Chapter 2: Khoor 49 Quelt A medium-size island between the large Grand Bog and the river harbors the small village of Quelt. This small village was built around a ruined mansion which fell to ruins during the Age of Desolation. The villagers are friendly to outsiders, offering them food and shelter if needed. History The small village of Quelt once built grand paddlewheel boats. These large ships, powered by humanoids who worked hand cranks to spin the paddlewheels, were floating hotels with decorated rooms, pristine kitchens, and luxurious dining areas. Bart Quelt, the fabulous inventor who invented the paddlewheel boats, used his newfound fortune to build a grand mansion along the river, on the outskirts of the town and near his paddlewheel factory. The three-story mansion is now partially submerged, the first and second floor entirely underwater. Bart died in the mansion while it sank. Some say they can hear old Bart yelling from inside the mansion, others say they can see a figure walking about the second and third floors. Current Events The factory still stands but is overgrown with creeping vines and infested with dangerous reptiles and vermin. A completed, now landlocked paddlewheel boat rests in one of the factory’s workshops. The remnants of other boats can be found near Quelt, crushed by vegetation and growing trees, or sunk in the swamp. A local inventor, Bammi, has used her ingenuity, curiosity, and no small amount of help from her twin sister to invent a machine that rolls on wetland and floats on the swamp. The contraption, which they call Swamp Weasel, is a long, canoe shaped vehicle constructed of bamboo and balsa wood, making it extremely buoyant and light weight, albeit vulnerable to acid. Attached to the canoe are four oversized wooden wheels with slats and fins, similar to large paddlewheels. Each wheel is powered by a set of foot pedals, which the occupants in the canoe shift with their feet. Springs and gears then transfer the kinetic energy to the wheels, propelling the canoe over land or water. The canoe can hold six passengers and a driver, who sits on a perch behind the occupants, using levers to steer the contraption’s wheels. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Quelt. Bammi and Arla Wildwhite. The anxious and excited Bammi and Arla Wildwhite, twin humanoid sister inventors, each with a head of snow-white hair filled with cowlicks growing at different angles, live on the edge of Quelt. Their small hut home is attached to a large workshop, which they built by scavenging and salvaging parts from Bart Quelt’s ruined paddlewheel shop. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Quelt. Test the Swamp Weasel. The Wildwhites haven’t been able to truly test their Swamp Weasel. They simply can’t find anyone from the village to volunteer to give it a proper test. They offer the characters a free charter to any place within a hundred miles to give the vessel a real test. Sawgrass Sea Villages There are three villages that dot the Sawgrass Sea. Soterpose. The small village of Soterpose is located on the southern edge of the Sawgrass Sea. The village acquires food and necessities by trading with other villages. Their main resources are the abundant alligators and constrictor snakes of the Sawgrass Sea, which they trade with others for more exotic foods and items. Miderpose. This growing village is built on a small island in the middle of the Sawgrass Sea. Its resident’s worship Kalnira, who frequently visits the village to lobby against Nycthias. It is also where new recruits for Kalnira’s growing army are sent to learn the words of Kalnira. Esterpose. This is a ruined village built on an island on the Northern edge of the Sawgrass Sea. Kalnira experienced resistance with the villages some time ago. She used the village as a training ground for new recruits and burned it to the ground. Many of the ruins are haunted, and the spirits within are eager to tell the story of Kalnira’s destruction. History Over fifty years ago the folk of the Sawgrass Sea were one people, living a nomadic life off the land. The village of Soterpose was the first created little more than fifty years ago with an off-shoot band of nomads finding a place to settle that had an abundance of food sources. At first, Soterpose was a tent city with every intention to move on when the game hunting faltered. However, over time the game has stayed a viable resource and the folk of the village have created more permanent structures and settled. Not long after, the folk of Esterpose attempted to follow suit and settle on their island, though their time here was short-lived. The coming of Kalnira established Miderpose, the final village in the Sawgrass Sea. They saw Esterpose as an easy target with little value to offer, unlike the bountiful Soterpose to the south. Miderpose laid waste to Esterpose and left the village in ruins.
50 Arora: Age of Desolation Current Events The folk of Soterpose live in fear that should the game in the area become less bountiful, they would become the next target for Miderpose. Soterpose fears the fate of their easterly cousins. As such they have secretly been gathering and creating weapons and defenses of late. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Sawgrass Sea Villages. Defend Soterpose. The characters happen upon a group of hunters from Soterpose engaged in a battle with a large alligator or constrictor snake. If the characters help, the hunters invite them to Soterpose for food and rest. They may also tell stories of Kalnira. Here they advise the characters of an expected raid by the folk of Miderpose and request they help defend the village. Escape Miderpose. While traveling near the Sawgrass Sea, the characters come upon a group of mercenaries—new recruits for Kalnira’s army in Miderpose. They immediately attempt to subdue the characters and hold them as prisoners in their village. Here the characters may learn of Kalnira’s ambitions while attempting to escape. Bladefolk Hovel. The characters find a giant emperor snail’s jade shell. However, the shell is the entrance to a hovel home for several bladefolk. The shell leads to an underground tunnel should the characters wish to explore. The Dead Wood Located just north of The Slog, the Dead Wood is a place of evil and necrotic magic. Children and travelers are warned to steer away from the Dead Wood. Desperate hunters often stray too far into the Dead Wood, or are lured in by will-o’-wisps and are never seen again. Tower Erragath. Near the center of the Dead Wood stands the lonely tower of Lady Lillian Erragath, a black dragonborn inflicted with vampirism. The lady was once a noble in the realm, but after her vampirism set it, she constructed a tower in the center of the forest. She fed on deer and other game that would frequent the wood to sate her blood lust. Since the Dragonrage, the lady’s hunger has become difficult to control. The newly adapted creatures of the realm taste bad. Unable to satisfy her hunger, Lady Erragath controls a number of leechwings to find her decent prey. When they find a host, these creatures latch onto a body, ingest its blood, and then return to Lady Erragath’s tower where she feeds on the leechwings, devouring them whole. History The Dead Wood is ancient and predates living memory. It has not only survived through the Great Abjuration, but also the Age of Desolation. The wood once teamed with live game and edible fruits, but has since embraced the coming of the Nycthias’s desolation like thirsty tree roots. The rising swamp waters have made the Dead Wood more deadly over time, earning the wood it’s dreadful name. Monsters There are many dangers that come from entering the marsh-like Dead Wood. Wil-o’-Wisps. These luminescent beings dance along the perimeter of the forest, luring curious passerby deeper into the Dead Wood. Bog Witches. The hag-like bog witches and their harpies dwell deep within the Dead Wood. Leechwings. These bat-like creatures with tentacled maws scour the realm at night in search of prey for their Lady in the Tower Erragath. Necrotrees. The Dead Wood is riddled with necrotrees. The roots of the necrotrees act like tentacles, grasping creatures and pulling them to the tree’s base. The roots them pull the creature into the soft and soggy earth, creating a cage it cannot escape. The tree then slowly digests the creature. Ghost Moss. Ghost moss is a white hanging moss that faintly moans and groans. Anyone touching the moss experiences a memory of someone who died near its location. Ghost moss often hangs from the branches of necrotrees. Witches’ Beard. Witches’ Beard is a black, hair-like moss with dangling strands up to 5-feet long that grows on tree limbs. A creature touching witches’ beard may be subject to necrotic magic, suffering the effects of spells like chill touch, fear, vampiric touch, or ray of sickness. Brave souls search for witches’ beard along the Dead Wood’s perimeter, harvesting it to wrap around or infuse with weapons and ammunition. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Dead Wood. Save the Boy. The party witnesses a small humanoid boy walking in the forest, following a will-o’- wisp. If the characters attempt to rescue the boy, they are caught in the Dead Wood and must battle through its dangers to escape, possibly becoming lost within. Bog Witches. The party witnesses several humanoids harvesting witches’ beard from a tree along the forest edge. One of the humanoids falls prone after touching the necrotic moss. If the characters rush to help, the necrotrees come to life, attempting to drag the characters and others into the woods for the bog witches to capture. Investigate Erragath. A traveling merchant approaches the characters, saying that he was attacked by bloodsucking bats that fled into the Dead Wood. He suspects they fled to the tower at the wood’s center. These bats have been causing him problems over the past few months and employs the characters to investigate the tower and eradicate them from the area.
Chapter 2: Khoor 51 Thole Several small villages line the banks of the Silt Flats. Most provide workers for the underground grobb farms of Arinok, but the village of Thole has found a different way to survive in this acidic mud flat. The village is built on stilts, with wooden plank walkways connecting several homes and a few merchants. Hazards. Crossing the Silt Flats is no easy task. Below a two-inch layer of acidic water lies a layer of mud ranging from one to three feet thick, creating difficult terrain for anyone walking across the flats while not wearing stilts as the local folk do. In addition, some areas of the mud are up to 15-feet deep and act like acidic quicksand. Cultures Known as the Stilt People, the humanoid villagers travel deep into the Silt Flats, wearing stilts to protect themselves from the mud and the creatures below its surface. They carry long spears, pitchforks, and bang sticks to hunt armored catfish and silt snakes. They then use some of their catch for food, smoking the meat and preserving silt snake eggs. They also create acid resistant cloaks from crocotoad leather. These toad cloaks, as they are called, allow for easier travel through the Silt Flats, especially when acid rain storms occur. The remaining crocotoad meat is either smoked or sold fresh to travelers or other villages. Monsters Many of the creatures that once thrived in the marshland have adapted to their new environment. Giant Silt Snakes. These giant snakes lay camouflaged just below the mud, their nostrils barely visible and their forked tongue mutated to resemble a colorful bird. Carnivorous Slickback Vultures. Resembling small flying dinosaurs, are the silt snakes’ primary prey. Armored Catfish. With their gills and lungs adapted to breathe through the thick mud, these adaptable fish are safe from the silt snakes, who have learned that the fish’s spines and thick armor do not digest well. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Thole. Crocotoad Hunt. If the heroes obtain a crocotoad and return it to Thole, the villagers offer to make them an acid resistant item, depending on how well the dead creature has been skinned. Dracokin Ambush. The village of Thole is in dire need of help. Guards from Arinok drafted several of their skilled fisherfolk to work in the mines for several days. They need assistance catching crocotoads, armored catfish, and silt snakes to feed the village and make acid resistant items. As payment, the village can provide the characters with several days’ worth of rations of pickled silt snake eggs and smoke catfish. During this hunt, the characters are ambushed by a pack of Shardscale-infected kobolds and their dragaur leader. Arinok In the center of the Silt Flats stands a large patch of solid, unfertile land surrounded by a tall wooden wall. This is the home of Queen Volga, an obese black dragonborn who holds power over the realm as the main supplier and regulator of grobb. An excavated entrance allows access to the world below Khoor, where Queen Volga’s followers farm grobb within dark, acidic caves. Arinok is built much like a mining town. Workers access the caves using the rail and cart system that runs down the excavated tunnel. These carts are also used to transport the harvested barrels of grobb to the surface, where it is packaged in stoppered glass vials. Queen Volga lives comfortably in this otherwise uncomfortable realm, her large house filled with antiquities from the era before the Age of Desolation, acquired from treasure hunters who discovered something unique enough to interest the queen. Chairs, fine silverware and dishes, standing mirrors, chandeliers, and even a feather bed fill the queen’s abode. Grobb Farms of Arinok. Below the Silt Flats and the island city of Arinok are the grobb mines. These acidic caves are the wealth of Queen Volga, the obese dragonborn leader of Arinok. The wooden city walls are constantly guarded, as is the excavated entrance to the mine. The caves themselves have standing guards and patrols, most of whom have been absconded from the villages and families, untrained in proper combat techniques. These guards are given a term of service by Queen Volga. Once their term is complete, they are free to return home with a small reward for doing their duty. The guards do what they are told to avoid confrontation. Arinok and the mines are filled with all matter of humanoid, some who wish to be there, and others who don’t, drafted into the service of the queen. Many believe in the queen’s power and prowess, while others see her as a dictator, taking what she wants without consequence. While many bandits have attempted to steal from these farms, few have succeeded. One pirate has been supremely successful in their thievery, the kobold Magnus Book. Interplanar Rift. Arinok is also the location of the only known interplanar rift in Khoor (see Interplanar Rifts). Cultures Some of the grobb miners live in small villages on the banks of the Silt Flats, though most live in large dormitories built on the island of Arinok. Each dormitory with a person appointed by Queen Volga to lead those in the dorm. Most of these leaders turn a blind eye to violence, while others are deeply corrupted, demanding safety payments from those who they govern within their dorm. "I lose half my coin bribing guards in Arinok." - Nyben, Grobb Smuggler
52 Arora: Age of Desolation Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in and around Arinok. Magnus Book. Once a scout for the Nycthias’ Golden Garrison, Magnus has always been a bit of an individual, preferring to work alone rather than in the large groups like the other members of the Golden Garrison. When he learned he could make his own fortune stealing grobb and leading travelers through the dismal lands and underworld of Khoor, he set off on his own. Many members of the Golden Garrison have different feelings about Magnus. Depending on who characters speak to in the garrison, one might hear stories of the kobold’s bravery, certain death, incompetence, and individualism. Magnus has a small lair deep in the underground caves, far from the grobb farms under Arinok. To date, no one has been able to find the kobold’s lair. While surface dwellers don’t mind dealing with Magnus. He can often be found in the lands surrounding Arinok, keeping close eye on goings-on in the grobb farming town. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Arinok. Magnus’ Bounty. While surface dwellers don’t mind Magnus, Queen Volga despises the thieving kobold. She’s lost a good fortune to Magnus and wants him found and returned to her alive to face public punishment. Bitter Expedition. Queen Volga recently sent a team to explore the center island of the Bitter Isles for useful treasure. They haven’t returned and she would like the characters to investigate. She explains the history of Bitter Lake and the Bitter Isles, but she doesn’t reveal information about the area’s threats. The fate of the original expedition isn’t important, but she would like more treasure for her growing hoard. She also isn’t concerned about the adventuring party. She knows the black dragon Klaltaku resides in a cave on the isle. If the party destroys the dragon, she gains access to the rich grobb fields on the islands. If they perish, it’s no loss to her. Bitter Lake Traversing the large lake in The Bitters region is hazardous due to the many predators hiding under the water and along the shores of the Bitter Isles. The largest threat being the black dragon Klaltaku. Once a popular vacation destination, now the lake and isles are unused. Ruined hunting and fishing lodges stand dormant, small leisure manors stand withered, while sunken sailing vessels lay along the shores and below the water, each now a fabricated skeleton with a story to tell. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Bitter Lake. Klaltaku. An adult black dragon infected with a dormant Shardscale affliction, which has entered his mind but not yet showing on his body. Klaltaku constantly tears at his wings, making them useless, appearing as ragged flags. The dragon is mostly aquatic now, swimming about the large lake for food, though his favorite morsel is grobb, which is found on several of the interior Bitter Isles. Bitter Ghosts. A group of humanoids living along the outer shoreline of Bitter Lake. The Bitter Ghosts have perfected camouflage, wearing oversized burlap capes and cloaks with peat moss growing on them. When not worn, these items are laid on patches of soil and are watered, allowing the vegetation to grow through the burlap. Not only does this vegetation provide camouflage but it also provides the wearer with a layer of protection against acid rain and helps to mask their natural, humanoid scent. Calling themselves the Swamp Ghosts, the bandits wait in hiding until their prey is within reach. Stealthy scouts locate travelers or animals near Bitter Lake, then relay this information to the rest of their clan who create an ambush area ahead of the travelers or prey. They seldom cross the lake due to the danger, but when they do, they cover themselves in crocotoad oil to dissuade preying carnivores. Bitter Isles Three large islands make up the Bitter Isles. These islands are 30 feet above the water table, which allows vegetation to thrive. Several cave openings on the isles lead to underground sources of grobb. Many grobb hunters have crossed the lake to harvest from the isles, but very few ever return home. Magnus Book (see Arinok Notable NPCs) being the exception, who has pilfered the grobb caves several times. Perhaps Magnus has made a deal with Klaltaku, providing the dragon with fresh grobb in exchange for safe passage across the lake. Klaltaku, an adult black dragon, lairs in a small cave located on the centermost Bitter Isle. Here, he has access to an underwater exit and a large patch of grobb, though the latter is often in a constant state of regrowth since Klaltaku often licks the underground field clean. "Nyben’s a charlatan. Get your grobb from me!" - Magnus Book
Chapter 2: Khoor 53 Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in the Bitter Isles. Klaltaku. When the Shardscale-afflicted adult black dragon is not swimming through Bitter Lake hunting for fresh prey to devour, he can often be found in his lair on the centermost isle. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Bitter Isles. Treasure Hunters. Though several of the mansion and lodges on the isles are in ruin, an explorer might find rare objects or materials that haven’t yet been destroyed by the acid rains. These could include an intact water vessel, home furnishings, clothing, cookware, or similar items. Grobb Hunters. Several cave entrances on each island lead to natural growing grobb which can be harvested and used as currency elsewhere in not only Khoor, but across the Five Realms. Bridgeton The town of Bridgeton is built around two large, stone bridges, remnants of a past time located on the western edge of the Bitters. This is the end of the Gildagak Way, before it begins to dissipate into The Slog. Docks and piers are built to the north and south of the city, allowing a safe place for merchants, traders, and explorers to moor their vessels. Fenik, the town’s current governor, employs escaped convicts and cutthroats to maintain peace and circumvent crime in the inner part of town. Members of this security detail are called Batons, as that is the only weapon they are allowed to carry. Fenik may employ these scoundrels, but he doesn’t trust them to carry daggers or swords in the inner city. These patrols rarely visit the shantytown edges of Bridgeton, where crime is prevalent. History The bridges once stood above the Ode River, providing travelers and merchants a safe way to cross the wide waterway, and ships to pass underneath. Though it is still passable, due to the sinking of Khoor, the bridges are now only a few feet above what remains of the Ode River, its pillars and stone structure buried deeper into the soft earth. With little dry land to build upon, over time many small villages concentrated their efforts to build a larger township around and upon the stone bridges, using them as platforms to add wooden extensions supported by massive pillars driven into the riverbed. This eventually created a sprawling town that spanned across the waterway. Cultures Folk living between the bridges, an area of better security and more costly living, live a comfortable life in their wellbuilt homes decorated with luxurious items that others risk their lives to scavenge from the wetlands. As with most of Khoor, gold and gemstones do not reflect a person’s wealth, possessions do. Those living between the bridges pay little for the things they have, trading food and simple necessities for items like rugs, chairs, quilts, perfumes, and similar items that are hard to find in the Age of Desolation. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Bridgeton. Fenik Love. Bridgeton is governed by Fenik Love, a pompous and arrogant humanoid man who cares little for those along the poorer outskirts of the town. Avalee Glack. A kobold specializing in dentistry, Avalee owns and operates her small dentistry called Teeth, Teeth. She performs most dental procedures for a fair price, but often provides her services for free to those in need. She is also the trusted dentist for the Gold Crowns pirates, filing down their teeth and applying gold or jade crowns, which she also creates. So far during her thirty years of life, Avalee has been able to avoid the touch of Shardscale. Faith and Bryan Reid. The Reids own Sully’s Salvaged, a medium-sized shop on the southern edge of the Bridgeton. The Reid’s purchased the shop from a man named Sully several years ago. It’s rumored that Sully acquired enough grobb to travel to another realm, though no one really knows if this is true. Many salvaged and useful items can be found in this shop. Of particular interest is a serrated dagger with chiseled lines and an ‘X’ along the blade. This is Joycellen’s dagger (see Barstow Tower), which she lost when she was robbed in Bridgeton, after finding the lost Barstow Tower. Harriett Love. Harriett Love is Fenik Love’s sister. She is an avid explorer and adventurer who lives in a comfortable apartment in the inner bridge part of town near her brother. Unbeknownst to Fenik, Harriett is the leader of the Rats, a small group of revolutionaries. Harriett abhors what her brother has become, and the way he treats the less fortunate and flaunts his wealth. She silently leads the revolutionaries in the city disguised as the Rat Master. Under this guise, she wears a magical mask that makes her face appear as a mass of moving rats, which also has the power to summon and control swamp rats. She also wears a prized cloak of displacement, both of which she found during her explorations of the ruins that lay deep underneath Khoor. Gloom Speakers. A small group of Gloom Speakers frequent Bridgeton, reciting their poetry and speaking against Nycthias. Adventure Ideas The following adventures can be linked to Bridgeton. The Rats. A small group of revolutionaries live in the shantytown section. These individuals keep their identity unknown, and infiltrating the group is nearly impossible. Fenik Love has been trying to stop this group from causing mayhem in the inner city, where they use wax and paint made from crushed berries to vandalize buildings. So far, there has been little violence involved, though that may change if Fenik ever locates members of the Rats. Fenik approaches the characters and asks them to assist him with bringing down the Rats.
