ATG mission 7.3 Ristalpool

Previously on Liters of Tomorrow

Sailing on the Wyvern sea towards a far away mission in Ventenheim the intrepid crew of the Wet Dream has encountered no end of difficulties. A summons from the Queen of The Kingdom of Crossing Sun and Stars who just happens to be Mew’s mother, A new mission finding an ancient Golem somewhere on the continent of Ventenheim. An attack by the Adherents of Iron who claim Cog as their own property. The boat also was caught in a typhoon in the middle of the Wyvern sea. The team and the crew fought for hours to maintain course and keep the ship in one piece, many of you faced exhaustion and great peril as the rain, wind, and waves threatened the ship and your own bodies. Worse in the middle of the storm you were attacked by a Blue dragon who erupted from the bottom of the ocean to wreak havoc on you all. With the help of polymorph spells, daring aerial combat and risky maneuvers by Cog and Mew, A heroic rescue of cog from the oceans depths by Blizzard Hops, the team prevailed and chased off the dangerous foe. Only to leave them once more facing the storm with their compatriots. With the storm abated the great foe defeated the now damaged ship seeks repair and rest on the small settlement of Ristalpool in a series of islands known as the Orix Chain. As we zoom in the sounds of mugs of ale clattering, sputtering candles and lanterns, and the chatter of happy sailors fills your ears as you take a sip of ale…
To do for this week: Ristalpool = Saltmarsh? Pixies? Insects? Lizard Folk? Update PACT items PACT will send a tech guy to meet them in Ristalpool. Maybe Ralph’s assistant? A Gazer spawned by Ralph 50 years ago shows up in Ristalpool. He struts in confidently wearing a small Mech suit with metal arms and legs. His floating head firmly encased in the metal neck and a thin band of metal going over his weird head. His Single eye absolutely visible he smiles checking every one out. His name is Xibblenaut but in this disguise he goes by Hugh Maniam. He waves at the staring crowd and carries a leather satchel. He hands out small documents to ATG explaining the new capabilities of their now LEvel 3 PACT items.
Blizzard Hops is a demigod though he doesn’t know it. His father is Eigeralon himself who impregnated an elven woman 28 years ago. Figure out some convoluted reason why and how. This explains his connection to his god and his divine powers despite the fact that he is less than stellar.

Consequences of being Banished for ATG Grimm

If a cleric or paladin of the Adherents of Iron successfully banish a member of our team they pop out of the material plane and materialize not in the abyssal plane but in an office of the TVA. For players "You pop back into existence and feel all of the material in your stomach rush forward then backward. Your blood pounds in your head for half a second as things move back to normal. You look around and see a fairly large room, the walls covered in wood paneling. Intricate molding on each piece and two layers of crown moulding at near the ceiling. A lush green carpet lays under your feet and wide wooden desk sits in the middle of the room made of polished expensive wood. Up against the wall is a device with a cistern of cool water on top of it. Glowing rune rocks stud the outside of it and a small display window reads 38 degrees F. Several metal file cabinets line the other wall with dozens of scraps of parchment, tubes of scrolls, and pieces of painted and inked imagery. You stand in front of a wall with a couch in front of it and the last far wall has a heavy wooden door that is closed. At the desk an older human man looks down at a large book. Heavy spectacles with several lenses sit on his face, two the lenses down around his nose at this time. You see each other at the same time and share gasps of "What the..!" He quickly reaches down and pulls out an object and points it at you. A grey and black object with a cylinder pointed at you. He says in a quavering but authoritative voice "Don't move!" and with his bonus action he reaches his free hand below his desk and searches around for something. Your turn what would you like to do?

Plot points/Scenes

Hugh Maniam

The town of Ristalpool is a common port town on a tropical island, plenty of rock and timber buildings built high and up onto a large hill.  White stone lined streets snake and curve about the buildings in a haphazard pattern.  All manner of people hawk their wares and trade goods from full on shoppes to ramshackle kiosks and even satchels on the ground.  An array of races and wealth classes mingle more than most cities or continental towns.  Small children run around trying to sell homemade trinkets while their compatriots try to pick your pockets.  Seasoned traverers like yourselves easily cotton to the scam.  As you all wander about the town of Ristalpool on shore leave as the ship is being repaired you made your way to the Black Calumny for a drink. From outside the window of the tavern you hear a series of gasps from some of the local townsfolk and you hear a light clomping sound. You look back to see a strange sight. A one eyed creature with small wobbling eye stalks sits atop a mechanical body. Metal arms and legs assembled with glowing filaments and gears alight with runes and a casing in the shoulders stiffly walks through the dirt and stone streets. A smiling mouth constantly greets the townsfolk as he gets closer to you. "Hello, Nice to meet you, love that skirt." "Ah greetings fellow human, we greet each other as equals indistinguishable from each other!" "Oo, nice to see a half-orc, love that shade of green." [DM Note: Anyone can roll a nature check or arcana check to determine what this creature is DC15. Let the player decide what check.] He confidently walks up to the door of the tavern walking by some tough looking sailors and crosses over the threshold.  His one eye settles on the group and he brightens up considerably, "Adventure Team Grimm! I have found you!" He walks quickly in your direction. As he gets in close he whispers conspiratorially "Shh, It's me Xibblenaut, I'm in disguise" and much louder he says "I am Hugh Maniam! Just a nondescript human meeting strangers in the street!"
He leans in again towards you Vom Fass and Karnac, "I'm here with your equipment upgrades... ssshh." Again louder so others can hear. "May I buy you a beer fellow travelers?" He whispers "do you have a place we can go a little more private? Ralph said to level your gear up to level 3!"
As you all settle in at a table in the Black Calumny tavern and look for a server to order some drinks a door opens in the back of the tavern.  Karnac and Mew Roll a perception check DC 16. You see Tyll bebo stumble out of a door.  On an 18 or higher they can notice a strange office with red and green walls and furniture behind her.  Quite incongrous from their current surroundings!

