Desert of Almaghni
Waytravel to the Desert of Almaghni...
“Almaghni teaches the way of the knife - chopping off what's incomplete and saying: 'Now, it's complete because it's ended here.'A contested region of endless sand dunes, broken only intermittently by mesas of bare stone. The monstrous purple worms infest the sands, drawn to any foolish enough to cross the waste, but they are only one threat among many. Water is scarce and precious. Thri kreen raiders disrupt what little trade does occur. Armies of Oread led by a powerful Efreeti and his sons trade blows with the Alseid legions following a family of noble Djinni, as they each strive for control of the nexus of untainted leylines which converge below this inhospitable land. Tier III Waypoint | The Iron Coin will not allow anyone through of 10th level or lower. The monsters present flee instinctively should anyone of 17th level or higher arrive.
Environmental Effects
Regular travel through the deserts are only for well provisioned and prepared travelers. The following effects are constantly weighing you down as you travel in through the desert.Extreme Heat
A creature exposed to the heat of the desert and without access to drinkable water must succeed on a Constitution saving throw at the end of each hour or gain one level of exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first hour and increases by 1 for each additional hour. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates.Note Just because you automatically pass these checks for exhaustion does not mean you do not dehydrate and die from a lack of water. It just means it takes the normal amount of time rather than a matter of hours.
Shelter
In general, the desert areas are just sand and rocks (in some areas they might be some scattered shrubs), making it difficult to find a safe campsite. It takes a DC 25 Wisdom (Survival) check and 30 minutes to find a suitable campsite. For every 5 that you fail this check, your likelihood of an interruption in the night increases by 1 step. You may repeat the Find Shelter check every 10 minutes if you keep moving. When you roll an interruption, you must ask the GM if it is a sandworm. If so, then you have 1d4 rounds to find cover, treating the sand worm as an environmental hazard. (Still needs a definition)!heydm Is it a Sand Worm? Unlikely
Strong Wind
A strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. A strong wind also extinguishes open flames, disperses fog, and makes flying by nonmagical means nearly impossible. A flying creature in a strong wind must land at the end of its turn or fall. A strong wind in a desert can create a sandstorm that imposes disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.Water Scarcity
Finding water in a desert is extremely difficult, unless you're near an Oasis (you may use the following line to check if you are). All other checks made for getting water have a survival DC equal to 20.!heydm Am I near an Oasis? no way
Hazards
Taking Cover
It takes a DC 15 Wisdom Survival Check to take cover from the following hazards, assuming they are outside of combat. Taking cover means losing a chance at a daily encounter because you have to wait for the hazard to end before continuing on. Upon sighting the hazard, you may roll 1d4, this is how many minutes you have to find cover. If you fail the check, you may repeat it, but only once a minute.Earthquakes
The ground in the local area becomes difficult terrain. Each creature in the area that is concentrating must make a Constitution saving throw at the start of their turn. On a failed save, the creature's concentration is broken. At the end of each creature's turn, or a minute outside of combat, each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone. Sinkholes open throughout the area at the start of each round or minute after the earthquake has started. A total of 1d6 such fissures open in locations chosen at random.!heydm Does a fissure open under my feet?Each is 1d4 × 10 feet deep, 10 feet wide, and 10 feet long. A creature standing on a spot where a sinkhole opens must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall in. A creature that successfully saves moves with the fissure's edge as it opens. After getting sucked in a creature may climb out with a DC 15 Strength (Athletics check), or spend that round unable to breath.