54 Arora: Age of Desolation Barstow Tower For centuries, explorers have been searching for Barstow Tower. This ruined tower barely emerges from the water wastelands in the Bitters. It holds many treasures and dangers inside for those either brave or foolish enough to enter. History Lord Byron Barstow, a nobleman during the time before the Dragonrage, adored art and unique handcrafted creations. He found wonder and amazement within the images, furniture, and pottery that others did not. He filled his tower with unique masterpieces, each coveted by investors, explorers, and collectors. Lord Byron also held a collection of rare books, some discussing the topic of undeath. Many years ago, a humanoid explorer named Joycellen Mares unexpectedly located Barstow Tower while searching for emperor snail mating regions. During a fierce acid rain storm, she found shelter in the top of a nearly unnoticeable, vegetation covered tower peeking out from the wetland. The tower led down, before reaching the waterline that prohibited further investigation. Along the exposed walls she found three jade carvings depicting giant emperor snails, each as large as a piece of parchment. Realizing what she had found, Joycellen quickly drew a map, but left off the final location of the tower entrance, which she would have marked with a bold ‘X.’ Instead, she took out her serrated dagger and painstakingly chiseled the final piece of the map onto its blade. Sadly, Joycellen lost the map, serrated dagger, and jade carving during her return trip, being mugged in Bridgeton. She never tried to return to the tower. Instead, she devoted her time to her research of emperor snails. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Barstow Tower. The Map. Joycellen’s map leading to the tower is now in three parts, and the dagger is presumed lost, though it is currently held by Faith and Bryan Reid in Bridgeton at their shop Sully’s Salvage. The characters hear rumor of this map and its three pieces and can find clues that eventually lead them to Barstow Tower. •Magnus Book holds the first piece of the map and has concentrated on searching the areas below the emperor snail museum. •The second piece of the map, which is an interesting drawing of Bridgeton, hangs on the wall of a tavern in Bridgeton. No one realizes what it is, only that the art is interesting. It’s a great conversation piece. •A garrison of the Shadow Legion has the third piece of the map and has established a tent-filled camp of workers who search and excavate the ground near a small, subtle whirlpool. •Joycellen’s dagger is located in Bridgeton at Sully’s Salvage. Bindershot Bindershot is a small village built high in the limbs of giant cypress trees, its dwellings and small shops built upon platforms secured to their thick limbs. Cultures The village is governed by a three-member council. When issues arise, the three members vote, with a simple majority vote deciding all issues. Explorers entering Bindershot are greeted warmly. It isn’t often that the village sees new faces. The villagers request stories and news about the greater realm and are always interested in trading for new things. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Bindershot. Swallowed Council. The family of Jonah Minx, a council member swallowed by the giant crocotoad, ask the characters to hunt down the beast. If the party finds the massive crocotoad, they notice movement along the walls of its stomach. Jonah is still alive, surviving from potions of healing and acid resistance he carried in his shoulder satchel. Shiphold Shiphold is a ragtag town frequented by traveling bandits, escaped prisoners, and villains seeking a haven. Located in the southwest of The Slog, Shiphold is a town constructed from marooned sailing vessels of all shape and size, some nestled together to form a burrow, while others connected by swinging bridges, covered walkways, enclosed hallways, or raised wooden walkways. The larger ships are equivalent to city blocks, containing merchants, eateries, and even sleeping quarters for travelers or long-term homes for bandits. Each of these is governed by a person appointed by Hogus Bath, the red dragonborn captain of the most influential bandit company in town, The Spears. Cultures Anyone visiting Shiphold had better keep a hand on their valuables, as thievery and pickpocketing are allowed and commonplace. Hogus even turns a blind eye toward murder. This is a town of cutthroats, thieves, and villains. Status within Shiphold is displayed by the number of gold crowned teeth a person has, displaying their experience and worth. Jade crowns, fashioned from the shells of emperor snails, are extremely rare, given to a person only by another ”greentooth”—someone sporting a jade crown themselves. Greentooths are the most prestigious scum in Shiphold, their deeds known throughout Khoor and beyond. The Bitter Ghosts are just a rumor. - Salar Grimm, missing adventurer
Chapter 2: Khoor 55 Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Shiphold. The Gold Crowns. A band of swamp pirates consisting of several sailing vessels of various sizes. Captain Omer Krag. A barrel chested white dragonborn with a long, imperial style black beard and a full set of crowned teeth—including a jade crown. He is the leader of the Gold Crowns and leads them from the helm of his ship Golden Molly. The captain has recently discovered that his bouts of rage are due to Shardscale, though he keeps this quiet. Couatl Swamp Spires In the far reaches of each direction, as far as the Great Abjuration comfortably allows, stands a blackish green crystalline spire shot through with veins of lampstone. These are the only places across the Five Realms where lampstone has been discovered away from the icy realm of Prazzolar. These towers contain chambers that exist both in Khoor and otherworldly pocket dimensions simultaneously. Each spire is the residence of a celestial serpent, a couatl—the ancient guardians of Khoor and former allies of the ruling black dragon, Nycthias. •Western Spire. In the Dead Wood •Northern Spire. In Everglen •Eastern Spire. In The Bitters •Southern Spire. In The Slog History Tlape long hibernates in his Northern Spire and Uked, Lord of the Western Spire, perished defending the realm during the Dragonrage. When the Dragonrage struck, an evil warlock and his demonic allies imprisoned Mormi, the Lady of the Eastern Spire, refusing to take her life suspecting her death might awaken other couatl. The warlock didn’t know Inoshi, Lord of the Southern Spire, was already awake. With the chaos of the Dragonrage, the warlock hoped to destroy the other two couatls before they could awaken and stop him from gaining a power he believed was his birthright. He perished shortly after, taking knowledge of Mormi’s whereabouts to the grave. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at their respective swamp spire. Inoshi. Couatl of the southern spire, Inoshi, awakened from suspended animation when Uked, another of her kind, died in fighting Nycthias, the realm’s ruling dragon. Inoshi then cautiously left her spire in humanoid form to learn what was happening in the realm. She sensed the turmoil. Her wariness derived from her preternatural knowledge of Uked’s death and sense that her sister, Mormi, was in danger. Over the past five hundred years, she has not been able to find Mormi with scrying, and she keeps her slumbering mate, Tlape, informed with dream magic through a dreamspace connection. Inoshi travels the swamps and mires in humanoid form, pursuing information and organizing help for those suffering in the Age of Desolation. Tlape. The Lord of the Northern Spire remains asleep in his spire, ignorantly hoping that the forces holding Mormi or potential allies seek and arouse him there. Adventure Ideas The following adventure islinked to the Couatl Swamp Spires. Couatl Agents. Inoshi of the Southern Spire might organize capable individuals to help her with various tasks. Those might include other adventure hooks here. Her major aims are to rescue her sister Mormi or to help stabilize the realm from Shardscale afflicted dragons and dracokin. Interplanar Rifts Only one rift has been discovered in Khoor, located in Arinok. Arinok Portal The mining town of Arinok was built around this rift and the grobb deposits beneath the ground. Arinok portal leads to any realm the traveler wishes to go to, however it’s chaotic energies can often pull a traveler not strong enough to hold course into an alternate or random realm, often marooning them in an undesired location. Arinok portal is the most fortified rift across the Five Realms, with grobb being so tightly controlled by Queen Volga. Here she exports grobb across Arora in exchange for exotic items, clothing, and other possessions and resources that help her live the lavish lifestyle she has become accustomed to. She sends only her strongest couriers infused with potions of giant strength to land in the desired realm (see Between Worlds section on page 171). The rift is heavily guarded by a garrison of dragaurs and dragonborn border control. Getting in and out of Khoor can be a costly exercise, and those that wish to smuggle unauthorized items off-realm or into Khoor are often caught and executed on the spot.
56 Arora: Age of Desolation
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 57 The realm of Mogsturma, a once-thriving nation, is now no more than a scorched wasteland. Its cities, towns, and villages rise like blackened teeth from the charred earth where fields of wheat and groves of fruit trees once grew. This is the result of the destructive nature and growing instability of the ancient great red dragon Toroshivar, whose Shardscale infection grows worse by the day. Toroshivar is prone to fits of blind Shardscale-fueled rage and attacks the world that she once so jealously guarded. The dragon has torn Mogsturma’s once-great castles and stone fortresses apart, and almost all the great forests have been engulfed in flames and burned to ash. Survivors have fled to caves and narrow canyons, or they have built hovels near rivers and lakes where they can flee into the water at the first sign of a dragon attack. Only a single great fortress, called Garamount, deep within the mountains seems impervious to the dragon’s ire. The land of Mogsturma itself seems to be enraged as its volcanoes rampage endlessly. Rivers of lava are now a common sight and smoke and ash from their peaks choke the air. Eruptions are common in the mountainous regions; the volcanoes belch forth fiery boulders that streak across the sky and smash into the earth leaving smoking craters. The dracokin of the region believe this to be the work of their overlord, which has elevated Toroshivar to divine status in their esteem. For the rest of the realm’s inhabitants, the cause is less important than the devastating effects, though the wyrmkin’s fanaticism causes almost as great a hardship as the environment. Little survives easily in this harsh wasteland. Defoliated and deprived of its natural forests and growing things, the land is hot and dry. The volcanoes belch toxic gasses and pollute the waterways with sulfuric elements, the water ranging from bitter but potable in some places to poisonous and corrosive in others. The temperature is suffocating, and the days are scorching—even the dark of night is little respite. Mogsturma’s people cannot escape the heat even by digging deep beneath the earth. The blackened forests once teemed with wildlife, but these creatures are long gone, brought to extinction by the hostile environment and the rapacious hunger of the dracokin.
58 Arora: Age of Desolation Some life remains, however. The volcanic soil is rich, and several varieties of hardy plants have thrived in the environment. Most have toxins, spines, or other defense mechanisms against predators, but many are edible if handled correctly, and some have unique alchemical properties. Similarly, reptiles thrive in the conditions, and several dozen lizard varieties have been catalogued, along with some snakes, scorpions, and a few species of beetles and other crawling insects. Most notable are the ostrichlike Sahali, a species of omnivorous raptor-like dinosaur that grow to over eight feet in height and hunt in packs. Ruling Dragon Toroshivar, the Crimson Doom, is an ancient red dragon who is being driven mad by the Shardscale. The infection led the dragon and her kin to lay waste to Mogsturma’s cities and towns during the Dragonrage over 500 years ago. The great dragon lives in the king’s hall in the Fortress of Huroda, the last great bastion of its defeated enemies, surrounded by an army of dracokin and religious zealots. Toroshivar is powerful, brash, and arrogant, acting first and then thinking later. This, combined with her malady, has made her dangerous indeed. All of the dracokin that aligned with her are trying to not only survive the Shardscale plague, but also the madness of their queen. Toroshivar’s infection has advanced to the point where the crystal growths cover nearly a quarter of the dragon’s body in strange reaching patterns. The right side of the dragon’s head is littered in clusters of spiked protrusions, coving her eye in a glasslike half mask. The dragon acts normally, if a little erratically, most of the time but occasionally seems to twitch or stare for a period, her speech and movements changing to an unusual rhythm. Soon, the Shardscale will take complete control over Toroshivar’s mind and body and begin to spread and build its zombie-like army masses to attempt complete domination over Mogsturma. After Mogsturma, Toroshivar will undoubtedly turn toward Arora as a whole. "Don’t go there! Mogsturma’s an awful, gods-forsaken realm." - Nyben, Grobb Smuggler
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 59 Toroshivar’s Servants The Crimson Doom has many servants that do her bidding around the realms, collecting tithe, and generally keeping the dragon’s sometimes harsh rule adhered to across the fiery realm. Toroshivar’s most trusted and direct servants are only those of the dracokin that align with her. Dragaur. In Mogsturma the dragaur are highly militarized and naturally organized, but this apparent order is rife with ambition, corruption, and favoritism. Of course, while some undeserving reach heights while more competent rivals are kept low, the incompetent or unwary are brought low by blade or scheme, leaving only the most astute, ruthless, or powerful at the top. Toroshivar enjoys this state of tension and encourages ascension by attrition to keep her forces sharp and aggressive. Dragaur familial groups are called clans, and most Mogsturmian dragaur are acutely aware of their bloodline as the clans all have true dragon progenitors in their history. Clans tend to have similar coloration, patterning, or distinctive features that display their relation. Generally, dragaur view their own clans with some connection, and other clans as potential threats, rivals, and occasionally as a source of mates with desirable traits to add to their own clan bloodlines. However, while clans still play an important role in Mogsturma—particularly in the outer regions of the realm—they are regarded as secondary to legion. A legion is the military group assignment each dracokin serving under Toroshivar is given when they come of age. The selection process is made by military ‘selectors’ based on aptitude, need, and not a small amount of corruption. Bribery, cronyism, and nepotism play strong roles in legion assignments, and military selectors are some of the wealthiest, most elite, and highly envied of the roles within the realm. The various legions fulfil duties as assigned by the generals (a council of leaders of each of the legions), with opportunity for glory and promotion for favored soldiers or those who excel. As advancement in Toroshivar’s forces is achievable only through the legions, clan pride and status tend to be determined by how high their members rise in the military. Clans are identified by their bloodline progenitor’s name or title — Clan Asxixilazimastar or Clan of the Raging Pyrewyrm, for example. Legions are identified by its designation and insignia — Assault Seven has a spear on a setting sun insignia, while Siege Three uses a dragon claw upon a crumbling tower insignia. Like the red dragons they descended from, Mogsturmian dragaur are generally arrogant, tyrannical, greedy, and individualistic. They have clan and legion ties, but ultimately view these structures are a means to wealth and power. Dragaur value material goods, but often weapons or esoteric power—such as rare books, secret knowledge, or enchanted items—hold more value than coin or art objects that have no practical purpose. Above all they seek their peers’ approval and acknowledgement, and the fear and supplication of lesser folk— any creature that isn’t a dragon or dragaur. Like true red dragons, no dragaur has ever been satiated in their desires. Their life’s work becomes attainment of ever more power and wealth. Dragonborn. Occupying a middle tier within Toroshivar’s forces, the Crimson Doom recognizes dragonborn as more powerful and capable than the kobolds, and with stronger bloodlines. However, they are still far from ideal and ‘tainted’ by their bipedal nature. They exist in the same clan structure as the dragaur, who acknowledge their bloodlines, but are viewed as second-class members. Dragonborn and dragaur are the same species—or close to it—and reproductively compatible. Rare unions between exceptional dragonborn and an aberrant or ambitious dragaur has equal chance of producing either (or both) dragonborn or dragaur offspring, though the social stigma of such a union in Mogsturma follows the children through life within the Blasted Realm. Kobolds. With Toroshivar’s current uncontested rule of Mogsturma, and the displacement of organized civilization, some of the local kobold tribes that aligned themselves with the great red dragon have become bold and arrogant. While largely ignored by the true dragons, and bullied by the other dracokin, Toroshivar’s kobolds see themselves as the fourth most powerful faction in the territory. They have in turn have become quite aggressive toward the ‘lessers’ of the region, which includes nearly every creature that doesn’t have draconic traits, or dracokin that do not align with the Crimson Doom.
60 Arora: Age of Desolation Denizens of Mogsturma While the lands of Mogsturma are hard and fire-ravaged places, humanoids, dracokin, and other species have managed to adapt to the hellscape that it became following Toroshivar’s Dragonrage torment. Dracokin Outside of the kobold tribes, and the rare individual dragaur or dragonborn, a majority of the dracokin in Mogsturma serve Toroshivar. Kobolds The kobold tribes of Mogsturma are disorganized and constantly fight amongst themselves in a complex hierarchical game to establish dominance over the other tribes. While this rarely leads to more than harsh words and the occasional skirmish, it has resulted in a dangerous arms race, pitting kobold against kobold. Each tribe seeks to develop the next new weapon or innovation to gain the attention of the more prestigious dracokin, or the dragons themselves. Other Mogsturmians often bear the brunt of this experimentation. There are as many as a dozen or more kobold tribes in the realm. Some maintain independent enclaves, while others attach themselves to dracokin clans. A few of the smaller tribes band together for security while maintaining tense alliances. However, all come at the dragon’s call, and all work in Toroshivar’s service, filling roles as messengers, scouts, and skirmishers. The Vomitfang Tribe. Predominantly grey-brown in color, the Vomitfang kobolds specialize in incorporating poisons, acids, and other dangerous substances in their weapon designs; the Vomitfang were the tribe that developed Bang Stuff (see Weapons and Items). They are predominately found in the North Plains region of Mogsturma. Their tribe’s name comes from their tendency to poison their fangs for battle, which invariably leads to at least some self-poisonings. They produce some of the most insidious traps and weapons in all of Mogsturma. Many employ Vomitfang poison spitters, acid sprayers, and boomballs in defense of their settlements and strongholds, if they’re brave enough to risk the flesh-melting consequences. The Bloodclaw Tribe. Generally reddish-orange in color, the Bloodclaws pride themselves on being the most draconic in appearance and temperament of the tribes. They are avid followers of Toroshivar. Bloodclaws are the most martial, volatile, and violent of the tribes, offsetting their natural timidness with an alchemical concoction called firebreather that incites rage when imbibed. The long-term effects of firebreather include mental degradation and psychosis, but while under the effects the kobolds become fearless and gain improved physical capabilities. The Bloodclaws craft claw augmentations out of obsidian; Bloodclaw warriors favor the use of these over most other weapons. They also augment their bodies by embedding shards of obsidian in their flesh, which serves as gruesome status symbols amongst the clan—the greater number of shards the more prestige. The most powerful and hardy of their warriors clatter as they move, their implants rippling in stride. More than half of the tribe is infected with Shardscale, making them emotionally volatile and prone to dragonrage outbursts. The tribe is predominately found at the Fortress of Huroda. The Darkstalker Tribe. Dull brown in color, the Darkstalkers are the antithesis of the Bloodclaws and are considered cowardly by the other tribes. Careful and cunning, the Darkstalkers rarely engage in direct conflict, instead specializing in traps, ambushes, and archery. Like the other kobold tribes, they innovate with poisons, mechanical traps, and deadfalls, but operate in small groups to lure foes into treacherous situations. They are adept at using natural hazards, such as pyroclastic flows or poison gas vents, to their best advantage. Darkstalkers hunt the mountainous regions around Garamount at night or through their tunnels, seeking to present high-value prisoners or kills to the dragons as tribute. The tribe does not currently align with any other tribe, and often take the side of whichever force best suits their current needs. Humanoids Mogsturmian humanoids have etched out harsh lives in the fire-blasted realm since the Dragonrage plunged it deep into the Age of Desolation. A majority of humanoids who have not settled in the stronghold of Garamount tend to be nomads, wandering and surviving the scorched environment — not to mention Toroshivar and her followers. Nomads of Mogsturma While most of the folk of Mogsturma call one of the locations below home, some are not tied to a location at all. These nomads have their own unique cultures. The Sara’Thuali. The Sara’Thuali are true nomads of Mogsturma. This tribe has tamed sahali, large raptor dinosaurs that they ride swiftly through the realm; always on the move, always one step ahead of the Toroshivar’s raiding dracokin. The tribe shelter in specially created tents designed for rapid erection and striking, covered with ash- and dirt-encrusted hides—the perfect camouflage when correctly arranged. Even skilled trackers could wander close and never suspect that a small cluster of hillocks was actually a Sara’Thuali camp. The Sara’Thuali wear tan robes and swathes of cloth wrapped tightly around their exposed skin. They protect their eyes with glassy lenses, and the lower portions of their faces—and those of their mounts—with crafted masks. Often decorated as fearsome beasts (though never dragons), the masks serve to filter out toxic gasses, ash, and sand as the tribe ranges widely across the realm. As nomads, the Sara’Thuali are primarily hunters, and are highly proficient with bow and spear. The tribe has untold knowledge of the terrain and denizens of Mogsturma. Historically, the Sara’Thuali tamed wild sahali and have a strong oral history replete with tales of cunning
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 61 and daring. More recently they have begun rearing their mounts from eggs and taming them from a young age, giving them a greater bond with saurian mounts. Occasionally a young hunter will ceremonially tame a wild sahali, both for the glory and to add to the tribe’s breeding stock. Taming a wild sahali often earns the hunter a place in the tribe’s oral histories. Children of the Primal Earth. A circle of druids who embrace the destructive power of the natural (or not so natural) volcanic activity of Mogsturma wander the burning wastes, cataloguing new steam vents, pyroclastic flows, or eruptions. They observe the changes these environmental phenomena bring to the land, its peoples, plants, and animals. Though the druids wander the realm, they are known to have several enclaves, and even rumored to have a shrine between The Twins volcanoes to the north. The Dragonaires The Dragonaires, a small group of zealous humanoids, choose to follow the Crimson Doom. They attempt to keep the Shardscale-maddened dragon appeased with offerings of loot gathered from across the realm. The Dragonaires travel the breadth of Mogsturma collecting tribute from the various villages, tribes, and peoples scattered throughout the realm. Claiming neutrality, they preach that all must donate their share to appease the great red wyrm, ensuring peace and prosperity. Failure to appease the volatile dragon invites her wrath and indiscriminate destruction. Despite the civilized veneer and polite approach, many of the ‘faithful’ are little more than thugs and bullies that elicit ‘offerings’ with intimidation and violence. For many, the Dragonaires are viewed as bandits, while for others they represent protection from Toroshivar’s wrath. The members of the Dragonaires refer to each other as Var, meaning “sibling” in Draconic. They often carry banners showing the groups symbol, an emblazoned dragon’s eye wreathed in flame. Many also sport this symbol in elaborate facial tattoos. They all carry weapons as a means of “self-defense in this harsh land” but often simply use them to intimidate Mogsturmians into handing over a tribute. Travelers who encounter the Dragonaires for the first time are often treated to a polite but firm lecture on the group’s purpose before being subjected to demands for tribute. Refusal results in ‘assertive coercion.’ Hrulgindar The Hrulgindar are one of the only creatures not to have been born from dragon eggs during the first generation of the Five Realms; their origin remains a mystery, even to themselves. They are one of the few native cultures to not only survive Toroshivar when she turned mad during the Dragonrage, but also thrive under the new conditions. Already acclimated to hot and barren conditions, the great dragon’s rage that laid waste to the realm and increased volcanic activity made the realm more habitable for the Hrulgindar. Once an isolationist people, they now traverse Mogsturma at will while calling the Spined Tower home, though they still must contend with the Shardscaleinfected dracokin and dragons. The Hrulgindar predate humanoids in Mogsturma, though their occupation of the once-verdant lands was extremely limited. The Hrulgindar met the arrival of new civilizations with interest and optimism—until the Dragonrage struck Arora.