Themes

Hangin' With Jalabraxis

As Blizzard hops sits down once more in the tavern and orders a drink a well dressed man approaches him.  Tall and slender in an incredibly expensive bedazzled silver grey suit bedecked with Gold filagree, he looks like a tiefling but richer in color and an almost magenta skin.  His white and silver hair hangs down his back  and his horns are a deep magenta and purple as well.  Most Tieflings have grey or brown colored horns.  He does a half bow as he approaches and looks you up and down.  He almost shines as compared to the other patrons in the bar.  [Feel free to allow players to do the check of their choice as they size him up.]

[DM Note: If Mew pickpockets Jalabraxis she obtains a gem worth 150 gp and 42 gold coins with the seal of the Kittilus City on them. A small crab, with a light purple shell and metallic gold stripes, crawls out from the gold and bites your wrist. A feeling of euphoria begins to flow through you and all of your muscles relax. For the next 12 hours your intelligence drops by 10 points and your wisdom and perception go up by 5. She is also charmed by anyone within 10 ft. of her . A charmed creature can’t Attack the charmer or target the charmer with harmful Abilities or magical Effects. The charmer has advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature. ]
[DM Notes : Using the Saltmarsh Lizardfolk temple maps Jalabraxis Wants to prove Hops is a demigod. He knows of a minor divinity well of a Lizard Folk God named Untrusbacha Finback. When a demigod puts their hand up to the aura in the well the color will change to match the demigods aura. If a mortal puts their hand in the flesh will melt off and several sparks will shoot up their arm. Roll a strength check DC15 or be destroyed. Jalabraxis is also trying to steal Hops’ hammer. He will unleash pixies at one point to polymorph him or try to banish him several times. Jalabraxis has experimented on several lizardfolk after the last few weeks on the Orix chain and he uses them to attack the team to make it look like they are going on a dungeon delve. He knows of a cache of magical items in the depths of this temple that he will tempt the team with.]
“Ah! Did not think I would see a fellow like myself in this dive! I am Jalabraxis, what name do you go by? Well Met, my friend what brings you to this tiny island? Oh, I see traveling in disguise with a hardy band of Normals? I have done that many times, these adventurers always have a nose for interesting and fun situations. Quite a diverse bunch, I love that about flatscans. Look! A tabaxi, A dwarf, and a Gnome walk into a bar! That joke is great, I’ll think of the punchline in a minute. Hey, A kobold?! What does he do? Love that color can you get a red one too? Mister hops we should engage in a drinking competition! What do you say?”  Eventually he will reveal that Blizzard Hops is a demigod.
Jalabraxis will also show how Hops is a demigod by constantly asking his companions about his behavior. “Oh come now, for a man of the cloth, a traditional cleric how many times has he healed you or your companions?” I’m guessing you can count it on one hand.” How is he able to drink so prodigiously? Yet he is rarely drunk. And all of these eccentricities are permitted by his order and his god? It beggars belief. Unless! ,And follow me here, what if he is the deadbeat son of a higher being who grants him power not due to his pious beliefs and actions but because it’s easier than looking out for his progeny.” “You Dwarf, you have spent a lot of time with the besotted half breed how often does he kneel in reflection and prayer?” How often does he try to convert others to his gods philosophy or order? No Blizzard Hops traipses through the world like a rich noble man’s dim witted scion who is sprung from jails with a slip of parchment. Able to drunkenly stumble through the world with little to no consequences. Need more evidence? Take a look at that hammer. That is a very special weapon imbued with divine power, not just weave magic. Why allow a man of this, uh, caliber to wield such a weapon?  Jalabraxis on Divinity wells: "A man of the cloth would surely know how a divinity well works and what their purpose is.  You must also know that us demigods if we interact with the aura surrounding the divinity we will create a glow matching our own aura.  You also clearly would know that a normal mortal would melt the flesh right off of the bone.  So come join me and I'll prove my hypothesis!"
Jalabraxis leads the team to the battle map and has them fight several lizard folk in search the divinity well  Jalabraxis leads the party if they are willing to the lizard folk village several miles away.  The team may choose to fly there with polymorph and their other means of flight.  Oddly enough the lizard folk greet Jalabraxis like a no old  friend [DM Note: A player may make an arcana check here to realize that he has clearly charmed the lot of them]  From here Jalabraxis takes them to the outside of an ancient temple [See picture].  "Come now, let's go take a look there are plenty of prizes to be had within for your greedier friends."
After exploring the inside of the temple and seeing the Divinity well Jalabraxis makes his turn. He creates five duplicates of himself and pairs them with each of our characters using witticisms. As he taunts the PC’s you hear a loud BOOM as something lands in the jungle beyond. A lizard fighter rushes forward, distressed? Angry? Hostile? Hard to tell. Directly behind him a lizard man twice his size bulging with Muscles crashes through he jungle and bellows a screeching roar. He slams his fists down on the lizard warrior and just splatters him like crunching an aluminum can. He and the PC’s stare each other down for whole second as the Jungle quiets around you and time seems to slow with the upcoming battle. As the huge creature breathes in to make a move a larger shape behind him emerges in a flash and with a huge white fist backhands the huge hulking lizard man like a tennis ball. A huge white rabbit man strides forward staring directly at you as the only other sound is the crashing of trees from the lizard body as it hurls hundreds of feet through the forest with the sound of breaking trunks and branches that begins to slow. A low audible growl echoes from the creatures chest as he pulls out the biggest greatsword and hammer you have ever seen and rushes forward to attack! [DM Note: This encounter can take place out in the jungle or right in Ristalpool, Players Choice.]

