Planescape: Turn of Fortune's Wheel Chapter 11: Sylvania

Chapter 11:Sylvania

Chapter 10: Rigus

Editor's note: This autopublished on me before I got a chance to finalize it. This is the corrected version!

I'm picking back up posting my in progress guide to running Turn of Fortune's Wheel. I am planning on posting a new gate town each Sunday. I'll have an outline of informatin about each time (including anything useful from 2e and an outline of the adventure as written with any of my own tweaks. 

Notes about Sylvania

• Gate-town to Arborea
• Ruled by seven spiritors that are hard to find and exemplify things like passion, nostalgia, and relaxation.
• Regional effects
• Everyone knows each other’s name automatically and seems to remember each other.
• Inanimate objects make noise along with the beat of the music that pervades the town.
• All creatures have advantage on saving throws against the poisoned condition.
• Notes on running this part of the adventure:
• This gate-town is heavy on role playing. It’s got some fun elements but can feel a bit like a railroad as characters follow the giantess’ whims.
• I used both the drunken cranium rat encounter and the high fiving priests encounter. Both played well with my party and worked to set the stage and provide a break from dealing with the dramatic empyrean.
• Introduction
• Read Titanic Problem box text.
• Spiritor Danai, currently occupying a willing satyr host, wants the characters to babysit Kopoha, and petulant child of a god of storms that is trying to crash her party.
• The characters recognize the spiritor on their own (see above) and know she represents revelry.
• If the characters distract Kopoha from the event Danai is hosting, she will lead them to the gate to Arborea.
• Danai doesn’t know or care about the origin of the empyrean’s mood – she just wants to keep her from crashing the party.
• Kopoha
• Characters first encounter her trying to talk her way into the party at the Yearning Timbers. Characters need to succeed on a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check to lure her away from the party.
• As the characters spend time with her and gain her trust, Kopoha will reveal some of the things that upset her:
• She’s expected to become a god someday, and it’s a lot to live up to.
• She’s very jealous of her sister Alethira, who is better at everything than Kopoha.
• Kopoha dreads becoming a god. What if she becomes a god of something lame, like smelly winds? This could be a great recurring bit of Kopoha imagining herself the god of various lame things, from poor fashion, to smelly feet, to dung sweepers.
• Celebrations: As the characters attempt to preoccupy Kopoha, they attend various celebrations where the characters must manage her mood and size.
• Dryad Dance
• Kopoha and the characters join a group of dancing dryads. The characters must make DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics of Sleight of Hand) checks to keep Kopoha from stepping on the dryads.
• If the characters succeed, Kopoha has a great time dancing and shares a “Titanic Pain”.
• Pixie Parade
• The Pixies of Goodberry Grove and partying hard, and if the characters and Kopoha join them they are shrunk down to pixie size (halfling size in Kopoha’s case).
• Kopoha uses her size to show off, and the characters need to make DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) checks to make her boasting come off as funny or good natured, otherwise the pixies ask them to leave.
• If the characters succeed, the pixies encourage Kopoha, she takes a break after an hour, and shares a Titanic Pain.
• Skull Bocce
• A bunch of undead and goths play bocce in a graveyard with skulls, presided over by Jergal, the enigmatic former god of death in the Forgotten Realms.
• Characters need to succeed on a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Charisma (Persuasion) check to help Kopoha win.
• Jergal is a useful tool here. He is a minor god in the Realms who pulls the strings of the major gods. He has a wry sense of humor and seems to always be one step ahead of even the major powers. He could refer to the characters’ predicament or mention an encounter he had with a character in one of their other incarnations. He can also foreshadow Gzemnid or Shemeska’s betrayal.
• Widow’s Henge
• A ring of stones around a fallen menhir topped with a scrumptious feast. DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or History) to know anyone that eats from the Widow’s Henge will disappear.
• Characters can convince Kopoha to eat the feast with a DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, but it is an evil act.
• Characters who eat disappear and are replaced with another incarnation.
• Closing Time
• If the characters get Kopoha to share all the information in “Titanic Pain”, she reflects and resolves to go talk to her sister after rewarding the characters with a periapt of wound closure. Danai happily escorts the characters to the gate.
• If Kopoha disappears, Danai is displeased but still escorts the characters to the gate.
• If Kopoha goes on a rampage, again Danai is disappointed but escorts the characters.
• I would change this to Danai giving the characters the periapt if they are successful, so that the outcome isn’t the same with the spirit no matter what.

