Cthonian Wombs (5e Quest)
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Adventure Background[edit]
There is a recently discovered mountain cavern to a strange city of biomechanoid horrors and life shaped terrors deep in the mountains. Cucoons the size of men have floated down river from the location and gave birth to child like adults totally confused and lost. Heroes are sent to explore or possibly were born from these giant cucoons. Players either get wind of this in Rhul-Thuan, especially in Thamasku or any other village or city with a life shaping guild (Ghav-urath) especially if they talk to any member of the life shaping guild in taverns or hostels will have parchment posted for this task. Players will be paid handsomely in Ghav-egoth (life shaped coins=8000). If the players are in the capital city of Saragar (The capital of the Last Sea area) they will be approached by Life-shapers in any market place or tavern and be offered this job. When they have completed this adventure they can collect their payment at the life shaping guild in Thamasku. When they approach the cavern of the Mad Mountain they will be intercepted by a windrider (Gon-Zohr) riding on a Ber-ethern (the swift wasp like mount) he will hand the players a Remembermancy sphere (similar to a scrying sphere but it simply records memories and past events).
Overview[edit]
A rumor of a long ruined city deep in the earth has been rumored to be partially discovered. some great earthquake in the mountains has possibly open a pathway to this strange location. the city is said to be a miracle of life shaped craft and there are various strange symbiotes and aberrations running loose in this location. nearby in the river are large, cracked open, fleshy cocoons that some local humanoids were born from.
Hook[edit]
Either a scream in the local village is heard and everyone clears the inn to see a human being born from a cucoon who can barely speak and looks terrified. Or players are literally born from the cucoons in the lake in the mountain village.
Stage[edit]
I.) the opening cavern in the mountains with the river flowing out of it surrounded by strange cocoons and creatures, (possibly even destroyed parts of the space ship.). As an Alternative, you are sent directly to the Rhulisti ruined cities just north of the Rhul Thuan valley.
II.) The strange humid jungle inside the deep caverns which is bioluminescent and filled with ferns, vines, fungi, moss that all glow... they seem to use the electricity inside the caverns walls to imitate photosynthesis. (There could also be the remains of a crashed space ship). Have players regularly roll for psychic saves, poison and necrotic saves... many of the organisms act as traps themselves inside this forest.
III.) The birthing Wall: a strange organic city with a wall birthing cocoons into a vast subterranean river. The city is overrun with aberrations worshipped by Grimlocks. (There could also be the remains of a crashed space ship). Very high chance of meeting the Ancient Astronauts, a small humanoid in biomechanoid armor wielding a strange spiker gun. This being wants to be your friend very badly and inform you of the lore.
Step or Location[edit]
I. Underground River;
Aartuks (pg.8 ABM), Gaj pg. 23 ABM, Kruthiks pg. 211 MTF, oblex spawn pg. 217 MTF, Grimlock pg. 175 MM.
II.) Underground Rainforest: Trapper pg.194 VGM, Mind-witness pg. 176, Grick and Grell pg.172-3 MM, Myconids pg. 230, Carrion Crawler pg. 37 MM, Roper pg. 261 MM, Piercer pg. 252 MM,.
III.) The Cthonian Womb: Red Sphere - Fire Hydra, Yellow Sphere - Death Kiss, Orange Sphere - Brown Tide Elder Ooblex, Blue Sphere - Aboleth (cold elemental), Green Sphere - Two Headed Purple Worm, Purple Sphere - Balanoth, Indigo Sphere - Alhoon, Black Sphere - Nightwalker, White Sphere - Zagath, Final Prismatic Sphere - Psurlon Demagogue
Features[edit]
Planar or Lunar Gate
Inhabitants[edit]
Check the list below or feel free to Add Gaj (Solitary), Id-Fiends (Solitary), Gith (Athasian) (Small packs), Tari (Tribes), Tarek (Tribes), Ssuran (Tribes), Silt runners (tribes), Cilops (Solitary), Dark Mantles (small packs), Piercers (Small packs).
Inhabitant[edit]
These are the largely unique subterranean monsters of Athas found in the Womb of the Deeps.
Aberrant Demagogue (5e Creature) (Boss)
Brown Tide Oblex (5e Creature)
Parasitical Shell Armor (5e Creature)
Developments[edit]
50/50 chance of meeting a mysterious strange. The stranger is a halfing covered from head to toe in lifeshaped shell armor, with a scarab pistol, psychic crystals, arm blades and spike shields. It even has a facial covering that allows to swim underwater and get air or purify poisonous air from the environment.
Treasure[edit]
tons of weird symbiotic gear and treasure.
Conclusion[edit]
Huge lore drop about civilization and it's achievements, plus ancient periods of history. potential access to a lunar gate which can allow players to go into spelljammer campaign. Large amounts of information on how aberrations travel through the grey (ethereal) domain to arrive on Athas.
