The Wealdstone Gorge

Geography

Outside. You travel through the gorge for a number of hours, the sounds bustling town disappearing into the distance leaving you alone with the echoes of birds and the wind reverberating between its walls. As the foothills of The Ersatz Mountains come closer, and the walls of the canyon begin to rise in tow a change in the rock comes into view a head of you. A pair of large, wooden doors with barred, glass windows rests embedded in the stone. Large, iron hinges attach it to a strong frame and the overall construction appears very much intact. At their centre, a sturdy lock affixes the doors together whilst housing an opening for an unusual-shaped key.

Door has AC 15 and 5 HP.
Lock requires DC 18 check to pick.
The threshold of the tunnel behind the door has Alarm cast upon it by Stratos. The trigger is when something enters the area. This could be people walking or parts of the door (which normally opens outwards) if it is broken.
If the alarm is triggered, Statos will become alerted to the presence of someone entering the mines. She will inform Terra who is already down there and tell him to be vigilant.

Mine Entrance. Passing the threshold, a tunnel delves deep into the mountain side. After 200ft., you emerge in the bottom-right corner of a large, open chamber carved from the surrounding rock. The chamber is approximately 300ft. across and 100ft. deep, the far side from your entrance corves partially into a secondary, smaller chamber. The roof of both these areas rises about 20 ft. before rounding off. The floor is covered in an array of cold, metal tracks connecting in a variety of places before each coming to rest at a set of barriers in the secondary chamber. The tracks all to an opening in the eastern wall where the walls and roof begin to narrow. The air is musty and damp and everywhere is silent, save the occasional skittering of rats which clearly inhabit the area.

DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals crafts filled with abandoned iron ore.
DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals a single crate filled with mouldy seeds and grains
DC 10 Nature (Intelligence/Wisdom) check reveals this to be bird feed.
DC 15 Perception check reveals unlit torch sconces around the room, enough to illuminate the whole chamber.

Cart Storage. Pressing east, you follow the tracks to the point at which they all converge into a single set. To the right of this smaller chamber lies a rusted set of complicated-looking levers alongside sets of metal wheels and assorted pins and screws. To the left are three metal carts, two currently resting on their side against the wall of the mine while the third stands next to them on its wheels. Each appear to be fully intact, if slightly dusty.

Moving the carts on its side back onto the tracks requires a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) check. The DC is reduced to 15 if four or more people are involved.
The upright cart is a Mimic and will attack the moment somebody touches it.
Once the cart is on the tracks, a series of levers will be visible inside. Deciphering them requires a DC 15 Land Vehicles (Intelligence) check. Passing will allow greater control of the cart later, if used. Failing will still give a basic understanding of functionality, but nothing more.
The carts are magical and can move along the tracks unaided from the directions give from the levers. It has a movement speed of 10ft. They can be coupled together in order to aid travel, in such circumstances both carts follow the front’s instructions. They will not be able to find purchase on the ground and will therefore have a movement speed of 0ft. off the track. Each cart can hold two medium creatures ‘comfortably’, or three medium creatures ‘uncomfortably’, for the purposes of tracks hazards.

Riding the Cart. As the cart begins to move, it descends into the dark tunnel and its speed begins to increase. You round a series of large corners with ease, the momentum of the cart carrying you round them comfortably.

DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals a small tunnel carved into the right wall.
If the driver successfully deciphered the cart controls earlier, they can choose to stop here.
If the driver failed to decipher the cart controls fully earlier, they much succeed on a DC 20 Land Vehicles (Wisdom) check if they wish to stop here.

The cart continues onto a straighter section whilst the state air blows through your hair.

DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals a junction in the upcoming track. One path continues forward, while the second curves to the right down a separate tunnel.
If the driver successfully deciphered the cart controls earlier, they can choose which path to take.
If the driver failed to decipher the cart controls fully earlier, they much succeed on a DC 20 Land Vehicles (Wisdom) check if they wish to take the right path.
Group DC 12 Dexterity saving throws from each cart. The save is made at disadvantage if occupants are ‘uncomfortable’.
If the group fails, their cart detaches from the other and derails, crashing into the wall. Each occupant takes 2D10 bludgeoning damage from the impact.
On a success, the cart is successfully kept on the track and the occupants continue into Bridge Room 1.
If the driver chooses forward, the occupants continue to The Southern Chamber.
If the driver chooses left, the occupants continue to The Junction Room.

Bridge Room 1.

Arrival by Cart. As you round the corner the slope dips, gifting you enough momentum to travel into the next room.

You emerge onto a wooden bridge which spans a gap approximately 50ft. wide before joining to a carved chamber roughly 100ft. by 100ft. The wood creaks loudly as you travel, and it continues to shift in place as you reach the other side. Where the bridge meets this chamber, the metal track once again splits in two. Two tunnels lead out of this room, one to the east and one to the south, with a single track leading from this room junction through each of them. Finally, at the bottom of the 30ft. chasm the bridge crossed, two smaller tunnel extends into the rock, one to the north and another to the south.

DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals unlit torch sconces around the room, enough to illuminate the whole chamber.
DC 25 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals echoes of deep grunts and impacts coming from the eastern tunnel.
To climb to the lower portion of the chamber without equipment requires a successful DC 12 Acrobatics (Dexterity) check or DC 12 Athletics (Strength) check. Failing causes the creature to fall, resulting in them taking 3D6 bludgeoning (falling) damage.

Junction Room. You enter into a massive underground chamber, akin to the one you first entered into. The room is roughly 200ft. in all dimensions with a 30ft. high ceiling. The track beneath you is one of many which make their way into this room from various other passageways, each connecting and linking in various places to make a network of junctions. At the center of the room is a set of buffer stops where two other carts currently sit. Two other tunnels lead out of this chamber, one in the north east corner and one in the north-west, both heading out through the northern wall. Another tunnel leads out though the eastern wall, however a heavy-set, wooden door currently bars the way. Finally, amongst the snaking railway lie the bodies of four humanoids, each surrounded by a pool of red ichor.

DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals unlit torch sconces around the room, enough to illuminate the whole chamber.
DC 25 Perception/Survival (Widsom) check reveals blood splatter and footprints leading from the north-eastern tunnel to the bodies along side sets of larger, humanoid-like footprints which lead back down the tunnel.
Door has AC 15 and 5 HP.
Lock requires DC 15 check to pick.
DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) or Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals that the frame of the door and the space between all the boards and stone are filled with a thick tar.
When the door is open, there is a noticeable breeze past the doorframe as the natural gas escapes into this room.
If there are any lit flames within 20ft. of the doorway, the gas ignites and all creatures in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4D10 fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
The gas will continue to fill the chamber over the next hour. At the end of that hour, if there are any lit torches in the room, the gas ignites.
The gas continues to spread through the mines at a rate of 100ft. per hour, igniting every time it comes into contact with flame.
Any creature who attempts to short rest whilst in a room filled with natural gas must succeed on a DC … Constitution saving throw or suffer 1 level of exhaustion.
There are four humanoids in total: two humans, a half-orc, and a halfling.
DC 10 Medicine (Wisdom) check reveals the humanoids have been dead for a couple of days. None of them are recognisable.
DC 15 Medicine (Wisdom) check reveals the cause of death was by large slashes and punctures to the body, though the way the bodies are torn apart makes this difficult to decipher at first.
DC 15 Nature (Intelligence) check reveals this to be like some kind of large ape attack.

Bridge Room 2.

Entering from Bridge Room 1 (by cart). As you leave the quiet chamber behind you, you descend into the eastern tunnel. The track continues to bend and twist, however having seen a decent potion of it thus far you are prepared for the worst of the bends. Eventually, the slope steepens once more, and you see it open into a new hollow. You speed onto the bridge at its entrance, similar to the previous room, however this time there in a problem. Debris from the roof over the years of inactivity has cause the bridge to collapse at its center. It is clear in the fraction of a second you have to take this in that you will not clear the gap.
To escape the cart safely requires DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A success gets you to the other side whist a failure results in failing the 30ft. to the base of the cavern, suffering 3D6 bludgeoning damage.
Entering from Bridge Room 1 (by foot). As you leave the quiet chamber behind you, you descend into the eastern tunnel. The track continues to bend and twist, and you walk for quite a while before you once again enter into a hollow.
Entering from the Junction Room. As you leave through the north-eastern tunnel, you follow the track down the roughly hewn path until it bisects, one path continuing north, the other heading east. As you continue east the tunnel eventually bends to the right and you emerge into a new hollow.

Description. The chamber is a rough, triangular shape, approximately 150ft. on each short side with the longer side on your left/right slightly over 200ft. long. The ground is littered with pickaxes shovels and large, timber beams used to frame the preceding tunnels. Looking around, multiple portions of the wall appear chiseled and slightly concaved, indicating the start of new tunnels in a variety of places. To the western side, a large, wooden bridge extends over a crevasse with the track connecting the tunnel at its other end to the tunnel in the south-east corner. The center of the bridge has been broken from falling debris, leaving a 20ft. gap over the 30ft. deep recess. Finally, to the north-west the chamber extends and bends eastwards into a wide passageway.

If the alarm wasn’t tripped at the entrance and no explosion was cause in the junction room. The sound of heavy grunts and movements from multiple creatures can be heard from the north-western passageway. DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals the deep voice of a man interspersed among the growls.
If the alarm was tripped at the entrance or an explosion was caused in the junction room, a DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals the quiet clinking of metal on metal down the north-western passage before it stops and goes very silent. DC 25 Perception (Wisdom) check reveal the sound of heavy breathing coming from multiple creatures also down the passage.
DC 25 Perception/Survival (Wisdom) check reveals footprints leading from the north-western tunnel to the south-western tunnel, alongside sets of larger, humanoid-like footprints heading in bath directions.

The recess is 100 ft. long and 50ft. across with tunnels leading to the north and south. Through the center of it, a web of wooden beams crisscross and extend to the bridge above. Other pieces of broken timber appear scattered across the floor from the damage above.

DC 12 Acrobatics (Dexterity) check is required to get though the bridge struts unabated. Failure results in knocking into the frame, causing more to fall and 1D10 bludgeoning damaged to be suffered.

Training Ground. As you round the corner from the chamber, you watch as it opens out into a large, 20ft. wide tunnel. The timber beams which regularly frame the passageways you have seen are much thicker and regular here in order to support the higher 15ft. tall roof. It extends for 200ft. before opening into a small, torch-lit chamber at its end. From this distance, it appears likely wider than deep and to its right rests a large column of rough stone.

Terra and 3x Girallons inhabit the far room. If the alarm wasn’t tripped. They will be seen in the middle of some form of training session when they spot the party. If the alarm was tripped, they will be hiding (using pass without trace) in wait for the party. There will be a surprise round in combat involving those who were not spotted from the Perception (Wisdom) checks in the previous room.
A portion of the rear wall of the training room (initially obscured by the column of stone) is an illusion hiding a small corridor of stone and the door to the laboratory. Terra will look to escape down this tunnel during this combat using pass without trace (if not already active).

Southern Chamber. Leaving the end of the track and passing the cart buffer, you descend the smaller tunnel as it curves to the south-west. After 100ft. or so, the path splits. One path continuing forward, one path heading north.

DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals this to be the same tunnel they came from.
Two duskmantles hide in the roof of the room and will attack the first things which enter the room.

North-Eastern Chamber. This tunnel appears small and narrow. Clearly one of the newer exploratory passages in the days this mine was fully functional. You continue down it slowly, ducking your head in a few places before you eventually round a corner leading to an apparent dead-end. Roughly hewn rocks cover the floor and pile up against the far wall and each step down here causes dust and loose chippings to dislodge from the unsupported stonework.

DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check or Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals a dim light coming from within the pile of rubble. Digging into it reveals a ‘Pickaxe’. Alternatively, disturbing the rock pile will also reveal this.
Disturbing the stone too much down this tunnel causes a mild cave-in. Should this happen, anyone inside the tunnel must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 1D10 bludgeoning damage. Doing this increases the DC to find the ‘Pickaxe’ by 5 and stops it being able to be found by accident.

Eastern Chamber. You pass through the wood doors and descend into the unusual tunnel. You continue down it for a couple of minutes, feeling the mild breeze drift past you, before you reach a substantial cave-in. The rock appears to be solid and unmoving, however just by the upper right corner of the debris is a small opening, approximate 2-3 inches across.

Upon inspection, it’s clear the draft is coming from the small opening. The opening extends indefinitely and there is no way to remove the debris.
If the opening is blocked, the gas cannot escape into the mines and the risk of explosions and exhaustion is abated.

North-Western Chamber. You make your way down this smaller passage as it twists and turns into the side of the mountain. Eventually you reach a small 10ft. by 10ft. chamber where the tunnel ends. It is empty. During Short Rests in The Laboratory. If the party takes a short rest, Boil will happen upon them halfway through his crew of six para-genasi veterans. They will attack, but Boil will look to escape after three veterans die. If the party tries to be stealthy during this rest, they must make a group DC 12 Stealth (Dexterity) check. If they pass, Boil does not find them until after they have completed their rest, otherwise, he attacks them before they complete it. Floor 1 Entrance Hall. You pass into the small tunnel, following its path upwards as it curves to the north. Eventually the rough, stone walls become smooth and suddenly gives way to cold sheets of metal. At the same time, the darkness you have become accustomed to dissipates as white light comes from a room a head. You enter into a brightly lit chamber with walls of polished, silver metal illuminated by magic, glowing orbs which rest in small, metallic braziers approximately 10ft. off the floor. The room is 30ft. across 20ft. deep with three paths leading from it. To the right is a well-made, polished wood door with iron hinges and a gold handle. Ahead of you, in the center of the far wall is a similar-sized, polished-metal door which matches the rest of the room. Finally, to the left is a corridor leading eastward where the light eventually diminishes.

Bother doors are unlocked, however the wooden one creaks loudly.

Living Room. You enter into a lavish, well-sized living room. The room is 20ft. by 30ft. and decorated in complete contrast with ornate, wood paneling and plush, beige carpet. A large, mahogany coffee table rests at the center of the room with three, brown leather armchairs and a matching two-seater sofa placed around it, all below a modest iron chandelier with more luminescent orbs. A small drinks trolley sits at the south-east corner of the room with a glass front cabinet housing crystalware next to it. Finally, to the north and east are two more wooden doors leading out of the room.

DC 10 Perception (Wisdom) check reveal a silver plaque above the door you entered from. It appears to have hooks where it could hold something lengthways.

Dining Room. Ahead of you is a similarly, wood panelled, 25ft. long, 20ft. wide room. At its center is a long, wooden table with five chairs around it, two on the left and right and one at the head opposite you. Familiar glowing orbs frame the doorway you stand in as well as a door on the far side of the room on the left-hand wall, facing north.

DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals 3x potion of greater healing are among the bottles on the table

Kitchen. You open the door into a large kitchen space, approximately 20ft. on each side. The room is filled with counter tops and cupboards holding dry ingredients. Knives and other utensils can be seen neatly hanging in various locations. Everything is very neat and well-organised. At the rear is a smaller room, 5ft. square room which extends into the space in the far-left corner.

The room at the back is filled with hanging meats. It appears to be being used to preserve food.

Armoury. A small set of stairs descends into a darkened, 25ft. by 15ft. room. Through the vale, you make out three rows of large, wooden racks, with more lining most of the surrounding walls. Each is filled with an assortment of weapons, from swords and shields, to axes and warhammers. At the back of the room, on the northern wall, another small set of stairs leads to a door out of the room.

DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) or Investigation (Intelligence) check on the walls reveals a secret door on the western wall, between two weapon racks.
If a weapon is taken, roll a percentile dice. On a score of 33 or lower, a trap activates.
The weapon is attached to a chain in the floor. Pulling it activates a series of pressurized acid vials in the roof. Each creature in the armoury must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2D10 acid damage on a fail, or half as much on a success. All weapons in the armoury and each unsheathed, nonmagical weapon is rendered useless by the acid.
DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals holes in the ceiling of the room for the acid to come out of. Plugging the holes disables the trap.
DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check on the weapons reveals the chains which trigger the trap.

Terra’s Room. You push open the wood do to reveal a private quarter. A 15ft. square chamber lit dimly by candles and with minimal furnishings. A simple bed sits against the left fall, with a simple set of drawers next to a large wooden mannequin at its far end. Meanwhile, to the right side of the room, a small table rests with a black, onyx altar with a small offering bowl.

The offering bowl contains the blood collected from Terra’s flail. A read-stained rag it tucked under the side of the bowl. The blood appears old and partially congealed.
The room is under the effect of the hallow spell. All who enter must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be too frightened to enter the room.
The onyx altar is worth 1,000GP. Removing it does not break the hallow spell on the room.
A lockbox containing Terra’s Necklace of Lesser Teleportation is hidden in the set of drawers at the back of the room. DC 12 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals the box.
The lockbox has AC 19, and 5 HP. DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks the box.
The lockbox is trapped, DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals this. DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks the box and disables the trap.

Boil’s Room. You push open the wood do to reveal a private quarter. A 15ft. square chamber lit dimly by candles and with minimal furnishings. A hammock is attached to the walls in the far-right cornet from where you stand. Simple, but functional. Across from it on the left side is a modest writing desk and chair with a candle flickering by its side.