62 Arora: Age of Desolation Environment The blasted lands of Mogsturma are a hellscape of environmental dangers stemming from the extreme heat and increasing volcanic activity. The foolish or unprepared leave bleached bones as the only sign of their folly. Extreme Heat. The barren land is scorched with heat every day, sapping moisture and strength from the creatures of Mogsturma and the land itself. The hard-baked earth radiates the trapped heat, offering no respite even in the shade of rocky outcroppings or makeshift cover. During the day, the temperatures can rise to over 120°F (50°C), burning the unprotected flesh of creatures and subjecting them to heat fatigue and exhaustion until they eventually collapse. The night temperatures drop to more comfortable levels, but the innate heat of the land keeps it from ever becoming cold. Average night temperatures are around 77°F (25°C). Dangers & Survival As well as the above weather conditions, Mogsturma has a myriad of other environmental dangers that characters, and other denizens of the realm, must deal with as a day-to-day occurrence if they hope to survive the harsh hellscape. Eruptions. Volcanic eruptions are common in Mogsturma. While most of the active volcanic areas are known and highly visible, it is not unheard of for an otherwise stable areas to crack and spew forth magma. When this occurs, it is usually preceded by several minutes of tremors (see Earthquakes and Avalanches) and venting volcanic gasses (see Gas Vents). Eventually the earth spews forth a magma shower. Incendiary Projectiles. Eruptions can also eject rocky projectiles along with liquid magma. These can fly for hundreds of feet if not miles in some cases, streaking across the sky to crash to the earth in a burning impact, setting alight any flammable materials in the area. Pyroclastic Flows. Active volcanic areas eject slow-moving lava flows that follow the contours of the surrounding lands, pooling in the lowest areas and hardening once more. The flows are fastest near the source (moving up to 20 feet per round) and slow as they cool, until they eventually harden into smooth rock once more. Pyroclastic flows are easily avoidable by alert creatures, but those caught unaware (such as sleeping) or those that are trapped in an area with no egress can come into contact with the molten rock. Gas Vents. Along with magma, sulfurous gasses are ejected from below the earth from the volcanic activity. A gas vent can spontaneously occur at any time, the smallest crack in the earth venting scalding toxic gasses into the area. Gas vents can also lead to gas pockets where the gas slowly builds in an area for some time before cooling yet remaining poisonous. Earthquakes and Avalanches. Tremors and earthquakes are common in Mogsturma, often preceding an eruption. On sloped terrain, earthquakes — or even tremors if the ground is highly unstable — can cause rockslides or avalanches of gravel and dirt. Smoke and Ash. Smoke and ash are ejected into the air by eruptions, as well as from burning flammable materials. Mogsturma always has a general ash and smoke haze, which is irritating but not harmful to creatures. However, on occasions where thick smoke or ash fills the air in clouds, due to a nearby massive eruption or significant fire for example, the substance can begin to choke creatures (see standard 5th Edition Suffocating rules) unless they can escape the area of effect. If they are unable to escape the area before they suffocate, they die. Toxic or Corrosive Water. Despite its heat, Mogsturma does experience rains, and has rivers, lakes and other waterways across its breadth. However, due to the heat and volcanic activity these water sources are often hazardous. In all cases, the water is warm and tastes sulfurous. There is little to no pure water in the realm. At worst the minerals ejected into them cause them to become corrosive or toxic. Hostile Plants. Most of the surviving plant life in Mogsturma have adapted to the heat and dangerously acidic water. Most have some form of defense against unwary wanderers or herbivores. Knowledgeable or astute creatures can identify hazardous plants and avoid them or bypass their defenses. See the Mogsturma Hostile Plants sidebar for some examples. Survival Tactics Mogsturma’s blasted lands are so hostile to life that any creature not adapted to the environment struggles to survive. Each moment challenges the inhabitants of the realm, forcing them to innovate or fall victim to the predations of the local conditions and wildlife. Shelter and Water. The volcanic wastes of Mogsturma have killed countless poorly prepared travelers. The heat alone can be the death of any creature not adapted to it, but combined with the ash, smoke, and toxic air, as well as dubious water sources, made the realm one of the most inhospitable in Arora. Securing shelter and shade, and a source of relatively clean, potable water must be anyone’s first priority. Failure to meet these basic needs will kill even the hardiest adventurer before Toroshivar and her servants become a threat. Isolate and Use the Terrain. Large groups are not only more likely to be spotted and attract attention, but can make a tempting target for a flying red dragon’s dragonfire. Travelers are wise to spread out and use the uneven volcanic terrain for cover, relying on riverbeds, rock gullies, or lava channels to move while out in the open. The old, subterranean dragon worm tunnels make ideal routes to avoid many of the environmental dangers. Even these are regularly patrolled by dracokin and are home to dragon worms—nothing is truly safe in Mogsturma. Be Aware. Most of the local populations are aware of particularly dangerous regions; which rivers are corrosive or toxic, where to find static gas pockets, and the most unstable, active volcanic regions. Some folk sell maps identifying these areas, or act as guides for the right price. Foreknowledge is the greatest protection in Mogsturma.
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 63 Nature’s Opportunities. While people struggle in the harsh realm, many of the plants and animals are suited to the environment. Mogsturmians exploit the local wildlife for survival; the wisest practice conservation to assure local beasts are not hunted to extinction. While the flora and fauna can be dangerous, they can also have beneficial properties. A DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check imparts the following useful information; •Rockdarter lizard glands harden the skin and protect against heat (see Weapons and Items) •Ashtuber sap smeared on the skin protects against heat for a short time (see Weapons and Items) •Most saurian creatures have heat resistance, so their hides make excellent tents, cloaks, and covers •Shade and water can be found in deep ravines and trenches. Beware the Trembling Ground. Tremors are so common that a non-native might dismiss or grow complacent of them. However, they often herald great dangers, such as impending earthquakes or avalanches, quickly-forming gas vents, or the approach of a dreaded dragon worm. Astute travelers heed the throes of the earth, hastening to take precautions for hostile eventualities. Experienced adventurers may begin to be able to differentiate the cause of the tremors with the subtle variations in. Shuddergrass extract or rings of tremorsense (see Weapons and Items) are highly prized and can help locate a tremor’s source but are rare and costly. Cultivate Alliances. The cultures that survive on Mogsturma do so because they are hardy and adaptable. Having developed their own methods of combating both the flora and fauna of the blasted lands, the various cultures understand the value of cooperation and trust. Gaining the assistance of one or more of the local cultures is perhaps the best method of survival. However, the people of Mogsturma are naturally suspicious and often hard to ingratiate with. Gifts are worth less than deeds in this tormented place, and should trust ever be betrayed, the transgressor can expect a short and swift end. Mogsturma Hostile Plants Some examples of hostile plants include: Firethorn. This low shrub has small purple leaves that conceal wickedly pointed thorns. If a character with less than 15 AC comes into contact with firethorn, they immediately feel a debilitating burning sensation radiating from the contact point. They must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. Several kobold tribes harvest firethorn to create deadly blow darts. Tarleaf. This enticingly green plant has large leaves. While it is edible and nutritious to most creatures, its leaves are covered in a clear sticky substance that strongly adheres to any creature touching it. Once the plant sticks to something it begins to give off a strong earthy scent. The adhesive holds for 30 minutes unless removed in some way. The scent strongly attracts both fire-spitter lizards and dragon worms, though the specific mechanism or range is still unknown. Attempts to weaponize this tar have resulted in many deaths, and astute creatures leave it well enough alone. Scorpion Thistle. Named more for its appearance than its properties, the scorpion thistle has a long thin stalk supporting a thick flowering blue bulb. Given its top-heavy nature, it’s always bent, giving it a signature scorpion tail appearance. The thistle stalk and bulb are covered in tiny spines, so fine as to be almost invisible, but any creatures pricked by them experience muscle spasms for an hour afterward, reducing their movement to half. The creature also has disadvantage of attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. A successful DC 16 Constitution saving throw on first contact reduces the duration to 10 minutes. Shuddergrass. This carnivorous plant appears as a stand of a dozen sickly brown blades of grass that wave and shudder as if moved by a breeze. Shuddergrass preys on insects and small animals, subsisting off the decaying organic matter. Its long, thin, blades sense vibrations and lance forth to pierce its prey with wickedly pointed needles. Any creature coming within 1 foot of a stand of shuddergrass must make a DC 12 Dexterity check or suffer 1 point of piercing damage.
64 Arora: Age of Desolation Geography Mogsturma was always a mountainous region, interspersed with fertile plains, rivers and valleys. Little of that remains now. The volcanic activity has ravaged the land, killed off entire species of plants, and baked the soil into brick. The forests are burned out husks; scrub flora dot the cracked and broken plains. Some rivers still flow, fed by rare rains and bleak, ashy sleet that falls occasionally in the great peaks. Many of these arteries are dry, while others still are toxic. Even the potable waters are not free from the taint of Mogsturma, tasting of acrid minerals dredged up from deep within the earth. Volcanism and pyroclastic flows are common, creating rivers of molten rock that methodically scar the land. Over time, Mogsturma’s geography has changed to fit the hellish sensibilities of its maddened ruler—Toroshivar. Important Locations The following sections detail some of the most important and notable locations in Mogsturma. The Fortress of Huroda This was once a stronghold renowned for its wealth and opulence—something that Toroshivar coveted greatly. When Toroshivar was infected by the Shardscale and the Dragonrage began, she amassed a force of dracokin and took the fortress by storm. Once the hardy folk of the fortress were routed, Toroshivar dug a winding tunnel through the mountainside and into the treasure chamber. The dragon’s minions now deliver tribute to add to the wealth already accumulated by the fortress’s original owners. History The fortress was originally a beautiful structure, with sweeping arches and tall towers of pale stone augmenting its design. The walls were strong and high, but it relied on advantageous terrain as much as any constructed defensive work. The fortress folk reasoned that no landbound forces could mount an adequate attack across the mountainous surrounds—this false hope was their downfall. The dragons and dracokin not only defied the terrain but used it to isolate the defenders from hope of reinforcement as their assault shattered the construction. In the long years of occupation, the dracokin forces have rebuilt the fortress to their liking, using kobolds and other ‘lesser’ folk as workers. The arches are shattered, and the towers blackened and broken, now jutting like ragged teeth into the sky. Volcanic stone and iron have been added to make the approach difficult and the walls a spiked mass of blades and spears for attackers to impale themselves upon. Everburning braziers of brimstone crown the battlements, emitting a choking haze of smoke that smothers the area. Cultures Toroshivar and her dracokin now reside in the fortress. Crimson Doom’s forces are organized by echelon in a hierarchy of authority that culminates in a council of seven generals, who answer to Toroshivar alone. Each general commands a legion of dracokin elite, and duties rotate so that no one general gains too much glory or becomes too entrenched in their power. Respect and paranoia keep
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 65 an uneasy balance amongst the powerbrokers, though lately the growing realization that the great wyrm is losing her battle with Shardscale has woven a thread of fear and ambition in the organization. Uneasy political ties and whispered deals have invaded the dragon’s servants, risking an apparent state of balance. Below the dragaur and dragonborn dracokin are the kobold clans, prominently the Bloodclaw tribe, and the displaced riff raff of lesser races that toil as sycophants, collaborators, religious zealots, or slaves. These subgroups serve the dracokin and perform menial tasks, all the while jostling for recognition and scraps of influence. It’s not unusual for unexplained deaths or disappearances among the lower castes, and life is cheap in the shadows and alleys of the broken fortress. Of special note are the Dragonaires—a clan of mountainfolk that worship the great dragon. These zealots are dangerous. Afforded special privilege and spared a fiery death for their fanatical devotion to Toroshivar as a true deity, the Dragonaires bring gold and treasure to the red dragon, flattering her immense ego. In return for their tribute, Toroshivar deigns to breathe her flames on the Dragonaires’ crafts, imbuing them with special properties (see dragon-forged weapons and armor in Weapons and Items). The Dragonaires ritually tattoo themselves with red-ink patterns on their faces, backs, and arms, the complexity related to their rank within their esoteric religion. They universally wear hides dyed red and patterned to look like scales; to wear actual dragon hide is a mortal sin punishable by gruesome death. Any Garamount folk caught while wearing their cinder armor is tortured to death and their armor destroyed. Current Events Since Toroshivar’s rampage during the Dragonrage, her armies have settled into an occupation of the realm, clashing occasionally with the remnant peoples of the blasted lands. However, the resurgence of the Garamount mountainfolk and the increasing attacks by the eagle riders of the eastern mountains is beginning to upset this delicate balance. The dracokin prepare for war once more, crafting weapons and alchemical devices ready to end their foes. The fortress now teems with activity, long neglected defenses being rebuilt with the dragon’s growing paranoia, and strike teams being assembled to actively hunt the elusive humanoids that continue to needle the dracokin occupiers. This military buildup has not gone unnoticed by the region’s humanoids. Spies within Toroshivar’s ranks have informed Garamount of the impending offensive. The mountainfolk are preparing their own response, fortifying their outposts and formulating escape plans. If Garamount is lost, the folk are resolved to make the invaders pay a terrible price for it. Amidst all this activity, the Dragonaires have become restless. Their fanatical devotion to the dragon has led them to believe the dracokin are keeping them from their rightful place at Toroshivar’s feet, and whispered rumors that the dracokin are not as devoted, or as worthy as first thought have begun to circulate amongst the Dragonaire members. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at The Fortress of Huroda. Toroshivar. The ancient great wyrm red dragon, ruler of Mogsturma, and victim of an ever-worsening Shardscale infestation. Toroshivar desperately seeks a cure for her affliction while maintaining an affectation of self-control. High General Drakkisar. A muscular dragaur with crimson scales and a collection of wicked axes, the high general sits as current head of Toroshivar’s generals and as the perfect specimen of dracokin. Unmatched in physical prowess, his cunning and ruthless wits have kept him ahead of his rivals and engineered many victories against the lesser people of the realm. Thus far, he has been lucky enough to escape the slow spread of Shardscale throughout the fortress’ dracokin. General Nuluvira. Lithe and powerful, the scarlet scaled dragaur is a rising star amongst the ranks, both for her strategic acumen and frightening command of corruptive blood magic. She hides a small dormant Shardscale infection that is just beginning to niggle at her mind. High Lord Formarr. Leader of the Dragonaires, this zealot has tattooed almost every inch of his skin with red patterns and runes. Wearing little more than a loincloth for modesty, his skin is perpetually burned from the heat, and his wild eyes dart about incessantly. Barely clinging to sanity, his charismatic orations fuel the faith of the Dragonaires. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Fortress of Huroda Prison Break. Kobolds have recently taken a Garamount military strategist during a raid. The Garamount commander is languishing in the cells below Huroda—the kobolds have no idea of his value. Key to the Garamount military planning, a small group must infiltrate the prison and break him out. Every Available Option. Toroshivar has been seen flying to the north. While the great wyrm is away, the opportunity to scout her lair, steal key treasure, and potentially seek any weaknesses is too great to pass up. By Any Means. A new general, Cresender Greenscale, has risen through the ranks, displacing a rival. Rumors surround his loyalty to the great wyrm. The young general has a persisting reputation for being ‘soft’ on humanoids. Can he be turned to the cause of the common folk? "All those who’ve wronged my clan will tremble once I’ve regained all that was stolen from us. Toroshivar and her generals will have no choice but to elevate us once my plans come to fruition." - Lord Zholamar of Clan Atreuzzar
66 Arora: Age of Desolation Garamount Garamount is mostly underground, making effective assault difficult, and its specific whereabouts is obscured by a series of outer fortifications designed to appear as the main complex, but laden with traps and rigged to collapse. Protected by the outlying garrisons, Garamount is a large complex carved within a nexus of abandoned dragon worm tunnels. The central hub is an open cavern with numerous elevated areas connected by rope bridges and wooden ramps that connect small inner-villages— discrete communities managed by various clans. A dozen tunnels lead off in all directions, each guarded by a massive wall and gatehouse. The fortress is defensible but offers easy escape in multiple avenues. While the mountainfolk of Garamount view it as the last bastion of humanity in Mogsturma, its inhabitants know that a concerted effort by the dragon armies would overrun it with a sustained assault. Despite the overall coordination of the fortress folk, each clan maintains their own unique mannerisms, customs, and norms. Visitors might find the separation jarring, but clan identity within the larger community helps maintain stability and a sense of purpose. Some clans are more welcoming of outsiders and other clansfolk, while others are more insular, requiring tolls to pass or even refusing entry entirely. Like all civilizations, politics and rivalries influence the population and its representatives— the council of clan leaders—who administer the fortress. History Before the turning of Toroshivar with her onset during the Dragonrage, Garamount was a small mining operation and nothing more. Set mostly underground, the Garamount’s workers mined iron and copper. The outpost had a service town on the surface, but most of the complex was underground. When the dragon swept north, the upper works were destroyed completely, but dragonfire never found the mines below. As the dracokin razed the other cities of Mogsturma, Garamount became a natural refuge. The extensive tunnels were widened and repurposed to become a permanent, fortified dwelling. Cultures Of the remaining humanoid cultures, the mountainfolk are the most numerous, and the most scattered. The remnants of the stout defenders of the highland fortresses, the mountainfolk have retreated to Garamount, the last remaining fortress, and its outposts. The mountainfolk travel between Garamount’s outposts through tunnels where possible or make use of the deep ravines near the surface. Despite—or perhaps because of—their hardships, they tend to have empathy for travelers, and though accessing many of their enclaves takes time and trust, they are quick with supplies, advice and occasionally act as guides through some of the more treacherous regions of Mogsturma. Individually, the various communities police themselves and manage their affairs independently, but each enclave’s speaker—an elected leader—shares an equal place on the council at Garamount, where quarterly moots are held to debate and rule on matters that affect all the enclaves. Earning the trust of one enclave does not automatically grant equal acceptance with the others, but it carries weight. Within the safety of their enclaves, the mountainfolk relax and take their ease, enjoying life as much as they are able. They tell stories, sing songs, and keep the memories and rituals of Mogsturma—as it was before the Dragonrage—alive and bright. Headstrong mountainfolk hope to return Mogsturma to its cultural roots after the dragons have been overthrown. Lighting is mostly via lanterns filled with a locally sourced oil coerced from a hearty olive that thrives in Mogsturma’s volcanic soil. Wherever possible and safe to do, the mountainfolk carve cunning channels into the rock to allow natural light to penetrate the enclave. Despite their dire predicament, the mountainfolk are hopeful and determined to rid themselves of the draconic menace. Current Events Most of Garamount’s efforts have been turned to resisting and striking back against Toroshivar’s dracokin forces; military raids and surface scouting missions are common. Those mountainfolk unable or unwilling to fight still carry out valuable work, however. Mining continues, as does exploration of the vast, mysterious underground cavern systems of Mogsturma. Scouts and expeditions are regularly sent deep into the earth to track dragon worm activity, search for signs of dracokin scouts, and to survey for new resources, such as plants, minerals, or uncontaminated sources of water. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at Garamount. Speaker Renee Tirea. Head of the council of Garamount, Renee is a middle-aged woman with iron grey hair and looks more of a soldier more than a politician. She oversees the council adeptly but would rather be in the thick of the fighting than in vaporous council chambers. Elder Vranson Lee. A white-haired man in his late years, he is still muscular and spry, with a ready smile and mischievous eyes. Vranson serves as historian, lorekeeper and—along with a handful of others—holds the secrets of making cinder armor, a special hide armor constructed of carefully extracted and prepared dragon hide. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Garamount. Scout and Scavenge. A young dragon has been seen scouting for a lair to the northeast, close to the Bremmer Vale. This will likely result in the eagle riders hunting and slaying it, leaving behind its corpse as a message. The Garamount smiths can make cinder armor from its hide if it is retrieved before the dracokin get to it. A small group could spy on the beast until it is downed, then quickly scavenge its remains. Clay Run. An expedition is being set up to retrieve clay for crafting ceramic shields. This requires a quick journey to a nearby river tributary on the surface—and exposure to the dangers above. The expedition needs protection while they fill and cart the clay.
