs get one free success check immediately. This is in addition to the check for the next hour.
• The DC for search checks is now 16 for both skills and perception. PCs may choose to take 10 on this roll.
• Splitting up allows a PC to make an additional roll for treasure with a +2. The PC may not take 10 on this roll. If you choose this option the DM selects your location at the start of combat.
• At the end of each encounter, all PCs must make a saving throw. If all PCs fail, the group becomes lost.
• Erevan gets a +5 on all search checks and saving throws while in the Library due to his familiarity with the pre-Collapse layout.
• Every encounter beyond the second without an extended rest rewards a cumulative 100 quest xp per player.
  • Encounter 3: 100 xp
  • Encounter 4: 200 xp (300 total)
  • Encounter 5: 300 xp (600 total)

What you can search for

• Uldor’s scrolls. Jon already located the Control Pylon Ritual (worth 90 group xp when it is returned to Uldor). Uldor also wants a dwarven ritual scroll (DC 16 perception check) which will reward an additional 130 group xp when given to Uldor.
• Mathis’s History Books – DC 16 History check. Mathis will pay 100 group xp and 1,000 gold for each book found on Eladrin history and the history of the Collapse, up to a maximum of 10 books.
• Rituals – DC 16 (skill required for the ritual). Players may search for any ritual scroll or recipe (for insertion into a ritual book) up to level 14. The DC is the same for all rituals. Note that players may learn Martial Practices without a Ritual Caster feat (all other Rituals require the Ritual Caster Feat).
• Magic Item Recipes – DC 16 Perception. PCs may search for a recipe for any item up to level 14. This recipe counts as half the item value in components to create the item with an Enchant Magic Item ritual.
• Treasure – DC 16 Perception. A successful check generates a roll on the level 8 treasure table in the Rules Compendium.
• Roll-playing Hooks – DC 16 (appropriate skill). PCs may search for books on any skill that may contain backstory or story development hooks. These will reveal some clue about the world or provide access to certain paths (i.e. working toward a paragon path). Books relevant to a PCs story will award a small amount of individual xp and are worth 1,000 gold.

Players and Characters

We finished in the Great Library where the PCs cannot take an extended rest, so I’ve included current status. The PCs will hit a milestone after the next encounter.

• Nick: Lucan the half-elf Paladin (level 8). 1 Action Point, 72 hit points, 10 surges, all daily powers.
• Chris: Jon the human Artificier/Wizard hybrid (level 8). No Action points, 55 hit points, 6 surges, all daily powers.
• Dave: Erevan the half-orc Fighter (level 7). No Action Points, 60 hit points, 7 surges, all daily powers.
• Brian: Mr. White the githzerai Assassin (level 7). 1 Action Point, 41 hit points, 7 surges, all daily powers.

Meta-Game Stuff

• The campaign is now level eight. This sets the mean difficulty level of the encounters, determines non-fixed skill check DCs (see page 126 Rules Compendium) as well as the level of treasure. All characters not already there advance to the base xp of level 7 (10,000). All companion characters also advance to level 7.
• We ret-conned Mr. White back to an Assassin since the Avenger just wasn’t working. All core story elements are the same – he is still an agent of the Raven Queen and the sword formerly known as Graefling is still stowed in Lucan’s pack.

Welcome to Thunderwind

The PCs left Verdwood behind after ensuring the Amaghana soldiers who fell to Nevrath were given a proper burial by the Erathinians. Their companions, Armando and Ugarth, stayed in Verdwood. The journey to Thunderwind lasted two days, half of which was spent climbing an ancient, steep Eladrin road that wound up through the mountains to the plateau. After a brief encounter at the ruined bridge, the PCs were allowed into the city.