Chapter 12: Outlands Explorations

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Planescape: Turn of Fortune's Wheel Chapter 10 - Rigus

Chapter 10:Rigus 

Chapter 9: Glorium

I'm picking back up posting my in progress guide to running Turn of Fortune's Wheel. I am planning on posting a new gate town each Sunday. I'll have an outline of informatin about each time (including anything useful from 2e) and an outline of the adventure as written with any of my own tweaks.

Notes about Rigus

• Rigus is linked to the infinite battlefield of Acheron and ruled by six crown generals that strictly enforce rank within the gate-town.
• New entrants to the cities are given gray badges and referred to as “slates” signifying the lowest of military ranks.
• General Braahg, a hobgoblin warlord for Toril, is one of the crown generals. His regret for the lives lost in constant warfare is one of the few things keeping Rigus from sliding into Acheron.
• Regional Affect: Advantage on Charism (Intimidation) checks against people of lower rank, and disadvantage against people of higher rank.
• The populace lives in bunkers. Fetchtatter, an Arcanaloth arms dealer, frequents the bunkers looking for buyers.

The Sealed Gate

• Read the box text as the characters approach. They won’t be able to bring their walking castle close to Rigus – a harmonium captain with fly cast on themselves flies up to stop their approach.
• Read more box text, and town guards ask characters three questions:
• Have you come to join the army of Rigus or proceed on to wars in Acheron?
• What is your business in Rigus?
• Do you have any weapons of interplanar destruction to declare?
• If the characters answer reasonably, they get a gray badge.
• Unfortunately, the gate to Acheron is sealed and the guards are under strict orders to restrict access to “slates” (gray badge wearers). The guard direct inquisitive characters to their commander, Major Kalar.
• Major Kalar
• The major is no nonsense and busy hobgoblin, but he has the chant if the characters can get him to talk.
• The portal is closed after a series of attacks from Acheron.
• Assaults are common but have become much better at exploiting the defenders’ weaknesses than before.
• Kalar fears a spy.
• He will hire the characters to find out how the enemy is getting troop information.
• Kalar will introduce the characters to both captains:
• Sergeant Gauller, a cambion with no idea how the enemy is getting information and paranoid that he will be targeted next.
• Sergeant Luggik, an older woman soldier who has been replaced by a gray slaad equipped with a ring of mind shielding that renders it immune from any thought detection or mind reading magic.
• Ettin commanders from Acheron named Zot and Sotu have the grey slaad’s control gem and are using it to gather information to prepare for each assault.
• Reinforce the defenders at the next attack.

The Attack

• The characters must face off against five berserkers initially, with events occurring on initiative count 0 each round.
• Characters can take an action to make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to determine if Luggik is feigning an actual battle.
• Once the berserkers are defeated, the characters have one round to recover. If no one noticed Luggik’s fakery, the character with the highest passive perception notices it now.
• Three ettins attack as part of the next wave. Characters can make a DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check to realize the armored one wears a slaad control gem and that some slaadi can change shape. I’d make this one check rather than two. If outed, Luggik joins the battle in his true form.

Victory

• If the characters defeat the invaders and uncover the spy, Major Kalar grants them magic items from the armory and lets them attune the mimir to the gate.
• Potential items:
• +1 weapon
• +1 wand of the war mage
• Cloak of protection
• Dimensional Shackles

Chapter 11: Sylvania

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Planescape: Turn of Fortune's Wheel Chapter 9 - Glorium

 Chapter 9: Glorium

Chapter 8: Faunel

I'm picking back up posting my in progress guide to running Turn of Fortune's Wheel. I am planning on posting a new gate town each Sunday. I'll have an outline of informatin about each time (including anything useful from 2e) and an outline of the adventure as written with any of my own tweaks.

·    Notes about Glorium

o    Everyone is about competition and glory here.

o    Everyone has a weapon and knows how to use it.

o    Creatures in Glorium have advantage on death saving throws.

o    Any time a battle starts, a horn gets blown that anyone within 300 feet can hear.

o    House of Glory: Massive gymnasium home to many games of athletic prowess.

o    Sacred Well: A well frequented by a coven of hags who can give clues about the future.

·    Read box text as characters approach Glorium.