One the table is a ship in a bottle. The ships name is ‘Siren’s Bane’.
DC 20 History (Intelligence) check reveals the story of the ship. It was a merchant vessel which famously earned extra coin by hunting monsters in the sea between Norford and Wesdale The captain and first mate were mutinied, and the ship hasn’t left port since.
DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals Boils diary, a collection of his stories since joining Catalyst. It details the following:
His joining the crew of ‘Siren’s bane’ and the injustice aboard it.
Catalyst’s attack on the ship with the help of the genasi labourers.
Some months later, Catalyst’s rally in Newport, including the presence of a member of The Order of the Wildfire, followed by his assignment to kill Aelar Calsano.
The events in Linstead, and the order’s continued presence. Though confused as to the reason for their presence, he goes into detail about his distain for the order, calling them ‘fake bloods’ and ‘unworthy of ascension’.
His return to Newport to find Catlalyst in prison. His infiltration of the barracks and their escape after fighting through the city guard.
His return to Wealdstone with the rest of his crew, after picking up ‘unexpected cargo’ in Linstead. Catalyst appears to have made his way back alone.

Stratos’ Room.

The room is locked. DC 12 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks the door.

You push open the wood do to reveal a private quarter. A 15ft. square chamber lit dimly by candles and with minimal furnishings. The bed is situated against the right-hand wall. Opposite it, to your left, is a 10ft. long table with drawers filled with vials and jars, some of which appear to be attach to various pieces of apparatus. Under some are small burners, currently unlit, and a collection of smaller drawers sit on the corner of the table. The whole room is filled with an assortment of unusual smells, from musky to metallic.

DC 10 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals this to be the only room lit by magic light.
The larger drawers under the desk contain various books and research papers.
DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals notes on her current experiments, including:
Books on Frostfell, The Fountains of Creation, The Swamps of Oblivion, and The Great Conflagration. Otherwise known as the para-elemental planes.
Accounts of capturing elementals for research and material components.
Attempts to fuse humanoids and beasts with elemental magic to create genasi. Mostly successful, but subjects killed afterwards for security.
Attempts to fuse existing genasi with different elemental magic to create something new. Para-Genasi, the marriage of two elemental within a single host.
References to the Order of the Wildfire as a justification. How can it be inhumane if the gods would ‘gift’ people with this?
Last pages of the book filled, implies this might not be the end of the research.
DC 12 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals letters addressed to Biomancer Stratos. They contain research theories and mathematical equations linked to magic. The theories link to both the research found and also to previous experiments, including the mixing of other humanoid races at another synthesis research facility in the northern Badlands. The letters are all addressed from Arbaroth Colmik of a guild known as Synthesis.
DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals:
A mention of Stratos’ apprentice, a gnome mage named Jorzu Cobblethread who is an adept transmutation wizard.
Calculations involving five teardrop-shaped items and some kind of magical device linked to the elements.
The small drawers contain a variety of alchemical reagent for potion making and spellcasting.
The draw containing the research is trapped. DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals this. DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check disables the trap. If the trap is triggered, a creature within range takes 1 piercing damage and 11 (2d10) poison damage, and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 hour.

Brook’s Room. You push open the wood do to reveal a private quarter. A 15ft. square chamber lit dimly by candles and with minimal furnishings. This room is finished with a simple bed, closet and dressing table in much the same way as the others, however things are not quite right: The wooden frames are nicked and gashed with numerous blade cuts; the doors of the closest are filled with holes, some just minor divits while others pierce straight through; and rates bearing a horrible smell like stacked in the corner of the room opposite the bed.

DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check under the bed reveals a secret compartment in the one of its legs. It contains the last professions Brook has of her family.
An old rag doll with a tag reading, “To my wonderful sister. Love Ara”
A tarnished gold ring, with a message on the band saying, “Forever and Always.”
A roughly worn leather coin pouch, bearing an image of a Port Town.
DC 10 History (Intelligence) check reveals it to be Astlough, in the Dunmer Province.
DC 12 Survival (Wisdom) check reveals the damage to be dealt by arrow and dagger.
The crates at the back of the room contain a collection of scalps from Brooks kills. They are kept in straw to absorb the blood. Each is carefully organised, rolled into small pockets. Going through them reveals a few empty spaces in one create. One of which has a piece of bloody parchment in it reading, “The fire bitch from the bridge.”
DC 12 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals a secret door behind the closet in the stone which leads to Catalyst’s room.

Catalyst’s Room.

The room is locked. DC 12 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks the door.

You push open the wood do to reveal a private quarter. A 15ft. square chamber lit dimly by candles and with minimal furnishings. This room appears very simple. There is no bed, but a simple mat and pillow lies on the floor where one might stand. A second, smaller one sits at the center of the room emblazoned with an intricate design. A modest table, with a stool, rests in the far-right corner with an assortment of books it and finally, on the far wall, a painting hangs, decorated by a dark-wood frame.

DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals the painting to be a scene of The Cloudspires, the largest mountains in Concordia.
DC 20 History (Intelligence) check reveal the stitching on the central mat to be the symbol for a group known as The Harmony, a genasi-based organization that worked to change society’s perception of the race in the years immediately after the confluence. They eventually disappeared after public opinion continued to diminish and it became too unsafe.
One of the books on the table is Catalyst’s personal diary. Going through it details the following parts of his life:
Catalyst’s time at the monastery he trained at. He studied the elements as part of this but eventually developed an affinity for his own element over the others.
His brother, Ash, and his decision to eventually leave the monastery to attempt to do more for their people and promote peace.
The death of brother at the hand of a group of humans. The weight of his death affects Catalyst for many months.
After resolving most of his grief, Catalyst vows to take a more proactive approach in spreading the ideals he was taught and believed.
His first meeting with Biomancer Stratos in Wealdstone and their agreement to work together what he calls their ‘shared vision’ for the future of the genasi.
Many months later, a quest he left to go on, searching for an item known as Uxatonus.
It ends with a more recent account of his travels after returning from this quest, including his journey Newport, his capture at the hand of a group of adventurers and eventual escape, before finally his detailing his return to Wealdstone to inspect Stratos’ work.
There are two scrolls on the table. The first in a map of Concordia with various locations circled and then crossed out in red ink. The only location not crossed through is The Bay of Blackblade, just south of Norford. The second has a picture of a beautiful sword on in. Based on the proportions, it’s a great sword. It has a thick hilt with five teardrop-shaped cut-outs in it. Next to the cut-outs is the word ‘abumagi’ (meaning scales of energy in draconic).