Elemental Clouds
These clouds are made with elemental essence. When a creature enters the cloud, it must make an appropriate saving throw vs a DC of 12, taking 4d10 damage of the appropriate type on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the cloud must roll another saving throw or spends a minute out of combat in the cloud.Cloud Color Table
| 1d8 | Cloud Color | Damage Type | Saving Throw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black | Necrotic | Constitution |
| 2 | Cyan | Cold | Constitution |
| 3 | Gray and Yellow | Lightning | Dexterity |
| 4 | Light Green | Acid | Constitution |
| 5 | Purple | Psychic | Intelligence |
| 6 | Red | Fire | Dexterity |
| 7 | White | Force | Intelligence |
| 8 | Dual Color | Roll on table twice, resist both types, only roll this effect once. | -- |
Lightning Storms
When caught in a Lightning Storm the player rolls a d100 to determine if any creature is hit by a lightning. This check will be made at the beginning of each turn during a combat or every minute that the party isn't under cover during a lightning storm. On a hit, the target must make a DC 13 Dexterity Check. On a failure, the creature takes 4d10 damage, on a success the creature takes half damage. Once under total cover, the party is safe.Lightning Storm Table
| 1d100 | Number of Creatures |
|---|---|
| 1-50 | 0 |
| 51-70 | 1d4 |
| 71-80 | 1d6 |
| 81-90 | 1d8 |
| 91-100 | 1d10 |
Sandstorms
Any creature in the sandstorm must make a Constitution saving throw DC 15 or be blinded until the sandstorm ends. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature cannot be blinded by the sandstorm if it’s wearing goggles or something that protects its eyes. Any check that relies on sight is made with disadvantage for the duration of the sandstorm.Traveling Through the Desert
Every 3 hours of travel, you finish consuming 1/4 of a full waterskin. If you are resistant or immune to fire, or otherwise ignore the checks for extreme heat, you consume 1/2 a waterskin a day. Every hour of travel, without water, check against extreme heat. If you are resistant or immune to fire, or otherwise ignore the checks for extreme heat you can last a week without water, but it is still required. Every hour check for strong winds for the next hour, as well as other hazards. Roll 1d8, on a 1 or 2 roll on the hazards table to see what kind of hazard there is. If there are strong winds AND a sandstorm then subtract 2 from the warning roll you make for the sandstorm. The hazard lasts for the next 1d4 hours during which you do not roll for hazards again. If you shelter from a hazard, you spend the duration of the hazard waiting it out. During this time, you don't check for other hazards, but you do have to drink water or check for extreme heat. Every 4 hours, traveling without sheltering from a hazard (Not sure if this does what I want or is too punishing), check for an encounter or make a roll for a skill challenge. If you are in the middle of a hazard, that hazard applies during your combat. When you check for an encounter, if you haven't had a hazard since your last encounter (Maybe in the last few hours or something?), check for one. If you get one, roll 1d10. That is how many rounds until it hits during your current encounter. If you defeat the opponent before then you have a chance to make one take shelter check before the hazard reaches you.Hazard Table
| 1d100 | Hazard |
|---|---|
| 1-14 | Strong Winds |
| 15-29 | Strong Winds and Sandstorm |
| 30-44 | Sandstorm |
| 45-59 | Earthquake |
| 60-74 | Elemental Storm |
| 75-89 | Lightning Storm |
| 90-100 | Nothing happens. |
Desert of Almaghni Solo Encounters
CR 1: Thri-Kreen(psionics)CR 1: Thri-Kreen (weapons)
CR 1: Alseid
CR 2: Purple Wormling
CR 3: Giant Scorpion
CR 3: Phase Spider
CR 4: Oread
CR 5: Air Elemental
CR 5: Fire Elemental
CR 6: Cyclops
CR 7: The Lost
CR 8: Howler
CR 11: Efreeti
CR 11: Djinni
Desert of Almaghni Special Encounters
The following encounters have additional requirements listed on World Anvil before they can be challenged. When they have been slain, Notify a DM as the Jewel and Shai Hulud will not return. The Little Brother and Prince of the Sands will return for new challengers one week after being slain.Little Brother
| CR/Monster | Reward Type | Soloable? | Slayer(s) | Date Slain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR 13: Young Purple Worm | Treasure Hoard | Yes | N/A |
TBD: blerb Prince of the Sands description
Prerequisites
- Moderate social Skill Challenge (at least one successful Charisma check) to find someone who can tell you where Shai Hulud is likely to be and convince them to tell you.
- Must have spent at least two weeks cumulatively surviving in the desert.
- Must have been interrupted by sandworms at least 5 times during the night.
- You must slay at least 20 Young Purple Wormlings.
- A Moderate tracking skill challenge to find him, in the desert.