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 67 The Burning Tree By far one of the most unusual creatures in Mogsturma is the Burning Tree. Sitting at the center of the Ashwood is a huge flaming tree reaching over 200 feet in height, towering over the blackened forest below. The fusion of an ancient oak and dragonfire, it has become a sentient, everburning fire elemental. Aware on only a semi-conscious level, and unable to communicate directly, the Burning Tree has taken an interest in the forestfolk that worship it. It conceals them under a thick cloud of smoke. In return they feed its roots with animal blood—and occasionally humanoid blood—which has an invigorating, intoxicating effect on the tree. Under its protection, the forestfolk have crafted a community within the roots of nearby trees. Cultures Precious little remains of in the forests of Mogsturma. Those that haven’t vanished completely are charred spikes jutting from blackened earth, coating everything nearby in black soot whenever there is a hot breeze. However, life remains in one particularly dense forest. In addition to some regrowth hidden deep within the valleys, there is a tribe of forestfolk who have come to embrace existence as a fleeting moment and no more. Every second spent breathing is beautiful, because it could be your last. This strange mix of fatalism and joy creates an almost hedonistic culture where there is value in everything. They take no unnecessary risks but make the most of the time they have. They are a sybaritic, jubilant people, with no time for grudges or regrets. Passion and leisure rule, and forgiveness is in abundance. Their primary residence is a village in the shadow of the Burning Tree. The Burning Tree is the central feature of their culture and religion, a symbol of living a life burning brightly, if not long. They make their homes in small caves created in the root systems of the dead forest. The smoke from the Burning Tree shades the sky, but never settles, leaving clean air below the obscuring veil. Forestfolk wear drab clothes like most of the realm’s inhabitants, but when concealed deep in the forests, they adorn themselves with ash pigmented from various plants as temporary body art. A few go so far as to create ink for permanent tattoos, but most prefer the option for removing them for both concealments, and as an opportunity to experiment with constantly changing body art. As a folk they are passionate—quick to laugh, love, or fight—but these passions cool just as quick. Marriages are few, and children many, as the liaisons of the heart are constant. Possessions, other than what a person may carry, are communal, as are chores and child rearing. Giving a gift of a personal possession, whatever its objective value, is considered the highest form of admiration or respect. When forestfolk become sick, old or infirm, they often consent to be exiled. They “burn out,” living their last days wandering Mogsturma until the natural hazards or predators take them. If they are unable to move themselves, a hunting party takes them to “kiss the dryads,” leaving them near a dryad grove, where the maddened creatures quickly find them. The forestfolk travel within the woods, but rarely outside them. They hunt lizards and other game and forage for useful flora and fauna among the regrowth. If they must leave the forest, they employ a disguise of painted animal hides and wooden scaffolding. This serpentine costume appears as a dragon worm from a distance or above. Mastering the “worm dance” that mimics the motion of the great beasts is a vocation among the folk. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at the Burning Tree. Alsheeva. Young, beautiful, and strong, Alsheeva is the most skilled warrior amongst a people that loves and fights with equal passion. She carries a strange pink staff of calcified wood and adorns herself in pink pigments to match. She has yet to find her equal in battle and is eager to test her skills against any new opponents. Caden. A nervous young man, Caden is polite and deferential to others. He assists in the rites of his people, humbly making the offerings to the Burning Tree. Secretly, Caden is fascinated with the tree’s positive response to blood, and longs to experiment with volumes and species variations in detail. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Burning Tree. Rites of Life. The Rites of Life are celebrated every second month. This ceremony includes feeding the Burning Tree its sanguine bounty and celebrating with wild abandon as the satiated tree burns brightly in a spectrum of changing colors throughout the night. This night, however, Caden has fed the tree some dracokin blood to appease his curiosity and it has had an adverse effect. Rites of Death. A sick forestfolk man is discovered slowly traversing the edge of the Ashwood. He requests assistance to a nearby grove but warns against getting too close. The grove is infested with dryads. The man seeks out the dryads to end his life, as is the way of his people.
68 Arora: Age of Desolation Bremmer Vale Hidden deep within the mountains amongst the highest peaks is a valley known as Bremmer Vale to the locals. The land passes are almost impossible to traverse, and are littered with switchbacks, deadfalls, and unstable rock scree, making flight the only reliable means to reach the secluded place. The vale itself is hot but humid, as a natural spring emerges within, and the ambient heat causes a heavy mist to form. Unlike the rest of Mogsturma, the sheltered vale teems with life and greenery not seen since before the Dragonrage. Within this hidden oasis is a small tribe of humanoids who share a symbiotic relationship with the giant eagles that roost in secluded shelves and niches in the cliff walls. The Fawesuma village is designed with cohabitation in mind; wooden buildings several stories high with perches and wide entrances on all levels are common designs. Bright colors and pennants decorate the community, who are free to do so without much risk of discovery. History The Fawesuma are the oldest human culture in Mogsturma, and the first to encounter the Hrulgindar on their migration. They discovered Bremmer Vale— named after the Hrulgindar word for a bird—as part of the journey. The Fawesuma chose to settle there for its isolation, protection, and fascinating avian population. The early Fawesuma were fascinated by the giant eagles. Their hunters and shamans developed techniques to capture, tame, and raise the giant raptors. The Fawesuma have a magical ritual of bonding with their charges that links a rider and bird, a closely held tradition that fosters an empathic link between bird and rider. The sacred ritual accompanies a day of celebration and feasting as a young would-be rider returns from a dangerous cliffside journey with an eagle egg. Cultures From their hidden village within the remote Bremmer Vale, the Fawesuma (“eagle riders”) raise their raptors to fulfil their life’s purpose—to hunt dragons. A hardy and gruff folk, the eagle riders have perhaps the safest existence in all of Mogsturma. Bremmer Vale is so remote and inaccessible, the only creatures that pose any real risk are dragons. In the entirety of Toroshivar’s occupation, no invader has ever found their way to the vale. Unlike other Mogsturmians, the Fawesuma dress brightly in dyed fabrics and hides, adorn themselves with beads and feathers, and personalize their weapons—all in an effort to stand out to the dragons and dragonkin. The eagle riders put value on bravery, glory, and daring—they stoically risking life and safety for honor and pride. They also prize this in others, and outsiders that display these traits will find a warm welcome amongst the eagle riders. Eagle riders occupy a place of fame and respect within the clan from the moment they claim their eagle egg. The young rider must scale the cliffs of the vale and return with a pilfered eagle egg to hatch and raise. The clan does not breed eagles, believing the ritualistic bond between eagle and rider is made stronger by the trials a would-be rider must face. The duo’s successes bring glory, and their failures risk death. The eagle riders live and die by their skills alone. Hunts are conducted in flights of multiple riders, and are the culmination of careful tracking and reconnaissance, usually of lone, young dragons. A successful hunt leaves the dragon’s corpse intact and highly visible to be found by the dracokin. Deep spear wounds and brightly fletched arrows clearly mark the Fawesuma’s work. Any rider who dies is left, and any rider that is downed fights to the death, taking their own life if necessary to avoid capture. No eagle rider will give up the location of the vale, or their fellow hunters. Current Events The eagle riders are proud hunters and have never accepted the draconic presence in Mogsturma, battling them at every opportunity. The tribe has always been limited in number, being confined to the Bremmer Vale, and the constant combat is taking its toll. Every few weeks they lose a hunter or two, and many of the huts now sit empty and idle. The chief is considering ending their isolationist ways and forming an alliance with the other tribes, but overcoming generations of tradition is as great a foe as any dragon. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at Bremmer Vale. Sheliah Amera. This fierce teenage girl is counted among the most skilled flyers in the village, and is a skilled hunter and warrior. With her companion eagle Herita, she regularly surpasses all the other riders in contests of aerial speed and agility. She lacks dragon hunting experience, however, as the vale’s elders have deemed her too young to risk her life. Her impatience to join the fight is palpable. Chief Belderac. A short, powerfully-built warrior garbed in leathers and bristling with weapons—spears, javelins, axes, and a thick bow of petrified wood—presides over both the village and the eagle riders. Perceptive and quietly spoken, he is an exemplar of honor and bravery for his people. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Bremmer Vale. Ritual Bonding. A flight of scouts have found a would-be eagle rider called Raltan that has fallen while climbing to retrieve his egg. While he must accomplish the task alone, it is not forbidden for the climber to accept aid. If he is successful, Raltan invites his rescuers to bear witness to the magical bonding ritual—a high honor for outsiders. Race Against Discovery. A lone kobold from the Fortress of Huroda has managed to traverse the passes and stumbled on the hidden vale. It uses deep narrow ravines and tunnels to avoid the eagle riders as it escapes, hoping to achieve a place of honor for delivering this discovery. The wily creature must be pursued across the dangerous terrain and intercepted before it reveals the vale’s location.
Chapter 3: Mogsturma 69 The Oracle Span In many of Mogsturma’s cultures, there’s a history of oracles, prophets, and visionaries breathing in the volcanic fumes and having visions—some to give hope to those in these troubled times, and others to foretell the end of days. There are a dozen locations known—and as many secret—that are suitable for such diviners. None is more famous than the Oracle Span, a rocky spire extending over a churning magma pool. The strong fumes quickly induce euphoria and strange visions, but threaten to overwhelm even the hardiest oracle. Any who succumb risk falling to their fiery deaths below. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at the Oracle Span. The Oracle. A wizened old dragaur with grey tinged scales and fading sight lives at the foot of the spire. Staunchly neutral, it will instruct others on how to obtain insights from the divine fumes, or, for the price of a vial of blood, undertake divinations on behalf of a supplicant. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Oracle Span. Answers Sought. A person of note from any other location seeks answers to questions plaguing their people, or perhaps all of Mogsturma. Tainted Visions. All the supplicants at the Oracle Span begin dying from the fumes in horrific convulsions. The Oracle believes someone is deliberately tainting the fumes with an alchemical additive further up the lava flow, and the culprit must be uncovered. The Spined Tower The Spined Tower is a monument to one Hrulgindar clan’s sheer stubbornness. It is a rock fortress tower that stands over 100 feet in height, festooned with thousands of long obsidian spears from base to tip to prevent dragons reaching the clay walls. Impervious to dragonfire like the tower walls, the obsidian spears force any attacking dragon to physically assault the tower, allowing the defenders time to attempt to drive off the dragon with acid sprayers—large bladders filled with natural acids that can be compressed to fire a stream out of stone nozzles. History With their traditional mud mound homes destroyed by raging dragons, only the Spined Tower remains, which is more a defiant experiment than any true dwelling. Now most of the Hrulgindar have migrated to cavern dwellings below the tower, where they remain mostly comfortable and safe from the dragons’ reach. Cultures The Hrulgindar are humanoids, though their irregularly contoured, rock-hard skin gives them each a unique, somewhat alien appearance. They require only about a quarter of food and water than most humanoids and are impervious to the whims of temperature. The Hrulgindar are highly social, welcoming any who treat their people well, and often readily aid those in need. They regularly shepherd travelers across the wastes, providing food, water, a measure of protection, and guidance. The Hrulgindar travel in small groups that have mastered blending in with their environment. Current Events The Hrulgindar trade with the folk of Garamount, supplying iron and other resources in exchange for crystals that they find both aesthetically pleasing and delicious. Recently, they have become more involved with scouting and shepherding other humanoids across some of the more dangerous parts of the wastes. Notable NPC The following NPCs can be found at The Spined Tower. Bloodstone. Leader of the Spined Tower, Bloodstone is a jagged specimen whose natural skin shows several mottled green veins that reflect his namesake. Bloodstone’s manner and voice are gravelly, and he has little patience or tolerance for much other than his obsession with maintaining and expanding the tower. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Spined Tower. Earn Your Keep. After being offered succor, shelter, or assistance by the Hrulgindar, the characters are brought to the Spined Tower, and meet with Bloodstone in an underground laboratory filled with dangerous implements and compounds. Creatively stifled, he requests the ‘outsiders’ dream up new ideas for defending the tower. He won’t take no for an answer. Fight or Flight. A lone Hrulgindar called Shatterstone is discovered in the wastes, fleeing a band of kobolds, with several stolen samples of traps and reagents. The Hrulgindar requests aid from the adventurers, promising repayment in kind when they reach the Spined Tower. Interplanar Rifts There are numerous spontaneous rifts within Mogsturma leading to many of the Five Realms. These are all found within the Vast Plains in the southeast of the realm. The Vast Plains The events that triggered the Dragonrage also turned the now non-existent waterways of the Vast Plains into a magical vortex able to conjure rifts to other realms. The rifts are not permanent, however, opening and closing in various locations across the plains at incalculable intervals. Other than rifts directly to Gallaht, this is the one place in Arora to access all the remaining three realms: Khoor, Prazzolar, and Tievmer, from the same place. Studying the opening and closing of the portals might allow characters to predict when and where the portals will open in both connected realms. See the Between Worlds section in Chapter 9 – Running the Game for more information.
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Chapter 4: Prazzolar 71 Prazzolar is the realm of the white dragon Rachigyostiv, or Bitingcold. In the face of the spreading Shardscale infection, Prazzolar’s ruling white dragon opted to wait out the danger in stasis rather than face it head-on. She and her servants raised a colossal pyramid of ice and sealed Bitingcold away in its innermost chamber; a glorious sanctum of mirrored ice that hummed with chronomancy. Many of Bitingcold’s vassal dragons chose to be entombed with their ruler in auxiliary chambers, while others created lesser pyramids of their own. Others still refused to be sealed away, seeing an opportunity to seize control in Rachigyostiv’s absence. The pyramids—nexuses of great elemental magic— radiated supernatural cold that impacted the realm around them. On the surface of the already freezing Prazzolar temperatures plummeted. Glaciers formed, reaching out across an already-frigid realm to grind down everything in their unstoppable paths. Layer after layer of ice has frozen atop the landscape, turning it into a near-featureless plain of gleaming white. For the denizens of Prazzolar, life is a constant battle against the cold in search of scant food. What settlements exist are typically temporary, and relations between them are often adversarial.
72 Arora: Age of Desolation Ruling Dragon Rachigyostiv is a cautious, ancient white dragon who believes in the power of playing the long game. This is why Bitingcold opted to simply wait out the Shardscale infection within the safety of her ice pyramid. While she slumbers in stasis within her frozen sarcophagus, her cold magic runs rampant over Prazzolar. The ancient white dragon’s current lair is the massive pyramid of ice known as the Pinnacle. It is perched at the peak of a flat-topped mountain that reaches high above the clouds. The exterior of the pyramid, built from cyclopean blocks of ice, is sculpted with arcane symbols that amplify Bitingcold’s freezing magic and turn it into chronomancy, shaping time itself. Within, nothing ages, and nothing dies. Those dragons and servants who entombed themselves in the Pinnacle are frozen in time, and will remain so until Rachigyostiv chooses to release them, or some catastrophic event causes the dragon’s magic to fail. From the outside, there doesn’t appear to be any obvious entrance into the Pinnacle. The colossal blocks that make up Bitingcold’s resting place are sheer faces of ice. The true entrance to the pyramid is within the plateau upon which it stands. Only by traversing the caverns and tunnels of the mountain’s crystal-filled interior can you reach the guarded entrance to the Pinnacle. Even once you find the entrance, it could take days to reach its heart, where Bitingcold and her loyal servants are entombed. Rachigyostiv herself rests in stasis, in a sarcophagus of ice within a spherical chamber at the heart of the pyramid’s interior. Smaller chambers throughout the pyramid hold other entombed vassal dragons, each within their own sarcophagi. The temperature inside the pyramid is unbelievably cold, and grows colder closer to Rachigyostiv’s sarcophagus. Upon the threshold of the inner sanctum, it is cold enough to freeze a humanoid’s flowing blood. Despite the incredible danger the inner sanctum presents, the way leading to the chamber is also protected. Traps, both magical and mundane, protect the true route, and a labyrinth of ice walls separates Bitingcold’s sanctum from the rest of the pyramid. The traps vary from falling, razor-sharp icicles to entire chambers that are flooded and then frozen solid. That’s not to mention the guardians who seek to safeguard the dragon. Rachigyostiv’s Servants Bitingcold has a wide variety of servants, from living creatures that choose to serve her, to her own frozen creations that obey the telepathic orders of their frozen master. The primary protectors of the Pinnacle are ice golems, huge chunks of ice sculpted into crystalline, bestial forms that patrol the ice labyrinth and further afield. These golems can slow creatures in an aura around them thanks to the crippling chill they emanate. Chill-o’-wisps drift throughout the caverns that lead to the Pinnacle’s entrance—pancake-sized snowflakes
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 73 that hang in the air and emit bursts of intense cold when warm-blooded life gets too close. These undead menaces are the spirits of Rachigyostiv’s servants who died when the pyramid was sealed. They drain the life from other creatures to continue their own mournful existence. Beyond the pyramids, the white dragon’s authority is maintained by a force of white-scaled kobold and dragaur servants. They are tasked with keeping the curious away from the pyramids as well as transporting dragon hoards to the Pinnacle. These hoards are essential for keeping the freezing magic lasting, as the immense wealth is converted into magical power by Bitingcold’s magic. Many of the kobolds and dragaur dwell in the caverns of the mountains beneath the pyramids, or in temporary settlements at their base. Vast processions containing the dragons’ treasures make their way up to the pyramids from time to time. Great sleigh-chariots escort the processions, pulled by dragaurs and steered by bowwielding kobolds. Denizens of Prazzolar Despite the awful conditions of Prazzolar, life has found a way. As well as Bitingcold’s servants, several other living creatures have managed to scratch away at an existence eating lichens that grow upon the ice and fishing in the frozen seas. Antlered Gulca. Antlered gulcas are a type of megafauna that gather in migratory herds on the open tundra. These enormous quadrupeds are similar to enormous llamas with thick, matted coats that hang around them like protective clothing. These colossal beasts are herbivores that use their claw-like toenails to break up the frozen ground to graze on lichens that grow beneath the ice, sheltered from the freezing temperatures. They have incredible metabolisms that allow them to subsist on the smallest quantity of lichen, despite their enormous size. The inhabitants of Prazzolar have long hunted the antlered gulca, whose numbers are carefully monitored to ensure stocks never run too low. Use triceratops statistics to represent an antlered gulca. Dormant Water Weirds. Frozen water elementals lurk in Prazzolar’s frigid seas. They are entirely invisible while submerged or frozen, making them deadly surprise predators. Luckily, they’re only thawed by heat sources such as torches and campfires, which are rarely seen in the wastes of Prazzolar. Piercers and Ropers. Beneath the surface of Prazzolar is an extensive network of caves, housing plentiful lichen, moss, and fungi. These chambers are home to many threats, not least of which are the piercers and ropers, who have taken on the frozen form that their realm encourages. Piercers look like hanging icicles, while ropers appear to be ice-covered boulders or mounds of snow. Plesiosaurus. Beneath Prazzolar’s frozen seas, these dinosaurs are the apex predators. They feed on the fish that swim in the frigid waters, but also occasionally hunt antlered gulcas and other larger creatures that drink from the waters. The sound of footsteps on the ice attracts them to the surface, where they can smash through the surface ice to ambush their prey. Nomadic Peoples. Mixed communities of humanoids move across Prazzolar in search of food and safety. Many of them travel in yurts fixed to the backs of tamed gulcas. When they stop for the night, they form ringed encampments with trained white guard drakes serving as sentries. Each of these communities is led by a keeper, who’s responsible for keeping the group’s sacred fire burning at all times. It is a point of shame for a community to lose its flame to a rival group, or for it to be extinguished. Weretigers. Hidden throughout Prazzolar’s many caves are hot springs claimed by communities of weretigers. These humanoids have white or grey coats when in hybrid or tiger form. Many are spotted or striped with darker colors to help them camouflage with the natural tundra environment around them. The secretive enclaves in which the weretigers live are places of myth to the other peoples of Prazzolar, many of whom will live and die without seeing a single weretiger. The weretigers enjoy lives of luxury and bounty, where they keep verdant subterranean farms growing lichen, moss, and fungi. The weretigers refuse to share their sanctuaries with the other communities because of a misguided faith they all keep. They believe that the weretigers are the chosen people of Prazzolar, fated to inherit the riches of Bitingcold when she finally awakens from her stasis.