Guard Chamber. You continue west down the metal-lined corridor where the light eventually diminishes. Rounding a corner to the right, you enter into small, 15ft. by 10ft. chamber. The room is empty save for two, lit torch sconces bordering a heavy, metal door. The door matches the walls in design, save for to defining features: A large lock to its right and an even larger, wheel with four spokes at its center.

The Door has AC 19, 27 HP and a damage threshold of 10.
The door is locked. DC 20 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks the door.
The lock is large enough for two people to help with the check (granting advantage).
Before the check is attempted, it is clear it will be a difficult lock to pick due to its size and the weight of the tumblers.

Prison. You pass through the door and round a left and right turn before the familiar metal surfaces end and you enter into this next room. Hewn stone walls wrap around this 65ft. by 10 ft. chamber. They are illuminated by a handful of dimly-lit torches on the eastern walls. At the far end, a door, currently closed, can be seen. This one appears to be made of metal in a similar way to the pervious, however it is much smaller, fitting in a standard doorway. Finally, from the doorway you stand in, you count five 8ft. tall recesses in the western wall each possibly leading to a different location.

Recesses 1, 2, 4 and 5 extend 5ft. before reaching a barred prison cell.
Recess 3 leads to the teleportation circle.
Prison cell 1 is empty, but contains a trap which leads to the basement training grounds.
There are two ways to trigger the trap. The first is by pull in the torch sconce opposite the room. The Second is by tampering with the trap itself.
DC 15 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals a deep groove in the stone on the group which extends to either wall, and then around the entire room where the floor meets the walls. The same check made to at the torches reveals a hinge on the bottom of the sconce.
DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check disables the trap, if this check is failed, the trap triggers.
If the trap is triggered, the floor opens outwards, creating two slopes leading into a smooth, stone shaft. The shaft leads to the center of the basement training grounds. Each creature who goes down the shaft takes 1D6 bludgeoning damage from the fall.
Prison cell 2 contains a group including a male halfling, a male half-elf and a female half-orc.
This is Verna, Peren and Emen, who the party met on the Ersatz Pass on the 28th Frondfall and helped to rescue their tiger, Lily.
They travelled to Linstead after the encounter and met Boil with some of his followers at ‘The Wandering Bard’. After a few drinks, a druink-fuelled argument began between Peren and one of Boil’s followers. This resulted in a fight in the alley outside the tavern where lily was killed by Boil. Next thing the three of them knew, they were waking up in the back of Boils caravan, bound and gagged. They were transported here and locked up.
They been here a little under a week. In that time, they have seen heard people from Prison cell 4 being taking through the northern door. Typically, one at a time. The last one went yesterday.
Prison cell 3 contains a group of dwarves.
The dwarves are the ones recently taken from Tordelvar (North).
The explain they were teleported into this room, just down the corridor and lock up here. They were met by a male water genasi and a female air genasi who locked them in here, before telling them they had big plans for them.
They have seen heard people from Prison cell 4 being taking through the northern door. Typically, one at a time. The last one went yesterday.
They also say there were a group of other prisoners in prison cell 1 yesterday, but they haven’t heard them today and no one has seen them leave.
Prison cell 4 is empty.
DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals signs of scraps in the walls and group made by finger nails leading from inside the cell to the door and out.
The floor of the corridor is also trapped, as a precaution to escaping prisoners.
DC 20 Perception (Wisdom) check reveals a deep groove in the stone around the base of the wall.
DC 15 Investigation around the northern door reveals a secret button which activates the trap.
DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check on the button disables the trap, if this check is failed, the trap triggers.
If the trap is triggered, the floor drops into a slope towards the eastern wall and all creatures in the room (not the cells) slip down it into a chute which leads to the basement training ground, taking 1D6 bludgeoning damage as they fall.
Boil and his crew are searching the complex for the party. If they spend too much time in the prison, he will arrive via the northern door and speak to them about how theyre all doomed before triggering the trap. He will then head to the armoury where the basement entrance is.

Teleportation Circle. The recess extends into a 20ft. corridor before opening out into a torch-lit 10ft. by 15ft. room. At its center is a raised, circular, stone platform with carved arcane symbols painted red, and in the bottom right corner is a simple wooden door leading north.

DC 10 Arcana (Intelligence) check reveal this to be the same circle which was seen at Tordelvar (North), specifically the one Baran and Punk did not jump through.

Decontamination Chamber 1. You pass through the door and continue into a matching hallway of polished metal and soft glowing light. The corridor turns left and eventually right before opening into a 10ft. by 15ft. open space. Opposite is another polished, metal door. Between it and you, a pedestal holding a green-glowing orb. Its light seems to pulse gently while its colour appears to swirl gracefully, as if filled with pearlescent liquid.

The orb and pedestal form a large magic construct. When a creature moves within 5ft. of the orb, it senses the presence and emits an arcane pulse. All magic of 5th level or lower is immediately dispelled.
Casting dispel magic (DC 15) on the orb suppresses this effect for 1 minute.
The orb and pedestal are immune to most damage, in the same way magic items are.

Research Lab. You enter into the south-east corner of a large, 40ft. by 30ft. room. All around you, the metal-coated walls are covered by bookshelves and tables covered with scientific apparatus. A variety of other stations exist around the center of the room. One appearing to be a large alchemical station, another large table contain a mix of organic specimens, and a third contains a drawing table and some books. The same familiar, soft-glowing orbs illuminate the entire room and the whole place has this incredibly clinical atmosphere. In the north-west corner of the room, on the opposite wall, you see another metal door.

DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check on the western wall reveals a secret door behind on the bookcases near the northern door. Inside it is a spiral staircase leading upward.
DC X Arcana (Intelligence) check on the alchemical table reveals the raw components for various poisons. The following table explain what is revealed (roll randomly):
1 – simple acid
2 – alchemist’s fire
3 – Burnt othur fulmes
4 – Carion crawler mucus
5 – Malice
6 – Essence of ether
7 – Oil of taggit
DC 10 reveals 1
DC 12 reveals 2
DC 15 reveals 3
DC 17 reveals 4
DC 20 reveals 5
DC 25 reveals 6
DC 30 reveals 7
A DC 15 Arcana (Intelligence) check reveals what each of these does.
On the drawing/reading table. A selection of books can be found. They are titled:
The Inner Planes Encyclopedia: Volumes V - VIII
V – Frostfall
VI – The Swamps of Oblivion
VII – The Great Conflagration
VIII – The Fountains of Creation
Chronicles of Wildfire, A History of the Order.
The table also has various sheets of parchment covered in arcane illustrations and formulae.
DC 15 Arcana (Intelligence) check reveals these drawing detail magical storage devices for holding creatures securely.
DC 20 Arcana (Intelligence) check reveals on of the illustrations seems to be the rudimentary plans of some kind of magical fusion device, though it is difficult to understand its purpose, only that it appears to be fore combine magical energies.
The table covered in organic components is generally unpleasant, though well-organised.
Most of the table is covered with pieces of dragon bone, goat horn, lion fur, grey chitin plates and bony, red spikes.
DC Survival (Wisdom) check reveals what these are, though not the origin of the plate and spikes. He spikes resemble an armadillo shell, while the spikes are discovered to have secretion holes for poison.
DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals that among the specimens are essences of elementals: air, earth, fire, water.
DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals:
Similar essences based in: dust, ice, magma, mud, smoke, and steam.
Genasi tissue sample, or each of the four major elements.
DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals a couple of genasi samples which seem unusual (related to the 6 para elements).
On the right-hand wall, a table between two bookshelves houses a small diorama showing the four elements swirling round each other inside a glass jar (worth 500 GP).
One the south wall is a lower desk, designed for a smaller humanoid, with various books on transmutation magic scattered over them.

Specimen Storage. You pull the door open and step though into the next chamber. This room is much larger, 60ft. by 40ft., and with good reason. Many large, iron-barded cages fill part of the center area of this room as well as surrounding most of the outer wall. Some of these are covered by thick, black blankets and sounds of low growls can be heard coming from within. They end short of the eastern wall where a raised balcony, reach by sets of stairs houses further research space. At this balcony, two people stand. A gnomish man, wearing worn, brown robes and carrying a staff with a gemstone atop it, and an air genasi woman with pale blue skin and long white hair. She wears a brown jacket and matching trousers alongside a red scarf. Over both her shoulders, crossing at the center, are two belts housing various vials filled with different coloured liquids. The pair of them look up as you enter, and the woman speaks.

“Well, well, well. It appears that we have guests.”
Stratos will try to talk to the party about Baran and Punk being ideal fire genasi for her research, making a point to praise them both.
She will mention The Order of the Wildfire and her opinion, that their work is hardly unethical if the gods themselves perform it.
Should conversation go well, and interest her, she will mention her home of Portholme and her own philosophy, “People stop and ask themselves whether 'they should', I'm here to see whether 'we can'.”
Should Brockley make himself obvious. She will act surprised first, questioning him quickly, before becoming angry and looking for a chance at revenge.
The battle starts when she snaps her fingers and releases some of the caged animals.
Stratos is joined in by a CR 4 transmuter, a chimera, a bulette and a manticore. If the fight goes poorly, she will dimension door away as soon as she knows she is able.

Surgery. You enter into a 20ft. square room. Everything in here appears very clinical, more so than the other chambers you have seen. The metal walls appear polished to a shine and the room is well luminated by four glowing orbs in each of the corners as well as a large orb at the center of the ceiling, however the potential function of the room feels you each with a sense of dread. A large, metal table, complete with body restraints, takes up the center space. Next to it is a matching, wheeled counter containing various sharp instruments. Brown, leather aprons hang on pegs in the north-east corner with a wash basin next to it. There room has a total of four metallic doors leading out from it, one of each wall.

The table is magical. Any humanoid who touches it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity Saving throw of become prone and restrained on the table (escape DC 15). A creature who fails to get out of the restraints three time will alert Boil and his crew, who will then arrive at the room and attack.

Furnace. The metalwork gives way, and the corridor descends a 15ft. hewn stone ramp before opening out into a matching, small 10ft. by 15ft. room. The room is completely featureless, except for two soft, yellow light orbs and a raised stone platform, approximately 8ft in length along the back wall. The platform is smooth and contains numerous, small hole on its top surface.

The platform is a furnace. When a creature climbs onto it, the lights will turn read for 6 seconds before flames erupt from the holes, lasting 1 minute. Creatures on the platform when this happens, must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4D10 fire damage on a fail or half as much on a success.

Experiment Observation. This room resembles an infirmary ward. The room is 20ft. long and 25ft.across and has eight beds are set up in this room, four along the north wall, four along the south wall facing each other. Each bed appears made and currently out of use, and also has a set of body restraints attached to the frame and tucked under them. At the opposite end of the room, another metal door leads out of this room.

The restraints in this room are not magical. Although, if any humanoid gets into one of the beds and gets out again, it triggers an alarm which notifies Stratos, signified by the orbs in the room then glowing red. She will send her assistant to investigate while she prepares in the next room.

Decontamination Chamber 2. You enter into a 10ft. by 15ft. open space. Opposite is another polished, metal door. Between it and you, a pedestal holding a green-glowing orb. Its light seems to pulse gently while its colour appears to swirl gracefully, as if filled with pearlescent liquid.

The orb and pedestal form a large magic construct. When a creature moves within 5ft. of the orb, it senses the presence and emits an arcane pulse. All magic of 5th level or lower is immediately dispelled.
Casting dispel magic (DC 15) on the orb suppresses this effect for 1 minute.
The orb and pedestal are immune to most damage, in the same way magic items are.