Structure

Exposition

Abducted and taken prisoner in the City of Deep Giants

Previously on Liters of Tomorrow: The team and much of the crew enjoy shore leave on Ristalpool, a large town on the tropical island of Clastalpool while the ship is repaired. Enjoying some whiskey and ale at the local tavern known as the Black Calumny a strange visitor arrived. Your parent company PACT had sent Ralph’s assistant, Xibblenaut to upgrade your equipment to level 3. Around that time oddly enough your former traveling companion, Tyll Bebo, appeared as if out of nowhere. Excited to be reunited the team,minus Cog who was meditating, decided to explore a nearby mansion. The mansion was occupied by a wealthy merchant and his wife and servants. This did not stop Mew and Tyll who swiftly climbed to the attic and began pilfering the place. The rest of the team quickly acted as distractions and clean up to cover their escapade. Vom Fass and Hops posed as enthusiastic House assessors and Karnac led some guards away from the domicile with illusory terrain and a tattoo powers. The following day the team met a strange fellow who claimed he and Blizzard Hops were demigods. This Jalabraxis offered some interesting hypotheses on the nature of a Cleric who doesn’t heal or pray and yet still holds on to his divine powers. he offered proof to the unbelieving adventure team by way of a divinity well located on the island. After proving their lineage by way of divine energies he then ambushed the team with a swarm of pixies who polymorphed all but Karnac, and he took off with Hops hammer. Using quick thinking and a well timed spell Karnac blocked his exit and freed the team from their small animal forms. They retrieved the hammer just as Jalabraxis jumped through a dimension door to escape. After another day of shore leave for you all as well as your exhausted crew the ship is repaired, restocked and ready to sail.
[DM Note: A triton man sneaks aboard the ship on the journey and unleashes a gas cloud. Knocking out the crew and as many players as possible. A 25 ft. tall blue giant man peers over the rail of the boat and with the help of a squid like creature takes many prisoners and cargo and plunges into the sea below. Taken down into an underwater city and imprisoned the players must save the crew and loot anything they can as they escape their underwater prison.A city of Storm Giants ruled by the Blue Dragon resides on the ocean floor in this section of the ocean. They occasionally rob merchant ships and take sailors as slaves or food. A couple of tritons board the ship and throw gas grenades around to knock out the crew. Then a storm giant and a squid creature take prisoners and loot and take it down to the city.]
Late at night under the brilliant night sky studded with thousands of stars and pink and bright green auroras that snake between the moons. During a shift change the only people on deck are Karnac doing some late night smoking, Vom Fass who is muttering at dolphins swimming by the bow and the new girl Jinx. Hollefernes and Borgullus enjoy some of the quickly dwindling tea as they await Cog and Jalis to relieve them. Karnac as you wander about the aft castle and descend down the stairs roll a perception check. DC 15. A bluish green man in a dark blue tight fitting leather jacket and pants crouches on the deck in a sneak position. He holds two large cylinders in his hands. As you both lock eyes he throws one of the metal objects at your head, hard. roll a dexterity check. Whatever Karnac does the canister explodes into greenish yellow smoke enveloping him. Vom Fass you are on the bow roll a perception check. Another bluish green man is sneaking up on you. As the smoke expands and mixes with the water in the air it develops into a mist that settles all around the ship enveloping it. Everyone must roll a Constitution saving throw [DC 18]. If you fail you are knocked unconscious and you fall to the deck. Dark blue and purple tendrils begin to slowly snake through the ship down the stairs and into the hold. Several of the crew are taken beneath the waves as well as chests of coins, Dragon Born Whiskey, Blizzard Hops Whiskey, and your last remaining Haze dust contraband. Those left Jotonalyeth City is a city of Storm giants currently. They have enslaved the triton population and now use them for farming and raising large schools of fish.