Thunderwind Plateau is a series of cliffs spread across the massive waterfall that crashes for miles through heavily-forested mountains. Most of the city was washed away during The Collapse, and what remains is overgrown, crumbling, and crawling with grafitti. Most Eladrin fled to the Feywild during the Collapse, but those on Thunderwind Plateau were trapped on the mortal world. These Eladrin call themselves the Quenya, which means “Left Behind” in elvish. The Quenya are a society in ruin. They have turned inward, enamored with themselves and obsessed with their own history and the petty machinations of high society. They are ruled by Mathis, “Lord High Drama Queen” and director of the epic opera Gateways of Hope. Mathis believes that performing the opera to perfect completion will result in re-opening the gateway to the Feywild, where the Quenya can rejoin the Firenya (The Ascended). As a result, the opera continues to grow and consumes every resource the ruined society has to offer. It is now 18 hours long and still unfinished.

After dining with Mathis and learning about the opera, the PCs were given the run of the city. They were told to grab an empty dwelling wherever they liked and to be ready to view the opera in three days.

Rewards

• 60 xp each for traveling from Verdwood to Thunderwind Plateau.
• Erevan, 60 xp for bonding with Lyra the Swordmage over the fall of Eladrin society.
• 60 xp each for gathering Sahlfruit out from under the beaks of the Owlbears.
• 200 xp each for roleplay in Thunderwind.
• Jon, 60 xp for offering to acquire books on history for Mathis from the great library.
• Jon was taught the keys to the arcane bridges that connect the city districts.

Quenya Key Plot Points

• The city plateau has two entrances from the south. The High Road is a collapsed bridge guarded by the Eladrin. The Low Road leads through Piper’s Orchard, a tangled forest of Sahlfruit trees overrun with giant spiders, Owlbears, and other Fey creatures. This path leads to an old rope bridge that leads directly to the library.
• Sahlfruit trees are native to the Feywild and do not survive well without a portal nearby. The fruit is highly addictive and poisonous to creatures of non-Fey origin. The Quenya will pay 1000g a pound for Sahlfruit (about 50 of the cherry-sized fruit). Gathering is a delicate process as the berries must not be crushed to maintain their potency. Gathering 1 pound of berries takes an hour and requires an untrained DC 16 thievery check to keep them potent. If the PCs use one of the special silk eladrin sacks they get a +5 to this check.
• The city is in ruins, with several buildings partially washed-away, their interiors open to the air. Everywhere there’s garbage, graffiti, and overgrown vegetation. Each of the city’s six districts is on separate plateau, which project up from the falls (here, the falls are more like steep rapids). The districts are connected by arcane bridges that can be summoned by anyone trained in Arcana. A character who knows the keys must pass a DC 12 Arcana check to raise the ancient stones from the river on currents of arcane energy. Without the keys, a character must pass a DC 25 Arcana check to create the bridge. Once raised in this way, the bridge will exist as long as there are characters on it and for five minutes after that.
  • Town Square – home to many bars and shops, as well as the Swordmage baraks.
  • Theater – the old colosseum, now where Gateways of Hope is performed.
  • Residential – Crumbling, overgrown, white towers where the Eladrin make their homes.
  • Gateway – Where the portal to the Feywild was closed.
  • Academy – The old seat of Eladrin learning. Now haunted by the spirits of the Left Behind. Home to the Great Library.
  • Park – the northern plateau, another broken bridge leads to the pass north to Terena.
• The Quenya are a sad lot. They wile their days away debating the merits of third-rate Eladrin poets and artists from their past. They wear their tired finery to a never-ending series of parties and gossip endlessly over barely-drinkable wine and the narcotic blur of Sahlfruit nectar. Despite their cultural decrepitude, the Quenya retain some of the skills of their past. All are at least moderately proficient with arcane magic. Among the second-rate artists and society poseurs, the Quenya host an array of Bards, Swordmages, and Sorcerers.
• The Swordmages were the lowest class of the Eladrin military. They’re now the sole protectors of the Quenya. Virtually all of the remaining Swordmages are female.
• While virtually all Eladrin arts were lost, the Quenya are still skilled silk-weavers. PCs may purchase any cloth armor, including Rare, up to level 14 at book prices. More unique or powerful items may require additional time to make.  The weavers require the anchor threads of the Fey Spitter and Phase spiders from Piper’s Orchard to ply their craft. They will buy these threads for 1500 gold each. Each spider lair will have 1-4 lines salvageable. This requires a successful (untrained) DC 16 thievery check. Failure snaps the line into a gooey, worthless mess. The Quenya use Silknives to gather line. These give a +5 to the thievery check.
• The Opera seems to be some kind of elaborate ritual.