74 Arora: Age of Desolation Environment Prazzolar’s weather is freezing and violent. At all times a biting wind blows over the icy surface of the realm, complemented at times by hailstorms, blizzards, and chilling fog. This weather changes subtly depending on the season; Prazzolar has a short light season and a dragging dark season. During the painfully short light season, the temperature is slightly milder as the realm is warmed by a distant sun. Sleet storms lash the ice cliffs and the frozen sea becomes a slushy slurry of crushed ice, peppered with immense bergs. It is during this season that most of Prazzolar’s wildlife comes out of hibernation; antlered gulca graze on uncovered pastures of lichen and the mountain goats emerge from their cavernous lairs to munch on exposed moss. Polar bears make their way to the coast to hunt for fish and seals, occasionally battling it out with territorial walruses. Although the wind is still cold enough to bite into exposed skin, those in cold-weather gear and naturally acclimated creatures can get by just fine. Unfortunately, during both seasons there can be snap freezes where temperatures plunge to their lowest limits; unprepared creatures freeze to death in moments. During the dark season, you can only see the sun for brief glimpses during the awfully short days. The darkness is accompanied by storms that deposit drifts of snow as tall as a house, or hammer the ice with hailstones bigger than a human head. The most fearsome blizzards are even capable of spawning gangs of ice mephits, whose mischievous elemental nature is a bane to nearby humanoid communities. The temperature during the dark season is not survivable. Extra measures have to be taken in order to stave off a slow and desperate death. Most of the nomadic peoples of Prazzolar choose to remain stationary during the dark season, holding up in valleys where the wind can’t reach them, and digging up fresh lampstone to warm themselves. Dangers & Survival As well as the inherent dangers the weather and climate presents, inhabitants of Bitingcold’s realm have to deal with other hazards posed by the environment. The methods that humanoids take to avoid these dangers are varied in both method and success rate. Advancing Glaciers. Glaciers rapidly expand from the ice pyramids, and without warning. Colossal walls of ice encroach onto the snowy tundra, crushing anything in their path and leaving frozen devastation in their wake. The glaciers’ most dangerous feature is their ability to silently block off escape routes from valleys, and cover entrances and exits to the ice tunnels rich in lampstone. A nomadic community deprived of lampstone for even just a few days is likely doomed. Avalanches. Avalanches are a common occurrence in Prazzolar’s mountainous regions. They are caused by the realm’s awful weather, but also by capricious yeti with a sinister intelligence. In Prazzolar, the yeti have evolved to a point where they show signs of advanced culture. While their communities are mostly unexplored, it’s clear that they delight in the slaughter of humanoids. They often cause avalanches to batter humanoid communities, coming down from their ice caves once the danger has passed to gather the bodies. These can be found frozen into walls of ice around yeti communities, as can symbols painted with the blood of yeti victims. Blinding Sunlight. During the light season, on a clear day, sunlight reflecting off the snow can blind travelers. The snowblindness caused by the reflected radiance can cause long-term damage to humanoid eyesight, and is typically mitigated through the use of sungoggles. Hidden Chasms. Hidden chasms are one of the most severe hazards presented by the natural landscape. Sometimes, ice and snow crust over chasms, hiding them from view. With enough weight, this crust falls away, causing those above to plummet into the depths below. Lucky individuals caught in this situation simply die when they impact the bottom of the chasm. The unlucky few that survive must await cold death in the miles-deep chasms, or wail in fear as natural predators loom ever closer in the semi-translucent ice tunnels. Those who survive a fall into a chasm and escape with their lives number in the single digits, but are revered by the nomadic communities. Thin Ice. Frozen seas, lakes, and rivers are among the more consistent sources of food in Prazzolar. Especially during the dark season when moss and lichen are covered with layers of ice, cutting holes in ice sheets to fish the frigid waters beneath is the only way for creatures that don’t hibernate to survive. Unfortunately, ice fishing comes with the ever-present risk of fracturing the ice sheet that covers the water. Falling into frigid water is a leading cause of death in Prazzolar’s nomadic humanoid cultures. Being mauled by polar bears who view the fishers as intruders is a close second. Survival Tactics To survive the cold environment, the denizens of Prazzolar use a variety of different techniques. Some of these are more dangerous and effective than others, but the people of Prazzolar do what they must to survive. They have earned a reputation for being somewhat cutthroat and brusque. Dragon Eggs. All dragon eggs emit significant warmth as they approach hatching. Foolhardy humanoids sneak into the ice cavern lairs of white dragons who haven’t gone into stasis to loot their hatcheries. Just one dragon egg can provide enough warmth for an entire community to last the whole dark season, making them an alluring prize. Of course, gathering the eggs comes with the immense risk of sneaking into a dragon’s lair, not to mention the risk of the egg hatching while it’s being used as a heat source. Communities that rely on dragon eggs often have druids who commune with the eggs each morning and night to ensure they’re not caught off guard. Some communities have even been bold enough to try to tame the hatchlings, with disastrous results. Fishing and Foraging. The most common means of gathering food in Prazzolar is ice fishing and lichen foraging. All of Prazzolar’s humanoid cultures—save for the subterranean weretigers—practice ice fishing, and
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 75 each culture has its own folklore and technique around the process. Some prefer to fish only during the light season, lampstone curing or freezing the fish so that it lasts through the dark season. Other groups fish year-round, braving the midnight blackness to gather fresh fish. Those who don’t wish to brave the ice can instead harvest lichen and moss from beneath the ice, either by digging or by thawing. Thus far, the lichens and mosses of Prazzolar have resisted attempts at domestication. Gulca Rings. When nomadic communities make camp, they make a ring with their gulca pack beasts to create a circle of warmth. The beasts’ thick fur prevents the freezing winds from breaking through to the camps where the humanoids live their lives. The problem with gulcas is that they need lichen year-round, which isn’t always easy to acquire. They also stubbornly refuse to eat frozen or dried lichen. Lampstone Mining. Lampstone is a special kind of quartz that stores heat for a long time. Locals mine fist-sized pieces of the stone from ice tunnels and charge them in their campfires. The heat stored within a lampstone lasts several hours, depending on the size and quality of the stone. Unfortunately, lampstone’s ability to store heat rapidly diminishes with repeated use, meaning that miners soon have to brave the ice caverns once again. Intelligent predators such as the bloodthirsty yeti have learned the location of several lampstone deposits, claiming those areas as their hunting grounds. It’s rare that a detachment of miners leaves their community without armed, veteran guards. Raiding. When times are rough, some of the nomadic communities turn to raiding and marauding for survival. They might take cured foodstuffs, capture gulca pack beasts, or even try to cart off lampstone using sleds pulled by pack dogs. However, some cultures have taken to raiding as their only method of survival. The worst of these capture other humanoids to eat when the going gets rough. The cannibal cultures are abhorred by other humanoids. Ice-iron Weaponry. Rather than relying solely on iron for their weaponry, some nomadic cultures mine both permafrost and iron ore, then smelt it together in an arcane process that produces ice-iron weapons. These weapons are incredibly resilient, and far less likely to snap in the cold of Prazzolar, than their iron counterparts. As long as the temperature doesn’t rise too high, they’re the best weaponry available. Some ice-iron weapons are enchanted by nomadic spellcasters to channel Prazzolar’s hiemal winds, leaving their victims with frostbitten wounds. Vehicles and Clothing. Everyone in Prazzolar wears some kind of cold-weather gear. Most often this is made from sealskin or goat hide, but some more lavish outfits are made from polar bear fur and gulca hide. Without coldweather gear, humanoids are unlikely to survive long in the frozen wastes of the realm. In addition to the clothing, other gear to traverse the tundra is common. Snowshoes made from large ribs help people cross great drifts, and crampons made from teeth or iron spikes allow travelers to travel across the ice sheets with greater ease. As well as riding antlered gulcas, some nomads have created sleds and sleighs which are pulled by pack dogs. This method of locomotion is much faster, but it’s challenging to keep a pack of dogs fed throughout the dark season when the goats are hibernating.
76 Arora: Age of Desolation Geography The geography of Prazzolar is mostly unvaried. Much of the realm is covered in thick layers of ice that flattens the topography to form a vast frozen plain. This is especially true in the dark season, when the unbearable cold temperatures keep the ice from melting. Thankfully, during the light season some of the ice thaws, revealing a tundra landscape beneath. Much of the ice remains as permafrost, but that which thaws leaves behind hills and valleys that bear edible lichen and moss. The landscape is also frequently changed by the movement of glaciers that roll and grind across the plain, flattening everything in their wake. These immense bodies of ice are formed by the magic of the white dragons, and are released from their pyramid lairs. The pyramids themselves, and the mountains on which they stand, are some of the permanent geographies of the realm. Prazzolar’s mountains are notoriously difficult to ascend, and are frequently assaulted by magically enhanced hailstorms and blizzards. Important Locations The following sections detail some of the most important and notable locations in Prazzolar. Shardcrown Spire Rising high above the frozen plains of Prazzolar is a sheer pillar of crystal known as Shardcrown Spire. This geological formation is capped by a corona of jagged quartz crystals that gives the feature its name. The prominent location, rivaled only by the Pinnacle itself, was chosen by the dragons who did not follow Bitingcold into stasis as their new seat of governance. These false rulers have formed an uneasy and treacherous council while Bitingcold slumbers. The council exerts tyrannical rule over the realm, though at all times the members fear that they will be betrayed, or that Rachigyostiv will awaken and slaughter them all. As a show of good faith, each dragon that attends the council brings a portion of its hoard, which is frozen into the sheer sides of the spire, giving it the appearance of a crowned, glittering scepter. Deep within the spire sits an ancient icy temple dedicated to the dragon goddess Jha-dol, making Shardcrown a place of spirituality for all dragons and dracokin in Prazzolar. History Before Rachigyostiv went into slumber, Shardcrown Spire was little more than a landing post for the immense dragon, where she would roost on occasion to look out over the frigid plains of her domain. When Bitingcold took the decision to go into slumber, along with the majority of Prazzolar’s dragons loyal to her, Shardcrown was left unattended. Not long after Rachigyostiv went into stasis, the waking dragons began fighting for dominance of Prazzolar. After numerous bloody battles and awful slaughters, it became clear that no single dragon could control Prazzolar save Rachigyostiv. Seeing their folly, the pretenders to Bitingcold’s throne decided instead to form a tyrannical council that would rule over the underlings of the realm. This unelected council is made up of the dragons strong enough to exert their will over others, and is as politically treacherous as any humanoid court in the wide realms. The new council of pretenders chose Shardcrown Spire as their headquarters for its prominence, both physically and spiritually, in Prazzolar. Since then, Shardcrown Spire has grown considerably. This is because the pretender council, in order to keep some level of peace and respect between its members, has agreed that each dragon involved should add a share of their hoard to the collective funds when they join. This donated treasure is frozen into the top of the spire, causing it to glitter with brilliance. Many of the quartz crystals at the top of the spire have now been carved into thrones where the pretender council can rest. Current Events Those dragons who foolishly decided not to enter stasis have paid the price; several of the council members have recently been infected with Shardscale, which is taking over their minds and bodies, driving them mad. The infection has begun to fracture the already dangerously unstable pretender council, and has even caused the infected members to fight with their peers and attack humanoid settlements at random when the accompanying symptoms of dragonrage manifest.
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 77 Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at the Shardcrown Spire. Bakrajsafar. As one of the founding members of the pretender council, Bakrajsafar has already fought off half a dozen rogue dragons who sought to take her place or dissolve the council entirely. While Bakrajsafar is far from a benevolent being, she wishes to see some order established in Prazzolar in the wake of Rachigyostiv’s slumber. She secretly hopes that when Bitingcold finally awakens, she’ll recognize the work Bakrajsafar has put into ruling the realm and appoint her as the ruler’s successor. Bakrajsafar is cold and calculating, and a master manipulator. Ingryxa. Much like Bakrajsafar, Ingryxa has been a member of the pretender council since its inception. However, unlike their peer, they wish to see Rachigyostiv abandoned and forgotten. They believe that retreating into slumber is cowardice, and that Bitingcold and all other dragons who retreated from the realm should be slaughtered in their sleep. Grithanin. Grithanin was infected with Shardscale not long after they joined the council. The maddening affliction has driven them to become bestial and savage, causing them to fly into a rage at a moment’s notice. The other dragons wish to remove them from the council, but fear Grithanin’s wrath. Saeroirth. Unlike Grithanin, Saeroirth has only recently been infected with Shardscale. Saeroirth has a suspicion that they may have contracted the malady, but are in denial about it, scared of the reality of the situation. Saeroirth is now trying to persuade the council to search for a cure, ostensibly so that Grithanin and Airynenth can be cured. Airynenth. Airynenth too has contracted Shardscale and is starting to show obvious symptoms. Airynenth was, until recently, a stoic and peaceful presence on the council, who managed to keep the other dragons level-headed. Their affliction could cause the whole council to fall apart, leading to anarchy in Prazzolar. Neikiassys. Having only recently joined the pretender council, Neikiassys is still testing the waters. They want to exert some control over their hunting territory and have some say in the future of the realm, but realize that if they stand out too much they might be expelled by the other dragons. Neikiassys is secretly working to steal treasure from the pyramids. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Shardcrown Spire. Fractured Council. More than half of the pretender council is currently infected with Shardscale, and it is sure to spread to the remaining members before long. The uninfected members of the council would secretly like the infected dragons to be eliminated before they can spread the contagion. However, they are incapable of doing it themselves lest they risk affliction. Search for a Cure. Saeroirth is keen to find a cure for Shardscale. Thus far, their research into the topic has led nowhere. They’re keen to meet realm travelers who might have more information. Pyramid of Torment This fractured draconic pyramid is built into the mountainside of a perpetually fog-shrouded peak in a range of deadly mountains, whose sheer cliffs are coated in slick ice throughout both light and dark seasons. These mountains, called the South-Rim Mountains, are said to drive even the most strong-willed individuals into fits of paranoia and desperation. The Pyramid of Torment was broken into by inter-realm raiders some decades ago, but the treasure within was oddly left untouched. The dragon Cryotelgryx, who slumbers at the pyramid’s heart, remains in stasis. However, an aberrant entity from the South-Rim Mountains has attached itself to the dragon’s mind, and feeds upon its debased nightmares. The dragon’s psychic torment manifests in and around the pyramid thanks to the innate magic of the mountains. History Several decades ago, a group of adventurers who traveled throughout the realms sought out this pyramid, hoping to plunder the treasure from the sleeping dragon within. They had heard that Cryotelgryx was one of the wealthiest dragons in Prazzolar, and found the frozen dragon’s treasure too alluring to pass up. When they arrived, they used destructive magic to blast open one of the pyramid’s faces, opening up a ragged entrance. Several of the adventurers perished thanks to magical traps before they reached the treasure-filled inner sanctum. No one save the adventurers knows why they refused to take the treasure and fled the pyramid, but legends say that Cryotelgryx awoke for a brief moment and put a chilling fear into their hearts. After the failed robbers fled the scene, Cryotelgryx continued to slumber. However, something else arrived soon after. The South-Rim Mountains are known to play host to aberrant beings from the void between the realms. Exactly how these creatures got to Prazzolar is unknown, but their eerie moans and piping can be heard throughout the mountain range. These alien aberrations communicate over long distances using an unknowable psychic network that plants the seeds of paranoia and desperation in humanoids. One of these semi-spectral alien beings has attached itself to the mind of Cryotelgryx, and has begun psychically tormenting the dragon. It feeds off the dragon’s nightmares, turning Cryotelgryx’s tortured visions into a twisted reality, manifesting in and around the Pyramid of Torment. These visions vary from impossibly abhorrent creatures gruesome enough to make an ancient dragon shudder, to awful landscapes whose unnatural features perplex and disturb even dragons. Humanoids witnessing these creatures stand almost no chance at retaining their sanity. "Prazzolar? No thanks. I’m still frozen from my last trip." - Nyben, Grobb Smuggler
78 Arora: Age of Desolation Current Events During the last dark season, the Pyramid of Torment’s horrors seemed to amplify. The entire mountain range seemed to manifest Cryotelgryx’s dark dreams. The aberrations began moving beyond the reaches of the South-Rim Mountains. Several nearby nomadic communities who had settled for the season went missing, seemingly wiped off the face of the realm. The only remnants were the occasional dismembered limb, stripped of skin. This has earned the aberrations the nickname of Flesh-Takers. Prazzolar’s humanoids have become more and more troubled by the Flesh-Takers and the dreams of the tortured dragon. Many fear that the next dark season will see the Flesh-Takers claim a vast swathe of the realm as their own. This intrusion has drawn the ire of the false ruling dragon council. This rare unity between the dragons has given some respite for humanoids as they are distracted from their usual acts of tyranny. A draconic force has been called to investigate the Flesh-Takers and what they could want from the realm. The dragons are keen to rescue Cryotelgryx from their torment, but don’t want to awaken the powerful dragon, as they would surely depose the current tyrants. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in the Pyramid of Torment. Cryotelgryx. Restlessly slumbering in the heart of the pyramid is the ancient white dragon Cryotelgryx. They have been sleeping here since Bitingcold went into stasis, hoping to outlast the spreading Shardscale infection. Cryotelgryx has been possessed by the otherworldly aberration known as The Twisted One. This Flesh-Taker torments the dragon psychically, causing it to have awful nightmares that manifest as realities. Cryotelgryx longs to awaken and take their vengeance upon The Twisted One, but is unable to do so while the aberration lingers. If someone were to free the dragon from its tortured slumber, they would be generously rewarded. Andreen Grast. Not all of the inter-realm adventuring party managed to flee the Pyramid of Torment. Andreen Grast, a warlock dedicated to an aberrant patron, was caught in a chronomancy trap and has only emerged in recent years. Grast’s perceptions of reality have since been altered by the Flesh-Takers, who are trying to construct a dragonlike body from humanoid corpses for Andreen to inhabit. The Flesh-Takers wish to instate Andreen as the puppet ruler of Prazzolar, and believe he must resemble a dragon in order to successfully rise to power. Monsters The following monsters can be found in the Pyramid of Torment. The Twisted One. This semi-spectral aberration is an otherworldly being with an alien intelligence that cannot be deciphered. It keeps Cryotelgryx in a nightmarish state of stasis, and won’t willingly release its grasp on the dragon. Like all Flesh-Takers, it has the awful ability to warp living flesh into new, twisted forms. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Pyramid of Torment. Nightmares Manifest. When the next dark season comes to pass, the nightmarish manifestations of Cryotelgryx worsen. They begin to appear far from the pyramid, and the Flesh-Takers continue to target humanoid cultures caught in the radius. The council of dragons decides to send some of their most loyal servants to investigate the disturbances and free Cryotelgryx from his tortured sleep, putting the dragons directly in conflict with the aberrations for the first time. Dragon of Flesh and Bone. If left unchecked, the Flesh-Takers capture and mutate enough humanoids to create a grotesque mockery of a dragon formed from melded humanoid flesh and bone. Andreen Grast is melded into the terrible monstrosity, assuming control of the entire awful construction. The Flesh-Takers emerge from the South-Rim Mountains and strike out with the flesh-warped dragon toward Shardcrown Spire, eager to claim Prazzolar for themselves.
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 79 Titanic Glyphs At the base of the Frostspurs, a craggy stretch of glacial mountains, is a flat expanse of tundra that has been sheltered from the worst of Prazzolar’s destructive weather. Here, scribed into this icy plain, are a dozen glyphs etched into a tessellating pattern on the ground. Each of these cryptic symbols is over a thousand feet in diameter, and each depicts a different kind of creature native to Prazzolar; albatross, bear, char, cod, dog, goat, gulca, orca, penguin, seal, vulture, and walrus. It’s impossible to discern a particular glyph’s shape while standing adjacent to it—they are best observed from the nearby mountains on a clear day rather than down among the cramped works of art. The exact origin of these glyphs is unknown to the majority of the realm’s denizens—certainly all of the waking ones. Despite plentiful snowfall throughout the year, the glyphs are never filled in or covered up. Some strange magic preserves them. History Long before Prazzolar’s first mortal communities began their hard ways of life, and further back than any waking dragon can remember, there was another species of creatures inhabiting Prazzolar. Other than slumbering dragons with good memories, the only records of these people are the cave paintings of the weretigers, whose artistic depictions paints them as tall, slender creatures somewhat similar to the yeti that walk the realm today. These ‘long folk’—as the weretigers call them—resided in the mountains of Prazzolar, living their lives in relative solitude in the ice caves and tunnels. Many long folk belonged to an animist culture that venerated natural spirits that are said to have taken animal forms to communicate with them. These titanic glyphs were an expression of zealous devotion to the spirits, who can still manifest within them should they choose. Cultures The titanic glyphs are the only remnants of a longlost culture of so-called long folk who once lived in the mountain caves of Prazzolar. Eventually, with the creation of other people and the persistent yeti raids, the long folk died off, leaving only the glyphs behind. Not much is known of the long folk cultures, but certainly one of them followed an animistic religion. Current Events Although the spirits have laid dormant for centuries, if not longer, there is some indication that they are starting to return. Some claim the glyphs can be seen moving when moonlight hits them during the dark season, and others feel they have a connection to the place that they never previously experienced. The truth is that the ancient spirits of Prazzolar the glyphs symbolize have indeed awoken once more. Their awakening comes in response to the spreading Shardscale that now threatens the realm by infecting the pretender council. These ancient spirits have little power in the world now, but still retain the ancient knowledge of the realm before the name Prazzolar was ever uttered, when the realm was part of Old Arora before the Great Abjuration. With their help, invested characters might be able to unlock clues that could lead to discovery of the Shardscale’s true nature and curing the dragons and dracokin of the Shardscale infection. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Titanic Glyphs. Strange Visitor. Those who frequent the glyphs speak of a strange visitor who has been coming to the massive works of art of late. They don’t know who the visitor is, as the stranger is always careful to cover themselves with thick furs and a hooded cloak. Some of the more superstitious glyph watchers are nervous that this individual seeks to interfere with the ancient symbols in some way, and want them investigated. The stranger is, in fact, a weretiger of the Bubbling Grotto spring named Steam. They’re one of the few weretigers who explore the surface world in search of artistic inspiration. They’ve been visiting the glyphs to sketch them, but also feel they’re making a deeper connection to the spirits they represent. A Shot at a Cure. The ancient wisdom of the spirits is immeasurable. There’s a slim chance that they might be able to bestow insights on invested characters relating to the true nature or a potential cure for the Shardscale infection.