Genasi Sleeping Quarters 1. You enter into a long, torch-lit, 15ft. by 30ft. chamber filled with beds and trunks. The furniture appears simple in construction and each of the beds has been made. On the back wall are a number of heavy mannequins. Enough for one for each bed.

Each of the trunks are locked. DC 10 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks each of them.
Each of the trunks contains simple commoner’s clothes and a small coin purse (1D4 GP, 2D6SP, 4D6CP in each).

Basement Floor 1 Training Ground. You enter into a massive, dimly lit chamber onto a 10ft. wide corridor. On your left and right (or all side), you see version stone pillars and shapes creating a network of passages which cross each other in an impossible number of ways, creating a maze-like structure.

Upon entering, the party hears the distinctive laugh of Brook alongside the shuffles of footsteps. She will taunt the party first before attacking with three Master Thieves with short bows.
If Brook is reduced to 1/2 her hit points, or if the three Master Thieves are killed, she will escape to the armoury.

Floor 2 Genasi Prison. At the top of the staircase, on the corner of a stone corridor, sits a solitary, wooden door. Its hinges are thick, and its lock is broad.

The door is locked. DC 15 Thieves’ Tools (Dexterity) check unlocks each of them.

The chamber inside is small and dark, no larger than 10ft. by 20ft. No light illuminates its interior, save for one, poorly maintained torch by the entrance. Inside the bleak and damp interior, three humanoid shapes come into focus. They appear clothed in ragged furs and layered linen.

The three humanoids are air genasi from Breezehome.
Sometime in the last few weeks, Catalyst sent Stratos to Breezehome to attempt to conscript members of the village to join their cause. Their goal was to bolster their numbers, secure representation of all four genasi subraces and acquire possible test subjects, as they had no air genasi subjects. Stratos failed as none were interested in taking up her offer, Gale Windcaller went as far to tell her never to return. In the nights that followed, Brook, along with some of the conscripted genasi, kidnapped a number of air genasi and brough them to The Wealdstone Gorge for experimentation. Gale Windcaller does not know what happened to her people, only that they are going missing.
The genasi’s names are: Squall, Echo and Zeph.
The genasi know they were taken due to a lack of air genasi subjects and that Catalyst is having the same issue with fire genasi.
Two others who were taken with them, Bora and Whirl, were taken way and haven’t been seen since.
If Ulmarra discovers air genasi behind the door before it is opened, she will not leave until they have been rescued.

Genasi Sleeping Quarters 2. You enter into a long, torch-lit, 15ft. by 30ft. chamber filled with beds and trunks. This room is incredibly plush, with thick duvets covering the beds adorned with vibrant red and gold blankets. Next to each bed is a robust full-length wardrobe, and the room smells of a rich wood. At the opposite end of the room, on the eastern wall, is a second wooden door.

volunteer
susceptible

Secondary Research Lab. You enter into a small, (secondary), research facility. This area filled from floor to ceiling on each wall with thick, wooden bookcases, each brimming with manuscripts and scrolls. At the center of the fool is a large table with two chairs bookmarked by two iron candleholders, each currently lit. Another glowing orb floats at the top of the room like a chandelier, illuminating everything you see. Finally, a second entrance into the room exists on the northern/western wall.

One the table are an assortment of old, history books.
DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals each of these books to contain fragments of information on an ancient weapon known as ‘Uxatonus’.
DC 12 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals the weapon having ties to powerful elemental magic.
DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals the elemental magic is native to the material plane.
DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals a book about dragon breeds among the piles.
The library around the table is fairly extensive. If anyone spends 10 minutes looking for information on a particular subject related to Concordia, the elemental planes or transmutation magic, a DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check will reveal it. Unrelated subjects are revealed on a DC 20 check.

Genasi Observation Room. As you enter into this chamber, the first thing you notice is the smell of disinfectant combined with a strange mix of ash, musk and salt. As you pass the threshold, you see eight beds set up in pairs in the four corners of the room. Next to each bed is a small table and stool. The tables each have pieces of parchment, quills and ink adorning them alongside miscellaneous glass bottles, some filled with liquid, others without. Three other doors lead out of this chamber, one each to the north/east/south/west.

The tables contain various notes of “patients” and their recovery from “the Procedure.” DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check reveals those who had complications match up with eh tables with empty vials and those who were stable have full vials by their beds.
Three of the table have full vials. They contain Potions of Advantage.
Two of the tables have notes reading the patient died after “exposure.”

Elemental Storage. You enter into a 30ft square chamber illuminated by a single floating orb. For its size though, only a small potion of the floorspace remains. Surrounding the eastern, southern and parts of the Western sides of the room, large, cylindrical, glass vat line the walls. At their edges, they appear reinforced with heavy, iron rings. There are six in total, each containing something large within.

The first contains a whirlwind of sand and dust particles.
The second, a pile of large ice chunks which appear to rise up and down as if breathing.
The third. A pile of dark black slag, with crimson red striations decorating the crack across its surface.
The fourth appears to be filled approximately 1/3 of the way up with a dark-brown muck.
The fifth is completely filled with a black, poisonous fog with flecks of embers dancing through it.
Finally, the six polarized the last, being filled with a white, translucent smoke which stirs and roils aggressively.

On the northern wall, next to the first vat, a large set of double, wooden doors lead out of the room.

Each of the vats contains an artificially made para-elemental: Dust, Ice, Magma, Mud, Smoke and Steam respectively.
The vats each have and AC 23 and 27 HP with a damage threshold of 16. A Dispel Magic spell reduces these to AC 13, 27 HP with a damage threshold of 0.
If disturbed, the elementals with act aggressively. If broken free, they will be friendly to the party.
Each elemental has two voices, due to its formation being from two separate elementals from the main elemental plans. Each speaks in its native langue, yet the voices bounce between each other seamlessly.
The elementals goal is to be destroyed so it can its essences can return to their home planes.