Important NPCs

• Mathis, “Lord High Drama Queen of the Quenya” – director, writer, and star of Gateways of Hope. Self-appointed leader of the Quenya. Drag Queen, Dilettante, powerful Bard.
• Lyra - Commander of the Quenya Swordmages. Distant acquaintance of Erevan before The Collapse. Exasperated, proud, pragmatic.
• Rivaine – Senior Minstrel. Flighty, distracted, catty.
• Vyrellis – Legendary Bard of the Eladrin. Former head of the the Arcane Academy. Not seen since The Collapse, though many claim to hear her voice. A genuine talent, with a voice that made even Erevan tear up.

The Academy District

There are two approaches to the great library. The upper approach is through the haunted Academy district. It is shorter (1 encounter), but infested with distraught Eladrin undead. The lower approach goes back out through the city and through Piper’s Orchard. It is longer (2 encounters) but allows the PCs to gather Sahlfruit and anchor threads. Unless the party finds some way to permanently secure the routes, these encounters will reset each time they leave the library to take an extended rest.

The PCs elected to take the high road and battled Poltergeists and Corpses of Despair (note that the stats used in battle were slightly different due to some tuning I did in the Monster Builder to bring them in line with MM3/Monster Vault standards).

Rewards

• 125 xp each for 2 Poltergeists (500 xp total)
• 250 xp each for 4 Corpses of Despair (1000 xp total)

The Great Library

The Great Library was ripped in half when the plateau it was built on washed away. What is left is still massive – a warren of levels upon levels extending down into the plateau. These levels are all missing their west wall, which looks out across the falls as they churn away to the west. Also during the chaos of the Collapse, a fire broke out, destroying several of the remaining sections and trapping many scholars.

We finished our session with the PCs proceeding down a broken stairway to the first level of the library.

• The library contains books and scrolls of every topic. Books can be found matching any topic that there is a skill for (skill books have no mechanical value but may have story and monetary value). In addition, players may attempt to find scrolls for any ritual up to level 14. The skill rolled to find a ritual is the same as the skill used to cast it. Books may also be found on the manufacture of magic items up to level 14. These books are worth 1/2 the gold value in reagents to someone casting a ritual to create the item.
• For each hour in the library, each PC may search for an item. The skill used to find a book or scroll is the same as the subject (i.e. PCs would used Dungeoneering to pour through books on Dungeoneering and find the topics they desire). The DC for this check is 16. Failure means no item is found, but the PCs may retry.
• A PC may use a generic Perception check to look for treasure or artifacts. The DC for this check is 24.
• Splitting up gives a PC +2 to their skill check. If a character chooses this option, the DM chooses their position at the start of combat.
• The PCs may stay for as long as they wish, but the library is crawling with all manner of undead (including Wraths!) For each hour they spend searching the PCs will face one wave of undead.
• As long as they stay in the library, the PCs may not take an extended rest. The PCs will get a small xp bonus for each combat beyond the first two without an extended rest.
• If all PCs fail their check, they become lost. They must spend one additional hour in the library trying to get their bearings (and cannot search for items). During this hour they will face an additional encounter.
• Retrieving one scroll for Uldor will award 90 xp per PC. Retrieving both will award 220 xp each. Finding the ritual to control the pylons requires a DC 16 Arcana or History check. Finding the dwarven ritual requires a DC 24 Perception check.
• Mathis will reward gold and xp for retrieving books on History and Portal Magic. He will award 50 xp per book up to 10 books.