80 Arora: Age of Desolation Frozen Behemoth In western Prazzolar, a creature dwarfing even the largest of Prazzolar’s dragons is entombed in a block of ice. Even the dragons do not know its origin, and there are rumors that some of the realm’s people have a telepathic psychic link to it. It is a mystery, but one that cannot be missed if traveling near it. Those who feel they have a connection to the behemoth are drawn to the frozen corpse like moths to a flame, and have built a permanent settlement around the frozen block of ice in which it is entombed. These individuals call themselves the Speakers of the Beast, and claim that the behemoth is not dead. Rather, they claim it is a living creature that wishes to be set free, so that it might help the humanoids throw off the yoke of the dragons and find their freedom. The behemoth looks something like a cross between a wooly rhino and a monkey, with thick horns and tusks, obsidian-black claws, greasy hair, and a prehensile tail. History Long before living memory, in a time before Jha-Dhol remade parts of Arora into the Five Realms during the Great Abjuration, and long before the original dragons arrived in Old-Arora from Terradraca, a part of that old world was a prison. This frozen region of Old-Arora was used as a place for the gods to incarcerate beings so powerful that they could not be killed, destroyed, or willed out of existence—only imprisoned. At one time, there were many such behemoths scattered across Prazzolar, frozen into the ice like artifacts in a museum. When the realms were shattered and twisted, many of these were scattered across the space between the realms or destroyed entirely. This behemoth, known to the humanoids of Prazzolar as The Beast, is the only one left in the realm that has been discovered. Its true name is Buvujax the Bloodthresher, a demon lord of unfathomable power. When Buvujax was first entombed, its psyche folded into itself as a form of self-preservation. For untold eons it rested, frozen into the realm itself. Only when it realized that humanoids had found the realm did it finally see a chance for freedom. Cultures The nomadic tribes that have formed a telepathic connection with Buvujax the Bloodthresher now worship the demon as a god. They know Buvujax simply as The Beast; often said with a tone of sorrow or lament. They believe that it is an innocent creature, an avatar of the natural world caught in the ice. They see The Beast’s imprisonment as a metaphor for the whole realm of Prazzolar—it is entombed in the same way that the mosses are entombed by fresh sheets of ice each dark season. The Beast longs to be free in the same way the lichen strives to grow up through thick drifts of snow in the light season. If only nature could break free of the realm’s icy grip, the humanoids would be free. These ‘enlightened’ individuals call themselves the Speakers of the Beast, as they spread word of the creature far and wide, always returning to Buvujax’s icy prison before the dark season comes. These people are fanatically devoted to the behemoth, and do everything they can to free it. Their Sisyphean struggle to free The Beast from the ice has not stopped them from recruiting others to their cause, and now individuals who have no telepathic connection to The Beast have joined the community and are helping with the task. They dig at and melt the ice around the behemoth in the hopes of freeing it. Current Events As the Speakers of the Beast have swollen their numbers, they appear to have been able to make some, slow progress in releasing Buvujax the Bloodthresher from its eternal prison. Hundreds of people work tirelessly at the block of ice, and while the ice always freezes back, it seems as if, inch by inch, they’re getting closer to The Beast’s flesh. Buvujax knows that once it can make physical contact with one of its devoted, the process will be expedited, as it will be able to pass some of its demonic powers to its chosen. This might enable the summoning of abyssal fire, or bestow the strength of a thousand demonic hordes. At that point, Buvujax’s release is all but guaranteed. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at the Frozen Behemoth. Dodra, Open Speaker. The leader of the Speakers of the Beast is a zealous woman named Dodra. She is truly dedicated to unlocking The Beast from its icy cage, which she sees as a perfect example of the oppressiveness of this realm, and of the dragons that rule it. She is telepathically connected to Buvujax, and eats up his lies with greed. She relishes in the respect of her role of Open Speaker, and has previously ruthlessly put down those who questioned her authority. The Bloodthresher, of course, encourages her pitiless behavior. Amber Hestia. Amber is Dodra’s right-hand woman. Amber is a skilled mage with a terrifying mastery of pyromancy. She’s capable of both summoning and controlling fire, a particularly dangerous and valuable skill in a realm of ice. There are very few within the community who would stand up to her, and her belief in the Open Speaker only makes Dodra’s hold over the community stronger. While Amber has no direct connection to Buvujax, the demon sometimes gives Dodra messages to pass on to her. Adventure Ideas The following adventure is linked to the Frozen Behemoth. End the Cult. There are many throughout Prazzolar that would like to ensure Buvujax the Bloodthresher remains encased in its eternal ice prison. Not least of these is the pretender council, who see the Speakers of the Beast as a serious threat to the stability of the realm. It’s clear to them that the Speakers no longer care for draconic rule of Prazzolar.
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 81 Bubbling Grotto Hidden deep in the ice tunnels and caves of Prazzolar are numerous weretiger enclaves, built around geothermal springs that provide warmth to the isolated communities. Many weretigers’ springs are places of luxury. Fungi and moss grow easily down in the warm, damp caverns, where it’s far easier for the weretigers to survive than surfacedwelling humanoids. Furthermore, the precious minerals and metals beneath the ice are easier to access and mine, allowing for thriving capitalist societies to exist. Of course, there are many weretigers who shun this particular economic system, preferring to live simpler lives outside the busier springs. The Bubbling Grotto is one of the largest weretiger springs. It places a high value on art and music—cave painters and instrumentalists are the wealthiest members of society here. History Exactly when the Bubbling Grotto was founded is not clear; the weretigers of Prazzolar don’t have the same penchant for chronicling as other humanoid cultures. The spring’s founding has been deeply mythologized. The legend says that when the first generation of humanoids hatched from Bitingcold’s eggs, a handful were born with lycanthropy. However, as they explored the surrounding frozen realm, they began to die in the awful conditions of the surface world. Fearing that they would be wiped out, the most talented weretiger performers wrote a lamenting song to perform for Rachigyostiv. When the dragon heard their song, she was so moved that her frozen heart melted for a moment, causing warm tears to flow from her eyes. These tears melted through the tundra and ice and gathered beneath the surface in warm pools of bubbling water. The weretigers were spared because of their profoundness, and allowed to live beneath the ground by the warm pools. Further layers of myth have been added to this origin story over the years, meaning that many of the weretiger cultures now believe that they are the chosen of Rachigyostiv, and will inherit the dragon’s riches when she awakens from stasis. Cultures The Bubbling Grotto’s weretiger culture is dedicated to cultural expression and emotional intelligence, and puts a lot of faith in the myths and legends of its people. Many of the weretigers here believe that they are the chosen people of Rachigyostiv, and that the other humanoid cultures who are forced to dwell on the surface of Prazzolar have been forsaken by the dragon. Unfortunately, this leads to xenophobic attitudes in the most devoted members of the grotto’s society, even if the average weretiger only feels a slight sense of superiority to other cultures. The emphasis on artwork and performance in this spring means that the wealthiest members of society tend to be talented in those fields. Evidence for their love of music and art can be clearly seen throughout the subterranean settlement. Current Events Recently, the subterranean hot springs throughout Prazzolar have been struggling with kobold raiders. The dragons are some of the few that know of the springs, and they’re not keen to let anyone get away with dodging their tithe commitments. While dragaur have the imposing presence to harass surface communities, they’re far too large to effectively navigate the subterranean world. Instead, the pretender council (and other dragons) have been sending ‘elite’ gangs of kobolds to infiltrate the weretiger springs and steal whatever treasures they can gather from the places. As Bubbling Grotto is the largest of the springs, it has been heavily targeted. Unfortunately, there’s little the weretigers can do to stop it. They know that they need to pay the tithe lest they invoke the dragons’ ire, and they don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize their future relationship with Bitingcold. That said, the leaders of Bubbling Grotto haven’t simply been allowing the kobolds to make off with whatever they like. The weretigers have created donation troves where members of the community are encouraged to donate their unwanted treasures. These obvious targets are too good for the kobolds to ignore, and thus they often end up making off with less valuable treasure than they might otherwise have stolen.
82 Arora: Age of Desolation Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at the Bubbling Grotto spring. Ripples Wateredge. Ripples is the cultural leader of the Bubbling Grotto spring. They’re part of an artistic group called the Strokes of Destiny that aim to portray the incredible future of the weretigers through art. Their masterpieces have earned them both fortune and fame. Without entirely meaning to they became the leader of Bubbling Grotto, but have found the role comes naturally to them. Like many others from the weretiger springs, they’re slow to trust outsiders, fearing they might reveal the lycanthropes’ secrets to the surface dwellers. Echoes Icelorn. Echoes is the most notable artist in Bubbling Grotto. Although they don’t have the political clout of Ripples, Echoes is noteworthy because they receive inspired visions from Bitingcold—or so they claim. Over the years Echoes has sculpted many incredible ice dioramas depicting the future of the weretigers. Many of these show the weretigers receiving the bounty of Prazzolar, gifted to them by Rachigyostiv upon her awakening. There’s some debate as to whether these inspired images do indeed come from Rachigyostiv, or whether Echoes simply claims that to be the case to increase their fame. Monsters The following monsters can be found in and around the Bubbling Grotto. Rimeworms. The hideous rimeworms melt their way through the subterranean solid ice. These worm-like monstrosities have many-flanged mouthparts that exude a nauseating heat and can slough flesh from the bone of any unfortunate creature that gets caught in their maws. They’re the bane of the springs’ farms. Kobold Thieves. Stealthier and deadlier than their conventional cousins, these white-scaled sneaks blend in perfectly with the ice and are entirely soundless when walking over frozen ground. They sneak into the springs, especially Bubbling Grotto, to steal a tithe for their dragon masters. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Bubbling Grotto. Disturbed Artist. Recently, Echoes’s sculptures have taken on a different bent. Rather than depicting the utopian future of the spring cultures, they’ve been contorted and disturbed. What none of the weretigers realize is that this is because Echoes’s visions come from Cryotelgryx, not Rachigyostiv, who is currently being warped and manipulated by The Twisted One. Whether the previous dreams of weretiger ascension were true is still unclear, but it’s obvious to anyone who’s seen the nightmare horrors manifesting around the Pyramid of Torment that Echoes is sculpting them from ice. The Long Folk. Some of the original inhabitants hatched from Rachigyostiv’s eggs in Prazzolar were a species of tall, slender humanoids known as the ‘long folk’. These creatures disappeared long before any others established themselves in Prazzolar, but elements of their history can still be found scattered throughout the realm. The weretigers have done the most research into the long folk, and many famous artists have tried to decipher their history through artistic portrayal. Any more information about the long folk is highly desirable. Diminishing Tithe. The weretigers of Bubbling Grotto are starting to come to their wits’ ends about the kobold raids. They’ve thrown away enough of their unwanted goods now that the kobolds are starting to take genuinely valuable items, not just worthless trinkets, and they look to their leaders for guidance. Anyone who can protect the spring from the kobolds, find some other treasure to keep them distracted, or otherwise peacefully deter the dragon servants will be rewarded.
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 83 Rimeworn Vale The most populous and permanent surface settlement for Prazzolar’s humanoids sits in a sheltered valley created by glacial activity. This mountain-fenced town sports a river rich with fish, shelter from the harshest storms thanks to the surrounding peaks, and a bartering economy where artisans and crafters can swap their goods for muchneeded supplies. It’s a bustling place, but pays for this level of activity dearly at times. Rimeworn Vale has been attacked more and more frequently of late by the dangerous yeti, maddened Shardscale-infected dragons, and depraved cannibals, and also draws the attention of the dragaur; servants of the dragons who aim to maintain draconic rule by imposing heavy taxation on any treasures that Rimeworn Vale might have amassed. Although the people that live here are still desperately clinging to life, there’s a much greater chance they’ll make it through the next dark season than the nomads who travel across the frozen plains. However, the nomads have the advantage of being able to leave an area when the going gets tough, while residents of Rimeworn Vale are forced to stick it out. History Rimeworn Vale’s valley was exposed by a moving glacier only around a century ago. When the ice rolled away, it opened up a river that flows into the ocean, creating an extremely fertile region. Lichen grew out in wide swathes around the river, and the waters teem with fish. When one of the nomadic cultures happened upon the spot, they were delighted to discover that, when the light season ended, the river did not entirely freeze over. This meant that the place was habitable year-round, without needing to stockpile immense quantities of resources. The antlered gulcas could graze on the lichen, humanoids could fish the river, and the valley is offers protection from the worst weather. Soon ice-block houses were being built, and then stone buildings, thanks to the work of the Stoneshapers. The founding families of Rimeworn Vale can still be found there today, even though none of the original founders are still alive. As the decades passed, news of Rimeworn Vale spread throughout Prazzolar, until its existence became common knowledge. Many nomadic people chose to leave that traditional way of life and settle in the community, though others found the place too claustrophobic, or struggled with the thought of being dependent upon a single patch of land, and left soon after arriving. Eventually though, the community grew to a respectable size. Now Rimeworn Vale can truly be called a town, as it supports several thousand individuals year-round. Unfortunately, 50 years ago, Bitingcold’s regional effects raged out of control and spread across Prazzolar. At this point, the river froze over year-round once more, making life in Rimeworn Vale far less comfortable than it used to be. Some folk have remained and continue to cut holes to ice fish, but they run the risk of falling in if the ice cracks or a hungry Plesiosaurus attacks. More and more of the town’s inhabitants are choosing to take up nomadic lifestyles once again. Cultures The people that live in Rimeworn Vale come from a variety of different cultures across Prazzolar, making it a diverse and inclusive place. Although many have different outlooks on life, there are some rules that Valefolk adhere to. First, no murder outside of duels. Second, no theft from or abuse of other members of the community. Third, no betrayals of the community to dragons or their servants. There is an elected council that tries to uphold these laws with a small militia, but the fledgling community is often a place of strife and lawlessness. Despite that, the vale is safer place to live than Prazzolar’s frozen wilds; still, the ice encroaches on the town. Life might be cheap out in the frozen waste, but in Rimeworn Vale it’s sacred. Stoneshapers. The Stoneshapers, an order of master masons and stone-magic practitioners, work in the caves surrounding Rimeworn Vale. They read the patterns of erosion in the ancient cave walls to help direct erosion in controlled, safe directions. With an innate understanding of stresses and precisely placed blows of hammer, chisel, and spellcraft, a Stoneshaper can carve off great slabs of stone along the interior walls of the caves, leaving large and spacious chambers and connecting tunnels behind when the rubble is cracked and cleared. Their work is often used to build and repair the stone housing in Rimeworn Vale. Current Events Unfortunately for Rimeworn Vale, yeti attacks are on the rise. These creatures lair in the nearby ice tunnels and caves where the miners extract lampstone. The yeti have devised a new tactic where they cause avalanches to trap the miners in the tunnels, digging them up afterward when the yetis feel hungry. At least, that’s what most of the community thought was occurring until recently. Over the past season, the community has spotted symbols of frozen blood pasted onto the walls of the ice caves, indicating a sinister intelligence in the yetis that was previously unheard of. Exactly what the symbols mean, and why the yetis are creating them, is still unknown. As well as increased yeti attacks, and the disturbing discovery of the blood symbols, Rimeworn Vale has increasingly become the target of dragaur and kobold ‘inspections.’ These events are effectively raids, where the servants of the realm’s dragons come to extort a tithe from the Valefolk. The dragaur are keen to remind the humanoids who is in charge of Prazzolar, and won’t allow the settlement to grow too large without paying a tribute to their overlords. Recently, dracokin involved in these raids have been showing signs of Shardscale themselves—small multicolored crystals growing from within their bodies and protruding through their scales. "Symbols of blood? Portents of horror they are." - Jhakith Pythalia Jufert
84 Arora: Age of Desolation Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Rimeworn Vale. Ses Buknotsk. Mayoress Buknotsk holds herself personally responsible for the fate of Rimeworn Vale. Her ancestors were some of the first to settle in the valley, and she’s done all she can to make their dream a reality. She’s a hard woman, even bordering on uncaring when it comes to matters that don’t directly concern her community, but she’s fiercely protective over Rimeworn Vale and does everything in her power to keep it safe. Bif Moldabau. Although there’s no single, unifying religion in Rimeworn Vale, Seer Bif is considered the spiritual leader by most. Bif has an uncanny oracular ability that allows them to glimpse the future, though the interpretation of their visions requires much effort which keeps them busy. While not all of Bif’s interpretations of their visions have been correct, many assume they have an important insight into the future. Adgo Revrim. Chieftain Revrim is the head of the town’s militia, who are responsible for doing what they can to uphold law and order within the settlement, and to defend Rimeworn Vale from monstrous intruders and raiders. He is also a standing member of the Stoneshapers. Despite their dangerous responsibility, Adgo is an extremely caring and kind-hearted individual. That said, you certainly wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side. Calalaqii. Calalaqii is a hardened leader among the Stoneshapers. Her only focus is ensuring the safety of Prazzolar’s humanoid population. To that end, she has long promoted the idea of seeking out the greatest stone formations in the icy tundra beyond Rimeworn Vale to use as other permanent settlements. By carving tunnels and passages down where the rocky roots of the realm extend deep beneath the snow and ice, she hopes that the days of nomadic ice-block house enclaves and scattered stoneholds will someday be done, but she has so far had little support for her dream. Monsters The following monsters can be found in or around Rimeworn Vale. Yetis. The yetis that haunt the ice tunnels and caves around Rimeworn Vale are more intelligent than they had previously shown. Some believe that the yetis have mastered a twisted form of blood magic, or are at least working to that end. This is not far from the truth. Buvujax the Bloodthresher has made a psychic connection with the abominable leaders of the yeti packs, enabling them to use abyssal magic with humanoid blood as a material component. Dragaur. These white-scaled, reptilian, centaur-like creatures are the most dangerous servants of Prazzolar’s dragon rulers. Their immense size and thick scales make them formidable foes, and the aura of freezing air that they emit makes them almost impossible for regular humanoids to mount a defense against. They come to extract tithes from Rimeworn Vale on a regular basis, and are often able to force the settlement’s leaders into obedience. Plesiosaurus. Enormous aquatic dinosaurs lurk beneath the frozen surface of the river and the nearby lake. The natural predators are often content hunting schools of fish and other aquatic life. However, if they get the chance to feast upon humanoids instead, they happily take on the hunt. Plesiosaurus are unmatched for speed and agility in the water, and can easily snap up an unlucky fisher. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Rimeworn Vale. Yeti Defense. Yeti attacks are the most pressing issue for Rimeworn Vale. Although no one understands the true danger the yetis pose, they are still a major threat to the settlement because they’re preventing the miners of Rimeworn Vale from extracting lampstone. Mayoress Buknotsk is paying highly for each yeti head brought to the town. Rampant Raids. Over the past few seasons, the cannibal raiders of the frozen wastes have been trying their luck against the vale’s defenses. While they’re typically seen off by the militia, Chieftain Revrim would like to take the fight to the raiders. Adgo has sent scouts out to track the cannibals in the hope that they can be lured into a trap and killed. Bad Harvests. Last light season, Rimeworn Vale’s harvests were especially poor due to the worsening conditions caused by Rachigyostiv’s regional effects. The Valefolk struggled to gather and preserve enough to keep them going for the coming dark season, and are already starting to feel the squeeze. Thankfully, Seer Bif has had a vision of bounty. They’re not entirely sure where the supplies will come from, but have a feeling it’s connected to the titanic glyphs on the other side of Prazzolar. They’re eager to employ explorers to investigate their vision. If followed up, there’s a chance that the spirits of the glyphs manifest and send a bounty of fish to Rimeworn Vale.