Encounter Notes
Some Encounter Notes- Coins: 16,000 gp, 1,400 pp
- Gems: 8 1,000 gp gems
- Items: Bag of Beans
Prince of the Sands
| CR/Monster | Reward Type | Soloable? | Slayer(s) | Date Slain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR 15: Purple Worm | Treasure Hoard | Yes | N/A |
TBD: blerb King of the Sands description
Prerquisites
- Moderate social Skill Challenge (at least one successful Charisma check) to find someone who can tell you where Shai Hulud is likely to be and convince them to tell you.
- Must have spent at least 3 weeks cumulatively surviving in the desert.
- Must have been interruppted by sandworms at least 7 times during the night.
- You must slay both the Little Brother before the Prince can be hunted.
- A Difficult tracking skill challenge to find him, in the desert.
Encounter Notes
Some Encounter NotesLoot
- Coins: 17,000 gp, 1,700 pp
- Art Objects: 6 750 gp art objects
- Items: Crystal Ball of Mind Reading
Jewel of the Sands
| CR/Monster | Reward Type | Soloable? | Slayer(s) | Date Slain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR 16: Phoenix | Treasure Hoard | Yes | N/A |
TBD: blerb Jewel of the Sands description
Prerquisites
Some prerequisitesEncounter Notes
Some Encounter NotesLoot
Shai Hulud, King of the Sands
| CR/Monster | Reward Type | Soloable? | Slayer(s) | Date Slain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR 22: Zaratan | Treasure Hoard | Yes | N/A |
Region Boss: Shai Hulud
Quote.
Prerequisites
- Moderate social Skill Challenge (at least one successful Charisma check) to find someone who can tell you where Shai Hulud is likely to be and convince them to tell you.
- Must have spent at least one month cumulatively surviving in the desert.
- Must have been interruppted by sandworms at least 10 times during the night.
- You must slay both the Little Brother and the Prince of the Sands.
- A Difficult tracking skill challenge to find him, in the desert.
Encounter Notes
Use the statblock for the Zaratan, but add a burrow speed of 40 ft. Replace the Zaratan bite with the following: Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d8 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the worm. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and it takes 24 (8d6) acid damage at the start of each of the worm's turns. If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the worm. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.Loot
Boons
For surviving in the desert for a significant amount of time, you have gained certain boons.Extreme Heat Rank 1
Your water now lasts twice as long within the DesertExtreme Heat Rank 2
You may now treat extreme heat within the Desert as if you had fire resistance.Extreme Heat Rank 3
While in the Desert you have fire resistance.Shelter Rank 1
You are more adept at finding shelter in the desert. Your DC to make a camp is now 20.Shelter Rank 2
You are more adept at finding shelter in the desert. Your DC to make a camp is now 15.Shelter Rank 3
You know enough to avoid Sandworms, you may increase the chance they will bother you to very unlikely.Sandstorm Rank 1
From the natives you may now purchase a magical set of goggles that not only protect you from Sandstorms but allow you to ignore the disadvantage to Perception checks while stuck within themWater Scarcity Rank 1
Your checks for water are now a DC 15.Water Scarcity Rank 2
The natives have granted you access to a unique set of armor to buy. If worn alone, it counts as studded leather, +2. If worn under other armor, it is just an uncommon magical item that somehow recycles your water, doubling it's effectiveness.Taking Cover Rank 1
While within the Desert, your Taking Cover DC is reduced to 10.Natural Resources
Creatures of CR 4 or higher may be in the area of units of Orichalcum, which can be harvested in this region. New World Harvesting GuideOrichalcum
This bronze orange metal is used to absorb the essence of magic. Unit value: 500 gp
Armor: A non-magical armor made with orichalcum reduces the force damage you take by 3. It's also used to craft an armor of force resistance (metallic armor only).
Weapons:A non-magical weapon made with orichalcum deals an additional 1d4 force damage.
Other: Used to craft anti-magic items, such as the ring of mind shielding.
Desert of Almaghni Solo Encounters
CR 1: Thri-Kreen(psionics)CR 1: Thri-Kreen (weapons)
CR 1: Alseid
CR 2: Purple Wormling
CR 3: Giant Scorpion
CR 3: Phase Spider
CR 4: Oread
CR 5: Air Elemental
CR 5: Fire Elemental
CR 6: Cyclops
CR 7: The Lost
CR 8: Howler
CR 11: Efreeti
CR 11: Djinni
Type
Desert
Location under
Included Locations