Finally there are various run down roads and high ways which criss cross the Cthonian realm, some are said to eventually go the TYR highlands. Players could potentially find Tombs of great Green age Warlords, other Rhuliti ruins, fungal forests and planar/lunar gates deep in the Cthonian realm.
Rewards[edit]
This is a transcript of everything to be awarded the players, and the conditions attached to those rewards, at the end of the adventure. Think of it as a sort of checklist to make sure everything was covered.
Experience[edit]
- Combat Awards
| Name of Foe | XP per foe |
|---|---|
| Quill Scarab | 50 XP |
| Cliff Beast | 100 XP |
| Cavern Lamprey | 450 XP |
| Nekronaut | 450 XP |
| Bog Wader | 700 XP |
| Cavern Watcher | 450 XP |
| DarkStrike | 700 XP |
| Sleeper Agent | 700 XP |
| Kruthik Zephyr | 1,100 XP |
| Parasitical Shell Armor | 1,100 XP |
| Fungal Grick | 1,800 XP |
| Brown Tide Ooze | 1,800 XP |
| Cthonian Coeurl | 2,300 XP |
| Horned Hulk | 2,900 XP |
| Brown Tide Oblex | 2,900 XP |
| Aberrant Demagogue | 5,900 XP |
| Adult Kruthik | 450 XP |
| Roper | 1,800 XP |
| Piercer | 100 XP |
- Non-Combat Awards
| Task or Accomplishment | XP per Character |
|---|---|
| Grappler Symbiote | 2,300 XP |
| Greater Death spore | 2,300 XP |
| Lightning Tentacle | 2,900XP |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
| <-Name-> | <-XP-> |
The minimum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.
The maximum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.
Treasure[edit]
The characters receive the following treasure, divided up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not their purchase price.
Consumable magic items should be divided up however the group sees fit. If more than one character is interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly should the group be unable to decide.
Permanent magic items are divided up according to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards permanent magic items.
- Treasure Awards
| Item Name | Sale Value |
|---|---|
| +1 Shell Armor | <-XP-> |
| +1 Half Shell Armor | <-XP-> |
| +1 Hide Armor | <-XP-> |
| +1 Sheath Armor | <-XP-> |
| +1 Climber's Shield | <-XP-> |
| +1 Spine Shield | <-XP-> |
| +1 Half Armblade | <-XP-> |
| +1 Hide Quickstrike | <-XP-> |
| +1 Warstaff | <-XP-> |
| +1 Spinethrower | <-XP-> |
| +1 Mandible Staff | <-XP-> |
| +1 Deathspray | <-XP-> |
| +1 Quill Scarab | <-XP-> |
| **Energy Psi Crystals** (Red(Fire)/Violet(Lightning)/Blue(Cold)/Orange(Acid)/Silver(Thunder)/Gold(Radiant)) | <-XP-> |
- Energy Psi Crystals**: These are special psionic crystals that can be used once a day and placed inside Spinethrower, Quill Scarab or Deathspray and give them a 3d6 energy ray which can travel a distance of 100 feet through multiple creatures or organic surfaces. All creatures in the line must make a Dexterity save DC. 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Dexterity Bonus + Enchantment bonus. This energy ray can be used for an entire encounter or at least 1 minute for each attack.
Unique Magic Item[edit]
Life-Leech Shortsword
Life-Leech Longsword
Life-Leech Greatsword
Life-Leech Greataxe
Eye Stalk
Breather
Gill mask
Psychic Hurling Titan
Lightning Mandible Staff
Flying Flash-lance
Enmity[edit]
Discovering the Cthonian Womb in the Rhulisti ruins and killing the Psurlon Demagogue and it's Sleeper Agents will alert other psurlon's of the Heroes presence and the Psurlons will now find the Heroes as enemy number one of their different subterranean strongholds. Certain guilds in the tablelands, Rhul Thuan Valley and last sea might have hostile members who could possibly be secret sleeper agent's misleading these guilds.
The Militaristic Crimson Savannah Empire will take a note of this event and wish to have a private meeting with the heroes to sell them any long forgotten life shaped machinery, artifacts or weaponry. If it's discovered that the Heroes have negotiated with the Crimson Savannah Empire... then they will become infamous among the Rhul-Thuan. There might even be some loose connection between Psurlons and the Crimson Savannah Thri-kreen.
Renown[edit]
Most of the different guilds of Rhul-Thuan such as the life shapers, wind riders, law givers and so forth are excited that the Heroes discovered the ancient ruins and memory sphere of the ancient Rhulisti ruins. In time (3d6 months) The Rhul-Thuan civilization will advanced gainfully from the technology and life shaped symbiotes they discover in the Cthonian Womb. The Vast majority of Rhul Thuan civilization will sing the praises of our heroes for discovering the facility.
Also the leadership of the last sea will take a positive note of this discovery and begin open trade and a possibly Alliance with Rhul Thuan. The Liberated city state of Tyr will also take a positive note of the discovery and begin discussing open trade and military Alliance.
Downtime[edit]
Each character receives <-X-> downtime days at the conclusion of this adventure.
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