Continuing the ongoing Sorcerer-Kingmaker conversion, this will be the fourth chapter of book 5, the War of the Silt Princes. In this chapter, the PCs delve into the old Whiterose psionic monastery, revealing the trap laid for them by Prateor Irovetus and his master Andropinis, discovering the secret buried far beneath the monastery, and finally being able to free the ancient weapon Briar from its hiding-place.
The History of Whiterose Monastery The spear known as Briar is more than just a weapon to the mad Pyreen, Nyrissa- it contains a spark of her being, and without it, she is not quite whole. Yet the nature in which it was taken makes it impossible for her to find it, as long as it remains quiescent in the Material Plane. High Praetor Irovetus is just the latest in a long line of champions she has chosen to find the spear, though he is the first to have succeeded in locating it. Irovetus has sensed his powers from Andropinis have been withdrawn, and he has now sworn loyalty to Nyrissa in body and soul, taking Briar in an attempt to reach her. In the Green Age, the bygone enemies who imprisoned Nyrissa chose a low, nameless mound in the foothills of the Branthlend mountains to serve as Briar's hidden vault, hiding the spear in a subterranean vault and entrusting it to a fey spirit of water named Evindra. For thousands of years, she stood warden of the weapon, until an order of psionicists, taken by the beauty of the white desert roses that grew on the hill, founded a monastery here. They erected a vast and polished stone tower to serve them as a place of reflection and safety, naming it Whiterose. Over the decades that followed, the curiosity and need for companionship drove Evindra to contact the psionicists, and they eventually welcomed her presence, seeing her as a benevolent spirit after she taught them to purify and filter water. One of the order's members, a deformed and horrid specimen who titled himself The Master, fell in desperate lust with Evindra, and stole away some of her essence, enslaving her to him and imprisoning her within a detailed water-clock which he built. He discovered Briar and used it to slay the other inhabitants of the monastery in a murderous rampage, finally retreating to the subterranean vault to whisper to Evindra for years on end, sustaining himself with moss and clean water. Irovetus' agents finally tracked the presence of Briar to Whiterose, and made their way inside. They slaughtered the maddened psionicist, and stole away the spear, giving it to Irovetus. They left the nereid trapped in her water clock, unaware of her enslavement. The Gardener, angered beyond death and driven by pure rage, returned as a Racked Spirit and now haunts the place. This latest development is unknown to High Praetor Irovetus - he chose this place to launch an ambush on the PCs due to its remote location. To ensure such a fate, the Prince-Regent of the Sellen has sent some of his most dangerous minions - a Thri-Kreen assassin by the name of K'chk'tane, and a small group of elite soldiers. However, The Master's interference has resulted in some difficulty for the assassins in preparing their deadly reception for the PCs. Irovetus has taken Briar and taken his troops to fortify the Tower of Thorns for a showdown. On to the Whiterose Monastery Patches of white desert roses still grow around the hill, but in the absence of Briar's influence, the hill has grown wild in recent years. A low stone wall surrounds the monastery at the distance of perhaps a quarter-mile. Few signs remain of the once-exact gardens remain, although here and there, overgrown tangles of wild brambles hint at the building's past. The monastery itself is a glossy black monolith with three narrow levels, surrounded by arched rock outcroppings. D1. Plaza: At the end of a dusty track lies a wide area where the scale of the monastery is finally revealed- a truncated and glossy black stone monolith, reflecting back the surrounding landscape with mirror-like sheen. D2. Whistletower: One of Balic's spies stands guard atop this tall tower which was once adorned with great reed whistles for alarm, waiting to see if the PCs pass and readying themselves to descend and alarm their colleagues. The first time the PCs pass this area, they can hear a ghostly sound as if the fallen pipes, clearly in the sand, are whistling distantly. This ceases abruptly if they are touched. D3. Entryway: This area has sandy stairways stretching upwards and downwards to either side. The walls and ceiling are decorated with ceramic tiles in painted vine patterns, and a door directly opposite the entry seems to lead into the monastery further, although the wooden door looks a little warped. It squeaks loudly on the tiles when disturbed. D5. Washroom: Based on the shatered remains of the basins here, this must have once been a washroom and lavatory. The first time the PCs enter, one of the basins appears to be whole and brimming with crystal-clear water. As soon as it is touched, this vanishes with a splashing noise. D6. Sanctuary: This wide, colonnaded hall is marked by rounded bays that run to either side, each containing dusty old barrels. Above, wooden rafters form a complex network of supports for the roof, and below, a number of bedrolls of recent make litter the floor. Here, K'chk'tane and her band of assassins make their move. If they've been alarmed by the spy atop the whistletower, they have prepared an ambush, otherwise they are lurking here and might be surprised. K'chk'tane is coolly ready and waiting in the rafters at any point, but the eight Veterans and four Spies included are all frightened for the first round of any combat, clearly unsettled by something before their instincts take over. Among their belongings are sketches of each of the PCs and brief details written about them ("warrior who favours the trident"; "elf defiler with command of fire magics", for example). It should be clear that this is a trap set for them. D7. Vine Tangle: The graveyard of the monastery has been overgrown by a gigantic tangle of brambles. If anyone