·    NPCs approach the characters and challenge them to games. Flyting is basically old school Scottish rap battling. Here’s some slightly more fleshed out NPCs:

o    Bjorn Ironhand (Arm Wrestling): Bjorn is a burly dwarf with a thick red beard braided with small metal rings. His muscular arms are covered in intricate tattoos of his past victories. Known for his strength and good-natured competitiveness, Bjorn greets the characters with a booming laugh and a hearty clap on the back. "Think you have what it takes to beat a dwarf at arm wrestling?"

o    Thistle Quickfingers (Pin Finger): Thistle is a lithe and nimble halfling with quick, darting eyes and a mischievous grin. She has short, curly brown hair and wears a vest full of pockets, each containing small, shiny trinkets. Thistle is known for her dexterity and challenges the characters to a game of pin finger with a wink. "Fancy a game of nerves? Let's see how steady your hands are!"

o    Greta Goldhorn (Goat Milking): Greta is a sturdy human woman with sun-tanned skin and a warm smile. She wears practical clothing, fit for tending animals, and a straw hat that keeps her dark hair out of her eyes. Greta has a gentle demeanor and a knack for handling livestock. She waves the characters over to a group of goats, ready for a friendly milking competition. "Care to try your hand at milking? Let's see if you can keep up with my goats!"

o    Erik Silvervoice (Flyting): Erik is an eloquent and charismatic half-elf with a melodious voice and a sharp wit. His long, silver hair flows freely over his shoulders, and he wears a finely crafted tunic adorned with embroidered patterns. Erik is a local bard, famous for his verbal duels and poetic prowess. He approaches the characters with a challenging smirk. "Think you can out-rhyme me in a contest of words? Prepare to be bested in a battle of wits, you twits!"

·    Approaching the Gate

o    The Gate to Maelstrom is a mile offshore. Fly or water walk are options, but a boat is the safest route.

o    Asking around leads characters to Bkol Steelbane, captain of the Courier, a jokester giant raven/longboat. I’m not sure how this works – I would treat it more like a living ship with a raven figurehead.

o    100 gp for a ride to the portal or 50 gp if a character beats him in a sea urchin eating contest. Just participating gets his price down to 50 gp.

o    Bkol and the Courier can leave whenever the characters are ready.

·    Whirlwyrm Attack

o    DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice two shapes swimming towards the boat in the water: whirlwyrms (use giant crocodile stat block).

o    Once the whirlworms are defeated a character can update the Mosaic Mimir.

o    On the way back, Bkol shares that the whirlwyrm attack is unusual and could bode ill for the bariaur community of Grakenok. He wants the characters to come with him to talk to the town leader, Tyrza Bonebreaker, when they get back to town.

·    Hero Among Heroes

o    Read the box text. Basically, Tyrza issues a call for heroes to go save Grakenok from potentially rampaging whirlwyrms.

o    Two other heroes step up: Sytri, a masked Doomguard with a carpet of flying, and Tol Frostmane, a boasting equinal with a sailboat.

o    Bkol offers to pilot the characters, and all the heroes take off for Grakenok immediately.

·    Perils at Sea

o    Along the way are distractions that might let the other heroes beat the characters to Grakenok.

o    Lost Dingy: Wisdom (Perception) DC 14 to see a sailor lost at sea on a sinking dinghy. Characters can save them and lose time to the other adventurers or convince one of them to go help him with a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check.

o    Whirlwyrm spotted: Characters automatically spot a whyrlwyrm as the near Grakenok. They can avoid it with a DC 10 group Dexterity (Stealth) check or get another hero to battle it with a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If they can’t avoid it, they are delayed.

·    Beast of Grakenok

o    Read box text. A huge whirlwyrm is attacking Grakenok. Use behir stat block with a swimming speed of 60 feet and a breath weapon that does thunder damage.

o    Track damage separately, with Sytri and Tol doing 10 damage per round, and up to a 2 round head start. I tracked each character’s damage individually. If you want a tougher challenge, max the creature’s hit points and have the other heroes do 15 points of damage each round.

o    Once the whirlwyrm is defeated, the characters, especially whoever did the most damage, are lauded as heroes.

o    If the characters do the most damage, Tyra gives them a silver horn of Valhalla and your choice of one of the following:

§  Hat of disguise

§  +1 weapon

§  Cloak of protection

Chapter 10: Rigus

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Waterdeep Dragon Heist Session Zero

 

A New Campaign

One of my groups recently finished Light of Xaryxis (I hope I never have to think about spelling that word correctly again), and with the 2024 ruleset fresh out, I demurred on trying something different (I still have my eye on you, Lost Caravan) to play another campaign I have been wanting to run - Waterdeep. I'm going to use Dragon Heist for at least part of the campaign, but I am interested in making Waterdeep the central character of the campaign and really exploring the area in and around where the characters will be located. I want to dive into my copies of old books set in and around Waterdeep for lots of ideas to flesh things out. I also want a campaign I can run when only a small number of folks are available - we'll advance the main plot when most players are present and do little side stories I seed out of random tables and character's backgrounds on the fly. Hopefully we kick it off this Sunday - thus, here is the session 0 for my players!

I borrowed several things in this post from SlyFlourish's excellent Session Zero for Dragon Heist, linked below.  

Session Zero

Campaign Elevator Pitch

Play a campaign in and around Waterdeep. The characters will own a business that will function as a home base and hub for adventuring. The campaign will be very friendly to players dropping in and out based on availability - we will play with as few as 2 characters. Characters will level via experience, and all characters may not be at the same level at the same time. This is an experiment to see how this works, we may revert to leveling by milestone. We will loosely follow Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for part of the campaign.

Notes about that adventure (from SlyFlourish):

• Waterdeep Dragon Heist is an adventure of investigation and mystery.
• All characters should have a solid motivation to investigate mysteries with their companions in the city of Waterdeep.
• This is an urban adventure in which you are not likely to leave the city or leave it for very long.
• Combat takes a back seat to roleplaying and investigation.
• All characters should have something to do in roleplay scenes.
• All characters should have something to do in exploration and investigation scenes.
• Key skills in this adventure include Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, and Stealth.

Six Truths of this Campaign

What are the six most important things you want your players to understand about the world and the campaign? (first three from SlyFlourish)

• It's been five years since the end of the War of the Dragon Queen. Numerous villages, towns, and cities lost tremendous amounts of coin when raided by the Cult of the Dragon. Much of it was never recovered.
• Due to his negligence and preferential treatment for Neverwinter, Lord Degault Neverember lost his seat as the Open Lord of Waterdeep to Lariel Silverhand, the current open lord of Waterdeep. She serves at the favor of an unknown number of Masked Lords.
• Crime is on the rise. Numerous criminal factions in Waterdeep appear more active, going so far as to fight one another in the streets. In response, the High Wizard of Waterdeep, Vajra "Blackstaff" Safahr, has activated her independent enforcers, Force Gray and the Gray Hands.
• Waterdeep has many guilds and orders; most people who live in Waterdeep pay dues to one.
• Waterdeep has a large and powerful noble class. Some example noble families are the Adarbrent (known for shipping), Amcathra (different trading interests), Moonstar (Church of Selune and mapmakers and navigators), Thann (vintners), and Wands (Magecraft)
• Waterdeep has shrines to every major god in (or underneath) the city. Major temples include the Seldarine, Gond, Helm, Ilmater, Lathander, Silvanus, Mystra, Oghma, Selune, Sune, Tempus, Tymora, Tyr, and Umberlee.
• Waterdeep sits atop of sea cliff and a large dungeon called Undermountain. Some years back a group of adventurers traversed Undermountain and its rumored defeated its ruler, Halaster. None of the adventurers have been seen for some time though. Adventurers still descend into danger from the inn and tavern known as the Yawning Portal, some say they have began to hear Halaster’s mad cackle again.

Character Options and House Rules

We will be using the 2024 Player’s Handbook for this campaign. Characters should use the “Core Rules” options in dndbeyond and discuss with me before choosing any Legacy items. None of the options from partnered content are available. Our goal is to try out the new 2024 ruleset. You can use the standard array, point buy, or roll (4d6 drop the lowest and assign as you wish).

Patrons and Factions

Every character should create one NPC that ties them to Waterdeep. It could be a sibling, a spouse, a mentor, a patron, or an old flame. Most of the characters should be familiar with Waterdeep to some degree. Players will be introduced to different factions they might join through out the campaign.

Safety Tools

Discuss what safety tools you and your players are comfortable using during this campaign. Discuss any sensitive topics to be avoided. Consult this Consent in Gaming guide for details.