Chapter 4: Prazzolar 85 The Umbral Sea The eastern portion of Prazzolar abuts the Umbral Sea. Although the water here is frozen over in most places, those brave enough to chance the dangerous frozen waters can find fish and other aquatic life for food, oil, and other resources. History The magic unleashed during the Dragonrage mutated a pack of sea lions into humanoids called otarites. With the unleashing of the Dragonrage, islands of pure lampstone rose to the surface of the Umbral Sea. The islands are within view of the mainland shore, but a white mist often obscures them from closer inspection, making reaching them all the more deadly. Current Events Recently, a group of brave—or foolish—miners called the Mist-steppers have undertaken an expedition out to the lampstone islands to investigate just how much of the precious material they could mine. However, so far this has not gone to plan as a local tribe of otarites constantly raid and hamper the group’s mainland encampment, halting any progress for reaching the mist-concealed islands. The miners are yet to set foot on any of the islands. Notable NPC The following NPC can be found in or around the Umbral Sea. Snaggergorth. The leader of the Mist-steppers expedition is a stout fellow. He is a charismatic dreamer, with visions of grandeur that often lead him, and those who follow him, astray. He has a deep hatred for the otarites and is at his wits end with the trouble they have caused. He’ll likely cancel the expedition if the otarites do not cease their constant raiding over the next few weeks. Monsters The following monsters can be found in or around the Umbral Sea. Otarites. These seal-folk remembered being hunted by the inhabitants of Prazzolar when they were in their original form. This ancestral memory has nutured a deep hatred of humanoids and dragons alike. Adventure Ideas The following adventure is linked to the Umbral Sea An Otarite Problem. Snaggergorth, the leader of the Mist-steppers based at the eastern shoreline of Prazzolar, has a problem with the local otarite tribes raiding the Mist-stepper camp. This has seen his expedition to the mist-covered lampstone islands in the Umbral Sea be delayed multiple times. Snaggergorth needs a solution: a fair peace treaty or complete eradication of the otarite tribes are both acceptable. Interplanar Rifts There is only one discovered rift that provides passage to and from the icy realm of Prazzolar. The Icy Crossing North of the Frostspurs is the interplanar rift tear connecting Prazzolar to the desert-torn blue dragon realm of Gallaht. The underground portal is accessed via a subterranean passage created by no known creature or natural force. This secret passage is known by the few locals in the area as the Icy Crossing. It consists of a large, circular tunnel that descends gradually into the earth. The interplanar rift hums with power at the end of the milelong tunnel, ice and sand mixing in equal parts. The tunnel is considered difficult terrain due to the frosty layer of ice coating the tunnel’s floor. Its 40-foot diameter also means that even the largest dragon can make the passage with relative ease. While the travel is difficult, other dangers also make trips through the Icy Crossing hazardous. Humanoid corpses from ages predating the dragons are trapped within the ice surrounding the tunnel. The spirits of these unfortunates, as well as their remains, sometimes attack those passing through the tunnel. Creatures of elemental cold also use the passage as an ambush point. See the Between Worlds section in Chapter 9 – Running the Game for more information.
86 Arora: Age of Desolation
Chapter 5: Tievmer 87 Tievmer was Arora’s beating green heart. Lush, strong forests of all types covered its hills, valleys, mountains, and coasts. Rare plants, prized for their medicinal properties, were carefully harvested and sent to all corners of Arora, improving the lives of the dracokin and humanoids alike. That was a time before the Shardscale, before the Age of Desolation. Now the forests grow thick, twisted, and exceptionally tall, and while they still thrive, casual observation reveals a sickness, pervasive in the realm. Tievmer is roughly divided into regions based on the type of forest that blankets the land. The northern boreal forests and mountains have come to collectively be called the Frost Fangs. Tievmer’s midland, thick with deciduous trees, is the Sorrow Woods. Further south, in the sweltering lowlands lies the jungles of the Verdant Furnace and the gnarled, protruding mangrove roots of the coastal Fell Barricades. Everywhere, a heavy, sorrowful feeling seeps, causing melancholy and profound grief in the dracokin. The spirit of the land mourns the loss of Tievmer’s vibrant past. The despair clinging to the choked flora has almost strangled all hope of Tievmer’s restoration. Any truths concerning Saihan, the realm’s ruling dragon, and Tievmer’s past have been lost to the centuries. In their frantic search for a Shardscale cure when the Dragonrage first struck, Saihan’s dracokin seized most scholarly writings. Over time, nearly all books and scrolls were taken to be examined by Saihan. The peoples of Tievmer were forced to rely on oral tradition, small paintings, word carvings and motifs worked into their clothing and dwellings, for their history. Thus, the true nature of Shardscale is poorly understood by most of Tievmer.
88 Arora: Age of Desolation Folktales mention the time before the dragon apocalypse, when Tievmer was a land of plenty. Taking such abundant food and natural resources for granted, the tales warn that the inhabitants became greedy, forgetting the old ways of an honorable harvest. Some areas were clearcut, farms were established, and large cities grew. This progress is what some tales say caused the Shardscale and the blight upon the land. Saihan, enraged over the Shardscale affliction, focused their ire on the subjects they had allowed to live in Tievmer. Local leaders were devoured and the healers were taken hostage, forced to search for a cure. Unable to end the malady, the healers were eaten for their failures. As the Shardscale spread, Saihan and their followers sacked the land. Almost all settlements were razed and the captured valuables were examined for any trace property that would slow or cure Saihan’s Shardscale. The land began to show signs of sickness as well, mirroring the slow spread of Shardscale across the great green dragon. At the onset, the changes to the land were slow and almost imperceptible. In the early years following the dragon apocalypse, careful observers may have noted discolored spots on foliage, or small pockets of stunted seedlings. Any who may have taken notice were far too concerned with sheltering from Saihan’s wrath or appeasing the dragon’s demands. Over many generations, evidence mounted that some force was warping the land. Acres of cleared pasture were rapidly reclaimed by the forests. The grass was overtaken by choke weed, which spread at an alarming rate. Those tending the fields were unable to keep up with the weeding, and attempts to clear the fields with controlled burns were rewarded with the explosive growth of tangled, knotted brambles, which bore no edible fruit. Amidst the tangled weeds and razor-sharp brambles, deformed trees began to grow, their canopies thickening and casting considerable shade on the ground below. However, this lack of light did not hinder the spread of weeds, vines, or brambles and the process repeated itself across Tievmer’s former farmlands. Tievmer’s agriculture collapsed entirely in the first two hundred years after the dragon apocalypse. Settlements grew smaller and communities were forced to become hunter-gatherers, for survival. Many tribes became nomadic, roaming the vast and diverse forests in search of a better life, but none would be found. Presently, Tievmer has been completely corrupted, the land blighted as the Shardscale affliction has taken hold of Saihan.
Chapter 5: Tievmer 89 Ruling Dragon Saihan, often called Venom Tongue, the ancient green dragon, has lived in the forests of Tievmer for millennia. The first true dragon hatchling of Tievmer’s original ruler, Senogar the Wilting Wind, Saihan survived their younger years with ferocious ambushes and cunning manipulations. Saihan’s control over parts of the forest grew in proportion to the dragon’s size. After some centuries, Saihan had gained a firm grip on the temperate forests of Tievmer. Pale, green fog materialized and drifted through the woods and Saihan began attracting followers willing to do their bidding, hoping to garner favor from the ambitious dragon. No longer content to bow to their mother, Saihan enacted an insidious plot to slay and overthrow Senogar. Perched upon the ruined corpse of Tievmer’s former ruler, Saihan’s attention quickly turned to their newly acquired chattel. The cunning Saihan began subjugating the people of Tievmer. There was more to be gained through harsh discipline and obedience than indiscriminate slaughter. One of the dragon’s favorite, devious methods of ensuring subordination was to kidnap the children of village leaders. In exchange for not devouring the captives, villages were expected to pay regular tributes, rapidly growing Saihan’s treasure hoard. All the while the dragon delighted in breaking the will and corrupting the hearts of their captives. As village leaders advanced in age and gradually lost power, Saihan would return the enslaved, proclaiming the once hostages as the new village leaders. The new leaders preached stories of Saihan’s benevolence, indoctrinating their communities with Saihan’s poisoned teachings. Within a generation Saihan wrested control of all Tievmer and all but ensured there would never be an insurrection against the mighty dragon. With Saihan’s plans complete, the dragon settled into their lair, content to be worshiped and accept their subjects’ lavish tributes. In accordance with Jha-dhol’s decree, Saihan, as one of the five ruling true dragons, contributed assets and energy to maintain the Great Abjuration. Centuries passed, wealth continued to flow into the lair, and Saihan did not have to shake a scale to maintain the carefully planned order of Tievmer. During this relatively peaceful time, communities grew, agriculture spread and the entire realm prospered. The Dragonrage heralded the beginning of Tievmer’s dark days. In one instant, everything changed. At the onset of the Dragonrage, Saihan sensed other dragons going feral and felt a subtle change begin in themself. Saihan was losing control and sensed a failing in the Great Abjuration. Upon noticing the first, tiny blemish of Shardscale, the vain dragon attempted to hide and ignore the deformity. The years crept by and so crept the branching lines of taint and imperfection. In a fury, Saihan demanded their followers produce a cure and spat venomous retribution on those failing to yield results. Ferocious rage can be expected from a prideful, ancient dragon whose appearance has been marred, but what are they capable of when their mind begins to crack, weakened by the insidious Shardscale incursion? Denizens of Tievmer Many denizens of Tievmer scavenge and hunt for survival. They keep to the dark gloom, battling the melancholy of the realm as much as the land and monsters within it. Corrupted Animals. Saihan’s influence over small beasts has grown with the Shardscale affliction. These animals have grown sharp thorns, twisted vines, and patches of bark protruding from their fur or between feathers. Claws and beaks are sometimes replaced with living wood. Succumbing to the madness emanating from Saihan, Tievmer’s beasts tend to be aggressive. It is well known that corrupted animals can be Saihan’s eyes and ears and intelligent races attempt to hide from, or rapidly dispatch these beasts in the hopes of avoiding unwanted attention from the tyrannical dragon. Dracokin. The dracokin of Tievmer, though subjects of Saihan, are all descendants of the original ruling dragon, Senogar, though very few alive today know this fact. Most serve the dragon in all of its vein attempts and ambitions, though there are a few across the realm that tread their own path through the forest, serving no master. Worshiping the mighty Saihan, groups of kobolds have taken up residence in many of the ruins of former settlements, destroyed by the dragon. To the kobolds, these sites are sacred, representing the divinity of the dragon. They tunnel beneath the ruins, creating minor hoards with trinkets and baubles they find. Numerous kobolds serve Saihan directly, running errands, cleaning, organizing treasure, and fulfilling any number of other minor tasks without hesitation. Dryads. The twisted corruption of the forests of Tievmer have driven away many dryads and ensnared others. The last bastion of true dryads is the Sequoia Grove in the Frost Fangs. The dryad population focus their energy on repelling the Shardscale’s influence from the borders of the grove. In other areas, unfortunate dryads have been trapped and twisted, bent and corrupted like the trees they are tied to. These fey creatures have turned malevolent and lash out at all living creatures passing near to their trees. Fey. The twisting of the land occasionally opens portals to the fey realm, attracting evil faerie creatures to the corrupted forests of Tievmer. Reveling in the dark, twisted forests, these fey chant prayers to the Shardscale stricken Saihan. The indigenous peoples of Tievmer have learned to look for the presence of the evil fey to avoid becoming a victim to their malice. Flora. In the gloom beneath the blanketing canopy, some sickly varieties of plants cling to life, leeching barely enough nutrients from nearby roots to grow. Many species of plants have become carnivorous and in an instance of cruel irony, most edible varieties of plants were affected first, diminishing the available food supply and increasing the danger of collecting it. This situation presents an awful dilemma. Does one risk being killed by attempting to harvest an edible plant, or does one kill the plant first, ensuring a safer harvest but preventing future collection from a known site of food? Inhabitants battle starvation while avoiding being eaten, existing in a world in which life is a constant struggle.
90 Arora: Age of Desolation Giants. Several groups of giants are known to reside in the forests of Tievmer. In the snow-capped Frost Fangs of the highlands, frost giants maintain their stronghold. Hill giants have carved out territories within the Sorrow Woods. The hill giants have formed smaller, less well-organized groups, hunting areas in proximity of their encampments. The giants, tolerated by Saihan, pay the dragon tribute which, thus far, has prevented their annihilation. Groups of giants are likely to have pieces of metallic, humanoid gear kept as ornamentation. Giant Spiders. Giant spiders have been incredibly successful in the forest gloom of Tievmer. The close-knit, twisted weave of plant growth provides ample shelter and anchor points for webbing. The spiders prey on vermin and sentient creatures alike, their clever ambushes rivaled only by Tievmer’s carnivorous plants. Humanoids. Many small groups of humanoid tribes make their life under the musty canopy of Tievmer. Huddled in the dank, gloomy forests, many are resigned to their fate, believing there is no cure for Saihan’s affliction. Others continue to hope and rely on routine and discipline as they hack back the encroaching overgrowth, and scavenge for food, believing each additional day of survival is another day of opportunity to discover a better life. Lost Beasts. Created before Arora was torn into Five Realms, many of the lost beasts survived the Great Abjuration. For those that still reside within the Realm of Tievmer after the Five Realms were remade, they began to mutate, over time during the Age of Desolation these beasts have a developed a twisted hatred for dragons and their kin, often attacking them and their allies on sight. Skeletons. Most creatures that end their lives in Tievmer are reclaimed for their resources. Carnivorous plants and insects neatly strip the flesh and sinews from the bones which can spontaneously animate, haunting the places where they died. Skeletons are not found near poisonous water or fog, as this repels all but the heartiest carnivorous hazards of Tievmer. Zombies. Creatures that meet their demise from the poisonous hazards of Tievmer often return as zombies. Though the cause of their reanimation is unclear, these monsters are frequently found near areas filled with poisonous fog and bodies of tainted water as most scavengers leave the toxin-filled victims alone. Environment Tievmer’s overgrown forests are perpetually damp. The once vibrant, forested land was a well-regulated, self-contained ecosystem. Now the tangled, twisted canopies block much of the light from the sky and restrict air flow. The boreal forests of Tievmer’s upper elevations receive heavy snowfall in the cold months. Prevailing winds bring frequent warm updrafts from the temperate lowlands, creating miserable, freezing rain. During the short periods of thaw, the Frost Fangs become a muddy, impassable morass. The Sorrow Woods region experiences rainfall nearly half of every week. With limited sunlight and little airflow, the moist, foggy underlayer is musty and carpeted with all manner of fungi. Slightly more light reaches the forest floor here during the colder months. Heavy frost and moderate snowfall is common though the snow is often poisonous as the cold air forces moisture out of Saihan’s noxious fog clouds. The jungles of the Verdant Furnace are plagued with oppressive humidity which makes it difficult for the unaccustomed to breathe. This region is perpetually warm and experiences daily rain. The sweltering heat and suffocating humidity push creatures to the brink of exhaustion with expiration from dehydration a frequent occurrence. The Fell Barricades, though not spared of Tievmer’s southern heat, have a comfortable humidity thanks to the ever-present ocean breeze. This airflow keeps mold and mildew growth to a minimum. Weather patterns are more unpredictable here as violent thunderstorms can blow in from the ocean, without warning, causing severe downpours and massive storm surge waves. Dangers and Survival Tievmer’s resources are scarce. Once a land of plenty, Saihan’s wrath and Shardscale affliction have stripped away the promise of abundance, casting those who dwell there into a perpetual fight for survival. Much of the free-flowing water has become tainted and poisonous, with dehydration, exhaustion and expiration an everpresent danger. The reliable ability to grow food has all but disappeared from much of Tievmer, making hunting, foraging, and scavenging essential tasks. Poisonous Fog. Green poisonous fog floats through the air beneath Tievmer’s dense canopy. At times, billows of toxic fog gently roll across the forest floors, forcing creatures to flee or become enveloped. Other times, the fog hangs in the stagnant air, blocking passage until it dissipates, which happens at random intervals. Scavenging parties can find themselves cut off from their homes by walls of poisonous fog. Some banks of this poisonous fog do not kill creatures outright but, instead, poison their minds, spreading deep feelings of despair, negativity and futility. Those enchanted by the fog lose all sense of themselves and simply give up on living. Skeletal remains can be found where creatures have simply laid down and waited for death. Forest Fires. Pockets of twisted, choked trees, dead from lack of light and exposure to poisonous water are prone to forest fires which are intense but short lived,
Chapter 5: Tievmer 91 killing everything trapped within. These blazes are typically sparked by lightning from violent storms. The high humidity and frequent rainfall prevent widespread fires amongst other lush, vegetative areas. Wildlife. Ambushes by opportunistic predators such as spiders, giant vermin, ankhegs, and carnivorous plants, all of which thrive in present day Tievmer, are a near constant threat. Hunters and gatherers frequently fail to return home after falling victim to the ever-present hunger of the forests of Tievmer. Coastal mangroves, which typically provide shelter for small or newly hatched fish, have become warped and carnivorous, preying on any creature that swims too close. Coastal Conditions. Attempting to navigate the coast is a harrowing experience. Few beaches provide a suitable location for a vessel to make berth and violent waves threaten to dash watercraft against the Fell Barricades, impaling sailors on the jagged, impassible roots. Dragon’s Informants. Saihan keeps close tabs on their subjects, when the mood strikes. The dragon can see and hear through the eyes and ears of any corrupted animal in Tievmer. By some accounts, Saihan can even speak messages through these animals. Fearful of the dragon’s potential presence, residents of Tievmer choose their words and actions carefully, hoping to avoid Saihan’s notice. Survival Tactics Now a twisted and sick forestland with pockets of nightmare fueled pocket dimensions, Tievmer is a rough place to survive in. Folk in Tievmer who are unaccustomed to the following survival tactics of the realm often find themselves lost, sick, disoriented, or dead. Treetop Movement. Moving through the canopy of Tievmer is a safer way to travel this land, as many of the dangers of the ground layer of the forest realm are very deadly. This doesn’t completely negate danger, but certainly increases the survival chances of humanoids and dracokin alike. Vine Swinging. Experienced folk of the treetops tend to swing on vines to travel through the tangled and twisted landscape providing better freedom of movement. Trackers. Identifying tracks and signs of dangerous creatures and areas is a necessity for survival in Tievmer. Many traveling parties have fallen to the dangerous and dark spaces of the forest realm simply because they had unwittingly stumbled into a green dragon’s lair, a dreamspace pocket, or a tangle of lost beasts. Jungle Mist Masks. Utilising the jungle mist masks when poisonous fog slowly rolls through the lands in which a traveler is slowly making the way through the tangles of wood, is an effective way not to fall victim to the fog. Know your Flora. Knowing what dangerous plants to avoid, especially the carnivorous ones, increases a party’s chances for survival in the deep forests and around the coastal mangroves. Fungi. There are many mushrooms found across Tievmer, and these eating them can have random effects, some of which can assist a desperate traveler in surviving just one more day. These mushrooms are called chaos shrooms by the local Tievmer folk, but it is suggested to keep use of these mushrooms to a minimum, only taking a chance on them where no other option seems available, as their adverse effects are just as likely to manifest as their helpful effects.
92 Arora: Age of Desolation Geography Tievmer is one of the most geographically and biologically diverse of the Five Realms. Sprawling, dense forests of all types dominate the land. Saihan’s influence has pushed the boreal forests further north and to higher altitudes than trees would normally grow. Rocky, snowcapped mountains peek out of the greenery. Deep clefts, carved out by the southward flowing rivers, difficult to spot, through the dense taiga, carry Tievmer’s largest supply of untainted water southward, on its journey to the sea. The mountains slowly give way to the gently rolling hills of the Sorrow Woods, Tievmer’s deciduous forest. Here, in the darkest thicket, beneath a towering, twisted strangler fig, lies Saihan’s cenote lair. The overgrown, leafy canopy prevents most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor, which is cave-like, wet, and blanked by decaying vegetation. Walls of sickly-green fog unexpectedly float through the forest, obscuring vision, cutting off creatures from their shelters and causing them to lose their way. Much of the water passing through the Sorrow Woods becomes tainted, fouled by Saihan’s poisonous influence. Further south, the temperate forests give way to the impossibly lush jungles of the Verdant Furnace, which occupy Tievmer’s lowlands. The ample sunlight striking the canopy allows for rapid growth and expansion of the trees and vines here. Sweltering heat and smothering humidity accompany the daily rainfall. The coastal regions bordering the southern jungles are home to dense mangrove forests which leave very little beach and make accessing Tievmer by boat exceedingly difficult. Saihan’s power over Tievmer has allowed these mangrove forests to extend far into the briney sea waters, which buffet the trees and roots with sizable waves. On the patchy beaches, sharp roots poke out of the sand, forming the Fell Barricades and deterring exploration. If not for the crushing waves, the sharp roots would continue to spread outward from the savage heart of Tievmer. Tievmer has several known settlements, typically situated near reliable, clean sources of food and water. Tievmer no longer contains major cities—the twisted land and poisoned environment cannot support them. Ruins of former settlements, destroyed in the Dragonrage, have shown a slight resistance to Saihan’s corruption. These sites, notably Deminar, Oakstill, Quair Mountain Quarry, and Stranglevine Valley, are likely to contain edible plants and potable water. No one is sure why these locations resist the spreading corruption. Perhaps the land remembers being carefully tended, echoing with lives remembered from so many centuries ago. Other such pockets of resistance are scattered within the forests of Tievmer, though their names have been lost to the ages. Thanks to their life-giving resources and shelter, these sites are hotly contested and are frequently resettled because no tribe or group of monsters is able to hold the locations for very long.
