Tirucambi

The Oljatt Sea is largely unexplored owing to the hazard of the predatory sea creatures that dwell there, but nonetheless the intrepid Sea Lords have trade routes along the shallower portions well down the Hepmonaland coast. One of the primary reasons for taking such a difficult journey is the lacework of islands, reefs, lagoons, and lakes known as Turucambi.

Turucambi is a maze of limestone jutting up from the sea bottom some 20 leagues from the mainland of Hepmonaland’s easternmost extremes. Generally sea captains approach along the coastline rather than across the deeps, as native attacks are preferred to seabeasts the size of ships. What they seek there is a wealth of precious coral as well as the occasional odd relic traded by the locals.

The complex interpenetration of land and water that is Turucambi is rich in life, both above and below the surface-indeed rather too much so for the tastes of most merchants. The region is some 30 miles across, roughly oval, and has numerous small islands which consists almost entirely of steep ridges. The vegetation is dense, and much of it is saw-edged or contains a poisonous sap that raises blisters wherever it touches skin. These branching islands are riddled with lakes and lagoons, many connected to the sea through subterranean passages which run through the entire region. All the rock is limestone, and riddled with large and small caves; the footing is extremely difficult, and the chief land fauna seems to consist of venomous and ill-tempered snakes, and a few crocodiles. Turucambi’s wealth, however, is in the water.

The Turucambi reefs are among the most complex known, and present surprises at every turn. The tidal range is great, and there are shallows regularly exposed by the tides, deep unfathomed sinkholes, and complex and powerful tidal races which can toss a ship like a toy. There are white coral plains, expanses of seagrasses, mangrove swamps, and complex rockeries of bright coral, all swarming with life from microscopic to gigantic. The waters teem with mermen, sahuagin, water nagas, sea elves, koalinth, saltwater trolls, ixitxachitl, and even a tribe of seagoing lizardmen. These fight constantly with one another to maintain their territories, and to exclude uninvited landsfolk. Nor are these the only hazard. Many of the corals and sea jellies carry poison stings that may raise painful or deadly welts, and a number of the molluscs and fishes are similarly armed. Plesiosaurs roam the shallows, sculling about in search of food both large and small.

The attraction of Turucambi to the aquatic races is two-fold: first, it is one of the richest in sealife of the Oljatt’s reefs, and second it attracts human trade. Precious corals can be harvested from the deeper parts of the reef: not only the familiar red and black corals, but the rarer golden coral. There are also certain ancient treasures such as small figurines of precious stone, or delicately colored bowls, apparently of terrestrial manufacture, in some of the darker and less well explored corners of Turucambi. These are highly prized. In return they gain goods not easily made in the water; glass, copper or bronze (they have little desire for iron, which rusts too readily), and silver or gold jewelry, as well as much more mundane items such as wood and stone (particularly obsidian). Most have treaties with merchants from civilized lands or with Hepmonaland natives allowing safe passage and free trade. Indeed it is possible that they trade yet more widely. A Duxchaner vessel blown out to sea and unsure of its bearings once approached from the east, and observed a huge hulk more than a hundred feet long, with many masts and a slender shallow body. She appeared to be really holed, and to have a cargo clearly visible in the six fathoms of water over her, but the practical and incurious Duxchaners turned away. It is hazardous to approach an unfamiliar part of Turucambi, not merely because of the natural hazards but because of the locals, who are more than willing to attempt piracy rather than trading, and who are resentful of possible coral poachers.

It has been suggested that Turucambi might be artificial in whole or in part. Such convoluted islands are found nowhere else in such numbers. Certainly this would explain the odd trade goods occasionally taken, but the size of the structures strains belief. The hardheaded traders who visit are not eager to spend time searching out the answer to the problem, and the residents, even the friendly ones, do not seem anxious to answer the questions of the idly curious.

Notes to the Dungeon Master

Because of the dangers of these waters, the numbers of exceptional individuals among the traders at Turucambi reef should be at a maximum. The same applies to the diverse aquatic races.

Some of the lakes will be very warm, above human body temperature (use the rules for heat exhaustion if these are explored). Other lakes are filled with poisonous dissolved gases below a certain level (treat this as a cloudkill spell). Such waters will have a pungent smell characters are not likely to mistake more than once.

The minor reef life might have any of the insinuative poisons, from types A to D (see the DMG‘). Others might have the same effect as a Portuguese man-o-war. Some of these may have been obtained by the locals.

Tidal currents and ranges will be strongest when Celene and Luna are both full or new, and weakest when one is in first or last quarter and the other is full or new (the range is zero at about the time of Growfest or Neefest). However it is unlikely that the currents’ directions can be predicted without local help. Tidal changes will expose or drown underground chambers, and pull divers into or out of tunnels.

If the player characters explore on their own without local sponsorship they will very probably be treated as poachers. If they try to determine whether or not parts of Turucambi are artificial, they will most probably be confused by the coral dwellings of the present residents.

The wreck on the east side of Turucambi is of a clipper-ship (naturally the characters will never have heard of such a thing). Its cargo consisted of china and tea. Its origin is possibly extraplanar or from across the Oljatt or simply unexplained according to the needs of the campaign. If player characters somehow manage to copy the design and find a shipbuilder willing to build such a “monstrosity” and a crew able and willing to man it (these are not trivial tasks) they will find that though fast, it is flimsy, hard to control (in fact they will probably wreck it experimenting) and very expensive to maintain, and that there is little call for such a ship either in commerce or war.

It is likely that all the locals will regard player characters as pawns to be used in their various disputes.