approaches, the ground heaves and the gravestones seem to tumble as a pair of gigantic Shambling Mounds emerge, rampaging forth to slay any living creature nearby. D9. Library, above the monastery: The first floor of the monastery contains a shelf of books and racks of scrolls that contain the collected psionic knowledge of the order, as well as focusing-crystal orbs and a variety of ritual components. There are also several comfortable-looking shallow bowls carved into the floor for sitting to meditate within. A psionicist who has access to these has advantage on relevant Arcana checks, and you can use this to introduce some new powers or options for your characters, if you like. D10. Abbott's room: The highest floor contains the former abbott's quarters, with a large desk and more shelves. A large bloodstain mars the wooden floor. On entry, the PCs feel a sudden sharp pain in their chest, as if they have been stabbed in the heart with a spear. A Wisdom save (DC 16) prevents the PC from being stunned for one round, and anyone affected will bear a white circular scar over their heart until they receive any magical healing. D12. Psionicists' cells, below the monastery: The eight slain psions who were murdered by the Master have become Will-o'-wisps, manifesting their latent rage in the only way that they can communicate. D14. Ruined water shed: The shed, a few hundred feet from the monastery, leads to the ancient cistern where Evindra once lived. The pools used for the water distillation and purification here have fallen into disarray. However, the now-polluted waters host a trio of angry and muddy water elementals that emerge from the pools. Once dealt with, the way to the cistern is clear- a tunnel leading nearly nine hundred feet downwards into a rock face. D16. The Cistern: The tunnel leading downwards is in complete darkness, ending at a large, vaulted cavern filled with a crescent-shaped pool of luminous and softly-rippling clear water. The arc of the pool cuts across the end of the passage, separating the tunnel from an island covered with moss and softly-writhing green fungus, although a rickety-looking wooden bridge spans the gap. On the island itself, a brass contraption whirs as the water clicks through it, while above, a set of winking lights slowly wriggle and move, slowly forming and reforming strange constellations in a false night sky. Here, The Master and another half-dozen Will-o'-wisps lurk, biding their time until they are disturbed again. The Master, as a powerful psionicist, has retained many of his abilities as a Racked Spirit. THE MASTER (using A Classic Psionic System for 5e rules) Medium undead (human), chaotic evil Armour Class 15 (natural armour) Hit Points 117 (18d8+36) Speed 0ft., fly 30ft. (hover) Str 7 (-2); Dex 17 (+3); Con 15 (+2); Int 12 (+1); Wis 18 (+4); Cha 22 (+6) Damage Resistances Acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from attacks that aren't made with steel weapons Damage Immunities Necrotic, poison Condition Immunities Charmed, exhausted, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 14 Languages telepathy with beings within 60 feet Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Corrupting Gaze. When a creature that can see the Master's eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the Master, the Master can force it to make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or become Poisoned and take one level of exhaustion. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see the Master again until the start of its next turn, when it can choose whether to avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the Master again in the meantime, it must immediately make the save. Incorporeal Movement. The Master can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. He takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Innate Psionics. The Master is an 18th-level psionicist. His manifesting ability is Charisma (power save DC 21, +11 to hit with power attacks). PSPs: 114 (PSP limit: 13); MAC 11 Disciplines known: Telepathy (primary), clairsentience, psychokinesis, psychometabolism, pyschoportation Devotions known: All-around vision, empathy, incarnation awareness, insect mind, slipstream of initiative 1st-level sciences (2 PSP): Inflict pain, psychic impersonation, sensory link, telepathic disguise 2nd-level sciences (3 PSP): Aura alteration, conceal thoughts, daydream, hallucination 3rd-level sciences (5 PSP): Acceptance, awe, suppress fear, telepathic projection 4th-level sciences (6 PSP): Impossible task, mind blast 5th-level sciences (7 PSP): Mind bar, temporal shunt 6th-level sciences (9 PSP): Domination, mental prison 7th-level sciences (10 PSP): Cascade contact 8th-level sciences (11 PSP): Psionic vampirism 9th-level sciences (13 PSP): Mass domination, unearthly visions Attack/Defense modes known: All / all Actions Corrupting Touch. Melee weapon attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Evindra the Water Weird is still imprisoned within the mechanical clock, and anyone drinking (or being immersed in) the water can feel a buzzing in their jaw and throat, and a faint voice, begging for freedom from the "device of metal". If freed, the water cascades back into the pool and a flare of brightness shines forth from the water before a humanoid shape arises the next round, resembling a vaguely female form. If The Master is still around, she takes action to aid those fighting him, and bring about his final destruction, before telling her saviours that she brings hope to those who need healing, and served as the guardian of Briar before it was stolen away from her. She tells that she can feel that its essence has travelled through the ancient forest known as Thousand Voices, and has reached the Tower of Thorns. There, its new wielder entreats his mistress, Nyrissa the Pyreen, and attempts to restore her essence to her. Tune in next week for the big seige! Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 5 February 2021. Comments are closed.
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