Chapter 5: Tievmer 93 Important Locations The following sections detail some of the most important and notable locations in Tievmer. Caeresh The southern beaches of Tievmer are choked with mangroves and sharp, twisted roots, making it difficult to launch or land watercraft. Caeresh is the lone open beach in all of Tievmer, thanks to daily heavy labor clearing vines and cutting back invasive roots. History Prior to the Age of Desolation, Caeresh was a bustling port, with ships transporting goods from all over the realm. Today, beyond the borders of Caeresh, the plant growth is only stopped by the shifting waves. Culture This is a relatively stable settlement with abundant food harvested from the ocean and potable water collected from the daily rainfall. The port has succumbed to the decay of five hundred years of disuse and the residents are largely ignored by Saihan. No shipping means no new items or medicine have been discovered near Caeresh. Current Events Occasionally a lost vessel or shipwrecked sailor will wash up at Caeresh, hoping for rescue or resupply, only to find the community has nothing much to offer. Those living in Caeresh are assigned daily duties by its current leader, Steeg. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found at Caeresh. Kolvinn. A humanoid sailor who tends to be hopeful and generally homesick. Three years ago, Kolvinn’s ship, The Kestrel, sank in a storm several miles off the coast of Tievmer. Clinging to a rope wrapped around a barrel, Kolvinn washed ashore at Caeresh. No other survivors were found and little usable material washed up in the following days. Kolvinn is eager to convince the people of Tievmer that better lives exist in the other four realms of Arora, through the interplanar rifts. Sadly, their ideas have not gained much traction as most who have spent their lives in Tievmer have given into despair, unable to fathom a different way of life. Lacking the skills to survive travel through Tievmer’s forests, Kolvinn stays near Caeresh, eagerly awaiting the arrival of newcomers who might listen to his appeals. Steeg. The leader of Caeresh has helped the community carve out a life on the beach through careful planning and routine execution. Everyone in Caeresh has an assigned duty. Under the watchful supervision of Steeg, food and shelter are secured, the encroaching jungle is kept at bay and threats are repelled. Caeresh’s latest resident, Kolvinn notes Steeg’s management of the village is not unlike a captain’s mastery over their ship. Steeg is uninterested in exploring far from the village of Caeresh, believing nothing good could thrive under the twisted, poisonous canopy of the Verdant Furnace. Steeg also sees no point in exploring the coast by water vessel as the Fell Barricades make it highly unlikely that exploration will yield a suitable landing site. Life has persisted in Caeresh since the time before the dragon apocalypse and through careful adherence to Steeg’s rules, they believe the community will survive indefinitely. Adventure Ideas The following advent ures are linked to Caeresh. Pay Tribute. Characters have been chosen to protect and deliver their community’s seasonal tribute to Saihan. The village leader believes they may have discovered a key ingredient in the cure for Saihan’s Shardscale and is certain the village will be rewarded for their efforts in delivering it to Grundarm, the dragon’s enforcer. News has been leaked of the potentially important ingredient, and characters must travel to the appointed rendezvous point while avoiding being robbed of their tribute and potential reward. Flotsam and Jetsam. A rare sight is glimpsed on the horizon by a resident of Caeresh. Kolvinn recognizes the shape as a ship, in distress and listing badly. Several sailors can be seen lowering a small raft and climbing aboard as their ship sinks beneath the waves. The strong winds and current won’t allow these unfortunate sailors to reach the safe beach of Caeresh and it is unlikely that people unfamiliar with the lands of Tievmer will survive its hardships for long. The characters are implored to cross the Fell Barricades and rush to the aid of these shipwrecked souls. Deminar The ruins of Deminar lie just south of Saihan’s cenote lair. This was a once proud city but fell to ruin during the Age of Desolation. It is now often frequented by scavengers, treasure hunters, and monsters from the forests, though not many who enter ever return and none have ever delved very deep. History The once proud city of Deminar was populated by Saihan’s most devout followers. Residence was granted as a reward for loyal service, by the clever dragon, who used the city and its residents as a layer of insulation against insurrection. In an act of twisted irony, Saihan laid waste to Deminar first, shortly after the onset of the Shardscale’s effects. The dragon’s fanatical followers who once lived here were unable to produce a cure and were severely punished for their failure. Current Events Presently, the upper ruins of Deminar are occupied by a tribe of kobolds who worship Saihan as a god. As a sign of deference, these kobolds chant prayers to the dragon and paint their scales green.
94 Arora: Age of Desolation Dreamspace Pockets Dreamspace pockets are psychic mini-realms of dreams, thoughts, and memories. They are most commonly found in the Sorrow Woods and are areas where the fabric of the physical realm is thin and one can simply step, or accidentally wander, into the dreamspace pocket. The entrance into dreamspace pockets typically look like a dark patch of shimmering, shadowy air (though variations have been known to exist). Some people talk of keys and spells that can allow someone to shift into or out of dreamspace pockets from anywhere, theoretically allowing another method of interplanar travel to Tievmer. If they do exist, though, they’re closely held secrets. Generally, dreamspace pockets are chaos driven nightmare-realms of fear-driven illusions, monstrosities, and corrupted memories. Within a pocket, logic falls apart entirely. A tower might have bricks formed from bolts of lightning held together with mortar made of hurricane wind. A giant, unblinking eye grows out of a field of bleeding thorns. The sky in the dreamspace is a mass of churning, dark green, black, and red swirling clouds, obscuring the heavens. Much like the thoughts and dreams of mortals, the dreamspace pockets are constantly in flux. Koppies. When a large number of mortals share similar desires, anxieties within the dreamspace pocket, or other strong emotions, this psychic energy can be captured in a dreamspace pocket and condensed into a relatively stable area within it known as a “koppie.” History Long before the Age of Desolation, before the Great Abjuration, before the world was divided into the Five Realms, the dreamspace overlapped the material realm everywhere: the two coexisted harmoniously across the span of the world. The Shardscale, unfortunately, have deep ties to the world of dreams. To enhance the protective power of the Great Abjuration, when the Realms were divided, the dreamspace was decoupled from the physical realm, and its majority was, in a sense, shut away from the material world. Some pockets, however, remain in secluded parts of the Sorrow Woods, particularly in the areas surrounding Sporefog Hollow. The folk of Tievmer have come to call these places Dreamspace Pockets. Current Events With the Great Abjuration now not entirely whole, these dreamspace pockets became unstable nightmare-realms found in the dark places of the Sorrow Woods. Notable NPC The following NPC can be found in Dreamspace Pockets. The Curator. The Curator is a tall, hooded, and cloaked individual who can be found at a koppie called the Museum of Teeth. He says little but points grimly at various specimens in his collection with spindly, scarred fingers. No one knows what really caused this koppie to form, but the Museum of Teeth has been a stable part of the dreamspace pockets for decades. The museum is a small moss-covered hut seemingly larger inside than it appears from the outside. Inside, there are teeth everywhere, of all shapes and sizes, in jars, bottles, and bowls. Framed on walls and displayed in glass cases. Dangling from silk chains and embedded into sculptures. One room has tiling made of teeth glued together with a paste made from ground teeth. Adventure Ideas The following adventure is linked to the Dreamspace Pockets. Teeth for the Curator. If the Curator is approached in the Museum of Teeth, he tells the characters that since the Dragonrage, he’s lost the regular supply of teeth and is looking to expand his collection. He offers a magical artifact as reward for a sack of teeth.
Chapter 5: Tievmer 95 Forest of Bones On the border between the Sorrow Wood and the Verdant Furnace is a dangerous grove of awakened carnivorous plants. Skulls and bones of devoured creatures have grown into the trunks, branches and vines of this region. This grisly sight deters most who stumble upon the Forest of Bones, though brave, foolish or desperate souls still venture in, hoping to find valuable gear left behind by the deceased. Current Events Tribes of dracokin and intelligent monsters alike have learned to fear Tievmer’s carnivorous plants. Some have devised methods to weave walls of twisted, dead branches, roots and vines to form barricades against intrusive, carnivorous plants or incursions from the warped, starving lost beasts, native to the forests. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to the Forest of Bones. There Is a Light. A small community has been fortunate. Two seasons ago, wildfire burned down a section of forest, adjacent to their settlement. Diligence and hard work have yielded small food crops now that dappled sunlight has been allowed to penetrate to the forest floor. The plant life is rapidly reclaiming the burned site and soon the light will be blocked. Timing could not be worse as the current crop is not ready for harvest. The characters are asked to scale the dangerous growth and cut back the canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor for long enough to see the crop to harvest. They are advised to avoid being eaten by plants or other creatures as their presence in the treetops will be hard to hide. Due to the rapid growth of Tievmer’s forests, the characters will need to figure out how to survive in the canopy for several weeks. The Lure of Death. Dracokin have been witnessed to cease what they are doing and walk straight into the Forest of Bones, never to return. It has long been known that this region presents particular dangers to animals and humanoids, but the recent disappearances are a harbinger of a new evolution of threat to the area. The characters are asked to venture to the Forest of Bones and learn the truth behind what is luring denizens of Tievmer to their deaths. The characters encounter a newly mutated awakened carnivorous plant that produces a pollen capable of charming its victims. They must navigate a living, changing labyrinth of deadly plants and vicious brambles to discover the truth of the disappearances and recover lost artifacts from the time before the Dragonrage. Frosthold Long ago, the frost giants used their tremendous strength to carve out a stronghold in the side of the Frost Fang Mountains. Partially obscured from below, the well-placed entrance to this stronghold is sheltered from the elements and offers a commanding view of the south. History Lookouts guarding Frosthold can glimpse the trees of the Sorrow Woods, on a clear day. Aside from frost giants, no creature has entered Frosthold and been allowed to leave, as the giants guard their secretive operations carefully. A small camp, at the base of the mountain, serves as a decoy dwelling. Here the giants conduct business with other races of Tievmer and present their offerings to Saihan. In this fashion, Frosthold has avoided detection by Saihan and the giants prefer to keep it that way, until conditions are right. Current Events Draeg Iceburn has grown bolder, sensing Saihan’s weakening grip on Tievmer. The giants are quietly consolidating power over the Frost Fangs. Upon learning that Saihan’s dragaur enforcer, Grundarm, is not nearly as discerning as they are brutal, Draeg has instructed the frost giants to offer only token tributes to Saihan over the past ten years. In this way, Draeg has amassed a sizable war chest which they plan to use against the dragon when conditions are right. The giants have been plundering the north and have recently taken woodworkers from Tolgen hostage, forcing them to aid in the construction of fortifications and war machines. Notable NPC The following NPC can be found at Frosthold. Draeg Iceburn. The frost giant jarl controls much of Tievmer’s northern Frost Fang Mountains. The giants have respected Saihan’s rulership but as more is learned about the Shardscale, Draeg sees an opportunity to elevate themself from jarl to king. Over the past century, Draeg has secretly been hoarding wealth and items, while sending token offerings to Saihan. Draeg has no intention of challenging Saihan directly and patiently waits for the dragon’s demise "Tievmer?!? Really? Even the blasted plants will kill you." - Nyben, Grobb Smuggler
96 Arora: Age of Desolation Greenwater River Stretching from the mountainous upper elevations of the Frost Fangs to the low lying Fell Barricades, this large river transports the bulk of Tievmer’s water to its endpoint in the ocean. Tainted by Saihan’s poisonous influence, the river and its tributaries consist of waters of various hues of green. The green color and concentration of poison deepen as the waters collect downstream with the noxious liquid at its highest potency where it enters the ocean. A large plume of dead and uninhabited ocean spreads for several miles from the mouth of the Greenwater. Though the water varies in its levels of toxicity, it still supports life. Lost beasts and aquatic monsters have adapted to survive in the Greenwater, posing threats to those near its banks or traveling on its surface. Cultures The dracokin communities of Tievmer fight every day for survival. In most areas, the main concern is finding enough food and potable water amongst the twisted growth and poisonous fog. Many inhabitants are malnourished. Growing food is difficult for several reasons. The thick canopy in the Sorrow Woods and Verdant Jungle blocks almost all light from reaching the forest floor, casting the ground in deep shadow or near darkness and stunting the growth of newly sprouted food crops. North, in the Frost Fangs, deep snows or sloppy mud prevent traditional agriculture. In suitable climates, growing plots are largely determined by the chance break in the treetops caused by wind or lightning. Very occasionally a brave soul will scale the massive trees for the purpose of pruning back the twisted overgrowth, allowing more direct light to penetrate to the forest floor, in the hopes of harvesting some nutritious food though they are often unsuccessful. Current Events Nuts and berries found near the Greenwater may be poisonous and if edible, are typically small, misshapen, and astringent. The dracokin of Tievmer have developed a process of crushing these nuts and berries, along with bits of smashed vermin from insect swarms, into a paste and drying them. This effort serves to reduce the unpleasant taste and yields an edible fruit and nut leather. This staple food is rot resistant and can be found amongst most cultures in Tievmer. Adventure Ideas The following adventure is linked to Greenwater River. Sail Away. In the village of Caeresh, Kolvinn has finally convinced village leader Steeg that sailing across the water and entering the interplanar rifts located miles offshore is the only way to escape the spreading corruption of poisonous Tievmer. Kolvinn, along with several other shipwrecked sailors could construct a vessel and navigate the dangerous waves and currents of the ocean. The problem is that there is no suitable wood to construct such a vessel, except for the redwoods of the Sequoia Grove in the Frost Fangs. Characters must travel across Tievmer to procure wood, either by harvesting it themselves or trading for it with the frost giants or the villagers of Tolgen. Once secured, the wood must be transported back to the coast, perhaps via the Greenwater River.
Chapter 5: Tievmer 97 Lorpel Humanoid denizens of this jungle village have taken to the trees to avoid the dangers of corrupted animals and carnivorous plants which thrive in the hot, humid jungle. Living in the canopy, several hundred feet above the jungle floor, provides some relative safety, though daily hardships occur. History Lorpel was constructed in the early years following the Dragonrage. For hundreds of years the community has subsisted on hunting birds, tree dwelling animals and large insects as their main source of food. Rainwater is collected in vessels woven from abundant vines, to sustain the community. From the edges of Lorpel, villagers see expansive forests in all directions, save for the north where viewers can glimpse the snow-tipped Frost Fang Mountains. This isolated community rarely interacts with other groups within Tievmer, preferring to stay aloft over venturing around the jungle floor. Cultures Extreme scarcity has caused humanoid communities, such as Lorpel, to take drastic measures. Some have set population limits. Travelers without their own food and water are not even permitted to shelter for the night. New births are matched with sacrifice of the old or sick, or in rare cases where everyone is in good health, exile for a former member of the community. The exiles rarely survive, traveling the unforgiving forests in search of shelter and sustenance. In some particularly grim pockets of dark forest, cannibalism exists. Food is so scarce that not a scrap ever goes to waste. Current Events Residents of Lorpel have been collecting sturdy vines to make rope ladders to get into and out of their village. The spreading corruption of the land has resulted in alarming food scarcity. Much of the game harvested from recent hunts has shown strange mutations, notably twigs, thorns and leaves growing from parts of their bodies. Jemett has forbidden anyone to eat these corrupted animals, for fear that the sickness will be transmitted through the community. A tough decision has been reached to send scouting parties to the forest floor to look for more food and assess the conditions of the Verdant Furnace. Notable NPC The following NPC can be found at Lorpel. Jemett. Jemett resides in the treetop village of Lorpel. Years of relative isolation has left them wary of outsiders. Having led the community of Lorpel for nearly thirty years, Jemett has preached the importance of self-reliance. The passing of each year at their station showed the surrounding jungle to yield fewer and fewer resources. In compensation, Jemett instituted well defined laws to govern the community. Jemett instructed residents of Lorpel to remain secretive and to never disclose the location of their village, in the hopes of avoiding raids from dracokin, monsters, or Saihan’s savage minions. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Lorpel. The Descent. Jemett, the leader of Lorpel has noticed the community’s treetop hunts are diminishing in success. The characters are given a mission to descend to the forest floor, several hundred feet below the canopy and return with food and a report of the area immediately below the village. No resident of Lorpel has left the relative safety of the treetops in years and no one can say for certain what condition the understory of the Verdant Furnace is in. Scavenge the Surroundings. Volunteers are needed for a scavenging expedition. The characters are the healthiest members of their community and are ordered to venture out in search of food and usable resources. The last group sent out ventured west and never returned. The characters may choose to follow in the footsteps of the missing group, though none are expected to be found alive, or they may reasonably decide to explore elsewhere. "You cannot understand. We are helpless victims of an unending hunger. It gnaws at our bones and poisons our minds. What was once unthinkable is the only thing that offers hope in this accursed land." - Anonymous Villager
98 Arora: Age of Desolation Oakstill This community is built upon the skeleton of the village of Still Oaks which, in a rampaging fit, Saihan leveled shortly after the Dragonrage. Oakstill is one of the largest villages in all of Tievmer, notable for lying on the bank of a yet undefiled lake, making Oakstill one of the few settlements with a reliable source of potable water. History Monsters and giant vermin appear frequently, in search of this essential natural resource. Due to these incursions, the humanoids who have settled in Oakstill are used to deadly skirmishes. Visitors seeking water who skirt the edge of the village are typically allowed to do so in peace. Those with designs on claiming the land for their own uses are not tolerated. Cultures Textile crops cannot be reliably grown in the gloom of Tievmer. The readymade solution lies with Tievmer’s copious spider population. The residents of Oakstill have managed to capture a species of giant spider for the purpose of collecting its silk. The durable, flexible cloth spun from the silk is highly sought after and fetches high returns when available for trade. In regions where spider silk cloth is unavailable, denizens clothe themselves in animal hides, insect shells and pliable leaves or strips of woven vines and bark. Current Events In the village of Oakstill, a resident named Bremm has been pondering methods of cultivating food sovereignty, realizing sources of nourishing food dwindle with each passing year. Oakstill’s spiritual leader, Pentva, believes a final judgment is nearing. The weak will be wiped from forests of Tievmer, leaving only the deserving faithful to usher in a new golden age and a rebirth of mighty Saihan. Some, having witnessed no evidence of Saihan answering their prayers, are beginning to harbor contempt for the dragon, blaming Saihan’s inactivity for the deteriorating condition of Tievmer. Notable NPCs The following NPCs can be found in Oakstill. Bremm. This introspective dragonborn lives in Oakstill. During their lifetime, they have witnessed the rapid decline in the habitability of Tievmer. Despite enduring the hardships of the daily struggle for survival, Bremm has not given into despair. They are clever and have a knack for using every resource to its greatest advantage. Bremm devised the apparatus to capture and hold the giant spiders, for the purpose of extracting their silk. Bremm does not believe that the affliction plaguing Saihan can be cured. Bremm thinks, for better or worse, the dragon’s sickness should be allowed to run its course, though unlike Pentva, Bremm does not believe Saihan will be reborn. Though, perhaps ridding Tievmer of Saihan, by any means, will restore balance to the forests. Bremm’s main goal is helping as many communities as possible survive until Saihan’s demise. Pentva. This fanatical druid dwells in Oakstill and has known a life of fearful worship of Saihan. The misguided druid holds daily services, giving thanks to Arora and Saihan for the hardships they provide. Pentva believes the spreading malady on the land is a test and the struggles of daily survival are to weed out the weak. Pentva teaches others that the crucible of Shardscale will result in Saihan’s rebirth, elevating the dragon to godhood. In their heart, they know the true believers will be rewarded once the trial is complete. This deep belief in Saihan causes Pentva to fiercely oppose any actions that might upset the balance of Tievmer, as it is. Pentva, having witnessed no actions to the contrary, believes fellow Oakstill resident Bremm to be entirely likeminded. Adventure Ideas The following adventures are linked to Oakstill. The Round Up. Some of the giant spiders used to produce spider silk cloth, in the village of Oakstill, have died. Bremm enlists the aid of the characters in locating and capturing several of the creatures to resume production of this important commodity. The trick is finding the appropriate bait and capturing the spiders before the bait is eaten. Mysterious Disappearances. The village leader makes a startling announcement, residents have been disappearing. Death regularly visits the gloomy forests of Tievmer, but something is different this time. If the characters investigate notable areas around their village, they find carnivorous plants amongst the twisted bramble and berry bushes, but no victim’s remains. Lost beasts are discovered to be sharing the village’s source of drinking water but there is no sign of battle and giant spider webs remain empty. In the course of their investigation, characters discover the true culprit is an ankheg. A Floating Garden. The characters are approached by Bremm, a would-be-farmer dragonborn who has a fantastic idea. They explain that the community of Oakstill’s well-being would be drastically improved if it were possible to reliably grow crops, but the nature of Tievmer has made that impossible. But what if food could be grown on the water? The characters are tasked with traveling to the Verdant Furnace to retrieve a suitable amount of rot resistant wood. The plan is to use the wood to create a floating platform to house a container garden, which would receive ample light. What kind of unwanted attention this apparatus would attract is anyone’s guess. "As glorious as an Oakstill Coat." - A Tievmerian expression for something of value