Para-Genasi Laboratory. As you push the wood door(s) open, you enter into the grandest chamber you have seen since you began your journey. A 60ft. square chamber of polished metal walls, glowing arcane orbs and a high, 30ft. tall ceiling greets you. At its base, four large, glass columns of pulsing elemental energy rise 10 feet before large, metal reinforced tubes continue up to the ceiling before each crawling to a solitary, fifth column located on a large balcony on the western wall. A single set of stairs on the northern wall connects the two levels while a set of grooves in the floor connect the 10ft. wide door in the southern wall to a similar one in the east atop a raise ledge.

Within the room are the remaining members of Catalyst group (those who had not died in previous encounters). They will be located around the room attempting to reroute the pipes leading to the 5th column into the eastern room. They will have only just started though and as such nothing will be disturbed.
he 5th column has a magical, sliding, glass door. When a creature steps inside it, it will seal unless another creature takes an action to place a hand on it to unseal it. If a creature is sealed inside and another creature used an action to place their hand on one of the other pillars. The process of infusing that creature with the elemental magic from that column begins.
A creature inside the 5th column must make a DC Constitution saving throw as the column begins to fill with lemonal energy. On a success, after 1 minute, the creature is imbued with elemental power and its race changed to that of a genasi of the element they were imbued with. An existing genasi who succeeds race is changed to that of the para-genasi of the element they were imbued with combined with the element they previously represent (for example, a fire genasi imbued with water elemental energy becomes a steam para-genasi). On a fail, after 1 minute, the creature dies.
Seeing the party arrive. Catalyst with show his anger towards them, before commanding the other to stop them while he finishes what they have worked so hard to achieve. He will then leave through the eastern door, shutting it as he does. If only one person remains, he will stay and fight.
“So, the famed heroes of Newport reappear to once again to inconvenience me. Heh, it matters not. You may have caused me to accelerate my plans, but truth be told I grew impatient waiting for the perfect conditions to arrive. Today we shall establish our might on this continent, and then convergence will come! My friends, see to it that they do not halt our work so close to its conclusion. I will see to the final arrangements.”

Elemental Chaos Chamber. You push open the giant doors into this chamber, revealing a similar-sized room to the one you leave. However here the content is vastly different. Around the edges are large, 10ft. wide, sealed vats, ten in total. Each of them holding a different type of swirling elemental energy. At the center of the room stands Catalyst, next to some kind of console with a variety of levers and next to it, dominating the space, is a large, floating, 20ft. sphere of swirling arcane energy. It dancing with strands of metallic colouration, and below them plunged into a stone alter, rests a large, silver greatsword. The strands of arcane anergy appear to be emanating from the hilt, where five leaf-like objects reside. As the arcane energy emits from them, you watch as one by one they begin to fade in colour to a dull grey. As you take this all in Catalyst call to you from the other side of the room. “Beautiful isn’t it. Stratos really outdid herself… She’ll be remembered… I’m curious, man of the wildfire, how do you suppose the other gods of this world view your transformation at the hands of The Dawnfather?” “I imagine most view it as agreeable. Evolution is a part of life after all. Lineages come and go with the passing of ages and yours… ours… is still up and coming. That said, the history of this rotten land has stifled that immeasurably. It’s time to raise our people to new heights, a fresh start, once we’ve wiped the slate clean. He pulls a series of levers causing the entire chamber to rumble. “That said, I can’t have to stopping me now.” Catalyst strikes the gauntlets one his wrists together, causing his hands to become enveloped in orange flame. He grabs his staff and vaults over the control panel as a number of vats around the room shatter into thousands of pieces.

Roll 2D6. The number correlate to which elemental he releases (reroll double):
1 = dust
2 = ice
3 = magma
4 = mud
5 = smoke
6 = steam
The party will have three rounds of combat to disrupt the ritual. Doing so requires a creature to make a DC 20 Arcana (Intelligence) check at the control panel. If a creature successfully makes this check, the following happens.
The rumbling fades whilst the energy in the center of the room begins to contract to a singular point. The pressure in the room become very heavy, when suddenly a pulse of arcane energy blasts throughout the room. Knocking you with a huge force. You watch as the remaining elementals are completely dispersed, as if made illusory, as the wave hits them leaving you in a quiet, empty chamber.
The final sound you hear is the sound of a sword clanging onto the ground after being catapulted across the room.
DC 15 Constitution saving throws to avoid being knocked prone by the blast.
With each round of combat, the energy in the center of the room becomes more volatile:
Round 1. The strands of metallic arcane energy extend from the swirling sphere above the sword to each of the remaining elemental vats, connecting them in some way.
Round 2. From the top of each vat, the elemental energy begins to emerge. Grasped by the metallic strands, they are each pulled through the air and begin to join with the sphere.
Round 3. As the elemental energy fully collects in the center of the room. It begins to roil and pulse as it mixes into a large, chaotic swirl.
Round 4. The pulsating energy at the center of the room begins to reach the climax of its ritual. You watch as it churns ever-more aggressively, beginning to resemble the beating of a gigantic heart. However as it does, something in Catalyst’s confident façade drops as he turns to look at the console. You watch as it begins to spark with iridescent lightning, and smoke to begin billowing from within its structure. Across from it, the stone alter housing the silver greatsword (with its hilt nearly devoid of all colour) begins to crackle with the same energy and crack under the strain. Before any, including Catalyst, can react, you watch as it sunders completely and a flash of white light and the sound of a loud explosion fills the room.

Fighting the Fusion Elemental. The lip of the crater is 30ft. above the ground. Getting out of the crater in a timely manner requires a successful group DC 12 Athletics (Strength) check. Alternatively, suitable climbing gear can also be used. Alternatively, creatures can make their way back through the laboratory and the mines. In this case, the group must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution group check to keep up with he elemental as they wind through the caverns while continues west. If the group pass either check, they catch up with the elemental at the entrance to the Wealdstone Mines in the gorge and be within 30ft. of it. If they fail, they arrive at the gorge while the elemental is 120ft. ahead of them before it turns to attack them in either case.