Planescape: Turn of Fortune's Wheel Chapter 8 - Faunel

 Chapter 8: Faunel

Chapter 7: Excelsior

I'm picking back up posting my in progress guide to running Turn of Fortune's Wheel. I am planning on posting a new gate town each Sunday. I'll have an outline of informatin about each time (including anything useful from 2e) and an outline of the adventure as written with any of my own tweaks.

·    “This is an ecological nightmare, and I don’t know how it even works!” – A player at my table.

·    Notes about Faunel

o    Faunel was recently absorbed into the Beastlands, so what remains is a wild area slowly starting to reorganize itself.

o    Camp Greenbriar is a trading post where travelers intermingle with awakened beasts.

o    Animals that drink from the water in the pool at the gate to the Beastlands become awakened.

o    Wisdom (Survival) checks n Faunel have advantage.

·    Read the box text setting the scene, then the introduction of Razak the sloth.

o    Some jokes Razak might tell:

§  What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsh!

§  Why did the mushroom go to the party alone? Because he's a fungi!

§  "Why did the herbalist start a band? Because she had all the thyme in the world!"

§  "What do you call a magical owl? A hoot-dini!"

o    Razak takes the characters to the gate to the Beastlands.

o    The empyrean Wrath guards the gate. So long as the characters are honest with them, he will give them access to the gate.

·    Ravenous

o    As the characters leave the gate, run the Ravenous encounter.

o    Razak indicates the gnolls are part of the Vile Hunt, a pack of evil gnolls hunting animals around Faunel.

o    Razak identifies the ibex as Oka, and suggests the characters come with him to speak to Ophelia the elephant in the Heart Delta.

·    Heart Delta

o    Read the box text.

o    Ophelia stays at a crater at the center of the Delta. She is an awakened elephant.

o    She is sad about Oka’s death but happy the characters told her.

o    She thinks the Vile Hunt works for Ebonclaw and the predators.

o    She thinks Ebonclaw is mad because Ophelia recently defeated him for preying on someone under her protection.

o    She thinks Ebonclaw hired the Vile Hunt to kill Oka in retaliation.

o    Ophelia asks the characters to go to Razortooth Rock and find out if Ebonclaw is working with the Vile Hunt.

o    If they find out who killed Oka, she will give the characters a figurine of wondrous power (serpentine owl).

·    Razortooth Rock

o    Read the box text.

o    Ebonclaw is an arrogant saber-toothed tiger who is mad he was defeated by Ophelia.

o    He’ll only treat with the characters if they succeed on a DC 16 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check or offer him yak meat (or some other tasty animal).

o    If they can get him to talk, Ebonclaw is very forthcoming.

§  Ophelia recently defeated him in a fight over a misunderstanding.

§  He loathes the Vile Hunt.

§  He doesn’t know who killed Oka, but he thinks Parvaz at the Eagles’ Aerie might know.

·    Eagles’ Aerie

o    Characters navigate through the forest to a petrified tree when Parvaz the albatross meets a variety of winged creatures.

o    Parvaz is guarded and pragmatic. His goal is to turn Faunel into a trading crossroads.

o    He doesn’t know about Oka’s death and doesn’t particularly care.

o    The Vile Hunt is ground bound and doesn’t bother him or his followers.

o    He knows where the Vile Hunt’s lair is, but he won’t share it without something in exchange.

o    DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check to get him to talk, or can offer him Ophelia’s figurine, or the promise an item in the future.

·    Vile Hunt Camp

o    Ophelia or Ebonclaw will offer characters 2000 gp if they go take out the Vile Hunt. Ebonclaw will supply dire wolves as backup and Ophelia will supply rhinoceroses.

o    Read the box text.

o    One gnoll stays back with the cage to let the Triceratops out. It charges forward and starts randomly attacking.

o    This fight is much too easy as written. At least have the triceratops focus on the characters. I’d replace the fang of Yeenoghu with a flind. Instead of a flail, Mick wields a very long knife. I made him out to be an evil Crocodile Dundee type.

o    Rewards: three potions of healing, 1400 gp, and a snakeskin that functions as a rope of entanglement.

·    At the end of the chapter, if he is still around, Razak will give the characters his ring of animal friendship in thanks for their help.

Chapter 9: Glorium

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